Friday, 11 July 2025

FREEBIE: Sergeant (Adversary)

I found myself thinking a lot about first boss of the video game Final Fight earlier this week. For the unfamiliar, he's a big fella who occasionally leaps into the background of the screen and whistles for his lackeys to come in and fight you in his stead while he yuks it up, safe from harm. While I couldn't make those exact mechanics work the way I wanted to this time around, I did have fun coming up with an enemy that is almost the antithesis of the spirit of that encounter.

SERGEANT

Leading from the front

Introduction

  • It is a mistake to underestimate the amount of power a large enough group of ordinary people can muster, especially when they are well led. The Sergeant is a tough, martially trained individual that can bring out the strength of the masses.

  • Guard captains, veteran soldiers and even bandit bosses are good examples of Sergeants.

Menace Level

  • Boss

Rank

  • 2

Allegiance

  • No Allegiance

Home Region/Habitat

  • Sergeants are most often found in settlements and within large organizations.

Aptitudes (Trait: Commanding, Rough [+2 Aura, -1 Deftness])

Primary Aptitudes: Grit, Insight, Aura

Secondary Aptitudes: Might, Deftness

  • Might [7]

  • Deftness [6]

  • Grit [8]

  • Insight [8]

  • Aura [10]

Combat Values

  • Hearts [2]

  • Attack [+3] (Master Weapon)

  • Speed [Normal]

  • Defense Rating [13] (Light Armor, Standard Shield)  

Abilities

The Sergeant is wearing Light Armor and carrying a Master Weapon and Standard Shield.

 

Rally (Standard)

The Sergeant is able to bring out the best in those under their command, keeping them organized and dangerous.

  • The Sergeant is able to activate this ability by shouting out orders or otherwise motivating their subordinates with an Action.

    • The Sergeant’s subordinates gain a Minor (+2) Bonus to all Attack Rolls they make this Turn as long as they remain within 2 Battlefield areas of them. 

    • This also stacks with any Assault Assist bonuses gained in a Turn.

 

Strategic Strike (Standard)

Sergeants do not leave their subordinate’s to fight alone, often leaping into the fray themselves.

  • Sergeants gain a Minor (+2) Bonus to Attack Rolls made against a target that a subordinate under their command has attacked in the same Turn.

  • This also stacks with any Assault Assist bonuses gained in a Turn.

 

Look out sir! (Standard)

Beloved Sergeants are protected by those who follow them. Feared ones often just pull said subordinates into the crossfire.

  • A successful Attack or Ability directed towards a Sergeant can be deflected onto a subordinate within the same Area of them. The subordinate suffers the effect of whatever was intended for the Sergeant and cannot parry or otherwise avoid it with a shield, ability, or other means.

  • This Ability may be used once per Turn. 

 

Communication Methods

  • Sergeants speak and understand Low Speech and one additional language based on their home Region.

Tactics

  •  Sergeants tactics are mostly informed by how their subordinates are equipped and the enemy they are facing. If multiple strikes are needed, they will employ Rally, where as they lean into Strategic Strike when facing heavily armored or deadly foes. Subordinates will perform Assault Assists and Defense maneuvers as well, doing their best to lock down dangerous enemies. Sergeants leading subordinates with missile weapons will almost always try to assist the opening volley with Rally as well.


Yield

  • Sergeants will occasionally be wearing an Authoritative Outfit along with their normal equipment.

Miscellaneous

  • Indicators - The sound of a well drilled march, shouted orders, a large beast slain by many small wounds.

  • Roleplaying Notes - Sergeants are often blunt, practical individuals. They tend to hold a great deal of responsibility, have likely watched many under their command die and have very little patience for imperious or know-it-all adventurers.

  • Customization  - The Sergeant presented here is a Native Outer World Human, and could be made to be another Species by swapping out Look out sir for the appropriate species ability.

 

Variants and Related Entries

  • Just like you can make Sergeants for any of the playable Species, you can create Sergeants for monsters with a bit of Ability swapping.


Subordinates

Sergeants always come with a fair number of subordinates. They are leaders, after all! These subordinates are always mooks or other unranked creatures, but otherwise you are free to design them as you like. They might even have some unique abilities from this other Freebie.


You may also want to customize the Sergeant a bit to better fit with their unit.

Subordinate Examples

  • (1-5) Irregulars: 15 Basic folk (PG 322 of the BREAK!! rule book) armed with standard weapons. most likely an angry mob or hastily drafted soldiers

    • Sergeant’s leading this group might be a local figure of import or some kind of bully or manipulator. If they are the latter and facing off against scrupulous foes, they may also take advantage of their opponents hesitancy to hurt their likely misled or beguiled subordinates. 

  • (6-10) Bandits: 10 Mange Bandits (PG 400 of the BREAK!! rule book).

    • Sergeants leading these groups might have Look Out Sir replaced with Doggone Good Sense to show they are Mundymutts rather than Native humans. Alternatively, you can grant the bandits alternative species abilities to create a more general group of outlaws.

  • (11-15) Private Guard: 10 Custrels (PG 186 of the BREAK!! Rule book) wearing Light Armor and carrying Standard Shields and Master Weapons.

    • A Sergeant leading these groups is likely a rich or noble warrior of some sort, perhaps even riding a Rokko-Do or other mount. 

  • (16-20) Skelemen: 8 Skelemen (PG 404 of the BREAK!! Rule book).

    • Sergeants leading skelemen have the Living Dead Ability that Undead Peddlers (PG 419 of the BREAK!! rule book) instead of Look Out Sir. While not skelemen themselves, they are a sort of stubborn dead who retains the ability to bark orders at their bony subordinates.

Saturday, 28 June 2025

Four Famous Fishin' Holes in Outer World (Setting)

Last blog entry we talked about fishing - it seems appropriate to talk a bit about a few Fishing Sites for this one. Discussed here are some storied places to cast your rod in every corner of Outer World.

The Pearlescent Pond (Murk)
  • In one of the many hidden glades of Outer World's greatest forest there lies a shining lake, one with water as white as milk. It is overseen by a duchess in pale robes and her attendants. Fish swim in these waters just as one might expect of any pond, but they have less room than one might think for the duchess is cultivating something called a "moon" below its surface.
  • Anyone going to a fishing site in a forest of any kind has a 1 in 10 chance of coming across the Pearlescent Pond instead (a 1 or 20 on a die roll). While it is unlikely the Duchess in White will speak to them, occasionally she sends an attendant their way to let them know something personally important to them. They will find themselves back from whence they came upon leaving the pond.
Bluefoam Beach (Galvanus Archipelago) 
  • Famed for it's beautiful waters, killer waves, and bountiful fish, Bluefoam is considered the place for rest and relaxation by many Outer Worlders. Oddly enough, it owes its serene, pristine nature to an old curse whose origin is a mystery: any attempts to settle on or near the beach always results in a strange disaster destroying the property.
  • Characters who opt Socialize at Bluefoam Beach rather than fish gain the benefit of a Relaxing Recreational Attraction. 
The Deynali River (Blazing Garden)
  • One the largest rivers in Outer World, the Deynali runs through much of the Blazing Garden. Traveling along it allows you to get to either end of the Sol Alliance on top of providing ample opportunities for fishing. It remains a favorite pathway of merchants and other travelers making their way through the continent.
  • The Deynali is protected by an immense, ancient fish god named Belugosh. She can emerge anywhere along the river regardless of said size and is known to reward those who manage to catch a razormouth in her waters.
The Secret Sea (Lost Crystal) 
  • Hidden away in the Buried Kingdom, the Secret Sea is a quiet, meditative spot for the reclusive inhabitants of Lost Crystal, a place for them to come and whittle time away. While protective of the place, they never begrudge anyone who shows up just wanting to fish.
  • The wreckage of something lies in the center of the Secret Sea. The only thing most people know about it is that it's old, perhaps older than Outer World itself. The Unterkin of Lost Crystal refuse to talk about it as a rule. 
 

Friday, 13 June 2025

Adventure Hooks - Fishing activity for the BREAK!! Tabletop RPG (Freebie)

A lot of people joke that every RPG needs a fishing mini-game. While I think the jury is still out there on that one, I do think it makes a fun downtime activity for BREAK!! - below are some simple rules and a nice list of fish so you can incorporate this into your home games if you so desire.
 
(Special thanks to BREAK!! Discord user Talrey for suggesting a good name for this blog entry) 

Fishing

A pastime, a sport, a way of life - fishing is many different things to the people of the Outer World. Netting a legendary catch is a worthy achievement for any adventurer.

  • What you will need:

    • A Fishing Rod of some kind.

    • At least one unit of Bait.

    • A proper Fishing Site. These are bodies of water (or other liquid) that have fishable things living in it. Rivers,underground lakes, or even an odd artificial pond in an ancient ruin all could be Fishing sites. Fishing sites can be found near settlements, on the way to or within adventure sites, or even be mini-sites of their own.

    •  Time.

      • You may use a Downtime Action or Camping Activity to Fish. 

      • You may fish while exploring an Adventure Site (assuming you have all the tools) but only once per session. This counts as lingering in an area.

      • GM’s Note: These limits are practical ones, meant to stop play sessions from being dominated by multiple fishing attempts! They may be relaxed a bit if you desire.

  • Fishing Procedure

    • Fishing prompts a Deftness or Grit Check (whichever is higher)

    • On a success, roll a result on the Fishing Success Table for the region the Fishing Site is located in.

    • On a Failure, roll a result on the One that got Away table.


Types of Fish

(All fish, regardless of type, can be sold as Trade Goods for the region they were found in or hastily cooked into a Standard Ration unless noted otherwise)

  • Common

    • Common Fish are tasty but otherwise unremarkable. Anyone can prepare them as a Ration (assuming they have a cutting implement and some time).

  • Glopfish

    • Odd, wobbling creatures that produce a disturbingly edible slime. Anyone who can create basic Cooking crafts can extract 1 unit of Goody Goop from it.

    • Yield: Goody Goop (Solid Consumable Material): Items made from Goody Goop have a very distinct odor that is very hard to conceal.

  • Jellies 

    • Boneless and seemingly aimless, these stingy, technically living sacks are a delicacy and rather easy to preserve. Anyone can prepare them as a Treat with a dry place and exposure to sunlight or other source of warmth.

  • Broochfish

    • A strain of aquatic life characterized by their rigid bodies and distinctive shapes. These can be used as materials for Basic Artificing Crafts by anyone with the proper Ability and tools.

  • Gulper

    • Disturbingly stretchy fish that are able to suck in a great deal of water and grow in size. If cleaned out, these can be used as containers for up to 2 Units of a non-caustic liquid.

  • Spine Fish

    • These aggressive fish have long sharp bits about them. These may be plucked off and used as Thrown Missile Weapons. While not made of magical material, they may be imbued as such by someone with the appropriate Ability and tools. 

  • Tubbers

    • Immense fish whose girth is said to be due to their bodies being very mana-absorbent. If prepared as a rations this foodstuff may be imbued by someone with the appropriate Ability and tools, in spite of not technically being made of magical material.

  • Hoppers

    • Small, amphibious creatures that can survive in both land and water. These are easy to take care of and are popular pets among the Outer World’s youth as a result.

  • Cloakfish

    • Often mistaken for fluttering fabric floating around under water, cloakfish hide is a surprisingly durable material when worked into clothing. Those with the ability to harvest parts from creatures can extract 2 Units of Cloakfish hide from one that’s caught. 

    • Yield: Cloakfish Hide (Textile Material) - Outfits made of Cloakfish hide are always a bit slick and shiny. This is considered very fashionable in certain parts of the Outer World. 

  • Shieldies

    • Rare heavily shelled or armored aquatic life. These can be made into Small or Standard shields by anyone who can create basic Forging Crafts. While not technically magical material, they are able to be imbued as if they were.

  • Razormouths

    • These large fish are quite dangerous, most famous for their rows of very sharp teeth and great strength. Reeling one in requires a Might Check in addition to the normal Rolls for fishing.

      • Razormouths can be made into 6 units of Hardy Rations by anyone who can create basic Cooking crafts.

      • There are collectors who will buy them for a Gem if offered.

      • At the GM’s discretion, characters who catch a Razormouth may gain a related Reputation Purview in the locale they were fishing in as per the Change Your Reputation Downtime Action.


Successful Catch Table

The entries below represent the sort of fish that can be caught in each of the regions of the Outer World. Feel free to customize though! Each and every Fishing Site is unique, and could possibly have unique distribution and table entries. 

  • 1-5: Common Fish

    • Wistful Dark - Glumpy

    • Twilight Meridian - Sparklekoi

    • Blazing Garden - Goldscale

    • Buried Kingdom - Spacklefin

  • 6-7: Glopfish

    • Wistful Dark - Puddingplop

    • Twilight Meridian - Mochickeral

    • Blazing Garden - Sunspew Eel

    • Buried Kingdom - Googill

  • 8-9: Jellies

    • Wistful Dark - Inkgob

    • Twilight Meridian - Twinkling Jelly

    • Blazing Garden - Lumeorb

    • Buried Kingdom - Mudmass

  • 10-11: Broochfish

    • Wistful Dark - Amuloach

    • Twilight Meridian - Capfish

    • Blazing Garden - Swimming Disc

    • Buried Kingdom - Floundart

  • 11-12: Gulper

    • Wistful Dark - Mawfish

    • Twilight Meridian - Toothlapia

    • Blazing Garden - Brasscale

    • Buried Kingdom - Lantern-Mouth

  • 13-14:Spine Fish

    • Wistful Dark - Bone Bass

    • Twilight Meridian - Crowned Koi

    • Blazing Garden - Tuskfish

    • Buried Kingdom - Bugeye Splasher

  • 15-16: Tubbers

    • Wistful Dark - Gloom Eel

    • Twilight Meridian - Sage Fish

    • Blazing Garden - Chubbin

    • Buried Kingdom - Bouldergut

  • 17: Hoppers

    • Wistful Dark - Glum Croaker

    • Twilight Meridian - Jumping Koi

    • Blazing Garden - Snaptongue 

    • Buried Kingdom - Wartrock

  • 18: Cloakfish

    • Wistful Dark - Flowmantle

    • Twilight Meridian - Swimming Shawl

    • Blazing Garden - Hoodwinky

    • Buried Kingdom - Ragfish

  • 19: Shieldies

    • Wistful Dark - Crimsonhusker

    • Twilight Meridian - Buckler Bass

    • Blazing Garden - Rondelo Trout

    • Buried Kingdom - Helmollusk

  • 20: Razormouths

    • Wistful Dark - Red Eye

    • Twilight Meridian - Silver Grinner

    • Blazing Garden - Talontooth

    • Buried Kingdom - Tarscale


One that Got Away (Failure)

Player Note!: These results are left open-ended for a reason! You and the Game Master are free to make these as important (or unimportant) as you’d like. They could end up as anything from background noise to an adventure hook.

  • 1-5: Nothing was biting, alas. At least you had some time to relax.

  • 6-8: You got plenty of biting, but didn’t manage to actually reel one in. You could swear one fish was laughing at you. (Bait Lost)

  • 9-10: You actually fell asleep before properly starting - some strange music actually lulled you into slumber.

  • 11-12: While looking for a good place to sit you actually found a hole leading to something very interesting instead - though this made you too distracted to catch anything.

  • 13-14: Someone local was fishing today as well. You hit it off and chatted with them, forging a new Social Bond rather than attending to your fishing rod.

  • 15-16: You didn’t catch any fish, but you did find a bottle with a message in it... 

  • 17-18: You’re sure you would have caught a big one, if something hadn’t scared off all the fish...

  • 19: You hooked something, but it wasn’t a fish… (Bait Lost)

  • 20: You did catch something (roll on the appropriate table) but it turned out to be able to talk, and somehow convinced you to throw it back… (Bait Lost)

New Gear

Bait

Small insects and sliced morsels collected and preserved to be used to lure fish to bite a fisher's hook. These are often idly gathered by locals and sold to travelers and enthusiasts.

  • 1/10 Slot 
  • Cost: 1 Stone
  • GM Note!: Certain types of rations can be used as Bait, at your discretion.  

Fishing Rod (Common Rural Good)

This simple device is required for those who want to go fishing. There are numerous sorts all throughout the Outer World, though it’s said the finest ones are made in the Galvanus Archipelago.

  • Fishing Rod’s are Common Rural Goods, as described in the BREAK!! Core rulebook.