Accursed 5
A black curse follows an
accursed hero wherever he goes. Fate never seems to give the poor sap an even
break. A character with this Hindrance didn’t graduate from the school of hard
knocks—he keeps getting held back! The hero draws 2 Fate Chips at the start of
a session instead of 3, so he’d better spend them wisely. He can still gain
them normally as rewards for good role playing or clever ideas.
Ailin’
There are some things doctors
just can’t cure. If you get a rash in your crotch from time to time, it’s
damned inconvenient. If you’ve got consumption, you’d better make arrangements
with the local undertaker. Diseased characters are affected by their ailments
depending on the
severity and
the circumstances of their particular affliction. Lesser ailments are things
like chronic allergies or colds, frequent lice, or worms. Some more serious
diseases are consumption (tuberculosis), diabetes, and cancer. Remember this is
the Weird West, so there are likely far worse ailments out there.
Value Ailment
1 Minor: Your character has a minor but incurable ailment.
This might cause him to cough at poor times, make social engagements difficult,
give him the shakes, etc. Subtract –2 from any persuasion rolls and sneak attempts.
3 Chronic: Your hero has a chronic illness that causes constant
agony and may eventually kill her. She suffers the penalties for a minor ailment, and at the start of each game session, she must
make a Fair (5) Vigor roll. If she fails, she suffers –4 to all tasks she
performs this session. The Marshal might modify your die roll depending on the
weather and your particular illness
5 Fatal: You’ve got a chronic illness that might kill your
character at any time. Roll as above. If you go bust, your character must also
make an Onerous (7) Vigor roll. Should she fail, Death’s door swings wide.
All Thumbs 2
You don’t like machines, and
they don’t seem to like you much either. Scientific and mechanical Aptitudes
cost twice the normal points to learn or improve. All rolls made to use or repair
machinery are made at –2.
Aura o Death 1-5 (Harrowed)
Some Harrowed characters wear
their undeath like a shroud. People around them
instinctively know there’s something disturbing about these folks, though they
can’t quite put their finger on exactly what it is. Still, just as animals tend
to slink away from the Harrowed, people avoid those with an undead aura. This
doesn’t keep them from whispering about the “creepy strangers” behind their
backs, however. This uneasiness means that whenever such a Harrowed makes a
roll for Mien or any Aptitude falling under that Trait, she suffers a penalty
equal to her level of undead aura. The one exception is the overawe Aptitude,
which actually receives a bonus equal to that level, instead of a penalty.
Besides these modifiers, the Marshal should roleplay
the Harrowed’s general effect on people. It’s much
harder for him to form relationships, get information, and ask for help.
Angst 1-5 (Harrowed)
It’s time to get a little
heavy. Think about coming back from the dead from your character’s point of
view. It can be a depressing experience. Sure, you’ve cheated death, But now you have a whole new set of troubles. First, there
are your friends and family. Maybe they know your coffin is empty, and they’re
looking for grave robbers. That’s sure to cause them grief, which can make you
feel guilty. On the other hand, do you dare contact those loved ones? Having
attended your funeral, they’re liable to react poorly if you show up on their
doorstep holding in your slimy innards. Perhaps they’ll think you’re a cruel
impostor. Or maybe you’ll just scare the Hell out of them. Then there’s the
problem of how to deal with this whole undead thing. Once, you thought you’d
live till you died, and then things would be over. You’d spend the rest of
eternity playing harp on a cloud somewhere. But now you’re back on Earth with
no idea of what the new “rules” are. How long do you have this time? Will you
stay this way forever? What about your soul? Learning that your body is energized
by an evil spirit can’t make you feel too confident about reaching Heaven any
more. For that matter, the whole issue of the manitou
inside you is a thorny one. You have to stay in control, or who knows what evil
it might do with your sorry carcass. It’s sort of like being joined by leg
irons to an ax murderer. As a Harrowed, you’re trapped with no hope for parole
and no end in sight. Ever. It isn’t any wonder, then,
that many Harrowed live under a permanent shadow of
anxiety and depression. For many of them, angst is a constant companion. It
greets them every morning with a sardonic smile and taunts them in their
restless sleep every night, day in and day out. (The dead do sleep, by the way,
as you’ll see later on.) A character with the angst Hindrance has a difficult
time rising out of apathy, depression, and guilt to get started on any major
course of action. This means that whenever a new game session begins, he
suffers a penalty to all his dice rolls equal to the level of the Hindrance.
For instance, if he’s got 3 points of angst, he takes –3 to every roll. Once
the action is well underway, however, the character finds it easier to stay
motivated. One way to escape depression and uncertainty is to just get up and
do something. In game terms, each time the character spends a Fate Chip,
besides getting its normal effect, he also loses some of the angst penalty for
the remainder of the current session. A white chip negates 1 point of angst, a
red chip negates 2, and a blue chip negates 3. These chips must be spent during
play—they can’t just be tossed away at the beginning of the night. Of course,
once the action is over (between your regular gaming sessions), the Harrowed has time to mull things over and sink into
that same old “slough of despair” again. At least until he buys off his angst
in the next session.
Bad Ears 3/5
The quick and the deaf choose
the level of bad hearing your character suffers from the chart below.
Value Status
3 Mild: Subtract –2 from all Cognition tests based on hearing.
5 Stone Deaf: Your character can’t hear at all.
Bad Eyes 3/5
Sometimes it’s better not to
see what’s coming after you. Bad eyes subtract
from any Trait or Aptitude rolls you make for your hero to affect or see things
at greater than 20 yards. The Marshal might sometimes allow you to use your bad eyes as a bonus to guts checks when viewing gruesome
horrors at this range. If your hero wears spectacles, reduce the value of the
Hindrance by 1.
Value Status
3 Myopic: Subtract –2 from your character’s Trait and skill
rolls made to see or affect things at greater than 20 yards.
5 Near Blind: As above, but the penalty is –4
Bad Karma 5
Your hombre has made a lot of
enemies in the Hunting Grounds, where the manitous
live. And they remember you. Manitous revile your
hero so much that your huckster always takes backlash for drawing a Joker,
regardless of its color or his skill
Bad Luck 5
Calamity Jane’s got nothing on
you. If you go bust, whatever your character is doing has the absolute worst
effect possible.
Big Britches 3
It’s good to be confident, but
only a fool charges 600 cavalrymen into 5,000 Sioux. Your character is severely
overconfident. He believes he can do anything, and he never turns down a
challenge.
Big Mouth 3
A little lip-flapping can cause
a whole passel of trouble. Your hombre’s lips are looser than
Miss Kitty’s drawstring. He always speaks before he thinks. Worse, he’s constantly
blurting out the posse’s plans or telling the bad guys what they want to know.
The hero also manages to put his boot in his mouth fairly often. No one ever
trusts this habitual gossip twice.
Big ’Un 1/2
Your horse really hates to see
you coming. Fortunately, it’s pretty hard to bust up someone your size. The
effects of a character’s bulk depend on whether he is merely husky or truly
obese. Increasing your character’s Size affects the damage he can take. See
Chapter Four for details.
Value Status
1 Husky: Add +1 to your hero’s Size and reduce his movement
by one step (minimum is 4). His maximum Nimbleness is a
d10
2 Obese: Add +2 to your hero’s Size and reduce her movement
by two steps (minimum is 4). Her maximum Nimbleness is a
d8
Blackfoot 1
Up north, it’s important to
know where your neighbors stand – and to let them know where you do. Otherwise
you could wind up taking customers you shouldn’t, and that can lead to trouble.
Blackfoot is not and Indian term, but an Irish one. The Blackfoot were willing
to trade and do business with the Protestant English as well as with other
Catholic Irish. That’s not a problem, unless you encounter a Whiteboy (see below), but the factions hate each other
violently, and have been known to use arson and even murder against one
another.
Bloodthirsty 2
Some folks are just plain mean.
Others don’t believe in leaving their enemies alive to come back and haunt them
later. Your character rarely takes prisoners, and she enjoys confrontations. If
she’s forced to take prisoners, they don’t tend to live long when they’re no
longer useful.
Cautious 3
A good plan can turn a posse
into an army. But no army ever won a war sitting on its kiester.
Your character is a planner. He likes to plot things out long before any action
is taken, often to the chagrin of his impulsive, gun-fighting companions. Of
course, sometimes this can be a lifesaver. Custer could have used a little of
this Edge.
Clueless 3
Some folks can’t find a needle
in a haystack when they’re sitting on it. The needle, that is. Your cowpoke is
about as alert as a light post. Whenever the Marshal asks for Cognition checks to notice things, you must subtract –2 from your roll.
Yes, this includes surprise checks.
Cold Blooded 2
Your mama musta
been from sunnier climes, ‘cause you sure can’t handle the cold! It cuts right
through you, and sends you shivering to the nearest fire. Old hands like to have
fun at your like to have fun at your hero’s expense by hiding his coat. Your
character can’t handle the cold. Take a -1 to all nimbleness and quickness –
related actions if the temperature is below freezing.
Crisis o’ Faith 1/3
From time to time, everyone
suffers from it— even the blessed aren’t free from doubt. Sure, they can
perform miracles, but all the evil in the world may make still make them
question their beliefs. Maybe the horrors the hero has seen have made her doubt
the intentions of her deity, or maybe she’s just lost faith in her own worth.
Whatever the cause, this doubt plagues her whenever her beliefs are put to the
test. The character has a –2 to any faith rolls she makes. This includes rolls
to invoke miracles. This is a 3-point Hindrance for characters with the Edge
arcane background: blessed. For heroes possessing only the faith Aptitude, this
is merely a 1-point Hindrance. This Hindrance is only available to characters
with at least 1 level in faith. Should the character ever lose her faith, she
must immediately buy off this Hindrance or replace it with another.
Curious 3
If it killed the cat, think
what it can do to you. Your hero wants to know all he can about just about
everything he comes across. Anytime the character is confronted with a mystery,
he must do everything in his power to try to solve it, no matter how dangerous
the situation might be.
Damned 3/5
For whatever reason, Heaven
frowns upon your hero. It may be some horrible deed you’ve done in your past,
or your character may not even be aware of the source of this divine enmity.
Regardless, any helpful blessing from above is denied your character. At 3
points, no beneficial miracles work on your character. Of course, the other,
less desirable ones work just fine against him! The hero can’t use miracles or
gifts of any sort, no matter how good his intentions.
If the hero takes 5 points in this Hindrance, he’s really stepped on somebody’s
toes—in fact, he’s still standing on them! In addition to miracles, beneficial
shamanic favors also don’t work on him. And as if life wasn’t bad enough, all
harmful effects still affect him normally. No blessed character can take this
Hindrance, although any other character can. Even if a damned character takes
the faith Aptitude, he’s denied any type of holy miracle or gift unless he
finds some way to rid himself of this Hindrance.
Death Wish 5
Sometimes a fellow just doesn’t
want to go on. Maybe his family has fallen victim to some heinous creature.
Maybe he’s got consumption and wants to go out in a violent blaze of glory. Or
maybe he’s a young upstart who knows just enough about the Harrowed to be
dangerous.
Your character wants to die for
some reason (secret or otherwise), but only under certain circumstances. Most
want to go out in a blaze of glory, such as saving a town or taking some major
villain or critter to Hell with them. Your hombre won’t throw his life away for
just any little thing (suicide is easy, after all). The Marshal should reward
your character for taking extreme chances, but only when they help him attain
his most important goal.
Degeneration 1-5 (Herrowed)
When a manitou
enters a corpse and creates a Harrowed, its supernatural energy does more than
simply bring that body back to life. Its animating power also makes the body
resistant to damage, and it quickly regenerates the flesh when wounds are
suffered. Still, undead flesh can’t help but stink a little. For whatever
reason, some manitous either don’t
care to keep the flesh pickled or just can’t manage it. The Harrowed still
heals with supernatural quickness, but his body resumes the process of decay,
though perhaps very slowly. The degeneration Hindrance represents that
situation. The level of the Hindrance determines what state of decay the
Harrowed has reached, as shown in the table below. Players who choose this
Hindrance for their Harrowed should keep in mind that living creatures (human
or animal) react very poorly to the sight of a decaying corpse up and moving
about. They’re especially particular about obvious cadavers. To disguise his
condition, the rotten apple needs some heavy clothing and a load of perfume or
whiskey to mask his mortuary stench.
0
1 Pallid: At this stage, the Harrowed has
an unhealthy grayness to his complexion. His eyes are dull, and the odor of
decay is stronger, noticeable on a Foolproof (3) Cognition roll by anyone next
to him, or on a Hard (9) roll by anyone in the same room.
2 Slimy: The flesh of the Harrowed has a
slick film, and his eyes are milky. His odor is noticeable on an Onerous (7) Cognition
roll by anyone nearby. Those who get a long look at him should make a guts
check against a Terror score of 5. His various animal-handling aptitudes suffer
a penalty of –4.
3 Bloated: Decay has distended the Harrowed’s abdomen with gas and pestilent fluids. The
character has watery eyes, and his various orifices leak a bit. The smell of
decay is automatically noticeable and animal handling skills are at –6. It can
be as embarrassing as you probably think. The undead’s
Terror score is 7.
4 Tattered: The Harrowed is losing flesh right
off the bone. His skin is tattered, showing the stringy remains of his muscles
beneath. In some places, bare bone peeks through. His eyes are sunken. Even if
they don’t notice these obvious physical clues, anyone nearby smells the odor
of decay on an Onerous (7) Cognition roll. Animals won’t
have anything to with him, and his Terror score is 9.
5 Desiccated: All that remains of the Harrowed’s body is parchment skin over stringy ligaments
and bleached bones. The character’s eyes look like little dry raisins. They’re
so stiff, in fact, that the Harrowed must subtract –4 from any Cognition rolls
made to notice things by sight. There is little odor, if any, but the Harrowed
creaks slightly when he moves. His animal handling aptitudes go back down to a –4,
but the near-mummy takes double damage from fire. His Terror score is 9.
Disloyal 3 (Indian)
Your character has decided to
look for better hunting grounds elsewhere. There are a rare few natives who
have renounced their tribal loyalty, turning their backs on their tribes just as
the tribes now turn their backs on them. Disloyal natives become notorious
among members of their own and surrounding tribes. Other members of their old
tribes refuse to help them, and surrounding tribes treat them with disrespect.
A Disloyal character suffers a -2 penalty to all social Aptitude rolls with
Indians who are aware of his status.
Doubting Thomas 3
Some folks have a hard time
believing in supernatural events even when they they’re halfway down some
critters’ gullets. Doubting Thomases are skeptics. It’s hard not to believe in the supernatural after
a few adventures, but these characters always look for some more mundane source
than the blatantly paranormal.
Enemy 1–5
The past has a nasty way of
coming back to haunt a cowpoke. Remember that every foe you put down likely has
some friends or family who might come looking for you later. Your character has
an enemy or enemies of some sort. You and the Marshal should determine the
value of any enemies based on their relative power level and frequency of
appearance. A vengeful but inexperienced youth who is stalking the character,
for example, would likely be worth two points, since her appearance would be
fairly
common but she is relatively weak, not really a threat. If your hero’s being
hunted by Jesse James, that might be worth closer to five! A deserter should
take an enemy as well, but neither the
Ferner
3
No man’s an island. Sooner or
later, a fellow needs a hand, and if they can’t understand you, they can’t help
you. “Ferners” are outsiders in the culture central
to your adventure or campaign. Usually, he outsiders are Mexicans, Indians, or
Chinese folks who have a difficult time adapting to the white man’s language and way of life. An Englishman
who insists on bad-mouthing the “democracy” or a Chinese railroad worker who
speaks little English are likely to be shunned by most folks on the frontier.
Sometimes whites are the ferners. If your Marshal is running a
campaign centered in the Sioux Nations those who don’t know the Sioux’s
practices and traditions will find themselves the subject of prejudice. As long
as your character can communicate well in the culture he’s in and doesn’t go
out of his way to prove himself an outsider, he will likely suffer little
prejudice and you need not take this Hindrance.
Foreign characters may sometimes suffer from individual intolerance, of
course.
Finicky 3
Some people’ll
eat just about anything and your not one of ‘em.
Maybe you’re a city boy, or maybe you’ve just got digestive problems. Either
way, your stomach can’t handle “wilderness fare” – you need your food to be
properly cleaned and cooked before you can stomach it. Eating ill-prepared food
causes your hero 1d6 wind damage that lasts 1d4 hours.
Focus 1-3
When learning how to cast
hexes, the huckster learned by focusing on some kind of item. Now she’s got a
hard time working without it. For each level of this hindrance chosen, the
huckster has a -3 to her attribute roll for attempting to cast a hex without
the focus item. The focus item may be anything from a deck of cards to a
ceremonial dagger. It may even be the character’s favorite derby. The marshal
should have some fun at the hero’s expense with this one, of course
Geezer 3/5
You may not have teeth, but
you’ve still got a bite. You’re practically a fossil in the Weird West, and lost cowpokes
call you “old timer”. You’ve got one foot in the grave and the other in Hell.
Not all older Characters have this Hindrance—some folks are old at 40 and
others are still young at 90. For 3 points, reduce your
grandpa’s Vigor and Pace by –2. On the plus side, you get an extra 5
points to buy Any
Knowledge-based skills during character creation. For 5
points, reduce the character’s Vigor by two steps, Pace by –4 and take
10 extra points for Knowledge based skills. Vigor cannot go lower than d4, and Pace
cannot go lower than 2.
Greedy 2
It’s one of the seven deadly
sins. But while your mortal soul might be damned to Hell, you’ll sure have a
good time here on earth rolling in loot. Money and power mean everything to
your scoundrel, and she’ll do most anything to get more of it.
Grim Servant o’ Death 5
“And I looked, and behold a
pale horse: and his name that sat on him
was Death, and Hell followed with
him.” — Revelations 6:8 Well, maybe that’s a bit much, but
folks do
seem to get dead around you. A lot. Maybe you look
like a loser, and all the other losers like to pick on you. At least until they
find out how quick you are. Or maybe you look like a dandy, but you’re really a
huckster with a mean disposition. Whatever the story, your hombre gets picked
on a lot, even when he isn’t looking for trouble. You aren’t even necessarily
mean-tempered. You’re just trouble looking for a place to happen. Most of those
troubles end up buried in Boot Hill while you’re being carted off to the
hoosegow. As long as your hombre kills in self defense, juries usually find him
innocent. Unfortunately, your character spends a lot of time locked up, on the
run, or sitting in a courtroom proving his innocence. Needless to say, local
lawmen aren’t fond of your hero. They usually now your character’s name and
warn him about staying too long in their towns. Worse than the local lawmen are
hanging judges. They hate the competition and will dream up just about any
method imaginable to see you swing.
Habit 1–3
Folks aren’t much on
cleanliness in the Weird West, but that doesn’t mean they like to watch some
tinhorn shove his picker up his nose. Your character has a habit others find
annoying or revolting. Besides putting off other characters, this Hindrance
subtracts a number of points from your character’s persuasion rolls equal to the value of the Hindrance. The value of the
Hindrance depends on the frequency of the habit and just how gross and
disgusting it is.
Half-Breed 2 (Indian)
Born Half-Indian and
Half-something-else, this character has trouble fitting into either society.
He’s still a member of the tribe, but he has few opportunities for advancement.
A Half-Breed is treated shabbily by intolerant bigots of both races.
Hankerin’
1/3
If you just can’t think without
a stogie in your pie-hole, you’ve got yourself a habit. If it’s alcohol or
opium you’re craving, welcome to
Value Status
1 Mild: Subtract –2 from Mental skills if the substance is not available after 24
hours.
3 Severe: Your
character suffers the same as above and also subtracts –4 (total) from Mental
and Corporeal skills if the substance is not available every 48 hours.
Haunted 1-5 (Harrowed)
The manitous
have a good time when they subject mortals to the terrors of the Hunting
Grounds. Sometimes, the manitou inside a Harrowed can
use these memories to keep the host off-guard. The souls of haunted undead are
dragged kicking and screaming into the Hunting Grounds every time they go
dormant (see Sleep on page 22). There they are subjected to horrible nightmares
by the cruel parasites inside them. This Hindrance does not function like night
terrors—the Harrowed do not suffer fatigue and incur no penalties from restless
nights. Instead, the effect is to erode the hero’s will and give the manitou a greater chance the next time it tries to gain
control of its host. Every level of this Hindrance subtracts a like amount from
the hero’s Spirit roll when checking for Dominion.
Heavy Sleeper 1
Logs wake up faster than you.
Subtract –2 from your hero’s Cognition rolls
made to wake up in an emergency or when some critter is sneaking up on him. He
usually oversleeps.
Heroic 3
You’re a sucker for someone in
trouble. Ever hear of nice guys finishing last? Heroes who go chasing
down wild
critters aren’t likely to finish at all. At least they’ll write something nice
on your tombstone.
Your character can’t turn down
a plea for help. She doesn’t have to be cheery about it, and she doesn’t have
to be a “nice” person, but she always helps those in need eventually.
High-Falutin’
2
High-falutin’ snobs turn up their noses so high they usually
drown when
it rains. Your character has no
tolerance for those of a lesser class. Those who notice your upturned nose
don’t like you. Subtract –2 from any friendly persuasion rolls
you make toward those who know your hero thinks they are beneath him in social
stature.
Honorable 3
Whether your character was born
into the aristocracy, worked their way into it, or is a sympathetic outsider,
they live by the dictates of honor. While this scores points with others who have
this Hindrance, it also complicates their lives occasionally. A hero with this
Hindrance must be a paragon of virtue, hospitable to guests and charitable to
those of lesser social standing (at least in public). Lying, cheating, stealing
or even bad manners are unthinkable to an honorable
character no matter what advantage might be derived, even when dealing with
dishonorable parties. He views any position of authority or leadership as his
by right, as well as the respect and obedience of all those of a lesser social
standing. Honorable male characters place women on a cherished pedestal,
and always rush to their aid. Any slight against his personal character, his
family or a lady must be properly avenged. (See “The Code Duello” on page 15
for guidelines) Honorable female characters must yield to the authority of
their husbands and fathers, and must be good hostesses, homemakers, and
mothers. Only in the total absence of a father or husband (an increasingly
common and unfortunate situation due to The War) can honorable women assert their independence. Any dishonorable act which is
publicly disclosed results in “social death,” and the character is shunned by
most of Southern society, including their family, friends and many who are
themselves less than honorable. In this situation, a character is usually better
off in the Weird West or some other place where reputations count for little,
but most renew their commitment to the strictures of this Hindrance in hopes of
regaining social respectability. Be careful about taking this Hindrance. If
improperly played, it can cause a fair amount of inter-posse friction. It can
also be hazardous to your hero’s health if he takes his honorable self out into
the wilder parts of the country. A whole lot of folks out there care precious
little for honor
Illiterate 3
It’s a terrible thing to come
back from the dead and not be able to read the words on your own tombstone. Illiterates can’t read even the most basic words of their own language or
any other they happen to speak.
Impulsive 3
Some folks just can’t keep
their pistol in their pants (no, not that pistol—that’s the randy Hindrance). We mean this one literally. Impulsive characters are doers, not thinkers. They tend to go off based on
their own
hunches even while the rest of the posse makes elaborate plans and
preparations. Of course, quick action sometimes saves the day, but this
Hindrance also gets your character
into a lot
of trouble, which the rest of the posse may not feel obligated to help her out
of. Impulsive characters have a deep and abiding hatred for cautious pansies. The opposite, of course, is also true.
Intolerance 1–3
There’s some
folks you just can’t stand. They don’t cotton to you, and you’d like to push
them off a tall cliff. Your character does not get along with certain kinds of
people (Mexicans, white men, politicians, and so on) and has nothing to with
them if possible. If forced to work with them, he insults and provokes them
whenever he gets the chance. The value of the Hindrance depends on the frequency
of encounters your character has with those he is intolerant of.
Kid 2/4
Don’t let that face fool you. A
kid with a gun can still blow your guts out. Your character is a kid 8–15 years of age. Most people don’t take him seriously and call
him “sawed-off,” “runt”, or “half-pint.” For two points, the kid is 11-15 years old. Reduce his Strength and Knowledge by one step to a minimum of d4. For four points, the kid is
8-10 years old. Reduce his Strength
and Knowledge by two steps to a minimum of d4. As you character grows up, you
must buy off this Hindrance with Bounty Points (see Chapter Five). When you do,
increase his Traits as appropriate. Don’t worry about it too much. Most kids
don’t live that long.
Law o’ the West 3
You’ve heard the expression “nice
guys finish last?” There’s some truth to it. A true gentleman of the West won’t
draw down on an enemy until the foe draws first. Boot Hill hides the bones of
many of these honorable folks. Your hero must live by a code of honor that not
everyone else subscribes
to. He treats all women with
respect even if they’re “soiled doves.” He won’t draw his gun on others who
don’t have their own weapons drawn (unless he’s seriously outnumbered and even
then
he just uses the guns to threaten
first). In a duel, he always lets his opponent go for her guns first. And he
absolutely refuses to shoot someone in the back, or take a shot at a foe who’s
distracted (unless he’s in a large firefight). On the plus side, folks know
your hombre is one of the white hats. You can add +2 to any negotiations or
friendly persuasion attempts whenever your character’s honorable
reputation is known and might make a difference.
Lame 3/5
There’s an old chestnut that
says when something’s chasing you, you’ve only got to outrun one person. Unfortunately,
you’re usually that one person. This Hindrance affects a character’s Pace and
active defense (using the dodge
or fightin’ skill—see Vamoosin’ in Chapter Four).
Value Status
3 Limp: Your hero’s Pace is reduced by –2 to a minimum of 2. Subtract –2
from active dodge rolls and other tests requiring mobility.
5 Crippled: One leg is missing or disabled. Your hero’s Pace is 2 with
crutches, 1 without. Subtract-4 from active dodge rolls and other
tests requiring mobility.
Loco 1–5
No one in their right mind
would stand up to some of the critters in Deadlands.
Maybe that’s why there are so many kooks wandering the High Plains. Loco covers all sorts of crazy. This can range from being
absentminded to being a compulsive liar or suffering from phobias, delusions,
depression, or schizophrenia. The illness is always present, and it rules your
character’s actions most of the time. The value of the Hindrance depends on the
severity of the illness and its effects on the character. You should discuss
the exact dementia with the Marshal and work out the effects and penalties it
has on your nut job. Phobias, by the way, usually inflict a -2 penalty when in
the presence of the feared object or situation. This is usually a 2-point
Hindrance unless the source of fear is very common, in which case the value is
3 or higher. Major phobias inflict a -4 penalty. The base cost is 3, with
higher values for how common the source of fear is.
Loyal 3
You may not be a hero, but your
friends know they can count on you
when the
chips are down. Your character is extremely loyal to his friends. He willingly
risks his life to
defend them
and protect them for danger.
Lumberin’
2
People say you
‘re half-ox, and it ain’t ‘cause you’re
strong. You just walk like one – slow and heavy. Stealth isn’t your strong
suit. You tend to put your feet down when you walk, good and solid. That’s fine
when you want someone to know you’re coming, but not so good when going across
snow and especially not on ice. Take a -1 to any nimbleness rolls on snow and
ice, and a -2 when trying to avoid cracking through thin ice like on a lake.
Lyin’
Eyes 3
You can’t hide those lyin’ eyes. Your character can’t tell a lie to save his life.
Besides suffering a –4 to his bluff rolls, he cannot mislead, deceive, or even
omit the truth from others without giving himself away. Maybe his eyes twitch,
or he wrings his hands. Whatever he does, it’s a dead giveaway.
Macho 3
A key element of Latin culture
is the concept of machismo: men will be manly and women exist to serve and
pleasure them. Your hero cannot let any slight to his honor or manhood go
unchallenged, and women are merely pretty objects there for your entertainment.
Your hombre views himself as the epitome of manliness
and virility. This can occasionally ruffle some feathers in
Mark o’ Cain 5
Some folks carry with them a
mark that’s been in the family since the Garden of Eden. Those who bear the
mark o’ Cain are bad seeds, rotten to the core even when they do their best to
live above their family heritage. Bearing the mark o’ Cain has several effects.
First off, anyone who’s blessed can sense the mark on your hero, even if he’s
not a Christian flavor of blessed. Blessed also react at –2 to any social-type
roll you make with them. Second, no blessed powers ever work on the character,
for any reason. Finally, Grimme’s people (in
particular, the Guardian Angels) seek your character out for possible
recruitment. This last part wouldn’t be so bad were it not for the induction
ceremony, which the Marshal can tell you all about should your hero take the
plunge.
Mark o the Devil 1-5 (Harrowed)
Certain folks can see right through
the taut skin of the undead to the rotten, worm-riddled core. That’s when they
can get a glimpse of the manitou sitting there and
stare straight into the eyes of Hell. On the other hand, some Harrowed seem to
wear their damnation like a shiny tin star—at least to people who know what
they’re looking for. This Hindrance means anyone with the arcane background
Edge—or at least 3 levels in academia: occult—has a chance to see the evil
demon wriggling around inside your hero, no matter how good he looks or what
kind of disguise he might be using. There’s just no way of properly hiding from
prying eyes with the right sort of education. Mad scientists are an exception.
They have to have academia: occult at level 3 or more to see the mark o’ the
Devil, despite their arcane background. Scientific types just don’t tend to see
these things unless they’ve researched them on their own. Whenever a person
with one of the above qualifications gets within a few feet of your hero, she
can make a scrutinize roll versus the manitou’s
Spirit. The viewer can add the level of your Hindrance to her roll. If
successful, the viewer sees some sign of the manitou
in your hero—perhaps the Harrowed’s eyes glow red or
the watcher can see the manitou’s hideous face
peeking out at her. Needless to say, such folks won’t trust your character
until he’s burning on a stake.
Miser 3
A miser knows the price of
everything and the value of nothing. Miserly characters must always buy the
“cheapest” goods available and haggle incessantly over everything. Because of
this, she can only buy “el cheapo” gear. See Chapter Three for more on “el
cheapo” gear.
Mean as a Rattler 2
You think the whole world
pissed in your canteen. Maybe it did. People tend not to like your hero. He’s
hateful and mean-spirited. Besides making it hard for others to like your
hombre, subtract –2 from friendly persuasion attempts.
At the Marshal’s discretion, you may occasionally be allowed to add +2 to
hostile persuasion or overawe rolls.
“My Kung Fu is
Your hero is easily challenged
to a fight, especially if the challenger has the cojones
to claim to be a better fighter than you. You’re so proud of your martial arts
abilities that you turn three shades of purple when anyone dares to question
your vaunted prowess. Worse yet, there’s something about the way you carry
yourself that attracts other similar hotheads with boneheaded attitudes similar
to your own. And wouldn’t you know it—challengers are extra likely to approach
you at a moment of maximum inconvenience? Your hero’s ability to resist the
urge to rise to a challenge is determined by how many points of this hindrance
you select when you take this Hindrance.
Value Level
1 Onerous (7) Smarts to turn down any challenge to fight.
2 Incredible (11) Smarts to turn down a challenge.
3 Forget it—he’s got to fight each and every time he’s
challenged!
Night Terrors 5
The Indians say nightmares are
glimpses into the Hunting Grounds—a mad limbo where evil spirits devour the
souls of the newly dead. Your nightmares make you think there might be some
truth to this. Your character’s nightmares are far worse than most, something
that keeps her from wanting to sleep much. Coffee is her best friend, and she usually only gets about 3–4 hours sleep at
night. Make an Onerous (7) Spirit
check at the beginning of each
game session immediately after drawing Fate Chips. Chips left over from the
previous session may be spent on this roll, but those you just drew cannot.
Consider them “on loan.” If you fail, your character loses her lowest value
chip. This represents the fatigue and strain the constant terror of sleep has
on her. Go bust and your character loses her highest value Fate Chip. Roleplay your character’s sluggishness and fear of sleep
and your Marshal should reward you with chips as usual, but the real benefit of
night terrors
lies in the dreams themselves. A
character who suffers from night
terrors is actually a plaything of evil spirits. They drag her “dream self” into the “Hunting Grounds” and torment her with her own worst fears. Occasionally, however, these dreams reflect reality and can impart important clues into the heroine’s current predicament. The next time your character
sleeps after failing her Spirit
roll and losing her chip, the
Marshal should take you aside and quickly describe your character’s last
nightmare. Hidden within the symbolism and pseudoreality
of the dream should be an important clue about something in the current
adventure or the character’s own background. It’s up to you to interpret the
dream, but the Marshal should give your tormented heroine something good for
all her suffering.
Oath 1–5
A person is only as good as his
word. Your hero has an oath to perform some important task or always react to
certain conditions. The value of the oath depends on how often it might
come into play and the risk it involves.
Obligation 1–5
A man’s got to do what a man’s
got to do. Your character is obligated to his family, his job, the military, a
town, or a duty of some sort. This should be frequently inconvenient, as he has
to report to work or go off on an assignment from time to time. Note that this
is not the same as an oat.
Obvious 1-5
Any
character with this Hindrance just can’t be very sneaky when casting her hexes.
At these times. she must make
extensive hand gestures, produces lots of flashing lights, shooting glowing
cards into the air, or maybe even let loose with a feral howl. Whatever effects
you choose to validate this Hindrance, it has to be, well, obvious. This may
not be the best thing in a place like the weird west, where most people think
dealing with evil spirits is wrong. Go figure. Hucksters with this hindrance
stay well clear of Texas Rangers and their like. Many try to disguise their
magical disability by posing as flamboyant stage magicians.
Old Ways Vow 3 (Indian)
All loyal members of tribes
which follow the
Outlaw 1–5
The only authority you abide by
is the “law of the West.” And even that’s flexible when it suits your needs. Outlaws are lawbreakers by nature. They have little respect for the law
and are wanted for everything from petty larceny to horse thieving. The point
value depends on just how little respect your character has for others. For 1
point, your “hero” swipes bottles of whisky from behind the counter when the
bartender isn’t looking. For 5 points, your blackheart is a cold-blooded
killer. The worst of these characters shouldn’t normally be heroes in the world
of Deadlands, but sometimes Fate leads folks down strange roads. A
jealous, drunken bastard might join a group of “white hats” who are fighting
evil. Maybe he sees the monsters as a greater evil than the law. More likely, there’ some treasure or payment for putting an end to
some varmint’s rampage. Be careful friend. Most outlaws meet bad ends.
One-Armed Bandit 3
There are a lot of folks who
lost limbs in the war. Fortunately it only takes one finger to yank a trigger.
Your character has only one
hand or arm. You must subtract –4 from any skills that require the use of two
hands.
Outcast 2 (LA)
This is for mestizos
only. Some mestizos have forsaken their families and
tried to join white society, with mixed results. They are not fully accepted by
their mestizo brethren, nor are they accepted by many
whites. Any outcast character can suffer from intolerance at the hands of mestizo and white characters. Of course, this all depends
on the particular situation and how much the people in any given encounter know
about the hero and her past.
Pacifist 3/5
Being a pacifist doesn’t mean a fellow is afraid of a fight. It’s just that he’d
rather find a different way. Pacifists range from those who simply don’t like
to kill until it’s absolutely (in their judgment) unavoidable (3 points) to
those who won’t kill under any circumstances (5 points).
Poverty 3
A fool and his money are soon
parted, and what little cash you’ve got in your pocket is burning a hole
straight
through your jeans. Your character has a hard time saving, and he spends money
like water. He starts with only $50 instead of the normal $250. Try “el cheapo”
gear (see page 73) to get your pauper suitably armed.
Rage 1-5 (Harrowed)
Wine gets better with age. The
Harrowed just get meaner. The perpetual struggle with the Manitou within, the
temptation of greater power, and the frustration of being undead all push these
characters toward bestiality. Get your hands off your horse. That’s not what
we’re talking about. Whenever a Harrowed with this Hindrance is wounded by an
opponent or gets particularly upset, she must make a Smarts check. The base
difficulty of the check is Fair (5), and the undead must subtract her level in
rage from her Smarts roll. If failed, the hero goes into a
blood frenzy and attacks. She refuses to go into cover or seek to protect
herself—she just runs straight at the foe and rampages all over his unfortunate
kiester. She can fire a gun along the way, but if the
enemy’s still alive when she gets to him, she drops her pistols and gets up
close and personal with her bare hands (or claws if she’s got them). Once the
foe’s dead (and we mean really, messily dead), the Harrowed can make another
Smarts roll. If she makes it, her blood lust is sated and she can act like a
normal walking corpse again—whatever that means. If she fails, she starts
raging on her former enemy’s companions. She won’t attack her own comrades, but
she probably won’t be reading them any bedtime stories either.
Randy 3
If it moves… School marms run in terror at the
sight of your drooling lech. Your character wants sex
and lots of it. He or she hits on every reasonably goodlooking
member of the opposite gender in sight, usually more than once. Like it or not,
men and women suffer this Hindrance differently. If your hero is a man, he’s wellknown in every bordello in the West. Polite society
thinks he’s a pig, and “respectable” women avoid him like the plague. The
lecherous hero has a –4 to any persuasion rolls
made to influence “nice girls.” He suffers no penalties with ladies of lesser
morals, but resists their charms at -4. If your character is
a woman, all other women, respectable or not, call her all sorts of unpleasant
names. She suffers the same penalty as a man around polite society, but
other men might treat her differently., especially if
the two of them are alone. Your heroine will likely never gain any real respect
from “respectable folk” or be able to hold a position of authority if her
sordid past becomes known. It may not be fair, but that’s just how it is in the
Weird West. On the plus side, a female with this Hindrance actually gains +4 to
any persuasion rolls she makes to seduce a fellow. This can have
its own consequences, of course, but it can be really handy in getting out of
jail, distracting guards, or the like.
School Rivalry 2
There are countless schools of
Chinese martial arts. These schools have long histories, and those histories
almost invariably include a deadly, ancient grudge against another school.
Entire adventures might center around the feuding
between rival schools. It’s up to you to pick the name of your fu fighter’s
school; you can choose one described in The Great Maze or you can just make one up. If you use one of the former, your
hero already has a built-in rival school. If you make up one of your own,
you’ve got to come up the name of a rival school as well. Every member of that
rival school is guaranteed to hate your hero’s guts. They can identify her as a
member of that school just by watching her moves when she’s fighting. And,
wouldn’t you know it, it just so happens that she seems to be constantly
running into members of this rival school, no matter how rare it is. She isn’t
obligated to fight them, but they might feel obligated to fight her. In fact,
you can just about count on it! When combined with “My Kung Fu Is
Scrawny 5
Beanpoles are thicker than you,
and in a stiff breeze, you feel like bending. At least your horse is happy
about it— he can barely feel you up there on his back. Scrawny cowpokes (who usually run under the name “Slim”) are slight and
weak and must subtract –1 from their Size. Their maximum Strength is a d10. A character’s slight frame might benefit him in
certain situations, like crawling through a small cave or window, but usually
it just gets him picked on.
Secret Identity 2
Sometimes you have to live a
double life. You’ve got an entirely new life or “cover identity” for yourself,
and the discovery of your secret can easily lead to your death or disgrace at
the hands of your enemies. Characters with this Hindrance often purchase performin’: actin’ to help them play their parts.
Self-Righteous 3
If you’re not always right, then
you’re at least sure the ignorant masses are always wrong. Given a chance,
you’re sure you can prove it. Your character believes everything she does serves some greater cause (such as Christianity, the taming
of the West, etc.). She never backs down from her beliefs.
“Sifu!
Sifu!”
2-4
Your hero is still in contact
with his sifu, the master who trained him. Whenever he sees her,
he must bow before her and otherwise act as if he’s a miserable bug and the sun
shines out of her patoot. He shows this “respect”
even in public or in front of his friends. Although your hero can expect her to
constantly castigate him for not living up to some impossible Confucian ideal
of behavior, he is not allowed to give her any lip, no matter what she says.
There is no amount of humiliation he isn’t willing to endure in order to show
his devotion to the sifu. The Marshal should know
that it’s okay to threaten your character’s sifu,
thus motivating him to go out and save her on a regular basis. On the other
hand, he should try not to let your hero’s sifu kick
the bucket. Sometimes, though, the Marshal can’t keep an extra alive without
blowing his credibility all to bits. If your hero’s sifu
does take one too many
Value Effect
-2 Sifu shows up infrequently. She rarely sends you on
missions or requires rescuing.
-3 Sifu shows up once every couple of
sessions. She requires a mission or rescue about one out of four sessions.
-4 Sifu shows up every session. Almost every adventure is a
mission picked by your sifu, a rescue mission, or the
like.
Slowpoke 1-5
You’d better learn to fight,
’cause you ain’t gonna get away from anything that’s chasing you. Your hombre is faster than a
dead turtle. Barely. His Pace is reduced by
1 for each point in this Hindrance, down to a minimum base Pace of 2.
Smelly 2
Some folks just don’t smell
good. It’s not your fault – it’s just the way you are. It’s not a question of
bathing, really. Your character just has a smell about him – it may not be
noticeable to other people, but animals never miss it. And they don’t like it one
bit. Take a -2 to any animal handlin’ rolls and to
any sneak rolls if animals are nearby.
Squeaky 2
Your voice sounds like you swallowed a mouse. Actually,
your voice and the mouse’s sound quite similar. Your character suffers –2 to
any test of wills rolls he initiates (he can defend normally) that involve his
voice.
Squeamish 3
You can’t hold your chow when
you see blood and gore. It’s embarrassing compared to your gunslinger friends
who don’t flinch even with half their guts hanging out. Guts checks caused by gory scenes are made at –2.
Stubborn 2
It’s your way or not at all. If
the rest of the world is too stupid to realize you’re right, they can go hang
themselves with an itchy rope. The hero is pigheaded and as stubborn as a mule.
He always wants to do things his way and holds out until everyone agrees or
some major concession to his idea has been made.
Style Vulnerability 1-3
Although your character may
have learned moves from a number of disciplines, his sifu
mainly trained him in one particular style of the Chinese fighting arts. This
adherence to tradition is a big part of the spiritual essence of kung fu. It
also makes martial arts easier to teach to large numbers of students, since it
uses set formulas and techniques. The disadvantage of this training method is
that you’re a sucker for the classic moves associated with certain other
schools. Choose up to three styles described above in the Martial Arts Training edge. When your hero is fighting an opponent with a
concentration in one of the styles you have chosen, his Target Number to hit
your hero is reduced by 3. You get 1 point for each style you so designate. You
can choose a maximum of three styles this way.
Superstitious 2
Owls never hoot “just for the
Hell of it,” and black cats should be shot if they try to cross your path. You
keep a rabbit’s foot in your pocket, and you rarely wonder why it didn’t seem
to do the rabbit any kind of good. Your character believes in superstitions and
tries to live his life by signs and omens. You should check out a book of
superstitions from your local library to help you roleplay
this Hindrance.
Tinhorn 2
Dudes using “two-dollar words”
are a dime a dozen in the Weird West after gold and ghost rock were discovered
in
The Cup Overflows 2 (Enlightened)
Your hero’s ch’i energy is powerful. A mite too powerful, in
fact. Whenever she uses any of the powers described in this book, her
internal energy goes all external and wreaks high holy havoc on the surrounding
terrain. For example, if she uses monkey goes to the mountain to fly down a sandy hillside, clods of earth explode
beneath her as if somebody’s planted the hill with firecrackers. When she leaps
into the air to kick a body, winds whip up all around her, whirling sand and
leaves all over. Ever time she lands a punch, it sounds like a thunderclap
going off. In short, she stands out like a circus clown at a funeral. Anyone
who sees her in action knows there’s something not right about her. If they’re
regular folks, they run in terror from her, as if she’s some kind of
abomination. If somebody watching her knows about martial arts, he knows what
she’s all about, and likely target her as the one to
shoot first in a fight. And believe me, anybody with
experience of the weirdness lurking behind the surface of the Maze is going to
know all about martial arts.
Thin-Skinned 3
You get splinters from your own
pistol grip and won’t quit whining about it until you see a sawbones. Increase
your character’s wound penalty by 1 whenever your hero is wounded (see Chapter
Four).
Tribeless
3 (Indian)
A native without a tribe is
hardly a native at all. Caught between the white and Indian worlds, your
character has lost his spiritual grounding. Becoming tribeless
can happen any number of ways. The tribe may have been
killed in a raid, your hero may have been kidnapped as a child and spoiled by
white society, his family may have been cursed, or the character’s parents were
from different, warring tribes, and he was conceived in secret. A tribeless character can’t learn tribal rituals, take part
in large ceremonies, or request favors know only to cirtain
tribes. Tough luck, but at least he has his freedom.
Tuckered 1–5
A strong man can run a mile
without getting winded. Others get tuckered out just getting up in the morning.
Reduce your character’s Wind by 1 for each point of tuckered you take, down to
a minimum of 4.
Ugly As Sin 1
It’s too bad the old saying
about “stopping a bullet with your face” isn’t true. If it was, you’d sure
never have to worry about being shot. Subtract –2 from friendly persuasion rolls made whenever your character’s looks might intervene. On
the up side, you can add +2 whenever his looks might help, such as when making overawe or hostile persuasion
attempts.
Unnatural Appetite 1-5 (Harrowed)
Here’s a delightful habit. For
some inexplicable reason, a rare few Harrowed develop
a craving for one thing or another that, while technically edible, thoroughly
disgusts most people. Your character must eat the item of his craving at least
once a day. For each day that he goes without that item, he loses 2 Wind. This damage
cannot be recovered except by gorging on the item he craves. For each day he
spends eating that item again, he avoids suffering any more damage and regains
1d6 points of lost Wind. The level of the Hindrance depends on just how
disgusting your appetite is. Once you eat someone’s tongue, your companions are
likely to think that snacking on scorpions is a step up. Some examples of
disgusting vittles are listed below.
Level Vittles
1 Rotten food, mold
2 Grave dirt, raw meat
3 Bugs, living raw meat, animal blood
4 Human blood
5 Raw human organs, such as the heart, liver, lung,
brain, or eyeball
Vengeful 3
The world needs to be taught a
lesson, and you’re the schoolmarm. Your character must always attempt to right
a wrong committed against her. Whether this revenge is violent or not depends
on her nature.
Wanted 1-5
Your hombre’s wanted for some
crime. He may not be guilty, but he’s on the run and doesn’t want to be caught.
Most folks who are wanted are outlaws as
well, but they don’t have to be. Some are falsely accused of their crimes. The
value of this Hindrance depends on how bad the authorities want your hero and
where exactly he’s wanted. Below are a few examples to give you an idea of
where your hombre might fit in.
Value Status
1 Thief: Your hero is wanted for a petty crime in a single
town or county, or he’s wanted for more serious charges in a foreign country.
2 Swindler: Your hero is wanted for a host of crimes that could
net him a few years in prison.
3 Outlaw: Your hero once participated in a bank or train robbery
and is wanted in either the North or the South, but not both.
4 Desperado: Folks have read about your sidewinder’s life of
crime in both the North and the South. He’s likely killed a few guards in his
sordid career. Someday he’ll swing for his crimes.
5 Villain: Congratulations. Everyone hates
this bastard. He’s killed innocents and murdered in cold blood. He’s wanted
throughout the North and South. He’s wanted dead, not alive.
Whiteboy
2
You’re Irish, and proud of it –
and you don’t deal with those who’ve stood against you. Whiteboys
were Irish who refused to do business of any sort with non-Catholics, and
particularly with the English. They also hate Blackfeet,
and attack them ofter. Your character cannot do
business of any sort with a Protestant regardless of nationality or with an
Englishman, regardless of religion.
Wide-Eyed 1
Northerners can usually tell
who’s from the South, and one ‘o the ways is by watching their eyes.
Southerners ain’t used to so much snow and ice, and
have a tendency to stare at it – which is a sure way to go blind. Your
characters eyes don’t adjust well to all the glare
from snow and ice. Take a -1 to all Cognition rolls when you’re surrounded by
snow and ice. Each hour in these conditions the hero must make an Onerous (7)
Vigor rolls or become temporarily snow blind for 1d4 hours. Going bust means
the condition is permanent.
Yearnin’
1–5
Your character has a dream or
goal of some sort. Maybe he wants to own his own cattle ranch or become the
town marshal of
Yeller 5
You usually get shot in the
backside and you’ve got the stitches to prove it. Cowards don’t have the heart
for combat and try to avoid it whenever possible. “Real” men don’t like them
much unless they’re female, in which case they might actually be more appealing. Subtract –2 from guts checks and persuasion rolls made on those with no respect for your character’s
cowardly ways.