Traits

Traits are permanent changes to a character. They all have two to three parts: Name, Grade (How good or bad the character is at something.), and potentially a special effect. There are two types of Traits: Skills and Scars.

Skills

Learned, inherited, or gained via odd circumstances, Skills are Traits that benefit the character. All Skills have a positive Grade and start at +1 when first acquired. A Skill increases the SD of a character by 1, can grant a special effect, and increases the Success Value (SV) of a relevant roll by its Grade.

Scars

Scars are Traits that create difficulties for a character and are gained through injury, trauma, or curse. Scars always have a negative Grade that starts at -1. Scars decrease the SD of a character by 1, can grant a special effect with a cost, and add the negative Grade of the Scar to the SV of a relevant roll.

Creating Traits

Players work with the referee in between sessions to create a Trait. Traits should always be connected to the circumstances that granted them.

For example: a character is struck by an arrow and is reduced to zero Stamina. The Referee and player decide that the resulting scar is “Right Leg Injury.” Rolls involving the use of the character’s right leg (e.g., climbing or sprinting) would be impacted by the -1 Grade. Additionally, a special effect of this Scar could be that travel depletes the character’s stamina more quickly.

Gaining Traits

Characters gain Traits through play. Player characters can have up to 8 Skills at a time.

Characters gain Skills when…

1. A character is granted a Skill within the narrative. Perhaps it was part of a quest, a symbol of a character’s devotion to a Spirit, etc.
2. A character is granted a Skill by the other players. At the end of each session, the players collectively decide what character performed the most notable act (be it courageous, industrious, or crazy). The chosen character gains a new Skill based off that act or event.
3. A character is trained in a Skill by another character that has the desired Skill. Only non-Devotion skills can be taught.

Characters gain Scars when…

1. A character reaches zero Stamina.
2. A character loses a Conflict against someone who was attempting to Scar them.
3. An effect in the game causes the character to gain a Scar.

Having Too Many Skills

Pilgrims can have up to eight Skills. If a character were to gain a new Skill while having eight, they can choose to forgo that new Skill, by replacing an existing Skill with the new one, or enchanting an Item with an existing or new Skill. The item’s Grade must be equal-to or better than the Skill’s Grade.

Traits Evolving

Characters can improve their Skills over time, and Scars can worsen.

Improving Skills

To improve a Skill, a character needs to use that Skill in a roll. Then roll a number of Successes greater than the Skill’s current Grade. This causes the Skill’s Grade to increase by 1.

Improving Devotion Skills

Unlike other Skills, Devotion Skills require a character to do something for the Spirit that is connected to the Skill. It could be a pilgrimage to another of their Shrines, a quest on their behalf, improving a Shrine, or planting one of the Spirit’s Seeds.

Worsening Scars

If a character fails to roll a Success, while using a Scar, the Scar’s Grade will worsen by 1.

Improving Scars

Improving Scars is an incredibly rare occurance. This can usually only be done via narrative means. The goal of a quest could be to heal a Scar.

Retirement

If a character ever has more Scars than Skills than they retire. Retirement can mean them settling down in the town they loved the most plying their trade, it could mean they walk off into the sunset, or it could mean they die in a Conflict. The choice is ultimately up to the player, the only thing that is certain is that their pilgrimage has come to an end.

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