The Heavy

These are good people. Hard-working, honest. They look out for each other. But sometimes, looking out for each other ain't enough. Sometimes, good people need someone to stick up for them. Someone who's not afraid to get a little bloody. To get heavy. Yeah, someone like you.

Damage: d10 · HP (max 20)

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)

Sheriff

You keep order in your steading and protect it from outside threats. It might not be anything official, but everyone knows you've got a cool head and the weight to back up your words.

When you bark an order or warning, roll. On a success, they must choose 1:

For each 6, you can sense which one they're about to do and act first if you like — gain advantage if you do.

On a bust, the GM makes a hard move.

Blood-Soaked Past

You left behind a life of violence and a name mothers used to scare their children. For whatever reason, the people of your steading took you (back?) in and treat you like one of their own.

When you Persuade using violence or threats against someone who knows your black reputation, you have advantage.

When you fight to kill without mercy or hesitation, you deal +1d4 damage.

Storm-Marked

You've been touched by Tor (Rain-maker, Thunderhead, Slayer-of-Beasts!) and bear runic markings similar to those etched into the Stone. When did the marks manifest? Are they a symbol of your strength, speed, and courage? Or their source?

You start with the Storm Markings major arcanum. Mark one of the boxes on the Storm Markings sheet, and describe the time you were struck by lightning and walked away unharmed.

Instinct (choose 1)

Appearance

Choose 1 on each line, or make something up:

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):

Moves

You start with Dangerous, Hard to Kill, and either Armored OR Uncanny Reflexes.

★ Dangerous

When you deal your damage, you have advantage. (Requires the Heavy.)

★ Hard to Kill

When you are at Death's Door, you roll. On a success with no 6, you can mark a debility of your choice to regain 1 HP.

Armored

When you carry a shield, mark only ☐ (instead of ☐☐). Also, you can ignore the cumbersome tag on any armor you wear.

If you take this move at the start of play, add an iron hauberk, bronze cuirass, or scale coat to your inventory (all are 2 armor, warm, cumbersome).

Battle Joy

When you spill blood — yours or another's — and lose yourself in battle, you ignore fear, pain, mind-control, and the effects of debilities as long as you keep fighting.

When the action stops, roll. On a success with a 6, that was a rush; regain 1d4 HP. On a success with no six, you're winded and out of it, but fine with a few minutes' rest. On a bust, mark a debility, but don't mark XP.

Berserker

While in your Battle Joy, add the area tag to your melee attacks, lashing out at anyone nearby (friend and foe alike). Roll damage separately for each target. (Requires Battle Joy.)

Carved Out of Wood

Increase your max HP by 4.

Formidable

When you wade into battle, roll. On a success, pick 1. For each 6, pick an additional 1:

Frosty

When you Defy Danger by keeping calm and carrying on, on a success with a 6, you can also ask the GM a question you could ask when Seeking Insight. You have advantage on your next move to act on the answer.

Guardian

When you Defend, hold 1 extra Readiness. Even on a bust, hold 1 Readiness (plus whatever the GM says).

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.)

Intimidating

When you Persuade using violence or threats, you have advantage.

Musclebound

When you make a hand-to-hand or thrown attack, it's forceful and messy. If it would already be forceful and/or messy, it's even more so.

Payback

When you deal damage to a foe that has harmed you or one of your allies, deal +1d4 damage.

Relentless

When you Clash and your foe survives, you gain advantage the next time you Clash with them.

Seasoned Warrior

Take a move from the Fox, Marshal, Ranger, or Seeker playbooks, for which you otherwise qualify. You can pick from a different playbook each time. (You can't take Improved Trait or Superior Trait.) (Requires level 2+ and the Heavy.)

Situational Awareness

When you Seek Insight, add the following to the list of questions you can ask:

When a fight breaks out, ask the GM 1 question that you could ask when Seeking Insight.

Uncanny Reflexes

When you are unarmored and carrying a normal or light load, you impose disadvantage on any damage you take that you could dodge or roll with.

Unfettered

When you are subject to physical or mental restraint, you may mark a debility to immediately break free of that restraint.

Unstoppable

When you are reduced to 0 HP in battle, you can keep fighting. Each time you take damage while at 0 HP, mark 1. If you would regain HP while fighting, clear one mark instead. (Requires Hard to Kill.)

When you stop fighting, roll for Death's Door with disadvantage if you have any circles marked. If you survive, clear all your circles.

Terror on the Field

When you reduce a foe to 0 HP, describe how you take them out. If you fell them in a particularly brutal or impressive manner, their allies are impressed, dismayed, or frightened and respond accordingly.

Bringer of Ruin

When you roll a success with 2+ sixes to Clash and your foe survives, name something they possess (their sword, their position, a limb, their dignity, etc.) — nothing that would kill them outright. Whatever you name, it is broken, shattered, lost. Tell us how. (Requires level 6+.)

Cut from Granite

Gain +1 armor (stacks with other sources) and increase your max HP by another 2 (+6 HP total from both moves). (Requires level 6+ and Carved Out of Wood.)

Mighty Thews

When you perform a feat of extraordinary strength (bursting chains, smashing through a wall, heaving a boulder, etc.), you do it — but pick 1:

Nemesis

When you Clash and your foe survives, all of your future attacks against them do +1d6 damage. (Requires level 6+ and Relentless.)

Steadfast Guardian

While you hold Readiness (from Defend), you can always suffer the damage/effects of an attack instead of your ward — no need to spend Readiness, you can just do it. (Requires level 6+ and Guardian.)

Stone Cold

When you Defy Danger by keeping calm and carrying on, treat a bust as a success with no 6. (Requires level 6+ and Frosty.)

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)

A History of Violence

Just about everyone here talks about the time you... (pick 1 or 2)

But folks are less keen to discuss... (pick 1 or 2)

What keeps you up at night? (pick 1 or 2)