The Reality of Death
Storyteller
This story is only read the first time you open the Death Pack, for subsequent visits to Theo, improvise your own variations of the character’s return and his greeting.
The vortex engulfs you once more; surreal prismatic currents snake around you, threading through your essence with a piercing intensity. The ride is a tempest of sensory overload, each moment warping and refracting through an infinity of realities before terminating in sudden tranquility.
Emerging from the maelstrom of existence, you find yourself in the comforting presence of Theo. The raccoon appears taken aback for a moment, a flicker of concern crossing his features. "Twice, now? Well, that's unfortunate," he murmurs, his paws anxiously tracing the parchment before him.
His next words come with more severity. "Ravens can fall, you know."
His paws shuffle through another stack of parchment, selecting one and spreading it out in front of him. The glyphs on it seem to squirm and glow faintly under his touch. "If the corruption grows too strong… if it consumes you...you may become one of the Fallen. Twisted versions of ourselves, controlled by the darkness within. Your Ravensglove will grow into you… consume you… replace you."
A shiver passes through Theo at the mention of this, but he pushes on. "Ravens close to the brink have another choice. Instead of surrendering to corruption, they can choose a Blaze of Glory. When a Raven goes out in a blaze, they die the true death, their existence reduced to the essence held within the Ravenglove. Their physical form is gone, but their memories, their experiences...some semblance of who they were remains in this glove."
A distant look crosses Theo's eyes, "Burning up is not the end, not entirely. These gloves are passed on, to new Ravens. This way, those who have fallen serve as guides, their experience shaping the paths of those that follow."
So with that… you have a choice. Do you want to return and roll the dice of fate or go out in a blaze of glory? Perhaps you would like to know the odds. He removes a crystal from a leather pouch. Touch this and you will understand.
You touch the crystal die and a deep understanding fills your being.
(There is no risk until you gain your 3rd corruption card. When you gain your 3rd corruption card, there is a small risk. When you gain your 4th or more corruption, it’s a coin toss.)
Accepting Corruption
Anytime a player accepts a corruption card, if their corruption is 3 or more, they must immediately roll 1d20 for a chance of becoming Fallen.
1-2 Corruption: No die roll, your safe
3 Corruption: If you roll a 3 or less, you have become Fallen.
4+ Corruption: If you roll a 10 or less, you have become Fallen.
Returning With Corruption (Lucky you)
The world is bathed in a flash of purple light as a vortex of wind and smoke reassembles the fallen hero.
If the player rolled well and did not suffer the fall, they are returned with full health and may act on their next turn. They will be placed in the same square where they died, their original body vaporized. They may, optionally, choose to place themselves in a different square nearby. Any corruption card gained starts out in the player’s hand or in play, the player’s choice.
The Fall
If the player rolls low and becomes Fallen, proceed and follow the instructions as follows:
Blaze of Glory
Before a player accepts a corruption card, they may instead choose to go out in a Blaze of Glory. If a player dies in the middle of combat and chooses to return in a Blaze of Glory, remove all corruption cards from their deck. They may play any card in their deck for the remainder of the combat and gain +10 on all d20 die rolls for the remainder of the combat. The player’s HP becomes 20. If all HP is lost they die the final death. If a player would gain a corruption card outside combat (e.g., at the end of combat via Obsidian Spider), they may take their Blaze of Glory at the start of the next encounter. At the end of the encounter, they die the final death.
The Birth of a New Raven After a Blaze of Glory
If a player goes out in a Blaze of Glory, some piece of them lives on in their Ravenglove. Fragments of memories live on from the previous lives of the owners of that glove. All class abilities, items, and equipment carry forward. The player must, however, open a new Origin Character pack gaining new basic abilities, ancestry, background, and traits. Their character level should be set to the average character level for the group. They may choose new classes for their character levels, but may only use the class abilities from their former life if they have taken at least one level in that class. The new character joins at the beginning of the next encounter—a new recruit sent from The Guild.
Becoming Fallen
A character who is Fallen may take one last turn in control over themselves before turning to darkness and attacking the other players. If this occurs, the Beastheart or the Storyteller gains control of the fallen character for the remainder of the combat.
It is very possible that the Fallen character will cause more character deaths… it may even take a character choosing a Blaze of Glory to defeat them.
If a Fallen character is defeated, they are rebuilt days later in the Wiltwoods only to return and fight the players again. Fallen players will forever menace the players in their travels. Their character deck is sealed away entirely intact—no cards may be removed.
The Birth of a New Raven After the Fall
If a player becomes Fallen, their Ravenglove is lost, along with its memories and knowledge. A player must build a new character from scratch. The player opens a new Origin pack. They will return to the game with their level set to the average for the group. For each level, they will choose a class and the Titanback will present them with three class ability cards (chosen at random) from which they will choose one.