Roleplaying game

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Chapter 8: Non-Player Characters
expected to have certain capabilities at a given school rank. More 
well-rounded characters provide less power but are very consis-
tent, while more focused characters provide more efficacy but under 
narrower circumstances.
To give GMs a rough idea of an NPC’s efficacy, each sample NPC 
profile has a conflict rank for both combat and intrigue. For the above 
reasons, these estimates cannot be especially precise, but they are a useful 
guideline when deciding how many foes to hurl at the player characters.
Determine Total Conflict Rank
To estimate how challenging a conflict scene will be, determine if it is a 
combat scene (a skirmish, duel, or other clash of arms) or an social con-
flict scene (an intrigue or other battle of wits), then take the sum of the 
conflict ranks in that category for all NPCs opposing the PCs. This is the 
encounter rank.
Gauging Encounter Rank for Your Party
To estimate the appropriateness of this conflict scene for the party, take the 
sum of the party’s school ranks (the party rank). Table 8–1: Encounter 
Rank versus Party Rank gives guidance on how these two should compare. 
Adding Adversary Templates
If the GM wishes to use one of the generic profiles to represent a named 
NPC, the GM can add advantages and disadvantages to reflect that char-
acter’s unique strengths and weaknesses, alter the character’s demeanor, 
and increase or decrease the character’s rings and ranks in skills. The 
templates in this section provide some structure for doing so, allowing a 
GM to quickly add extra flavor to a named NPC for whom they are using 
a generic profile. However, these options are hardly all-encompassing. 
When creating profiles for characters they will portray, GMs should feel 
free to create their own templates or simply add, remove, or alter advan-
tages, disadvantages, and other aspects of NPC profiles as they see fit!
Artistic
Conflict Rank: Intrigue +1
Ring: +1 Fire
Skills: +1 Artisan and Social skills
Advantages (choose 0–2): Eye for Detail (Air) [Artisan], Renowned Art-
ist (Fire) [Artisan], Steady Hand (Earth) [Artisan]
Disadvantages (choose 0–2): Cantankerous (Water) [Social], Naiveté 
(Fire) [Social], World-Weariness (Earth) [Social]
Demeanor: Gruff or Detached
Table 8–1: Encounter Rank versus Party Rank
Encounter Rank Is…
Encounter Difficulty
…roughly equal to party rank The PCs are roughly matched with 
the encounter. They will likely prevail, 
but they could certainly still lose, 
especially if the dice forsake them.
…1.5–2 times party rank
The PCs are significantly outmatched 
by the encounter. Victory will 
probably require clever maneuvering 
or shifting their goals from a heedless 
all-out attack to a strategic victory.
…1/2 of party rank
The PCs are likely at a significant 
advantage. It might be worth adding 
stronger NPCs, giving the enemies 
improved equipment, or making 
another adjustment to even the odds 
and make the clash more exciting
Twists of Fate
As the GM, most of the time, you should let the dice lie where they 
fall. If the PCs happen to catch the intended main villain of the story 
flatfooted and vanquish them in battle earlier than expected, this 
can be an interesting turn that keeps the story exciting for you, too! 
Perhaps one (or even several) of the villains’ lieutenants rise to fill the 
power vacuum—and, as it turns out, they are actually more cunning 
or dangerous than their former master! Maybe someone close to the 
villain swears revenge upon the PCs, and the PCs must now contend 
with an antagonist who is not a villain per se, but views the PCs as 
a source of injustice in the world. Or perhaps the PCs had not yet 
proved the villain’s evil to their own lord and must now undertake the 
far more difficult task of proving the guilt of a dead person to show 
their master that they acted honorably.
However, there are times when it is not narratively satisfying to 
have a character fall in battle at a particular time. If a PC’s ninjō is to 
take revenge on a specific individual, having a different PC kill that 
character during a seemingly minor skirmish might be very anticli-
mactic. Or perhaps the PC has yet to discover that the villain is the 
long-lost parent they have been seeking, and the battle does not yet 
have the appropriate stakes set up. Every once in a while, it really is 
best for the story if an adversary gets away to fight another day.
As the GM, you could always stipulate that an adversary escapes, 
but when delivered by fiat, this often feels unfair to the players. As a 
result, if you want an NPC to escape what should be certain death, we 
recommend invoking a twist of fate. When you call upon a twist of 
fate, tell the players that you are doing so and narrate what happens. 
Do reinforcements appear to drag the enemy leader away for medical 
attention? Does a candle knocked down earlier in the battle ignite the 
building, forcing everyone to retreat? Does the fraying rope-bridge 
collapse, spilling both combatants into the river far below? Does the 
PCs’ lord arrive in desperate need of their assistance, cutting off the 
chase? These circumstances should make it impossible for the PCs to 
pursue, and you should ask the players to accept that this is in the best 
interest of the story. After you do so, each PC immediately gains 1 
Void point. Further, at the end of the game session, each PC receives 1 
additional XP, to reflect their having gone above and beyond to over-
come a challenge unexpectedly. You can feel free to note to the players 
that this is XP they would not have received had they slain their foe or 
otherwise brought them to justice.
Generally speaking, twists of fate should be saved for spe-
cial circumstances, and used sparingly to keep them exciting 
and unexpected!

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