Player Rules for Violet Flower
You are history incarnate, the latest stone in a path of great people before you. You are thrall to no man. Your master is yourself, and they ask you to partake on a great quest.
Characters
There are three Characteristics:
- Brawn - might of martial nature.
- A Strength of 15 gives +1 to all to hit rolls.
- Agility - quickness of body
- An agility of 15+ decreases Armor Class by 1
- Body - unity of mind and body
- A Body of 15+ gives a +1 bonus whenever a new HD is gained (including first level)
These are generated by rolling 3d6.
There is one Save, which starts at 14 and decreases with each HD gained.
Characters begin play:
- 3d6*10 jade beads worth of equipment; anything not spent is lost.
- With 3 Hit Dice (HD). This is rolled to determine how many HP they have. All Hit Dice are d6s.
- A Star Sign, rolled on the following table below. People with similar signs get along better.
| 1d6 | Star Sign |
|---|---|
| 1. | Sign of the Void: You were born under a blank sky. People born under the Void Sign are typically sardonic, rude people with dangerous ideals. |
| 2. | Sign of the Snake: You were born under The Snake, a slithering band of stars. People born under the Snake Sign are typically serious, myopic people with agile minds. |
| 3. | SIgn of the Spider: You were born under The Spider, a web of stellar connections. People born under the Spider Sign are typically entangled, sycophantic people with many friends. |
| 4. | Sign of the Boar: You were born under The Boar, whose wide body threatens to cover the night sky. People born under the Boar Sign are typically stubborn, uncreative people with strong wills. |
| 5. | Sign of the Raptor: You were born under The Raptor, whose wicked talons scratch clouds into the sky each night. People born under the Raptor Sign are typically entitled, capricious people with noble intentions. |
| 6. | Sign of the Macaw: You were born under The Macaw, whose beautiful colored wings blessed the night you were born. People born under the Macaw Sign are typically humble, gifted people with tragic fates. |
Even-numbered and odd-numbered signs in the table are sister signs and typically get along. They dislike odd-numbered and even-numbered signs, respectively.
- An Entourage with 14 Warriors and 6 Haulers (Assign signs randomly; none are born beneath the Macaw Sign). You are leaving your home on the greatest quest the world has ever known.
Equipment
| Weapons | Cost | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Light Weapons (Knives, Hand-Axes, Cestus) | 5jp | 1d6-1 |
| Medium Weapons (Clubs, Bows, Battleaxes, Maces, Javelins, Spears) | 10jp | 1d6 |
| Heavy Weapons (Greatclubs, Machuatl, Greathammers, Longspears) | 20jp | 1d6+1 |
Heavy Weapons must be wielded with two hands.
| Armours | Cost | AC |
|---|---|---|
| Unarmoured/Plainclothes | Free | 5 |
| Padded Cloth | 30jp | 7 |
| Leather Furs | 95jp | 9 |
| Spondylus Mail | 165jp | 11 |
| Shield | 30jp | +1 |
Before damage is rolled, a shield may be sacrificed to negate a single mundane strike.
Encumbrance
Including what they have in their hands, Characters may carry 15-AC items. 250 pieces of jade count as an item. Worn equipment like clothes don't count.
Characters carrying over this amount are encumbered. They move at half-speed, and are liable to drop items and fall.
Characters carrying double this are overburdened. They are exhausted by any sustained movement.
Characters wearing a tumpline may carry twice their normal allotted amount, but have a -2 to all rolls while doing anything more complicated than walking. No beasts of burden exist in the Violet Flower.
| Supplies | Cost | Supplies | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bandages(5) | 10jp | Ration, Dry Day | 5jp |
| Candle, Tallow | 1jp | Ration, Trail Day | 2jp |
| Canoe | 40jp | Rope, 50' Silken | 70jp |
| Case, Map | 5jp | Rope, 50' Hemp | 5jp |
| Checkers | 5jp | Sack | 1jp |
| Compass | 100jp | Shovel | 5jp |
| Dice | 2jp | Shovel, Wooden | 5jp |
| Flint & Steel | 5jp | Water or Wineskin | 15jp |
| Hammer & Wooden Stakes | 5jp | Skiing Equipment | 15jp |
| Alchemist's Paraphenalia | 150jp | Sled | 20jp |
| Lantern, Bullseye | 12jp | Sleeping Bag | 2jp |
| Lantern, Hooded | 7jp | Snare | 1jp |
| Map, Local | 20jp | Tent | 15jp |
| Net | 10jp | Tinderbox | 10jp |
| Oil, Pint Jar | 5jp | Torches (6) | 1jp |
| Pole, 10' | 5jp | Tumpline | 10jp |
| Livestock | Cost | Livestock | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 1jp | Hawk | 20jp |
| Dog | 15jp | Macaw | 40jp |
| Llama | 30jp | Guinea Pig | 1jp |
Skills
Skills are numbered on a range of 0-6. Having 0 in a skill means you are completely unremarkable in that skill. 6 means you are the greatest practitioner of that skill in your generation.
Characters begin with 12 points to distribute in the following skills. Skills with numbers next to them denote a base level of competency every person has. Italicized Skills need to have a specialization; Craft (metalworking), Craft (weaving) and so on.
- Athletics
- Thievery
- Craft
- Culture (1)
- Investigation
- Nature
- Religion (1)
- Medicine
- Performance
- Sailing
- Trade
A non-exhaustive list of Specializations for the italicized skills are listed below:
- Craft: Woodworking, Weaving, Metalworking, Engraver, Masonry, Herding, Farming,
- Culture: Own, Sea Peoples, Mountain Folk, Plains People
- Religion: Malachites, Dreamers, Hydraists, Penitents of the Sharpened God,
- Performance: Dancing, Singing, Musical Instruments, Debate, Oration, Poetry
Resolution Tools
Saves
Saves are called for when discussion is unsuitable - often as a consequence of action.
To save, a character must roll 8+ on 2d6. This roll may be modified.
In the case of monsters, if a monster's physical attributes would provide it a bonus, that bonus is +2.
Skill Checks
Skills are used much likes saves. To make a skill check, roll a d6 and add the skill number. If this value is equal to or greater than 7, the check was a success.
Combat
Combat is conducted in rounds of 6 seconds. To determine order, all Player Characters roll a 2d6. Those rolling equal-to or over their AC act first. Then all opponents act, and finally those rolling under their AC act. This should be rolled each round. Hirelings and followers act with their leaders.
To make a standard attack, roll 2d6 and add any attack modifiers. If this value exceeds the target's AC, the opponent is struck and damage is rolled.
Light weapons roll 1d6-1.
Medium Weapons roll 1d6.
Heavy weapons roll 1d6+1 and take the highest result.
The damage rolled is subtracted from the HP of the target. NPCs hitting 0 HP are dead. Player Characters hitting 0 HP die in 2 rounds without assistance.
Monsters
Monsters with 1-3 HD make one attack per round. Monsters with 4-6 HD make two attacks per round. Monsters with 7+ HD make three attacks per round.
Combat Complications
- Unaware mortals are instantly slain if the attacker has time to ensure a killing blow, can mitigate any armor, etc.
- Prone characters are automatically hit with melee weapons.
- Characters take +1 to their Attack Roll for each other person striking the same target.
Healing
Per nights rest, characters recover 1HP per HD. A full day spent doing nothing recovers 3HP per HD.
Reaction
When attitudes are uncertain or chaos desirable, roll 2d6 and consult the table below. Reputation may modify this roll, a strong opinion eliciting a ±4.
| 2d6 | Reaction |
|---|---|
| 2- | Hostile |
| 3-5 | Negative Inclination |
| 6-8 | Disinterested |
| 9-11 | Positive Inclination |
| 12+ | Friendly |
Determining what these results in the situation is a matter of experience and extrapolation. It may also reveal facts about the group - especially extreme results necessitating explanation.
Morale
Friends and foes alike must test their morale in strenuous situations.
To do so, roll 2d6 for each group. On a 7+, their morale holds.
This roll may be modified according to familiarity, cultural taboos etc. A ±1 represents a minor factor and a ±2 a major factor. A ±3 obviates the need for a morale check.
| 2d6 | Action |
|---|
|2-| Disorganised retreat - those left behind surrender. |3-6| Organised retreat. |7+| Morale holds.
Common events triggering morale checks include:
- Reduced to 50% of their fighting strength.
- Reduced to 25% of their fighting strength.
- Death or retreat of a leader.
- Ambushed.
- Presence of massive or horrific foes.
- Seeing a friendly group fail a morale check.
Companions & Hirelings
Companions are brothers in arms who have found themselves echoing a Great Hero from the Past. They can be found throughout the world and convinced to join your Entourage.
Hirelings are people with a debt to you paid in service. They will serve out the length of that debt and then depart. Hirelings will only fight alongside you if they owe you a blood debt or their life; only your death is their salvation.
| Type | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Villager | AC 9 HD 1 |
| Warrior | AC 7 HD 1+1 |
| Armoured Footman | AC 4/5 HD 1+2 |
Echoing
All characters walk in the footsteps of a paragon associated with their Star Sign, great people from ages past who did great deeds or were present for an Entourage. The sites that these deeds took place on are marked with Guidestones, large monuments that celebrate (or mourn) what transpired on that petal of the Violet Flower.
Travelling to these Guidestones grants the character special status in the region of the guidestone and beyond. In some cases, these Guidestones may also grant special power. Keep careful note of which Guidestones were visited and by who.