TEXT: OSR COMPATIBLE
  OSR logo copyright Stuart Robinson. Used under creative commons. 
  OLD SCHOOL ROLEPLAYING WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG - VOLUME ONE
  
  Written by Sofinho.
  Cover illustration by Jef (Timothy Charles Cox). 
  Internal illustrations by Abigail Lingford, Felicia (Hoang Minh Nhat), Jef and Sofinho.
  Edited by Jarrett Crader & Fiona Geist of The MoonRat Conspiracy.
  Layout by Jef & Sofinho.
  Production by Nguyen Thi Phuong Dung. 
  Special thanks to Guy Donovan, Luca Valentini and Pham Nguyen Ha Trung.
  Copyright 2019-2020 Timothy Cox, Joey Donovan, Hoang Minh Nhat and Abigail Lingford.
  This product is an independent production of Atelier Hwei.
  Redistribution without prior written consent is prohibited.
  Permission is granted to photocopy and otherwise reproduce for personal use. 
  All authors retain the right to be identified as such. In all cases this notice must remain intact.
  Anyone may publish free or commercial material based upon and/or declaring compatibility 
  with “PARIAH” without express written permission from the publisher, 
  Atelier Hwei, as long as they adhere to the following terms:
  If your product declares compatibility with PARIAH you must state the following in your  
  legal text and on any websites from which a commercial product is sold: “[product name]  
  is an independent production by [publisher name] and is not affiliated with the Atelier Hwei.”
  Atelier Hwei takes no responsibility for any legal claims against your product.
  The mechanics of “PARIAH” may be reused freely.
  Art and text may not be reused — all artists maintain copyright of their work.
  Printed in Vietnam. 
  
  1
  This zine was funded and thus distributed thanks to the many backers who saw our  
  contribution to Zine Quest and got behind us. Without you, this project would not exist.
  Yet there is more to this story, and all members of the PARIAH team wish to extend  
  their heartfelt thanks to their friends and family, as well as the following creators:
  Angus/Spwack of meanderingbanter.blogspot.com is the creator of the classless, level-less 
  take on the world’s most popular roleplaying game known as DIE TRYING. The innovative “X” 
  system for character growth was his creation, shamelessly stolen and re-worked by the PARIAH team. 
  Arnold Kemp of Goblin Punch created the Encounter Stew mechanic upon which PARIAH  
  bases its own encounter mechanic. The ghoul curse class draws heavily from Arnold’s own 
  musings on undead flesh-eaters, particularly the “agony” feature. The spellcasting system is also an 
  adaptation of the GLOG (Goblin Laws of Gaming) magic system. 
  Emmy Allen of Dying Stylishly/  cavegirlgames.blogspot.com was an inspiration, and not 
  only for her paleolithic OSR Wolf-packs and Winter Snow. Emmy’s Wendigo Sickness and Wounded 
  Daughters curse “classes” established the model for the curse templates found in PARIAH. 
  Finally, the origin story of PARIAH can be traced all the way back to 2012, when a user 
  on a play-by-post site briefly ran a game called Tall Sun, Sharp Moon. That user’s name was 
  Kittenmancer, and as much as this book is for everyone, it is also just for her.  Thank you for 
  opening my eyes to the greater possibilities of these wacky elf-games. 
  With respect to all the threads that pulled us here, I hope this zine represents something of  
  an apotheosis: a culmination of multiple strands, currents and narratives that combine to form 
  their own syncretic system. Yet it does not hope to be the final word (and how could anything 
  dare such a thing): instead, the greatest ambition of this humble publication is that this can be  
  the kicking-off point for another story, another thread, another adventure.
  In short, this book is for you. 
  Thank you, dear reader, for what you might yet do with these words.
  A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S
  
  2
  C
  O
  N
  T
  E
  N
  T
  S
  INTRODUCTION 
  3
  CREATING A CHARACTER 
  4
  Name 
  4
  Hit Dice & Health Points 
  5
  Attributes 
  6
  Saving Throws 
  7
  Skills 
  8
  Possessions 
   
  10
  Weapons 
   
  10
  Starting Items 
  11
  Reason for Exile 
   
  12
  Attack & Defence  
  13
  Special Features 
  13
  THE BAND 
  14
  INTERACTING WITH THE WORLD 
  16
  The Exploration Turn 
  17
  Generating the Wilderness 
  18
  Between Trips 
  19
  The Tactical Phase 
  20
  COMBAT  
  22
  Advanced Death & Dismemberment 
  26
  X IS FOR... (Experience & Advancement) 
  28
  MAGIC: RITUALS, SPELLS & SPIRITS 
  31
  The Seven Realms 
  31
  Rituals 
  32
  Invocation 
   
  34
  Conjuration 
   
  35
  Binding 
   
   
  36
  Spells  
   
  37
   
  ENTHEOGENS 
  38
  Sorcerer’s Sage 
  39
  Shaman Shroom 
  40
  Cactus Buttons, Quickleaf 
  42
  Desert Rue, Sleepflower 
  43
  OTHER REALMS 
  44
  Quick Roll & Narrate 
  44
  Extra-Planar Adventures 
  44
  The Here & Now 
  45
  There (Death) 
  46
  Dawn 
  47
  Dusk 
  48
  Moon 
  49
  Sun 
   
  50
  The Beyond 
  50
  CURSE TEMPLATES 
  53
  Blood drinker 
  53
  Ghost 
  54
  Ghoul 
  54
  Jackalwere 
  55
  Nameless One 
  56
  Spirit-Touched 
  57
  APPENDICES 
   
   
  58
  Band Sheet 
  58
  Character Sheet 
  59
  
  3
  This zine provides all the tools you need to set up and run your own psychedelic 
  proto-neolithic animist old-school sandbox roleplaying game.
  Actually, that’s not completely true: you will also need: 
  • a set of polyhedral dice (or access to an online dice roller or app).
  • some paper and/or writing implements (including a phone, tablet  
  or computer if preferred) 
  • … and some friends.
  Henceforth you and your friends are referred to as “players.”
  Choose a player to act as the gamemaster (GM). Tradition obligates nominating  
  this zine’s reader for that role—but this book is for everybody so don’t feel 
  compelled to become a GM merely because you’re engaging with this text...  
  ...it is recommended, though, as the GM builds a world and watches the rest  
  of the players dismantle it in surprising, unsettling and (mostly) enjoyable ways.
  Safe travels and enjoy your trip.
  I
  N
  T
  R
  O
  D
  U
  C
  T
  I
  O
  N
  
  PARIAH NAME
  Adjective + Noun 
  (roll once per column)
  Adjective + Noun 
  (roll once per column)
  D20 Adjective
  Noun
  Adjective
  Noun
  1
  Beautiful
  Cave 
  Brave
  Antelope
  2
  Black
  Dell 
  Clever
  Auroch
  3
  Blue
  Evening
  Disgusting
  Badger
  4
  Chasing
  Fallen
  Fearsome
  Bat
  5
  Cunning
  Father
  Feeding
  Battle
  6
  Dreary
  Fortune
  Giant
  Crayfish
  7
  Eager
  Grave
  Hairy
  Crocodile
  8 Fleet-footed
  Grove
  Hateful
  Dawn
  9
  Fearful
  Hill
  Heartless
  Dog
  10
  Golden
  Jungle
  Hurting
  Dreaming 
  Time
  11
  Hungry
  Lake
  Little
  Eagle
  12
  Idle
  Mantle
  Magnificent
  Eel
  13
  Lurking
  Magnificence
  Rotten
  Fox
  14
  Mighty
  Moon
  Short
  Gazelle
  15
  Nervous
  Mountain
  Toothless Honeybird
  16
  Purple
  Oasis
  Unwanted
  Hyena
  17
  Quick
  Other
  Unwise
  Lion
  18
  Ravenous
  Point
  White
  Porcupine
  19
  Terrible
  Quiet One
  Wise
  Tyrant-of-
  the-Air
  20
  Ugly
  Sunbeam
  Yellow
  Zebra
  4
  C R E A T I N G  A 
  C H A R A C T E R
  Players control one (or more) characters 
  —pariahs.
  At times you play them directly or describe 
  their actions in the third person. Players are 
  the pariah’s conscience and guiding voice.  
  If it helps with immersion: think of yourself  
  as their ancestral spirit.
  Bad things might happen to your pariah.  
  They can get hurt or die. Those things are 
  not happening to you but it’s okay to feel  
  bad about it.
  Likewise, it’s okay not to feel anything: 
  sometimes it takes a long time to feel 
  attached to a pariah. Let them earn  
  your affection.
  In any case try to take care of them...  
  but in the worst case do not dwell on loss. 
  Roll up another.
  NAME
  Pariahs come from hunter-gatherer tribes. 
  Their names reflect the surrounding 
  environment and creatures with which  
  they interact. 
  Choose or roll on the following table  
  to determine your character’s name.
  
  PARIAH TRUE NAMES
  D12/ 
  D20
  Initial 
  vowel
  Initial 
  Consonant
  Vowel
  Consonant
  1
  A
  B
  a
  b
  2
  Ai
  D
  ae
  d
  3
  Ao
  Dr
  ai
  dr
  4
  Au
  Dz (J)
  ao
  dz (j)
  5
  E
  F
  au
  f
  6
  Ei
  G
  e
  g
  7
  I
  H
  ei
  h
  8
  Ia
  K
  eiu
  k
  9
  O
  Kw (Qu)
  i
  kw (qu)
  10
  Or
  L
  ia
  l
  11
  U
  M
  io
  m
  12
  Ur
  N
  iu
  n
  13
  P
  o
  p
  14
  R
  oa
  rr
  15
  S
  oe
  s
  16
  T
  or
  t
  17
  Tx (Ch)
  u
  tx (ch)
  18
  V
  ui
  v
  19
  X (Sh)
  ua
  x (sh)
  20
  Z
  ur
  z
  5
  C R E A T I N G  A  C H A R A C T E R
  TRUE NAME
  Your pariah’s true name was gifted by a 
  parent or guardian but does not originate 
  from them: it was revealed to them by the 
  spirits. To generate a true name:
  • Decide whether it starts with a vowel  
  or a consonant.
  • Roll on the appropriate column.
  • Roll additional consonants or vowels  
  as desired to create a name.
  HIT DICE & HEALTH POINTS
  Hit Dice (HD) determines a pariah’s ability  
  to suffer and recover from wounds, how 
  much damage they inflict, the power of  
  their spells and a pariah’s Attributes (p.6). 
  Pariahs have the following HD: D4, D6 or D8. 
  Roll 2d6 to determine your starting HD.
  2d6 
  Hit Dice
  2-4 
  D4 HD (1-4 HP).
  5-8 
  D6 HD (1-6 HP).
  9-12 
  D8 HD (1-8 HP).
  HD determines starting HP (adjusted by 
  CON modifier (p.6). HP is lost whenever 
  a pariah is wounded—at 0 HP they are at 
  greater risk of serious injury or death.
  Pariahs accumulate HD as they become
  hardened to the rigours of life in the
  wilderness—a resource that must be
  marshalled and managed. A player can
  choose to add one or more of their pariah’s
  HD to the die pool—provided they have a
  strong narrative reason—when making any
  Attribute roll or attack roll.
  Pariahs may spend HD they do not have and 
  take the result of the additional HD as health 
  damage or, at 0HP, lethal or CON damage—
  (p.25). 
  What constitutes a strong narrative reason 
  varies by group— expending one’s last HD 
  as a last gasp effort to save the group from a 
  savage animal is a stronger proposition than 
  spending an HD to improve a stealth roll.  
  
  PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES
  CONSTITUTION 
  (CON)
  Health and stamina.  
  Modifies HP.
  STRENGTH  
  (STR)
  How much weight a pariah  
  can lift. Modifies melee  
  attacks and damage.
  DEXTERITY 
  (DEX)
  Manual skill and agility. Modifies 
  defence and ranged attacks.
  MENTAL ATTRIBUTES
  INTELLIGENCE 
  (INT)
  The ability to learn new  
  skills and languages.
  WISDOM  
  (WIS)
  Intuition: perception, magical 
  knowledge or power, general 
  life skills.
  CHARISMA 
  (CHA)
  Strength of will, personal  
  magnetism and sometimes 
  magical power.
  GENERATING ATTRIBUTES
  HD Method
  D4 STR/CON: Roll 4d6, discard the highest  
  result and total.
  DEX/INT: Roll 3d6.
  WIS/CHA: Roll 4d6, discard the lowest  
  result and total
  D6
  Roll 3d6 in order 
  (CON, STR, DEX, INT, WIS, CHA).
  D8
  CON/STR: Roll 4d6, discard the lowest  
  result and total.
  DEX/INT/WIS/CHA: Roll 3d6.
  ATTRIBUTE MODIFIERS
  Attribute Score
  Modifier
  3        
  -3
  4-5     
  -2
  6-8    
  -1
  9-12   
  No modifier
  13-15 
  +1
  16-17 
  +2
  18  
  +3
  6
  ATTRIBUTES
  Each pariah has six ability scores: Attributes 
  rated 3-18 (18 is the best) to determine 
  how well the pariah performs against the 
  proto-neolithic world’s challenges. 
  Players determine a pariah’s Attributes 
  randomly, using 3 (or more, see right)  
  six sided dice rolled in order.
  Pariah’s Attributes resolve in-game challenges 
  which the GM assigns a numerical difficulty 
  (DC) and compares it with the pariah’s 
  relevant Attribute. If the DC exceeds their 
  Attribute, the pariah rolls a six-sided die 
  (D6)  to determine their success—adding the 
  result to their Attribute score: if it exceeds 
  the DC they succeed. 
  NOTE: A roll of 1 always fails.
  Note each Attribute’s score on the  
  Character Sheet’s max, current and 
  modifier boxes. Note the pariah’s  
  highest stat: their Core Attribute. 
  Totaling a pariah’s physical Attributes determine 
  their speed (movement in feet/round).
  A pariah with a mental Attribute total 
  (INT+WIS+CHA) less than twenty gains 
  another Attribute: Psyche, equal to their 
  mental Attribute total.
  These individuals are known as Spirit-
  Touched—considered cursed or blessed, 
  depending on their culture of origin (p.57).
  
  ATTRIBUTE DAMAGE TABLE
  Attribute Below 3...
  ...at 0
  CON 
  or 
  STR
  Collapses 
  exhausted 
  and immobile.
  Instant death.
  DEX
  Paralysed.
  Dies in 1d6 days  
  unless DEX restored.
  INT
  Struggles to 
  communicate and 
  interact; becomes 
  a GM controlled 
  NPC.
  Instant death.
  WIS 
  or 
  CHA
  No additional 
  penalties.
  Remains under 
  player control but is 
  a Nameless One 
  (p.56)—and potentially 
  Spirit-Touched (p.57).
  SAVING THROW BY HIT DIE
  Saving Throw |  
  Hit Dice
  1d4 HD 1d6 HD
  1d8 HD
  Death/ Poison
  14
  13
  12
  Magical Devices
  13
  14
  15
  Paralysis / Petrification
  13
  13
  13
  Reflex
  16
  15
  15
  Spells
  +2
  +1
  -
  7
  Damage to Attributes
  Some attacks damage a pariah’s Attributes. 
  In addition to limiting their performance, 
  serious damage has the following effects:
  Core Attribute  
  save bonus
  The pariah’s Core Attribute modifier can  
  be added to the following saving throws:
  Constitution 
  Poison/Death.
  Strength 
  Paralysis/Petrification.
  Dexterity 
  Reflex.
  Intelligence 
  Magical Devices 
   
   
  or Reflex  
  (choose one).
  Wisdom 
  Reflex or Spells 
   
   
  (choose one).
  Charisma 
  Spells or 
   
   
  Magical Devices  
   
   
  (choose one).
  Example: 
  Mighty Evening Star has d6 HD providing 
  the following saves:
  Death / Poison: 13 / Magical Devices 4 /  
  Paralysis / Petrification: 13 / Reflex 15 / Spells +1
  As her Attributes are CON 15 STR10  DEX 12 
  INT 9 WIS 13 CHA 10, Constitution is her Core 
  Attribute, providing her a +1 save against death 
  or poison. Despite her Wisdom (13) +1 modifier 
  her Saving Throws are unaffected—it isn’t her 
  Core Attribute.
  Saving throws
  Saving Throws govern how a character 
  responds to unusual threats: roll equal to or 
  higher than it to avoid or diminish threats.
  A pariah’s initial Saving Throws  
  are determined by their HD.
  Spell Save is determined by the caster’s 
  power (their WIS or CHAscore)—lower HD 
  pariahs have a bonus to this Save.
  C R E A T I N G  A  C H A R A C T E R
  
  CORE SKILLS TABLE
  Roll CON (1d8)
  STR (1d10)
  DEX (1d8)
  INT (roll d12)
  WIS (1d12)
  CHA (1d10)
  1
  Climbing
  Acrobatics
  Acrobatics
  Craft+
  Animal  
  Handling
  Animal  
  Handling 
  2
  Concentration
  Climbing 
  Climbing
  Disguise
  Concentration
  Disguise
  3
  Drinking
  Grappling
  Craft+
  Herbalism
  Entheogens
  Drinking
  4
  Endurance 
  Running
  Hand Weapon*
  Fishing
  Healing
  Fishing
  Intimidation
  5
  Entheogens
  Heavy Labour Musical Instrument
  Horticulture
  Herbalism
  Mimicry
  6
  Food Tasting
  Intimidation
  Stealth
  Language
  Healing
  Musical  
  Instrument
  7
  Heavy Labour
  Jumping 
  Sleight of Hand
  Literacy
  Horticulture
  Persuasion
  8
  Swimming
  Swimming 
  Traps and Snares
  Mimicry
  Listening
  Singing
  9
  Sprinting 
  Poisons
  Poisons
  Storytelling
  10
  Attack Bonus**
  Tracking
  Storytelling
  Roll Twice ++
  11
  Traps and Snares
  Tracking
  12
  Roll Twice ++
  Traps and  
  Snares
  * Choose or roll for melee weapon on the weapons table (p.10). 
  + Choose from or roll for craft on the crafts table (below).
  ** Pariah receives +1 to their base attack bonus. 
   
  ++ Roll twice more, ignoring this result if rolled again
  1d12 
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  Craft 
  Skills
  Basketry
  Brewing
  Food 
  preparation
  Flints
  Hides / Skin / 
  Leatherwork
  Painting
  8
  Skills
  Each pariah possesses a broad selection of skills 
  base befitting a healthy human hunter-gatherer, 
  limited only by their resources,  Attributes, and 
  ingenuity. However, there are some things 
  that they excel at—their “skills” tied to their 
  Attributes, particularly their Core Attributes. 
  Skill proficiency is measured by  
  die size (see table, right).
  Pariahs have 2 Core Skills (tied to their Core 
  Attribute) and a number of additional skills 
  dependent on their HD and their INT modifier. 
  Core Skills
  To generate 
  Core Skills roll 
  the associated 
  die twice on the 
  relevant Core 
  Attribute column.
   
  Record them on the character sheet as 
  Skilled (D8)—if the same skill is rolled twice 
  upgrade it to Master (D10). How skills are 
  utilised is left to the players’ creativity.  
  Use proficiency as a guideline.
  Unskilled: 
  D6 *
  Skilled:  
  D8 
  Expert:  
  D10 
  Master:  
  D12 
  *(normal ability check) 
  
  1d12
  7
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  Craft 
  Skills
  Pottery
  Stonework
  Tattooing
  Textiles
  Weapons
  Woodwork 
  / Carving
  ADDITIONAL SKILLS TABLE
  Roll CON (1d8)
  STR (1d10)
  DEX (1d8)
  INT (roll d12)
  WIS (1d12)
  CHA (1d10)
  1
  Concentration Climbing 
  Acrobatics
  Craft+
  Animal Handling
  Intimidation
  2
  Drinking
  Grappling
  Stealth
  Disguise
  Fishing
  Mimicry
  3
  Endurance 
  running
  Hand Weapon*
  Sleight  
  of Hand
  Language
  Herbalism
  Musical  
  Instrument
  4
  Entheogens
  Heavy Labour
  Traps and Snares Literacy
  Healing
  Persuasion
  5
  Food Tasting
  Jumping 
  Ranged  
  Weapon**
  Mimicry
  Horticulture
  Singing
  6
  Swimming
  Sprinting 
  Light Weapon*** Poisons
  Listening
  Storytelling
  7
  Re-roll
  Roll again
  Roll again
  Tracking
  Poisons
  Gain an item++
  8
  Roll another 
  Core Skill (p.8).
  Roll another 
  Core Skill (p.8).
  Roll another 
  Core Skill (p.8).
  Roll another 
  Core Skill (p.8).
  Tracking
  Roll another 
  Core Skill (p.8).
  * Choose or roll for melee weapon on the weapon table (p.10). 
  + Choose from or roll for craft on the crafts table (below).
  ** Choose or roll for ranged weapon on the weapon table (p.10).  
  ++ Choose or roll for an item (p.11).
  *** Choose or roll for light weapon on the weapon table (p.10). 
  9
  HD 
  Additional skills
  D4 
  2 + INTbonus
  D6 
  3 + INTbonus
  D8 
  1 + INTbonus
  Additional Skills
  Pariahs have a limited number of additional 
  skills determined by HD and Intelligence. 
  Pariahs make additional rolls on the table 
  below equal to their Intelligence modifier 
  (they do not deduct a negative modifier  
  from the number of rolls).
  Roll 1d6 for the column (1. CON, 2. STR, 3. 
  DEX, 4. INT, 5. WIS, 6. CHA) and 1d8+ to 
  determine the skill. 
  Example: 
  Silent Paw has 1d6 HD—3 rolls— and her 13 
  INT grants a +1 modifier for a total of 4 rolls. 
  The-Last-of-a-Tainted-Brood has 1d4 HD 
  and 6 INT, making 2 skill rolls—although their 
  Intelligence modifier is -1 it isn’t deducted from 
  their rolls.
  If a skill was previously rolled as a Core skill 
  increase the skill even if it was rolled under  
  a different Attribute.
  Example: 
  Moon has D8 HD and STR is their Core Attribute, 
  rolling twice and gaining:  Acrobatics (STR D8) 
  and Heavy Labour (STR D8). Rolling once for their 
  additional skill (for D8 HD) results in: 3 (DEX) 
  and 1 (Acrobatics)—their existing Acrobatics 
  skill is raised from Skilled (D8) to Expert (D10) 
  despite the roll of DEX instead of STR. 
  C R E A T I N G  A  C H A R A C T E R
  
  STARTING WEAPONS TABLE
  Weapon
  Size (slots)
  Damage 
  Type
  To hit + 
  dmg attribute
  Notes
  Optional Rules
  Stone/Bone 
  Knife 
  Small  (1)
  Piercing
  STR  
  (DEX Ranged)
  Crits 19-20.
  Breaks on natural 1. 
  Proficient: may use DEX  
  or INT (Melee or Ranged).
  Sling
  Small  (1)
  Bludgeoning 
  STR  
  (DEX Ranged)
  Usable 
  in Melee.
  Proficient: may use DEX  
  (Melee) OR STR (Ranged).
  Small 
  Club
  Small  (1)
  Bludgeoning
  STR
  Proficient: may use DEX  
  (Melee) OR STR (Ranged).
  Blowpipe
  Small  (1)
  Piercing
  DEX
  Needs  
  darts.
  Proficient: may modify  
  with WIS or CON.
  Hand 
  Axe 
  Medium (2)
  Slashing
  STR  
  (DEX if thrown)
  Proficient: may use DEX  
  (Melee) OR STR (Ranged).
  Spear 
  Medium (2)
  Piercing 
  STR  
  (DEX if thrown)
  If proficient may modify  
  with DEX when thrown.
  Bow
  Medium (2)
  Piercing 
  DEX
  If proficient may modify  
  with WIS or INT.
  Staff
  Medium (2) Bludgeoning 
  STR
  (Two- 
  handed)
  If proficient may add +1 to defence. 
  May also modify with DEX.
  Bonesword
  Medium (2)
  Slashing 
  STR
  Crits 
  19-20.
  Breaks on natural 1. If proficient 
  may add +1 to defence.
  Double  
  Axe
  Large (3)
  Slashing
  STR
  If proficient may add +1 to defence. 
  May also modify with CON.
  Great  
  Club
  Large (3)
  Bludgeoning 
  STR
  If proficient may modify 
  with CON.
  Two- 
  Handed 
  Bonesword
  Large (3) 
  Slashing
  STR
  Crits 19-20. 
  Breaks on 1.
  Breaks on natural 1.  
  If proficient may modify  
  with CON.
  10
  Possessions
  Personal property is limited at the dawn of the 
  neolithic and is not considered a measure of 
  wealth or worth. In cities of mud and stone, 
  wealth is measured by land and slaves while 
  among the wandering wilderness tribes by 
  the collective aptitude of the band and their 
  relationship with the spirits.
  Nonetheless, personal effects are valuable—
  especially tools and weapons. Each pariah 
  starts with basic clothing (hide or flax, perhaps 
  wool or even cotton), a sack and a weapon 
  (roll 1d12 below):
  
  RANGED WEAPONS TABLE
  Weapon
  Normal Range
  Max range
  Ammunition
  Damage
  Blowpipe
  ≤ 25’
  100’
  Dart
  As light/ small weapon.
  Bow
  ≤ 80’
  320’
  Arrow
  1d6 (mechanical weapon).
  Hand Axe
  ≤ 20’
  60’
  Thrown
  As medium weapon.
  Knife
  ≤ 20’
  60’
  Thrown
  As light/ small weapon.
  Sling
  ≤ 30’
  120’
  Stone/Pellet/Bullet
  As light/ small weapon.
  Spear
  ≤ 20’
  60’
  Thrown
  As medium weapon.
  ADDITIONAL STARTING ITEMS
  1d8 x 
  1d6
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  1
  Stone knife 
  Bonesword
  Animal pelt, 
  large
  Dried fish 
  (3 rations) 
  Human skull 
  drinking cup
  Clay pipe and 
  some dried  
  sorcerer’s sage
  2
  Sling
  Double axe
  Selection 
  of dyes 
  and paints
  Clay jar of pick-
  led vegetables 
  (2 rations) 
  Protective jerkin 
  made from hide, 
  wood and bone. 
  Clay jar  
  (poisonous  
  ointment)
  3
  Small club
  Great club
  4 pint clay jar
  Fistful of clay
  Fishing net
  Clay bowl
  4
  Blowpipe
  Fire starting 
  fungus
  Stone tools  
  for working 
  stone
  Bone needle 
  and sinew 
  sewing kit
  Fire starting 
  fungus
  Wooden sled  
  (carry 20 slots)
  5
  Hand axe
  Large basket
  Tattoo “needles” 
  and pigments
  Stone 
  hammer
  Ivory/ bone 
  flute
  Six cactus 
  buttons
  6
  Spear 
  Full wineskin
  Colourful 
  flaxen cloak
  Wooden drum 
  with a stretched 
  animal skin
  10’ hazel pole 
  Hollowed-out  
  auroch horn  
  (musical instrument)
  7
  Bow
  Dried meats  
  (3 rations)
  Stretched 
  hide shield
  Hempen 
  rope (30’)
  Leather pouch 
  (dried Shaman 
  Shrooms [p.40])
  Enormous 
  animal femur 
  (heavy club)
  8
  Staff
  Fine flint blades 
  and scrapers 
  Woodcarving 
  flints
  Clay jar 
  (lard)
  Leopard skull 
  (helmet)
  Carved wooden 
  antelope
  11
  C R E A T I N G  A  C H A R A C T E R :  P O S S E S S I O N S
  A pariah has Inventory Slots equal to the  
  sum of their CON score and STR mod. 
  Carrying more deals 1 CON damage/day  
  for each additional Slot.
  Example: 
  Might Evening Star has CON 15 and STR 10 
  (+0) ...and thus has 15 Inventory Slots.
  Next, roll 4 times on the Starting Items table (below), recording them in your inventory: 1d6  
  to determine column and 1d8 to determine row.
  
  D12
  YOU WERE EXILED BECAUSE...
  1
  ...you indulged in forbidden love. You were in a consensual relationship with 
  someone you shouldn’t have been—your love was considered taboo and you were exiled.  
  You have vowed to gain renown to win back your true love, and will take no other. 
  Gain one item they gave you as a keepsake (roll on the items table p.11).
  2
  ...you angered the spirits. You don’t know how—only the spirits do and, for now, they won’t 
  tell you. Maybe they simply dislike you. You may neither perform nor assist in any rituals and suffer  
  -1 to all reaction rolls with spirits until the reason for their anger is identified and the hex removed.
  3
  ...you practised forbidden sorcery. It was whispered to you, in a dream: awakening,  
  you performed it. Whatever it was, the shaman did not like it. Gain one ritual and one bound spell-spirit. 
  4
  ...your love was unrequited. You fell in love with someone you shouldn’t have—they thought 
  it a juvenile obsession but you knew differently. Too late you realised they were right and, humiliated, 
  you ostracised yourself.  You were soured by the experience (+1 WIS and -1 CHA). 
  5
  ...you displeased the elders. You don’t know what you did: only the elders do and they never  
  told you. Maybe they just didn’t like you. You were given a pack animal, sent off into the desert and  
  told never to return. In addition to the pack animal you also have another small animal as a pet. 
  6
  ...you were just too clever. You always thought you knew best—despite being proven wrong  
  numerous times. Your tribe tolerated it until your folly cost them dearly—maybe even cost someone’s life. 
  What went wrong?  If your WIS exceeds your INT, swap them. Then +1 INT and -1 WIS. 
  7
  ...of a blood feud with a rival tribe. By rights you should be dead. The feud between the  
  tribes demanded your blood as payment… but your family could not bear it. Instead, you were  
  stripped of everything and abandoned to the wilderness. Lose all your items, +2 CON. 
  8
  ...you were a thief. Your light fingers got you into trouble once too often—never outgrowing  
  your adolescent obsession with theft. Have you outgrown it now? Gain two items and gain or improve  
  your Stealth OR Sleight of Hand. 
  9
  ...a malevolent spirit haunts you. You have never seen it but sometimes feel its presence  
  when alone. Your tribe feared you, then shunned you. Your GM collaboratively decides what this  
  means for your character. 
  10
  ...you rejected a suitor. The match seemed good—both clans...but it did not sit right  
  with you.  You felt nothing for them. You ran away... on the eve of your wedding. Gain two (stolen)  
  items from the dowry/ bridewealth. 
  11
  ...you were marked by evil from birth. The mutation was an ill omen—as long as  
  you can remember you hid it. When the rest of the tribe discovered you, your parents abandoned  
  you to the wild—roll for mutation (please visit altelier-hwei.itch.io). 
  12
  ...you violated a weird taboo. Of course, many of the above constitute taboos: this one  
  was… weirder. Unique. What was it?  Why did you break it? You lack gravitas and are obdurate  
  but your willfulness grants you +1 against charm and mind control effects.
  12
  reasons for exile 
  PARIAH is a game of outcasts—why was your pariah ostracised from their tribe?
  
  HD + 
  lower HD
  Special feature
  HD + 
  lower HD
  Special feature
  1
  You are bound to a spell-spirit (p.36). How did 
  this happen? What does it do? Consult the GM.
  10
  You were trained as a warrior:  
  +1 attack bonus.
  2
  Choose a sacred ritual you are familiar with 
  (p.32).
  11
  You have picked up an additional  
  melee weapon proficiency.
  3
  Before you left, an elder gave you a pouch  
  of dried shaman shroom (4 doses).
  12
  Renowned for your pugilistic prowess,  
  you are proficient with unarmed attacks.
  4
  Former shaman’s assistant: gain or improve 
  the Herbalist and Entheogen skills.
  13
  The art of defence is your forte:  
  +1 defence bonus.
  5
  Gain an additional skill plus associated item.
  14
  You are known for your Grappling skill,  
  gain or increase it by one die (max d12).
  6
  Gain 1 Core skill plus an item associated  
  with that skill.
  15
  Gain a weapon or armor related craft skill.
  7
  Gain 1 craft skill plus an item associated  
  with that skill.
  16
  Choose a sacred ritual you are familiar  
  with (p.32).
  8
  You have a pet! It’s probably a dog.
  17
  One of your weapons is spirit-bound:  
  consult your GM as to what this entails.
  9
  Through rigorous training you are proficient 
  with the bow. Gain a bow.
  18
  You are bound to a spell-spirit (p.36).  
  How did this happen? What does it do? 
  Consult the GM.
  13
  C R E A T I N G  A  C H A R A C T E R
  attack and defence
  Record your pariah’s combat stats: base attack and defence bonuses (default 0).
  • 
  All pariahs are proficient with their starting weapon(s), adding their attack bonus  
  (if any) and Attribute Modifier to attacks.
  • 
  However, if not proficient, they add their Attribute Modifier only and ignore their  
  attack bonus (if any).  
  • 
  Optional rules allow pariahs to add other Attribute Modifiers to weapons they  
  are proficient with (p.10).
  special features
  Roll your pariah’s HD and all lower HD dice (a d6 HD pariah rolls 1d6 + 1d4) and consult  
  the table to gain one special trait, item, companion or skill:
  Add any other physical appearance details such 
  as height, build, ritual scarification or skin tone 
  using your pariah’s Attributes as a prompt.  
  A 1d8 HD character with high STR and CON 
  is athletically built; in contrast, a 1d4 HD pariah  
  with low physical stats might be clumsy and 
  gangly. Charisma might indicate physical 
  beauty or other magnetic qualities such  
  as a commanding voice or a kind face. 
  Your character sheet detailing your pariah’s 
  strengths and weaknesses, items and skills—
  and some clues about their past—is complete. 
  Stack completed sheets, take a blank sheet  
  and roll up another pariah.
  When each player has at least two pariahs  
  it’s time to think about the wandering band  
  of outcasts as a whole. 
  
  ELDER PROFICIENCY
  1d20
  The Elder is Proficient in...
  1
  Craft+
  2
  Disguise
  3
  Herbalism
  4
  Healing
  5
  Horticulture
  6
  Language
  7
  Literacy
  8
  Mimicry
  9
  Poisons
  10
  Tracking
  11
  Animal Handling
  12
  Concentration
  13
  Entheogens
  14
  Fishing
  15
  Storytelling
  16
  Drinking
  17
  Musical Instrument
  18
  Singing
  19
  Knows a Ritual
  20
  Knows Two Rituals
  14
  T H E  B A N D
  The players have a collection of pariahs: 
  healthy young adults all equipped and ready 
  to explore the wilderness. Record their 
  details on the Band Sheet. In addition to  
  the healthy young adults, each band may  
  also have a number of elders and children.
  youths
  Roll 1d4 -1 to determine how many non-
  combatant, unskilled youths (each 4d4 years 
  old) your band cares for: orphaned, exiled 
  from their tribe or simply lost—they’re  
  your responsibility now.
  Record their names and genders on the 
  band sheet. Do not roll Attributes for them: 
  ordinarily, children aren’t part of a hunting 
  or exploration party but may assist the band 
  between expeditions with simple tasks.
  elders
  Most hunter-gatherer cultures take great  
  care of their elderly: foragers live long lives 
  and enjoy relatively abundant food—they’re 
  not considered a burden.
  However, sometimes bad luck leads to 
  difficult decisions and elderly tribesfolk  
  are sent into the wilderness alone, never to 
  return. Your band has 1d4-1 elders (choose 
  their name and gender, their age is unknown) 
  while weak of body and mind, elders are 
  often happy to tag along and rarely exert 
  their seniority over their younger bandmates. 
  Helpfully, they possess skills: roll 4 times  
  on the table(right). 
  While incapable of joining hunting and 
  expedition parties they can bolster the band 
  between expeditions and train other pariahs. 
  infants
  The band starts with no infants.
  water
  All adults (including elders) begin the  
  game with a full waterskin. The youths  
  begin with a shared waterskin.
  
  STARTING ANIMALS
  1d12
  Animal
  Notes
  1-3
  Nothing
  -
  4
  Honey Bird
  The Honey Bird follows the band and sings beautifully but is not a pet.
  5
  Falcon
  The Falcon likes to follow hunting parties. Could it become an ally?
  6
  Puppy
  This poor Puppy is orphaned. If anybody has a Dog it adopts the orphaned pup.
  7
  Dog
  The Dog follows the band—at a safe distance.
  8
  Dog Pack
  1d4 mostly friendly Dogs—potentially aggressive if not approached gently.
  9
  Goats
  2d3 Goats. They’re hanging around because the band protects them from predators.
  10
  Giant Locust Probably should have eaten this a while ago but the smaller children like to play with 
  it.
  11
  Auroch
  The Auroch is weirdly docile and can carry things.
  12
  Crow
  The Crow has befriended an elder and occasionally mimics band members.
  15
  T H E  B A N D
  ancestral relic
  Choose any item belonging to one of your 
  pariahs. For whatever reason this item was 
  important to one or more pariahs’ ancestors 
  and is the focus of the band’s spiritual 
  practice—it is the most valuable object they 
  possess. It could be a weapon, a tool or an 
  item of clothing.
  animals
  settlement
  The band begins with no established settlement.
  reputation
  Enter “0” in this box on the band sheet. 
  Reputation increases over time: see  
  “Between Trips” (p.19).
  language and dialect
  All band members with INT 3+ can 
  communicate with each other—eventually 
  developing a coded language.
  The band begins with one animal (rolled on the following table) for every three adults 
  —including elders—in the band.  Record your animals on the Band Sheet.
  Well, that’s it.
  Your band is ready to begin exploring 
  the proto-neolithic wilderness!
  
  16
  i n t e r a c t i n g
  w i t h  t h e  wor ld
  PARIAH is a dialogue between the GM—
  who describes the scenario confronting the 
  party—and the players—who describe how 
  the party responds. Where the outcome is 
  uncertain, dice decide what happens, the world 
  is changed and the conversation continues.
  There are four connected ‘Tiers’ of play:
  • Between Trips (p.19): Time is measured 
  in days, weeks or even a whole lunar 
  month depending on the group’s needs 
  such as training or development.
  • Overland Travel (p.18): Time is 
  measured in periods of 1-4 hours when 
  travelling long distances, particularly 
  across open land or along established 
  routes like rivers and trails.
  • Exploration: Space and time become 
  more granular when the party enters 
  an unfamiliar environment—particularly 
  if it is dense and claustrophobic such 
  as: a cave network, a jungle or a human 
  city.  An exploration turn represents 10 
  minutes of in-game time during which 
  each character’s actions are described 
  and resolved. 
  • Tactical play: Whenever actions have 
  immediate and deadly consequences 
  —combat, negotiating a series of traps, 
  stalking unwitting quarry or intense 
  negotiations—time is measured in  
  6 second rounds. 
  
  17
  I N T E R A C T I N G  W I T H  T H E  W O R L D
  the exploration turn
  Begins whenever the party enters an 
  unfamiliar environment: the GM describes  
  the scenario, asking each player in turn  
  what their pariah wants to do. 
  movement & encumbrance
  Moving cautiously, investigating and interacting 
  with their environment thoroughly searches 
  an area of ~1,200ft² while moving ~120 ft. 
  Each character has a unique carrying capacity 
  of item slots equal to their CON Attribute  
  +/- STR modifier which pariahs may fill 
  without penalty.
  For each additional slot they suffer 1 CON 
  damage/day travelled. This:
  • Reduces their combat movement  
  (CON + STR + DEX).
  • May reduce their CON modifier,        
  thus reducing their HP.
  • In tactical play they must make  
  a CON Check (below) at every  
  round’s start where they decide  
  to act—failure deals 1 CON damage.
  To make a CON Check Roll 1d6 +  
  CON Attribute. 
  • Success: the roll is ≥ their current 
  Carrying Capacity. 
  • Failure: 1 CON damage if the roll  
  is < current Carrying Capacity or  
  a 1 is rolled. 
  A pariah whose CON drops below 3  
  must stop and rest immediately (p.7). 
  investigating
  The GM describes the environment’s 
  remarkable features, drawing the party’s 
  attention to them. Players carefully describe 
  how their pariah interacts with these details, 
  receiving more information about them 
  from the GM.
  encounters
  At the end of each Exploration turn the  
  GM rolls for encounters— see Generating 
  the Wilderness (p.18) for more detail.
  resting
  During Exploration the party may take a 
  short rest (at least 1 hour) in a secure spot 
  and attempt to treat any wounds, consume 
  food and water and recover their strength. 
  If a pariah’s wounds are treated and they 
  consume a daily meal they may roll HD  
  to recover HP or Attribute damage.
  1 HD is recovered after a full night’s rest, as 
  long as the pariah is not wounded.
  
  GENERIC WILDERNESS ENCOUNTERS
  Plains
  Woods
  Swamp
  Mountain/ 
   hills
  Desert
  Jungle
  River/Lake
  Ocean
  1 or less
  No encounter
  2
  Animal
  Animal
  Swimmer
  Animal
  No encounter
  Animal
  Swimmer
  Swimmer
  3
  Animal
  Animal
  Swimmer
  Animal
  Insect
  Animal
  Swimmer
  Swimmer
  4
  Insect
  Animal
  Insect
  Flyer
  Flyer
  Insect
  Swimmer
  Swimmer
  5
  Flyer
  Insect
  Flyer
  Flyer
  Flyer
  Insect
  Animal
  Swimmer
  6
  Human
  Human
  Human
  Insect
  Animal
  Human
  Flyer
  Flyer
  7
  Human
  Weird
  Weird
  Human
  Human
  Weird
  Human
  Flyer
  8
  Weird
  Spirit
  Spirit
  Weird
  Weird
  Spirit
  Weird
  Weird/
  human
  9 or more
  Spirit
  Spirit
  Spirit
  Spirit
  Spirit
  Spirit
  Spirit
  Spirit
  WILDERNESS MOVEMENT
  Plains
  Woods/Hills/ 
  Desert
  Mountains/Jun-
  gle/Swamp
  100%
  66%
  50%
  18
  overland travel & 
  generating the wilderness
  The PARIAH is set in the prehistoric 
  wilderness. Somewhere on the outskirts of 
  that wilderness the first permanent human 
  settlements are emerging, but for the pariahs 
  the environment is dangerous and foreboding.
  Due to the pressures of supporting elderly
  and infant band members, pariahs may find
  that they are often on the move, owing to
  pressure from other humans, predators or
  even more sinister threats.
  the hex map
  To represent the wilderness, the GM must 
  create a hex map, similar to the one pictured. 
  Each hex represents six miles from centre  
  to centre.
  The number of 6 mile hexes a pariah can move 
  per day is equal to their speed (p.6) divided by 
  ten, rounded down, with modifications for terrain. 
  The band or party may only move as quickly as 
  their slowest member.  Additionally, players must 
  decide the marching order and formation of the 
  pariahs as they travel through the wilderness.
  Once the marching order is established,  
  the GM describes the terrain and weather and 
  checks for encounters.
  
  19
  I N T E R A C T I N G  W I T H  T H E  W O R L D
  encounters
  PARIAH uses a three dice method for 
  generating encounters, inspired by Arnold 
  Kemp’s Encounter Stew. Use different coloured 
  dice if possible, placing them in a bowl 
  and shaking them together to generate 
  encounters. Standard dice are as follows:
  • Encounter Die—a red D12. The GM is 
  free to increase or decrease the die size  
  to modulate the likelihood of encounters.
  • Cautioun Die—a blue D4.  
  Use a bigger die if the pariahs are 
  attempting to move stealthily (see below).
  • Awareness Die—a yellow D6.  
  If a party member has the listening  
  skill, use their die instead.
  Deduct the Awareness and Caution dice 
  from the encounter die and consult the 
  generic encounters table (p.18). Due to space 
  limitations more extensive encounter tables 
  are unavailable in this volume, though free 
  tables can be found at atelier-hwei.itch.io.
  • If the Cautioun Die shows a “1” 
  whatever they encounter is immediately 
  aware of them (it cannot be surprised).
  • If the Awareness Die shows a “1” 
  whatever they encounter automatically 
  gains surprise.
  Encounters occur at a distance of 4d6 feet. 
  Roll an additional D6 for each “6” rolled  
  and add to the total.
  moving cautiously
  The party may increase their caution die 
  from a D4 to a D6 if they move through the 
  wilderness at half speed. This reduces  
  the likelihood of an encounter, and also 
  means they are more likely to catch  
  whatever they encounter unawares.
  A group of more than ten pariahs is unable  
  to move cautiously.
  If a particularly stealthy pariah leads the 
  group, they may increase the Caution  
  Die to match their stealth skill. The party 
  must still move at half speed.
  The Exploration Turn
  This encounter method is also employed 
  during the exploration phase of play, though 
  the dice are rolled each ten minute turn 
  instead of only when a new hex is entered.
  BETWEEN TRIPS
  When pariahs are not travelling, hunting  
  or exploring the between trips mode of  
  play is employed. This can be conducted  
  at any appropriate time during the session  
  or, if preferred, between sessions using  
  a chat app.
  During this period pariahs may rest,  
  recover, train, forage and craft. 
  Additionally, the band may attract  
  new members and lose existing ones. 
  Random events in far off places may have 
  unforeseen consequences for the band.
  Due to space limitations, these rules  
  and guidelines are free to download  
  from atelier-hwei.itch.io.
  
  20
  tactical phase
  The tactical phase—where time is measured 
  in 6 second rounds—commences when 
  encountering a hazard, trap or hostile situation.
  As usual, the scenario is described and 
  players relate their characters’ response—
  within the constraints of a 6 second round.
  Tactical play continues as long as the 
  environment is changing on a round-by-round 
  basis. Once a situation stabilises play reverts 
  to 10 minute Exploration Turns.
  maps & miniatures
  Because positioning and movement are more 
  important during tactical play many groups 
  find scale maps—and miniatures or counters 
  representing the party, other characters, 
  creatures or terrain—helpful.
  Other players find such props—even detailed 
  miniatures and terrain—“immersion breaking” 
  and prefer envisioning the unfolding scenario 
  within their mind’s eye.
  It is worth discussing individual preferences.
  Bear in mind some individuals struggle to
  visualise space—diagrams and maps may
  assist their engagement and consider that it
  is better to accommodate those struggling
  to participate rather than those with an
  aesthetic preference.
  surprise
  During tactical play the party may encounter 
  unfamiliar (potentially hostile) creatures:  
  to determine which party acts first, establish 
  if either side is surprised—unable to do 
  anything while the other side acts.
  The GM should use common sense:  
  is one side aware of the other before  
  the encounter? Is one side anticipating  
  the encounter? In such cases the GM  
  may dictate surprise circumstantially.
  Commonly, the situation is ambiguous and 
  the GM calls for a die roll: each side rolls 
  1d6—with a 2-in-6 (roll of 1 or 2) chance—
  determining if a party is “surprised” and 
  cannot act during the first round. If both  
  (or all…) sides are surprised ignore the 
  result and roll Initiative. 
  initiative
  After the surprise round all sides roll 1d6  
  for initiative—the side with the highest  
  result may act first. 
  Optional: modify the party’s roll by the 
  lead pariah’s WIS or DEX bonus and the 
  opposition’s speed and reaction.
  Example:
  Wading through the tall grass of an arid steppe, 
  the party stumbles upon a pride of sleeping lions. 
  The GM asks for a surprise roll: they roll a 1 and 
  so are surprised—frozen in fright as 3 sleeping 
  lionesses stir from their slumber.
  Awake now, both parties roll for initiative— 
  the GM allows the party to modify their roll  
  with Swollen Trunk’s—the pariah at the front—
  WIS modifier. The GM warns the lions’ roll is  
  +2, owing to their cat-like reflexes and alertness. 
  The players argue the lions are sleepy and the 
  GM  it to +1.
  Regardless, the players roll a 7 (6+1) and the 
  lions roll a 5 (4+1): the players now describe  
  how their characters are extricating themselves 
  from this situation.
  
  21
  I N T E R A C T I N G  W I T H  T H E  W O R L D :  T A C T I C A L  P H A S E
  In case of ties: reroll until a side wins or have 
  all actions take place simultaneously. Initiative 
  order lasts for the encounter’s duration 
  unless a reroll is triggered by combat (p.23).
  movement
  A pariah’s movement per round is their speed 
  in feet. If they don’t perform any  
  other action they may also:
  • Jump: at the end of their move, leaping 
  STR + D6 feet in length—½ that 
  without moving first—OR jump STR 
  modifier + D6 feet vertically (minimum 
  1’). The associated die size increases  
  by one step for each rank of skill.
  • Run: double movement without  
  any cost. 
  • Sprint: Take 1 STR & 1 CON damage 
  to move 2x Movement + STR + D6 
  (higher if they have the sprinting skill).
  action
  Apart from moving, a pariah may perform 1 
  action per round. What exactly constitutes 
  an action is relatively open—consider the 
  feasibility of carrying it out in 6 seconds. 
  Crossing a clearing while swigging herbal 
  medicine from a clay jug makes sense, while 
  jumping a ravine, emptying a sack retrieving  
  a rope, throwing it back across and holding 
  tight while another colleague makes the  
  same leap does not.
  Attacks and spells are considered actions. 
  See combat (p.23).
  stealth & listening
  Stealth is of great importance in PARIAH: 
  whether creeping up on your prey for a  
  clean shot or skulking into an enemy camp  
  in the dead of night to desecrate their 
  ancestral shrine, moving undetected  
  is a useful skill.
  All pariahs can use stealth regardless of  
  skills or training but some specialise in  
  stealth or listening.
  To move stealthily the pariah first describes 
  their planned route and any special measures 
  they are taking (removing their pack, slowing 
  down to a crawl, etc.). The GM considers any 
  bonuses or penalties these actions and the 
  environment entail as an additional modifier 
  to the pariah rolling 1d6 + DEX against the 
  WIS of anything potentially alerted to the 
  pariah’s presence. If the pariah’s roll exceeds 
  the target number (WIS) they are successful 
  that round. They make a new roll each time 
  their pariah moves. 
  If the target doesn’t have a WIS the GM 
  tailors one to the creature. Note: a typical 
  human has WIS 10 but for purposes of 
  alertness a typical wild animal has WIS 16.
  Creatures controlled by the GM can use 
  stealth: a Stealth roll against each pariah’s 
  WIS. If the characters are intently listening 
  have a “Stealth Contest” where listeners  
  roll their own Stealth roll against the  
  sneaking entity.
  If a pariah hides their player describes how 
  they use the environment for concealment 
  and the GM uses common sense to 
  determine effectiveness.
  
  22
  combat
  What follows are simplified combat rules
  —more complete rules are available free 
  from atelier-hwei.itch.io
  Combat is tactical play with the following 
  additions:
  I. combat sequence
  • If necessary: roll or reroll Initiative.
  • Higher Initiative acts.
  • Lower Initiative acts.
  • GM makes morale checks for 
  combatants under their control.
  • Repeat, only rerolling Initiative  
  if the situation calls for it. 
  Iv. Ranged attacks
  Ranged attacks require a whole round—
  unless they have a bow, pariahs cannot move 
  and make a ranged attack in the same round. 
  A pariah with a bow can make 2 attacks if 
  they do not move.
  When making a ranged attack:
  • A visible target within normal or long 
  range is selected—special rules apply  
  if the target is engaged in melee.
  • GM determines penalties to the 
  attack roll: range, cover or other 
  environmental conditions.
  • Player rolls: D20 +/- DEX Modifier  
  + Attack Bonus minus additional 
  penalties determined by the GM.
  • A ‘natural 20’ is a Critical Hit and 
  always hits. Roll damage if it ties or 
  exceeds the target’s Defence Value.  
  A roll below the target’s Defense  
  Value misses.
  When attacking a target in melee:
  • Player rolls as outlined above.
  • A total of 10 or less misses.
  • A total of 11+  hits a random combatant.
  • A ‘natural 20’ is a Critical Hit  
  against a random combatant.
  When a GM controlled individual makes  
  a ranged attack against a pariah who isn’t  
  in melee:
  • The pariah must be visible and  
  within normal or long range.
  • The GM determines penalties  
  and/or bonuses to the defence 
  roll (due to range, cover or  
  other environmental conditions).
  • Player makes a defence roll: D20 +/- 
  DEX Modifier + Defense Bonus +/- 
  GM Bonuses or Penalties + 1 for  
  a Long Range Attack.
  • If it ties or exceeds the assailant’s 
  Attack Value it misses. If it’s below 
  the assailant’s Attack Value the pariah 
  suffers—roll damage. A ‘natural 1’  
  is always a Critical Hit.
  When a GM controlled character makes  
  a ranged attack against a pariah in melee:
  • The GM declares any bonuses or 
  penalties to the roll.
  • The Player rolls 1d20 +/- assigned 
  modifiers.
  • Total the roll:
   – 11+ misses everyone.
   – 10 or less hits a random combatant.
   – A ‘natural 1’ is a Critical Hit against  
  a random combatant.
  
  23
  v. melee
  When a pariah attacks an adjacent 
  character both are ‘in melee’—including 
  attacks with a ranged weapon, a spell  
  or a hand weapon. In melee:
  • Characters may only move 5’  
  each round—unless fleeing (p.24).
  • Characters may attack anyone except 
  those they’re engaged in melee with—
  including ranged and magical attacks.
  • If a target of a ranged attack is in melee 
  it is equally likely to hit any combatant 
  in melee.
  When a pariah makes a melee attack:
  • Select an adjacent target—who may 
  already be in melee.
  • GM determines any penalties or 
  bonuses  to the attack roll 
  • Player rolls: d20 +/- STR mod + Attack 
  Bonus +/- GM Modifiers.
  • Total the roll:
   – A ‘natural 20’ is always a critical hit.
   – If the roll ties or exceeds the target’s 
  Defence Value—roll damage.
   – A total below the target’s Defence 
  Value misses.
  If a GM controlled character melee  
  attacks a pariah:
  • A pariah—who may already be  
  in melee—is targeted.
  • The GM determines and bonuses  
  or penalties to the defence roll. 
  • Player rolls: d20 +/- DEX modifier  
  + Defence Bonus +/- GM Modifiers.
  • If it ties or exceeds the attacker’s 
  Attack Value it misses. If beneath  
  the attacker’s Attack Value the attack 
  hits—roll damage. A ‘natural 1’ is 
  always a critical hit against the pariah.
  I N T E R A C T I N G  W I T H  T H E  W O R L D :  C O M B A T
  II. initiative (p.20)
  Initiative order is maintained from round-to-
  round. However, a reroll is made if: 
  • The side without Initiative kills or 
  incapacitates an opponent.
  • An opponent fails a morale check or flees.
  • Any narratively sensible reason.
  III. magic
  Pariahs bonded to spell-spirits can use  
  their magic once per round—for complete 
  details see p.37.
  
  24
  additional combat rules
  A character in melee may elect to fight 
  defensively:
  • Pariahs fighting defensively roll defence 
  with 2 dice and take the better result. 
  • A pariah attacking an opponent fighting 
  defensively rolls 2 dice for their attack 
  roll and takes the worse result.
  To attempt a tactical withdrawal:
  Instead of attacking take a 5’ step back  
  from the opponent. 
  • If the opponent steps towards them  
  the individual withdrawing makes an 
  attack roll.
  • If their opponent does not move  
  toward them both combatants are  
  no longer in melee.
  To flee while in melee: 
  • Any opponents they are in melee  
  with make an attack roll.
  • Fleeing pariahs make their defence 
  roll without any bonuses.
  • Pariahs get +1 a bonus attacking  
  fleeing opponents.
  Targets in melee with multiple attackers 
  are easier to hit:
  • For each successive attack against a 
  target, pariahs receive a cumulative  
  +1 bonus to their attack roll.
  • Ex. the second attacker in sequence  
  gets +1, the third +2 and so on.
  • A pariah being mobbed similarly suffers 
  a penalty to their defence roll by 1 for 
  each successive melee attack that round.
  Example:
  The second defense roll is -1, the third is -2  
  and so on. 
  A pariah Fighting Defensively facing 
  multiple attackers:
  • Defends with 2 dice (choosing the 
  better result) against the first attacker. 
  • Defends normally against the second attack.
  • Defends against the third attack  
  (and subsequent attacks) with a 
  cumulative -1 penalty.
  A GM controlled individual Fighting 
  Defensively against multiple pariah:
  • Penalises the first attacker (rolling 2  
  dice and choosing the worse result).
  • The second pariah attacks normally.
  • The third and subsequent pariahs are 
  attacked with a cumulative +1 bonus.
  If Attacked from Behind...
  • A pariah loses DEX and shield 
  bonuses to their defence roll. 
  • Reduce non-pariah’s Defence  Value  
  as appropriate.
  • Any roll of 20+ (including by modifiers) 
  is a Critical Hit. 
  • OPTIONAL: pariahs modify their 
  defence roll against attacks from behind 
  by their WIS bonus, representing their 
  awareness of their surroundings.
  • OPTIONAL: treat attacks during 
  Surprise (p.20) as Attacks from Behind.
  
  25
  I N T E R A C T I N G  W I T H  T H E  W O R L D :  C O M B A T
  manoeuvres
  Players often wish to perform something 
  other than a standard melee attack: shoving 
  an opponent to the ground, pushing them 
  back, disarming them or slapping them about 
  the chops and stunning them. 
  The GM resolves these situations as combat 
  rules are limited to those which are codified. 
  A good heuristic: an ordinary attack roll 
  followed by an Attribute or skill roll to 
  resolve the manoeuvre.
  Example:
  Chau wants her pariah, Sick Dog, to wrestle  
  an enemy shaman to the ground pinning them. 
  The GM asks Chau to make an attack roll—
  success! Sick Dog grabs the shaman! The GM 
  sets the difficulty of Sick Dog’s Strength roll  
  at 15 to successfully bring the shaman to the 
  ground. With a Strength of 13 she only needs to 
  roll a 2+ on a d6 to succeed. Further, Sick Dog 
  is an Expert Grappler (d8) and rolls a d8 but 
  rolls a 1: failure! The Shaman stands and the GM 
  proposes rolling a strength check at the start of 
  next round to see if he escapes Sick Dog’s grasp.
  rolling for damage
  Damage is determined by using the pariah’s 
  HD, inflicting damage equal  
  to the roll. 
  Damage Modifiers:
  • Light Weapons roll two dice and  
  choose the lower result.
  • Heavy Weapons roll two dice and 
  choose the higher result. 
  • Bows, being mechanical, do a fixed 
  damage die of 1d6.
  • Melee Damage is adjusted by a pariah’s 
  STR modifier.  
  • Ranged Damage is adjusted by a pariah’s 
  DEX modifier.
  • Characters under the GM’s control  
  have their own damage dice.
  • Critical Hits do double total damage.
  damage, dying, death & dismemberment
  Ordinary damage reduces HP. 
  At 0 HP:
  • 
  The pariah falls prone, critically wounded.
  • 
  Movement (including standing up or attacking) requires a difficulty 15 CON  
  check (D6 + CON) each round. Failure deals 1 CON damage.
  Further damage is inflicted on their CON unless using the Death and Dismemberment  
  table (p.26). Remember:
  • 
  A pariah at 0 HP can only recover HP following treatment (p.17). 
  • 
  At 3 CON or less a pariah collapses from exhaustion, unable to act until they’ve  
  been restored to 3.
  • 
  At 0 Con a pariah dies.
  
  DMG
  1-3 CON
  4-6 STR
  7-8 DEX
  1
  Blood Loss:  
  1 CON damage.
  Tissue or Bone:  
  1 STR damage.
  Nerve or Muscle:  
  1 DEX damage.
  2
  Take 2 damage to [attribute].
  3
  Take 3 damage to [attribute].
  4
  Take 4 damage to [attribute].
  5
  Take 5 damage to [attribute].
  6
  As above +1 permanent  
  damage. Save vs paralysis  
  or suffer agony.
  Reflex save or lose a hand! 
  (see above). Else as above +1 
  permanent damage.
  Reflex save or lose a hand!  
  (see above). Else as above  
  +1 permanent damage.
  7
  As above +2 permanent  
  damage. Save vs paralysis  
  or suffer agony.
  Reflex save or lose a foot!  
  (see above). Else 5 STR dmg  
  +2 perm.
  Reflex save or lose a foot!  
  (see above) Else 5 DEX  
  dmg +2 perm.
  8
  As above +3 permanent  
  damage. Save vs paralysis  
  or suffer agony.
  Reflex save or lose an arm! 
  (see above). Else STR dmg  
  +3 perm.
  Reflex save or lose an arm!  
  (see above). Else 5 DEX dmg  
  +3 perm.
  9
  As above +4 permanent  
  damage. Save vs paralysis  
  or suffer agony.
  Reflex save or lose a leg!  
  (see above). Else 5 STR dmg  
  +4 perm.
  Reflex save or lose a leg!  
  (see above). Else 5 DEX dmg  
  +4 perm.
  10
  Stomach wound: 
  Save vs death or 10 perm  
  CON damage, else 5 STR  
  dmg +5 perm.
  Internal trauma: Save  
  vs death or 10 perm STR  
  damage, else 5 STR dmg  
  +5 perm.
  Spinal trauma: save vs  
  paralysis or permanently  
  paralysed (waist down), 5 DEX 
  dmg +5 perm.
  11
  As above but all CON  
  damage is permanent. If still 
  alive, save vs death or die.
  As above but no save. 
  If still alive, save vs death 
  or die.
  As above but all DEX damage  
  is permanent. If still alive, save  
  vs death or die.
  12+
  Instant death.
  Instant death.
  Instant death.
  26
  advanced death  
  & dismemberment
  Instead of critically wounded characters  
  taking CON damage, you may use the  
  Death & Dismemberment table.
  • Roll a D12 to determine the afflicted 
  Attribute, adjusted by the Modifiers below:
   – Bludgeoning +0
   – Piercing +2
   – Slashing +3
   – Fire/ Acid +4
   – Lightning +5 
  • Consult the table for any additional effects.
  notes:
  Agony: pain so intense that moving deals D6 
  HP damage.
  Consequences of Limb Loss (player and 
  GM resolve how this affects the pariah later):
  • Hand: permanent -3 DEX and -3 STR.
  • Foot: permanent -2 DEX, -3 STR and  
  -2 CON. 
  • Arm: permanent -3 DEX, -4 STR and -1 
  CON. Save vs. Death or fall unconscious.
  • Leg: permanent -3 DEX, -4 STR and -2 
  CON. Save vs. Death or fall unconscious.
  
  9 INT
  10 WIS
  11-12 CHA
  Head Injury: 1 INT damage.
  Head Injury or  
  Psychological Trauma:  
  1 WIS damage.
  Facial Scarring, Damage  
  to Voice or Humiliation:  
  1 CHA damage.
  Take 2 damage to [attribute].
  Take 3 damage to [attribute].
  Take 4 damage to [attribute].
  Take 5 damage to [attribute].
  As above +1 permanent  
  damage. Save vs death or  
  fall unconscious.
  As above +1 permanent  
  damage. Save vs death or  
  flee in terror.
  As above +1 permanent  
  damage. Save vs paralysis or  
  cower in shame.
  As above +1 perm damage 
  (2 total). 
  As above +1 perm damage 
  (2 total).
  As above +1 perm damage 
  (2 total).
  As above +1 permanent 
  damage (3 total). 
  As above +1 permanent  
  damage (3 total).
  As above +1 permanent  
  damage (3 total). 
  As above +1 permanent  
  damage (4 total).
  As above +1 permanent 
  damage (4 total).
  As above +1 permanent  
  damage (4 total).
  Major trauma: 
  As above +1 permanent  
  damage (5 total) + fall  
  unconscious (no save).
  Major trauma: 
  As above +1 permanent  
  damage (5 total) + flee in  
  terror (no save).
  Major trauma: 
  As above +1 permanent  
  damage (5 total) + cower  
  in shame (no save).
  As above but all INT damage  
  is permanent (12 total). If still 
  alive, save vs death or die.
  As above but all WIS damage  
  is permanent (12 total). If still 
  alive, save vs death or die.
  As above but all CHA  
  damage is permanent.
  Instant death (decapitation).
  Instant death.
  As above + save vs death or die.
  27
  Zero health: As stated, pariahs must make 
  DC 15 CON checks if they wish to move 
  or act while at 0 HP (p.9).
  Finally, this table provides very broad 
  strokes: what does 3 Dexterity damage 
  look like? A sprained wrist, a twisted ankle 
  or something more gruesome? Does 
  CHA damage constitute marred physical 
  beauty through facial scarring or faltering 
  confidence?
  The GM and players should fill in the details.
  I N T E R A C T I N G  W I T H  T H E  W O R L D :  D E A T H  &  D I S M E M B E R M E N T
  
  28
  X is for ... experience
  • PARIAH lacks levels and experience points  
  normally used to measure a pariah’s 
  development. Players are expected to make 
  their band stronger by building relations with 
  other humans and spirits and/or developing 
  their technology and skill base.
  • Tools, items, skills and magic are picked up 
  while interacting with the world… as are 
  curses, mutations and other boons and 
  banes complicating generic pariahs. However, 
  PARIAH also uses Angus (Spwack)’s 
  mechanic from Die Trying (a GLOG 
  hack published on meanderingbanter.
  blogspot.com). This system uses X marks 
  on your character sheet features (such 
  as an Attribute, saving throw or HD). 
  Accumulating 3 Xs means it can be 
  improved.
  ... excellence
  • Xs are awarded for excellent results such as:
  • Rolling a ‘natural 20’ for an attack or saving 
  throw. 
  • Rolling the maximum die value on a skill  
  or ability check. 
  • If rolling multiple dice, an X is only awarded 
  for a maximum total (all die show the 
  maximum numerical result). 
  ... execrableness
  • Xs are also rewarded for terrible results  
  only if the player describes a particularly  
  nasty consequence. 
  • In PARIAH there are no rules for a critical 
  failure during combat besides an automatic 
  miss. For example, a player detailing an 
  especially nasty mishap (injuring an ally, 
  dropping their weapon) as a consequence of 
  failure would place an X next to their attack 
  roll. Failure is the best way to learn, after all!
  • As with multiple dice and Xs for excellence, 
  Xs are only awarded if all dice show the lowest 
  result—including spell failure. 
  ... expiration
  • A character at 0 HP may be on their last  
  legs but they get an X against their HD.
  ... execution
  • Rolling dice presents players with a good 
  probability of advancing their pariahs but, 
  to encourage more creative and intelligent 
  play, GMs should award Xs for successful 
  plans requiring no rolls.
  • This is built into the skill test mechanic: a 
  GM sets the difficulty for a task, reducing 
  it for every environmental condition the 
  players introduce or exploit. If the difficulty 
  is brought down to your ability score you 
  automatically succeed and there is no 
  reason to roll! 
  • NOTE: Xs for execution are reserved 
  for difficult tasks and cunning plans, not 
  catching a gecko or boiling an egg!
  ... exemplary attendance 
  or roleplay
  • The GM can reward performance outside 
  of the game world. 
  • Sometimes it’s difficult to schedule 
  everyone at the same time: when people 
  make it, a reward for one of their 
  characters is welcome. 
  • Likewise, good roleplay (note that this 
  does not necessarily mean “good acting”) 
  makes the experience at the table 
  especially enjoyable. Allow each player to 
  nominate their favourite role player at the 
  end of the session, and reward the player 
  with the most nominations with an X for 
  one of their characters.
  • Not all tables demand diegetic reasons for 
  everything that occurs within the game, 
  but if the above is immersion breaking for 
  some, consider this:
  • The players represent the pariah’s guiding 
  ancestral spirits. They may impart their 
  blessing onto their descendants (by giving 
  them an X!)
  
  29
  • Likewise, sometimes the line between 
  the spirit and their descendant becomes 
  blurred: the spirit feels immersed in the 
  world of the living once again, and from 
  that power blesses the one who facilitated 
  this phenomenon (good roleplay!)
  ...exclusion (don’t do it!)
  • At the end of the session there may  
  have been characters who, despite being  
  a vital part of everything that the party  
  got up during their most recent trip, 
  somehow did not pick up any Xs.  
  Reward them with an X!
  advancement with xs
  Skills
  • Obtaining 3 Xs next to a skill enables it  
  to increase in die size. 
  • A character learns or even invents new 
  skills in as they overcome skill challenges  
  in game (or fail miserably in the attempt).
  • A skill cannot be improved beyond 1d12.
  Saves
  • Individual saves are improved by -1 (or 
  +1 for spell saves) whenever 3 Xs are 
  obtained against them. 
  Attributes
  • Accumulating 3 Xs allows a pariah to “test” 
  that Attribute in order to improve it. 
  • They must roll higher than their Attribute 
  on a D20 to improve by one point.
  • Failing the roll means all Xs are lost.
  • For a more challenging Attribute test,  
  use 3d6 instead of 1d20.
  Attack & Defence Bonus
  3 options for improving a character’s attack  
  or defence bonus:
  • Increase bonus by one for every 3 Xs placed.
  • As above, but limit the bonus to the 
  pariah’s HD (+4, +6, +8).
  • Increase by one when the number of Xs  
  = 3 + current bonus (i.e. 3 Xs to get to  
  +1, 4 to get to +2, 5 to get to +3).
  Placing Xs against Weapons
  • Option 1: Improves weapon proficiency. 
  Receive an additional to hit bonus when 
  using that weapon type, as well as their 
  ordinary attack bonuses. This “proficiency 
  bonus” maxes out at +3. 
  • Option 2: The individual weapon becomes 
  imbued with magical power, adding additional 
  attack bonuses (as above) and damage 
  bonuses, but only with that individual  
  weapon. It should have a name and its  
  own personality.
  Hit Dice
  • 3 Xs against a hit die enables the pariah  
  to gain an additional hit die.
  • A pariah can have up to nine hit dice! But…
  • Their maximum health points limited to 
  two hit dice (+CON modifier for each die)
  • Ordinarily, a pariah may not exceed 22 hp. 
  The additional hit dice do have a lot of  
  uses however:
   – to recover health and to heal Attribute 
  damage.
   – in spells and rituals.
   – to bolster any Attribute, skill, attack, 
  damage, defence rolls or saving throws 
  (see the character generation section).
  X placement weirdness
  Spwack of Meandering Banter includes 
  excellent guidelines for “adjudicating strange 
  x placement” in the DIE TRYING RULES. 
  Here follows a brief summary of those 
  guidelines, adapted for PARIAH:
  • Encourage players to place Xs against 
  things useful to the character. 
  • Xs placed against negative traits should 
  make the trait more useful, not erase  
  it altogether.
  • Xs against names earn new epithets  
  or alter one’s true name.
  • Tools should become “more of themselves.”
  • If in doubt, make it sentient: this is an 
  animist RPG, bring everything to life!
  X  I S  F O R :  E X P E R I E N C E  &  A D V A N C E M E N T
  
  30
  
  31
  Here
  Our world of nature, of humans, animals, birds, trees, winds, and rains…  
  all that lives and reproduces and grows and moves.
  There
  The land of shadow, of death and lost spirits awaiting rebirth. The realm  
  closest to our own and most likely to interfere with it.
  Dawn
  The chaotic world of new life, capricious and fey. An ever-changing realm  
  of endless fractals associated with the east, day and night and nature’s  
  weirder elements.
  Dusk
  Entropy and complexity—like Dawn, a realm of complex fractals, but rectilinear, 
  angular and dry. Native spirits value a complex rationality alien to human minds  
  and cleave closer to the insectile and reptilian. Associated with the west.
  Moon
  The silver lake—allegedly, a vast shimmering disk beneath a starless indigo  
  sky. Realm of dream and the collective unconsciousness containing all the 
  memories of men and women and more, guarded closely by the curious  
  moon spirits. Associated with the moon, night and the north wind.
  Sun
  Brutal and uncompromising, the sun nevertheless gives life as well as taking  
  it away. Dancers of the heavens—proud and haughty fire and lightning spirits 
  —dwell here, most humans would not petition these dangerous elementals.  
  Tied to high noon, cardinal south and tumultuous summer storms.
  The 
  Beyond
  Allegedly a shimmering sea of crystal glass—others suppose it is an impossible 
  iridescence dancing across the sky or a diamond sea filled with all of heaven’s 
  rainbows. Some say it is nothing at all, a hungry void beyond blackness. Truthfully,  
  few have experienced the Beyond and survived to share their experiences.  
  Ordinary humans associate it with the tiny stars spilled across the sky like mother’s 
  milk or the deep indigo spaces between those numerous nameless pinpricks of light.
  M A G I C
  R I T U A L S ,  S P E L L S  &  S P I R I T S
  Magic is the very lifeblood of existence—the divine spark animating the universe.
  Controlling and mastering magic is beyond ordinary human capability: utilising magical  
  power requires calling upon the spirits’ aid through ritual practice. Rituals are not only  
  to invoke the spirits’ power but also to commune with, honour and placate them. 
  T H E  S E V E N  R E A L M S
   
  There are 7 spiritual realms—each with important ritual magic implications.  
  Each realm is associated with a time of day and, sometimes, a cardinal point.  
  Sitting parallel to the pariahs’ realm, folded up within it, near but somehow far.
  
  2d4
  RITUAL 
  PURPOSE
  2
  Show Me Then the 
  Truth of its Nature
  Seeing and knowing 
  invisible things.
  3
  All in this Circle 
  Shall Lie Safe
  Protecting the 
  band from evil.
  4
  Ritual of the 
  True Name
  Finding one’s 
  true name.
  5
  The Binding 
  of Two Souls
  Uniting two lovers 
  or friends.
  6
  Sorcerous Ritual:
  Invocation
  Invoking 
  elemental power.
  7
  Sorcerous Ritual: 
  Binding
  Binding a 
  spell-spirit.
  8
  Sorcerous Ritual: 
  Conjuration
  Conjuring an 
  elemental spirit.
  Time taken
  Up to 3 nights each a month 
  apart.
  When
  By the light of a full moon
  Entheogen
  Sleepflower resin.
  Sacrifice
  A lock of the victim’s hair.  
  The shaman drains their blood 
  to 0 HP into a bowl of water 
  reflecting the moon. 
  Participants
  The shaman.
  32
  Rituals
  Pariahs may begin the game knowing rituals. 
  For convenience, the ritual’s leader is referred 
  to as a shaman—a term with no special 
  significance in PARIAH.
  Choose from or roll upon the table below  
  to discover which rituals they know, noting:
  • How long it takes.
  • When it must be performed.
  • What must be given.
  • Who must be present.
  • How it is learned.
  Many rituals require a sacrifice measured  
  in HD. The following are acceptable sources:
  • The shaman’s HD (erasing them from  
  their character sheet). 
  • Without HD they may sacrifice HP: roll 
  the HD, recording health damage.
  • In some cases an animal’s HD may  
  be sacrificed. 
  A ghostly silver reflection of the shaman 
  emerges from the bowl, drinking the blood. 
  On the first moon, it seeks the victim, divining 
  their location with the lock of their hair. On 
  the second moon, it uses that hair to present 
  the shaman with the victim’s ghost, asking it any 
  question which it answers. On the third moon, 
  it reveals the victim’s true name to the shaman.
  Learned... by the moon-ghost whispering  
  it to you in your sleep (if instructed to do so  
  by the shaman).
  Show me Then the Truth  
  of its Nature
  
  Time taken
  10 mins + 10 mins per HD.
  When
  After noon but before sunset.
  Entheogen
  A low dose of desert rue.
  Sacrifice
  One HD per 9’ of radius.
  Participants
  The shaman.
  Time taken
  A whole night.
  When
  From dusk ‘til dawn beneath 
  a full moon.
  Entheogen
  Unnecessary.
  Sacrifice
  Nothing.
  Participants
  A baby or Nameless One,
  their guardian and a shaman.
  No other witnesses.
  Time taken
  A whole night.
  When
  From dusk until dawn beneath  
  a new or full moon.
  Entheogen
  Unnecessary.
  Sacrifice
  Each half must give all to the other.
  Participants
  Two people to be bound.
  The shaman.  At least one other 
  witness.
  33
  M A G I C :  R I T U A L S
  • A protective circle bars spirits from 
  crossing—but not humans or animals,  
  and spirits may still coax humans from  
  the circle with trickery. The magic fades  
  by noon the next day.
  • This ritual can be made permanent  
  by building a powerful shrine  
  (refer to atelier-hwei.itch.io).
  Learned... by assisting in the ritual  
  every day for a full lunar month.
  • By dawn, the guardian (which forgets  
  the name afterwards) whispers the 
  unnamed supplicant’s name into their 
  ears—the child always remembers. 
  • If performed on a Nameless One  
  their curse is lifted and their WIS  
  and/or CHA rise to 3.
  Learned... by assisting with the ritual 6 times.
  Sorcerous Rituals
  Shamanic rituals produce reliable, specific 
  results through complex procedures. 
  Less reliable (but more flexible) is the magic of 
  sorcery: rituals of invocation, conjuration and 
  binding. Practitioners are called “sorcerers” but 
  possess no special power beyond knowledge.
  Invocations: bring forth a wisp of elemental 
  power: a spell-spirit. 
  Conjurations summon elemental spirits  
  of definite form, strong personality and  
  great intelligence.
  Bindings enable the sorcerer to place 
  contingencies on summoned entities, usually 
  through a device and/or a command word.
  By dawn two souls will be as one—a bond  
  so powerful that, unless sundered by betrayal: 
  • In daylight hours, they may share short 
  telepathic messages. 
  • By night they may communicate as though 
  sat side-by-side regardless of distance. 
  • They share injuries and wounds between 
  each other as if sharing one body  
  (including recovering HP and HD). 
  Learned... by assisting in the ritual every  
  day for a full lunar month.
  All in this Circle 
  Shall Lie Safe
  Ritual of the True Name
  The Binding of Two Souls
  
  Realm
  Time
  Material
  Associated Magic
  Here 
  (daytime)
  Wood, hide, plant matter, stone,  
  water, anything within reach!
  Becoming an animal, controlling the 
  weather, speaking with animals and plants. 
  Dawn
  (sunrise)
  A beautiful, shiny object imitating  
  something natural.
  Illusions & charms, changing  
  shape, mimicry. 
  There
  (night)
  Any human body part, but especially  
  blood & bone.
  Necromancy, entropy, decay, speaking  
  with the dead.
  Dusk
  (sunset)
  A complex mechanical tool, an elaborate  
  pattern of stones, an insect swarm, live reptiles.
  Knowledge, teleportation,  
  imprisonment, mechanisation.
  Moon
  (midnight)
  Milk, silver, jasmine, 
  ginseng, moonstone, lead, water.
  Divination, knowledge, sleep, 
  dream, reflection, imitation.
  Sun
  (noon)
  Fire, acacia, vine, sunstone, olibanum.
  Fire, lightning, creation, destruction.
  The 
  Beyond  
  (a solar 
  eclipse)
  A piece of a dragon, a fragment of rainbow, 
  metal from a fallen star, gold, diamond.
  Terrifying eldritch sorcery.
  34
  Invocation & Conjuration
  The sorcerer marks a circle on the ground  
  and sits before it and decides how much power 
  (measured in HD) they invoke as a spell-spirit. 
  HD is traded on a like-for like basis and must 
  come from the sorcerer. A spell-spirit may 
  not exceed 3 HD but powerful sorcerers can 
  summon more than one. Examples below:
  Killing Moon wishes to invoke 2 HD of elemental 
  power and crosses off two of her HD to start the 
  ritual.
  Madness-is-the-Season (5HD) wishes to invoke 
  three 2HD spell-spirits, crossing off all their HD 
  and deducting the sixth die from their HP.
  The sorcerer must chooses a realm to invoke 
  according to the magic they seek (see below). 
  The sacrificed HD forms a die pool to which 
  additional dice may be added (outlined below): 
  limitless dice can be added but the HD 
  invoked cannot exceed their initial investment.
  • +2 dice if the sorcerer has ingested  
  a low dose of psychobotanicals (p.38).
  • +1 if associated with the invoked realm. 
  • +1 die for every realm-favored material 
  offering. 
  • +1 die for every previous time this realm 
  was invoked (maximum 3).
  • +`1 dice for each HD of animals sacrificed.
  • +2 dice if conducted at a shrine dedicated 
  to the invoked realm. 
  • +1 die if performed at the realm’s favoured 
  time of day.
  • -1 die if enacted at the opposite time  
  of day e.g. invoking Dawn at dusk, Moon at 
  noon or The Beyond without a solar eclipse.
  • Dice may be added for player provided 
  description of the ritual.
  • Additional die equal to the (higher)  
  WIS or CHA Attribute modifier.
  Examples:
  Killing Moon already committed 2 HD invoking 
  Dawn and performs the ritual at sunrise (+1 die)  
  at a shrine dedicated to Dawn spirits (+2 dice) 
  under the influence of a low dose of mushrooms 
  (+3 dice) and has a Wisdom of 14 (+1 die). 
  Next, she places a glass shard she found in the 
  desert on the shrine, positioning it to catch the 
  early morning light. 
  
  INVOCATION & CONJURATION
  HD
  Result
  1
  Success! 1 HD invoked or conjured.
  2-5
  No effect.
  6
  Partial Success: conjured or invoked 
  spirit is from a random realm—during  
  a solar eclipse, the invocation appears  
  from the Beyond.
  7
  No effect.
  8
  Catastrophe: conjure an elemental  
  from a random realm (Beyond if there  
  is a solar eclipse)
  35
  M A G I C :  I N V O C A T I O N  &  C O N J U R A T I O N
  Conjuration
  Conjuration follows the same process as an 
  invocation ritual but fails without a minimum  
  of three successes (three 1s) when 
  conjuring an elemental from another realm.
  Conjured elementals fully understand any 
  instructions received—seeking loopholes, 
  particularly to inflict pain on the  
  conjuring sorcerer. 
  An elemental has the following statistics:
  HD  
   
  3-5d10
  Attack  
  Strike or Invocation*
  Attack value 
  15  (D10)
  Defence 
  14** 
  Morale 12
  Speed  
  60’
  Size 
   
  Large
  Mind  
  13
  * Instead of an attack, an elemental may 
  invoke (HD-2) HD of spell-spirits from  
  its realm every turn.
  **Mundane weapon immunity.
  The elemental remains in the sorcerer’s service 
  until one of the following occurs: their task is 
  complete or the spirit’s next associated time 
  (dawn/dusk/midnight/solar eclipse) passes or 
  the sorcerer is killed, after which it returns  
  to its realm.
  Using it as a focus as she begins chanting Dawn 
  spirits’ many false names(+1 die for material, +1 
  for narrative effect) for a total of 10 die (2 + 1 
  + 2 + 3 + 1 + 1) using her HD value for the die 
  pool and keeping the best dice equal to her initial 
  HD outlay (2).
  Low HD sorcerers are more likely to 
  succeed than those with greater HD.  
  For a pariah may use up to six words  
  to command an invoked spell-spirit,  
  such as Tell me of Running Hawk’s plans  
  or Find me my true love or Kill them all.
  GMs and players are encouraged to be 
  creative while placing limits on the extent  
  of the effects.
  • An instruction to “kill” might inflict one  
  die of damage for each HD of spell-spirit. 
  • A transformation spell might only last for 
  one day with a save vs spells.
  • For invocation and conjuration rituals, 
  spell save is equal to the sorcerer’s  
  CHA or WIS + invoked spell-spirits’ HD.
  • Effects’ duration can be bound by dice 
  (roll HD of elementals/ invocations) with 
  an upper limit of 24 hours: an invocation 
  returns to its realm its preferred time of 
  day (dawn spirits by sunrise, moon by the 
  following midnight, eldritch horrors from 
  Beyond by the next solar eclipse…).
  Invocations may be learned by any observer 
  repeating its steps. However, until they have 
  successfully invoked a power, their dice pool 
  is limited to one die regardless of actions 
  they take. After successfully invoking a spirit, 
  they fully understand the ritual and may  
  add to their dice pool normally.
  
  36
  Binding Rituals
  Binding rituals trap a conjured elemental 
  or invocation in an object or living thing, 
  enabling the sorcerer to reproduce a magical 
  effect at a later date.
  Binding to a Device
  A device is a spirit-bound object—anything 
  not usually considered alive like a wand or a 
  pebble. Before an invocation or conjuration 
  begins, the object is placed in the ritual 
  circle’s center.
  The sorcerer must take immediate steps to 
  bind the spirit(s) to the device once invoked, 
  using the usual five words with an additional 
  D6 words for every additional HD invested.
  Example:
  Killing Moon invoked 2 HD of spell spirits and 
  wishes to bind this power to her device: an ornate 
  willow wand. She invests 2 more HD binding 
  them, rolling 2d6 for a result of 5 and10 total 
  words. She utters: “To this wand I bind thee  
  until I say “semlek!” completing the ritual.
  The pattern is the same for conjurations 
  but it is permitted to save  vs the sorcerer’s 
  casting Attribute to resist. If successful it 
  attacks the sorcerer. 
  With multiple invocations or elementals  
  are materialised, only a single realm  may  
  be bound to the same device. In Madness-is-
  the-Season’s ritual (above): they may choose 
  to bind the spirit they intended to invoke, the 
  spirit they inadvertently invoked or one of 
  the two accidentally conjured elementals. 
  Breaking the bind releases the spirit: the 
  sorcerer issues commands as though it  
  was ritually summoned.
  Binding a SEMI-SENTIENT
  A spell-spirit or conjuration may be bound  
  to an animal or Nameless One: a vessel. 
  Doing so requires they remain (conscious)  
  in the invocation or casting circle for the 
  initial ritual’s duration Otherwise this is 
  similar to other rituals with the addition  
  the vessel must make a saving throw vs spells.
  If the vessel is successfully bound to a spell-
  spirit they become the sorcerer’s obedient 
  servant—responding to five-word commands 
  like an invoked spell-spirit. At the GM’s 
  discretion, they may also gain a minor magical 
  effect befitting their elemental power source. 
  Destroying the vessel breaks the bond and the 
  spell spirit immediately returns to their realm.
  If a conjuration is bound to a vessel, they act
  as an obedient and intelligent servant of the
  sorcerer, retaining an elemental’s ability to
  invoke spell-spirits , not requiring sleep and
  only consuming as much food and drink as
  their vessel ordinarily would.
  The servant views their new body as a prison 
  and uses every spare moment plotting to 
  subtly undermine their magical gaoler. 
   
  If the vessel succeeds their save, the spirits still 
  believe they are bound to it and writhe about 
  the vessel unless the sorcerer commands 
  otherwise or their special time of day arrives.
  Binding a Spell-Spirit 
  To gain the power to spontaneously cast 
  spells a pariah must bind themselves to a 
  spell-spirit in the ritual of spellbinding. It begins 
  as an ordinary invocation but the sorcerer 
  places themself within the invocation circle.
  
  37
  M A G I C :  B I N D I N G  &  S P E L L C A S T I N G
  Then the sorcerer lets sufficient blood to 
  reduce them to 0 HP while remaining conscious. 
  They must invoke 3HD of elemental power 
  and—provided they successfully invoke the 
  spell-spirit— use their incantation to bind  
  it to them. Typically, I bind thee to me  
  is sufficient—but it doesn’t stop there.
  The sorcerer makes a DC 16 WIS/CHA 
  check, rolling and adding 1d6 to their 
  Attribute: 
   – A natural 1 always fails.
   – Deduct 1 from their roll for every  
  spirit already bound to them.
   – Deduct 1 from the roll for every  
  point of damage past zero.
  Success: grants the sorcerer a great and 
  fierce power.
  Failure: the invoked spirit attacks them before 
  returning to its realm of origin leaving behind 
  a cold, bloody mess—wouldn’t it have been 
  easier to make a magic wand?
  Spells
  The pariah gains spontaneous Invocations (Spells)...
  • by ritually binding a spell-spirit to  
  themself (p.36).
  • as a Spiritual Boon.
  • during character creation.
  Possessing a “Spell” means a spell-spirit  
  from one of the 7 Realms (including Here 
  and Now) is bound to the pariah’s very  
  being as a faithful servant.
  The Spell-Spirit’s Realm
  Realm dictates a Spell-Spirit’s favoured 
  activities (p.34). Casting a spell is a 
  spontaneous invocation ritual: the pariah 
  utters (no more than 5) command words and 
  the spirit obeys to the best of its ability.
  Wagering Inner Power
  A pariah wagers HD casting a spell: rolling  
  as many HD as they wish—the more rolled, 
  the more powerful the spell effect.
  A roll of 4+ means the die is “spent”  
  and removed from the pariah’s HD total.  
  Any HD rolled for ≤3 are returned to  
  the pariah’s HD pool.
  The total value dictates the spell effect: 
  damage, duration, range etc. (p.35) 
  Pariahs with a larger HD do more damage/
  create more intense spell effects but likely 
  expend HD doing this. Pariahs with smaller 
  HD are likely to retain their HD after casting, 
  compensating for potentially weaker spells. 
  Spell Failure
  There is a chance of spell failure when using 
  powerful magic occurring if two or more  
  1s are rolled.
  • Double 1s: spell has no effect. 
  • Triple 1s: spell backfires against the caster. 
  Area of effect spells centre on the sorcerer. 
  Some cases may require creativity.
  • Quadruple 1s: as above, additionally caster 
  develops a superficial mutation, manifesting 
  over 10 rounds.
  • Quintuple 1s: as above. Additionally the 
  caster receives a curse template (p.52).
  • Sextuple 1s: as above but caster also 
  rerolls the dice—the spell backfires, the 
  sorcerer is cursed and mutates, then 
  recasts the spell.
  • Septuple (or more) 1s: so bad it’s good.  
  All dice are rerolled and the caster receives 
  7 Xs (p.28) distributed as they wish. 
  Casting Without HD: caster may still cast 
  spells after running out of HD by taking HP 
  damage equal to the casting dice’s value. 
  
  38
  E N T H E O G E N S
  Entheogens are a vital part  
  PARIAH: small doses facilitate 
  magical rituals, larger doses  
  enable pariahs to explore the  
  spirit world. 
  However, PARIAH’s creators  
  do not endorse ingesting 
  psychobotanicals in real life. 
  They do not not endorse it though, 
  particularly if entheogens are a part  
  of your cultural traditions or 
  spiritual practices. It should 
  go without saying but the 
  following text should not 
  be considered a guideline 
  for ingesting psychedelic 
  substances nor are the 
  substances described 
  analogous with real world 
  psychobotanicals.  This is  
  a work of fiction and is to  
  be appreciated as such.
  Entheogen Skill 
   
  Some pariahs begin the game with 
  the Entheogen skill: a good knowledge 
  of entheogens and their use. Unless the 
  GM wishes to use the skill other ways, 
  the only time an Entheogen skill  
  check is made is during ingestion.
  For skilled pariahs, depending  
  on Core Attribute, the skill is linked  
  to CON or WIS—unskilled pariahs 
  roll a CON check. Regardless, the  
  pariah must meet or exceed the 
  provided DC.
   
  Type
  Two detailed entries 
  and four summarised 
  entheogens are provided 
  containing preparation, dosage, 
  ritual use, associated realm 
  and other possible 
  effects for each.
  Dosages
  Doses produce (entheogen-dependent) different effects.
  1. 
  A Low Dose (a taste) alters perception but the pariah can still interact with the physical 
  world (sometimes with penalties or bonuses).
  2. 
  A Powerful Dose floors the pariah. Hovering between worlds but capable of interacting 
  with the physical reality their body occupies.
  3. 
  A Heroic Dose is what shamans ingest to directly experience the spirit realm,  
  leaving their bodies and wandering the plane.
  4. 
  A Ridiculous Dose is (usually) taken by accident and has potentially injurious effects. 
  However, surviving the experience may provide fresh insights into the nature of reality, 
  oneself and more.
  
  Description Herbaceous perennial plant. Growing on the slopes of subtropical hills and valleys. 
  White flowers resemble skeletal human body parts when glimpsed from the corner 
  of the eye.
  Realm
  There (Death).
  Preparation
  Dried leaves burned and smoke inhaled over a fire or through a pipe.
  Low Dose 
  (DC12)
  A handful of leaves from one adult plant, dried, smoked and fully inhaled.  
  Success: Mild Dissociation: voice feels strange and alien—like someone rattling  
  around the hollow vessel of their body. 
  Everything Glows (Eerie White): especially humans. From the corner of their eyes,  
  white ghosts interact with the pale auras.  
  Further Ingestion: requires a poison save, success leads to “the next level”, failure in vomiting. 
  +1 to defence rolls, craft skills and any WIS checks (except Entheogen checks). 
  Failure: save vs poison or vomit, after which no further effects are felt. 
  Duration: 10 minutes.
  Powerful 
  Dose  
  (DC15)
  Smoke two plants in quick succession or burn four plants’ dried leaves in an enclosed  
  space (such as a tent). 
  Success: Dulled Senses: immersed for 10 minutes in a landscape of saturated colours.  
  Disoriented: -1 to Attribute checks performing simple tasks including speech. 
  Simultaneously Occupy the Realms of the Living and Dead: may interact with  
  any dead souls encountered.  
  Insight: +1 WIS Bonus during interactions for 1 week OR heal all WIS damage. 
  Failure: save vs poison or violently sick for 10 mins (1 HD damage). 
  Passed: Heroic Dose effects. 
  Duration: 10 minutes.  
  Heroic Dose 
  (DC18)
  Smoke eight plants’ resin or burn 24 plants’ dried leaves in an enclosed space. 
  Success: Insensate: slump to the floor. 
  Cross Over: spirit freely enters the world of the dead moving as if in the Here and Now. 
  Insight: +1 WIS bonus for one week AND heal all INT, WIS or CHA damage. 
  Failure: save vs poison or debilitating nausea.  
  Passed: Powerful Dose effects. 
  Duration: 10 minutes, time dilation feels like two hours.
  Ridiculous  
  Dose 
  (DC21)
  Two Heroic Doses (second is DC 21) assisted by a sober person.  
  Success: Lord of the Dead takes notice. 
  Failure (second attempt): 1d6 WIS damage. 
  Ritual
  A trained shaman (Entheogen skill expert+) can guide 2+ pariahs to the Realm of the Dead 
  (p.46).  
  A heroic dose is burned as the shaman begins leading a unifying chant.  
  Everyone present rolls an Entheogen die using the best result for a collective  
  DC 18 Entheogen check. 
  The shaman may roll two dice.
  39
  S O R C E R E R S  S A G E
  E N T H E O G E N S
  
  40
  
  S H A M A N  S H R O O M
  Description Large fungus—like a baby’s head-sized stinkhorn mushroom with weird tentacles that seem  
  to move when you look away—growing at trees’ feet in tropical rainforests and jungles. 
  One mushroom provides 6 doses.
  Realm
  Dawn, the realm of wyrd nature.
  Preparation
  Noxious if consumed raw: -2 to poison saves or Entheogen checks.  
  Usually dried and smoked in a pipe or added to soup.
  Low Dose 
  (poison save)
  One dose. 
  Full effects after 3 turns(raw) or 2 (boiled or immediately (smoked). 
  No Entheogen Roll: save vs poison—add Entheogen skill if applicable.  
  Success: The World Comes to Life: everything intensifies—riotous colours and details..  
  +1 bonus on all checks for the duration. 
  Dawn Association: additional +1 to interactions with plants and animals due to the realm’s 
  close association with Here and Now. 
  Failure: 10 minutes of nausea (1d4 CON damage) then experience Powerful Dose effects. 
  Duration: 3 hours +1 per additional dose (maximum two, risk of experiencing a more  
  powerful trip).
  Powerful 
  Dose  
  (DC13)
  Achieved via failed save or ingesting 1/3 of a mushroom. 
  Success: Sluggish: slowed to half speed 
  Delayed Response: treat Dexterity as 3 points lower affecting defence and other bonuses—
  this is not damage. 
  Glimpse the Lands of Dawn: a fecund and wild place of constant flux, where trees and plants 
  collapse in on themselves in infinite fractal loops.  
  Dawn Sensitivity: spirits of Dawn traversing the Here and Now are visible and can be  
  communicated with.  
  Plant and Animal Speech: receive answers that seem comprehensible—mostly nonsense, mostly. 
  Afterwards: want to do nothing but eat and then sleep, revisiting the whole experience 
  in dreams.  
  Failure: nausea until the effects take hold (Low Dose)—ingesting additional shrooms  
  automatically acts as a Powerful Dose. 
  Duration: 4 hours + 1 hour per additional low dose (no additional effect for consumption)
  Heroic Dose 
  (DC16)
  Ingest an entire mushroom.  
  Success: Vacated Body: slump to the floor as spirit enters Dawn.  
  Failure: triggers a poison save:  
  Success: travel to the realm of dawn but spend the trip’s duration being attacked  
  by malevolent spirits causing 1d4 (temporary) CHA damage.  
  Fail the save and they will suffer the same fate, but the CHA damage is permanent.  
  Duration: 5 hours in the Realm of Dawn (1d4 hours per hour in the Here and Now).
  Ridiculous 
  Dose 
  (DC19+)
  Consume more than one mushroom—poison save just to hold down (at -2 if eaten raw).  
  Success: Intruder in Dawn:  draw the (hostile) attention of Aziza, Queen of Dawn. 
  Failure: as Heroic Dose but any CHA damage is also applied to WIS.  
  Failure (second attempt): 1d6 WIS damage. 
  Ritual
  A trained shaman can guide 2+ pariahs (maximum of a tent full) to the Realm of Dawn (p.47).  
  A Heroic Dose is dissolved in broth and passed around until consumed.  
  Everyone present rolls an Entheogen die using the best result for a collective DC 18  
  Entheogen check. The shaman may roll two dice.
  41
  E N T H E O G E N S
  
  Description: 
  Glossy, heart-shaped leaves of a highland rainforest evergreen shrub.
  Realm:
  None in particular.
  Preparation:
  Usually chewed raw, can be brewed or smoked if dried.
  Dose: 
  One Leaf. (no save or roll): 
  • Vigorous: +1 to all physical rolls (STR, attacks, etc.). 
  • Wired: +1 to all alertness rolls (listening, surprise, initiative etc.). 
  Duration: 1 turn.
  Each Additional Leaf (save vs poison, -1 to save for each additional leaf):
  Success:
  • Extends duration 10 minutes.
  • Believe effects intensified.
  Failure: 
  • Vomit up all ingested leaves.
  • Cancel all effects.
  Ritual
  No associated ritual but chewing quickleaf during invocation or conjuration  
  (like any Low Dose entheogen) increases the sorcerers’ die pool.
  Description: 
  Sleepflower poppy resin.
  Realm:
  Moon.
  Preparation:
  Extracted resin (smoked).
  Low Dose: 
  (10)
  1-4 poppy heads. 
  Success: Dexterity halved (Slowed Reaction). 
                  Heal 1d4 HP (revitalising). 
  Failure:  Paralysis. Nausea—1d4 HP damage. 
  Duration: 1 hour followed by 3 hours sleep.
  Powerful Dose  
  (DC12)
  5-8 poppy heads. 
  Success: Dexterity quartered (Slowed Reaction). 
                  Revitalising—Heal 2d4 HP.
                  Receive artistic inspiration. 
  Failure:  Save vs poison or suffer 2d4 HP damage (1d4 if save passed). 
  Duration: 2 hours followed by 4 hours sleep.
  Heroic Dose 
  (DC14)
  9-12 poppy heads. 
  Success: Travel to the Realm of the Moon! 
  Failure: Save vs Poison or die (fall sleep for duration if save passed).
  Duration:  3 hours followed by 4 hours sleep.
  Ridiculous 
  Dose (Save  
  vs. poison)
  12+ poppy heads.
  Success: Fatigued: 2d6 temporary CON damage.
  Failure: Die.
  Ritual
  Share Heroic Dose experience induced via pipe of sleep flower while ritually chanting. 
  Collectively journey to the moon.
  S L E E P F L O W E R
  Q U I C K L E A F
  42
  
  Description
  Buttons from the desert cactus.
  Realm
  Dusk.
  Preparation
  Chew and swallow. Given it is bitter, 
  often brewed in honey-sweetened tea.
  Low Dose 
  (poison save)
  2-4 buttons as a Shaman Shroom but with insects. 
  Duration: 1 hour.
  Powerful Dose  
  (DC13)
  5-8 buttons—interesting but occasionally frightening. 
  Heal INT damage. 
  Receive technological inspiration.
  Duration: 1 hour.
  Heroic Dose 
  (DC16)
  9-16 buttons. 
  Travel to the Dusk Realm and talk to weird insectoid creatures. 
  Duration: 2 hours.
  Ridiculous 
  Dose 
  (DC19+)
  17+ buttons—save vs poison for every 1d4 buttons over 17. 
  Success: Meet an insect god and receive a revolutionary piece of neolithic technology.
  Failure: horrid nausea.
  Ritual
  Shared Heroic Dose experience induced in a ritualistic tea drinking ceremony.
  Description: 
  Desert Rue—an acacia bush growing in dry areas—root and bark.
  One bush produces 30 doses of tea/stew.
  Realm:
  Sun.
  Preparation:
  Brewed slowly for one day. Cannot be prepared without training. 
  Low Dose: 
  (DC 11)
  One dose.
  Success: similar to Shaman Shrooms |Failure: No effect. 
  Duration: 2 turns.
  Powerful 
  Dose  
  (DC14)
  Four doses make the world seem as if it is on fire.
  Success: Enjoy the spectacle, heal 1d4 CHA damage.
  Failure: Cower in fear.
  Duration: 2 turns.
  Heroic Dose 
  (DC17)
  About 8-12 doses. 
  Success: Travel to the Sun Realm.
  Failure: paralysed for two turns + 1d4 WIS damage. 
  Duration: 2 turns.
  Ridiculous 
  Dose 
  (DC20+)
  17+ buttons—save vs poison for every 1d4 buttons over 17. 
  Failure: (poison save) paralysed for two turns + 1d4 WIS damage. 
  Success: make a DC 20 entheogen check...
  • Fail the entheogen check, experience heroic dose as above.
  • Pass the entheogen check experience the above PLUS converse with the  
  Sun lord (p.50).
  Ritual
  Everyone imbibing a Powerful Dose around a fire in the full sun gains Heroic Dose effects. 
  Dose.
  D E S E R T  R U E
  C A C T U S  B U T T O N S
  43
  E N T H E O G E N S
  
  1
  Something followed you back. 
  Describe the realm as nightmarishly as  
  possible. Roll on the bane table and the  
  pariah is haunted by a malevolent spirit. 
  2-4
  The experience was unpleasant—  
  but lessons were learned. Describe the  
  realm and roll on its bane table.
  5-8
  Well, you definitely went there!  
  Roll a boon and a bane. Describe the  
  realm in whatever detail you wish.
  9-11
  A beautiful experience interacting with 
  other-worldly entities.  
  Roll a boon.
  12-14 The experience was intense!  
  A relationship developed with an elemental 
  bonded to you as a spell-spirit. Roll a boon.  
  15+
  A breakthrough about the nature  
  of reality!  
  Increase WIS by D4 and roll for 2 boons.
  SPIRIT REALM ENCOUNTERS
  1d20
  Encounter
  1-11
  None.
  12
  A sad and lonely spell-spirit.
  13
  1d4 spell spirits whirling around 
  an unusual landmark.
  14
  An elemental like a shepherd, crossing the 
  landscape followed by 1d4 spell spirits.
  15
  Two elementals chasing 1d4 spell spirits.
  16
  A landscape feature is actually an elemental.
  17
  1d4 elementals weirdly mimicking 
  the pariahs’ appearance.
  18
  1d4 elementals fighting 1d4 elementals.
  19
  2d4 elemental spirits performing a… ritual?
  20
  A Greater Spirit, a demon.
  SPIRIT REACTION TABLE
  1d12
  Reaction
  1-3
  Hostile/Wary
  4-6
  Mildly Hostile/Cautious:
  Probing questions: reroll reaction after the 
  interrogation modified by party behavior.
  7-9
  Neutral
  As above, +4 to reroll if the party  
  answers questions favourably.
  10-11
  Friendly/Talkative
  The spirit wishes to engage.
  12
  Special
  The spirit has a special request  
  or purpose (see below).
  Pariahs (individually or as a group) can  
  travel to the realms beyond the Here and 
  Now. There are three options for resolving 
  this in play:
  1. Roll & Narrate: The GM rolls on the 
  table below revealing the trip’s outcome 
  and adding narrative flavour as they wish. 
  2. Extra-Planar Adventure: like a 
  wilderness adventure, but in a weird place, 
  using encounter tables below. As the trip 
  ends, the pariahs awaken in their earthly 
  bodies.
  3. The Upside-Down: to capture altered 
  states of consciousness’ otherness, change 
  the game format entirely: switch pariahs, 
  systems, roles or media. Some suggestions 
  are listed for each realm. 
  ROLL AND NARRATE
   
  Roll the pariah’s Entheogen dice + WIS  
  or CHA modifiers and follow the relevant 
  realm’s unique instructions.
  44
  Extra-Planar Adventures 
  When wandering the spirit realm, roll for 
  encounters every turn.
  Roll 1d12 to determine reaction: modify 
  positively for friendly party behavior, 
  negatively for hostility.
  O T H E R  R E A L M S
  
  BANES & BOONS OF THE HERE & NOW
  1d12
  Spiritual Banes
  Spiritual Boons
  1
  Transformed (mouse).
  Darkvision (60’ in low light or moonlight).
  2
  Hated by plants cannot even digest them.
  Improved Hearing.
  3
  Insatiable Appetite: capable of fatal overeating.
  Animal Bond: species always positively reacts.
  4
  Hydrophobic: must be forced to drink liquids.
  Hawksight: details visible at incredible distances.
  5
  Perpetually in motion, incapable of rest or sleep.
  Plantspeech: can speak with plants.
  6
  The ground refuses your footsteps:  
  permanently float 1”.
  Raging Frenzy: in combat, d6 temp HP and +1 to attacks, 
  cannot stop until unconscious or all opponents defeated.
  7
  Falls in love with an animal.
  Tree Friend: climb them effortlessly.
  8
  Blind as a mole.
  Animal Speech: individual species (wolves, antelopes etc.).
  9
  False lycanthropy: believe you are a werewolf.
  +3 to Foraging.
  10
  Stench: a permanent, acrid smell.
  Animal Speech: Complete.
  11
  Despised by animals (except humans).
  Mastery of Animal and Plantspeech.
  12
  Bad Luck: -1 on all rolls.
  Good Luck: +1 on all rolls.
  SPECIAL REQUESTS OF ANIMAL SPIRITS IN THE HERE & NOW
  1d6
  PREY
  PREDATOR
  INSECT SWARMS
  1
  Protect: Escort the herd for a day, 
  protecting them from predators for  
  a boon to each pariah.
  Join Us: Hunt with the pack: after 
  catching some prey, you are released.
  Find: Smash a termite  
  hill 2 miles to the west.
  2
  Destroy Predators: Exterminate a 
  predatory pack plaguing them for a boon.
  Bring Us Flesh: Bring at least 3  
  HD of meat for sparing your life.
  Fetch: Bring us a random 
  item (p.11).
  3
  New Watering Hole: Escort them 
  to the nearest watering hole… the 
  “leader” is rewarded.
  Hunting Grounds: Lead us to  
  a new hunting ground, at least 24 
  miles away.
  Feed: We hunger for 
  something (1D6) 1-2: sweet  
  3-4: rotting | 5-6: alive. 
  4
  Gather Flowers: Collect the flowers 
  growing on the crocodile infested 
  banks in exchange for being taught 
   the use of a new entheogen.
  Destroy our Rivals: Destroy rival 
  animal pack (different species) and 
  receive a boon.
  Escort: A new queen was 
  born. Take her ½ mile away 
  to start a new nest.
  5
  Engage Tribe: A tribe hunts us—
  insist they stop. Do this for us and 
  we grant you one of our herd each 
  month.
  Destroy Your Weapons:  
  Your human hunting tools offend us.
  Destroy them and receive a boon.
  The smiling spirit has a  
  humble request: a hand,  
  a limb, a child, your laugh... 
  sacrifice something the 
  pariahs value. 
  Whoever makes the sacrifice 
  is granted a spell-spirit.  
  If no one will make a  
  sacrifice, roll for 2 banes.
  6
  The smiling spirit has a humble  
  request: a hand, a limb, a child, your 
  laugh... sacrifice something the pariahs 
  value. Whoever makes the sacrifice 
  is granted a spell-spirit. If no one will 
  make a sacrifice, roll for 2 banes.
  The smiling spirit has a humble  
  request: a hand, a limb, a child, your 
  laugh... sacrifice something the pariahs 
  value. Whoever makes the sacrifice 
  is granted a spell-spirit. If no one will 
  make a sacrifice, roll for 2 banes.
  45
  The Here and Now
  Pariahs do not need entheogens—they’re already there! See Overland Travel (p.18). 
  Spirits may still be encountered in the Here and Now, details as follows:
  O T H E R  R E A L M S
  
  BANES & BOONS OF THERE
  1d8
  Spiritual Banes
  Spiritual Boons
  1
  Become a Wandering Ghost in death.
  Cheat Death: at 0 HP heal 1HD (once).
  2
  Dogs bark at you.
  Ask the dead for guidance  
  (yes/no question) once/day.
  3
  Flesh appears to be slowly rotting.
  Detachable Hand: can be controlled  
  remotely (range: 120’).
  4
  Permanent Chill: vulnerable to cold damage.
  Cheat Death: at 0 HP heal 1HD (twice).
  5
  The ground refuses your footsteps: permanently  
  float an inch from the floor.
  Gain a bonded spell-spirit.
  6
  You’re Already ‘Dead’: refusing food or drink.
  Speak with a recently deceased corpse’s 
  spirit once a day.
  7
  Become a ghost (p.54).
  Cheat Death: at 0 HP heal 1HD (thrice).
  8
  Bad luck: -1 on all rolls.
  Good luck: +1 on all rolls.
  46
  THERE, THE SHADOW OF DEATH
  THE UPSIDE-DOWN:
  Making Death’s realm weirder takes a 
  narrative approach: forget stats and rolls! Ask 
  players what they think the pariahs want from 
  the Land of the Dead and confront them 
  with the ghosts of their past. They’ll return to 
  the Here and Now with new wisdom, losing 
  something as well.
  Drained of colours and devoid of any  
  sound, the air is cold yet heavy and close.
  Dwelling here are emotionless dead souls 
  who (while translucent) physically resemble 
  the deceased and share their memories— 
  1-in-4 chance the soul is someone the  
  pariahs know—they choose who.
  The Lord of Death often appears as a  
  vast swarm of bluebottles coalescing into 
  an enormous human skull. His approach is 
  sudden but can be anticipated as the buzzing 
  of his approach drowns out other sounds. 
  He shapes 10,000 buzzing wings into  
  audible speech. 
   
  The Lord of Death must be petitioned to 
  free a wandering ghost’s soul from its curse.
  
  O T H E R  R E A L M S
  BANES & BOONS OF DAWN
  1d10
  Spiritual Banes
  Spiritual Boons
  1
  Transformed into a frog.
  Darkvision (60’ in low light or moonlight).
  2
  Cannot touch metal or salt.
  Become incredibly beautiful.
  3
  Falls in love with a Dawn spirit.
  Invisibility, one turn, once per day.
  4
  The ground refuses your footsteps: permanently  
  float an inch from the floor.
  Can speak with all animals.
  5
  Cannot stop dancing, can no longer rest or sleep.
  Visit the dawn realm at will for ten minutes 
  before each sunrise.
  6
  Bees spill from your mouth when you talk.
  Can speak with all plants.
  7
  Descends into an enchanted sleep for 100 years.
  Bane: inflict a bane against an enemy. 
  8
  Birds peck out your eyes.
  Receive a bonded spell-spirit.
  9
  Fall in love with your own reflection.
  Gain a new craft skill.
  10
  Bad luck: -1 on all rolls.
  Good luck: +1 on all rolls.
  47
  DAWN, THE WYRD SIDE OF NATURE
  The chaotic world of new life, capricious and 
  fey, a swirling ever-changing realm of endless 
  fractals. Associated with the east, night and 
  day, nature—especially mammals and birds.
  Aziza, Queen of Dawn, appears as a 
  terrifyingly beautiful man or woman with 
  entirely black eyes and the bat, butterfly 
  or bird wings. Endlessly changing, her skin 
  shimmers and bursts, sprouting new limbs 
  and appendages, ultimately subsuming her 
  entire form.
  THE UPSIDE-DOWN:
  • Invert all modifiers.
  • Only speak in character.
  • Speak only in rhyme.
  • Swap character sheets every turn.
  
  BANES & BOONS OF DUSK
  1d12
  Spiritual Banes
  Spiritual Boons
  1
  Imprisoned in a labyrinth.
  Brain fuel: heal 1d4 damage to WIS or INTevery meal.
  2
  Lose knowledge: craft, proficiency, etc.
  Always know which way is west, even on starless 
  nights.
  3
  1d4 permanent INT damage.
  Gain 1d4 INT (max 20).
  4
  Afraid of water, must be forced to drink any liquid. Gain sustenance from eating wood.
  5
  Cannot stop moving, can no longer rest or sleep.
  Gain a lizard or giant locust as a familiar.
  6
  Falls in love with an animal. 
  Can speak with all plants.
  7
  Blind as a mole.
  Learn a new craft.
  8
  False lycanthropy: you believe you are a werewolf. Can speak with all insects.
  9
  Stench: cursed with a permanent, acrid smell.
  Can speak with all reptiles.
  10
  Despised by all animals (except humans).
  Gain a bonded spell-spirit.
  11
  Bad luck: -1 on all rolls. 
  Good luck: +1 on all rolls.
  12
  The ground refuses your footsteps: permanently 
  float an inch from the floor.
  Receive knowledge of a new technology  
  (metallurgy, the wheel, crop domestication,  
  bread making etc.).
  48
  DUSK, THE VESPERS OF KNOWLEDGE
  Everything is yellow and red, sharp and angular.  
  Step pyramids jut from the ground and sky,  
  folding back in on themselves. There are 
  mosquitoes everywhere. When bitten, 
  you observe its tiny head has your face. 
  Your own eyes swallow you and you are 
  trapped in a rough-hewn stone chamber. 
  Pushing against the walls, panicking, they slide 
  backwards, forming a complex labyrinth. 
  Despite mounting panic, you experience 
  a parallel calm: you know you can do this. 
  The labyrinth’s bricks collapse into a four-
  dimensional cockroach asking you seventeen 
  simultaneous questions.
  THE UPSIDE-DOWN:
  For extra weirdness build a set up tower, 
  players take turns (what do they do in this 
  realm) removing one brick at a time. When the 
  tower collapses, the last player to act’s pariah 
  rolls a bane, the remaining pariahs roll a boon. 
  If a player passes their turn, their pariah(s) 
  awakens in the Here and Now.
  
  O T H E R  R E A L M S
  BANES & BOONS OF MOON
  1d8
  Spiritual Banes
  Spiritual Boons
  1
  Lycanthropy.
  As Jackalwere curse (p.55) but become a werewolf.
  Darkvision: up to 60’ by moonlight.
  2
  Fall into an enchanted sleep for 100 years.
  Telepathy once per day.
  3
  Terrified of the moon.
  Gain 1d4 WIS (max 20).
  4
  In love with the moon.
  Bonded to a spell-spirit.
  5
  At night your soul wanders, you cannot benefit  
  from a night’s rest.
  Project one’s ghost like a Spirit-Touched,  
  but only by night (when the moon is visible).
  6
  Cannot speak, except to howl at the moon.
  Receive inspiration for a masterpiece of art.
  7
  The ground refuses your footsteps: permanently float 
  an inch from the floor.
  Gain an item of pure silver.
  8
  Bad luck: -1 on all rolls.
  Good luck: +1 on all rolls.
  49
  MOON, THE SILVER LAKE
  The silver lake, realm of dream and unconsciousness. Spell-spirits and elementals encountered 
  here may be the pariah’s forgotten memories, those of their ancestors or those they have not 
  yet experienced.
  THE UPSIDE-DOWN:
  Clear the table. Place the map of the moon (as big as you can print) in the centre. Light a 
  candle. Play Dawn of Worlds on the lunar map until the candle burns out, at which point  
  the pariahs return to their bodies with memories of being gods and creating civilisations.
  
  50
  SUN, THE FIRE OF HEAVEN
  THE BEYOND
  Violet-grey clouds swell in a livid sky from 
  which no rain falls; instead, magenta lightning 
  lashes the infinite level plane as a colossal 
  orange-yellow sun peeks through the cloud 
  cover’s only continual gap, scorching the 
  earth. Cities of glass and metal erupt from 
  the desert, reaching to the heavens, coaxing 
  the lightning dancing across their spires. 
  The Sun Lord usually appears as a warrior 
  aflame or great firebird. He is haughty,  
  proud and patriarchal, looking down from  
  his heavenly throne. He wishes the human 
  realm honoured him more.
   
  THE UPSIDE-DOWN:  
   
  Make it weird by taking out a deck of cards and 
  playing Our Big Show of Worth by Vian Nguyen.
  You feel the sensation of falling engulfed in 
  nothingness: not blackness just… nothing. 
  And then you stop. Your feet touch something 
  stable: a star. Before you, a line of stars, 
  stretches into the void like luminous stepping 
  stones. You step forward into the unknown  
  of The Beyond.
  As alien as the other six Realm’s spirits  
  may be, the seventh is more so. The human 
  imagination fills in the gaps of comprehension 
  when beholding the incomprehensible. Since it 
  fears what it cannot understand, it fills this  
  void with nightmares.
  The entities of The Beyond are infinitely varied, 
  but draw on the traditionally nightmarish: 
  eldritch horrors, demonic beings, tentacles 
  monstrosities, horrifically assembled flesh 
  golems, spectral maidens with bleeding eye 
  sockets, faceless statues, the greys…
   
  THE UPSIDE-DOWN: 
   
  Make it weird by turning the lights out  
  and switching to Cthulhu Dark.
  
  O T H E R  R E A L M S
  BANES & BOONS OF SUN
  1d12
  Spiritual Banes
  Spiritual Boons
  1
  Immolated until ashen.
  Immunity to fire damage.
  2
  Fear of thunderstorms.
  The gift of metallurgy (choose a metal).
  3
  Afraid of fire.
  Can return a deceased pariah to life, but only 
  once. 
  4
  During thunderstorms, will always be struck  
  by lightning unless under cover.
  If killed, cremation will enable them to rise  
  again, like a phoenix… but only once.
  5
  Must always face the sun, regardless of their 
  direction of travel.
  You are given a law by which your band will  
  now live by. You must plant an acacia bush  
  and there build a shrine to the sun.  
  6
  Objects they touch transform into gold.
  You can produce a small flame at will.
  7
  Any sons they have will transform into  
  aurochs;  if none, the next child will be  
  born with a mutation.
  Immunity to lightning damage.
  8
  Any daughters they have will transform into 
  crows;  if none, the next child will be born  
  with a mutation.
  Bonded to a spell-spirit.
  9
  Blinded: eyes transform into rubies,  
  if removed, pariah dies. 
  Gain the services of an elemental for one year.
  10
  Faint smell of ozone. Deals minor electrical 
  shocks to all they touch (no damage).
  The Sun Lord wants you to build an enormous 
  monument to honour him.  Do this to receive  
  his blessing.
  11
  Sunlight deals 1HD fire damage/turn.
  Good luck: +1 on all rolls.
  12
  Bad luck: -1 on all rolls.
  Gain one wish.
  BANES & BOONS OF THE BEYOND
  1d8
  Spiritual Banes
  Spiritual Boons
  1
  Something is growing inside you. It feels  
  like an octopus.
  Build a shrine to the powers beyond and they  
  will favour you again.
  2
  The ringing in your ears never stops. It is  
  the singing of the stars and you hate it.
  Immunity to mind control/dominate/charm effects
  3
  Every time you close your eyes you see it.  
  You never wish to close your eyes again.
  Always knows an illusion to be an illusion.
  4
  CHA reduced to 0. You are a Nameless One.
  You possess a petrifying gaze.
  5
  Afraid of the stars.
  Receive a piece of alien technology.
  6
  The ground refuses your footsteps: 
  permanently float an inch from the floor.
  Spell-spirit binds itself to you.
  7
  Receive one mutation.
  Receive one mutation.
  8
  Pure horror, 1d12 permanent WIS damage.
  Gain 1d4 WIS and 1d4 INT (max 20).
  51
  
  52
  
  53
  CURSE TEMPLATES
  In PARIAH, powerful curses are represented by curse templates. Inspired by Emmy Allen’s 
  sideways advancement trackers (particularly wendigo sickness and the wounded daughter) 
  templates provide the opportunity to inflict a doom on a pariah over an extended period 
  rather than removing them from the game immediately—providing the opportunity to  
  remove the curse, or at least having some fun in the attempt. 
  Each template has triggers which initiate a roll on the curse table. Each entry reveals a new 
  affliction: beneficial, baleful or both. An affliction can only be received once: reroll until 
  a new affliction is inflicted. A pariah afflicted by all curse table entries falls under the 
  GM’s control as a monster—stats are provided in each entry.
  BLOOD-DRINKER 
  Blood-Drinkers are horrible dead spirits 
  wishing to remain among the living. Dark grey, 
  hovering wraith-like figures infecting humans 
  and eventually transforming them into blood-
  drinking walking corpses.
  HD:  
               4 (4d8)
  Attack:  Draining touch*
  Attack value:  
  16 (1d4 HP 1d4 CON)
  Defence: 
  17†
  Speed:  
  60’ (flying)
  No. app: 1d4
  Morale:  
  11
  Size: 
   
  Human 
  Mind: 
   
  13
  * Drain 1d4 HP and CON by touch. 0 HP: fall 
  unconscious afflicted by The Thirst. 0 CON: 
  death and their spirit arises as a Blood-
  Drinker.
   † Mundane weapon immunity.
  At 0 HP a Blood-Drinker disincorporates—
  its spirit returning each morning to its 
  rotting body. Only destroying their corpse 
  permanently destroys them.
  The Thirst: seeing human blood, save vs. spells 
  (12) to avoid rushing to lap it up—on a failed 
  save the pariah may still resist by suffering  
  1d4 damage.
  A pint of human blood can replace rations and 
  heals 1d4 HP. Drinking human blood bestows 
  an affliction, reroll repeats. When a pariah gains 
  all afflictions their body dies and their soul is 
  twisted into a Blood-Drinker.
  1
  Canines extend, jaw grows stronger:  
  inflict an additional bite attack in melee  
  (as light weapon).
  2
  Skin gains a chalky pallor.
  3
  30’ low-light vision.
  4
  With bite attack (1), may grapple an opponent 
  and bite after a successful hit (in addition to 
  damage); next round they may drain 1 HD of 
  blood (HP or CON damage). Without the bite 
  attack, this power is dormant until contracted.  
  5
  Health fails, but becomes quicker and stronger. 
  Reduce CON by 1d4, increasing STR and DEX 
  equivalently.
  6
  Float 1”. Movements are weird and jerky or 
  supernaturally graceful. Double Movement per 
  round.
  7
  Incapable of receiving sustenance except from 
  blood—an animal’s suffices but only human 
  blood has healing properties.
  8
  Unable to cross a protective circle (see rituals).
  9
  Sunlight deals 1d4 damage per turn, can only 
  see up to 30’ in daylight.
  10 While asleep, a blood drinker rises from  
  their body to pursue human prey.
  
  54
  GHOST
  A dead pariah’s body necessitates the 
  dignity of funeral rites. What is considered 
  dignified is entirely up to the players; whether 
  cremation, burial, excarnation or something 
  else it should be consistent.
  Those not afforded such rites are trapped 
  between the realms of the dead and the l 
  living as a ghost. For an entire lunar month  
  it lingers beside its body, a pale shadow of  
  its former self, unable to speak, hiding its  
  face in its hands and sobbing quietly.
  If its body is laid to rest within that time,  
  its soul and animating spirit depart.
  If it is not, it is trapped as a ghost forever.
  This manifests in several ways:
  • As a terrifying environmental effect 
  lingering at its corpse (a creeping sense  
  of terror, a lure enticing others to share  
  its fate etc.).
  • As a spirit haunting the pariah (or NPC) 
  it deems responsible for its death.
  • As a Bane of the Realm of Death (p.46) 
  against those responsible for its fate.
  ...or a combination of all three. The players 
  and GM are encouraged to creatively develop 
  ways of lifting the curse or putting the 
  ghost to rest—given the month to bury  
  the body, the task should be more complex 
  and challenging than fulfilling a belated 
  funerary ceremony.
  GHOUL
  Ghouls are humans transformed into  
  hideous and bestial creatures that feed on 
  human flesh—particularly the long dead. 
  Their transgression, succumbing to dark 
  appetites, transformed them into monsters.
  Though feared, their connections to the dead 
  and resemblance to loved ones—combined 
  with their virtual immortality—sometimes 
  sees them entombed at sacred sites and 
  worshipped as spirits.
  Ghoul
  HD:  
               2 (2d8)
  Attack:   
  Claw/bite
  Attack value:  
  12 (1d8+agony/1d4)*
  Defence: 
  13 
  Speed:  
  30’
  No. app  
  2d4
  Morale:  
  9
  Size: 
   
  Human 
  Mind: 
   
  3-12
  * The ghoul makes a bite and a claw attack 
  each round. Their claws secrete paralysing 
  toxin. After damage, save versus paralysis or 
  experience up to an hour of agony—moving 
  deals 1d4 health damage, the afflicted fall 
  unconscious at 0 HP and gain The Hunger. 
  Ghouls’ unconscious victims are dragged  
  to their larders (pits in the ground) so their 
  rotting flesh may be consumed long after 
  succumbing to wounds or starvation. 
  The Hunger has 2 triggers:
  1. Reduction to 0 HP by a Ghoul.
  2. Eating human flesh.
  
  55
  C U R S E  T E M P L A T E S
  JACKALWERE
  Jackalweres are minor demons wandering 
  the wilderness in human form, seeking human 
  victims for the Great Jackal. They infiltrate 
  wandering human bands, particularly pariahs, 
  abducting some by night and converting  
  others to their vile kind.
  The jackalwere may assume the form of  
  a jackal at any time, and is sometimes found 
  amongst ordinary jackals. However, their true 
  form is somewhere between that of a jackal 
  and a man. 
  Jackalwere
  HD:  
    
  3 (3d6)
  Attack:   
  Claw/bite OR weapon  
   
   
  OR gaze*
  Attack value:  
  13 (1d6/1d4 OR 1d6)
  Defence: 
  13 †
  Speed:  
  35’ (50’)
  No. app  
  1d4
  Morale:  
  8
  Size: 
   
  Human 
  Mind: 
   
  10
  * Jackalweres in human form may only make 
  weapon or gaze attacks. In full jackal form 
  they may not use weapons. In jackal form 
  their speed increases to 50’/round.
   † Mundane weapon immunity. 
  The jackalwere gaze attack requires a spell 
  save (10+) or sleep is induced for a whole 
  turn (the victim can be awoken as easily  
  as an ordinary sleeping person).
  Anyone reduced to 0 HP by the jackalwere 
  receives their curse (see below). Jackalweres 
  have excellent senses and are only surprised 
  on a roll of one. They are also very stealthy, 
  particularly in pure jackal form.
  Upon seeing human flesh, raw or cooked, 
  save vs spells (12) to avoid scampering over 
  and eating it —on a failed save the pariah may 
  still resist by suffering 1d4 health damage.
  Eating human flesh bestows an affliction, 
  reroll repeats. When a pariah gains all 
  afflictions they become a monster under  
  the control of the GM.
  1
  Canines extend and jaw grows stronger: 
  can inflict an additional bit attack in melee 
  for 1d4 damage.
  2
  Skin begins to putrefy. They emit a foul 
  stench, like death.
  3
  60’ low-light vision. Eyes turn a sickly 
  yellow colour.
  4
  Nails extend into claw: can make medium 
  weapon attacks in lieu of hand weapons.  
  5
  All body hair falls out.
  6
  Can no longer receive sustenance from 
  ordinary food, it’s human flesh or nothing, 
  preferably rotting human flesh. Gums  
  appear to be permanently bleeding.  
  1d4 CHA damage (permanent).
  7
  If they have the claw attack, they may  
  now inflict paralysing agony. 
  If not, this ability lies dormant until they 
  gain the claw attack.
  8
  Eating human flesh heals 1d4 health  
  or Attribute damage.
  9
  Unable to cross a protective circle  
  (see rituals).
  10
  Sunlight deals 1d4 damage per turn,  
  can only see up to 60’ in daylight.
  
  56
  JACKALWERE (CONTINUED)
  There are two triggers for the jackalwere curse:
  1. 
  The light of a full moon.
  2. 
  Eating the flesh of a creature that 
  has been dead for more than a day 
  (excluding dried or prepared food). 
  Does not trigger the curse in anyone 
  not previously wounded by a jackalwere.
  1
  By light of a full moon, may transform into  
  a jackal, assuming all their physical stats.
  2
  Ears and feet grow larger: listening and  
  stealth increase one die size.
  3
  30’ low-light vision.
  4
  Gains the jackalweres gaze attack. 
  5
  Body becomes hirsute.
  6
  Re-roll twice: ignore this result if repeated.
   
  When a pariah gains all afflictions they 
  become a jackalwere under the control  
  of the GM.
  NAMELESS ONE
  Any pariah reduced to 0 WIS or CHA  
  loses their true name and, with it, a piece  
  of their soul.
  The pariah becomes emotionless and 
  mechanical, speaking only when spoken to. 
  They are highly suggestible, especially to 
  instructions given by friends or allies—players 
  should roleplay this as they see fit alongside 
  the following mechanical effects:
  • WIS or CHA modifier of -5.
  • No saving throw against dominate/  
  mind control/ charm effects.
  • Lose all bonded spell spirits.
  • Other active curse templates take full 
  effect and the pariah becomes an NPC.
  If the pariah remains under player control  
  they are vulnerable to spirit attacks. During 
  spirit encounters, an adjacent elemental may 
  possess them assuming control of their  
  body without a saving throw. 
  This curse is lifted by receiving a new 
  true name during a naming ritual (p.33). 
  All infants are Nameless Ones until they 
  receive their true name. 
  
  57
  SPIRIT-TOUCHED
  A pariah with mental Attributes ≤20 is Spirit-
  Touched and possesses an additional Attribute: 
  Psyche, derived from the sum of their INT, 
  WIS and CHA (p.6).
  Psyche is the Spirit-Touched’s Core Attribute: 
  they receive no Core Attribute skills and no 
  saving throw bonuses. However:
  • Psyche replaces CON or WIS  
  for Entheogen checks.
  • Psyche is their spell DC  
  (target spell save).
  • They may astrally project their  
  spirit [Psyche] feet each round.
  While astrally projecting, their body falls into 
  a trance as their spirit moves invisible to all 
  but spirits. They retain sight and hearing in 
  the Here and Now but cannot otherwise 
  interact with it except to attempt possession.
  Spirit-Touched may attempt to possess an 
  adjacent body assuming all of their physical 
  stats. The victim rolls a spell save vs the  
  Spirit-Touched’s Psyche to resist. Every 
  round, after ten rounds every turn, after one 
  hour (six turns) every hour, and after one day 
  every day. If they still occupy the body after 
  one month, the victim’s soul is utterly beaten, 
  and they may only resume control if the  
  Spirit-Touched astrally projects again.
  While astrally projecting, their body is 
  vulnerable to spirit possession, including  
  by other Spirit-Touched’s. They receive no  
  save but may attempt to reclaim their body 
  when adjacent to it like a normal possession.  
  A Spirit-Touched without a body remains 
  under player control as long as they wish.
  A Spirit-Touched’s disembodied spirit may  
  be bound to a device through a binding ritual 
  (see above). 
  If their CHA, WIS or INT increases,  
  pushing their Psyche past 20, they still  
  remain Spirit-Touched. 
  Pariahs can become a Spirit-Touched through 
  injury: becoming a Spirit-Touched as outlined 
  but retaining their Core skills and losing any 
  save benefits their Core Attributes granted. 
  C U R S E  T E M P L A T E S
  
  58
  B A N D  S H E E T
  ADULT PARIAHS
  YOUTHS
  BAND NAME:
  ALLIES:
  ANCESTRAL RELIC:
  ENEMIES:
  REP:
  Name
  Gender
  Name
  Gender
  Name
  Gender
  ELDERS
  Name
  Gender
  Skills
  Name
  Gender
  Skills
  Name
  Special Items
  Age
  Gender
  Skills
  Notes
  INFANTS (add to tally below, note D.O.B)
  ANIMALS (note name, type, number etc.)
  SETTLEMENTS & PERMANENT SHRINES 
  LANGUAGE & LITERACY
  
  P
  O
  I
  S
  O
  N
  P
  A
  R
  A
  L
  Y
  S
  I
  S
  R
  E
  F
  L
  E
  X
  S
  P
  E
  L
  L
  S
  D
  E
  V
  I
  C
  E
  S
  M
  A
  G
  I
  C
  59
  C H A R A C T E R  S H E E T
  A T T R I B U T E S
  S A V I N G  T H R O W S
  MOVEMENT (SPRINT) ____ ( ___ )
  C O N  +  S T R  +  D E X  F E E T /  RO U N D  ( x 3 )
  CORE ATTRIBUTE MAY 
  G I V E  A  B O N U S  O N  S O M E  S AV E S
  BASE ATTACK BONUS: 
  MODIFY ALL MELEE AND RANGED
  ATTACK ROLLS BY THIS NUMBER
  BASE DEFENCE BONUS: 
  MODIFY ALL DEFENCE ROLLS
  BY THIS NUMBER
  WEAPONS:
  NAME
  SIZE
  PROFICIENCY
  BASE ATT.
  ATTRIBUTE
  MODIFIER
  TOTAL
  ACTIVE DEFENCE:
  BASE DEFENCE BONUS
  DEXTERITY MODIFIER
  SHIELD
  WEAPON
  TOTAL
  CONSTITUTION 
  HP BONUS, ENDURANCE
  (Bonus)
  C
  U
  R
  R
  E
  N
  T
  M
  A
  X
  HP:
  C
  U
  R
  R
  E
  N
  T
  T
  E
  M
  P
  O
  R
  A
  R
  Y
  M
  A
  X
  DEXTERITY 
  DEFENCE, RANGED TO HIT
  (Bonus)
  C
  U
  R
  R
  E
  N
  T
  M
  A
  X
  WISDOM 
  SENSES, MAGIC
  (Bonus)
  C
  U
  R
  R
  E
  N
  T
  M
  A
  X
  STRENGTH 
  MELEE TO HIT & DAMAGE
  (Bonus)
  C
  U
  R
  R
  E
  N
  T
  M
  A
  X
  INTELLIGENCE 
  LEARNING NEW SKILLS
  (Bonus)
  C
  U
  R
  R
  E
  N
  T
  M
  A
  X
  CHARISMA 
  LEADERSHIP, MAGIC
  (Bonus)
  C
  U
  R
  R
  E
  N
  T
  M
  A
  X
  NAME:
  CORE ATTRIBUTE:
  TRUE NAME:
  HIT DICE:
  
  PERSONAL ITEMS:
  CAPACITY EQUALS CONSTITUTION  
     PLUS STRENGTH MODIFIER
  (EACH EXCESS ITEM DAMAGES CONBY ONE POINT)
  SKILLS (DIE SIZE & ATTRIBUTE IN BRACKETS):
  OTHER NOTES
  RITUALS, SPELLS & SPIRITS
  6
  12
  18
  24
  5
  11
  17
  23
  4
  10
  16
  22
  3
  9
  15
  21
  2
  8
  14
  20
  1
  7
  13
  19
  60
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pariah/Pariah vol 1.pdf