The Crescent and Cross:Burning Wheel
From Flagon With The Dragon
This page contains notes about adapting Burning Wheel for use in The Crescent and Cross, for more information see the Setting Overview.
Contents |
Character Creation
Character Creation specifics are as follows:
- Abilities are capped at 6 for creation.
- Maximum 4 Lifepaths to start.
- The Lifepaths in The Character Burner should work fine but keep a few things in mind.
- Character concept and stories drive the lifepaths, not the other way around so if you want something to fit don't be afraid to ask.
- If you think of a path that would reasonably be in a setting then bring it up, maybe there is one by another name or one that can be adapted from another setting.
- The first two items aside, I want to try to work with the lifepaths as written before we branch out too much.
- Starting languages will be a matter of culture and lifepath with some thoughts as follows:
- Foreign Language can be purchased as a skill by anyone for 1pt.
- Anyone choosing a religious lifepath will automatically get the primarily language associated with their faith (Latin, Greek, or Arabic).
- Merchants and Sailors have a good chance of speaking an additional language. (Usually Greek or French)
- Concepts trump rules here so if you have a good case for additional languages just bring it up. (Munchkins start with pig Latina only)
- The Faith attribute is capped at 4 for starting characters.
Additional Lifepaths
Just a listing of some lifepaths that have come up in character creation already:
Additional Standard Lifepaths
| Professinal Soldier Sub-Setting | Time | Res | Stat | Leads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field Surgeon (Soldier) | 6 yrs | 15 | +1M, | City, Village, Outcast, Religious, Court |
| Skills: 8 pts: Apothecary, Bloodletting, Surgery, Anatomy, Soldiering, Falsehood | ||||
| Traits: 3 pts: Incomprehensible Diagnosis, Ugly Reputation | ||||
| Requirements/Prerequiste: Requires Barber or Student | ||||
Hashshashin Cultural Sub-Setting
Characters from the Hashshashin have these lifepaths available once they are in a city setting. This is currently in draft form an under negotiation with a player.
| Time | Res | Stat | Leads | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lasiqs (Initiate) | 3 yrs | 5 | - | Village, Outcast, Religious, Soldier |
| Skills: 4 pts: Religious Diatribe, Doctrine, Rhetoric | ||||
| Traits: 3 pts: Infallible Religious Logic, Righteous, Firm | ||||
| Requirements/Prerequiste: Must be Hashshashin | ||||
| Fida'is (Agent) | 5 yrs | 10 | +1M/+1P, | Village, Outcast, Religious, Soldier |
| Skills: 6 pts: Knife, Inconspicuous, Falsehood, Stealthy, Assasin-Wise | ||||
| Traits: 2 pts: Murderous, Cold-Hearted, Hard-Hearted | ||||
| Requirements/Prerequiste: Lasiqs Life-path | ||||
| Rafiqs (Champion) | 6 yrs | 15 | +1M,+1P | Village, Outcast, Religious, Soldier |
| Skills: 9 pts: Intimidation, Sword, Crossbow, Command, Observation | ||||
| Traits: 1 pt: -- | ||||
| Requirements/Prerequiste: Fida'is Life-path | ||||
Gear and Resources
Starting Gear
Characters start with basic equipment directly related to their lifepaths. This means a courtier will start with Finery, Scholars will start with Ink and Quill, and soldiers will begin with basic (normal) arms and armor. This fits for things directly related to your lifepath and not for skills you pick up with General Skill points.
Money and Coin
The BW uses the same naming convention for coins in the Kingdom of Jerusalem so we can use the rules as written.
Expanded Weapon List
The following is a slightly expanded list of weapons for use with The Burning Crescent and Cross, it is largely based on the standar weapon list from the book with an number of additional weapons. For further references see Wikipedia:medieval weapons guide and Durgil's Fighting Steel supplement.
Basic Weapons
| Weapon | Power | Add | WSpeed | VA | Strike Dist | Type | Other Names |
| Bare-Fist | 0 | 2 | Fast | 0 | Shortest | Brawling | |
| Crude Staff | 2 | 2 | Slow | 0 | Long | Polearm | |
| Club2 | 2 | 2 | Slow | 0 | Short | Cudgel | |
| Stone | 1 | 2 | Slow | 0 | Shortest | Brawling |
Normal Weapons
| Weapon | Power | Add | WSpeed | VA | Strike Dist | Type | Other Names |
| Hatchet | 3 | 2 | Slow | 0 | Short | Axe | |
| Light-Axe2 | 3 | 2 | Slow | 1 | Long | Axe | |
| Battle Axe1,2 | 4 | 2 | Slow | 1 | Long | Axe | Footman's Axe, Great Axe |
| Mace2 | 2 | 2 | Slow | 2 | Short | Cudgel | |
| Maul1,2 | 4 | 2 | Unwieldy | 2 | Long | Cudgel | Great Hammer |
| Dagger | 1 | 1 | Fast | 0 | Shortest | Dagger | Dirk |
| Rondel3 | 1 | 1 | Fast | 0 | Shortest | Dagger | Thrusting Dagger |
| Long Dagger | 1 | 1 | Fast | 0 | Short | Dagger | Kindjal |
| Polearm (Thrust)1,2 | 2 | 2 | Fast | 0 | Longer | Polearm | |
| Polearm (Axe Strike)1,2 | 4 | 2 | Unwieldy | 2 | Longer | Polearm | |
| Quarterstaff1,2 | 2 | 2 | Fast | 0 | Longer | Polearm | |
| Spear1,2 | 2 | 2 | Fast | 1 | Longer | Polearm | |
| Long Spear1,2 | 2 | 2 | Slow | 1 | Longest | Polearm | |
| Short Sword | 2 | 2 | Fast | 0 | Short | Sword | |
| Arming Sword2 | 3 | 2 | Slow | 0 | Long | Sword | Falchion, Kiligi, Shamshir, Saber |
Miscellaneous Weapons Gear
| Weapon | Power | Add | WSpeed | VA | Strike Dist | Type | Other Names |
| Hilt/Pommela | 1 | 2 | Slow | 0 | Shortest | Brawling | |
| Spiked-Pommelb | 1 | 2 | Slow | 1 | Shortest | Brawling | |
| Weighted-Pommelb | 2 | 2 | Slow | 0 | Shortest | Brawling | |
| Beakc | 2 | 2 | Unwieldy | 3 | As Weapon | As Weapon |
Notes
- 1 Two-handed, may not be used with a shield; 2 May Great Strike; 3 May Great Strike only if wielded 2 handed.
- a All weapons have access to a hilt/pommel Strike; b Spiked or weighted hilts and pommels may be added to any weapon. A weapon may only have one type of hilt/pommel; c Beaks can only be mounted on the backs of polearms, axes and at the reverse ends of spears.
Armor
Full Plate Armor does not exist and is not available at this point in history.
Superior and Poor Quality
- Armor
- Armor quality behaves as it does in the BW core rules.
- Weapons
- Poor quality weapons normally lose VA, power, or the ability to great strike. Superior quality weapons normally gain VA in the case of bladed and piercing weapons, power in the case of Blunt weapons. Superior weapons can also have an increase to their speed or receive an additional +1D due to balancing. The exact details of any modification should be worked out with the GM.
Magic
For now we'll use the sorcery and lifepath information as is and difference between magic traditions of the setting will be a narrative element. If we decided to stay with the system I'll draw some clearer distinctions between the setting magic traditions and the magic system in BW.
Faith
The rules for Faith in Burning Wheel seem to work fine for the setting. Repeated frivolous uses of faith, praying only when in need will likely result in "Disfavor in the eyes of God". This results in a +1 Ob to all faith rolls until the character has performed enough penance in the eyes of God to redeem themselves. Mechanics wise we'll keep in the spirit of Burning Wheel with this and such disfavor or redemption status is had by nomination and vote from the gaming group.
