GM Cheat Sheet

Reaction Roll first contact

2d6, apply the speaking PC's Charisma modifier. Use whenever an encounter isn't already scripted hostile.

Roll	Result
2–3	Hostile — attacks or acts against the party immediately
4–5	Unfriendly — threatens, demands, or postures
6–8	Uncertain — wary, cautious, waiting to see intent
9–11	Talkative — willing to deal, share, or bargain
12+	Helpful — offers real aid or a favorable bargain

Static Initiative

Set a difficulty number for the encounter; everyone rolls a Dexterity check against it once, at the start of the fight.

Encounter	Suggested DC
Easy	10–12
Standard	14
Hard / deadly	16+

Success = fast round, failure = slow round. No re-rolling each round; within a round, act in whatever order makes sense.

Morale Check combat

2d6 + modifiers vs. threshold of 7. Roll at or above threshold = holds. Below = breaks (flees, routs, or surrenders). Higher is braver, so positive modifiers stiffen resolve.

Skip the roll for anything already established as fanatical, mindless, or cornered with nowhere to go — morale is for creatures with a reason to want to survive.

Wandering Danger exploration

Roll d6. Overland travel and camping: once per watch. Delving and exploration: once every third turn (a turn is 10 minutes) — track turns with the shared campaign clock.

Roll	Result
1	Encounter — something finds the party now
2	Sign — tracks, sound, smoke; a warning, not an encounter
3–5	Clear
6	Opportunity — a useful sign of quarry, treasure, or aid

Hirelings town

Once per week in a settlement, roll a reaction check (2d6 + hiring PC's CHA) to see who's willing.

Roll	Availability
2–6	No one willing this week
7–9	One hireling available (torchbearer, guide, or man-at-arms)
10–11	Two available
12+	A notable specialist available (tracker, hedge-mage, veteran)

Retainers earn a half XP share and don't advance without choosing a class if they started as a level-0 hire.

Encumbrance full slot system

Capacity = Strength score. Items at the ready (drawn, worn, belted) = Dexterity modifier; everything else is stowed and costs an object interaction to reach.

State	Effect
Over capacity	encumbered — speed halved, no running, disadvantage on Dex saves, stealth, and anything needing grace
Over double capacity	cannot move until something is dropped or handed off

Per-item slot costs live on the Character Sheet Add-On, which the players hold — that's the authoritative list. Rough calls at the table: ordinary item 1, two-handed 2, heavy armour 3, small items 5 to a slot, coin 100 to a slot, a body 6 and both hands.

Darkness & Detection

Rule	Effect
Darkvision in true darkness (sealed rooms, magical darkness, no ambient light)	Does not function — a light source is required
Unshielded light or loud combat in dangerous ground	Encounter on 1–2 instead of 1 (widen further if genuinely loud and lit)

Travel Pace

Pace	Effect
Fast	More ground covered; passive Perception −5; encounter on 1–2
Normal	Standard ground; encounter on 1
Slow / cautious	Less ground covered; passive Perception +5; encounter on 1, and a Sign result gives warning in time to avoid it

Downtime Carousing town, between sessions

d6 per character who spends coin carousing.

Roll	Result
1	Trouble — a debt, grudge, or complication follows into next session
2–3	Nothing much — the coin's gone, that's all
4–5	Nothing much, plus a minor useful rumor
6	A real lead — a strong rumor or a useful contact made

Rests

Tier	Time	Requirement	Recovery
Short	20 min	a drink of water	spend 1 Hit Die
Long	4 hrs	food and water	spend any number of Hit Dice
Safe	12+ hrs	a secure location	full HP + half total Hit Dice

"Secure" means defensible or hidden ground and a real watch — not just a long enough timer. An interrupted rest at any tier grants no benefit for whoever was disturbed.

Zero Hit Points

On the turn after dropping to 0 HP, the player chooses one:

Option	Effect
Hand of Fate	one death save — success stabilizes, failure is death
Permanent Injury	stabilizes automatically; lose 2 points from one ability score, permanently
Blaze of Glory	one last attack or spell, treated as an automatic critical hit — then the character dies

Running It — Quick Reminders

• Ask "what are you doing," not "what do you roll." Let a good plan bypass the check entirely.
• Roll only when failure is genuinely interesting — not just "try again."
• Time is watches above ground, turns below it. Wandering danger: per watch travelling, every third turn delving.
• Retreat is always viable; it may cost gear, time, or a pursuit roll, never the whole party.
• XP for finishing the contract and for serving your stated motivation — never for body count.
• Items reveal themselves through use — no automatic identification.
• Zero HP is a player's choice, not just a save — see Zero Hit Points above.
• Every character has a stated motivation for taking up this life — a flat XP bonus at contract's end if their actions genuinely served it that session. Let the player make the case; you confirm. It can change over time — that's a character beat, not a rules problem.