The Lightbearer — Stonetop playbook

Damage die: d4 · Base HP: 18

Assign these modifiers to STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA as you like

+2

+1

+1

+0

+0

-1

Backgrounds

Auspicious Birth

You were born in Stonetop, and that birth was marked by the God of Light. You were born during an eclipse, perhaps, or under the light of a bright new star? Maybe you bear a sun-shaped birthmark? Whatever the sign, your connection to Helior was clear early on. You’ve a place of honor in Stonetop, though it’d be a lie to say you don’t make some uneasy.

When one of your moves has you mark a debility, you may mark this background’s circle instead, to no ill effect. Clear it when you Make Camp or Convalesce.

Itinerant Mystic

They think of you as a self-important kook who comes through now and again, speaking in riddles and playing tricks with the light. Sure, they know there’s something holy about you, but it’s not like you’re a priest or anything. Priests talk sense.

When you go off a-wandering, hold 1 Enigma if you’re gone for days, 2 if you’re gone for weeks, or 3 if you’re gone for months. At the very start of play, hold 3 Enigma. Spend Enigma 1-for-1 to:

• Return from your wandering exactly when and where you are needed, fully Outfitted
• Know Things as if you rolled a 10+, drawing on what you learned while away
• Have What You Need to produce an oddly specific yet mundane item of Value 1 or less

Soul on Fire

You once led a worldly life, full of fear and doubt, base pleasures and petty grudges. But something happened. Injury, illness, a brush with death. Or just a moment of such profound misery and self-loathing that you thought you could fall no further. There, in the dark, Helior’s light shined upon you, igniting in your soul, lifting you and filling you with a profound sense of purpose.

When you Persuade a group by preaching charity, mercy, and hope and roll a 7+, aside from the usual effect, choose 1:

• Your name and your message spread
• Someone approaches you, now or later, eager to know more

Instincts

• Charity. To go without so that others are better off.
• Hope. To inspire others in the face of adversity.
• Mercy. To bring relief or comfort, to give second chances.
• Praise. To spread the glory and worship of Helior.
• Righteousness. To refuse to suffer an injustice or a lesser evil.

Special possessions

Choose two at the start of play.

Apiary

Beeswax, candles (close, area, lasts ~1 hr), honey, bee smokers (1 load), hats & veils (1 load), etc.

Books & scrolls

Expend a use to consult your collection and turn a Know Things roll you just made into a 10+.

Chandlery

Beeswax, candles (close, area, lasts ~1 hr), wicks, scented herbs, soap, lye, ash, etc.

Distillery

Skins of fine whisky (uses, grants advantage to Persuade), copper tubes, malt, firkins (2 load), stills, barrels, etc.

Glassworks

Vials, charms, lenses, sand, marbles, bellows, crucible, lanterns (1 load; hours of light, close, area), etc.

Holy relics

If you have one in inventory when you Invoke the Sun God, you can mark a use in lieu of choosing a consequence.

Luthier’s tools

Chisels, files, catgut, various woods, stains, a lute (1 load), a fiddle (1 load), etc.

Moves

You start with Consecrated Flame and Invoke the Sun God, plus 1 more of your choice.

A Candle Against the Dark

When you wield a holy light but go otherwise unarmed, you have 2 Armor.

Luminous Shield

When you brandish a holy light to turn aside an attack against body, mind, or soul, roll +CHA:

• 10+: the attack is deflected and, if the attacker is in range of your light, they are briefly blinded
• 7-9: the attack is deflected but your holy light flickers and dims, threatening to go out
• 6-: your light snuffs out and the attack is unimpeded

All Is Illuminated

When you look closely on another and see their soul laid bare, roll +WIS:

• 10+: ask their player 1 question from the list below, plus “And what would make them feel loved, beautiful, or worthy?”
• 7-9: ask them 1 question from the list.

In any case, they must answer truthfully.

And Behold a Pale Horse

When you spend the night gazing into a flame, ask the GM to reveal an impending doom or grim portent that will come to pass unless you intervene, and how you might yet do so.

Consecrated Flame

When you whisper words of consecration to a flame, the flame casts a holy light. Holy light is uncomfortable for creatures of darkness to look upon, but does no true harm. The holy light lasts until the flame goes out or until you consecrate another flame, whichever comes first.

Fire Within

When you are in darkness, you are able to see by the light of your inner fire. When you take damage from cold or fire, reduce that damage by 2.

Guiding Light

When you lead one or more NPCs through danger, roll +CHA:

• 10+: you all make it through (Helior be praised)
• 7-9: the GM will tell you what’s required to get everyone through safely

Helior’s Unblinking Eye

When you stare into the sun long enough to lose your vision, name a person or place that you know and roll +WIS:

• 10+: you briefly glimpse your subject as if from a great height, and choose 2 from the list below
• 7-9: you briefly glimpse your subject as if from a great height, and choose 1

Improved Stat

Each time you take this move, increase one of your stats by 1 (to a max of +2).

Invoke the Sun God

When you imbue a holy light with Helior’s power, choose an Invocation you know and roll +WIS:

• 10+: it works as described but you must choose 1 consequence from the list below
• 7-9: it works as described, but you and the GM each choose 1.

Consequences:

• The Invocation has its reduced effect
• The effort taxes you; mark a debility
• The light is snuffed out when the Invocation is complete, its fuel consumed
• You must bask in sunlight for an hour or so before using that Invocation again

See the Invocations insert for details.

Keep the Home-Fires Burning

When you build a camp fire and sprinkle it with ash from your own hearth, anyone who Makes Camp with you is free from nightmares or bad dreams and recovers (extra) HP equal to your CHA.

Lamplighter

When you whisper to a flammable object (a torch, a wick, kindling, etc.), it ignites in moments.

Piety

When you spend at least an hour in proper worship to Helior, hold 1 Blessing. Other faithful PCs who partake in this worship also hold 1 Blessing. At any time, you can spend 1 Blessing to add +1 to a roll you just made in pursuit of a righteous cause.

Purifying Flames

When you wield a holy light against a creature of darkness, it counts as a weapon (d10 damage, hand, close, area, 2 piercing) and you can choose to roll +WIS to Clash.

Radiant Countenance

When you give someone your fond attention, you can then Persuade them with advantage. If they are a follower, you can instead choose to Strengthen Your Bond (as if you paid their cost).

Rise Like the Sun

When you draw attention to yourself by word or deed, roll +CHA:

• 10+: everyone turns and looks, and you hold their gaze as long as you keep giving them reason to look
• 7-9: everyone turns and looks

Spring’s First Thaw

When you spend time (an hour at least, maybe more) seeking to stir hope, kindness, or mercy in an NPC, roll +CHA:

• 10+: you light a fire deep within them and effect a lasting change
• 7-9: you kindle goodness in their heart for now, but they will eventually return to their old ways
• 6-: their heart hardens and, whatever else the GM says, you can’t use this move on them again

Burn Twice as Bright

Requires level 6+.

When you Invoke the Sun God, you may mark a debility to use 2 Invocations at once. Roll once, and apply any consequences to both Invocations.

Empowered Invocations

Requires level 6+.

When you Invoke the Sun God, you can choose an extra consequence before you roll. If you do, the Invocation has its empowered effect.

Glorious Servant

Requires level 6+.

When you Invoke the Sun God and roll a 10+, you need not choose a consequence; on a 7-9, you choose a consequence but the GM does not.

Hungry Flames

Requires level 6+.

When you deal damage with a holy light, you deal +1d6 damage and your target is engulfed in holy light and flames.

Light, More Light

Requires level 6+.

When you consecrate a flame, it burns brighter than normal. A rushlight or candle illuminates to reach range, an oil lamp, lantern, or torch out to near range, and a bullseye lantern out to far range.

Superior Stat

Requires level 6+.

Increase one of your stats by +1 (to a max of +3).

Wielder of the White Flame

Requires level 6+.

When you channel Helior’s essence into an object you carry, roll +WIS:

• 10+: it ignites with a white flame that casts a holy light (reach, area) and burns neither you nor the object, and you may Invoke the Sun God right now as if you rolled a 10+
• 7-9: it ignites with a white flame that casts a holy light (reach, area) and burns neither you nor the object

See also

The basic moves every character uses, the tags glossary for gear keywords, and the other playbooks.