• INTRODUCTION
  • What Is Roleplaying?
  • What Is the Märchen Engine?
  • Iconography
  • The Core Task Resolution System
  • Referee
  • Characters
    • Player Characters
      • Associates, PCs, Heroes
    • The Company
      • First Meeting
      • Relationships
      • Rating
      • Patron
    • Other Characters
      • Companion
      • Allies
      • Contacts
      • Rivals
      • Enemies
      • Hirelings
        • Mercenaries
        • Retainers
        • Specialists
  • Creating Characters
    • Aspects
      • Example
    • Characteristics
      • Example
    • Knowledge Areas -
      • Table: Skill and Specialization Level
      • Skilled
        • Example
      • Competency
        • Example
    • Careers
  • Game Play
    • Game Play Processes
      • The Basic Game Play Process
      • Other Game Play Processes
    • Game Play Mechanics
      • Die Rolls
        • Difficulty and Effect
          • Table: Task Difficulties
          • Table: Degrees of Effect
          • Degrees of Effect Defined
      • Types of Checks
        • Passive Checks
        • Active Checks
          • Aspect Checks
          • Characteristics Checks
          • Skill Checks
          • Competency Checks
          • Untrained and Zero-Level Skills
          • Multiple Actions
          • Local Law Level
          • Attack Rolls
          • Opposed Checks
      • Other Rules about Checks
        • Trying Again
        • Circumstance Modifiers
        • Time and Checks
          • Table: Time Frames
        • Aiding Another
        • Task Chaining
        • Group Checks
        • Advantage and Disadvantage
        • Exploding Dice
        • The Dice Chain
        • Technology Level
          • Table: Technology Level Overview
          • Availability of Technology at higher or lower levels
  • Annual Events
    • A Grim Year
      • A Personal Tragedy
      • A Tragedy hits Close to Home
      • A Cultural Tragedy Occurs
      • A Rare Natural Disaster Occurs
      • Under Attack!
    • The Burdens of the World
      • Rumors of War
      • The Current Leader Goes to War
      • A Major Migration Occurs
    • Blessings/Well Guided and Well-Guarded
      • An ambassador arrives.
      • A New Political / Social Movement Occurs
      • A New Religious Movement Starts
    • A Worthy Year
      • Good Fortune
      • A Rare Natural Phenomenon Occurs
      • A Leader has a child
  • Activities
    • Interrupted Activities
    • Seasonal Activities
      • Base Activities
      • Depart Activities
      • Dwell Activities
      • Sojourn Activities
      • Social Activities
        • Courting and the Seasonal Activities
      • Recover Activities
    • Monthly Activities – 4 Weeks
    • Weekly Activities – 7 Days
    • Daily Activities – 24 hours
    • Watch Activities – 4 hours
    • Puncti Activities – 15 minutes
    • Ounces (⏱) Activities – 7.5 Seconds
  • Bringing it all Together
    • Physical Aspects
      • Muscle Characteristics
        • Ranged Combat Skill
        • Athletics Skill
        • Melee Combat Skill
      • Agility Characteristics
        • Stealth Skill
        • Acrobatics Skill
        • Sleight of Hand Skill
      • Stamina Characteristics
        • Drive / Ride / Pilot Skill
        • Ruggedness Skill
        • Unarmed Combat Skill
    • Mental Aspects
      • Intellect Characteristic
        • Social Sciences Skill
        • Life Sciences Skill
        • Physical Sciences / Survival Skill
      • Reasoning Characteristics
        • Engineering Skill
        • Insight Skill
        • Investigation Skill
      • Acuity Characteristics
        • Traditions Skill
        • Perception Skill
        • Formal Sciences Skill
    • Social Aspects
      • Manners Characteristics
        • Style Skill
        • Performance Skill
        • Etiquette Skill
      • Personality Characteristics
        • Deception Skill
        • Persuasion Skill
        • Intimidation Skill
      • Identity Characteristics
        • Bureaucracy Skill
        • Animal Handling Skill
        • Leadership Skill
    • Spirituality Aspects
      • Skepticism Characteristics
        • Arcana Skill
        • Gnosis Skill
        • Chaos Skill
      • Faith Characteristics
        • Theurgy Skill
        • Adept Skill
        • Order Skill
      • Mystery Characteristics
        • Metaphysics Skill
        • Animism Skill
        • Shamanism Skill
• LEGAL
  • Publishing Your Own Materials
    • The Cepheus Engine Compatibility-Statement License (CSL)
  • Open Game License Version 1.0A

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Märchen Engine System Reference Document, which outlines the core rules used by this Open Gaming System. This Introduction provides you with an overview of what the Märchen Engine is and how it works, while the later chapters show you how to create characters and embark on your own exciting adventures.

What Is Roleplaying?

If you are new to roleplaying, you might be asking yourself, “What is a roleplaying game?”

A roleplaying game (sometimes abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting or through a process of structured decision-making or character development. Actions taken within many games succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules and guidelines, such as the Märchen Engine rules.

A session of Märchen Engine play is conducted through discussion. One player, the Referee, usually arbitrates any decision based on the rules and presents the setting of the game, while each of the other players plays the role of a single character. Together, the Referee and players create a story, much like the way many of us used to create stories playing games of make believe as young children, except with more dice and more structure.

What Is the Märchen Engine?

The Märchen Engine is simply a set of rules for conducting a game based on classic fiction and adventure stories. Within its pages, you will find rules on creating characters, resolving tasks, fighting other creatures and engaging in huge battles, building worlds, enjoy the risks of speculative trading, exploring new worlds, and a host of other diverse activities. Although no rules set can be complete, the Märchen Engine attempts to provide enough rules to allow you to create almost any science fiction adventure.

The Märchen Engine is inspired by classic fiction games from the early days of roleplaying and shares a lot of similarities with these gaming systems. Material from these older rules sets and those created under the Märchen Engine are mutually compatible with only a minimum of adjustments required.

To play, you need a copy of the Märchen Engine rules; several dice, available at game and hobby stores (you’ll need two at a minimum, but more is better); and a pencil and some paper.

Iconography

⚅ - The Dice Symbol is used to indicate how the results of rolling the dice are modified. For example, ⚅-3 means you will add a negative three (3) to any dice roll associated with resolving that situation. Another example, ⚅+2 means you will add a positive three (#) to any dice roll associated with resolving that situation. While the symbol here is that of a six-sided die, that does not necessarily mean that the resolution calls for a six-sided die. The symbol is used to indicate dice rolling, not which type.

σ – This symbol (a lower-case Sigma) indicates that dice have been rolled and you are now determining the resulting category the result belongs in belongs in. These results will be a number from -4 to +4.

± % – This symbol (plus or minus a percentage) indicates that the dice have been rolled and you are now determining the resulting category the result belongs in. These results will be a percentage from 400% to 25%. This is used many times to modify the amount of time or the amount of profit from a resulting transaction based on the skills involved in making that resolution take place.

💪 – The Flexed Biceps emoji will be used for a characters Physical Aspect.

⏱ – The stopwatch symbol represents an Ounce or a Round or a Combat round. This is 7.5 seconds in length and is a historical term used to describe a twelfth (¹/₁₂) of a moment. A moment was 90 seconds or ¹/₄₀ of an hour. Onces could be broken down into what was called Atoms of time or ¹/_47th of a Once. This atom of time is the amount of time an eye takes to twinkle or as they say: In the twinkling of an eye.

The Core Task Resolution System

The Märchen Engine uses a core task resolution system to resolve actions. Whenever your character attempts any action with a chance of failure, do the following:

1. Roll dice as determined by the characters and their circumstances.

2. Add any relevant modifiers (for things like characteristics, skills, difficulty and circumstances).

3. If the result equals or exceeds the threshold for success, the action succeeds. If the result is lower than the threshold for success, the action fails.

This simple system is used for nearly everything in the Märchen Engine, with variations based on the modifiers added to a roll and the effects of success and failure.

Referee

Within the Märchen Engine rules, one of the players is asked to assume the mantle of Referee. The Referee is the person who will act as an organizer, officiant for questions regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a Märchen Engine gaming session, or an ongoing Märchen Engine campaign. The role of the Referee is to weave the other participants’ player-character stories together, control the non-player aspects of the game, create environments in which the players can interact, and solve any player disputes.

Characters

There are two types of heroes that participate in The Märchen engine player character or playable character (PC) is a fictional character in a Märchen Engine game whose actions are directly controlled by a player of the game rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not controlled by a player are called non-player characters (NPCs). The actions of non-player characters are typically handled by the Referee.

Player Characters

Using the Märchen Engine rules as guidelines, a player will create a Hero reflecting the sort of role they’d like to have in the game. The Hero is usually of a certain race (depending on those available with the Referee’s universe) and possesses a unique combination of skills and levels of expertise.

Associates, PCs, Heroes

Associates, PC’s and Heroes are all names for Character’s other humans that are not Referee controled who are joining you on your adventure.

The Company

The group of characters that is formed by a group of like-minded heroes. They may share a common short-term goal appointed by elders or a council of peoples, or they might all be young members of the same folk, ready to leave home for the first time to see the world.

After the players have finished creating their characters, they should discuss with the Referee the circumstances that brought the group together and forged them into a company of adventurers. The more detailed the description of the events that led to the characters setting off adventuring the better, as this will give the Referee valuable story hooks to turn into adventures that directly link to the characters’ back-story.

The process of creating a company is the first seasonal activity played by the group. During company creation, the players are assisted by the Referee as they define the characteristics of their group of adventurers.

First Meeting

The first thing to do is decide where the company was formed. To do so, the players choose a suitable place. Locations that qualify as havens or sanctuaries are an ideal choice, as these known to welcome outsiders as they travel. As soon as everybody agrees on a location, its name is recorded by every player on their character sheet.

When this is settled, the players briefly introduce their heroes, making sure to mention how and why they arrived at the selected location in the first place; the heroes’ cultures and callings can prove useful as starting points. The referee could take this opportunity to provide information about the setting to less-knowledgeable players. Some places are particularly suited as locations for the first meeting of a company.

Relationships

All adventurers share a feeling of loyalty towards each other, but each of them can develop a particular level of companionship with another member of the group: it may be uncommon respect for someone wiser or nobler, a special friendship shared with an old acquaintance, the kinship felt for a fellow countryman, or deep affection for a dear family member.

Whatever the nature of the relationship, each player must elect another member of the company as his character’s focus, writing the name of this companion in the appropriate space on the character sheet. It can be any other Associate, Companion, or Patron who is in the Company, even one that has already been chosen by somebody else as their focus. The bond doesn’t have to be mutual: a hero who has been chosen by another hero as his focus is free to choose any other character as his own.

Rating

The group of player-heroes is more than a band of roving mercenaries brought together by mere necessity. At its foundation are communal goals and mutual respect. This is recreated in the game by a shared pool of Company points. During the game, players use these points to recover Spiritual and Social Damage.

The number of points available to a company of heroes at the beginning of the game is equal to the number of heroes in the group.

All players record the company’s rating total in the appropriate box on their character sheet. This score is updated every time that a companion uses a point to recover damage, and it is fully replenished at the beginning of every game session.

Patron

A patron is a usually renowned or powerful personality, who may from time to time offer a company a purpose to go adventuring, often providing support and counsel. Companions may choose to meet a patron during their seasonal activities if they are at the location where the Patron is to be found and if the Patron is available for a meeting.

A company may have several patrons at the same time, if its members are able to satisfy the requirements to ensure their allegiance (very often, Patrons will ask something in return for their friendship).

Other Characters

Over the course of their careers, Heroes will have made friends and foes, and established ties with various non-player characters who may play a part in future adventures. There are four categories of such associates.

Companion

Someone who is currently not played by another human who has joined you on an adventure. Companions are controlled by the Referee. A spouse or a family member is a good example of a companion that most Heros will have.

Allies

These are individuals that the Hero knows and who they have had friendly dealings with in the past. They may have useful skills, positions, or assets and they are willing to help the Traveller and will actively go out of their way to provide aid.

Contacts

These are individuals like Allies; however, they may be willing to aid the Hero.

Both Allies and Contacts can also be Patrons.

Rivals

These are people who hate or oppose the Hero and will attempt to interfere or harass them.

Enemies

These are even worse than Rivals – a Rival will normally work within the law, but an Enemy wants the Hero dead, imprisoned or otherwise doomed.

Hirelings

There are three sorts of hirelings. In a nutshell, mercenaries are ordinary hired soldiers who serve for conventional military tasks – from guarding a fortress to attacking enemy strongholds; they usually operate as part of a larger military force. Retainers are NPCs brave (or foolhardy) enough and are paid to accompany player characters into the kinds of hair-raising adventures players love to put their characters through. Specialists are, as the term implies, tradesmen or experts in various useful non-combat (or combat-adjacent) fields.

All hirelings come with ordinary equipment appropriate for their profession, subject to the Referee’s discretion. For example, a typical light infantryman will come equipped with leather armor, a shield, and a short sword or spear. An armorer or alchemist would have their tools. The employer (the PCs) would have to supply heavy equipment, such as a forge or laboratory.

To hire NPCs, the players must first negotiate with them. The Referee will usually do this by role-playing the prospective hireling, by rolling, or – most likely – using a combination of roleplay and dice rolls.

Mercenaries

Mercenaries are soldiers (or thugs) who perform military (or thuggery) operations. They may guard, patrol, assault enemy strongholds, engage enemy forces, or even waylay unwary travelers. However, they are not foolish enough to follow lunatics on harrowing adventures such as robbing haunted tombs or sneaking into an enemy’s castle to assassinate a noble. That’s way above their pay scale. They’re soldiers.

Retainers

Retainers are NPCs willing to serve adventurers as bodyguards, henchmen, or sidekicks. Unlike mercenaries, they are loyal enough to follow their master and will put themselves in grave danger. Retainers may operate individually rather than as part of a larger unit. However, they require a higher monthly fee, and they must receive a share of their master’s treasure gained through adventure. A character may have more than one retainer, but they must be able to pay for that retainer. The higher their 🤝 and Leadership the more they will be able to retain. Regardless of 🤝, a character will always be able to have at least one retainer.

The Referee must generate prospective retainers as regular characters using the character generation rules. Note that this is always subject to Referee discretion. Retainers come with appropriate basic gear, as received from character generation, or purchased from the money they eared in their career when they mustered out.

Specialists

Tradesmen and professionals, such as sailors to crew a ship, or an alchemist to produce potions. Specialists are usually non-combatants, though this is subject to Referee discretion and the specific task the specialist was hired to do. For example, siege engineers are generally considered to be combatants, though they would expect to never be in immediate danger. The payment due a Specialist will be determined by their skills and competencies.

Creating Characters

The attributes of a character are given as numerical values which can change as the game progresses, and characters grow and develop over the course of their adventures.

Aspects

All beings have four aspects of their existence. These define the highest categorical breakdown of a being. They are Physical, Mental, Social, and Spiritual. They each have a numeric score The higher the score, the more potential that being has in that aspect of their existence. These numbers also represent how much damage the character can take. These aspects can be broken down into your traditional Characteristics.

Example

Jeremiah has always been a physical presence around the community (Aspect is Physical = 3). The stats for Jeremiah so far are: Physical (3).

Characteristics

All characters have certain basic characteristics that define what they can do. Each of these characteristics fall into a given aspect. Higher characteristic scores grant bonuses on task resolution checks, while lower characteristic scores grant penalties. As part of creating your character, you decide how strong, smart, and tough your character is by choosing the appropriate characteristic scores. See Chapter 1: Character Creation for more information.

Example

Jeremiah has always been a physical presence around the community (Aspect is Physical = 3 and Characteristic is Stamina = 3). The stats for Jeremiah are: Physical (3) – Stamina (3).

Knowledge Areas -

Knowledge describes facts and information typically acquired through experience or informal study. It represents exposure and knowledge in a particular sort of task or knowledge.

Table: Skill and Specialization Level

A skill is either skilled or unskilled in that knowledge area.

Each competencies level represents roughly two years’ worth of education and training in that skill. For each level of competency the player must increase their knowledge by +1 as welldww. Once a competencies is taken to level 4, the skill its associated with receives a +1. Specialization are learned at a technology level. Specialization can not be learned past level 4. When recording Specialization and their associated levels, the Specialization name is written first, followed by a hyphen, and then the number of levels that the character possesses in that skill. For example, Gambling-2 means that the character has two levels of Gambling Specialization.

A skill can is a binSkills cannot be above level 4. Once you have a skill at level 1, you have all associated specializations at level 0. Once you have a specialization associated with a given skill, the only opportunity for more development in this area of study is to increase your overall skill. In other words, if you have a skill at level 2, this means you have at least one specialization at level 4.

Skilled

A knowledge area can be something you have a skill in. A skill is applying knowledge and developing a proficiency in a controlled environment with a focus on developing a competency. Generally, this represents some form of formal training. A skill, if a character has it, starts at Level 0. This represents the general knowledge of the average self-taught individual. If there is no exposure to that skill, the skill is not on the character sheet and it can not be used, nor any of the competencies. There are four different levels above that which map to formal training. There are two other levels that are presented in the table below which represent skill levels for NPCs and patrons.

Example

Jeremiah has always been a physical presence around the community (Aspect is Physical = 3 and Characteristic is Stamina = 3). There is a story of him growing up when as a child he entered a wrestling contest and defeated one of the drunk adults (Knowledge Area = Unarmed and Skilled = Self Taught = 0). The stats for Jeremiah are: Physical(3) - Stamina(3) – Unarmed (0).

Competency

Every Knowledge area has multiple competencies associated with it. A competency represents the character applying the necessary knowledge and skill in a real-world environment with full professional responsibility and accountability for one’s own actions.

Example

Jeremiah has always been a physical presence around the community (Aspect is Physical = 3 and Characteristic is Stamina = 3). There is a story of him growing up when as a child he entered a wrestling contest and defeated one of the drunk adults (Knowledge Area = Unarmed and Skilled = Self Taught = 0). The stats for Jeremiah are: Physical (3) - Stamina (3) – Unarmed (0). After winning the contest against Jacob, he decides to join the wrestling team in High School (Physical (3) - Stamina (3) – Unarmed (1)) where they teach Greco-Roman Wrestling (Physical(3) - Stamina(3) – Unarmed (1) – Greco Roman Wrestling (1)). After School his mom drops him off at the local dojo (Jeremiah cannot double his effort on formal skilled training to gain an additional point here.) where he learns Tae Kwon Do (Physical (3) - Stamina (3) – Unarmed (1) – Taw Kwon Do (1)).

Skill levels act as a bonus on task resolutions rolls when a character attempts an action related to a skill. As your character follows their career, they gain skills. See Chapter 2: Skills for more information on specific skills.

Careers

As a part of their development, characters follow certain life paths called careers. The setting you play in will provide a variety of career options for characters to pursue, which opens up opportunities for characters to gain skill levels, characteristic boosts and significant mustering out benefits before they enter into play. See Chapter 1: Character Creation for more information.

Game Play

Playing a session using the Märchen Engine rules resembles verbally acting out chapters from a story. Game sessions can last from short sessions of an hour or two, up to marathon games covering most of a weekend. The average game session tends to run three to five hours, however. Over the course of a session, the player-characters pursue their adventures. Some resolve quickly, within a single session, while others may take place in multiple acts spread out over several sessions.

Each adventure is like its very own story, consisting of a series of scenes that are explored during play. In general, most scenes are simply the players interacting with the non-player characters and the universe created by the Referee. The players describe their actions, and the Referee describes the results of those actions, in a back-and-forth exchange. Certain kinds of situations, such as personal or space combat, have more structure and more rules to help the players resolve their actions in ways reflecting the abilities of their characters.

Game Play Processes

The basic idea behind The Märchen Engine is to separate the Game Play Processes from the Game Mechanics. A Game Play Process is the steps the players go through to perform, and a given narrative sequence with their characters. While a Game Play Mechanic is how to resolve any action the players wish to perform.

The Basic Game Play Process

1. The Referee establishes a scene based on the characters skills, abilities, and circumstances.

2. The players state what their characters are trying to achieve and how they are doing it.

3. The Referee determines if the approach automatically succeeds or automatically fails to achieve the goal.

4. If success or failure is not automatic, then the people at the table determine success by rolling dice.

5. The Referee narrates the results and the consequences based on the characters skills, abilities, and circumstances (which generally includes marking off resources spent in the attempt).

6. Goto Step 2

Other Game Play Processes

Another Game Process players will commonly encounter is the process for creating a character.

Game Play Mechanics

Die Rolls

The Märchen Engine allows play players to pick between several different mechanics to resolve actions. They are as follows: D10, D20, D100, 2d6, 3d6, and 4d7.

Using the Märchen Engine, when you make a die roll to resolve an action by rolling the chosen set of dice and checking to see what the σ is for those results. Now add all the Dice Modifiers (⚅) for the given situation to the σ. This will give you a final number. This is called a check. You always want to roll high on a check. The symbol of ⥣ represents the number required for a success when you do not need to determine a σ.

Difficulty and Effect

A check’s Difficulty is a number set by the Referee that modifies your check result. When no Difficulty is given, the assumed Difficulty is ⚅+0. So, for a task with a Difficulty of ⚅+2, you must add +2 to the check result. You succeed on a total of the Success Number (⥣) or better. The list of Difficulty ratings can be found in the Task Difficulty table.

Table: Task Difficulties

In some cases, the consequences of a check vary based on how much the check result is above or below the target of 8. The difference between the check result and the target of 8 is called the Effect.

Table: Degrees of Effect

Degrees of Effect Defined

There are nine separate ways a predicament can be resolved:

####### Fail Catastrophically

This is a critical failure. The cost for this sort of failure means the outcome the actor was intending failed. Additionally, things have turned worse for that actor as well in unrelated areas or with a sense of finality.

For example, if a thief was attempting to pick the lock of a door, then it should be determined that they did not pick the lock. The trap in the door was triggered. Everyone in The Company must now determine if they are now poisoned, and no further attempts may be made (finality). In the event that overcoming this complication was required for The Company to accomplish their overall objectives, the GM must instead make the events turn to the worse in other areas. In the above example this would mean that in their attempts to pick the lock, the thief slipped, and knocked the torch out of the hands of the person carrying it, and the tapestry the door is behind is now on fire. Or the torch is now out and no one can see. The idea here is to heighten tension and make the attempt require larger efforts of heroics.

####### Costly

This is one step away from a critical failure. The cost should be related to the outcome the player or monster was attempting.

For example, if the thief was attempting to pick the lock of a door, then it should be determined that they did not pick the lock, but they did trigger the trap in the door, and everyone in The Company must now determine if they are poisoned.

####### Fail

This is a normal failure.

In the example of our thief would not have been able to pick the lock, but the lock would not be jammed, and he would still have his pick.

####### Fail in Style

This is one step above a failure. It is still a failure, but something else has happened that moves the story forward in a more difficult path, but without accomplishing the goals.

In the example of the thief, he wouldn’t have picked the lock, but he did spring the trap and the door was opened, but everyone in The Company must determine if they are poisoned. This is the classic fail forward approach.

####### Tie

A tie succeeds unless this was a contest between two parties, in which case the outcome is that neither party gets what they want, and it should be treated as a fail in style for both sides. This is useful for social interactions or for contests of strength or agility.

In the example of our thief the parties in question are the designer of the lock or door and The Company trying to get in. The thief would not get what they want, the lock to be picked, and the designer of the lock would not get what they want, to keep the lock secure. The resolution on this would be that the thief can’t open the lock with this action, but he has gained knowledge of the lock, which will make it easier for him next time. This wouldn’t be a problem for the thief unless he was doing this under a stress.

####### Succeed

The individual who attempted to do something accomplishes what they set out to do.

In the example of the thief, the door is unlocked, and is no longer being held shut by the locking mechanism.

####### Succeed in Style

The individual who attempted to do something accomplishes what they set out to do, and they got some hidden bonus or style out of it.

In the example of the thief, the door is unlocked, and is no longer being held shut by the locking mechanism, and the thief now understands how that lock is constructed and the next one that is just like it will be easier to open.

####### Critical Success

The individual who attempted to do something accomplishes what they set out todo, and they got a substantial hidden bonus or style out of it.

In the example of the thief, the door is unlocked, and is no longer being held shut by the locking mechanism, and the thief now understands how locks made by that locksmith are constructed so any lock within this facility will be easier to open.

####### Serendipitous Success

The individual who attempted to do something accomplishes what they set out to do, and they got a substantial hidden bonus or style out of it that is completely unrelated to the task being attempted.

In the example of the thief, the door is unlocked, and is no longer being held shut by the locking mechanism, and the thief now understands how locks made by that locksmith are constructed so any lock within this facility will be easier to open. In addition, the thief see’s the trap on the door as well and has a normal success to disarm it. The best way to see a serendipitous success is to see this as two completely independent successes on one die roll. In the event that a complication requires more than one success a serendipitous success will, in addition to everything above, add an additional success to the success pool.

Types of Checks

There are Two main types of checks: skill checks and characteristic checks.

Passive Checks

A passive check is a special kind of ability check that doesn’t involve any die rolls by the players. Such a check can represent the average result for a task done repeatedly, such as searching for secret doors repeatedly or can be used when the GM wants to secretly determine whether the characters succeed at something without rolling dice, such as noticing a hidden monster.

Here’s how to determine a character’s total for a passive check:

10 + all modifiers that normally apply to the check

Active Checks

Aspect Checks

An aspect check is the simplest check you can make.

Characteristics Checks

A characteristic check is like a skill check, but measures raw ability, like strength, endurance, or intelligence. These checks are used when the task is one not covered by an obvious skill, or where the character’s innate abilities are the most important influence on the result. To make a Characteristic check, you must roll 2D6 and add the appropriate characteristic score modifier. Characteristic checks tend to be all or nothing (you can either accomplish the task or you can’t), although there are sometimes gradations of success or failure.

Skill Checks

A skill check determines what you can accomplish with a particular skill (sometimes whether you’re trained in that skill or not). You will roll the dice. Then you will take that number and add any sort of modifiers based on your characters aspects, characteristics, skills and specializations. Finally, you will add any sort of difficulty modifier based on the circumstances of what your character is trying to do. Then you will compare the resulting number against the Degree of Effect to see the outcome in that circumstance. Most of the times, skill checks have gradations of success and failure based on the Effect of your check result. When making a skill check, if a character does not have any levels in the required skill, then they suffer a the untrained penalty.

Competency Checks

TODO

Untrained and Zero-Level Skills

Characters can perform some tasks without any training in a skill, using only raw talent (defined by their characteristic scores), but skilled characters tend to be better at such things. Unless the Referee says you cannot, you can always attempt tasks involving that skill even if you have no training in it.

If a character has no level in a skill, then he is untrained and will suffer a ⚅-3 when trying to use that skill.

If a character has zero level in a skill (Skill 0), then he is competent in using that skill, but has little experience. He does not get any bonus from his skill ranks when using that skill but at least he avoids the penalty for being untrained.

Multiple Actions

A character can try to do two or more things at once, like firing a spacecraft’s weapons while also flying, or disarming a bomb while hiding from guards. For every extra thing that the character is doing, he suffers a ⚅-2 to all skill checks.

Local Law Level

Some tasks are impacted by the local Law Level, as presented in the Universal Settlement Profile. For tasks that are impacted by the local laws, rules, and regulations, check the table below and use these as a part of the DM’s that are added to the die roll prior to determining the effect.

####### Table: Base Difficulty by Law Level

Attack Rolls

There is no separate Attack roll in the Märchen Engine. You will use a standard skill check and the circumstances and skills of the participants will determine various numbers you add to the result you get on your dice.

Opposed Checks

If two characters are opposing each other directly in a task, then the character who obtains the highest Effect wins. For ties on opposed checks, the character with the highest relevant characteristic score wins. If the characters tie on characteristic scores, they reroll.

Other Rules about Checks

Trying Again

In general, you can try a check again if you fail, and keep trying indefinitely. Some tasks, however, have consequences for failure. For example, failing an Athletics check while climbing a cliff might mean you fall, which might make it difficult to try again. Some tasks can’t be attempted again once a check has failed. For most tasks, once you’ve succeeded, additional successes are meaningless. (Once you’ve discovered a computer account’s password using the Computer skill, for instance, there’s no further benefit from additional Computer checks to determine the account’s password.)

Circumstance Modifiers

Some circumstances make a check easier or harder, resulting in a bonus or penalty that is added to the check result. The Referee can alter the odds of success in two ways:

• If a character has help, such as good tools, competent aids or other beneficial circumstances, he receives a ⚅+1 bonus to his skill check.

• If a character is hampered, such as having defective tools, incompetent assistance or other negative circumstances, he receives a ⚅-1 penalty to his skill check.

Time and Checks

Outside of stressful situations such as combat, performing a particular task often takes a random amount of time, depending on circumstances. For most tasks, roll the aspect, attribute, or skill required to do the task (with all DMs) and reference the σ value for that roll. Then compare the chart below. For example, breaking a flimsy wooden door would only require a single Onces (7.5 Seconds) while performing delicate surgery might take two watches (2 x 4 hours). If an action takes multiple timeframes, then roll for each. These rolls can be the same rolls that the player makes to perform the task if the tasks outcome is uncertain.

You can choose, before you roll, to move up or down one or two rows on the Time Frames table. Moving up (reducing the time increment) gives you a ⚅-1 for every row you move; moving down and increasing the time taken gives you a ⚅+1 for every row you move. Your Referee will help adjudicate any issues that might arise from a change in the time frame.

Table: Time Frames

Aiding Another

Sometimes characters work together and help each other out. In this case, one character (usually the one with the highest total of modifiers on the check) is considered the leader of the effort and makes the check normally, while each helper makes the same check. The Effect of a helper’s check result can provide either a bonus (⚅+1 with a successful result, ⚅+2 with an Exceptional Success) or a penalty (⚅-1 with a failed result, ⚅-2 with an Exceptional Failure) to the leader’s check result. In many cases, outside help isn’t beneficial, or only a limited number of helpers can aid someone at once. The Referee limits aid as appropriate for the task and conditions.

Task Chaining

Often, players will find themselves performing a series of interlinked tasks or working as a group.

Finding a buyer for a cargo of illegal goods, for example, calls for a Streetwise check to find a fence, then a Broker check to negotiate a price. The result of the Streetwise check could conceivably influence the quality and competence of the fence, which will affect the Broker check.

Alternatively, when coming up with a plan to attack a fortress, the players would begin with a Recon check to scope the place out, then a Tactics check to find weak spots in its defenses, then Stealth and Electronics rolls to get past the security system. The quality of information gleaned from the Recon check will certainly have an impact on the tactics the players choose to adopt, and this in turn will make their Stealth checks easier or harder, and so on.

When tasks are linked together like this they are called task chains and the result of one check can give a DM to the next – for better or worse. This DM is equal to the σ value on their results on the degree of effect table.

Group Checks

When a number of individuals are trying to accomplish something as a group, the GM might ask for a group ability check. In such a situation, the characters who are skilled at a particular task help cover those who aren’t.

To make a group ability check, everyone in the group makes the ability check. If at least half the group succeeds, the whole group succeeds. Otherwise, the group fails.

Group checks don’t come up very often, and they’re most useful when all the characters succeed or fail as a group. For example, when adventurers are navigating a swamp, the GM might call for a group Survival check to see if the characters can avoid the quicksand, sinkholes, and other natural hazards of the environment. If at least half the group succeeds, the successful characters are able to guide their companions out of danger. Otherwise, the group stumbles into one of these hazards.

Advantage and Disadvantage

Sometimes a special ability or spell tells you that you have advantage or disadvantage on an ability check, a saving throw, or an attack roll. When that happens, you roll a second set of dice when you make the roll. Use the higher of the two rolls if you have advantage and use the lower roll if you have disadvantage. For example, if you have disadvantage and roll a 17 and a 5, you use the 5. If you instead have advantage and roll those numbers, you use the 17.

If multiple situations affect a roll and each one grants advantage or imposes disadvantage on it, you don’t roll more than one additional set of dice. If three favorable situations grant advantage, for example, you still roll only one additional set of dice.

If circumstances cause a roll to have both advantage and disadvantage, you are considered to have neither of them, and you roll one set of dice. This is true even if multiple circumstances impose disadvantage and only one grants advantage or vice versa. In such a situation, you have neither advantage nor disadvantage.

When you have advantage or disadvantage and something in the game lets you reroll some of all of your dice, you can reroll a single instance of those dice; either the advantaged roll or the disadvantaged roll) one of the dice.

You usually gain advantage or disadvantage through the use of special abilities, actions, or other actions. The GM can also decide that circumstances influence a roll in one direction or the other and grant advantage or impose disadvantage as a result.

Exploding Dice

Exploding dice are fun! When rolling dice, if the maximum value on any dice is rolled, the dice “explodes.” Roll any such dice one additional time and add their value to the previous total. Any rerolled dice may also explode. For example, you roll 2d6 for damage and roll a 3 and a 6. You reroll one dice, getting another 6. You then reroll that dice, getting a 4. This brings your total damage to 3 + 6 + 6 + 4, or 19.

The humble d4 is very prone to explosions. Just try it! It’s not unthinkable to get an explosion sequence like 4 + 4 + 3 after about a dozen tries.

Theoretically, a die can keep exploding forever. In practice, that doesn’t really happen. Even if you keep rolling 4s on that d4, after several explosions you’ll likely won’t bother anymore, the result so far is good enough.

The Dice Chain

One of the most fun aspects of using funky dice in a rules set is getting to roll those dice! Many traditional RPGs utilize modifiers to dice rolls to express improved success or failure in an action. For example, an attack with an off-hand weapon may incur a -4 penalty, or an attack against a motionless opponent may grant a +4 bonus.

The Märchen Engine utilizes this traditional modifier system but can also employ a system of swapping out die types where the modifier is sufficiently large. If the team has decided to use the 3d6 as the core die mechanic, there are times when the player may be instructed to roll a 3d6 or 4d7 instead, depending on whether the action has an improved or reduced chance of success.

Sometimes there will be multiple “dice swaps” impacting a die. For example, a spellcaster may be particularly good at one kind of magic, granting him an improved die, and he may also be operating under the influence of a magic item that grants him a further improved die. The system for moving “up and down” different die types is known as the dice chain.

The dice chain is represented as follows:

d3 – d4 – d5 – d6 – d7 – d8 – d10 – d12 – d14 – d16 – d20 – d24 – d30

Technology Level

Technology Level, also known as Tech Level or TL, is a measure how advanced a given technology or Scientific idea is and is frequently a measure of the complexity and effectiveness of a piece of equipment. Most skills that deal with technology or scientific ideas also have a technology level they are learned at. When a player wishes to use a piece of technology that is built to be used by another technology level the player needs to add a negative DM for each difference.

For Example, a Player who was raised in the Bronze age comes across a iPhone and they attempt to use it. The Technology Level of the iPhone is TL8 and the TL of the Bronze Age High Priest is TL1. This means the player adds a ⚅-7 to their die roll do this activity. Another player whose character is from our day and age is shown a bronze age carved tablet where the laws of their society are written. The modern-day man learned at TL8 and is attempting to use a TL1 object. This is still a ⚅-7 to try to understand the laws written on the stone tablets on display in front of the tent of worship in the center of the nomadic encampment.

Table: Technology Level Overview

Higher Technology Levels exist and may appear in some Märchen Engine universes.

Availability of Technology at higher or lower levels

Annual Events

Annual events are not planned by the players. These are used to react against. The Referee may arbitrarily choose one of these events to drive. If there will be a random event, please use the following approach:

Calculate the average number of Spiritual and Social damage carried by The Company at the end of the year. The number (-8 thru +8 will be the DM to a role against the average of the parties Spiritual Aspect (-4 thru +4).

A Grim Year

Dwelling at Home: When you are at home something bad has happened.

Sojourning Abroad:

Travelling:

A Personal Tragedy

Who: The Character

is accused of a terrible crime and, though innocent, has no means of proving it.

has an old wound lingers on, never properly healing (and thus eventually causing a temporary reduction of Endurance).

has their supplies and food stores diminished prior to the winter, resulting in them going on without provisions.

comes down with a disease or a seemingly incurable affliction.

Is injured.

is poisoned.

Is removed from their job.

Is Banished

sworn enemy discovers the whereabouts of their home.

house or holding is ransacked.

holding is completely lost.

goods are stolen, causing the loss of Treasure points.

A Tragedy hits Close to Home

Who: a Loved One, a Relative, an Ally, or a Friend.

Event:

is accused of a terrible crime and, though innocent, has no means of proving it.

has an old wound lingers on, never properly healing (and thus eventually causing a temporary reduction of Endurance).

has their supplies and food stores diminished prior to the winter, resulting in them going on without provisions.

comes down with a disease or a seemingly incurable affliction.

Is injured.

is poisoned.

Dies.

is slain in battle.

breaks trust with the hero, abandoning them.

Is killed.

Is removed from their job.

Is Banished

house or holding is ransacked.

holding is completely lost.

goods are stolen, causing the loss of Treasure points.

Troubling feuds occurs between allies.

A Cultural Tragedy Occurs

Who: A Patron, A Cultural Leader (King, Mayor, chieftain, governor, prime minister, etc…), Lore Master, Religious Leader, Political Leader)

Event

is accused of a terrible crime and, though innocent, has no means of proving it.

has an old wound lingers on, never properly healing (and thus eventually causing a temporary reduction of Endurance).

has their supplies and food stores diminished prior to the winter, resulting in them going on without provisions.

comes down with a disease or a seemingly incurable affliction.

Is injured.

is poisoned.

Dies.

is slain in battle.

breaks trust with the hero, abandoning them.

Is killed.

Is removed from their job.

Is Banished

house or holding is ransacked.

holding is completely lost.

goods are stolen, causing the loss of Treasure points.

Troubling feuds occurs between allies.

A Rare Natural Disaster Occurs

A blight afflicts crops, resulting in a bad harvest.

A Powerful Earthquake – Extensive damage in a 50-mile radius. Before and after the earthquake there are smaller tremors that cause slight damage. Large Cities are heavily damaged, unless the buildings are specifically hardened against this form of damage. Lakes, Rivers, and the coastlines can shift. Because the ground has moved, landslides will destroy trails. Underground structures can be damaged. Mountains and rock formations will be affected.

There is a large chance (70%) chance fires will start in large cities.

There is an even chance (40%) chance a plague will occur in populated areas.

Famine – Drought or Poor Harvest result in a famine. Farmers and the people close to the land all know the signs of an impending famine. Crops wither without producing seed. Animals cannot find water and die. Poor people turn to crime or go hungry. Food prices will skyrocket up 100x normal. Those who can no longer make an honest living will band together and scavenge for food. If the military cannot pay soldiers, they will go outlaw. The population of the area will be reduced by 5% per month of the famine. There is a 20% chance of this famine continuing as the event for the following year, especially if source of the drought or poor harvest is not addressed.

Fire - An inferno sweeps across the land. If this occurs while the players are in a city, then over 50% of the city is consumed in the blaze (unless buildings are treated for fire disasters). The property of the players, the people they are staying with, or the place where they are taking shelter is also burnt (same percentage).

There is a small chance a plague will break out (20%)

There is a minimal chance a famine will follow (10%)

The price of building materials increases 10x for the next Season.

Flood – A Major Flood sweeps the region.

Plague – A terrible disease sweeps the land. The plague lasts up to a year. There is a 40% chance of catching the plague each month spent in those lands. There is a 60% chance of catching the plague if there is physical contact with others who are infected. The population is reduced by 5% every month. Strangers are treated with suspicion by everyone. People from the plague lands are treated with suspicion by people outside the plague lands. Traders and merchants will not enter the plagued lands. Costs for all imports double. Plagues do not hit everyone all at once, they move through the population based on the movements of the population. There will be pockets of people who have not yet been infected who will keep outsiders out in order to stay healthy

Under Attack!

The Burdens of the World

Dwelling at Home

Sojourning Abroad

Travelling

At Home: Little out of the ordinary occurs this year. A hero spends time with their family, meets up with old friends or undertakes small projects about their home, but nothing unusual comes to pass.

Burdens: Problems afflict the character’s friends or loved ones and the hero’s absence is keenly felt. Goods are stolen, debts are called in early or long forgotten obligations are suddenly brought to the fore. Friends who have been neglected or ignored may cease to regard the character favorably.

Without evidence that the hero values their friendship, some ‘friends’ may actively start speaking ill of the hero, or be willing to plot against them in the future.

Rumors of War

The Current Leader Goes to War

A Major Migration Occurs

Blessings/Well Guided and Well-Guarded

Dwelling at Home: The hero’s sacrifices are publicly acknowledged by their folk. Someone who the hero helped save in a previous adventure seeks out the hero to thank them and bestow some personal token of esteem or gratitude. This Token of esteem or gratitude is either a possession (a handmade clock) or a benefit (The Barkeep says the hero may eat for free at his establishment).

A small windfall comes to the character. Roll Degrees of Effect adding Spiritual DM and check the + Column for a number of treasures added to the character’s possession.

The character makes a new ally. Roll Social and check the + Column for a number, use this number as the Final σ and check the degree of effect to determine the quality of the ally.

An old ally becomes a good friend. Roll Social and check the + Column for a number, use this number as the Final σ and check the degree of effect to determine the quality of the good friend.

Sojourning Abroad: Little out of the ordinary occurs this year. The hero spends time in a safe haven, meeting old friends and making new ones, but nothing unusual comes to pass.

Travelling

At Home:

Not at Home: Little out of the ordinary occurs this year. The hero spends time in a safe haven, meeting old friends and making new ones, but nothing unusual comes to pass.

An ambassador arrives.

A New Political / Social Movement Occurs

A New Religious Movement Starts

A Worthy Year

Dwelling at Home

Sojourning Abroad

Travelling

A loved one recovers from a lingering malady. The hero is forewarned of treachery or deceit. The character’s efforts on behalf of their folk are taken up in song. Gifts or rewards totalling 6 Treasure points are given to the character. The character is ‘adopted’ by a particularly clever beast. One of the hero’s holdings is significantly improved in some way, increasing its value.

• The hero provides 1 additional point to the Fellowship pool for the length of the following Adventuring phase.

• Alternatively, if the hero has a holding, he may choose to roll the Feat die twice keeping the best result on the next Holding Upkeep roll.

Good Fortune

The hero either sires or bears a child. The character becomes the head of their family or is asked to take on a more prominent role in a family business. The character is invited to join a power ful organisation, famous, clandestine, or otherwise. A new romance finds the character (see Courting and the Fellowship Phase opposite).The hero receives a large inheritance, reward or bequest, such as a new holding or even a Precious Object (see the Rivendell supplement).

A Rare Natural Phenomenon Occurs

A Leader has a child

Activities

Interrupted Activities

Seasonal Activities

Base Activities

Depart Activities

Dwell Activities

Sojourn Activities

Social Activities

Courting and the Seasonal Activities

Many adventurers consciously avoid having any close relationships, for they are all too aware of the dangers that they regularly face, especially when they stand against the Shadow. Still, friends, families and a cherished home give a hero something to fight for. Sometimes, a player may decide that their hero has taken a strong fancy to a Loremaster character who they’ve met during their adventures. At other times, perhaps it makes sense for their character to cement an alliance with a marriage. In either case, a player may decide that the time has come for their hero to marry.

A player who wishes to engage their character into a relationship, romantic or otherwise, should discuss it with their Loremaster and introduce it in the Seasonal phase. If marriage is their intention, they will have to court the Loremaster character they fancy. Courting is a formal practice that effectively declares a character’s interest in taking the courted person as a spouse. The various cultures each have their own customs about such things. Some require lavish gifts, others only that both parties wish to get married. Those from noble houses or who have a sworn lord generally have to ask their lord’s permission in order to wed.

It usually takes a bit of time and patience to successfully court someone, especially since the potential partner will doubtless need to take the hero’s dangerous ‘profession’ into consideration before deciding.

Recover Activities

Monthly Activities – 4 Weeks

Weekly Activities – 7 Days

Secure an Advantage (Adventure) - When you assess a situation, make preparations, or attempt to gain leverage

Daily Activities – 24 hours

Watch Activities – 4 hours

Puncti Activities – 15 minutes

Story Telling Actions

Ounces (⏱) Activities – 7.5 Seconds

When things really start happening in a Märchen Engine game, time is broken down into seven and a half second segments called Ounces (⏱), rounds, or combat rounds, since they’re most often used in fights. A Ounce (⏱) isn’t very much time, just long enough for a character to do something. The types of actions your character can perform during a round are significant actions, minor actions, extended actions, free actions, and reactions. During a Ounces (⏱) you can do one of the following:

• Initiate or continue an extended action.

• Take a significant action and a minor action.

• Take three minor actions and forego taking a significant action this turn.

You can perform as many free actions and reactions in a round as you wish, although the Referee may choose to limit them to a reasonable number to keep the game moving. See Chapter 5: Personal Combat for more information.

Bringing it all Together

Physical Aspects

Muscle Characteristics

Muscle represents the overall strength of the being.

Ranged Combat Skill

Your Ranged Combat ability check measures your character’s ability to attack and survive in a ranged combat. This skill also allows you to maintain the general quality of a ranged weapon and to perform general maintenance to ensure their continued use. It will, however, not allow you to build, repair, or Jury rig a solution.

Typical Specializations: Artillery, Beam Weapons, Blowpipe, Bolas, Bow, Crossbow, Dropping, Fast-Draw, Guns, Innate Attack, Lasso, Liquid Projector, Net, Sling, Spear Thrower, Throwing Art, Thrown Weapon, and Gunner

Typical Tasks and their Difficulty Modifiers

Athletics Skill

Your Athletics check covers difficult situations you want to do something that requires physical exertion related to your characters active strength.

Typical Specializations: Bicycling, Body Sense, Breath Control, Climbing, Flying, Free Fall, Hiking, Jumping, Lifting, Mount, Parachuting, Running, Scuba, Sports, Swimming, Throwing, Climbing, Parachuting, Scuba, Climbing, Scuba, Skating, Skiing, Parachuting, Scuba, and Zero G

Typical Tasks and their Difficulty Modifiers

Melee Combat Skill

Melee combat measures your character’s ability to attack and survive in armed melee combat. This skill also allows you to maintain the general quality of a melee weapon and to perform general maintenance to ensure their continued use. It will however, not allow you to build, repair, or jury rig a solution. Melee weapons can be improvised. This skill allows you to use acquire an improvised weapon.

Typical Specializations: Axe/Mace, Broadsword, Cloak, Fast Draw, Flail, Force Sword, Force Whip, Garrote, Jitte/Sai, Knife, Kusari, Lance, Main-Gauche, Melee Weapon, Monowire Whip, Parry Missile Weapons, Polearm, Rapier, Saber, Shield, Shortsword, Smallsword, Spear, Staff, Tonfa, Two-Handed Axe/Mace, Two-Handed Flail, Two-Handed Sword, and Whip

Agility Characteristics

Agility represents the overall flexibility and grace of movement of the being.

Stealth Skill

Make a Stealth check when you attempt to conceal yourself from enemies, slink past guards, slip away without being noticed, or sneak up on someone without being seen or heard. You must be out of sight of those you intend to deceive when this skill check is made.

Typical Specializations: Shadowing, and Forward Observer

Acrobatics Skill

Your Acrobatics check covers your attempt to do something that will exert yourself physically related to your grace and dexterity. Examples of this might be trying to stay on your feet in when you’re trying to run across a sheet of ice, balance on a tightrope, or stay upright on a rocking ship’s deck. You might also need a Acrobatics check to see if you can perform acrobatic stunts, including dives, rolls, somersaults, and flips.

Acrobatics, Aerobatics, Aquabatics, Escape, Gymnastics, Contortionist

Sleight of Hand Skill

Whenever you attempt an act of legerdemain or manual trickery, such as planting something on someone else or concealing an object on your person, make a Sleight of Hand check. You might also need a Sleight of Hand check to determine whether you can lift a coin purse off another person or slip something out of another person’s pocket.

Typical Specializations: Sleight of Hand, Filch, Holdout, Lockpicking, Panhandling, Pickpocket, Holdout

Stamina Characteristics

Stamina represents the overall ability that being can push themselves physically.

Drive / Ride / Pilot Skill

Whenever you attempt to ride a horse for a long period of time or over rough terrain, pilot a boat down a raids or a busy river, or operate a method of transportation in any way that is taxing in any way you will need to make a Drive / Ride / Pilot roll to stay on the task and successfully arrive at your destination.

Typical Specializations: Mount, Riding, Freight Handling, Airshipman, Battlesuit, Bicycling, Boating, Crewman, Driving, Freight Handling, Piloting, Seamanship, Shiphandling, Spacer, Submarin, Submariner, Teamster

Ruggedness Skill

Make a Ruggedness check when you attempt to Force open a stuck, locked, or barred door, break free of bonds, push through a tunnel that is too small. You might also need a Ruggedness check to see if you can hang on to a wagon while being dragged behind it, tip over a statue, or keep a boulder from rolling.

Typical Specializations:

Unarmed Combat Skill

Your Unarmed Combat ability check measures your character’s ability to attack and survive in an unarmed combat.

Typical Specializations: Boxing, Brawling, Judo, Karate, Sumo Wrestling, Wrestling

Mental Aspects

Intellect Characteristic

Intellect represents the overall ability of the being to mentally understand the world around them.

Social Sciences Skill

Your Social Science check measures your ability to recall lore about historical events, legendary people, ancient kingdoms, past disputes, recent wars, and lost civilizations.

Typical Specializations: Accounting, Economics, Finance, Law, Market Analysis, Psychology, Military Science, Intelligence Analysis, Interrogation, Occultism, Criminology, Law, Literature, Public Speaking, Teaching, Writing, Politics, Teaching, Anthropology, Archaeology, Cartography, Criminology, Economics, Political Science, Geography, History, Law†, Linguistics, Literature, Paleontology, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, Theology, Smuggling, Writing

Life Sciences Skill

A life sciences check lets you try to stabilize a dying companion or diagnose an illness as well as allow you to recall other important information about living organisms.

Typical Specializations: Poisons, Bioengineering, Pharmacy, Diagnosis, Medical, Esoteric Medicine, Epidemiology, First Aid, Hypnotism, Pharmacy, Physician, Surgery, Veterinary, Brain Hacking, Biology, Physiology, Herb Lore, Biology, Farming, Gardening, Herb Lore, Naturalist, Paleontology, Herbal Pharmacy, and Forensics

Physical Sciences / Survival Skill

Your Physical Sciences check measures your ability to recall lore about terrain, the weather, and natural cycles as well as perform mathematical operations. You might be asked to make a Survival check to navigate and find a path within a given environment, follow tracks, hunt wild game, guide your group through frozen wastelands, identify signs that owlbears live nearby, predict the weather, or avoid quicksand and other natural hazards. This skill is also used in urban environments to survive on the streets and to live within that environment.

Typical Specializations: Astronomy, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Metallurgy, Meteorology, Naturalist, Paleontology, Camouflage, Fishing, Hiking, Mimic Animal & Bird Sounds, Naturalist, Navigation, Prospecting, Survival, Tracking, Weather Sense, Forensics, Streetwise, Urban Survival

Reasoning Characteristics

Reasoning represents the overall ability of the being to adapt and manipulate the information they get from the world around them.

Engineering Skill

Your Engineering check measures your character’s ability to apply technology to build, modify, and repair devices. You might also need an Engineering check to see if you can reverse engineer a Dwarven chest, repair a broken crossbow, or disarm a trap. Almost every trade, craft, or occupation that requires someone to build something will be making a Engineering roll to determine their level of success.

Typical Engineering Skills: Architecture, Armorer, Battlesuit, Bone Carving, Carpentry, Computer Operation, Cooking, Diving Suit, Electrician, Electronic Warfare, Media Operations, Electronics, Electronics Repair, Engineer, Explosives, Flint Knapping, Hazardous Materials, Hobby Skill, Housekeeping, Jeweler, Knot-Tying, Leatherworking, Lockpicking, Machinist, Masonry, Mechanic, NBC Suit, Pottery, Professional Skill, Sculpting, Security Electronics, Sewing, Smith, Traps, Typing, Vacc Suit, and Woodworking

Insight Skill

Your Insight check decides whether you can determine the true intentions of a creature, such as when searching out a lie or predicting someone’s next move. Doing so involves gleaning clues from body language, speech habits, and changes in mannerisms.

Typical Specializations:

Investigation Skill

When you look around for clues and make deductions based on those clues, you make an Investigation check. You might deduce the location of a hidden object, discern from the appearance of a wound what kind of weapon dealt it, or determine the weakest point in a tunnel that could cause it to collapse.

Acuity Characteristics

Acuity represents the overall ability of the being to harmonize conflicts in their understanding by pushing themselves mentally.

Traditions Skill

Perception Skill

Your character’s Perception check lets you spot, hear, or otherwise detect the presence of something. It measures your general awareness of your surroundings and the keenness of your senses. For example, you might try to hear a conversation through a closed door, eavesdrop under an open window, or hear monsters moving stealthily in the forest. Or you might try to spot things that are obscured or easy to miss, whether they are orcs lying in ambush on a road, thugs hiding in the shadows of an alley, or candlelight under a closed secret door.

Formal Sciences Skill

Your Formal Science skill is used when you are attempting to understand any formal system such as logic, mathematics, statistics, information theory, game theory, or decision theory. This skill is also used in conjunction with another skill when someone wishes to advance the craft of that other skill formally.

Social Aspects

Manners Characteristics

Manners represents the overall ability of the being to socially understand the world around them

Style Skill

Your style determines how well you can understand the mind of the public or a given audience to delight them with a dress, a painting, a sculpture, a poem, or any other form or artistic pursuit that produces some sort of cultural artifact.

Performance Skill

Your performance check determines how well you can delight an audience with music, dance, acting, storytelling, or some other form of entertainment.

Etiquette Skill

Your character’s ability to say the right thing at the right time to any person.

Personality Characteristics

Personality represents the overall ability of the being to conform their own actions to create the outcomes they want.

Deception Skill

A Deception check determines whether you can convincingly hide the truth, either verbally or through your actions. This deception can encompass everything from misleading others through ambiguity to telling outright lies. Typical situations include trying to fast-talk a guard, con a merchant, earn money through gambling, pass yourself off in a disguise, dull someone’s suspicions with false assurances, or maintain a straight face while telling a blatant lie.

Persuasion Skill

When you attempt to influence someone or a group of people with tact, social graces, or good nature, the GM might ask you to make a Persuasion check. Typically, you use persuasion when acting in good faith, to foster friendships, make cordial requests, or exhibit proper etiquette. Examples of persuading others include convincing a chamberlain to let your party see the king, negotiating peace between warring tribes, or inspiring a crowd of townsfolk.

Intimidation Skill

When you attempt to influence someone through overt threats, hostile actions, and physical violence, you might be asked to make a Intimidation check. Examples include trying to pry information out of a prisoner, convincing street thugs to back down from a confrontation, or using the edge of a broken bottle to convince a sneering vizier to reconsider a decision.

Identity Characteristics

Identity represents the overall ability of the being to harmonize conflicts in the society they exist in by pushing themselves socially.

Bureaucracy Skill

Bureaucracy is used when you need to understand the bureaucratic structures of group and how they can be used to create the outcomes you need. This can bet how the local politican work, or law enforcement can be incentivized or the rules of churches or other formalized social structures of a corporation or social group.

Animal Handling Skill

When there is any question whether you can calm down a domesticated animal, keep a mount from getting spooked, or intuit an animal’s intentions, you might need an Animal Handling check. You also make an Animal Handling check to control your mount when you attempt a risky maneuver.

Leadership Skill

Your character’s ability to inspire others to become the best versions of themselves.

Spirituality Aspects

Skepticism Characteristics

Skepticism represents the overall ability of the being to manipulate the spiritual powers as laws of nature

Arcana Skill

Arcana takes the scientific method and applies it to the spiritual realm. A Gnostic would focus on understanding the knowledge and theory of how something worked, while an arcanist would focus on making a workable system that predicts outcomes. It is skeptical of magic being personal or aligned to ideals, creatures, or others. It’s Math and Formula. This is the magic of the traditional RPG Mage.”

Gnosis Skill

Gnosis is a focus on the spiritual realm that insists that understanding and knowledge and the abandonment of the physical are the keys to enlightenment, power, and individual and personal monergism. This is about the person themselves and achieving enlightenment and escape from the physical realms. Advanced practitioners may not be fully self focused. This is the magic of the Guru and the Hermit.”

Chaos Skill

Chaos magic understands that the universe is unique and every circumstance needs to be addressed uniquely. Chaosism attempts to harness the random aspects of a circumstance to the advantage of the caster. This is the magic of trickster, the bard, and the storm.

Faith Characteristics

Faith represents the overall ability of the being to trust in the promises of other beings

Theurgy Skill

This collection of skills is associated with interactions with other spiritual beings. These are generally rituals and practices that form the interactions and bargains that are made between those intelligent creatures that live within the spirit realm and who are capable of various bargains or contracts. This is traditional Clerical Magic and warlock magic.”

Adept Skill

This collection of skills is associated with having an understanding one’s own personal spiritual power and skills. An Adept is someone who has perfected their understanding of their spiritual strengths and weaknesses and uses them to enhance their body, mind, and social interactions. This is the magic of martial arts. It’s chief focus is the caster itself, and not some other ideal or other creature, while a martial art form may be inspired by some living creature or force of nature, the goal of the Adept is self improvement and mastery not to become that creature. “

Order Skill

Order is the study of how the spiritual realms are ordered, predictable, and outcomes are controlled. This is the magic of the Paladin who is aligned to dieties or other cosmic powers.”

Mystery Characteristics

Mystery represents the overall ability of the being to harmonize conflicts in their understanding of the spiritual realms by pushing themselves.

Metaphysics Skill

Someone who uses Metaphysics is trying to understand the pathways through time and space with a focus on knowing the substance, cause, and identity of the spiritual aspects of reality. This is the magic of the Oracle, ESP, and Psionics.

Animism Skill

Animism is the understanding that the whole universe itself is imbued with spiritual power. Someone who uses Animism understands these powers and uses them to shape the world around them. Some Animists focus on philosophical ideals such as peace, change, love, honor, etc. and try to order everything toward increasing that ideal everywhere. Others will focus on a cosmostological ideals that about the spiritual composition of matter and attempt to shape and control that. This is the magic of the Jedi and other non-religiously affiliated paladins. This is the magic of the artificer and the elementalist.

Shamanism Skill

Shamanism is the understanding of and confirming one’s own spiritual strengths and weaknesses to mirror the Physical, Mental, Social, and Spiritual aspects of other living creatures. This is the magic of the Druid or the Shaman. This is also the magic of the shapeshifters and doppelgangers.

LEGAL

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This Product is derived from the Traveller System Reference Document and other Open Gaming Content made available by the Open Gaming License, and does not contain closed content from products published by either Mongoose Publishing or Far Future Enterprises. This Product is not affiliated with either Mongoose Publishing or Far Future Enterprises, and it makes no claim to or challenge to any trademarks held by either entity. The use of the Traveller System Reference Document does not convey the endorsement of this Product by either Mongoose Publishing or Far Future Enterprises as a product of either of their product lines.

Publishing Your Own Materials

As you can see at the beginning of this System Reference Document, all of the text in this document is designated as Open Gaming Content, except for the titles of products published by Samardan Press, and the trademarks “Cepheus Engine” and “Samardan Press”.

This means you can copy whatever parts of the Cepheus Engine you want, add your own content, change the content around, and publish the result. Note that you will have to comply with the Open Gaming License, as reproduced at the end of this document. If you don’t mention any of the trademark elements, you don’t need to do anything else.

However, you can use the “Cepheus Engine” trademark, under certain circumstances, to indicate compatibility with this rules system. You have to follow the requirements of the Cepheus Engine Compatibility-Statement License (CSL), but if you do, you can state that your published material “is compatible with the rules of Cepheus Engine” or, “with the Cepheus Engine rules” or, “with the Cepheus Engine game.” Here are those requirements:

The Cepheus Engine Compatibility-Statement License (CSL)

1. You must state on the first page where you mention Cepheus Engine that “Cepheus Engine and Samardan Press are the trademarks of Jason “Flynn” Kemp,” and that you are not affiliated with Jason “Flynn” Kemp or Samardan Press™

2. If you’re using the license to commit legal fraud, you forfeit the right to continue using the license: specifically, if you are claiming compatibility with the rules of Cepheus Engine, the claim must not constitute legal fraud, or fraud in the inducement, under the laws of the State of Texas. Note that this requirement is almost impossible to violate unintentionally-it’s largely intended to keep me out of trouble, not to restrict legitimate statements of compatibility.

3. You must comply with the terms of the OGL if the terms apply.

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5. Selling a full version of this game with your house rules incorporated into it is perfectly permissible, but you may not sell an effectively unchanged copy of the rules for money.

6. If your document is a private house rules document, not being sold for profit or general use, you may scan and use artwork (including the cover) from the printed version, published in print under the title of Cepheus Engine Core Rules, provided that the cover contains the words “House Rules,” near the title, and that the artists are appropriately credited.

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If you have questions about the license, feel free to contact the author.

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