Armors

Weapon and Armour Layouts

Weapons and armor will be split into broad categories. Everything within a set category (e.g Light Armor or Quick Weapon) will have similar properties. This allows plenty of scope for players to invent their own armor/weapons. A few examples of each type will be given for flavour.

Here are the early concepts for armor and weapons. Should I have characters wearing the armour like the original design? I had removed the 'model' because I wanted you to imagine your character in them (and to be consistent with weapon presentation)... but possibly the page has lost a little fun. Characters also allow me to bring back some variety in the poses. However, I do like the catalog feels of the new presentation. What do you think?

A Combat Survival Guide for the Martially Unready

Wumble

Good Day to you, fellow adventurers! Wumble Eveready here, and I'd like to address a grisly issue that my partner Dara has brought to my attention.

Yeah, mainly the fact that a lot of you are dying before you make it halfway through your second adventure.

She speaks tersely but honestly, I'm afraid. And at the heart of the issue is the fact that many dungeoneers and explorers approach conflict from an entirely erroneous angle.

Dara

If you're not a solider, samurai, murder princess or some other kind of blood thirsty lunatic, don't engage the chomp beast directly, stupid!

Again, harsh but true. Fret not, however! Tender greenhorn you may be, we can still gird you with something much sturdier than any shield or breastplate!

Don't oversell things, Wumble.

Oh come now, these are good! I like to call them:

The Meddling Chib's Combat Survival Guide for the Martially Unready!

1) Always bring some candy!

• The best fights are the ones that never happen! Nothing calms down an angry adversary like some Chib Toffees. Also, they will be way less likely to eat you if their mouths are sticking together a bit.

2) Assists are your friend!

• So maybe your not the best shot. Maybe your sword arm is a bit noodly. You can still back up your more fight-inclined buddies with the Assault Assist action! Be careful with this one though, it does mean you might still be in stomping range.

3) A well stocked inventory is your arsenal!

• Just like a Warrior has to bring the right weapon to battle, you have to make sure you have the right stuff to make a difference. Flame Grenades for Ice Beasts, Star Gem light to ward of Spirits and maybe a bit of Shadow Stuff if you find yourself on the wrong side of a Deva. Oh, and you can never go wrong with some Healing Potions!

4) Pride is for the stabby!

• Look, Brave Dame Whats-Her-Name has plenty to prove, but you don't! Hide, play dirty, beg, do what you need to do to keep yourself around. If all else fails, run as fast as your feet allow. Just keep the last step in mind...

5) Don't leave anyone behind if you can help it!

• So this may sound like it counters the last one, but it doesn't, I swear. When all your clever plans fall apart or when all your cool stuff fails you, what's going to save your butt? Your buddies. You know who may need to take a hit to make sure they are around to do that? You guessed it. Suck it up, buttercup.

Before Wumble-Bumble takes all the credit, I have to say #2 and #4 are mine. But he's not as good a shot as I am so he needed to make up more~

AHEM. Anyway! These should keep you alive long enough to keep make it to Rank 2. If not - well, you won't be around to yell at me for it, now will you?

Equipment - Layout

Thoughts...

• Using a three column grid for equipment for a denser texture.
• Have experimented with a icon system for coins, stones, gems but felt messy (I still want to get this to work!).
• Inventory slot system needs definition.
• Rules/mechanics elsewhere in the rulebook are visually differentiated (in a grey box) but feels  like overkill here. Not happy with the inconsistency that creates. Might revisit.
• Item types to cater for: Unique items (Torch), Items with multiple options/levels but are mechanical identical (Tome), Categories s that suggest a list of examples but allows the GM to add items of a similar ilk (Adventuring Gear)

Had tried illustrating the object in isolation but felt this wasted a world building opportunity so opted to put the objects in context.

Character Sheet ++ update ++

Back page

First Page

Black & White

Champions - "HA-HA!"

So a couple of months ago Break!! had something of a massive paradigm shift - I abandoned the idea of isolated Spell Paths and decided that specialized Callings with unique Abilities were the way to go for this game. I liked it because it meant every character type was packed full of flavor as well as options. There was no generic "wizard" that got stronger every time I decided I wanted to make a new sort of magic.

Of course, this rippled into the non-magic using Callings I'd already written up. They had been designed to cover a wide spectrum: The Warrior could be a berserker or an archer, the Specialist a pick pocket or blacksmith. This is all well and good when all your character types are broad like that, but frankly it made them seem really boring in comparison with the new caster types.

So after much consideration - and a bit of grousing - we opted to split those two generalized Callings in half to make four distinct ones. Rather than base them entirely within the mechanics, I figured it'd be more fun to build them around themes and play style.

So no longer are there Warriors and Specialists. Now there are Champions, Raiders, Factotums and Sneaks. Today I am going to talk about that first one.

Champions are all about the application of power and force. They are extremely lateral - if given the options of "over" or "under" they will choose "through". At their best they are brave stalwarts who stay their hand until absolutely necessary, at worst they are sadistic bullies who revel in their might.

• Champions are the best fighters in Break!! - no one hits harder or better than they do.
• Armor is awesome. So is not having Armor, if you wanna give that a go.
• No weapons is beyond their ken! Buster Swords? No Sweat! Combo Weapons? Piece of Cake! Techno Relics? OK, they'll need a bit for that one.
• Besides being masters of combat, Champions make great leaders, orators, and...butchers?

A few inspirations for the Champion from the realm of fiction: Guts from Berserk, Red Sonja from Gail Simone's run on the comic, Corum from The Chronicles of Corum, Caim from Drakengard.

I leave you with this relevant clip from Yotube.

Character Sheet - 2nd pass

Wow! It's been nearly a year since I last looked at the BREAK!! character sheet. The system is still maturing but mechanics are stabilising so I thought I'd have another look at them.

Random thoughts on character sheets

• Is a brand opportunity. Does it represent the the game verbally and visually. Take design cues from rulebook (circles, icons, fonts)
• Complexity/Rigidity vs. Simplicity/Flexibility. Initial reaction is that clean sheet with white boxes where you can sy anything is the way to go BUT its not fun to fill in (uncertainty) and doesn't help you understand the mechanics. So...
• Should tightly match the mechanics. Leave no ambiguity in terms of where put data and have enough room a worst case scenarios (a fully encumbered Rank 10 Champion)
• Personalisation. I've (inconsistently) used first person on sheet. I can... My name is... (Is this annoying or engaging?) Does it help you understand. Abstracted simple labels don't inspire. 
• I also like piclists/tags for things like name, personality. They give ideas (not on this version!)
• Profile pics. Creative types happy to draw amazing bespoke characters sheets from scratch what about those that cant!? Faded (easily ignored) face template to trace over customise. Could provide a set for gender/species!
• Colour can add 'fun' also useful for information design. This design easily put in black and white!
• Need continuation sheet for adventure log, experience points, followers (coming soon)
• Ability sheets for callings - Writing down ability names and benefits is a drag and time consuming. Just tick a box on a separate sheet (if not certain the information that is written succinct so it is quick/fits). See below.
• Character Sheet PDF download to include creation funnel, filling in help and core stats. No use of rulebook minimised (Thanks Scrap Princess)
• I left a central margin as I was thinking about a multi-leaf folded character sheet. I kinda like that notion but may get dropped, is not that practical.
• Digital character creation is something I am keen to explore.  Your characters on your smart phone!
• A blank piece of paper is still a good option!

Aptitude experiments

• Give examples of checks related to this Aptitude to help player. (smash, crush, lift). 
• Rather than just have Trait (aptitude bonus) as +1 use words (feeble, strong). Your actually supposed to come up with your own (second option)
• Bar chart fun or a chore to fill in?

Calling ability sheet

• All the options are here. Just tick a box rather than jam the information into a tiny text area.
• Also Rey... I subbed this down hard to fit.

Anyway, more dev needed...

The Battlefield: Areas & Conditions (Layout ideas)

Layout talking about 2 key concepts of a 'Battlefield': Areas (physical spaces) and Conditions (environmental effects)

Note: Copy is early draft (and has already changed/improved)

Two human species.... Wha!?

The native humans of Outer World a tough and resilient bunch...


Where as humans from Other World...


All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Updated Calling table

Bit of a paradigm shift and update to the Callings. The basic idea is to tighten some broad fiction around various mechanical approaches to in-game solutions and responses to conflict.

That probably makes more sense in my head than on paper, but I really do think it's working better. What we have already done can be easily re-organized to fit these as well, so we aren't losing work.

Don't worry too much if something you liked from prior updates has vanished from the table. Most, if not all will get in the game in some capacity.For example, War-Mechanoids are now a Species instead of a Calling, and Rune Bladers should pop up again at a future date.

Oh, and here's a bit on "Types" before we get to the table.

Specialists - Callings that focus on constructive or circumventive skills.

Warriors - Callings that focus on martial ability and force.

Casters - Callings that focus an a broad form of Magic.

Gestalts - Callings that combine a specific sort of magic with martial ability or other skills.

Genus - Callings that represent both a specific species and suite of abilities.

Calling

d10 Result	Calling	Type	Description
1	Factotum	Specialist	Individuals who take mundane skills to an exceptional level (x.x).
2	Sneak	Specialist	Clever rogues who get by using stealth, acrobatics, and dirty tricks. (x.x)
3	Champion	Warrior	Valiant fighters who are at home in the thick of just about any conflict. (x.x)
4	Raider	Warrior	Warriors who find victory through speed and precision. (x.x)
5	Battle Princess	Gestalt	Wielders of Heart Magic and stalwart defenders of things they hold dear. (x.x)
6	Murder Princess	Gestalt	Avengers that use martial ability and Wrath Magic to destroy what they hate most. (x.x)
7	Sage	Caster	Learned researchers and practitioners of the magical art of Wizardry. (x.x)
8	Heretic	Caster	Acolytes of the Blasphemer’s Script, who call forth the forbidden and forsaken. (x.x)
9	Fairy	Genus*	Diminutive creatures born from magic, with abilities tied closely to harmony and fate. (x.x).
10	Immortal	Genus*	Earthbound godlings and other ageless humanoids with strange and terrible powers. (x.x).

Sage - Calling template

Each  calling (character class) page will start with a page that currently looks like this. The aim is to communicate  the essence of the calling as efficiently as possibly so gamers might quickly decide what to play.

The ensemble image expresses the breadth of character possibilities visually, followed by some short flavour text builds on this message and elaborates further.

Next comes a bulleted overview that succinctly lists: the callings strength, progression path, base aptitudes and combat gear allowance. Finally a description of the type gamer that might enjoy playing the calling.

What information do you want to know before choosing a character class for a new RPG? How do you decide?

Home regions

Wistful dark
The land cloaked in shadow. Danger and beauty lie here in equal measure, from the radiant Kingdom of Shard to the blighted tundra of the Mana Wastes.

Blazing Garden
A world under the eye of Sol. A lush land filled with sprawling cities, grand ruins and deadly beasts.

Twilight Meridian
Seafaring is an inescapable part of life in this land half consumed by a tumultuous sea. It’s also a place of prosperous trade and rich, varied culture.


To come... Buried Kingdom

Techorelics - Antagonists

The Technocracy of Gley created a menagerie of mechanical monsters. The once magnificent automatons wonder Outer World on redundant patrols or patiently sit as sentinels amongst the ruins of the ancient civilisation.

Humans - Three Great Empires

The 1st age belonged to the unshaped, the 2nd age to the Gods, and the 3rd to Humanity.

Three great Empires rose to prominence during this Aeon - while other nations came and went, it was these three that left the greatest mark, and it was with their destruction that the reign of humanity came to a close.

Akenia

Often thought of as a sundered country of deceit and betrayal, Akenia was a terribly dangerous place filled with crazy zealots, dreadful monsters and a number of sublime places quite capable of killing you. However, none can deny the nations glittering achievements in architecture, the arts and pioneering advances in magitek.

Calian
The Dark Empire came to prominence primarily due to the use of strange magic, summoning and bio-sorcerous creations and grafts. Their empire is responsible for many of the strange and terrible creatures of the modern world. Also of note was that their ruling class were nearly always hommuculi, created by Dark Priests to be optimal rulers.

The Technocracy of Gley
Unlike its contemporaries, the people of Gley developed a contempt for magic based on philosophical views. Instead, they employed a form of pure technology that rivaled Akenian Magitech in potency.

(Just working out a 'styles' so I can be consistent when our adventurers discover a technorelic or a magitech artifact from one of these defunct societies)

REY - I cludged a few of your g+ comments and old posts for this. Happy to revise :-)

Visual notes

Antagonist Gallery, Part 1

Skelemen

Skeleman, Skelemaster, Skelemonarch

Bones of those whose ambitions were greater than their ability, the Skelemen still attempt the same schemes they did when alive. While somewhat hindered in such tasks by being dead and all, these spirited creatures still communicate with exaggerated gestures and writing.

They will occasionally attempt to tear the eyes and tongues from those they kill - it is said that grafting these things to their skulls grants them strange powers. Even more terrifying are those few that capture a living soul to empower themselves with unholy magic.

Mucks

Mini-muck, Muck, Multi-muck

The primordial servants of the Unshaped are noxious, intelligent oozes. While loath to take a single form for long, each one has a strange face and frozen expression that tends to carry to whatever shape they take. These creatures are dull but truly sadistic, often employing slow and theatrical methods of slaying enemies.

Mucks are capable of fusing together to create a much stronger creature. Quarrelsome by nature, they do not often willingly combine with one another. More likely is that one of their number was willful enough to bully the others into the act.

Krieger Hund

Mange Pup, Mange Marauder

While these fierce canine humanoids come in many shapes and sizes, many adventurers will meet the Mange first. They are the outcasts of Hund society and often turn to banditry to make a living. While not entirely unsympathetic, they are more than capable of causing much more trouble than you'd expect.

An ancient prophecy popular among the Krieger Hunds makes mention of an insidious race of bipedal felines coming from the sky and bringing doom to the world. As a result, they have a near universal dislike of the Rai-Neko.

Warrior abilities, first six (now eighteen!) illustrations

Here we have: Whirlwind strike, Galvanizer, Indomitable, Faith in wind, Favored weapon, Left hand of life (right hand of death), Brute, Executioner, Radiant champion, Berserker, Untouchable sprinter, Void master, Giant killer, Roar of the spirit, Sentinel, Iron fist, Desperado, Uncanny strategist.

A little sad, always brave; themes in Break!!

The rules of Break!! are intended to be helpful and encouraging. The easily shouted title is a deliberate choice - my hope is that everything about the game encourages creativity, action and energy. Even failure should be an invitation to try something new, especially if it is because said failure has radically altered the situation somehow.

This doesn't mean things always work or are always easy - the world of Break!! is as dangerous for the characters as they are to it. The setting is diverse and contrasting; while the Wistful Dark is gloomy and foreboding and the Blazing Garden is full of wonder and oddities, both are home to a villainous Status quo. The Outer World has seen several "Golden Ages" rot away or end with abrupt violence and those that have risen to power in the current age range from malevolent to troubled. The dark twists and corrupts those trapped within it, the Bright turns a blind eye to those that suffer under it's gaze.

While some of the occasionally adorable or amusing inhabitants of the world even a lot of it out, it still ends up being a little sad.

But that too is intentional - the point is that it's not meant to stay that way. The world is filled with danger because it's assumed that adventurers will brave it. It is a dark place, but not a hopeless one. There is beauty to be unearthed and hope to be spread. Even the most mercenary parties may dredge up something wonderful, or oust some terrible threat to the people so they can loot its ill-gotten horde.

The game is likely best summed up by several sketches of Mariah the Battle Princess, defiantly staring at some unseen evil with tears in her eyes. Sorrow is understandable, valor is a must.

   

Quirk List(s) Revised

Since Grey is posting those awesome quirk pics, I figure it may do some good to actually post the list here. They have changed a bit from the last go around.

Mainly, these are separated into various categories and those categories are only available to certain species. Everything here is still be tested so, final product may vary, and all that.

Physiology

You look different...

Applicable Species

Bruun, Chib, Dwarves, Elves, Goblins, Humans, Obake, Prometheans, Tenebrate

d10 Roll	Quirk Description
1	Girthsome You’re a robust specimen; muscular, fat, or bulky in some other way. An ample body ensures that you can take a bit more punishment, but it can make it difficult to move around. You have one more Heart than a normal character of your rank, and gain a +1 to your Grit Aptitude. Your Speed score moves down a category (usually normal to slow)
2	Nearsighted Years of staring at open tomes with little light has strained your eyes, meaning you need glasses to see. You begin play with a pair of spectacles and benefits of being well read. Your years of reading have paid off - you are granted an additional starting language of your choice and a +1 to your Insight Aptitude. Without your glasses you suffer a Snag on all rolls while doing something dependent on your sight
3	Adorable You are childlike, appealing, precocious or any combination of the above. This makes you disarming and easy to agree with, but also considerably less threatening. You gain an Edge to Aura rolls when attempting to charm someone or convince them of your relative harmlessness You incur a Snag to Aura rolls when attempting to intimidate or impress others
4	Dark Demeanor You carry yourself in a way that suggests misanthropy or evil, even if you don’t exhibit such traits. You may dress in a lot of black or have shifty eyes. Other individuals will likely assume you are the wicked sort at first glance. Similarly inclined creatures will treat you as a potential ally. Naturally, those inclined towards law, order and peace will distrust you, and may quickly blame you for misfortune or disaster. Both these impressions will stick unless proven otherwise.
5	Angelic Countenance A guileless smile and soothing voice makes you appear innocent and saintly, regardless of whether this is true or not. Benevolent individuals will likely assume you are good and kind at first glance. They will pass you over for blame and generally trust any assertions you make that are not completely ludicrous. Criminals and other villains will assume you’re out to get them, and may decide to get rid of you before you can. Both of these assumptions remain unless you are witnessed acting in a manner counter to them.
6	Big Eater A lifetime of gourmandism (or gluttony, if one is feeling rude) has increased your appetite exponentially and your love of eating can invigorate you. Taking an action to inhale a days worth of rations in combat will restore one lost heart You must eat twice as many rations in a day while travelling between overland locations.
7	Waifish You're lean, scrawny, or otherwise lacking in substance. This has made you light on your feet but disturbingly easy to break. Your speed moves up a step. (Usually Normal to Fast) You have one less heart then a normal character of your rank
8	Grasping Tresses Your hair is extremely long (often down to your feet!) and often writhing like a living creature. It can collect, reach, grab and even strike at things, but it often has a mind of it’s own. Your hair may act as an additional set of arms to grab, manipulate and attack. These actions are mechanically identical to ones you would make with your limbs. While this does not grant you additional actions in a combat round, it does allow for certain things that would normally be impossible (climbing a ladder with your hair while striking with a hand held weapon, for example.) Your locks have a tendency to move about inconveniently and trip you up. You have a Snag on any Deftness or Might rolls involving extensive or careful use of your legs.
9	Commanding There is something about you that draws people to you; it may be physical beauty, a powerful voice or an honest face. You receive an Edge when attempting to recruit an adversary or NPC. You may also have two dedicated followers as opposed to just one. You occasionally will receive attention and loyalty you were not seeking out - if you spend a week or more in a populated area you’ve never been in before, you must roll a d6. On a roll of 1, a humorously undesirable and inept NPC pledges their undying devotion to you. This person does not count against the total amount of followers you can have at any one time, though they will jealously try to prevent you from recruiting anyone else.
10	Lanky You are tall and long limbed, possibly very thin as well. Any melee weapon that is standard sized or larger gains the properties of a Reach weapon when wielded by you. This is in addition to any other bonuses from it’s existing type. This ability does not stack with Tangle or Reach weapons Your lengthy frame makes you easier to hit, giving you a -1 penalty to your Defense
11	Winged You have large, feathered wings that are either white or black. While you cannot soar, they still allow you to reach heights others can only dream of. People bearing such wings are often rumored to be descended from Asura or Deva and their treatment varies widely from place to place. You are capable of a form of Supernatural Leaping and may avoid falling damage on a successful Deftness Check. Both are accomplished via gliding and furious beating of your wings, so if these are damaged or restrained, you won’t be able to use either ability. Your body is lighter and frailer to accommodate your wings. You have one less Heart than other members of your Rank and Calling, as well as a permanent -1 to your Grit Aptitude.You cannot take advantage of your wings if you are overburdened or wearing Heavy or Super Heavy armor.
12	Magitech Graft While Magitech prosthetics were quite common in the Third Aeon, they are rare indeed in the current age. Sometime in your life you managed to acquire one - needless to say, you stand out a bit. Roll a d6 - you gain all the benefits and drawbacks of the below Robotic Quirk: 1-2 - Utility Servo (Replaces Left or Right Arm) 3-4 - Sproing Sprockets (Replaces Legs) 5-6 - NOX-Vision (Replaces Eyes) Any Injuries to the above will not heal naturally and require repair, just like damage done to Mechanoid characters.

Spirit

Something in your mind, or perhaps your heart.

Applicable Species

Biomechanoid, Bruun, Chib, Dwarves, Elves, Goblins, Humans, Obake, Prometheans, Tenebrate, Immortal

d12 Roll	Quirk Description
1	Unhinged Something about you has made it easier for you to do grievous harm when you fight. A traumatic past, psychotic nihilism or a simple desire to inflict pain could be the culprits. You gain a +2 to your Attack score Your lack of caution incurs a -1 penalty to your Defense Rating.
2	Jumpy Jittery, skittish, paranoid - whatever the cause, you’re always on the lookout for some hidden danger or threat. This means you often spot potential enemies without fail. It also means you let everyone in the area know that you have, suddenly and very loudly. Your party is only ever surprised on a roll of 1 Your party only ever surprises enemies if they roll a 1
3	Pedantic You are well read and you make sure everyone knows it. Your extensive knowledge and attention to detail comes in handy, but it also means you are dull, or worse, a know it all. You have an Edge while making Insight rolls You incur a Snag when making Aura rolls while trying to charm or please someone
4	Clear Intent Your messages are made obvious by tone and body language even if you’re attempting subterfuge. You can communicate simple (one sentence or so) ideas and commands to anyone you address, even if they do not speak any languages you do. You have a Snag when attempting to lie or deceive, as your expressions and gestures tend to give you away
5	Boring You simply aren’t interesting in the slightest. You are difficult to notice, easy to forget and altogether unremarkable. People are unlikely to recall if you were in a particular situation (needing to make an insight roll to do so) unless you were the only one else there However, someone may attribute your actions to another person who was there, including the positive or heroic deeds you accomplished.
6	Curious The world is a dangerous but amazing place and you want to see it all. Unless restrained or adequately scolded, you will haphazardly poke around any place you can. Whenever entering a new room or small area, roll a d6. On a roll of 2 or less, you discover something hidden in the room, such as a secret door or treasure that has been cleverly tucked away If you roll a 6 while making this check, you have stumbled into something deadly like a monster or trap. Neither of these will happen if such things are not present, but at least you’ll know they aren’t there afterwards.
7	Always Prepared You have various bits and bobs on your person and manage to keep track of all of them. You’re either a magpie or a macgyver, and while everyone is pleased when you have just the right tool on hand, no one is happy when you trip. Once a session you may name a single item worth less than 45 Coins and no more cumbersome than a standard weapon. You have that item on your person at that exact moment. Whenever you roll a natural 20 on a Deftness check, random assorted junk spills everywhere and probably complicates the situation. The GM is encouraged to be cruel here.
8	Stylish Your sense of style and inborn panache means you always can find the cutting edge of fashion - or make it yourself, when required. You have an Edge on Aura rolls where your physical appearance is a factor. You must spend at least 50% more on any clothing, armor or other accessories you buy to keep this bonus. If you decide to wear something you’ve found, you’ll need to spend a similar amount of money on getting it adorned, gilded, or modified to suit your personal aesthetic.
9	Morose You are in a bad mood all the time. Your gloomy disposition will not relent for anything, may it be mirth, romance or extreme peril. You are immune to any attempt (magic or otherwise) to alter your emotional state, including effects that induce fear or despair You have a snag on any Aura checks that require you to be friendly or uplifting
10	Miser The draw of material wealth is almost overwhelming for you. Precious metals of gems, works of art and even fine clothes; all things to claim, treasure, and most of all, hoard. You are supernaturally aware of any collections of wealth within a 300 ft of your person, as well the relative direction you'd need to move in do get to it. This could be a stockpile of gold, an art gallery, a walk-in closet filled with fine clothes - anything really, as long as it's net value is 500 coins or more. When faced with the knowledge of such a collection, you must make successful a Aura check to resist the overwhelming urge to find and take something from it.
11	Born Crafter You casually demonstrate proficiency in craftsmanship that would take most others decades to achieve. Your dedication has made you oblivious or disinterested in other pursuits, however. You begin play with one of the crafting abilities from the Specialist's standard electives list. You may take the "Master Craftsman" elective at Rank 6 or afterwards as an Advanced ability even if you are not a Specialist. You suffer a -2 to any Insight Checks or Contests that do not involve this craft.
12	Soul Link You are able to keep the heart and mind of another connected with yours. While mostly a boon, it’s also a means of keeping your supernatural empathy in check. You may choose a single, willing person to link with. While you must be close enough to touch them while establishing the link, you are able to share thoughts and feelings with them no matter how much distance comes between you. You may change who you are linked to at any time, but you must end the existing connection to do so. When not linked to another, all rolls you make are at a minor (-2) penalty. This is because you are distracted by the constant and unfiltered flow of other’s thoughts into your own mind.

Fate

It’s written in the stars…

Applicable Species

Bruun, Chib, Humans, Prometheans, Tenebrate

1d12 Roll	Quirk Description
1	Survivor You’ve been through a lot and it’s made you tough. Your healthy constitution borders on inhuman, but it’s made you a bit less cautious than you should be. You heal two injuries instead of one for each session of downtime spent resting. You're a bit oblivious though, incurring snag on all Deftness rolls related to avoiding injury.
2	Mage Breaker Your soul seems to lash out and fight against the strange or supernatural, whether you want it to or not. Any magical effect that targets you (including via an area effect) has a chance of being nullified. You must make an Aura Contest against the source of the magic (The spell caster or item responsible, usually) with success on your part meaning the effect is completely nullified. Persistent effects or Artifacts may resume once you leave their area of effect, though this is subject to GM discretion. You must apply the above ability to all magic effects, including those intended to help you. You may even “turn off” a magical artifact you are attempting to use! Any runes, spells or other magical effect that originates from this character is immune to this particular quirk.
3	Arcane Mark There is something inherently magical about you. You have a single opaque eye, an odd sigil on your hand that glows or some other clearly supernatural trait. You may wield any Artifact you may come across, even if you do not meet it’s normal requisites for use You are more susceptible to Artifact compulsion, incurring a Snag to any rolls made to resist them.
4	Ghost Marked Your skin is greyish and cold, you’re eyes a bright sanguine. The living are wary of you, the walking dead find you abhorrent. The undead find your presence intolerable and will refuse to touch you, though they may find some other means to harm you. You appearance is off putting to normal folk, who will avoid talking to you if they can
5	Young You are significantly younger than the average adventurer, likely barely in your teens. You've not quite hit your growth spurt yet, but don't let that stop you! Characters with no size related Attribute become Small. Characters who are Large lose that Attribute and become standard sized. Characters who belong to a Small species gain the Adorable Quirk  instead. If enough time passes in game for your character to reach adulthood, you may remove this Quirk as you physically mature.
6	Destined You are watched and perhaps favored by various cosmic forces, for better or worse. You may grant yourself an Edge for any roll once per session The GM may give you a Snag for any roll once per session, though this cannot be used to counter the previous ability
7	Past Injury A traumatic incident has left you with a nagging injury or painful scar. This could be be anything from a gash on your chest to something as severe as a missing eye or finger. Your caution grants you a +1 to your Defense Rating. This benefit is lost if you aren’t aware of an attack An Aptitude of your choice is reduced by 2. This should be related to your injury in some way.
8	Weary You are much older than your peers or simply worn down thanks to years of struggle or hardship. While no longer in your physical prime, the usefulness of your experience is obvious. You may choose one of the two following benefits: Scars of the Soul - +1 to your Attack bonus as well as a Quality, non-combination weapon that you’ve had for many years Forgotten more than others remember - You may roll twice on the origin table, gaining both the purviews and assets from both results Regardless of which one of the above that was selected, You also incur a -1 penalty to both your Might and Grit Aptitudes
9	Dread Orator You were born with an unsettling physical trait (entirely hairless, odd colored eyes, strangely long fingers, etc) and the ability to question the recently dead. If you place your hand on a corpse that’s a day old or less, you may ask the soul two questions and it must answer them truthfully. You may use this ability once a day. After utilizing the above, you must make an Aura check. Failure means that the spirit of the corpse remains with you for a week and a day, making sleep difficult as it attempts to speak with you in your dreams. You are always fatigued during this time, but the ghost may tell you something interesting or important
10	Beast Tongue You’ve been able to speak with animals since you were small. Though they tend to be a bit simple minded, they provide an undeniably useful perspective to certain areas. You may choose one of the following Animal Kingdoms to communicate with; Avian, Land Mammal, Reptile, Insect or Sea Creature. You are able to understand them as if they were speaking your native language (and vice versa) Undue cruelty to a natural creature or eating meat of any kind will cause you to lose this ability. It can only be regained by completing a task designated to you by the ruler of the offended Animal’s Kingdom
11	Guardian You are especially protective of a particular person. You may have grown up together or were told by some authority to guard them with your life. Regardless of cause, your devotion to them is unbreakable. You or the GM must choose another Player’s Character - this is your ward. You are supernaturally connected to them and our always aware when they are in trouble and what direction you need to head in to find them, regardless of how far away they are. You are incapable of abandoning this character while they are alive. If they are in desperate danger you must seek them out and protect them at the expense of everything (and everyone) else. If this character dies while you still live, this Quirk is replaced by the Morose Spirit Quirk.
12	Crowned As a child you assisted a kindly Elf or Fairy, who bestowed upon you a grand title. While this prestige is entirely unrecognized among conventional nobility and may even invite ridicule, Immortals shall treat you kindly. Ranks include but are not limited to: The Queen of Unfinished Songs,The Prince of all Grass, Our Lady of Chocolate and The Earl of Lost Buttons. Your grandiose (if insignificant) status is recognized by Immortals (Asura, Devas, Unshaped, Elves and the like) who will treat you with due respect. This usually involves little more than polite hospitality and invitations to any functions they may host, but may extend beyond this in certain situations. Mortals aware of your “noble” status find it hard to take you too seriously, and you incur a Snag when rolling for any Aura Checks or Contests that involve impressing, intimidating or persuading someone who knows.

Oddities

An echo from the world that was.

Applicable Species

Dwarves, Elves, Goblins, Obake, Fairies

d12 Roll	Quirk Description
1	Dreamer Your mind is often in places that do not properly exist, thinking of things that could be instead of what is there. It’s possible you remember the 1st Aeon, where possibility was free - or perhaps that distant era echoes somehow within you. Once a session, you may have something very unlikely happen to assist in your adventure. This usually takes the form of a hidden object or strange contrivance that works in your favor. There happens to be a lovely silk rope stashed behind a captured princesses pillow, or the guard of your dungeon cell adores the strawberry tarts you happen to have an abundance of. If the above ability is used in a session, it means your imagination is running wild which may work against you as well. The GM may add a single monstrous feature, ability or other factor to an antagonist you face before the end of the current game.
2	Lyrical You have a bit of a verbal tick, speaking in rhymes or verse when there is no reason. This odd way of talking can grant your efforts an advantageous rhythm, but it is hard to stop once you’ve begun. If you can word a Stunt, Attack, or other action in rhyme, you gain an Edge for that roll. You cannot repeat a rhyme within the same session and you must come up with one in a reasonable amount of time. If you cannot word your actions in rhyme, you instead incur a Snag on the roll. You may opt to have an “Off-day” at the beginning of a session. Doing so means you do not apply the benefits or penalties of this Quirk.
3	Harmonious You know a bit of a The Song, the entirety of which no one can quite remember. You likely hum it absentmindedly, or drum its rhythm with your fingers. This knowledge aligns you just a bit closer with the framework of creation, an awareness that is both beneficial and costly. Familiarity with the the Song has given you an enhanced awareness of the world, granting you an Edge on Insight rolls related to perception. You are unfortunately susceptible to noise, incurring a Snag when making Checks to resist sound based spells, abilities and attacks.
4	Infested Crawling within you is a colony of...something. Creeping insects that gnaw at your bones, bits of a slain Asura too broken to regain its sentience, or something worse. The creatures have a vested interest in your continued survival and take strange methods to ensure it. Your "friends" do their best to stitch you up and keep you fully operational. You may regrow damaged or destroyed limbs, eyes, or other lost parts when healing injuries. The replaced part has a strange, alien appearance akin to the infestation for about a week, after which it grows skin that is identical to the your normal pigment. You must consume twice as much food as normal, to satisfy your own hunger and that of the swarm's. When starving, the creatures are slightly visible underneath your skin, which may cause others to become alarmed.
5	Peculiar Taste You sustain yourself on something odd, rather than normal food. This can be a great boon, but being deprived of this substance can starve and kill you all the same. Choose your alternate source of nourishment. This could be an objects (coins, buttons, broken bits of glass) or something organic but not normally eaten (bones or teeth.) The amount you need to eat in a day to sustain yourself varies, but should usually be comparable in cost to a days worth of rations. As mentioned before, you starve just as normal if deprived of the above substance. You are unable to stomach normal food and rations, but can drink alcohol and potions with no effect beyond the normal.
6	Kin To Fire The spirits within flames speak to you in whispers that no one else can hear. You can communicate with them as well, though other spirits grow jealous and spiteful. You may converse with any currently burning flames, and they will eagerly answer. Fires are not very smart, but they are observant. Their favorite subject is what they burned recently. You may prompt them to do simple favors (Such as dimming a little bit, or throwing a spark towards something nearby) with a successful Aura Check, provided the requested action would not put its continued existence in danger   Water is less fond of you. You lose an extra Heart during any turn you are drowning and incur a Snag on all rolls while attempting to swim or sail.
7	Fairy Cap You have a wonderful little hat. No matter how small or oddly shaped, it never quite falls off your head unless forcibly taken off by you or another. It is strangely impervious to harm, though it does mysteriously vanish Wearing this hat grants you access to the Flare effect of a magical spell of the first circle. If this hat ever leaves your possession, you become weakened and afraid. You lose an extra Heart any time you take damage from an attack or other effect.
8	Sneezles The presence of a particular substance or creature never fails in causing you to have a violent but thankfully brief sneezing fit. Who knows why, you clearly aren’t conventionally allergic. This can be a warning device of sorts, but can be dangerously loud. What causes your sneezing fits should be something rare or at least uncommon to your home area. This is usually a sort of creature or substance (undead, precious gemstones, asura) but the specifics are up to you and the GM. If you are ever within a hundred and fifty feet of the chosen allergen, you sneeze loudly a few times and abruptly stop. The sneezing fits described above are rather alarming and anyone within earshot that can hear is alerted to your presence.
9	Masked Your physical appearance is extremely malleable, and always has been. If you have a "true" face, you have long forgotten it. You may alter your physical features at will. This includes your hair's length and color, biological sex, skin pigmentation, and general build. You cannot give yourself advantages and features you did not have before, must maintain something close to your standard height and weight, and cannot mimic another creature exactly, but are otherwise free to change what you like. Your malleable form is vulnerable to forced change. You incur a Snag whenever making a Check or Contest to resist an effect that alters your body, such as a curse that turns you to stone or shrinks you to a diminutive state.
10	Ferrous Your skin is strangely thick and strong, potentially made of stone or even iron. This protects your body from harm, but has hardened your heart as well. Your unarmored Defense Rating is 14. While you do not benefit from any armor lighter than Heavy, you may still increase your rating via shields and speed bonuses. You are a bit heavy as a result and incur a Snag when attempting to swim or do anything else where significant heft could hinder you. You also have issues with empathy and compassion, suffering a minor (-2) penalty on Aura rolls intended to charm, persuade or convince someone else.
11	Hollow You don’t seem quite real - your blood is thick and cold, you do not breathe or eat. If one were to open you up, they’d find what seemed like an intricate model of another being’s innards. You do not need to eat or breathe at all. Poison gasses and other inhalants have no effect. If you lose a limb from Injury, it may be re-attached by someone able to heal injuries. If slain, your fallen body does not rot away. While you regain hearts like a normal character would, never heal injuries naturally. Abilities, magic and other effects that remove injuries function on you normally, however.
12	Figment Follower You are never without friends - mainly because one you've dreamed up has become something more or less real. This creature never really leaves you - even if it is slain or destroyed it eventually reappears, eager for adventure. You have a Pet type animal companion that is strangely colored and can speak a language of your choice. Beyond these factors, it is a normal creature of it's type selected from the equipment list. The creature only exists as long as you are there to think of it, vanishing when you sleep, lose consciousness or expire. Whenever you awaken (from sleep or otherwise) you must roll a d6. On a result of 5+, the creature does not manifest that day. Any other roll means it is waiting for you, perfectly healthy, even if it was injured or killed on the previous day.

Robotics

Gadgets and gizmos, but do you dream?

Applicable Species

Biomechanoid, Warmechanoid

d10 Roll	Quirk Description
1	Utility Servo Your left arm is equipped  with an array of advanced tools that you have been programmed to use. Your aforementioned left arm functions as either a Gadgeteer’s Toolkit or Physician's Toolkit. These function as long as your arm remains intact and does not require replenishing like a standard Kit. You are able to make use these even you do not have the Abilities normally required to do so. The equipped arm is clumsy and isn't much good for delicate tasks. You incur a Snag on all Deftness rolls involving fine motor skills unless they can be done exclusively with you non-equipped arm.
2	Translator Module Specialized audio receptors and other forgotten technologies assist you in understanding nearly anything that is spoken to you. However, your speech often lacks nuance and proper syntax and actual conversation with you can be very awkward. You are able to understand anything that is spoken to you, assuming it is in a structured language. This even includes the languages of beasts and ones whose origins are from beyond the Outer World. Speaking to others can be a bit of a task for you, and you incur a Snag on all Aura rolls that involve actually speaking with anyone else.
3	Battle Scanner Your right eye is an extremely precise threat analyzer. Even a short glance can net a useful readout of a potential opponent. Your artificial mind is so skewed towards combat that processing other things can be difficult, however. If you spend a combat action or more observing another creature, you may make an Insight Check. Success indicates that you have learned two of the following facts: The subject's Attack Bonus, Defense or Speed Rating, spell casting capabilities, Heart Total, any special  weaknesses they may have. You incur a Snag on all Insight Checks that are unrelated to combat or similar peril.
4	Mascot Chassis Your body is compact and aesthetically appealing. You were likely created for commercial or personal reasons rather than practical ones, even if you otherwise function more or less normally. You gain the Small size Attribute and the effects of the Adorable Quirk.
5	Sproing Sprockets Your legs are built a bit thicker than normal, with solid, rounded feet that almost look like clunky boots. You are able to make incredible leaps and jump, all with a distinctive springy sound. You are capable of Supernatural Leaping. You incur a Snag while attempting to move quietly thanks to a similar springy noise that accompanies your steps.
6	Nanotech Maintenance Unlike other Mechanoids, your body contains a unit of tiny mechanical cells that repair and maintain you. Thier complex procedures leave little room for outside interference, however. You “heal” mechanical damage sustained in the same manner and rate that normal characters recover from injuries. You cannot benefit from being repaired, with the exception of (re)attaching lost limbs and extremities.
7	Industrial Framework Your robotic skeleton is made of extremely strong reinforced metal, increasing your durability and strength without altering your exterior. You are a bit slow and heavy as a result, though. You gain a +1 bonus to your Heart Total and Might Aptitude. Your Speed Rating reduces by a single step. You are also extremely heavy, which can be a benefit or disadvantage depending on the situation.
8	Buster Arm Your right or left arm (player’s choice) is equipped with a powerful energy weapon, powered by your own source of energy. The fact that this adjustment can appear on even benign Mechanoids demonstrates how desperate times could (and still can) be. Your chosen arm comes equipped with an obvious but unobtrusive energy weapon attached. It does Bright damage when fired, and is otherwise identical to a Mechanical Missile weapon. This powerful weapon may be fired once a combat without penalty. It may be fired again during the same combat, but doing so does a single Heart of damage to you. You cannot fire this weapon if you have no Hearts remaining.
9	Wheelies Small, retractable wheels are attached to your feet. While they seem frivolous, they can add a great deal of speed to your movement when circumstances allow. When moving on (relatively) smooth ground, you have an Edge on all rolls depending on speed, and may move an extra area when maneuvering in combat. You incur a Snag on all Deftness rolls requiring footwork in rougher terrain, as your wheels have the tendency to deploy even when unwanted.
10	Old World Data Your synthetic mind contains a vast amount of information on the Aeons before the one you currently inhabit. Unfortunately, these memories are so extensive that they leave little room for much else! You have an Edge on all Insight Checks relating to the knowledge or identification of anything related to previous Aeons. You have difficulty recalling and absorbing information from the present. You incur a Snag on all Insight rolls related to recent history or geography.
11	NOX-Vision Your ocular sensors come equipped with a separate function that allows you to see in partial or total darkness, at the expense of your normal sight. It takes what can be an awkward amount of time to switch the lenses though. You may take a combat action or similar amount of time to switch from normal to Nox-Mode. This allows you to see in complete darkness, though fine details are often hard to make out. While in Nox-Mode, you are entirely blind in places with light sufficient for normal characters to see. It still takes a combat action (or similar amount of time) to switch back to normal mode.
12	Storage Space Due to efficient design and desire for utility, you have an easily accessible chest compartment! Being somewhat hollow has made you a bit easier to knock around, though. Your chest can open up and close tightly with little outside effort, functioning mechanically as a Traveler's Bag. You have one less Heart than is normal for a member of your Rank and Calling, mostly thanks to your partially hollowed torso.