Outlander
Often labelled as an outsider by city dwellers, you’ve spent your entire life in Outlander enclaves and outback communities, far from the comfort and technology of the subterranean cities. Your survival depends on a keen understanding of nature, tracking game, navigating uncharted wilds, and finding shelter in the harshest territories. While many Subbies see your ways as uncivilised, you’ve witnessed wonders they can scarcely imagine. You’ve journeyed to remote places teeming with strange creatures, occasionally venturing into the city to trade before returning to the wilderness you call home.
The frenetic pace of subterranean corridors holds little appeal, yet you adapt when necessary—slipping into underground markets to barter before returning to your element aboveground. Free from the confines of The Settlement, you thrive in untamed spaces, proving that being deemed “wild” often conceals a depth of resourcefulness and courage that Subbies rarely understand.
“Subbies” - those who live deep underground in The Settlement.
Why should I play one?
- The wilds of the outland are a dangerous place and whilst it’s a foreign land to some, it’s where you are from.
- You are a survivor who doesn’t need tech to get things done.
- Your team will need your outland training and fighting if they are to travel around the wilds and live.
Bonus Trait: +1d Physique
Starting skill package (choose one)
Boonie The quintessential Outlander born and bred in isolation. Living away from The Settlement, they're the embodiment of survival and resilience. These individuals are more than just residents of remote communities; they're the guardians of natural wonders that lie far from the beaten path. With an innate understanding of the land and its creatures.
- Archery (d6)
- Armed (d6)
- Survival (d6)
- Animal Handling (d4)
- Perception (d4)
- Stealth (d4)
Roamer The Roamers are the wanderers of the world, the embodiment of freedom and self-reliance. These nomadic souls drift from place to place, carrying their lives on their backs. The road is their home, and every new horizon brings a fresh adventure and new tales to tell.
- Archery (d6)
- Athletics (d6)
- Survival (d6)
- Perception (d4)
- Intuition (d4)
- Medicine (d4)
Bushranger Echoing the tales of old, the Bushranger is a figure shrouded in both infamy and reverence. Living on the fringes of Outlander society, they walk the thin line between banditry and militant defiance. These rugged individuals are survivalists with a cause, whether they're fighting against perceived injustices or simply seeking their own version of freedom.
- Archery (d6)
- Armed (d6)
- Survival (d6)
- Athletics (d4 )
- Munitions (d4)
- Perception (d4)
Choose a Punter
Choose one from the list below, or see the extended Example Punters list and pick one of those with GM approval.
- Bandit
- Outlander Merchant
- Outlander Cop
- Smuggler
Tradecraft
| Tradecraft | Description |
|---|---|
| Beast Master | You have an animal companion that obeys your commands |
| Ranger | Reroll Survival (must take result of second roll) |
| One Of Us | Fits in with outlander society, even if they talk strangely |
| Trapper | Make traps from the environment |
| Holistic Armourer | Making weapons and armour from the environment |
| Quick Shot | Fire an extra arrow per attack with a bow |
Tradecraft Descriptions
Beast Master
Actions: Passive
As an Outlander, your affinity for the wild extends to forging a unique bond with a creature of the wilderness. You become the trusted companion to an animal. Whether a hawk soaring overhead or a dog padding at their heels, this bonded beast becomes more than just a pet; it becomes an extension of the Outlander's very spirit.
Choose a Companion: Choose one creature of small size (Threat Level 1) like a bird or rodent, or a more robust medium-sized animal (Threat Level 2) such as a loyal dog. This becomes your bonded companion, forever linked by trust and shared purpose.
Unwavering Loyalty: Your companion is unfailingly loyal, responding to your commands whether they are verbal, gestural, or a mix of both. Complex commands are seamlessly understood, negating the need for Animal Handling checks under normal circumstances.
Death and Renewal: Should your companion fall, the bond may take time to heal. During downtime, you can seek out a new creature to form a bond with, though the process can take several sessions (determined by your GM). No skill checks are required.
Trade Secrets:
Independence: Your companion gains the autonomy to act on its own initiative, allowing you to concentrate on other actions while still overseeing its movements. This independence signifies a mutual trust and understanding, ensuring that your companion can make decisions in your best interest without direct commands.
Modifier: The animal acts on its initiative, freeing you from spending an action to issue commands while maintaining control over its actions.
Operant Conditioning: Recognising the potential within your companion, you dedicate time and effort to its development, elevating its capabilities and Threat Level. This progression mirrors the deepening of your bond and is achieved through dedicated training during downtime, utilising Advancement Points in a manner akin to acquiring new Tradecraft.
Modifier: With each increment in Threat Level, pick one new ability from the Creature Ability table from any level not exceeding the creature’s Threat.
Things to Note:
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No Mystic Whispers: This partnership is built on trust and rigorous training, not telepathy. The animal understands your intent, not your thoughts.
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Trainable, not Aggressive: Remember, your bonded companion is a tamed creature, not a feral monster. While skilled and ferocious, their loyalty lies with you, not unchecked aggression.
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The choice of animal should reflect the Outlander’s environment, with the GM having the final say on the suitability of the creature. While typically native to your surroundings, exceptional or unusual animals could be considered. The chosen animal must naturally be trainable and display no aggression towards you.
Ranger
Actions: Passive
Embodying the quintessential essence of a Ranger, your expertise lies in harmonising with the natural world. Your adeptness in wilderness survival is unparalleled. Whenever you roll a failed Survival skill check, you can choose to reroll one of the skill dice. You must accept the second result. This applies to the raw skill check itself, not any linked Trait dice rolls. Even if your Trait roll succeeds but the base skill check falters, you can still call upon Nature's guidance.
Trade Secrets:
Warden: Your bond with the wilderness enhances your abilities to remain unseen and alert in the natural surroundings. As a guardian of the wild, your heightened sense and adept camouflage techniques make you a silent observer and a ghostly presence outside the urban areas.
Modifier: +1 dice to Stealth and Perception rolls when not in towns or cities.
Herbalist: Leveraging your comprehensive knowledge of flora and the healing secrets it holds, you bolster your foraging skills and enhance the efficacy of natural remedies. This expertise not only aids in gathering useful plants but also in using them to tend to the wounds and illnesses of yourself and allies.
Modifier: +1 dice to Foraging knack. Your knowledge of natural remedies aid in your patients' recovery from wounds and sickness. (See Natural Remedies under Healing).
One Of Us
Actions: Passive
As an Outlander, you've mastered the subtleties of the Outland way of life, making you a familiar presence in these tight-knit communities. Knowledge of Outlander customs, dialects, and unspoken codes allows you to blend in seamlessly. Where strangers might be met with suspicion or outright hostility, you find a more welcoming reception. This acceptance extends to your companions too, as long as they're in your company.
However, tread carefully; your actions carry weight. Any hostility or betrayal on your part won't just harm your current standing; it could tarnish your reputation across the Outlands. Remember, news travels fast in these parts. While this Tradecraft doesn't guarantee friendship, it opens doors to negotiation, trade, and perhaps even a safe haven for the night. It's a bridge of trust, albeit a fragile one, between you and the often guarded Outlander communities.
Trade Secrets:
Skald: You have earned the unique privilege to partake in the wisdom and tales of the Outlander elders and storytellers. This connection to the community's heart and history affords you rare insights into the Outlands’ mysteries, from clandestine trails and enigmatic beasts to secrest of ancient provenance.
Modifier: Access to invaluable knowledge and lore. Opening pathways, revealing hidden aspects of the Outlands, legendary creatures, and ancient secrets.
Bush Telegraph: Your reputation as a trustworthy and respected individual precedes you in the Outlander communities. This esteemed standing enhances your interactions, making negotiations and trade significantly smoother. Your integrity and honour recognised among the Outlanders, lend weight to your words and transactions.
Modifier: +1 dice to Mercantile (Trade) and Persuade (Negotiation) with Outlander communities.
Trapper
Actions: Full
In the heart of the wilderness, you have honed the art of creating traps from the environment itself. With your Survival skill, you can construct an array of traps, ranging from simple pits and snares to more intricate spiked traps. Your expertise extends to mechanical traps too, like rabbit and dingo traps, though it excludes explosives or overly complex devices. Each trap you craft is a testament to your ingenuity and understanding of the natural world, turning the terrain into an ally against any who dare trespass.
Modifier: Small and medium sized targets can be trapped in this manner. No Survival skill check is required to successfully construct your desired Trap, however a skill check roll is required to conceal the trap when setting a trap for those above animal intelligence.
Example Traps: Simple Snare, Spring Snare, Tripwire, Deadfall, Large Game, Pit, Spike Pit
Trade Secrets:
Poison Ivy: Extend your mastery over the natural world to include the crafting of natural poisons. With a keen eye and detailed knowledge of local flora and fauna, you can harvest and concoct potent toxins that add a lethal edge to your traps. This trade secret not only exemplifies your versatility but also amplifies the deadliness of your creations, making each trap not just a deterrent but a potentially fatal encounter.
Modifier: Utilise your Survival skill to gather materials and prepare natural poisons, enhancing the effectiveness of your traps with deadly toxins.
Ambush Predator: Elevate your trapping abilities to target and incapacitate larger threats. This extension of your skills signifies not only an increase in the scale of your traps but also an enhanced strategic depth, allowing you to take on more formidable adversaries with confidence. Your preparedness and tactical acumen make you a force to be reckoned with in any wilderness setting.
Modifier: Your trapping techniques have evolved to enable the capture of large targets, broadening the scope and application of your traps.
Holistic Armourer
Actions: Full+
Your resourcefulness shines in the post-apocalyptic wilderness, where you have become a connoisseur of creating holistic armour from scavenged materials. Your Survival skills are not just about enduring the elements but also about transforming them into protective gear. Successfully rolling against a target number allows you to forge armour, enhancing your and your allies' chances of survival.
Roll your Survival skill check against a target number of 4
- On a successful check, you find sufficient material equivalent to 4 armour points.
- Each critical success you achieve adds another 4 armour points.
Crafting Time
Foraging: One hour scouring your environment for usable materials.
Crafting: One hour of crafting time per 4 armour points assembled.
he environment can be scavenged only once for materials, and the harvested resources are directly used to construct new armour pieces, repair existing holistic armour without surpassing its original armour points, or divide the resources among multiple units.
Limitations:
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The process and materials are time sensitive and perishable, due to the fact that they need to be worked on straight away and cannot be stockpiled for future crafting.
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The armour created is basic, starting at level 0, and does not support additional enhancements or technological augmentations.
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Repair Sprays are ineffective on holistic armour due to its lack of encoded molecular data necessary for nanobot repair.
Trade Secrets:
The following trade secrets can be taken multiple times (maximum of 4).
Fortifier: Your craftsmanship has evolved; your hands now weave superior defences from mundane materials. What once was makeshift has become markedly more resilient under your touch, reflecting a blend of skill and survival instinct that turns the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Modifier: Grants +1 Armour Points in addition to Survival skill roll.
Quick Crafter: Time is a luxury in the harsh climes you navigate, and your efficiency in armour crafting reflects this urgency. Your ability to swiftly gather materials and fashion them into protective gear is unmatched, significantly reducing the window between vulnerability and security.
Modifier: Decreases the total crafting time by 30 minutes.
Quick Shot
Actions: Full
Since your earliest memories, the bow has been more than a weapon; it has been an extension of yourself, singing the ballads of your prowess and precision. With time and relentless dedication, you have refined the art of the Quick Shot, allowing you to unleash arrows with a rapidity and finesse that few can match.
With each attack action, your skilled hands deftly draw and lose an additional arrow, as natural as breathing. This secondary attack can be directed at a different target, provided they are within your line of sight and the same firing arc. However, standard penalties for targeting multiple adversaries in one action still apply.
Using the Aim action prior to attacking will give a bonus to the first shot only.
Trade Secrets:
Quick Quiver: Your relentless training and deep connection with your weapon have culminated in the elimination of the typical penalties associated with dividing your focus on the battlefield. With Quick Quiver, your arrows find their marks with unerring speed and efficiency, allowing you to engage multiple targets without the usual detriments.
Modifier: Nullifies penalties incurred when targeting an additional adversary with your Quick Shot.
Bullseye: Elevating your aiming capabilities to new heights, Bullseye ensures that when you take a moment to focus, both of your released arrows carry the full weight of your concentration and skill. This trade secret signifies a pinnacle of archery mastery, where each targeted breath and narrowed gaze amplifies the lethality of your dual shots.
Modifier: Extends the Aim bonus to both arrows fired under Quick Shot.