CHAPTER 1: WELCOME TO ZWEIHANDER

ZWEIHÄNDER is a cooperative role-playing game This world is one where the upright perishes
set in a fantasy world of gothic horror. It’s a place while the unjust lingers. Society stands on the
of gallows humor, social intrigue, mystery, horror, edge of both existential and literal collapse. Order
and vendettas meted out using iron, tends to prevail over anarchy, but the cost is high.
blackpowder, and sorcery. While a brighter tomorrow exists, it is only for a
vaunted few.

What is Reforged Edition? Humanity & Forgotten Ancestries

ZWEIHÄNDER is humanocentric; thus, humans are
The Reforged Edition is an evolution of the the default ancestry in the game, and everyone
original Revised Core Rulebook and Starter Kit. It speaks their shared tongue. However, you can
isn’t a new edition but a remaster, applying also play one of the Forgotten: ancestries of
everything we’ve learned over the last six years of unusual history and ambitions, such as the
gameplay. It encompasses numerous changes to enigmatic masked siabra, living statues of pure
the core assumptions of gameplay and innocence called the awakened, and the
incorporates the feedback we’ve received from woodwose, dwellers of the under-root.
our playtesters and valuable community
feedback. It also provides a host of character
options and further refinements to the system.
Survivors, Not Adventurers
Chiefly, this book is backward compatible with It’s assumed that your player characters, called
the original game line. We’ve provided survivors, were ordinary people who never
conversion notes in the Reforged full book, so you strayed far from their place of birth. Eventually,
can bring your entire ZWEIHÄNDER library up to they confronted their own death and survived.
speed with this book. But they didn’t escape without a scar—one that
could be physical, emotional, or spiritual. This led
to an all-new outlook on life.
A Morally Gray World
Following this life-altering experience, your
This game is one of brutality, ruthlessness, survivor carries a memento of that near-fatal
comeuppance, and superstition. But it isn’t based moment. Leaving practically everything behind,
on the traditional dichotomy of good versus evil. your survivor banded together with others who’d
It is instead a game of moral nuance, cast in faced their own brush with death. Their lives are
shades of gray between rare extremes of black now filled with introspection, epiphany, and
and white. catharsis.

6
Superstition & Stratification Low Fantasy & High Stakes
An ever-present fear of the unknown compels the Monsters aren’t the only danger; people can be
social classes that dominate traditional society. equally monstrous. Villagers can readily drag a
People’s perceptions of the supernatural world tuned-up knight off their steed and beat them to
around them are just as crucial as the diseases a bloody pulp. And, in this game, there is no
that ravage the countryside. Superstition reigns remedy to reattach an arm hacked off by a
supreme. peasant’s sickle. There is no godly boon to wipe
away the shock of a friend being torn to pieces by
Most people are locked in a staid and fearful a raving mob. No prayers can revive the dead
existence. Aristocrats enjoy endless privilege, from the Well of Souls.
while the lowborn struggle to make ends meet.
Sandwiched in between are up-and-comers called In ZWEIHÄNDER, health doesn’t miraculously
commoners, who neither the aristocracy nor the recover overnight. Naps don’t heal stab wounds.
lowborn appreciate. Diseases are a real threat. People must eat,
recover from their illnesses, and take time to care
Occultism & Heresy for their wounds. But some scars—both physical
Ordinary people have little, if any, understanding and psychological—are just too deep to mend.
of the inner workings of magic. In fact, many have
an irrational fear of it. Those who call themselves Violence & Compassion
clerics or wizards are often venal charlatans In a dark fantasy world, death means something.
consumed by delusions of grandeur. However, mercy and sacrifice are more
meaningful. Your survivor stands against the
Though the gods are distant and uncaring, their disillusionment, pessimism, and depravity of
fickle gifts are sometimes bestowed upon a society.
vexing few. Those the gods reject steal power
from a place beyond reckoning called the Ethereal Given these considerations, it is easy to believe
Veil. True sorcerers are either worshiped by the that nihilism guides your survivor’s journey. But,
ignorant, publicly castigated by the fearful, or they’ve grown resilient against the horrors most
marked for death by the church. are so terribly susceptible to. It makes them some
of the only people capable of standing against the
darkness.
No More Heroes
This isn’t a game of zero to hero, but zero to one.
It’s not a story where your survivors will change
the world. Instead, the world will change them.
This is a personal story, one where survivors will
struggle to retain their sense of self as they root
around in the filth. There are no happy endings or
heroes, only people trying to survive.

7
Tragic Flaw & Inner Strength Mature Content & Safety Tools
ZWEIHÄNDER is intended to foster an
Your survivor will uncover profound mysteries, environment of maturity and respect. The story
reveal double dealings, and expose wickedness at will sometimes pit your survivors against enemies
its very core. Will they rise above the brutality or who use heinous, prejudicial, and other vile acts
become what they despise? The conflict between to justify their ends. Your survivors will fight
your Inner Strength and Tragic Flaw is at the heart against these institutions with all their might, just
of these stories. as we must confront prejudice in real life.

In their search for the truth about themselves and If your group needs a safety tool to guide their
the world around them, survivors often jump into experience, you’ll find one in Chapter 2: Learn To
horrific situations that will test their resolve. Play. You can also download Entreat the Darkness
Every trial gradually erodes the foundation of from DriveThruRPG.
who they are while desensitizing them. Too many
brushes with gray decision-making and terrifying
monsters can affect a survivor’s capacity for clear, Reading This PDF
rational thought. They will either adapt to it or
Most rules are written in the second person, i.e.,
surrender to the darkness.
speaking to you, the player, implying you are role-
playing a survivor. Unless explicitly stated
Bonds With Other Survivors otherwise, rules that apply to you also apply to
Despite its entropic grasp, the survivor’s foes and creatures the Game Master controls.
psychological struggle is vital to the story. It
drives many of the underlying themes of this Throughout the book, we use the singular “they”
game and promotes a concrete reason for and its inflected forms—them and their—for non-
survivors to band together and rage against the specific or unknown genders.
dying of the light. Their Bonds inform how they
survive in a world poised against them. Capitalized words in Bold are terms relevant to
gameplay, and when underlined and bold,
Hope is often a pale glimmer, and even a they’re chapter references. Light sepia boxes are
significant victory is just a footnote in the annals for everyone to read, dark red boxes are tips for
of history. Don’t let this discourage you, though— the gamemaster, white boxes are instructions to
what survivors do together in the present matters follow, and gray boxes are for gameplay
most. examples.

This PDF is not representative of the layout,

artwork, or final product. Some options not
included in this PDF.

Share your experiences on our Discord at

https://discord.gg/Zweihander

8
Our Themes & Inspirations
Dark Fantasy: Kentaro Miura’s Berserk

Ethical Dilemma: The Witcher

Folk Horror: The VVitch

Folk Tales: Grimms’ Fairy Tales

Gothic Horror: Bloodborne

High Action: Brotherhood of the Wolf

Historic Accounts: Thirty Years’ War

Medieval Mystery: Black Death

Mercenary Stories: The Black Company

Occult Magic: Vagrant Story

Politicking: Tactics Ogre

Profession-based System: WFRP

Psychoactive Journeys: A Field in England

Renaissance RPG: Maelstrom

Soap Operas: Game of Thrones

Supernatural Threats: Castlevania

9
 CHAPTER 2: LEARN TO PLAY

The golden rule is this: keep the game moving

forward! If you forgot a specific rule, ignore it and In each scene, you’ll participate in the four pillars
look it up later. If a rule gets in the way of having of gameplay, with each requiring your wits,
fun, work together to create a house rule for your words, and weapons to survive. You’ll often talk
table. “in-character” in narrative time, a free-flowing
back-and-forth form of storytelling called
narrative scenes.

How Gameplay Works

When narrative scenes become tense, you will
The game uses an intuitive percentile dice (d100) engage in intrigue scenes. When a scene leads to
system. It produces fast, meaningful results by you trying to escape or if an enemy runs away,
removing rolls and bookkeeping that don’t keep you will switch to a chase scene. You'll use travel
the action moving. Complexity is layered in scenes for long periods of travel across the
slowly, and rules can be easily ignored in favor of wilderness. However, whenever you battle
telling a compelling story. against foes to further the story, you’ll move into
structured time for a fight scene. These scenes
When you and some friends sit down to play a frequently cross over with one another.
game, it’s called a session. They tend to last from
1 to 3 hours in the real world. You’ll need Multiple scenes strung together make up an
anywhere from two to six friends to play a adventure, and they can transpire over hours,
session, but it can also be played one-on-one. days, weeks, months, or years of in-game time
(the passage of time from your survivor’s
Your player characters, called survivors, are the perspective). Time in-game moves in flux with the
focus of the session and central to the story. The story, sometimes moment-by-moment, other
rules are designed to present you with times fast-forwarded and even backward for
meaningful choices. This is a tense tabletop role- flashback scenes as needed.
playing game, with fights happening at decisive
moments. Words can be just as dangerous as A series of adventures is called a campaign,
weapons, so use both to your advantage. where your survivors will change and grow with
the travails they face.
Every session will include one or more challenges
guided by a storyteller/rules referee called the Unlike board games, the only way to “win” in
Game Master. Your sessions move in a free- ZWEIHÄNDER is to have a good time. Together,
flowing, scene-by-scene conversation like a you’ll go on perilous undertakings. Your survivor
television show. And whenever a critical situation will win hearts and minds by being bold in the
arises with uncertain outcomes, the GM will have face of danger. They’ll undergo personal trials and
you use dice to determine what happens. take on indelible scars. But the stories you tell

10
and the memories you make with one another Inner Strength and Tragic Flaw in tense
will allow everyone to win. situations.

At the end of every session, you will gain Reward

Setting the Mood
Points (called RP), a form of metacurrency you
To fully enjoy the game, find a quiet place to
will spend to Unlock your survivor’s abilities.
play, get snacks, put on some thematic music,
Spending RP is not a consideration of Session
and remember to hydrate! If playing remotely,
Zero.
ensure you’ve got the right tools, such as
Roll20, Foundry Virtual Tabletop, or
conferencing software like Zoom. Being The Game Master
One of your friends (or maybe even you!) will
take on the challenging role of the Game Master
Role-playing a Survivor (GM hereafter). A GM is the lead storyteller,
You and your friends play characters called conjuring up an adventure’s dark horrors and
survivors. They were once average, everyday unusual mysteries. You’ll control other friends
people (as average as you could be in a medieval- and enemies the survivors interact with and the
inspired, dark fantasy world). But they faced their monsters they fight.
death and somehow survived, forever changed by
their experience. Your survivor finds themselves
Survivors, Allies & Foes
among others who’ve also lived to tell the tale
Survivors are always player characters, while
and have embarked on a new path.
others controlled by the GM are called non-
player characters (NPCs) or creatures. An ally is
Your survivors are the story's main character.
any living or unliving NPCs willing to participate
You’ll role-play as if you are them: acting, feeling,
in your cause (you are also your own ally). Foes
and thinking like them. This also means you’re
are someone who isn’t you or an ally.
responsible for highlighting their strengths and
weaknesses while playing to the relationships
they’ve built with other survivors. This game accommodates a playstyle where role-
playing drives the story, but you and the players
Survivors are damaged people looking for are partners in telling the story. Skip the
answers. Their methods and views are likely very mundane parts of the adventure, focusing on
different from yours, but they are still a person action, intrigue, and mystery.
with feelings, hopes, and dreams.
Finally, you’re the rules referee, making final
Reward Points game mechanic decisions. Making rulings is far
more important than mastering the rules. Focus
In some tabletop role-playing games, killing
on moving the story forward if the session slows
fantastical monsters and plundering dungeons
to a crawl.
are the typical ways to improve characters.
However, ZWEIHÄNDER encourages players to
be rewarded for role-playing their survivor’s
11
What to Expect Step 5: Scenes Don’t Always Have To Culminate
In A Fight Scene; Some May Break Into A Chase,
A session tends to work like this: An Investigation, A Tense Negotiation, And
Journeys. When other kinds of scenes come to a
Step 1: The GM Sets The Scene By Describing close, the GM moves players back to the first
What Your Survivors See And Experience. A step, and so on. Fluidity is critical, so these steps
scene is drawn from a written undertaking or should change and flow with the story as needed.
campaign but may also be a story of their
devising. It’ll play towards your survivor’s senses Acting & Narrating
and present story hooks for them to follow up on. Some players act out their survivor’s actions using
In the included adventure, The Chateau, the GM improv in the first person. Others prefer to
will likely read the boxed text aloud to set the narrate their actions, explaining them in the third
scene. person. Mix these styles up as needed:

Step 2: You Will Interact With Other Players And

Friendly Or Unfriendly Creatures In The Scene, Tim (As Cale Marius), Acting: With his sword in
Saying How Your Survivor Reacts To What They hand, I say, “Lay down your arms, or die in
Discover. In a free-flowing conversation, you’ll obscurity!”
ask the GM questions about your survivor’s
surroundings and situations. The GM will ask you Tim (As Cale Marius), Narrating: Cale draws his
to write down on index cards the names of rapier and says something menacing that will
people you meet, new places you uncover, and scare the cutthroats into dropping their
essential things you discover (called weapons!
People/Places/Things Cards). A GM will call for
dice rolls when activities have potential risks.

Step 3: The GM Describes How The World Reacts

To Your Choices And Narrates The Outcome.
Every survivor is an individual with different
agendas and interests. A GM will sometimes ask
you to talk specifically about what your survivor is
doing and how they feel. Other times, they will
ask how you as a group will proceed.

Step 4: If A Scene Erupts Into A Fight, You’ll Use

Dice To Drive The Drama. Using the abilities from
your survivor sheet, the GM pits you against
mundane and terrifying monsters. A fight usually
ends in retreat, surrender, or death.

12
Flashback Scenes Special Dice
With GM approval, players can set scenes to flesh
out their survivor’s backstory. These scenes can Six-Sided Die (d6): These are typically used for
take place in the present or as a flashback. inflicting Damage with Combat-based Skill Tests.
You’ll generate results from 1 to 6. Rolling high on
a d6 is good!
Adam (As Tuck Fitzroy): I want to set a scene
that happened in the past where he could have For purposes of dealing Damage and Peril, when
extracted the name of the cutthroat’s leader. I you roll face "6", roll another 1d6 and add it to
want it to give me an upper hand in this the total. There is no cap to the number of face
situation. “6s” you can roll.

GM: Yep! Okay, so we cut away to Tuck. He’s at Ten-Sided Die (d10): These are used for rolling
a winesink with one of his goons and is deep in Initiative and Peril, falling, fire, and Damage with
his cups. Adam, what would you suggest spells. Always treat face “0” as a value of 10
happens in this scene? unless rolling percentile dice. Rolling high on d10
is good!
Pausing A Scene
This book will teach you to tell engaging, mature, For purposes of dealing Damage and Peril, when
and nuanced stories. Consent and agreement are you roll face "10", roll another 1d10 and add it to
vital to collaborative storytelling. To achieve that, the total. There is no cap to the number of face
everyone must have a fun, inclusive gaming “10s” you can roll.
experience. But that doesn’t mean you must
avoid visceral scenes of brutality and terror. Percentile Dice (d100): These are a pair of
differently-colored 10-sided dice. One die is the
If uncomfortable content comes up, you can tens die, and the other differently-colored die is
Pause the Scene by crossing your hands in front the units die. Rolling low on d100 is good!
of your face, like an X. All action stops so that you
can speak aloud (or write it on a piece of paper Rolling d100 is how you calculate your chances to
for the GM to read privately) the discomforting succeed at doing things in the game. You’ll
content. You never have to provide reasoning as generate results ranging from 1% to 100%.
to why it makes you feel that way. The GM will
then recalibrate the scene. Reading Unusual Dice Results
Face “6” on tens & face “9” on units = 69%
For further guidance, download the free Entreat Face “9” on tens & face “6” on units = 96%
The Darkness TTRPG Safety Tool at Face “0” on tens & face “0” on units = 100%
DriveThruRPG. Face “0” on tens & face “1” on units = 1%
Face “1” on tens & face “0” on units = 10%

13
Primary Attributes Skills Descriptions
Combined with your Primary Attributes, Skills
Primary Attributes represent all creatures’ raw
determine how effectively you can perform
physical, mental, and social capabilities. They
specific actions in the game. Each Skill Rank
range in numeric values between 32% to 65%.
confers a +10% cumulative bonus to use a Skill (to
The higher the value, the more likely you will
a maximum of three Ranks or +30%). However,
succeed in your actions.
you don’t need Ranks to try Testing a Skill.

Agility is your speed, dexterity, and physical Every Skill below is listed by its proper name. The
readiness. related Primary Attribute follows, briefly
describing how it can be used. Talk with the GM if
Brawn is your durability, endurance, and you want to use a Skill differently.
physicality.

Combat is your ability to use standard weapons Athletics

and blackpowder.
(Brawn-based): Participating in feats of strength.
Fellowship is your charisma, likability, and It reflects your ability to climb surfaces and ropes,
social savvy. tread water and swim without tiring, propel
vessels while rowing, overpower others in
Intelligence is your ability to learn, spatial contests of strength, and push heavy objects.
recognition, and mathematics.

Perception is for your five standard senses and Awareness

ability to react. (Perception-based): Noticing minute details and
sounds, eavesdropping, lipreading, and spotting
Willpower is your mental resolve and force for snares designed to trap or kill. You’ll also use it to
magic. gather information through the five senses. For
understanding motives or using memory, use
Insight.

Skills & Tests

GM Tip: Don’t Roll to Find Clues
Sooner or later, a decisive situation will arise, a If players describe that they are searching an area
point of no return that a conversation alone with Awareness, never have them roll dice to find
cannot fix. Then it’s time to break out d100 to roll clues or traps. Let them discover it freely,
a Skill Test! Simply describe an action you want to requiring Tests to deduce their meaning or how
take, and the GM will tell you which Skill to Test. to disarm them.
Ranks in a Skill, combined with Ranks in its related
Primary Attribute, determine what dice to roll.

14
Blackpowder Folklore
(Combat-based): Wielding weapons that utilize (Intelligence-based): Knowing the histories and
alchemical substances as a propellant. It allows notable people of the world. It also confers an
you to safely handle small and large quantities of understanding of other cultures. It is also the
blackpowder while knowing how to load and practice of worshiping the principal gods of the
adequately fire them. This covers the gamut of known world. For deeper knowledge about the
both one and two-handed blackpowder weapons. higher mysteries of magic, use Occultism.

Coordination Gamble
(Agility-based): Being dexterous, maintaining (Intelligence-based): Fixing fights and playing
balance, and moving gracefully. You can use this parlor games such as cards, darts, and dice. You
Skill to escape restraints, avoid falling debris, and can use it to spot common mistakes, assess risky
manipulate objects delicately. It also can be used maneuvers, and prey upon your opponents’
to stay on your feet. weaknesses. It’s also used to cheat at games of
chance.

Craft Guile
(Willpower-based): Create useful supplies, such (Fellowship-based): Using bluster, intimidation,
as blackpowder, laudanum, and weapons. You and underhandedness to get what you want. Use
can also use it to jury-rig items, counterfeit it to manipulate others’ feelings and to hide
money, falsify writing, and create false works of emotions or motives. It’s also used to play word
art. games. To inspire others, use Persuasion.

Handling
Disguise (Brawn-based): Domesticating and training of
(Fellowship-based): Acting as another social class common animals. You can also sail water vessels,
and hiding your identity from others. The more from large ships to small rowboats. It also
you know about the people or person you’re represents your ability to drive stagecoaches and
trying to hide from or mimic, the more effective other vehicles. Finally, it covers animal care and
your disguise is. For hiding intentions and maintenance of vehicles and vessels.
motives, use Guile.
Insight
(Perception-based): Remembering events and
sensing underlying intentions. It relies on hearing
and vision. For your normal five senses, use
Awareness.

15
Leechcraft Persuasion
(Intelligence-based): Understanding the spiritual (Fellowship-based): Change attitudes, beliefs, or
workings of the body and how the wounded can emotions, and haggling over prices. You can also
be treated by paying heed to the temperaments. use it to entertain, write poetry, and provide
It is used to Bind Wounds to heal Damage, leadership. For lies, false accounts, or con games,
Bloodletting for diseases, and treat Afflictions and use Guile. To intimidate someone, use Guile.
Injuries with Chirurgery.

Layman’s View of Medicine Ranged

Modern ideas about germs and bacteria are (Combat-based): Wielding weapons used at a
unknown. Sickness is attributed to excess distance. This includes shooting bows, targeting
humours (bodily fluids), miasma (bad air), and with arbalests, and throwing weapons. It also
the influence of evil spirits. To that end, allows you to perform general repairs on them.
Leechcraft represents the knowledge of For firearms, use Blackpowder.
physiology and its interconnection with the
spiritual world.

Melee Resolve
(Combat-based): Wielding makeshift and other (Willpower-based): Keeping calm under pressure.
handheld weapons. It allows you to identify other It allows you to steel your mind, focusing on your
melee weapons and make simple repairs. It also inner strength to resist mental Peril. You can also
allows you to cobble together new makeshift extract answers from an unwilling subject
weapons from new and used materials. through interrogation using physical and
psychological torture.

Occultism Stealth
(Willpower-based): Channeling the divine magic (Agility-based): Using concealment in the
of a deity from the Well of Souls and weaving the wilderness, hiding in crowds, and causing
strands of the arcane from beyond the Ethereal distractions to move about without being seen or
Veil. It can identify strange symbols, interpret heard. You can also lay in wait to ambush others.
omens, and form pacts with entities from the Stalking someone in a group and hiding caches of
Vault of Night. loot or hiding horses and vehicles are also part of
this Skill.

16
Survival In the middle of a fight with a watchman,
(Perception-based): Determining routes using Sarah’s survivor, Suspirianci, wants to rig a
landmarks and the stars. You know about local lantern with a charge of blackpowder to
flora and fauna and can live off the land, hunt, explode. She is currently at -5% to Skill Tests on
and forage for food. It also confers street the Peril Condition Track, so Suspirianci begins
knowledge and how to navigate safely through with a -5%.
local gangs and politics.
Step 2: State An Action Your Survivor Will Take,
And The GM Will Declare The Difficulty Rating Of
Thievery The Test And The Skill You Need To Roll For.
(Agility-based): Performing sleight of hand and Difficulty Rating imparts additional ease or
picking pockets. You can bypass locked doors and hardship to a Test. Most are treated as (Normal
chests without a key, disable security +/0%). But sometimes, the GM will assign
contrivances and elaborate traps, and use simple hardship or ease (Difficulty Rating) due to
misdirection to palm objects. To sneak, use external factors:
Stealth, and for lies, use Guile.
Easy: +20% To Your Skill Test

Toughness Normal: +/-0% to Your Skill Test

(Brawn-based): Leaning on your stamina and
Hard: -20% To Your Skill Test
endurance to overcome fatigue. It reflects the
ability to undergo exposure to the elements,
avoid physical Peril, and hold your breath The GM tells Suspirianci to roll a Hard
underwater. To resist horrific situations, use Blackpowder Test. She is suffering a -5% on Skill
Resolve. Tests from the Peril Condition Track, and the
Test is (Hard -20%), making it a -25%.
Rolling a Skill Test
Step 1: Before Stating An Action You Wish To
Step 3: Find The Skill On Your Survivor Sheet And
Take, Determine How Stressed And Tired Your
Count The Skill Ranks You’ve Unlocked. Each
Survivor Is By Looking At The Peril Condition
Rank adds +10%. You can still try a Test even if
Track. It represents the hardship your survivor
you don’t have Ranks in a Skill.
has endured between periods of rest. The value
ranges from no penalty to -20%.
Suspirianci is at -5% from the Peril Condition
Track, and the Difficulty Rating is (Hard -20%).
Since she has three Skill Ranks in Blackpowder
(+30%), she’d have a 5%.

17
Step 4: Find The Primary Attribute Value Related Finally, you can choose to automatically fail a Test
To The Skill And Add It To This Value. Primary at any time (such as having your survivor become
Attributes represent your raw mental, physical, Drunk).
and spiritual capabilities. Every Skill is related to
one Primary Attribute, with a value ranging from Crit Success & Crit Failure
32% to 65%. Sometimes, when you roll a d100, the first
number on the tens die matches the unit die
Suspirianci is at -5% from the Peril Condition (such as rolling a face “3” on your tens die and a
Track, and the Difficulty Rating is (Hard -20%), face “3” on your unit die). This results in two
but she has three Skill Ranks in Blackpowder outcomes:
(+30%) for a total adjustment of +5%.
Blackpowder is related to her Combat value of Critical Success: You achieved what you wanted
59%, so she’d have 64%. in a daring way! Along with succeeding on your
Test, you also trigger other special effects tied to
fight actions, spells, Talents, or a narrative
Step 5: Grab d100, Call Out To The GM What
benefit. However, you cannot re-roll a Critical
Your Total Chance Is, And Roll The Dice. Your
Success using Fortune Coins or Talents.
total chance can be at most 99% but cannot be
less than 1%. If the results are equal to or less
than your total chance, you succeed at the Test. If Suspirianci has a 64% chance on her
the results exceed the total chance, you fail the Blackpowder Test. To Critically Succeed, she’d
Test. If the dice show matching numbers (such as have to roll a 55%, 44%, 33%, 22%, or 11%.
a ‘4’ and ‘4’), you generate either a Critical
Success or Critical Failure. Critical Failure: You messed up in a memorable
way! Along with failing your Test, you also trigger
Suspirianci has a 64% chance on her other special effects tied to fight actions, spells,
Blackpowder Test. She rolls a 46%. Suspirianci and Talents, or a narrative drawback. However,
succeeded on her Test! you cannot re-roll a Critical Failure using Fortune
Coins or Talents.

Success & Failure

Suspirianci has a 64% chance on her
The context of the scene or the GM will interpret
Blackpowder Test. To Critically Fail, she’d have
what happens whenever you succeed on a Test.
to roll a 66%, 77%, 88%, or 99%.
Whenever you fail, however, something goes
wrong. The GM will work with you to narrate
those consequences. Always remember that Rolling 01% Or 100%: A result of 1% (faces “0”
failure must not stop the story completely. Even and “1”) is always treated as a Critical Success,
when a player fails, there must be a way forward– and a result of 100% (faces “0” and “0”) is always
perhaps at the cost of time, risk, or sacrifice. The treated as a Critical Failure.
GM will be the ultimate judge.

18
Assist Die Fail Forward
You can help other survivors with their Skill Tests. Sometimes, a failed Test doesn’t always mean
Some weapons and Talents can also contribute. total failure. For example, when you’re sneaking,
To assist on a Test, you must have at least one a GM may ask for a Stealth Test. The
Skill Rank in the Skill being Tested. Hand 1d10 to circumstances may be so much in your favor that
the player you’re assisting. failing the Test won’t reveal your location, but it
might alert guards to the presence of an intruder.
Unlike regular Tests, you will roll 2d10. Pick the
better result (usually, the lower number) for your Instead of outright failing your Test on a failure,
tens die. Then, assess the units die by rolling a the GM will declare that it’s Fail Forward (e.g., roll
separate 1d10 to determine the outcome. a Fail Forward Athletics Test to climb). Failure
Calculate your final result to see if you succeeded would result in suffering 1d10+1, 2d10+2, or
or failed the Test. You can only take advantage of 3d10+3 Peril, based on the relative challenge and
1 Assist Die on a Test. conditions of the Test a GM assigns. However,
Critical Failures still have tragic results (such as
falling while climbing).
Pipistrella has a Skill Rank in Blackpowder and
offers to help Suspirianci concoct her
Blackpowder explosive device. Suspirianci rolls Flip To Succeed
2d10 and produces a result of “9” and “5”. She In exceptional cases, you will Flip To Succeed in
picks the result of “5” for the tens die, then rolls the dice results. Roll your units and tens dice
a final 1d10 and comes up with a “3”. This together, but don’t designate which die is which.
produces a calculated result of 53%. Instead, compare both outcomes and pick the
most favorable result.

Hindrance Die
What if Suspirianci could Flip To Succeed in
In certain situations, you may suffer a Hindrance
Blackpowder Tests? If she’d rolled 95%,
Die. It works nearly the same as above, but
Suspirianci would “flip” the dice, treating it as
instead of rolling 2d10 for your tens die value and
choosing the better result, pick the worst one. 15% (the better result).
You can only suffer 1 Hindrance Die on a Test.

Edge Cases: If you are faced with a situation

where you gain an Assist Die but suffer a
Hindrance Die, they cancel each other out.

19
Flip To Fail Attacker’s Difficulty Defender’s Difficulty
Sometimes, you will be asked to Flip To Fail the Rating Was . . . Rating Is . . .
dice results. Roll your units and tens dice
together, but don’t designate which die is which.
Hard −20% Easy +20%
Instead, compare both outcomes and pick the
worst result.
Normal +/−0% Normal +/−0%

What if Suspirianci was in a situation that called

Easy +20% Hard −20%
for her to Flip To Fail on Blackpowder Tests? If
she’d rolled 18%, Suspirianci would “flip” the
dice, treating it as 81% (the worse result).
Suspirianci’s Blackpowder Test was (Hard -20%)
to rig a lantern to explode. The watchman who
Edge Cases: You cannot flip the results of 1% or picks it up gets an (Easy +20%) Coordination
100%. Furthermore, if you Flip To Succeed and Test to avoid the explosion.
the situation calls for Flip To Fail, they cancel each
other out.

Narrate The Outcome Exceptions-based Mechanics

Remember: everyone is telling a shared story. This is a game of exceptions-based rules, and
Rolling Skill Tests represents a pivotal moment– effects don’t stack. This means that if a fight
begin by outlining your desired outcome so action, effect, spell, or Talent makes an exception
everyone understands the stakes. After rolling the to a core rule, the exception takes precedence.
dice, interpret the result and narrate the events.
Explain your survivor’s actions, speech, and
thoughts.
Distance, Size, & Time
Horizontal Distance: Measured in paces. 1 pace is
Resisting Effects equal to 2 steps. Human cultures sometimes say
something is “a stone's throw away,” a walking
You will sometimes be required to resist a foe’s distance of less than 1 minute. There are 1,560
effects. The Difficulty Rating always translates paces in a mile. Three miles is equal to 1 league.
into the opposite value on the chart. However, if
a foe rolls a Critical Success, you cannot attempt Personal Height: Measured in stature. Folk often
to resist (and visa versa). say that a person is Small, Average, Large, Huge,
or Gargantuan in stature. Animals tend to be
Small, humans are Average, while water panthers
that prowl the swamps are Large. Giraffes that
wander distant vistas are Huge, whereas the

20
behemoths of the sea hunted for their blubber Change a d6: When you or someone else rolls
are Gargantuan.
1d6, spend 1 Fortune Coin to treat the result as
face “6”. However, you cannot spend more
Building Height: Measured in storeys. A storey is than 1 Fortune Coin to change multiple dice
equal to the height of 3 Average people. A into their highest value on the same Turn.
tower's height is typically 3 storeys, a castle keep
is usually 15 storeys, whereas the stars in the Gain an Action Point: In a fight scene, spend 1
Vault of Night are impossible to measure. Fortune Coin to gain 1 Action Point (AP). There
is no limit to the number of Fortune Coins you
Vertical Height For Weapons: When measuring can spend to gain AP on the same Turn.
distances with weapons for vertical height, simply
assume 6 paces equals 1 storey. Reduce Damage or Peril: Immediately after
suffering Damage or Peril, spend 1 Fortune Coin
Time: 1 minute is equal to 60 moments. Human and roll 1d10. Reduce the Damage or Peril you
cultures sometimes call 1 hour “a stone’s turn" suffered by the value you rolled. If you roll face
(the distance it takes for the sun to move 1 hour "10", roll another 1d10 and add it to the total.
on a sundial). There is no cap to the number of face “10s” you
can roll. However, you cannot spend more than
Hours & Weeks: 6 hours is equal to 1 shift. There 1 Fortune Coin on the same Turn.
are 4 shifts in a day. Most human cultures tend to
work 2 shifts a day, 6 days a week, taking a day of Re-roll a Skill Test: Immediately after you roll a
religious observance off work. d100, spend 1 Fortune Coin to re-roll it, but you
must accept the results. You cannot spend a
Calendar & Year: One week is 7 days, 28 days a Fortune Coin to re-roll a Critical Failure.
month, and 336 days a year. Human cultures call
the days Firstday, Seconday, Thirdday, etc. The
months are the Lairs of the Zodiac, named after Fortune Begets Misfortune
the 12 constellations that rise closest to the Whenever a player uses a Fortune Coin, it
northern star. Most people mark each of the four immediately converts into a Misfortune Coin and
solstices as the turn of the seasons from spring, goes into the GM’s Misfortune Pool.
summer, autumn, and winter. Heavenly bodies
make one cycle around the world in 1 year. The GM may use Misfortune Coins to take
advantage of the above benefits for NPCs and
creatures they control. Once a GM spends a
Fortune & Misfortune Coins Misfortune Coin, it transfers back into the
When the dice don’t work in your favor, you can players’ Fortune Pool as a Fortune Coin.
call upon a dramatic resource to even the odds.
Once a session formally starts, players can spend
1 Fortune Coin from a shared pool to gain any of
these benefits:

21
Resetting Fortune & Misfortune want to omit from future ones? Were there any
When the session ends, all Fortune & Misfortune house rules you wanted to introduce or change?
Coins are set aside, and the ritual to determine
the Fortune & Misfortune Pools begins anew. Ending a Session
The GM will ask players 3 questions about the
session. Based on the answers, each player will
Gameplay Rituals
individually record Reward Points (RP hereafter)
When you start or end a session, follow these earned for that session. RP should be spent
rituals to bookend it: before a session begins or at the very end of it to
unlock new abilities.
Starting a Session
All Players Roll Initiative: The GM needs a The Three Questions
formalized structure to control the flow. Each
player rolls 2d10 and adds it to their survivor’s Did you show up to the session? Gain 50 RP
Initiative Modifier. One player records the results,
highest to lowest, on a piece of paper or a marker Did you call upon one of your Tragic Flaws at
board called the Initiative Ladder, visible to least once? Gain 50 RP
everyone. Fortune and Misfortune Coins cannot
be used to modify Initiative. Did you call upon one of your Inner Strengths
at least once? Gain 50 RP
Set Fortune & Misfortune Pools: As a session
begins, every player rolls 1d6. For every dice that
The players talk about the session & spend RP.
lands on faces “1 to 5”, put 1 Fortune Coin into a
Guided by the GM, each player will go around the
shared bowl in front of players (the Fortune Pool).
table to briefly chat about how the story
If it lands on face "6", put 1 Misfortune Coin into
impacted their survivor. Did the story lead to new
a bowl for the GM (the Misfortune Pool). The GM
understandings? Were there any house rules you
then puts 1 free Misfortune Coin into the
wanted to introduce or change? Spend any RP to
Misfortune Pool.
Unlock abilities.

Players Participate In “Previously On . . .” The

Finally, plan for the next time you’ll gather for the
GM will kick off a reminder of the last session.
next session!
Then, players will recap what happened and
review their People/Places/Things Cards. Did they
make new allies or enemies? Did your survivors
unearth a deadly secret? Did any uncomfortable
content come up from a previous session you

22
 CHAPTER 3: YOUR LIFEPATH
Players and the GM should be in the same space their trust. Your survivor may even be one of the
to create their survivors together. This is a time Forgotten ancestries.
when you'll spend an hour setting the tone,
discussing what you want to see in the game, The Third Truth: Cultural identity binds
and taking the dice for a test drive. communities together as feudal bastions against
the unknown. However, these ties can also
construct walls between groups or sow discord
from within. Prejudice sometimes manifests
The Nine Truths
between the haves and the have-nots. In your
ZWEIHÄNDER provides the rules of gameplay; case, it is related to the envy of your betters (or
worldbuilding is the responsibility of the GM. their envy of you).
However, nine fundamental truths will inform
your mindset around creating your survivor. The Fourth Truth: You pay healthy respect to
superstitions and the deities but fear their
influence over the future. The three principal
Every player should meet and work together
gods of humankind are the Learner, the Martyr,
to create their survivors. Print out a survivor
and the Steward. Some pray to the Custodian, a
sheet for each player. Everyone will also need
dying god who stands at the threshold of the
a d100, 2 paper clips, and a pencil.
Well of Souls. They even beseech forbidden
entities, like the Crouching One, for vengeance.
Before creating your survivors, take turns
But all recognize the Nightfather's influence over
reading the Nine Truths aloud.
fortune and misfortune. Heed the gods and their
warnings.
The First Truth: In the world you know, it is a
time in which humanity abounds. Retribution The Fifth Truth: You accept that the delicate
and violence are hallmarks of the world you live equilibrium of black and yellow bile, blood, and
in—the stench of venality wafts from every phlegm forms the cornerstones of medicine. To
cobbled street and gloomy hillside. You know address disease, it is customary to partake in
little of the place beyond where you were raised peculiar potions, engage in bizarre rituals, and
but have grown accustomed to this harsh reality. give homage to rustic barber surgeons who are
treated as well as the village parson. You pay
The Second Truth: Elves and other ancestries of ”tithe” to these surgeons to treat your maladies
the dawn age are mostly extinct. Collectively, and wounds, spiritual or otherwise.
these folk are called the Forgotten. Their species
come from civilizations that fell long ago and are
more extraordinary than humans. The Forgotten The Sixth Truth: You know that people who
have only recently resurfaced to the modern practice the “higher mysteries” of magic have
world, and seek a place to belong. These either negotiated part of their soul with a
outcasts should make great allies if you can earn
23
godhead or stolen their power. The interwoven The Die Is Cast
threads of the Ethereal Veil keep unfettered
magic from seeping into the living world. If you Your survivor is a mosaic of a strange but
practice magic, your spells must be hidden from compelling mix of traits that may seem at odds
the naïve, as they fear it, and from other as you move through the survivor creation
sorcerers, who seek to steal its secrets from you. process. Diversity is a strength, and differences
between your survivors will create memorable,
The Seventh Truth: Whether young or old, lasting stories.
human or elf, a peasant or a sellsword, you have
spent years in your Profession. Your life, shaped Randomly Generated Lifepath
by your upbringing, has been relatively If you are a first-time player of ZWEIHÄNDER
conventional. Staying close to your birthplace, Reforged, we strongly encourage you to
you've established strong connections within the randomly generate your survivor, so you can
community where your skills and trade thrive. experience how a lifepath system works.
But something terrible happened in your recent
past. If you prefer a more customized build, choose
what works best to fit the vision for your
The Eight Truth: You faced your doom and died, survivor.
but somehow reawoke three days later. . .and a
new path has been laid before you. This
extraordinary experience pulled you away from
the life and community you knew and set you Your Birth
down a newer, darker path. You have found
other survivors who also faced a near-death Your lot has already been decided by the
experience. Drawn together as a bulwark against Nightfather, favoring no person over another.
the world's cruelty, your stories will be filled
with discovery, pain, and catharsis. Step 1: Tier
There are three levels of play called Tiers. Each
The Ninth Truth: As you embark on this new represents your survivor's collective experiences
journey, you will be put into situations over the course of the story. There are three
challenging your morals and beliefs. Will you Tiers: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. You
rage against the dying of the light as a glimmer begin gameplay in Basic Tier.
of hope? Will you struggle in the morass of
compromise? Or will you simply embrace these Mark on the second page of your survivor
dark times for opportunistic ends? The answer is sheet that you are in Basic Tier.
not simple but defines what it means to be a
survivor.

24
Step 2: Ancestry d100 All Ancestries
ZWEIHÄNDER is humanocentric and
1 to 2 Awakened
cosmopolitan; thus, humans are the default
ancestry, and everyone speaks their shared Dhampyr - Unavailable In
tongue. However, you can also play any of the 3 to 4 Session Zero
Forgotten ancestries, those of unique historical 5 to 6 Dwarf
and cultural traditions. 7 to 8 Elf

Languages: If you are human, you speak Auld 9 to 10 Fane

(the common tongue) and a cultural tongue your 11 to 12 Firbolg
GM will help you define. If you are one of the
13 to 14 Gargoyle
Forgotten, you know your ancestral tongue and
Auld. 15 to 16 Grendel
17 to 86 Human
Ancestral Talents: People are individuals but
87 to 88 Midfolk
share a uniquely grouped set of traditions
passed down from generation to generation. Selkie - Unavailable In Session
These Ancestral Talents illustrate regional and 89 to 90 Zero
cultural diversity within their own kind while 91 to 92 Siabra
expressing the differences between the other 93 to 94 Tattertail
ancestries. As humanity is the most abundant
ancestry in the world, they possess the most 95 to 96 Ubasti
significant range of Ancestral Traits. You will Vargr - Unavailable In Session
Unlock 1 Ancestral Talent now in Basic Tier and 97 to 98 Zero
can Unlock new ones at Intermediate and 99 to 100 Woodwose
Advanced Tiers.

Either choose human or roll a d100 to

determine your ancestry, then write it on the
first page of your survivor sheet. Write your
languages down on the second page of your
survivor sheet. Roll a d100 on its related table
to Unlock 1 Ancestral Talent. Write its name
and effects on the second page of your sheet.

25
 Human
Languages: Auld & cultural tongue

During the dawn era, your forebears'

vainglorious nature brought about a time of
suffering when they tried to exert their power
over the gods, but failed. This arrogance led to
expulsion from the heavenly garden, and
humans were made mortal. However, they
wasted no time following their banishment. Your
ancestors swiftly evolved from the clever apes
they were into becoming the most influential
civilization in the known world.

Your people revere thinkers and tricksters,

priests and charlatans, politicians and
provocateurs alike. Humanity foists its arts, gods,
and languages upon each other while
simultaneously fetishizing the cultural practices
of others it assimilates. But their most cherished
value is legacy, and you've been taught to
nurture ambition. You are destined to leave your
mark on this world. If not? An epitaph on your
gravestone that honors your deeds in life will
suffice.

26
 Human
Ancestral
d100 Talent Effect
Adventurous At the start of a session, flip a coin. If it lands on heads, move one step up
1 to 2 Spirit the Damage Condition Track.

Ancestral
3 to 4 Spellcraft Unavailable In Session Zero
Auspicious
5 to 6 Birth Increase any Primary Attribute by +5% (not to exceed 50%)
Birds of a
7 to 8 Feather Unavailable In Session Zero
Choose one survivor now. When they move one or more steps down the
9 to 10 Blood Bond Peril Condition Track, you can suffer in their stead as they ignore it.
Child of
11 to 12 Fortune Unavailable In Session Zero
Child of the
13 to 14 Demiurge Foes classified as Animals and Beasts suffer a Hindrance Die to attack you.

Consult the
15 to 16 Gods Unavailable In Session Zero
Corrupted When you suffer an Injury, roll 1d6. If it lands on face “6,” optionally ignore
17 to 18 Blood the Injury but gain 1 Corruption.
Cradled by
19 to 20 Fortune Unavailable In Session Zero
Custodian's When you move a foe to Dying!, take a Misfortune Coin from the GM and
21 to 22 Usher put it into the players' Fortune Pool.

23 to 24 Danger Sense Unavailable In Session Zero

When you roll a Critical Success with d100 in a fight scene, gain 1 Action
25 to 26 Derring-do Point.
Devil's
27 to 28 Advocate Unavailable In Session Zero
You can see in the dark above ground, provided you are not near a light
29 to 30 Dimsight source.
Distant
31 to 32 Lineage Unavailable In Session Zero
27
 Human
Ancestral
d100 Talent Effect
At the start of a session, select one Talent you've learned. All survivors can
33 to 34 Do As I Do take advantage of it as if they had the Talent themselves.
Esoteric
35 to 36 Memory Unavailable In Session Zero
Favored by
the When you spend Fortune Coins to re-roll a Skill Test but fail, put it back into
37 to 38 Nightfather the Fortune Pool.

Final
39 to 40 Countdown Unavailable In Session Zero
Forged in When calculating Damage, add the number of Skill Ranks you have in its
41 to 42 Battle related Skill (+1 for 1 Rank, +2 for 2 Ranks, +3 for 3 Ranks) for total Damage.
Fortune's
43 to 44 Wheel Unavailable In Session Zero
Immediately after suffering Melee Damage, spend 1 Fortune Coin to
45 to 46 Grim Resolve completely ignore it. This is usable once per session.
47 to 48 Grotto Sense Unavailable In Session Zero
Herald of the
Crouching Whenever you choose to kill a foe when they're Dying!, move one step up
49 to 50 One the Peril Condition Track.

51 to 52 High Piety Unavailable In Session Zero

You can always provide yourself with food and water to live on in urban
53 to 54 I Get By areas.
Jack of all
55 to 56 Trades Unavailable In Session Zero
Justice You can automatically escape restraints and cannot be Grabbed in a fight
57 to 58 Nevermore scene.
Learner's
59 to 60 Arbiter Unavailable In Session Zero
Leviathan's You can use multiple smelling salts in a 24 hour period without suffering the
61 to 62 Mettle negative effects.

28
 Human
Ancestral
d100 Talent Effect

63 to 64 MacGyver Unavailable In Session Zero

Martyr's When you move down the Damage Condition Track from magic, you move
65 to 66 Progeny one less step down (to a minimum of 1).
Miraculous
67 to 68 Healing Unavailable In Session Zero
Mountain Permanently adjust your [BB] by +1, and two-handed weapons only take up
69 to 70 Among Men 1 weapon slot.
My Fate is
71 to 72 Sealed Unavailable In Session Zero
Natural
73 to 74 Selection Permanently adjust one Primary Attribute to 55%.
One Foot in
75 to 76 the Grave Unavailable In Session Zero
Preternatural Permanently reduce Move Action cost by -1 Action Points (to a minimum of
77 to 78 Instinct 1 AP).

Rogue
79 to 80 Scholar Unavailable In Session Zero
Scion of the When you suffer Damage or Peril from magic, spend 1 Fortune Coin to
81 to 82 God-Emperor completely ignore it. This is usable once per session.
Seemingly
83 to 84 Harmless Unavailable In Session Zero
Servant of
85 to 86 the Steward When you aren't Starving, add +2 to Peril Thresholds.
Seventh
87 to 88 Sense Unavailable In Session Zero
Shadow With a successful Stealth Test, you can disappear entirely from sight, even in
89 to 90 Dancer front of onlookers. Spend 2 Action Points in a fight scene to do so.
91 to 92 Sterner Stuff Unavailable In Session Zero
When you fail a Resolve Test to resist becoming Stressed, Frightened, or
Survival of Terrified, temporarily increase your Peril Threshold by +3 while in the
93 to 94 the Fittest vicinity of what provoked it.
29
 Human
Ancestral
d100 Talent Effect
Touch of
95 to 96 Brimstone Unavailable In Session Zero
When a Fortune or Misfortune Coin is about to be spent, call out, "The
Nightfather intervenes!” The effect doesn't occur, and the coin is discarded.
97 to 98 Twist of Fate This is usable once per session.
Winter King's
99 to 100 Embrace Unavailable In Session Zero

30
 Awakened
Languages: Auld and any other ancestral tongue

You are one of the awakened—a living statue

sculpted in the image of another and has
recently stirred from an eternal slumber. Crafted
from inanimate matter by the hands of an
artisan, you could have begun as a waxen
simulacrum of a minstrel, a vivisectionist's
cadaver, a pitcher-bearing Galatean statue, or an
outstretched marble deity. Upon “awakening,”
your creator's name was the first word uttered;
it became your namesake.

You are a hybrid of non-living material and

mortal flesh. Your veins may teem with blood,
quicksilver, or salt, with organs of living muscle,
halite, or clockwork. As you contend with your
newfound existence, it is doubtless that your
journey will be filled with curiosity and catharsis.
Others will teach you what it means to be alive,
to be human, to be something the artisan never
intended. And with each discovery, parts of
yourself will reveal themselves—quite literally—
to the world.

31
 Awakened
Ancestral
d100 Talent Effect
You can withdraw your heart from your body for [WB] hours before
Body of suffering 3d10+3 Peril every minute after that. The heart casts light
1 to 8 Bronze outwards by 3 paces.
Clay
9 to 16 Construct Unavailable In Session Zero
Clockwork When you fail a Skill Test, spend 1 Fortune Coin to Critically Succeed
17 to 25 Innards instead. This is usable once per session.
26 to 33 Iron Giant Unavailable In Session Zero
With a successful Resolve or Toughness Test, you stand perfectly still,
resembling a lifelike sculpture. When you succeed, add +3 to Damage
Living Thresholds until you move again. If you do so during a fight scene, you
34 to 41 Sculpture must spend 1 Action Point. You can stand still for [WB] minutes at a time.
Magical
42 to 49 Machine Unavailable In Session Zero
Once per session, force a foe to resist with an Awareness Test. If they fail,
Marble they're Awestruck. While Awestruck, they cannot initiate violence toward
50 to 58 Beauty you until you initiate violence toward them or their allies.
Quicksilver
59 to 67 Innards Unavailable In Session Zero
When you are moved to Dying!, gain 3 Action Points and spend it
Reanimated immediately. If you bring that same foe to Dying!, move to Grievously
68 to 76 Cadaver Wounded instead and ignore the Injury you would have gotten.
77 to 85 Scarecrow Unavailable In Session Zero
When you are at -5% to Skill Tests on the Peril Condition Track, increase
Steam- your Initiative Modifier by +1. If at -10%, add +2 or if at -15%, add +3.
86 to 92 powered These effects aren't cumulative.
Wooden
93 to 100 Warrior Unavailable In Session Zero

32
 Dwarf
Languages: Dwain and Auld

Forged from the world's essences, dwarves

possess a chthonic and ever-changing spirit, with
plaited hair and beards that trail in their wake.
This has led to ridiculous stories about your
people, such as how the clans are ruled by half-
naked, woad-covered warriors with orange-dyed
hair and two axes to grind. While not inherently
warlike, this does touch on one of the dwarves'
peculiar practices: their lists of grudges.

Your dark-eyed brethren brook no tolerance for

foolishness, and neither do you. Each dwarf
carries their own list. Once a grievance is
recorded, they pursue its settlement with
stubborn determination. Once reconciled, they
burn the paper and use its ashes to tattoo
themselves. This unwavering determination and
stubbornness is what led you to a near-death
experience. Your ancestral grievances must be
set aside if you wish to flourish. As a hammer
shapes iron into a sword, your newfound destiny
is yours to reforge.

33
 Dwarven
Ancestral
d100 Talent Effect
1 to 8 Cavesight You can see in the dark below ground, providing you can hear.
Children of
9 to 16 the Earth Unavailable In Session Zero
Consume
17 to 25 Alcohol While Drunk, you never suffer from its negative effects.
Dwarven
26 to 33 Warfare Unavailable In Session Zero
When you roll faces “5 to 6” on a Damage die with Melee weapons, roll
34 to 41 Grudgebearer another 1d6 and add it to the total.
42 to 49 Ironclad Unavailable In Session Zero
Physical Reference [AB] or [BB] for Movement Rate. You are also immune to the
50 to 58 Prowess Weaken fight action.
Runemarked
59 to 67 Glory Unavailable In Session Zero
Stentorian Reference [FB] or [BB] to determine how many people you influence with
68 to 76 Voice Fellowship-based Skills. You are also immune to the Taunt fight action.
77 to 85 Stoneheaded Unavailable In Session Zero
Strength of You can carry up to 6 weapons and 6 tools (instead of the normal limitation
86 to 92 the Mountain of 3).
Unbent &
93 to 100 Unbroken Unavailable In Session Zero

34
 Elf
Languages: Empyrean and Auld

Long ago, majestic beings of light and shadow

escaped the elemental prisons within the Vault
of Night. Their transcendent, genderless forms
occupied an enigmatic form of existence, where
reproduction is a matter of Etheric mysticism
rather than physicality. As the stars were
remade in the first cataclysm, your people's
crystal castles fell from the Vault of Night to the
living world below. In an event they refer to as
The Fall, they'd found their empyrean
immortality had been robbed. They took upon
the collective name of elf, a word meaning “star-
fallen.”

You appear every bit as fey, androgynous, and

inhumanly bewitching as your ancestors.
However, unlike the elves of yore, you are born
of flesh and blood, are mortal, and have other
human needs. Alas, the elves are afflicted, their
existence now but a transient spark against the
eternal blaze of longevity that once was. This
harsh curse manifests as a cold detachment or
profound melancholy inside you. You cannot
wait to cast aside this mantle of human-like
impermanence once you discover your true
destiny.

35
 Elven
Ancestral
d100 Talent Effect
Ageless
1 to 8 Knowledge Reference Occultism or Resolve to resist magical effects.
9 to 16 Deadly Aim Unavailable In Session Zero
When you first deal Damage against a foe in a fight scene, add 1d6
Damage. You can take advantage of this by switching between multiple
17 to 25 Fey Treachery foes.
Hand of the
26 to 33 Veil Unavailable In Session Zero
Immortal Whenever you awaken from 6 consecutive hours of sleep, move one step
34 to 41 Blessing up the Damage Condition Track. You can do this once every 24 hours.
Lament of the
42 to 49 Ages Unavailable In Session Zero
Meditative You only need 3 consecutive hours of sleep to restore your Peril Condition
50 to 58 State Track. In addition, you are always restored to Fine, even in unsafe places.
59 to 67 Mistwalker Unavailable In Session Zero
When moving through rural areas, you leave no trace of your passing and
68 to 76 Nature's Own cannot be found with magic or Skills.
77 to 85 Nighteyes Unavailable In Session Zero
When you roll faces “5 to 6” on a Damage die with Ranged weapons, roll
86 to 92 Way of the Bow another 1d6 and add it to the total.
93 to 100 Wyrdsight Unavailable In Session Zero

36
 Fane
Languages: Fanetouch and Auld

As the stars exploded and life came to be, the

reptilian-like fane (feyn) emerged from the
primordial muck. They were a hyper-intelligent
species, logicians who denied the existence of
gods and the miracles surrounding them. Yet the
fane was not long for this world, as your people
were decimated in the first cataclysm. Those
who remained crawled back to the swamps and
pondered their future.

Few of your folk remain in this world. Most meet

a gruesome end in their struggle for truth. But
you didn't. When you stood face-to-face with
death, you had an epiphany: the fane are
destined to die out. You'll carve out your own
path to seek the truth. On this road, you'll need
to rely on strangers who don't completely
understand what it means to be abandoned by
the gods.

37
 Fane Ancestral
d100 Talent Effect
Amphibious
1 to 8 Ancestry You can see and breathe underwater, provided you are below its surface.
9 to 16 Blend In Unavailable In Session Zero
Coldly
17 to 25 Calculating You're immune to mind control magic and can see through illusions.
26 to 33 Cut & Run Unavailable In Session Zero
Hide of
Serpentine
34 to 41 Scales When unarmored, add +2 to Peril Thresholds.
42 to 49 Liquid Poise Unavailable In Session Zero
You can leap up to 1 storey without fail and can drop 1 storey without
50 to 58 Monstrous Leap suffering falling Damage.
Nimble
59 to 67 Undulation Unavailable In Session Zero
Razor-sharp
68 to 76 Claws Gain +5% to attack with Melee weapons and +1 Damage.
Serpentine
77 to 85 Fangs Unavailable In Session Zero
86 to 92 Third Eye You can see in the dark below ground, providing you can hear.
You can speak a myriad of languages associated with amphibians, reptiles,
and snakes. You also have one of these allies as a companion (Small Animal
with the Minion Template). Spend 1 Fortune Coin to see through their eyes
Tongue of for 10 minutes. Should it ever suffer Damage, they immediately flee and
93 to 100 Snakes return to you 24 hours later.

38
 Firbolg
Languages: Auld and any other ancestral tongue

“Ogre” is a name used in storybooks to describe

befuddled, corrupted brutes who ate humans.
Damn the stories, though, that's not you! You
come from a sturdy stock of people called the
firbolg (fear-bolg), and just like your ancestors,
you have wide shoulders and gravitate toward
big stories and larger-than-life experiences.
Bright clothing, a celebratory attitude, and crude
humor are your hallmarks.

Possessed with insatiable wanderlust, you

gravitate towards those who show an inkling of
this same spirit for adventure. Despite your
strong sense of independence, you have little
tolerance for dishonesty. When truth and honor
are withheld, you tend to lash out at its
perpetrators. Violently. But your fate is not
sealed, nor is that of your friends. You'll smash
destiny in the face with your face if need be!

39
 Firbolg
Ancestral
d100 Talent Effect
Permanently adjust your [BB] by +1, and two-handed weapons only take up
1 to 8 Big Folk 1 weapon slot.
9 to 16 Broad-bellied Unavailable In Session Zero
17 to 25 Camaraderie For every survivor in a fight scene, add a cumulative +1 to Movement Rate.
26 to 33 Calloused Body Unavailable In Session Zero
Frightening When you succeed at Persuasion Tests to intimidate someone, they also
34 to 41 Bellow suffer 1d10+[BB] Peril.
42 to 49 Hunger Pangs Unavailable In Session Zero
50 to 58 Leathery Skin When unarmored, add +2 to Damage Thresholds.
59 to 67 Mighty Thews Unavailable In Session Zero
When you suffer an Injury, roll 1d6. If it lands on face “6,” optionally ignore
68 to 76 Ogrish Curse the Injury but gain 1 Corruption.
Overwhelming
77 to 85 Grip Unavailable In Session Zero
Spend 1 Action Points in a fight scene to immediately inflict 1d10+[BB] fire
Damage against an Engaged foe. You then become Drunk. If you do this a
second time in a 24 hour period, you move to Exhausted! and fall
86 to 92 Rotgut Spray unconscious for 24 hours.
Vigorous
93 to 100 Metabolism Unavailable In Session Zero

40
 Gargoyle
Languages: Auld and any other ancestral tongue

Stone towers and cathedrals are decorated with

silent, looming grotesques and chimeras of
limestone. Some whisper that these statues were
once human, turned to stone for their sins.
Unfortunately, you are one of these cursed
beings. Not every gargoyle is hewn from the same
slab. Some of your kin turn to stone as they sleep.
Others escaped these age-old constraints, able to
walk in daylight or soar overhead upon leathery
wings.

You used to walk among humanity unnoticed,

betraying your identity only when you shrugged
off your cloak or by the rustling of your stunted
wings. Were you a vigilant guardian of the city,
prowling the darkness to confront those who
posed a threat? Or did you live in disguise as a
simple peasant, silently working and returning to
the rooftops as the sun set? Either way, your life
changed the day when your rookery was
demolished. Now a new path is lain before you;
it’s time to contend with the curse that turned
you into a gargoyle. Perhaps there’s a way to
become human again.

41
 Gargoyle
Ancestral
d100 Talent Effect
You never grow hungry, and only need to sleep for 3 hours to recover your
Peril Condition Track to Fine. However, you cannot use laudanum or smelling
Chimeric salts, and a healer must substitute Craft to move you up the Damage & Peril
1 to 8 Facade Condition Tracks.
Crumbling
9 to 16 Grotesque Unavailable In Session Zero
Spend 1 Fortune Coin to fly at your Movement Rate for up to 6 hours. If you
suffer Damage or Peril during this time, you must succeed on a Resolve Test or
17 to 25 Dark Flight you fall.
Ethereal
26 to 33 Innards Unavailable In Session Zero
Foes classified as Beyonders, Corrupted, and the Supernatural suffer a
34 to 41 Fend off Evil Hindrance Die to attack you.
42 to 49 Fleshcage Unavailable In Session Zero
50 to 58 Horrific Claws Gain +5% to attack with Melee weapons and +1 Damage.
Limestone
59 to 67 Body Unavailable In Session Zero
68 to 76 Mind’s Eye You're immune to mind control magic and can see through illusions.
Monstrous
77 to 85 Grip Unavailable In Session Zero
Rooftop
86 to 92 Prowler Permanently reduce falling, fire, and magic Damage by -3.
93 to 100 Turn to Stone Unavailable In Session Zero

42
 Grendel
Languages: Bray and Auld

Yours are a satyr-like people who straddle the

line between a cult of personality and a force of
jackanapes. Eeking out an existence on the
fringes of society, your people revel in vice and
ritual. Living on communes called a “wild hunt,”
they attract like-minded folk who escaped the
trappings of civilized life. The wild hunt is
constantly in a belladonna's haze. And it's
because of their blissful ignorance that you left.

In the depths of a hallucination, you saw your

own death. You engaged in a psychic battle with
your shadow self, barely surviving. But the
grendel of the commune either didn't believe
you or couldn't understand its meaning. In those
same visions, you saw others who had to
confront their own doom. These companions
can help you navigate the dark reveries. With
them, it is time to form a new wild hunt: one
that'll take on the world.

43
 Grendel
Ancestral
d100 Talent Effect
Animal
1 to 8 Magnetism Foes classified as Animals will never attack you.
Calming
9 to 16 Disposition Unavailable In Session Zero
Permanently reduce Move Action cost by -1 Action Points (to a minimum of
17 to 25 Half-Beast 1 AP).
Lamb to the
26 to 33 Slaughter Unavailable In Session Zero
Gain an Assist Die when you roll Leechcraft Tests. In addition, you move a
patient one additional step up the Damage Condition Track when Binding
34 to 41 Mender's Hands Wounds.
42 to 49 Musky Odor Unavailable In Session Zero
When you fail an Awareness or Handling Test, you may re-roll it but must
accept the results. Ignore Peril Condition Track penalties associated with
50 to 58 Nature's Wisdom these two Skills.
59 to 67 One With Nature Unavailable In Session Zero
When you deal Damage with a Melee weapon and the foe moves two or
68 to 76 Rear Up more steps down the Damage Condition Track, they are knocked Prone.
77 to 85 Silent Stalker Unavailable In Session Zero
When you Taunt in a fight scene, foes cannot resist and suffer double the
86 to 92 War Bray negative effects.
93 to
100 Way of the Wild Unavailable In Session Zero

44
 Midfolk
Languages: Hobb-talk and Auld

The blessed offspring of the forest settled into

human society in the middle of the current era
(thus their namesake). Living in large pastoral
communities called a hobb, the midfolk strive to
live in natural harmony with the world around
them. They ingratiate themselves with one
another to support the greater good. Like the
bees they raise, midfolk work together in
colonies, each having their own duties. While its
farmers keep the apiaries and the farms, the
irregulars protect the hobb, and the elected
reeve decides the fate of the hobb.

A collectivist mindset is nearly inexorable to your

very being. But for all of your family's communal
sensibilities and friendliness, you are different.
Back at the hobb, you met with a wandering
oracle. They foretold the way you were going to
die. On the road, you faced your doom but was
somehow pulled out of its way, surviving. You
now seek out the truth and will catalog your
journey for future generations.

45
 Midfolk
Ancestral
d100 Talent Effect
Bend Like a Reference [BB] or [FB] to determine your Damage Thresholds. You are also
1 to 8 Reed immune to the Taunt fight action.
Cat-like
9 to 16 Reflexes Unavailable In Session Zero
Chaos is a Whenever you or another survivor near you Critically Fails a Skill Test, move
17 to 25 Ladder one step up the Peril Condition Track.
26 to 33 Craven Unavailable In Session Zero
You only need 3 consecutive hours of sleep to restore your Peril Condition
34 to 41 Deep Sleeper Track. In addition, you are always restored to Fine, even in unsafe places.
42 to 49 Farsight Unavailable In Session Zero
50 to 58 Fieldwarden Gain +5% to attack with Ranged weapons and +1 Damage.
59 to 67 Fleet-footed Unavailable In Session Zero
When you fail a Folklore or Handling Test, you may re-roll it but must accept
Humble the results. Ignore Peril Condition Track penalties associated with these two
68 to 76 Beginnings Skills.
77 to 85 Low Blow Unavailable In Session Zero
86 to 92 Rational Mind You're immune to mind control magic and can see through illusions.
93 to 100 Well-Fed Unavailable In Session Zero

46
 Siabra
Language: Stillsign and Auld

The enigmatic, utterly otherworldly siabra (see-

ah-bra) live on the fringes of society. Your
culture is centered around worshiping a revered
ancestor, one who has been carefully preserved
and kept safe by sacred warriors. The siabra
have three fingers on each hand and have
unusual eyes. They communicate using
“stillsign,” a series of gestures using body, hands,
and facial expressions. The siabra reserve words
for moments of intense emotion.

Traditionally, siabra wear ceremonial masks that

embody a single expression important to your
culture. It is considered shameful to reveal your
face to outsiders. But you broke tradition and
were exiled for it. You now haunt the roads,
carving a new path forward. A new name is all
you need on this pilgrimage: Dustman,
Revenant, or Silencio are great choices.
However, all roads inevitably lead back to the
will of your ancestors.

47
 Siabran
Ancestral
d100 Talent Effect
Mask of
1 to 8 Apprehension Permanently reduce all Peril you suffer by -3.
Mask of
9 to 16 Contempt Unavailable In Session Zero
17 to 25 Mask of Delight When a fight scene begins, you always benefit from a Surprise Round.
26 to 33 Mask of Fear Unavailable In Session Zero
When you roll faces “5 to 6” on a Damage die with Ranged weapons, roll
34 to 41 Mask of Fury another 1d6 and add it to the total.
42 to 49 Mask of Guilt Unavailable In Session Zero
Once per session, force a foe to resist with Awareness. If they fail, they're
Mask of Awestruck. While Awestruck, they cannot initiate violence toward you
50 to 58 Intrigue until you initiate violence toward them or their allies.
59 to 67 Mask of Joy Unavailable In Session Zero
Mask of When a foe first moves to Engaged with you, they must succeed on a
68 to 76 Revulsion Resolve Test or suffer from the Taunt fight action.
Mask of
77 to 85 Sabotage Unavailable In Session Zero
You Flip To Succeed in Awareness Tests to find hidden foes. When you
86 to 92 Mask of Shame succeed, move one step up the Peril Condition Track.
93 to 100 Mask of Sorrow Unavailable In Session Zero

48
 Tattertail
Languages: Chitterchant and Auld

Contrasting with the widespread belief of your

kind being an unkempt, rat-like people, you and
your kin are meticulously well-groomed and
carry a noble bearing. Tattertail society operates
within a complex, feudal framework upheld by a
system of dynastic marriages and internal power
struggles. A mark of your aristocratic status is
the ceremonial removal of one's tail upon
adulthood, in a rite known as the Shearing.
Those who retain their tails are viewed as crude
and defying norms.

Despite the stories, your dwellings are not in

nests of the sewers but rather in lofty, forgotten
towers and dilapidated estates. It is from these
heights where Tattertail society masterminds
their rise to power, subtly bending humans to
their will as unseen rulers and influential figures.
However, when diplomacy fails, Tattertail
assassins step in to ensure that the desires of
the elite are realized. Few as your people may
be, you have broken free of these machinations
of the Tattertail to make your own future. You
will not be trapped by this orchestration of
violence.

49
 Tattertail
Ancestral
d100 Talent Effect
1 to 8 Cloak & Dagger Gain +5% to attack with Melee weapons and +1 Damage.
9 to 16 Dynastic Scion Unavailable In Session Zero

You Flip To Succeed in Awareness Tests to find hidden foes. When you
17 to 25 Nose for Danger succeed, move one step up the Peril Condition Track.

26 to 33 Prehensile Tail Unavailable In Session Zero

Servile In a fight scene, foes will not target you with Attack Actions on their first
34 to 41 Appearance Turn.
Shadow
42 to 49 Diplomacy Unavailable In Session Zero
When you move to Dying!, flip a coin. If it lands on heads, move to Grievously
50 to 58 Skitter Away Wounded instead.
59 to 67 Slim Wrists Unavailable In Session Zero
When you suffer an Injury, roll 1d6. If it lands on face “6,” optionally ignore
68 to 76 Slow Mutation the Injury but gain 1 Corruption.

77 to 85 Upper Crust Unavailable In Session Zero

86 to 92 Web of Intrigue You're immune to mind control magic and know when someone is lying.
93 to
100 Whiskersight Unavailable In Session Zero

50
 Ubasti
Languages: Auld and any other ancestral tongue

There was once a place of golden oceans of

sand. Its oasis people worshiped a pantheon of
animalian gods and were ruled by priest-kings.
But they desired nothing more than to be
revered as deities themselves. So, in their hubris,
they created your ancestors: clever, human-like,
feline people called ubasti (ooo-bah-stee). This
rebellious act led to a war that bathed the realm
in a deluge of fire, turning seas of sand into black
glass. The ubasti disappeared into the annals of
history.

While the ubasti inevitably met their doom, you

escaped with your first life. Reborn on strange
shores in the modern age, new-found humanity
awoke inside you. You are plagued with strange
visions of the past, delivered by your makers,
that say the undying priest-kings will never be
satisfied until your spirit is extinguished. Pray for
mercy or be prepared for death, as their
headsmen will be waiting at the crossroads to
collect your remaining eight lives.

51
 Ubasti
Ancestral
d100 Talent Effect
1 to 8 Blue-blooded Gain +5% to attack with Ranged weapons and +1 Damage.
Cat Scratch
9 to 16 Fever Unavailable In Session Zero
Feline
17 to 25 Orientation Treat falling Damage as Peril instead.
26 to 33 Hunter & Prey Unavailable In Session Zero
34 to 41 Jinx Foes cannot spend Misfortune Coins to re-roll Skill Tests against you.
42 to 49 Mind Power Unavailable In Session Zero
When you would gain a Scar, flip a coin. If it lands on heads, ignore it. Mark
1 check on your survivor sheet each time you ignore a Scar. Once it reaches
50 to 58 Nine Lives 9 checks, Nine Lives is no longer effective.
59 to 67 Saber-toothed Unavailable In Session Zero
Sight Beyond You don't suffer Hindrance Dice for attacking at long range or in fleeting
68 to 76 Sight shadows.
Survival
77 to 85 Instincts Unavailable In Session Zero
When you Charge, you cannot be targeted by Ranged weapons until the
86 to 92 Thunder Cat start of your next Turn.
Without
93 to 100 Bounds Unavailable In Session Zero

52
 Woodwose
Languages: Rootling and Auld

When the elven sanctuaries came crashing down

over the living world, their servants fled into the
wilderness. The ancestral woodwose (wood-
woze) established a new home betwixt the
underroot. Having spent so much time within
the trees, their growth stunted, and their skin
turned bark-like. Throughout the ages, your kin
have moved like shadows among the trees, their
existence as quiet as the rustling of leaves.

Your people have only recently emerged from

the reaches of primeval groves. Tales of the
woodwose' origins are many, often speaking of
defiance against the elves in a time since
forgotten. But with skin as tough as the heart of
an oak and a will of sharpened stone, the re-
emergence of your people compels you to take
destiny into your own hands. It is time to step
out of the roots and into the light to spread your
limbs.

53
 Woodwose
Ancestral
d100 Talent Effect
When you move a foe to Dying!, take a Misfortune Coin from the GM and
1 to 8 Bloody Glee put it into the player's Fortune Pool.
Cragborn
9 to 16 Intuition Unavailable In Session Zero
Spend 1 Fortune Coin to turn entirely to bark, in a hibernative state, for up
to 6 hours. You cannot be harmed by normal weapons during this time, and
Denizen of the move one step up the Peril Condition Track for every hour you’re in this
17 to 25 Root state.
26 to 33 Escape Artist Unavailable In Session Zero
When rolling d100 to determine which Injury you suffer, roll three times and
34 to 41 Roll With It choose the preferred result.
42 to 49 Rule of Three Unavailable In Session Zero
You Flip To Succeed in Guile Tests to tell lies. When you succeed, move one
50 to 58 Sharp Practice step up the Peril Condition Track.
59 to 67 Skeleton Key Unavailable In Session Zero
Foes Flip To Fail to use Blackpowder and Ranged weapons against you.
68 to 76 Squatling However, you cannot use your stowed weapon slot.
Tirade of
77 to 85 Misery Unavailable In Session Zero
You can see in the dark below ground, provided you are able to use your
86 to 92 Tunnel Vision hands freely.
Unavailable In Session Zero
93 to 100 Underfoot

54
Step 3: Appearance d100 Stature
Worlds in ZWEIHÄNDER are populated by a
1 to 33 Short
diverse, rich panoply of people of different body
types, ethnicities, and identities. These markers 34 to 67 Average
have zero bearing on game mechanics and story.
Forgotten ancestries may also have very 68 to 100 Tall
different considerations for appearances. If any
of the values don't line up with how you see d100 Build
your survivor, change them as you wish or create
your own descriptors. 1 to 15 Frail

16 to 30 Slender
Pick a gender that best describes your
survivor's identity. Then, roll a d100 to 31 to 70 Average
determine your stature, build, and a
71 to 85 Athletic
distinguishing mark. Write all these values on
the first page of your survivor sheet. 86 to 100 Stout

d100 Distinguishing Mark d100 Distinguishing Mark

Metal plate on my skull that bulges out at
1 to 2 Albino complexion with jet black hair 51 to 52 times
3 to 4 Blackpowder shot wound on my face 53 to 54 Noticeable limp from an old war wound
Bloodshot eyes that sometimes weep
5 to 6 blood 55 to 56 Perfect teeth encrusted with tiny jewels
7 to 8 Brands on my wrists from heresy 57 to 58 Permanent make-up beneath my eyes
Piercing blue eyes that chills you to the
9 to 10 Brightly painted hair and arms 59 to 60 bone
Calloused hands with knuckles covered
11 to 12 in scars 61 to 62 Plaited hair with bands of gold and silver
13 to 14 Colored glass eye that I can change out 63 to 64 Prominent blue veins.
Scar in the shape of a crescent across my
15 to 16 Dangling earring that jingles 65 to 66 face
17 to 18 Dark purple birthmarks 67 to 68 Severely burned skin, revealing bone below
19 to 20 Deep crescent scar across my face 69 to 70 Single silver eyebrow that softly glows
21 to 22 Diamond-shaped tattoo on my cheek 71 to 72 Shock of white hair that stands up

55
d100 Distinguishing Mark d100 Distinguishing Mark
Different-colored eyes that shift in
23 to 24 daylight 73 to 74 Six-fingered hand that I constantly flex
Distinct vitiligo complexion that marks
25 to 26 me a rare beauty 75 to 76 Small, delicate scar beneath my eye
Sorrowful eyes that makes me look
27 to 28 Dueling scar on my neck 77 to 78 completely innocent
Strangely shimmering hair that moves with
29 to 30 Extremely pale, baby soft skin 79 to 80 an unseen wind
Streaks of colored hair that draws others to
31 to 32 Eyes that inexplicably change color 81 to 82 touch it
Near imperceptible glowing symbol in the
33 to 34 Fierce undercut with a tattooed head 83 to 84 center of my forehead
Freckles that form a strange pattern on
35 to 36 my face 85 to 86 Tattoo of a gaping maw on my neck
Glasgow smile that ripples up to my
37 to 38 cheeks 87 to 88 Tattoo-covered body from head to toe
Thousand-yard stare that could pierce a
39 to 40 Gold-capped teeth 89 to 90 mountain
41 to 42 Golden nose ring connect to a chain 91 to 92 Three vertical red brands on my chin
Haunted look of someone deeply Two missing fingers replaced with a silver
43 to 44 disturbed 93 to 94 and gold prostheses
Unusually bright, captivating eyes that
45 to 46 Intricate braid that holds small charms 95 to 96 twinkle
Leaves that inexplicably grow on my Well-manicured appearance and pleasant
47 to 48 arms 97 to 98 smell
49 to 50 Lichtenberg scar across my body 99 to 100 Well-muscled body that's oiled up

56
Step 4: Social Class Agility is your speed, dexterity, and physical
Despite your ancestry, the caste you were born readiness.
into informs your speech patterns, mannerisms, Brawn is your durability, endurance, and
and style. It also determines how many silver physical prowess.
pieces you begin gameplay with. Combat is your ability to use ranged and melee
weapons.
Fellowship is your charisma, likability, and social
Benefits of Your Social Class
savvy.
When attempting to interact with someone of
Intelligence is your ability to learn and study
your same Social Class using Fellowship-based
facts.
Skills, gain an Assist Die.
Perception is your senses and ability to react.
Willpower is your mental resolve and ability for
Roll a d100 to determine your Social Class, and magic.
write it on the first page of your survivor
sheet. Write your starting silver pieces on the Decide as a group which of one of these three
second page. approaches everyone will use to generate
Primary Attributes. Then, write these values
on the first page of your survivor sheet.
d100 Social Class Starting Silver Pieces
Randomization: Roll 2d10, add the two values
1 to 50 Lowborn 11 silver pieces
together, and then add 30 to determine the
51 to 90 Commoner 22 silver pieces final sum. That means if your dice land on
91 to 100 Aristocrat 33 silver pieces faces “9” and “8,” you'll end up with 47%
(9+8+30). Generate seven values and assign
them however you like to your Primary
Attributes.
Your Life
You spent a good part of your life toiling away. It Point Buy: Each Primary Attribute begins with
may not have been peaceful, but it made you a a value of 30%. Distribute 85 points among
living. them, not to exceed 50% in any single Primary
Attribute.
Step 5: Primary Attributes
Standard Array: Assign one of these values
Primary Attributes represent all creatures' raw
however you like across the seven Primary
physical, mental, and social capabilities. At this
Attributes: 50%, 45%, 45%, 40%, 40%, 40%,
stage of creation, they range in numeric values
and 35%.
between 32% to 50%. Your Upbringing and
Profession will further adjust these values.
The higher the value, the more likely you will
succeed at Skill Tests:

57
Step 6: Upbringing
Nature versus nurture is an age-old debate, but there is little doubt that the conditions you were raised in
affect you on a deep level. Your Upbringing gives you a one-time adjustment to one Primary Attribute. It
also determines your starting Profession.

Roll a d100 to determine your Upbringing and permanently change your one-time Primary Attribute
Adjustment by +5%. Write both on the first page of your survivor sheet.

Some survivors will also get a suit of armor; write it down on the second sheet. Write its Damage
Threshold Adjustment as well, as you'll need it when extrapolating your Damage Thresholds later in the
process.

Primary Attribute Armor Damage

d100 Upbringing Adjustment Starting Armor Threshold Modifier
1 to 14 Academic Intelligence +5% NONE NONE
15 to 29 Cultured Fellowship +5% Quilted armor +1
30 to 43 Forsaken Agility +5% Hide armor +1
44 to 56 Industrious Brawn +5% Hide armor +1
57 to 70 Militant Combat +5% Brigandine armor +3
71 to 85 Opportunistic Perception +5% Quilted armor +1
86 to 100 Reverent Willpower +5% NONE NONE

Academic: You were raised to be an avid reader, Cultured: From penny theaters to penny
learning that knowledge is the ultimate weapon. dreadfuls, you were raised in cultures other than
Whether taught by schoolmarms or nascent your own since birth. Taught the values of
arcanists, you were taught to stay curious. You expression, you take immense pride in your
value intellectualism, and you came out ahead of abilities. You have the gift of gab and are well-
your peers. liked by all.

58
Forsaken: You were raised outside of common the holy works. Or, maybe you were an orphan
society and had little chance to integrate until who listened to the doomsayers on the street.
now. Maybe you grew up on the streets, were
raised among wolves, or are the last scion of a Step 7: Profession
noble house. You've learned to avoid danger and Professions are the hallmark of ZWEIHÄNDER,
know where to look for it. representing people from different walks of life.
It imparts several abilities to you, including a
Industrious: You were raised in a family of unique Professional Talent. This will be one of
laborers. Whether crofters or servants, your the most important steps in the process, so be
family forced you to work to put food on the sure to follow every instruction below.
table. Your hands are chapped, your back
rippling, and your demeanor brusque. You would
Referencing your survivor's Upbringing, roll a
rather pinch a penny than pay another laborer.
d100 three times on its related table below to
generate 3 different Professions. Read the
Militant: You were raised in a family where
brief descriptions of each, choose the most
discipline ruled your life, as it meant the
intriguing one, and write your Profession's
difference between survival and death. Your
name on the first page of your survivor sheet.
family may trace their lineage to a line of
Feel free to share the description of your
countless ancestors who met their doom at the
Profession aloud. If your Profession has a plus
end of a sword instead of in a sickbed.
sign (+) by it, you can learn spells. Mark a plus
sign on your survivor sheet for now.
Opportunistic: You were raised to take
advantage of every situation and have had to be
Your Profession also begins with 2 tools. They
underhanded to get what you want. You've
are specialized instruments of your trade. You
learned that most folks are just another angle.
can carry up to 3 different tools. Write them
You have learned to understand others'
down on the second page.
intentions and can see between truth and lies.

Skills, Professional Talents, and Derived

Reverent: You were raised to celebrate the gods.
Secondary Bonuses are not a consideration of
Rituals are a part of life, and you have lived by
Session Zero.

59
Academic Professions
d100 Profession Brief Description Tool Tool
Magician of the stage, captivating audiences
1 to 6 Actor with charm, costumes, and wit. makeup kit scripts
Devoted seeker of knowledge, history, and
7 to 13 Antiquarian hidden truths, braving forbidden places. artifact catalog magnifying lens
Blending archaic remedies and navigating the
14 to 20 Apothecary thin line between potion and poison. herb jars mortar & pestle
Devoted to order, wielding both sword and
21 to 27 Arbiter justice with unyielding resolve. gavel law book
Dabbler in dark arts, seeking primordial
28 to 34 Diabolist + knowledge and facing condemnation. grimoire occult tools
Master builder and inventor, transforming measurement
35 to 40 Engineer materials into structures and siege engines. tools schematics
Diplomatic deal broker, turning rivalries into diplomatic letters of
41 to 46 Envoy cooperation with pressure and persuasion. seals marque
Weaver of spells from the Ethereal Veil,
47 to 52 Etherealist + believing in mortal control over magic. astral chart grimoire
Sly gatherer and seller of secrets, coded
53 to 58 Informer indispensable yet untrusted. message book disguise kit
Analyzes criminal activity, linking clues in a magnifying
59 to 65 Investigator "mind palace" to reconstruct narratives. casebook glass
Agile courier navigating obstacles to deliver weatherproof
66 to 72 Messenger crucial information across perilous distances. sealed letters scroll case
Disseminator of printed materials, shaping
73 to 79 Pamphleteer public knowledge and challenging authority. broadsheets sling bag
Skilled in writing and translating older texts in
80 to 86 Scribe a world reliant on the written word. glasses writing kit
Scholar of divine mysteries, exploring faith's
87 to 93 Theologian + depths and its implications on society. grimoire holy book
94 to Master of arcane arts, wielding wands to
100 Wand Wizard + channel spells with precision and power. grimoire heavy robes

60
Cultured Professions
d100 Profession Brief Description Tool Tool
Interprets celestial bodies, divines the future,
1 to 6 Astrologer + and seeks lost heavenly knowledge. grimoire star charts
Collects tolls, enforces local government and
7 to 13 Bailiff faces resentment and displacement. badge of office legal writs
Athletic competitor in a violent medieval balls & bases in
14 to 20 Basebrawler game, combining physicality and teamwork. sack team tabard
Flamboyant fencer, walking a fine line
21 to 27 Bravo between fame and infamy. fancy cape Venetian mask
Military student mastering warcraft, tactics, military training
28 to 34 Cadet and leadership, aspiring for glory. uniform manual
Supports armies through various roles and
35 to 40 Camp Follower surviving through adaptability. cooking pot healing herbs
Culinary artist, wielding knives with skill, and kitchen
41 to 46 Chef sometimes fighting with them. utensils recipe book
Political schemer, using insight and flattery to
47 to 52 Courtier manipulate and ascend. etiquette guide intricate fan
Brings joy through performance, walks a line musical
53 to 58 Entertainer between fame and danger. book of poetry instrument
Adventurous diplomatic rogue, seeking new
59 to 65 Explorer lands for glory, facing dangers with luck. astrolabe map
Charismatic social butterfly, living lavishly polished
66 to 72 Fop while hiding a loner's melancholy. elegant cane codpiece
Robin Hood-esque hero, stealing from the rich, old maps of
73 to 79 Freebooter fighting with charm and wit. heavy boots lost treasures
Adept storyteller and jack of all trades, musical
80 to 86 Minstrel captivating with tales. instrument songbook
Mystery and spycraft, adept in social book of
87 to 93 Provocateur infiltration and seduction. disguise kit contacts
Master of discretion and social maneuvering
94 to 100 Valet and skilled in subtle intrigue. ledger tailoring kit

61
Forsaken Professions
d100 Profession Brief Description Tool Tool
Lives in poverty, relying on quick judgments false
1 to 6 Beggar for survival. appendage tattered cup
Denies the gods' dominion, finding strength book of
7 to 13 Blasphemer and freedom in defiance. blasphemes forbidden texts
Master forger, creating perfect counterfeits for forged
14 to 20 Con Artist profit, living a life of secrecy. disguise kit documents
Uses allure to gain wealth and information,
21 to 27 Courtesan capable of influencing high society. elegant robes perfume
Solves disputes with violence, enforcing will
28 to 34 Footpad with intimidation or brute force. crowbar dark cloak
Deals with waste and vermin, seen as an omen
35 to 40 Gong Farmer of plague. mask shovel
A street-smart rogue engaging in petty theft,
41 to 46 Guttersnipe skilled in urban survival. coin clippers street map
Wields ancient magic without formal training,
47 to 52 Hedgewise + living in fear of persecution. grimoire herbs
Specialist in death rituals, burying the dead,
53 to 58 Mortician navigating the delicate trade of mortality. death records embalming tools
A pharmacologist blending ancient wisdom,
59 to 65 Old Believer + herbs, and magic into remedies. grimoire religious icons
polished
fighting pit winner's
66 to 72 Pit Fighter Gladiator thriving on spectacle and violence. map codpiece
Bare-knuckle fighter, embracing brutality of
73 to 79 Pugilist pugilism for survival and pride. eye iron training manual
Fallen aristocrat, mingling with society's dregs, book of
80 to 86 Rake leveraging charm and wit. secrets love letters
Master of manners and courtly traditions,
87 to 93 Vagabond navigating intrigue with discretion and guile. backpack tent
Athlete-performer, captivating audiences with
94 to 100 Wrestler costumes, wit, and daring stunts. costume training oil

62
Industrious Professions
d100 Profession Brief Description Tool Tool
Solitary living, taming creatures from creature
1 to 6 Animal Tamer pigeons to bears. treats whistle
Skilled crafters producing civilization's paper &
7 to 13 Artisan essentials, honing their trade. tool set charcoal
Essential medical figure, performing surgery barber's
14 to 20 Barber Surgeon with a blend of skill and messiness. razors chirurgery tools
Ruthless tracker of the wanted, lives book of
21 to 27 Bounty Hunter between lawfulness and solitude. crimes manacles
Traveling peddler selling shoddy goods with haggler's merchandise
28 to 34 Cheapjack sleazy charm, thriving on deceit. guide backpack
Skilled driver, delivering people and goods stovepipe hat &
35 to 40 Coachee against all odds. route maps storm cloak
Survivalist, protector of woodlands, living in
41 to 46 Gamekeeper solitude with a bond to nature. snares wildlife guide
Guardian of prisoners, enduring their pleas,
47 to 52 Jailer skilled in interrogation. skeleton keys torturer's kit
Engages in hard, often overlooked work, thick leather
53 to 58 Laborer crucial to society's function. massive jug gloves
Lives a transient life, adapting to
59 to 65 Nomad environments, valuing freedom and family. tent traveling cloak
Hardworking field worker, sustainer of pocket prayer
66 to 72 Peasant families through relentless labor. book seed pouch
Adventurous seafarer, braving vast oceans,
73 to 79 Sailor living with freedom and peril. compass sextant
Invisible laborer in aristocratic service, privy book of
80 to 86 Servant to secrets, enduring long hours. gossip uniform
Dockworker, enduring physically demanding endless bottle
87 to 93 Stevedore tasks and protecting cargo. of booze loading hook
Fur and pelt hunter, setting traps in solitude, skinning
94 to 100 Trapper trading in luxury and game. blade traps

63
Militant Professions
d100 Profession Brief Description Tool Tool
Fierce warrior channeling rage into prowess, heavy animal
1 to 6 Berserker terrifying enemies with ferocity. furs war paint
Mounted soldier skilled in rapid strikes,
7 to 13 Dragoon blending cavalry and infantry tactics. horse tack spurs
Backbone of armies, disciplined and versatile, battle
14 to 20 Foot Soldier excelling in formation. standard tabard
Wandering knight, upholding chivalry and code of
21 to 27 Hedge Knight seeking honor through deeds. chivalry book horse tack
Mercenary for hire, offering specialized skills
28 to 34 Hireling for temporary service. contracts travel bags
Unconventional soldier, employing guerrilla camouflage guerrilla
35 to 40 Irregular tactics and surprise. kit warfare manual
Elite soldiers specialized in naval boarding
41 to 46 Marine actions and warfare, fiercely loyal. boarding axe naval codebook
Guardian of the night, vigilant against unseen lantern on nightwatch
47 to 52 Nightwatcher threats after dark. pole cloak
Scout and messenger, excelling in
53 to 58 Outrider reconnaissance and rapid communication. horse tack telescope
Vital logistician, managing supplies and
59 to 65 Quartermaster equipment, ensuring readiness. log book scales
Local official overseeing justice, bridging the badge of
66 to 72 Reeve community and the ruling authority. office land registries
Warrior wielding enchanted runes, blending
73 to 79 Rune Warrior + physical with mystical. grimoire rune stones
Mercenary motivated by coin, loyalty bound heavy coin
80 to 86 Sellsword to the highest bidder. contracts purse
Hunter of monsters and dark creatures, creature
87 to 93 Slayer fearless in the pursuit of monsters. bestiary creature call
Apprentice to a knight, learning the ways of squire's
94 to 100 Squire chivalry, combat, and noble service. polishing kit handbook

64
Opportunistic Professions
d100 Profession Brief Description Tool Tool
Champion of change, using anarchy to fire starting propaganda
1 to 6 Anarchist shake foundations and revel in chaos. tools posters
Scavenger of belongings, turning tragedy
7 to 13 Bonepicker and forgotten remains into personal gain. bone tools scavenging bag
Sea-bound raider thriving on plunder, chest
14 to 20 Buccaneer camaraderie, and open waves. w/backstraps pirate flag
Master of stealth and theft, excelling in the grappling hook
21 to 27 Burglar art of acquiring wealth undetected. crowbar w/ rope
Master deceiver employing disguises and
28 to 34 Charlatan smooth talk to swindle and manipulate. disguise kit testimonials
Criminal underworld broker, dealing in
35 to 40 Fence stolen goods with a life of secrecy. book of prices secret ledger
On the run, living a life marked by brief map of safe
41 to 46 Fugitive freedoms and constant survival. disguise kit houses
Dashing charmer betting on life's fortunes, loaded deck
47 to 52 Gambler always playing for high stakes. of cards loaded dice
Exploiter of the dead, braving supernatural
53 to 58 Graverobber dangers for macabre trade. lantern shovel
Court's provocateur, wielding satire as a
59 to 65 Jester weapon, entertaining and offensive. book of japes juggling bag
Peddler of false cures, exploiting the quack medicine
66 to 72 Quacksalver desperate with dubious remedies. potion bottles book
Manipulator and leveraging criminal protection
73 to 79 Racketeer enterprises for protection and profit. crowbar money ledger
Cattle thief living on the fringe, challenging
80 to 86 Rustler the law and rustling livestock for profit. branding iron telescope
Master of clandestine trade, moving false hidden pockets
87 to 93 Smuggler forbidden or taxed goods past authorities. documents in clothes
Shadowy avenger meting out justice where
94 to 100 Vigilante the law fails, shielded by anonymity. belt-pouches costume

65
Reverent Professions
d100 Profession Brief Description Tool Tool
Devoted follower of a faith or ideology,
1 to 6 Adherent + spreading beliefs through example. grimoire prayer beads
Fledgling warrior-priest inspiring devotion book of holy wine &
7 to 13 Apostle through violence. prayers wafers
Believed to be selected by a higher power
14 to 20 Chosen + for a great purpose or mission. amulet grimoire
Member of an illegal group with extreme
21 to 27 Cultist + devotion to a forbidden cause or entity. grimoire ritual knife
Proclaims impending disaster, warning book of self–flagellation
28 to 34 Doomsayer others of future calamities. heresies tools
Religious monks committed to community
35 to 40 Friar service, prayer, and spreading faith. brewing kit holy book
Lives in solitude, seeking enlightenment or
41 to 46 Hermit escape from societal norms. diaries meditation mat
Clergy member providing spiritual guidance
47 to 52 Minister and performing sacred rites. Roman collar sermon book
Lives in monastic order, dedicated to a life book of meditation
53 to 58 Monk of prayer, work, and study. chants beads
Travels to sacred sites seeking pocket prayer
59 to 65 Pilgrim enlightenment or fulfillment of a vow. book sacrificial bowl
Absorbs others' sins through ritual,
66 to 72 Sin Eater + cleanses souls through personal sacrifice. grimoire ritual bowl
Poet and historian, preserving and musical
73 to 79 Skald recounting the lore and legends. instrument war paint
Communicates with spirits, seeking to
80 to 86 Spiritualist + bridge the mortal world and the afterlife. grimoire spirit board
Often misunderstood magician, harnessing
87 to 93 Witch + natural energies. grimoire magical tools
Observes and testifies to miracles, with a
94 to 100 Witness + religious or moral imperative. grimoire holy texts

66
Step 8: Derived Secondary Step 9: Damage & Peril Condition
Attributes Tracks
These abbreviated values equal the tens digit of Damage comes from being hurt by weapons,
the related Primary Attribute plus any Secondary falling, fire, acid, and other situations. Peril is a
Attribute Modifiers your Profession confers to concept that represents mental agony and
you. physical fatigue.

For example, if you had a 60% Combat and 2

Secondary Attribute Modifiers, you'd have an 8 Suffering Damage
Combat Bonus [CB]. Each is abbreviated
When this happens, you move one or more
throughout the book:
steps down the Damage Condition Track. When
you are healed, move up it instead. But the
Agility Bonus [AB] affects Movement Rate and further down you go, you will suffer Injuries and
some weapon Damage. gain permanent Scars:
Brawn Bonus [BB] affects Damage Threshold
and some weapon Damage.
Damage Condition Track
Combat Bonus [CB] affects most Blackpowder,
Alive: You have old scars, stitches, and
Melee & Ranged Damage.
sutures. This is the default “unharmed”
Fellowship Bonus [FB] affects how many
condition.
people you influence and magic.
Lightly Wounded: You have cuts or light
Intelligence Bonus [IB] affects healing and
bruising with mild pains.
total supplies you can carry.
Moderately Wounded: You have deep bruises,
Perception Bonus [PB] affects Initiative
cuts, or lesions.
Modifier and distances with weapons.
Seriously Wounded: Your body is covered in
Willpower Bonus [WB] affects Peril Threshold,
deep bruises or cuts.
crafting, and modifiers for magic.
Grievously Wounded: Your clothing is soiled in
blood and sweat.
Derive these values based on your Primary Dying!: When you first reach this state, you
Attribute now on the first page of your suffer an Injury. If you are suffering from 4 or
survivor sheet. more Injuries or Afflictions (or a combination
thereof) and the duration isn't up, you are
slain unless you take on a permanent Scar.

Your survivor begins at Alive; place a paperclip

over it.

67
Calculating Damage Thresholds
Your survivor begins at Fine; place a paperclip
over it.
Calculate your BASE Damage Threshold by
adding [BB] + your armor's Damage Threshold
Modifier (the armor you gained as a part of
your Upbringing). Calculate all other Damage Calculating Peril Thresholds
Thresholds as BASE + 6, BASE + 12, BASE + 18.
For instance, if your [BB] is 5, your Damage
Thresholds would be 5 / 11 / 17 / 23. Write Calculate your BASE Peril Threshold by adding
these values on the first page of your survivor [WB] + 3. Calculate all other Peril Thresholds as
sheet. BASE + 6, BASE + 12, BASE + 18. For instance, if
your [WB] is 7, your Peril Thresholds would be
10 / 16 / 22 / 28. Write these values on the first
Suffering Peril page of your survivor sheet.
When this happens, you move one or more
steps down the Peril Condition Track. When you Step 10: Initiative Modifier &
sleep, move up it instead. But the further you go
Movement Rate
down, the less effective your Skills are, and the
Your Initiative Modifier is added to a die roll to
more likely you will suffer Afflictions and gain
determine the order of actions in scenes.
permanent Scars.

You'll generally roll it at the onset of a session by

Peril Condition Track rolling 2d10, adding it up, and then adding it to
Fine: You're the very picture of health! This is your Initiative Modifier. Movement Rate
the default “unhindered” condition. determines the base number of paces you can
Imperiled: You're operating under minimal move in a fight scene.
strain.
-5% To Skill Tests: Your blood is running hot,
Determine your Initiative Modifier by adding
and you have labored breathing.
3+[PB]. Your Movement Rate is 3+[AB].
-10% To Skill Tests: Your body gives way to
tiredness and can barely focus. Write both on the second page of your survivor
-15% To Skill Tests: You toil with every step sheet.
you take, and your vision is blurred.
Exhausted! -20% To Skill Tests: If you are
Stressed, Frightened, or Terrified while
Exhausted!, you suffer an Affliction. If you are
suffering from 4 or more Afflictions or Injuries
(or a combination thereof) and the duration
isn't up, you are slain unless you take on a
permanent Scar.

68
Your Survival
d100 Age
Your old life is over, and you were irrevocably
1 to 10 Young
changed when you faced death and somehow
managed to survive. You were left with an 11 to 70 Adult
indelible mark from that experience. 71 to 90 Middle-aged
91 to 100 Old
Step 11: Age
Each crease etched onto your face and calluses on
your hands narrate a story of fleeting years, Step 12: Brush With Death
suffering, and heartache. Even the young have Less than a year ago, you had a near-death
already tasted the bittersweet draught of life. experience. This moment shaped the life you live
now: you're a survivor. Your Brush With Death
This is the age that you faced your Brush With provides an opportunity to explore emotions
Death. and complexities not often addressed in other
role-playing games. Utilized thoughtfully, it will
make your experience with ZWEIHÄNDER a
Roll a d100 to determine your current age.
profound one for you and the other players.
These broad descriptions are inclusive of
Your survivor may have other Brushes With
human and Forgotten ancestries, but feel free
Death as the story progresses.
to determine specific age if you feel it
necessary. Write it on the first page of your
survivor sheet. Roll a d100 to determine your Brush With
Death or create a new one. Write it on the first
page of your survivor sheet.

d100 Brush With Death

1 to 2 A chair eerily swayed at the top of the stairs, and as I sat in it, it pitched me over the edge.
3 to 4 A decrepit stagecoach made me its unwilling passenger on a journey to the underworld.
5 to 6 A dim light from a dead end revealed a lurking menace beyond.
7 to 8 A haunting melody by the lake lured me into a watery grave.
9 to 10 A haunting tune lulled me into a deep sleep from which I almost didn't awaken.
11 to 12 A night of carousing led to a near-fatal ambush that killed my friends while I survived.
13 to 14 A pedlar's strange artifact sealed my fate with a single touch.
15 to 16 A venomous bloom emitted a belladonna haze that put me into a deep coma.

69
d100 Brush With Death
17 to 18 A whisper from my family's crypt nearly bound my soul to its residents.
19 to 20 An errant stroke of a stranger's pen released toxic ink, nearly marking my last word.
21 to 22 An old bell tower had remained silent for years, but its sudden toll sent me over the edge.
23 to 24 An old trunk beckoned, and upon opening it, it swallowed me into its emptiness.
25 to 26 An unexpected chime at the witching hour announced a dark presence at my door.
As a candle's flame flickered, a whisper warned me of a conflagration that nearly burned me
27 to 28 alive.
29 to 30 As a windmill's gears spun up, an unseen force pushed me into its grinding mechanism.
31 to 32 As I clasped my grandmother's brooch, my vision was flooded from her tormented past.
33 to 34 As I investigated an unmarked grave, a pair of rotting hands pulled me into the soil beneath.

35 to 36 As I walked out my front door, I didn't see the shovel aimed at my head.
37 to 38 As the snare tightened around my leg and the world went dark, I knew I had made a mistake.
39 to 40 As the war hammer met my skull, I was startled by the lack of flesh on the hand that swung it.
41 to 42 Between the walls, footsteps echoed. . .someone was following, and they meant ill intent.
43 to 44 Crossing an old bridge at dusk, I emerged into a mist-shrouded realm of horror.
45 to 46 Curiosity got the better of me when a trap sealed my fate in the castle's dungeon.
47 to 48 Every uneven tick of the clock was a missed heartbeat, its off-beat rhythm sealing my fate.
49 to 50 Eyes from a painting of a ghoulish hellscape drew me into its frame of horror.
51 to 52 Footprints from another age led me to fall into a deep cavern.
53 to 54 I know hunger and desperation drove them to feast upon my flesh.
55 to 56 I ran towards the sound of a crying baby, but it wasn't a child I found at the path's end.
57 to 58 I should have paid more attention when my father taught me how to properly fell a tree.
59 to 60 I thought cheating at dice was a petty crime, but they proved me wrong.
I thought it an exaggeration to die of fright until I saw the unknown malignant face in my
61 to 62 mirror.
I told them everything I knew, but they still pushed my bound and weighted body from the
63 to 64 ship.
65 to 66 I was quite pleased with the newly found silken scarf until it tightened around my neck.

Leaning over the village well, a pair of rotten arms and wet, dark hair engulfed me in their
67 to 68 grasp.

70
d100 Brush With Death
69 to 70 My own shadow came to life and hunted me down in the forest.
71 to 72 My shouted blasphemy was answered by the devout with cudgels and fists.
73 to 74 Shapes moved behind a curtain, and curiosity got the better of me as I fell through the glass.
75 to 76 The aroma of a seemingly innocent pastry concealed its deadly secret ingredient: poison.
The blade slid into my gut, but the look of satisfaction in my friend's eyes surprised me the
77 to 78 most.
79 to 80 The haunting aria of a troop of actors drew me into a grim tour of their theater.
81 to 82 The light drew our ship in, leading us to crash onto unknown shores.
83 to 84 The rain-slick tiles on the roof proved to be my undoing.
The voices lied when they told me my offered blood would be returned to me with great
85 to 86 power.
87 to 88 The warnings that I should not travel in the winter storm had not been an exaggeration.
Trying on a seemingly benign shoe it took me on a strange journey in its long-dead owner's
89 to 90 life.
91 to 92 Upon robbing a crypt, its guardian spirit marked me as its successor.
93 to 94 What I thought was a single leech was instead a writhing mass I didn't imagine possible.
95 to 96 When I opened the forbidden grimoire, it had a single name written on all its pages: my own.
While mesmerized by the flames of a campfire, I was robbed by highwaymen and left for
97 to 98 dead.
Whilst wandering through an overgrown menagerie, plants with a sanguine thirst ensnared
99 to 100 me.

71
Step 13: First Scar
Although you persevered in the wake of death, you were left with a physical impairment, emotional
trauma, or a spiritual wound. This is your first Scar, and each represents a journey of healing, struggle, and
change. Your first Scar enhances role-playing opportunities while reflecting the merciless nature of the
world. You will gain more as you face the Custodian's embrace once more.

Roll a d100 to determine your first Scar. Write it on the second page of your survivor sheet.

d100 Scar Effect d100 Scar Effect

Blunted Unavailable In Session Lethargic Suffer -1 to Initiative

1 to 2 Intellect Zero 51 to 52 Mind Bonus.

When suffering Injuries,

roll twice and select the Unavailable In Session
3 to 4 Brittle Bones worst result. 53 to 54 Lily-livered Zero

Whenever you are

exposed to a disease, the
GM will select a second
one you will have to
Unavailable In Session Lingering successfully resist as
5 to 6 Cabin Fever Zero 55 to 56 Disease well.
When you deal Damage
and don't move a foe
down the Damage
Condition Track, you move
Choleric one step down the Peril Mark of Unavailable In Session
7 to 8 Temperament Condition Track. 57 to 58 Shame Zero

72
d100 Scar Effect d100 Scar Effect
For every 10 silver pieces
you earn, 1 must be
donated, or you cannot
take advantage of
Combat Unavailable In Session Nightfather's Fortune Coins until you
9 to 10 Anxiety Zero 59 to 60 Due do.

Permanently reduce your Nightmare Unavailable In Session

11 to 12 Distant Heart [FB] by -1. 61 to 62 Disorder Zero
Whenever you roll d100
Unavailable In Session Old War to suffer Injuries, add
13 to 14 End of Line Zero 63 to 64 Wound +10% to the result.
When you move down the
Peril Condition Track due
to a failed Resolve Test to
avoid being Stressed,
Frightened, or Terrified,
you move one additional Ominous Unavailable In Session
15 to 16 Erratic Pulse step down. 65 to 66 Whispers Zero

Whenever you are in a

situation that resembles
your Brush With Death,
Eternal Unavailable In Session Painful Flip To Fail Willpower-
17 to 18 Insomnia Zero 67 to 68 Memories based Skill Tests.

Permanently reduce your Unavailable In Session

19 to 20 Facial Scar [FB] by -1. 69 to 70 Panic-stricken Zero

73
d100 Scar Effect d100 Scar Effect
You cannot recover your
Peril from sleeping in
rural places unless you
Unavailable In Session Persecution take a dose of laudanum
21 to 22 Failing Heart Zero 71 to 72 Complex before resting.

You Flip To Fail Skill Tests

to resist the effects of Unavailable In Session
23 to 24 False Nose alcohol and poison. 73 to 74 Phantom Limb Zero
You cannot recover your
Peril from sleeping in
urban places unless you
Fear of Unavailable In Session Plagued by use smelling salts before
25 to 26 Mirrors Zero 75 to 76 Nightmares resting.
Whenever you are in a
situation that resembles
your Brush With Death,
Flip To Fail Combat-based Unavailable In Session
27 to 28 Flashbacks Skill Tests. 77 to 78 Pyrophobia Zero

Unavailable In Session Severed Permanently reduce your

29 to 30 Flock of Death Zero 79 to 80 Fingers Combat by -3%.

Permanently reduce your Unavailable In Session

31 to 32 Frostbite Scars Agility by -3%. 81 to 82 Shattered Rib Zero

Unavailable In Session Shattered Permanently reduce your

33 to 34 Gnarled Hand Zero 83 to 84 Vertebrae Initiative Modifier by -2.
You Flip To Fail Awareness
Tests that require precise
Hard of listening or hearing subtle Unavailable In Session
35 to 36 Hearing sounds. 85 to 86 Skull Plate Zero

74
d100 Scar Effect d100 Scar Effect
Haunted Unavailable In Session Permanently reduce your
37 to 38 Memories Zero 87 to 88 Sluggish Pace Movement Rate by -1.

When exposed to extreme

heat, you must succeed in
Heatstroke a Toughness Test to avoid Trembling Unavailable In Session
39 to 40 Trauma becoming Stressed. 89 to 90 Hands Zero
When you move down
the Peril Condition Track
due to a failed Resolve
Test, temporarily reduce
Unavailable In Session your Initiative value by -
41 to 42 Hole in Skull Zero 91 to 92 Troubled Soul 1.

When you are Terrified,

Hollow you cannot move unless Unavailable In Session
43 to 44 Trances you spend 1 Fortune Coin. 93 to 94 Tunnel Vision Zero
Small Animals won't
approach you. Should
you harm them, they will
focus their ire on you,
Unavailable In Session Unsettling ignoring your allies'
45 to 46 Iron-hearted Zero 95 to 96 Aura attacks.
When you are Stressed,
Frightened, or Terrified,
Flip To Fail Agility-based Unavailable In Session
47 to 48 Jittery Nerves Skill Tests. 97 to 98 Weak Grip Zero
Unavailable In Session Weight of the Suffer -1 to Movement
49 to 50 King's Disease Zero 99 to 100 World Rate.

75
Step 14: Memento
A Memento of that perilous moment accompanies you everywhere you go. As a tangible fragment of your
Brush With Death, this object is laden with symbolic weight. Whether it is a cherished cameo, the
emblematic ring of your once-great house, a half-broken toy, or a military accolade from a time you'd
rather forget, your Memento is a constant companion, reminding you of your resilience and the
ephemeral nature of life.

Benefits of Your Memento

When you're in a scene related to your Brush With Death, hold the Memento to ignore all Peril
Condition Track penalties. These benefits last until you escape or defeat the situation.

Consider both your Brush With Death and Scar. What would this Memento look like? Write it on the
second page of your survivor sheet under Small Objects.

Step 15: Personality Traits

In the wake of your death, you developed two distinctive and wildly different traits. Your Tragic Flaw and
Inner Strength serve as role-playing tools, aiding you in navigating the complex dilemmas of ZWEIHÄNDER.

Go to the next page to determine your Tragic Flaw and Inner Strength.

76
Tragic Flaw
Inner turmoil, doubt, and raw emotions are
characterized by your Tragic Flaw. It is a dark
reflection that came from your Brush With d100 Tragic Flaw d100 Tragic Flaw
Death and often hinders your personal growth
or relationships. Recognizing and addressing
these imperfections is a key part of your story. 16 to 19 Condescending 66 to 68 Impulsive

Benefits of Your Tragic Flaw

20 to 22 Cowardly 69 to 72 Insensitive
Call upon your Tragic Flaw in a scene when it
makes sense for the narrative, and you will
gain additional Reward Points at the end of
the session. If you are a practitioner of magic, 23 to 26 Cruel 73 to 76 Irresponsible
or face death again, you will gain new Tragic
Flaws.
27 to 30 Cynical 77 to 80 Jealous
Reward Points are spent on Unlocking new
abilities.
31 to 34 Deceitful 81 to 84 Lazy

Roll a d100 to determine a Tragic Flaw or

create a new one. Write it on the first page of 35 to 38 Disloyal 85 to 88 Reckless
your survivor sheet.

39 to 42 Disrespectful 89 to 92 Selfish

d100 Tragic Flaw d100 Tragic Flaw

43 to 45 Egotistical 93 to 96 Stubborn

1 to 3 Apathetic 50 to 53 Greedy
97 to
46 to 49 Envious 100 Vengeful

4 to 7 Arrogant 54 to 57 Hostile

8 to 11 Bitter 58 to 61 Hypocritical

12 to 15 Callous 62 to 65 Ignorant

77
Inner Strength Inner
Your Inner Strength is your resilience against d100 Inner Strength d100 Strength
life's adversities. This defines you as more than a
survivor—it transforms you into a symbol of 12 to 15 Appreciative 62 to 65 Forgiving
hope and perseverance. Embracing it is key to
your personal growth, giving depth to your
16 to 19 Compassionate 66 to 68 Grateful
narrative and presenting opportunities for the
GM to craft challenges that highlight it.
20 to 22 Confident 69 to 72 Humble

Benefits of Your Inner Strength

Call upon your Inner Strength in a scene when 23 to 26 Cooperative 73 to 76 Mindful
it makes sense for the narrative, and you will
gain additional Reward Points at the end of 27 to 30 Courageous 77 to 80 Motivated
the session. If you are a practitioner of magic,
or face death again, you will gain new Inner
31 to 34 Creative 81 to 84 Optimistic
Strengths.

Reward Points are spent on Unlocking new 35 to 38 Curious 85 to 88 Resourceful

abilities.
39 to 42 Dependable 89 to 92 Steadfast

Roll a d100 to determine an Inner Strength or

create a new one. Write it on the first page of 43 to 45 Diligent 93 to 96 Strategic
your survivor sheet.

46 to 49 Disciplined 97 to 100 Versatile

Inner
d100 Inner Strength d100 Strength

1 to 3 Adaptable 50 to 53 Empathetic

4 to 7 Altruistic 54 to 57 Energetic

8 to 11 Ambitious 58 to 61 Enthusiastic

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Step 16: Name & Bonds fellow orphans, as a student and teacher, or
There aren't any strict naming conventions you something else.
need to follow. When in doubt, select something
evocative that rolls off the tongue easily. As you move into new Tiers, you will forge new
Bonds. Bonded Talents are always cooperatively
Colorful names like Ser Sebastian Bastian,
Danziger Eckhardt, Calliope DuVrey, and Blixa used, so you and the other player must agree
Killbride have a distinctive ring, ones that aren't when the Bond is activated during gameplay.
easily forgotten.

Once decided, sign your survivor's full name Pick one other survivor. One of you must roll
on the first page of your survivor sheet. d100 on the following table to determine a
unique Bond you and the other survivor share.
Read it aloud to cement those Bonds together
as you and another survivor Unlock 1 Bond
Form One Bond Talent from the table below. Write the name of
Strange and inexplicable forces drew you the survivor and the Bond Talent on the second
together with other survivors. It often appears as page of your survivor sheet.
a hollow ringing in one's ears, the hackles rising
on the back of the neck, or a sense of déjà vu In cases with an uneven number of players, 3
when you first meet another survivor. But among survivors share the same Bond Talent. For 1 on
the survivors in your party, two of you share a 1 play, assume the Bonded survivor passed on,
singular, nearly supernatural Bond with one and the player's survivor still carries the Bond
another. Your Bond with them may be that of Talent.
friendly rivals, former enemies, kinsfolk, lovers,

BOND
d100 TALENT DESCRIPTION EFFECT
At any time, you can move one step up the
Bound by a solemn oath, you Damage Condition Track and your Bonded
share a bit of each other's life survivor will move one step down. You must be
1 to 5 Blood Oath force. able to see one another to use this.

Your magical natures are

Bound by intertwined, enhancing your
6 to 10 Magic occult powers. Unavailable In Session Zero

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 BOND
d100 TALENT DESCRIPTION EFFECT
While standing Engaged during a fight scene, you
Through your many trials in and the Bonded survivor add +1 to Damage and
11 to Comrade in combat, you have learned to Peril you deal. You must be able to see one
15 Arms perfect each others' defenses. another to use this.

Linked by your dreams, you gain

16 to insights from a shared
20 Dream-linked subconscious. Unavailable In Session Zero
Swap places on the Initiative Ladder anytime, or
give up your Turn to your Bonded survivor during
21 to Fated to You avert dire outcomes for one a fight scene. You must be able to see one
25 Meet by sacrificing opportunities. another to use this.

26 to Fellow Bound by shared loss, you find

30 Orphans solace together. Unavailable In Session Zero
Any time your Bonded survivor stands Engaged
Forged in the flames of conflict, with you and moves two or more steps down the
your bond allows you to shield Damage Condition Track, they can move one less
31 to Former one another, a symbol of step down as you suffer it in their stead. You
35 Enemies reconciliation. must be able to see one another to use this.
When working together in
36 to Friendly battle, you try outdoing each
40 Rivals others' moves. Unavailable In Session Zero
You've developed a way of
communicating with each other
that borders on preternatural, a You and your Bonded survivor can speak using an
41 to Keepers of a conlang of words, emotions, and empathic language like telepathy. You must be
45 Secret hand signs. able to see one another to use this.

Bound by blood, your familial

46 to ties allow you to sense when the
50 Kinsfolk other is in danger. Unavailable In Session Zero

Prophecy has bound your

51 to Linked by destinies together, granting you
55 Prophecy glimpses of potential futures. Unavailable In Session Zero

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 BOND
d100 TALENT DESCRIPTION EFFECT

From the ashes of your

relationship, you've learned to
56 to anticipate and counter each
60 Old Flame other's weaknesses. Unavailable In Session Zero

Constant danger has honed your When Engaged with your Bonded survivor, you
61 to On the Run instincts to stay a few steps Flip To Succeed Stealth Tests. You must be able
65 Together ahead of the law. to see one another to use this.
This bond grants the protector
66 to Protector & enhanced abilities to defend
70 Charge their charge. Unavailable In Session Zero
Linked by lives lived long ago, When you can see one another, add your Bonded
71 to Reincarnated you occasionally gain flashes of survivor's Skill Ranks to your own Skill Tests. You
75 Souls your former lives together. cannot exceed 3 Skill Ranks.
You can call upon the strength of
76 to the departed, offering aid in
80 Spirit Keepers times of need. Unavailable In Session Zero
At any time, you can move one step up the Peril
A deep emotional connection Condition Track, while your Bonded survivor will
81 to Star-crossed allows you to empathize and move one step down. You must be able to see
85 Lovers share in each other's pain. one another to use this.

The teacher teaches the student,

86 to Student & and the student lends insights
90 Teacher from a fresh perspective. Unavailable In Session Zero
When you fail to resist becoming Stressed,
Frightened, or Terrified, your Bonded survivor
Your shared experiences have who can see you may re-roll Resolve using their
91 to Tragic taught you how to shield one abilities, but you must accept the results of the
95 Survivors another from mental anguish. re-roll.

96 to Almost as one soul in two

100 Twins Stars bodies. Unavailable In Session Zero

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Step 17: General Talents

Unavailable For Session Zero.

Step 18: Supplies & Weapons Melee Melee

d100 Weapons d100 Weapons
You gain the following supplies: 1 Supply Rating basebrawl
of laudanum & smelling salts. Write them on 1 to 4 mace 50 to 52 military lance
the second page of your survivor sheet. 5 to 7 battle axe 53 to 55 misericorde
8 to 10 blackjack 56 to 58 morgenstern
Roll d100 on the table below to determine one
Melee and Ranged weapon. Substitute bohemian mortuary
Blackpowder in place of Ranged at your option. 11 to 13 earspoon 59 to 61 sword

Write down each weapon the second page. 14 to 16 bollock dagger 62 to 64 pike
17 to 19 broadsword 65 to 67 pole cleaver
Write 2 Supply Ratings of your Blackpowder or
Ranged weapon’s ammunition on the second 20 to 22 bullwhip 68 to 70 rapier
page. 23 to 25 court sword 71 to 73 sabre
26 to 28 cudgel 74 to 76 shiv
29 to 31 dirk 77 to 79 sickle
32 to 34 estoc 80 to 82 splitting maul
firehardened
35 to 37 spear 83 to 85 staff
38 to 40 flanged mace 86 to 88 stiletto
41 to 43 garrote 89 to 91 threshing flail
44 to 46 knuckleduster 92 to 94 war hammer
95 to
47 to 49 main gauche 100 zweihander

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d100 Ranged Weapons d100 Blackpowder Weapons
1 to 20 arquebus
1 to 10 arbalest crossbow
21 to 40 blunderbuss
11 to 20 bolas
41 to 60 dragon pistol

21 to 30 composite bow 61 to 80 flintlock pistol

31 to 40 hunting bow 81 to 100 turnout pistol

41 to 45 javelin

46 to 55 light crossbow
56 to 65 longbow

66 to 75 shepherd's sling
76 to 85 throwing axe

86 to 100 throwing knife

SURVIVOR SHEET COMPLETE!

We hope you enjoyed creating your first survivor for ZWEIHÄNDER Reforged Edition: Session Zero! Be sure
to share out your experience with us on our community partnered Discord at
https://discord.gg/Zweihander

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