Addenda

Optional rules if you feel you need them.

Difficulty #

While the target number (TN) for a test in Picaroons is usually assumed to be 5, there a few options for tweaking things:

  1. Modify the TN. This requires the least fiddling. Just pick a new TN that feels “right.”
  2. Discard the highest result. This makes tests without an applicable domain functionally impossible and sharply reduces success chances.
  3. Require multiple successes. For particularly difficult things that can have partial successes, like breaking down a barred door.

In general, if you’re tempted to make a test easy, just have the Picaroon pass, especially if they have a relevant domain.

Reputations #

Reputations as domains can be chosen by the Picaroon when resting, but can also be granted as a consequence of play. Consider granting reputations when Picaroons do something truly noteworthy or seem to be leaning into a remarkable behavior, starting at a d6. Reputations granted this way should not be counted when a picaroon wants to spend HD marks for a new domain.

Reputations don’t need to be true, they’re representative about what the world at large thinks of the picaroon.

You can also give them marks for leaning into their reputation or ask them to remove marks if they keep doing things that make the reputation a lie (and people are finding out about it).

Relationships #

Relationships as domains can be chosen by the picaroon when resting, but they work even better if granted as a consequence of play. Consider granting new relationships whenever picaroons make a very strong impression with an entity or faction–and note that a relationship doesn’t have to be a positive one–starting at a d6. Relationships granted this way shouldn’t be counted when a Picaroon wants to spend HD marks for a new domain.

You can also give or reclaim marks against the Picaroon(s) relationship for particularly offensive and flattering interactions, thwarting plans, or fulfilling requests.

Afflictions #

When you want to inflict a condition, curse, or disease on a Picaroon, considering giving it to them as a domain. Whenever it would get in the way of an action, roll the die in addition to any other dice. Your result must beat the affliction result in addition to any other conditions.

You may also consider giving the affliction a trick which can be invoked by the person(s) refereeing in addition to the picaroon.

Here are some example afflictions:

Cracked Ankle (d6) #

Interferes with walking on this foot at normal speed. Failure makes walking too painful. May move at half speed without testing.

Burning Blood (d6) #

Your blood now ignites painfully in open air. Interferes with any blood magic or abilities.

Explosive Injury (d6)
Roll trick dice whenever your blood is spilled as the flames are particularly intense. You and everything next to you is burned for result damage.

Fatigued (d6) #

You’re entirely too tired. Interferes with all strenuous physical activity.

Beastmarked (d6) #

Beings without sentience instinctively hate you. Interferes with interactions with such beings that aren’t violent.

Hungry Fury (d6)
Roll trick dice whenever attacked by a non-sentient being. Add the result to their total.

Expanded Downtime Actions #

While the base rules cover picaroons spending their marks, they don’t have much to say about gaining marks outside of adventure. The options below are things picaroons could be doing instead of resting.

Carousing #

For each week spent in revelry, mark HD. For every three carousers, everyone gains a bonus mark.

Carousing always costs money. To go carousing, you need to spend at least 1d6 silver each. If you spend 1d6x10 silver, +1 mark and +1 to your results on the carousing trouble and carousing memories tables. If you spend 1d6x100 silver, double your marks and you can reroll while carousing.

Carousing is never your best behavior. Roll 1d6 for everyone carousing.

  • If any die is a 1, something went terribly wrong. Roll 1d6 for each 1. The total is the group’s result on the carousing trouble table. Everyone who went carousing is caught up in it.
  • If any die is a 6, you’ve got something to remember this week by. Roll 1d6 for each 6. This is the group’s result on the carousing memories table. Only those who rolled a 6 share this memory.
Example: Carousing

You and 4 friends spend 1d6 silver each to carouse for the week. Everyone marks HD. Because there were 5 of you carousing, you mark HD again. If you’d had one more companion carousing, you would all have marked HD 3 times this week.

You each roll 1d6 to see how things go. The results for the group are 1, 3, 1, 4, 6.

Two members rolled a 1, so they each roll 1d6 and consult the carousing trouble table. Their result is a 9, so the entire group gets into a brawl.

One member rolled a 6, so they roll 1d6 and consult the carousing memories table. Their result is a 4, so they make a new friend.

Carousing Trouble #

Total Summary
2–5 Disrespect: No marks. Gain a new reputation domain as a group.
6–9 Brawl: Marks as normal, but with individual consequences.
10–12 Debt: Marks as normal, but you got yourselves into serious debt.
13–17 Incarceration: Marks as normal, but you’re imprisoned.
18+ Outlawry: No marks. You’re thrown out of town as an enemy of its folk.
Disrespect

You managed to gain a reputation for your behavior, and it’s not because everyone likes you. Choose your new domain as a group:

Cowardly, Gullible, Irresponsible, Pretentious, Souse, or Tactless.

If the group already has a reputation in this area, increase that reputation’s die one step instead.

Brawl

You got into a fistfight. Luckily, no one died. Everyone roll 1d6 to see how you fared:

  1. You’re at 1 HP and gained an injury affliction. Dislocated limb, broken rib, or eye swollen shut.
  2. You’re at 1 HP per HD and gained a pulsing headache affliction. It clears after one week of rest.
  3. You lost everything you went out with except the clothes you were wearing.
  4. –1 HP but otherwise fine. Mark HD.
  5. You didn’t even get hurt. Mark HD and a domain relevant to brawling.
  6. You learned something profound. Gain the brawling domain if you don’t have it or increase it by one step if you do.
Debt

You caused a scene, destroyed property, or otherwise made a serious mistake. You’re now in debt to whoever you wronged or someone who stepped in to save your skin.

You owe 100 silver for every carouser. For every 1 on the original roll, double your debt.

Incarceration
You got into trouble with someone who has the power to make you cool your heels. You’re being held for now. Depending on the circumstances, you might be awaiting release, trial, or execution. Or you might be getting a job offer.
Outlawry
Your judgement errors compounded catastrophically. You were rounded up and thrown out with whatever you were carrying at the time. You’ve been declared an enemy of this place and no law protects you here.

Carousing Memories #

Total Summary
2–5 New Friend: Good times make connections. Gain a relationship domain.
6–12 Stand Out People remember you. Gain a shared reputation domain.
13–17 Comradery: Debauchery is friendship fuel. Gain a new domain linking you together.
18+ Local Legends There’s a song about you. You just lucked into fame and fortune.
New Friend

One thing leads to another and when you wake up the next morning, you’ve got someone who trusts you. You got into and out of trouble together, hit it off in conversation, discovered a mutual enemy, or otherwise find yourselves in alignment.

You gain a new relationship domain with whoever it is.

Stand Out

You made a name for yourself while out on the town. Choose your new domain as a group:

Affable, Bold, Clever, Generous, Powerful, Trustworthy

If the group already has a reputation in this area, increase that reputation’s die one step instead.

Comradery

The week passed by in a bit of a blur, but one thing’s clear: you’re more than friends. You gain the Comradery domain if you don’t already have it. If you already have the domain, roll 1d6 instead:

  1. Mark Comradery.
  2. Mark Comradery and HD.
  3. Mark a Comradery trick.
  4. Mark Comradery and one of its tricks.
  5. Mark Comradery and add a trick slot.
  6. Increase the die size for Comradery or one of its tricks.

The Comradery domain is applicable whenever you’re directly supporting each other.

If more than one person has the same trick under Comradery, you can invoke them together and combine the results, rerolling one die per comrade.

Local Legends

Things got out of control in the best way (for you). By the time supper comes around, local “bards” are singing their terrible first drafts of verses about your exploits. You’re not paying for anything and people you’ve never seen before know your name.

Gain the Local Legends domain if you don’t already have it. If you already have it, gain a trick slot for it instead.

Local Legends is relevant whenever you’re interacting with people in this area.

Volunteering #

For each week spent giving up time, skill, and/or labor to an entity, faction, or community, gain a mark towards a relevant domain. For each month spent, can choose to acquire a new domain instead of marks.

The first time you volunteer with an organization or community, gain a relationship domain with them. Afterward, test that domain every time you volunteer with them. On success, mark the domain.

Odd Jobs #

For each week spent making ends meet, roll 1d6 and mark: HD (2–3), a domain (4–5), or a trick (6). If you roll a 1, something went wrong. Roll 1d6:

Total Accident
1 Near-fatal injury. You’re at 1 HP and gain an affliction.
2 Destructive accident. –1 HP and you owe 1d6x100 silver.
3–5 Fired. You were found incompetent for some reason. –1 to future Odd Jobs rolls here.
6 Made an enemy. You were memorable, unfortunately. Gain a relationship domain.

If nothing went wrong, you also made 1d6 silver.

Example: Odd Jobs
You take on odd jobs this week. At the end of the week you roll 1d6 and get a 4. You mark a domain of your choice. You roll 1d6 for your weekly wages and get 3s.

Training/Research #

For each week spent training or doing research, mark any domain or trick. If you’re spending a month or more, you can choose to gain a new domain instead.

Living Expenses #

While you could wave away the cost of living, you might want to keep a gnawing reminder that adventure, while risky, is also the best opportunity picaroons have for getting flush. If you decide to do so, here’s some ideas:

Vagrant #

Free. Scrounge food and shelter where you can. Roll 1d6 each week. On a 5+, nothing bad happens. Otherwise, –1 HP. Doesn’t count as resting.

Destitute #

1 silver per week. Extremely meager living conditions, just enough food and safety to rest, but not enough for anything else.

Simple #

1d6 silver per week. Comfortable, enough.

Comfortable #

1d6x10 silver per week. Not only can you rest here, you can even turn your mind to something else and stay rested. If using expanded downtime actions, choose one in addition to resting. Otherwise, +1 to recovered HP.

Opulent #

1d6x100 silver per week. Luxury you can hardly believe. Each week spent here counts as both resting and carousing, if using expanded downtime actions, and you can choose an additional action too. If not using expanded downtime actions, you can reroll any number of HD each week.

Factions #

Picaroons may often find themselves working for, against, or across factions in the world. It can be useful to abstract factions like a super NPC, for example:

The Legion of the Mostly Dead (120 HD)

The Legion of the Mostly Dead is a charitable and terrible organization that provides aid to those approaching death’s door. They feed, shelter, teach, and fulfill the wishes of the dying or soon-to-be dying. Headquartered in the Great Catacomb, centurions of the Legion can be found in most major cities and the legionaries even further abroad.

Domains:

  • Medicine (d8)
    • Herbal Tea (2d6): Roll trick dice when preparing sustenance for a new guest. They gain temporary HP equal to the highest die for a number of days equal to the lowest one
  • Scrounging (d10)
    • Something Round Here (d6): Roll trick dice to find something useful for someone who asks. Find up to result x 10s related items in belongings
  • Necromancy (d6)
    • Belay Death (1d12): Roll trick dice when comforting someone dying. They won’t succumb to their injuries or ailment for that many days. They’ll definitely die afterward.
    • Flesh to Fortune (d6): Roll the trick dice when performing last rites. The dying person’s body is consumed by purple light, leaving behind a soul gem worth result x 100s
  • Investigation (d6)

Possible ways to interpret such a faction:

  • It’s made up of at least 120HD of followers. To destroy this faction, at least 120 HD of its constituents must be killed, converted, or otherwise broken from the faction.
  • Any 1HD member of the faction has at least one of these domains and associated tricks. Higher HD members may have more
  • Sufficiently high ranked faction members can train picaroons in their domain/tricks.
  • When determining how successful the faction at large is in pursuing its goals, test as normal (including rolling highest applicable domain, if any).
Calendar August 9, 2022
Edit Edit this page