Glory
Everything living eventually dies. Even the gods are fated to die one day in the final, climactic struggle between good and evil.
However, while a mortal’s flesh may rot off the bone, his name can live forever through his deeds. Skalds sing tales of heroes who perished long ago, keeping the memory of these figures as alive today as it was when they walked the earth.
Glory has nothing to do with social standing, wealth, or who one calls friend—it is a mark of a character’s reputation as a hero. A king may be well known across the lands, but that does not make him a hero, nor does it entitle him to become the focus of ballads or epic poems. Only through heroic deeds can a character aspire to enter the history books and oral myths of Rassilon.
Your hero’s Glory starts at zero, but can be affected by his or her actions during the course of the game. The higher your hero’s Glory, the more renowned he is across Rassilon and the more benefits he gains.
Glory can go negative, but this grants no benefits—it just puts your character further away from being a hero.
Fixed Glory awards cover lesser deeds not played out (such as events during long periods of downtime), killing a smaller number of foes during an adventure (they do slowly add up over time), or rewards for which there are many witnesses (battles or rescues). These are in addition to any Glory gained above. GM’s are encouraged to devise their own modifiers for things like concluding peace treaties or founding new mercantile routes that benefit a large population. Although notable deeds, the rewards for these types of endeavor should not be overly high—few people will remember who signed a peace treaty, but you can bet they’ll recall a hero who risked his life to venture into the heavily guarded camp of the enemy commander and kill him in an epic duel. ACHIEVE RANK
Even without performing major heroic deeds, a hero can become famous through his collective lesser deeds. Such rewards are typical of the examples above, especially the slaying of lesser foes. These are wrapped into a single +5 Glory bonus gained when a hero achieves a new Rank. It is possible, though rare, for a hero to reach Legendary status with no additional Glory—he has performed many deeds, but none stand out as truly heroic.
Some heroes may opt to acquire Followers or become leaders of men and build a personal army. Others might use their fame to gain valuable connections or become better combatants, while others may prefer to rely on their reputation to ensure a friendly welcome in civilized lands.
Unless otherwise stated, benefits can be taken multiple times—the number in parentheses after the name indicates the maximum number of times the benefit may be taken.
Should Glory drop below a multiple of 20, any benefits above the character’s current Glory level are temporarily lost (unless otherwise stated) until Glory is regained. Dropping below 20 and then rising above it again does not grant the opportunity to take a new benefit—it simply allows the “lost” one to be used again.
Example: Dave’s character, Barak the Fair, has the Heroic Status benefit, which he took he reached 20 Glory. When he reaches 40 Glory he takes the Connection Feat (Hearth Knights).
Due to a “misunderstanding” regarding a visit to the noble’s daughter’s bed-chamber late one night, he suffers a 2-point Glory penalty, lowering his total to 38. The Hearth Knights immediately suspend ties to the hero, but Barak retains his Heroic Status. Only if Barak’s Glory drops below 20, will he lose his Heroic Status as well.
Later on, Barak earns +4 Glory, bringing his total
to 42. The Hearth Knights open relations again now the hero’s reputation is not as sullied—Barak does not get to pick a new benefit.
COMBAT PROWESS (2)
Requirements: 40+ Glory
While most stories about heroes start of close to the truth, they quickly spiral out of control, attributing heroes with abilities far in excess of what they actually possessed. The character may take a Combat Feat immediately. He must meet all the requirements as normal. CONNECTION (4)
Requirements: 20+ Glory
At some point, a hero is likely to gain Glory by aiding certain organizations, whether directly or indirectly. When a hero gains a Connection, he must pick a specific group, as per the Feat of the same name. The hero does not belong to the organization—he simply has friends among their number willing to assist him (though he may, at the GM’s discretion, be offered membership as well). The Connection should be appropriate to the character’s background and his deeds. For instance, a hero who slays many Hellfrost beasts likely attracts the attention of the Hearth Knights, whereas one who stops an outbreak of disease caused by a plague demon might find the church of Eira or Sisters of Mercy are favorable toward him. Note that the hero still needs to use Persuasion, Intimidation or Performance for this benefit to be of any use. Just because he’s renowned, it doesn’t mean the Connection will drop everything and come to his aid with exactly what he wants. FAVORED (2)
Requirements: 60+ Glory
The adage that there are old heroes and bold heroes, but no old, bold heroes doesn’t apply to this character. Whether because he believes in his own legend and refuses to get up when the going gets tough, or whether the gods are smiling on him, the hero can do things other heroes can’t. She gains a free benny. This adds to his regular total, thus increasing the number he starts each session with. FOLLOWERS (10)
Requirements: 40+ Glory
Famous heroes attract entourages and hangers-on. The hero gains the Followers Feat regardless of his character Rank. The GM and player should work together to determine the nature of the Followers, based on the character’s profession and deeds (see p. 100 for details). Followers are not automatically replaced when they die. Additional Followers may be gained at Legendary as normal through taking the Followers Feat with advances or by earning more Glory and taking this benefit. Followers don’t automatically leave if a character’s Glory drops below the level he gained this benefit, but they begin to grumble, refuse orders, and eventually mutiny. In game terms, the character’s Leadership Feats no longer work on them. When his Glory rises above the threshold again, his Followers stop grumbling. As noted previously in this chapter, having Extras accompany you on every mission means you have to slay more foes to earn Glory. HEROIC AURA (4)
Requirements: 40+ Glory
True heroes have destinies beyond those of lesser men. As a hero becomes more famous, so his fate becomes more important. Lesser foes no longer present the danger they once did, and only the mightiest enemies give the hero pause. When not wearing armor (he may use a shield), he gains +1 AC each time he takes this benefit. While wearing armor, no benefit is gained. Encumbrance plays no part in this benefit—the modifier is gained even if the hero is heavily weighed down with other gear. It doesn't stack with other forms of AC giving such as Bracers of Armor, but it does with others that give a bonus to armor such as a ring of protection In game terms, taking this benefit once grants the protection equivalent of leather armor, but it cannot be reduced by AP weapons, protects against area effect attacks, and has zero encumbrance. With a second benefit, the hero as well protected as wearing chain mail, three times plate, a fourth time gives him better protection than any mundane armor. HEROIC STATUS (4)
Requirements: 20+ Glory
This bonus represents how well known the hero is across Rassilon. With heroes few and far between in the modern era, those who stand out from the crowd are widely recognized for their notable deeds. Common folk recognize the hero for his brave deeds and are likely to help him in his endeavors, if only for the bragging rights. He gains a +1 bonus to charisma rolls when dealing with civilized races with whom he has a generally positive reputation, and to Persuasion and Intimidation rolls each time he receives this perk, to a maximum of +4. This stacks with bonuses from any other related Feats and with the hero’s Charisma. A hero also gains the same bonus to Intimidation rolls—enemies quake at his name and even allies are fearful of the character’s prowess. IMMORTALIZED IN SONG (1)
Requirements: Heroic Status taken 4 times
Whether a brave warrior, a noble lord, or a powerful spellcaster, the character’s place in history is assured for eternity. Songs are sung and poems told about his legendary deeds, parents name their children after the hero, and he is welcomed at any goodly settlement. When he eventually dies, he is guaranteed a burial befitting the greatest of heroes. The number of Followers the hero currently has doubles, as men flock to bask in his glory (this cannot be applied to Followers gained later). He may also take another Novice Sidekick immediately. LEADER OF MEN (4)
Requirements: 40+ Glory
Not every hero wants to be a leader of men, but those who do quickly find others respond well to them in times of stress, like a battle. The character may take a Leadership Feat immediately. He must meet all the requirements of the Feat as normal. As he gains no Experience Points from this benefit, his current character Rank applies. SIDEKICK (1)
Requirements: 80+ Glory
Regardless of his character Rank, the hero has attracted a Sidekick. If the Sidekick dies, the character may take this benefit again when he earns more Glory. A second Sidekick may be gained at Legendary as normal through taking the Sidekick Feat with an advance. Like Followers, Sidekicks remain with the hero when his Glory drops, but may grumble, not perform to the best of their abilities, or even refuse to follow orders. When the Glory rises sufficiently high again, the Sidekick returns to his former loyal state. Sidekick should be directly related to the hero’s role in some manner. For instance, a cleric may gain a novitiate priest to serve under him for tutelage or perhaps a paladin as a bodyguard. A mage is likely to take on an apprentice, but may equally attract a scholar to aid his research or bodyguard to ensure he remains safe. A noble or knight might gain a squire, poor in combat skills but good at healing his lord’s wounds and uncovering information for him. Alternately, he could hire a Knight Hrafn to lead his armies in battle. A scholar might take on an apprentice or a bodyguard, but he may just as easily acquire a thief to help him when exploring ruins, a guide to lead him across the country, or a merchant to help him sell goods uncovered during his explorations.
Killing a good, just, and powerful NPC, such as a king or an arkhwisard on the Council of Four, causes a hero to suffer a drastic loss of Glory.
His Glory is swapped from a positive to a negative immediately. For instance, a hero with +50 Glory drops to –50 and becomes a very wanted man.
The greater the hero’s reputation, the higher he falls for such a terrible and wicked act.
When a hero reaches –20 Glory, he becomes wanted in the region where he last lost honor (or wherever makes the most sense) At –40, the reward increases and the region covers pretty much all the civilized, settled domains of Rassilon. A hero who gains enough Glory to rise above the rating at which he gained this Hindrance, doesn’t lose the Hindrance. He may have performed some heroic deeds, but he is still a wanted man. ENEMY
At –10 Glory, the hero acquires an enemy (Minor). At –30 (or lower), the enemy becomes a major threat for the player and anyone with her The exact nature of the enemy depends on the villain’s deeds. A servant of Thrym may find a Hearth Knight has vowed to hunt him down. A cleric of Vali may make an enemy of a paladin of Eira. A king slayer may find a cleric of Hothar hounding his trail after justice. Again, it doesn’t matter if the hero’s Glory rises above the level at which he gained his foe—his Enemy doesn’t give up his vendetta. Should the hero gain a Major Enemy while his Minor Enemy is still at large, the foe simply steps up his campaign against the character. Otherwise, the hero gains a new enemy.
GLORY VS. CHARISMA
While Charisma is generally based on appearance and personality, it can also be modified by Glory. Goodly folk are more likely to take notice of a famous person, regardless of his physical appearance or manners, and help him when they can, whereas a hero’s foes tremble at his name.GLORY VS. RANK
A hero’s Rank is a measure of his experience, although it does incorporate a degree of glory. Rank is a by-product of earning Experience Points, which aren’t always linked to heroic deeds. Sure, the hero may rescue a princess, but the rescue might be fairly mundane and quickly forgotten. Only deeds which attract attention count toward Glory.GAINING GLORY
Glory is measured with Glory Points, in exactly the same way experience is measured with Experience Points. Characters can rise to become famous heroes or else they can slip into mediocrity. While some roleplaying games reward infamous deeds, Hellfrost does not. All being a villain does is move you further away from the benefits to be gained by heroic characters. Glory should not be dolled out like candy. It should be earned through heroic endeavors, good roleplaying, and investing heavily in the character, not expected just because the hero is a player character.VARIABLE GLORIOUS DEEDS
After each adventure, and only when the heroes return to civilization, someone of the party may begin telling the tale of their epic battles and heroic deeds. The character makes a Persuasion roll, modified as below. The GM is always free to add positive modifiers for truly heroic actions or based on the character’s weaknesses and how he overcame them. Always try to think of how the heroes’ true exploits (as opposed to any extra bits they invent) sound as a tale told by skalds. This is important, as it is the listeners on Rassilon who are effectively granting them Glory. Ideally, an extra +1 or +2 should be the maximum. For instance, slaying a dread lich is certainly worthy of praise, but that is already covered in the table. However, lopping off his head with a Called Shot as the killing blow is worth a small modifier, as it’s the sort of detail found in epic poems. Likewise, a Novice party who slays a bunch of orc warriors in melee without any assistance should be rewarded with a greater chance of fame. The GM may also opt to add penalties to reflect weaker opponents (such as unarmed or unarmored orcs) or favorable character circumstances (every hero had a dozen alchemical blast devices on hand). GLORIOUS DEEDS TABLEReason |
Mod |
|---|---|
| Storyteller | |
| Is a skald | +1 |
| Has negative Glory | –2 |
| Highest Character Rank | |
| Seasoned | –1 |
| Veteran | –2 |
| Heroic | –4 |
| Legendary | –6 |
| Highest Number of Foes | |
| You outnumbered them | –1 |
| They outnumbered you more than 2 to 1 | +1 |
| They outnumbered you more than 4 to 1 | +2 |
| They outnumbered you more than 10 to 1 | +4 |
| Highest Foes’ Challenge Rating | |
| CR -1 (or less) | –1 |
| Same CR | +0 |
| CR +1 | +1 |
| CR +2 | +2 |
| CR +3 or more | +4 |
| Kill named or powerful enemy in a single blow | +2 |
GLORY AWARDS
With a successful roll, every hero involved in the action gains 1d6 Glory. A raise increases this to 2d6. Failure earns no bonus or penalty. A critical failure, however, causes the loss of 1d6 Glory, perhaps because the listeners disbelieved the storyteller or doubt the prowess of the party to achieve what they claim. Roll the dice for each individual member of the party earning or losing Glory. Glory awards can be altered by the GM, but this should be done only for truly notable actions. Modifiers normally apply solely to individual members of the party, not every member. For instance, the hero who delivered the Called Shot to the head, killing the dread lich, should earn a +1 or +2 bonus for his notable deed. This actively encourages the use of special maneuvers and imaginative combat, as opposed to the standard “attack–damage” routine. Of course, if one hero played little part in the action, perhaps because he was Incapacitated early on or spent the whole time cowering in fear, he should receive less Glory than those who were in the thick of the action. Just because he’s a player character and was present does not entitle him to the same reward as those who risked their lives and took part in the bulk of the action. Such a hero may roll his dice with a –3 penalty, for example, possibly earning a small penalty overall with an unlucky roll because of his inaction. FIXED GLORY AWARDSFixed Glory awards cover lesser deeds not played out (such as events during long periods of downtime), killing a smaller number of foes during an adventure (they do slowly add up over time), or rewards for which there are many witnesses (battles or rescues). These are in addition to any Glory gained above. GM’s are encouraged to devise their own modifiers for things like concluding peace treaties or founding new mercantile routes that benefit a large population. Although notable deeds, the rewards for these types of endeavor should not be overly high—few people will remember who signed a peace treaty, but you can bet they’ll recall a hero who risked his life to venture into the heavily guarded camp of the enemy commander and kill him in an epic duel. ACHIEVE RANK
Even without performing major heroic deeds, a hero can become famous through his collective lesser deeds. Such rewards are typical of the examples above, especially the slaying of lesser foes. These are wrapped into a single +5 Glory bonus gained when a hero achieves a new Rank. It is possible, though rare, for a hero to reach Legendary status with no additional Glory—he has performed many deeds, but none stand out as truly heroic.
MASS BATTLE
War is a terrible thing and something sane men avoid, but it can also grow and break reputations. Use the table below whenever the characters are involved in a fight using the Mass Battle rules. Whereas skirmishes are commonplace, true mass battles remain rare events. Hence, all Glory modifiers are fixed. MASS BATTLE GLORY TABLEReason |
Mod |
|---|---|
| Army Size | |
| Smallest army had hundreds of troops | +1 |
| Smallest army had thousands of troops | +3 |
| Smallest army had more than 10,000 troops | +5 |
| Enemy | |
| Orc/goblin army | +/–1 |
| Undead army | +/–2 |
| Hellfrost army | +/–3 |
| Victory | |
| Enemy had less tokens or was equal | +1 |
| For each token the enemy had above yours | +2 |
| Defeat | |
| Enemy had more tokens or was equal | –1 |
| For each token less your enemy had | –3 |
| Other Modifiers | |
| Personal Heroics | +1 |
| You commanded the army | x2 |
RESCUE
Even if the heroes’ tale of how they killed a hundred orcs doesn’t earn them any immediate Glory, having prisoners recount the tale of their rescue quickly causes the word to spread. Important NPCs must be famous, powerful, and named. A merchant, wizard, priest, minor noble, or similar is worth +1 Glory. Saving a count or a skilled spellcaster is worth +3. Rescuing a prince, king, or truly powerful spellcaster gains the hero +5 Glory. For groups of lesser NPCs, rescuing ten or so is worth +1 Glory, a few tens +2, and a hundred or more +3. Saving a lone villager from an orc tribe is brave, but not enough to be retold by skalds. Rescue doesn’t have to mean entering into a prison and breaking captives out. Liberating a village beset by frostreavers, for instance, counts as a rescue. If the rescue involves a Mass Battle rather than tabletop action, the party is deserving of the Mass Battle rewards as well.PLAYING A VILLAIN
Not every player is going to want to play a hero, and that’s fine. After all, we’ve given the stat blocks for several evil deities, and there’s no restriction on characters worshipping them. However, there is a price to pay for villainy. Heroes who perform heroic deeds earn bonuses through their elevated Glory—villains get very little reward for being evil. Of course, to earn Glory a hero has to take great risks and maintain a certain code of conduct, whereas a villain doesn’t have that restriction. As such, villains are easy to play, but heroes get all the rewards for being “forced” to act in a certain manner.GLORY BENEFITS
Having Skalds sing your glorious deeds has its perks. When a hero reaches a multiple of 20 Glory he must immediately pick one benefit from the list below, meeting any requirements.Requirements: 40+ Glory
While most stories about heroes start of close to the truth, they quickly spiral out of control, attributing heroes with abilities far in excess of what they actually possessed. The character may take a Combat Feat immediately. He must meet all the requirements as normal. CONNECTION (4)
Requirements: 20+ Glory
At some point, a hero is likely to gain Glory by aiding certain organizations, whether directly or indirectly. When a hero gains a Connection, he must pick a specific group, as per the Feat of the same name. The hero does not belong to the organization—he simply has friends among their number willing to assist him (though he may, at the GM’s discretion, be offered membership as well). The Connection should be appropriate to the character’s background and his deeds. For instance, a hero who slays many Hellfrost beasts likely attracts the attention of the Hearth Knights, whereas one who stops an outbreak of disease caused by a plague demon might find the church of Eira or Sisters of Mercy are favorable toward him. Note that the hero still needs to use Persuasion, Intimidation or Performance for this benefit to be of any use. Just because he’s renowned, it doesn’t mean the Connection will drop everything and come to his aid with exactly what he wants. FAVORED (2)
Requirements: 60+ Glory
The adage that there are old heroes and bold heroes, but no old, bold heroes doesn’t apply to this character. Whether because he believes in his own legend and refuses to get up when the going gets tough, or whether the gods are smiling on him, the hero can do things other heroes can’t. She gains a free benny. This adds to his regular total, thus increasing the number he starts each session with. FOLLOWERS (10)
Requirements: 40+ Glory
Famous heroes attract entourages and hangers-on. The hero gains the Followers Feat regardless of his character Rank. The GM and player should work together to determine the nature of the Followers, based on the character’s profession and deeds (see p. 100 for details). Followers are not automatically replaced when they die. Additional Followers may be gained at Legendary as normal through taking the Followers Feat with advances or by earning more Glory and taking this benefit. Followers don’t automatically leave if a character’s Glory drops below the level he gained this benefit, but they begin to grumble, refuse orders, and eventually mutiny. In game terms, the character’s Leadership Feats no longer work on them. When his Glory rises above the threshold again, his Followers stop grumbling. As noted previously in this chapter, having Extras accompany you on every mission means you have to slay more foes to earn Glory. HEROIC AURA (4)
Requirements: 40+ Glory
True heroes have destinies beyond those of lesser men. As a hero becomes more famous, so his fate becomes more important. Lesser foes no longer present the danger they once did, and only the mightiest enemies give the hero pause. When not wearing armor (he may use a shield), he gains +1 AC each time he takes this benefit. While wearing armor, no benefit is gained. Encumbrance plays no part in this benefit—the modifier is gained even if the hero is heavily weighed down with other gear. It doesn't stack with other forms of AC giving such as Bracers of Armor, but it does with others that give a bonus to armor such as a ring of protection In game terms, taking this benefit once grants the protection equivalent of leather armor, but it cannot be reduced by AP weapons, protects against area effect attacks, and has zero encumbrance. With a second benefit, the hero as well protected as wearing chain mail, three times plate, a fourth time gives him better protection than any mundane armor. HEROIC STATUS (4)
Requirements: 20+ Glory
This bonus represents how well known the hero is across Rassilon. With heroes few and far between in the modern era, those who stand out from the crowd are widely recognized for their notable deeds. Common folk recognize the hero for his brave deeds and are likely to help him in his endeavors, if only for the bragging rights. He gains a +1 bonus to charisma rolls when dealing with civilized races with whom he has a generally positive reputation, and to Persuasion and Intimidation rolls each time he receives this perk, to a maximum of +4. This stacks with bonuses from any other related Feats and with the hero’s Charisma. A hero also gains the same bonus to Intimidation rolls—enemies quake at his name and even allies are fearful of the character’s prowess. IMMORTALIZED IN SONG (1)
Requirements: Heroic Status taken 4 times
Whether a brave warrior, a noble lord, or a powerful spellcaster, the character’s place in history is assured for eternity. Songs are sung and poems told about his legendary deeds, parents name their children after the hero, and he is welcomed at any goodly settlement. When he eventually dies, he is guaranteed a burial befitting the greatest of heroes. The number of Followers the hero currently has doubles, as men flock to bask in his glory (this cannot be applied to Followers gained later). He may also take another Novice Sidekick immediately. LEADER OF MEN (4)
Requirements: 40+ Glory
Not every hero wants to be a leader of men, but those who do quickly find others respond well to them in times of stress, like a battle. The character may take a Leadership Feat immediately. He must meet all the requirements of the Feat as normal. As he gains no Experience Points from this benefit, his current character Rank applies. SIDEKICK (1)
Requirements: 80+ Glory
Regardless of his character Rank, the hero has attracted a Sidekick. If the Sidekick dies, the character may take this benefit again when he earns more Glory. A second Sidekick may be gained at Legendary as normal through taking the Sidekick Feat with an advance. Like Followers, Sidekicks remain with the hero when his Glory drops, but may grumble, not perform to the best of their abilities, or even refuse to follow orders. When the Glory rises sufficiently high again, the Sidekick returns to his former loyal state. Sidekick should be directly related to the hero’s role in some manner. For instance, a cleric may gain a novitiate priest to serve under him for tutelage or perhaps a paladin as a bodyguard. A mage is likely to take on an apprentice, but may equally attract a scholar to aid his research or bodyguard to ensure he remains safe. A noble or knight might gain a squire, poor in combat skills but good at healing his lord’s wounds and uncovering information for him. Alternately, he could hire a Knight Hrafn to lead his armies in battle. A scholar might take on an apprentice or a bodyguard, but he may just as easily acquire a thief to help him when exploring ruins, a guide to lead him across the country, or a merchant to help him sell goods uncovered during his explorations.
LOSING GLORY
Glory can be won, bit can also be lost. In general, a hero must deliberately act in a less than heroic way to suffer a Glory penalty. Everyone makes mistakes and crosses the line at some point, but minor misdemeanors should be ignored unless the character makes a habit of such actions. Sample penalties are included below.| Event | Glory |
|---|---|
| Slaying a good and just powerful NPC | Special |
| Caught committing a crime | –1 to –20 |
| Cowardice or leaving a comrade behind | –3 |
| Refusing Orders (the Hindrance) | –3 |
| Breaking an oath | –10 |
NEGATIVE GLORY
Heroes with negative Glory do not earn rewards, but they do garner drawbacks. WANTEDWhen a hero reaches –20 Glory, he becomes wanted in the region where he last lost honor (or wherever makes the most sense) At –40, the reward increases and the region covers pretty much all the civilized, settled domains of Rassilon. A hero who gains enough Glory to rise above the rating at which he gained this Hindrance, doesn’t lose the Hindrance. He may have performed some heroic deeds, but he is still a wanted man. ENEMY
At –10 Glory, the hero acquires an enemy (Minor). At –30 (or lower), the enemy becomes a major threat for the player and anyone with her The exact nature of the enemy depends on the villain’s deeds. A servant of Thrym may find a Hearth Knight has vowed to hunt him down. A cleric of Vali may make an enemy of a paladin of Eira. A king slayer may find a cleric of Hothar hounding his trail after justice. Again, it doesn’t matter if the hero’s Glory rises above the level at which he gained his foe—his Enemy doesn’t give up his vendetta. Should the hero gain a Major Enemy while his Minor Enemy is still at large, the foe simply steps up his campaign against the character. Otherwise, the hero gains a new enemy.
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