Wyrta

Wyrta

Foundling Stableboy

Age: 13 • Virtue: Optimism • Vice: Feral Goals: x

Abilities

Agility: 3 Animal Handling: 4, Train 1B, Ride 1B Athletics: 3 Awareness: 3 Cunning: 3 Deception: 1 Endurance: 3 Fighting: 3, Spear 1B Healing: 2 Languages: Folkish 3, Imperial 2 Knowledge: 2 Marksmanship: 3 Persuasion: 3 Status: 2 Stealth: 3 Survival: 3, Foraging 1 Thievery: 2 Warfare: 2 Will: 4

Intrigue

Intrigue Defense: 8 • Composure: 12

Combat

Combat Defense: 11 • Health: 9 Armor Type: x • Armor Rating: x • Armor Penalty: x Weapons: x

Sorcery

Sorcery Points: 1 • Sorcery Defense: 11 Arts & Works: x

Qualities

Destiny Points: 4

Benefits

Blood of the Wealdfolk, Beastfriend, Animal Cohort, Natural Sorcerer, Sorcerous Works

Drawbacks

Familiar

Rumors & Tendencies

There are a variety of local rumors about Wyrta:

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Qualities and Drawbacks

Qualities

Blood of the Wealdfolk

Must be selected at character creation. You are of the wealdfolk, the native peoples who live in the great forest known as the Wildweald. They are a short, thinner folk whose skin tones range from the pale of pine wood to the deep browns of oak bark, with eyes that are black or brown, and thick hair in various red and brown tones. Increase your Combat Defense by +2. Each time you test Animal Handling, Athletics or Stealth while in a wild terrain, you may re-roll a number of 1s equal to your Cunning rank. Characters with a higher Status can never automatically compel you and must always engage you in an intrigue.

Beast Friend

You have a knack for handling and dealing with animals. You gain +1D on Animal Handling tests made using the Charm or Train specialties.

Animal Cohort

Requires Animal Handling 3 (Train 1B) Choose an animal from the following list: dog, eagle, horse, puma, raven, or wolf. This animal is extremely loyal to you and aids you in combat. So long as your animal cohort is adjacent to you or your opponent, you gain +1D to Fighting tests. Check with your Narrator for your animal cohort’s statistics or for additional choices. Should the Animal Cohort die, you lose this benefit and the Destiny Point you invested.

Natural Sorcerer

Requires Will 4 The talent to use magic comes to you naturally—or unnaturally, some say. Choose a sorcerous Work that you now know even though you are not initiated into the Art from which it springs; you are automatically considered to have the access needed to learn that Art, however, at which point you can also learn its other Works. You gain a +1B to casting all Works in your chosen Art, including your first. You gain a Sorcery Point.

Sorcerous Works

Requires access to any sorcerous Art You acquire two new Works from any of the sorcerous Arts you are initiated into without needing to spend the normal time or test to learn them. They come to you via esoteric insight and sudden inspiration, rather than the painstaking learning and effort normally required.

Drawbacks

Familiar

You have been given a spirit of occult power that takes the form of an innocuous animal. This animal remains close to you and your domicile, and may even be treated as a pet. It has no powers other than that of any other animal of its type. You are obligated to care for this creature and see that it thrives, for part of your power relies on it. You must be within 100 yards of your familiar to use the Benefits purchased with this Drawback. If you allow this animal to sicken, be injured or die, it violates the Stricture of this Drawback. You are no longer in violation once the animal has been returned to full health; if it has died, you must undertake a spiritual pilgrimage to find a new animal. You must also feed a small bit of your blood to it at least once a month. Failure to feed the animal your blood results in violation of this Stricture as well, until the animal fed upon your blood. The animal’s only supernatural trait is that it lives as long as you do. Sorcerers can have multiple familiars, but the violation of the stricture for any one familiar results in the loss of all Benefits purchased through this Drawback.

Animals

Briar

Horse, Animal Cohort, Familiar
Agility 3 (Quickness 1B), Athletics 4 (Jump 1B, Run 2B, Strength 2B), Awareness 3 (Notice 3B), Cunning 1, Endurance 5 (Resilience 2B, Stamina 3B), Fighting 2, Will 3
Combat Defense 10 ❂ AR 0 ❂ AP 0
Health 15 ❂ Movement 8 yards
Hooves 2D 4 damage
Training

• Warrior Role - Attack, Bear Rider, Guard, Wear Barding

Sorcery

The Whisper & the Whistle

Type: Spell • Test: Animal Handling • Learning: 3 weeks, Challenging (9) • Price: None • Resonances: None

Among the arts of the horse-wise is the Whisper & the Whistle, the means by which they communicate with and even summon horses to them. With these talents, training and even commanding horses is far simpler for them than for even the finest horsemen.

The Whisper (Innate)

A strange susurrus of whispered sounds, the Whisper is less of a language and more of a repeated cadence of specific intonations. Humans register these sounds as faint and poorly-heard, even if they are very nearby when it is used. In contrast, all horses within hearing range perk up their ears and pay attention to the one using the Whisper. The Whisper isn't even a spell, properly speaking – it is a wisdom that can be used any time, and its use doesn't register as magic to sorcerous senses. A character who knows the Whisper has the following benefits:

Add Will as a bonus to all Animal Handling tests with horses, bridled or not. Halve the time it takes to train a horse in a new trick or role. Cause an unbridled horse or one bridled by the horse-wise to perform any Trick. This is an Animal Handling (Charm) test against the horse's passive Will. Increase this Difficulty by +6 if the Trick it is commanded to perform is one horses cannot be trained in.

The Whistle (Spell)

A piercing whistle with an uncanny undertone to it, the horse-wise's Whistle calls to horse-kind. An unbridled horse or one bridled by the horse-wise himself may be called from far distances, even if they are out of the hearing range of the whistle itself. The whistle can be pitched to summon a specific horse, or the closest unbridled horse. This is an Animal Handling test, with a Difficulty based on the distance.

Difficulty - Distance

• In visual range - Routine (6)
• Within a mile - Formidable (12)
• Within three miles - Very Hard (18)

Soothing Voice

Type: Spell • Test: Animal Handling • Learning: 6 weeks, Formidable (12), must know the Whisper & the Whistle • Price: Spent (Ritual) • Resonances: High quality bridle (Ritual, 1 gold crown) for taming, or iron-wise-crafted warhorse shoes (Ritual, 2 gold crowns) for war-training.

Those who have mastered the secret speech of horsekind can use it in wise-works that allow the horse-wise to overcome basic terrors, or even prepare a horse for bridle or the battlefield, temporarily or permanently.

The Conquering (Spell)

Speaking the cadences that instill courage over terror, the horse-wise calms a panicking horse immediately. This requires an Animal Handling test against the horse's passive Will. Each degree of success grants ten minutes of a state of total fearlessness in the horse – such beasts can be ridden into spear-tips, through burning buildings, and over cliff edges if their riders desire.

The Calming (Spell)

When used on an untrained horse – whether a wild beast, one that has been neglected, or one that is simply too young to have been trained yet – this spell causes the horse to assume a state of training as though it had been thoroughly tamed to the bridle. If used on an already-tamed and -trained horse, this spell causes the horse to become war-trained instead, able to enter into battle without needing to be constantly controlled, and able to be ordered to attack foes in a fray.

This requires an Animal Handling test against the horse's passive Will, and the horse-wise to pet and whisper to the animal for one minute. If successful, this state lasts until the horse is able to rest for three hours or more. Each degree of success past the first grants the horse-wise an expendable bonus die to use on actions involving the horse; any bonus dice not used by the end of the state are lost.

The Gentling (Ritual)

Perhaps one of the most powerful manifestations of the Soothing Voice, this ritual takes a week of dedicated work with a single horse to accomplish, during which the horse-wise spends great lengths of time alone with the mount, whispering on the horse-speech to them. Dedicated horse-wise even sleep in stables or pasture next to the horse, reinforcing the bond.

Alignment: Routine (6) Cunning, 1 day. Beginning the process involves an extended grooming session with the target horse, and feeding it a mash of quality grains mixed with certain herbs and oils. The horse-wise whispers to the horse throughout the day, instilling in it an understanding of what they want of it. Each degree of success grants a bonus die which may be used on either the Invocation or Unleashing stages.
Invocation: Challenging (9) Animal Handling, 6 days. Through the rest of the week, the horse-wise sings the horse-songs of bridling to the target of the ritual. The exercises the horse are led through sharpen the mount's wits, pairing horse-speech with bodily activity, and calling on old mysteries to gentle a mount. If successful on this test, the horse-wise may move on to the Unleashing; for every two degrees of success past the first, the horse-wise may choose an additional Trick for the horse to gain if the Unleashing is successful. On a failure, however, the horse grows frenzied and desperate, likely fleeing as best it can. On a critical failure, the horse is willing to hurt itself to escape, and will respond violently to attempts to calm it. This ritual may be attempted again after a week of rest and recovery for the horse.
Unleashing: Challenging (9) or higher Will. As the sun sets on the final day, the horse-wise fits either the bridle or the horseshoes to the horse, whispering the final words that set the Gentling fully in place. If successful, the beast accepts the item and gains either the Bear a Burden or Bear a Rider Trick, or gains the Warrior Role if the horse started with the Bear a Rider Trick already. This is in addition to any other Tricks gained as part of Invocation. With a failure, the horse's nature proves reticent, and it can never be targeted with The Gentling again.

Heart of Iron

Type: Spell, Ritual • Test: Cunning • Learning: 12 weeks, Formidable (12) • Price: Spent (Spell) • Resonances: A variety of stinging and hot herbs (worth 1 gold crown), in a beaten copper pot over a fire of dried horse dung (Ritual).

The horse-wise know the secrets to coaxing greater labor and strength out of a properly trained horse. This set of mysteries are centered around the creation and use of ironheart liniment, a stinging, stinking salve. Although the ingredients for this salve can be purchased at any town market in the Crowndom, traditional horse-wise prefer to gather those herbs for themselves.

Gathering the Herbs: Although the herbs used in the making of ironheart liniment aren't particularly rare, making a full batch of them requires a selection of herbs that must be harvested at different times. This usually takes a full day of hunting in a wild area (hills reduce the Difficulty of each type of search by 3), and a Survival (Foraging) test. One such test may be made per week. On a success, enough of the herbs are found to make one batch of liniment per degree of success.

• Spring Batch, Formidable (12). These can only be gathered during the second month of spring.
• Summer Batch, Challenging (9). These can only be gathered during the first and second month of summer.
• Autumn Batch, Formidable (12). These can only be gathered during the weeks of all three full moons of autumn.

Ironheart Liniment (Equipment): This stinging, stinking salve soothes weary muscles and invigorates weakness. It is usually sold in small pots that contain a single dose of the salve for a horse, or five doses for a human. Anyone who is treated with a dose (which involves rubbing the stuff over hurting muscles and weary limbs, taking about ten minutes) may make an immediate Routine (6) Endurance (Stamina) test, with a +1B from the salve. Each degree of success causes the immediate recovery of one level of Fatigue. A second attempt causes nausea and headaches, recovering no Fatigue. It is said that ironheart liniment can also be used in specific sorcerous ways by the horse-wise. A pot of the salve can usually be had for a single gold crown.

Crafting the Liniment (Ritual)

With these mysteries, the horse-wise can brew the ironheart liniment, a fine salve that is rubbed into weary muscles. Creating the stinking stuff is a noxious undertaking, using a base of wax, fats, and the special oils and herbs purchased or gathered by the horse-wise for the purpose. A copper vessel over a horse-dung fire heats the concoction, and the stench of it is usually more than sufficient to drive those who aren't initiated in its secrets away.

While this ritual is ongoing, someone who is not trained in eohwiteg who wishes to approach closer than ten feet from where the brewing is taking place must make a Challenging (9) Will (Dedication) test. Success allows them to draw near, but they take a level of Fatigue for doing so. Failure prevents them from drawing near at all. Retries on this test gain a cumulative +3 to the Difficulty.

Alignment: Challenging (9) Cunning, 1 hour. Beginning the process of making the liniment is a delicate time. It can spell the difference between success and ruining the entire batch. Success on this test allows the ritual to move forward, with each degree of success past the first adding a +1B that can be used on either the Invocation or Unleashing stages of the ritual. Failure ruins the entire process, including wasting the materials used to begin it. Invocation: Challenging (9) Cunning, 3 hours. The subtlety and cunning with which the horse-wise tends the making of the salve determines just how much liniment is ultimately decocted. Each degree of success on this test results in the ritual making one additional dose during Unleashing, as long as Unleashing is successful. Failure has no penalties, although each degree of failure beyond the first inflicts a +3 Difficulty to the Unleashing of this rite. Unleashing: Routine (6) or higher Will. Stirring the hot ointment and removing it from the heat at exactly the right moment, the bubbling mixture separates. The actual liniment rises to the top and is poured off, leaving the remnants of the mixture to separate and spoil as it cools. Success on this test results in the pouring of one dose of ironheart liniment, plus one additional dose per degree of success gained in Invocation. On a failure, the mixture becomes volatile and erupts in volatile green flames that spatter hot ointment everywhere. This ruins the batch, and also inflicts one Injury per degree of failure beyond the first rolled in this test. This is inflicted on the horse-wise and any assistants who may be helping them. (One dose is a single use for a horse, or five uses for a human.)

Anointing of Might (Spell)

When rubbed into fresh muscles, the horse-wise can cause the magics of ironheart liniment to enflame and strengthen the horse (or person) so treated. Spend a Destiny or Sorcery Point and make an Animal Handling test at a Routine (6) for a horse or other mount, or Challenging (9) for a person. Each degree of success grants that character the use of a phantom Destiny Point which may only be spent (not burnt) to gain benefits during scenes of great physical exertion. Failure on this test does nothing other than the typical effects for applying ironheart liniment.

Anointing of Respite (Spell)

When rubbed into weary muscles, the horse-wise can cause the magics of ironheart liniment to soothe and loosen muscles, re-invigorating the horse (or person) so treated. Spend a Destiny or Sorcery Point and make an Animal Handling test at a Routine (6) for a horse or mount, or Challenging (9) for a person. Degrees of success may be spent to first negate accrued Fatigue, and then may be spent to gain a +1D per degree to Endurance tests to heal Injuries (only) over the next day. Failure on this test does nothing other than the typical effects for applying ironheart liniment.

XP Expenditures

• Languages(Imperial) 2 - 30 XP