Seasonal procedure
- Consult the fates - Only done at the start of a new year, the GM draws from the deck to see what omens will preside.
- Declare seasonal activities -Each character decides what they will do for the season, discuss any possibilities for adventure.
- Roll for random event - Roll 1d6, on a 1 a notable event has occurred.
- Resolve events - Scenes and events unfold from any events, complications, opportunities, or natural consequences of the character’s endeavors.
- Pay upkeep - Deduct upkeep and living expenses, details below.
- Record outcome in chronicle - Write down the year, season, activity each character undertook, and the outcome - including training points gained, in the group’s chronicle.
Be it the storm-wracked days of Monsoon or the treacherous season of the Southern Wind, the rhythm of the seasons determines much of the life of the Shrinelands. Each season characters choose what their main undertaking will be. Below are listed a number of examples, if none fit you may always work with the GM on some sort of endeavor. Time spent this way is the main way characters gain training points, with most activities granting a specific number to the skill involved.
Adventure is a large portion of any adventurer’s life, and characters may choose to stage an expedition whenever they so choose. Most seasonal activities may continue so long as no more than fifteen days are spent away.
Most people in the Shrinelands do not lead lives of such daring and adventure, and typically spend most of their seasons working - the most basic seasonal activity. Heroes, however, should take particular note on the sections involving training and gaining a level.
If an opportunity or complication arises during a seasonal activity this may result in a situation needing to be resoled at a finer timescale to determine the outcome of the activity. Generally these are the purview of the GM to adjudicate, although the group as a whole may feel free to suggest ideas.
A complication could
- have unexpected events threaten the outcome
- suffer from a rival, or perhaps a minor spirit, deciding to intervene
- cause the result to be different than intended, especially in the season of Chaos
An opportunity could
- allow the character to strengthen a relationship during the course of the season
- provide a boon on related work in the future
- grant an additional bonus to the outcome
Seasonal Activities
Work
Undertake one’s profession. To do so requires the basic tools of their trade, and access to a market. Make a skill check for the sort of work done, and gain income based on the result. This is expressed in terms of a character’s typical earnings - usually 25 coins per season. Gain 1 training point in the skill used.
| Work | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Poor (1-6) | typical x 3/4 |
| Basic (7-9) | typical income |
| Exceptional (10-12) | typical x 1.25 |
| Masterful (13-15) | typical x 1.5 |
| Legendary (16+) | typical x 2 |
This usually takes the form of commission work, such as for Alchemy or Artisanry, but may also be day-labor for less specific skills. Characters wishing to increase their typical income will need to gain important clients, membership in a guild, or more useful facilities for their work.
Level-Up
Characters who have accrued enough experience points to advance to the next level may do so by undertaking a season of training in their unique art. During this season a character may also undertake one of their iconic endeavors, see each class for details.
At the conclusion of this season
- Roll the character’s total hit dice, adding their Constitution modifier to each die roll. Use this as their new maximum hit points if it is higher than their current maximum, otherwise increase their maximum hit points by 1.
- Note increases to Attacks, Leadership, Saves and other modifiers on their class chart
Study a Book
Gain deep insight from the power of the written word, however this is neither trivial nor passive. In addition to needing basic literacy, usually one rank of Lore and Language will suffice, the character will need understanding of the script the book is written in. Alongside this they must work on the skill involved. A character learning swordsmanship from a dueling manual requires a blade and sparring partner, one wishing to learn about metalwork would require some basic tools to experiment with. Multiple characters may generally all use the same tome to learn, so long as their training is occurring in tandem. If in doubt the maximum number of simultaneous students for this is the highest Wisdom modifier among prospective learners.
Each book will specify the number of training points which are gained from its use, and the number of seasons a character may benefit from the text before having consumed the entirety of its knowledge. Other books may have additional benefits, such as gaining a new skill specialty, or other perils. Record the name of the text under ‘books read’ on the character’s sheet.
Train With a Master
Characters may enlist a more skilled practitioner to teach them during a season. For skills this requires the teacher have at least one more rank in the skill than their student. Gain training points equal to 2 + teacher’s Wisdom modifier - typically 3 or 4. A teacher can perform their own seasonal activities by using the learner as an apprentice, so long as their activity is using the same skill. Teaching up to Lead + Charisma modifier students is possible, but in this case the master must dedicate their entire season to teaching.
Expertise may also be learned this way. This requires the master must have a heroic level of that expertise, and two seasons are required for the student to become an initiate. May also involve lengthy or dangerous initiation rituals which must be passed in addition to the time spent. When learning a new expertise no additional training points are gained.
Hone an Expertise
A character may spend a season in intensive understanding of an expertise they poses. Increase it to heroic level. Remember that the total number of heroic expertise a character may have depends on their level.
Heroic expertise are an ongoing lifestyle, and as such a character may choose to neglect their training if they so desire. In effect downgrading an expertise from heroic to initiate, typically done if they wish to ‘replace’ a previous heroic expertise with a newly acquired one.
Teach
See details above with Training. This activity is required when instruction more than a single apprentice. For this activity no skill roll is required, and the teacher gains a single training point in both Lead and the another training point in the subject of their course.
Practice
Characters may improve their skills through undirected practice, although this is not as effective as finding a skilled master or a useful tome. Magical skills may not be improved this way, but otherwise the character gains 2 training points.
Craft
Use Artisanry or Alchemy to produce something of value.
Research
Attempt to answer a question.
Master a New Spell
A character with access to a spell tome may attempt to master the spell contained within. Doing so requires that their rank in the magical skill be at least as high as the occlusion of the spell. A spellcaster may also teach a spell to another spellcaster, similarly requiring the student’s understanding of the given magical technique be sufficient to the occlusion.
Mastering a spell grants two training points in the corresponding magical skill.
Enchant an Item
Characters who have mastered any Enchantment spells may use them to create magic items. This requires a continual application of magical energy, during this season they will always be missing the amount of soul points required to cast the enchantment spell.
Each spell is slightly different, and may specify the particulars of the process. However generally this requires a large amount of magic essence. Gain one training point in the corresponding magical skill.
Cast a Grand Ceremony
Grand ceremonies are spells so potent they require an entire season of preparation, alignment, and magical work. Interruption may require Concentration checks to control the power involved. See the individual spells for details.
Endeavor
A catch-all for other activities not covered.#todo
Upkeep
#todo
Score
Reduced by Trade