Heritage

Note: This theme is still in active development by the Tavern Tales community. This version is based on a draft compiled by /u/plexsoup and subsequently modified and expanded to work with the Gauntlet-era rules.

Talk to your GM to decide if you’d like to use traits from this theme in your game. You may decide to wait until they undergo further playtesting, or tweak them to better fit your game.

Combat

Racial Qualities • Passive

Select three characteristics that describe typical individuals with your genetic heritage. Each of these characteristics will be a watered down, half strength version of another trait. Collaborate with your GM to figure out what that means. Any NPCs who share your heritage will automatically have this trait.

You must also create one disadvantage, weakness, vulnerability, or undesirable quality associated with this heritage.

Folk Hero • Passive

Wherever you’re from, you were a folk hero. Describe what exactly you did to earn you reputation. Once per session, you can invoke your story to greatly increase a roll related to your original heroism.

Pa’s Ax • Passive

Your weapon is a family heirloom. Anyone outside your family decreases rolls to attack with it. Once per combat, increase an attack roll. If you attack someone who a previous holder of this weapon attacked, or someone who previously owned this weapon, roll to bolster each time you deal damage.

Exploration

Long Bloodline • Passive

Your predecessors are long dead, but they still look out for you. Whenever you describe an ancestor, including their style, appearance and personality, and what they require to rest in peace, write their name on your character sheet. At any point, you may cross out their name and describe how they assist you in your current situation (you recall their teachings, their spirit possesses your body temporarily, etc). Bolster your next action. You may call on the same ancestor more than once, but only after doing something to help them rest peacefully.

Hero’s Journey • Passive

You are important. The prophecies foretold your arrival. Your story will be retold countless times. Write the following words on your character sheet: “Call”, “Reveal”, “Overcome”. When you have doubts, cross off “Call” to create a flashback scene, retroactively describing your initial planning. When things look simple, cross off “Reveal” to introduce a twist or complication, explain how you discover the truth and how it shakes your resolve. When things look bleak, cross off “Overcome” and take a free bolster action; explain how you dig deep to find your heroic second wind. When you “Reveal”, you may reset either “Call” or “Overcome”. When you start a new quest, refresh all your keywords.

Terrible Burden • Passive

You carry something terrible with you (A cursed object, psychological trauma, a curse, guilt, etc.). Once per session, you may describe how your burden weighs on you and decrease your next roll. Once you have done this, you may, at any time, describe how you rise above your burden and greatly increase a roll.

What Came Before • Passive

You are somehow linked to someone older than you–like a parent, sibling, mentor, or old friend. Write “Enemy,” “Friend,” “Problem,” and “Solution,” on your character sheet. You can cross these words off to encounter something your predecessor left behind, that now falls to you. When you’ve crossed off all four, write them again.

Wasn’t Always Like This • Passive

You weren’t always an adventurer. You used to do something mundane. Describe your previous occupation (Baker, Accountant, Carpenter, Blacksmith, etc.) You have advantage on rolls related to your original occupation.

Interaction

Nemesis • Passive

You have a nemesis. Work with the GM to describe them, their traits, and their motivations. Build them as you would a player character, but they begin at twice your level. You increase all rolls against them. They increase all rolls against you. Choose one:

• Usurper: Your nemesis has taken what is rightfully yours (a title, an artifact, a location, etc.) If you defeat them, reclaim it.
• Villain: Your nemesis is widely reviled. You may invoke their name to increase any rolls to call for aid.
• Equal: Once per session, describe something you learned during a previous encounter with your nemesis and increase a roll related to that knowledge.
• Ghost: Your nemesis evades you. Whenever you learn something about their actions or whereabouts, Bolster.

If you defeat your nemesis, choose a new one, or replace this trait with one of theirs.

Family Name • Slow Action

Inform someone of your heritage → Choose one:

• Haunted: Your family wronged this person in the past. They fear and mistrust you.
• Indebted: This person owes your family a favor.
• Grateful: Your family once helped this person. They like and trust you.

Superstition • Passive

Describe three superstitions your characters knows that cause good or bad luck and write them on your character sheet (Breaking mirrors is bad luck, throwing coins in fountains is good luck, etc.). Bolster when you would incur good luck. If you would incur bad luck, an enemy bolsters.