[Cypher] The Fallen

[Avner]

Game System Cypher

Theme High Roleplay, Divine Discovery, Modern

Flavour Roleplay heavy, character deveoplment, humorous, adventurous, Modern

Game Theme Mythic Fantasy, Divine Struggles, Redemption and Destruction Flavour Dark Epic Fantasy Setting, Fallen Heroes, and Twisted Gods Game Style New players are welcome! This is a story-focused game that encourages players to immerse themselves in the world and contribute to a collaborative narrative. Expect a pace of 1-2 GM posts per week, allowing everyone the opportunity to craft quality character arcs and interactions. The Broken Pantheon Once, the gods strode amongst mortals, guiding and protecting them through the trials of life. Over time, however, these divine entities faded into myth—lost legends whispered about in hushed tones. But the truth is far darker: a cataclysmic event known as the Rupture shattered the sacred ties between the divine and the mortal realms. The Fallen—the remnants of divinity that once bestowed grace upon their subjects—now wander the earth as mortals, often unaware of their true heritage and purpose. As dark forces stir and ancient horrors once held at bay by the gods begin to re-emerge, demons and giants from shadowy realms threaten the very existence of civilization. Those few who still remember the Old Gods yearn for their protection and guidance, heralding a resurgence of faith among the frightened populace. Amidst the chaos, whispers of long-forgotten powers ripple through the lands, calling forth the once-mighty gods—now mere echoes of their former selves—as they grapple with an overwhelming tide of despair. In this perilous environment, the descendants of the Fallen—demigods and mortal champions alike—must navigate a world rife with ruin, confrontation, and the remnants of forgotten legacies. Your Quest Venture forth to uncover the lost divine relics of the old gods. Traverse the treacherous landscapes of shattered realms, where echoes of ancient power brew among the ruins. Unite against the formidable foes that threaten to consume the world in darkness. Will you strive to restore balance to the realms, or will you succumb to the chaos, embracing the shadows and falling further into the abyss? Character Types In The Fallen, your character type will influence your role in the world and your relationship with others. Each type serves as a scaffold for the kind of god you may ultimately become: Champion: Purpose: Embody strength and valor, defending the weak and upholding justice. Awakening Potential: Awaken to the memory of your former role as a god of War, Conflict, or Justice. Shaper: Purpose: Possess the power to create and transform, shaping reality to forge new possibilities. Awakening Potential: Remember your divine creativity and craftsmanship, wielding powers of creation in your journey. Destroyer: Purpose: Channel chaos and retribution, striking down those who threaten the innocent. Awakening Potential: Recall your past as a god of Vengeance, Hunting, or Destruction, using raw power to assert your dominance. Savior: Purpose: Guided by compassion and healing, working tirelessly to mend the broken and restore hope. Awakening Potential: Connect with memories of being a god of Healing, Redemption, or Wisdom, empowering others along your path. The Setting The Fallen Lands The world is a grim tapestry of shattered kingdoms, once vibrant with the favor of the gods. Ancient temples stand in ruin, cities lie abandoned, and vengeful spirits haunt the remnants of civilization. The horrors that the gods once protected against are regaining their strength, lurking in the shadows, ready to strike. The Rupture The Rupture was triggered by betrayal among the divine; one among them set a chain of events into motion that unleashed chaos upon the realms. Now, amidst the ashes of their celestial war, the Fallen grasp at the remnants of their former power while the mortal realm grapples with the awakening of dark forces. Your Character Name: Your character's name. Type: Choose your character type (Champion, Shaper, Destroyer, or Savior). Descriptor: Choose from Cypher or God of the Fall sourcebooks     BENEFICENT Helping others is your calling. It’s what you live for. Others delight in your outgoing and charitable nature, and you delight in their happiness. You’re at your best when you’re aiding people, either by explaining how they can best overcome a challenge, or by demonstrating it yourself. You gain the following characteristics: Generous: Allies who have spent the last day with you add +1 to their recovery rolls. Altruistic: If you’re standing next to a creature that takes damage, you can intercede and take 1 point of the damage yourself. If you have Armor, it does not provide a benefit when you use this ability. Skill: You’re trained in all tasks related to pleasant social interaction, putting other people at ease, and gaining trust. Helpful: Whenever you choose to help another character, that character gains the benefit as if you were trained even if you are not trained or specialized in the task being attempted. Inability: While you are alone, the difficulty of all Intellect and Speed tasks is increased by one step. Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure. 1. Even though you didn’t know most of the other PCs beforehand, you invited yourself along on their quest. 2. You saw the PCs struggling to overcome a problem, and selflessly joined them to help. 3. You’re pretty sure the PCs will fail without you. 4. You believe that to fulfill one of the Seven Prophecies, you must join the other PCs.   CHAOTIC Danger doesn’t mean much to you, mainly because you don’t think much about repercussions. In fact, you enjoy sowing surprises, just to see what will happen. The more unexpected the results, the happier you are. Sometimes you are particularly manic, though for the sake of your companions, you restrain your actions that you know will lead to disaster. You gain the following characteristics: Tumultuous: +4 to your Speed Pool. Skill: You are trained in Intellect defense actions. Chaotic: Once after each 10-hour recovery roll, you can reroll a die roll of your choice if you don’t like the first result. When you do, regardless of the outcome, the GM presents you with a GM intrusion. Inability: Your body is a bit worn from occasional excesses. The difficulty of your Might defense tasks is increased by one step. Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure. 1. Another PC recruited you while you were on your best behavior, before realizing how chaotic you actually were. 2. You have reason to believe that being with the other PCs will help you gain more control over your episodes of erratic behavior. 3. Another PC released you from some kind of captivity, and to thank them, you volunteered to help them on their quest. 4. You believe that to fulfill one of the Seven Prophecies, you must join the other PCs.   GLUTTONOUS You appreciate the value of money, fine food and drink, and other pleasures. Why feign moderation? Life is short. Of course, you recognize that pursuing pleasure to the exclusion of all else will eventually lead to a pleasure-less existence, and probably a short one. But you’re willing to push things to the edge for the sake of one more gold coin, glass of wine, or night with a cheery companion. You gain the following characteristics: Skill: You are trained in persuasion. Skill: You are trained in tasks related to the exchange of money, including haggling. Skill: You are trained in stealth and tasks directly related to theft. Skill: You are specialized in eating and keeping down copious amounts of food and drink, which also counts as being trained in resisting the effects of poison. Inability: Years of overdoing it have taken their toll. The difficulty of Might defense rolls is one step higher for you. Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure. 1. You outstayed your welcome at a rich friend’s home, and needed someplace to go. 2. Your greed can be sated only by taking on dangerous tasks in return for great rewards. 3. You dreamed that by becoming a god in the PC’s pantheon, you could one day rise above your petty greed. That, or enshrine it as a divine attribute. 4. You believe that to fulfill one of the Seven Prophecies, you must join the other PCs.   HUMBLE You’re not flashy or bold, because for you, humility is the greatest virtue. Which means you are quiet, watchful, and don’t often directly gainsay others. On the other hand, you’re not afraid to do what’s right, or act boldly when necessary. It’s just that afterward, it’s not in your nature to claim responsibility for saving the day. When others celebrate, you prefer to seclude yourself and meditate on the next challenge. You gain the following characteristics: Quiet but Talented: You get 4 additional points to divide among your stat Pools. Cautious: You’re trained in Intellect defense actions. Soft-spoken: When you apply Effort when making a roll of any kind, you must spend 1 extra point from your Intellect Pool. Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure. 1. Against your initial inclination, you accepted an invitation to join the team. 2. Authorities within the chapterhouse or similar organization to which you belonged asked you to help the PCs out with an important task. 3. The solution to a problem came to you, and it was so elegant that you had to share it, even though that meant breaking your seclusion. 4. You believe that to fulfill one of the Seven Prophecies, you must join the other PCs.   LAWFUL You live by a code. It might be your own set of rules, rules handed down to you by a chapterhouse to which you once belonged, or the law of whatever realm you inhabit. The important thing is that you’re not governed by passions, but by your steadfast confidence that to follow the law is to live in grace. You gain the following characteristics: Justified: You are an enthusiastic upholder of the law. You are trained in any noncombat task when you are engaged in an activity that directly upholds the law. Skill: You are trained in tasks related to knowing and understanding the laws of the land. Inability: You can’t abide law-breaking, especially when you’re the culprit, however unjust those laws might be. While engaged in any activity that breaks a law, the difficulty of all Intellect-based tasks is increased by one step. Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure. 1. You heard what the other PCs were up to and knew they could use your expertise. 2. You gathered a group after long consideration of everyone’s qualifications to accomplish a lawful task. 3. You agreed to provide money toward the upkeep of a chapterhouse and find yourself in need of coin. 4. You believe that to fulfill one of the Seven Prophecies, you must join the other PCs.   WARY You’re not the trusting sort. You keep an eye out for your enemies, which include all those who’ve done you wrong, but just as important, those who you’ve wronged in order to accomplish your goals. Becoming a divine power in a world where the new atheism holds sway requires vigilance against those who are fundamentally opposed to the idea of divine return. Alternatively, you may be a manifestation of the wary watchfulness that anyone born in the era after the Fall would be happy to aspire to. It’s those who succumb to routine and apathy who are first to die. That’s not going to be you. You gain the following characteristics: Quick: +2 to your Speed Pool. Skill: You’re trained in all tasks involving, identifying, or assessing danger. Skill: You’re trained in Intellect defense tasks. Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure. 1. The other PCs didn’t believe your story about something stalking them, but you were proved right. They asked you to join them out of gratitude. 2. You trailed the PCs, and when you saw they were no danger, introduced yourself. 3. One or more of the PCs saved your life once, and you feel like you need to return the favor. 4. You believe that to fulfill one of the Seven Prophecies, you must join the other PCs. Focus Choose from Cypher or God of the Fall sourcebooks     FINDS THE FLAW IN ALL THINGS You can see the weak points in objects, in people, and even in the way people think, plan, and dream. Those flaws are always apparent, even when you don’t want to see them. If you don’t hold your tongue, you risk leaving a trail of angry and embittered people in your wake. Your burden of knowledge makes it difficult to stay in relationships long, so you cherish those who you call friends, even their flaws (though you try not to call those out too often). Some believe that your ability is the power of fate, and that one day, you will find the flaw in reality itself, and transcend. You probably wear finely made clothing, snug enough not to snag or catch on objects in your environment, but loose enough that you can apply your knowledge of weak points in objects and people with minimum expenditure of strength. Connection: Choose one of the following. 1. Pick one other PC. Through a quirk of fate, you cannot sense that character’s flaws. 2. Pick one other PC. You recently discovered that if they stand near you when you attempt to use your abilities to sense the flaw in others, your abilities sometimes don’t work. Other times, they seem to work better than ever. You’re not sure what’s going on. 3. Pick one other PC. When you first met, you told them exactly how much of a failure they were as a person, laying bare all their worst fears and doubts. You’ve since apologized, but they must decide how to react to you. 4. Pick one other PC. This character has a treasured item that was once yours, but that you lost in a game of chance. Additional Equipment: You have an artifact—a magic quill that can paint a simple rune on objects and creatures to make them invisible to your ability to sense their flaws for one year (Depletion: 1 in 1d20). Flaw Abilities: If you wish, you can swap an ability gained from your type for the following. Find the Flaw: If an opponent has a straightforward weakness (takes extra damage from fire, can’t see out of their left eye, and so on), the GM will tell you what it is. If you also have the Sharp-Eyed descriptor and its associated Find the Flaw ability, you have an asset on the first action you take against a target when you exploit the straightforward weakness identified by Find the Flaw. Enabler. Minor Effect Suggestion: The display of your ability leaves a creature confused and even a little frightened. The difficulty of defense actions to resist the creature’s attacks decreases by one step for one minute. Major Effect Suggestion: An important item on the target’s person is destroyed. Tier 1: Perfect Submission (1+ Intellect point). You know exactly where to grab, prod, or apply pressure to a creature to keep its undivided attention. For as long as you take no physical actions or movements except to hold the submission, the other creature can take no physical actions, even over multiple rounds. If the creature is attacked, the effect ends. You can affect creatures up to twice as large as you. To affect creatures three, four, or more times larger than you, you must apply increasing levels of Effort. For instance, to affect a creature three times larger than you, you must apply two levels of Effort. Action. Tier 2: Reckoning. If you attack an opponent who you have observed in combat (against another creature or against yourself) for at least one round, the difficulty of your next attack is reduced by one step. On a successful hit with this Reckoning-enhanced attack, you inflict 2 additional points of damage. Enabler. Tier 3: Fly in the Ointment. The difficulty of all tasks related to detecting falsehoods and disguises, and recognizing fallacies, flawed arguments, and bad plans is reduced by two steps. Enabler. Tier 4: Flaw of Worldly Works (5 Intellect points). You see where objects are most likely to break. The difficulty of any task that would normally depend on brute force (but which you accomplish with an apparently light touch) is decreased by three steps. Examples include opening a barred door or a locked container with a deft touch instead of smashing it, shifting a heavy object without lifting it, opening a hole in a solid barrier by finding a keystone, and so on. Enabler. Tier 5: Flaw of Mortal Flesh (6+ Intellect points). You recognize where flesh fails. With a swift and sudden attack, you strike a foe in a vital spot. If the target is level 3 or lower, it is killed outright. For each two levels of Effort you apply, you can increase the maximum level of the target by 1. Action. Tier 6: Flaw in Everything (3 Intellect points). You see flaws in everyone and everything, so much that you usually veil our flaw-finding eye. However, sometimes you raise that veil, if for just a moment. Usually, you see the flaw in others, but sometimes you see the flaw in yourself. When you do, roll a d6. On any even result, the task you’re attempting is modified by two steps in your favor. On a roll of 1, the task is modified by one step to your detriment. Enabler.   REVELS IN TRICKERY Whether you’re a performer, thief, sorcerer, warrior, or simple wanderer, you delight in charming, fooling, confounding, and surprising others. Some of your tricks are meant to delight and entertain. Others are useful for getting out of tight corners and confusing your foes. Even if you’re a goodhearted trickster, you’ve likely accidentally hurt or confused your friends, so you try to avoid making them the target of your antics. But some say you’re destined to betray everyone and everything, though you regard prophecy and the concept of fate itself as just another trick. You probably wear a garment with several concealed pockets from which you can produce hidden coins and other oddments of guile. Connection: Choose one of the following. 1. Pick one other PC. You’re jealous of their finery. 2. Pick one other PC. You suspect that they are cursed, but you don’t know if you should be more afraid for them or of them. Perhaps if you perform tricks for them, you’ll discover their true nature. 3. Pick one other PC. You once tricked them so completely that they attacked and hurt you, thinking you were a foe. You’ve healed, but both of you are still wary of each other. 4. Pick one other PC. You tricked them into thinking you are someone that you are not, and now it’s been so long, you’re not sure if you should reveal the truth. Additional Equipment: Disguise of your choice and 10 moons (silver coins). Minor Effect Suggestion: Your foe loses track of you and moves just out of immediate range before realizing its error. Major Effect Suggestion: Your foe is confused by your antics. On its next turn, it attacks one of its allies instead of you before realizing the truth. Tier 1: Legerdemain (1 Speed point). You can perform small but seemingly impossible tricks. For example, you can make a small object in your hands disappear and move into a desired spot within reach (like your pocket). You can make someone believe that they have something in their possession that they do not (or vice versa). You can switch similar objects right in front of someone’s eyes. Action. Opportunist. You have an asset when you attack a creature that has already been attacked at some point during the round and is within immediate range. Enabler. Tier 2: Impersonate (2 Intellect points). You alter your voice, posture, and mannerisms, whip together a disguise, and have an asset on an attempt to impersonate someone else, whether it is a specific individual (Yanir of the city watch) or a general role (a city watch person). Action to initiate. Wit or Menace. Choose whether you’re trained in pleasant social interactions (including persuasion) or negative social interactions (including coercion and intimidation). Tier 3: Poke and Run (3 Speed points). When you attack a creature that has eyes, the difficulty of the attack is increased by one step. If you hit, the creature has trouble seeing for the next hour, and you can move or attempt to hide as part of the same action. Tasks the creature performs that rely on sight (which is most tasks) are modified by one step to its detriment during this period. Action. Tier 4: Calm (3 Intellect points). Through jokes, song, or other art, you prevent a foe from attacking anyone or anything for one round. Action. Tier 5: Trap Trick. You are trained in creating simple traps, especially varieties of deadfalls and snares using natural objects from the environment. You can create a trap in under a minute. When you lay a trap, decide whether you want to hold the victim in place (a snare) or inflict damage (a deadfall). Next, attempt an Intellect-based task with a difficulty of 3 (for a snare) or a difficulty equal to the number of points of damage you want to inflict (for a deadfall). For example, if you want to inflict 4 points of damage, that’s a difficulty 4 task, though your training reduces the difficulty. On a success, you create your trap, which is considered level 3 for the purposes of avoiding detection before it is sprung and for a victim trying to struggle free (if a snare). If you are trained in stealth, disguise, or similar tasks, the trap is considered level 4 for these purposes; if you are specialized, level 5. A minute’s worth of actions. Tier 6: Fake-Out (8 Intellect points). You’re not really hurt at all! Choose to regain full points in one Pool, ascend one step on the damage track, throw off a condition (including a curse, sleep, turned to stone, or other ongoing effect), or change a failed die result to a natural 20 (20 still might not be enough to succeed if the difficulty is higher than 6, and you can’t change the result if you roll a natural 1, unless you also have Wrest From Chance). Once you use this ability, it is not available again until after you make a ten-hour recovery roll. Enabler.   SPEAKS CURSES You can speak abominable curses into being and inflict them on those who deserve to be punished. Animals tend to shrink from you or react violently, and greenery wilts. You call down curses, yes, but sometimes you wonder if the core of your power is wrapped up in some dead god’s curse on you. You probably wear garish clothing that tends to draw attention to yourself, because those who would consider that a reason to give you trouble deserve a curse in return. Connection: Choose one of the following. 1. Pick one other PC. For some reason you can’t explain, your curses cannot harm that character. 2. Pick one other PC. You recently discovered that if they stand near you when you use your first-tier Cursed Ink ability, they too become covered in tattoos. This doesn’t harm them, and anyone who tries to touch them or strike them with a melee attack suffers 1 point of damage that ignores Armor (but the other PC doesn’t gain +1 to Armor). They must remain within short range of you to retain the effect. 3. Pick one other PC. They find your curses to be ethically questionable and must decide how to react to your constant use of magical obscenity around them. 4. Pick one other PC. Something about them makes cursing harder. When they stand near you, your curses cost 1 additional Intellect point. Additional Equipment: You carry an amulet made of fused black metal mined in Soulrest that inspires the curses you speak. Whoever holds it (if you willingly give it into their possession) is immune to your curses. In addition, if you wish, you can swap an ability gained from your type for the following. Curse of Baleful Blistering (1 Intellect point). You curse a creature within short range, inflicting it with boils and pustules. If the target takes a forceful action (such as attacking another creature or moving farther than an immediate distance), the pustules burst, dealing 2 points of damage that ignore Armor, and the effect ends. If the target cannot hear you and understand your language (or intent), the difficulty of your curse attack is one step higher. Action. Minor Effect Suggestion: The target becomes subject to your Baleful Blistering curse. Major Effect Suggestion: An important item on the target’s person falls to ash. Tier 1: Cursed Ink (1 Intellect point). Your skin is imprinted with an all-body tattoo of your design for up to ten minutes. The design is visible only if you’re wearing clothing that reveals some portion of your skin. Regardless of whether others can see it, it automatically inflicts 1 point of damage (ignores Armor) to anyone who tries to touch you or strike you with a melee attack. While the Cursed Ink is active, you also gain +1 to Armor. Enabler. Tier 2: Curse of Disability (2 Intellect points). You curse a creature within short range, and inflict one of the following disabilities: • The difficulty of all tasks is increased by one step for one minute. • The target’s speed is halved. • The target can take no action for one round. • The target deals 2 fewer points of damage (minimum 1 point) for one minute. If the target cannot hear you and understand your language (or intent), the difficulty of your curse attack is one step higher. Action. Tier 3: Curse of Mouthless Muttering (3 Intellect points). You curse a creature within short range, erasing its mouth. Its mouth does not return until it inflicts damage on you, until you release it from its curse, or for one day, whichever occurs first. In addition to losing speech (if it had a language), it loses the ability to perform any mouth-related attacks. The difficulty of all other tasks is modified by one step to its detriment. If the target cannot hear you and understand your language (or intent), the difficulty of your curse attack is one step higher. Action. Tier 4: Crown of Burrowing Worms (5 Intellect Points). You curse a creature within short range, infesting its head with a mass of scarlet-hued flesh-eating worms. The worms remain until the target inflicts damage on you, until you release it from its curse, or for one day, whichever occurs first. If successful, the target is stunned for one round and cannot act, and it takes 2 points of damage (ignores Armor). It is dazed in the following round and cannot act, during which time the difficulty of its tasks is increased by one step, and it takes 1 point of damage (ignores Armor). In subsequent rounds, it takes 1 point of damage. If the target cannot hear you and understand your language (or intent), the difficulty of your curse attack is one step higher. Action. Tier 5: Curse of Incapacity (6 Intellect points). You curse a creature within short range, inflicting upon it all four conditions listed for Curse of Disability at once. If the target cannot hear you and understand your language (or intent), the difficulty of your curse attack is one step higher. Action. Tier 6: Curse of Eyeless Anguish (5 Intellect points). You curse a creature within short range, erasing its eyes. Its eyes do not return until it inflicts damage on you, until you release it from its curse, or for one day, whichever occurs first. The creature is effectively blind and acts as if in complete darkness when it attacks or when it is attacked, modifying the difficulty of rolls against it by two steps to its detriment. If the target cannot hear you and understand your language (or intent), the difficulty of your curse attack is one step higher. Action.   WALKS WITH THE NIGHT You have a power over darkness. As a child, when you created shadow monsters from the lantern’s light flickering on the wall, the shapes you cast moved and danced as if living things. Now, as you come into the power that might be the spark of divine Awakening, you know that you have nothing to fear in the dark. However, others might have something to fear from you when you walk with the night. You probably wear dark clothes, cloaks, and even gloves, and possibly a mask the color of gloom and dusk. Connection: Choose one of the following. 1. Pick one other PC. This character also yearns for the night. You both gain +1 on any die rolls when you collaborate on the same task, fight the same foe, and so on. 2. Pick two other PCs. You think you once saw them doing something illegal at night. You can choose whether or not to share that information. The characters can choose whether it was really them (it could have been neither, one, or both), and they may or may not share that information in return. 3. Pick one other PC. This person always seems to hear you, no matter how stealthy you try to be. 4. Pick one other PC. This person is so loud in everything that you feel obligated to try to help them learn to move more quietly through the world. Whether or not the person is interested is up to them. Additional Equipment: You carry a large black cloak and a face mask. Shadow Abilities: If you have other overt abilities (spells, psionic powers, or the like), they make almost no sound, and whatever visual displays they produce are dark and shadowy. These alterations change nothing other than the appearance of the effects. A Flash is a silent burst of shadows, a Barrier is a mass of shadowy wisps, and so on. In addition, if you wish, you can swap an ability gained from your type for the following. Create Shadow (2 Intellect points). You cause shadows to spring up from a spot within short range for up to one minute. The shadows must fit within a 10-foot (3 m) cube. You can choose to simply make bright light dim or completely dark (blinding any creature within the area that can’t see in the dark). You can move the area of shadows up to a short distance each round as part of another action. You can also create a scene from shadows in the area, from something as simple as throwing a shadow on the wall to as complex as spending an action each round to act out a scene. Action to initiate. Minor Effect Suggestion: The target is also dazed for one round, during which time the difficulty of all tasks it performs is modified by one step to its detriment. Major Effect Suggestion: The target is also stunned and loses its next turn. Tier 1: Creeping Shadow (1 Intellect point). If a shadow can pass through a physical barrier, such as under a door or through a crack or keyhole, then so can you, albeit slowly, at a rate of 1 inch (3 cm) per round (minimum of one round to pass through any barrier). You can’t act (other than moving) or perceive anything until you pass entirely through the barrier. You can’t pass through barriers that are completely sealed against light (or shadow). Action. Night Eyes: You can see in very dim light as though it were bright light. You can see in total darkness as if it were dim light. Enabler. Tier 2: Summon Creature of the Night (2 Intellect points). You summon a single level 3 creature of the night (such as a wolf, a ghost, or a giant spider) or a horde of small animals (such as bats or rats) to temporarily help you. These creatures do your bidding for as long as you focus your attention, but you must use your action every round to direct them. Creatures are native to the area and arrive under their own power, so if you’re in an unreachable place, this ability won’t work. In addition, if you’re in an area of bright light, the creatures won’t stay for longer than a couple of rounds, even if you continue oncentrating. Action. Tier 3: Foreboding Strike (4 Intellect points). When you attack your foe, darkness momentarily passes before its eyes so that it can’t see, reducing the difficulty of your attack by two steps (assuming it’s a creature that relies on sight to sense its surroundings). The ability works for whatever kind of attack you use (melee, ranged, energy, and so on). Enabler. Tier 4: Shadow (4 Intellect points). For the next ten minutes, you take on some characteristics of a shadow. Your appearance is a dark silhouette. You are trained in sneaking tasks. During this time, you can move through solid barriers, even those that are sealed to prevent the passage of light or shadow (but not energy barriers) at a rate of 1 foot (30 cm) per round, and you can perceive while passing through a barrier or object, which allows you to peek through walls. As a shadow, you can’t affect or be affected by normal matter. Likewise, you can’t attack, touch, or otherwise affect anything. However, attacks and effects that rely on light can affect you, and sudden bursts of light can potentially make you lose your next turn. Action to initiate. Tier 5: Nightmare (5 Intellect points). You fashion a truly horrifying creature of dripping shadow and launch it at your foes. Your creation persists each round while you spend your action concentrating on it (oruntil you disperse it or it is destroyed). It has one of the following abilities, which you choose each time the nightmare attacks. Horrify. Instead of making a normal attack, your creation’s attack horrifies the target, dropping the target to its knees (or similar appendages). The target takes 3 points of damage that ignore Armor and is stunned for one round, so that it loses its next turn. Confusion. Instead of making a normal attack, the creation’s attack confuses the target for one round. On its next action, the target attacks an ally. Curse of the Nightcaul. Instead of making a normal attack, the creation’s attack causes a film of darkness to cover the victim’s eyes like a caul. The target is blinded until it rips off the caul, which inflicts 5 points of damage that ignores Armor. Tier 6: Become the Night (6 Intellect points). You can selectively become shadow so that you and your attack this turn ignores your foe’s Armor, and even penetrates partly through your foe, dealing an additional 5 points of damage. The ability works for whatever kind of attack you use it with (melee, ranged, energy, and so on). Enabler. Description: Provide an image or description of your character's appearance, signature style, and demeanor. Age: Character's age. Background: Brief history leading to this moment—what was their life like before the Rupture? Motivations: What drives your character? Are they seeking vengeance, redemption, or a desire to reunite the pantheon? . Connection to the Fallen: Describe their relationship with the fallen gods and how it influences their journey. Writing Sample Your character encounters a manifestation of a fallen god—an echo of their former self. Write a few paragraphs about the interaction, showcasing your character's thoughts, purpose, and emotional turmoil as they confront this divine remnant. Deadline for Applications: 10/4 Applications Join us in The Fallen, where the divine crumbles, and only the bold may rise from the ashes! Unleash your potential and embrace the challenge of reclaiming your destiny! Name Player Descriptor Type Focus Ragnvaldr Vathe Brash Champion Sees Beyond

[Vathe]

I've never played Cypher, but it looks pretty easy to understand for beginners.

I'm interested in playing a ___ champion who sees beyond. But, how much should our characters know about divine ascendacy and the current order of the world? And do we know about the end goal or is it meant to be more of a happenstantial conclusion to our basic motivations?

[Avner]

They wouldn't know what god they or domain they are associated with as that would come out during roleplay. The extent at which they know of the fall of the gods would depend on their background, but they would not be aware of the end goal at the beginning. They would be trying to find their part in the world that they are seeing tearing itself apart.

[Vathe]

Application Ragnvaldr Descriptor Type Focus Brash Champion Sees Beyond Description: Ragnvaldr is a sternly-built man with white hair and a thick jaw. He isn't handsome in a civilized sense, but he has a proud and defiant attitude that forces people to look his way. Age: 32 Background: A swordsmith and warrior from the boreal forests. Ragnvaldr has lived as a member of the three tribes all his life, trading between nomadic and settled living when it suited him. Notably, Ragnvaldr is not a blacksmith, he is a swordsmith. And to the three tribes, who demand usefulness, this defiance about his craft has made him many enemies. Motivations: Above all things, Ragnvaldr is a man of order. He wants to shape the world around him to his sensibilities, with every person and thing in their rightful place. While he can be persuaded to ignore his divine order, it will aggravate him, like a scholar who must kowtow to an idiot. His most firm order is to give power to those who could be strong. He thinks mankind needs powerful leaders if the world is to be right. Connection to the Fallen: Ragnvaldr is not a godly man, primarily because they can do nothing for him and he is not meek enough to need divine guidance. While this is his viewpoint, in truth, Ragnvaldr has been blessed with divine sight. He can see beyond the veil of the material world, to the strings of souls and creation. He sees all the colors that exist, and spirits and auras radiate across everything in his vision. If he is not close to the gods, then no man is.

Writing Sample WIP

[Kaigen]

I'm working over a concept in my head, but things aren't quite coming together. Are there any descriptors in Gods of the Fall that would be good for adding some actual crafting skills onto a Shaper?

[Vathe]

Intelligent would give you a knowledge skill. It's the only descriptor I found that does. Otherwise, anything that would give you a knowledge skill can be used for an area of crafting.

[Avner]

Originally Posted by Kaigen

I'm working over a concept in my head, but things aren't quite coming together. Are there any descriptors in Gods of the Fall that would be good for adding some actual crafting skills onto a Shaper?

Remember it doesn't have to fit perfectly and we can always tweek some of the verbiage to make it fit better if needed. Intelligent is a good recommendation, but here are two more that also might work, depending on what you are going for with the character idea. I suspect you can really get into the Shaper with your Foci more than your descriptor with the descriptor helping to describe what kind of Shaper you are... are you more like Hephaestus or Ra? Are you like Thor or Zeus? They are similarly tied to a Shaper type roll for Fire or Storm but all very different.

Beyond the descriptors below you could be Brash, Vengeful, Perceptive, Honrable, Calm, or even appealing. You don't need to go all in on one ability but can craft your character from molding descriptors and foci together to support your concept of your Type.

Check out the list here.

 

Mechanic
You have a special talent with machines of all kinds, and you’re adept at understanding and, if need be, repairing them. Perhaps
you’re even a bit of an inventor, creating new machines from time to time. You get called “techie,” “tech,” “mech,” “gear-head,”
“motor-head,” or any of a number of other nicknames. Mechanics usually wear practical work clothes and carry around a lot of tools.
You gain the following characteristics:
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
Skill: You’re trained in all actions involving identifying or understanding machines.
Skill: You’re trained in all actions involving using, repairing, or crafting machines.
Additional Equipment: You start with a variety of machine tools.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
1. While repairing a nearby machine, you overheard the other PCs talking.
2. You need money to buy tools and parts.
3. It was clear that the mission couldn’t succeed without your skills and knowledge.
4. Another PC asked you to join them.

 

STRONG
You’re extremely strong and physically powerful, and you use these qualities well, whether through violence or feats of prowess. You likely have a brawny build and impressive muscles.
You gain the following characteristics:
Very Powerful: +4 to your Might Pool.
Skill: You’re trained in all actions involving breaking inanimate objects.
Skill: You’re trained in all jumping actions.
Additional Equipment: You have an extra medium weapon or heavy weapon.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.
1. Against your better judgment, you joined the other PCs because you saw that they were in danger.
2. One of the other PCs convinced you that joining the group would be in your best interests.
3. You’re afraid of what might happen if the other PCs fail.
4. There is reward involved, and you need the money.

[Ghrimm]

I am somewhat familiar with Cypher but not with this setting. It sounds really interesting. I may need a little assistance with details on my Type if selected as I do not have the relevant source material. Here is my character concept:

Name: Mouse
Descriptor/Type/Focus: A Stealthy Destroyer who Walks With The Night
Description: Mouse has always been small for his age, and even now stands barely 5 foot tall. He is lean and wiry, and due to childhood injuries and illness he may seem to move somewhat awkward or unsteady. The left side of his face and neck is still scored by marks from some unknown pox. He hides all this beneath a billowing dark cloak, mask and pulled down hood. The disease also left his voice somewhat raspy, so he tends to speak little and not above a whisper. All of this will often come across as timidness and lends itself to his nickname.
Age: 23 (looks much younger)

Background: If Mouse ever had another name, he doesn’t remember it. He really doesn’t remember much from his early years – just brief flashes of a kindly face or gentle hands now and then. His first real memories are of life on the street. His small size meant he was constantly being victimized by the bigger street kids. They would beat him for what meager scraps he stole or begged, so Mouse learned early how to run and how to hide. He found he had something of a gift for hiding – the shadows seemed to call to him, even reaching out to help conceal him. They didn’t always manage to save him, but often enough that he survived. Over time, the shadows even seemed to whisper to him, urging him to defend others like himself or get revenge on those who had wronged an innocent. He didn’t seek out such things, but it was like he kept stumbling into such situations – perhaps led or pulled to the area by their shared suffering. In the light he may have seemed timid, but in the dark with a knife in hand it is another story all together.

Motivations: Mouse has come to hate injustice – particularly those who pick on the weak or the innocent. He recognizes this as more than just an individual problem, but systemic of their society. For the longest time he felt powerless to do much about it, but under the cover of darkness he has started to try and make a difference – to teach those who abuse power that there are consequences.

Connection to the Fallen: Mouse couldn’t care less about the gods. What did they ever do for him, or others like him? It took money, power or influence to get noticed – even by the gods - none of which they would ever have. If the little people wanted justice, then it would be up to the little people to take it.

Writing Sample: He was finally loosing it, he had to be. Shadows didn’t move on their own, not even for him. And yet this one was. Mouse watched as it travelled down the street, seemingly growing and shrinking in response to lanterns and torches – almost as if there was someone walking down the street casting it. But there was no one. Mouse knew this because it was a misty night, and despite the shadow’s steady progress the mist didn’t stir one bit. There were no splashes or ripples in puddles it passed. There was no sound. In fact, the night had gone surprisingly still.

Slipping silently through the shadows himself, Mouse followed the rouge shadow as it turned into an alley. The end of the alley was partially blocked by a ramshackle hovel one of the locals had thrown up against another building. It belonged to an herbalist known to Mouse by reputation only. He sold a few common medicinal herbs, but his real trade was in illegal substances. Mouse didn’t partake, though he could sympathize with those who did. Sometimes it was the only escape one could find.

A sudden chill shot up Mouse’s spine as the shadow ghosted right up to the hovel and then through it – almost as if the hovel hadn’t existed when the shadow had been cast. Hurrying around the building mouse quickly discovered he had lost sight of it. It had vanished into greater darkness.

Wrapping his cloak more tightly about him, Mouse went back to scrounging for his next meal. Whatever he had encountered was far beyond him, but worrying about it would not put food in his mouth or coin in his purse. As much as he resolved to put the incident behind him though, he couldn’t quite shake the image of the strangely independent shadow gliding along the street.

[Kaigen]

To be clear, I do own a copy of the Cypher System Rulebook, I just wasn't sure if "knowledge skills" would cover crafting, since I'm used to system considering those distinct categories (and with skills in particular, Cypher is very "whatever the group thinks works"). I also wasn't sure if the descriptor "Mechanical" would fit well with this setting.

I'm drawing inspiration from a god from the game Wildermyth, "Daylig Dayn," also known as the Stoneshearing God, who separates "is" from "is-not." Tentatively, I'm thinking of an Intelligent Shaper who Dances with Dark Matter. I'll work up a full application in the next few days.

[Kaigen]

Okay, I'm working on the background portion, and I'm getting myself confused about whether the Rupture was a very recent event or one more distant in the past. If our character is in their 20's or 30's, is it something they would theoretically have lived through, or is it history from before they were born?

My impression is that we were divinities, so before it we were kicking around as gods, but would we have false/fuzzy memories of a life before the Rupture, or is this more of a situation where we've been reincarnated and had full mortal lives up until this point?

[Avner]

For all you know you are mortals. You Rupture happened long ago to the point that most people do not believe the gods were ever real and think of them as myths much like we think of ancient mythology today.

[Mitsubachi]

Hmmm, I have been watching this one.

So, you have a champion, a shaper and a destroyer.

Would you like a saviour? I can work on one, looking at the Beneficent descriptor. I'd like a healing focus and am going through that (rather long!) list now.

Is that cool? Are you going with a party of four for this game?

If so, I will seek some inspiration to flesh out my character...

[Sirviantis]

Man, now I wanna throw my hat in the ring. How many players are you looking for? I see that you've already had interest in all the roles, does party composition matter much to you?

[Kaigen]

application, complete barring feedback Created with SaintSam's Dark Fantasy Character Creator on Picrew Name: Wyrhta An Intelligent Shaper who Dances with Dark Matter Appearance: Ragged blue-black hair, chopped short with a knife whenever it gets too long. Wears a shawl that covers the shoulders and upper arms and chest over a tunic. Age: 26 Background: Wyrhta has always had a sharp memory, an eye for shapes, and an intuition for the potential that resides in the otherwise unremarkable. Wood and stone whisper secrets to them, and they are known for producing good work to suit a variety of needs. If those needs are not what the commissioner required, there will doubtless be someone willing to take it off their hands. Wyrhta's magical talents first manifested in the form of objects that displeased them exploding dramatically, which provided a natural impetus to learning how to control and develop them. For one, there's no call for destroying things left and right simply because they do not suit their sensibilities. For another, breaking objects at a distance has many uses. Motivations: The world has been broken. However one feels about that, it is irrevocable fact. What interests Wyrhta is the shapes hidden in the pieces left behind, and the opportunity to carve something new and nourishing from the rubble. Connection to the Fallen: Wyrhta had been on their way to the quarry to inspect materials when the earth had opened up beneath them and swallowed them whole. Miraculously, they were not seriously injured, but they were trapped in a cave under a narrow circle of light from the hole above them. Their priority should have been finding a way out, but a large boulder just at the edge of the light spoke to them. Reaching for their tools, Wyrhta began to carve. Slowly, slowly, a round, brooding figure emerged. Blank eyes, the vague suggestion of a beak, small hands grasping a stone cut like a gem. Dust and sweat caked Wyrhta unnoticed, the stone body taking shape in front of them more real than their own. When Wyrhta finally sat back, finished, the darkness around them no longer seemed empty. It vibrated with intangible substance. Blessings of Daylig Dayn excerpted from the Wildermyth event "Heart of Stone," written by Jeremy Bernstein & Douglas Austin."Where there is shape, a blade has been. / Hallowed are the hands that out of the makeless solid, trim space for existence." The words might have come from the crowded darkness or Wyrhta's throat. Ribbons of nothingness uncoiled and gather around them, lifting them up out of the hole and back to the surface. It was night, and when Wyrhta looked up, the space between the stars had texture like hewn stone.

[Mitsubachi]

Originally Posted by Sirviantis

Man, now I wanna throw my hat in the ring. How many players are you looking for? I see that you've already had interest in all the roles, does party composition matter much to you?

Heya Sirv! *waves*

I'm in plenty of games so am happy to step back if you want to try for the Saviour.

Mitsy