Game System

Seyruun Game System Overview

Seyruun uses a highly customized adaptation of the Old World of Darkness (oWoD) system, rewritten for the needs of narrative-driven, text-based Discord roleplay. The focus of the game is not on excessive dice rolling or rigid stat optimization but on meaningful character decisions, supernatural growth, divine ancestry, and immersive consequence. Players are encouraged to roleplay boldly and immerse deeply in the mythic, political, and spiritual setting of Seyruun.

This system introduces unique mechanical resources, Reflex, Fortitude, Willpower, and IO Blessings, which replace traditional action economy and internal resolve mechanics. These work in concert with the oWoD dice pool structure, adjusted for cleaner pacing, fairness, and ease of storytelling.

Core System Principles

Narrative First

Players should only roll dice when there is risk, dramatic tension, or significant consequence.
If the outcome is clear, or the action is purely cinematic, the Storyteller may waive the need for a roll.
Roleplay always precedes mechanics. Even the strongest powers are not substitutes for story.

d10 Dice Pools

All rolls are made using ten-sided dice (d10).
The dice pool equals Attribute + Skill, based on the task.
A result of 6 or higher is a success.
Multiple successes result in better outcomes; 1 success achieves the goal, but 3+ may grant bonus effects.
Botch: Rolling no successes and at least one die as “1” is a critical failure. Botches should result in dramatic complications.

Difficulty Ratings

The difficulty of a roll determines how high each die must roll to count as a success.

Storytellers determine the Difficulty, and players may ask for clarity before rolling. Circumstances, tools, advantages, or environment may adjust the final Difficulty.

Action Economy Simplified

One primary action per round.
Reflex-based rolls allow for dodges, blocks, or initiative clashes.
Some powers or Merits allow additional minor actions or reflexive effects.
Contested rolls may interrupt or cancel enemy actions depending on timing.
No initiative tracking unless specified; turn order is determined by narrative flow and Reflex checks when needed.

Key Resource Stats

All three are rated from ● to ●●●●● and may be increased with XP or Merits. They are tested often and define your capacity to survive, react, and endure.

Game Tone and Player Intent

The setting supports epic-scale roleplay rooted in divine heritage, political rebellion, and ancestral mystery.
No traditional alignment system. Characters define morality through Convictions and Fates.
Character advancement is narrative-driven: earned through roleplay, XP, choices, and consequences, not levels.

1. Dice Pools

Dice Pools and Success Mechanics

Dice Pools are used any time a player attempts a meaningful action with possible failure. Combat attacks, persuasion attempts, ritual invocations, magical crafting, lockpicking, sensing danger, and duels of will all require rolls.

1.1 Building a Dice Pool

Choose an Attribute (e.g., Strength, Charisma, Intelligence).
Choose a Skill that complements the action (e.g., Melee, Persuasion, Occult).
Add their dot values together. This total equals the number of d10s you roll.

Example: Khdoor is trying to leap from one rooftop to another. He uses Strength (3) + Athletics (2) = 5 dice.

1.2 Rolling Dice

Roll the number of d10s in your pool.
Every die result that meets or beats the Difficulty counts as 1 success.
Most actions need 1 success to work. More successes can grant enhanced effects or reduce time.

1.3 Botching

If a player rolls no successes and at least one die shows a 1, the result is a Botch. This means:

The action fails catastrophically.
The Storyteller introduces an unexpected consequence.

Botching should always advance the story. Examples: breaking your weapon, alerting an enemy patrol, triggering a curse.

1.4 Opposed Rolls

When two characters directly compete:

Each rolls their appropriate dice pool.
Whoever gets more successes wins the contest.
Ties typically favor the defender unless a narrative reason states otherwise.

Examples:

Pyre attempts to deceive a noble (Manipulation + Subterfuge) vs. noble's (Wits + Insight).
A Warforged attempts to grab a vampire's wrist (Strength + Brawl) vs. the vampire’s (Dexterity + Brawl).

1.5 Extended Rolls

For tasks that take time or multiple steps:

You must accumulate a certain number of successes over several rolls.
Each roll represents a unit of time: minutes, hours, or days.
Failing too many rolls may result in partial success or story complication.

Example: Translating an ancient relic may require 10 successes. You roll Intelligence + Lore multiple times over several scenes.

2. Combat

Combat and Action Resolution

Combat in Seyruun is designed to feel cinematic, immersive, and driven by narrative consequence rather than rigid mechanics. It uses streamlined principles from the Old World of Darkness, revised for Discord pacing and divine storytelling.

2.1 Combat Rounds

Each round is a loose measure of time (6–10 seconds).
Players declare their intended action each round. Order is determined narratively, unless a Reflex check is required to determine initiative.
Reflex is rolled as Dexterity + Reflex.
Highest successes act first. In case of ties, the Storyteller chooses based on narrative positioning.

2.2 Types of Actions

Characters can combine certain actions with Storyteller approval. Minor movements (drawing a weapon, speaking, etc.) do not require a separate action.

2.3 Attacking

To make an attack, roll the appropriate dice pool:

Compare your successes against the opponent’s defensive pool or base Difficulty (6). If you succeed, roll for damage.

2.4 Damage Types and Resolution

Seyruun uses three damage categories, reordered for narrative pacing and thematic clarity:

Bashing – Blunt trauma, fists, minor psychic shock.
Aggravated – Blades, Arrows, Claws, and Mortal Killing Force.
Lethal – Supernatural, divine, or soul-wounding effects.

2.5 Damage Rolls

Weapon Damage: Based on the weapon’s base + net successes on hit.
Unarmed: Strength + net successes.
Aggravated sources use fixed damage or power-based dice pools (varies by Discipline).

Example: A sword (Damage 3) hits with 2 net successes = 5 dice of damage.

2.6 Defending Against Damage

Characters may attempt to defend incoming damage using:

Fortitude + Armor (or Stamina + Fortitude, if no armor is worn).

Each success reduces 1 point of incoming damage.

2.7 Health Tracking

All characters have a numerical Health Pool (HP). When damage is taken, subtract it from your total.

Injuries may carry penalties as HP falls:

At 0 HP:

Mortals fall unconscious and begin dying.
Vampires enter torpor.
Aasimar fade into divine stasis.
Warforged shut down.
Other races have unique death thresholds.

2.8 Recovery and Healing

Recovery is not passive unless specified. Healing depends on:

3. Attributes and Skills

In Seyruun, every character is defined by a combination of innate qualities (Attributes) and learned capabilities (Skills). These form the backbone of your dice pools for all rolls and determine how your character interacts with the world, physically, socially, and intellectually.

3.1 Attributes

Attributes are divided into three categories, each with three core traits. At character creation, players distribute points based on their concept and prioritize one category over the others.

3.2 Skills (Abilities)

Skills represent the talents, professions, and training your character has acquired. They are also grouped into three categories and used with Attributes to form dice pools.

Skills range from:

● = Beginner (basic knowledge)
●●● = Competent professional
●●●●● = Mastery, divine technique, or legendary expertise

3.3 Attribute + Skill Rolls

All mechanical rolls follow the same structure:

Dice Pool = Attribute + Skill

Example: To calm a frightened animal, roll Charisma + Animal Ken
Example: To decode ancient prophecy, roll Intelligence + Lore
Example: To dodge an attack, roll Dexterity + Reflex

These are flexible and narrative. The Storyteller determines which Attribute + Skill combination is appropriate based on the action.

3.4 Specialties

At character creation or through XP, players may take Specialties—narrow focuses within a Skill. If a Specialty applies to a roll, you may reroll one failed die.

Examples:

Melee (Polearms)
Rituals (Celestial Binding)
Subterfuge (Court Intrigue)
Lore (Old Elysian Empire)

Specialties should enhance roleplay and mechanical nuance. A Skill must be at ●●● or higher to gain a Specialty.

4. Defense Mechanics

4.1 Calculating Your Defense

Your Defense is determined as follows:

Defense = Dexterity + Fortitude + Armor (if worn)

Dexterity reflects your ability to dodge or deflect.
Fortitude replaces Stamina as your inner resilience and supernatural durability.
Armor is added if the character is wearing protective gear.

Example: A knight with Dexterity ●●, Fortitude ●●●, and wearing Medium Armor (+2) would have:

Defense = 2 + 3 + 2 = 7

4.2 Applying Defense in Combat

When a character takes damage:

The attacker rolls damage based on their weapon, powers, or effect.
The defender subtracts their full Defense value from the total damage dealt.
The remainder is subtracted from the defender’s HP.

Example:

A vampire claws at you for 9 damage.
Your Defense is 6.
You only take 3 HP damage.

If Defense fully negates damage, no HP is lost.

4.3 Defense Limitations by Damage Type

Aggravated damage (such as divine wrath, soul attacks, or hellfire) ignores armor entirely, emphasizing the need for supernatural resilience and awareness.

4.4 Modifying Defense in Combat

Defense can be altered dynamically through:

Cover or Terrain: +1 to +3 Defense (narrative bonus)
Dodge Action: You may forego your action to add +2 Reflex to your Defense for the round
Stunned or Surprised: -2 Defense temporarily
Magic or Powers: Certain Disciplines or blessings may boost or bypass Defense

Summary: Defense vs. Damage Flow

Attacker rolls damage.
Defender applies Defense.
Remaining damage affects HP.
Penalties and conditions apply as HP drops.

This system ensures smoother pacing, logical outcomes, and clearer survivability expectations in fast-paced narrative combat.

5. Powers and Disciplines

In Seyruun, every supernatural being, whether divine, infernal, elemental, or engineered, possesses powers that reflect the legacy of their race, ancestry, and mystical influence. These abilities are referred to as Disciplines and form the backbone of supernatural identity.

Disciplines allow you to perform magical feats, summon ancestral might, heal the dying, crush enemies, or transcend time and space. They scale in power as your character grows, and each use draws upon your Power Pool.

5.1 What Are Disciplines?

Disciplines are ranked powers (● to ●●●●●) that unlock escalating effects:

● Novice: The first glimmer of power. Small but useful.
●● Trained: You can now manipulate the discipline with control.
●●● Skilled: Powers affect groups or major targets.
●●●● Mastered: Your will alters reality through this domain.
●●●●● Ascended: Near-mythic expression of supernatural command.

Each Discipline is tied to your race, Concord, bloodline, or magical legacy. You begin with a few at creation and may learn more through XP and story events.

5.2 Power Types and Action Economy

Disciplines fall into three main usage types:

You can only use one active power per round, but may use passives and one reflexive as well, if circumstances permit.

5.3 Using Disciplines in Play

To activate a power:

Declare which power you’re using and how it fits the scene.
Spend Power Points from your pool as required.
If needed, roll using the appropriate pool (often Attribute + Skill).
Describe the visual or spiritual effect, magic in Seyruun is always cinematic.

Example: A Fae with Dreamweave ●●● may roll Charisma + Occult, spending 3 Glamour to pull someone into a waking illusion.

5.4 Power Pools (Fueling Abilities)

All powers are fueled by your Power Pool, the race-specific energy resource that reflects your mystical core.

You start with 20 Power Points
Powers typically cost 1 to 10 points to activate depending on level
Once your pool reaches 0, you cannot use supernatural powers until it is restored
Recovery is done through roleplay (see Section 6)

Reminder: Each race has its own unique Power Pool name, theme, and recovery method (Divinity, Wishfire, Draconic Reserve, etc.).

5.5 Learning and Advancing Disciplines

Disciplines are not learned casually, they are often unlocked through:

Character creation
Race-locked progression
Concord or racial group rank advancements
Tutors, ancient relics, or divine encounters
Major XP investment

Example: Raising Flameheart from ●● to ●●● would cost 3 × 7 = 21 XP.

Storytellers may reduce cost or remove XP requirements entirely for players who unlock powers organically through exceptional roleplay or prophecy-based events.

5.6 Custom Disciplines and Paths

In Seyruun, every supernatural character may eventually awaken their unique power path, a 10-rank tree that reflects their divine ancestry, curse, soulbound gift, or personal legend. These are not standard Disciplines. They are one-of-a-kind trees, unique to each character, developed through story and purchased through large XP milestones.

This system rewards long-term development, thematic depth, and narrative commitment. Each tree is written collaboratively between the player and Storyteller team and becomes a legacy of that character's journey.

5.6.1 What Is a Custom Tree?

A personalized progression path from ● to ●●●●●●●●●● (1 to 10 dots)
Reflects your character’s unique divine, infernal, or mystical evolution
Powers are thematic, powerful, and non-transferable (no one else can learn them)
Serves as an extension of your myth, not a combat tree alone

Examples:

A dragon knight whose fire becomes a sentient avatar at Rank 6
A fae who weaves the memories of others into curses
An undead oracle who births prophecies as whispers from her own bones

5.6.2 Gaining Custom Trees

You do not start with your custom tree.

To unlock one:

Reach at least 30 XP earned (cumulative, not spent)
Submit a concept pitch to the Storyteller team
Work with a storyteller to design the theme and 10 ranks
Complete a pivotal narrative moment that justifies unlocking Rank 1

Once unlocked, the first dot becomes available for XP purchase. From that point on, the tree is yours to grow through story and experience.

5.6.3 XP Advancement Structure

Each rank is purchased individually. Advancement is costly and meant to be narratively paced, not rushed.

Note: XP cost must be paid in full. No skipping. Advancement must also meet narrative conditions approved by staff.

5.6.4 Design Guidelines

When writing your tree with a storyteller:

Stay tightly themed (e.g., flame, stars, blood, dreams, ash, iron, grief, chains, light)
Each rank should feel like a deeper descent or ascension
Passive powers, toggles, and active abilities can be mixed
No cross-race or cross-tree poaching. This is your soul path, and yours alone.

Approved trees will be stored in your character’s sheet and may appear in the Codex for historical reverence (but cannot be copied or inherited).

5.6.5 Mythic Legacy

Characters who reach Ranks 9 and 10 will:

Become figures of prophecy
Have lasting effects on major cities, cultures, or realms
Inspire or oppose future player arcs
Gain narrative immunity to mundane challenges (though not divine or magical ones)
Risk their own humanity, soul, or consciousness in the process

Your custom tree becomes your signature. It is your legend. Invest wisely, narrate deeply, and let the myth unfold in fire, ink, or blood.

5.7 Power Use and Narrative Cost

Powers are never flavorless. Every time you activate one:

The world may change
NPCs may respond
The Veil between realms may shimmer
Light, shadow, music, or emotion may accompany it

Supernatural acts are felt. Using powers in a quiet tavern will draw eyes. Using it in the middle of a political summit could trigger major consequences.

Discretion, subtlety, and planning often determine how your powers are perceived.

6. Power Pools and Recovery

In Seyruun, supernatural power is not a static force or passive gift. It is a living essence, tied to identity, tradition, and action. Every character from a supernatural race possesses a Power Pool, a finite reservoir of energy used to activate Disciplines, perform rituals, and channel their unique abilities.

Unlike traditional mana or spell slots, these pools are deeply thematic, tied to a race's origin and story. They do not regenerate passively. To regain energy, players must engage in roleplay that reflects their mythos and nature.

6.1 What is a Power Pool?

A Power Pool is the core supernatural resource for every non-human race in Seyruun. It fuels:

Racial Disciplines
Custom Powers
Ritual Magic
Unique racial effects

Power is expended each time you activate a supernatural ability. Once depleted, your character is cut off from their mystical potential until it is recovered through approved means.

6.2 Power Pool Mechanics

Every supernatural character begins with a Power Pool of 20 points
Power Pool costs vary by ability (1 to 10+ depending on strength)
Pool size can be increased through XP, Merits, rituals, or rare story events

Increasing Power Pool Capacity

Power Cap

Unless stated otherwise by Storyteller approval, Power Pools may not exceed 100 points. Some races (Dragons, Warforged) may break this limit temporarily.

6.3 Race-Specific Power Pools

Each race has its own named Power Pool with a unique recovery method:

Power Pools by Race

6.4 Recovery Methods

Power does not regenerate naturally. Players must engage in thematic roleplay to restore energy. Some abilities restore partial amounts, but full recovery requires meaningful action.

Examples by Race

Aasimar: Meditate before an IO altar or heal without reward (restore 5–10 Divinity)
Lycans: Complete a hunt under a full moon with the pack (restore 10 Rage)
Vampires: Feed on a mortal with emotional resonance (restore 5–15 Blood Pool)
Djinn: Fulfill a contract or twist a wish into a consequence (restore 10 Wishfire)
Dwarves: Forge a sacred item or work tirelessly (restore 7–10 Forgefire)
Warforged: Power down and calibrate in a leyline workshop for 4+ hours

Storytellers may offer recovery in narrative scenes. Cooldowns may apply depending on the act.

6.5 Power Depletion Consequences

When a character’s Power Pool hits 0:

They cannot use any supernatural abilities
Passive effects may flicker, fade, or malfunction
They may suffer roleplay consequences (fatigue, instability, emotional breakdown)
Some races experience Disconnection Effects when empty:

6.6 Temporary Pool Gains

Some relics, rituals, or effects may grant temporary bonus points above your max pool. These must be used within 24 hours or 1 scene, or they vanish.

Examples: Divine Favor (+10 pool for one battle), Blood Rite (+5 to next casting)
Temporary points are tracked separately and always used first

6.7 Power Pool Strategy and Roleplay

Managing your pool is a critical aspect of gameplay. Consider:

Saving power for key moments
Seeking recovery scenes between missions
Sharing recovery methods with your group (e.g., Moonwells, Cathedrals, Haunts)

You are not just playing a stat. You are breathing the rhythm of your people’s power.

7. Health, Damage, and Defense

In Seyruun, a character’s Health represents their physical integrity, while Defense reflects their ability to absorb or mitigate harm. Combat is dangerous, and even the strongest can fall when outmaneuvered or overwhelmed. This section defines how Health, damage, and Defense interact within the game system.

7.1 Health Points (HP)

Every character has a pool of Health Points (HP) representing their physical vitality.

Base Health Formula:

10 + Stamina Score
Some Races, Merits, or Powers may increase this further.

Examples:

A human with Stamina 2 has 12 HP.
A dragon with Stamina 3 and a racial bonus of +5 has 18 HP.

HP can increase through:

Stamina increases (+2 HP per dot above 1)
XP investment
Racial bonuses or supernatural enhancements
Concord/Faction rank advancements

7.2 Damage Types

Seyruun uses three levels of damage, ranging from superficial to fatal. The severity determines how quickly a character can recover or how difficult it is to survive.

Damage Hierarchy (Lowest to Highest):

Bashing
Aggravated
Lethal (most dangerous)

7.3 Taking Damage

The attacker rolls damage dice (as determined by the attack or power).
The defender rolls a Defense Check (see 7.5) if able.
Subtract the number of Defense successes from the total damage.
Apply remaining damage to HP.

7.4 Death and Incapacitation

When HP reaches 0:

Special Disciplines, spells, or rites may prevent death, stabilize characters, or resurrect them, but they often come at cost.

7.5 Defense System (Replacing Soak)

Defense rolls are used to reduce or absorb incoming damage.

Defense Roll = Fortitude + Armor + Shields + Racial Bonuses

Each success = 1 point of damage mitigated.
Fortitude is the primary stat for Defense.
Some supernatural beings may gain bonus dice when resisting damage from specific types (e.g., undead vs. necrotic, dragons vs. fire).

Armor Ratings:

Light Armor = +1 Defense Dice
Medium Armor = +2 Defense Dice
Heavy Armor = +3 Defense Dice (but may reduce Reflex or Dexterity)

Example:
A vampire attacks Pyre with a hellforged blade (deals 6 lethal). Pyre rolls 5 Defense Dice (2 Fortitude + 2 Armor + 1 racial trait) and gets 3 successes. She takes only 3 damage.

7.6 Healing and Recovery

Healing depends on damage type and the character’s nature.

First Aid:

Requires Int + Medicine
1 Success = Stabilize or restore 1 HP
3+ Successes = Heal 2 HP or prevent death

Supernatural Recovery:

Rites, Concord blessings, or class-based Disciplines can restore larger amounts of HP but may require:
- Power Point or Willpower cost
- Rites, moonlight, soul focus, or relic activation
- Downtime for regeneration scenes

7.7 Wound Penalties (Optional Rule)

As HP drops, you may suffer penalties.

Storytellers may implement this to heighten tension, especially in elite combat scenes or PvP duels.

7.8 Special Cases

Some Races alter the normal damage or healing rules. Examples:

Undead take normal damage from Aggravated, but rarely from Bashing.
Warforged must be repaired, not healed.
Fae take double damage from Cold Iron (Lethal, bypasses Defense).
Aasimar regenerate faster in holy ground or under moonlight if within a Concord.

8. IO Blessings and Inner Resolve

IO Blessings represent your inner flame, the divine breath that grants you clarity of purpose, spiritual resilience, and the will to defy darkness. Every living soul is touched by IO in some form, even if only as a faint ember. For the divine-born, these blessings may flare brightly. For the broken or corrupted, they may flicker dangerously close to extinction.

Mechanically, IO Blessings function as a combination of Willpower and spiritual reserve. They are spent to fuel moments of supernatural clarity, resist domination, and maintain focus under extreme duress.

8.1 What Are IO Blessings?

IO Blessings represent:

Emotional conviction
Mental discipline
Inner light or darkness
Resolve in the face of fear or temptation

They are used to:

Gain an automatic success on a dice roll
Resist fear, domination, corruption, or manipulation
Push through trauma, injury, or divine pressure
Break supernatural influence or illusions
Fuel certain Disciplines, Rites, or Concord powers

8.2 Starting and Maximum IO Blessings

All characters begin play with 5 IO Blessing Points
The maximum cap is 10 for most characters
Certain Merits, Racial Abilities, or Narrative Events may raise this cap
IO Blessings are tracked as a pool that refills only through specific conditions

8.3 Spending IO Blessings

You may spend 1 IO Blessing Point per turn to:

Add 1 automatic success to a roll (before or after rolling)
Resist a supernatural effect (e.g., mind control, curse, compulsion)
Act normally for one turn when physically impaired (e.g., stunned, dying)
Ignore wound penalties for a single round
Maintain composure or clarity when experiencing visions or trauma

Important: Spending an IO Blessing should always reflect roleplay. It is not a casual resource but a reflection of your soul’s resistance to entropy.

8.4 Recovering IO Blessings

IO Blessings do not regenerate passively. They must be earned through roleplay, reflection, and spiritual milestones.

Optional Recovery Sources:

For Aasimar: Prayer beneath moonlight or at a Concord Sanctum
For Vampires: Resisting the Beast during a frenzy
For Warforged: Recalibration at an Assembly node or divine forge
For Fae: Satisfying a complex pact without deception
For Humans: Demonstrating heroism, creativity, or sacrifice

These are examples. Storytellers may reward IO Blessings based on dramatic roleplay or milestone achievements.

8.5 Traits That Interact with IO Blessings

Some powers, Merits, or effects may:

Cost additional IO Blessings to use (high-tier miracles or wardings)
Trigger automatically when IO Blessings are reduced to 0
Use IO Blessings as a power activation threshold (e.g., requires 6+ to use)
Lock supernatural powers if IO Blessings are below a certain number

Warning: Hitting 0 IO Blessings

You suffer -1 to all Mental and Social rolls
You are more vulnerable to supernatural coercion
Some beings (e.g., demons, corrupt Aasimar, inquisitors) may sense your spiritual emptiness

IO Blessings are not just points, they are a spiritual pressure gauge for your character’s soul.

8.6 Increasing IO Blessings

Your current maximum must always be tracked on your sheet.

8.7 IO Blessings and Inner Resolve in Roleplay

Characters with high IO Blessings should be portrayed as:

Mentally strong, spiritually centered, and purpose-driven
Resistant to chaos, temptation, or corruption
Often seen as inspiring or unshakable

Characters with low IO Blessings may:

Doubt themselves
Be vulnerable to despair, addiction, or infernal influence
Suffer emotional instability or lose faith

Use this resource to portray growth, failure, and redemption.

9. Experience and Advancement

In Seyruun, character growth is not tied to levels or static class paths. Advancement emerges from narrative achievement, spiritual transformation, and meaningful contribution to the world’s living story. Characters grow as they change, suffer, triumph, or defy fate.

Experience Points (XP) represent this evolution. They are awarded for storytelling impact, creative contribution, and spiritual or personal growth. XP allows characters to improve attributes, skills, Disciplines, Power Pools, IO Blessings, and even forge new legendary powers.

9.1 Gaining XP

XP is awarded by Storytellers and Moderators for active participation in the game world. It is not a grind-based reward, but a narrative recognition of growth and impact.

XP must be logged in the player’s approved character sheet or XP tracker. Storytellers may adjust or supplement rewards based on effort, influence, or impact.

9.2 XP Spending Table

Characters may spend XP to increase their capabilities. All increases must be justified in-character, either through training, vision, transformation, or spiritual evolution.

Note: XP costs apply to the new level being purchased.

Example: Raising Charisma from ●● to ●●● = 3 × 4 XP = 12 XP

9.3 Unlocking Custom Power Trees

Each character may unlock one personal Custom Power Tree, representing their mythic evolution or soul-forged path. These trees have 10 Ranks, each representing a major transformation, miracle, or unique divine resonance.

Costs to Unlock a Personal Tree:

Rank 1: 10 XP (and ST approval)
Each subsequent Rank: 10 XP × Rank (e.g., Rank 5 = 50 XP)
Unlocking requires:
- Narrative milestone (e.g., defeating a nemesis, binding a relic, revelation)
- A roleplay submission explaining the transformation
- Staff review and approval

This system allows characters to grow into legends and prophets whose power reflects story, not archetypes.

9.4 Advancement Rules and Limits

XP cannot be spent during active combat or in the middle of a major scene.
Training or narrative explanation must accompany mechanical increases.
Certain traits (e.g., IO Blessings, Power Pools, Custom Tree Ranks) are gated behind story or approval.

Characters should earn growth through merit, sacrifice, and spiritual development—not through min-maxing or meta-farming.

9.5 Freebie Points

You get 15 Freebie Points at character creation to customize your sheet.

Freebie Costs:

Attributes = 5 per dot
Skills = 2 per dot
Disciplines = 7 per dot
Backgrounds = 1 per dot
Willpower = 1 per dot
Merits = Variable (Flaws give more points)

Freebies allow you to lean into your story concept early and differentiate yourself from others.

9.6 XP Awards Best Practices

Storytellers are encouraged to reward:

Risk-taking
Deep personal character moments
Sacrificial acts
Creative world-building
Contributions to racial groups, Concords, or political factions
Emotional vulnerability and dramatic failures
Player-led plot arcs and recurring engagement

XP should reflect not just success, but struggle and change.

10: Freebie Points and Character Customization

At creation, each character in Seyruun receives 15 Freebie Points to further personalize their mechanical identity. These points reflect early blessings, hidden talents, ancestral echoes, or the character’s alignment with fate, trauma, or divine resonance.

Freebie Points allow you to enhance your concept from the start, filling gaps in your background or reinforcing traits tied to your character’s early destiny.

10.1 Using Freebie Points

Freebie Points do not regenerate and are only spent during character creation. Leftover points may not be saved or converted later.

10.2 Gaining Additional Freebie Points through Flaws

Players may select up to 7 points worth of Flaws during character creation to gain additional Freebie Points.

Flaws must be approved by a Storyteller.
They must present actual narrative or mechanical consequences.
Race-specific Flaws may also provide extra Freebie Points (e.g., “Luminous Skin” for Aasimar).

Example: Taking 5 points in Flaws grants 5 extra Freebie Points to spend immediately during creation.

10.3 Restrictions on Freebie Spending

You may only purchase Disciplines from your racial set at creation.
- Other Disciplines or Custom Trees must be unlocked in play.
Attributes cannot exceed 5 dots at creation (even with Freebie Points).
Custom Merits, Artifacts, or Personal Trees must be submitted separately for approval before Freebie Points can be applied to them.

10.4 Recommended Freebie Strategies by Concept

These suggestions reflect roleplay potential rather than optimization. Seyruun rewards story-driven design over stat stacking.

10.5 Final Notes on Customization

Freebie Points represent the final breath of creation, the moment your soul steps into the tapestry of Seyruun.

Make sure your choices:

Reflect your character’s backstory
Build toward a theme or arc you plan to explore
Create space for future evolution, surprise, and challenge

Once your Freebie Points are spent and your character is approved, you step onto the world stage, your light, shadow, and fate will guide what comes next.

11. Racial Groups, Lineages, and Factions

In Seyruun, ancestry is more than blood. It is a legacy. It has a purpose. It is a reflection of the divine, the elemental, the infernal, or the forgotten. Whether born from IO’s flame, the echo of ancient stars, the dust of the forge, or the wounds of death, every race in Seyruun carries within it a deeper social structure, a lineage of identity, myth, and communal memory.

These Racial Groups are called by many names: Concords, Circles, Clans, Cults, or Courts. While each is culturally unique, they share a common mechanical and narrative structure within the game system.

11.1 What Is a Racial Group?

A Racial Group is a formalized subculture or legacy tradition within a specific race. It may be a noble bloodline, a religious order, a secret cabal, a militant forge-cult, or a spiritual kinship. Racial Groups are:

Made of 3+ player characters of the same race or subtype
Bound by shared philosophy, ancestry, or supernatural purpose
Tied to narrative, political, or mystical goals
Approved by staff and tracked for gameplay purposes

Racial Groups are not optional flavor, they are recognized power bases that grant real rewards, unlock custom content, and shape Seyruun’s living history.

11.2 Official Racial Group Structures

Here is the canonical list of Racial Group names by race, used throughout Seyruun:

Each name reflects that race’s cultural approach to identity and power. For example:

A vampire “Clan” is a blood-bonded network of shared curses.
A warforged “Assembly Work” is a master-crafted production lineage.
A fae “Triune Crown” may serve an eternal Queen, a Crown of Masks, or a seasonal ritual.

11.3 Forming a Racial Group

To create a group:

Minimum 3 characters of the same race (or deeply tied variant).
Submit a Group Sheet to Staff including:
- Group Name, Motto, Emblem
- Core Tenet or Goal (e.g., protect the ley lines, restore ancestral purity)
- Founding Members
- Optional Rites, Traditions, or Oaths
Host at least 1 recorded in-character scene as a group
Staff will review and approve group for mechanical tracking

Once approved, you are considered an Official Group, eligible for all benefits and integration into global lore.

11.4 Benefits of Group Registration

These benefits grow as your group evolves. A group of 3–5 can become as influential as a noble house if they play consistently and meaningfully.

11.5 Rules for Group Growth

Racial Groups earn rank through consistent roleplay, XP investment, political influence, and contributions to the world. These ranks grant increasing benefits to the group and its members.

You may only belong to one Racial Group at a time, unless special narrative exceptions are made.
Groups must show continued activity. Inactive groups may be archived after 2 months of no scenes.
Players may form splinter factions, but doing so often creates in-character tension, wars, or social consequences.
Faction wars, betrayals, or internal politics must be resolved through roleplay unless they disrupt server harmony.

11.6 Example Racial Groups in Play

Example 1: Aasimar Concord – Dawnbinders

Motto: “Every light rekindled is a star remembered.”
Goal: Cleanse Avalonian corruption from sacred ruins.
Members: Healers, Judges, and Prophets.
Bonus: Cleansing light grants +1 damage against cursed targets.

Example 2: Vampire Clan – The Thorned Vein

Origin: Descendants of Genevivia’s rebel brood.
Practice blood rites tied to prophecy and ancient betrayal.
Their lair in Obraxus pulses with ancestral hunger.

Example 3: Dwarven Clanforge – Embersteel Kin

Devoted to crafting relics that hold fragments of dead gods.
Rites include weapon consecration, oath-forging, and sacrifice of gold.
Runed anvils increase success chance for all masterwork crafting rolls.

11.7 Roleplay Potential and Narrative Leverage

Racial Groups are narrative nuclei, not just stat blocks. They offer:

Roleplay depth tied to ancestry and belief
Home bases, temples, or strongholds
Prophecy fulfillment or divine judgment
Political negotiation, rebellion, or defense
Cultural survival in the face of Avalonian expansion

In Seyruun, no race stands alone. The power of legacy is real, and what you build may echo through the stars.

12. Custom Power Trees – Ascending Your Unique Path

In Seyruun, every character carries the potential to become more than their origin. Beyond racial Disciplines or bloodline gifts, players are encouraged to build their own Custom Power Tree, a 10-rank progression path that reflects their character’s personal growth, legacy, or metaphysical journey.

Custom Trees are designed to be unique expressions of a character’s story. They represent legendary skills, divine awakenings, arcane mastery, or supernatural influence that no one else shares.

12.1 What Is a Custom Power Tree?

A Custom Power Tree is a player-created progression path unique to one character. It consists of 10 unlockable ranks, each granting a specific bonus, effect, or transformation.

These Trees are:

Exclusive to the character who created them
Progressed through XP purchases (not levels or story alone)
Reflective of narrative choices, spiritual alignments, or ancestral awakening
Verified and approved by Staff to ensure balance and lore consistency

A Tree can be thematic (e.g., “Path of Hollow Mercy”) or functional (e.g., “Chronomantic Ascension”).

12.2 Tree Structure and Format

Every Custom Power Tree has the following:

Each rank must include:

A mechanical bonus or passive effect
A narrative flavor or symbolic change
Approval from the Storyteller team

12.3 Advancement and XP Costs

Custom Trees use XP as the advancement method. Each rank must be bought in order and cannot be skipped.

Rank 5–10 are rare mythic ranks, limited globally due to their scale and impact. Players seeking to ascend past Rank 4 must submit a formal Ascension Application detailing:

Narrative justification
Impact on other players or the world
Past contributions to server roleplay
Proposed mechanics or transformations

12.4 Power Types Allowed

Custom Trees may grant:

Passive bonuses (e.g., +2 dice to Diplomacy with nobles)
New supernatural abilities (flame breath, dreamwalking, blood singing)
Unique effects tied to locations, bloodlines, or emotions
Temporary transformations (wings of light, mistform, draconic skin)
Invocation of spirits, echoes of past lives, or IO's breath
Arcane disciplines flavored through divine ancestry or shadow pacts

They cannot grant:

Immunity to all damage
Permanent resurrection
Global-scale power shifts without ST involvement
Auto-successes without cost
Effects that nullify another player’s agency

12.5 Crafting Your Tree – Guidelines

To build your Custom Tree, work with the following format:

Tree Name: “Path of the Frostblood Seer”
Theme: A journey of revelation through frozen time and ancestral ice
Trigger Event: Survived a vision of the Pale Future inside the Icelost Monastery
Final Title: “Oracle of Shattered Snow”

12.6 What Happens at Rank 10?

Reaching Rank 10 is a server-defining event. It grants:

A permanent Title for your character (e.g., “Stormblade Ascendant”)
Custom Lore Entries added to the Codex and Server Archive
Global NPC recognition and faction shifts
One-time World Impact Scene hosted by Staff (if requested)
Option to mentor or initiate others into your legacy path

Only one player can ever occupy a Rank 10 slot at a time. If you reach it, your story becomes part of the world's permanent myth.

12.7 Optional: Shared Legacy Trees

Two or more players may work together to create a Shared Legacy Tree, a 10-rank path tied to a faction, family, or race. These trees are:

Thematically bound (e.g., “The Iron Path of Clan Ashforged”)
Unlocked only through membership or rituals
Shared by 3+ members with a unique badge or effect per rank
Can include roleplay-based promotions

These work similarly to Custom Trees but require staff to verify participation and unlocks.

Final Notes on Custom Trees

You may only have one active Custom Tree per character.
If you abandon the path or die, the Tree remains but advancement halts.
Powers should enhance your roleplay and reflect your choices, not replace mechanics or dominate others.
Use your Tree to tell your story. Let each power be a sentence in your legend.

Game System

Narrative First

d10 Dice Pools

Difficulty Ratings

Action Economy Simplified

Key Resource Stats

Dice Pools and Success Mechanics

1.1 Building a Dice Pool

1.2 Rolling Dice

1.3 Botching

1.4 Opposed Rolls

1.5 Extended Rolls

2. Combat

Combat and Action Resolution

2.1 Combat Rounds

2.2 Types of Actions

2.3 Attacking

2.4 Damage Types and Resolution

2.5 Damage Rolls

2.6 Defending Against Damage

2.7 Health Tracking

2.8 Recovery and Healing

3. Attributes and Skills

In Seyruun, every character is defined by a combination of innate qualities (Attributes) and learned capabilities (Skills). These form the backbone of your dice pools for all rolls and determine how your character interacts with the world, physically, socially, and intellectually.

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3.1 Attributes

Attributes are divided into three categories, each with three core traits. At character creation, players distribute points based on their concept and prioritize one category over the others.

3.2 Skills (Abilities)

Skills represent the talents, professions, and training your character has acquired. They are also grouped into three categories and used with Attributes to form dice pools.

Skills range from:

● = Beginner (basic knowledge)

●●● = Competent professional

●●●●● = Mastery, divine technique, or legendary expertise

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3.3 Attribute + Skill Rolls

All mechanical rolls follow the same structure:

Dice Pool = Attribute + Skill

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Example: To calm a frightened animal, roll Charisma + Animal Ken

Example: To decode ancient prophecy, roll Intelligence + Lore

Example: To dodge an attack, roll Dexterity + Reflex

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These are flexible and narrative. The Storyteller determines which Attribute + Skill combination is appropriate based on the action.

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3.4 Specialties

At character creation or through XP, players may take Specialties—narrow focuses within a Skill. If a Specialty applies to a roll, you may reroll one failed die.

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Examples:

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Melee (Polearms)

Rituals (Celestial Binding)

Subterfuge (Court Intrigue)

Lore (Old Elysian Empire)

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Specialties should enhance roleplay and mechanical nuance. A Skill must be at ●●● or higher to gain a Specialty.​​

4. Defense Mechanics

4.1 Calculating Your Defense

4.2 Applying Defense in Combat

4.3 Defense Limitations by Damage Type

4.4 Modifying Defense in Combat

Summary: Defense vs. Damage Flow

In Seyruun, every supernatural being, whether divine, infernal, elemental, or engineered, possesses powers that reflect the legacy of their race, ancestry, and mystical influence. These abilities are referred to as Disciplines and form the backbone of supernatural identity.

Disciplines allow you to perform magical feats, summon ancestral might, heal the dying, crush enemies, or transcend time and space. They scale in power as your character grows, and each use draws upon your Power Pool.

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5.1 What Are Disciplines?

5.2 Power Types and Action Economy

5.3 Using Disciplines in Play

5.4 Power Pools (Fueling Abilities)

5.5 Learning and Advancing Disciplines

5.6 Custom Disciplines and Paths

5.6.1 What Is a Custom Tree?

5.6.2 Gaining Custom Trees

5.6.3 XP Advancement Structure

5.6.4 Design Guidelines

5.6.5 Mythic Legacy

5.7 Power Use and Narrative Cost

6.1 What is a Power Pool?

6.2 Power Pool Mechanics

Increasing Power Pool Capacity

Power Cap

Specialties should enhance roleplay and mechanical nuance. A Skill must be at ●●● or higher to gain a Specialty.

10.5 Final Notes on Customization