Cairn 2e Player’s Guide

Cairn is an adventure game about exploring a dark and mysterious Wood filled
with strange folk, hidden treasure, and unspeakable monstrosities. Character
generation is quick and random, adventures are tense and reward careful
exploration, and combat is frantic and deadly.

Credits & Acknowledgements

Writing
Yochai Gal

Editing & Development

Derek B.

Copy Editing
Yossi Krausz

Layout & Design

Adam Hensley

Cover Art
Bruno Prosaiko

Backgrounds Art
Keny Widjaja

Interior Illustrations
Amanda Lee Franck

Wilderness Exploration Sketch

Adam Hensley

The author would like to thank all 4,649 backers who helped make this project a
reality, as well as his wife, Sarah. (She knows why.) And a special thanks to our
Discord community for help with playtest feedback.
cairnrpg.com

Cairn 2nd Edition • Version 1.0.0. • August 2024 • Text is CC BY-SA 4.0

2
Table of Contents
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Principles for Players. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Section 1: Character Creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Character Creation Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Character Traits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Bonds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Omens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Marketplace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Section 2: Backgrounds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
1. Aurifex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2. Barber-Surgeon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3. Beast Handler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
4. Bonekeeper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
5. Cutpurse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
6. Fieldwarden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
7. Fletchwind. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
8. Foundling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
9. Fungal Forager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
10. Greenwise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
11. Half Witch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
12. Hexenbane. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
13. Jongleur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
14. Kettlewright. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
15. Marchguard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
16. Mountebank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
17. Outrider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
18. Prowler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
19. Rill Runner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
20. Scrivener. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Section 3: Core Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Basic Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Combat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Scars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Section 4: Procedures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Dungeon Exploration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Wilderness Exploration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Downtime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Section 5: The Setting of Vald . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Vald. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

3
 Overview
Cairn was written with the following design philosophies in mind:

Neutrality The Warden’s role is to act as a neutral arbiter and

portray the rules, situations, non-player characters
(NPCs), and narrative clearly.

Classless A character’s role or skills are not limited by a single

class. Instead, the equipment they carry and their
experiences define their specialty.

Death Characters may be powerful, but they are also

vulnerable to harm in its many forms. Death is always
around the corner, but it is never random or without
warning.

Fiction First Dice do not always reflect an obstacle’s difficulty or

its outcome. Instead, success and failure are based on
in-world elements and arbitrated by the Warden in
dialogue with the players.

Growth Characters are changed through in-world

advancement, gaining new skills and abilities
by surviving dangerous events and overcoming
obstacles.

Player Choice Players should always understand the reasons

behind the choices they’ve made, and information
about potential risks should be provided freely and
frequently.

Principles The Warden and the players each have guidelines

that help foster a specific play experience defined
by critical thinking, exploration, and an emergent
narrative.

Shared Objectives Players trust one another to engage with the shared
setting, character goals, and party challenges.
Therefore the party is typically working together
towards a common goal, as a team.

4
Principles for Players
Agency
• Attributes and related saves do not define your character. They are tools.
• Don’t ask only what your character would do; ask what you would do, too.
• Be creative with your intuition, items, and connections.

Teamwork
• Seek consensus from the other players before barreling forward.
• Stay on the same page about goals and limits, respecting each other and
accomplishing more as a group than alone.

Exploration
• Asking questions and listening to detail is more useful than any stats, items, or
skills you have.
• Take the Warden’s description without suspicion, but don’t shy away from
seeking more information.
• There is no single correct way forward.

Talking
• Treat NPCs as if they were real people, and rely on your curiosity to safely
gain information and solve problems.
• You’ll find that most people are interesting and will want to talk things
through before getting violent.

Caution
• Fighting is a choice and rarely a wise one; consider whether violence is the
best way to achieve your goals.
• Try to stack the odds in your favor, and retreat when things seem unfavorable.

Planning
• Think of ways to avoid your obstacles through reconnaissance, subtlety, and
fact-finding.
• Do some research, and ask around about your objectives.

Ambition
• Set goals, and use your meager means to take steps forward.
• Expect nothing. Earn your reputation.
• Keep things moving forward, and play to see what happens.

5
 Section 1

Character Creation

6
7
 Creating a Character
Roll or Choose a Background
• First, roll or choose from the Backgrounds table below and note the page
number. You will refer to that page for the next few steps.
• Choose a name from the available list, then record each of your character’s
starting items. See Inventory and Inventory Slots for how to record items.
• Roll on each of the included tables in the background. Record your character’s
items, skills, or abilities from each result. Some backgrounds may ask you to
refer to the tables in the Marketplace (pg. 16) as well.

Attributes, Hit Protection, and Traits

• Roll for your character’s Attributes and Hit Protection.
• Roll for the rest of your character’s Traits (pg. 10), and then on the Bonds table
(pg. 12).
• Finally, roll for your character’s Age (2d20+10). If you are the youngest
character, roll on the Omens table (pg. 14). The result should be read aloud to
the other players. The Warden should incorporate Omens into the setting as
they see fit.

Backgrounds

Backgrounds (d20)

1 Aurifex (pg. 20) 11 Half Witch (pg. 40)

2 Barber-Surgeon (pg. 22) 12 Hexenbane (pg. 42)

3 Beast Handler (pg. 24) 13 Jongleur (pg. 44)

4 Bonekeeper (pg. 26) 14 Kettlewright (pg. 46)

5 Cutpurse (pg. 28) 15 Marchguard (pg. 48)

6 Fieldwarden (pg. 30) 16 Mountebank (pg. 50)

7 Fletchwind (pg. 32) 17 Outrider (pg. 52)

8 Foundling (pg. 34) 18 Prowler (pg. 54)

9 Fungal Forager (pg. 36) 19 Rill Runner (pg. 56)

10 Greenwise (pg. 38) 20 Scrivener (pg. 58)

8
Attributes
• Player Characters (PCs) have just three attributes: Strength (STR), Dexterity
(DEX), and Willpower (WIL).
• Roll 3d6 for each of your character’s attributes, in order. You may then swap
any two of the results.
• Attributes are not universal descriptors. A character with a low STR is not
necessarily hopelessly weak; they can still attempt to lift a heavy door or
survive a deadly fight! Their risk is simply higher.

Hit Protection
• Roll 1d6 to determine your PC’s starting Hit Protection (HP), which reflects
their ability to avoid damage in combat. It does not indicate a character’s
health or fortitude, nor do they lose it for very long. (See Healing in the Core
Rules (pg. 62).)
• If an attack takes a PC’s HP exactly to 0, the player must reference the Scars
table (pg. 66).

Inventory
• Characters have a total of ten inventory slots but can only carry four items
comfortably without the help of bags, backpacks, horses, carts, etc.
• Each PC starts with a Backpack that can hold up to six slots of items or
Fatigue (pg. 62). Carts (which must be pulled with both hands), Horses, or
Mules can make a huge difference in how much a PC can bring with them on
an adventure. Hirelings can also be paid to carry equipment.
• Inventory is abstract, dependent only on the fiction as adjudicated by the
Warden. Anyone carrying a full inventory (i.e. filling all 10 slots) is reduced to 0
HP. A character cannot fill more than ten slots.

Inventory Slots
• Most items take up one slot, unless otherwise indicated.
• Petty items do not take up any slots. Bulky items take up two slots.
• A bag of coins worth less than 100gp is petty and does not occupy a slot.

9
 Character Traits
Physique (d10)

1 Athletic 6 Scrawny

2 Brawny 7 Short

3 Flabby 8 Statuesque

4 Lanky 9 Stout

5 Rugged 10 Towering

Skin (d10)

1 Birthmarked 6 Soft

2 Marked 7 Tanned

3 Oily 8 Tattooed

4 Rosy 9 Weathered

5 Scarred 10 Webbed

Hair (d10)

1 Bald 6 Long

2 Braided 7 Luxurious

3 Curly 8 Oily

4 Filthy 9 Wavy

5 Frizzy 10 Wispy

Face (d10)

1 Bony 6 Perfect

2 Broken 7 Rakish

3 Chiseled 8 Sharp

4 Elongated 9 Square

5 Pale 10 Sunken

10
Character Traits
Speech (d10)

1 Blunt 6 Gravelly

2 Booming 7 Precise

3 Cryptic 8 Squeaky

4 Droning 9 Stuttering

5 Formal 10 Whispery

Clothing (d10)

1 Antique 6 Frayed

2 Bloody 7 Frumpy

3 Elegant 8 Livery

4 Filthy 9 Rancid

5 Foreign 10 Soiled

Virtue (d10)

1 Ambitious 6 Honorable

2 Cautious 7 Humble

3 Courageous 8 Merciful

4 Disciplined 9 Serene

5 Gregarious 10 Tolerant

Vice (d10)

1 Aggressive 6 Lazy

2 Bitter 7 Nervous

3 Craven 8 Rude

4 Deceitful 9 Vain

5 Greedy 10 Vengeful

11
 Marketplace
Armor gp

Shield (+1 Armor) 10

Helmet (+1 Armor) 10

Gambeson (+1 Armor) 15

Brigandine (1 Armor, bulky) 20

Chainmail (2 Armor, bulky) 40

Plate (3 Armor, bulky) 60

Weapons gp

Dagger, Cudgel, Sickle, Staff, etc. (d6 damage) 5

Spear, Sword, Mace, Axe, Flail, etc. (d8 damage) 10

Halberd, War Hammer, Long Sword, etc. (d10 damage, bulky) 20

Sling (d6 damage) 5

Bow (d6 damage, bulky) 20

Crossbow (d8 damage, bulky) 30

Hirelings (daily rate in gp)

Alchemist 30 Navigator 10

Animal Handler 5 Sailor 5

Blacksmith 15 Scholar 20

Bodyguard 10 Tracker 5

Local Guide 5 Trapper 5

Lockpick 10 Veteran Bodyguard 20

Transport gp Upkeep & Recovery gp

Cart (+4 slots, bulky) 30 Room & Board (per night) 10

Wagon (+8 slots, slow) 200 Private Room & Board (fits 4) 35
Horse (+4 slots) 75 Stable & Feed (per night) 5
Mule (+6 slots, slow) 30 Medical Healing 50
Carriage Seat 5 Rations (3 uses) 10
Ship’s Passage 10 Animal Feed (3 uses, bulky) 5

16
 Gear gp
Air Bladder 5
Antitoxin 20
Bandages (3 uses) 30
Bathing Goods (Soap, Perfume, etc.) 5
Book 50
Caltrops 10
Card Deck 5
Chain (10ft) 10
Chalk (petty) 1
Chest 25
Chisel 5
Common Agents (Glue, Grease, etc.) 10
Common Tools (Hammer, Shovel, etc.) 10
Compass 75
Complex Instruments (Bagpipes, Fiddle, etc.) 50
Containers (Sack, Waterskin, etc.) 10
Cooking Gear (Pots, Utensils, etc.) 10
Costume Gear (Face Paint, Disguise) 15
Dowsing Rod 15
Expeditionary Gear (Climbing Spikes, Pulley, etc.) 10
Fire Oil 10
Fishing Rod 10
Games (Cards, Dice, etc.) 10
Gloves (petty) 20
Grappling Hook 25
Lantern 10
Mirror 5
Net 10
Oil Can (6 uses) 10
Outdoor Comfort (Blanket, Hammock, etc.) 10
Parchment (3 uses) 10
Pole (10ft) 5
Repellent (Wolfsbane, Mugwort, etc.) 10
Rope (25ft) 5
Sedative 30
Sewing Kit 20
Simple Instruments (Pipes, Lute, etc.) 10
Smoking Pipe (petty) 15
Specialized Tools (Ink, etc.) 20
Spiked Boots 15
Spyglass 40
Tent (fits 2, bulky) 20
Thieving Tools (Lockpick, Metal File, etc.) 25
Torch (3 uses) 5
Trap (d6 STR damage) 35
Whistle (petty) 15
Wilderness Clothes (Poncho, Cloak, etc.) (petty) 15
17
 Section 3

Rules

60
61
 Core Rules
Attributes
Each of the three attributes are used in different circumstances. (see Saves.)

Strength (STR) Dexterity (DEX) Willpower (WIL)

Used for saves requiring Used for saves requiring Used for saves to
physical power, like poise, speed, reflexes, persuade, deceive,
lifting gates, bending dodging, climbing, interrogate, intimidate,
bars, resisting poison, sneaking, balancing, etc. charm, provoke,
etc. manipulate spells, etc.

Saves
• A save is a roll to avoid negative outcomes from risky choices. Characters roll
a d20 and compare the results to the appropriate attribute. If they roll equal
to or under that attribute, they succeed. Otherwise, they fail. A 1 is always a
success, and a 20 is always a failure.
• If two opponents are each trying to overcome the other, whoever is most at
risk should save.
• If two characters need to take an action together, whoever is most at risk
should save (usually the character with the lowest relevant Attribute).

Healing & Recovery

• Resting for a few moments and having a drink of water restores lost HP but
may leave the party exposed. Bandages can stabilize a character that has taken
Critical Damage.
• Attribute loss (see Critical Damage) can usually be restored with a week’s rest,
facilitated by a healer or other appropriate source of expertise.
• Some healing services are free, while magical or more expedient means of
recovery may come at a cost.

Deprivation & Fatigue

• A PC that lacks a crucial need (such as food or rest) is Deprived. Anyone
Deprived for more than a day adds Fatigue to their inventory, one for each
day. A Deprived PC cannot recover HP, Attributes, or item slots from Fatigue.
• A PC may also be forced to add Fatigue after casting spells or due to events
occurring in the fiction. Each Fatigue occupies one slot and lasts until the PC
is able to recuperate (such as with a full night’s rest in a safe spot).
• If a character is forced to add Fatigue to their inventory but they have no free
slots, they must drop an item from their inventory.

62
Armor
• Before calculating damage to HP, subtract the target’s Armor value from the
result of damage rolls.
• Shields and similar armor provide a bonus defense (e.g. +1 Armor), but only
while the item is held or worn. Some may also provide additional benefits,
depending on the fiction.
• A PC, NPC, or monster cannot have more than 3 Armor.

Reactions
When the PCs encounter an NPC whose reaction to the party is not obvious,
the Warden may roll 2d6 and consult the following table:

Reactions

2 3-5 6-8 9-11 12

Hostile Wary Curious Kind Helpful

Morale
• Enemies must pass a WIL save to avoid fleeing when they take their first
casualty and again when they lose half their number.
• Some groups may use their leader’s WIL in place of their own. Lone foes must
save when they’re reduced to 0 HP.
• Morale does not affect PCs.

Hirelings
• Adventuring parties can recruit hirelings, relying on their unique skills,
knowledge, and training to aid in expeditions.
• To create a hireling, choose an appropriate role from the Hirelings table in the
Marketplace (pg. 17-18). Roll 3d6 for each attribute and 1d6 for their HP. Give
them equipment appropriate to their station, then roll on the Character Traits
tables to further flesh them out.
• Alternatively, choose an appropriate background and name from the
Character Creation guide. Roll (or choose from) the tables for that
background. Then roll for Rations, Gold Pieces, Attributes, HP, and age.

Die of Fate
• Optionally, roll 1d6 whenever the outcome of an event is uncertain or to
simulate an element of randomness and chance.
• A roll of 4 or more generally favors the PCs, while a roll of 3 or under usually
means bad luck for the PCs.

63
 Combat
Rounds
• A round is roughly ten seconds of in-game time and proceeds with each side
taking turns. Each round starts with all PCs that are able to act, followed by
their opponents. The result of each side’s actions occur simultaneously.
• During the first round of combat, each PC must make a DEX save in order
to act. Special circumstances, abilities, items, or skills may negate this
requirement. PCs that fail their save lose their turn for this round.
• Their opponents then take their turn, and the first round ends. The next
round begins with the PCs taking their turn, followed by their opponents, and
so on until combat has ended with one side defeated or fled.

Actions
• On their turn, a character may move up to 40ft and take up to one action. This
may be casting a spell, attacking, moving for a second time, or some other
reasonable action. Each round, the PCs declare what they are doing before
dice are rolled. If a character attempts something risky, the Warden calls for a
save for appropriate players or NPCs.

Attacking & Damage

• The attacker rolls their weapon die and subtracts the target’s armor,
then deals the remaining total to their opponent’s HP. Attacks in combat
automatically hit.
• If multiple attackers target the same foe, roll all damage dice and keep the
single highest result. All actions are declared before being resolved.
• If an attack would take a PC’s HP exactly to 0, refer to the Scars table (pg. 66)
to see how they are uniquely impacted.

Attack Modifiers
• If fighting from a position of weakness (such as through cover or with
bound hands), the attack is Impaired, and the attacker must roll 1d4 damage
regardless of the attack’s damage die. Unarmed attacks always do 1d4 damage.
• If fighting from a position of advantage (such as against a helpless foe or
through a daring maneuver), the attack is Enhanced, allowing the attacker to
roll 1d12 damage instead of their normal die.
• Attacks with the Blast quality affect all targets in the noted area, rolling
separately for each affected character. This can be anything from explosions
to a dragon’s breath or the impact of a meteorite. If unsure how many targets
can be affected, roll the related damage die for a result.
• If attacking with two weapons at the same time, roll both damage dice and
keep the single highest result (denoted with a plus symbol, e.g. d8+d8).

64
Critical Damage
• Damage that reduces a target’s HP below zero is subtracted from their STR
by the amount of damage remaining. The target must then immediately make
a STR save to avoid taking Critical Damage, using their new STR score. On a
success, the target is still in the fight (albeit with a lower STR score) and must
continue to make Critical Damage saves when incurring damage.
• Any PC that suffers Critical Damage cannot do anything but crawl weakly,
grasping for life. If given aid (such as bandages), they will stabilize. If left
untreated, they die within the hour. NPCs and monsters that fail a Critical
Damage save are considered dead, per the Warden’s discretion. Additionally,
some enemies will have special abilities or effects that are triggered when
their target fails a Critical Damage save.

Attribute Loss
• If a PC’s STR is reduced to 0, they die. If their DEX is reduced to 0, they are
paralyzed. If their WIL is reduced to 0, they are delirious. Complete DEX and
WIL loss renders the character unable to act until they are restored through
extended rest or by extraordinary means.
• If a PC takes damage outside of combat, they should instead receive damage
to an Attribute, typically STR.

Character Death
• When a character dies, the player should create a new character or take
control of a hireling. They immediately join the party in order to reduce
downtime.

Detachments
• Large groups of similar combatants fighting together are treated as a single
Detachment. When a detachment takes Critical Damage, it is routed or
significantly weakened. When it reaches 0 STR, it is destroyed.
• Attacks against detachments by individuals are Impaired (excluding Blast
damage).
• Attacks against individuals by detachments are Enhanced and deal Blast
damage.

Retreat
• Running away from a dire situation always requires a successful DEX save, as
well as a safe destination to run to.

Ranged Attacks
• Ranged weapons can target any enemy near enough to see the whites of their
eyes. Attacks against especially distant targets are Impaired.
• Ammunition is not tracked unless otherwise specified.

65
 Scars
If damage to a PC would reduce their HP to exactly 0, look up the result on the
table below based on the amount of HP lost in the attack. For example, if a PC
went from 3 HP to 0 HP, they would look at entry #3 (Walloped).

How much HP did you lose?

Lasting Scar: Roll 1d6 | 1: Neck, 2: Hands, 3: Eye, 4: Chest, 5: Legs, 6: Ear.
1 HP
Roll 1d6. If the total is higher than your max HP, take the new result.

Rattling Blow: You’re disoriented and shaken. Describe how you refocus.
2 HP
Roll 1d6. If the total is higher than your max HP, take the new result.

Walloped: You’re sent flying and land flat on your face, winded. You are
3 HP deprived until you rest for a few hours. Then, roll 1d6. Add that amount to
your max HP.

Broken Limb: Roll 1d6 | 1-2: Leg, 3-4: Arm, 5: Rib, 6: Skull. Once mended,
4 HP
roll 2d6. If the total is higher than your max HP, take the new result.

Diseased: You’re afflicted with a gross, uncomfortable infection. When

5 HP you get over it, roll 2d6. If the total is higher than your max HP, take the
new result.

Reorienting Head Wound: Roll 1d6 | 1-2: STR, 3-4: DEX, 5-6: WIL. Roll 3d6.
6 HP
If the total is higher than your current attribute, take the new result.

Hamstrung: You can barely move until you get serious help and rest. After
7 HP recovery, roll 3d6. If the total is higher than your max DEX, take the new
result.

Deafened: You cannot hear anything until you find extraordinary aid.
8 HP
Regardless, make a WIL save. If you pass, increase your max WIL by 1d4.

Re-brained: Some hidden part of your psyche is knocked loose. Roll 3d6.
9 HP
If the total is higher than your max WIL, take the new result.

Sundered: An appendage is torn off, crippled, or useless (the Warden will

10 HP tell you which.) Then make a WIL save. If you pass, increase your max WIL
by 1d6.

Mortal Wound: You are deprived and out of action. You die in one hour
11 HP unless healed. Upon recovery, roll 2d6. Take the new result as your max
HP.

Doomed: Death seemed ever so close, but somehow you survived. If your
12 HP next save against Critical Damage is a fail, you die horribly. If you pass, roll
3d6. If the total is higher than your max HP, take the new result.

66
Magic
Spellbooks
• Spellbooks contain a single spell and take up one slot. They cannot be easily
transcribed or created; instead they are recovered from places like tombs,
dungeons, and manors.
• Spellbooks sometimes display unusual properties or limitations, such as
producing a foul or unearthly smell when opened, possessing an innate
intelligence, or being legible only when held in moonlight.
• Spellbooks will attract the attention of those who seek the arcane power
within, and it is considered dangerous to display them openly.

Casting Spells
• Anyone can cast a spell by holding a Spellbook in both hands and reading its
contents aloud. They must then add a Fatigue to inventory.
• Given time and safety, PCs can enhance a spell’s impact (e.g., affecting multiple
targets, increasing its power, etc.) without any additional cost.
• If the PC is deprived or in danger (such as during combat), the Warden may
require a PC to make a WIL save to avoid any ill-effects from casting the spell.
Consequences of failure are on par with the intended effect and may result in
added Fatigue, the destruction of the Spellbook, injury, and even death.

Scrolls
Scrolls are similar to Spellbooks, however:
• They are petty.
• They do not cause Fatigue.
• They disappear after one use.

Relics
• Relics are items imbued with a magical spell or power. They do not cause
Fatigue. Relics usually have limited uses, as well as a Recharge condition.

67
 Section 4

Procedures

68
69
 Dungeon Exploration
The Basics
• The dungeon exploration cycle (see below) is divided into a series of Turns,
Actions, and their consequences.
• On their Turn, a character can move a distance equal to their torchlight’s
perimeter (about 40ft) and perform one Action. Players can use their action to
move up to three times that distance, though that will increase the chance of
triggering a roll on the Dungeon Events table.
• The Warden should present obvious information about an area and its
dangers freely and at no cost. Moving quickly or without caution may increase
the chance of encountering a wandering monster, springing a trap, or
triggering a roll on the Dungeon Events table.

Although the term “dungeon” is used here, it can mean any dangerous locale (mansions,
farmhouses, adventure site, etc.).

Dungeon Exploration Cycle

1. The Warden describes the party’s surroundings and any immediate dangers
(combat, traps, surprises, etc.). The players then declare their character’s
intended movements and Actions.
2. The Warden resolves the actions of each character simultaneously, along
with any actions that are already in progress. Remember, the Die of Fate can
be a useful tool whenever the Warden is in doubt!
3. The players record any loss of resources and any new conditions (i.e. item
use, deprivation, etc). The cycle then begins again. If appropriate, the
Warden should roll on the Dungeon Events table. Keep common sense in
mind when interpreting the results!

70
Dungeon Events
Exploring a dungeon is always dangerous, and time must always be weighed
against the risk of awakening the location’s denizens, natural hazards, and worse.
When the party:
• Spends more than one dungeon cycle in a single room or location.
• Moves quickly or haphazardly through a room.
• Moves into a new area, level, or zone.
• Creates a loud disturbance.

Roll on the table below:

d6 Dungeon Events

Roll on an encounter table. Possibly hostile. (See Reactions

1 Encounter
(pg. 63).)

A clue, spoor, track, abandoned lair, scent, victim, etc is

2 Sign
discovered.

Surroundings shift or escalate. Water rises, ceilings collapse,

3 Environment
a ritual nears completion, etc.

Torches are blown out, an ongoing spell fizzles, etc. The party
4 Loss
must resolve the effects before moving on.

The party must take a brief rest (roll on this table again), add
5 Exhaustion
a Fatigue, or consume a ration.

6 Quiet The party is left alone (and safe) for the time being.

71
 Actions
• Actions are any non-passive activities, such as searching for traps, forcing
open a door, listening for danger, disarming a trap, engaging an enemy in
combat, casting a spell, dodging a trap, running away, resting, etc.
• Some actions have special rules (see below), while others may take multiple
turns to complete.
• Loud or noticeable actions may also trigger an encounter with the dungeon’s
denizens.

Searching
• A character can spend a turn performing an exhaustive search of one object or
location in an area, revealing any relevant hidden treasure, traps, secret doors,
etc.
• Larger rooms and difficult or complex dungeon terrain may take a few turns
to properly search.
• Searching a room first is a safer way to explore the dungeon, but it has a steep
cost: time.

Resting
• A character can spend a turn resting to restore all HP.
• A light source and a safe location are required to rest. Present or oncoming
danger makes rest impossible.
• Resting does not restore Fatigue, as it is impossible to safely Make Camp (pg.
79) in a dungeon.

Panic
• A character that is surrounded by enemies, enveloped by darkness, or facing
their greatest fears may experience panic. A WIL save is typically required to
avoid losing control and becoming panicked.
• A panicked character must make a WIL save to overcome their condition as an
action on their turn.
• A panicked character has 0 HP, does not act in the first round of combat, and
all of their attacks are impaired.

72
Dungeon Elements
Light
• Torches and other radial sources of light
illuminate 40ft of dungeon and beyond that
only a dim outline of objects. Torches last
until they are put out by a character or their
environment.
• A torch can be lit 3 times before
permanently degrading. A lantern can be
relit indefinitely but requires an Oil Can (6
uses).
• Characters without a light source may suffer
from panic until their situation is remedied.

Doors
• Doors and entryways may be locked, stuck,
or blocked entirely. Characters can try to
force a door open (or wedge it shut) using
available resources (spikes, glue) or through
raw ability.
• The party’s marching order determines who
is most impacted by whatever lies beyond a
door.
• A character can detect, through careful
observation (listening, smelling, etc.), signs
of life and other hazards through nearby
doors and walls.

Traps
• A cautious character should be presented
with any and all information that would
allow them the opportunity to avoid
springing a trap. An unwitting character will
trigger a trap according to the fiction, or will
otherwise have a 2-in-6 chance.
• Traps can usually be detected by carefully
searching a room.
• Damage from traps is taken from attributes
(usually STR or DEX) and not from HP.
Armor can reduce damage, but only if
applicable (e.g. a shield would not reduce
damage from noxious gas).

73
 Wilderness Exploration
Watches
• A day is divided into three watches: morning, afternoon, and night.
• Each character can choose one Wilderness Action (pg. 79) per watch.
• If the characters split up, each group is treated as an independent entity.

Points
• Potential destinations on a map are called points.
• One or more watches may be required to journey between two points on a
map, depending on the path, terrain, weather, and party status.
• The party should have a rough idea of the challenges involved to get to their
destination, but rarely any specifics.

Travel Duration
Travel time in Cairn is counted in watches, divided into three eight-hour
segments per day. However, as most parties elect to spend the third watch of the
day resting, one can use “days” as a shorthand for travel time. For example, if the
distance between two points is equal to four watches, the party would need to
travel for two days, arriving in the evening of the second day.
To determine the distance between two points, combine all penalties from the
path, terrain, and Weather Difficulty (pg. 76) tables, taking into account any
changes to those elements along the route. For travel via waterways, refer to the
surrounding terrain difficulty. For especially vast terrain, assign a penalty of up to
+2 watches to the journey.
The weather, terrain, darkness, injured party members, and other obstacles can
impact travel or even make it impossible! In some cases, the party may need to
add Fatigue or expend resources in order to sustain their pace. Mounts, guides,
and maps can increase the party’s travel speed or even negate certain penalties.

74
 Path Type Path Distance
Path Penalty Odds of Getting Lost Distance Penalty

Roads None None Short +1 Watch

Trails +1 Watch 2-in-6 Medium +2 Watches

Wilderness +2 Watches 3-in-6 Long +3 Watches

Terrain Difficulty

Difficulty Terrain Penalty Factors

Plains, plateaus, Safe areas for rest, fellow travelers,

Easy None
valleys good visibility

Wild animals, flooding, broken

Forests, deserts,
Tough +1 Watch equipment, falling rocks, unsafe
hills
shelters, hunter’s traps

Quicksand, sucking mud, choking

Mountains, jungles,
Perilous +2 Watches vines, unclean water, poisonous
swamps
plants and animals, poor navigation

75
 Weather
Each day, the Warden should roll on the weather table for the appropriate season.
If the “Extreme” weather result is rolled twice in a row, the weather turns to
“Catastrophic.” A squall becomes a hurricane, a storm floods the valley, etc.

Weather
d6 Spring Summer Fall Winter

1 Nice Nice Fair Fair

2 Fair Nice Fair Unpleasant

3 Fair Fair Unpleasant Inclement

4 Unpleasant Unpleasant Inclement Inclement

5 Inclement Inclement Inclement Extreme

6 Extreme Extreme Extreme Extreme

Weather Difficulty

Weather Effect Examples

Nice Favorable conditions for travel. Clear skies, sunny

Fair Favorable conditions for travel. Overcast, breezy

Gusting winds, rain showers,

Unpleasant Add a Fatigue or add +1 watch.
sweltering heat, chill air

Add a Fatigue or add +1 watch. Thunderstorms, lightning,

Inclement
Increase terrain difficulty by a step. rain, muddy ground

Add a Fatigue and add +1 watch. Blizzards, freezing winds,

Extreme
Increase terrain difficulty by a step. flooding, mud slides

Most parties cannot travel under Tornados, tidal waves,

Catastrophic
these conditions. hurricane, volcanic eruption

76
Wilderness Elements
Night
• The party can choose to travel during the night and rest during the day, but
night travel is far slower and more treacherous!
• Traveling at night is always more dangerous! The Warden should roll twice on
the Wilderness Events table.
• Some terrain and weather may be easier to traverse at night (desert, for
example). The Warden should balance these challenges along with any other.

Sleep
• The last watch of the day is typically reserved for the Make Camp (pg. 79)
action.
• Characters typically need to sleep each day. Anything beyond a minor
interruption can negate or cancel the benefits of sleep.
• If the party skips the Make Camp (pg. 79) action, they each add a Fatigue to
their inventory and are deprived. Additionally, traveling when sleep-deprived
raises the terrain Difficulty by a step (i.e. Easy becomes Tough).

Light
• Torches and other radial sources of light illuminate 40-ft ahead of the party
but beyond that only provides a dim outline of objects.
• Characters without a light source may suffer from panic until their situation is
remedied.
• Environmental conditions (sudden gusts of wind, dust, water, etc.) can easily
blow out a torch.

Light Sources
• A torch can be lit 3 times before degrading.
• A lantern can be relit indefinitely but requires a separate Oil Can (6 uses).

77
 Wilderness Exploration Cycle
1. The Warden describes the current point or region on the map and how the
path, weather, terrain, or party status might affect travel speed. The party
plots or adjusts a given course towards their destination.
2. Each character chooses a single Wilderness Action (pg. 79). The Warden
narrates the results and then rolls on the Wilderness Events table. The party
responds to the results.
3. The players and the Warden record any loss of resources and new conditions
(i.e. torch use, deprivation, etc), and the cycle repeats.

d6 Wilderness Events
Roll on an encounter table for that terrain type or location.
1 Encounter
Don’t forget to roll for NPC reactions if applicable.

The party discovers a clue, spoor, or indication of a nearby

2 Sign encounter, locality, hidden feature, or information about a
nearby area.

3 Environment A shift in weather or terrain.

The party is faced with a choice that costs them a resource

4 Loss
(rations, tools, etc), time, or effort.

The party encounters a barrier, forcing effort, care or delays.

This might mean spending extra time (and an additional
5 Exhaustion
Wilderness Action) or adding Fatigue to the PC’s inventory
to represent their difficulties.

The party finds food, treasure, or other useful resources.

6 Discovery The Warden can instead choose to reveal the primary
feature of the area.

78
Wilderness Actions
Travel
• Travel begins. Obvious locations, features, and terrain of nearby areas are
revealed according to their distance. This action is typically taken by the
entire party as one.
• The party rolls 1d6 to see if they get lost along the way. This risk can increase
or decrease, depending on Path Difficulty (pg. 75), maps, party skills, and
guides.
• If lost, the party may need to spend a Wilderness Action to recover their way.
Otherwise, the party reaches the next point along their route.

Remember to compare the results of getting lost to the relevant Path Difficulty.

Explore
• One or more party members search a large area, searching for hidden
features, scouting ahead, or treading carefully.
• A Location (shelter, village, cave, etc.) or Feature (geyser, underground river,
beached ship, etc.) is discovered.
• The Travel action is still required to leave the current area, even if it has been
completely explored.

Supply
• One or more party members may hunt, fish, or forage for food, collecting
1d4 Rations (3 uses each). The chance of a greater bounty increases with
each additional participant (e.g. 1d4 becomes 1d6, up to a maximum of 1d12).
Relevant experience or equipment may also increase the bounty.
• The party may encounter homes and small villages, spending gold and a full
Watch (pg. 74) to resupply.

Make Camp
• The party stops to set up camp in the wilds. Each party member (and their
mounts) consumes a Ration.
• A lookout rotation is set so that the party can sleep unmolested. A smaller
party may need to risk sleeping unguarded or switch off sleeping over multiple
days.
• Party members that were able to rest remove all Fatigue from their inventory.

79
 Downtime
Between game sessions, players can engage in a variety of activities such as
research, following up on leads, improving skills, or building relationships. A PC is
limited to one Downtime Action at a time. These actions cannot be undertaken in
unsafe conditions or while a character is in recovery. A character cannot perform
a downtime action if it would put their safety at risk.

Milestones
For activities requiring multiple steps, the Warden assigns 1-5 Milestones for
players to track progress. Each Milestone represents a comprehensive, non-
interactive task. The Warden may present different strategies to achieve these
goals, each with distinct Milestones. Depending on the unfolding events in the
game, the Warden is also empowered to introduce new Milestones or discard
existing ones.

Costs
PCs can complete individual Milestones by taking a Downtime Action and paying
its respective Cost. If a character is unable to pay the Cost, they may have to find
some other way to achieve their goal. A few examples of Cost:
• Gold: Direct payment of gold from a character’s inventory.
• Resources: Non-monetary costs, such as material goods, specific common
items, and so on.
• Reputation: Betting on a character’s renown, personality, presence, social
connections, etc.
• Loss: Offering something specific and unique. A finger, a soul, a Relic, etc.

Some Costs can be reduced or disregarded through character skills, connections,

or force of will. For example, a PC may have already acquired the necessary
reputation to gain access to a renowned institution, and thus the cost is abated.
On the other hand, another character may not be so lucky and must rely on
their force of personality instead. In this case, the Warden should state the risk
(a permanent ban on entry, a loss of reputation, etc.). The PC then makes a WIL
save; on a success, the cost is either reduced or avoided entirely.

80
Downtime Actions
The following activities represent some of the most common Downtime Actions
a players can choose. The Warden can also create custom actions based on the
needs of play.

Research
A PC investigates a single question about a bit of lost or forgotten lore, the location
of a lost item, the whereabouts of an important NPC, and so on. To take this
action, the player must have a clearly formulated question they’d like to answer
and a Source of knowledge in the game world that their character can interact
with. If the PC does not have a Source, then they can spend a Downtime Action
trying to find one. There is no guarantee that they will be successful. Once a
question is posed and an appropriate Source has been identified, the Warden
should provide any Milestones and associated Costs.

Questions
As always, the question must come from an experience that occurred during play.
Examples:
• “Where is the Lost Temple of East Nipoor?”
• “Who in Fortune City might know how to crack an ancient vault?”
• “Where can I find the cure to curly sickness?”

Sources
A Source is a person, place, faction, or entity that holds either a part or whole
answer that the character seeks. They can be NPCs, Factions, spirits, or even
other PCs.
Examples:
• Kewr the Mouth, a frequent contact for the Conclave of Merchants. Despite
their excellent relationship with this faction, asking for help in an illicit
activity might come at a high cost.
• A Woodwose who makes his home deep in the Forest of Knives. The party
encountered him in an earlier expedition, and the encounter did not end
well. Still, he is said to know the nature of every herb and their healing
properties.
• The Temple of Puppets, a nomadic circus troupe who have travelled the
known and unknown lands. The party assisted one of their members during
the Rain of Fire, when even the creatures of the Wood were preparing to
flee their homes. If anyone has heard of forgotten places, it’s them.

81
 Training
A character can improve their skills with an item or ability, with clear narrative
or mechanical results. They might be interested in dealing greater damage with
a particular weapon, decreasing their chances of getting lost in rough weather,
or learning to read the languages of the ancients. A PC might spend multiple
Downtime Actions sparring with a particular weapon, improving their skills week
by week. Or they may need to travel to the home of a distant sage, improving
themselves through short but intense study.

The player must describe precisely what they’d like to improve and a Master
whom they might train with. And of course, the character’s inspiration to improve
should come from an experience in play. The Warden should provide any
Milestones and associated Costs.
Examples:
• The Two-Handed Parry: When fighting with one hand free, a PC’s HP
temporarily increases by 1d4. The party took on a hireling from the Cratered
Lands, whose fighters emphasize avoiding enemy attacks. She has agreed to
train anyone who can best her in hand to hand combat.
• Herbology: Given proper ingredients, a PC can create a Healing Salve
(restores 1d4 STR, 1 use) as a Downtime Action. After receiving care from an
elderly herbalist in the Verdant Glades, the wounded PC asked to be trained
in the healing arts. The Master has agreed, but asked that they collect three
rare herbs before training can begin.
• Troutmaster: When taking the Supply Action, Rations gathered near cold
freshwater sources increase by one step (e.g. 1d4 becomes 1d6). The party
escorted a stranded naturalist from the famously dreadful Silver Wastes
safely back to the city. As thanks, she has offered to train a PC to identify and
capture a common lakefish that frequents colder waters.

82
Strengthening Ties
A character fosters a connection with an NPC or Faction in the game world. First,
they must identify the entity with whom they wish to strengthen ties, as well as
a specific intent (e.g., building trust, mending a friendship, seeking membership
in a Faction, forming an alliance, and so on). The Warden then provides concrete
measures (described as Milestones and Costs) that the PC can undertake to
advance the relationship. With each completed Milestone, the Warden describes
how the PC’s relationship has grown or changed.
Examples:
• After returning from an unsuccessful delve into the Roots, a PC discovers
that they’d unknowingly brought along a stowaway: an eyeless devourer,
barely hatched. They decide to keep the creature and train it in secret.
• During a play session, a PC becomes friendly with an Agent of the Order
of the Helm. Impressed by the Order’s values, the PC asks what the
requirements are to join.
• An agent for a powerful faction dies during the Battle of Frogs while under
the party’s care. The party wishes to provide redress, so that the party can
once again perform tasks for that faction.

83