EMBLEM OF FLAMES – FitD

BASICS – THE ACTION ROLL

When you want to achieve a result, and the outcome is in question, you make an action roll. Before you make the roll, the
GM tells you if you are making it from a Controlled, Risky, and Desperate position, and whether you have Great, Standard,
or Limited effect. Once you have your position and effect levels, you select an appropriate trait for the roll and follow the
guidelines below:
• Roll an amount of d6s equal to your trait rating.
◦ +1d if you have Assistance.
◦ +1d if you Push yourself or take a Devil’s Bargain.
• Highest result from the dice is the only one counted.
◦ A critical is when two or more 6s are rolled on the pool.
◦ If your trait rating is 0, roll 2d6 and take the lower of the two.
• Consult the Action Roll ladder and effect tables if confused by outcome.

RISK POSITION
CONTROLLED
You act on your own terms. You exploit a dominant advantage.
Critical: You do it with increased effect.
6: You do it without drawbacks.
4/5: You hesitate. Withdraw and try a new approach, or else do it with a consequence: a minor complication
occurs, you take reduced harm, you end up in a risky position.
1-3: You falter. Press on to seize a risky opportunity, or withdraw and try a different approach.

RISKY
You go head-to-head. You act under fire. You take a chance.
Critical: You do it with increased effect.
6: You do it without drawbacks.
4/5: You do it, but there is a consequence: a complication occurs, you take harm, you have reduced effect, you
end up in a desperate position.
1-3: Things go badly. You suffer harm, a complication occurs, you end up in a desperate position, you lose this
opportunity.

DESPERATE
You overreach your capabilities. You’re in serious trouble. You face down a dominant disadvantage.
Critical: You do it with increased effect.
6: You do it without drawbacks.
4/5: You do it, but there is a consequence: a serious complication occurs, you take increased harm, you have
reduced effect.
1-3: It’s the worst outcome. You suffer serious complication occurs, you take increased harm, you lose this
opportunity for action.

EFFECT Effect Description Damage Wound Severity

LEVEL (for PCs)
Great You achieve more than usual. How does the extra effort manifest? What 1 Minor Wound
additional benefit do you enjoy?
Standard You achieve what we’d expect as “normal” with this action. Is that 2 Severe Wound
enough, or is there more left to do?
Limited You achieve a partial or weak effect. How is your impact diminished? 3 Maimed
What effort remains to achieve your goal?
GROUP COMBAT RULES

While duels and brawls may utilize the same narrative framework as any other task, Group Combat still utilizes the Action
Roll for its task resolution, but follows a few additional guidelines and rules. Movement is tied to Class, Position is often
tied to armament, and effect level is often tied to armour of the unit. The order of actions is also tied to the Initiative Roll,
and positioning within the environment is more important.

Initiative Roll & Order

At the beginning of a group combat scene, the GM roughly outlines the Zones, terrain, and placement of foe units.
Then, every player declares what their first action would be and rolls the appropriate trait for that action. (Examples:
Traverse if moving into a specific zone, Strike if they will move to and attack the closest foe, Survey if firing a ranged
weapon, Attune if casting magic, etc.) Every player rolls their pool and adds all the results together.
The player with the highest result goes first, then the next highest player, and so on until the order is decided. Any foes that
have not been engaged by a player action make reactions after all the players have completed their actions. Unless a
character has a specific move that allows them to subvert this process before or after it is done, this order stays in place for
the whole battle.

Zones, Range, Movement, & Terrain

The battlefield is divided into Zones to make positioning matter but also to ignore the need for a map. A zone can
be as large or as small as the GM feels is necessary, and one area is divided into a separate zone not due to distance alone
but also sometimes due to how difficult it is to gain entry to it. A battlefield should be made up of at least two zones, and
tracking zones beyond four or five may still require a visual aid.
So an elevated area can be a separate zone even if it is closer than usual because it typically requires a unit to climb
to reach it. Likewise an obstruction such as a wall can denote different zones when appropriate, requiring the character to
move to an opening in the wall to bypass it. Hovering units are considered to be in their own zone, the one above the
battlefield.
Range is thus based on the zones rather than on pure distance. Ranged attacks require the user to be able to see (or
otherwise sense them in rare cases) the target and must be within the attack’s range. Ranges come in four levels: Adjacent,
meaning close enough for melee or wrestling; Close, meaning within the same zone; Short, meaning one zone over from the
source of the effect; and Long, meaning anywhere on the battlefield.
Movement comes in three speeds: Slow, meaning the unit must use their action to move within their zone and must
use two actions in a row to move into an adjacent zone; Normal, meaning the must use their action to move to an adjacent;
and Fast, meaning the unit only needs to use their action to move if they’re move two or more Zones in one move.
Depending on the terrain and the user’s equipment, the GM may demand a Traverse action roll as part of the movement but
this does not consume their intended action unless that is selected as a complication of the Traverse roll’s outcome.
Flying Units are often exceptions to rules based on the in-world ability of flight, but being a flyer does not
automatically make something faster. Instead, they can usually ignore terrain features that would otherwise block or slow
them down when they attempt to move. Some flying units can also Hover, meaning they occupy a zone in the sky. If a
flying unit cannot hover, it must land at the end of its movements, even when they don’t consume their action. If a unit can
hover, they may opt not to land at the end of their move.
Terrain may further complicate Zones, Range, and Movement. Usually only three types of terrain matter: difficult
terrain, obstructions, and hazards. Difficult terrain is terrain that slows one or more types of units when they attempt to
move through it. For the purposes of movement, difficult terrain counts as an additional Zone to move through for the
applicable unit. So a unit trying to reach an foe on the other side of difficult terrain adds a full zone of movement to the
distance. Some forms of difficult terrain only effect specific units, such as a waist-high river slowing infantry but not
cavalry, or a windy valley only affecting flying units. Some difficult terrain may be able to be ignored with a successful
Traverse action roll, at the GM’s discretion.
Obstructions are terrain features that outright block one or more types of units. Walls are the most obvious
example, but there are a variety of strange features that could work that way. Like difficult terrain, not all obstructions block
all units. Flying units can often treat obstructions as difficult terrain or ignore them all together. Though it depends on the
size and shape of the obstruction, they usually require the effected unit to move through different Zones to bypass it, which
may put them in the path of foes, hazards, difficult terrain, or simply greatly extend the distance of their move. Some
obstructions may be able to be ignored with a successful Traverse action roll, at the GM’s discretion.
Hazards are like difficult terrain but anyone moving through them risks damage to their person. Moving through a
hazard zone threatening the unit always requires a Traverse action roll. Hazards can sometimes be used as the stand-ins for
combatants too large or powerful to be counted as regular units, such as artillery or giant creatures. Like the other forms of
terrain, some units may not be threatened by Hazards at all. Examples include flying units ignoring spikes or lava on the
ground, or heavily armoured units moving through thorny bushes without worry.
Triangles and Combat Actions
When two units face off in Group Combat, they may be effected by the Triangles. These are a rock-paper-scissors
mechanic in regards to magic and some types of armament that effects the position of the action roll. Some attack types are
simply stronger against others, and some are simply weaker, and that will make engaging with that unit more risky or safer.
Typically fighting against an foe with no triangle interaction is a Risky action roll, while fighting one you are strong against
is a Controlled action roll, and fighting one you are weak against renders a Desperate action roll.

Weapon Triangle Trinity of Magic Element Triangle

Swords > Axes Light > Dark Fire > Wind
Axes > Spears Dark > Elements Wind > Thunder
Spears > Swords Elements > Light Thunder > Fire
Daggers, Bows, and Claws/Talons are White Dragon attacks count as Light. Red Dragon attacks count as Fire.
exempt from these interactions. Black Dragon attacks count as Dark. Spirits attack as their Element.

Damage, and Wounds

When two units meet in combat, their exchange does not represent a simple attack but an extended clash of blows
that renders a result. As a result, any damage taken by PCs is immediately turned into a wound, and it is ideal to always
engage with foes you are well-matched to fighting. Armour can reduce or mitigate these wounds, but anti-armour attacks
can also nullify its benefits.
Generic foes receive a flat damage and have a flat amount of hit points, typically ranging from 1-3 HP, but can go
over depending on their unit type and class. Named foes have wound slots and function very similarly on this front to a
player character. Minor wounds incur a -1d to a roll that requires that body part to make. Severe wounds knock down a step
of risk positioning on the action roll that requires the body part. Maiming makes you unable to use that body part in action
rolls. Limited damage inflicts a Minor Wound, standard damage inflicts a Severe Wound, and great damage inflicts a
Maiming.
If you would have a wound inflicted on you and you have all slots for it already filled, you must mark the next
most severe slot. If you would receive a second Maiming when that slot is filled, you fall in battle. When you have a wound
inflicted on you, you can let the GM decide where it hit, or roll a d6 on the Wound Wheels (from Sword & Scoundrel):

Healing wounds happens over time out of group combat. Minor wounds heal away after you spend one scene
outside of Group Combat. Severe wounds heal away after you spend three scenes outside of Group Combat. Maiming slots
clear after three scenes outside of Group Combat, but to heal the actual wound (regrow the lost body part) can only happen
with help from narratively powerful healing magic or divine beings.
Armour Rules and Anti-Armour Weapons
The game assumes that all those entering Group Combat are arrayed for battle, including the proper attire to allow
them to fight in. However, many characters in Emblem of Flames will still opt to wear such light armouring that it does not
withstand significant blows from a weapon but grants them incredible freedom of movement. Those who do choose to wear
armour can wear partial protections or full protections, there is no sliding scale of superior armour-types and players are free
to customize the appearance and nature of their armour.
As a result, there are three armour types: Light, Partial, and Heavy. Any combatant not arrayed properly for battle
is instead considered to be Unprepared.
Light armour does not offer significant protections against direct attacks but allows the PC user to make Endure
action rolls to prevent incoming damage. Teamed with their weaponry, they can survive glancing blows without even taking
a minor wound in this fashion.
Partial armour refers to “medium” arrayment, where the user wears primarily light armour but has some heavy
armour parts covering specific points of their body. Partial armour incurs a -1d to Traverse action rolls for infantry units. It
reduces all wounds that target the heavily-armoured portions of the character (so a maiming would become a severe wound
and a severe wound would become a minor wound). A character may armour up to 3 of the 6 body parts before they are
considered heavily armoured.
Heavily armour refers to significant armour covering the whole or most of the body. It comes with significant
defensive properties but also more drawbacks. Heavy armour incurs a -1d to Traverse action rolls for infantry units, and it
reduces the Speed of all units wearing it by one step (so a Normal speed unit becomes Slow and a Fast speed unit becomes
Normal). It reduces all wounds that target that unit, and ignores any limited damage attacks outright.
Unprepared units refers to someone not even wearing enough to be considered lightly armoured. This is usually
civilians in a defence missions, prisoners and hostages, and someone who was ambushed in an unlikely scenario (such as a
raid on those who didn’t have the chance to get arrayed for battle). Unprepared PC units cannot roll Endure to attempt to
reduce or ignore incoming damage.
Shifter units are considered to be Lightly-armoured in their human forms. Avians in bird form are still considered
to be Lightly-Armoured. Beasts in animal form are considered to be Partially armoured, but only for up to two body parts.
Dragons are considered to be Heavily armoured, and do not suffer any disadvantages from it. If a shifter has custom armour
put on in their shifted forms they incur a greater downside: Partial armour acts as Heavy for the disadvantages, and Heavy
armour makes Avians unable to fly and incurs a -1d to attacking of any kind for Beasts.
Partial and Heavy armours may sound daunting to combat, but there are specialized weapons to circumvent their
bonuses. Anti-Armour Weapons ignore the damage reduction of partially and heavily-armoured units. However, against
lightly-armoured units these weapons count as weak as if they were mismatched on the Weapon Triangle. The following
weapons are generic anti-armour weapons:
• Estoc: a Sword with no edge meant only for thrusting into gaps in armour, its square-shaped blade is far sturdier
and doesn’t risk breaking in harsh grapples.
• Warhammer: an Axe that is blunted and swings with such force as to crush metal, it usually has a spike on the
back end but is not as fluid to use as a normal axe.
• Lance: a Spear with an iron shaft that does not break or crumple in full-force strikes, however it is so heavy only
cavalry can typically wield it effectively.
• Rondel: a Dagger that has no edge and is rigid and strong, but its back-weighted balance makes it unable to be
thrown.
• Crossbow: a Bow that shoots short and rigid bolts capable of punching through armour, but its firing method
makes it unable to arc its shots around or over obstructions.
• Thunder magic is considered anti-armour when wielded by a trained Thunder Sage.

Polearms and Throwing Weapons

Units can carry multiple weapons, and some weapons are longer than others or can be thrown for extended range.
Polearms refer to any weapon that is large enough to attack foes in Close Range, and throwing weapons are specific to some
melee weapons that can be used in melee inflicting reduced damage or thrown for their full damage potential.
Polearms require both hands to use and must be dropped before the character can switch to a different weapon.
They can be retrieved later but cannot be carried while using another weapon. Polearms include: Greatswords and Glaives
are polearms that count as Swords; Halberds are polearms that count as Axes; and Pikes are polearms that count as Spears.
All Daggers except the Rondel can be thrown at units within Close range, dealing standard damage with melee or
thrown attacks. Otherwise, Hatchets are Axes that can be thrown at units within Close range and Javelins are Spears that
can be thrown at units within Short range. There are no generic swords that can be thrown. Generic thrown weapons must
be retrieved before they can be thrown or used again. Throwing attacks may be made with Prowess or Survey.
Basic Weapons List
There are many weapons out in the world, some wondrous, unique, and magical. For most, however, standard
armaments are the bread & butter of self-defence and warfare, and it is important to understanding your different options
and their benefits outside the Weapon Triangle.

Melee Weapons Anti-Armour Variant Polearm Variant (Close) Throwing Variant (Range)
Axes Hammer Halberd Hatchet (Close)
Daggers Rondel – All except Rondel (Close)
Spears Lance (Mounted Only) Pike Javelin (Short)
Swords Estoc Greatsword / Glaive –
Claws / Talons – – –
Magic – Short Ranged (can be used in Melee) | Uses Attune to make Attack Rolls.
Dark – – –
Fire – – –
Light – – –
Thunder – – –
Wind – – –
Long Range Weapons (can’t be used in Melee) | Uses Survey to make Attack Rolls.
Bows Crossbow – –

Legendary Weapons
Some weapons deliver blows a cut above the common tools of war. These weapons are called Legendary, and are
relics of an age long past or products of supernatural craftsmanship. Legendary weapons will often follow a template of a
common weapon type, but some may also be entirely unique weapons that anyone can use. Unique weapons are always
exempt from the Weapon and Magic Triangles.
Typically, a Legendary weapon has a single powerful mechanic. Usually, this property will be a subversion of a
drawback or extension of power beyond the normal boundaries. Any properties beyond that will be relegated to narrative
relevance and mainly change circumstances of some scenes or rolls. Here are some examples of Legendary Weapons:
• Durandal: Sword; Considered anti-armour and deals increased damage to all spirits, wyverners and dragons.
• Ragnell: Sword; Anti-Armour, but faces no drawbacks against lightly-armoured opponents.
• Windblade: Sword; This weapon may attack with Wind out to Short Range, using Prowess instead of Attune.
• Parashu: Axe; This weapon may be wielded in one or both hands, when in both it deals increased damage.
• Gaebolg: Spear; This weapon may be thrown but faces no drawbacks in melee range and it returns when thrown.
• Cinquedea: Dagger; Any 6 rolled on an attack with this weapon is counted as a Critical.
• Pinaka: Bow; Damage dealt by this bow’s attacks cannot be resisted with an Endure action roll.
• Sudarshana: Unique, Chakram; This weapon attacks at Short Range and damages all foes in a Zone. It must be
retrieved after each use like any other throwing weapon. It cannot be used in Melee.

COMBAT CLASSES
When it comes to creating a character, much of the customization is specific to the character, however to guide their general
abilities as a unit, they must pick a Class when the character is made. Depending on how you organize your game, you may
opt to allow players to mix and match aspects of the core classes. Make sure to picture how you want your character to play,
both in and out of combat, before deciding on a class.
Each class has an outline of equipment, two class skills, and one mastery skill. The GM may treat the equipment as
recommended rather than required and allow other options to be chosen. Weapon Slots are how many weapons they can
carry with them into battle. [If customizing gear, keep in mind the class speeds are based on their listed armours.] Class
skills are passive and constant or are a special action one can take at any time (unless specified by the skill itself). Mastery
skills require a trigger in very specific situations.
 Core Classes

ARCHER
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Weapon Slots:
Bows Light Normal 2
Class Skills:
• Called Shot: You may use an action to make a Survey action roll on a foe that is in range of your bow. If you succeed on this
roll and they are still in range of your bow on your next action, you may make a Survey action roll to attack them. If that
attack succeeds at all, upgrade it to a Critical Hit. If the target is a Named Foe, you may choose where you wound them.
• Quick Draw: You gain a +1d to Initiative rolls, even if you do not opt to use Survey or Prowess. If you win the initiative and
choose to make a Ranged attack as your first action, you also gain +1d to the Action Roll.

Mastery Skill: DEADEYE

Trigger: You score a Critical Success on a Ranged attack.
When this Mastery Skill activates, you may choose a new effect in place of doing increased damage. Instead, you may deal
damage as if it was a normal success, and in addition you may disarm the target. If you do so, the disarmed weapon falls to the
ground somewhere within Close Range. If the target is a Named Foe, you are guaranteed to cause a severe wound to the hand
holding the weapon and disarm them as above if you choose this option.

ASSASSIN
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Weapon Slots:
Daggers Light Fast 3
Class Skills:
• Burglar: You are not considered to be slowed or stopped by terrain features that are climbable or able to be bypassed with
agility, and treat any Traverse results of 1-3 as a 4/5 if there is no risk of damage associated with the action.
• Steal: When you are adjacent to a character that is unaware of you or when you attack a foe from a Controlled position you
may make an additional Stalk action roll. On a success, you may steal their armament or an important item from their person.
Note that if you get a failure or 4-5 on both this roll and any other action taken in tandem, you suffer consequences from both.

Mastery Skill: LETHALITY

Trigger: You score a Critical Success on a Stalk action.
When this Mastery Skill activates, select a foe within Close Range of you. You may immediately make a Prowess or Survey
attack roll against them, depending on their distance. On a success of any kind, you instantly kill them if they are a generic
foe. If they are a Named Foe they immediately take a Maiming and if they already have a Maiming, you kill them.

FENCER
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Weapon Slots:
Swords Light Normal 3
Class Skills:
• Parry: When you are targeted by a mounted and/or heavily-armoured foe’s melee attack, you are treated as having Heavy
Armour for the purposes of resisting their attacks on you.
• Riposte: When you roll a 6 or more on an Endure roll against an adjacent foe’s attack, you may immediately make a Prowess
attack roll targeting the foe who failed to harm you, even if it is not your turn.

Mastery Skill: ASTRA

Trigger: You score a Critical Success on a Melee attack.
When this Mastery Skill activates, you may choose a new effect in place of doing increased damage. Instead, you may deal
damage to all foes in your Zone. If you choose to do so, you do not need to roll another Prowess roll against them, they
automatically all take the damage or wound.
REAVER
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Weapon Slots:
Axes Partial Normal 3
Class Skills:
• Fearsome: You may use the Command action roll to strike supernatural fear into generic foes in your wake. On a success,
select one generic foe in Close Range and throw an insult their way. They flee from you until they reach a Zone on the edge of
the battlefield or until a Named Foe uses a reaction to call out to them. If they reach a Zone on the edge of the battlefield, they
flee the battle altogether (but may attack you again in the future).
• Shove: You may opt to make a Prowess action roll to move an adjacent character instead of attacking them. On a success, you
may shunt them into a different Zone, into nearby difficult terrain, or into a hazard as you please.

Mastery Skill: COLOSSUS

Trigger: You suffer a Severe Wound or Maiming.
When this Mastery Skill activates, every attack you deal damage with deals increased damage. If you are suffering from both a
Severe Wound and a Maiming, this effect occurs twice where possible (boosting limited damage to great damage).

SENTINEL
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Weapon Slots:
Spears Partial Normal 3
Class Skills:
• Targe: You are armed with a small round shield to increase your defences against ranged attacks. You never roll from a
Desperate position when making an Endure action roll to defend against a physical ranged attack. Attacks from Crossbows or
from enemies you are unaware of ignore this skill.
• Phalanx: When you are adjacent to one or more allies, you get a +1d to Prowess attacks and Endure action rolls.

Mastery Skill: IMPALE

Trigger: You score a Critical Success on a Melee attack.
When this Mastery Skill activates, you may choose a new effect in place of doing increased damage. If you are fighting
against an Infantry unit, you may automatically deal great damage to them, regardless of the amount you were meant to
damage them. If you are fighting against a Mounted unit, you may kill their mount and turn them into an Infantry unit.

MARSHALL
Weapon (pick 1 at creation): Armour: Speed: Weapon Slots:
Axes, Spears, or Swords Heavy Slow 3
Class Skills:
• Scutum: You bear a massive tower shield in addition to your armour, rendering arrow and thrown weapons little more than
annoyances. Unless you get an outright failure on your Endure roll or are unaware of the attacker, you ignore damage from
physical ranged attacks. Attacks from Crossbows ignore this skill.
• Towering: You count as an obstruction. In addition, if an adjacent foe tries to move away from you, or if a foe tries to move
by you coming into adjacency as part of a move, you may immediately roll a Prowess attack roll. On a success, you damage
them as they move or they defend themself and remain stationary. On a critical success, you deal damage as a normal attack
and they cannot take the move they planned.

Mastery Skill: LUNA

Trigger: You score a Critical Success on a Melee attack.
When this Mastery Skill activates, you may choose a new effect in place of doing increased damage. Instead, you may rend
their armour, dealing damage as you normally would and reducing their armour by one step for the rest of the battle.
[Heavy -> Partial -> Light -> Unprepared]
KNIGHT
Weapon (pick 1 at creation): Armour: Mounted Speed: Weapon Slots:
Axes, Spears, or Swords Partial Fast 4
Class Skills:
• Cavalier: You enter battle astride a noble steed, bonded to you from a young age. In addition to increasing your speed to Fast
and granting you narrative advantages, this allows you to ride through foes as if they are difficult terrain instead of them
blocking you. Towering enemies still block you as obstructions. Though just a beast, your horse understands your commands
as if it could speak your language.
• Charge: When you move directly towards a foe and use a Prowess attack to target them, your attack does increased damage.

Mastery Skill: SOL

Trigger: You score a Critical Success on a Melee attack while you have at least one Wound.
When this Mastery Skill activates, you may choose a new effect in place of doing increased damage. If you choose to do so,
you deal damage as you normally would and heal a wound one level lower than what you would inflict on your opponent.
[Thus limited damage attacks do not heal, standard damage heals a minor wound, and great damage heals a severe wound.]

PALADIN
Weapon (pick 1 at creation): Armour: Mounted Speed: Weapon Slots:
Bows or Spears Light Fast and Flight 4
Class Skills:
• Radiant: You enter battle astride a glorious pegasus, bonded to you on a spiritual level. In addition to increasing your speed to
Fast and granting you narrative advantages, it allows you to fly as you move though you must land at the end of each
movement. Should you fall from the Pegasus while flying, it will always swoop to catch you, and if the two of you are
separated the pegasus can and will seek you out even without any information of your whereabouts.
• Skirmisher: When you ride through the same Zone as a foe, you may make an attack against them as you whip past them.
When you do so, they may only damage you in return if you enter their range, and even if they do you may roll your Traverse
instead of your Endure to resist taking damage for the attack.

Mastery Skill: NOVA

Trigger: You score a Critical Success on an action roll to resist an attack.
When this Mastery Skill activates, you may choose the following effect instead of increased effect. Make a Command action
roll immediately. On a 6, you stun the foe for three actions. On a 4/5, two actions. On a 1-3, one action. Stunned foes cannot
make reactions. These actions can be taken against the foe by you or any of your allies.

WYVERNER
Weapon (pick 1 at creation): Armour: Mounted Speed: Weapon Slots:
Axes, Spears, or Swords Partial or Heavy (Slow) Normal and Flight (Hover) 4
Class Skills:
• Dragon Knight: You enter battle astride a powerful wyvern, bonded to you in obedience. In addition to granting you narrative
advantages, it allows you to fly and hover above the battlefield, just out of most’s reach. Should the two of you separate, your
wyvern will track you by scent and attack with abandon anything that attempts to prevent it from reaching you.
• Scourge: If you hover above the battlefield and choose to drop down unto a foe as part of an attack, your attack does
increased damage.

Mastery Skill: FRAGOR

Trigger: You score a Critical Success on an action roll to resist an attack.
When this Mastery Skill activates, you may choose the following effect instead of increased effect. Make a Command action
roll immediately. On a success, you stun all foes in your Zone for one action. If you are hovering you may choose to stun all
foes in the Zone below you instead. Stunned foes cannot make reactions. These actions can be taken against the foe by you or
any of your allies.
PRIEST
Weapons: Armour: Speed: Weapon Slots:
Light and Staves Light Normal 3
Class Skills:
• Diviner: You roll both Light Magic attacks and Healing Staff actions using the Will trait.
• Respected: The clergy draw influence from those who hold the faith of the land, even if the priest no longer believes in it
themself. When you interact with religious characters, which includes most commoners, you gain a +1 to any Charm or
Command actions you roll.

Mastery Skill: CORONA

Trigger: You score a Critical Success on a healing roll.
When this Mastery Skill activates, you may choose the following effect instead of increased effect. Instead of increasing the
efficacy of your healing on the single target, you may heal all allies in the same Zone as you. If there is only one ally in the
same Zone as you, you can instead heal as many allies within Long Range as you have points in the Will trait.

SAGE
Weapon (pick 1 at creation): Armour: Speed: Weapon Slots:
Fire, Thunder, or Wind Light Normal 3
Class Skills:
• Scholar: You studied diligently to gain control of your own spells. Whenever you succeed on a Study action roll to recall or
discern information, after the GM gives you information from your successful roll, you may ask a follow-up question on the
subject that the GM must answer truthfully.
• Elementalist: When you choose this class and select your Weapon of choice, you become a specialized sage in that element.
Though you can still use other elemental tomes you gain in you adventure, you gain an additional ability when using your
element of choice:
◦ Fire Sage: Your magic deals increased damage when used against adjacent foes in melee.
◦ Thunder Sage: Your magic is considered an anti-armour weapon, but incurs no issues fighting lightly-armoured units.
◦ Wind Sage: Extend your range with wind magic attacks to Long Range.

Mastery Skill: NOVA

Trigger: You score a Critical Success on a Magic attack.
When this Mastery Skill activates, you may choose a new effect in place of doing increased damage. Instead, you may deal
damage to both your target and all foes in the target’s Zone. If you choose to do so, you do not need to roll another Attune roll
against them, they automatically all take the damage or wound.

SHAMAN
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Weapon Slots:
Dark Light Normal 2
Class Skills:
• Wise Walker: You can see and speak to spirits, both of the elements and of the dead. In addition, you may substitute Attune
for Study when recalling information about spirits, magic, or the occult.
• Guardian Spirit: You enter battle alongside a guardian spirit, bound to you by will and magic. It acts immediately after you
and you control it as an additional unit. When you pick this class, choose an element: Fire, Thunder, and Wind. The guardian
spirit is composed of that element and deals that damage and interacts with magic as it.

Mastery Skill: ECLIPSE

Trigger: A spirit enters the same Zone as you.
When this Mastery Skill activates, you may choose to make a Will action roll immediately. If you succeed, the spirit is bound
to you and follows you in battle much like your familiar. On a failure, the spirit will choose you as its target and will attack no
one but you or those who try to attack it. If you end the battle controlling multiple spirits, you must select only one to be your
guardian spirit from then on and release the others once you have chosen.
GUARDIAN SPIRIT (Not a character option, but instead paired with Shaman)
Weapon (pick 1 at creation): Armour: Speed: Weapon Slots:
Fire, Thunder, or Wind Light Normal and Flying (Hover) 0
Class Skills:
• Phasing: You do not have traits of your own, substituting your Shaman’s pools whenever you need to make a roll. As a non-
physical being, you ignore all physical difficult terrain, obstructions, and hazards when you move or Traverse. Foes, even
other spirits, do not block your movements. Magical terrain features still effect you and enemies can still target you with
physical weaponry.
• Elementalist: When you choose this class and select your Element of choice, you become a spirit of that element and gain an
additional ability when using your element of choice:
◦ Fire Spirit: You destroy any terrain features made of flammable materials when you pass through them. In addition, you
count as heavily-armoured against Fire attacks.
◦ Thunder Spirit: If you enter a water zone, you deal limited damage to all characters in the zone. In addition, you can
target foes up to Long Range if they are arrayed in Partial or Heavy metal armour.
◦ Wind Spirit: Your magic forces flying units to land. In addition, you move at Fast speed for Traverse action rolls.

Mastery Skill: FULMINATE

Trigger: You suffer a wound of any kind.
When this Mastery Skill activates, your Shaman must make a Will roll to keep you centred on the material plane. The position
of this roll depends on the severity of the wound you would take: Minor Wound equals Controlled roll, Severe Wound equals
Risky roll, and Maiming equals Desperate roll. On a success, you remain stable and can continue on. On a failure, you explode
and deal standard damage of your element to all foes in your Zone, or limited damage to those strong against your element.
You reconfigure after the battle is over as if nothing had ever happened to you.

AVIAN SHIFTER
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Weapon Slots:
Talons Light Fast and Flight (Hover) 1
Class Skills:
• Bird Shift: When you enter battle, you do so in human form. While in this form you can communicate with allies and use
your human hands to interact with things while defending yourself with your ever-present talons and flying with your wings.
Once you choose to, you shift into Bird Form for proper battle and you gain the Swoop skill. However, each time you take an
action in Bird form, you must first succeed on an Endure action roll or revert back to human on a failure.
◦ Swoop: Striking from the skies while in bird form allows you to tear through opponents with ease. When you roll a 6 or
critical on an attack from which you started from a Hover Zone, you may deal damage not only to your target but any
foes adjacent to them as well.
• Avian Nature: When you create an avian shifter, choose either Crow, Hawk, or Heron. Once your decision is made it can
never be changed. Your choice comes with an additional skill:
◦ Crow: You gain +1d when making Survey action rolls to notice small details in either form.
◦ Hawk: You gain +1d when making Survey action rolls to view distant subjects in either form.
◦ Heron: You are able to use a Healing Staff in addition to your Talons in human form.

Mastery Skill: TEAR

Trigger: You score a Critical Success on a Melee attack.
When this Mastery Skill activates, you may choose a new effect in place of doing increased damage. Instead, you deal damage
as normal and reduce the target’s speed by one step for the rest of the battle. [Fast becomes Normal, Normal becomes Slow.]
BEAST SHIFTER
Weapon: Armour (Human / Beast): Speed (Human / Beast): Weapon Slots:
Claws Light / Partial Normal / Fast 1
Class Skills:
• Beast Shift: When you enter battle, you do so in human form. While in this form you can communicate with allies and use
your human hands to interact with things while defending yourself with your ever-present claws. Once you choose to, you
shift into Beast Form for proper battle and you gain the Ferocity skill. However, each time you take an action in Beast form,
you must first succeed on an Endure action roll or revert back to human on a failure.
◦ Ferocity: You are able to push past the usual pain limits of a human. While in Beast Form, you may choose to ignore the
drawbacks of either both your Minor Wounds or a Severe Wound.
• Bestial Nature: When you create a beast shifter, choose either Bear, Cat, or Wolf. Once your decision is made it can never be
changed. Your choice comes with an additional skill:
◦ Bear: Your ferocity extends further and you may choose to ignore a Maiming instead of the other two options.
◦ Cat: You gain a +1d to make Stalk action rolls focused on hiding and moving silently in either form.
◦ Wolf: You treat a fail as a partial success when making a Stalk action roll to track someone by scent in either form.

Mastery Skill: REND

Trigger: You score a Critical Success on a Melee attack.
When this Mastery Skill activates, you may choose a new effect in place of doing increased damage. Instead, you deal damage
as normal and the target deals reduced damage for the rest of the battle.

DRAGON SHIFTER
Weapon (pick 1 at creation): Armour (Human / Dragon): Speed (Human / Dragon): Weapon Slots:
Fire, Light, or Dark Light / Heavy Normal / and Flight 1
Class Skills:
• Dragon Shift: When you enter battle, you do so in human form. While in this form you can communicate with allies and use
your human hands to interact with things while defending yourself with your ever-present claws. Once you choose to, you
shift into Dragon Form for proper battle and you gain the Breath and Claw skill. However, each time you take an action in
Dragon form, you must first succeed on an Endure action roll or revert back to human on a failure.
◦ Breath and Claw: Your attacks count as the element associated with your type: Fire for Red Dragons, Light for White
Dragons, Dark for Black Dragons. When you attack in melee, you do so with your claws, which interact with magic and
weapons as your colour’s element. When you attack with your Breath, you may target foes out to Close Range and use
your Endure trait instead of Prowess or Survey to make the roll.
• Draconian Nature: When you create a Dragon shifter, choose either Red, White, or Black. Once your decision is made it can
never be changed. Your choice comes with an additional skill:
◦ Red: You gain a +1d to Command action rolls to frighten or command respect in either form.
◦ White: You gain a +1d to Will action rolls to resist manipulation or magical effects in either form.
◦ Black: You gain a +1d to Charm action rolls to deceive or confuse others in either form.

Mastery Skill: IRE

Trigger: You score a Critical Success on an Endure breath attack.
When this Mastery Skill activates, you may choose a new effect in place of doing increased damage. Instead, you may either
deal your normal damage to your target and all foes adjacent to them or reduce the armour of your target and all foes adjacent
to them by one step.
FALCONER
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Weapon Slots:
Bow Light Normal 2
Class Skills:
• Scout: When Group Combat begins and after the GM explains the rough layout for the battlefield and ally and enemy
positions, you may opt not to roll initiative. If you do, you will take the last action in the initiative order, but you will not be
considered on the battlefield until you take your action. Once the spotlight falls on you, choose anywhere on the battlefield
and you will start your turn there, regardless of how difficult it was to reach.
• Raptor: You enter battle with a phoenix companion, soaring up in the air out of reach of most attacks and evading slower
flying enemies. As a Survey action roll, you may target one foe in long distance for your phoenix to Mark. They will swoop
down and pirouette around the enemy, making them easier to see and distracting them slightly. Any ally who attacks the
marked foe does with one step up in risk position. If their risk position would already by Controlled then they gain a +1d to
the roll instead. The foe remains marked until they are attacked or you mark a new foe.

Mastery Skill: MARTYR

Trigger: An ally is hit by an attack that would make them fall in battle.
When this Mastery Skill activates, your phoenix swoops down to intercept the attack that took out your ally, regardless of how
far away it was from them. The bird takes the blow for that ally, relieving them of the damage. However, your bird dies in a
burst of flames and you lose access to the Raptor class skill and this Mastery Skill for the rest of the battle. After the scene,
your bird rises from its ashes and rejoins you.

JESTER
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Weapon Slots:
Daggers Light Normal 3
Class Skills:
• Clowning: You are insufferable when you want to be and difficult to ignore, especially when you appear so weak at first
glance to any battle-hardened veteran. As a Charm action roll, you can attempt to distract a foe. On a 6, you distract all foes in
your Zone, focusing their attention on you. On a 4/5, you distract one foe of your choosing. On a 1-3, you distract the foe of
your choice, but they will attack you and deal increased damage. A distracted foe cannot deal damage to allies who attack or
act against them. They remain distracted until they take damage from a source besides you.
• Tumbler: While you are distracting one or more enemies, your Speed is Fast. In addition, you may use your action to lead all
of them on a chase, making a Traverse action roll. On a 6, you take no damage and all distracted enemies must follow you
wherever you moved. On a 4/5, the enemies still follow you but you must roll Endure or risk taking damage from the fastest
among them (ruled by the GM). On a 1-3, you take damage from all of them simultaneously and fail to leave the Zone you
started in.

Mastery Skill: FINALE

Trigger: You score a Critical Success on a Traverse action roll.
When this Mastery Skill activates, you catch a foe unawares with your sudden and agile movements, making a fool of them
and harming them in one swoop. Choose a foe who was adjacent to you at some point during your movements and deal
damage to them in addition to all success and positive effects from the triggering roll. If the chosen foe is distracted by you,
kill them instantly.
TROUBADOUR
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Weapon Slots:
Staves Light Normal 2
Class Skills:
• Martial Music: You act as an amplifier for the orders and messages of officers around you. Whenever a character in the same
Zone makes a Command action roll, or any other action roll that requires communication, you can pass the message on via
song. When you do so, all Allies on the battlefield are considered to be able to hear the character you are amplifying and can
benefit from any effects and receive any information they were conveying.
• Invigorate: Your music can rouse speeds unknown to regular people from their bodies, providing limitless energy for a
moment. When you are adjacent to an ally, you may make a Charm action roll. On a success, their Speed is boosted one step
for their next action.

Mastery Skill: CRESCENDO

Trigger: You score a Critical Success on a Charm action roll.
When this Mastery Skill activates, you raise a a crescendo in your voice or song and raise the spirits of all upon the battlefield.
In addition to any effects and benefits you would receive on the success that triggered this roll, you also empower all allies on
the battlefield. For their next action, all allies may treat a roll of 1-3 as a 4/5, eliminating failure from their repertoire.

PARAGON – Optional “Protagonist” Class

Weapon: Armour: Speed: Weapon Slots:
Pick 1 at Creation. Light, Partial or Heavy. Normal 2-4
Class Skills:
• Either pick two appropriate class skills from other classes or write two class skills of your own. Generally, you can design
these class skills by granting one or some of the following bonuses:
◦ +1d for a Trait’s action rolls in specific situations; usually comes with a narrative benefit as well.
◦ Swap the use of one Trait for another on specific action or attack rolls.
◦ Ignore drawbacks in a specific situation or from a specific type of weapon or armour.
◦ Gain a situational option that expands your options or changes how you act on the battlefield.
◦ Grants you a unique action roll that allows you to take unorthodox action on the battlefield.
• You may also change or expand options in the slots above, but must account for these changes with either weaker skill choices
or decreasing a different slot. Like moving at Fast Speed but at a loss of Weapon Slots, gaining an additional Weapon option
but decreasing your armour from your preferred level, etc.

Mastery Skill: CUSTOM

Trigger: You score a Critical Success on a Trait’s action roll.
When this Mastery Skill activates, you may choose a new effect in place of doing increased effect. Outline what special option
this gives you. If it was on an attack roll, you can typically swap increased damage for dealing your normal damage in
addition to a special effect, such as inflicting a status or dealing damage in an area. Alternatively, you could choose to deal no
damage for a very powerful effect. Non-attack Mastery Skills usually have incredibly support potential, but require using your
action to attempt the trait.
CHARACTER CUSTOMIZATION – TRAITS
Once a character’s class is chosen, character creation can begin in proper with selection of the character’s traits.
The class’s skills given a solid indication of what traits you should have more points in to start, at least to help you keep up
with others in group combat.
When you create a character, you get 7 points to distribute across your traits. It is recommended to cap the amount
one can have to start in a Trait at 2 points at the beginning, however the GM may choose to allow ratings of 3 or 4 in a trait
at the beginning (such as making a mentor-type character, or a character skilled at warfare but learning about the world
beyond violence). Do what you as a group want, but keep in mind that a trait at 3 or 4 will not be able to progress as much.
It is ideal to have the party be balanced around different traits, and you should be progressing at a reasonable rate
so don’t feel that you need to have all of your traits worked out ahead of time. Try to have 2 points in one to three traits that
you are prioritizing, while having 1 point in one to four traits that you want to be actively in the process of learning.

There are twelve traits overall. For Group Combat, the traits that are very commonly used are: Attune, Endure,
Prowess, Survey, Traverse, and Will. Traits that come up in Group Combat in specific circumstances include: Command,
Stalk, and Tinker. Finally, the traits that almost never come up during a battle are Campaign, Charm, and Study.
If you are playing a class that engages enemies in close combat, it is ideal to have a strong spread of the commonly
used traits for Group Combat, as they will up your combat abilities while still providing some utility outside of combat.
Those playing ranged, stealth, magic, or healer classes can feel more at ease to experiment and design their character around
providing utility beyond combat capabilities.
Again, however, feel free to create characters who subvert these trends. Fire Sages in particularly can make
spectacular “melee mages” if their traits are well-distributed; Fencers often tie themselves to nobility and other social games
that make them likely to have out-of-combat utility; and who could help but love a massive and gruff Marshall who is a
prolific knitter or consummate bookworm?
Though twelve traits may seem like a large number, keep in mind these are the only ones you will ever need to roll.
In addition, only player characters and allies ever need to make action rolls, as foes and obstacles will only react in a way
that would call outcomes into question when a player fails or partially succeeds against them. As a result, focus on what you
want to be good at doing and try not to worry about needing to roll the things you don’t plan to do.

TRAIT DESCRIPTION
Attune The trait which governs magical sensitivity and subtlety of its uses. Attune allows you to sense magical effects, the
presence of invisible spirits and beings, and the ability to use magic in battle.
Campaign The trait which governs management skills and logistics. Campaign allows you to manage supplies over time, chart
skilful navigation courses, and avoid confusion in intricate situations.
Charm The trait which governs general likeability and social manoeuvring. Charm allows you to endear yourself to others,
pass off falsehoods as reality, and avoid repercussions for your actions.
Command The trait which governs force of personality and social presence. Command allows you to demand respect, wrack
others with fear, and control the morale of crowds and armies.
Endure The trait which governs stamina control and general resilience. Endure allows you to resist wounds from attacks,
exert yourself physically for long periods, and survive in hazardous conditions.
Prowess The trait which governs physical abilities and strength. Prowess allows you to move heavy objects, jump and move
with balance and power, wrestle with characters and forces, and attack with great skill in melee.
Stalk The trait which governs careful movement and hunting. Stalk allows you to hide from others’ senses, move silently
and unnoticed, follow others and escape followers, and follow tracks of your given mark.
Study The trait which governs scholarly determination and learnedness. Study allows you to pursue research diligently,
recall information about the world or magic, and make logical conclusions on your own using reason alone.
Survey The trait which governs general perception and accuracy. Survey allows you to notice things others would miss,
focus your senses on specific subjects or over great distances, and shoot ranged weapons with clear precision.
Tinker The trait which governs material ingenuity and craftsmanship. Tinker allows you to change and modify items, create
mechanical and engineering marvels, and break down or bypass devices (such as lock-picking).
Traverse The trait which governs swift and agile motion in all its forms. Traverse allows you to move quickly, utilize great
agility as part of movement, or dodge hazards and damage from effects affecting wide areas.
Will The trait which governs spiritual presence and willpower. Will allows you to resist strain from mental and magical
stresses, influence spirits in a direct sense, and cast powerful healing magics that can turn the tide of battle.
CHARACTER CUSTOMIZATION – SUPPORTS
Once you have chosen all the traits for your character, you connect them to each other using Support Bonds, shortened to
“Supports”. These are the mechanical aspect of your ties to another character. They range from one to five points and are
increased over the course of the game, though traditionalists may prefer to measure them as D[1], C[2], B[3], A[4], S[5]
instead. However, for simplicity we will just discuss them numerically from hereon.
Supports must be reciprocal, meaning that if you start with a Support with another PC, they automatically have a Support
with you as well. This means that once two players decide on a Support, they both share it, rather than it increasing or
decreasing for only one of them. It reflects a mutual feeling of one another. As a result, there are three ways to handle the
divvying up of Support Bonds at creation:
• Found Family: All PCs start with a Level-1 Support Bond with all other PCs. These are increased individually, but
everyone is assumed to be on good terms with each other at the beginning of the game. However, PCs may not start
with any Support Bonds to NPCs or gain additional abilities from lack of Supports.
• Web of Bonds: PCs start with a Level-1 Support Bond if they tie their backstories together in a significant way
(relatives, romantic partners, old friends, mentor/student, etc). They can only have one such bond with another PC,
or they may elect to have no Supports with other PCs and start with a Support with an NPC ally instead at Level-1.
If they elect to have no Supports at all, they may instead gain a free point to add to any Trait.
• Alone Together: All PCs start with no Support Bonds. Choose this for a game where characters are suddenly
forced together and you want to see where the chips fall as you play.

When you work in tandem with the subject of your Support, you may invoke your Bond once per session to add its rating to
their pool (or vice-versa if you are making the roll). Alternatively, if you are acting to protect or save the subject of your
Support you may invoke your Bond once per session to roll its rating instead of your usual pool. You may only use this once
per session. Supports should have a slot next to them that players can check during gameplay on any character sheet used
for this system.

CHARACTER CUSTOMIZATION – ADVANCEMENT

A character may start with a variety of options to utilize, and seemingly rely on their class abilities and traits entirely
outright, but they must be able to advance for the game to truly be role-playing. Emblem of Flames characters collect
experience points, usually one at a time, and mark them in a track that has three milestones of advancement at each
increment of five slots. Once you reach these milestones you can clear the track for advancements.

If you are making your own character sheets, the Experience Track should look like this:
Experience: ▢▢▢▢▢ ▢▢▢▢▢ ▢▢▢▢▢

At 5 experience you may clear the track up to this milestone to choose one of the following advancements:
• Increase a Trait by 1 point.
• Start a new Support Bond with a PC or NPC, initiating it with a narrative scene getting to know them.
At 10 experience you may clear the track up to this milestone to choose one of the following advancements:
• Increase two Traits by 1 point.
• Gain a new Class Skill (either from a pre-existing class or written with your GM).
• Write a new Character Move.
At 15 experience you may clear the track up to this milestone to choose one of the following advancements:
• Increase three Traits by 1 point.
• Gain access to a new Weapon type.
• Gain a new Minor Wound slot, or turn two Minor Wound slots into a new Severe Wound slot.
• Gain access to an alternate Mastery Skill. You may gain multiple Mastery Skills, but may only use one per battle
scene and it must be selected before the battle.

Once you reach one of the three milestones, you must choose to clear the track and gain the advancement before reaching
the next milestone. Banking your experience until the next milestone only allows you to clear for that advancement. Thus, if
you do desire an earlier advancement first, it is best to clear the track and not wait. That said, if you are only partially down
the track to the next milestone, you may still clear for the last milestone and keep the additional experience. (So if you had 8
experience slots filled, you can still take the 5xp milestone advancement and keep the remaining 3xp on the track.)
How to Gain Experience
Option 1 – Experience on Failure

Whenever you roll a failure outside of Group Combat, mark 1 experience on the track. Within Group Combat,
gain 1 experience whenever you take a Wound or whenever you trigger your Mastery Skill. Use this method if you want
simple and quick advancement. If you want to accelerate it even further, you can grant every PC 1 experience anytime a
Named Foe is defeated.

Option 2 – Character Keys

For this method of advancement you gain experience through “hitting your Keys” by meeting the situations they
demand. This advancement ties character growth to personality and story rather than dice outcome and thus can shape the
game to incentivize playing into one’s character more. However, the downside is that it makes advancement more complex
and adds another layer of character customization some may love while others would rather avoid. Use this method for
slower and more character-driven advancement.
If you decide to use Character Keys, refer to the document with the
list of example keys to help craft them and understand their rules.
CHARACTERS AND DEATH
When a character has all of their Wound Slots filled, they die. This lethality is a key aspect to playing through and feeling
the experience of a war, even in something generally light-hearted and hopeful. Without the cost, we lost a lot of the gain in
themes. Emblem of Flames is a game where death can occur quickly, and this is where the emphasis on tactics and
teamwork come together.
Usually this should not derail most games, as the PCs will usually operate as part of a wider movement or company and
there is always opportunity to recruit new PCs to replace them if the player needs to introduce a new character. For NPC
allies, the risk of losing them makes the tactics employed with them all the more important and thrilling. That said,
depending on how your game is organized, there may be specific characters that you do not want to lose unless the game is
in a turning point of the story. These characters we will call ‘Protagonists’ from now on. When you want to designate a
character, PC or NPC, as a Protagonist you must have everyone in the group agree.
Protagonists have additional protections towards death that other characters lack, but this does not mean they do not face
consequences. Wounds and Maiming still affect them, and Maiming still requires special circumstances to fully heal.
However, when faced with the possibility of death, these characters may have additional options or may change the nature
of the scene. To handle these special use cases, use one of the three following methods:

Method 1: Plot Armour

If your goal is to prevent protagonist deaths without impacting the flow of the game, then the best option is Plot
Armour. In this mode, Protagonist characters simply do not die when all of their wound slots are filled. Instead, they are
taken out of the fight as unconscious and can be captured by foes if the battle is lost and an ally does not secure them. If the
players win the battle, they simply heal at the normal rate and return to consciousness once their first Minor Wound slot is
cleared.

Method 2: Fail States

When you want Protagonists to stay alive but do not want them to feel immortal, you can introduce Fail States. In
this mode, when a Protagonist character dies in a battle, the battle ends and must be restarted again, as if loading a save
game or reverting to a checkpoint in a video game. If your players enjoy puzzle combat, this can be satisfying, and it
guarantees that players never just “let the protagonist fall because they won’t actually die”. That said, it can lead to
frustration when players need to redo entire battles because of a few bad rolls.

Method 3: Death Saves

If you want there to still be a chance that Protagonists may die, but you want it to be tougher for this to occur,
choose Death Saves. When a protagonist falls they may roll either Endure or Will, whichever trait is higher, as a Death
Save. Then consult the following unique outcomes:
On a Critical: You rise from near-death and clear all their Minor Wound slots.
On a 6: You rise from near-death and clear one Minor Wound slot.
On a 4/5: You rise, but do not clear any wound slots. You must retain all the wounds you suffered to reach this
state and if you would take damage again, you must roll a new Death Save.
On a 1-3: You die. If you were a PC, take control of all NPC allies until the end of the battle and make a new PC.

This method still puts the story at risk of changing dramatically, so only select this if you made piece with that and
want to add an additional layer of bubble wrap to the Protagonist’s survivability. You may also decide to use some
combination of these three methods for your game, such as Death Saves and Fail States if they fail the Death Save, or
having only one specific character have Plot Armour for narrative reasons (such as being favoured by the Goddess or being
Undead or whatnot).
RUNNING THE GAME – INCREASING SUPPORT BONDS
Experience Points are not the only way for PCs to advance in the story, as there are also Support Bonds which
strength over the course of the game. These improvements should happen over the course of the game’s story, and not be a
simple mechanic for a player to focus on intensely and increase early on. Especially when it comes to Level-5 / S-Ranked
bonds, which are stronger than any trait at its maximum.
For NPC Allies, this process is simple enough. Think about the rough outline of your plans for a campaign and try
to divide it into at least Three Acts (like a film or play). An example is a game about a peasant rebellion has an Act 1 as a
series of riots in the markets, then if the PCs capture the city for the rebellion they enter Act 2 as the nobility besieges the
city to try and regain control, and then if the siege is defeated and the rebellion marches on the capital the PCs have entered
Act 3. For every act, think of a possible “Support Scene” for the NPC Ally and think of what that Ally wants out of the
scene emotionally. If the PC with the Bond manages to give the Ally what they want, or what you think they need, increase
the Support Bond by 1 level. This will usually take them all the way to a Level-4 / A-Ranked bond.
When it comes to Bonds between two PCs, it enters the hands of the players a bit more. Let them know at the
beginning of the game that there will be multiple Acts to the game, and that they will have the chance to increase their
bonds at least once per Act. Every time they want to increase their Bond, they must dedicate a whole scene to playing out
what changes between them to strengthen the Bond. If their dynamic does not change in some way, they do not increase
their Bond. Depending on the context of the relationship and your preferences, you as GM may allow a second advancement
in a single Act, but this should be rare.
But then how, pray tell, does one unlock the highest ranking, the Level-5 / S-Ranked? This type of Support Bond is
coveted as it can reach a higher rating than any Trait, and thus offers players a 5d6 roll at least once per session. For our
purposes, this Bond is saved for Bonds between Soul-Mates. A Soul Mate need not be romantic or sexual, it need not be
demanding, and it need not even be exclusive. If you want to allow all the PCs to be polyamorous or to be each other’s soul-
mates, you can do so at your own discretion.
Official advice from this game is to ask the player when they make their character what they would define a “soul-
mate” relationship for their specific PC. Write down the answer. Reward them with an S-Ranked Bond when that
relationship is achieved in the story of the game, whether it be with an NPC or a PC. If it is with a PC, make sure both
players agree that their characters are each other’s soul-mates. It is perfectly fine if everyone in the group has the same
working answer for what they think of as a soul-mate for their character, that will simply give you a more consistent criteria
to decide if someone has achieved that relationship.
A Level-5 / S-Rank Support Bond is achievable at any Act of the game, but it requires an explicit act or statement
of intimacy between BOTH characters. However, if players have tried the game before or have read this section, make sure
they have to work for the relationship, or at the very least are pursuing it in a way that feels satisfying to the other players.
In theory a pair of characters can become soul-mates in Act 1, but it should never be a decision made lightly for the
mechanical advancement it represents. Players who cheapen the story for material gains will only receive a cheap story in
return, rather than a satisfying one.

RUNNING THE GAME – PC CONFLICTS

Whether you are playing a game that jumps between multiple parties’ perspectives before they clash in an
inevitable war, or if you simply have players and PCs that like to explore conflict between one another in a mechanical way,
you may want to understand how to deal with two PCs acting in competition or conflict. Well, that depends on how much
the players want their character to succeed, not the Player-Character’s wants or needs.
If neither player cares all that much for the outcome of the conflict, open it up to table discussion about what would
be most satisfying for the group or the story. Your input counts here as well, so don’t stay out of it. Discuss until a consensus
is reached and then act out that resolution, no dice necessary. However, if in that conversation one or more of the players
realizes they want the outcome more than they thought move on to the next paragraph.
If only one player wants their character to succeed and the other is not invested but still thinks it would be
appropriate for their character to block or disrupt, then treat the PC of the less-caring player as a foe. The player who cares
about the outcome makes their action roll, and the outcome is determined as normal, treating the PC of the player who
doesn’t care as any old foe or NPC in contention.
Finally, if both players want their character to succeed, you may choose to do a Roll-Off. In a roll-off, both players
roll their traits as an action roll. If there is a clear winner, such as one rolling a 6 and the other a 4, then the winner’s
outcome is the only one that counts. For ties, consult the following section instead of using the normal Action Roll rules:
• If both rolled a Critical: The players get a choice to either end in a stalemate or both receive increased effect as if
they both succeeded. If dealing damage, they both receive damage; if not, the GM may rule they both critically
succeed but also face a detriment from their overzealous pursuit.
• If both rolled a Success: Treat it identically to 4/5 result, even if both rolled a 6.
• If both rolled a Failure: Treat it similar to both rolling a Critical, but you choose instead of the players.
RUNNING THE GAME – NPC ALLIES

The Player Characters are not the only allies to be drawn on in Group Combat, as it wouldn’t be Emblem of Flames
without recruiting and utilizing the expertise of a wide variety of units. Depending on the size of the playgroup, there may
even be NPC allies already embedded in the party at the beginning of the game. However, it is worth noting that NPC allies
are easy to build, and are simply a weaker and simpler version of a standard PC, closer to Foes overall.

When you make an NPC Ally, simply select a Core Class (or one of your own making if you are the GM), remove
the Mastery Skill, and give them 5 points to spend on Trait levels. List these traits on a character card like so:

EXAMPLE NPC ARCHER – NINA Hit Points: 3

Weapon: Armour: Speed: Weapon Slots:
Bows Light Normal 2
Traits: Experience: ▢▢▢▢▢
Survey 2, Endure 1, Stalk 1, Traverse 1
Class Skills:
• Called Shot: You may use an action to make a Survey action roll on a foe that is in range of your bow. If you succeed on this
roll and they are still in range of your bow on your next action, you may make a Survey action roll to attack them. If that
attack succeeds at all, upgrade it to a Critical Hit. If the target is a Named Foe, you may choose where you wound them.
• Quick Draw: You gain a +1d to Initiative rolls, even if you do not opt to use Survey or Prowess. If you win the initiative and
choose to make a Ranged attack as your first action, you also gain +1d to the Action Roll.

An NPC only needs to make action rolls during Group Combat, and only when the GM is unsure of the outcome.
This will typically mean that NPC allies roll when they attack a foe, when they are targeted by an effect they can attempt to
resist, when they receive special orders (such as sneak up onto that ridge), or when they have to move through terrain that
would warrant an action roll.
To limit rolls in Group Combat, the GM may opt to rule that the Weapon Triangle acts as the ruling guideline for
NPC vs NPC combat. As an example, if the players send a Sentinel ally against a Fencer foe, the Sentinel ally merely deals
damage as appropriate to the Fencer. However if a foe gets a reaction or moves into engagement against an ally, this
continues to function and thus a Reaver foe would simply deal damage to the aforementioned Sentinel ally. When they are
neutral to each other or specific circumstances call for an imbalance in power, the GM my call for a roll instead.
In addition, NPCs still have a progression, but it is far more limited than a PCs. They do not gain Character Moves
or new Class Skills. Instead, every time they reach 5 experience, they may increase a Trait by 1. For their advancement, you
may either make them mark experience on every failed trait roll, or allow them to mark Experience whenever they have
dealt the majority of damage to defeat a foe. Ideally, they should advance slower, and over time gaining Traits that are more
relevant outside of battle.
When an NPC ally is aiding a PC in an Action Roll outside of battle and they have points in the relevant Trait the
PC is rolling the player can add up to half of the NPC’s pool (rounded up) to their own pool instead of the stand +1d from
having someone help. This is again, to GM discretion, as the NPC allies can simply function as any NPC does and only take
action when PCs fail.
NPCs use Hit Points instead of tracking Wounds, however if the GM wants to give them more survivability they
may opt to track wounds on them. It is recommended, however, to only track wounds on the most important NPC allies, or
on subjects of “escort missions”, as tracking too many at once could get cumbersome. A standard ally has 3 Hit Points,
however a more important one can have up to 7 Hit Points or more. That 7 Hit Points is roughly what a PC’s 2 Minor, 1
Severe, and 1 Maiming Slots so it is a good baseline for any NPC you consider as important as a PC.
Finally, NPCs that do not track wounds – whether they are foes or allies – only have access to Light or Heavy
Armour. Light armoured units in this way can choose to damage PCs on a 4/5, while Heavy units take reduced damage from
any attacks that are not Anti-Armour. Some may be Unprotected as well, but usually only in specific circumstances.

Allies in Combat – Squads

Depending on the amount of allies and foes, you may want to simplify beyond having them take part in combat
much like a PC, to streamline the speed of combat. For this, you can use the optional rules of Squads. When you begin
combat, divide the NPCs equally by the amount of PCs. Then, each PC is declared the officer of that squad. Feel free to call
them sergeants, captains, or whatever else you like.
Roll initiative as if there are only PCs. When it is a player’s turn in the Initiative, their Squad acts alongside them.
The units may take actions in whatever order the player prefers, the player may make their officer act first and decide what
the squad does after, or vice-versa, or have the officer act between some of their actions. This allows players to fully handle
their side of the battle while the GM can focus on their side.
In addition, whenever an ally might have to roll a Trait during Group Combat, the GM may allow the unit to use
the officer’s Command trait instead of their own to make the action roll. If they are doing this, the ally in question must still
be able to see and hear their officer to benefit from their Command.
Finally, when setting up in squads, the GM may occasionally call for Morale checks. These are also done with
Command, but depending on circumstance the GM may allow a different trait to stand in for it (Charm or Will, as common
examples). Depending on the outcome of the roll and the source of the morale failure, you may have units flee from battle if
you do not fully succeed.

RUNNING THE GAME – FOES

NPC Allies are simplified versions of the PCs and foes are even further simplified. Not only lacking Mastery Skills
but also Traits and weapon variety, foes only need as much detail as the GM needs to know what they’re capable of, and
even the example foes don’t cover all the actions they can take, but instead are notes on their equipment, hit points, and
class skills.
The Example Foes on the following pages are mostly based off the Core Classes, but simplified and rewritten to
have reaction-based skills instead of action roll skills. For clarity, they are renamed as well, so the GM can identify more
quickly when something is a Core Class or a Foe Class. (Archer becomes Marksman, Assassin becomes Brigand, Fencer
becomes Bravo, and so forth.) Most of them should read very straightforward, and just like Allies there is no point in
making a partially-armoured foe.
Most foes range from 1-5 hit points, depending on how sturdy they are meant to get, with the infantry rarely
exceeding 3HP. Mounted foes will usually have 4HP if on horseback, 3HP if on pegasus, and 5HP if on wyvern. It is
possible to make foes sturdier, especially when the PCs have progressed enough that they make quick work of the standard
foes, but to keep battle streamlined you don’t typically want foes being able to take a lot of damage. If you want additional
staying power, make a Named Foe.
Also similar to NPC Allies, foes may be organized into Squads for easier management, moving together in groups
and having an explicit officer who calls the shots for them. As a GM, this will allow you to only have to control 2-6 Squads
as if they were singular characters instead of needing to manage what could be dozens of foes, especially in the later
portions of your game.

Exceptions to all of the above are Named Foes. A Named Foe is exactly what it sounds like, a foe powerful and
important enough to warrant a name in the story. This does not mean you cannot have regular foes call out to each other and
have canonical names in the text of your tale, but rather that Named Foes are antagonists with actual stakes, story, and
theme behind them instead of living obstacles for the PCs. They are not just people in a scene, they are fully-fleshed out
characters.
Named Foes are built like PCs, with traits and wound slots and even Mastery Skills. However, they still do not roll
those traits in most circumstances, usually treating them similar to an NPC ally. For their Wounds, it is best to give them the
same amount of wound slots as the current equivalent amongst the PCs. If a PC Sage only has the standard wound slots and
you introduce a Named Sorcerer Foe, give them the standard wound slots. However, if the Named Foe is a Baron and the
PCs have a very tanky Marshall or Reaver with many wound slot improvements, mirror the Baron to match.
Another difference between Named Foes and PCs is that you will want to give them Foe Class skills instead of
Core Class skills because then they will behave in a more reactive way and you do not need to wonder how to adapt a skill
that calls for a roll. So it is best to base them off of a Foe to start and then give them similar Trait and Wound levels to a PC.
It is recommended to give the Named Foe a Mastery Skill that meshes well with their build, using their corresponding Core
Class as the guide.

Named Foes & Rolls

Choose this method of dealing with Named Foes if you want to follow the above guidelines for streamlining foe
creation and implementation. In this mode, you don’t need Named Foes to roll almost ever, instead you give them points in
traits to use them as a guide to determine how risky facing off with this Named Foe will be:
• If the Named Foe has less points in the relevant Trait, the PC makes the Action Roll as Controlled.
• If the Named Foe has equal or greater points in the Trait, the PC makes the Roll as Risky.
• If the Named Foe has double or more in the Trait, the PC makes the Roll as Desperate.
These guidelines work in tandem with things like the Weapon Triangle, compounding or counteracting each other
depending on the circumstances. So if a Sentinel PC faces off against a Named Bravo and the foe has double the Prowess
Trait, then the foe will cancel out the Sentinel’s advantage from having a spear, making the roll Risky. But if a Named Fire
Sorcerer faces a PC’s Wind Spirit and also has double their Attune trait, then even if the roll would have been Controlled
due to other circumstances it will still need to be made Desperate (as there are two circumstances knocking it down the
ladder).
In addition to the above guidelines, a Named Foe activates their critical-based Mastery Skills when a PC rolls
a failure with multiple dice displaying 1s as their score. This introduces “critical failure” with Named Foes alone,
meaning that PCs always face a chance of peril from these unique enemies. Any Named Foe without a critical-based trigger
can simply have their skill activate when its trigger is met, the same as a PC with the same Mastery Skill.

A Game Group who prefers to roll for the actions of their Named Foes can use them akin to a PC with the Roll-Off
mechanic explained in the PC Conflicts section.

Example Named Foe

BARON HERCHFELD VON STAFFEN

Class: Armour: Speed:
Baron Heavy Slow
Weapons: Battle-Axe, Hatchet
Traits: Command 3, Campaign 2, Endure 2, Prowess 2, Will 1
CLASS SKILLS
• Scutum: This foe is considered immune to Thrown and Bow attacks.
• Towering: This foe counts as an obstruction. In addition, all adjacent space to them is considered to be difficult terrain, and
thus a separate Zone for the purposes of movement.

MASTERY SKILL: LUNA

Trigger: An adjacent PC fails a roll with multiple 1s on the dice.
When this Mastery Skill activates, this foe targets the closest PC with it. If multiple PCs are adjacent, he targets the last one to
attack him. This foe deals damage as you normally would and reduces their armour by one step for the rest of the battle.
[Heavy -> Partial -> Light -> Unprepared]

WOUND SLOTS: (Begin play with two Minor Wound slots, one Severe Wound slot, and one Maiming slot)

Minor Wound Slot Minor Wound Slot

Severe Wound Slot

Maiming Slot
 Example Foes

PEASANT LEVY – SPEARMAN

Weapon: Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Spears Light Normal 1
Class Skills:
• Hold the Line: When this foe is adjacent to other Peasant Levy units, they gain +1 HP and ignore the Weapon Triangle for the
purposes of engagement with character.
• I Surrender!: This foe’s hit points do not represent when they die but instead when they give up. If the character chooses to
spare them, they flee and survive the battle.

PEASANT LEVY – ARCHER

Weapon: Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Bows Light Normal 1
Class Skills:
• Volley: When this foe is adjacent to other Levy Archers and they are in a Zone of higher elevation than their target, their
attacks can target all characters within a Zone.
• I Surrender!: This foe’s hit points do not represent when they die but instead when they give up. If the character chooses to
spare them, they flee and survive the battle.

BANDIT
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Axes Light Normal 2
Class Skills:
• Wilder: This foe ignores difficult terrain caused by natural sources (shallows, bushes, sands, rocky floor, etc.)
• Our Turf: When this foe fights on a battlefield near their hideout, they may spawn an obstruction in adjacent space near them
as a reaction. Each Bandit may only use this skill once.

MARKSMAN
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Bows Light Normal 2
Class Skills:
• Called Shot: When this foe damages a character wearing Partial Armour, they never wound their armoured body parts.
• Escape!: When an adjacent character fails to attack this foe for any reason, the Marksman flees to the nearest Zone rather than
attack in response.

BRIGAND
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Daggers Light Fast 2
Class Skills:
• Burglar: This foe is not considered to be slowed or stopped by terrain that is climbable or can be bypassed with agility.
• Ambush: At the beginning of a battle, the GM may opt to omit this unit from descriptions, keeping them hidden within a
specific Zone. When a PC first enters the zone of a hidden Brigand they must roll a Survey roll (which does not consume their
action that turn). On a success, they spot this unit and they must emerge. On a failure, the Brigand may attack them from their
hiding spot, forcing them to Desperately roll Endure. NPCs are automatically sneak attacked when they enter such a Zone.
BRAVO
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Sword Light Normal 3
Class Skills:
• Deflect: If a mounted or heavily armoured character attacks them, this foe counts as having Heavy Armour when determining
the damage inflicted.
• Counter: When an adjacent character fails an attack roll against this foe they may always damage them in return in addition to
any other reactions (though they need not make another reaction).

FIGHTER
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Axes Light Normal 3
Class Skills:
• Tough: This foe cannot be slain in a single attack. If a character would deal Great Damage to them, it only reduces them to 1
HP instead of killing them outright.
• Shove: You may opt to make a Prowess action roll to move an adjacent character instead of attacking them.

HOPLITE
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Spears Light Normal 3
Class Skills:
• Targe: This foe takes reduced damage from Thrown and Bow attacks.
• Brace: When a mounted foe moves into adjacency with this foe, they must make a Traverse roll. On a failure, the Hoplite
attacks them or their mount as appropriate.

BARON
Weapon (pick 1 at creation): Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Axes, Spears, or Swords Heavy Slow 3
Class Skills:
• Scutum: This foe is considered immune to Thrown and Bow attacks.
• Towering: This foe counts as an obstruction. In addition, all adjacent space to them is considered to be difficult terrain, and
thus a separate Zone for the purposes of movement.

CAVALIER
Weapon (pick 1 at creation): Armour: Mounted Speed: Hit Points:
Axes, Spears, or Swords Light Fast 4
Class Skills:
• Cavalry: This foe enters battle astride a steed. In addition to increasing their speed to Fast and granting them narrative
advantages, this allows you to ride through characters as if they are difficult terrain instead of being blocked. Towering
enemies still block you as obstructions.
• Charge: When this foe moves directly towards a character and attacks them, their attack does increased damage.
VALKYRIE
Weapon: Armour: Mounted Speed: Hit Points:
Bows Light Fast and Flight 3
Class Skills:
• Divinity: This foe enters battle astride a pegasus. In addition to increasing their speed to Fast and granting them narrative
advantages, it allows them to fly as you move though they must land at the end of each movement. Falling from their pegasus
will have it seek them to catch them.
• Mounted Archer: Whenever a character fails to attack this unit, they may move to an adjacent Zone and damage the failing
character as they leave.

FIEND
Weapon (pick 1 at creation): Armour: Mounted Speed: Hit Points:
Axes, Spears, or Swords Heavy Slow and Flight (Hover) 5
Class Skills:
• Dragon Rider: This foe enters battle astride a wyvern. In addition to granting them narrative advantages, it allows them to fly
and hover above the battlefield, just out of most’s reach. Should the two separate, the wyvern will follow the rider and attack
with abandon anything that attempts to prevent it from reaching them.
• Monstrous: This foe’s attacks count as Anti-Armour, as the wyvern enhances the force behind their blows.

INQUISITOR
Weapons: Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Dark and Staves Light Normal 3
Class Skills:
• Cleric: This foe can heal foes, even if they do not have wound slots. They heal at 2 HP per reaction.
• Zealot: This foe becomes far more dangerous when cornered. If this foe is engaged with no allied foes adjacent to them, their
attacks effect all characters adjacent to them and are considered to be Anti-Armour.

SORCERER
Weapon (pick 1 at creation): Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Fire, Thunder, or Wind Light Normal 3
Class Skills:
• Counterspell: This foe is especially well-suited to attacking Sages. If targeted by a Sage’s attack and the Sage rolls anything
less than a 6, they always damage the Sage in addition to any other appropriate reaction.
• Elementalist: When a foe is assigned this class, they gain a Class skill based on their chosen element:
◦ Fire Sage: Their magic deals increased damage when used against adjacent foes in melee.
◦ Thunder Sage: Their magic is considered an anti-armour weapon.
◦ Wind Sage: Extend their range with wind magic attacks to Long Range.

PANTALOON
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Daggers Light Normal 2
Class Skills:
• Heckler: This foe mocks and distracts characters who fail in their presence. When a PC fails an action roll of any kind in the
same Zone as a Pantaloon, the Pantaloon will first mock them before trying to deal any damage. The mocked PC will deal
reduced damage to anyone except the Pantaloon who mocked them until the Pantaloon is dead.
• Foolish: A Pantaloon cannot pass up the chance to bother someone. They will never flee from a mocked PC, however a
mocked PC can only kill them if they achieve a Critical Success or a 6 on their attack roll.
HUNTER
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Bow Light Normal 2
Class Skills:
• Ambush: At the beginning of a battle, the GM may opt to omit this unit from descriptions, keeping them hidden within a
specific Zone. When a PC first enters the zone of a hidden Brigand they must roll a Survey roll (which does not consume their
action that turn). On a success, they spot this unit and they must emerge. On a failure, the Brigand may attack them from their
hiding spot, forcing them to Desperately roll Endure. NPCs are automatically sneak attacked when they enter such a Zone

WITCH
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Light and Dark Light Normal 2
Class Skills:
• Occultist: This foe has mastered both paths of divine magic, and may change their magic between Light and Dark depending
on who they engage in order to always benefit from the Triangle of Magic in their favour.
• Familiar Spirit: You enter battle alongside a familiar spirit, bound to you by will and magic. It acts immediately after you and
you control it as an additional unit. When you pick this class, choose an element: Fire, Thunder, and Wind. The Familiar Spirit
is composed of that element and deals that damage and interacts with magic as it.

FAMILIAR SPIRIT
Weapon (pick 1 at creation): Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Fire, Thunder, or Wind Light Normal and Flying (Hover) 1
Class Skills:
• Phasing: This do not have traits of your own, substituting your Shaman’s pools whenever you need to make a roll. As a non-
physical being, you ignore all physical difficult terrain, obstructions, and hazards when you move or Traverse. Foes, even
other spirits, do not block your movements. Magical terrain features still effect you and enemies can still target you with
physical weaponry.
• Elementalist: When you choose this class and select your Element of choice, you become a spirit of that element and gain an
additional ability when using your element of choice:
◦ Fire Spirit: You destroy any terrain features made of flammable materials when you pass through them. In addition, you
count as heavily-armoured against Fire attacks.
◦ Thunder Spirit: If you enter a water zone, you deal limited damage to all characters in the zone. In addition, you can
target foes up to Long Range if they are arrayed in Partial or Heavy metal armour.
◦ Wind Spirit: Your magic forces flying units to land. In addition, you move at Fast speed for Traverse action rolls.

HARPY – AVIAN FOE

Weapon: Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Talons Light Fast and Flight (Hover) 3
Class Skills:
• Harpy Shift: When this foe enters battle, they do so in human form. While in this form they can communicate with foes and
use their human hands to interact with things while defending themself with their ever-present talons and flying with your
wings. Once they shift into Bird Form they can take one reaction before shifting back into human form.
• Avian Type: Choose either Crow, Hawk, or Heron. The choice comes with an additional skill while in Bird Form:
◦ Crow: While inside shadows or darkness, this foe takes reduced damage from all Ranged and Magic attacks, save Light.
◦ Hawk: This foe’s attacks count as Anti-Armour if they attack from a hovering position.
◦ Heron: This foe is able to use a Healing Staff to heal their allies.
LYCANTHROPE
Weapon: Armour (Human / Beast): Speed (Human / Beast): Hit Points:
Claws Light / Partial Normal / Fast 3
Class Skills:
• Lycan Shift: When this foe enters battle, they do so in human form. While in this form they can communicate with foes and
use their human hands to interact with things while defending themself with their ever-present claws. Once they shift into their
Beast Form, they can take one reaction before shifting back into human form.
• Bestial Type: Choose either Bear, Cat, or Wolf. The choice comes with an additional skill while in Beast Form:
◦ Bear: This foe increases its health in bear form to 5 HP, regardless of what their HP in human form was. If they revert
back to human form, they return to the HP they had before shifting to bear form.
◦ Cat: This foe deals increased damage against characters wearing Light armour.
◦ Wolf: Any PC attempting to avoid detection by this foe is always required to roll Desperate on their Stalk action rolls.

DRAKE
Weapon (pick 1 at creation): Armour (Human / Dragon): Speed (Human / Dragon): Hit Points:
Fire, Light, or Dark Light / Heavy Normal / and Flight 5
Class Skills:
• Drake Shift: When this foe enters battle, they do so in human form. While in this form they can communicate with foes and
use their human hands to interact with things while defending themself with their ever-present claws. Once they shift into their
Drake Form, they can take one reaction before shifting back into human form.
• Draconian Type: Choose either Red, White, or Black. The choice comes with an additional skill while in Drake Form:
◦ Red: This foe may roar as a reaction instead of dealing damage and break Morale of allies in their Zone.
◦ White: This foe may heal other foes as if it had a Staff instead of dealing damage on a reaction. They heal 3HP at a time.
◦ Black: This foe’s attacks are corruptive. Any PC wounded by their attack must make an additional Endure roll or take an
additional Minor Wound.

MINSTREL
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Swords Light Normal 2
Class Skills:
• Cacophonous: This foe disrupts communication with their loud and cacophonous music. While occupying the same Zone, a
character cannot be heard over a Minstrel’s constant playing, even a Troubadour. This disrupts the use of Command and
Charm actions, as well as the passing of information between teammates.
• Invigorate: This foe’s music can rouse speeds unknown to regular people from their bodies, providing limitless energy for a
moment. When they are adjacent to a foe, they may use a reaction to boost their target’s Speed by one step for a reaction.

WILD ANIMAL / WAR HOUND

Weapon: Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
Claws Light Fast 2
Class Skills:
• Unpredictable: PCs attempting to resist damage from Wild Animals must always make their Endure rolls at Desperate.
• Keen Senses: Any PC attempting to avoid detection by this foe is always required to roll Desperate on their Stalk action rolls.
• Alert Alert: If this foe senses a hidden character attempting to sneak, they will make loud noises to alert others to the location
of the character in question.
HOSTAGE
Weapon: Armour: Speed: Hit Points:
None Unprotected Normal 1
Class Skills:
• Wounded: If this unit takes damage of any kind, they die.
• Human Shield: This unit is not a true foe and will not engage characters in combat. However, if they are adjacent to a foe and
the foe is hit with an attack roll of 4/5, the foe may use their reaction to hide behind the Hostage and have them take the
damage for them.

RUNNING THE GAME – CREATING COMBAT SCENARIOS

Running a Group Combat scene is not just about choosing foes and fielding them, just as players will have to use
tactics to survive, the GM should use tactics to make combat more gripping and exciting. If all the enemies ever do is move
into their preferred range and attack the PCs, the battles will be repetitive and bland. So it is best to have the battle’s flow in
mind in order to make for fun encounters.
When playing with newer players, the first few battles should be simple and straightforward. Allow the players to
explore their character classes and understand how they are supposed to work. For ideas for the early battles, look at their
Class Skills and decide based on what plays to their strengths. As an example, if they have a skill that counters heavily-
armoured Opponents, include one in the battle. Start by constructing a battle that lets them do what they are good at, so they
know what they are supposed to do.
Once they get the hang of it, start creating battles with direct counters to their build. If one player is a Fencer and
has been bullying Baron foes for the first few battles, then put them up against a Hoplite foe in the next battle. Try not to
overwhelm them, usually only include one counter-foe per PC at first, but make them chase the PCs down and try to force
them into bad situations. This also conveys that the antagonists have noticed the PCs efforts and are responding to them.
When the PCs advance enough to defeat these counter-foes, or when their teamwork becomes well-coordinated
enough to account for them, enter the final phase of planning teams of foes: give them their own playbook. In this mode you
no longer build just to teach or counter the players, now you build teams that have their own specific play-styles and goals
independent of the PCs.
This doesn’t mean these teams of foes ignore the players or even that you shouldn’t build these teams with the PCs
in mind, but the point is you try to construct a coherent tactical team composition of your own. Create a squad of foes meant
to hold a point, with heavily-armoured spearmen and healers right behind them. Create an all-shifter team that covers each
other whenever they’re in human form, alternating like musketeers on a battle line. Think of what would be a fun and
interesting tactic and build a team around it, then see how the players solve these combat puzzles.
You still want to avoid overtuning and making unwinnable situations. Try to create a specific counter to the teams
that can be taken in the battle, not in the planning before it. An example being that for the spear line with healers, place them
in a castle’s gatehouse, and make the wall next to the gate have a weak point where the PCs might breach it so they can
bypass the spearmen and attack the healers behind them.
Think about the terrain and the features it has, use them to teach lessons about what enemies are good at and what
they are bad at. Utilize choke points, difficult terrain, differing elevation and obstructions to play into the team compositions
of the PCs and the foes. Once you’re building foes as teams for their own sake, think about their preferred terrain and before
the battle have challenges where the enemy is trying to draw the PCs to fight on their preferred turf.
An easy rule of thumb for how many foes to put in a battle, it is best to simply add the foes’ HP together and
compare it against the HP on the PC’s team. With each PC working out to 7HP (+1HP for every Minor additional slot, +2HP
for every Severe additional slot), you can combine them with the NPC allies to work out the rough estimate for everyone’s
HP.
If the foe’s team is half or less of the Allied HP total, it will be a very quick and easy battle. If the foes are more
than half up to equal, it should be a challenging but fair battle. And if the foes have a higher total HP, expect a more difficult
battle. Once the PCs start having 3s and 4s in their traits, this difficulty range changes, more than half to equal being an easy
battle, higher than their total HP being challenging but fair, and double their HP total being a tough grind for the players.