Rules & Mechanics

Generic spirits clad in grey populate much of the Underworld. They exist in-game and somehow manage to get everywhere, and while they are physically there they do not take damage or engage in combat. Spirits can be casually interacted with by characters but are not there to engage with plot. 

Some referees will play NPCs instead of spirits and will be less identifiable, but will be introduced each event.

Appearance

A grey cloak with white laurel.

All player characters begin in the Underworld, having died or found their way there through other methods. Each time you die while in the Underworld, you return to Erebus, the entrance of the Underworld. If you cannot hand the 1 Obol fee to Charon the Ferryman to take you back, you become trapped. If you have Drachma but no Obols, Charon will accept a Drachma but not give change. If you cannot pay the fee, your character is stuck.

This is a theatrical style game system, so there are no set hit points for characters. You choose for your character to die when you feel it is suitable or dramatic.

Permanent character loss occurs only if you lose all cards in your Hand of Fate, or you die with no money.

Each character will have a small deck of cards known as a Hand of Fate to help determine the outcome of certain roleplay challenges, skill use, and PvP. Fickle gods may use your deck when deciding if you should have their favour, or add their own card to your deck with unique outcomes. Each card is returned to your deck and shuffled after use (unless otherwise specified). If all cards are removed from your deck, find a referee.

Duels

When duelling another player, whether it’s a test of wits or combat, it is recommended to both draw from your Hand of Fate to easily determine the outcome to roleplay through and avoid awkward stalemates. If both participants pull the same card, it always results in a draw. Champions have an additional ability, Duel of Fate, that binds participants to additional rules. There is a guide on how to react to duelling results on the Champion’s archetype page.

Reaction Guide

The following table shares how to react to a duel. It is designed to be easy to determine who wins in a situation, but is explicitly shared here to help guide more awkward situations such as draws.

Curses come from angered gods and the depths of Tartarus, and are represented by Red Ribbons. Generic curses will make your character feel agitated, unwell, or generally not good. Some less common curses can spread between individuals.

If a curse has a specific effect or cannot be easily removed, it will come with a small description card. The Oracle archetype has the ability to see what blessings or curses are affecting a character or item.One of the archetypes – The Priest – can attempt to remove curses from characters and items.

Boons

The simplest and most common form of blessing, boons are small items or limited abilities to help you on your quests. They are represented by a Golden Ribbon if unbreakable, and a card with a trait description if applicable.

Obtaining a Boon

Boons are commonly gained by appealing to a god at a Temple, either with a valuable offering, or by completing a specific task for them. One of the archetypes – The Artisan – can add a protection boon to items to prevent them from breaking.

Favours

If you positively catch the eye of a god, they may wish to claim you and offer their favour. You’ll be granted a themed token, often a laurel, to publicly display your affiliation. The gods expect this mark to be worn proudly, and it may come with passive roleplay abilities.

Blessings

Blessings are powerful abilities gained by fulfilling large objectives while being favoured by a god. This is the main way to gain unique abilities after character creation.

Obtaining a Blessing

Blessings have higher requirements than Boons. Proof of completing a task must be taken to a Temple and given as an offering to the god alongside suitable gemstones. Blessings are difficult to seek out and are usually offered by gods temporarily to help complete tasks or permanently as a reward.A blessing can only safely be used while wearing your Favour token. While the blessing is not directly bound to the item (stealing someone else’s token will not steal the blessing), using a blessing without wearing it will anger the god who gifted it, which can lead to the blessing being revoked or a curse being placed upon the individual. Each use of a blessing without wearing the laurel gives you a Complication card.

Ribbons

Most items are mundane and liable to break after heavy use or bad luck, which is represented by a referee adding a Black Ribbon. Items with a Golden Ribbon are blessed in some way and are immune to breaking, as well as potentially having extra traits listed on an accompanying card. Items with a Red Ribbon are cursed and may also have an accompanying card. Mythic Tokens are denoted by Blue Ribbons, and Yellow Ribbons/Glowsticks are to denote Hunt Markers that only Hunters can see.

All ribbons must be treated as being invisible unless your Archetype says otherwise.

Currency

The game’s currency is primarily Drachma, alongside the smaller Obols for cheaper purchases.

Conversion

One Drachma is Six Obols. 

Drachma are represented by 2cm silver tokens. Obols are represented by gold 1.5cm tokens.

Ambrosia

Nectar of the gods, Ambrosia is the finest wine and highly sought after. The gods gift it to one another to gain favours, maybe you can do the same if you manage to find some. Bottles of this golden liquid are accompanied by a number of Golden Ribbons denoting its number of servings.

Gemstones

Valued by humans, Gemstones can help sweeten deals where Drachma are not enough. Traders, Artisans, Nobles, and Priests all seek these items, turning them into fine jewellery or offering them to gods as sacrifice to gain their attention and grant boons and blessings.

All Archetype abilities require characters to shatter a gemstone to activate.

Mythic Tokens

Legendary monsters, rare creatures, and unusual plants may hold a Mythic Token, denoted by a Blue Ribbon. These items make valuable sacrifices, and can be turned into even greater artefacts by certain player Archetypes. If found on a creature they must be harvested by Hunters, if found on a plant they require a Herbalist.