Bleak Forest

Actions and Diminishing Returns

A turn can be tactical (a 6-second round in an encounter) or strategic (a Watch of travel, exploration or other activity).

• Tactical turn: you get one Move action, one Standard action and one Reaction (see Action Economy).
• Strategic turn: you get one action.

You can push yourself to take more actions than that, but each extra one builds up strain as Mishap dice. Each further action becomes harder, and any failure becomes more severe. This is called Diminishing Returns.

Four actions per turn is the maximum from all sources combined. Additional attacks within one Standard action follow the Multiple Attacks steps instead of this table. For how Mishap dice are held, rolled and cleared, see Mishaps and Misfires.

Mishaps and Misfires

Mishap dice build up when you push yourself or when an action goes wrong. You gain them from Diminishing Returns and from some Conditions and effects. They stay with you until cleared: a Recovery (1 Tick) clears 1 Mishap die, and a Short or Full Rest clears all of them.

When to roll. Roll on a Mishap table when any of the following happens:

• Natural 1 on a Corpus or Anima skill check: roll on the Skill Mishap table.
• Any failed Spiritus skill check (Conjuration, Mysticism or Occultism): roll on the Magical Misfire table. Exception: a failed Healing check rolls only on a natural 1.
• A failed skill check after your first action in a tactical or strategic turn: roll on the Skill Mishap table, unless the check was a Spiritus check, which uses the Magical Misfire table instead.
• Taking a second alchemical item before the first expires: roll on the Magical Misfire table.

How to roll. Roll 1d6, plus 1d6 for each Mishap die you hold. Sum the dice and read the result on the table. A natural 1 on the triggering check adds 1 more die. Never roll more than 3 dice. The more dice you roll, the more severe the likely result.

Magical Misfire

Magic is a fickle thing, even for those trained in the arts. It has unforeseen consequences, and those exposed to it for long often bear its mark.

Corruption

Corruption is the mark left by persistent arcane use. Magic is not safe and the Bleak Forest is not forgiving of those who use it without cost. Each time the Magical Misfire table sends you here, something is permanently added to the weight you carry. It compounds. It does not rest.

The Corruption Pool

Each character has a Corruption Pool, beginning at zero dice. The pool works exactly like the Danger Die: it is a pool of d6s that grows with exposure, and the more dice you roll, the worse the probable outcome.

Every time a Magical Misfire result directs you to roll Corruption:

• Add 1d6 to your Corruption Pool permanently. The pool never clears from rest, Short Rest, or Full Rest.
• Roll all dice in your Corruption Pool and sum the result.
• Consult the Corruption table for the sum. Apply the effect immediately.
• Maximum pool size is 4d6. If your pool is already at 4d6, do not add another die — roll 4d6 and apply the result.

Corruption Table

Roll your Corruption Pool (all dice, sum all results) and read the sum below. Sub-effects that require a d6 roll use a single die. All other checks and saves use d20 as normal.

Reducing the Pool

The Corruption Pool never clears fully. Once a die is added, it is part of you. Three things can remove a die from the pool — the pool can never drop below 1d6 once the first die has been added:

• Major Challenge success: remove 1d6 from the pool. A spiritual reckoning is one of the few forces in the Bleak Forest that can pull something back from the arcane.
• 3rd Order Healing Arts (Restoration): remove 1d6 from the pool. This can only be applied once per Recursion.
• Recursion (death): remove 1d6 from the pool on entering the new life. The body resets; the arcane debt does not fully. A pool of 4d6 enters the next Recursion at 3d6.

The Corruption Pool carries forward into Beyond the Bleak Forest: Hail Three Wyrd Sisters. A caster who exits the forest at 3d6 does not arrive in the world beyond clean. What the forest marked, the road inherits.

Skill Mishap

Skills can backfire under pressure. Roll on the Skill Mishap table when you roll a natural 1 on a Corpus or Anima check, or fail a non-Spiritus skill check after your first action. Roll as described under Mishaps and Misfires.

Encounter Procedure Reference

Use this reference when a Danger or Dread result, Special Event, Omen, scenario, or another rule introduces an immediate encounter. If the encounter type is not already specified, roll on the appropriate encounter table. Establish approach distance and visibility, determine surprise and disposition, choose an approach, and roll initiative only if action order becomes important. Resolve the encounter through social action, stealth, flight, pursuit, combat, submission, or its specific procedure, then complete Encounter Aftermath and Return.

• Roll on the Danger Die table
• If an Encounter is indicated:
  • check if you have surprise
  • roll on the appropriate Encounter table
  • check for target’s Disposition
  • check for initiative (1d6 + Anima modifier; you win ties)
  • choose action: Combat, Parley, Hide, Flee, Ruse, or Submit
  • begin actions
• If a Special is indicated, roll on the Special Table

Encounter Actions

When characters encounter others, be it monsters or NPCs, there are a few courses of action available

1. Notice: Make an opposed Anima check for each party. The higher score gains surprise and acts first
2. Initiative: Roll d6 + Anima modifier; highest total acts first (ties: you go first)
3. Parley: Attempt to communicate with the encountered party for the purpose of trade, move peacefully through the area, or convince the party to join you
4. Hide: Only possible if cover is available. Attempt to use stealth/Anima check to move through the area undetected and avoid conflict
5. Flee: Attempt to break contact and avoid hostilities. Resolve all flight and pursuit using Pursuit and Evasion in the Travel chapter. Apply the current distance gap, mode of movement, terrain, and weather modifiers.
6. Ruse: Attempt to bribe or steal from the other party. Failure results in opponent’s disposition immediately becoming hostile.
7. Combat: Hostile action ensues
8. Submit: Attempt to appease the other party and avoid hostilities. Make an Anima check (Difficult 16). On a success, forfeit all loot and pass through. On a failure, hostilities continue. The other party may also surrender to avoid a fight, letting you pass, often at the cost of treasure or equipment.

Surprise

Make an opposed Anima check for each party. The higher score gains surprise and acts first.

Initiative

Simple: Roll 1d6 and add your Anima modifier. The higher total acts first. On a tie, you act first. This uses the same rule as Combat Initiative. For a dynamic pitched battle, optionally re-roll at the start of each round.

Complex: Optional (tactical): re-roll Initiative each round. Each party rolls d20 + Anima modifier; highest acts first that round. Ties go to you.

Parley

When you meet a creature or NPC and don't know their attitude, roll two six-sided dice (2d6): 2–3 Hostile; 4–6 Wary; 7–9 Curious; 10–11 Friendly; 12 Helpful. Check the table below:

• Hostile creatures will attack if they pass a Morale save or try to hinder the players if they fail. 
• Wary creatures will deceive or hinder you if they pass a Morale check, or avoid you if they fail.
• Curious creatures will be Wary or Friendly depending on your approach to them. Determine your intent (friendly, neutral, or hostile).

Friendly approach: make a Guile check (d20 + Anima modifier + Guile rank) against Average (13). On a success, roll 1d6: 1–4 the creatures are Friendly, 5–6 they are Helpful. On a failure, they are Wary.

Neutral approach: roll 1d6: 1–3 the creatures are Wary, 4–6 they are Friendly.

Aggressive approach: roll 1d6: 1–4 the creatures are Wary, 5–6 they are Hostile.

• Friendly creatures are kindly disposed and will help if it costs them little: sharing information, answering questions and giving directions. They won’t endanger themselves for you, but may offer cover if it doesn’t put them at immediate risk.
• Helpful creatures give whatever aid they can, even at some cost to themselves. They may offer food or healing, lead you to the nearest safe spot, or shield you from Hostile pursuit. If suitably enticed, there is a 1 in 6 chance they will travel with you.

In addition, there are two other reaction categories that are not normally able to be altered except by exceptional skill or magical means:

• Devoted creatures are completely dedicated to the target of their devotion. They will go to great lengths to aid their ally, even risking life and limb to do so.
• Inimical creatures are completely incensed and/or unable to be reasoned with. Creatures with this disposition are always hostile and will seek to attack. Usually these are creatures of an alien/demonic/undead origin and/or lack any means of reasoning. Creatures in this category will attack until incapacitated, subdued, or killed. Only through specialized skill or magic, can this reaction category be altered.

Encounter Behaviour Table by Demeanour (d20)

Introduction:
This table provides solo players and GMs with a quick way to randomly determine encounter behaviour based on demeanour. Roll 1d20 and consult the appropriate row.

How to Use:

1. Determine the demeanour (Hostile, Wary, Curious, Friendly, Helpful).
2. Roll 1d20 and consult the corresponding cell.
3. Narrate the behaviour as the encounter’s opening move or attitude.
4. Adjust for context (creature type, location, your actions).

Hide

Only possible if cover is available. Attempt to use stealth/Anima check to move through the area undetected and avoid conflict

Flee

Not every encounter is worth fighting; live to fight another day! Fleeing is resolved as discussed under the Pursuit and Evasion rules in the travel section.

Ruse

A Ruse is an attempt to bribe, deceive, or steal from an encountered party before hostilities begin. It is not available once combat has commenced. Resolve a Ruse as an opposed Anima check: both parties roll d20 and add their Anima modifier; you also add your Guile skill rank if you have it. The higher total wins. On a victory, the bribe is accepted, the deception succeeds, or the theft goes unnoticed — determine the exact outcome based on narrative logic. If the outcome feels genuinely ambiguous, roll 1d6: on a 1–3 the worse reasonable outcome occurs, on a 4–6 the better one does. On a failure, the encountered party immediately becomes Hostile and initiative is rolled; the failed Ruse costs any goodwill already established. On a critical failure (natural 1 on your roll), the enemy also gains surprise and acts first in the ensuing combat.

Combat

Once hostilities commence, combat has been enjoined. Both parties make an Initiative Check to determine who acts first: roll 1d6 and add your Anima modifier. The higher total acts first. On a tie, you act first. Initiative is fixed for the encounter unless a special ability specifies otherwise.

Morale

When an enemy is reduced to 0 Vitality it must make an Anima save (d20 + Anima modifier vs. Average (13)) or flee. In a group encounter, make an Anima save (Average 13) when:

• a group of opponents takes its first casualty
• a group suffers half their losses.

Attack

To attack, roll 1d20 against the target’s BAM! and add any relevant attribute, skill, magic, and situational modifiers, such as advantage, cover, or range. If no BAM! is listed, use Average (13).

Most encounters grow harder with your Degree of the Road. In Escape the Bleak Forest, use Average (13) with 0–1 Locked attributes and Difficult (16) with 2–3. Degree scaling begins in Hail Three Wyrd Sisters.

Individual creatures may have a higher or lower BAM! than this baseline, as listed in their stat blocks. Advantage and Disadvantage, skills and magic can modify it further.

Modifiers:

Cover

Attackers are at a Disadvantage to attack when the target has cover as follows:

• Moderate Disadvantage (shift BAM! up one step) for ¼ partial cover,
• Major Disadvantage (shift BAM! up two steps) for half cover
• Extreme Disadvantage (shift BAM! up three steps) for ¾ cover

If not otherwise specified, assume the base to attack is Average (13) and apply the Disadvantage for the cover.

Darkness

Actions that rely on visual perception, including targeting or foraging, are performed at Extreme Disadvantage (shift BAM! up three steps from current difficulty) unless supported by enhanced senses, magic, or psionics.

Dual Wielding

A Master Combat character with Adept Multiple Attacks Focus can attack with both weapons, but the off-hand attack takes Moderate Disadvantage (one step), making dual wielding viable but introducing meaningful trade-offs rather than eliminating the penalty entirely.

Multiple Attacks

Each attempted attack per round after the first is made at disadvantage as follows:

• Moderate Disadvantage (shift BAM! up one step) for the Second Attack,
• Major Disadvantage (shift BAM! up two steps) for the Third Attack
• Extreme Disadvantage (shift BAM! up three steps) for the Fourth Attack

Note: four attempts per round is the maximum attack attempts from all sources combined. This includes Dual Wielding, Multiple Attacks, Quick Shot, and any special abilities. In addition, any failed attack roll past the first in a round gives the opponent a tactical opening: they may either gain Moderate Advantage on their next attack against you, or disengage one range band without triggering a free strike. This choice is made immediately and represents the enemy capitalising on your overextension. Note on Diminishing Returns: the escalating disadvantage penalties defined here (Moderate for 2nd attack, Major for 3rd, Extreme for 4th) are the definitive penalty track for attack sequences. Mishap dice accumulate normally for other actions taken on the same turn but do not stack with or replace the Multiple Attacks penalty progression.

Two handed fighting:

When you wield any melee weapon with both hands (including one-handed weapons held in two hands), you gain +1 on damage rolls. You cannot use a shield while fighting two-handed. Two-handed weapons (battle axe, two-handed sword, spear, etc.) always benefit from this bonus as they require both hands by nature.

Rest and Recovery

Rest and recovery are a necessary part of the adventuring life. How long you rest decides how much you recover. In the Dead Forest and Bleak Forest you cannot rest without setting a guard. Elsewhere, resting without a guard raises the danger (see Danger Die › Resting without a guard).

Recovery is a short pause to gather your wits and regain some composure.

• Recover 1 Vitality per Tick (10 minutes) of undisturbed rest.
• Each Tick of Recovery clears 1 Mishap die.

Short Rest is one Watch (4 hours) of minimal, undisturbed activity.

• Recover all Vitality.
• Clear all Mishap dice.
• Clear 1 Fatigue marker.

Full Rest is two Watches (8 hours) of minimal, undisturbed activity.

• Recover all Vitality.
• Clear all Mishap dice.
• Clear all Fatigue markers.
• Heal 1 point of each damaged attribute. For example, a character who has lost both Corpus and Anima recovers 1 point of each.
• Most spell effects, harmful or helpful, end unless noted otherwise.

Recovering from Conditions depends on their severity:

• Minor Conditions end once their duration passes or healing is applied.
• Moderate Conditions drop to Minor once their duration passes or healing is applied.
• Severe Conditions drop to Moderate once their duration passes or healing is applied.
• Extreme Conditions are permanent unless magical healing is applied.