Borchardbriar: The Skinner

From the Far South, where the land is scorched by 2 Suns, the Skinner walked. He chased a vision, a prophecy whispered in his ear by the Ant Seers. The Wheel of Seasons was stuck and the World sickened as a result. The Skinner had a part to play in the Great Story- to bear a blessed blade North and excise the rot. He crossed the Shuddering Sea and slipped through Clowdertown unseen by Autumn's Hounds and Resistance alike. The Land trapped in harvest turned the Skinner's stomach and still he walked with purpose. Undetected through Borchardbriar's uneven halls he stalked the canker, stealing up to the 4-Sided Throne room. Too bad Old Mad Craw was waiting for him amidst the spoil and bones. The Skinner met his match and lost his name.

Leashed to the Foxlord's will, the Skinner stalks Reynard's foes and steals their hides.

Now the Skinner's part is played by someone else. Walking North from the Burning Lands and bearing a blessed blade.

WILD CARD
STATS - Strength D8 Agility D10 Vigor D8 Smarts D6 Spirit D8
SKILLS - Athletics D10, Fighting D10, Intimidation D6, Notice D8, Performance D10, Stealth D12, Taunt D10
PARRY 7 TOUGHNESS 9 (3)
EDGES - Thief, Trademark Weapon (Fortune Cleaver), Quick, Extraction, Improved Extraction
ATTACKS
BITE - STR+D6 Damage. The Skinner can go for a Grapple after a successful BITE attack.
FORTUNE CLEAVER - +1 To hit. STR+D8+1 Damage, Ranged 30', Blessed, returns to hand.  When a Wild Card spends a Benny to soak add that Benny to the GM's pool.

SPECIAL ABILITIES
MADDENING GIGGLE - When the Skinner is hit but not Wounded, all other characters in the scene must make a Spirit test at -2 or become Distracted.
ONE THROAT, MANY VOICES - The Skinner is a skilled mimic and ventriloquist, he gets a +2 to Trick/Test opponents with  Performance and Taunt.
REGENERATION (FAST)- The Skinner's flesh pulls itself together, regardless of trauma. Per the core rules.
STUDENT OF FLESH - The Skinner knows how close to death everyone in a scene is. When he hunts the wounded, their Wound penalty is a bonus to hit. (Example: If you are suffering a -2 Wound penalty, the Skinner is +2 to hit you).
THICK HIDE - Armor 3

WEIRD POWERS - Choose 1 or 2
BONESNAP - Biting with a Raise deals +D10 damage, and inflicts the Crippled (Minor) Hindrance.

CULLING SONG - The Skinner croons a low song of slaughter. If the Skinner hits a Distracted opponent he rolls a number of additional D6's equal to raises on the attack roll.

TERMITE'S COUSIN - The Skinner bears wyld gifts from the Burning Lands. With a successful Spirit roll his little cousins cause a building to collapse under its own weight.

Borchardbriar is a Savage Worlds setting I've been working on since May 2017. It owes a lot to Brian Jacques' Redwall series and Garth Nix' The Old Kingdom. So hopefully if you enjoy those, the you'll enjoy Borchardbriar.
You can find the initial outline here. All posts can be found here. 

Blackwood: Constant Vigilance

The Winter Kingdom predated the Elder Kingdom, and before them was the Kingdom of Light. Led into destruction by Mad King Ember-Eye, ruins from the Days of Light persist in cities, on the road, and in the Blackwood. Ember-Eye pressed deeper into the Wood than any before or since, the fortifications were known as the "Burn Line". Instrumental to his success were the Stone Lions - unnatural beasts of worked stone, cold iron, and cinnabar.

Always present in pairs, a manifestation of Firmament and Fundament, the female representing the River and the male representing the Heavens. From their bronze collars the males bore an orb representing the world under the watchful gaze of the stars. The females' collars were functionally identical, except their collars had a cub symbolizing the cycle of life. No elfin glamour could fool their eyes and elf flesh cringed at their touch. When the Burn Line served its purpose and was discarded, the Stone Lions wouldn't leave. Tireless and vigilant, they still stand guard over empty buildings and jagged foundations.


STATS - Strength D12 Agility D8 Vigor D8 Smarts D6 Spirit D10
SKILLS - Fighting D10, Intimidation D8, Notice D8
PARRY 7 TOUGHNESS 12 (3) PACE 8 SIZE 2
EDGES - Frenzy, Improved Frenzy

ATTACKS
BITE & CLAW - STR+D6, AP 2
CURSE - When a Stone Lion hits with a Raise, they can forgo the extra damage and lay a curse on an opponent instead. The curse leaves a physical mark on your body.

• MALE - Attention of High Places - All the powers in the world are against you. Gain the Wanted (Major) and Enemy (Minor) Hindrances. 
• FEMALE- End of the Line- Fortune and family are forever out of your reach, your name dies with you. Gain the Poverty (Major) Hindrance and you are infertile.

SPECIAL ABILITIES
ELFBANE - Elves double the wound penalty when damaged by Stone Lions.
HARDY - Additional Shaken results do not result in Wounds.
LIKE A STONE - When the beast is hit, reduce the damage die size of a weapon one  step. (D12>D10>D8>D6>D4>D4-1, etc.)
TRUE SIGHT - Ignore penalties for darkness and dim light. Magic provides no concealment.
MOMENTUM - Stone Lions aren't light on their feet but they are dangerous when they get going. If a Stone Lion is able to move 5" before attacking they add +4 to their damage total.


The 7 Errants are a fellowship of heroic martial artists and wanderers for Eli Kurtz' Blackwood setting - a mash-up of Wuxia action and frontier fairy tales. You can find the book for sale here and a free quick start bundle here.

Special thanks to Michael Barry for notes about the symbolism.

Blackwood: Stretched to Breaking

14 years since the Elder King went missing.  Through all the hardship and uncertainty, the Kingdom's subjects held onto hope. Believing that the King would return in due time while the Hedges and Errants stood firm against the ever marching elven forest.
Then the Giants marched.

Striding from the deep Woods and walking through the Hedges like cobwebs, no one knows precisely where they came from. There's always one person in a village who swears their missing nephew looked just like the Giant that came through last week. Traditional folkways, effective against elvenkind, don't bother them and the deadliest Errant finds them a stalwart foe.

WILD CARD
STATS - Strength D12+3 Agility D6 Vigor D10 Smarts D4 Spirit D6
SKILLS - Fighting D8
PARRY 6 TOUGHNESS 14 SIZE 7
EDGES - Brute, Nerves of Steel

SPECIAL ABILITIES
LARGE - Attackers add +2 to hit.
FEAR -2
SMASH - Str+D8 Damage Whether or not you hit, enemies nearby need to roll Agility or get knocked prone.
SNATCH - Str Damage Roll Strength vs an opponent's Strength or Agility roll. If the Giant succeeds, they're grappled.
CHEW- Str+D12 Damage only available if it successfully grappled someone.

WEIRD POWERS - Choose 1 or 2
Corpsemaker - The Giant doesn't require a raise on its damage roll to begin inflicting Wounds (ex: if your Toughness is 8 and the Giant deals 8 damage, you are both Shaken and suffer your first Wound.)

Footless - The Giant lacks feet, walking on the wind. The Giant gains Stealth D8 and imposes a -2 penalty to detect via sound.

Handfuls of Teeth - The Giant has two additional mouths on its hands. They gain Improved Frenzy and their BITE no longer requires grappling.

100 Hands and 50 Heads- Instead of two conventional human arms, the Giant as two massive multi-jointed appendages comprised of standard human limbs, opponents now roll at -4 to avoid/escape grappling. In addition the Giant has 360 degree vision from a plethora of standard sized heads sprouting from a Giant-sized neck.

Maddening Giggle - When the Giant is hit but not Wounded, all characters in the scene must make a Spirit test at a -2 or gain the Distracted status. The Giant titters at their feeble efforts.

A Glandular Problem - Whenever the Giant is successfully hit, its Size increases by 1. This also  increases their Toughness by 1.

Pukey - The Giant can hork up a gut full of Lonely Riverwater. Place the medium cone template, Errants have to make an Agility check vs the Giant's Vigor to avoid the spew. Which Lonely River is it? Roll 1D4 - 1-Misery (Draw 2 Action Cards and take the lowest) 2-Hatred (Turn on their allies) 3-Venom (-2 to soak rolls) 4-Terror (Roll on the Fear table)

Walking Wound - The Giant cannot be killed or knocked unconscious with damage. It only slows down and stops when it's exhausted. Then they nap.

Witches' Eyes - The Giant's eyelids are full of normal human eyes, bunched together like grapes. Or compound eyes. Gain Fear -4.

The 7 Errants are a fellowship of heroic martial artists and wanderers for Eli Kurtz' Blackwood setting - a mash-up of Wuxia action and frontier fairy tales. You can find the book for sale here and a free quick start bundle here.

Blackwood: Stone Lion School

Impetuous action and refusing to weigh the odds - traits shared by the suicidally brave and adherents of the Stone Lion. Named for the fearsome beasts guarding ruins from the bygone Days of Light. Their dense flesh blunts the mightiest blow and heavy claws crush the toughest foe. Several stand guard over the legendary Red Gryphon Court. Wielding great blades like the Autumn wind sweeps leaves, the Elder Kingdom has been lucky Lord Manu's graduates are engaged elsewhere.

For now.

REQUIREMENTS: Vigor D8, Intimidation D6, Taunt D6
CORE PHILOSOPHY: Wood (+1 vs River)
ASPIRING - Ferocity- Aspiring students roll a Wild die along with their normal damage, add the die's result to the total when the Wild Die is even.
WORTHY - Valor - Worthy Students gain their opponents' Gang up bonus when the student is outnumbered.
MASTER - Unbreakable- Masters of Stone Lion fight through wounds that will cripple lesser men. Reduce wounds penalties suffered by -1. This stacks with Edges with similar effects.

The 7 Errants are a fellowship of heroic martial artists and wanderers for Eli Kurtz' Blackwood setting - a mash-up of Wuxia action and frontier fairy tales. You can find the book for sale here and a free quick start bundle here.

Blackwood: The Misplaced Prince

"Rumor has it the Elder King and the Crown Prince disappeared together, on the same night. What if I told you that was a lie? Not a deliberate falsehood but an accident of happenstance."

"How would I know? Because I took him, you loiter-sack. Swapped him for a bundle of sticks and mud convinced it's the Prince. I had to. My Lord doesn't take "NO" for an answer. Really the boy hadn't been in the Palace for a month."

"The lump fooled everybody, even the King though he could've seen through it if he'd cared."

"Don't look at me like that! It's no revelation the King was disappointed in Prince Gareth. Just ask around the Palace, the servants are TERRIBLE gossips. I can't blame the King though. He thought the boy was softheaded. Really I did Gareth a favor, when you think about it."

"14 years is a long time, longer in Red Gryphon Court. You've heard of it?"

"Aye, the Light's Lost Stronghold turned sword seminary and slaughter-ground by King Ember-Eye's immortal foes. My Lord sharpened the boy into a fearsome swordsman and turned him loose. Goes by the name Rikar now."

"Why am I telling you all this? Can't help it since you offered me a meal; geas & all. Now drink up. That Blissberry juice you've been sipping for the past hour won't work on its own. Give it some help."

- Rustle, notorious Pagan Childthief

CULTURE -Human - Rikar begins with the Aspiring Student (Stone Lion) Edge from his time in Red Gryphon Court.

BADGE OF ERRANTRY - A cloak clasp of autumn leaves forming a lion's face.
RANK - Seasoned
STATS - Strength D8 Agility D8 Vigor D8 Smarts D6 Spirit D6
SKILLS - Fighting D8, Intimidation D6, Knowledge (Battle) D6, Notice D6, Persuasion D8, Riding D6, Taunt D6
PARRY 6 TOUGHNESS 9 (3)
EDGES - Aspiring and Worthy Student (Stone Lion), Brave, Command
HINDRANCES - , Code of Honor (Major, He's a Disney Princess- Have Courage. Be Kind.),  Enemy(Major, From his time as Lord Manu's fosterling, Rikar made an enemy - the Bantam Knight, Sir Ironside.), Emotional (Minor, The state of the Elder Kingdom pulls Rikar into bouts of melancholy.)
EQUIPMENT

Greatsword (1D8+1D10 Damage), Plate armor (+3 armor to torso, arms, and legs), Kettle Helm,  Badge of Errantry, Hearth Bread, Errant's Kit, His father's signet ring

The 7 Errants are a fellowship of heroic martial artists and wanderers for Eli Kurtz' Blackwood setting - a mash-up of Wuxia action and frontier fairy tales. You can find the book for sale here and a free quick start bundle here. 

This backstory was generated using the Ultimate RPG Backstory Guide by James D'Amato. You can find that here. 

Blackwood: Frog's 5 Scars

In sharp contrast to Cannibal Ox and Dust, the taciturn Frog rarely discusses his past or his problems. His story's only clues? The scars he bears, new & old. A favorite past time among the fellowship when he's out of earshot is to speculate and spin yarn.
How did he get them? How long did they take to heal?

A long scar on his brow lends a serious look. Since its nearly faded away, Pin thinks he received as a child. Whatever hit him, hit him hard. His parents were River folk, that's why he's called "Frog".

A ragged swathe of shiny tissue bands his forearm and a missing pinkie finger are surely the sign of a struggle for survival. Cannibal Ox swears up and down that he was raised by wolves. The marks came from a fight for dominance- or fighting a Howler!

The opposite shoulder bears a spearpoint's puckered kiss. Obviously saving his wolf pack from foul hunters. "No good deed goes unpunished" Dust chimes in, "he's obviously called "Frog" because he has no fur!"

Kestrel recognizes a tattoo across the meat of his palms - the Brand of the Hartsworn. A band of Errants dedicated to finding the cairns of Wulf Ember-Eye and his Last 13. They hadn't been heard from in some time.

A burnt orange mark, crooked and deep across his thigh, draws the wildest stories. It's shape and color are ready fuel for Ox and Dust's over eager imaginations. Tall tales tattled aside, Ceryneia suspects the blemish's true origin. The Sun-Eater, a beast chronicled in books written shortly after the Kingdom of Light's fall. Fed bonfires and firecats by Fair Lords should man's dreams of flame encroach too deep.

But they're all just stories anyway.
Right?
 

CULTURE - Woodkin- Keen Ears- Growing up in the Blackwood, Frog gets +2 to Notice checks involving hearing. Superstitious - Frog starts with the Luck Edge and the Superstitious Hindrance.
BADGE OF ERRANTRY - An ancient Howler mask. Scavenged from a cairn in the deep Blackwood.
RANK - Seasoned
STATS - Strength D6 Agility D8 Vigor D6 Smarts D4 Spirit D8
SKILLS - Athletics D6, Boost/Lower Trait D10, Fighting D8, Notice D6, Stealth D8 Survival D6 Thievery D4
PARRY 7 TOUGHNESS 8 (2)
EDGES - Arcane Background ((Ancestor Worship) Channeling the spirit haunting his mask), Luck (+1 Benny per session), Magical Trinkets (Once per session, Frog has the right magical trinket for the job.), Frenzy (Make 2 Fighting attacks at a penalty.)
HINDRANCES -  Arrogant (Major, Raised in the wilds and a member of the Hartsworn. He's seen the worst the Blackwood has.), Cautious (Minor, "Measure twice, cut once" has never steered him wrong.), Illiterate (Minor, Frog just doesn't have a head for letters.), Quirk (Minor, Fidgets with his Trinkets when he's anxious.), Vow (Minor, To find the Pheasant Dart and slay the Sun-Eater.)
ANCESTOR WORSHIP POWER -  Boost/Lower Trait

EQUIPMENT

Axe (1D6+1D8 Damage), Hauberk (+2 armor to torso, arms, and legs), Buckler, Badge of Errantry, Ancestor Beads, Errant's Kit, Full helm

The 7 Errants are a fellowship of heroic martial artists and wanderers for Eli Kurtz' Blackwood setting - a mash-up of Wuxia action and frontier fairy tales. You can find the book for sale here and a free quick start bundle here. 

This backstory was generated using the Ultimate RPG Backstory Guide by James D'Amato. You can find that here. 

Blackwood: Breathless Pin

Once upon a time there was a young lady who was apprenticed to a  master clockmaker, she showed glimmers of genius and was quick to solve a problem. As long as there was work, everything went well, but when the master's patron was bankrupted she was dismissed, and the master told her she could go wherever she wanted. 

Her parents were dead and she no longer had a home. So, she went to her brothers and asked them to support her until she found a patron. The brothers, however, had hardened their hearts against her and said "What can we do with you? You are too old to find a husband! Begone and make your own way!"

Left with nothing but her tools, she set out into the Wider World. 

Crossing heath, mountain, and sea, she ended her travels in the city of Farwater Beach. There she finds what she was seeking: a home. The apprentice clockmaker built beautiful works, and became a journeyman, and in time she was considered a master.

This bothered her, however, because she had not ascended through the ranks in a traditional manner. To be a master she needed to construct a masterwork. No one could doubt her ambition as she set out to build an automated man.

As word of her project and her progress spread, it caught the attention of those in high places. The clockmaker was approached by an envious noblewoman who bought what she could not make and took what she could not buy. Three times the clockmaker refused the noblewoman, irritated with each interruption as she creeped nearer completion. 

The noblewoman was determined that if she could not own the clockwork man, then no one could. Through her influence a gang of ruffians burned down the clockmaker's workshop with her inside. Delirious from breathing in the smoke, she loosed the incomplete masterwork and fell. Smothered by the burning remnants of the life she had built.

The workshop had become an oven, though they would fare better without air than their creator, the extreme heat played havoc with his springs and sprockets. Surely he would have perished there too, if a fellowship of errants hadn't fought their way into the building to make sure there were no victims.

CULTURE - Automat - An incomplete masterwork that can't be duplicated. Construct (Doesn't need to breathe/sleep/eat, etc.), Cannot Speak (Amelii's prototype larynx was unfinished when the "accident" happened), Clueless (He wasn't raised in a traditional manner, -2 on Common Knowledge rolls), Dependency (His key is in a place he can't reach, someone else must turn it), Noisy (His gears and springs grind,whir, click and clack. -2 on Stealth rolls)
BADGE OF ERRANTRY - A locket containing a picture of their creator, Amelii Rozse.
RANK - Seasoned
STATS - Strength D8 Agility D8 Vigor D8 Smarts D6 Spirit D6
SKILLS -  Athletics D8 Fighting D8, Knowledge (Classics and Music) D6 Lockpicking D6  Repair D4, Weird Science D8 
PARRY 8 TOUGHNESS 8 (2)
EDGES - Arcane Background (Clockwork), Aspiring Student (J'Osudeau)
HINDRANCES - Code of Honor (Major, Breathless Pin is dedicated to the Errant virtue of Benevolence, maybe he can teach Cannibal Ox.) Loyal (Minor, Dust and Lady Ceryneia pulled him from the fire. Now no one gets left behind.), Vow (Minor, To avenge the death of Amelii. Kestrel has leads.)
CLOCKWORK POWER - 10 PP - Warrior's Gift (Pin can imitate the fighting style of anyone he's seen)

EQUIPMENT

Lancing Sword (1D8+1D6 Damage, +1 Parry, Ranged 2/4/8), Hauberk (+2 armor to torso, arms, and legs), Buckler (+1 Parry), Badge of Errantry

The 7 Errants are a fellowship of heroic martial artists and wanderers for Eli Kurtz' Blackwood setting - a mash-up of Wuxia action and frontier fairy tales. You can find the book for sale here and a free quick start bundle here.