1  # Adventures
  2  
  3  Adventures are often chasing rumor, something a bard heard from another bard, who spun a tale out of a vagrant's rambling two villages over. The most reliable sources are tombs of fallen, forgotten kingdoms, though those are also the most likely to be picked over already. The truly brave adventurer walks undaunted into a monster's lair, though enough cautionary tales are told in taverns to make that an adventure for only the desperate.
  4  
  5  ## Adventure Structure
  6  
  7  Adventures can take adventurers to forgotten tombs, lairs of dangerous monsters, the winding slums of a crowded city, or across a mountain range too dangerous for the average traveler. All adventures are organized into a series of related Sets, Sets whose relations do not have to be strictly geographic—Sets may be related as a sequence of events (cocktail hour preceding a social dinner), time of day (sunset to night to sunrise), or otherwise. Geographically connected Sets are most common. An adventure is typically made up of three to five Sets, depending on the complexity of the adventure.
  8  
  9  **Sets** within an adventure can represent a physical space, an event, time of day or otherwise. Most Sets are physical spaces. Every set contains a Set Goal, props (interactable pieces of the Set), treasures, and traps (monsters and other dangers potentially present in the Set).
 10  
 11  The **Set Goal** is the predetermined means by which adventurers overcome or move past a set. If Sets are geographically connected, Goals might indicate that adventurers need to find an exit; if Sets are more social, adventurers may need to meet a particular person or persuade someone of something. Adventurers may also have their own Goals, which players can negotiate with the GM. These proposed Goals may be completed along side of the Set Goal or supplant it entirely.
 12  
 13  **Props** can include discrete pieces of the environment—an old tree, a statute of a hero, a hole in the ground—as well as important characters with whom the adventurers can interact. Often, when adventurer's roll the Hunt Roll, it is to interact with a prop.
 14  
 15  **Treasures** include anything that adventurers may trade in for Gold or Renown, but can also include Backpack or Combat Equipment, information (especially if it is valuable to overcome a prop or trap), or something else of value.
 16  
 17  **Traps** are primarily monsters that can be present in the Set. Traps may also be obstacles blocking progress or literal traps that endanger the adventurers.
 18  
 19  ### Treasure Hoards
 20  
 21  Treasure hoards are uncommon and, yet, what all adventurers seek. On average, apprentice adventurers should find one hoard in their adventures; journeyman adventurers should find two to three; master adventurers just one or two; and grandmaster adventurers none or, rarely, one.
 22  
 23  If grandmaster adventurers can recover the hoard of an ancient dragon, it is enough for them, their children, and their children's children to live comfortably for a long time...though, perhaps, not so if the hoard must be split between four or more adventurers.
 24  
 25  ## Adapting Modules
 26  
 27  Using a module not originally designed for *Hero* (or *Trophy Gold* or its hacks) requires some conversion before using. The structure of the module should be changed into Sets, divided up by narratively important regions or events. If a dungeon is being converted, then not every room and hallway needs to be an individual Set. "Passages of the Dungeon" (or tomb or whatever it may be) may be one Set that adventurers come and go from to connect to other Sets, which could be the individual rooms where important treasures are found or plot points revealed.
 28  
 29  # Legends
 30  
 31  ## The Worlds
 32  
 33  All worlds overlap, separated by an intangible, invisible barrier called the Veil. Each world reflects the others, especially the World and the Otherworld, though even the Overworld and Underworld push and pull on the Veil. Ruins linger in the World with no discernible provenance, echoing from another place. The divine have scarred the Veil, separating the Overworld from the Underworld, in an effort to cut off the unending war with the demons. The Veil remains porous, however, and the divine and demons slip through the Otherworld into each other's worlds—the war has become a shadow war of assassination and manipulation.
 34  
 35  ### The Overworld
 36  
 37  Radiant hues of yellow cascade from three suns that dominate the sky, pooling on flowing rivers and shifting dunes of silt. Ruins of castles hover over the moving landscape, held aloft on thousands of stark white wings grafted to the stone. Broken wings fall off, littering the silt and slowly being covered over time.
 38  
 39  ### The World
 40  
 41  The home of human, fey, and beast. The divine and demons are interlopers here and each move to manipulate and coerce the World's inhabitants to their inscrutable ends. Wizards write theses and debate in university halls how many Worlds, exactly, there are and their natures. A popular theory proposes a multitude of parallel Worlds: Millions of the World, yet differing in thousands of small ways.
 42  
 43  ### The Otherworld
 44  
 45  The Otherworld is the domain of the dead and dying, souls caught in cycles of reincarnation and final death; a roiling chaos, a world of tempests and sandstorms. Fey feel the otherworld acutely and many can choose to cross regardless of how thin the veil may be. Pale reflections of the World make up most of the landscape, caught in the windstorms, but ruined and decaying—even castles die in the Otherworld.
 46  
 47  ### The Underworld
 48  
 49  Inky, weblike shadows cling to refracted light streaming from a single orb of white—a pale, full moon, never setting. Demons weave homes from this shadow, imposing castles barely perceptible except out of the corner of your eye. Silence dominates.
 50  
 51  ## Dragons
 52  
 53  In their true form, dragons all share these same features (though there are variations within these features): the antlers of a stag, the head of a crocodile, the eyes of a rabbit, the neck of a snake, the belly of a frog, the scales of a carp, the claws of an eagle, the soles of a tiger, and the ears of a cow. Dragons can take on many different appearances, though they are most powerful only when in their true form. Coloration will vary depending on environment and the individual dragon, but there are considered to be five primary types of dragons depending on habitat:
 54  
 55  **Desert dragons** have scales in shades of cyan and blue, blending to azure—the color of the sky itself—making them hard to see on a clear day. They burrow beneath rocky outcrops in the desert, calling lightning to create crystalline cavern complexes that scintillate in the bare sun reflected throughout. In defense of their lair, entire deserts will be turned to glass through the strength and number of lightning strikes if threatened.
 56  
 57  **Mountain dragons** have red and orange scales, vermilion from a distance: The color of a brilliant sunset. While they prefer the heat and swelter of a volcano, any cave system—or abandoned monastery, mine, or fortress—in the heights of a mountain will do. Smoke billows from their nostrils with every breath, increasing in thickness as their ire rises. They control the very bones of their mountain homes and will not hesitate to bury it all if threatened. If a landslide does not work, then their fiery breath will burn what remains.
 58  
 59  **Radiant dragons** have scales of pure sunlight, a soft yellow that seems like it would be warm to the touch. As rare as they are regal, they can be found in out-of-the-way and auspicious places: The riverbed, covered in silt; a waterfall cavern, long ago a shrine to a forgotten god; or a fallen kingdom's ruined capital. They walk among the dreams of those around them and can foresee any threat, choosing simply to leave before danger arrives. If somehow intercepted in their flight, divine fire catches at their whim and immolates what foolishly followed them.
 60  
 61  **Swamp dragons**' scales reflect no light, a matte black, and bards sing tales of adventurers becoming entranced by the scales, not having realized they've approached a dragon. They make their lairs in swamps and marshes, underneath ruins or dense copses with stagnant waters for them to bathe and wade. Swamplands will cover over in a dense, choking fog if their home is threatened, only becoming more toxic the closer to the dragon the threat approaches. Beware the bite or claw potent with poison.
 62  
 63  **Tundra dragons**'s scales are blinding white...luckily they often stay in overcast climes, drifting among the snowfall and lingering on ice floes. Icy caverns are their lairs, preferably in the cracks of a glacier: Easily missed and rarely sought out. Bone deep coldness and their freezing glare keep any from disturbing their peace. Those who do are perfectly preserved for a much later meal.
 64  
 65  ## Powerful Beings
 66  
 67  There are beings more powerful than the adventurers and some will lend that power...for a price. If an adventurer has the privilege of meeting one of these beings and striking a bargain with them, use the Pact Roll. Potential patrons always want something and will use an adventurer as a pawn to enact their schemes. These schemes are undoubtedly centuries in the making and are far beyond any adventurer's comprehension.
 68  
 69  Adventurers may start with a patron, including the group sharing one patron. Determine your patron with the GM and then make this Pact Roll.
 70  
 71  ### Pact Roll
 72  
 73  When you begin negotiations for a pact with a being more powerful than you, state your terms (the GM will state the patron's), then gather 6-sided dice.
 74  
 75  Take a light die if you have a Skill or piece of equipment that would make the negotiation easier.
 76  
 77  Take a dark die for your foolish hubris to negotiate. (You must include this die.)
 78  
 79  Roll the dice. If your highest die is a:
 80  
 81  - **1-3** If you accept their unfavorable terms (they will not renegotiate), you must also reduce your total Ruin by 1.
 82  - **4-5** They will state their terms. You may take it or leave it; they will not negotiate further.
 83  - **6** They find you worthy and will negotiate their terms with you.
 84  
 85  The being you enter into a pact with has 4 Skills, 0-3 Spells and other possible uses (depending on their form and the terms of your pact). If your patron has the *arcana* Skill and you do not, you are considered as having that Skill for the purpose of learning Spells.
 86  Whenever you wish to use a Skill or cast a Spell from your pact, you must include a dark die in your roll.
 87  
 88  If you do not meet the terms of your pact, the GM will give or worsen appropriate Conditions. If a group shares a patron, one adventurer not meeting the terms affects all adventurers. If you had to reduce your total Ruin and you are able to break the pact, you may increase your total Ruin by 1.
 89  
 90  ### Patrons
 91  
 92  1. **Aindydam**, a radiant dragon, is skilled in *legends*, *justice*, *foresight*, and *patience*. She knows the Spells dilate and forecast. While you fulfill the terms of the pact, dragons are endeared to you and will protect you.
 93      - Aindydam wants the orbs of dragonkind destroyed and will task and then support an adventurer with that quest.
 94  2. **Dhuzuq of Chigzitul**, a lich, is skilled in *arcana*, *knowledge*, *rituals*, and *secrets*. They know the Spells animate, step, and strike. While you fulfill the terms of the pact, you do not need to eat food, drink water, or breathe air to stay alive.
 95      - Dhuzuq wants a servant and will ensure a loophole that allows them to break an adventurer's mind slowly so they become an unthinking slave to Dhuzuq's whims.
 96  3. **Crescent**, **Ender of Giants**, a sickle, is skilled in *agriculture*, *folklore*, *leadership*, and *revenge*. While you fulfill the terms of the pact, you can use Crescent as a weapon without taking a slot in your Combat Equipment.
 97      - Crescent will only make a pact with an adventurer openly opposed to any kind of governance and will demand rebellion against authority.
 98  4. **Fahaas**, a genie, is skilled in *double-talk*, *contracts*, *elements*, and *stories*. He knows the Spell knock. While you fulfill the terms of the pact, you can always summon him from any vessel with a lid.
 99      - Fahaas wants a lover, but not compelled. He will trade power for stories and flirt, though he will not lead himself on if an adventurer is disinterested.
100  5. **Samugiyent**, a demon, is skilled in *appraisal*, *estimation*, *history*, and *languages*. He knows the Spell comprehend. While you fulfill the terms of the pact, you always know where to find information generally, but not specifically. (For example: You know a library has a relevant book, but you don't know the title or author of the book.) 
101      - Samugiyent wants the adventurer's memories cataloged in a living tome; ultimately, they want everything the adventurer knows, leaving them with just enough conscience to continue collecting memories.
102  6. **An unnamed divine** is skilled in *diplomacy*, *duels*, *judgement*, and *truth*. While you fulfill the terms of the pact, you can always contact them to get their opinion on a situation (they will respond as truthfully—though opinionated—as they can).
103      - This divine is looking for a righteous punisher of evil, no questions asked.
104  
105  ## Legendary Spells
106  
107  These Spells can only be found in the world. They are not available during adventurer creation.
108  
109  - **Darken** — Snuff out all magical and non-magical light around you. Those lights cannot be relit while you are in the area.
110  - **Gate** — Open a portal to a known, marked location. You also know the arcane symbols to create the marks to which these portals lead.
111  - **Purify** — Remove poisons, diseases, or curses from water or locations. This Spell is not strong enough to remove curses from Magic Items.
112  - **Quake** — Stomp on the ground to disrupt and break the earth around you. This Spell is strong enough to collapse fortresses and level mountains.
113  - **Shield** — Defend yourself or someone nearby from a source of harm, physical or otherwise.
114  - **Speak** — Maintain contact with a corpse to ask it three questions. The corpse will answer truthfully.
115  - **Split** — Produce two illusory duplicates of yourself that act independently or mirror your actions perfectly. They last until struck or you dismiss them.
116  - **Storm** — Summon an ice storm in the area. If used with the Spell forecast, the ice storm is stronger and cannot be dispelled.
117  - **Strike** — Disable one of the senses of someone you can see.
118  
119  ---
120  
121  This text is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
122  
123  This work is based on [Trophy](https://trophyrpg.com), product of Jesse Ross and Hedgemaze Press, and licensed for our use under the [Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Trophy is adapted from Cthulhu Dark with permission of Graham Walmsley. Trophy is also based on [Blades in the Dark](https://bladesinthedark.com), product of One Seven Design, developed and authored by John Harper, and licensed for our use under the [Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0).