INTRODUCTION
THE GAME
Thaeborn is a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) playable by 2 or more people using this guide, a set of fantasy TTRPG polyhedral dice, and either pencil and paper or a virtual table-top (VTT) to keep track of the characters in your story.
One person will be the Game Master (GM). It is their responsibility to prepare the setting and all of the characters not played by the other players - called Non-Player Characters (NPCs) - and to do their best to moderate and adjudicate what happens in the game using these guidelines and any modifications that they and their players agree to.
The rest of the players will create and play their own characters - called Player Characters (PCs). They simply say what they want to do in the setting described to them by the GM, and together they work out how it can be accomplished and what happens as a result, using the material in this guide to help.
Core Rules
All of the rules provided in the main body of this guide are considered to be foundational to the feel and experience of Thaeborn. While not presented as optional, of course, you are free to take, leave, and change anything you’d like for the enjoyment of your group.
Optional Rules
There are many optional rules found in the appendices that we believe some players and GM’s will find entertaining and immersive - particularly if you desire your gaming experience to feel more real-to-life. Some of the optional rules are not necessarily simulative, but are essentially mini-games for handling various situations, such as influencing others, crafting, and even alternative ways to create characters.
THE SETTING
One Possible Setting
One possible setting is presented in this guide as a quick-start. Each GM and group are welcome to create or acquire completely different settings in which to use the guidelines found in this resource and those found in other supplements.
The Player Characters
Player Characters are considered “Seekers” or “Adventurers” by run-of-the-mill citizens. They are people who have demonstrated extraordinary desire, drive, or aptitudes, or have experienced tragedy or circumstances that have moved them from living an ordinary life and into the life of risk-taking explorer.
The Known Lands
The setting presented here happens on an extremely large continent-like landmass named “The Known Lands”. It is surrounded by a violently chaotic sea that none, at least that anyone believes, have ever made it off of and returned to tell their tale. It is on a planet called “Oatharyn” (oath - erin, or oa - therin), though no one really knows what a planet is.
Only a few generations ago, a celestial body named “Aevryn” (EH - vrin) engulfed all of Oatharyn. Those who study the skies could see it coming for decades, appearing like a colorful nebula-like cloud of shifting and writhing vivid aurora-like bands of light. Once it swallowed Oatharyn, the sun was obscured by a fog-like haze during the day; nights are filled with brilliant chromatic colors that wash over everything on the planet’s surface in undulating hues. Now, the days are never fully lit and the nights are rarely fully dark on Oatharyn.
Magic & Miracles
As Aevryn approached, signs and wonders began to occur with heightened frequency and credibility. Those who practiced various forms of magic and other esoteric arts began experiencing verifiable success in their workings. What was faith and myth in the months prior, were now real. While each practitioner and adherent credits the source of their choosing for this magic and these miracles, scholars have named the magic-like power that came with Aevryn “The Thae” - or simply “Thae”.
The Thaeborn & Thae-touched
Not only did dedicated practitioners become empowered - artifacts, relics, holy sites, haunted and desecrate places, and the like were jolted to life as well when Aevryn made planetfall. It is said that, where The Thae seems the strongest, even dreams, nightmares, fairy tales, and folk-lore are being given physical form and coming to life. Because of this, kings, political leaders, warlords, and institutions are scrambling to acquire anything and everything touched, created, learned-about, or awakened by The Thae. And they are paying quite handsomely and often acting quite deviously.
The Possibilities
Characters in Thaeborn can learn and create brutal combat maneuvers, spell-like Workings of The Thae, and powerful Alchemical Concoctions. They can gain the skills and find the materials to craft extraordinary items. They can bind the Thae to objects and places. They can harvest and use herbs for healing, hurting, and special effects. They can be altered by exposure to The Thae in ways that either benefit them (“Gifts”), hinder them (“Aberrations”), or a little of both (“Parities”). These mutations are known as “Alterances”.
None of these options exists behind a gate that is locked by a class, profession, level, or domain - only by their own development, exposure to the Thae, and destiny.
Armor matters. Mobility matters. Active defense matters. Paying attention to the fast-paced combat matters. Every strike can take someone out, and sometimes characters persevere for far longer than anyone thought possible. There are no hit points or anything like them.
THE CORE LOOP
Thaeborn is a game of your character’s personal growth, change, risk-vs-reward, and learning how to lean into both their strengths and weaknesses.
Risk > Experience > Learn > Change > Grow | Repeat
Risk, Experience & Learn
You engage in the story as a character and as a player to earn the in-game currencies used to improve your character’s capabilities: Development Points. They are not earned by killing enemies or collecting loot - but my experiencing difficult circumstances and finding a way through. They are also earned by contributing to the group, staying engaged in the game, and doing your best to create memories.
Additionally, at the end of every session, it is recommended that the GM award all players two Story Points - one for their own character and one to give away to another player’s character, along with praise or encouragement about why they’re awarding them this point. Good roleplaying, selflessness, engagement, good ideas, and entertaining moments are great reasons.
Story Points can be converted to Development Points or to a meta-currency called Portents that you can use to warp and tilt the game at critical moments.
Change
Along the way, you will encounter intense currents of The Thae. Sometimes just in an area, and sometimes within another character or object. You may or may not have the skill and awareness to recognize its presence - which means you may or may not get to make a conscious choice whether to risk being altered by it. But, you will be altered - surely.
Grow
Characters can improve their core Aptitudes (Body, Mind, Soul) and their Disciplines (Warfare, Coordination, Survival, Intuition, Ingenuity, Lore, Subterfuge) by spending Development Points at any time - even mid-session. Alternatively, they may seek out Qualified Trainers (which can include other PCs) during periods of downtime to lower the Development Point cost.
They can also use their new skills to develop and learn new spell-like Workings of the Thae, experiment and create new Alchemical Concoctions, craft items from special materials they collect, or bind Thae to objects to enchant and empower them.