Overview & Quick Start

Setting and Theme

Welcome to Vaelora, a cursed and forgotten world where ancient spirits whisper from the shadows and the Veil isolates all from the stars. Drawing from far-eastern and animist cultures, Vaelora is a realm of intrigue, spiritual dread, and slow-burning magic. Heroes walk a narrow path between damnation and transcendence.

Gameplay Style

Vaelora offers a narrative-rich experience with moderately crunchy mechanics. Players should expect:

Dangerous, tactical combat where every blow matters.
Political and spiritual intrigues that shape the world’s fate.
Organic character growth and personal transformation.
A haunting atmosphere that rewards caution, insight, and sacrifice.

Character Creation

Characters are defined by Species, Culture, Background, and Profession. There are no levels or rigid classes—character growth is shaped by choices and experience.

Species: Your character's biological origin (e.g., Tul, Myou, Tlaxcal).
Culture: The society or belief system that shaped them.
Background: The personal history and defining moments of their past.
Profession: A reflection of their current expertise or role.

You will also define:

Attributes (e.g., Strength, Intuition, Spirit, Cunning)
Skills (specific learned disciplines)
Traits & Flaws (narrative hooks and mechanical edges)

Core Mechanic: Dice Pool (d6 System)

To resolve an action:

Assemble a dice pool using the relevant Attribute + Skill.
Roll that many six-sided dice (d6s).
Count how many dice roll 5 or 6 (these are successes).

Interpreting Results

0 Successes: “No, and…” — Failure with a setback or consequence.
1–2 Successes: “Yes, but…” — Partial success with a complication.
3–4 Successes: “Yes.” — Success.
5+ Successes: “Yes, and…” — Success with added benefit or flourish.

The GM may adjust difficulty by requiring thresholds (e.g., 3+ successes needed) or by adding opposed rolls.

Magic and the Spirit World

Magic is subtle, dangerous, and deeply tied to the spirit world. Each magical tradition engages with bound spirits or spiritual dominions and carries a cost.

Spirit Dominions: Each spirit governs a domain (e.g., Decay, Fire, Memory).
Traditions: Different cultures interact with spirits in unique ways (e.g., Cthonism, Spirit Binding, Pact Magic).
Costs of Magic:
- Sanity or Soul Stress
- Health or Vital Essence
- Rare Components or Ritual Conditions

Magic is never free and rarely flashy—it is powerful, but always earned.

Progression and Advancement

There are no levels. Characters improve through use, training, and meaningful choices.

Gain Skill Marks through usage and reflection.
Unlock new Abilities or Techniques via story events, mentors, or spiritual experiences.
Develop Reputation, Corruption, or Honor based on your actions.

Unique Mechanics

Corruption

Spiritual taint from dark deeds, forbidden magic, or exposure to Void entities. High corruption affects your appearance, mental state, and spirit interactions.

Honor and Reputation

Track your standing within society or organizations. Acts of valor or disgrace shift your status and open or close doors.

Resource Management

Track:

Health (physical wounds): equals Might + Spirit and gives the number of injuries you can take before being incapacitated
Sanity/Soul (spiritual endurance)
Supplies & Components (used for rituals or survival)
Favor (with spirits, factions, or gods)

3.7 KiB Raw Blame History Unescape Escape