All protagonists in Conspiracy of Shadows are living a lie. By day they strive to live a normal life. They have responsibilities to society, their fami- lies, and often to their faith. This makes everything they do in an effort to thwart the conspiracy a dangerous and difficult task. The nature of this threat to their lives and the lives of their loved ones varies depending upon where they fall in the social order.
Those at the top of the social ladder, the nobles, would seem to be in the best position to fight the conspiracy. They have incredible amounts of latitude in what they can do and the resources available. However, their status limits who they can interact with and often the responsibilities of ruling those below them will contradict with the goals of the Cell.
The clergy seem to have their actions constrained the most. They are beholden to their church and its desires as well as to the people as a whole. In many ways they direct the shape and direction of society, which sharply limits what they can and can’t do.
The middle and lower classes of society have the most lat-
itude to take action. They are not constrained by who they can and cannot deal with and usually do not have to answer to any formal organization. However this varies from region to region as well as by occupation. A peasant in a Vorish nation has fewer options compared to one found in a Valadarin nation.
Players must pick a profession or a lifestyle that suits their protago- nist. Under this umbrella term, the Player determines his protagonist’s social status, background, occupation, general lifestyle, and skills. Some sample Covers might be a blacksmith, a mercenary, a member of a travel- ing carnival, or even a priest. Anything is possible.
A protagonist’s skill selection is also based upon his chosen Cover. A Player selects six skills that are appropriate for his Cover and divides 17 points among them. No score can start any higher than 5 and each skill selection must have a minimum of 1 point in them.
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Skills
Skills are specific abilities the characters use in conjunction with Attri- butes. Below is a description of each of the skills most commonly found in Polian. Players must spend all of their initial 17 points on them and each must have a Descriptor, which are detailed later in the chapter. Details on how to use skills in game play can be found in Chapter Five.
Academics
Those who are lucky enough to attend a university and gain an educa- tion learn many disciples such as theology, alchemy, astronomy, history, and mathematics. Typically only the wealthy and the nobles of Polian can afford such an education.
Animal Mastery
This skill is the ability to raise, train, and utilize animals. Teaching dogs to guard domains, training a hawk to hunt rabbits, commanding horses, and breeding livestock are possible with this skill.
Social Class Asset
Points Social Class PointsAsset
Narrlachi Valadarin
Royalty 11 Magnates 12
Noyars 8 Royalty 11
Bahadurs 6 Landed Gentry 8
Patricians 10 Landless Gentry 6
Clergy 7 Clergy 9
Peasants 3 Merchants 9
Noderin Craftsmen 5
Those Who Fight 8 Peasant Land Owners 5
Those Who Work 4 Peasants 2
Those Who Serve 2
Vorish Knights 10 Clergy 9 Freemen 5 Peasants 2
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Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of shooting with bows of all kinds. Characters are also skilled in the care of bows and arrows, able to string and unstring one, as well as make minor repairs.
Artistry
This is the ability to create beauty in an ugly world. A character with artistry can paint, draw and even sculpt, as well as identify the works of others. A character can identify techniques used, the creator of a work, and appraise the value of the artwork.
Craft
This skill covers the knowledge and ability to complete a highly skilled craft, such as blacksmithing, shipbuilding, and farming. A charac- ter can identify techniques, appraise value, and apply this knowledge. Decorum
Characters possess the knowledge and understanding of the proper forms of behavior required in various social circles. It is also the ability to negotiate with others in formal and informal settings.
Folklore
Folklore is the knowledge of the stories and common history of a people or region. This can be common wisdom, local lore, and even the secrets small towns like to keep in their closets.
Larceny
Characters with the larceny skill have the knowledge of and the abil- ity to perform a wide range of criminal enterprises. It covers things like prowling through alleys, picking locks, and scrounging for information. Medicine
This skill gives characters the knowledge of the usage of various treat- ments for the healing of wounds. The knowledge can also be used to harm as well as heal in the form of poisons.
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Melee
Characters with this skill are capable of using a variety of weapons, armor, and even their bare hands to defend themselves and attack others. They are also capable of improvising, turning common items into weapons or protection.
Performance
Performance is the ability to entertain others by conveying character traits, playing musical instruments, telling tales or singing. This skill can even be used to impersonate other people.
Survival
This is the knowledge and ability to endure in the wilderness. This can be the knowledge of the weather, shelter creation, first aid, hunting, and scrounging for food.