Core rules

Attribute Tests

When the character wants to do something risky or that may fail, the player tests an attribute by rolling a D20 against a target number (TN).

The TN is set by: Attribute (+ Skill) (+/- Difficulty).

• The roll is under the target number: the character succeeds.
• The roll is equal to the target number: the character critically succeeds .
• The roll is greater than the target number: the character fails or succeeds at a cost.
• The roll is a 20: the character critically fails.

If a character fails a Test that they are skilled at, mark a point of experience by that skill - it may improve at the end of the session.

In general, GMs may call for Attribute tests but should avoid calling for skills directly and instead let players suggest ways that their skills should be used. Procedures will simply call for a test, it is up to the players to find a suitable skill or attribute.

GMs should be generous in what a skill may apply to, but players should respect the fiction - not every skill applies in every situation!

TODO: Example

Don't roll too much

Tests should be saved for circumstances where the outcome matters and where success or failure represent a new state of play. If something can be done by repeatedly attempting it with little consequence, there is no need to roll. If something could be trivially done by someone of a character's level of skill (see Skill Levels), there is no need to roll.

A test can only be re-attempted if the approach or circumstances significantly change. Otherwise, the first result should carry forward.

Puka-Watha is sneaking into a rival village to steal a priceless ritual staff. The GM asks for a normal Quick roll. Puka-Watha has a Sneaking skill of 2 and a Quick of 10. They roll a 6 under their TN of 10 (Quick) + 2 (Sneaking) + 0 (Normal difficulty), a success! The GM narrates that Puka-Watha sneaks past the lookouts, the slumbering villagers, and into the chieftess's tent - where two great night-cats lay in wait. Getting around these creatures will require another test.

Difficulty

Apply a difficulty modifier if a challenge is particularly easy or hard relative any character's abilities. Consult the table below and add the appropriate modifier to the Target Number. When in doubt, use Normal difficulty.

Challenges that have a TN of less than 1 will never succeed and should be attempted another way. Challenges with a TN of greater than 20 will never fail and do not need to be rolled.

Use Trivial and Impossible sparingly - these are situations where it only rarely makes sense to roll.

Advantage and Disadvantage

Favorable and unfavorable circumstance are captured by advantage and disadvantage.

If any roll is made with advantage, roll twice and take the most advantageous result.

Some things that might give you advantage: Relevant equipment, assistance from your party, a good reputation.

If any roll is made with disadvantage, roll twice and take the worse result.

Some things that might give you disadvantage: Being surprised, impaired, or using poor tools.

Individual instances of advantage and disadvantage negate each other one-for-one. They do not stack - you will only roll twice no matter how many instances of advantage or disadvantage you have.

You might have advantage or disadvantage on tests, but also on damage, exertion rolls, or even usage dice!

Difficulty or Advantage/Disadvantage?

Difficulty should be applied when a challenge is uniformly difficult or easy regardless of who is attempting it - a sheer cliff is a Daunting task to climb, no matter how skilled you are.

Advantage or disadvantage should be applied situationally and individually, due to momentary circumstance or debility.

TODO: Example

Critical Success and Failure

A roll equal to the Target Number is a critical success and grants additional effect.

• Attacks roll an additional damage die and ignore the enemy armor.
• Spells, talents, and other special abilities have additional range, duration, effect, or might refund any stress taken from the exertion.
• Skill and attribute tests provide a situational advantage such as extra movement, advantage on the next roll, or reduced resource costs.

A roll of a 20 is a critical failure and incurs a steep cost.

• The victim must immediately exert or suffers another situational hindrance - the gun jams, they slip and fall, an alarm sounds.

Aid

A character may assist another in any situation that they could reasonably help. Aiding another character grants them advantage on a test. It typically takes the same amount of time as the test, e.g. an action to aid an attack in combat.

Group Tests

If the entire group is attempting an action, the character with the lowest TN rolls the test. Other characters can aid as normal.

TODO: Example

Opposed Rolls

Most rolls should be resolved by the party who will be most impacted by the result. In the rare case where that cannot be determined easily, you can do an opposed roll.

For NPCs and monsters, their TN is 7 + their Difficulty, with a +2 bonus if it is something they are skilled in.

The highest rolled success wins.

TODO: Example

Exertion and Stress

The adventurers of Kuyama possess an inner strength far beyond that of common folk. A character can exert themselves to great effect in several different situations:

• When casting spells, using special abilities or Gambits. These only require exertion when used in stressful or time-sensitive situations unless otherwise noted.
• To re-roll a failed test. If you could immediately rest after exertion, you may not exert to re-roll. You may not exert on a roll for character advancement or to re-roll a critical failure.
• When beset by stress or horror that would bring a normal person to their knees.

When you exert, you gain D10 stress. If the sum of your stress is greater than your limit, you are broken and suffer any excess as damage to HP. You may continue to exert while broken, suffering all stress as damage.

You clear your stress after a rest.

You cannot exert while you are dying. If you are required to do so, make a fortune roll. On a failure, you die.

Usage Die (UD)

A usage die is used when there is a limited but unknown quantity of an abstract resource.

When a resource is used, you roll its Usage die. A result of 1 or 2 means the Usage die is downgraded one step (UD20 -> UD12 -> UD10 -> UD8 -> UD6 -> UD4).

A 1 or 2 on UD4 means the resource is fully depleted.

As a guide, the average number of uses and cumulative total rolled until the die is depleted for each UD is as follows:

• A burning fire might have UD6 turns until it goes out.
• A friendly faction might grant UD4 favors before deciding that the party has drawn on them enough.
• A magic wand could have UD8 charges before it is overdrawn and explodes.
• The players might have UD8 turns until the distracted tunnel-bear returns to its lair.

The usage die is not always the correct randomization tool - it works best when the players are making a decision to push their luck. For simple randomization (number of enemies, quantity of treasure, random encounter chance) GMs are encouraged to just roll suitable dice.

Distances

Redwood uses meters for distance. A normal person can move about 10 meters in a single action. Most ranged weapons and spells are effective between 10 and 50 meters. You can hear a shout from around 200 meters and see human-sized objects from about 5 kilometers on a flat plain. On foot a laden adventurer can cover about 30 km in a day, 40 km on horseback, and double that if pushing hard.

The GM is encouraged to be generous when accounting for distances - speeds, ranges and the like are guidelines and should not interfere with smooth and exciting gameplay.

Perception

If a character is looking for something and it's there, they find it. For other situations where awareness is relevant and not obvious, like being ambushed, test Wits.

Fortune Tests

Some adventurers from Kuyama are blessed with preternatural good luck. In situations where the answer is indeterminate, have one of the characters make a fortune test by testing their Shine. On a success, the outcome favors the character.

Magpie "Two-Lives" Grim is looking for some oil in the pile of provisions the Storm Crow outlaws left behind. The GM asks her to test her Shine. A success! A barrel of oil and a book of matches is tucked into some saddlebags.

Conditions

There are many ills (and a few favors) that may befall an adventurer. The main are listed below, as a reference.

• Impaired: All tests on the listed attribute are at disadvantage.
• Enhanced: All tests on the listed attribute are at advantage.
• Drained: Suffer a critical failure on a roll of 18-20, Spirit is impaired.
• Exhausted: Move at half speed, Grit and Quick are impaired.
• Vulnerable: Tests to attack and damage rolls are made with advantage. Typically vulnerable to (something).
• Resistant: Tests to attack and damage rolls are made with disadvantage. Typically resistant to (something).
• Blinded: Vulnerable to attacks, can't defend, move at half speed.
• Deafened: Vulnerable to attacks, can't use supernatural abilities or communicate.
• Wounded: Anyone who has suffered a Wound is considered Wounded.
• Dying: Unconscious, must be quickly healed or they die.

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