Notes

Shadowwalkers

Low Fantasy Horror

Characters

You remember the first time you died. And the second . . . You remember because Death fucking hurts, and the unavoidable process of coming back from the Dry Lands is a bastard's illegitimate bitch of a fuck.

With one foot in the land of the living and one in the dust of the lands beyond, you have seen what lies on the other side.

And you know what is coming.

Setting

Seven generations have passed among the sons of men since the miasma struck the fair folk with its crippling madness. Seven generations since the Elven Nations invaded the Hall of the Mountain King during the Dwarven Clanclave and slaughtered every soul born of stone before they themselves were swallowed in a vast tomb of earth and iron when the magic of that place collapsed its gates forever.

In the generations that followed, folk began to forget, and many have ceased to believe that the fair folk or the rockbrothers ever existed at all. Across the generations, not so much as a whisper has drifted down from those barrow hills.

Until now.

Now, trappers from the high crags report a blight spreading through the greensward corrupting bark and bough, while shepherds on the foothills report strange, shifting mists filled with the shadowy figures of men in the early gloaming of the night.

On the king's road, conflicting rumors drift from tavern to tavern of a large, bearded man who is not a wolf and a massive grey wolf who is not a man. The word Halfdwarf is uttered in hushed whispers around the fire.

Setting Rules

Hard Choices pp 139

Races

Human

Adaptable

Kindred

Limited Shape Change: Twisted and scarred, Kindred are faelings placed in the cribs of stolen human or wildling babes to be raised among them. They have the ability to alter their size, skin tone, and features at will within those races' normal ranges and are even able to mimic specific individuals provided they have had time to study the individual in question.

Note: Assuming a human or wildling form does not require a roll if no one is observing the change and they have a turn to concentrate on making the change. If they are observed or significantly stressed a roll vs a target of 4 is required.

Note: The natural form of Kindred are alien and disturbing, their skin appearing scarred and bark-like and often ill formed or improperly put together. Kindred who become fatigued or exhausted must immediately make a Spirit check to maintain their assumed form, surmounting whatever penalty is appropriate to the given condition.

Note: Kindred do not take on the advantages or disadvantages of the racial type they are mimicking.

Low Light Vision: Because of their Fae heritage, Kindred ignore penalties for dim and dark illumination.

Armor +2: The thick, bark-like hides of Kindred acts as leather armor.

Phobia, Fire: Kindred are terrified of open flame. If they are in a room with an open flame (hearth, lamp, candles, etc) they will try to maintain distance from the source of the flame and subtract -1 from all trait rolls. If openly confronted with fire or trapped in a close proximity to open flame they subtract -2 from all trait rolls.

Secret: Kindred work hard to pass among humans and wildlings and will go to great lengths to keep their secret, but if their true nature is discovered they risk becoming Shunned by the community until the secret of their identity is restored.

Wildling

Leaper Claws [str + 1d4] Climbing at normal Pace

Size/Toughness penalty Outsider (minor)