An Epic Fantasy Roleplaying Game

H I G H C A S T E R

An Epic Fantasy Roleplaying Game

Caster System Design and Game Creator: Christopher Grey
Cover Illustration: ShoZart at https://www.artstation.com/shozart
Edited By: Gina Ricker
Content Edit and Inclusion: Kate Bullock
Layout and Logo Design: Christopher Grey
Contributors: Parker DeVenney, Brandon Tompkins
Interior Illustrations: Tithi Luadthong, Warmtail, Dominick,
Calmando
Playtesters: Danielle DeLisle, Lydia Gschosmann, Spencer Mor-
gan, James Terech

Planning rules in the Chronicler Section are heavily adapted from

and inspired by the Sly Flourish (Mike Shea) game prep method in
Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master.

Solo Play rules inspired by Peter Rudin-Burgess’s Forbidden Hero

and table icons created by John Redman, Lorc, Delapouite, Spark-
er, DarkZaitzev, Skoll, Kier Heyl, Zeromancer, Catsu, Pepijn,
Poolman, Faithtoken, Zajkonur used under a CC 3.0 BY Licence.

Published by Gallant Knight Games.

Developed at Foundry58.
A Christopher Grey game.

Copyright © 2021, Christopher Grey. All rights reserved for items

identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game Li-
cense version 1.0a, Section 1(e). The following content is Prod-
uct Identity and is not Open Content: Highcaster, proper names
(such as cultures, heritages, paths, character names, place names,
lore, etc.), dialogue, plots, story elements, locations, characters,
artwork, graphics, sidebars and trade dress.
Copyright holder provides express permission to reproduce pages
of the books to assist in gameplay.
In loving memory of Kurt Potts III. Your star will always be
bright.
 C o n t e n t s
Heroes.....................................................................12
Overview of Gameplay.............................................................. 18
Themes...................................................................................... 22

The Realm...............................................................26

The Culture.. ............................................................36

Deirwesch (Forsen).................................................................... 39
Highdoni.................................................................................... 45
Rishen........................................................................................ 51
Saeberds (Inesen)........................................................................ 57
Sterboren (Khem)....................................................................... 63
The Witlanders.......................................................................... 69
Wyrmgarde................................................................................ 75

Heritage.. .................................................................82
Bledseni...................................................................................... 84
Draken (Drak)........................................................................... 86
Ekwin (Ekwi)............................................................................. 88
Fynd........................................................................................... 90
Giantkin..................................................................................... 92
Holten (Holt)............................................................................. 94
Mortals...................................................................................... 96
Nomes....................................................................................... 98
Sael.......................................................................................... 100

Path.. ..................................................................... 104

Magister, Path of Sorcery......................................................... 106
Oathen, Path of the Knight...................................................... 109
Outdon, Path of the Outcast.................................................... 112
Scoplar, Path of The Storyteller................................................ 115
Veneren, Path of the Devout.................................................... 118
Warren, Path of War................................................................ 121
Wicker, Path of the Wise.......................................................... 124
Wildkin, Path of the Nomad.................................................... 127
Feats.. .................................................................... 132

The Game.............................................................. 138

Threats..................................................................................... 141
Humors and Moves................................................................. 142
Disciplines................................................................................ 144
Talents and Feats..................................................................... 145
Threat Escalations.................................................................... 146
Harm....................................................................................... 149
Waxing and Advancement....................................................... 151
Subduing Threats..................................................................... 151
Favor....................................................................................... 152
Assistance................................................................................ 156
Using Threat Stages.................................................................. 156
Chapters.................................................................................. 158
Rest and Recovery................................................................... 160

The Chronicler....................................................... 164

Chronicler Moves.................................................................... 168
Creating Threats...................................................................... 171
The Power of Favor................................................................. 177
Threat List............................................................................... 178

Monsters.. .............................................................. 184

Your World............................................................ 206

Your Story............................................................................... 209
NPCs....................................................................................... 216
Regions.................................................................................... 220
Communities............................................................................ 226
Landmarks............................................................................... 231

Lone Hero.. ............................................................ 234

Other Realms......................................................... 246

Appendix............................................................... 299
H
ighcaster is a game about cre-
ating legends. It is the story of
a civilization rising from the ashes,
reaching out into the vast unknown
to create a new world and destroy the
decay and corruption that threatens
it. You will play great heroes and create stories that
will enter the chronicles and become history for fu-
ture generations.
It is a time of darkness, literally and figuratively.
There are no stars in the sky. The world’s civili-
zation has collapsed into tiny pockets of societies
separated by wilderness overcome with decay and
corruption. But in this darkness, there is hope as so-
cieties begin to reach out beyond their safe havens
to find each other. Heroes trek across the wilder-
ness to build safe passages and rid the world of the
chaos and destruction leftover from the cataclysm.
You will use this book to create your own High-
caster. You will craft your own world, build an en-
tire history, legacy, and mythology unique to your
playgroup and your primary characters.
As a tabletop roleplaying game, Highcaster will
provide you with a rich tapestry from which to
build. But think of it as a set-piece to create your
own history, full of incredible stories about amaz-
ing people who defied all odds to make their world
better and safer.
Create long-lasting tales of legend, courage, and
hope. Put the stars back in the night sky.
 1

H e r o e s

H
ighcaster is a tabletop roleplaying
game. With this book, you are equipped to
create a collaborative and immersive story in
a mythological setting of your own creation.
It is, at its core, a rulebook. With it, you’ll find
the template of a world with emerging soci-
eties that have their own way of life and motivations set
in a background of uncharted danger. This setting will be
the background of your story’s heroes, who will fearlessly
venture into the unknown to create a safe world for their
homeland and go down in legend for future generations.
How it Works
You need at least two players to play, but the game works
best with four to five. One of you will play the Chronicler,
whose job is to guide the story, know the game’s rules, and
play out the roles of the other characters the heroes will
come upon (Non-Player Characters or NPCs). The others
will play the story’s heroes (player characters or PCs).
Then, you tell a shared story. The Chronicler describes what
is happening in the world, and the others describe what their
heroes do. When the outcome of the PC’s actions is in doubt,
then the player rolls dice to determine what happens.

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A Conversation
At its core, the game is a conversation. While you can act
out your characters like a performer on stage or in a movie,
you do not need to. You are just talking through your char-
acter’s thoughts, motivations, and actions based on what is
happening around them. The Chronicler describes what the
characters see or hear, or they talk through situations like
the narrator in a book.
The game rules come into play whenever the players need
to figure out what happens. They use the statistics built for
the characters to adjust dice rolls and narrate what happens
based on the outcome of the dice.
Through the uncertainty of the dice, the true story emerges
and takes on a life of its own. Unlike a book or a movie, you
will experience the characters’ journey first hand, feel their
emotions, think through their problems, and wait for fate to
determine their fortune.
A Different Kind of RPG
Even if you are unfamiliar with tabletop roleplaying games,
you may have played their counterpart in video games.
When we gamify a character’s story, the stakes are often
based on whether or not they survive a situation. So games
tend to lean into combat, track damage, and provide victory
conditions based on a character’s ability to survive.
Highcaster is not one of those games.
Highcaster is a game about heroes of legend that rise from
their societies to take on a dangerous and chaotic world so
they can make it a safer place for their people. While heroes
can and do die, they do so only when it is vital to the legend.
They die because they have to make the ultimate sacrifice, or
they fall to their own follies. They don’t die “on accident.”
They don’t die because the dice randomly say they do.
This game is about the story first. There is no victory con-
dition. We will track a character’s journey, not how much
damage they can take.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
So leave notions of “winning” at the door. Highcaster is a
game that will take your character throughout their entire
journey. If you decide the legend requires them to die and
that it will be an important death that will enrich the story,
then, of course, you can do it. But you are in control of that
decision.
The dice control what fate brings you but not your charac-
ter’s fate
Preparing for Gameplay
The Chronicler will host a preliminary game called “Session
0” so that the group can build their characters, their cul-
ture, and society before the main story begins. This session
will be an informal collaboration where everyone gets on
the same page about the setting, the story’s themes, and the
characters.
During Session 0, the group will decide on their character’s
shared culture. This will determine their home society,
shared values, language, and basic primary motivations.
There are many different cultures in Highcaster that are tru-
ly beginning to discover the world around them.
♦ Deirwesch: wealthy scholars from the Deirwesch
Riverlands.

♦ Highdoni: remnants of the lost imperials in the Wastemarch.

♦ Saeberd(s): migratory raiders from Isolation Coast.

♦ Sterboren: an ancient society from the Storm.

♦ Rishen: merchantfolk of Rishfenn Coast.

♦ Witlanders: pastoral tribes of the Witland Downs.

♦ Wyrmgarde: migratory warlords of the Wyrmspine

Mountains.
Players can choose to create their own culture as well.
Whatever is decided, all characters will share that culture.

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 T h e L e a d

After your group has chosen their shared culture, each play-
er will note the following aspects of their character, based on
the details listed in the The Culture section:
♦ Language: Choose and note your character’s language. Since
you all share the same culture, you will have at least one
language in common.

♦ Cultural Talents: Every player can choose from three Talents

they get because of their culture. These are specific abilities
they can do that will help them in the game. Multiple
characters can have the same Talents.

♦ Trade: Every player can choose from what their trade or

skill sets are, which. These will give them other additional
boons in the game and also help develop what the character
does. Multiple characters can have the same trade.
Next the group will build their individual characters. Each
player will choose their character’s heritage, which is the
type of being they will play. Heritages are not specific to
a particular culture and the players can play anyone they
want.
The choice of heritages are:
♦ Bledseni: chimeric mortals, descendants of nature spirits.

♦ Draken (singular Drak): mortal descendants of dragons.

♦ Ekwin (singular Ekwi): mortal descendants of elder gods.

♦ Fynd: mortal descendants of shadow gods.

♦ Giantkin: mortal descendants of giants.

♦ Holten (singular Holt): immortals created by gods.

♦ Mortals: mortal descendants of demigods.

♦ Nomes: descendants of nature gods.

♦ Sael: mortal descendants of celestial gods.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Each player can choose whatever heritage they please, and it
makes no difference if more than one player plays the same
one. Playgroups may decide that there are no heritages with-
in their game world and simply play all humans (Mortals)
or another heritage.
Once each player has chosen, they go to The Heritage sec-
tion and note the following on their character sheets:
♦ Look: Each heritage has specific physical qualities to choose
from, all different by heritage. Simply select the qualities
you want for your character or work with the Chronicler to
develop other ideas that aren’t represented.

♦ Abilities: Each heritage has a choice of three abilities that

provide unique traits as a result of their heritage.
Next, the players will decide their character’s Path, which
will define their role in the culture—their purpose.
♦ Warren: soldier or warrior

♦ Magister: worker of magic

♦ Outdon: criminal or hireling

♦ Wildkin: outsider or traveler

♦ Veneren: priest or holy person

♦ Scoplar: scribe or poet

♦ Wicker: worker of spirits

♦ Oathen: holy warrior or knight

The character’s path is their most important aspect. It de-
fines almost every aspect of the character from both a game
mechanics perspective and an in-story perspective. The path
represents what the character does and why. It is more than
only a profession, it is the character’s reason for being. The
path also represents the character’s role in the story. Unlike
other aspects of the character is important that no player
plays the same path as one another.

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 T h e L e a d

Each player should go to The Path section and look at the

details of their Path. Several prompts there will help flesh
out your character. This is your chance to build the charac-
ter to be a three-dimensional person.
♦ Creed of the Path: Each Path has three principles that an
honorable member will follow. They represent the Path’s
core ethical guidelines. There will come times when this
Creed is challenged in the story, and part of the drama
of your character is the tension of what their ethical code
demands versus what the situation requires.

♦ Culture: The Path will outline how each culture defines it

and may include background prompts you can use based on
your group’s culture. This cue should be openly discussed so
the group can begin to see how the characters will all create
journeys and stories together.

♦ Background: These are prompts for the player to work

through and answer to develop additional character
framework. The questions are all designed to help forge a
more three-dimensional vision of your character and get
you to think about some of their motivations, tensions,
aspirations. You need not necessarily answer all the ones
listed, and you can also come up with your own.

♦ Belongings: This section will help you determine the types

of things your character owns to add even more dimension.

♦ Relationships: Players can ask relationship questions of each

other to define the group’s dynamics. They are not required
but should help open up conversations about how the
characters know and relate to each other. Be sure to work
with each other and get consent for any relationships.

♦ Path Talent: Every Path has a boon.

♦ Disciplines: Every Path has three Disciplines as their

primary stats during gameplay. They are used along with a
move to compel a particular style of play for the character.
A player can use a Discipline die whenever the character
applies that Discipline to what they’re doing.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Humors
At this point, the character is almost ready to go. You will
need to determine a name and the character’s pronouns,
which are entirely up to you. You will also need to choose
your Humor array. The Humors are:
♦ Virtue: They are ethical. They bring people together. They
are protective.

♦ Courage: They are fearless. They brave through the

unknown. They are good fighters.

♦ Prestige: They are influential. They can change the whims of

others. They are powerful.
First, choose the one you want your character to be best
at, then assign d8 to that Humor. Then decide the one your
character is least good at and assign d4 to that Humor. That
leaves the final one as d6. These are your starting stats. Don’t
roll them; the die itself is each score. Together they are called
your Humor Dice.
Talents and Feats
Your character will get Talents from their culture. They can
also choose a feat at the start of the game and buy more
later with three waxes of a Humor. Feats are listed in their
own chapter, and each has a specific effect on the game sys-
tem.
Overview of Gameplay
Highcaster can be played in two basic ways: a Tale, which
will occur in one play session, usually four to five hours; or
a Legend, which will run for multiple sessions, completing
a longer story arc of usually 8-12 sessions. Both Tales and
Legends are divided into Chapters, which frame a situation
for the players that they will need to play out before the
Chapter ends. Chapters can be a scene in the story or multi-
ple scenes but are a method of clearly defining what needs to
be determined or addressed in the narrative before the story
moves on.

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 T h e L e a d
♦ Culture: The heroes are focused on the people in their
society or community and their everyday needs.

♦ Danger: The heroes are confronting a dangerous threat that

is overwhelming or frightening.

♦ Hero: Each player takes control of the narrative, in turn, to

reveal more about their hero.

♦ Journey: The heroes are making a journey through

unknown lands, confronting peril, and finding their way.

♦ Prepare: The heroes get all of the resources and information

they need to go on a journey or quest.

♦ Quest: The heroes are showing their mettle in accomplishing

a major task or feat.
The Chronicler will determine what chapters are chosen at
various moments throughout the game and then the rules
will help guide the story through that chapter.
Threats
Within each Chapter, the story will play out as a conversa-
tion. As the story unfolds, the heroes will encounter threats
that need to be faced and resolved. When this happens, the
players will use dice to figure out how the confrontation
goes.
The Chronicler presents the threat and will know how it
creates challenges for the heroes and how it will escalate if
the heroes are unable to resolve it. A threat can be anything
from a monster to a natural disaster. It could be a sword
fight against one enemy or a war between two armies.
Threats may have multiple stages, each of which must be
resolved before the threat is ultimately subdued. When con-
fronting a threat, the heroes declare how they mean to re-
solve it and then roll dice to determine the outcome.
If the hero succeeds, a stage of threat is resolved. This pro-
ceeds until all stages are resolved, and the threat is subdued.
If they fail, then the stage escalates.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Humors and Dice
Heroes have three Humors, which describe the measure
of their quality: Virtue, Courage, and Prestige. Whenever
a player rolls, they roll the twenty-sided die (d20) plus a
Humor die, depending on how they choose to confront the
threat. They can select any number of moves that describe
what they are doing, tied into a particular Humor.
If the total result is 10 or more, they succeed in confronting
the threat, but there may be an unexpected consequence. If
they get 20 or more, they succeed and get a boon. If their roll
falls under 10, the threat stage escalates, and the situation
changes.
In addition, the heroes also have Disciplines, which are
qualities they have because of their Path. If a Discipline ap-
plies to what the hero is doing, they can add an additional
die with the Humor die and then choose the highest result
between them to add to the d20 result.
There may be other situations where additional dice can be
added as well, including using Talent, which may come
about due to a specific trait from one’s Heritage or Culture.
Harm
If a hero does not succeed against a threat in a perilous sit-
uation, they may take Harm as a result. In these cases, the
player will mark harm on the appropriate Humor, and when
it has three harm, they will suffer a related Condition and
will no longer be able to use that Humor’s dice in their rolls.
When all Humors have a Condition, then the hero can no
longer confront threats until they recover.
Recovery can be relatively quick. The hero may need to rest
for a moment to regain themselves, or perhaps another hero
can heal them or help them. If they’ve already recovered in
this way, they may need a restful sleep. In severe situations,
they may need more time than that. Harm isn’t about re-
moving a hero from the story, but rather a narrative device
to show that a hero must take a moment to recover.

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 T h e L e a d

Growth
A hero will grow through failures. Whenever they roll and
do not resolve a threat, the player will Wax that Humor.
They will do this by marking the first open box under that
particular Humor. Each one contains a Wax Tracker with
nine checkboxes. Once a player checks all boxes beneath the
current die type (three for a d4, six for a d6, and nine for a
d8), they can upgrade their die to the next higher die type.
The dice for each Humor can improve until each is a d8.
Once all Humors reach d8, the hero can choose a new Path
to develop in addition to their existing one. When a hero
selects that additional Discipline, the Humor dice all restart
at d4, and the wax tracker begins again. However, they can
now use dice from the Discipline of another Path. In essence,
this process can proceed until all Paths have been secured.
The hero can also choose to spend three waxes and acquire
a new Feat. They can do this as often as they like, as long as
that Humor has waxed at least three times.
How to Use This Book
The game basics are essentially laid out thus far, but you will
need to dive deeper to grasp how the mechanics flow and
understand their nuances. This section introduced the higher
concepts to give you some context as you approach the next
two chapters and learn more about Highcaster.
Following that, there will be a thorough exploration of game
rules with play examples so that you are armed with all of
the information you need to have a satisfying and stimulat-
ing experience at the table.
Finally, the book’s last chapters are for the Chronicler. They
will provide a definitive guide on planning and creating your
game sessions, what to expect at the table, and tools for
managing the narrative. Chroniclers will also find a huge
toolbox for building Highcaster for their gaming group, in-
cluding sections on locations, cultures, and plot hooks that
can be used to enrich the game.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Themes
Highcaster is a game of epic fantasy and mythology. It will
create experiences at the table that will stay strong in your
memory. But, beyond that, there are many things this game
can be. It can be an action story, a sweeping epic adventure,
a closed-door intrigue, a war story where huge cultures clash
and move armies across vast landscapes, or it can be about
dynasties lasting age after age. Whatever track you take is
up to you and your group.
However, there are certain things that Highcaster is not.
The design of this game was constructed to create guardrails
against some of the more problematic themes in fantasy and
mythology genres. These design choices were intentional,
both in the mechanics and the setting, to stop harmful tropes
that are remnants of a bygone age.
Highcaster is a game for everyone. The themes represented
should shoulder that.
Highcaster Is Not:
♦ A playground to re-enact imperialism such as enslaving
people, subjugating them, raping, pillaging, or forcing entire
cultures into your own. Yes these things are in history, but
this is not a game about history. Imperials in Highcaster
are the enemies, not the heroes.

♦ A venue to play out racist tropes. Entire heritages or races

of people do not all do, think, or behave in the same way.
They are not absolutely evil or absolutely good. They in no
way are a reflection of their station or lot in a culture. The
people of Highcaster are just people; their heritage
has nothing to do with their value or status.

♦ A game of evil and anti-heroes. The heroes in this game are

powerful, yes. But they are three-dimensional people that at
their core want to do the right thing. They are heroes. They
are people who are looked up to by their culture. They are
not murderers, bullies, or villains. Heroes may be flawed,
but they always want what’s right for their people.

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 T h e L e a d
Highcaster Is:
♦ About heroes. The protagonists in Highcaster stories are
the substance of legends--the names that will go down in
history. You are playing heroes of legend.

♦ For stories about stopping evil. The corruption of the Fall of

the Stars, the oppressors of society, the invaders threatening
a homeland--these are tales of perseverance against those
that would harm and destroy peace. Your stories are
about confronting and conquering evil.

♦ A game about hope. Cultures are rising from the ashes

of society; heroes are venturing out into the unknown,
corruption is getting stamped out. Your stories reveal
the promise of a better world.

Exclusions
There may be themes that people in your group will want to
exclude as well. Exclusions can be as mundane as “silliness”
or as triggering as “sexual violence.” In your first session,
ask every player to write down themes they want omitted
from the game and hand them to you. Also, ask them to
write down themes they don’t mind having in the story but
don’t want to play out (or have the scene fade to black).
Finally, the Chronicler should include their own exclusions
and share them with the group to ensure everyone knows
them. This process, called Lines & Veils, was developed by
Ron Edwards, found in his supplement Sex and Sorcery.
X-Card
Other exclusions may come up during gameplay. In those
cases, use an X Card. Simply write “X” on a card and then
put it in the center of the table. If the game brings up any
content that makes any player uncomfortable, triggers them,
ruins their fun, or breaks the desired tone of the game, they
tap the card, and that content is struck from the fiction and
added to the exclusion list. There is more about the X-Card
at http://tinyurl.com/x-card-rpg, hosted by its creator John
Stavropoulos.

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P
eering through the brambles of
time, this humble scribe tries his
best. Unfortunately, there are but a
few things that are truly known.
Highcaster was once great. The Wis-
enwarders reigned over all kingdoms.
Their cities of majesty were joined by providence.
The Invoked dwelt as stars in the firmament, each
casting their brilliance into the night. Countless
in number, spreading across the sky like brilliant
shards of glass on a black sea. And when we died,
we would ascend to join them.
This realm was named for the fortune it possessed.
The Invoked cast our lands the greatest possible
fate. The people of the land received the Invoked’s
high cast. They were the highcaster. How fortunes
do change.
The great library of Highdon is scarce on how the
Invoked fell. They fell to the earth in fire, destroy-
ing all. Now our firmament is dark, with nothing in
the night sky. No deities to invoke. No more cities
of majesty. No roads. No common tongue.
The seasons have cycled at least five hundred times.
Now we do as our ancestors have done: we build
our own fortune. We are highcaster because of a
fate we ourselves make.
We have only ever known a dark sky. It is up to us
to bring light there once more.
—Highdoni Chronicler Julius Lorrado
 1 I

T H E R E A L M

H
ighcaster is a world without stars,
without gods, and without a history. Leg-
end says that over five hundred years ago the
creator gods, called the Invoked, which were
the very stars of the night sky, fell to the earth
destroying the Highcaster Empire and casting
all of civilization into oblivion in an eternal starless night.
Once a unified society, the people of Highcaster took refuge
in the small remains of their world and rebuilt their commu-
nities over hundreds of years.
Separated by generations of time and a vast, dangerous wil-
derness, entire societies grew independent of one another.
Only now are they beginning to find each other again, forg-
ing alliances, building trade routes, or clashing over borders
and resources.
But this is only the beginning. There is so much in the realm
of Highcaster that is unknown. There are so many societ-
ies in total isolation, closed to the rest of the realm around
them. And there is darkness. The remnants of the fallen gods
have taken root in the world. They are decaying the lands,
transforming spirits into evil forces, and corrupting the liv-
ing into forces of chaos and destruction. The realm needs
heroes if it is to survive.

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The Gods
Few in Highcaster speak of “the gods,” not for lack of un-
derstanding the concept, but because it is far too general
a concept. When speaking of gods, it is not known if one
means the forces of creation that forged the world, the de-
scendants of those forces, the spirits that rose from creation
itself, or those who were once mortal but ascended into the
night sky as stars.
The eldest creator gods, the Deyu, existed beyond the uni-
verse and beyond all time. Legend says that their will alone
breathed the cosmos into existence. They were not entities
but rather forces—perhaps intelligent—but beyond compre-
hension. Nevertheless, they still exist outside the universe,
and their presence binds everything into a natural order.
From the Deyu were born Ker, the gods of light manifest,
and Skoto, the gods of darkness manifest. They created an
expanse around the world to protect it from the chaos of the
cosmos, and Ker brought light during the day, while Skoto
brought darkness during the night, creating the infinite cy-
cles of the calendar. The horizon of Ker and Skoto was Speis,
the world where spirits, fay, and dragons were created.
But on the world itself, life was born, the Lei and Alu. The
forces of Lei led to the natural world, the flora and fauna,
whereas the Alu led to the immortals of the world, who were
called demigods.
Of course, all of this is legend. By the time written lore came
to being during the Highcaster Empire, all of the forces of
creation were collectively called the Ancients and, while
revered, were not worshiped.
The people of Highcaster worshiped those that ascended to
become stars, the Invoked. For their ancestors, heroes of
legend, and beloved rulers ascended to become stars in the
firmament so that their stories and influence on the world
would live on for all times. The Invoked were the ones wor-
shiped and the ones that fell to the earth.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
The Highcaster Empire
According to chroniclers, the Highcaster Empire was the
largest, most powerful, and wealthiest empire in all of histo-
ry. The very name “highcaster” means “great people of for-
tune” in the old tongue. Unfortunately, little is known about
the actual history of the empire, its leaders, or its people.
All that remains of the empire are the Highdoni, people of
a small kingdom built atop one of the few surviving cities
of the cataclysm, Highdon (“great city” in the old tongue).
The Highdoni have done much to preserve the ways of the
empire long after its fall. Still, little remains of the illustrious
history, as more than five hundred years have passed and
few manuscripts have survived ages of war, disasters, and
time itself.
The legends say that the Highcaster Empire stretched
throughout the entire continent and beyond. Only four
cities survived following the Fall of the Stars: Highdon, Hut-
Djedu, Sundered Hold (or Bregdon), and Rishfenn. However,
there are countless towns, villages, and hamlets that were
built after the cataclysm. Many of them are entirely on their
own and completely isolated from the rest of the growing
societies. At its height, the Highcaster Empire would have
had hundreds of cities, each as magnificent as the other. But
now, they lay in ruins throughout the vast wilderness of the
realm.
The Fall of the Stars
There are countless legends around why the stars fell. Some
believe that a great evil rose out of the empire to overthrow
the gods because they could not ascend, so they tore the
stars from the sky. Others believe the firmament cracked,
and the Invoked fell. There is also a legend that the Invoked
lost a battle with the cosmos and were slain.
No one truly knows what happened. And very few alive to-
day even recall the stars’ appearance. Eventually, common
religions formed around the Fall.

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 T h e r e a l m

Even though they fell to destruction, there are those who

still worship the Invoked. They revere the “memory” of
them and find power from their stories, recalling the shapes
of their constellations and drawing from the forces of cre-
ation in their likeness.
Followers of the memory of the Invoked believe that good
works and worshiping the memory will ultimately bring
the Invoked back to the firmament or allow them to ascend
themselves as a new generation of Invoked.
This belief system is called Sternewn (those who know the
stars).
Another common belief system follows that the Invoked
never died, but they threw the stars to the earth in judgment
of how evil Highcaster had become. They believe the people
of Highcaster are now being tested and expect mortals to be
on their own and build a better world without the Invoked.
At some future point, the worthy will ascend beyond the
firmament to join the Invoked in the cosmos.
These believers are called the Stergress (those who walk
with the stars).
There are countless other belief structures in Highcaster;
however, the Sternewn and Stergress are the most prominent
among cultures that have found one another.
The Land
Highcaster is a vast continent that stretches for a thousand
miles in all directions. Its northern reaches have a subtrop-
ical climate, and its southern reaches are boreal and quite
cold, with temperate, desert, and etesian areas in between.
The continent is split by an enormous and nearly impassable
mountain range called the Wyrmspine.
While most societies are isolated throughout the continent,
some regions are more connected than others. East of the
Wyrmspine, several cultures have begun some basic trade
and interaction. West of the Wyrmspine, however, it is still
an unexplored and dangerous wilderness.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Your Highcaster

The game keeps specific geography very unclear on pur-

pose. Ultimately, you will create Highcaster at your table.
Some cultures are associated with general regions of the
continent, but it is up to you and your group. This book
provides a framework from which to build. It is not a book
of lore to be memorized.

There is little known beyond the coasts of the continent. The

lack of stars makes it impossible to navigate in deep water
past a day or two for fear of becoming inescapably lost in
the unknown currents. There are legends of lands beyond
Highcaster, but nothing is known of them.
Spirits
For as long as time, there were spirits in Highcaster. They
manifested in the horizon between night and day, between
the waking and the sleeping, in a realm called the Speis. Spir-
its are created from a natural force beyond the world, and
many of them have consciousness, but some do not.
Spirits are not corporeal by nature, but when they do mani-
fest in the world, they take on forms such as fay or dragons.
Descendants of these manifestations exist in Highcaster as
the Giantkin and Drak.
However, none have had access to the Speis since the Fall of
the Stars, not even spirits. The horizon was shut down when
the Invoked perished in fire on the earth, and no one, not
even the most potent Wicker, workers of spirits, can access
the horizon.
Since the Fall, spirits remain on the world, cut off from their
source and sometimes lost. Some have turned to help their
descendants, the Giantkin or Drak, some nurture cultures
they identify with, some remain isolated. Others are con-
sumed by hate and despair and actively work to destroy the
living. Still others are in despair, their consciousness and will
lost forever.

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 T h e r e a l m

Nature
The people of Highcaster view nature as an entity of its own.
Unlike the Invoked, it was created with the rest of the world
as essentially the force behind consciousness and life itself.
When viewed this way, nature is called Lei, and when mani-
fested into a corporeal form, the Nomes, creatures of nature,
were created.
The Fall of the Stars created gashes within the Lei, and while
the forces of life remained intact, monstrosities were born of
the impact. These creatures are often insatiable, very dan-
gerous, and are a blight to the natural world. Unlike natural
creatures, they do not consume to nourish, they consume to
destroy, and their corruption spreads across the wilderness.
Other creatures were born from this trauma, and some re-
mained isolated, learning how to live in this new world.
Others became predators and now dangerously stalk for
prey in the wilderness. The Lei has healed since the Fall, and
the magisters have learned to harness its power.
The Immortals
Before time, the celestial and the shadow were created.
Between these two forces of creation, the firmament was
forged. The celestial, the Ker, had dominion over the day
sky and the shadow, the Skoto, had authority over the night.
The two forces relied upon the tension of the horizon, the
Speis, to keep the firmament in place.
The Fall of the Stars cut the world off from the Speis, and so
the sky in effect fell, causing the stars themselves to plummet
to the earth. Now it is believed the firmament is fractured
or altogether gone, leaving nothing but the void of the Deyu
beyond.
Major casualties of the Fall were the Sael and Fynds, crea-
tures of light and shadow, respectively. Born with creation,
they knew nothing but raw divinity. However, when the fir-
mament fell, they lost their immortality and became as peo-
ple who could age and die.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
The Sael and Fynds of today are descendants of immortals
and creatures of light and darkness. They live as others do,
not knowing any other life, except for their legacy, as writ-
ten by the chroniclers.
The Ekwin, who were powerful manifestations of the Deyu,
creation itself, born before time, also fell victim to the col-
lapse of the firmament and became severed from immortali-
ty. They, too, walk the earth just as any other with no mem-
ory of distant times of cosmological power.
The Holten were also born of the Deyu but within the earth
itself. However, unlike the ekwin, they were not cut off from
their cosmological roots during the Fall and are some of the
only immortals in the realm.
Also, well known in the chronicles, the demigods of antiquity
were descended from the Invoked, and many rose to become
stars themselves. Even long before the Fall, the demigods of
ancient ages bore the people who are now called Mortals.
However, like the other immortals, they lost their mortality
with the Fall, and their descendants live in the world as the
others.
Dragons
While ever-present, the dragons of Highcaster came from
hiding and obscurity following the Fall of the Stars. Drag-
ons are enormous, ageless, extraordinarily powerful, and
intelligent. They are winged serpents with four legs and are
larger than most buildings. It is said they were born with the
mountains during creation.
Before the Fall, they lived as hidden observers, having grown
tired of endless wars with the empire. When called upon,
they would counsel the powerful but essentially stay out of
mortal affairs. After the Fall, they revealed themselves en
masse. Some took over kingdoms, such as the Highdoni;
others moved throughout the lands to fight the corruption.
Some others became corrupt themselves and lurked as mon-
strous shadows of their former selves.

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 T h e r e a l m

Prevalent also in Highcaster are wyrms, which are often

mistaken for dragons but are not. Dragons are ageless magi-
cal, and highly intelligent creatures with four legs and wings,
whereas wyrms have two long and winged arms and are
non-magical predators.
Souls
Perhaps the most profound change in the world after the
Fall of the Stars, beyond even the collapse of the Highcast-
er Empire, was the loss of the horizon—the Speis. While it
made fay and dragons material creatures, the more signifi-
cant effect was that there was no gateway for the souls of the
dead to cross over to their ultimate destiny.
Since the Fall of the Stars, souls do not leave the world after
death. They remain. Some continue existence as ghosts, with
consciousness, living indefinitely in the spaces in between
corporal or spiritual. Some are lost, their life and death un-
known to them. Others relive the points of death repeatedly.
Still others join the energies of the Lei and become magical,
or raw power, or perhaps even magical entities. And some
become vengeful, powerful, and dangerous.
Star Shards
Chroniclers do not know how many stars there were. How-
ever, there were nine predominant Invoked. But beyond the
ennead, there were countless of those that ascended to the
sky. And thus, countless fell.
One need not travel far before they find a star shard. These
remnants of gods that fell centuries ago are usually in the
form of black glass buried deep into the earth, the remains
of dead gods on earth.
Stars were not meant to be here in the land. And their pres-
ence is slowly corrupting the earth. This corruption, called
the decay, is spreading without pause, taking with it all
life. It corrupts creatures, creates chaotic magic, buckles the
natural forces of the Lei, shatters Lei lines, corrupts people’s
minds, and transforms the dead into ravenous undead.

3 3
T
here has never been a census,
well certainly not one in cen-
turies, so there is no accounting
whatsoever of how many people
live on our vast continent, where
they live, and under what ban-
ner they owe their fealty and taxes. And since none
have ever dared to cross the Wyrmspine, for all we
know, there is an extremely wealthy empire in the
west. Or, indeed, there could be nothing at all.
I’ve seen naught but the walls of this monastery of
the Temple of the Nine Stars. And the building it-
self, having needed repair desperately for the en-
tirety of my life, does not well represent Highcaster.
However, thus being true, I am a chronicler, and the
purpose of a chronicler is to chronicle. I have indeed
met many a person from faraway lands but must
admit that they are those that tend to be Sternewn.
And this cannot possibly represent even a meager
portion of those who pass through Highdoni.
I have met Rishen from the coast. I have even met
Sterboren, though I decided I have much more to
learn about my own city upon that meeting, for I
knew not that there was a large population in the
north glades.
The summation is this. Highcaster is vast, and we
know only our part of it. Who is to know what is
beyond? Perhaps the stars themselves rest in this
infinite place.
—Highdoni Chronicler Julius Lorrado
 1 I I

T H E C u l t u r e

B
efore the Fall of the Stars, civili-
zation was widespread. But for cen-
turies, all that remained on the continent
were the skeletal remains of fallen na-
tions. Now, the world is reawakening.
Over time people found each other and
have found safety in numbers.
Communities have been erected within wildlands, and even
some have been created from the ruins of lost cities. City-
states may not yet be reaching the grandeur of the elders, but
they do exist. And hamlets spot some countrysides and trade
routes between major areas.
The world is in its infancy. It will be up to you to forge the
monarchies, empires, and city-states that will rise from the
wilderness.
You will all start together in a single place, looking ahead
into the yawning wilderness beyond, utterly unaware of
what lurks beyond and what dangers you face. All you have
is your group and your culture.
Because the world is wild and uncharted, your group will
not yet have met people of other cultures, or, if they have,
only in highly isolated incidents.

3 6
So, as mentioned earlier, your group will need to decide what
culture they share, which informs certain aspects of their
character and the region where they will start. This is the
first step to creating the heroes you will play in your tales.
As a group, you will decide upon a “home” culture, which
is to say, what culture all of your characters currently call
their own. Characters can be from one culture and now live
within a different community’s culture. In that case, you will
need to determine what brought you here and why you con-
sider this your home now. You will also need to be aware of
different cultural obstacles, such as language.
While it is true that different heritages have and can affect
cultures, these aspects are not one and the same. Ultimately,
creatures have come together over shared beliefs and goals.
The cataclysm of five centuries ago did level any of the silos
or divisions between heritages. Any creature that was tied
to a higher power has been completely cut off. Any creature
that could exist outside the physical universe is no longer
able. Any divine creature became mortal. All creatures are
now in the same proverbial boat.
There are many different cultures in Highcaster, but there
are seven that are genuinely beginning to explore the world:
♦ Deirwesch: wealthy scholars from the Deirwesch
Riverlands.

♦ Highdoni (singular Highdon): remnants of the lost imperials

in the Wastemarch.

♦ Rishen (singular Rish): merchantfolk of Rishfenn Coast.

♦ Saeberd(s): migratory raiders from Isolation Coast.

♦ Sterboren: an ancient society from the Storm.

♦ Witlanders: pastoral tribes of the Witland Downs.

♦ Wyrmgarde: migratory warlords of the Wyrmspine.

3 7
H I G H C A S T E R

3 8
 T h e C U L T U R E

“Alas, we leave the folk of the river

Morrow, we grieve for the folk of the river
In sorrow our journey must we now make
And memories of beauty we shall take.”
—Nursery Rhyme

Deirwesch (Forsen)
Considered the bastion of culture and philosophy, the Deir-
wesch are an ancient society centered in the city-state Sun-
dered Hold in the Deirwesch Riverlands. Before the Fall of
the Stars, Deirwesch was a cultural center of civilization
and was separate from and often in war or conflict with the
Highcaster Empire. After the fall, the city-states under its in-
fluence collapsed and the culture became rather confined to
the homeland at Sundered Hold deep along the riverlands.
Deirwesch are often called the Lucky Peoples or the Fortu-
nates. They call themselves Forsen (which means fortunate
in Forsentung), but also accept the common Highspeak term
“Deirwesch” as well.
Legend has it that the waters of the riverlands washed
(“wesch” is Old Forsentung for “cleanse”) away dangers
(“deir” is Old Forsentung for “danger”) allowing them
to become the great civilization they did. To this day, the
waters of the riverlands are considered sacred (or lucky) to
many, even outside the Deirwesch influence.
Governance
Sundered Hold (called Bregdon by the Deirwesch) is one of
the oldest cities in Highcaster and is home to the seat of a
republic that runs the region. The newer name for the city,
Sundered Hold, is called so because the large citadel that
eclipses the city was partially crumbled during the Fall and
remains in that state centuries later.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Members of the government are elected by citizens of Sun-
dered Hold and serve in their positions indefinitely, assum-
ing they continue to get elected year after year.
The Deirwesch’s substantial military is run by an elected
commander who enforces laws and protects the borders.
There is a High Council that creates laws and magistrates
that adjudicate them. All members of the government must
be re-elected each year. Serving is considered a temporary
honor, and one is reimbursed for their service until they re-
turn to it.
Religion
Deirwesch largely considers themselves above religion. That
is not to say they don’t believe in the gods, but since they are
gone, there is little they offer society. Therefore Deirwesch
work relentlessly to define and refine philosophy and ethics
to set the shape of right and wrong within their influence. As
a result, some of the greatest philosophical works on record
have come from Sundered Hold over a few hundred years.
Economy
The Riverlands are extremely resource-rich, and as a result,
the Deirwesch have little incentive to move from the region.
They have very few items imported and even fewer exported.
Much of their economy is run by a free market of laborers
and craftsfolk who exchange and barter. The High Council
manages larger companies and distributes the wealth among
the citizens.
Law
The laws of Deirwesch are incredibly complicated and go
back many hundreds of years. They rely heavily on com-
mon law and thus have laws and amendments for basically
everything. Much of the law is created, recreated, redefined,
thrown out, re-established ongoing because of the constant-
ly changing members of the High Council. Magistrates are
highly valued in the system, and so are barristers.

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 T h e C U L T U R E

Lifestyle
Life in Sundered Hold and the Deirwesch Riverlands is rela-
tively simple. Significant focus is placed on academic works
and humble labor. Because of the nature of the government
and economy, society is fundamentally classless, though
there are influential people (career councilfolk) that drive
important movements. To outsiders, it may appear idealis-
tic, but ever-present political infighting can reach criminal
degrees. Citizens do not trust each other and always seem to
be maneuvering for influence.
Playing a Hero of the Deirwesch
Deirwesch are shrewd politicians and economic strategists.
While they don’t view wealth in the same way as more mer-
cantile cultures, they are quite keen on using it for influence
and social status. As such, the Deirwesch value cunning and
intelligence most of all.
Heroes from this culture tend to be prominent social leaders
or activists. They have created great works or have traveled
to far-off lands to bring back valuable philosophies to illu-
minate the people. Therefore, some heroes might be diplo-
mats charged with creating strong trade ties and gain honor
based on how inconceivable the trade relationships may be.
Language
♦ You are literate in Forsentung and also Highspeak.

♦ You can speak an additional language.

Cultural Talents (Pick One)

♦ Native of Deirwesch Riverlands: You naturally know your
way around.

♦ Politico: You get a Talent die when confronting threats

using politics.

♦ Cultured: You get a Talent die when using your knowledge

of a society.

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 H I G H C A S T E R

Your Trade (Pick One)

♦ Laborer: You get a talent die when you need to lift or carry
something heavy.

♦ Politician: You have a group of powerful constituents that

will do favors for you.

♦ Barrister: You get a talent die whenever you confront a

threat with knowledge of the law.
Deirwesch Region
In many ways, Deirwesch is in the heartland of the Highcast-
er continent, sitting at the confluence of two mighty rivers,
and the lands are lush and full of resources. The powerful
fortified city of Sundered Hold stands against a beautiful
and verdant backdrop.
Deirwesch Riverlands: The Riverlands are in a very wet
but temperate climate. There are lowland plains throughout
that gradually deepen into swampland and marsh.
♦ Climate: subtropical, wet and warm

♦ Typical flora: grass, small trees, conifers, reeds, oak

♦ Typical fauna: deer, bear, water foul, minks

♦ Communities: hamlets, villages

Sunken Forest: The swamps outside the Riverlands are not
well-traveled and mysterious to outsiders, though the Deir-
wesch are familiar with it. Many settlements live throughout
in stilted structures or on boats.
♦ Climate: subtropical, wet and hot

♦ Typical flora: cedar, cypress, birch, cattails, reeds, papyrus

♦ Typical fauna: snakes, crocodiles, frogs, turtles, minks

♦ Communities: small hamlets and villages

4 2
 T h e C U L T U R E

Sundered Hold (Capitol): Built on the remains of an an-

cient stronghold, Sundered Hold is a grand towering com-
plex that straddles the confluence of rivers with bridges
and docks. It is a cosmopolitan city, full of farms, festival
grounds, ornate structures, and a relatively peaceful popu-
lation.
Surrounding Wilderness: Eastward and southward, the
swamps subside into tropical rainforests and to the north
into temperate rainforests. The plains rise to steppes or high
flatlands to the west. The river flows northward distantly to
the sea.
Common Deirwesch Names

d20 Surnames Neutral Masculine Feminine

1 Abara Abrek Adeb Alika
2 Abbas Ade Aren Ama
3 Abbas Are Ayomi Asha
4 Abdallah Bobe Azibo Binha
5 Abebe Danne Bobo Dali
6 Beho Haje Chidi Danya
7 Chedjo Inak Davu Eshe
8 Chidu Inik Ekon Fechi
9 Debisi Isoke Haji Imani
10 Hassan Kwam Hamisi Inika
11 Izim Lehan Hasani Jabara
12 Kanumba Malik Issa Latrice
13 Kasongo Oluf Jabari Lulu
14 Kimathi Om Kasim Malika
15 Mambwe Sar Kendi Nala
16 Mathi Sassan Mosi Oba
17 Mostafa Taj Odion Reta
18 Selas Zev Omar Sabra
19 Uansah Zivik Saleem Zina
20 Wadik Zurik Zane Zola

4 3
H I G H C A S T E R

4 4
 T h e C U L T U R E

“The people of Highdon never, for even a moment,

considered they were not the very same Highcaster
Empire that was destroyed hundreds of years ago.
For that, we owe them both admiration and disdain
for the immensity of their perceived self-impor-
tance.”
—Sterboren Emissary Rolar Tunis in Their Journal

Highdoni
Highcaster was once a continental empire stretching over a
thousand miles, binding countless cities by language, gov-
ernance, and culture. But the Fall of the Stars destroyed the
realm and the unity of people, now far removed from one
another. Centuries later, the Highdoni are all that remain.
Sprung from the empire, Highdoni has kept many of the old
traditions, including calling their region an “empire” even
though it consists of a few cities and small villages and ham-
lets. The seat of the empire is where it has always been, the
great city of Highdon, which still rises from the foothills of
the Wyrmspine Mountains as if it were built by gods. But
unlike the days before the Fall, the “empire” extends only
through the Wastemarch, a remote and resource-rich re-
gion bordered by foothills to the west, forests to the south,
and wetlands to the east.
Governance
The Highdoni people are governed by the dragon Mystera at
the imperial seat in Highdon. There is an Imperial Council
that assists Mystera in the administration of the empire, a
standing army that protects the borders, and a strong trade
network connected by well-built roads.

4 5
 H I G H C A S T E R
Religion
While there is no imperial religion, the majority of the High-
doni people are Sternewn, members of the Temple of the
Nine Stars who worship the memory of the gods and aim to
revive them with good works.
There is a substantial minority of Stergress, though. These
individuals practice at the Congressional Church of the Stars.
They believe the gods never died and are testing mortals to
be on their own and build a better world without them.
Economy
The Imperial Seat holds all property in the empire that is
leased to others. The Highdoni pay the empire for property
through coin, labor, or resources.
The empire will accept any type of coin, but the Mys-
tera-stamped pieces are more valuable. In the cities, citizens
operate a mostly free-market economy by buying and selling
products or labor.
In the country, citizens primarily contribute to the empire
via resources and labor, including agriculture, trade, and ser-
vice in the standing army. The empire pays some citizens to
serve in the military as well.
Law
Imperial law is enforced by Mystera through appointed mag-
istrates. The Imperial Council holds trials for major crimes
against the empire, but most mandates are handled by local
magistrates, who can deploy enforcement on-site per their
discretion.
Considerable crimes may require that the magistrate call an
assembly of influential people in the region for a trial.
Most punishments consist of fines of labor, resources, or
coin. However, more severe punishments, such as death by
beheading or exile, can occur. Unless there is a potential ran-
som, criminals are not imprisoned.

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 T h e C U L T U R E

Lifestyle
Highdoni tend to be hard-working people of the land. Ur-
ban populations are heavily involved in trade, and powerful
guilds are common. While a religious people, the population
tends to keep matters of the state and the gods separate. The
Highdoni may work hard, but they also play hard. A life-
style of excess and debauchery is commonplace, especially
with working people in the cities. There is a prevailing love
for the empress Mystera and deep nationalism for Highdon.
Playing a Hero of Highdoni
The Highdoni embrace the legacy of their ancient empiric
history, even as it has dwindled into a faint shadow of what
it once was. The people behave as if they are the ancients,
and they have a deep-rooted pride that is difficult to find
anywhere else.
Heroes from this culture are often altruistic, searching for
those that need help and righting perceived wrongs. Many
knighthoods carry Highdoni banners. These champions live
their life traveling the empire, hamlet-to-hamlet, to ensure
the wisdom and love of Mystera are felt by her people.
Other heroes go into service of the empire abroad, forging
alliances or fighting wars.
Language
♦ You are literate in Highspeak.

♦ You can speak an additional language.

Cultural Talents (Pick One)

♦ Native of Wastemarch: You naturally know your way
around this region.

♦ Mounted Warriors: You get a Talent die when confronting

threats on a mount.

♦ Shield Warrior: You get a Talent die when using a shield to

confront a threat.

4 7
 H I G H C A S T E R
Your Trade (Pick One)
♦ Farmer: You get a Talent die whenever you confront a
threat by using your understanding of weather patterns,
botany, irrigation, or soil.

♦ Trader: You get a Talent die whenever you attempt to

haggle or negotiate.

♦ Noble: You have a number of hirelings equal a roll of your

Prestige Die.
Highdoni Region
The Highdoni culture is deeply rooted in their region,
claiming descendency from the Highcaster Empire and its
thousands of years of history.
It is the last major point of civilization in the east before
the Wyrmspine continental divide, which separates the con-
tinent between east and west. Highdoni lands are typically
temperate in climate with four seasons.
Wyrmspine Hills: The foothills of the Wyrmspine moun-
tains, which lie to the west and descend into the plains of the
Wastemarch, which lies to the east.
♦ Climate: temperate with four seasons

♦ Typical flora: grass, ferns, grain, shrubs, small trees,

wildflowers

♦ Typical fauna: foxes, deer, rabbits, wolves, snakes, badgers

♦ Communities: villages and hamlets with established and

protected routes between them
Wastemarch: Vast expanse of lowland plains that stretch
from the Wyrmspine Hills to the west, the wetlands in the
east, and forests to the south.
♦ Climate: temperate with four seasons

♦ Typical flora: grass, small trees, shrubs, herbs, conifers,

wildflowers

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 T h e C U L T U R E
♦ Typical fauna: hawks, deer, rabbits, coyotes, snakes, mice

♦ Communities: sparse agrarian villages and hamlets with

semi-protected routes between them
Highdon (Capitol): A large city on the border of the
Wyrmspine Hills and the Wastemarch, built in the era of the
Highcaster Empire, towering structures, and walled.
Surrounding Wilderness: Coniferous mountain forests
to the west, temperate mixed forest to the south, freshwater
marshes to the east, and coastal lands to the north.
Common Highdoni Names

d20 Surnames Neutral Masculine Feminine

1 Arland Aelf Aelfred Aelferi
2 Bard Aliv Alcott Aida
3 Cartwright Ariv Allard Annice
4 Combe Athel Alton Athela
5 Eaton Bir Aston Averi
6 Ford Brin Brock Avona
7 Hightower Calder Brom Bhrea
8 Holdeye Copper Cenric Edda
9 Kynward Dalen Easton Eden
10 Lark Faith Edmond Elyse
11 Lindon Gage Edric Fern
12 Reed Gale Hale Hallace
13 Shipward Kyn Kendrick Kyna
14 Shrowd Leof Kynic Lilleth
15 Thatcher Piper Landon Miburna
16 Ware Sawin Osgar Mirth
17 Wasteward Sutton Sanford Rohesia
18 Whitdon Syn Synic Syna
19 Willard Tawn Usmon Willow
20 Wolfgang Wolf Wolfon Wolfari

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H I G H C A S T E R

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 T h e C U L T U R E

“Follow me up to Rishfenn, love

Fetch me silver and all your wares
Bind the ox and tether the dove
To weather what storms we must dare.”
—Old Tavern Song

Rishen
Rishen, so-named from its coastal metropolis Rishfenn, is a
society of merchants and traders, well known for their access
to trade routes, different societies, and wealth. While many
throughout Highcaster do not understand precisely where
Rishfenn is, they have likely encountered the Rishen, or at
least the many spices, wares, dyes, and silks they distribute
throughout the mainland.
Before the Fall of the Stars, Rishen was the economic hub
of the empire and so influential they often lent money to the
empire for its various military campaigns. After the Fall, the
city suffered greatly, but much of their resources remained
intact, so they continued their vast trade networks, even if
they weren’t as expansive as yesteryear.
Their wealth has much to do with their resource-rich home-
land and a strong understanding of building and sustaining
inland trade routes.
Governance
Effectively an oligarchy, Rishen society is run by many trade
guilds, with the more powerful of them sitting on a coun-
cil of guild representatives who handle issues that affect the
Rishen people as a whole.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
The Rishfenn Council of Guilds, typically called “the coun-
cil,” consists of all of the city’s foremost guild leaders, as
well as those in charge of trade routes and commerce. There
can be anywhere between 50 to a hundred members on the
council, and most decisions are handled through a simple
majority.
Most legal and governance matters are handled by the guilds
themselves with their memberships. However, more signif-
icant issues and those pertaining to outside societies and
communities require council intervention.
The Council also has the power to levy guilds to take up
arms against an external threat.
Religion
As a society, Rishen do not tend to be very religious. Most
within this culture will hearken back to the traditions and
rituals used to revere the stars, but only as a matter of con-
vention. It is generally accepted that since the gods are dead,
prayers and ceremonies have no value apart from personal
reflection.
Economy
The economy is very much based on a free market. How-
ever, one cannot operate within it unless they belong to a
guild, pay the appropriate fees, and adhere to guild bylaws.
Furthermore, those outside the guild structure are not con-
sidered Rishen and, as such, do not have the same rights and
privileges. Nevertheless, if the market demands a ware or
service, the Rishen will allow its commerce to occur whether
or not it is controlled by a guild.
Law
The Rishen have a complex system of contracts that drive
almost every aspect of their society. Many folk live within a
trade guild structure and consequently must adhere to that
guild’s bylaws as law. The guild itself then handles any legal
infraction. Infractions against individuals outside of a guild,

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 T h e C U L T U R E

or conflicts between guilds are handled through complex

contract-oriented legal code. Lawyers and judges then make
up most of Rishen governance, and the guilds themselves
facilitate socio-political and civic works as businesses.
Lifestyle
Rishen are known for living well. Even the laborers are well
compensated for their work. Because they provide such
prized services and goods to other communities, laborers are
usually not required to defend their communities. .
Playing a Rishen Hero
Rishen heroes are often far more pragmatic and utilitarian
than other heroes of legend. They will often represent a
guild’s interest, even a philanthropic or altruistic one, and
they rely more on social contract and agreements than on
any sense of moral authority.
As a result, Rishen heroes can be very influential in mov-
ing and shaping the tides of history, but without the glamor
and sensationalism found in other legends. Instead, they are
focused on creating lasting changes in the world through
action and implementation of the law.
Language
♦ You are literate in both Rishen and Highspeak.

♦ You can speak two additional languages.

Cultural Talents (Pick One)

♦ Native of Rishfenn Coast: You naturally know your way
around this region.

♦ Guild Elite: You call upon your guild for funds or favors
whenever it is needed.

♦ Coastal Affinity: You get a Talent die when you pilot a boat
or ship.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Your Trade (Pick One)
♦ Guild Leader: You get a Talent die whenever you confront a
threat relating to Rishen guilds.

♦ Trader: You get a Talent die whenever you attempt to

haggle or negotiate.

♦ Artisan: You have a number of hirelings equal to your

Prestige (or at least one).
Rishen Region
The coast peoples of Rishen have thrived in the same
metropolis, Rishfenn, for the duration of their civilization.
They live in a resource-rich region with access to many
waterways and travel routes to deliver trade to other
cultures. The region is primarily subtropical.
Rishen Coast: The subtropical eastern coasts of the Rish-
fenn metropolis expands through some resource-rich territo-
ries with access to many waterways that stretch inland.
♦ Climate: tropical climate, wet and hot

♦ Typical flora: evergreen, rubber trees, orchids, palm trees,

fruit trees, flowering trees

♦ Typical fauna: gorillas, monkeys, rhinoceros, leopards,

tropical birds, constrictor snakes

♦ Communities: expansive city and many bordering

settlements and villages
Sojourner Delta: A massive network of waterways
stretching far inland through tropical rainforests into wet-
lands and temperate climates.
♦ Climate: subtropical, wet and hot

♦ Typical flora: papyrus, reeds, cattails, cedar, conifers

♦ Typical fauna: crocodiles, snakes, water foul, deer

♦ Communities: many riverside villages and settlements

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 T h e C U L T U R E

Rishfenn (Capitol): Enormous coastal metropolis with

access to the sea to the east and an extensive network of
rivers to the west. The city expands far along the coast and
far inland, and settlements continue along the waterways.
Surrounding Wilderness: Sea to the east, swamps to the
west, mixed temperate forests to the north and south.
Common Rishen Names

d20 Surnames Neutral Masculine Feminine

1 Alayza Aban Alib Aliba
2 Albarado Affan Amid Ayla
3 Aldaba Aman Antiq Baraka
4 Aly Ayl Aylaf Durra
5 Antheld Darr Barak Halawa
6 Ayfeld Hal Curag Halidah
7 Burton Isman Durran Jabir
8 Conry Itir Habib Jat
9 Grantham Kanza Halan Maura
10 Hasaldo Rahat Halid Muzna
11 Hoslam Raq Hamid Mymun
12 Irlin Razin Maro Najiha
13 Morris Rima Naji Najma
14 Riman Safwan Shabi Roslyn
15 Salwan Sun Shai Salwa
16 Umayma Ubay Usuf Shahida
17 Westcot Umay Yamid Sheba
18 Yaminam Yamin Zayd Suka
19 Yrenon Yasin Zubid Talha
20 Zambran Zubi Zumur Zayda

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H I G H C A S T E R

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 T h e C U L T U R E

“Where battles flare to boil the blood of enemies,

where the clash of arms rings out in clamor, where
the deepest cleaves flow red as the fury of the war-
riors within, we remember the smell of the ocean
spray and the specter of the sun behind the crashing
waves and know that the blood was well spilled.”
—Excerpt from “The Heart of the Beast” by a
Saeberd Battle-Poet

Saeberds (Inesen)
The “Sea-Beards” of Isolation Coast are an infamous
society of sea and river-faring people known for militant
coastal raids and ferocity in protecting their trade routes.
While many denizens around Highcaster are commercial
and cultural trade partners with the Saeberds (an older
Highspeak term that the society has adopted), just as many
fear their aggressive military posturing and frequent the
border wars they often instigate.
They call themselves and their language Inesen, which is de-
rived from a general meaning, “people of the islands.” They
have always viewed themselves as seafaring people, but that
changed with the Fall of the Stars.
As a result of the dark night sky, they have been unable to
navigate open waters for hundreds of years. As a result, they
began to migrate, spreading farther along coastlines and in-
land along river routes. It was during this expansion that
their aggressive posturing began to affect other communi-
ties, who must now defend their borders as the Saeberds
steadily encroach. There is an unstable peace with many cul-
tures they trade with, but it often doesn’t last.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Governance
Highly unified under a single monarchy, the Saeberds are a
political force. The monarchy has continued with the same
dynasty for generations, even before the Fall of the Stars.
The sovereignty is generally benevolent, while the people in-
gratiate themselves to the throne by demonstrating courage,
resourcefulness, and honor.
The region of Isolation Coast is very closely connected due
to the benefit of fast ships, so it is very easy for this single
monarchy to govern its people. Governance is mainly equi-
table but can be rather harsh and in the hands of the mon-
arch’s court.
The monarch’s word is always final.
Religion
The Saeberds follow the old ways and believe the gods are
still alive and guiding the world and that the monarch is
granted their position through divine providence. Conse-
quently, they have adopted the Stergress (Congressional
Church of the Stars) of Highcaster and, through that reli-
gious minority, manage a great deal of cultural and econom-
ic trade.
Economy
The Saeberds have rich coastal resources and a robust inter-
nal economy. However, what they have in wealth, they lack
in territory. Like many other cultures after the Fall of the
Stars, the Saeberds experienced the collapse of their old way
of life and are now relegated to the coasts and riverlands.
Many of their conflicts with other societies are about the
acquisition of land and the expansion of borders. They rely
heavily on trade with neighbors and conduct business even
while the monarchy may be warring with a group of their
patrons. Border conflict is no reason to stop trade. In fact,
war is often used to force trade through reparations or ran-
soms.

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 T h e C U L T U R E

Law
The monarchy is in complete control of the law; however,
few laws are enforced except actions considered threats to
the crown. Thus, clans are left mainly to administer them-
selves, establish conventions for themselves, and handle any
that may fall outside the clan’s code.
Lifestyle
While Saeberds are a militant people, known for warfare
and relentless battle-worn lives, they are also excellent trad-
ers and highly steeped in culture--not only their own but
others. They are known for freely exchanging cultural tra-
ditions with other societies and absorbing the practices of
others into their community. In particular, the Saeberds have
a strong connection with Highdon since culture-sharing oc-
curred centuries before. The two are often allies.
Playing a Saeberd Hero
The Inesen culture is extremely war-focused and disregards
many of the customs or traditions of inland cultures. Saeberd
heroes tend to break from cultural norms and are known
either for leading their people to great lengths against an en-
emy or forging incredible alliances with other cultures. Your
heroes will likely be outsiders, working inland for the cause
of their clans, and will not return until they have achieved
the great heights expected of them.
Language
♦ You are literate in Inesen and also Highspeak.

♦ You can speak an additional language.

Cultural Talents (Pick One)

♦ Native of Isolation Coast: You naturally know your way
around this region.

♦ Skeipen: You get a Talent die when confronting threats on

or with a ship.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
♦ Cultured: You get a Talent die when using your knowledge
of a society.

Your Trade (Pick One)

♦ Voyager: You have your own ship that can be used at sea or
on rivers.

♦ Crew: You are the member of a crew that will come to your
aid in exchange for periodic service at war.

♦ Feared: You have a reputation that will give you a Talent

die whenever confronting someone who has heard of your
exploits.
Saeberd Region
Isolation Coast, the region that harbors the Saeberds, is far
to the north in the colder parts of the continent. Warm sea-
water comes onto the coast, so the climate is milder than it
should be, yet still more chilled than their neighbors. The
region expands south into warmer temperate climates along
a river.
Isolation Coast: To the inexperienced Isolation Coast
is home to deadly waters, strong currents, ship-wrecking
rocks, and countless islands. Its northern location makes it
inhospitable, cold, and prone to high winds and gales.
♦ Climate: coastal, wet and cold

♦ Typical flora: furs, spruces, pine, ferns, moss

♦ Typical fauna: bears, elk, cougars, wolves

♦ Communities: hamlets, villages

Inesen Riverlands: The rivers run from the inland north
toward the coast giving waterway access to the temperate
interior. Northern stretches of the river are cold and some-
times ice-packed but warm as one goes south.
♦ Climate: coastal, wet and cold

♦ Typical flora: conifers, reeds, moss

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 T h e C U L T U R E
♦ Typical fauna: bears, beavers, moose, wolves, deer

♦ Communities: coastal hamlets and villages

Inesen Harbor (Trade Crossing): Notorious and lawless
Inesen Harbor is the only sizable permanent settlement any-
where in Isolation Coast. It is a trading area and is consid-
ered a neutral territory by the Saeberds. The city rests on the
delta of the river and northern seacoast.
Surrounding Wilderness: The sea to the north stretch-
es eastward toward bogs and fens and westward toward
mountains. Temperate forests, highlands, and plateaus are
found to the south.
Common Saeberd Names

d20 Surnames Neutral Masculine Feminine

1 Abdu Adeled Aleks Adelaida
2 Agapo Agni Alexei Agnia
3 Baban Dima Bory Anya
4 Boris Dini Denis Belka
5 Chaban Dmiti Dimo Calina
6 Daydov Ekati Dmitri Devora
7 Domin Ignati Faddei Dinara
8 Enrich Irini Feliks Eduard
9 Ernof Ivani Ignat Efrem
10 Fedor Levi Igor Evgina
11 Gork Mishi Iov Fenya
12 Ibragin Niki Ivan Galina
13 Kamen Oriel Lev Inessa
14 Kotov Ratmi Luka Irina
15 Lenkov Rodi Maks Ivanna
16 Medved Sashi Misha Katya
17 Novik Shuri Nikita Kira
18 Rabin Tomek Pyotr Lubava
19 Sidor Tomi Sasha Mara
20 Sokol Yuri Toma Sabina

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H I G H C A S T E R

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 T h e C U L T U R E

“Go after the sun and the sky! You are to be purified.
Your bones are as a bird of prey, the stars who were
in the night sky. Go so that you may be by the side of
the Invoked and leave your realms. All people in all
realms shall not speak evil against your name.”
—Ancient Khem Prayer

Sterboren (Khem)
The Khem are an ancient society of people going back far
beyond any other civilization in Highcaster. Before the Fall
of the Stars, they were known within the Highcaster Empire
as “Sterboren” or “born of the stars” because of the length
and breadth of their history. That name stuck, and although
in their native tongue they still call themselves Khem, they
are generally known as Sterboren, even amongst themselves.
Sterboren live in and around a temperate rainforest region
known as the Storm. Legend has it that once every thousand
years, a massive continental storm emerges from this land
and destroys most of the realm with wind and floods. No
storm like this is on record, but Khem legends mark several.
The sprawling forest of the Storm hides countless hamlets
and villages, as well as a capital called Hut-Djedu built in
and around an enormous 1,000-foot tree also called the
Storm.
Governance
The Sterboren are ruled by a monarch proclaimed to be a
deity on earth. This deity is preserved in a spirit that moves
from body to body as each creature dies. In other words,
they believe the same person has ruled over the Storm for
thousands of years, even as they take on a new body after
each host dies.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
The monarch, called the Khem-Ka (Spirit of the People), has
a massive and opulent court and an enormous infrastructure
of bureaucrats who manage the realm’s affairs. The large,
extended families of the bureaucrats spend a lifetime prepar-
ing the next bodily vessel of the Khem-Ka, usually (but not
always) a descendant of the current vessel.
The Khem-Ka has absolute power, and even if the people
despise the present manifestation, their leadership has never
been challenged in all of recorded history. Their authority is
administered by the Hem-Ka (Spirit Laborers), who oversee
a vast directorate and military.
Religion
The entire culture is very rooted in the belief of continuance
with a single spirit that transfers its memories into each re-
newed life. The people revere the monarch and their court as
divine and do whatever is needed to keep their place in the
order of things stable.
Economy
The Sterboren of the Storm want for nothing. The monarch
views their role as provider and parent of the people and
provides all the resources, food, and land needed. Crops are
communally distributed; workers and bureaucrats are paid
with land and goods in exactly the same way. The Khem-Ka
will also conduct major trade expeditions to other cities and
civilizations to bring back materials for lavish buildings or
resources to help the society.
Law
The Khem-Ka’s word is the law. All major offenses are
brought before them, and they pronounce the final judg-
ment. In the capital, minor offenses will also come before the
Khem-Ka. Outside their immediate circle, the Khem-Ka ap-
points Hem-Ka bureaucrats to handle grievances and crimes
within their jurisdictions.
Judgments are handled in the Khem-Ka’s name and include

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 T h e C U L T U R E

restitution such as forced seclusion for a time, reparation,

or exile. Few (if any) are executed because of the belief that
souls persist onto other bodies.
Lifestyle
Sterboren live simple but well-tended lives. Those that live in
the Storm are highly religious and reverent to the Khem-Ka.
They believe that until a person dies and their soul blesses a
new body, a body does not have a complete soul. Therefore,
many wait in resigned patience until a family member passes
so they can accept the soul and be a whole person. This rig-
orous belief system causes many Sterboren to willingly leave
the Storm to live with other less strict societies.
Playing a Sterboren Hero
The Sterboren culture is widely known and revered, yet they
have a long and mysterious history far removed from most
of Highcaster’s other cultures. As a result, Sterboren are usu-
ally approached with awe and wonder by others. This dy-
namic makes them stand out from other cultures, so they are
often viewed as heroes simply due to that aspect.
However, Sterboren outside of the Storm are usually on im-
portant and valuable missions. They are exceptionally well
supplied by the Khem-Ka and are expected to resolve a ma-
jor dilemma or establish something meaningful. They are of-
ten emissaries and diplomats; sometimes, they lead armies.
Others, perhaps, were cast out and are looking to earn their
way home again.
Language
♦ You are literate in Ba-Khem.

♦ You can speak two additional languages.

Cultural Talents (Pick One)

♦ Native of the Storm: You naturally know your way around
this region.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
♦ Forest Warriors: You get a Talent die when confronting
threats in a forest.

♦ Long History: You get a Talent die when using lore or

history to confront a threat.

Your Trade (Pick One)

♦ Worker: You get a Talent die whenever you confront a
threat by using a trade or a trade tool.

♦ Bureaucrat: You get a Talent die whenever you create a plan

to confront a threat.

♦ Revered: You have a number of hirelings equal to a roll of

your Prestige.

Sterboren Region
One of the oldest forest regions on the continent, the Storm
refers to both the region and the giant thousand-foot tree
that is the centerpiece of Sterboren culture. The area consists
of an old-growth temperate rainforest that stretches farther
than any other forest in Highcaster.
The Storm (Forest): This sprawling and thick, temperate
rainforest is home to the Sterboren and includes broad un-
explored reaches as ancient as the world itself. It is primarily
under a canopy and full of broad-leafed trees.
♦ Climate: temperate, warm and cool seasons

♦ Typical flora: spruce, conifers, mosses, lichens, hemlock

♦ Typical fauna: elk, owls, cougars, foxes, bears, otters

♦ Communities: sparse hamlets and villages

Khem Waters: Large river passing through the Storm that
is so deep and broad it has its own ecosystem.
♦ Climate: temperate, warm and cool seasons

♦ Typical flora: reeds, rushes, hibiscus, orchids, cattails

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 T h e C U L T U R E
♦ Typical fauna: otters, minks, cranes, crustaceans, crocodiles

♦ Communities: sparse hamlets and villages

Hut-Djedu (Capitol): The enormous capitol is built
within, below, and above the rainforest. The complicated
structures have been created over eons as an extension of the
forest itself. They weave in, through, around, and above the
trees on a system of platforms and bridges.
Surrounding Wilderness: Beyond the boundaries of the
giant rainforest, the lands descend into plains and wetlands
to the north and east, deserts to the south, and foothills to
the west.
Common Sterboren Names

d20 Surnames Neutral Masculine Feminine

1 Abasi Abas Akhen Abasi
2 Azizi Abrax Amon Baahir
3 Bakari Ahem Baaken Baaku
4 Baruti Baak Bahman Babu
5 Chatha Bes Beson Besu
6 Chisis Fem Dakarai Femi
7 Chuma Jaba Djoser Jabari
8 Donkor Mena Femer Lateef
9 Edfu Nurn Hoten Menesi
10 Fadil Orr Hotep Mesudi
11 Gyasi Osa Jabar Nuri
12 Hanbal Ra Menes Ori
13 Hondo Rema Orus Ramesu
14 Iniherit Sahem Rames Sethir
15 Maklani Seth Saad Shabaka
16 Mtsimela Shaba Sethos Tutmir
17 Sefu Tutma Tutmar Uri
18 Tarik Ur Uren Waaiz
19 Tumaini Utmen Zahur Zahu
20 Wamukota Yahya Zosar Zosu

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H I G H C A S T E R

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 T h e C U L T U R E

“When the season is right and the herd is bountiful,

we should be ever watchful over our cattle. When
the skies hide the moon from view, the beast comes
for the people, it comes for the herd, and it comes
for us all.”
—Cautionary Tale Recited by a Witlander Poet

The Witlanders
The Witlanders refer to the group of pastoral peoples that
live around the Witland Downs and the surrounding Wit-
lands. Their region is a vast steppe region bordered by rocky
coasts in the north, wetlands in the east, flatlands in the
west, and riverlands in the south.
Largely pastoral peoples, the Witlanders keep transient
communities and abodes in between larger settlements that,
depending upon the seasons, may be wholly abandoned or
bustling. They follow seasonal trails to keep livestock fed
and healthy and bring them from settlement to settlement to
sell or trade when all migrations converge.
The Witland Downs refers to a small high-desert moun-
tain range that is largely unsettled but is home to well-used
trade routes and migratory paths between large settlements.
The hills are chalky and composed of soft soil, and they are
known for their white chalk bluffs.
The Witlands that surround the Downs are high flatlands
consisting primarily of white chalk. It is full of shrubs and
other arid plants that nourish the massive livestock move-
ments, but there is little else in the way of resources. Nev-
ertheless, the Witlanders have mastered crossing these lands
and making use of the little foodstuff and water supply it
provides.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Governance
Tribal in nature, most of the Witlanders live in large fami-
lies or tightly-knit clans, led by a respected elder. They may
be very isolated on migratory journeys, but when they con-
verge at settlements during trade seasons, the Witlanders
can be well-organized. However, there is a lot of in-fighting
amongst the clans as they protect their migratory routes,
trade, livestock, and reputation.
When more significant regional decisions are needed, such
as concerning matters of war, great tribunals are formed by
leading representatives of the more influential clans.
Religion
Except for elders and more influential members of society,
many Witlanders are not literate, so they adhere to a robust
oral tradition. There is a common baseline of beliefs in the
legends of the ancient gods as a template for how people
should live, and the Witlander poets retell the stories as a
matter of policy as well as entertainment.
Ideas around organized religion, temples, or worship are not
well-accepted by the Witlanders, and any attempts by out-
siders to enforce a religion may be met with confusion or
possibly even hostility.
Economy
A pastoral economy, Witlander livelihood is based on the
quantity of livestock kept alive during changing seasons and
how much they can trade their stock and share resources
with each other.
Livestock is raised in the early months and driven to warmer
climates in the south during the summer. They are then gath-
ered and subsequently traded in semi-permanent settlements
during the winter.
The success of the trade seasons makes or breaks the clans.

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 T h e C U L T U R E

Law and Lifestyle

The Witlanders are varied in the way they conduct their
clans and the lifestyle they observe. In general, elders are the
spiritual and legal guides. Their position in the clan is usual-
ly hereditary, but stronger or wiser clan members can (and
often do) usurp leadership.
Crimes against the clan are taken very seriously, and exile
is a fate worse than death. Any Witlander who is no longer
with a clan is considered dead and very rarely accepted back
peacefully.
As pastoral people, they don’t value gold or lavish lifestyles
(or anything difficult to transport). Instead, they respect
courage, wisdom, and endurance.
Playing Heroes of the Witlands
The Witlanders are a proud people and highly connected to
their rural culture. There is little reason for the Witlanders to
leave their society, and while they often deal with outsiders,
there is very little to lure them away to join them. Witlanders
are highly bound to ideas of family. It is very unusual for
them to separate from their family or lifestyle.
Consequently, heroes are revered and respected above all.
Those who venture from the confines of the trails to serve
the people’s needs are living legends once they return. He-
roes have an essential purpose. Their lives are in service to
the people, not themselves.
Language
♦ You can speak Witlander.

♦ You can choose to speak another language or be fluent in

Witlander oral traditions and poetry.

Cultural Talents (Pick One)

♦ Native of the Witlands: You know your way around
Witland Downs and the Witlands.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
♦ Beastwardens: You get a Talent die when confronting
threats dealing with animals.

♦ Pastoral: You get a Talent die when you fight alongside

someone in your clan.
Your Trade (Pick One)
♦ Raiser: You get a Talent die when you try to train or
domesticate an animal.

♦ Trader: You get a Talent die whenever you attempt to

haggle or negotiate.

♦ Guide: You never get lost and can always find the easiest
path in the wild.
Witlander Region
The high and dry regions of the Witlanders cause the popu-
lations living there to be highly migratory, always following
the seasons and the herds. The few cities within the area are
seasonal, only populated when the people come to unload
their trade before migration.
Witland Downs: The steppes of the Witland Downs are
high flatlands in a very dry climate distinguished by chalky
earth (giving it the signature “white” color of its namesake).
♦ Climate: dry with extreme cold and hot seasons

♦ Typical flora: grass, brush, small trees, thistle, tumbleweed

♦ Typical fauna: buffaloes, deer, ostriches, cougars, mice

♦ Communities: sparse and tribal settlements only

Witlands: Surrounding the steppes are dry flatlands, also
consisting primarily of chalk. The region is almost entirely
high desert and is very difficult to cross.
♦ Climate: dry with extreme cold and hot seasons

♦ Typical flora: cacti, succulents, shrubs, tumbleweed, oak

7 2
 T h e C U L T U R E
♦ Typical fauna: vultures, tortoises, lizards, mice, crows,
snakes

♦ Communities: Sparse and temporary tribal settlements only

Underbridge (Trade Crossing): An old and expansive
city populated only part of the year. Built on the border of
the downs and the Witlands, it provides temporary stopping
points for migrations between the seasons.
Surrounding Wilderness: Dry coastal lands to the north,
high plains to the west, swamps to the east, and chaparral
(mixed grassland and forest) to the south.
Common Witlander Names

d20 Surnames Neutral Masculine Feminine

1 Ambur Abil Abum Amkina
2 Anni Adin Adad Aral
3 Assar Akki Agrotes Bau
4 Baladan Bel Bazur Elil
5 Bar Dir Dakur Iama
6 Basa Duzi Gamil Irar
7 Idina Ea Ira Ishar
8 Idinna Gal Kha Misar
9 Inip Gara Makru Ni
10 Khum Kir Mardu Nin
11 Ludu Misir Maru Ri
12 Marada Nubukk Misu Rimsar
13 Nezzar Rim Putur Rulat
14 Rabi Sar Rankil Sabit
15 Saliti Sin Rimsin Sarsar
16 Shamash Tir Sarsu Shala
17 Sippar Tu Sinmat Shitar
18 Yukin Ur Tua Sinlin
19 Ziriti Urukk Urku Tishar
20 Zursin Zur Zu Zirra

7 3
H I G H C A S T E R

7 4
 T h e C U L T U R E

“Now that our lands are at steel, and first blood

has been drawn, I choose to implore you. Our feuds
have vexed me. Let us not be destroyed by our own
blades but drive them into the belly of those who
would see us both dead. We are stronger together,
my old friend. We can win together or we can perish
alone. I leave the choice to you.”
—Letter from Warren Bartholomeu Silverhilt

Wyrmgarde
A society of warlords and rival monarchies, the Wyrmgarde
were pressed from their far-easterly lands into the Wyrm-
spine, where they laid new roots. A strongly militant society,
Wyrmgarde are constantly at war and in conflict with each
other over limited land and resources in the harsh mountain-
ous regions.
The Wyrmgarde passed into the Wyrmspine sometime after
the Fall of the Stars. Later generations talked off the Sun-
dered, pushing them out of their lands. While they settled
throughout the Wyrmspine, they were in constant pursuit
of gentler lands to settle. Over the past two hundred years,
they’ve fallen into many fractured monarchies, each compet-
ing for resources.
They have a long history of monarchs seizing power from
one another, usurping each other, and overall creating com-
plex webs of politics and war between their many royal
houses and fiefdoms.
Governance
There is no one ruler, or ruling monarchy, of the Wyrmgarde.
They are a highly fractured people with dozens of smaller
monarchies and fiefdoms who are in regular conflict with

7 5
 H I G H C A S T E R
one another. Occasionally, a single warlord may come along
and unify many monarchies into larger ones, but after that
warlord dies, the monarchies fall apart.
Religion
Each monarchy has its notions of revering the fallen stars
of the days before. Some are more interested in raising new
gods to godhood by elevating monarchs above their station
into a divine providence. But there is no unifying religion
that keeps the Wyrmgarde together. On the contrary, many
monarchies fall into wars about differences in religion and
often use religion as a way to cloak political power-grabs.
Economy
Wyrmgarde are universally feudal. Power rests in nobility
invested with power by monarchs, and the people work the
land in exchange for protection. Very little free-market trade
occurs within Wyrmgarde borders, but monarchs form trade
missions to other communities and societies through emis-
saries and create long-term trade agreements. Wealth accu-
mulated in this way is typically kept by the nobles who initi-
ated the trade agreements for their feudal lands.
Frequent warfare, along with a harsh landscape, results in
the Wyrmgarde not being particularly invested in the finer
things. Instead, they are hard-working utilitarian people.
Law
Law is handled exclusively by monarchs and their nobles.
Usually, the monarch will bestow magistrate powers among
their nobility, and the nobles themselves will manage the
laws in their particular feudal jurisdictions. Disputes be-
tween nobles will land in the local monarch’s court, with
the sovereign listening to both sides and handling judgment.
High crimes against the monarch or monarchy are dealt with
harshly with death sentences or exile as typical punishments.

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 T h e C U L T U R E

Lifestyle
Wyrmgarde tend to lead hard lives. Peasants must work the
meager fields for their nobles, and nobles must always com-
pete with each other to keep their lands and station. Monar-
chies are often at war with one another. Any trade that hap-
pens is a result of a considerable campaign across countless
miles of wilderness.
The land is harsh, alpine, and full of dangers, further lend-
ing to hardened people, focused only on the necessities and
staying alive.
Playing a Wyrmgarde Hero
The fractured and warlike people of Wyrmgarde general-
ly tend to be singular-minded--either protect their position
in life or take from another to elevate their station. Heroes
stand apart from that flow. They stand out because they
have values above and beyond the squabbles of their mon-
archies. They rise above the war and strife and work for a
more noble cause.
Heroes of the Wyrmgarde may leave the Wyrmspine for any
number of reasons. Perhaps they depart to take on an epic
and legendary quest that will prove their worth, or to right
a wrong, to serve justice, or to bring peace to their people.
Language
♦ You are literate in Forktongue.

♦ You can speak an additional language.

Cultural Talents (Pick One)

♦ Native of Wyrmspine: You naturally know your way
around this region.

♦ Alpine Warriors You get a Talent die when fighting in

mountainous terrain.

♦ Hardened: You get a Talent die when withstanding natural

elements.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Your Trade (Pick One)
♦ Peasant: You get a Talent die whenever you have to do a
trade or work with your hands.

♦ Warrior: You get a Talent die whenever you fight with your
trained weapon.

♦ Noble: You have a number of hirelings equal to a roll of

your Prestige.
Wyrmgarde Region
The towering mountains that divide the continent are collec-
tively known as the Wyrmspine. They span the entire conti-
nent from north to south, coast to coast. Much of the area is
impassible, home to dragons and giants, but those few areas
that can be settled are the domain of the Wyrmgarde, who
rule in countless fiefdoms throughout the spine.
Wyrmspine: The alpine stretches of the Wyrmspine are vast
and uncharted. Much of the region is covered in coniferous
and boreal forests, tundra, or bleak lands above the timber-
line.
♦ Climate: alpine, wet, and cold

♦ Typical flora: pine, spruce, ferns, oak, fir, cedars, mosses

♦ Typical fauna: deer, eagles, moose, foxes, bears, beaver

♦ Communities: hamlets, villages, strongholds

Mountains of Confrontation: The northern most reach-
es of the Wyrmspine are the most deadly, largely unsettled
and very dangerous. The mountains reach higher than any
place in Highcaster.
♦ Climate: alpine, dry and cold

♦ Typical flora: shrub, moss

♦ Typical fauna: moose, bears, wolves, deer

♦ Communities: very few hamlets

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 T h e C U L T U R E

Confrontation Falls (Trade Crossing): The few passes

that are available to travelers through these mountains have
neutral trade crossings where the various fiefdoms can safely
congregate. Confrontation Falls is the largest of these, built
into a mountainside near a mighty river and waterfall.
Surrounding Wilderness: The Wyrmspine divides the
continent into east and west. The eastern reaches have the
most known cultural settlements and begin with foothills.
The western area descends into a vast expanse of plateaus
and dry highlands.
Common Wyrmgarde Names

d20 Surnames Neutral Masculine Feminine

1 Amhal Aiden Adh Ainslee
2 Banain Bon Arlin Alfric
3 Birn Brid Brandan Bhenn
4 Cailen Ciar Ciaran Cara
5 Cathain Daith Conall Ciardha
6 Conor Dalach Conri Cloadagh
7 Dunhollow Fia Deglan Colina
8 Dunlang Finn Donal Deirdre
9 Flann Flann Gadhan Eithne
10 Flannag Frang Kaelin Elblin
11 Folain Gadach Lennan Gadha
12 Gadhra Gael Liam Gaira
13 Ghirr Jam Marcas Isla
14 Mana Nall Odran Niamh
15 Muir Omac Omas Omne
16 Naigh Riley Padrag Padha
17 Rodan Rowan Peadar Quinnith
18 Scannlain Seas Rian Riannah
19 Tama Shae Seamus Sibeal
20 Tobraid Una Ultan Sloan

7 9
A
ll that remains of the an-
cients are the very people that
live in the realm. All of us are
creatures of the divine in some
respect. Some of us may even re-
member the threads that tie us to
immortality. Yet, we are all mortals now. Yes, there
are exceptions, but even those that don’t die cannot
remember.
There was once a time, perhaps long before even
the stars, before the empire, when a person was
defined based upon their mortal blood. But if that
time even existed, the Highcaster Empire did away
with it, for an empire was composed of people un-
der the singular banner of the emperor.
Following the Fall of the Stars, chroniclers have
told us of the vast diaspora for almost all peoples.
We learned that in those dark days following the
realm’s destruction, that it was proximity to others,
no matter the heritage, that kept the early peoples
alive.
These are modern days. We are well aware of the
enduring lineage that separates us. But even still, it
is not our banners that bind us, it is our mortality.
For those ignorant of this, that is no excuse to cele-
brate one’s blood over another.
After all, we all bleed, don’t we?
—Highdoni Chronicler Julius Lorrado
 1 V

H e r i t a g e

B
efore the Fall of the Stars, there
was a clear divide between the supernat-
ural and mortals. The supernatural were
bound to other realms and were eternal,
whereas mortals were not.
The cosmology of the universe was clear-
ly defined also. The mortal world was between two firma-
ments: the Saeldon, the heavens where the Invoked lived as
stars, and the Fyndon, the shadows, where the forces of cre-
ation were collected from the heavens and forged into the
lands of the earthly world. The energy of this transfer of
power from heaven to the earth beneath created a border-
world between the firmament and the mortal world called
the horizon, or the fay.
That was how the universe stood for countless ages since the
beginning of time. But then the Invoked fell when the Sael-
don crumbled, and all the realms were destroyed or removed.
All that remained was the mortal world and remnants of the
shadow world, broken and untethered to heaven or earth.
The Invoked fell and, with their plummet, destroyed much
of the mortal world, as well as the immortal ones.

8 2
Any creatures of the Saeldon that survived the Fall remained in the
mortal world, as a mortal, called Sael, angels descended. Creatures
that survived of the Fyndon, the Fynd, became mortal. And the
many creatures that lived within the borderworld, which straddled
the mortal realm and the horizon, also became mortal--dragons,
ekwin, nomes, and the rest.
Creatures of other realms, once immortal, now mortal, could pro-
duce descendants, and those descendants bore descendants. Elders
aged and died. Family lines formed. And through the centuries,
they blended--with each other and with other mortals.
Immediately after the Fall, integration was necessary. All creatures
needed to unite to survive. And over the generations they identified
more as a unified culture than as separate heritages.
While some heritages are more common in certain parts of the
world, none are considered better or worse than any other, even
while they display different qualities from one another. Culture is
what defines a person’s abilities and knowledge, not heritage.

♦ Bledseni: chimeric mortals, descendants of nature spirits.

♦ Draken (singular Drak): mortal descendants of dragons.

♦ Ekwin (singular Ekwi): magical creatures of nature.

♦ Fynd: descendants of demons.

♦ Giantkin: mortal descendants of giants.

♦ Holten (singular Holt): immortal creatures of the earth.

♦ Mortals: descendants of survivors of the Fall of the Stars.

♦ Nomes: mortal descendants of fay.

♦ Sael: mortal descendants of celestials.

8 3
 H I G H C A S T E R

Bledseni
The Bledseni, or “blessed” of Highcaster, are among the
few heritages that descended from spirits. Specifically, they
descend from ancient nature spirits that watched over the
realms long before many heritages came to be.
The Bledseni manifested as animals and beasts in prehistory
and, over time, took on human characteristics to better in-
teract with society. But, like so many others during the Fall
of the Stars, those that were manifest in the material realm
lost their immortality.
Several centuries later, they are every bit as abundant as
others, but they are far more variable. There is a Bledseni
for nearly any type of animal. Some may resemble mortals,
some giantkin, or any of the other heritages. They can be
crocodilian, avian, or from any number of mammals. The
creature resemblances seem to have no relevance to parental
heritage or bloodline.

8 4
 T h e H e r i t a g e

Cultures are accustomed to seeing such variety within the

Bledseni that they don’t tend to cause any confusion.
There are, in fact, as many types of Bledseni as there are
Bledseni. Their spirit legacy also causes them to be flexible
in size, and they can be as small as a rabbit or as large as
an elephant. However, the majority are just a bit larger than
mortals.
Their physical traits vary depending on whichever animal
form they resemble. Since they range from all heritages and
many different creatures, including birds, felines, canines,
bears, even rodents, and insects, they can take on other
unique traits. Avian Bledseni can fly. Mammalian individ-
uals may have claws and teeth. Insect-like beings will have
tough exoskeletons. Bledseni never possess more than one
animal’s qualities, and there is no relationship to the forms
of their parents.
Look
♦ Height (choose one): small (18 hands), average (20 hands),
tall (22 hands)

♦ Form (choose one): avian, reptilian, canine, feline, rodent,

insect, bear, horse, deer, goat or sheep, amphibian

♦ Bestial Nature (choose one): mighty, fast, great endurance,

withstand extreme temperatures, nightvision, birds-eye
vision, insect vision, excellent climber, excellent swimmer

Abilities (Pick One)

♦ Fly: You use natural wings to fly and can go to great heights
without exerting too much energy. You are feathered, your
bones are hollow, and you are exceptionally light

♦ Exoskeleton: You have an exterior skeleton like an insect or

crustacean and you shed and regrow the shell as you age. It
is difficult to harm your body.

♦ Claws or Teeth: You have sharp teeth or claws that are

highly dangerous against foes.

8 5
 H I G H C A S T E R

Draken (Drak)
Created from the same forces that created fay, dragons are
some of the world’s oldest creatures. Some believe dragons
are the world’s first creatures--the very first manifestation
of the Speis before any other living creature, including the
fay themselves. Legends say that dragons are as old as the
mountains.
The Draken heritage is tied directly to draconian ancestry
and is a product of both magical and natural evolution.
They have many of the same qualities as dragons but are
more grounded in the material world, whereas dragons
themselves straddle the realms much like Giantkin.
Draken are much smaller than dragons, usually around
15-25 hands, and like their distant ancestors, they have six
limbs, two legs, two arms, and two wings (as opposed to
wyrms, which are beasts and have four limbs, wings, and
legs).

8 6
 T h e H e r i t a g e

Unlike dragons, Draken walk upright and have adapted to

the material world such that they have more hand mobility
and fingers and thumbs. In addition, their draconian skulls
are more subdued and practical for vocal communication.
Draken wings are not as formed as a dragon’s and can
generally only lift their body for short distances unless they
can glide. Also, they can only rise four to five times their
height for several minutes before needing to rest.
Reptilian in nature, Draken are cold-blooded creatures; as
such, they can experience difficulties in harsh weather. How-
ever, their thick scales, wide-ranging in color from earthen
tones to bright hues like red and green, provide a natural
armor for them.
Draken have various types of spitting glands retained from
their draconian ancestry, which possess various effects, such
as fire, venom, or poisonous gas.
Look
♦ Height (choose one): small (17 hands), average (20 hands),
tall (25 hands)

♦ Scales (choose one): brown, ocher, white, black, umber, red,

dark green, bright green, yellow, blue, multi-patterned

♦ Eyes (choose one): gold, silver, bronze, green, blue

Abilities (Pick One)

♦ Fire Glands: You spit a natural oil that explodes through a
chemical reaction so that you can breathe fire in a powerful
and steady stream.

♦ Venom: You spit a spray of toxic venom that will paralyze

or otherwise chemically burn anything exposed to it.

♦ Noxious Gas: You release a poisonous gas from glands in

your mouth that will cause lifeforms to become very ill or
possibly die from the fumes.

8 7
 H I G H C A S T E R

Ekwin (Ekwi)
The Ker are the direct forces of nature and the oldest con-
scious entities. They are often referred to as the “elder gods”
by philosophers, but even they don’t understand their true
nature, form, or power. Beyond the manifestation of creation
forces, the only known entity they created was the Ekwin.
Early forms of the Ekwin were extensions of the Ker. They
were powers that descended into the material world to ex-
perience that life. They were a mystery throughout most of
history, highly feared, and nearly universally respected. It
was unclear how much power they possessed, but none were
keen to find out.
The Ker, like all divine forces during Fall of the Stars, were
separated from the material world. Therfore, the Ekwin
were utterly cut off from their ties to the elder gods during
the Fall, and they all became mortal. A fate similar to others
during this time.

8 8
 T h e H e r i t a g e

Ekwin are universally equine and have a single horn on their

heads. They are commonly called onikern (or unicorns).
The Ekwin retained many mysterious powers from their
connection with the elders. Most notably, they have the
power of telekineses and can move and manipulate the
material world with their minds.
While only the very powerful can do more than an aver-
age body, some can do significantly more. These powerful
Ekwin can pull impossibly heavy objects, tear down strong
structures, or use their nearly indestructible horns as tools
or weapons. They can also model the vocal patterns of other
heritages, as their voices can handle a broader spectrum of
sounds than most others.
Some rare Ekwin can make psychic connections with oth-
ers through telepathy, speaking directly into a mind without
the need for voice or language. These mighty powers meant
Ekwin hadn’t needed to adapt physically to the material
world as much as others.
Look
♦ Height: small (14 hands), average (15 hands), tall (16
hands)

♦ Hide: brown, ocher, white, black, umber, red, dark green,

bright green, yellow, blue, multi-patterned

♦ Eyes: gold, silver, bronze, green, blue

Abilities (Pick One)

♦ Flight: You have majestic wings and can fly at high altitudes
and for long distances.

♦ Telepathic: You can hold intelligent conversations with

other creatures in their minds.

♦ Radiance: You emit a blinding multi-color light from your

body that can light the way or blind others.

8 9
 H I G H C A S T E R

Fynd
After the Deyu manifested as celestial beings, they created
the Skoto, entities of shadow who used the light of creation
to make the realm beneath the material world. Among other
things, the shadow beneath became the pathway for souls
to pass into their next existence after death, but it was also
where the remnants of creation landed. Fynds were born in
this realm as a manifestation of the Skoto, taking the form
of all that remained of the living--their memories, emotions,
forgotten worlds, and their souls and life force.
After the Fall, as with all the other realms, the shadow was
cut off from the material world. The Fynds became mortal,
eventually procreating generation after generation like other
mortals. But they never lost sight of the “remains” of the
world and can see the spirits and souls that wander the lands
with no pathway through the shadow to lead them to their
final destination. They see much that is unseen by others,
even generations later.

9 0
 T h e H e r i t a g e

Fynds, like all non-mortal heritages, take on various forms.

They most commonly resemble mortals and their descen-
dants, but usually in a distorted or monstrous way. They
were formed from what the mortals and their descendants
forgot or left behind, so their features are the physical rep-
resentation of intense emotional states like fear, anger, or
remorse.
They take on many traits of their family line, so their ex-
aggerated Fynd features become increasingly subdued with
each passing generation. The majority of Fynds have leath-
ery and shiny, nearly reflective skin that ranges from dark
reds and brows to blues and blacks. They often have horns,
antlers, dramatic angular faces, and bone structures to rep-
resent strong emotion. They are usually winged or can fly, a
trait held over from their early form.
In addition to their innate ability to see spirits and ghosts,
they are also highly empathic and can sense the emotions of
others very acutely, sometimes feeling them outright.
Look
♦ Height: small (15 hands), average (18 hands), tall (19
hands), wings (12 hands)

♦ Form (choose one): Mortal, Holten, Ekwin, or Nome, a

monstrous body that embodies an intense emotion or fear

♦ Shadow Nature (choose one): otherworldly darkness

emanates from the body obscuring subtle features,
overwhelming powerful presence, can see in the dark

Abilities (Pick One)

♦ Empathy: You can sense emotion or intention from any
living creature.

♦ Darkness: You can create a wide spread area of complete

darkness in which only you can see.

♦ Terrifying: You can inflate your presence and terrify most

creatures around you.

9 1
 H I G H C A S T E R

Giantkin
The giants of the west were far removed from most other
civilizations before the Fall of the Stars. And like the others
from the Speis, they lost their immortality afterward. How-
ever, they retained far more resilience than others. Like drag-
ons, giants can live very long lives, even after the Fall, and
many of the original generations still live. With each passing
generation, however, they lose size, strength, and lifespan.
Today many generations are so far removed from the elders
they are called Giantkin. They retain some traits of their
ancestors but are much closer to the size and strength of
mortals. Giantkin are far removed from their ancestors in
both size and resiliency.
The elders are very few and live in the vast wilderness beyond
the Wyrmspine Mountains and due to their size tend to be
lone hunters and scavengers.

9 2
 T h e H e r i t a g e

Giantkin are still very large compared to most mortals. They

can stand half or a full mortal higher than others. They also
have some of the strength of their ancestors, with the ability
to lift incredible weight and endure extreme conditions.
While their appearance varies just as much as mortals, they
do tend to share similar physical features from their her-
itage, most notably large tusks that were kept from their
bone-crunching ancestors. They also retain some of the size,
strength, and stamina from the elder giants.
Older giantkin (that is those from earlier generations) can
be far bigger and stronger than the younger ones. There are
some, like the elders, that wander outside of a culture be-
cause of the vast areas they need to hunt and gather. Older
giantkin and their elder ancestors do not tend to be heroes
as a result.
Look
♦ Height: small (20 hands), average (24 hands), tall (27
hands)

♦ Hair: black, brown, umber, violet, silver

♦ Eyes: black, brown, yellow

♦ Skin: black, light green, dark green, ocher, orange, gray,

violet

Abilities (Pick One)

♦ Giant-Size: You are much taller than a mortal up to three-
times their height.

♦ Giant Strength: You have far more power than most mortals
with the ability to knock down walls or lift objects many
times your weight.

♦ Giant Stamina: You have far more energy and endurance

than most mortals and can go a week without having to rest
or sleep, even during times of heavy labor.

9 3
 H I G H C A S T E R

Holten (Holt)
The creator deities, Ker, created the Alu so that they would
build the material world itself. It is the Alu who created the
Holten, the resilient, strong, and long-living creatures of
earth and stone. Having not had a connection outside of the
physical world, the Holten are some of the only creatures
that remained cosmically unaffected by the Fall. They exist
in the world not as mortals but as undying creatures of pure
matter--the direct manifestation of the world deities the Alu.
While their form and power have not diminished, they lost
their spiritual connection to their creators and struggle with
the ache of this loss with every year, decade, or eon that
passes.
Holten were forged from earth and appear almost as living
earth, though they take on a practical bipedal form. Their
long existence causes them not to keep memories as present
as other creatures, and they live far more in the fleeting mo-
ment. They do not dwell on memories or potentials.

9 4
 T h e H e r i t a g e

However, if Holten are allowed to focus, they can go into

their minds and uncover any memory they experienced from
all time and recall it as if it had just occurred. This practice
takes effort and time but can be done when needed. But on a
rare occasion, Holten can become overwhelmed with mem-
ories in this way, especially if they don’t keep them archived
deep in their subconscious.
While they tend to live on a moment-to-moment basis, they
do have those deeply embedded memories that allow them
to connect with any number of cultures and immerse them-
selves as well as any other heritage.
Their resiliency is inherent in the fact that they are not truly
made of flesh. Instead, Holten are living earth made of dirt,
stone, or crystal, taking a mobile and shifting flesh-like state.
Holten are quite happy to live and exist alongside any
heritage and are fairly adaptable in their societal function.
Look
♦ Height (choose one): small (15 hands), average (18 hands),
tall (19 hands)

♦ Form: flesh-like bipedal form but made from (choose one)

dirt or sand, stone, crystals, a hybrid mix

♦ Eyes: gold, silver, bronze, brown, gray, pink, green

Abilities (Pick One)

♦ Earthen Touch: You can alter, carve, and sculpt any type of
earth or stone as if it were semisolid or fluid.

♦ Stone Body: Your stone flesh makes it difficult to harm or

damage you.

♦ All Times: You have keener access to memories than others

and can quickly and deftly understand the consequences of
actions, how people will likely behave, and what the right
political moves are.

9 5
 H I G H C A S T E R

Mortals
Before the Fall, mortals were the only ones who bothered to
build civilizations. They lived among (and against) the su-
pernatural all around them, living a different existence alto-
gether. Their short lives and adaptable behavior made them
an enigma to the other creatures of the universe. Before the
fall, many mortals worshiped or revered the immortal crea-
tures as gods or demigods.
The Fall of the Stars removed the divide between mortals
and the supernatural, and what used to be an enigma be-
came the new normal.
Compared to the other creatures that are now mortal, those
of mortal heritage don’t have the remnants of the supernatu-
ral within them. But what they lack in natural abilities, they
make up for in adaptability. Mortals live in almost every cli-
mate of Highcaster, no matter how harsh the environment.
While they may need more clothing and shelter than most

9 6
 T h e H e r i t a g e

creatures, their very bodies adapt to extreme conditions

quite quickly and will not depend upon shelter as much.
As a result of their lack of natural protection, mortals were
the first to build large structures and cities. Even after the
cultural melting pot that Highcaster became after the Fall,
they still are the best builders, no matter their culture.
A rather remarkable attribute unique to Mortals is their
highly complex vocal cords. As a result, mortals can speak
almost any language and have a natural ability to mimic
sounds that are not natural to them. This ability has saved
them throughout time as they adapted to environments.
Mortals are quite varied in their appearance. They have skin
tones ranging from dark pigment to almost no pigment at
all. Likewise, their hair color ranges from nearly any color
one can think of, as with their eyes. Some even have hair
colors ranging from violet and red to yellow and silver.
Look
♦ Height (choose one): small (15 hands), average (18 hands),
tall (19 hands)

♦ Hair: black, brown, yellow, silver, red, orange, lavender,

violet

♦ Eyes: black, brown, gold, silver, lavender

♦ Skin: black, violet, dark blue, light blue, dark green, light
green, white, pale, pink, light brown, dark brown, lavender

Abilities (Pick One)

♦ Adaptable: You get a Talent die whenever you have to
confront a threat as a result of the natural elements.

♦ Builder: You get a Talent die whenever you need to build a

form of shelter or intuitively understand engineering.

♦ Mortal Voice: You get a Talent die when you attempt to

mimic a vocal sound from another creature to confront a
threat.

9 7
 H I G H C A S T E R

Nomes
The Lei, the horizon, the borderlands imbued life into the
material world and created the Nomes. The embodiment of
nature spirits, Nomes have a sort of cyclical immortality.
When individuals die, they are reborn with the same identity
and many of the same memories of their previous life. This
process continues in perpetuity until there is no longer a will
to move on.
Relatively diminutive compared to other heritages, Nomes
are small, vibrant, bipedal creatures that often appear
youthful and bright with energy. Many of them have wings
of various varieties, and those who don’t can still flutter on a
breeze or skip lightly between the branches of trees.
Although nomes are associated with the fay, unlike the fay
they are very material and do not have the ability to phase
into the in-between, nor do they connect with radiance,
darkness, or other cosmological forces.

9 8
 T h e H e r i t a g e

They are as natural as anything else in the material world.

However, some Nomes have not passed onto new bodies
and still hold onto a single one. When they do this, the body
appears aged and wizened with overly-pronounced charac-
teristics, slow movement, and a leathery appearance. Aged
Nomes in this state while physically weakened, preserve age-
less memories and wisdom from their long lives.
Nomes have inherent control over life energy. They can cure
diseased creatures, heal someone who has been harmed, and
soothe trauma and destructive emotional states. Some can
even restore a recently lost soul to the body if the body is in
a habitable state.
Some Nomes also have control over natural energy in gener-
al and can help wildlife or flora grow or heal--or even com-
municate with them in subtle subconscious ways. But, even
if they don’t have this ability outright, all Nomes are sensi-
tive to living things.
Look
♦ Height: small (10 hands), average (12 hands), tall (13
hands)

♦ Appearances: (choose one) youthful, radiant, aged

♦ Skin: green, blue, orange, yellow, brown

♦ Hair: green, blue, red, brown, black

Abilities (Pick One)

♦ Healer: You can heal harmed creatures and can resurrect
recently deceased creatures if the body is still intact.

♦ Fly: You have wings of a bird, mammal, or insect that allow

you to fly short distances quickly.

♦ Nature Hands: You can influence plants and animals by

communicating with them subconsciously.

9 9
 H I G H C A S T E R

Sael
The celestials were created even before the world, as phys-
ical manifestations of the Deyu, the forces of creation that
put the universe in motion. Separate from the world but a
part of it, they could descend and take on a physical form by
constraining their true nature. However, after the Fall, they
were forever cut off from their celestial nature and became
mortal.
The Sael are the descendants of those celestials. Many gener-
ations later, they live and work among the other mortals and
within the various cultures. While their lineage is profound-
ly significant, it does little for newer generations, many times
removed from the powerful Deyu.
Before the Fall, when celestials descended, they would most
often appear as mortals. However, that was not always the
case.

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 T h e H e r i t a g e

There are also some Sael that took what mortals would
consider a monstrous form because they chose to embody
their true nature better. When cut off from the celestial, these
forms would also persist through bloodlines as the Sael pro-
created.
All Sael carry a remnant of their celestial past, but it varies
from individual to individual. Almost all are winged or can
fly. Some Sael naturally radiate light, as if a visible aura sur-
rounds them. Some can become lighter than air and hover
high above the earth. And some emanate fire as if cloaked in
a flaming coat of armor.
There are countless other traits, particularly among those
that have taken non-mortal forms. These include such bestial
features as talons, beaks, tough skin hides, multiple limbs or
eyes, tentacles, or pseudopods, to name a few.
Look
♦ Height: small (15 hands), average (18 hands), tall (19
hands), wings (12 hands)

♦ Form (choose one): like a mortal, multiple limbs that can

be used independently, wings, several eyes, tentacles or
pseudopods, part mortal and part beast such as a lion or
bird of prey, two or more combined forms

♦ Celestial Nature (choose one): glows with an otherworldly

radiance, overwhelming powerful presence, can hear
thoughts

Abilities (Pick One)

♦ Transcendence: You can hover at great heights and control
your ascent or descent.

♦ Radiance: You can radiate blinding light from yourself as if

a visible aura.

♦ Celestial Fire: You robe yourself in a supernatural fire that

can harm others and protect you.

1 0 1
W
e hear too often as we re-
cord history, that one is if
they do what was ordained.
One walks their path of belief.
One makes use of their faith.
Chroniclers know better. We
have found through the ages that a person’s creed
has little to do with their path. And their creed is
nothing at all to do with their deeds. A person’s
choice defines their character, not the road they
journey, not the disciplines they are taught, and
certainly not the creed they profess.
Still, our realm is full of those who journey. Some
of them become heroes but are only so because they
choose to be. Nothing in a person’s blood or cul-
ture will define who they are, for it is they who de-
termine their actions. Blood does not choose one’s
action. Culture does not choose one’s actions. And
no path is a prison from which there is no escape.
To break free of a course, one simply must choose
to do so.
So readers of the time, pay heed to this old scribe.
History is not made because of who a person is.
History is made because of what a person does.
Be they chroniclers or swyrders, magisters or
oathen. Whatever their creed, whatever their cul-
ture, whatever their heritage. Chroniclers care not
about any of it, save for their deeds.
—Highdoni Chronicler Julius Lorrado
 V

P A T H

A
character’s path is their chosen pur-
pose in life. One may consider it a pro-
fession of sorts, but it is much deeper than
that. Paths define a character’s outlook on
life, as well as their role in it. It foreshad-
ows obstacles and choices they will face in
their journey and all questions will be answered according
to this choice.
But a character’s path is not a permanent choice. They can
grow, just like anyone else, expand their skills and disci-
plines and start on new paths. But mastery takes time, so
paths should not be chosen lightly.
Every culture has its take on the paths, though they are, for
the most part, universally understood by those in Highcast-
er. The words used to describe the paths and their disciplines
are handed down from ancient Highspeak. Many cultures
still use them due to centuries of habit, but some designate
the paths uniquely.
Whatever they are called, they represent a life above and
beyond the average person’s existence. These are the paths
of heroes, who leave their safe borders to venture into the
unknown for reasons greater than themselves. They are an
archetype of a hero.

1 0 4
Most people in Highcaster do not have a path. Taking on
a path is a step beyond the mundane and requires a great
deal of training to achieve even the basics of disciplines. The
very fact that your characters have chosen a path will place
them in an entirely different league from everyone they meet,
whether commoners or monarchs.
A hero with a path striding into a town will cause daily life
to stop altogether so that everyone, child and elder alike,
can step out and watch them pass. They will be given any
accommodation the people can offer and provided anything
else they ask if possible. Heroes are deeply feared, as well as
respected. And people will be anxious about what the pres-
ence of heroes will bring to their homes.
Consequently, characters with a path have a responsibility.
They must not take respect for granted. They must protect
the people. Finally, they must make a positive mark, as who-
ever meets them will never forget them.
♦ Magister: sorcerers disciplined in tomes, magical words, and
runes

♦ Oathen: knights disciplined in honor, bravery, and battle

♦ Outdon: outcasts disciplined in thievery, banditry, and

murder

♦ Scoplar: storytellers disciplined in song, oration, and

performance

♦ Veneren: reverends disciplined in healing, the wrath of

deities, and prayer

♦ Warren: warriors disciplined in protection, swordplay, and

archery

♦ Wicker: wise ones disciplined in charms, curses, and

blessings

♦ Wildkin: nomads disciplined in journeys, survival, and

hunting

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 H I G H C A S T E R

Magister, Path of Sorcery

Sorcery is a perilous Path and one that has brought destruc-
tion on many, both to others and the sorcerers themselves.
Magic entails manipulating the powers of the natural world
through force of will and ritual. In contrast to more natural
forms of magic, such as practiced by the Path of Wicker, the
Sorcerer bends reality using words of power, the strength of
will, and the power of symbols.
Creed of the Path
An honorable Magister will:
♦ Not use magic for selfish gain

♦ Not withhold uncovered secrets of magic with other

Magisters

♦ Not use destructive magic against the innocent

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 T h e P a t h

Culture
♦ Deirwesch: Trained at the Bregdon College of Tomes, after
convocation, you took on the official title Tomekin and
belong to a family of peers who study and share knowledge.

♦ Highdoni: Trained by the Court of Mystera as an imperial

sorcerer, you are named an official Magister.

♦ Rishen: Trained by the well-known sorcery guild the

Society of Learned Sorcerers (or simply “the
Learned”), you are now a member of this prestigious guild.

♦ Saeberds: Trained at Isolation Coast by the monarch, you

are now a Runesmith, a rare high rank of a crew.

♦ Sterboren: Trained in the long tradition of sages before you,

after rigorous testing, you have earned the station Rhe-Ka.

♦ Witlanders: Trained by the clan elder and following a trial,

you earned the title Crowblood.

♦ Wyrmgarde: Trained personally by a war monarch in

the Wyrmspine, you have become that warband’s only
Kinwerd.

Background (Answer Each)

♦ What does your magic look like when you manifest it
through tomes, power words, or runes?

♦ Who was the person who really unlocked your internal

powers in your youth?

♦ How did you do during your training and who helped you
to succeed?

♦ What does magic feel like to you when you use it?

♦ Who was your adversary during training, why did you have
conflict, and what became of them?

♦ What transformative moment happened in your past that

set you on your path?

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 H I G H C A S T E R
♦ What discipline are you most attracted to, tomes, power
words, or runes?

Belongings (Answer Each)

♦ What are your runes inscribed onto for casting your rune-
based magic?

♦ What does your tome of magical spells look like and what
makes it unique to you?

♦ What magical artifact do you have and what does it do?

♦ Describe your home, the place you will return to when your
journeys are complete.

♦ Describe your family, the loved ones you left behind.

Relationships (Ask the Other Heroes Any or All)

♦ Who needs to understand my power better and why?

♦ Who is too reckless and must be calmed?

♦ Who has a natural magical power of which they may not be

aware?

♦ Who is hiding something important?

♦ Who do I confide in when I need counsel?

Path Talent
Get a Talent die whenever your knowledge of the magical
arts is tested.
Disciplines
♦ Sage, The Discipline of Tomes: Use a tome to perform a
ritual for a magical effect that harms or protects from harm.

♦ Vocar, The Discipline of Words: Speak incantations to

create a magical effect that summons spirits or beasts.

♦ Myster, The Discipline of Runes: Draw sacred glyphs to

create a magical effect that reveals wisdom or truth.

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 T h e P A T H

Oathen, Path of the Knight

No matter culture or heritage or philosopher or fighter, one
follows the Path of the Oathen if they’ve sworn an oath to
something greater than themselves.
Oathen are sometimes simply called “knights,” but they are
referred to by different names depending on their culture.
The Path demands a commitment to a Creed beyond any
other and insists upon one’s oath above all. Those who fol-
low this Path are relentless in their courage and heroism.
Their oath is impenetrable.
Creed of the Path
An honorable Oathen will:
♦ Never forsake their oath

♦ Put their oath before their happiness or safety

♦ Not tolerate anyone who stands in the way of their oath

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Culture
♦ Deirwesch: The Knights of the Key take an oath to find
and protect historical texts and artifacts.

♦ Highdoni: The Order of the March is a knighthood

formed by Mystera, takes an oath to protect the roads and
borders of the empire.

♦ Rishen: The Guild of Many takes an oath to defend and

protect trade, no matter who or what is being transported.

♦ Saeberds: The Sternkrewe take an oath to protect the

innocents on sea and rivers.

♦ Sterboren: The Ur-Ka take an oath to protect the Sterboren,

wherever they may reside.

♦ Witlanders: The Skerblades take an oath to protect all

clans from threats outside of the Witlands, but be clanless.

♦ Wyrmgarde: The Bannerkin take an oath to serve as the

voice and body of the monarch when outside the monarchy.

Background (Answer Each)

♦ What drove you to take a lifelong oath?

♦ Who do you consider a trusted sibling within your order or

knighthood?

♦ What adversary nearly drove you to break your oath, and

what happened?

♦ What trinket do you carry to remind you of your oath?

♦ Who or what did you have to give up in order to take your

oath?

♦ What is it about your oath that you love the most?

♦ What is it about your oath that you hate the most?

1 1 0
 T h e P A T H

Belongings (Answer Each)

♦ What is your preferred weapon?

♦ Name three items that are always on your person, apart

from your weapon.

♦ Describe the place you will return to when your journeys

are complete.

♦ What is your mount’s name and why is it special?

♦ Describe the person to which you owe your fealty and life.

Relationships (Ask the Other Heroes Any or All)

♦ Who needs help maturing?

♦ Who believes my oath gets in the way of what must be

done?

♦ Who has a strong will and is vital to my purpose?

♦ Who has a creed that will ultimately come into conflict with
my oath?

♦ Who do I confide in when I need counsel?

Path Talent
Get a Talent die whenever you make ethical or moral judg-
ments about a situation.
Disciplines
♦ Chevalar, The Discipline of Honor: Adhere to your creed or
oath when in the face of adversity.

♦ Braven, The Discipline of Bravery: Risk your life to assist or

protect another without hesitation.

♦ Comandur, The Discipline of Battle: Take strategic

leadership of a group to undergo a task.

1 1 1
 H I G H C A S T E R

Outdon, Path of the Outcast

Some walk on the outskirts of society or have been cast out.
They do not belong to the ordinary routines of the world
in which they live. Yet, they still, in their unique way, work
to preserve and protect their society. Perhaps they don’t
abide by the laws of their land, or perhaps they don’t share
the same Creed or beliefs. But the Path of the Outdon is
about doing what one knows is right, even if others think it’s
wrong. So they persevere despite cultural norms and thrive
on uncoupling from a society that binds others.
Creed of the Path
An honorable Outdon will:
♦ Not reveal secrets entrusted to them

♦ Not fail to deliver on something they promised

♦ Not allow emotions to interfere with their duty

1 1 2
 T h e P a t h

Culture
♦ Deirwesch: Those who work against the High Council but
for the service of the realm are called Lox, for they are as
fish that swim against the stream

♦ Highdoni: The outdon of Highdoni are highly organized

and secret, working for and against Mystera; the largest
crime guild is The Whisper.

♦ Rishen: The meltingpot of Rishfenn allows for all manner

of outdon, from all walks of life; they are usually called
Pursers, or thieves.

♦ Saeberds: The crews of Isolation Coast commonly embrace

outcasts from other cultures; however, those outside the
monarchy are unlawful and are called Pirates.

♦ Sterboren: Outdon exiled from these lands are not permitted

to return, so those that do live in secrecy and are called
Khemiti.

♦ Witlanders: Outcasts from other cultures embraced by

Witlander clans and who have earned their trust are called
Heather, the people of the heath, journeyfolk of open
lands.

♦ Wyrmgarde: Outdon who work for themselves outside of

the monarchies are called Sellswords.

Background (Answer Each)

♦ What caused you to be an outcast?

♦ What culture has cast you out, and do you continue to

help their people? If not, why did you bond with the new
culture?

♦ Who in your past pushed you to your limit, provoking you

to become who you are?

♦ Who in your past would you destroy if you ever lay eyes on
them again? Why?

1 1 3
 H I G H C A S T E R
♦ What do you hope to gain with your lifestyle and where
would you like to end up?

Belongings (Answer Each)

♦ What is your most prized possession?

♦ Name three other items that are always on your person.

♦ Describe where you live. Is it safe? Would you like to stay?

Why or why not?

♦ Do you have a family? If so, do they know where you are?

♦ Describe the person that you trust the most. Why do you
trust them?

Relationships (Ask the Other Heroes Any or All)

♦ Who should trust me but doesn’t?

♦ Who does not understand my creed and will likely interfere

with it?

♦ Who understands me and what I’m trying to do?

♦ Who do I know you find most untrustworthy, and why?

♦ Who owes me favors?

Path Talent
Get a Talent die whenever use your understanding of the
criminal/outcast world to confront a threat.
Disciplines
♦ Thef, The Discipline of Thievery: Attempt to take
something of great importance that is not yours.

♦ Highpather, The Discipline of Banditry: Attempt to

intimidate someone to get what you want.

♦ Mordras, The Discipline of Murder: Attempt to take a

creature’s life, not out of emotion, but out of duty.

1 1 4
 T h e P A T H

Scoplar, Path of The Storyteller

Historians, actors, orators, musicians, humorists, singers,
poets—the Scoplar Path is truly the heart of all cultures and
societies. They are the observers and the truth-speakers, al-
ways working to better their communities through art and
wisdom. Scoplars are generally highly respected in the cul-
tures they serve. They are kept in courts and included in
memorable journeys to hold counsel with leaders, record
important events, and entertain. They inspire armies, move
societies, and serve as the voice of their people.
Creed of the Path
An honorable Scoplar will:
♦ Use their talents to serve the society in which they live

♦ Speak the truth within their art

♦ Educate as well as entertain

1 1 5
 H I G H C A S T E R
Culture
♦ Deirwesch: No matter their type of talent, scoplars are
called Historians in Deirwesch and are some of the most
revered people in the region.

♦ Highdoni: Scoplars serve the imperial court as advisors and

entertainers of Mystera and are called Courtsmiths.

♦ Rishen: There are many Rishen scoplar guilds; the most

prominent is called The Odd Philosophical Society.

♦ Saeberds: Those who revere them as prized crew members,

were the first to coin the term Scoplar, describing how they
mock or “scoff” at the crew.

♦ Sterboren: The musicians and performers of Sterboren are

legendary and are called the Khem-Rey.

♦ Witlanders: Clans have great admiration for their poets and

bards; they are given a noble rank called Wyrders.

♦ Wyrmgarde: The monarchs always have a scoplar in court

or the warbands as personal advisors, and they are called
Kinfates.

Background (Answer Each)

♦ What is your talent and how does it translate into your role
as cultural advisor and entertainer?

♦ Who nurtured this talent and what is their significance to

you?

♦ Who in your past pushed you to your limit to become who

you are?

♦ Who in your past is your lifelong rival? Why?

♦ For which work or performance are you most famous for?

♦ What social injustice drove you into service as a scoplar and

what do you hope to change about society?

♦ What other talents do you have?

1 1 6
 T h e P A T H

Belongings (Answer Each)

♦ What is your most prized possession?

♦ Name three other items that are always on your person.

♦ Describe your home, the place you will return when your
work is complete.

♦ Describe your family, the loved ones you keep in your life.

♦ Describe the person to which you owe your success.

Relationships (Ask the Other Heroes Any or All)

♦ Who needs my advice but will not admit it?

♦ Who believes my talent isn’t what I profess?

♦ Who is a promising entertainer who could use my training?

♦ Who has a creed that will ultimately come into conflict with
mine?

♦ Who do I confide in when I need counsel?

Path Talent
Give a Talent die to another character whenever you do
something to inspire them.
Disciplines
♦ Canter, The Discipline of Song: Recount a legend, poem, or
historical fact to assist in a situation.

♦ Oraten, The Discipline of Oration: Use your wit or words

to change someone’s mind or the tone of a situation.

♦ Pleier, The Discipline of Performance: Perform an

instrument, dance, or sing to affect a situation.

1 1 7
 H I G H C A S T E R

Veneren, Path of the Devout

It is challenging to maintain that deities have anything to do
with the world, notably since their literal fall to the earth was
well-chronicled, and the aftereffects still impact almost every
aspect of life in Highcaster. However, many still worship the
gods, and plenty of creatures still harness divine power. The
Veneren represent devotees who can draw power from the
divine, whether they are Sternewn, drawing power from the
memory of the gods or Stergress, who draw power from the
belief gods exist and Highcaster is being tested.
Creed of the Path
An honorable Veneren will:
♦ Not commit a heresy of their beliefs

♦ Honor the principles of their chosen devotion

♦ Make the principles of their chosen devotion known

1 1 8
 T h e P a t h

Culture
♦ Deirwesch: As they’re not religious people, veneren from
Deirwesch are a minority and tend to be outcasts; they are
called Yesterfolk, people stuck on old times.

♦ Highdoni: Both Sternewn and Stergress veneren are

common and highly respected; they are called Reverands.

♦ Rishen: Veneren in the Rishen region are relatively rare

and tend to be agnostic, neither followers of Stergress or
Sternewn; they are called Woven, people of the cloth.

♦ Saeberds: Highly devoted to Sternewn ways, veneren of

Isolation Coast are influential advisors and caretakers of the
ordinary people; they are called Meret, the rememberers.

♦ Sterboren: The priests of Khem protect the unbroken

reincarnation of the Khem-Ka; they are called Hem-Ka and
serve as priests and judges as part of their path.

♦ Witlanders: The holy people of the witlands are called

Oathenser, the oathtakers of the stars.

♦ Wyrmgarde: The many religions of the numerous

monarchies of the Wyrmgarde have a unifying concept of
a warrior priest who serves each warband; they are called
Kinpreier.

Background (Answer Each)

♦ What is a deity or religious path do you adhere to, and what
are the primary principles?

♦ Who initiated you into service of the divine?

♦ What does it look like when you call forth divine power? Is
there a symbol or ritual object you favor?

♦ Did your family reject or embrace your path?

♦ What do you hope your divine connection will bring to the

society you serve?

♦ What did you experience that brought you faith?

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Belongings (Answer Each)
♦ What is your most prized possession?

♦ Name three other items are always on your person?

♦ Describe your home, the place you live and practice your
devotion?

♦ Describe your family or the loved ones in your life.

♦ Describe the person to which you owe your devotion and

life.

♦ Describe your place of worship.

Relationships (Ask the Other Heroes Any or All)

♦ Who needs faith but will not admit it?

♦ Who believes my creed gets in the way of what must be

done?

♦ Who shares my devotion?

♦ Who has a creed that will ultimately come into conflict with
mine?

♦ Who do I confide in when I need counsel?

Path Talent
Get a Talent die whenever your understanding of the divine
is needed to solve a problem.
Disciplines
♦ Haelan, The Discipline of Healing: Call upon your divine
source to heal someone in need.

♦ Wrothu, The Discipline of Divine Wrath: Call upon your

divine source to cause harm to someone.

♦ Prier, The Discipline of Prayer: Call upon your divine source

to find wisdom or truth.

1 2 0
 T h e P A T H

Warren, Path of War

The Path of War does not make one a ruthless killer or ty-
rant. It is a carefully balanced Path that infuses the honor of
battle with the needs of society. Warren are protectors of the
realm. They represent the most skilled and mighty warriors
in Highcaster, who use their station to protect others and re-
solve dangerous conflicts. It is not a Path for the bloodthirsty
or those with angry dispositions. It is a place for heroes that
carry the burden of honor heavily on their shoulders as they
strive to make Highcaster a safe realm.
Creed of the Path
An honorable Warren will:
♦ Protect innocents that are in danger

♦ Not intentionally harm an unarmed person

♦ Use words first and steel last

1 2 1
 H I G H C A S T E R
Culture
♦ Deirwesch: Trained at Sundered Hold, you are appointed a
Fortunate, a warrior in service of the High Council.

♦ Highdoni: Trained by the Court of Mystera, you are one of

the imperial guards of high rank, a member of the Violet
Cloaks.

♦ Rishen: Trained by a prominent merchant guild, you rose in

the ranks of the Finishers, a feared mercenary guild.

♦ Saeberds: Trained at Isolation Coast by the monarch, you

became one of the Saltfists, feared maritime warriors.

♦ Sterboren: Trained in the long tradition of highly-skilled

warriors, you are now one of the Khemstorm.

♦ Witlanders: Trained with a clan, you are named one of the

Hundredforth, the elite warriors of the lands.

♦ Wyrmgarde: Trained by a war monarch in the Wyrmspine,

you now in a highly prized warband called Kingarde.

Background (Answer Each)

♦ What is your most prized weapon and what makes it
different?

♦ Who gave you this weapon and what is their significance to

you?

♦ Who in your past pushed you to your limit to become who

you are?

♦ Who in your past would you destroy if you ever lay eyes on
them again? Why?

♦ What atrocity did you witness that compels you to live

according to your creed?

♦ Who do you fight for? Why?

♦ If you were anointed as a monarch how would your run

your realm?

1 2 2
 T h e P A T H

Belongings (Answer Each)

♦ What is your most prized possession?

♦ Name three other items that are always on your person,

apart from your weapon.

♦ Describe your home, the place you will return to when your
journeys are complete.

♦ Describe your family, the loved ones you left behind.

♦ Describe the person to which you owe your fealty and life.

Relationships (Ask the Other Heroes Any or All)

♦ Who needs my protection but will not admit it?

♦ Who believes my creed gets in the way of what must be

done?

♦ Who is a promising warrior from whom I can learn many

things?

♦ Who has a creed that will ultimately come into conflict with
mine?

♦ Who do I confide in when I need counsel?

Path Talent
Get a Talent die whenever your understanding of battle
strategy and tactics will help your situation.
Disciplines
♦ Warder, The Discipline of Protection: Defend someone from
harm.

♦ Swyrder, The Discipline of Swordplay: Fight an opponent

with swordplay.

♦ Archer, The Discipline of Archery: Fight an opponent at a

distance.

1 2 3
 H I G H C A S T E R

Wicker, Path of the Wise

Sometimes characterized as folk magic practitioners, the
Path of the Wicker belongs to the commoner—the everyday
person under the yoke of the wealthy or high-born. They
protect, heal, and support those who aren’t of a station to do
so themselves. They are the voice of the marginalized, disen-
franchised, or rejected. The wicker gives power to those who
have none and is a true force of justice against the failings
of society and cultures. Their magic comes from the willing
power of the spirits.
Creed of the Path
An honorable Wicker will:
♦ Serve the downtrodden of society

♦ Reject tyranny and not serve oppressors

♦ Not subjugate others

1 2 4
 T h e P a t h

Culture
♦ Deirwesch: Disliked and distrusted by the High Council, the
wicker of Deirwesch stay amongst the lower class and are
called Chaermers due to their craft.

♦ Highdoni: Respected by the empire, they are left alone as

the primary source of health and protection for peasants
and workers; these wicker are called the Folkwrights,
workers of the people.

♦ Rishen: The wicker of Rishen operate outside of the guild

structure as one of the only people who assist those that
can’t find help with guilds; they are called Havenkind.

♦ Saeberds: Wickers of Isolation Coast are highly celebrated

by crews and respected as elders; they are called
Saltweavers.

♦ Sterboren: A formal station was created by the monarchy to

serve the non-nobility; these wickers are called Sem-Ka.

♦ Witlanders: The wicker are revered above all, even clan

leaders, elders, or holy people; they are called Wisen, the
wise ones.

♦ Wyrmgarde: The first to be called Wicker, they operate

freely as elders for the peasants and workers.

Background (Answer Each)

♦ What artifacts, trinkets, and tools do you use for magic?

♦ Who brought you into the life of wicker, and why were you
attracted to it?

♦ Who never understood your power and ostracized you?

♦ Who in the world are you most devoted to helping?

♦ What is it about the current social structure you’d like to

change the most, and how do you plan on doing it?

♦ What community or city have you most tried to serve, and

what did you do to help them?

1 2 5
 H I G H C A S T E R
Belongings (Answer Each)
♦ What is your most prized possession?

♦ Name three other items that are always on your person,

apart from your weapon.

♦ Describe your home, the place you will return to when your
journeys are complete.

♦ Describe your family, the loved ones you left behind.

♦ Describe the person to which you owe your loyalty and life.

Relationships (Ask the Other Heroes Any or All)

♦ Who needs my protection but will not admit it?

♦ Who believes my creed gets in the way of what must be

done?

♦ Who is a promising warrior from whom I can learn many

things?

♦ Who has a creed that will ultimately come into conflict with
mine?

♦ Who do I confide in when I need counsel?

Path Talent
Get a Talent die whenever you are directly working to help
or protect someone that is marginalized or oppressed.
Disciplines
♦ Chaerm, The Discipline of Talisman: Spend at least a full
day to create a talisman with a long-term magical effect.

♦ Cursian, The Discipline of Curses: Cast a magical curse that

will have a harmful effect on a person.

♦ Bledsen, The Discipline of Blessing: Cast a magical blessing

that will have a helpful effect on a person.

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 T h e P A T H

Wildkin, Path of the Nomad

Some thrive without an organized society and, since the Fall
of the Stars, have found a way to flourish without ruling
councils, clan leaders, monarchs, or nobility. Many of this
nature adopt the Path of the Nomad. Survival is material for
the nomad, as they prevail in the wilds of Highcaster with-
out fear of the corruption taking hold of the realm. It is also
vital for societies that need Wildkin not only to survive but
to thrive. They depend on the crucial links provided by the
wildkin, as they forge paths and routes between, close rifts,
and identify territory for new communities.
Creed of the Path
An honorable Wildkin will:
♦ Seek to balance the needs of societies and nature

♦ Not harm or support those who would harm natural balance

♦ Not take an oath to a any society or leader

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Culture
♦ Deirwesch: The High Council looks down on wildkin in
their region and at times pushes them out. They call them
simply Wildkin.

♦ Highdoni: Wildkin are often employed as soldiers or

diplomats by the empire and are called Steroathen for
their oaths are with the stars, not society.

♦ Rishen: Wildkin often associate with Rishen as they create

and forge their trade routes. They are welcome and admired
among them and are called Wildkin.

♦ Saeberds: The Saeberds work closely with wildkin for trade

and diplomacy between societies; since many others are
wary of Saeberds. They call them Erthsel, the ships of the
earth.

♦ Sterboren: Wildkin are welcome into Khem as diplomats

but not as nomads; they call them Hem-Su.

♦ Witlanders: Clans in Witland Downs call wildkin that live

or move through their region Windfeet.

♦ Wyrmgarde: Wildkin are quite common in the Wyrmspine,

and they often mediate between monarchies. The term
Wildkin first came from here.

Background (Answer Each)

♦ What is your ideal natural environment?

♦ How long have you been on this path and how did you get
brought into it?

♦ What about society cause you concern?

♦ What about society do you believe is essential and beneficial

to the world?

♦ What societies have you worked with as a diplomat, soldier,

or guide?

♦ If you had to choose, where would you call home?

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 T h e P A T H

Belongings (Answer Each)

♦ What is your most prized possession?

♦ Name three other items that are always on your person.

♦ Describe your dwelling place and where you can recuperate.

♦ Describe your family, the loved ones you left behind.

♦ Describe a beast that is your acquaintance. How did you

come by them and what do they do for you?

Relationships (Ask the Other Heroes Any or All)

♦ Who needs to understand the natural world better and is a
threat to it?

♦ Who believes my creed gets in the way of what must be

done?

♦ Who excels with the balance of nature and society?

♦ Who has a creed that will ultimately come into conflict with
mine?

♦ Who do I confide in when I need counsel?

Path Talent
Get a Talent die whenever you are attempting to balance
nature and society with your action.
Disciplines
♦ Marchen, The Discipline of Journeys: Known and
understand how to navigate an area.

♦ Ferox, The Discipline of Survival: Know and understand

how to withstand the elements.

♦ Hunta, The Discipline of the Hunt: Know and understand

how to track and capture or kill a creature.

1 2 9
T
he measure of a person is
often said to be their wealth,
their land, and their vassals.
Others would venture to say
that it is also within their heart
and moral character. I say no.
The measure of a person is what they can do. I care
not what they can do for themselves, how much
land they can ward over, or how many banners they
can raise in a time of war. I care not how many alms
they give, how many temples they build, or how
many rousing speeches they perform.
This chronicler cares not for wealth or words. For
it is clear as one studies even a modest segment of
times past that words and wealth mean nothing to
history. On the contrary, they represent only noise.
No, the measure of the person is what they can do
for their people. It is not in astute leadership; it is
in their actions. It is not in pleasant words; it is in
their actions. It is not in land; it is in their actions.
This chronicler measures greatness by action. Yes,
there are those who possess talent. Yes, there are
those who embrace duty. Yes, there are those who
have wealth. But those qualities alone do not make
greatness. Instead, it is what one does with those
qualities that measure up to tides of history.
I say the manner in which a person makes their
mark is how history will know them.
—Highdoni Chronicler Julius Lorrado
 V I

F E A T S

M
ost of the time, players will be able to
confront and subdue threats for their char-
acters by using a modifier dice pool that in-
cludes Humor dice and, if applicable, Disci-
pline dice. In certain situations, they may also
have a Talent from their heritage or culture
that will add another d6 to the modifier pool. In addition,
players will customize their character further with Feats,
allowing them to engage the system in another way.
Feats are designed to be character customizations unique to
a character and not tied into a culture, heritage, or path.
While most of a character’s traits (Humors, Disciplines, and
Talents) add dice to the modifier dice pool, Feats will cus-
tomize another aspect of game play that will fundamentally
give a character an advantage.
Every player chooses a feat during character creation. They
can “buy” more feats simply by spending waxes of a humor
equal to your existing number of feats times three after a
session or when narratively appropriate.
It doesn’t matter if your waxes are reduced below your cur-
rent die level, because the die itself won’t be reduced. How-
ever you’ll need to earn them back to get the next dice tier.

1 3 2
 F E A T S

Affluent
You always seem to have what you need. Once per session
you can introduce a truth without spending a Favor.
Blessed
You always seem to have a way out of trouble. You get two
Favor at the start of each session.
Courageous
You exhibit extraordinary bravery. Immediately spend Fa-
vor to negate harm to the Courage Humor.
Driven
When you succeed, you are inspired to do even better. You
get two Favor when you roll 20+.
Favored
It seems as if something or someone is always looking out
for you. Whenever you spend Favor to add a d6 to your
modifier die pool, you add 2d6.
Fortunate
You seem to be exalted with fortune. Reroll the d20 whenev-
er it lands on 1. Describe how you bounced back from what
appeared to be a bad situation.
Healer
You can assist others in finding their full strength and po-
tential. You help another character regain two harm a day
when they rest.
Inspirational
When you show your mettle, you inspire others to have mo-
mentum against a foe. When you resolve a stage of a threat,
you can give a d6 to another player to be used in a future
roll. Your inspirational nature must be detailed in the nar-
rative.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Intimidating
When you show your mettle, you gain momentum against
a foe. When you resolve a stage of a threat, you get a d6 to
be used in a future roll. Your intimidating nature must be
detailed in the narrative.
Leader
You are known for being able to lead others to do difficult
tasks. Spend Favor to give one of your Discipline dice that
narratively applies to another player to use before or after
their roll.
Learned
You are well educated and know far more than most about
the world. Once per session, your character may know
something about the world that will help a situation. You
may choose to introduce a truth if it is not about an existing
threat or ask the Chronicler to reveal a truth.
Prestigious
You exhibit extraordinary status and presence. Immediately
spend Favor to negate harm to the Prestige Humor.
Relentless
You do not stop against a foe until you have deemed it time
to relent. You can confront subdued threats without spend-
ing Favor. Your relentless nature must be aligned with what
is happening in the narrative.
Resolute
When you must succeed, you do. Spend a Favor to succeed
automatically on a die roll once per session.
Skilled
You are exceptionally talented in a Discipline. Choose a Dis-
cipline in which you are highly trained. Whenever you use
that Discipline, double that die for your modifier dice pool.
You can choose this Feat for each of your Disciplines.

1 3 4
 F E A T S

Soothing
You have the ability to calm an escalating situation. Spend
a Favor to move a threat down one stage. If the threat is at
a single stage, it is automatically subdued, and the narrative
plays out accordingly.
Strong-Willed
You do not let troubles set you back. You can negate up to
two harm a day when resting.
Suave
You are well-loved and charming. You may reroll a failed
Prestige roll once per session.
Tactical
You can always turn a situation to your advantage. Roll nor-
mally whenever a roll requires a disadvantage.
Tenacious
You do not give up in the face of danger. You may reroll a
failed Courage roll once per session.
Trained
You are very well trained and can quickly recover. You re-
gain up to two Discipline dice per rest (8 hours at least).
Trainer
You are very good at training others. You can help one other
character regain up to two Discipline dice per day when they
rest (8 hours at least).
Virtuous
You are very true to your honor and word. Immediately
spend Favor to negate harm to the Virtue Humor
Witnessed
You are very moral in the face of adversity. You may reroll
a failed Virtue roll once per session.

1 3 5
S
trife will always be. It is the
opinion of this old chronicler
that strife and struggle are nec-
essary for the soul to live. With-
out conflict, how does the soul
know to grow?
We claim to love peace. Entire empires have been
built, in immortal words, to protect the peace. Yet,
there are always borders.
And peace always ends.
When one is at the point of a deadly spear, one must
certainly wonder, “Was it worth it?”
We are emotional creatures that bring blades to
every conversation. Even after the gods themselves
fell from the sky and destroyed us, we closed in and
lost each other in the wastes of the wilds.
But fear not, dear reader. There is always hope. For
from strife comes order and vitality. We are build-
ing a new world, forging it in the furnace of con-
flict, creating the society we want. It is our time. We
would do good to remember what has transpired,
and it is this chronicler’s life’s work to see to it that
we do.
As we brave into the centuries ahead and construct
our cities, walls, and wars, we must always remem-
ber why we do so. Not to slay enemies but to come
together as people.
—Highdoni Chronicler Julius Lorrado
 V I I

T H E G A M E

A
s a game, Highcaster is intended to
be a ready-made stage for your story. It is
best to think of it as a toolbox. The design
is focused on giving you rich cultures to
work with, character motivations to push
on, and threats to pull from—but it leaves
everything else open and up to you. You will not find histo-
ry beyond broad strokes. You won’t find specific monarchs,
famous people, wars, or exact relations between cultures,
apart from capitals, cities, or geography that may have spe-
cifically informed a heritage or culture. These details are
kept broad and largely obscured so that you and your group
can fill in the blanks on your own.
Your story will define who the people are, how they interact,
what comes of cultures when they meet, who rises, and who
falls. You will populate the map with added people, places,
and things. You’ll determine wars, peace, the fate of soci-
eties, and any history that comes with it. You define High-
caster’s lore, the legends, mythology, heroes, villains, and
historical moments.
The constraints in place are there to propel your story fur-
ther. Your characters are heroes. They are Hercules; they
are Persephone; they are Gilgamesh; they are Quetzalcoatl.

1 3 8
They are the people recorded in history.
The stories you create at the table should be momentous and
feel timeless. They should feel like long sweeping tales of
legend that have been adapted time and time again and are
now the subject of popular culture.
There is a pattern in fantasy fiction, particularly in table-top
games, that observes heroes rising from everyday people to
legends. Highcaster can tell that story, but truly it is about
people who are already legends in their time. They are con-
temporary legends of their people.
In Highcaster, very few people leave the safety of their homes
to venture beyond the borders of their realms. Leaders work
with these few on behalf of entire societies. People look up
to them as the divine on earth, placing the mantle of hope
on them to make their world better. They are superheroes
capable of changing the tides of history.
So your characters are overpowered. They will likely not
die—not unless there is a very good reason. And if they do,
their death will go down in history. The adventures they ex-
perience are completely inaccessible to the everyday person.
They are even beyond the reach of emperors and monarchs.
They will become gods.
The players must embrace this principle as the game rules
are built with these assumptions in place. If you are looking
for a gritty survival fantasy game, you will not find it here.
Highcaster is a place of mythology and wonderment. Hope
and courage. It is about crafting a world from scratch, over-
coming societal obstacles to create a new and better place. It
is about moving mountains to do the right thing.
The stories you create will be worthy of novels, movies, and
“prestige” television events. You will ultimately participate
in the creation of something bigger than yourself. Lean into
it.
This section will detail everything you need to know to play
Highcaster.

1 3 9
 H I G H C A S T E R
♦ Dice Pools: using dice to determine outcomes of the story

♦ Confronting Threats: testing heroes against threats

♦ Talents and Advantages: further improving your chances

♦ Advancement: improving your hero

Dice Pools
Highcaster uses a Modifier Dice Pool system. Whenever
a roll needs to be made (specifically, when a character con-
fronts a threat), the player pools together dice based upon
their Move and then determines whether or not any other
modifier applies to the situation. This dice pool is rolled
all at once. Once rolled, the player picks the highest number
represented on any rolled die and adds that number to a
twenty-sided die (d20) roll. The total from the highest pool
modifier die and the d20 tells us what happens:
♦ 2-9: The player’s intended outcome does not happen,
the threat escalates, and the character Waxes and
potentially takes Harm.

♦ 10-19: The player’s intended outcome happens, a stage of

the threat is resolved. If all stages are resolved, the
threat is subdued, but there is a complication, and
the character potentially receives harm.

♦ 20+: The player’s intended outcome happens, a stage of

the threat is resolved. If all stages are resolved, the
threat is subdued. The player gains a Favor and
can Introduce a Truth over the outcome.
The above is a summary of how the core loop of the game
works. Next, we’ll break down each element.
Modifier Dice Pool
The primary die used in Highcaster is the d20 (twenty-sided
die). When rolled alone, the d20 statistically gives a charac-
ter a 55% chance of succeeding.

1 4 0
 T h e G a m e

The character’s Humors will modify the d20 to improve

the possibility of success. The trait that most aligns with the
move adds a d4, d6, or d8 to the d20 roll (and result). The
chance of success can be further improved by adding any
applicable Discipline or Talent dice to the modifier pool,
as well as considering any possible Feat Advantage.
You are looking for the highest number on a modifier die,
so the more dice you add to the pool, the better your chance
of getting a high number. However, no modifier die will ever
be higher than d8, so you will never get more than +8 to the
d20 roll.
Threats
When a character confronts a Threat in the story by doing
something, they are making a Move. A threat can be any-
thing from a tense situation to a violent attack. A threat is
essentially any fiction that gets in the way of what the char-
acter wants. The Chronicler will often write threats on index
cards to show them clearly to the players as an additional
tool to help guide the fiction.
Some threats have stages, which are aspects of the threat
that need to be resolved before a threat is subdued. Simple
threats have one stage and are subdued whenever a play-
er successfully confronts them. However, very challenging
threats may have many stages that must be resolved before
they can be subdued.
Players may not know how many stages the threat has (in
other words, how difficult it is), but the Chronicler can dis-
close this or track each stage’s resolution on an index card
for the table to see.
To confront a threat, a player explains what they do about
what is happening—that is a move. Then, based on what the
character does and the motivation behind it, the Chronicler
will tell the player what move to roll against the threat.

1 4 1
 H I G H C A S T E R
Chronicler: The mist clears just as your skiff lands on the
river shore. It is quiet, save for the distant
calls of ravens. Before you have a moment
to find your bearings, a dark shadow cuts
through the mist and the giant form of a
rock-skinned Holt steps forward wearing
battle armor.

His voice is thick but speaks clearly in

Highspeak, “Who is this that desecrates my
land?”

Chronicler writes “River Warden Protects from Invaders”

on a card and places it before the group.

Isenel: I say, “We mean no harm. We are weary and

looking for a place to rest.”

But I’m looking behind the Holt to see if

there are others.

Chronicler: You are bluffing long enough to take stock of

the situation?

Humors and Moves

The moves are tied to the three Humors: Virtue, Courage,
and Prestige. First, a player will add whatever Humor die
the move calls for to their pool. Then they will add a Dis-
cipline die if that applies, a Talent die if that applies, or an
advantage die if it applies. Finally, the player will roll the
dice and pick the highest one to add to a d20 roll.
There must be a threat in play for a character to be able
to make a move. Threats are frequently introduced by the
Chronicler. If there are no relevant threats in play, players
can choose to create one by paying Favor (narrative curren-
cy) or accept Favor from the Chronicler to escalate a threat

1 4 2
 T h e G a m e

to confront.
♦ Virtue: They are ethical. They bring people together. They
are protective. (Used for Ally, Defend, and Make a
Stand.)

♦ Courage: They are fearless. They brave through the

unknown. They are good fighters. (Used for Enforce Your
Will, Scout, and Strike.)

♦ Prestige: They are influential. They can change the whims of

others. They are powerful. (Used for Condemn, Navigate
Others, and Rally.)
The character moves are:
♦ Ally (+Virtue): Generate good will or establish trust.

♦ Condemn (+Prestige): Bring judgment down upon someone.

♦ Defend (+Virtue): Defend yourself or another.

♦ Enforce Your Will (+Courage): Influence someone’s behavior.

♦ Make a Stand (+Virtue): Make a social/moral conviction.

♦ Navigate Others (+Prestige): Read or understand another.

♦ Rally (+Prestige): Compel others to help.

♦ Scout (+Courage): Find something hidden.

♦ Strike (+Courage): Resolve a conflict using combat.

Isenel: Yep, it’s a bluff. I’m not sure we came in

peace.

Chronicler: Are you bluffing to put his guard down or

are you bluffing to stall long enough to check
out the surroundings?

Isenel: The latter.

1 4 3
 H I G H C A S T E R
Chronicler: Okay that’s a Scout move, go ahead and roll
your Courage.

Isenel has d8 for Courage, so uses that.

Notice in the example how the Chronicler asks clarifying

questions to help the player choose the right move. If Isenel
were bluffing to put the Holt at ease, it would have been a
Navigate Other roll, which uses Prestige. But since her mo-
tivation was to discover something about her surroundings,
they chose Scout. It is part of the Chronicler’s job to under-
stand character motivations, so the best move is selected.
There may also be situations when the moves don’t describe
what needs to happen. In that case, the Chronicler may as-
sign the Humor that best fits the situation and ask the player
to roll the Humor instead of a move. But the end result is the
same, and that die is placed into the modifier die pool.
Disciplines
Once the move is determined, the player (or Chronicler) re-
views the character’s Disciplines to see if any apply to the
situation. Disciplines were determined by the character’s
Path and are loosely described to apply to many aspects of
the story.
Each Path has three Disciplines and three dice (a d4, a d6,
and a d8) for each of them . Whenever a Discipline applies
to a situation, you can spend one of these dice and add it to
the dice pool.
Once you spend a Discipline die, you can’t use that die again
until the character recovers. When you are out of dice, you
will be unable to add Discipline dice to the modifier pool
until your character recovers.

Chronicler: Are you using a Discipline?

Isenel is a Wildkin and has not yet used any of their disci-
plines.

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 T h e G a m e

Isenel: Can I use Hunta? I’m not exactly tracking

prey, but I am using the same skill to find
something hiding in the mists?

Chronicler: Sure! That makes sense.

Isenel: Okay, I’m not going to waste my d8 on this.

I think I’ll just use a d4.

Isenel adds the d4 Discipline die to their d8 Humor die.

Talents and Feats

The last dice a player can potentially add to the modifier
dice pool are for Talents and advantages. Some characters
receive Talent dice because of their culture, heritage, or per-
haps Path. If the Talent described applies to the situation,
the player can add a d6 to the pool. You can add a d6 for
any Talent that applies.
In addition, if the Chronicler believes the character would
have an advantage because of the situation, the environ-
ment, or any narratively appropriate reason, they can tell
them to add a d6 Advantage Die to the pool as well. These
situations won’t be common but can absolutely come into
play based on what’s going on.
The modifier dice pool is complete, and the player can roll.
Again, whatever die is the highest becomes the modifier add-
ed to the d20 roll .

Chronicler: Any applicable Talents?

Isenel: I’m a native of Isolation Coast?

Chronicler: Yep, that does come in handy here, since

we’re there now. Go ahead and add a d6.
Any others?

Isenel: Nope.

1 4 5
 H I G H C A S T E R
Disadvantage
There may also be environmental challenges or a particular
type of situation that could get in the way of a character’s
move. If that is the case, the Chronicler may state that the
move happens with a Disadvantage. In that situation, the
player will roll the d20 twice and pick the lowest result be-
fore adding the highest modifier die from the modifier dice
pool.

Chronicler: Unfortunately, however, the mist is really

thick. So it’s difficult to observe behind the
Holt. This move is at a disadvantage.

Isenel rolls their modifier dice pool, including a d8 (for

Courage), d4 (for her Discipline), and a d6 for her Talent.

The die results are: 3, 3, and 6. The highest result is 6, so

that will be added to the d20 roll.

They roll the d20 twice because the roll is at a disadvantage

and picks the lower number, which is a 2. The total is 8, so
their intended outcome does not happen.

Threat Escalations
If a threat stage is not resolved or a single-stage threat is not
subdued (because a player gets a 9 or less from the total of
their modifier and the d20), the threat escalates. The Chron-
icler will have planned what escalations look like for each
stage of a threat and have several examples and building
tools available to do this as well.
In short, escalation causes things to get worse for the char-
acters. They may sustain harm, be put in a worse situation,
lose something, get trapped, be separated, be confronted
with more enemies, etc. Ultimately, something in the narra-
tive changes for the worst.

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 T h e G a m e

The idea here is also not to punish the players. On the con-
trary, the Chronicler is working to make the story more in-
teresting. Stories about heroes that always win are not fun.
Additionally, stories that grind to a halt because a hero can’t
do something are also not fun. Escalations propel the sto-
ry forward and increase the dramatic tension. As a player,
you get to play out both situations (failure and success), and
both are entertaining to play.
When a threat escalates, the Chronicler will explain what
happens and how it gets worse. If the threat was written
down, record what changed. Also, the escalation may have
introduced another threat, which may even seem more im-
mediate.

Chronicler: The Holt’s eyes narrow, “Wait. You are Sae-

berds. Come for a place to rest?! Hah!” He
scoffs and then spits, then looks backwards
and jerks his head as a gesture of some sort
of command. A fire erupts in the mist from
behind him and bellows forward toward you
with magical control. What do you do?

The Chronicler adds a new threat that reads “Magister is

attacking” and puts two checkboxes underneath.

In the above example, the Chronicler introduced a new

threat as an outcome. They also indicated a staged threat by
adding checkboxes (they may or may not do this depending
on the situation). That means that the characters will need
to resolve two stages of the threat before it is subdued.
The Chronicler also left it open, so Isenel could try to escape
harm and was not harmed outright. However, these could
have been options, given the roll. In this case, the Chron-
icler’s response was a “soft move” that gave the player a
chance to respond. Blasting them with fire without an op-
portunity to escape would have been a “hard move.”
Both are valid ways to handle outcomes, but it depends on

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 H I G H C A S T E R
the overall story the Chronicler is weaving and the situa-
tion. In this case, they maybe wanted to shift from a pos-
sible peaceful meeting to a definitely combative one due to
the failure. The sudden shift in tone could be consequence
enough if this were a diplomatic mission, so harming the
character would likely have been excessive. But that is all up
to the Chronicler and how they want to pace the story.

Isenel: I want to leap out of the way!

Chronicler: Okay, so that is Defend, roll Virtue.

Isenel: Ferox Discipline! Know and understand how

to withstand the elements!

Chronicler: Yes. Fire counts!

Isenel: I am using the d8. For sure.

Chronicler: Talents?

Isenel: Yeah, no. Not so much.

Chronicler: Roll it, just normally this time. You can see
the fire clearly.

Isenel rolls their modifier dice pool, d8 for Virtue, and d8

for her Discipline. They get 1 on both dice. Adding their
d20 roll, they get a 10 total, just barely enough.

The above example shows how the situation quickly esca-

lated into another move. That is normal in gameplay and is
called a “snowball effect.” As things escalate, more moves
are triggered, and the situation worsens until the threats are
resolved. No other players have acted yet, but they can step
in and try to help or confront the threat anytime.
In this case, Isenel’s success means that the first stage of this

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 T h e G a m e

threat is resolved, so there is only one more stage before it

can be subdued. However, because the roll’s total was 10,
it is a success with a caveat that the Chronicler will reveal.

Chronicler: The fireball erupts all around you. You can

get out of the way and save yourself from
getting burned, but you’ll need to jump off
the dock into the water, totally diffusing your
status and causing humiliation. Everyone is
now staring at you with surprise.

Harm
Inevitably threats will lead to harm. However, in Highcaster,
we are not very interested in harm as a way to track dam-
age. In other words, getting hit with a sword and receiving a
bloody wound is not as narratively important as being best-
ed by a foe. So harm is much more abstract and ultimately
reduces your character’s effectiveness. Harm can happen on
any roll 19 or less.
Remember, in Highcaster, characters don’t die unless you
choose to have them die. That is because randomly killing
characters off due to bad dice rolls is inconsistent with the
legendary tales we’re trying to tell. Instead, character deaths
should be deliberate, narratively significant, and meaningful.
So harm is a way of tracking your character’s journey but
will not lead to their death unless you want. Therefore
you can focus on exciting story options beyond protecting
your character. If you care most about the story, bad
things happening to the character will make the story more
nuanced and interesting, as well as working to tie into the
three Humors:
♦ Virtue: Take harm when your sense of self-worth, moral
responsibility, or faith in your creed worsens. When you
take three harm to Virtue, your character is Angry.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
♦ Courage: Take harm when your abilities, skill, or bravery
are challenged. When you take three harm to Courage, your
character is Afraid.

♦ Prestige: Take harm when your influence, station, or pride

are compromised. When you take three harm to Prestige,
your character is Shamed.
A player marks harm when told to by the Chronicler as a
consequence of confronting a threat. The harm should relate
to how the failure affected the character. For example, they
may have been hit with a sword, but does that mean they are
losing faith in their purpose, or are they embarrassed? The
Chronicler may ask those questions to help dial it in, but
most often, harm is taken to the Humor used in the failed
roll.
When a character takes three harm in a particular Humor,
they sustain a condition (Angry, Afraid, or Shamed). It is up
to the player just how they represent that condition within
the narrative. Mechanically, once a character has a condi-
tion, they can no longer use that Humor die when making
moves. Depending on the situation, they may still be able to
add other modifier dice, but otherwise, they will roll with
only a d20.
When a character has all three Humor conditions, they can
no longer confront threats. It is at this point that players can
choose to have their character die if narratively appropriate.
Otherwise, they cannot affect the story until they recover, or
they get help.

Chronicler: Does this make you scared?

Isenel: No! It pisses me off. I should have seen them.

I was looking for them!

Chronicler: So this is about your pride.

Isenel: Yes.

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 T h e G a m e

Chronicler: Okay, mark a harm to Prestige and wax your

Courage.

Waxing and Advancement

If a player rolls 9 or less, they will wax a Humor one point.
To do this, they’ll mark the next available box on the track
of the Humor used for the roll. Waxes are checked from the
beginning of a track, left to right. When all waxes are filled
under the current die level, the next highest die level for the
Humor can be taken. For example, if a character has a d4
Prestige and rolls a 9 or less on a Prestige move, they mark
one wax on their Prestige.
When players get their first three waxes, they will have filled
up their d4 die wax tracks and can now advance Prestige to
a d6. When they get three more waxes, they can advance to
d8. Likewise, if a character has a d6 for a Humor, it will take
six waxes to fill up both d4 and d6 before they can advance
to d8.
Once all Humors have advanced to d8, and all waxes are
filled (nine for each), the player can choose another Path to
add to their character. The character will now have Creeds,
Talent, and Disciplines for it and their original one. Howev-
er, the wax track is then cleared, and the process starts again.
Players can also choose to spend waxes to buy Feats. The
cost is three times the number of characters’ existing Feats.
If waxes are used in this way, simply erase what was spent
on purchasing the new Feat. Advancement can theoretically
continue until a character has mastered all Paths
Subduing Threats
If the players resolve all stages of a threat, it is subdued.
While it can return naturally through the fiction, that threat,
as it stands, can no longer be confronted for the Chapter.
This is a significant point because moves typically resolve
fictional problems. If they don’t, the fiction changes, adapt-
ing to introduce new problems to be resolved.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
That way, heroes aren’t grinding on the same problem re-
peatedly. Either they fix it and move on, or they fix it, and it
changes, so they must address it again.
In practice, that means that once a character subdues a
threat, they can’t target the same threat without a change
in fiction.
For example, let’s say they resolve an angry fighter’s attack
by disarming them. That’s great! The threat is subdued; the
angry fighter is no longer attacking. But if the character then
wants to knock the fighter down and bind them, they can’t
unless the fiction changes. The threat was already subdued.
Another example: let’s say there’s an avalanche, and the
group is getting tossed up in snow and debris. A player rolls
to pull their character out of the avalanche and gets a suc-
cess. Great! They are no longer getting stuck in the snow,
but they can’t go and save their friends unless the fiction
changes because the threat was subdued.
There are also some feats that are activated when a player
pays favor, but those are specific to the individual feats.
Subduing a threat doesn’t mean getting rid of it. It means
the moment is resolved, and now the story must change to
continue.
So, if a character wants to (or needs to) confront a threat
that’s already been subdued, there are two options:
♦ Pay Favor to introduce a new threat that changes the fiction.

♦ Accept Favor to allow the Chronicler to escalate the threat

so that you can confront it.
Favor
Favor is a currency to help give players more agency over the
story. You can use coins, tokens, or just track it on paper.
Each player should start with one Favor every session, but it
doesn’t carry over from session to session.

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 T h e G a m e

Players receive Favor:

♦ One at the start of a session

♦ When they allow a Chronicler to escalate when confronting

a subdued threat

♦ Whenever they have a result of 20+ on a move roll

Players can spend Favor to do the following:
♦ Introduce a truth in the fiction at any time

♦ Create a threat when you want to make a move, and no

threat is available

♦ Add a d6 to your modifier dice pool

Favor is a sort of narrative currency that players can use to
affect the fiction. Each player starts each session with one
and can earn more whenever they get a 20 or more on their
move rolls. Favor has a variety of uses, but in the context of
threats, they can help change the fiction.
If you spend a Favor, you can simply create a new threat
to confront. That puts the fiction in your control and al-
lows you to reset the stage. Let’s consider the examples from
above. Maybe the disarmed fighter starts kicking a character,
and that’s now a new threat. In the other instance, perhaps
the avalanche has begun to settle, and the group is falling
deeper into the snow.
Alternatively, the player can choose to get a Favor from the
Chronicler, who will then take control of the fiction and es-
calate the threat. This option will usually create a more chal-
lenging situation for the characters and amp up the drama
quotient. So maybe the disarmed fighter is suddenly joined
by three of their friends. Or the avalanche has cracked open
a crevasse, and the group is hanging a thousand feet above
icy darkness. If the player really wants to make another
move but doesn’t have Favor, this is the option they’ll need
to choose.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Isenel: This isn’t over. I’m throwing my dagger at
the source of the fire magic in the mist.

Chronicler: So that’s Strike, roll your Courage. And you

can add Hunta since you need to use height-
ened hunting skills. You are confronting the
“Magister is Attacking” threat.

Isenel: I used my d4 on Hunta already, so I’ll use

d6. No wait. I want this. I’m using the d8.

Isenel rolls 8 and 4 on the modifier dice pool and a 10 on

the d20, so that’s 18!

Chronicler: Okay, the threat is subdued!

Isenel: Yes!

Chronicler: Your dagger flies through the mist and strikes

the Magister. You see their shadow collapse
and hear their grunt. He begins whispering
a mantra that is definitely sorcery. A bright
blue pillar of light shines down on the Ma-
gister. You can now see him in the mists. The
light is making him disappear.

Isenel: No. He’s not getting away. I’m going to leap

out of the boat and tackle him.

Chronicler: His escaping was the consequence of subdu-

ing the threat, so to tackle him, you need to
pay a Favor and create a new threat or allow
me to escalate it for a Favor.

Isenel: Oh, I have a Favor. I’ll just pay for it. Let’s
say the threat is that he is going to get away.

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 T h e G a m e

Chronicler: Okay, done! So you are going to tackle him

before he gets away.

If Isenel chose to get a Favor, then the Chronicler could have

escalated the Magister threat. Maybe they would have said,
“The Magister’s pillar of light is now expanding to take the
Holt with them as well.” But whatever the situation, the
focus remains on the threat in question and raises the stakes.
Introducing Truths
Players can sometimes take over the fiction. They do this by
introducing something true in the story. It can be anything,
really, as long as it is somewhat relevant to what is happen-
ing in the fiction at the time and does not overturn or con-
flict with truths that were already established, either by the
Chronicler or the other players.
Examples can include a situation that gives the players an
advantage (we happened upon the monster without it real-
izing we were there), something about the world (a zealot
runs the Highdoni settlement here), or something they have
(I have a giant puma pet). It could also be something about
the world’s history, how the government works, or an area’s
geographical features.
When this mechanic is used, it becomes true in the story
and cannot be overruled by the Chronicler or other players
(except via X-Card for safety reasons). Thus, players need to
take a “yes and” approach to the truths and bring them into
the narrative as if they came from the Chronicler.
There are two situations in which players who are not
Chroniclers can introduce truths:
♦ When a player rolls 20+ on a move

♦ When a player decides to spend a Favor to introduce a truth

Chronicler: Roll your Strike, which is Courage. Any dis-

ciplines apply?

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Isenel: Not really.

Chronicler: Well, I’ll give you an advantage die, because

he is preoccupied and won’t see you coming.

Isenel rolls an 8 on Courage, a 3 on the advantage, and a

15 on the d20.

Chronicler: Great! You get a Favor, the threat is subdued,

and you can introduce a truth.

Isenel: Okay, I want to say that when I tackle him, I

for the briefest moment, I see the destination
of his teleportation and know exactly where
it is, but the tackling stops him from leaving.

Isenel could have done any number of things here but chose
to give the group an edge in the story. They could have also
asked the Chronicler to say what happened and then intro-
duced a truth based on the narrative. The possibilities are
endless, but the idea is that narrative control is awarded to
players with a 20+ result.
Assistance
Characters can assist others when they are confronting a
threat. They simply describe how they are helping and then
hand the other player their appropriate Humor die for the
move. The assisted player can then include that die in their
modifier dice pool. There is no limit to the number of play-
ers that can help or how often a player assists, even within
the same move; it just needs to make narrative sense.
Using Threat Stages
When introducing a threat, the Chronicler can choose to
have stages to be resolved before the threat is subdued. These
stages are entirely narrative trappings and can be anything
from closing the distance of a foe to different fighting styles
an opponent takes on after the heroes defend themselves.

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 T h e G a m e

Whatever they are, once they are all resolved, the threat is
subdued. Many common threats will be considered “one-
stage,” in other words, one success will resolve the stage and
subdue the threat. Sometimes it will be unnecessary to spell
the threats out (or put them on index cards). But if there are
a lot of them, or if they have stages, they should be noted for
the whole table to see. That way, the players will understand
what they need to do to subdue the threats and be narrative-
ly specific about which they are addressing with their moves.
Staged threats will include much of what players may be
used to in terms of combat mechanics. Instead of creating a
rule for every edge case, this game assumes that each threat
will have the necessary steps to subdue a threat in whatever
makes narrative sense.
Examples of stages:
♦ Distance: If a foe is out of reach of the characters, they
may need to find a way to close the distance. Once they
resolve this stage, they can then make a move to fight a foe.

♦ Hiding: A foe may be hiding from the characters, or,

conversely, they may be hiding from a foe. This would be a
stage that must be resolved before the threat is subdued.

♦ Chases: A foe may be running away or characters may be

running away. To subdue the threat they’d need to resolve
this stage first.

♦ Minions: A foe may have tons of lackeys the heroes must

get past before they can get to them.
Common threats may have simply one or two stages, one
where something is in the way of the threat and then the
threat itself. But more dangerous or complicated threats
may have more, and each stage can be more involved than
the last. A giant monster, for example, may have natural ar-
mor to get past, fire breath, a lashing tail, and the ability to
fly. Each time one stage is resolved, the heroes will need to
apply a new tactic until all are resolved.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Situational Threats
One type of threat may involve an entire threat scenario,
having an overarching effect on the other threats until they
are subdued. These threats can also come in stages and are
usually about the environment, such as a storm or weather
problem, slick or uneven surfaces, fire all around, or a land-
slide occurring. These threats will cause all rolls to be at a
disadvantage until they are resolved, meaning players will
roll a d20 twice and choose the lower result.
Situational threats are subdued just like any other threats,
but they will negatively affect all moves until they are.
Chapters
Highcaster gameplay is split into Chapters, which frame the
scenes for the players and provide focus on what the charac-
ters are supposed to accomplish during this part of the story.
The Chronicler determines the type of Chapter, as seen on
the next page, and each affects rules or story somehow.
The purpose of Chapters is to help move the story forward
so that players don’t get stuck not knowing what to do. They
also work to reframe scenes to increase or decrease drama.
Generally, Chapters are invisible in gameplay until they
change, and the group reframes the situation. They can be
as short or as long as the story requires and change when the
goal of that Chapter is reached in the narrative.
The Chapters are:
Culture Chapters
The heroes are focused on the people in their society, the
commoners or the elite, and their everyday needs.
♦ Any threats that occur in the narrative are not dangerous
and are focused on the culture or homeland.
Danger Chapters
The heroes are confronting a dangerous threat that is over-
whelming or terrifying.

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 T h e G a m e
♦ The threats in play catch the heroes off guard, and they will
find themselves in perilous circumstances.

♦ All die rolls are made at a disadvantage in this Chapter.

Hero Chapters
Each player takes control of the narrative, in turn, to reveal
more about their hero.
♦ Players, in turn, have narrative control and can introduce
truths into the fiction as long as those truths are not about
threats currently in play or other player characters.

♦ Player characters cannot confront threats or make moves.

Journey Chapters
The heroes are making a journey through unknown lands,
confronting danger, and finding their way.
♦ The default setting of the game, standard threat and roll
rules apply.

Preparation Chapters
The heroes gather all of the resources and information they
need to go on a journey or quest.
♦ Players have narrative control and can introduce truths
about what they acquire to prepare for a journey.

♦ Players can ask questions of the Chronicler concerning any

information they need or introduce truths about a threat
that is not in play.

♦ Characters cannot confront threats or make moves.

Quest Chapters
The heroes are showing their mettle in accomplishing a sig-
nificant task or feat
♦ The players get an advantage die on all rolls; all other
aspects of the game are standard.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Rest and Recovery
Characters will need to recover to remove harm or recover
spent Discipline dice. A character must rest for a full night
(or 8 hours) to negate one harm and regain one Discipline
die.
Certain Feats will help improve that rate of recovery.
Force a Recovery
Additionally, players can immediately reduce one harm by
forcing a recovery.
Negate a harm, or step back from a condition, by addressing
it within the story as follows:
♦ Virtue: Lash out emotionally at another character in a way
that causes harm to the relationship.

♦ Courage: Hide, run, or shut yourself off demonstrating

weakness and fear.

♦ Prestige: Cut another down with insults, or by being

arrogant, demanding, or insolent.

Train
In addition to receiving a Discipline die by resting overnight,
you can also spend a full day training (at least 8 hours) to
recover an additional Discipline die.

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1 6 1
W
e still feel the influence
of the gods. Indeed wars are
fought over the subject. Over
generations, since the Fall,
some have toppled monarchies
because of this.
History has no judgment on the matter. The gods
fell. They destroyed our world in their fall. That is
the end of it. All who were immortal are now not.
The dead remain here.
But still, even this old chronicler must admit that
we still feel the influence of the gods. It is as if they
are watching from afar, having removed themselves
from the ordinary experiences of our time.
Sages call this the memory of the gods. They believe
that the power to ascend to the firmament created
an influence, energy, that transcends time. Even af-
ter they fell, their influence remained. Those that
revere the memory of the gods will receive the same
power of prayer and healing as if they still shone
down on us from the night sky.
I do not have the luxury of belief. It is in truth that
I know. Too much history exists to accept that
the gods are nothing but the fallen remains of the
shards they left behind.
Do they influence us? Yes. As does history. As do
forces we will never comprehend.
It’s best not to think about it.
—Highdoni Chronicler Julius Lorrado
 V I I I

T h e
C h r o n i c l e r

T
he Chronicler is the game’s weaver.
Their job is to take the tapestry of the
world the group has created and weave it
together with the other players’ choices.
They are, in a sense, the film’s director.
Yes, they have ultimate authority over
the occurrences of the story. Still, those decisions are made
in cooperation with the players either directly when they
concede narrative control or indirectly by propelling the sto-
ry forward in a way that makes their characters heroes.
The Chronicler’s job is to make the story interesting. They
must love the characters like they would love the protago-
nist of their favorite book or movie. And they must bring
forward challenges that will make those characters change
and grow, so they emerge from the journey as incredible leg-
ends.
Those that have facilitated other games as Game Masters,
Storytellers, Dungeon Masters, MCs, Guides, or any sim-
ilar role may have a preconceived notion about what that
means. However, it is important to understand this role in
Highcaster because that may differ from prior experiences
in other games. For example, the number one aspect of a
Chronicler is that they are a champion of the story’s heroes.

1 6 4
They are not setting a victory condition for the players; in-
stead, they focus on the story and the characters’ arcs. They
work with the players cooperatively to create the most mem-
orable and exciting experience they can.
Agenda
Before you move forward as Chronicler, take note of what
the game expects of you. There is a particular agenda at
play that will define your approach to facilitating the game.
No matter what happens during a session, everything comes
back to these three essential points.
♦ Create Stories of Legend.
Your story should feel like it came from the pages of
antiquity, passed down through the generations as
mythology. You are not creating trite tales; these are stories
of epic legends.

♦ Make characters rise above trials and tribulation.

You are creating heroes that transcend all adversity, no
matter what peril they encounter. No matter how dangerous
and frightening things become, they find a way to rise above
it all and conquer the unconquerable.

♦ Play to find out why the story is a timeless legend.

Let the story live on its own and find out why it is such a
legendary tale through playing the game. This is something
you should never plan for—you must play to find out.
The Chronicler’s role is to keep the other players on track
and keep the focus on the story’s themes. Frequently, play-
ers will tend to narrow their focus to their characters in the
moment and not on the story as a whole. Because of this,
the Chronicler must guide them, assist them with mechanics
and game structure, and work towards an interesting and
collaborative story.
While the Chronicler adjudicates the rules, they are less a
judge and more of an advisor. Most importantly, the Chron-
icler is not an adversary; threats exist to enrich the story, not
punish the players.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Principles
Principles are the Chronicler’s tools for making the session
feel like Highcaster. Review your principles whenever you
sense the story has stalled, the other players don’t know
what to do, or the content has become repetitive.
♦ Make it epic.
You are not creating fairy tales or run-of-the-mill fantasy
fiction. You are creating mythologies. Everything should be
at maximum volume and with the highest possible stakes
These are the wars, battles, victories, and losses that will go
down in history for all time.

♦ Be a champion of the heroes.

You are there to help the heroes grow beyond their
limitations and rise above all else to become the heroes of
mythology. Embrace them, watch them grow, and insert the
trials they will need for growth.

♦ Build your persistent Highcaster as you play.

You are creating your Highcaster. It is a profound living
world that you will develop as you play. You and the other
players will introduce truths that become the canon of your
mythology.

♦ Nothing is sacred, oceans rise, empires fall.

You cannot and should not control the fate of your heroes
or the world in which they live. It is the Chronicler’s job
to drive forward whatever conclusion the story mandates.
Never hold back. No empire is too great, no individual too
powerful to fall.

♦ Name every character, beast, artifact, and location.

Make your Highcaster authentic. Everything and everyone
has a name.

♦ Think about what is happening in the realms.

Your Highcaster is persistent. It lives on no matter what
the heroes are doing. Keep track of what other peoples and
realms are doing as your heroes rise above their trials and
tribulations.

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 T h e C H r o n i c l e r
♦ Give threats depth.
Threats in Highcaster are not just footnotes in an action-
adventure story. They are serious situations that heroes
must rise above and resolve. They are beasts of epic legend,
villains known throughout the realm, catastrophes that
consume cities, legendary wars. Take your time with them;
give them depth, texture, and weight.

♦ Ask what the hero wants.

Find out why the character is doing what they are doing. It’s
not enough to want to attack a beast. It’s the why. Does the
character seek to strike the beast because they want to prove
their worth or because they are angry?

♦ Steer toward the Chapter.

The Chronicler’s job is to make sure the players experience
the story according to how the Chapters are structured.

♦ When playing the game, it is easy to get wrapped up in the

act of playing. At each Chapter’s start, declare the Chapter’s
purpose. During the Chapter, ask questions to guide players
toward confronting threats, thus moving the story forward.

♦ Move the spotlight.

Every character is a critical contributor to the story. Give
every player the spotlight time they deserve. The Chronicler
needs to be conscious of how long the story has rested with
a single character, or a group of them, and how many still
need to have the spotlight.

♦ Explore the details.

Your story is not a fast-paced blockbuster film—your story
is one of heart, humanity, motivations, and consequences.
Slow down and explore the details of what is happening
right now. Who is there? What do they see? Express what
people want through behavior. Explain their tone and tenor.
Feel the authentic world around you in the story, notice
each detail, and help the players see them too.

♦ You don’t always need to know.

Allow uncertainty in the story. Allow players to make
decisions for you. Allow the dice to tell you what happens.
You don’t always need to have an answer.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Chronicler Moves
Whenever the story needs a push, it’s time to make a Chron-
icler Move. These moves create deliberate changes in the
fiction to move the story forward or compel the players to
confront a threat.
Chronicler moves generally happen in response to a die roll,
but they can also occur any other time you need to push the
story or break the players out of a place of indecision.
Chronicler moves are a framework for being proactive. It is
your role to affect fiction and guide characters through the
Chapters proactively. While player moves are the engine of
the story, Chronicler moves are the engine of the game.
Any move should drive the fiction forward and create op-
tions for the player to act. The move must put them in a bad
or dramatic situation.
Hard Moves
These moves put characters into a worse position without
providing them the opportunity to react.
Use hard moves when:
♦ A roll results in a 9 or less when confronting a threat

♦ A character needs to be compelled to face an escalated

threat
Soft Moves
These moves present a difficult situation but offer an oppor-
tunity to react, nullify, or change course.
Use soft moves when:
♦ A roll results in a 19 or less when confronting a threat

♦ The players (or characters) are stuck about what to do next

in the fiction
A soft move will most likely compel the player to change
course but will not require it like a hard move.

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 T h e C H r o n i c l e r
Your Moves
♦ Create a Threat

♦ Escalate a Threat

♦ Inflict Harm

♦ Present a Dilemma

♦ Raise the Stakes

♦ Reveal Consequences

♦ Make a Threat Move

♦ Make Use of Favor

Create a Threat
Signal something has become a problem by creating a threat,
even if the narrative hasn’t indicated one. This can be done
either without warning or as a natural course of the fiction.
♦ As you are discussing this, you suddenly hear a distant roar
in the forest beyond. I’m introducing a new threat called
“Something is Hunting You.”

Escalate a Threat
Escalate the current stage of a threat, especially if the play-
ers have not confronted this threat yet. Make sure the esca-
lation directly impacts the characters.
♦ The Warleader bangs his shield from afar and points his
axe at you. You’ve ignored him too long and now he is
charging across the battlefield to take you on personally.
What do you do?

Inflict Harm
Cause harm to a character’s Humor with a sudden revela-
tion or escalation of a threat. This harm can come from the
natural progression of the fiction or unexpectedly if you
introduce a new threat.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
♦ As you turn the bend. You are suddenly knocked down by
a massive boulder flung at you from the mountainside. You
look up and see a large monstrous giant who is picking up
another boulder. You take harm to your courage, as the
sight is unexpected and frightening. What do you do?
Present a Dilemma
Force a situation in the narrative wherein the characters
must make a hard choice—perhaps between what they want
versus what they need.
♦ The ship is buckling under the weight of the waves, and you
see several of your crew tumbling over into the stormy sea.
But your prisoner is getting away, swinging onto the bow of
another ship, what do you do?
Raise the Stakes
Increase a threat’s sense of urgency by adding time con-
straints or escalated adverse outcomes for delays.
♦ Your magic envelopes her, and you see her skin begin to
burn painfully from her flesh. However, the room is now
ablaze and spreading fast toward the bound hostage.

Reveal Consequences
Present real consequences for the character’s decisions.
♦ If you cross swords here, then the queen will likely order
her bodyguards to attack.

Make a Threat Move

Every threat includes moves to be made against the char-
acters. You will determine these when creating a threat or
simply refer to the threat suggestions in this book. You can
make a threat move anytime, but particularly when a char-
acter rolls 19 or less when confronting it.
♦ The dragon takes a pause then sits upright and says, “I have
lost patience” and a wall of fire comes pouring down on top
of you. What do you do?

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 T h e C H r o n i c l e r

Make Use of Favor

Ask if the player would like to spend a Favor to create a
truth or add a die to their modifier pool, or if they’d like to
get a Favor for accepting an escalated threat.
♦ I’ll give you a Favor if you smack this insolent lord across
the mouth.
Creating Threats
Create a threat when there is someone or something in the
way of what a hero wants. Threats can be as general as “ty-
rannical monarch” or environmental like “a raging winter
storm.” Usually, however, threats are adversaries that the
heroes must confront and overcome, such as beasts, mon-
sters, or villainous characters.
Threats happen in stages, which means the hero must do
one or more things to resolve the situation and subdue the
threat. Players may be accustomed to games with stats like
hit points that their damage depletes, but Highcaster doesn’t
work that way. Instead, it presents challenges as story mo-
ments that need to conclude before the next moment comes
into play. So, for example, you are not playing out how
many times you hit a monster; you are playing out the dif-
ferent moments the character has fighting the beast until it
is subdued.
Threats will often be single-stage threats, meaning you sim-
ply need to succeed once in the narrative to subdue the threat
(roll a 10+ when confronting the threat). However, threats
with more stages are more complicated.
A six-stage threat against a dragon, for example, requires
that the characters get past six narrative moments for the
dragon threat to be subdued. The first stage may be about
the dragon revealing itself and the characters withstand-
ing its presence. The next stage may be about closing the
distance between the dragon and the heroes, and the third
could be about avoiding the dragon’s fire breath, and so on.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Every threat will have a unique set of stages, depending on
what is transpiring in the story. There is a list of threats in
this book that provides examples of stages. However, you
will need to create them to align with the circumstances.
Playing Threats
Threats should be played “visually” by writing the threat
down and placing it on the table, shared online document,
or virtual tabletop. You may find cases where visually dis-
playing threats is not necessary, because there isn’t a lot to
track. But in general, it will be important to present them
clearly to the players.
Visually displaying the threats can help guide gameplay.
Players can easily see what moves are needed, if the threat
can be quickly subdued, and if it has been subdued. The
last example helps prevent players from wanting to move
after a threat has been subdued. Instead, they’ll be able to
clearly see that the threat either needs to be escalated (by the
Chronicler) or a Favor needs to be paid (by a player).
Visual prompts also help frame the narrative situation. Play-
ers can easily see what is going on and make an informed
decision on where they want to put their focus. In addition,
it helps players avoid spinning the wheels on activities or
moves that don’t contribute to the story.
Simply write the name of the threat down in a way the whole
group can see. This can be done with index cards on the ta-
ble, an online spreadsheet document, a kanban board, or a
virtual tabletop.
Then indicate how many stages there are by putting empty
checkboxes on the card or in columns of a spreadsheet or
kanban board. That way, players can easily see the difficulty
of the threat.
You can and should introduce threats whenever an obstacle
comes up in the narrative. You can also introduce threats as
a Chronicler Move, servicing as a beat in the story, changing
the direction of game flow.

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 T h e C H r o n i c l e r

When players move to confront the threat, check the stages

off with each success. Then, when they are all resolved, turn
the card sideways (or checkmark the threat on your shared
document) to indicate that it was subdued.
If a player does not succeed when confronting a threat, it
escalates. Specifically, that means the particular stage the
threat is in escalates. The situation becomes worse and the
Chronicler may make a hard move and/or harm the charac-
ter. Whatever the case something must happen and the situ-
ation must change. Not succeeding doesn’t mean the game
stops, it means the story changes.
Mark an escalation by adding an up-arrow or some sort of
indicator that the stage has escalated. You can even add to
the what you’ve already written. This can be done on the in-
dex card simply by describing the escalation below the threat
you wrote, or by using an escalation column on shared doc-
ument or kanban and typing it in there.
When the escalated stage is resolved, then the next stage
starts as normal (with the potential to escalate as well).
Let’s take a situation as an example where the characters
have found themselves in combat with a corrupted monster.
The Chronicler might open the situation by saying “You
hear a deep growl in the darkness beyond” and put down
the threat on a an index card like this, showing it has two
stages.

Something is Hunting
You

Note that the Chronicler did not reveal what the threat was;
they just indicated a shadowy threat with two stages. Of
course, those stages can be anything really, but for the sake
of the example, let’s say the Chronicler thinks the first stage

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 H I G H C A S T E R
would be to close the distance or find the creature, and the
second will be to overcome its attack or defeat it.
So, let’s say a character confronts the threat with a move to
find out what’s in that dark chamber and succeeds. In that
case, the Chronicler would mark one stage as resolved and
then describe the creature to the players, perhaps with em-
bellishments on lore or what they know about it.

Something is Hunting
You
a
Then they’d move to the next stage, where the creature at-
tacks the party. In this case, let’s say they move to get out
of the way or protect and fail the roll, the Chronicler would
then escalate the stage. For example, maybe the creature has
locked its jaw on a party member’s arm, and they take harm
to their courage. They could just mark an arrow to show the
escalated, or they could write the escalation out, whatever is
most dramatic or best fits with the flow.

Something is Hunting
You
a -It’s Biting!

Or they could decide to make an entirely new threat for the

escalation, such as the room locks them in, another monster
appears, or the bitten hero is now poisoned. In that case,
they would add another card as a new threat.

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 T h e C H r o n i c l e r

Theatre of the Mind

To play the threat through Theatre of the Mind, you don’t
need to do much more than describe the threat and keep
track of its stages in your own way. However, the sticking
point on running threats with theatre of the mind is that you
need to define when a threat is subdued clearly. That way,
if a player wants to confront it again, you can offer an esca-
lation, or they can pay Favor.

Theatre of the Mind Example

Chronicler: The warrior swings his heavy axe toward you,

gripping it with both hands, with anger in his eyes.

Hero: I’m going to step aside calmly.

Chronicler: Are you trying to protect yourself?

Hero: I’m trying to show him that he doesn’t scare me.

Chronicler: So I’m going to call that Condemn.

Hero: Got a 10!

Chronicler: Okay you side-step and he collapses to the

ground with his own momentum. He stands up and spits in
your face. Take a harm to Prestige.

Hero: I backhand him.

Chronicler: You’ve already subdued the threat. I can esca-

late it if you want a Favor. Otherwise you’ll need to pay.

Character Threats
There will be situations when characters are in conflict
with one another. In general, heroes should work togeth-
er, but certainly, there are times in which they will disagree

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 H I G H C A S T E R
or even fall into arms against one another. In these cases,
Chroniclers can create a threat that only the involved char-
acters can confront. Whoever is making the narrative move
against the other player rolls (or determine with help from
the Chronicler who of a group is the main aggressor), and
the resolution is handled as follows:
♦ On a 20+, the player who rolled has narrative control over
the outcome. The other player gets a Favor if they allow the
winner to succeed in their goal.

♦ On a 10-19, the other player has narrative control over the

outcome, but they also get a Favor if they allow the winner
to succeed in their goal.

♦ On a 9 or less, the other player has narrative control over

the outcome, and they get a Favor for going against the
rolling player’s goal.

These rules are meant to support inter-party conflict in a

story but provide player agency as well. For example, the
affected player does not have to go along with the outcome
but is rewarded with Favor if they do. Also, character
conflict should enrich the story, not cause problems with
players, so use safety tools to ensure everyone is comfort-
able with what is happening in the game.

Building Threats
There may be a temptation to be flippant about threats. In
other words, Chroniclers may want to throw threats out
like mooks in traditional fantasy RPGs. But in Highcaster,
threats are very serious business. Chroniclers should take
their time in revealing them, describing them, staging them,
and escalating them. If there are multiple threats in play, the
situation should feel perilous, maybe even impossible.
Because heroes in Highcaster are so—well, heroic, you will
need to increase the drama of each interaction relentless-
ly, so that narrative stakes are felt. Consequences should be
painful in the story, not necessarily on paper. So be sure to

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 T h e C H r o n i c l e r

spend the mental labor to make the threats matter.

There may be an inclination to introduce threats as simply a
monster or a villain that attacks. But that limits the narrative
to be entirely about the specifics of combat. Instead, threats
should be about the bigger picture, escalated if they aren’t
addressed, and change when subdued.
For example, let’s take a classic fantasy scenario, where the
heroes encounter a roaming group of bandits. A Chronicler
may be inclined to put down a threat called “Bandits” and
then say that the bandits jump out of the woods and start
attacking.
However, that’s a pretty limited scenario and doesn’t allow
you to fully pull the threat’s levers.
♦ How will it escalate if the characters fail to subdue the
threat (or don’t confront it)? Bandits attacking doesn’t
leave you with much. You could say “more” bandits are
attacking, but that isn’t all that exciting.

♦ How does the threat change if the characters subdue the

threat and it has more than one stage? Bandits are already
attacking, so you really can’t easily maneuver them into
another approach.
In this situation, you’ll want to introduce the threat in a
non-escalated way to give yourself room to escalate or add
a stage. Also, you’ll want to present it in a way that won’t
force players to respond in just one way (e.g., fighting).
In this case, if you were to introduce the threat as “People
are lurking in the forest,” you leave yourself plenty of op-
portunities to change the situation (they jump out) or esca-
late it (arrows fly at you from the trees) or make non-combat
solutions viable.
The Power of Favor
As the currency of narrative control, Favor makes the story
a genuinely collaborative storytelling experience. While it is
true that as the Chronicler, you generally drive the story,

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 H I G H C A S T E R
conceding your power willfully, deliberately, and graciously
expands the horizons of the story.
Favor removes barriers to a story’s potential, activates multi-
ple points of view, and levels the playing field for all players.
Make an Offer
Whenever the player wants something to be true about the
setting or situation, that is an opportunity to hand them
Narrative Control. If someone asks, “Do we know any-
one in this town?”
You can answer, “If you pay me a Favor, you can tell me.”
Offer to Create a Threat
When a player needs to make a move and no threats are
immediately available or appropriate, offer to create one.
“You can spend a Favor to create a threat. Or I can give you
a Favor and escalate one of the existing threats. What do
you want to do?”
Hedge the Roll
A player will naturally try to get as many dice in their mod-
ifier pool as possible. While they prepare for an important
move confronting a threat, always remind them that they
can spend Favor to add a d6 to the pool.
Threat List
Threats, as we’ve learned, are highly variable and amor-
phous. However, this section does lay out some easy options
for NPCs or beasts.
Each listed threat also provides a handy list of ideas for stag-
es that you can use as needed

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 T h e C H r o n i c l e r

NPC Threats Noble

Magister Leader of a group or family
A weaver of magic Stage(s): 3-4
• Calls for other NPCs
Stage(s): 2-5
• Orders other NPCs
• Uses a tome to create
magic that protects • Charges into combat
• Uses a tome to create • Runs away
magic that harms • Attacks from a distance
• Speaks an incantation to
summon a spirit Oathen
• Speaks an incantation to A warrior with a pledge or
summon a beast oath
• Draws a sacred glyph to Stage(s): 2-4
reveal wisdom or truth
• Adheres to a creed or
Minion oath when challenged

An larger threat’s lackey • Risks life to protect

Stage(s): 1-2 • Commands other NPCs

• Is at a distance, or diffi- • Inspires other NPCs

cult to get to • Defends other NPCs
• Uses a range weapon to
Outdon
attack
• Calls for more minions A realm’s outlaw
• Runs away or hides from Stage(s): 2-4
the situation • Attempts to steal
• Attacks or strikes with a • Attempts to intimidate
melee weapon
• Attempts to murder
Monarch/Royal • Sneaks or hides
Leader of a realm Scoplar
Stage(s): 3-5
A storyteller or historian
• Calls for other NPCs
Stage(s): 2-4
• Orders other NPCs
• Knows about a situation
• Learns the truth because of myth or legend
• Leaves the situation • Convinces other NPCs to
• Uses powerful relic change their mind

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 H I G H C A S T E R
• Convinces other NPCs to • Casts magic that sum-
follow their lead mons beasts
• Performs to change the
Wildkin
situation
• Inspires other NPCs A wanderer or scout
Stage(s): 2-4
Veneren
• Uses the environment to
A holy person help them
Stage(s): 2-4 • Finds protection
• Heals someone • Guides others
• Calls down divine wrath • Attacks from afar
• Inspires others • Commands beasts
• Reveals the truth Beast Threats
• Defends other NPCs
Common animals
Warren
Bears
A warrior or soldier Stage(s): 3
Stage(s): 2-4 • Investigates, explores
• Defends another from • Hunts
harm
• Protects young
• Fights another with
swordplay • Chases
• Fights another with • Mauls
archery
Beasts of Burden
• Leads other NPCs
Stage(s): 1
• Is at a distance
• Tires
Wicker • Gets spooked
Folk magic practitioner • Hides
Stage(s): 2-4 • Stops and is stubborn
• Uses a talisman with a • Hungry
long-term magical effect.
Birds
• Casts a harmful curse
Stage(s): 1
• Casts a magical blessing
• Flies at a safe distance
• Casts magic that obscures
or changes them • Flees

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 T h e C H r o n i c l e r
• Dives to attack • Charges
• Squawks for help
Livestock
• Observes carefully
Stage(s): 1
Birds of Prey • Hides
Stage(s): 2 • Gets spooked
• Dives to attack • Trample
• Grabs and crushes with • Stops and is stubborn
talons • Hungry
• Flies away
Primates
• Perches and observes
• Caws for help
Stage(s): 2
• Postures and intimidates
Cats (Large)
• Observes
Stage(s): 3 • Punches and kicks
• Ignores
• Flees
• Pounces • Swings or climbs
• Chases
Rodents
• Hunts
• Runs
Stage(s): 1
Examples:
Elephants
• Hides
Stage(s): 3
• Runs
• Stampedes
• Climbs
• Charges
• Bites
• Postures and intimidates
• Scratches
• Flees
• Watches from a distance
Wolves
Stage(s): 3
Horses
Examples:
Stage(s): 2
• Howls for help
• Stampedes
• Circles and postures
• Kicks
• Lunges
• Runs
• Chases
• Stops and is stubborn
• Bites

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I
t is not easy to forget what lurks
beyond our walls. In times before
memory the empire kept the world
tamed. But for hundreds of years the
wild has returned and it is insatiable.
No chronicler knows what is in the
depths of the wilderness, and few heroes can re-
count tales. We know the dragons still claim vasts
dominions. We know the giants continue to press
forward on our borders, snatching and eating us
like bread. We know the wyrms hunt in the skies,
and the monsters hunt in the seas. We know lost
spirits have become vengeful. We know all of this.
But we do not know how far the corruption runs.
The world is undoubtedly dangerous, but how
much more threatening is it because of the star
shards? The very points at which the gods fell all
of those generations ago have corrupted all things
nearby. And the corruption spreads.
We don’t know what this darkness has done to the
natural world, and we know even less about what
the darkness has created in its own likeness.
Truly, our heroes must put a stop to the cor-
ruption. They must find a way to allow gods to
ascend once more, for this may be the twilight of
our entire world.
—Highdoni Chronicler Julius Lorrado
 H I G H C A S T E R

I X

M o n s t e r s

T
here are legendary creatures in
Highcaster, perhaps because of their
magic, powers, or abilities. Monsters are
not inherently evil, even if they may be
inherently dangerous. However, if they
become a threat, then the heroes must
confront them.
Monsters should not be used as throw-away fodder for he-
roes to slay mindlessly. Instead, they are the centerpiece of
the story, or at least, the centerpiece of that particular mo-
ment in the story. And through the stages of threat resolu-
tion, a deeper narrative will emerge.
Each monster listed in this section has two sets of potential
stages to choose from, essentially stages to spark ideas of
what could happen during a confrontation with that mon-
ster. The first is “combative,” which refers to moments when
the monster threatens or fights the heroes. The second is
“situational,” which is for moments when the monster is not
immediately trying to harm the heroes but is threatening in
other ways. The stage examples represent when the threat is
a danger to the heroes. There may be social or passive situa-
tions that are not dangerous, and in that case, they wouldn’t
be threats.

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 M o n s t e r s

Arakna
Stage(s): 3-5
Crawling through forests of massive webs which capture
their prey, the Arakna are colossal tarantula-like creatures
with supernatural intelligence. Deceptive and cunning, they
are known to trick their quarry into their webs so they can
feed. Some have even demonstrated the ability to speak.

Combative: Situational:
• Sinks their fangs into a • Raises their front legs to
creature intimidate prey
• Snares a creature in their • Observes from their webs
web high in the treetops
• Spits venom at a creature • Uses their spider senses to
detect nearby creatures
• Wraps an ensnared
creature in webs • Reveals enormity and
• Calls on smaller spiders scale of presence to
to feast intimidate
• Convinces a creature to
wander into their domain

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 H I G H C A S T E R

Balor
Stage(s): 5+
Balor are giant destructive Fynds of the shadow that were
unleashed upon the world during the Fall of the Stars. Their
infernal towering skeletal forms crash through the landscape
and obliterate everything in their path. Balor are attracted to
star shards often roam the lands nearby.

Combative: Situational:
• Stomps or crushes crea- • Scorches the terrain as it
tures with giant bone wanders
hands • Destroys structures and
• Throws flaming brim- villages
stone at anything in view • Journeys toward a star
• Ignites the landscape with shard to regain strength
infernal flames • Takes dominion over a
• Breathes hellish fire at region, ruling over it
creatures • Gathers other Balor to
• Relentless, does not stop attack a major city
or tire

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 T h e H e r i t a g e

Braethen
Stage(s): 2-5
From Old Highspeak, meaning “Those Who Breathe,” Bra-
ethen are creatures molded from clay or earth and given life
through magic. They are usually created as servants or war-
riors but have minds of their own. Practitioners must earn
and maintain their loyalty, forming bonds with them.

Combative: Situational:
• Ruthlessly defends its • Follows creator’s wishes
creator in return for something
• Attacks by crushing or • Is attracted to something
stomping visually interesting
• Demonstrates enormous • Expresses its wishes
strength through body language
• Perseveres when harmed, • Demonstrates frustration
doesn’t feel pain with its creator
• Relentless, does not stop • Magic subdues and fades
or tire its consciousness

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 H I G H C A S T E R

Bugh
Stage(s): 3-5
Creatures that are fears made manifest, the Bugh are cre-
ated from thousands of years of emotions collected in the
spiritual world before taking on a consciousness of its own.
They come in countless frightening forms, each born from
an accumulation of common fears and anxieties.
Combative: Situational:
• Remains hidden but cre- • Appears repeatedly in
ates a sense of dread nightmares
• Suddenly manifests to • Creates overwhelming
scare or startle oppressive fear in an area
• Feeds, becoming nour- • Reveals mutilation of
ished from fear local livestock in waking
nightmares
• Distorts the vision and
hearing of others • Captures individuals and
• Ruthlessly attacks to keeps them frozen in
draw blood, menacing perpetual fear
and creating more fear • Extinguishes all lights and
obscures the sun

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 M o n s t e r s

Djedu-Ka
Stage(s): 1
Considered by the Sterboren to be spirits of the Djedu tree,
these luminescent bugs are seen only in the Storm. Often
seen gathering en masse before thunderstorms, Djedu-Ka
are thought of as messengers of the great tree.

Combative: Situational:
• Flashes disorienting pat- • Retreats to the canopy of
terns of light tree Djedu
• Buzzes loudly to intimi- • Softly hums heralding a
date predators thunderstorm

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 H I G H C A S T E R

Dragon
Stage(s): 6+
Legendary creatures of the supernatural, dragons are about
as old as the world itself. They have always lived in the
realm, just beyond civilization, like deities on earth. The
older dragons can grow impossibly big. They are extraordi-
narily wise and intelligent and wield powerful magic.

Combative: Situational:
• Topples structures, walls, • Reveals enormity and
dwellings scale of presence to
intimidate
• Breathes fire upon a spe-
cific enemy • Flies high to see an entire
• Stomps or sweeps with region
giant tail or wing • Observes from a distance
• Deafens with a roar • Produces a magical effect
or create a talisman
• Sweeps fire breath to
destroy an entire area • Changes form into a
smaller creature

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 M o n s t e r s

Giant
Stage(s): 5+
The giants of Highcaster have always lived far in the west
with their own cultures and civilizations. However, follow-
ing the Fall of the Stars, they moved closer and closer to
other civilizations causing strife and chaos. Many of them
feast on smaller creatures, including people.

Combative: Situational:
• Topples structures, walls, • Reveals enormity and
dwellings scale of presence to
intimidate
• Eats an entire person
whole • Positions itself high above
• Crushes creatures with others to observe
fists or feet • Charges forward causing
• Attacks by throwing large earth trimmers
objects • Shouts to frighten or
• Uses a massive weapon or intimidate
object to attack • Flees an area when they
begin to take harm

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 H I G H C A S T E R

Gheis
Stage(s): 1-5
Since the Fall of the Stars, spirits of the dead have nowhere
to pass over, so they remain. Some relive their life experienc-
es; others roam, lost. A few may ascend toward deification.
Yet, others are vengeful and dangerous. The Gheis are all of
these, spirits of the dead--unsettled, restless, and troubled.

Combative: Situational:
• Inflicts terror on a crea- • Creates an aura of fore-
ture’s mind boding
• Inhabits the body of a • Manifests as an appari-
being and compels it to tion or in a ghostly form
speak or move • Manifests only within a
• Appears in a horrifying person’s mind
form to strike fear • Produces sounds, voices,
• Throws objects at a crea- and noises
ture telekinetically • Moves objects without
• Takes away the breath of being seen
the living

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 M o n s t e r s

Gobel
Stage(s): 1-2
Formerly fay creatures of the Speis, the Gobel were corrupt-
ed and have long since severed themselves from that realm.
They are malicious and malevolent tooth-filled beasts, seek-
ing to cause chaos in the world. Creatures of chaos, they
take delight in the suffering and misery of mortals.

Combative: Situational:
• Viciously attacks and • Initiates an event that
then disappears causes chaos
• Lurks in the shadows • Observes for personal
waiting to cause harm weaknesses that they can
later exploit
• Takes something valuable
• Strikes in a way that caus- • Harms the weak or inno-
cent, causing despair
es chaos and confusion
• Taunts by exposing weak-
• Calls for other Gobel to
nesses
assist or to attack with
them • Gains trust through a
false form

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 H I G H C A S T E R

Gorbest
Stage(s): 3+
Insect-like predators who drink blood to supplement their
limited water intake in dry climates. They are very large pred-
ators that hunt in packs. While mostly nocturnal, gorbests
are always active in their underground hives, as well as com-
ing out during the day in heavy rain.

Combative: Situational:
• Slashes at target • Clashes claws together to
intimidate
• Leaps large distance at
target • Howls to call reinforce-
• Grapples target or pins ments
them with their claws • Retreats back into hive
• Bites grappled target • Drinks blood of grappled
target to heal

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 M o n s t e r s

Helhunta
Stage(s): 4-5
Helhunta are remnants of the shadow, Fynd monstrosities
that appear as giant three-headed hounds. Before the Fall,
they hunted lost souls to bring them to judgment, and their
insatiable desire to hunt hasn’t diminished since the Fall. So
they stalk, kill, and move on in search of quarry.

Combative: Situational:
• Lunges with teeth to tear • Makes horrific howls
apart prey • Fills the air with the
• Chases supernaturally fast stench of brimstone
to capture prey
• Burns the ground as it
• Emits intense heat, fire, walks
and flame • Creates a horrifying
• Postures and slowly foreboding presence
moves to attack • Quietly stalks prey until
• Break through barriers there is a chance to attack
and protections

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 H I G H C A S T E R

Merhunta
Stage(s): 2-3
Fay predators of seas, rivers, and lakes, the Merhunta’s nat-
ural form is hideous and rapacious. However, their illuso-
ry abilities cause them to appear as whatever their observer
considers attractive. The effect lures the prey close, only to
break when the Merhunta attack and consume them.

Combative: Situational:
• Presents as a trusted or • Observes from a distance
attractive form • Sings a hauntingly beauti-
• Lures prey in by beckon- ful melody
ing them • Damages ships, attempt-
• Draws target in by feign- ing to sink them
ing peril
• Emerges onto land for a
• Attacks suddenly with short time
claws • Quietly stalks prey, wait-
• Swims supernaturally ing for a chance to attack
fast toward a mark or to
escape

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 M o n s t e r s

Mordran
Stage(s): 2-3
Some creatures are cursed with living death, often induced
by the corruption of star shards or wicked magic. These are
the Mordran. Unlike lost souls or Gheis, they are very much
living creatures, but they do not age. Moreover, Mordran
have an insatiable need for fresh blood from the living to
sustain themselves.
Combative: Situational:
• Attacks suddenly from a • Changes form to a vermin
hidden place • Calls forward magical
• Grapples and devours mist and fog
blood from a creature’s • Moves supernaturally
vulnerable point
fast, faster than the eye
• Slashes with fingernails to can detect
overcome their victim
• Supernaturally takes flight
• Charges supernaturally
• Quietly stalks prey until
fast there is a chance to attack
• Regenerates when harmed

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 H I G H C A S T E R

Oathbrek
Stage(s): 2-3
Oathbrek were once powerful oathen or knights. Now,
cursed by star shards, they serve only chaos, destruction,
and hate. Their corruption made them supernatural, and
they wield powerful magic. They have the thoughts and
memories of their previous life but have twisted it to pro-
voke malice.
Combative: Situational:
• Causes creatures to • Brings darkness with
be paralyzed in their them, extinguishes all
presence light
• Uses harmful shadow • Reveals a presence of
magic against others dread and foreboding
• Uses a powerful artifact • Causes nightmares when
or magical weapon in a region
• Does not get harmed • Always shrouded in mists
when attacked • Quietly stalks target until
• Relentlessly pursues there is a chance to attack

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 M o n s t e r s

Saeskar
Stage(s): 5-6
The coasts of Highcaster are full of all manner of beasts
and creatures, but perhaps he most feared is the sea’s largest
predator, the Saeskar. It is unclear how many exist, but the
large octopus-like creature has arms large enough to em-
brace an entire ship. Saeskar hunt any creature that enter
their space.
Combative: Situational:
• Smashes with a colossal • Observes from a distance
tentacle • Slowly reveals presence
• Grapples ships or struc- by lifting tentacles out of
tures with tentacles the water
• Rams or crushes ships to • Causes large ocean swells
sink them and waves
• Uses massive beak to • Emits high-pitched
consume victims ear-splitting screech
• Strikes individual victims • Attracts countless gulls
with a tentacle looking for scraps

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 H I G H C A S T E R

Sedyr
Stage(s): 3+
Ancient beings from the Fall of the Stars still roam the
realm. These beings, called Sedyr, stay hidden in swamps,
caves, or woodlands, practicing dark magic. Those who
encounter them are drawn in under the guise that they are
harmless and are then taken to be corrupted. Sedyr travel
in groups of three or greater to better perform rituals.
Combative: Situational:
• Slashes creature with • Sets traps for enemies
clawed fingers using wildlife like toads,
chickens, etc.
• Launches a dark magical
attack • Assumes the form of
• Drains energy and life a harmless humanoid
creature
essence from a creature
• Performs blood ritual to
• Attacks the thoughts
regain strength
and dreams of a sleeping
creature • Cackles to intimidate
• Ensnares a being in their • Summons other nearby
cloak Sedyr

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 M o n s t e r s

Starv
Stage(s): 1-2
Transformed by the decay and corruption spread from the
fallen gods, the Starv were once people but now live and
feast on corruption, hate, and death. They are the cursed liv-
ing dead remnants of what they once were, forever hungry
and gorging on anything that lives.

Combative: Situational:
• Relentlessly pursues flesh • Slowly infects the living
over time
• Approaches in multitudes
to tear into and feast • Subtly destroys life in a
upon the living region, flora and fauna
• Persists, even when physi- become corrupted
cally harmed • Roams to and from star
• Spreads corruption so shards
that others turn into them • Appears within hordes of
• Breaks through barriers mindless wanderers
and knocks down defens- • Emerges only at night,
es to get to flesh averse to the sun

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 H I G H C A S T E R

Torn
Stage(s): 1-2
Torn are crocodilian creatures forged through the vicious
magic of the Fall of the Stars. They lurk in the deep parts
of the world, where they remain watchfully on the hunt for
prey. They are not mindless predators but are driven very
much by unrelenting hunger. They are tricky and highly in-
telligent killers.
Combative: Situational:
• Pulls victims beneath the • Observes from beneath
water the water
• Crushes victims by slam- • Joins with others to
ming and rolling with attack stronger prey
them • Separates groups to
• Bites victims with jaws attack weaker targets
unaided
• Tugs victims along rocks
or the shore to break • Corners prey so that they
them can’t escape
• Suddenly attacks from a • Roars to intimidate prey
hidden place

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 M o n s t e r s

Wyrm
Stage(s): 4-5
Often mistaken for dragons, wyrms are flying predatory
beasts that live in highlands and hunt over hundreds of miles.
They are not supernatural or highly intelligent, like dragons,
and survive by hunting prey in the wilderness. They tend to
avoid civilization but, at times, have been known to attack
densely populated areas.

Combative: Situational:
• Dives down to snatch a • Observes while flying
creature high in the air
• Dives down to bite a • Perches on a landmark
creature • Dives in close to observe
• Smashes a creature or more
environment with its tail • Feasts on caught prey
• Screeches to intimidate a
• Fights with other wyrms
creature out of hiding over supremacy in their
• Corners a creature, deter- territory.
mined to eat it whole

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T
here was a time when I was
younger, less wise, and full
of bravado that I traveled the
lengths and breadth of this con-
tinent. It is impossible to say
with any amount of honesty that
every part of Highcaster is momentous, breathtak-
ing, and humbling. But certainly, portions are. Also,
having spent most of my life in the settlements, it
is easy to forget that much of Highcaster is a wil-
derness.
So much was lost in the Fall of the Stars. An entire
history of our vast empire entirely disintegrated,
save for the highly prized documents kept here at
the capitol. And we truly do not know what is be-
yond our borders.
Certainly, we’ve met others and even developed
trade with them, but even those realms are in their
place, and, collectively, we know not what is be-
yond their borders.
It is an exciting time to be sure, for all that heroes
learn and discover is the first it will be known. We
can forge our histories anew, it seems.
Perhaps this time, we will be wiser. Possibly we
won’t lead the realm to another cataclysm. And
conceivably, the gods that ascend will be merciful
ones.

—Highdoni Chronicler Julius Lorrado

 X

Y o u r W o r l d

A
s a game, Highcaster is meant to be a
ready-made stage for your story. It is best
to think of it as a toolbox. The design is
focused on giving you rich cultures, char-
acter motivations, and threats as inspira-
tion points to pull from—but purposely
leaves everything else open and up to you. You will not find
history (beyond broad strokes), monarchs, famous people,
wars, or specific relations between cultures, except signifi-
cant capitals, cities, or particular regions or geography. Ev-
erything is broad and top-level so that you and your group
can fill in the blanks on your own.
Highcaster is your world. Its limitations, characteristics, and
environment are entirely up to you and how your group de-
fines it. There are, however, default assumptions. Highcaster
is at least 1,000 miles from north to south and about 800
miles from east to west. A sizable continental divide splits
the continent into two, featuring nearly impassable moun-
tains called the Wyrmspine.
Additionally, Highcaster is very similar to our own world.
There is a moon, and it waxes and wanes every thirty days.
There are 365 days in a year, and there are two equinoxes
and two solstices.

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 Y o u r w o r l d

However, it is your Highcaster. Like with anything in this

book, take what you want, lose what you don’t. Highcaster
is defined by the cultures and heritages, not by geography or
history. Beyond that, specific setting themes make the game
Highcaster:
♦ Highcaster is wild. Civilization is sparse and far
between. There are civilization anchors, and there are cities
and monarchies--but they are isolated. Vast reaches of
wilderness span between pockets of civilizations. The larger
cities have connected and started creating trade routes.
However, most of the world lives in isolation from one
another, living in their worlds with their problems.

♦ Highcaster is mysterious. As civilization is

reforging, there is much that is unknown beyond
borders. Historical understanding of how magic works
has been largely lost to time, and new forces of magic
have yet to be discovered. The nature of spirits and
lost souls have not been fully reconciled. The dangers,
monsters, and powers in the wilderness are the stuff of
legend.

♦ Highcaster is vast. Travelers can go months before

finding another sentient soul. The world is uncharted.
There are no maps. Beyond settlements, there are no
roads. Nearly everything is left to be explored.

♦ Highcaster has no stars. The gods were the stars

themselves. When they fell, so did the stars. There
is a moon but no stars. Further, navigation without
landmarks or the use of the sun is impossible. Ships
never leave sight of the shore.
This section is about defining your Highcaster before you
start your game. It provides tools to help craft Highcaster
for your table and everything you’ll need to help flesh out
your game. Additionally, you can use this section to help
craft the locations of your world as the characters begin to
explore.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Home Region
Your game will usually start somewhere within the lands
of your group’s shared culture. Cultures are somewhat geo-
graphically bound because the region’s environment contrib-
utes to the development of that culture. However, the precise
location of the cultures, boundaries, outer areas, and neigh-
boring cultures--all of those details are yours to determine.
You will need to decide if the story starts in the culture’s
capital, within the broader lands, or along the marches and
boundaries of the land. You may also consider starting sepa-
rate from the culture’s territory, like in a distant settlement,
satellite, or an isolated region cut off from the culture for
whatever reason.
Once you’ve determined your starting location, you will
emergently build your Highcaster through game play. This
is not a game that requires you to plot out every conceivable
detail of the world in advance. Remember your Chronicler
Principle, “Build your persistent Highcaster as you play.”
Your world will expand with your story. The following sec-
tion will help you set up that story, which will, in turn, set
up your world.

Shared Worlds

You may be involved with multiple gaming groups or enjoy

the canon of actual plays, published adventures, or stories.
Even in those cases, that shared world is still emergent. It
is still built up and out as those stories are told, all expe-
riences adding to the same world through play. It can be
supremely satisfying to share a world among groups and
embrace truths from the stories others are telling. This
approach to building a collaborative Highcaster is highly
encouraged. Especially as different media is created for the
game, creating persistent worlds can be very rewarding.

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 Y o u r w o r l d

Your Story
Now that you have your homeland figured out and likely the
boundaries, you can jump into your story. As mentioned be-
fore, you don’t (and shouldn’t) know the world yet. You are
playing to discover the world with your heroes, so, you’re
pretty much ready.
Also, don’t worry, you won’t need to make up everything on
the fly. The game, by design, requires cooperation from your
players to help build the world. Additionally, we’ll walk
through six Preparation Steps to do before each session to
arm you with everything you’ll need to run the game.
♦ Review

♦ Prepare People

♦ Prepare the Journey

♦ Prepare Locations

♦ Prepare Truths

♦ Prepare the Big Open

Review
The first preparation step is to review the game’s themes,
the players’ desires, the heroes themselves, and the prior ses-
sion (if there was one). The purpose of this step is to make
sure that as your legend grows, you are repeating themes the
group thinks are essential.
Sometimes in long-play games, it’s easy to lose focus and
head down routes that are not significant to the story or the
players. Hence, this is the moment to check to see if you are
planning suitable material and content for the game.
If possible, record your game sessions (be sure to get your
players’ approval before you do). That way, you can listen
back to remember what happened more clearly and take
notes about what may be missing or find chords you want to
strike in the next session.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Beyond the reviewing and note-taking mentioned above,
here are two additional steps in the Review phase:
♦ Review Prior Session (if there was one): Write down
three things you liked about the session and want to
continue, and write down three things you’d like to see in
the next session that you didn’t in this one.

♦ Review the Heroes: Look at each character sheet

and write down one moment you want to include that
will spotlight something in each hero’s background or
Disciplines.

Prepare People
You’ll want to pre-make some NPCs that you can grab at a
moment’s notice, especially if this is your first session. If it
isn’t, you’ll still want a list to draw from, in addition to the
NPCs you’ve already established.
Before each session, create 3-5 NPCs by filling in the phrase
“[Name] is a [descriptive] [heritage], that is [personality
trait].” For example, “Arach is a bawdy Holt, that is con-
trolling.”
After you’ve determined new characters, take this moment
to review the existing NPCs already in play. Write the ones
down that you believe will come up in this session, and also
write down a brief statement describing what they want.
Then, if you have an idea of what the new characters will be
doing, you can do the same for them.
Prepare the Journey
There is sometimes a tendency in fantasy games to rush to a
destination or jump to the core plot, skipping over the jour-
ney. Highcaster is a game of legendary heroes, however, so it
is almost entirely about the journey. Yes, there is some sort
of looming threat, MacGuffin to find or restore, or distant
land to reach, but the story is about what happens along the
way.

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 Y o u r w o r l d

This principle does not apply only to literal journeys but the
plot journey as well. Highcaster is best played over time, a
crescendo that ultimately reaches its dramatic conclusion.
However, that conclusion would not nearly be as satisfying
had you not gone on the journey with the characters to get
there. And remember, while that journey could be literal, a
trek across strange lands, it could also be the journey of a
character, a community, a political situation, estranged lov-
ers, or even a journey from loss to regaining hope.
In short, the journey is the game.
So, the Chronicler will make every encounter significant
rather than navigate game rules about handling overland
travel and dealing with random encounters. Each session is
the next encounter along the journey of the heroes in this
legend. When they finally reach the story’s climax, they will
have gone through trials and ordeals and will have grown,
so they are equipped to rise up and confront their final chal-
lenge.
To wit, instead of mapping hexes to get to dungeons or vil-
lages, you will be mapping story pillars that will move char-
acters from one arc to the next, all within the framework of
the overall journey.
Every campaign should start with an overall goal. Session 0
will shape and introduce the characters, but the first session
will introduce the journey. After that, you will continue to
generate choices for the heroes’ odyssey, each session, until
they confront the final threats at the journey’s culmination.
♦ Create the Destination: In the first session, the
Chronicler will, through the narrative, describe the overall
journey. This could be a literal journey wherein the heroes
must traverse great distances to accomplish a critical
mission or put down a dangerous threat. Or it could be
a metaphorical journey wherein the heroes must address
a crisis, such as a crucial social, political, or economic
problem.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
♦ Create Journey Choices: Once the heroes understand
their destination, you will create breadcrumbs for their
journey. You won’t (and shouldn’t) ultimately know how
everything will pan out or what will happen when they reach
the destination. Instead, before each session, write three
potential choices the heroes could make to get closer to their
goal. Then reveal options naturally throughout the session.
You’ll do this each session until it makes narrative sense for
the heroes to arrive at the destination.

♦ List Threats: After you’ve thought through three choices,

list threats the heroes will need to confront along with each
option. You can choose from the threats in this book or
make your own. Just know that threats are significant and
will be the primary focus of the session. Remember, you’ll
also want to consider environmental threats like weather
problems, civil unrest, or an approaching army.
After you have your three potential paths and their corre-
sponding threats, you’re ready for the next step of session
preparation.
Prepare Locations
Since we are telling epic stories of legendary heroes, the lo-
cations need to fit that description. It is not enough to say
that this is happening in a forest, along a river, or in a city.
Highcaster locations should be incredible. They are set pieces
for mythology and need to transcend everyday perceptions of
a fantasy world.
Apart from the culture’s home regions, very little of the world
is specifically outlined in this game. Even the areas revealed in
this book are explained in broad strokes. That is by design. It
is up to you to build your Highcaster and to shape something
that will resonate in your group’s memory for a long time.
So at the beginning of each session, you will prepare the three
potential locations for the heroes to experience that session.
Generally, they will correspond with the three possible paths
you’ve created and accompanying threats, but there may be
more than one location you’ll need for each

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 Y o u r w o r l d
♦ Identify the Region: Write down the biome, climate, or
general region. Use the home regions as a guide but feel free
to expand upon that. The natural world of Highcaster is
very much like ours. There are deserts, forests, mountains,
marshes, coastal lands, and more. Take note of the types of
flora and fauna they’ll find there to help crystallize the area
in your head and to be used as you introduce the scene.

♦ Sensory Qualities and Weather: Next, think about the

weather, given what you know of the region or seasons, and
write down anything to call out for the senses. Think of the
smell of a particular type of flora, the feel of brisk wind, the
lack of visibility due to mist.

Go through each sense and jot down anything that jumps

out, given the location.

♦ Call Out Three Landmarks or Points of Interest:

Now, list three landmarks or visuals that you can use to give
them something to interact with in the scene. It could be
scattered boulders, thickets of trees, or a structure.

♦ Three Qualities that Make the Location Interesting:

For the last step, take what you’ve written and jazz it up.
Make it more lively and compelling. Find a way to expand
on the landmarks, weather, or local region into something
memorable. Maybe the river is rushing toward an
impossible waterfall. Perhaps the bell tower is made of lapis
lazuli, or the boulders are under a spell and are hovering
above the ground.

Step up the set pieces to become memorable and larger than

life.

The Journey and Locations need not be about far-off places

or long quests. These tools can be used for intimate games
in villages, homesteads, or even in a stronghold or palace.
Apply the principles to rooms, instead of locations; to the
ambiance of a location instead of weather; to the people or
objects around instead of landmarks.

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 H I G H C A S T E R

Prepare Truths
Part of the effect of running a collaborative narrative-driven
game means that the Chronicler cannot completely control
how the story turns out. That’s not a bad thing; you aren’t
writing a novel. Instead, you’re creating a shared story ex-
perience. However, it does present challenges when trying to
prepare for your sessions.
The previous steps allow you to prepare options so that you
will not have to improvise everything. You’ll come equipped
with scenarios, choices, threats, and set pieces to use when
the story advances.
However, when constructing a story session-to-session this
way, it can be challenging to thread everything together into
a continuous plot. And even harder to project where it will
all end up.
Here is where we get the benefit of the “Prepare Truths”
step.
Preparing Truths is a critical preparation you can do before
each session that will help you tie everything together, look
ahead at what may be, and by the end, appear as if you’d
planned the whole thing all along (even though you most
certainly haven’t).
♦ Write Down Ten Potential Truths: Before each session,
write down ten things that might be true, but they must be
different than the truths you wrote down in the last session.
These truths can be about villain motivations, the setting
or environment, the journey or destination, the cultures--
anything relevant to the story.

♦ However, they aren’t actually true until you use them in

the narrative. So, the ones you do use are woven into the
narrative. As for the ones you don’t use, cross them off
and develop new ones next time. In this way, you’re subtly
driving the fiction from session to session and keeping your
eye on what is happening outside the heroes’ sphere of
influence.

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 Y o u r w o r l d

Prepare the Big Open

Finally, think about how you want to open the session. You
are looking for a way to go in media res and start right away
with action. This need not be combat, chases, arguments, or
anything like that. It just needs to be at a moment when the
story is in motion.
Write up a blurb that will help you quickly set the scene, set
up the action, and set up the end by saying, “What do you
do?”
It is up to you to start the game on a smooth trajectory and
avoid the awkward “getting to know you what is happen-
ing” exchange that happens when the Chronicler does not
clearly frame a scene
After accomplishing all of the steps, you are prepared and
can now move on with your session.
Parting Thoughts
Highcaster is focused on the story and hero drama, not on
the big action pieces or plot intricacies. While there can and
should be combat and action scenes, that is not the point of
our story. The point is how those events change the heroes.
What a character does is less important than why a charac-
ter does it. That is why heroes can have massive powers, and
players can have narrative control. It doesn’t matter how
skilled a character is, but how they handle those powers and
skills, along with what they do with them.
Players will be rolling to determine how threats are resolved
via their heroes’ approach to the problem. For example, is
Prestige going to fix the problem, or is Courage? And why
is the hero selecting one over the other? The choices will
speak to the hero’s mindset, personal story arc, and how that
threat builds their story.
Of course, there will be times when there is an action scene.
For example, you may be drawn into “a monster snaps at
you, see if you can dodge it.” But that’s not how this game

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 H I G H C A S T E R
functions. Instead, you will be rolling to find out if their ap-
proach to the problem worked.
In Highcaster, you are rolling to see if the hero possesses
the Virtue, Courage, or Prestige to confront a threat, not
whether or not they hit it with their axe. Openly discuss
this. Make a habit of asking “why?” Action scenes should
flow moment-to-moment, not action-to-action. That is why
threats are fashioned in stages--with each stage, the very na-
ture of the threat changes, compelling the players to change
their approach. So you aren’t watching blow by blow; you
are watching beat by beat and observing how the characters
react and change due to the circumstances.
Random NPCs: Trade
d10 Type Trade
1 Acrobat
2 Minstrel / Bard
3 Musician
1 Artisans/ Entertainers
4 Painter / Illustrator
5 Performer
6 Writer / Poet
1 Animal Handler
2 Beggar
3 Farmer / Herder
2 Commoners
4 Hunter / Fisher
5 Laborer
6 Peasant
1 Baker
2 Blacksmith
3 Butcher
4 Carpenter
3 Crafters
5 Leatherworker
6 Mason
7 Tailor
8 Woodworker

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 Y o u r w o r l d

1 Burglar
2 Con Artist
3 Footpad
4 Criminal
4 Marauder / Raider
5 Outlaw
6 Pickpocket / Thief
1 Bailiff / Executioner
2 Chancellor
3 Constable / Warden
5 Government
4 Diplomat
5 Herald
6 Judge / Magistrate
1 Apothecary
2 Banker
3 Barkeep
6 Merchant
4 Merchant
5 Provisioner
6 Servant
1 Archer
2 Calvary
3 Commander
4 Engineer / Sapper
7 Military
5 Guard
6 Mercenary
7 Scout
8 Soldier / Footperson
1 Abbot / Abbess
2 Deacon / Usher
8 Religious
3 Monk / Nun
4 Priest / Minister
1 Academic / Scholar
2 Bookkeeper / Scribe
9 Scholars
3 Philosopher
4 Professor
10 Hero

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Random NPCs: Traits
d00 Appearance d00 Appearance d00 Appearance
1 Unusually tall 34 Expressive eyes 67 Small chin
2 Cocky smile 35 Beautiful face 68 Large arms
3 Bruised face 36 Striking hair 69 Wears scarves
4 Scarred nose 37 Youthful 70 Bad breath
5 Has a limp 38 Dirty 71 Shackled
6 Enormous jowls 39 Underbite 72 Big chin
7 Slender 40 Many piercings 73 False limb
8 Tired 41 Always itching 74 Very ill
9 Groomed 42 Great teeth 75 Squinty
10 Gaudy Jewels 43 Forehead tattoo 76 Stone-faced
11 Calloused hands 44 Arm tattoos 77 Weak
12 Curious accent 45 Large calves 78 Very short
13 Wears spectacles 46 Smells lovely 79 Great posture
14 Toned Legs 47 Wears robes 80 Athletic
15 Broad shoulders 48 Underdressed 81 Facial tattoos
16 Wears one glove 49 Wears a wig 82 Opulent
17 Breathes heavily 50 Wears flowers 83 Hairy
18 No personal space 51 Mohawk 84 Big eyes
19 Poor posture 52 Long braids 85 High Voice
20 Unusual eye color 53 Square Jaw 86 Stutter
21 Deep Voice 54 Unkempt 87 Perfumed
22 Sleepy 55 Torn clothing 88 Stocky
23 Cracks knuckles 56 Muscular 89 Hairless
24 Simple clothing 57 Dour and Simple 90 Missing teeth
25 Clothes don’t fit 58 Freckles 91 Nice clothing
26 Stone in forehead 59 Fast Speaker 92 Bad teeth
27 Gaudy jewels 60 Facial burns 93 Facial mole
28 Missing eye 61 Extremely strong 94 Huge beard
29 Overweight 62 On crutches 95 Smells bad
30 Wears beads 63 Unusual eyes 96 Wears a wig
31 Alert 64 Stoic 97 Sharp teeth
32 Well Rested 65 Elderly 98 Large hat
33 Elaborate tattoos 66 Androgynous 99 Course
00 Barefoot

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 Y o u r w o r l d
Random NPCs: Personality
d00 Personality d00 Personality d00 Personality
1 Wise and discerning 34 Authoritative 67 Combative
2 Strongly convicted 35 Benevolent 68 Dictatorial
3 Ethical and just 36 High self-esteem 69 Egotistical
4 Idealistic 37 Ambitious 70 Vengeful
5 Compulsive 38 Social climber 71 Content
6 Judgmental 39 Image-conscious 72 Receptive
7 Self-righteous 40 Self-promoting 73 Caring
8 Obsessive 41 Narcissistic 74 Self-Effacing
9 Punitive and cruel 42 Untrustworthy 75 Inattentive
10 Humble 43 Vindictive 76 Stubborn
11 Compassionate 44 Creative 77 Repressed
12 Encouraging 45 Introspective 78 Dissociative
13 People-Pleasing 46 Funny 79 Disoriented
14 Intrusive 47 Artistic 80 Easygoing
15 Self-important 48 Self-absorbed 81 Powerful
16 Manipulative 49 Melancholy 82 Spontaneous
17 Coercive 50 Depressed 83 Engaging
18 Resentful 51 Delusional 84 Suspicious
19 Belligerent 52 Self-destructive 85 Secretive
20 Volatile 53 Visionary 86 Intense
21 Paranoid 54 Insightful 87 Moody
22 Escapist 55 Skillful 88 Adaptive
23 Ingratiating 56 Intellectual 89 Pragmatic
24 Enthusiastic 57 Detached 90 Generous
25 Productive 58 Antagonistic 91 Possessive
26 Adventurous 59 Reclusive 92 Perfectionist
27 Hyperactive 60 Obsessive 93 Purposeful
28 Excessive 61 Deranged 94 Driven
29 Anxious 62 Trusting 95 Perceptive
30 Impulsive 63 Endearing 96 Decisive
31 Low energy 64 Hard-working 97 Scattered
32 Magnanimous 65 Safe and stable 98 Complacent
33 Self-confident 66 Passive-aggressive 99 Risk-taking
00 Dominating

2 1 9
 H I G H C A S T E R
Regions
As you reviewed the cultures, some texture was presented
about the regions of Highcaster; however, you are not limit-
ed to this information. Highcaster is your world by design,
created by your group during and for your campaign. To
this purpose, the following tools will help you create areas
on the fly or further explore places you’ve already conceived.
In this context, a “region” is defined by natural geographical
boundaries such as the plains in between mountain ranges, a
forest location, or two territories split by a river.
Regional boundaries are not sharply defined, and their size is
highly variable. For example, you could have plains stretch-
ing for hundreds of miles or a forest of only a few dozen
square miles.
Regions can also include multiple biomes that gradually ease
into one another. You can roll or choose from this list.
d00 Biome
01-30 Grassland (seasonal, mild, non-forested)
31-35 Desert (dry, hot, non-forested)
36-50 Chaparral (dry, warm, non-forested)
51-56 Tundra (dry, cold, non-forested)
57-65 Savanna (dry, hot, non-forested)
66-70 Taiga (wet, cold, forested)
71-80 Temperate Forest (seasonal, mild, forested)
81-90 Tropical Forest (wet, hot, mixed forested/non-forested)
91-00 Wetlands (wet, hot, marsh/swamp)

Grassland: These areas are dominated by grasses, hedges,

and rush. They are generally wide open, with few trees, and
can occur on landforms ranging from plains to mountains.
In Highcaster, grasslands are the cradle of civilizations or
can serve as long marches between different settlements. In
ancient times, grasslands were home to major cities, thus in
the present, ruins and dungeons can be found there.

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 Y o u r w o r l d

Desert: These areas appear as dry, barren landscapes. Des-

erts have limited precipitation and are hostile to plant and
animal life. As a result, there are few settlements and people
who live in these regions. The deserts of Highcaster are gen-
erally on the western side of the continent.
Chaparral: Shrubland and heathland constitute an average
chaparral landscape and prominently hosts drought-resis-
tant plants, shrubs, evergreen, and oak. These areas are typ-
ically dry with a regular monsoon season, no more than one
or two months out of the year. Consequently, chaparral is
often considered high-desert, reaching above typical desert
biomes and into a temperate or alpine climate.
Tundra: The harsh treeless tundras of Highcaster are main-
ly present in the south and the center continental mountain
ranges. These frozen lands rise far above the tree line and
impart miles upon miles of barren wastelands. Few settle-
ments can survive here, and the environment and the weath-
er harden those that do. Some regions are entirely impass-
able save for the very determined.
Savanna: Sometimes called tropical grasslands, the tropical
savanna is a stretch of rolling hills with tall grass and very
few trees. It is typically hot and dry and lies between rainfor-
ests and deserts. It is a large and wild part of the continent
full of all manner of beasts and monsters and with very little
civilization.
Taiga: The evergreen forests of the alpine reaches of High-
caster are without mercy. The coniferous boreal forests,
sometimes called snow forests, are very wet and cold. They
are some of the largest regions of the realm and feature a
large variety of fauna.
Temperate Forest: Characterized by a mild climate with
a wide range of conifers and deciduous trees, the temperate
regions have thick and lush forests, with a high canopy and
broad-leaf trees such as oaks, beeches, maples, and conifers.
The zones tend to have warm and cool seasons with four
distinct seasons.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Tropical Forest: The tropical forests in Highcaster occur
in the north toward the equator. Deep, thick, and bustling
with life, both forests are void of civilization and full of dan-
ger and predators. They are mostly unexplored and entirely
wild.
Biome Traits
Mild Grassland, Temperate Forest
Hot Desert, Tropical Forest, Chaparral, Savanna, Wetlands
Cold Tundra, Taiga
Non-Forested Grassland, Desert, Chaparral, Tundra, Savanna, Wetlands
Forested Temperate Forest, Tropical Forest, Taiga
Seasonal Grassland, Temperate Forest
Dry Desert, Chaparral, Tundra, Savanna
Wet Taiga, Tropical Forest, Wetlands

Communities
Now that you’ve defined your biomes and bordering bi-
omes, you can get an idea of how many communities your
region would have. Also, you do not need to build these
communities yet; you are simply trying to understand how
populated the area is.
However, you will likely need to build your first community
as a center for starting your adventure and campaign.

Biome Communities
Grassland Populated, 1d6 communities
Desert Wilderness, 1d4-1 communities
Chaparral Sparse, 1d4 communities
Tundra Wilderness, 1d4-1 communities
Savanna Sparse, 1d4 communities
Taiga Wilderness, 1d4-1 communities
Temperate Forest Sparse, 1d4 communities
Tropical Forest Wilderness, 1d4-1 communities
Wetlands Sparse, 1d4 communities

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 Y o u r w o r l d

Landforms and Bodies of Water

Particular landforms and bodies of water can be expected
within each biome. While landforms can become very de-
tailed, at this point, we are just looking for significant fea-
tures.
You can use the following table to pick or roll up to four
landforms or bodies of water for each biome in your region.
The results will become key regional features you will place
on your map. You should then name these features, as they
will be the core parts of the players’ landscape.
When you devise interesting names for the locations of your
region, you can create your own or refer to the naming con-
ventions in particular heritage sections depending on the ar-
ea’s population.
Biome Landforms Bodies of Water
1 Plains and flats 1 Coast
Grassland
Savanna 2 Plateaus 2 Lakes and ponds
Tundra 3 Hills 3 Rivers and streams
Wetlands
4 Valleys 4 Springs
1 Canyons 1 Coast
2 Hills 2 Dry lake bed

Desert 3 Mountains 3 Dry river bed

Taiga 4 Plains and flats 4 Lake
5 Plateaus 5 Flood plain
6 Valleys 6 Springs
1 Canyons 1 Coast
2 Hills 2 Dry lake bed
Chaparral 3 Mountains 3 Dry river bed
Tropical Forest
4 Plains and flats 4 Lakes and ponds
Temperate Forest
5 Plateaus 5 Rivers and streams
6 Valleys 6 Springs

Wonder and Magic

Highcaster is not just a world full of biomes. It is on top of
an ancient and obliterated civilization, and the resting place

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 H I G H C A S T E R
for countless fallen gods. Spirits, monsters, demons, and
worse roam the landscape. So to finish off your region, you
can choose, come up with, or roll for a noteworthy feature
that makes the region unique.
d4 1 2 3 4
1 Volcano Dragons Magical weather Giants
2 Crater Sacred site Remains of a God Huge cave systems
3 Geyser City ruins Enormous waterfall Magical minerals
4 Crevasse Colossal statues Magical dead zone Magical fauna

Flora and Fauna

In addition to the people of your region, your biomes will
contain specific plants and animals. See the tables below to
get an idea of the sort of creatures you’ll find in the area.
Grasslands and Temperate Forests
d10 Fauna d10 Flora
1 Owls 1 Needlegrass
2 Bears 2 Moss
3 Squirrels 3 Wild Oats
4 Lynxes 4 Shrubs
5 Snakes 5 Deciduous trees
6 Wolves 6 Ivy
7 Deer 7 Reeds
8 Boar 8 Indigo
9 Horses 9 Mushrooms
10 Rabbits 10 Wildflowers

Tundra and Taiga

d6 Fauna d6 Flora
1 Bears 1 Moss
2 Wolves 2 Lichen
3 Lynxes 3 Grass
4 Deer 4 Shrubs
5 Rabbits 5 Brush
6 Ravens 6 Wildflowers

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 Y o u r w o r l d
Desert and Savanna
d10 Fauna d10 Flora
1 Lizards 1 Wildflowers
2 Lynxes 2 Sage
3 Foxes 3 Scrub oak
4 Hyenas 4 Cactus
5 Venomous snakes 5 Cottonwood
6 Venomous spiders 6 Milkweed
7 Lions 7 Succulent
8 Hawks 8 Eucalyptus
9 Buzzards 9 Palm trees
10 Giraffes 10 Juniper

Chaparral
d8 Fauna d8 Flora
1 Wolves 1 Oak trees
2 Lynxes 2 Brush
3 Bison 3 Cedar trees
4 Horses 4 Olive tree
5 Snakes 5 Wildflowers
6 Foxes 6 Pine trees
7 Lizards 7 Wildberries
8 Finches 8 Agave

Tropical Forest and Wetlands

d10 Fauna d10 Flora
1 Leopards 1 Ferns
2 Tropical birds 2 Moss
3 Tropical insects 3 Lichen
4 Sloths 4 Teak
5 Venomous Snakes 5 Palms
6 Crocodile 6 Conifers
7 Lizards 7 Peppers
8 Monkeys 8 Tropical fruits
9 Bats 9 Acacia
10 Frogs 10 Orchids

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Communities
Before the Fall of the Stars, civilization was widespread. But
for centuries, the skeletal remains of those fallen cities were
all that remained on the entire continent.
The world is now reawakening. Over time people have dis-
covered each other and found safety in numbers. Communi-
ties have been established in wildlands, and even some have
been constructed from the ruins of lost cities. City-states may
not be yet reaching the grandeur of their elders, but they do
exist. Hamlets dot countrysides, and trade routes have been
established between major areas. Nevertheless, the world is
in its infancy. It will be up to you to forge the kingdoms,
empires, and city-states that will rise from the wilderness.
In general, you need only focus on the communities you im-
mediately require for the next adventure or two. It is un-
necessary to build out every settlement in every potential
region because, in Highcaster, there are few inter-settlement
relationships. Any trade or political connections can be kept
very local, expanding out as your game progresses. On the
other hand, if you enjoy building communities, you could
populate the entire map for your campaign.
When you developed your first region, you determined how
many communities there were. If you have multiple commu-
nities, you may, at this point, decide if there is a kingdom or
empire. Or you can determine if the people are locally gov-
erned but have trade connections. If you don’t have many
communities, you can assume they are isolated.
Nomadic
Societies primarily focused on collecting wild plants and
hunting animals for their tribe will often regularly move
throughout a region. They don’t have “communities” per
se but often travel together and congregate in certain areas
or along trails. Group organization is typically structured
around a leader or person of influence, and the group is
managed collectively without governance.

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 Y o u r w o r l d

Settlements: By their nature, nomadic societies don’t usu-

ally have settlements--at least not permanent ones. They of-
ten live in camps with temporary structures protecting them
from the elements and subsequently break down camp, tak-
ing materials and provisions with them as they follow sea-
sonal trails.
d4 Size Population
1 Small family 2d4
2 Large family 3d6x10
3 Band 2d6x100
4 Tribe 1d4x1000

Society: There are two basic types of nomadic societies. De-

pending upon your biome, you may need to choose one or
roll to determine it.
d4 Nomadic Societies
1-2 Hunter/Gatherer: the people follow seasonal routes and migration
trails.
3-4 Pastoral: the people herd livestock along routes

Governance: Nomadic societies are unique in their struc-

ture in that they don’t usually require elaborate governments.
However, there will be different structures of leadership, de-
pending upon the group.
d8 Nomadic Societies
1 Council of elders consisting of anyone who is of a specific age or
experience and willing to advise and provide counsel to the people
2 Council of decision-makers appointed by their peers, serving for their
entire life
3 Council of decision-makers elected by their peers and who have a term
limit to their leadership
4 Council of decision-makers who attain leadership through a trial or
test
5 A titled leader appointed by the people to serve for their entire life
6 A titled leader elected by their peers for a limited term
7 A titled leader who earns leadership through a trial or test
8 A titled leader who claims the position by overthrowing the prior
leader

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Economy: Typically, nomadic societies spend their lives
fending for themselves in a barter economy, although some
participate in crafts and trade.
d4 Nomadic Economy
1 Barter only and typically only their own people
2 Barter with insiders and outsiders
3 Barter and crafting
4 Barter, crafting, and trading with outsiders

Law: The only laws that will apply to nomadic societies are
their customs or common law. They are created from the
decisions of elders and societal leaders throughout the gen-
erations.
d4 Nomadic Common Law
1 Elders serve as judge, jury, and enforcement.
2 An appointed group serve as judge, but the chief has the final word.
3 The entire community serves as jury and the elders or the group’s
leader serve as arbiters.
4 The people are expected to handle the law each unto themselves.

Punishment for Infractions

d4 Minor Infraction d4 Major Infraction
1 Rations withheld 1 Exile
2 Flogging or caning 2 Death
3 Increased labor 3 Torture
4 Time of isolation 4 Dismemberment

Settlements
Non-nomadic settlements can vary wildly in their size, pur-
pose, and function. However, there are two basic types of
societies with settlements: agrarian and industrial. In the
context of Highcaster, these terms simply describe a society
based upon farming and agriculture or one based upon the
production of goods. Apart from those main economic dif-
ferences, they are structurally the same.

2 2 8
 Y o u r w o r l d

Agrarian: These communities tend to large tracts of land,

relying on crops and domestic animals for survival. Their
societies are not nomadic and will likely urbanize over time.
Industrial: Industrial communities rely on manufacturing,
machinery, and shops to produce resources and participate
in merchant economies. These communities are typically ur-
ban towns or cities, ruled by a government, group of nobles,
merchants leaders, religious leaders, or even royalty.
Settlements: The size and scale of towns can range from
small homesteads to large cities. Given Highcaster’s setting,
there wouldn’t be anything on the scale of an empire, but
there could be kingdoms.
d6 Size Population
1 Homestead 2d4
2 Thorpe 3d6x10
3 Hamlet 2d6x100
4 Village 3d10x100
5 Town 1d6x1,000
6 City 2d10x1,000

Economy: Settlements can exist under many different types

of government, but, in Highcaster, it is usually structured
around the kind of economy that exists in the community.
d6 Governance
1 Tribal. Guided by a single leader, resources are collected and
distributed among the entire society.
2 Monarchy. A sovereign oversees noble families in an inheritance-based
system, where lands are given to some in exchange for a usage tax.
3 Republic. Representatives are elected, and property and goods are
owned and traded by individuals.
4 Feudalism. Nobles own the land, and vassals are granted use of the
land in exchange for service, often taking the form of military service,
but it is governed by a monarch or a monarch’s magistrates.
5 Communal. All lands are public, and the community barters goods.
Governed by a committee of peers.
6 Colonial. Goods are taxed by governance outside the settlement.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Settlement Leader Traits
d00 Leader d00 Leader d00 Leader
1 Scholar 34 Religious leader 67 Has lycanthropy
2 Military leader 35 Zealot 68 Secret monster
3 Pacifist 36 Criminal 69 Diseased
4 Witch 37 Conqueror 70 Secretly a traitor
5 Powerful wizard 38 Enchanted 71 Crime family
6 Revolutionary 39 Dragon 72 Former vigilante
7 Corrupt leader 40 Fay 73 Guild
8 Benevolent leader 41 Celestial 74 Council of elders
9 Weak leader 42 Fiend 75 Beloved
10 Puppet leader 43 Merchant 76 Run by advisors
11 Philosopher 44 Mystic 77 Figurehead
12 Retired adventurer 45 Elder 78 Cult in power
13 Sellblade 46 Trailmaker 79 Powerful family
14 Lorefinder 47 Retired warrior 80 Spirit or ghost
15 Knight 48 Priest 81 Has no heir
16 Minstrel 49 Warrior 82 No leader
17 Leaders overthrown 50 Anarchist 83 Terrible tactician
18 Council of nobles 51 Corrupt noble 84 Poet
19 Never leave castle 52 Missing 85 Great Orator
20 Of the people 53 A performer 86 Cabal of mages
21 Line of monarchs 54 Dying from magic 87 Magic guild
22 Line of priests 55 Accepts sacrifices 88 Deposed a tyrant
23 Line of celestials 56 Popular coup 89 New regime
24 Line of fiends 57 Rescued settlement 90 Hated
25 Elected 58 Chosen at birth 91 Not a true heir
26 A Bank 59 Reluctant 92 Poverty vow
27 Siblings 60 Charismatic 93 Wealthy cabal
28 Order of knights 61 Cultist 94 Newly in power
29 An artist 62 Corrupted 95 Ruled for years
30 Folk hero 63 Killed prior ruler 96 Fighting a revolt
31 Worshiped 64 Disguised dragon 97 Often travels
32 Disguised fiend 65 Led a coup 98 Xenophobic
33 Aged 66 Controls all wealth 99 Highly tolerant
00 Genocidal

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 Y o u r w o r l d
Landmarks
d00 Landmarks d00 Landmarks d00 Landmarks
1 Huge regional bank 34 Barracks 67 Summit citadel
2 Scars in the ground 35 Street of pillars 68 Many tall towers
3 Gargantuan statues 36 Open air market 69 Large necropolis
4 Enormous bridge 37 Row of markets 70 Huge mine
5 Masterful fountain 38 Shrine to the gods 71 Mansions
6 Huge bath house 39 Bank and vault 72 Watchtower
7 Colossal pyramid 40 Ornate courthouses 73 Chateau
8 Gigantic arches 41 Large commons 74 Circus
9 Magnificent temple 42 Row of guild houses 75 Resort
10 Ancient temple 43 Hanging tree 76 Wealthy estate
11 Vast catacombs 44 Cemetery 77 Embassy
12 Large university 45 Regional granary 78 Fairgrounds
13 Vast library 46 Curiosity shops 79 Hanging gardens
14 Enormous museum 47 Abattoir 80 Public sculptures
15 Ancient citadel 48 Factory 81 Citadel waterfall
16 Crystal cavern 49 Farmlands 82 Casino
17 Huge stronghold 50 Gambling hall 83 Hedge maze
18 Gemstone buildings 51 Famous museum 84 River
19 Dormant volcano 52 Philosophy school 85 Ruins
20 Cliff dwelling 53 Elite university 86 Subterranean
21 Built within a crater 54 Magic college 87 Protected forest
22 Live dragon’s lair 55 Gladiator arena 88 Vineyard
23 Giant spiders 56 Monastery 89 Monolith
24 Large dragon bones 57 Stronghold 90 Training yards
25 Built on ruins 58 Monster lair 91 Observatory
26 Inside a mountain 59 Magister castle 92 Stockyard
27 Famous playhouse 60 Monster stronghold 93 Warehouse
28 Artist commune 61 Stone formations 94 Stables
29 Prison tower 62 Enormous cave 95 Store
30 Natural waterfall 63 Exotic menagerie 96 Ziggurat
31 Forge 64 Exotic aviary 97 Workshop
32 King’s monument 65 Monastery of peace 98 City walls
33 Ancient obelisk 66 Petrified forest 99 Zoo
00 Trading post

2 3 1
T
his humble chronicler has
written by candlelight for
many seasons, such that his
hand is clenched for the rest of
his days. Countless manuscripts
from countless sheepskin and
countless vials of ink. And within those pages are
words of war and peace, tales of great people and
monstrous people. But no matter what the pages
reveal from my ages of studying this realm, there
is always one truth that persists throughout it all.
The current of history exists no matter who is in
it, but an individual has the power to alter the cur-
rent. Legends are made because people are extraor-
dinary. Mythology persists because people become
larger than themselves and the land of their birth.
One cannot predict what individual will rise be-
yond the current of history and time to become the
subject of tales told for generations. But they exist
among us. No matter what culture they were born
into, what heritage they hold, or what path they
chose, they rise to greatness beyond comprehen-
sion.
I believe that people can be great, and I also believe
that people can waste or forsake their greatness.
I only hope there are enough in the river of history
to divert the tide from our self-destruction.

—Highdoni Chronicler Julius Lorrado

 X 1

L o n e H e r o

H
ighcaster is a fantastic game for play-
ing with a group. However, with the rules
in this section, you’ll be able to play the game
solo, creating your own legendary tales with
just dice and a notebook.
Solo play works much like standard play, ex-
cept you’ll use a table and other prompts to answer questions
and guide fiction in place of a Chronicler. You’ll be able to
lean into these extra tools to give you ideas and hooks as of-
ten as you need since you’ll have complete narrative control.
How it Works
First, you’ll need to create a character as usual. You may find
that the emergent story requires more “player characters”
with their own sheets. So if that happens, make more but
keep it to no more than three to keep it reasonable.
Then you will choose the Chapter type, build your first
scene, and start your journey. It is recommended that you
write your story notes in a journal to keep track of what’s
happening and refer to it later. However, you can just play
through and keep notes on your character sheet. Whatever
method works best for you.

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 L O N E H E R O

Gameplay is split between Open Questions and Closed

Questions. Closed questions are yes/no questions, whereas
open questions require a more detailed response.
These questions are the engine of solo play, and with them,
you determine the setting, NPCs and their responses, threats,
and ultimately the overall narrative. Of course, question re-
sponses are entirely subjective, but the tools in this section
will give you guidance and structure to create a similar ex-
perience to group play.
New at This
First time playing a solo or journaling tabletop RPG? Ulti-
mately you are creating a living story with no one to answer
to but yourself. The tools and tables in this section, along
with dice, will help shape that story by periodically provid-
ing signals and prompts ordinarily issued by a Chronicler.
Also, as mentioned above, one of the best ways to navigate
this style of play is to journal or type it up as you go. Just
start writing the story or story notes, and when you get to
a point where the Chronicler would guide the narrative ask
an open or closed question. The answer to the question is
entirely up to you but framed through the lens of the tables
you’ll use. Beyond that, you’ll play the game as usual--con-
front threats, use your modifier dice pool and determine the
outcome.
Chapters
Start your solo play session by selecting a Chapter. This ex-
isting game framework gives you the structure you need to
ask the right questions. Once you’ve decided on a Chapter,
roll on the Open Question table twice—the d100 icon table
on pages 238 – 241.
Use the icons you get from your dice rolls to inspired your
description of what happens within the context of your
Chapter. Then, as you continue the Chapter narrative, use
the chart again to answer any open questions, doing this any
time you need an action or story prompt.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
These icons are meant to insert some additional randomness
in your solo fiction and spur your creativity. They aren’t in-
tended as direct answers themselves.
Following are examples by Chapter type, using the Open
Questions table. We’ll assume you rolled “54” and “43” on
the Open Questions table. That roll would give you:

These two symbols could mean anything but taken in the

context of the Chapter you are setting up (or whatever just
happened in your story). However, you’ll use them to inspire
what a Chronicler or narrator might present at this fictional
moment, according to the Chapter.
♦ Culture Chapter: You are in front of a heavily fortified
stronghold and have waited all night for someone to come
and greet you. Even though it is your home city, no one
has. At last, with early morning’s light, the drawbridge
opens without warning, surprising you. The monarch is
welcoming you back in personally, with a parade.

♦ Danger Chapter: You were sent to broker peace with the

noble of a stronghold on your frontier, but peace talks have
broken down. The emissary withdraws, and the drawbridge
is raised. Then, you are surprised to see archers on the walls
ready their bows.

♦ Hero Chapter: The stronghold has been under siege

for days. At last, you’ve had enough and convince the
commander to lower the drawbridge for you. They do, and
the enemy is shocked to see you charge out with a garrison.

♦ Journey Chapter: The lone stronghold of this wilderness

lowers its drawbridges. You approach. Though you are
suspicious to see it lowered, you do not see any threats
beyond.

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 L O N E H E R O
♦ Prepare Chapter: You are amazed to be let into a fortress
with plenty of goods and merchandise to purchase.

♦ Quest Chapter: You finally arrive at the villain’s

stronghold. Inside there are monsters retained as an army.
The villain is not fearful of you and invites you inside. You
are stunned to see the monster army waiting for you inside.
Those examples took the drawbridge literally in many cases,
but you don’t have to do that. From there, you can move
forward with the story until you have a question that needs
answering again.
For your first session, it is recommended that you start with
a Culture Chapter to get used to things before going too deep
into the other Chapters, inviting more serious threats. How-
ever, you may want to do the opposite and start in media res
on a Danger Chapter just to cut to the chase. Responses to
the prompts are entirely subjective and up to you—whatever
works to make your story unforgettable.
Favor
Since you are in Solo Play mode, you will likely not move
as quickly as in group play. Thus, you receive a Favor ev-
ery session, not necessarily every in-game day. Beyond that,
your character will need to rest as usual in the narrative to
get their Disciplines and Harm refreshed.
Open Questions
Whenever you need to know something that cannot be an-
swered with a “yes” or “no,” you will roll a d100 on the
Open Questions table. The icon you get as a result should
spark an answer that you can use in the context of the scene
and Chapter. If nothing comes to mind, roll again and use
the new icon or use them together as a pair. If you still can’t
think of anything, roll again.
Remember, if the answer reveals a threat, write it down as
such and specify the number of stages according to how dif-
ficult the threat is.

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 H I G H C A S T E R

1 11 21

2 12 22

3 13 23

4 14 24

5 15 25

6 16 26

7 17 27

8 18 28

9 19 29

10 20 30
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 L O N E H E R O

31 41 51

32 42 52

33 43 53

34 44 54

35 45 55

36 46 56

37 47 57

38 48 58

39 49 59

40 50 60
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 H I G H C A S T E R

61 71 81

62 72 82

63 73 83

64 74 84

65 75 85

66 76 86

67 77 87

68 78 88

69 79 89

70 80 90
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 L O N E H E R O

91 94 97

92 95 98

93 96 99

100
Closed Questions
Anytime you ask a question that could be answered with a
“yes” or “no,” that is a Closed Question, and you’ll roll a
d20 and reference that table. However, there is potential-
ly more nuance to those answers, so the table includes re-
sponses like and, but, or because. For example: “Is the door
locked?” would be rendered “Yes, but the lock is broken” or
“No, and it’s wide open.”
As with the Open Questions table, the responses on the
Closed Questions table are merely prompts. Once you roll,
you’ll complete the sentence and make it interesting. If you
can’t come up with a response to the prompt, roll on the
Open Questions table to get more inspiration.
You do not need to roll on every question. You have nar-
rative authority, so simply tell the story until you get to a
narratively significant point, then ask.
Rules of Thumb
♦ If you think a “yes” outcome is more likely in the given
situation, roll 2d20 and pick the best roll. However, if you
believe that unlikely, roll 2d20 and choose the lowest.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
♦ Remember rolling for questions is not for use when
confronting a threat or determining an outcome. The tables
are intended to provide inspiration and story cues when
the Chronicler normally would. In addition, if you want
something to be true, you can spend a Favor to make it so,
just like in regular play.

d20 Answer d20 Answer

1 No, and... 10 Yes, but...
2-5 No 11-15 Yes
6-9 No, because... 16-20 Yes, and...

NPCs
Use the Open Question table to roll for how an NPC will
react or interact with your character. The outcome is still
subjective but will give you a fictional framework. If you just
need to know whether or not an NPC will do something,
you can just roll a Closed Question. If you need to convince
them of something, then apply standard game rules.
You can conceivably do this with any NPC and roll for every
response to help create a relationship or story with them.
Or you can use the roll as a starting place and work out the
connection through the narrative, playing both parts. Then,
when you get to a point where your character needs to affect
the NPC in some way, you’d roll.
Sometimes NPCs will take a much more prominent role in
the story. This is more likely in Solo Play because your hero
is more likely to need help or allies.
If the NPC becomes substantial enough, you can simply
make them another Player Character and play their part in
the story too.
Threats
As mentioned, the most significant difference in Solo Play is
that you ultimately have narrative control over every out-
come. You can simply describe an outcome in a way that
makes narrative sense, or you can roll for it.

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 L O N E H E R O

If you roll for an outcome, on a roll of 19 or less, you will

need to choose a Chronicler Move, or roll on the following
table, to aid in further moving the fiction. Additionally, on
a 9 or less, you will need to give your character harm—your
choice depending on how your character reacts to what hap-
pened.
Following is a random table for Chronicler Moves, which
can be used on a roll of 19 or less, or anytime you’d like to
give the story a little nudge.

d8 Move In Solo Play

1 Create a Threat Roll on the Open Question table to inspire a
new threat (a situation, a creature or monster,
something environmental, and so on) that
enters the scene.
2 Escalate a Threat Make the current stage of the threat worse. Use
the Open Question table for inspiration.
3 Inflict Harm Mark harm on your character based on how the
outcome of the narrative made them feel.
4 Present a Dilemma Escalate the threat by forcing a hard choice on
your character. Use the Open Question table for
inspiration.
5 Raise the Stakes Make the current threat stage worse by either
adding a time limit or making failure cost even
more.
6 Reveal Consequences Use the Open Question table to help inspire
what will happen if the character fails.
7 Make a Threat Move Use one of the example stages of the threats in
your narrative.
8 Make Use of Favor Spend your Favor on something. Either intro-
duce a truth or add a d6 to your next roll.

In short, Solo Play is your game, your story. Use the rules
to keep the spontaneity and unknowns of group gameplay
around, but don’t belabor yourself either. Tell your story.
And have fun doing it.

2 4 3
T
he ancient chroniclers
would often speak about
realms beyond our own. They
did not mean it in the form of
irony or metaphor. They truly
believed that beyond our firma-
ment lay other domains, and there were gods be-
yond our own. If there was indeed any realm other
than this one cursed with a starless sky, I have seen
no truth of it.
Perhaps there are, and their portals and passage-
ways are invisible to us. Or perhaps in the ancient
years, they were visible and commonplace, but then
sundered and broken with the Fall of the Stars, for-
ever placing our world into isolation.
Whatever the case, I am an eager for the truth of it.
For if there are realms beyond ours, then there are
stars. There are gods. There is hope. But a chron-
icler cannot rest on hope alone. On the contrary,
hope rather gets in the way of our purpose. We are
to remember how things were, not conjure illusions
about how things might be.
With each passing tome, I am more and more con-
vinced that we shall never see a realm beyond our
own. Rather than pine for what will not come to
pass, we should embrace what it is we do have. Per-
haps we can go elsewhere in our dreams. I could be
entirely mistaken. But, I apprise that is not for me
to say. So, enjoy your illusions, if you must
—Highdoni Chronicler Julius Lorrado
 X 1 I

O t h e r
R e a l m s

T
he Caster System is a rule set de-
signed to emphasize the story aspects
of role-playing games. The framework
can be used for any setting or adventure
in the fantasy genre but will adapt the
experience to focus on the story, not on
gameplay tactics. This story-focused approach means that
you can skip a lot of the minutia of other game systems and
just play out the fiction and character moments.
Many other fantasy game systems use the story as a back-
drop to play a more tactical game. That is a viable way to
play and can be a gratifying experience, but it is not how
Caster plays. In tactical play, you are more focused on mak-
ing the best player possible choices, using your character as
a tool, and reaching a victory condition.
Caster’s more story-focused play focuses on making the best
choices for the story, which may or may not be ideal for the
character, to reach a narrative conclusion.
The Caster System is highly conducive to any fantasy game
setting. It can adapt most fantasy RPG system rules within
its framework, but it does so by throwing out tactical play
and ignoring rule sets that are not story-focused.

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 O T H E R R E A L M S

If you want tactical play, there are plenty of games that do

this well, namely Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer Fan-
tasy Roleplay, and King Arthur Pendragon, more recent
games such as Shadow of the Demon Lord, Savage Worlds,
and Forbidden Lands, and also original D&D revival games
like Old School Essentials, Black Hack, and B/X).
However, if you want to have a story and character-arc-fo-
cused experience in the fantasy setting, Caster is for you.
These other systems and settings have incredible content.
Many of them have been producing campaigns and adven-
tures for decades. Some of the new ones have active com-
munities around them that consistently put out supplements
and other materials.
That said, the purpose of this section is to create a clear set
of guidelines on how to adapt other settings and systems to
the Caster System. This way, you can use decades of adven-
tures and campaigns from popular game systems but play
them in a more streamlined and story-focused way.
The guidance here should support you in taking any cam-
paign or adventure from most published settings and sys-
tems and converting it into a Caster System game quickly.
Character Creation
While every game is different, most games will segment
character creation into race and class or archetype. For the
Caster System, you will be converting elements of race into
both Heritage and Culture and then converting Class into
Path. The primary difference here is that character aspects
attributed to physical or cosmetic features will be linked to
Heritage, and character elements linked to ability or skill
will relate to Culture.
Also, when breaking down other character creation systems,
you will need to end up with a Heritage Ability, a Cultural
Talent, and a Path Talent, as well as three Disciplines.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Humor Stats and Moves
The Caster System ties moves and narrative actions the char-
acter makes to three new Humor stats: Force, Will, and Cha-
risma, in place of Virtue, Courage, and Prestige, respective-
ly. Following that transition, the rest of the dice mechanics
should be familiar. A player starts their Modifier Pool with
whichever of the three stat dice represents the move. Then
they add dice as applicable for Discipline, Talents, Feats, ad-
vantage, or Favor. Finally, the player will roll and pick the
highest die result to add to a d20 roll.
There must be a threat in play for a character to make a
move, and the Chronicler will introduce threats. If there are
no relevant threats in play, players can choose to create one,
by paying Favor or accepting Favor from the Chronicler to
escalate a threat.
♦ Will: They are ethical. They bring people together. They are
protective. (Used for Ally, Defend, and Make a Stand.)

♦ Force: They are fearless. They brave through the unknown.

They are good fighters. (Used for Enforce Your Will, Scout,
and Strike.)

♦ Charisma: They are influential. They can change the whims

of others. They are powerful. (Used for Condemn, Navigate
Others, and Rally.)
The character moves are:
♦ Ally (+Will): Generate goodwill or establish trust.

♦ Condemn (+Charisma): Bring judgment down on someone.

♦ Defend (+Will): Defend yourself or another.

♦ Enforce Your Will (+Force): Influence someone’s behavior.

♦ Make a Stand (+Will): Make a social or moral conviction.

♦ Navigate Others (+Charisma): Read or understand another.

♦ Rally (+Charisma): Compel others to help.

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 O T H E R R E A L M S
♦ Scout (+Force): Find something hidden.

♦ Strike (+Force): Resolve a conflict using combat.

Converting Humor Stats

No matter how the specific system asks you to create core
stats, they are always determined by a character’s Humors
in the Caster system. As in the core ruleset, players choose
which die goes with each stat (d4, d6, or d8).To determine
your character’s stats, note the original game’s most favored
stat for the class or archetype and place a d8 for the corre-
sponding Caster stat, then the least favored is matched with
a d4, and the third and last stat is marked as a d6.
Even with this conversion, it’s not precise. Other games use
stats to describe a character’s ability to do something, but,
remember, in Caster, you are more concerned with why they
do things. These conversions are about the intent of the stat.
Original Stat Caster’s Stat Highcaster Humor
Agility Force Courage
Constitution Force Courage
Charisma Charisma Prestige
Dexterity Will Virtue
Empathy Charisma Prestige
Health Force Courage
Intellect Charisma Prestige
Intelligence Charisma Prestige
Might Force Courage
Nature Will Virtue
Smarts Charisma Prestige
Speed Will Virtue
Spirit Will Virtue
Strength Force Courage
Vigor Will Virtue
Will Will Virtue
Wisdom Charisma Prestige
Wits Charisma Prestige

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Converting to Culture and Heritage
Many games will conflate a person’s culture and heritage. In
other words, players will choose a trait (like race, species,
kin) that contains both physical and cultural qualities. To
convert these traits to Caster Heritages, you will need to
separate the cultural aspects from the physical aspects, using
only the physical ones for the character. Then, the remaining
cultural traits can either be used for the character’s chosen
culture or omitted altogether.
Physical qualities include attributes like flying, darkvision,
or strength. Cultural qualities include traits like learned
skills, talents, or status.
In the Caster System, you will need a Heritage Ability and a
Cultural Talent. You can pull both from the leftover cultur-
al elements, but the cultural Talent should be cultural, not
based on any physical characteristics. Generally, however,
you just need to call out a notable physical trait for their
heritage ability, keeping culture separate until your group
decides what culture they are playing.
Racial Traits to Convert to Heritage Racial Traits to Convert to Culture
Age or Lifespan Alignment
Size Combat Training
Speed Tool Proficiency
Darkvision Language
Resilience Special Knowledge of a Craft
Keen Senses Known Magic
Natural Weapons Personality or Disposition

Heritages for Common Fantasy People

Most fantasy games use the same people tropes, no mat-
ter what the setting is. While you can customize these to
the Caster System by choosing a heritage ability from their
physical traits and ignoring or converting the rest, as de-
scribed above, the following are some sample heritages for
ease of use.

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 O T H E R R E A L M S

Dwarf
Height. Dwarves stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average
about 150 pounds.
Age. On average, dwarves live about 350 years.
Vision. Can see in dark and dim conditions.
Abilities (Pick One):
♦ Resilient: Can take one more harm to Force.

♦ Tolerance: Cannot be poisoned.

♦ Eagle-Eyed: Cannot be surprised.

Elf
Height. Elves range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall and have
slender builds.
Age. Elves mature at 100 and live to 750 years.
Vision. Can see in dark and dim conditions.
Abilities (Pick One):
♦ Keen Senses: Get an Advantage Die whenever you carefully
use your senses before confronting a threat.

♦ Fey Ancestry: Cannot be magically controlled.

♦ Trance: Don’t need to sleep and instead meditates.

Halfling
Height. Halflings average about 3 feet tall and weigh about
40 pounds.
Age. Halflings live to about 150 years.
Nimble. Can move through improbable spaces.
Abilities (Pick One):
♦ Lucky: Reroll any die that rolls a one.

♦ Stealthy: Get an Advantage Die when you use stealth to

confront a threat.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
♦ Unbreakable: Cannot get a disadvantage for being
frightened.

Human
Height. Humans range from 5 to 6 feet tall.
Age. Humans live for about 90 years.
Adaptable. Can take one more harm on a stat of your choice.
Abilities (Pick One):

♦ Energetic: Can confront a threat twice without paying

Favor, if they find a new method.
♦ Enduring: Get an Advantage Die when you have to push
yourself physically.

♦ Impatient: Get an Advantage Die when you are the first to

Attack.

Dragonborn
Height. Dragonborn stand well over 6 feet tall and average
250 or more pounds.
Age. Young dragonborn grow quickly. They walk hours af-
ter hatching and reach adulthood by 15. They live to be 80.
Scales (choose one): Scale color can be brown, ocher, white,
black, umber, red, dark green, bright green, yellow, blue,
multi-patterned.
Abilities (Pick One):
♦ Fire Glands: Spit a natural oil that explodes through a
chemical reaction and breathes fire in a strong and steady
stream.

♦ Venom: Spit a spray of toxic venom that will paralyze or

otherwise chemically burn anyone exposed to it.

♦ Noxious Gas: Release poisonous gas from glands in your

mouth that causes lifeforms to become very ill or die from
the fumes.

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Gnome
Height. Gnomes are between 3 and 4 feet tall and average
about 40 pounds.
Age. Gnomes mature in 16 to 20 years, but they can live 350
to almost 500 years.
Vision. Can see in dark and dim conditions.
Abilities (Pick One):
♦ Strong-Willed: Can take one more harm to Will.

♦ Magical Touch: Can make animate or move small objects as

if they were living.

♦ Hardy: Get an Advantage Die to use once when you take a

harm to Will.

Orc
Height. Orcs are somewhat larger and bulkier, and they
range from 5 to well over 6 feet tall.
Age. Orcs reach adulthood around age 14, and they age
more quickly, rarely living longer than 75 years.
Vision. Can see in dark and dim conditions.
Abilities (Pick One):
♦ Very Large: You are much taller than most by up to three
times the height of other average-sized creatures.

♦ Strength: You have far more power than most with the
ability to knock down walls or lift objects many times your
weight.

♦ High Stamina: You have far more energy and endurance

than most and can go a week without having to rest or
sleep, even during times of heavy labor.

Tiefling
Height. Tieflings range from 5 to 6 feet tall.
Age. Tieflings mature by 18 years and can live to be 100.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Vision. Can see in dark and dim conditions.
Abilities (Pick One):
♦ Empathy: You can sense emotion or intention from any
living creature.

♦ Darkness: You can create a wide area of complete darkness

in which only you can see.

♦ Terrifying: You can amplify your presence and terrify most

creatures around you.
Creating Cultures
The Caster System requires all players to be part of the same
culture, so cultural traits pulled from another system’s peo-
pling tropes might be helpful here. Ultimately, your group
will determine your table’s shared culture. After that, each
player will receive Language features for the culture and de-
rive a Cultural Talent and Trade Talent in alignment with
that culture.
If you are using a setting agnostic adventure or campaign,
you can create the culture together at the table by discuss-
ing what your shared cultural qualities are. For example,
cultures could be derived from nations, but they could also
stem from guilds or adventuring parties. If you are playing
a clearly defined setting, the culture should be self-evident.
Ultimately, once determined, your group may still need to
do additional world-building to fill out all the character as-
pects related to culture.
Also, as a reminder, Cultural Talents and Trade Talents can
add a d6 to the modifier die pool if they narratively apply to
the situation.
Language
♦ You can speak the culture’s native tongue.

♦ You can choose either to speak another language or to be

literate in the culture’s language.

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 O T H E R R E A L M S

Cultural Talent
Choose one Talent that your character has as a result of be-
ing a member of a culture. The Talent must make sense in
the fiction your group has created for the culture (such as
knows their way around the region, has good business sense,
knows how to sail). A d6 can be added to the dice pool when
this Talent is used to confront a threat.
Trade Talent
Choose one Talent that is related to a trade or occupation
common within your shared culture. The Talent must make
sense in fiction your group has created for the culture (such
as knows how to barter, makes weapons, is a good hunter).
A d6 can be added to the dice pool when this Talent is used
to confront a threat.
Converting Class to Path
There is little difference between Caster’s “Path” and what
most games call Classes or Archetypes or such. The Caster
System takes a more streamlined approach concerning the
mechanics of a class or its progression. Since we’re playing a
more story-driven game, you are simply looking for a broad
description that you can use to bolster a modifier dice pool
when it makes narrative sense. In other words, you are try-
ing to find the role of a class and allow for extra dice when
the character leans into the class in that fashion.
The components of a Path are as follows:
Creed
In general, three statements guide the principles of a chosen
Path, which define a character’s Creed. Even so, Path does
not represent alignment. A character is not bound to this
Creed no matter what. Instead, it is guidance to illustrate
how a member of this Path should behave honorably.
The Creed and its principles are entirely related to the class
and can be derived from how other games describe the class
or archetype. However, in the Caster System, a Creed is

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 H I G H C A S T E R
more closely tied to the game world than anything else, so be
sure to discuss this at the table since it will define the ethical
compass of others in this Path.
Cultural Naming Conventions
Your group should also determine what each Path is called
within the game world, perhaps even by different cultures. If
you are using a prepared setting, you can simply choose that
setting’s term or create your own.
Background
Many games have character background traits that can
provide mechanical benefits to a character. In Caster, back-
ground refers to a character’s life story or history, and there
is no mechanical benefit. Although, these bits could inform
a Trade Talent. If that works, simply select what seems fit-
ting and beneficial from the background and convert it to a
Trade Talent.
Finally, if the game you are converting has tables for back-
grounds, you can use those--but none of the mechanical
boons/edges or drawbacks apply.
Belongings
Because gear and equipment have little to do with the me-
chanics of Caster, this is more about flavor for your charac-
ter. These items can be lifted directly from character creation
in the original game, or you can just have the player write
down items they would naturally have as a result of their
Path. Of course, as always, anything you put down must
make narrative sense.
Path Talent
Path Talents detail something a character can do exception-
ally well because of their Path. So, when converting specifics
for a Path Talent, find a fundamental aspect of that class
to create a Talent. This is perhaps the trickiest part of the
conversion so far, but think about what the character would
do intuitively that no other class would do--that will be the

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 O T H E R R E A L M S

Path Talent. And, like other Talents, this die can be added to
the modifier dice pool if applicable.
Relationships
You may not find anything in the original game to convert
to the Caster System for relationships. But, if there is, use it.
Otherwise, come up with prompts for your players to an-
swer about others in their party. The prompts should some-
what reflect the character’s Path.
Disciplines
As the real engine of Path, Disciplines are the most crucial
mechanical aspect of the character apart from their stats.
Every Path has three Disciplines, which represent its core
training—really their entire reason for being. When convert-
ing from another game’s class, find three key things that de-
fine what the class does.
It is okay if it is something the class does all the time (Fighter
with a Discipline of Melee, for example). Path Discipline
dice are only added to the dice modifier pool when the play-
er chooses, and there is a limit to the number of times this
can be done.
Remember, Disciplines should clearly represent the Path and
should be unique, representing things differently from other
Paths. It’s where you truly define the role of a Path and its
fundamental purpose in the game.
Example Paths
While you can take the time to create or convert classes and
archetypes from other games, it may be easier to use one of
the following examples. These Paths are representative of
common classes found in fantasy RPGs.
Bard
Creed. An honorable Bard will:
♦ Use their talents to serve the society in which they live

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 H I G H C A S T E R
♦ Speak the truth within their art

♦ Educate as well as entertain

Culture. Describe bards in your shared culture.
Background. Answer the following:
♦ What is your talent? How does it translate to your role as
cultural advisor and entertainer?

♦ Who nurtured this talent? What is their significance to you?

♦ Who in your past pushed you to your limit to become who

you are?

♦ Who in your past is your lifelong rival? Why?

♦ For which work or performance are you most famous?

Why?

♦ What social injustice drove you into service as a bard, and

what do you hope to change about society?

♦ What other talents do you have?

Belongings. Answer the following:
♦ Name three items that are always on your person.

♦ What is your most prized possession?

♦ Describe your home, the place you will return to when your
work is complete.

♦ Describe your family, the loved ones you keep in your life.

♦ Describe the person to which you owe your success.

Path Talent. Give a Talent die to another character whenever
you do something to inspire them.
Relationships. Ask the other players any or all of the following:
♦ Who needs my advice but will not admit it?

♦ Who believes my talent isn’t what I profess?

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 O T H E R R E A L M S
♦ Who is a promising entertainer who could use my training?

♦ Who has a creed that will ultimately come into conflict with
mine?

♦ Who do I confide in when I need counsel?

Disciplines: You get Discipline dice for any of the following:
♦ The Discipline of Song: Recount a legend, poem, or
historical fact to assist this situation.

♦ The Discipline of Oration: Use your wit or words to change

someone’s mind or the tone of a situation.

♦ The Discipline of Performance: Use your talent to affect a

situation.

Cleric
Creed. An honorable Cleric will:
♦ Not commit a heresy of their beliefs

♦ Honor the principles of their chosen devotion

♦ Make the principles of their chosen devotion known

Culture. Describe clerics in your shared culture.
Background. Answer the following:
♦ What is a deity or religious path do you adhere to and what
are the primary principles?

♦ Who initiated you into service of the divine?

♦ What does it look like when you call forth divine power? Is
there a symbol or ritual object you favor?

♦ Did your family reject or embrace your path?

♦ What do you hope your divine connection will bring to the

society you serve?

♦ What did you experience that brought you faith?

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Belongings. Answer the following:
♦ What three items are always on your person?

♦ What is your most prized possession?

♦ Describe your home, the place you live and practice your
devotion?

♦ Describe your family or the loved ones in your life.

♦ Describe the person to whom you owe your devotion and

life.

♦ Describe your place of worship.

Path Talent. Get a Talent die whenever your understanding of
the divine is needed to solve a problem.
Relationships. Ask the other players any or all of the following:
♦ Who needs faith but will not admit it?

♦ Who believes my creed gets in the way of what must be

done?

♦ Who shares my devotion?

♦ Who has a creed that will ultimately come into conflict with
mine?

♦ Who do I confide in when I need counsel?

Disciplines. You get Discipline dice for any of the following:
♦ The Discipline of Healing: Call upon your divine source to
heal someone in need.

♦ The Discipline of Divine Wrath: Call upon your divine

source to cause harm to someone.

♦ The Discipline of Prayer: Call upon your divine source to

find wisdom or truth.

Fighter
Creed. An honorable Fighter will:

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♦ Protect innocents that are in danger

♦ Not intentionally harm an unarmed person

♦ Use words first and steel last

Culture. Describe warriors in your shared culture.
Background. Answer the following:
♦ What is your most prized weapon and what makes it
different?

♦ Who gave you this weapon and what is their significance to

you?

♦ Who in your past pushed you to your limit to become who

you are?

♦ Who in your past would you destroy if you ever lay eyes on
them again? Why?

♦ What atrocity did you witness that compels you to live

according to your creed?

♦ Who do you fight for? Why?

♦ If you were anointed a monarch, how would your run your

realm?
Belongings. Answer the following:
♦ Name three items that are always on your person, apart
from your weapon.

♦ What is your most prized possession?

♦ Describe your home, the place you will return to when your
journeys are complete.

♦ Describe your family, the loved ones you left behind.

♦ Describe the person to which you owe your fealty and life.
Path Talent. Get a Talent die whenever your understanding
of battle strategy and tactics will help your situation.

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Relationships. Ask the other players any or all of the following:
♦ Who needs my protection but will not admit it?

♦ Who believes my creed gets in the way of what must be

done?

♦ Who is a promising warrior from whom I can learn many

things?

♦ Who has a creed that will ultimately come into conflict with
mine?

♦ Who do I confide in when I need counsel?

Disciplines. You get Discipline dice for any of the following:
♦ The Discipline of Protection: Defend someone from harm.

♦ The Discipline of Melee: Fight an opponent with swordplay.

♦ The Discipline of Archery: Fight an opponent at a distance.

Paladin
Creed. An honorable Paladin will:
♦ Never forsake their oath.

♦ Put their oath before their happiness or safety.

♦ Not tolerate anyone who stands in the way of their oath.

Culture. Describe paladins in your culture.
Background. Answer the following:
♦ What drove you to take a lifelong oath?

♦ Who do you consider a trusted sibling within your order or

knighthood?

♦ What adversary nearly drove you to almost break your

oath, and what happened?

♦ What trinket do you carry to remind you of your oath?

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♦ Who or what did you have to give up to take your oath?

♦ What is it about your oath that you love the most?

♦ What is it about your oath that you hate the most?

Belongings. Answer the following:
♦ What is your preferred weapon?

♦ Name three items that are always on your person, apart

from your weapon.

♦ Describe the place you will return to when your journeys

are complete.

♦ What is your mount’s name, and why is it unique?

♦ Describe the person to whom you owe your fealty and life.
Path Talent. Get a Talent die whenever you make ethical or
moral judgments about a situation.
Relationships. Ask the other players any or all of the following:
♦ Who is weak-minded and needs help maturing?

♦ Who believes my oath gets in the way of what must be

done?

♦ Who has a strong will and is vital to my purpose?

♦ Who has a creed that will ultimately come into conflict with
my oath?

♦ Who do I confide in when I need counsel?

Disciplines. You get Discipline dice for any of the following:
♦ The Discipline of Honor: Adhere to your creed or oath
when confronted with an opportunity not to.

♦ The Discipline of Bravery: Risk your life to assist or protect

another without hesitation.

♦ The Discipline of Battle: Take strategic leadership of a

group to undergo a task.

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Ranger
Creed. An honorable Ranger will:
♦ Seek to balance the needs of societies and nature

♦ Not harm or support those who would harm the natural

balance

♦ Not take any oath to a particular society or leader

Culture. Describe rangers in your culture.
Background. Answer the following:
♦ What is your ideal natural environment?

♦ How long have you been on this path and how did you get
brought into it?

♦ What about society causes you concern?

♦ What about society do you believe is essential and beneficial

to the world?

♦ What societies have you worked with as a diplomat, soldier,

or guide?

♦ If you had to choose, where would you call home?

Belongings. Answer the following:
♦ Name three items that are always on your person.

♦ What is your most prized possession?

♦ Describe your dwelling place and where you can recuperate.

♦ Describe your family, the loved ones you left behind.

♦ Describe a beast that is your acquaintance. How did you

come by them and what do they do for you?
Path Talent. Get a Talent die whenever you are attempting
to balance nature and society with your action
Relationships. Ask the other players any or all of the following:

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♦ Who needs to understand the natural world better and is a
threat to it?

♦ Who believes my creed gets in the way of what must be

done?

♦ Who excels with balancing nature and society?

♦ Who has a creed that will ultimately come into conflict with
mine?

♦ Who do I confide in when I need counsel?

Disciplines. You get Discipline dice for any of the following:
♦ The Discipline of Journeys: Know and understand how to
navigate an area.

♦ The Discipline of Survival: Know and understand how to

withstand the elements.

♦ The Discipline of the Hunt: Know and understand how to

track and capture or kill a creature.

Rogue
Creed. An honorable Rogue will:
♦ Not reveal secrets entrusted to them

♦ Not fail to deliver on something they promised

♦ Not allow emotions to interfere with their duty

Culture. Describe rogues in your culture.
Background. Answer the following:
♦ What caused you to be an rogue?

♦ What culture has cast you out and do you continue to

help their people? If not, why did you bond with the new
culture?

♦ Who in your past pushed you to your limit, provoking you

to become who you are?

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♦ Who in your past would you destroy if you ever lay eyes on
them again? Why?

♦ What do you hope to gain with your lifestyle and where

would you like to end up?
Belongings. Answer the following:
♦ Name three items that are always on your person.

♦ What is your most prized possession?

♦ Describe where you live. Is it safe? Would you like to stay?

Why or why not?

♦ Do you have a family? If so, do they know where you are?

♦ Describe the person that you trust the most. Why do you
trust them?
Path Talent. Get a Talent die whenever you use your under-
standing of the criminal/outcast world or access your con-
nections.
Relationships. Ask the other players any or all of the following:
♦ Who should trust me but doesn’t?

♦ Who does not understand my creed and will likely interfere

with it?

♦ Who understands me and what I’m trying to do?

♦ Who do I find most untrustworthy, and why?

♦ Who owes me favors?

Disciplines. You get Discipline dice for any of the following:
♦ The Discipline of Thievery: Attempt to take something of
great importance that is not yours.

♦ The Discipline of Banditry: Attempt to intimidate someone

to get what you want.

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♦ The Discipline of Murder: Attempt to take a creature’s life,
not out of emotion, but out of duty.

Warlock
Creed. An honorable Warlock will:
♦ Serve the downtrodden of society

♦ Reject tyranny and not serve oppressors

♦ Not subjugate others

Culture. Describe warlocks in your culture.
Background. Answer the following:
♦ What artifacts, trinkets, and tools do you use for your
magic?

♦ Who brought you into the life of a warlock, and why were
you attracted to it?

♦ Who never understood your power and ostracized you?

♦ Who in the world are you most devoted to helping and

why?

♦ What is it about the current social structure you’d like to

change the most and how do you plan on doing it?

♦ What community or city have you most tried to serve and

what did you do to help them?
Belongings. Answer the following:
♦ Name three items that are always on your person, apart
from your weapon.

♦ What is your most prized possession?

♦ Describe your home, the place you will return to when your
journeys are complete.

♦ Describe your family, the loved ones you left behind.

♦ Describe the person to which you owe your loyalty and life.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
♦ Path Talent. Get a Talent die whenever you are
directly working to help or protect someone that is
marginalized or oppressed.
Relationships. Ask the other players any or all of the following:
♦ Who needs my protection, but will not admit it?

♦ Who believes my creed gets in the way of what must be

done?

♦ Who is a promising warlock from whom I can learn many

things?

♦ Who has a creed that will ultimately come into conflict with
mine?

♦ Who do I confide in when I need counsel?

Disciplines. You get Discipline dice for any of the following:
♦ The Discipline of Talisman: Spend at least a full day to
create a talisman with a long-term magical effect.

♦ The Discipline of Curses: Cast a magical curse that will

have a harmful effect on a person.

♦ The Discipline of Blessing: Cast a magical blessing that will

have a helpful effect on a person.

Wizard
Creed. An honorable Wizard will:
♦ Not use magic to control another person’s will

♦ Not withhold uncovered secrets of magic with other

Magisters

♦ Not use destructive magic against the innocent

Culture. Describe wizards in your culture.
Background. Answer the following:
♦ What does your magic look like when you manifest it
through tomes, power words, or runes?

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♦ Who was the person who really unlocked your latent
powers in your youth?

♦ How did you perform during your training and who helped
you to succeed?

♦ What does magic feel like to you when you use it?

♦ Who was your adversary during training and what became

of them?

♦ What transformative moment happened in your past that

set you on your path?

♦ What discipline are you most attracted to: tomes, power

words, or runes?
Belongings. Answer the following:
♦ What are your runes inscribed onto for casting your rune-
based magic?

♦ What does your tome of magical spells look like, and what
makes it unique to you?

♦ What magical artifact do you have, and what does it do?

♦ Describe your home, the place you will return to when your
journeys are complete.

♦ Describe your family, the loved ones you left behind.

Path Talent. Get a Talent die whenever your knowledge of
the magical arts is tested.
Relationships. Ask the Other Players Any or All
♦ Who needs to better understand my power better and why?

♦ Who is too reckless and must be calmed.

♦ Who has a natural magical power of which they may not be

aware?

♦ Who is hiding something important?

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 H I G H C A S T E R
♦ Who do I confide in when I need counsel?
Disciplines. You get Discipline dice for any of the following:
♦ The Discipline of Tomes: Use a tome to perform a ritual for
a magical effect that harms or protects from harm.

♦ The Discipline of Words: Speak incantations to create a

magical effect that summons spirits or beasts.

♦ The Discipline of Runes: Draw sacred glyphs to create a

magical effect that reveals wisdom or truth.
Feats
Many games will have extra edges or feats that give players
more choices for stats. Don’t worry too much about con-
verting them since they tend to be system-specific. Instead,
allow the players to choose one of the following Caster Sys-
tem Feats.
Affluent
You always seem to have what you need. Once per session,
you can introduce a truth without spending Favor.
Blessed
You always seem to have a way out of trouble. You get two
Favor at the start of each session.
Ferocious
You exhibit extraordinary bravery. Immediately spend Fa-
vor to negate harm to the Force stat.
Driven
When you succeed, you are inspired to do even better. You
get two Favor when you roll 20+.
Favored
It seems as if something or someone is always looking out
for you. Whenever you spend Favor to add a d6 to your
modifier die pool, you add 2d6.

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Fortunate
You seem to be exalted with the fortune. Reroll the d20
whenever it lands on 1. Describe how you bounced back
from what appeared to be a bad situation.
Healer
You can assist others in finding their full strength and poten-
tial. You can help another character regain two harm a day
when they rest.
Inspirational
When you show your mettle, you inspire others to have mo-
mentum against a foe. When you resolve a stage of a threat,
you can give a d6 to another player to be used in a future
roll. Your inspirational nature must be detailed in the nar-
rative.
Intimidating
When you show your mettle, you gain momentum against
a foe. When you resolve a stage of a threat, you get a d6 to
be used in a future roll. Your intimidating nature must be
detailed in the narrative.
Leader
You are known for your ability to lead others to perform
challenging tasks. Spend Favor to give a Discipline die from
an applicable Discipline to another player to use before or
after their roll.
Learned
You are well educated and know far more than most about
the world. Once per session, your character may know
something about the world that will help a situation. You
may choose to introduce a truth if it is not about an existing
threat or ask the Chronicler to reveal a truth.

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Prestigious
You exhibit extraordinary status and presence. Immediately
spend inspiration to negate harm to the Charisma stat.
Relentless
You do not stop against a foe until you have deemed it time
to relent. You can confront subdued threats without spend-
ing Favor. Your relentless nature must be aligned with what
is happening in the narrative.
Resolute
When you must succeed, you do. Spend a Favor to succeed
automatically on a die roll once per session.
Skilled
You are exceptionally talented in a Discipline. Choose a Dis-
cipline in which you are highly trained. Whenever you use it,
double that die for your modifier dice pool. You can choose
this Feat once for each of your Disciplines.
Soothing
You have the ability to calm an escalating situation. Spend
a Favor to move a threat down one stage. If the threat is a
single stage, it is automatically subdued, and the narrative
plays out accordingly.
Strong-Willed
You do not let troubles set you back. You can negate up to
two harm a day when resting.
Suave
You are well-loved and charming. You may reroll a failed
Charisma roll once per session.
Tactical
You can always turn a situation to your advantage. Roll nor-
mally whenever a roll requires a disadvantage in a combat
situation.

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Tenacious
You do not give up in the face of danger. You may reroll a
failed Force roll once per session.
Trained
You are very well trained and can quickly recover. You re-
gain up to two Discipline dice per rest.
Trainer
You are very good at training others. You can help one other
character regain up to two Discipline dice per day when they
rest.
Virtuous
You are very true to your honor and word. Immediately
spend Favor to negate harm to the Will stat.
Witnessed
You are very moral in the face of adversity. You may reroll
a failed Will roll once per session.
Character Spellcasting
It is unnecessary to convert magic into spells because Caster
cares more about why you do something, not how you’re
explicitly doing it. Therefore, if it is narratively appropriate
for you to know how to cast fireballs, you do. However, it
may be worthwhile to refer to spells from other systems as
fictional prompts for players, possibly assisting them with
character or narrative flavor. It may also be helpful to have
spells to reference for threat stages.
You may also want to have constraints on magic because of
the type of story you are telling. Allowing unchecked narra-
tive authority on spells and what they do may create scenar-
ios outside your theme and tone, even if they can’t break the
game system.
That said, there are three methods for converting magic to
the Caster System.

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High Fantasy
In high fantasy, magic is ubiquitous and extremely power-
ful. This setting is the default for the Highcaster. The only
thing you need to do is determine how magic works in your
world or game and ensure those setting principles apply to
Disciplines.
The Path examples demonstrate how this can be done. In
short, the player has complete authority over what their
magic looks like, what it does, and how it is cast. However,
magic must happen in a way that is consistent with the set-
ting and their Path. Truly, the outcomes are less important
than the narrative imagery of the magic itself.
However, this means magic can be extremely powerful and
very flexible. Given how the Caster System mechanics work,
nothing is too overpowered. And, there are natural narrative
consequences for doing magic too destructively or too over
the top.
Swords and Sorcery
The tried-and-true fantasy settings in which magic exists,
but may be more challenging to control or perform, fall into
the standard Swords and Sorcery fantasy style setting. This
dial may be most appropriate for gamers moving from Dun-
geons & Dragons or Forbidden Lands and looking for more
limitations on magic.
To convert into this method, first, limit the ability to use
magic to pre-determined Paths. Also, creatures cannot com-
monly perform magic. Those that can are unusual and have
to use a precise method (such as a wizard using a tome).
Next, match a Path’s Discipline with specific categories of
magic they can access, such as enchantments, evocations,
and necromancy. Then list the names and narrative effects
of the spells in the original game in those categories. Char-
acters should be limited to the first tier (or first three magic
levels) until they get enough XP to take another Discipline.
At that point, they can choose the next tier of one of the cat-

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egories. This process could continue until they have all tiers
and categories, and the character would then have reached
their magical limits.
You can refer to the spells from the original game, omitting
any of the mechanical benefits and keeping the focus on the
narrative impact.
Gritty Fantasy
You may be looking for a low fantasy setting from games
like B/X or Dungeon Crawl Classics. In these settings, you
will further constrain magic by making Disciplines function
like “spell slots” for magic users. Essentially, a character
can cast any spell they know but only do it with Discipline
dice. And when they are out, their magic is exhausted.
So, adapt whatever magic or spells their character would
know from the original game into a list for their Disciplines.
Depending on the setting, you can also keep limitations
from the original game (such as only being able to cast once
a day). How far you go is up to you, but converting Disci-
plines into spell slots and limiting players to only using mag-
ic as detailed in the original game, will dramatically decrease
the power level of the characters for a grittier setting.
Character Gear
By design, the Caster System does not worry about equip-
ment or gear. If it makes narrative sense, they have what
they need. If there is a question of whether or not they have
it, based on the fiction, dice can be rolled, or Favor paid.
However, some games use equipment and attrition to add
another dimension of tension to the story. Often, in gritti-
er games, it may be essential to know how many torches a
character has or how many gold chests they can carry.
In these circumstances, you can refer to equipment and cost
directly from the original game’s material for the Caster
System, with no need to convert anything. Then, run the
economics as you would in the initial system or any way

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 H I G H C A S T E R
that suits your story. However, if you do this, you will need
to ensure the heroes are paid in-game currency and allow
for other credit-making economies in your game (like found
treasure or treasure drops from defeated foes).
Also, some games give substantial benefits or effects for hav-
ing specific pieces of equipment, especially magic items. As
with magic itself, simply import the fictional impact of the
item without worrying about the mechanical effects.
Some magic items may give a character a mechanical boon,
such as increased strength or speed. In that case, the items
add a d6 Talent die to the pool when used in a narratively
appropriate way. In general, play fast and loose with magic
items by using Talent dice and Advantage Dice.
Game Play
Dice Pools
Whenever a roll needs to be made, specifically when a char-
acter confronts a threat, the player pools together dice based
on fiction and their approach to the problem. In addition,
they’ll determine whether or not dice can be added or sub-
tracted from those rolled. Then, the player rolls the dice pool
all at once, picking the highest number displayed from the
rolled dice. Finally, they add that number to a twenty-sided
die (d20) roll. That total tells us what happens:
♦ 2-9: The player’s intended outcome does not occur,
the threat escalates, and the character waxes and
potentially takes harm.

♦ 10-19: The player’s intended outcome happens, a stage of

the threat is resolved, if all stages are resolved, the
threat is subdued, but there is a complication, and
the character potentially receives harm.

♦ 20+ The player’s intended outcome happens, a stage of

the threat is resolved, and the threat is subdued if
all stages are resolved. The player gains a Favor and
can Introduce a Truth over the outcome.

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Modifier Dice Pool

One of the character’s stats will always modify the d20 to
improve the chances of success. A stat will add a d4, d6, or
d8 to the d20 result. The chance of success can be further
improved by adding additional dice, like for Disciplines and
Talents, to the modifier pool. You are looking for the high-
est result on one die, so the more dice you add to the pool,
the better the chance of getting a high number. However, no
modifier die will ever be higher than d8, so you will never
get more than +8 to the d20 roll.
Disciplines
Once the character’s move is determined, the player (or
Chronicler) reviews their Disciplines to see if any apply.
You’ll recall that Disciplines are defined by the character’s
Path and are loosely described to be used in various fictional
scenarios.
Each of the three Disciplines gets three dice, a d4, a d6, and
a d8. Whenever a Discipline applies to a situation, a play-
er can spend one of the dice and put it in their modifier
dice pool. However, once you’ve spent a die, you can’t use
it again until a character rests or recovers. Finally, when all
of a Discipline’s dice have been used, that Discipline can’t
contribute dice to the modifier pool until your character re-
covers.
Talents, Feats, Favor, and Advantages
The final dice players can potentially add to the modifier dice
pool are for Disciplines, Talents, Feats, Favor, and advantag-
es. Character builds include multiple Disciplines, Talents,
and Feats. Ultimately, if any of these makes sense narratively
in the fiction, a player can add a d6 to their dice pool.
There are two other ways a player may add dice to their
modifier dice pool. The first is if the Chronicler believes the
character would have an advantage with what they are do-
ing for any narratively appropriate reason. In that case, they
can tell the player to add a d6 advantage die to the pool.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
These situations may not be common but undoubtedly come
into play. The second opportunity arises if a player chooses
to use a Favor to add a d6 to their pool.
The modifier dice pool is now complete, and the player can
then roll, selecting the highest die roll to add to their d20
roll.
Converting to Modifier Dice

Many similar elements within other games can be convert-

ed into Modifier Dice. Caster System can be very agile in
this regard, taking different game rules and adapting them
with a quick conversion based on the circumstances. When
in doubt, consider an advantage die.

Players can add a d6 advantage die to the pool in these

circumstances:
♦ Advantage Rolls: whenever a game system asks for an
“advantage.”

♦ Surprise: whenever a character catches a threat by surprise,

would get a “surprise round,” or wins initiative.

Disadvantage
There can be situations, such as environmental challenges,
that could get in the way of a character executing their move.
In that case, the Chronicler will tell the player that they are
at a disadvantage. In that case, the player rolls the d20 twice
and picks the lowest result before adding the highest result
from the modifier dice pool.

Players get a disadvantage in these circumstances:

♦ Disadvantage Rolls: whenever a game system requires a
“disadvantage”

♦ Encumbered: if they are carrying too much weight

♦ Surprised: whenever a character is surprised or ambushed

by a threat

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♦ Conditions: whenever a character has an adverse
condition such as poisoned, exhausted, blind or restrained
Threats
When a character confronts a threat in the story by doing
something, they are making a move. A threat can be any-
thing from a tense situation to a person’s violent attack. Es-
sentially, a threat is any narrative that gets in the way of
what the character wants.
Some threats have stages, which are aspects of the threat or
situation that need to be resolved before the threat is sub-
dued. A simple threat has one stage and is subdued when-
ever a player successfully confronts it. A challenging threat
may have as many as six stages that each must be resolved
before it can be subdued.
To confront a threat, a player explains what they do about
what is happening—that is a move. Then, based on what the
character does and the motivation behind it, the Chronicler
will tell the player what move to roll.
Subduing Threats
If the players resolve all stages of a threat, it is subdued.
While it can return naturally through the fiction, that threat,
as it stands, can no longer be confronted for the Chapter.
This is a significant point because moves typically resolve
fictional problems. If they don’t, then the fiction changes,
adapting to introduce new problems to be resolved.
Subduing a threat doesn’t mean getting rid of it. It means the
moment is resolved, and now the story must shift to contin-
ue.
So, if a character wants to (or needs to) confront a threat
that’s already been subdued, there are two options:
♦ Pay Favor to introduce a new threat that changes the fiction.

♦ Accept Favor to allow the Game Master to escalate the

threat so you can confront it.

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Favor is a sort of narrative currency that players can use to
affect the fiction. Each player starts each session with one
and can earn more whenever they get a 20 or more on their
move rolls. Favor has a variety of uses, but in the context of
threats, they can help change the fiction.
If you spend a Favor, you can simply create a new threat to
confront. That puts the fiction in your control and allows
you to reset the stage.
Alternatively, the player can choose to get a Favor from the
Chronicler, who will then take control of the fiction and es-
calate the threat.
This option will usually create a more challenging situation
for the characters and amp up the drama quotient.
Threat Escalations
If a threat stage is not resolved or a single-stage threat is not
subdued (because a player gets a 9 or less from the total of
their modifier and the d20), the threat escalates.
In short, escalation causes things to get worse for the char-
acters. They may sustain harm, be put in a worse situation,
lose something, get trapped, be separated, be confronted
with more enemies, and so on. Ultimately, something in the
narrative changes.
When a threat escalates, the Chronicler will explain what
happens and how it gets worse. If the threat was written
down, record what changed. Also, the escalation may have
introduced another threat, which may seem even more im-
minent.
Using Threat Stages
When introducing a threat, the Chronicler can choose to
have stages to be resolved before the threat is subdued.
These stages are entirely narrative trappings to be resolved,
and once they are all resolved, the threat is subdued.
Many common threats will be considered “one-stage.”In
other words, one success will resolve the stage and subdue

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the threat. Sometimes it will be unnecessary to spell the

threats out. But if there are a lot of them, or if they have
multiple stages, they should be noted or written on index
cards for the whole table to see. That way, the players will
understand what they need to do to subdue the threats and
be narratively specific about which they are addressing with
their move.
Staged threats will include much of what players may be
used to in terms of combat mechanics. Instead of creating
a rule for every edge case, Caster assumes that each threat
will have the necessary steps to subdue a threat in whatever
makes narrative sense.
Situational Threats
One type of threat may involve an entire threat scenario,
having an overarching effect on the other threats until they
are subdued. These threats can also come in stages and are
usually about the environment, such as a storm or weath-
er problem, slick or uneven surfaces, fire all around, or a
landslide occurring. These threats will cause all rolls to be
at a disadvantage until they are resolved, meaning players
will roll a d20 twice and choose the lower result. Situational
threats are subdued just like any other threats, but they will
negatively affect all moves until they are.
Converting Game Situations to Threats
Some environmental or situational mechanics in other games
can be converted into threats or threat stages.
Since Caster doesn’t have tactical combat, using threats to
escalate the situation is best to replicate the combat or other
situational mechanics from other games.
♦ Distance: If a threat is out of range of the attacking
character, add a stage to the threat so the character must
close the distance to confront the next stage.

♦ Difficult Terrain: If there is terrain that another game

would consider mechanically difficult, make it a threat

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 H I G H C A S T E R
to be subdued which can escalate. You can also include a
disadvantage until the threat is subdued.

♦ Falling: If a character is falling to their death or from a

dangerous height, you can make a multi-stage threat that
must be subdued to stop the fall.

♦ Chases: Convert chase mechanics by creating multi-

stage chase threats that must be subdued, helping to close
distance or aid escape.

♦ Saving Throws: Anything that requires a saving throw can

be treated as a threat to be subdued.
Harm
Inevitably threats will lead to harm. However, in Caster, we
are not very interested in harm as a way to track damage. In
other words, getting hit with a sword and receiving a bloody
wound is not as narratively important as being bested by a
foe.
So harm is much more abstract and ultimately reduces your
character’s effectiveness. Harm can happen on any roll 19
or less.
In the Caster System, characters don’t die unless you choose
to have them die. Instead, character deaths should be delib-
erate, narratively significant, and meaningful. So harm is a
way of tracking your character’s arc but will not lead to their
death unless you decide it. Harm is tied into the three stats:
♦ Will: Take harm when your sense of self-worth, moral
responsibility, or faith in your creed worsens. When you
take three harm to Will, your character is Angry.

♦ Force: Take harm when your abilities, skill, or bravery

are challenged. When you take three harm to Force, your
character is Afraid.

♦ Charisma: Take harm when your influence, station, or pride

are compromised. When you take three harm to Charisma,
your character is Shamed.

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A player marks harm as a consequence of confronting a

threat, as instructed by the Chronicler. The harm should re-
late to how the failure affected the character.
When a character takes three harm in a particular stat, they
sustain that stat’s condition. It is up to the player just how
they represent that condition within the narrative. Mechan-
ically, once a character has a condition, they can no longer
use their stat die when making moves. Depending on the
situation, they may still be able to add other modifier dice,
but otherwise, they will roll with only a d20.
When a character has all three conditions, they can no
longer confront threats. It is at this point that players can
choose to have their character die if narratively appropriate.
Otherwise, they cannot affect the story until they recover or
they get help.
Converting to Harm
You will not need to convert game mechanics that track
damage, hit points, armor class, or physical/mental harm, as
the Caster System doesn’t use it. Instead, if something in an
adventure or campaign requires damage, transform it into a
threat or disadvantage.
Additionally, since characters can only die by player choice,
you don’t need to convert mechanics around death and dy-
ing, such as saving throws or revival skill checks.
Making Caster Harmful
As an option, if desired, you can make your game more le-
thal. Track harm as usual, but the conditions change to the
following, and the narrative outcome must match the con-
dition given:
♦ If one stat takes maximum harm, the character is injured
and will need to rest for a week to recover.

♦ If two stats take maximum harm, the character is broken

and will need to rest for a month to cover.

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 H I G H C A S T E R
♦ If three stats take maximum harm, the character is dead
and can only be revived through magical means.
Character Advancement
If a players roll 9 or less, they will wax a Humor one point.
To do this, they’ll mark the next available slot on the track
of the Humor used for the roll. Then, when all waxes are
filled under the current die level, the next highest die level
for that Human can be taken.
Once all stats have advanced to d8 and all of the waxes are
filled (nine for each), the player can choose another Path to
add to their character. The character will now have Creeds,
Disciplines, and Talents available for that Path, as well as
their original one. However, the track is then cleared, and
the process starts again.
Players can also choose to spend their waxes to buy Feats.
The cost is three times the number of the character’s existing
Feats. If used this way, simply erase what was spent on pur-
chasing the new Feat.
If an adventure or campaign provides XP via other methods,
those rewards can be given to players by allowing them to
choose which stat to mark.
Introducing Truths
Players can sometimes take over the fiction. They do this by
introducing something true in the story. It can be anything,
as long as it is somewhat relevant to what is happening in
the fiction at the time and does not overturn or conflict with
truths that were already established, either by the Chronicler
or the other players.
Players need to take a “yes and” approach to the truths
and bring them into the narrative as if they came from the
Chronicler.
There are two situations in which players can introduce
truths:

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 O T H E R R E A L M S
♦ When a player rolls 20+ on a move.

♦ When a player decides to spend an Favor to introduce a

truth.
Favor
Favor is a currency to help give players more agency over the
story. You can use coins, tokens, or just track it on paper.
Each player should start with one Favor every session, but it
doesn’t carry over from session to session.
Players receive Favor:
♦ One at the start of a session.

♦ When they allow a Game Master to escalate when

confronting a subdued threat.

♦ Whenever they have a result of 20+ on a move roll.

Players can spend Favor to do the following:
♦ Introduce a truth in the fiction at any time.

♦ Create a threat when you want to make a move and no

threat is available.

♦ Add a d6 to your modifier dice pool.

Some Feats are activated when a player pays Favor, but those
are specific to the individual Feats.
Assistance
Other characters can assist others when they are confront-
ing a threat. They simply describe how they are helping and
then hand the other player the appropriate stat die for the
move. The assisted player can then include that die in their
modifier dice pool. There is no limit to the number of play-
ers that can help or how often a player assists; it just needs
to make narrative sense.
Chapters
Caster gameplay is split up into Chapters, which will frame

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 H I G H C A S T E R
the scenes for the players and provide focus on what the
characters are supposed to accomplish during this part of
the story. The Chronicler determines Chapters, and each
one affects the rules or story in some fashion.
The purpose of Chapters is to help move the story forward
so that players don’t get stuck not knowing what to do. They
also work to reframe scenes to increase or decrease drama.
Generally, Chapters are invisible in gameplay until they
change, and the group reframes the situation.
Chapters can be as short or as long as the story requires and
change when the Chapter’s goal is reached in the narrative.
The Chapters are:
Culture
The heroes are focused on the people in their society, the
commoners or the elite, and their everyday needs.
♦ Any threats that occur in the narrative are not dangerous
and are focused on the culture or homeland.

Danger
The heroes are confronting a dangerous threat that is over-
whelming or terrifying.
♦ The threats in play catch the heroes off guard, and they will
find themselves in perilous circumstances.

♦ All die rolls are made at a disadvantage in this Chapter.

Hero
Each player takes control of the narrative, in turn, to reveal
more about their hero.
♦ Players, in turn, have narrative control and can introduce
truths into the fiction as long as those truths are not about
threats currently in play or other player characters.

♦ Player characters cannot confront threats or make moves.

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 O T H E R R E A L M S

Journey
The heroes are making a journey through unknown lands,
confronting danger, and finding their way.
♦ This is the default setting of the game. Standard threat and
roll rules apply.

Prepare
The heroes get all of the resources and information they
need to go on a journey or quest.
♦ Players have narrative control and can introduce truths
about what they acquire to prepare for a journey.

♦ Players can ask questions of the Chronicler concerning any

information they need or introduce truths about a threat
that is not in play.

♦ Characters cannot confront threats or make moves.

Quest
The heroes gather their mettle in accomplishing a significant
task or feat

♦ The players get an advantage die on all rolls; all other

aspects of the game are standard.
Rest and Recovery
Characters will need to recover to remove harm or recover
spent Discipline dice. A character must rest for a full night
(or 8 hours) to negate one harm and regain one Discipline
die. Certain Feats will help improve that rate of recovery.
Additionally, players can immediately reduce one harm by
forcing a recovery.
Force a Recovery
Negate one harm, or step back from a condition, by address-
ing it within the story as follows:

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 H I G H C A S T E R
♦ Will: Lash out emotionally at another character in a way
that causes harm to the relationship.

♦ Force: Hide, run, or shut yourself off demonstrating

weakness and fear.

♦ Charisma: Cut another down with insults, or by being

arrogant, demanding, or insolent.

Train
In addition to receiving a Discipline die by resting overnight,
you can also spend a full day training (at least 8 hours) to
recover an additional Discipline die.
Monsters and NPCs
Converting a monster or NPC into the Caster System is
as simple as deciding how many stages (how difficult) the
threat is, listing what it does during those stages, and noting
thoughts about those stages can escalate. Much of this can
be repurposed from monster stat blocks.
Since threats are tied to the narrative, you can pull dramat-
ic moments or conflict out of pre-written adventures and
present them as threats. So, for example, you might have
goblins attacking villagers as a threat and another for the
orc archers on the ramparts.
So, though a monster or NPC alone is not necessarily a
threat, below is a chart showing the more common monsters
and NPCs with suggested stages.
Monster/NPC Description Stages Stage Examples
Tentacle Attack, Tail Attack,
Aboleth Legendary Sea Monster 6
Mind Control, Psychic Attack
Acolyte Religious Spellcaster 1 Heal, Divine Fire, Ward
Transform into Air/Wind,
Air Elemental Elemental 2
Slam, Create Whirlwind
Allosaurus Dinosaur 2 Pounce, Bite, Claw
Animated Armor Construct 1 Appear Inanimate, Slam
Ankheg Monstrous Insect 1 Bite, Spray Acid

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Monster/NPC Description Stages Stage Examples

Ankylosaurus Dinosaur 2 Tail, Slam, Charge
Ape Beast 1 Fist Attack, Throw Rocks
Magic Arrows, Fireball,
Lightning Bolt, Teleport,
Archmage Spellcaster 5
Ward, Banish, Shield, Shock,
Telepathy, Psychic Attack,
Dagger Attack, Sneak Attack,
Assassin Criminal 3
Crossbow Attack
Awakened Shrub Sentient Plant 1 Appear Inanimate, Entangle
Awakened Tree Sentient Plant 2 Appear Inanimate, Thrash
Axe Beak Carnivorous Bird 1 Beak Attack
Warhammer Attack, Emit
Azer Fire Elemental 1
Body Fire
Baboon Beast 1 Bite
Badger Beast 1 Bite
Explode, Magical Fire
Balor Demon 10
Weapon, Teleport
Bandit Criminal 1 Swordplay, Crossbow
Swordplay, Dagger,
Bandit Captain Criminal 2
Crossbow
Decaying Touch, Horrifying,
Banshee Undead 2
Harmful Wail
Barbed Devil Devil 2 Hurl Fire, Throw Barbs
Basilisk Serpent 2 Bite, Paralyzing Gaze
Bat Beast 1 Bite, Echolocation
Bearded Devil Devil 2 Beard Attack, Glaive
Lightning Breath, Eat a
Behir Serpent 3
Creature Whole
Berserker Warrior 2 Axe, Reckless Fighting
Black Bear Beast 1 Bite, Claw
Black Dragon Legendary Acid Acid Breath, Bite or Claw,
8
(Adult) Breathing Dragon Frighten, Tail Attack
Black Dragon Legendary Acid Bite or Claw, Acid Breath,
10
(Ancient) Breathing Dragon Terrify, Swim
Black Dragon Bite or Claw, Acid Breath,
Acid Breathing Dragon 4
(Wyrmling) Scare, Swim
Pseudopod Attack, Split Into
Black Ooze Ooze 4
Two, Smother

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Monster/NPC Description Stages Stage Examples
Blink Dog Fay 1 Teleport, Bite
Blood Hawk Carnivorous Bird 1 Flock Attack
Blue Dragon Legendary Lightning Lightning Breath, Bite or
8
(Adult) Breathing Dragon Claw, Terrify, Tail Attack
Blue Dragon Legendary Lightning Lightning Breath, Frighten,
10
(Ancient) Breathing Dragon Bite or Claw, Tail Attack
Blue Dragon Lightning Breathing Lightning Breath, Frighten,
4
(Wyrmling) Dragon Bite or Claw, Tail Attack
Boar Beast 1 Charge, Gore
Bone Devil Devil 2 Claw, Sting
Brass Dragon Legendary Fire- Fire Breath, Sleep Breath, Bite
6
(Adult) breathing Dragon or Claw, Terrify
Brass Dragon Legendary Fire- Fire Breath, Sleep Breath, Bite
8
(Ancient) breathing Dragon or Claw, Frighten
Brass Dragon Fire Breath, Sleep Breath, Bite
Fire-breathing Dragon 4
(Wyrmling) or Claw, Frighten
Bronze Dragon Legendary Energy Lightning Breath, Energy
6
(Adult) Breath Dragon Breath, Shapeshifting, Bite
Bronze Dragon Legendary Energy Lightning Breath, Energy
8
(Ancient) Breath Dragon Breath, Shapeshifting, Bite
Bronze Dragon Lightning Breath, Energy
Energy Breath Dragon 4
(Wyrmling) Breath, Shapeshifting, Bite
Brown Bear Beast 1 Bite, Claw
Brute Fighting, Surprise
Bugbear Goblin 2
Attack, Morningstar
Bulette Land Shark Monster 3 Leap Far, Digging, Bite
Centaur Warrior 3 Stomp, Longbow
Chain Devil Devil 4 Infernal Chains, Frighten
Goat, Lion, Dragon Bite, Horns, Claws, Fire
Chimera 3
Creature Breath
Chuul Lobster Monster 2 Pincer, Tentacles
Immune to Most Harm,
Clay Golem Construct 3
Slam, Angry Fighting
Monster in the Form Phantom Attack, Appear
Cloaker 3
of a Cloak Inanimate, Tail Attack
Smash, Teleport, Fly, Control
Cloud Giant Mighty Giants 5
Weather, Transform into Air

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 O T H E R R E A L M S

Monster/NPC Description Stages Stage Examples

Lizard, Bird, Bat
Cockatrice 1 Bite
Chimera
Commoner Just Some Person 1 Unarmed Attack, Run, Hide
Constrictor
Serpent 1 Bite, Constrict
Snake
Copper Dragon Legendary Slowing Slowing Breath, Acid Breath,
6
(Adult) Breath Dragon Frighten, Bite or Claw
Copper Dragon Legendary Slowing Slowing Breath, Acid Breath,
8
(Ancient) Breath Dragon Terrify, Bite or Claw
Copper Dragon Slowing Breath, Acid Breath,
Slowing Breath Dragon 4
(Wyrmling) Scare, Bite or Claw
Telepathy, Heal, Ward,
Couatl Serpent Dragon 2
Shield, Shapeshift, Constrict
Crab Beast 1 Claw, Swim
Crocodile Beast 1 Bite, Swim
Divine Fire, Shield, Paralyze,
Cult Fanatic Religious Spellcaster 2
Inflict Wounds, Dagger
Cultist Dangerous Zealot 1 Sword Attack, Zealotry
Cyclops One-Eyed Giant 3 Crush, Throw Rocks
Darkmantle Cave Beast 1 Crush, Dark Aura
Death Dog Two-Headed Hound 1 Bite
Deva Angel 4 Radiance, Raise Dead
Dire Wolf Beast 1 Bite, Hunting Pack
Diseased Giant
Beast 1 Diseased Bite
Rat
Thunder, Conjure
Elemental, Transform Into
Djinni Elemental 3 Air, Invisibility, Create
Whirlwind, Create Illusions,
Fly
Shapeshift, Surprise Attack,
Doppelganger Shapechanger 2
Telepathy
Bite, Claw, Steam Breath,
Dragon Turtle Gigantic Turtle 6
Swim
Dretch Demon 1 Stinks, Bite, Claw
Produce Fire, Entangle, Speak
Druid Spellcaster 3 with Animals, Thunder,
Animal Familiar
Dryad Fay 1 Entangle, Heal, Fly, Charm

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Monster/NPC Description Stages Stage Examples
Slam, Create Whirlwind,
Dust Devil Devil 2
Transform into Air
Explode with Dust, Claws,
Dust Mephit Elemental 1
Dust Breath
Eagle Carnivorous Bird 1 Talons
Earth Elemental Elemental 2 Slam, Turn into Earth
Fire Burst, Conjure
Efreeti Fire Elemental 4 Elemental, Turn into Air,
Invisibility, Wall of Fire
Elephant Beast 1 Gore, Stomp
Elk Beast 1 Ram, Trample
Ettercap Humanoid Spiders 1 Bite, Web
Ettin Two-Headed Giant 3 Axe, Stomp
Bright Fire, Fire Form, Hurl
Fire Elemental Elemental 3
Fire, Explode
Fire Giant Giant 4 Throw Rock, Sword
Flesh Golem Construct 3 Reckless Fighting, Slam
Flying Snake Serpent 1 Bite, Fly
Flying Sword Construct 1 Magic Flying Attack
Frog Beast 1 Swim, Leap
Frost Giant Giant 4 Throw Rocks, Axe
Gargoyle Elemental 2 Turn to Stone, Bite, Claws
Gelatinous Cube Ooze 1 Engulf, Pseudopod
Ghast Undead 2 Bite, Claws, Stench
Incorporeal, Possession,
Ghost Undead 2
Frighten, Psychic Attack
Ghoul Undead 1 Bite, Claw
Giant Ape Beast 3 Fist Attack, Throw Rocks
Gibbering
Monster 2 Bite, Gibbering, Blinding Spit
Mouther
Spear, Shield Bash, Parry,
Gladiator Fighter 2
Brutish Fighting
Gnoll Hyena Monsters 1 Bite, Spear, Bow
Goblin Humanoid Monsters 1 Escape, Sword, Bow
Gold Dragon Legendary Fire- Fire Breath, Weakening
8
(Adult) breathing Dragon Breath, Shapeshifting, Bite

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 O T H E R R E A L M S

Monster/NPC Description Stages Stage Examples

Gold Dragon Legendary Fire- Fire Breath, Weakening
10
(Ancient) breathing Dragon Breath, Shapeshifting, Bite
Gold Dragon Fire Breath, Weakening
Fire-breathing Dragon 4
(Wyrmling) Breath, Shapeshifting, Bite
Gore, Trample, Turn Others
Gorgon Humanoid Monster 3
to Stone
Corrode, Amorphous,
Gray Ooze Ooze 1
Pseudopod
Grick Serpent Monster 1 Camouflage, Tentacles, Beak
Griffon Carnivorous Bird 2 Fly, Beak, Claws
Green Dragon Legendary Poisonous Poison Breath, Frighten, Bite
6
(Adult) Dragon or Claw, Swim
Green Dragon Legendary Poisonous Poison Breath, Frighten, Bite
8
(Ancient) Dragon or Claw, Swim
Green Dragon Poison Breath, Frighten, Bite
Poisonous Dragon 4
(Wyrmling) or Claw, Swim
Claws, Illusion, Mimicry,
Green Hag Fay 2
Psychic Attack
Grimlock Mole People 1 Blind Senses, Camouflage
Guard Warrior 1 Spear
Harpy Flying Monster 1 Charm with Music, Claws
Fights Well in a Pack, Fire
Hell Hound Demon 2
Breath
Hezrou Demon 5 Bite, Claw, Stench
Hill Giant Giant 3 Throw Rocks, Club
Hippogriff Eagle/Horse Chimera 1 Beak, Claws
Hobgoblin Goblin 1 Skilled Fighter, Sword, Bow
Homonculus Construct 1 Telepathy, Bite
Horned Devil Flying Devil 3 Fork, Tail, Hurl Flame
Hydra Five-Headed Dragon 8 Never Sleeps, Bite
Ice Devil Devil 5 Wall of Ice, Claws, Bite, Tail
Appears Inanimate, Claws,
Ice Mephit Elemental 1
Frost Breath
Fly, Shapeshift, Invisibility,
Imp Devil 1
Sting
Incubus/ Shapeshifter, Charm,
Devil 3
Succubus Telepathy, Claw

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Monster/NPC Description Stages Stage Examples
Invisible Stalker Elemental 2 Invisibility, Slam
Difficult to Damage, Slam,
Iron Golem Construct 5
Poison Breath, Absorbs Fire
Knight Warrior 2 Leadership, Swordplay
Kobold Dragonfolk 1 Dagger, Fights Well in a Pack
Tentacle, Crush, Fling,
Kraken Legendary Sea Monster 12
Lightning Storm, Bite, Swim
Illusions, Charm, Scrying,
Lamia Lion/Human Hybrid 2
Intoxicating Touch
Lemure Devil 1 Resurrects Self, Fist
Rejuvenate, Heal, Frost,
Hurl Flame, Telepathy,
Resurrect, Decay Magic,
Lich Undead Spellcaster 12
Teleport, Paralyze, Frighten,
Disintegrate, Invulnerability,
Stun, Kill with Magic
Lion Beast 1 Bite, Pounce, Claw
Lizardfolk Reptilian Humanoids 1 Bite, Fight
Magic Arrow, Shield,
Mage Spellcaster 2
Fireball, Fly, Frost
Magma Mephit Elemental 1 Claws, Firebreath
Mammoth Beast 3 Gore, Stomp, Charge
Human/Lion/Dragon
Manticore 2 Fly, Bite, Tail Spike
Chimera
Medusa Monster 3 Petrify, Snake Hair Attack
Merfolk Merfolk 1 Swim, Spear
Appear as Inanimate Objects,
Mimic Shapeshifting Monster 1
Pseudopod, Bite
Reckless Fighting, Gore,
Minotaur Monster 2
Charge
Mummy Undead 2 Rotting Fist, Frighten
Regenerate, Divine Fire,
Shield, Paralyze, Frighten,
Resurrect, Disease, Insect
Mummy Lord Legendary Undead 5
Plague, Harmful Magic,
Summon Undead, Decaying
Touch, Whirlwind of Sand
Bite, Spit Poison, Heal,
Naga (Guardian) Serpent Monster 3
Paralyze, Hurl Flame

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 O T H E R R E A L M S

Monster/NPC Description Stages Stage Examples

Bite, Spit Poison, Regenerate,
Illusion, Telepathy, Paralyze,
Naga (Spirit) Serpent Monster 4
Lightning Bolt, Decay Magic,
Teleport, Charm
Nalfeshnee Demon 4 Bite, Claw, Frighten, Teleport
Charm, Teleport, Shapeshift,
Night Hag Fay 3
Turn Incorporeal
Stomp, Turn Incorporeal,
Nightmare Demon Horse 2
Create Fire
Amorphous, Pseudopod, Split
Ocher Jelly Ooze 1
into Two
Ogre Giant 2 Club, Javelin
Orc Goblin 1 Axe, Javelin
Owlbear Beast 2 Beak, Claws
Pegasus Beast 1 Trample, Fly
Phase Spider Beast 2 Bite, Teleport
Frighten, Fireball, Paralyze,
Pit Fiend Devil 12
Wall of Fire,
Raise Dead, Control Weather,
Planetar Angel 5
Insect Plague
Polar Bear Beast 2 Bite, Claw
Priest Spellcaster 1 Heal, Divine Fire
Pteranodon Dinosaur 1 Fly, Bite
Purple Worm Monster 6 Tunnel, Bite, Sting
Red Dragon Legendary Fire- Fire Breath, Frighten, Bite or
10
(Adult) breathing Dragon Claw, Tail Attack
Red Dragon Legendary Fire- Fire Breath, Terrify, Bite or
12
(Ancient) breathing Dragon Claw, Tail Attack
Red Dragon Fire Breath, Scare, Bite or
Fire-breathing Dragon 5
(Wyrmling) Claw, Tail Attack
Legendary Carnivorous
Roc 4 Great Sight, Talons, Beak
Bird
Six Attacking Tendrils, Reel
Roper Monster 2
and Bite
Rug of
Construct 1 Smother
Smothering
Rust Monster Monster 1 Corrode, Bite
Sahuagin Sea Monster 1 Bite, Claw, Spear

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 H I G H C A S T E R
Monster/NPC Description Stages Stage Examples
Salamander Fire Elemental 2 Fire Body, Spear
Satyr Fay 1 Ram, Bow
Sea Hag Fay 2 Frighten, Paralyze, Illusion
Stealth, Drain Strength,
Shadow Undead 2
Amorphous
Shambling
Sentient Plant 2 Slam, Engulf
Mound
Store Magic, Regenerate, Fist,
Shield Guardian Construct 3
Shield
Silver Dragon Legendary Cold Breath Cold Breath, Paralyzing
6
(Adult) Dragon Breath, Shapeshifter, Bite
Silver Dragon Legendary Cold Breath Cold Breath, Paralyzing
8
(Ancient) Dragon Breath, Shapeshifter, Bite
Silver Dragon Cold Breath, Paralyzing
Cold Breath Dragon 8
(Wyrmling) Breath, Shapeshifter, Bite
Skeleton Undead 1 Sword, Regenerate
Raise Dead, Control Weather,
Solar Legendary Angel 10 Heal, Fire Sword, Blinding
Light, Searing Divine Fire
Divine Fire, Fireball,
Sphinx Legendary Creature 8
Command, Heal, Banish
Sprite Fay 1 Bow, Invisibility
Camouflage, Throw Rocks,
Stone Giant Giant 3
Catch Rocks
Stone Golem Construct 4 Difficult to Harm, Slam
Swim, Fly, Control Weather,
Storm Giant Giant 4
Lightning Bolt
Regenerate, Crush, Swallow,
Tarrasque Legendary Monster 20
Tail, Frighten, Bite, Claw
Thug Fighter 1 Sneak Attack
Appear Inanimate, Throw
Treant Sentient Plant 3
Rock, Slam, Animate Trees
Triceratops Dinosaur 2 Gore, Charge
Troll Giant 2 Regeneration, Bite, Claw
Tyrannosaurus
Dinosaur 4 Bite, Tail, Frighten
Rex
Charge, Trample, Calm,
Unicorn Legendary Celestial 4
Invisibility, Heal, Teleport

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 O T H E R R E A L M S

Monster/NPC Description Stages Stage Examples

Shapeshift, Regenerate, Bite
Vampire Legendary Undead 5
and Draw Lifeblood, Charm
Slam, Overwhelm, Water
Water Elemental Elemental 2
Form
Werebear Shapeshifter 2 Transform to Bear, Bite, Claw
Transform to Boar, Charge,
Werebore Shapeshifter 1
Gore
Wererat Shapeshifter 1 Transform to Rat, Hide, Run
Transform to Tiger, Pounce,
Weretiger Shapeshifter 2
Claw
Transform to Wolf, Bite,
Werewolf Shapeshifter 3
Claws
White Dragon Legendary Cold Breath Cold Breath, Terrify, Claw or
5
(Adult) Dragon Bite, Tail Attack
White Dragon Legendary Cold Breath Cold Breath, Scare, Claw or
7
(Ancient) Dragon Bite, Tail Attack
White Dragon Cold Breath, Frighten, Claw
Cold Breath Dragon 3
(Wyrmling) or Bite, Tail Attack
Drain Life, Attack with
Wight Undead 2
Weapons
Illusion, Incorporeal, Charm,
Will-o’-Wisp Fay 1
Consume Life Force
Wolf Beast 1 Fights Well in a Pack, Bite
Consume Life Force, Create
Wraith Undead 2
Ghosts, Incorporeal
Wyvern Beast 2 Fly, Bite, Claws, Sting
Yeti Beast 2 Claw, Frighten
Zombie Undead 1 Slam, Regenerate

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 X 1 I I

A P P E N D I X

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 H I G H C A S T E R
R U L E S R E F E R E N C E
CHARACTER CREATION ♦ Nomes (fayfolk)
1. All players choose the same ♦ Sael (celestialfolk)
culture:
4. Players choose heritage
♦ Deirwesch (wealthy aspects:
scholars)
♦ Look, Ability
♦ Highdoni (imperial 5. Players chooses a path
remnants) unique from one another
♦ Saeberd(s) (migratory ♦ Warren: soldier or warrior
raiders)
♦ Magister: worker of magic
♦ Sterboren (ancient
society) ♦ Outdon: criminal or
hireling
♦ Rishen (merchantfolk)
♦ Wildkin: outsider or
♦ Witlanders (pastoral traveler
tribes)
♦ Veneren: priest or holy
♦ Wyrmgarde (warlords) person
2. Players chooses cultural
aspects: ♦ Scoplar: scribe or poet

♦ Language, Cultural ♦ Wicker: worker of spirits

Talent, Trade
♦ Oathen: holy warrior or
3. Each player chooses a knight
heritage:
6. Players choose Path aspects:
♦ Bledseni (chimericfolk)
♦ Background, Belongings,
♦ Draken (dragonfolk) Relationships, Talent
7. Players choose which
♦ Ekwin (unicornfolk) Humor gets d4, which one
♦ Fynd (demonfolk) gets d6, and which one gets d8

♦ Giantkin (giantfolk) ♦ Virtue, Courage, Prestige

8. Players choose a Feat:
♦ Holten (earth
elementals)

♦ Mortals (humans)
 H I G H C A S T E R
R U L E S R E F E R E N C E
CHAPTERS

♦ Culture: The narrative is focused on the culture or

homeland, and any threats that occur are not dangerous.

♦ Danger: The narrative is focused on perilous threats, and all

die rolls are made at a disadvantage.

♦ Hero: The narrative is focused on each player, as each

assumes narrative control for a character montage. No
threats can occur.

♦ Journey: This is the default setting of the game, where the

characters travel to unknown places. All threats and rolls
are all made as usual.

♦ Preparation: The narrative is focused on gathering resources

and information, and all mechanics proceed as standard.

♦ Quest: The narrative is focused on a significant task or feat,

and all rolls are made with advantage.
DICE OUTCOMES

♦ 2-9: The player’s intended outcome does not happen, the

threat escalates, and the character Waxes and potentially
takes Harm.

♦ 10-19: The player’s intended outcome happens, and a stage

of the threat is resolved. If all stages are resolved, the threat
is subdued, but there is a complication, possibly resulting
in harm for a character.

♦ 20+: The player’s intended outcome happens, and a stage of

the threat is resolved. If all stages are resolved, the threat
is subdued. The player gains a Favor and can Introduce a
Truth regarding the outcome.
DICE POOLS

♦ Choose the die for the Humor that best represents the
move. Add another PC’s Discipline die if they help.

♦ Add a d6 for every Talent that applies.

♦ Spend an available d4, d6, or d8 Discipline die, if

applicable.

♦ Add a d6 if there is an advantage or if a Favor is used.

(Subtract a d6 if there is a disadvantage.)
 H I G H C A S T E R
R U L E S R E F E R E N C E
HUMORS

♦ Virtue: They are ethical. They bring people together. They

are protective. (Used for Ally, Defend, and Make a Stand.)

♦ Courage: They are fearless. They brave through the

unknown. They are good fighters. (Used for Enforce Your
Will, Scout, and Strike.)

♦ Prestige: They are influential. They can change the whims

of others. They are powerful. (Used for Condemn, Navigate
Others, and Rally.)
MOVES

♦ Ally (+Virtue): Generate goodwill or establish trust.

♦ Condemn (+Prestige): Bring judgment down upon someone.

♦ Defend (+Virtue): Defend yourself or another.

♦ Enforce Your Will (+Courage): Influence someone’s behavior.

♦ Make a Stand (+Virtue): Make a social or moral conviction.

♦ Navigate Others (+Prestige): Read or understand another.

♦ Rally (+Prestige): Compel others to help.

♦ Scout (+Courage): Find something hidden.

♦ Strike (+Courage): Resolve a conflict using combat.

REST & RECOVERY

♦ Recover one Discipline die and one Humor harm on a rest

(at least 8 hours).

♦ Virtue: Lash out emotionally at another character in a way

that causes the relationship to be harmed.

♦ Courage: Hide, run, or shut yourself off, demonstrating

weakness and fear.

♦ Prestige: Cut another down with insults or by being

arrogant, demanding, or insolent.
 H I G H C A S T E R
R U L E S R E F E R E N C E
AGENDA CHRONICLER MOVES

♦ Create stories of legend. ♦ Create a Threat

♦ Make characters ♦ Escalate a Threat

rise above trials and
tribulation. ♦ Inflict Harm

♦ Play to find out why the ♦ Present a Dilemma

story is a timeless legend.
♦ Raise the Stakes
PRINCIPLES
♦ Reveal Consequences
♦ Make it epic.
♦ Make a Threat Move
♦ Be a champion of the
heroes. ♦ Make Use of Favor
HARD MOVES
♦ Build your persistent
Highcaster as you play. ♦ A 9 or less on a roll when
confronting a threat
♦ Nothing is sacred.
Oceans rise, empires fall. ♦ Must be compelled to
confront a threat that has
♦ Name every character,
escalated
beast, artifact, and
location. SOFT MOVES

♦ Think about what is ♦ A 19 or less when

happening in the realms. confronting a threat

♦ Give threats depth. ♦ Unsure what to do next

in the fiction.
♦ Ask what the hero wants.
PREPARATION
♦ Steer toward the Chapter.
♦ Review
♦ Move the spotlight.
♦ Prepare People
♦ Explore the details.
♦ Prepare the Journey
♦ You don’t always need to
♦ Prepare Locations
know.
♦ Prepare Truths

♦ Prepare Big Open

 H I G H C A S T E R
PLAYER NAME & PRONOUNS:
CHARACTER NAME & PRONOUNS:
CULTURE:

HERITAGE: PATH:

HUMOR DICE HARM TO VIRTUE

VIRTUE

LVL ANGRY

WAX

HUMOR DICE HARM TO COURAGE

COURAGE

LVL AFRAID

WAX

HUMOR DICE HARM TO PRESTIGE

PRESTIGE

LVL SHAMED

WAX

DISCIPLINE:

DISCIPLINE:

DISCIPLINE:

TALENTS: FEATS:

FAVOR:
 H I G H C A S T E R
TRADE: LANGUAGE(S):

LOOK: HERITAGE ABILITY:

CULTURE & BACKGROUND:

BELONGINGS:

RELATIONSHIPS:

MOVES

♦ Ally (+Virtue): Generate goodwill or establish trust.

♦ Condemn (+Prestige): Bring judgment down upon someone.

♦ Defend (+Virtue): Defend yourself or another.

♦ Enforce Your Will (+Courage): Influence someone’s behavior.

♦ Make a Stand (+Virtue): Make a social or moral conviction.

♦ Navigate Others (+Prestige): Read or understand another.

♦ Rally (+Prestige): Compel others to help.

♦ Scout (+Courage): Find something hidden.

♦ Strike (+Courage): Resolve a conflict using combat.

 C A S T E R
PLAYER NAME & PRONOUNS:
CHARACTER NAME & PRONOUNS:
CULTURE:

HERITAGE: PATH:

ABILITY DICE HARM TO WILL

WILL

LVL ANGRY

XP

ABILITY DICE HARM TO FORCE

FORCE

LVL AFRAID

XP

ABILITY DICE HARM TO CHARISMA

CHARISMA

LVL SHAMED

XP

DISCIPLINE:

DISCIPLINE:

DISCIPLINE:

TALENTS: FEATS:

INSPIRATION:
 C A S T E R
TRADE: LANGUAGE(S):

LOOK: HERITAGE ABILITY:

CULTURE & BACKGROUND:

BELONGINGS:

RELATIONSHIPS:

MOVES

♦ Ally (+Will): Generate good will or establish trust.

♦ Condemn (+Charisma): Bring judgment down upon someone.

♦ Defend (+Will): Defend yourself or another.

♦ Enforce Your Will (+Force): Influence someone’s behavior.

♦ Make a Stand (+Will): Make a social/moral conviction.

♦ Navigate Others (+Charisma): Read or understand another.

♦ Rally (+Charisma): Compel others to help.

♦ Scout (+Force): Find something hidden.

♦ Strike (+Force): Resolve a conflict using combat.

Pronounciation Guide

There are more formal and academic ways to show pronun-

ciation, however for ease of use this guide translates terms
somewhat phonetically based on more common English
inflections and/or words. Also keep in mind that while the
roots of these words actually have true etymological origins,
this is fiction, so pronounce them however is comfortable.

♦ Alu (ah-loo) ♦ Ekwin (ehk-win)

♦ Arakna (ar-aek-nah) ♦ Erthsel (earth-sel)

♦ Balor (bah-lor) ♦ Ferox (fair-ahx)

♦ Bledsen (bled-sen) ♦ Fynd (feend)

♦ Bledseni (bled-sen-ee) ♦ Gheis (gah-ees)

♦ Braethen (brah-then) ♦ Gobel (go-bell)

♦ Braven (bray-ven) ♦ Gorbest (gore-best)

♦ Bugh (boog) ♦ Halan (hah-lan)

♦ Chaemers (chair-mers) ♦ Helhunta (hell-hoon-tah)

♦ Chaerm (chairm) ♦ Hem-Ka (hem-kah)

♦ Chevalar (schev-ahlar) ♦ Hem-Su (hem-soo)

♦ Comandur (coh-mahn- ♦ Highdoni (high-dohn-ee)

dur)
♦ Hunta (hoont-ah)
♦ Cursian (curse-ian)
♦ Hut-Djedu (hoot-jay-doo)
♦ Deirwesch (dare-wesh)
♦ Kehm-Rey (kem-ray)
♦ Deyu (day-oo)
♦ Ker (kair)
♦ Djedu-Ka (jedoo-kah)
♦ Khem (kem)
♦ Drak (drahk)
♦ Khem-Ka (kem-kah)
♦ Draken (drahk-en)
♦ Khemiti (kem-eetee)
♦ Ekwi (ehk-wee)
♦ Kinpreier (kin-prayer)

♦ Lei (lay)

♦ Merhunta (mare-hoont-
ah)

♦ Mordran (moor-drahn)

♦ Mordras (moor-drahs)

♦ Myster (mister)

♦ Pleier (player)

♦ Prier (prayer)

♦ Saeberds (say-birds)

♦ Sael (sah-el)

♦ Saeskar (say-scar)

♦ Sedyr (said-er)

♦ Speis (spah-ees)

♦ Sterboren (stair-boren)

♦ Stergress (stair-gress)

♦ Sternewn (stair-noon)

♦ Steroathen (stair-oathen)

♦ Swyrder (sworder)

♦ Wyrders (word-er)

♦ Wyrmgarde (worm-guard)
Index D
A Deirwesch 39

agenda (Chronicler) 165 path

arakna 185 chaermers (wicker) 125

assisting 156 Fortunate (warren) 122

historian (scoplar) 116
B
Knights of the Key (oathen)
110
balor 186
lox (outdon) 113
bard 257
tomekin (magister) 107
bledseni 84
wildkin 128
braethen 187
yesterfolk (veneren) 119
bugh 188
region 42
C
disadvantage 146
chapters 18, 158 disciplines 17, 144
converting from other games converting from another game
285 257
solo play 235 magister 108
charisma. See humors oathen 111
chronicler 164 outdon 114
moves 168 scoplar 117
cleric 259 veneren 120
communities (build your own) warren 123
226 wicker 126
condition. See harm wildkin 129
courage. See humors djedu-ka 189
culture 14, 36 dragon 32, 190
converting from other games dragonborn 252
250
drak. See draken
creating your own 254
draken 86
list of 14, 37, 300
dwarf 251 ker 27
lei 27
E
speis 27
ekwi. See ekwin gorbest 194
ekwin 88
H
elf 251
halfling 251
F
harm 20, 149
favor 152, 177 humors 149
solo play 237 helhunta 195
feats 132, 248 heritage 82
converting from another game common fantasy people 250
270
converting to other games 250
fighter 260
list of 15, 83
force. See humors
highcaster
Forsen. See Deirwesch
empire 28
fynd 90
game 138
G realm 29, 206

gheis 192 Deirwesch region 42

ghosts. See spirits Highdoni region 48

giant 191 Rishen region 54

about 92 Saeberd region 60

giantkin 92 Sterboren region 66

gnomes 253 Witlander region 72

gobel 193 Wymgarde region 78

gods 27 themes 22

alu 27 Highdoni 45

ancients 27 path

deyu 27 courtsmiths (scoplar) 116

invoked 27 folkwrights (wicker) 125

 magister 107 N
Order of the March (oathen)
110 nomes 98
reverands (veneren) 119 O
steroathen (wildkin) 128
oathbrek 198
The Whisper (outdon) 113
oathen 109
Violet Cloaks (warren) 122
orc 253
region 48
outdon 112
holt. See holten
hotlen 92 P
human 252 paladin 262
humor dice. See humors path 16, 104
humors 18, 20, 142 converting class to path 255
converting from another game general fantasy paths 257
248
list of 16, 105
in dice pool 140
npcs 179
I prestige. See humors
Inesen. See Saeberds principles (Chronicler) 166

K R

Khem. See Sterboren ranger 264

regions (build your own) 220
M
rest and recovery 160
magister 106 Rishen 51
merhunta 196 path
monsters 288. See also threats finishers (warren) 122
mordran 197 Guild of Many (oathen) 110
Mortals 96 havenkind (wicker) 125
moves pursers (outdon) 113
chronicler 168 Society of the Learned Sorcer-
ers (magister) 107
 The Odd Philosophical Society Hem-Ka (veneren) 119
(scoplar) 116 Hem-Su (wildkin) 128
wildkin 128 Khemiti (outdon) 113
woven (veneren) 119 Khem-Rey (scoplar) 116
region 54 Khemstorm (warren) 122
rogue 265 Rhe-Ka (magister) 107
S Sem-Ka (wicker) 125
Ur-Ka (oathen) 110
Saeberds 57
region 66
path
stergress 29
erthsel (wildkin) 128
sternewn 29
meret (veneren) 119
pirates (outdon) 113 T
runesmith (magister) 107 talent 18, 145
saltfists (warren) 122 cultural talent
saltweavers (wicker) 125 converting from another game
scoplar 116 255
sternkrewe (oathen) 110 Deirwesch 41
region 60 Highdoni 47
sael 100 Rishen 53
saeskar 199 Saebeards 59
scoplar 115 Sterboren 65
sedyr 200 Witlanders 71
Session 0 14 Wyrmgarde 77
spellcasting 273 path talent 257
spirits 30 converting from another game
stages, threat. See threats 256

stars. See gods magister 108

starv 201 oathen 111

Sterboren 63 outdon 114

path scoplar 117

 veneren 120 truths (introducing) 155
warren 123
V
wicker 126
wildkin 129 veneren 118

trade talent virtue. See humors

converting from another game W

255
theatre of the mind 174 warlock 267

themes 22, 207 warren 121

threats 19, 141, 158, 170, 171, 175 waxes, waxing (advancement) 18,
21, 151
converting from another game
279 converting from another game
284
escalating 146
wicker 124
monsters 175, 288
wildkin 127
solo play 242
will. See humors
stages 19, 156
Witlanders 69
subduing 151
path
tiefling 253
crowblood (magister) 107
torn 202
heather (outdon) 113
trade 15
hundredforth (warren) 122
converting from another game
255 oathenser (veneren) 119

Deirwesch 42 skerblades (oathen) 110

Highdoni 48 windfeet (wildkin) 128

NPCs (random) 216 wisen (wicker) 125

Rishen 54 wyrders (scoplar) 116

Saeberd 60 region 72

Sterboren 66 wizard 268

Witlander 72 wyrm 203

Wyrmgarde 78 Wyrmgarde 75

train 160 path

 bannerkin (oathen) 110
kinfates (scoplar) 116
kingarde (warren) 122
kinpreier (veneren) 119
kinwerd (magister) 107
swellswords (outdon) 113
wicker 125
region 78
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
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