Arthur Lives!

Second Edition

By Jason Tondro
 Arthur Lives!
Second Edition
Writer Jason Tondro
Publisher Mike Lafferty
Cover Art Denise Jones
Interior Art Hannah Friederichs, Jon Gibbons, Denise
Jones, Michael Kucharski, Susan E. Meyer, Dan Smith
Graphic Design and Layout Kara Hamilton
Kickstart Coordinator Walt Robillard
Proofreading Kristen Perkins
The Fate Core font is © Evil Hat Productions, LLC and is used with permission.
The Four Actions icons were designed by Jeremy Keller.

Acknowledgements
To thank everyone who helped me make this book would be to thank
virtually every friend I have ever gamed with. And so: Thank you all.
I am also incredibly grateful for the support of my Kickstarter backers,
without whom this book would not exist. This includes many friends
and members of my family who will never play an RPG in their lives,
but who believe in me. I am deeply humbled by that.
My thanks, as always, to Chuck Rice, James Dawsey, and Mike Lafferty,
three publishers who put time and resources into this project.
And finally, I dedicate this one to my mum, who gave me my first book of Arthurian legend
so long ago I don’t even remember it. As far as I can tell, that book was always on my shelf.
Arthur Lives! Second Edition is © 2018 Fainting Goat Games. All rights reserved.
Arthur Lives!, Fainting Goat Games, and their associated logos are trademarks of Fainting Goat Games.
 Table of Contents
Introduction...........................3 Chapter 6:
What You Have Here..................................................3
Other Fate Material....................................................4 The Arthurian Age.............. 95
410, the Year Arthur Became King........................95
Chapter 1: 411, the Year Arthur’s Birth Was Revealed......... 98
412, the Year of the May Babies............................. 98
Creating Characters..............5 413, the Year the King and Queen Were
The Big Questions.......................................................5 Married..................................................................... 100
The Short Version.......................................................7
Characters Step by Step.............................................7 Chapter 7:
Name...............................................................................8
Aspects...........................................................................8 Running the Game............. 103
Skills..............................................................................10 The Traditional Campaign...................................103
Stunts and Refresh.....................................................11 Dials & Switches......................................................105
Plot Gallery................................................................ 107
Whedonisms.............................................................109
Chapter 2: Dreams & Prophecy.................................................112
Paths................................. 12 Alternative Campaigns...........................................114
Damosels, Enchanters, Knights, and Kings....... 13
Named Paths............................................................... 17 Chapter 8:
Chapter 3: The Setting........................ 118
The Secret History...................................................118
Skills and Stunts................ 43 The Round Table Conspiracy.............................. 124
Summary of Changes from Fate Core Rules.....43 Heaven, Hell, and Faerie....................................... 127
Archery - Willpower ..........................................44-54
Chapter 9:
Chapter 4: Allies and Adversaries........ 136
Extras...............................55 Scale.............................................................................137
Companion.................................................................56 Creature Features.....................................................137
Estate............................................................................. 57 Dressing the Beast....................................................137
Minion.......................................................................... 57 Incarnations.............................................................. 138
Organization............................................................... 57 Animals......................................................................146
Vehicle..........................................................................58 Earthly Perils.............................................................151
Across the Veil..........................................................166
Chapter 5: Heaven and Hell......................................................184

Magic & Enchantment......... 59 Bibliography....................... 192

Recognizing Arthur..................................................59 Primary Sources....................................................... 192
Alchemy.......................................................................62 Reference and Criticism........................................ 193
Echoes..........................................................................65 Websites..................................................................... 193
Enchantment.............................................................. 73 Fiction......................................................................... 193
Mechanics................................................................... 73 Comics........................................................................ 194
Occult............................................................................ 74 Other Arthurian or Fate RPGs............................. 194
Confidence.................................................................. 75
Willpower.................................................................... 75
The Magical Talents................................................. 75
Index................................. 196
Enchantment Stress and Consequences........... 90
Variations and Expansions..................................... 91
Sample Enchantment Consequences.................93

2
Introduction Dresden Files, Harry Potter), supernatural thrillers
(Supernatural or True Blood), conspiracy theories
(Holy Blood, Holy Grail or Angels & Demons), the
Arthur Lives! is a roleplaying game of supernatural rich vein of our own occult tradition (the Golden
adventure, conspiratorial intrigue, and occult mystery Dawn, John Dee), and of course the many legends
using the Fate Core system. Heroes and villains from of Arthur and his knights, that serve as inspiration
Arthurian myth have been reincarnated, coming back and initial outlines for player-driven stories with
to life in the cinematic present. At first, these individu- unexpected outcomes and surprising twists.
als don’t remember their former lives, but as they be- For make no mistake, if Arthur and his knights
gin to recognize each other, old feuds and tragic affairs are living second lives, they are also empowered
resurface. Why has the King returned now? Does to change their destiny. At its heart, Arthur Lives!
some unseen danger threaten? And even if the an- is really a story about second chances; given the
swer is yes, will these legendary heroes be able to put opportunity to learn from your mistakes, will you
their old grievances aside long enough to oppose it? choose to live this second life differently than the
Players in Arthur Lives! make characters who are, one before? Can you do better? Or perhaps the real
secretly, these reincarnated figures from Arthurian lesson is that, in this life as much as the next one,
legend. In the traditional campaign set-up, the he- your mistakes are the only things that you can tru-
roes are not aware of their former lives at the start of ly call yours. Perhaps we should focus less on the
play. Recognizing yourself, learning who you truly do-over, and more on being true to ourselves.
are and the nature of your new existence, is one of It’s your call. But while you’re thinking, you’re going
the first major turning points for your character. As to be shot at by hired assassins, pursued by Masonic
you grow in power and regain more of your mem- FBI agents and Templar wizards, stalked by the vam-
ories of the first Arthurian Age, you may recover pire menace, hunted by chimera crawling across the
some of the magical artifacts you once wielded, Faerie Veil and, ultimately, confronted by another ver-
you will meet old friends and family, and you will sion of your own self – one who thinks she’s got more
be confronted with some of the same adversaries. right to live than you do. Arthur Lives! has its cerebral
But these meetings seldom go as planned; friends moments, but they alternate with high-adrenaline
may turn out to be rivals or even enemies, and action in the Hollywood tradition. Do try to keep up.
an old nemesis may be your only ally. Slowly you
part the curtain that separates you from the truth
of your rebirth, and your quest for knowledge is What You Have
always hand-in-hand with a fight for survival. The book you are holding has everything you
There is room for great diversity when it comes need to make characters and GM adventures in
to heroic type, from action stars to academics. Arthur Lives! You’ll also need the Fate Core rules. It
Government agents, New Age philosophers, con- has a special focus on what we might call “Season
men, university professors, bounty hunters, students, 1” of AL! The Arthurian characters spotlight-
Army vets, actors down on their luck, gamblers, ed in it, and the questions and problems which
rogue cops, by-the-book cops and, yes, the oc- the players are likely to face, are inspired by the
casional medieval recreationist are all welcome. early years of Arthur’s reign, when he was strug-
Because all the characters are tied together by their gling to cement his position as High King.
shared Arthurian heritage, you can even make a The first six chapters are for players. Character
character who would normally avoid adventure at creation rules are first; AL! differs only slightly from
all costs and who has no training for such heroics, Fate Core when it comes to character creation, but
but who is nevertheless drawn into stories relat- each player does choose a path—the Arthurian
ed to her former life. The race, gender, and social character who has been reincarnated in the present.
class of your incarnation is up to you, the player; Paths are detailed in Chapter 2. Ten characters from
Lancelot used to be a white French aristocrat, but Arthurian myth are singled out for special treatment;
this time he may come back as an Israeli secret you will recognize some of them, but others will be
agent, an African mother with two kids, or a beggar surprises. AL!’s skill list, along with a selection of
on the streets of Chicago. Arthur has gone viral. stunts, make up Chapter 3. Chapter 4 is for Extras,
This is a supernatural world, full not only of vam- largely of the non-magical variety: companion char-
pires, ghosts, and monsters under the bed, but with acters like squires, minions, organizations which
relics, dangers, and spells from Arthurian legend belong to particular PCs, and “estates,” buildings
which have manifested as “echoes” in the 21st century. or other locations which the players may use as
Stories are painted with a broad palette: paranor- headquarters (a “New Camelot”, perhaps). Magic
mal mysteries (X-Files, Fringe), modern magic (The and enchantment—the magic system by which

3
 magician characters cast spells—is Chapter 5.
Finally, there is a chronicle of important events in Other Fate Material
the first few years of Arthur’s reign. This summary The only resource you need to play Arthur Lives!,
of events should help you roleplay characters who other than the book you are holding, is Fate Core,
come from this key period in Arthur’s history. which is available in a “pay what you want” mod-
The next few chapters are for GMs. They include a el from Evil Hat Productions (www.evilhat.com).
great deal of information which PCs should discover However, there are many additional Fate re-
through play. That is not to say players cannot read sources out there which you might find useful. In
these chapters, but it does mean that players who particular, the Dresden Files RPG, also sold by Evil
know their contents should work with the GM to Hat, contains a wealth of NPCs, monsters, and sto-
ensure that player knowledge does not “bleed over” ry ideas set in an urban fantasy environment very
into character knowledge. In other words, you may compatible with Arthur Lives! The Dresden Files RPG
know how Arthur returned, but that does not mean uses a previous version of Fate and its magic sys-
your character does. You may know what dwells on tem works very differently than enchantment, but
the other side of the Faerie Veil, but your character is the compatibility between that book and this one is
likely to be ignorant, at least at first. Chapter 7 begins very high. In fact, with all the Arthurian elements
with an overview of what might be considered the that pop up in Harry’s life, it’s possible he is in an
“traditional” AL! campaign – how it starts, what the Arthur Lives! campaign and doesn’t even know it.
big issues are, how the characters and stories develop The Fate System Toolkit includes rival mag-
and where the milestones are. If AL! was an ongoing ic systems. Look at Fate Accelerated Edition (FAE)
television series, this book really only covers the first if you like the AL! setting and basic principles
season, when characters and conflicts are introduced. but want to run a faster, less rules-intensive ses-
Some questions are answered, but others remain sion, perhaps for a convention or a pick-up game.
unrevealed. However, there are many other ways to Spirit of the Century is great if you are running a
run AL!, and this chapter also includes advice and historical AL! campaign; see Chapter 7 for more
options concerning them, including the choice of an on this. Other Fate games published by third-par-
unusual historical period for your game or a change ty publishers provide more monsters, stunts, and
in one of the essential ground rules for the campaign, magic; Legends of Anglerre, a high fantasy RPG by
resulting in a very different experience. Chapter 8 is Cubicle 7, is especially handy in this regard.
about the world of Arthur Lives!, including a secret
history of the Arthurian Age, its waning, and the
reason for its return. The cosmology of the setting
is also described, including detail on Heaven, Hell,
and especially Faerie, the one “other world” which
heroes are likely to adventure in. There’s a rundown
of the Round Table Conspiracy, one of the “big bads”
for season one. A large “Allies and Antagonists”
chapter includes NPC incarnations, mortal threats
like FBI agents and conspiratorial assassins, animals
like bears and lions, Faerie creatures from across the
Veil, angels from Heaven, and demons from Hell.
Finally, we end with a bibliography of sourc-
es in fiction, film, gaming and elsewhere to
help inspire you in your own adventures.

4
 Chapter 1: Creating Characters

Chapter 1: Creating Characters

The Big Questions
Almost all player characters in Arthur Lives! will
be reincarnations of people who lived during the
fantastic and enchanted reign of King Arthur. There
can be exceptions: mundane individuals who aren’t
reincarnations but who are surrounded by those
who are. These exceptions can have an important
role in many stories, but by their rarity they prove
the rule. If you are making a character, choosing
your past life – your incarnation – is the first major
choice you are forced to make, and it will influence
your character for the rest of her gaming life.
In the world of Arthur Lives!, very few people know
why Arthur, his knights, his foes, and all the other
magical supporting cast of his myth have returned
from death. Instead, your character will be asking
questions like, “Why are we all here? Why have we
come back now?” The situation has been made more
complicated by the fact that there is more than one
incarnation of each Arthurian character. That is to
say, there is more than one Arthur reborn, more than
one Guinevere, more than one Merlin. How could
this be? How many other versions of you are there?
Is one of them more real than the others? Which one
of you is the right one? Your GM knows the answers
to these questions, but your character may not learn
the answers for some time. Asking and answering
these questions is a very important part of every
Arthur Lives! campaign, especially at the beginning.
In your character’s past life, she was a knight,
enchanter, queen, or other figure of Arthurian myth.
You may have been someone famous and well known
to us today – the Lady of the Lake, perhaps, or a great
knight like Sir Gawain – but you might have been a
minor character about whom we know very little.
Arthurian myth is filled with these supporting charac-
ters who appear in one or two episodes but who were
eclipsed in life by famous names like Lancelot and
Merlin. Your character might be one of these people,
like Sir Marrok (who was made into a werewolf by his
wife) or Sir Patrise (who went to a dinner party held in the character’s past life, and you have fewer re-
by the Queen only to be accidentally poisoned by an strictions on how your character’s story progresses
apple intended for Sir Gawain). When these minor from this point forward. The most extreme version
characters are reborn in the modern world, they get a of this strategy is to make a character who is never
new chance at heroism and an opportunity to escape mentioned at all in Arthurian legend, but who was
the shadow of Arthur’s famous knights. Because we nevertheless a resident of that magical time. After
know so little about these heroes, you have a blank all, there were many seats at the Round Table; not
canvas on which to paint; you can fill in the blanks all the knights who filled those seats are known to us
5
 Chapter 1: Creating Characters

today. Likewise, Arthur’s Britain had room for many seeming strangers who the incarnation has deep,
kings, sorcerers, and heroes whose exploits are now unexplained, emotional feelings for. One of the
forgotten. You can make those heroes live again. best ways to stimulate an incarnation’s memory is
Regardless of who you were before, your past life through re-enactment; when an incarnation finds
has been a mystery to your character for most of her herself going through the same actions as her for-
life. In fact, she probably still does not know about mer self did in the Arthurian age, the whole body
her previous life in Arthur’s world. Instead, she thinks can wake up at once with physical memories which
she is a perfectly ordinary person in a perfectly ordi- the mind has – until now – been blind to. (You can
nary world: the world outside our own window. But read more about recognition in Chapter 5: Magic.)
in fact, magic and myth hides in the shadowy corners Once an incarnation recognizes herself, some of
of that 21st century world, and there are secrets under her former memory will return to her … but not
every street. Modern magicians carefully work their all. Different incarnations react differently to the
spells where no one else can see; supernatural be- truth once it has been revealed. Some give up their
ings from Faerie slip over into our world and dis- modern existence entirely, and abandon friends,
guise their monstrous shape in order to walk among family, and job to devote themselves entirely to
us unseen; horrifying stories of ghosts, vampires, the person they were before, who feels more “real”
and other monsters in the closet are more real than despite the distance of time and myth. Other in-
anyone would like to admit. Your character may have carnations reject their Arthurian life and refuse to
some knowledge of the world’s hidden supernatu- answer to their former name, instead trying to hold
ral elements, especially if she has the Occult skill. on to the normal world in which they live and love.
Although your character does not remember her Often this struggle is made more difficult by the
previous life, she nevertheless is surrounded by presence of multiple, conflicting, relationships; if
things that seem familiar and which might remind an incarnation of Guinevere is already married in
her of who she once was. After all, she is still the 21st century America, and then recognizes herself,
same person, whether she remembers it or not, and how does she reconcile her mundane husband with
so she still has many of the same likes and dislikes. Arthur, her former one? And what about Lancelot?
An Arthurian damosel who preferred the rain to any Over time, more of the incarnation’s original mem-
other kind of weather will still prefer the rain in the ory will return, but that time is seldom available,
21st century, and might even move to Seattle just to since the world is a dangerous place and Arthur still
get more of it. A knight famous for his pet lion might has many enemies. Some incarnations recognized
decorate his home with art depicting those animals, themselves years ago, and have been hard at work
keep a big cat for a pet, or even work with lions at since that time gathering allies, building resourc-
the nearby zoo. Many modern incarnations will be es, and organizing schemes for mysterious ends.
drawn to professions which resemble the ones they Not all these incarnations are friendly to Arthur,
had in their former lives, so that knights will often and sometimes even apparent friends have hidden
be found among the ranks of law enforcement or goals and cross-purposes. Because there are mul-
soldiers, while kings and queens continue their life’s tiple incarnations of many Arthurian characters,
work as politicians, administrators, or corporate these rivals are often brought into conflict with
executives. Incarnations often find that their current one another. Each battles the others to determine
family situation models that of their former life. which is the “real” Arthur, Guinevere, or Merlin.
One of the most important things to happen to Sometimes these conflicts are physical, but just
your character is that moment in which she recog- as often they become conspiracies and plots too
nizes herself – she suddenly realizes who she once elusive for any simple knight to overcome. No one
was, and that she is a reincarnation of that person in knows why there is more than one of each incar-
the modern world. Recognition is guided more by nation, but it has proven very difficult for them to
story than by rules, but there are some things which cooperate without trying to destroy one another.
we know for sure. A person cannot simply be told These are the challenges that your character will
she is a reincarnation; that is such a fantastic and confront: Who are you, really? How will you come
unreasonable argument that the mind of the incar- to recognize yourself? When you do, how much will
nation instinctively recoils and rejects this truth. you really remember of the world that came be-
After all, if someone tried to tell you that you were fore, and will you embrace those memories or reject
King Arthur, why, that would be crazy! Instead, an them? Will you try to find those who were import-
incarnation must be led to the truth; she must come ant to you in your first life and, even if you don’t,
to the conclusion on her own through an emotional what will you do when they find you? When you
realization. Often this involves a return to familiar find Arthur, will you side with him or against him?
places, holding familiar objects, or contact with

6
 Chapter 1: Creating Characters

The Short Version Characters Step by Step

Characters in Arthur Lives! are very simi- Before we walk through character creation, here are
lar to characters from Fate Core. You have an some things to keep in mind.
extra aspect or two, and you generate those
aspects a little differently, but these definite-
ly qualify as tweaks, not a major overhaul.
Recognition, or,
You still begin with a high concept, but as you Changing Things Later
do this you will also decide what your past life Throughout this section, you will see references to
was in the Arthurian Age. This is called your the fact that, when your modern character recognizes
path (for example: King Arthur, Sir Galahad) and herself as a reincarnated Arthurian, you will get to
Chapter 2 is filled with suggestions for aspects, add stuff to her sheet and potentially adjust the stuff
stunts, extras and other character details which that is already there. Specifics on this can be found
might suit your path. Next, you choose your trou- in Chapter 5: Magic, but here’s a short summary.
ble and a name (you’ll have two names, of course: Recognition is a major milestone for your character.
one from the past and another for the present). It is a transformative moment in which your char-
Your past life may suggest a nemesis, a partic- acter suddenly understands who she really is. Many
ular person for whom you held a special grudge. old memories come flooding back. You get to add
Not every character feels this way, so don’t feel skills and stunts to your character. You also have the
obliged to select a nemesis, but in many cases the chance to change an aspect or a stunt, and you can
choice is clear. You’ll generate another aspect to spend some of your refresh on extras or more stunts.
describe your relationship to the nemesis, but When your character recognizes herself:
you won’t tag it often. Like your nemesis, it floats • You can change your high concept. (Frustrated
out there, waiting for a good time to strike. Stage Magician becomes Merlin the Stage Magician)
To determine your other aspects, describe a • Your skill cap rises to Superb (+5).
past adventure of your character in the Arthurian • You gain one skill at Great (+4), one at Good (+3),
Age and a past connection with another player one at Fair (+2) and one at Average (+1). If you are
character. Since you are a reincarnation of that using skill points, you get 10 points to spend.
Arthurian character, you then come up with a
• Your refresh rises by 2; you can spend these
present adventure for your “second life” and a
points to buy new stunts or extras.
present connection to a different player character.
All of this replaces the Fate Core “phase trio.” Each • And you can do one of the following things:
of these elements add an aspect to your character, • Change another aspect.
so you will end up with six aspects in total, includ- • Change one stunt for another, or trade it in for
ing your high concept and trouble, seven if you an extra.
count Nemesis (which not everyone will have). • Swap two skills in value.
Just as in Fate Core, you select ten skills and at Recognition gives you a chance to add those
least three stunts, and you begin with a base refresh Arthurian skills which are necessary to your concept
of 3. Stress and consequences are calculated in the but didn’t make any sense for your modern reincar-
same manner as Fate Core. AL! has a slightly dif- nation or you just couldn’t afford to buy. The extra re-
ferent skill list than Fate Core; you can read up on fresh allow you to acquire the extras and stunts which
all the skills, and see more stunts, in Chapter 3. your character had in the legend. Some extras require
Finally, as you are making your character, you an aspect or even a high concept as part of their cost;
will probably also be looking ahead to the mo- recognition gives you a chance to pay that cost.
ment of recognition, when the modern you realiz- The options that come with recognition are useful
es that you are the reincarnation of an Arthurian in one other important way: they allow you to start
character. When that moment happens, your play in the modern world without a clear idea of who
character will gain some additional skills and you were in the Arthurian Age. You may not know
refresh, which you might use for stunts or ex- a lot about the legend, or you may simply prefer to
tras. It’s wise to figure out what those additions let the GM make that kind of decision. Maybe you’re
are now, so that you don’t have to put a break torn between Galahad and Guinevere. Because you
on the action later, when recognition occurs. know this decision can be put off, you can just make
Let’s get to the specifics. your character as she exists in the 21st century. When
recognition takes place, and you learn your former
life, you can change your high concept to suit and take
the skills and stunts you need to suit that concept.

7
 Chapter 1: Creating Characters

The best high concepts unite your past and

present life into one phrase, something like Once Name
and Future King (of Rock and Roll) or Lawyer of the If you’re making up an entirely new Arthurian—
Lake. But if you’re stuck, just focus on the char- which is perfectly fair, by the way—you’ll have to
acter as he or she exists in the present. After all, come up with her Arthurian name as well as her mod-
your character probably doesn’t know he or she is ern reincarnation. Don’t worry too much about histor-
a reincarnation anyway; at least, not yet. You will ical accuracy; some of these characters have pretty odd
have a chance to adjust and add to your character names. What’s most important is that it sounds good
when recognition takes place, when your char- to you, and it’s not going to get confused with anyone
acter learns the truth about his or her past life. else. (Conan, Katniss and Aragorn are right out.)
It’s perfectly all right to focus exclusive-
ly on your character’s present day life and put
off the Arthurian aspects of the character. Aspects
Gender, Nationality, Your High Concept and Path
and Race The first thing you will need is a “high concept”
for your character, an idea of who your character is.
It may not seem so at first glance, but the charac- Many players begin with an Arthurian character: “I
ters of Arthurian myth are pretty diverse considering have dibs on Tristan.” That’s a perfectly good way
the world they come from. That world is British, but to start. Other players don’t know much about the
in that Britain you will find Scots (King Lot and his legend and benefit from suggestions and guidance.
five sons), Welshmen (Ryons and his brother Nero), To help both sorts of players, we’ve included paths.
Cornishmen (Tristan and his uncle King Mark), A path is a collection of aspect advice, skills,
Irish (Isolde and her brother Marhaus), Frenchmen stunts, extras, and other information that detail
(Lancelot, of course, and his family and foes), and a character from the Arthurian Age. Four of the
even Saracens (Palomides), Hungarians (Urre), and paths are very broad: Damosel, King, Knight, and
Greeks (Sagramore). Arthur’s tales spread through- Enchanter. With these “open” paths, you can mod-
out Europe and soon we had Italian and Spanish el the vast majority of Arthurian characters, in-
knights; a couple of centuries later American authors cluding original creations (Brave, Brave Sir Robin)
added characters like the Connecticut Yankee and and famous characters (Lancelot). More detailed
Prince Valiant. By the end of the 20th century, Mike “named” paths have been created for ten charac-
Barr and Brian Bolland gave us an African Gawain, a ters from the legend; they include several well-
Japanese samurai Sir Galahad, and a Lady Tristan! known Arthurians but also some lesser known
This is all a long way of saying that Arthur may surprises. All the paths are detailed in Chapter 2.
have started out a straight, white, male Englishman, If you want to play a particular Arthurian character
but there’s no reason you have to do the same. As and don’t see the right named path, just use one of the
Arthur’s tale has grown to include an environ- first four paths. That’s what they’re for. If you don’t
mental aspect – renewing the Wasteland of our know anything about the legend, start with your high
concept and see if one of the paths fits. You may want
Earth with the waters of the Holy Grail – Arthur
to play a character whose former life doesn’t fit any
has become a truly universal figure, no longer
path—a squire, for instance, or a holy hermit. That’s
“English” at all. While it is helpful if your char-
fine. Paths don’t give you anything a regular Fate
acter can speak English (and communicate with
character doesn’t have. They’re just guidelines and
the other player characters), it doesn’t even have suggestions. In other words, they’re entirely optional
to be his first language. Your Merlin may practice and you don’t even need a path if you don’t want.
voodoo in Haiti, Tibetan Buddhism, or Aboriginal
Dreamtime magic in New Zealand. Your Guinevere
may be Boston firefighter, an Indian tech support Trouble
specialist, or a Brazilian archaeologist. Characters Your character has a trouble, an obstacle that
that were one gender can be reincarnated in makes life difficult. Your path will often suggest
another – and this will cause a whole new set a trouble: Guinevere’s jealousy, for instance, or
of problems when the character tries to juggle Pellinore’s obsessive nature. Characters in Arthur
both of his (or is it her?) lives. You can be as con- Lives! don’t escape their troubles simply by dying; it’s
ventional as you like or as risky as you dare. likely that whatever trouble you had in your first life
continues to plague you in the second. Characters
with difficult relationships in the Arthurian
Age end up with similar relationships today.
8
 Chapter 1: Creating Characters

If you are stuck trying to figure out something At the same time that you are handing your char-
that encapsulates both sides of your character, acter to two other players, of course, other play-
past and present, focus on the present. When ers are handing their sheet to you. So when this is
your character recognizes herself, you will get all over, you will have connections to a couple of
a chance to change her trouble to something characters from the Arthurian Age and a couple
that better represents her legendary baggage. of connections to characters from the present.
Example: Sonja has an idea for a reincarnation
of Arthur who is an Elvis impersonator. She takes
the high concept Once and Future King (of Rock and
But I Don’t Know
Roll) and the trouble I Ain’t Nothin’ but a Hound-Dog,
naming the character Leonard “Lennie” Fontaine.
My Own Past!
Some of you will start play without having chosen
She sees Lennie as a womanizer, which is a real a path with a specific Arthurian identity. You can’t
problem for him because Lennie is married with do the Past Adventure and Past Connection part of
two kids. But he spends most of his time on the character creation, because your past is a mystery.
road touring, and the road is a lonely place. That’s fine. Just leave those aspects blank for
now. You can fill them in as you go. If anyone gives
Past and Present you a hard time, tell them you are using the Quick
Fate Core details the “Phase Trio,” which is an im- Character Creation rules from p. 57 of Fate Core.
portant step in character creation wherein the players Example: Sonja sees Lennie as over-the-top, and
describe the past adventures of their characters, build she wants to focus on Arthur in his later years, a vet-
connections between each other, and flesh out their eran of many wars, rather than the young Boy King.
aspects. There are some very strong advantages to Turning to his past adventure, she makes up a story in
this approach and Arthur Lives! does not make major which Britain was plagued by a rebellion led by giants
changes to it. But, because every AL! character has two who march on Camelot. In the climactic battle which
lives and (at least in the traditional game) does not followed, Arthur leapt onto the shoulders of the King
start play aware of his or her prior identity, this phase of the Giants and, by yanking on his hair, steered
of character creation is played out a little differently. him like a battle-chariot, decimating the Giant’s own
ranks. She writes, I’ve Done Things You Wouldn’t Believe.
• Your Past Adventure: Describe an adventure your
Now she hands her sheet to another player who
character had in the Arthurian Age. Although
is developing an incarnation of Nimue. Nimue’s
nothing stops you from using a famous adventure
player decides the only way to end the war with the
already recorded for your character (The Sword in
Giants was to pacify them with a fantastic feast, one
the Stone, for example, or Gawain’s quest for the
so magnificent and large that they would be forced
Green Knight), it’s usually more fun to make up a
to acknowledge Arthur as the greatest of all kings.
new tale, one which we haven’t heard before. From
There was a catch: only one animal could possibly
this, you acquire one aspect.
be large enough to feed all those giants, and that
• Past Connections: Hand your sheet to another was a monstrous boar which had died years before.
player who, in the Arthurian Age, got involved in Nimue guided Arthur to Annwn, the horrifying land
the adventure with you. Between the two of you, of the dead, braving evil spirits and wicked Faeries
figure out what that second character did in your to capture the ghost boar and bring it back to the
story and add an aspect that reflects it. world, where its magical pork-flesh fed an army
• Present Adventure: Now leave the Arthurian Age of giants. The journey would have driven a lesser
behind and get into the shoes of your present-day man mad, so Sonja writes, I Never Lose My Cool.
self. Describe a story of the modern era in which It’s time for Lennie’s adventure in the present.
your character was the star, and use it to create a He’s run afoul of organized crime a few times, and
third aspect for your character. This is a good time in one case, he was performing at a local hotel
to focus on whatever skills, talents, or unique as- whose attractive female owner was being threat-
sets your modern-day self has; after all, she doesn’t ened by the mob. Lennie tried to solve the problem
know she’s an Arthurian reincarnated at the time diplomatically, but one thing led to another and
of this adventure. he ended up in a fist fight and shoot out with the
• Present Connections: Hand your sheet to a sec- mob boss and his flunkies at a strip joint down-
ond player and elaborate or complicate the story town. He gets the aspect I’ll Do Anything for a Fan.
you just came up with. Working with that player,
add a final aspect to your sheet.

9
 Chapter 1: Creating Characters

Finally, he needs a Present Connection. Sonja You should craft your own aspect that embod-
turns to the player making Isolde, who in the 21st ies the particular relationship you have with your
century is a celebrated surgeon named Rose. She nemesis or the feelings you have towards him or
decides Lennie’s hard life on the road caught up her. You’ll be able to invoke this aspect against
with him after the shootout in the strip club, and he him, and it can be compelled against you by him,
collapsed with a heart attack, which brought him to but you aren’t obligated or compelled to attack
her emergency room. Rose discovered Lennie had a your nemesis. The grudge is a powerful one, but
tear in the walls of his heart and needed an immedi- old, and you can choose to bury the hatchet and
ate transplant. Naturally, it was at this moment that leave your nemesis alone if you so choose.
the mobsters returned, taking the entire hospital Example: Lennie’s nemesis is Mordred. Sonja writes
hostage in order to force an operation on their dy- down I Brought You Into This World, I’ll Take You Out.
ing boss, suffering from Lennie’s gunshot wounds.
Over the course of a harrowing night, while Isolde
was performing surgery on the mob boss, Lennie
took them all out one at a time. But this meant he My Nemesis, My Self
was too late to save himself, and the transplant Incarnations in Arthur Lives! have a peculiar
supernatural rivalry with other incarnations
heart had expired. Strangely, he felt fine. Isolde of the same path. Because they’re reflections
once again examined his heart, and found that the of the same person, each instinctively knows
what the other is thinking, and they can even
previous damage was gone, without explanation. It sense each other’s presence in a vague “He’s
was a miracle. Sonja writes Sometimes Prayer Is the close, I can feel it” kind of way. There is an
emotional friction between rival incarnations
Best Choice You Can Make as Lennie’s final aspect. that makes it hard for them to work togeth-
er and that makes conflict all too likely.

Nemesis
This all sounds a lot like a nemesis, and
its very similar. But in game terms, it’s not
a function of your nemesis aspect. Instead,
Some incarnations have a nemesis—a particular it’s actually a special invocation or compel
of your high concept! Two rival incarnations
person or creature against whom they gain special of Arthur, for example, can compel each
advantages. Often, your nemesis was responsible for other’s high concept, or invoke their own, to
gain bonuses in combat against each other,
your death in the first Arthurian Age. Sometimes to sense each other’s presence, or to predict
your nemesis is someone you wanted or even tried what the other will do. A GM might com-
pel your high concept to make you mis-
to kill, but you perished before you were able to trust—or even betray—a rival incarnation.
finish the job. Your nemesis may have killed some- Not everyone has a nemesis, and if they
do, their nemesis aspect applies strict-
one close to you. Blood feuds were a famous and ly to that nemesis. But every incarnation’s
very destructive force that worked against Camelot high concept can be invoked or compelled
in this way, should a rival incarnation of
from within. The first significant such feud was the same path appear in your story.
between the sons of King Lot and King Pellinore,
who killed Lot. Once Pellinore was murdered,
Gawain and his brothers moved on to Lamorak
and Pellinore’s other family members. When their
own mother Morgause became Lamorak’s lover, Skills
revenge won out over blood: Morgause was killed in When you’re happy with your aspects, it’s time
her bed. Your nemesis aspect helps represent these to select and rate your skills. The simplest way to
long-standing grudges in Arthur Lives! games. do this is to follow the process outlined in Fate
For named paths, your nemesis is already specified. Core: you have a pyramid of ten skills, one of
If you’re making a Knight, Damsel, King or Enchanter, which you are Great at (+4), two of which you are
you will want to figure out who your nemesis might Good at (+3), three of which you are Fair at (+2),
be. Usually the person who killed you is a solid place and the final four of which are Average (+1).
to start, but you may have made an enemy in your If you want to get more complicated, you can buy
younger adventuring days who made a more emo- your skills individually with 20 skill points. Spend one
tional connection. Sometimes your nemesis might skill point for every level of the skill; you cannot have
be a group of people, such as a family. A rival is also more skills at any given level than you have skills under
a potential nemesis; if you and another knight both that level. So, if you have three skills at Average (+1),
competed for the same woman, that knight may be you can have up to three skills at Fair (+2), but not four.
your nemesis, even if the two of you never actually At character creation, no skill can be higher than
came to blows. Nemesis is a two-edged aspect; it gets +4. If your GM is running a game in which the PCs
used against you as often as you use it, and you’re have already recognized themselves,
not required to have one. But it’s pretty common. the skill cap will be +5 or higher.

10
 Chapter 1: Creating Characters

As you make your character, focus on his abilities in

the modern era. It might be fitting for your knight to Stress and Consequences
have Melee, Wilderness, or Athletics, but if his mod- Calculate your physical and mental stress boxes
ern-day incarnation is an accountant, you may feel exactly as you would in Fate Core, modifying the
it a stretch to write those skills on your sheet now, base two boxes with additional ones from Physique
before the character has recognized himself. That’s (for physical stress) or Willpower (for mental stress).
fine. Don’t force Arthurian skills onto your modern You have one minor, one major, and one severe
concept. You will have a chance later, when your consequence; this may be modified by stunts.
character recognizes herself, to add those skills. Example: Lennie’s Mediocre Willpower means
Example: Sonja sees Lennie as being rough- he still has only two mental stress boxes, but he
and-tumble, and a hard drinker who is phys- has three physical ones thanks to a Fair Physique.
ically impressive despite his age. We already He doesn’t have any additional consequences, but
know he can fight and shoot, and he can sing. he can reduce the severity of a consequence by
But his other real talent is making an emotion- spending a Fate point, thanks to Tough as Nails.
al connection with people. He’s charismatic
and likable. He starts with Great Performance,
Good Rapport and Brawl, Fair Physique and
Firearms and Empathy. He finishes off with Average
Intimidation, Athletics, Confidence and Contacts.
Sonja also knows Lennie is going to recognize him-
self as King Arthur pretty soon. She takes a few
minutes to figure out what skills that might bring,
and she settles on Great Melee, Good Leadership,
Fair Willpower, and Average Resources. Lennie
doesn’t have these skills yet, but he’ll get them.

Stunts and Refresh

Characters in Arthur Lives! start with three stunts
and a refresh of 3, just like characters in Fate Core. You
can use stunts or refresh to purchase extras, and you
can trade refresh for more stunts, but you can’t start
play with a refresh higher than 3 or lower than 1.
That refresh, and the additional 2 refresh that comes
from recognition, is there so that enchanters can buy
the magical talents they need, characters like Gawain
can buy their supernatural abilities, and characters
like Arthur can buy enchanted weapons. In addition,
the legendary feats of Arthurian characters suggest
a great many stunts, and Arthur Lives! preserves that
heroic tone with a slightly higher power level. These
are mythological characters come to life; they may
be a bit down on their luck, but they’re still legends.
Example: Lennie doesn’t have a lot of money; in
fact, his Resources start out at Mediocre. The Haggle
stunt will allow him to use his Rapport to buy stuff
that isn’t too expensive. Tough as Nails will give
Lennie more endurance in a fight. Looking at the
Rapport stunt Popular, Sonja invents the stunt Look,
it’s Elvis!, which allows Lennie to make a Fair (+2)
Performance check to place the aspect Elvis Fan on
someone he’s just met. This makes the person well
disposed towards Lennie, but he doesn’t get a free
invocation of it. This leaves Lennie with 3 refresh,
and Sonja expects she will need those points once
he recognizes himself as Arthur, so she stops there.

11
 Chapter 2: Paths

Chapter 2: Paths
Your Arthur Lives! character is a reincarnation of did not change; you just have more accurate infor-
an Arthurian figure; you decide who. Once you do, mation now than you did before. When you make a
that choice brings with it some suggestions, guide- character and leave his incarnation undecided, only
lines, and occasional rules. Collectively all of this to eventually choose the path of Arthur, that doesn’t
is known as your path. For most characters, your mean your character chose to be a reincarnation of
path consists of some aspect advice, important Arthur. It means your character was always a reincar-
skills, and some potential stunts. A few charac- nation of Arthur; you just didn’t know it until now.
ters have special extras including magical equip- Characters who have recognized themselves and
ment, supernatural powers, or mundane resources are on a path are more powerful than those who are
like followers, companions, or a headquarters. not. Once you recognize yourself, you gain one new
Each Arthur Lives! reincarnation has a path, and skill at Great (+4), one at Good (+3), one at Fair (+2),
once your character recognizes himself, his path will and one at Average (+1). (If your game is using skill
never change. But until your character has recognized points, you gain 10 skill points instead). This is a
himself as a reincarnation, your true nature is not great time to select skills which make sense for your
perfectly known. Although it is rare, it is possible for past life—like Archery, Melee, or Wilderness—but
a character’s former life to be “misdiagnosed.” As a which would have been out of character for your
player, this means you can choose a different path present life. Your refresh also goes up by 2, allow-
than you first intended. It is even possible to put off ing you to select stunts or extras that suit your path.
the choice of path until the moment of recognition, if All of this counts as a Major Milestone, so you can
you are not sure what path you want your character also rename your high concept. In fact, if your path
to take. In cases like this, your character’s true self is not represented somehow in your high concept,
12
 Chapter 2: Paths

you should definitely rename it, because your path is Master of the Lists or Giant-Killer or Hero of the Battle of
who you are. Because this is a Major Milestone, you Badon Hill. Knights often have considerable resources
also have some flexibility to swap a couple of skills in the form of wealth, followers, and an expansive
around, rename another aspect, or change a stunt. estate. This can be represented with an aspect that de-
scribes your holdings, whatever they are: a Car Repair
Damosels, Enchanters, Shop, Central Park Address, or a Historic Lighthouse.

Knights and Kings Key Skills

Athletics is critical and Physique only slightly less
Your Arthur Lives! character could be a reincarna-
tion of anyone in the Arthurian legend. A short list of so. You’ll need a fighting skill or two: Firearms if you’re
ten characters has been given special rules, but there a modern guy, Melee if you’re Old School, and Brawl
are hundreds of potential incarnations—and that’s if you’re the type of knight who thinks with your fists.
not even including all the wholly original Arthurian Modern knights Drive instead of ride (but if you want
characters you might devise. You can simulate almost to ride, Athletics has you covered). Confidence rep-
all Arthurian characters with the four paths pre- resents your belief in honor, duty, and ties of fealty;
sented here: Damosel, Enchanter, Knight and King. without it, you are a knight who has forsaken the
things knights stand for. You’ll use Provoke to chal-
lenge others. Many knights, especially those who
Knight quested often or who grew up in the country, were
Knights were the elite warriors of the Arthurian expert hunters and trackers with Wilderness skill.
age, sworn vassals of kings and other lieges. Most
were of noble birth, though not necessarily of noble Stunts
character. Armed with the very best weapons, armor, Knights excel at combat stunts, and there are
and mounts, they formed the core of any king’s army, plenty in this book and Fate Core for you to pick
and the mounted charge of a knight was the ulti- from. Consider Killing Stroke (Melee), Tough
mate weapon on the battlefield. War was common in as Nails (Physique), Provoke Violence (Provoke)
Arthur’s early years, but soon the king brought peace or a stunt that allows you to make weapon at-
to Britain and his knights traveled the land dispensing tacks while driving or riding. If you don’t have
justice and helping those in need. When not adven- strong Willpower, consider a stunt that makes you
turing, they kept in shape by participating in tourna- more resistant to fear, such as Indomitable.
ments filled with jousting and foot battles; knights
who won in these tournaments gained fame and glory, Extras
not to mention wealthy prizes. Between tournaments, Knights don’t usually need extras, but there
war, and questing, knights saw to their castles and are plenty of exceptions including a squire, loyal
estates or visited their lieges in court, where they were minions, a custom vehicle, or a prize stallion. All
expected to give advice, perform in courtly entertain- of these avoid magic and are perfectly appropri-
ments, and bring glory to their lord. This lord is of key ate for modern heroes. If enchantment is your
importance because knights were part of the feudal friend, arm yourself with a magic blade, a shield
system, in which each knight (known as a vassal) that inspires you, or a ring to ward off evil magic.
swore obedience to a superior (known as his liege).
There are many examples of knights in Arthurian
myth; characters like Tristan, Lancelot, Gareth,
Damosel
or Mordred can all be created with this path. The women of Arthurian myth are resourceful non-
This path is also suitable for less-famous knights combatants. Many are skilled in intrigue and the so-
like Ector (Arthur’s foster father), Bedivere (who cial arena of court, while others are famous surgeons
threw Excalibur back into the lake after Arthur’s known for their healing talents. True, many are best
last battle), or Tor (Pellinore’s bastard son). known for being kidnapped, but even when at the
mercy of brigands they think quickly enough to leave
Aspect Advice clues and help behind for those knights who ultimate-
If your past life is well-known or has a color- ly rescue them. Most interesting are those ladies who
ful name (Tristan of Lyonesse, The Green Knight, Sir are found in the wilderness, in pavilions by the road,
Breuse sans Pitie), it makes a perfectly serviceable or in remote castles, from where they issue quests to
high concept; alternately, something like Resurrected knights and lead them into adventure. These maid-
Knight or just Knight of the Round Table will probably ens always seem to recognize the knights they come
do everything you need it to do. Consider another across and they are quite at ease in the wild, even if
aspect that establishes some kind of specialty from they don’t do much fighting themselves. When their
your past life; perhaps you were a Man of the Court or knights fail to perform on the battlefield, damosels

13
 Chapter 2: Paths

know how to motivate them to success—whether or love. Willpower helps you to resist fear and in-
through loving inspiration or sharp-tongued humili- timidation, even during the inevitable kidnapping
ation. Not every damosel is benevolent, some are evil plot. Damosels are usually observant (Notice), rich
and wicked, and a few are rumored to have magical (Resources), and knowledgeable on all sorts of things
powers such as prophecy or the brewing of potions; knights know nothing about (Education). Medical
this can be represented with the magical talent of skill (Education again, this time with a stunt), musical
Divination or the Potions extra (see the Enchantment talent (Performance) and a level of comfort traveling
chapter for details on these extras). Chapter 7 has in the wild (Wilderness) are all amply supported by
advice for the use of Prophecy in the game. the source material. Those who dabble in potions
Damosels are everywhere in Arthurian stories, or the odd enchantment will need Occult. And, of
though we don’t always learn their names. When course, women who are in more progressive jobs
Arthur triumphed in an early battle before meet- than the Arthurian age allowed may have combat
ing Guinevere, he sought refuge at the castle of the skills like Firearms, Athletics, Drive, or Brawl.
Lady Lyonors, who had lost her father in the same
battle; they got along so well that she bore him a son. Stunts
Elaine of Astolat, whom Tennyson immortalized as Consider Mythic Vision (Empathy), Pattern
the Lady of Shalott, was a damosel who observed Recognition (Investigate) or some other way to
Lancelot from afar in a magic mirror before finally improve your ability to recognize Arthurian in-
dying out of unrequited love for him. Guinevere’s carnations; this is a signature characteristic of
malicious twin sister—also named Guinevere, and damosels in the Arthurian age, who always seem
boy was that confusing—was a particularly dangerous to identify knights who come riding down the
damosel who even replaced her twin on the throne of road. Stunts that help you give support to your
England and convinced Arthur she was the real thing! allies will make you the most popular character
at the table: Confident in Victory (Confidence),
Aspect Advice Sharp Tongue (Provoke), or Inspiring Beauty
It is an unfortunate fact that most of the women in (Rapport) are all new in Arthur Lives!; you can find
the Arthurian age—even very important ones—are them in Chapter 3. When in doubt, stunts which
less than famous or, even worse, completely nameless. boost your primary skills—Empathy, Contacts,
So Elaine of Carbonek probably won’t get you very far and Rapport or Provoke—are always a safe bet.
as a high concept, though Lady of Shalott will. While
it makes a lousy high concept (for various reasons), Extras
consider an aspect that characterizes your relation- Damosels run the gamut of extras. A surpris-
ship with other Arthurians, like Percival’s Saintly Sister, ing number of them have supernatural powers of
I Seduced Sir Lancelot or Guinevere’s Evil Twin. Social some sort, often easily represented with a single
connections are very important to a successful damo- magical talent like Divination, Healing, Refuge (for
sel, and aspects like Extended Family, Everyone’s Best servants of the Ladies of the Lake) or Summon &
Friend, or Ten Thousand Twitter Followers are a power- Banish. The Potions extra gives you access to three
ful way to reinforce that. Damosels are often healers talents, but only when you put the magic into a
or physicians able to cure poison (Healing Hands); liquid that must be drunk or an ointment spread
others dabble in a supernatural power or two (My onto a wound. Minions are another common extra
Mother Was a Witch). As sexist as it sounds, physical for damosels, representing servants and soldiers
beauty was an important asset for many damosels bound to her by oaths of loyalty, friendship, or blood.
and worth representing as an aspect. Besides, there’s A brother or a special pet may be useful enough to
nothing that says your damosel has to be reincar- qualify as a companion. She may have an enchanted
nated in the body of a woman. Fashion Sense, Cleans item or two, like a magic mirror, knife, or ring.
up Good, or Hot Body all work just as well for a man.
Key Skills Enchanter
Damosels have the most diverse skill set of any Merlin, Morgan Le Fey, and the Ladies of the Lake
path, but social power is key. Empathy, Rapport and are the most famous of Arthurian magicians, but the
Contacts are the bread and butter for damosels. legends boast many individuals capable of working
Not every damosel is a nice girl, however; charac- magic to fantastic effect. There was more than one
ters like Lynette “back-talk”, swapping out Rapport way to learn magic in Arthurian Britain; for some,
for Provoke, sniping at enemy knights, and goad- magic power came from Hell, either through a famil-
ing their own protectors into action with taunts and ial tie (such as that of Merlin, whose father was a de-
insults. Use Confidence to put positive aspects on mon) or through devil-worship. But other magicians,
your allies and to fuel stunts or extras based on faith like Morgan, learned their art through long study
and the reading of ancient books. Finally, characters
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 Chapter 2: Paths

like the Ladies of the Lake seem to be heirs to oc- skills is most likely to have picked up Firearms in his
cult traditions beyond ordinary human experience. second life, but Brawl makes an entertaining choice.
By crossing over into the land of Faerie, they came
into contact with magical beings, places, and powers Stunts
which they were somehow able to master. No matter Most of your refresh will be spent broaden-
how an enchanter got his abilities, he could count on ing your magical repertoire, but consider acquir-
being feared by ordinary mortals, who wisely rec- ing a stunt which makes your best magical skill
ognized his power. Enchanters who lent their pow- even more useful. For example, if your best skill is
ers to kings were usually benevolent advisors who Occult, select a stunt which allows you to cast spells
could be relied upon to use their magic for good, but faster by combining Occult with another skill in the
there were many black magicians who tried to kill same action (Master Occultist); confident magi-
or imprison their enemies through magic, and there cians might craft a stunt which gives them a bonus
is also a tradition of evil queens who, working with to Confidence when using a particular talent, such
Morgan Le Fey in a kind of supernatural conspiracy, as Glamour or Necromancy. An enchanter can’t be
tried to weave a web of black magic around all Britain. good at everything, but you can become very effec-
Enchanters abound in the legend: When Merlin tive indeed at a narrow specialty, if you choose.
traveled to the court of the French kings Ban and You will not always be able to use your magic;
Bors, he taught their advisor Gwenbaus much mundane witnesses complicate matters and you may
about magic —magic which the new enchanter want to avoid enchantment stress and consequences.
then went on to use on behalf of his lords in their A stunt or two giving you strong non-magical op-
war against their rival King Claudus. The Queen of tions will not go unused. I’ve Read about That
Norgales (Northern Wales) was considered a dan- (Education), The Power of Deduction (Notice) or
gerous sorceress, and cooperated with Morgan and Armor of Fear (Provoke, perhaps adjusted to affect
King Mark in various plots against Arthur. Morgan only attacks with Firearms) are all good examples.
herself, the most infamous sorceress in history,
can be represented with the enchanter path. Extras
You will not have enough refresh to purchase all
Aspect Advice the extras you want; alas, this is the life of an en-
It is vital that your high concept establish your chanter. While it will be tempting to simply add
nature as a magician: Lady of the Lake, Student more talents to your list, a magical focus or a mun-
of Merlin, or Thoroughly Modern Morgan are all dane place of power can allow you to turn rare spells
solid examples, as are particular styles of magic into common ones, and to use them frequently
like Spellsinger or Technomancer. This will enable and reliably without accumulating stress. Ladies of
you to select some starting magical talents. You the Lake need Refuge and possibly Healing, Ward,
might use another aspect to clarify a magical spe- or Travel. Black magicians will have Necromancy,
cialty or some special source of power, like Friends Binding, and Summon & Banish. Witches make do
in the Faerie Court, I Talk to Angels, or Hellfire. with Emotion and Blessings & Curses. If you are a
magician in the Merlin tradition, well, he used every
Skills talent at one point or another, so you can pretty much
Occult, Confidence, and Willpower are your key pick the ones you like best and call it a character.
skills; see Chapter 5 for details on how they interact
and differ from each other. An enchanter whose
highest skill is Occult knows a large variety of spells, King
has a lot of experience with magic, and has plenty of The great nobles of Arthurian myth are skilled lead-
tricks up his sleeve. An enchanter with Confidence ers, veteran tacticians, and highly respected figures
overwhelms his rivals and enemies through brute treated with courtesy even by their foes. Every king
magical force. And an enchanter who relies on has a realm of his own, even if it is relatively small,
Willpower is a master of finesse and the precise and this ensures the wealth not only of the king, but
manipulation of magical energy. Otherwise, enchant- also his extended family. At first, the kings of England,
ers usually have a good Education; Morgan herself Wales, Cornwall, Scotland, and Ireland answered to
learned black magic in an abbey, from books. They no one, ruling their lands in complete autonomy. Over
are often tricksters, concealing their powers or their the years, however, all eventually knelt before Arthur.
identity with Deceive or intimidating mortals with Some were conquered by force, but many more were
Provoke. Because they are almost always highly so impressed by his just, prosperous, and peaceful
intelligent, they are often also perceptive (Notice) rule that they joined him willingly. A very few kings
or analytical (Investigate). Enchanters who spent abandoned their homelands and became knights-
much of their former lives apart and alone may have errant; for kings of this sort (such as Pellinore),
Stealth or Wilderness. An enchanter with combat the path of the knight may be more suitable.

15
 Chapter 2: Paths

Kings appear in the legend as both allies and ad-

versaries. Among the former are King Ban and King
Stunts
Bors, French brothers who lent critical aid to Arthur Your stunts will generally do one of two things.
in exchange for his own promise to help them—a Either they will sharpen your key skills or they
promise he failed to keep. King Ryons of Wales had will support your secondary emphasis, whatever
already defeated eleven kings when he decided to skill set you have chosen to focus on besides the
make Arthur the twelfth; Balin and Balan captured fact that you are a rich and powerful leader.
him in ambush and delivered him to Arthur in an In the first basket are stunts like Command
attempt to win a pardon. Perhaps the most com- (Leadership), Throne Room (Contacts) or
mon sort of story is that of Barant, the King of a Money Talks (Resources). These stunts are de-
Hundred Knights, who first allied himself with Lot signed to heighten your influence over NPCs
in the revolt against Arthur’s rule, but then changed and to support your fellow PCs with aspects or
his allegiance and joined Arthur’s cause after a die roll bonuses. You overcome your antagonists
mysterious dream warned him of his own future. by throwing money at them, by entangling
them in bureaucracy, or by wielding in-
Aspect Advice struments of authority like the police. Use
your stunts to sharpen those knives.
Your high concept should establish whatever it is
The second basket is for stunts which sup-
you are king of: King Mark of Cornwall, The Boxcar King,
King of the Lanes. Ideally, this aspect will establish both port the skills you used to become a king in
your domain and your authority over it, whatever it the first place. If you’re a warrior-king, look at
might be. And, because this is Arthur Lives!, your do- stunts like Heavy Hitter (Melee) or Called Shot
main could be thoroughly modern. CEO of Blackmun (Firearms). Smooth-talking blue-bloods might
Enterprises, Chairman of the Board, and (R-UT) are have Demagogue (Rapport) or Lie Whisperer
all perfectly acceptable high concepts for a king. (Empathy) instead, and a spiritual king like Pellam
Your other aspects should bolster your wealth or one of the other guardians of the Grail might
(Too Big to Fail), influence (I Make the Laws in This have Armor of Faith (Confidence), Unimpeachable
Town), and years of experience (Old Dog, New Honor (Rapport), or I Am a Rock (Willpower).
Tricks). A powerful connection like Weekly Golf
Game with the Governor or I Have the Vatican on
Extras
Speed-Dial are good examples of what differenti- Kings use extras to represent organizations they
ates a King from a mere Knight or Damosel. Kings head or a large body of obedient retainers, both of
with a spiritual role should represent that with which can consume as much refresh as you’re will-
an aspect (Guardian of the Faith) while those who ing to spend. When you do this, be sure to commu-
are still capable warriors may want an aspect they nicate with the GM and the other players, since no
can use in physical conflicts (I’ve Still Got It). one wants to be upstaged by your army of minions.
Instead, use your kingdom, whatever it is, to fa-
Skills cilitate cool moments, to get past intermediate ob-
Kings can be many things: pious, warlike, or re- stacles on the way to the key scenes, and to get your
clusive, but they are always rich and influential. friends out of trouble when the dice turn against
Your most important skills are Resources, Contacts, them. Some kings are also guardians of magical
and Leadership. Kings who are loved have good treasures, but these items do not necessarily need
Rapport; those who are feared rely on Provoke to be purchased with extras since their use or pur-
instead. Willpower and Confidence are appropri- pose is not always clear and the king usually keeps
ate for all but weak and failed kings. Hunting was them in a secure room anyway. Only a few kings
a source of constant entertainment and distrac- have magical abilities, but those that do often wield
tion for kings; represent this with Wilderness. If the Healing talent, curing disease with a touch.
you won your throne by force, you probably have
Melee, Athletics, and Physique, though none of
these are as high as they were in your youth. (Of
course, if you’re a king who has recognized him-
self in a youthful body, you may have the benefit
of both experience and vigor!) Wicked kings like
Mark prioritize Deceive over other social skills, and
if your wife cheated on you—a sad likelihood—you
may have acquired Stealth, Notice, Investigate, or
Empathy in your attempts to prove her infidelity.

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 Chapter 2: Paths

Named Paths had done the deed. Ector revealed that Merlin had
given you to him when you were but an infant; the
magician himself soon appeared to claim you were
the child of the last king, Uther Pendragon, and his
Arthur, the Once Queen, Igraine of Cornwall. Although you had drawn
the sword, not everyone accepted your claim to the
and Future King status of King of England. In particular, King Lot of
Scotland declared his intent to take the title by force.
Arthur’s reign over England was engineered by With Merlin’s constant help, you organized a gov-
Merlin, who arranged for the boy’s birth, took him ernment and re-staged the sword-drawing stunt a
from his parents, gave him to a foster family, then few times to persuade more lords of England to join
re-appeared when Arthur was (barely) old enough your cause. You were in the middle of a very closely
for him to stake his claim. Merlin didn’t really know fought war with Lot when you committed your great
what kind of king he was getting; Arthur was some- sin—you allowed yourself to be seduced by Lot’s wife,
thing of a wild card. What Merlin got was an idealistic Morgause. At the time, you had come to doubt the
and proud man who took his oaths of fealty story that you were Uther’s son and thus Morgause’s
seriously. He needed a lot of guidance at brother. It was only after Morgause had returned
first, and it was in his early days that he to Scotland that your mother, Igraine, emerged
made all his worst mistakes, but with from a convent and confirmed Merlin’s tale. Only
work he managed to bring peace and you and Morgause knew you had committed both
prosperity to all the British Isles. It adultery and incest. In a panic, warned by Merlin
all collapsed in the end, but while that your son would one day kill you, you ordered
it lasted Camelot was a magi- all the boy children born in May to be rounded
cal place in a magical time. up and drowned. Your orders were carried out
Arthur is a good warrior and, when Lot learned of it,
with access to potent magi- he renewed his war with
cal weapons and an array you. He never
of resources (reputation, learned that
wealth, followers) that Mordred was
can make life easier for not his son. With
everyone. He’s also at the help of Merlin, Kay,
the heart of many of the Balin, and Pellinore, you
most important per- killed Lot and his allies and
sonality conflicts in the claimed the crown. Soon after,
game, especially the love you married Guinevere, the daughter of
triangle with Guinevere and your ally Leodegrance of Cameliard.
Lancelot. It is difficult to Your wars continued, though you were
imagine a story in which always responding to the aggression of
Arthur’s player runs out others. When you refused to pay trib-
of roleplaying opportuni- ute to Rome, the Emperor rattled his
ties or has nothing to do. sabers. In return, you invaded the
Continent and were briefly Emperor
Your Past Life yourself. The Saxons were a constant
thorn until the battle of Badon Hill,
You grew up believing Sir
Ector, a country lord, was your when you succeeded in killing an
father and that Kay was your entire generation of their warriors.
older brother. You served him Your lords and barons extended
as squire and anticipated being your rule into Ireland and France.
knighted yourself one day when, Eventually all the major wars were
at a great tournament in London, over and a long peace—the Pax
you found yourself able to draw Arthuriana—settled over the land.
the sword from the stone. Your magnificent castle, Camelot,
You promptly gave it to became the magical capital of a
Kay, whose sword you magical land. Within its halls,
had run to fetch. Kay the Round Table embodied
claimed the sword at first, all that was just and good. By
but he soon admitted that you this time, most of your fighting

17
 Chapter 2: Paths

was over. You had become an administrator second son of a country knight—and not the heir
and a dispenser of justice, the most famous, re- apparent to a warlike king—you empathized with
spected, and influential man in the world. the common people of your kingdom and preferred
Your knights—inspired by the examples of peace to war. You were capable of great feats of
Lancelot, Percival, Tristan, and Gawain—pursued arms—such as the defeat of Sir Lamorak (credited
quests all over the land and brought exhilarating as the third best knight in the world) and the de-
stories back to your court. The greatest of these feat of the Giant of Saint Michael’s Mount—but
quests was that for the Holy Grail, which appeared as you aged, becoming more and more a symbol,
in a vision to you and your court. The quest was the heroic deeds of your knights eclipsed you.
necessary—Balin’s Dolorous Stroke many years There were women before Guinevere (the
before had put a wound in the world which only Lady Lyonors, who bore you a son, and of course
the Grail could heal—but in many ways the Quest Morgause) but none after. You loved her, though
for the Grail proved the beginning of the end for you did not always appreciate her. Once, she was
your perfect society. Some of your greatest knights kidnapped and replaced by an evil twin—it took
never returned from it; many others were killed. you more than a year to notice. You may not have
Your old sin would not be forgotten. Mordred, the been the most observant king, but you were re-
youngest of Morgause’s children, came to your court lentless in the energetic pursuit of your desire to
and was made a knight. Soon his true nature was bring peace, justice, and prosperity to the world.
revealed to him, and his personality turned cruel
and evil. Blood feuds—especially the one between
Morgause’s sons and the Pellinore clan—began tear-
Recognizing Arthur
Arthur is likely to be younger than some of the
ing your court apart. It was Mordred and his brother other PCs, especially characters like Merlin, Nineve,
Agravaine who eventually exposed the long affair Kay, Balin, and Pellinore. He may be an orphan or
that Guinevere had been having with Lancelot, an raised by someone other than his acknowledged
accusation that had been made many times in the parents. As the Pendragon, he may have some con-
past but which the Queen had always been proven nection to dragons or drakes. He’s almost certain to
innocent of. In Lancelot’s escape from the trap,
pull something (a crowbar, a baseball bat, whatever)
several knights were killed, adding to the crime.
out of something immovable. There are some sug-
You felt obligated to put Guinevere on trial. Before
gestions the name Arthur may be related to Artus,
she could be burnt, Lancelot arrived with a small
the Latin for “bear,” suggesting bear-like qualities,
force to rescue her. More of your knights were
or a Welsh word meaning “dark.” He is often de-
killed, notably Gareth and Gaheris. This prompted
picted with red hair and may be in a leader position
Gawain—your greatest remaining supporter—to
of some sort (chairman of the board, quarterback).
swear vengeance on Lancelot. There seemed no op-
tion but to pursue Lancelot to France, where he had
holed up with many of your remaining knights, who
Nemesis
supported his side in the feud. Incredibly, Guinevere Your nemesis is Mordred, your son by incest with
returned to you and, even more incredible, you al- your sister Morgause. When Mordred was still in
lowed her to rule as Queen while you were in France. the womb, God delivered you a dream warning you
Mordred tried to seize the throne in your ab- of your sin and your eventual defeat at Mordred’s
sence but Guinevere outwitted him and fled to the hand. You repented and did public penance before
Tower of London, where Mordred could not get God, crawling up the steps of St. Stephen’s cathedral.
her. You hurriedly packed up your army in France Consumed by shame and afraid for your own life,
and returned to England, where Mordred and his you ordered all the boy children born in the month of
many foreign allies met you in climactic battle on May to be put on a ship and drowned. Miraculously,
Salisbury Plain. He was the last man of his army Mordred survived your plan and grew up ignorant of
to remain standing; you dealt each other mortal his true father. When the truth was revealed to him
blows. He died. You lingered long enough to order by a prophetic hermit, he became a cancer within
Bedivere, one of your longest-serving knights, to Camelot. Eventually he exposed the Queen’s long-
return Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake. Then four running love affair with Lancelot and you were humil-
queens, your half-sister Morgan le Fey among them, iated before the entire kingdom. Lancelot’s resistance
arrived to bear you to Avalon, where your wounds to arrest led to the death of many excellent knights, in-
were to be healed. That’s the last you remember. cluding two of Gawain’s younger brothers. When you
You believed that strength should be used to aid the pursued Lancelot to France, Mordred tried to seize
weak and powerless, not to impose tyranny. You were the throne. You returned to battle him at Camlann
generous to your allies and guests, slow to punish and killed him with Excalibur. It was too late. He had
those who were close to you, but proud and wrath- already driven a spear through your body but, more
ful once aroused. Because you had been raised the importantly, he’d already destroyed your dream.
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 Chapter 2: Paths

Aspects, Skills, • Steel Cutter: You have a +2 on Physique

or Melee rolls when you are using a weap-
Stunts and Extras on to slice or cut through another ob-
ject, like chains, a tree, or a door.
The fact that there are hundreds of different in-
terpretations of King Arthur is a fact which lies at • Giant Killer: You have a +2 on Athletics rolls
the heart of the Arthur Lives! mythology. Your chal- to defend against attacks from supernatu-
lenge is not to make one version which encompasses ral creatures of larger than human size.
all of them but, instead, to pick one interpretation • Conversion: You excel at turning enemies
and play the hell out of it. Are you The Boy King; into friends. You can spend a Fate point and
The Once and Future King; Rex Quondam, Rexque put a positive aspect on an enemy which rep-
Futurus; Arthur Pendragon, King of the Britons, or resents his changing attitudes towards you,
just Artus the Bear? You might be The Last Roman, such as Braver Than I Thought, He Really
Dux Bellorum, Artorius Rex, or even Rhiothamus. Is King Arthur!, or Maybe He’s Right.
Arthur has many Troubles to choose from, in- Arthur’s extras are legendary. He wields either
cluding My Best Friends Betray Me, My Relatives the Sword in the Stone or Excalibur, which prob-
Want to Kill Me, or Inappropriate Romances. It must ably began as a single sword but which now have
be mentioned that he is a Baby-Killer, a fact for irreconcilable histories. He formed the Round
which he feels Incredible Guilt and did public pen- Table and is King of Camelot. His shield bears
ance, suffering Divine Punishment. In some versions upon it the Virgin Mary and serves as a source
of the story, Arthur himself is an aging, relatively of inspiration. He has a wealth of other trea-
Impotent king who relies on his heroic knights for sures, including a cloak of invisibility, a blood-
everything. In others, he is so Proud and Greedy thirsty spear, a huge pet dog named Caball, and
that he tries to conquer the entire world and more. All of these are described in Chapter 5. If
dies for his hubris. He is sometimes Vengeful. he runs an organization, he can buy that or min-
He has many virtues as well. He believes in Might ions with extras, and if he has a squire, that young
For Right and has The Common Touch. He’s a Giant- man is almost certainly named Tom or Thomas.
Killer, No Chessboard King, ready and eager to ad-
venture himself. He is both Generous and Just and
everyone knew My Word Is My Bond. He is occasional-
Adventures with Arthur
ly plagued by Prophetic Dreams he doesn’t understand. • Arthur will often find himself at the center of
In some modern versions he was Tutored by Merlin, stories; it may be more challenging to tell stories
who turned him into animals in order to give him that take the spotlight off him. A good Arthur
perspective on the world. He may be Fated or have A story will focus on responsibility. For example,
Great Destiny. He may know I Didn’t Come Back Just to he may be forced to choose between loyalty to
Die Here. Or, he could just be Lucky or Hard to Kill. his allies and doing what is right. He may of-
If you want to wield a magic weapon, you will fer protection to someone only to later be put
probably need Melee or Firearms (and the Arthurian in a position that makes him regret that offer.
stunt). Athletics and some Physique (Tough as Nails) • Arthur has done terrible things, including in-
are fully in character for a man who once out-jousted cest and the murder of hundreds of innocent
Sir Lamorak and who picked up a fully armed and ar- children. Now that he has been given a new life,
mored Gawain before throwing the great knight over how does he feel about those crimes? Does he
the saddle-horn of his horse. An experienced Arthur still deserve to be punished, and if so, to whom
will have Leadership (Command), Contacts (Throne can he go for absolution? Is there a way for him
Room), and Resources but it can be very rewarding to “make up” for the sins of his former life?
to slowly grow into these skills over the course of the • One common trope in modern retellings of
campaign. Empathy, Investigate (Attention to Detail) the Arthurian legend is the notion that Arthur
and Education will help with dispensing justice. Use has to be educated or taught how to be king,
Rapport (Demagogue, Popular, Unimpeachable usually by Merlin but sometimes by his other
Honor) instead of Provoke. Strengthen your knights. It’s possible to structure many early
knights and companions with Confident in Victory sessions of Arthur Lives! as lessons which teach
(Confidence) and Stand Fast (Leadership). Here are Arthur some virtue or principle which he will
a few new stunts especially appropriate for Arthur: require later in life. This is also a great way to
get the other PCs involved, as they will have
to decide amongst themselves what Arthur
needs to know and how he should learn it.

19
 Chapter 2: Paths

Balin the Savage, by Nineve, the Lady of the Lake, so you considered
yourself wrongfully jailed. Arthur needed the sup-
the Knight with port of everyone he could get in those days, and he
freed you and many other prisoners so that you might
Two Swords join his army. You were free again but impoverished
and lingering at the court when a mysterious woman
One of the best warriors from the early years of
claiming to be a servant of Nineve arrived wearing a
Arthur’s reign, Balin became known as the Knight
large, bulky sword which she said she could not take
with Two Swords when he acquired a second blade
off. In fact, no one could remove it unless that person
from a mysterious woman in Arthur’s court. Balin
was the best knight the damosel could find. You alone
was an extraordinarily deadly fighter, but was cursed
of all the knights present were able to draw the sword,
with bad luck. A series of rash decisions eventually
and even though she warned you it would bring
resulted not only in his death but in the Dolorous
you only misery and death, you vowed to keep it.
Stroke and the creation of a Wasteland which would
As you were out putting on your armor, Nineve
only be cured years later by the Quest for the Holy
herself arrived. This was too good to be believed,
Grail. Balin is little known today, but it can be ar-
since you had hunted her three years in an effort
gued that Arthur would have died without Balin’s
to gain justice for your brother’s death, but you
help in a critical battle. In a modern setting, he pits
had never been able to find her enchanted Faerie
his twin swords against a new generation of foes,
home. Nineve had given Arthur Excalibur and
living fast and furious before his inevitable death.
was now in Camelot to collect a favor in return:
Unlike most other knight characters, Balin has
she demanded either your head or the head of the
few ties to anyone or anything and his resources maiden with the sword. You emerged about this
are not particularly good. He lives by his wits, time, brand new sword in hand, and swiftly de-
surviving on plunder he has taken from his foes. capitated her in front of Arthur and all his lords.
Balin is exclusively a warrior; his focus on fight- The King was furious, as he considered Nineve
ing with two swords makes him especially dan- to be under his protection. You tried to explain that
gerous in hand-to-hand combat. Balin’s curse Nineve had killed many knights including your
ensures his life will be a brief but brilliant one; brother, but Arthur banished you from the court.
he is at his best when he ignores his impending Quickly getting on your horse, you were neverthe-
death and fights the good fight as long as he can. less followed by a prince of Ireland, Sir Lanceor,
who sought to gain favor in Arthur’s eyes by kill-
Your Past Life ing you. You fought Lanceor in a fair joust and slew
him. Lanceor’s girlfriend Colombe happened to see
You got started on the wrong foot
in the early days of Arthur’s reign. the whole thing, and in grief she fell on Lanceor’s
You were imprisoned half a year for sword. It was turning into a pretty bad day for you.
killing the cousin of the king of King Mark of Cornwall was passing by and
Northumberland, but this he found the dead bodies. He asked you your
was in revenge for the name and your brother, Balan, who had finally
death of one of your caught up with you, answered: “Sir . . . ye may
own brothers who see he beareth two swords, thereby ye may
had been poisoned call him the Knight with the Two Swords.”
That’s how you gained your famous title.
You sought to regain Arthur’s favor, and so
you captured one of his earliest enemies, king
Ryons of Wales. Ryons had been leading an
army against the Boy King, and while his cap-
ture didn’t end the problem, it certainly helped.
When Ryons’ brother Nero took over the army
and began the Battle of Castle Terrabil, you
waited until things looked bad for
Arthur before leading a charge
out of the nearby forest and
helping to turn the tide. Some
say you killed king Lot, one of
Arthur’s most dangerous foes,
but in fact this is not true.
Nevertheless, Arthur pub-
licly regretted banishing you.
20
 Chapter 2: Paths

Unfortunately, you weren’t around to hear this.

Instead, you were pursuing an evil knight by the name
Nemesis
of Sir Garlon, who just happened to be invisible. You Your nemesis is Nineve, a Lady of the Lake who killed
killed him, but a boy was injured in the fighting and one of your brothers with a burning poison and who
while you lingered to see to him Garlon’s brother, king came to Arthur’s court at Camelot to demand your
Pellam, showed up. Now Garlon might have been a death from the King as payment for Excalibur. Taking
villain, but Pellam was the Fisher King and one of Nineve by surprise, you lopped off her head right in
the most sacred people in England. When you tried front of Arthur, which got you exiled. You spent the rest
to defend yourself, your sword broke. (Your first one, of your brief, cursed life trying to win back Arthur’s
not the one you got off the maiden.) You fled and, in favor, but you never regretted killing the Lady of the
a rush, grabbed a spear off the wall and threw it at Lake. After all, she would have done the same to you.
Pellam. Unfortunately (again) this spear turned out to
be the Spear of Longinus, which killed Christ on the
Cross. Putting the Holy Lance through the keeper of
Aspects, Skills,
the Holy Grail turned out to be the magical equivalent Stunts and Extras
of matter and anti-matter: your single blow leveled the Balin’s nicknames, The Knight with Two Swords
entire castle, created a Wasteland that instantly de- and Balin the Savage, make great high concepts, es-
stroyed three kingdoms, and tore a hole in the Faerie pecially since his name is not well-known or rec-
Veil. This was called “The Dolorous Stroke” and it ognized. (Savage, in this context, originally meant
has gone down in history as All Your Fault. Merlin “eager for battle,” but you can give it a more tradi-
pulled you out of the wreckage of the castle three tional meaning for savage if you want.) Either of these
days later. concepts—a “savage” nature or Balin’s specialization
You would think that tearing a magical hole in in two-weapon-fighting—make for useful additional
reality (and destroying a good chunk of Britain in aspects. Balin Keeps His Word and appears In the
the process) would have been the low point of your Nick of Time. He is often Rash, Stubborn, Bloodthirsty,
career, but it got worse. On an adventure to an is- Looking for Approval or Judged Unfairly, and is prob-
land called Melliot you found yourself in a duel with ably Poor or Down on His Luck. He might be Witness to
a mysterious knight clad head to toe in red armor. a Double Murder. But this is not his biggest problem.
The two of you mortally wounded each other be- Balin’s Trouble is his curse. This curse can take many
fore you realized this man was your brother, Balan. forms, but the upshot is that he makes mistakes of judg-
(He hadn’t recognized you either, because you were ment and perception which result in tragedy. When
using a blank shield at the time and your face was he challenges a mysterious man in a duel to the death,
covered by your helmet.) Both you and your brother that man just happens to be his brother. When he
died. After your death, the supernatural sword chops off the head of the woman who killed his moth-
you had claimed for your own was refurbished by er, Arthur just happens to have been in debt to that
Merlin and given to Galahad, who used it to com- woman. When he grabs a weapon to defend himself,
plete the Grail Quest and heal the Dolorous Stroke. that weapon turns out to be the Holy Lance and using
In the end, you were a valorous and highly capable it destroys the land for miles around and opens a rift to
knight who was true to his word and tried to do the the Other Side. If you are going to play Balin, embrace
right thing. Nevertheless, you were doomed to a brief the curse, don’t try to downplay or minimize it. There
life of unfortunate deeds. Perhaps this time around, are hundreds of other knights who aren’t doomed to
things will be better. Perhaps they will be even worse. accidentally do tragic things, but those aren’t the knight
you chose to play. Instead, make the curse central, and
Recognizing Balin play the heck out of it for as long as you live ... which
is probably not long. The specific form of the curse
An incarnation of Balin might be a loner or even an is very negotiable; you might start with Doomed to
outlaw. He may be in prison or recently released. He Hurt Those Close to Him, The Road to Hell is Paved with
may have a brother to whom he is particularly loyal. Good Intentions, or It’s Not Healthy to Be My Friend.
He’ll probably be trained in fencing or the martial Melee is Balin’s most important skill, though
arts, and he’ll be down on his luck. He may be try- Athletics and Physique are close behind. Other
ing to work for an authority figure who doesn’t want knights might give up their swords for guns or fists,
or appreciate the help. Because of Balin’s emphasis but Balin’s focus on swords is right there in his title.
on swords, he is one of the most likely incarna- Other knights have secondary interests: Pellinore is
tions to be found in medieval recreation societies a hunter, Gawain a ladies-man, Tristan has his harp
or working at a “Medieval Times” dinner theater. and Lancelot’s good at everything, but Balin does one
Perhaps he’s a fight choreographer or stuntman. thing really well, and what he does isn’t pretty. He’s
one of the most focused paths in Arthur Lives! Here
are a few new stunts especially appropriate for Balin:

21
 Chapter 2: Paths

• One for Each of You: When Balin makes Melee

attacks with swords against two different targets,
he inflicts +2 additional stress before dividing the
damage by two. Neither of the two resulting hits Does It Have To Be Swords?
can do more stress than the original damage roll. You’re probably wondering if Balin has to carry
• Wall of Steel: When Balin is using two two swords. Could he use knives, baseball bats,
or even pistols instead? Of course he can. Swords
swords, he is +2 on Melee rolls per- are only really essential if you have a high con-
formed during a Full Defense. cept like Knight with Two Swords. If you want
to specialize in a different form of two-weapon
• Feint: When Balin makes a Melee attack with a fighting, just craft an aspect that supports it,
sword and fails to overcome the target’s defense, like Two-Gun Kid or Two-Fisted Brawler. But you
should probably use two somethings, or else
he can spend a Fate point to make a second attack there’s not much reason to play Balin.
against the same target with his other sword.
Balin has access to The Sword of Adventure, a
magical weapon crafted by Nineve before Merlin
re-fashioned it after Balin’s death into a weapon
destined for the saintly Galahad. Incarnations of
Balin typically will not start with the sword, but Gawain, Heir
they can gain an echo of it in play. See Chapter 5 for
more on Balin’s sword. Balin has no other magical to the Throne
powers and doesn’t even have the mundane re- Gawain is one of the most famous knights of the
sources shared by other knights; he’s a loner who Round Table and one of the few whom even those
lives without companions, an estate, or squire. Avoid unfamiliar with the legend will at least recognize
other extras and put your refresh in more stunts. by name. While Lancelot was created by French
authors, Percival was primarily the topic of German
Adventures with Balin tales, and Tristan was Cornish, Gawain remains the
quintessential British knight, a trait borne out by his
• Balin might adventure to reclaim his magic close relationship to Arthur (he is both the King’s
sword, the one he claimed from the maiden. oldest nephew and designated heir to the throne)
There might be an echo of it somewhere. He and his starring role in the tale of the Green Knight.
may need to perform some kind of trial to get But as other knights crowded into the saga, Gawain’s
it, as he did originally when he pulled it from role changed, until he was no longer the courteous
the scabbard around her waist. Alternately, the exemplar of knightly virtues. Instead, he devolved
sword may be waiting for Galahad, in whose into an overly aggressive, even murderous, war-
hands it may be the most powerful supernatu- rior whose lustful and bloodthirsty ways ensured
ral weapon in Arthurian myth. (See elsewhere he would be a miserable failure in the Grail Quest.
for more on echoes and Balin’s Sword.) Players of Gawain can stay true to the early version
• The last time Balin saw Nineve she was ask- of the character as a model knight and Arthur’s good
ing Arthur to execute Balin as payback for the right hand, they can cleave to the later Gawain and
gift of Excalibur. She’s not going to be happy use his physical prowess for revenge and personal
with Balin, and when you’re an enchantress and gratification, or they can try to find some balance
Lady of the Lake you can make life pretty dif- of the two (perhaps in a Gawain who, seasoned by
ficult for a simple swordsman like Balin. Balin his tragic death, seeks to atone for past misdeeds).
may find himself harassed by supernatural Incarnations of Gawain have a lot of connections to
creatures summoned from Faerie and sent to family and friends; it seems Gawain either killed, was
kill him, or Nineve might get close to him with- related to, or was best friends with just about everyone
out ever letting him suspect her true identity. else in the Arthurian story. He is also remarkable for
• There was one person Balin could always his superhuman strength, which was said to increase
count on: his brother. Balan’s tragic death the higher the sun got in the sky. This ensures that
at Balin’s hand may be even worse than the any incarnation of Gawain will be good in hand-to-
Dolorous Stroke (at least as far as Balin is hand combat. Gawain also has access to supernatural
concerned) because it is so much more per- weapons and equipment, as well as a famous mount.
sonal. Balin might try to find his brother just Finally, he was notable for his many romances with
to apologize. Certainly, he could use a friend. women throughout the story; he was considered
a champion of women everywhere and had many
wives, but these relationships seldom lasted long.

22
 Chapter 2: Paths

Your Past Life of your knightly virtue. By remaining true and not
yielding to the seductive temptations of Bertilak’s
You were the eldest son and heir of king Lot of bewitching wife, you proved your worth and Bertilak
Orkney and queen Morgause, who was herself the spared you. By the time you returned to Camelot, you
daughter of Gorlois of Cornwall and Queen Igraine. had become a champion of all women everywhere,
Thus, you were King Arthur’s nephew, and you were and you were legendary for your courtly grace.
first brought to court by your mother when—unbe- Many women and many battles followed, but your
knownst to you—she seduced him in an effort to force long-promised vengeance finally came to pass: you
a peace between your uncle and your father. and your brothers murdered Pellinore. In this case,
When the peace failed and your father went loyalty to your family trumped your loyalty
to war against Arthur you were not quite to a fellow knight of the Round Table.
old enough to take the field. Your father Later, your mother began a romance
was killed by Pellinore, and although you with Pellinore’s son, Lamorak. With your
swore revenge, as a good son should, brothers, you snuck into her bedchamber
you were nevertheless of divided loyalty. and cut off her head. Lamorak refused
You had seen Arthur’s court, and the to fight you and escaped alive, but you
wisdom and justice of the king (so and your brothers later cornered him
close to your own age!) had and overwhelmed him through sheer
impressed you. When numbers, killing him too. Your devo-
Arthur announced his tion to Arthur—who warred with your
marriage to Guinevere, father but did not kill him—and
you convinced your mother to your willingness to kill Pellinore
bring you to Arthur’s court, where you and his family—who killed your
became one of the Boy King’s great- father in Arthur’s name—is a
est knights. Your other brothers would complex puzzle that suggests
soon follow you, acting first as your you might have felt guilty for your
own squires, then as knights themselves father’s death, or perhaps displaced
For a time, you were the greatest your vengeance off of Arthur and
knight of Arthur’s court. You partici- onto those who were easier for you
pated in heroic quests, and you were to hurt without consequence.
instrumental in the war against Rome. When the Holy Grail appeared,
When Lancelot arrived at court, you you were the first to vow that you
took his superior fighting skills in would find it, but in fact your amo-
stride and eventually came to love rous habits and battle-lust ensured
him like a brother. More knights came that you were an utter failure on the
and your status slowly gave way to people Quest. You returned to Camelot as
like Tristan, Pellinore, and Galahad, but your younger brothers were con-
Arthur never wavered in his affection and spiring to catch Guinevere and
respect for you. He named you his heir, Lancelot in bed. When they did
and gave you Excalibur to wield on his and Lancelot escaped, your love for
behalf. You were the last person to “see” your fellow knight led you to per-
Merlin alive, though actually all you did suade Arthur not to go to war over
was hear his voice coming out from the matter—but when Lancelot’s
the cave Nimue had sealed him into. rescue of the Queen resulted in
Your greatest adventure was your the death of two of your brothers
rivalry with Sir Bertilak, the myste- your stance predictably reversed
rious Green Knight, who came to and you led the charge into France.
Arthur’s court and offered to let you But Lancelot was still your better on
chop his head off if he would get the the field, and each time you dueled
chance for a return blow. You cleaved him he left you wounded but alive.
Bertilak’s head off easily enough, Finally, Mordred led a revolt back
but he walked over and put it back in England and Arthur abandoned
on his shoulders! The enchanted France to return home. On your
Green Knight gave you a year to live, deathbed you saw the error of
but just before you were to your ways and forgave Lancelot
meet him in battle you for the death of your brothers.
were lured into a test

23
 Chapter 2: Paths

Throughout your life you were brave, skilled in

battle, and good with the ladies. But the early dedi-
Aspects, Skills,
cation to the virtues of knighthood which served
you so well in your contest with the Green Knight
Stunts, and Extras
withered in the face of your need for revenge against Gawain is a famous knight and his name makes a
Pellinore and his family, and you clung stubbornly to perfectly good high concept, but he is also Arthur’s
your wicked younger brothers even when they were Heir, King Lot’s Eldest Son, Prince of Orkney, a Knight
conspiring to bring down Arthur’s throne. You were Errant and Ladies’ Man, the original Knight of the
passionate and loyal, both to a fault, but from the Garter. In the older tales, Gawain is a Role Model,
day of his wedding to the day of your death you were but as other knights eclipsed him, he became the
someone Arthur could always turn to: next in line Bad Example, the guy whose actions always re-
to wear the crown, and the man who bore his arm. bounded negatively on himself and others. He
became Violent instead of valorous, a Seducer in-
stead of courtly lover, and eventually a Murderer.
Recognizing Gawain His worst crimes stem from the blood feud which
You can expect Gawain to have a large family, and is represented by his Nemesis trait, but perhaps
to be responsible for that family in the absence of an his Trouble can be best summed up by Family
elder father figure. He may have many ex-girlfriends First, King Second, Everyone Else a Distant Third.
or even children of his own. He may have a love/ Thanks to his mythical strength, Gawain should
hate relationship with his own mother. Gawain’s have the highest Physique at the table, with Tough
shield is said to have sported a five-pointed star; this as Nails, Take the Blow and Cut. Of course, other
may appear in jewelry or clothing worn by a mod- action skills like Melee (Heavy Hitter, Killing
ern incarnation. He liked apples so much that one Stroke) and Athletics are always useful for knights,
of Lamorak’s cousins tried to poison him with one, but Gawain might have Brawl to take better ad-
knowing Gawain would eat it. In the Welsh stories vantage of his incredible strength. His countless
which influenced the Arthurian saga, Gawain is adventures, many romances, and big family is well
represented by the character of Gwalchmai, which represented by Contacts (Extensive Family). Use
may mean “Hawk of May.” Therefore, Gawain may be Provoke to represent Gawain the bully (Provoke
associated with hawks or the month of May (also the Violence; Okay, Fine!), and Deceive or Rapport
month in which he died). There is a belief that he may (Popular, Seduce) for seduction or romance, de-
be related to a solar deity, which explains his super- pending on how sincere your version of Gawain is.
natural strength linked to the location of the sun, There is one extra Gawain must take.
so he may live on the beach or otherwise be associ-
ated with a sun-worshipping culture or profession, Strength of the Sun
like astronomer, lifeguard, or solar panel installer. Reduce your refresh by 1. Every day your strength
As the original Knight of the Garter, Gawain is often increases as the sun grows higher in the sky, peaking
depicted with a green sash across his chest: a symbol at noon and then decreasing until dusk. When the
of humility and his obligation to serve women. Look sun is in the sky, you have a +3 on Physique rolls to lift
for Gawain to be wearing a green tie, belt, or garter. or break things and +1 to create advantages based on
grappling or wrestling. You have a +2 bonus to dam-
Nemesis age with hand-to-hand attacks. At or before noon, you
You gain the benefits of Nemesis against Pellinore or can also invoke this aspect at the cost of a Fate point.
any member of his family (including not only incar- But after noon your strength begins to fade and this
nations like Lamorak and Percival, but also mundane aspect can be compelled against you as you weaken.
family members of Pellinore’s mortal reincarnation). Although Gawain was the most famous knight
It was Pellinore who killed your father, King Lot, who with this extra, it was not unique to him. Sir Ironside
was Arthur’s great rival for the position of High King. had the same gift and Sir Marhaus appeared to grow
You never blamed Arthur for warring with Lot, but stronger as the sun went down instead of as it went up.
you did blame Pellinore for dealing a mortal blow There are many other extras which Gawain might
in battle, and you and Gaheris murdered Pellinore possess. His famous horse, Gringolet, could be a com-
in cold blood ten years later. When you discovered panion animal or a vehicle. He is a possible wielder
that your own mother had taken Pellinore’s son for a of Excalibur, which Arthur gave to him and which he
lover, you and Gaheris murdered her too, in bed, but may have used in his final duels with Lancelot, and he
Lamorak refused to fight you and escaped. Finally, also had his own special sword. His shield was em-
teaming up with all your brothers save Gareth, you blazoned with a pentangle, but in other versions had
tracked Lamorak down, killed his horse, and ganged the Virgin Mary upon its face or even on the inside,
up on him for three hours before Mordred finally where he could be inspired by the sight of her. See
managed to stab this great knight in the back. Chapter 5 for more information on all these topics.
24
 Chapter 2: Paths

Adventures with Gawain that do not have an Arthur player character; indeed,
without an Arthur or Lancelot around, Guinevere
• Perhaps more than any other character in the may feel like she finally has a chance to shine and
Arthurian saga, Gawain’s personal problems are forge her own destiny. If Arthur or Lancelot are
centered around issues of family. Some of his around, of course, Guinevere’s relationship with them
family are near-perfect role models (Gareth), becomes key; will she pick one over the other, try to
while others have almost no redeeming features balance both, or try to leave them both behind her.
(Agravaine). Yet he tries to remain loyal to all of
them. This forces him into some very difficult
situations—situations which inevitably force him
Your Past Life
to choose between one family member or another. Your father was King Leodegrance of Cameliard,
but he was not faithful to your mother. On the same
• Gawain was also infamous for his vendetta against
night that you were conceived, Leodegrance slept
Pellinore and the knight’s family. This hatred
with the wife of his seneschal and engendered an-
even led Gawain to participate in the murder of
other daughter. Magically, when she was born she
his own mother! Players of a Gawain incarnation
was identical in appearance to you, differentiated only
can count on confronting this vendetta head on;
by a small crown-shaped birthmark on your back.
will it be continued, or abandoned? And even if
Perhaps because it was no longer possible to pretend
he admits he was wrong in his former life, will
he was not the girl’s father, he even named both you
his victims be so quick to abandon revenge?
and your half-sister the same name: Guinevere.
• As Arthur’s heir, Gawain could take a leading role You first met Arthur when he and his knights came
in many Arthur Lives! stories. He may be search- to the aid of your father, who was under attack by
ing for Arthur or be the agent of an Arthur who King Ryons of Wales. Arthur was brave, handsome,
is off-stage, either unwilling or unable to perform and young, not to mention revered by the many
heroic deeds himself. In campaigns without an knights who followed him. You were sixteen years
Arthur or Guinevere, Gawain makes a good leader old; it was easy to fall in love then. In time, Ryons was
for the group, since he has a close connection to defeated and his army shattered. Arthur chose you
the King, is known to have wielded Excalibur, to be his queen and your father gladly consented; he
and has connections to many other characters in gave the Round Table as a wedding present, along
the saga (be they enemies, friends, or family). with all the knights that sat around it. As the daugh-
ter of a king, you had been well taught in the skills of
Guinevere, governance, and you became Arthur’s partner in rule.
High Queen and Lover Your youth, grace, generosity, intelligence, courtesy,
and beauty set the bar for courts throughout Britain.
Arthur’s wife and Lancelot’s lover, Guinevere is But despite an energetic love life, you were unable
famous as a woman torn between responsibility and to give Arthur a child; Arthur never held this against
passion. Loved by the greatest knight in the world, you (choosing his nephew Gawain as heir), but it was
she eventually came to return that love. But we really the first strain on an otherwise storybook romance.
know very little about how she regarded her own Much more serious was the return of your twin
husband. She was idolized and adored by the other half-sister. Conspiring with others, she arranged
knights at court, especially Gawain and Kay, and to take your place at court, and with a love potion
indeed everyone seems to have been at least a little in convinced Arthur that you were the imposter, not she.
love with her. This universal affection for the Queen You fled with Lancelot—who had already proclaimed
helped patch over quarrels, make peace with foes, and his love for you but whom you had not yet come to
keep the kingdom running smoothly even through take seriously—and were protected by Gawain and
the Grail Quest—when many knights were killed. Kay, both of whom were especially devoted to you.
It was only at the very end, when she and Lancelot It wasn’t until your half-sister was struck down by a
got careless and allowed the affair to be brought out divine curse that Arthur eventually came to his senses
into the open (where Arthur could no longer ignore and welcomed you back, but things were never quite
it), that Guinevere truly failed as Queen. But that the same. You never really forgave him. It was not
was also when she was most honest with herself. long after that you were abducted by Sir Meliagrant,
Incarnations of Guinevere excel at intellectual chal- a traitorous knight of the Round Table who was
lenges and social activities, though neither of these infatuated with you. Kay and Lancelot fought over
things preclude her from being an active warrior in the right to rescue you, but Lancelot eventually
a century far more open to women in combat. She triumphed and you were forced to admit that his
makes an excellent alternative to Arthur in campaigns love for you might be more than a boyhood crush.

25
 Chapter 2: Paths

As the years passed, the love between you and by everyone, from the common folk to the knights
Lancelot grew and matured. Just as many men sought who came to court and fell in love with you at first
your eye, so Lancelot was pursued by other women, sight. Indeed, you eventually had to create your own
and you were always intensely jealous of them—so order of knighthood just for all the knights who swore
much so that Lancelot was driven to mad grief by themselves to your service. The Queen’s Knights bore
your displeasure and fled the court. Nonetheless, white shields and they were friendly rivals with the
your stormy relationship eventually went from Round Table, even though many knights were mem-
semi-harmless flirtation to intimate encounters; bers of both groups. For all the storybook qualities
Arthur knew, but always turned a blind eye. In the of your marriage and reign as Queen, it is perhaps
Grail Quest, Lancelot swore to break the affair off, perfectly ordinary that you should fall in love with
but instead when he returned to court the two of a devoted man ten years younger than you. What
you became more passionate—and reckless—than made this tragic was the high position you occupied;
ever. Two of Gawain’s younger brothers, Mordred bound by duty to the realm yet
and Agravaine, conspired to catch you and enslaved to the power of your
Lancelot in bed together. It wasn’t hard. heart, you chose to love, no
Lancelot killed many knights in his matter the risk. You were will-
escape and your husband, who you ing to pay the price for that
believed willing to ignore the affair as love, but in the end it was not
long as it didn’t put the realm in dan- you alone who was forced to pay it.
ger, ran out of patience and put you on Your affair brought down a kingdom,
trial for adultery. He ordered you to even as it made you into a legend.
be executed, but Lancelot (predict-
ably) appeared and rescued you, again
killing many more knights in the process. Recognizing
More of Gawain’s brothers died; although
he had once been one of your defenders,
Guinevere
Gawain now led the attack against your Guinevere had gray eyes, blonde
lover. Weary of fighting, your marriage, and hair, and a pale complexion (indeed,
your impossible situation, you chose not to her Welsh name Gwynhyfar means
go with Lancelot, but you were not alone in “white phantom”). She was the best
England for long before Mordred tried to chess player in Arthur’s court, and
force himself onto you in order to claim the may be known for this skill in the
throne. You pretended to agree to this, but modern world. Of course, she was also
on the excuse that you had to do some shop- incapable of bearing children. She may
ping to prepare for the wedding, you went have a twin sister whom she hates,
to London and promptly locked yourself and she inspires amorous atten-
into the Tower. There you remained until tion (both wanted and unwanted)
Arthur returned, fought Mordred, and in those around her. She was
was mortally wounded. You went known for a crown-shaped
into an abbey and took the holy birthmark on her back, which
vows of a nun. Lancelot visited might manifest as a tattoo.
you one last time but you
again refused to go with
him, urging him to for- Nemesis
get you and take a wife. Guinevere’s jealousy over Lancelot
Your royal status ensured was legendary, especially when it
that you were soon ab- came to Elaine of Carbonek, the
bess, but in a few years daughter of King Pellam the Fisher
you died and Lancelot King. Elaine twice tricked Lancelot
came with his companions into sleeping with her by pretend-
to take your body for burial. ing she was the Queen. She became
There’s no question that your the mother of Lancelot’s son, Galahad,
long affair with Lancelot was partly
and Guinevere’s rage over the whole
responsible for the fall of the kingdom,
but with that exception you were very business drove Lancelot mad on at least
nearly a perfect Queen. You were wise, one occasion. Elaine died in Carbonek
kind, generous with gifts and praise, during the Grail Quest and Guinevere
and a good administrator. When eventually forgave Lancelot. Perhaps,
danger threatened, you were clever by the time she retreated to an ab-
and resourceful. You were beloved bey, she had forgiven Elaine as well.

26
 Chapter 2: Paths

Aspects, Skills, like Indomitable (Fate Core 127). Re-title Armor

of Faith into I Am the Queen to allow Guinevere
Stunts and Extras to defend against hand-to-hand attacks with
Confidence until she is hurt. Other good stunts are
Guinevere is famous enough that her name and Inspiring Beauty (Rapport) Confident in Victory
title (High Queen, Queen of all England) make for (Confidence), Throne Room (Contacts), Covert Affair
a sound high concept, though that doesn’t keep (Deceive), and I Am a Rock (Willpower). Here are
you from something more nuanced (CEO of Queen a few new stunts especially appropriate to Guenevere
Industries, Prom Queen, Born to be Queen). What’s
important is that her role as Queen is clear. • Excellent Judge of Character: When Guinevere
A complex woman, “Gwen” has her share of rolls Empathy to read an aspect on someone she
Troubles, usually some variation of Jealous (Green- has just met, she has a +2.
Eyed Monster, Suspicious, Stay Away from My Man) or • Chess Master: +2 on Leadership rolls to
Adulteress (Cheatin’ Heart, Monogamy Is So Old Fashioned, win games of strategy and tactics.
Who I Want When I Want It). In some variations of the • Maker of Fashion: Guinevere has a +2 on
story, Guinevere had numerous lovers, failed chastity Resources rolls to create an aspect on herself re-
tests long before Lancelot came along, and may have lated to fashionable clothing. Even if she gets it
even been a co-conspirator with Mordred. Her other from a second-hand store, on her it looks good.
great problem was the fact that she was constantly be- Guinevere’s extras probably focus on her mortal
ing kidnapped. This actually makes a poor Trouble for allies and resources. The best example is the Queen’s
a PC because it means Guinevere spends a lot of time Knights, a modern version of the order of knight-
away from the other characters, but if your GM is fine hood sworn to her service in the Arthurian age.
with it, you could represent this as Abducted ... Again, Traditionally, this group was made up of younger
Everyone’s Fighting for the Prize or Come and Get Me. knights devoted to the Queen out of courtly love
Everyone agrees she was Ravishing, The Most Beautiful as much as by rank and station. They bore white
Woman in England. Her fantastic beauty meant most shields. In groups without an Arthur or Kay,
men, including Gawain, Kay, and others, fell in Love Guinevere might use extras to create a headquar-
at First Sight. This created as many problems as it ters or organization which provides a home and
solved. She was the Center of Attention at court but support infrastructure for the campaign. But she
also had a Head for Management. She could make should avoid magic or most enchanted items.
sworn enemies put down their quarrels, and was a
Peacemaker who was Good at Making Friends. Eager to
accompany Arthur in his wars, and unafraid when
Adventures with Guinevere
abducted by the most ruthless men, she Never Lost • Players of Guinevere have some important ques-
Her Cool and Never Let Them See Her Sweat. Some tions to answer: did Guinevere love Arthur, or
interpretations make her a devout Christian, usu- just respect and admire him without passion?
ally in contrast to the pagan worship of rivals like (Or neither!) Does she regret the affair, and
Morgan; this can be represented with aspects like will she act differently now that she has the
Born Again, Evangelical, or Jesus Loves Me This I Know. chance? GMs who want to make things easy
Rapport, Confidence, and Empathy are Guinevere’s for Guinevere will introduce a Lancelot incar-
most important skills. She provides mental suc- nation early, and leave Arthur off stage for a
cor for those around her with Empathy, putting while; by the time he shows up Guinevere will
their mental consequences into recovery and seeing have made up her mind and Arthur will be the
through lies and falsehoods. She can talk anyone poorer for it. But if a GM wants to turn the emo-
into anything, not through fast-talk and hustle but tional screw, introduce Arthur early and portray
through honest sincerity and compassion. And she him in a sympathetic and admirable light. This
believes, fervently, in love or God or some combina- makes Guinevere’s decision hard, not easy.
tion of the two. In the Arthurian age she was fabu- • Campaigns without an Arthur can base them-
lously rich (Resources), though the contrast created selves around Guinevere and her Queen’s Knights.
by a Guinevere who is down on her luck and strug- In this setup, the Queen is out to prove that she
gling to get by makes for some great stories. Clever, can make it on her own, without Arthur, Lancelot,
perceptive, and capable, Guinevere makes good use or anyone else to support her. She may be an ac-
of Notice, Leadership, Education and Investigate. tive warrior, but will also have the allegiance of
If she has a combat skill, it is most likely to be knights sworn to her service. This concept can
Firearms, something she picked up in her new life. even be introduced in games that have an Arthur
Guinevere’s Willpower was strong enough to re- already: in this case, Guinevere becomes an NPC
sist fear and intimidation, but not enough to keep who refuses Arthur’s advances (and her feelings
her from falling into affairs she had sworn off, so for him) out of a desire to avoid his shadow.
this may be something best represented with a stunt
27
 Chapter 2: Paths

• If there is one type of story in which Guinevere

figures more than any other, it is the Abduction.
Your Past Life
If Guinevere is an NPC, the story plays out much You were raised to inherit your father Sir Ector’s
as it always has, with Arthur and the knights title and estate. Arthur was your little brother
rescuing her. But if she is a player, Guinevere and served you as squire. But at a great tourna-
can demonstrate her modern action movie ment in London, Arthur drew the sword from the
pedigree by freeing herself, thwarting the ex- stone ... and gave it to you! For a few minutes you
pectations of the audience and her captors. claimed the sword for your own, but it didn’t take
your father long to get the truth out of you. Before
Kay, Arthur’s you could get another word in, Ector had ac-
cepted Arthur as King of England and asked—as
Older Brother a reward for raising Arthur from childhood—that
you be made Arthur’s seneschal (an office that re-
Sir Kay is one of the oldest characters in the quired you to manage the operation of Arthur’s
Arthurian saga, with a history that stretches back court). Arthur agreed that you would fill this posi-
to Welsh legends (where he is known as Cei). He tion as long as you lived, and he kept his word.
began as Arthur’s brother but was quickly assigned In the early years you were Arthur’s greatest knight,
the task of seneschal, one of the most highly-placed winning tournaments and proving instrumental
posts in Arthur’s realm. From this position, he man- in the war against King Lot. But after the War with
aged much of the kingdom’s day-to-day business. But Rome (during which you were a member of the king’s
he was always ready to defend the king, even in the bodyguard) and the War of Five Kings (two of whom
last days of Arthur’s reign. In the early tales, Kay was you killed in a single battle, earning you a seat at
considered one of Arthur’s greatest champions, but the Round Table) your fighting skills dulled. Court
as other knights were added to the legend—es- duties took up more and more of your time. You
pecially Gawain and Lancelot—Kay’s star was proved yourself a very capable administrator, de-
eclipsed. Nevertheless, his presentation in manding but not cruel. Throughout it all, you kept
later retellings has kept true to his source your sarcastic sense of humor. No one seemed to
material in at least a couple of respects: realize how much work your job was. When things
Kay is a sarcastic braggart (these days we’d were running smoothly, no one noticed, but when
call him “snarky”), but his support something went wrong, you were always blamed.
of Arthur is beyond question. When young aspiring knights came to
The contrast between Kay’s early Arthur’s court seeking to prove themselves,
training as a knight and his later ca- you were the person the king chose to joust
reer as an administrator creates an with them. A quick fight
opportunity for a very diverse char- would determine if the
acter with a broad set of skills but contender had what
a lack of specialization. In it took or was a
fact, in the old Welsh leg- hopeless poser.
ends, Kay is remem- Unfortunately,
bered as one of the if you won
“Three Enchanter these fights you
Knights of earned no glo-
Britain” and he ry, and if you
has multiple lost you never
supernatural heard the end
powers, includ- of it. But when
ing the ability to Arthur took
swim underwa- young men
ter for nine days (like Gareth) in
straight, emit burn- for training, he
ing heat, and grow often assigned
as tall as a tree! them to you, and
Players wishing to you took pride
represent this ver- in your protégés,
sion of Kay can use who always turned
extras to simulate out to be great knights.
the fantastic abili- As Arthur’s older brother and
ties of Welsh heroes. seneschal, you were in a position
of absolute trust, and you were never
28
 Chapter 2: Paths

jealous of your brother. Whenever Arthur would Kay: first, he is Arthur’s Foster Brother. Second,
send a small, select group of knights to perform he is Keeper of the Keys, the seneschal, the man
some special task, you were invariably included. Arthur has put in charge of the castle of Camelot.
You were also very close to the Queen. Indeed, your It may be impossible to get both these ideas
life-long working relationship with Guinevere de- into a satisfying high concept, but there are ad-
veloped into an intense devotion. Unsurprisingly, ditional aspect slots to pick up the slack (Right-
there was a strong rivalry between you and Lancelot, hand Man, Big Brother, Master of My Domain)
one in which you never seemed to get the up- Kay’s personality is surly, cynical and snarky; and
per hand. It was Guinevere, not you, who decided this, combined with his reputation as a Bully who
your relationship with her would be platonic. Can Dish It Out But Can’t Take It, is the source of
Your most memorable trait was your sharp tongue. his Trouble. He is a Glory Hound and Not a People
You were surly and foul-mouthed. You bullied other Person. He’s also hopelessly in love with Guinevere,
knights, bragged constantly, and were quick with but he’s hardly alone in this and it only matters if
insults and sarcasm. You often tried to take credit for Gwen is a recurring character. This is probably a
heroic deeds you did not do (like the Sword in the facet of Guinevere’s Trouble Men Are Always Fighting
Stone incident). But despite all this, your loyalty to over Me rather than something unique to Kay.
Arthur never wavered. You performed only one truly Another good use of Kay’s aspects is to reinforce
evil act: Arthur’s illegitimate son, Loholt, killed a gi- his effectiveness as a teacher and administrator. After
ant and, out of jealousy, you murdered him. Perhaps all, this is the man who made Gareth into one of
it was this that prompted you to amend your ways the greatest knights of the Round Table after a year
a little. When Lancelot put on your armor and trav- spent in the kitchens. He might be a Mr. Miyagi, a
eled across Britain defeating countless foes in your Master of the Training Montage or just a Perfectionist.
Kay’s career moves through distinct phases, which
name, your reputation soared, but you knew the
allows you to rationalize almost any skill choice. A
truth. When you got back to Camelot, you explained
young Kay might be Arthur’s greatest warrior, with
to Arthur what had happened and insisted Lancelot
combat skills like Firearms or Melee, Athletics, Drive,
—your greatest rival—get the credit he deserved. and Physique. But a more seasoned Kay, master of
You may not have been the most famous knight Camelot, sacrifices his fighting edge for Leadership,
in the world, and you certainly weren’t the nic- Contacts, Notice, and Investigate. From his earliest ap-
est, but you did your job without complaint and pearances, he showed his willingness to Deceive and
when Arthur needed you, you were always there. his boasts, brags, and bullying are done with Provoke.
He might have Willpower, but after coming out on the
Recognizing Kay losing end of so many conflicts, his Confidence is low.
Use stunts to make Kay’s insulting demeanor into
Kay may be a duplicitous wisecracker, but he will
something useful. Try Okay, Fine!, Troll, or Sharp
be loyal, especially to his brother. He may be some-
Tongue (Provoke), Cyber-Bully or Rumormonger
one’s right-hand man, like a platoon sergeant or an (Contacts). Make yourself superior when in a spe-
executive vice-president. Other people will underes- cific location using stunts like Security Specialist
timate him, but he may be responsible for training (Burglary), Face in the Crowd (Stealth), Slush Fund
young people or keeping a large organization running (Leadership), or Ear to the Ground (Contacts). Here
smoothly. He may be butler to a large estate, a “Big are a few new stunts especially appropriate for Kay:
Brother,” or a mentor figure. His early willingness
• Weapon Cache: You hide weapons in your liv-
to lie to get ahead might manifest in a criminal past
ing space, vehicle, and other regular haunts.
which Kay is now trying to extricate himself from. His
When you are in one of these places and
loud mouth makes him a scrapper; he might even be a
use Notice to create an aspect, you can in-
stand-up comedian or someone who lives by his wit. voke that aspect twice instead of once.
• Training Flashback: Once per session, you
Nemesis can use Leadership to retroactively create an
You were a foul-mouthed braggart who often came aspect on someone who is under your author-
out on the short end of a joust, but you didn’t bear ity, such as a student, squire, or employee. The
a grudge. Kay has no nemesis. new aspect directly applies to whatever current
problem that subordinate is facing, and you
taught them how to handle it between scenes.
Aspects, Skills, • Master of the Kitchens: You have a +2
Stunts and Extras on Performance rolls to entertain com-
pany with excellent food and drink.
There are two distinct ideas which should be
brought together in an ideal high concept for

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There are two kinds of extras which Kay requires. rival lords, Merlin was his chief advisor and strate-
First, Camelot may belong to Arthur in name, but gist. Men feared him, but none dared disobey him.
it’s Kay who keeps it running. If he is a character Eventually he fell in love with the maiden named
in the game, whatever organization or estate he Nimue, to whom he taught all his magic. But his
chooses to create with an extra becomes an echo of love was unrequited, and to be rid of him Nimue
Camelot. See Chapter 5 for specific rules on echoes imprisoned the great wizard in a cave for all time.
of Camelot. Secondarily, Kay is one of the characters Incarnations of Merlin have prodigious magi-
most likely to have a squire or other companion: cal gifts, and they also enjoy a famous reputation
an aspiring knight who has been put under Kay’s as a powerful wizard and advisor to King Arthur.
authority for training and education. Needless to Merlin can count on being welcome in Arthur’s
say, Kay’s methods and expectations can be unusual company even if he’s mistrusted by Arthur’s other
compared to those of traditional knights, but no one companions, and Merlin takes upon himself shady
can argue with his results. Less traditional versions dealings the King shouldn’t know about. When
of Kay may have the outlandish supernatural pow- Arthur does screw up, Merlin often takes the
ers mentioned elsewhere, but the magical talents blame himself to protect the king’s reputation.
described in Enchantment won’t really cover these.
Work with the GM to figure out a refresh cost if you
want to grow as tall as a tree, go without breathing or
Your Past Life
sleeping for days, or light fires by touch. (You might You were intended to be the Antichrist, and were
start with the superpowers designed for Venture City, born to a virgin nun impregnated by the Devil him-
available on the Evil Hat site as part of the Fate SRD). self, but God intervened to give you the power to
decide your own destiny. As a result, you inherited the
Adventures with Kay power to know all future events from your mother,
and the power to know the past from your father.
• If Arthur is in trouble, Kay is always going to be From the day of your birth you could speak perfect
the first man at his side. This means that any- English and you were covered in thick black hair.
one who wants to hurt Arthur is going to have Understandably, your mother was going to be burned
to come up with a way to get rid of Kay first. Or, at the stake for witchcraft, but using your prophetic
even better, turn Arthur against his own brother, gifts you revealed embarrassing facts about the judges,
possibly by framing Kay for some awful deed. who were so shamed that they let your mother go free.
Famous as “the boy without a father,” you were
• Kay grew to love Guinevere, but both his brother captured by agents of King Vortigern, who had been
and Lancelot were in the way. This time, that told by his court astrologers that only the blood of a
might not be so. If Kay can recognize Guinevere child without a father would save his crumbling castle
before either of his other rivals do, he might fi- from collapse. Your prophecies at that castle saved
nally be able to find the happiness he was denied your life (you exposed the astrologers as frauds) and
in his former life. Of course, he’d again have to made you a legend. About this time you slipped away
choose between family and personal happiness. to study magic at the foot of Blaise, who began as your
Or perhaps Guinevere will reject him yet again? master but became your biographer. His book col-
• In one tale, Kay is given a blood-red horse of lecting your prophecies would go down in history.
incredible speed. Once he recognizes himself, Using a combination of magic and architectural
Kay might try looking for that horse, which science, you moved the rocks of Stonehenge all the
could manifest as an echo of virtually any size way from Ireland to Britain and constructed them
or shape. Try looking for cars named after in their current form, using them to mark the tomb
horses (Mustang, Charger, Colt, and so on). of Ambrosius Aurelianus, a Roman commander
whose leadership of the British Isles you supported
Merlin the Magician as advisor. The kings that followed sought out your
wisdom, though you tended to appear and disap-
Merlin is the most famous magic-worker in pear without much warning. Eventually Uther
Western literature. He is the archetypal wizard: a Pendragon asked for your help. He was infatuated
mysterious trickster traveling from place to place with Igraine of Cornwall, who was married to the
issuing prophecies that no one understands until powerful duke Gorlois. Using your magic, you gave
they come true. He is something of a kingmaker— Uther the appearance of the duke while also disguis-
it was he who arranged for Arthur to be raised in ing yourself and Ulfius as two of Gorlois’ compan-
secrecy by Ector, and he placed the sword in the ions. While Uther’s army fought Gorlois in a night
stone so that Arthur might draw it and claim the battle, you, Ulfius, and Uther walked into Castle
crown. While Arthur struggled for acceptance by Terrabil and Uther had his night with the duchess.

30
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Gorlois died that very night and Uther soon took really your fault: Arthur’s most dishonorable acts (like
Igraine as wife. As Uther agreed, you were given the his decision to murder the May Babies in an effort
child that resulted from that magical night. You took to kill Mordred) were often blamed on you, and you
Arthur and gave him to Ector, a humble but honor- accepted this in the name of preserving the kingdom.
able country knight, to be raised. You traveled the Often you showed up at the scene of some awful
world as Arthur grew up, expanding your knowledge tragedy only after it was too late to avoid it—your
and spreading your reputation. When the time was powers of foresight had already told you the outcome,
right, you set the sword in the stone and helped or- so you did not try to avert it. Instead, you appeared
ganize the great tournament that brought knights to afterwards to commemorate the people involved
London from all over. When Arthur drew the sword, and make sure their virtues were not forgotten. Not
you appeared to confirm that he was Uther’s son, everyone seemed to appreciate this point of view.
though for years no one believed you. It was assumed Why make Arthur king in the first place? It’s a fair
that you had made Arthur, a naive bastard, into your question. By Uther’s time you had seen three kings of
puppet ruler. Eventually Arthur’s mother emerged Britain; the ones that were good didn’t last, and the
from a convent and that largely settled the matter. ones that lasted weren’t good. You believed that what
Throughout Arthur’s early battles—when he Britain needed was a king who didn’t want to be king,
fought to become High King against King Lot and a king who knew what it meant to serve oth-
others —you were his best general. Your advice ers, a king who was in touch with what the
turned the tide at the Battle of Carleon and, later, people needed, not adding to his own
you enchanted Lot to keep him from leading glory. You had Arthur raised as
reinforcements to Castle Terrabil until it was too a squire because you hoped
late to do any good. You helped Arthur choose a it would teach him
wife and create the Round Table. You saved him humility. You
from King Pellinore (who would have killed him continued try-
in battle) and arranged for Nineve, the Lady ing to shape
of the Lake, to give Arthur Excalibur. Arthur into
Soon after Arthur’s coronation and mar- your ideal ruler,
riage, however, you fell in love with Nimue, a but he still had a long
maiden with great magical talent. You taught way to go when Nimue
her everything you knew in an attempt to arrived and interrupted
woo her, and took her with you your long-term
on a tour of the world, but she agenda. As
never answered your love. your life-
Since you would not give long project,
up trying to persuade her, you could say that
she eventually used your Arthur could have turned out better. But he
own spells to get rid of you, also could have turned out a lot, lot worse.
imprisoning you inside a magic
cave where you entered a kind of
half-life. Neither living nor dead, you
Recognizing
were visited by occasional knights to
whom you prophesied, but you never
Merlin
earned release from that cave. To this A merlin is a kind of falcon, so Merlin
day, you’re not entirely sure what might be associated with birds, hunt-
happened between then and now. ing, or some business or enterprise
For your entire life you were an in- which uses the falcon as a symbol.
veterate prankster, constantly adopt- He may have black hair or some as-
ing the shape of a beggar, a child, or sociation with devils, have a holy
an animal just to test Arthur’s intelli- person for a mother, or an evil
gence. You were often critical of those individual for a father. Merlin
around you, and although you were may be a world-traveler, and
constantly rattling off prophecies, you he is certain to have a power-
seldom bothered to explain them. You ful talent for magic, though
came and went as you pleased, without that talent may not be realized
explanation. When you gave advice, you yet. He may be something of
expected it to be obeyed. Most people a conman, deceiving even his
hated and feared you. Some of your friends with tricks and disguises.
awful reputation was not He may be an influential mentor

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or advisor, whose opinion is sought out by others. for Divination. His book of prophecies was the
medieval version of a bestseller, long outliving
Nemesis him; a Merlin incarnation without Divination is a
quack imposter. He appeared in various shapes to
Merlin has no nemesis. Although eventually both allies and enemies (Shapeshifting), and ac-
imprisoned underground by Nimue, he was in- complished his most famous deed—the engender-
fatuated with her and powerless to resist her. His ing of Arthur—through the use of Glamour. He
other foes, such as Vortigern, lived and died before taught Binding to Nimue so she could use it on him,
Arthur was born and have not been reincarnated. put Sir Pellinore to sleep with a gesture (Emotion),
was publicly known as a necromancer even though
Aspects, Skills, he never spoke to the dead, and brought a French
army across the channel without boats (Travel).
Stunts and Extras As the constructor of Stonehenge, Merlin might
Because so much has been written and said about have a place of power here in the mortal world, in
Merlin over the centuries, your task is not to define contrast to the lake. He is the creator of numerous
him, but rather to select which version of him you magical weapons and devices, including the Dragon
wish to play. Your high concept should clarify your Banner, the Bed of Madness, and Galahad’s Sword,
nature as a magician so you can begin with a few all of which can manifest as echoes. (See Chapter 5
free magical talents. Merlin the Magician is simple for more on echoes.) Merlin is credited with teach-
but effective, but you could be a Legendary Wizard or ing many people magic, including the Ladies of the
Court Magician. Merlin has many potential Troubles, Lake and men like Gwenbaus, so a companion is
depending on the stories you want to tell. A Son of the perfectly in character for him. These apprentices
Devil and even a Potential Antichrist, he was Untrusted often turn out to be bad news, however, or at least
by all save Arthur, sometimes even considered Mad. rivals of the great magician. Alternately, his com-
Merlin is a Kingmaker, Royal Advisor and Tactician. panion might be a modern Blaise, Merlin’s tutor
A Prophet and Master of Shapes, he is also a Trickster and foster-father, now biographer and scribe.
and, in some versions, Spymaster. He is some-
times depicted as a teacher, Arthur’s Tutor, and
can be a Wise Old Man or the victim of a bizarre
Adventures with Merlin
condition in which he Lives Backwards, not aging • Merlin is going to be looking for Arthur or
but instead “youthening,” resulting in a 21st cen- watching out for him once the king is found.
tury Merlin who appears to be a Child Magus. As Arthur’s chief magical guardian, he will
Occult is Merlin’s best skill. Confidence and be the target for many supernatural foes. His
Willpower will also be useful, but not as required. knowledge of the future will help lead Arthur
You won’t have enough skill points to cover all of the to other incarnations, and this is another good
great wizard’s abilities, and will instead work a bal- reason for Arthur’s enemies to target Merlin.
ancing act using skills to make up for areas where • Any source of supernatural lore is going to
your magic is lacking (and vice versa). As the smart- be a big temptation for Merlin and could be
est man in the room, Merlin benefits from Education used to draw him into adventure. He will seek
(I’ve Read about That), Investigation (Attention to out supernatural items both for himself and
Detail, Eavesdropper), and Notice (Body Language for his fellow knights, who might use them as
Reader). His trickster nature makes him a good can- weapons. And whenever anything mysteri-
didate for skills like Deceive (the One Person, Many ous turns up, you can bet that Arthur and his
Faces stunt is perfect for Merlin), Burglary (Always a men will turn to Merlin for an explanation.
Way Out) and Stealth (Slippery Target). If his appar- • Merlin’s habit of keeping secrets will often lead
ent foreknowledge is actually the result of spies and to tension among the characters, who will all
informants, use Contacts (Ear to the Ground, Weight suspect Merlin knows more than he is saying.
of Reputation). The man who brought Stonehenge Merlin has shown himself willing to work with
from Ireland to southern Britain through machinery some dangerous individuals whom Arthur might
alone, as depicted in the oldest Merlin stories, is a not normally associate with, and his nefarious
master of Technology. He was both hated and feared, reputation means that he is always under suspi-
so pick up Provoke (Armor of Fear). Leadership cion. Gamemasters who want to bring in some of
reflects his years acting as the young Arthur’s best Arthur’s villains as supporting cast may be able
general. About the only skills Merlin wouldn’t to do so through Merlin, who might be willing to
have are Rapport, Physique, and combat skills. meet with them and strike up deals that Arthur
Merlin demonstrated or was attributed every would never permit were he to know about them.
magical talent in this book, but he was most known

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Morgause, Queen, made war upon your father and killed him, taking
your mother as wife. At this time you were already in
Spy, and Mother your teens, and so you were pushed off into a politi-
cal marriage designed to solidify Uther’s reign and
Morgause is most famous as the mother of keep Britain at peace. You were married to Lot, King
Mordred, Arthur’s killer. She was not aware of her of Lothian, a self-made warlord who had conquered
incest with Arthur at the time, and in fact was act- much of Scotland. (Elaine was also married off, but
ing as a spy for her husband Lot, who was at war Morgan was too young and was sent to a nunnery.)
with Arthur for the title of High King. After Lot’s As the Queen of Lothian, you bore Lot four sons,
death Morgause took over rule of Lothian, and her all destined to be great knights: Gawain, Agravaine,
five sons (counting Mordred) all became Knights of Gaheris, and Gareth. You were in your thirties
the Round Table. Morgause is Morgan le Fey’s older when a boy of unknown lineage (but backed up by
sister. She was killed by her own sons when she took Merlin’s powerful magic) claimed the rank of High
Lot’s killer’s son, Lamorak, as her newest lover. King, a title your husband also coveted and was
As a hero in Arthur Lives!, Morgause presents a willing to take by force. War broke out, but when
wealth of character challenges. How does she feel Lothian was invaded by foreigners your husband
about her incest with Arthur? About the blood feud had to turn his attention to self-defense and he
that resulted in her death at the hands of her own sent you to Arthur’s court as an ambassador-spy.
sons? Morgause is abso- lutely fearless You, however, had your own agenda for this long
and makes an excellent visit to the court of the Boy King. You did not believe
character for anyone who as- the stories that Arthur was Uther’s son (and there-
sumes Arthurian women are fore your half-brother) and you were impressed with
all quiet wallflowers who Arthur’s generosity, sense of justice, and idealism.
live only to be rescued You sought peace between Arthur and Lot and
or seduced. In some you hatched a dangerous scheme to force
versions of the story, that peace. It was not hard to seduce Arthur
Morgause has magical (he was a virgin and you were a beautiful
powers like her sister queen) and you didn’t head back north
Morgan; you can rep- until you were sure you were with child.
resent these powers by When you got home, your husband
selecting magical talents welcomed you and within the
like Glamour, Summon year you gave birth to a son,
& Banish, or Emotion, at whom you named Mordred.
a cost of 1 refresh each. Your intent had been to
forge a union between the
Your lines of Lot and Arthur.
Mordred was Arthur’s child
Past Life in blood, but would be
You were the old- raised by Lot as his own.
est daughter of Duke Eventually you would
Gorlois of Cornwall and reveal Mordred’s true
the beautiful, devoted, parentage to Lot, but
Queen Igraine. You by that time Lot would
had two younger have come to love the
sisters: a quiet, oft- boy as he loved you, and
neglected middle Lot would be forced to
sister named Elaine, accept Mordred as his
and the young, son. According to your
haunted, littlest plan, neither Arthur nor
sister Morgan. King Lot would ever be High
Uther Pendragon King, but Mordred—
fell in love with their mutual heir—would
your mother, be and the inheritance
who refused to would pass peacefully,
have anything without war. It was a bold
to do with him. plan, one which hinged
In answer, Uther on your knowledge

33
 Chapter 2: Paths

that Lot was absolutely devoted to his family. and courtliness, and even in your middle age were
But fate conspired against you, and your scheme considered one of the most beautiful women in
to save Britain from war instead became a dag- the kingdom. You were a queen, a mother, a de-
ger stabbing the kingdom from within. voted wife, a romantic lover, and a spy by turns.
Your mother Igraine emerged from a convent and You did as you pleased, and you died for it.
confirmed that Arthur was her son. Only you and
Arthur knew that you had committed incest on top
of adultery. Your horror and revulsion was largely
Recognizing Morgause
internalized; after all, Lot was away fighting invad- Since Morgause was a queen, she may be found
ing Saxons and you still had a kingdom to run. Not in a position of authority (CEO or a government
long after, agents of Arthur arrived at your court and job). She will be generous, passionate, and beauti-
stole Mordred from you. Sometimes you wonder if ful. Men may fight—or even murder—over her.
you let them do it. Soon you learned that all the boys She may have a terrible sin in her past which she
born that May had been collected—most people suffers in silence. She may have a controversial
were blaming Merlin. The May Babies vanished. lover, someone whom others do not approve of. She
Your tears were half misery and half relief. But Lot may have sons who are brave, wicked, or both. She
was furious with anger and returned to vigorous may be a spy or diplomat, be associated with “the
war against Arthur, this time motivated by Arthur’s North” in some way, or be mistaken for an incarna-
crime against Lot’s own family. In a climactic battle tion of Morgan le Fey (a result of modern retell-
outside Castle Terrabil in Cornwall (the same castle ings which often combine the two characters).
where your mother had hid from Uther, and where
Arthur had been conceived), Lot’s army was defeated
and your husband was killed by King Pellinore.
Nemesis
You were made a widow and though you came to It is Morgause’s great tragedy that while she be-
Arthur’s coronation with all four of your sons, you came mother to some of the greatest knights of the
left with only the youngest, Gareth, while the rest Round Table, those same sons committed awful
remained with their uncle to be made knights. You treason that included her own murder. They also
ruled Lothian alone and capably, avoiding atten- killed her lover, Lamorak, who had proven his devo-
tion and trouble, comfortable in the close protec- tion and defended her in battle many times. Four of
tion of your brother the High King. Although in Morgause’s sons—Gawain, Gaheris, Agravaine and
your forties by this time, you took a young lover: Mordred—count as her nemesis. Only Gareth, who
Sir Lamorak, one of the greatest knights of Arthur’s was not involved in any of these murders, is exempt.
realm. Unfortunately, he was also the son of Pellinore,
the man who had killed your husband. Your sons Aspects, Skills,
already hated Lamorak and they took his romance
with you as an unforgivable insult. You always knew Stunts and Extras
your sons were passionate—like you —but you Morgause is Queen of the North, a Widowed Queen,
had no idea how serious they were about the blood Queen of Orkney and Arthur’s Oldest Sister. In the
feud with Pellinore’s family until it was too late. past, her Trouble was founded on her adultery and
Your sons invited you to visit them at a castle near incest. Today, she may have Done Terrible Things
Camelot. Lamorak was nearby, serving Arthur, so the or just have a Checkered Past. She was lusty and
two of you arranged a tryst and Lamorak found you strong-willed, taking men half her age as lovers;
in your chambers. While you both were sleeping, this can be portrayed positively (Defies Convention)
Gaheris slipped into the room and—to avenge the or negatively (Shameless). She was Famous for Her
dishonor you had inflicted upon him and his broth- Beauty even when she was no longer young.
ers—cut off your head. Lamorak sprung up naked Morgause is absolutely fearless; represent this
in alarm, but Gaheris would not fight him. Arthur with Willpower and stunts like Indomitable. She
exiled Gaheris, and Lamorak left Camelot on his wields her great beauty with Rapport, Deceive, and
own, deep in grief over your death. Despite Arthur’s stunts like Inspiring Beauty, Seduce, and Covert
best efforts he could never convince Lamorak to Affairs. Use Empathy to discern the aspects of your
return, and eventually your sons found him, cor- enemies and rivals. If she has a combat skill, it is
nered him, and fought him four-on-one for three almost certainly Firearms. A widow queen from a
hours before Mordred stabbed him in the back. remote land, with stables, falcons, and hounds of
You were smart, passionate, and absolutely fear- her own, she is comfortable in the Wilderness but
less, a fitting bride for one of Arthur’s greatest ri- also has considerable Resources and experience
vals. You had committed sins, but you bore them at Leadership. Her connections to so many impor-
in private. You were known for your generosity tant Arthurian characters suggests Contacts and

34
 Chapter 2: Paths

the Extended Family stunt. She may have some

knowledge of the Occult, or a broad Education. Nimue, Student
The fact that she is often mistaken for her sister
makes her an Elusive Incarnation. Here are a few
and Betrayer
new stunts especially appropriate for Morgause: While many remember Nimue as the woman
• Cougar: You are +2 to seduce men noticeably who trapped Merlin under a stone, there’s consider-
younger than yourself. able debate over her reasons for doing so. She may
have been afraid of him, or simply trying to get rid
• Nerves of Steel: When you attempt some- of an unwanted suitor. In some versions of the story,
thing especially audacious or danger- she continued to live in seclusion with Merlin, hap-
ous, you have a +2 to create an aspect on pily ever after. Regardless, she became the Lady
yourself that helps you to succeed. of the Lake in England and took over Merlin’s
• Peer: You are good at sharing the troubles of oth- role as advisor and magician to King Arthur.
ers who, like you, have high rank and station. Any incarnation of Nimue is a potent enchantress
You can use Leadership as if it were Empathy trained in Merlin’s own skills, but her role as Lady of
to put the mental consequences of others onto the Lake also gives her access to the magical world of
recovery, but the character you are helping must Faerie. Unlike Nineve, who made bargains and used
also have at least Average (+1) Leadership. her magic for personal gain, Nimue seems to have
Strictly speaking, Morgause shouldn’t have any honestly used her magic for the good of others and
extras beyond an organization or estate. However, without seeking payment in kind. This makes her one
like many women in the Arthurian age, there is a of the few truly “good” magicians in Arthur’s realm,
whiff of the enchantress about her. Represent this and she naturally comes into conflict with “bad” ones
with a magical talent like Glamour, Emotion, or when she acts as Arthur’s advisor and court enchanter.
Summon & Banish, or just select the Potions extra.

Adventures with Morgause Your Past Life

The circumstances of your birth are unknown,
• Morgause is strong-willed and will have her own but you first appeared on the day of Arthur’s wed-
goals. She may want to make amends for her ding to Guinevere when both you and your dog were
previous sin by finding Mordred and working to kidnapped (by two different men, no less). This was
contain the threat he poses. She may want to re- all part of a magical adventure, and eventually you
unite with Lot or Lamorak. She may want to give were rescued by Sir Pellinore; his son Tor rescued
Gaheris a “stern talking to.” Throughout all this, your dog. But once you were brought back to Arthur’s
however, she has every reason to remain loyal to court, you immediately attracted the attention of
Arthur and contribute to his overall mission. Merlin, who became besotted with you and vowed to
• Morgause combines a passionate personality do anything you wanted if only you would love him.
with a secret crime; this makes it particularly Eager to learn magic at Merlin’s hand, you put off
likely that she will suffer from dangerous en- the wizard’s amorous advances while simultane-
tanglements in her new life. She may find it ously asking him to teach you sorcery. This he did,
hard to leave her 21st century career in favor of and he even took you with him on his many travels
helping Arthur; she may have some enemies fol- throughout Britain and the Continent, where you
lowing her who make life difficult for her new met the Emperor of Rome (among others) and wit-
friends. Because she’s Morgause, she’ll probably nessed many marvels. You spent some time with
try to hide these problems as long as possible. him in a picturesque house on the shore of Lake
• Plenty of Arthur’s allies know how to fight, but Nemi in Italy, and continued to learn more and more
few will have the level of training in social skills magic from him. But you never forgot that Merlin
that Morgause can offer. This makes her uniquely was the Devil’s son, and you never consented to
valuable as a “front” for Arthur’s circle, negotiat- be his romantic partner. He continued to pursue
ing with authority figures and telling whatever you relentlessly, and you could not get rid of him.
lies are necessary for Arthur to achieve his goals. Eventually, at your wits end, you asked him to teach
Fortunately, because she’s no longer restricted you the very spell you would eventually use to im-
to the life of a medieval queen, Morgause can prison him. To this day you are not sure if he was
also take care of herself when words fail. blinded by his infatuation with you, or if he knew
exactly what you were going to do and yet some-
how, mysteriously, taught you the spell anyway.
After enchanting Merlin in an underground
cave from which he could never escape, you re-
turned to Arthur’s court and saved the king from

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 Chapter 2: Paths

more than one of Morgan le Fey’s murder attempts

(first when Morgan had one of her lovers, Accolon,
Nemesis
steal Excalibur and use it against Arthur, and then You may not have hated him, but you did fear
later when Morgan sent a magical cloak to Arthur him, and eventually you used his own magic to trap
that would have immolated the King had he put him in a magical prison. Merlin is your nemesis.
it on). You did not linger at court, but returned to
your magical lake whenever you were not neces-
sary, coming forth at need and providing answers
Aspects, Skills,
to confusing mysteries much as Merlin had done. Stunts and Extras
You finally found your own lover when you came You are a Lady of the Lake and Merlin’s Student, a
across Sir Pelleas wandering lost on foot through Queen of Avalon who brought Arthur’s dying body
the forest. Pelleas had fallen for a damsel named across the Veil to make him immortal. Unfortunately
Ettard, who refused to love him in return. When you have a Spotty Memory when it comes to what hap-
Gawain promised to help Pelleas woo Ettard, Gawain pened after that time. You attracted Unrequited Love
instead slept with her himself. Pelleas found out Affairs which you Always Solve with Magic and you
and went a bit mad, and that was when you found were Over-Protective, at least of your husband.
him. Using your magic, you broke Pelleas’ love for You are a World Traveler, Quick Study,
Ettard and won it for yourself, while at the same and a Prodigy. By the time of the Grail
time enchanting Ettard so that she would love Quest, you had more or less Retired
Pelleas (unrequited, of course). Ettard died for and sometimes it seems you Only
the unreturned love of your husband, which—we Care about Yourself, especially since
presume—is what you had in mind all along. you were willing to curse Ettard. In
Pelleas was already an excellent knight when the worst light, you are a Wicked
you married him and he continued to be so in Seducer who stole Merlin’s magic.
the years that followed, but you used your As an enchantress, you will
magic to ensure he never came to serious need Occult, Confidence, and
harm. You stayed out of the Grail Quest Willpower in various proportion
and the end of Arthur’s reign, presumably depending on your preferred
holing up in the lake with your husband, style. Merlin’s tutelage explains
but you were one of the four women your Education. You seem
who emerged to escort the mortally to have had some Empathy,
wounded king to Avalon on the day of considering your ability to
his battle with Mordred. After your discern Merlin’s motives and
passage to Avalon with him, your the inner heart of Pelleas
whereabouts became unknown. and Ettard. Wilderness is
appropriate for a woman
Recognizing who lived on a remote
island and often traveled
Nimue through the country-
side. Otherwise, Nimue’s
Nimue’s former physical ap-
personal life is mysterious
pearance is unknown, but her
enough to grant you great
current incarnations are likely
latitude, and you have a lot
to be students of some sort, per- of room in your skill tree for
haps someone who has suffered your 21st century life, making
sexual harassment in her academic Nimue a woman of two eras.
or professional career. She could be
associated with water in general
or lakes in particular. If she has
a pet, it is likely to be a dog.

36
 Chapter 2: Paths

All the confusion over the various Ladies of

the Lake makes you a good candidate for the
Elusive Incarnation stunt. Here are a few new
stunts especially appropriate for Nimue:
• Flatterer: You have a +2 when you use Deceive to Which Lady of the Lake is This?
overcome by flattering your target. The character of the Lady of the Lake may
have begun as a single person, but by the time
• Student/Teacher Flashback: Once a session, of Malory’s Morte d’Arthur there seem to be at
you can spend a Fate point to describe a scene least three women with this title at different
points of the story. Arthur Lives! describes three
that happened some time ago but which bears Ladies of the Lake instead of one for a number
directly on the problem you are facing right of reasons, not least of which is the fact that it
can be impossible to reconcile all the conflicting
now. In that scene, a teacher taught you how characteristics of the Lady unless she is divided
to overcome exactly this problem, and you into three people.
do so now, earning an automatic success. The three Ladies of the Lake are:
• Nineve, the first Lady to appear in Malory.
• Reclusive: You are +2 on Deceive rolls to Nineve is the Lady who gives Arthur his magical
defend against Empathy checks which at- sword Excalibur and who has her head chopped
off by Balin.
tempt to discern your motives. • Nimue, the Lady taught magic by Merlin. Nimue
Your magical talents must include Refuge, unless was the object of Merlin’s obsessed devotion and
you want to be a Lake Lady without a Lake. As a pupil she eventually used her magic to imprison him.
Afterwards, she adopted a role similar to Merlin,
of Merlin, you could demonstrate any or all talents, offering Arthur advice and occasional aid.
but we saw you use Emotion when you wooed Pelleas • Vivian is the French Lady of the Lake. She rescued
Lancelot and his brothers when they were children,
to your side and made Ettard fall in hopeless love and raised them at her magical lake in France.
with him. You used Unseen Hand to strike Excalibur She eventually equipped Lancelot with magical
weapons and brought him to Camelot.
from Accolon’s hand and Travel would account for
Only Nineve and Nimue are given Paths in this
your ability to arrive at Camelot from the lake at a book. Players who want to make an incarnation
moment’s notice. If you have an extra that isn’t magic- of Vivian can use the Enchanter path until more
specific rules become available.
related, it is probably a dog, your companion animal.

Adventures with Nimue

• Nimue may still be hounded by a Merlin who
is infatuated with her, or she may seek out Nineve, Lady
Merlin for magical training. Will he trust her?
Can she avoid him? A group with both Merlin
of the Lake
and Nimue in it is in for a tense rivalry as the Nineve was one of the Ladies of the Lake and she is
two “court magicians” vie for Arthur’s trust. most famous for being the woman who gave Arthur
• Nimue accompanied Arthur into Avalon when he his famous sword, Excalibur. She is an enchantress
was mortally wounded, but her memory of that and a bearer of magic objects, but she is also the
time has been lost. Can this memory be recov- supreme authority of her own realm, a magical oth-
ered? It might shed light on Arthur’s reincarna- erworld known as Avalon. Eventually, the wounded
tion, and begin to answer some of the many ques- Arthur would be taken to Avalon to heal from his
wounds and return to Britain, but Nineve did not live
tions which Nimue’s own reincarnation poses.
to see that day. She was killed early in Arthur’s reign
• In her first life, Nimue married Pelleas and as she tried to pursue her mysterious grudge against
kept him safe from harm, even if it meant the family of Sir Balin, the Knight with Two Swords.
keeping him out of the Grail Quest. Where As a character in Arthur Lives!, Nineve brings several
is he now and will she still feel the same for useful abilities to the table. First and foremost, she is
him? Since Pelleas is much less well-known an enchantress, able to wield potent magical powers.
than Nimue herself, there will be fewer in- She can also create magical weapons which she might
carnations of him and possibly only one at give to her allies (for a price, of course). Her super-
all. Could this lead to two or more Nimues at natural refuge gives her a safe haven where she can
odds with each other over Pelleas’ affection? rest, recuperate, and strategize without fear of detec-
tion. But like many of the heroes of Arthurian legend,
her personality and motivations are far from spotless.
She is accused of many unethical acts, and not all of
those accusations can be false. In fact, there may be
only one difference between Nineve and the classic
“evil sorceress”—Nineve can be bargained with.

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 Chapter 2: Paths

Your Past Life and Balan. Both left Northumberland and headed
south looking for you, but as long as you remained
Your story begins in Northumberland, the north- in your enchanted refuge of the lake, you were safe.
ernmost edge of England on the Scottish border. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for your
There you were born and grew up, a relative to the friends and family. Balin could not find you, so he
king of that land. You studied magic and enchant- found your own brother and killed him in “eye for
ment, and became the Lady of the Lake: governess an eye” fashion. The young King Arthur learned
of a Faerie realm across the Veil. From there, you led of the killing and had Balin thrown into prison.
a community of followers who practiced a blend of It was at about this time that the magician Merlin
pagan and Christian faith. Your lake was surrounded came to you. He asked you to make a sword for his
by mists that kept out all travelers, but it was possible protégé and you agreed. Soon after Arthur’s origi-
for those who knew the way to boat across the water nal magic weapon was broken in a duel with King
around Glastonbury and reach your magical home. Pellinore, you met both he and Merlin on the mist-
A woman sought you out. Her name is not recorded, shrouded shore of the lake. Walking across the water,
but we know her now as the Falsest Lady Living. She you retrieved Excalibur from one of your servants
had fallen in love with a man her brother did not who was holding it above the water (and across the
approve of, and her brother had slain him. Now the Faerie Veil). You warned Arthur, however, that the
Falsest Lady wanted revenge. sword was not free. You would
You agreed to help her, for eventually come to collect a
a price: she became your service from him. He agreed to
servant. Eventually you your terms. All was proceed-
crafted an enchanted ing according to your plan.
sword and scabbard for Soon thereafter, you
her. Once the sword was arrived at Camelot to
belted on, it could not demand Balin’s head
be removed by anyone in exchange for
except the most ca- Excalibur. As you ar-
pable knight in England. rived, you discovered
This knight would be that your luck was
fated to slay the Falsest improving: the Falsest
Lady’s brother, and Lady Living had
thus grant her revenge. shown up just before
Your former servant you, and you still
left to find this knight, owed her for the death
and as time passed and of your father. You
she failed to find the best gave Arthur a choice:
knight in England, she execute Balin or the Lady.
came to repent her choice. But Arthur, who was gather-
The large and heavy sword ing troops for war and needed
would not come off. She every hand, had just released
could find no rest nor peace Balin from prison, and killing
in her wandering. She began a woman in cold blood was
to hate you, and her desire too much for Arthur to agree
for revenge was now directed to. You were in the middle
towards you, not her brother. of reminding him about his
Somehow she arranged for promise when the strang-
your father to be killed. est thing happened: Balin
Meanwhile, your sta- emerged from the shadows,
tus and powers as a Lady fully armed and armored,
of the Lake gave you the and chopped off your head.
chance to settle some old Arthur was furious over
grudges of your own. A your death, since his in-
knight in your homeland of ability to repay you for
Northumberland had earned Excalibur became a stain
your enmity, so you killed on his honor. He exiled
him with a burning poison. Balin and gave you a lav-
Unfortunately for you, he had two ish funeral. Merlin, too late as usual, came to your
brothers, knights named Balin defense and explained all about the Falsest Lady
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 Chapter 2: Paths

Living and how she had caused your father to die. which she uses to physically craft the items she later
It’s true, your first loyalty was always to yourself, enchants. As the chief priestess for a hidden mystical
and you used your status as the Lady of the Lake community, she might have Leadership. A business-
and your magical skills for your own benefit. But the woman at heart, she benefits from Empathy (to learn
same could be said of many, and unlike most you what her trading partners want) and Rapport (to
always stuck to bargains you had made. But you also seal the deal). Wilderness makes sense for a woman
expected others to do the same, and when they did who lives on a remote island far from civilization,
not, you had no pity for them. Few knew you and even especially one with a knowledge of animals and
fewer understood you, but you seem to have gotten plants. She benefits from stunts like Always Making
along with Merlin best of those who got close to you. Useful Things (Technology), I’ve Read about That
You hold grudges and sometimes you can be cruel (Education), Savvy Investor (Resources) or Ninja
and ruthless, but if a man respects you and sticks to Vanish (Stealth), but should avoid stunts which
his word, you can be the best friend he’s ever had. improve her initiative or allow her to detect enemies.
After all, she was famously ambushed by Balin. The
Recognizing Nineve confusion over the various Ladies of the Lake suggests
she may be an Elusive Incarnation (Stealth). Here are
Nineve may be identified because of her reclusive a few new stunts especially appropriate for Nineve:
lifestyle—she may be a hermit or someone who has • Awe: When Nineve enters a scene for the
isolated herself from the world for religious rea- first time, she can spend a Fate point and
sons. She will be secretive about her true agenda automatically create a situational aspect of
and may have a hidden past. Although imperious, supernatural awe. She gets one free invoca-
she will be up front about her business transac- tion of this aspect, but others must overcome
tions and may have a reputation as a deal-maker. it before any physical conflict can begin.
She may have an association with water—she could
be a lifeguard, a marine biologist, or a corporate • Boatsman: Nineve can use Drive to pilot water-
executive for a bottled water company. It’s a good going vessels.
bet she has some sort of secret weapon which she • Swordsmith: Nineve has a +2 to create as-
will offer to a potential ally when he needs it most. pects with Technology on any kind of blade,
from a knife to a razor to a greatsword.
Nemesis As a Lady of the Lake, Nineve is expected to have
the Refuge magical talent. If she does not, she is a
Balin, and any member of his family (past or Lady without a Lake, the pursuit of which becomes
present), is your nemesis. It’s not clear how the feud an important goal for her. In the Arthurian age, she
began, but you poisoned his brother and he killed also wielded the Emotion, Blessings & Curses, Travel,
your brother in revenge when he could not find you. and Weather talents. She has access to echoes of some
You gave Arthur his weapon just so that you could legendary enchanted items, including Excalibur and
later demand Balin’s death from the king, but as its magical scabbard, which along with additional
luck would have it Balin got released from prison items of her own creation she can then barter to
and ambushed you, lopping your head off. Next others to accomplish whatever goals she might have.
time he won’t find you so easy to sneak up on. You might try to accomplish this with the Potions
extra, but that’s really for hedge wizards and witches,
Aspects, Skills, beneath an enchantress of your stature. You might
have additional extras for loyal companions, minions,
Stunts and Extras an organization or estate, if you want mundane power
and not just Faeries who serve you in your refuge.
Nineve is a Lady of the Lake and Maker of Excalibur.
At her core, she is a Deal-Maker who likes to Make
You an Offer You Can’t Refuse because Everything Has Adventuring with Nineve
a Price. Unfortunately, she also Carries a Grudge,
Always Looks out for Number One, and No Price Is Too • Working with Nineve means walking a fine
High. She expects everyone to stick to The Letter line. She may perform the occasional unsavory
of the Contract. Tennyson’s lines on the Lady of the act, but if you treat her fairly you can keep her
Lake are especially haunting. She is a beautiful on your good side and at least be sure that her
master of Subtle Magic, Surrounded by Mist and has ire will (usually) fall on your enemies. Because
A Voice As of the Waters. She Dwells Down in a Deep. she’s so demanding, Arthur and his allies may
Nineve specializes in the creation of magical items; have to work hard to keep her happy, but they’ll
in addition to Occult, Confidence, and Willpower also expect her to pull her weight and use her
(the skills of all magicians) she needs Technology, potent magical abilities on their behalf.

39
 Chapter 2: Paths

• Nineve’s blood feud poses a problem for her in- up? Because the quest itself is worth doing, even if
carnations. Will she still harbor a grudge? Will mortal abilities fall forever short.
she seek out incarnations of Balin and get revenge Incarnations of Pellinore can take almost any form,
for her death all those years ago? Perhaps she but he will always be looking for something which
should at least keep track of him, out of a sense eludes him. He makes an excellent hunter and tracker,
of self-preservation. The most interesting way to and his fighting skills make him invaluable to Arthur.
go may be to put Nineve in Balin’s debt, or vice
versa, to force two apparent enemies to work to-
gether towards a common goal (at least for now).
Your Past Life
• As a maker of supernatural weapons, Nineve You come from a holy lineage of kings charged with
always has something valuable to offer. Once the guardianship of the Holy Grail. Your elder brother
word gets out of her ability, even Arthur’s en- Pellam inherited that sacred duty while you became
emies might try to contact her, hoping to ne- King of the Isles, a land off the western coast of Britain,
gotiate fair deals for her workmanship. There’s beyond Wales. But you are most famous for your
no reason she has to tell Arthur about these legendary quest for Glatisant, the Questing Beast.
offers, even if she should accept them. Nineve The Beast was a demon with the head and neck of a
may find herself working as something of a serpent, the body of a leopard, the haunches of a lion
double agent, passing information to both and the feet of a stag. From its belly came the sound
Arthur and his enemies if the price is right. of sixty hounds barking. You would chase the Beast
for a year at a time and you were in the middle of just
Pellinore, Knight of such a stint when, having just ridden your horse to
death, you encountered Arthur and took his horse
the Questing instead. The young king

Beast was eager to join you on

your quest but you told
Pellinore was prob- him that only you—or
ably the greatest knight your next of kin—
of Arthur’s early reign. could catch the Beast.
Older than the Boy King, You probably believed
he acted as Arthur’s cham- this to be true, due to
pion and advisor, taking on your holy lineage, but
the most important quests in fact the Questing
and counseling the king Beast would elude
on difficult decisions. He you for the rest of
earned this role by defeat- your life. It was later
ing Arthur himself in com- caught and killed
bat (breaking the Sword in by Sir Palomides,
the Stone in two!) and kill- a Saracen knight
ing Lot, Arthur’s chief rival of no relation to you.
for the title of High King. You also promised
But this was not what
Arthur—whose true
made Pellinore famous. He
was called “the Knight of identity you did not
the Strange Beast” because know—you would
he had sworn an oath to return one day and
catch and slay a bizarre give him the fight
demonic creature named he wanted. True to
Glatisant. Although he your word, you came
hunted the Beast a year back to that for-
at a time, Pellinore est and set up
never caught it. This, your pavilion,
more than any other challenging all
single characteristic, comers. At first
defines Pellinore’s Arthur sent a
character. He is a modern young knight
Don Quixote, forever chas- named Sir Griflet,
ing something he will never but you defeated
reach. Why doesn’t he give him easily. The king
40
 Chapter 2: Paths

himself soon followed and you fought a ferocious so many extramarital (and sometimes violent) liai-
battle. One of your mighty blows shattered the Sword sons. But it wasn’t your amorous indiscretions which
in the Stone, but Arthur would not relent; he grappled proved your death, nor even the demon Glatisant.
you with enormous strength. You were forced to pull Someone had to kill Lot if Arthur was to become King
his helmet off and you were about to kill him when of Britain, and you chose to be that person. Perhaps
Merlin interfered and told you who you were fight- you knew you would die for it, perhaps you didn’t.
ing. Now afraid that Arthur would order your death But even if you had been aware that Lot’s death sealed
out of revenge for his having lost the battle, you were your own fate, your choice would have been the same.
even more determined to kill him, but Merlin put
you to sleep with a spell. By the time you awoke,
Arthur was gone. You returned to your quest.
Recognizing Pellinore
But later, at a critical moment, you lent your lance Pellinore will always be obsessed with finding
to Arthur’s cause in his battle with Lot of Orkney something. He may be a book collector hunting rare
and eleven other kings who had allied against volumes, a bounty hunter chasing escaped felons, a
Arthur. It was you and no other who killed King physicist working on the Unified Field Theory, or an
Lot, and with this act you saved Arthur. When the archaeologist recovering ancient artifacts from hid-
new High King created the Knights of the Round den tombs. He could be a detective or a Great White
Table, you were given the seat of honor as the best Hunter who always brings’em back alive. Pellinore is
knight living, and you kept that title until your going to be comfortable working alone for extended
murder ten years later. Alas, the seeds of your periods, though he’s willing to help others so long
death would be sown in the victory over Lot. as they don’t interfere too seriously with his obses-
You had other adventures. At the High King’s wed- sion. He may be older than other incarnations, with
ding you undertook a quest to rescue Nimue, the many sons, and he may have powerful enemies
future Lady of the Lake. But in your single-minded- who are gunning for him. Since he was King of the
ness (a trait that characterized you throughout your Isles, he may have some connection to an island
life) you ignored the plight of another knight and his country or a business with “Island” in the name.
lady. This turned tragic when you discovered that
lady was your own daughter Elaine, and she died
for your lack of help. But you remained by Arthur’s
Nemesis
Your Questling, and Glatisant itself, is your nem-
side and served as something of an advisor, recom- esis. Keep reading for more information on your
mending knights for the Round Table. Within ten quest and the form your questling might take.
years of Arthur’s coronation, however, two of Lot’s
vengeful sons—Gawain and Gaheris, both knights
and kin to Arthur—cornered you and killed you. Aspects, Skills,
You had many children, some of them outside of
marriage with women who roused your passion. Most
Stunts and Extras
of them would prove to be instrumental figures in Pellinore was Knight of the Strange Beast or Knight of
Arthur’s reign. Your sons Lamorak, Percival, Aglovale the Questing Beast, King of the Isles and Arthur’s Early
and Dornar (by your wife the Queen) became Knights Champion. He comes from the Grail Family. But he was
of the Round Table. Your bastard son Tor also rose Obsessed and Lusty, leaving bastard sons and daugh-
to that honor, though you had taken his mother, a ters all over Britain, at least once a Rapist. His pursuit
cowherd’s wife, “half by force.” Your eldest daughter of the quest left him Tireless and he was an Expert
Elaine’s death has already been mentioned, but your Jouster and Wise Counselor whom Arthur asked for
other daughter, Dindrane, led Percival and Galahad advice. Pellinore’s pursuit of the Questing Beast locks
to success in the Grail Quest before sacrificing her- him into a special destiny; see below for more details
self at the Castle of the Leprous Lady. The blood on Glatisant and Questlings, the demons which every
feud between your family and that of Lot’s would incarnation of Pellinore hunts, in one form or another.
continue, claiming many lives, including Lamorak’s. As a hunter, Pellinore’s chief skills are Wilderness,
You were the greatest knight of Arthur’s early reign Notice, Stealth and Investigate. Today he could be
and were known for your obsessive focus on quest- hunting anything, however, so his best skill could be
ing to the detriment of all other occupations. One Education, Technology, or just about anything else.
wonders how much time you actually spent govern- A great knight, he had excellent Melee and Athletics
ing your kingdom, the Isles, since you chased the in the Arthurian age, though since he was older
Questing Beast a year at a time and spent any inter- than other knights his Physique may have suffered.
vening periods at Arthur’s court. Perhaps it was your Today, he may have Firearms instead of Melee, es-
time on the hunt that excited your passions and led to pecially if his outdoor skills manifest as some kind
of army ranger, scout, or sniper. A loner by nature
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 Chapter 2: Paths

who came from an earlier, violent Britain before the of making Zenith the object of his quest makes
civilizing trends of court life, he needs few social Zenith a Questling and Zenith gains supernatu-
skills and prioritizes Willpower over Confidence. ral characteristics from his newly demonic nature.
Depending on your skill selection, Pellinore might After a long investigation and some close calls,
benefit from stunts like Ambusher or Forest Ghost Jackson and his allies succeed in capturing Zenith.
(Wilderness), Sleep When You’re Dead (Willpower), But the quest cannot end. The GM has several
Sprinter or Hardcore Parkour (Athletics), Hard to options. Zenith might escape confinement, prompt-
Shake or Pedal to the Metal (Drive), Killing Stroke ing Jackson to renew his hunt. Or Jackson’s player
(Melee), The Power of Deduction (Investigate), might select a new target for his quest: a new out-
Called Shot, Demon Hunter, In the Crosshairs, law is discovered whose crimes put Zenith’s to
or Uncanny Accuracy (Firearms). Here are some shame. Zenith’s capture is irrelevant and forgot-
new stunts especially appropriate to Pellinore: ten. Jackson sets out to capture this new crimi-
• Demonologist: You have a +2 on Occult rolls to nal. The Questling that had been part of Zenith
learn the aspects of demons. leaves him and now infuses the new target.
• Single-Minded: You have a +2 on Willpower rolls
to overcome distractions. Adventures with Pellinore
• Woodsman: You are +2 on Stealth rolls made to • In the traditional approach, Pellinore performs
hide in the woods. his quest alone. He is often missing for long
Pellinore needs no extras. While ostensibly a king, periods, usually between the adventures that
he never seems to spend any time in his lands, so make up the actual Arthur Lives! play sessions.
he doesn’t need an estate or organization. He has This style of play can be hard on Pellinore’s
no magical powers or equipment. In the musical player, since the character will have aspects he
Camelot, his pet sheepdog, who accompanies him in seldom gets to use onstage. Nevertheless, be-
the confusing quest for Glatisant, is named Horrid. cause Pellinore is often working alone and away
from the other player characters, the GM can
The Questing Beast use the quest to lay the groundwork for future
adventures. Perhaps Pellinore, while out on
Every incarnation of Pellinore quests after some-
thing, but the form of that quest is up to you. By the quest, discovers some evil which he cannot
selecting the object of your character’s quest, you take the time to investigate. When he returns
transform that object into a supernatural force to Arthur’s side, he tells the king about it, and
called a “Questling.” Questlings are demons re- the player group can investigate it together.
lated to Glatisant, the original Questing Beast. Pellinore’s long absences might make others sus-
Because Pellinore could be searching for virtually picious of his loyalty, leading to surveillance or
anything, Questlings can take many forms, from interference which Pellinore must then elude.
animals and criminals to paintings, rare coins, • A more team-oriented approach would lead
or scientific processes like a cure for cancer. Pellinore to accept help on his quest, or to pursue
A Questling can be caught or even killed, but his quest while still fighting alongside Arthur.
Pellinore’s quest will always remain, like a televi- If Pellinore is seeking the magic spell to rid
sion series which is perpetually renewed, season the world of all vampires, a hint to the spell’s
after season. The flush of victory fades, Pellinore location might be found in the lair of some
becomes restless again, the attainment of the quest socialite witches who are using their magic to
seems not as significant as it first appeared (the curse their Fortune 500 rivals. Arthur and his
theory is proven wrong, the villain escapes or is knights take care of the witches; Pellinore gets
eclipsed by a greater villain), and Pellinore begins one step closer to his goal. Everyone wins.
to see signs that his goal is still out there, unrealized • Pellinore is at the heart of one of the most de-
but tantalizingly within reach. The untouchable structive blood feuds in the Arthurian saga.
supernatural essence that made up the Questling He killed King Lot, whose sons avenged him
moves to inhabit the new object of Pellinore’s with the death not only of Pellinore himself,
quest, and in this way the Questling lives forever. but his son Lamorak, their mother Morgause,
See Chapter 9 for more information on Questlings and even some innocent victims who got
and Glatisant, including example Questlings.
caught in the crossfire. Will Pellinore feel
Example: Jackson Blake is an incarnation of
threatened by new incarnations of Gawain and
Pellinore and a bounty hunter who tracks down
his kin? Even if he chooses to forgive his kill-
felons on the run from the law. He has his sights
ers, can he be sure they will do the same?
set on Zenith, a legendary serial killer. The act

42
 Chapter 3: Skills and Stunts

Chapter 3: Skills and Stunts

Skills in Arthur Lives! follow most of the regular rules
set forth in Chapter 5 of Fate Core System. The skill list Summary of Changes
is a little larger, but player characters in AL! also have
more skill points. Some skills in Fate Core have been
from Fate Core:
split up: the Fight skill, for example, is represented by • The ability list is longer by seven. Some of these
Brawl and Melee. Other skills have simply been added. are new (Leadership, Performance, Wilderness)
Some skills have been renamed. In a couple of cases, and some arise from splitting broad combat abili-
a particular application of a skill has been reassigned; ties in ways that better represent the setting.
for example, riding a horse is part of the “Drive” skill • Fighting has been split into Brawling (unarmed and
in Fate Core, but in AL! that aspect of Drive has been simple weapons such as knives, clubs and improvised)
reassigned to Athletics. In general, however, players and Melee (knightly weapons such as sword, axe,
and GMs will find the skills described here pretty close mace, lance). Modern action heroes will have strong
to the Core rules. Brawling; knights will discover they have good Melee.
Stunts have been included for each of these skills, • Shooting has been split into Firearms and Archery.
but these are not comprehensive lists. Look to your
• Will has been split into Willpower (the passive,
Path for some specific stunts which are relevant to
defensive applications described in Core) and
your character.
Confidence, which has active, offensive applica-
tions especially for enchanters and faith-based
characters. A character with high Willpower but

43
 Chapter 3: Skills and Stunts

low Confidence doesn’t really believe in anything better at creating advantages than attacking. This is a
but is very hard to break mentally. A character great skill for heroes who like to win by virtue of good
with high Confidence but low Willpower is the planning, rather than superior firepower.
classic fanatic, throwing himself wholly into his aAttack: Use Archery to make attacks with bows,
cause but easily broken if he fails. crossbows, and similar weapons such as a speargun.
• Lore has been divided into Occult (arcane and other dDefend: You won’t use Archery to defend. If you
secret knowledge) and Education (everything else). want to provide cover for a friend who is caught in the
• Performance has been added; it covers not just per- open, create an advantage.
formance art (music, dance and acting) but also the (MORE) ARCHERY STUNTS
creation of art (painting, sculpture, writing).
• Wilderness has been added; it covers outdoor and Most Shoot stunts work for Archery. Quick on the
animal skills such as tracking, living in the wild, and Draw might seem out of place, but cinematic archers
animal training. are superhuman in their skill and reflexes.
• The riding application of the Drive ability has been • Never Too Close: You can use Archery to stab
re-assigned to Athletics. someone in your zone with an arrow, making an
attack action opposed by Athletics or Brawl. The
• Some abilities have been renamed for a modern arrow is Weapon:1.
setting.
• Chink in the Armor: You can roll an overcome

Archery action with Archery to negate an enemy’s armor.

The rating of the armor opposes your archery
check, and you lose the benefit of this feat if your
Archery measures your character’s ability to use
bows and crossbows. next action isn’t used to attack the target of your
There’s a long tradition of archers in the Robin overcome action with Archery.
Hood mode, but archery was not a knightly skill; • Bow-Jutsu: You can use Archery to defend against
while a knight might learn the basics of archery as Melee or Brawl attacks, parrying blows with your
a boy, knights did their hunting with spears and bow as if it were a staff.
the bow was a peasant weapon. It is most suited to
squires, hunters, and mercenaries, or characters like
Tor who grew up among the peasant class before
Athletics
eventually becoming knights. There is, for example, Athletics is unchanged from Fate Core and is just
a tradition of Italian mercenaries hired just for their as common in AL! campaigns as it is in other genres.
crossbows, weapons more powerful and technologi- In AL!, Athletics also governs your character’s ability
cally sophisticated than anything found in Britain. to ride a horse; this is a change from Fate Core, which
In the modern era, just about anyone could have uses Drive for this purpose.
a measure of skill with a bow. A cat burglar uses a Athletics is very much in character for knights, as
crossbow with an attached climbing line to get in and they do a lot of running, swimming and climbing.
out of impossible jobs. An assassin might use a silent The great sport of knights, however, is jousting and
composite bow as his calling card. Bows can be hand- Athletics is specifically the go-to skill related to that
fashioned and have a role in many survival stories activity. Jousting was difficult to master and depended
and, because an arrow can be set aflame or made to on skill more than physical strength or stamina; it
carry an explosive “payload,” it even has some poten- was therefore not uncommon for aging knights or
tial as a delivery system. lords long past their physical prime to be considered
oOvercome: The most famous use of Archery in champion jousters.
an overcome action is the archery contest, in which oOvercome: In addition to all the traditional uses
a succession of archers get their arrows closer and for Athletics (climbing a tower, swimming a moat),
closer to the target. Archery can also be used to over- a routine joust can be settled as an overcome ac-
come obstacles through the use of climbing lines or tion using Athletics. In the event you need to GM a
even the physical arrows themselves; at least one hero full-blown tournament, consider a quick contest to
has climbed a wall using arrows lodged firmly in the eliminate most competitors, then a challenge using
stone! Use overcome to construct a primitive bow out multiple skills for the next few rounds, before a close-
of gathered materials. up on the conflict between the two top champions.
cCreate an Advantage: Arrows with customized cCreate an Advantage: You might use your
payloads, or even just set on fire, are great for creating Athletics to pick the right lance or horse for the up-
aspects like The House Is on Fire or Shock and Awe. An coming contest, to discern a weakness in a rival’s tech-
arrow through a gunman’s hand will disarm him, and nique, or to perform your joust in a way that makes
an arrow to the leg will slow him down. Indeed, be- you look especially awesome.
cause bows are less lethal than guns, they’re arguably
44
 Chapter 3: Skills and Stunts

aAttack: You won’t usually use Athletics to at- dDefend: You can usually use Brawl to defend
tack, even in a joust. Opposed Athletics rolls will against other Brawl or Melee attacks, though fail-
determine a victor. ing to defend against an axe while using only your
dDefend: In addition to using Athletics for all the bare hands is usually a good opportunity for some-
defensive actions you normally would, including op- thing awful to happen. Brawl cannot defend against
posing Brawl, Melee, Archery and Firearms attacks, Archery or Firearms; use Athletics for that.
you will roll Athletics to defend against attempts to
create an advantage on you during a joust. BRAWL STUNTS

(MORE) ATHLETICS STUNTS • Buck and a Quarter Staff: You can use Brawl with
a quarterstaff. Other weapons traditionally used
In addition to the Athletics stunts listed in Fate by the lower classes, such as nunchaku or even a
Core, some additional stunts focus on the application woodsman’s axe, could also be used in this way,
of Athletics to jousting. and would have their own stunts.
• Good Arm: You can use Athletics instead of Brawl • Nothing Up My Sleeve: You are skilled at conceal-
to make attack actions when throwing any weap- ing fist-loads, daggers, hairpins, poison, and other
on, such as a knife, axe, or grenade. very small weapons in your hand, from where
• Knight of the Road: You can use Athletics to drive they can be used by surprise on unexpecting foes.
a motorcycle. Use Brawl instead of Stealth when creating an
• Full Tilt: You can use Athletics to make attacks advantage representing your hidden weapon, or
with a lance while riding. whenever you are rolling active opposition against
someone’s Notice.
Brawl • Hoist: You have a +2 bonus to Brawl when you are
grabbing someone and pulling them into your ve-
Brawl governs fighting without weapons, with hicle or up onto your mount.
knives, or with improvised weapons such as bottles
and chairs. It includes traditional martial arts as well
as boxing or “bare knuckle brawling.” While Brawl is Burglary
usually used in hand-to-hand combat, it also includes The Burglary skill appears in Fate Core and there
throwing knives, rocks, and other improvised weap- are no changes to it here.
ons. The Core skill Fight is largely divided between For modern characters, Burglary includes knowl-
Brawl and Melee. edge and avoidance of all kinds of high-tech security
Brawl is far more likely to be a skill learned by mod- systems. While stealing isn’t on the resume of any rep-
ern characters than by knights. While a knight might utable knight, squires, peasants, nosy handmaidens,
get into a scuffle once in a while, such activity was or lovers who go to great lengths to conceal their af-
beneath him. Important issues were settled with duels fairs may have some proficiency in this area. Burglary
or jousts and unimportant issues should be ignored is a great example of the specialist skill: something
or forgiven. Mercenaries, brigands, knights from the most player groups won’t have access to, and may have
uncivilized border regions, and cads like Mordred to acquire by reaching out to an NPC.
(who famously stabbed Sir Lamorak in the back with
a dagger) will have it. Modern action heroes, however, (MORE) BURGLARY STUNTS
resort to brawling at almost every opportunity and, • But I Don’t Want To Burgle: You never intended
bereft of weapons like swords, spears, and axes, a to be a thief; you’re just good at it naturally! You
modern action hero relies on his fists at least as often have a +2 bonus to Burglary whenever your use of
as he relies on his gun. the skill is the direct result of a compel.
oOvercome: You probably won’t be using Brawl • Ham Burglar: Your theft grows more impressive
to overcome an obstacle. Martial arts tournaments in the retelling. When you tell the story of your
are an obvious exception, and if you’re looking for an larcenous deeds, you can create advantages on
improvised weapon in a Scene, you could roll Brawl to your listeners or the entire scene, rolling Burglary
find something suitable. as it were Rapport.
cCreate an Advantage: Brawl is used to create
advantages in a physical conflict when you are using a • Thief of Hearts: You have a +2 bonus to overcome
knife, an improvised weapon, or no weapon at all. when using Burglary to sneak in or out of some-
aAttack: This is the main use of Brawl. You’ll need place where you are having an illicit affair.
to be in the same zone as your target.

45
 Chapter 3: Skills and Stunts

Confidence CONFIDENCE STUNTS

• Armor of Faith: You can defend against any physi-
Confidence measures how firmly you believe what-
cal attack using Confidence until you are hit and
ever it is you believe. It is crucial for religious charac-
take stress, after which your enemies perceive that
ters and for enchanters, who must believe in magic in
you are only human and can be killed like any
order to work magic. Mundane heroes use Confidence
other man.
to create advantages on others, to create situation
aspects, and to win staring contests. • Cool Hand Luke: Your incredible self-confidence
Confidence is the offensive side of the Core skill makes you a master of improvisation. You can
Will, the defensive aspects of which fall under spend a Fate point to substitute Confidence for any
the new skill Willpower. A character with high physical skill for one roll or exchange. Drive, Brawl,
Confidence but low Willpower is fanatical in his and Firearms are all in, but Education and Occult
beliefs but subservient to others and easily cowed; a are out.
hero with low Confidence but high Willpower may • Confident in Victory: When you create an aspect
be a jaded cynic who doesn’t believe in anything, but on someone which represents your confidence in
torture and intimidation are useless on him. This them, that aspect has an additional free invocation.
describes a lot of the protagonists in action films.
Knights and kings tend to be pretty confident, large-
ly thanks to their distinguished position in society, but
Contacts
really high Confidence shows true passion: Gawain’s The Contacts skill appears in Fate Core and it
dedication to his family, to quests, and to revenge all works just the same in AL! It is an especially use-
testify to his high Confidence. Confident damosels ful skill for kings and damosels. For kings, Contacts
use this skill to create aspects on their knights and can be a manifestation of royal status and power;
allies. Likewise, religious characters like Galahad, everyone wants to know the king and you can often
Percival, and the various holy men of the Grail Quest get the information you need just by summoning the
use Confidence to fuel stunts and sometimes extras. right person to your presence. In contrast, damosels
Magicians like Merlin and the Ladies of the Lake use use Contacts as “soft power,” a network of broth-
Confidence to exert their will over others and to make ers, cousins, servants, and aspiring suitors who are
changes to the environment. bound to you by loyalty, friendship, blood, obliga-
oOvercome: If your mental effort is focused on tion, or affection. In some representations of Merlin,
someone or something else, external to you, that the old wizard couldn’t see the future at all, he just
is the realm of Confidence. The classic contest of had a really good spy network.
Confidence is a game of chicken; you and your enemy (MORE) CONTACTS STUNTS
are driving straight at each other, and someone is go-
ing to swerve or you will both collide. The stare-down, • Cyber-Bully: You can use your Contacts skill to
either on its own or as a prelude to the quick-draw make Provoke attacks on people who are in your
contest, can also be resolved as a Confidence contest, social network.
with the loser acquiring an aspect the winner can • Faerie Underground: +2 to overcome when you
invoke. If you want to attack a particularly gruesome, are searching for a supernatural being living under-
horrifying, or supernatural foe, a Confidence check cover here in the world.
is appropriate. • Extended Family: When you create an advantage
cCreate an Advantage: Confidence can be used to with Contacts, you can get an extra free invoke
create an advantage on individuals, who can be cowed from that advantage if the individual you describe
or inspired by your calm, cool demeanor. You might is related to you.
even express your confidence in your friends by creat-
ing aspects like You Got This and passing them the free • Throne Room: When you use Contacts to find
invocation. Confidence can create situation aspects someone, you can spend a Fate point and that
which affect everyone present; this is a great way to person will come to you, in person if possible, but
prepare for a conflict or shore up one which is start- remotely if not.
ing to go south.
aAttack: The classic “stare-down” is an attack
inflicting mental stress, causing the target to back
Deceive
Lying is a very unchivalrous thing to do and, in
down or attack in a more direct manner. Magicians Arthurian romance, it’s one of the worst possible acts;
and faith-based characters will also use Confidence nevertheless, it happens all the time. Wicked charac-
to make attacks in conjunction with their talents ters like Mordred and Agravaine lie whenever it suits
or other extras. them while magicians use deceit to trick an enemy
dDefend: Confidence is not used to defend. into doing something stupid or to conceal their own
46
 Chapter 3: Skills and Stunts

magic. In some versions of the myth, Merlin’s disguises also attack in the same exchange using another
aren’t magic at all, just clever use of deception. Lovers skill such as Firearms or Melee. The attack is at -2.
male and female Deceive to cover their affairs. Even • Pilot: Your Drive skill is expanded to include
chivalrous knights Deceive when, before going into planes and helicopters
battle, they conceal their identity behind an anony-
mous shield or don someone else’s armor in an attempt
to gain more valor. When Lancelot rescued Kay from Education
imprisonment, he stole Kay’s armor and rode away in The Education skill governs most of what Fate Core
it, knowing that knights across Britain hated Kay and calls Lore, except for knowledge of magic, the super-
would attack on sight. Meanwhile, Kay was left with natural, conspiracies and the paranormal, which has
Lancelot’s armor and, once he put it on, no one dared its own skill: Occult.
to hassle him. To Kay’s credit, once he got to Camelot, Education was pretty spotty in the Arthurian age; the
he told the true story even as bandits and highwaymen best scholars were scribes and monks, who seldom ad-
showed up claiming they had been beaten by “Kay.” ventured. Magicians were usually learned; Gwenbaus
In Arthur Lives!, you can use Deceive to disguise your was a scribe in the French court before Merlin taught
appearance, but if you want to adopt the appearance of him magic, and Morgan actually learned her magic
a specific other person, you need a stunt. studying books in a nunnery! A good king might study
Roman law, economics, military strategy, agriculture, or
(MORE) DECEIVE STUNTS animal husbandry, but there were plenty of rulers who
• Blank Shield: +2 to defend against actions made relied on battle prowess alone. Damosels often had
to identify you. the most time to read and could be experts in almost
• Master of Disguise: You can use Deceive to dis- any field. But by and large, characters with strong
guise yourself as a specific individual. Spend a Education will have acquired that in the 21st century
Fate point to make Nameless NPCs unable to see and this is one of the ways Incarnations contrast most
through this disguise for one scene. If the disguise with their previous lives.
is physically damaged, it is no longer foolproof. Specialized knowledge, such as that belonging to a
• Covert Affair: When you create an advantage to doctor or a hacker, is unlocked with stunts.
make a cover story for one of your romantic affairs, EDUCATION STUNTS
you and your partner each get one free invocation.
• Lawyer: Your specialized knowledge of the law far
Drive exceeds the general knowledge possessed by most,
and you are licensed to practice law in your home
A stable of horses was a defining characteristic for region. This is an example of specialized knowl-
every knight, but in the 21st century, cars are king. edge that can be unlocked
Drive is a key skill for characters who are incarna- with additional stunts.
tions of knights. An Arthur Lives! game starring l Linguist: You have

knights should have plenty of car chases, studied languages

highway shoot-outs, and other sensational enough that you can
vehicle action. Some cars are actually roll an overcome ac-
magical Echoes of legendary horses. tion to carry on a basic
See Chapter 4: Extras for detailed conversation with any-
rules on vehicles, and the rules for one you meet, with a
chases and for vehicles in the Fate difficulty based on the
System Toolkit provide addition- rarity of the language.
al options and guidelines. You can also translate
All vehicles are covered by Drive, but most char- written texts, given time.
acters can only drive cars, trucks, and maybe a l Tenure: You have a

motorcycle. Unusual vehicles—like tanks, trains, (more or less) permanent

helicopters, or planes—are unlocked with stunts. post in higher education,
Riding horses is not covered by this skill; use and can roll Education to
Athletics instead. create appropriate advan-
tages. For example, you
(MORE) DRIVE STUNTS might use this to acquire
• Iron Stallions: You can use Drive to make over- resources for field work,
come actions while riding a horse. to secure a sabbatical, or
• Road Warrior: When you are in a conflict and to throw your academic
driving a vehicle, you can take a Drive action and reputation around.

47
 Chapter 3: Skills and Stunts

Empathy (MORE) FIREARMS STUNTS

• Demon Hunter: You are +2 to create an advantage
Characters in the Arthurian age spent a lot of time
against any resident of Hell.
trying to figure out who to trust, and generally failing
at it. This Core skill is most suited to damosel char- • Make My Day: When you have a big gun aimed
acters, who excel at seeing through lies, who always at someone, you can use Firearms to make at-
seem to know good knights from bad ones, and who tacks that inflict mental stress, as if you were using
give comfort to those knights they choose to accom- Provoke.
pany. Kings also find Empathy a very useful skill when • In the Crosshairs: You can use Firearms to create
dispensing justice or taking the measure of courtiers, an advantage as if you were using the Notice skill,
messengers, and those asking for aid. In one version but you have to be observing the target from afar
of the myth, Excalibur has the power to “cleave truth through a targeting scope.
from falsehood.”
Empathy has an additional highly specialized func-
tion in Arthur Lives! It is the skill used to recognize
Investigate
someone as an Arthurian incarnation. This is creating In the Arthurian age, skill in investigation was rare.
an advantage; the difficulty is usually Good to Superb. A king like Mark would hire spies to investigate for
Sometimes the incarnation will already have a High him, but Arthur relied on Merlin to reveal secrets, and
Concept which makes his identity clear, but if he him- other kings, like Ban and Bors, had their own diviners.
self doesn’t know who he is, you may have to come up Holy men, who appeared to explain things during the
with an aspect that clarifies it Grail Quest, had supernatural knowledge traced to
the divine. But in some versions of the myth, Merlin
(MORE) EMPATHY STUNTS didn’t have magic at all, and was really just a bril-
liant investigator.
• Mythic Vision: When you are trying to recognize For these reasons, characters with Investigate will
an Arthurian incarnation, you can spend a Fate probably have it thanks to their modern lives and
point to automatically succeed. careers. But the skill works just as it does in Fate Core.
• I Know Your Heart: You can identify people you
know using Empathy instead of Notice. They may (MORE) INVESTIGATE STUNTS
be disguised, hidden, or even out of your sight,
• Pattern Recognition: You can use Investigate
but it doesn’t matter. You know who they are. You
to recognize Arthurian incarnations by spotting
can just tell
tell-tale physical signs and symbols. This uses the

Firearms create advantage action, as you learn their high

concept or other aspect.
Firearms is the skill for guns and grenades. Other • Spy Network: You can use Investigate as if it were
than its narrower focus, it’s exactly like the Core skill Contacts to create advantages representing your
Shoot. Use the Archery skill for bows and crossbows, web of informants and agents on the street.
and if you’re throwing a knife or a bottle at someone’s • Gumshoe: You don’t need to roll to find a critical
head, you’re Brawling. clue. If a clue is necessary to solve the crime, the
A defining modern skill, characters from the GM should inform you that it is present. You auto-
Arthurian age won’t be trained in Firearms, though matically find that clue at the cost of 1 Fate point.
there’s nothing that prevents a knight from having
natural aptitude for it. Experience with guns comes
from reincarnation and, like the choice between
Leadership
Brawl and Melee, a knight’s decision to use Firearms Arthur had his faults; depending on which version
sometimes illustrates that character’s decision to put of the tales you believe, he may have been reckless,
his modern life first and his past life second. Because naive, bloodthirsty, or just not very bright. But most
combat skills were largely restricted to men in the everyone agrees that he was a great leader. Indeed,
Arthurian age, but this is not true in the modern era, leaders abound in the Arthurian age, from the Queen
damosels, queens, and female enchanters with a com- herself to Lancelot, who in time came to command
bat skill are most likely to have Firearms. the loyalty of virtually all of France, or Sir Kay, who
All of the stunts provided for Shoot are applica- as seneschal was the man who kept Camelot running.
ble to Firearms The condition of knighthood itself conveyed the man-
tle of leadership, as a knight was responsible for his
squires and other servants, often including an estate
and a large population of tenant farmers. Leadership
was usually reserved for knights, kings, and queens,
48
 Chapter 3: Skills and Stunts

but Merlin—as always—was an exception; when LEADERSHIP STUNTS

Arthur was young and inexperienced, he relied on
Merlin’s advice to win several key battles. One woman, • Command: Your decisive commands motivate
Avenable, disguised herself as a man and grew to be- and inspire. You can choose to spend a Fate point
come the seneschal to the Emperor of Rome. when you give another character an order. If the
Leadership is a new skill for Arthur Lives! cam- character does what you told him to do on his
paigns. Leaders inspire others, they give commands next exchange, he gets a +3 on the action.
and expect to be obeyed, they know how to run teams • Stand Fast: When someone under your command
and large organizations, and are knowledgeable in is attacked with Provoke, you can roll Leadership
tactics and strategy. Leadership is found in sports, in to defend. You can do this once per exchange.
business, in the military, in police, and in administra- • Heart of a Soldier: You can use Leadership to
tors, government officials, and bureaucrats. determine what will motivate your underlings, as
In addition to the actions discussed here, if you were using Empathy to create an advantage
Leadership has uses if you are utilizing the Squad- on them.
Based Action and Mass Combat rules found in the • Slush Fund: You can call upon your organization
Fate System Toolkit. In particular, use Leadership ac- for emergency funds. Roll Leadership as if it were
tions to do all the things described for the Operations Resources to create an advantage representing
skill in Squad combat, and use Leadership instead your new possession, but it has to be something
of Will when using Mass Combat. Battles between your organization could get, and technically
armies may not seem especially likely for most Arthur they’re the ones who own it.
Lives! campaigns, but that likelihood increases as the
protagonists grow in power ... and as they go on to
discover enemies too horrifying to fight alone.
Characters with Leadership often have squire
Melee
Fate Core groups all close-quarters combat into
companions or a personal guard of Nameless NPC a single Fight skill, but AL! differentiates between
minions. These are important additions, but they are Brawling (fighting barehanded or with knives or
represented with extras, not skills or stunts. improvised weapons) and Melee, which specifically
oOvercome: A quick contest of Leadership can be governs the use of “knightly” weapons: the sword,
used to resolve team-based athletic competitions as spear, axe, flail, lance, and anything else which you
well as military skirmishes or battles, even important can imagine a knight wielding in the Arthurian age.
ones, before focusing in on a key conflict between the Other rare or specialized weapons, like a whip or
protagonists and enemy champions. Use Leadership quarterstaff, require their own stunts.
to resolve games of strategy, to navigate a complex or Obviously, knights and kings are the most likely
resistant bureaucracy, to get your organization over characters to have Melee. It would be highly unusual
a hurdle or through a dangerous time, or simply to for an enchanter or damosel to have experience with
make a stranger obey your command. Melee in their past life, but nothing prevents such a
cCreate an Advantage: Leadership is great for character from demonstrating natural ability with a
creating situation aspects related to your inspiring sword, ability further refined during play.
charisma (We Can Do It!) or your brilliant strategy (All Proficiency in Melee is rare enough among mod-
According to Plan). It can be used to figure out aspects
ern characters that someone who has it is probably
placed on the battlefield, or to see aspects created by
a stuntman, a fight choreographer, or part of a medi-
opposing leaders. You can use Leadership to put as-
eval re-enactment group, but many martial art styles
pects on individuals through your force of personality
practiced today include weapon use. Even so, Melee
(There Is No I in TEAM), but it can’t usually be used to
is the skill most likely to be gained when an incarna-
read people. If you are running an organization, you
tion recognizes himself and suddenly discovers he
can use this action to detail specific individuals in that
group, like Bob in Accounting or Expert Sniper. can swing a sword.
aAttack: Leadership is used to make attacks when Other than being focused on a specific class of
you are wielding an organization, a military unit, or weaponry, Melee works just like Fight and all the ac-
other large group. Note that your target might be a tions and stunts for Fight apply to Melee.
single Very Large Monster like a giant or dragon. The MELEE STUNTS
important thing is that your Leadership roll repre-
sents the coordinated action of a group rather than • Lancer: When you are mounted on a horse, you
individual effort. can roll Melee to attack with a lance and also roll
dDefend: Likewise, Leadership can be used to an Athletics action on the same exchange.
defend against attacks, but only if you are in charge • More Reach: If you are in a conflict and your
of a group, like a squad of soldiers, a corporation, or weapon is longer than your opponent’s, you can
a football team. spend a Fate point to automatically go first.

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• Arthurian: When you are outnumbered (your to have minor facility with magic even if they weren’t
opponent is benefiting from the teamwork rules), enchantresses—enough Occult to brew up a potion or
your defense rolls with Melee are +1. If you attack escape to the Other Side.
two or more Nameless NPCs, you do an additional In addition to the guidelines here, the rules for the
stress on a hit. Lore skill in Fate Core include good advice for adju-
dicating Occult..
Notice oOvercome: Use Occult when you need to an-
swer a question related to magic or the supernatural.
Notice is a Core skill just as applicable in the mod- You might roll Occult to understand a spell wielded
ern era as it was in the Arthurian age, but knights by a rival magician or to decipher the magic words
were not traditionally very observant. Balin failed to required to activate a ley line or gateway to Faerie.
recognize his own brother until both were dying of A contest of Occult could be used for enchanters to
mutually inflicted blows. Pellinore failed to recognize measure each other’s skill, or even duel.
his own daughter when she was in need by the side cCreate an Advantage: Occult is great for creating
of the road. Arthur himself failed to recognize when advantages relating to magical practices and tech-
Guinevere’s evil twin replaced her. Damosels, en- niques. For example, you might use astrology to cast
chanters, and lovers were more proficient in Notice; a horoscope for a character (The Stars Are Right) or
Guinevere recognized Lancelot from a scar on his interpret an auspicious dream. Numerology can reveal
cheek, and when Tristan and Isolde met in the or- Your Name Means Victory and tarot cards might indi-
chard to plan their adultery, it was Isolde who spotted cate The Future Is Bright.
her husband hiding in a nearby tree. aAttack: Occult is not usually used to attack. Even
All of the actions and stunts found in the Core rules when you have a magical talent, direct magical attacks
still apply for Notice usually roll Confidence instead.
dDefend: Occult might be used to defend against
(MORE) NOTICE STUNTS magical spells or rituals, but this is unusual and un-
• Watching The Watchman: You’re good at notic- locked through extras or stunts.
ing when you’re being watched, and concealing See Chapter 6: Enchantment for details on how
that knowledge from your observer. You have a Occult is used to work magic, including addition-
+1 to detect anyone observing you, and call roll al Occult stunts.
Notice as if it were Deceive to keep your knowl-
edge of that observation secret. OCCULT STUNTS
• Bold Escape: You are +2 to create an advantage • Meet the Magus: You can use Occult like the
when you use Notice to find an escape route. Contacts skill, to create advantages when you are
• That’ll Do: When you create an advantage to trying to locate an occult practitioner.
Notice an improvised weapon, you get two invoca- • Feng Shweet: When you enter a building you do not
tions out of it instead of only one know, you can spend a Fate point to find the magical
nexus in that building—the place where magic is
Occult strongest and spells are easiest to cast. As long as you
are in that spot, you are +2 on Occult rolls.
Knowledge of magic, the supernatural, conspiracies, • Parapsychologist: Your Occult has the veneer of
and the paranormal is represented by the Occult skill, acceptability. You can use it like Rapport in over-
while all other branches of knowledge are governed come actions which make a good impression on
by Education. While it is traditionally the province of someone you just met.
magicians and enchanters, the depiction of magic in
popular culture means just about anyone could know
what a mandrake root is, that silver works on were- Performance
wolves but not on vampires, or that a ring of salt can Performance is the skill of creating and performing
serve as a trap for spirits. Superstition, folklore, and art—painting, writing, sculpture, music, theater, acting,
old wives’ tales are all facets of Occult. and less traditional art forms. It excels at appealing
Occult is a key skill for enchanters and magicians, to crowds or in creating tangible works of art that can
who measure their knowledge of spells, tricks, and have impact on the story.
magical traditions with Occult. Many intelligent As Arthur, and especially Guinevere, led Britain out
Faeries, supernatural creatures, and most demons of the dark ages and into a more courtly and civilized
will have it. In the Arthurian age, only wicked knights time, it became expected for knights, lords, and ladies
and kings, and servants of the Devil, would associate to have at least some artistic skill, especially in music,
with the Occult, but priests, monks, and nuns could dance, or the composition of poetry. But art is promi-
easily learn it from books. Many damosels seemed nent in multiple tales of the Arthurian age; Isolde fell

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 Chapter 3: Skills and Stunts

in love with Tristan as he taught her the harp, Lancelot find excellent guidelines for using it on page 118 of the
created a monument to his love for the Queen on the Fate Core System.
wall of his prison cell, and Morgan later showed this For knights and warrior kings like Lot and Arthur,
mural to Arthur in a final, futile, attempt to force her who seldom relied on grappling or wrestling when
brother to admit the truth. Guinevere sent a shield swords were at hand, Physique meant you could fight
symbolizing her affair to Isolde, knowing only another longer without exhaustion and you could survive
lover would be able to understand it. Sir Dinadan and otherwise mortal wounds. Gawain’s strength was
Dagonet, King Mark’s fool, were both famous for their legendary and fantastic, but there were many lesser
ability to tell jokes and satirical stories, usually at their examples. Physique was also seen in the enemies of
own peril. In some versions of the myth, Merlin and Arthur’s knights: Saxon chieftains and their warriors,
the other enchanters of Britain are Celtic bards whose dragons, and giants
magic and music are intertwined and codependent.
oOvercome: Use Performance to establish a (MORE) PHYSIQUE STUNTS
connection with an audience or prove your artistic
bona fides in a quick contest. Re-enactment is one • Intimidating Physique: You can use Physique to
of the most effective ways to get an incarnation to make mental attacks based on fear.
recognize himself and his past life, so after you’ve • Cut: When your body is exposed, you can roll
figured out who he is for yourself with Empathy, use Physique to make a good impression on anyone
Performance to remind him. who might be physically attracted to you, as if you
cCreate an Advantage: This is the most common were rolling Rapport on an overcome action.
use of Performance, used both to create aspects that • Under the Table: You have a +2 on rolls made for
represent objects of art (Haunting Sketch) and to cre- drinking contests
ate situation aspects that affect an entire audience
(That’s the Dover High School Fight Song!). You might
rally a crowd with I Have a Dream, turn them against Provoke
your enemy when you Come Not to Praise Caesar but Provoke is a Core skill and there are no additional
to Bury Him, or woo the woman of your dreams with rules for it; for a culture like the Arthurian age which
Mad Dance Skills. prized courteous behavior, it’s amazing how common
aAttack: Performance isn’t used to attack. this skill was.
dDefend: Or defend. Knights used it to create fear in their enemies and
to challenge rivals; Provoke is a great way to prompt
PERFORMANCE STUNTS another knight into a duel or joust. Alternately,
• Piano Man: You use Performance to gener- if the point is to avoid a fight, Provoke can stress
ate income. You can create advantages using a rival enough to make him back down. Social
Performance that represent money you have ac- conflict using Provoke could happen even at the
quired during the performance of your art, such Round Table amongst men who had sworn never to
as Tip Jar or Recording Contract. harm one another.
• Fans: You can spend a Fate point to single out a Shame and fear of humiliation was a great way to
Nameless NPC in the scene. That NPC is a fan of motivate knights; at least one boasting knight was
your work and positively disposed towards you. challenged to sit in the Siege Perilous and did so, even
• Method Actor: You can use Performance to imitate when he knew it would kill him. Sir Dinadan used
specific individuals. This does not allow you to craft Provoke in Mark’s court, satirizing the wicked King
a disguise that changes your appearance, but if in front of his courtiers and earning Mark’s hatred
your audience doesn’t know the difference, you can forever. Dame Lynette was infamous for her sharp
string them along, rolling Performance as Deceive. tongue and caustic personality; she was only the most
famous damosel to wield Provoke, but there were
• Dance-Off: You can use Perform to inflict harm on
many others who got their knights to do what was
a target, as if you were using Provoke. This is so-
necessary with taunts instead of pleas, and Guinevere
cial damage, manifesting as public ridicule, shun-
ning, and shame. If your foe is immune to such provoked Lancelot so badly when she found out he
concerns, he is immune to the Dance Off. If he is had slept with another woman that he went mad and
Taken Out, he probably flees the scene fled to the forest. Magicians and enchantresses used
Provoke to frighten mortals; it usually worked.

Physique (MORE) PROVOKE STUNTS

While modern protagonists rely on Firearms, Brawl • Follow Through: You have a +2 when you use
and Athletics more than raw Physique, it goes without Provoke to get someone to do something they
saying that they’re usually also strong and physically have already bragged about, even if they weren’t
tough. Physique is a Core skill in Fate and you will serious or didn’t expect to have to do it.
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 Chapter 3: Skills and Stunts

• Troll: You have a +2 when using Provoke to create the Round Table, virtually without end. Knights were
advantages on targets through the Internet. often chasing damosels who stood to inherit large es-
• Sharp Tongue: When you create an aspect on a tates. Wicked characters like King Mark, Mordred, or
target based on shaming him into good behavior, Breuse sans Pitie were motivated by jealousy or ven-
you can invoke that aspect twice instead of once geance, but never gold. Enchanters, whose interests
lay across the Other Side, were poor but didn’t care.
Rapport In the modern day, AL! protagonists won’t be as uni-
versally well-heeled. In fact, one of the best sources of
Courtly behavior and chivalrous conduct is based tension in an AL! campaign comes when characters
on trust, good behavior, and good intention. As such, used to being lords of men find themselves in humble
it falls squarely under the purview of Rapport, which conditions, just trying to pay the mortgage or stretch
should be a common skill in Arthur Lives! cam- financial aid a few more months. Modern incarna-
paigns. The rules for Rapport are on page 121 of the tions don’t seek money as an end, but sometimes they
Fate Core System. sure miss not having it. Resources is one of the skills
Rapport may have been even more important in the most likely to rise during the course of a campaign
Arthurian age than it is in the 21st century. Kings and as incarnations recover long-buried treasure caches
lords use it to defend their reputation against smears and loot the accounts of their enemies, but there are
and gossip and to interact with their knights. Queens also increasing demands on that money as the heroes
and damosels use it to persuade knights on adven- build a headquarters, travel the globe, and sacrifice
ture. Those women possessed of legendary beau- their regular jobs in the name of saving the world.
ty—Guinevere, Isolde, Morgause—effectively wield
that beauty as Rapport. Even squires, peasants, and (MORE) RESOURCES STUNTS
servants use Rapport to interact with their superiors. • Merchant of Death: You have a +2 on Resources
Knights with Rapport are known for their politeness rolls to acquire weapons.
and “gentleness,” while those without are infamous
boors. And, if you’re Gawain, you have a reputation • Payoff Flashback: Once per session, you can
as both, depending on who you ask. None of this, of make a retroactive Resources roll that establishes
course, means that modern incarnations have to have you previously bribed an NPC in a current scene.
good Rapport, it only means that they did have it in • Rig the Game: You can use Resources in contests
their former lives; they may have left noble inten- of Leadership that pit your organization against
tions and kind words behind for a jaded and cynical another. Instead of winning on strategy or tactics,
modern demeanor. you just bribe low-ranking personnel in the op-
posing group to take the fall
(MORE) RAPPORT STUNTS
• Inspiring Beauty: You can make a Rapport roll to
create a positive aspect on a target without speak-
Stealth
ing to them; the target of your roll must be attract- While Stealth is very common in modern settings
and in the cinematic adventures which AL! calls
ed to your gender and able to see you.
home, most stealthy heroes will have acquired that
• Unimpeachable Honor: You are +2 on rolls to de- skill in their second lives rather than their first. Like
fend against attempts to sully your reputation. Firearms, Brawl, and Burglary, Stealth is a skill that
• Seduce: When you are using Rapport to facilitate few protagonists in the Arthurian age could boast of.
a sexual encounter, you can turn a boost from a tie The chief exceptions to this rule are sneaky cads
into a situation aspect like Mordred, Mark, Agravaine, and Breuse sans Pitie.
It’s perfectly in character for these “gentlemen” to be
Resources creeping around, eavesdropping on others, and gener-
ally being up to no good. But lovers are also good
Wealth is important to most Arthur Lives! games, but candidates for Stealth: Tristan, Isolde, Lancelot, and
important is not the same as central. In a traditional Guinevere spent plenty of time tip-toeing to and from
AL! game, wealth is abstracted through the Core bedrooms in the dark.
skill Resources. What all this means is that Stealth is one of those
Virtually all the protagonists of the Arthurian age skills that puts incarnations into a tense spot. Are
were rich; characters like Balin and Tor were notable you going to use your modern skills but violate your
for their exception to this rule. For such knights, legendary code of honor? Or is honor just a word,
poverty is a distinguishing feature. Of course, some something you’ve cast aside along with all the other
characters were more rich than others, and Arthur nonsense from a bygone age?
and Guinevere were fantastically rich, able to bestow
fabulous gifts to all their knights and companions of
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 Chapter 3: Skills and Stunts

TECHNOLOGY STUNTS
• Retroactive Crafting: Once per session, you can
describe an item you have crafted off-stage and
have prepared for just this moment. You still need
to make any Technology rolls to make the item, but
the time involved has already passed, and you have
the item either on your person or within conve-
nient reach.
• Artificer: When you build something, the difficulty
is never made higher so that the item can be made
in some way magical; everything you make is auto-
matically able to be enchanted by default.
(MORE) STEALTH STUNTS • Q: When you use Technology to create an advan-
tage on an object in your possession, you can give
• Passing Notes in Class: You have a +2 when you it aspects which represent otherwise impossible
are using Stealth to covertly slip an object to an- weaponization. For example, your watch may have
other person. a Hidden Monofilament Garotte and your pen may be
• Elusive Incarnation: When someone tries to iden- a One Shot Micro Missile.
tify you as an Arthurian incarnation, you can de-
fend with Stealth.
• Where Did He Get That? You can use Stealth to cre-
Wilderness
ate aspects that describe hand-to-hand weapons you Wilderness is a new skill for Arthur Lives! and it de-
have concealed on your person as mundane objects. scribes your skill hunting, handling animals, surviving
in the wild, tracking people, and traveling overland.
Technology This was a vital skill for many knights, who spent a
lifetime hunting for sport and to rid the land of dan-
Technology is the Fate Core skill Craft, renamed for gerous beasts. Pellinore, in particular, was a master
the 21st century. There are very few applications of hunter, having dedicated his life to finding the de-
Technology which will be relevant to the Arthurian monic Questing Beast. The Green Knight was also an
age. Unless you are using one of the versions of expert hunter, bringing down a stag and a boar with
Merlin in which he “ages backwards,” and has lived hounds while hosting Gawain at his castle. Kings and
in reverse all the way from the modern era to the lords entertain their guests with hunting, damosels
medieval, Arthurian characters would have almost no traveling with knights always seem to know their way
practical experience with what passes for machines in around the forest of adventure, and even queens prac-
their environment, and those machines are limited to tice the art of falconry, using well-trained birds of prey
things like grain mills and siege engines. to bring down small game. A magician like Merlin,
Instead, incarnations will acquire Technology from who forsakes the civilized company of others, will find
their new lives, and the decision to embrace that much use for Wilderness.
technology or avoid it may represent a larger decision In the 21st century, Wilderness skill has gone from
on the part of the Arthurian character to forsake the ubiquitous to remarkable. Trackers, rangers, and
old ways in favor of the new. Not every character will scouts have a unique skill which their allies rely upon
intellectualize this decision, though. Plenty of knights to avoid ambush, lay traps, and navigate. Soldiers
will swap out their horse and sword for a car and a trained in the military are the most likely to have
gun without a second thought. Wilderness skill, but often this is just an advanced
Note that some skills involve high tech equip- form of the sort of home-grown knowledge acquired
ment, but that doesn’t always mean you need the in humble, rural conditions by those who hunt
Technology skill. High-tech thieves with Burglary their own food.
have experience with security systems, FBI agents oOvercome: Roll Wilderness to follow tracks, to
with Investigate know how to use databases and find your way in the woods, to find safe food and wa-
surveillance gear, and a doctor with Education and a ter, and find or build shelter.
Surgeon stunt doesn’t need Technology to use medi- cCreate an Advantage: You can use Wilderness to
cal equipment. Use Technology if you want breadth, control, tame, or train animals, placing aspects upon
when the specialized knowledge that comes from them which you invoke later. This action can also be
other skills is just not enough. used on the environment to create details that make
your work easier, like Fresh Snow or Dead-end Ravine.

53
 Chapter 3: Skills and Stunts

aAttack: Wilderness isn’t used to attack. The WILLPOWER STUNTS

traditional weapons of hunting are the rifle, the bow,
and the spear, which use Firearms, Archery, and • I Am a Rock: When you succeed with style on a
Melee respectively. Willpower roll to defend against Provoke or tor-
dDefend: You won’t use Wilderness to defend, ture, your indomitable Willpower actually demor-
though you might generate active opposition when alizes your enemy, inflicting +2 mental stress.
someone tries to track you. • Nerves of Steel: When you attempt something
especially audacious or dangerous, you have a +2
WILDERNESS STUNTS to create an aspect on yourself that helps you to
succeed.
• Ambusher: When you use Wilderness to create
situation aspects which set up an ambush, you • Sleep When You’re Dead: You can roll Willpower
can spend about an hour finding the ideal loca- instead of Physique on any roll to resist fatigue,
tion and spend a fate point. This allows you to roll exhaustion, or sleep deprivation
Wilderness and create one aspect for each shift
you make on the roll. You still only get a free invo-
cation of one of them.
• Longbow Hunter: You can use Wilderness to
make attack rolls with the longbow.
• Forest Ghost: You can use Wilderness as if it were
Stealth, rolling overcome actions as long as you
are in the woods.

Willpower
Fate Core uses a single skill, Will, to represent all
aspects of mental effort. AL! splits this skill in half.
While Confidence represents how strongly you
believe whatever it is you believe, Willpower is your
self-control. It is inward-focused, representing primar-
ily your ability to use mental effort on yourself. It has
all the defensive aspects of the Core skill Will and de-
termines your mental stress track. Those with strong
Willpower are resistant to bullying, fear, and torture
while those without Willpower are easily broken and
exhibit a lack of self-control. Magicians also use it to
represent finesse and fine control of magical power.
oOvercome: Use Willpower to overcome chal-
lenges through incredible self-control. You might
rely on Willpower to stay awake and alert on a long
shift of guard duty, to resist temptation by a succu-
bus, or to stay strong in the face of an addictive habit.
When confronted with something especially ter-
rifying or horrific, a Willpower roll is appropriate to
avoid running away.
cCreate an Advantage: When you’re creating as-
pects with Willpower, it will almost always be done on
yourself. Aspects like I Laugh at Danger or You’ll Have
to Do Better Than That help you resist fear and inter-
rogation, I Ain’t Got Time to Bleed can help mitigate a
consequence, while a 12-Step Program or remember-
ing A Woman Worth Fighting For can help with other
aspects of self-control and determination.
aAttack: You won’t usually use
Willpower to attack.
dDefend: Use Willpower to defend against mental
attacks made with Provoke and in mental contests
where you are attacked with Confidence..
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 Chapter 4: Extras

Chapter 4: Extras
While the most obvious sort of extra for characters If you are making a magician, see Chapter 5 for
in an Arthur Lives! game is a magical weapon like rules on enchantment and for many examples of
Excalibur or the ability to cast magical spells, you magical weapons and tools which characters might
don’t need to be a magician or King Arthur to have acquire during play.
an extra. Extras can be used to represent all kinds of
things common to heroes, including a companion,
minions, an estate, vehicle, or organization.

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 Chapter 4: Extras

Companion dog companion. As usual, there are a couple of ways

to do this; a dependent animal, who is an extension of
Companions are NPCs who are closely bound to your character sheet and over whom you have (more
your character through loyalty, affection, or some- or less) complete control, is simply an additional con-
thing equally powerful. They are more competent and sequence on your character sheet. When you want the
individual than minions, but are designed to assist dog to do something, invoke the Aspect. Percy is an
you rather than supplant you (or your fellow players). example of this approach.
You can create a simple companion with only an as-
pect; this adds a moderate consequence to your sheet Percy
and, when the consequence is inflicted, the compan-
ion is kidnapped or injured or otherwise out of the Percy (whose real name is Percival) is a happy and
story. This is a particularly good way to model plucky healthy golden retriever. His life is made up of eat-
romantic interests who have a habit of being captured ing, playing with his soccer ball, and getting petted in
by evil knights, wicked enchanters, and the occasional more or less equal measure. He loves to run and jump
vampire looking to score. However, if you want a more and his loyalty to his master is without limit.
detailed NPC companion, you need an extra. This aspect can be invoked to:
Reduce your refresh by 1. You do not need to have an • Put any mental consequence on the road to recov-
aspect related to your companion, but it’s a good idea. ery. This requires an hour of playing with Percy.
Your companion will frequently get hurt, kidnapped,
or otherwise make your life difficult. You may as well • Force any disguised individual to reveal his or her
get a Fate point out of a compel when that happens. true identity. This even works on Glamour and
Your companion has a high concept, a trouble, and invisible creatures.
three additional aspects. He has one moderate con- • Send Percy to find help when you are incapaci-
sequence you can use to absorb stress inflicted upon tated, imprisoned or helpless.
yourself. He also has a single skill column which is In addition, Percy gives his owner an additional
one shorter than your best skill. He has one stunt, or moderate consequence.
you can give him a minor consequence. If you want your dog to be independent, and to act
In scenes, your companion assists you or someone even when you are unaware or Taken Out, then the
else you direct him to, adding +1 to the relevant skill dog can be made as a Companion. Lower refresh by 1.
roll and using the rules for Teamwork. However, when Gram is an example of this approach.
you are not around, your companion can act indepen-
dently of you. Of course, this also means he can get Gram
captured when you aren’t around, but so it goes.
There are two special kinds of companions that are Gram is a pit bull rescued from a dogfighting ring.
worth additional notes: He can attack on command, but is not violent by
• Students: Characters like Kay, Gawain, or Merlin nature and would happily spend the rest of his days
are often accompanied by a squire or apprentice lounging in the sun on the back porch if his master’s
who is learning at the mentor’s hand. Students life of adventure only permitted it. Gram’s seen a lot
work a little differently than ordinary compan- in his few years, and he’s not startled or surprised by
ions. Their skill column starts out only Average the fantastic and magical. This also means he doesn’t
(+1). However, at the end of each scenario, either really understand when he is in danger, which leads
the student’s skill column goes up by one or he him to get into trouble.
gets one stunt or extra, as if he had spent refresh
to purchase it. This continues until the student’s ASPECTS
skill column would go higher than the mentor or
the student would have more total refresh than Good Old Dog
the mentor. At that point, the student leaves the Arena Wounds
mentor to become an independent NPC and the Teamwork
mentor can take a new student or spend the re- No Fear
fresh cost on something else. Vicious Snarl
• Animals: Some companions are actually mounts
or pets, like Gawain’s horse Gringolet or Yvain’s SKILLS
pet lion. These companions will have limited Good (+3) Athletics
skill selection and won’t be allowed many places Fair (+2) Notice
because they are animals, but they may have an Average (+1) Brawl and Provoke
additional stunt, natural weapons or armor, or an-
other minor consequence. STUNTS
The Nose Knows. Gram has a +2 on overcome
Dogs as Companions rolls based on scent.
Dogs have a long tradition in Arthurian literature CONSEQUENCES
and medieval culture, and players may want to have a One moderate
56
 Chapter 4: Extras

Estate • Structure: This skill represents the overall sturdi-

ness and toughness of your estate. It is used to de-
It’s not uncommon for characters to rent an apart- fend against Physique rolls. It grants Armor equal
ment, own a home, or have an office somewhere. But to half its value, rounded up.
sometimes you want more than that: You want to own • Technology: This skill represents the sophistica-
the office building, live in a secret subway tunnel, or tion of your estate’s electronics, as well as any me-
retreat to Camelot. When that happens, you need an chanic tools.
extra. Arthur Lives! characters often use an estate as a If everyone is sharing the estate, it begins with
headquarters. a number of stunts equal to the number of PCs.
If everyone is going to be using the estate, there’s no Otherwise, it has 1 stunt. For instance, you may have
refresh cost and all the players should work together a vehicle garage that grants a +2 bonus on Technology
to describe its aspects and calculate its skills. However, rolls to repair cars.
if you want to do all that yourself, you can. Reduce Your estate has no stress, but it does have a single
your refresh by 1. minor, moderate, and severe consequence. You can’t
Your estate has a high concept, a trouble, and three usually use these consequences yourself; they repre-
additional aspects. It has a single skill column as high sent damage done to the estate.
as the campaign skill cap. Select your skills from the
following list:
• Concealment: Use this skill if your estate is physi- Minions
cally disguised as something else. It defends against Minions represent a group of (mostly) nameless
Notice. An estate with Concealment can be in a very and faceless NPCs who obey another character. Most
busy public location, but avoids being noticed. AL! heroes won’t need them, but some character
• Enchantment: Your estate generates enchantment concepts—like a gang leader, platoon commander,
every morning as a place of power. See Chapter 5 or football team captain—benefit from the option.
for details on places of power and enchantment. Generally speaking, you’ll see minions when they’re
• Hospital: You can roll this skill to put physical con- used against you. If you want your own minions, you
sequences on the road to recovery. If you already need an extra.
have someone who can do this, the Hospital helps Reduce your refresh by 1. Every scene, if you are in a
according to the rules for Teamwork. location where your minions are available to you, you
• Library: You can use this skill as if it were can summon them. Your minions take one of three
Education. If you already have Education, the forms, and that form never changes:
Library helps you according to the Teamwork rules. • Option one: Nine Average (+1) Nameless NPCs.
• Luxury: This skill measures your estate’s comfort They are armed with a single weapon.
and opulence. You can use this skill as if it were • Option two: Six Fair (+2) Nameless NPCs armed
Empathy to put mental consequences on the road with a primary weapon and either light armor or
to recovery. Alternately, you can roll it to impress a backup weapon.
guests, as if you were rolling Rapport. • Option three: Three Good (+3) Nameless NPCs
• Resources: An estate’s resources skill does not armed with a primary weapon, armor, and a back-
describe its wealth; instead, it is used to determine up weapon.
if something you want (“Do we have any tranquil- Your minions have no stress; one point of stress
izers?”) can be found within the estate (“They’re in takes out one minion. Their skills are probably some
the bathroom.”). combination of Firearms, Melee, Athletics, Physique,
• Scale: Anything too small for a person to comfort- and Brawl, but you may choose otherwise.
ably live in is Scale 0. Apartments are Scale 1. Most You can spend 1 additional refresh to give your min-
homes are Scale 2 and a mansion is Scale 3. Almost ions 1 stress box each or a stunt.
anything else is Scale 4. Only the largest, most ex-
travagant of estates are Scale 5.
• Secrecy: This skill opposes attempts to find your
Organization
estate with Investigation. An estate with secrecy Some AL! campaigns are structured around a PC
is often in a remote location or otherwise hard to organization, like a Law Office from Hell or a Mafia
find, but it is not disguised as anything other than Family, and often an aspect is all you need. But if your
what it is. (Use Concealment for that.) organization is being used to thwart enemy groups, is
• Security: This skill defends against Burglary at- under attack, or is taking actions of its own, you may
tempts and can be used to roll Notice on zones want to build it as an extra.
within the estate. If your Security skill is +3 or high- If the entire player group is involved in the organi-
er, you can use it to make Brawl or Firearms attacks zation, no refresh cost is necessary. Everyone should
at your Security -2, representing security guards. work together to decide the organization’s aspects,

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 Chapter 4: Extras

skills, and stunts. However, if you want to build an or- Reduce your refresh by 1. You might have an aspect
ganization that answers to you alone, you can do that. related to your vehicle, but this is not strictly required.
Reduce your refresh by 1. Do it if you can; your vehicle is going to get damaged
Your organization has a high concept, a trouble, or stolen or otherwise put in peril, you may as well get
and three additional aspects. If everyone is building Fate points for it through compels.
the organization together, it has 1 stunt for every PC. Your vehicle has a high concept, a trouble, and
Otherwise, it has 1 stunt. It has a single skill column three other aspects. It has one minor and one moder-
equal to the skill cap for the campaign. Organizations ate consequence which can be used either to absorb
select their skills from a different list than characters: stress inflicted upon the car or to turn your failed
• Agents: This is your organization’s attack skill, Drive rolls into ties or successes. Your vehicle has skill
used against other organizations. points equal to twice the campaign’s current cap. A
• Aggression: This skill gives your organization vehicle’s skills are different than those for a character.
a Weapon value, increasing damage when it in- • Chassis: This skill measures your vehicle’s resil-
flicts stress. ience and general resistance to damage, granting
• Facilities: This is your organization’s defense skill, Armor equal to its value. Vehicles made of solid
used when other organizations attack it. steel will have a strong Chassis, while plastic cars,
motorcycles, and bikes will have low (sometimes
• Internal Affairs: This skill defends against at-
very low) Chassis. The maximum Chassis is 4.
tempts to infiltrate your organization or root out
internal corruption. • Handling: This skill measures your vehicle’s re-
sponsiveness and agility. A high Handling can
• Records: Used to answer questions based on in-
add +1 to your Drive rolls, as if you were using the
formation stored in the organization’s files, not
teamwork rules and your vehicle was an ally. A
unlike a character’s Education.
low Handling acts as a ceiling to your Drive skill,
• Surveillance: This is your organization’s forcing you to roll at less than your best. There’s
Investigate skill, covering the acquisition of no maximum to Handling, but there’s not much
information. reason to raise it by more than your own Drive +1.
• Resilience: This skill counts as Armor for your • Power: This measures your vehicle’s speed and
organization when it comes under stress. engine size. You’ll use it in races, chases, and to
• Resources: When you need to know if your orga- pull things. There’s no limit to Power. That doesn’t
nization has a particular item or piece of equip- mean your vehicle can have unlimited speed! Its
ment, roll this skill. general speed is determined by the type of vehicle
• Scale: An organization of Scale 0 has no full it is; the Fate System Toolkit establishes a speed hi-
time agents at all, just a couple of volunteer part- erarchy of Foot/Bike or Horse/Car or Motorcycle/
timers. A Scale 1 organization is about a dozen Helicopter/Airplane. You will roll Power in con-
people. Scale 2 organizations describe small com- tests against other vehicles in your own class.
panies, a police precinct, or a mafia family. Scale 3 • Scale: A vehicle with Scale 0 is too small for a
organizations are big: an Army company, a major human being to sit in, though he can stand on it
business, or an NGO. All but the largest groups (like a skateboard). If it’s big enough to sit on, but
can be described with Scale 4; this includes mul- not to sit in, it’s Scale 1 (anything about the size of
tinational corporations or an Army division. Only a motorcycle, basically). Most cars and trucks are
the very largest organizations need to be Scale 5. Scale 2. Tractor-trailer rigs and most helicopters
The organization has a single minor, moderate, and are Scale 3. A passenger jet is Scale 4. Anything of
severe consequence, but you can’t use them for your- Scale 5 is enormous, like an aircraft carrier.
self, only for the organization itself when it comes You can spend additional refresh to give your ve-
under attack. hicle other qualities, such as additional consequences,
You can spend additional refresh to give your orga- weapons, or stunts which add to your rolls in special
nization more stunts or other qualities. circumstances.

Vehicle
Basic rules for vehicles can be found in the Fate
System Toolkit. In brief, such vehicles have 3 aspects
and a minor consequence which can be used to turn
a Drive failure into a success. An intermediate vehicle
can be represented with a single aspect on your char-
acter sheet. But if you want a detailed vehicle, you
need an extra.
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 Chapter 5: Magic & Enchantment

Chapter 5: Magic & Enchantment

The world of Arthur Lives! is a strange place filled recognize themselves and begin to remember their
with magic and wonder. This chapter explores the past lives. While Chapter 1 explained the basics of how
most common magic players will encounter, includ- player characters recognize themselves, this section
ing the act of recognition, when an incarnation real- is more general and of use to both players and GMs.
izes who he or she was in the Arthurian age. You will Here, you will learn the rules for recognizing people,
find rules for the creation of alchemical elixirs—from places, and objects during the game as well as how to
sleeping potions and love potions to insidious bleed- work recognition into your stories and adventures.
ing poisons—and a long catalog of various echoes:
legendary items from the Arthurian age which
manifest in mundane 21st century objects and can
What is Recognition?
be sought after and reclaimed by player characters. Recognition is the act of identifying a person, place,
Finally, this chapter includes new rules for enchant- or thing as a piece of Arthurian legend. Before a per-
ment, a unique magic system that simulates the magic son can recognize anyone or anything else, however,
found in the medieval sources. he must recognize himself as a reincarnation from the
Arthurian age. This moment of recognition is harder
Recognizing Arthur and more difficult than later acts of recognition; once
it has been completed, it becomes easier to see and
If there is one kind of magic which touches all identify those elements of Arthurian myth which are
Arthur Lives! characters, it is the very act of their rein- present in the 21st century.
carnation. Sooner or later all these heroes and villains
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Know Thyself the world. After all, if an aged Merlin changes into
a twelve year old boy right before your eyes, or the
Arthurian incarnations are born, grow up, and live Lady of the Lake leads you through elevator doors
as ordinary people. They don’t know who they once to a mist-shrouded island, it is hard to deny that the
were, and although they may have some of the same world is more amazing than you ever thought. But
desires, likes, and needs of their past life, and even convincing a person that magic is real and convincing
though their modern lives may have an uncanny re- him that he is himself magical are two very different
semblance to their former one, they do not consider things. Revealing the presence of magic is a good way
this necessarily strange or unusual. A reincarnation to get an incarnation’s attention, but it doesn’t do much
of Yvain, Knight of the Lion, may like lions, but lots towards prompting recognition. For that to happen,
of people like lions. That doesn’t have to mean any- an incarnation still needs to be prompted by familiar
thing special. sights or experiences.
But as Arthurian legend becomes more and more One of the most difficult (but also most effective)
pervasive in the 21st century world, strange things start ways of prompting recognition is through re-enact-
to happen, and eventually it becomes hard to avoid ment. In a re-enactment, the Arthurian incarnation
contact with magic and enchantment. Incarnations does not merely see or touch familiar things, he goes
who have already learned the truth about themselves through the same actions and events he went through
are searching for others of their kind – sometimes to before, at first blind to their significance but then in-
help awaken them to the truth, sometimes to kill them creasingly self-aware. If you want an incarnation of
before they become a danger. Faerie creatures are slip- Arthur to recognize himself, have him pull a weapon
ping over the Veil between worlds and blending in or tool (baseball bat, crowbar, hockey stick) out of
with mortal society. Supernatural menaces unrelated some solid object (dumpster, block of concrete, frozen
to Arthur are growing ever more bold. GMs will create lake). If you want an incarnation of Lancelot to realize
situations for their players in which their characters his true self, get Guinevere to kiss him. Orchestrating
come to recognize first themselves, then others. a re-enactment can require a lot of research, time, and
If an incarnation is simply told that he is a reincarna- investment, but because it involves the whole body as
tion of a legendary individual, the reaction is always well as the mind, because the sensory stimulus is so
the same: an instinctive, gut-level, rejection and de- overwhelming, it is very effective at forcing individuals
nial of the truth. This may simply be because of the to recognize themselves.
implausible nature of the claim, but there seem to be
deep psychological, and even magical, forces at work.
The rational mind rejects the influence of magic and
Game Mechanics
denies it. Instead, if someone is to recognize his true In the game, a character can only recognize him-
nature, he must somehow come to the conclusion him- self if he has had his memory triggered by familiar
self. This can be tricky. And after the player characters people, places, things, or events. In situations where
in your group have come to recognize themselves, they failure is as interesting as success, the player rolls
will have many opportunities to try to help NPCs come Willpower, typically against a Fantastic (+6) difficulty.
to the same conclusion. When you want to help recog- If the character succeeds on this action, he recognizes
nition along, there are three common strategies. his Arthurian self and immediately gains all the ben-
One method of prompting recognition is to sur- efits, including two refresh, four new skills (or 10 skill
round the person with familiar places, people, and points), and a major milestone. He immediately rec-
things. Most obviously, this could involve a trip to ognizes every Arthurian person, place, or thing that
England to walk through the same fields, castles, and he can clearly see at that moment. Also, his memories
roads that the Arthurian character walked in a more return, or at least part of them. The character’s memo-
fantastic age. Surrounded by these familiar sights ries should return in proportion to the campaign; if
and sounds, an incarnation will feel a strange haunt- the campaign is just beginning, he can remember only
ing kind of memory, as if there was something he can a few key moments and most of his life is blank. But if
almost remember, but not quite. You don’t have to go he is near the end of the story, he has nearly full recall
to England to find castles, cliffs, beaches, and forests, of his past life. Some memories may remain blank,
however, and in most cases you won’t have the need or however, such as events which took place across the
time to. Even the children’s castle of a mini-golf course Faerie Veil and which might reveal Arthur’s fate after
can take on special meaning to a reincarnation, and a his battle with Mordred. If myths and legends con-
ride on a horse and carriage through a big city’s down- tradict each other about an incarnation’s life, those
town can make a reincarnation pause and wonder. contradictions are often noticeable as “holes” in the
A second method of prompting recognition, often incarnation’s memory. When the GM decides what re-
undertaken when time is short, is to confront the ig- ally happened and solves these contradictions to her
norant person with irrefutable evidence of magic in satisfaction, the character’s memories fill in.

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The difficulty for a self-recognition roll with If you are the GM, you will want to think about
Willpower is high. To reliably help another character moments of recognition before each session. If your
recognize himself, create aspects on him or the situation player characters have not yet recognized themselves,
which stimulate the memory and can be invoked for you should plan for at least one recognition by a PC
bonuses to the die roll. As an example, if an incarnation every session until you’ve worked through everyone
of Gawain is met by Arthur (his uncle) and Morgause at the table. Player groups are often very diverse, and
(his mother), he could invoke both his Heir to the Throne especially in a modern setting it can be hard to find
and his Family Über Alles aspects. If Arthur’s player cre- an explanation for a motley group of people to work
ates another aspect, something like I Loan You Excalibur, together. But when one or more of them has come
he could tag that too, because Arthur often loaned to recognize himself as a reincarnation of Arthurian
Excalibur to Gawain in the legends. myth, suddenly there is a very strong reason to work
A re-enactment or the use of once-in-a-lifetime together: to awaken all the other incarnations in the
memories can create an opportunity for more aspects or group, seek out more, and find answers to many im-
just grant a bonus to the Willpower roll. To get this bo- portant questions such as “How?” and “Why?” This
nus, characters should be reminded of events which are makes the GM’s job much, much easier.
literally unforgettable – their knighting ceremony, the For this reason, GMs should plan scenes which stim-
consummation of their love, their death, and other key ulate the memory of player characters who have not
events. Arthur’s drawing of the Sword from the Stone is recognized themselves. Give each character his own
the most famous such event, but each incarnation will scene, if you can. After all, this is an important moment
have such moments, drawn from the myth. Research is for each character, and you want it to be memorable for
key to a successful re-enactment. the player. There is no single way to force recognition;
GMs have one final option: don’t roll. When fail- some re-enactments are funny, some are terrifying,
ure would be boring, or when player characters have some are tragic, and some romantic. The best way to
worked hard to stage the perfect re-enactment, recogni- approach the topic is to tailor it to the player charac-
tion should happen. That’s the Fate way. ter who will be on the receiving end. Once you have a
couple of player characters who have learned the truth,
Recognizing Others they will begin trying to do the same thing to the other
player characters, leaving you free to work on compli-
Once a player character has recognized himself, he cations, conflict, and the other threads of your story.
can begin recognizing other Arthurian characters and Once all your player characters have recognized
things. These other things – which might be weapons each other, they will keep an eye out for other incarna-
like Excalibur, animals like Gawain’s famous horse tions. When you introduce new Arthurian elements
Gringolet, or even places like Lancelot’s castle of into your ongoing story, remember that recognition
Joyous Garde – are known collectively as echoes. An rolls (Empathy or something else) might take place
echo is like an incarnation, except that while an incar- and plan for them. If you do not want the player char-
nation is always of an Arthurian character, an echo is acters to recognize someone, conceal that person’s
an object, creature, or place which has also been recre- identity, have him work through mortal intermediar-
ated in the modern world. Like incarnations, there can ies, or give him an incarnation which is often confused
be multiple echoes of a single object. Every Arthur will for others, such as Morgan, Morgause, or the Ladies
have his own Excalibur for example, each an echo of of the Lake. It is difficult but not impossible for an
the real thing. If there is a single, true, Excalibur which antagonist to pretend to be an incarnation other than
is still around in the 21st century, no one has found it. her true one, but again this will require keeping the
Characters use Empathy to recognize incarnations character out of sight and off stage most of the time;
and echoes, even echoes which are inanimate objects. Elusive Incarnation helps, as do aspects which you
If they fail, they can try again when the incarnation or can compel with Fate points to keep the characters
echo does something which stimulates the memory guessing, even if the players know what is going on.
or which would seem familiar. Players who want to Be sure to include in your story incarnations who
be especially good at recognizing other incarnations have not yet recognized themselves. Each of these
and echoes will want stunts like Mythic Vision or characters poses a unique challenge to your players,
Pattern Recognition. Characters that have recognized who must decide not only if they will try to lead the
themselves no longer have the intense psychological character to the truth, but how. Arranging re-enact-
barriers they once had, and if they are simply told an ments will require both historical and literary research
incarnation’s true identity (or it is openly revealed), as well as planning and organization; once the recog-
they are not forced to reject and deny it as they once nition takes place, you should know how the newly-
did. If an incarnation reveals his true self, this is usu- awakened character will react. There should always
ally enough for others present to recognize him, but be something unpredictable about the new incarna-
a GM might call for an Empathy roll in the case of an tion – something the players did not expect. Perhaps
Elusive Incarnation or similar interesting wrinkle. the character refuses to give up his 21st century ties.
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Perhaps he sees past events in a new light and now • Potency establishes the elixir’s value on the ladder,
hates those he once loved. Perhaps he regrets the ac- from Mediocre (+0) to Legendary (+8). Potency is
tions he took in his former life and now disavows used when the elixir takes effect.
the very behavior which the players expect him to Each combination of type and form is a separate
perform. Perhaps the character has current problems recipe (for example a sleeping potion or a healing oil),
(Wanted by the Law, In Debt to the Mob, Schizophrenia) but an alchemist who knows a given recipe can craft it
which the player characters only learn about after it is at any potency. The more potent an elixir is, the harder
too late. Every newly-recognized incarnation is a sub- its materials are to acquire and the more dangerous its
plot which can make your overall story more complex brewing process can be.
and interesting; do not dismiss these characters lightly.
Even those who die quickly and are written out of your
story should, through their death, have something
Alchemy Skill Challenges
meaningful to say or do. Brewing an elixir is a skill challenge involving
Occult, Technology, either Wilderness or Resources,
Alchemy and sometimes other skills. Before you can begin
the challenge, you must know the type, potency, and
Many women in the Arthurian age were famed for form of the elixir you are trying to make and calcu-
their skill at crafting potions. Some have other magical late the difficulty for both the Occult and Technology
powers, represented with additional extras, but this is roll. Be sure to check the specific elixir notes listed
by no means universal. Alchemy has a magical aspect below; there may be increased difficulty or other
to it, but the magic comes from nature and properties requirements.
inherent in the ingredients; no spell is cast and there is First, you must acquire the ingredients. There
no risk of exposure to the Other Side, as there is with are generally two ways to do this: you can buy the
enchantment. But alchemical elixirs are very difficult ingredients with Resources, or you can find them
and time consuming to make. yourself using Wilderness. Thanks to the 21st century
Elixirs are crafted as challenges using multiple economy, eBay, and overnight shipping, acquiring
skills, including Occult, Technology, Wilderness or ingredients with Resources is very fast, but it is also
Resources to acquire rare ingredients, and more. expensive. If you have the time, and you know where
These challenges take a great deal of time, and al- to look, acquiring your ingredients with Wilderness is
chemists will often leave an elixir “on the stove” for a much cheaper.
scene or more before coming back to finish. • If you’re using Resources: Find the difficulty of
To be an alchemist, reduce your refresh by 1. You your Occult and Technology rolls, based on the
begin knowing alchemy recipes equal to your skill in elixir’s potency and form. Add one to the highest
Occult, and may acquire more in play. Only recipes of these two numbers. Attempt an overcome ac-
common in the Arthurian age are provided here. tion against this new difficulty. If you succeed, the
Elixirs are defined by a type, form, and potency. ingredients generally arrive within 24 hours. On a
• Elixir types include elixirs of sleep, love, calm, success with style, they arrive within the hour. Tip
healing, traditional poisons, and the insidious your couriers; they work hard.
bleeding poison. • If you’re using Wilderness: Find the difficulty of
• Elixirs come in various forms. A potion must be your Occult and Technology rolls, based on the
ingested, which usually takes one action. It takes elixir’s potency and form. Subtract one from the
effect one exchange after it is consumed. An oil highest of these two numbers. Attempt an over-
must be spread upon its surface, which takes at come action against this new difficulty. You usually
least one action and sometimes more, depending need to spend a Scene at an appropriate place and
on the size of the area that needs to be covered. actually gather the ingredients yourself.
Most oils work on contact while others are deliv- Next, you give the elixir potency. Roll an overcome
ered through injury and are carried by the blood. action with Occult; the difficulty is equal to the elixir’s
In either case, they take effect after one exchange. intended potency. It usually takes about three scenes
A pastille is burnt, creating thick smoke. One ex- (or half a session) for this action to be completed,
change after it is lit, the smoke cloud fills the cur- though you don’t need to be physically present for
rent zone, where it remains in the absence of as- most of it. If you succeed with style, you complete this
pects like Gust of Wind or Strong Breezes. Anyone in action in a single scene.
the cloud suffers its effects but, unlike other elixirs, Finally, you set the elixir’s form. Roll an overcome
the effect ends if you leave the cloud. There are no action using Technology. A potion is difficulty +2, an
lasting effects. oil which works on injury is difficulty +4, one which
works on contact is +6, and a pastille is difficulty +8.
Again, it takes a few scenes (or about half a session)

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for this final stage of the process to be completed. against the elixir’s potency, removing the aspect on
You don’t usually need to be present for most of a success.
the process. If you succeed with style, it’s ready in If the victim has any mental consequences that
a single scene. represents emotional stress, and those consequences
have a value equal to or less than the potency of the
Bleeding Poison elixir, the consequences are reduced one step (minor
This insidious and dangerous poison prevents the consequences are removed). If he is under the effects
victim’s wounds from healing so that the victim con- of the Emotion magical talent, that magic ends unless
tinues to bleed until the poison is cured. Sir Urre is its the enchanter has Confidence higher than the potency
most famous victim and, by the time he was eventually of the elixir. An elixir of calm instantly ends the effect
healed by Lancelot, hundreds of Round Table knights of any elixir of love which has potency equal to or less
had tried to help him. He was, by this time, being car- than the calming potion.
ried around on a litter and was utterly incapable of
physical activity. After he was cured, he became one of Healing Elixir
Lancelot’s most devoted followers. Healing elixirs reduce the severity of a wound but do
Victims of the bleeding poison do not recover not eliminate it completely. They are also a powerful
from physical consequences in the normal way. cure for diseases and poisons.
Compare the potency of the poison to the level of the Healing elixirs only work on consequences with a
consequence. value equal to or less than the elixir’s potency. If the
• If the poison’s potency is equal to or higher than consequence is an injury, reduce it from severe to
the consequence, that consequence cannot begin moderate, or from moderate to minor. Healing elixirs
recovery without magical aid. cannot eliminate a minor consequence, and no injury
• If the poison’s potency is less than the conse- which has already benefited from any kind of magi-
quence, when the consequence would recover, it cal healing can benefit from a healing elixir (which
instead is reduced by one step (from moderate to means you can’t use one twice on the same injury). If
minor, for example). Eventually, the consequence the consequence represents disease or poison, it is in-
will be reduced to a level equal to the potency of stantly and miraculously removed. If used on someone
the poison, whereupon it stops recovery. suffering from a poison elixir, the healing elixir acts as
Magic, such as the Healing magical talent, can still an antidote, curing the poison if the healing elixir has
put a victim’s consequences into recovery. If a victim of equal or greater potency, or otherwise rolling a contest.
the bleeding poison has all his physical consequences Healing elixirs can be made in pastille form, but the
in recovery, the effect of the poison ends, and he is healing effect only lasts as long as the cloud remains.
cured of it. When those within leave it, or if the cloud fades, the
There is an antidote for the bleeding poison, but it consequences return in their original severity.
is exceptionally difficult to make. Anyone who knows Love Elixir
how to make any version of the bleeding poison knows
how to make this antidote, but raise the difficulty of Isolde and Tristan are only the most famous victims
the Occult roll by 2. Antidotes for the bleeding poison of love potions in Arthurian myth. These potions are
are usually potions, but can be made in any form. The not always made for nefarious ends. In a world where
antidote removes the effects of any bleeding poison marriages were for politics more than for love, a po-
of equal or lesser potency. If the poison has greater tion like this could make such a long-term relationship
potency, use a contest to determine if it works. An ef- bearable. Unfortunately, something always seemed to
fective antidote does not put the victim’s physical con- go wrong, sending the potion to the wrong victim.
sequences into recovery, it just allows them to recover The maker of the elixir can specify one physical
using the normal means. characteristic for the target of the elixir’s love – for
example, “human being,” “male,” or “blonde” – but
Calming Elixir no more than that. The victim of the elixir falls in
This elixir calms those who are lost to rage, anger, or love with the first character he sees who fulfills this
grief. It reduces the severity of mental consequences condition, and marks off a minor, moderate, or other
and removes other emotional effects, including the ef- consequence with a value equal to or more than the
fects of the Emotion magical talent and elixirs of love. potency of the elixir. The consequence’s aspect reflects
The victim of an elixir of calm is drained of all ex- this new infatuation with an intensity proportionate
tremes of emotion and gains the aspect Supernatural to its severity. A minor consequence might be just a
Calm, which can be compelled to prevent him from One Night Stand, but a moderate consequence might
taking violent or destructive action. Aggressive action be Infatuation and a severe consequence means I’ll Do
or stress gives the victim a chance to roll Willpower Anything for Love. The consequence can be recovered
naturally, usually through the Empathy skill. If you

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succeed with style on the Occult roll to create an elixir The sleeping elixir requires special considerations
of love, you can name any single individual, and who- in game; a PC who falls victim to the sleeping elixir
ever consumes the elixir will immediately fall in love is unable to play the game. This is not fun, and a GM
with that person. should give careful consideration to its use.
Any alchemist who can make a love elixir also • Don’t use it on PCs. Use it on NPCs, creating a
knows how to make an antidote for it. The antidote problem which the PCs must solve. They must fig-
is usually a potion, but it can be crafted in any form. ure out the awaken condition and then arrange for
Reduce the difficulty of the Occult roll by 2. Antidotes it to happen. This creates story, rather than taking
automatically end the effect of a love elixir of equal it away.
or lesser potency; if the elixir of love has a greater po- • Use it on PCs who are leaving the game. When
tency, roll a contest. one of your players joins the military, has a big
You can alter the recipe of the elixir of love so that its deadline at work, or suddenly finds a boyfriend,
victim has no memory of the actions he takes while suf- you can use the sleeping elixir to put that charac-
fering from it. Raise the difficulty of the Occult roll by 2. ter on hold until the player returns. The awaken
Poison condition may be discovered, but it seems to be
impossible to satisfy. The PC stays asleep until the
A poison Takes Out whoever consumes it. This is player returns.
seldom lethal for PCs, but often lethal for NPCs. A • It can be used in the short term. A player should
standard poison requires three exchanges to Take never miss out on playing her character for an en-
Out its victim, who attempts an overcome action with tire session, but a partial session is often all right.
Physique when the poison affects him using a difficul- If an NPC alchemist uses the sleeping elixir as a
ty equal to the poison’s potency. If the character loses, means to knock out a PC, only for the big villain to
subtract the number of shifts from the poison’s three wake her up a couple of scenes later, that’s all part
exchange delay; this can result in the poison taking in- of the job.
stant effect. If the character succeeds, add those shifts
to the poison’s delay. The victim has that long to find • Let players use it on NPCs. The sleeping elixir
an antidote, often by creating the appropriate aspect is a great alternative to death. It puts a villain
with Notice. As with anything else, a player can always or rival on hold instead of removing them from
concede to the poison, go down early, and negotiate a the story. It’s inevitable the character will return,
non-lethal outcome. and because you’re the GM, you can arrange that
Any alchemist who can make poison potions also whenever the story requires. It’s usually good to
knows how to make poison antidotes. Antidotes are leave the NPC asleep for at least one full session.
easier to make than poisons and are always potions. Otherwise, the PCs feel cheated.
Reduce the difficulty of the Occult roll by 2. An anti- • Players can use it on other players. Even if the al-
dote automatically cures any poison it is specifically chemist ensures that the awaken condition won’t
designed for and also any poison with a potency equal be satisfied (usually by making his ally the only
to or less than its own. Otherwise, roll a contest be- character who can fulfill it), you can always create
tween the potency of the antidote and the potency of a new NPC to do it, allowing the PC to return to
the poison. the game.
• Encourage players to concede. Conceding usu-
Sleeping Elixir ally means the character didn’t actually drink the
Some alchemists are capable of brewing sleeping elixir, it only looked like he did. Perhaps he faked
potions with magical effects that last for years or even it, or got just enough to fall unconscious but not
generations. The victim of such an elixir is Taken Out, enough for the magic to take hold. Maybe it reacts
effectively unchanging for as long as the elixir lasts. with the bad salami he had earlier in the day, and
The maker of the elixir must set an “awaken condi- he vomits the whole thing up onto the floor. This
tion” described by an aspect. If the awaken condition can still take the character out of the scene with-
occurs, the victim of the sleeping elixir wakes up, but out taking him out of the entire session.
until that time the victim remains unconscious. The While the sleeping elixir would seem to be an in-
most common awaken condition requires that the vic- definite, perhaps even infinite, curse, it actually never
tim be woken only by The Best Knight in the World, True works out that way. Alchemists who can make the
Love’s First Kiss, Noble Blood, or some other qualifica- sleeping elixir know that its magic only works because
tion. Whatever it is, the awaken condition becomes an the sleep is finite. No matter how rigorous or impos-
aspect placed on the sleeping victim. Any individual sible the awaken condition might seem to be, it is
who might fulfill the awaken condition can try to do inevitable that the victim will wake up. The only ques-
so, invoking the aspect. If the aspect is invoked, the tion is: how long will it take for the awaken condition
sleep ends and the victim awakens. to be fulfilled?

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If the victim is a PC and isn’t leaving the game, the have been discovered. Only their faded echoes remain.
awaken condition must be designed in such a way that Echoes are described below with the following
another PC qualifies and can awaken the victim. For guidelines:
example, the awaken condition “kissed by the best Description: The echo’s origin, history, and powers
knight in the world” could be used if someone in the are given first.
game had that title. Of course, as the GM, you can al- Mechanics: The specific game effects of the echo are
ways create new NPCs or aspects ensuring that a PC given next.
wake from the elixir. The alchemist is never the person
who qualifies for the awaken condition; it is always Manifestation: An echo begins as an ordinary ob-
someone else. ject, but that object must fulfill certain require-
The awaken condition should always be interpreted ments. Those requirements are given here. Often
as generously as possible. Surnames are a common a manifestation must be a weapon; if this is so, an
way of getting around tricky awaken events; for exam- improvised weapon does qualify, and any echo
ple, a victim who can be awoken only by Noble Blood that manifests as an improvised weapon can be
could be rescued by a custodian named John P. Noble. used normally with the Brawl skill.
Similarly, despite being written down, the awaken con- Arrival: This describes how the echo enters the
dition of a given elixir is actually an oral phenomenon; game. Sometimes an echo is crafted or created by
this is important, because homonyms are a common a character. In other situations, a character can
way of getting around pesky awaken conditions. To a find an echo, or a player can reveal a seemingly-
sleeping elixir, there is no difference between “knight” ordinary object to be an echo.
and “night.” Departure: Every echo fades and leaves the game. The
Sleeping elixirs have a potency of +8. Unless he specific conditions of that fading are given here.
concedes, the victim of the elixir rolls a contest of
Willpower against a Fair (+2) difficulty; he remains
awake and conscious for a number of actions equal
How Echoes Appear
to the shifts of success. Once that time has gone by, There are three ways echoes appear in the game.
the victim falls into an enchanted slumber and is in a GM Choice: The GM places many echoes in the
state of suspended animation; he does not need to eat, story. In this case, the GM decides that a particular
drink, or even breathe, nor does he age. However, he object is actually an echo of a supernatural origi-
can be wounded and even killed. nal. The object can be recognized as an echo by
There is no known antidote for the sleeping po- any incarnation who sees it (and who has recog-
tion, but Occult can be used to determine the awaken nized himself ).
event aspect and whatever PC or NPCs might poten- Player Character Creation: Some echoes, like
tially qualify. Excalibur and its scabbard, are crafted by particu-
lar incarnations. The requirements for this craft-
Echoes ing are given in the echo’s description. NPCs of the
proper incarnation could also craft these echoes,
An echo is a special type of supernatural object, giving the GM a way to introduce these items with-
creature, or place; like reincarnations, an echo is a out player character involvement.
modern double or duplicate of a legendary source;
but in the case of the echo, the new form is weaker Player Choice: Some echoes are placed by players,
than the original and temporary in nature. Excalibur, not their characters. A player can decide that a
Camelot, the Round Table, and the Holy Grail, along particular object is (and always has been) an echo
with many other magical things and creatures, have of a supernatural original. No one has noticed the
echoes in the 21st century. Each only appears under echo’s true nature until now. The player announces
certain conditions, and often these conditions require his decision upon seeing the object and fulfilling
the participation of particular incarnations. Once an whatever other requirements the echo might have.
echo does appear, it remains in the game for a while At that point, the echo can be recognized normally,
before fading. It usually leaves behind a mundane, and often everyone who sees it will recognize it
non-magical, object or animal. instantly. This method of echo appearance is most
Echoes make excellent objects of quest, temporary common for magical weapons or animals which are
rewards, and “secret weapons” which are used to tip especially associated with a particular incarnation.
the balance in key conflicts. The presence of echoes In almost all cases, a player can only place a par-
in the modern world suggests that the true and origi- ticular echo once in the entire life of his character,
nal form of these supernatural objects and creatures so he should choose wisely. Since the GM controls
might return to existence just as Arthurian reincarna- narrator characters, he can also place echoes of this
tions have, but as of yet none of these legendary things type, attaching them to appropriate incarnations
which are not player characters.

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Arthur’s Mantle performed several marvels. Among them was the

creation of a magical bed which tormented all who
There are legends among the Welsh that speak of lay in it. Anyone who spent the night in the bed was
thirteen great magical treasures found in the country subjected to terrible mental anguish and was robbed
of Britain. One of these was in Arthur’s possession; of his memory. Eventually, Lancelot, wearing a ring
it was a cloak and hood which, when worn, made its made for him by one of the Ladies of the Lake, spent a
wearer invisible. Arthur is never recorded as having night in the bed. The ring was enchanted to break all
used the cloak, but no one would know when he was magic spells, and Lancelot survived the night in rela-
using it anyway, so this is not surprising. Nor do we tive peace, retaining his memory.
know where the cloak came from or what happened
to it. Perhaps it was stolen; Mordred or one of Arthur’s Mechanics: The Bed of Madness acts like a charac-
many other enemies would have plenty of uses for it. ter, attacking anyone who lies down in it. The first
such attack is a grapple using the bed’s Fantastic
Mechanics: Anyone under Arthur’s Mantle gains (+6) Physique as the bed leaps, bounces, and flies
the aspect Invisible with one free invocation. He about the room. The victim defends with his own
can’t be seen, but Notice rolls related to hearing or Physique and any stunt which applies to grappling
other senses can detect him. The mantle grants its or wrestling can be used. If the victim fails to es-
current user a moderate physical consequence. cape, he cannot rise from the bed for eight hours,
Manifestation: Any long coat, cloak, blanket, or during which time he is helpless and in intense
piece of fabric which covers at least two thirds of physical and mental torment. Those forced to re-
a standing man is a suitable manifestation for an main in the bed must defend three times against
echo of Arthur’s mantle. the bed’s Fantastic (+6) Provoke using Willpower.
Arrival: The GM decides if a particular object is an Minor consequences inflicted by the bed generally
echo of Arthur’s mantle. focus on Fatigue from a grueling night of struggle,
Departure: The mantle lasts until its moderate con- but Complete Memory Loss is the standard mod-
sequence is used; when this happens, it is cut or erate consequence and more damage results in
torn into two or more pieces and its magic instant- Madness.
ly fades, leaving behind only a mundane object. Manifestation: The Bed of Madness can manifest
in anything used for sleeping: a bed, sleeping bag,
Arthur’s Ship hammock, futon, or even an easy chair.
Arthur’s ship is mentioned in the Welsh tales when Arrival: Only Merlin can create the Bed of Madness.
he uses it to sail to the underworld in search of a magic He does this by acquiring a proper manifestation
cauldron of plenty. Three times Arthur’s ship carried and spending an evening in uninterrupted work.
his knights across the Veil, but in the end only seven Then he spends a Fate point and suffers a minor
men returned. consequence, usually reflecting exertion and lack
Curiously, there is some confusion over the ship’s of sleep but possibly representing an enchantment
name. The legends call it “Pridwen,” but this was also he suffers in the process of binding magical power
said to be the name of Arthur’s shield, which was dec- into the bed. Each incarnation of Merlin can only
orated with the image of the Virgin Mary. Considering create such an echo once.
the name’s meaning (“fair face”), the shield seems Departure: The Bed of Madness lasts until it is
more appropriate. physically destroyed or until its occupant lasts the
Mechanics: Arthur’s Ship can cross the Veil into entire night without suffering any stress. At that
Faerie and return. Someone on the ship must moment the magic of the bed fades and only the
spend a Fate point and, so long as the ship is mundane manifestation remains. Victims who
moving, the Veil will appear within five minutes. escape the bed in its initial grapple do not cause it
Crossing the Veil itself is almost instantaneous. to depart.
Manifestation: Arthur’s Ship can manifest in any
vehicle. Caball
Arrival: The GM places echoes of Arthur’s Ship. Arthur’s dog, Caball, was known to the Welsh, and
Departure: Each echo of Arthur’s Ship lasts for he comes down to us today through tales like that of
three trips to Faerie and back. After the third “Culhwch and Olwen”. In that story, Caball is part
voyage, its magic fades, leaving behind a mun- of Arthur’s hunting party as the King pursues Twrch
dane vehicle. Trwyth, a monstrous supernatural boar capable of
slaying many good knights. By the dog’s name (derived
The Bed of Madness from the Latin word for “horse”), we can presume that
Caball was exceptionally large even for his breed; it’s
Soon after Balin and his brother Balan had killed
likely that the original Caball was an Irish wolfhound
one another, Merlin arrived on the scene and

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of a stature which suited his legendary master. Caball’s especially after the Grail Quest. It was in Camelot
final fate is unknown; he survived numerous hunts for that Guinevere and Lancelot were finally exposed as
magical boars and stags and probably lived a long and lovers, forcing Lancelot to flee. Guinevere remained
comfortable life fed scraps from the Round Table. behind through her trial, Lancelot’s attempted rescue,
Mechanics: Caball is a companion; its master must and Arthur’s pursuit of him to France. When Mordred
lower refresh by 1. He has the high concept Caball, tried to force her to marry him in a bid for the throne,
the Trouble Just a Dog, three additional aspects, she pretended to agree and traveled to London, pre-
two minor and one moderate consequence, and a sumably to shop for wedding preparations. Instead,
single skill column as high as his owner’s highest she locked herself in the Tower and waited out the
skill. He has a Scale one higher than a normal dog rest of the war. In the years after Arthur’s death, King
of his breed. Mark of Cornwall led an army to Camelot and reduced
Manifestation: An echo of Caball can manifest in it to ruins.
any living dog. Mechanics: Kay must reduce his refresh by 1 (if no
Arrival: The GM places echoes of Caball. He can one is playing Kay in your game, the GM might
be recognized normally, but Caball will always allow Arthur, Guinevere, or someone else to
choose one player character to be his master. place Camelot instead). Camelot is an estate; see
Chapter 4 for more details on estates. It has the
Departure: An echo of Caball lasts until it can give
Camelot high concept, a Trouble that describes im-
its life for its master. Caball will not allow his
moral actions performed within its walls (Under
master to be Taken Out in a lethal manner while
Cover of Darkness or Living in Sin), three additional
Caball himself still has consequences to use. He
aspects, and a minor, moderate, and severe conse-
will take the consequence himself, sparing his
quence. It has a single skill column with a height
master the lethal blow, and die.
equal to the campaign’s current skill cap and a
Camelot number of stunts equal to the number of play-
ers+1. Camelot’s high concept can be invoked by
Arthur and his court traveled throughout Britain anyone within it to defend against fear, to create a
and he stayed at many cities during his reign, but positive impression of awe or wonder, or to enforce
the most famous was Camelot. Its precise location is oaths sworn within it.
not known, and in fact at various points it may have
Manifestation: Camelot can manifest in any build-
slipped over the Faerie Veil. It was situated along a riv-
ing that Kay has purchased with the estate extra.
er and was surrounded by forests and plains, including
Although Kay had to spend a point of refresh to
a meadow where tournaments were held. Initial con-
make this estate into Camelot, the estate itself
struction was complete in time for Arthur’s wedding,
should not cost refresh because the entire group
and the Round Table was installed here, though the
will be using it. See Chapter 4: Extras and con-
table was so large that a new building had to be con-
struct the estate as one used by the group.
structed just for it. Camelot was both a city and a cas-
tle; its outer stone walls enclosed a growing metropolis Arrival: Kay’s player places the echo of Camelot, and
which included a great cathedral, St. Stephen’s. Kay, as he may do so only once. He must have an estate
Arthur’s seneschal, was Camelot’s manager and gover- and create the Camelot aspect using Resources
nor. As the kingdom and the city grew, Kay became so with a difficulty of Fantastic (+6). If he succeeds,
preoccupied with the estate that his fighting skills in- the building which is the manifestation for Kay’s
evitably suffered. Even so, more than one Round Table estate is revealed as the echo; any incarnation
knight began as a squire in Kay’s kitchens. within sight of it recognizes it instantly. If he fails,
Everyone was welcome in Camelot, and visitors did he can try again in subsequent game sessions.
not even have to give their name to receive hospitality, Departure: The echo of Camelot lasts until it is
though it was presumed that Arthur’s peace would be Taken Out. Although the structure can be rebuilt,
observed. Those who insisted on performing violence it is never the same.
within the court were exiled from the King’s presence.
Damosels came here seeking help from the King, The Dragon Banner
knights arrived with bold challenges, and ambassa- The dragon banner was made by Merlin to be
dors from foreign lands came with threats of war. The Arthur’s battle standard, and Merlin carried it
King and Queen received visitors from magnificent throughout the King’s early battles. The banner de-
matching thrones of ivory and gold fashioned in the picted a red dragon; during battle the dragon would in
shape of leopards and crocodiles. It was here that the fact come to life and, perched on the metal shaft which
quest for the Holy Grail began, when the enchanted Merlin carried, breathe fire over Arthur’s foes. It was a
cup appeared and Gawain first swore to seek it out. ghastly and terrifying weapon, and Merlin was much
But Camelot had its share of intrigue and deception, feared because of it.

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an inanimate state when either it or the original

wielder is Taken Out.
Manifestation: The dragon banner was originally
a long, narrow flag attached to a tall steel pole.
Modern echoes may also be flags, but they could
be anything which is designed to display an image:
a road sign, billboard, stadium screen, or even an
advertising blimp. Devices like a smartphone or
tablet will work, but are insufficient to summon
large dragons. An object that can be held in one
hand (iPad) can summon a dragon of Scale 0.
Two-handed objects (flag and flagpole) can
summon a dragon of Scale 1. An object which
is big enough to require multiple people to
carry (a wall-size plasma screen TV) can sum-
mon a dragon of Scale 2 and an object which
is essentially immobile (billboard) can sum-
mon a dragon of Scale 3. A Scale 4 dragon could
only be summoned through something like a
Jumb-o-tron, and there is no way to bring a Scale 5
dragon through the Veil.
Arrival: Only Merlin can create the dragon banner,
and each incarnation of Merlin can do so only
once. First, he must have a suitable object to act as
its manifestation. Then, he must spend one night
in uninterrupted work, at the end of which time
he spends a Fate point and suffers a moderate
Mechanics: consequence. This could be related to fatigue, but
The banner is not a subtle weapon. It can be acti- might also be an enchantment which represents
vated by anyone with a magician or enchanter high a bargain or deal Merlin had to make in order to
concept who spends an action and a Fate point complete the banner. The fire dragon itself might
while in physical contact with the banner. This injure him. The fire dragon which the banner
transforms part of the banner (its flag, screen, or summons can have no skill higher than the cam-
other visual field) into a fire dragon of a predeter- paign’s current cap.
mined strength and size (see below under Arrival). Departure: The dragon banner can be used in
The dragon is, more accurately, a fire-breathing a number of sessions equal to Merlin’s Occult.
winged drake. It has only animal intelligence and When the last such session ends, the banner
no magical powers other than flaming breath, but catches on fire and burns up, leaving only ash.
it does have claws, nearly impenetrable scales,
and a ferocious bite. It cannot move on its own; it Excalibur
hovers and uses its tail or body to remain coiled Arthur’s most famous sword was made for him
around whatever remains of the banner (the by the Lady of the Lake and arranged for his use by
pole on which the flag was mounted, the frame Merlin. To gain it, Arthur had to promise the Lady a
in which the picture was held, and so on). If this later favor, but she was murdered in his hall before
object is moved, the dragon keeps pace, hovering he could grant it. Arthur went on to use Excalibur in
with its wings. Because the dragon is hovering, many adventures and it became a symbol of his rule.
the wielder does not need to carry the dragon’s He occasionally lent it to Gawain, who was heir to the
weight. The wielder of the banner can give or- throne. Arthur was wielding Excalibur when he met
ders to the dragon using an action and can also Mordred in personal combat and sustained a mortal
use an action to turn it back into an inanimate wound. He ordered Bedivere, one of his oldest and
object. Otherwise, the dragon remains active for most trusted knights (and one of the few survivors
the scene or until it is Taken Out, at which point of that battle), to throw the sword back into a nearby
it turns back into an inanimate object. If the fire lake, but Bedivere found the sword too precious and
dragon has any skill higher than the wielder’s twice failed in his duty. At last he did as he was told,
Confidence, the wielder cannot control the drag- and Excalibur was caught by a woman’s hand, taking
on. It will not obey orders, will attack the nearest the sword back beneath the waters (and into Faerie).
creature (including the wielder), and will return to Mechanics: The owner of Excalibur must have an
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aspect which represents the weapon and must could still absorb 1 more stress. Or, he could put
lower refresh by 1. Excalibur ignores Armor:4. It those 2 stress into a moderate consequence, but
grants its wielder a +2 bonus on attacks. Its aspect the consequence would not yet be marked off; it
can be invoked to cut, break, or pierce any object, could still absorb 2 more stress. The wearer of the
to intimidate or create awe, and to compel some- scabbard cannot use these special rules when suf-
one to tell the truth. fering mental stress or enchantment stress, though
Manifestation: An echo of Excalibur can only mani- “partial” consequences can still only absorb as
fest in a weapon or improvised weapon which is much stress as they have unmarked.
made specifically for this purpose. It must be an Manifestation: An echo of Excalibur’s scabbard can
object of extraordinary quality. Nineve must either manifest as a belt, jacket, holster, garter, pair of
make the object herself or supervise its construc- suspenders, or any other article of clothing that
tion, being present at all times. encircles a part of the body other than the feet,
Arrival: Only Nineve can make an echo of Excalibur, hands, or head. The item must be of extraordinary
and any given incarnation of her can only do so quality and made for this express purpose.
once. First, she must have a suitable manifestation. Arrival: Only Nineve can cause an echo of
Then, she must spend a day in uninterrupted la- Excalibur’s scabbard to appear. She must either
bor, calling forth magic from across the Faerie Veil. make it herself or supervise its construction
To complete the process, she spends a Fate point throughout the entire process. To complete the
and takes a moderate consequence, usually related process, she spends a Fate point and takes a minor
to fatigue or some bargain she made to empower consequence, usually related to fatigue or some
the weapon. bargain she was forced to make to complete the
Departure: An echo of Excalibur lasts precisely as enchantment.
long as Nineve wants it to. She can demand its Departure: As with Excalibur, Nineve can cause an
“return” at any time with a free action. When she echo she has made to disappear at any time as a
does so, no matter where she is or how much dis- free action. If she does, she regains a Fate point
tance separates her from the echo she has made, and removes a minor consequence. If Nineve dies,
the echo loses all its magic and becomes a mun- any echo of the scabbard which she has made
dane object while Nineve regains a Fate point and fades at once.
removes one moderate or minor consequence. If
Nineve dies, any echo of Excalibur that she has Galatine
created fades immediately. Galatine was Gawain’s sword. Its origin is not record-
ed, but there are two likely possibilities. First, it may
Excalibur’s Scabbard have been in Gawain’s possession when he was grow-
When Nineve gave the young King Arthur his fa- ing to manhood in his father’s northern kingdom of
mous sword, she also gave him this scabbard, which Lothian. It would have been an heirloom of the family,
Merlin assured Arthur was twice as good as the sword. or perhaps made specifically for Gawain and intended
So long as it was worn, Arthur’s wounds did not bleed. for his knighthood. (Considering Gawain’s superhu-
He entrusted the scabbard to his sister Morgan, who man strength, it would seem wise to make a special
promptly replaced it with a forgery and gave the sword which could withstand his especially fierce
original to one of her lovers, Accolon, in a plot to kill blows!) Alternately, Gawain might have received the
Arthur. Nimue thwarted the scheme, but the scab- sword when he was knighted by Arthur himself short-
bard was eventually hurled into the sea where it was ly after the marriage to Guinevere. Although Gawain
presumed to be lost forever. However, in one legend, was occasionally lent Excalibur, Galatine was the
a fairy recovered it and gave it to Gawain for a crucial sword he relied upon in all other occasions. No one
battle. If true, Gawain must have lost it or given it is certain what happened to it, but it might have been
back, because he didn’t have it for his climactic duels buried with Gawain upon his death on the coast of
with Lancelot. Britain after he received mortal wounds from Lancelot.
Mechanics: The owner of Excalibur’s scabbard must Mechanics: Galatine grants a +1 bonus to dam-
reduce his refresh by 1. The scabbard makes a age when it is used. It is a magical weapon and
significant change to the wearer’s stress track and indestructible.
consequences. Whenever the wearer is attacked Manifestation: Any melee weapon, even an impro-
with a physical attack, he can mark off more than
vised one, is a suitable manifestation for an echo
one box at a time from his stress track and can do
of Galatine.
“partial damage” to a stress box or consequence.
For example, if Arthur is hit with a 2 point attack, Arrival: Only the GM can decide when an echo of
he could put those two points into his 3-hit stress Galatine appears. An incarnation can then recog-
box and the box would not yet be checked off; it nize it normally.

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Departure: An echo of Galatine disappears when its Longinus, it is said, was cursed to wander the world
owner dies or when the echo itself is lost or stolen. immortal until Christ’s return. His spear, as an instru-
ment of the world’s redemption and a tool of God’s
Gringolet will, became a holy relic. It was retrieved by Joseph
Gringolet was Gawain’s horse and the most famous of Arimathea, who brought it to England with the
horse in Arthurian myth. There are contradictory tales Holy Grail, and in time it came into the care of the
of his origin. In one version, he was bred in the stables Grail Kings in their fortress at Carbonek, the Grail
of the Grail Castle and given to Gawain by a duke. A Castle. There it remained for many generations, until
second version has Gawain winning him from a Saxon Balin intruded into the castle in his search for Garlon,
chieftain. Finally, he may have been a Faerie creature, the treacherous brother of Pellam, the Fisher King.
gifted to the half-giant half-witch Escanor the Large, a Balin killed Garlon, and Pellam was in pursuit of him
for this deed when Balin trespassed into the private
villain who hated Gawain and shared his supernatural
chambers of the castle. There, in a room decorated in
strength. Regardless of Gringolet’s origins, he was of- gold and hung with the finest curtains, he found an
ten stolen and Gawain had to recover him. enchanted spear. Since Balin had come into the castle
The name Gringolet translates as “white-hardy,” with only one of his swords and that weapon had
creating the impression of a beautiful, white horse of broken in battle with Pellam, Balin took up the spear
particular strength and stamina. Gawain covered the and used it to deal the king a crippling blow through
horse with saddle and equipment of gold trimmed the groin. He returned the spear to its resting place
in red cloth. One legend says it had red ears, a Faerie at once, but it was too late. Balin, who was no saint
trademark. himself, had wielded one of Christianity’s holiest relics
Mechanics: The owner of Gringolet must lower his against its own divinely-appointed caretaker. This sin
refresh by 1. Gringolet is a companion or vehicle— was so great that it not only destroyed the Grail Castle,
depending on his manifestation—with two minor it laid Pellam’s land waste for miles around and tore a
consequences and one moderate one. He has the hole in the Faerie Veil, releasing waves of magic and
high concept Gringolet, the Trouble Frequently enchantment over Britain that worked both forward
Stolen, three additional aspects, and a single skill and backward in time. This was the Dolorous Stroke.
column equal to the current skill cap of the cam- Gawain was later tasked with recovering the spear,
paign. If anyone other than Gawain drives or rides and it was eventually returned to the castle. There,
Gringolet, his consequences are unavailable to Galahad used blood from the lance to cure Pellam,
that character. repairing the damage done by Balin years before.
Pellam’s injuries finally healed and the wasteland was
Manifestation: Gringolet can manifest as any mount
restored to a place of plenty. The lance itself was then
or vehicle which is predominantly white. lifted up to Heaven; perhaps God felt man could no
Arrival: Only Gawain’s player can place an echo of longer be trusted with it. But its echoes seem to have
Gringolet, and he can only do so once. He must be surfaced throughout the centuries that followed. At
in control of a suitable manifestation and spend a least two different versions of the lance have been on
Fate point, recognizing the echo instantly. exhibit in museums throughout the 20th century. One
Departure: Gringolet departs at the end of any of these was acquired by Nazi forces when Austria was
scene in which all its consequences have been annexed by the Reich, and the relic was transferred to
marked off. The vehicle can be repaired but is Wewelsburg castle, where some say it was used in un-
never the same. An animal must be put down. holy rites designed to bring back King Arthur…
Mechanics: The wielder of the lance must take an
The Holy Lance aspect that represents the weapon, such as The
The Holy Lance, also known as the Spear of Destiny, Spear of Destiny, and reduce his refresh by 1. The
the Spear of Vengeance, or the Lance of Longinus, is lance is a magical weapon. It ignores Armor:4.
one of the great relics of the Christian faith. Its original When the lance inflicts stress, the wielder can
form was that of a Roman pilum, a throwing spear of invoke this aspect to force the target to use
the sort carried by the Roman legions. Longinus was, a consequence for some or all of that stress.
according to tradition, the soldier tasked with guard- Consequences dealt by the lance cannot recover
ing Christ as he hung upon the cross; when the day without magical help such as a Healing elixir or
the magical talent Healing. An echo of the lance
grew long and Christ had not yet perished, Longinus
can, however, also heal any consequences cre-
helped the process along by stabbing Jesus in the side.
ated by any echo of the lance, using blood which
Miraculously, Christ’s blood turned to water as it ran magically appears on the tip of the weapon. This
down the spear. Soon after, Christ died and the central requires a Confidence roll to overcome a difficulty
miracle of the Christian faith took place: the sins of equal to the value of the consequence being cured;
all the world were forgiven, the debt paid by Christ’s the consequence instantly vanishes or, in the case
martyrdom. of extreme consequences, is renamed.

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Manifestation: The Holy Lance can only manifest in thrown weapon, it magically returns to the hand
a piercing weapon. Improvised weapons qualify. of the person who threw it at the beginning of that
Arrival: The GM places echoes of the Holy Lance. character’s next turn. It has a moderate physical
Departure: The Holy Lance vanishes if its wielder consequence which its wielder can access.
uses it to inflict a physical consequence on a virtu- Manifestation: Any thrown or ranged weapon (even
ous person, something the GM will usually need an improvised one) is a suitable manifestation for
to determine. When the lance vanishes, it does not an echo of Ron.
leave its manifestation behind; the entire object Arrival: The GM decides if a particular object is an
disappears in a burst of divine light. echo of Ron.
Departure: When Ron’s moderate physical conse-
Pridwen quence is used, the weapon breaks or is lost; even
Arthur had an image of the Virgin Mary painted if repaired or regained, it has nevertheless lost all
on his shield so that he had ready inspiration when- supernatural properties and is once again a mun-
ever battle turned against him. He named it Pridwen, dane object.
which meant “fair face,” and used the shield for key
victories against the Saxons. Later, Sir Gawain, fa- The Round Table
mous for his defense of women, was known to carry The original Round Table was made by Merlin
an identical shield; presumably, Arthur gave it to his in imitation of the table of the Last Supper. It was
nephew. No one knows the shield’s final fate, but if he used by Uther Pendragon, Arthur’s father, and was
had it for his final battles against Sir Lancelot, Gawain large enough to seat 150 knights. When Uther died,
would eventually have been buried with it on the coast Guinevere’s father, Leodegrance of Cameliard, ac-
of England. quired the table and later gave it to Arthur as a wed-
Mechanics: Pridwen grants the aspect Fair Face to ding present along with one hundred knights. Arthur
whatever object it manifests in. Anyone touching slowly filled out the ranks of the table, selecting only
this object and able to see the woman depicted on it the best and most worthy knights. As each man was
can invoke the aspect and get a +2 on defense rolls. added to the table, Merlin’s magic ensured that his
This bonus lasts until the character loses a defense name would appear on his chair in golden letters. The
roll or until the end of the scene, and cannot be re- table survived Arthur and the fall of Camelot; tradi-
invoked by the same person in the same scene. tion holds that it was preserved in Winchester Castle,
Manifestation: An echo of Pridwen can manifest where Henry VIII had it reconditioned, but scholars
in any object which covers or protects something believe the Winchester table to be a forgery.
else. Improvised shields like garbage can lids are Mechanics: The Round Table is always represented
suitable manifestations, as are actual shields, but by an aspect, usually on the location where the
Pridwen could also manifest as the hull of a ship, table is placed. Arthur can invoke the table’s aspect
the inside of a tank, an armored door, or the cover no matter where he is, and he can spend a Fate
of a locket. point and one action to make any other individual
Arrival: Any incarnation of Arthur or Gawain can at- a Knight of the Round Table, applying only to the
tempt to create an echo of Pridwen, but each char- specific echo of the table which he has access to.
acter may do so only once. The character must at- A Knight of the Round Table also gains the ability to
tach (or have attached; he does not need to do the invoke the table wherever he is for as long as it is
work himself ) the image of a woman to the inside manifested, and gains one free invocation of it when
of the manifestation and create the Fair Face aspect he is officially dubbed by Arthur. The table’s aspect
on the object using Confidence. If the action suc- grants a bonus to enforce justice, promote equality,
ceeds, the echo appears. see through a lie, or tell a good story. It can also be
Departure: Pridwen’s magic fades instantly if the invoked to lend support to another knight of the
image is removed from the manifestation or if the table who is in need. For example, Lancelot might
object is broken. invoke the table’s aspect in order to rescue Kay from
imprisonment. The Knight of the Round Table aspect
Ron is a title, and could theoretically be lost or taken
away by Arthur, but there is no precedent for this;
Arthur’s spear is mentioned in Welsh tales, where
even known adulterers, murderers, and traitors
it is called Rhongomynyad (“cutting spear”). It was
were never stripped of this title.
described as “long, broad in the blade, and thirsty for
slaughter.” Ron’s origins are unclear, but it is said to Manifestation: The Round Table always manifests
have been one of God’s gifts to Arthur. as a circular table, but it can be of any size and
material and could even be a naturally occurring
Mechanics: Ron gives its wielder a +1 bonus to dam-
round object (like a stone or tree stump).
age and it has the aspect Long Range. If Ron is a
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Arrival: The GM decides if a particular object is an Departure: Arthur’s player can choose to use the
echo of the Round Table. Once he does, the table sword’s moderate consequence whenever the
can be recognized normally. Each echo of the user of the sword takes physical stress. The sword
Round Table can be used by only a single incarna- breaks and cannot be repaired.
tion of Arthur.
Departure: If Arthur is unable to sit down at his The Sword of Adventure
table for an entire year, it loses all its supernatural Balin’s magic sword, known also as the Sword of
properties and becomes once again an ordinary Adventure, was made by Nineve, who also made
table. Any Knight of the Round Table who was a Excalibur and who seems to have cornered the magic
member of that table loses the title. sword market for a while. The sword was made to help
the Falsest Lady Living get revenge on her brother,
The Sword in the Stone who had killed her sweetheart. Since her brother was
The Sword in the Stone, also sometimes known as a particularly good and valiant knight, he would not be
Sequence, was originally placed in a block of stone easy to kill, so Nineve made this sword to find a suitable
by Merlin. (No one knows where he got it, however.) avenger – it could only be drawn from its scabbard by
It was placed in a cathedral in London, where Arthur the most capable knight in England. At the time, that
found it when he went searching for a sword to give to was Balin. But it took years for the Falsest Lady to find
his brother Kay. A prophecy was written on the stone him, and in that time she repented of her scheme. She
which revealed that the sword could only be with- tried to convince Balin to give her back the sword (spar-
drawn by the rightful king of England. Although many ing her brother), but he insisted on keeping it. Since he
knights tried to pull out the sword, only Arthur could had recently become impoverished by a stint in jail and
do it. He had to repeat this feat several times for the the sword was especially rich and handsome, his greed
lords of England, not all of whom were easily persuad- is perhaps understandable. In any case, she warned
ed. The sword also had a magical power: when drawn that he would use it to kill the man he loved most in the
in Arthur’s greatest need, the sword gave off a brilliant world, but her words had no effect. Balin did, indeed,
light which blinded all his foes. This allowed Arthur later use this sword to kill his own brother, Balan, in a
to escape death in his first great battle with King Lot. single combat which also resulted in Balin’s death. No
The Sword in the Stone eventually broke in battle with one’s quite sure what happened to the Lady’s brother.
King Pellinore, and it was replaced by Excalibur. With Balin dead, Merlin arrived and refurbished
Mechanics: When Arthur acquires the sword, he the sword. He set a new pommel into the weapon and
must take an aspect to represent it. The sword is a put it in a block of red marble enchanted to float down
magical weapon. It has a moderate consequence the river Thames. Again, he had the sword and block
which only Arthur may use. Arthur has a +1 bonus enchanted so that only “the best knight in the world”
when attacking with it and a further +1 to damage. could pull it out. Lancelot refused to try, Gawain and
Once in its life, Arthur may draw the sword as a Percival tried and failed. Galahad finally did the deed
free action and freely invoke it to place the situ- and used the sword in his quest to heal the Fisher King
ation aspect Blinded on all enemies in the scene. and achieve the Holy Grail. There is some evidence
Allies of Arthur are immune. Each blinded foe Galahad sent the sword to his father upon his own
grants one free invocation of the aspect. death, because Lancelot may have used it in his final
battles with Gawain (who was himself armed with
Manifestation: Any weapon or improvised weapon
Excalibur).
can be used as a manifestation of the Sword in the
Stone. Mechanics: The Sword of Adventure has two ver-
sions: a cursed one, when placed by Balin’s player,
Arrival: Only Arthur’s player can bring forth the
and a blessed one, when placed by Galahad’s play-
Sword in the Stone and each incarnation of Arthur
er. In either case, the bearer must reduce refresh
can only do so once. (Arthur does not need to have
by 1. It is a magical weapon that gives a +1 bonus to
recognized himself in order to do this. But since
attack rolls and an additional +1 to damage. Balin’s
the manifestation requires that a weapon be stuck
sword grants an unusual ability: whenever Balin or
in another object, some GM assistance is likely.)
one of his allies in a conflict suffers a consequence,
First, he must have a proper manifestation trapped
Balin must add the value of the largest such con-
in an object. Then, Arthur must try to pull the
sequence to his next damaging attack with the
manifestation out and he must spend a Fate point.
sword. Galahad’s sword has, instead, a +2 damage
This frees the manifestation from the object that
bonus against demons and, once per conflict, its
it was imprisoned in and turns the manifestation
wielder can spend a Fate point to force the target
into an echo of the Sword in the Stone.
to use a consequence to absorb stress. The Sword
of Adventure gives its bearer a moderate physical
consequence.

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Manifestation: The Sword of Adventure can manifest Most spells are resolved as challenges taking 2-4
in any melee weapon, even an improvised one. overcome actions. Describe what you want to do with
Arrival: Players of Balin and Galahad place echoes your talent and roll some combination of three skills:
of The Sword of Adventure. Any particular in- • Occult is for magical knowledge or sensory-related
carnation can do so only once. Balin must have a effects.
proper manifestation in hand and be compelled • Willpower is for internal effects or fine control and
by a negative aspect, possibly his Trouble but po- manipulation.
tentially an aspect created on him such as Vengeful • Confidence is for external effects, affecting other
or Bloodthirsty. Galahad must do the same thing people or the environment, and brute force.
but the compel must come from a positive aspect, Words of Power are special one-action spells with
such as Charitable, Generous, or Honorable. When very specific effects derived from each talent.
Balin’s player does this, the sword is always the When you fail any Enchantment roll, you instead
cursed version. When Galahad’s player does it, it is succeed but generate 1 Enchantment Point (EP) for
the blessed version. each additional shift required for success. When the
Departure: The Sword of Adventure lasts until its spell is cast, the GM spends your EP to cause stress on
consequence is used, at which point the magic of you or the environment.
the sword fades, leaving only a mundane object.

Enchantment Mechanics
Enchanters must reduce refresh by 1 and select a
magical talent. This can be done more than once.
Magic takes many forms, from hermetic thauma-
Characters whose high concept establishes them as
turgy to Kabbalah to Haitian voodoo, but the most
enchanters—such as incarnations of Merlin, Morgan,
common form of magic seen in Arthurian myth is
or the Ladies of the Lake—instead select a number of
enchantment. It is the casting of spells fueled by magic
talents equal to their Occult skill and can select more
from across the Faerie Veil. Enchantment is capable
at a cost of 1 refresh each.
of a wide array of magical effects and is almost impos-
The magical talents are:
sible to resist, but it ultimately cannot be controlled
and is dangerous to those who try to wield it. • Binding: You can force creatures (usually animals,
Faeries, demons, or angels) to obey you. The great-
Description est binding spells enslave the victim or trap him in
a prison of your own devising.
There is another world alongside ours, a world of • Blessings and Curses: You can place positive or
magic called Faerie or “The Other Side.” Faerie lies negative aspects on a target (individuals, objects,
across the Veil, an invisible curtain which could be or places), or remove those aspects.
anywhere in our world and sometimes seems to be • Dispel: Use your magic to oppose or remove the
everywhere. Enchanters like Merlin, Nimue, and magic of another magician.
Morgan are magicians who cast spells fueled by the • Divination: Your awareness of the influence
Other Side, calling power across the Veil. As it erupts of magical forces allows you to answer specific
into our world, that power is focused by the enchanter, questions.
who shapes it into a specific effect. But Faerie is unpre-
dictable and strange; it resists control and breaks all • Emotion: You can manipulate the emotions of
laws. Magicians in other traditions struggle to make others, causing passion, sleep, or other effects.
their spells work, but enchanters know the real danger Emotion magic is often channeled through music.
is getting magic to stop. • Glamour: Glamour is the temporary alteration of
reality. It is a kind of illusion, but the illusions are
Enchantment: real for the duration of the magic. It is used to craft
disguises, to create advantages in battle, to add
The 30-Second Version drama to a scene, and more.
• Healing: A magician can hasten the natural heal-
Don’t want to read all the rules? Use this short-
ing process or perform miraculous cures, albeit at
hand version:
great cost.
Reduce Refresh by 1 to open up a magical talent,
such as Weather or Necromancy. Alternately, take a • Necromancy: Necromancers summon the spirits
high concept that makes your status as an enchanter of the dead, forcing them to answer questions, or
clear, and get a number of talents equal to your cause corpses to walk again.
Occult skill. • Refuge: You have access to a magical realm which
cannot be entered by ordinary means; you can

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practice magic in power and safety there, and it body, making up for his lack of power with uncon-
makes a handy prison. trolled magic.
• Shapeshift: Many magicians are able to adopt • Failures of Willpower inflict stress on the envi-
the form of a specific animal, but a few are able to ronment, as the enchanter’s lack of control allows
change their shape at will. the magic to spill across the Veil.
• Summon and Banish: You have the power to call If there was more than one skill involved, the EP
or dismiss animals, Faeries, or other supernatural come from multiple sources and the GM can pick from
beings from the surrounding region or from across any which apply.
the Veil. Stress from EP affect an enchanter’s stress tracks
• Travel: Supernatural travel is faster than ordinary and consequences normally, but consequences from
travel and skilled magicians can bring many allies enchantment take a special form: strange, linger-
with them, crossing impassable terrain at great ing, magical effects which make the enchanter’s life
speed. difficult, hinder, or harm him. These enchantment
consequences can sometimes have beneficial, if un-
• Unseen Hand: You can move objects without
controlled, side effects.
touching them; the power of the Unseen Hand can
also be used to strike physical blows using only
magic.
• Ward: You can use your magic to protect people, Ties
objects, or places. We know what happens if you try to cast
• Weather: This is the calling or dismissal of fair or an enchantment and fail: you acquire enough
Enchantment Points to turn your failure into a
inclement weather, including thunder and light- success. That’s at least 2 EP. But what happens
ning storms. if you tie?
Enchantments which tie should still succeed,
Magic includes short, relatively easy Words of Power but at a minor cost. The exact nature of this cost
and longer, more flexible, spells. Words of Power re- is left intentionally vague, in order to give GMs
some flexibility. You might decide the enchanter
quire only a single action and can be performed dur- just gains 1 EP and turns the tie into a success;
ing conflicts. They include useful combat magic like that’s perfectly fair. But something else could
happen: perhaps the spell succeeds, but it is de-
the Word of Striking or the Word of Slumber, which layed a round, attracts the attention of nearby
swiftly sends your enemy into a magical sleep. Spells guards, or is noticed by magical enemies who
now scry on the enchanter from afar?
are challenges usually requiring several minutes and As long as the spell succeeds at a minor cost,
requiring two to four actions using some combination you’re good.
of Occult, Confidence, and Willpower. Necromancy,
for example, has a spell which causes the dead to walk.
Spells can be hurried if you are willing to accept high-
er difficulty, or if you have the right stunts. Each talent
lists the words and spells associated with it.
In all but rare cases, enchantment cannot fail. A
Occult
mortal who resists enchantment forces the magician to Occult governs an enchanter’s knowledge of specific
unleash more and more magic from across the Veil in spells, magical traditions, supernatural creatures and
order to overcome that resistance, but the victor is sel- places (including Heaven, Hell, and Faerie), and all
dom in doubt. When an enchanter tries to cast a spell the denizens therein. It also measures your ability to
sense and perceive magic. Magicians roll Occult when
or use a Word of Power and his action fails, he instead
they are casting a spell that requires them to sense
succeeds at a cost: he generates one Enchantment
or perceive the flow of magic as they manipulate it,
Point (EP) for each shift required to turn his failed roll
when their knowledge of magic is matched against
into a success. This is not optional, and always turns
another magician (Dispel or Ward), or when they are
the failed roll into a success, not a tie or a success with
calling upon beings from Heaven, Hell, or across the
style. If the enchanter is working a spell, the EP add up Veil (Summon).
over each action until the spell is cast. Once the Word Enchanters with a magician high concept begin with
or the spell takes effect, the GM takes the EP and uses a number of magical talents equal to their Occult.
them to inflict stress on the enchanter or his environ- When an enchanter tries to work a spell with Occult
ment, depending on what sort of failure generated the and fails, magic overwhelms his mind and his senses.
EP in the first place. This can cause blindness or confusion, or it can cause
• Failures of Occult inflict mental stress as Faerie him to hear and see things which aren’t there, such as
enters the enchanter’s mind and threatens to drive hearing the blowing of Faerie horns or seeing people
him mad. no one else can see.
• Failures of Confidence inflict physical stress as Here are some stunts based on Occult which en-
Faerie magic courses through the enchanter’s chanters might find useful:
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• Sense Magic: Often called “the Sight.” This stunt primarily internal. Shapeshifting, Travel Magic, and
allows you to perceive magical effects with Notice Ward all rely heavily on Willpower, and Willpower is
and Investigate; the nature of your perceptions is your best defense against most magic. An enchanter
idiosyncratic however, wildly variable by magi- whose Willpower fails loses control of the magic as it
cian. Characters who have enchantment in their streams over from Faerie, resulting in an eruption of
high concept get Sense Magic for free. magic upon the environment. This can take almost
• Astrology: When you work a spell, you can roll any form, from the spontaneous transformation of ob-
Occult (once) to create an advantage during your jects to the arrival of Faerie creatures or an alteration
challenge as you work astrological names, sym- of the landscape.
bols, and terminology into your spell. This does Here are some Willpower stunts which a magician
not take up your action for the exchange. Several may find helpful:
variants of this stunt exist, each tapping a different • Unshakeable Will: Select one of your magical tal-
magical tradition, such as Numerology or Sacred ents. When you work a spell using that talent, you
Architecture. can roll Willpower while also rolling another skill
• Master Occultist: Select one of your magical tal- in the challenge in the same exchange. You can do
ents. When you work a spell using that talent, you this once per spell. You can select this stunt more
can roll Occult while also rolling another skill in than once, picking a different talent each time.
the challenge in the same exchange. You can do • Master of Shapes: You have a +2 on Willpower
this once per spell. You can select this stunt more rolls to work Shapeshifting. There are variants
than once, picking a different talent each time. of this stunt for each magical talent that uses
• Enchanting Spell: When you inflict stress on Willpower.
another character using magic, you can choose
to inflict enchantment consequences instead of
physical or mental consequences.
The Magical Talents
Confidence Binding
Confidence measures a magician’s power to impose Binding spells are most often used to force animals,
his will on others (turning someone into a newt, for Faeries, or demons into obedience. However, they can
example) and upon the environment (weather magic). also be used to imprison or dominate the wills of spe-
It also measures his magical “oomph” in situations cific individuals.
where power is more important than fine control. An Merlin himself became the victim of a Binding spell
enchanter who fails while rolling Confidence is forced when he unsuccessfully wooed Nimue. She was afraid
to allow magic to pour through his body, making up of him because he was the Devil’s son, and he would
for his weakness with raw power. This can cause crip- not go away or accept no for an answer. Because he
pling debilitations or strange physical effects, such as was enchanted, he gladly taught her all his magic, in-
the loss of your own shadow or a magical slumber. cluding Binding magic, and she used that same power
Here are some Confidence stunts which magicians to imprison him forever under a stone. Gwenbaus, a
may find helpful: French clerk taught magic by Merlin, bound an entire
gathering of knights and their ladies to dance perpetu-
• Great Confidence: Select one of your magical tal- ally, breaking only for food and necessary sleep. They
ents. When you work a spell using that talent, you were eventually rescued by Lancelot, but not before
can roll Confidence while also rolling another skill they had lost both their memories and their minds.
in the challenge in the same exchange. You can do
this once per spell. You can select this stunt more Binding Spell (Spell)
than once, picking a different talent each time.
Over several minutes, you craft a powerful spell
• Confident Necromancer: You have a +2 on which binds the victim to your will. As long as the
Confidence rolls to work Necromancy, including spell remains potent, the victim will continue to obey
both spells and Words of Power. There are variants you, but all the while he is silently, secretly, struggling
of this stunt for each magical talent (Confident to resist. When he does, watch out.
Hand, Confident Weatherman, and so on).
Mechanics: Your control over the subject is repre-

Willpower sented by an aspect which acts a little bit like a

character. It has a Binding skill and a stress track.
The victim of your spell will periodically try to
Willpower measures a magician’s precision, fi-
nesse, and control. Willpower is also important when break free of the binding using his Willpower,
working magic upon yourself or when the magic is while your aspect provides active opposition.

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When the victim wins the contest, he inflicts stress Mechanics: Your imprisonment of the victim is
on the aspect you have placed on him. Eventually, represented by a consequence which you create
he either gives up or inflicts more stress than it and place on him; the severity of the consequence
has, Taking Out the spell. determines the length of the imprisonment. This
The Challenge: Each step of the Binding spell takes spell can only be performed on a victim who is
about a minute. If you have less time, the difficulty willing or already helpless, usually after being
goes up. Taken Out. He is unharmed during the time of the
• Craft the Binding: Roll Willpower to create an imprisonment, awake and able to act on things
advantage, describing the aspect you are about to within his prison, but nothing he does can affect
place on the victim. The difficulty is equal to your anything outside the prison.
own Confidence. When you succeed, the aspect The Challenge: A spell of imprisonment takes a
gains a Binding skill equal to your Confidence. If little time to complete. Each action requires about
your victim is already bound by another binding a minute. Increase the difficulty if you are rushed.
spell, you realize this and your spell fails, generat- • Craft the Prison: Use Willpower to create an
ing 1 EP. You will have to dispel the original bind- aspect that describes the imprisonment you are
ing spell before trying again. about to inflict. A Minor consequence is Fair (+2)
• Bind the Crowd: This is an optional step. You can difficulty, a moderate one is Great (+4), severe
extend the Binding to multiple victims, if they are is Fantastic (+6) and an extreme consequence is
all present and they are all Nameless NPCs. Roll Legendary (+8).
Confidence. The difficulty is +3 for up to half a • Give It Permanence: Roll Confidence against the
dozen people, +6 for groups up to a couple of doz- same difficulty you used to Craft the Prison. Minor
en, and +9 for groups up to about a hundred. consequences imprison the victim for a scene.
• Make It Tough: Roll Confidence and generate 1 Major ones imprison him for the session. Severe
EP. The aspect gains stress boxes equal to your consequences keep him imprisoned for the dura-
total. tion of the scenario, and extreme consequences
• Make It Last: If you don’t take this step, the victim keep the victim imprisoned until further notice.
can roll Willpower to break free every exchange. • Make the Prison Hard to Get To: Roll Occult with
Otherwise, roll Occult. The difficulty is +3 (Good) a difficulty of +2. The prison is in an out-of-the-
for spells that allow resistance rolls every scene. way place, but can be reached by most people. If
Increase the difficulty to Fantastic (+6) if the victim it is very hard to reach, raise the difficulty to +4. If
can resist every session. If the victim can resist it can only be reached by magic, the difficulty is
only every scenario, the difficulty is +9. +6. Mortal magicians cannot imprison people in
Presuming you succeed, the victim gains the aspect Heaven or Hell, but Faerie is an option. The dif-
you have created. You may give him a command. On ficulty is +8.
his next action, he gets an immediate chance to break • Hide It: Now you must make the prison secret,
the Binding, rolling Willpower against your aspect’s placing it somewhere out of sight. Roll Occult with
Binding skill. Further attempts to damage the Binding a difficulty of +2. The prison can be found with
are restricted by your decisions during the “Make It Investigation or other skills. Increase the difficulty
Last” step, above. As long as the aspect remains on to +4 if it is especially hard to find, and raise it to
the victim, he will obey your commands to the best of +6 if it can only be detected through magic. If you
his ability. put the prison in Faerie, the difficulty is +8.
However, if you order the victim to do something • Make It Hard to Break Open: Roll Confidence
which his aspects oppose, he can invoke that aspect for with a difficulty of +2. Once the prison is found,
an immediate chance to break the spell. He may even the prisoner can be released in a fairly simple,
have multiple aspects to invoke, boosting Willpower. straight-forward way. If freeing the prisoner re-
Supporting characters get a +2 on all attempts to break quires special skills or is especially hard, raise the
a binding spell, and Named NPCs get a +4. difficulty to +4. If he can be freed only with magic,
You have no intrinsic ability to know the status of raise the difficulty to +6. And if the conditions by
your binding spell. It can be damaged or even de- which he can be freed appear to be impossible, the
stroyed without your knowledge. difficulty is +8.
Presuming you succeed, the victim is imprisoned
Spell of Imprisonment for the duration you set. If he is released, the conse-
With a long ritual performed upon a helpless foe, quence goes away or—in the case of an extreme conse-
you call a fragment of the Other Side into the world quence—is renamed.
and shape it into a custom prison from which your en-
emy cannot escape.

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Word of Enslavement It was through this magic that Sir Marrok was
cursed to be a werewolf by his wife, and it was through
(Word of Power) this magic that Garlon, the Fisher King’s brother, was
With a commanding gesture and an authoritative blessed with the power of invisibility.
word, you dominate the will of a single person, forcing
him to obey you. Blessing or Curse (Spell)
Mechanics: Use your Confidence as an attack gen- You craft a vile curse or a benevolent blessing and
erating mental stress. You generate 1 EP and the work it into a person, place, or object using magic, pa-
victim defends with Willpower. If your roll would tience, and skill.
fail, you instead succeed but generate 1 additional Mechanics: Blessings and curses are represented
EP for every required shift. with aspects, so decide what you want the aspect
If the victim suffers a consequence, he falls to be.
under your control and the new consequence The Challenge: Working a blessing or a curse takes
(Nobody’s Home, Yes My Master, Dominated) rep- time. Each of the steps below takes about five min-
resents that. Each turn, he can roll Willpower utes. If you are rushed, increase the difficulty.
against passive opposition equal to your
• Unravel Current Magic: If the target is already the
Confidence to break free from the domination, but
victim of a blessing or a curse, you must unmake
you can invoke the consequence to increase the
it with your own magic before your own spell can
opposition. If he succeeds on this contest, the con- take effect. Roll Occult with the same difficulties
sequence is renamed to something like Haunted by listed under “Craft It” but add +2 Difficulty if your
What I Done or He Was in My Head, and it begins target is not present, and +4 if he is across the Veil.
recovery. Regardless, when the scene ends, so does You can’t unravel a blessing or a curse on someone
your control. in Heaven or Hell. Your own roll can fail, but if you
If the victim would be Taken Out by the stress succeed, the old spell ends. Generate 1 EP. If all
your Word inflicts, he is instead still in the scene you wanted to do was break a curse or end a bless-
but you control him until the scene’s end. If he ing, you’re done.
doesn’t have one already, give him an aspect that
• Craft It: Roll Occult. The difficulty is derived from
represents your control. the aspect you are trying to create. A mild effect
If the victim concedes before receiving stress, he like Good Luck or I’m Having a Bad Day can be eas-
falls under your control but the GM must clarify ily brushed off; that’s Fair (+2). A moderate effect
what you can and cannot order him to do. For is going to get noticed (Sweepstakes Winner), and
example, he might fight his friends, but they will at least in the case of a curse, is going to take some
only be captured or left for dead, not killed. work to overcome; that’s Great (+4). A serious effect
Controlled characters keep their physical stress makes your life miraculously better (I Can Walk!)
tracks but lose access to any unused consequence or a nightmare (Cancer Patient); it can be all but im-
slots. If they are attacked in a way that would cause possible to function with a curse of this level. That
mental stress, you defend on their behalf and suf- is Fantastic (+6). Finally, a Legendary (+8) blessing
fer any stress they would suffer. If they would take or curse can transform the target almost without
a consequence, they are instead Taken Out. limit, including turning him into something awful
You must spend your action to give commands (Where Wolf? There Wolf! or You’re a Newt).
to controlled characters, but the command can be • Delayed Effect: This is optional. You can decide to
open ended and can be delivered to multiple char- keep the blessing or the curse suspended for later
acters at once: “Kill them!” is traditional. The GM release. For example, you may create a short-dura-
may ask for Leadership rolls to get a controlled tion curse which you intend to release when you
character to do something he is strongly against confront your enemy in person. Or, you can put
doing, but if the victim would have been Taken the blessing or curse in a potion to be drunk, or an
Out by your Word, or if they conceded, this will ointment to be spread. Roll Occult with difficulty
not be necessary. of Good (+3).
• Place It: Now you have to put the blessing or curse
Blessings and Curses on its subject. Roll Confidence. If your target is a
person and unwilling, he resists with Willpower
Divine blessings and ancient family curses are some
and your spell can fail. If your target is not physi-
of the oldest forms of magic. In Arthur Lives!, this is
cally present and you didn’t choose to delay the
represented chiefly through aspects placed on a per-
spell’s effect, raise the difficulty by +2; raise this
son, an object, or a place. Blessings and curses cannot modifier to +4 if you are casting across the Faerie
be removed through the Dispel talent, but an enchant- Veil. If your target is in Heaven or Hell, you can’t
er knowledgeable in curses can try to break one. affect them with this spell.

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• Make It Stick: This is optional. If you don’t at- talent, but you must have the magical talent you
tempt it, the blessing or curse lasts for the rest of are trying to Counterspell. In other words, if you
the current scene. Otherwise, roll Confidence to have Glamour you can Counterspell Glamour, but
give the blessing or curse a duration. +4 opposition not Necromancy.
will last for the session, +6 opposition lasts for the Mechanics: Counterspell is an Occult contest; you
scenario, +8 opposition lasts for the arc and +10 generate 1 EP and the magician you are trying
opposition lasts for the campaign. to counter gets active opposition. If your roll is
If you succeeded with the challenge, your target ac- higher, the opposing magician can choose to gen-
quires your new aspect and whatever effect it brings. erate EP equal to your shifts or allow his spell to
You can easily sustain only one blessing or curse at fail. If the opposing magician wins the contest, you
a time. Each active curse or blessing you have going generate 1 EP and the original spell completes nor-
adds +2 to all opposition rolls when you try to cre- mally. If your contest is a tie, the spell is delayed or
ate another. suspended for one round.
You can try to Counterspell even when it’s not
Dispel your turn, but this generates an additional 2 EP.
Counterspell cannot itself be countered.
Magic can break spells as well as make them. Dispel
has additional uses in battle where it can counterspell
rival magicians, and it can even negate or suspend the
Revealing Word (Word of Power)
working of powerful items. With a word and a gesture, you dispel the illusion
concealing a faerie creature’s true form, revealing its
The Dis-Spell (Spell) actual appearance to everyone present.
Slowly and carefully, you find a weakness in another Mechanics: Use this word to permanently dispel
magician’s spell and take the whole thing apart. a dressing placed upon a Faerie creature. See
Mechanics: Dispelling another spell is a relatively Chapter 9 for more information on dressings. This
straightforward challenge, but it does take time. is a relatively simple and straight-forward process,
Each action lasts about a minute. If you are but it comes at a cost. The Revealing Word takes
rushed, the difficulty goes up. You have to be in the one exchange and you generate Enchantment
presence of the spell, where you can inspect it, in Points equal to the Scale of the target creature. You
order to dispel it. must be in the same scene as the creature and able
Dispel cannot interfere with magical talents to see it. There’s no roll required; the Revealing
which already include their own opposite power: Word always works.
Blessings and Curses, for example, or Summon and If multiple creatures have been dressed the same
Banish. However, it can be used to disrupt most (because they are all the same kind of creature and
other ongoing magical effects, including Binding, were all dressed at the same time), and you are in
Emotion magic, Glamour, Necromancy, Shapeshift, the same scene with them and can see them, you
Weather magic, and Wards. can dispel all their dressings at the same time. Add
The Challenge: Unlike ordinary enchantment, all of 1 additional Enchantment Point for each addition-
the actions in this challenge can fail. Each action al creature targeted in this way.
generates 1 EP. If the caster of the original spell is
present when you try to dispel it, the opposition is Divination
active. Otherwise, it’s passive. Strictly speaking, divination is the ability to com-
• Figure It Out: Roll Occult to overcome a difficulty municate with a deity: God or one of the pagan deities.
equal to the caster’s Occult. However, in Arthur Lives! this magical talent is also
• Pull Some of It Loose: Roll Willpower to over- used to represent any kind of supernatural knowledge.
come a difficulty equal to the caster’s Willpower. Magicians with divination simply know things.
• Apply Leverage: Roll Confidence to overcome a Merlin is the most famous example of divination
difficulty equal to the caster’s Confidence. magic. Because his father was the Devil, he was born
If you succeed, the target spell ends. with absolute knowledge of everything in the past.
But because his mother was a virtuous nun devoted to
Counterspell (Word of Power) God, he also had knowledge of the future. He used this
As another magician directs a spell, you raise a knowledge to save his own life when, as a child, he was
hand in forceful gesture and use your own magic to found and almost sacrificed by King Vortigern.
interfere. There are many ways to perform divination rites,
from the reading of animal entrails to astrology, the
• Special: You can use Counterspell against another
use of tarot cards, or the reading of tea leaves. Most
magical effect even if you don’t have the Dispel

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magicians will have one particular form of divination

which they prefer. Diviners understand that magic is
Emotion
around us and working on us all the time; while the British enchanters are famous for their ability to
stars or other guides may show us the future, just as play on the emotions of others, inciting loyalty, pas-
important is our ability to perceive and understand the sion, gladness, grief, or sleep, often through music.
forces acting on us right now. If we could do that, we Mechanically, Emotion magic allows the magician to
could see our own futures more clearly. compel, modify, or create emotion-based aspects on
the target. It can also be used to compel a specific nar-
Answer Question (Word of Power) row set of responses in the target.
You know things. This Word of Power cannot be cho- The most famous example of Emotion magic is the
sen through a stunt. You have to have the Divination love potion crafted for Isolde and intended for her
talent to use it. husband, King Mark. But instead, Tristan and Isolde
Mechanics: Divination begins with a question. shared the potion on the journey back from Ireland,
The difficulty of the question creates passive op- and so their love affair began. Once, when Merlin
position for an overcome action using Occult. discovered King Pellinore about to kill Arthur in a
The difficulty is up to the GM, but here are some duel, the magician quickly put Pellinore into a mag-
guidelines. ical sleep.
• Average (+1): Almost everyone already Emotion Magic (Spell)
knows this.
The basic effect of Emotion magic is to compel one
• Fair (+2): Most people know this already. of the target’s aspects, forcing him to act on that as-
• Good: (+3): Most people don’t know this. pect. (The target gets a Fate point for the compel.) The
• Great (+4): Only highly specialized experts magician does not have control over the manner in
would know the answer. which the target acts or responds to stimulus, but by
• Superb (+5): Known only to a few mortals. careful stage-managing or suggestion can try to point
• Fantastic (+6): No one on Earth knows the the target in a particular direction. Alternately, you
answer. can place one of three aspects on the target: Happy
Enough to Laugh, Sad Enough to Cry, or Weary Enough to
• Epic (+7): Only great powers in Heaven, Hell, Fall Asleep.
or Faerie know the answer.
The Challenge: Emotion magic must be worked
• Legendary (+8): Only God knows the answer. upon someone in your presence. It takes a little
This difficulty presumes a simple yes-or-no answer, time, usually at least a minute for each action
or a cryptic response to a complex question. Long, in the challenge, but is very subtle. For this
clear, detailed answers will be harder. reason, enchanters often conceal the magic in
Unlike most Words of Power, Divination can be music (Performance), carefully crafted speeches
made easier by creating advantages first. This is usu- (Leadership), or crafty lies (Deceive). Any of these
ally done with Occult, as you invoke astrology, read skills might be used to create an advantage while
tea leaves, or consult your ouija board. These actions working the spell, without any increase in difficul-
can take considerable time, depending on the form of ty. Alternately, if your target is not around, you can
divination you are trying to use, but they aren’t strictly put the spell into a potion. Try not to lose it.
speaking necessary. If you want, you can simply phrase
the question and answer it in a single action. • Create the Aspect: This step is optional. Your tar-
Also, unlike most enchantment, there is no auto- get may be a Nameless NPC without aspects, or
matic success. Divination rolls fail or succeed nor- you may be working on a group which is unlikely
mally and generate EP equal to the difficulty. If you to share the same aspect. If you want them to feel
succeed with style, you get an especially clear or help- it, you have to feel it too. Roll Willpower to create
ful answer. an emotion-based aspect you want to put on them,
with a difficulty of +3. If you’re using one of the
Divination Stunt three traditional aspects associated with Emotion
magic, you can skip this step.
• Dipsomancer: You drink and you know things.
• Alter an Aspect: Alternately, you may want to
If you are drunk while using Divination, you don’t
change an aspect the target has, fine tuning it to
need to roll Occult to create an advantage, you
your needs. I Hate Asians might become I Hate
automatically have a +2 bonus. This is just one
Everyone or Asians Must Die. This is advanced
example of the many forms of Divination possible,
Emotion magic. Roll Occult opposed by the tar-
and each can be replicated with its own stunt.
get’s Willpower.

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• Compel It: Compel the aspect using Confidence, changes it; those changes are temporary, but while
opposed by the subject’s Willpower. If you win, the they are here, the world is a different place. Glamour
target gets a Fate point for the compel. If you chose is one of the most potent and most flexible weapons in
one of the three traditional options, the target the arsenal of an enchanter, but when the magic fades,
becomes happy and laughs, sad and cries, or tired so does its power. Someone slain by a glamour will be
and falls asleep. If you lose, your target still feels alive again when the spell ends.
the emotion but is not compelled to act on it. This Morgan once used the power of Glamour to trans-
is an exception to the usual rules for Enchantment, form herself and several soldiers into trees, eluding
and you do not generate EP to turn your failure pursuit by Arthur and his men. But the most famous
into a success. use of Glamour was Merlin’s spell of disguise, which
• Now the Rest: If you are using Emotion magic transformed Uther Pendragon into the semblance of
on a group, roll Confidence. The difficulty is +2 Duke Gorlois of Cornwall. At the same time, Merlin
for a small group of half a dozen people, +4 for a changed his own appearance and that of Duke Ulfius
couple dozen people, or +6 for a crowd of about a to that of two of Gorlois’s most trusted companions.
The glamour lasted for a night, during which Arthur
hundred. If you’re using Emotion magic on every-
was conceived and the real Gorlois died in battle.
one in a stadium: +8. Using Emotion magic on a
The spell was convincing enough to fool Igraine, the
group like this only works on Nameless NPCs with
Duke’s wife, even in intimacy.
a Willpower equal to or lower than the target of
your Confidence roll in the previous step. Spell of Glamour (Spell)
• Make It Last: If you don’t perform this action, your By invoking the power of the Other Side, you temporar-
compel (and any aspect you created or modified) ily alter reality—transforming an object, turning it into
lasts for only a single exchange. To make the ef- something else, or simply creating it out of thin air.
fect last for the scene, roll Confidence against a
Mechanics: Spells of Glamour are performed as
difficulty of +3. If you succeed with style, it lasts an
challenges. First, decide what you want to create
additional scene. Emotion magic is too fleeting to
or change and for how long you want the glamour
last longer than that.
to last. This determines the difficulty for the chal-
• Potions: You can place your spell into a potion. lenge which follows. As with other enchantments,
Roll Occult with a difficulty of Good (+3). if you fail a challenge, you instead generate 1 EP
for every shift necessary to turn your failure into a
Word of Slumber (Word of Power) success.
With a gesture, the target of your magic falls into a • Fair (+2): Cosmetic alteration of an individual;
temporary but supernatural sleep. create a small and ordinary object.
Mechanics: Use your Confidence to create an advan- • Great (+4): Significant alterations of the target,
tage on a single character, something like You Are but it is still recognizable; create an anonymous
Feeling Very Sleepy, Zzzz, or just Magical Slumber. human-sized entity.
You generate 1 EP. • Fantastic (+6): Major alterations; the target
The target defends with Willpower. If you fail, might no longer be recognizable. Create some-
you instead generate 1 additional EP for every shift thing as big as a bear.
required to turn your failure into a success. The • Legendary (+8): Change one thing into another
target character is now in a magical sleep from completely different thing. Create something as
which he can emerge with a successful overcome big as the biggest animal.
action using Willpower against passive opposition Modifiers: If your target is an entire zone, or a few
equal to your Confidence. You can invoke the as- people in it, add +2 to the opposition. If your target
pect you created to raise that opposition by +2 for is an entire scene or a crowd of people, add +4 in-
one action. Regardless, the sleep ends at the end of stead. If your glamour has a supernatural power (a
the scene. flaming sword) add +2. If it has multiple such pow-
ers (a dragon) add +4.
Glamour The Challenge: Glamour can be created pretty
quickly. Each action in the challenge below takes
The ignorant and uninitiated think of glamour as a
kind of illusion, for it makes people appear in differ- only a single exchange.
ent forms, creates warriors and monsters out of thin • If you are creating something out of nothing,
air, and indeed can alter the very terrain on which we you must bring an object across the Veil from
stand. But this fails to account for one very important Faerie to provide raw material. Straw, leaves, or
fact: So long as the magic of the glamour endures, snow are common choices. Roll Occult to over-
the things it conjures are real. Glamour calls magic come the difficulty you calculated above. If this
from the Other Side which erupts into our world and step is necessary, it must be done first.
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• Create the shape of the glamour; you may be Nancy didn’t fail any of her actions, so she didn’t
transforming a mundane object or person, generate any Enchantment Points. But she’s still in
or fashioning the shape out of whatever you danger, and the agents are close behind.
brought from Faerie. Roll Willpower; the diffi-
culty is the same. Conjuring the Obedient Soldier
• Fill the shapes you have created with power and (Word of Power)
make them real. Roll Confidence; the difficulty is With a bold gesture and a spoken call, you create a
the same. fully armed and armored warrior out of thin air. The
• If you want the glamour to last for longer than one warrior will obey your commands until he is “killed”
action, roll Occult to establish a more long-lasting or the scene ends, whereupon he (and all the injuries
link to the Other Side. The difficulty is +2 to make he dealt) vanish as quickly as he came.
the glamour last for a scene, +4 for the session, +6 Mechanics: Soldiers created by this Word have a
for the scenario, +8 for the arc, or +10 for the entire single skill column which can be no higher than
campaign. Apply the modifiers listed previously your Confidence. To conjure him, roll an overcome
for scale and supernatural powers as well. action using Occult with passive opposition equal
Once you succeed, your glamour becomes “real” for to the soldier’s best skill. This action generates 1 EP
the duration of the spell. Each time you suffer a conse- and, if you fail, convert the failure to a success by
quence, this disturbs your concentration enough that generating EP, according to the normal rules for
one of your glamours ends. If you are ever killed, all enchantment.
your glamours immediately end. When your glamour Your warrior’s highest skill is either Archery, Brawl,
ends for any reason, any stress and consequences dealt Melee, or Firearms. Subsequent skills are Physique,
by it vanish. If someone is Taken Out by your glamour, Athletics, Provoke, or additional combat skills. He has
that individual recovers from that condition immedi- a single 1-hit stress box. He is armed with one weapon
ately. If your glamour kills someone, that individual appropriate to his highest skill and Armor:1. He obeys
returns to life when the spell ends. your commands and lasts for the scene or until de-
Example: Nancy Waterman is in her home alone stroyed. If you succeed with style, you can choose to
when FBI agents sent by the Masons break down her either summon an identical pair of warriors, or you
door. She flees into the bathroom, figuring they will can upgrade your single warrior’s armor and weapon
find her in a few seconds. Her first impulse is to create and give him a second 1-shift stress box.
a tidal wave of water behind the door so that, when the
agents open it, they will be washed down the corridor Word of Blinding (Word of Power)
while she runs for the exit. But this will require her to With a gesture, you invoke magic from across the
both create something out of nothing and establish a Veil to create a brilliant flash of light that blinds an en-
duration, making her spell take 4 actions. She doesn’t emy long enough for you to escape.
have that kind of time. Mechanics: Use your Occult to create an advantage
Instead, she decides to glamour a door out of the such as I Can’t See!, Momentary Blindness or Bright
house from her bathroom. Putting it in the shower Light! Bright Light! The difficulty is equal to your
should work. This is a human-sized object, and putting own Confidence. Add +2 difficulty to affect everyone
a door into a wall sounds Significant but not Major, in a zone or +4 difficulty to affect everyone in the
so the GM rules it as Great (+4) opposition. She won’t scene, but the Word never affects you. If you fail,
have to create something out of nothing or extend the generate enough EP to turn your roll into a success.
duration, so the challenge will only take two actions. Other characters affected by the blindness can
First, she shapes the glamour using her Willpower roll overcome actions using Confidence to shake off
and rolls a +5. Success! The door begins to take shape the blindness; they are passively opposed by your
in the shower, appearing as a translucent image. Confidence, but you can invoke the aspect you created
Outside, the agents arrive outside the door. On her to add +2 to this opposition.
next turn, Nancy rolls Confidence to make the door
real. She rolls only a +4 and ties. The GM rules that Glamour Stunts
the door becomes real... But it’s stuck and won’t open!
• Eternal Beauty: You have used Glamour to dis-
Meanwhile, FBI agents pound on the bathroom door
guise your age and ugliness. You always appear
and order her to open it. Desperately tugging at the
young and beautiful. This does not count as “cast-
door, Nancy yells back, “Just a second! I’m in the show-
ing a spell on yourself,” so you can recover from
er!” She’s not lying.
enchantment normally. There is a way to end your
On her next turn, Nancy gets the stuck door open.
spell, usually by being Taken Out or by breaking
She runs out as the FBI agents bash into the bathroom.
an object like a mirror. If this happens, you are
The door is actually still visible, but it vanishes before
revealed, but you can restore the spell next session.
they can move through it.

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Healing Miraculous Word (Word of Power)

Healing magic is rare and potent; short of a divine Use this to allow a character to rename an extreme
miracle, all a magician can typically do is hasten the consequence. The aspect doesn’t go away! But the re-
usual rate of recovery. cipient of the magic can rename it early, without wait-
Sir Gareth was gravely wounded by a Faerie knight ing for a major milestone.
summoned by Dame Lynette, who wanted to ensure Mechanics: Roll Confidence against a +10 difficulty.
the young knight did not sleep with Lynette’s sister Generate 1 EP, plus 1 more EP for every shift neces-
until the lovers were married. When the time came sary to turn a failed roll into a success. When the
for Gareth to compete in a tournament for the sister’s recipient renames his extreme consequence, he
hand, Lynette used healing magic to repair Gareth’s may end up with an enchantment instead.
wounds, enabling him to fight.
All of the healing effects described here can be made
into ointments which can be preserved indefinitely
Necromancy
for later use but which only work on physical injury. Magic which deals with the spirits and bodies of the
This is an Occult action with Fair (+2) difficulty. The dead is called Necromancy; it is a dark art and often
ointment must be spread over the wound, requiring at shunned even by those who acknowledge its useful-
least one action. ness. It has three basic uses: to speak to the spirits
of the dead, usually for advice or guidance; to make
Mending Spell (Spell) a corpse walk; and to force those walking corpses to
You can use magic to justify recovery from a conse- obey the necromancer’s will.
quence. For physical injuries, this is usually some kind Merlin was often called a necromancer, but the most
of “laying on of hands.” For mental consequences, it famous necromancer is the Witch of Endor, who sum-
might involve a spell to remove confusion or to clear moned up the spirit of the dead prophet Samuel on
your head. Although this is resolved with only a single the orders of Saul, King of Israel.
roll, it still takes more time than a Word of Power and
cannot be done in a conflict.
Questioning the Dead (Spell)
Like the Witch of Endor, you call up a dead spirit to
Mechanics: Roll Confidence with a difficulty of +2
answer your questions.
for a minor consequence, +4 for moderate, and +6
for severe. Generate 1 EP. If you fail, generate 1 ad- The Challenge: Questioning the dead takes time.
ditional EP for each shift necessary to turn your Each action usually requires a few minutes. If you
roll into a success. The consequence can be re- have access to the spirit’s bodily remains, or are at
named and is now in the process of normal recov- the scene of death, this is a good way to create ad-
ery. It might get transformed into an enchantment. vantages which make the spell easier to cast.
• Call It: First you must get the spirit’s attention.
Word of Hope (Word of Power) This is an overcome action with Occult. If you’re
You place your hand on a wound and mutter under calling a random and anonymous shade or a will-
your breath; the target of your spell is reminded of ing subject, the difficulty is Fair (+2). If you call a
something worth living for, the memory of which is spirit by name and it doesn’t want to come, it op-
suddenly bright and ever-present. Thus stirred, all poses you with Willpower and a +2 bonus.
injures seem somehow less serious; the severity of • Make It Visible: Ordinarily, you can perceive the
the consequence is reduced by one step, to a mini- spirit but no one else can. If you want to manipu-
mum of minor. late magic so as to make the spirit visible, roll
Mechanics: Roll Confidence. If you are reducing a Willpower to overcome Good (+3) difficulty.
moderate consequence to minor, the difficulty is • Ask the Question: Some spirits will answer
Fantastic (+6). If you are reducing a severe conse- questions voluntarily. If you have to force it, roll
quence to moderate, the difficulty is Legendary Confidence opposed by the spirit’s Willpower.
(+8). Generate 1 EP. If your roll fails, generate an • Have a Conversation: If you skip this step, the
additional EP for each shift necessary to turn your spirit vanishes after a single response. If you want
roll into a success. The consequence is renamed it to linger, roll Confidence opposed by Willpower.
and might turn into an enchantment. The GM may ask you to roll again, and the diffi-
culty will steadily increase.
As residents of the afterworld, spirits have super-
natural knowledge beyond their mortal lives. They re-
spond to one question, simply if the answer is simple
but cryptically if the answer is complex.

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Spell of the Walking Dead command all corpses in a zone, raise opposition by
+2, or by +4 if you are commanding all corpses in
You make repeated bold gestures and call upon a scene. If you want the corpse to obey you for the
the dead... or upon dark powers such as the Lords of duration of the scene, add +2, or add +4 instead for
Annwn, the Unseelie Court, or the Devil himself. In the corpse to obey you for the rest of the session.
answer to your call, the dead rise.
If your Occult roll fails, you instead generate 1
The Challenge: It takes a little while to get your un- EP for each shift necessary to turn the failure into
dead army walking. Each action in the challenge a success. The corpse will do as you command, but
takes about five minutes. If you have less time, the when unsupervised it will act according to its nat-
difficulty goes up. ural impulses—which usually means it tries to kill
• Establish a Link: If the corpse you are trying to any living thing it perceives. Enchantment points
raise is not in your presence, you need to estab- accrued from Necromancy are particularly nasty
lish a connection to it. Roll Occult. The difficulty and tend to backfire on the enchanter.
is +2 for a body buried in a grave you are present If the corpse is already under the control of
at. Raise the difficulty by +2 if it is somewhere someone else—usually another necromancer—
else in the world, or by +4 if it or you are across things change. Instead of the usual opposition, the
the Veil; this presumes you can somehow ob- necromancer opposes your Occult roll with his
serve the grave or corpse, by video or magic; if Confidence. Unlike other enchantments, you can
you are “casting blind,” add another +2. fail. And, of course, someone else can steal con-
• Make It Walk: Roll Confidence with difficulty trol of the corpses by successfully using this Word
+3. This will animate a Nameless NPC corpse upon them. If you want to prevent that, you’ll need
minion with Average (+1) Physique. For Fair to supervise them or put a Ward on them.
corpses, raise the difficulty by +3, and for Good
corpses raise it by +6 instead. Fill in the rest of its Calling the Fiendish Corpse (Spell)
single skill column with Brawl, Melee, Provoke, You perform a ritual over a dead body, taking at least
Confidence, or Athletics. several minutes, making repeated bold physical ges-
• And Now the Rest: Make a Willpower roll with tures, and loudly invoking the name of the deceased.
difficulty equal to the number of corpses you are At the completion of the rite, black magic and the
calling. If you’re only calling one corpse, you can spirit of the dead combine to bring a semblance of life.
skip this step. Use this spell to animate a Named NPC of greater
• Black Magic: You can give your corpses an addi- power and intelligence than a walking corpse.
tional aspect. Roll Occult and the difficulty is +3. Fiendish corpses are touched by infernal powers: a de-
Add +3 or +6 to give it one or two stress boxes. mon from Hell or a similar dark force from the Faerie
• Make It Last: If you skip this step, the corpse underworld. They remember the events of their life
walks only so long as you devote all your atten- but, regardless of their prior behavior, they are now
tion to it. Otherwise, roll Confidence. A duration thoroughly and irrevocably evil.
for the scene is Fair (+2) difficulty, the session is The Challenge: Calling a fiendish corpse takes
Great (+4) and the scenario is Fantastic (+6). time. Each action in this challenge takes about five
Animated corpses have the aspect Already Dead; minutes, less if you are willing to rush it (raise the
unless you used Black Magic, they have no stress difficulty).
boxes. They are not mindless, but they will generally • Establish a Link: If the corpse you are trying to
obey the necromancer’s commands. In the absence raise is not in your presence, you need to estab-
of other directions, they murder all living things. The lish a connection to it. Roll Occult. The difficulty
more skilled the corpse, the more intelligent it is and is +2 for a body buried in a grave you are present
the more able to communicate. If they get uppity, use at. Raise the difficulty by +2 if it is somewhere
Command the Corpse. else in the world, or by +4 if it or you are across
the Veil; this presumes you are observing the
Command the Corpse grave or corpse remotely, such as by video or
(Word of Power) crystal ball. If you are casting blind, add another
You point at a walking corpse and command it to +2 difficulty.
obey you, perhaps invoking a higher power. Use this • First Skill Column: Roll Confidence with a dif-
spell to command any Nameless NPC corpse animated ficulty equal to 2 + the number of skills in the
through Necromancy. corpse’s smallest skill column.
Mechanics: Generate 1 EP. Roll Occult in an over- • Additional Skill Columns: If the fiendish
come action opposed by the corpse’s Willpower corpse has more than one skill column (and
(which is probably +0). If you are trying to this is something your GM determines), roll

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Confidence again for each in ascending order. Your refuge has a number of aspects equal to your
Trying to animate a spirit with several high skill Willpower. You select these aspects.
columns can earn you an astonishing amount Your refuge has one skill column with a highest rank
of enchantment points and, being Necromancy, equal to your Occult. Its best skill is always Size. Select
this is especially bad. its other skills from the following list:
• Animate It with an Evil Spirit: Roll Occult to • Access: Your refuge has one entrance/exit for every
bind a demon into the corpse and give it a sem- point in this skill. These entrances do not have to
blance of life. Use the corpse’s highest skill as lead from mundane places which are near each
passive opposition. You get a random demon other. You might, for example, have one entrance
unless you know a particular demon’s name, in lead from a Paris street corner and another from
which case it resists you with Willpower. the Great Barrier Reef. You may even choose to
Once you succeed, the corpse rises. Fiendish corpses have your entrance be on the Other Side, across
are not under the necromancer’s control, but can be the Faerie Veil. If an entrance to your Refuge
bargained with, threatened, or appeased. The magic should be destroyed (the cave collapses, the ward-
which animates them does not naturally dissipate; robe burned), you can replace it next scenario. If
unless dispelled, the fiendish corpse remains until your refuge does not have this skill, there’s no way
destroyed. out of it, and the only way into it is the Word of
Vanishing. It makes an excellent prison.
Refuge • Awareness: If your refuge has this skill, you know
what goes on within it. Substitute Awareness for
Some enchanters have access to a secret, mystical Notice, and you can “see” anywhere in your refuge
domain. There, they can rest and recover from injury, at any time. You can specifically roll an overcome
safe in the knowledge that they cannot be attacked or action with Awareness whenever someone enters
even located by their enemies. A magician with this your refuge, in order to detect them and know
talent has such a refuge and has control over the lim- their identity. Awareness may also substitute for
ited routes by which it can be accessed. Empathy or Investigate in some situations.
The Ladies of the Lake are the most famous wield-
ers of this talent. Each has her own Lake, though this • Dominance: Some enchanters control the use
magical realm of safety and enchantment also has ac- of magic within their refuge. If you select the
cess to Avalon, across the Faerie Veil. Morgan also cre- Dominance skill, your refuge automatically tries
ated a refuge for herself, the Vale of No Return, which to counterspell any spell or Word of Command
she used as a prison for her enemies. In some tales, used within it, if you are aware of that magic and
Merlin takes refuge in a crystal cave or even in the choose to oppose it. This doesn’t generate EP for
tower Nimue built for him. the refuge, but it can force the invading enchanter
Your refuge exists in a magical space outside of the to generate additional EP!
mundane world, but it can be reached from the mun- • Followers: Your refuge can be home to as many
dane world through an entrance that you designate. people as you wish to live there and who can live
The entrance might be a door, a cave mouth, a lake in comfort within its size, but this skill gives you
shore, or any other place in the mundane world. It the support of loyal minions. Followers 1 gives
might be an object, such as an elevator or a phone you a single group of 4 Average minions. Each
booth. Those who move through this entrance arrive additional point in Followers allows you to either
in a specific physical location in your refuge which increase their quality by 1 (to a maximum of Good)
also provides an exit back to the world. These loca- or add another group of 4. Followers cannot leave
tions, both in the mundane world and in your refuge, your refuge.
do not change. If you are ever trapped in your own • Guardians: Guardians are special characters who
refuge, you can go to sleep and, when you awaken, you guard the entrances to your refuge. They can live
are back in the world at the same place you were when within the refuge or in a special “foyer” that lies
you went to your refuge in the first place. between your refuge and the world. Each en-
Your refuge is similar to a character; it has aspects, trance has its own foyer. A guardian has two skill
stunts, and skills (though its skills are different than columns and a number of stunts equal to your
yours). Begin by giving it “refresh” equal to your refuge’s Guardian skill. Guardians cannot leave the
Confidence. Each day, your refuge generates enchant- entrance they guard.
ment equal to this refresh. If you are in your refuge, • Resources: Your refuge can contain whatever
you can use this magic to make up for a failed roll mundane objects you happen to need and which
working a spell, using its points instead of generating make sense there, but if you want something fancy,
EP on a one-for-one basis. specific, or unusual, roll Resources. Objects native
to your refuge vanish if they leave it.

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• Size: Measure the size of your refuge with this skill. individual you choose to bring with you increases
Mediocre (+0): The size of a closet. this opposition by 1, and they must be willing to go
Average (+1): The size of a bedroom. or already Taken Out. If your roll fails, you instead
Fair (+2): The size of an apartment. succeed but generate 1 additional EP for every re-
Good (+3): The size of a house. quired shift. You appear in your refuge at one of its
Great (+4): The size of a large estate. exits. If you succeed with style, you and your pas-
Superb (+5): A city block or neighborhood. sengers appear anywhere you choose within your
Fantastic (+6): A city refuge.
Epic (+7): A huge city or a small state
Legendary (+8): A large state or small country Word of Dismissal (Word of Power)
You decide the appearance of your refuge, but once With a single word, you send someone in your ref-
a given area is described it usually cannot change. As uge back into the world.
your refuge grows, you may continue to describe each Mechanics: You need to be in your refuge and in the
new area as you choose. If you reach a major mile- same scene as your target. Roll your Occult and
stone, you may completely redescribe your Refuge. generate 1 EP. The target’s Willpower provides ac-
Each entrance to and exit from your refuge is either tive opposition. If you fail, you instead succeed but
open, closed, or conditional, and you can set different generate 1 additional EP for every shift necessary
states for an entrance and exit (which is open to all to make the roll into a success. The target returns
who try to enter, but closed to all who try to leave, for to the world as if he had moved through whatever
example). An open entrance or exit works for anyone exit he arrived by. If you succeed with style, you
who passes through it. A closed one cannot be used can move him through any of your exits, as you
at all, not even by you. A conditional entrance or exit choose.
works if those passing through it satisfy the conditions
which you have set for it. Such conditions must be, at Refuge Stunts
least in theory, able to be accomplished by an ordinary,
unskilled person and might include physical rituals • Enchanting Refuge: When individuals suffer
or acts. For example, you may have an entrance which consequences within your refuge, you can choose
works only for someone who enters the elevator, press- to make them enchantment consequences instead
es the button for the top floor, and whistles “God Save of physical or mental ones. These consequences
the Queen.” Your exit might work only for those who generally cannot be recovered as long as the target
have been true to their spouse. You could not, however, is within your refuge.
require anyone passing through your entrance to play
Beethoven on the trumpet or Shapeshift, because an
ordinary unskilled person could not do these things.
Shapeshift
The Shapeshift magical talent allows a magician to
“Only natural redheads” is not a valid condition since temporarily adopt a non-human, generally animal,
it forever excludes most people, but take the word ‘nat- form. It is not used to disguise yourself as another
ural’ out, and it works fine. Likewise, “Only someone human being or as an object; use Glamour for that.
who has killed Ysbaddaden the Giant” excludes every- Likewise, it cannot allow the adoption of magical
one except one person and is an invalid condition, but, forms without access to stunts.
“Only someone who has killed a giant,” is theoretically When Merlin discovered that Sir Grisandoles, the
possible—if highly unlikely—and would work. Seneschal to the Emperor of Rome, was actually Lady
Opening, closing, or changing a condition to your Avenable, a woman in disguise, he used this talent to
refuge is something only you can do, using an over- turn into a stag and lure Avenable deep into the forest.
come action and the Occult skill, generating 1 EP. Shapeshifting comes in two varieties: in most cases,
The passive opposition is 1 to open or close but 5 to a mortal can adopt only a single animal form, but they
change or remove a condition. If you are not physically do so naturally and without difficulty. Other enchant-
present at the entrance or exit, increase the opposi- ers can adopt a variety of forms, but they must invite
tion by 2. If your roll would fail, you instead succeed magic from the Other Side to do so, with all the risks
but generate 1 additional EP for every shift you need that entails.
to succeed. Regardless of the kind of shapeshifting you possess,
Word of Vanishing (Word of Power) all your clothing and other belongings are left behind
when you change form. The shape you adopt must
You vanish from the world and appear in your ref- be a naturally appearing example of its type, native to
uge. The Word of Vanishing cannot be used to travel the world. While in the new form, you may use your
from your refuge to the world! new form’s skills or your own, whichever are higher,
Mechanics: Roll Occult to overcome an obstacle with the exception of Physique, which is always lim-
and generate 1 EP. The base opposition is 3. Each ited to that of the new form. You gain your new form’s
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physical stress boxes, but retain your own mental • Retain Belongings: When you shapeshift, your
stress boxes and all consequences. You may not cast clothing and other possessions vanish. They reap-
spells or use Words of Power. Unless your chosen form pear when you return to human form.
is an animal capable of imitating human speech, you
cannot speak. If you are Taken Out, you return to your
original form.
Summon and Banish
This is the power to bring creatures (usually ani-
A Single Alternate Form (Stunt) mals, Faeries, demons, or angels) to your side. “Called”
If you acquired the Shapeshift talent by reducing creatures come to you under their own power, usually
your Refresh by 1, you can adopt a single alternate from the surrounding area. “Summoned” creatures,
form with skills no higher than your Willpower. It can- however, appear instantly at your side. This magic can
also be used to send such creatures away, either under
not be larger in Scale than you. You do not need to cast
their own power or by sending Faeries, angels, or de-
a spell to do this or even attempt an action.
mons back home. This magic does not work on corps-
Word of Shaping (Word of Power) es or spirits of the dead; for that, use Necromancy.
Summoning magic does not give the magician control
If you acquired the Shapeshift talent because you over the target creature, though thinking beings can be
have a high concept that makes you an enchanter, or if reasoned with.
you have another aspect that marks you as a master of Dame Lynette used Summoning magic in her adven-
shapeshifting magic, you instead use Words of Power ture with Sir Gareth. When Gareth tried to sleep with
to change form. To use these Words, each of which is Lynette’s sister before the pair were married, Lynette
different, roll Willpower to create an aspect on your- summoned a Faerie knight to battle Gareth. Gareth
self. The creature’s highest skill sets the difficulty. killed it but sustained serious wounds. Lynette just
Add +2 to this difficulty for the power of flight, deadly gathered the pieces together and summoned another
venom, or the ability to speak (like a parrot). Add its on the next night.
Scale, any Weapon or Armor, and +1 for each stunt
the animal possesses. If you fail this roll, generate 1 Summoning (Spell)
EP for every shift you came up short, and the Word You name a specific being or a generic type of crea-
instead succeeds. While in another shape, you cannot ture and call it to you. If it exists in the world, it moves
recover from enchantment stress or consequences. towards you at its best speed. If it dwells across the
Every scene in which you appear in a shape other than Veil, in Heaven, or in Hell, it must be forcibly brought
your usual mortal one, you generate 1 EP, all of which into the world. You have many options with a summon
go off when your spell ends. You can end the spell and spell; you might create a circle to contain the creature
return to your normal shape at any time. before it arrives, you might bind it to your will, or you
might give it a mortal disguise.
Shapeshift Stunts The Challenge:
• Speaking Shape: You can talk while in a form nor- • Name it: Decide what you are calling or sum-
mally incapable of speech. moning and roll Occult. If your target is a generic
• Monstrous Shape: You can adopt shapes of great creature of a particular type (“a Faerie knight” for
size. If you are a magician using Shapeshift to example), you have passive opposition equal to the
adopt multiple forms, this stunt allows you to character’s best skill, you generate 1 EP, and the
adopt monstrously large versions of ordinary ani- spell can fail, unlike most enchantments. If you
mals (like a giant spider or a dog as big as a house). are naming an individual, its Willpower provides
If you are a shapeshifter with only one form, your active opposition and a failure is instead turned
single form can be larger than Scale 1, but must into a success by generating EP. In either case, add
still be a natural animal (like a bear or a horse). the creature’s Scale to the difficulty (man-size crea-
• Chimera: You can combine multiple animals into tures are Scale 1). Note that if both you and your
a single shape. For example, you may adopt the target are in the world, you cannot summon it! It
can only be called.
shape of a griffon, with a lion’s body but an eagle’s
head and wings. • Duration: If you’re calling something, set the
length of time which the creature will be forced to
• Faerie Shape: You can adopt the shapes of non-
remain in the area. Roll Confidence with passive
intelligent Faerie creatures. opposition of +2 for the scene, +4 for the session
• Enchanting Shape: Select one shape; you can cast or +6 for the scenario. Summoned creatures work
spells in that shape. If the animal can speak, or differently; by default, a summoned creature is
you have Speaking Shape, you can even use Words just here permanently and it’s actually harder to
of Power. build an automatic banish into the summon. Your
passive opposition is +2. If, however, you want it
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to vanish at the end of the scene, raise opposition Mechanics: Use your Confidence to attack and gen-
to +4. If you want it to vanish at the end of the ses- erate 1 EP. If the creature you are trying to banish
sion, opposition is +6. If you want it to vanish at is unintelligent, or intelligent and wants to be here,
the end of the scenario, opposition is +8. it is your target and it resists with Willpower. If it
• Summoning Circle: This step is optional. If you concedes or is Taken Out, it is banished, returning
are summoning something from Heaven, Hell, or to Heaven, Hell, or Faerie. If it was called, it flees
Faerie, you can prepare a summoning circle which the area.
will contain the thing when it arrives. This can If the creature you are trying to banish is intel-
take some time to prepare, but it takes one action ligent, does not want to be here, and is here only
to activate. Roll Occult to create an advantage that because someone else has summoned it, that
describes your trap, generating 1 EP. Your total is summoner is your target and he resists you with
an absolute barrier; if the creature you summon Willpower. The summoner takes any mental stress
has any skill higher than your total, it can leave the you inflict, and instead of taking a consequence, he
circle. Otherwise, it cannot. can choose to allow the creature to be banished.
• Summon: If you choose to (or must) instantly
summon the creature, roll Confidence opposed Travel
by the creature’s Willpower. If it is in Faerie, its Enchanters use the magic of the Other Side to move
opposition rises by +2. If it is in Heaven, add +4. rapidly and secretly across the land, walking Faerie
Demons don’t bring a modifier; they want to be paths long forgotten. Travel magic is not instanta-
summoned. neous, but it does allow the magician and his allies to
• Dress It: This step is optional. Do it if you want reach otherwise inaccessible places.
to give the creature a realistic appearance when Merlin used travel magic to bring the French kings,
it arrives. Roll Willpower to create an aspect; the Ban and Bors, along with all their knights and horses,
GM sets opposition based on the quality of your across the Channel in time to help Arthur at the battle
disguise: a perfect human disguise is +8 and hu- of Bedegraine.
man disguises of inferior quality are at least +4.
Animal disguises are slightly easier (+2 or +3), and Traveling Spell (Spell)
the easiest of all is the shape of an inanimate ob- You can get to places you shouldn’t be able to and
ject (which brings limitations of its own). While faster than you should. You can even bring peo-
a primitive dressing can be done in a single ex- ple with you.
change, even a mediocre one takes several minutes Mechanics: Begin by determining the distance you
and a good one can take hours to prepare. want to go. This is a matter of scale. Then you must
• Bind It: This step is optional. If you have the satisfy the travel requirement and the secrecy re-
Binding talent, you can work a Binding spell on quirement. After these two conditions have been
the creature before you complete the Summon, so fulfilled, enchantment takes you the rest of the way
it is bound on arrival. to your destination.
There are two possible successful outcomes for the • +0: Cross a town; go from one neighborhood to
spell: If you are calling, the creature you have called another.
is aware of your presence and is compelled to come to • +2: Cross a large city, or move from one city to a
you as fast as it can. The effect lasts for whatever dura- nearby one.
tion you set. If that duration ends before the creature • +4: Cross the state or a large geographical feature
arrives, well, you’re out of luck. like a desert, sea, or mountain range.
If you are summoning, the creature arrives instantly
from Heaven, Hell, or Faerie and is here to stay until • +6: Cross an ocean.
banished. If you created a summoning circle, dressed • +8: Go anywhere in the world.
the creature, or bound it, those conditions all apply. Add +2 difficulty if you want to bring up to half
Animals and other non-intelligent called beasts a dozen people with you. Add +4 instead to bring
obey your commands for the duration of the spell. a few dozen people, +6 if you want to bring a
Intelligent creatures, however, are under no obligation couple hundred, and +8 if you want to bring up to a
to obey you. thousand.
The Travel Requirement: Travel magic does not
Word of Banishing (Word of Power) work instantly. Instead, the magician and anyone
You invoke your magical power to return a sum- traveling with him must move towards their des-
moned creature to Heaven, Hell, or Faerie. Alternately, tination for a certain amount of time before the
if you direct this Word at a called creature, you sever magic takes them the rest of the way. If you are
the ties that bind it to this location. crossing town (+0), this takes only a moment and
can actually be done during a scene. A magician
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could take a few steps west and be at the beach.

To cross a large city or move between nearby cit- Unseen Hand
ies (+2), the travel requirement can be completed A magician can make objects move without touch-
between scenes. But to cross greater distances, one ing them, controlling them from afar using only
full scene must be spent simply traveling in the gestures. Such spells can be used in battle, for con-
right direction. Magicians and their allies may use struction projects, or mere convenience.
any means of transportation to fulfill the travel Merlin used this power to bring the rocks of
requirement, including airplanes, cars, horses, or Stonehenge from Ireland, setting them up in a ring
simply walking, but they must be moving closer to which also served as a memorial for the Kings of
the destination. Britain. Nimue used the power of the Unseen Hand
The Secrecy Requirement: Travel magic does not to strike Excalibur out of Accolon’s hand as he du-
work if you are being directly observed. Once the eled Arthur.
travel requirement has been fulfilled, the magician
and his allies must break line of sight to all intel- The Unseen Hand (Spell)
ligent observers. The magician might walk through With a series of gestures, you slowly move a large,
a door, around a corner, behind a tree or something heavy object; if you want to hit someone, move a light
similar for the spell to complete. Even observers object for a moment, or pick up a sword and swing it
unknown to the magician prevent the spell from with magic, use the Word of Striking instead.
completing, possibly indicating to the magician
The Challenge:
that he is being observed. Allies do not need to
break eye contact with each other, only with those • Pick It Up: Roll Confidence to grab the object with
not traveling. Indirect observation, such as tele- your mind. The difficulty is +0 and you can exert
vision cameras or drone surveillance, does not strength on it equivalent to Physique +0. For each
impede travel magic; such devices will be plagued additional object, raise the difficulty by 1. Add the
with static or distortion at the moment of spell object’s Scale; man-sized objects are Scale 1.
completion. • Gather Power: To lift with the equivalent of Good
Once the travel and secrecy requirements are met, Physique, roll Confidence with a difficulty of +3.
the spell completes and the magician and any traveling This and the other Gather Power actions listed
companions instantly move through Faerie to arrive here must be performed in order or not at all. You
in an unobserved space as close to their destination as can’t skip steps.
possible. Any security measure more rigorous than an • Gather More Power: For supernatural strength,
unlocked door blocks progress, but water, impassible the equivalent of Fantastic Physique, roll
terrain, or intervening space is not an obstacle. Confidence with a difficulty of +6. The object you
The Action: Once the spell is complete, the enchant- are lifting gains Weapon:2.
er rolls Willpower to overcome the difficulty he has • Gather Even More Power: For mythical strength,
already calculated. The roll generates 1 EP, plus one roll Confidence with a difficulty of +12. The object
additional EP for each shift required to turn failure you are lifting gains Weapon:4.
into a success. This action does not actually take
any more time; the magic has been subtly worked • Duration: If you don’t extend the duration, the
during the time of travel. Traveling companions do spell lasts only so long as you devote all your at-
not see any obvious sign of magic at all, other than tention to it. Otherwise, roll Confidence against a
the sudden arrival at their destination. difficulty of +3. On a success, the spell lasts for the
scene, so you can set an object down and come
Travel Stunts back to it later.
• Keyless Entry: You can use Burglary to bypass se- • Make It Self Sustaining: This is optional. You can
curity systems when you Travel. When your Travel make the spell continue without your direct su-
spell completes, the GM walks you through each pervision. Roll Occult with a difficulty of +2 if the
of the security systems which might force you to objects are frozen in place, or +4 if they have simple
stop and you can use skills to bypass them, one instructions like, “Carry water from the well,” or,
at a time. None of these actions really take place, “Sweep the floor.”
however; they are a function of the spell. If you fail Once you succeed, you lift the object and can direct it
to bypass security, your spell ends and you and all with Willpower rolls. These rolls can fail normally; you
traveling with you are outside that security in the are no longer casting a spell, you’re manipulating mag-
nearest unobserved space, as yet undetected. ic that has already been cast. Speed, accuracy, numbers,
• Now You See Me: You can complete the Secrecy weight, and fragility all contribute to the difficulty. Use
requirement even if you are being directly ob- the difficulty number from the Pick It Up or Gather
served. This only works for you. Power actions, whichever is higher. If you’re attacking
with the object, your target defends with Athletics.

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Word of Striking (Word of Power) targeted with Dispel, it resists with its Warding skill. If
it fails, the ward collapses.
With a wave of your hand, you use magical force to
knock a weapon from an enemy’s hand, trip him up, The Challenge: Wards can be created quickly.
or simply batter him senseless. You can even make a Each action in this challenge takes only a single
weapon rise up and attack by itself. exchange.
Mechanics: Use your Confidence or Willpower to • Create the Ward: Roll Willpower to create an
perform actions normally associated with other advantage like Warded or Protected by Power. The
skills. Hand-to-hand actions requiring Melee, opposition is +0 if you are placing the ward on a
Physique, or Brawl are usually Confidence rolls, person, +2 if it is on an easily removable object
while ranged actions with Archery or Firearms (like a hat) or a single zone, +4 if it is on an object
are done with Willpower. Thrown objects are a that is hard to remove (a business suit) or +6 if
little tricky: if the object is small and light, de- you are warding an entire scene.
pending on accuracy or speed to be effective, roll • Strengthen It: Roll Confidence. The difficulty
Willpower. If it is large and heavy, depending on is equal to your own Occult. If you succeed, the
weight to crush a foe, roll Confidence. Using the ward gains a Warding skill at a level equal to
Word of Striking generates 1 EP. your Occult.
While the Word of Striking is traditionally used to • Make It Last: If you don’t roll, the ward will
make attack actions, nothing prevents you from creat- last for only a single exchange. Otherwise, roll
ing an advantage instead (Disarmed) or overcoming an Confidence with opposition of +2 for a ward that
obstacle (Pinned to the Ground). The opposing character lasts the scene, +4 for a ward that lasts the ses-
defends normally. sion, +6 for a ward that lasts for a scenario, +8
Resolve the action using the normal rules for what- for a ward that lasts for the arc, or +10 for a ward
ever skill you are duplicating with magic. Your Word that will last for the entire campaign.
of Striking can fail; this is an exception to the normal Presuming you succeed, spells cast by magicians
rules for enchantment. If you succeed with style, you with Occult less than the ward’s Warding skill are re-
can continue to wield your magical strength for two pelled harmlessly by the ward. If you chose to ward a
additional actions without casting a spell or gain- place, magic inferior to the Warding skill simply can-
ing more EP. not enter, but if it is greater than the ward, it enters
with its full force.
Ward You can sustain one ward at full strength, but the
more wards you have up, the weaker they each be-
You can use your magic to protect individuals or come. Reduce the Warding skill of each of your wards
places against rival magic. by 2 if you have two up, by 4 if you have three up,
Lancelot benefited from a magic ward created by and so on.
his benefactor and foster mother, Vivian, the Lady of Example: Christopher Starr knows a mob of walking
the Lake. She gave him a ring enchanted with a ward dead are on their way, and he wants to ward the club.
that protected him from hostile magic. When Lancelot First, he creates the ward using his Guitar Wizard
slept on a cursed bed which had driven many other stunt, which allows him to roll Performance instead of
men insane, he was unaffected by its power. Willpower in this case. He’s warding the entire club,
which is +6 opposition. His first roll is a +5, which
Spell of Warding (Spell) would fail, but he spends a Fate point to invoke Wizard
Ward creates an aspect on the target. That aspect Prince. This boosts his total to +7, a success.
also has a skill, Warding, which acts as a barrier to Next he must strengthen the ward. He rolls
all other magic, including your own. Wards are nor- Confidence against a +5 (his Occult) and gets a
mally cast on a person but can also be put on a place +4, another failure. Running short of Fate points,
or portable object like a ring. Magic which targets the Christopher instead generates 2 EP to turn that into
warded individual fails unless the enchanter’s Occult a success.
is higher than the ward’s Warding skill. If a magician’s Finally, he must make the ward last. Dawn is a long
Occult is higher than the ward’s skill, his spells affect way off, and Christopher decides to make the ward last
the warded target normally, with their full force. for the scenario. That’s +6 opposition and he rolls an-
The target of the ward cannot recover from enchant- other +4, generating another 3 EP.
ment stress or enchantment consequences as long The ward is created and the GM hits Christopher
as your ward is in place. If you cast this spell on a with 5 mental stress. He marks off his 3-point mental
place, no one in that place can recover from enchant- stress box and takes a minor consequence: during
ment! (This explains why Merlin was seldom seen his spell he called on the power of a Faerie Queen
at Camelot, which he had warded.) If your ward is who demanded a Fair skill (Contacts) in payment.

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Until he recovers, A Queen Has My Contacts List and The Challenge: It takes time to manipulate the
Christopher has Contacts +0. She’ll be texting his weather. Each action usually takes at least five
friends all night; that ought to be interesting. minutes, more if you are making drastic changes. If
As long as Christopher is in the club, he cannot re- you’re rushed, the difficulty of these actions goes up.
cover the stress and consequences from enchantment. • Shape the weather you want, rolling Willpower
However, the walking dead will only be able to enter to control the air, temperature, humidity, and
if the necromancer who created them has Occult of pressure. The strength of the weather, decided
6 or more. by the GM, provides passive opposition.
• Expand the weather you have created over an
Word of Concealment area. Roll Confidence to overcome a difficulty
(Word of Power) based on the size of the area you want to affect:
With a subtle gesture, you mask your presence from +0 for the entire scene, +2 for a neighborhood or
those around you. You are not invisible, but people small town, +4 to affect the city, +6 if the city is
look away from you or fail to see you in even obvious famously large, or +8 opposition if you want to
circumstances. If forced to confront your presence, affect weather across the state.
they forget you the moment you are gone. Your image • Make your weather last with an overcome action
does not appear in mirrors or on cameras. using Confidence. The difficulty is Fair (+2) for
Mechanics: The Word of Concealment requires weather that ends at the end of this scene, Great
great subtlety and control; use Willpower to create (+4) if you want the weather to last for the ses-
an advantage on yourself. This generates 1 EP and sion, or Fantastic (+6) if you want it to last for the
entire scenario.
has passive opposition equal to your own Occult.
As usual with enchantment, if you fail on a roll in
If you fail, turn the failure into a success by gener-
the challenge, you instead succeed but generate 1 EP
ating 1 EP for every necessary shift.
for every shift you need to turn the failure into a suc-
For a character to see you, he must overcome an ob- cess. Once you have completed the challenge, you cre-
stacle using Confidence with passive opposition equal ate the aspect with a free invocation.
to your Occult. You can invoke your new aspect to Sometimes the weather you are trying to dispel isn’t
make that harder. natural. If the aspect you want to get rid of was created
You can use the Word of Concealment to hide a by weather magic, that magician’s Occult opposes you
group of people, making the aspect into a situation as- in the first roll of the challenge. Unlike most enchant-
pect and placing it on the environment rather than on ment, you generate 1 EP, you can fail this roll and, if
yourself. This increases the difficulty by +2. Allies must you do, the challenge ends. But if you succeed, you can
remain in your zone for the Word to conceal them. continue to dispel or alter the weather by matching
the scale and duration of the aspect he created.
Weather
Weather magic can call or remove clouds from the Enchantment Stress
sky, change the temperature, and even bring a storm.
This is represented with aspects placed on the scene. and Consequences
If you are trying to remove an aspect placed on a scene When an enchantment goes off—either as a Word
with weather magic, create a spell equal in power but of Power or a completed spell—any Enchantment
with the opposite effect. Points accumulated by the caster are dealt as stress.
Usually that stress is applied to the magician himself,
Weather Spell (Spell) but in some cases it affects the environment instead.
You seize control of the clouds, the lightning, the Consequences from enchantment take special form,
rain, and the thunder. You can make the weather do as the enchanter is swept up in the power of his own
just about anything. If you are strong enough, you magic. Sometimes this manifests in a relatively straight
can even seize control of the weather from anoth- forward physical or mental condition, like Aged Before
er magician. My Time or Distracted by Faeries Only I Can See, but
sometimes the enchantment consequence involves
Mechanics: Weather magic allows you to place or
other beings or Faerie itself. You may end up Hunted
remove weather-related situation aspects. Decide
by a Faerie Knight or Plagued by Demons. If the con-
what aspect you want to create or remove. If you
sequence is something that affects the environment
are creating it, you can give it a “strength” no
other than you, such as innocent bystanders suddenly
higher than your Occult; when other characters
being replaced by Redcaps or a house fire gaining
perform actions, the aspect can provide passive
sentience and a desire to burn things, the good news is
opposition equal to the strength you set for it. If
that this consequence is not applied to you; it’s on the
you’re trying to remove a weather-related aspect,
scene or the victims. The bad news speaks for itself.
the GM will set its strength.
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Consequences have to be agreed upon by both play- accumulation of additional stress. (This rule for
er and GM, and enchantment consequences are no enchantment is really just a formalization of Fate’s
exception to that rule. But, because they represent the rule that a failure on an action can be interpreted as
inherent wildness of magic, they can take many forms “Success with a Major Cost.” But it makes it manda-
and you have a lot of flexibility when it comes time to tory, which is distinctive to enchantment.)
make one. The emphasis should always be on making Other styles of magic should generally avoid the
an interesting story and making the magic feel magi- talents of Glamour, Travel, and Refuge, which are sig-
cal. As consequences, enchantments can be invoked nature abilities of enchanters in Arthurian myth. They
by others, and they will make the magician’s life dif- may, however, include other talents not described in
ficult, though some enchantments can have beneficial this chapter.
side effects which become frustrating mostly because The Fate System Toolkit has two spellcasting systems
they cannot be controlled or turned off. Enchantments of special use to AL! GMs. The Subtle Art is a great
fill a character’s consequence slots just like any other extra for magicians in AL! who have no connection to
consequence. Usually the Enchantment Points “go off” enchantment or the Other Side. These are men and
either when the spell is cast or when its duration ends, women practicing magic in the “real world.” They
but if this would interfere with the current scene and believe their spells work, but the effects are so subtle
derail the plot, the GM can always hold them for later. as to be unprovable. As magic increases in the world,
They’ll be fine. They’re not going anywhere ... yet. allow characters to use the “Combat Curses” and
Use Occult to begin the recovery process for en- “Magical Duels”. Magic will suddenly become de-
chantments. As usual, if you try to use it on yourself, monstrably real. PCs are unlikely to use the Subtle Art
increase the difficulty by 2. Sometimes an enchant- when they can be enchanters instead, but it’s a won-
ment will require a specific condition to be satisfied derful way to differentiate an NPC magician.
before it will recover or begin to recover. An enchanter Similarly, the Void Callers spellcasting system can
who has cast a spell on himself (such as a glamour dis- easily be re-skinned as Diabolism, bringing demons
guise or Shapeshift) cannot recover from enchantment and other denizens of Hell to Earth. Doom Points cre-
stress or put enchantment consequences on the road ate messes for PCs to clean up, and work similarly to
to recovery so long as the spell is in effect. This is why Enchantment Points. Again, it is unlikely that a PC is
magicians seldom cast Blessings on themselves. going to wield the powers of Hell when he can use en-
A long list of sample enchantment consequences are chantment instead, but it’s certainly possible.
provided on pages 93-94, but this list should be consid-
ered a starting point, not an authoritative catalog. Not
all are created equal; they are presented in approxi- Ley Lines and
mate order of increasing gravity. A consequence which
would be crippling in some situations might be virtu-
Places of Power
ally harmless in others; Can Only Speak Faerie Tongues Ley lines, sacred places, and buildings constructed
is a serious handicap in Los Angeles, but in the Court with mystical architecture can supply raw magical
of Gloriana it is hardly noticeable! Enchantment power an enchanter can use to facilitate spellcasting.
should always be unpredictable and strange; when a Ley lines are most common: these are invisible cur-
player thinks he has the system figured out and is play- rents of magical energy which stream across the earth.
ing it to his advantage is precisely when that system They can be detected with the Sight, but most magi-
should change. cians rely on educated guesswork. A ley line generates
1 point of enchantment every day; an enchanter on
Variations the line can tap this magic and use it to add a shift to
a failed roll without generating an EP. The point can
and Expansions also be used to, for example, fuel a Word of Power.
Places of power generate more than 1 enchantment
Other Systems of Magic or give special advantages, such as the ability to keep
a small reservoir of enchantment ready in case of
The mechanics for magic presented in this chap- failure, bonus enchantment usable only for specific
ter can be used for magicians who are not enchant- talents, or generating more enchantment on specific
ers, with a few minor notes. Other forms of magic days, hours, or seasons. The ability to generate 2 en-
might inflict simple stress on the caster, rather than chantment is approximately equal to having an extra
Enchantment Points. This stress can be physical or Fate point, but enchanters will usually not be spend-
mental. Some magical styles may require one kind or ing Refresh to buy places of power when they could
the other. Some magic styles will incorporate a differ- just have a Refuge or Estate instead.
ent cost altogether and not inflict stress.
Other forms of magic should not require the ma-
gician to turn a failure into a success through the

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Magical Extras Human Sacrifice

When casting a spell, you can push the resulting stress
Coven or EP onto helpless individuals in your presence. You
You can push the stress or EP acquired from casting must push all the stress from a single roll onto a single
spells onto willing allies who cooperate in the casting victim or mob. Victims are usually Nameless NPCs
with you. You must push all the stress from a single and so are Taken Out with a single point of stress, but
roll onto a single ally or gang of minions. Stress be- a Supporting NPC gets you a minor consequence and
yond that required to Take Out the ally is inflicted on some stress boxes for considerable more “oomph.” This
you. Reduce your Refresh by 1. stress is not inflicted as enchantment, even if you are an
enchanter. Most victims die, but there are exceptions.
Enchanting Potions Any stress beyond that required to Take Out the sacrifice
Some characters in Arthurian myth can craft magi- is still inflicted upon you, as EP. Reduce your Refresh by 1.
cal potions but have no other talent for enchantment. Talisman
To represent these characters, reduce refresh by 1 and
take the extra “Enchanting Potions.” You have access to Enchanters sometimes keep a wand, staff, ring, amu-
the Emotion, Healing, and Blessings & Curses talents, let, or other trinket which they use as a focus for their
but can only use them if you put the magic into a po- magic. Reduce Refresh by 1 to gain a +3 on the use of a
tion, as described in the rules for those talents. single magical talent, as long as the talisman is in your
Enchanting Potions is distinct from Alchemy, which possession. Alternately, you can split the bonus among
uses the natural magic of plants and other objects to three different talents, +1 each.
create supernatural effects without calling upon the Words of Power
Other Side. A character probably needs only one or
For a character who only has access to Words of
the other.
Power and not to ordinary spells, lower refresh by 1 and
Group Ritual select 3 Words of Power which the character can use.
You can work together with others to cast spells You can’t learn Shapeshifting or Divination in this way..
of greater power. You may use allies who grant you
a Teamwork bonus that you may delegate to Occult,
Willpower, or Confidence, as you choose. This bonus
can never be higher than your Leadership skill. All the
stress from casting the spell still goes to you. Reduce
your Refresh by 1.

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Sample Enchantment Consequences

One or both your eyes change to a distinctly inhuman color.
Your hair is transformed to something out of the ordinary, such as flame, leaves, or moss.
You are unable to tell a lie. You must tell the truth or be silent.
Only Faeries can understand your speech. You can understand others normally, and your written
language is unaffected.
Your contact with the Other Side has left you Winded for the duration of the enchantment (a minor
consequence).
Your magic has angered a Faerie Queen. Your knowledge of her displeasure leaves you Shaken for
the duration of the enchantment.
In payment for your magic, you have been forced to loan a part of yourself to a Faerie maiden.
Select one skill rated at Fair or better; your skill is reduced to Mediocre for the duration of the
enchantment.
Everyone forgets who you are the moment you leave their presence. This is an obstacle which only
Named NPCs can roll to overcome, with a difficulty equal to the number of Enchantment Points you
had.
Your eyes are turned to crystal orbs and all mortals who meet your gaze are subjected to the
obstacle I Can’t Look Away... with a strength equal to the number of Enchantment Points acquired.
You can cover your eyes, but you cannot turn off the effect.
As long as you are in contact with a computer, or any machine built after 1941 for that matter, it fails
to function.
As long as you are in contact with a machine built after 1712, it fails to function.
Your body is transformed into that of a combat-worthy animal such as a wolf, lion, or bear,
precisely as if you had used the Shapeshift talent.
Your body and all the clothes you are currently wearing become insubstantial and you are able to
move through objects as if you were a ghost. Your magical talents continue to affect the mundane
world, but your physical actions do not.
An inanimate object in your zone becomes animate, with a curious but non-aggressive disposition
and animal intelligence. It may have other powers suitable to its form.
Your body is transformed into a usually non-violent animal with modest or no combat abilities, such
as a snake, horse, or dog. The effect is just as if you had Shapeshifted.
Your body, but not your clothes or anything you carry, is invisible.
You gain a “never” prohibition which, if you violate it before the enchantment ends, will result
in your inescapable death. Examples include Never Eat Dinner with a Stranger, Never Ride in an
Airplane, Never Enter a Building Unless Invited.
Your shadow has been stolen by Faeries. Entities aware of magic and the supernatural mock you,
but ordinary people just know there is something deeply troubling about you. You may be able to
recover your shadow from the Faeries who stole it, but you will need needle and thread to reattach
it, and the more Enchantment Points you had, the harder it is to catch.
A large object in your scene, such as a car or house, becomes animate. It is possessed of enough
intelligence to be dangerous, and has an unfriendly disposition. It probably has additional powers,
and it doesn’t like you.
Animals are automatically unfriendly to you. Dogs bark constantly and all cats hiss violently. No
horse will let you ride. Birds decorate you with their droppings.
The only thing you can hear is the constant roar of Faerie trumpets. You are effectively deaf for the
duration of the enchantment.
You have attracted the attention of a capricious Faerie or minor demon with a skill pyramid two
lower than your highest skill. It can become invisible at will. The spirit does not mean you harm,
but thinks you are enormous fun. It will not go away, plays practical jokes on you, torments you
whenever possible, and enjoys drawing attention to you whenever your enemies are near. If the
spirit is killed, it returns the following sunset with its skill pyramid raised by one step.
Your contact with the Faerie Veil has left you Exhausted for the duration of the enchantment (a
moderate consequence).

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Sample Enchantment Consequences—continued

You are tormented by Faerie spirits which only you can see. As a result, in any action scene, you
lose your first turn and go last in all subsequent turns.
All people who see you consider you untrustworthy and strange.
You have become vulnerable to Faerie powers. If any Faerie uses a magical talent on you, you
oppose with Mediocre (+0).
You suffer the Curse of Merlin: The Narrator selects one NPC in the campaign, and you believe
everything this person does is good, just, and proper. No action will convince you otherwise. You
will do anything this character asks of you.
In payment for your magic, you have been forced to loan part of yourself to a Faerie Lord. Select
one of your skills rated Great (+4) or higher. Your skill becomes Mediocre (+0) for the duration of
the enchantment.
You suffer the Curse of the Leprous Lady: You contract a serious disease that leaves you sickened.
The disease can only be lifted by a specific individual whose identity you do not know, but you will
meet this person before the end of the next scenario and when you do, you will know that person
is your cure and how the cure can be affected. If that individual attempts to heal you, the disease is
cured instantly.
You can only understand the speech of Faeries, and only they can understand you. Written words
still function normally for you.
You will soon fall into a death-like sleep, during which you do not need to eat, sleep, or even breathe.
Until you willingly surrender to this sleep, or if you are forced to awaken, you can only shamble along
with halting steps. The sleep lasts until the enchantment ends.
You cannot use any magical talents until you perform a specific costly, difficult, or moderately
dangerous task. Examples include: donate two months’ salary, climb to the top of the Great
Pyramid, jump out of an airplane, swim with a shark, visit a war zone.
You cannot speak, read, or understand any language except those spoken by Faeries. Likewise, only
Faeries understand you, no matter what you try to say or write.
Your contact with the Faerie Veil has left you Completely Worn Out for the duration of the
enchantment (a severe consequence).
Animals attack you on sight.
You are struck blind by the things you have seen in Faerie.
You gain an “always” prohibition which results in your death if you break it before the enchantment
ends. Examples include: Always Bow to Women I Meet, Always Carry a Gun, Always Eat Only Fish.
You have earned the ire of a Faerie Knight, angel, or demon with a skill pyramid two steps higher
than your own. He is trying to kill you. If you defeat him, the enchantment ends early; otherwise,
you must outlast him.
Your body changes into that of a small and weak animal such as a mouse, frog, or sparrow, exactly
as if you had used Shapeshift.
All mortals consider you dangerous and evil as soon as they encounter you; they are automatically
hostile to you.
You cannot use any magical powers until you perform a specific, very difficult, and potentially
deadly task. Examples include: be elected to federal office, kneel before the Queen of Faerie, break
a wild horse.
One Named NPC, or a few Nameless NPCs, are whisked off to Faerie. They are replaced by Faeries,
and the more Enchantment Points you had, the more dangerous and capricious those Faeries are.
As long as you are in contact with a machine built after 1267, it fails to function.
Your spirit separates from your body. You are now invisible, insubstantial, and inaudible to living
things. If your mortal body dies, the condition is permanent.

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 Chapter 6: The Arthurian Age

Chapter 6: The Arthurian Age

Not all GMs and players will have the will and the time to read Malory’s Morte d’Arthur, let alone all the addi-
tional sources which came before Malory and inspired him (like the Lancelot-Grail cycle) or which came after
and were inspired by him (like Tennyson’s Idylls of the King). It is also useful to have one common version of
Arthur’s reign to settle questions which arise from conflicting accounts and competing authors. A brief over-
view of Arthur’s reign is helpful but also readily available from online encyclopedia sites, while a summary de-
tailed enough to be useful to players of particular characters would be so long as to be a book of its own.
Accordingly, the chronology taken here takes a different approach: it offers a fairly close unpacking of the
earliest years in Arthur’s reign, when the Incarnations highlighted in this book first appear. It provides knowl-
edge that would be commonly known, not revealing secrets known to only a few. It resolves contradictions and
inconsistencies across the corpus to create a single agreed-upon sequence of historical events. This chronology
will be extended as Arthur Lives! and its story continues to grow. Game masters and players looking for more
information on Arthur’s reign are directed to the Bibliography.

410, the
Year Arthur
Became King
Although there were many mag-
ical events which happened prior,
and many great deeds done by
knights and queens who lived prior,
the Arthurian Age properly began
on Christmas in the year 409. It
was then when, by order of the
Archbishop of Canterbury (who
acted on the advice of Merlin),
the lords of Britain gathered in
London. King Uther, brother to
Pendragon who was king before he,
had been dead thirteen years and
in that time the island had been
torn by war and struggle as each
lord fortified his lands, gathered an
army, and made a bid for kingship.
Merlin had a plan to end that strife
and unite Britain, and Archbishop
Dubric was part of that plan.
When the knights of England
arrived in London they found the
Sword in the Stone in St. Paul’s
cathedral, decorated with the fa-
mous words:
Whoso pulleth oute this swerd of
this stone and anvyl is rightwys kynge
borne of all Englond.
Dubric, clearly treating the
Sword in the Stone as a holy relic
and an instrument of divine will,
allowed any knight who wanted
a try at the sword, then set up an
honor guard around it. None could
draw it, but the Archbishop assured
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them that God would provide a proper king. The end the strife throughout Britain, and by this pressure
knights, taking matters into their own hands, began the lords were forced to kneel before Arthur. The boy
a great tournament to occur on New Year’s Day. The was made both knight and king; Archbishop Dubric
winner, by proving himself the strongest on the field had used the last few months to prepare everything
of battle, would presumably be able to draw the sword for the coronation. Arthur’s first task was to resolve
and claim divine right as king. many old disputes which dated back to the time of
Everything was going smoothly and the tourna- Uther. He also appointed his first officers; in addi-
ment was in full swing when rumor began to spread tion to Kay being made Senechal, Baudwin became
through the city that someone had drawn the sword. Constable, Ulfius was made Chamberlain, and Sir
The first to arrive on the scene was Sir Ector, an aging Brastias became Warden of the North, for it was from
but respected country lord; his elder son Kay, newly the north that Arthur expected trouble to come.
knighted, bore the sword and initially claimed to have A feast was declared in Wales, at the city of Carleon
drawn it. But paternal pressure and the prospect of on the river Usk, and Arthur withdrew there with his
swearing on the Holy Bible persuaded Kay to con- followers. Many of Arthur’s rivals, great lords who
fess that it was, in fact, his fifteen-year-old brother had made themselves king of sections of England in
Arthur, still a squire, who had done the deed. Arthur the wake of Uther’s death, came to the feast. Foremost
confessed and Ector had him replace the Sword, then among them was King Lot of Orkney with five hun-
Ector and many other lords tried to draw it. All failed, dred knights, but with him was King Uriens of Gore,
but again Arthur drew it effortlessly. It was at this Nantres of Garloth, King Barant of Malahaut (who
moment that Ector confessed that Arthur was not, in was called the King of a Hundred Knights), the young
fact, his son, but had been given to him as a boy by king of Scotland, and finally King Carados of the
Merlin, who had bid the knight to raise Arthur as his Dolorous Tower, who was built like a giant and had
own. Ector immediately swore his loyalty to a shocked an army of some five thousand mounted men. At
Arthur, and asked that when Arthur became king first, Arthur was delighted to see them arrive; in his
that Kay be made his seneschal. This Arthur at once youthful naiveté he presumed they had come to do
agreed to do, vowing that no one else would hold that him homage and he sent them generous gifts. But
office as long as both brothers lived. his gifts were returned, and Lot vowed that the only
Ector’s loyalty was clear, but the rest of the assem- present he would give Arthur would be a spear be-
bled knights were not so sure. The Archbishop kept tween the shoulders. The rival kings had come not
the peace while barons who had not yet come to for homage but for war, and that quickly Arthur was
London began to arrive; it was one thing to miss a besieged in Carleon castle, where – with a far smaller
tournament, but a fifteen-year Boy King was some- force of hand-picked knights – he holed up for some
thing else altogether. On the 6th of January 410 fifteen days.
(Twelfth Night), every knight and baron was given a That was when Merlin arrived; this was his first ap-
chance to draw the sword; none succeeded. When pearance since Arthur had drawn the Sword from the
Arthur drew it forth the barons were outraged at the Stone, and the lords and knights trapped in Carleon
prospect of being governed by a beardless bastard. with Arthur demanded to know the truth of Arthur’s
Although Uther had, on his deathbed, named his parentage. After all, they were about to die for it, and
missing son Arthur as his heir, no one believed that if Merlin’s story was not convincing it was not too late
the boy Merlin had given over unto Ector was actually to turn on Arthur and hand the Boy King over to Lot
this child. Arthur was, in other words, considered a for judgment. But Merlin gave a compelling tale, re-
pretender – a fake Prince Arthur. Archbishop Dubric, assuring his audience that Arthur was not a bastard,
however, stood by the divine blessing of the Sword in since Queen Igraine’s husband had been dead for a
the Stone, and he set additional demonstrations for good three hours (!) before Uther engendered Arthur
February 2nd (or Candlemass), for Easter, and finally on her, and in any case had married her within two
at Pentecost (known also as Whitsunday, the holiday weeks, so that Arthur was born in wedlock. That was
fifty days after Easter). He also assigned an honor when Merlin had taken the boy for safekeeping and
guard to keep Arthur safe from assassination and delivered him to Ector. Arthur’s supporters were con-
accident – among this initial guard was the young Sir vinced more by Merlin’s reputation than by his lack of
Kay and the older and more experienced knights Sirs evidence, and they remained loyal, but it would take
Ulfius, Baudwin, and Brastias. more than a good story to break the siege. Turning
At Pentecost, Arthur again drew the Sword when then to Arthur himself, Merlin reminded the boy that
none of the other assembled lords could, and al- if he was going to be king he had better start acting
though they would gladly have put off any accession like it. Lot and his fellow rebels could sense Arthur’s
of Arthur to the throne, by this time the common fear, and morale within the castle was low. Arthur was
people of England had found their voice. For the com- persuaded to ride out and parley with his enemies,
moners loved Arthur, and were desperate for a king to though he did wear a double thick shirt of mail just

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for safety. With Kay and his other officers he boldly of Strangore, King Clarence of Northumberland, King
assured Lot and the others that he would soon be Idres of Cornwall, King Cradelmas of Norgales, and
king of all England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, and King Anguish of Ireland. Their army was enormous:
that it was not too late for Lot to surrender. Of course, fifty thousand horsemen and an additional ten thou-
with a vastly superior army, Lot did no such thing, but sand on foot. As they moved south, Arthur – accom-
Arthur’s show of confidence did much to raise the mo- panied by Ban and Bors – went north to intercept with
rale of his own allies behind the walls. his own army of only twenty thousand. He met Merlin
The time had come for a sortie; Arthur gathered in the forest of Bedegraine (which would later come
three hundred of his best knights to lead the attack to be called “Sherwood”). The magician had already
and they rode out, attacking Lot’s supply stores, which arranged for the supernatural travel of some ten thou-
he had simply taken from the town surrounding sand French horsemen across the English Channel
Carleon castle. Arthur and Kay were especially brave, and he had hidden them in the forest by way of am-
but Lot slew Arthur’s horse out from under him and bush. Then, perhaps using his magic and perhaps
was about to kill the king when Arthur’s honor guard relying on mundane scouts and spies, Merlin learned
found him and got him out. Arthur’s surprise attack that Lot had laid siege to the nearby Bedegraine
had enjoyed initial success but the numbers were just Castle, and he deduced the location of the rebel camp.
too great; the tide was turning and he would soon be With this intelligence, he persuaded Arthur to make a
possessed of the shortest reign in English history. At bold night attack.
this moment of greatest need, he did as Merlin in- Bedegraine was the first great battle of Arthur’s
structed him: he drew forth the Sword in the Stone, reign. Lot and his allies had made a strong camp,
which he had kept sheathed until this moment. It but no one was prepared for a night attack and the
shone with a light so brilliant that it blinded all his initial casualties were horrendous, with Arthur re-
enemies, allowing Arthur’s forces to regroup. More treating before an organized defense could be made.
importantly, the light was seen by the common people By morning, Lot could see twenty thousand British
of the city of Carlon, who interpreted it as a sign of troops blocking the pass south through the forest; on
God’s favor. The mob poured out of their homes and Merlin’s advice the French forces were still hiding in
hiding places and swarmed over Lot’s army, pulling ambush. Although a fifth of his army lay dead from
many of his knights from their horses and clubbing the night assault, Lot attacked at once and the fighting
them with cudgels. Lot, his army in disarray and the was extremely fierce; Kay struck Lot down, but the
siege broken, withdrew in good order. Arthur had king was rescued by Barant, the King of a Hundred
survived his first battle – but it was far from a glori- Knights. Arthur himself killed Cradelmas of Norgales
ous victory. and managed to reach Lot, wounding the man in the
Arthur needed allies, for already news of Lot’s shoulder, but Lot was too well protected by his many
near-triumph had spread and convinced more rebels allies for any duel to last for long. Knights on both
to join his cause. On Merlin’s advice, he sent Ulfius sides were tiring, and Lot decided to withdraw some
and Brastias to France, where they fought their way of his forces under Barant, Idres, Anguish, and Duke
to the court of King Ban of Benwick and King Bors of Eustace to rest while the others held the line against
Gaul. These two brothers were at war with one King Arthur. That is when Ban and Bors sprung their trap,
Claudus for the sovereignty of all France, but they falling upon Lot’s reserve while they rested. It was
were willing to help Arthur provided he agreed to not until Lot recognized Ban and Bors that he began
do the same and help them defeat Claudus. To this, to seriously consider the day might not be his; it was
Ulfius and Brastias agreed, and the French kings with one thing to defeat a boy king and his wizard mentor,
a token force of their household knights reached but another thing indeed to win against the flower of
England by the 1st of November, when Arthur hosted French chivalry. Nevertheless the fighting continued
them in London. A tournament was held in which throughout the day, with many casualties on both
the French knights fought against the British, and sides, until by nightfall the eleven rebel kings had
at the end of the day the prize was given to Kay, who retreated to a hill surrounded by a small river; there
fought best of all men present, and also to Sir Lucan they camped and both hosts rested.
(who was Arthur’s butler) and the newly-knighted Sir Overnight Ban and Bors praised Lot and his al-
Griflet, who was called “le Fise de Dieu” or the Son of lies for their valorous fighting, though Arthur for
God. In the wake of the tournament, Arthur and his understandable reasons was focused solely on their
new allies made plans with the help of Merlin, who destruction. For his part, Lot drew up new plans with
traveled to France with a token of King Ban and used his men: they would leave their footmen, who were
it – along with his own supernatural speed of travel – only slowing them down, behind to escape through
to quickly muster thousands of French men at arms. the woods, and they renewed their vows to stick close
The six rebel kings from Carleon had by now been to one another and not separate during the fighting.
reinforced by Duke Eustace of Cambenet, King Brand With dawn Arthur, Ban, and Bors led an attack up

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the hill but they were eventually repulsed after heavy for knighthood himself, but Gaheris and Agravaine
fighting. When Merlin came to Arthur then it was not were still too young and Gareth was but an infant.
to encourage more battle, but rather to scold the King Morgause was the eldest child of Queen Igraine, and
for too much bloodshed: of the sixty thousand men therefore if Merlin’s story was to be believed she was
the rebels had brought to battle, three-quarters were Arthur’s half-sister. No one seemed to much believe
already dead. Was Arthur so hungry for slaughter that the story, however, and Arthur treated his rival’s
he had to kill those who remained? Further, Merlin queen very richly indeed. She returned to Orkney
claimed, the northern lands of the rebels were even at the coming of winter, and the king seemed out of
now being invaded, and Lot and his allies would soon sorts with her departure, thoughtful and moody. On
withdraw. Insisting that Arthur could not win a victo- a hunting expedition he witnessed a demonic crea-
ry that day, Merlin persuaded Arthur to step back and ture, the Questing Beast, and had his horse stolen by
allow Lot to escape. the mysterious knight who hunted it (King Pellinore,
though it would be some time before anyone in
411, the Year Arthur’s Arthur’s court learned his name).
Merlin, still hoping to unite the realm without fur-
Birth Was Revealed ther armed conflict, decided to put to rest the question
of Arthur’s parentage. He arranged for Arthur to invite
A few months passed, and Arthur remained camped
in Bedegraine with his allies while Lot and the oth- Queen Igraine to come to Carleon from the abbey
er rebels fled north to fend off a seaborne invasion. where she had been living since Uther’s death. She
Merlin visited his master Blaise – who was recording brought her beautiful daughter, Morgan le Fay (wife
the events of the Arthurian Age for future scholars – of Uriens of Gore, one of the rebel kings) with her.
and then returned to show Arthur where a great trea- That night in the great hall, Merlin collected everyone
sure was buried in the forest. This treasure, along with who had been involved in the story of Arthur’s birth
all the plunder from the Battle of Bedegraine, Arthur and childhood, including Ulfius and Sir Ector. With
gave to Ban and Bors, who distributed it among their Igraine to provide the missing pieces, the complete
French men at arms. Arthur was in no rush to depart story of how Uther came to Igraine in the shape of her
the castle, for over the winter he had come to enjoy husband and sired a child, which was then handed
the company of the lady Lyonors. The daughter of to Merlin and raised by Ector, came to light. Igraine
Earl Sanam of Karadigan, who had died in the recent and Arthur embraced as mother and son. Thankful to
battle, Lyonors had come to Bedegraine to reaffirm know that he really was the son of Uther Pendragon,
oaths of homage to the young king. But the two had Arthur declared an eight-day feast in Igraine’s honor.
quickly fallen for one another, and became close But some who were there said that in the king’s pri-
enough that by February she was with child. vate moments he was troubled by something which
With Cradlemas dead, King Ryons rose to take the he would not speak of.
throne of Norgales. Rather than attack Arthur directly,
he laid siege to Leodegrance in the land of Cameliard. 412, the Year
Leodegrance had been one of Uther’s strongest allies
when the king had still lived, and he had transferred of the May Babies
that fierce loyalty to Arthur, whom he accepted as Igraine returned to her abbey and Morgan briefly
Uther’s son. When Arthur learned that one of his returned to the nunnery where she had spent her ado-
friends was under attack, he marched with his French lescence (there to continue her study of necromancy).
allies and an army of twenty thousand to lift the But into Arthur’s court at Carleon rode a squire whose
siege. It was there, at Cameliard, that Arthur first saw master had been slain by a mysterious knight en-
Leodegrance’s daughter, Guinevere, and it is said he camped at a well in the nearby woods. Young Griflet
loved her at once. Ryons retreated and was joined prevailed upon the king to be given a chance to defeat
by his brother Nero; the two men with their army of this intruder, but he was quickly defeated. (It was not
Welshmen combined forces with the other rebel kings uncommon for young knights to lose to an elder man
under Lot. With armies scattered around Britain, the at a joust, since while fighting on foot was primarily
rebels continued to hold Cornwall, Wales, and all the a matter of strength and vitality, mastering the joust
North against Arthur, even as they fought off an inva- required years of experience.) Griflet managed to re-
sion from over the sea. turn to Carleon with a terrible wound in his side, and
It was in the fall of this year that Morgause, Lot’s Arthur was furious both at himself for allowing Griflet
queen, came to Arthur’s court as an ambassador and to go, and at the mysterious knight of the well who
spy. Arthur’s lusty demeanor had by now been noticed had done such damage to one of Arthur’s favorites.
by his rival, and Lot seemed confident that his beau- It was at this untimely moment that ambassadors
tiful wife would get a good reception. She came with from Rome arrived. Twelve in number, they bore a
four of her sons: the eldest, Gawain, was nearly ready demand for tribute from Emperor Lucius of Rome,
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who based his claim on Rome’s conquest of the is- less quiet for the last year, and there had been some
land centuries before. But Arthur was in no mood for hope that with the clarification of Arthur’s legitimate
diplomacy; he grudgingly respected the neutrality of birth there might even be peace. But the May Babies
the messengers, but in the same breath insisted that incident assured that war would follow, for Lot’s own
the only tribute he might give would be “sharp spears son Mordred, only weeks old, had been among those
or sharp swords.” With this, the ambassadors with- slain. If before Lot had fought against Arthur out of
drew and Arthur, taking a squire for himself, rode off personal desire for power, and out of scorn for a bas-
to meet with the knight at the well personally. It was tard child king, he now fought for family vengeance.
just this sort of thing which, though rash, endeared Word came to Carleon that Ryons had marched
Arthur to his own knights. For it was not the habit of forth from Wales and was pillaging the land. Arthur
kings to risk their lives in personal adventure as poor called up all his lords and knights and ordered they
knights did, and when Arthur proved that he was will- meet at the castle of Camelot. Construction on
ing to do everything he expected his own men to do, Camelot had begun two years previous at Arthur’s
they became all the more devoted to him. coronation and although work was not yet done, it
The king did not return for three days, leading other was more centrally located than Carleon and would
men of the court to ride out to the well to challenge prove a better mustering point. In preparation for
the knight there. Pellinore chased one of these knights war, Arthur issued a general pardon of prisoners who
all the way back to Carleon and was waiting there were willing to take up arms in his cause. One of these
when Arthur finally returned, wounded but alive and freed knights was Balin the Savage. Balin was thus
bearing a new sword: Excalibur, a gift from the Lady in the court when a strangely-garbed woman arrived
of the Lake. He told the tale of how he had fought at Camelot. She wore a large sword in a belt around
with Pellinore at the well and his own blade had been her waist, and she claimed that it could not be drawn
broken. Merlin’s timely arrival saved his life. Since save by the best knight in the world. Balin drew it, but
Pellinore had recently completed a year of questing, when she asked for the sword to be returned to her, he
he remained at Carleon to become one of Arthur’s refused and earned his sobriquet, “The Knight with
advisors and the most feared man at court – after all, Two Swords.” (It was rare for a knight to carry two
neither Arthur nor any of his men had been able to swords since, if he did, it was considered fair for two
best the masterful Pellinore in battle. knights to fight him at the same time.)
Although Arthur had forced Ryons to withdraw At precisely this moment, the Lady of the Lake ar-
from Cameliard the year before, the king of Norgales rived at Camelot and asked Arthur to make good on
had been busy in the meantime and sent a messenger the promise he had made when she had delivered
to Carleon to renew the promise of war. Ryons was fa- Excalibur to him. She asked for the death of either
mous for a cloak he wore which was trimmed with the Balin or the maiden with the sword. Arthur tried to
beards of twelve rival kings who had knelt before him; refuse, as both were under his protection, but before
Arthur’s beard would provide the final bit of trim. But any agreement could be reached Balin emerged and
the seventeen-year-old monarch wittily replied that decapitated Nineve. Arthur, furious at this insult to his
he did not have enough of a beard yet to satisfy Ryons. own honor, banished Balin and offered reward to any
He vowed to make Ryons kneel before him or die. knight who could kill him. Lanceor, prince of Ireland,
In early June, Arthur made what came to be the immediately attempted the deed. Not only did Balin
most controversial and hateful decree of his long kill him, but when Lanceor’s betrothed found his
reign: he ordered that every male infant born in the corpse on the road she used his sword to kill herself
previous month be gathered together and brought to too. Merlin prophesied that, for allowing the Lady
him. At first, the lords of England presumed this was a Colombe to die when Balin could have prevented her,
plan to make the children royal hostages. This would Balin was now doomed to inflict the Dolorous Stroke.
ensure good behavior on the part of Arthur’s vassals. As the New Year approached, word came that Ryons
Although harsh, such a decree had historical prece- had invested his forces at the castle of Terrabil in
dent and was obeyed; Arthur’s messengers dutifully Cornwall, there to wait out the winter. Lot and his
collected the infants. However, this was not the king’s alliance of rebel kings were poised to strike from the
intention. Instead, the May Babies were put on a ship north. Only king Mark, who had come to Camelot for
that was then sunk at sea. It was presumed that all the winter and whose territory Ryons had also invad-
the children perished. This ghastly act of infanticide ed, was a potential ally, but “King Fox” – as Mark was
was largely blamed on Merlin; few could believe that sometimes called – was notoriously untrustworthy.
Arthur would do such a thing on his own volition, but The first Christmas in Camelot was a grim and
all recognized that Merlin was Arthur’s chief coun- cheerless one.
selor. Lot and the other rebels had remained more or

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413, the Year the Lot’s wife, Morgause, attended the funeral with her
four sons, as did Uriens, his wife Morgan le Fay, and
King and Queen her young son Yvain. At this meeting, Arthur gave the
enchanted scabbard of Excalibur – which ensured
Were Married whoever wore it lost no blood – to his sister Morgan
for safe-keeping.
When Arthur had gathered in Camelot all the
knights and men at arms that would answer his call, There was peace in the realm, and Balin at last came
he marched at once towards Castle Terrabil in Wales. before Arthur to be welcomed back to court. While
This was the same castle which his father had be- there, the king sent Balin on an errand to retrieve a
sieged when Duke Gorlois refused to yield up his wife knight named Sir Herlews, but Herlews died while
Igraine, and now Ryons had made it his stronghold. under Balin’s protection, stabbed from behind by
The year was early and winter gripped the island, the wicked and invisible knight Sir Garlon. Herlews
but Lot’s massive army was already on its way to link charged Balin to protect his paramour and Arthur had
up with Ryons. If Arthur could reach Terrabil first, the dead knight buried richly. But Balin continued
he might have an opportunity to fight Ryons alone. to be dogged both by ill luck and Sir Garlon – soon
He would have no chance if Ryons and Lot joined after Balin befriended one Sir Peryne at a hermitage,
forces. At the same time, Merlin sought out Balin and Garlon assassinated him too from behind. Balin con-
Balan, who were anxious to win back Arthur’s favor tinued on with Herlews’ damsel until they reached
after the unpleasant business of the Lady of the Lake. the feared castle of the Leprous Lady. This woman,
Ryons, it seemed, had a paramour, the Lady de Vance, cursed with a supernatural disease, could not be
who was sequestered at Castle Tintagel not far from cured of her condition without the use of a bowl full
Terrabil. Balin and Balan ambushed him on the way of blood taken from the virgin daughter of a king.
to visit her and, killing many of his guard and routing Unfortunately, no one knew which daughter was
the rest, they captured Ryons. Merlin delivered him required, and the Lady’s knights forced Balin’s com-
promptly to Arthur’s camp, where he was treated hon- panion to bleed till a silver dish was full. Unlike most
orably, but Balin and Balan did not yet dare to rejoin of the Leprous Lady’s victims, this damsel survived
Arthur’s forces. and departed with Balin the following day. (The Lady,
The next day Arthur arrayed his army and offered however, remained uncured.)
battle to Nero, Ryons’ brother and the new command- Soon after, Balin got a lead on Garlon; King Pellam,
er of the Welsh forces. As the two armies clashed, who was Garlon’s brother, had announced a great
Merlin intercepted Lot, who was camped nearby. feast at his castle of Carbonek. Garlon was sure to be
Using his enchantments, Merlin lulled Lot into a kind there, but only knights who were accompanied by
of waking dream, preventing him from rousing his paramours or wives were allowed to attend; fortu-
army and coming to help Nero. With the help of Balin nately, Herlew’s lady agreed to be Balin’s escort. They
and Balan, his own brother Kay, and Sir Hervis de rode some fifteen days and reached Carbonek just
Revel, Arthur defeated Nero before the castle walls. as the feast began. Claiming that it was the custom
Lot, waking from Merlin’s spell, saw that his chance among his people never to go unarmed (he was from
to overwhelm Arthur through sheer numbers had Northumberland), Balin persuaded Pellam’s castle
slipped through his fingers, and he considered with- staff to permit him one of his two swords. Garlon soon
drawing entirely, but his knights persuaded him that found him and, confident in the security of a public
victory was still likely (Arthur’s troops being weary feast with many knights and guards, he taunted Balin,
from fighting). Accordingly, Lot took the forefront of urging him to sit down to table, “do what you came to
the battle and led his army of allied kings in final con- do,” and eat. Balin, weighing the certain impossibility
test against the man who had slain Lot’s infant son. of escape from Carbonek against the unique opportu-
His feats of arms amazed all who saw him, but finally nity to catch Garlon when he was visible, retorted that
Pellinore found him on the field, killing first his horse he would indeed “do what I came to do,” and he cut
and then Lot himself. At the death of their legendary off Garlon’s head.
king, Orkney troops broke and ran. Many of the reb- Pellam was, predictably, outraged. Breaking Balin’s
el kings were slain; the survivors – including Barant sword with his own, he chased Balin through the
of Malahaut and Uriens of Gore – bent the knee to castle. Few know what happened next, but clearly
Arthur, whose claim to the throne of England was awesome magic was at work, for within a few minutes
now uncontested. the entire tower came crashing down to rubble and
The King sought to do honor to his fallen foes, and all the land for three counties was laid waste. Many
he had a mighty tomb constructed at the church of innocents for miles around were simply struck dead.
Saint Stephen’s in Camelot. All the dead kings were The ruin was cataclysmic. The first one on the scene
buried there, but Lot’s tomb was especially grand and was Merlin, three days later. It was he who rescued
imposing, lit by magic tapers provided by Merlin. Balin from the collapsed tower. Pellam was taken to

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bed, where he would remain with a wound that did As the feast was winding to its end, Merlin warned
not heal. Balin’s companion was killed in the collapse. of a coming adventure and in burst a white hart
As he rode away on a horse loaned by Merlin, Balin’s chased by a white hunting dog and a large pack of ad-
name was cursed by those who survived. ditional hounds, all in pursuit. After running around
Balin’s last days were no less tragic. When he tried the table the hart escaped, but one of the knights at
to help a certain Sir Garnysh find his lady, Balin found the table seized the white dog and rode away with it.
the woman abed with another man. Upon revealing A damsel on a white horse arrived and, claiming that
this to Garnysh, the heartbroken knight killed first the dog was hers, insisted Arthur retrieve it, but she
the two lovers and then himself, blaming Balin. Three was also immediately abducted by another knight.
days later, Balin arrived at a mysterious castle on the This, apparently, was the adventure Merlin had
river with a nearby island. He was persuaded to fight warned about. Arthur dutifully assigned his knights
against a red knight who waited on the island, though to the task: Gawain was sent to retrieve the hart, Tor
he was also given a blank shield to replace his own. was commanded to bring back the stolen dog or the
The two knights dealt grievous and mortal wounds knight who took it, and Pellinore was given the most
to one another before Balin and his brother Balan important task: the rescue of the damsel.
recognized each other. They died and were buried; Although he had been given the inglorious task of
Merlin provided the marker, built his magic bed, and rescuing a dog, the most successful of these questers
placed Balin’s sword in a floating block of marble for would be the newly-knighted Tor. Promptly defeating
safekeeping. So much for Sir Balin the Savage, Knight two knights who set on him without cause, sending
with Two Swords. them back to Camelot as prisoners, and by this feat
Meanwhile, Arthur had been hounded by his lords earning the service of a loyal dwarf, he peacefully
and knights to take a wife and secure the inheri- retrieved the dog from the pavilion of a lady who had
tance of the kingdom. Pressed by Merlin to name the claimed it. Sir Abellus, the knight who had stolen the
woman he liked best, he named Guinevere, daughter dog, had given it to his lady as a present, and when he
to Leodegrance of Cameliard. Along with some of learned that Tor had taken it back Abellus followed
Arthur’s men, Merlin traveled to Cameliard to make Tor in order to reclaim it. Tor defeated him but was
inquiries with Guinevere’s father, and Leodegrance reluctant to kill a knight, offering mercy, but Abellus
was very pleased by the news. He offered the Round would not yield. At this moment, with Tor uncertain
Table as dowry; this enormous table, capable of seat- how to resolve his dilemma, a damsel arrived who was
ing one hundred and fifty, once belonged to Uther. an enemy of Abellus, and she pleaded with Tor to kill
Leodegrance would give it back to the family along the knight, claiming Abellus had murdered her broth-
with a hundred knights to fill it. To fill the remaining er. Now, seeing the way the wind was blowing, Abellus
fifty seats at this elite table, Arthur turned to Merlin, pleaded for mercy. But Tor, deciding that not only had
but the magician could compile a list of only twen- he already given Abellus a chance to surrender, but
ty-eight who were worthy. Archbishop Dubric blessed also that he was honor bound to do as the lady com-
the table and all the chairs, and each seat was deco- manded, cut off Abellus’ head. When Tor returned to
rated with magical letters of gold that spelled out the Camelot and recited everything he had done, the king
occupant’s name. and his knights were very impressed with the young
Of course the wedding and Guinevere’s coronation man’s conduct, and Arthur rewarded him richly, for
called for a great feast, and to celebrate Arthur prom- Tor had until then been impoverished.
ised a gift to anyone who asked it. The most notable Gawain went after the hart with the help of his
of these requests came from a cowherd who claimed younger brother Gaheris, who acted as his squire.
that his son wished to be made a knight. This son, Tor, Along the way they resolved a dispute between two
looked nothing like his humble father and refused to brothers who were fighting each other for the right to
do simple work. Arthur made good on his promise, pursue the hart; neither was healthy enough to fight
though he was skeptical that Tor would amount to Gawain so when he sent them along to Arthur’s court
much, till Merlin revealed that his father was none they were forced to acquiesce. The tracks of the hart
other than king Pellinore, who in his pursuit of the led across a river where another knight waited; this
Questing Beast had fathered more than one bastard. one Gawain killed in a fight that began on horseback
Merlin also led Pellinore to the place of honor at the but ended on foot. The Orkney brothers, sensing they
Round Table, naming him the greatest knight pres- were near their prey, released three greyhounds to
ent. This greatly aroused the anger and jealousy of hunt the hart. These dogs followed their quarry to the
Gawain, who himself was knighted by Arthur at this courtyard of a castle where they killed the hart, but
very feast, for Pellinore had killed Gawain’s father Lot. the animal’s owner, Sir Blamoure, had already slain
This was when Gawain and Gaheris began to plot two of Gawain’s dogs by the time the brothers arrived.
Pellinore’s death. A fight broke out, but Gawain was by far the stronger
and Blamoure begged for mercy. Gawain refused to

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give it, insisting on vengeance for the death of his two horse, and took his promise to protect Nimue from
hunting hounds. When Blamoure’s lady threw her- all harm on the way back to Camelot. Pellinore and
self over her love, Gawain killed her by accident. For Nimue returned with a few mishaps along the way;
this, he was much chided by Gaheris and Blamoure the lady fell and broke her arm at one point, and the
was disconsolate with grief, but Gawain sent him two overheard an assassination plot against Arthur
on to Camelot anyway to tell his story. Four knights that involved poison to be delivered by someone very
arrived that night, having heard of Gawain’s murder close to the king. Worse, they came across the lady
of an innocent woman, and in fierce battle they over- whom Pellinore had spied at the start of his quest;
whelmed both brothers, shooting Gawain through the she was dead and her body savaged by wild beasts.
arm with an arrow and taking them prisoner. Gawain Pellinore was immediately struck by his failure; if he
was able to prevail upon the knights’ ladies to release had helped the woman she would still be alive. On
him, on account of his family name and his connec- Nimue’s advice he brought her remains back to court,
tion to Arthur, but they forced him to wear the head where the queen shamed him openly. But the final
of the woman he had murdered around his neck as a tragedy came when Merlin revealed that this damsel
token of his shame. It was in this way that he arrived who was slain for Pellinore’s inaction was his own
back at Camelot, bearing the head of the white hart daughter, Elaine.
but no glory. With the conclusion of these three quests, Arthur
But the worst fate of all was that of Pellinore. inaugurated the Order of the Round Table, enjoining
Chasing the abducted damsel, Nimue, with his usual his knights with the following vows: that they would
obsessive vigor, he passed by a lady on the road who never do outrage or murder, always avoid treason, and
called out for aid. Ignoring her plea, Pellinore soon give mercy to those who ask it or else forfeit Arthur’s
found that Nimue had been abducted by a knight protection forever. Always they were to do service to
named Sir Outelake, and one of Nimue’s cousins – ladies, damsels, gentlewomen, and widows, strength-
Sir Meliot – was trying even now to win her back. en them in their rights, and never take a woman by
Pellinore interrupted the duel and revealed he was force, on pain of death. Each man was charged never
commanded to bring Nimue back to Arthur’s court, to fight in an unjust quarrel, not for love of fighting
but Outelake killed his horse and Pellinore slew him or for worldly goods. And this oath, the oath of the
quickly in turn. Meliot knew better than to fight, Round Table, was repeated every year at Arthur’s
especially as he was already wounded, and he in- highest feast, Pentecost, on the fiftieth day after Easter.
stead hosted Pellinore at his pavilion, replaced his

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 Chapter 7: Running the Game

Gamemaster Chapters
Chapter 7: Running the Game
The Traditional become very complicated. They find that they have
old relationships with both PCs and NPCs, some
Campaign of whom used to be friendly but many of whom
are trying to kill them. Typically, an incarnation of
Every Arthur Lives! campaign is different, with big Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, or a famous knight like
issues crafted by your table in the first session, unique Gawain takes up nominal leadership of the PC group,
characters, and your particular vision as a GM. That though this leadership may often be questioned and
being said, there are certain basic assumptions which the leader figure relies heavily on the help of his or
combine to create a kind of “traditional narrative” for her fellows.
a new AL! campaign. Because
Fate is so flexible in terms of
character, setting, and theme,
virtually all of these assump-
tions are imposed on AL! by
the setting. We know that your
characters will be proactive, ca-
pable people leading dramatic
lives, for example, something
that is true of almost all Fate
games. But it’s also normal for
Arthur Lives! PCs to be working
class, blue-collar Joes; some-
thing the rules do not require.
Another important assumption
is that there are multiple in-
carnations of each Arthurian
character out in the world,
and the PCs are not the first to
recognize themselves. You can
throw these assumptions out
if you want a non-traditional
campaign, but what follows is a
walk-through of this traditional
Arthur Lives! campaign, touch-
ing on recurring themes: foes,
resources, the presence of the
supernatural, and the discovery
of other incarnations.
The typical AL! game starts
out with a handful of PCs, all
of whom are unaware of the
fact that they are incarnations
of Arthurian characters. Over
the first few game sessions, the
player characters all become
aware of who they really are.
In so doing, their lives quickly
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Simply because they are incarnations, the PCs have its weight, or a skill that was overlooked but the PC
acquired many foes from various factions, especial- should really have. Minor milestones give players a
ly the Round Table Conspiracy (which includes the chance to fix all these issues one step at a time. But,
Illuminati, Freemasons, Assassins and other secret in addition, your characters may quest for their old
societies). We’ve made it into an aspect because it belongings or be offered more power: Excalibur
makes a good “Big Issue” for your campaign. Other could be presented to the party leader, or Elaine of
incarnations who have already awoken, and are both Carbonek could discover an alchemy database. Your
rich and powerful, make up the second big issue magicians may make some echoes on their own. Don’t
in many campaigns; you can get specific with this be too restricted by game mechanics when this hap-
(see General Douglass’s KOTUS plot in Chapter 9) pens; signature weapons linger in the campaign and
or vague (Haunted by the Past), as your table prefers. help make those incarnations distinct, while a new
These adversary groups target the PCs from the shad- extra can energize a player and make a dull character
ows and begin attacking them, quickly emphasizing interesting again. If Arthur hasn’t got the refresh to
how important secrecy is to player character survival. buy Excalibur right away, and the rules say Elaine
Each attack teaches the heroes more about the vari- can’t make a potion without the alchemy extra, let the
ous factions which exist in the world, their weapons more interesting story happen. The players can always
and strategies, and their goals. Many of the agents pay for the new extra at the next milestone, removing
who attack the PCs are defeated, killed, or otherwise a stunt or aspect, as necessary. The player may have
driven off and are never seen again, but a select few second thoughts and decide not to take the new extra
escape and become recurring villains, often with spe- after all. That’s fine; you got a good story out of it. Just
cial rivalries directed towards one or another player make sure the player knows that, by choosing not to
character. The first definitive conflict with the Round take the extra when he had the chance, he won’t be
Table makes for an excellent significant milestone and getting any more freebies.
sends both PCs and the Conspiracy back to sharpen The protagonists will encounter—accidentally, as
their knives for another confrontation down the road. subplots in other scenarios, or on purpose if they are
Eventually there comes a time when the heroes stop looking—other incarnations who are unaware of their
running and take a stand. This is a significant mile- true nature. This confronts the players with a diffi-
stone in the Round Table Conspiracy plot, but it doesn’t cult decision: should they lead the NPC to recognize
mean the end of that antagonist. The Table may be himself, waking up old memories of the Arthurian
bloodied, but it survives. Age? Even if they can come to a consensus in this case,
The characters do not know why they have been the next incarnation they meet will have entirely dif-
reincarnated or how, and their ability to answer these ferent circumstances, prompting the debate all over
questions is almost entirely governed by the GM. again. Perhaps the NPC is in imminent danger, and
We’ll summarize this as another aspect, The Quest for waking her up is the only way to save her life. Perhaps
Answers. This isn’t a threat, exactly; it’s something your she is a former enemy of the heroes, and waking her
proactive PCs must pursue themselves. But you might up brings great risk. Perhaps she has valuable skills
add an aspect like this to specific scenarios or scenes, which the PCs could use, but recognizing herself
creating a lever which players can then pull. You would ruin her personal life. Each incarnation’s situa-
could provide a knowledgeable NPC or simply give tion is unique, and once the players decide to prompt
the answers to a magician with Divination, but these recognition, they still have to find a way to do the
are the least interesting options. Instead, the PCs hack deed, usually requiring research, social interaction,
coded files off the computers of their foes, discover and re-enactment.
arcane tomes detailing Nazi rituals, and experience In addition to their encounters with Arthurian
mysterious dreams that suggest Arthur may have agents and the Round Table Conspiracy, the PCs will
come back at the time of the world’s greatest need. frequently stumble across other elements of the su-
Eventually, they learn the details of the Wewelsburg pernatural and the occult. Vampires dance the night
Working, of the Four Queens and the Cauldron of away at the city’s hottest club, werewolves prowl the
Annwn, of Arthur’s reincarnation in the middle ages, reservation, and ghosts haunt the old house on the
and the Round Table’s efforts to keep Arthur dead hilltop. Magic and enchantment leaks across the
so that an age of reason might prevail over the age of Faerie Veil, leading to goblins, ogres, elves, and trolls
magic. There is probably a scenario that brings all walking amongst mundane human beings, con-
of this together, perhaps with a trip to Faerie or to cealed by magic or just a bulky coat and floppy hat.
Germany. Once the PCs have learned everything they Mortal sorcerers work magic for their own personal
can—the how but not the why—they have reached a gain, summoning Faeries from across the Veil or just
significant milestone in The Quest for Answers. peddling spells to a black magic market. These su-
Players will want to make adjustments to their char- pernatural threats pose many dangers for ordinary
acters. Perhaps there is an aspect that isn’t pulling civilians who are caught up in things beyond their
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understanding; it is up to the PCs to save these peo- or extras, they have forged a large web of alliances
ple and drive the monsters back into the shadows. including other incarnations, beings out of Faerie,
Sometimes the “monsters” can be negotiated with, and supernatural creatures who mean mortals no
and sometimes it’s the ordinary people who turn out (great) harm.
to be the villains of the story. These scenarios are not This is the time for a climactic story that ends the
related to the campaign’s primary plot but provide for first “season” of your campaign: a story which pits the
great distraction, allow room for subplots, and enable heroes against the best the Round Table Conspiracy has
the GM to change the stakes from session to session. to offer. Proactive players will already have a strategy
The heroes start out defending themselves on their for taking the fight to the enemy, but you may have to
home turf—a big city such as Los Angeles, New York, make the Conspiracy take the lead. Regardless, this
or Chicago—but as they discover more incarnations is a fight not only for survival, but for the symbol of
around the world they soon become globe-hopping the Round Table itself. Will the heroes fail, and leave
adventurers. The group’s ability to travel might de- the Conspiracy in possession of this great symbol of
pend on you, the GM, since the PCs might not be able unity, equality, and justice? Or will the heroes reclaim
to afford expensive plane tickets, and they also have the Table, sunder the Conspiracy into its component
weapons to smuggle aboard. This is where the one PC factions, humble the enemy, and clear the way for
with high Resources or the Travel talent can enable Arthur and his knights to consolidate in a strong
new stories, ferrying the heroes from one place to headquarters without fear of sudden ambush from
another. A helpful NPC might encourage the players the shadows? This is major milestone which removes
to follow leads wherever they go. As a result, they en- the Round Table Conspiracy as a big issue. Soon there
counter Arthur in a multicultural setting: a Caribbean will be newer, more dangerous and terrifying, forces
Morgan le Fey, Illuminati plots in Amsterdam, assaulting the world, and your heroes will be con-
Parisian vampires, and the ghost of Rasputin in a fronted with even greater challenges—challenges that
Moscow cellar. Depending on how much trouble the do not come from our own shores, but from places far
players have gotten into, and how powerful their ene- off, alien, and strange.
mies are, constant travel may become a necessity, not a
luxury. Similarly, the PCs probably don’t have enough
Resources to outfit a real headquarters. Unless one of
Dials & Switches
them is a king or a wealthy knight or damosel, they Fate Core is designed to be customizable; it is a sys-
have an ad hoc meeting place like a coffee shop, uni- tem which can be dialed up or down to suit the genre
versity library, or family room in the suburbs. and the setting. AL! already moves some of these dials
Inevitably, the heroes encounter their first dupli- by adding refresh and skill points to characters when
cate incarnation, usually another incarnation of a PC. they recognize themselves. But there are other dials
Previously, the heroes assumed they were unique, and switches which need to be noted.
but the other incarnation is probably older and more
knowledgeable than the heroes. At best, he is a dan-
gerous rival, and at worst, he’s a predatory enemy. The
Weapons and Armor
AL! uses the rules for Weapon and Armor Ratings
discovery that there are multiple Arthurs, Merlins,
described on p. 277 of Fate Core System and expanded
and Lancelots in the world will prompt new ques-
upon in the Fate System Toolkit.
tions, sending the heroes back to old contacts who
have known the truth all along but have kept these Weapon 1: Knives, improvised weapons
secrets from the players out of self-centered motives. Weapon 2: Most pistols, swords, axes
This is probably part of The Quest for Answers plot, but Weapon 3: Shotguns, big pistols, most rifles,
you may choose to emphasize it by letting it stand on greatswords
its own. The Who Am I? plot doesn’t resolve any time Weapon 4: .50 rifles and machine guns
soon, and can’t really resolve as long as there are mul- Armor 1: Concealed vest
tiple incarnations out there, but learning about them
for the first time makes a good significant milestone. Armor 2: Bulletproof vest
By this time your PCs have had a few significant Armor 3: Military grade combat armor
milestones. They began running from the Round Armor 4: Vehicles or science fiction
Table, but they’ve taken a stand and have had addi- Weapons and armor can possess stunts or aspects.
tional confrontations with them. They began igno- The main difference is that a stunt always applies in a
rant of their own nature, but have since learned how given situation, while an aspect needs to be invoked,
Arthur was reincarnated and how it all went wrong. either through a skill or a Fate point.
Their refresh may not have changed since recognition,
but they’ve gained at least a few skill points. While
they may not have added any new magical talents
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Weapon and Armor Aspects Fate Core. Each helper does not add +1 to the lead
character’s roll. Instead, use the table below to come
Accurate: This aspect can be invoked whenever the up with a bonus.
shot is far or especially difficult.
Cheap: Weapons, armor, or any other piece of gear 2-3 Helpers: +1 to the leader’s skill
can have this aspect, signifying that it is in poor 4-6 Helpers: +2 to the leader’s skill
shape and prone to all kinds of problems like jams 7-10 Helpers: +3 to the leader’s skill
or breakage. 11-15 Helpers: +4 to the leader’s skill
Concealed: This aspect describes armor or a weapon Note that this rule only applies to Nameless NPCs.
which is designed to be hidden and worn with ordi- Other characters, especially PCs, still use the normal
nary clothing. rules for Teamwork. Each helper gives a +1 bonus to
the leader’s roll.

The Vest Concession Quest Aspects

One of the most well-known concessions in The Fate System Toolkit introduces the idea of Quest
action television is the sudden appearance of
a concealed vest. In a conflict resolution of this
Aspects, aspects crafted by the table and describing
type, a bad guy shoots our hero with a firearm. a goal which unites everyone in the player group. As
The player concedes and appears to fall down
dead. The villain escapes. It’s only after the bad
you can imagine, this is especially appropriate to the
guy is gone—possibly as another hero arrives, Arthurian Age, and some incarnations will bring it
traumatized over the first character’s death—
that the hero opens his eyes, rips open his shirt,
forward into the 21st century by swearing new oaths to
and mutters something about how it’s a good pursue a quest. Gawain was especially famous for this;
thing he remembered to wear the concealed
vest today.
it was Gawain who first swore to find the Holy Grail.
Note that, for the Vest Concession to work, Of course, it was also Gawain who was the first to re-
your character has to not wear a vest most of
the time. If we know your character is wearing a turn a failure.
vest, and he’s constantly getting the benefit of Quest aspects are actually created in character in
Armor:1 from it, then it’s not a plausible narra-
tive when your character is shot, collapses, and Arthur Lives! That is, they are not solely a game me-
appears to die. In Fate, this is a good reason to chanic used to unite the players in a common goal. A
leave the vest at home most of the time, only
breaking out Armor when you are walking into a character in the story actually vows to complete the
firefight. quest, staking his name and reputation on it. Quests
are often given a duration when the vow is spoken, so
that a knight is not bound to it forever. The most com-
mon duration is a year or “a year and a day.” Gawain,
again, was obliged to show up at the Green Chapel
Weapon and Armor Stunts after one year.
Full Auto: This weapon is capable of fully automat-
ic fire. Use the rules for Affecting Multiple Targets on Title Aspects
pages 205-207 of Fate Core. Characters in Arthurian myth sometimes fight over
Longarm: This firearm is long and relatively un- specific titles, titles which we would represent on their
wieldy. It cannot be hidden in clothing and it cannot character sheet with an aspect. In the early years of
be used to target enemies in your own zone. his reign, Arthur fought with Lot, Ryons, and their al-
Scattershot: This firearm only has its full Weapon lies over the title High King. The most popular title as-
Rating if used against a target in your own zone. pect was Best Knight in the World, an aspect fought over
Reduce Weapon by 1 for every zone of range. by Balin, Lancelot, Tristan, Percival, Galahad, Gawain,
and others.
Teamwork and Mobs Often, a title aspect can only be claimed after a con-
flict, and when that conflict is over, the title is—tem-
It is fairly common for Arthurian knights to be out- porarily—bestowed upon the winner. He gets to keep
numbered. When Lancelot was caught in bed with it and can invoke it, but anyone else can challenge
the Queen, he single handedly fought off fourteen him for it and take it away. Sometimes a story event
knights. In one of the earliest written records, Arthur will occur that shows the character is unworthy of the
is said to have killed 960 men in a single battle! In title, and it will vanish without being taken by a rival.
Arthurian myth, Nameless NPCs just don’t count for You can invent new titles and put them in your
as much as a protagonist. game for the PCs to fight over. Heir to the Throne,
In Arthur Lives!, Nameless NPCs do not grant the Merlin’s Best Student and Rightful Owner of Excalibur are
usual Teamwork bonus, described on p. 174 of all good examples.

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Plot Gallery Missing Time: The legend is not always clear on ev-
ery issue; important moments (like the manner of
One sign of a vibrant campaign setting is the abil- a character’s death) may be contradictory or omit-
ity to rattle off all the possible stories you might tell ted entirely. These moments manifest in an incar-
in that setting. Over twenty such stories are provided nation as a blank spot in her memory. But while
here to serve as examples and inspiration for your visiting an area she frequented in her first life, or
own campaign. Some of them are very generic, be- while handling an object which once belonged to
cause they could be reused many times with differ- her, a player character begins to get hints of what
ent variations. Others are very specific, and are tied happened in her “missing time.” More answers
to particular incarnations. They provide a good mix might be found by seeking out more such loca-
of the sort of adventures which Arthur Lives! protago- tions, locations which will have mysteries (and
nists in their first season will experience as they fight guardians) of their own. The eventual resolution
supernatural monsters in the shadows, encounter of what happened in the past might lead to any-
old foes for the first time, stumble across the work- thing from a brief narrative sequence to an entire
ings of the Conspiracy, and help allies to recognize flashback adventure.
themselves in the new Arthurian Age. Necroscope: A player character is getting strange
Awakening: The players identify an incarnation visions in which he is hunted and killed in various
who has not yet recognized herself. The players ways. He’s actually picking up on his other incar-
must help her do so, then extricate her from her nations, who are being stalked and murdered by
mundane life. This will mean getting close to her a mundane (non-Arthurian) psychopath. The kill-
and arranging for events which remind her of her er’s psychic gifts have led him to see all the play-
Arthurian life, triggering her memory. Opposing er’s incarnations as the same person, and his psy-
forces might be trying to recruit her first or elim- chosis has led him to mistake that person for an
inate her before recognition. She and her friends individual whom the killer resents (like an abusive
and family might believe the players are obsessed parent or the girl who rejected him). The players
and dangerous stalkers, making the task more need to find out what is going on, then track down
difficult. Once she recognizes herself, old conflicts the killer before any more incarnations—includ-
with player incarnations re-surface and she will ing the player!—are slain.
be forced to choose between her two lives. Siege Perilous: The PCs learn of an incarna-
Big Brother: The players are detected by an old en- tion of Balin who would make a valuable ally.
emy incarnation who recognized himself long Unfortunately, he’s on death row and slated to be
ago and has spent the last several years pre- executed within the week! The heroes must some-
paring for the new conflict. He is entrenched, how free him from prison.
well-funded, supported by a small army of allies Fire Sale: A supernatural antagonist from myth (a
and servants, and gunning for the heroes. First giant, witch, or dragon, for example) is masquer-
they must figure out who their enemy is, then ading as a human being and using her magical
play catch-up. Alternately, the enemy might be might to amass power, influence, and wealth at
another incarnation of a player, one who is out the expense of others. Once the heroes learn of
to eliminate all rivals. her existence, they cannot simply murder her, as
Test for Echo: Famous objects from the Arthurian she is a very public figure. Instead, they must find
legend are also appearing in the modern world. a way to put her out of business.
These are called “echoes” and one of the heroes The Crystal Cave: One of the heroes accidental-
has reason to believe that a modern, hard-to-get ly stumbles into Faerie, or into the remnant of
object is actually an echo of one of his signature a magical refuge (an otherworldly space like
possessions. Gawain might realize that the auto- Avalon) now abandoned by its creator. Various
mobile used by a famous race car driver is an echo supernatural creatures hiding from mundane eyes
of his legendary horse, Gringolet. Lancelot might have moved in and won’t let the player leave. The
recognize the ring on the Pope’s finger as an echo other characters must find their lost member and
of his own ring, which protected him from evil retrieve him, dealing with the inhabitants (either
magic. The item may be in use by a villain (mak- diplomatically or forcefully).
ing this an action scenario) or by an otherwise Round Table: The heroes come across an organized
ignorant bystander (making this a heist scenario). and skilled group of mundane individuals (a hack-
Either way, the player will have to persuade his er club, a street gang, an investment group) who
companions that the reward is worth the risk. have modeled themselves on King Arthur and the
Round Table. They are prepared to believe the
hero’s outrageous claims about reincarnation and
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could contribute to the player’s current mission. currently facing. If the players refuse the extended
Even if the players refuse to recruit them, the temptation, their current investigation proves
group butts in on whatever investigation is cur- extremely dangerous but winnable with courage
rently ongoing, possibly providing key assistance. and fortitude. If they accept the temptation, the
Are these erstwhile followers really cut out for the apparently easy solution turns out to have ines-
life-or-death choices which confront the heroes capable consequences that lead to tragedy. In the
every day? Are they an aid or a liability? And what morning, the tempter—a demon in disguise—has
if one of the group longs for his mundane life so vanished, along with all trace of its existence.
much that he is ready to cut a deal with Arthur’s Clarity: The heroes discover a mundane man who
enemies, just for a chance at normalcy? has gone crazy after some traumatic life experi-
Left Behind: A person from a player character’s ence. Now he instantly recognizes all Arthurian
mundane life (a family member, close friend, or incarnations just by looking at them! Everyone
significant other) refuses to let go when the player else thinks the man’s ravings about King Arthur
character walks away to join Arthur’s mission. He are part of his hallucinations, but the players
follows the hero, gathering clues on her activities know the truth. By probing his past, they can un-
and laying traps for Arthur, whom he considers cover the trauma and help bring the man back to
a cult leader that has brainwashed the player sanity, though this will deprive him of his special
character. insight and deprive the heroes of a potentially
ERA: A female hero is abducted by a supernatural valuable ally. Meanwhile, forces related to the
menace, mundane villain, or antagonist organi- secret trauma are also conspiring to “acquire” the
zation, but the abduction does not go as expect- lunatic for themselves, or kill him.
ed. Perhaps Guinevere is a more active defender A Winged Serpent, Argent: A player incarnation of
of her own interests than she was in the myth. Morgause is sought out by her biological son, the
Perhaps the abducted woman is actually the in- mundane child of her teenage years whom she
carnation of a male knight, who retains all his gave up for adoption. He shows no sign of being
fighting prowess. Perhaps the kidnappers are not an incarnation, but how can the heroes be sure?
truly evil, and need the abducted hero’s help in a He’s eager and wants to get to know his mother,
struggle with the real villains, who have already but he shows a willingness to compromise when it
approached the remaining player characters and comes to matters of honor and mercy. Can the he-
offered to help them rescue the “helpless victim.” roes afford to dismiss him and let him find a new,
Underhand: Nineve, the Lady of the Lake, is craft- more amenable, mentor? Or can they convince
ing a supernatural item to help Arthur out of his him to turn aside from the “practical” path of re-
current jam. Unfortunately, she needs a special morseless violence?
something to complete the item, and this thing The Gripping Hand: In the middle of a conflict
is in the hands of a rival power. While the other with powerful foes, a player incarnation of
heroes organize a raid, the rival power secretly ap- Pellinore discovers a clue to the location of the
proaches Nineve with the terms of a deal. Questing Beast. The data is time-sensitive and
Gonzago: An influential political figure (perhaps if he delays the Beast will escape. But Arthur
a former Secretary of State or one of the recent may not survive his current dilemma without
spate of celebrity ambassadors) announces the Pellinore’s help. If Pellinore is not a player char-
creation of a “Round Table” meant to resolve acter, he begins stalking one of the heroes, con-
Middle East tensions. It turns out this same figure vinced that the hero has the clue he seeks.
is part owner of something called “Pendragon Well of Souls: After defeating some supernatural
Exports” and has had an obsession with medieval foe (a dangerous ghost, warlock, demon, or even
history ever since a life-changing event a few years the Ubiquitous Vampire Menace), the heroes dis-
ago. Another incarnation? No, a trap laid by the cover a portal to the underworld, where they en-
Round Table Conspiracy designed to flush the he- counter the souls of loved ones who have not been
roes out of hiding. incarnated (like Uther Pendragon, Duke Gorlois
Omelet: Archeologists in China discover the largest of Cornwall, or the spirits of people related to the
fossilized dinosaur egg yet. Merlin, however, rec- player character’s mundane life). While staying in
ognizes it as a dragon egg, and it’s about to hatch. the underworld is not without its dangers, the he-
Straight and Narrow: An apparently mundane roes may be able to gather clues as to the reason
individual tempts the heroes with wealth, power, for Arthur’s return.
or romance. The tempter is particularly well-po-
sitioned to solve whatever problem the heroes are

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Giant’s Dance: The media reports that several protagonists to struggle against. Even if the series
of Stonehenge’s massive blocks have been dis- never makes it past season one, your final confron-
turbed! Merlin knows that Stonehenge was the tation with that first villain will make for a satisfying
site of burial for many of Arthur’s forebears, and ending to the game.
investigation reveals that their bones have been The Arthur Lives! game has been built around this
removed. What possible purpose would someone seasonal structure, and it is deeply embedded in the
have for digging up the bones of Arthur’s uncles? game’s basic concepts. The “seasons” of this “series”
Tooth and Claw: A spate of violent animal attacks roughly correspond to Arthur’s own career. First, he
leads the heroes to a clutch of shapechanging has to discover who he really is, build his close cir-
killers. One of them turns out to be Sir Marrok, cle of friends and family, and defend his right to be
a Knight of the Round Table who—according to king. This first phase of Arthur’s early life ends with
Malory—also happened to be a werewolf! his marriage and the establishment of both Camelot
The Project: A mysterious individual, who denies and the Round Table. In the same way, the first sea-
any official governmental position but who none- son focuses on low-level adventure and setting up
theless seems able to go anywhere, acquire virtu- the protagonists. It is in many ways about the idea
ally anything, and who has access to Top Secret of discovery: the heroes spend a lot of time learning
government files, offers to help the heroes with what the world is really like, how magic works, how
their ‘project’. He asks for nothing in return and Arthur has returned, and so on. It is presumed that
will pass info to the heroes even if they refuse his during this first season the protagonists will be tak-
help, threaten him, or physically injure him. Even ing a fairly quiet approach to many problems; while
when the heroes come to hate him, he uses his most adventures will end in a rousing action se-
influence to get them out of trouble and cover up quence, the heroes will not be publicly broadcasting
any entanglements with the law. the fact that they are Arthurian reincarnations. In
other words, season one takes place in the shadows.
Whedonisms There are some scary, supernatural creeps out there,
and the heroes not only have to take them down
It is time for a couple of confessions from the au- but do it in a way that doesn’t scare the straights.
thor. When I pitch Arthur Lives! to my local gaming The main adversary in this first season is the Round
group and other playtesters, I often describe it as Table Conspiracy. It is unlikely that every element
“my Joss Whedon game,” citing the creator of var- of the Conspiracy will be destroyed by the heroes—
ious fan-favorite projects such as Buffy the Vampire indeed, that may not even be possible—but if the
Slayer, Angel, Firefly, and Dollhouse. My suggestion Conspiracy itself can somehow be broken up into
that Arthur Lives! = Joss Whedon has usually been its component parts, then Arthur can claim to have
received with enthusiasm, though recent accusa- defeated this imposter “Round Table” and taken the
tions over his treatment of women are concerning. image of the Table for himself.
But why would I say that in the first place, besides This rough outline of story inspiration does not
the obvious marketing appeal? What is it about Joss preclude you from introducing whatever themes
Whedon’s writing that is especially inspirational or and ideas you want to explore and your players are
constructive when it comes to running AL? The an- interested in. If you want to focus your first season of
swers are many, and they can be very instructional Arthur Lives! on betrayal, greed, the role of the media
for GMs looking to improve their game. in our lives, or our willingness to put up with unjust
rulers, you can do that. A plot outline seldom pre-
The Seasonal Approach cludes you talking about whatever topic interests you
and your group. And this book doesn’t really try to
Whedon’s television projects were divided up into provide you with themes for your campaign, for the
seasons, each with around two dozen episodes. Each simple reason that no one knows your group (and
season was built around a few over-arcing themes, what they enjoy) better than you do.
usually including a specific antagonist who was at Future seasons of Arthur Lives! use Arthur’s first life
the root of that season’s story. This technique is not as further inspiration. Once he was King, Arthur had
unique to Whedon, but he does use it, and it informs to fight off a sustained invasion by foreign invaders.
so much else that goes on in these shows that it is By then, the arrival of great knights like Lancelot and
a good place to start. Think of your ongoing Arthur Tristan had begun to eclipse the King himself, not
Lives! campaign not as a novel, or even as an action only in personal heroism but as lovers and romantic
movie, but rather as episodes in a television show figures. The Quest for the Holy Grail sent the great
lasting several seasons. Pick themes, ideas, and sym- knights out into the world on a spiritual test which
bols that you want to return to over and over again almost all failed. Even after Lancelot and other
in that first season, and establish a villain for the knights return, the decline of Camelot metastasizes
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into the Queen’s adultery, Arthur’s war with Lancelot In Arthur Lives! you see the idea of empowered
in France, and Mordred’s attempt to seize the throne. women in the many reincarnated Arthurian figures
It all ends with a cataclysmic battle not against out- who no longer need to obey the social expecta-
side foes, but against the product of Arthur’s own tions they endured in their former lives. Women in
sin and error. Somewhere in there is the Dolorous Arthurian myth fall into broad categories of wife,
Stroke, and Arthur leads an army into Europe and lover, evil sorceress, or nun, but modern AL! heroines
defeats Rome, being crowned Emperor. are not bound by these terms. They can be warriors,
leaders, and mothers all at the same time. Not all
Keeping Your Head Down gaming groups will have female players in them, but
those that do will welcome AL’s feminist sensibilities.
Whedon’s heroes seldom want to be heroes. In fact, Complicating this notion is the gender confu-
they often just want to be left alone, go to school, or sion of Arthur’s reincarnation. Female figures like
do their job and get paid. They shun the spotlight. Guinevere or Morgause can be reincarnated as men,
However, they also have deep-rooted ethical codes. and men like Merlin or Gawain can come back as
They may not talk about it a lot, but their moral women. Not all groups will explore this aspect of the
compass points true north. Because of this, when game, but it remains in the GM’s toolkit as a way of
they are confronted with moral or ethical challeng- mixing things up and providing the unexpected.
es—which happens every week like clockwork—they
are obliged to step out of their normal lives and do
the right thing. This usually involves well-choreo- Family vs. Hierarchy
graphed action. In the worlds of Buffy, Angel, Firefly, and Dollhouse,
Protagonists in Arthur Lives! will not look heroic official hierarchy is contrasted with the emotional
or talk heroic, and they will often do all they can to bonds normally found among family. This family,
avoid acting heroic. They will reject their past, and usually a surrogate family but including at least
try very hard to get on with an ordinary life. But some people who actually are related to one another,
inevitably they will see someone in trouble, or they is where the protagonists live. They quarrel often,
will learn of some wrong which it is in their power to and don’t even like each other all that much, but
prevent. A moment of hesitation will ensue, during their familial bond is strong enough that, in the end,
which the hero tries not to be a hero. He tries to just it trumps all other disagreements. Even though the
walk on by, perhaps insisting this isn’t his problem. heroes fight a lot, they stick together when it counts.
But to walk on by would mean a violation of his mor- On the other side is the hierarchy, be it a law firm,
al code, and that he cannot do. That’s usually when a master vampire and his slavish minions, or an in-
the guns (or the swords, or the fists) come out. terplanetary government. These organizations are
Talk about this idea openly with your players. oppressive and unhealthy. Free will is squashed,
Make it clear that just because they are playing rules are arbitrary and unexplained, and despite its
Arthurian knights, they do not have to be shining great size and vast resources the organization itself is
examples of nobility and courtesy. On the outside, actually quite dysfunctional. Its bureaucratic policies
their characters may even talk about letting the bad and procedures get in the way, while the protagonist
guys win. That’s all fine. But when push comes to family operates under a more freeform and adapt-
shove, they do the right thing. That’s what makes able set of rules which make them harder to predict
them heroes. and impossible to counter. Often there are organi-
zations which would seem to be allies of the pro-
Empowered Women tagonists—the order of Watchers, or the Dollhouse
staff—whose obedience to strict hierarchy and rules
This (or the sudden fatality of beloved characters) makes them more of an obstacle to the heroes than
may be Joss Whedon’s most famous characteristic as a resource. The more a group pays attention to rules
a writer. He writes strong female characters. They and regulations, the more likely it is that this group’s
are often action heroes, though never without flaw. activities will ultimately prove to be disastrous. The
Many have suffered through terrible tragedy, but more rebellious an antagonist gets, the more likely
they never let their suffering define them. That is, that antagonist will ultimately prove to be an ally.
they are not victims. Even characters who seem to In Arthur Lives!, as in most roleplaying games, play-
be the very image of weak, pliant, pushed-around ers will usually consult with one another and make
and mousy women grow and mature into—or are plans together, rather than relying on one person—
suddenly revealed to be—unstoppable engines of or off-stage NPCs—to make the decisions. This is not
butt-kicking might. It’s just a matter of time, and that to say there may not be a single protagonist who has
development is often central to the entire series. a “leader” role; indeed, any incarnation of Arthur,

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Guinevere, or Merlin is very likely to have such a Sometimes the table wants to tell stories of wealth
role. But these characters should advise, listen, and and power. That’s fine, and totally in keeping with
consult before making decisions, and there’s always the Arthurian Age. What you lose is a contrast be-
the possibility that another hero will take it upon tween the Arthurian and modern age, a contrast
himself to disobey the leader—not simply out of between past life and new that adds energy to many
spite, but because it is what the hero thinks is right. stories. It’s important that wealth create stories, and
Often, that rebellious hero is proven to have been not be used to end them. And your goal as GM is
correct. This is especially noteworthy in Arthur Lives! not to nullify what wealth a hero has, but to create
because the Arthurian Age was a time of strict orga- stories in which they need to use that wealth in order
nizational hierarchy; every knight owed fealty to the to succeed. Occasional stories will remind the PCs
lord above him, and every lord was obliged to pro- of the problems that money brings, and sometimes
vide for his knights. Wives obeyed their husbands. they’ll have to give their wealth away in order to
Sons obeyed their fathers. But in the modern setting maintain their moral code; for a real hero, that’s not
of the new Arthurian Age, the protagonists will rene- really a very difficult choice to make.
gotiate those old relationships into something more
equal, relationships based on mutual respect and not
feudal tradition. Moreover, family relations are al-
ready built into the game setting; each hero will have
two families—one from his former life, and a second
21st century one that he is born into.

The Cost of Living

One of the things that makes Whedon’s heroes so
recognizable to us is that they aren’t immune to eco-
nomic pressures. Captain Picard may come from a
society without money, but the crew of Serenity can’t
fly if they don’t get paid. Buffy’s mother (and, later,
Buffy herself ) often worried about how the family
would get by. Cordelia never let Angel forget that
being a hero was not cheap, and one of the reasons
the transition to Wolfram and Hart was so tempting
was because the protagonists would be able to stop
worrying about cash flow.
Encourage your players to keep Resources low.
They might struggle to pay the bills, but they earn
satisfaction by saving innocent people from
bad things, by teaching the bad guy a lesson,
and by building stronger emotional bonds
with family and friends. (Not to mention
the occasional increase in refresh.) It’s
really a matter of effort and struggle;
the harder a hero has to work, the
more heroic he or she appears. A
little wealth is easy to work with,
but a character who can buy
anything he needs starts to
drift out of touch with the
setting, and a hero whose
life is a highway paved
with gold doesn’t have
to work as hard.
Thus, he appears
less heroic.

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The Cost of Victory Dreams and Prophecy

Whedon’s heroes usually win, but that win is never Two nights before his battle with King Arthur,
easy and the more challenging the foe, the steeper the king of Malahaut (also known as the King of a
the price that must be paid. Often the heroes are Hundred Knights) had an amazing dream:
confronted with a choice: they must betray one per- That there blew a great wind which blew
son in order to save another, sacrifice a part of them- down his castles and his towns, and after that
selves in order to help others, or lose someone dear came a flood that bore it all away.
in order to save the world. They perform small evils All those who heard of the King’s dream called it
in order to perform great goods. The ultimate ex- a portent of the battle to come, and it was, but not
pression of this cost of victory is the sudden and un- in the way Malahaut and his fellow rebels would
expected death of protagonists who, it was assumed, have liked: Arthur defeated him with the help of the
had script immunity. Note that this cost of victory is French kings Ban and Bors. The battle was inconclu-
in addition to, not instead of, the usual challenges sive, however, and the rebels withdrew to the north
which heroes face; besides paying a steep cost in to fend off another invasion and plan for the follow-
terms of personal honor, well-being, or friendships, ing season. But Malahaut, perhaps persuaded by the
the heroes still have to beat the big bad in the face dream of Arthur’s victory which had come to him
with a shovel. that special night, did not join this second rebellion,
Fate, by design, has a low mortality rate. PC and in fact eventually allied with Arthur and became
death never happens accidentally. Players can al- a Knight of the Round Table.
ways concede and, even when they don’t, the GM is Dreams of this sort are rare in the legends but not
discouraged from killing their characters. But in a unheard of, and when they do occur they appear to
good AL! campaign, a price must always be paid and be messages sent by divine providence. They do not
sometimes the ultimate victory requires the ultimate come solely to the mystic and the magician—indeed,
price. Other stories should be constructed with a magicians like Merlin and Nimue seem to have oth-
kind of “Sophie’s Choice,” in which no outcome is er, more reliable, methods of acquiring information
desirable, though one will be more “right” than oth- through supernatural means. Enchanted dreams
ers. When a PC dies in Arthur Lives!, not even Merlin are a kind of magic for the everyman, a means of the
or the Lady of the Lake can bring him back. At the divine speaking to mortals who would not otherwise
same time, when these deaths occur, they should be able to hear.
pave the way for victory (or pay for one which has The most famous dream of this type belongs
just occurred). to Arthur.
Be up front with your players about this aspect of He thought there was come into his land
the game, so that they understand what they are in griffons and serpents, and he thought they
for. This will also help prepare them for the inev- burnt and slew all the people in the land; and
itable moment when one of the player characters then he thought he fought with them and they
suddenly dies, or when he must lie, cheat, or betray did him great harm and sorely wounded him,
the table in order to save the day and stop the big but at the last he slew them.
bad. It is your task to make sure that these moments
of sacrifice, betrayal, and ethical compromise are This dream came to Arthur soon after the departure
never extraneous or cheap; your task is not to make of Morgause from his court; it warned of the mortal
the heroes hate one another or kill them off. Rather, sin of incest that he had committed with her and the
you must ensure suspense by dispensing with script eventual consequences of Mordred’s birth. Note that
immunity and creating difficult choices which split there was nothing Arthur could do to fix this sin, and
the group down the middle. When one hero decides the dream is certainly not a warning. It is, rather, a
to take matters into his own hands, he is also the one way of cluing in an ignorant character to the long-
who pays the price. Thus, although the other heroes term significance of the choices he has made. For
may disagree with what he did, and be angry over his GMs, dreams of this sort are a foreshadowing tech-
deception, they also must admit that the price was nique—and a not-so-subtle way of nudging players in
his to pay, and the decision his to make. a particular direction. Represent an important dream
with an aspect; there is no better way to alert a player
that his creepy dream was More Than Just a Dream.
Use dreams to alert players to Traitors in Your Midst,
to get them to Look Twice at people or clues they may
have disregarded after You Missed Something Important,
and to build up tension and suspense around the
most important turning points in your story.

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Prophecies becomes their new base of operations, you can in-

troduce a prophecy by Merlin which speaks of the
In Arthurian myth, most prophecies come from “ghost-crowded hill, turned shining New Camelot.”
one of two sources. The first and most famous is the When the heroes find the haunted house they may
character of Merlin. In fact, some of the most import- remember the prophecy, but more importantly
ant authors in the Arthurian canon, like Geoffrey of they will confidently take possession of the house
Monmouth, seem to have written about Merlin more when they have cleared out all the spooks and spec-
than about Arthur. Typically, authors depict Merlin ters, knowing that the place is a good New Camelot.
as living in a bygone era making prophecies which Your prophecies can speak as far into the future as
are all about the times and events through which you have planned, but you probably want to keep
the author of the book is living. Writers like Geoffrey the prophecy vague so that you have some wiggle
invented prophecies for Merlin which were, in effect, room as the prophesied event nears. In particular,
political propaganda for rulers whom the authors you probably want to avoid mentioning any player
wanted to please. The other source for prophecy is characters by name in your prophecies, since play-
the hermit or holy man; most of these prophecies ers have a habit of leaving games, changing charac-
appear during the Grail Quest, but GMs should feel ters, or otherwise not showing up when expected.
free to introduce such NPCs at any time. As different Instead, cloak individuals in objects of apparel,
as these two sources seem to be, they actually have a allegorical description, or unusual titles. If your
common theme. Merlin’s knowledge of the past came prophecy refers to The Bear of England and not to a
from his demonic father, but his knowledge of the particular individual, why, that description could be
future was a gift from God, the same type of gift that used for virtually any incarnation. All you have to
those hermits and holy men displayed. Ultimately, in do is put Arthur, Kay, or Galahad in a UCLA Bruins
Arthurian myth, there is only one power with access jacket and your prophecy is working out fine. (In
to future events, and that power is God. Whether or fact, a shirtless hero might even qualify as “bare.”)
not that remains true in your Arthur Lives! game is When it comes to game mechanics, you probably
up to you. won’t need anything more than aspects to repre-
Merlin’s fame as a prophet was key to his character, sent prophecy. Merlin’s player can create prophecy
and if you have a Merlin incarnation in your cam- aspects using his high concept alone; others may
paign he is the logical source of whatever prophecies need a Prophetic Dreams or Visions From on High as-
a GM might wish to include. Sometimes Merlin’s pect. Interpreting another character’s visions using
prophecies were very important; for example, he your own Occult skill could enable the creation of
foretold that Either Arthur or Lot Must Die in battle a prophecy aspect using no extras at all, just your
at Castle Terrabil and, since one of them had to go, create advantage action. If you want to create a
Merlin decided it would be Lot. The sorcerer used new extra to represent prophecy, compare it to the
his magic to enchant Lot and keep him from show- Divination talent. It should be comparatively useful,
ing up to battle on time; this allowed Arthur to de- but not overlap. The Necromancy talent can also
feat Nero safely before turning to handle Lot and his open the path to prophecy, if the necromancer sum-
men. But often Merlin’s prophecies seem frivolous or mons up a dead spirit and asks it for knowledge of
trivial. When Balin killed Lanceor, prince of Ireland, the future. Note that, in both these cases, the GM is
and Lanceor’s lady Colombe soon followed her be- going to have a lot of control over the prophecy’s lev-
loved into death, Merlin commemorated the tomb el of detail and its ease of interpretation. This is by
with a prophecy of Fateful Confrontation: one day design. While Fate normally makes aspect creation
Lancelot and Tristan would fight at the site. As you a group activity, the GM knows the future in a way
can see from these examples, aspects on a location players usually will not. Prophets and necromancers
are a great way to represent prophecy. who are not enchanters won’t generate Enchantment
Although Merlin’s prophecies were famous for Points; instead, just inflict mental stress.
all coming true, they did not always come true in If you’re the GM of an Arthur Lives! game, don’t
Arthur’s lifetime, and some spoke of events which be shy about using prophecy. It is part of Arthurian
we know very little about. This can be unsatisfy- myth, and one weapon among many in your story-
ing for those players who want every plot thread to telling arsenal. Start small, with a single prophecy
eventually be tied off, and throwing prophecy as- that reveals itself in the same session it was given
pects around like candy contributes to aspect bloat, or the next. Keep it short and create an aspect for it.
so GMs will probably want to reserve prophecy for The prophecy may not be clear when it is given, but
important plot twists which are well-established after the event unfolds and the aspect shows up on
moments in a campaign’s overall outline. For ex- a location, the prophecy will be proven true. In this
ample, if you have planned for the PCs to come sense, prophecy is not really intended as an aid to
into the possession of a once-haunted house which characters in the story; Arthurian characters seldom
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if ever understood prophecies spoken in their pres- around, it is important to give the players as much
ence. Instead, the prophecy simply drifted through freedom of choice about incarnation as possible.
the story until it finally came true, leading those That means not using up fun and recognizable char-
present to look back and exclaim, “Oh, so that’s what acters like Gawain, the Lady of the Lake, or Arthur
Merlin meant all those years ago!” As a GM, you will by making them into NPCs. The players always get
use prophecy to leave breadcrumbs for PCs to follow, first pick. Similarly, a GM may want to get some good
and to raise flags which tell the PCs they’ve arrived. reference materials ready for Arthurian characters,
because he will not be able to reuse the famous ones
Alternative Campaigns over and over. Instead of making yet another Morgan
le Fey incarnation, he will have to find other mag-
Ultimately, Arthur Lives! is a toolbox for the ic-workers from the myth who may be less famous
Gamemaster and players, a mechanism which en- but still useful as an antagonist. This type of game
ables you and your group to play whatever version of encourages a relatively small roster of supporting
the New Arthurian Age you care to create. The “tra- and recurring characters who come back to thwart or
ditional” Arthur Lives! campaign is set in the present, aid the players again and again.
allows multiple incarnations of each Arthurian char- Ultimately, this option is excellent for player
acter, and encourages other supernatural elements groups that have very little turnover, and for limit-
so long as those elements do not take the spotlight ed-run campaigns that will end long before they run
off of Arthurian myth. Each of these assumptions (or out of story ideas. If you want to run Arthur Lives! for
all of them!) can be questioned. your local group, and you have a two or four session
story you want to run, and the heroes aren’t going
There Can Be Only One to meet any other incarnations, why not make them
all exclusive? Chances are, the player characters will
In this version of Arthur Lives! Arthur, Merlin,
never know the difference anyway.
Guinevere and the rest have been reincarnated, but
only once. If one of your players has chosen to play
Gawain, he or she is the only Gawain in the world. Historic-AL
If he dies, Gawain is dead. In this option, the story is set in a dramatic and
This kind of story is, in many ways, much more exciting historical time period rather than in the
cinematic and true to the adventure fiction which present. Fortunately for us, roleplaying has explored
lies at the heart of an AL! campaign. It postulates a historical settings for decades, and virtually every
setting in which your player group is the only player setting you might want to use has been written about
group. The game already presumes that the more in various games and expansions.
milestones a character has, the more important they If you want to preserve an American take on
will be and the more they will come to dominate Arthur, one that still looks, feels, and plays like an
the campaign setting, but the option detailed here action movie or television series, look at American
makes the heroes vitally important from day one. A genres like the pulps, the western, or noir. You can
lucky shot or one bad mistake can have tragic conse- find good inspiration in other authors who have al-
quences if it results in the death of a key protagonist. ready written Arthurian stories set in the past. The
Players and the GM can control much of this chaos, novel Arthur, King sends a time-traveling Arthur to
ensuring that important characters do not die, but England’s “darkest hour,” where he becomes a fight-
every group suffers some amount of attrition when er pilot in the Battle of Britain. Chandler wrote a
individual players move away, find other hobbies, or Phillip Marlowe novel called Lady of the Lake. A little
enlist in the military. This poses serious challenges research can provide interesting hooks for your plot.
to the campaign’s story, challenges which are best Wild Bill Hickok had a testicle shot off in a gunfight;
overcome when the GM and players work together was he the Fisher King of a western Wasteland?
to find a suitable new direction. The Marvel UK comic series Knights of Pendragon
Some changes are required to the setting’s ordi- put forth superheroes who were modern incarna-
nary background; in particular, we must presume tions of Galahad, Percival, Gawain, Guinevere, and
that the Wewelsburg Working was far more effective Merlin. They didn’t wear costumes, but their powers
than first thought. The Nazis may have had the ac- came from a mystic Green Knight who looked a lot
tual Grail (instead of a false one) and the real Holy like Cthulhu.
Lance. Several of the characters in this book are GMs who want to use history can go much farther
incarnations; Narrators will probably need to revise back and much farther afield, however. The secret
these characters if the characters are to be used, ef- history of Arthur Lives! already gives some sugges-
fectively “de-Arthuring” them. In a setting in which tions of alternate settings. Perhaps the players take
the players are the only Arthurian incarnations on the great personages of Elizabeth’s court, with
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the magician John Dee, the dashing Raleigh, even genre in which the game is set. If you have a player
the Queen herself as incarnations? A medieval set- group which includes a Golden Dawn magician,
ting could use the War of the Roses or the Thirty a talking ape from a lost city in South America, a
Years War as a background. A Victorian AL! might Consulting Detective, and a dashing zeppelin pi-
combine the magic of the Golden Dawn, steampunk lot who just happens to also be a reincarnation of
sensitivities, and romantic adventure, using famous Lancelot, only one of your players is really using this
characters from history and literature side by side in book. But everyone is having a pretty good time.
the mode of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. What
if Mordred allied with the Martians? This is roleplay-
ing in the Ken Hite “high weirdness” mode.
AL3K
This points to one of the dangers of the historic Instead of a step into the past, take a leap to the
setting: the question of “How much to include?” future. An Arthur Lives! game blended with science
Historical settings already have a lot going on and fiction gets you a science fantasy feel, where space
the GM should make some early decisions on the knights wield laser swords and alien worlds are
breadth of the campaign’s scope. For example, if you home to monstrous neo-dragons.
choose to make superheroic incarnations, are there Many “return of the king” stories have been set in
also other superheroes who are not derived from the future during some world-threatening danger
Arthur? (Perhaps they are out there, but the player that prompts Arthur’s awakening. Perhaps the best
characters seldom interact with them. We might call of these is the justifiably famous Camelot 3000, writ-
this the Vertigo solution.) If you set your game in the ten by Mike Barr and drawn by Brian Bolland. That
pulp era, are literary characters like Doc Savage, book includes many elements which Arthur Lives!
the Shadow, and Fu Manchu out there, and do they readers will recognize, including incarnations who
have any connection to Arthur? If your historical have to somehow be convinced of their true nature, a
time period is already cluttered with world-saving multinational cast that takes the Round Table out of
adventurers and diabolical villains who Britain, and the possibility of transgendered char-
have nothing to do with Arthur, the acters like Barr’s memorable “Sir” Tristan. Other
game ceases to really be about takes on Arthurian SF include TSR’s Once and
Arthur and it becomes Future King setting for the Amazing Engine line,
more about the long out of print but available in digital form,
historical and the much more recent Corporia RPG by
Mark Plemmons.
As with historic Arthur, you will want to
decide how much of the story is based on
Arthur, and how much just coincidentally
happens to have Arthur in it. Because of
the tradition that Arthur will awaken
in the moment of England’s great-
est need, science fiction versions of
Arthur Lives! usually posit some
world-threatening danger like an
alien invasion, interstellar war, or
galactic disaster. Only the heroes
can save the Earth. This idea
combines well with the “There
Can Be Only One” option dis-
cussed above; Arthur is not
reincarnated in multiple
versions. Instead, the plots
and characters that would
usually be taken up with
Arthurian incarnations
are instead filled by
aliens, robots, and
psychic mutants who
have little, if any-
thing, to do with
Arthur. You may
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decide to strip all the magic out of Arthur Lives! and work well for limited-run campaigns or for groups of
replace it with psionic powers, strange alien talents, method actors. Sometimes an Ignorant Arthur game
or cyberwear. can turn into a more traditional Arthur Lives! story by
In many ways, the decision to set your Arthurian the sudden revelation that all those Arthurian ele-
game in the future actually does very little to deter- ments haven’t been just thematic coincidences.
mine what the game will ultimately be like. After
all, a far-future game could focus on the crew of
a single starship (Star Trek, Firefly), a war against
Mythic Relations
an evil Empire (Star Wars, Flash Gordon), “hard sci- If Arthur has come back to the world, why not
ence” exploration of other worlds (The Martian, Blue other heroes? Can Lancelot rub shoulders with
Planet, or even 2001: A Space Odyssey), or social ques- Hercules, Beowulf, and Sinbad? A traditional AL!
tions posed by new technology (Neuromancer, Blade campaign keeps the focus on Arthurian myth, but
Runner, Corporia). These are all very different, but the only thing between you and a mythic smorgas-
very fun, games. The role of Arthur in any of them is bord is a lot of work.
up to you. The best reason to include other myths alongside
Arthur is to accommodate your players. Arthur Lives!
Ignorant Arthur takes several important steps to make the game as
open as possible when it comes to character con-
Arthur Lives! presumes that the presence of Arthur cepts, but it is inevitable that someone in your group
in the setting is overt. That is, it is something which will say, “I’m just not that into Arthur.” That player
exists in character. The heroes can find out about may, however, enjoy Norse or Greek mythology, or
it; indeed, it is presumed they will. This need not Asian legend, or Native American. You may want
be so. Many authors have created tales in which the to extend character options to include characters
protagonists have a great resemblance to Arthur, from any myth, rather than just one. One strong
and in which Arthurian themes are very strong, but treatment of this idea is Matt Wagner’s Mage II: the
Arthur’s influence is never acknowledged or rec- Hero Defined. In it, Kevin Matchstick, a reincarnated
ognized by anyone in the story. In other words, the Arthur, meets modern versions of Roland, Beowulf,
Arthurian elements are all out of character. Cuchullain, Prester John, Hercules, and Coyote,
In stories of this sort, the protagonists are all among others. In the end, his very nature as an
friends, family, and rivals who work together. They Arthurian incarnation is thrown into doubt. It turns
may make up a football team, a crime gang, a police out he may be an incarnation of Gilgamesh instead
precinct, or a powerful corporation. Three of them of, or in addition to, Arthur. Another good example
may be named Arthur, Lance, and Jenny. You can bet is the Hercules and Xena television shows, which
that they will soon sit down at a round table. None may have begun as Greek myth but ran farther and
of these facts are ever noted or commented upon. farther afield as each season demanded more and
Instead, the heroes concern themselves with tense but more new stories.
mundane challenges which face them in their daily Mythic Arthur Lives! has the beneficial side effect
lives; the football team has to make it to the playoffs, of throwing open the doors when it comes to adver-
the mobsters have to turn a profit without betraying saries and story ideas. A traditional campaign has no
their personal codes of honor, the cops chase a serial hydras, no Valhalla, and no peaches of immortality,
killer, and the corporation deals with a hostile take- but your game can have all these things and more.
over or some genetic engineering project run amok. The GM in a game of this sort is at the all-you-can-
These tales work best with all the magic and en- eat mythology buffet. But because the menu is so
chantment removed from the setting. The GM never large, there’s no way that any single resource will
has to answer the question “Are these characters re- be able to do all the work for you. There have been
ally reincarnations of King Arthur?” because no one entire games written on Greek, Egyptian, or Norse
in the setting will ever know. The player characters, myth, for example. You will have some reading to
their allies, and foes are probably the only Arthurian do. More importantly, by expanding the game to in-
incarnations in the setting, so there is no need clude all heroic myth, you de-emphasize the role of
for multiple versions of any one Arthurian hero. Arthur. Only the most famous of Arthurian charac-
However, if “Arthur” dies on an adventure or has to ters are going to make the cut in a game of this sort;
be replaced, this is easily done. This, like all the oth- even significant heroes like Tristan, Gawain, and Kay
er Arthurian themes in the story, is simply winked at; will lose out to the likes of Paul Bunyan, Hiawatha
no explanation is necessary. and Baba Yaga. The game ceases to be about Arthur
Tales of the ignorant Arthur are typically very real, in specific, and becomes about myth and heroes
and motivated by drama between the characters in general.
rather than flashy special effects or fighting. They
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 Chapter 7: Running the Game

Occam’s Razor enchantment; no other spellcasting extras are avail-

able. All other “magicians” are fakes and hoaxes,
One of the assumptions about Arthur Lives! is that perhaps using The Subtle Art from the Fate System
the world is already a pretty mysterious and magical Toolkit. Vampires, ghosts, and psychic powers do
place. There is an occult secret history here which not exist unless they can be somehow rationalized
includes things like vampires, Templars, and the by connection to the Arthurian myth. There may
paranormal. There’s a very good reason why this was not even be a “Faerie” or, if it does exist, it has only
done: to broaden the scope of potential adversaries recently become open again. This option combines
and adventures. However, you may find all that stuff well with “There Can Be Only One,” as a host of
distracting. You may not want to broaden the focus competing Arthurian rivals is against the spirit of
to include non-Arthurian elements; you may want Occam’s Razor.
to narrow the focus instead, so that the only thing An Occam’s Razor campaign encourages the play-
weird about the world is the fact that Arthur has ers to learn all the secret rules of the setting, so they
come back. can manipulate those rules to best effect. Because
This is a long-standing principle of speculative everything magical in the world can ultimately be
fiction, dating at least back to Wells and Verne. Each traced back to Arthur’s return, the more the heroes
of these authors would write a whole book based learn about the magic of Arthur, the more control
on one change in the world around us: “What if a they gain over their own destiny. The heroes are
man could go invisible?” “What if a man had built a often confronted by adversaries who wield abili-
submarine?” The principle here is to include as few ties that seem to break the rules of what is possible
variations from our normal world as possible, and (“Wait, I thought there were no werewolves!”), but
then to explore that single variation as thoroughly as hard work by the protagonists eventually uncovers
possible. Tim Powers is a contemporary science fic- the link between the foe’s seemingly-unstoppable
tion and fantasy author who writes in this vein, often weapons and the Arthurian truth that lies at the
using Arthurian themes. heart of the campaign. (“There was a knight of the
In an Occam’s Razor campaign, all magic has to Round Table who was a werewolf? No way!”)
be connected to Arthur’s return. All magicians use
 Chapter 8: The Setting

Chapter 8: The Setting

The Secret History
The “real history” of the world is almost
irrelevant now. It’s been written over by the
power of enchantment. But, for those who are
curious, it went something like this: In the 5th
century, in Britain, a charismatic warlord tried
picking up the pieces after Rome withdrew its
legions. Backed up by a select band of veteran
cavalry soldiers, he successfully repelled an
ad hoc invasion by Norsemen and led a raid
across the Channel into Gaul, where at the be-
hest of Rome’s Emperor he attacked an army
of Visigoths and was killed. That’s it. That’s the
entire story. If you sift through the stony rub-
ble, the stained parchment pages, and the iron-
strewn battlefields, that’s all you’ll find.
But those who were there remember some-
thing entirely different: A Britain filled with
magic and wonders, with giants and with drag-
ons, with necromancers and miracle-workers,
with adventure at every crossroad and castle.
There was an enchanted Britain that came and
then, just as mysteriously, somehow went, leav-
ing nothing behind. How that enchanted world
came to be, and how it vanished, is something
few remember and even fewer understand.
This is how it happened.

What Was
His name was Balin. He was a warrior of
Britain recently released from prison, where
he had been put for the killing of another man.
Poor and unlucky but well-meaning, Balin
quietly crashed a banquet being thrown by a
wealthy and highly respected though secretive
lord named Pellam. What no one, including
Balin, knew was that Pellam was the latest in a
long line of guardians of the Holy Grail. At the
banquet, Balin caught sight of Garlon, a known
murderer whose skill at avoiding capture had
earned him a reputation for being “invisible.”
Seizing the opportunity to stop an elusive out-
law, Balin killed Garlon. But Garlon, it turned
out, was Pellam’s younger brother. Pellam or-
dered his men to apprehend Balin; Balin ran,
trying to escape Pellam’s castle and reach the
woods to elude pursuit.
Instead, Balin found the chamber where the
Holy Lance was kept. The Lance, along with

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the Grail, was a divine relic of incalculable occult im- battle. The two armies clashed at Camlann. Mordred
portance, but to Balin it was just a weapon. His own perished; Arthur was dealt a mortal, though not in-
crude iron sword broken, he seized the spear and stantly deadly, wound.
used it against Pellam. This proved disastrous, for by But there were some who were sad to see the en-
wielding the Lance against the keeper of the Grail, chantment end. Arthur had a tremendous capacity
Balin performed a sinful magical act of world-shaking to turn even his enemies into his friends, and chief
importance. As symbols, the Lance represented the among these was his half-sister Morgan. Now she
power of the masculine, with the Grail embodying and Nimue, who had been foes and rivals for many
the open and accepting womb of the feminine. Balin’s years, hatched a desperate plan. The enchantment of
act became a kind of occult rape, using one holy relic Britain had started with Balin and the Spear, but it had
against another. Completely unaware of the ramifica- resonated and centered around Arthur himself. So
tions of what he was doing, Balin physically emascu- long as he lived, there was a chance that enchantment
lated Pellam by piercing his groin with the spear. But might return. And so they resolved to save the King,
the magic of this tragic wound was amplified on a cos- and with him the magic of all mankind. They secured
mic scale; Balin’s thrust tore a gaping hole in the Faerie the help of two others: Pellam’s wife the Queen of the
Veil, the invisible barrier that separated the mundane Wastelands, a saintly miracle-worker, and the sor-
Earth from the uncontrolled magic of Faerie. ceress Queen of Norgales, who had conspired with
The power of enchantment poured through the Morgan against Arthur on more than one occasion.
hole in the Veil, spilling over not just Pellam’s castle Together the four women intercepted Arthur as he lay
but all of Britain and, eventually, the rest of the world. dying on the field of Camlann, and they sailed him
Whatever it touched it transformed, and its powers across the Faerie Veil to Avalon in a boat of their own
were not confined to the 5th century. Enchantment making. There, they hoped to heal his injuries and
began to work both backwards and forwards in time, restore both King and magic to the world. In Arthur’s
rewriting history and future events. What had been a wake, the last echoes of the enchantment of Britain
mundane, firelit, few decades in the history of Britain faded: Lancelot and his allies hunted down Mordred’s
became a fantastic age of heroes, monsters, treachery, sons before themselves dying. Normality returned to
and true love that encompassed the entire known a mundane world. Magic faded, leaving behind it the
world. A British warlord became first a Boy King and history of the world we know.
then King Arthur; his seasoned veterans became
Knights of the Round Table. Some ships off the British
coast became an invasion by entire tribes of coloniz-
ing Saxons. A mission into Gaul to help Rome against
the Visigoths became a war against Rome that ended
with Arthur conquering the city and being crowned Who Remembers What Was?
Emperor. Through it all, the Holy Grail and the There are only a few people who might remem-
Bleeding Lance continued. Pellam, the keeper of the ber the way things were before the Enchantment
of Britain: Balin and Pellam. Garlon will remember
Grail, lay crippled and unable to move, waiting for his things up to the point he gets his head chopped
mystic wound to be healed and scheming to make that off by Balin; he won’t remember the Dolorous
Stroke at all. It is also possible that original char-
healing come to pass. Many knights came and tried acters created by your players at the table may
to cure him of his injuries, but it would take someone have been present at Pellam’s feast and seen
Balin use the Lance on the king. Merlin might
without sin to repair the wounds Balin had dealt. know, even though he was not present, but on
In time, Pellam’s backstage plotting paid off, and the other hand it would be nice to have a mystery
that Merlin can’t solve.
that sinless person came to the Grail Castle. Galahad, It’s up to you and your players to decide if any
Lancelot’s son, succeeded in the Grail Quest and used of these individuals remember what was, before
the Dolorous Stroke and the Enchantment of
the blood at the tip of the Lance to cure Pellam’s injury. Britain transformed history into fantasy. It’s not
The rift in the Faerie Veil closed. The enchantment of clear what practical use this knowledge would
be, but it does answer a question many players
Britain began to end, though it took years for all the and player characters might have: “Why is there
echoes to completely fade. Many of the best knights no evidence for the fantastic history I remember
from my first life?”
were already dead. Others turned to infighting and
treason. Arthur’s son conspired against the throne.
Lancelot and Guinevere were revealed as adulterers.
Arthur put his own queen on trial and, when Lancelot
tried to rescue her, the King pursued his former best
friend to France. What was once glorious and awe-in-
spiring became confused and sordid. Mordred took
power and tried to force himself on the Queen, who
fled to the Tower of London. Arthur returned to give

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Four Queens a great king, but he was embroiled in endless war

in France. Were Arthur to return now, he would be
The Four Queens had hoped to heal Arthur’s fatal saddled with conflicts that looked not only unwin-
wound, but the injury was too grievous and beyond nable, but irreconcilable. Edward was furious when
their skill. As he perished, they placed his body in the he learned the verdict, but tried to make lemonade;
Cauldron of Annwn, a Faerie relic which had the pow- his plans for a new order of the Round Table were
er to return the dead to life. There, in the cauldron, changed and he founded the Knights of the Garter in-
Arthur’s body slowly cooked as the queens debated stead. But the deadlock between the custodians of the
and made their plans. His soul was distilled out of cauldron could not last forever; they had each tried to
the corpse until the contents of the cauldron were an spend as much time in Faerie as possible, but even so
enchanted stew. This magical feast embodied Arthur’s the long reach of the years had slowly overcome them.
spirit, his memories, and his link to the magic of the Morgan, Nimue, and the others were now old women.
world. But it could not be consumed by just anyone; Their magic was nearly spent. Desperation forced
only the worthiest of mortal kings—a true heir to them to come to agreement.
Arthur—would suffice. Over a century later, Henry VII had planned well
Time runs slowly in Faerie; when the queens re- and even named his heir Arthur in order to stake
turned to Earth to seek this heir, they found centuries his claim. With the Wars of the Roses over, Henry’s
had passed and the millennium had come and gone. daughter married to the king of Scotland, and France
Nimue, Morgan, and their allies split up and went in penned in by a Holy League with Italy, Germany,
hidden guises among the great courts of Europe, but Spain, and the Vatican, Henry had cleared the field.
not before securing new guardians for the cauldron. He got the good news in 1497: his son had been chosen
By pretending that it was actually the Grail, they per- to be Arthur reborn. In a Whitsun celebration, the
suaded the Poor Knights of the Temple of Solomon eleven year old prince was given a dark, bitter beer
to watch over the precious vessel. The mission of the drawn from the Cauldron of Annwn. Arthur’s spirit,
queens was now twofold: first, to prepare for Arthur’s greatness, and enchantment began to settle into him.
return by reminding the world of his legend. To ac- King Arthur was returned at last, though he still had
complish this they whispered in the ears of poets, some growing up to do. Morgan and the others kept a
chroniclers, and storytellers, who listened and em- discreet eye on the lad, but gradually came to realize
broidered. Soon Arthur’s fame began to spread again, that it was all out of their hands now. Like Merlin had
and he was once more known as a model of chivalry centuries before, they had chosen their king more or
and proper behavior. Much that had been forgotten in less at random. Now, all they could do was hope.
the loss of enchantment – the Round Table, Excalibur, The news of Arthur’s return had not gone unnoticed
Lancelot and the rest – was recalled and written down. beyond Europe’s borders, however. In far off Cathay,
When Arthur returned, he would not come not as a the Hongzhi Emperor was informed of the king’s re-
beggar to a land that had forgotten him; he would be turn and found the news troubling. The only lifelong
hailed as a hero out of myth. celibate to sit on the throne of China, Hongzhi was ap-
But the Four Queens had a second and more import- palled by the amount of adultery, lechery, and morally
ant goal: they needed a proper heir, someone whose bankrupt behavior found in the first Arthurian age. If
mortal body was a suitable receptacle for Arthur’s spir- this was what the world had to look forward to, it was a
it. A proper host for Arthur would embody all the best poor destiny indeed. Swallowing his distaste, Hongzhi
qualities of the age, and also have the power and posi- contracted a foreigner to see to Prince Arthur’s death.
tion to lead the world into a new Age of Enchantment. The assassin, a former voivode of Wallachia, had
Carefully they revealed themselves to great families been called “Son of the Dragon” in life, but had now
and crowned rulers, confessing some parts of their been cursed to rise as a monstrous undead. He was all
plan. At first, not many listened or paid much heed. too happy to travel to England and exterminate this
But as years turned into centuries and Arthur’s fame “Pendragon” for Cathay gold; a little covert bloodlet-
grew, passed from mouth to ear by generations of ting and no one was the wiser. Arthur, Prince of Wales,
authors, troubadours, and minnesingers, more of the died only days after his wedding to Catherine of
crowned heads of Europe began to covet the fame and Aragon at age fifteen.
enchantment Arthur would bring. Beneath the tawdry Henry was devastated by the loss, but it was far
and typical warring and intrigues which had always worse for Nimue, Morgan, and the other queens. All
marked dynastic politics in this world, a secret shadow they had done, a millennia of labor, had been dashed
war began: a fight for Arthur’s soul. in one bloodthirsty night. All their magic was exhaust-
The first person to approach victory in this struggle ed, Arthur’s spirit was dead once more, and the hope
was England’s Edward III; there seems to have been of a world unified by chivalry and enchantment was
a certain “home field advantage.” But the vote of the dashed. When death finally came for the four ancient
queens was split; Edward was valiant and influential, crones, it was a mercy.

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Rise of the Freemasons Jefferson, Franklin, and the other Founding Fathers
broke off from European Masonry to form their own
It took less than a century for the thwarted plan nation founded on principles of science, reason, and
of Arthur’s return to be picked up and refurbished. equality. This, for all practical purposes, became the
John Dee had traced his own lineage and that of his true Order of Freemasons. European Masonry as a
monarch, Elizabeth I, to Arthur. Working with the single organization ceased to exist; instead, its lodg-
other members of Sir Walter Raleigh’s School of es were now recruiting grounds for the Templars,
Night, including Philip Sydney, Lord Strange, Henry who still believed in the power of the Grail, and their
Percy (the Wizard Earl of Northumberland) and Kit Rosicrucian allies, who continued to pursue enlighten-
Marlowe, Dee and Elizabeth’s spymaster, Walsingham, ment through alchemical means. In Germany, profes-
drew up plans of occult imperialism. The scheme sor Adam Weishaupt founded the Illuminati as an ally
was elegant in its simplicity. The magic of Arthur’s organization to the American Freemasons. Together,
return was still out there, somewhere; all Dee had these two groups codified and continued to wage the
to do was claim it. Symbolically arranging Elizabeth Entzauberung der Welt, the “disenchantment of the
and her courtiers in the positions of the Round Table world.” King Arthur, a vestige of a time of magic, chiv-
and reserving Merlin’s position for himself, Dee used alry, and similar outdated romantic notions, was rele-
England’s slow domination of Renaissance Europe to gated to the dustbin of history. There wasn’t a printing
re-enact Arthur’s own rise to power. His ultimate goal of Malory’s Morte for two hundred years.
was the New Avalon across the Pacific Ocean. If his
political-ritual working was a success, a new Arthurian
Age would finally come with Elizabeth as its magi- A New Grail Quest
cal monarch. In 1802 Thomas Jefferson’s spies revealed evidence
But not everyone in the Queen’s court was on board that a large fleet of Templars had survived the splin-
with Dee’s supernatural approach to empire. Francis tering of the Order in the 14th century and may have
Bacon, Grand Master of the Freemasons, envisioned a taken the Holy Grail across the Pacific to a safe
new world ruled not by magic and romance but by haven in northeastern America. Jefferson was
reason, hard work, and the bonds of trade and committed to Freemason ideals, but that
commerce. He lured Dee to the continent on didn’t preclude him from interest in the
espionage missions to German courts, then Grail. If the Grail had been taken to the
destroyed the political influence of the School New World, Jefferson felt obliged to find it
of Night. By the time Dee returned, his former and hide it so that the forces of rationality
allies were dead or at each other’s throats and and science would no longer be troubled
Elizabeth – aging and feeling her own mortali- by fear of its discovery. Careful inves-
ty – had no time for him. He was exiled to the tigation revealed that the Templar
country and Bacon was enshrined in court sailors had been ambushed and slain
by King James. by local Blackfeet, who may have tak-
Working behind the scenes to consoli- en the Grail with them when they
date their influence in Europe and west relocated west beyond the Great
into the New World, the Freemasons’ Lakes. The Louisiana Purchase
highly effective lodge structure at- allowed Jefferson to buy the
tracted occultists and absorbed land where the Grail and its
other secret societies, including the Blackfeet guardians were
Knights Templar. But the re-in- thought to dwell, and he
troduction of mysticism into the enlisted his friend and
Freemasons created tension fellow Mason,
within the Order; John Meriwether
Dee may have been Lewis, to
defeated but his lead an
Rosicrucian philos- expedition
ophy took root and there. On
spread. The struggle paper, Lewis’s
between these two task was sci-
halves of Masonry entific ex-
erupted into history ploration
as the American and the
Revolution; search
Washington, for a

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waterway to the Pacific, but even as Lewis departed,

Jefferson laid the foundation for a storehouse which
The Black Castle
would conceal the Grail once Lewis had found it and The conspiratorial alliance that was the Round
returned. Table masterminded human events throughout
Lewis was a melancholy and emotional man, in- the first few decades of the new century, including
tellectual and highly educated but prone to bouts the First World War. Forced into the shadows and
of depression. Forced to conceal the true agenda of struggling to survive, the Templars fractured fur-
the expedition even from his partner, he broke off ther. One of these spinoffs was the Order of the Holy
from William Clark on the way home to make his Vehm, a group of “cultural anthropologists” based in
approach with destiny along the Marias River, near Germany who traced their lineage to secret vigilante
the Canadian border in what is now Montana. The courts held in the Middle Ages. The Vehm’s descent
Blackfeet aggressively defended the Grail, but Lewis into runic magic, Nordic myth, and even Satanism
did catch a glimpse of the legendary chalice, and it was covered over with a patina of academic research,
transformed his life forever. Returning to civilized nationalism, and amateur folklore studies. In the eco-
lands, he privately became a Grail Knight, recanting nomic and social turmoil that consumed Germany
his mission and his Masonic ideals. between the wars, they sharpened their tactics, re-
Jefferson was furious at the treason and arranged fined their philosophy, and tapped the great families
for Lewis’s murder, but the captain escaped at the last of Germany for sources of funding. The transforma-
minute and left a body behind to throw his pursuers tion into a political party – National Socialism – was
off the track. Fleeing to England, Lewis manufactured a natural one.
a new identity for himself as the poet and lecturer Hitler had little interest in the occult, other than
William Ashbless. In this identity, he quietly began to as a propaganda tool useful for marshalling pub-
preach the gospel of the Holy Grail and the return of lic will. But the Vehm’s legacy was preserved by
magic, enchantment, and romance. His influence saw Heinrich Himmler, who absorbed the cult into his
a renewed interest in Arthur’s myth, especially on the black-clad SS and renamed it the Ahnenerbe (the
part of Alfred Tennyson, whose Idylls of the King ignit- Ancestral Heritage Research and Teaching Society).
ed a hunger for Arthur and the Round Table across One of Hitler’s most powerful lieutenants, Himmler
Europe and America. Suddenly a war the Masons funded expeditions which sent archeologists around
and their Illuminati allies thought they had long ago the globe, and he financed authors who built up a
won, a war for the heart and soul of mankind, was radical new conception of the German race and na-
re-opened. tion. Germany was conceived as the heartland of the
As the turn of the century approached, industrialist, Aryans, who had once been a kind of superhuman
imperialist, and Freemason Cecil Rhodes took the race possessed of physical perfection. These original
forefront in the struggle for society’s future. His strate- Aryans, of which Arthur and all his knights were
gy was modeled on that of John Dee: he would co-opt prime examples, had lost their potent purity thanks
the Arthurian myth and make it work for him. But to generations of interference by “lesser” races, but
while Dee had hoped to use Arthurian magic to create the German people were their true inheritors. Even
a new empire founded on Rosicrucian magic and the as Hitler unleashed the Second World War, Himmler
power of myth, Rhodes wanted to steal Arthur’s legend worked with an Ahnenerbe cabal of rune magi-
so that he could transform it. In 1891 he founded his cians, astrologers, mystic architects, anthropologists,
“Round Table movement,” or “Society of the Elect.” Satanists, and doctors on a plan to recapture the
This new Round Table was an organization of busi- Aryan greatness of the Arthurian Age.
nessmen, military officers, and politicians; it included Purchasing castle Wewelsburg near the Black
not just Freemasons but representatives from other Forest, Himmler had the stone fortress restored and
secret societies as well, including the Illuminati, Swiss re-designed to become the occult heart of Europe, a
bankers, and Assassins. A tiny but much-relied upon new Grail Castle complete with Round Table cham-
band of Babbage engineers provided cryptographic ber and ritual architecture. The Ahnenerbe relocated
and computational support. Rhodes’ Round Table there and began instruction, indoctrinating more
brought together all the hidden movers behind mod- researchers into their view of Aryan racial mysticism.
ern society and organized them into several levels, Otto Rahn, a writer and explorer, pursued what he
with a 12-seat inner circle which almost never met in thought was the Holy Grail all the way to south-
person but which, between them, governed all the ern France, but what the SS recovered soon after
great nations of the world. his mysterious death was something else, a green
stone which had fallen from the sky and was said
to be inhabited by angelic spirits. The Holy Lance
was easier to obtain, since it was in a Viennese mu-
seum when Germany annexed Austria during the

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Anschluss. The war began to turn against Hitler, but their way to anonymous Freemason warehouses.
work in Wewelsburg continued up to the very last The secret masters breathed a sigh of relief; they had
moment, since Himmler felt that if the Ahnenerbe’s dodged the bullet. It seemed Arthur’s resurrection
work could be completed, Germany’s armies would had been prevented at the last moment.
be transformed from mere men to Arthurian-Aryan But, in fact, it had succeeded.
superbeings.
Preparations were not yet complete when the
moment of truth came; Allied forces, tipped off by
Arthur Lives!
the Vehm’s enemies in the Round Table movement, Slowly, over many years, Arthur and all those who
were closing in on the castle. Himmler’s magicians had been a part of his myth were reborn, reincarnated
quickly assembled in Wewelsburg’s tower to attempt in modern lives. Where there were competing no-
the ritual and recall Arthur’s legacy from his van- tions of a particular character, as with Arthur himself,
ished Age. Starting with their “Grail” (which they each conception was reincarnated into its own body.
had been unable to verify without Rahn) and the Indeed, it seemed there were multiple versions of al-
“Spear of Destiny” (which was only one of several most everyone; only the most obscure and unknown
relics competing for that claim), Nazi sorcerers added heroes of the Arthurian Age escaped this fate. Not
black magic rites and Nordic rune lore, sealing the all the reincarnations happened at once, nor was it
deal with genuine human sacrifice. The mystic forces immediate. Some of these spiritual fragments floated
gathered were awesome but misdirected, tainted by around for decades before finally finding a home. A
Satanism and beyond control. The inhabitants of few early reincarnations grew, lived, and died never
the first Arthurian Age were indeed brought back to knowing their true nature and were reborn yet again,
the modern world, but they didn’t merge with the as if they were waiting around for something.
German army to form a race of Aryan supermen. All the while, the Faerie Veil that separated the
Instead, disembodied and confused, they were both world of the mundane from that of enchantment be-
blinded by the afterlife they had been torn from and gan to weaken, almost as if another Dolorous Stroke
splintered by competing interpretations of their own had been unleashed … but there was no such wound
legendary selves. and no explanation could be found. The tide of mag-
Himmler had set out to resurrect King Arthur and ic began to rise. Faerie beings crept across the Veil
all his kind, but which King Arthur would that be, or were summoned here by newly-bold magicians;
precisely? Was he really the Aryan superman that dressed in human form, they hid in the shadowed
Nazi philosophy required him to be? Perhaps he was corners of human society and made their plans.
a Welsh chieftain with magical powers and an army Arthurian incarnations began to remember their past
of Faerie warriors. Or maybe he was a Sarmatian cav- lives, recognizing themselves. The Grail, the Lance,
alry officer cut off from home. The British called him and all the other great relics of Arthurian myth were
a mighty war-leader who conquered Rome, but to the gone, but their magic reappeared as supernatural
French he was a weak king who relied on his knights echoes which temporarily infused ordinary objects
for deeds of valor. The power of enchantment en- with a glimmer of true power.
sured that no one version of Arthur was any more Through it all, the Freemasons, Illuminati, and other
real, any more true, than the others; ultimately, all of secret societies that made up the Round Table mar-
them were based on imagination, wishful thinking, shaled their forces and prepared for war. They were
and romance. And since no one Arthur was more not blind to the sudden rise of magic, and although
real than any other, the ritual in Wewelsburg brought they did not understand its cause, they knew they were
them all back – not only every knight, damsel, king, under attack by a force unseen and as yet unorganized.
and enchanter who had been caught up in Arthur’s To these secret masters of the world, the return of
myth, but even multiple versions of those heroes Arthur meant a relapse into archaic, unpredictable,
famous enough to earn contradictory legends. Each and romantic notions which threatened to undermine
competing version of Guinevere, Percival, Gawain, centuries of progress towards rational civilization.
and the others was its own fragment of a single soul Arthur and his knights were waking up all around the
… and all those souls craved bodies in which to dwell. world, but even as they did time was running out – an-
Within hours of the ritual’s completion, the Allies cient enemies who had long conspired to keep King
rolled into Wewelsburg to mop up, but those Vehm Arthur asleep were even now loading their rifles and
who survived had already been driven insane. They lining up their shots.
told tales of spectral warriors who whirled and
shrieked through the black castle of the false Grail,
searching hungrily for fleshly houses but unable to
assemble the pieces of their own shattered souls. The
relics of the Ahnenerbe were impounded and found

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The Round
Table Conspiracy
The Conspiracy, also known as the Round Table
The Ground Rules Group or RTG, is one of the “Big Bads” in Arthur Lives!,
Here are the specifics of Arthurian
reincarnation:
and deserves particular attention because it is the first
The souls of Arthur and everyone else from Big Bad the players are likely to encounter. The Round
the Arthurian Age were brought back to Earth
on March 31, 1945. No reincarnation predates this
Table Group has stolen Arthur’s symbol, and they
event, and under natural circumstances a reincar- have been using it in a long-term agenda for world
nation would not be born until nine months later:
January 1 1946. It is possible some souls forced
domination for over a century. Your players are going
their way into the bodies of unborn fetuses and to have to decide how they feel about that and, even if
were born in late 1945, but these individuals
would have had two souls and a tortured exis-
they are willing to leave the Conspiracy in peace, the
tence. They’re almost certainly dead by now, 70 Conspiracy has plans for them.
years later. Right?
Incarnations began to appear slowly and
Officially, the Group was formed in 1909 with the
gained in number as the decades went by, peak- aim of maintaining a common purpose and close
ing around 2000. The number of reincarnations
born since then has dropped off dramatically and
working relationship between Britain and its former
is approaching zero. colonies. It briefly influenced global policy and hit its
Only individuals who were alive during Arthur’s
reign as King returned. That means Uther, who
high-water mark during the First World War. It still
died a decade before Arthur drew the Sword exists, but has become entirely irrelevant. Its meetings,
from the Stone, is out but his mother, Igraine,
who came to Camelot and met her son, is in.
its publications, and its sponsored activities are excus-
Not everyone came back. The Wewelsburg es for some of the world’s richest people to gather in
working brought back knights, magicians, da-
mosels, kings, and other people who participated
fabulous locales and spend obscene amounts of mon-
in Arthur’s story, interacted with him, or were af- ey. They’re harmless.
fected by him. The great majority of people alive
in the Arthurian Age—peasants and all kinds of
The second origin of the Conspiracy is deeper, and
ordinary folk—are still dead. goes back decades further to Cecil Rhodes, the great
In order to be brought back as an incarnation,
a character has to appear prior to March 31, 1945.
British imperialist and white supremacist who carved
Fictional characters who appear prior to 1945, like a diamond-fueled nation out of South Africa. Rhodes’s
1937’s Prince Valiant, are fair game. But Sir Goose
Fat and Sir Kung Fu George, both of whom ap-
goal was to extend the British Empire over as much of
pear for the first time in 2017’s King Arthur: the the world as possible, an end which he saw as human-
Legend of the Sword, are sadly out of contention.
Incarnations who are born after 1945 but die
itarian and profitable for all concerned, and he found-
might be reincarnated again (and again!) up to ed his “Society of the Elect” in 1889. It was renamed
the present. Most reincarnations have not done
this, however; for most, their current incarnation
the Round Table and, though he edited it out of his
is their only reincarnation. public will in favor of the Rhodes Scholarship, secret
codicils established the structure and format of a con-
spiracy, based in England but embracing Americans
and Germans, which used the later “Round Table
Group” as cover.
The third origin of the Round Table is deeper still.
For the Round Table, under whatever name it is
called, is devoted to the rise of reason and order over
wild romance and capricious magic. It pursues this
transformation of the world through the spread of
capitalism and the advancement of science, and
the mastermind of its creation lived centuries
ago in the age of Queen Elizabeth and King
James. Francis Bacon was the head of
the Freemasons, Lord Chancellor of
England, and a polymath knowledge-
able in every field of human endeav-
or. He did not come up with the
phrase “British Empire”—he stole
it from his rival, the magician
John Dee—but once Dee was
gone, Bacon used his incredible
influence and vision to launch
the movement which, two and

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a half centuries later, Rhodes would head. For Bacon, possessed of great personal wealth or a large base of
the Conspiracy and the Freemasons were one and popular support, unwilling to listen to logic and eager
the same, but by the 19th century, the split between to embrace an irrational world-view, have even begun
American and European Freemasonry and the rise of to threaten the Masonic lock on Washington and the
the Illuminati forced Rhodes to create a Round Table state governments.
Group which had seats for several different conspira- The European branch of Freemasonry more or less
torial groups and secret societies. It is this alliance of ceased to exist as an organization by the 18th centu-
groups which exists today, owing its ideals to Bacon ry, with the Illuminati taking its place. Rhodes was
but its structure to Rhodes. himself a member of this group, and it remains the
While the composition of the Conspiracy has best spokesman for his original goal: a single world-
changed over the decades, as various groups have wide government led by the British, Germans, and
risen and fallen in influence or been supplanted by Americans (whom Rhodes idealistically imagined
new organizations, there are some constants. While would one day rejoin the Empire). The Illuminati are
the Conspiracy is vast and includes countless agents the “blue bloods” of the Round Table Group: ancient
around the world—most of whom have no idea they aristocratic families with sophisticated tastes and
are agents of the Conspiracy—there actually is a expensive pleasures who treat Europe as their own
round wooden table at which the various factions of private estate. Bloodlines, inheritance, and tradition
the Conspiracy occasionally meet. There are, by tradi- are important to the Illuminati, and their long con-
tion, twelve seats at this table, but there are more than trol over stable European nations has allowed them
twelve factions. Secret societies struggle amongst each to pursue long-term projects out of reach of even the
other to gain enough influence for a seat at the table; Freemasons. This includes research and development
sometimes a group will be invited to send a represen- of psychic powers and the “third eye.” The Illuminati
tative, but it’s more common for an up-and-coming consider it their responsibility to monitor and oppose
faction to unseat a rival and take their place by right of any resurgence of the Rosicrucians, a mystical society
assassination. Every secret society and conspiratorial with roots in Germany and England, as well as the
movement which sits at the round table is, by defini- Vatican, still a bastion of superstition.
tion, fabulously wealthy, influential in world affairs, The Assassins, who trace their origin to the 11th
supported by a large and effective power structure, and century and Alamut’s “Old Man of the Mountain,”
supportive of the Round Table’s broad goals: scientific began as a sect of Islam. By the 21st century, however,
progress; global capitalism; the repression of magic, the Assassins are the world’s foremost murder-for-hire
mysticism, and irrationality; and the continuance of organization, and although they continue to use reli-
the Round Table Conspiracy itself, a mechanism by gious and mystical language, especially as a means to
which world history is managed by an intellectual and control recruits and even long-term agents, the group
financial elite. is in fact entirely secular and focused on the accumu-
The Freemasons and Illuminati are the oldest, lation of profit and influence. Iran remains its primary
most conservative, and probably still the most influ- power base but many other smaller groups are part of
ential of the factions at the table. Each was present its power structure, with the international drug trade
when Rhodes formed the table in the 19th century, providing a secondary income. The Assassins keep
and each still maintains two seats at the table. The their seat on the table through fear; it is widely under-
Freemasons dominate the United States, the world’s stood that no one in the world is safe from them, and
only remaining super-power, and have fully infiltrated a seat on the table is the price they demand for your
its politics, legal system, military, and economy. The continued existence. Every faction in the Conspiracy
formal United States is almost entirely a Freemason can murder, and most try to take care of their own
creation and entity, with presidents, congressmen, dirty laundry, but when a problem becomes too big
Supreme Court justices, and generals doing its will. for one faction to handle—or when a faction bungles
As usual, not all these individuals realize they are the job—the task falls to the Assassins, who are sure
tools in a conspiracy, but at the highest of echelons, to make the killing into an object lesson. The biggest
formal membership in the Freemasons is the rule, challenges facing the Assassins are the rise of ISIS (a
not the exception. Recently, however, populist move- jihad movement whose fanaticism the Assassins find
ments inside the US and reaching across the politi- difficult to control) and the Syndicate, which com-
cal spectrum, have inconvenienced the Freemason petes with the Assassins in the field of global orga-
operation. The Internet has made it possible for nized crime.
scattered groups to organize, and resentment of every When Cecil Rhodes formed the Round Table Group,
governmental system and authority is higher than it he enlisted a small but select band of engineers and
has been in a century. This has become something of mechanics to provide technical support. Supported by
an embarrassment to the Freemasons, as they cannot the Conspiracy’s wealth and contacts, these engineers
seem to control their own populace. Rogue elements, developed the computer and microchip. In the 20th

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century they were sometimes called the Network, but Just about anybody can show up as one of the Ones, as
of all the groups which sit at the table, this one has long as they are among the world’s richest few people
seen the most change. Today, information is monop- and not already a part of a faction on the table. When
olized by a faction calling itself the Panopticon. The new groups force their way onto the table, it is at the
Panopticon claims to be a merit-based organization expense of the Ones.
led by the greatest living computer geniuses; the truth As an antagonist for your players, the Conspiracy can
is they are very mysterious and the identity even of wear many faces. They are the mall employee who taps
their representative to the table is unknown. They have your cellphone, the neighbor who brings you a cheese-
infiltrated every major intelligence service on Earth cake, and the drunk who crashes into your car when
(even those previously managed by the Freemasons you’re in the middle of a chase scene. Any authority fig-
and Illuminati) and claim that Anonymous and other ure, from the patrolman manning a speed trap to your
“hacker” groups are their tools, but this is not entirely regional manager, could be one of Them. Most are
believed. The other factions use the Panopticon to ignorant that they are part of a conspiracy; they think
gather and interpret intelligence. Their goals include their actions are their own idea, or they are following
not only fostering increased dependence on informa- instructions given to them by trusted friends or super-
tion systems, but also an increased global surveillance. visors. A few are deep cover operatives who know they
The Syndicate is worldwide organized crime. It work for Someone, but it’s not the Someone they think.
evolved slowly in the 19th century, coalescing around Above them in the hierarchy are agents who belong to
the Sicilian Mafia before expanding to the United the Illuminati, Cartel, or other faction, but they believe
States a century later and, by the 21st century, shifting these groups are at war with one another and would
its power base to Asia. It forced its way onto the table never cooperate. Only the rarest of individuals, includ-
in the 1950s. While the Syndicate is less sophisticated ing those who actually sit on the table but also some
than the Assassins when it comes to murder-for-hire, inspired rogues at all levels of society, will know the
their portfolio is far more diverse. Criminal mobs truth about the Conspiracy of conspiracies.
within the Syndicate are allowed to war with and even The Round Table Group uses subtlety and misdi-
exterminate each other as part of the Syndicate’s belief rection when possible, but violence when necessary—
in “survival of the fittest” and advancement through which usually means “when your players are tired of
violence, and most mob bosses are not even aware that misdirection and have missed the subtlety.” Any high-
the Syndicate exists, except as an urban myth. tech weapon or armament is in their arsenal, from the
The sixth group to join the table, during the 1970s oil strap-on bomb and Improvised Explosive Device to the
crisis, was an alliance of global energy giants. Known as F-35 stealth fighter. They have practically unlimited
the Cartel, their symbol is a black hexagon. Their ar- access to mercenaries and hit-men, moderated mainly
rival was a tacit admission of defeat by the Freemasons by the threat of publicity and exposure; the best way to
and Illuminati, who had struggled to contain oil power avoid a Conspiracy assassin is to stay out of sight and
for over a century. The Cartel began as an alliance lie low, but the only way to keep them from sending a
of Venezuela with various Middle East oil nations, platoon of hired guns after you is to stay in public plac-
but now boasts deep inroads into post-Soviet Russia, es. Pick your poison.
Canada, and the United States. The Cartel finances Although the Conspiracy eschews magic and en-
climate change science while simultaneously debunk- chantment, they do have access to abilities beyond
ing it in the media; their R&D efforts are focused on those of mortal men. Science fiction hardware and
the discovery and exploitation of new energy sources, psychic talents are the Conspiracy’s ultimate weap-
including renewables, nuclear fusion, and theoreti- ons. The former could include lifelike androids and
cal energy sources on the bleeding edge of specula- armed robots; humanoid battle frames, or “mecha”;
tive physics. cybernetic implants and prosthetics; vehicles that can
The Assassins, Panopticon, Syndicate, and Cartel drive, fly, and also go underwater; mundane objects
each have one seat at the table. The remaining four with concealed firearms or explosives; hidden space
seats are held by some of the world’s richest individuals stations and installations on the moon or Mars; clones,
and families, nouveau rich who are looked down upon genetically engineered creatures, or uplifted animals;
by the other factions but who nevertheless must be and computers capable of seizing control of any sys-
recognized simply because of the enormous influence tem, breaking any encryption, or predicting the future.
each could potentially wield. They are called “The General Douglass’s silver arm (Chapter 9: Antagonists)
Ones,” because they represent no one but themselves, is an example of this type of plot element. The Fate
they are representatives of the mythical 1%, and they all System Toolkit will give you some ideas for cyberware
act as if they are the Chosen One, destined to save the and additional gadgets.
world. The other factions use the Ones as levers and Psychic abilities are more unpredictable, and it can
votes-for-hire and find them useful, which is why they be challenging to distinguish them from magic. Mind-
are allowed to think themselves free and independent. reading and mental communication (“telepathy”), the

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ability to move or break objects with your mind (“tele-

kinesis”), emotion or mind control, and a sixth sense
Heaven
that allows you to know things otherwise unknowable God and his agents were active participants in the
(“ESP”) form the foundation, but there are infinite Arthurian Age. From the earliest days of Arthur’s
variations and applications of these key forces. For ex- reign, knights sought out wise hermits and holy men
ample, a psychic might use mind control to compel by- for answers to difficult questions, and the Archbishop
standers to always look away from him, giving himself of Canterbury had a hand in seeing Arthur crowned.
functional invisibility. More unusual powers include in- Arthur built a cathedral in Camelot called St.
stant teleportation of yourself or objects from one place Stephen’s, and he had the Virgin’s portrait painted
to another; the lighting, manipulation, or dowsing of on his own shield to provide inspiration in battle.
flames (“pyrokinesis”) or electricity (“electrokinesis”); When Arthur sinned by performing incest with his
psychic interface with computers or online networks by sister, he was punished by God with eventual death
sight or from afar; the ability to find people or objects at the hand of his own son. (But because Arthur had
simply by concentrating on them; or psychic “vampir- been ignorant of his sin, the punishment was put
ism,” which drains the strength or vitality of a victim off for decades, during which Arthur was able to do
for your own benefit. You’ll need to describe these pow- much good.) Likewise, Balin’s refusal to save the life
ers with aspects and stunts, but don’t worry about de- of Colombe meant that, when he handled the Holy
fining them too narrowly. That’s not how they work in Lance, he was judged unworthy and his blow resulted
fiction, where psychic talents have one or two rules and in the Dolorous Stroke. The divine impact on Arthur’s
otherwise seem to function as the plot requires. This reign culminated in the Grail Quest, which was a test
is especially true if you’re designing a power which an not of martial strength and power but of moral char-
NPC will have, but never a player character. acter. Angels appeared with flaming swords in hand
At the beginning of a traditional Arthur Lives! cam- and hermits stood ready to interpret every dream and
paign, the Round Table Conspiracy rules the world, omen. Tellingly, all but three Round Table knights
more or less. They’re not unchallenged, and they quar- failed in this quest.
rel with themselves quite a lot. The world is messy and Heroes may dream of going to Heaven, but if they
there are always going to be parts which defy control. do, they won’t be returning. Those who walk in
But, by and large, the Conspiracy gets what it wants Heaven – with notable exceptions – are never permit-
and steers Earth’s billions of people where it wants ted to return to Earth. Its landscape and geography
them to go. The player characters aren’t on their radar are unknown, but we know that the souls of virtuous
at first, but Arthur should learn about them soon. They people eventually arrive there. The journey may take a
are a wrong to be righted, and if the player characters very long time. If an individual is unwilling or unable
can throw a big enough wrench into their plans, they to pass on, he may linger in the world as a spirit or suf-
might be able to break up the Table itself. If they can fer time in Hell for the punishment of sin. For others,
do that, Arthur and whatever incarnations are at his such as Galahad, elevation to Heaven could happen
side can reclaim the Round Table for themselves. at a moment’s notice as soon as the divine mission is
The Conspiracy may still be out there, after such a accomplished.
confrontation, broken into its component factions. God’s power can fuel many extras and aspects in an
They’ll still be dangerous. But some of them will now Arthur Lives! campaign, though players and GMs will
be potential allies, and since they’ll be fighting one an- have to work together to figure out the exact mechan-
other again as well as Arthur, they’ll cease to be a cam- ics of these powers. The magical talent Divination
paign-level threat. might represent a holy person’s ability to see the
future or reveal secrets otherwise lost to men. The
Heaven, Hell, Summon & Banish talent could be modified to call
angels to fight on a hero’s behalf. Instead of generating
and Faerie Enchantment Points, inflict stress. You don’t even need
an extra for an ability like Prophetic Dreams; an aspect
There are realms beyond this world, and while is all you need. The Enochian magic of John Dee was
player characters may not visit all of them – or want explicitly focused on speaking with and channeling
to! – they provide an endless source of story material. the power of angels, and Dee has a significant role in
Heroes schooled in occult lore or who wield magic of the secret history of the setting. The language of an-
one sort or another may have at least a surface under- gels, Enochian, which he discovered, may be known
standing of the world’s mystic cosmology, but there to those with Occult and used for communication or
is much that remains uncertain. What we do know Words of Power.
is that there is a Heaven, there is a Hell, and there is It is important to note that the God of Christians,
definitely another place far from the fields we know: a Jews, and Muslims is the same God. All are welcome in
place we call Faerie. Heaven, and all might call upon His power. There were

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Muslim knights in the Arthurian Age who converted devils and demons, more than enough to continue the
to Christianity, but they were honorable men long torture of evil souls while still sparing a few hunting
before they were Christian, and that is no less true in parties to track down mortal intruders. If any heroes
modern Arthur Lives! campaigns. A character’s specific are so bold and foolish as to actually venture into
religion is, in other words, less important than his con- Hell, they are advised to remain on its outermost edge
duct. Characters who do what is right even when the where their presence is briefly tolerated. When mortal
path is hard and painful, and who avoid what is wrong visitors arrive at Hell’s limit, the souls of those known
even when that is easiest, most “efficient,” or most to them are released for a time from their tortures so
“practical,” will be treated favorably by divine agents they may appear before the visitors, prophecy, and
regardless of the individual’s religious faith. Those answer questions. This much the grace of God allows.
who are selfish and cruel will be treated poorly, even if Getting even this close to Hell, however, is no task for
they wear the badge of religious office. Every time your the faint-hearted. Natural passages to Hell are exceed-
character acts in an immoral or unethical way, God ingly rare, and their tracks are obscured by myths and
knows about it. Hopefully, you at least got a Fate point legend. More common, but far more terrifying, are
out of the compel. manmade gates to Hell, typically only found in places
Holy persons, saints, and angels may not appear of great horror and sin: the site of mass murder, pos-
frequently in your story, but when they do they should session, or human sacrifice.
occupy the top of the supernatural food chain. They Of course, there is another common way to go to
can be outrun or out-witted, but a mortal cannot ex- Hell. Those who die and who are especially wicked
pect to defeat any but the least of them in battle. If the do not linger on Earth or ascend to Heaven. Instead,
hand of God should actually appear – a rare but not they go promptly to Hell, where they are subjected to
unheard-of event – it does not roll dice. God’s will is horrific psychic torture as punishment for their sins.
simply accomplished, leaving those present to wonder Although they are only incorporeal souls, they seem
as to His purpose. If a character compels an angel to to have a body, and the violence inflicted upon this
appear, and that angel proceeds to fail a defense roll body is felt by the soul as pain. But it can never “kill”
and be Taken Out, that angel has not been defeated— them, and they are usually able to think and reflect on
it simply chose to depart. You do not need to provide the sins that got them into Hell in the first place. This
an explanation, for the heroes of the Arthurian Age punishment is not done without cause; those who re-
seldom understood God’s ways. The mysteries of the pent their deeds are eventually allowed to move on. A
divine are ineffable and mysterious, but there is no sincere repentance is more than just saying “I’m sorry,”
higher power in the universe. and imprisoned souls can remain in Hell for a long,
long time. Some sins are so wicked that there is no
Hell forgiveness, and some sinners are so steeped in their
crime that they will never repent, so Hell has many
Infernal agents were even more common in the long-term tenants. But it also has many short-term
Arthurian Age than divine ones. Often a knight of the visitors who die with sins on their heads; rumor has
Round Table would escape a seductress or corrupt it that even Arthur himself spent some time here, and
abbot, or defeat a wicked knight in battle, only to learn the tale of Lancelot and Guinevere has brought many
that the individual was actually a demon in disguise. adulterous lovers to a stint in Hell.
Merlin himself was the offspring of a devil (some even The ultimate authority in Hell is God, not Satan.
say The Devil), a fact which was known throughout Satan’s role is a strange one, at once both prisoner and
Britain and which caused many to fear him. During instrument of divine will. He hates his master but is
the Grail Quest, devils and their kind were seen with too consumed by sin to repent. Instead, he struggles
more frequency and in greater numbers; because the futilely against divine justice, never succeeding. The
Grail Quest was a test of moral character rather than birth of Merlin is perhaps the best illustration of this
skill at arms, the knights who triumphed against de- principle in action. Satan wanted an Antichrist to
mons were always those who were the most virtuous. bring about the end of the world, a world God made
In this sense, demons were agents of the divine, pun- and Satan hated. So he sent a devil to seduce a mortal.
ishing mortals for their frailty, wickedness, and sin. But God ensured that the mother was an innocent
Arthurian heroes do not travel to Hell, and most woman and so Merlin was born with the best of both
would not want to. Created as a prison for the fallen worlds: perfect knowledge of the past thanks to his
angels and as a place of punishment for wicked mor- demonic parent, but perfect knowledge of the future
tals, it boasts the cruelest terrain imaginable, from thanks to God. He was neither the Antichrist nor with-
burning mountain peaks to frozen plains of cracking out sin. He was, in other words, just like the rest of
ice, soot-filled skies and molten rivers. More import- us: able to rise or fall just as every other mortal does.
ant, it is populated by a seemingly infinite number of Satan’s plan came to naught, as always. The real drama

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in the universe isn’t the struggle between God and the what is being tested here. Besides, there are plenty
Devil; the outcome of that conflict is always the same. of other Troubles that have nothing to do with sinful
Mankind, however, is in doubt. Will they be good or behavior. When a hero does resists temptation and
evil, virtuous or wicked? That question is asked every takes positive action, the demon is defeated and flees
moment of every day for every mortal on earth, and or self-destructs. The point here is that demons do not
the answer is never known until the very last moment. need to be fought in hand-to-hand combat. Simply
You may have player characters who choose to draw acting in a virtuous manner will keep the infernal at
on Hell’s power during the game. Far more common bay, though it’s not always clear what “right” is, and a
will be antagonists who are either demons or mor- knight must often persevere through extreme pain and
tal agents who have fallen into Satanism. Chapter discomfort before the trial ends.
9: Allies & Adversaries has examples of witches and However, sometimes demons do pose physical dan-
black magicians. The magical talents Necromancy ger. Demons are constantly wreaking havoc in the
and Summon & Banish allow a GM to introduce both mortal world, and it usually falls to mortal champions
walking corpses and demons, especially when cou- to oppose them. Half-demon offspring are a common
pled with stunts like Human Sacrifice or Coven. For example; they mature with supernatural speed and
a diabolist whose power comes from Hell, not Faerie, possess great strength and stamina (among other pow-
dispense with Enchantment Points and simply inflict ers). When God restrains his hand and allows ordinary
stress and consequences that represent increasing human beings to stand up to and defeat demons, he
damnation. Many demons and evil magicians can dis- is giving those mortals a chance to rise above fear and
guise their appearance to create a beautiful form; you weakness to become something greater. Characters
can do this with a stunt, an aspect, or an ad hoc extra. who have taken it upon themselves to protect innocent
The Fate System Toolkit describes the Void-Callers, a people from harm must prove their dedication to that
great magic system for evil magicians. philosophy by facing foes who are more than mortal.
Satan-worshipping antagonists are mortal and will
have all of a mortal’s foibles and personal concerns.
They make good foes because their goals and actions,
Faerie
while mad or petty, are still human. A neo-Nazi who In contrast to Heaven and Hell, Faerie is a realm
has convinced himself that “Satan was right” does not which heroes of the Arthurian Age can expect to visit
need to have a direct line to a demon, or indeed have – though coming back may be a bit more difficult! It
any supernatural power at all. Armed with nothing is an intensely magical place; indeed, everything na-
but fanaticism and a credit card, he could do immea- tive to it is to some extent magical. This has led some
surable harm to a great many innocent people. This to argue that Faerie is the source of magic. The con-
is likely to be the first contact your heroes will have tention is difficult to prove, but in the end it may not
with the powers of Hell: ordinary people who have much matter. What does matter is that while heroes
turned to evil out of a desire for money, power, or can reach Faerie, have adventures in its
self-gratification. woodlands, and even hold
Actual demons, however, appear in order court with its mighty rul-
to test mortal heroes. These tests can take ers, they had better keep
nearly any form. Players are going to get their wits about
compelled to do wicked things and, if them.
they accept these compels, the de- Faerie
mon is victorious—demonstrating
its victory by hurting the hero or
someone close to him and then
departing. Situations like this
are exceptions to Fate’s
usual advice regard-
ing compels; if a play-
er is willing to fork
over hard-earned
Fate points to resist
a demon’s tempta-
tions, you should let
him. That willingness
to do good, to be self-
less, charitable, and does
merciful, is exactly not

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obey the same rules as the world we were born in, and
those who
Hollow Hills
ignore its peril will learn their folly only too late. Places of burial have sometimes provided entrance
to Faerie, specifically to the Faerie otherworld of
Parting the Veil Annwn. The most famous of these paths began as
burial mounds in Britain, home to Neolithic remains
While Heaven is somewhere above us, and Hell un-
and those of Anglo-Saxon chieftains. The British
doubtedly somewhere below, Faerie is always close by.
called these low earthen barrows “hollow hills,” and
It is just over the next hill or just out of sight of land.
they were entered by a single stone doorway in the
Faerie is separated from the mortal world by an invis-
side of the tomb. Those who entered found themselves
ible barrier known as “the Faerie Veil,” or simply the
in a similar tomb somewhere in Annwn, usually sur-
Veil. The Veil is permeable; anyone can walk across it.
rounded by the inhospitable dead. Such a journey was
In the time of Arthur’s reign it was possible to wander
not for the faint of heart. Indeed, only the most foolish
across the Veil without even knowing it. But with the
attempted it, and only the most brave survived.
waning of magic and the end of the Arthurian Age,
The connection between places of burial and
the Veil retreated so that none knew just where it lay.
Annwn remains today; actual hollow hills are rare,
There are, however, other ways to reach Faerie even if
but easier to find than ever thanks to GPS and Google
the Veil cannot be found.
Maps. Heroes seeking to find the Faerie otherworld
Stone Circles are advised to seek out tombs, open graves, or any-
where else that notable mortals have been laid to rest
The oldest and most well-documented method … but be careful on your way out.
of travel to Faerie is through stone circles, of which
Stonehenge in England is only the best example. Boats
Stone circles are often places of power that rest at the
Before every degree of the world was known to car-
confluence of ley lines; this means they are likely to
tographers and explorers, there was a long tradition
be watched or even lived in by supernatural guardians
that Faerie could be found by sailing beyond sight
such as witches, magicians, spirits, or Faerie creatures.
of land. The connection between water and Faerie is
It is difficult for aspiring travelers to approach such a
deep, profound, and mysterious. It was by this very
stone circle unobserved, and wise heroes will bring
means that Arthur himself was brought to Faerie by
gifts or bribes to secure passage through the circle.
the Four Queens.
Each stone circle has its own method of activation.
Those who seek to reach Faerie by water must lose
Often they are built to part the Veil on a particular
sight of all civilization or even landmarks. Deep fog
evening of the year or hour of the day. Others require
can suffice for those who sail rivers, lakes, or coastal
skill in Occult and the performance of a magical rite.
waters, but any sign of the familiar – including land or
Diligent research is key to learning the method of
stars – will prevent the crossing. The larger the crew,
activation for any given circle, and that may require
the more difficult it is to break contact with anything
seeking out dusty books or finding a living mortal who
familiar, so take as small a boat as possible and con-
has used the circle in the past. Those who dwell in or
sider leaving trained navigators at home. The actual
near stone circles usually know the method to activate
passage between worlds is marked by intense storms
them, so heroes who have no personal Occult skill can
which, more often than not, break the ship apart.
still reach Faerie if they have payment the guardians
Those fortunate enough to actually make the transit
will accept.
to Faerie and not simply wind up lost, shipwrecked, or
Stone circles send travelers to corresponding circles
dead, should see one of Faerie’s many western islands
in Faerie similar in appearance but in better repair.
or, if they traveled over rivers and lakes, the isle of
Thanks to the timelessness of Faerie, the memory
Avalon. Because arriving in Faerie by sea is the least
of previous travelers is always fresh in the minds of
expected means of travel, Faerie inhabitants are often
Faerie creatures, so mortals can expect a welcome of
surprised at the sight of mortals, whom they may nev-
some sort – perhaps from an ogre or troll who uses
er have encountered before. Travelers frequently wash
the circle as a reliable source of food, or from a with-
up on Faerie beaches with nothing but the clothes on
ered hag who shoos travelers out of her home and
their back, but the hospitality of Faeries can be exces-
on to Goblin Market. Faerie rulers in need of cham-
sive; handsome heroes can be welcomed, dressed, and
pions have even been known to post signs near well-
pampered only to find they are not allowed to leave.
known stone circles, directing mortals to the nearest
glass castle.

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More on the Veil If it can be found, the Veil makes for a very easy
travel method to Faerie. It can be crossed effortlessly,
For most of mortal history the Veil was a relatively though one is never quite sure where in Faerie one will
sturdy barrier. Occasionally a unicorn would stray end up. Once in Faerie, the Veil is visible as a shim-
too far and end up in the mortal realm, or a traveling mering blue curtain, and it tends to remain in more
storyteller would make an unwise camp too close to or less the same place thanks to the timeless nature of
the Veil and wake up in Elfland, but these were rare Faerie itself. This means that getting back to mortal
exceptions. As a rule, creatures of Faerie stayed in lands is relatively easy; that’s good when a mortal is
Faerie, and mortals remained here. That changed trying to return to his family, but hazardous when a
with the Dolorous Stroke, a magical blow which sent Faerie denizen wants to come to Earth for a bout of
shockwaves throughout the mystic cosmos. The Stroke chaotic violence.
rent a hole in the Veil and the enchantment that filled
Faerie spilled out over Britain. The immediate effect
was the destruction of three counties and the death Far from the Fields We Know
of many innocent people, but the long-term ramifica- The lands of Faerie are not well known or under-
tions were far-reaching. Magic suffused Arthur’s realm stood by mortals, and few reliable maps of these
and his reign, enchanting the King himself, Britain, territories exist. For a time it was believed that all the
and all who dwelt there. Faerie knights, monsters, and magical realms described by mortal cultures over the
castles slipped across the Veil into our world; knights centuries were each separate and distinct places, but
stumbled in and out of Faerie so frequently that the we have now come to understand that all these en-
Veil ceased to be a barrier in anything but name. chanted locales are contained within Faerie, though
Arthur became known as “the King of Adventure” and they may not always be accessible to one another.
his very life was magical; these effects spread forward The magic of Faerie is visible in its supernatural
and backward in time like ripples in a pool. History landscape: mountains are perilously tall and forebod-
was rewritten and made more amazing thereby. ing, their cliffs sheer and sharp. Rivers are sparkling,
Galahad’s successful achievement of the Grail Quest cold, and pure. Forests are thick, verdant, and home to
allowed him to cure the Dolorous Stroke and repair all sorts of amazing creatures. Indeed, all the animals
the Faerie Veil. Magic began to retreat from our world, native to Faerie are in some way magical. They can
but the echoes left by the Stroke ensured that Arthur’s understand human speech and often talk themselves,
reign did not collapse overnight. It took a few years for though there are always some poor mortal beasts
the last effects of the Stroke to fade and for mundane which have wandered into Faerie to be pitied by their
history to take hold again. The balance between the smarter and more self-aware kin.
mortal world and Faerie returned to its previous state. Faerie is a timeless place; those who visit it now will
There were occasional visitors from here and there, find it little changed from the Arthurian Age. Many of
and magic was fainter than it had been; it was once its denizens are immortal, at least as long as they dwell
again easy for all of us to pretend that magic was not within Faerie’s borders, and they will remember trav-
real, and Faeries were the stuff of make-believe and elers from centuries past as if it was yesterday. Seasons
children’s stories. Over the years the Veil retreated un- do come to Faerie, and those who dwell there remem-
til its location was unknown to all but a select few. ber a then that is in contrast to now, but the amount of
Recently, however, there are hints that the Veil may time which lay between these two concepts is a flexi-
have slipped forward again, and that it may be found ble, messy thing. While it is never safe to make broad
in our mortal world even by those who do not seek it. generalizations, most pilgrims from the mortal world
No one has yet learned an explanation for this. Those who come to Faerie and have adventures there return
who seek the Veil are advised that it is seldom where to Earth to find that very little time has passed. (The
you expect it to be. The mortal folk who dwell near opposite is also sometimes true – travelers spend a
it refuse to speak of it, for the nearness of that much short time in Faerie and return to find months or years
magic and enchantment has disturbed and frightened have passed in the mortal realm – but this mechanic
them. But stories of missing persons, strange arrivals, is perhaps best reserved for GMs in special situations.
and lights or sounds which defy easy classification For example, when one of your players leaves the
are signposts that Faerie may be near. In ancient days game for a while and returns months later, perhaps
the Veil appeared only in forests, fields, and lakes, far she has been wandering Faerie in the interim.)
from cities and settled land, but in the centuries that Ley-lines and places of power are common in
have passed many previously wild countries have been Faerie, but the entire place is The Source of Magic, an
tamed. Swamps have become cities, and woodlands aspect that can be invoked by any enchanter trying to
bulldozed into homes. The Veil could be anywhere. cast a spell.

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The Forest of Adventure to naught, Arthur was preserved in the Cauldron of

Annwn until such a time as he could be reincarnated.
For many travelers, this is the first part of Faerie en- No queen or king would try to command the Ladies
countered. The Forest of Adventure is a vast and lush of the Lake; their wisdom is revered throughout Faerie
forest criss-crossed by paths and dotted with stone and their isle is a place of pilgrimage for mortal and
towers and hilltop castles. It is the province of Queene Faerie alike. The women who dwell in Avalon rule
Gloriana, but is populated by many Faerie monsters, their own affairs; it is they who decide to accept new
demons, and Amazon tribes which have no love for women into the order, and they have even been known
her and which flaunt her rule. Accordingly, she enlists to rescue male children of great destiny who were in
the aid of courtiers and champions who go out into the peril. Guests are welcome, but the discourteous are not
forest and mete out royal justice. Many small hamlets, long tolerated and no violence is permitted on the isle.
farms, and villages can be found within the Forest, Those who insist on bringing their troubles with them
and some of Gloriana’s folk are magical beasts who find themselves overcome by spells of sleep and de-
acknowledge her as Queene and Empress. The inhabi- posited back on the mainland. Those who try to cross
tants of the Forest of Adventure are likely to remember the Lake without the approval of the Ladies find their
Arthurian characters; their questing took place here boat surrounded by dense fog that makes navigation
and the young Arthur himself was a special favorite impossible. When the traveler finds a shore, it could
of the Queene. While this ensures that the Forest is be anywhere in Faerie or the mortal world.
one of the safest places for incarnations to visit, it also
means that Gloriana’s subjects will expect Arthur’s
men to bring the Queene’s peace to the various giants,
fiends, and more monstrous creatures which make the Escaping from History
Forest their home. Time passes very slowly in Faerie; indeed,
Elfland sometimes it feels like time doesn’t pass at all.
That means people from Earth’s past who some-
how found themselves across the Veil could still
Elfland is a mountain-ringed domain that borders be there today, when Arthurian incarnations
the Faerie Veil. Centuries ago, its King expanded the go exploring Faerie and find them. Avalon, as
a haven for women who have fled the world of
Veil large enough to swallow up the nearby mortal men, is an especially good place to find such
village of Erl, which is now a bustling market town refugees. Other mortals, who slid across the Veil
by accident, could be wandering the Forest of
visited by Faerie folk from all over. The King’s fabulous Adventure. Maybe the eleven days of Agatha
glass castle overlooks Erl and a surrounding forest of Christie’s famous disappearance were spent in
Avalon; Amelia Earhart might be alive and well as
enchanted trees that protects Elfland from foes. The King Alberich’s consort.
King, whose magic power is so great that it is said he
controls the geography of Elfland itself, is also served
by a personal guard of elves in Faerie armor impervi-
ous to all mundane weaponry. Renowned for its ma-
jestic unicorn herds and Erl’s flocks of golden sheep, Arden
Elfland is bordered by a dangerous swamp filled with The Forest of Arden is the domain of King Oberon
malicious will-o-wisps. Its countryside is prowled by and Titania, his Queene. Smaller than the Forest of
a particular breed of trolls: small, fur-covered, gob- Adventure, Arden is a more peaceful place where
lin-like creatures possessed of great speed and a ca- the Faerie inhabitants are charged with maintaining
pricious sense of humor. Long-standing laws prohibit the natural order of things. By Oberon and Titania’s
troll entry into Erl, but this just forces the little crea- decree, every mechanism of nature from the falling
tures to be more clever in their pranks. of leaves to the placement of dew upon the morning
grass is managed by Faeries. This may be an effort
Avalon to keep these otherwise mischievous beings from
Arthur’s resting place for many mortal years, Avalon getting into too much trouble. If so, it is largely suc-
is a forested island in the center of a broad glassy body cessful, though there are always layabouts who shirk
of water known simply as “The Lake.” The isle itself is their duty in favor of revels and idle entertainments.
decorated with groves of apple trees and is a refuge for Although no permanent settlements exist within
a sect of priestesses both Faerie and mortal. A very few Arden, the forest is bordered by many towns and vil-
desperate and forsaken women from around the world lages and is often crossed by pilgrims, so the Faeries
have been allowed to find this haven over the years, here have many opportunities to interfere in the lives
where they have found sisterhood and a new purpose of others.
in life. It is here that the Ladies of the Lake are trained, The rulers of Arden avoid political entanglements
and it was here that the Four Queens tried to heal with other Faerie realms, and the inhabitants here
Arthur of his mortal wound. When their efforts came have little knowledge of Arthur or his knights. Visitors

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are likely to be treated with curiosity and possibly

made the butt of pranks until Oberon and Titania
Annwn, the Otherworld
learn of their presence. Mortals are not expected to Annwn is the most terrifying part of Faerie. It is
remain in Arden beyond sunrise, unless they are very the Faerie otherworld, a home to many restless souls
attractive or make for entertaining marks, in which who have not yet passed on to Heaven or to Hell.
case their stay may be quite long indeed. Many of the dead who have come to dwell here re-
fuse to acknowledge the existence of the divine, and
Western Isles in their ignorant blindness they sentence themselves
to an eternity of unrest. Evil and malevolent Faeries
Located off the coast of Faerie, the Western Isles are
naturally gravitate to Annwn and make their home
small self-contained domains each ruled by a different
there among the wraiths and walking corpses. Some
Faerie lord. Because of their isolation from the rest of
supernatural creatures from the mortal world find a
Faerie, and the lack of traffic or commerce, customs
way into Faerie so that they can take refuge in Annwn;
and inhabitants of the Western Isles can be exceeding-
vampires, ghouls, and cursed mortals dwell here in
ly strange. In these lands dwell people with the heads
hiding from mankind, feasting on herds of Faerie cat-
of dogs, people whose faces are beneath their shoul-
tle kept for just this purpose.
ders, and people with one leg or one arm growing out
Bordered by a stinking, fog-ridden waterway and
of their chest. The Western Isles are also said to be
towered over by awesome dark mountains, Annwn
possessed of incredible riches, though this is not nec-
is ruled by petty lords who revel in cruelty. Their
essarily unique among Faerie realms, where gold and
dwellings are fantastic and horrific castles guarded
jewels are so plentiful as to be commonplace.
by foreboding iron gates and built by magic: Castle
Several of the Western Isles traveled back and forth
Revolving, the Castle of Glass, the Castle of Four
to the mortal realm during the Arthurian Age and
Towers, the Castle of Mead, and more. Early in
even after, leading them to be visited and even occa-
Arthur’s reign, he attempted a raid on Annwn in order
sionally ruled by men. The memory of these mortal
to secure a legendary cauldron that could bring back
rulers is still fresh in the Western Isles, even if the men
the dead. Although the raid eventually succeeded,
themselves are long dead, and mortal travelers can be
three shiploads of Arthur’s men arrived on Annwn’s
viewed with great respect by the locals even as the new
shores and only seven knights returned. Annwn’s in-
rulers see them as dangerous rivals.
habitants are not to be trifled with, and they show no
Goblin Market mercy. Arthurian incarnations who visit this land now
should not expect a kind welcome, for the memory of
The Great Goblin Market is a periodic event in the dead is long indeed and it is rumored that many of
Faerie, the most fabulous marketplace in the realm. Arthur’s original warriors are still prisoners in Annwn,
It is never conducted in the same locale twice, and bound and tortured by its ghastly inhabitants in re-
between seasons all of Faerie is abuzz with efforts to venge for the lost cauldron.
determine where the next market will be held. Faerie
merchants and craftsmen bring their wares from all
over, stone circles bustle with activity, and the Veil Faerie Lords (and Ladies)
thins so that you never know just who might turn up. The inhabitants of Faerie are exceptionally diverse,
The Market always lasts for precisely twelve days, from and include not only elves, goblins, giants, dragons,
sunup to sundown, though plenty of haggling occurs and talking animals, but also fiends who have depart-
overnight in whatever inns or boarding houses are for- ed Hell and the occasional angelic servant on a mis-
tunate enough to be located nearby. sion. Towns and villages of otherwise-ordinary folk are
Travelers to Goblin Market have no common cur- common here, generally minding their own business
rency, and so every exchange is done in barter. The and living their lives as they always have. There is at
potent magic of both buyers and sellers ensures that least one city of the Amazons to be found within the
almost anything can be negotiated at the Market, from Forest of Adventure, and its fierce inhabitants rely on
Napoleon’s pistols to a virgin’s modesty. Frequent vis- captured men for manual labor and reproduction.
itors have come to recognize and even befriend other Because enchantment is so much a part of Faerie,
merchants, so that Goblin Market has become a com- powerful sorcerers, witches, and court magicians are
munity of friends who only see each other during the all too common. Many monsters native to the mortal
twelve-day festival. No Faerie is too great or poor to world – werewolves, vampires, and restless spirits –
appear at Market, though some adopt false disguises have found their way into Faerie and now reside there
which fool no-one. Gloriana herself once attended in a permanently, avoiding the curious gaze of mortals.
peacock-mask. There are many powerful lords among Faerie
kind, and the greatest of these kings and queenes
hold courts of their own. War between Faerie lords
is extremely rare, since the permanence of death

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is something Faeries wish to avoid, but individual behind until their patience ran out, then fled back
knights who have sworn loyalty to one lord or another across the Veil. Some of these children grow to adult-
frequently meet in personal combat along the track- hood in Faerie and end up making a humble living in
less paths that lead through Faerie woods, and in this Arden, their royal masters eventually tiring of them,
way the courts compete for pecking order, influence, while others manage to escape back to the mortal
wealth and reputation. world and grow up to lead brief but inspired lives of
poetry, artistic expression, and song.
Gloriana Titania is served by an order of priestesses modeled
Generally acknowledged as the most influential on the Ladies of the Lake, and she is believed to be on
of the Faerie monarchs, if not the most personally good relations with both them and the Amazons of the
powerful, Queene Gloriana’s realm centers on the Forest of Adventure. Oberon, for his part, relies heavily
sprawling Forest of Adventure. Her magnificent city on his chief courtier, Robin Goodfellow, whose travel
of Troyvantium lies just beyond the forest’s borders back and forth to the mortal realm has been frequent
along a broad and shimmering river, and it is there enough to make him something of a local legend.
where she keeps her court of Faerie nobles, knights, While the Faeries of the court of Arden enjoy mortals,
and damsels. Gloriana is widely revered for her gener- they have little respect for them – they seem quite
osity, fairness, and sense of justice. She is gracious and comfortable doing whatever they want with beautiful
kind to all whom she considers friends, but when her men and women, whom they consider playthings and
wrath is aroused she becomes fierce and tempestuous. momentary entertainments, somewhat better than fa-
Beautiful and unmarried, she plays her many court- vored housepets.
iers against one another in competition for her favors,
and by this means keeps her court busy improving the The King of Elfland
realm and the lives of her subjects. The King of Elfland is a distant and inscrutable
Gloriana met Arthur shortly after he drew the sword figure greatly feared for his intense magical might.
from the stone, before he was crowned king. During Although he holds court in his fabulous glass castle,
this time, the handsome and young “Prince Arthur,” as it is his daughter Lirazel and her mortal husband
he was known, was Gloriana’s greatest champion. He Alveric who administer the day to day needs of the
traveled throughout the Forest of Adventure lending realm. Their son, Prince Orion, busies himself with
his aid to Gloriana’s questing knights, learning the vir- hunting, an obsession which has driven out virtually
tues of a good king, and acting as a role model for all all other concerns.
whom he encountered. But once Arthur was crowned, Clad in stately robes, wearing a high crown, and pos-
his romance with lady Lyonors, as well as the need to sessed of an enormous white beard, the King seldom
find a mortal wife and queen, soured his relationship leaves his tower and seems discomfited only when his
with Gloriana, who became fiercely jealous and re- daughter leaves his sight. It is said his bride was a mor-
sented Arthur’s rejection. It is said that Gloriana quiet- tal woman, but her name is unknown and she must
ly provided aid to the Four Queens when they sought have died long ago. No one knows for sure. Since the
to bring Arthur back to life, but it is not certain what withdrawal of the Faerie Veil, the King has watched
reaction Arthur would have were he to personally events in the mortal realm with growing unease and
return to court. Virtuous knights and ladies, however, concern. He has long considered Earth and its peo-
can count on a welcome reception. ple a threat to him and his way of life, even if mortals
intend no direct harm. The introduction of time into
Oberon and Titania Elfland would mean the introduction of pain, suffer-
This married Faerie couple is infamous for their ing, and death, none of which the King would wel-
lovers’ quarrels, which spill over into thunderstorms, come, and he is actively seeking ways to preserve the
freakish weather, and other bizarre phenomena Veil and make it stronger against human intrusion.
thanks to the relationship between fey and nature Lirazel, who conducts the business of the kingdom in
within Arden forest. Both Queene Titania and King her father’s name, finds the mutability of mortal life
Oberon are endlessly absorbed by mortals, and their fascinating, however, and has an endless appetite for
lusty habits have led both to take multiple lovers of traveler’s tales, so the King keeps his concerns to him-
either gender on occasion. Inevitably one finds out self even as his magical investigations lead his research
about the affair of the other, the two get to fighting, farther and farther afield.
then eventually make up, and peace is restored. In
the meantime, snow falls in Faerie spring and the sun Alberich
burns hot in winter. Alberich, King of the Dwarves, is a legendary
The court of Arden has, in the past, abducted many shapeshifter, craftsman, and magician. There is a
mortal children who struck its fancy. Stolen youths small but vocal minority of Faeries who claim that he
were replaced with Faerie changelings who remained and Oberon of Arden are actually one and the same

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creature, an allegation made possible by Alberich’s cannot hope to supervise all of them, even with the
reclusive ways, but the Dwarf King’s scorn for the aid of her large court of Faerie servants. With the
frivolous and unbecoming habits of Arden’s court weakening of the Veil, Mab has redoubled her labors
seems persuasive. and press-ganged many Faeries into her employ in an
Certainly the most wealthy of all Faerie lords, effort to expand her domain into as many dreams as
Alberich has come to resent mankind for its repeated possible. So far, it seems to be working, though she
efforts to seize his treasure. Alberich’s seclusion may must keep very strict discipline among her followers
be due to some kind of curse which has grown into and occasionally resort to ghastly punishment in order
rampant paranoia. Regardless, those who attempt to to keep everyone in line.
visit him in his mountain court are undoubtedly pre- Mab, who maintains a strict policy of neutrality to-
sumed to be spies and thieves. A long bout in one of wards other realms such as Annwn, Arden, and the
Alberich’s prisons is the usual result, and many mor- Forest of Adventure, has a somewhat antagonistic
tals have been trapped here in timeless Faerie dun- relationship to mortals, even though she relies upon
geons for centuries of Earthly history. them for the nightly construction of her kingdom. She
Within Alberich’s mountain fortress, the engines seems to think them very unreliable tenants in her do-
and hammers of the dwarves ring without cease, craft- main, as if at any time all the mortal world might sud-
ing weapons, jewels, and other more arcane machines denly wake up at once and her domain would cease to
the purpose of which few can guess. The craftsman- exist. Her followers ensure that men and women have
ship of his court is revered throughout Faerie and his many tantalizing dreams of wish-fulfillment in order
baubles decorate the throats, wrists, and fingers of to keep them dreaming. This grants stability to Mab’s
every fashionable elvish lord and lady. The higher he realm, but has also increased the contempt which
raises his prices, the more other Faeries seem willing Mab and her kind feel towards mortals who, after
to pay, and this only increases Aberich’s scorn for all, usually wish for quite mundane and petty things.
them. Privately, he considers all the other kings and The mortals who earn Mab’s respect are those who
queenes of Faerie to be enslaved to him through bonds dream awesome, majestic, and fantastic dreams. These
of greed and avarice, worthy only of his contempt. He dreams bring new wonders to her kingdom and elicit
may be right. her own grudging admiration.
Merlin, who is said by some to have been made into
Mab a dream during the time of his imprisonment, is ru-
Queene Mab dwells on the outskirts of Faerie soci- mored to have had a relationship of some kind with
ety and she has little interaction with the other royal Mab, though the details are not known. Otherwise,
courts. This is because she is so very busy, for Mab’s few of Arthur’s knights have ever knowingly met this
domain is that of mortal dreams. She is the self-ap- elusive Faerie mistress, though all have walked in her
pointed monarch of these dreams, even though she kingdom on nightly excursions.

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 Chapter 9: Allies and Adversaries

Chapter 9: Allies and Adversaries

Threat Level Skill

+1
Adversaries
Cops, Falcon, Snake
GMs need antagonists of varying power level, +2 Dogs, Enforcers, Federal Agents, Horse, Murder
suitable to groups and specific players of varying of Crows, Redcap, Spider Brood, Stag, Suicide
ability. Sure, your table’s Gawain may have Melee Bomber, Vampire Minion, Walking Corpse, Wolves

+5, Galatine, and inhuman strength, but Morgause, +3 Bear, Blackcap, Bluecap, Lion, Magus, Salamander,
Security Officer, Shark, Shooter, Big Spider,
sitting right next to him, has no combat ability high- Vampire Spawn, Wild Boar, Witch
er than Brawl +1. Here’s a short list of all the adver- +4 Basilisk and Cockatrice, Small Dragon, Faerie
saries in this book, organized by highest skill. Damsel, Giant Boar, Hippogriff, Old Ned, Phoenix,
Huge Spider, Vampire Lieutenant, Werewolf, Worm,
Wyvern
+5 Black Magus, Cath Palug, Faerie Knight, Fiendish
Corpse, Large Dragon, Small Giant, Incubus and
Succubus, Manticore, Nathan Landis, Mr. Invisible,
Shannon Goodall, Sphinx, Unicorn, Master Vampire,
Big Worm
+6 Demon, Devil Spawn, Huge Dragon, Faerie Queene,
Giant, Griffin, Hiram Warren, Questling, Rialto, Troll,
Huge Worm, Yron Squire
+7 Demon Prince, Enormous Dragon, General Douglass,
Big Giant, Gretchen Schwan, Vampire Lord
+8 Angel, Mythical Dragon, Fairy Tale Giant, Glatisant,
Sophie Von Ribbentrop, Twrch Trwyth

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Scale Quick & Dirty

Faerie creatures subjected to a quick & dirty dressing
Some of the creatures in this book are big.
Really big. Arthur Lives! uses Scale, discussed can barely pass as mundane, and their appearance
in the Fate System Toolkit, to represent those sit- will still be freakish and unusual. They will have
uations in which size has significant effects odd colored skin, hair, and eyes, and their physical
on play. Here’s the AL! Scale at a glance. proportions are off. They’re ugly. Wearing a long
• Scale 0: Small as a Cat, or about 10 pounds. Infants coat or hoodie, they will still attract attention, but
might be Scale 0, but most children are not. they will not cause screams of terror. These crea-
tures will be accepted as humans, albeit scary ones.
• Scale 1: Man-size. All PCs will be Scale 1. If Scale Dressing a creature with a quick & dirty enchant-
is not listed for an NPC in this book, it’s Scale 1. ment takes several minutes, but it can be done
• Scale 2: Big as a Bear, or about 1,000 pounds. Most on multiple creatures of the same type all at the
large quadrupeds, including horses, are Scale 2. same time. However, in these cases, the dressings
• Scale 3: Big as an Elephant or a T. Rex, are all identical. So, for example, if you summon a
or about 10,000 pounds. This is for the trio of trolls to do your bidding and dress them all
very largest of land-going beasts. together in quick & dirty style, they all look exact-
• Scale 4: Big as a Whale or an Apatosaurus, ly alike. Dressing a creature quick & dirty inflicts
or about 50 tons. We’re talking enor- Enchantment Points on the enchanter equal to the
mous dragons or King Kong. creature’s Scale; add 1 Enchantment Point for each
• Scale 5: Bigger than Anything that Ever Lived, additional creature you’re dressing at the same time.
or about 500 tons. Have you heard that story Dressing a Scale 0 creature can be done in an ex-
about a sea turtle mistaken for an island? change, while Scale 1 creatures require a minute
Since your protagonists will almost always be Scale 1, or two. Dressing a Scale 2 creature requires about
Scale is mostly important when PCs have to fight an hour, and it takes several hours to dress a Scale
monsters like giants, dragons, and trolls, all of which 3 creature. Dressing a Scale 4 creature, even “quick
are pretty big. Give an NPC with Scale a +2 bonus & dirty”, is a task of incredible difficulty requiring
to Weapon and Armor for every step in Scale it has about a day of constant enchantment. It’s not possible
over its opponents. So, if human PCs are fighting a for a mortal enchanter to dress anything Scale 5.
Scale 3 giant, that giant has Armor:4 and Weapon:4.
Slow & Sure
Creature Features When your summoned Faerie is going to be
around a while and has to pass for human under
The NPCs here have aspects, skills, stunts and
extras. These last two have been grouped together as close inspection, you need to dress him in a more
“Creature Features.” These extras aren’t intended for convincing disguise. Faeries dressed by this meth-
PCs to purchase and, indeed, their cost in refresh is not od will be almost entirely ordinary in appearance.
calculated or listed. Because it doesn’t matter. NPCs They won’t need concealing clothing or the cover of
have whatever traits your story needs them to have. darkness to move in human society. However, there
will still be something unusual about them; perhaps
Dressing the Beast they have no eyebrows or other facial hair, or their
blood is an unusual color (like yellow or green).
Most Faerie creatures have an unusual or fan- Regardless, this is something which can be hidden.
tastic appearance, and this appearance makes it A “slow & sure” dressing can’t be performed on
difficult for these beings to move in mortal society. multiple creatures at once. It inflicts Enchantment
When an enchanter summons such creatures across Points, and requires time, similar to the quick & dirty
the Faerie Veil, he can choose to “dress” them in a method but as if the creature’s Scale was 2 higher.
new, less fantastic, appearance at the cost of some That means a Scale 1 Faerie requires several hours
of their physical abilities. These NPCs are referred to dress and the enchanter generates 6 EP. No mor-
to as “dressed” and their disguise is a “dressing.” tal enchanter can use the slow & sure method on a
Dressing a creature is time-consuming and exhaust- creature of Scale 3 or larger; it’s just too physically
ing, and the process is one of diminishing returns taxing and trying results only in failure or death.
(the more time spent, the smaller each improve- Even the slow & sure method cannot give a crea-
ment is). Because of this, dressings can be broadly ture the appearance of a specific human being. If
divided into “quick and dirty” or “slow and sure.” an enchanter wants his summoned ally to have a
specific human appearance, he uses Glamour.

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Dressing Mechanics
Regardless of which kind of dressing is used, there
are some rules which apply. Magical senses pene-
trate dressings, and dressings can be broken with
the Revealing Word (see Dispel in Chapter 5). The
enchanter who created a dressing can remove it in a
single exchange as long as he can observe the crea-
ture he dressed, even remotely. A dressed creature
who takes a minor consequence may have its dressing
broken, revealing its true appearance; note that the
dressing does not grant an additional consequence,
losing it is just a common form of minor consequence.
Intelligent creatures can pass as human and so are
usually dressed as people. They become Scale 1 re-
gardless of their original size, lose any wings, tails, or
other appendages, and any extras or stunts dependent
on these limbs (such as flight or a tail attack). They
lose natural Weapons and Armor, but retain extras
like Inhuman Strength or Supernatural Toughness.
All their skills and aspects remain, though some
might apply only when the creature loses its dressing.
Unintelligent creatures — like wyverns, drakes,
and a basilisk — cannot convincingly pass as hu-
man even if given human form, so they are instead
dressed as animals or objects. (Note that a quick &
dirty dressing into an animal or object will result
in a bizarre looking animal or object.) To make the
disguise more effective, the dressing is usually sim-
ilar to the creature’s original shape, but this is not
always possible. A giant boar can be dressed as an
ordinary pig and a basilisk can look like a snake, but
a wyvern may have to make do with the shape of a
horse or a cow. Creatures can also be given the shape
of inanimate objects like cars, trees, or boulders. In
this shape, the creature has only limited control of its
own body. A dragon dressed as a car can roll under
its own power, open its doors, turn the stereo on or
off, or be driven, but it can’t walk or fly. Creatures of
this sort generally retain their Scale but lose oth-
er qualities like wings, tails, Weapons and Armor,
extras and stunts, just as dressed humanoids do.

Incarnations An educated man and West Point graduate,

Douglass first encountered Shakespeare’s Macbeth
General Scott Douglass while doing commando training with the SAS in
Britain. He instantly connected with the tale, and after
Main NPC
Scott Douglass is a hero of the Persian Gulf War; his return from Iraq he took his wife and young son
along with his unit of elite commandos, he landed to Edinburgh, the setting of the play and the heart of
behind enemy lines, sabotaging weapons and fuel the medieval land of Lothian. There, he became the
depots and assassinating key figures in the Republican hapless target of an IRA cell on the run. His son was
Guard. By the time the main armor broached the Iraqi first abducted and then killed. In anguish, in the shad-
fortifications, the defenders were leaderless, out of ow of Edinburgh’s great castle, and mourning his son,
bullets, and out of gas. For his personal heroism and Douglass recognized himself as Lot, king of Lothian
valor, he was awarded the Silver Star; for crippling the and Orkney. He never returned to his wife and filed
enemy so brilliantly he was promoted to Lt. Colonel. for divorce without explanation, allowing his fellow
officers and the media to blame the loss of his son.

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Now aware of his true nature, and of his first time; if he can do this, he believes he will supplant
wife’s betrayal and incest with the young Arthur, Arthur as High King and effectively steal Arthur’s
Douglass hates the Boy King for both engender- legend. Whatever it is that has brought Arthur back
ing Mordred in the first place and for trying to now – whatever foe is out there – Douglass is ab-
kill the baby when the truth came out. The loss of solutely prepared to fight it. But he’ll be damned if
his other sons – Gawain, Agravaine, Gareth and he’ll let Arthur bullocks the whole thing up again.
Gaheris – to the Round Table makes everything The general is surrounded by allies with plenty of
even more painful. Douglass knows that if he had firepower, but when the season finale comes he’s a
beaten Arthur that day at Castle Terrabil, every- hand-to-hand fighter. His cybernetic arm hits with
thing would have been different. He would have inhuman force and he’s highly trained in its use, able
been High King, not that beardless bastard. And he to grapple and choke his foe to death in seconds.
is certain he would have done a better job, too. (The addition of the cybernetic limb is based on the
For over a decade now, Scott Douglass has planned belief held by some that Lot may be derived from
his rise to power. Long aware of secret alliances the older Welsh character Ludd of the Silver Arm.)
within the military and the federal government, Douglass is intended to be a villain just at the limit
he became a Freemason and began rising through of what a hero with Superb (+5) skills could duel;
the degrees of that society, using his military and in order to succeed, any player character is going to
Washington contacts to sabotage his rivals and grease need a good plan, the right weapon, plenty of Fate
his own wheels. With a small army of soldiers fanat- points, and some help. But because a duel is so much
ically loyal to himself, he has assassinated a dozen more satisfactory than a massive dogpile on Lot,
Arthurian incarnations in order to “clear the field.” be sure to give the other player characters plenty
(Incarnations of Morgause, Arthur, and Pellinore of soldiers or other foes to fight at the same time.
get special, personal, treatment.) Seven years ago
ASPECTS
he went back to Iraq, and this time a suicide bomb-
er took his arm. Using his pull as one of the Round Scottish King
Table’s inner circle, he got his limb replaced with a It Should Have Been Me!
deadly cybernetic prototype developed in Japan. Big Bad Evil Guy
Now a general, Douglass has his sights set on the Military Training
presidential election. He intends to invite Shannon The Silver Arm
Goodall, whom he has recognized as Guinevere but SKILLS
who has not yet met him personally, to be his run-
ning mate. If his command of the military and “moral Epic (+7) Brawl and Leadership
values” vote is not enough to get him into the Oval Fantastic (+6) Confidence, Contacts and Firearms
Office, threats of terminal violence will force the other Superb (+5) Athletics, Investigate and Willpower
inner circle members to use their influence on his Great (+4) Physique, Stealth and Resources
behalf, rigging the election. Once he’s President, it will Good (+3) Deceive, Provoke and Notice
be child’s play to arrange for martial law and a manu- Fair (+2) Drive, Education and Wilderness
factured crisis which will extend his term indefinitely. Average (+1) Burglary, Occult and Technology
General Douglass’ plan to become KOTUS (King FEATURES
of the United States) is an impending “big issue” for
the first season of your Arthur Lives! campaign. He’s Choke. Once per scene, when Scott is grappling a
actively hunting several key incarnations and is easy to victim with the Silver Arm, he can spend a Fate point
introduce in this manner, but because he has so much to increase any inflicted consequence by one level.
going on at once, it is also easy to allow the players Disarm. When Scott successfully disarms a foe
to fly under his radar for a while. Squads of faceless using Brawl, the resulting obstacle is 2 levels higher.
army goons (and mercenaries hired to ensure deniabil- Tactical Genius. When Scott uses Leadership
ity) give you all the mobs you need, and his access to to create an advantage for his men, he gets two
vehicles and heavy weapons encourages high-energy free invocations out of it, instead of just one.
action and plenty of explosions. Adventures using The Silver Arm. Scott’s cybernetic arm punch-
Douglass are an opportunity for you to be inspired by es as a Weapon:3. He has a +3 bonus on rolls to
all those films in the last decade which have made a crush something, provided he can do so with
fetish out of the military, their equipment, and their one hand. When grappling, he inflicts an ad-
missions – stories begin with surveillance, infiltra- ditional point of stress. The arm is invulnera-
tion, and flash/bang grenades, grow to machine guns, ble to anything short of a magical weapon.
helicopters, and Predator drones, and climax with Smash and Grab. Scott can spend a Fate point to
fighter jets, smart missiles, and a nuclear weapon. make a simultaneous Physique roll to create an
Douglass’s goal is to master both the Round Table advantage at the same time he makes a Brawling
conspiracy and the office of President at the same attack, representing a successful grapple.

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Elite Minions. Scott commands a person- looking for purpose, and she has decided to give
al platoon of Good (+3) minions armed with them one. Using discreet funding creatively buried
assault rifles, military combat armor, gre- by her accountants, she has organized and managed
nades, heavy weaponry and vehicles. small teams of Arthurian reincarnations and directed
them to investigate strange happenings, hunt down
STRESS
supernatural menaces, and gather more of their own
Physical: bbbb Mental: bbbb kind. One of the youngest individuals in Congress,
CONSEQUENCES she is a breathtaking blonde with deep blue eyes.
She has a weakness for especially fashionable cloth-
Two minor, one moderate, one severe consequence. ing, and is seldom seen without high heel shoes.
GEAR GMs can use Shannon Goodall as a patron for PCs
Besides the Silver Arm, Scott bears a pistol who do not have an Arthur or Guinevere among
and a knife. If he’s going into a firefight he’s almost them. She keeps a balance between her former
certainly wearing a bulletproof vest, but in pub- and modern life, and has completely rationalized
lic he appears to be unarmored, but that’s just so her conservative political philosophy with her life
he can use the Vest Concession (see page 106). as the Queen; in particular, she believes that since
any unborn child could be another Arthurian in-
carnation (and thus a soldier in whatever war is
Shannon “Starburst” coming), her pro-life stance has become ever more
Goodall (R-UT) passionate. This has caused some friction among
her followers, but no bridges have yet been burned.
Main NPC
Shannon Goodall is the daughter of a solidly ASPECTS
prosperous Mormon family. Brilliant, charismatic, Queen of Salt Lake City
and disciplined, she attended Harvard Law on a full Principles Over Facts
scholarship and returned to Utah to start a family Harvard Law
and run for local political office. Since she has a birth Telegenic
defect that prevents her from conceiving children, Rising Star
she adopted a son (now age nine) and two daugh-
SKILLS
ters (ages six and fourteen). Stridently pro-life in her
political leanings, she won instant popularity among Superb (+5) Confidence and Contacts
Utah’s devoutly religious middle class, and these Great (+4) Leadership, Rapport and Willpower
voters propelled her to victory. On election night, a Good (+3) Education, Investigate and Resources
local television journalist called her “the Queen of Fair (+2) Athletics, Empathy and Notice
Salt Lake City” and she instantly recognized herself. Average (+1) Firearms, Occult and Physique
The next few months prompted some soul-search- FEATURES
ing in Shannon, who was unsure how to reconcile
her political life, her personal values, and her rein- Breathtaking Blonde. Shannon has a +2
carnation as Britain’s legendary High Queen. She on Rapport checks to make a good first im-
continued to do her job and do it well, which got pression on a heterosexual man.
her noticed by national Republicans who urged her Don’t Touch the Queen. Shannon can use her
to a House run in 2014. She accepted the challenge Confidence to defend against hand-to-hand attacks
and quickly took a commanding lead thanks to her as if it were Athletics, until she is hit for the first time.
stunning good looks, confident manner, and deep Runner. Shannon has a +2 on Athletics
knowledge on matters of business and the law. She checks to flee the scene.
was invited to speak at the Republican National STRESS
Convention and was an instant hit both with reli- Physical: bbb Mental: bbbb
giously conservative GOP loyalists and FOX News
pundits. One of them declared that, during her CONSEQUENCES:
speech, she sent “starbursts” through every television One minor, one moderate, and
screen in America; this earned her a new nickname. one severe consequence.
Goodall may be the most visible Arthurian rein-
carnation alive today, and she is on television con- GEAR
stantly both at home and in Washington. When Shannon is a licensed gun owner and has a pistol for
young incarnations recognize themselves, Goodall is close defense, a shotgun for hunting, a rifle for target
likely to be one of the first incarnations they see. She practice, and an assault rifle in case things go sour.
has been sought out by more than one incarnation

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 Chapter 9: Allies and Adversaries

Mr. Invisible ASPECTS

The Invisible Knight
Main NPC I Betray Everyone, Even Myself
No one knows the name he was born with; for the Eyes Everywhere
last fifteen years he has been only “Mr. Invisible,” one Master Hacker
of the world’s most infamous hackers. He is believed Streetwise
to come from Seattle or Portland, though the FBI and
his many amateur fans have never been able to con- SKILLS
firm this. Those few who have been able to meet with Superb (+5) Investigate and Technology
him personally describe him as a tall, thin, Caucasian Great (+4) Deceive and Stealth
with a shaved head and many piercings and tattoos. Good (+3) Notice and Resources
He smiles a lot, but the expression does not flatter his Fair (+2) Contacts, Education and Occult
face. His avatar online is a kind of negative version of Average (+1) Brawl, Rapport and Willpower
the Invisible Man: black bandages which outline a
wrapped human head adorned with white glasses. FEATURES
For years, Invisible was a hero to the hacker com- Already on File. When Invisible encounters a new
munity and something of an urban legend. He spe- incarnation for the first time, he can spend a Fate
cialized in humiliating high-profile government and point to roll Investigate and immediately know
corporate targets; although it was presumed he stole one of that individual’s aspects for every shift he
enough to live on, he often donated huge sums of obtains. He still gets only one free invocation.
digital currency to charity. But then, suddenly and Friends in Low Places. Invisible’s Contacts
strangely, Invisible turned into a bad guy. No one has a +2 bonus when used to reach low-
besides Invisible himself knows the truth: that in a class and criminal individuals.
drug-amped frenzy one evening, he used his hacking No Defense. Invisible has a +2 on Technology rolls
skills to kill a particularly officious cop by remote to overcome obstacles created by computer security.
control. When he murdered from afar, his victim never Drug Tolerance. Invisible can spend a
catching sight of his face, Invisible recognized himself Fate point to ignore the negative effects
as Sir Garlon, the Invisible Knight. The fact that he of drugs for the duration of a scene.
had never even heard of Garlon before that moment I See You. Invisible can create advantages and
just made the realization all that more powerful. overcome obstacles on scenes and individuals
Invisible claims to have rejected his past life, just that he is only observing via live surveillance.
as he has rejected the one he was born with. He Invisible Knight. Spend a Fate point to turn
heaps scorn on other incarnations and has designed any successful physical attack into a miss.
complex media search programs which scour the
internet for any lead on more of his kind. When he STRESS
finds them, he funnels the information to known Physical: bb Mental: bbb
enemies such as the Illuminati or Freemasons. When
the targets of his ire are found dead or simply van- CONSEQUENCES
ish, he basks in his superiority. In the meantime, his One minor, one moderate, and
previous Robin Hood ways have given in to personal one severe consequence.
self-gratification and dangerous living. He travels
GEAR
constantly, but always lingers in the seediest and most
criminal locales, where he picks up lovers of dubi- Invisible doesn’t carry weapons, preferring to
ous discrimination and drugs of increasing variety. do his killing by remote. Instead, he has a cus-
For GMs, Mr. Invisible is the Mysterious Threat, tom-made smartphone, tablet, and laptop com-
a foe whom the heroes don’t at first know about but puter which he can use to access any computer
eventually come to suspect. He also represents the with a wireless or cellular connection. His cloth-
Hired Hacker, an action movie stereotype; he could ing is eclectic and stylish, often leaving his lean
find himself working for someone like Gretchen torso and abdomen bare. His pockets are full of
Schwan, Rialto, or Hiram Warren. Players with an whatever illegal drug he is trying out these days.
incarnation of Balin, Pellinore, or any of their relatives
will have personal cause to learn more about Invisible.
Because Invisible hangs out in seedy environments,
heroes may come into contact with him in this man-
ner, never suspecting that he is the same mysterious
hacker who has been breaking into their system, eaves-
dropping on their communications, luring them into
FBI firefights, and tipping off foes to their activities.

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Old Ned, the Boxcar King ASPECTS

The Boxcar King
Main NPC Addled
At the age of 70, Edward is one of the oldest in- On a Downward Slide
carnations in existence. He was born shortly af- City Celebrity
ter World War II to an Army vet and his wife who I’ve Been Everywhere, Man
had just moved to the suburbs. Ned’s father ed- The Sword in the Stone
ucated himself on the GI Bill, and Ned grew up
with a quiet awe for his country and the men and SKILLS
women who served it. In the 1960s he was draft- Great (+4) Empathy and Contacts
ed into Vietnam, where his naiveté́ was shattered. Good (+3) Leadership, Melee and Rapport
When he realized that an air strike he had called Fair (+2) Burglary, Confidence, Perform and Stealth
in resulted in the destruction of a Vietnamese or- Average (+1) Education, Notice, Occult,
phanage, he recognized himself as Arthur. Wilderness and Willpower
Ned did not quite know how to reconcile his first
life and his new. He returned to the US confused FEATURES
and aimless. He never went back to his wife and Bridging the Gap. Ned can use Empathy to
child, instead becoming a part of anti-war protests overcome social obstacles related to class, for
in the capital and then hitching his way across example when he is trying to talk to or befriend
America. He lasted so long as a drifter and vagrant, the rich and powerful (and recently bathed).
moving from one town to another by stealing rides Gentle Wisdom. Once in a session, Ned can re-
on trains, that he became something of an urban duce someone’s mental consequence by talking
legend, the “Boxcar King.” Eventually age forced to them for a while and sharing some of his
him to settle down. He’s currently standing around life’s experience. He rolls Empathy against
a fire with a few of his homeless friends, warming an opposition of +2 for Minor Consequences,
his fingers and wondering if tonight it’s gonna rain. +4 for Moderate, and +6 for Severe. Success
With his Mythic Vision, Ned has recognized many reduces the consequence by one step.
incarnations over the years, though when he calls Mythic Vision. Ned can spend a Fate point to im-
them by name and talks about lives long gone ev- mediately identify any incarnation within his sight.
eryone just thinks he is crazy. And, truth be told, he Urban Living. Ned has a +2 on Wilderness
might be a little crazy by now. He’s not met many rolls when overcoming an obsta-
people that took him seriously, and some of those cle in an urban environment.
that did have tried to kill him. He’s near the end of Sword in the Stone. Ned’s umbrella is an echo of
his rope now, hungry and lean in his old camo-green the Sword in the Stone. It is Weapon:1 and, when he
coat, but he’s become a positive influence on the is using it, his Melee gets a +1 bonus. The hooked
homeless community and the city at large. He set- handle of the umbrella gives him a +2 bonus
tles grievances, helps bring the seriously ill to the when creating an appropriate advantage, such as
attention of city personnel, shepherds his fellow Disarmed or Trip and Fall. He can use the Sword to
homeless away from dangerous neighborhoods, and blind all enemies who are in the scene and with-
holds an annual “picnic” fifty days after Easter which in line of sight, but he can only do this once.
has been picked up by the city’s shelters and made STRESS
into an unofficial day of recognition for the plight
of the needy. He’s old, balding, and unwashed, but Physical: bb Mental: bbb
he’s also wise, kind, and somehow tragically noble. CONSEQUENCES:
Ned is useful for AL! campaigns in which no one
One minor, one moderate, and
is playing Arthur. He can serve as a contact for
one severe consequence.
players without dominating the game or giving or-
ders. His destitute social class and his protection of GEAR
the city’s impoverished and downtrodden makes Besides his umbrella, Ned wears a long coat
him a useful contrast to Representative Shannon and cast-off clothing in poor repair.
Goodall of Utah, an incarnation of Guinevere.

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Nancy Waterman
Supporting NPC
Nancy Waterman thinks she might be going crazy.
She was just an ordinary girl. Okay, a very pretty, very
lucky, girl. It was mostly her luck and her looks that
got her through an audition for the Los Angeles Lakers
cheerleading team, and she’s become a favorite of local
reporters who like her friendly, upbeat demeanor. But a
few months ago she started to get these strange dreams.
They were little things at first: a jump shot that she later
saw happen just as she had imagined it, a final score that
she predicted exactly. But then she dreamed that the for-
ward got a hamstring injury, and it happened that very
night. Nancy began to get afraid. She found a psychic
friend of hers and tried to get advice, but after a few days
she figured out the guy just wanted to get into her pants.
Now Nancy has begun to crack the books and do
some research on dream visions; she’s reading blindly
on just about every imaginable topic, but writing down
her visions has definitely helped her remember them,
and last week as she faded off to sleep she resolved
to dream about her mother … and it worked. She’s
starting to get used to the notion that there is more to
the world than she has ever imagined, and she likes
that idea. Her control over her dream-visions is rapidly
increasing. Now if only she could land an endorse-
ment contract or something; being a Laker Girl doesn’t
exactly put her in Gucci, and the bills are piling up.
Nancy has seen Arthur in movies and knows
that the Lady of the Lake is the woman who gave
Arthur his magic sword, but she has read little else
about the legend of which she is a part. Once she
recognizes herself, she gains the Refuge talent.
GMs could use Nancy in many ways at the same
SKILLS
time. Firstly, she is a person in need. Even the most
rookie incarnation will have information which would Good (+3) Athletics and Perform
greatly benefit Nancy and help her get her life back Fair (+2) Notice and Rapport
together. However, she is also an unrecognized incar- Average (+1) Occult and Stealth
nation, and that poses certain questions which the FEATURES
heroes will have to answer. Perhaps the heroes, attend-
ing a basketball game, recognize Waterman among the Good on Camera. Nancy has a +2 bonus to overcome
cheerleaders; now what do they do? A quick meeting obstacles with Rapport when she is being filmed.
with her will reveal that she does not know who she Cheerleader. Nancy has a +2 bonus to
is, nor who the heroes are. Will they stage her recog- Perform rolls when cheerleading.
nition? Even if she has not yet realized the truth, her STRESS
visions make her useful to the players and GM in an-
other way: as a way to introduce stories or plot compli- Physical: bb Mental: bb
cations. She might get a vision which sends the heroes CONSEQUENCES
off on an adventure, or which suggests a tragic end to One minor consequence
the current story (an ending the heroes must avert).
GEAR
ASPECTS
Cellphone, closets full of casual clothing, simple
Laker Girl lodging, pepper spray, stun gun, compact car.
Afraid of Her Own Powers
Smokin’ Hot
Fast Learner
Dream Visions

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Rialto Rialto is 6’8”, slender, with sharp, angular features.

Naturally pale, she keeps her hair mercilessly short
Main NPC and dyed platinum blonde. Since she recognized
The fashion magnate known to the world as “Rialto” herself, she has become obsessed with strength and
was born Emma Timberland, the only daughter of a fitness, leading to a powerful build which she keeps
rural North Dakota family. Tall for her age, she was under wraps in her ubiquitous white fur coat.
over six feet by her fourteenth birthday. It would have Rialto is an unsubtle villain. Everything about her is
been easy for a girl to feel self-conscious or awkward direct, up front, and “in your face.” She uses a big club
in such a state, but Emma became a bully instead, to bash your head in; it doesn’t get much simpler than
using her intimidating size and strength to get what that. Contrast her to hidden villains like Garlon or Lot.
she wanted from those around her. Passing herself She is designed for PCs whose best skills are +4 or +5.
off as a young woman five years older, she left her
home forever and reached Los Angeles, where she
became a struggling fashion model. Emma, now
known as Rialto, had an affinity for fur; fur made her King Ryons
feel stronger, more self-confident, and this could be Ryons, a giant of a man known as “Rhita Gawr”
seen in her photo sessions. She became known as a among his native Welshmen, rose to become
King of Norgales after Arthur killed the previous
model specializing in fur fashion, and she appeared king at the Battle of Bedegraine Forest. Rather
in of a number of magazines which weren’t afraid than attack Arthur directly, Ryons tested his
new crown and its power by laying siege to
of putting the controversial material on the cover. Leodegrance of Cameliard, one of Arthur’s most
Rialto began to recognize herself one evening when, vocal supporters. Arthur and the French kings,
Ban and Bors, relieved the siege, but Ryons
in a bit of foreplay, she shaved her boyfriend of the sufficiently impressed Lot and the other rebel
week. Something about the experience gave her kings that they recruited him into their cause.
In his brief reign of northern Wales, Ryons
goosebumps and she repeated the event many times subjected many other lesser kings through a
in the weeks to come, using every excuse to get her combination of force, pressure, and ruthless-
ness. These defeated foes were left to see to
hands on a razor. She shaved her pets (that was fun), their own lands, but as a token of their subser-
she shaved herself (not so much), and she took over vience to their new lord and master each was
required to shave off his beard for Ryons, who
for hairdressers who called in sick. Her dreams of a used the beards to trim his best cloak. When
time long ago intensified, and finally one day, while Ryons was strong enough, he threatened Arthur
with war and demanded his beard also; the
posing in front of eleven people wearing nothing but Boy King laughingly replied he did not have
a fur coat, it all came back to her. Before that moment, enough of a beard yet to obey Ryons’ request.
Merlin saw to the defeat of Ryons personally.
she had never heard of King Ryons of North Wales, His spy network informed him that Ryons had a
but now she knew that – somehow – she was him. lover, the Lady de Vance, who was sequestered
at Tintagel castle not far from where Ryons’
Over the years that followed, Rialto ceased be- army was encamped. Gathering the knights
ing a fashion model and became a designer. She Balin and Balan, Merlin arranged an ambush of
Ryons while the king was on his way to a ro-
created her own company, Outré Fur, named af- mantic rendezvous. The delivery of Ryons to
ter one of her former kingdoms in Wales. Her Arthur’s camp helped get the luckless Balin back
into Arthur’s good graces. Nero, Ryons’ brother,
money was invested in fur farms, mostly in China took command of the Welsh army, but he was
and mostly illegal. Although her line was social- not as good a commander and the loss of the
king on the night before the battle demoralized
ly borderline – fur was still unwelcome in many the host. Arthur triumphed after a stiff fight.
markets – her canny and ruthless business strat- Little is known of Ryons after the night of
his capture, but it is said Arthur eventually
egy made up for it. Outré Fur has shown a steady defeated him in single combat. His daughter
profit, especially in nations like Russia, Japan, Britomart became a knight, adventured along-
side Arthur in Faerie’s Forest of Adventure,
and Canada where fur is a traditional garment. and eventually wed Arthur’s half-brother.
The illegality of Rialto’s business, her natural incli-
nation for brutality, and her former life as a medieval
warlord, have combined to make her a woman who
takes what she wants regardless of morality or ethics.
She prefers to do business outside America, where
she can bully or bribe local officials into cooperating For groups that welcome the direct confrontation,
with her cruel and inhumane fur farms. While she the GM’s job is easy. Give the players a problem
keeps her eye out for other incarnations – and would which brings them into Rialto’s sights. PCs who
love to get revenge on those who ended her former despise cruelty to animals will need little prompt-
life – the only one she has yet found is her brother ing. The PCs might even recognize her first, but
Nero, whom she has since hired as her “security chief.” she should quickly follow suit. The defeated king is
She knows almost nothing about Arthur’s return. going to want revenge on Arthur, Merlin, Balin and
Balan, and will cheerily threaten Guinevere or her
family as he did in the old days. Pretty soon Arthur
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and his allies are shooting it out with Rialto’s min- CONSEQUENCES
ions, then Nero with more minions, and finally the Two minor, one moderate and
boss herself – preferably in a suitably dramatic lo- one severe consequence.
cation, like atop a building or out on an ice flow.
If such a simple plot outline bores your play- GEAR
ers, then you can use Rialto as a chance to let the Rialto wears her fur coat everywhere and her
heroes demonstrate their guile. Her desire for re- massive club is usually close at hand. She has
venge will be no less, but the heroes may wish to even employed minions to carry it around for her
shut her business down, humiliate her, or ruin her like a golf caddy. Otherwise: skimpy European
financially rather than simply kill her. (After all, clothing that would fit right in at a runway show.
the corpse of a wealthy fur magnate can create a She is always in impossibly-high heeled shoes
lot of problems.) In this case, the GM can set the which further accentuate her imposing height.
stage and let the players come up with a plan. Don’t
make Rialto any smarter than she is; sometimes
the heroes should be able to outwit their foes, and
Ryons makes a good candidate for such a story.
The Lady de Vance
ASPECTS We know precious little about the Lady de
Fighting Fashion Model Vance, Ryons’s paramour. Merlin knew of the
romance and sent Balin and Balan to inter-
Bully cept Ryons on his way to the castle Tintagel
Giant Blood in Cornwall, where the Lady was waiting. This
is an interesting coincidence because Tintagel
Fur Makes Me Strong was the same place Igraine was waiting for
World Traveler her husband Gorlois when Merlin enchanted
Uther with Gorlois’s appearance. Uther en-
tered the castle, Igraine thought he was her
SKILLS husband, and Arthur was engendered.
Ryons was en route with a retinue of knights,
Fantastic (+6) Melee and Physique and so there’s no reason to think his romance
Super (+5) Athletics and Resources of the Lady de Vance was a secret. He was
unmarried, newly king of Norgales, and had an
Great (+4) Confidence and Contacts impressive track record. After his capture by
Good (+3) Leadership and Provoke Arthur, he even displays something of a sense
of humor. The Lady might have found it easy to
Fair (+2) Perform and Rapport love him. And since he was in a position to ask
Average (+1) Deceive and Willpower almost any eligible woman to be his wife, we
can presume that the Lady de Vance was either
FEATURES astonishingly rich and possessed valuable land
and castles, or else Ryons actually loved her
Taller Than on Television. Rialto has a +2 bo- and was courting her regardless of her wealth.
Ryons survives his encounter with Arthur,
nus when making attacks with Provoke against unlike Lot, and it seems likely he reunited with
someone she can physically stare down upon. the Lady and they eventually married. Ryons has
a daughter, the female knight Britomart, but by
Fighting with Style. If Rialto makes a Melee the time of her adulthood the Lady de Vance
attack and succeeds with style, she can give is not present. Britomart, one of the heroes of
Spenser’s epic poem The Faerie Queene, even-
up the boost to instead create an advan- tually marries Arthegal, Arthur’s half-brother,
tage such as Staggered or Intimidated. son of Igraine and Gorlois and full brother to
Morgause and Morgan le Fey. This would make
Ryons’ Sword. The original version of this sword the Lady de Vance one of King Arthur’s rela-
was forged by Vulcan, Roman god of the forge, for tives, the mother-in-law of his half-brother.
Hercules. Rialto’s is an echo of the original, man-
ifesting as an enormous two-handed club with
which she has killed everything from seals and
tigers to slow minions. It is a Weapon:4. If she is
killed or defeated in combat, the echo fades. Nathan Landis
Fur Makes Me Strong. The original Ryons made Supporting NPC
a cloak trimmed with the beards of eleven kings Nathan Landis was working for a catering business
he had defeated in battle. Rialto wears an echo of when he met Rialto, a prosperous fashion designer
the original: A coat of white tiger fur. So long as specializing in fur. When she kept staring at him
she wears it, attempts to inflict mental stress on her during a photo shoot, he thought maybe she was inter-
always fail unless the attack is magical in nature. ested in him, but the truth turned out to be something
If she dies or is defeated in battle, the echo fades. else. Rialto kept Nathan in the dark about his true
STRESS identity until she could get him to Cornwall. Walking
in the shadow of Castle Terabil, the site of his death,
Physical: bbbb Mental: bbb allowed Nathan to recognize himself; he was Nero,
brother to Ryons, and briefly King of North Wales.
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Since that time, Nathan has been content to let

Rialto call the shots. He acts as her trusted lieutenant Animals
and does a lot of her dirty work, including intimi- Arthurian myth is filled with stories of animals mun-
dation of local law enforcement and the smuggling dane and magical. Boars and stags are hunted while
of fur and animals. Sometimes he gets nervous dogs and falcons are used in the hunt; lions ally them-
over Rialto’s high profile; Nero prefers the sneaky selves to worthy knights; ravens and wolves stalk the
approach and he’d much rather use a gun than a battlefield. It may not seem like there’s much room for
sword. Nevertheless, if Rialto says shoot, he’ll shoot. animals in the urban scenarios which make up the heart
The Nero of Arthurian legend is not to be confused of Arthur Lives!, but the PCs will have extensive mem-
with the Roman Emperor of the same name. This ories of animals from their first lives, and the sudden
Nero was brother to King Ryons of Norgales. Ryons appearance of an animal serves to highlight that past
was captured by the knights Balin and Balan, acting life, bringing it forward into sharp contrast with the city.
on instructions from Merlin. On the day of the cli- When an animal walks, crawls, or flies on scene, it sig-
mactic battle with Arthur, Nero was forced to take nals the unexpected arrival of the wild, of nature itself.
over his brother’s command. Nero fought bravely, These NPC descriptions presume that the animal is
but ultimately he failed due to lack of reinforcement. not a Companion or something as straight-forward as
King Lot of Scotland was supposed to show up to an aspect on a location or someone’s character sheet.
help, but Merlin enchanted him with a spell, allow- If that’s all you need, you don’t need game mechanics.
ing Arthur to take Nero’s army apart piecemeal. If you’re in this chapter, it’s because you need your
animal for a conflict, and we’ve given them skills,
ASPECTS
stunts, aspects and extras to accommodate that.
Trusted Lieutenant
Born to Follow
King Ryons’ Brother
Bear
Sneaky Nameless NPC, Scale 2
Gun Specialist Bears generally avoid people, but it was not un-
common for knights to hunt them in the Arthurian
SKILLS Age. They were also used for sport, being placed in a
Superb (+5) Firearms and Stealth makeshift arena with a bull and forced to fight to the
Great (+4) Athletics and Burglary death. Today, our sensibilities regarding the humane
Good (+3) Leadership and Physique treatment of animals has evolved, creating an oppor-
Fair (+2) Drive, Notice and Willpower tunity for PCs to reflect on the difference between
Average (+1) Brawl, Resources and Technology their first life and their second. A large, healthy bear
is usually Scale 2 but smaller ones are quite common.
FEATURES
Covering Fire. When Landis uses Firearms ASPECTS
to create an advantage on the scene, he can Not Your Average Bear
invoke that advantage twice for free. SKILLS
Quick on the Draw. Landis can use Firearms
instead of Notice to determine his initia- Good (+3) Physique
tive, if shooting first is important. Fair (+2) Brawl and Wilderness
Bullets Everywhere. Landis can spend a Fate Average (+1) Athletics and Notice
point to make a +2 Firearms attack against every FEATURES
enemy in every zone adjacent to his own. His only
limitation is the number of bullets in the gun. Runner. The bear has a +2 on Athletics rolls to run
Security Team. Landis commands mobs Bearclaw. The bear has Weapon:1
of Security Officer minions. He usually has Bear Shirt. The bear has Armor:1
twice as many minions as there are PCs in Roar. The bear can use Provoke to inflict mental
the scene, grouped into one or two mobs. stress through fear on all creatures in its own zone or
one adjacent zone, and it has a +2 on rolls to do so.
STRESS Berserker Rage. The bear can go berserk once
Physical: bbb Mental: bbb per session. This lasts a number of exchanges
equal to its Physique. While berserk, the bear
CONSEQUENCES can still receive stress and consequences, but if it
One minor consequence. would be Taken Out, that condition does not ap-
ply until the berserker rage ends. During a ber-
GEAR serker rage, the bear has a +2 on Brawl attacks.
In his role as chief of security, Landis wears a
concealed vest and carries a pistol. He much STRESS
prefers a submachine gun or assault rifle. Two stress boxes.

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Boar Hawk
Nameless NPC Nameless NPC, Scale 0
Wild boars were hunted by knights through- These birds of prey are beautiful creatures with
out the forests of the Arthurian Age, typically keen eyesight, graceful flight, and a long tradition
using special spears to hold the boar at bay as it as hunting animals. Knights and ladies alike kept
dies. They were, and are still, exceptionally dan- falcons, with the large gyrfalcon being most prized
gerous, with a vile temperament and tusks which and reserved for lords, while smaller breeds were for
can inflict serious harm. Today, wild boars have their wives. Although the practice is much less com-
lost so much territory that they have begun to be mon in the modern era, it is still found in Faerie.
seen in cities. The largest boars are Scale 2. Because falcons and hawks are so small (Scale
0), most human beings have Armor:2 against
ASPECTS
their attacks and inflict +2 harm upon them.
Razorback
Lethal When Cornered ASPECTS
Hunting Hawk
SKILLS
Good (+3) Brawl SKILLS
Fair (+2) Physique Average (+1) Athletics, Notice, and Wilderness
Average (+1) Notice and Wilderness
FEATURES
FEATURES On the Wing. Falcons and hawks have a +2
Not Dead Yet. When a boar is Taken Out, Athletics bonus to catch up to a target in a chase.
it can spend a Fate point to continue its at- Hawkeye. +2 on Notice rolls to catch sudden movement.
tack for one more exchange. If successful-
STRESS
ly attacked again, before it has had its final
turn, it must spend another Fate point. None
Tusks. A boar’s tusks count as Weapon:1
Hide. The boar has Armor:1 Horse
STRESS Nameless NPC, Scale 2
One stress box. A knight without a horse is just a bloke with
a sword, unable to perform the key role of a
knight: crushing an enemy front line in a mount-
ed charge. The horse is, quite literally, what makes
Giant Boar a knight a knight, and a wise knight maintains
There are many tales of giant boars, hail- many horses of various sizes and specialties, some
ing from Faerie but roaming the world. Some for riding (palfrey), some for hunting or deliver-
are violent and destructive, while others are
passive until they become the object of leg- ing messages (a courser), and some for carrying a
endary hunts. As the focus of a large hunting heavily armored warrior into battle (a destrier).
party made up of PCs, the Giant Boar is a Main
NPC with a full stress track and set of conse-
quences. It is Scale 3, but can use the same Hunting Horse
skills and stunts as an ordinary boar. The great-
est of these magical boars is Twrch Trwyth,
who is detailed elsewhere in this chapter. ASPECTS
Courser
SKILLS
Fair (+2) Athletics
Average (+1) Notice and Physique
FEATURES
Long Winded. A hunting horse has a +2 on
Physique rolls to resist fatigue and exhaustion.
Runner. A hunting horse has a +1 on
Athletics rolls to run or jump.
STRESS
One stress box.

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Warhorse most noble of beasts, wield various supernatural

powers, and command respect from all other ani-
ASPECTS mals. The very largest of male lions can be consid-
Destrier ered Scale 2, giving them Armor:2 against player
characters and increasing their natural lethality.
SKILLS
ASPECTS
Fair (+2) Physique
Average (+1) Athletics, Brawl King of Beasts

FEATURES SKILLS
Long Winded. A warhorse has +2 on Physique Good (+3) Athletics and Physique
rolls to avoid fatigue and exhaustion. Fair (+2) Brawl and Wilderness
Fearless. The warhorse has a +2 on Willpower Average (+1) Provoke, Notice, and Stealth
rolls to remain calm when confronted with FEATURES
something it has never seen before. Stealth Hunter. Lions have a +2 bonus
STRESS to Stealth when they approach prey.
Two stress boxes. Jumper. Lions have a +2 bonus on Athletics
rolls to overcome while leaping.
Faerie Steeds Tooth and Claw. A full grown lion
is deadly with Weapon:2
Supporting NPC, Scale 2
Faerie stallions lead herds of wild horses, and STRESS
are highly prized as mounts by Faerie knights. Physical: bbbb Mental: bb
To tame one is a legendary feat for a mortal.
CONSEQUENCES
ASPECTS
One minor.
Faerie Charger
Proud
Fast as the Wind
I Know This Land
SKILLS
Good (+3) Athletics
Fair (+2) Leadership and Physique
Average (+1) Brawl, Notice and Wilderness
FEATURES
Runner. The Faerie charger has a
+2 on Athletics rolls to run.
Leaper. The Faerie charger has a
+2 on Athletics rolls to jump.
Tireless. The Faerie charger has a +2 on
Physique rolls to resist fatigue and exhaustion.
Faerie Resilience. The Faerie charger has Armor:1.
The Tongues of Men. The Faerie charger can un-
derstand, but not speak or read, human languages.
STRESS
Physical: bbb Mental: bb
CONSEQUENCES
One minor.

Lion
Supporting NPC
Lions have a long tradition in Arthurian litera-
ture, best demonstrated by Sir Yvain, the Knight
of the Lion. In legend and heraldry, they are the
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Faerie Lions Faerie Ravens

Some lions native to Faerie are agents of Ravens are associated with the Welsh un-
Heaven, empowered by their divine status derworld and lurk in the skies of Annwn, eager
as King of Beasts. They are Merciful and will for mortal trespassers. They can see the future,
not attack small animals, women, children, and occasionally reveal it to mortals to enjoy
the unarmed, or anyone else who prostrates the confusion and fear this causes. At least one
themselves to ask for mercy. They are Scale dragon kept flocks of man-eating ravens as
2 and have dragons as a nemesis (Dragons “squires.” Use the same skill list, but this rep-
are the Devil), but are Afraid of Machines. resents a single Faerie Raven instead of a flock.
Add the Divination talent, Fair (+2) Deceive and
Occult, delete Everywhere and Nowhere, and
change the high concept to Bird of Ill Omen.

Ravens
Nameless NPCs, Scale 0
Heralds of misfortune and eaters of carrion, ravens Shark
are another animal with ties to Arthurian legend; in Supporting NPC, Scale 2
particular, Welsh characters like Yvain and Morgan This is a big, man-eating shark of the sort best
have been associated with them, and sometimes seen in deathtraps, the deep ocean, and coast-
they appear en masse as dangerous flocks capable al communities celebrating the Fourth of July.
of feasting on knights. They make good targets for Because of Scale, big sharks like this one will
Summoning magic because they are so common in have Armor:2 against human-size characters.
cities and can arrive swiftly from a great distance.
Treat a flock of ravens as a single NPC. Gather ASPECTS
multiple such flocks together into a mob of minions. Shark Attack!
ASPECTS Feeding Frenzy
An Unkindness of Ravens (or a Murder of Crows) SKILLS
SKILLS Good (+3) Brawling and Physique
Fair (+2) Athletics and Notice
Fair (+2) Athletics Average (+1) Provoke and Wilderness
Average (+1) Brawl, Notice, and Provoke
FEATURES
FEATURES
Blood in the Water. Sharks have a +2 on Notice
Always Out of Reach. The ravens have a +2 bo- rolls when trying to locate prey by scent.
nus to Athletics when using Full Defense. So Many Teeth. Sharks are dangerous
Everywhere and Nowhere. The flock of ravens with natural Weapon:2, rising to Weapon:4
ignore stress that targets a single bird at a time. vs. player characters thanks to Scale.
Attacks that affect an area (such as shotguns, ex-
plosives, or weather effects) affect them normally. STRESS
STRESS Physical: bbbb Mental: bb
None. CONSEQUENCES
CONSEQUENCES One minor.
Each point of stress inflicted disperses one flock.
Snake
Nameless NPC, Scale 0
An individual snake can be scary, but when
snakes appear in scenarios, they are usual-
ly in large mobs. Magical serpents from Faerie,
or especially lethal mundane snakes, can pose
unique dangers even to experienced knights.
ASPECTS
Why’d It Have To Be Snakes?

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SKILLS
Average (+1) Brawl
FEATURES Faerie Stags and White Stags
Magical stags hail from Faerie but can be
Just a Scratch. When a snake ties on a Brawl attack, found in surprising places, having crossed the
it can sacrifice its boost to instead deliver its venom. Veil to take over leadership of mortal herds. They
hunt poisonous snakes; give them the nemesis
Reflexive Strike. Snakes have a +2 on aspect Serpent Hunter, Fair (+2) Stealth, and
rolls to determine initiative order when immunity to all poisons and venoms. A White
Stag is a mysterious Faerie creature which
they are suddenly discovered. appears to herald important events, to deliv-
Venom. A typical venomous snake is dangerous er a silent warning, or to mark the boundary
of the Veil. They are Supporting NPCs with a
but not lethal to a PC. Its venom inflicts a single full stress track and one minor consequence.
point of stress, but the snake can spend a Fate point Add Good (+3) Leadership and the high con-
cept Guardian of the Forest. They are not to be
to force this stress to be taken as a consequence. hunted; those who harm one are often cursed.
STRESS & CONSEQUENCES
None

Wolf
Faerie Serpent Nameless NPCs
Wolves in Arthurian myth are nocturnal
Snakes from Faerie are cunning and wicked
creatures with a Taint of the Infernal and the predators who work in groups to pick off care-
trouble aspect Charmed by Music. Their poison less travelers or foolish children. Found in
takes many forms, all magical: use the effect of
the poison, bleeding poison, or elixir of sleep the wild, and aggressive enough to inflict se-
from the rules for alchemy in Chapter 5. rious harm, they can be very dangerous.
ASPECTS
Pack Animal
Stag SKILLS
Nameless NPC Fair (+2) Athletics
Hunted by knights for sport and by lesser men Average (+1) Brawl and Notice
for food, a well-fed stag weighs several hundred
FEATURES
pounds, can have a rack of antlers four feet across,
and is distinguished by a shaggy dark mane. Stalk. Wolves have a +2 bonus to Stealth
They flee from hunters, luring them away from when creeping up on intended prey.
the rest of the herd, but can fight if they are cor- Tracking Scent. A wolf can use
nered or worn out. The largest stags are Scale 2, Notice to track by smell.
as tall as some horses though of lighter build. Natural Weapons. A wolf ’s bite and
claws add up to Weapon:1
ASPECTS
STRESS & CONSEQUENCES
Object of the Hunt
None. Each point of stress inflict-
SKILLS ed takes out one wolf.
Fair (+2) Athletics and Wilderness
Average (+1) Brawl, Notice and Physique
FEATURES
Dogs
Fight or Flight. A stag has a +2 bonus on In the 21st century, the animal PCs are most
Athletics rolls to evade pursuit in a chase. likely to meet in a conflict is a guard dog or three.
Use the stats for wolves but replace Stalk with
Antlers. When a stag bears mature ant- Born to Run: A +1 bonus on Athletics rolls to run
lers, these count as Weapon:1 or jump. Replace Pack Animal with Loyal Hound.

STRESS
One stress box.

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Earthly Perils Born in Mexico City and possessing a sharp intellect

and a natural gift for medicine, he completed his
religious training in Rome and joined the Dominican
Cops order while still a young man. Working under
other, more experienced, Dominicans, he came to
Nameless NPC learn of the secret intrigues going on beneath the
Police are a common sight in America and are surface of 20th century life. In the mid-60’s he first
frequently called when violence or other unusual came into contact with incarnations of Arthurian
activity breaks out. Although they are usually as- figures, and he was involved in the earliest Vatican
signed singly to a patrol vehicle, they can respond discussions concerning this mystery and its mean-
to calls in force and backup will arrive with each ing. While other more scholarly priests and cardi-
passing minute. Many large facilities, such as uni- nals remained in Rome to research the Arthurian
versities and government buildings, have full-time Age within the Vatican library, Alorda was singled
police security. Police are not usually much threat out to return to the field, observe these incarna-
to heroic characters, but because they are basically tions, and make contact where it was prudent.
“good guys,” they pose a unique challenge. Players When he or his superiors in Rome learn of a possi-
fighting police are almost always doing something ble Arthurian incarnation, Monsignor Alorda arrives
wrong. It’s preferable to get away from the scene on the scene. His usual cover is as a veterinarian,
as fast as possible, before the cops show up.
and he takes employment at an animal hospital or
ASPECTS shelter near to where his subject lives or works. Word
Law Enforcer soon spreads that Alorda is a trained doctor willing
Partner First to help those hurt in street violence without asking
questions and without asking for money; considering
SKILLS the rough-and-tumble lives of most incarnations,
Average (+1) Athletics, Brawl, Drive, this is often sufficient to bring them to Alorda’s door.
Firearms, and Investigate
FEATURES
Respect the Badge. Cops have a +2 on Provoke
checks to create a situation aspect.
Stress & Consequences. Usually none.
Each point of damage takes out one cop.
GEAR
Bulletproof Vest, Pistol, Club, Radio,
Cuffs, Shotgun in the car

Doctor Alorda
Supporting NPC
With every occult and illuminated group probing the
mystery of Arthur’s return, it will come as no surprise
that the Vatican has made this investigation a priority.
In addition to the potentially world-changing impact
of the Holy Grail’s return, the Church has a long histo-
ry of partnership with Arthur, supporting his right to
rule but also chastising him when he needed instruc-
tion. (When Lancelot’s affair with the Queen was
revealed, the Pope pressured Arthur to take her back
and call off the war with France.) The current program
of research into Arthur’s reincarnation is conducted
out of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,
the modern descendant of the original Inquisition,
with special agents granted the title of monsignor and
answering directly to His Holiness the Pope. Lawrence
Alorda, Dominican friar, is one of those agents.
Lawrence is an unassuming Hispanic in his sixties.

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However, he is perfectly willing to insert himself SKILLS

into an incarnation’s life in other ways. Churchgoing Great (+4) Confidence, Education, and Empathy
heroes may find their regular priest suddenly re- Good (+3) Occult, Rapport, and Technology
assigned, or be pleasantly surprised by the friend- Fair (+2) Investigate, Resources, and Wilderness
ly old man who has just moved in next door. Average (+1) Deceive, Notice, and Willpower
Once he makes contact with a possible incarnation,
Alorda observes the individual and tries to assess his FEATURES
or her character. He offers practical but ethical advice Doctor. Alorda can use his Education to put
and maintains complete discretion. He sews up bullet physical consequences into recovery.
holes and stab wounds with grim humor. He can Improvised Instruments. Alorda can spend a
provide pain medication and other pharmaceuticals, Fate point to locate improvised tools in the scene
but he prefers to deliver the medication himself so which allow him to use Doctor at no penalty.
that he knows it is not used in a cruel or inhumane Alchemist. Alorda can make elixirs. He knows
manner. Alorda tries to find common ground with the recipes for poison potions, calming pastilles,
his subjects, and he seeks ways in which they can potions of healing, and the bleeding poison.
work together towards common purpose. He firmly STRESS
believes that no man is perfect, himself included,
Physical: bb Mental: bbb
and he is far more likely to forgive another than
condemn. That said, Alorda also remains loyal to CONSEQUENCES
basic concepts of human dignity and justice; heroes Two minor consequences (one being his dog, Xavier)
who indulge in anti-social behavior such as murder,
torture, or even simple bullying will earn an appro- GEAR
priate level of condemnation from the monsignor. Simple clothing, crucifix, rosaries, wal-
Of course, Alorda is only part of a large machine let, first aid kit, home with medical gear,
and he makes constant reports to his home office black Labrador named “Xavier”
in Rome. There, higher ranking members of the
Congregation advise the Pope, who has final au-
thority in all matters relating to Arthur’s return.
Enforcer
In any Arthur Lives! campaign, Monsignor Alorda Nameless NPC
fills the role of Helpless Ally; his medical skills and Enforcers are heavily-armed soldiers in a crim-
papal connections make him a potentially use- inal enterprise such as a drug ring, armored
ful resource for players, especially if they have no car robbery, or bank heist. These numbers can
also be used for terrorists (or criminals pos-
doctor among them. However, he is utterly unable
ing as terrorists in elaborate heist scenarios).
to defend himself and has many enemies among
Gunplay, physical violence, and the threat of force
rival organizations such as the Masons, Illuminati,
are the Enforcers’ forte. They are dangerous with
or Assassins. He is friendly to the PCs, but also
guns, knives, or their bare hands and will frequently
monitoring their behavior, and if they are guilty use Provoke to set up advantages on their targets.
of chronic gross misconduct his superiors in the
Vatican will take action (perhaps resulting in the ASPECTS
arrival of an Inquisition hit squad). One way to use Strength in Numbers
that threat is for the heroes to temporarily appear
guilty of a crime which Alorda is obligated to report; SKILLS
by the time he learns they are innocent, the Vatican Fair (+2) Firearms
has already put a punishment in motion, and the Average (+1) Brawl, Provoke, Physique
heroes must simultaneously survive a papal hit job FEATURES
while trying to apprehend the true guilty party.
Hail of Bullets. Enforcers have a +2 on
ASPECTS Provoke rolls to create an advantage provid-
Vatican Agent ed they can fire their guns in the process.
Pacifist STRESS
Dominican Friar
Healing Hands One stress box.
Cover Identity GEAR
Xavier, Black Lab Assault Rifle, pistol, knife. Smart enforcers wear
a bulletproof vest. Some will have a grenade.

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Federal Agents Now in her late-thirties, Schwan is a petite bru-

nette who prefers Italian suits and shoes. Anything
Nameless NPC she might require can be arranged through the
FBI agents, Federal Marshals, and other gov- Order, and she knows how to contact Illuminati
ernment agents are typically well-trained and agents in America, Europe, and Asia. In true Order
well-educated, smart, motivated, and physical- fashion, she never explains herself to her personal
ly capable. While certainly dangerous in a fire- staff, who nevertheless have noticed her mysterious
fight, they’re really dangerous when they get on ability to appear and disappear at will, know what
your tail and start unraveling all your secrets. someone is thinking, or persuade an individual
ASPECTS to do things they would never otherwise do. The
common rumor, only half-jest, is that she is some
Fed kind of alien; the smart money is on the Greys, with
Quantico Training the Reptoids and Aryans at longshot 5-1 odds.
SKILLS When Gretchen first stumbled across a man who
Fair (+2) Investigate claimed to be Lancelot reborn, she thought it just
Average (+1) Athletics, Brawl, Education, an unusual derangement. But as the months passed,
Firearms, Notice, Willpower her increased mystical sensitivity alerted her to more
such individuals, and she pressed her superiors in
STRESS the Order for information. The vagueness of the
One stress box. replies have somewhat alarmed Schwan; she has
begun to fear that the Order does not really know
GEAR what is going on. Accordingly, she is investigating
Pistol, a concealed vest or, if on a covertly on her own. When Mr. Invisible (whose
raid, a bulletproof vest. nature as an incarnation is utterly unknown to her)
finds possible signs of Arthurian involvement, he
Gretchen Schwan passes that info along to Gretchen, and she jets to
the scene to make discreet inquiries. Thanks to
Main NPC her psychic powers, few even remember her pres-
Gretchen (a nickname, only her parents called her ence, let alone the nature of her investigation.
Margaret) was born in West Germany in the 1970s For players, Schwan is the Untrustworthy Ally. She
and grew up very conscious of her country’s status can provide information and occasional material
as a divided nation. She went to business school resources, but she always asks for something in return.
in England, but while there was recruited into the In addition, she is a way for you to make the heroes
Illuminati by her boyfriend, whom she quickly out- aware of the Illuminati’s existence and, beyond them,
stripped in influence. He carried a grudge for years the Round Table conspiracy as a whole. While she is a
until, after a clumsy attempt to have her killed in a double agent, Gretchen’s actual loyalty is clear; so long
car accident, she decided he was too dangerous to as she perceives Arthurian incarnations as scattered
leave alive and she regretfully ordered his death. and confused soldiers with no true leadership, she will
After graduation, Gretchen was temporarily made never doubt her Illuminati masters (whom she knows
a junior supervisor in a remote German car factory, to be both well-entrenched and well-informed). She
where her training was intensified and she success- gives information and other material assistance to
fully opened her “third eye,” the key to her psychic Arthurian heroes not because she sympathizes with
powers. Thus armed, and elevated to the rank of them, but because she firmly believes they can do no
Perfecti in the Order, she was re-assigned to a far real harm and, therefore, make good dupes. If she
more glamorous and jet-setting position as “financial can collect enough firm evidence on Arthur’s return
consultant” to one of Germany’s leading conglomer- and its greater ramifications, she hopes to use that
ates. She now sits on the board of directors for several information to supplant her superior in the Order and
different companies, none of which are entirely aware become one of the “secret masters” … whatever that is.
of her status as Illuminati. Although she still has lunch Schwan generally avoids violence through the use
once a month with her superior in the Order, a well- of her psychic powers, and her third eye allows her
dressed man who speaks only Portuguese, Gretchen to escape most sticky situations. Enchanters and
is more or less free to pursue the Illuminati’s ends in others capable of perceiving supernatural effects
whatever way she sees fit. In particular, she spends will see Gretchen’s third eye open on her forehead
much of her time troubleshooting and gathering in- whenever she is using her psychic abilities. The eye,
telligence on potential threats (when she is not enjoy- emitting golden light, is completely invisible to or-
ing a night at the opera or one of her many lovers). dinary people, even those she is manipulating.

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ASPECTS
Illuminati Double Agent
Hiram Warren
Self-Indulgent Main NPC
Third Eye Open Hiram was indoctrinated into the global Masonic
Corporate Board Member conspiracy at the age of 13, when he joined Demolay
Playing for Both Sides to play basketball. He found friendship there, and
his intelligence brought him to the attention of se-
SKILLS nior Masons, who groomed him for a leadership
Epic (+7) Confidence and Notice post. He was made a Mason proper at the age of 21,
Fantastic (+6) Contacts and Resources by which time he was halfway through a criminal
Superb (+5) Deceive and Willpower justice degree at Princeton. Several law enforcement
Great (+4) Empathy and Rapport agencies competed for his attention, but Masonic
Good (+3) Education, Occult, and Investigation influence ensured that the FBI’s offer was the most
Fair (+2) Firearms, Leadership, and Technology lucrative. He did well in his training and was initial-
Average (+1) Athletics, Drive, and Stealth ly assigned to the Las Vegas office, where he came
to hate the desert and, especially, scorpions, one
FEATURES of which found its way into his bed one evening.
Not the Droids You’re Looking For. Gretchen can Now in his fifties, Senior Agent Warren is officially
influence the minds of others by speaking to them. based in Washington at FBI Headquarters, but in truth
Use Confidence, opposed by the target’s Willpower. is a roving mastermind for the Freemasons and the
On a success with style, she can influence nearby indi- Round Table conspiracy. He has a small detachment
viduals with the same suggestion. This is not absolute of agents who are personally loyal to him and who
mind control; her instructions must be reasonable. will do virtually anything he commands, even if it
Read Thoughts. Gretchen can communicate by seems to violate the law or FBI regulations. With the
thought with anyone she can see. If she wants Bureau’s chief administrators all Masons or co-opted
to read your mind against your will, she rolls by Masons, Warren has free license to pursue ene-
Confidence opposed by your Willpower. On a mies of the brotherhood and the Round Table. This
success with style, you don’t know she is doing it. he does with grim enthusiasm, first investigating
Cloud Men’s Minds. Gretchen can spend a Fate targets and then branding them with accusations
point to make a character unable to perceive her. of terrorism before apprehending them or forcing
Create an obstacle using Confidence against the a lethal shootout. If Hiram believes a target may
target’s Willpower; as long as the obstacle is not have useful information, he captures, interrogates,
overcome, she is invisible to that character. and if necessary tortures the individual. If Hiram’s
I Was Never Here. Gretchen can use Confidence to traditional approach has a flaw, it is his belief that
erase any memory of interacting with her during the information gained by torture is usually reliable.
current scene from one character. This is opposed by Hiram has personal experience with the super-
Willpower. If she succeeds with style, the memory natural, though he has no powers himself. A good
is gone forever. Otherwise, it can be brought back to and loyal Freemason, he believes in a universe ruled
the surface as an obstacle that others can remove. by order and reason, not romantic flights of fancy.
Sense Magic. Gretchen can use Notice to He’s caught vampires and staked them in the sun,
sense the presence of the supernatural. had haunted hotels burned to the ground, and once
Danger Sense. At the start of any physi- rooted out a goblin infestation in the Phoenix sewer
cal conflict when Gretchen would normal- system. He’s heard of people who are reincarna-
ly be surprised, she can roll Notice to create tions of Arthurian myth, but he considers them no
an advantage based on the fact that she’s not more dangerous than any other magical freak, and
as surprised as her enemy thinks she is. he exterminates them without joy or pleasure.
STRESS In an Arthur Lives! campaign, Hiram Warren is an
example of the Recurring Antagonist. As a represen-
Physical: bb Mental: bbbb tative of federal law enforcement, albeit a corrupt
CONSEQUENCES one who answers to his Freemason masters rather
than the law, he also represents a threat which must
Two minor, one major, and one severe consequence.
be handled carefully and not with casual violence.
GEAR Introduce Warren after the heroes have had an ad-
Pistol, fashionable European clothing, limousine venture which is noticed by the public; perhaps there
and driver, smart phone, business cards, reading are bodies left behind after a warehouse firefight, or
glasses, and a swan-shaped lapel pin which dis- the player characters are forced to draw weapons in
rupts all surveillance equipment in the scene. plain sight of bystanders. Agent Warren takes a special

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interest in the case and begins to pursue it, gather-

ing whatever evidence the heroes leave behind and
Magus
conducting surveillance on any identifiable leads. The magus is a reclusive magic-worker whose
Once he has evidence of the supernatural, his interest life has become consumed by his interest in the
in the case peaks, as do the resources he is willing to occult. He is self-absorbed, not malevolent, and
commit to it. If you want to give your players a change makes a good contact for player character occult-
of scenery, use Hiram to force them out of town and ists or those seeking magical advice. His magic is
on the road. Their own counter-investigation of Hiram subtle, and indeed it would be difficult to prove
will reveal the threat posed by the Freemasons, and to a neutral observer that it works at all. A magus
further remind the heroes that they cannot simply go is not usually an enchanter; he takes stress from
to the police to solve their problems. In true action casting spells and does not gain enchantment.
movie fashion, only the heroes can set things right.
Simon Spelling
ASPECTS
Supporting NPC
Freemason Middle-Management When you’re born with the name “Wordsworth,”
We Do This My Way you’re bound to be a poet. Simon Spelling knew
FBI Special Agent he’d be a magician from the time he was six. As a
Relentless high school student, his eclectic reading showed
Magic Is for Fairy Tales him that most magical practice was accompanied
No Loose Ends by the use of hallucinogenic drugs; the inner city
SKILLS neighborhood in which he lived gave him plenty
of opportunity to verify this theory. In his twenties,
Fantastic (+6) Contacts, Investigate, and Willpower
he became something of an eclectic artist, work-
Superb (+5) Confidence, Deceive, and Notice
ing with paint, digital media, sculpture, music, or
Great (+4) Education, Firearms, and Leadership
writing by turns. In his thirties, his novels about a
Good (+3) Provoke, Resources, and Technology
practicing magician in 21st century Northampton,
Fair (+2) Burglary, Occult, and Stealth
which alternated between deep Hermetic theory and
Average (+1) Athletics, Brawl, and Drive
detailed instruction for the performance of various
FEATURES rituals, earned him a small following. Though his
Masonic Connections. Warren can use Contacts books eventually went out of print, he’s been able
to establish that an NPC is a member of the to keep them selling in the digital marketplace, and
Freemasons. He does not get a free invoke of in this manner he gets by. His needs are humble.
the new aspect, but it lasts for the scene. Now over 40, Simon has made a breakthrough
The Widow’s Son. Warren has a +2 on and is now performing rituals which, to his own
rolls to create an advantage if he can eye at least, work. In between bouts of work-
use Masonic connections to do it. ing on his next novel (1,100 pages and counting),
Torturer. Warren has a +2 bonus on Provoke he communes with angels, demons, and other
rolls to inflict mental stress, provided he has im- powers, smokes high-grade Amsterdam hash,
plements of torture available. His preference is and answers occasional emails from fans.
the water board or other simulated drowning.
Goon Squad. Warren has a team of Federal Agent
minions, usually two mobs of two to six agents each.
Subtle Simon
STRESS Before his magic suddenly became more
Physical: bb Mental: bbbb demonstrably effective, Simon would have
been a practitioner of The Subtle Art; see The
Fate System Toolkit for that system.If you want
CONSEQUENCES to emphasize multiple magic systems in your
campaign, he could still be using the Art. Simply
Two minor, one major, one severe. delete his talents listed below and use his Occult
to fill-in for The Subtle Art’s skill of Magic.
GEAR
Pistol, identification, Freemason ring, suit. On
a raid, he’s wearing a bulletproof vest. Hiram is
exactly the sort of character who would use the
Vest Concession to escape death. See page 106.

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ASPECTS
Born to be a Magician
Let’s Experiment
SKILLS Beyond Black
Good (+3) Occult If you’re looking to emphasize multiple magic sys-
Fair (+2) Confidence, Perform tems in your campaign, and you want an even darker
Average (+1) Education, version of Nigel, give him the Voidcaller magic sys-
Investigate, Rapport, Willpower tem from the Fate System Toolkit instead of his listed
talents. Instead of the Lore skill, he uses Occult.
FEATURES
The Stars Are Right. Simon has a +2 bonus to
Occult when creating astrology-based advantages.
Illegal Substances. Simon uses hallucinogens
and other drugs in his work. He has a +2 bonus ASPECTS
to Contacts when acquiring such materials. Black Magician
Magical Talents. Simon can use Blessings I Will Live Forever!
and Curses, Divination, and Ward. Tall, Dark and Handsome
Talisman. Simon’s talisman is an elaborately dec- Slippery as an Eel
orated amulet he is seldom without. Wearing it, Tech Baron
he has a +2 to Occult when using Divination.
SKILLS
STRESS
Superb (+5) Resources
Physical: bb Mental: bbb Great (+4) Occult and Technology
CONSEQUENCES Good (+3) Confidence and Willpower
One minor. Fair (+2) Firearms, Provoke and Leadership
Average (+1) Deceive, Education and Physique
Black Magus FEATURES
Chicks Dig the Accent. Nigel has a +2 bonus
The black magician uses his powers for his own grat-
ification and to get revenge on his many enemies and on Deceive rolls to seduce American women.
rivals. His relationship to mundane power is complex: Human Sacrifice. Nigel can push stress from spell-
he may see it simply as a route to deeper magical casting onto helpless individuals in his presence.
secrets, or his magic may be the instrument by which Redshirt. When attacked, Nigel can choose
he attains worldly power. A magus of this type makes to spend a Fate point, forcing the attack-
an excellent minor adversary; alone he is little threat, er to target one of Nigel’s allies instead.
but he commands obedience from mundane minions Magical Talents. Binding, Necromancy, Summon
as well as supernatural allies from Hell or Faerie. & Banish, Unseen Hand
Talisman. Nigel’s talisman is a dagger; holding it,
Nigel Blackmun he has +2 Confidence using Summon & Banish.
Main NPC STRESS
Nigel Blackmun, a native Londoner, was the inventor Physical: bbb Mental: bbbb
of the famous “Blacktop” series of home computers.
Leveraging that into a multi-million-dollar company, he CONSEQUENCES
then sold to an even larger conglomerate, accepting a seat One minor, one moderate, one severe.
on the board and a truly revolting salary. He is set for life.
GEAR
But no amount of wealth, no human affection, no
number of fawning sycophants would be enough to In addition to his sacrificial dagger (Weapon:1), Nigel
satiate Blackmun, whose true obsession is everlast- keeps a semi-automatic pistol (Weapon:2). He is
ing life. The demons he summons have convinced never without his smartphone, and has access to vir-
him that such a thing is possible, and they direct tually any other item of technology he might need.
him to occult rituals or legendary items of power
which, they suggest, shall finally grant him his long
sought boon. But the Devil is a liar, and Nigel is being
Security Officers
played for a fool; the errands his demonic “allies” Nameless NPCs
send him on always serve Hell’s purpose, and the For well-armed and aggressive security forces,
use Cops. The men and women described here are
immortality he seeks is always over the next horizon.

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more about “soft power.” Their goal is defuse con-

flict as quietly and efficiently as possible, prefera- Sophie von Ribbentrop
bly before it has even occurred. Their weapons are Main NPC
good looks and charm, not intimidation. When they The woman calling herself “Sophie von
do fight, they’re more likely to put you in an arm Ribbentrop” is either one of the most import-
lock and walk you to the door than draw a gun. ant players in the global occult conspiracy or she
ASPECTS is a highly delusional paranoid-schizophrenic.
There remains a possibility that she is both.
Clean & Quiet She claims to have been born (the first time) in 1938
SKILLS to Wallis Simpson, the future Duchess of Windsor,
who though already Edward VIII’s mistress had
Good (+3) Brawl and Notice
also been carrying on a long affair with Joachim
Fair (+2) Empathy and Rapport
von Ribbentrop. At the time Ribbentrop was Hitler’s
Average (+1) Athletics and Firearms
Ambassador to Britain, but he would later go on to
FEATURES become Foreign Minister and survive the war, being
Arm Lock. Security Officers can use Brawl to put executed at Nuremberg for war crimes. In any case,
grappling aspects on a target, as if rolling Physique. Sophie’s birth had to be hidden in order to preserve
her mother’s romance with the King, and so the
STRESS & CONSEQUENCES baby girl was foisted off on one of Wallis’ American
None. Each point of damage takes servants and raised in New England. At the age of
out one security officer. ten, Sophie received a letter from her father which
had been smuggled out of his prison cell, and it
GEAR
was by this means that she learned her true heri-
Concealed vest, pistol. tage. The letter had been carried by an agent of the
Kameradenwerk, an organization of Nazi survivors
Shooter organized by Colonel Ernst Rudel, the Luftwaffe’s
Supporting NPC most decorated air ace, and Sophie accompanied
This is the American curse: A solitary gunman this messenger to Argentina, where she was ad-
whose mind is broken, he takes out his frustrations on opted by Otto Skorzeny, aka “Hitler’s Commando”
the innocent around him. He may be a sniper wield- and “the most dangerous man in Europe.”
ing a rifle from a concealed or hard-to-reach locale, or Beautiful, clever, and curious, Sophie made many
he could be walking into a crowded building with an friends among the Nazi remnant and traveled fre-
assault weapon and a 100-round drum. He is almost quently throughout Europe and the Americas. She
certainly a white male and his backpack contains more was pampered by Eva Peron, who lavished her with
firearms, grenades, improvised explosives, or all three. expensive gifts, and her adoptive father taught her
ASPECTS how to kill. Her interest in the occult led her to master
Guido von List’s Armanic rune magic which, after a
Lone Gunman trip to Tibet, she combined with tantric theory to cre-
SKILLS ate a unique system of sexual-yoga rune lore. Armed
with newfound magic power, she seized control of
Good (+3) Firearms
the Fraternitas Saturnii (Brotherhood of Saturn), an
Fair (+2) Confidence and Provoke
order of ritual magicians dedicated to Lucifer/Wotan
Average (+1) Burglary, Deceive, Education, Stealth
and the channeling of diabolic power from the as-
FEATURES tral “Gate of Saturn.” By the 1970s, when her beloved
Well Prepared. The shooter has scouted out Otto died, she was not only one of the leaders of the
one location in great detail as preparation for world Nazi movement but a talented magus of the
his rampage, and he has a +2 when rolling left-handed path with scores of fanatical followers.
Firearms to create advantages on that location. On a lark she began to investigate time travel and the
possibility of “rewriting” the past; this led to involve-
STRESS ment in the Montauk project and temporary contact
Physical: bb Mental: bb with sailors trapped in the year 1943. Her curiosity led
her to sit in the highly dangerous Montauk chair, even
CONSEQUENCES though she happened to be four months pregnant, and
One minor. the psychotropic chair stimulated her vril to over-
GEAR whelming levels. Briefly capable of nearly limitless
occult feats, she used the opportunity to transplant
Sniper rifle or assault rifle, pistol, tear gas her complete psyche into her own unborn fetus. Her
grenades, gas mask, bulletproof vest.
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 Chapter 9: Allies and Adversaries

body fell into a catatonic state but Montauk doctors recognizes the magicians of the Ahnenerbe were
were able to sustain her long enough for a Caesarian unable to control their own spell, she sees the re-
section to remove the baby once it was viable. Sophie sult as a promising opportunity and something of a
was “born” for the second time with a mature psyche miracle. She idolizes all Arthurian incarnations as
and complete awareness of her former life, but being Aryan supermen, regardless of the bodies which their
a child again caused her power structure to take some souls may inhabit. That is, if Arthur’s soul inhabits
hits. She lost track of the Montauk chair (and the copy the body of a Jew, that person is no longer a Jew; the
of it reputedly hidden somewhere along the Thames) power of the Aryan soul filters out any racial impu-
and spent the nineties building a new faction of Nazi rities. And, since each Arthurian figure has been
followers out of skinhead groups, the Aryan Nations, brought back in multiple versions, the possibility
and descendants of other Nazi leaders like herself. exists for a return of the Arthurian Age on a massive
Only her Brotherhood of Saturn power base remained scale: a global Aryanizing of the world’s people. To
completely intact during her second childhood. Sophie, society stands at the brink of a Golden Age.
Sophie’s research into Nazi occultism led her to For GMs, Sophie von Ribbentrop is the Unwanted
records of the Wewelsburg Working and the testi- Ally: a character with great resources and a desire to
monials of those who survived the experience. She help the heroes, but whose help they find distasteful
knows everything about Himmler’s intentions and the and wrong. She is best introduced in a quiet manner,
results of the spell, including the rebirth of Arthur perhaps as a reliable and friendly astrologer, without
and his knights into the modern world. While she any sign of her Nazi affiliation or wild claims. Only af-
ter she has demonstrated her usefulness to the heroes
should the truth come out, and then the player charac-
ters soon find themselves in a situation which Sophie
could easily get them out of (perhaps some south-
of-the-border legal trouble, or occult interference by
a hidden lodge). In their search for the truth about
Wewelsburg, the Grail, and the Holy Lance, Sophie
has many of the answers – if the heroes can stomach
her presence. All the while, Sophie will volunteer her
aid with few strings attached, never asking as much as
her information is worth. She treats the heroes nicer
than they treat her and plays down her ruthless Nazi
ways out of consideration for heroic sensitivities she
does not share. When she lends aid, keep Sophie out
of combat; her omnicompetence is not intended to
overshadow the heroes. Instead, she provides intelli-
gence, resources, and roleplay opportunities between
action scenes. In all likelihood, most of the heroes will
reject her help. In that case, she becomes the Jilted
Lover who thwarts the heroes without killing them.
Like any good mastermind, Sophie has goals of
her own. She seeks the Montauk chair, a device
which boosts the psychic power of those who sit in
it, and which may have the ability to travel or see
through time. She believes the chair may be the
modern incarnation (and not just a mere echo) of
the Siege Perilous, and she hopes to use it to locate
all other incarnations around the world. She seeks
the “false grail” used in the Wewelsburg Working
(which she believes to be a fragment of Lucifer’s
soul). And, finally, she seeks to conceive an Arthurian
incarnation of her own; to this end, she will use all
her charm and grace on a handsome male hero.
Physically only 31, Sophie von Ribbentrop has the
soul of an octogenarian. Her hair is long and pale
gold, her eyes crystal blue. She has a petite athletic
figure maintained with a merciless workout regimen
and enhanced by select cosmetic surgery. She adapts

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easily to any social situation and is something of a current scene. The action is initially opposed at
cultural chameleon, leading a skinhead rally one +0 but this increases by +1 each time she does this.
moment, before ditching her black leather uniform When she fails one of these Occult rolls, she still
for the designer gown of a runway gala that night. Her creates an advantage, but she has now used up all
Nazi connections are an unspoken open secret among the spells she was able to prepare during her last
civilized company, who owe and fear her. She lavishes sexual episode, and can work no more magic until
praise and affection on those who please her, but is she can arrange a new sexual episode, after which
cold as ice to those who insist on defying her wishes. the opposition resets to +0. If Sophie cannot work
magic, she also loses the use of Sense Magic.
ASPECTS
Once she has successfully created an aspect
Nazi Occultist (Demon Summoning, for example), she can then
I Believe My Own Propaganda invoke that aspect to cast an appropriate spell
Tantric-Armanen Runic Yoga using Binding, Blessings & Curses, Summon &
I’ve Had Two Lives Banish, Unseen Hand, Ward or Weather. No stress
Brotherhood of Saturn is expended casting the spell and, indeed, it takes
Otto Skorzeny Was Like a Father to Me only one exchange to create the advantage and
Capable of Anything release the spell, no matter how many times she
Social Chameleon rolls, because all the stress and time was actually
SKILLS expended during the previous sexual encounter.
Legendary (+8) Confidence and Occult STRESS
Epic (+7) Resources and Willpower Physical: bbb Mental: bbbb
Fantastic (+6) Contacts and Rapport
Superb (+5), Leadership and Perform CONSEQUENCES
Great (+4) Athletics, Education, and Investigate Three minor, one major, and one
Good (+3) Deceive, Firearms, and Notice severe consequence.
Fair (+2) Provoke, Melee, Physique, and Stealth
GEAR
Average (+1) Brawl, Drive, Empathy,
Wilderness, and Technology Black leather trench coat and clothing, pistol, knife,
shades, smart phone. Ribbentrop can appear in any
FEATURES outfit from an SS uniform to that of a rural farmer.
Stirring Speeches. When Sophie uses She can quickly gain access to any piece of military
Performance to create an advantage related or occult hardware she or the players might require.
to powerful oratory or motivating the troops,
she can invoke that aspect twice for free.
Nazi Redoubt. Sophie has a +2 on Contacts rolls
Suicide Bomber
when she is working with Germans or Argentinians. Nameless NPC
Fear, not Love. Sophie has a +2 to The bomber lives only to complete his mission and
Provoke her own Contacts. fulfill his destiny. The archetypal suicide bomber is
Sense Magic. Sophie can sense the pres- motivated by fanaticism and has strong Confidence,
ence of the supernatural with Notice. but some are motivated by poverty or threats.
Talents. Sophie has access to Binding, ASPECTS
Blessings & Curses, Summon & Banish,
Unseen Hand, Ward and Weather, but only All I Want To Do Is Die
under special circumstances. See below. SKILLS
Tantric-Armanen Runic Yoga. Ribbentrop’s magi- Fair (+2) Confidence
cal technique is, shall we say, unique. She prepares Average (+1) Contacts, Deceive,
spells by visualizing Armanen runes, invoking Technology, Willpower
them in a loud voice, and physically embodying
the runic combination through tantric yoga. This FEATURES
can only be done during sex; practical consid- It’s a Bomb! The suicide bomber has a +2 to Provoke
erations limit preparation to one spell per five when he reveals his bomb for the first time.
minutes. The magically sensitive will perceive her Bomb. The bomb is extremely lethal to Nameless
vivid tantric aura whenever she has spells stored. NPCs, but far less dangerous to player characters.
In play, when Sophie would release a spell, Should it explode, everyone in the zone takes 2
she rolls Occult to create an advantage; this new stress and everyone in the scene takes 1. NPCs Taken
advantage represents her prior working of mag- Out in the zone of the bomb are dead, but those
ic during an intimate encounter previous to the outside the zone may only be seriously wounded.
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STRESS Vampire Minion

Physical: b Nameless NPC
GEAR ASPECTS
Note that if a bomber concedes in a conflict, Creature of the Night
he cannot trigger his bomb as part of that con- Traditional Vampire Weaknesses
cession; blowing up is his primary goal, and
that’s what he sacrifices by conceding. SKILLS
Fair (+2) Brawling, Confidence, and Provoke
Vampires Average (+1) Deceive, Physique, and Stealth
Vampires have been entangled with Arthurian FEATURES
incarnations since 1502, when Dracula himself slew Inhuman Strength. A vampire minion has a
Arthur, Prince of Wales and heir to King Arthur’s +3 on Physique checks to lift or break things,
mystical legacy. Since then, many vampires have a +1 when Grappling, and a +2 bonus to dam-
known of “aged blood” — mortal victims of a age when strength would be relevant.
vampire’s hunger who somehow possess a spe- Supernatural Toughness. A vampire minion has
cial taste indicative of past life or reincarnation natural Armor:2. Any attack which triggers tradi-
— but only a very few have known the truth. tional vampire weaknesses (holy water, the sun,
The curse of the vampire takes many forms in fire, a stake to the heart) ignores this Armor.
many lands. Sometimes it is passed on from hunter to Sudden Strike. The vampire minion prefers to
victim, sometimes it occurs spontaneously in wicked surprise its opponent with its own supernatural
and cursed folk, and sometimes it is passed on like a nature, then feed while the prey is momentarily
family lineage. The distinguishing characteristic of the shocked. When targeting individuals who do not
vampire is a hunger, usually for blood but sometimes know the minion is a vampire, the vampire can make
for the psychic “life force” of the victim. In recent cen- a Provoke roll and attack in the same exchange.
turies the vampire has been a handsome seducer who Hide in Plain Sight. A vampire minion can conceal
uses courtship and sex to satiate his desires, but vam- its vampiric features and pass for a mortal. Its fangs
pires born in the medieval and classical era are usu- and other monstrous characteristics become obvi-
ally monstrous carriers of plague. When female, the ous when it feeds and whenever it is under stress.
vampire has a particular fondness for infant children.
In an Arthur Lives! campaign, Vampires have a spe- STRESS
cial role as villains of convenience. They are dangerous One stress box.
enough to pose a threat even to well-armed knights CONSEQUENCES
with supernatural aid, they can appear in great num-
ber in virtually any location around the globe, and Use vampire spawn in mobs of three to six.
they prey on innocent mortals worthy of protection, GEAR
but vampires also have no real tie to the over-arcing Vampire minions are proud of their supernatural
plots or themes of the game. In other words, when- powers and generally avoid weapons and armor.
ever your game is stalling and you want to spice it
up with a little action, have some vampires kick the Vampire Lieutenant
door in. They are the Ubiquitous Vampire Menace.
Most vampires have Traditional Vampire Weaknesses. Master vampires tend to delegate the bulk of the
Each round such a vampire is exposed to the sun, work to competent lieutenants, who in turn command
it gets attacked with a +2 and cannot defend itself. a gang of bloodthirsty minions. Lieutenants are over a
Objects blessed with the proper religious rite are a century old and can circumvent some of the tradition-
Weapon:1; the vampire can usually try to avoid the al vampire weaknesses, either through technology or
attack with Athletics, Brawling, or some other skill. simple power. Deadly in battle, they usually have some
Individuals with faith in the divine can present to- supernatural powers beyond mere strength, speed and
kens of their faith — holy symbols, the Eucharist, durability. Individually, a Vampire Lieutenant is a seri-
and other objects — to make a mental attack on ous threat for a single hero, but if he’s fighting a group
the vampire using Confidence. This is opposed by of player characters he will need support from mobs of
the vampire’s Willpower. When attacked by any minions and, even then, will be forced to flee or perish.
of these traditional vampire weaknesses (which
also include attacks with fire or a wooden stake
Nick Carboni
to the heart), the vampire’s Armor is ignored. Nick was a good cop before his mistress turned
him into a slave. That was a few years ago, and now
Nick uses his position as a police detective to funnel
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information, cover the tracks of vampire depreda-

tions in the city, and recruit cheap criminals into the
Vampire Master
vampire gangs. He dresses in Hawaiian shirts, worn Master vampires traditionally date from the 15th
jeans, sneakers and sunglasses with his police ID in or 16th century. Their powers have continued to
a lanyard around his neck and his gun in a shoul- grow, including not only the circumvention of var-
der holster. He’s still handsome, despite his mop of ious vampiric weaknesses but also various forms
thick, dark hair and permanently unshaven face. of black magic from Weather to Shapeshift. Not
yet so old and wicked as to be physically mon-
ASPECTS strous, the master vampire enjoys the best of both
Vampire Cop worlds, mingling in human society at the same time
Traditional Vampire Weaknesses that it commands a horde of vampire minions.
What the Mistress Wants, the Mistress Gets
Solid Steel Heart Lilac Mar, or “Carmilla”
SKILLS Main NPC
“Girls are caterpillars while they live in the world, to
Great (+4) Athletics, Brawling, and Physique
be finally butterflies when the summer comes; but in the
Good (+3) Confidence, Provoke, and Stealth
meantime they are grubs and larvae, don’t you see...”
Fair (+2) Deceive, Leadership, and Willpower
Carmilla is one of the great vampires of the
Average (+1) Contacts, Drive, Occult, and Firearms
world, the subject of a famous story by Le Fanu
FEATURES which immortalized her forever. If records are to
Dirty Cop. Nick has a +2 bonus to Deceit be believed, she was once the Countess Mircalla
when he is using his status as a police de- Karnstein of the Austrian province of Styria. She
tective in an improper manner. died the night of her coming-out ball in 1698, killed
Fly. Nick can fly at twice the speed of a running man. by a vampire whose needle-like teeth pierced her
“Get’m, Boys”. When Nick uses his action to create an breast. The identity of that original vampire is un-
advantage that represents teamwork, his vampire min- known, but he or she was a suicide whose self-in-
ions get two free invocations of it instead of just one. flicted murder brought the vampiric curse.
Inhuman Strength. Nick has a +3 on Physique checks Since the fall of her line, Carmilla has preyed upon
to lift or break things, a +1 when Grappling, and a +2 young women. Most she takes by force, draining them
bonus to damage when strength would be relevant. of their blood and life in a single night. Some last a few
Supernatural Toughness. Nick has natural days more, telling of visitation by a ghost or report-
Armor:2. Any attack which triggers tradition- ing bizarre nightmares to which few give credence.
al vampire weaknesses (holy water, the sun, But once in a while Carmilla seems to fall in a kind
fire, a stake to the heart) ignores this Armor. of love with a victim; she arranges to be in the close
Solid Steel Heart. Nick has had a steel plate insert- company of her chosen prey for an extended period,
ed into his chest over his heart. When someone during which she befriends and seduces her with a
attempts to stake him from the front, he can spend smoldering ardor, slowly claiming the girl’s life over
a Fate point to cause that attack to automatically weeks or months of repeated intimate encounters.
fail. He retains his immunity to being staked from Austrian officials report catching Carmilla in
the front for the rest of the scene. Any attack that her grave to deliver the customary beheading in
ignores Armor ignores this extra with the exception 1849, but the curse of the vampire is not so easi-
of staking. Nick can also use his Solid Steel Heart to ly ended. When moonlight shone down upon her
perform a variant of the Vest Concession; he falls corpse, she rose again. Somewhat alarmed at her
down, apparently dead, but later is revealed to fame in the wake of Le Fanu’s exposé, and fear-
still be alive because of the plate in his chest. This ing pursuit by the noted vampire hunter Baron
can only be done if the PCs don’t know about the Vordenburg, she fled to America. Carmilla makes
plate before he reveals it with this concession. extensive use of mortal assistants and minions
who pose as her parents and personal staff.
STRESS Carmilla’s supernatural nature gives her both great
Physical: bbbb Mental: bbbb power and telltale weakness. Most obviously, she is
compelled to always use an anagram of her original
CONSEQUENCES name, Mircalla. This is not a choice, but rather a
One minor. magical compulsion not unlike Dracula’s requirement
GEAR he be invited before crossing a threshold. Her current
identity is Lilac Mar, reclusive heir to an old world
Pistol, ID, smokes, bulletproof vest and shotgun in car. fortune. (Because of her compulsion, she will never
introduce herself merely as Lilac, Lily, or Ms. Mar; she

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must always use every letter of her original name and additional moderate consequence for Carmilla.
no more.) For more than a century, she was obliged Numbing Touch. When Carmilla makes a
to spend at least a few hours of every evening in her Brawling attack, she can spend a Fate point
grave; she may have outgrown this, or simply had her to also place a 2-point obstacle on the target
grave moved. She is cursed with a strange lethargy, a which represents a paralyzed arm or leg.
supernatural fatigue which makes her appear slow Inhuman Strength. Carmilla has a +3 on
and tired at almost all times. She can rouse herself at Physique checks to lift or break things, a +1
need, however, and can indeed move so fast that she when Grappling, and a +2 bonus to dam-
appears to simply vanish and reappear a short dis- age when strength would be relevant.
tance away. Like most vampires, she has phenomenal Supernatural Toughness.
personal strength and her touch can paralyze a limb Carmilla has natural Armor2.
(which makes a good consequence). When caught Inhuman Speed. Carmilla has a +4 bonus when
by surprise while feeding, she has been spotted in determining initiative. She can move one zone
the form of a black panther about five feet long; in for free on every exchange. All her Athletics
this diabolical form she can use black magic to bind checks are made at +1, or +2 if she is doing noth-
her victim to her, emotionally. When necessary, she ing but moving. When she uses Stealth, she re-
can even briefly adopt a ghost-like form which al- duces the difficulty of opposition rolls by 2.
lows her to enter locked rooms or escape pursuit.
STRESS
Physically, the young Countess Karnstein is extraor-
dinarily beautiful with large, dark eyes, lustrous and Physical: bbb Mental: bbbb
thick brown hair, a sweet voice, and a dark mole on her CONSEQUENCES
throat; she appears to be in her late teens. She main-
tains a pulse by conscious effort and has complete One minor, one moderate (two if she has Strange
control over it, a fact she uses to simulate injury when Ardour), and one severe consequence.
it suits her purpose. She has none of the paleness so GEAR
often seen in vampires, and can move freely under Carmilla does not use or require mundane
the sun. Her cursed nature does manifest as a hatred equipment. She is probably dressed either
of religious ritual, objects, and people; characters in expensive, custom-made, fashions which
wielding religious objects can make mental attacks suit her station or a filmy dressing gown.
on her using Confidence, opposed by her Willpower.
ASPECTS Vampire Lord
The Countess Karnstein The Vampire Lord is a largely cinematic creation:
Languor A monstrous and terrifying being born in the Middle
Soft Kisses Ages and possessed of fantastic powers, it is too
Sudden Fury hideous to effectively pass among mortals and in-
SKILLS stead sequesters itself in a lightless prison of its own
Superb (+5) Brawling, Contacts, and Rapport devising, pursuing long-term goals through master
Great (+4) Deceive, Occult, and Willpower vampires, lieutenants, and a faceless army of vam-
Good (+3) Investigate, Resources, and Stealth pire minions. Sometimes the vampire lord’s hunger
Fair (+2) Athletics, Notice, and Physique has grown so strong that it must feed on other vam-
Average (+1) Burglary, Education, and Empathy pires, leading to strained alliances between mortal
heroes and ex-predators now turned into prey.
FEATURES
Cat Form. Carmilla can adopt the form of a
Rytgier
large black predatory cat. In this form, she Main NPC
cannot speak, but she can use Binding mag- In the 8th century, Rytgier was a chief among the
ic. She does not gain enchantment from Allemani, a pagan Germanic tribe living along the
working magic, taking normal stress instead. Rhine. When Krakus, King of the Vandals, died and
Unlike enchantment, her magic can fail. left only his daughter on the throne, Rytgier sensed
Ghost Form. Carmilla can transform into an weakness and invaded with a small army of fierce
insubstantial ghost. She is recognizable in and experienced warriors. At the sight of the Princess
this shape, but can move through physical ob- Wanda, however, Rytgier was consumed with desire.
jects at will. Magical attacks still harm her. He offered to end his invasion if she would marry him,
Strange Ardour. Once Carmilla has seduced but Wanda refused. Rytgier ordered a night attack
and begun feeding from a young woman, her in an attempt to carry Wanda off, but she escaped
relationship with that victim is represented by an him in death, hurling herself into the Vistula river.

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Torn by lust and rage, thwarted in his obsession but FEATURES

refusing to relent, Rytgier chose to follow his desire Two in One Blow. When Rytgier suc-
beyond the grave and took his own life. With this act, ceeds in a hand-to-hand attack against
he brought the curse of vampirism upon himself. multiple targets, add 2 to his effect before di-
Thirteen centuries later, Rytgier is an utterly alien viding that effect between the two foes.
and inhuman creature, tall, proud, pale and hairless. Man-Bat. Rytgier can transform into a mon-
His only real priority is his own continued existence, strous man-sized bat creature. In this form,
and he will do anything to ensure it; he has a vast he can fly as fast as a car, and he gains nat-
power structure in Europe and America made up ural Weapon:2 from claws and fangs.
of vampires and human slaves, but only his closest Feast. If Rytgier succeeds in grappling a victim,
servants know his identity and can boast of having on his next turn he can spend a Fate point to Take
actually met him. There are few secrets of occult lore Out that victim, draining him or her of blood.
unknown to him, but since all ambassadors who Black Magic. Rytgier can use the talents Binding,
succeed in reaching him are devoured, the major Blessings & Curses, Necromancy, and Weather.
secret societies now avoid him, which was the point. He does not gain enchantment points and does
Rytgier is old enough to have living memory of the not even suffer stress for working magic. However,
early Middle Ages, and though he never met Arthur unlike enchantment, his magic can fail.
or his knights, he knew men that did and he has The Language of Wolves. Rytgier can command dogs
not been blind to the effort to re-awaken the Once and wolves to do his bidding. Named NPCs which
and Future King. He learned of Vlad Tepes’s assas- qualify can oppose his Leadership with Willpower.
sination of Prince Arthur of England from Dracula’s I Smell Your Blood. Rytgier can detect hid-
own mouth, and put together the clues of Arthur’s den or invisible living creatures by scent.
return as his own servants and slaves fled the end Supernatural Strength. Rytgier has a +6 on
of Hitler’s Reich. In short, he knows much about Physique checks to lift or break things, a +2
the incarnations which players will want to hear, when Grappling, and a +4 bonus to dam-
though if they have gotten close enough to Rytgier to age when strength would be relevant.
speak with him, they had better have something to Supernatural Toughness. Rytgier has nat-
offer in return, lest he simply consume them. What ural Armor:2. If attacked by the traditional
he wants to know more than anything is the reason vampire weaknesses, his armor is ignored.
for Arthur’s return: Setting aside the petty dreams Inhuman Speed. Rytgier has a +4 bonus when
of mad Germans in the War, Arthur’s destiny is to determining initiative. He can move one zone
return only when the world needs him most. So ... for free on every exchange. All his Athletics
what is that need? What enemy, what foe so danger- checks are made at +1, or +2 if he is doing noth-
ous that it brings back kings, knights, and enchant- ing but moving. When he uses Stealth, he re-
ers centuries dead, looms on the horizon? Rytgier’s duces the difficulty of opposition rolls by 2.
paranoia compels him to learn the answer to this Darkness Is My World. Darkness is light
question. His own survival depends on it. He thinks for Rytgier; in absolute darkness, he sees as
incarnations like the player characters know the a mortal would by bright light. In bright-
answer, and he thinks they’re hiding it from him. ly lit situations, he is effectively blind.
ASPECTS STRESS
1,300-Year-Old Vampire Physical: bbbb Mental: bbbb
Self-Preservation Is All That Matters
Traditional Vampire Weaknesses CONSEQUENCES
Paranoid Four minor, one moderate, one severe.
Always Hungry
Darkness Is My World
SKILLS
Walking Corpses
Nameless NPC
Epic (+7) Brawling and Physique Corpses are animated by black magic. Usually
Fantastic (+6) Confidence and Willpower this is the work of a witch or black magus, but in-
Superb (+5) Provoke and Occult fernal power can be unleashed on the world in
Great (+4) Contacts and Resources many ways. The walking dead are easy to outrun
Good (+3) Athletics and Stealth or fool, and a knight can slaughter them by the
Fair (+2) Leadership and Notice score, but they are so horrifying that ordinary folk
Average (+1) Deceive and Melee are helpless against them and die in gruesome
fashion. They obey orders without question.

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ASPECTS Melion was returned to normal with the ring, and

Already Dead Bisclavret was presented with his clothes and a pri-
Weakness: We’re Walking Here vate room to change in. As for Sir Marrok, we know
almost nothing about him except that he was a knight
SKILLS of the Round Table and, again, his wife seems to have
Fair (+2) Physique been largely responsible for his transformation.
Average (+1) Brawl Modern myths of the werewolf have gone far afield,
influenced by Germanic and Scandinavian myths
FEATURES as well as the folklore of the witch and the vampire.
Dead Flesh. Walking corpses have Armor:2. Although he is born a “lycanthrope” or is a victim
It’s Like Talking to a Wall. Most mundane skills of disease transmitted by bite, the modern werewolf
of a social and mental nature (Provoke, for ex- retains his character as a tragic, and sometimes even
ample) simply don’t work on a corpse. If the ef- noble, figure who struggles with his bestial, animal-
fect is magical, however, it works normally. istic side in an effort to retain his humanity. In an
STRESS Arthur Lives! campaign, the role of the werewolf differs
from the vampire because they are, as a rule, more
None sympathetic characters than vampires, and there is
CONSEQUENCES a possibility they can be cured of their condition. If
One minor consequence (usually a severed that all sounds too warm and fuzzy for your table,
limb which continues to move and fight). nothing prevents you from introducing a traditional
Gothic werewolf killing machine for a night of horror.
GEAR
If corpses carry anything at all, it is prob- Garwolf
ably an improvised Weapon:1 For a man who turns into a wolf, add the Garwolf
aspect and re-arrange the character’s skills to put
Brawl, Athletics, Notice, and Wilderness at the top
of his pyramid, cutting skills that cannot be used in
Armed and Armored wolf form. Teeth and claws are Weapon:1. Replace
You may need corpses which have dwelt two of his stunts with the Stalk and Tracking
for centuries in an ancient ruined castle, or Scent stunts listed for the wolf in this chapter.
which have been armed by a clever necro-
mancer. Replace Brawl with Melee. They carry If time spent as a wolf is an uncontrollable curse,
axes or swords which are Weapon:2. Although such as that of Bisclavret, no other cost is necessary.
they wear ancient armor, it is no better than
their natural Armor:2, so can be ignored. But if, like Sir Melion, the transformation can be
enabled through the use of a magic ring or other
object, reduce refresh by 1. The ring does not trans-
form when you turn into a wolf, so you will need to
hide it somewhere or give it to someone. Don’t lose it.
Werewolf Luke, Werewolf
The Arthurian age has a few examples of the “gar- Supporting NPC
wolf”: Bisclavret, Melion, and Marrok were all knights Luke is a man suffering from an awful curse. Three
who transformed into a wolf for a limited time. These days a month, when the moon is full, he loses control
tales probably all had the same source, but for game of himself and transforms into a werewolf. During
purposes it is better if they are distinct individuals. these periods, he is a bloodthirsty monster with
Bisclavret was the victim of a curse which forced him barely a shred of humanity; when he awakens, Luke
into wolf form for three days out of every week. He has no memory of what he has done. He was born
could only transform back into human form if he was with this condition, and learned of it from a video
in the presence of his clothing; when his wife stole recorded by his own father, who was also a werewolf.
these and ran off with another man, Bisclavret was If there is a cure for Luke’s condition, he does not
trapped in wolf form. Melion was a knight of Arthur’s know it, and so he wanders the world trying to stay
who used a magic ring to turn into a wolf so that he one step ahead of law enforcement, the media, and
could hunt a Faerie stag for his wife. She touched him his past. Every month he locks himself in the sturdi-
with the ring to cause the transformation but then est room he can find, but the monster often breaks
abandoned him, again for another man. Years later, out. When it does, it inevitably tracks down wicked
both Melion and Bisclavret were befriended in wolf locals Luke has met, killing them in an exceeding-
form by the king, who could not help but notice their ly gory manner. Strangely, the monster never kills
noble demeanor. Eventually, the truth was discovered, innocent people or children. Sometimes, it almost

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seems as if Luke is drawn to places and people which

need the monster, and he wonders if he has become
Hannah Potts
an instrument of fate or destiny, a champion to the Supporting NPC
powerless. Then he wakes up naked in the woods, Hannah was lured into witchcraft by demons
learns of his latest murders, and flees to the next town. who played on her frustrated professional life
and her resentment of authoritative men. She
ASPECTS lost her soul long ago, and is now something of
Tragic Werewolf a pathetic figure, desperately trying to appease
Don’t Make Me Angry her diabolic masters. Her sole comfort is her cat,
School of Hard Knocks Ebony. To pay her bills, she sells love charms on
Practiced Liar Etsy, enforcing them with Blessings & Curses.
Country Boy ASPECTS
SKILLS Kitchen Witch
Great (+4) Brawling and Physique Going to Hell
Good (+3) Athletics, Wilderness, and Notice Hiding in Plain Sight
Fair (+2) Burglary, Willpower, Empathy, and Rapport Witch’s Familiar
Average (+1) Deceive, Education, Occult, and Stealth SKILLS
FEATURES Good (+3) Occult
Cut: Luke can roll Physique to make Fair (+2) Confidence, Willpower
a good impression on someone who Average (+1) Contacts, Deceive, Notice
would be sexually attracted to him. FEATURES
More Than Mortal. Luke has a +2 on Provoke rolls
to dissuade other people from messing with him. Eternal Beauty. Hannah’s true appearance is
Werewolf Form. When Luke is transformed, concealed by Glamour. She always appears as
he has Weapon:1 and Armor:3. Physical at- a beautiful blonde in her early thirties. The
tacks with silver ignore his armor. truth is, she’s a beautiful brunette in her ear-
Inhuman Strength. In werewolf form, Luke ly forties, but she thinks she is hideous.
has a +3 on Physique rolls to lift or break things, Magical Talents. Blessings & Curses, Glamour,
+1 on rolls to grapple, and a +2 bonus to dam- Necromancy, Summon & Banish.
age when strength would be relevant. Place of Power. Hannah’s kitchen gener-
Tracker. In werewolf form, Luke has a +2 ates 1 point of enchantment a day.
to Notice things with scent and a +2 on STRESS
Wilderness rolls to track by smell.
Physical: bb Mental: bbb
Terror. When the werewolf first appears in a scene,
he can spend a Fate point to roll Physique as if it was CONSEQUENCES
Provoke, intimidating all Nameless NPCs in the area. One minor, one moderate (her familiar).
Regeneration. No matter how seriously Luke is Hannah’s familiar, Ebony, does not have sta-
injured, when he transforms back into human form, tistics of its own, instead allowing Hannah to
all his physical injuries are healed. His clothes never make skill rolls (such as Notice) when she is not
transform with him; he usually tears out of them. physically present. Hannah has a +1 bonus to
STRESS Confidence when casting spells, provided Ebony
is with her. If Hannah suffers her moderate con-
Physical: bbbb Mental: bbb
sequence, Ebony is Taken Out. You meanie.
CONSEQUENCES
One minor.
A Coven of Witches
Witch If you want to make a witch into a serious
threat, give her Leadership, the Group Ritual and
Witchcraft has a long and complex tradition, but Coven stunts, and mobs of Nameless NPC witch-
in Arthurian legend the term is (unfairly) used to es equal to her Leadership (Occult +2, Deceive
and Willpower +1, each has a single 1-hit stress
refer to a particular sort of evil female enchanter. A box). This will raise her effective Confidence and
modern witch can take many forms, but those three Willpower, allowing her to Summon more danger-
ous demons and raise more dangerous corpses,
characteristics are presumed. Witches typically and she can allocate the stress to her mob.
operate independently, but can sometimes appear
in great number, pooling their magical powers.

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Across the Veil Claws of the Cat. The Cat’s claws are Weapon:2,
modified to Weapon:4 against Scale 1 heroes.
Fiendish Vigor. The Cat has one ad-
Cath Palug ditional minor consequence.
Supporting NPC, Scale 2 STRESS
The Palug Cat is known to us from the fragmen-
tary poem “Arthur and the Porter,” which appears Physical: bbbb Mental: bbb
in the Black Book of Carmarthen. The myth tells of CONSEQUENCES
a legendary sow, Hen Wen, which stormed across Three minor consequences. Note that
the British Isles dropping its monstrous offspring. the Cat’s Scale gives it natural Armor:2
These included a wolf, an eagle, and a demonic cat against most player characters.
thrown out to sea by the swineherd who found it.
But the cat swam ashore and, wet and bedraggled,
was taken in by Palug and his family. They nursed it Dragons
with milk from their best cow, and the cat grew with Small dragons are not much bigger than a man;
supernatural speed. Eventually it grew too hun- even so, their steel-hard skin and fiery breath make
gry to be sated by mere milk, and it began to prowl them more than a match for any ordinary knight. As
the Welsh countryside. It slew one hundred and dragons age, they grow large, then huge, and then to
eighty knights before Kay cornered it and killed it. enormous, fairy-tale size. Eventually they become
An echo of the Palug Cat will have been rescued threats to villages, towns, and entire kingdoms.
from drowning or a severe thunderstorm and it will
have been fed particularly unusual food: steroid-laced The Dragon of St. George
milk, genetically engineered Frankenfood, or even Supporting NPC
human flesh. Its fur turns black and its eyes begin to Although the legend of St. George specifically states
glow even as it grows in size, until it is larger than a that the dragon was so large its body required four ox-
horse. The Palug Cat is fearless and likes to play with carts to haul away, when depicted in art the monster
its food; it is too fast and fierce for anyone but a hero is rather underwhelming in size. A dragon of this size
to defeat it, but it can be lured by its favorite meal. makes an excellent guard-monster for an enterprising
In order for the echo to fade, the Cat must be slain. Black Magus or evil enchanter. It is very young, smart
ASPECTS for an animal, but a pale shadow of its future glory. It
relies on stealth, intimidation, and the sudden strike.
Monstrous Man-Eating Cat
Plays with its Food ASPECTS
SKILLS It’s a Dragon!
Awkward Flier
Superb (+5) Brawl and Physique
Eats Two Sheep for Breakfast
Great (+4) Athletics and Stealth
Good (+3) Provoke and Notice SKILLS
Fair (+2) Confidence and Willpower Great (+4) Brawl
Average (+1) Deceit and Wilderness Good (+3) Physique and Confidence
FEATURES Fair (+2) Notice and Stealth
Average (+1) Athletics, Wilderness, and Willpower
Inhuman Speed. The Cat has a +1 on all Athletics
rolls and a +4 when determining initiative. FEATURES
Demonic Visage. When someone sees the Cat for Cow. The dragon can use Confidence
the first time, the Cat can immediately roll Provoke to create advantages based on fear.
to create a fear-based advantage as a result of its ter- No Fear. The dragon can use Confidence to de-
rifying and unnatural appearance. The Cat does not fend against any fear effect, including Provoke.
get a free invoke, but the aspect lasts for the scene. Fiery Breath. The dragon can spend a Fate point
Pounce. The Cat can spend a Fate point to attack at +3 against a single opponent in the
to take a movement action and then a same zone, who defends with Athletics (charac-
Brawling action in the same turn. ters with a shield can use Melee). If the dragon
Climbing and Jumping. Reduce barriers by 2 hits, in addition to the damage inflicted, the tar-
when the Cat is moving from one zone to another. get is given a difficulty 1 obstacle On Fire, which
Balance. The Cat can roll at +2 to overcome attacks for three rounds or until it is overcome.
obstacles Athletics would be able to over-
come, without using an action to do so.

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Inhuman Toughness. The dragon’s skin acts ASPECTS

as Armor:1 and it has an additional minor con- It’s a Dragon!
sequence. However, a character with faith in If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It
God can use Confidence to overcome a diffi- How Can Something So Big Move So Fast?
culty 1 obstacle, negating the dragon’s Armor
for that character as long as the scene lasts. SKILLS
Falling with Style. The dragon can only Superb (+5) Brawl
fly for extended leaps; it has to land at Great (+4) Physique and Confidence
the end of its action each turn. Good (+3) Athletics and Wilderness
Natural Weapons. The dragon’s Fair (+2) Stealth and Willpower
claws and bite are Weapon:1. Average (+1) Notice and Resources
STRESS FEATURES
Physical: bbbb Mental: bbb Cow. The Monster in the Lake can use
CONSEQUENCES Confidence to create advantages based on fear.
No Fear. The Monster in the Lake can
Two minor. use Confidence to defend against any
GEAR fear effect, including Provoke.
Fiery Breath. The Monster in the Lake can spend a
Dressing: Small dragons aren’t smart enough
Fate point to make a single attack at +4 against two
to pass as a human being; they can’t even talk.
opponents in an adjacent zone, who defend individ-
Instead, they are dressed as big animals, with
ually with Athletics (characters with a shield can use
crocodiles and alligators a traditional favorite.
Melee). The dragon does not have an attack pen-
The Monster in the Lake alty for splitting his Fiery Breath in this way. If the
dragon hits, in addition to the damage inflicted, the
Supporting NPC, Scale 2 targets are given a difficulty 2 obstacle On Fire, which
Many towns in America have a legend about that attacks for three rounds or until it is overcome.
Monster in the Lake. They say it’s been around Inhuman Toughness. The Monster in the Lake
since the 1800s. Supposedly, it attacked a report- has Armor:1, modified to Armor:3 against Scale 1
er. One guy’s been looking for it his whole life; heroes. It has an additional minor consequence.
he has a cabin, right up there in the woods. However, if illuminated by the light of the sun,
A dragon this size is about as big as a bear. It’s its armor is negated (even the Scale bonus).
as smart as a dumb person and can speak, though Wings in the Water. The Monster in the
it can still be tricked or outwitted by clever he- Lake can effectively “fly” underwater, using
roes. Its wings are developed and it can truly fly; Athletics and moving at increased speed.
combined with its bulk and an increasingly le- Natural Weapons. The Monster in the
thal fire, this makes it extremely dangerous. Lake’s claws and bite are Weapon:2.
STRESS
Physical: bbbb Mental: bbbb

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CONSEQUENCES SKILLS
Three minor. Fantastic (+6) Brawl and Firearms
Superb (+5) Confidence and Physique
GEAR
Great (+4) Notice and Willpower
Dressing: As written, the Monster in the Lake Good (+3) Resources and Wilderness
isn’t dressed; it hides instead. Dragons of this size Fair (+2) Leadership and Occult
are problematic for enchanters, as they are too Average (+1) Deceit, Empathy, and Stealth
big to be easily concealed, but not smart enough
to make for a convincing human being. Some FEATURES
magicians dress their dragons as the mentally ill, No Fear. Tombstone can use Confidence to defend
chaining them in place or locking them up in a against any fear effect, including Provoke. However,
lair where they act as the ultimate watch-dog. A he cannot use this stunt to defend against the same
dragon of this size makes a plausible — if enor- Winchester rifle which wounded him in 1890.
mous, scary, and very angry — horse, and in that Cow. Tombstone can use Confidence
shape can be ridden by Faeries, black knights, to create aspects based on fear.
and witches. If Dressed into a Scale 1 shape, its Fiery Breath. Tooms can spend a Fate point to spit
Fiery Breath targets only a single character. fire at a single individual in an adjacent zone at +5. If
he hits, the victim has a difficulty 1 obstacle On Fire,
Tombstone, aka Mr. Tooms which attacks for three rounds or until it is over-
Main NPC, Scale 3 come. If in his natural form, Tombstone can attack
At this scale, a dragon really comes into its own. everyone in a zone in this manner, he can target any
It has lived for over a century. No longer “merely” zone on the map, and the obstacle is difficulty 3.
a monstrous killing machine immune to weap- Supernatural Toughness. Tooms has Armor:2
ons, the dragon has grown to dominate all it sur- and an additional moderate consequence. If in
veys. In the air, it is a terrifying shadow that brings his natural form, he has Armor:8 against Scale
death to its enemies. In its lair, it is death. 1 characters. None of his Armor, even the ben-
In 1890, years after silver had peaked and the efits of Scale, work if he is shot by the same
mines had both burned and flooded, two residents Winchester rifle which wounded him in 1890.
of the once-flourishing town of Tombstone, Arizona Tall Drink of Water. In his dressed shape,
rode in claiming they had shot and killed a wound- Tombstone has a +2 on Rapport to make a
ed dragon with their Winchester rifles after a long good impression on a human female.
pursuit. For proof, they presented a nail taken from Skin That Smokewagon. Tooms can
its claw. Newspapermen tried to follow up, in the spend a Fate point to go first in any com-
hope of bringing tourists and hunters back to the bat in which he is wielding a firearm.
dying town, but there was no corpse. The cowboys Natural Weapons. When in his natural form,
seemed honestly disappointed, and the journalists Tooms’s claws and bite are Weapon:3.
wanted to sell papers, so they faked a photo. To no STRESS
one’s surprise, the Dragon Rush never materialized.
Tombstone, as he is now known in Faerie and Physical: bbbb Mental: bbbb
among his own kind, barely survived that encounter CONSEQUENCES
and has nursed a grudge against humanity to this day. Two minor, two moderate, one severe.
He dreads the rifle which nearly killed him, and is
obsessed with finding it and securing it, lest it be used GEAR
against him again. To accomplish this, he has been Tooms is seldom without a gun, usually an au-
dressed as Gerald Tooms, a tall and intimidating mil- thentic Peacemaker revolver (Weapon:3), a lever
lionaire of the American Southwest. His vintage collec- action Winchester (Weapon:3) or a shotgun.
tion of pistols and rifles is the largest in the state, but Dressing: Gerald Tooms is a tall, lanky man
he has yet to find the gun which haunts his dreams. who is mysteriously terrifying. He wears tai-
ASPECTS lored Western fashion including a vest, bolo
tie, hat, and boots. He has dark, brooding eyes
He’s a Dragon! and his mustache is impeccably groomed.
Secretly Afraid of the Gun
Arizona Tycoon
I’m a Rancher; You’re the Cows

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were frauds. More important,

he explained the meaning be-
hind the two dragons: the Red
Dragon represented the native
people of Britain and the White
Dragon represented the invading
Saxons. Ddraig Goch eventual-
ly triumphed, killing the White
Dragon, which Merlin explained
foreshadowed the coming of
Arthur, who would repel the
Saxons from British shores.
This was only the beginning of
Merlin’s magical career, and by
secret paths he led Ddraig Goch
to safety across the Veil where
the great creature could recov-
er from its wounds. To honor
Ddraig Goch, Merlin crafted the
Dragon Banner, which could
come to life and breathe fire upon
Arthur’s foes. But Ddraig Goch
himself never returned to the
Ddraig Goch, mortal world and, after Merlin vanished, no one in
the Red Dragon of Wales Camelot knew where it rested. The people of Wales
kept the red dragon for their flag even after Merlin’s
Main NPC, Scale 4 magic was spent. Somewhere along the line, Ddraig
Ddraig Goch, whose name is simply “The Red Goch sired an heir, the Gold Dragon, which became
Dragon” in Welsh, is the most important dragon in the symbol of Owen Glendower, the Wizard Earl, a
Arthurian legend. It’s tale is long and includes many necromancer and commander of elemental spirits.
famous incidents, but for centuries now it has dwelt The Red Dragon is not just a huge, terrifying,
in Faerie, growing ever larger and ever hotter. fire-breathing creature with an inscrutable, alien
The first time Ddraig Goch found itself part of a mind. It’s also a symbol: a representation of its cho-
story told by men was during the reign of King Ludd. sen people and the land where those people live. In
Every year, on May Day, a terrible shriek would be the days of King Ludd, those people were the Welsh
heard throughout the land. It was so horrifying and and that land was Wales, but even in Vortigern’s day
awful that it caused every woman who heard it to Ddraig Goch’s symbol had grown so that he repre-
miscarry. But Ludd learned the source of the shriek: sented all the people of the British Isles in their war
the Red Dragon was fighting the White Dragon, and against the invading Saxons. Now over a thousand
each time Ddraig Goch was injured, it would let out years later, the Red Dragon’s symbol has continued
its bloodcurdling cry. To stop the fight, Ludd lured to grow until its “home” is now the entire world of
the dragons — who were yet young — to a huge pit Earth, and all of humanity is its chosen people. But
filled with mead. They drank the mead and became the Ddraig Goch is stuck in Faerie, restless and exiled
intoxicated, allowing Ludd to smother them in a from its home. It has made a lair in the mountains
magical blanket and, from there, to imprison them in of Elfland, but wise faeries avoid it, for its temper is
a casket which was then buried deep under ground. short and its manner unpredictable. It longs for the
The casket and the blanket were not enough to familiar air of Earthen skies, for the feel of real stone
contain the two creatures, and their fight continued beneath its feet. Merlin has not visited for so very long,
deep under the earth until Vortigern decided to build but thanks to the timelessness of Faerie, to the Ddraig
his tower over their prison. When the frequent trem- Goch the memory of Merlin is as green as yesterday.
ors kept bringing down the tower, the king consulted The Red Dragon can understand human speech,
his astrologers. They had no idea what was wrong, but cannot itself talk. It would be a mistake to project
but they weren’t going to tell Vortigern than; instead, human desires and thoughts onto such a creature,
they gave him an impossible quest: sacrifice a boy as the Dragon is a creature ruled by imperatives and
without a father on the castle foundations. To every- instinct, but it wants to go home. And there’s a reason
one’s surprise, they found Merlin, who revealed the it wants to go home: because it can sense that some-
Red and White Dragons and proved the astrologers thing is coming. There’s an invader on the horizon,

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something more dangerous than a petty army or even which the subject loses all memory and knowledge
a horde of Saxon longships. The fire of the drag- of its own skills. Taken Out characters just pass out.
on boils in its chest, eager for battle, but as long as Tail Lash. Ddraig Goch can use his action to make a
Ddraig Goch is stuck in Faerie, its rage is frustrated. Brawl attack against everyone in one adjacent zone.
In this state, it might be visited by magi-
STRESS
cians or by Arthur and his knights, but deal-
ing with the Red Dragon is playing with fire. Physical: bbbb Mental: bbbb
ASPECTS CONSEQUENCES
It’s The Dragon! Three minor, two moderate, one severe.
The Invader Is My Nemesis
Symbol of Arthurian Myth
Misses Home
Inhuman Thoughts Worms & Drakes
I Remember Merlin There are many lesser kinds of dragon which
resemble their greater cousins but do not have
SKILLS the same level of intelligence. If the monster is
serpentine in shape, with short or no legs and
Epic (+7) Brawl moves low to the ground, or is quite large, it
is usually called a worm. The word “drake” is
Fantastic (+6) Physique used for relatively small (Scale 1-2) and fast
Superb (+5) Confidence reptilian beasts which resemble carnivorous
dinosaurs. Regardless of their name, worms
Great (+4) Notice and Provoke and drakes are only as smart as clever animals,
Good (+3) Willpower and Athletics and this makes them much easier to predict
and destroy. They are usually Supporting NPCs,
Fair (+2) Wilderness and Stealth found as guardians, weapons of the primary
Average (+1) Empathy and Occult antagonist, or temporary obstacles. Remove the
dragon’s Cow stunt and any skills which repre-
sent intelligence, such as Education or Occult.
FEATURES Drakes cannot fly, but worms sometimes can.
No Fear. Ddraig Goch can use Confidence to de- Breathing fire is rare but not unheard of. Like
dragons, worms and drakes are unique crea-
fend against any fear effect, including Provoke. tures which should be given a crafted back-
Terrifying. Ddraig Goch has a +2 when creat- ground, aspects, and a special weakness.

ing advantages with Provoke based on fear.

Fiery Breath. Ddraig Goch can spend a Fate
point to fill entire zones with fire. These zones
must form a line, but the line can extend across
the map. Everyone in these zones is attacked
Ettercaps
with a +6. If the attack hits, the character also “Ettercap” is an old word for spider; it is used here
gains a difficulty 4 obstacle On Fire, which at- to denote those particular breeds of Faerie spider
tacks for three rounds or until it is overcome. which grow to enormous size. At their smallest, such
Mythic Toughness. Ddraig Goch has Armor:3 and spiders appear in stories as groups of Nameless NPCs,
an additional minor and moderate consequence. chasing civilians or attacking heroes in a carpet of
He loses this armor against magical weapons. legs and fangs. Larger spiders are individual threats,
Natural Weapons. Ddraig Goch’s and the greatest such creatures are fully intelligent,
bite and claws are Weapon:4. can speak, and stalk their prey with patient cunning.
Shapeshifter. Ddraig Goch can adopt the shape Spiders pose a unique story opportunity because
of any animal in a single exchange. While in an- they do not eat their prey at once. Instead, victims
imal form, he gains a Trouble aspect related to are wrapped in cocoons and hung in a web larder
the animal’s psychology or habits (for example, if for later. This allows heroes to rescue fallen com-
he turns into a pig, he might become a Glutton). rades or innocent victims. Ancient treasures, long
Supernatural Senses. Ddraig Goch can thought lost, can be found on the dried husks of a
see in complete darkness, hear the heart- spider’s prey. Even a pocketknife, pried from the
beat of anyone within a zone, and smell bloodless corpse of a former victim, can prom-
the presence of anyone in the scene. ise escape for a struggling player character.
Baleful Gaze. Ddraig Goch’s eyes emit a bright Spider Brood
and ghostly light; when it focuses its gaze upon
someone, that person can become enchanted. To Nameless NPCs, Scale 0
simulate this, Ddraig Goch makes an attack using The young spawn of Faerie spiders have bod-
Confidence; this is resisted with Willpower and the ies about the size of a basketball, though their legs
damage is mental stress. Consequences represent extend their diameter to over a yard. Individually,
confusion, stupefaction, or an enchanted state in they are not nearly as threatening as they look,

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though their venom can paralyze a man if deliv- FEATURES

ered in large numbers. Their bodies are fragile and Spider Climb. Spiders can use Athletics
they can still be crushed by a well-swung hardback, to climb perpendicular surfaces and even
but most people are too busy running to try. crawl on the ceiling, albeit at half speed.
ASPECTS Poisoned! Once per scene, the Big Spider can
spend a fate point to poison a character it has just
Creepy Crawly
successfully hit with Brawl. For three exchanges,
Venom
the character is attacked on each of his actions
The Spider’s Web
by a +3 poison attack, opposed by Physique.
SKILLS Urban Hunter. When Dressed and in
Fair (+2) Athletics a human form, a spider can make se-
Average (+1) Brawl and Stealth duction attempts using Stealth.
FEATURES STRESS
Spider Climb. Spiders can use Athletics Physical: bb Mental: bb
to climb perpendicular surfaces and even CONSEQUENCES
crawl on the ceiling, albeit at half speed.
One minor.
STRESS & CONSEQUENCES Stress inflicted by the spider’s Brawl attacks rep-
None. Use spiders of this size in mobs; each resent venom injected by bites and stings. This
hit inflicted on the mob kills one spider. venom paralyzes; it does not kill. Characters
Stress inflicted by the spider’s Brawl attacks rep- Taken Out by a spider are typically awake, but
resent venom injected by bites and stings. This unable to move. Spiders cannot spin a web fast
venom paralyzes; it does not kill. Characters enough to influence an action scene, but if they
Taken Out by a spider are typically awake but have had time to prepare, they can invoke The
unable to move. Spiders cannot spin a web fast Spider’s Web to create a difficulty 2 obstacle.
enough to influence an action scene, but if they FEATURES
have had time to prepare, they can invoke The
Dressing: Adult ettercaps are dressed as young
Spider’s Web to create a difficulty 1 obstacle.
women, mute but often surprisingly attrac-
GEAR tive. They retain their ability to climb walls,
Dressing: Spiders as big as a dog are monstrous though their human form gives them a freak-
but typically too numerous to be individually ish appearance when doing so. Their venom
dressed. Instead, enchanters rely on the natural can be detected by the stench of their breath,
stealth and speed of these creatures to avoid detec- often concealed with cigarettes or mints.
tion. Look for ettercaps to be hidden in shopping
bags, luggage, and the trunk of the bad guy’s car.
Huge Spider
Main NPC, Scale 2
Big Spider The eldest ettercaps are ancient and bloated, big as a
Supporting NPC, Scale 1 car and hideous even to Faeries. Their thirst cannot be
Adult ettercaps weigh over a hundred pounds. sated, and their power has grown so that few mortals
They still don’t have much strength; their limbs can withstand their poison. Moreover, their fiendish
are too fragile. But their venom is more dangerous intelligence manifests in speech: a sibilant, high-
and their speed and stealth makes them excel- pitched chitter that betrays their desperate cravings.
lent hunters, especially of unwitting mortals who
are sure that rustling outside must be a raccoon.
The Widow of Eastcheap
They understand human speech but cannot talk. The Widow crawled across the Veil years ago, a
thrall to her unabated hunger. She found her way
ASPECTS to the city, claiming a dilapidated manor from its
Creepy Crawly aging master. (His valet was her next meal). She
Venom tried to restrain herself, but it took only a feeding
Spider’s Web or two before the neighborhood was frightened
SKILLS and her supply of victims dried up. Now she takes
work from witches and other Faerie creatures who
Good (+3) Athletics pay her off with nosy reporters and slow children.
Fair (+2) Brawl and Stealth
Average (+1) Provoke and Notice

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ASPECTS more fragile and ephemeral than human beings.

Giant Ettercap They are immortal so long as they dwell in Faerie,
Bloated where change is unwelcome and time moves slow-
Creepy Crawly ly if at all, but upon traveling to Earth they begin
Venom to age at the normal rate. Most have very little ex-
Spider’s Web perience of Earth; the young and foolish are often
Come into My Parlor curious about mortal affairs, but painful exposure
to human tragedy quickly educates them and sends
SKILLS them searching for home. They don’t always find it.
Great (+4) Brawl Faerie culture is similar to that of the High Middle
Good (+3) Provoke, Leadership, and Stealth Ages, but Faeries have remembered much that
Fair (+2) Athletics, Deceit, and Notice mortals have forgotten. At the same time, they are
Average (+1) Confidence, Physique, and Willpower whimsical and have a keenly developed sense of
fun. They appreciate sensual pleasures, nature, and
FEATURES wild things, and will gladly pass a fortnight singing
Spider Climb. The Widow can use Athletics songs or watching the seasons turn. They often look
to climb perpendicular surfaces and even down on mortals as something to be pitied, and treat
crawl on the ceiling, albeit at half speed. human beings as one might treat an adorable pet.
Poisoned! Once per scene, the Widow can spend A Faerie’s ability to hide and avoid notice is so
a Fate point to poison a character she has just keen that it verges on the supernatural, and it is
successfully hit with Brawl. For three exchanges, said that they are the ones who taught the beasts
the character is attacked on each of his actions of Faerie how to speak. A character with a Faerie
by a +4 poison attack, opposed by Physique. high concept has access to the following:
My Babies. In addition to countless spiders • If you are in a place with any cover or concealment,
only as big as your palm, the Widow is accom- spend a Fate point to vanish for one exchange.
panied by three mobs of four Spider Brood.
• Speak with animals. If you want to use
How About a Nice Sweater? A victim Taken Out
a skill on an animal, such as Rapport
by the Widow is quickly wrapped up in a cocoon.
or Empathy, spend a Fate point.
Breaking through it is a difficulty 3 obstacle.
• See in the dark as if it were day.
STRESS
Physical: bbb Mental: bbb Faerie Damsel
CONSEQUENCES Supporting NPC, Scale 1
Faerie Damsels are encountered most often by
One minor, major, severe. knights errant, who unknowingly cross over the
Stress inflicted by the Widow’s Brawl attacks rep- Veil and find themselves in an adventure. The typ-
resent venom injected by bites and stings. This ical Faerie Damsel has a serious problem which
venom paralyzes; it does not kill. Characters she cannot handle alone: her sister has been tak-
Taken Out by the Widow are in a confused stu- en captive by a troll, a dragon has settled into her
por, wrapped up and unable to move. If the action village, she has lost a family heirloom to a coven of
takes place in the Widow’s home, she can invoke witches, and so on. She always seems to know who
The Spider’s Web to create a difficulty 3 obstacle. the hero is when he stumbles across her, and his
GEAR arrival is a sign of providence at work. She offers
him the adventure, certain that – as he is a hero – he
Dressing: The Widow has been dressed to appear as will accept. Other Faerie Damsels are the daughters
a withered old crone in a black dress. Her skin-and- of kings or are experts in a particular sort of mag-
bones appearance testifies to her inner hunger, not ic. They sometimes know very little of the mortal
the fat mass of her true shape. She carries knitting world, and can be tricked or seduced into coming
needles, and her fingers never stop working them, across the Veil, whereupon they discover that Earth
drawing thread from a basket between her feet. – while fascinating and endlessly changing – is
plagued by time and a messy lack of perfection.
Faeries It is very easy for these tales to end in tragedy.
GMs should feel free to swap out particular
Faeries are supernatural beings native to the land skills and feats to make a Damsel tailor-made
of Faerie. They are related to elves, and are similar to a particular story. The Damsel presented
enough in appearance and mannerisms to be often here is a master singer and harpist; she may be
confused with them, but a Faerie is more innately the object of a Giant’s attention, or just eager to
magical than a mere elf: graceful and beautiful but match her skills against a mortal musician.

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ASPECTS intelligence. A Faerie Knight typically charges into

Faerie Harper battle with his lance. If the foe falls from the saddle,
My Music Has No Rival the Knight dismounts himself and draws his sword.
I Know Who You Are ASPECTS
SKILLS Knight of Faerie
Great (+4) Performance and Rapport He’s So Pretty
Good (+3) Contacts and Occult Timeless Practice
Fair (+2) Resources and Willpower Faerie Steed
Average (+1) Empathy and Wilderness SKILLS
FEATURES Superb (+5) Melee
Musical Interlude. The Faerie Damsel can Great (+4) Athletics
use Performance instead of Empathy to help Good (+3) Physique
others recover from mental consequences. Fair (+2) Confidence and Notice
Emotion Magic. The Faerie Damsel can Average (+1) Brawl and Willpower
use the Emotion magical talent, generat- FEATURES
ing Enchantment Points in the process.
Flawless Posture. The Faerie Knight
Healing Herbs. The Damsel can use Occult to
has a +2 on Athletics tests to ride.
help others recover from physical consequences.
Expert Jouster. The Knight has a +2
Faerie Knight on overcome actions to joust.
Supporting NPC, Scale 1 STRESS
By and large, Faeries are peaceful folk with far more Physical: bbbb Mental: bbb
interest in partying and revelry than war. But Faerie
courts are far from defenseless, and each individual CONSEQUENCES
King or Queene will be well protected by knights in One minor.
gleaming silver armor who bear featherlight lanc- GEAR
es and swords as keen as the crescent moon. The
timelessness of Faerie ensures that these knights Silver sword (Weapon:3), silver mail (Armor:2)
never lose their fighting edge, despite the fact that and a lance (Weapon:2). He rides a Faerie Steed.
their skills are seldom called upon. Nevertheless, Dressing: Faeries don’t need dressing; their natural
travelers through Faerie can expect to find knights form is that of beautiful and young human beings.
of this sort camped out at crossroads waiting for any They typically have elfish characteristics, including
other knight to come by, so that a joust can ensue. high, arched eyebrows, narrow faces, pale skin and
Faerie Knights fight honorably and are models of hair, and even pointed ears. Time does mark them,
courteous behavior. They are, if anything, even more but most flee back across the Veil at the first such sign.
serious about their behavior than mortal knights. The Knight of the Moon
Their weapons and armor are all supernatural, but
they lose this property if removed from Faerie. They Once there was a knight of Elfland who tired of
ride Faerie chargers of great speed, strength, and the unchanging beauty far from the fields we know.
Taking up his silver sword
and mounting his Faerie
charger, he went in search of
the thing called Time, and
in this way after long adven-
ture he crossed the Faerie
Veil and never after heard
the trumpets of Elfland. It
so happened he came to the
fields we know when the
crescent moon was high in
the sky, and as he sat there
upon his magnificent stallion,
the stars smoldering against
the pitch-dark sky, he saw
the moon growing less and

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less, though mortal eyes perceived this not. And it single attack by spending a Fate point. The shield’s
was by this that he knew he had found Time at last. face moves through the moon’s phases; once in
The Knight of the Moon is no longer naive, and the scene, the full moon appears upon it and the
has adopted mortal ways as best a knight of Elfland Knight may blind a single foe in his zone. This
can. Time has touched him, bringing crow’s feet to creates a difficulty 5 obstacle opposed by Notice.
the corners of his eyes and turning his golden hair In Faerie, he rode a Faerie stallion, but in the
almost white. So far, the lure of mortal pleasures mortal world the stallion has been exchanged for
— the thrum of a gearshift in his gloved hand, the an Italian sports car. His shield is in the trunk.
babble of the paparazzi, photos of a far-off galaxy STRESS
caught by glass floating in the dark of space — have
kept him here, but sometimes he can feel pain in Physical: bbbb Mental: bbb
his hand and in his chest. He remembers the joys CONSEQUENCES
of Elfland, and he wonders if it is already too late.
One minor, two moderate (includ-
ASPECTS ing the dwarf ), one severe.
Faerie Knight
Proud
I’ve Learned Change
Faerie Queene
Shield of the Moon
Supporting NPC, Scale 1
The Forest of Adventure and its rival realms are
Dwarf Squire
governed by Faerie sorceresses of terrible beau-
SKILLS ty and power. Each maintains an elaborate court
Superb (+5) Melee filled with courtiers, knights, entertainers, and fab-
Great (+4) Athletics and Resources ulous beasts. Some of these courts are bright and
Good (+3) Confidence, Provoke, and Physique alluring while others are haunted and foreboding,
Fair (+2) Contacts, Notice, Occult, and Wilderness but regardless of the trappings which surround
Average (+1) Brawl, Empathy, Leadership, her, the Faerie Queene is not to be trifled with.
Performance, and Willpower Queens tend to be sticklers for points of courtesy
and honor. They expect to be treated like royalty, but
FEATURES this does not mean they are stupid or dull. Indeed,
Don’t Buy It If You Can’t Handle It. The Knight they are often the most brilliant creature at court,
of the Moon can use Resources to drive cars deftly maneuvering through intrigues and rivalries
(making overcome actions), provided those while insisting on a steady stream of unique and
cars require at least Resources +4 to buy. distracting entertainments to while away the end-
I Have A Shot. The Knight of the Moon can less time. They seem to know everything there is
use Notice to make attack rolls with a pistol. to know, even about the mortal realm, which they
Knight of the Road. The Knight of the Moon can use often see as a distinct threat even when they also
Athletics to make overcome actions with a motorcycle. adore mortal champions. Queens are used to getting
The Knight has a little person for a squire, a fellow what they want, and sometimes what they want is
faerie the Knight refers to as his “dwarf.” The dwarf a handsome mortal hero for their bed. In these sit-
has no significant combat ability but can help his uations, there’s often little the hapless mortal can
master in a pinch. He mostly runs errands, allowing do besides run for the Veil and not look back.
the Knight to roll skills without leaving his home. The Queene portrayed here is Maeve, Queen of
The dwarf can be Taken Out as a moderate conse- Elphame, a Scottish faerieland. She is a master of
quence. What the dwarf thinks of human society, many magics, but her favorite is to disguise her-
where he is not called a dwarf, is known only to him. self as an innocent girl. In this form, she indulges
The Knight of the Moon wields a Faerie sword herself by sneaking out of court and into the for-
(Weapon:3) which has been enchanted by Glamour est, hoping to eavesdrop on common gossip or
to appear as a big, silver, semi-automatic pistol put wandering knights to the uttermost test. She
(still Weapon:3). Note that anyone shot with the is attuned to a power 6 font of power, the location
pistol while it is glamoured will return to life if or of which is one of her dearest secrets. (It is prob-
when the glamour is dispelled and the pistol be- ably either in her court, a hidden grove, or a ring
comes once again a sword. He wears silver Armor:2, of standing stones.) By spending a Fate point, she
light as fish scales, under a custom Italian suit. If gains 6 points she may distribute among all the die
he wishes, he can unveil the Shield of the Moon, rolls required for one spell or Word of Power.
an actual shield which allows him to negate any

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Maeve Giants have remarkable diversity and can be lanky

and swift, fat and plodding, heavily bearded, or
ASPECTS covered in scales by turns. Some possess two heads
Queen of Elphame or an extra arm. In the past, they were barbaric wild
You Dare Defy Me? men with no knowledge of machines or crafting,
Font of Power but there are giants in Faerie who live simple rustic
Otherworldly Beauty lives much like mortals do, if on a grander scale.

SKILLS Small(ish) Giant

Fantastic (+6) Occult and Rapport Nameless NPC, Scale 2
Superb (+5) Contacts and Resources Despite being twice the height of a man, giants
Great (+4) Intimidation and Leadership of this size serve mostly as obstacles for knights
Good (+3) Deceit and Willpower to overcome, probably in numbers. They are best
Fair (+2) Confidence, Education, and Empathy used in small mobs of about three individuals (that
Average (+1) Notice, Performance, and Stealth +1 gang-up bonus will make up for their -1 penal-
ty attacking Scale 1 heroes); their stress tracks and
FEATURES
single consequence slot makes them extremely
Glamour Disguise. Maeve can use magic to dis- durable for mobs, but they will still go down quickly
guise herself as a young mortal woman, prefera- before any warrior brave enough to assail them.
bly poor and in need of both food and shelter.
Magical Talents. Maeve is an enchantress and can ASPECTS
use the Binding, Divination, Emotion, Glamour, Tall as the Roof
Shapeshifting, Travel and Ward talents. Savage
Good Listener. Maeve has a +2 when cre- SKILLS
ating advantages based on something
she learned by eavesdropping. Superb (+5) Physique
Great (+4) Brawl
STRESS Good (+3) Provoke
Physical: bb Mental: bbbb Fair (+2) Athletics
Average (+1) Willpower
CONSEQUENCES
One minor consequence. FEATURES
Inhuman Strength. A small giant has a +3 bonus
GEAR
on Physique rolls to lift or break things and +2
Maeve does not carry weapons beyond, per- damage whenever their strength would be rele-
haps, a long and thin dagger. But she can vant (such as grappling or brawling attacks).
produce magical trinkets and gewgaws es-
sentially at will, usually as bribes to strang- STRESS
ers or as focuses for her enchantments. Physical: bb Mental: b
CONSEQUENCES
Giant One minor.
Giants were among the first settlers of the British GEAR
Isles, migrating across the Veil and settling in Cornwall
before Duke Gorlois drove them into the high moun- A small giant such as this carries a club about the
tains. Savage and wild, arming themselves with trees size of a man, which he wields as a Weapon:1 be-
and rocks and wearing animal hide for clothing, fore adding +2 damage for Scale and +2 Inhuman
they preyed on men and their livestock while ravish- Strength. They wear no armor, but have natu-
ing mortal women. Arthur himself killed one on St. ral Armor:2 against Scale 1 player characters.
Michael’s Mount in one of his earliest adventures, and Dressing: Dressing a giant is sort of a pointless task,
their Chief, Ybaddaden, perished not long after his since they become just very big men, stripping them
daughter Olwen married Culwch. Giants were still of their most useful quality. They retain Inhuman
numerous in the days of King Mark, and many fought Strength, however. Giants dressed in human form
for the Saxons against Arthur, but in time they were take pleasure in simple things: clothes that fit, chairs
all but wiped out. As the Age of Enchantment ended, that don’t break, and pistols with usable triggers.
the few who remained took refuge in Faerie, where
it is said entire cities of their kind can still be found.

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Giant can get and still be a character instead of a force of

nature. There’s very little which player characters have
Supporting NPC, Scale 3 to offer giants this big; a pile of gold is only a spoon-
Now we’re talking. At this scale, a Giant gains ful to him. On the other hand, enterprising thieves
something of an identity. He has mannerisms and
who can make off with a Giant’s treasure will be rich
a motivation besides wild cruelty. Specifically, that
beyond measure, possibly without even being noticed.
motivation is his empty stomach, which is best filled
by a man-pot-pie, and his cruel lust for human
women, which quickly spells their gory death.
Fum the Giant
Fum has a simple life. He lives in a humble lit-
ASPECTS tle cottage atop a distant mountain peak which
Tall as the Tallest Tree he refers to affectionately as “my front porch.”
‘Twas Beauty That Killed the Beast He built that cottage with the Silverleaf Forest
You’re Stock for My Cookpot (gosh that was a pretty forest) and fashioned his
silverware from the Lost Mine of King Alberich,
SKILLS
which is how it became the Lost Mine. But life
Fantastic (+6) Physique in the cottage can be lonely. All the good girl-gi-
Superb (+5) Brawl ants are taken. Fum tried reading to pass the
Great (+4) Provoke time, but even after turning the Golden Sands of
Good (+3) Athletics Summersun Island into a pair of bifocals, it was no
Fair (+2) Notice use. That was when he discovered Books on Tape.
Average (+1) Willpower No one’s quite sure how this marvel of modern
FEATURES technology came to Fum’s cottage, but he is hooked,
I Smell the Blood of an English-Man. Giants have and we mean hooked. Steven King, Eric Lustbader,
a +2 on Notice rolls to detect people by scent. As Clive Cussler, even those legal dramas by what’s-
a side benefit, the giant sense of smell is so re- his-name. Fum may not understand everything, but
fined they can use it to identify nation of origin. he knows passion and pathos when he hears it. He’s
Supernatural Strength. Giants get a +6 bonus trained a giant-size flea to push the Play button.
on Physique rolls to lift or break things, and +4 But Fum has a problem. He’s run out of books.
damage whenever their strength would be rele- The batteries on his player are low. Oh, if only some
vant (such as grappling or brawling attacks). enterprising Little Person would come by, perhaps
lost from a storm or cast across the Faerie Veil by a
STRESS necromancer with anger-management issues. Oh,
Physical: bbbb Mental: bbbb what he wouldn’t give for another Ludlum novel,
CONSEQUENCES or even Kellerman, or — the golden goose he dare
only dream of — the end of the Game of Thrones
Two minor. series, which surely must be finished by now.
GEAR ASPECTS
Giants carry stoutly-made and iron-shod clubs A Well-Read Giant
for Weapon:2, with a total +8 damage bonus after You’re All So Tiny
Scale and Supernatural Strength. They wear no My Home Is My Castle
armor, but have natural Armor:4 due to Scale.
Dressing. There are stories of a Giant who fell SKILLS
in love with a mortal woman and had himself Epic (+7) Physique
dressed just so she could survive his affection. Fantastic (+6) Provoke
It’s just ridiculous enough to be true. And, even Superb (+5) Brawl
at (barely) human size, a Giant such as this one Great (+4) Willpower
wields immense strength, making him the perfect Good (+3) Athletics
lieutenant enforcer for a powerful magician. Fair (+2) Confidence
Average (+1) Notice
Big Giant
FEATURES
Main NPC, Scale 4
A giant this large is big enough that player charac- Legendary Strength. Fum has a +9 bo-
ters will scamper over his tabletop like mice, hiding nus on Physique rolls to lift or break
under salt shakers and coffee mugs. But once caught, things as well as a +6 damage bonus (mod-
he can still see them and talk to them, albeit with ified to +12 against Scale 1 heroes).
difficulty. In other words, this is about as big as a giant
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 Chapter 9: Allies and Adversaries

STRESS GEAR
Physical: bbbb Mental: bbbb A Fairy-Tale Giant wouldn’t need a weapon unless
he was fighting something even larger, a prospect
CONSEQUENCES
difficult to envision. Technically, he has Armor:8
Two minor. against player characters thanks to Scale, but in
GEAR practice there’s nothing in Faerie that can harm
him short of the greatest of Dragons, and in that
There are no weapons large enough for Fum. case the wisest thing to do is get out of the way.
He uses an open hand and the ever-reliable Dressing: You’d never be able to get enough
foot-stomp. He wears no armor, but has nat- magic to dress a Fairy-Tale Giant, let alone sum-
ural Armor:6 against Scale 1 characters. mon him in the first place. He’s too big.
Dressing: Giants this big don’t come to the
mortal world voluntarily, and they’re too
large to be summoned. Your players will have Griffon
to go to Faerie if they want to see Fum. Supporting NPC, Scale 2
The griffon is a wild and majestic creature, a
Fairy-Tale Giant magical denizen of Faerie and one of the masters
Nameless NPC, Scale 5 of that land’s wilderness. Combining the qualities
A Giant this big has outgrown his ability to interact of the lion and the eagle, it is master of all beasts
with player characters. He towers above the landscape. which walk and fly, and it has all the intelligence of
Houses look like matchboxes; people are ants. In your a mortal man. It can never be tamed, but will — on
story, he exists as either the ultimate threat (“He’s great occasion — allow a deserving mortal to briefly
coming this way!”) or as a random, fanciful rescue ride it into battle or on a mission of great import.
(“Why is our boat flying?”) which serves to tell the Griffons are exceedingly strong and can carry off
players they’re in Faerie, far from the fields we know. a horse in their talons. They have dwelt in Faerie for
ASPECTS centuries but were occasionally spotted on Earth
in the Middle Ages, with their talons and eggs sal-
The Mountain That Walks vaged for the making of goblets while their ribs
We’re Like Ants to Him were fashioned into longbows. Griffon feathers
SKILLS were used in a medicinal potion to cure the blind.
Legendary (+8) Physique ASPECTS
Epic (+7) Provoke King of Beasts Who Walk or Fly
Fantastic (+6) Willpower The Pride of a Lion and as Haughty as Eagles
Superb (+5) Confidence Stronger Than Oxen
Great (+4) Brawl
Good (+3) Notice SKILLS
Fair (+2) Athletics Fantastic (+6) Athletics
Average (+1) Occult Superb (+5) Physique and Willpower
FEATURES Great (+4) Brawl and Empathy
Good (+3) Confidence and Provoke
Mythic Strength. A Fairy-Tale Giant has +12 Fair (+2) Notice and Wilderness
on rolls to lift or break things and a +8 dam- Average (+1) Occult and Rapport
age bonus when his strength is relevant, mod-
ified to +16 against Scale 1 characters. FEATURES
The Big Picture. A Fairy-Tale Giant can Beak and Claws. The griffon’s lion claws and
spend a Fate point to ignore any ob- eagle beak give it natural Weapon:1, modi-
stacle or attack less than Scale 5. fied to Weapon:3 against Scale 1 heroes.
Irresistible Force. A Fairy-Tale Giant can spend a Inhuman Strength. The griffon has a +3 bo-
Fate point to destroy anything less than Scale 5. nus on rolls to lift or break things, a +1 on
STRESS rolls to grapple, and a +2 bonus to dam-
age when its strength would be relevant.
Physical: bb Mental: bb Winged Flight. The griffon has ea-
CONSEQUENCES gle wings and can fly as fast as a bird.
Three minor. Command Animals. The griffon’s speech can be
understood by any animal who walks on the ground
or flies in the air, but not human beings. Likewise,
the griffon can understand all these animals.
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STRESS STRESS
Physical: bbbb Mental: bbbb Physical: bbbb Mental: bbb
CONSEQUENCES CONSEQUENCES
Three minor. The griffon has natural One minor. Note that the hippogriff has nat-
Armor:2 against Scale 1 characters. ural Armor:2 against Scale 1 characters.
GEAR GEAR
Dressing: A griffon can be summoned from Faerie Dressing: A hippogriff can be dressed as a horse, but
and dressed in the shape of a mortal. While they of course cannot fly without wings. When treated
lose their wings and thus the power of flight, they well, it can endure this hardship, but it will be thank-
gain human speech and a newfound ability to in- ful when the glamour is lifted and it can soar once
teract with mortals, an exchange which is valuable more. If left unattended in horse shape, it grows de-
for a short time if not forever. A griffon makes an pressed and anxious, frustrated at its inability to fly.
excellent patron for a group of player characters who
know only that their large-eyed benefactor has a
love of birds and of flight, and brooks no argument.
Manticore
Supporting NPC, Scale 2
Hippogriff The manticore is one of the oldest of the magi-
cal beasts, first spotted in Persia some twenty five
Supporting NPC, Scale 2 centuries ago when it crept out of deep tunnels and
The hippogriff is the magical offspring of a griffon Faerie caverns in search of its favorite prey: man.
and a horse, which is especially rare because horses When Alexander began to conquer the East, manti-
are the common prey of griffons. They hatch from cores ravaged his armies whenever he left the roads
eggs, but an egg which is not tended by its parent can and tried to cross country. In its natural form, the
still hatch years later if it can be found and properly manticore has the body of a lion, a human face with
cared for, giving birth to a strong hybrid creature. blue eyes and three rows of sharp teeth, and a long
Horse blood makes the hippogriff more tractable and tail tipped with sharp barbs which can be hurled or
trainable than its high-flying relative, but they have thrown like javelins. Most are a shade of red and their
none of the intelligence of a griffon and are essen- call is a weird, chilling howl like a flute and a trum-
tially brave and clever animals. They make excel- pet. Manticores are fiendishly wicked, with all the
lent mounts, and were tamed and ridden by both intelligence of a man but still wild and fierce. Violent
Duke Astolfo of England and Lord Juss of Faerie. couplings over the centuries have produced manti-
cores with demonic or dragon blood, so that some
ASPECTS
have horns, venom, the tails of scorpions, or wings.
Horse-Eagle The manticore is not a natural shape-changer, but
Still Just an Animal long centuries spent among Earthly society while
SKILLS dressed in human form has given it the reputation
of a “man-tiger” and it has continued to hunt here
Great (+4) Athletics even when the Faerie Veil was far, far away. In ad-
Good (+3) Confidence and Physique dition to their reputations as wild and violent crea-
Fair (+2) Brawl and Notice tures, they are sometimes symbols of fraud, usury,
Average (+1) Wilderness and Willpower and tyranny. Their love of deep places in the earth
FEATURES has led some immigrants from Faerie to co-opt the
Winged Flight. The hippogriff has ea- mining industry, a position which gives them easy
gle’s wings and can fly as fast as a bird. access to exploitable workers, poor safety regula-
Fast as Lightning. A hippogriff can spend a Fate tions, and a convenient place to dispose of bodies.
point to move anywhere in the scene as an action. The manticore makes an excellent adversary in an
Beak and Talon. A hippogriff’s eagle beak episode of Arthur Lives!, especially when the GM
and talons give it natural Weapon:1, ad- wants a session that has no connection to the Big
justed to Weapon:3 for scale. Issues of reincarnation. They mingle easily with
As Fearless as Its Master. Whenever anyone tries human kind, are unambiguously predatory and evil,
to put an obstacle or create an advantage on the and can shed their disguise for a climactic battle. In
hippogriff based on fear, its master can defend for it. their true shape, they gain the benefits of Scale.

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The manticore provided here is a generic

Supporting NPC useful as a lieutenant, magical
guardian, or secondary obstacle. If you want to
make him the primary antagonist for the session,
make him a Main NPC, flesh out his personality, Manticore Variants
and add some appropriate aspects and skills. Manticores can have other physical features,
usually thanks to a demonic or draconic parent.
Dragon Wings: The manticore can fly
ASPECTS 4 zones (equal to its Athletics) in one ex-
Man-Eater change without needing to roll Athletics.
Scorpion Tail: These variations on the man-
Ferocity ticore cannot hurl their tail barbs. Instead,
Lives Beneath the Earth their thicker scorpion tail is Weapon:2, ben-
efits from Scale, and inflicts a deadly poison.
Victims roll Physique against the manticore’s
SKILLS Physique each round for three rounds, tak-
ing stress for every shift of failure.
Superb (+5) Brawl and Physique
Great (+4) Athletics and Notice
Good (+3) Confidence and Wilderness
Fair (+2) Provoke and Stealth
Average (+1) Deceive, Occult, and Willpower Redcaps
FEATURES The realms of Faerie are home to countless tribes,
Unearthly Howl. The manticore has a nations, and breeds of Faerie-kind. They call them-
+2 on rolls to create an advantage with selves by many names: hobs, nobs, brownies, bog-
Provoke when it can howl; the aspect it cre- garts, goblins, and more. It is from the ranks of these
ates must represent fear or confusion. creatures that Unseelie Queens and Lords, their cruel
Tail Slash. When the manticore is in hand-to-hand magicians and wicked knights, gather armies and
combat, it can spend a Fate point to make a bite plundering bands. These Faerie warriors are issued
attack while also creating an advantage with its tail traditional headwear which, when dipped in the blood
barbs. These actions must target different people. of their victims, gives them the name “Redcaps.”
Three Rows of Teeth. The manticore’s fantastic Redcaps are chosen for their propensity for vio-
mouth appears human but can open wide enough lence and some basic physical competence. They are
to bite off a limb. It is equipped with three rows of about the size of a man, though some are dwarfish in
teeth, one inside the other, turning the creature’s size and others hulking. Indeed; their appearance is
throat into a meat grinder when it really gets going. almost impossible to generalize, except to say that they
Its bite is Weapon:2 before modifiers for Scale. have the same basic features as a man, albeit exag-
Tail Barbs. The manticore’s tail is tipped with spines gerated or caricatured. Redcaps can be fat or scraw-
about a foot long. They can be used in hand-to- ny, leering or squint-eyed, furry or green-skinned,
hand combat, attacking with Brawl, or hurled at a with fangs, tusks, horns, or all of the above. One
single target. They are Weapon:1 and, unlike the thing is sure: They are eager to bash your brains in.
manticore’s other attacks, do not benefit from Scale. Seasoned knights can battle redcaps by the score,
Beastly Hide. The manticore has natu- but even one can be terrifying to an ordinary per-
ral Armor:1, modified to Armor:3 against son, who knows only that there is something deep-
human characters due to Scale. ly wrong with the creepy guy in the beret, staring
out of the corner and fingering a baseball bat.
STRESS
Physical: bbbb Mental: bbb Redcap
CONSEQUENCES Nameless NPC, Scale 1
Two minor. ASPECTS
GEAR Reckless Violence
Hob-Nailed Boots
Dressing: A dressed manticore loses his natural
armor, weapons, and size. His mouth retains its SKILLS
magical ability to open to horrifying size, exposing Fair (+2) Melee
his three rows of serrated teeth. Because they are Average (+1) Deceit and Physique
fully intelligent, a manticore adapts well to human
shape and society; some use an amulet or other FEATURES
token to adopt human shape, returning to their Run, You Maggots! Redcaps get a +2 bonus
natural form to hunt and eliminate pesky PCs. to overcome when rolling Athletics to run.

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Boot to the Head. Redcaps have a +2 bonus to create FEATURES

an advantage when using their hobnail boots. You Forgot To Look Up. Blackcaps have
STRESS & CONSEQUENCES a +2 to overcome when using Stealth, pro-
vided they are above their target.
Redcaps usually have no stress boxes or con-
Boo!. Blackcaps have a +2 to cre-
sequences; each point of stress inflicted caus-
ate advantage with Provoke on the same
es one Redcap to be Taken Out. However,
round they emerge from stealth.
especially when appearing singly or in pairs,
they may have a single 1-hit stress box. STRESS
GEAR Blackcaps each have two 1-hit stress-boxes.
In Faerie, Redcaps are armed with one Weapon:2, GEAR
typically a crooked sword, vicious axe, or spear. Dressing: hey have been known to car-
They wear hobnail boots which are an im- ry guns and wear uniforms.
provised Weapon:1 but which they wield with
Melee. Once Dressed, they might carry a base-
ball bat with rusty nails or a long knife (which Troll
is only Weapon:1). Particularly well-financed Supporting NPC, Scale 2
and organized Redcaps will be provided a hel- Although not as big as giants, trolls are in many
met and ill-fitting Armor:1 by their masters. ways more dangerous, being invulnerable to weapons
Dressing: Redcaps are dressed to appear as and possessing the strength of thirty men. Like most
ugly men wearing caps, hats, or berets of the denizens of Faerie, they vary widely in appearance
appropriate color. They stow their weapons in and physical characteristics. Some have tough green
shopping bags, though the handles still stick scales for skin, but most look more or less like mon-
out, and wear rain ponchos or long olive drab strously ugly human beings. They are inherently
coats. Their boots appear as oversized cleats. cruel and vicious, and although they are generally
dumb and stupid, they have a wicked cunning when
it comes to inflicting harm on mankind. Mountains
and caves are their natural home; some legends
Bluecaps trace their origins to Cain, and like him they are
Bluecaps specialize in the use of fire; they eternal outcasts, simultaneously exiled from, long-
anoint their caps with a blue Faerie-flame that
burns cleanly without fuel. In Faerie, they are ing for, and hating all civilized society. But they are
armed with a torch of this blue fire; by blow- not solitary creatures, instead forming small family
ing on the torch and succeeding on a +3 roll
opposed by Athletics, they can strike a target units. While they can survive on mutton, beef, and
in an adjacent zone with the difficulty 2 obsta- horseflesh, their appetite for man is insatiable and
cle I’m on Fire, which attacks for three rounds
or until overcome. Dressed, they prefer blow- a troll will bite off a man’s head given the chance.
torches (Weapon:3 Short Ranged) and flame-
throwers (Weapon:4 Sticky) but will settle for ASPECTS
a lighter and an aerosol can in a pinch (identi-
cal to their usual torches in function but only Strength of Thirty Men
usable on targets in the Bluecap’s own zone). Children of Cain
Skin Like Stone
SKILLS
Blackcap Fantastic (+6) Physique
Superb (+5) Brawl
Nameless NPC, Scale 1 Great (+4) Provoke
Blackcaps are the elite of the order, exchanging their Good (+3) Willpower and Wilderness
usual headwear and noisy iron shoes for the color Fair (+2) Athletics and Stealth
of death. They are the most likely to be armored. Average (+1) Notice and Occult
ASPECTS FEATURES
Sir, Yes Sir Pickers and Grinders. A troll’s claws and
Faerie Ninjas teeth are natural Weapon:1, modified up to
SKILLS Weapon:3 against Scale 1 characters.
Supernatural Strength. A troll has +6 on
Good (+3) Melee Physique rolls to lift or break something. They
Fair (+2) Physique and Provoke have a +2 to Physique when grappling and
Average (+1) Athletics, Brawl, and Stealth add +4 to damage with hand-to-hand attacks

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(making their teeth and claws Weapon:5 or, if in the chase of the boar. But Twrch Trwyth was no
they have the benefit of Scale, Weapon:7). simple beast; not only did it still possess all the in-
Skin like Stone. Trollflesh cannot be pierced by telligence and battle cunning of its mortal life, it
mundane weapons, and their bones are as hard was demonically large and powerful. Even its piglets
as stone. They don’t take stress or consequenc- were capable of killing Arthur’s knights, and the
es from weapons. A shotgun blast may force boar itself was never slain, only chased into the sea.
a troll backwards, but it won’t really hurt him. The golden scissors, comb, and razor were, howev-
Traditionally, heroes have had to wrestle with trolls er, retrieved and Arthur made good on his oath.
to defeat them, but a magic weapon can injure An echo of Twrch Trwyth might begin as simply a
them. They’ll still have Armor:2 from Scale. very large pig, but as enchantment and evil coalesced
STRESS around it, it would grow beyond any explanation. After
breaking free of whatever enclosure it is kept in and
Physical: bbbb spawning with every sow it can reach, it will rampage
CONSEQUENCES across the countryside killing all in its path. In the first
Two minor. Arthurian Age, there was no way to ultimately kill the
creature and it could only be driven off; modern day
GEAR protagonists may be able to arrange something cat-
Dressing: Trolls are strong enough to break a aclysmically lethal to end the boar’s menace forever.
man in half, are immune to bullets, and smart However, Twrch Trwyth is best used as a threat which
enough to follow orders. In short, they make cannot be physically defeated, and which can only be
excellent enforcers and thugs for a powerful en- avoided, endured, or aimed at a slower enemy. An echo
chanter. When dressed — usually as big, very of Twrch Trwyth is always wearing some object or me-
ugly, men — they are Scale 1 and lose their claws. mento: a wreath of flowers made by the little girl who
Most are armed with simple Brawl weapons such was its owner, a tracking tag delivered by scientists,
as knives and bats, but trolls love guns even when or that blue ribbon the pig earned in the local state
they make terrible marksmen. They take well to fair. Removing the object causes the echo to fade, and
human life, which they have always coveted, by Twrch Trwyth is once again simply a very large pig.
wearing clothes and trying to blend in, but their ASPECTS
hatred for man and their taste for human flesh
ensures their disguise is never very convincing. Magical, Monstrous Boar
All but Invulnerable
Fast and Furious
SKILLS
Troll-Wife Legendary (+8) Physique
Troll mothers, wives, and daughters are
more or less identical to their male kin, but Epic (+7) Brawl
lack Supernatural Strength and make up Fantastic (+6) Willpower
for this by the use of weapons, usually a
good skinning knife (Weapon:1). They might Superb (+5) Intimidation
be smaller (Scale 1). Some know magic. Great (+4) Athletics
Good (+3) Confidence
Fair (+2) Leadership
Average (+1) Notice

Twrch Trwyth FEATURES

Shrug It Off. Twrch Trwyth can use Physique
Supporting NPC, Scale 3 to defend against physical attacks.
Twrch Trwyth was once an Irish king, but he was Mythic Toughness. Twrch Trwyth has natural
magically transformed into a monstrous boar; Arthur’s Armor:3 (modified to Armor:7 against Scale 1 he-
hunt of Twrch Trwyth is the dominant episode in the roes) and three additional minor consequences.
Welsh tale of Culhwch and Olwen. Culhwch wished to Inhuman Speed. Twrch Trwyth has a +4 bo-
marry Olwen, the beautiful daughter of the hideous nus to determine initiative, he can move
Chief Giant Ysbaddaden. Before the giant would grant one additional zone for free on each of his
permission for the wedding, however, he demanded turns, has a +1 bonus to all Athletics rolls,
Culhwch perform a host of impossible tasks, one of or a +2 if he uses his action to move.
which was recovering a set of golden shaving im- Razor Sharp Tusks. Twrch Trwyth’s
plements from the fur of Twrch Trwyth. Culhwch tusks are natural Weapon:2, modified to
asked Arthur for help, and the king and his retinue of Weapon:6 against Scale 1 heroes, not includ-
amazing warriors performed the tasks, culminating ing the benefit from Inhuman Strength.

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Inhuman Strength. Twrch Trwyth has a +3

bonus on rolls to lift or break something, a +1
Unicorn
bonus on rolls to grapple, and a 2-point bo- Minor NPC, Scale 2
nus to damage when strength is relevant. With Evidence suggests that unicorns began as earthly
Scale, his tusks are effectively Weapon:8. creatures who retreated into Faerie after global flood-
Shake of the Head. Twrch Trwyth can spend a Fate ing and the encroachment of man. Regardless, they
point to make a +2 attack against every enemy in his are now thoroughly magical, though they occasionally
own zone, opposed with Athletics. If successful, the wander back across the Veil in search of flowers to eat.
targets are thrown back one zone and take stress. Although they share many physical characteristics
Inhuman Strength and Scale adds to this damage. with horses, they are thinking creatures who move
and carry themselves in a manner unlike any horse.
STRESS Proud and untamed, they are fierce if cornered and
Physical: bbbb Mental: bbbb can easily kill an entire hunting party, wielding their
CONSEQUENCES horn with deadly precision. They can, however, be
lured by innocence and sexual purity, which they find
Seven minor consequences. irresistible; traditionally this means virgin women, but
Piglets at least one unicorn fell in love with a young man.
Nameless NPC, Scale 2 ASPECTS
Twrch Trwyth’s piglets are giant boars, Lord of the Forests
as many as your story requires. They fight Drawn to Innocence
as gangs of very powerful minions.
SKILLS
ASPECTS Superb (+5) Athletics and Melee
Fiendish Spawn of a Fiendish Sire Great (+4) Physique and Wilderness
Angry Mob Good (+3) Notice and Stealth
Fair (+2) Confidence and Empathy
SKILLS
Average (+1) Occult and Willpower
Great (+4) Brawl
Good (+3) Physique FEATURES
Fair (+2) Willpower Flashing Horn. The unicorn can fight with its
Average (+1) Athletics horn as if it were a sword or lance, using Melee.
It counts as Weapon:1, modified for Scale.
FEATURES
Tireless in the Chase. A unicorn has a +2 on rolls
Big Ole Tusks. The piglets have natural to elude pursuit or resist fatigue from running.
Weapon:1, modified to Weapon:3 for Scale. Pure. The unicorn can spend a Fate point
Very Tough. The piglets have natural Armor:2, to purify any poison or cure any poisoned
modified to Armor:4 against Scale 1 heroes. wound, touching it with its horn.
Inhuman Speed. Piglets can keep up with their Unbound. The unicorn has a +2 on rolls
sire. Each has a +4 bonus to determine initiative, to escape from bonds or confinement.
can move one additional zone for free on each Drawn to Innocence. A unicorn can spend 1
of its turns, and has a +1 bonus to all Athletics Fate point to automatically detect sexual inexpe-
rolls, or a +2 if it uses an action to move. rience in any relevant characters in its scene.
Dying Blow. When a piglet is Taken Out, if
can spend a Fate point to make an immediate STRESS
Brawling attack on a single foe in its zone. Physical: bbbb Mental: bbb
STRESS & CONSEQUENCES CONSEQUENCES
Each piglet has three one-hit stress boxes. One minor.
GEAR
Dressing: A unicorn dressed as a mortal has lost
his defining characteristic, and they react poorly to
this state, their keen intelligence and solemn deter-
mination often falling into bewildered confusion
or furious wrath. They are beautiful when dressed
however: slight and graceful or tall and imposing,
with pale skin, large dark eyes, and flowing white
hair which shines in moonlight and starlight.
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Wyvern
Supporting NPC, Scale 2
The wyvern is a draconic creature with wings The Wyvern Variations
and two legs. It is of only animal intelligence, but is Some wyvern are venomous. If this applies to
unusual in that it can appear in flocks of up to six their bite, the victim suffers three consecutive
Physique contests on the turns after it is bitten,
and thus might be encountered in large numbers. A suffering damage equal to any shifts the wyvern
healthy and mature wyvern is bigger than a horse, achieves. Sometimes the wyvern has poisonous
breath, sickening all who dare to fight it. This
and they make especially flashy and impressive is also a contest of Physique rolled as soon as
mounts for black knights, half-demons, and other the wyvern is in the same zone, placing a Black
Breath aspect on the target. The aspect lasts for
Main NPCs. Some are poisonous or breathe fire. the scene and can be invoked twice for free. If the
wyvern can breathe fire, it attacks with Physique
ASPECTS against all enemies in one adjacent zone.

Winged Beast
Brother to Dragons
SKILLS
penchant for going to extremes, and Arthegal was
Great (+4) Physique slow to bring the magical yron squire to heel. Once,
Good (+3) Athletics when a woman fell to her knees and begged Arthegal
Fair (+2) Brawling for mercy, Talus dragged the woman through the
Average (+1) Wilderness mud, cut off her hands and feet, and finally threw
FEATURES her over a cliff. Talus was many things, but merci-
Pounce. The wyvern can spend a Fate point ful was not one of his traits. Eventually, Arthegal’s
to land on a foe from the air, both attacking paramour Britomart – a knight in her own right –
it and creating an advantage like Pinned. demonstrated a better ability to keep Talus under
Wings. The wyvern can travel 3 zones in one control, and the squire was thereafter more obedient.
turn without needing to roll Athletics. An yron squire is nearly invulnerable to harm. Unlike
Scaly Hide. The wyvern has scaled skin like a most animated suits of armor, he can think for himself
dragon, giving it Armor:2 before considering Scale. and even speak. He runs faster than a horse, can batter
Sharp Claws and Big Teeth. The wyvern’s down stone walls, and tracks mortals down with the
hooked claws and draconic jaws are efficacy of a bloodhound. When not confronted by
Weapon:1 before accounting for Scale. an issue of justice, an yron squire is content to follow
along in silence, but any violence against its person
STRESS will be met with overwhelming lethal force and a
Physical: bbbb Mental: bb storm of carnage unless it can be ordered to stop. Only
someone with the right to command the squire can
CONSEQUENCES make it obey (such as the person to whom it has been
One minor. given), and even then the master must roll Confidence
GEAR opposed by the squire’s Willpower. If the roll fails,
the squire does as its merciless mind thinks best.
Dressing: A dressed wyvern loses its wings, which is GMs may find yron squires useful not just as
the primary reason for summoning one in the first antagonists, but as problematic allies for play-
place. Nevertheless, some antagonists and villains er character knights. A story involving an yron
dress a wyvern as a horse simply to keep it close squire dwells on the theme of control and the
among human company, and at least one black magi- proper response to insult. They also make use-
cian succeeded in dressing his wyvern as a sports car. ful allies for evil enchanters to summon.
ASPECTS
Yron Squire Power Without Mercy
Supporting NPC, Scale 1 Iron Bound by Magic
The yron squire was a magically animated suit
of armor named “Talus,” given to Sir Arthegal, the SKILLS
son of Uriens and Igraine. (Arthegal was, therefore, Fantastic (+6) Brawling
Arthur’s half-brother and a full brother to Morgause Superb (+5) Physique
and Morgan.) Arthegal styled himself the Knight Great (+4) Athletics
of Justice and Talus was intended to be his magical Good (+3) Willpower
squire, helping the knight mete justice throughout Fair (+2) Provoke
the Forest of Adventure. Unfortunately, Talus had a Average (+1) Notice

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FEATURES weakness is its mortal vessel, the corporeal body with

Inhuman Speed. The squire can move which it conceals its true form. In its natural state, the
an additional zone for free on its turn. All angel is a being of pure spirit. In this state, angels can
Athletics rolls have a +1 bonus, raised to +2 change their own gender and, if Raphael is to be be-
if the squire is using its action to move. lieved, even have sex by merging their spiritual selves.
Supernatural Strength. The squire has a Angels tend to be single minded; they obey a
+6 on rolls to lift or break things and a +2 divine plan which human beings cannot perceive
when grappling. It adds 4 to inflicted dam- and which angels see no need to explain. Wise PCs
age if it can bring its strength to bear. step back and let the angel perform its mission,
Mythic Toughness. The squire has natu- then clean up the aftermath. Unfortunate PCs
ral Armor:3 against all physical stress and don’t know they are dealing with an angel until
three additional minor consequences. it’s too late and the flaming sword has come out.
Implacable. The squire can spend a Fate This particular angel is named in Milton’s
point to reduce stress inflicted upon it by 2. epic poem and is more benevolent and sympa-
Track. The squire can use Notice thetic to man than some of its brethren. More
to track specific individuals. potent and famous angels could be of higher
rank (+9), while Michael himself might be +10.
STRESS
Physical: bbbb Mental: bbb Uzziel
CONSEQUENCES Supporting NPC
Four minor consequences. ASPECTS
“Strength of God”
Heaven and Hell Nemesis: Any Demon
Stick to the Plan
Never Apologize, Never Explain
Angel It’s Only Flesh
Angels were a common sight during the Grail Quest SKILLS
but rarely seen otherwise, and when they did appear Legendary (+8) Confidence
they were invincible in Epic (+7) Melee
battle. When a knight Fantastic (+6) Willpower
fought an angel, he Superb (+5) Brawl and Physique
was doing something
Great (+4) Occult and Perform
wrong, and he was in-
evitably rewarded with Good (+3) Athletics and Education
serious injury. Later, Fair (+2) Empathy and Investigate
knights like Galahad Average (+1) Notice and Rapport
would receive hom- FEATURES
age from angels who
recognized spiritual Celestial Music. Uzziel has a +2 on Perform
purity and divine will. rolls to create an advantage while singing.
However, Heaven does Armor of Faith. Uzziel can defend against
have agents and mes- Firearms attacks with Confidence until he
sengers here on Earth takes stress, whereupon his enemies real-
pursuing missions and ize his vessel can be hurt and “killed.”
priorities which have Hunter of Evil. Uzziel has a +2 on Investigate rolls to
nothing to do with the overcome when he is tracking demonic influence.
Arthurian Age, and it Being of Spirit. An angel can move back and
is in this context which forth between its corporeal vessel and a body of
PCs are most likely pure spirit, in which form it is invisible, imma-
to encounter them. terial, can travel anywhere in the world instant-
Regardless of the angel’s ly, and can move between Heaven and Earth. If
outward appearance — the angel’s physical vessel is destroyed, it can-
and it is often disguised not return to Earth in a new one until dawn.
as a common man or Shelter. An angel can protect a mortal be-
woman of humble ing from harm. It selects one person or ani-
status — an angel is a mal and uses its action to shelter the target,
warrior imbued with who can take no stress for that exchange. An
divine might. Its only angel can use this power in spirit form.

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Visions. Angels can appear to mortals as

a waking vision or in a dream. The angel
can use this power on any mortal anywhere Cockatrice
in the world and can be in spirit form. For a cockatrice, replace King of the Serpents
Supernatural Strength. In corporeal form, with Demonic Rooster. Eliminate Command
Snakes. The cockatrice is a clumsy flier, but
Uzziel has a +6 on rolls to lift or break can make extended leaps of about one zone.
things, a +2 on rolls to grapple, and in-
flicts +4 harm in hand-to-hand attacks.
Supernatural Toughness. In corpore-
al form, Uzziel has natural Armor:2 and The basilisk and cockatrice is not the sort of mon-
two additional minor consequences. ster an AL! protagonist is likely to face often. They
Flaming Brand. In corporeal form, Uzziel are best used in rare circumstances, perhaps after
can summon a flaming sword at will. The the heroes have received prophetic dreams or cryp-
sword is a supernatural Weapon:4. tic clues warning of the danger. If you are using one
STRESS in a scenario, consider adding an NPC “redshirt” to
Physical: bbbb Mental: bbbb the PC group. Killing the NPC gives the players a
warning as to what is happening, and they can use
CONSEQUENCES Fate points to ensure quick victory. After all, these
Five minor creatures are small and relatively easy to kill, provid-
ed you are fast enough to strike without being seen.
Basilisk and Cockatrice Each of them also has a natural enemy in nature;
weasels are immune to basilisk venom and attack
Nameless NPC, Scale 0 with the benefits of a nemesis aspect. Roosters, in
The basilisk and its relative the cockatrice are turn, enjoy the same benefits against a cockatrice.
diabolical creatures, aberrations from the natural
world whose inherent wrongness is expressed by a Basilisk
poisonous venom so dangerous and deadly that it
kills without touch. The creatures are not intelligent ASPECTS
but are exceedingly lethal, and are sometimes used King of the Serpents
as guardian animals by especially canny and pow- Unnatural Spawn
erful black magicians, evil Faeries, and witches. The Deadliest Venom
The basilisk is a serpent, the egg of which has
been hatched by a rooster. The cockatrice is its op- SKILLS
posite: a malignant egg laid unnaturally by a rooster Great (+4) Confidence
and hatched by a toad. The cockatrice has a roost- Good (+3) Notice
er’s body but a serpentine tail and scaly skin. The Fair (+2) Stealth
basilisk is most notable for the white markings on Average (+1) Athletics
its head which resemble a crown, a feature which
FEATURES
earned it its nickname as the King of Serpents. In
both cases, the egg is generated by diabolical influ- Command Snakes. The basilisk can spend a Fate
ence. Whereas mortals are sometimes preyed upon point to issue a single command to all snakes
by succubi and incubi, spawning half-demon chil- present in the scene. If the snake is a Supporting
dren who grow to terrorize mankind, the basilisk and or Main NPC, it resists with Willpower.
the cockatrice fill the same role in a different arena. STRESS
They are Hell’s agents in the animal kingdom.
Both creatures kill with a glance, and their gaze is None.
lethal. They can attempt to poison anyone who attacks CONSEQUENCES
them, simply by looking at them. During their turn,
they can use their own actions to focus their gaze on A single point of stress Takes Out
one creature. In both cases, the potential victim rolls a basilisk or cockatrice.
Willpower to avoid the gaze, while the basilisk or GEAR
cockatrice rolls Confidence. If the monster wins, the Dressing: Dressing a basilisk or cockatrice — usu-
target is afflicted with poison which kills him in three
ally as a simple snake or chicken — is an espe-
exchanges. Alchemists know of an antidote to basilisk
cially dangerous assassination weapon, since the
venom, but without this cure, the victim is certain to
die. The deadly gaze of these creatures is so potent creature loses its venomous gaze so long as it is in
that animals sicken and plants wither; this is often disguise. Removing the glamour suddenly reveals
the best clue that a basilisk or cockatrice is nearby. the monster’s true nature, usually to deadly effect.

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Demon portray one in your game, imag-

ine an updated version of Michael
In the Arthurian Age Keeton’s Beetlejuice) and talk a good
it was rare for knights game, but are easily cowed and will
to battle demons, but flee if they lose the advantage. This
that is not to say that particular example maintains his
demons did not ap- human disguise with a hooked
pear. Rather, demons prosthetic hand instead of a fork.
became quite common The natural form of a demon
during the Grail Quest, is an intangible, invisible body of
and fighting them pure spirit. Such a demon can travel
was entirely useless. anywhere in the world instant-
Demons appeared ly and move between Hell and
in the quest in or- Earth. But the act of summoning
der to trick or tempt a demon gives it a physical vessel
knights, usually into which, while strong and resilient,
performing violence or is not immune to harm. Although
else giving in to desire they can theoretically be de-
or greed. Knights who stroyed, demons remain among
resisted these tempta- the most dangerous foes any
tions saw the demons Arthur Lives! PC might face. The
suddenly revealed and greatest of rank-and-file demons
vanquished. The only pro- might be Legendary (+8) while demon
tagonists who actively battled demons princes are even more terrifying (+9).
with weapons were holy knights like Galahad, and
their victory — while assured — was dependent Barbariccia
on faith and virtue, not their swords or even skill. Supporting NPC
In a modern AL! game, demons can retain their
role as spiritual testers while also embracing their ASPECTS
use as obstacles which must be physically confronted Dante’s Demons
and overcome. Shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Argumentative
Supernatural, along with countless films, have made Cowardly
the concept of “fighting demons” so ubiquitous as to Soldier of Hell
be virtually commonplace. In the first season of Arthur The Claw!
Lives!, the demons PCs encounter probably aren’t
SKILLS
here for the PCs. There is no Grail Quest, no tests
which separate the worthy knights from the unworthy. Epic (+7) Melee
Instead, the PCs run into demons who are already Fantastic (+6) Provoke
here on Earth, who may have been here for some time, Superb (+5) Athletics
and which are pursuing their own evil goals without Great (+4) Physique
much knowledge or interest in resurrected Arthurians. Good (+3) Brawl
The demon presented here might be summoned by Fair (+2) Deceive
a black magus or coven of witches. He has a legendary Average (+1) Notice and Stealth
pedigree, having been mentioned in Dante’s Inferno FEATURES
as one of the Malebranche (“Evil Claws”) enforcing
the 8th circle of Hell. This is where sinners of graft are By Hook or by Crook. A Malebranche
found: anyone who has used his position in society to uses Melee to wield its fork, even if the fork
reap material or other rewards. Politicians who thrive has been given the shape of an improvised
on bribes and gifts from lobbyists, hedge fund manag- weapon (such as a prosthetic hook).
ers, anyone who gets “a little something” from those Canny Fighter. Barbariccia has a +2 on Melee
beneath him simply for doing his job, all find their rolls to create an advantage with its fork,
way to Malebolge in the 8th circle, and they make such as Disarmed or Pinned to the Wall.
excellent victims for a demon of this sort. Physically, Provoke Graft. In the appropriate non-combat
the Malebranche are winged demons with claws and situation, a Malebranche can use Provoke to in-
tails; they wield long forks which they use to keep sin- cite a mortal to graft, which is to betray another
ners trapped in punishing pools of boiling tar. They person by extortion, blackmail, or bribery. To do
are rude, crude, and vulgar in the extreme (when you this, the demon attacks with Provoke, inflicting
mental stress. If the victim suffers a consequence,
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he does what the demon urges him to do. is able to abandon the child, but never kill it, for the
Shoplifting from a convenience store might be women are victims of a terrible curse that makes them
minor, accepting a bribe from a corrupt subcon- blind to the monster’s inhumanity and wicked nature.
tractor is moderate, while extorting money from Because of their hideous appearance, devil spawn
a family in need of your medical skills is major. usually retreat from society and are found in the rural
Being of Spirit. A demon can abandon its phys- countryside, the alleys of an abandoned downtown,
ical form at will, becoming a being of pure spirit. closed factories, and sewer tunnels. But they are not
In this shape, it is intangible, invisible, can travel stupid, and their infernal heritage makes them a
anywhere in the world instantly, and travel be- natural leader to the wicked, cruel, and desperate.
tween Hell and Earth. A demon cannot adopt It is not uncommon to find one surrounded by a
spirit form when exposed to the direct light of small gang of redcaps, walking corpses, or Satanists
the sun and, if in spirit form when exposed to the who serve it and are in awe of its power. Such a foe
sun, is instantly returned to Hell until nightfall. might be better armed and equipped than the exam-
Visions. A demon can appear to mortals as ple below; in that case, swap out Brawl for Melee.
a waking vision or in a dream. The demon The devil spawn depicted here is a monster, a
can use this power on any mortal anywhere tough but relatively straight-forward foe that makes
in the world and can be in spirit form. a good obstacle or fight scene, without being the real
Vessel. Barbariccia’s corporeal form can change brains behind the scenario. In special circumstanc-
back and forth between its true, demonic, ap- es, demonic children can appear human or have the
pearance and that of a middle-aged well-beard- ability to adopt a pleasing form. More intelligent,
ed corporate lobbyist for the coal industry patient, and adaptable than their hideous cousins,
who has a prosthetic hook for a hand. these half-demons make good primary antago-
Inhuman Strength. In corporeal form, nists for your AL! scenarios and are especially good
Barbariccia has a +3 bonus on rolls to lift or rivals for incarnations of Merlin, who was saved
break things, a +1 on rolls to grapple, and in- from this fate only through divine intervention.
flicts +2 harm in hand-to-hand combat.
ASPECTS
Supernatural Toughness. In corporeal form,
Barbariccia has natural Armor:2 and two addi- Son of a Demon
tional minor consequences. Virtuous characters Misshapen Monstrosity
who call on God can attempt a Confidence roll Enormous Appetites
against a difficulty of +2; the first character in Avoids the Sun
the conflict who succeeds on the test can ignore Evil Underlings
the demon’s armor for the rest of the scene. SKILLS
Darkness Visible. A demon can see
perfectly in any darkness. Fantastic (+6) Physique
Winged. In its true demonic form, a Malebranche Superb (+5) Brawl
has dragon-like wings which allow it to fly. Great (+4) Provoke
Good (+3) Willpower
STRESS Fair (+2) Occult
Physical: bbbb Mental: bb Average (+1) Notice and Stealth
CONSEQUENCES FEATURES
Three minor Take the Blow. The devil spawn can defend against
hand-to-hand physical attacks using Physique,
GEAR but always takes 1 point of stress on a tie.
Prosthetic Claw (Weapon:1) which, when in full Darkness Visible. The devil spawn can
demon form, is a long fork (Weapon:2) that can even see perfectly in any darkness.
be thrown. The claw is a supernatural weapon. Supernatural Strength. Devil spawn are far
stronger than any mortal. They have a +6
Devil Spawn on Physique rolls to lift or break something,
a +2 on Physique rolls to grapple, and in-
Supporting NPC flict +4 harm with hand-to-hand attacks.
The women preyed upon by incubi have an awful, Supernatural Toughness. Devil spawn have
tragic future in store, for their offspring are tainted Armor:2 and two additional minor consequenc-
by the devil. Once born, they grow with supernatural es. The first PC who makes an appeal to God and
swiftness and are taller than most men within only a succeeds in a Confidence roll against a difficulty of
few short months. Misshapen and deformed, they are +2 ignores this armor for the duration of the scene.
covered in thick black hair. Sometimes the mother

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Immune to Bullets. The devil spawn can spend FEATURES

1 Fate point to defend against all firearm attacks List of Crimes. Cruz has a +2 bonus to create an
with Physique for the duration of the conflict. advantage with Provoke if he gets the chance to rattle
Minions. Give the devil spawn gangs of red- off his long list of murders and other atrocities.
caps, walking corpses, or human NPCs. Drug Trade. Cruz has a +2 to overcome
STRESS with Contacts when the person he is try-
ing to call upon is part of the illegal drug
Physical: bbbb Mental: bbbb
trade, as either a provider or customer.
CONSEQUENCES Fiendish Might. Cruz can spend a Fate
Four minor. point to shake off the effect of a spell af-
ter it has already affected him.
GEAR Bros. Cruz’s two mobs of Walking Corpses are
Baseball bat (Improvised Weapon:1), long seldom far away. If they are lost in battle, he
trench coat with hood, massive boots. can replenish them with the newly dead.
STRESS
Fiendish Corpse Physical: bbbb Mental: bbbb
The Fiendish Corpse was once a named NPC, CONSEQUENCES
infamous for his wickedness and cruelty. He walks
again through a combination of necromancy and the Two minor consequences.
powers of Hell. Though he remembers his past life GEAR
and is in some sense the same person, there is also
Always a pistol and knife. Unless moving about
something demonic about him, and he hates all life.
in public and trying to keep a low-profile, Cruz
Simon Cruz will also have a shotgun or assault rifle.
Dressing: Simon Cruz is a corpse. The only rea-
Supporting NPC son he hasn’t rotted away to a skeleton is because
In the early ‘90s, Simon Cruz was a drug kingpin of the black magic which animates him. Glamour
with a marijuana network based in Mexico but which makes him appear as a clean-shaven Latino with
crawled over the Texas and Arizona borders. After black hair, thick eyebrows, and an unsettling grin.
killing two tourists from Michigan, he was caught
and tried on federal murder charges. At his trial, a
long list of his alleged activities in Mexico, includ- Incubus and Succubus
ing several more murders for which he had been Supporting NPC
neither charged nor convicted, was shown to the Some of the most well-known demons in Hell, the
jury, who sentenced him to death. He spent about incubus (“lie above”) and succubus (“lie beneath”) are
eight years awaiting execution by lethal injection. actually the same creature capable of changing its
That should have been the end for him, but a black gender at will. As a succubus, the demon visits men at
magus looking for a lieutenant retrieved Cruz’s soul night, “riding” them, collecting their seed, and leaving
from Hell and put it in the body of a sacrificial victim. them with only confused and dream-like memories
For the last two years, Cruz has been tearing his way of the experience. Thus armed, the demon changes
across Mexico and the American Southwest. There is to male form, finds a vulnerable woman, and engen-
no crime or offense which he will not casually perform. ders a demonic spawn through seduction or rape.
Indeed, in his fiendish wickedness, he can now perform Succubi and incubi are frequently summoned by
no good deed. Everything he touches turns to evil. witches and black magi who seek to satisfy their
ASPECTS own lust. Over time, this binds the mortal closer to
Hell and makes it easier for the demon to manip-
Drug Kingpin ulate its “master”; the succubus usually puts up a
Executed Murderer show of struggle while actually welcoming such a
Dead relationship. The demon presented here is just such
Animated by a Demon a summoned agent, gathering information on the
SKILLS PCs while serving as its master’s eyes and ears. It
Superb (+5) Physique cannot touch any chaste mortal, a definition which
Great (+4) Firearms includes not only those who have avoided all sex, but
Good (+3) Confidence and Willpower also those who are loyal to their married spouse.
Fair (+2) Brawl and Provoke Before introducing an incubus to your game, con-
Average (+1) Leadership and Occult sider where your table draws the line at depictions
of sex or violence. Both the succubus and incubus

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are symbols of rape, and are not to be treated ca- Inhuman Toughness. In mortal form,
sually in game. While they make useful agents of an incubus has natural Armor:1 and ad-
your primary antagonist, their sexual attention is ditional minor consequence.
best focused on NPCs whom the PCs can protect
STRESS
and defend. At the same time, the transgender el-
ements of Arthur Lives! create interesting story op- Physical: bbb Mental: bb
portunities with these demons. When a queen or CONSEQUENCES
damosel is reincarnated as a man, or a knight finds
himself reborn in a woman’s body, a succubus is Two minor
uniquely able to adopt whichever shape the PC
finds both most attractive and most problematic. Questing Beast
ASPECTS The Questing Beast was Glatisant, a demon with
Demon of Lust the forequarters of a leopard and the rear quarters
Repelled by Chastity of a lion, the head and neck of a serpent, and the
I Know What You Like hooves of a stag. From its belly came the sound of
Lover, Not a Fighter sixty hounds barking; this noise would still only when
the creature paused to drink. The noise Glatisant
SKILLS made ensured that it was easy to follow, but its great
Superb (+5) Deceive and Provoke speed and elusiveness made it impossible to catch.
Great (+4) Confidence and Occult In origin it was an abomination: the offspring of a
Good (+3) Investigate and Perform mortal woman and a creature of Hell. This woman
Fair (+2) Contacts and Stealth lusted after her brother and made a bargain with a
Average (+1) Athletics and Physique devil in order to procure her brother’s love in return.
She slept with the devil in order to seal the contract,
FEATURES but the creature, true to its nature, betrayed her and
Seducer. An incubus can use Deceive to se- convinced her to publicly accuse her brother of rape.
duce someone, instead of Rapport. Her father had his son eaten by dogs as punishment,
Sexy Lies. An incubus has a +2 when using Deceive but the innocent man prophesied before his death that
to create advantages related to seduction. his wicked sister would give birth to a creature whose
Can’t Con a Con-Man. An Incubus can de- belly would echo the sound of the hounds which
fend against lies using Deceive. fought over the corpse. The Questing Beast is the
Rapist. In appropriate non-combat situations, the result of incestuous desire and demonic bargaining.
incubus can use Deceive to inflict mental stress on It’s likely the beast first appeared along the west-
a target. A Taken Out condition usually results in ern coast of Britain, because it was King Pellinore
non-consensual sex. This should not be the outcome of the Isles who first pursued it and who made the
when the succubus’s target concedes, however. creature his own personal nemesis. Pellinore insist-
One Person, Many Faces. When an incubus meets ed that only he or a member of his distinguished
someone for the first time, it can spend a Fate point to family – already tasked with keeping the Holy Grail
declare it has met that person before, in another guise. and the Holy Lance – could catch and kill Glatisant,
Shape Shifter. The incubus can adopt any hu- but it is not clear whether he actually believed this
man shape at will, as long as it is attractive. or if he simply did not want any other knight horn-
When it changes its appearance, it can also ing in on his quest. Pellinore would typically spend
change its clothes, but it cannot adopt Armor. a year at a time hunting the beast, then take some
Being of Spirit. The incubus can abandon its time off to visit Camelot and Arthur before hitting
physical form at will, becoming a being of pure the questing trail once more. Glatisant became a
spirit. In this shape, it is intangible, invisible, can symbol of Questing itself, and this is how it got its
travel anywhere in the world instantly, and move popular name. Prior to that, Pellinore had simply
between Hell and Earth. An incubus cannot adopt been called “the Knight with the Strange Beast.”
spirit form when exposed to the direct light of Although modern authors have sought to recast
the sun and, if in spirit form when exposed to the Glatisant as benevolent and even something of a
sun, is instantly returned to Hell until nightfall. lovesick beast who lures Pellinore on, not out of
Darkness Visible. The demon can an evil nature, but out of affection, the roots of the
see perfectly in any darkness. myth are clear on its demonic origin. As a demon,
Inhuman Strength. In mortal form, an in- Glatisant lured a good knight and king away from his
cubus has a +3 bonus on rolls to lift or break proper duty; Pellinore neglected his people and his
something, a +1 on rolls to grapple, and in- lands, and his constant questing led him to a great
flicts +2 harm with hand-to-hand attacks. deal of immoral behavior. He had bastards all over

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England, more than he himself knew about, and his Each Questling should be carefully crafted by the
obsession over the pursuit of Glatisant led him first GM. After all, it is the chief antagonist for any player
to take Arthur’s horse and then later to fight Arthur incarnation of Pellinore, and the player should have
in mortal combat. If not for the arrival of Merlin, significant input into the shape that the Questling
Pellinore would have slain the Boy King. Pellinore will take. If the Questling is a traditional antago-
was a mighty warrior whose defeat of Lot sealed nist — someone he can fight and defeat — Pellinore
Arthur’s rise to power, and Arthur benefited much should succeed in defeating the Questling at least
from Pellinore’s advice and counsel, but Pellinore’s once, so that the escape of the Questling (and the
obsession with questing led to many misdeeds. To ultimate frustration of the quest) can be made explicit
put it more plainly: Pellinore did not fail to catch the in the campaign. Sometimes the quest is for a spe-
Beast because of his sins, it was his choice to pur- cific physical object which, while not able to defend
sue the Beast that led to the sins in the first place. itself, is nevertheless hidden and possibly protect-
The right thing to do was to never chase the Beast. ed by guardians or traps. The best method here is
After Pellinore’s death at the hands of the Orkney to simply ensure that, instead of finding the object
clan, the Muslim knight Sir Palomides took up of quest, Pellinore instead finds another clue to the
the quest of Glatisant, but he had no better luck object’s actual location. Each step along the journey
than Pellinore did. Eventually, after converting promises to be the end of the rainbow, but the pot of
to Christianity and securing the help of the Grail gold remains elusive. When the quest becomes boring
Knights Percival and Galahad, the three knights for the player, the GM can create traps and guardians
which represent the Questling’s demonic influence.
succeeded in driving the beast into a lake and killing
The object is found, but the Questling has fled to a
it. Since Percival was Pellinore’s nephew, it’s pos-
new, even more priceless or sought after, object.
sible Pellinore was right after all: Glatisant could
Here are some guidelines for coming up
only be killed by a member of the Grail family. with game statistics for Questlings:
Questlings • Main NPC: The Questling is constructed as a Main
NPC, even if it is an inanimate object (Leonardo’s
A Questling can take almost any form, depending Lost Painting) or idea (Cure for Cancer). It addition
on the sort of quest which an incarnation of Pellinore to its Questling aspect, it has five other aspects.
happens to be pursuing. Each incarnation of Pellinore
makes this decision independently, it does not change • Skills: The Questling has skills, though those
skills might not be from the same list as PCs if it
for the life of the incarnation, and it defines the shape
has an unusual form. For example, a tradition-
of the Questling which that incarnation will hunt.
al bad guy can have Athletics and Melee, but
The possible forms a Questling might take are if Pellinore is a firefighter and his Questling is
infinite. An individual incarnation of Pellinore might The Big Fire, it may have skills like Burn, Choke,
search for a thing (the Ark of the Covenant, Aristotle’s Spread, Conceal, and Frighten. Regardless,
book on Comedy, the wreck of the Lusitania), a person its highest skill is 2 higher than Pellinore’s.
(a long-lost father, the leader of Al Qaeda, or “the
• Refresh: The Questling does not have refresh like
man who killed my wife”) or even a concept or idea
a PC, but it can buy stunts and extras equivalent to
(Unified Field Theory, the Great American Novel, the
Pellinore. Again, construct its stunts and extras to
ultimate martial art style). Regardless of the nature of suit its form. The ideal Questling fights Pellinore
Pellinore’s quest, a demon arises from Hell to merge on the knight’s chosen terms, but is so good that
with the object of that quest. Thus, a Questling is born. Pellinore cannot match it without Fate points.
When a Questling arises, it makes that particular
quest harder to attain. Because a Questling can take • Gaining in Power: As Pellinore gains re-
fresh and as his skill cap goes up, the same
infinite forms, it is not possible to provide game sta-
increases apply to the Questling.
tistics for every possible Questling. Instead, Questling
is an aspect that is applied to a creature, thing, or • The Questling Aspect: The Questling has a
concept, which gains skills, stunts and extras as if nemesis aspect that applies to one incarnation
it were a character. The Questling remains in its of Pellinore, but no one else.
current form until the quest is somehow achieved.
At that moment, the Questling flees from its “host”
and migrates to a new one, which becomes the new
Saint
Especially virtuous people sometimes return
Questling. An incarnation of Pellinore can find the to Earth after their death as agents of the divine.
man who killed his wife, he can find the Ark of the Because they were human, they can identify with
Covenant, and he can perfect the ultimate martial and relate to mortals in a way angels simply can’t.
art, but as soon as he does so the Questling chang- At any given time, anywhere in the world, some-
es form and the quest must begin all over again. one sick or suffering is asking for help from a ven-
erated saint, a long-dead but honored relative, or

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spiritual patron. In Arthur Lives!, all of the beings ASPECTS

thus called upon can be categorized as “saints.” Patron Saint of Magicians
A saint is typically sent to Earth for a specific There Are Things I’m Forbidden To Do
task and is given a corporeal vessel which dupli- Mortal No More
cates the appearance the saint had in life. Their Teacher of Youth
traditional powers are wise guidance, healing, and Prophetic Dreams
the exorcism of demons, but their curses are fu- Trickster
eled by the power of the divine and can include
everything from the infliction of disease or boils SKILLS
to the sudden strike of a pillar of celestial flame. Great (+4) Confidence and Rapport
Saints make useful plot devices for GMs, espe- Good (+3) Education, Perform and Willpower
cially as a way to introduce some advice, interpret a Fair (+2) Empathy, Investigate and Occult
vision, or reward a good deed that might otherwise Average (+1) Contacts, Deceive, Notice and Wilderness
go unnoticed. They are not as powerful as angels,
and can be threatened by demons or potent faeries, FEATURES
prompting PCs to come to their aid. The Arthurian Street Magic. Bosco has a +2 on Perform
Age was filled with holy men and hermits who wield- rolls to create an advantage on a group
ed divine magic; they can be modeled with these when he is performing magic.
game stats, though particularly powerful saints may Good with Kids. Bosco has a +2 on Rapport rolls
have Superb (+5) or even Fantastic (+6) skills. to overcome when he is talking to a young boy.
Fearless. Bosco has a +2 on Willpower
Don Bosco, Patron rolls to resist fear and intimidation.
Saint of Magicians Magical Talents. Saint Bosco has the magical
Over ten years ago, an Italian priest presented Pope talents of Blessings & Curses, Dispel, Divination,
John Paul II with a magic wand which had previous- Healing, Travel, Unseen Hand, and Ward. As with
ly belonged to Saint Giovanni Bosco. “Don Bosco,” enchantment, his spells always succeed, but instead
as he was known, had famously used stage illusions of generating EP, he takes mental and physical
to teach the Gospel to children and young people. stress. He can only work magic in corporeal form.
Presented with the wand and told his story, the Pope Divine Magic. Bosco has a personal reser-
dubbed Bosco the Patron Saint of Magicians. voir of 5 stress which he may use to offset
In life, Don Bosco was a selfless educator beloved the stress from working magic; this reservoir
by the poor and the young. He combined reason, resets at the beginning of each day.
kindness, and faith, and encouraged the open dis- Disembodied Spirit. Bosco’s natural form is
play of Christian love as a way to build self-esteem now a disembodied soul, in which form he
among disadvantaged youth. His religious acts is invisible and intangible. In this form, he
included fun, music, and games, and his youthful can instantly travel anywhere in the world
passion for stage magic led him to use illusion to and move between Heaven and Earth.
illustrate lessons from the Gospel. Visited by prophet- Vessel. Saint Bosco must be assigned a corpo-
ic dreams in life, providence led him to missionary real body by heavenly powers above his pay
work in Argentina among the native Patagonians. grade; he cannot change form on his own. Such
He is a relatively young saint, having been canon- a body resembles the one he had when alive. If
ized in 1934, less than fifty years after his death. it is destroyed, all his magic ends, he returns to
Sightings of Don Bosco are on the rise, though few Heaven, and he must petition for a new vessel.
who see him recognize the genial street illusionist in Visitation. Saint Bosco can appear to mortals
the long coat as a Catholic saint. While Saint Bosco’s either as a waking vision or in a dream. He can
official purview is limited to the mundane practice do this from anywhere on Earth or in Heaven.
of stage magic and illusion, he can see the return Tongues of Man. Bosco can speak
of enchantment in the world and has taken it upon all human languages.
himself to look out for virtuous enchanters and real
magicians as well. Whenever the Veil is near, Bosco STRESS
is often either on his way or just departing, having Physical: bb Mental: bbbb
given wise counsel to aspiring magicians who ar-
en’t aware of the real danger which true magic en- CONSEQUENCES
tails. When a magus gets in too deep, works a spell One minor
he can’t control, or lets his passion for the Other GEAR
Side overwhelm his better nature, Saint Bosco is
there. And when the deserving seek to use magic Magic wand which gives him a +1 on Willpower
for good, Saint Bosco’s hand is on their shoulder. rolls whenever he is working magic.

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Bibliography stuff for his version. Also, many relatively minor

characters in Malory have greatly expanded roles
in the Lancelot-Grail. For example, most of Balin’s
story in Arthur Lives! comes from the Lancelot-Grail.
The catalog of Arthurian literature, even just
“Return of the King” stories set in the mod- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Modern authors
ern era, is far too long to reproduce here. Only have turned the Green Knight into a symbol of nature
those which came up in the course of writ- and the environment, but in the original he’s just an
ing this book are mentioned, but further delv- enthusiastic hunter with a hot wife. The poem is not
ing by the curious will be well rewarded. long, it’s great fun, and anyone playing an incarnation
of Gawain will be grateful you looked it up. For senti-
Primary Sources mental reasons, read the translation by J.R.R. Tolkien.
The Faerie Queene. Spenser’s six-book epic poem is
Le Morte d’Arthur. Not many people know this, but little read nowadays, and few people even recognize it
there are actually two versions of Malory’s definitive as Arthurian literature despite Prince Arthur’s signifi-
treatment of the Arthur story. The first, the “theatri- cant role in the tale. There’s no question, Faerie Queene
cal release” if you will, was edited by William Caxton is not for the faint of heart. However, Spenser expands
and is the only version we knew about until compar- upon the world of Arthur’s early life, using recog-
atively recently. But in 1934 we found the Winchester nized characters like Ryons and Merlin while adding
Manuscript, a “Director’s Cut” which seems to be many new ones – like Arthegal, Talus, and the peer-
closer to what Malory actually wrote. Caxton ed- less Britomart. Some of his characters and creations
ited Malory to create a single long tale which was appear in this book, and the rest demand inclusion
sometimes contradictory and often meandering. in the evolving story that is Arthur Lives! The Penguin
The Winchester Manuscript wasn’t one single book, Classics single-volume paperback will do you fine.
but rather twelve different Arthurian stories written The Mabinogion. Welsh myth is an excellent source
independently. It is this version of Malory that lies for GMs because of the high level of magic and
at the root of Arthur Lives! and it’s the version I rec- adventure found in it. It’s a swell antidote for any
ommend. If nothing else, it helps a GM see the many fear that a game about Arthur is going to be boring.
different protagonists of Arthur’s court as rival player Penguin books has a perfectly serviceable and low-
characters, each with their own story. AL! GMs do cost edition. Only “Culhwch and Olwen” is explic-
not need to read Malory; after all, the game is set in itly Arthurian, but any of the tales can be mined
the present. But if you want to know more about all for stories, characters, and magical McGuffins.
the characters, you are going to have to get beyond The Romance of Arthur, New Expanded Edition. This
Wikipedia and read the darn book for yourself. Get is an anthology of Arthurian primary sources, trans-
the Norton Critical Edition, ISBN 0393974642. lated for those of us who don’t read Latin, Old French,
Chretien de Troyes. Chretien was the French poet who or Medieval German. Here you can read just about
created the character of Lancelot as well as the Holy every mention of Arthur in the historical records,
Grail. He wrote five Arthurian tales, the last of which is the Welsh Triads, and other poems and stories writ-
not complete. All of his protagonists – Percival, Owain, ten before Malory. Why? Because these texts all give
Lancelot, and more – are a bit beyond the scope of alternate versions of the characters you recognize
AL’s “season one,” but they beg inclusion in future from Malory, and that is all grist for the adventure
material. You can find a 2005 English translation pub- mill. Besides, why rely on another author to tell you
what happened in the Arthurian Age when you can
lished by Penguin for a very affordable price. Chretien
read the original versions and decide for yourself?
rewards those who take the time to read him; the fact
Edited by James Wilhelm and published by Garland.
that he was writing for a French princess invests his
Idylls of the King. Tennyson is responsible for mak-
work with a proto-feminist tone that is a good antidote
ing King Arthur popular again after centuries in
to some of the macho clichés of fantasy literature.
which no one bothered to read about him. Tennyson
The Lancelot-Grail. Also known as the “Vulgate” also wanted to “sanitize” Arthur, eliminating many
edition of the Arthur legend, the term “Lancelot- of the moral gray areas around the King’s behav-
Grail” refers to a large collection of French works ior in order to make him a better role model for
which predate Malory and which he used as sources England’s rulers at the time that Tennyson wrote.
for his own project. Most of us can’t afford copies of Even though 21st century readers (and gamers) are
the Lancelot-Grail; the paperback editions (edited going to want that moral ambiguity back, his poetry
by Norris Lacy) is a 10-volume set that goes for $300. is both haunting and catchy. Tennyson will get more
However, your university library should be able to play in future Arthur Lives! seasons; his versions of
get you a copy through interlibrary loan. Why both- Gareth and the Lady of the Lake are especially mem-
er? The Lancelot-Grail has a lot more magic and orable. Again, there’s an affordable Penguin version.
political intrigue in it; Malory cut out a lot of that A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Shakespeare

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never wrote about King Arthur, but he did write

about faeries. If you plan on taking your heroes Websites
to the court of Oberon and Titania, you really The Camelot Project at www.lib.rochester.edu/
ought to let those two speak for themselves. camelot. Hosted by the University of Rochester,
The King of Elfland’s Daughter. Few people read Lord the Camelot Project is a massive online database
Dunsany any more, but he was a fantasy author in of Arthurian tales, images, analysis and commen-
the pre-Tolkien mode and his vision of Faerie was tary. Many of us have gotten in the habit of doing
enormously influential on modern fantasists like our research online now, and avoiding the purchase
Neil Gaiman. In fact, Gaiman wrote the introduc- of books. If I’m talking about you, this is where
tion for the 1999 Del Rey Impact edition of the nov- you should go when you have questions about the
el. Dunsany is the source for AL’s emphasis on the myth. There’s a search function; you’ll be all right.
timelessness of Faerie, the specifics of the Veil, and Christopher Bruce’s Arthurian Name Dictionary,
for certain characters who dwell beyond its borders. published by Garland, is prohibitively expensive. But
Bruce has given his blessing to casual readers and the
Reference and entire text of his amazing reference work is online. It is

Criticism an index to everyone in Arthurian legend, and every AL!

player should use it to come up with character ideas.
http://www.nightbringer.se/arthurian.html
The Arthurian Companion. Phyllis Ann Karr wrote
this encyclopedia of Arthurian characters, objects,
and places in cooperation with Greg Stafford of
Pendragon fame. She has firm opinions on the various
Fiction
The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights. John
characters (loves Kay, hates Merlin) but she’s up front Updike’s favorite book was Malory, and at one point in
about them and writes with a funny, clever, feminist his career he tried to write a modern translation of the
voice. Karr is a wonderful reference guide to the myth, original. He started to get bored, and his translation
especially when coupled with Christopher Bruce’s became looser and looser, and better and better. The
Arthurian Name Dictionary (see Websites, below). book was never finished, but was published anyway.
The Arthurian Handbook. This textbook for an It’s useful to us now because Updike works hard to
Arthurian literature class, written by Norris Lacy, make the characters’ motivations and actions realistic.
Geoffrey Ashe, and Debra Mancoff, is better than He’s not writing a fantasy; this is a book about real
most and provides a great overview of the myth, the people. Since most players also want their characters
historical sources, and its modern interpretations and games to feel real – even if there are fire breathing
over the years. Read this book and The Romance of dragons about – Updike can be really educational.
Arthur, above, and you’ll know as much or more about Arthur, King. A pretty good example of a “Return
King Arthur as most modern Arthurian authors. of the King” story, this novel has a time-traveling
Suppressed Transmissions. Ken Hite – game de- Arthur arriving in World War II London. He be-
signer, GM, and inventor of the “high weirdness” comes a fighter pilot and participates in the Battle
campaign – wrote these essays for Steve Jackson’s of Britain. This is just the sort of thing player char-
Pyramid magazine. They were eventually collected acters like to do, and Arthur, King has a certain cin-
in two volumes which touch on bizarre conspir- ematic feel to it which Fate players will recognize.
acies, occult mysteries, and mash-ups of wildly The Once and Future King. T.H. White is satirizing
different campaign types. Entertaining, intellectu- Arthurian legend more than honoring it, but his
ally stimulating, and laugh-out-loud funny, Hite version of the myth has proven extremely influen-
touched on Arthur several times in both books. tial in how later generations have viewed the main
Also, his bibliography is to die for, though harder characters of Wart, Lance, and Jenny. White is the
to use as the years go by. Hite’s influence on Arthur origin of the idea that Merlin taught Arthur by trans-
Lives! is most visible in the Secret History chapter. forming him into various animals, that Merlin “aged
backwards” in time, and that the Questing Beast was
actually hopelessly in love with Pellinore. The musical
Camelot and Disney’s The Sword in the Stone are both
based on White. There is one very good reason to look
to White, however: he integrates Robin Hood into
the Arthurian legend, making Robin and his Merry
Men characters in the novel’s first book. If you want
to do the same, check out The Once and Future King.

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Knight Life. Peter David wrote this entertain- Most of the Knights of Pendragon are card-carrying
ing novel of a modern King Arthur who wakes members of the trenchcoat brigade, and their mag-
up in New York City and runs for mayor. David’s ic is as mysterious to them as it should be to us.
book is very much in the vein of White; his Merlin The Invisibles. Grant Morrison’s masterpiece of occult
has “aged backwards” until he now appears to conspiracy, pop cool, and kung fu action isn’t just a
be a young child. Knight Life has two sequels. great template for modern magic roleplaying, it is
Stardust. Written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated also explicitly Arthurian. You may also want Patrick
by Charles Vess, the comic is out of print and was Neighly and Kereth Cowe-Spigai’s annotations to
replaced by an illustrated novel. The story of a mor- the complex and information-rich series, Anarchy for
tal man and the magical creature he only eventually the Masses: The Disinformation Guide to the Invisibles.
comes to realize he loves, Stardust is a wonderfully
episodic travelogue through Faerie. Gaiman is heav-
ily indebted to Lord Dunsany and Shakespeare, and
Other Arthurian
doesn’t bother to hide it, but also creates characters
and amazing plot twists as only he can. The film
or Fate RPGs
Pendragon. Greg Stafford’s Pendragon is the one true
is entertaining, but substantially rewritten, and it Arthurian RPG, of which all others are but shadows.
fails to capture much of the subtlety of the novel. Over its long print history, Pendragon has delved into
Besides, you’d be missing out on all that lovely art. virtually all aspects of Arthurian Britain, including

Comics books on Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, as well as

rules for Arthurian magic and adaptations of count-
less legends both great and small. Recent editions
Camelot 3000. Mike Barr and Brian Bolland created
the definitive comic book version of the “Return of presents Stafford’s definitive Pendragon campaign,
the King” story way back in 1988, a twelve-issue series tracing the lives of your PCs throughout Arthur’s
which is still in print and very accessible. Narrators entire reign. When I had to decide between two or
running a science fiction version of Arthur Lives! must more competing versions of Arthur’s myth, it was
read this book, if only to be sure you don’t walk in the always nice to remember that another GM already
exact same footsteps when you do your own game. had to make that decision and he had probably read
Camelot 3000 is one of the strongest influences on AL!, more than I did. While I often ended up choosing
including not only the theme of the “second chance” differently than he, his perspective was always en-
but also concepts like incarnation, recognition, a lightening. Play Pendragon. It’s a wonderful game.
multinational cast, and questions of gender identity. The Dresden Files RPG and Dresden Accelerated. The
Mage: The Hero Discovered. Matt Wagner’s Mage is original Dresden Files RPG was a key source for
the archetypal “urban Arthur” comic series. Kevin Arthur Lives!, especially when it came to developing
Matchstick does not even realize he is the Pendragon the “three skill” magic system. AL! was also designed
reborn until the series is almost over, but Arthurian to be compatible with the Dresden RPG, so you could
elements swirl throughout, including incarnations of use characters and monsters from it in your game.
both Merlin and the Lady of the Lake. This is where I Dresden Accelerated is the newest iteration of the
got the mechanics for “dressing” Faeries from beyond RPG, but was too new to be an influence on this book.
the Veil. Wagner’s sequel series, Mage II: The Hero Camelot Trigger, by Rob Wieland, is part of Evil
Defined, adds Morgan le Fey as well as heroes from Hat’s Fate Worlds: Worlds in Shadow. It’s a “Return of
many other myths. GMs who want to mix Arthur up the King” story in mecha, which is a handy way of
with Hercules, Beowulf, and other cultures will want differentiating it from other SF treatments of Arthur’s
to read it; the rest of us can probably pass, as the series return. If you want to run Arthur Lives! in an anime-in-
became increasingly less about Arthur and more auto- spired far future setting, this book is the way to go.
biographical. The third volume has been announced. Knights of Invasion, another Fate world, this
The Knights of Pendragon, #1-18. The first volume of time by Richard Bellingham. Knights of Invasion
this Marvel UK series, written by Dan Abnett and is about a fantasy kingdom invaded by aliens, so
John Tomlinson with art by Gary Erskine and Andy it has a certain Camelot 3000 vibe to it. It’s filled
Lanning, is a surprisingly good template for mod- with innovative Fate system hacks designed to
ern magical adventure in the Arthurian mode. It’s handle everything from a knight’s mounts and ar-
also a rich horror story, with a Green Knight who mor to his retainers and tournaments. This makes
looks more like Cthulhu than Sean Connery, and it a useful toolbox of mechanical ideas for your
an environmental theme so important to the pub- AL! campaign, even if you don’t use the story.
lishers that the comic was printed on special envi- Corporia is one of the newer games on this list,
ronmentally friendly paper. Avoid the second series, and it’s by Mark Plemmons and published by
which has superheroes in a more traditional mode. Brabblemark. Corporia is Arthurian urban fantasy in
a corporate-run future inspired by Torchwood, Angel,
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and Shadowrun. The corporate structure gives the

PCs a clear boss and missions every session. There’s
magic and monsters, but also energy weapons and
cybernetic enhancement. Lancelot has been reincar-
nated and Merlin is a super-computer. The system
is simple and the game well-supported with many
adventures, all of which means it’s a trove of stories
and stuff for you to port into your Fate campaign.
Legends of Excalibur True20: Arthurian Adventures.
Legends, written by Charles Rice and published
by RPGObjects, is a sourcebook for playing in the
Arthurian setting. Because it focuses on setting over
mechanics, it is a rich resource for the Arthurian
Age. In particular, it includes a complete over-
view of Arthur’s life and reign, detailing the role
of many supporting characters which I have not
yet gotten to describe. Chuck’s take on the vari-
ous Arthurian characters is heavily influenced by
Tennyson; I can’t blame him, as Tennyson is much
easier to read than 700 year old middle English,
but that’s not the route I took when it came time
to write about the characters of Arthurian myth.
Because of this authorial difference, some of the
characters in Legends may seem to have little in com-
mon with their AL! counterparts beyond a name.
GURPS Camelot. This sourcebook for GURPS
3rd edition presents both historical and myth-
ic versions of Arthur’s reign. It is most useful to
GMs for its maps and historical overview, and
because it has game statistics for various magic
items, monsters, and NPCs. Other useful books in
the GURPS canon – which is extremely large and
diverse – include GURPS Celtic Myth (Ken and Jo
Walton) and GURPS Illuminati (Nigel Findley).
Relics & Rituals: Excalibur. Published by Sword &
Sorcery Studios (a White Wolf imprint), R&R:E blends
3rd edition D&D with Arthurian myth to create a
Camelot populated by orcs, dwarves, elves, and hal-
flings. It’s valuable to AL! GMs as a toolbox of potential
powers, stunts, treasures, monsters, and antagonists.

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 Index

Arthur Lives Index

A B
Abellus, Sir...................................................................101 Bacon, Francis...............................................121, 124-125
Accolon.........................................................36, 37, 69, 88 Badon Hill (battle).................................................. 13, 17
Age of Enchantment..........................................120, 175 Balan, Sir..........................................16, 20-22, 38, 66, 72,
Aglovale, Sir.................................................................. 41 100-101, 144, 145, 146
Agravaine, Sir.............18, 25, 26, 33, 34, 46, 52, 98, 139 Balin, Sir................................................................... 20-22
Ahnenerbe.................................................... 122-123, 158 Ban, King...........................15, 16, 48, 87, 97-98, 112, 144
Alberich, King of the Dwarves........................134-135 Barant, King of a Hundred Knights.............16, 96-97,
alchemy.................................................................... 62-65 100, 112
Alorda, Monsignor Doctor Lawrence............ 151-152 Barbariccia (demon).......................................... 186-187
Alveric........................................................................... 134 basilisks.........................................................................185
Amazons........................................................132, 133, 134 Baudwin, Sir.................................................................96
Ambrosius, King..........................................................30 bears.............................................................................. 146
Ambusher (stunt)........................................................54 Bed of Madness (echo)...............................................66
angels..................................................................... 184-185 Bedegraine................................................ 87, 97-98, 144
Anguish, King............................................................... 97 Bedivere, Sir.......................................................13, 18, 68
animals..................................................................146-149 Bertilak..............................................see Green Knight
Annwn...........................................................................133 Binding (magical talent)....................................... 75-77
Anonymous (organization)..................................... 126 Binding Spell...........................................................75-76
Answer Question (word of power).......................... 79 Bisclavret...................................................................... 164
Archery (skill)...............................................................44 Black Book of Carmarthen..................................... 166
Arden (forest)........................................................132-133 black magicians..........................................................156
Argentina...............................................................157, 191 Blackcaps (faeries).....................................................180
Armor of Faith (stunt)................................................46 Blackfeet (tribe).................................................... 121-122
Arthegal........................................................ 145, 183, 192 Blackmun, Nigel.........................................................156
Arthur, King..............................................................17-19 Blaise.................................................................. 30, 32, 98
Arthur, King (book)............................................ 114, 193 Blamoure, Sir....................................................... 101-102
Arthur, Prince of Wales............................................ 120 Blank Shield (stunt).................................................... 47
Arthurian (stunt).........................................................50 Bleeding Poison (elixir).............................................. 63
Arthurian Age.......................................................95-102 Blessings and Curses (magical talent)..............77-78
Arthur’s Mantle (echo)...............................................66 Blessing or Curse (spell).......................................77-78
Arthur’s Ship (echo)....................................................66 Bluecaps (faeries)......................................................180
Ashbless, William.......................................................122 boars...............................................................................147
Assassins (secret society)...................................125-126 Boatsman (stunt).......................................................... 39
Astrology (stunt).......................................................... 75 Bold Escape (stunt).....................................................50
Athletics (skill)........................................................ 44-45 Bors, King..........................15, 16, 48, 87, 97-98, 112, 144
“Arthur and the Porter”............................................ 166 Bow-Jutsu (stunt).........................................................44
Artificer (stunt)............................................................. 53 Brand, King.............................................................96, 97
Aryans......................................................122-123, 153, 158 Brastias, Sir.............................................................. 96-97
Avalon............................................................................132 Brawl (skill)...................................................................45
Avenable..................................................................49, 85 Breuse sans Pitie.....................................................13, 52
Awe (stunt)..................................................................... 39 Britomart.............................................. 144, 145, 183, 192
Buck and a Quarter Staff (stunt).............................45
Burglary (skill)..............................................................45
But I Don’t Want To Burgle (stunt).........................45

196
 Index

C D
Caball (dog)............................................................. 66-67 Dagonet...........................................................................51
Calling the Fiendish Corpse (spell).................. 83-84 Damosel (Path).........................................................13-14
Calming Elixir.............................................................. 63 Dance-Off (stunt)..........................................................51
Cameliard............................... 17, 25, 71, 98, 99, 101, 144 David, Peter................................................................. 194
Camelot.......................................................................... 67 Deceive (skill)......................................................... 46-47
Camelot (musical)............................................... 42, 193 DeMolay (organization)........................................... 154
Camelot 3000 (comic)....................................... 115, 194 Demon Hunter (stunt)...............................................48
Camelot Trigger (game)........................................... 194 demons..................................................................186-190
Camlann (battle)................................................... 18, 119 Demonologist (stunt).................................................42
Carados, King...............................................................96 Devil, The............................................................. 128-129
Carbonek.......................................... 14, 26, 70, 100, 104 devil spawn (half-demon)................................ 187-188
Carboni, Nick...................................................... 160-161 Dinadan, Sir...................................................................51
Carleon............................................................... 31, 96-99 Dindrane........................................................................ 41
Carmilla.................................................................161-162 Dipsomancer (stunt)................................................... 79
Cartel (secret society)............................................... 126 Dispel (magical talent)....................................... 78, 138
Cath Palug (Palug Cat)............................................. 166 Dis-Spell........................................................................ 78
Cauldron of Annwn.................................. 104, 120, 132 Divination.................................................................78-79
Chess Master (stunt)................................................... 27 dogs............................................................................... 150
Chimera (stunt)............................................................86 Dolorous Stroke....................................................99-101
Chink in the Armor (stunt).......................................44 Dominicans........................................................... 151-152
Chretien de Troyes.................................................... 192 Don Bosco, Patron Saint of Magicians.................191
Clarence, King.............................................................. 97 Douglass, General Scott...................................138-140
Clark, William.............................................................122 Dornar, Sir..................................................................... 41
Claudus, King..........................................................15, 97 Dracula.................................................. 120, 160, 161, 163
cockatrice......................................................................185 Dragon Banner (echo).......................................... 67-68
Colombe....................................................20, 99, 113, 127 Dragon of St George.......................................... 166-167
Command (stunt)........................................................49 dragons..................................................................166-170
Command the Corpse (word of power)................83 Ddraig Goch, the Red Dragon of Wales.......169-170
Companion (extra)...................................................... 56 dreams.................................................................... 112-114
Confidence (skill)........................................................46 dressing (of faeries).............................................137-138
Confident in Victory (stunt).....................................46 Drive (skill).................................................................... 47
Confident Necromancer (stunt).............................. 75 Dubric, Archbishop............................... 95-96, 101, 127
Congregation for the “dwarfs” (little people)...................................... 101, 174
Doctrine of the Faith...................................... 151-152 dwarves (faeries).......................................... 134-135, 195
Conjuring the Obedient Soldier echoes........................................................................65-73
(word of power)....................................................... 81
consequences................................................................. 11
Contacts (skill)..............................................................46 E
Conversion (stunt)....................................................... 19 Ector, Sir......................................13, 17, 28, 30, 31, 96, 98
cops................................................................................. 151 Edinburgh....................................................................138
Corporia (game).....................................115-116, 194-195 Education (skill)........................................................... 47
Cool Hand Luke (stunt).............................................46 Edward III.................................................................... 120
Cougar (stunt)............................................................... 35 Edward VIII.................................................................157
Counterspell (word of power).................................. 78 Elaine (Arthur’s sister)............................................... 33
Coven (extra).................................................................92 Elaine (Pellinore’s daughter)............................ 41, 102
Covert Affair (stunt).................................................... 47 Elaine of Astolat.......................................................... 14
Cradelmas, King.......................................................... 97 Elaine of Carbonek....................................... 14, 26, 102
Cruz, Simon (fiendish corpse)............................... 188 Elfland...........................................................................132
“Culhwch and Olwen”.................................66, 181, 192 Elizabeth I..................................................... 114, 121, 124
Cut (stunt).......................................................................51 Elusive Incarnation (stunt)....................................... 53
Cyber-Bully (stunt).....................................................46 Emotion (magical talent).....................................79-80

197
 Index

Emotion Magic (spell)..........................................79-80 Freemasons.......................................................... 124-126

Empathy (skill).............................................................48 Full Auto (weapon stunt).........................................106
Enchanter (Path)......................................................14-15 Full Tilt (stunt).............................................................45
Enchanting Potions (extra).......................................92 Fum the Giant......................................................176-177
Enchanting Refuge (stunt)........................................85
Enchanting Shape (stunt).........................................86
Enchanting Spell (stunt)........................................... 75 G
enchantment............................................................73-94 Gaheris, Sir..........18, 24, 33, 34, 35, 41, 98, 101-102, 139
enchantment consequences...............................90-94 Gaiman, Neil........................................................193, 194
Enchantment Points (EP)..................................... 73-74 Galahad, Sir.............................7, 8, 21, 22, 23, 26, 32, 41,
enforcers.......................................................................152 46, 70, 72-73, 106, 113, 114, 119, 127, 131, 184, 186, 190
Enochian.......................................................................127 Galatine (echo).......................................................69-70
Entzauberung der Welt Gareth, Sir..................................13, 18, 24, 25, 28, 29, 33,
(disenchantment of the world)............................... 121 34, 82, 86, 98, 139, 192
Erl (village)...................................................................132 Garlon, Sir...................................................................100
Escanor the Large........................................................70 Garnysh, Sir.................................................................101
Estate (extra)................................................................. 57 Gaul...................................................................97, 118, 119
Eternal Beauty (stunt)................................................ 81 Gawain, Sir...............................................................22-25
Ettard.........................................................................36-37 Geoffrey of Monmouth............................................. 113
ettercaps................................................................ 170-172 giants....................................................................... 175-177
Eustace, Duke............................................................... 97 Giant Killer (stunt)...................................................... 19
Excalibur..................................................................68-69 Glamour (magical talent).................................... 80-81
Excalibur’s Scabbard..................................................69 Glastonbury..................................................................38
Excellent Judge of Character (stunt)...................... 27 Glendower, Owen...................................................... 169
Extended Family (stunt)............................................46 Gloriana, Queene...................................................... 134
Extras.........................................................................55-58 Goblin Market.....................................................130, 133
God..........................................................................127-129
F Good Arm (stunt)........................................................45
Goodall, Shannon (R-UT).......................................140
Faerie (place)........................................................ 119-120 Goose Fat, Sir.............................................................. 124
Faerie Damsel.......................................................172-173 Gorlois..................................... 23, 30-31, 33, 80, 145, 175
Faerie Knights...................................................... 173-174 Grail Castle..................................................... 70, 119, 122
Faerie Queene (NPC).......................................... 174-175 Grail Quest.............. 21, 22, 25, 26, 36, 37, 41, 46, 48, 67,
Faerie Queene (book)........................................145, 192 112, 119, 121-122, 127, 128, 131, 184, 186
Faerie Shape (stunt)....................................................86 Grail Knight........................................................ 122, 190
Faerie Steed................................................................. 148 Gram (dog).................................................................... 56
Faerie Veil..............................................................130-131 Great Confidence (stunt)........................................... 75
Faeries.....................................................................172-175 Green Chapel.............................................................106
Faerie Underground (stunt)......................................46 Green Knight................... 9, 22, 23, 24, 53, 114, 192, 194
falcons............................................................................147 Greys (aliens)...............................................................153
Falsest Lady Living..............................20, 38-39, 72, 99 griffons....................................................................177-178
Fans (stunt).....................................................................51 Griflet, Sir......................................................... 40, 97, 98
federal agents...............................................................153 Gringolet (horse)................................24, 56, 61, 70, 107
Feint (stunt)................................................................... 22 Group Ritual (extra)....................................................92
Feng Shweet (stunt)....................................................50 Guinevere, Queen..................................................25-28
Fiendish Corpse (NPC)............................................ 188 Gumshoe (stunt)..........................................................48
Firearms (skill).............................................................48 Gwalchmai....................................................................24
Fisher King..................................... 21, 26, 70, 72, 77, 114 Gwenbaus..................................................... 15, 32, 47, 75
Flatterer (stunt)............................................................ 37 Gwynhyfar.....................................................................26
Follow Through (stunt)...............................................51
Fontaine, Lennie................................................. 9-10, 11
Forest Ghost (stunt)....................................................54
Forest of Adventure...................................................132
Fraternitas Saturnii
(Brotherhood of Saturn)................................157-158

198
 Index

H K
Ham Burglar (stunt)....................................................45 Kameradenwerk.........................................................157
hawks.............................................................................147 Karr, Phyllis Ann.........................................................193
Healing (magical talent)............................................82 Kay, Sir...................................................................... 28-30
Healing Elixir............................................................... 63 Keyless Entry (stunt)...................................................88
Heart of a Soldier (stunt)...........................................49 King (path).................................................................15-16
Heaven....................................................................127-128 King of Elfland........................................................... 134
Hell......................................................................... 128-129 King of Elfland’s Daughter......................................193
Hen Wen...................................................................... 166 Knight (path)..................................................................13
Herlews, Sir.................................................................100 Knights of Pendragon (comic)......................... 114, 194
Hervis de Revel, Sir...................................................100 Knights of Invasion (game)..................................... 194
high concept (aspect).................................................7-9 Knights of the Garter..........................................24, 120
hippogriffs....................................................................178 Knight of the Moon (faerie).............................. 173-174
Hoist (stunt)..................................................................45 Knight of the Road (stunt)........................................45
Holy Grail..........8, 18, 20-21, 23, 40, 65, 67, 70, 72, 106, Knights of the Round Table................................ 71-72
109, 118, 119, 121-123, 151, 189, 192 KOTUS (King of the United States)......................139
Holy Lance...............................................................70-71 Kung Fu George, Sir................................................. 124
horses..................................................................... 147-148
Human Sacrifice (extra).............................................92
L
I Lady de Vance..............................................100, 144-145
Lady of Shalott.......................... see Elaine of Astolat
I Am A Rock (stunt)....................................................54 Lady of the Lake.................................................... 35-40
I Know Your Heart (stunt).........................................48 Lamorak, Sir.......10, 18, 19, 23-24, 33-34, 35, 41, 42, 45
Idres, King..................................................................... 97 Lancelot, Sir...................................3, 5, 6, 8, 13-14, 17-18,
Idylls of the King..........................................95, 122, 192 21, 22, 23, 24, 25-27, 28-29, 37, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 60,
Igraine, Queen.....................17, 23, 30-31, 33, 34, 80, 96, 61, 63, 66, 67, 69, 71, 72, 75, 89, 95, 105, 106, 107,
98, 100, 124, 145, 183 109-110, 113, 115, 116, 119, 120, 128, 151, 153, 192, 193
Illuminati...............................................................125-126 Lancelot-Grail cycle............................................ 95, 192
In The Crosshairs (stunt)..........................................48 Lanceor, Sir..................................................... 20, 99, 113
incarnations.................................................................5-6 Lancer (stunt)................................................................49
incubus (demon).................................................188-189 Landis, Nathan.................................................... 145-146
Inferno (book)............................................................ 186 Lawyer (stunt)............................................................... 47
Inspiring Beauty (stunt)............................................. 52 Leadership (skill)...................................................48-49
Intimidating Physique (stunt)...................................51 Leodegrance, King......................17, 25, 71, 98, 101, 144
Investigate (skill)..........................................................48 Leprous Lady..................................................41, 94, 100
Invisibles (comic)....................................................... 194 ley lines........................................................................... 91
Iron Stallions (stunt)................................................... 47 Lewis, Meriweather............................................ 121-122
Ironside, Sir...................................................................24 Linguist (stunt)............................................................. 47
ISIS.................................................................................125 lions........................................................................148-149
Islam........................................................ 125, 127-128, 190 Lirazel........................................................................... 134
Isolde..............................................8, 10, 50-51, 52, 63, 79 Loholt, Sir......................................................................29
Longarm (weapon stunt).........................................106

J Longbow Hunter (stunt)............................................54

Longinus.................................................................. 21, 70
James I, King........................................................ 121, 124 Lot, King.................................................................96-100
Jefferson, Thomas............................................... 121-122 Lothian....................................................... 33, 34, 69, 138
Joseph of Arimathea...................................................70 Love Elixir............................................................... 63-64
Lucan the Butler, Sir................................................... 97
Lucifer.....................................................see Devil, The
Ludd of the Silver Arm.....................................139, 169
Luke (werewolf ).................................................. 164-165
Lynette, Dame............................................ 14, 51, 82, 86
Lyonors........................................................14, 18, 98, 134

199
 Index

M N
Mab, Queene...............................................................135 nemesis (aspect)........................................................... 10
Mabinogion................................................................. 192 Nantres, King................................................................96
Maeve, Queene of Elphame............................. 174-175 Nazis........................................................................122-123
Mafia............................................................................. 126 Necromancy (magical talent)............................. 82-84
Mage (comic)........................................................ 116, 194 Nero........................................................................144-146
magus (NPC).........................................................155-156 Nerves of Steel..............................................................54
Make My Day (stunt)..................................................48 Never Too Close (stunt).............................................44
Maker of Fashion (stunt)........................................... 27 Nimue........................................................................ 35-37
Malebranche (demons)..................................... 186-187 Nineve....................................................................... 37-40
Malory, Sir Thomas................37, 95, 109, 121, 192, 193 Norgales....................................... 15, 97-99, 119, 144-146
manticores.............................................................178-179 Northampton...............................................................155
Marhaus, Sir.............................................................8, 24 Nothing Up My Sleeve (stunt).................................45
Marias River.................................................................122 Notice (skill)..................................................................50
Mark, King..........8, 15, 16, 20, 48, 51, 52, 67, 79, 99, 175 Now You See Me (stunt).............................................88
Marrok, Sir.................................................................. 164
Master Occultist (stunt)............................................. 75
Master of Disguise (stunt)......................................... 47 O
Master of Shapes (stunt)............................................ 75 Oberon, King.............................................................. 134
Master of the Kitchens (stunt).................................29 Occult (skill)..................................................................50
May Babies..............................................................98-99 Old Ned, the Boxcar King....................................... 142
Meet The Magus (stunt)............................................50 Once and Future King (book).................................193
Melee (skill).............................................................49-50 Once and Future King (game)................................. 115
Meliagrant, Sir.............................................................. 25 One for Each of You (stunt)...................................... 22
Melion, Sir................................................................... 164 Order of the Holy Vehm....................................122-123
Meliot, Sir.................................................................... 102 Organization (extra)...............................................57-58
Mending Spell..............................................................82 Orion, Prince............................................................... 134
Merchant of Death (stunt)........................................ 52 Outelake, Sir............................................................... 102
Merlin....................................................................... 30-32
Method Actor (stunt)...................................................51
milestones.............................................................104-105
Minions (extra)............................................................. 57
P
Palomides, Sir.................................................. 8, 40, 190
Miraculous Word.........................................................82 Panopticon (secret society)...............................125-126
Monster in the Lake (dragon).......................... 167-168 Parapsychologist (stunt)............................................50
Monstrous Shape (stunt)...........................................86 Passing Notes in Class (stunt).................................. 53
Montauk Chair.....................................................157-158 paths...........................................................................12-42
Mordred, Sir..........................10, 13, 17, 18, 23, 24, 26, 27, Patrise, Sir........................................................................ 5
31, 33-34, 35, 36, 45, 46, 52, 60, 66, 67, 68, 99, 110, Pattern Recognition (stunt).......................................48
113, 115, 119, 139 Payoff Flashback (stunt)............................................. 52
More Reach (stunt).....................................................49 Peer (stunt).................................................................... 35
Morgan le Fey....................... 14-15, 18, 27, 33, 34, 36, 47, Pellam, King.........................................................100-101
51, 61, 69, 73, 80, 84, 98, 100, 105, 114, 119-120, Pelleas, Sir............................................................... 36, 37
145, 149, 183, 194 Pellinore, King........................................................40-42
Morgause..................................................................33-35 Pendragon (game)...................................................... 194
Mr. Invisible.................................................................141 Peron, Eva.....................................................................157
Mythic Vision (stunt)..................................................48 Peryne, Sir...................................................................100
Pendragon, King.......................................................... 95
Pentecost........................................................96, 102, 142
Percival, Sir...................... 18, 22, 24, 41, 46, 72, 123, 190
Percy (dog)..................................................................... 56
Percy, Henry................................................................. 121
Perfecti (rank)..............................................................153
Performance (skill).................................................50-51

200
 Index

Physique (skill)..............................................................51
Piano Man (stunt).........................................................51
Pilot (stunt).................................................................... 47
S
Sagramore, Sir................................................................8
places of power............................................................. 91 saints...................................................................... 190-191
plot gallery...........................................................107-109 Salisbury Plain............................................................. 18
Poison (elixir)................................................................64 Sanam, Earl...................................................................98
Potts, Hannah..............................................................165 Satan..................................................................see Devil
Powers, Tim.................................................................. 117 Satanism......................................... 122-123, 129, 157, 187
Pridwen...........................................................................71 Scale........................................................................137-138
Prince Valiant.......................................................... 8, 124 Scattershot (weapon stunt).....................................106
prophecy................................................................ 112-114 School of Night........................................................... 121
Provoke (skill).......................................................... 51-52 Schwan, Gretchen...............................................153-154
psychic powers........................ 107, 115, 117, 125, 126-127, seasonal approach..............................................109-110
153-154, 158, 161 Seattle........................................................................6, 141
“secret masters”................................................... 123, 153
Q Security Officers (NPC)......................................156-157
Seduce (stunt)............................................................... 52
Q (stunt)......................................................................... 53 Sequence (sword).................see Sword in the Stone
Queen of Norgales........................................ 15, 119-120 Sense Magic (stunt)..................................................... 75
Queen of the Wastelands................................. 119-120 Shapeshift (magical talent)................................. 85-86
Queen’s Knights..................................................... 26, 27 sharks............................................................................ 149
Quest Aspects.............................................................106 Sharp Tongue (stunt).................................................. 52
Questing Beast (Glatisant)...............................189-190 shooter (NPC)..............................................................157
Questioning the Dead (spell)...................................82 Siege Perilous................................................ 51, 107, 158
Questlings....................................................................190 Simpson, Wallis..........................................................157
Single-Minded (stunt)................................................42
R Sir Gawain and the Green Knight ....................... 192
Skorzeny, Otto.............................................................157
Rahn, Otto.............................................................122-123 skills.......................................................................... 43-54
Raleigh, Sir Walter.............................................. 115, 121 Sleep When You’re Dead (stunt).............................54
Rapport (skill)............................................................... 52 Sleeping Elixir........................................................ 64-65
ravens............................................................................ 149 Slush Fund (stunt).......................................................49
Reclusive (stunt)........................................................... 37 snakes....................................................................149-150
recognition.............................................................. 59-62 Speaking Shape (stunt)..............................................86
Redcaps.................................................................179-180 Spell of Glamour................................................... 80-81
refresh.............................................................................. 11 Spell of Imprisonment............................................... 76
Refuge (magical talent)........................................ 84-85 Spell of the Walking Dead........................................83
Resources (skill)........................................................... 52 Spell of Warding....................................................89-90
Retain Belongings (stunt)..........................................86 Spelling, Simon....................................................155-156
Retroactive Crafting (stunt)...................................... 53 spiders.................................................................... 170-172
Revealing Word............................................................ 78 Spy Network (stunt)....................................................48
Rhodes, Cecil................................................122, 124-126 stags............................................................................... 150
Rialto......................................................................144-146 Stand Fast (stunt).........................................................49
Rice, Charles................................................................195 Starr, Christopher.................................................89-90
Ribbentrop, Joachim von.........................................157 Stealth (skill)............................................................52-53
Ribbentrop, Sophie von.....................................157-159 Steel Cutter (stunt)...................................................... 19
Rig the Game (stunt)................................................... 52 Stonehenge...................................... 30, 32, 88, 109, 130
Road Warrior (stunt).................................................. 47 Strange, Lord............................................................... 121
Robin Goodfellow (Puck)........................................ 134
Strength of the Sun (extra)........................................24
Ron (echo)......................................................................71
stress................................................................................. 11
Rosicrucians.................................................. 121, 122, 125
Student/Teacher Flashback (stunt)........................ 37
Round Table............................................................ 71-72
Stunts........................................................................ 43-54
Round Table Conspiracy...................................124-127
Subtle Art........................................................ 91, 117, 155
Ryons, King.......................................................... 144-145
succubus (demon)..............................................188-189
Rytgier (vampire).................................................162-163
suicide bomber (NPC).......................................159-160

201
 Index

Summon and Banish (magical talent)............. 86-87

Summoning (spell)................................................ 86-87
Sword in the Stone (Sequence)................................ 72
V
vampires................................................................160-163
Sword of Adventure............................................... 72-73 Vatican.....................................................120, 125, 151-152
Swordsmith (stunt)...................................................... 39 Vehicle (extra)...............................................................58
Sidney, Sir Philip........................................................ 121 Vest Concession.........................................................106
Syndicate (secret society)................................. 125, 126 Vietnam War.............................................................. 142
Visigoths................................................................118, 119
T Vivian.............................................................................. 37
Void Callers.................................................... 91, 129, 156
Talisman (extra)...........................................................92 Vordenburg, Baron.....................................................161
teamwork.....................................................................106 Vortigern, King.........................................30, 32, 78, 169
Technology (skill)........................................................ 53
Templars..............................................3, 117, 120, 121-122
Tennyson, Alfred Lord............ 14, 39, 95, 122, 192, 195
Tenure (stunt)............................................................... 47
W
walking corpses................................................... 163-164
Terrabil (castle)......20, 30-31, 34, 99-100, 113, 139, 145 Wall of Steel (stunt)..................................................... 22
That’ll Do (stunt).........................................................50 Walsingham................................................................. 121
“The Ones”.................................................................. 126 War of the Roses................................................. 115, 120
Thief of Hearts (stunt)................................................45 Ward (magical talent)...........................................89-90
Throne Room (stunt)..................................................46 Warren, Hiram.....................................................154-155
Tintagel.........................................................100, 144-145 Wasteland....................................... 8, 20, 21, 70, 114, 119
Titania, Queene......................................................... 134 Watching the Watchmen (stunt).............................50
title aspects..................................................................106 Waterman, Nancy...................................................... 143
Tombstone (dragon)................................................. 168 Weapon Caché (stunt)................................................29
Tor, Sir............................................. 13, 35, 41, 44, 52, 101 Weapons and Armor.........................................105-106
Tower of London.................................................. 18, 119 Weather (magical talent).......................................... 90
Training Flashback (stunt)........................................29 Weather Spell.............................................................. 90
Travel (magical talent).......................................... 87-88 Weishaupt, Adam....................................................... 121
Traveling Spell....................................................... 87-88 werewolves........................................................... 164-165
Tristan, Sir.........................8, 13, 18, 21, 22, 23, 50, 51, 52, Western Isles................................................................133
63, 79, 106, 109, 113, 115, 116 Wewelsburg...........................................................122-123
Troll (stunt).................................................................... 52 Whedon, Joss....................................................... 109-112
trolls....................................................................... 180-181 Where Did He Get That? (Stunt)............................ 53
trouble (aspect).......................................................... 8-9 Widow of Eastcheap (ettercap)........................ 171-172
Troyvantium (city)..................................................... 134 Wild Bill Hickok.........................................................114
Twrch Trwyth.......................................................181-182 Wilderness (skill)....................................................53-54
will-o-wisps..................................................................132
U Willpower (skill)..........................................................54
Winchester (castle).......................................................71
Ulfius............................................................30, 80, 96-98 Winchester (manuscript)........................................ 192
Under the Table (stunt)..............................................51 witches....................................................15, 30, 39, 42, 70,
unicorns......................................................... 131, 132, 182 (Witch of Endor) ....................................................165
Unimpeachable Honor (stunt)................................ 52 wolves........................................................................... 150
Unshakeable Will (stunt).......................................... 75 Woodsman (stunt).......................................................42
Unseen Hand (magical talent)...........................88-89 Words of Power....................................................... 73-91
Unseen Hand (spell)...................................................88 wyverns.........................................................................183
Uriens, King........................................... 96, 98, 100, 183
Urre, Sir......................................................................8, 63
Uther, King..................................17, 30-31, 33, 34, 71, 80,
95, 96, 98, 101, 109, 124, 145
Y
Yron Squire (Talus)............................................. 183-184
Uzziel (angel)....................................................... 184-185 Ysbaddaden, Chief Giant....................................85, 181
Vale of No Return........................................................84 Yvain................................................. 56, 60, 100, 148, 149

202
 Index

Appendix I: may be added to or subtracted from this License

except as described by the License itself. No other
Open Game License terms or conditions may be applied to any Open
Game Content distributed using this License.
Version 1.0a 3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open
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203
 Index

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright
2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
Fate Core System and Fate Accelerated Edition © 2013
by Evil Hat Productions, LLC. Developed, authored,
and edited by Leonard Balsera, Brian Engard, Jeremy
Keller, Ryan Macklin, Mike Olson, Clark Valentine,
Amanda Valentine, Fred Hicks, and Rob Donoghue
Fate System Toolkit © 2013 by Evil Hat Productions,
LLC. Developed, authored, and edited by Robert
Donoghue, Brian Engard, Brennan Taylor, Mike Olson,
Mark Diaz Truman, Fred Hicks, and Matthew Gandy.
Arthur Lives! 2nd Edition Copyright 2017 by Fainting Goat
Games; Developed, authored and edited by Jason Tondro.
In accordance with the Open Game License
Section 8 “Identification” the following designate
Open Game Content and Product Identity:

OPEN GAME CONTENT

The contents of this document are declared
Open Game Content except for the portions spe-
cifically declared as Product Identity.

PRODUCT IDENTITY
All artwork, logos, symbols, designs, depictions, illustra-
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worlds, quotes from characters or documents, and dialogue.

204
Long Live the King!
Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, and the knights of the Round
Table have been reincarnated in the 21st century—many
times over. You play one of these characters, or another
Arthurian of your own invention, struggling to survive
against ancient conspiracies, supernatural horrors, and
otherworldly forces from across the Faerie veil.
Explore a secret history thousands of years old. Come
to the aid of mortals menaced by sinister forces. Contend
with alternative versions of yourself—other Arthurs
and Gawains who may think you’re an impostor! Enjoy
the thrills of a modern Arthurian setting, designed by
someone who is both an experienced game designer—
and a recognized expert on King Arthur.
Arthur Lives, Second Edition is a complete rewrite of Jason
Tondro’s original game, adapted to Fate Core. It includes a
robust magic system called Enchantment that mirrors the
magic found in Arthurian legend, as well as character creation
rules, a bestiary of fantastic monsters, rival reincarnations,
extensive game mastering advice,
the secret history of the Arthurian
ages, and magical treasures for
heroes to rediscover in the modern
world—including Excalibur, the
Round Table, even Camelot itself!
$44.95
Arthur Lives! Second Edition is © 2018 Fainting Goat Games. All rights reserved.
You will need a copy of
Arthur Lives!, Fainting Goat Games, and their associated logos are trademarks of Fainting Goat Games. Fate Core to use this book.