The Heavy

These are good people. Hard-working, honest looking out for each other ain't enough. Sometimes, good people need someone to stick up for them. Someone who's not afraid to get a little bloody. To get heavy. Yeah, someone like you.

honest. They look out for each other. But sometimes,

Background (Choose 1)

• SHERIFF You keep order in Stonetop and protect it from outside threats. It might not be anything official, but everyone knows you've got a cool head and the weight to back up your words.

When you bark an order or warning, roll +CHA:

on a 7+, they must choose 1:

• Do what you say
• Dig in/take cover/flee
• Attack you

On a 10+, you can sense which one they're about to do and act first if you like; gain advantage if you do.

• BLOOD-SOAKED PAST You left behind a life of violence and a name mothers used to scare their children. For whatever reason, the people of Stonetop took you (back?) in and treat you like one of their own.

When you Persuade using violence or threats against someone who knows your black reputation, you can roll +STR instead of +CHA. Also, if you take the Formidable move, you can choose to roll +CON instead of +CHA.

When you fight to kill without mercy or hesitation, you deal +1d4 damage.

• STORM-MARKED You've been touched by Tor (Rain-maker, Thunderhead, Slayer-of-Beasts!) and bear runic markings similar to those etched into the Stone. When did the marks manifest? Are they a symbol of your strength, speed, and courage? Or their source?

You start with the Storm Markings major arcanum.

Mark one of the boxes on the front of the Storm Markings sheet, and describe here the time you were struck by lightning and walked away unharmed:

Instinct (Choose 1)

• PEACE To avoid (further) bloodshed or violence.
• PRIDE To maintain your dignity, to demand respect.
• RECKLESSNESS To act without thought to the consequences.
• TROUBLE To stick your nose in where it's unwelcome.
• VIOLENCE To solve problems by force.

Appearance

Choose 1 on each line, or make something up:

• young & brash in my prime old & leathery
• gravelly voice hearty voice soft-spoken
• giant frame just ripped stocky wiry
• distinctive scars oft-broken nose missing bits

Place of origin and name

Stonetop is your home, or close enough, but where are you (or your family) from originally? Pick 1 and a name to match (or make up something similar).

• Stonetop: Aerona, Arthfael, Cadmor, Esyllt, Pedr, Rhonwen, Terrwen, or Trystan
• Gordin's Delve: Pick a name from any list
• Marshedge: Aengus, Bairbre, Bronach, Flann, Laughn, Muirdoc, Quinn, or Treasa
• The Steplands (Hillfolk): Andr, Gabrl, Kaetl, Mael, Maela, Par, Ral, or Umbert
• The Manmarch: Bathhilde, Clothar, Ganter, Hiltrude, Ludig, Luise, Modd, or Wiland
• Lygos or some other point south: Arihl, Akios, Bhadur, Seble, Shahnaz, Shay, Tisi, or Zubin

Special possessions (Pick 2)

• Distillery: skins of fine whisky (◇◇ uses, grants advantage to Persuade), copper tubes, malt, ◇◇ firkins, stills, barrels, etc.
• Chirurgeon's tools: catgut, straps, bandages, tubes, poultices, willow bark, ◇ bonesaws, etc.
• Husbandry tools: brushes, muzzles, collars, feed, ◇ whips, ◇ bridles, etc. Gain advantage to Persuade domestic beasts (livestock, dogs, etc.).
• Smithy (or access to it): iron goods, ingots, thick gloves, ◇ tongs, ◇ bellows, an anvil, etc.
• Stoneworker's tools: chisels, drills, ◇ prybars, ◇ spikes, ◇ block & tackles, wheelbarrow, etc.
• Weapons of war: choose up to 3 (now or later):
• ◇ Sword, iron (close, +1 damage)
• ◇ Battleaxe, iron (close, messy)
• ◇ Warhammer, iron (close, 2 piercing)
• ◇ Mace or flail, iron (close, forceful)
• ◇ Crossbow (far, +1 damage, reload, x piercing, low ammo, all out)◇◇ (discuss with GM)

Moves

You start with Dangerous, Hard to Kill, and either Armored OR Uncanny Reflexes.

• ARMORED When you carry a shield, mark only ◇ (instead of

• ◇◇ ). Also, you can ignore the cumbersome tag on any armor you wear.

If you take this move at the start of play, add an ◇◇ iron hauberk, ◇◇ bronze cuirass, or ◇◇ scale coat to your inventory (all are 2 armor,

warm, cumbersome).

• BATTLE JOY When you spill blood—yours or another's—and lose yourself in battle, you ignore fear, pain, mindcontrol, and the effects of debilities as long as you keep fighting.

When the action stops, roll +CON: on a 10+, that was a rush, regain 1d4 HP; on a 7-9, you're winded and out of it, but you'll be fine with a few minutes' rest; on a 6-, mark a debility but don't mark XP.

• BERSERKER

  (Requires Battle Joy)

  While in your Battle Joy, add the area tag to your melee attacks, lashing out at anyone nearby (friend and foe alike). Roll damage separately for each target.

• CARVED OUT OF WOOD Increase your max HP by 4.
• DANGEROUS

(Requires the Heavy)

When you deal your damage, you have advantage.

• FORMIDABLE When you wade into battle, you can choose to roll +CHA: on a 10+, both; on a 7-9, pick 1:

• Lesser foes will quail, hesitate, or flee before you.
• Doughty foes will focus on you, seeing you as the greatest threat.

On a 6-, pick 1 but ask the GM what you've missed.

• FROSTY When you Defy Danger by keeping calm and carrying on, on a 10+ you can also ask the GM a question that you could ask when Seeking Insight. You have advantage on your next move to act on the answer.

• GUARDIAN When you Defend, hold 1 extra Readiness. Even on a 6-, hold 1 Readiness (plus whatever the GM says).
• IMPROVED STAT Each time you take this move, increase one of your stats by 1 (to a max of +2).

• INTIMIDATING When you Persuade using violence or threats, you have advantage.

• HARD TO KILL

When you are at Death's Door, you can roll +CON or +nothing (your choice). On a 7-9, you can mark a debility of your choice to regain 1 HP.

• UNSTOPPABLE ◇◇◇◇◇

  (Requires Hard to Kill)

  When you are reduced to 0 HP in battle, you can keep fighting. Each time you take damage while at 0 HP, mark 1. If you would regain HP while fighting, clear one mark instead.

  When you stop fighting, roll for Death's Door with a -1 penalty for each circle marked. If you survive, clear all your circles.

• MUSCLEBOUND (Requires Strength +2 or higher) When you make a hand-to-hand or thrown attack, it's forceful and messy. If it would already be forceful and/or messy, it's even more so.
• PAYBACK When you deal damage to a foe that has harmed you or one of your allies, deal +1d4 damage.
• RELENTLESS When you Clash and your foe survives, you gain advantage the next time you Clash with them.
• SEASONED WARRIOR (Requires level 2+ and the Heavy) Take a move from the Fox, Marshal, Ranger, or Seeker playbooks, for which you otherwise qualify. You can pick from a different playbook each time. (You can't pick Improved Stat or Superior Stat.)
• SITUATIONAL AWARENESS When you Seek Insight, add the following to the list of questions you can ask:

• Who or what here is the biggest threat?
• What is my enemy's true position?
• What here can I use as a weapon?

When a fight breaks out, ask the GM 1 question that you could ask when Seeking Insight.

• UNCANNY REFLEXES When you are unarmored and carrying a normal or light load, you impose disadvantage on any damage you take that you could dodge or roll with.
• UNFETTERED When you are subject to physical or mental restraint, you may mark a debility to immediately break free of that restraint.
• TERROR ON THE FIELD When you reduce a foe to 0 HP, describe how you take them out. If you fell them in a particularly brutal or impressive manner, their allies are impressed, dismayed, or frightened and respond accordingly.
• BRINGER OF RUIN (Requires level 6+) When you roll a 12+ to Clash and your foe survives, name something they possess (like their sword, their position, a limb, their dignity, etc.), but nothing that would kill them outright. Whatever you name, it is broken, shattered, lost. Tell us how.
• CUT FROM GRANITE (Requires level 6+ and Carved Out of Wood) Gain +1 armor (stacks with other sources) and increase your max HP by another 2 (+6 HP total).
• MIGHTY THEWS (Requires level 6+ and Musclebound) When you perform a feat of extraordinary strength (bursting chains, smashing through a wall, heaving a boulder, etc.), you do it (OH YEAH!) but pick 1:

• It takes a while
• You cause unwanted damage or harm
• It takes a toll (mark a debility)

• NEMESIS (Requires level 6+ and Relentless) When you Clash and your foe survives, all of your future attacks against them do +1d6 damage.
• STEADFAST GUARDIAN (Requires level 6+ and Guardian) While you hold Readiness (from Defend), you can always suffer the damage/effects of an attack instead of your ward; no need to spend Readiness, you can just do it.
• STONE COLD (Requires level 6+ and Frosty) When you Defy Danger (or Struggle as One) by keeping calm and carrying on, treat a 6- as a 7-9.
• SUPERIOR STAT (Requires level 6+) Increase one of your stats by +1 (to a max of +3).

A history of violence

Just about everyone here talks about the time you…

(pick 1 or 2)

• … drove off a thunder drake that got too close to town.
• … killed that hagr in the Foothills.
• … slew a dozen crinwin in one battle.
• … tossed those adventurers out of town.
• … bested Ivan, the scariest bandit in Brennan's gang, the Claws.
• … dragged yourself (and another?) into town, bleeding from a dozen wounds.
• … were struck by lightning and woke up covered in these marks.

But folks are less keen to discuss… (pick 1 or 2)

• … the look in your eye when you spilled all that blood.
• … those hard cases who showed up looking for you.
• … the shouting matches between you and your love.
• … the time you spent as one of Brennan's Claws.
• … what happened to Urbgen, even if he did have it coming.
• … your uncontrollable seizures, where you claw those weird marks in the dirt.

What keeps you up at night? (pick 1 or 2)

• That thrice-damned temper of yours.
• The worry that someone's coming after you.
• The feeling that the crinwin are getting bolder.
• Wondering what Brennan's up to, now that he's the marshal of Marshedge.
• Dark visions of things moving in the earth, restless, whispering, and hungry.
• The question of who'll look after your family when you get yourself killed.
• The worry that they'll all learn the truth about you, sooner or later.

Introductions

Wait here for everyone else. When everyone's ready, take turns introducing your characters. When someone reveals something and you want to know more, ask them about it. When someone asks you a question, answer it truthfully.

1. 1
   On your first turn, introduce yourself by name, pronouns, background, origin, and appearance.
2. 2
   On your second turn, describe your special possessions and how you contribute to the village (beyond working the fields).
3. 3
   On your third turn, tell us about your history of violence, and what keeps you up at night.
4. 4
   On your next turn, answer one of the following, naming one or more NPCs who live in Stonetop.

• Who is your closest kin?
• Who is your lover/spouse/betrothed?
• Who most needs/deserves your protection?
• Whose forgiveness do you strive to earn?

1. 5
   Go around again. Answer another question from 4, or pass. When everyone has passed, go on.
2. 6
   On your next turn, ask your fellow PCs one of these. When others ask you, answer as you like.

• Which one of you once dragged me home, bleeding and unconscious?
• Which one of you can I trust to always have my back?
• Which one of you has stayed my hand?
• Which one of you has traded blows with me?

1. 7
   Go around again. Ask another question from 6, or pass. When everyone has passed, go on.
2. 8
   Add your home to the steading playbook. When everyone is done, let spring burst forth!