Discoveries

Discoveries are the interesting things that PCs encounter, stuff that isn't immediately dangerous but that prompts investigation, interaction, and decisions. They include:

• Clues, like a monster's footprints in the muddy soil
• Sites, like the monster's den
• Encounters, like the curious spirit met while following the monster's tracks
• Opportunities, like the eggs found in the monster's den
• Artifacts, like the strange medallion tucked in the nest with the eggs
• Arcana, like the lime-caked runes carved in the walls of the den, detailing a spell that can hide you from death These aren't formal categories, and they often overlap. Those footprints might be a clue that the monster is nearby, but they might also be an opportunity to track it down or find its den.

Discoveries can also be threats or dangers. An aurochs quietly munching away is a discovery—a chance to acquire meat and valuable horns!

But it's also a monster, one that could really mess the PCs up if they aren't careful.

Add discoveries to the game when…

• a player move prompts you to. When a PC Seeks Insight and asks, "What happened here recently?" your answer might take the form of a clue. When they Forage and pick, "You discover something interesting or useful," you're almost certainly going to present them with a discovery of some sort.
• your prep demands it. If you've already decided that there's a particular artifact buried in the pile of rubble, and the PCs dig through that pile, then of course they find the artifact.
• the established fiction implies it. Say you make up some bandits, and the PCs drive them off. If they follow the bandits' tracks back from where they came, it only makes sense that they'd find the bandits' camp.
• the setting guide suggests it. When the PCs are on the Makers' Roads, you might roll for a fellow traveler (Book II, The Makers' Roads) and create an encounter based on the results. When they're off exploring the Foothills, you might roll for a random discovery on that region's tables (Book II, The Foothills).
• you think it'd be interesting, fun, or just a good idea. If the PCs get lost in the Steplands and you want to shake things up, you might put a discovery in their path, like a Hillfolk goatherd, or a creepy looking cave, or whatever else makes sense.
• some combination of the above prompts you to. Maybe the Ranger Seeks Insight before approaching the Green Lord ruin, asking, "What here is useful or valuable to me?" Book II suggests that Forest Folk glyphs mark the area, which could provide useful information, so you present them as the answer to the question.

Book II: The Wider World and Other Wonders contains all manner of discoveries for you to use in your game. The entries for each region and location include tables that you can pick from or roll on. The entries for the various peoples (like Green Lords) and powers (like the Things Below) include tables for sites and lists of potential artifacts and arcana. Use these tools as much or as little as makes sense for you and your game. Exploit the setting guide!

Use discoveries to tell stories, to portray a rich and mysterious world. When you prep a discovery or create one on the fly, think offscreen. Think about how it came to be here. Tie it to past events or ongoing situations. Don't just have the PCs meet a merchant on the road, have them cross paths with Ulna, the wheezy old merchant who sold them that lantern. Don't just have them find some boars to hunt, have them encounter (normally fearless) boars who are fleeing in terror from the demon who's awoken deeper in the Wood.

Use discoveries to punctuate their lives with adventure. Give them word of a powerful artifact or an unexplored ruin, as a way to prompt an expedition. While on an expedition, present discoveries that the PCs can wonder at, interact with, explore.

Reward their bravery and curiosity with yet more discoveries.

Once you've put a discovery in the game, follow the core loop. Ask the PCs what they do, resolve their actions, and repeat. Maybe they ignore a discovery and move on. Maybe they take it with them, or make plans to come back later.

Maybe the discovery snowballs into a completely new situation. Play to find out what happens.

Clues

Clues point the PCs towards some sort of knowledge, conclusion, or revelation. They are signifiers of something else. They are nouns that tell stories.

Present clues when PCs Seek Insight, as a way to begin and end with the fiction as you answer their questions. Use them to announce trouble or hint at more than meets the eye, to offer an opportunity, or to make any other GM move that involves imparting knowledge or establishing facts.

Creating clues

If a provocative, juicy clue just occurs to you, or something in Book II suggests a clue that resonates, then ask yourself whether it contradicts your prep or any established truths. If not, use it!

Otherwise: start with the revelation, the thing you want the PCs to potentially learn. Work backwards from there. Imagine a clue that could lead to the revelation, such as:

• Signs left on the environment (tracks, crushed grass, an old firepit, etc.)
• Physical remains (blood, bones, hair, fur, scales, feathers, droppings, etc.)
• Something out of place (a clean bowl on a dusty table, a strange idol, etc.)
• Writing, art, or markings (a note or letter, a mosaic, idle graffiti, etc.)
• An NPC's/monster's behavior (a ghost pointing, a liar's shifty eyes, etc.)
• Noises, glimpses, scents (a howl in the distance, smoke on the wind, etc.)
• Rumors, reports, tales, or gossip (heard from an NPC, remembered, etc.)
• Flashes, omens, or revelations (a dream, a psychic impression, etc.)

Some clues point directly towards their revelation. Others merely hint at it, and make sense only with some effort or in hindsight. Present clues that fit in with the established fiction, and play to find out what happens.

If you're stumped, maybe tell the players the revelation and ask how they figure it out. "What should you be on the lookout for? Hmm. The hdour's watching this place via magic, and they know you're here!

What do you notice that tells you this?"

Rhianna and her crew Forage and pick "You discover something interesting or useful." I decide to reveal that a trio of feathered drakes is in the area, but that they've fed recently and aren't actively on the hunt right now. The clue itself seems obvious to me: Rhianna finds the remains of their most-recent kill.

"Wisent bones," I tell her. "Chewed-on and snapped. Looks like drakes did it; you find claw prints and a few shed feathers. There's offal, too—the flies are real bad—so this can't be more than a day old. What do you do?"

She studies the scene, Seeking Insight and asking, "What should I be on the lookout for?" I tell her that these were full-grown drakes, two of them driving the wisent towards a third waiting in ambush. I ask how she figures that out. "Mostly from reading the tracks. And, like, knowing about drakes. Hey, you said this was recent, right? Like in the last day? So they're probably not hungry right now. If we hustle, we can probably clear their territory before they start hunting again. Yeah?" Totally!

Prepping clues

As you prep for a session, try to identify any crucial revelations that the PCs need in order to accomplish their current goals or to make important decisions. For each revelation, create at least one clue, ideally two or three. The players need this info to meaningfully engage with the game, right? Make sure that there are plenty of ways for them to get it.

Vahid has dragged the PCs to Three Coven Lake, in search of the Mindgem's fiery makerglass heart. He's acquired an ancient scroll that hints at it once being here, powering some arcane device.

In order to accomplish their goals, the PCs will need to learn where exactly the Mindgem's heart is. I've decided that it's still powering that arcane device, which animates a number of constructs. But a deathless sorcerer long ago fused his soul to that device, sending his consciousness out into those constructs.

I think about potential clues, ways that the PCs could learn some or all of this. Then I write out the following:

• An old map of the city, showing a site marked with a sigil that's also prominent on the scroll. • The constructs bear that same sigil from the scroll; the PCs might interrogate one or follow it home. • A rival of the sorcerer tells the PCs where to find the arcane device, hoping to stir up conflict.

(And now I start thinking about who or what the sorcerer's rival might be, and how the PCs might encounter them…)

Decide where and how the PCs could find any clues you prepare. Some clues will be tied to a specific place, NPC, or monster. Other clues will be notional, things you can introduce whenever and wherever it makes sense.

If you suspect that a clue will prompt your

PCs to Know Things or Seek Insight or use some other information-gathering move, consider what information you might provide. Maybe write down something interesting and something useful, or what isn't what it seems, etc.

Continuing the previous example, the second and third clues are clearly tied to encounters with specific entities. But the first clue—the map—could theoretically be found anywhere in the ruined city.

I suspect that Vahid will Know Things about that sigil if he finds it on the map or the constructs, so I jot down:

SOMETHING INTERESTING: This sigil is a personal identifier for a maker named Skol Gaeille. Such sigils were used to mark an individual's property.

SOMETHING USEFUL: That spot on the map/wherever these constructs come from… there's a good chance that you'll find the arcane device there—or at least a lead to find it!

If you like, think about other revelations that you might make—information that's not crucial, but that could offer the PCs an opportunity, or that would illuminate the world or your NPCs. Create clues for these revelations, too!

Sites

Sites are interesting places that the PCs might want to explore. There's a whole chapter devoted to Sites.

But sites can be discoveries, too! As the PCs trek through the Steplands, they might stumble on a Stone Lord ruin. If they explore that ruin, there might be smaller sites within—a shrine to Aratis, perhaps, itself containing a Chronicle from the days of the Makers. Sites within sites within sites!

To create a site, or an area within one:

1) Lay the foundation

• Ask questions
• Build on what you've got
• Exploit the setting guide

2) Build up its story

• Look for connections
• Ask yourself questions
• Answer those questions
• Create a timeline

3) Sketch out the site's contents

• Populate it
• Identify dangers and discoveries
• Establish areas/rooms
• Describe the environment
• Arrange areas/rooms

4) Write it up as much as you like

• Create a map or visual (maybe)
• Detail each area/room
• Subdivide as needed
• Make lists and tables
• Make plans
• Review and revise

See Sites for the full process, and Sites for guidance on running sites.

Encounters

When the PCs cross paths with someone or something that isn't immediately hostile or dangerous, that's an encounter. This usually means people, but an encounter can be with beasts, spirits, constructs, or anything else the PCs can interact with.

Building encounters

Answer each of these questions, in whatever order makes sense. As the encounter evolves in your mind, feel free to go back and tweak or change earlier answers.

• Who/what is the encounter with?
• Where/when does it happen?
• What are they doing?
• Why are they here?
• What do they want?
• How do they react to the PCs?
• Why are you putting this encounter in the game? What's at stake?

The more specific the answers, the more interesting the encounter! "Migrants on their way to Gordin's Delve, in need of aid" is a good encounter! But "A family from Marshedge, going to join their father in Gordin's Delve, and whose donkey (and all it carried) has wandered off the road" is much more compelling.

If you're improvising, you'll answer many of these questions instinctively, or already have some answers from context. Great! Start with what's obvious, and add specific details as you frame the encounter and play out the scene.

If you're prepping, you might leave some questions unanswered, or answer them with possibilities instead of specifics. Even answers you think are set in stone might change in response to events in play.

I'm prepping the expedition for our first adventure. I expect the PCs to follow the trail left by some crinwin dragging young Pryder through the Great Wood, back to a Green Lord tomb wherein our villain (Sajra the swyn) is lairing. I want a couple potential discoveries to introduce along the way, so I review the Great Wood entry in Book II.

I look at the discoveries table (Book II, The Great Wood) and see "a crinwin, Fae, or spirit of the wild, curious or indifferent." I like the idea of a Fae who was living in the tomb but has been displaced by Sajra. I look up Creating Fae (Book II, Fae) and use that for guidance. I end up with Thornthumb, a hollow little plant-man skulking around the Great Wood, fuming over the loss of his home and his hoard. He'd love to see Sajra killed or driven out, but he's also a compulsive hoarder and thief.

I'm not sure when or where the PCs will encounter Thornthumb; but I think he'll notice them at some point and either try to steal from them (especially if he learns of the Mindgem) or approach them and offer info about Sajra (if he thinks they can defeat it).

As for this encounter's purpose and stakes: I think this guy will be fun to play, and he's got lots of potential to help, hinder, and frustrate the PCs!

Create the NPCs if you haven't already, following the steps on NPCs & Followers. If there's more than one NPC, decide which one(s) the PCs are most likely to interact with and focus on them. Portray the others as a

group, zooming in with more detail only as you need to.

Running encounters

Run encounters like any other part of the game. Follow the core loop.

Frame the action with the encounter about to start, or just starting, or already underway. Describe the environment and portray your characters. Make a soft GM move, ask what the PCs do, and resolve their actions. Repeat until the encounter resolves itself or becomes a new situation.

As you run the encounter, elaborate and riff on what you've already established.

You'll probably do this naturally as the players ask questions and you clarify the situation, or in order to resolve PC actions.

Build the NPCs into actual characters, with names, core concepts, memorable traits, impressions, and so forth. If the encounter is with a group, embellish specific individuals as they come into focus.

If you're stumped for details, ask the PCs questions and build on the answers.

If you've established the instinct, tags, and moves of an NPC, use them to inform how you portray them and run the scene.

Keep the encounter's purpose and stakes in mind. Zoom to an appropriate level of detail, and don't be afraid to wrap a scene up when its purpose has been fulfilled.

For example, if you add an encounter with the intent of just adding a little color, and the PCs react as if it's some sort of pivotal scene, step out of character and address the players. "Folks, no, this is just a tinker on the road and not some sort of threat. Let's move on." But at the same time, be open to the possibility that this encounter is more important or meaningful than you planned.

Maybe that tinker has some key information to share after all!

Opportunities

An opportunity is anything that the PCs come across that might benefit them, or that they could take advantage of. It's a very broad category, including:

• Useful or valuable stuff (coin, trade goods, tools, weapons, Surplus, etc.)
• Expendable resources (provisions, clean water, lamp oil, supplies, etc.)
• A good spot to __ (make camp, set an ambush, take shelter, etc.)
• A way to get somewhere (a key, a short cut, a hidden passage, a ford, etc.)
• A chance to __ (learn something, get a drop on a foe, impress someone, etc.)
• An experience (a breathtaking view, a hallucinogenic mushroom, etc.)
• A resource that the PCs might come back for later (a mine, timber, etc.)
• A place of power (a shrine, a nexus of arcane energy, etc.)
• An arcanum
• Anything else that comes to mind Not all opportunities are equal. Sometimes you'll offer an opportunity directly, but other times, you'll merely hint at more than meets the eye or offer riches at a price, and the PCs have to work a bit to take advantage of it. Some opportunities will be exactly what the PCs need. Others will be less obviously useful, or distractions from their larger goals. And some are there only because you think they should be, or because a table in Book II suggests it.

Once you put the opportunity in play, ask the PCs what they do and go from there.

Often, they'll jump on it, or attempt to.

But they might ignore it, or decide it's not worth the trouble, or pass it by for now with plans to come back later. Don't force it. Play to find out what happens!

Artifacts

Artifacts are things laden with meaning, power, or value. They're objects that the PCs might take with them, or come back later to claim. Relics of the past, gems and finery, magic items—treasure, basically!

Book II contains over a hundred artifacts that you can drop into your game. Some are just brief descriptions and a few tags, like "A makerglass jar with a threaded ◇ lid, seals airtight (indestructible, Value 2)."

Other artifacts have more formal write-ups, often with custom moves. Like this:

A handful of artifacts are presented as steading improvements, and many arcana are some sort of artifact. You can create your own, too; see Creating artifacts.

If the PCs take an artifact with them, make sure that someone adds it to their inventory and is accounting for its load (if any). If they bring it home, prompt the players to decide whether it becomes someone's special possession or an asset of the village as a whole.

Placing artifacts

Put artifacts in the game where they make sense. That sealed tomb that the PCs are exploring probably has grave goods! The sorcerer that they're hunting probably has a few magic artifacts at her disposal.

Put artifacts in the game, too, when you think they'd be fun or interesting. Offer one as a trade opportunity when Seasons Change, or when a PC Trades & Barters.

Let a PC find one when they Forage and choose to "discover something interesting or valuable."

When you prep a site, place artifacts in specific spots and/or create a list of things you can place when and wherever it makes sense to do so.

As with any discovery, try to place artifacts in a way that tells a story. Consider how it came to be here, how long it's been here, how it's shaped the environment or how the environment has shaped it. Why has no one claimed it? Who else is looking for it? Who else knows it's here? Reflect these things in where you place an artifact and how you describe it, as a way to portray a rich and mysterious world.

The PCs head back to the Green Lord's tomb, to explore it properly after killing the swyn. I've decided that Thornthumb got past Vahid's sanctifying marks and made off with his old hoard, but I think there must still be a few artifacts for the PCs to find.

Looking over the Green Lords entry in Book II, my eye lands on "a number of ◇ corroded bronze hatchets," which I picture interred with those mummified servants—the ones buried in the collapsed hallway. I doubt Thornthumb would have even known about these, or bothered with them if he did.

I also spot a large urn (previous page), which I imagine was something made by the Green Lord who's interred here as a way to deal with troublesome Fae. Thornthumb would have steered clear of it, but I can see the crinwin using it to store doodads that Sajra didn't want. So it's stuffed full of rubbish, including some other junky-looking artifacts and maybe even an arcanum like a cracked flute (Book II, Call of the Hunt). Oh, and it's in that partly-collapsed chamber, the one where the crinwin were nesting. Nice.

Identifying artifacts

When the PCs find an artifact, describe it!

Tell them what they've found, and what's obvious at a glance.

If the artifact is merely interesting, useful, or valuable, then make that clear as part of your initial description or as soon as the PCs interact with it. Don't imply that there might be more to discover if there really isn't.

"Each corpse has a bronze hatchet. The heads are corroded and dull, but the wooden handles have this beautiful swirling grain. They're remarkably wellpreserved, too. They don't feel magical, but the smith could restore the ax heads with a little work, and they'd be, like, Value 1 each."

If there is more to the artifact, then make that clear as part of your description, or hint at more than meets the eye, or just offer an opportunity to learn more.

The PCs dig the urn out of the rubble and dust it off. "It's quite large," I tell them. "Like four feet tall and yea big around. The material is weird. It's not ceramic. More like… snail shell? And, Blodwen, you in particular feel like it's sort of… calling out? What do you do?"

From there, follow the PCs' actions and resolve them. If they look more closely, tell them what they see. If they pick it up, tell them what they feel. If the artifact has a custom move, and they trigger it, then present them with the move (and resolve it, of course).

If they Seek Insight about the artifact, resolve the move! On a 7+, answer their question(s) honestly and helpfully, with as much detail as the situation warrants.

"What should you be on the lookout for? Honestly, not much. The urn isn't calling you. It's magic, yeah, but it doesn't feel like magic that affects, like, mortals."

If they Know Things about the artifact and get a 7+, then tell them some combo of what it is, what it does, what it's worth, how they might activate it or sell it for its full value, or how they might learn more. If the artifact has a custom move, then maybe you'd give them some inkling of what it does on a 7-9, and give them the move's full text on a 10+.

Many of the artifacts in Book II include "something interesting" and "something useful" as part of their description.

Ultimately, you want the players to know what an artifact does and how to use it, so that they can make meaningful decisions.

If the PCs can't figure this out now, give them a path toward doing so, such as…

• telling them the requirements. "Old Gorlas knows about the Fae, he could maybe tell you." Or, "You'll need to bring it home and consult your scrolls."
• Making a Plan with them to learn what it the artifact is or does.
• divulging the info via a love letter.
• revealing the info after a bit of downtime. Maybe ask the player how the PC learned it.
• some combination of the above.

Once a PC figures an artifact out, give the player its tags, write-up, and any custom moves, etc. If it's a steading improvement, add it to the steading playbook.

Arcana have their own considerations; see Arcana for details.

Artifacts in play

Some artifacts are simply interesting or valuable. But others have extraordinary properties or generate magical effects.

When questions arise about an artifact (like how it works, what's involved with using it, what it can/can't do, etc.), talk it out with the players. Consider the artifacts' description, what's implied about it, and the specific details already established in play. Extrapolate an answer together.

If the PCs want to leverage an artifact to achieve some long-term goal, then Make a Plan or write up a new steading improvement to reflect their idea, whichever makes the most sense.

They open the urn and sift through the junk. "Are there markings inside?" asks Vahid. "Or anything else to explain that calling Blodwen feels?" I'm not sure, so I ask Vahid if he's Knowing Things about the urn. He is, and he rolls a 7.

"Something interesting… It's clearly the work of a Green Lord. And the magic is a compulsion that affects Fae. So how do you know this?" We decide that there are flowing runes along the urn's inside, some of which Vahid can decipher.

"It was made by the Green Lords? I'm Well Versed in the Makers and their arts, so I get a follow-up question. What exactly does this urn do?"

My instinct is to give him only a half answer, but that's not cool. Instead, I just give him the description (from page 428). "And before you ask," I say, "no, there aren't any pearls in there. Just a bunch of junk. Though, there is a cracked flute in there made of redwood…"

Artifacts as threats

Think about how NPCs react to artifacts.

Are they intrigued? Freaked out? Jealous?

Does word of it spread to other towns? If the way people react to an artifact becomes a source of trouble, then write it up as a threat (Threats a MacGuffin).

Likewise, if the artifact itself is a source of trouble, write it up as a threat, probably a magical entity or an affliction.

If the PCs want to destroy, disenchant, or seal away a dangerous artifact, then think about its tags, the established fiction, and what makes sense for your game. A fragile artifact should be easy to destroy; one that's indestructible should be much harder to un-make. But destroying either one might entail serious risks or consequences, like unleashing a hostile spirit or corrupting the nearby locale. Encourage the PCs to Know Things, or Seek

Insight, or Make a Plan to figure out what's involved.

Selling artifacts

If an artifact has a listed Value, then PCs can Trade & Barter to sell it as if it were a special item. If they know or suspect that it's magical, they can try to leverage that for a better price—or they might need to hide its magical nature in order to close the deal. Magic creeps some folks out!

If an artifact has a Value "to the right buyer," then PCs could:

• Know Things to identify a buyer, then send them word or seek them out
• Wait for a trade opportunity (from Seasons Change) with such a buyer
• Make a Plan to sell it at full Value
• Use Trade & Barter to sell it for it a lower Value Artifacts with no listed Value count as unique items: they can't be sold via Trade

& Barter. As above, the PCs can Know Things or Make a Plan to find a buyer, or wait for a trade opportunity. If they find a buyer, assign the artifact a Value, typically 2 or 3 but sometimes as much as 4.

Trying to sell valuable or powerful artifacts is a fraught enterprise, a great way to turn those artifacts into MacGuffin threats. If the PCs refuse an offer, then the other party might try to steal the artifact (or send goons to do so). Even if the trade is successful, word might get out that Stonetop has such things, or that the PCs know where to find them, and that can lead to all sorts of unwanted attention.

Buying artifacts

As a rule, specific and/or magical artifacts are unique items—the PCs can't just Trade

& Barter to acquire them.

If a PC wants to acquire such an artifact, they might:

• Know Things about where such things can be found, or who might have one (and then attempt to acquire it)
• Make a Plan with the GM
• Put out word that they're looking for such a thing, and then choose a "trade opportunity" when Seasons Change
• Tell the GM what they're after, and then choose "interesting news" when Seasons change If the PCs do find someone who possesses a specific or magical artifact, and the PCs attempt to negotiate a trade, then you'll have to decide what it's worth. Value 2-3 is typical, with some artifacts worth Value 4.

But if the NPC doesn't realize what they have, they might consider it to be as low as Value 1 or even 0.

Creating artifacts

Appendix B (Book II, Appendix B: Artifact Creation) includes a detailed procedure for artifact creation. Use it when none of the existing artifacts in Book II meet your needs, or when you have an idea for an artifact that you want to flesh out. Or, just use it because you want to—making artifacts is fun!

To create a new artifact:

1) Determine its origin and theme

2) Determine its nature and any related characteristics

3) Determine its form

4) Synthesize these details

5) Write it up, however makes sense These steps are presented in order, but they can generally work in whatever order makes sense to you. Maybe you find it more effective to pick an artifact's form prior to picking its nature! That's fine.

I'm coming up with other artifacts for the PCs to find in the Green Lord's tomb, and decide to create one from scratch—something that maybe got missed by Thornthumb when he cleared the place out. It could be very large, something he couldn't move. Or something small that he missed. Or maybe it's made of iron, so he left it behind? I don't know, but I'll find out!

1 Origin and theme

Pick or roll for the artifact's origin, the people who made it or the power to whom it's most closely tied (the Stone Lords, the Fae, the Things Below, etc.).

If you already know where the artifact came from, just pick. If a few different origins seem likely, either choose one for now (and feel free to change your mind later) or pick between them randomly.

Each of the possible origins in Book II has a table of related themes. Pick from or roll on the appropriate theme table. Allow the theme(s) to inform everything else about the artifact.

Looking at the origins table, "the Green Lords" seems like the obvious choice. I roll on the Green Lords' themes table and get a 2, "Plants and growing things, grandiose and/or unusual."

2 Nature

Pick or roll for the artifact's nature:

a mundane item, a strange material, the tether for a spirit or sentience, etc.

Each result on the nature table points to another table, or set of tables, to determine its characteristics. Pick from or roll on these sub-tables as well. Then follow their instructions (which might send you to other characteristics, to its form, etc.).

I roll a 3 for this artifact's nature, so it's a mundane item. That directs me to the why they might care table, where I get a 6: "it's inherently valuable—silver, trade goods, etc. (Value 2)." That then directs me to pick or roll for its form.

3 Form

If it's not already obvious, pick or roll for the artifact's size (small,, ◇◇◇, immobile), tags (like fragile or crude), and whether it's particularly hard to access or otherwise take advantage of.

From there, pick from or roll on the what is it tables. Interpret these results liberally, keeping the origin, theme, and nature in mind. Let yourself be inspired!

I roll a 4 for size ("a item"), a 9 for ◇ what it is ("something less common"), and a 3 for the specific, less-common thing ("Curiosity: a wonder, device, enigma, doohickey, toy, etc."). Huh.

4 Synthesis

Take the details you've established so far and imagine the artifact that they suggest. Fill in missing details and make decisions. What is this artifact, exactly?

What was it originally for? How did it come to be, or be here? You don't need the artifact's full history, but try to envision something that makes sense and that at least hints at a story.

It's okay to change or discard some of the details you established earlier, or interpret them loosely or metaphorically. They're meant to spur your creativity, not limit it.

So: a mundane curiosity, inher-◇ ently valuable, with a theme of "plants and growing things." I picture a silver sphere, the size of a fist, with a filigree vine-and-leaf pattern. It was probably just a pretty thing, a grave good buried with the Green Lord that rolled behind a plinth or some rubble.

5 Write-up

Once you have a clear picture of the artifact in your mind, write it up as one of the following.

As a brief description

Write something short and sweet, ~30 words or less, including load, tags, and other game elements. This approach is best for simple, non-magical artifacts, but it can also work for artifacts with a straightforward magical effect.

For examples, see any of the "various treasures" lists, like those of the Barrow Builders (Book II, Barrow Builders) or the Stone Lords (Book II, Stone Lords).

This artifact I've been creating doesn't need much description, so I write down:

◇ Silver filigree sphere, fist-sized, vine-and-plant patterns (beautiful, Value 2)

As a detailed description

Give the artifact a title, either something descriptive ("a stone cup") or a proper name ("the Red Pennant"). Assign it tags, load (if any), and other game elements. Then write a few sentences about it, what it looks like, what it does (if anything), what that involves, and why it's useful, interesting, and/or valuable.

Consider writing "something interesting" and "something useful" about the artifact, if you suspect that the PCs will Know Things about it.

For examples, see a spindle of fine thread (Book II, Death and the Undying), or an oversized ring (Book II, Forge Lords).

As player moves

Write a detailed description (as per the previous page). Then write a custom player move to reflect how the artifact works or what PCs can do with it.

Custom moves are a great way to reflect artifacts with magical powers, especially ones that are unpredictable, unreliable, or dangerous. See Writing Moves & Love Letters for guidance on writing custom moves.

You'll find examples of such artifacts all through Book II. See bloodshot amber (Book II, Fomoraij), a crystal knife (Book II, Forest Folk), and a black menhir (Book II, The Things Below) for a sense of what's possible.

I create another artifact that the PCs could

find in the old tomb, something interred with the Green Lord itself.

I run through the first three steps and end up with an origin of Aratis and a theme of "laws/rules/traditions." It's redwood, with an extraordinary property of "fills those who look upon it with __." It's "a ◇◇ item," with a form of "Fire: incense, oil, candle, lamp, lantern, sconce, brazier, hearth, etc."

Interesting! Apparently, this Green Lord revered Aratis, the god of civilization and order. Redwood is "a natural tether for spirits of the wild," and fire is often a symbol of chaos. But taming fire is a very "civilized" thing to do, and the Green Lords did harness spirits to do their bidding. I think this is a brazier, binding a fire spirit sanctified to Aratis.

As a steading improvement

If the artifact could benefit the village of Stonetop as a whole, then write it up as a steading improvement. This is a good way to reflect resources (like a mine or a water source), improvements to the food supply (a new crop, weather magic, etc.), or other artifacts with far-reaching benefits.

Make a Plan with the PCs to establish the requirements, the ongoing costs (if any), and the benefits of completing it. See page

514 for more about improvements.

For examples, see the golden sapling (Book II, The Golden Oak) and rhoillyg orchard (Book

II, Player Moves).

I ponder a little bit and then write the following, riffing on the Judge's move, Censure The Judge.

REDWOOD BRAZIER (◇◇, magical, near, area)

A shallow wooden bowl, about 3' wide.

Lustrous red, carved with icons of Aratis. Inside is charred, but intact.

When you light a fire in the brazier and awaken the spirit of sanctified flame within, mortals and Fae in its presence feel a sense of solemn awe. When anyone violates decorum in the presence of the flame, they are filled with… (they pick 1)

• Shame, and act accordingly • Doubt, and hesitate or pause • Fear, and seek to hide or escape

As an arcanum

If you envision the artifact providing a lasting or reusable benefit, but only after the PCs spend time and effort unlocking it, then consider writing it up as a minor arcanum.

If you envision a magical artifact growing in power as a PC learns to use it, but also having serious, lasting consequences, and you're up for the challenge, then write it up as a major arcanum.

Tags and game elements

Regardless of how you're writing up an artifact, include a list of relevant gear terms & tags, such as: +1 armor, awkward, crude, dangerous, fragile, requires ___, slow, uses, etc.

If it can be used as a weapon or a light source, include range tags (close, area, etc.) and other weapon traits (like "2 piercing" or "ignores armor").

If it takes up space in inventory, put

◇ or ◇◇ at the start of the tag list (or just before the object itself in a simple description). If it's too big to just carry on your person, give it the immobile tag.

Artifacts might have additional tags not found on mundane items, such as:

beautiful: draws attention, makes some people want it fireproof: unharmed by heat or flame implanted: it's part of you, or must become so before you can use it indestructible: can't be broken or marred by mundane force or art loud: makes a lot of noise magical: imbued with unnatural power terrifying: people and beasts freak out in its presence

Arcana

An arcanum is a card or playbook insert, something you give the players. Each one represents a discovery—an artifact, a place, a bit of lore, a magical effect, etc.— with mysteries that the PCs can unlock. "Arcanum" is a game term; it's not something characters are likely to refer to in-fiction.

The front of an arcanum describes what the PC can tell at a glance or with a little effort, plus the requirements for unlocking its mysteries. The back shows those mysteries, which can include custom moves, new options, followers, and consequences.

Minor arcana are small cards, like the one shown here. They provide no real benefit until the PC unlocks them. Once unlocked, the PC gains access to all the benefits on the back.

Major arcana are half-page playbook inserts; see Playing the Game for an example. Each offers one or more "free" custom moves. A PC who unlocks its mysteries gains more powers, but using those powers has consequences.

Stonetop includes 64 minor and

18 major arcana by default.

All of these are reproduced in appendices c and d, starting on Homefront of Book II.

The Seeker playbook starts with a major arcanum and two minor arcana. The Heavy starts with Storm Markings (Book II, Storm Markings) if they take the Storm-marked background.

Placing arcana

Be thoughtful about how often you introduce new arcana. Between unlocking them, using them, and dealing with their consequences, they can have a huge impact on the game.

Give the players too many and they'll be overwhelmed with options. Give them too few, and you'll be missing out on a fun part of Stonetop. Don't be stingy with arcana, but don't hand them out like candy, either!

Most arcana are artifacts; place them as such. Try to place them in a way that implies a story or at least illuminates part of the setting.

• … you must first dig up & clean the plate.
• … you must decipher the Maker-runes.
• … it'll take a few weeks of study.
• … you risk harm to your voice, your hearing, and/or your neighbors as you practice.

Caradoc and Vahid take a short trip to the Ruined Tower in early autumn, to poke around and see what they find. Caradoc spends a few hours scouting out the outer ruins, Seeking Insight. He asks, "What here is useful or valuable to me?"

The Ruined Tower entry in Book II includes a number of discovery tables for the outer ruins, including one for "something valuable." I roll and get "a half-buried plaque, or some other artifact of the Tempest Lords." The halfburied plaque seems like a perfect thing to find in the blasted rubble around the Tower.

Thunderous Bellow

When you channel the storm primeval and utter a thunderous bellow, take 1d6 damage (ignores armor) and roll +CON:

on a 10+, everyone nearby (except you) must choose 2; on a 7-9, everyone nearby (except you) must choose 1.

• Drop what they're carrying and cover their ears
• Be deafened and disoriented for a few moments
• Stagger a few steps away from you I pause to consider whether I want to add this arcanum to the game. It's right up Vahid's alley, and while he has a few stilllocked arcana, he can't easily act on them just yet (one requires that he suffer a terrible burn; another needs Rhianna's help and she's busy; the third involves finding pieces of the Mindgem's body and he has no leads.) This is an arcanum he could act on now, and one that I think would be fun to see in play.

"Okay," I tell Caradoc, "In the rubble near the tower, you find this bronze plate poking out of the soil…"

Some arcana are sites, or part of one. Place them where they make sense, and feel free to tweak the details on the front of the card. The "runes around a ruined hall" arcanum describes a throne room, but maybe a smithy makes more sense in your game?

A few arcana represent tales or specific encounters. Present these to the PCs as clues, encounters, or opportunities.

Again, feel free to modify the specifics on the front of the card to meet your needs.

A handful of arcana—notably Storm Markings and the Ineffable Words (Book II, pages

566 and 568)—represent a PC being infused with magical power. Offer these as opportunities, or even inflict them as consequences when the PCs are exposed to truly potent magic.

Identifying arcana

Be generous with info about arcana. You want the players to know what's involved in unlocking them and using them. They need that info to make informed decisions.

That's why arcana are handouts; you're meant to give them to the players.

When the PCs discover an arcanum, you might…

• just give the player(s) the card and have them read it, front and back. Maybe the PC doesn't know all this info yet; work with the player to figure out how and when they figure it out.
• offer riches at a price or tell them the requirements to learn more about the arcanum, which might involve taking a risk and Defying Danger, or talking to someone, or Seeking Insight. If they do so successfully, give them the card.
• prompt them to Know Things about the arcanum: on a 10+, give them the card and have them read both sides;

on a 7-9, have them read the front, and show them the back when they have some time to study it or learn more; on a 6-, either have them read the front

and then have something bad happen, or hint at the arcanum's power and tell them how they could learn more.

A few major arcana lend themselves to a slow reveal. For example, you might tell the PC that rubbing this magic ring calls up a mist.

But the first time someone dies in that fog, the ring asks, "May I take this one?" and you give the player the insert for the Ring of Daagon (Book II, Ring of Daagon). Judge for yourself whether this would work for any given arcanum, and whether your player(s) would enjoy it.

Unlocking arcana

To unlock their mysteries, many arcana (especially minor arcana) ask the PCs to invest significant time and effort. They have requirements like, "spend a few weeks deciphering the glyphs," or, "acquire the special ingredients," or "risk lasting harm to your physique and health."

Give players opportunities to pursue these requirements. When there's downtime, ask if they want to work on unlocking any arcana. If they're unsure how to do so, give them suggestions. Maybe they can

Know Things about it, or Trade & Barter for what they need, or Make a Plan.

Establish which requirement the PC is working on and how they're going about it.

Begin and end with the fiction. Ask what this looks like. Where and when are they doing it? Who is involved?

Also, bring it home. Ask what chores they're neglecting or who they get to cover for them. Think about how NPCs in the village react. Who might be affected, or put at risk, or confront the PC? Use your homefront threats and moves here.

Frame scenes as needed, to resolve PC moves or play out the tensions described above. Or, frame scenes that you or the players think would be fun and interesting.

When an arcanum's requirement says that they "risk __," it almost certainly involves Defying Danger. Maybe you put them in a spot, and ask, "What do you do?". Or maybe you stay zoomed out and ask how they deal with the risk at a high level, using their approach to decide what stat they should roll and what the possible outcomes might be.

Even if you resolve a risk at a zoomed-out level, you might still zoom in on a 7-9 or a 6- to play out the consequences. But you don't have to. Plenty of consequences or costs work at a zoomed-out level, too.

Maybe it just takes longer. Or maybe they wake up some long-dormant Green Lord bioweapon, a new affliction threat, but one that doesn't become relevant until the next season. Let things breathe.

Caradoc brings Vahid to examine the halfburied plaque. They're not in any immediate danger, and this is exactly the kind of thing Vahid studies, so I just give him the minor arcanum card.

I'd previously warned Caradoc of a large beast in the area, so they try (and fail) to dig the plaque up quietly. Caradoc has to fight a beznpol. but they do dig up the plaque and get it home. They've met the arcanum's first requirement.

Vahid spends his remaining free time that autumn laying wards on the Ringwall. But towards the end of winter (after a bear hunt), Vahid turns his attention towards the plaque.

"Can I decipher the runes?" he asks. We agree that he's Knowing Things (with advantage, because of Polyglot), and he gets a 10+. He can read them just fine! He marks off the second requirement.

The next requirement is, "it'll take a few weeks of study." I don't think this will cause much disruption (it's winter), but I still ask him what he lets slide. "I stop going to the public house for story time with the kids," he says. Oh no! I frame a scene where Nia (Blodwen's niece) comes to check on him. It's very cute.

Whatever approach you take to handling a risky requirement, respect the outcomes!

Follow the rules—don't fudge or ignore the results. Be a fan of the characters, and give them the full benefit from their moves and their rolls. But also, let things burn.

If the PCs risk something and get a 6-, or even a 7-9, there should be real costs or consequences.

The last requirement is, "you risk harm to your voice, your hearing, and/or your neighbors as you practice." I ask Vahid how he deals with this. He's trudging out to the Old Wall each day, practicing away from town ("Yes, in the snow, I hate it"). He then casts "Thunderous Bellow" (or tries to) a few times each day, until he masters it.

We agree that he's Defying Danger with CON. On a 10+, I'll say that he gets it after a few days, with nothing worse than a hoarse voice and ringing ears. On a 6-, I think he'll unlock the arcanum but I'll hurt someone–little Nia, who sneaks out to see what Vahid's up to and ends up partly deafened by a bellow.

But Vahid gets an 8, so I offer him a choice between a cost and a lesser success. "You can cast the spell," I tell him, "But to truly master it, you'll need to cast it so many times that you permanently harm your voice. Like, all raspy and prone to coughing fits. Your singing voice will be shot. Or you can stop early. You'll be able to use Thunderous Bellow, but you'll have disadvantage and the dangerous tag. What do you do?" He hems and haws a bit, but ultimately opts to keep his voice intact—for now.

Consequences

Each major arcanum has a list of potential consequences, with one or more checkboxes next to each one. Players mark a consequence when one of the arcanum's moves says to, or when you tell them to do so as a hard GM move.

The player decides which consequence to mark. They don't have to mark them in order. "Nested" consequences should come after the ones they're nested beneath, but aside from that, it's the player's choice.

Whichever consequence they mark, it happens. Begin and end with the fiction. Say (or ask) how the consequence manifests, what it looks like and feels like. Bring it home, too; show how that consequence affects others, and how NPCs react.

Consequences are a limited resource. They stay marked even if their impact is passing, temporary, or undone. If a PC marks, "You are burned… Mark a debility and take 2d4 damage," then that consequence stays marked even after they regain their HP and clear the debility.

Many consequences involve permanent changes to the PC or the world. These might be undone, but there's no standard way to do so. Make a Plan, based on the established details in your game.

If all consequences have been marked, decide as a group whether that means there are no more consequences to accrue (thus making some moves impossible to trigger and other moves safer to use), or if future consequences mean that you make a hard GM move, in line with the consequences seen previously in play. The answer might be different for each major arcanum, or even for each move. Talk it out, together.

Sharing arcana

PCs can share arcana with each other, or even with NPCs, as long as it makes sense to do so.

If the PCs share a minor arcanum with each other, work with them to figure out how the requirements might change.

The next winter, after a year of strife, Caradoc asks Vahid to teach him the Thunderous Bellow spell. Vahid agrees! They've already met the first two requirements (digging up the plaque and deciphering the runes), but it'll still take a few weeks of study and Caradoc still risks harming his voice, hearing, or neighbors as he learns.

"Can I Aid?" asks Vahid. He sure can— in fact, he needs to. Caradoc can't read Maker runes! Vahid's Aid is allowing Caradoc do more than he could alone; it doesn't grant advantage when Caradoc Defies Danger.

If the PCs share a major arcanum with each other, then in general:

• Each character must unlock its mysteries individually, tracking their own progress
• Each character tracks their own consequences individually, meaning they can each suffer the same consequence Of course, each arcanum is different and there will be exceptions. For example, the consequences for the Mindgem (Book II, Mindgem) all affect the Mighty Servant itself, reflecting how it learns and changes.

Thus, multiple PCs giving orders to the Mighty Servant would all be marking off the same list of consequences.

At some point, an NPC or monster will get their hands on a magical artifact or arcanum. The PCs might give it to them, or teach them to use it or the spell it imparts. Or, the NPC might acquire/steal/borrow it from the PCs.

Or it might be in the NPC's possession to begin with.

Most magical artifacts and all arcana are written to be player-facing, often with custom moves or procedures that assume a PC is using them. So how does that work when an NPC or monster is the active party?

First, consider whether the NPC or monster can use the artifact/arcanum at all. Not everyone has the talent, learning, or aptitude to learn spells or command magical effects. Of course, some magical artifacts just work and anyone can use them.

If an antagonistic NPC or monster is learning to use an artifact/arcanum, you can reflect that as an impending doom and grim portents, or even write up the artifact/arcanum itself as a threat (a MacGuffin, probably).

If one or more friendly NPCs are learning to use an artifact or arcanum, and that's something the PCs want to happen, then Make a Plan to lay out the requirements. If their mastery of this magic would provide some lasting benefit to the village, then write it up as a steading improvement.

NPCs using artifacts and arcana

To reflect a monster or NPC using a magical artifact or arcanum, you might…

• just imagine how it works in their hands, and incorporate that into your descriptions and GM moves when you portray them;
• reflect it in their stat block, as one or more tags, special qualities, moves, or combinations thereof;
• write custom player moves for what happens when they use the artifact against the PCs, and/or…
• write it up as a threat (probably an affliction, a magical entity, or a MacGuffin) if the NPC's use of the artifact is going to cause long-term trouble. This is a particularly good choice for major arcana—their consequences make great grim portents!

As you do all this, don't worry about replicating the artifact or arcanum exactly. Magic is weird and fickle, and might work differently for different people or entities. Aim to capture the feel of the requirements, moves, and drawbacks, but don't fret too much over consistency.

Creating minor arcana

Write up an artifact as a minor arcanum when…

• you can envision a meaningful set of steps for unlocking its mysteries
• once unlocked, it provides a lasting, repeatable, and/or renewable benefit, and…
• you think you can describe it and its benefits concisely, in ~300 words or less (~150 words per side).

Good candidates include artifacts that house a spirit or sentience, or that convey the workings of a spell/ritual/technique, or that produce a recurring magical effect.

Alternatively, you might have an idea for some other discovery—a clue, a site, an encounter—that meets the criteria above.

You might still walk through the artifact creation process to conceptualize the idea, but either skip the Form step or interpret it very loosely.

With the arcanum's concept in mind, write the following, in whatever order works for you:

• Its initial title
• Its tags and other elements
• A brief description
• The requirements for unlocking it
• Its unlocked title
• Its mysteries

Expect the process to be iterative. You'll often go back and revise earlier parts as you work, maybe even rethinking its core concept. That's fine and normal.

Initial title

Write a short, simple phrase describing what the arcanum appears to be. A minor arcanum card can fit ~20 characters of 12-point type, so aim for that.

Examples: "A set of clay tablets," or "A broken glass sword."

Tags and others elements

List the arcanum's tags, load, and other game elements. See As an arcanum for guidance.

Brief description

What is it? How do the PCs encounter it and perceive it? How does it make them feel? Keep it short, like 75 words or less, but also make it as punchy as you can.

Requirements

Write a brief intro, like "To unlock the mysteries of these tablets, you must…" Follow that with a series of checkbox steps.

The requirements might involve…

• deciphering/studying something;
• learning something, or figuring it out;
• finding/acquiring something;
• getting help from someone/thing;
• convincing someone/thing to __;
• days/weeks/months/seasons of effort;
• a certain skill or talent;
• making/repairing/finishing something;
• paying a cost/making a sacrifice;
• undergoing an ordeal/challenge;
• a ritual/rite/observance;
• something bloody/weird/extreme;
• labor/effort/practice/hard work;
• a simple custom move;
• risking __ (harm, collateral damage, failing to master it, ruining it, etc.);
• combinations of the above; or…
• anything else that makes sense.

See the existing minor arcana (Book II, appendix c, starting on Homefront) and the Make a Plan move for ideas and guidance.

It's okay if some requirements are vague, or if they'd require multiple steps. If the players ask how they'd go about achieving such a requirement, prompt them to Know Things, and/or Make a Plan with them.

List the requirements in the order that you'd expect someone to complete them, but be open to the PCs doing them in a different order.

Feel free to play with the formula, too.

Maybe this arcanum allows for a choice of requirements (like "a clear, natural pool,"

Book II, Ward of Still Waters), or maybe it's unlocked via a custom move (like "a cracked flute,"

Book II, Call of the Hunt).

Unlocked title

Write something grand and significantsounding, or at least something distinct.

Write them in Title Case, as proper nouns.

You can get ~20 characters in one line, or ~40 characters in two lines.

Examples: "Ranaji Kav's Final Technique," or "The White Flame Blade."

Mysteries

Write out the back of the minor arcanum, the custom move(s) and/or follower(s) gained by a PC who unlocks its mysteries.

If the arcanum has different tags once it's unlocked, write them here.

Try to reflect the origin, theme(s), and characteristics that you identified when conceptualizing the arcanum. Does it house a spirit or sentience, or call one up? Create that entity as a follower. Does it allow a PC to learn a spell/ ritual, or does it produce a magical effect?

Think about how that magic might work, and write a custom move or two reflecting the arcanum's theme(s), function, drawback, and usage (Book II, Appendix B: Artifact Creation · Appendix B: Artifact Creation).

See Writing Moves & Love Letters for advice on writing custom player moves. Use existing minor arcana and playbook moves for inspiration and guidance. And remember: not every move needs to involve a roll!

Edit aggressively, boiling your text down to the bare essentials while maintaining clarity. You can fit only ~150 words on the back of a minor arcanum card.

Don't be afraid to modify an arcanum after you see it in play. If it's unclear, disruptive, or otherwise unfun, talk to the players and change it. An arcanum isn't actually a set of runes carved in stone—it's just a little piece of paper and you're allowed to make revisions.

Creating major arcana

A major arcanum is a half-page playbook insert. Write up a discovery as a major arcanum only if…

• you're willing to do a fair amount of work to create it;
• you're okay with it being a significant part of your ongoing game;
• you can see how it'd be immediately useful (or at least interesting);
• you picture it growing in power with effort or as the PC uses it; and…
• you can imagine an escalating series of consequences from using it.

Start with the arcanum's concept—its core themes, what it is, and what it does. Like, "a Fae-made mirror that creates resentful copies of yourself," or, "a shard of divine essence that burns away your flesh and replaces it with holy flame." If you haven't already, use the creating artifacts process to help conceptualize it, but don't feel constrained by that process.

Each major arcanum works differently, but almost all have these common elements.

Flesh them out in whatever order works for you:

• Its title, tags, and a brief description
• Its starting moves
• How it's unlocked
• Its mysteries
• Its consequences

Refer to the existing major arcana for a sense of structure and what's possible. See Noruba's Ice Sphere for one example, and Appendix D (Book II, page

540) for the rest

Title, tags, and description

Give your major arcanum a Proper Title, something capitalized, evocative, maybe a little ominous. The "Misty Mirror" and "The Everflame" are good examples.

List its tags and other game elements, including its load (if any).

Write a brief description of what it is and how it appears to the PCs. Make it as clear and punchy as you can, hinting at the arcanum's power. But also, keep it short and concise. Aim for 75 words or less.

Draw it or find a picture to represent it, something to place at the top of the insert.

Starting moves

Write the starting move(s), the ones that are easily accessible to a PC who acquires the arcanum. These should be useful and compelling, something the player(s) will be excited (or at least tempted) to use.

How it's unlocked

Write the requirements as a distinct move, as a checklist, or as part of the arcanum's initial move(s). These requirements might involve…

• successfully using one of the arcanum's starting moves __ times;
• rolling a 6- on one of the initial moves __ times (suffering the consequences each time);
• paying a certain cost __ times;
• collecting specific items or bits of lore;
• performing certain tasks or rituals;
• spending weeks practicing/studying/ contemplating the arcanum;
• experiencing some extreme event(s);
• some combination of the above; or
• anything else that makes sense.

Mysteries

Write the extra move(s), options, and/or followers that a PC can gain by unlocking the arcanum. They should be quite potent, but using them should require or at least risk marking consequences.

If there are multiple mysteries to unlock, decide how that works. The PC might…

• unlock them all at once;
• unlock additional mysteries the same way they unlocked the first one (using the starting move, paying a cost, etc.);
• unlock further mysteries after marking a certain number of consequences; or…
• do something else to unlock them.

See Writing Moves & Love Letters for advice on writing custom player moves. Look to other major arcana for inspiration, but don't be afraid to try something new and unique.

Keep the mysteries as concise as you can.

They need to share one side of a half-page insert with the consequences; you've got

~200 words to work with, 300 at most.

Consequences

Create 5-10 consequences that a PC might incur when they use the arcanum's mysteries. If you write 6 or fewer, give some of them multiple checkboxes to indicate that they can be suffered multiple times. A major arcanum should have ~8 checkboxes total.

Make 2-3 of the consequences not-so-bad, maybe even beneficial. But by the time the player is marking the fourth or fifth one, things should be feeling grim.

Consequences might involve…

• suffering harm/debilities/conditions;
• physical mutations/changes;
• changes to the PC's perceptions, thought processes, and/or instinct;
• benefits like +1 Armor, increased HP, resistance to certain harms, etc.;
• changes to how others perceive the PC
• introducing a new threat or danger
• unwanted attention;
• new, problematic custom moves;
• a task the PC must perform;
• chaos wrought upon the larger world;
• the loss of the arcanum or its powers;
• some combination of the above; or…
• anything else that makes sense.

It can help to think of a major arcanum as a threat, with the consequences acting as grim portents and impending dooms that the player gets (has) to pick.

Edit and revise

Look at what you've got so far, and revise mercilessly. The arcanum's starting moves, its mysteries and the way they're unlocked, and its consequences should all reflect its concept and themes. They should suggest a story, but not dictate one. The pieces should all work together, tempting both player and PC to keep using the arcanum, despite the inevitable costs.

Write multiple drafts. Edit heavily. Be willing to discard ideas that you love. Share drafts with your players and other GMs.

Be open to feedback. Get it as good as you can before putting it in play, but be willing to revise if something doesn't work.

Writing a major arcanum is a lot of work, but it can be very rewarding.