Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

AMBROSIA
a gathering of souls
by
Erlend van der haegen

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 Credits
Text, game mechanics,
lay-out and photo Erlend Van der haegen
manipulation:

Playtesting: Igor Armellini, Gert Biebaut, Marjan Coddé, Tom Cogghe,

Wout Geerings, Roby Knapen, Tom Pattyn, Steven Philips,
Koen Rutten, Jessica Van Nylen, Dirk Vanleeuw

Stock photography: Shutterstock

all rights reserved, © 2017

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 Contents

Quick-start rules 4 Scenario 34

Life in the Alverlands 6 What really happened 36

Ability scores 10 The player characters 36

Damage 11 Around the campfire 37

Bonuses and penalties 14 Out of the mud 38

Actions 14 The chase 40

Healing and resting 15 Echoes of magic 41

Character creation 16 A tangled web 43

Character sheet 17 Lamb to the slaugher 45

Flaws, talents and skills 20 Aftermath 47

Derivative scores 20 Contingency plans 50

Your immortal soul 22 Player characters 54

Levels and experience points 24 Backgrounds 56

Religion 24 Character sheets 61

Treasure 26

Magic 26

Monsters 30

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 Quick-start
Quickstart rules

rules
Created to give you an idea of what Ambrosia is all about,
this book provides you with the absolute basics regarding
the game mechanics, character creation, and also tells you
something about the setting in which all of it takes place, as
well as an introductory one-off scenario called A gathering
of souls. Of course, for more detailed information you’ll
still need to consult the Manual; but this book will get you
started on your path.
First off, Ambrosia aims to be a storytelling game; so
forget everything you know about convulsively hoarding
experience points, and leave your miniatures in their display
cabinet; you’ll be playing the protagonist of an epic fantasy
drama, so in Ambrosia, you will be treated as more than just
a set of stats with feet attached. Your character is a living,
breathing inhabitant of this strange world, both moulded
and scarred by past experiences. As such, it makes sense
to talk about the setting first - we’ll worry about necessary
evils, like rules and game mechanics, later on!
Ambrosia takes place in the Alverlands, a stretch of land
4 bordered by the Salis Sea on one side and the Morbic
Mountains on the other. Almost 1500 years ago, a great
power arose in the east, fuelled by dark magic-users,
wielding powers they couldn’t possibly control and
corrupting them both physically and mentally. One man
stood up to this invading force; a charismatic leader
from southern Carthicia called Argonius, who united the
primitive Alverlandic tribes, standing up to their common
enemy. Together, they defeated the dark wizards who were
never heard from again - the very wildlife of their lands now
grotesquely warped and perverted by their sinister arts. A
pact with the dwarves who lived deep beneath the Morbic
Mountains would protect the Alverlands against any threat
coming in from the east, now known as the Wilderlands.
Argonius was crowned emperor and ruled for hundreds of
years, blessed with an unnatural long life - and even after his
death, he was granted divine status, revered as god-emperor
all over his old empire.
The Alverlands were divided among Argonius’ closest
advisors, each a specialist in their chosen field, who
ruled over six counties in the emperor’s name. But after
Argonius’ death, all of the feudal lords refused allegiance to
a newly appointed emperor. The Alverlands declared their
independence, each county forming a sovereign micro-
state of its own. Eventually, the Old Empire fell, leaving

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Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
 Quickstart rules
Carthicia as a sacerdotal state ruled by the Pontifex - the
head of Argonius’ church.
Recently however, a young Carthician shepherd boy called
Pirric claimed to have been visited by a vision of Argonius,
tasking him with rebuilding the Old Empire. Pirric travelled
to the capitol city of Paladum, and everywhere he went,
people spontaneously joined him on his quest, inspired
by his story. When he finally reached Paladum, Pirric had
gained an army of commoners vastly outnumbering the
Carthician forces, so the Pontifex had no other choice but to
hear him out. For five days and five nights they talked, and
eventually the Pontifex admitted Pirric’s claim to be true
and declared that he would be crowned the first emperor
of the new Holy Carthician Empire. Pirric was renamed
emperor Pius Aurelius I as he ushered in a new age of
prosperity for Carthicia. But reclaiming the Alverlands was
also a part of his plan; as they were part of the Old Empire,
it was a logical step for reunification after centuries apart.
Almost twenty years ago today, the Holy Carthician Empire
annexed the Alverlands; its noble houses finally yielding
after years of violent defiance and accepting emperor Pius
Aurelius I as their sovereign leader. Most of the nobles
retained their control over specific territories, but were
closely monitored by Carthician dignitaries, and the church
6 of Argonius became a mandatory state religion. Anyone
still following other, older faiths were branded heretics and
burned at the stake - or worse...
In this, the fourteenth century by the Carthician calendar,
the story of Ambrosia truly begins. The Alverlands’ misty
moors and draughty old castles hold many secrets, and as old
alliances fail, new hostilities emerge - on muddy battlefields
as well as in the velvet arenas of the noble courts.
Life in the Alverlands
Life in the Alverlands is very different from what we’re
used to in the 21st century. Not only is the average life
expectancy among humans about 45, for example, but
you’re considered to be an adult at age 14. Girls are married
-often arranged- at 12 and also expected to bear children at
that early age. A woman will give birth to seven or eight
children in her lifetime, most of which won’t live to see
beyond the age of five due to poor hygiene and lack of health
care. It’s a harsh life for all but a few of the population.
While most children are sold into an apprenticeship, some
do get to join the clergy, or -if they show a strong magical
aptitude at a young age- are adopted by a traveling wizard
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
"Allthe world
is a stage...
but who's in
the audience?"
(from "The village fool of
Borghove" by Wilmar de Louwe)
who will teach them how to use those powers properly.
A large portion of Alverlandic people are illiterate - including
the nobility and the clergy. Most priests of Argonius can’t
even read the Writ they’re supposed to preach.
Although commoners usually trust on support from their
lord to protect them from threats ranging from robbers to
wandering monsters, each Alverlandic community also
organised a so-called schutterij, a voluntary archers’ guild
composed of serfs and freemen. These guilds have become
an important part of social life in many cities and villages.
Indirectly, the bow came to be a commoners’ weapon, or at
least that is how it is seen by nobles. Ancient stories tell of a
time when monstrous creatures terrorized the people of the
Alverlands until the elves of the Moon Isles decided to help.
They crossed the Salis Sea to teach the humans the art of
archery, so they would be able to defend themselves.
Metal weapons and armour are a rare sight for serfs and
even freemen. Human smiths are able to fabricate utensils,
horseshoes and rigs from wrought iron; but the weapons
they create are crude and fragile, for only the dwarves know
the secret of forging steel, and none but nobles have both
the contacts and wealth required to trade with them.
For commoners in the Alverlands, fresh meat is scarce.
Hunting is a privilege reserved only for nobility; any serf or
freeman caught hunting on a lord’s lands will immediately
be tried as a poacher. Although pests like rats and pigeons are
eaten in the cities, and the coastline is ripe with fishermen,
people in the countryside must resort to a diet composed
 of cabbages, turnips and tuberous plants. Alverlandic
families all bake their own bread and consume whatever
they can grow; cheese and eggs are hoarded by farmers to
feed their offspring. Cows, sheep, goats or chickens usually
aren’t butchered for meat, as a steady supply of milk and
eggs is more valuable. Serfs and freemen also manufacture
their own clothes. It’s not unusual to own only two sets of
clothes: one for summer and one for winter.
Stores are virtually non-existent in the Alverlands. Every
settlement has its weekly market day, when visiting
merchants on their fixed route sell goods to the local
townsfolk. Their assortment varies from food supplies, raw
fabrics and small forgings or crafted leather, to cattle or even
mounts. Weapons, armour, and clothing are considered to
be luxury items and are only made to order for wealthy
nobles. Some merchants travel throughout the Alverlands
or even further, only reaching local settlements once a year.
For many commoners, these visitors are their only means of
hearing news about faraway regions.
Ladies everywhere avoid being seen wearing the colour
yellow in public, as this suggests that you’re a prostitute.
When a common man dies in the Alverlands, his wife is
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
considered to continue his craft, even if it’s a traditionally
“masculine” job - like a blacksmith or a builder.
Children in the Alverlands rarely get a seat at the dining
table; that privilege is reserved for their elders. The children,
usually in better health, eat their meals standing up. Among
the poor, children are also given alcoholic beverages from a
very young age. Tradition demands the younger the family
member, the more their drink is watered down.
Humans in the Alverlands rarely step outside after sundown:
night-time is considered to be too dangerous, the territory of
criminals and witches. Most people go to bed within hours
after sunset. After resting for about four hours, however,
most get up again. They’ll be awake for two hours, after
which they’ll start their so-called second sleep until
morning. The holy Writ of Argonius specifies prayers to be
performed in between the two resting periods.
Criminals in the Alverlands are tried depending on their
social status. Commoners are usually brought before a so-
called vierschaar (four-square), set in between a square
made of four stretched ropes. Such a tribunal is preceded
by three judges, made up of the local nobility, constabulary
and/or members of the church. Judgement is swift and often
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Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
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Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 shallow, not really caring about facts or evidence, more piece of information can be achieved with a Knowledge
Quickstart rules

likely wanting to designate a scapegoat to get it over with. check. To make an ability check, you throw a ten-sided
As punishments are often harsh (from hanging for murder, die (noted as 1D10 or simply 1D) and add the applicable
or chopping off a hand for thieving or poaching, to cutting Secondary Ability Score to the result, coupled with Bonuses
out one’s tongue for insulting a noble lady), the defendant is and Penalties from Skills, magic, character flaws, and/or
always given the chance to appeal for trial by combat. In such inflicted Traumas. If you roll a 1, you fumble the check;
cases, a peasant armed with nothing more than a wooden it always fails, whatever you try to do - it’s plain bad luck.
stick has to take on an armoured champion of the court, with If you roll a 10, however, you get to roll again and add the
predictable results. Nobles settle their differences mostly by result to your previous roll. If you roll a 10 again, you keep
duelling, however; a lady scorned can designate a champion rolling and adding the results until you roll a lower value.
to defend her honour, but noblemen are considered to be The result of this sum has to be equal or higher than a DC,
cowards if they don’t fight for themselves. set by the Game Master. To determine this DC, the Game
A huge part of the Alverlandic social life revolves around Master can consult the following table; each difficulty level
beer (in contrast with Carthicia, for example, where they is accompanied by a specific example of when that specific
mostly drink wine). Seven distinct beers are brewed in DC is used. A simple check is always noted as Intelligence
the Alverlands, and each region has its own specific 8 or Strength 12 for example: stating the Ability Score being
characteristics that are reflected in its local brew. The used, followed by the DC.
Isidoor is a light, fruity beer from the north, for example,
which is the only Alverlandic beverage also being exported 7 mundane lure a domesticated dog
to Carthicia as a novelty. Schildbeer from Ketendal, on the 8 easy tie two tree trunks together
other hand, is a dark stout and the monks who brew it, guard chop a log in two with a single
its recipe with their lives. The eight, unofficial, Alverlandic 9 feasible
strike
beer is Vern, brewed by the dwarves of Galeb Morbia. The
10 takes some effort carry a beer keg around
name is roughly translated from the dwarven tongue as
10 11 challenging climb a steep rockside
hammer’s blow and is considered to be the strongest beer in
the world. The dwarves consider all human beers to be cat’s 12 strenuous push a cart out of the mud
piss in comparison. 13 doubtful break down a heavy door
14 difficult hold up a portcullis
15 very difficult bend an iron bar
Ability scores pick something up from
16 impressive the ground while riding a
Each character in Ambrosia is built up from three Primary galloping horse
Ability Scores (Physical, Mental and Social), and almost split an arrow in two with a
17 epic
every other stat is derived from them: what weapons you’re new shot
able to use, how powerful your magical Skills are, even how listen in on a conversation
many henchmen you can get to follow you around. Each of 18 nearly impossible on the other side of a noisy
these Primary Ability Scores are divided into two Secondary marketplace
Ability Scores; Strength and Dexterity for Physical; hit a hawk in full flight in the
Knowledge and Intuition for Mental; and Charisma and 19 1 in a 1000
eye with a thrown pebble
Appearance for Social. A Primary Ability Score is always
equal to the sum of the two underlying Secondary Ability In Ambrosia, you’re given the option to manipulate your
Scores; so you can have a physical character who’s very dice rolls to give players a direct storytelling tool and
muscular, or one who is very quick and nimble (or even minimize randomness. That’s where the Primary Ability
better, both!), while a social character will be either silver- Scores come into play; these form pools that you can
tongued or get by on his or her good looks. use to alter your dice rolls. Should you fail to jump to the
Ability checks are only made for Secondary Ability Scores. next rooftop by 2 points, for example, you still have the
For example, jumping from rooftop to rooftop would opportunity to spend 2 points of the corresponding Primary
require a Dexterity check; while remembering a vital Ability Score (in this case, Physical) to make the DC after

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 all. You’ll get the opportunity to invest these points even
after the roll is made and with full knowledge of the DC you
have to reach, so there’s no element of chance involved!
Alternatively, you can also spend 1 point of a Primary
Ability Score to retry a failed corresponding secondary
ability check. This is not a strict re-roll; it’s actually your
character noticing he or she did something wrong before,
and trying anew. Spending points of Primary Ability Scores
never lower your Secondary Ability Scores, and it is called
using Extra effort. Only player characters can use Extra
effort; sometimes it pays to be the protagonist of the story!
When performing a contested action against another being,
an opposed check is required. When you want to convince a
merchant to give you a better price, a Charisma vs. Intuition
check is required; to arm-wrestle another tavern patron to
the table, you’ll have to pass a Strength vs. Strength check.
In such cases, the highest value wins. Combat is resolved
in the same way: to successfully attack with a Carving or
Blunt weapon, you’ll need to make a Strength check; when
using Piercing or Ranged weapons, a Dexterity check is
required. The DC needed to hit is equal to the opponent’s
Strength check (when parrying with a Carving or Blunt
weapon) or Dexterity check (when parrying with a Piercing
weapon, or dodging). There will be instances when a static
DC is used (when using shields) or when an opponent can’t
defend him- or herself; more on this later on.
It’s also possible to help another character while he or she
is attempting a certain action - like engaging in a tug of war,
or trying to figure out a puzzle. In that case, only one die is
rolled, but each participating character’s Secondary Ability
Score is added; keep in mind that it is possible to have a
negative ability score, and characters with very low scores
can actually hinder such an attempt!
Damage
In Ambrosia, there is more than one way to get hurt. A
character can be dealt Physical damage (by getting hit,
shot or burnt); Mental damage (mostly from performing
magical spells or rituals); or Social damage (by performing
dastardly deeds - and getting caught! or even getting framed
for crimes they didn’t commit). Each of these types of
damage is linked to one of your Primary Ability Score.
For each of the Primary Ability Scores, a set of 40 possible
Traumas are specified on your character sheet, each
represented by a single dot. Whenever your character is
dealt damage, you count the dots beneath the respective
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
ability score (from left to right) and check the one matching
Quickstart rules
the amount of damage you just received. This represents the
wound. If you’re dealt damage again, this will inflict a new
wound, so you’ll start counting the dots from the beginning
(i.e. the previous damage doesn’t stack). Should a dot that
you already marked be hit again, then the corresponding
dot on the line below is checked instead; the location in
question was hurt again, the wound ripped open even more.
Example: a character gets hit by a kobold, armed with a
short sword, and is inflicted 6 points of damage. The player
checks the sixth dot beneath Light Trauma (see below). The
next turn, that character is dealt 3 points of damage; so the
player checks the third dot on the same line (the 3 points of
damage aren’t added to the 6); now he or she suffers from
two Light Traumas; the character has a cut in his or her left
arm and near the chest, for example. If that character is dealt
more than 10 points of damage, he or she is inflicted a Severe
Trauma. The same goes for the character in this example if
he or she is dealt 3 points of damage again, for example; the
existing wound is aggravated and the corresponding Severe
Trauma is also checked (the 13th dot in total).
Physical Trauma’s are quite straightforward; a Light
Trauma represents a shallow cut or a bruise; a Severe
Trauma is a fractured rib or a broken leg (something that
takes a longer time to heal); and an Incurable Trauma can 11
cause your character to lose an eye, get your hand chopped
off, or even cripple a leg. A critical trauma is possibly fatal.
Mental Traumas work in a similar way. Casting magic spells
or performing occult rituals takes its toll on your psyche,
ranging from a mild headache and absent-mindedness to
all-out psychotic episodes - or even leave your character
stranded in a vegetative state!
Lastly, your Social traumas determine how the world
perceives you. If your character is a well-known criminal,
or everybody knows him or her as the coward who ran at
the battle of..., you’ll have a hard time getting people to trust
you. In the absence of internet or television, gossiping is a
big part of social life in the Alverlands!
light trauma (-1)
severe trauma (-2)
incurable trauma
critical trauma

checked on the character sheet. When you are inflicted an
Incurable or higher Trauma, all higher dots of corresponding
value (Light and Severe Traumas) are also checked, should
they not have been checked yet.
Every Trauma you suffer from causes you to endure penalties
to checks made with a corresponding Secondary Ability
Score. For example, a Light Physical Trauma would give
you a -1 penalty to all your Strength and Dexterity checks
(as Strength and Dexterity are the Secondary Abilities linked
to Physical). These penalties will be determined depending
on the severity of the Trauma, and are always cumulative:
Each Light Trauma gives you a penalty of 1 on checks
with corresponding Secondary Abilities.
Each Severe Trauma causes you to endure a penalty of 2
on checks with corresponding Secondary Abilities. Each
time you’re inflicted a Severe (or higher) Trauma, you also
need to make a check to see if you don’t fall unconscious
from pain or shock; this is defined as a Strength 1 check for
Physical, an Intuition 1 check for Mental, and a Charisma
1 check for Social (yes, you can be that courtesan who
faints purely from being appalled!). Of course, this check
automatically increases in difficulty the more Traumas you
endure, as the penalty increases with each new one.
Incurable Traumas are somewhat more difficult. These
cause your character to lose limbs, suffer from a severe
psychological disorder, or be branded untrustworthy for
probably the rest of his or her life. To determine what the
exact effect of the Trauma entails, consult the tables below;
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
the amount mentioned there corresponds with the actual dot
Incurable Physical Traumas
Notable scar: this wound left you with a big, obvious
1 scar that’s not easily concealed to remember it by.
You gain a General Appearance Penalty 2.
Old wound: this wound will never fully heal,
and remains a constant cause of pain. You gain a
2
General Dexterity Penalty 1 and a General Strength
Penalty 1.
Left eye: your left eye is gauged out, hindering your
sense of sight. You can cover the eye-hole with a
3
patch, but you still gain a Combat Penalty 1 and a
General Intuition Penalty 1.
Right eye: your right eye is gauged out, hindering
your sight. You can cover the eye-hole with a patch,
4
but you still gain a Combat Penalty 1 and a General
Intuition Penalty 1.
Hearing loss: a hit to the head has impaired your
sense of hearing. As a result, you’re partially deaf
5
and gain a General Intuition Penalty 1 and a General
Charisma Penalty 1.
Left hand: your left hand gets chopped off or is
shattered beyond repair. Losing your hand causes a
6
General Appearance Penalty 1, a General Strength
Penalty 1 and a General Dexterity Penalty 2.
Right hand: your right hand gets chopped off or is
shattered beyond repair. Losing your hand causes a
7
General Appearance Penalty 1, a General Strength
Penalty 1 and a General Dexterity Penalty 2.
Left leg: with only one leg left, every action that
includes walking, running or jumping costs you
8
2 AP extra. You also gain a General Appearance
Penalty 1 and a General Dexterity Penalty 2.
Right leg: with only one leg left, every action that
includes walking, running or jumping costs you
9
2 AP extra. You also gain a General Appearance
Penalty 1 and a General Dexterity Penalty 2.
Brain damage: after getting hit in the head, you
notice that your cognitive abilities have suffered.
10 You gain a General Charisma Penalty 1, a General
Intuition Penalty 1, and a General Knowledge
Penalty 2.
 Quickstart rules
Incurable Mental Traumas
Short fuse: your chain is easily rattled; you don’t care about how others perceive you anymore, will use lewd language
1 just to get a response, and often react agressively towards your environment. You’re known as a troublemaker who
starts fights for no reason. This gives you a Charisma Penalty 2.
Amnesia: your subconscious suppresses everything that’s happened to you for a short period of time. You have no idea
2 what caused this (the exact period of time is determined by the Gamemaster). The inevitable disorientation gives you
a General Knowledge Penalty 1 and a General Intuition Penalty 1.
Obsessive compulsive disorder: you have an inexplicable urge to perform certain actions, the actual details of which
3 will be determined by the Gamemaster in collaboration with the player. If the character fails to perform said actions,
he or she will gain a General Penalty 2 for relevant actions directly afterwards.
Social anxiety disorder: you are unable to make a social connection with your peers. You seem very shy and rather talk
4
to yourself than to others. This gives you a General Charisma Penalty 1 and a General Intuition Penalty 1.
Guilt: this trauma gives a character a distinct feeling that the action leading up to it was wrong, possibly even plain
5 evil. He or she is plagued by regret, starts to doubt his or her purpose (maybe even the very concepts of right and
wrong), and loses 2 points of Soul.
Phobia: an irrational fear of specific situations, objects, or people withholds you to function fully when you’re
6
confronted with them. Each time you are, you gain a General Penalty 4 as long as it lasts.
Addiction: you have become dependent on a habit or substance, and unless you give into it, you will experience serious
7 symptoms of withdrawal. An addiction can take many forms - from gambling to kleptomania, alcoholism or even
gluttony. Every day this character doesn’t maintain his or her addiction costs him or her 1 point of Soul.
Psychosis: a psychotic character has partially lost touch with reality. This can manifest itself as paranoia, hallucinations
or disturbed emotions. Which form it takes exactly is determined by the Gamemaster in collaboration with the player.
8
The Gamemaster can make a psychotic character act out of the ordinary; he or she must succeed in an Intuition check
9 to resist. 13
Multiple personality disorder: a character with this Mental Trauma will take on two (or more) separate personalities.
Extra personalities are drawn up by the Gamemaster in collaboration with the player. Another personality can come
9
into play when the Gamemaster decides (at random moments), or can be triggered by hearing a certain sound, seeing
a particular colour, etc.
Antisocial personality disorder: your moral compass is confused at best; you show very little empathy, act impulsively,
10 and never feel guilty about your (evil) actions. Each time you decline to lose one or more points of Soul, you receive
a cumulative General Penalty 1, that remains in play until you lose one or more points of Soul.

It’s a bit less obvious when it comes to Incurable Social
Trauma’s, however. As these Traumas are gained by
performing specific immoral acts, it’s obviously impossible
to list them all in a simple table. That’s why Incurable Social
Traumas simply give you a General Charisma Penalty 2 (for
dot 1-5) or 4 (for dot 6-10).
A Critical Trauma might result in death - or worse! A
character who is dealt one, immediately passes out, but
has to make a Strength (for Physical Traumas), Intuition
(for Mental Traumas) or Charisma (for Social Traumas) 1
check as well. If this check fails, he or she dies from their
wounds, is left in a drooling vegetative state, or is so hated
that staying put simply becomes intolerable. In any case, the
player in question will have to draw up a new character as
the current one has become unplayable.
If a character is ever dealt more than 40 points of damage,
or would be required to check a dot that doesn’t exist (if
he or she is dealt 36 points of damage twice in a row, for
example), the character in question will instantly die - after
all, with that kind of punishment taken, there’s very little
you can do!
It is good to know that Extra effort, the technique for using
points from Primary Ability Scores to improve your dice
rolls we talked about earlier, can also be used as Damage
Reduction for corresponding Traumas. Each point of a
Primary Ability Score spent in that way can prevent 1 point
of damage. Your character is still treated as the story’s
protagonist, after all, and having one hand chopped off by

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Quickstart rules
sheer bad luck after spending hours and hours of game-play
to learn how to be the best you can be fighting with two
weapons wouldn’t be much fun. So by using Extra effort,
you’re given the opportunity to change the storyline once
again - this time to keep the integrity of your character
concept intact!
Bonuses and penalties
You may have noticed that we mentioned several kinds
of Bonuses an Penalties earlier - like General or Combat
Bonuses. Ambrosia utilizes a simple game mechanic
composed of three different Bonuses and Penalties, and
they all work the same.
First off, there’s a General bonus or Penalty. This number
is simply added or subtracted (depending on whether it’s a
Bonus or a Penalty, of course) from your die roll. General
Bonuses usually have a requirement; when you’re on
familiar ground for example, or when using a certain type of
weapon you’re specialized in. A General Bonus is usually
only applicable to Ability Score checks, but can also count
as a Combat or Magic Bonus (see below), as long as the
requirement has been fulfilled.
14 A Combat Bonus or Penalty is applicable to all die rolls
involved in combat - attacking and parrying, but also damage.
If you have Combat Advantage for example (shooting a
opponent who’s a sitting duck, attacking someone who’s
lying prone, or preparing an intricate ambush to surprise an
unsuspecting opponent) provides you with a Combat Bonus
of 3.
A Magic Bonus, lastly, is applicable to all die rolls using
Spells and Rituals. Each Spell also deals Mental damage to
its user, however, and that roll is the exception to this rule;
it is actually lowered by 1 for each Magic Bonus you get.
ini 3
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Actions
Combat in Ambrosia is quick and bloody, and conflicts are
usually settled in a matter of seconds. It’s more realistic that
way; a blow with a large, two-handed sword will usually
leave your opponent with wounds that may never heal, and
getting impaled on a spear can end your adventuring career
real fast. Thinking it through gives you better chances of
survival than running in with guns blazing.
Each round of combat follows the order of the combatants’
Initiative, from highest to lowest. It is recommended to
also seat your players in order of Initiative (as this is a
fixed number) so they can simply declare their actions in
clockwise or counter-clockwise order. Once a round has
ended, you start anew with the highest Initiative value until
combat is resolved. Ambrosia is unique, however, in that
it allows you to take actions anywhere between the start of
your turn and the beginning of your next turn. So you can
attack a character when your Initiative number comes up,
but you can also postpone an action like that until later that
turn - for example, you can wait until a slower ally made a
feinting move, or wait and see if an opponent’s actions give
you a much-needed opening. The time you’ve got to take
your actions is visually reproduced in the diagram below.
Each turn, every character can perform one or more actions.
Actions have a cost, expressed in Action Points (AP); each
character can spend 10 Action Points during his or her turn.
Some actions cost more AP to perform than others; for
example, in the time it takes for someone to swing a huge
halberd, you may have stabbed him three times with your
dagger. You can use all your AP in one action, or spread
them over several actions. Keep in mind that parrying or
evading blows also costs Action Points, so it’s always a
good idea to keep a reserve handy! And yes, if four or five
adversaries are charging at you, there’s no chance that you
ini 2
ini 5
 Healing and resting

Quickstart rules
can evade all of their blows - so ganging up does work!
In the table below, the most frequently used actions are
jotted down, along with their cost in Action Points. Of Now that we covered how to get wounded, there are also
course, many other actions are possible as well; the Game a few ways to get healed of course. The most frequently
Master can use the actions mentioned below as a reference used method to heal wounds is to rest - but a shattered rib
to determine the cost of new ones. or a broken leg won’t simply mend itself overnight. When
taking a Night’s Rest (6-8 hours, can only be used once a
Action AP day), a character follows the steps below, in that order:
Attack unarmed 4 1. All Light Traumas are healed overnight.
Attack with a weapon * 2. The character can spend 3 points of a Primary Ability
Evade a blow or shot 4 Score to convert a Severe Trauma (linked to that ability
score) to the corresponding Light Trauma.
Shout a short sentence 1
3. The player rolls 1D10 and replenishes a number of
Parry with a weapon * spent Primary Ability Score points, equal to that value
Cast a spell / Use a hieratic Skill 6 (distributed as the player sees fit).
Characters can also get healed by herbs, magic, potions, or
*The Encumbrance value of the weapon is used as Action characters with the Surgery Skill. Surgeons can heal several
Point value for Actions that entail using said weapon. The kinds of Traumas in the following ways:
minimum is always 3 AP.
By withdrawing blood, a surgeon can
Buckle on a shield / Put on a helmet 5 purify toxins and infections from the
Draw a weapon / Put away a weapon 2 patient’s body. The surgeon can cure a
Drop a weapon or item 0 poison or disease by succeeding in a check
Blood-letting
Knowledge (8+Level disease or poison);
Open and drink a magic potion 4 15
the patient is dealt 1D+4+(Level disease
Pick something up from the ground 2 or poison) Physical damage (all Damage
Drop a worn shield or helmet 3 Reduction is ignored).
Take a small object out of a container 2 A surgeon can determine which disease(s)
and/or poison(s) a patient suffers from. If
Jump on or over something 4 the surgeon successfully makes a check
Diagnose
Open or close a door 2 Knowledge (7+Level diseases and/or
poisons), he or she can identify all toxins
Run Dexterity+2 meters** 5
and diseases the patient suffers from.
Run down stairs (8 steps) 5 Making indentations in a patient’s scalp
Run up stairs (8 steps) 8 allows a surgeon to heal Light or Severe
Stand up from sitting 2 Mental Traumas if he or she succeeds in a
Stand up from lying down 4 Keye-cutting check Knowledge 9 (Light) or Knowledge
Take a single step*** 2 12 (Severe). The patient is dealt 1D
Physical damage (all Damage Reduction is
ignored).
**When running, a character uses the sum of his or her
By bandaging, or splinting a broken bone,
Dexterity and all Physical bonuses, as well as any Penalties
a surgeon can speed up the healing process
he or she endures. If this sum has a result of 0 or less, then
of a Severe Physical Trauma if he or she
running proves to be impossible in his or her current state.
succeeds in a Knowledge 10 check. When
***The amount of AP needed to take a single step increases Surgery
the patient awakes after his or her next
by 1 for every Physical Penalty (Strength or Dexterity)
Night’s Rest, the Severe Physical Trauma
a character has. Once that penalty is higher than 8, the
will be converted to a Light Physical
character will only be able to crawl because of the severity
Trauma of the corresponding value.
of his or her wounds.

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 Character creation
A character in Ambrosia is more than just a set of stats. In
many games, when you’re playing an elf, you’re basically a
human with pointy ears, and the society around you is based
on our 21st-century norms and values. But in Ambrosia,
you’re living in a real, breathing, medieval setting, where
class differences are commonplace and both noble lords
and clergymen vie for control over land and the commoners
that come with it. It’s a dark and gritty world that leaves
none of its inhabitants unscathed before they start off on the
adventure of their lifetime, one that will change both them
and the world around them forever.
For an overview of character creation, it’s best to use the
character sheet as a reference. You’ll notice that some
characteristics are listed on the front of the sheet, others
on the back - that’s very intentional, to make sure other
players won’t accidentally glance at delicate information. A
character may want to adopt an alias if he or she is known
to be a traitor to the Holy Empire, or a well-known thief;
that’s why your character’s given name is mentioned on the
back of the sheet, while his or her nickname is put on the
front. The same goes for descent and religion, for example;
a lowly commoner impersonating a noble lord will want to
keep such things a secret, just as a heretic will end up at
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
the stake if he or she practices said faith publicly. Titles
also fall into this category; for though a noble might want to
flaunt his or her official title, being part of a witches’ coven
or joining a thieves’ guild also offers you a title that might
come in handy in some circles, but is best kept to yourself
in public.
But the first step you’ll take is to determine what stock you’re
from. If you’re human, you can either be of noble descent
or take on the role of a lowly commoner. Although nobles
enjoy more privileges, they also lead a much more delicate
and dangerous lifestyle; for the subtle art of navigating the
noble courts without getting hurt is often more difficult than
leading a simple, humble life.
Humans with a pedigree in the Alverlands are descended
from one of six noble houses, all with their own history and
characteristics. House Alfsteen is maybe the best known of
these families, being the only ones to take up arms against
the Carthician invaders when the Holy Empire first declared
their intentions to annex the Alverlands. The fighting went on
for years, house Alfsteen’s supporters striking from familiar
ground (the dark forests of their home county Marenbant),
but eventually the Carthicians got the better of them and
chased them off their lands. Nowadays, descendants of
house Alfsteen live in exile, often in hiding, their lands
now renamed the Principality of Marenbant, governed by
 nickname: initiative (dexterity + intuition):
level / experience points: 1 2  3   4    5     6      7
karma: soul:

physical mental social

strength: knowledge: charisma:

dexterity: intuition: appearance:

light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1)

severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2)

incurable trauma incurable trauma incurable trauma

critical trauma critical trauma critical trauma

weapon Skill 1h (strength + Skill): weapon Skill 2h ((strength x2) + Skill):

weapon Skill 1h (dexterity + Skill): weapon Skill 2h ((dexterity x2) + Skill):

s/d + sk + mg tr type sk + mg + pw enc

armour type pw enc

armour Skill (strength + Skill): carrying capacity (strength + 10): enc:

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 name:
descent: age:
gender: religion:
languages:
titles:

equipment clothing treasure

trauma's & flaws:

notes:

spells rituals components

magic bonus: (Skill) + MG =

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)


a Carthician prince-bishop of Argonius’ faith. Before their
fall from grace, the Alfsteens were the political glue that
held the uneasy alliance between the counties together,
however, and those bonds have started to deteriorate in their
absence. But then again, the motto of house Alfsteen has
always been Honour before obeisance.
House Baligant is the strongest military power in the
Alverlands, with its vast armies and strength of arms. They
were house Alfsteen’s only public supporters when they
opposed the Carthician invaders, but eventually retreated
their troops for reasons as of yet unknown. Members of
house Baligant are usually avoided by the other noble
houses: many believe that their actions were the reason for
the popular Alfsteens’ undoing, but mostly because inviting
a Baligant to your banquet usually ends in them getting
drunk and smashing up the place. Despite of this, heir
massive forces compel others to ally themselves with them
though. These iron-clad nobles charge into combat shouting
their house credo, None disturb us unharmed!
House Lonbarden is the wealthiest power in the Alverlands,
having amassed its fortune by mastering both trade and
exploitation. The Lonbardens rule the northernmost county
of the Alverlands, and their hearts are known to be as cold
as the climate there. Although they’ve been monopolizing
trade in the north for centuries now, their financial empire
is starting to show signs of collapse because of the Hansa, a
merchant house established by freemen. House Lonbarden’s
motto remains Small seeds, bountiful harvests though.
House Markolf made its name in the community of magic-
users and academics. Bred from mysterious and intelligent
stock, the Markolfs are known to wield magical powers
beyond the reach of mortal men. Their manors and castles
are full of hidden passages and secret rooms containing
long-lost knowledge, often unknown even to the lords and
ladies who live there. Knowledge conquers fate is the motto
they stand by.
House Tauernier has the reputation of producing spiritual
and artistic offspring. Among the noble houses, they’re the
most influential in matters of the church, and none have
more poems and epics written about them (although, to be
fair, they were probably written by Tauerniers themselves).
Their motto is Beauty and piety.
Very little is known about the noble house Vaelspaen,
however. Because of their attempts at keeping their blood
pure, they refuse to breed with any outside influence, be
it noble or commoner. Therefore, the offspring of house
Vaelspaen are often crooked and deformed, and it is often
said that those who seem comely on the outside, carry their
defects within, in the form of mental illnesses. This house
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Quickstart rules
is still very much respected, however, as the moors of their
home county Kyria are the only known source of swamp
water with magical properties needed to create the so-called
schraals, undead servants that have become a bit of a status
symbol among more powerful circles in the Alverlands.
Apart from their necromancers, descendants of house
Vaelspaen also serve as information brokers, seemingly
knowing everything that’s going on if you pay the right
price. Their motto is The shadows know all.
But the nobility actually makes up a very small percentage
of the Alverlandic population. Most people are actually
serfs, not much more than slaves; their lives belong to their
noble lord. Most serfs are distrustful in dealings with people
of higher standing though, usually only having faith in the
church, but still treating nobles with the proper dignity and
respect. But where a nobleman will have to navigate the
delicate and complex machinations of the courts to gain
even the slightest piece of information, a serf can simply
go gossiping in the castle kitchen - because the maids and
wenches see and hear all!
A final social status for the humans in the Alverlands is that
of freeman; those who aren’t of noble blood, but not serfs
either. This class is mostly composed of wealthy farmers,
owning their own piece of land; traveling merchants, actors
and minstrels; and foreigners. Looked down upon by 19
established nobility (those of old money) and often equated
with vagabonds and brigands, freemen try to make their
own way in the world against many odds.
But the Alverlands are also inhabited by all kinds of strange
creatures. Humans maintain close contacts with the dwarves
from the eastern kingdom of Galeb Morbia; and the elves, a
nomadic people originally from the Moon Isles in the west
are often seen as well. As a player, you can also choose to
play as a member of one of these non-human races.
The dwarves, first and foremost, are an ancient, industrious
race that live in massive halls deep beneath the Morbic
Mountains. They believe that the world is actually the body
of their dead god, Ment, and it is their duty to reclaim his
riches from deep beneath his skin. As they live in complete
darkness, dwarves have no sense of day or night; they only
sleep once a year, a hibernation that takes up months at a
time. As such, they perceive humans and elves as extremely
lazy creatures; they sleep no less than six hours each day! In
the eyes of a dwarf, that time could be better spent working.
Lastly, the elves are an ancient race whose history is shrouded
in mystery. They were once inhabitants of the Moon Isles in
the west, but for reasons unknown to even them, an exodus
forced them to leave their homelands centuries ago. None
who set foot on the Moon Isles today is ever heard from
 Quickstart rules

again, and sailors speak of strange lights emanating from she will also be able to add 1 point to any Primary Ability
its wild forests, as well as inhuman shrieks and cries that Score of his or her choosing.
seem to come out of nowhere. The elves, or Katori as they Next, you’ll be able to fill out your Secondary Ability
call themselves, are feral beings who worship a primitive Scores by choosing Skills and Talents. Talents are abilities
god known only as the Beast. Humans consider them to be your character was born with, or things he or she gained in
little more than animals, and that is why they don’t consider his or her life before our story starts. This could be a natural
them to be equals; elves are allowed to hunt on a lord’s land, magical aptitude, a strong back that allows you to have a
for example, because you can’t blame a wolf for killing one higher carrying capacity, or a sturdy constitution that makes
of your deer either. If the wolf population grows too large, you more resistant to diseases and poisons - but it could
however, a hunting party is organized to thin the herd, and also be a title you received in life (sometimes earned, but
the same will be done to large groups of elves roaming the mostly by political manoeuvring), an oath you swore, or a
land... henchman you picked up along the way. Talents may only
Your Primary Ability Scores will be determined depending be taken at character creation.
on your descent. Several examples are listed below: Skills, on the other hand, can also be learned in-game. Some
Skills give you access to certain areas of knowledge (like
Human, noble - house Baligant academics or folklore) or teach you Skills you won’t be able
Physical: 4 Mental: 1 Social: 1 to do without training (like picking locks or casting magic
spells). Others simply make you better at it - anyone can
Human, noble - house Tauernier swing a sword around or try to track footsteps through the
Physical: 1 Mental: 1 Social: 4 mud, but a seasoned warrior or tracker, respectively, will
have a much better chance of succeeding.
Human, freeman Each Talent and Skill is linked to a corresponding Secondary
Physical: 2 Mental: 2 Social: 2 Ability Score, and each of these ability scores are increased
by 1 for each Talent and/or Skill you possess. In other words,
20 Human, serf you don’t need to be a strong character to be a lumberjack
- but as you train to be one, you will gain physical strength!
Physical: 3 Mental: 1 Social: 2
Any which way you look at it, the statements below will
Dwarf always remain true:
Physical: 3 Mental: 2 Social: 1
Your Secondary Ability Scores are each equal to the
Elf number of your Skills and/or Talents linked to them
Physical: 2 Mental: 3 Social: 1 Your Primary Ability Scores are each equal to the sum of
Secondary Ability Scores linked to them

Flaws, talents and Example: a character has a Physical score of 2, so he or

Skills
In Ambrosia, it is assumed that no one is perfect, and
being the very model of a modern major-general is simply
unrealistic. Everyone has his or her weaknesses, so every
character is required to choose at least one Flaw from an
extensive list. A character can be of a ripe old age, for
example, or he or she can be clumsy, absent-minded, or
deformed. Every Flaw is linked to one of the Primary Ability
Scores, which is lowered by 1 consequently. A player has
the option to choose a second Flaw from the list, lowering
the corresponding ability score by 1 once more, but he or
she can choose two Strength Skills, two Dexterity Skills, or
one of each (of course, at character creation, he can always
substitute Skills for Talents linked to the same ability score).
Derivative scores
Once you established your Primary and Secondary Ability
Scores, you’ll notice that several other scores are derived
from them. These derivative scores can be lowered by
certain Flaws, though, or increased by applicable Skills.
Initiative determines the order of play in combat, from

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)


"An army may march
on its stomach...
but it fights
on its liver!"
(knight-commander
Beric Baligant)
highest to lowest. Your Initiative is equal to the sum of your
Dexterity and Intuition scores, but can also be increased by
Skills like Lightning reflexes. As Initiative remains a fixed
number for most of the game, it’s easy to keep track of
whose turn it is by seating players around the table in order
of Initiative.
Weapon Skill determines what kind of weapons your
character is proficient with. Obviously, anyone can pick
up a sword and swing it around, but your Weapon Skill
determines how effective the result will be. There’s four
different kinds of weapons in this game (Piercing, Ranged,
Blunt, and Cleaving) and obviously, a high Strength score
won’t really be of help when using an elegant rapier or
swift dagger, although you will need to be quite muscular
to swing a huge war hammer around. Therefore, your WS
with Piercing and Ranged weapons is derived from your
Dexterity score, while Blunt and Cleaving weapons are
dependent on your Strength score. Skills like the aptly
named Weapon skill allow you to use larger, heavier
weapons. You’ll note that you can use heavier weapons
when you’re holding them with both hands; obviously,
you can’t use a second weapon or a shield then, but larger
weapons do have a higher chance at harming or even
instantly killing tougher enemies. In Ambrosia, we don’t
talk about one- or two-handed weapons; it depends on your
individual character whether he or she can use a weapon
one- or (sometimes clumsily) two-handed. Each weapon
comes with an Encumbrance score, and your Weapon Skill
is the maximum Encumbrance of weapon you can use.
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
Wielding a weapon with an Encumbrance higher than your
Quickstart rules
Weapon Skill gives your character a Combat Penalty equal
to the difference between the two.
Example: a character with a Dexterity score of 4 decides
to hurl a throwing axe (Encumbrance 7) at an opponent’s
head. His Weapon Skill (one-handed) for ranged weapons
is equal to his Dexterity, so throwing the axe would give
him a Combat Penalty of 3 (=7-4). Should that character
pick up the heavy axe with both hands, though, he wouldn’t
incur a penalty as his Weapon Skill for two-handed ranged
weapons is equal to twice his Dexterity score (4*2=8),
which is higher than the weapon’s Encumbrance of 7.
Armour Skill determines what kind of armour your
character can use without incurring penalties. For once
again, anyone can don a suit of plate mail; but obviously,
you need to be trained in such arts, and have the upper body
strength needed to support it, in order to make the best
use of heavy armour. Armour Skill is derived from your
Strength score and, like with Weapon Skill, cannot exceed
the Encumbrance score of your armour. It is possible to
wear several pieces of armour over each other (you can use
a maximum of one Upper armour and one Shield, but as
many Base armours as you like, as long as they’re unique
items - so no wearing three helmets on top of each other!),
in which case the sum of all worn armours’ Encumbrance 21
scores can’t exceed your Armour Skill. Should it happen that
it does exceed your Armour Skill, your character endures a
General Dexterity Penalty equal to the difference, as well
as decreasing the distance in the Run Dexterity+2 meters
Action by another 1 meter for each point of Encumbrance
higher than your Armour Skill.
Carrying capacity tells you how many weapons and/
or armour you can carry without straining yourself. In
Ambrosia, we like to take a realistic approach to this: in
many role-playing games, your character is able to carry
enough weapons with him to justify enlisting the help of a
caddy just to hand him the right one - but in reality, those
wrought iron monstrosities weigh tons. Your Carrying
capacity is usually equal to 10 + your Strength score (again,
Talents and Flaws can alter this value) and the sum of all
your weapons’ and armours’ Encumbrance scores cannot
exceed this. We are talking about armour worn, with
its weight divided evenly over your body, because the
Encumbrance of armour you simply carry with you (in a
satchel, for example) is doubled even! For each point of
Encumbrance higher than his or her Carrying capacity,
your character endures a General Dexterity Penalty 1 and
a General Strength Penalty 1. Only weapons and armour
are included when calculating total Encumbrance; for other
 Quickstart rules
s/d sk mg tr
Weapon name Penalties from Physical Traumas
Strength (Blunt/Cleaving) or Bonuses and/or
Dexterity (Ranged/Piercing) penalties from magic
Bonuses and/or penalties from
Talents, Skills and/or Flaws
equipment, common sense is simply used (obviously, you
can’t walk around with five treasure chests on your back,
filled to the brim with gold coins!).
On the front of your character sheet, you’ll also see a
table where you note down your weapons. This is a handy
reference tool for calculating Bonuses and/or Penalties
applicable to attack and parry rolls, as well as the damage
your weapon inflicts on a successful hit. The columns on the
left of Type contain all bonuses and/or penalties that apply
to attacking and parrying; those on its right give you an
overview of all bonuses and/or penalties for damage. When
22 you inflict damage with a weapon, you add these Bonuses
and/or subtract the Penalties from a die roll (1D10). A roll
of 1 doesn’t cause a fumble when rolling for damage, but the
exploding dice rule is still in effect!
Unarmed attacks are also possible of course, but as we’re
trying to set up a medieval, western European-inspired
game, there’s no such thing as intricate (oriental) martial
arts. After all, in Ambrosia, as in its historical counterpart,
the lands aren’t populated by ninjas and kung-fu monks!
Attacking unarmed is resolved by making a simple Strength
check (which can be parried or dodged as if it were an armed
attack) and damage is determined by 1D10+Strength-1.
Rather than composing complex fighting rules, specific
moves are resolved by making simple opposing checks; for
example, grappling an opponent would be a Strength vs.
Dexterity check, wrestling someone to the ground becomes
a Strength vs. Strength check, and so on.
The principle remains the same for armour; for they too
have a Power and Encumbrance score, but only magic can
be used to increase or decrease them - so a complex table
isn’t necessary here. An armour’s Power score offers your
character a Physical damage reduction (as such, it is even
possible for your armour to take an entire blow, leaving you
completely unscathed!), but it works slightly different for
shields. When using a shield, its Power score works as a
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
Weapon type Weapon’s Encumbrance
Weapon’s Power score
type sk mg pw enc
Bonuses and/or
penalties from magic
Bonuses and/or penalties from
Talents, Skills and/or Flaws
passive defence - an opponent’s attack roll must be higher
than the shield’s Power score to hit, even if you’re not
spending Action Points for parrying or dodging.
Your immortal soul
Morality makes up a large part of the game in Ambrosia,
and trying to stay true to your personal norms and values
isn’t always easy when you’re living in a dark and gritty
setting like the Alverlands. As a moral compass for your
character, this game utilises a Soul score; you can lose Soul
points by performing foul and immoral acts; in other words,
it doesn’t pay to be a murder hobo in this game!
Your Soul reflects, for one, the way a character views him-
or herself. Can a character live with him- or herself after
saving his or her own skin by abandoning a child to be eaten
by a dragon? Will the ghosts of their past come back to
haunt him or her in dreams? This is all determined by your
Soul score.
Secondly, your Soul determines how susceptible you are
to holy or unholy powers, respectively. A character with
a high Soul score will have a higher chance to be blessed
by the gods, having your wounds healed, or even having
dark spirits exorcised from your very being. A low Soul
score, on the other hand, makes you more susceptible to the
hellish forces of the Netherworld, wielded by both devils
and witches alike.
It is possible to do penance for your evil ways and
regain points of Soul. Every religion has its own way of
atonement, ranging from purchasing pardons from the
church of Argonius, or self-flagellation, up to going on a
mythical spirit quest when worshipping the Beast. When
your Soul score is lowered to 0, however, all hope is lost for
the character; he or she becomes a sociopath with no sense
 Quickstart rules
of right or wrong; nothing but an emotionless husk. Such
a character is immediately transferred to the control of the
Game Master and will, most probably, become one of the
main antagonists of the story.
There are different ways to lose Soul, but most commonly,
the seven sins (as described by the apostles of Argonius) are
used as a criterion. These seven sins are so indoctrinated
throughout the Alverlands that even followers of other
religions (as well as non-believers) have adopted them
as a basis for their moral code. The seven sins, as well as
players’ actions that might lead to admitting to them, are
listed below:

A character doesn’t take into account how

his or her actions will affect others; examples
Selfishness include fleeing a village under attack to save
your own skin, or framing someone for a
crime you actually committed.
A character lets his or her greed overcome
common sense; examples include going
back into a dungeon after barely escaping
Gluttony
because you think there might be treasure
in that unexplored room, or endangering
someone’s life to personally profit from it.
A character considers him- or herself 23
invincible; assuming that you can defeat a
Pride
centuries-old dragon because you just easily
beheaded a tiny kobold is an example of this.
A character forsakes his or her duties out
of laziness; using a Night’s rest to quickly
Sloth heal superficial wounds while time is of the
essence, is something that happens a lot in
role-playing games.
A character kills when it can be avoided, or
gets pleasure from bloodshed; disrespecting
Wrath
human (or elven, or dwarven,...) life for his
or her enjoyment is the most common cause.
A character disrespects the rules of his or
her faith; examples include being scorned
by a representative of the faith, or being the
Impiety
subject of a hieratic Skill or ritual (or even a
mass) in the name of another faith than your
own.

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 Levels and Experience
Quickstart rules
Points
Ambrosia doesn’t utilize a growth-based system like most
role-playing games do. A Level 1 and a Level 7 character
can stand side by side, each with their own strengths and
weaknesses, without the Game Master having to worry
about Level-appropriate encounters, an insurmountable gap
between high and low Levels, and having players who are
primarily motivated by gaining more and more Experience
Points. Instead, characters are created with realistic abilities
for an adult in the Alverlands, and will be able to better him-
or herself a little - while also being hindered by Incurable
Traumas he or she will suffer during their adventures.
A player character starts at Level 1 and gains 1 Experience
Point for each game session (of 3-4 hours) he or she
participates in. Experience Points don’t need to be earned
by killing monsters, Game Master approved role-playing,
or any other means; the story advances either way. After
gaining 21 Experience Points, your character will have
evolved from Level 1 tot the maximum Level 7 (as per the
chart at the top of the Character Sheet). Each time a character
reaches a new Level (at 1 XP, again at 3 XP, then at 6 XP,
and so on), he or she can choose a new Skill that character
24
has learned; this also increases the linked Secondary Ability
Score by 1, and indirectly the Primary Ability Score above
that (as well as derivative scores, if any). Be realistic about
the Skill you choose, however; it’s very difficult for a
character who has just spent four months at sea to learn as
Skill like Favoured terrain: deserts...
For every Experience Point a player character receives, he
or she also gains 1 point of Karma. Karma can be spend
as a wild-card for Extra effort instead of Physical, Mental
or Social points, but once it’s spend, you never get it back.
Karma can be used to make the truly epic rolls that seem
impossible otherwise!
Religion
Faith is an important part of life in the Alverlands, as only
a very small population consists of non-believers. Different
religions are regularly at each other’s throats, and free-
thinkers often end up burned at the stake as heretics.
Since the Holy Carthician Empire annexed the Alverlands,
the church of the Argonius has become the mandatory
state religion. Humans not honouring the god-emperor on
a regular basis are also tried for heresy; so either out of
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
"Not before he loses
both titles and gold
will man truly
reveal his soul."
(from "The Writ",
psalm of Saint Gyssel)
fear or piety, this church has the largest following in the
Alverlands. Priests (only men are allowed to don the cloth)
spread the word of Argonius throughout the land, while
bishops and cardinals bide their time in the noble courts,
using diplomacy and intrigue to gain more power.
Although less prestigious than the priestly order, the monks
who live in monasteries all over the Alverlands, make up
a big part of Argonius’ clergy. Although they’ve put their
lives in service of the god-emperor, monks aren’t perceived
as the spiritual guides that priests are. Many monasteries
still rely on a chaplain priest, for example, to consult its
inhabitants on the divine. Monks, led by abbots and abbesses
respectively, are organized in six distinct monastic orders,
each devoted to one of Argonius’ apostles, now revered as
saints in their own right.
The order of Saint Ambros consists of monks who have
taken a vow of silence; within the walls of an Ambrosian
convent, silence must be maintained at all times. Ambrosian
monks spend most of their time in meditation and prayer.
The brotherhood of Saint Bogomil consider knowledge to
be the most precious commodity in the world. These monks
copy books and draw intricate icons in their vast libraries.
The order of Saint Elora is the only sisterhood among
the monastic orders of Argonius. They honour thriftiness
above all else, and while these blessed sisters have taken
a vow of poverty, they do charge the common folk for a
lot of services (among which pardons to clear one’s soul
of taints). As such, many suspect the Elorian Sisterhood is
 actually hoarding great riches beyond one’s imagination.
The order of Saint Garald believe in purity of body
and mind and subject themselves to monstrous tests of
endurance. They are the only order ready to take up arms as
well, however, and often defend commoners from threats.
The order of Saint Gyssel, also known as black-friars
because of their pitch black robes, commit themselves to
helping those in need. Gysselian monasteries serve as
hospitals and orphanages, but children who end up there are
taught the harsh lessons of reality from a young age. Some
think it’s better to grow up on the streets than in the care of
the strict Gysselian monks.
The order of Saint Welin, patron saint of hunters and
trackers, offers food and shelter for those in need. Any who
honours Argonius will be given a warm meal and a roof
over their heads whenever they need it. Among members of
the church, the Welinian monks are closest to nature.
In the times of the Old Empire, Argonius also had a seventh
apostle; Eritus Ebigor, who -as Saint Ebigor- led a revolt
to conquer the divine throne. He was defeated by the god-
emperor though, and cast down into the depths of the
Netherworld, to rule over the souls of sinners and heretics.
Eritus Ebigor is still revered by witches, however, who
perform dark rites by the light of the moon, where they have
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
intercourse with devils and curse all who would oppose
them. The church of Argonius actively hunts down covens
of witches, but many who have been falsely accused of
practicing witchcraft have ended up dead as well as a result.
Before the church of Argonius got a foothold in the
Alverlands (with the forging of the Old Empire), most tribes
gave tribute to the Beast, the primeval deity still worshipped
by the elves in present day. Some humans still worship
the Beast as well, though, and those people are guided by
druids, keepers of ancient lore that has been banned by the
established faith, but kept alive by oral tradition. Druids
are the guardians of plant life and nature, and are each
consecrated to a single season - summer druids are at all
times surrounded by blooming plants, even in winter, for
example - while wild mushrooms sprout out of the ground
spontaneously whenever an autumn druid stays in one
location for an extended period of time. Although druidism
is prohibited by the church of Argonius, it is still practiced
in secret, mostly in rural communities.
Often working in tandem with druids are shamans, spiritual
guides to the elves. Although they worship the same god,
shamans focus on the fauna side of nature, while druids
embody the flora aspect. Shamans are healers, storytellers,
and respected sages among their kind; they’re responsible
 Quickstart rules

for blessing the Katori talisman a new-born elf receives,
which -by the doctrine of their faith- contains the child’s
soul. Losing that talisman is the worst faith an elf can befall,
yet they are sought-after trophies for many human hunters
who want to impress their peers.
As dwarves believe the world is actually the body of their
dead god Ment, they see no use in having an established
clergy. All dwarves simply agree on the existence of Ment
and accept their role in excavating his body.
Humans who refuse to follow the church of Argonius,
but aren’t attracted to the feral life the Beast offers them,
are called apostates. They’re usually opposed to immoral
acts made by hypocritical clergymen, and have renounced
the god-emperor because of that. Others are free-thinkers,
deemed dangerous by the established religion, as they
undermine their hold on the people.
Treasure
In the Alverlands, four different kinds of currency are
commonly used. Of these, the Corte is worth the least;
these simple coins made of copper or bronze have a hole
in the middle so one can collect them on a string to count
26
them more easily. 10 Corte (singular and plural) are worth
1 Braspenning, a somewhat decorated brass coin which is
the greatest form of currency most commoners will ever
get their hands on. 10 Braspennings are in turn worth 1
Schelling, a piece of silver, and 10 Schellings are worth 1
Florin, made from pure gold.
dreading the immense power they hold over them. Also, it’s
a well known fact that magic corrupts the soul; a testament
to this were the dark wizards from the Wilderlands who
caused their bodies and minds as well as their environment
to be warped, reshaped by powerful magics they couldn’t
possibly control.
Three different kinds of magic are known to exist in the
Alverlands: Hieratic magic, firstly, is a collection of powers
and rites bestowed upon clerics of a certain religion. Hieratic
magic mostly utilizes Skills (so-called hieratic Skills), only
available to those who spread the faith among mortal men.
These pious men and women also have access to a set of
sacramental rites they can use to perform miracles, and the
holiest among them are even surrounded by a mystical aura,
showing off their piety to all who lay eyes on them. Hieratic
magic is utilized by both humans (priests, monks, druids
and witches) and elves (shamans).
Little is known to the outside world about Agnostic magic,
the stone- and ore-based sorcery of the dwarven folk.
The dwarves stubbornly guard their magical knowledge

1 Florin =
10 Schellings =
100 Braspennings =
1000 Corte

Most Alverlandic coins have an image of the god-emperor

Argonius on one side, and the heraldry of the noble house
that commissioned it on the other side. The phrase God or
Shield is often heard in the Alverlands when flipping a coin.

Magic
Magic-users are both revered and feared in the Alverlands,
for very little is known about the occult by outsiders.
Largely due to a lack of understanding, common folk are
both attracted to the wondrous effects they conjure as well as

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)


with their lives, especially after human wizards were able
to procure a bit of Agnostic magic centuries ago: they
unravelled the mysteries of Alchemy back then, the art of
brewing magical potions, which is still practiced by wizards
today. This is also why human magic-users are still resented
by dwarves everywhere (grudges die hard among the folk
of Galeb Morbia). The dwarves have been able to hide the
secrets of Arcany from prying eyes to this day, so only
they know the secret of creating magical items, harnessing
the innate power of precious gems, and breathing life into
every arcanist’s magnum opus, a sentient golem! Agnostic
wizards use long-winded rituals to perform their magics.
Human wizards mostly practice Esoteric magic, the art of
manipulating reality around them and moulding a certain
aspect of it to their will. They use magical spells to do so,
as recorded by academics ages ago, mostly in spell books.
As such, wizards are some of the lucky few literate people
in the Alverlands! Esoteric magic is researched and taught
in five different Towers of Magic throughout the Alverlands
(better known as the Alchemists’ Towers as commoners
only visit them to procure an occasional potion in the hopes
of healing an injured family member’s sores), but some
wizards prefer to live a hermit’s life, researching the occult
in peace and quiet, free from the politics and fuss of the
magical community.
As far as Alverlandic wizards know, there are seven
different ways of practicing Esoteric magic. Each wizard
is specialized in manipulating one specific aspect of reality;
even though it is illegal, but not impossible, to master
different magics. Each school of magic after the first one
a wizard uses (casting a single spell is enough to put him
or her on the path to corruption) costs him or her 1 point
of Soul (so 1 point for the second school, 2 more points
for the third school, and so on). Many esoteric wizards also
practice Alchemy, as Agnostic knowledge does not pose
that threat to them.
Ecomancy is the first school of Esoteric magic, and it
allows its users to manipulate living matter. Ecomancers
make great healers, but they are also flesh-carvers; they
can alter appearances and even create hybrid monsters by
combining the features of two or more living creatures.
Hemomancers are mysterious magic-users who are able to
control and alter the flow of your very life’s blood. Known
as both givers and takers of life, hemomancy offers its users
possibly the least tangible but some of the most dangerous
spells known to man.
Morphomancy is the art of manipulating inorganic matter.
Morphomancers can animate objects, or mould stone and
metal as if they were clay. In the human magical community,
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
Quickstart rules
they’re also considered to be fanatics when it comes to
unravelling the Agnostic secrets of the dwarves.
Necromancers hold power over death; they are able to
reanimate corpses to do their bidding and even separate
body and spirit. Necromancy would be considered the
darkest of the arts, even unethical, were it not for the fact
that many noble households utilize undead servants (so-
called schraals) as token trophies, showing off their wealth.
Pseudomancy is considered inferior by many established
wizards, for pseudomancers don’t have any powers of their
own - they use their magics to copy others’ characteristics
and abilities. Pseudomancers consider themselves to
be superior to other magic-users, however, as they see
themselves as much more flexible.
Sciadomancy (pronounced skee-adomancy) is the art of
manipulating shadows and darkness. Sciadomancers are
masters of obfuscation and obscuring, often misunderstood
by others as it is darkness that gives them clear sight.
Lastly, Thermomancers are weather-controlling wizards,
able to conjure up tempests as well as calm a stormy
sea. Their services are sometimes employed by rural
communities to ensure a bountiful harvest, or by the captain
of a sailing ship to secure a smooth voyage.
An eighth magical school, Chronomancy (the art to
27
Ghostly sight
Spell - Necromancy
Damage: 1D+X
Target: self
Duration: X rounds
Check: Knowledge (7+X)
Actions: the caster covers his or her eyes with both hands
and recites the incantation; when the hands are removed,
his or her eyes start bleeding.
Description: this spell allows a necromancer to see the
spirit world. He or she will see, hear, smell, and even
taste, remnants of what transpired at his or her location
in the past. Conflicts and strong emotions tend to leave
a spiritual signature: the wizards sees signs of bloody
murders, heated arguments, massacres, and other
important events of the past.
The caster will also see an aura around all the living; the
more tainted their Soul is, the less intense the aura. As
such, the necromancer will know the Soul score of every
living being he or she sees. This also allows the caster
to penetrate invisibility and detect the location of living
beings, even in complete darkness.
 Quickstart rules
Shadow-play
Spell - Sciadomancy
Damage: 1D + 7+X
Target: shadows or darkness, max. 10 meters away from
the wizard (see Description)
Duration: 1D+(the wizard’s Knowledge) turns
Check: Knowledge 10+X
Actions: the sciadomancer waves one hand around in a
circling motion while he or she uses the other to direct the
shadows into a first movement. The incantation is recited
during this action.
Description: with this spell, a sciadomancer can grow and
shrink shadows, as well as have them take on any shape
he or she desires. The wizard can also cause shadows to
become corporeal and manipulate their surroundings. If
the shadows are used to make checks in physical form (to
attack someone, for example, or to suppress them), the
caster’s Knowledge Ability Score is used as Strength, and
his or her Intuition as Dexterity. Any Physical damage the
shadows are inflicted is converted to Mental Damage for
the caster.
The value X in the Damage and Check of this spell is equal
to the combination of things the sciadomancer wants to
28 achieve, as mentioned below:
• The shadows are moulded: +2
• The shadows grow: +1 per extra m²
• The shadows become corporeal: +3
manipulate time), exists only in rumours and speculation.
It is not known for sure whether chronomancers have ever
existed - or will ever exist.
Casting spells and performing rituals are ages-old methods
of performing magic, but both take their toll on the minds of
their users. A few sample spells and rituals are listed below,
and you’ll notice that each has Damage detailed; this is the
Mental Damage the user inflicts upon themselves by casting
the spell or performing the ritual in question. Certain items
(magical foci, like wands or holy symbols) and Skills offer
Mental Damage Reduction when using certain kinds of
magic, but many an inexperienced wizard has ended up in a
vegetative state, having cannibalized his or her own psyche
by his lust for power and knowledge.
Each spell and ritual also requires a check (sometimes
opposed) to be performed successfully. Usually, this is a
Knowledge or Intuition check, so the more spells you cast,
the more Mental Traumas you receive, and the harder it will
be to perform new ones. Even if the check fails, the magic-
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
Imitation
Spell - Pseudomancy
Damage: 1D+3+X
Target: 1 living creature
Duration: X turns
Check: Knowledge vs. Intuition
Actions: the pseudomancer touches the Target with one
hand and rubs the palm of the other hand over his or her
face (in a downward motion) while he or she recites the
incantation. If the Target is able (and wants) to resist, a
Dexterity vs. Dexterity check is required for the wizard to
touch him or her.
Description: pseudomancers master the art of gaining
in seconds what others have taken years to accomplish.
This spell allows you to copy a Skill or Talent from
another character. The Target retains the ability as well.
The wizard’s corresponding Secondary Ability Score
is also increased by 1 for the duration of this spell, but
the Primary Ability Score isn’t. If necessary, the Skill is
altered to suit the wizard (for example, if a pseudomancer
copies a small bird’s Wings Skill, the wizard will sprout
wings large and strong enough to carry him or her). The
only exception is the Skill Toxic; in that case, the Level of
the original creature is retained.
The pseudomancer will, apart from gaining the
characteristics of the Skill or Talent he or she copies, also
physically change if the ability requires. A character who
copies Stone skin, for example, will effectively appear
to be made out of stone, and with a fish’s Gills Skill,
gills will appear on the wizard’s neck, allowing him or
her to breathe under water. The Game master can lower
the character’s Appearance Ability Score up to -2 (truly
monstrous appearance) for the duration of this spell.
If the wizard copies a Hieratic Skill, he or she will only
be able to use them if the Target follows the same religion
and the pseudomancer is also conscripted into that faith.
The value X in the Damage and Duration of this spell are
determined by the wizard before the Damage die is cast.
user is still inflicted the Mental Damage.
Each character in Ambrosia can only be affected by one
version of an individual spell at the same time; though
effects of different spells do stack, casting a single spell
over and over again is quite useless.
 Quickstart rules
Magic salve Transmutation
Ritual - Eritus Ebigor Ritual - Alchemy
Damage: 1D+3 Damage: 1D+X+Y
Target: 1 flask or jar Target: 1 gem, ore or mineral
Duration: 1D hours Duration: 1D hours
Check: Intuition 9 Check: Knowledge 7+X+Y
Components, Focus: / Components, Focus: /
Components, Ingredients: 1 Mandrake, 1 Goldweed, Components, Ingredients: see Actions and Description
1 Pig’s fat, 1 Bird dropping Casting time: 30 minutes
Casting time: 30 minutes Actions: the alchemist holds a kettle of bowl of oil over
Actions: the Mandrake is chopped up and mixed with the a fire until it boils. He or she then puts the Target in the
Goldweed, the Bird droppings and the Pig’s fat until it oil and sprinkles 1 unit of Stardust over it while he or she
forms a thick ointment. The magic salve is smeared on the recites the incantation. The oil will catch fire and, when
witch’s brow, temples, under his or her armpits, and in his put out, the new substance will appear.
or her groin. Description: the biggest achievement an alchemist can
Description: Magic salve gives a witch the power to soar hope to accomplish is to transmute one substance into
through the sky. It only affects followers of Eritus Ebigor; another - the best-known example of which is turning
others will only suffer from a horrible body odour after relatively worthless lead into gold. Transmutation doesn’t
smearing this smelly ointment on their body (they suffer allow an alchemist to manipulate organic materials.
a General Charisma and Appearance Penalty 3) until The values X and Y in the Damage and Check of this
it is washed off. Magic salve allows the user to fly for ritual depend on the substance used (X) and the substance
maximum 1D hours, but flying is generally considered to you want to turn it into (Y). These values can be deducted
be a definitive proof of witchcraft; so it’s quite a gaudy by using the table below: 29
way to show your true religion. Flying is explained in Blood earth: 5 Quicksilver: 5
game terms in chapter 2 of the Manual.
Bronze: 4 Ruby: 9
Chalk: 4 Salt: 4
Copper: 4 Sapphire: 8
Emerald: 8 Silver: 5
Gold: 6 Stardust: 5
Iron: 5 Sulphur: 4
Onyx: 9 Tin: 3
Quartz: 7 Worthless: 2
The designation Worthless in the table above is used for
worthless, inorganic substances like a pebble, a lump of
clay, or a bit of oil. An alchemist can only use this ritual
with base compounds as Target or result, and in both cases
only 1 unit (as described in chapter 4 of the Manual); so an
attempt to transmute a golem will have very little result.

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 Monsters
Quickstart rules

Kobold

Although truly monstrous creatures are quite uncommon Level 1 Troll

in the Alverlands, the people of every region trust in their Physical: 4 Mental: 3 Social: -2
own folk tales; ranging from wild men living in the forest, Strength: 0 Knowledge: -1 Charisma: 0
over devils appearing at forsaken, pagan landmarks, even Dexterity: 4 Intuition: 4 Appearance: -2
up to people too afraid to go out whenever there’s a full Shadow-step
moon. Every old wives’ tale found its origin in some truth, Kobolds are small, sneaky creatures who look vaguely
however, and horrific creatures do lurk in the darkest humanoid, but have long, pointy ears that usually hang
corners of the Alverlands. limp along the sides of their broad faces. These creatures
Monsters are divided into seven Levels, just like player grow to about one meter’s length and what they lack in
characters, but they don’t follow the same guidelines. For one smarts, they make up for in cunning. Kobolds are natural
thing, monsters don’t distinguish between Physical, Mental born thieves who will destroy anything they can’t steal.
and Social Traumas; as they’re not the protagonists of the They’re feared by young mothers; for they’re attracted to
story, this distinction simply isn’t important. Monsters can children with strong magical auras, who would grow up to
also have more or less than four rows of possible Traumas; be powerful wizards. Kobolds steal such babies from their
after all, a huge dragon or giant won’t be as easy to strike cribs and place one of their own in its place.
down as a kobold, or a human even. Some very powerful Equipment: Short sword (Piercing/Cleaving, PW: 6, ENC:
monsters even have Harmless Traumas listed - first lines 4), Leather armour (Last: 3), 1D Corte
of damage that don’t bother them at all! Attack: +4 Damage: +6 Dodge: +4
A monster’s Level is also important when player characters Parry: +4 Phys. DR: 3 Initiative: 8
want to recruit Henchmen - for the sum of the Henchmen’s Special abilities:
Levels one character controls can never exceed his or her • Shadow-step: General bonus 2 when trying to move
Charisma Ability Score. covertly
30 A small selection of monsters is listed on the following
light trauma (-1)
pages, but of course a full range of creatures is detailed in
the Manual!

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 Quickstart rules
Ossaert Bishop-fish
Level 2 Devil Level 3 Ectothermic
Physical: 6 Mental: 1 Social: -2 Physical: 8 Mental: 1 Social: -1
Strength: 3 Knowledge: -2 Charisma: 0 Strength: 5 Knowledge: -2 Charisma: 1
Dexterity: 3 Intuition: 3 Appearance: -2 Dexterity: 3 Intuition: 3 Appearance: -2
Concealment Ethereal Flippers Gills
Ossaerts hide themselves in rivers, streams and brooks, Weapon spec.: Bashing Toughness
and only come out after sunset They’ll wait for people The bishop-fish is a humanoid fish with a pointy, shark-
who pass by during the night-time (preferably drunks, like head, resembling a bishop’s mitre. Its body is covered
as they’re less aware of their surroundings) and jump on by scaly skin flaps that allow them to swim very fast, and
their backs without them noticing. Although Ossaerts are it can also walk on land with clog-like feet. This creature’s
intangible, the bearer still incurs an Encumbrance of 15. scales are usually gold or silvery in hue. The bishop-fish
Ossaerts are supernaturally concealed, but when they do cannot stay on dry land for longer than 12 hours without
show themselves, they take the form of huge, scurvy, immersing itself in salt water.
black dogs. Equipment: Short sword (Piercing/Cleaving, PW: 6, ENC:
Ossaerts personify the sin sloth. 4), Leather armour (Last: 3), Buckler (PW: 3, ENC: 1)
Equipment: - Attack: +6 Damage: +7 Dodge: +3
Attack: +3 Damage: +2 Dodge: +3 Parry: +6 Phys. DR: 3 Initiative: 6
Parry: - Phys. DR: 0 Initiative: 6 Special abilities:
Special abilities: • Flippers: General Bonus 1 in or under water;
• Concealment: only visible if suspected, and with a movement cost -1 AP there
successful Intuition vs Dexterity check • Gills: able to breathe under water
• Ethereal: DR 10 vs non-magical weapons, permanent
death only by magic light trauma (-1)
31
light trauma (-1) severe trauma (-2)

severe trauma (-2) critical trauma

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 Quickstart rules

Idis Jomfer
Level 4 Spirit Level 5 Undead
Physical: 5 Mental: 4 Social: 3 Physical: 7 Mental: 5 Social: 1
Strength: 3 Knowledge: 1 Charisma: 0 Strength: 2 Knowledge: -1 Charisma: 3
Dexterity: 2 Intuition: 3 Appearance: 3 Dexterity: 5 Intuition: 6 Appearance: -2
Ethereal Unarmed combat Deadly gaze Ethereal
Unnatural body Night vision Painless
The idis is a spirit of nature, summoned by an ancient Unnatural body
druidic ritual. Druids can task these creatures, who take When a witch dies, she (or, in rare cases, he) is banished to
the form of a beautiful woman, to do their bidding. Idises the Netherworld. The remnants of her soul aren’t admitted
are traditionally summoned to convey a message or to there, doomed to roam the world of the living forever.
free a prisoner, but they can also be fierce combatants, In extreme cases (like after a violent death or a heated
descending upon a battlefield as hellish furies. conflict), the manifestation of said soul (called a jomfer)
Equipment: - will haunt the area where she lived or died.
Attack: +3 Damage: +3 Dodge: +2 Jomfers have a greater chance of appearing in moors,
Parry: - Phys. DR: 0 Initiative: 5 primarily in the Kyrian Marshes, probably because of
Special abilities: the presence of enchanted marsh water, known to have a
• Ethereal: DR 10 vs non-magical weapons, permanent specific effect on the dead.
death only by magic A jomfer retains the appearance of the witch when she
• Unarmed combat: Combat Bonus 1 when fighting was alive, dressed in white robes, and emanating a bright,
unarmed; Attack/Dodge costs -1 AP white light. She is often preceded by eerie mists, spreading
• Unnatural body: total immunity to poison an disease over the surface. Few who see a jomfer, live to tell the
tale; for it is said that looking one in the eyes will cause
light trauma (-1) you to instantly die out of fright.
32
Equipment: -
severe trauma (-2) Attack: +2 Damage: +1 Dodge: +5
Parry: - Phys. DR: 0 Initiative: 11
severe trauma (-2) Special abilities:
• Deadly gaze: spend 1 MEN; Intuition vs. Intuition or
critical trauma 3D+Intuition Physical damage
• Ethereal: DR 10 vs non-magical weapons, permanent
death only by magic
• Night vision: isn’t hindered by complete darkness or
invisibility
• Painless: all Physical damage inflicted by Piercing
and Ranged weapons is halved
• Unnatural body: total immunity to poison and
disease

light trauma (-1)

light trauma (-1)

severe trauma (-2)

severe trauma (-2)

critical trauma

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 Quickstart rules
Aardman berserker Peluda
Level 6 Aardman Level 7 Dragon
Physical: 13 Mental: 0 Social: 1 Physical: 9 Mental: 6 Social: 2
Strength: 9 Knowledge: -1 Charisma: 3 Strength: 9 Knowledge: 1 Charisma: 4
Dexterity: 4 Intuition: 1 Appearance: -2 Dexterity: 0 Intuition: 5 Appearance: -2
Berserk Burly Claws Dragon scales
Intimidate Night vision Fire-breathing Gigantic
Subterranean affinity Toughness Stings Toxic
Weapon spec.: Bashing Unarmed combat
Aardmen are thought to have been humans from the The peluda is the greatest among the dragons, a feared
Wilderlands once, warped and corrupted by dark magic water creature with a snake’s tail, a body resembling a
centuries ago. Nowadays, they live in primitive tribes, porcupine, and tortoise-like paws. Its scales are green and
occasionally waging war on the dwarves of Galeb Morbia nearly impenetrable. This king among dragons breathes
to reach greener pastures in the west. Veteran Aardman fire (just like its distant cousin, the fire drake) and can
warriors (those who live to see the end of several battles) shoot the poisonous stings on his back as if they were
are often promoted by their leaders and given the title arrows. The peluda makes its nest in deep riverbeds, even
of berserkers. A berserker learns to use every ounce of though they are shallow in comparison to its gigantic size,
hatred and wrath in his body to reduce his opponents to a and is known to hide enormous treasures at the bottom of
bloody pulp. those streams.
Equipment: Leather armour (ENC: 3), Round shield (PW: Equipment: -
5, ENC: 2), War hammer (Blunt, PW: 14, ENC: 8), 2D Attack: +10 Damage: +11 Dodge: +1
Braspennings Parry: - Phys. DR: 14 Initiative: 5
Attack: +11 Damage: +15 Dodge: +4 Special abilities:
Parry: +11 Phys. DR: 5 Initiative: 5 • Gigantic: General Strength Bonus 2 against smaller 33
Special abilities: creatures
• Berserk: spend 1 PHY/action to gain a Combat • Fire-breathing: spend 1 PHY and 7 AP; 4D Physical
Bonus 3 or a General Strength Bonus 3 Damage for everyone within Level m
• Burly: General Bonus 1 on Strength checks • Stings: fires stings as Ranged Weapon with PW 4
• Intimidate: General Bonus 2 when intimidating and ENC 1 (1 AP to fire)
• Night vision: isn’t hindered by complete darkness or • Toxic: spend 1 PHY when a Physical Trauma is
invisibility caused by a sting; victim is poisoned
• Subterranean affinity: General Bonus 1 in close • Unarmed combat: Combat Bonus 1 when fighting
quarters, caves and catacombs unarmed; Attack/Dodge costs -1 AP

harmless trauma harmless trauma

light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1)

light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1)

severe trauma (-2) light trauma (-1)

severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2)

critical trauma severe trauma (-2)

severe trauma (-2)

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 Scenario
Scenario

This chapter contains a short, one-off scenario for Ambrosia

called A gathering of souls. This scenario will take about 3
to 4 hours to run and will give you a summary introduction
to the unique rules and setting of the game, as well as
give you a feel for its dramatic, story-driven nature. As A
gathering of souls is a short, one-off scenario, it’s slightly
more railroading-based than Ambrosia’s longer Chronicles,
but it’s still flexible enough for the players’ actions to
have a significant effect on the story. You’ll only need the
Quick-start rules mentioned earlier in this book to run this
scenario, but of course, using the Manual will offer a better
understanding and add more depth.
A gathering of souls takes place in the county of Ketendal,
traditionally home to house Baligant, a formidable military
power, its offspring mostly known for their uncouth
behaviour and aggressive nature. House Baligant has
endured an age-old rivalry with house Tauernier, a more
spiritual and artistic family from western ‘s Goren. Both
noble houses have suffered under this rivalry for hundreds
34 of years while its exact cause remains uncertain. The
Tauerniers still spin the tale of a heartless, old duke from
Ketendal who constantly abused his young, beautiful bride
both physically and mentally while her heart was truly lost to
baron Victor Tauernier - a young, handsome swashbuckler
who eloped with her and saved her out of the clutches of
her cruel tormentor. The offspring of house Baligant tell
it differently, however; in their version, the duke was a
kind and loving husband, and baron Victor Tauernier -a
notorious self-indulged womaniser couldn’t stand the
fact that the duchess had chosen a Baligant over him. So
he cowardly kidnapped her out of her loving husband’s
embrace and continuously raped her until she wasn’t able
to live with herself any longer. Nobody knows which (if
any) version of the story is true, but both house Tauernier
and house Baligant stick to their versions as if they were
etched in stone.
Either way, it has always been house Alfsteen that kept
the peace between their neighbours (to the east and west,
respectively), but after the annexation of the Alverlands by
the Holy Carthician Empire, the Alfsteens fell from grace,
their lands confiscated by the church. With house Alfsteen
out of the picture, tensions have risen once more between the
Baligants and the Tauerniers. There is still hope for peace,
however, as a young noble from house Tauernier who was

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
 The player characters
Scenario

born in Ketendal -on Baligant soil- has recently come of

age. He or she (depending on the players’ choices, more on
this later) has been destined for a marriage of convenience This demo scenario can be played with three to four
with a Baligant to restore bonds between the two houses. players, each picking one of the eight characters depicted
But that child of baron Sibold the first of house Tauernier on the pages 54 and 55 of this book. Even though eight
may not be all that he or she seems. For on the night of characters are set up, a maximum of four may be picked,
his or her birth, Ketendal was ravaged by a terrible thunder for you’ll actually find a male and a female version of four
storm, so severe it caused landslides and earthquakes. The distinct roles to be played. Each of the eight characters is
baroness Catharina Tauernier van Cortoriacum had taken still a unique, elaborate individual (not just a gender-bent
refuge in the nearest settlement; the castle Valanthil, deep version of its counterpart) but they will fulfil the same role
in the Eternal Forest. There, she gave birth to her only in the story, so you should only have one copy of each. In
child; the one whose birth duty would be to keep the peace Ambrosia’s Chronicles, characters will be created by the
between the two rival houses - a child of Tauernier, born on players from scratch, of course, but each will be given a role
Baligant soil. The storm ripped through the castle, however, (with a specific piece of background) matching the essence
and the whole structure was swallowed by the earth that of that character by the Game-master. The options for this
very night; baroness Catharina was killed along with it, and scenario are:
only the priest who delivered the baby and a single lady- Baron Sibold / Lady Everliin: this character is the heir to
in-waiting were able to escape the catastrophe that was the Tauernier who is destined to marry into house Baligant to
destruction of castle Valanthil... keep the peace between the two houses. Unknown to him-
or herself, he or she is are actually a changeling, a kobold
whose appearance has been changed by ecomancy.
Brother Mourinus / Sister Haersinde: priest Virgilius is on
What really happened his way to the new castle Valanthil to execute the marriage
of convenience that would restore the bonds between the
36 On that fateful night, more went on than is commonly Tauerniers and the Baligants. As he is weakened by both
known. Baroness Catharina was married into house old age and injuries past, he is accompanied by a young
Tauernier but born a Markolf, and as such well versed in
the magical arts. She was a powerful ecomancer; a flesh-
moulding wizard, most commonly known as an able
healer. After she gave birth to her only child, however, the
castle’s defences were penetrated by a horde of kobolds,
creatures from the Wilderlands who were attracted to the
baby’s latent magical abilities. They lifted the baby from
its crib and placed on of their own hideous children in its
place. Keen to make sure the marriage of convenience
would still be solemnized but weakened by the agony of
childbirth, Catharina used the last of her magical powers to
reshape the kobold child’s appearance; a human face would
hide the fact that on the inside, a monster still lives. The
baby would be nurtured by the Tauerniers in Cortoriacum,
nobody knowing about its true heritage, and peace between
the houses was safeguarded. The only living soul to know
about the changeling’s true nature is Virgilius, the priest
who had delivered the human child. He solemnly swore to
hold his tongue in the interest of avoiding a war between the
houses Baligant and Tauernier, for although it went against
everything he believed in, it would prevent a lot of innocent
blood from being shed...

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)


"One can try and
run from Argonius'
judgment, but none
will ever escape it."
(from "A widow of Frymonde"
by Marten Scirja)
monk or nun from the convent he resides in nowadays. This
character’s mission is to get his or her chaplain safe to new
Valanthil, and carry his sacraments for him.
Walric / Serotine: they fulfil the part of the outsider, for
although they don’t have a specific link to the scenario,
they will be drawn into the story out of sheer necessity. The
outsider will have a unique view on the situation, however,
especially in the final part of this scenario!
Duke Eoban / Ranildis: if you’re only playing with three
players, remove this choice from the game. A fourth player
can take on the role of a noble (or not-so-noble) child of
Baligant, however, tasked to escort the bride or groom
being married into their house to the new castle Valanthil.
As soon as each player has chosen a character, the Game-
master gives each player their respective Background. In
there, they can read what their character has gone through
in his or her life, and why they’re in the Eternal Forest right
now. On the right-hand side of this document, there’s also
a brief listing of what his or her strengths and weaknesses
are, expressed in non-game terms (i;e. it won’t say you get
a +5 bonus when fighting with swords, it’ll say you’re a
great swordsman). The statements in bold print, however,
do contain the in-game effects for easy reference during the
game.
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
Around the camp-fire
Scenario
This scenario starts on a dark night, deep in the Eternal
Forest. Harsh storms have plagued these woods for days
now, knocking over trees, and excess water causing floods
throughout the region. This has also created a huge mudslide
on the hills, forming an impassable barrier between most
of the player characters and their destination - the castle
Valanthil, better known in Ketendal as new Valanthil for
it was built after the old castle collapsed into a sink hole
many years ago - during a storm not unlike the one they’re
enduring right now.
The rains have finally stopped and as a cold, northern
wind still echoes along the tree branches around them,
each character is mostly concentrating on the crackling
camp-fire, not quite warm enough to dry the wet clothes
clinging to their bodies, but the best they can hope for in
these unpleasant conditions. The sky is quite cloudy, so
moon nor stars shed their light on the lands below. Priest
Virgilius, the old clergyman who accompanied brother
Mourinus or sister Haersinde here, seems to be the most
eager to start a conversation. Even though his appearance
suggests otherwise -he’s missing an arm, has a limp, an ugly
scar runs over his forehead and ends on the right side of
his nose-, Virgilius comes across as a serene, grandfatherly 37
Game-mastery tip
These kinds of frames are to be found all over Ambrosia
scenarios; they contain easy-to-reference tips for the
Game-master on how to set up a certain scene, how to
best analyze your player group, and so on. Just friendly
advice from one Game-master to the other, no strict
game mechanics or dice-rolling needed. For example,
at the start of this scenario, it’s best to emphasize
the general discomfort to the players. They’ve been
traveling in severe conditions all day, soaking wet
because of the heavy rains, and freezing to the bone
- the cold of the wind blasts aggravated even more by
their soggy clothes. Despair has also kicked in as most
of them hoped to have reached the new castle Valanthil
by sundown, now relaxing under a warm and dry
sheep’s skin and enjoying a fresh piece of veal in the
great hall. But because of the mudslide blocking their
way, the campfire is the best they can hope for, each
trying to keep a brave face in these trying times, slowly
nodding off by the warmth of the crackling fire...

Scenario
Game-mastery tip
Make sure that entering this information in the
conversation is done in a natural way and doesn’t come
across as forced. For example, when baron Sibold /
lady Everliin states their name, priest Virgillius should
brighten up and say “I knew your mother!”, or if duke
Eoban / Ranildis says they’re from Valanthil, he could
start talking about what happened on that fateful night
when the old castle was destroyed. That way, the
conversation can retain its organic flow and you’re not
just left with a character who’s belching out exposition
for no adequately explored reason!
figure; he speaks slowly with a slight crackle in his voice,
and always seems to have a friendly smile on his face. He
starts by thanking Walric or Serotine (as they will have
made the camp-fire in the first place) for their hospitality,
even going as far as very nearly respecting Serotine’s
religious convictions. Next up, he’ll introduce himself and
the brother/sister accompanying him, then ask the other
player characters to introduce themselves as well (ending
38 with baron Sibold / lady Everliin). This will give the players
a chance to get acquainted with the other characters.
In the resulting conversation, make sure to have priest
Virgilius convey the following information:
• Virgilius is on his way to the newer castle Valanthil
to solemnize the marriage that would bring the noble houses
Baligant and Tauernier closer together.
• He was asked to do so as he was present in the old
castle Valanthil when the child of Tauernier was born; he
even assisted in delivering the baby.
• Priest Virgilius was on friendly terms with
baroness Catharina, the mother that baron Sibold / Lady
Everliin never knew. She was a powerful ecomancer, a
flesh-moulding wizard, which made her a proficient healer.
• Virgilius was one of the few survivors of the
disaster that befell the old castle; he barely escaped,
accounting for his physical disabilities to this day.
• As far as he is concerned, a sink hole opened
beneath the foundations of the castle, caused by the ongoing
storm (one he compares in intensity to the storm that’s
raging through the region right now).
• The old priest knows about the true heritage of
baron Sibold / lady Everliin, but took an oath to keep it a
secret many years ago so he won’t say anything about it at
this time.
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
Out of the mud
After the players introduced themselves, and priest Virgilius
told them everything they need to know, the conversation is
suddenly interrupted by an inhuman shriek coming from the
shadows. Several short, twisted creatures come running out
of the darkness towards the camp-fire, rusty short swords in
their hands. Broad grins, almost as wide as their faces, bare
rotting, sharp teeth, and their long, pointy ears hang limp
on the sides of their heads. They have very pale skin, as
if they’ve never seen sunlight, and are dressed in rags that
seem to have been noble clothing at one time; with silk, satin,
and brocade elements still visible. These are the kobolds,
striking from the freshly uncovered old castle Valanthil,
come to lure their prodigal son or daughter (depending on
whether it’s baron Sibold or lady Everliin) back home. As
they have no idea which one of the player characters this is
(baroness Catharina gave him or her a human appearance,
after all), their attention is drawn to the one person they
do recognize - priest Virgilius, one of the only people to
survive the destruction of the old castle so many years ago.
Kobold
Level 1 Troll
Physical: 4 Mental: 3 Social: -2
Strength: 0 Knowledge: -1 Charisma: 0
Dexterity: 4 Intuition: 4 Appearance: -2
Shadow-step
Kobolds are small, sneaky creatures who look vaguely
humanoid, but have long, pointy ears that usually hang
limp along the sides of their broad faces. These creatures
grow to about one meter’s length and what they lack in
smarts, they make up for in cunning. Kobolds are natural
born thieves who will destroy anything they can’t steal.
They’re feared by young mothers; for they’re attracted to
children with strong magical auras, who would grow up to
be powerful wizards. Kobolds steal such babies from their
cribs and place one of their own in its place.
Equipment: Short sword (Piercing/Cleaving, PW: 6, ENC:
4), Leather armour (ENC: 3), 1D Corte
Attack: +4 Damage: +6 Dodge: +4
Parry: +4 Phys. DR: 3 Initiative: 8
Special abilities:
• Shadow-step: General Bonus 2 when trying to move
covertly
light trauma (-1)

Shield spider
Level 3 Beast
Physical: 9 Mental: 1 Social: -2
Strength: 4 Knowledge: -2 Charisma: 0 • Turn 3: the kobolds try to keep the player
Dexterity: 5 Intuition: 3 Appearance: -2
Exoskeleton Toughness
Toxic Unarmed combat
Web-spinning
The shield spider is a huge, brown-green arachnid whose
body can grow up to two meters in length. It usually
resides in caves or caverns, where unheeding victims get
trapped in its sticky web. The shield spider is named for
the exceptionally hard exoskeleton on its back, which
aardmen even use to make shields or armour out of. Each
shield spider has two venom sacs at the back of the throat.
Equipment: -
Attack: +5 Damage: +5 Dodge: +6
Parry: - Phys. DR: 8 Initiative: 8 Points they need to get ready on their first turn).
Special abilities:
• Toxic: spend 1 PHY when a Physical Trauma is
inflicted; victim is poisoned (the victim must succeed
in a Strength test 11 or be partially paralyzed. During
1D turns, he or she endures a General Penalty 2)
• Unarmed combat: Combat Bonus 1 when fighting
unarmed; Attack/Dodge costs -1 AP
• Web-spinning: spend 1 PHY; victim succeeds in a
test Dexterity vs. Dexterity or is caught in web
light trauma (-1)
severe trauma (-2)
critical trauma
Their plan is to capture the priest and drag him back to the
castle ruins so the others would follow, then let the true heir
to the barony of Cortoriacum sort it out there. The following
events will take place during the battle:
• Turn 1: the kobolds aren’t very subtle, so they
will be running towards the player characters this turn,
screaming insults at the top of their lungs to intimidate
them. Note that the kobolds only speak an infernal language
that none of the player characters are fluent in.
• Turn 2: a huge shield spider appears behind
the attackers; on its back is a single kobold, riding the
monstrosity as if it were on horseback. As the rider towers
out above his kin, he’s a sitting duck for player characters
using ranged weapons; they gain combat advantage (a
Scenario
Combat Bonus of 3) against him. Shooting the kobold off
his mount doesn’t stop the spider in its assault, but don’t
let that stop any player from killing the kobold in what is
essentially a very cool move!
characters busy while the shield spider concentrates on
priest Virgilius; the gigantic beast starts to bind him down
with strands of web, effectively trapping him in a cocoon.
• Turn 4: the shield spider grabs priest Virgilius,
now immobilized in the cocoon, in its two front claws and
starts running away at an amazing speed. The surviving
kobolds chase after it. Any player characters trying to stop
them (either with remaining Action Points or using ranged
weapons) gain combat advantage.
As all the player characters are at long last relaxing after
a day of hardship, it’s best to assume that they don’t have
their weapons handy and are sitting down by the camp-fire
(this is important when calculating the number of Action
As monster sightings are quite rare in the Alverlands, the
player characters won’t be able to identify these creatures
as kobolds immediately. A Knowledge 9 test is needed to
know what they’re up against (the skill Folklore will give
a character a General Bonus 2 on this roll). Give characters
who do know that they are, in fact, besieged by kobolds, the 39
additional information that these creatures originate in the
Wilderlands, are distant relatives of trolls, and that they’re
attracted to children with a high magical aptitude. They grab
such babies from their cribs and exchange the child for one
of their own monstrous offspring.
Game-mastery tip
Don’t hesitate to point out to players that their
characters have a very medieval outlook on religion; a
priest speaks for his deity and whatever they hold true
on earth, Argonius will hold true in heaven. Virgillius
is a frail old man and won’t be much good in a fight (in
stark contrast to many games, being a high level cleric
doesn’t give you the power to rain fire down from the
sky!) but he should be treated with respect anyway. Not
only would it cost a character several points of Soul
letting a clergyman die (satisfying at least two sins,
wrath and impiety), but questions will be asked about
his disappearance, and these characters wouldn’t be the
first innocent bystanders to be found guilty of murder
without the need for any solid evidence...

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 Scenario
Any character examining the rags the kobolds are wearing
from up close is allowed to make an Intuition 8 check to see
if they can identify the colours or find signs of heraldry (the
skill Awareness offers a General Bonus 2 on that check).
If someone succeeds, they will find the remnants of house
Baligant’s heraldic symbol -a verdant boar’s head on a field
scarlet and sable, chequered- on the monsters’ clothes.
The chase
Once the battle ends, it will be up to the players to rescue
Virgilius before he becomes a tasty meal for the shield
spider. As the kobolds are using the priest to lure the player
characters back to their lair, they’ll be playing right into the
monsters’ hands, but the players -most of them followers of
Argonius- should still be motivated to rescue this person,
who was touched by their god to be his envoy amongst
mortal men. The player character who accompanied the
priest to Valanthil (brother Mourinus or sister Haersinde)
has several ways of healing the wounded, if he or she is
willing to do so of course. Resting or waiting for the sun to
rise would mean a certain death for Virgilius, so the players
40 don’t have any time to waste.
The kobolds and the spider have left clear footprints in the
deep mud (remember, it has been raining for days on end
so the ground is pretty soggy). An Intuition 7 check is
required to track them (characters with the Tracking skill
gain a General Bonus 2 to this test), but there are other
ways to follow the fleeing creatures of course. Serotine
could transform into her bat form, for example, and use
her sonar to get clear vision in even complete darkness; or
the yellowish-green goo dripping out of a wounded shield
spider’s exoskeleton can point them in the general direction.
Allow the players this opportunity to be creative in any way
they want, but remember that they’ll need some method
of lighting their way in the darkness (of course, simply
grabbing a burning log from the camp-fire will do the trick).
After pursuing the monsters for a couple hundred meters, the
player characters will see the tracks end at the eponymous
mudslide they heard so much about. It’s somewhere between
ten to twelve meters wide -too large a distance to jump over-
and the thick, slowly streaming silt looks like a death-trap
for anybody who gets caught in it. Less than a meter from
where the player characters are standing and the kobolds’
footprints end, a stone structure seems to be sticking out
of the mud: a round shape ending in fortified battlements
at the top. This is, in fact, the uppermost part of one of old
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
Game-mastery tip
If the players want to be extra careful in the old
watchtower, they’ll have access to skills like Shadowstep
that can help them approach the unknown entity at the
bottom of the stairs more stealthily. Normally, in such
a case an opposed check would be required (Dexterity
vs. Intuition, to be precise) but as we’re not providting
the magical echo with stats, you can simply have them
make a Dexterity 10 check. The magical echo will still
only react to touch, but making a player throw a die
will add to the tense atmosphere you’re going for in this
situation: after all, nobody knows what they’ll be facing
and after their bloody first encounter with the kobolds,
the players will be expecting the worst at this point!
Also, should they fail this check, telling them that it’s
very hard to move silently on the wet stone, their feet
constantly sogging (in case of a fumble, almost slipping
even) builds up tension even more.
castle Valanthil’s watchtowers, swallowed up by the earth
so many years ago - now uncovered by the ongoing storms
and the mudslide. Jumping up on the battlements is easy
-no check is needed- and anyone brave enough to make the
leap will notice a stone floor behind the battlements (the top
of the watchtower), stable enough for them to stand on. A
big hatch constructed from wood-boards stands wide open
in the middle of the tower roof - a way for archers to reach
the battlements in better times, now the kobolds’ only exit
from their underground prison. The hatch provides access
to the tower interior, a descent about ten meters down into
a dark, stone, cylindrical structure. Stone slabs sticking out
of the walls at regular intervals form a rudimentary winding
staircase; players will have to descend it in single file and
watch their steps as the mud makes for a slippery tread.
The player characters will have to descend for about five
meters in pitch darkness before they notice anything but
the dank, musky stench associated with any underground
construction that’s been exposed to as much moisture and
groundwater as the old castle Valanthil has been over the
years. Halfway down the staircase, the player character
going first will start noticing a faint, blue light originating
about five more meters beneath them. The only way to find
out what emanating this unnatural illumination is, however,
to carry on to the bottom of the stairs...
 Echoes of magic
At the bottom of the old watchtower, a somewhat broader,
circular room is located, about five meters wide. Across
from the lowest step of the winding stairs, a simple wooden
door is located, but right in front of the handle -about a
meter above the ground- a strange apparition hangs still in
the air. It looks like a large, human embryo with an adult-
sized head, its mouth and eyes sewn shut with a thick, black
yarn. The being seems half tangible, slightly transparent
even, and is clearly the source of the faint blue light they
noticed earlier - its body bathing in a soft glow. This eerie
apparition is completely blocking the way to the door
handle.
A player character who wants to find out what this strange
spectral appearance might be, is allowed to make a
Knowledge 12 check (characters with the Folklore skill get
a General Bonus 2). A character who succeeds will know
that this is a magical echo, a physical manifestation of latent
magical energy. These apparitions are caused by extremely
strong magic performed on a certain place and can haunt In this case, the magical echo was brought to life when
that area for centuries on end. How to get rid of it varies
baroness Catharina Tauernier performed a powerful ritual in
from one manifestation to the next, but it usually awaits a
this room to give the changeling a human appearance. In the
direct link with the wizard who inadvertently conjured it in
absence of the magic-user in question, it will only evaporate
the first place.
when touched by baron Sibold or lady Everliin, as they were
the target of the ritual and permanently carry some residual
Game-mastery tip magical energy within them. Each character who touches
the magical echo will experience a vision, however; this can
As the magical echo cannot talk, it’s impossible to start be a glimpse into their past, into the dark reaches of their
a conversation with it. If the players try to anyway, the soul, or even show them their greatest fears. The exact result
best response you can give them is to put up a very stoic differs from character to character (consult the table below)
face and just look at them with bright eyes, no matter but touching the creature can be interpreted in the broadest
what they’re saying. When done properly, this is sure
possible sense: hitting it with a ranged weapon or using a
to freak them out just as well as the actual echo would!
gloved hand to touch it will also trigger the effect. These
effects will be heard and/or seen by all present, even though

The apparition starts to tremble, seemingly acting nervous, as the light it emanates brightens until
it encompasses the entire chamber. The room seems to take the form of the castle in better times;
decorative shields, proudly bearing the heraldic symbol of house Baligant, are seen hanging on
the walls as torches provide a warm, welcoming light. A wooden crib stands in the middle of the
chamber; a baby’s cries echo throughout the tower. Then, the door opens and a kobold, carrying a
Baron Sibold /
small bundle in rags carefully enters the chamber. He looks to the left, then to the right, then runs off
Lady Everliin
toward the crib. The creature puts the bundle in the crib, takes the human baby out of it and rushes
back out of the door, which slams shut with a loud bang; the light turns to darkness once more and
the crib disappears as the old watchtower reverts to its earlier state. Nothing that had just appeared
can be seen now, but the apparition has also disappeared, giving the player characters a clear path to
the door and whatever lies beyond.

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 Scenario

The light emanating from the apparition seems to darken slightly as the sound of an angry mob seems
to come out of nowhere. Brother Mourinus feels a sharp blow to his leg, his old wound, making him
trip and fall onto the cold, stone floor. He feels several kicks from unseen sources -some to the chest,
Brother Mourinus others in his sides, one even straight to the face- as the jeers and taunts of laughing children echo
throughout the tower. Brother Mourinus is dealt 1D Physical Damage and 1D Mental Damage. As
the noise slowly fades away, the apparition’s light starts to brighten again, until the tower reverts to
its earlier state.
The light emanating from the apparition seems to darken slightly and the sound of blaring trumpets
can clearly be heard from all around the player characters. Several banners whirl down from the top
of the tower, each of them ripped and blood-stained, and depicting the heraldic symbol of house
Baligant. Even before they get a chance to hit the floor, purple banners are rolled down along the
Duke Eoban
tower walls, depicting the golden poppy -the heraldic symbol of house Tauernier- while an invisible
mob cheers them on loudly. Duke Eoban is dealt 1D Mental Damage. Then, the sounds die away
and the banners seem to disappear into the walls; the apparition’s light starts to brighten again as the
tower reverts to its earlier state.
The light emanating from the apparition seems to darken slightly as the taunting laughter of several
ladies can be heard, as well as the barking of dogs. Ranildis is pushed in the back by an invisible
force and topples over to the ground, landing in a muddy mess that wasn’t there before. The laughter
Ranildis
intensifies, as does the barking; Ranildis is dealt 1D Mental Damage. Then, the sounds fade away
again and the apparition’s light starts to brighten again. The floor is massive stone once more, but
Ranildis’ clothes and face are still dripping in mud.
The light emanating from the apparition seems to darken slightly as the sound of a hunting horn
blares throughout the watchtower. Serotine starts to feel anxcious, as if some kind of feral instinct
just kicked in, feeling like an animal that knows it’s being hunted. Chattering, human voices become
42 barely audible, after which she suddenly feels a sharp pain in her right flank - it feels like it was just
Serotine
pierced by an arrow. Blood gushes out of her side and she topples over in pain. Serotine is dealt 2D
Physical Damage. Then, the sounds fade away and the apparition’s light starts to brighten once
more. The gaping wound remains though, and anyone examining it can clearly see that it’s a clean,
piercing trauma - not unlike if she were hit by an arrow.
The light emanating from the apparition seems to darken slightly and filthy, mocking laughter
-obvious jeers from a number of lower-class women- resounds throughout the tower. Haersinde can
feel several rough, hairy hands under her habit: touching her buttocks, fondling her breasts, even
crawling up her legs. The laughter only intensifies as Haersinde is pushed back by this invisible
Sister Haersinde
force, landing on her back. Her legs are spread open forcibly by a seemingly unstoppable entity; then,
everything seems to disappear again and the apparition’s light starts to brighten once more. The other
player characters saw sister Haersinde move and struggle desperately, but didn’t see anyone touching
her. Haersinde is dealt 2D Mental Damage.
The light emanating from the apparition seems to darken slightly as the sound of an angry mob is
heard echoing throughout the tower. It is followed by the loud banging of a wooden hammer on a
wooden surface - a well-known sign that a tribunal, known commonly as a vierschaar, is going to
begin. An older man’s stern voice condemns Walric for poaching and orders his right hand to be
Walric chopped off as a form of punishment. Walric feels an invisible force grabbing hold of his right hand
as his arm is extended; then, he feels a stinging pain in his wrist as the crowd seems to go wild.
Everything seems to disappear again and the apparition’s light starts to brighten once more, but
Walric clearly notices a deep cut on the top of his right wrist. He is dealt 1D Physical and 1D Mental
Damage as the surroundings return to normal.

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 A tangled web

"All magic must tear
off a piece of the soul
to manifest itself."
(from "The Writ",
psalm of Saint Bogomil)
they only regard the person who touched the magical echo.
Note: due to their primitive intelligence, the kobolds and the
shield spider are unaffected by the magical echo’s effects.
The follet is, though (see Lamb to the slaughter for more
information on the follet) and he or she fears the apparition
beyond belief. Because of this, the follet needs to lure the
changeling down into the old castle instead of going out
after the pretender him- or herself.
Game-mastery tip
Scenario
Once the players get past the magical echo, they’re free to
explore the rest of the buried castle. When they open the
door, they’ll find a great hall, probably where the lords and
ladies of Valanthil gathered in better times to feast and drink
- this is also where the majority of the castle’s social life
took place. Now, however, it’s as run down as the rest of the
keep; once fine tapestries and glorious hunting trophies are
hanging askew on the walls, ruined by moisture as well as
rodents and insects; the stone floor and ceiling are cracked
and dripping with goo from outside; and most importantly,
the entire north wall has caved in and the player characters
are looking right at a side of the mudslide, apparently only
being kept at bay by the air pocket they find themselves in.
The entire structure looks like it could collapse easily and
be engulfed in the flowing silt of the mudslide - but note that
this will only happen if the players take direct actions leading
to a cave-in. Players trying to disrupt the structure can do so
by dealing more than 30 points of Physical Damage to the
muddy wall, for example, or propose an initiative that would
logically lead to a collapse of the structure (like causing the
balcony to crash down, for example - see below).
The great hall is about five meters in height and the tower 43
door opens on a wooden balcony, hovering about three
meters above the ground floor. The balcony’s barristers
are all but rotten away and in places even broken off,
and the planks creak beneath the player character’s feet
as they move along the walkway. The wood has suffered
immensely the last few years in these mouldy conditions,
and it doesn’t seem like it would take much to bring the

Ambrosia is a dark fantasy role-playing game and

as such, it will take you on a journey through the
darkest corners of the soul. It deals with adult themes
that should be approached in a mature way. In
sister Haersinde’s vision, for example, she relives a
traumatising experience from her childhood as she is
physically violated by an unseen force. This should be
an unsettling, scary scene; but for people unfortunate
enough to have actually experienced such an event in
real life, it can be quite disturbing. As Game-master,
you should assess for each player individually how
far you can go with this kind of thing. These mature
themes should be handled responsibly - you’re trying
to give every player a unique experience, but it’s still
supposed to be fun for all.

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 whole thing down. What the players don’t see when they
first enter the great hall, however, is that the shield spider
they encountered earlier has its nest under the balcony,
where it spun a web to entrap its prey - consisting mostly of
small rodents and an occasional kobold ever since the castle
sunk away into the ground. Now, however, the creature has
a roughly priest-sized cocoon hanging near the stone floor.
The players will only notice the web if they look straight
down from the balcony, or if they follow the walkway to the
north-east or north-west.
The balcony has two intact, wooden staircases that lead
down; one to the east, another to the west. Either of them
can be used to reach the ground floor. Though it is obscured
by darkness to anyone not coming within at least two meters
of it, a simple wooden door leads away from the great hall
on the ground floor, hidden behind the eastern staircase.
Of course, the players’ first concern will be the huge shield
spider holed up in its web, waiting for them to make the first
move. The giant arachnid shows all the tell-tale signs that it
is the same one they encountered earlier, by the camp-fire;
inflicted wounds are still dripping with that yellowish goo,
recognizable scratches on its exoskeleton are clearly visible,
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
and even arrows or other weapons sticking out of its body
are precisely where they left them. Of course, this time the
players have the benefit of surprise, and it’s up to them to
think of a plan to overpower the shield spider and rescue
priest Virgilius. If the players decide to throw caution to
the wind and rush in with weapons drawn, the spider will
act as if it isn’t aware of them, then spring into action at the
moment they least expect it. As its species is known for its
quick reflexes, the creature will remain still in its web and
attack with its web-spinning ability before letting anyone
come close enough to inflict real damage.
On the other hand, the players can also try to sneak up
on the spider; it’s at rest right now, and using skills like
Shadow-step will improve their chances to remain unseen
and, more importantly, unheard. The spider does gains a
General Bonus 3 on all checks to notice them, however, as
walking around with a lit torch in total darkness is kind of a
dead give-away. The General Bonus remains if the players
decide to sneak in the dark, as that makes it much more
difficult for them not to bump into things.
Keep in mind that this is the shield spider they encountered
earlier in Out of the mud, and any Traumas inflicted upon

it are still in effect. The beast hasn’t had the opportunity to
heal its wounds since, so it probably won’t be in full force
now. This, as well as it not getting any backup from the
kobolds, will give the players more of a fighting chance.
By giving the players the chance to conjure up a plan and
trying their best to execute it, this won’t just be a combat
scene composed of attacks and parries, one after the other; a
character with a ranged weapon can stay on the balcony, for
example, to cover one of his or her stealthier companions
to go down to the ground floor and try and cut priest
Virgilius free - or maybe one will want to make a heroic
jump down the balcony to attack the spider when it starts
moving towards a weaker party member? The possibilities
are limitless, so make this a memorable action scene!
Lamb to the slaughter
When the player characters succeed in killing the shield
spider, it will fall on its back with a loud crack -its
exoskeleton splitting- as, in a last muscular convulsion, it
draws its eight legs towards its chest in the same way its
smaller, more commonly seen cousins do. With the spider
defeated, the way is clear to cut priest Virgilius free from
his cocoon. The spider’s web is tough and sticky, but with
the right tools, the player characters are able to cut his face
free fast enough. Virgilius is still alive, but he appears to
be in a state of shock; he seems feverish almost, rambling
lord Argonius, please forgive me... I have sinned beyond
belief... we didn’t know they would come back, we thought
we were doing good, we really did! Priest Virgilius is, of
course, talking about the events that transpired here many
years ago, and the promise he made to baroness Catharina
to keep silent about the changeling’s true nature. In his
delirious state (partly because of the spider’s venom and
partly because of the burden of secrecy he’s been carrying
all those years, overwhelming both his ratio and emotions
now the bough has broken), Virgilius isn’t able to give the
player characters more information than that at this time.
However, while the players are preoccupied with cutting
the priest free (or whatever the less pious among them
are doing) the small, wooden door situated behind the
eastern stairs suddenly flies open with a loud bang, echoing
throughout the great hall. The door, situated beneath the
balcony, had been obscured by the shadows, but now the
player characters’ attentions are drawn to it, they are faced
with a fearful creature floating into the hall of the once
majestic castle Valanthil. Coming towards them from the
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
Scenario
area beyond the door is a creature, only barely passing for
human at this point; no more than deathly pale skin over
bone, it is covered in hard crusts of dirt and coagulated
blood. As this being is stark naked, it’s easy to determine its
gender; this is the same as the changeling player character
(male if baron Sibold or female if lady Everliin is in the
party), its breasts or genitalia hanging limp and dehydrated,
almost merged onto its grotesque body. The creature has
very long, unkempt hair that never seems to have been cut
or groomed, its finger- and toenails curved and cracked
beyond recognition. If the follet is male, it will also sport
an uncommonly long beard, its hairs tangled and knotted
together by years of neglect. But maybe the most disturbing
aspect of this creature is the fact that its mouth and eyes
sewn shut with a thick, black yarn - not unlike the magical
echo they encountered earlier in the watchtower. As one
might have guessed by now, this is the real baron Sibold
or lady Everliin Tauernier - the child that was lifted from
its crib by the kobolds many years ago. Years of abuse
from the kobolds have led to its current state however,
barely recognizable as a human being, let alone bearing any
resemblance to its shape-shifted counterpart.
A raw crystal fragment is attached to each of the follet’s
hand palms, affixed to its claw-like extremities with large,
rusty rivets that were nailed straight through the back of 45
each hand. The crystals are pulsating with an eerie, purple
light, a magical power tethered to the true heir to Tauernier’s
inherent magical potential; they also allow him to cast spells
without reciting a magical incantation or performing arcane
movements. Merely aiming the crystal at the spell’s target
is sufficient to harvest the required magical energies and use
them to alter reality.
With its brittle bones and advanced muscular dystrophy, the
follet is unable to walk or even keep its body uptight. It
does, however, use its magical power to levitate a couple
of centimetres above the ground, its feet hanging limp
the whole time, giving the creature an almost ghost-like
appearance. Even though its eyes are sewn shut, it seems
to have some otherworldly sense of sight as it goes straight
for baron Sibold/lady Everliin and keeps its focus on him
or her, no matter what else is happening. For first and
foremost, it is driven by wrath; the frustration of constantly
being subjected to the inhumane, sadistic acts of its kobold
captors in this underground prison while its counterpart
led the privileged life of a noble was simply too much of
a burden to bear. The follet will keep on attacking baron
Sibold/lady Everliin until one of them (or both) lies dead
on the floor, or until they escape the way they came in
(remember, the follet is scared to death by the magical echo
 Scenario

Follet Boiling blood

Level 4 Troll Spell - Hemomancy
Physical: 0 Mental: 9 Social: 0 Damage: 2D + the Target’s Level
Strength: 0 Knowledge: 4 Charisma: 2 Target: 1 living creature (see Description)
Dexterity: 1 Intuition: 5 Appearance: -2
Duration: until the end of the caster’s next turn
Dodge Esoteric magic
Favoured terrain: X Magical aptitude Check: Knowledge vs. Strength
Strong mind Toughness Actions: the caster must be able to see the Target. The
Changelings are exploited by their kobold captors for hemomancer points at the Target with one index finger as
their inherent magical abilities. Even though they are he or she recites the incantation.
born human, changelings are tortured and mutilated by Description: this spell allows a hemomancer to heat a
the sadistic kobolds until very little of their humanity is victim’s blood, causing an intense hypodermic pain. This
left. Their bodies are covered in scars, their ears and teeth spell will not cause its victim any physical harm, but the
chafed to better resemble a kobold, and they are restrained pain will prevent him or her from performing any action
with muzzles and chains. other than toppling over on the ground, screaming in
So-called follets are no more than tools for kobolds, to agony.
be used when they need to get the big guns out. Although This spell can also target 2 living creatures if the caster is
they can use their magical aptitude, they lack the finesse physically able to point at both of them at the same time
that is taught in the magical academies of the surface (as stated in Actions). In that case, the second Target’s
world. As such, follets constantly strip-mine their own Level is also added to this spell’s Damage.
minds by ignoring the laws of volatile casting: any powers
they use are self-taught in severely difficult conditions,
and without the benefit of a tutor or the resources of the Stigmata
46 Alchemists’ Towers. Spell - Hemomancy
Equipment: 2 magic crystal fragments (each providing a Damage: 1D + 10 + the Target’s Level
Magic Bonus +1)
Target: 1 living creature
Attack: +0 Damage: -1 Dodge: +1
Parry: - Phys. DR: 2 Initiative: 5 Duration: instantaneous
Special abilities: Check: Knowledge vs. Intuition
• Dodge: can use the Dodge Action once per round Actions: the caster must be able to see the Target. While
without paying the cost in Action Points the caster recites the incantation, he or she crosses his or
• Favoured terrain: underground: General Bonus 1 her arms, then pulls them open in opposite directions.
in close quarters, caves and catacombs Description: this, the most feared spell in a hemomancer’s
• Magical aptitude: Magic Bonus 1 when using arsenal, causes red spots, ulcers and bleeding boils to
Esoteric Magic appear all over the victim’s body and rips open his or her
• Strong mind: Mental Damage Reduction +2 flesh, blood squirting out.
The Target is dealt 1D Physical Damage 4 times in a row;
light trauma (-1) all damage is inflicted during the same turn. Damage
Reduction from armour is ignored when this damage is
severe trauma (-2) dealt.

severe trauma (-2)

incurable trauma

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)


in the watchtower, and it has no way of knowing that it has
disappeared in the meantime).
With the follet’s attack, we’re introducing a very specific
aspect of game-play in Ambrosia, namely the mechanics
regarding (esoteric) spell-casting. When handling a non-
player character with magical abilities, it is important to
keep several things in mind:
• Casting spells deals Mental damage to the caster.
As non-player characters don’t differentiate between
damage types (they only have one Trauma table, where
player characters have three - Physical, Mental and Social),
damage the follet takes from hits is, in fact, cumulative
with damage it incurs from spell-casting. For non-player
characters, it’s all regarded as one type of damage. Note
that his only works one way: the follet’s Physical Damage
Reduction doesn’t prevent Mental Damage, for example.
• As such, all damage a non-player character is dealt
will leave him or her with a General Penalty to all Secondary
Ability Scores (Strength, Dexterity, Knowledge, Intuition,
Charisma and Appearance). For player characters, penalties
from Traumas only apply to Secondary Ability Scores that
are linked to the Primary Ability Score in question. Yes,
sometimes it pays to be the story’s protagonist!
• Academically schooled wizards have access to
a technique known as volatile casting, which allows them
to harness the magical energies around them to prevent
them from strip-mining their own bodies and minds.
Volatile casting provides a character with a Mental Damage
Reduction when casting spells - but as the follet’s magic
abilities have developed intuitively, it doesn’t have access
Game-mastery tip
The spell Stigmata, if used well, can up the gore factor
in your game immensely. After all, with this amount
of damage, it is possible to cause incurable or worse
traumas, even in a previously unharmed victim. Those
opportunities are great for creating atmosphere: don’t
just say you lose your leg, but describe it in living
colour: suddenly, a sickening splash is heard as your
leg explodes all over the place; you scream in agony
as you try to grasp the bloody stump, bits of flesh
and bone lying on the ground in a huge splatter of
blood. Bringing this kind of detail to your game helps
the players’ immersion, and will give them a more
real sense of the danger they’re facing than simply
subtracting numbers from their point value.
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
Scenario
to such Skills and will stop at nothing short of draining
itself of all remaining life-force to achieve its goal: kill the
pretender that has stolen its life.
• You’ll notice that the follet has a line of Traumas
labelled Incurable, which is normally reserved for player
characters. As the face-off between the follet and the
changeling is the climax of this scenario, it does liven
things up to give the twisted creature Incurable Traumas
as well - as it makes for a more colourful combat situation
when characters have a chance to cut off its hands, shoot
an arrow through its knee, or even hit it in the head with a
blunt weapon, fracturing its neck. Not only does this give
players a chance to shine, it also provides them with a sense
of accomplishment, being able to weaken this imminent
threat as they put in their best efforts.
• The follet does have a culminated Magic Bonus 4
at his disposal to try and defeat the changeling. This Bonus
is calculated as such:
Magic crystals 2
Magical aptitude (Skill) 1
Favoured terrain (Skill) +1
4 47
A General Bonus (such as the one provided by the Favoured
terrain Skill) also counts as a Magic Bonus, but as a Combat
bonus as well (for example, when using the Dodge action).
Remember, a character’s Magic Bonus is added to every
roll that character makes when casting a spell or performing
a ritual, except the Damage listed on the spell as it also
provides him or her with a Mental Damage Reduction
(which, along with the Strong mind Skill, gives the follet a
Damage Reduction 6 in total).
• The follet will first try to incapacitate its nemesis
using Boiling blood, then finish him or her off with
Stigmata. It uses the magic crystals as foci to channel its
magical energies. Instead of reciting incantations and
forming arcane gestures, it simply points the crystal to its
Target; the pulsating, purple light they emanate brightening
substantially.
• Whenever the player characters draw blood from
the follet, they will notice that a thick, black syrup leaks
from its veins instead. Such is the effect of years upon years
of wild and chaotic magics burrowing their way to one’s
very core!
 Aftermath
Scenario
When the follet is defeated, lying on the stone floor of the
once mighty hall of Valanthil in an expanding puddle of
black, syrupy blood, the only sound that is heard in the
musky subterranean air is the wailing of priest Virgilius -
my Lord Argonius, forgive me! We didn’t know the kobolds
would return, we thought what we did was for the best, I
swear! At this point, if the players start talking sense into
the rambling old clergyman, he will be brought back to his
senses, especially if a successful Charisma vs. Wisdom
check is involved (the players get a General Bonus 3 on
this check thanks to Virgilius’ current state). The priest will
tell them whatever they haven’t figured out for themselves
yet: how the child of baroness Catharina Tauernier van
Cortoriacum was stolen from its crib by kobolds on the
night castle Valanthil was swallowed up by the earth; how
the baroness used the last of her ecomantic powers to alter
the changeling’s appearance so the political marriage could
still take place; how he himself was sworn to secrecy about
this; and, of course, how the players have just killed the real
baron Sibold/lady Everliin, essentially committing hericide
in the progress.
While Virgilius is confessing his sins, adding the fact that
48 he resigns his post as priest and lays his life in the hands of
his lord Argonius -even going as far as wanting to spend
his last remaining days in solitary contemplation, prayer
and meditation-, there is movement in the shadows beyond
the door through which the follet had appeared. Any player
character giving in to his or her curiosity will see a horde of
kobolds, dozens -maybe hundreds- flocking together in the
stone corridor behind the door. The strange thing, however,
is that they don’t have their weapons drawn - they seem to
have been following the events in the great hall with much
interest, almost waiting for a victor to step forth from the
battle. The follet’s corpse has barely hit the floor when the
kobolds prudently step into the great hall, walking towards
the changeling (baron Sibold/lady Everliin) with great
caution. They appear to intend no harm this time around;
the creatures even kneel in front of that character, as if to
swear allegiance to him or her.
The kobolds will defend themselves if any of the player
characters act aggressively towards them or the changeling,
or if they are ordered to by their new-found leader, the
character formerly known as baron Sibold/lady Everliin
(even though the creatures don’t understand Alverlandic,
they can follow simple orders when gestures are used). But
the most important aspect of this part of the scenario is in fact
how all the characters react to the revelation that the person
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they thought was a high-born noble, is actually a kobold
in disguise. For although some of them have a more direct
link to the political machinations between the noble houses
Tauernier and Baligant, all of the player characters are now
privy to sensitive information that can end generations
of strife or fuel the fires of rivalry even more. The most
pressing question you should ask your players at this point
is: will they still support the arranged marriage now that
they know that baron Sibold/lady Everliin isn’t of noble
heritage, not human even? After all, should this information
be made public, the consequences would be dire at best.
Should a Baligant claim that baron Sibold or lady Everliin
is actually a kobold in disguise, every Tauernier in ‘s Goren
would consider this an insult beyond belief (even if it is the
truth), which would undoubtedly lead to a long and bloody
war between the two noble houses. On the other hand, to a
Baligant, the only thing worse than marrying a Tauernier is
probably marrying a kobold... and they’ve gone to war for
much less in the past. As Game-master, you should start a
dialogue among the players about this matter, for the future
of the counties Ketendal and ‘s Goren will probably be
decided this night by the lucky few souls who survived this
horrific ordeal. Each of them will have their own specific
reasons to support or oppose the wedding. A couple of
arguments that will likely come up in the argument are
listed below:
• Baron Sibold/Lady Everliin: for this character,
it’s very much a question of nature vs. nurture as they
had no idea of their true heritage until this night. Raised
"The fate of nations
is often decided
by whisperers
in the shadows."
(Alverlandic proverb)
 in a civilized manner, they have felt and acted human all
their life. This raises an important question of course: are
kobolds inherently evil or are they merely a product of
their environs? On the other hand, by the medieval sense of
morality common in the Alverlands, a noble’s prime duty
is to ensure (preferably male) offspring, but is this even
physically possible between a human and a kobold? Such
a thing is unprecedented, after all, and while baron Sibold
or lady Everliin wear a human face, it was only their flesh
that was moulded - on the inside, they remain kobolds. Of
course, the political machinations of the Alverlandic noble
courts have harboured much darker secrets in the past, and
having strong support from the other player characters may
pose an opportunity for this character to rise to power - for
having a secret, unholy army of the night that follows your
every command is certainly an asset for every ruler. On the
other hand, a truly pious Tauernier can also refuse to go
through with such a vile act, decide to live in exile with their
true people, or even lay down their own life in the process.
• Brother Mourinus/Sister Haersinde: for a cleric
sworn to obey the will of the god-emperor, knowingly
putting a pretender on the throne would prove very difficult.
As the tenets of their faith stipulate that nobility is granted
to a mortal soul by Argonius himself, being born a member
of the ruling class is both a man’s birth right as well as his
divine duty. Of course, ambition does tend to trump piety
in some cases, and one could argue that house Tauernier
is very influential in matters of the church - and a humble
monk or nun could be tempted to think that bishop Mourinus
or abbess Haersinde does have a nice ring to it...
• Walric/Serotine: being the outsider gives these
characters a unique perspective on the whole situation. After
all, while noble houses feud, it’s often the commoners who
suffer the most - but in this case, they’re privy to some very
confidential information that might benefit them greatly.
Choosing a side in the event of a dispute gives the noble
lords or lady as well as the members of the clergy a chance
to make them an offer they can’t refuse - for Walric, who is
basically a criminal, this might pose an opportunity to escape
his life as a low-born. After all, how does a comfy position
at court sound to him? As a warden for example, not really
doing any actual work but getting to eat his fill at every
banquet, and access to as many prostitutes as his libido can
manage? How would the elf Serotine look upon a kobold,
essentially an abomination of nature, ruling over an estate?
On the other hand, the Katori have never acknowledged the
humans’ claim on these soils (or the concept of ownership
of land in any form, for that matter), but if brother Mourinus
or sister Haersinde take a stand, Serotine might be tempted
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
to join the other side - after all, the church of Argonius have
Scenario
always opposed those who follow the ancient ways of the
Beast, and this might give her an opportunity to deal them
a blow as well.
• Duke Eoban/Ranildis: to some Baligants, a
betrothal between one of their own and a kobold might
be preferable to an engagement with a Tauernier, but how
would duke Eoban or Ranildis deal with this knowledge?
Even if it is possible for a human and a kobold to procreate,
would they want to pollute their bloodline in such a way?
For duke Eoban, the information that baron Sibold or lady
Everliin isn’t even human might give him good cause to
call of the wedding, and no Baligant in history has ever
shied away from a little bloodshed. The duke can even use
his power as feudal lord to command Walric into helping
him defeat the threat from below, but wither the serf does
so remains up to him of course. Ranildis might have other
motives to act, however; she’s nothing more than a bastard
daughter of house Baligant, and has always been treated as
an inferior by her higher-born brothers and sisters. Having
one of them marry a kobold might bring her story to closure,
serving as an ultimate practical joke to pull for all the years
of bullying she’s had to endure.
As you can see, the options are infinite and the players might
take a while to come to a compromise - if one is reached 49
Game-mastery tip
If the player characters can’t come to a conclusion over
what to do about putting a pretender on the throne,
it’s quite possible that it will come to blows between
them. In such a case, the side that controls the kobold
horde will probably win (unless the other side brings
the whole structure down on them by utilizing the mud-
slide to his or her advantage), but it is recommended to
have them go out in a blaze of glory; give all players
a chance to shine, even if that means staying true to
duty and honour even when they’re ripped to bloody
shreds by the stuff that nightmares are made of. Make
it an epic scene in which they almost escape, but are
overpowered by swarms of kobolds while trying to get
up the stairs in the watchtower - or have them not even
make it that far, with a large force of kobolds frantically
climbing up the wooden balcony in the great hall as
the players try to make their escape. That way, you can
give them a sense of accomplishment even though their
characters have technically died a horribly death!
 Scenario
at all of course. Wither this scenario ends in bloodshed or
in peaceful negotiations is completely up to them; priest
Virgilius will ask his young ward to take him back to
the abbey where they lived, where he will live the rest of
his life in silent prayer and castigation, begging the god-
emperor Argonius forgiveness for his sins. But as the last
of the player characters emerge from the old watchtower
once again, for the first time in days the thick layer of
stormy clouds hanging over this portion of Ketendal have
given way and the sun’s rays once again reach the hills and
valleys, slowly drying the muddy soil and warming the cold
forests once again. The unnatural storm seems to have died
with the follet and the secret that had been buried here,
deep beneath the earth, for so many years. Depending on
the players’ decisions in this scenario, this might mean a
bright dawn for both the families Baligant and Tauernier,
or it could be rekindling the ages-old feud between the two
noble houses, now headed into a long and bloody war...
Contingency plans
It is said that no matter how well you plan a role-playing
50 game session, and no matter how many possibilities for a
story you foresee to evolve into, your players will always
come up with something you couldn’t possibly predict.
A role-playing game is essentially an interactive piece of
fiction, and when you’re not limited by movements on a
game-board or a number of predefined actions, nearly
anything is possible. To account for players going astray,
each scenario in Ambrosia contains a number of contingency
plans; ideas that you, the Game-Master, can use to keep a
storyline going. This isn’t the same as getting the players
back on track, though; interactivity remains a big part of the
Ambrosia experience so you’ll simply end with a different
kind of story depending on the choices players make.
• The shield spider doesn’t succeed in kidnapping
priest Virgilius: even though the combat encounter near
the camp-fire we planned is neatly divided into four rounds,
the players may be able to defeat the shield spider before
it gets that far. This is a completely interactive game, after
all, and there is more than one way to defeat a creature.
The players can use the environment to their advantage,
for example; scaring off the spider with fire can be very
effective, as most animals are instinctively afraid of flames:
taking a log from the camp-fire and threatening the spider
with it could foil the kobolds’ plans very early on (although
an opposed check Charisma vs. Intuition is required for
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
an action like that to succeed). As we certainly don’t want
to punish good thinking on part of the players, there is a
possibility to rescue priest Virgilius from the clutches of
these vile creatures before they’re able to get a good hold of
him in the first pace. Such things could shut down a game-
night early, but that’s exactly why we put these contingency
plans in place. If the shield spider is defeated prematurely,
the remainder of the cowardly kobolds will flee back to
the sunken tower. Priest Virgilius, however, appears in a
state of shock as he hasn’t seen these creatures since that
fateful night when baroness Catharina died in the old castle
Valanthil. It’s not hard for him to presume that they’re
here to finish what they started so many years ago, and this
confronts him with the unholy vow he made to remain silent.
He will grab baron Sibold or lady Everliin by the shoulders
and say follow them! Their fate is entwined with yours!
before falling to the ground and, staring into oblivion, keep
repeating my Lord Argonius, forgive me! We didn’t know
the kobolds would return, we thought what we did was for
the best, I swear! At this point, the players won’t be able to
get him to say anything else - the old priest just stares off
into the distance and mumbles the same lines over and over
again. The players should now have sufficient motivation to
follow the kobolds to their hideout and uncover what secret
Game-mastery tip
Different players come up with different ways to solve
a problem in a scenario, some more effective than
others. As a Game-master, you’re in an ideal position
to anticipate what your individual group of players
might be up to; after all, no one knows them better than
you. Some players go for a very serious tone, others
want to experience a full range of emotions, while some
players are just in it to have a good time. Although
Ambrosia is a dark fantasy role-playing game at heart,
that doesn’t mean it can’t cater to a more comically-
inclined audience as well; after all, having a party of
misfits stumble upon a more realistic subject matter is
the essence of situation comedy, even one that has been
mixed with the horror genre many times before (just
think of those old Abbott & Costello movies). Every
player group is different and want other things out of
their game, so it is advisable to adjust the game to their
specific needs. These contingency plans also work to
that end, offering an alternative story that can be told
with the same tools at your disposal.
 Virgilius was keeping all these years.
• The players don’t care about priest Virgilius’
fate: in the Alverlands, religion is a much bigger part of
everyday life than in our 21st-century society. A vast
majority of humans in the Alverlands are taught from
a very young age to be unconditionally loyal to the god-
emperor, and as his priests spread his word in the mortal
realm, they command a level of respect rarely seen in
modern times. Of course, this doesn’t mean that every
soul residing in the Alverlands is a pious zealot, and when
in mortal danger, many will quickly abandon their faith
to escape with their lives intact. However, it might be
prudent to challenge players who don’t take the fate of the
kidnapped priest to heart with the fact that questions will
be asked about his disappearance, and the church isn’t
above jumping to conclusions when no clear culprit for
a strange disappearance can be found. For any followers
of Argonius (in this scenario, anyone except Serotine),
abandoning priest Virgilius to his fate would cost them 2
points of Soul (as both the sins of Selfishness and Impiety
have been fulfilled); for the elf Serotine, this cost is limited
to 1. Brother Mourinus or sister Haersinde should be quite
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
motivated to go and rescue their mentor, not only because
of their personal bond with him, but also because they are
known to be accompanying him - those difficult enquiries
will be coming their way first. For duke Eoban, having this
kind of disappearance on his land would raise questions as
well, and baron Sibold or lady Everliin might want more
answers from the last man to have seen their mother alive.
Walric and Serotine, lastly, should simply be motivated to
keep the group as large as possible, as hungry predators in
these woods are more likely to prey on travellers in smaller
numbers. Finally, if some of the players want to follow the
shield spider and the kobolds to their lair but others prefer to
stay at the camp-fire, this will prove an ideal starting point
for a discussion. How can those who want to go convince
the others to come with them? Promises of riches or glory
can tempt some, threats of punishment by the authorities
or Argonius looking down upon them unfavourable might
be enough to coerce others into helping. Such instances
make for great role-playing opportunities - it’s actual social
interaction in favour of tedious dice rolling!
• The players can’t find a way to follow the
kobolds’ tracks: even though it’s very easy to follow the
 Scenario
clumsy kobolds through the wet mud, sometimes the dice
just aren’t in your favour and even the best of trackers
simply fail out of sheer bad luck. Should something like
that happens, it’s best to listen to the players’ own ideas on
how to solve it before doing anything else; maybe some of
the creatures they’re chasing are severly wounded by this
time, leaving a trail of blood - or maybe there’s a critically
wounded kobold lagging behind to point them in the right
direction. On the other hand, the monsters are charging
through thick woods, undoubtedly leaving a clear trail of
carnage in the undergrowth behind them. Serotine could
also shape-shift into her bat form and follow them from the
air, gaining the advantage of night-vision in the process.
As always, taking initiative should be encouraged in the
players’ actions, and as the kobolds are trying to lure the
players to the tower in the first place, it shouldn’t be that
hard to follow them.
• The players don’t want to go down the tower:
the players might think that going down the tower is too
obvious a choice, and believe that the kobolds and their
spider companion somehow jumped over the mud-slide to
the other side. As the kobolds are trying to lure the players
down the stairs, they could let priest Virgilius call out
for help - a simple Intuition 8 check (characters with the
52 Alertness skill get a General Bonus 2) will determine if they
hear him cry out, as well as the door below being slammed
shut. After that, there shouldn’t be any doubt about where
the priest is being held.
• The players can’t find a way to get past the
magical echo: the effects of the magical echo on one or two
characters might scare others off from touching the ghostly
figure. Therefore, another hint you can give them is having
the spectral form follow baron Sibold / lady Everliin with
its face - it would be following that character with its eyes
but it’s not able to as they are sewn shut. Having the spectre
start trembling whenever the false heir to Tauernier even
comes near it, is another tip you can give them to softly
nudge them in the right direction - as a bunch of players just
standing around without a clue don’t exactly help with the
pacing of the story of course.
• One of the players decides to touch the magical
echo more than once: some people are just too curious
for their own good, and will try to repeat a thoroughly
unpleasant experience just to make sure they haven’t
missed anything. The game can lag if you have one player
experience the same vision over and over again, however, so
we would advise against that; instead, let them experience
a short shock, followed by repeating the Physical and/or
Mental damage they were inflicted the first time around.
Justin Steele (Order #14078846)
Game-mastery tip
When one player learns something the others haven’t
yet (like when one character sneaks toward the closed
door in the great hall and sees what lies beyond), it’s
best to take that player into another room for a second
and tell him or her what they just experienced. Not only
does this add to the other players’ sense of mystery,
but the one given private information will be the more
pleased that their initiative paid off for them personally.
On the other hand, we also advise that you keep such
scenes as short as possible - it’s not much fun for the
other players to sit and wait while you’re off in another
room, dedicated to one player only. Finding a nice
balance between the two can sometimes be challenging,
but that’s what makes the job of the Game-master so
interesting!
This should dissuade them from trying it a third time.
• The players decide to burn down the shield
spider’s web in the great hall: a spider’s web is known
to be quite flammable, so this is a very good way to set fire
to the whole place. Of course, as the balcony is made of
wood, it will also catch fire rather quickly, filling the room
with smoke (remember that it’s quite moist down there,
so the planks are dank and rotting). This can be done to
cover their escape (although the follet won’t be stopped by
fire, kobolds in pursuit might be - an Intuition 10 check is
required for them to chase the player characters through the
flames), but will also slowly bring the whole structure down
upon them. Obviously, this will also cause the unstable
mudslide to breach and flood the room almost instantly,
suffocating anyone still there. That is one way to defeat the
follet and the kobolds of course, but you should advise the
players against setting fire to the web while Virgilius is still
stuck inside the cocoon; the fire spreads just as quickly, but
it would kill the priest as well. What happens if the players
throw that kind of advice to the wind is explained earlier in
the contingency plan The players don’t care about priest
Virgilius’ fate.
• The players would realistically open the door
in the great hall behind which the follet is hiding before
they reach the events in Lamb to the Slaughter: there’s
always that one player character who sneaks off while
the others are still fighting the shield spider to open the
mysterious side door... if this happens, the best course of
action to take is to confront the player in question with
 Scenario
the follet on the far end of the corridor, slowly hovering
toward the door. You should describe this encounter to the
best of your ability: first, a sign of movement appears in the
darkness that hints at something alive down there. Then, as
it closes, it forms a silhouette shape, vaguely human-like
in form, but it doesn’t seem to move its legs as it’s heading
towards the player character in question. Lastly, as the pale
shape becomes visible in the flickering torch-light, describe
the follet in all its gory details. This will not only alarm
him to the coming danger, raising the stakes of the current
combat scene, but it will also tie in nicely to the next one.
• The players try to cut open the follet’s mouth
or eyes: in an attempt to communicate with the creature,
the players might want to cut open its mouth. As it was sew
shut years ago, however, it can hardly move its jaw, its teeth
are digested away by corrosive saliva, and it can’t muster
any other sound than a guttural howl. Cutting open its eyes
won’t do them much good either, but it will cause some
more of the thick, syrupy goo it uses for blood to squirt onto
the face of the player character who thought this was a good
idea...

53

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 Scenario

Baron Sibold Lady Everliin

54

Brother s Sister Haersinde

Mourinu

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 Scenario
Walric Serotine

55

duke Eoban Ranildis

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 Baron Sibold What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• You’re an able swordsman and carry a sabre for use in self-defence.
• Thanks to your exceptionally fast reflexes, you gain a General Bonus 1
Born to the estate of noble house Tauernier, you were raised in a world of wealth
when using the Actions Evade or Parry.
and luxury. The greatest sword-masters of ‘s Goren taught you the noble art of
• Like many commoners and nobles in the Alverlands, you’re not able to read
fencing as you experienced life at court first hand. You’ve never known your
or write.
mother as she died giving birth to you. She was pregnant while traveling on
• You’re the baron of Cortoriacum, and such a title like opens many doors that
the hillsides of Ketendal when a terrible storm ravaged the area. She and her
would otherwise remain shut. You expect everyone to show you the respect
entourage had to take shelter in a nearby castle, where you were delivered several
a man of your stature deserves.
weeks before the due date. Little is known about what happened that fateful night,
• Your gambeson offers you a Physical Damage Reduction 2.
as only one of your mother’s handmaidens returned to the barony of Cortoriacum
• Members of house Baligant don’t like your family very much. You suffer
alive, with the newborn infant in her arms. Being one of the few Tauerniers who
a General Penalty 2 on Charisma checks against members of house
was born on the soil of the noble house Baligant puts you in a unique position,
Baligant.
as your birth could end a centuries-old feud between the houses Tauernier and
• The feud between the houses Tauernier and Baligant was started by a
Baligant. Because of the events surrounding your birth, the count of Ketendal has
heartless, old duke from Ketendal who constantly abused his young,
agreed to an marriage between you and one of his family members. That’s why
beautiful bride both physically and mentally while her heart was truly lost to
you’ve been sent to the castle Valanthil, deep in the Eternal Woods, to marry a
baron Victor Tauernier - a young, handsome swashbuckler who eloped with
noble lady you’ve never even met before...
her and saved her out of the clutches of her cruel tormentor. The Baligants
The Baligants are known to house a formidable military presence, while the
have never been able to stomach this defeat.
Tauerniers appreciate the finer things in life - spirituality, art and beauty; their
credo is Beauty and Piety. But house Baligant is said to even arm its ladies; they’re
supposed to be uncouth, aggressive ruffians, barely worthy of the term noble.
Once you’re in the hills of Ketendal, and Valanthil is only a day’s journey away,
it seems like history is repeating itself. Dark storm clouds hang over the region
and heavy rains are causing floods; you even had to leave your horse behind and
continue on foot. At sunset, you stumble upon a camp-fire around which several
people have already gathered. They inform you that the heavy weather has caused
an impassable mudslide between here and the castle Valanthil - so you decide to
warm your wet clothes by the fire and hope that a new possibility will present
itself at dawn..

Brother Mourinus What are your strengths and weaknesses?

• You carry a simple, wooden staff that you can use in self-defence.
• You have an extensive knowledge of both curative and poisonous plant life,
You were born Moren de Bake, a street urchin from the city of Silverford, relying
and carry the following herbs with you:
solely on thievery to survive while older boys lurked behind every corner to bully
• By chewing Hensbane, a character may disregard penalties from Light
you out of your loot - often no more than a lump of stale bread. You’d probably
Physical Traumas during 1D+5 minutes; they also need to pass an
still be there if not for a friendly monk who decided to take care of you. This
Intuition check 9 or be intoxicated (General Penalty 2) for the same
monk told you all about saint Welin, patron saint of hunters, guides, farmers and
duration.
woodsmen. He also educated you about the wonders of nature, specifically the
• Eating Avens immediately cures a Level 3 or lower poison.
vast forests and hillsides of the Eternal Woods; a wilderness that can be just as
• Lastly, anyone holding a leaf of Saint Welin’s wort on their tongue gains a
unforgiving as the streets of Silverford, but also contained beauty beyond belief.
General Bonus 2 for all checks against magical spells and rituals.
Eventually, you became a member of the Welinian order, a brotherhood of monks
• You’re also transporting several relics for priest Virgilius, among which
dedicated to protecting nature and the common man. You laid down your past
a number of healing potions. A character drinking a healing potion will
life and vowed to service the god-emperor Argonius and his apostles, saint Welin
immediately cure one Light or Severe Physical Trauma.
being one of them. In a monastery deep within the Eternal Woods, you finally
• You’re very observant and attuned to your surroundings. You gain a
found the serenity your past life had denied you.
General Bonus 2 to notice things.
A few days ago, you were summoned by priest Virgilius; the old, wizened chaplain
• Like many commoners (and many nobles in the Alverlands), you’re not able
of the abbey, whose left arm had been amputated a long time ago. He was asked
to read or write. Very few clergymen are even able to read their copy of the
to travel to the castle Valanthil to preside over a noble wedding. As he’s quite
Writ, Argonius’ holy texts, the very thing they should be preaching!
old and frail, he asked you to accompany him to carry his relics and make sure
• An old wound, inflicted in your childhood by other street urchins, has left
he arrives there safely. You’ve always learned to respect the priests’ wishes and
you with a permanent limp in your right leg. This gives you a General
assist them in any way, so you couldn’t possibly decline such a request.
Penalty 2 for Dexterity checks.
You traversed the hills of Ketendal with priest Virgilius, but when Valanthil is
• You’ve taken strict vows of poverty and abstinence. You’re also sworn to
but a day’s walk away, it almost seems like Argonius himself tries to prevent you
always be hospitable and shelter those who need it.
from reaching your destination. Severe storms are ransacking the area and heavy
rains are causing floods in the lower areas of the hillsides. At sunset, you stumble
upon a camp-fire around which several people have already gathered. They
inform you that the heavy weather has caused an impassable mudslide between
here and the castle Valanthil - so you decide to warm your wet clothes by the fire
and hope that a new possibility will present itself at dawn...

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 Duke Eoban What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• You’re armed with your trusty great-sword, a weapon that has seen many
(use this background if baron Sibold is also in play)
battles. Few who took a hit from it, lived to tell the tale.
• You’re a duke of Valanthil, and such a title like opens many doors that
As a scion of house Baligant, you’re a part of the mightiest military power in the
would otherwise remain shut. You expect everyone to show you the respect
Alverlands. Your noble house is known for its prowess in battle; the house credo
a man of your stature deserves.
None disturb us unharmed is certainly well-earned. You’re born and bred to the
• You’re heavily armoured and your battle experience has strengthened your
castle Valanthil, deep within the Eternal Woods, where your father was duke
pain threshold. These give you in total a Physical Damage Reduction 8.
before you. And the walls of the proud stronghold were only penetrated once;
• Like many commoners and nobles in the Alverlands, you’re not able to read
not by man, but by the elements. About fifteen years ago, a terrible storm raged
or write.
through this region, and the heavy rains reduced the hills to mud pools, causing
• Your strength and battle prowess are compensated for by a weak and easily
Valanthil to disappear in a giant sink hole. You remember fleeing the castle with
manipulated mind. This gives you a General Penalty 1 against magical
your relatives when a noble lady was visiting - she even gave birth in the middle
attacks and all Mental Damage you’re inflicted is increased by 1.
of that natural disaster; a child of house Tauernier, and that child could very well
• The feud between the houses Tauernier and Baligant was started when
end a centuries-old rivalry between the two houses. Because this boy was born on
a kind and loving duke from Ketendal got married to a woman who got
your soil, the count of Ketendal has agreed to arrange a marriage between him and
courted by baron Victor Tauernier, a notorious self-indulged womaniser.
your younger sister Delbora. The groom is already on his way to the new castle
He couldn’t stand the fact that the duchess had chosen a Baligant over him,
Valanthil, built on higher ground after the old sank away into the ground.
so he cowardly kidnapped her out of her loving husband’s embrace and
You’re not exactly passionate about the noble house Tauernier; it consists of
continuously raped her until she wasn’t able to live with herself any longer.
poets and artists with a holier-than-thou attitude who can’t even hold a sword
Children of house Baligant are taught from a very young age never to trust
properly. You travelled to the city of Silverford to discuss this with the count
a Tauernier because of this.
himself, but he seemed hell-bent on having the wedding - and what he says, goes.
Reluctantly, you returned to Valanthil. But when the castle is only a day’s journey
away, it seems like history is repeating itself. Dark storm clouds hang over the
region and heavy rains are causing floods all over the region; you even had to
leave your horse behind and continue on foot. At sunset, you stumble upon a
camp-fire around which several people have already gathered. They inform you
that the heavy weather has caused an impassable mudslide between here and the
castle Valanthil - so you decide to warm your wet clothes by the fire and hope that
a new possibility will present itself at dawn..

Duke Eoban What are your strengths and weaknesses?

• You’re armed with your trusty great-sword, a weapon that has seen many
(use this background if lady Everliin is also in play)
battles. Few who took a hit from it, lived to tell the tale.
• You’re a duke of Valanthil, and such a title like opens many doors that
As a scion of house Baligant, you’re a part of the mightiest military power in the
would otherwise remain shut. You expect everyone to show you the respect
Alverlands. Your noble house is known for its prowess in battle; the house credo
a man of your stature deserves.
None disturb us unharmed is certainly well-earned. You’re born and bred to the
• You’re heavily armoured and your battle experience has strengthened your
castle Valanthil, deep within the Eternal Woods, where your father was duke
pain threshold. These give you in total a Physical Damage Reduction 8.
before you. And the walls of the proud stronghold were only penetrated once;
• Like many commoners and nobles in the Alverlands, you’re not able to read
not by man, but by the elements. About fifteen years ago, a terrible storm raged
or write.
through this region, and the heavy rains reduced the hills to mud pools, causing
• Your strength and battle prowess are compensated for by a weak and easily
Valanthil to disappear in a giant sink hole. You remember fleeing the castle with
manipulated mind. This gives you a General Penalty 1 against magical
your relatives when a noble lady was visiting - she even gave birth in the middle
attacks and all Mental Damage you’re inflicted is increased by 1.
of that natural disaster; a child of house Tauernier, and that child could very well
• The feud between the houses Tauernier and Baligant was started when
end a centuries-old rivalry between the two houses. Because this girl was born on
a kind and loving duke from Ketendal got married to a woman who got
your soil, the count of Ketendal has agreed to arrange a marriage between her and
courted by baron Victor Tauernier, a notorious self-indulged womaniser.
your younger brother Bertold. The bride is already on his way to the new castle
He couldn’t stand the fact that the duchess had chosen a Baligant over him,
Valanthil, built on higher ground after the old sank away into the ground.
so he cowardly kidnapped her out of her loving husband’s embrace and
You’re not exactly passionate about the noble house Tauernier; it consists of
continuously raped her until she wasn’t able to live with herself any longer.
poets and artists with a holier-than-thou attitude who can’t even hold a sword
Children of house Baligant are taught from a very young age never to trust
properly. You travelled to the city of Silverford to discuss this with the count
a Tauernier because of this.
himself, but he seemed hell-bent on having the wedding - and what he says, goes.
Reluctantly, you returned to Valanthil. But when the castle is only a day’s journey
away, it seems like history is repeating itself. Dark storm clouds hang over the
region and heavy rains are causing floods all over the region; you even had to
leave your horse behind and continue on foot. At sunset, you stumble upon a
camp-fire around which several people have already gathered. They inform you
that the heavy weather has caused an impassable mudslide between here and the
castle Valanthil - so you decide to warm your wet clothes by the fire and hope that
a new possibility will present itself at dawn..

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 Lady Everliin What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• You carry a fine, dwarven-made steel dagger for use in self-defence in case
of an emergency.
Born to the estate of noble house Tauernier, you were raised in a world of wealth
• In stark contrast with the common folk (and a large portion of Alverlandic
and luxury. The wisest men of ‘s Goren educated you in academics and a small
nobility), you’re able to read and write.
army of seamstresses made sure you were only seen in the finest of dresses
• You’re a lady of Cortoriacum, and such a title like opens many doors that
every time a ball was held. You’ve never known your mother as she died giving
would otherwise remain shut. You expect everyone to show you the respect
birth to you. She was pregnant while traveling on the hillsides of Ketendal when
a man of your stature deserves.
a terrible storm ravaged the area. She and her entourage had to take shelter in a
• As a child, you were known as something of a hellion which made you
nearby castle, where you were delivered several weeks before the due date. Little
proficient in sneaking and hiding. You receive a General Bonus 2 when
is known about what happened that fateful night, as only one of your mother’s
performing those actions in a dark or shadowy environment.
handmaidens returned to the barony of Cortoriacum alive, with the newborn
• Your noble appearance and fragile looks make that people often
infant in her arms. Being one of the few Tauerniers who was born on the soil of
underestimate you in combat. You can spend 1 point of Social to give an
the noble house Baligant puts you in a unique position, as your birth could end
opponent a Combat Penalty 1.
a centuries-old feud between the houses Tauernier and Baligant. Because of the
• Members of house Baligant don’t like your family very much. You suffer
events surrounding your birth, the count of Ketendal has agreed to an marriage
a General Penalty 2 on Charisma checks against members of house
between you and one of his family members. That’s why you’ve been sent to
Baligant.
the castle Valanthil, deep in the Eternal Woods, to marry a noble lord you’ve
• The feud between the houses Tauernier and Baligant was started by a
never even met before... The Baligants are known to house a formidable military
heartless, old duke from Ketendal who constantly abused his young,
presence, while the Tauerniers appreciate the finer things in life - spirituality, art
beautiful bride both physically and mentally while her heart was truly lost to
and beauty; their credo is Beauty and Piety. But house Baligant is said to even
baron Victor Tauernier - a young, handsome swashbuckler who eloped with
arm its ladies; they’re supposed to be uncouth, aggressive ruffians, barely worthy
her and saved her out of the clutches of her cruel tormentor. The Baligants
of the term noble. Once you’re in the hills of Ketendal, and Valanthil is only a
have never been able to stomach this defeat.
day’s journey away, it seems like history is repeating itself. Dark storm clouds
hang over the region and heavy rains are causing floods; you even had to leave
your horse behind and continue on foot. At sunset, you stumble upon a camp-fire
around which several people have already gathered. They inform you that the
heavy weather has caused an impassable mudslide between here and the castle
Valanthil - so you decide to warm your wet clothes by the fire and hope that a new
possibility will present itself at dawn..

Ranildis What are your strengths and weaknesses?

• You’re armed with an impressive longsword and have the necessary skills
(use this background if baron Sibold is also in play)
to use it properly.
• Your most powerful weapon is a blind berserker rage you can call upon at
You were born in the castle Valanthil, deep within the Eternal Woods, on the
will. Spending 1 point of Physical gives you a Combat Bonus 3.
rolling hills of Ketendal, but your mother wasn’t of noble blood. She was a
• You wear a suit of chain mail to protect you against incoming blows. This
servant of the stronghold, and even though the identity of your father has never
gives you a Physical Damage Reduction 4.
been officially confirmed, it is well known that you’re the bastard daughter of the
• You’re quite dexterous and nimble. This gives you a General Dexterity
local lord himself, duke Emeric Baligant. This gave you a somewhat privileged
Bonus 1.
position, and the other serfs openly held it against you. From a very young age,
• Like many commoners (and many nobles in the Alverlands), you’re not able
you learned that you couldn’t trust anybody, and taught yourself to fight back
to read or write.
in any way possible. That behaviour gained you the approval of the duke; the
• You have a short fuse and tend to react aggressively when provoked.
Baligants are known to house a formidable military presence, after all, and a
• The feud between the houses Tauernier and Baligant was started when
strong sword-arm is always appreciated in Ketendal. Duke Emeric ordered the
a kind and loving duke from Ketendal got married to a woman who got
captain of his guardsmen to train you in swordplay, and you grew up to be an
courted by baron Victor Tauernier, a notorious self-indulged womaniser.
able combatant - a chance few women in the Alverlands are given. The pompous
He couldn’t stand the fact that the duchess had chosen a Baligant over him,
courtesans at court found this behaviour scandalous, but at least you learned to
so he cowardly kidnapped her out of her loving husband’s embrace and
defend yourself.
continuously raped her until she wasn’t able to live with herself any longer.
You recently received news that your half-sister, lady Delbora, is to wed a baron
Children of house Baligant are taught from a very young age never to trust
of the noble house Tauernier. You’re not exactly passionate about the noble
a Tauernier because of this.
house Tauernier; it consists of poets and artists with a holier-than-thou attitude
who can’t even hold a sword properly. A centuries-old rivalry exists between the
Tauerniers and the Baligants, but this arranged marriage could change all that.
That’s why the duke ordered you to escort the young baron to Valanthil. Severe
storms raged through the hills the last couple of days, however, and the heavy
rains have flooded entire regions. At sunset, after an excruciating trip through the
mud, you stumble upon a camp-fire around which several people have already
gathered. They inform you that the heavy weather has caused an impassable
mudslide between here and the castle Valanthil - so you decide to warm your
wet clothes by the fire and hope that a new possibility will present itself at dawn..

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 Ranildis What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• You’re armed with an impressive longsword and have the necessary skills
(use this background if lady Everliin is also in play)
to use it properly.
• Your most powerful weapon is a blind berserker rage you can call upon at
You were born in the castle Valanthil, deep within the Eternal Woods, on the
will. Spending 1 point of Physical gives you a Combat Bonus 3.
rolling hills of Ketendal, but your mother wasn’t of noble blood. She was a
• You wear a suit of chain mail to protect you against incoming blows. This
servant of the stronghold, and even though the identity of your father has never
gives you a Physical Damage Reduction 4.
been officially confirmed, it is well known that you’re the bastard daughter of the
• You’re quite dexterous and nimble. This gives you a General Dexterity
local lord himself, duke Emeric Baligant. This gave you a somewhat privileged
Bonus 1.
position, and the other serfs openly held it against you. From a very young age,
• Like many commoners (and many nobles in the Alverlands), you’re not able
you learned that you couldn’t trust anybody, and taught yourself to fight back
to read or write.
in any way possible. That behaviour gained you the approval of the duke; the
• You have a short fuse and tend to react aggressively when provoked.
Baligants are known to house a formidable military presence, after all, and a
• The feud between the houses Tauernier and Baligant was started when
strong sword-arm is always appreciated in Ketendal. Duke Emeric ordered the
a kind and loving duke from Ketendal got married to a woman who got
captain of his guardsmen to train you in swordplay, and you grew up to be an
courted by baron Victor Tauernier, a notorious self-indulged womaniser.
able combatant - a chance few women in the Alverlands are given. The pompous
He couldn’t stand the fact that the duchess had chosen a Baligant over him,
courtesans at court found this behaviour scandalous, but at least you learned to
so he cowardly kidnapped her out of her loving husband’s embrace and
defend yourself.
continuously raped her until she wasn’t able to live with herself any longer.
You recently received news that your half-brother, lord Bertold, is to wed a lady
Children of house Baligant are taught from a very young age never to trust
of the noble house Tauernier. You’re not exactly passionate about the noble
a Tauernier because of this.
house Tauernier; it consists of poets and artists with a holier-than-thou attitude
who can’t even hold a sword properly. A centuries-old rivalry exists between the
Tauerniers and the Baligants, but this arranged marriage could change all that.
That’s why the duke ordered you to escort the young lady to Valanthil. Severe
storms raged through the hills the last couple of days, however, and the heavy
rains have flooded entire regions. At sunset, after an excruciating trip through the
mud, you stumble upon a camp-fire around which several people have already
gathered. They inform you that the heavy weather has caused an impassable
mudslide between here and the castle Valanthil - so you decide to warm your
wet clothes by the fire and hope that a new possibility will present itself at dawn..

Serotine What are your strengths and weaknesses?

• You have a short sword that you use in self-defence. You also carry twin
daggers, hanging from your belt, primarily used as throwing weapons.
You are an elf, or Katori as they call themselves; a mystical race of nomads who
• You’ve learned to use natural camouflage to your advantage. You receive a
have spread throughout the Alverlands over the ages. Elves worship a primitive
General bonus 2 when trying to blend in with your surroundings.
nature god only known as the Beast, and honour him in the hunt - something they
• Thanks to your exceptionally fast reflexes, you gain a General Bonus 1
do with utmost respect for their prey. Elves are allowed to hunt in the Alverlands
when using the Actions Evade or Parry.
while it is illegal for commoners; humans see the elven folk as no more than
• Your lighting reflexes also allow you to use the Action Evade once per
animals themselves, left to follow their most primal instincts. Elves, however,
round without paying the cost in Action Points.
consider humans fierce barbarians who are out to destroy nature.
• Elves can shape-shift into the physical form of their totem animal. Spending
All Katori are given a totem animal at birth by their shaman, the spiritual guides
1 point of Social allows you to change into a serotine bat, or back into your
of the elves. An elven child is named after that totem - yours is the serotine bat
elven form. Clothes and equipment are left behind during a shape-shift.
(Serotine for short); a small, winged mammal with a tendency to react ferocious
• You’ll notice that while in elf form, you only have one Trauma line. This
when cornered. The shaman also gives an elf infant a blessed talisman. Each elf
makes changing into your bat form impossible whenever you have a Severe
guards its talisman with their life as it is said to contain that elf’s soul.
or higher Trauma (Physical, Mental or Social). While a Severe or higher
Due to their nomadic nature, elves can’t bear to stay in one place for very long.
Physical or Mental Trauma would instantly kill you, a Severe or higher
Your wanderlust has led you to the area the humans call the Eternal Woods -
Social Trauma would cause you to totally lose yourself in the feral nature of
a region with rolling hills and beautiful, centuries-old forestlands. For the last
the animal, forgetting your elf form forever.
couple of days, the woods have been subjected to a terrible storm and heavy
• Like many other elves (and most of the humans in the Alverlands), you’re
rainfall has caused floods in many of the lower regions here. You’ve even noticed
not able to read or write.
a huge mud-slide, ravaging across the hillside and causing everything it touches
• You grew up in the wild and have very little academic knowledge. You
to sink away into a muddy grave.
always get a General Knowledge Penalty 2. Also, you get a General
As the sun is setting, you decide to build a camp-fire to warm your drenched
Penalty 1 when you’re not in a natural environment.
clothes. After a while, several humans are attracted by the light in the darkness,
hoping you’ll be willing to share some of its warmth. As the hills of Ketendal are
dangerous enough in normal conditions, the mud-slide has no doubt led many
wild animals astray, so strength in numbers seems like the best idea at this point.
And these humans might even provide you with some distracting entertainment
on this lonely night...

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 Sister Haersinde What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• You carry a simple knife that’s mostly used as a tool, but in a pinch, you can
also use it for self-defence.
You’re the daughter of a prostitute from the city of Silverford; the identity of your
• Argonius has blessed you with a supernatural grace. Spending 1 point of
father remains a mystery to this day. From a very young age, you were expected
Mental gives you a General Dexterity Bonus 1.
to do your part in the brothel your mother belonged to. Even then, you couldn’t
• You’re surrounded by a holy aura at all times thanks to your profound
bring yourself to satisfy the dreadful lusts of perverted brothel patrons and you ran
beliefs. This grants you a General Bonus 1 against followers of Argonius
away to find the nuns of saint Elora, who welcomed you among their own. The
(which also counts as a Magic Bonus for your next ability:).
friendly nuns provided a welcome change from what you were used to, for even
• You are able to channel the power of Argonius to spontaneously cure
though they followed a strict regime, you were no longer expected to perform
wounds by laying on hands. This requires you to pass an Intuition check
unspeakable acts.
17 - the target’s Soul score. Using lay on hands causes you 1D Mental
You laid down your past life and vowed to serve the god-emperor Argonius and
Damage (for a Light Physical Trauma) or 1D+3 Mental Damage (for a
his apostles, saint Elora being one of them. She is the patron saint of merchants,
Severe Physical Trauma).
craftsmen and artists. Elorian nuns preach thriftiness and take a vow of poverty;
• You carry priest Virgilius’ silver Karbonkel; while holding this holy symbol
they are forbidden to own anything, for that only leads to envy and jealousy. But
in your hand, you receive another Magic Bonus 1 when laying on hands.
in the monastery, you finally found the inner peace you lacked before.
• You’re also transporting several relics for priest Virgilius, among which
A few days ago, you were summoned by priest Virgilius; the old, wizened chaplain
a number of healing potions. A character drinking a healing potion will
of the abbey, whose left arm had been amputated a long time ago. He was asked
immediately cure one Light or Severe Physical Trauma.
to travel to the castle Valanthil to preside over a noble wedding. As he’s quite
• The Elorian nuns were aided by the local craftsmen for all manual labour,
old and frail, he asked you to accompany him to carry his relics and make sure
causing members of the sisterhood to ignore muscle development. This gave
he arrives there safely. You’ve always learned to respect the priests’ wishes and
you a General Strength Penalty 2.
assist them in any way, so you couldn’t possibly decline such a request.
• Like many commoners (and many nobles in the Alverlands), you’re not able
You traversed the hills of Ketendal with priest Virgilius, but when Valanthil is
to read or write. Very few clergymen are even able to read their copy of the
but a day’s walk away, it almost seems like Argonius himself tries to prevent you
Writ, Argonius’ holy texts, the very thing they should be preaching!
from reaching your destination. Severe storms are ransacking the area and heavy
rains are causing floods in the lower areas of the hillsides. At sunset, you stumble
upon a camp-fire around which several people have already gathered. They
inform you that the heavy weather has caused an impassable mudslide between
here and the castle Valanthil - so you decide to warm your wet clothes by the fire
and hope that a new possibility will present itself at dawn...

Walric What are your strengths and weaknesses?

• You’re an experienced archer and also carry a small hand axe; mostly used
to butcher animals you shot, though it can also be of use as a weapon.
You were born a serf, always considered to be little more than slaves by the
• Being a seasoned hunter, you’ve become adept at hiding and sneaking. You
nobility. Both you and your family always had to take orders from house Baligant,
receive a General Bonus 2 when performing those actions in a dark or
the local rulers - also the most formidable military presence in the Alverlands,
shadowy environment.
who reign supreme in the county of Ketendal.
• You’re also quite good at using natural camouflage to your advantage. You
But not all is bad in the hills of Ketendal. Their territory encompasses the vast
receive a General bonus 2 when doing so.
Eternal Woods, providing many hiding places for people who don’t want to be
• As a poacher, you’re also trained in the art of recognizing and following
found. Hunting in the Eternal Woods is strictly forbidden for anybody save the
trails, mostly of natural wildlife. You receive a General bonus 2 when
nobility, and a terrible punishment awaits serfs like you caught doing so. Luckily,
tracking.
you’ve never been caught, for you are a poacher by trade. You know this region
• Like many commoners (and many nobles in the Alverlands), you’re not able
like no other and have hunted quite a lot of boars, pheasants, and other wildlife,
to read or write.
and made a pretty penny doing so.
• The fewer people find out you’re a poacher, the safer you’ll be (and the
The last couple of days, a terrible storm has raged through the area. Heavy rains
longer you’ll prevent having a run-in with the harsh, local law!).
have caused entire regions to flood, and you’ve even noticed a huge mud-slide,
ravaging across the hillside and causing everything it touches to sink away into
a muddy grave. On the other side of the mud-slide lies castle Valanthil, the only
hint of civilization in these parts, from where duke Eoban Baligant rules his duchy
as a stern but just lord. Travellers trying to reach the castle will be blocked by the
mud-slide however, at least until the weather clears up.
As the sun is setting, you decide to build a camp-fire to warm your drenched
clothes. After a while, several people are attracted by the light in the darkness,
hoping you’ll be willing to share some of its warmth. As the hills of Ketendal are
dangerous enough in normal conditions, the mud-slide has no doubt led many
wild animals astray, so strength in numbers seems like the best idea at this point.
And these people may even provide you with companionship on this wet and
otherwise lonely night...

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 nickname: Baron Sibold initiative (dexterity + intuition): 3
level / experience points: 1 2  3   4    5     6      7
karma: soul: X X X X X

physical mental social

2 1 2

strength: 2 knowledge: 0 charisma: 1

- Specialization: slashing - Title

- Weapon skill

dexterity: 0 intuition: 1 appearance: 1

- Lightning reflexes - Wealthy

light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1)

severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2)

incurable trauma incurable trauma incurable trauma

critical trauma critical trauma critical trauma

weapon Skill 1h (strength + Skill): 3 weapon Skill 2h ((strength x2) + Skill): 5

weapon Skill 1h (dexterity + Skill): 1 weapon Skill 2h ((dexterity x2) + Skill): 1

s/d + sk + mg tr type sk + mg + pw enc

Sabre 2 (1) Slashing/Piercing weapon (1) 8 5

armour type pw enc

Gambeson Base armour 2 2

armour Skill (strength + Skill): 2 carrying capacity (strength + 10): 12 enc: 7

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 name: Baron Sibold II Tauernier Van Cortoriacum
descent: Human, noble (house Tauernier) age: 17
gender: Male religion: Argonius
languages: Alverlandic

titles: Baron

equipment clothing treasure

Signet ring (gold),
Cutlery (silver), Chalice
(silver), Seal wax, Quill,
Ink in glass vial, 2 scrolls
of parchment
Tunic (wool cloth), Belt 1 Florin, 4 Schellings,
(leather), Brais (felt), 2 Braspennings, 3 Corte
Pouch (leather), Gloves
(leather), Jackboots
(leather)

trauma's & flaws: Dark secret, Bad reputation: house Baligant

notes:

spells rituals components

magic bonus: (Skill) + MG =

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 nickname: Brother Mourinus initiative (dexterity + intuition): 1
level / experience points: 1 2  3   4    5     6      7
karma: soul: X X X

physical mental social

1 3 1

strength: 1 knowledge: 2 charisma: 1

- Weapon skill - Folklore - Title

- Herbalism

dexterity: 0 intuition: 1 appearance: 0

- Alertness

light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1)

severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2)

incurable trauma incurable trauma incurable trauma

critical trauma critical trauma critical trauma

weapon Skill 1h (strength + Skill): 2 weapon Skill 2h ((strength x2) + Skill): 3

weapon Skill 1h (dexterity + Skill): 1 weapon Skill 2h ((dexterity x2) + Skill): 1

s/d + sk + mg tr type sk + mg + pw enc

Quarterstaff 1 Blunt weapon 4 3

armour type pw enc

armour Skill (strength + Skill): 0 carrying capacity (strength + 10): 11 enc: 3

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 name: Brother Mourinus
descent: Human, freeman age: 18
gender: Male religion: Argonius
languages: Alverlandic

titles: Welinian monk

equipment clothing treasure

Rope (10 m), Canteen Cowl (jute), Sandals 8 Schellings,
(clay), Book ('the Writ"), (leather), Rucksack 5 Braspennings, 3 Corte
Karbonkel (silver), (leather), Pouch (leather)
Healing potion x5

trauma's & flaws: Clumsy, Code of conduct

notes:

spells rituals components

- Henbane x3
- Avens x3
- Saint Welin's wort x2

magic bonus: (Skill) + MG =

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 nickname: Duke Eoban initiative (dexterity + intuition): -1
level / experience points: 1 2  3   4    5     6      7
karma: soul: X X X

physical mental social

4 -1 2

strength: 4 knowledge: 0 charisma: 1

- Armour skill - Title

- Strong back
- Toughness
- Weapon skill

dexterity: 0 intuition: -1 appearance: 1

- Wealthy

light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1)

X
severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2)

incurable trauma incurable trauma incurable trauma

critical trauma critical trauma critical trauma

weapon Skill 1h (strength + Skill): 5 weapon Skill 2h ((strength x2) + Skill): 9

weapon Skill 1h (dexterity + Skill): 1 weapon Skill 2h ((dexterity x2) + Skill): 1

s/d + sk + mg tr type sk + mg + pw enc

Great-sword 4 Slashing weapon 16 9

armour type pw enc

Chain mail Upper armour 4 4
Gambeson Base armour 2 2

armour Skill (strength + Skill): 6 carrying capacity (strength + 10): 18 enc: 8

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 name: Duke Eoban Baligant Van Valanthil
descent: Human, noble (house Baligant) age: 28
gender: Male religion: Argonius
languages: Alverlandic

titles: Duke

equipment clothing treasure

Signet ring (gold),
Drinking horn, Cutlery
(tin), Whetstone
Tunic (wool cloth), Brais 3 Schellings,
(felt), Gloves (leather), 4 Braspennings,
Pouch (felt), Emblazoned 6 Corte
tabard, Boots (leather),
Belt (leather) x2, Sheath
(leather), Pouch (leather)

trauma's & flaws: Magical incompetence, Weak mind

notes:

spells rituals components

magic bonus: (Skill) + MG =

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 nickname: Lady Everliin initiative (dexterity + intuition): 2
level / experience points: 1 2  3   4    5     6      7
karma: soul: X X X

physical mental social

1 1 3

strength: 0 knowledge: 0 charisma: 0

- Literate

dexterity: 1 intuition: 1 appearance: 3

- Shadow-stalk - Tracking - Elegance

- Underestimated
- Wealthy

light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1)

severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2)

incurable trauma incurable trauma incurable trauma

critical trauma critical trauma critical trauma

weapon Skill 1h (strength + Skill): 0 weapon Skill 2h ((strength x2) + Skill): 0

weapon Skill 1h (dexterity + Skill): 1 weapon Skill 2h ((dexterity x2) + Skill): 2

s/d + sk + mg tr type sk + mg + pw enc

Dagger (steel) 1 1 Piercing/Ranged weapon 1 4 2

armour type pw enc

armour Skill (strength + Skill): 0 carrying capacity (strength + 10): 10 enc: 2

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 name: Lady Everliin Tauernier Van Cortoriacum
descent: Human, noble (house Tauernier) age: 14
gender: Female religion: Argonius
languages: Alverlandic

titles: Lady

equipment clothing treasure

Gown(velvet) with 1 Florin, 4 Schellings
brocade ornaments
and gemstones, Pouch
(silk), Boots (leather),
Gown (silk) with brocade
ornaments

trauma's & flaws: Dark secret, Bad reputation: house Baligant

notes:

spells rituals components

magic bonus: (Skill) + MG =

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 nickname: Ranildis initiative (dexterity + intuition): 1
level / experience points: 1 2  3   4    5     6      7
karma: soul: X X X

physical mental social

4 1 1

strength: 3 knowledge: 0 charisma: 0

- Armour skill
- Rage
- Weapon skill

dexterity: 1 intuition: 0 appearance: 1

- Hypermobility - Wealthy

light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1)

severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2)

incurable trauma incurable trauma incurable trauma

X
critical trauma critical trauma critical trauma

weapon Skill 1h (strength + Skill): 4 weapon Skill 2h ((strength x2) + Skill): 7

weapon Skill 1h (dexterity + Skill): 2 weapon Skill 2h ((dexterity x2) + Skill): 3

s/d + sk + mg tr type sk + mg + pw enc

Long sword 3 Piercing/Cleaving weapon 10 6

armour type pw enc

Chain mail Base armour 4 4

armour Skill (strength + Skill): 4 carrying capacity (strength + 10): 13 enc: 10

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 name: Ranildis Huntekin
descent: Human, serf age: 19
gender: Female religion: Argonius
languages: Alverlandic

titles:

equipment clothing treasure

Necklace (silver), Ring Gown (wool cloth), Tunic 2 Schellings,
(silver) (wool cloth), Cloak 6 Braspennings,
(velvet), Shoes (leather), 8 Corte
Belt (leather), Pouch
(wool cloth), Sheath
(leather)

trauma's & flaws: Trauma: mental

notes:

spells rituals components

magic bonus: (Skill) + MG =

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 nickname: Serotine initiative (dexterity + intuition): 5
level / experience points: 1 2  3   4    5     6      7
karma: soul: X X X

physical mental social

3 0 2

strength: 0 knowledge: 0 charisma: 0

dexterity: 2 intuition: 1 appearance: 2

- Evasion - Lighting reflexes - Camouflage

- Shadow-stalk - Shape-shift

light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1)

severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2)

incurable trauma incurable trauma incurable trauma

critical trauma critical trauma critical trauma

weapon Skill 1h (strength + Skill): 0 weapon Skill 2h ((strength x2) + Skill): 0

weapon Skill 1h (dexterity + Skill): 2 weapon Skill 2h ((dexterity x2) + Skill): 4

s/d + sk + mg tr type sk + mg + pw enc

Short sword 3 Piercing/Slashing weapon 6 4
Dagger x2 3 Piercing/Ranged weapon 4 3x2

armour type pw enc

armour Skill (strength + Skill): 0 carrying capacity (strength + 10): 10 enc: 10

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 name: Serotine bat
descent: Elf age: 17
gender: Female religion: The Beast
languages: Alverlandic

titles:

equipment clothing treasure

Katori talisman, Tunic (wool cloth), 3 Schellings,
Waterskin, Bracelet Belt (leather) x4, Brais 4 Braspennings,
(leather), Rope (10 m) (leather), Boots (leather), 8 Corte
Sheath (leather) x3,
Pouch (leather)

trauma's & flaws: Uneducated, Savage

notes:

Serotine (bat shape)

Level 1 Beast
Physical: 2 Mental: 0 Social: -1
Strength: 0 Knowledge: -2 Charisma: 0
Dexterity: 2 Intuition: 2 Appearance: -1
Acute hearing Alertness
Night vision Tiny
Winged
Attack: +0 Damage: -1 Dodge: +2
Parry: - Phys. DR: 0 Initiative: 4
Special abilities:
• Acute hearing: perfect hearing up until a distance of
100 m x Intuition score
• Alertness: General bonus 2 to detect things
• Night vision: can see in total darkness and sees
invisible creatures
• Tiny: all attack rolls of 7 or lower against the bat are
automatically dodged (no Action Points required)
• Winged: has wings and is able to fly with them

light trauma (-1)

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 nickname: Sister Haersinde initiative (dexterity + intuition): 3
level / experience points: 1 2  3   4    5     6      7
karma: soul: X X X X X

physical mental social

1 2 2

strength: 0 knowledge: 0 charisma: 1

- Title

dexterity: 1 intuition: 2 appearance: 1

- Holy grace - Lay on hands - Holy aura

- Sixth sense

light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1)

severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2)

incurable trauma incurable trauma incurable trauma

critical trauma critical trauma critical trauma

weapon Skill 1h (strength + Skill): 0 weapon Skill 2h ((strength x2) + Skill): 0

weapon Skill 1h (dexterity + Skill): 1 weapon Skill 2h ((dexterity x2) + Skill): 2

s/d + sk + mg tr type sk + mg + pw enc

Knife 1 Piercing weapon 2 2

armour type pw enc

armour Skill (strength + Skill): 0 carrying capacity (strength + 10): 10 enc: 2

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 name: Sister Haersinde
descent: Human, freeman age: 17
gender: Female religion: Argonius
languages: Alverlandic

titles: Elorian nun

equipment clothing treasure

Rope (10 m), Canteen Cowl (jute), Sandals 9 Schellings,
(clay), Book ('the Writ"), (leather), Rucksack 5 Braspennings,
Karbonkel (silver), (leather), Pouch (leather) 3 Corte
Healing potion x7

trauma's & flaws: Feeble

notes:

spells rituals components

magic bonus: (Skill) (1) + MG 1 = (2)

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 nickname: Walric initiative (dexterity + intuition): 3
level / experience points: 1 2  3   4    5     6      7
karma: soul: X X X X X

physical mental social

3 1 1

strength: 1 knowledge: 0 charisma: 0

- Weapon skill

dexterity: 2 intuition: 1 appearance: 1

- Shadow-step - Tracking - Camouflage

- Weapon specialization:
ranged

light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1) light trauma (-1)

severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2) severe trauma (-2)

incurable trauma incurable trauma incurable trauma

critical trauma critical trauma critical trauma

weapon Skill 1h (strength + Skill): 2 weapon Skill 2h ((strength x2) + Skill): 3

weapon Skill 1h (dexterity + Skill): 3 weapon Skill 2h ((dexterity x2) + Skill): 5

s/d + sk + mg tr type sk + mg + pw enc

Short bow 2 1 Ranged weapon 1 8 5
Hand axe 1 Slashing weapon 4 3

armour type pw enc

armour Skill (strength + Skill): 1 carrying capacity (strength + 10): 11 enc: 8

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 name: Walric Viltkin
descent: Human, serf age: 16
gender: Male religion: Argonius
languages: Alverlandic

titles:

equipment clothing treasure

Canteen (clay), Tunic (wool cloth), 8 Schellings,
Tinderbox, Torch, Rope 9 Braspennings,
(10 m), Cutlery (wood) 7 Corte

16 arrows:
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

trauma's & flaws: Dark secret

notes:

spells rituals components

magic bonus: (Skill) (1) + MG 1 = (2)

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 soundtrack

Every scenario for Ambrosia is accompanied by a

set of Spotify playlists, specifically constructed
to use as background music. These playlists are
free for use when running this scenario and will
instantly create the right atmosphere for each
individual part!

you can find these using your browser:

https://open.spotify.com/user/redeyedrabbit

or search in Spotify for:

spotify:user:redeyedrabbit

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 coming soon
chronicle 1: the shadow in the deep
Great things are afoot in watery Merendal. Count Nicoterus
Markolf has announced that a grand conclave will be
organised in the capitol of Stellem, and everyone who’s
anyone in the magical community is invited. But nothing
is as it seems when the noble house Markolf is involved.
Baron Calistus Markolf has summoned several seemingly
unimportant people to his castle Oversalis, deep in the
Dune Wall, where he will divulge a secret so terrible that
its outcome will influence the whole of the Alverlands.
And all the while, a mysterious being moves deep beneath
the waves of the
Salis Sea, casting its
shadow ever more
over dry land...

“The shadow in
the deep” is the
first Chronicle for
Ambrosia. In this
scenario, the players
will be given the
chance to be part of
history! It will take
them on a journey
starting at Level 1
and ending at Level
7 - but most of all, it
will enable them to
make decisions that
will change the
world of Ambrosia
forever.

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)

 “A gathering of souls” is
an introductory scenario for
Ambrosia that is meant to be played
by a game-master and three to four
players using pre-generated characters.
Only the Quick-start rules included in this
book are required to run this scenario.

The noble houses Baligant and Tauernier have

been bitter rivals for centuries. When a child of
Tauernier is born on the soil of house Baligant,
however, a political marriage is arranged to
build a bridge between the two families. As this
child has now come of age and the marriage date
draws near, dark forces awake in the ancient
woods of Ketendal from a years long slumber.

For this Tauernier was born during a terrible

storm, resulting in the destruction of the
Baligants’ castle Valanthil - and history
seems to be repeating itself. As a new storm
rages through the region, buried secrets
that might pose a threat to the fragile
peace between the two houses are
bound to resurface...

Justin Steele (Order #14078846)