Beta ManuaBetaManualv11.pdfl v 11

8/12/2019 Beta ManuaBetaManualv11.pdfl v 11

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CRONEBeta Test Manual v 1.0

Copyright 2013, CRONE RPG

Not for Sale or Publication

NOTE: The contents of this manual and other materials of this Beta Kit do not represent the

finished quality, content, or product of Crone.


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Chapter 1 - IntroductionCrone is a game about witches, wizened old women who wield vast magical power. These

witches dont build gingerbread houses or eat naughty children - well... mostdont. Instead, they

travel the land, going on adventures, visiting ancient ruins, fighting powerful monsters, and trying

their best to bring hope back to a world that has almost forgotten it.

Roleplaying in a Nutshell

Crone is played by sitting around a table with a couple of your friends and telling a story together.

This manual is written from the perspective that you, the reader, will act as the Game Master, or

GM, while the rest of your friends take on the role of the individual witch character that they

have created. As the GM, youll act as a sort of emcee, explaining the rules of the game, building

the game world, and controlling any characters in the story not controlled by the other players. If

that sounds a bit daunting, dont fret! Weve worked hard to make Crone easier to run than your

average role-playing game - but of course, just as fun.

Crone is more than just a story - its also a card game. The cards represent the spells and

abilities available to your characters. Well talk more about them later, but what you need to know

is that they guide you into the raw mechanics of how the game works, instructing on the

physics that makes the game run.

What Youll Need

First off, you will need a few friends. The game works with as few as just two people, one player

and a GM, but per usual, the more, the merrier. Chances are, the group of friends you can get

together on a Saturday night without making a big to-do is the right number for you to play with.

Next, youll need pencils, paper, and dice. You only need the standard six-sided dice you find in

most board games, so it shouldnt be too hard to scrounge up at least three, though more is

usually better. Aim for three per player.

A set of cards will also be necessary. As this is only the beta version you will want to download

and print out at least one full set of encounter and character cards before your friends come

over.

Finally, youll want something you can use as tokens. These can be anything, really. Pennies,

glass beads, poker chips, or whatever you like, so long as they are small and plentiful.

We also recommend having some standard three by five index cards on hand, as well as a

stack of sticky notes. Snacks are also good.


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The Setting

Introduction

[ In character background / lore goes here]

The world of Crone is similar to our own around about the year 500 CE, about half of a century

after the fall of the Roman Empire. A mighty empire called The Imperiate that once controlled

the entire world has only recently crumbled to dust, brought down by its own greed and excess.

Now, the world is ruled only by anarchy and a few scattered barbarian tribes. Strange and terrible

monsters lurk in the woods, while peasants huddle together in ramshackle villages. The written

word, science, and safety are things of the past.

In this new and terrible world, the only force holding some semblance of society together is the

Crones. These powerful elder witches travel from town to town, village to village, followingmysteriousportents that guide them on their tasks and objectives. Wherever these Crones go,

they are sure to meet danger and intrigue as they attempt to keep the peace and restore what

has been lost.

Uncertain Past, Uncertain Future

A central theme of Crone is uncertainty. The characters exist in a world where the written word

is a thing of the past, communication has broken down, and history is more legend than fact.

What this adds up to is that the canon of Crone is extremely mutable. While we put forth some

ideas in this manual for how to explain the events and the world of Crone, keep in mind that, inkeeping with its theme, this information is not 100% certain, even within the context of the game.

So if you read something in this manual that does not mesh with your concept of the game or

how it should be played, feel free to discard, change or add something completely new.

Our World

The world is a wide, dangerous place much of it is untamed wilderness, scattered with small

pockets of civilization, huddles of people brought together in fear of the unknown. In the north

stand the high, snow-capped mountains, fiercely guarded by thanes and kings whose families

have ruled since days of old. Proud and savage warriors, these people never bent to the

Imperiate's will, and their mountain strongholds remain unconquered.

In the south sits the remnants of an empire, a smattering of feuding princedoms and city-states,

clinging to the southern sea and the rich trade it once provided. Fertile lands and teeming trade

markets make these few cities ripe targets for the barbarian hordes, and the princes and doges

of these cities learned quickly to build their walls strong and high.

In the east are the Far Lands, bordered off by mountain ranges and treacherous desert.


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Occasionally travellers come here from those distant lands, not so different from ourselves, but

many carrying new and fascinating ideas from their homelands.

And to the west, the Great Sea, stretching off into the horizon, and presumably to the very ends

of the earth.

In the center is where we make our home: the Endless Forest. Once broken and crossed byImperiate roads and outposts, the forest has overcome nearly all civilization. Now only ruins and

trees remain. Of course, the forest is not truly endless. Hills, bluffs, rivers and valleys all roll

through our land. This is where we have carved out our villages and towns the few protected

and defensible areas where we can feel some modicum of safety. For the forest is full of only

darkness and terror. Strange beasts, twisting paths, and unknown, implacable magic calls the

forest home. Mostly these forces keep to themselves unless threatened or impinged upon, but

woe be to the poor villager who wanders off into that alien domain. Suffice to say that they won't

be coming back.

Our History

It is said that when the world was young, forces of sorcery and magic ruled all of mankind.

Wizards, sorcerers, and other mage-kings held towering cities, gleaming in impunity and glowing

with radiant splendor and power. The mages - men and women - fought bitterly with great,

crashing spells or construct armies more machine than man. No one knows exactly how "The

Culling" came about, but many teach that it was the hubris and pride of mages that brought it

down upon them.

The Culling. With a great and deafening crack, nearly all magic was driven from the world. The

arcana that held cities and empires aloft crumbled into dust and the immortal magi of oldreturned to the earth. Some say these old magi are still with us as mad gods, rumbling beneath

the ground.

Into the world came the Kings of Old mortal men who commanded barbarian hordes and carved

their fledgling and pagan kingdoms from the forest. It was in this time, it is said, that the crones

first began to walk the earth. They were ancient and wizened women who had caught some of

the retreating magic of the world whether by blood, fate, or divine right, it is unknown. Learning

from the fate of the magi, these witches lived in secrecy and seclusion, seeking neither power

nor influence, but neither bestowing their gifts and wisdom upon their mortal neighbors.

The Imperiate rose to prominence nearly a millennia ago, coming from the south bearing metal

armor and arms, marching their legions in drilled formations, and driving the kings of old from

their lands. They brought their gods, claiming divine right to rule all of creation. In their pride, they

built temples and outposts, seeking only to control, to consume, and to dominate.

So too, did they bring their hatred of witches and magic, and in it the seeds of their own undoing.

None now can say for certain what caused the Imperiate to crumble into the dust. Maybe they


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simple overextended themselves, their lust for wealth and power at last outpacing their grasp.

Some say they were brought low by internal power struggles behind the closed doors of their

painted villas. Only the crones know the truth that they, in response to the Imperiate's

murderous inquisitors, at last destroyed the final emperor and opened the floodgates for the

current chaos that envelops the world.

Now, the world is enveloped in bedlam and brutality. Say what you will about the empire, but they

built cities and aqueducts they wrote literature and studied the sciences. Now, all that has been

burnt by barbarian torches, and only fear and ignorance remain. Every crone today is driven by

the guilt of their actions. No longer can they sit idly by and let humanity fall into the throes of

extinction and despair. No - the present is our responsibility, a responsibility that the portents will

not let us put aside until the world is set on the right course once again.

Your Past

You weren't always a crone. After all, you didn't spring from the earth a withered old hag. No, youcame mewling into the world like any other babe. Maybe you were always different maybe you

were a perfectly normal child. Some say all witches are marked from birth - by blood, by destiny,

by magic. It doesn't particularly matter. Shortly after their twelfth year, most future witches begin

to hear the portents call to them, or experience some other magical phenomena. Maybe you

were lost in the forest one day, or were set upon by terrifying nightmares and visions. In any

case, the portents drew you in and saw to your education. Maybe they guided you to your

mother or grandmother, so that they could teach you the family business. Maybe the signs bid

you travel to a distant village, or deep into the forest, so that you could study under the wisdom of

a true and ancient crone. Or, maybe the portents themselves taught you all you needed to know,

whispering spells and hidden arcana to you in your dreams. Hopefully, they did enough.Hopefully, you will be ready.

Most young witches are untrained and unproven, and few can muster more than a few weak

incantations. Many live simple lives and hide the study and practice of their craft. Some marry

and have children. Some live the entire first half of their lives without even hearing the call of the

portents or leaving the humble village of their birth.

But once a witch lives past about her fiftieth year, all that changes. Power courses through her

veins, and her magic truly becomes limitless. The portents become undeniable, and sometimes

violent, if they have to. Crones are compelled to pack their things, leave their homes, and wander

the world at the behest of the portents. They join circles, right wrongs, and slay beasts. Most go

just a little bit mad. Some lose their grip on reality altogether. Some rule, some serve. Some

conquer, some mend. Whatever a crone's destiny, one thing is certain: There is no simple life

and no going back. The fate of the very world is now in your hands.


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Witches in the World

Few are stupid enough to cross a crone. Doing so invites disaster, even for the mightiest kings.

Out in the world, all witches are commonly regarded with some mixture of fear and respect.While most townsfolk will live their entire lives without ever meeting a witch, they've heard

stories. And everywhere you go, the stories are pretty much the same.

Never turn an old woman from your door or deny shelter to a stranger. Many witches

have been known to view such inhospitable behavior as a capital offense.

Never cross a witch. No charms or trinkets, no prayer or song, will protect you from her

wrath.

Never fail to aid a witch, as the rewards they bestow are beyond your imagining.

Not all people follow this wisdom, of course. Some are suspicious of witches, or even doubt thattheir powers even exist. Most crones take it upon themselves to educate such simple-minded

folk.

Occasionally, a particularly reckless or remote village will think to burn some poor girl for the

crime of witchcraft. It should go without saying that the witches these villagers put to the

flames are nothing of the sort, or else there would be many more villages populated exclusively

by talking frogs or charred corpses. It should be noted that burning witches is generally frowned

upon by real crones, and a village found to have committed this sin is liable to be wiped clean off

the face of the earth.

Witches cannot be completely unguarded among mere mortals, however. For while not even an

army of men can hope to defeat a witch in battle, many a cunning man may try to trick witches

into doing their bidding. A dangerous ruse, of course, as the wrath of a witch who finds herself

fooled is often-times as swift as it is brutal.

In the days of the Imperiate, their enchanters and inquisitors often put real crones to the torch

with aid of their so-called gods and false magic. Truth be told, no one knows what remains of the

old empire, and there may yet be old brotherhoods of inquisitors still prowling the earth for

witches to set aflame...

Witches in the WildernessFor most people, a trip into the forest means a quick and brutal death. However, crones tend to

be more resilient. The forest and the beasts that live there tend to "feel" the presence of witches,

and are driven away in fear.

But, there are things in the woods that fear nothing, not even a crone: Ancient, rumbling things

buried beneath ruined temples enormous, abominable creatures that crunch the bones of


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Chapter 2 - Playing the GameWhile Croneis a story, it is also a game, and every game has rules, though these rules are

really more like malleable guidelines. While we believe our rules offer a great way to play, if you

find something that works better than whats written, feel free to use it! Cronewas designed to

be a solid game, but it was also designed to be a flexible one. Consensus determines the rulesof this game, not this book.

Character Cards

Every player begins the game with a character card. (Character creation will be covered in

another chapter.) Every character begins the game with six things: a name, a class, attributes,

initiative, health, and skills.

Each character has four basic attributes, listed below.

Strength, which determines the physically capability of the character

Dexterity, which determines their maneuverability Intelligence, which determines their ability to think on their feet

Willpower, which is the characters raw force of personality and charisma

Each of these attributes ranges from 0 to 3. Thought a zero sounds like a character has no

capabilities, in fact it means that they are on par with most people. A three means that they are

about three times as strong, fast, intelligent, or charismatic as the average person, depending

upon the attribute in question.

Skills determine the specialized training that the character has received. Maybe she knows a

thing or two about plants, or maybe she is a master of sword and shield. Again, skills range fromzero to three, where zero simply means that your character has no special training and knows

about as much about the topic as anyone else.

Initiative and Health are used primarily in combat, and they determine what the character can do

in a combat situation and how much punishment they can take, respectively.

Finally, each character card has a health tracker. Players can move indicators along this tracker

in order to keep tabs on their health as it rises and falls during combat.

Playing a Witch

As mentioned earlier, Crone is a role-playing game (or RPG), which means that the game is

played by creating a character and playing out their role. The GM sets the stage for the game,

controlling non-player characters (NPCs) and determining the outcomes of any actions the

players take.

One of the unique things about most role-playing games is that players can have their

characters attempt to do anything they like: negotiate with a dragon, knock down a mountain, or


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Combat

While most of Cronecan be played using the simple 3d6 versus TN mechanic described before,

occasionally, the game will switch over to Combat Rules. These rules are meant to help keep

battles fast, easy, and fun.

Player

When combat begins, each player searches all the cards in their possession (called the

Character Deck) and draws five cards, plus the Minor Action card. These cards constitute the

players Combat Hand, and are usable in the upcoming battle. Next, each player rolls a 1d3 and

takes that number of initiative tokens, unless the GM specifies otherwise.

Example:

Michelles character, Helle has six cards in her character deck. Michelle takes five of the six

cards from her character deck and also the minor action card. This is now her Combat Hand.

Next, she rolls a 1d3 and gets a 2. She asks the GM to pass her 2 initiative tokens.

GM

The GM draws a number of cards from their Encounter Deck equal to the number of players,

plus 2. They then set their Health and Initiative for this encounter (see Running An Encounter)

Playing Cards

At the beginning of each round, the GM will draw their cards and play them face-down on the

table in front of their intended target. Once the GM has completed their turn, the players turnbegins.

The players may discuss their cards and strategies during this phase. Each player may play any

number of cards as long as the total Initiative Cost of all the cards played is not higher than

their Initiative. Note that players may discard initiative tokens in order to boost their Initiative for

one turn on a one-for-one basis.

Example:

After briefly discussing with her fellow players, Michelle decides now is a good time to lay down

some hurt. She plays two cards, Reave and Longsword. Reave costs 4 initiative and

Longsword costs 2 initiative, bringing her total initiative cost to 6 for this turn. As her current

initiative is only 3, she must discard 3 initiative tokens to bring her initiative up to 6 to match the

total initiative cost of the cards played.


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[Example Text]

[Example Diagram]

[sidebox] Side Rule: Initiative tokens may only be played when players place their cards

on the table, unless a card states otherwise. They cannot be played once the GMs cardsare revealed.

Narrative Action

While the mechanical effects of all cards are being resolved, players narrate the actions of their

characters, describing the spells they cast and the attacks they land. The GM joins in

occasionally, describing the effects that the players have had upon their enemies and any

actions that their foes have taken.

Clean-Up

Finally, all player cards not still in play are returned to the individual players hands and the GMreturns his played cards to a reshuffle pile. When this pile is exhausted, it is shuffled back into

the Encounter Deck. Once the table is clear, the round is over and a new round of combat

begins from the Playing Cardsphase. Combat continues in this way until the GM is drained of

their health, someone flees the battle, or all of the GMs cards are discarded.

To recap:

Combat Overview The GM plays their cards face-down

The players play a number of cards such that the total initiative cost does not exceedtheir characters initiative

Players flip over their cards and resolve them, determining success and failure

The effects of all cards are determined

The players and the GM narrate the action of the round

Player cards are returned to their hands, and the GM puts their cards into a reshuffle pile

The previous steps repeat until the GM is drained of health, someone flees or all the GMs

cards are discarded


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Death and Dying

Witches are notoriously difficult to kill. Short of burning one to ashes and grinding their bones into

dust, there is no way to be certain that a witch will stay dead.

In gameplay terms, what this means is that in the event of a total-party kill, the GM should work

some sort of after-effect into the narrative. Maybe the crones are taken prisoner, or are left for

dead, only to awaken some hours later. Also worth remembering is that, as very powerful

magical beings, crones arent likely to be mortally wounded by anything short of serious threats.

Reaching 0 health in an encounter with non-magical enemies may simply result in

unconsciousness.

If not all of the crones fall, any injured witches should awaken after the battle with a quarter of

their maximum health.

On Health

In most roleplaying games, Health and HP represent abstract concepts rather than actual

physical damage dealt to the characters. After all, it wouldnt make sense in most games for a

character to keep fighting after a flurry of arrows have turned them into a pincushion. But in

Crone, the characters are made of heartier stuff. They can be shot, burned, sliced, stabbed,

crushed, electrocuted and still keep fighting with the same ferocity as before. In other words,

dont be afraid to be gory and brutal in descriptions of damage for fear of upsetting the meta of

the game world.

Healing and Healers

Crones heal quickly, as the arcana flowing in their veins helps to keep them alive and breathing.

In gameplay, this means that most crones gain 1d6 health after a short rest, and are returned to

full health after a solid nights sleep.

Most competent healers (i.e., characters with the Healing skill) can quickly return their fellow

crones to full health after a battle, unless pressed for time.

[sidebox] Battle Weariness: If you wish to make battles riskier in your game, consider

adding this rule. Healing works as usual, but after every battle, have the characters

reduce their maximum health by 1d6 to mimic the trauma and weariness gained from the

fight. Stack multiples of this drain for each battle and remove it only after the characters

manage to get a good nights rest.


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Chapter 3 - CharactersIn Crone, all players except the GM create their own, unique character. The purpose of this

chapter is to explain how to create exciting and interesting characters that live and breathe in the

world of Crone.

[Sidebox] Note that you do not necessarily needto create characters in order to play

Crone. There are pre-generated characters included in your copy of the game, which

can be used for the duration, or provide a jumping-off point for your players to create

their own unique characters!

Character Sketch

To begin, have the players take a moment to think about what kind of character they want to play,

and what they want their role in the game to be. Ask them, Do you want to be the kind of witch

who throws herself heedlessly into battle, or do you want to use cunning and schemes to

achieve your objectives? Is your character jovial or stoic? Altruistic or pragmatic? Taking a fewmoments to come up with a brief sketch of a character is always worthwhile.

Class

Classes make up the foundation of characters, but they are not strict definitions. These

description are malleable, as your players do not haveto play these classes as described, but

should take them as a templates to build their own unique witch. For more details on the classes

available for your players to choose from, see page XX.

Abilities

Every class has ten starting ability cards associated with it. These cards represent the magicthat characters bring to battle. In addition to class abilities, characters also have access to

equipment cards. Equipment cards represent the weaponry the players can use in a fight.

Each player chooses a total of five cards for their character at the start of the game. Each of

these cards has strengths and weaknesses, and players may wish to coordinate with one

another to form complementary sets of abilities.

[sidebox] Unlimited Power: At the discretion of the players and the GM, you may choose

to start the game with all abilities and equipment unlocked, so that all ability cards can be

used by a character without first learning the relevant ability during gameplay . Note thatthe five cards during combat rule still applies, and that players may only draw from

their class specific ability cards.


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Skills

Each character has their own skills, talents both innate and learned that help them overcome

obstacles in the game world. Each character begins the game with five skill points, which are

distributed over their skills. Note that no one skill may have more than three skill points invested

in it. For more information on what a particular skill is used for, see the Skills Glossary on pageXX.

[Skill Chart Goes Here]

[sidebox] Skilled in the Ways... It is a good idea to pick some skills that correspond with

the skills listed on the ability cards, as these skills directly influence how useful ability

cards will be during battle.

Reputation

In most RPGs, characters start off as young, wide-eyed adventurers. A fresh slate, if you will. Atthe start of most, if not all, games of Crone, the witches will already be a fairly powerful

magic-users who have lived for at least half a century. It would therefore make sense that each

character has already done a few notable deeds, and acquired a bit of a reputation.

Therefore, it is recommended that your players jot down one or two sentences talking about

what their particular witch is known for, prior to the events of the game. Reputations can be fairly

epic: maybe a witch is rumored to have slain a dragon, or made a pact with a forgotten god?

Reputations do not need to be so grandiose: a witch could simply be famous for her rhubarb pie.

The Benefits of Infamy

At the GMs discretion, character reputations may provide tangible benefits and weaknesses

during the game. These can be as simple as certain characters being friendlier or more

distrustful to hard, mechanical advantages. In general, a reputation should consist of four

mechanical components.

A Soft Bonus. Every reputation should carry some sort of effect that influences how people

and the world around the character react based on the reputation. It does not need a tangible,

mechanical benefit associated with it.

A Benefit and a Penalty. Reputations should offer some hard, mechanical advantage and

disadvantage. Try and balance these together for an overall even effect. You can do this by

placing a condition on the reputations benefit, so that if a player doesnt take a certain action in a

session, in the next session their reputation proves to be a disadvantage.


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Finishing Touches

Now that you have all the raw mechanics of the characters worked out, it is recommended that

the players take a minute to think about their character before jumping into the game. Ask each

player more questions about their character. What are her hopes, her dreams? Her aspirations?

Her weaknesses? What was her life like before she became a witch? These questions, andothers like them, will help your players flesh out their characters and give them more of a

personality.

[Sidebox - Detailed Backstory]If your group likes to give their characters detailed

backstories, consider using this rule. Have each character take a piece of lined paper

and then write down one-sentence answers to the following prompts.

The Maiden: Describe a formative event in your characters childhood or

adolescence.

The Matron: Describe your characters life before she became a crone.

The Calling: How did your character learn that she was a witch? The Teaching: Describe what training, if any, your character had in the ways of

magic.

The Crone: Describe the first act your character performed once she became a

full-fledged Crone.


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AdvancementCharacters in Croneare not static. They grow, they learn, and they become more powerful. Of

course, witches tend to be quite powerful, but for the women of Crone, theres no limit to how

strong they can become!

Experience

Experience, as a concept, represents the cumulative training, knowledge, and insight that a

crone gains during her travels. It is used to make crones more powerful by increasing their skills

and developing their abilities.

Gaining Experience

Experience is gained through interacting with the game-world and completing objectives set forth

by the GM. Usually, the GM displays at least one Quest or Goal card on the table during play.

These cards state the objective that must be completed, and may indicate the reward that the

party will receive for completing the quest.

Using Experience

Experience may be spent in order to increase a characters rank in a specific skill on a

one-for-one basis.

[Example of using experience]

Note: No skill may ever go past Rank 3, though players can always purchase new skills.

Character Goals

In addition to the quests laid out by the GM, players may set personal goals for their characters.

These goals should be appropriately epic and difficult, such as Slay a Dragon or Discover an

Ancient Kingdom. Whenever a player creates a Goal, they should discuss it with the GM so they

may choose to provide a relevant reward for completing that goal. Typically, completing a

Character Goal grants the character +1 to a relevant stat.

[Example of how goals work]


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Gaining New Abilities

Crones may also gain new abilities and equipment during their travels. While any player only

brings five Ability Cards and one Minor Action into battle, the characters arsenal is expandable.

To gain a new ability, players should announce their intention to do so to the group. The GMkeeps track of the ability or piece of equipment each character is working towards, and provides

opportunities during adventures to learn new spells or acquire more equipment. Usually,

acquiring these new cards is no easy feat, and may require taking on perilous quests tangential

to the primary objectives.

[Example of how to gain a new ability]


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Chapter 4 - Classes[This chapter is still to come. Please see Character Cads.pdf for class descriptions]


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Chapter 5 - Encounters

Running an EncounterChapter XXX described the basic mechanics of how combat works, but this section is designed

to delve further into how the GM plays once a battle starts.

The GM have three numbers to keep track of. These numbers vary along with the amount of

players participating. See the table below for a description on calculating the starting values for

each encounter.

[Sidebox - Quick Environments] Forgot to prep some environment cards or simply want

to throw down an encounter in a place you hadnt expected it to come up? You might

want to consider using this rule. Hand each player a sticky note and have them right

down an environment on it. Stick these notes down on the table, and boom! Instant

environments made easy.

Encounter Table

GM Initiative # of Players x 3

GM Health # of Players x 10

Hand Size # of Players + 2

Of course, it would be boring if all encounters had the exact same numbers attached to them. It

is suggested that you add 10 GM health for a harder encounter and subtract 10 GM health for aneasier battle.

[Sidebox]: There are many ways a GM can change the difficulty of an encounter. It is

highly recommended that you experiment with different adjustments to the standard

encounter in order to find styles that work well for you. Some examples include: Starting

with extra or fewer cards on the first turn, creating Environment or Effect cards that

introduce penalties or bonuses for the players.

Resolving Cards

The GM is unique in that the majority of their cards do not need to be rolled to determine their

success or failure they simply take the effect stated on the card unless otherwise countered by

a savvy player.

Pushing an Encounter

If the GM feels that an encounter is moving too slowly, or they want to raise the intensity of

combat, they can Push their Encounter Deck in one of two ways.


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First, the GM may draw extra cards from their deck by spending 1d6 Health per card. If you find

yourself in a position where you're drawn hand doesnt let you play effectively, it is usually worth it

to spend the health to draw one or two extra cards.

Second, the GM may spend Health in order to temporarily boost their initiative on a one-for-onebasis. This comes in handy when you want to bring the fight to an exciting climax, or if you find

yourself just one or two points of initiative shy of a perfect play.

[Sidebox - Know When to Fold Em] An important part of being a GM is knowing when a

combat encounter has worn out its welcome. Its important to recognize when your

players are getting bored and to put a quick finish onto a fight. Dont be afraid to leave a

fight early or burn your health up by Pushing an encounter if it means keeping your

players engaged in whats happening.

Furthermore, if you find yourself badly hindered in a fight by reduced initiative, or half

your deck ends up discarded, it probably means its time to pack it in and have the

players enemies flee in terror!


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Chapter 6 - Sessions

Session CreationAs every GM has their own unique style while running a game, so too do most GMs have their

own way of preparing for a game. Therefore, the intent of these next few chapters is not to lay

down any official rules that must always be followed, but merely to provide suggestions on how

an aspiring GM can adapt their style to the world of Crone.

Setting the Objective

When starting to plan a session, the first thing that needs to be decided is the players main

objective. As a rule, the witches of Crone are not driven by lust for gold or power, and typically,

plunking the characters down in a situation to be left to their own devices will lead to frustrated

players and disappointing gameplay. The GM cannot rely on the players to provide their own

narrative or objectives, at least at the beginning of a story.

Start Epic

In contrast with many other role-playing games, the characters of Crone do not start at a low

point of skill or ability. Instead, they are immensely powerful witches, and the threats they face

and goals they pursue should mirror that power.

Catching common criminals and hunting bandits may be acceptable in other games, but in

Crone they will feel silly and out of place. Any sensible, mundane opponent would flee in terror

the moment they learned they were fighting a witch. To make threats believable they must be

more than mundane.

Look to fairy tales and the legends for inspiration. Think dragons, giants, and other strange

beasts. These are opponents worthy of a crone.

Just This Once

Never do the same thing twice. This may seem obvious, but it bears mentioning that repetition

dulls out a game. If the players keep running into the same enemies or finding themselves in the

same situations, they will quickly grow bored. It is highly recommended that GMs take full

advantage of the organic and flexible nature of Crone, and avoid re-using scenarios, enemies, or

storylines.

Portents of Things to ComeWitches do not typically leave their homes without good reason. As mentioned earlier, they are

guided together by Portents, mysterious signs, visions, and other supernatural phenomena.

These omens may start simply, but should always look towards large, earth-shaking events and

adventures: a child lost in the woods leads towards the awakening of an ancient demon a

murder of crows flying west guides the players towards a marshalling undead army.


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[sidebox- Portent Cards] Portents can be used to quickly and easily hook players into

the action of the game. While the GM will usually give the players a single portent at the

start of play and let the story go from there, it can often be interesting to give the group

multiple portents. If you decide to use this route, write down a few thematic elements of

the current session or objective, things like Betrayal, Madness, or Hope. Then, write a

portent that pertains to each element on a card. Finally, hand a card out to each player.

Its great fun watching players discuss the meaning of portents, not to mention the

A-ha! moment that comes when they realize how aspects of the story tie back to these

initial omens!

Cast of Characters

The primary driving force behind all role-playing games is the characters. Most of the characters

in Croneare not, in fact, controlled by the players. Instead, they are the townsfolk, kings, and

beasts that the GM dreams up. Good characterization of these non-playable characters (NPCs)

can make or break any role-playing game good characters make a world seem more vibrant

and alive. No one wants to play a game populated with cardboard cutouts.

When preparing for a session, it is a good idea to take a few minutes to think about the different

characters that the players may run into over the course of the game. The GM doesnt need to

create an exhaustive backstory for every villager the players might run across and NPCs can be

created on the fly as well as in advance. However, every good NPC needs at least three things:

A Quirk.Something that makes them stand out and become memorable to the players. It

doesnt need to be particularly grandiose or overdone. It could be a scar, a manner of speaking,

a burly mustache or anything else interesting and unique.

An Offer.Most NPCs should have something they can offer the players, especially if the GM is

taking the time to think them up before the session. NPCs can typically offer either advice,

information, or their talents to the players. But, as in life, most things come at a price.

An Objective.Everyone has something that they want. It could be love, wealth, power, or simply

to be left alone. Note that this doesnt necessarily have to be something that they want from the

players it works just as well if they want something from someone else in the game world.

[example NPCs go here]


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Creating Challenges

The life of a witch is seldom an easy one. Fraught with danger and despair, imposing challenges

spring up at every turn to try and foil the machinations of the crones. Some GMs prefer to create

these sorts of challenges on the fly, reacting as dynamically as possible to the players actions.

But whether a GM is creating obstacles in advance or making it us as they go, there a fewgolden rules to follow.

Create Obstacles, Not Solutions. No one likes being told what the right way is to solve a

problem. Half the fun of role-playing is figuring out your own solutions, and half the fun of GMing

is seeing all the creative and unexpected things players do! Dont stifle creativity by designing

challenges with specific solutions in mind. Simply plunk a rock down in the road and step back:

dont tell the players they have to go around it if they want to go through it.

Plug and Play. Its best to create challenges that dont have a set order of events. Dont go into

planning a session assuming that the players will do X, then Y, then Z, because sure enough, theplayers will ignore X, blow Y to smithereens, and then do Q instead of Z. Instead, try to create

interchangeable, dynamic challenges that can be plugged into the story when appropriate.

Unused challenges can always be brought back further down the road.

Play to their Strengths. It may sound counterintuitive, but every challenge the players

encounter should, at least in some way, play to the strengths of their characters. Mind, this

doesnt mean that the challenge should be easy, simply that it should be fair. In other words, if no

one in the party has the Lore skill, dont create answers to riddles written in forgotten languages

on the pages of dusty tomes.

Dont Use Puzzles. Just dont. Puzzles are individual activities, and role-playing is a social

experience. Most groups will not enjoy spending twenty minutes trying to figure out how to push

blocks around a temple in order to unlock a door. If your group does like puzzles, create them

with at least three solutions, one of which is brute force.

[sidebox - Collaborative Details] If your group likes to take a collaborative approach to

storytelling, consider using this rule: Whenever you are called on to come up with some

detail of the gameworld, or answer a question that you werent prepared for, outsource

it! Assign each player a number, and then roll a die. Point to whomevers number you

rolled, and put the question to them. Whats the name of this village? How is thischaracter dressed? Usually, these details wont be particularly plot relevant, but dont

be afraid to use any clever ideas that your players come up with!


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get frustrated if the players rush through something or bypass a planned quest entirely. Instead,

it is recommended that the GM keep one session outline in reserve, some sort of

impossible-to-ignore adventure in case players choose to go around the planned mission.

The Pursuit

A close cousin to the journey, the pursuit consists of a story in which the characters travel inpursuit of and search for a given objective. The objective can be anything, really. A hated enemy,

a world-saving relic, or a lost child. There are many examples of pursuit stories, dating all the

way back to the archetypal Quest for the Grail.

Sitting down to prep a pursuit campaign may seem like a relatively easy task. Simply decide

what the players should be pursuing, give them a good reason to do so, and then set them

loose. However, like in a journey campaign, worldbuilding is essential. Take some time to plot out

a map, give rough descriptions of regions, and maybe jot down a few ideas of what leads or

rumors might cause the players to go there. Again, soliciting ideas for places and regions from

the players is an excellent idea.

In running the game, keep in mind that the players will be expecting clues and guidance in their

quest. The objective in these games is often unclear and the players may often need hints and

guidance in the form of portents. Also keep in mind that there should be flexibility in how options

are presented to the players. Give them the opportunity to follow multiple paths and investigate

different leads.

Session-building should be fairly straightforward. The GM can reliably expect the players to follow

the portents given to them, and the point-to-point nature of the pursuit makes it relatively easy to

plot out the expected course of a given adventure. That being said, it is essential in a pursuit thatthe players feel like they are making real progress. Having their objective constantly elude their

grasp can get very frustrating very quickly, so be sure to always give the impression that the

players are getting closer and closer to their goal.

Players wont always investigate the information provided, and may choose to ignore certain

leads. Be prepared to throw down a quick pre-prepared session that offers an alternative to the

current course of action in the event that the players decide to opt-out. This quick session

should be designed so that it can be dropped into any point of the campaign maybe a short

side-quest or a tangential rumor.

The GuardiansIn many great stories, the heroes find themselves protecting something that they care deeply

about. Their home, their city, their loved ones, and sometimes even the whole world. In guardian

campaigns, the characters take on the role of protectors, guarding and safekeeping something

of great importance. Classic examples of guardian stories include XXXXXX

Preparation of a guardian campaign begins with selecting what the characters will be protecting.


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decide to go and how they decide to pursue their Great Undertaking should determine what sort

of session the GM prepares. As in the journey, it is a good idea to not plan too far in advance, as

the players priorities and goals will no doubt shift from session to session.

Finally, remember that it is important the characters complete this campaign the entire length

of the campaign will no doubt build to an exciting climax in which the players complete theirquest... or die trying.


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Campaign AdvancementWhen setting out to run a campaign of Crone, it is important to keep in mind the pace and

speed of advancement, as well as how it affects -you-as the GM.

As discussed in XXX advancement, by default, is set so that characters gain experience at a

regular, even clip as they accomplish objectives. As we discussed in XXX, characters should be

completing, or making significant progress towards completing objectives every session.

This system works well for a quick, easy campaign where the characters gain in power almost

every session. This sort of default campaign should last an average of about XXX, assuming

you play about once a week for a total of XX sessions.

Extended Campaign

However, if youre looking for a longer, more epic campaign, it is probably worth it to spread the

experience out a bit more. Instead of having players gain a point of experience with every goalthey meet, you might have them gain objective points which are then rolled into experience. As

a general rule, for a long, spaced out campaign you want each point of experience to take twice

as long to gain as the previous one. See the table below for an example:

Points of Experience Objective Points

1st 1

2nd 2

3rd 4

4th 8

5th 16

Using this system, your campaign should run for about XXX, assuming you play once a week for

a total of XX sessions.

Advancement and the GM

Of course, no matter how you choose to pace the advancement of your campaign, if the players

are the only ones advancing, the game will quickly become a cakewalk. So, the GM should

advance along with them! See the table below for the changes you should make to your default

encounter stats in order to keep pace with a party growing in power:


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Player Gain GM Gain

1 Experience 5 Encounter Health

Character Goal 10 Encounter Health -or- 2 Initiative

[sidebox] You may notice that new abilities are not included in this chart. Dont worry!

Weve balanced our game so that while abilities do provide more options to the players,

they do not translate to a net increase in strength.


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