The Fox

The elders tell a story about Fox, who knows lots of tricks, and Hedgehog, who knows one: how to curl up into a ball when there's danger. Fox can't eat Hedgehog when he's all curled up, so in the story Fox goes hungry. But you're not that Fox, and this is no story. You want that Hedgehog? Go get a knife.

Damage: d8 · HP (max 16)

Stat-less — there are no stats to assign. When a move says "roll," you push your luck (see 00-core-loop/dice-and-moves.md).

Background (choose 1)

The Prodigal Returned

You left long ago, travelling far and living by your wits. Why did you leave? What deeds do you boast of, and which do you regret?

You always longed to return to your steading, and return you have. You're a bit of a celebrity now, and you've got friends (or close enough) strewn about the known world.

When you declare that you know someone outside your steading (someone who can help), name them and roll. On a success, they can help — tell us why they're willing. For each 6, pick 1:

• They don't hold a grudge.
• They don't need something from you first.
• They haven't sworn this sort of thing off.
• You can trust them.

On a bust, the GM picks 1 of those.

The Natural

You grew up around here, and always picked things up quickly. Reading and numbers, sure, but more. Hide and seek. Throwing stones. Climbing. Fighting. Whatever you tried, you were good at it. As good as anyone else, if not better.

Sure, you've got a reputation for bending the rules. Playing dirty. But why play if you don't play to win, right? And who do they come to when there's a problem needs solving? You, that's who.

When you Seek Insight, add "What opportunity does no one else see?" to the list of possible questions.

A Life of Crime

You're a newcomer to your steading, having left behind a...colorful past. How did you get into that life? Why and how did you get out? Who and what did you leave behind?

Regardless, these people have taken you in. Time to lead an honest life, right?

You start with either Burgle or Light Fingers (your choice) as an extra move, and either burglar tools or a hidden stash (your choice) as an additional special possession. Mark them now.

Instinct (choose 1)

• Conscience — To feel guilty, to try to do right.
• Freedom — To chafe against rules, expectations, obligations.
• Comfort — To enjoy yourself and avoid hardship.
• Prestige — To impress others, to build a name for yourself.
• Trickery — To deceive, misdirect, outthink.

Appearance

Choose 1 on each line, or make something up:

• young pup -- "responsible" adult -- cagey old-timer
• a pleasant voice -- sharp & nasally -- well-spoken
• lithe -- heavyset -- gangly / like a whippin' stick
• a light step -- a brisk stride -- more like a strut

Place of Origin & Name

Your steading is your home, or close enough. Pick one region and a name to match (or make up something similar):

• Example names: Bran, Carwyn, Delyth, Elin, Fion, Geral, Mair, Rannon, Vaughn, or Wynn
• Barrier Pass: Anarba, Batu, Bugadai, Hujaghur, Jigur, Kete, Sarantuya, or Tebengri
• Closest Trade Connection: Comyna, Crevan, Fitz, Greagir, Maired, Nainsi, Naiclas, or Saraid
• Far, Far Away: Amit, Baz, Dafna, Mahsa, Parviz, Sanaz, Tzofiya, Yaniv

Moves

You start with Ambush OR Skill at Arms; Danger Sense OR Perceptive; and 1 of your choice.

Ambush

When you get the drop on a nearby foe, deal your damage — or roll.

On a success, deal your damage and pick 1. For each 6, pick an additional 1:

• Deal +1d4 damage.
• Stop them from making noise or raising an alarm.
• Slip away before they can react.
• Create an opportunity — you or an ally gains advantage on the next move to act on it.

On a bust, the GM makes a hard move.

Bands, plainly: a success with no 6 = damage + 1 pick; a success with a 6 = damage + one pick per 6.

All in the Wrist

Any knife or dagger gets the thrown tag in your hands. Also, you keep a few iron throwing blades (near) on you; they don't take up space in your inventory. Reset your ammo whenever you Outfit.

Burgle

When you sneak off on your own into a dangerous place, roll.

On a success, you make it back, and the GM says where you got to and what you learned — pick 1. For each 6, pick an additional 1:

• You got away clean, rousing no suspicion.
• You swiped something valuable (GM's choice).
• You set something up to exploit on your return.
• Ask a Seek Insight question about what you saw.

On a bust, you either make it back with trouble in tow, or you're missing in action (your call).

Catlike

When you carry a light load and act with care, you move silently. When you hide in shadows or darkness, you remain unseen until you draw attention to yourself, move positions, or attack.

Dabbler

Each time you take this move, choose a move from the Heavy, Marshal, Ranger, or Seeker playbooks for which you otherwise qualify. (Requires level 2+ and the Fox.)

Danger Sense

You can always ask the GM, "Is there an ambush or trap here?" If they say yes, roll.

On a success, ask 1 question — plus 1 more for each 6:

• What will trigger the ambush or trap?
• What will happen once it's triggered?

Either way, gain advantage on your next roll to act on the answer(s).

On a bust, you know there's a trap or ambush, but nothing bad happens just yet — and you don't mark XP.

Free Running

When you carry a light load and move with speed and grace, gain advantage on any move to surmount or bypass a physical obstacle.

Improved Trait

Each time you take this move, choose one of your traits and work with the GM to make it more powerful — lean into the fiction. (A trait that says "increment one die" becomes "increment two dice"; narrative traits take real creativity — that's the fun.)

Irresistible

When you interact with someone, you can ask the GM if they find you attractive and get an honest answer (usually "yes").

When you Persuade by using your considerable charms as leverage, you have advantage.

Laugh at Danger

When you face adversity and make a joke about it, gain advantage on that roll.

Light Fingers

When you perform sleight of hand on an unwary mark, you succeed and no one's the wiser. If you're being watched, roll.

On a success, you succeed or no one's the wiser (your choice). If there are any sixes in your roll, you get both.

On a bust, you're caught — the GM makes a hard move.

Perceptive

When you Seek Insight, you may ask 1 additional question. Even on a bust, you can ask 1 question (though you might not like how you learn the answer).

Rapier Wit

When you pierce an NPC's pride with a well-placed quip, they must do 1 (their choice):

• Attack, dealing +1d4 damage if they hit — but giving you advantage on your next roll against them.
• Stoop to your level and respond in kind.
• Spend a few moments fuming, sputtering, or controlling their temper.

Skill at Arms

When you take this move, choose one of the following traits. You gain it permanently, in addition to your 2 — an earned trait.

• DANCING BLADE — When you Clash with a quick or light weapon, you may increment one die in the roll by 1. While you keep moving, you can't be grappled or pinned.
• BRUSH (Vulpine) — When you Defend by staying light and evasive, you can spend 1 Readiness to slip out of reach entirely — no attack lands this exchange.
• FEINT — When you Clash and would deal damage, you may instead disarm, unbalance, or wrong-foot your foe. You deal no damage, but you create an opening — you or an ally gains advantage on the next move to exploit it.

Parry & Riposte

When you Defend with a weapon you can wield quickly, you can spend 1 Readiness to both halve an attack's effects/damage and strike back at the attacker (deal your damage with disadvantage), instead of spending 1 Readiness for each. (Requires Skill at Arms.)

Silver Tongued

When you use words to avoid suspicion or trouble, roll.

On a success, hold 1 Nerve — +1 for each 6.

Spend Nerve 1-for-1 to:

• Move about or maneuver unchallenged.
• Withstand direct scrutiny or questioning.
• Direct suspicion or attention elsewhere.

On a bust, your words fail you — the GM makes a hard move.

Under Your Skin

When you engage an NPC in conversation, you can ask the GM 1 of these and get an honest answer:

• What are they expecting me to do?
• What, in general, are they trying to hide?
• What do they want to happen?

Battle Dancer

When you Clash with speed and grace, on a success with 2+ sixes, you deal your damage, avoid your enemy's attack, and impress / embarrass / overawe your foes. (Requires level 6+ and Skill at Arms.)

Cheap Shot

When you Ambush with a hand weapon, you have advantage on your damage roll. (Requires level 6+ and Ambush.)

Eye on the Door

When you and your allies need to get out of here, name your escape route and roll. (Requires level 6+.)

On a success, you're gone. For each 6, you leave nothing behind — the GM won't take a cost. On a bust, you can stay or go, but if you go, the GM will tell you what (or who) you leave behind or take with you.

Pants on Fire

When you Defy Danger or Persuade by being deceitful, you have advantage. (Requires level 6+.)

When another move (like Seek Insight) allows a player to ask you a question, you can opt not to answer.

Second Intent

When you Defend and spend 1 Readiness to Parry & Riposte, also pick 1 option from the Ambush list. (Requires level 6+, Parry & Riposte, and Ambush.)

Slippery

When you roll to escape being caught or controlled, treat a bust as a success with no 6. On a success with 2+ sixes, say how you turn the tables or use the circumstances to your advantage.

Superior Trait

Choose a trait you have already Improved, and work with the GM to boost it even further — a significant, fiction-driven leap that should feel like a real capstone. (Requires level 6+.)

Special Possessions

(Pick 2)

• ☐ Burglar's kit: picks, files, snippers, wire, prybars, hacksaws, a lantern (___ hours, close, area), a grappling hook, etc.
• ☐ Carpenter's tools: chisels, files, nails, pitch, prybars, saws, firkins, barrels, etc.
• ☐ Distillery: skins of fine whisky (___ uses, grants advantage to Persuade), copper tubes, malt, firkins, stills, barrels, etc.
• ☐ Hidden stash (___ uses): each use produces valuables worth a purse of silvers (Value 2).
• ☐ Mummer's kit: juggling balls, whirlybird seeds, motley, ribbons, bells, puppets, a fiddle, etc.
• ☐ Scribe's tools: parchment, ink, pigments, vials, quills, a notebook, etc.
• ☐ Tannery (or access to it): lime, acid, salts, thick gloves, a boiled leather cuirass (1 armor), etc.
• ☐ Trade contacts: small amounts of salt, glass, silk, spice, medicinal herbs, pigments, ivory, etc.
• ☐ (discuss with GM)

Tall Tales

Someone like you gets into all sorts of trouble. Mix and match the following to come up with a couple of your more memorable adventures.

There was that time you... (choose 1 per tale)

• ...got lost in: the Great Wood / the Flats / the Steplands / Ferrier's Fen / the Foothills / the Huffel Peaks.
• ...were on watch when the crinwin raided.
• ...dared each other to explore the Ruined Tower.
• ...managed to rile up a small band of Hillfolk.
• ...braved the Labyrinth, just a little.
• ...stole that crazy old man's book.
• ...went poking about the old Barrow Mounds.

And you ended up... (choose 1 or 2 per tale)

• ...running for your life from ___.
• ...landing a well-placed blow.
• ...interrupting a strange, creepy gathering.
• ...stumbling on a beast, bigger'n anything.
• ...with a sack full of treasure.
• ...getting to fight them for you.
• ...face to face with a ghost/Fae/demon.
• ...finding those strange old runes.
• ...getting to know that fine-looking fellow/lady/person/couple.

But all you've got left to show for it is...

• ...a story no one believes.
• ...a nasty scar; wanna see?
• ...the occasional nightmare.
• ...this map with runes no one can read.
• ...this key that opens who-knows-what.