The Lightbearer

Imagine yourself and your kin in a cave lit by a single torch, entranced by shadow puppet stories. Imagine realizing there is a greater truth, and stepping out of the cave into the true Light of day. Would you not bring that Light back into the darkness, to set your people free?

Damage: d4 · HP (max 18)

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)

Auspicious Birth

You were born in your community, and that birth was marked by the God of Light. You were born during an eclipse, perhaps, or under the light of a bright new star? Maybe you bear a sun-shaped birthmark? Whatever the sign, your connection to Helior was clear early on. You've a place of honor in your community, though it'd be a lie to say you don't make some uneasy.

When one of your moves has you mark a debility, you may mark this background's circle instead, to no ill effect. Clear it when you Make Camp or Convalesce.

Itinerant Mystic

They think of you as a self-important kook who comes through now and again, speaking in riddles and playing tricks with the light. Sure, they know there's something holy about you, but it's not like you're a priest or anything. Priests talk sense.

When you go off a-wandering, hold 1 Enigma if you're gone for days, 2 if you're gone for weeks, or 3 if you're gone for months. At the very start of play, hold 3 Enigma. Spend Enigma 1-for-1 to:

Return from your wandering exactly when and where you are needed, fully Outfitted.
Know Things as if you rolled a success with a 6, drawing on what you learned while away.
Have What You Need to produce an oddly specific yet mundane item of Value 1 or less.

Soul on Fire

You once led a worldly life, full of fear and doubt, base pleasures and petty grudges. But something happened. Injury, illness, a brush with death. Or just a moment of such profound misery and self-loathing that you thought you could fall no further. There, in the dark, Helior's light shined upon you, igniting in your soul, lifting you and filling you with a profound sense of purpose.

When you Persuade a group by preaching charity, mercy, and hope and roll a success, aside from the usual effect, choose 1:

Your name and your message spread.
Someone approaches you, now or later, eager to know more.

Instinct (choose 1)

Charity — To go without so that others are better off.
Hope — To inspire others in the face of adversity.
Mercy — To bring relief or comfort, to give second chances.
Praise — To spread the glory and worship of Helior.
Righteousness — To refuse to suffer an injustice or a lesser evil.

Appearance

Choose 1 on each line, or make something up:

a youthful glow -- well-weathered -- old & merry
a lilting voice -- a melodious voice -- a soft voice
beatific -- ethereal -- intense -- jovial -- serene
fine robes -- threadbare cloak -- working clothes

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: Dai, Eirian, Eurig, Haf, Haul, Hefin, Hulwen, or Tesni
Barrier Pass: Alaqa, Bat, Dinget, Ghoa, Oyuun, Sidurgu, Temur, or Toragana
Closest Trade Connection: Adfin, Callach, Conlad, Eadna, Fionntan, Niamh, Orlaith, or Sorsha
Far, Far Away: Arash, Azar, Hafiz, Murat, Roshan, Shideh, Zara, or Zohara

Moves

You start with Consecrated Flame and Invoke the Sun God, plus 1 more of your choice.

★ Consecrated Flame

When you whisper words of consecration to a flame, the flame casts a holy light. Holy light is uncomfortable for creatures of darkness to look upon, but does no true harm. The holy light lasts until the flame goes out or until you consecrate another flame, whichever comes first.

★ Invoke the Sun God

When you imbue a holy light with Helior's power, choose an Invocation you know and roll. On a success with a 6, it works as described, but you must choose 1 consequence: On a success with no six, it works as described, but you and the GM each choose 1 consequence:

The Invocation has its reduced effect.
The effort taxes you; mark a debility.
The light is snuffed out when the Invocation is complete, its fuel consumed.
You must bask in sunlight for an hour or so before using that Invocation again.

See the Invocations insert for details.

A Candle Against the Dark

When you wield a holy light but go otherwise unarmed, you have 2 Armor.

Luminous Shield

When you brandish a holy light to turn aside an attack against body, mind, or soul, roll. (Requires A Candle Against the Dark.) On a success with a 6, the attack is deflected and, if the attacker is in range of your light, they are briefly blinded. On a success with no six, the attack is deflected but your holy light flickers and dims, threatening to go out. On a bust, your light snuffs out and the attack is unimpeded.

All Is Illuminated

When you look closely on another and see their soul laid bare, roll. On a success, ask them 1 question from the list. For each 6, ask an additional 1 — and on any six you may also ask "And what would make them feel loved, beautiful, or worthy?" In any case, they must answer truthfully.

Of what are they most ashamed?
What do they most desire or covet?
What hope have they abandoned?
Who or what is most precious to them?

And Behold a Pale Horse

*When you spend the night gazing into a flame, ask the GM to reveal an impending doom or grim portent that will come to pass unless you intervene, and how you might yet do so.

Fire Within

When you are in darkness, you are able to see by the light of your inner fire. When you take damage from cold or fire, reduce that damage by 2.

Guiding Light

When you lead one or more NPCs through danger, roll. On a success with a 6, you all make it through (Helior be praised). On a success with no six, the GM will tell you what's required to get everyone through safely.

Helior's Unblinking Eye

When you stare into the sun long enough to lose your vision, name a person or place that you know and roll. On a success, you briefly glimpse your subject as if from a great height, and choose 1. For each 6, choose an additional 1:

The glimpse lasts as long as you wish.
Your point of view shifts to very close range.
You recover your vision quickly.

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.)

Keep the Home-Fires Burning

*When you build a camp fire and sprinkle it with ash from your own hearth, anyone who Makes Camp with you is free from nightmares or bad dreams and recovers an extra 1d8 HP.

Lamplighter

When you whisper to a flammable object (a torch, a wick, kindling, etc.), it ignites in moments.

Piety

When you spend at least an hour in proper worship to Helior, hold 1 Blessing. Other faithful PCs who partake in this worship also hold 1 Blessing. At any time, you can spend 1 Blessing to increment one die in a roll you just made by 1, in pursuit of a righteous cause.

Purifying Flames

*When you wield a holy light against a creature of darkness, it counts as a weapon (d10 damage, hand, close, area, 2 piercing).

Radiant Countenance

*When you give someone your fond attention, you can then Persuade them with advantage. If they are a follower, you can instead choose to Strengthen Your Bond (as if you paid their cost).

Rise Like the Sun

When you draw attention to yourself by word or deed, roll. On a success with a 6, everyone turns and looks, and you hold their gaze as long as you keep giving them reason to look. On a success with no six, everyone turns and looks.

Spring's First Thaw

When you spend time (an hour at least, maybe more) seeking to stir hope, kindness, or mercy in an NPC, roll. On a success with a 6, you light a fire deep within them and affect a lasting change. On a success with no six, you kindle goodness in their heart for now, but they will eventually return to their old ways. On a bust, their heart hardens and, whatever else the GM says, you can't use this move on them again.

Burn Twice as Bright

When you Invoke the Sun God, you may mark a debility to use 2 Invocations at once. Roll once, and apply any consequences to both Invocations. (Requires level 6+ and Invoke the Sun God.)

Empowered Invocations

When you Invoke the Sun God, you can choose an extra consequence before you roll. If you do, the Invocation has its empowered effect. (Requires level 6+ and Invoke the Sun God.)

Glorious Servant

When you Invoke the Sun God and roll a success with a 6, you need not choose a consequence. On a success with no six, you choose a consequence but the GM does not. (Requires level 6+ and Invoke the Sun God.)

Hungry Flames

When you deal damage with a holy light, you deal +1d6 damage and your target is engulfed in holy light and flames. (Requires level 6+ and Purifying Flames.)

Light, More Light

When you consecrate a flame, it burns brighter than normal. A rushlight or candle illuminates to reach range, an oil lamp, lantern, or torch out to near range, and a bullseye lantern out to far range. (Requires level 6+ and Consecrated Flame.)

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+.)

Wielder of the White Flame

When you channel Helior's essence into an object you carry, roll. (Requires level 6+ and Invoke the Sun God.) On a success with a 6, it ignites with a white flame that casts a holy light (reach, area) and burns neither you nor the object, and you may Invoke the Sun God right now as if you had rolled a success with a 6. On a success with no six, it ignites with a white flame that casts a holy light (reach, area) and burns neither you nor the object.

Special Possessions

(Pick 2)

☐ Apiary: beeswax, candles (close, area, lasts ~1 hr), honey, bee smokers, hats & veils, etc.
☐ Books & scrolls (___ uses): expend a use to consult your collection and turn one die from a Know Things roll you just made into a 6.
☐ Chandlery: beeswax, candles (close, area, lasts ~1 hr), wicks, scented herbs, soap, lye, ash, etc.
☐ Distillery: skins of fine whisky (___ uses, grants advantage to Persuade), copper tubes, malt, firkins, stills, barrels, etc.
☐ Glassworks: vials, charms, lenses, sand, marbles, bellows, crucible, lanterns (___ hours, close, area), etc.
☐ Holy relics (___ uses): if you have one in inventory when you Invoke the Sun God, you can mark a use in lieu of choosing a consequence.
☐ Luthier's tools: chisels, files, catgut, various woods, stains, a lute, a fiddle, etc.
☐ (discuss with GM)

Praise the Day

You are the appointed servant of Helior the Daybringer, god of the sun and light, beacon of hope and mercy.

The worship of Helior is... (choose 1)

...ancient, widespread, and well-known.
...most common in Lygos and the south.
...a new thing, still unheard of by many.
...an old thing, forgotten by most.
...widely persecuted.

He is worshipped through... (choose 1 or 2)

solemn hymns / serene meditation
joyful song / ascetic denial
fervent dancing / formal ceremonies
drugs & intoxicants / pain & sacrifice

In your community's temple, Helior's shrine has... (choose 1)

...the place of highest honor, even if Tor is more popular.
...been well-tended and given due respect.
...recently been restored/established, perhaps by you.
...seen better days, for certain.

Your predecessor, the previous Lightbearer... (choose 2 or 3)

...lived long ago, a figure of legend.
...was martyred for their faith.
...died facing a mighty sorcerer or demon.
...wrote many works of sublime beauty.
...faced one of the Things Below.
...died in their bed, peacefully.
...ascended bodily into the heavens.
...was reincarnated — as you.

You came into this position...

...through years of study and devotion.
...when your predecessor passed them on.
...suddenly, at a moment of great need.
...after a visitation from Helior or one of his servants.
...when you first laid eyes upon the ___.