You are Knights, united by a common Oath and visions of the Shining City.

PROTECT THE WEAK
HONOR THE KNIGHTHOOD
SEEK THE SHINING CITY

GLORY & RANK
At the end of each season or era, Knights who fulfilled their oath gain Glory. As they do, they ascend the Ranks. They might strive for the rank of Noble Knight, or to sit atop a Seat of Power, but all dream of the ultimate honour: proving themselves worthy of the Quest for the Shining City.

SQUIRES
Small groups (1-2 players) can give each Knight a Squire. They serve as apprentices, and are not yet knights, so cannot gain Glory or perform Feats.

They get the same number of Traits and Skills, but roll 1 fewer dice than normal (min 1).


EXPOSED
Characters who are caught unready or overloaded are Exposed. They roll with a -1 die penalty, and cannot perform Feats. If they remedy their situation, then they are no longer Exposed. Traps and ambushes catch the victims Exposed when sprung.


LONG WEAPONS
Long weapons require two hands to wield
and are Impaired when fighting in
unsuitable situations, such as a spiral
staircase, tunnel, or extreme close range.

SLOW ACTIONS
Some actions or items are noted as Slow. To
use them the character must have declared
the action at the end of their previous turn,
declaring targets if needed. Declaring is not
an action in itself. If the Slow action is
rendered impossible then another action
cannot be performed instead. The character
may still move before performing the action.

BURDENS
Burdens weigh on the body and soul.
Anybody with 3 or more Burdens is Exposed.
Each Burden specifies a method to Relieve
it, removing it from the character. See p6.

FEATS
These deeds cannot be performed while Exposed and, unless noted, are an Action.


Attacks:
--Impaired attacks roll with a penalty, and cannot benefit from bonuses nor cause Onslaughts.

--Blast attacks damage everybody in the nearby area.

--Ongoing damage occurs at the end of the victim’s turns until removed.


LUXURIES
Fine or Extravagant Clothes
Subtle or Regal Jewellery
Scrolls, Books or Tomes
Bottles of Perfume, Boxes of Spices
Heavy coffers of coin
Feasts and Banquets






BURDENS
Knights inevitably gain Burdens throughout
their journeys. The Burden is usually
specified, but sometimes the Referee chooses
from the below:
Shame - The stain of a wicked act.
Relief: Perform a sacrifice or penance.
Ache - Hungers stoked too fiercely.
Relief: Indulge in a selfish vice.
Dread - Fear of what tomorrow brings.
Relief: Nurture or witness a spark of hope.



BURDENS
Knights inevitably gain Burdens throughout their journeys. The Burden is usually specified, but sometimes the Referee chooses from the below:

Shame - The stain of a wicked act. Relief: Perform a sacrifice or penance.

Ache - Passions stoked too fiercely. Relief: Indulge in a selfish vice.

Dread - Fear of what tomorrow brings. Relief: Nurture or witness a spark of hope in someone who isn't in your party.




THE UPPER HAND
Where one side gains an advantage, the
Referee grants the most appropriate bonus:
+d1: Petty gambit (thrown dust)
+d2: Tactical exploit (strong position)
+d3: Ruthless ploy (disarmed target)
+d4: Overwhelming power (giant blood)

ONSLAUGHT
When a melee attacker rolls the maximum possible number on the highest of their damage rolls, they strike an Onslaught.

(Impaired attacks cannot cause Onslaughts.)

The attacker chooses an additional effect, occurring after the damage. It should not be so impactful as to instantly end the combat.

Typical Onslaught effects are:
• Disarming them of their weapon
• Shattering their shield
• Dismounting them from their steed
• Restricting their movement next turn
• Driving them into a vulnerable position

These effects are not limited to Onslaughts, but here they are granted without risk and
without use of an action.

Multiple attackers only use the single highest die when checking for an Onslaught.

They choose which specific attacker delivers the Onslaught.

FEATS
Every Knight knows these 3 Feats.
Feats cannot be performed while Exposed.

SMITE
Make an armed melee attack. Get +d10 to the attack. Gain Dread.

ENDURE
Reaction to a damage roll against you or a nearby ally. Discard one damage die rolled. Gain Ache.

FRENZY
Make an armed melee attack. The attack gains Blast but is indiscriminate. Gain Shame.


UNARMED COMBAT
Unarmed attacks are impaired unless the attacker has suitable natural weapons.

CAVALRY COMBAT
Combatants mounted on chargers benefit from their steed’s Trample attack when charging enemies on foot. This doesn’t work against large opponents or a spearwall.

Steeds can be targeted separately from the rider, and if Mortally Wounded the rider is thrown for damage. Any Knight performing such an attack gains Shame.

DUELS & JOUSTS
Two combatants can mutually agree to engage in a duel, or joust if mounted. They fight as normal but their attacks are rolled and resolved simultaneously.

SHIELDWALL
3 or more fighters forming up a wall of shields gain 1 Armour in addition to the usual benefit of their shields, but can only move very slowly. Allies immediately behind the Shieldwall are also protected.

SPEARWALL
3 or more fighters forming up a wall of spears or pikes cause immediate damage to anybody charging them. This can be combined with a Shieldwall.

WAVERING MORALE
• Groups losing half of their total number require a CHA Save to avoid rout or surrender.
• Groups with a leader may use the leader's CHA score in place of their own.
• This applies to opponents and allies but not player characters.




EARNING GLORY
At the end of a Season or Era, players decide if their Knight has fulfilled the oath:

PROTECT THE WEAK
HONOR THE KNIGHTHOOD
SEEK THE SHINING CITY

They gain 1 Glory for each part upheld.

This is a self-assessment, with each player as sole judge of their Knight’s performance.

RANK
A Knight’s glory dictates their rank:

0 Glory - Petty Knight
Worthy of Knighthood

3 Glory - Knight Militant
Worthy of leading a Warband

6 Glory - Knight Exemplar
Worthy of a place in Court

9 Glory - Noble Knight
Worthy of a Holding

12 Glory - Knight Commander
Worthy of leading an Army

15 Glory - Knight Sovereign
Worthy of a Seat of Power

18 Glory - Knight Radiant
Worthy of the City Quest

WORTHINESS
Rank alone does not grant the Knight sudden possession of a Warband or Holding, it merely proves their Worthiness.
Knights in positions for which their rank is unworthy face unrest and opposition.





WARBANDS

Large groups of combatants fighting together are treated as a Warband.

• When they are Mortally Wounded they are routed from the battle.

• When they reach VIG 0 they are wiped out entirely.

• They are not harmed by individual attacks unless they are Blast attacks or suitably large-scale.

• Warband attacks against individuals receive +d12 and cause Blast Damage.

LEADING FROM THE FRONT

An individual within a Warband can add their damage dice to the Warband’s attack roll, leading from the front. If they do, they suffer the same damage that the Warband does when the target fights back.

WOOD AND STONE
Ships and structures ignore attacks causing less than d12 Damage and are destroyed at 0GD. Wooden structures and ships can be always be damaged by fire. Recovering GD takes a day of repairs.

Wooden Fort: 10GD
Stone Fort: 10GD, A1
Stone Castle: 15GD, A2
Rowboat 4GD, carries 6 passengers
Longship 10GD, carries a Warband
Raiding Ship: 10GD, A1, carries 3 Warbands

ARTILLERY AND SIEGERY
Battering Ram: d12 vs structures
Bolt Thrower: d10
Catapult: d10, Blast
Siege Tower: 7GD
Trebuchet: d12, immobile

RECRUITMENT
Soldiers must be drawn from loyal vassals, knights that share a cause, or mercenaries that have agreed a price.

Whatever their origin, soldiers expect their basic needs to be met during their service.
Warbands roll d6 for GD before the battle starts, 2d6 if they are suitably experienced, fed, and rested.

WARBANDS
--Conscripts: VIG 10, FIN 10, CHA 7, 4GD Axes (d6, long)
--Skirmishers: VIG 10, FIN 13, CHA 10, 2GD Shortbows (d6, long, ranged)
--Mercenaries: VIG 10, FIN 10, CHA 10, 5GD Billhooks (d8, long)
--Cavalry: VIG 10, FIN 13, CHA 10, 4GD Javelins (d6), axes (d6), horses
--Knights: VIG 13, FIN 10, CHA 13, 7GD Maces (d8), armour and shield (A2), charger (+d8 on
charge)





RULING A DOMAIN
In return for pledging loyalty to the Seat of Power, a Knight may be given rule of a smaller Holding and surrounding lands. This forms their Domain.

THE COUNCIL
Prestigious seats that must be filled for a Domain to run smoothly. Though you may grant and revoke these roles, those who are scorned rarely go quietly.

Steward: Ruling in your absence, carrying your authority and key to the treasury.

Marshall: Training and equipping soldiers, mustering them in times of war.

Sheriff: Monitoring threats within your realm and even within your walls.

Envoy: Managing neighbours and providing hospitality to visitors.

Members of your council can be assigned to Tasks. Depending on the scope these could take a Phase, a Week, or a full Season. These are handled just as normal Tasks (p15), with failure typically causing a Plight, or a roll on the Disaster table.

THE CIRCLE
Knightly rulers often form a secondary council of trusted Knights, seated as equals to discuss important matters.

THE COURT
Those outside of your immediate control.

Officials: Staff taken on by individual council members to aid in their work.

Courtiers: Knights and Vassals with lesser responsibilities or ceremonial honours, usually holding higher ambitions.

Petitioners: Representatives from outside of the Court, granted an audience to seek aid, counsel, or justice.

Seers: Beyond any authority, they choose the Holding to honour with their residency.

PLIGHTS AND DISASTER
Ruling a Domain is really an exercise in ongoing disaster management. At the start of a Season or when returning from a long absence, make a Luck Roll.

Plights are treated as Burdens applied to a Domain, not a single character. They can be
chosen by the Referee, or rolled:

1: Chaos - Lawlessness in the land.
Relief: Enforce your authority.

2: Debt - Dire need of coffer and coin.
Relief: Restock the treasury.

3: Famine - Empty plates, empty fields.
Relief: Get food into the stores.

4: Misery - Vassals question why they toil.
Relief: Raise the spirits of your people.

5: Panic - The weak tremble with unease.
Relief: Ensure the vassals feel protected.

6: Instead of a Plight, the ruler personally loses 2 Glory.

MISRULE
When a Domain has 3 or more Plights it is in Misrule. Vassals revolt, Knights leave, and pretenders move in on their claims.

CLAIMING A SEAT OF POWER
A Seat of Power carries similar problems to a Holding, elevated to a larger scale. Threats
arise from within your court, within your realm, and from beyond your borders.





MUSTERING TROOPS
A Shire typically falls under the Domain of its nearest Holding. Each Shire and Holding usually provides a single Warband when mustered by the Marshall, whose quality determines their training and armament.

COLLECTING TAXES
Taxes are informally collected in a manner that keeps the Domain running without too much strain. A Steward can collect increased taxes in order to strengthen the treasury, but risks Disaster.

TENDING TO HARVEST
Midway through the harvest season it’s possible to give a good forecast of how food supplies will be for winter. Roll:

HARVEST

1 There’s nowhere near enough.
2-3 Tough choices will need to be made.
4-6 Things look good.



COURTLY CONFLICT
Courtiers have a habit of creating problems, but they only become pressing when the courtier holds some leverage over their ruler. This might be an influential family, a dark secret, or raw military strength.

In these cases a ruler must tread carefully, as obvious solutions always leave at least one
party feeling ill-treated.

CONQUEST
Knights live between two worlds. One of rank, oath, and rule of the worthy. The other of chaos, brutality, and rule of the strong. Holdings and Realms seized by force tend to go through a period of turmoil before adapting to the new status quo.

GRAND DESIGNS
Repairs and improvements to existing buildings or infrastructure are generally completed by the next season, with multiple such projects possible at once.

Creating new buildings or infrastructure can be completed within a season, but typically
only one such project is possible at once.

Grand projects such as castles and roads require an entire Age of work.