As a monster hunter in a war-torn realm, you face horrors and dangers around every corner few mundanes can fathom. Whatever your reasons are, it requires courage, preparation, and an understanding of the monstrous creatures you seek. As players, you collaboratively set up each hunt together with the GM. Before the actual hunt begins, you better get a handful of preparatory measures in place.
Taking on the Hunt
As monster-hunters, you have taken on a task few others dare to even think about. What drives you is something personal, a memory of something dear lost to you, or a hatred towards the threats of the monsters roaming out there. Your purpose is clear, and for that, you made a name for yourself, at least among the shadows of the few staging the hunts. You are recognized and summoned, usually by someone who desperately needs your help.
Monster Lore
Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to monsters. Since the chimeromancers, the creators of many of the most terrifying war monsters still lurking out there, were banished at the end of the great war, many scholars have tried to catalog and learn about their secrets. Most creatures fought down during the war had both weaknesses and strengths, some found as clues in tales of old, some in ancient scrolls, or whispered by the wise druids. Delving into monster lore is a wise first step for any hunter who wants to see another day, finding clues and insights that can turn the tide of battle before it even begins.
Before a hunt begins, the players can try to find legends and knowledge about the monster they are about to face, and reveal the truths about them, good or bad. Any lead can help the hunters, and finding proof of its truth or not can mean the difference between life and death.
When doing so, the GM starts an investigation project, with three to five progress slots, depending on the obscurity or assumed might of the monster. The GM will narrate how you learn about this: through your master, gossip on the markets, or through some other source. Each progress slot represents one important bit of information to be collected and is played out in one or more scenes each.
If the investigation is successful, the characters all share learnings about one truth about the monster, which could be anything from an advantage it has (as a facet), an ability it possesses, or something else that makes it easier to hunt it down. The GM will provide you with the information gradually as the investigation progresses. Depending on the nature of the monster and the investigations, the learnings may be more or less factual. Triumphant outcomes provide extra clues of advantages for the hunt.
A Monster’s Unique Weakness
Few monsters are the same. The chimeromancers worked over a long time to refine their arts, and until the very end of the great war, when the old king released their final creations in full force, commoners and nobles understood their powers. The last war creatures released were as massive as they were monstrous – each harboring its own weapons, deadly abilities, ways of destroying their enemies, and, of course, vulnerabilities. But sometimes, their strengths could be turned against them. Investigating and assessing what sets a monster apart is crucial in planning your strategy for the hunt. From the delvings into any monster lore available, make sure to
Preparing the Hunt
A successful hunt begins long before the confrontation. Preparing for the hunt involves gathering information, understanding the terrain, and strategizing your approach. Here, we outline the steps necessary to ensure you are not going into the darkness unprepared but ready to face whatever lurks within.
Gearing up
The right equipment can be the difference between victory and defeat. Gearing up is about more than just choosing the sharpest sword; it’s about equipping yourself with tools and items tailored to exploit the monster’s weaknesses. Learn to select gear that complements your strengths and maximizes your chances of success. If the PCs have a master, they may pick items from their equipment lists.
Tracking
Some monsters ravage the lands, blatantly and arrogantly and easy to track. Others require patience, skill, and a keen eye for detail. The GM will set up a project for tracking the beast down, describing how many successful attempts of tracking you need to find it.
Traps
Traps can be an effective way to weaken or capture a monster before the final confrontation. Here, you will learn about various trap types, their construction, and strategic placement to ensnare the unsuspecting beast, tipping the scales in your favor.
Reinforcements
Sometimes, a hunt calls for more than a single set of hands. Calling in reinforcements for the hunt – be it fellow hunters or local militia – can provide the necessary edge but must be paid. As a part of your preparations before the hunt, you need to invest in them as a temporary asset, described in depth under the assets section under Wealth above.
You can only recruit reinforcements with a cost below your wealth state, and for each successful recruitment, you recruit a mob-sized group. Larger groups are only available if the GM determines it is possible and require a greater effort and and more time (three more progress slots during the asset investment process per scale step). The reinforcements will follow you on one hunt, but afterward, they will move on to another mission.
Here is a list of reinforcement examples:
| Peasants Commoners from any hamlet, village or valley counts as peasants – they are simple folks living ordinary commoner lives. They only want to protect their crop, homes, and families. Cost – Insignificant Background – Farmlands Skills – Craft Weaknesses – None Abilities – Mob-sized group Health – As individual: Scratches – O O Health track – ⃞⃞ ⃞⃞ / ⃞⃞ Dead Condition slots – O Equipment – Torches, Food Attack – Light Pitchforks (Piercing) Protection – None | Hunters Trackers and trappers from the outskirts of villages and towns might sometimes be willing to help hunting dow a monster, they get credit for it. Cost – Insignificant Background – Wilderness Skills – Archery, Trap-Making Weaknesses – None Abilities – Mob-sized group Health – As individual: Scratches – O O Health track – ⃞⃞ ⃞⃞ / ⃞⃞ Dead Condition slots – O Equipment – Torches, Food, Arrows Attack – Regular Shortbows (Piercing) Protection – None |
| Town Militia Local defenders who serve to protect their town from minor threats. They are volunteers or part-time soldiers. Cost – Comfortable Background – Urban Skills – Brawl, Strategy Weaknesses – Limited Training Abilities – Mob-sized group Fortify (gains advantage when defending within town limits) Health – As individual: Scratches – O O Health track – ⃞⃞ ⃞⃞ / ⃞⃞ Dead Condition slots – O O Equipment – Manacles, Spear lantern Attack – Regular Clubs (Blunt), Regular Spear Protection – Light Leather Armor | City Guard Professional soldiers tasked with maintaining law and order within city boundaries. Cost – Opulent Background – Urban Skills – Melee, Investigation Weaknesses – Bureaucratic (slowed down by protocols) Abilities – Mob-sized group Alert (reduced surprise factor) Health – As individual: Scratches – O O O Health track – ⃞⃞ ⃞⃞ ⃞⃞ / ⃞⃞ Dead Condition slots – O O Equipment – Attack – Regular Swords (Slashing), Heavy spears (piercing) Protection – Regular Chainmail, Regular Shield ⃞⃞ |
| Auxiliary Mercenaries Seasoned fighters hired for additional support, often from foreign lands. Cost – Opulent Background – Various Skills – Archery, Melee, Special* Weaknesses – Mercenary Code (will not engage in fights that go against their contract) Abilities – Mob-sized group Ambush (May surprise an enemy if a scene is prepared) Health – As individual: Scratches – O O O Health track – ⃞⃞ ⃞⃞ ⃞⃞ / ⃞⃞ Dead Condition slots – O O O Equipment – Food, Tents, Arrows Attack – Regular Swords (Slashing), Heavy Longbows (Piercing) Protection – Regular Padded Armor, Regular Shield ⃞⃞ | Veteran Mercenaries Battle-hardened mercenaries known for their formidable combat skills and experience. Cost – Vast Background – Battlefield Skills – Archery, Melee, Strategy, Special* Weaknesses – Mercenary Code (will not engage in fights that go against their contract) Abilities – Mob-sized groupVeteran’s Instinct (when successful in conflict, adjust sustained harm into scratch once per scene) Health – As individual: Scratches – O O O O Health track – ⃞⃞ ⃞⃞ ⃞⃞ ⃞⃞ / ⃞⃞ Dead Condition slots – O O O Equipment – Food, Tents, Arrows Attack – Heavy Swords (Slashing), Heavy Crossbows (Piercing) Protection – Heavy Plate Armor, Heavy Shield ⃞⃞ ⃞⃞ |
*Some reinforcements have a special facet, which can be defined by the GM during play when attempting to recruit them. It can be a special type of facet the PCs search for, for example, trappers, trackers, or a specific type of engineer being able to create a needed type of contraption or weapon in order to face an exceptional monster of some kind.
Once acquired and paid, the reinforcements can be used as an extension of the PC during play, just as a relationship is. When its leader (not necessarily the PC who has paid for it) successfully faces a challenge using the influence skill, it can use their facets and abilities as if they were their own in an upcoming challenge, usually a conflict. When the outcome states that the leaders take harm, the reinforcements take them instead. The only exception is if the outcome is catastrophic, then the leader takes the harm as it would normally.
Reinforcements lose strength and numbers when harmed in conflict. Read more about reducing numbers in groups with scale facets under Harm above.
The Take-Down
The takedown is the climax of the hunt, where every character’s strategy, skill, and courage are tested. Below are a few areas to consider when that comes into play.
Environments
The environment is both a battleground and a tool at your disposal. From dense forests to ancient ruins, knowing how to use your surroundings to your advantage can provide hidden pathways or lethal traps against your foe. Depending on your picked equipment, you can turn the terrain into an ally. But beware, some monsters are more at home in some environments than you might expect. Knowing your enemy can be a great advantage before you attempt to face it.
Tactics
No plan survives contact with the enemy unchanged. Tactics involve adapting to the situation at hand and making split-second decisions that could turn the tide of the hunt. Here are a few examples of strategic aspects to outthink your monstrous adversary:
- Utilizing Weaknesses – Given that you have learned some details about the beast’s weaknesses, you can use them to your advantage. For example, if it is a monster moving between worlds, can you banish it, or can you do the opposite, fetter it to a place or object? If it is vulnerable to salt or any other substance, can you get it? Even better, can you create a weapon from it?
- Prepping for Abilities – Depending on the knowledge you have amassed around the monster, how can you prepare for getting an advantage? For example, if the monster is huge, what traps could help you slow it down? If it is thirsting for something, can you bait it? If it is an aerial predator, how can you take the fight to the ground instead?
- Armament in Combat – What weapons do you need to bring it down? What armor does it have? Can you even hit it? If it is quick or large, do you need reinforcements? Can you protect yourself?
Fighting
When words fail, steel speaks. Fighting is the culmination of your preparation, the moment when you stand toe-to-toe with the monster. This section delves into combat techniques, understanding monster behavior in battle, and how to emerge victorious.
- Traps – Can you draw the monster to you so you can better control the situation? Can you prep the environment with traps to slow it down? It’s not always possible, but some monster hunters specialize in trapping and go after only certain types of prey.
- Ambushes – If there isn’t enough room to prepare traps, or if the environment doesn’t allow traps to be placed or hidden well enough, you can try to stage it with an ambush instead to get the drop on the beast. The moment of surprise can prove the edge you need to do your work without going down with it yourself.
- Comrades-in-Arms – How well do you know your fellow monster-hunters? Do you trust each other? Do you complement each other and can support when needed? Is there a safe place to retreat to if the hunter becomes the hunted?
- The Last Fight – Once you’re there, facing the beast, you have to fight to the best of your abilities. Then, only iron and steel will do the talk. All you can do is to do your best. Hopefully, it is enough.
Aftermath
The dust settles, and the beast lies defeated. The aftermath of the hunt is a time for a glorious return, recovery, feasting, and hopefully also some reflection, and preparation for the next challenge.
Retrieving it
Securing your prize from the fallen monster is sometimes as crucial as the hunt itself. Retrieving it is often for proof of the deed, or to take a trophy, ingredient, or artifact back home. In these times there are numerous merchants, alchemists, and collectors who pay well for it.
Looting
Beyond the monster itself and the hunt, the lair of a beast can sometimes hold a treasure or remnants of earlier prey or hunters collected over its lifetime. Looting involves scourging the site for valuable items, but beware – sometimes danger lurks even after the monster is slain. Careless parading back with loot may also attract unwanted attention from thieves, bandits, mercenaries, or vengeful crowds. If looting the monster’s lair, the GM will describe
Consequences
Every hunt leaves its mark on the world. The consequences of your actions can ripple through the lands, affecting local communities, ecosystems, or even drawing the ire of more formidable foes. This section reflects on the broader impact of monster hunting and how to navigate the hero’s path responsibly.
