Earthdawn 4E: Anatomy of a Horror 13 - The Pritchman

This is the thirteenth 4E Anatomy of a Horror, an ongoing series about Earthdawn Fourth Edition. Introduction and Index.

Everything contained here is the work of a fan and not associated with FASA Games.

This was written up for FASA's Halloween social media in honor of Kyle Pritchard.

The general concept here plays with Kyle, who I've worked with for years now and much more so since 2018 with Elven Nations, more in 2019 with The Adept's Journey: Mystic Paths, and a lot partnering for getting Iopos: lair of Deceit out the door. Between the latter, Empty Thrones, his continued work on Legends of Barsaive, things behind the scenes, and life in general—this has been a very busy year. Without hyperbole, he is one of the nicest and most humble people you will have the pleasure to meet.

This Horror is designed to be less of a nebulous plot device than the previous two, The Babcock and J'osh the Vexing Son, and more of specific threat to a location. Given his dual nature, he's easily a recurring threat and can easily continue being a threat even if he doesn't see it that way. In contrast to the inspiration's pleasant demeanor, the Horror is more visceral and brutal. While still maintaining that same demeanor.

The Pritchman

Easily one of the most insidious Horrors due to the complete sincerity associated with his actions. Nethermancers and scholars who discuss the accounts that filter to them debate The Pritchman’s true nature—to what extent is it a ruse merely to capture prey and wring the most possible from them or is it the bizarre case of a Horror attempting to make friends of a sort and simply being entirely unaware of how this is supposed to work. Despite these ruminations, the end result is much the same: The Pritchman lures in even the most wary with friendly acts and an unassuming demeanor before cutting them to the core.

The Pritchman can take the form of any humanoid Namegiver, but prefers the appearance of an innocuous human man when appropriate. He’s helpful, jovial, friendly, and entirely morally bankrupt. It’s impossible to not enjoy his company with an easygoing demeanor and this Horror is the first to offer help to anyone in need. However, it should be known he may have orchestrated that need in the first place, as he makes subtle use of Corrupt Reality to shape his victims’ world, forcing them to increasingly rely upon him. He never asks anything in return and feeds from the feelings of guilt this instills in these friends.

While many powerful Horrors prefer to work through constructs and lesser Horrors under their sway, The Pritchman is very hands on. He delights in inflicting the final betrayal on his victims, forcing them under his sway when they are overwhelmed by the enormity of the betrayal. It’s possible The Pritchman doesn’t see it this way and instead sees it as the way they can be together forever, by exchanging body parts. Horrors don’t tend to come from a good home life, but there’s still no real excuse for this behavior (though some Nethermancers still find a way to blame the victims).

There is no beholding The Pritchman’s true form in the same way as other Horrors. His astral form perfectly reflects his material form, though flesh is just as malleable as feelings to his fingers. Given the dangers of Barsaive, there’s nothing suspicious of the knives he carries on his person, though they aren’t wholly necessary since he can form weapons from his body just as easily. However, he does use them to different effects.

Challenge: Warden (Eleventh Circle)
DEX: 15        Initiative:                    17       Unconsciousness:      131
STR: 12         Physical Defense:  17       Death Rating:               149
TOU: 18        Mystic Defense:      19       Wound Threshold:     27
PER: 17         Social Defense:       20       Knockdown:                 14
WIL: 14        Physical Armor:      13       Recovery Tests:            6
CHA: 19        Mystic Armor:         10       Karma:                            11 (44)
Movement: 12
Actions: 3; Knives: 30 (24), Unarmed: 32 (22)
Powers:
Awareness (38, Simple): As the talent, Player’s Guide, p. 129.

Corrupt Compromise (25, Standard)

Corrupt Reality (25, Standard)
Cursed Luck (27, Free)

Damage Shift (27, Simple): The Pritchman can transfer one Wound per success to the victim. He cannot also transfer damage if used in this fashion and must spend one Karma Point per Wound transferred.
Displace (Standard)

Dual Nature: The Pritchman has an astral and physical form. They are not independent, but both must be destroyed to kill the Horror. As long as one form survives, it can reform the other. Attacks that deal Mystic damage affect both forms simultaneously.
Feast of Suffering: The Pritchman gains +1 to Attack and Damage tests for each Wound the target has.
Flesh of Theseus (Sustained): The Pritchman cuts off a piece of a marked victim and devours it, then cuts off the equivalent piece from his body and attaches it to the victim, which blends into the victim’s body shortly and gives them at least one Corruption Point (more may be appropriate for larger body parts at the gamemaster’s discretion). His body part quickly grows back and looks reminiscent of the victim’s body part. This functions like Horror Thread (Gamemaster’s Guide, p. 464), but there are no additional costs and it is always successful. However, The Pritchman can only control that affected piece of the victim’s body—this allows him to see out of their eye, listen from their ear, use their hand, etc. The Pritchman’s mark can never be removed or sequestered once this power is used.
Forge Construct (25, Standard): The Pritchman prefers to create boneless and grotesques from victims who outlived their usefulness, but still have a little left to give.

Foundation of Lies is Still a Foundation: The Pritchman gains +5 to all Action tests against a victim for every Attitude level above Neutral they possess towards The Pritchman. If the victim suffers a complete betrayal from The Pritchman, this bonus is maintained at the previous level until sunrise.
Harvest Energy (30, Free): If the harvested emotion is betrayal, guilt, or pain, The Pritchman gains an additional Karma Point, and gains a point even if the test fails.

Heart Knows What It Wants, The: The Pritchman can make close combat attacks against the target’s Mystic Defense (this can affect targets in astral space).
Horror Mark (25, Standard): The Pritchman can only use this power on targets who have at least a Friendly attitude towards him. In addition to the normal effects, the victims of The Pritchman’s Horror Mark find themselves increasingly relying on him, coming to trust him and gain a Corruption Point upon receiving the mark.

Karma Boost (Free)

Resist Pain (4)

Special Maneuvers:
Corrupted Wound (The Pritchman, Unarmed): The Pritchman may spend two additional successes on an Attack test to leave pieces of his corrupted essence behind when attacking with their natural blades. If the attack causes a Wound, it becomes corrupted and the next healing effect on the victim within 10 minutes causes damage instead; this includes potions, spells, talents, etc. If the effect has a duration, it causes damage for the duration of the effect.
Cutting Room Floor (The Pritchman, Knives): The Pritchman may spend two additional successes on an Attack test to ignore the target’s Physical Armor. If this inflicts more than one Wound, it may sever part of the victim’s body at the gamemaster’s discretion. The size of the body part should be proportional to the number of Wounds inflicted.
Fillet of Flesh (The Pritchman, Close Combat): The Pritchman cuts deeply into his opponent with his blade, easily separating flesh from bone by spending additional successes on their Attack test to reduce their opponent’s Wound Threshold by -2 for this attack. Each success spent in this fashion allows The Pritchman to inflict an additional Wound on the target based on the new Wound Threshold.
Hamstring (The Pritchman, Close Combat)

Earthdawn 4E: Rules Variant 12 - Simplified Duration

This is the twelfth Rules Variant, part of an ongoing series about Earthdawn Fourth Edition. Introduction and Index.

Everything contained here is the work of a fan and not associated with FASA Games.

Tracking spell durations isn't for everyone or even most people. Outside of combat it's more of a narrative procedure and even in combat it doesn't take long for the typical duration to extend for the entirety of the encounter. This moves many abilities to a more narrative or practical duration to simplify what needs to be tracked.

A caveat to this is the system wasn't balanced around this premise. Some abilities—spells in particular—may not be included when it seems like they should. This is typically because the duration having an end may be important because there is no other way given to resist it. Alternatively, I missed it. Other abilities may end up being more powerful than originally intended, which means gamemasters may need to keep an eye on effects (this is especially true for long scenes).

Chain casting can only affect spells with a Scene length duration. An encounter length spell ends at the beginning of an encounter, unless the characters have specific knowledge of the impending encounter and time to prepare. Casting encounter length spells at the beginning of every scene on the chance there's going to be an encounter is poor form. Don't abuse the system just because it seems like a loophole, that actively makes things worse for everyone.

There's a few different types of durations listed which align to different kinds of framing devices.

Scenes are the most common and what everyone should be familiar with in concept. Ideally, a scene has a purpose and doesn't meander just for the sake of existing. This is explicitly not to say there shouldn't be time for characterization, but scenes without that kind of specific purpose are Downtime. These are often measured roughly in minutes, though can extend into hours. If a longer scene is the case, scene length abilities may fail during the scene if it doesn't benefit from some ability to be extended (e.g. chain casting or Renewable spells). This should be used to raise dramatic tension, not for punitive reasons.

Encounters can be a scene unto themselves, or part of a larger scene. They are always comparatively short and action-oriented events. Usually combat, but not always. However, time should always be of the essence in an encounter. A scene with multiple encounters could include exploring an infested kaer, wandering through the Servos Jungle, or delving into an invae hive.

Downtime can come in three varieties: a rest, overnight, or extended. A rest is no more than an hour—enough time to change out spells in matrices, make one Recovery test, have a meal, etc. Overnight is generally at least 10 hours—probably more like 12—and includes all the time needed between retiring for the day and getting ready the next day. Extended downtime is measured in days.

Hopefully all these are straight forward and easy to understand.

Some spells where the duration was improved through additional successes have that changed, though not all. Scene length and greater spells allow for the ability to recast however many times to get the desired result, which means there's significant potential to unbalance them if there is an effect-related benefit to additional successes. Some spells include a benefit where a similar spell doesn't. There's reasons for that, maybe part to test things out or because the other effect has some nuances that don't apply. I don't have the time to list every explanation nor respond to every question about every change.

When a spell lists additional targets for additional successes, the additional targets must have a Mystic Defense equal to or lower than the original target. 


Discipline Abilities

• Thief, Shadowcloak: One scene. [Player’s Guide, p. 109]

Talents

• Air Speaking: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 125]
• Alley Cat Approach: Until sunrise.  [Companion, p. 46]
• Animal Leadership: One scene per success, or until sunrise.  [Companion, p. 46]
• Animal Possession: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 126]
• Animal Talk: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 127]
• Animal Training: Downtime action.   [Player’s Guide, p. 127]
• Arcane Mutterings: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 128]
• Armor Mount: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 128]
• Astral Domain: One scene.  [Companion, p. 46]
• Astral Interference: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 129]
• Aura Armor: One encounter.  [Companion, p. 47]
• Book Memory: Downtime action; memorization rate only applicable if being performed under stress.  [Player’s Guide, p. 132]
• Borrow Sense: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 132]
• Cold Purify: Downtime action.  [Player’s Guide, p. 135]
• Concentrated Assault: One encounter.  [Companion, p. 50]
• Confront Horror: One encounter.  [Companion, p. 51]
• Dead Fall: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 137]
• Disarming Smile: One scene.  [Companion, p. 52]
• Disguise Self: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 139]
• Dominate Beast: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 140]
• Earth Skin: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 140]
• Earth Walk: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 196]
• Elemental Hold: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 141]
• Engaging Banter: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 143]
• Enhance Animal Companion: Downtime action. [Player’s Guide, p. 143]
• Fearsome Charge: One encounter. [Player’s Guide, p. 146]
• Fire Heal: Downtime action. [Player’s Guide, p. 147]
• Forge Armor: Downtime action.  [Player’s Guide, p. 148]
• Forge Flesh: One scene.  [Companion, p. 56]
• Forge Weapon: Downtime action.  [Player’s Guide, p. 148]
• Frighten: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 149]
• Glyph of Shielding: One encounter.  [Companion, p. 57]
• Heartening Laugh: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 152]
• Hypnotize: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 153]
• Impressive Display: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 154]
• Inspire Others: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 154]
• Item History: Downtime action.  [Player’s Guide, p. 155]
• Leadership: One scene, until sunrise, rank days.  [Player’s Guide, p. 156]
• Living Weapon: One scene.  [Companion, p. 59]
• Mimic Voice: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 158]
• Missile Lock: One scene.  [Companion, p. 60]
• Morphism: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 201]
• Nethersoul: Until sunrise.  [Companion, p. 62]
• Orbiting Spy: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 160]
• Plant Talk: One scene.  [Companion, p. 63]
• Power Mask: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 162]
• Sense Captive: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 205]
• Sense Horrorspawn: One encounter.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 205]
• Song of Battle: One encounter.  [Companion, p. 66]
• Song of Deflection: One encounter.  [Companion, p. 66]
• Soul Aegis: One encounter.  [Companion, p. 67]
• Spirit Hold: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 168]
• Spirit Talk: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 169]
• Spot Armor Flaw: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 169]
• Steely Stare: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 171]
• Stopping Aim: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 171]
• Storm Shield: One encounter.  [Companion, p. 68]
• Summon: Downtime action.  [Player’s Guide, p. 171]
• Suppress Curse: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 171]
• Temper Flesh: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 173]
• Thought Link: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 173]
• Tracking: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 175]
• Undermine: One scene.  [Companion, p. 70]
• Wilderness Survival: Downtime action.  [Player’s Guide, p. 179]
• Wood Skin: Until sunrise. When Wood Skin ends, it no longer heals damage. This isn't necessary since the much longer duration means "Oops, I'm dead" situations are a thing of the past. Unless you go to sleep with that much Current Damage. So, don't do that.  [Player’s Guide, p. 180]

Knacks

• (Awareness) Clear View: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 216]
• (Awareness) Lip Reading: One scene.  [Companion, p. 83]
• (Lock Picking) False Shackles: Until sunrise.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 255]
• (Melee Weapons) Mind Blade: One scene.  [Companion, p. 100]
• (Missile Weapons) Wind Bow: One scene.  [Companion, p. 101]
• (Morphism) Metamorphosis: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 260]
• (Read and Write Language) Decipher Message: Until sunrise.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 269]
• (Sense Captive) Sense Chattel: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 276]
• (Speak Language) Doublespeak: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 279]
• (Stealthy Stride) Traceless Stride: One encounter.  [Companion, p. 110]
• (Thread Weaving) Mind Armor: One scene.  [Companion, p. 113]
• (Wood Walk) Forest Knows My Feet, The: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 296]
• (Wood Walk) Forest Knows My Friends, The: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 296]

Skills

• Alchemy: Downtime action.  [Player’s Guide, p. 191]
• Craft Armor: Downtime action.  [Player’s Guide, p. 194]
• Craft Weapon: Downtime action.  [Player’s Guide, p. 195]
• Craftsman: Downtime action.  [Player’s Guide, p. 195]
• Disguise: Downtime action.  [Player’s Guide, p. 196]
• Forgery: Downtime action.  [Player’s Guide, p. 197]
• Mapmaking: Downtime action.  [Player’s Guide, p. 197]
• Physician: Downtime action.  [Player’s Guide, p. 198]

Elementalist Spells

• Air Armor: One encounter. Extra thread for one scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 271]
• Blizzard Sphere: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect Step.  [Player’s Guide, p. 281]
• Cloud Summon: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 288]
• Crunch Climb: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 271]
• Death Rain: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect Step.  [Player’s Guide, p. 289]
• Drastic Temperature: One scene. Additional successes increase Effect Step.  [Player’s Guide, p. 286]
• Earth Staff: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 283]
• Earth Surfing: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 289]
• Earth Wall: Until sunrise. Additional successes add sections.  [Player’s Guide, p. 291]
• Fingers of Wind: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 276]
• Fireweave: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 286]
• Flameweapon: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 272]
• Grove Renewal: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target. Does not function outside of combat.  [Player’s Guide, p. 282]
• Heat Food: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 273]
• Icy Surface: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 277]
• Ironskin: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 292]
• Lightning Step: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 282]
• Mantle of the Blood Elf: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect Step.  [Player’s Guide, p. 290]
• Mantle of the Fire Marauder: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect Step.  [Player’s Guide, p. 287]
• Mantle of the Lightning Vanguard: One scene. Additional successes increase Movement Rate.  [Player’s Guide, p. 292]
• Mantle of the Reflecting Pool: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 279]
• Mantle of the Woodland Hunter: One scene. Additional successes increase Effect (Movement Rate).  [Player’s Guide, p. 277]
• Metal Wings: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 287]
• Resist Elements: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 274]
• Shield Willow: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 277]
• Slow Weapon: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 278]
• Stone Rain: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect Step.  [Player’s Guide, p. 288]
• Tossing Earth: Until sunrise. Additional successes increase area.  [Player’s Guide, p. 288]
• Uneven Ground: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 282]
• Venomous Fury: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 293]
• Waterproof: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 275]
• Whirlwind: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect Step.  [Player’s Guide, p. 291]
• Winds of Deflection: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 280]

Improved Elementalist Spell Knacks

• (Resist Element) Extended Resist Earth: Until sunrise.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 303]
• (Resist Element) Extended Resist Wood: Until sunrise.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 303]

Illusionist Spells

• And Then I Woke Up: One encounter. Extra thread for one scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 302]
• Assuring Touch: One encounter. Extra thread for one scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 294]
• Astral Shadow: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 309]
• Best Face: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 295]
• Blindness: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 300]
• Bond of Silence: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 307]
• Break It Up: One encounter.  [Iopos: Lair of Deceit, p. 220]
• Chosen Path: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 310]
• Clarion Call: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect Step.  [Player’s Guide, p. 305]
• Cloak: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 295]
• Dancing Dragon: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect Step.  [Player’s Guide, p. 312]
• Displace Image: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 300]
• Encrypt: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 296]
• Eye of Truth: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 307]
• Face Lift: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 315]
• Flying Carpet: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 310]
• Fog of Jeer: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 303]
• Form Exchange: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 315]
• Great Weapon: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 305]
• Illusion: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 308]
• Innocent Activity: One encounter. Extra thread for one scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 300]
• Memory Scribe: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 311]
• Mind Fog: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect Step.  [Player’s Guide, p. 301]
• Monstrous Mantle: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 297]
• Nobody Here: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 303]
• Notice Not: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 305]
• Other Place: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 315]
• Phantom Warrior: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect Step.  [Player’s Guide, p. 304]
• Pilferous Paper: One scene.  [Travar: The Merchant City, p. 133]
• Presto!: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 309]
• Rebel Limb: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 316]
• See the Unseen: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 301]
• Send Message: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 298]
• Shadow Spell: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 316]
• Silent Stampede: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 313]
• Stampede: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 313]
• Stench: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 317]
• Switch: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 309]
• Trust: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 299]
• Twisted Tongues: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 314]
• Unmask: One encounter. Extra thread for one scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 307]
• Unseen Voices: One encounter. Extra thread for one scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 299]

Improved Illusionist Spell Knacks

• (Best Face) Unassuming Face: Until sunrise.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 307]
• (Bond of Silence) Hours of Silence: Until sunrise.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 310]
• (Cloak) Part of the Crowd: Until sunrise.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 308]

Nethermancer Spells

• Aspect of the Astral Savant: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect.  [Player’s Guide, p. 339]
• Aspect of the Bone Spirit: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 326]
• Aspect of the Casual Murderer: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect.  [Player’s Guide, p. 336]
• Aspect of the Cowardly Skulk: One scene. Additional successes increase Effect.  [Player’s Guide, p. 326]
• Aspect of the Cruel Physician: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect.  [Player’s Guide, p. 331]
• Aspect of the Fog Ghost: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect.  [Player’s Guide, p. 322]
• Aspect of the Menacing Tyrant: One scene. Additional successes increase Effect.  [Player’s Guide, p. 328]
• Astral Maw: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect Step.  [Player’s Guide, p. 334]
• Blind: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 331]
• Bone Pudding: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 337]
• Chilling Circle: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 323]
• Circle of Astral Protection: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 332]
• Constrict Heart: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 338]
• Dark Messenger: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 318]
• Dark Spy: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 329]
• Death’s Head: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 323]
• Debilitating Gloom: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 335]
• Ethereal Darkness: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 319]
• Evil Eye: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 329]
• Fog of Fear: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 327]
• Foul Vapors: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect Step.  [Player’s Guide, p. 338]
• Friendly Darkness: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 335]
• Horror Call: Until sunset. Additional successes increase Effect.  [Player’s Guide, p. 339]
• Life Circle of One: One scene. The magician can have up to Nethermancer Circle active versions of this spell at one time.  [Player’s Guide, p. 320]
• Netherblade: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 340]
• Night’s Edge: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 324]
• Nightflyer’s Cloak: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 330]
• Restrain Entity: One scene. Additional successes increase Effect Step.  [Player’s Guide, p. 339]
• Shadow Meld: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 321]
• Shadow Tether: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 340]
• Shadow’s Whisper: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 324]
• Shield Mist: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 324]
• Soul Armor: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 321]
• Soulless Eyes: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 321]
• Spirit Portal: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 341]
• Step Through Shadow: One encounter. Additional successes increase range.  [Player’s Guide, p. 336]
• Summon Bone Spirit: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 328]
• Summon Fog Ghost: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect Step.  [Player’s Guide, p. 325]
• Viewpoint: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 330]

Shaman Spells

• Alarm: Until sunrise.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 314]
• Beastform: Until sunrise.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 330]
• Catwalk: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 320]
• Earth Q’wril: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 331]
• Falcon’s Cloak: Until sunrise.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 325]
• Ferocity: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 318]
• Ferret Reflex: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 322]
• Gills: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 323]
• Hero’s Feast: Downtime action. Each extra thread for duration allows each target to use another Recovery Test.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 319]
• Hunter’s Sense: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 314]
• Insect Repellent: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 315]
• Lifesense: Until sunrise.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 334]
• Mark of the Badger: One encounter.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 327]
• Mark of the Bear: One encounter.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 324]
• Mark of the Boar: One encounter.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 319]
• Mark of the Eagle: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 335]
• Mark of the Snake: One encounter.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 328]
• Mark of the Wolf: One encounter.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 321]
• Moonglow: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 316]
• Mountain Goat Leap: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 320]
• Otter Swim: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 316]
• Pack Tactics: One encounter.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 317]
• Pangolin Armor: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 329]
• Path Home: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 327]
• Polecat Resistance: Until sunrise.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 322]
• Predator Senses: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 329]
• Prey Senses: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 317]
• Repel Animal: Until sunrise.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 324]
• Salamander Regeneration: Until sunrise.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 335]
• Soothe the Savage Beast: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 320]
• Sunlight: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 322]
• Weather Cloak: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 318]
• Wolf Run: Until sunrise.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 333]

Wizard Spells

• Astral Sense: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 342]
• Astral Shield: One encounter. Extra thread for one scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 346]
• Ball of String: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 351]
• Baseline Subtraction: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 347]
• Bedazzling Display of Logical Analysis: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 343]
• Binding Threads: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 351]
• Catseyes: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 343]
• Combat Fury: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 349]
• Displace Self: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 356]
• Dodge Boost: One encounter. Extra thread for one scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 347]
• Energy Shield: One encounter. Extra thread for one scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 356]
• Evolved Consciousness: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 353]
• Flight: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 353]
• Giant Size: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 353]
• Iron Hand: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 344]
• Juggler’s Touch: One encounter. Additional successes increase Effect Step.  [Player’s Guide, p. 352]
• Karma Cancel: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 362]
• Levitate: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 350]
• Lighten Load: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 352]
• Loan Spell: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 357]
• Mage Armor: One encounter. Extra thread for one scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 344]
• Mystic Net: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 360]
• Quicken Pace: Until sunrise. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 345]
• Rampage: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 357]
• Rope Ladder: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 348]
• Seeking Sight: One encounter. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 348]
• Slow: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 355]
• Smudged Fingers: Until sunrise.  [Travar: The Merchant City, p. 132]
• Speed Reading: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 345]
• Spell Cage: One encounter.  [Player’s Guide, p. 362]
• Spellstore: Until sunrise.  [Player’s Guide, p. 360]
• Wall Walker: One scene.  [Player’s Guide, p. 346]
• Wizard Mark: Until sunrise. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 350]
• Wizard’s Cloak: One scene. Additional successes add an additional, willing target.  [Player’s Guide, p. 353]

Improved Wizard Spell Knacks

• (Divine Aura) Monitor Emotions: One scene.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 313]
• (Evolved Consciousness) Uplifted Cognizance: Until sunrise.  [The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, p. 313]

Earthdawn 4E: Rules Variant 11 - Karma Ritual

This is the eleventh Rules Variant, part of an ongoing series about Earthdawn Fourth Edition. Introduction and Index.

Everything contained here is the work of a fan and not associated with FASA Games.

Compared to most rules variants detailed here, this one doesn't change much of how the system works. The two biggest features it offers are simplifying tracking Karma Points and smoothing out variability in the "working day."

By the working day, I'm referring to how much stuff a group gets up to in a given day of game time. Behavior around that day looks very different if there is only one encounter on a given day v. multiple encounters. This begins to skew how valuable some abilities are compared to others and how much Karma can be spent without real consequence.

Tracking Karma Points between sessions and remembering to perform a Karma Ritual to refill your Karma Pool can be cumbersome for some players and/or groups. There's also a strategy to when you perform your Karma Ritual to refill your Karma Pool, waiting until after the first encounter to use some downtime and effectively providing a second full pool as long as the previous day didn't require much.

This rules variant has Karma Pools refill at the beginning of each session, rather than each day when performing a Karma Ritual. Depending what the typical working day looks like, Karma may become more scarce and higher Circle adepts may have to think more carefully about when they spend that resource since it won't necessarily be all back tomorrow. This also means adepts with Karma Rituals that have a difficult requirement (e.g. being under an open sky during a kaer delve) aren't inherently penalized by that. There's also no need to track how many points remain at the end of a session—they all come back when everyone returns to the table.

Gamemasters have more control over the flow of Karma at the table and the tension due to the resource dwindling. They can even have the group breathe a sigh of relief if they're tapped out, but are given a reprieve before the final showdown in the next session. Allowing them to show up with all those resources available by calling game beforehand.

This change moves the Karma Ritual from being about Karma at all into being about connecting with the adept's Discipline and what it means to them. How they connect with it. In this case, I think of it more as a "Centering Ritual." I've been slowly introducing effects that take place during this time to emphasize that connection and the inherent magic associated with it, rather than just being about getting all that Karma back. Count on seeing more of those abilities in the future.

In all, this is a situation I prefer and found it very successful duing the last long campaign I ran. However—as with all things—it isn't necessarily for everyone. Groups accustomed to freely spending Karma because of a short working day may have a rough adjustment to make.