Ambushes and surprise

Usually, adventurers and GM characters notice each other at the same time. In remote, dark places, the existence of light sources is immediately noticeable at a distance. Sometimes, however, combat begins with an ambush.

Adventurers

When an adventurer sets up an ambush, use the rules of the Vigilance action (p. 120). You’re making a statement that says, “When X happens, I’m going to do Y.” For example, “When I see an intruder, I’ll ring the warning gong,” or “When the bandits walk into the room, I’ll shoot the first one.” This action is automatically successful. Afterwards, the Challenge begins as normal.

GM characters

Sometimes the GM’s characters will have the opportunity to ambush you.

When ambushed, the adventurer closest to the ambush in the marching order tests Cups. If successful, they raise the alarm before the ambush occurs. A Challenge begins as normal. If unsuccessful, the entire guild is surprised.

If you are surprised, each GM character takes an action before the Challenge begins; the action is automatically successful and doesn’t require a card to be played.

GM characters prefer tactic 1 to tactic 2, and tactic 2 to tactic 3.

TACTIC 1: CREATE AN ADVANTAGE

The GM characters make sure the battlefield is to their advantage. Examples include:

• Yell a warning

• Collapse the bridge

• Lock the door

• Set the tapestry on fire

TACTIC 2: DEPRIVE ADVENTURERS OF RESOURCES

The GM characters try to get the upper hand over the adventurers. Examples include:

• Disarming an adventurer

• Extinguishing their torches

• Filling the area with web

TACTIC 3: SHANK THE ADVENTURERS

The GM characters sucker punch the guild. Each attacker deals 1 Wound, but each individual adventurer can only be attacked once.

Special rules

As the GM sets the scene, they tell the players if anything in the scene has special rules.

The GM might set special rules for the scene based on the position of the combatants relative to the guild. Are they in zones near, far, or obscured from you?

For example:

• Is the elvish assassin darting between the ancient trees?

• If so, missile attacks against the assassin suffer disfavor.

• Are the imps hanging off of the giant idol like monkeys?

• If so, the imps cannot be attacked with shorter weapons; only polearms and missile weapons can be used.

• Is the fat monk hiding in his empty barrel?

• If so, the players won’t be told about the monk until they are in the same zone and can see down into the barrel.

The GM might also declare that certain elements of the scene—like traps or hazards—need special rules to navigate. For example:

• A bladed pendulum might require a test of fate to move past.

• A pit trap might be leapt by taking the Dash action.

• A chasm may only be descended safely if a rope is used.

Example scene

Consider a fight aboard a ship. As the GM sketches out the scene, they demarcate the following zones and special rules:

Zone 1 is the rigging.

• To move into this zone, you must spend a Pentacles card and have both hands free.

• Missile attacks from the crow’s nest have favor because of your superior perspective.

• If you are hit while in this zone, discard a card to test Pentacles. If you fail, you fall onto the deck (zone 5) and take a Piercing Wound.

Zone 2 is the poop deck.

• There are no special rules for the poop deck except that making too many jokes about the poop deck will cause the GM to throw chips at you.

Zone 3 is in the water.

• If you fall into the water, you automatically drop whatever is in your hands. You will drown unless you choose to shrug off your pack. Everything in your pack is lost.

• If you fall into the water wearing metal armor, you will drown unless rescued.

• It is a miscellaneous action to throw one of the ropes from the deck to a drowning character.

Zone 4 is atop the forecastle.

• There are no special rules about the forecastle.

Zone 5 is the main deck.

• This zone contains a winch that controls the anchors of the ship. It is a miscellaneous action to use this winch.

• This zone contains the steering wheel. It is a Cups action to steer the ship purposefully.