Player's Handbook
Contents
Introduction
Foreward
How to Use this Guide
Part 1: Lore of the World
The Eras of Vyra'Mardona
Malgrowth
Cultures
The Animals of Vyra'Mardona
Part 2: Game Rules
Cogent Roleplay
Base System
Part 3: Character Creation
Quick Start Guide
Character Advancement
Lineages
Examples
Part 4: Conclusions
Useful Links
Appendix A: Conditions
Appendix B: Myrik (Magic)
Foreward
How to Use this Guide
Part 1: Lore of the World
The Eras of Vyra'Mardona
Malgrowth
Cultures
The Animals of Vyra'Mardona
Part 2: Game Rules
Cogent Roleplay
Base System
Part 3: Character Creation
Quick Start Guide
Character Advancement
Lineages
Examples
Part 4: Conclusions
Useful Links
Appendix A: Conditions
Appendix B: Myrik (Magic)
Introduction
<Introduction text here.>
Foreward
Hello, and if you've made it this far, welcome to our server! The two of us have worked hard to get this concept off the ground, but now its up to everyone to work together to make this thing come true. Without you, this wouldn't happen. Please give a hearty glance through this article as best you can, and give the links at the bottom a look if you're itching for more! Remember: Players who submit a background get to start the game with a destiny point!
How to Use this Guide
<How to Use this Guide text here.>
Part 1: Lore of the World
<Part 1 text here.>
The Eras of Vyra'Mardona
<The Eras of Vyra'Mardona text here.>
The Last Eras
<The Last Eras text here.>
The Current Era
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The New Era
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Malgrowth
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What Is Malgrowth
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Malgrowth's Affect on the World
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Cultures
This serves as a quick information guide on the various cultures within the world. Please refer to the Cultures article for more information.
The Widowtree Clan
The Widowtree Clan was founded by a family who settled under the great Widowtree 500 years into The Fall. It was from this family that the first true settlement, after the Malgrowth Incident, was able to be built and prosper. From there, many individual families rallied under one safe roof to combat the Wildlands and take back their homes.
The rest is history, as the settlement remains strong and a source of inspiration for generations to come. Despite the Widowtree family being long gone, many other families consider this settlement their home, too afraid to venture further out into the Widowtree Clan territory or lands beyond.
Members of the Widowtree Clan belong to one of a small list of lineages, each often with their own depicted roles within society. Even still, most members of any lineage are more than capable of many different abilities, and rarely remain stagnant in their role. Adventurers set a fine example of branching out, often straying from their lineage and allowing their actions to define them.
Khanfasa Regency
Most of Khanfasa history has been lost to The Fall, being replaced with what little the Widowtree Clan know of these dangerous individuals. Members of the Khanfasa Regency are much larger than those of Widowtree, often shelling natural carapaces that act as impenetrable armor. Their members are tough, ruthless, and never hunt alone.
It has been noticed that members of the Regency consider themselves to hold some form of honor amongst themselves, and take great care and tactics whenever it comes to their various hunts. However, members of the Widowtree Clan appear to be no more than prey to most members of the Regency.
The Ungula
For as little that is known about the Khanfasa Clan, even less is known about the Ungula. No members of this culture have been witnessed to be capable of flight, though there have been very few sightings of these individuals in the first place.
Rumors say the Ungula have found a way to live in harmony with the beasts of the wildlands, learning to adapt and become one with the land around them.
The Góis Mind
Though originally not seen as an intelligent species beyond those of the Wildlands, there has been a defined culture witnessed of those few to safely survive the capture or slaughter by these alien creatures. Tall, lanky, and even faster than that of the Widowtree clan; few ever survive an encounter with a member of The Góis Mind.
Members of this culture are seen as incredibly territorial, killing any who pass over into their lands without second thought. Whatever it is they are protecting, they want no one to discover what it is.
The Animals of Vyra'Mardona
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Ancient Animals
<Text here.>
Animals Today
<Text here.>
Malgrowth and Animals
<Text here.>
Part 3: Character Creation
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Quick Start Guide
This section of the Player's Handbook will help you to create your character and get you into the game as soon as possible! Reading through Part 1: Lore of the World will help ensure you have an understanding of the unique setting Vyra'Mardona is set in. Part 2: Game Rules will better help you understand how the mechanics of your character comes together. Make sure you've completed the previous two Parts of the Handbook before proceeding.
Every player character is a member of Clan Widowtree, and gain access to two free Abilites. You also select one Lineage for your character to belong to, which grants your character unique access to abilities only members of that lineage may purchase with Character Points. This choice represents your characters birth, and may not accurately represent them as an individual later in life. You may purchase Abilities gained from your lineage at any time; during Character Creation, or after. You may not change your Lineage once it has been chosen, other than during a Character Rewrite.
You start the game with 1 Attribute of your choice, and gain more as the story progresses. You may choose to take a negative in one or more Masteries during Character Creation. You start the game with a number of Character Points equal to the number of negatives taken. A Mastery may only have one negative each, and a single Character Point put into them later will bring them back to 0.
You start the game with 1 free Vocation of your choice, using the list of examples as a guide to create your own and choose up to 4 Skills to fall under it. Skills not chosen at Character Creation may be chosen at any time during gameplay; but once a Character Point has been assigned to one, it cannot be undone.
You start the game with 3 Tools of your choice. You may also choose 1 Trait of your choice to start the game with. Further tools and traits may be earned through Roleplay, and some traits may be inflicted as part of a Condition during play.
Players who submit and receive approval of a backstory automatically begin play with 1 Destiny Point.
NEW!
Tier 2 Player Starting Rules!
We are 1/3rd of the way through Season 1! To help new players or characters not fall behind, you start with 2 Attributes of your choice. Additionally, you also start with 15 Character Points to spend on Masteries or Abilities. You may also start with a 2nd Vocation. Characters currently in play who do not meet these new minimums may update their characters accordingly. Players receive an additional +1 Character Point per mod they participate in, until they have accrued a total of 25 earned Character Points.
Tier 3 Player Starting Rules!
We are nearing the end of Season 1! To help new players or characters not fall behind, you start with 3 Attributes of your choice. Additionally, you also start with 30 Character Points to spend on Masteries or Abilities. You may also start with a 2nd and 3rd Vocation. Characters currently in play who do not meet these new minimums may update their characters accordingly. Players receive an additional +1 Character Point per mod they participate in, until they have accrued a total of 40 earned Character Points.
Any Character Points you start the game with may be used to purchase Masteries, Skills, Vocations, or Abilities of your choice. Purchasing a Mastery, Skill, or Vocation requires a number of Character Points equal to the level being purchased. For example; purchasing a 2 in Strength requires 3 Character Points total (1 for the first point, and 2 more for the second point). Abilities each have their own individual cost, which is represented by the number next to their name. Skills may only be purchased up to the same number of points of the Vocation they fall under (A Warrior Vocation of 2 may only have Skills of 2 or less, for example).
Tier 1 Player Maximum Rules
During the first part of the game; Masteries, Vocations, and Skills may only be purchased up to 2 points. Additionally, you may only hold onto one Destiny Point at a time.
NEW!
Tier 2 Player Maximum Rules!
Now that the game has reached Tier 2; Masteries, Vocations, and Skills may be purchased up to 3 points. Additionally, you may now hold onto two Destiny Points at a time.
Tier 3 Player Maximum Rules!
During the final part of Season 1; Masteries may be purchased up to 4 points. Additionally, you may hold onto three Destiny Points at a time. Vocations and Skills are still capped at 3, until you embark on a quest to overcome some hurdle preventing your character from reaching true mastery over their Vocation. A personal quest must be completed for each individual Vocation.
Character Advancement
Every Mod you play through earns you 1 Character Point. Submission of a PEL at the end of a mod earns you 0.5 Character Points. The maximum number of Character Points you may earn is 25. This maximum will increase as the game progresses.
During later parts of the season, newer players may also start the game with more Character Points, and/or receive an additional Character Point at the end of Mods in order to help them catch up.
Players may only spend Character Points before or after a Mod, not during. Players must still abide by the maximum limitations they followed during Character Creation. These limits will increase later as the game progresses.
You may also spend Character Points on a 2nd or 3rd Vocation after Character Creation. Be weary, however, as once you have chosen your 3rd Vocation you may no longer take new Vocations. There are Hidden Vocations that may be earned through skilled trainers found within the world that grant you access to special Skills and Abilities. You may only have 1 Hidden Vocation.
(Note: Character Points from taking negatives in Masteries and the one free point put into your first Vocation at Character Creation do not count as earned Character Points)
Lineages
During the first season, a select number of Lineages will be available for player play. Through the actions of players, more lineages from other cultures may become playable in future seasons. For now, please bare with us as the time and development of each lineage takes quiet some time, and that we wish for you to be able to play through more options following the current season.
Abilities gained from lineages must be purchased just like any other abilities. However, they offer unique options only available to members of that lineage. These abilities may be purchased at character creation, or later when enough skill points have been acquired.
All lineage of the Widowtree Clan gain the follow abilities:
Flight (free)
You have the ability to fly just as fast as you can run. The noise your wings make are very noisy and often attract predators.
Nimbleness (free)
You automatically win ties on agility checks to escape, declare after others of your same SOL during declaration phases, and act before others of your same reflex during performance phases.
Choose one of the following lineages for your character:
Widowblood
Members of this lineage share blood with the original founders of the Widowtree Clan. Widowblood Clan Names
Royal Blood (1)
Your connection to the great tree bolsters your resilience. Once per mod, you may add 2d6 on an Endurance check to resist a poison, disease, or malgrowth affliction.
Well Respected (2)
Your name carries a bit more weight among the people. This makes it easier for you to gain an audience with higher-ups in the clan. *infoskill
Wildscout
Members of this lineage decend from clans that ventured into the wildlands or enemy territory.
Wildscout Clan Names
Fluttering Glide (1)
You've learned to lock your wings and glide while flying; allowing longer, quieter flights. Once per mod, you may add 2d6 on an Agility check to avoid attracting others due to the use of your wings, or 2d6 to an Endurance check to fly for longer durations.
Always on the road (2)
You've become accustomed to traveling for long periods, and can set up and take down a camp in a fraction of the time others can. *infoskill
Woodkin
Members of this lineage are tied to naturalist clans, being connected to the land through minor, innate magical abilities.
Woodkin Clan Names
Unusual Sense (1)
You are attuned to the world around you. You have supernatural senses that allow you to feel abnormal energies. Once per mod, you may add 2d6 to a Perception or Intuition check to detect magical presence or malgrowth nearby.
Natural Memory (2)
You have an eye for terrain, and the memory to acompany it. You can remember the relative location of things like water sources, clearings, and other significant landmarks that you've seen on your travels. *infoskill
Exiled
This lineage consists of those whose families have been exiled from their clans for generations, having been shunned for one reason or another.
Exiled Clan Names
AAAA (1)
filler.
Hidden in Plain Sight (2)
People of your lineage have learned to survive without homes for nearly a thousand years. You are able to remain completely silent and still when keeping watch, resting, or sleeping for the night. *infoskill
Clansage
flavor
Clansage
Clan Names
Bookworm(1)
Always with your nose in a book, you're more adept at finding information. Once per mod, you can add 2d6 to an Intelligence or Logic check to aquire knowledge.
AAAA(2)
Filler
Lineage 6
Lineage 7
Lineage 8
Vocations
A Vocation serves two very important roles. The first, granting you access to various skills which may be used to assist the checks you make, and fellow allies. The second thing Vocations are good for, is granting you the ability to learn Combat or Magic skills which may be used in Combat Scenes.
To choose a Vocation, think of an archetype you wish to follow. This may be a generic archetype, a profession, an artisanry, or an idealogy. At any time you may choose up to 4 skills; but once a skill has been chosen, it is locked for that vocation. You may choose one attribute to represent your vocation, and an attribute to represent each of your skills individually. Skills chosen must be related to and relevant to the vocation they are under, not your background. Combat skills use all of your attributes, and are limited in selection or option based on the vocation they are under.
Lastly, there are Hidden Vocations that may be discovered through play. These special Vocations grant access to otherwise impossible to learn skills that do more than assist or are used for rolls in combat. A player may only choose one of these learned Hidden Vocations, but may make the decision to choose which Hidden Header to keep (and begin assigning Skill Points) at any time.
(Remember, you may only ever have 3 Vocations max; choose wisely)
Here is a list of example Vocations and a set of skills that may go along well with their archetypes:
(BDY): Warrior
The mighty and proud warrior of the Widowtree Clan stands honorably before others, acting as a shield and sword against the dangers of the Wildlands, Malgrowth, and other Clans.
Vocation Skills
(BDY): Athletics
(BDY): Endurance
(MND): Knowledge: History
(SLF): Polearms
(MND): Hunter
The hunter takes great pride in their knowledge of the Wildlands and nature, serving as an important guide for those seeking to travel through the dangerous lands beyond the borders.
Vocation Skills
(SOL): Animal Handling
(SLF): Hunting Weapons
(MND): Knowledge; Nature
(MND): Survival
(BDY): Messenger
Messengers serve very important roles in society, keeping various settlements in touch, delivering important messages, and uncovering lost paths through dangerous territories.
Vocation Skills
(BDY): Athletics
(MND): Calligraphy
(MND): Knowledge; Travel
(BDY): Stealth
(SOL): Naturalist
While everyone within the Widowtree Clan has had to come to terms with the wild nature of the world, most take it for granted. The naturalist specalizes in connecting with it, rather than surviving it.
Vocation Skills
(SOL): Compassion
(SOL): Inner Vission
(MND): Knowledge; Herbalism
(BOD): Nature Magic
(SOL): Braveheart
The braveheart is a soul who's destiny lies beyond their home, they have heard the calling of the Expedition of Chronos and set out to help out in any way they can.
Vocation Skills
(SOL): Bravery
(MND): Knowledge; Ruins
(SLF): Swords
(SOL): Spirituality
Homebrew Refreshers
If this is your first time reading this article, feel free to skip this part! This is more for players who have played Cogent Roleplay before, and don't recall the changes we've made to the system to help it function in the text-based MMO format of the server.
Death, Injuries, and Wounds
When you fail a check, or an enemy delivers a successful victory level against you, there is a chance of receiving an injury. Depending on the level of injury you will receive a penalty on any checks that involve using your Body(?). If you ever have a number of injury levels equal to 3 + Self (your total attributes in Body+ Mind+ Soul), you gain the Unconcious condition.
The injury levels are defined as thus:
Minor Injury (-1d6) - These injuries are rarely serious and will heal naturally over the next few days, or faster if actively treated.
Medium Injury (-2d6) - Forgoing treating these injuries within a timely manner may lead to further penalties such as an infection. If this injury has not been treated by the end of a mod, make an Endurance Check against a CL 3. On a failure, this injury becomes a Serious Injury.
Serious Injury (-3d6) - Ignoring these injuries can quickly lead to the death of a player. If this injury has not been treated by the end of a scene, make an Endurance Check against a CL 3. On a failure, this injury becomes a Fatal Injury.
Fatal Injury (-4d6) - A character with an injury this deadly causes them to also be Incapacitated. If this injury has not been treated within a few minutes (or by the end of the current encounter within a scene), and the injured does anything other than sitting still or tending to it, make an Endurance Check against a CL 3. On a failure, you gain the Defying Death condition.
Defeating Blow - A character dealt a blow this deadly gains the Defying Death condition.
Conditions
Defying Death - Instead of dying outright, characters instead receive this condition. You are considered Incapacitated while Defying Death. When you receive this condition, you must make a Defy Death check; which involves you to make an Endurance, Willpower, or Resolve check of your choice at CL 5. Other conditions (including injuries) CANNOT reduce the amount of dice you roll when making these checks.
On any success, you still have this condition until it is treated, and receive an effect that modifies your Incapacitated condition until the start of the next Performance round depending on which Mastery you chose. On a successful Endurance check, you may move at a normal pace. On a successful Willpower check, you may defend yourself. On a successful Resolve check, you may attack other enemies.
On a failure, you cannot make future Defy Death checks using the same Mastery you failed with until you sleep, and the CL increases by 1; you also make another check using one of your remaining options. If you have to make a check and cannot (in the case you have failed your 3rd and final check), your character dies and is retired.
It is important to remember that it is entirely possibly, and highly likely, to be struck with a Defeating Blow, and fail all three Defy Death checks all at once, instantly killing your character. This rule was implemented as a buffer to help player characters stay alive a little longer due to how simple the rules are, and help them feel more heroic.
Incapacitated - You are significantly weakened, to the point where you cannot defend yourself anymore. You are still considered concious, able to move at a significantly slower pace without help, can take cover, and can even mend your own wounds. If an opponent is next to you while you are Incapacitated, they can stop you from doing anything with a CL 1 check. Additionally, you do not get to make defence checks, and instead opponents make attacks against a CL 1 and ignore any armour you are wearing.
Staggered - You've been thrown off guard or moderately distracted. You receive a 2d6 penalty to any checks you make.
Stunned - You are weakened so much that you cannot escape or hurt anyone else until you clear your head. While in this state you cannot move or do anything more than defend yourself.
Paralyzed - While in this state you are Incapacitated, and cannot move or speak. You are aware of your surroundings.
Prone - While lying on the ground, you receive a 4d6 penalty to any Body check you make. If knocked down in combat, this penalty lasts until you defend yourself long enough to completely stand up at the end of the Performance Phase; doing anything else causes you to remain prone.
Unconcious - While in this state, you are Incapacitated, and cannot move or speak. You are not aware of your surroundings. You remain Incapacitated when this condition first wears off (until the end of the Performance Phase you are awoken, in the case of combat).
Attributes & Masteries
Body
For each additional point in Body, severity in injury can be reduced once every scene.
Strength
Your strength represents your bodies physical power. This mastery may be used in checks that involve raw shows of strength, such as pushing a boulder down a hill, lifting a person over your shoulders, or beating someone in arm wrestling.
Dexterity
Dexterity measures one's physical precision. This mastery is used where fine motor skills are most important, such as drawing a detailed map, stealing a key from a sleeping guard, or throwing darts.
Agility
Agility represents your body's physical movement. This mastery may be used whenever you try to move from one place to another, such as climbing the side of a cliff, swiming through a rushing river, or flying the fastest in a race.
Perception
This mastery represents your body's physical observations. Noticing something that is happening in the physical world using your senses, such as hearing a branch break, smelling a campfire nearby, or noticing someone's facial expressions.
Endurance
This mastery represents your physical health. Checks that best represent this might include holding your breath, trying to escape a chase where distance is key, or staying alive during a Defy Death check. Some use this mastery to channel the elements through themselves for elemental magics.
Mind
For each additional point in Mind, your Turn Priority is Higher at the beginning of combat encounters.
Intelligence
Intelligence measures the raw power of your mind. Checks that might include this mastery might include; recalling different kinds of knowledge, computing mathmatical calculations, or recognizing words in a language you don't speak.
Wits
Wits represents the responsiveness of your mind. One with good wits might be better at; smooth-talking their way out of a sticky situation, recognizing when a confrontation might escalate, or spotting an advantage at a given moment.
Logic
Logic follows the connections your mind makes from facts. Someone good with logic might, make a decent argument, connect the dots between certain pieces of information, or better convince someone with a scientific mindset.
Intuition
Intuition represents the ability to connect previous experiences and make informed opinions. Someone with high intuition might; recognize the area they are in would make an excellent ambush site, get a feeling they're being watched, or feel like something is about to go wrong.
Willpower
Willpower represents your minds ability to remain strong. Willpower might be used to; hold back an invading presence in the mind from mental magics, to ward off mental exhaustion, or to keep alive during a Defy Death check.
Soul
For each additional point in Soul, you receive 3 additional Character Points to spend in character creation.
Spirit
Spirit represents your soul's power and strength. Your spirit is used break through to someone beyond reason.
Devotion
Devotion represents your soul's precision. When making a check with this mastery you might better hold your appearance in the face of utter horrors
Flexibility
Flexibility represents your soul's movement and syncronicity. The flexibility of your soul can be utilized to channel yourself through the world around you, often manifested in nature magics.
Empathy
Empathy represents your soul's observations. One of high empathy would be able to read the surface emotions of another person.
Resolve
Resolve represents your soul's ability to continue exsisting and keep itself tied to your physical form. Your resolve helps you to fight against the odds in a Defy Death check.
Useful links:
Cogent Roleplay
Cultures
Regions
Standard Chronicle
Rules
<Text here.>
The New Era
<Text here.>
Malgrowth
<Text here.>
What Is Malgrowth
<Text here.>
Malgrowth's Affect on the World
<Text here.>
Cultures
This serves as a quick information guide on the various cultures within the world. Please refer to the Cultures article for more information.
The Widowtree Clan
The Widowtree Clan was founded by a family who settled under the great Widowtree 500 years into The Fall. It was from this family that the first true settlement, after the Malgrowth Incident, was able to be built and prosper. From there, many individual families rallied under one safe roof to combat the Wildlands and take back their homes.
The rest is history, as the settlement remains strong and a source of inspiration for generations to come. Despite the Widowtree family being long gone, many other families consider this settlement their home, too afraid to venture further out into the Widowtree Clan territory or lands beyond.
Members of the Widowtree Clan belong to one of a small list of lineages, each often with their own depicted roles within society. Even still, most members of any lineage are more than capable of many different abilities, and rarely remain stagnant in their role. Adventurers set a fine example of branching out, often straying from their lineage and allowing their actions to define them.
Khanfasa Regency
Most of Khanfasa history has been lost to The Fall, being replaced with what little the Widowtree Clan know of these dangerous individuals. Members of the Khanfasa Regency are much larger than those of Widowtree, often shelling natural carapaces that act as impenetrable armor. Their members are tough, ruthless, and never hunt alone.
It has been noticed that members of the Regency consider themselves to hold some form of honor amongst themselves, and take great care and tactics whenever it comes to their various hunts. However, members of the Widowtree Clan appear to be no more than prey to most members of the Regency.
The Ungula
For as little that is known about the Khanfasa Clan, even less is known about the Ungula. No members of this culture have been witnessed to be capable of flight, though there have been very few sightings of these individuals in the first place.
Rumors say the Ungula have found a way to live in harmony with the beasts of the wildlands, learning to adapt and become one with the land around them.
The Góis Mind
Though originally not seen as an intelligent species beyond those of the Wildlands, there has been a defined culture witnessed of those few to safely survive the capture or slaughter by these alien creatures. Tall, lanky, and even faster than that of the Widowtree clan; few ever survive an encounter with a member of The Góis Mind.
Members of this culture are seen as incredibly territorial, killing any who pass over into their lands without second thought. Whatever it is they are protecting, they want no one to discover what it is.
The Animals of Vyra'Mardona
<Text.>
Ancient Animals
<Text here.>
Animals Today
<Text here.>
Malgrowth and Animals
<Text here.>
Part 3: Character Creation
<Text here.>
Quick Start Guide
This section of the Player's Handbook will help you to create your character and get you into the game as soon as possible! Reading through Part 1: Lore of the World will help ensure you have an understanding of the unique setting Vyra'Mardona is set in. Part 2: Game Rules will better help you understand how the mechanics of your character comes together. Make sure you've completed the previous two Parts of the Handbook before proceeding.
Every player character is a member of Clan Widowtree, and gain access to two free Abilites. You also select one Lineage for your character to belong to, which grants your character unique access to abilities only members of that lineage may purchase with Character Points. This choice represents your characters birth, and may not accurately represent them as an individual later in life. You may purchase Abilities gained from your lineage at any time; during Character Creation, or after. You may not change your Lineage once it has been chosen, other than during a Character Rewrite.
You start the game with 1 Attribute of your choice, and gain more as the story progresses. You may choose to take a negative in one or more Masteries during Character Creation. You start the game with a number of Character Points equal to the number of negatives taken. A Mastery may only have one negative each, and a single Character Point put into them later will bring them back to 0.
You start the game with 1 free Vocation of your choice, using the list of examples as a guide to create your own and choose up to 4 Skills to fall under it. Skills not chosen at Character Creation may be chosen at any time during gameplay; but once a Character Point has been assigned to one, it cannot be undone.
You start the game with 3 Tools of your choice. You may also choose 1 Trait of your choice to start the game with. Further tools and traits may be earned through Roleplay, and some traits may be inflicted as part of a Condition during play.
Players who submit and receive approval of a backstory automatically begin play with 1 Destiny Point.
NEW!
Tier 2 Player Starting Rules!
We are 1/3rd of the way through Season 1! To help new players or characters not fall behind, you start with 2 Attributes of your choice. Additionally, you also start with 15 Character Points to spend on Masteries or Abilities. You may also start with a 2nd Vocation. Characters currently in play who do not meet these new minimums may update their characters accordingly. Players receive an additional +1 Character Point per mod they participate in, until they have accrued a total of 25 earned Character Points.
Tier 3 Player Starting Rules!
We are nearing the end of Season 1! To help new players or characters not fall behind, you start with 3 Attributes of your choice. Additionally, you also start with 30 Character Points to spend on Masteries or Abilities. You may also start with a 2nd and 3rd Vocation. Characters currently in play who do not meet these new minimums may update their characters accordingly. Players receive an additional +1 Character Point per mod they participate in, until they have accrued a total of 40 earned Character Points.
Any Character Points you start the game with may be used to purchase Masteries, Skills, Vocations, or Abilities of your choice. Purchasing a Mastery, Skill, or Vocation requires a number of Character Points equal to the level being purchased. For example; purchasing a 2 in Strength requires 3 Character Points total (1 for the first point, and 2 more for the second point). Abilities each have their own individual cost, which is represented by the number next to their name. Skills may only be purchased up to the same number of points of the Vocation they fall under (A Warrior Vocation of 2 may only have Skills of 2 or less, for example).
Tier 1 Player Maximum Rules
During the first part of the game; Masteries, Vocations, and Skills may only be purchased up to 2 points. Additionally, you may only hold onto one Destiny Point at a time.
NEW!
Tier 2 Player Maximum Rules!
Now that the game has reached Tier 2; Masteries, Vocations, and Skills may be purchased up to 3 points. Additionally, you may now hold onto two Destiny Points at a time.
Tier 3 Player Maximum Rules!
During the final part of Season 1; Masteries may be purchased up to 4 points. Additionally, you may hold onto three Destiny Points at a time. Vocations and Skills are still capped at 3, until you embark on a quest to overcome some hurdle preventing your character from reaching true mastery over their Vocation. A personal quest must be completed for each individual Vocation.
Character Advancement
Every Mod you play through earns you 1 Character Point. Submission of a PEL at the end of a mod earns you 0.5 Character Points. The maximum number of Character Points you may earn is 25. This maximum will increase as the game progresses.
During later parts of the season, newer players may also start the game with more Character Points, and/or receive an additional Character Point at the end of Mods in order to help them catch up.
Players may only spend Character Points before or after a Mod, not during. Players must still abide by the maximum limitations they followed during Character Creation. These limits will increase later as the game progresses.
You may also spend Character Points on a 2nd or 3rd Vocation after Character Creation. Be weary, however, as once you have chosen your 3rd Vocation you may no longer take new Vocations. There are Hidden Vocations that may be earned through skilled trainers found within the world that grant you access to special Skills and Abilities. You may only have 1 Hidden Vocation.
(Note: Character Points from taking negatives in Masteries and the one free point put into your first Vocation at Character Creation do not count as earned Character Points)
Lineages
During the first season, a select number of Lineages will be available for player play. Through the actions of players, more lineages from other cultures may become playable in future seasons. For now, please bare with us as the time and development of each lineage takes quiet some time, and that we wish for you to be able to play through more options following the current season.
Abilities gained from lineages must be purchased just like any other abilities. However, they offer unique options only available to members of that lineage. These abilities may be purchased at character creation, or later when enough skill points have been acquired.
All lineage of the Widowtree Clan gain the follow abilities:
Flight (free)
You have the ability to fly just as fast as you can run. The noise your wings make are very noisy and often attract predators.
Nimbleness (free)
You automatically win ties on agility checks to escape, declare after others of your same SOL during declaration phases, and act before others of your same reflex during performance phases.
Choose one of the following lineages for your character:
Widowblood
Members of this lineage share blood with the original founders of the Widowtree Clan. Widowblood Clan Names
Royal Blood (1)
Your connection to the great tree bolsters your resilience. Once per mod, you may add 2d6 on an Endurance check to resist a poison, disease, or malgrowth affliction.
Well Respected (2)
Your name carries a bit more weight among the people. This makes it easier for you to gain an audience with higher-ups in the clan. *infoskill
Wildscout
Members of this lineage decend from clans that ventured into the wildlands or enemy territory.
Wildscout Clan Names
Fluttering Glide (1)
You've learned to lock your wings and glide while flying; allowing longer, quieter flights. Once per mod, you may add 2d6 on an Agility check to avoid attracting others due to the use of your wings, or 2d6 to an Endurance check to fly for longer durations.
Always on the road (2)
You've become accustomed to traveling for long periods, and can set up and take down a camp in a fraction of the time others can. *infoskill
Woodkin
Members of this lineage are tied to naturalist clans, being connected to the land through minor, innate magical abilities.
Woodkin Clan Names
Unusual Sense (1)
You are attuned to the world around you. You have supernatural senses that allow you to feel abnormal energies. Once per mod, you may add 2d6 to a Perception or Intuition check to detect magical presence or malgrowth nearby.
Natural Memory (2)
You have an eye for terrain, and the memory to acompany it. You can remember the relative location of things like water sources, clearings, and other significant landmarks that you've seen on your travels. *infoskill
Exiled
This lineage consists of those whose families have been exiled from their clans for generations, having been shunned for one reason or another.
Exiled Clan Names
AAAA (1)
filler.
Hidden in Plain Sight (2)
People of your lineage have learned to survive without homes for nearly a thousand years. You are able to remain completely silent and still when keeping watch, resting, or sleeping for the night. *infoskill
Clansage
flavor
Clansage
Clan Names
Bookworm(1)
Always with your nose in a book, you're more adept at finding information. Once per mod, you can add 2d6 to an Intelligence or Logic check to aquire knowledge.
AAAA(2)
Filler
Lineage 6
Lineage 7
Lineage 8
Vocations
A Vocation serves two very important roles. The first, granting you access to various skills which may be used to assist the checks you make, and fellow allies. The second thing Vocations are good for, is granting you the ability to learn Combat or Magic skills which may be used in Combat Scenes.
To choose a Vocation, think of an archetype you wish to follow. This may be a generic archetype, a profession, an artisanry, or an idealogy. At any time you may choose up to 4 skills; but once a skill has been chosen, it is locked for that vocation. You may choose one attribute to represent your vocation, and an attribute to represent each of your skills individually. Skills chosen must be related to and relevant to the vocation they are under, not your background. Combat skills use all of your attributes, and are limited in selection or option based on the vocation they are under.
Lastly, there are Hidden Vocations that may be discovered through play. These special Vocations grant access to otherwise impossible to learn skills that do more than assist or are used for rolls in combat. A player may only choose one of these learned Hidden Vocations, but may make the decision to choose which Hidden Header to keep (and begin assigning Skill Points) at any time.
(Remember, you may only ever have 3 Vocations max; choose wisely)
Here is a list of example Vocations and a set of skills that may go along well with their archetypes:
(BDY): Warrior
The mighty and proud warrior of the Widowtree Clan stands honorably before others, acting as a shield and sword against the dangers of the Wildlands, Malgrowth, and other Clans.
Vocation Skills
(BDY): Athletics
(BDY): Endurance
(MND): Knowledge: History
(SLF): Polearms
(MND): Hunter
The hunter takes great pride in their knowledge of the Wildlands and nature, serving as an important guide for those seeking to travel through the dangerous lands beyond the borders.
Vocation Skills
(SOL): Animal Handling
(SLF): Hunting Weapons
(MND): Knowledge; Nature
(MND): Survival
(BDY): Messenger
Messengers serve very important roles in society, keeping various settlements in touch, delivering important messages, and uncovering lost paths through dangerous territories.
Vocation Skills
(BDY): Athletics
(MND): Calligraphy
(MND): Knowledge; Travel
(BDY): Stealth
(SOL): Naturalist
While everyone within the Widowtree Clan has had to come to terms with the wild nature of the world, most take it for granted. The naturalist specalizes in connecting with it, rather than surviving it.
Vocation Skills
(SOL): Compassion
(SOL): Inner Vission
(MND): Knowledge; Herbalism
(BOD): Nature Magic
(SOL): Braveheart
The braveheart is a soul who's destiny lies beyond their home, they have heard the calling of the Expedition of Chronos and set out to help out in any way they can.
Vocation Skills
(SOL): Bravery
(MND): Knowledge; Ruins
(SLF): Swords
(SOL): Spirituality
Homebrew Refreshers
If this is your first time reading this article, feel free to skip this part! This is more for players who have played Cogent Roleplay before, and don't recall the changes we've made to the system to help it function in the text-based MMO format of the server.
Death, Injuries, and Wounds
When you fail a check, or an enemy delivers a successful victory level against you, there is a chance of receiving an injury. Depending on the level of injury you will receive a penalty on any checks that involve using your Body(?). If you ever have a number of injury levels equal to 3 + Self (your total attributes in Body+ Mind+ Soul), you gain the Unconcious condition.
The injury levels are defined as thus:
Minor Injury (-1d6) - These injuries are rarely serious and will heal naturally over the next few days, or faster if actively treated.
Medium Injury (-2d6) - Forgoing treating these injuries within a timely manner may lead to further penalties such as an infection. If this injury has not been treated by the end of a mod, make an Endurance Check against a CL 3. On a failure, this injury becomes a Serious Injury.
Serious Injury (-3d6) - Ignoring these injuries can quickly lead to the death of a player. If this injury has not been treated by the end of a scene, make an Endurance Check against a CL 3. On a failure, this injury becomes a Fatal Injury.
Fatal Injury (-4d6) - A character with an injury this deadly causes them to also be Incapacitated. If this injury has not been treated within a few minutes (or by the end of the current encounter within a scene), and the injured does anything other than sitting still or tending to it, make an Endurance Check against a CL 3. On a failure, you gain the Defying Death condition.
Defeating Blow - A character dealt a blow this deadly gains the Defying Death condition.
Conditions
Defying Death - Instead of dying outright, characters instead receive this condition. You are considered Incapacitated while Defying Death. When you receive this condition, you must make a Defy Death check; which involves you to make an Endurance, Willpower, or Resolve check of your choice at CL 5. Other conditions (including injuries) CANNOT reduce the amount of dice you roll when making these checks.
On any success, you still have this condition until it is treated, and receive an effect that modifies your Incapacitated condition until the start of the next Performance round depending on which Mastery you chose. On a successful Endurance check, you may move at a normal pace. On a successful Willpower check, you may defend yourself. On a successful Resolve check, you may attack other enemies.
On a failure, you cannot make future Defy Death checks using the same Mastery you failed with until you sleep, and the CL increases by 1; you also make another check using one of your remaining options. If you have to make a check and cannot (in the case you have failed your 3rd and final check), your character dies and is retired.
It is important to remember that it is entirely possibly, and highly likely, to be struck with a Defeating Blow, and fail all three Defy Death checks all at once, instantly killing your character. This rule was implemented as a buffer to help player characters stay alive a little longer due to how simple the rules are, and help them feel more heroic.
Incapacitated - You are significantly weakened, to the point where you cannot defend yourself anymore. You are still considered concious, able to move at a significantly slower pace without help, can take cover, and can even mend your own wounds. If an opponent is next to you while you are Incapacitated, they can stop you from doing anything with a CL 1 check. Additionally, you do not get to make defence checks, and instead opponents make attacks against a CL 1 and ignore any armour you are wearing.
Staggered - You've been thrown off guard or moderately distracted. You receive a 2d6 penalty to any checks you make.
Stunned - You are weakened so much that you cannot escape or hurt anyone else until you clear your head. While in this state you cannot move or do anything more than defend yourself.
Paralyzed - While in this state you are Incapacitated, and cannot move or speak. You are aware of your surroundings.
Prone - While lying on the ground, you receive a 4d6 penalty to any Body check you make. If knocked down in combat, this penalty lasts until you defend yourself long enough to completely stand up at the end of the Performance Phase; doing anything else causes you to remain prone.
Unconcious - While in this state, you are Incapacitated, and cannot move or speak. You are not aware of your surroundings. You remain Incapacitated when this condition first wears off (until the end of the Performance Phase you are awoken, in the case of combat).
Attributes & Masteries
Body
For each additional point in Body, severity in injury can be reduced once every scene.
Strength
Your strength represents your bodies physical power. This mastery may be used in checks that involve raw shows of strength, such as pushing a boulder down a hill, lifting a person over your shoulders, or beating someone in arm wrestling.
Dexterity
Dexterity measures one's physical precision. This mastery is used where fine motor skills are most important, such as drawing a detailed map, stealing a key from a sleeping guard, or throwing darts.
Agility
Agility represents your body's physical movement. This mastery may be used whenever you try to move from one place to another, such as climbing the side of a cliff, swiming through a rushing river, or flying the fastest in a race.
Perception
This mastery represents your body's physical observations. Noticing something that is happening in the physical world using your senses, such as hearing a branch break, smelling a campfire nearby, or noticing someone's facial expressions.
Endurance
This mastery represents your physical health. Checks that best represent this might include holding your breath, trying to escape a chase where distance is key, or staying alive during a Defy Death check. Some use this mastery to channel the elements through themselves for elemental magics.
Mind
For each additional point in Mind, your Turn Priority is Higher at the beginning of combat encounters.
Intelligence
Intelligence measures the raw power of your mind. Checks that might include this mastery might include; recalling different kinds of knowledge, computing mathmatical calculations, or recognizing words in a language you don't speak.
Wits
Wits represents the responsiveness of your mind. One with good wits might be better at; smooth-talking their way out of a sticky situation, recognizing when a confrontation might escalate, or spotting an advantage at a given moment.
Logic
Logic follows the connections your mind makes from facts. Someone good with logic might, make a decent argument, connect the dots between certain pieces of information, or better convince someone with a scientific mindset.
Intuition
Intuition represents the ability to connect previous experiences and make informed opinions. Someone with high intuition might; recognize the area they are in would make an excellent ambush site, get a feeling they're being watched, or feel like something is about to go wrong.
Willpower
Willpower represents your minds ability to remain strong. Willpower might be used to; hold back an invading presence in the mind from mental magics, to ward off mental exhaustion, or to keep alive during a Defy Death check.
Soul
For each additional point in Soul, you receive 3 additional Character Points to spend in character creation.
Spirit
Spirit represents your soul's power and strength. Your spirit is used break through to someone beyond reason.
Devotion
Devotion represents your soul's precision. When making a check with this mastery you might better hold your appearance in the face of utter horrors
Flexibility
Flexibility represents your soul's movement and syncronicity. The flexibility of your soul can be utilized to channel yourself through the world around you, often manifested in nature magics.
Empathy
Empathy represents your soul's observations. One of high empathy would be able to read the surface emotions of another person.
Resolve
Resolve represents your soul's ability to continue exsisting and keep itself tied to your physical form. Your resolve helps you to fight against the odds in a Defy Death check.
Useful links:
Cogent Roleplay
Cultures
Regions
Standard Chronicle
Rules
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Malgrowth's Affect on the World
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Cultures
This serves as a quick information guide on the various cultures within the world. Please refer to the Cultures article for more information.
The Widowtree Clan
The Widowtree Clan was founded by a family who settled under the great Widowtree 500 years into The Fall. It was from this family that the first true settlement, after the Malgrowth Incident, was able to be built and prosper. From there, many individual families rallied under one safe roof to combat the Wildlands and take back their homes.
The rest is history, as the settlement remains strong and a source of inspiration for generations to come. Despite the Widowtree family being long gone, many other families consider this settlement their home, too afraid to venture further out into the Widowtree Clan territory or lands beyond.
Members of the Widowtree Clan belong to one of a small list of lineages, each often with their own depicted roles within society. Even still, most members of any lineage are more than capable of many different abilities, and rarely remain stagnant in their role. Adventurers set a fine example of branching out, often straying from their lineage and allowing their actions to define them.
Khanfasa Regency
Most of Khanfasa history has been lost to The Fall, being replaced with what little the Widowtree Clan know of these dangerous individuals. Members of the Khanfasa Regency are much larger than those of Widowtree, often shelling natural carapaces that act as impenetrable armor. Their members are tough, ruthless, and never hunt alone.
It has been noticed that members of the Regency consider themselves to hold some form of honor amongst themselves, and take great care and tactics whenever it comes to their various hunts. However, members of the Widowtree Clan appear to be no more than prey to most members of the Regency.
The Ungula
For as little that is known about the Khanfasa Clan, even less is known about the Ungula. No members of this culture have been witnessed to be capable of flight, though there have been very few sightings of these individuals in the first place.
Rumors say the Ungula have found a way to live in harmony with the beasts of the wildlands, learning to adapt and become one with the land around them.
The Góis Mind
Though originally not seen as an intelligent species beyond those of the Wildlands, there has been a defined culture witnessed of those few to safely survive the capture or slaughter by these alien creatures. Tall, lanky, and even faster than that of the Widowtree clan; few ever survive an encounter with a member of The Góis Mind.
Members of this culture are seen as incredibly territorial, killing any who pass over into their lands without second thought. Whatever it is they are protecting, they want no one to discover what it is.
The Animals of Vyra'Mardona
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Ancient Animals
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Animals Today
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Malgrowth and Animals
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Part 3: Character Creation
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Quick Start Guide
This section of the Player's Handbook will help you to create your character and get you into the game as soon as possible! Reading through Part 1: Lore of the World will help ensure you have an understanding of the unique setting Vyra'Mardona is set in. Part 2: Game Rules will better help you understand how the mechanics of your character comes together. Make sure you've completed the previous two Parts of the Handbook before proceeding.
Every player character is a member of Clan Widowtree, and gain access to two free Abilites. You also select one Lineage for your character to belong to, which grants your character unique access to abilities only members of that lineage may purchase with Character Points. This choice represents your characters birth, and may not accurately represent them as an individual later in life. You may purchase Abilities gained from your lineage at any time; during Character Creation, or after. You may not change your Lineage once it has been chosen, other than during a Character Rewrite.
You start the game with 1 Attribute of your choice, and gain more as the story progresses. You may choose to take a negative in one or more Masteries during Character Creation. You start the game with a number of Character Points equal to the number of negatives taken. A Mastery may only have one negative each, and a single Character Point put into them later will bring them back to 0.
You start the game with 1 free Vocation of your choice, using the list of examples as a guide to create your own and choose up to 4 Skills to fall under it. Skills not chosen at Character Creation may be chosen at any time during gameplay; but once a Character Point has been assigned to one, it cannot be undone.
You start the game with 3 Tools of your choice. You may also choose 1 Trait of your choice to start the game with. Further tools and traits may be earned through Roleplay, and some traits may be inflicted as part of a Condition during play.
Players who submit and receive approval of a backstory automatically begin play with 1 Destiny Point.
NEW!
Tier 2 Player Starting Rules!
We are 1/3rd of the way through Season 1! To help new players or characters not fall behind, you start with 2 Attributes of your choice. Additionally, you also start with 15 Character Points to spend on Masteries or Abilities. You may also start with a 2nd Vocation. Characters currently in play who do not meet these new minimums may update their characters accordingly. Players receive an additional +1 Character Point per mod they participate in, until they have accrued a total of 25 earned Character Points.
Tier 3 Player Starting Rules!
We are nearing the end of Season 1! To help new players or characters not fall behind, you start with 3 Attributes of your choice. Additionally, you also start with 30 Character Points to spend on Masteries or Abilities. You may also start with a 2nd and 3rd Vocation. Characters currently in play who do not meet these new minimums may update their characters accordingly. Players receive an additional +1 Character Point per mod they participate in, until they have accrued a total of 40 earned Character Points.
Any Character Points you start the game with may be used to purchase Masteries, Skills, Vocations, or Abilities of your choice. Purchasing a Mastery, Skill, or Vocation requires a number of Character Points equal to the level being purchased. For example; purchasing a 2 in Strength requires 3 Character Points total (1 for the first point, and 2 more for the second point). Abilities each have their own individual cost, which is represented by the number next to their name. Skills may only be purchased up to the same number of points of the Vocation they fall under (A Warrior Vocation of 2 may only have Skills of 2 or less, for example).
Tier 1 Player Maximum Rules
During the first part of the game; Masteries, Vocations, and Skills may only be purchased up to 2 points. Additionally, you may only hold onto one Destiny Point at a time.
NEW!
Tier 2 Player Maximum Rules!
Now that the game has reached Tier 2; Masteries, Vocations, and Skills may be purchased up to 3 points. Additionally, you may now hold onto two Destiny Points at a time.
Tier 3 Player Maximum Rules!
During the final part of Season 1; Masteries may be purchased up to 4 points. Additionally, you may hold onto three Destiny Points at a time. Vocations and Skills are still capped at 3, until you embark on a quest to overcome some hurdle preventing your character from reaching true mastery over their Vocation. A personal quest must be completed for each individual Vocation.
Character Advancement
Every Mod you play through earns you 1 Character Point. Submission of a PEL at the end of a mod earns you 0.5 Character Points. The maximum number of Character Points you may earn is 25. This maximum will increase as the game progresses.
During later parts of the season, newer players may also start the game with more Character Points, and/or receive an additional Character Point at the end of Mods in order to help them catch up.
Players may only spend Character Points before or after a Mod, not during. Players must still abide by the maximum limitations they followed during Character Creation. These limits will increase later as the game progresses.
You may also spend Character Points on a 2nd or 3rd Vocation after Character Creation. Be weary, however, as once you have chosen your 3rd Vocation you may no longer take new Vocations. There are Hidden Vocations that may be earned through skilled trainers found within the world that grant you access to special Skills and Abilities. You may only have 1 Hidden Vocation.
(Note: Character Points from taking negatives in Masteries and the one free point put into your first Vocation at Character Creation do not count as earned Character Points)
Lineages
During the first season, a select number of Lineages will be available for player play. Through the actions of players, more lineages from other cultures may become playable in future seasons. For now, please bare with us as the time and development of each lineage takes quiet some time, and that we wish for you to be able to play through more options following the current season.
Abilities gained from lineages must be purchased just like any other abilities. However, they offer unique options only available to members of that lineage. These abilities may be purchased at character creation, or later when enough skill points have been acquired.
All lineage of the Widowtree Clan gain the follow abilities:
Flight (free)
You have the ability to fly just as fast as you can run. The noise your wings make are very noisy and often attract predators.
Nimbleness (free)
You automatically win ties on agility checks to escape, declare after others of your same SOL during declaration phases, and act before others of your same reflex during performance phases.
Choose one of the following lineages for your character:
Widowblood
Members of this lineage share blood with the original founders of the Widowtree Clan. Widowblood Clan Names
Royal Blood (1)
Your connection to the great tree bolsters your resilience. Once per mod, you may add 2d6 on an Endurance check to resist a poison, disease, or malgrowth affliction.
Well Respected (2)
Your name carries a bit more weight among the people. This makes it easier for you to gain an audience with higher-ups in the clan. *infoskill
Wildscout
Members of this lineage decend from clans that ventured into the wildlands or enemy territory.
Wildscout Clan Names
Fluttering Glide (1)
You've learned to lock your wings and glide while flying; allowing longer, quieter flights. Once per mod, you may add 2d6 on an Agility check to avoid attracting others due to the use of your wings, or 2d6 to an Endurance check to fly for longer durations.
Always on the road (2)
You've become accustomed to traveling for long periods, and can set up and take down a camp in a fraction of the time others can. *infoskill
Woodkin
Members of this lineage are tied to naturalist clans, being connected to the land through minor, innate magical abilities.
Woodkin Clan Names
Unusual Sense (1)
You are attuned to the world around you. You have supernatural senses that allow you to feel abnormal energies. Once per mod, you may add 2d6 to a Perception or Intuition check to detect magical presence or malgrowth nearby.
Natural Memory (2)
You have an eye for terrain, and the memory to acompany it. You can remember the relative location of things like water sources, clearings, and other significant landmarks that you've seen on your travels. *infoskill
Exiled
This lineage consists of those whose families have been exiled from their clans for generations, having been shunned for one reason or another.
Exiled Clan Names
AAAA (1)
filler.
Hidden in Plain Sight (2)
People of your lineage have learned to survive without homes for nearly a thousand years. You are able to remain completely silent and still when keeping watch, resting, or sleeping for the night. *infoskill
Clansage
flavor
Clansage
Clan Names
Bookworm(1)
Always with your nose in a book, you're more adept at finding information. Once per mod, you can add 2d6 to an Intelligence or Logic check to aquire knowledge.
AAAA(2)
Filler
Lineage 6
Lineage 7
Lineage 8
Vocations
A Vocation serves two very important roles. The first, granting you access to various skills which may be used to assist the checks you make, and fellow allies. The second thing Vocations are good for, is granting you the ability to learn Combat or Magic skills which may be used in Combat Scenes.
To choose a Vocation, think of an archetype you wish to follow. This may be a generic archetype, a profession, an artisanry, or an idealogy. At any time you may choose up to 4 skills; but once a skill has been chosen, it is locked for that vocation. You may choose one attribute to represent your vocation, and an attribute to represent each of your skills individually. Skills chosen must be related to and relevant to the vocation they are under, not your background. Combat skills use all of your attributes, and are limited in selection or option based on the vocation they are under.
Lastly, there are Hidden Vocations that may be discovered through play. These special Vocations grant access to otherwise impossible to learn skills that do more than assist or are used for rolls in combat. A player may only choose one of these learned Hidden Vocations, but may make the decision to choose which Hidden Header to keep (and begin assigning Skill Points) at any time.
(Remember, you may only ever have 3 Vocations max; choose wisely)
Here is a list of example Vocations and a set of skills that may go along well with their archetypes:
(BDY): Warrior
The mighty and proud warrior of the Widowtree Clan stands honorably before others, acting as a shield and sword against the dangers of the Wildlands, Malgrowth, and other Clans.
Vocation Skills
(BDY): Athletics
(BDY): Endurance
(MND): Knowledge: History
(SLF): Polearms
(MND): Hunter
The hunter takes great pride in their knowledge of the Wildlands and nature, serving as an important guide for those seeking to travel through the dangerous lands beyond the borders.
Vocation Skills
(SOL): Animal Handling
(SLF): Hunting Weapons
(MND): Knowledge; Nature
(MND): Survival
(BDY): Messenger
Messengers serve very important roles in society, keeping various settlements in touch, delivering important messages, and uncovering lost paths through dangerous territories.
Vocation Skills
(BDY): Athletics
(MND): Calligraphy
(MND): Knowledge; Travel
(BDY): Stealth
(SOL): Naturalist
While everyone within the Widowtree Clan has had to come to terms with the wild nature of the world, most take it for granted. The naturalist specalizes in connecting with it, rather than surviving it.
Vocation Skills
(SOL): Compassion
(SOL): Inner Vission
(MND): Knowledge; Herbalism
(BOD): Nature Magic
(SOL): Braveheart
The braveheart is a soul who's destiny lies beyond their home, they have heard the calling of the Expedition of Chronos and set out to help out in any way they can.
Vocation Skills
(SOL): Bravery
(MND): Knowledge; Ruins
(SLF): Swords
(SOL): Spirituality
Homebrew Refreshers
If this is your first time reading this article, feel free to skip this part! This is more for players who have played Cogent Roleplay before, and don't recall the changes we've made to the system to help it function in the text-based MMO format of the server.
Death, Injuries, and Wounds
When you fail a check, or an enemy delivers a successful victory level against you, there is a chance of receiving an injury. Depending on the level of injury you will receive a penalty on any checks that involve using your Body(?). If you ever have a number of injury levels equal to 3 + Self (your total attributes in Body+ Mind+ Soul), you gain the Unconcious condition.
The injury levels are defined as thus:
Minor Injury (-1d6) - These injuries are rarely serious and will heal naturally over the next few days, or faster if actively treated.
Medium Injury (-2d6) - Forgoing treating these injuries within a timely manner may lead to further penalties such as an infection. If this injury has not been treated by the end of a mod, make an Endurance Check against a CL 3. On a failure, this injury becomes a Serious Injury.
Serious Injury (-3d6) - Ignoring these injuries can quickly lead to the death of a player. If this injury has not been treated by the end of a scene, make an Endurance Check against a CL 3. On a failure, this injury becomes a Fatal Injury.
Fatal Injury (-4d6) - A character with an injury this deadly causes them to also be Incapacitated. If this injury has not been treated within a few minutes (or by the end of the current encounter within a scene), and the injured does anything other than sitting still or tending to it, make an Endurance Check against a CL 3. On a failure, you gain the Defying Death condition.
Defeating Blow - A character dealt a blow this deadly gains the Defying Death condition.
Conditions
Defying Death - Instead of dying outright, characters instead receive this condition. You are considered Incapacitated while Defying Death. When you receive this condition, you must make a Defy Death check; which involves you to make an Endurance, Willpower, or Resolve check of your choice at CL 5. Other conditions (including injuries) CANNOT reduce the amount of dice you roll when making these checks.
On any success, you still have this condition until it is treated, and receive an effect that modifies your Incapacitated condition until the start of the next Performance round depending on which Mastery you chose. On a successful Endurance check, you may move at a normal pace. On a successful Willpower check, you may defend yourself. On a successful Resolve check, you may attack other enemies.
On a failure, you cannot make future Defy Death checks using the same Mastery you failed with until you sleep, and the CL increases by 1; you also make another check using one of your remaining options. If you have to make a check and cannot (in the case you have failed your 3rd and final check), your character dies and is retired.
It is important to remember that it is entirely possibly, and highly likely, to be struck with a Defeating Blow, and fail all three Defy Death checks all at once, instantly killing your character. This rule was implemented as a buffer to help player characters stay alive a little longer due to how simple the rules are, and help them feel more heroic.
Incapacitated - You are significantly weakened, to the point where you cannot defend yourself anymore. You are still considered concious, able to move at a significantly slower pace without help, can take cover, and can even mend your own wounds. If an opponent is next to you while you are Incapacitated, they can stop you from doing anything with a CL 1 check. Additionally, you do not get to make defence checks, and instead opponents make attacks against a CL 1 and ignore any armour you are wearing.
Staggered - You've been thrown off guard or moderately distracted. You receive a 2d6 penalty to any checks you make.
Stunned - You are weakened so much that you cannot escape or hurt anyone else until you clear your head. While in this state you cannot move or do anything more than defend yourself.
Paralyzed - While in this state you are Incapacitated, and cannot move or speak. You are aware of your surroundings.
Prone - While lying on the ground, you receive a 4d6 penalty to any Body check you make. If knocked down in combat, this penalty lasts until you defend yourself long enough to completely stand up at the end of the Performance Phase; doing anything else causes you to remain prone.
Unconcious - While in this state, you are Incapacitated, and cannot move or speak. You are not aware of your surroundings. You remain Incapacitated when this condition first wears off (until the end of the Performance Phase you are awoken, in the case of combat).
Attributes & Masteries
Body
For each additional point in Body, severity in injury can be reduced once every scene.
Strength
Your strength represents your bodies physical power. This mastery may be used in checks that involve raw shows of strength, such as pushing a boulder down a hill, lifting a person over your shoulders, or beating someone in arm wrestling.
Dexterity
Dexterity measures one's physical precision. This mastery is used where fine motor skills are most important, such as drawing a detailed map, stealing a key from a sleeping guard, or throwing darts.
Agility
Agility represents your body's physical movement. This mastery may be used whenever you try to move from one place to another, such as climbing the side of a cliff, swiming through a rushing river, or flying the fastest in a race.
Perception
This mastery represents your body's physical observations. Noticing something that is happening in the physical world using your senses, such as hearing a branch break, smelling a campfire nearby, or noticing someone's facial expressions.
Endurance
This mastery represents your physical health. Checks that best represent this might include holding your breath, trying to escape a chase where distance is key, or staying alive during a Defy Death check. Some use this mastery to channel the elements through themselves for elemental magics.
Mind
For each additional point in Mind, your Turn Priority is Higher at the beginning of combat encounters.
Intelligence
Intelligence measures the raw power of your mind. Checks that might include this mastery might include; recalling different kinds of knowledge, computing mathmatical calculations, or recognizing words in a language you don't speak.
Wits
Wits represents the responsiveness of your mind. One with good wits might be better at; smooth-talking their way out of a sticky situation, recognizing when a confrontation might escalate, or spotting an advantage at a given moment.
Logic
Logic follows the connections your mind makes from facts. Someone good with logic might, make a decent argument, connect the dots between certain pieces of information, or better convince someone with a scientific mindset.
Intuition
Intuition represents the ability to connect previous experiences and make informed opinions. Someone with high intuition might; recognize the area they are in would make an excellent ambush site, get a feeling they're being watched, or feel like something is about to go wrong.
Willpower
Willpower represents your minds ability to remain strong. Willpower might be used to; hold back an invading presence in the mind from mental magics, to ward off mental exhaustion, or to keep alive during a Defy Death check.
Soul
For each additional point in Soul, you receive 3 additional Character Points to spend in character creation.
Spirit
Spirit represents your soul's power and strength. Your spirit is used break through to someone beyond reason.
Devotion
Devotion represents your soul's precision. When making a check with this mastery you might better hold your appearance in the face of utter horrors
Flexibility
Flexibility represents your soul's movement and syncronicity. The flexibility of your soul can be utilized to channel yourself through the world around you, often manifested in nature magics.
Empathy
Empathy represents your soul's observations. One of high empathy would be able to read the surface emotions of another person.
Resolve
Resolve represents your soul's ability to continue exsisting and keep itself tied to your physical form. Your resolve helps you to fight against the odds in a Defy Death check.
Useful links:
Cogent Roleplay
Cultures
Regions
Standard Chronicle
Rules
<Text here.>
Animals Today
<Text here.>
Malgrowth and Animals
<Text here.>
Part 3: Character Creation
<Text here.>
Quick Start Guide
This section of the Player's Handbook will help you to create your character and get you into the game as soon as possible! Reading through Part 1: Lore of the World will help ensure you have an understanding of the unique setting Vyra'Mardona is set in. Part 2: Game Rules will better help you understand how the mechanics of your character comes together. Make sure you've completed the previous two Parts of the Handbook before proceeding.
Every player character is a member of Clan Widowtree, and gain access to two free Abilites. You also select one Lineage for your character to belong to, which grants your character unique access to abilities only members of that lineage may purchase with Character Points. This choice represents your characters birth, and may not accurately represent them as an individual later in life. You may purchase Abilities gained from your lineage at any time; during Character Creation, or after. You may not change your Lineage once it has been chosen, other than during a Character Rewrite.
You start the game with 1 Attribute of your choice, and gain more as the story progresses. You may choose to take a negative in one or more Masteries during Character Creation. You start the game with a number of Character Points equal to the number of negatives taken. A Mastery may only have one negative each, and a single Character Point put into them later will bring them back to 0.
You start the game with 1 free Vocation of your choice, using the list of examples as a guide to create your own and choose up to 4 Skills to fall under it. Skills not chosen at Character Creation may be chosen at any time during gameplay; but once a Character Point has been assigned to one, it cannot be undone.
You start the game with 3 Tools of your choice. You may also choose 1 Trait of your choice to start the game with. Further tools and traits may be earned through Roleplay, and some traits may be inflicted as part of a Condition during play.
Players who submit and receive approval of a backstory automatically begin play with 1 Destiny Point.
NEW!
Tier 2 Player Starting Rules!
We are 1/3rd of the way through Season 1! To help new players or characters not fall behind, you start with 2 Attributes of your choice. Additionally, you also start with 15 Character Points to spend on Masteries or Abilities. You may also start with a 2nd Vocation. Characters currently in play who do not meet these new minimums may update their characters accordingly. Players receive an additional +1 Character Point per mod they participate in, until they have accrued a total of 25 earned Character Points.
Tier 3 Player Starting Rules!
We are nearing the end of Season 1! To help new players or characters not fall behind, you start with 3 Attributes of your choice. Additionally, you also start with 30 Character Points to spend on Masteries or Abilities. You may also start with a 2nd and 3rd Vocation. Characters currently in play who do not meet these new minimums may update their characters accordingly. Players receive an additional +1 Character Point per mod they participate in, until they have accrued a total of 40 earned Character Points.
Any Character Points you start the game with may be used to purchase Masteries, Skills, Vocations, or Abilities of your choice. Purchasing a Mastery, Skill, or Vocation requires a number of Character Points equal to the level being purchased. For example; purchasing a 2 in Strength requires 3 Character Points total (1 for the first point, and 2 more for the second point). Abilities each have their own individual cost, which is represented by the number next to their name. Skills may only be purchased up to the same number of points of the Vocation they fall under (A Warrior Vocation of 2 may only have Skills of 2 or less, for example).
Tier 1 Player Maximum Rules
During the first part of the game; Masteries, Vocations, and Skills may only be purchased up to 2 points. Additionally, you may only hold onto one Destiny Point at a time.
NEW!
Tier 2 Player Maximum Rules!
Now that the game has reached Tier 2; Masteries, Vocations, and Skills may be purchased up to 3 points. Additionally, you may now hold onto two Destiny Points at a time.
Tier 3 Player Maximum Rules!
During the final part of Season 1; Masteries may be purchased up to 4 points. Additionally, you may hold onto three Destiny Points at a time. Vocations and Skills are still capped at 3, until you embark on a quest to overcome some hurdle preventing your character from reaching true mastery over their Vocation. A personal quest must be completed for each individual Vocation.
Character Advancement
Every Mod you play through earns you 1 Character Point. Submission of a PEL at the end of a mod earns you 0.5 Character Points. The maximum number of Character Points you may earn is 25. This maximum will increase as the game progresses.
During later parts of the season, newer players may also start the game with more Character Points, and/or receive an additional Character Point at the end of Mods in order to help them catch up.
Players may only spend Character Points before or after a Mod, not during. Players must still abide by the maximum limitations they followed during Character Creation. These limits will increase later as the game progresses.
You may also spend Character Points on a 2nd or 3rd Vocation after Character Creation. Be weary, however, as once you have chosen your 3rd Vocation you may no longer take new Vocations. There are Hidden Vocations that may be earned through skilled trainers found within the world that grant you access to special Skills and Abilities. You may only have 1 Hidden Vocation.
(Note: Character Points from taking negatives in Masteries and the one free point put into your first Vocation at Character Creation do not count as earned Character Points)
Lineages
During the first season, a select number of Lineages will be available for player play. Through the actions of players, more lineages from other cultures may become playable in future seasons. For now, please bare with us as the time and development of each lineage takes quiet some time, and that we wish for you to be able to play through more options following the current season.
Abilities gained from lineages must be purchased just like any other abilities. However, they offer unique options only available to members of that lineage. These abilities may be purchased at character creation, or later when enough skill points have been acquired.
All lineage of the Widowtree Clan gain the follow abilities:
Flight (free)
You have the ability to fly just as fast as you can run. The noise your wings make are very noisy and often attract predators.
Nimbleness (free)
You automatically win ties on agility checks to escape, declare after others of your same SOL during declaration phases, and act before others of your same reflex during performance phases.
Choose one of the following lineages for your character:
Widowblood
Members of this lineage share blood with the original founders of the Widowtree Clan. Widowblood Clan Names
Royal Blood (1)
Your connection to the great tree bolsters your resilience. Once per mod, you may add 2d6 on an Endurance check to resist a poison, disease, or malgrowth affliction.
Well Respected (2)
Your name carries a bit more weight among the people. This makes it easier for you to gain an audience with higher-ups in the clan. *infoskill
Wildscout
Members of this lineage decend from clans that ventured into the wildlands or enemy territory.
Wildscout Clan Names
Fluttering Glide (1)
You've learned to lock your wings and glide while flying; allowing longer, quieter flights. Once per mod, you may add 2d6 on an Agility check to avoid attracting others due to the use of your wings, or 2d6 to an Endurance check to fly for longer durations.
Always on the road (2)
You've become accustomed to traveling for long periods, and can set up and take down a camp in a fraction of the time others can. *infoskill
Woodkin
Members of this lineage are tied to naturalist clans, being connected to the land through minor, innate magical abilities.
Woodkin Clan Names
Unusual Sense (1)
You are attuned to the world around you. You have supernatural senses that allow you to feel abnormal energies. Once per mod, you may add 2d6 to a Perception or Intuition check to detect magical presence or malgrowth nearby.
Natural Memory (2)
You have an eye for terrain, and the memory to acompany it. You can remember the relative location of things like water sources, clearings, and other significant landmarks that you've seen on your travels. *infoskill
Exiled
This lineage consists of those whose families have been exiled from their clans for generations, having been shunned for one reason or another.
Exiled Clan Names
AAAA (1)
filler.
Hidden in Plain Sight (2)
People of your lineage have learned to survive without homes for nearly a thousand years. You are able to remain completely silent and still when keeping watch, resting, or sleeping for the night. *infoskill
Clansage
flavor
Clansage
Clan Names
Bookworm(1)
Always with your nose in a book, you're more adept at finding information. Once per mod, you can add 2d6 to an Intelligence or Logic check to aquire knowledge.
AAAA(2)
Filler
Lineage 6
Lineage 7
Lineage 8
Vocations
A Vocation serves two very important roles. The first, granting you access to various skills which may be used to assist the checks you make, and fellow allies. The second thing Vocations are good for, is granting you the ability to learn Combat or Magic skills which may be used in Combat Scenes.
To choose a Vocation, think of an archetype you wish to follow. This may be a generic archetype, a profession, an artisanry, or an idealogy. At any time you may choose up to 4 skills; but once a skill has been chosen, it is locked for that vocation. You may choose one attribute to represent your vocation, and an attribute to represent each of your skills individually. Skills chosen must be related to and relevant to the vocation they are under, not your background. Combat skills use all of your attributes, and are limited in selection or option based on the vocation they are under.
Lastly, there are Hidden Vocations that may be discovered through play. These special Vocations grant access to otherwise impossible to learn skills that do more than assist or are used for rolls in combat. A player may only choose one of these learned Hidden Vocations, but may make the decision to choose which Hidden Header to keep (and begin assigning Skill Points) at any time.
(Remember, you may only ever have 3 Vocations max; choose wisely)
Here is a list of example Vocations and a set of skills that may go along well with their archetypes:
(BDY): Warrior
The mighty and proud warrior of the Widowtree Clan stands honorably before others, acting as a shield and sword against the dangers of the Wildlands, Malgrowth, and other Clans.
Vocation Skills
(BDY): Athletics
(BDY): Endurance
(MND): Knowledge: History
(SLF): Polearms
(MND): Hunter
The hunter takes great pride in their knowledge of the Wildlands and nature, serving as an important guide for those seeking to travel through the dangerous lands beyond the borders.
Vocation Skills
(SOL): Animal Handling
(SLF): Hunting Weapons
(MND): Knowledge; Nature
(MND): Survival
(BDY): Messenger
Messengers serve very important roles in society, keeping various settlements in touch, delivering important messages, and uncovering lost paths through dangerous territories.
Vocation Skills
(BDY): Athletics
(MND): Calligraphy
(MND): Knowledge; Travel
(BDY): Stealth
(SOL): Naturalist
While everyone within the Widowtree Clan has had to come to terms with the wild nature of the world, most take it for granted. The naturalist specalizes in connecting with it, rather than surviving it.
Vocation Skills
(SOL): Compassion
(SOL): Inner Vission
(MND): Knowledge; Herbalism
(BOD): Nature Magic
(SOL): Braveheart
The braveheart is a soul who's destiny lies beyond their home, they have heard the calling of the Expedition of Chronos and set out to help out in any way they can.
Vocation Skills
(SOL): Bravery
(MND): Knowledge; Ruins
(SLF): Swords
(SOL): Spirituality
Homebrew Refreshers
If this is your first time reading this article, feel free to skip this part! This is more for players who have played Cogent Roleplay before, and don't recall the changes we've made to the system to help it function in the text-based MMO format of the server.
Death, Injuries, and Wounds
When you fail a check, or an enemy delivers a successful victory level against you, there is a chance of receiving an injury. Depending on the level of injury you will receive a penalty on any checks that involve using your Body(?). If you ever have a number of injury levels equal to 3 + Self (your total attributes in Body+ Mind+ Soul), you gain the Unconcious condition.
The injury levels are defined as thus:
Minor Injury (-1d6) - These injuries are rarely serious and will heal naturally over the next few days, or faster if actively treated.
Medium Injury (-2d6) - Forgoing treating these injuries within a timely manner may lead to further penalties such as an infection. If this injury has not been treated by the end of a mod, make an Endurance Check against a CL 3. On a failure, this injury becomes a Serious Injury.
Serious Injury (-3d6) - Ignoring these injuries can quickly lead to the death of a player. If this injury has not been treated by the end of a scene, make an Endurance Check against a CL 3. On a failure, this injury becomes a Fatal Injury.
Fatal Injury (-4d6) - A character with an injury this deadly causes them to also be Incapacitated. If this injury has not been treated within a few minutes (or by the end of the current encounter within a scene), and the injured does anything other than sitting still or tending to it, make an Endurance Check against a CL 3. On a failure, you gain the Defying Death condition.
Defeating Blow - A character dealt a blow this deadly gains the Defying Death condition.
Conditions
Defying Death - Instead of dying outright, characters instead receive this condition. You are considered Incapacitated while Defying Death. When you receive this condition, you must make a Defy Death check; which involves you to make an Endurance, Willpower, or Resolve check of your choice at CL 5. Other conditions (including injuries) CANNOT reduce the amount of dice you roll when making these checks.
On any success, you still have this condition until it is treated, and receive an effect that modifies your Incapacitated condition until the start of the next Performance round depending on which Mastery you chose. On a successful Endurance check, you may move at a normal pace. On a successful Willpower check, you may defend yourself. On a successful Resolve check, you may attack other enemies.
On a failure, you cannot make future Defy Death checks using the same Mastery you failed with until you sleep, and the CL increases by 1; you also make another check using one of your remaining options. If you have to make a check and cannot (in the case you have failed your 3rd and final check), your character dies and is retired.
It is important to remember that it is entirely possibly, and highly likely, to be struck with a Defeating Blow, and fail all three Defy Death checks all at once, instantly killing your character. This rule was implemented as a buffer to help player characters stay alive a little longer due to how simple the rules are, and help them feel more heroic.
Incapacitated - You are significantly weakened, to the point where you cannot defend yourself anymore. You are still considered concious, able to move at a significantly slower pace without help, can take cover, and can even mend your own wounds. If an opponent is next to you while you are Incapacitated, they can stop you from doing anything with a CL 1 check. Additionally, you do not get to make defence checks, and instead opponents make attacks against a CL 1 and ignore any armour you are wearing.
Staggered - You've been thrown off guard or moderately distracted. You receive a 2d6 penalty to any checks you make.
Stunned - You are weakened so much that you cannot escape or hurt anyone else until you clear your head. While in this state you cannot move or do anything more than defend yourself.
Paralyzed - While in this state you are Incapacitated, and cannot move or speak. You are aware of your surroundings.
Prone - While lying on the ground, you receive a 4d6 penalty to any Body check you make. If knocked down in combat, this penalty lasts until you defend yourself long enough to completely stand up at the end of the Performance Phase; doing anything else causes you to remain prone.
Unconcious - While in this state, you are Incapacitated, and cannot move or speak. You are not aware of your surroundings. You remain Incapacitated when this condition first wears off (until the end of the Performance Phase you are awoken, in the case of combat).
Attributes & Masteries
Body
For each additional point in Body, severity in injury can be reduced once every scene.
Strength
Your strength represents your bodies physical power. This mastery may be used in checks that involve raw shows of strength, such as pushing a boulder down a hill, lifting a person over your shoulders, or beating someone in arm wrestling.
Dexterity
Dexterity measures one's physical precision. This mastery is used where fine motor skills are most important, such as drawing a detailed map, stealing a key from a sleeping guard, or throwing darts.
Agility
Agility represents your body's physical movement. This mastery may be used whenever you try to move from one place to another, such as climbing the side of a cliff, swiming through a rushing river, or flying the fastest in a race.
Perception
This mastery represents your body's physical observations. Noticing something that is happening in the physical world using your senses, such as hearing a branch break, smelling a campfire nearby, or noticing someone's facial expressions.
Endurance
This mastery represents your physical health. Checks that best represent this might include holding your breath, trying to escape a chase where distance is key, or staying alive during a Defy Death check. Some use this mastery to channel the elements through themselves for elemental magics.
Mind
For each additional point in Mind, your Turn Priority is Higher at the beginning of combat encounters.
Intelligence
Intelligence measures the raw power of your mind. Checks that might include this mastery might include; recalling different kinds of knowledge, computing mathmatical calculations, or recognizing words in a language you don't speak.
Wits
Wits represents the responsiveness of your mind. One with good wits might be better at; smooth-talking their way out of a sticky situation, recognizing when a confrontation might escalate, or spotting an advantage at a given moment.
Logic
Logic follows the connections your mind makes from facts. Someone good with logic might, make a decent argument, connect the dots between certain pieces of information, or better convince someone with a scientific mindset.
Intuition
Intuition represents the ability to connect previous experiences and make informed opinions. Someone with high intuition might; recognize the area they are in would make an excellent ambush site, get a feeling they're being watched, or feel like something is about to go wrong.
Willpower
Willpower represents your minds ability to remain strong. Willpower might be used to; hold back an invading presence in the mind from mental magics, to ward off mental exhaustion, or to keep alive during a Defy Death check.
Soul
For each additional point in Soul, you receive 3 additional Character Points to spend in character creation.
Spirit
Spirit represents your soul's power and strength. Your spirit is used break through to someone beyond reason.
<Text here.>
Part 3: Character Creation
<Text here.>
Quick Start Guide
This section of the Player's Handbook will help you to create your character and get you into the game as soon as possible! Reading through Part 1: Lore of the World will help ensure you have an understanding of the unique setting Vyra'Mardona is set in. Part 2: Game Rules will better help you understand how the mechanics of your character comes together. Make sure you've completed the previous two Parts of the Handbook before proceeding. Every player character is a member of Clan Widowtree, and gain access to two free Abilites. You also select one Lineage for your character to belong to, which grants your character unique access to abilities only members of that lineage may purchase with Character Points. This choice represents your characters birth, and may not accurately represent them as an individual later in life. You may purchase Abilities gained from your lineage at any time; during Character Creation, or after. You may not change your Lineage once it has been chosen, other than during a Character Rewrite. You start the game with 1 Attribute of your choice, and gain more as the story progresses. You may choose to take a negative in one or more Masteries during Character Creation. You start the game with a number of Character Points equal to the number of negatives taken. A Mastery may only have one negative each, and a single Character Point put into them later will bring them back to 0. You start the game with 1 free Vocation of your choice, using the list of examples as a guide to create your own and choose up to 4 Skills to fall under it. Skills not chosen at Character Creation may be chosen at any time during gameplay; but once a Character Point has been assigned to one, it cannot be undone. You start the game with 3 Tools of your choice. You may also choose 1 Trait of your choice to start the game with. Further tools and traits may be earned through Roleplay, and some traits may be inflicted as part of a Condition during play. Players who submit and receive approval of a backstory automatically begin play with 1 Destiny Point.NEW!
Tier 2 Player Starting Rules!
We are 1/3rd of the way through Season 1! To help new players or characters not fall behind, you start with 2 Attributes of your choice. Additionally, you also start with 15 Character Points to spend on Masteries or Abilities. You may also start with a 2nd Vocation. Characters currently in play who do not meet these new minimums may update their characters accordingly. Players receive an additional +1 Character Point per mod they participate in, until they have accrued a total of 25 earned Character Points.Tier 3 Player Starting Rules!
We are nearing the end of Season 1! To help new players or characters not fall behind, you start with 3 Attributes of your choice. Additionally, you also start with 30 Character Points to spend on Masteries or Abilities. You may also start with a 2nd and 3rd Vocation. Characters currently in play who do not meet these new minimums may update their characters accordingly. Players receive an additional +1 Character Point per mod they participate in, until they have accrued a total of 40 earned Character Points.
Tier 1 Player Maximum Rules
During the first part of the game; Masteries, Vocations, and Skills may only be purchased up to 2 points. Additionally, you may only hold onto one Destiny Point at a time.
NEW!
NEW!
Tier 2 Player Maximum Rules!
Now that the game has reached Tier 2; Masteries, Vocations, and Skills may be purchased up to 3 points. Additionally, you may now hold onto two Destiny Points at a time.
Tier 3 Player Maximum Rules!
During the final part of Season 1; Masteries may be purchased up to 4 points. Additionally, you may hold onto three Destiny Points at a time. Vocations and Skills are still capped at 3, until you embark on a quest to overcome some hurdle preventing your character from reaching true mastery over their Vocation. A personal quest must be completed for each individual Vocation.Character Advancement
Every Mod you play through earns you 1 Character Point. Submission of a PEL at the end of a mod earns you 0.5 Character Points. The maximum number of Character Points you may earn is 25. This maximum will increase as the game progresses. During later parts of the season, newer players may also start the game with more Character Points, and/or receive an additional Character Point at the end of Mods in order to help them catch up. Players may only spend Character Points before or after a Mod, not during. Players must still abide by the maximum limitations they followed during Character Creation. These limits will increase later as the game progresses. You may also spend Character Points on a 2nd or 3rd Vocation after Character Creation. Be weary, however, as once you have chosen your 3rd Vocation you may no longer take new Vocations. There are Hidden Vocations that may be earned through skilled trainers found within the world that grant you access to special Skills and Abilities. You may only have 1 Hidden Vocation. (Note: Character Points from taking negatives in Masteries and the one free point put into your first Vocation at Character Creation do not count as earned Character Points)Lineages
During the first season, a select number of Lineages will be available for player play. Through the actions of players, more lineages from other cultures may become playable in future seasons. For now, please bare with us as the time and development of each lineage takes quiet some time, and that we wish for you to be able to play through more options following the current season.
Abilities gained from lineages must be purchased just like any other abilities. However, they offer unique options only available to members of that lineage. These abilities may be purchased at character creation, or later when enough skill points have been acquired.
All lineage of the Widowtree Clan gain the follow abilities:Flight (free)
You have the ability to fly just as fast as you can run. The noise your wings make are very noisy and often attract predators.Nimbleness (free)
You automatically win ties on agility checks to escape, declare after others of your same SOL during declaration phases, and act before others of your same reflex during performance phases.Choose one of the following lineages for your character:
Widowblood
Members of this lineage share blood with the original founders of the Widowtree Clan. Widowblood Clan NamesRoyal Blood (1)
Your connection to the great tree bolsters your resilience. Once per mod, you may add 2d6 on an Endurance check to resist a poison, disease, or malgrowth affliction.Well Respected (2)
Your name carries a bit more weight among the people. This makes it easier for you to gain an audience with higher-ups in the clan. *infoskillWildscout
Members of this lineage decend from clans that ventured into the wildlands or enemy territory.Wildscout Clan Names
Fluttering Glide (1)
You've learned to lock your wings and glide while flying; allowing longer, quieter flights. Once per mod, you may add 2d6 on an Agility check to avoid attracting others due to the use of your wings, or 2d6 to an Endurance check to fly for longer durations.Always on the road (2)
You've become accustomed to traveling for long periods, and can set up and take down a camp in a fraction of the time others can. *infoskillWoodkin
Members of this lineage are tied to naturalist clans, being connected to the land through minor, innate magical abilities.Woodkin Clan Names
Unusual Sense (1)
You are attuned to the world around you. You have supernatural senses that allow you to feel abnormal energies. Once per mod, you may add 2d6 to a Perception or Intuition check to detect magical presence or malgrowth nearby.Natural Memory (2)
You have an eye for terrain, and the memory to acompany it. You can remember the relative location of things like water sources, clearings, and other significant landmarks that you've seen on your travels. *infoskillExiled
This lineage consists of those whose families have been exiled from their clans for generations, having been shunned for one reason or another.Exiled Clan Names
AAAA (1)
filler.Hidden in Plain Sight (2)
People of your lineage have learned to survive without homes for nearly a thousand years. You are able to remain completely silent and still when keeping watch, resting, or sleeping for the night. *infoskillClansage
flavorClansage Clan Names
Bookworm(1)
Always with your nose in a book, you're more adept at finding information. Once per mod, you can add 2d6 to an Intelligence or Logic check to aquire knowledge.AAAA(2)
FillerLineage 6
Lineage 7
Lineage 8
Vocations
A Vocation serves two very important roles. The first, granting you access to various skills which may be used to assist the checks you make, and fellow allies. The second thing Vocations are good for, is granting you the ability to learn Combat or Magic skills which may be used in Combat Scenes. To choose a Vocation, think of an archetype you wish to follow. This may be a generic archetype, a profession, an artisanry, or an idealogy. At any time you may choose up to 4 skills; but once a skill has been chosen, it is locked for that vocation. You may choose one attribute to represent your vocation, and an attribute to represent each of your skills individually. Skills chosen must be related to and relevant to the vocation they are under, not your background. Combat skills use all of your attributes, and are limited in selection or option based on the vocation they are under. Lastly, there are Hidden Vocations that may be discovered through play. These special Vocations grant access to otherwise impossible to learn skills that do more than assist or are used for rolls in combat. A player may only choose one of these learned Hidden Vocations, but may make the decision to choose which Hidden Header to keep (and begin assigning Skill Points) at any time.
(Remember, you may only ever have 3 Vocations max; choose wisely) Here is a list of example Vocations and a set of skills that may go along well with their archetypes:
(BDY): Warrior
The mighty and proud warrior of the Widowtree Clan stands honorably before others, acting as a shield and sword against the dangers of the Wildlands, Malgrowth, and other Clans.Vocation Skills
(BDY): Athletics(BDY): Endurance
(MND): Knowledge: History
(SLF): Polearms
(MND): Hunter
The hunter takes great pride in their knowledge of the Wildlands and nature, serving as an important guide for those seeking to travel through the dangerous lands beyond the borders.Vocation Skills
(SOL): Animal Handling(SLF): Hunting Weapons
(MND): Knowledge; Nature
(MND): Survival
(BDY): Messenger
Messengers serve very important roles in society, keeping various settlements in touch, delivering important messages, and uncovering lost paths through dangerous territories.Vocation Skills
(BDY): Athletics(MND): Calligraphy
(MND): Knowledge; Travel
(BDY): Stealth
(SOL): Naturalist
While everyone within the Widowtree Clan has had to come to terms with the wild nature of the world, most take it for granted. The naturalist specalizes in connecting with it, rather than surviving it.Vocation Skills
(SOL): Compassion(SOL): Inner Vission
(MND): Knowledge; Herbalism
(BOD): Nature Magic
(SOL): Braveheart
The braveheart is a soul who's destiny lies beyond their home, they have heard the calling of the Expedition of Chronos and set out to help out in any way they can.Vocation Skills
(SOL): Bravery(MND): Knowledge; Ruins
(SLF): Swords
(SOL): Spirituality
Homebrew Refreshers
If this is your first time reading this article, feel free to skip this part! This is more for players who have played Cogent Roleplay before, and don't recall the changes we've made to the system to help it function in the text-based MMO format of the server.
Death, Injuries, and Wounds
When you fail a check, or an enemy delivers a successful victory level against you, there is a chance of receiving an injury. Depending on the level of injury you will receive a penalty on any checks that involve using your Body(?). If you ever have a number of injury levels equal to 3 + Self (your total attributes in Body+ Mind+ Soul), you gain the Unconcious condition. The injury levels are defined as thus:Minor Injury (-1d6) - These injuries are rarely serious and will heal naturally over the next few days, or faster if actively treated.
Medium Injury (-2d6) - Forgoing treating these injuries within a timely manner may lead to further penalties such as an infection. If this injury has not been treated by the end of a mod, make an Endurance Check against a CL 3. On a failure, this injury becomes a Serious Injury.
Serious Injury (-3d6) - Ignoring these injuries can quickly lead to the death of a player. If this injury has not been treated by the end of a scene, make an Endurance Check against a CL 3. On a failure, this injury becomes a Fatal Injury.
Fatal Injury (-4d6) - A character with an injury this deadly causes them to also be Incapacitated. If this injury has not been treated within a few minutes (or by the end of the current encounter within a scene), and the injured does anything other than sitting still or tending to it, make an Endurance Check against a CL 3. On a failure, you gain the Defying Death condition.
Defeating Blow - A character dealt a blow this deadly gains the Defying Death condition.
Conditions
Defying Death - Instead of dying outright, characters instead receive this condition. You are considered Incapacitated while Defying Death. When you receive this condition, you must make a Defy Death check; which involves you to make an Endurance, Willpower, or Resolve check of your choice at CL 5. Other conditions (including injuries) CANNOT reduce the amount of dice you roll when making these checks. On any success, you still have this condition until it is treated, and receive an effect that modifies your Incapacitated condition until the start of the next Performance round depending on which Mastery you chose. On a successful Endurance check, you may move at a normal pace. On a successful Willpower check, you may defend yourself. On a successful Resolve check, you may attack other enemies. On a failure, you cannot make future Defy Death checks using the same Mastery you failed with until you sleep, and the CL increases by 1; you also make another check using one of your remaining options. If you have to make a check and cannot (in the case you have failed your 3rd and final check), your character dies and is retired. It is important to remember that it is entirely possibly, and highly likely, to be struck with a Defeating Blow, and fail all three Defy Death checks all at once, instantly killing your character. This rule was implemented as a buffer to help player characters stay alive a little longer due to how simple the rules are, and help them feel more heroic. Incapacitated - You are significantly weakened, to the point where you cannot defend yourself anymore. You are still considered concious, able to move at a significantly slower pace without help, can take cover, and can even mend your own wounds. If an opponent is next to you while you are Incapacitated, they can stop you from doing anything with a CL 1 check. Additionally, you do not get to make defence checks, and instead opponents make attacks against a CL 1 and ignore any armour you are wearing. Staggered - You've been thrown off guard or moderately distracted. You receive a 2d6 penalty to any checks you make. Stunned - You are weakened so much that you cannot escape or hurt anyone else until you clear your head. While in this state you cannot move or do anything more than defend yourself. Paralyzed - While in this state you are Incapacitated, and cannot move or speak. You are aware of your surroundings. Prone - While lying on the ground, you receive a 4d6 penalty to any Body check you make. If knocked down in combat, this penalty lasts until you defend yourself long enough to completely stand up at the end of the Performance Phase; doing anything else causes you to remain prone. Unconcious - While in this state, you are Incapacitated, and cannot move or speak. You are not aware of your surroundings. You remain Incapacitated when this condition first wears off (until the end of the Performance Phase you are awoken, in the case of combat).Attributes & Masteries
Body
For each additional point in Body, severity in injury can be reduced once every scene.Strength
Your strength represents your bodies physical power. This mastery may be used in checks that involve raw shows of strength, such as pushing a boulder down a hill, lifting a person over your shoulders, or beating someone in arm wrestling.Dexterity
Dexterity measures one's physical precision. This mastery is used where fine motor skills are most important, such as drawing a detailed map, stealing a key from a sleeping guard, or throwing darts.Agility
Agility represents your body's physical movement. This mastery may be used whenever you try to move from one place to another, such as climbing the side of a cliff, swiming through a rushing river, or flying the fastest in a race.Perception
This mastery represents your body's physical observations. Noticing something that is happening in the physical world using your senses, such as hearing a branch break, smelling a campfire nearby, or noticing someone's facial expressions.Endurance
This mastery represents your physical health. Checks that best represent this might include holding your breath, trying to escape a chase where distance is key, or staying alive during a Defy Death check. Some use this mastery to channel the elements through themselves for elemental magics.Mind
For each additional point in Mind, your Turn Priority is Higher at the beginning of combat encounters.Intelligence
Devotion
Devotion represents your soul's precision. When making a check with this mastery you might better hold your appearance in the face of utter horrorsFlexibility
Flexibility represents your soul's movement and syncronicity. The flexibility of your soul can be utilized to channel yourself through the world around you, often manifested in nature magics.Empathy
Empathy represents your soul's observations. One of high empathy would be able to read the surface emotions of another person.Resolve
Resolve represents your soul's ability to continue exsisting and keep itself tied to your physical form. Your resolve helps you to fight against the odds in a Defy Death check.Useful links:
Cogent Roleplay Cultures Regions Standard Chronicle Rules