PCs from the North and South

A fan supplement for The Old World Roleplaying Game by Cubicle 7. Rules for player characters hailing from Albion, Norsca, Tilea, Estalia, and beyond. Last updated: See changelog at the end of this document. Check out [Glorious Portents](https://gloriousportents.blogspot.com/) for more The Old World RPG fan material.

# Introduction ___ With The Old World RPG (TOWR) Players Guide detailing Bretonnian and Imperial human characters, only two of the major nations of The Old World were represented - four if you count Dwarfs and Wood Elfs. My previous background expansion gave you [rules for Kislevite player characters](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/d3szQUCso8jo), as they seemed the most griveous omission for a game set in Talagaad. But after that, no single nation seemed to need a full supplement of its own. But there are several peoples that need rules: The Tileans are perhaps the most commonly encountered nationality after the ones we now have rules for, and the Estalians have a history of being represented in WFRP through the 2nd edition Estalian Diestro. Humans from the Border Princes are also very suitable considering the focus of The Old World Miniatures Game, and while they could be represented by other human origins, it might be fun to give them something of their own. There are of course more nations whose inhabitants could concievably end up in The Empire. Trade with Norsca and Araby is common enough. Then there are various minor tribes and nomadic peoples, such as the Zani tribes of the Black Mountains and the river-travelling Strigany, or the Draesca tribe in southern Sylvania. There might still be a few Roppsmen tribes about, and you could go into the various subdivisions of Norscans and other northern tribes. And then there is the far east. Cathay, Ind, Nippon and others, some of which could conceivably make it to The Old World from time to time... But that's for another time. In this document, I offer you rules for playing Norscans, Tileans, Estalians and the people of the Border Princes (Border Princelings? Borderlanders?). Other nations might be covered in future documents. **Note:** Some of the "fluff" (background information and quotes from in-universe characters), as well as some of the spell effects in this document was written with the help of ChatGPT. Other stuff has been taken from the [Warhammer Fantasy Wiki](https://warhammerfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/). ## Humble Careers Some of the career table in this document references certain careers in the [Humble Careers](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/jfp-YhmAy899) document. ## New Careers Some of the tables include original careers not already included in other places: The *Duellist*, *Assassin*, *Tomb Robber* and *Marcher-Scion*. These can be found at the end of this document. ``` ``` ## Random origins If you're using this document, I assume you are also using the [rules for Kislevite player characters](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/d3szQUCso8jo). Ungols and Gospodars are therefore included in the table of origins. ##### Talagaad Origins This table represents what I believe are lore-friendly probabilities for Talagaad. | D20 | Origin | Source | |:---:|:-------|:-------| | 1-2 | Dwarf | Players Guide | | 3-4 | Halfling | Players Guide | | 5 | Wood Elf | Players Guide | | 6 | High Elf | Players Guide | | 7 | Human: Bretonnian | Players Guide | | 8-12| Human: Imperial | Players Guide | | 13-14 | Human: Kislevite (Gospodar) | Kislevite PCs | | 15-16 | Human: Kislevite (Ungol) | Kislevite PCs | | 17 | Human: Norscan | This doc | | 18 | Human: Tilean | This doc | | 19 | Human: Estalian | This doc | | 20 | Human: Borderlander | This doc | ##### "High" Fantasy Talagaad Origins If you want to maintain fairly high chances of playing an elf, dwarf or halfling, try this table. I will be using the one above for preference, but I'd allow players who drool at playing non-humans to use this instead. | D20 | Origin | Source | |:---:|:-------|:-------| | 1-3 | Dwarf | Players Guide | | 4-5 | Halfling | Players Guide | | 6-7 | Wood Elf | Players Guide | | 8-9 | High Elf | Players Guide | | 10 | Human: Bretonnian | Players Guide | | 11-14| Human: Imperial | Players Guide | | 15 | Human: Kislevite (Gospodar) | Kislevite PCs | | 16 | Human: Kislevite (Ungol) | Kislevite PCs | | 17 | Human: Norscan | This doc | | 18 | Human: Tilean | This doc | | 19 | Human: Estalian | This doc | | 20 | Human: Borderlander | This doc | \page # Norscan player characters ___ Norscans are a proud and hardy people, known as fearless warriors, skilled sailors, intrepid explorers - and ruthless raiders. Their lands are harsh, defined by bitter winters, jagged mountains, and icy fjords. Though their settlements are small and scattered, the tribes of Norsca carry on ancient traditions that have survived centuries of hardship, raids, and the ceaseless threat of Chaos from the north. Norscan clans are masters of the Sea of Claws, striking fear into coastal settlements but also spreading their influence across distant shores. Norscans who have traveled or settled among other peoples — in the Border Princes, the Empire, or even Tilea and Estalia — are often known as Exiled Norscans. Though foreigners may view them as brash or barbaric, Norscans in these lands bring with them unrivalled skill in navigation, survival, and personal combat. Traders, mercenaries, and explorers alike earn respect for their daring and tenacity, and many communities grant them a measure of autonomy in recognition of these talents. As a people, Norscans are fiercely independent, slow to forgive, and quick to take offence. Yet they are loyal to those who earn their trust, and once that bond is forged, no ally could be more steadfast. They worship the old gods: Ulric, Mannann, Tor, Taal and Rhya, though southerners often associate them with worship of the dark gods - which, to be fair, is also fairly common among them. ## _“The Norscans are as the storm-tossed seas that birth them — fierce, unpredictable, and unyielding. Though their raids trouble our coasts, one cannot deny their skill with oar and blade, nor the strange code of honour by which they live and die.”_ — Captain Lothar von Althofen, Imperial Navy Officer ## _“I have crossed paths with Norscan traders in Erengrad’s markets, and while their manners are crude and their tongues quick to insult, their bargains are struck in good faith more often than not. They honour their word as swiftly as they draw steel — and woe betide any who think them liars.”_ — Olgierd Rubashev, Kislevite river merchant ## _“Few outsiders grasp the scope of Norscan daring. These men sail beyond the world’s edge where lesser hearts would quail, seeking treasures in lands unseen by any save the Asur. Their seamanship borders on artistry, though they waste it oft enough on pillage when riches lie waiting in distant seas.”_ — Faelirion of Saphery, High Elf Loremaster ## _“Stubborn folk, these Norscans — and I’ll grant them this: their blades don’t rust easy, nor their wills break. I’ve seen ’em fight shoulder to shoulder with my kin against greenskins, taking wounds that’d fell a dwarf and asking no quarter given nor taken. A grim lot, but when they swear a thing, it’s as solid as stone.”_ — Brokki Thrunndarsson, Dwarf Ranger ## _“Do not be fooled by talk of honour among the Norscans. They are wolves dressed as men, ever sniffing for weakness. Today they’ll trade salt and furs, aye, but tomorrow their longships bring fire and steel. Trust them at your peril.”_ — Hagen Meissner, Burgher of Marienburg ``` ``` ## Norscan origin options Norscans are humans, and use the Human starting characteristics. Roll twice on the Talent Table below, rerolling duplicates.

| d10 | Random talent | |:---:|:------------| | 1 | Armour Bane | | 2 | Battlefield Musician | | 3 | Frightening | | 4 | Hardy | | 5 | Lucky | | d10 | Random talent | |:---:|:------------| | 6 | Mighty Blow | | 7 | Quick Throw | | 8 | Taunter | | 9 | Touched by the Winds | | 10 | Wild Attack |

___ * **Skill ratings:** Your skills begin at 2. Raise Brawn, Survival, Athletics and Willpower to 3. * **Lores:** You begin with Cultural Lore: Norsca, as well as one out of Mountaineering, Sailing *or* Warriors of Chaos. * **Fate:** Your starting Fate is 3. * **Suggested names:** Skaldar, Hakon, Rurik, Thoren, Bjorn, Jorund, Svarrik, Vargan, Eirik, Ulrik, Brynja, Hildra, Sigrid, Astrid, Freydis, Solveig, Ylva, Thyra, Runa, Ingrid ## Talent requirements Norscans can take the Faith talent as if they were imperials, but only with Taal, Ulric, Mannann, Rhya or Tor (Tor is detailed in the [Kislevite PC supplement](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/d3szQUCso8jo).) ## Random Career Table |D20| Career | Source | |:--:|:-------|:-----| | 1 | Apothecary | Players guide | | 2 | Artisan | Players guide | | 3-4| Boathand | Players guide | | 5 | Bounty Hunter | Players guide | | 6 | Brigand | Players guide | | 7 | Charlatan | Players guide | | 8 | Entertainer | Players guide | | 9-10 | Fisher | Humble Careers | | 11 | Hedge Wizard | Players guide | | 12 | Labourer | Players guide | | 13 | Merchant | Players guide | | 14 | Rat Catcher | Players guide | | 15 | Road Warden | Players guide | | 16 | Seer | Humble Careers | | 17 | Sharpshooter | Players guide | | 18 | Soldier | Players guide | | 19 | Thief | Players guide | | 20 | Town Watch | Players guide | \page # Estalian player characters ___ Estalia, according to its own long and storied history, was the first land settled by Men in the Old World. From its dry and arid northern mountain ranges, to its fertile southern coasts, it is covered in a patchwork of ancient kingdoms and proud cities, the greatest of which are rugged Bilbali in the north, and gentle Magritta in the south, few other cities are known beyond the confines of Estalia itself. The ruling families of these rival cities share a long and tangled history that stretches back over hundreds of years and involves a great many marriages, assassinations and betrayals of trust. As much as Estalians love a crisp wine, they love weighty drama more. Another thing Estalians dearly love is swordplay. If Tilea is known for its mercenaries, Estalia is known for its duellists. Fencing schools can be found throughout the region, many with long histories and deadly rivalries. Some, bored with their homeland, seek excitement elsewhere, favouring Tilea and Bretonnia. The bravest travel northeast to the Empire to test their rapiers against worthy opponents. The Cult of Myrmidia is particularly strong in Estalia, where her followers claim the city of Magritta as her birthplace. Estalians view Myrmidia as the most important of the gods, who chose to walk the land as a mortal for a time. They appeal to her as the patron of *revenge, honour and art* first and foremost - where her adherents in the Empire more often prize her in the role of godess of *strategy*. The Estalian pantheon differs somewhat from the Empire's in other ways as well, though whether the variations imply distinctly separate entities or are merely different names and descriptions for familiar deities is a matter for the priests. ## _“Estalians swagger like duelists even when they’re only selling oranges. Quick to laugh, quicker to take offence, and never without a knife at hand — you’d best not mistake their easy charm for weakness.”_ — Hendrik Kraus, Reiklander river trader ## _“Their devotion to Myrmidia borders on obsession, but I cannot fault their discipline. An Estalian company, well-drilled and well-led, can hold a line against twice their number.”_ — Captain Dieter von Hosslin, Imperial military advisor ## _“Estalians are fine sailors and better drinkers, I’ll grant them that. But if you play dice with one, check your sleeves when you’re done. Their fingers are quicker than a pickpocket’s whisper.”_ — Sigrid “Storm-Eye” Thorgersdottir, Norscan longship captain ## _“They dream of empire but cannot agree on a king. Magritta spits on Bilbali, Bilbali spits on Magritta, and the rest of us profit from selling them both swords.”_ — Gudran Goldvein, Dwarf mercenary captain ## Talent requirements Estalians can take the Faith talent as if they were imperials, but cannot choose Sigmar as their god. ``` ``` ## Estalian origin options Estalians are humans, and use the Human starting characteristics. Roll twice on the Talent Table below, rerolling duplicates.

| d10 | Random talent | |:---:|:------------| | 1 | Acrobatic | | 2 | Deep Formation | | 3 | Defensive Stance | | 4 | Exceptional Hearing | | 5 | Faith | | d10 | Random talent | |:---:|:------------| | 6 | Golden Voice | | 7 | Polymath | | 8 | Quick Change | | 9 | Riposte | | 10 | Taunter |

___ * **Skill ratings:** Your skills begin at 2. Raise any three skills of your choice to 3. You may wait until you determine your Career before choosing. * **Lores:** You begin with Cultural Lore: Estalia, as well as one out of High Society, Criminal Underworld, Military, Sailing or Music. * **Fate:** Your starting Fate is 3. * **Suggested names:** Alejandro, Rodrigo, Diego, Fernando, Luis, Mateo, Hernando, Salvador, Esteban, Gonzalo, Isabella, Catalina, Marisol, Beatriz, Soledad, Esperanza, Lucia, Paloma, Carmen, Inés ## Random Career Table |D100| Career | Source | |:--:|:-------|:-----| | 1-5 | Apothecary | Players guide | | 6-8 | Arcane Wizard | Players guide | | 9-13 | Artisan | Players guide | | 14-18 | Boathand | Players guide | | 19-23 | Bounty Hunter | Players guide | | 24-28 | Brigand | Players guide | | 29-34 | Charlatan | Players guide | | 35-40 | Courtier | Players guide | | 41-45 | Engineer | Players guide | | 46-50 | Entertainer | Players guide | | 51-55 | Labourer | Players guide | | 56-60 | Merchant | Players guide | | 61-62 | Noble | Players guide | | 63-65 | Priest | Players guide | | 66-70 | Rat Catcher | Players guide | | 71-75 | Road Warden | Players guide | | 76-79 | Scholar | Players guide | | 80-82 | Sharpshooter | Players guide | | 83-86 | Soldier | Players guide | | 87-90 | Thief | Players guide | | 91-94 | Town Watch | Players guide | | 95-100| Duellist | This document | \page # Tilean player characters ___ Tilea is a large, fertile area located in the southern Old World, along the tranquil coast of the warm and bountiful Tilean Sea. Once a united republic centered on the city of Remas (and rumored long ago to be the center of the near-mythic *Classical Empire*), Tilea has long since fractured into a series of city-states bound by complex trade agreements and elaborate treaties, beset by generations-long vendettas. The wealthy city-states of Tilea, sometimes collectively referred to as the Tilean City-States, dot Tilea's landscape and share similar cultural ideals, embracing trade, exploration, progress, and civil war with almost equal passion. Tilea is a land of great wealth and advancement, known far and wide as the cradle from which the ideals of democracy, civil liberty, and justice were birthed. In Tilea, Myrmidia is the chief goddess, her high temple being at Remas. It is believed that she came among the men of the south in the form of a mortal woman and led their armies to victory against many invading hordes. Before she could be crowned queen, a mysterious assassin slew her mortal body, and she became a goddess once more. To Tileans, she is primarily the goddess of *Culture*, unlike in Estalia or The Empire where other aspects of her divinity are more important. Shallya, Morr, and Verena are also popular, and other gods are also worshipped, altough under different names than in the north. Tileans value cleverness and cunning, which has given them a reputation for being shifty and untrustworthy - but they can be as prickly about their honor as their Estalian cousins, and have produced many great scholars and engineers. ## _“Bah! Tileans drown in gold and pride both. Give them a little coin, and they’ll sell you ten mercenary companies and a bottle of their finest wine… and still cheat you on the wine.”_ — Gudrik Stonebeard, Dwarf master smith ## _“Do not be fooled by their velvet cloaks and silver tongues — Tileans are sharp as stiletto blades. A smile to your face, a knife for your back.”_ — Lady Ysabel de Françonne, Bretonnian courtier ## _“They call us hot-blooded, but Tileans? Hah! Every city-state burns with its own pride and thinks itself greater than an empire. If Magritta and Bilbali quarrel like sisters, then Remas and Miragliano are sworn enemies at birth.”_ — Don Alonso de Tejada, Estalian diplomat ## _“Say what you will about their pride, but Tilean crossbows are the finest outside of Karak Norn.”_ — Durri Grudgebinder, Dwarf Engineer of Zhufbar ## _“Among the races of men, Tileans are closest to understanding beauty’s true weight. Their sculptors capture form, their poets capture sorrow, and their duelists… well, their blades sing in ways worthy of Ulthuan itself.”_ — Thereniel Moonsong, Envoy of Cothique ## Talent requirements Tileans can take the Faith talent as if they were imperials, but cannot choose Sigmar as their god. ``` ``` ## Tilean origin options Tileans are humans, and use the Human starting characteristics. Roll twice on the Talent Table below, rerolling duplicates.

| d10 | Random talent | |:---:|:------------| | 1 | Allies in Arms | | 2 | Careful Aim | | 3 | Deep Formation | | 4 | Exceptional Hearing | | 5 | Faith | | d10 | Random talent | |:---:|:------------| | 6 | Lucky | | 7 | Rapid Reload | | 8 | Secret Bloodline | | 9 | Snake Charmer | | 10 | Thirst for Knowledge |

___ * **Skill ratings:** Your skills begin at 2. Raise any three skills of your choice to 3. You may wait until you determine your Career before choosing. * **Lores:** You begin with Cultural Lore: Tilea, as well as one out of High Society, Criminal Underworld, Military, Sailing or Engineering. * **Fate:** Your starting Fate is 3. * **Suggested names:** Lorenzo, Matteo, Giuliano, Cesare, Vittorio, Salvatore, Enzo, Raffaele, Marco, Domenico, Alessandra, Bianca, Isabella, Caterina, Donatella, Giulia, Valentina, Fiora, Rosalia, Luciana ## Random Career Table |D100| Career | Source | |:--:|:-------|:-----| | 1-5 | Apothecary | Players guide | | 6-7 | Arcane Wizard | Players guide | | 8-12 | Artisan | Players guide | | 13-17 | Boathand | Players guide | | 18-21 | Bounty Hunter | Players guide | | 22-25 | Brigand | Players guide | | 26-30 | Charlatan | Players guide | | 31-35 | Courtier | Players guide | | 36-40 | Engineer | Players guide | | 41-45 | Entertainer | Players guide | | 46-50 | Labourer | Players guide | | 51-55 | Merchant | Players guide | | 56-58 | Noble | Players guide | | 59-60 | Priest | Players guide | | 61-67 | Rat Catcher | Players guide | | 68-70 | Road Warden | Players guide | | 71-74 | Scholar | Players guide | | 75-78 | Sharpshooter | Players guide | | 79-84 | Soldier | Players guide | | 85-88| Thief | Players guide | | 89-92 | Town Watch | Players guide | | 93-96 | Duellist | This document | | 97-100| Assassin | This document | \page # Borderlander player characters ___ The Border Princes is a vast region within the Old World located east of the Tilean city-states between the Black Mountains and Black Fire Pass to the north and the shores of the Black Gulf to the south. This region of vast wilderness is home to a multitude of petty kingdoms of Men that were established by highly ambitious adventurers who sought to create a realm of their own. These adventurers were often political or religious refugees fleeing from other Human realms of the Old World such as the Empire, Bretonnia and Tilea, but also from even more distant lands such as Kislev. The lands are also home to various minor tribes of hillfolk, and the descendants of ancient Reman, Strygos and Nehekharan empires. This cultural melting pot means you can find almost anything here, including many unique cultures and languages that scholars in larger nations know nothing about. Of all the lands of the Old World, the Border Princes is perhaps the most dangerous outside the Troll Country of Kislev. Here, petty princelings war on each other, farmsteads are raided by marauding Greenskins and pirates from Sartosa will come looking for plunder and slaves. At present, in the year 2276, the Border Princes are the focal point of a war between Bretonnian and undead Tomb King forces. As such, Borderlander refugees have recently found their way across the Old World. ## _“The Border Princes breed like rats and fight like them too — fierce, scrappy, and impossible to pin down. Yet, I’ll grant them this: few lands produce men who survive so long on so little.”_ — Captain Reinhard Kessler, Averland State Army ## _“They call themselves princes, but the truth is they are petty kings of dust and mud. Still, a Border Prince who can keep a city standing for a few years earns a grudging respect from even the most cynical banker.”_ — Gudran Ironfist, Dwarf merchant ## _“Their lands are a tangle of baronies and fortresses, each lord jealous of his neighbour, each village loyal to none. Yet in all that chaos, you find men who can command armies, navigate rivers, and broker deals with thieves, mercenaries, and exiles alike.”_ — Therelion Leafbinder, High Elf scholar ## _“Never underestimate a man from the Marches. He may be small, ill-fed, and half-drunken, but he has stared down raiders, mercenaries, greenskins and even the undead of Nehekhara. Surviving there is a lesson in cunning, and they are all cunning.”_ — Lady Ysabel de Françonne, Bretonnian courtier ## _“The Border Princes are a curious breed. Their banners change as quickly as the wind, and yet somehow, they endure. I have traded with many, and though they haggle like devils, they are not without honour — at least among their own.”_ — Rahim al-Tariq, Arabyian merchant ## Talent requirements Borderlanders can take the Faith talent as if they were imperials, if they descend from Imperial settlers they may even worship Sigmar. ## Border P. origin options Borderlanders are humans, and use the Human starting characteristics. Roll twice on the Talent Table below, rerolling duplicates.

| d10 | Random talent | |:---:|:------------| | 1 | Careful Aim | | 2 | Exceptional Hearing | | 3 | Faith | | 4 | Hardy | | 5 | Hatred(Orcs) | | d10 | Random talent | |:---:|:------------| | 6 | Iron Gut | | 7 | Vanguard | | 8 | Lucky | | 9 | Resolute | | 10 | Secret Bloodline |

___ * **Skill ratings:** Your skills begin at 2. Raise any three skills of your choice to 3. You may wait until you determine your Career before choosing. * **Lores:** You begin with Cultural Lore: The Border Princes, as well as one out of Orc&Goblin Tribes, The Undead, Mountaineering or Woodcraft. * **Fate:** Your starting Fate is 3. * **Suggested names:** Drazan, Matteo, Stenrik, Vassilios, Ludomar, Rurik, Teodoro, Dragomir, Jorund, Kostas, Elira, Isolde, Marinka, Theodora, Ysandre, Sonja, Kallista, Mirela, Sigrun, Constanza - or any name from any human culture. ## Random Career Table |D100| Career | Source | |:--:|:-------|:-----| | 1-3 | Apothecary | Players guide | | 4-5 | Arcane Wizard | Players guide | | 6-9 | Artisan | Players guide | | 10-14 | Boathand | Players guide | | 15-20 | Bounty Hunter | Players guide | | 21-25 | Brigand | Players guide | | 26-30 | Charlatan | Players guide | | 31-35 | Entertainer | Players guide | | 36-37 | Hedge Wizard | Players guide | | 38-42 | Labourer | Players guide | | 43-46 | Prospector | Humble Careers | | 47-49 | Priest | Players guide | | 50-54 | Rat Catcher | Players guide | | 55-60 | Muleskinner | Humble Careers | | 61-64 | Scholar | Players guide | | 65-68 | Sharpshooter | Players guide | | 69-75 | Messenger | Humble Careers | | 76-80 | Thief | Players guide | | 81-84 | Town Watch | Players guide | | 85-88 | Yarnspinner | Humble Careers | | 89-95 | Tomb Robber | This document | | 96-100| Marcher-Scion | This document | \page ## Assassin _“Someone else worries about the politics, I worry about the knives.”_ -- An assassin pending execution in Luccini ___ Assassins move through the glittering corridors of power with silent purpose. Far from common cutthroats or street criminals, an Assassin is as much a master of observation and charm as of dagger and poison. They can blend into high society, attend banquets and balls unnoticed, and extract secrets with ease. Their training may include swordplay, knife work, silent movement, climbing, and the careful administration of poisons, but also etiquette, languages, and courtly manners, making them effective both in combat and intrigue. Within the courts of the Old World, an Assassin may be tasked with eliminating a rival, intercepting sensitive correspondence, or subtly manipulating political rivals — all without leaving a trace. An Assassin’s loyalties are often complex. Some swear oaths to a particular noble or institution, while others offer their services to the highest bidder. Their profession demands discretion above all; exposure can be fatal, and enemies are numerous and clever. Despite this, skilled Assassins are highly valued, for they are able to shape events in ways that armies and laws cannot.

##### Silent death in Talagaad Rumors swirl in Talagaad that the young heir of a minor noble house has been found dead. Some whisper that a rival noble house had him removed as part of an ongoing vendetta; others claim he disappeared after stumbling on a conspiracy linking mercenary captains to the city’s guilds. Whichever tale is true, the Assassin’s shadow moves unseen, and every whispered conversation, locked door, and suspicious servant could hold the key — or the next victim.

### Assassin (Silver) ___ * **Origins:** Any * **Favored characteristics:** Initiative, Agility, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Melee, Shooting, Throwing, Dexterity, Stealth, Charm * **Lore:** High Society, Criminal Underworld *or* Concoction *or* Literacy * **Trappings:** Dagger, Crossbow *or* Throwing Knives, Burgher's Apparel, Concealing Clothing, Thief Tools *or* Grooming Kit * **Assets:** Secret Hideout *or* Secret Identity *or* Secret Society Membership * **Contacts:** The Great and the Good, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Blade in the dark:*** When you make an *unopposed* attack using a Dagger, Crossbow or Throwing Knives, you can use use Stealth instead of Melee, Shooting or Throwing for your attack roll. > ##### Bucklers and Parrying daggers > Bucklers are Silver trappings that give +2d on Defence tests against melee attacks when held. Parrying Daggers are Silver melee weapons dealing S-1 damage at Close range, that give +1 damage and +1d to Defence when dual wielded with a Sword or Rapier. ## Duellist _“A duel is not won by strength, nor even by speed — it is won in the breath before the blades meet. That is where lesser men falter… and where I never do.”_ -- Don Callisto Serrano, Estalian Diestro ___ Where soldiers fight in ranks and mercenaries clash in muddy fields, Duellists thrive in elegance and precision. They are masters of single combat, trained to strike with speed, grace, and deadly intent. For centuries, Estalia’s famed fencing schools have produced the finest swordsmen in the Old World, teaching techniques passed down through generations. Among their graduates, the Diestros are the most celebrated — feared for their artistry with the blade and their ability to turn a duel into a dance of death. Many journey beyond Estalia to earn fame, fortune, or honour, and their influence has spread far beyond their homeland. In the Empire, the duelling arts have grown increasingly fashionable among nobles, young heirs, and ambitious courtiers eager to prove their mettle. In cities like Altdorf, Nuln, and Talabheim, the upper classes now patronize foreign swordmasters, founding their own academies where style matters almost as much as skill. While some Duellists fight to uphold honour, many are equally willing to settle grudges, guard reputations, or fight at the whim of their patrons.

##### The Mask of Serrano Word spreads through Talagaad’s taverns and noble halls of a legendary Diestro — Don Callisto Serrano, once champion of the Estalian fencing schools, who vanished after killing a prince in a forbidden duel. Now whispers claim he hides in the city under a false name, teaching a secret form said to make a swordsman unbeatable. Some say his students are preparing to found an elite fencing circle, others that bounty hunters from Magritta seek his head. Ambitious Duellists flock to Talagaad hoping to find Serrano and claim his secrets… or his life.

### Duellist (Silver) ___ * **Origins:** Any human * **Favored characteristics:** Weapon Skill, Initiative, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Melee, Defence, Awareness, Athletics, Leadership, Charm * **Lore:** High Society, Literacy *or* Anatomy *or* Law * **Trappings:** Sword *or* Rapier, Parrying dagger *or* Buckler, Lordly Attire * **Assets:** Horse and stables *or* Luxurious apartments * **Contacts:** The Great and the Good, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Mano a Mano:*** When you and a single enemy are the only ones in a zone and you are within Close range of each other, you get +1d on Melee and Defence against that character. > ##### Rapier > This is a one-handed Silver melee weapon that deals S damage at Close range, and +1d to Melee when not Staggered. \page ## Marcher-Scion _“A crown in the Border Princes is worth less than the steel to take it — but it’s still my crown.”_ -- Lukas Carlsson, Marcher-Scion in exile ___ The Border Princes are a land of shifting loyalties and crumbling crowns, where the authority of a “prince” is sometimes measured in weeks rather than generations. Yet amidst the chaos, the sons and daughters of these would-be rulers are raised to believe in their birthright, no matter how fragile it may be. A Marcher-Scion grows up surrounded by intrigue, mercenaries, and feuding bannermen, taught from an early age that survival depends as much on cunning as on steel. Some Scions are heirs-in-waiting, striving to secure their family’s tenuous grip on a single keep or valley. Others are exiles, their inheritance stripped away in a coup, forced to wander the Old World with little more than a name and a sword. In foreign courts and mercenary companies, they balance pride with pragmatism, ever seeking allies, coin, and leverage to reclaim—or claim anew—the lands they believe are theirs by right. Whether leading a band of sellswords, parleying with rival lords, or scheming in backroom councils, the Marcher-Scion embodies the precarious nobility of the Border Princes: ambitious, adaptable, and always one betrayal away from ruin.

##### The Prince Without a Border Taverns in Talagaad whisper of Lukas Carlsson, a young Marcher-Scion whose family once ruled a narrow stretch south of the Black Mountains before rival princes drove them out. Now Lukas seeks sellswords and silver to reclaim his birthright, promising rich plunder to those who join him — but some claim he carries a sealed Imperial charter that could ignite war if it falls into the wrong hands.

### Marcher-Scion (Silver) ___ * **Origins:** Borderlander * **Favored characteristics:** Weapon Skill, Toughness, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Melee, Defence, Brawn, Survival, Awareness, Leadership * **Lore:** High Society *or* Mountaineering *or* Woodcraft *or* Sailing, Literacy *or* Orc&Goblin Tribes *or* Undead *or* Blackpowder * **Trappings:** Sword, Throwing knives *or* Pistol, Travelling clothes, Blackpowder kit (if Blackpowder lore) * **Assets:** Ship's Passage *or* Horse and stables *or* Luxurious apartments * **Contacts:** The Great and the Good, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Birthright:*** When you tell tales of your familys plight or your labours to claim your birthright to someone who might be sympathetic or impressed, you get +1d to your next Persuasion attempt against them. Also, once per downtime you can ask a The Great and the Good contact for monetary support - if you do, one of the coins you end the downtime with is Gold instead of Silver, but you owe them a favour. ``` ``` ## Tomb Robber _“Some seek knowledge, some seek gold. I seek both… and occasionally a way out when the walls start falling.”_ -- Caterina di Veyra, Tomb Robber ___ Where some might seek treasure out of desperation; others do so to sate ambition, curiosity, or vanity. The Tomb Robber is a well-connected explorer, combining scholarly learning with daring and cunning, capable of assembling small expeditions into forgotten crypts, buried ruins, and lost keeps. They negotiate with local guides, bribe officials, and occasionally fend off rivals or the supernatural horrors that linger in ancient vaults. Often, places such as these are revered and protected by the local inhabitants, so the Tomb Robber must operate secretly or under cover of darkness. Traps, curses, restless spirits, and the ever-present threat of bandits are as much a part of their lives as research and excavation. The richest treasures belong to the fabled tombs of Khemri and lost Dwarf Holds, but there are many lesser-known vaults scattered across the Old World. Abandoned Bretonnian keeps, Stirland barrows and the catacombs beneath the Taalbaston all hold relics of long-dead nobles and minor kings, although many have already been stripped by enterprising looters. Still, whispers of gold, enchanted arms, and arcane tomes draw adventurers and scholars alike, for even a modest find can bring fame and fortune.

##### The Crypt of the Fallen Banner Rumors reach Talagaad of a long-forgotten Hochland tomb, said to contain the banner of a noble who fell defending his lands from a marauding greenskin host. Old documents hint at a hidden vault beneath the crypt, filled with gold, weapons, and a small but potent magical relic. Several expeditions have entered the ruins, but none have returned, and locals whisper of traps, restless spirits, and rival treasure hunters who stalk the hills at night.

### Tomb Robber (Silver) ___ * **Origins:** Any * **Favored characteristics:** Strength, Initiative, Reason * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Toil, Survival, Awareness, Dexterity, Recall, Leadership * **Lore:** Literacy, History, The Undead *or* Subterranean * **Trappings:** Staff *or* Sword, Travelling clothes, Lighting kit, Travellers Pack, Climbing kit * **Assets:** Horse and stables *or* Library *or* Secret society membership * **Contacts:** The Great and the Good, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Dungeoneer:*** You get +1d on Awareness tests to spot hidden items, doors and mechanisms. Also, you can use Thieves Tools to unlock locks and disarm traps without the appropriate Lore, and may test Recall to disarm or safely discharge magical traps and undo minor curses. \page # Changelog - 2025-09-05: Added changelog - 2025-09-04: Initial version, minor fixes

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