Freebie: Jinxes!

The spells and powers wielded by adventurers are but a fraction of the magic on Outer World. Among the arcane arts both mighty and meager there are Jinxes, cousins to the potent hexes wielded by Sages and their ilk. These simple magical maladies are often little more than nuisances, but they can pop up where you least expect them thanks to their relative accessibility.

Jinxes can be inflicted in 1 of 2 ways:

Personal Jinxes

These are targeted affairs, with one person putting a jinx on another. While hardly the most dependable things (and often, costly whether they work or not) they are popular among petty rivals, irritated magical university students, and eccentric sorts who want to teach someone a lesson.

• To target someone with a Jinx, you need something connected to them, like a bit of hair or some personal belonging they've had for at least a month or so. In addition, 1 of these 2 factors must be true:
• You have some sort of magical additive or consumable material that will be expended while attempting the hex 
• You have at least one magical Ability (or someone with a magical Ability to assist you)
  
• A jinx attempt is a slow process that requires a Downtime Action. While no two jinxes are the same, generally these involve drawing hasty magic circles, burning or otherwise destroying the personal affect of the target, and actively hoping they have a terrible time. This prompts an Grit or Aura (whichever is higher) Contest between you and the Target:
• If you win, the target becomes Jinxed (per below).
• If the target wins, the jinx fails and the you cannot attempt to jinx anyone again for a year and a day.
• While jinxed, the target cannot be subject to an additional jinx.
• If you have connected items for more than one person you may also attempt to jinx several targets with one attempt. These are resolved separately from one another, and if you lost even one of the contests after all have been resolved you cannot attempt to jinx anyone again for a year and a day.
• The GM may allow you to ensure your target is afflicted with a specific Jinx if you take an extra step to ensure it, like including an appropriate item in your ritual or even just doodling a picture of them with the desired result beforehand.
• If the doodle option is allowed, the player or GM (depending on who is attempting the jinx) must actually draw it for this to count. The fidelity of this drawing is not important.
  

Contingent Jinxes 

Some jinxes are connected to a circumstance rather than targeted ill-intent. The magic involved for these lingers and ends up being a bit more potent than personal jinxes.

• Contingent Jinxes...
  
• Are connected to a particular place, like a Settlement, Adventure Site, or structure of some kind.
  
• Are inflicted by violating a rule or taboo. These can include, but are not limited too:
• Walking through a gate without permission or without making a proper offering
• Breaking an old law in an ancient city
• Damaging a shrine or statue of a small god or other petty immortal.
• Are stronger if the target of their wrath was informed of the taboo they are breaking. If this is the case, the jinx takes hold automatically. If not, the target is allowed an Aura Check to avoid the effect.
• It's important to note that the forces behind jinxes are pretty capricious. For example, sometimes bearing witness to a perplexing sign or crumbling mural with a warning on it counts as being "informed".
• Contingent Jinxes may inflict a particular Jinx, rather than a random one, if it is particularly appropriate for the rule being broken or the place it is attached too.
   

If inflicted with a Random Jinx...

• Roll to see what kind of Jinx has afflicted you:
• 1-10: Spirit Jinx
  
• 11-20: Physical Jinx
•  Roll again on the appropriate Jinx Table to see what particular Jinx you are suffering from.

The Jinxes themselves...

A mechanical note: Jinxes are mostly just Quirks without the benefit. The two kinds of Jinxes presented here match up with Physiology and Spirit Quirks respectively (with a few changes to keep things fair) so it should be easy to make new ones: either take the negative values from other kinds of Quirks and make up fiction for them, or use them as guidelines to make entirely original Jinxes!

Spirit Jinxes

• (1-2) Blitheness
  
• The jinx has eliminated a good deal of your sense of self preservation. You suffer a -1 to your Defense Rating.
  
• (3-4) The Jitters
• Magic has made you over-react to even the slightest surprise or danger. Your team suffers a snag on Deftness rolls when it attempting an ambush.
• (5-6) Blabbers
• You no longer know when to stop talking and can't read the room. You suffer a Snag on Aura Rolls when trying to Negotiate or impress someone.
• (7-8) Bean Spiller
• It's hard for you to speak falsehoods, and when you do you often instead blurt out the truth and overshare. You have a Snag when attempting to lie to someone.
• (9-10) Forgettable 
  
• The jinx obscures your existence from others when it would benefit you. People will attribute your positive actions to others rather than yourself, even if you are standing right there.
• (11-12) Unfortunate
  
• No matter what you do, you can't help stumbling into things. If you enter an area or room with a trap in it, you set it off automatically.
  
• (13-14) Hoarder
  
• You can't help but grab and stash the most useless items imaginable: pebbles, scratched out pieces of paper, pamphlets for scam operations. Whenever you roll an unmodified 20 on a Deftness Check random junk spills everywhere and complicates the situation you are in.
• (15-16) Buyers Remorse
• You can't stop yourself from buying the most expensive versions of something, even if it's not any better than usual. You must spend 50% more money on any clothing, armor, or other accessories you purchase.
• (17-18) Curse of Greed
• Treasure has become near impossible for you to resist. If you are close enough to any item or collection of things worth 5 Gems or more, you must make an Aura Check to resist the urge to find and plunder from it.
• (19-20) River of Consciousness
• You are constantly hearing the thoughts of others you are competing with without a way to filter it. You suffer a Minor (-2) penalty to all Contests.

Physical Jinxes

• 1-2) Swollen
  
• Awkward additional bulk has slowed you down, reducing your Speed Rating by a single step.
  
• (3-4) Teary Eyes
  
• You're constantly crying and sniffling, suffering a Snag on all rolls dependent on sight.
  
• (5-6) The Goofies
  
• Something about your appearance (your hair style, expression, etc) has been altered to be be so ridiculous that it's hard to take you seriously. You incur a Snag on Aura rolls when attempting to intimidate or impress.
  
• (7-8) Menacing Countenance
  
• No matter what you do you look like an untrustworthy villain. Lighting is never on your side, and anyone favoring law and order will distrust you immediately and are quick to blame you for ill deeds.
  
• (9-10) Obvious Do-Gooder 
  
• This jinx always makes you appear to be an aggressively heroic sort, often compelling you to chastise and give speeches. Villainous sorts will automatically assume you're out to get them and try to get rid of you preemptively.
  
• (11-12) Voracious
  
• You are hungry all the time, requiring double the amount of rations for each day spent on a journey. If you are a Bio-Mechanoid or other sort that doesn't normally need to eat, this Jinx makes it so that you now do.
  
• (13-14) Shriveled
  
• This jinx causes you to thin out to an alarming degree, and you're now much more brittle. You suffer a -1 to your Heart's Total.
  
• (15-16) Onomatopoeiatic
• Every step you take makes a new noise. It's actually pretty fascinating but also not helpful: you suffer a Snag when attempting stealthy actions.
  
• (17-18) Frail
• This is the most commonly used jinx: it just makes you feel awful. You're constantly sick and tired, and suffer a -1 to your Grit Aptitude.
  
• (19-20) Unruly Mane
  
• Your hair grows to an absurd length, can move on its own and also it hates you. You suffer a Snag to any Deftness checks involving the use of your legs as it has a tendency to grab at them when you are moving.
  

 

Getting rid of a Jinx

Those suffering from a jinx are unsurprisingly eager to get rid of it. Fortunately, the magic behind them can be unraveled readily.

• For the most part, Jinxes start to disperse normally after 24 hours. The day after being jinxed (and every day after that) you may make an Aura Check. On a success, you return to normal. 
• At GM discretion, abilities like Demystify, Compassion Cure, and Vexing Dispel can target and dispel a Jinx like a magical ability or status ailment as well.
  
• Some Contingent Jinxes won't go away unless recompense for the broken rule is offered. For example, fixing the statue that was broken, or completing a repentant quest of sorts.

 

Using Jinxes in your game

Jinxes make for a fun, low stakes peril as they tend to be short lived and more annoying and troublesome than fatal. These are best attached to another adventure or encounter to complicate them a bit. For example, a mange hexer might use them on a party that has been clashing with their bandit gang as of late to try and get an upper hand, or a strange town the party might need gather information or supplies from might have a lot of eccentric customs they need to follow lest they be jinxed. You may also add other sources of Jinxes, like monsters that inflict them on those they attack, or a uniquely cursed item.

In addition, they make for a fun option for mischievous players, if not a particularly dependable one. Heretics are often especially fond of jinxes as they are already quite good at figuring out what would annoy or upset someone.

BREAK??: Cartoon Slapstick Injury Table

Today marks the first in what I hope becomes an April Fools tradition here at the devblog: BREAK?? will be entries with rules in them that are silly and certainly not meant for regular use, but still viable for those who want to find a place for them. Today's entry is on injuries of a distinctly non-fatal variety.

(There is also a secret, incongruous bit to the language to this entry as well, bonus points if you're the first to catch it) 

Cartoon Slapstick

Magic flows and can effect the world in strange and myriad ways. Occasionally when things are just right (or wrong, depending on your view on things) the consequences of physical injury become impermanent and somewhat...animated.

When the Cartoon Slapstick rules are in play, the following rules apply:

• Whenever a character or adversary is reduced to zero Hearts or otherwise needs to roll on the Injury/Damage table, they instead reference the Cartoon Slapstick Injury Table.
• Each one of these results remove the character from action for a bit. Either until the end of combat/perilous situation, OR until every other character currently involved has taken an action if the injury is incurred in a calmer situation. At these points, the injury is simply removed without further fuss.
  
• Player Characters and their named companions can be restored from these injuries early if they Finish the gag as noted in each individual entry. 
• Most of these won't apply to a Bio-Mechanoid or similar character, who instead can be restored to form (with two hearts) if someones uses their action and expends the use of a gadgeteering toolkit.
• If subject to a Burning/Caustic Injury, instead apply the same rules as the Fragmented result, save the target is burnt into a neat little pile of ash. They are still inexplicably fine after the duration.
  

Cartoon Slapstick Injury Table

• (1-5) Bonked: A blow to your noggin has sent your head spinning (sometimes literally) and after stumbling about for a bit and saying something like "You should see the other guy" you slump to the ground, small cherub versions of the party's least cute member circling your head.
• Finish the Gag: You can be brought back into the fray with two Hearts restored if someone grabs you by the collar, shouts "SNAP OUT OF IT" and throttles you about a bit. This requires their action.
  
• (6-10) Perforated: Lo, you are ruptured. That last series of hits filled you full of holes, or a single large one. You take a moment to stare in awe before focus is taken elsewhere and you're perfectly fine without explanation when the injury is removed normally.
• Finish the Gag: If you take the time to drink a potion (or something similar) so it can proceed to leak out as if it was poured into a sieve, you regain two hearts and rejoin the action immediately.
  
• (11-15) Squashed: Your body, or a significant part of it, has been squashed flat like a pancake or  silly putty. You remain inert for the duration, once again inexplicably fine once the excitement has passed.
• Finish the Gag: You are restored and regain two hearts immediately if subjected to the Ballooned status ailment.
  
• (16-20) Fragmented: Crack! A solid strike has caused to shatter like glass, or a series of cuts has literally sliced you into ribbons. You fall into a neat pile on the spot, and (say it with me now) are inexplicably fine once things are finished
• Finish the Gag: You regain two hearts and can act again immediately if someone takes an action and expends a unit of glue or a use from a mending toolkit of some kind to put you back together.

 OK, really though...

These rules are intended as a silly gag, but if you've read this far and would like to actually use them in your game in some capacity, here are some suggestions:

• A particular adversary or type of adversary (such as a very strange unshaped, or magical creatures created with pen and ink) might use these rules instead of being dispatched normally, needing some special method to deal with them permanently. 
• An imbued item or potion might provide these effects as a "benefit" when used or imbibed.
  
• A wacky Elsewhere might use these rules for everyone within it to reflect it's strange nature.
• These rules might apply to an adventure site under the effect of a whimsy stone.
  

Setting: A Matter of Time

One of the things Outer Worlders find most curious about those from the Otherworld is how preoccupied with punctuality they are. Anyone with any experience with dimensional strays knows to expect a number of questions about their schedules when said stray finds out that the Sun Machine is locked in place.

They will ask: when do you work, when do you eat, and when do you sleep?

And those from Outer World will answer: when there is work to be done, when I am hungry, and when I am tired.

A barrage of other, increasingly confused inquiries inevitably follow. 

The truth is, the folk of Outer World simply aren't as concerned with the matter of time as someone from elsewhere may expect. Most settlements have some combination of a communal time piece and a caller for official business, but otherwise people are left to their own devices. Storefronts, inns, and other services are open whenever the owners find it practical. As long as what needs to be done is done very few people feel the desire to demand much else.

(Some scholars have asked Otherworlders what it's like where they come from, and the general conclusion is that it sounds dreadful.)

There are a few exceptions to the rule, of course. Paw-Post Couriers have to be a bit more focused on things due to the nature of their job. Those wealthy or fortunate enough to find themselves in the possession of a pocket watch or other portable clock often grow much more aware of the passing of time, generally to the chagrin of those around them as this knowledge often comes up when someone is "late". Finally, the nation of Old Iron is notorious for its strict and demanding schedules, which is considered to be nearly as unpleasant as all their war-mongering.

Freebie: Ocularion (Adversary)

This week's freebie started out as me making BREAK!!'s version of a certain popular game's iconic  floating eyeball monster and then throwing some curve balls with it. I cut down the amount of eyes to one, and opted to use existing BREAK!! rules to create a more game appropriate and slower acting version of a disintegration ray. I thought giving it the ability to link up with other Adversaries would give it a clear function as a useful minion for greater threats.

If you want to turn it into something a big closer to the inspiration creature, I'd up it's Rank to 8, make it a Mega-Boss, give it a legendary ability that allows it to fire more than one kind of status ailment beam a round, and remove it's bond ability to replace it with something that justified a slightly higher defense rating.

OCULARION

The melting ordeal of being perceived 

Introduction

• These strange flying eyeballs are theorized to be the result of ancient Calian bio-sorcery. Unsettling due to their odd vestigial claws and unceasing gaze, Ocularions are often found skulking around old ruins or in a symbiotic partnership with other monsters or magic users.

Menace Level

• Boss

Rank

• 6

Allegiance (Dark)

• 3 (Dark) 

• 1 (Light)

Home Region/Habitat

• Ocularion’s are most common in the Wistful Dark, but have managed to find themselves all over the Outer World.

Aptitudes (Observant, Mesmerizing, Fragile (+2 Insight, +1 Aura, -2 Grit)

Primary Aptitudes: Deftness, Insight, Aura

Secondary Aptitudes: Might, Grit

• Might [9]

• Deftness [10]

• Grit [7]

• Insight [12]

• Aura [11]

Combat Values

• Hearts [4]

• Attack [+4]

• Speed [Slow]

• Defense Rating [14]

Abilities

Fleshwarped Form (Standard, Species, Magic, Dark)

Ocularions are homunculi created by ancient magic and their physical forms reflect this. Their “bodies'' are enormous eyeballs that are about the size of an average human’s torso, with four sharp claws jutting out at different points in its circumference. 

• Ocularions have surprisingly sturdy bodies, granting them a natural Defense Rating of 14. They do not need to eat or breathe, managing to sustain themselves by absorbing mana.

• Ocularions are able to manipulate and grasp objects with their claws in the same way other humanoids can, though certain actions may be easier or more difficult thanks to their odd spherical shape. These claws are also able to strike as Standard Weapons.

Floating Eye (Standard, Species, Magic, Light)

Thanks to the arcane nature of their body, Ocularions move through a limited version of levitation.

• Ocularions are able to hover through the air.

• While they have a Speed Rating of Slow, they are able to avoid effects related to walking or crawling along the ground (such as the Perilous Battlefield Condition) among other advantages of being able to float.

Liquifying Gaze (Advanced, Magic, Dark)

The Ocularion’s most feared power is its oppressive glare, which has the ability to desolidify objects and individuals alike.

• Ocularions may use this Ability in one of two ways:

• They may target an Area up to 2 Areas away with their gaze. This takes an action and prompts a contest between the Ocularion’s Insight and the Grit scores of any individuals in the targeted Area. 

• If the Ocularion wins the contest against any of the targets, they are afflicted with the Jellyfied Status Ailment. This effect lasts for an hour unless otherwise dispelled.

• If a Jellyfied target is subject to this Ability, they automatically take 1 Heart of damage. If the target’s hearts are reduced to 0 or less by this method, they melt completely into formless sludge and are physically destroyed.

• They may also use this Ability to target objects in an attempt to sunder them. Each turn spent gazing on an object reduces its Hearts by 1. If the Object is not destroyed, hearts lost this way will be restored in an hour. This Ability can melt even magical materials, so it’s considered to be very powerful.

Shared Sight (Advanced, Magic, Dark)

Ocularions have the curious ability to telepathically bond with more powerful entities, allowing their ally to see what they see. It is theorized that they were created to be scouts and guardians for practitioners of dark magic.

• Ocularions are able to bond with individuals that have at least one Point of Dark Allegiance. Both parties must agree to the arrangement and the bond is established instantly. The bond may also be canceled at any time by either side.

• Ocularions may only bond with one individual, but said individual may bond with multiple Ocularions without hindrance.

• Those bonded with the Ocularion are able to communicate with them telepathically regardless of distance. They can also see whatever the Ocularion sees at any given moment.

• Either side of the bond will know if the other is unconscious or killed.

Communication Methods

• Ocularions communicate through a form of telepathy that involves sending messages in Dark Tongue though the flow of mana. They understand the spoken and signed components of that language as well.

Tactics

• Ocularion’s avoid direct combat whenever they can, often opting to try and keep away from an enemy and incapacitate or eliminate them with their melting gaze. Multiple Ocularions will often all use this ability on the same area at once for a truly devastating coordinated attack.

• They also tend to take advantage of their ability to float, trying to keep an Area or so above their targets or trying to escape via maneuverability if things aren’t going their way.

Yield

• Characters with the appropriate skills can harvest a Deliquescing Iris from a fallen Ocularion’s body.

Deliquescing Iris (Additive)

This part of the Ocularion’s eye hardens into a strange looking stone when exposed to the air. It makes for an interesting conversation piece, but also can be used to empower imbued items with the Ocularion’s powers.

• Attack: This item gains the use of the Ocularion’s Liquifying Gaze Ability. This Ability may only be used once every 24 Hours, unless the Imbued Item also incorporates a Spell Engine in its construction. Each additional use of this Ability in this 24 hour period takes a single charge from this Spell Engine.

• Eldritch: This item allows the bearer access to the Ocularion’s Shared Sight Ability. This differs from the normal version of this Ability in that the bearer may only use it with one person who they already have an existing social bond with.

• Price: 100 Coins per Unit

Miscellaneous

• Indicators - The unnerving feeling of being watched, the sound of something slowly cutting through the air, glop that may have vaguely humanoid features

• Roleplaying Notes - Ocularions are intelligent, observant, and curious but also have little understanding of social niceties and come off as cold and blunt in the best of situations. They may be merciful to those willing to converse with them.

• Customization  - There are almost certainly other variants of the Ocularion whose gaze causes dangerous versions of other status ailments.

Random Encounter Reaction

• Friendly/Benign (1-5)

• This Ocularion is currently not bonded to anyone, and wandering curiously about. Depending on the situation it may take interest in the party, and will respond to inquiries from them in kind.

• Indifferent/Wary (6-13)

• This Ocularion is bonded with an authoritative entity in the region, and constantly reports back what they see to them. It is no doubt suspicious of the party, and may retreat or attack if they give it reason to.

• Hostile/Bloodthirsty (14-20)

• This Ocularion is bonded with someone that has it out for the party and it is stalking them, waiting for them to enter a dangerous situation 

Variants and Related Entries

• The Ocularion’s gaze attack could be given to other creatures to represent things like breath weapons or hexes that target a wide area. 

Setting: Mariah Doeheart

One figure is on the cover of BREAK!!'s rulebook, featured on a completed character sheet in the back, and scattered in a few small illustrations throughout. This is Mariah Doeheart, a Battle Princess and a character conceived as the closest to an ideal BREAK!! adventurer as one could manage. She went through many iterations during the game's development, initially beginning as melancholy and serious sort but eventually transforming into the eager heroine she is at present.

This blog entry gives her a more detailed introduction in hopes of giving Players and Game Masters ideas for their own characters, as well as giving us a chance to flesh out our mascot a bit. So without further ado:

Mariah being a bit more excited for her next adventure than the rest of her party is

 

 

Her story so far...

Mariah Doeheart is quite fond of her given name. Her parents got it from a great heroine of the early 4th Aeon, a storied warrior who is said to have protected folk in the difficult times following the shattering of the Sun Machine. Her feats included driving off a shadow beast with a small retinue, helping found the first of the Shard cities, and negotiating peace with the Queen of Weeping Shadows. 

 

In contrast, Mariah herself earned the nickname "Poke" as a child due to her habit of getting into places she wasn't supposed to (including some dangerous Akenian ruins where a mysterious little creature she later named Churly Paws protected her) and it stuck with her until adulthood. As a result she has a habit of announcing herself before it's even requested, as if she's trying to make certain that people won't give her another unwanted sobriquet.

 

The child of Starlight Farmers, Mariah's days were split between learning the family trade and her aforementioned expeditions to the interesting places around her home. Her heart was never quite in agriculture, and she found herself yearning for new places to explore as she outgrew her previously favorite adventuring sites. By the time of her 20th birthday, it was clear that her younger sister was far more interested in inheriting the farm than she was and it freed her to move on. When a neighbor asked if the daring tenebrate would escort them to the city of Magia, Mariah took on the job and decided it was going to be a one way trip. She grabbed her things, exchanged a farewell note for a bag of her mom's cookies, and began her journey.

The trip turned out to be even more eventful than expected. She discovered her ability to call forth a Heart's Blade when she had to chase off a patrician who thought it would be fun to test his new sword out on the pair, found out her neighbor was an aspiring sage while assisting them with their first assignment, and even helped retrieve an important tome for a little wizard in grey (even if Mariah was partially responsible for it being lost in the first place). While these first few adventures were filled with close calls and stumbles, they also burned away any doubts or trepidation that Mariah had from leaving home. She'd found her calling.

Noting her enthusiasm, the little wizard even offered her a reward for another task - he needed someone to find a wayward fool of an Otherworlder and bring him back to Magia. With a new quest and a smile on her face, Mariah set out on another adventure.

Demeanor

Mariah is cheerful and enthusiastic, eager to make new friends and seek out new adventures. She'll introduce herself without hesitation, be the first to charge into a dangerous situation, and has a bad tendency to jump to conclusions here and again. While it can be a bit much at times, it's all part of her earnest nature. This, combined with her genuine (if sometimes clumsy) kindness, has earned her more than a few friends and allies.

 

She's also naturally gullible, but fortunately her Cry of the Heart ability has helped mitigate that quite a bit. 

Churly Paws, Mariah's feline-like Soul Companion, is her opposite in many ways. He's reluctant, sarcastic, and often suspicious of people he doesn't know. Sometimes a voice of reason for Mariah and other times just a grouch, he can still be counted on to always come through in the end.

 

Using Mariah in your games

While mostly intended as an example of a completed character sheet and a potential pre-generated character in the BREAK!! rulebook, Mariah can also be used as a Game Master Character. She might be the face of a party of rival adventurers, a friendly random encounter in an adventure site, or someone the players can meet and hire in a settlement.

 

If you like, an older, wiser, and higher Ranked version of Mariah might even be a mentor and quest giver for the party as well. Whether her adventures helped bolster her courage and eager nature or tempered them a bit is dependent on your version of Outer World.