tianxia path of destiny

8/10/2019 Tianxia Path of Destiny

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PATH OF DESTINY BY

JACK NORRIS


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PUBLISHER

James Dawsey

AUTHORJack Norris

EDITING AND LAYOUT

Na han Kahler

ORIGINAL ART DIRECTION AND GRAPHIC DESIGN

Daniel Solis, wi h Ruben Byrd

Special thanks to John Fiore, feedback hero!

This book is designed o be used wi h heF ATE C ORE Roleplaying Game. You will need he F ATE C ORE rules in bookor PDF form o make full use of his book. You may nd he F ATE C ORE rules and o her suppor ma erials on he Evil Hawebsi e, a your local gaming s ore, or on he web here:htp://www.fa erpg.com/

T IANXIA P ATH OF D ESTINY is copyrigh 2014 Vigilance Press.All righ s reserved. References o o her copyrigh ed ma erialin no way cons i u e a challenge o he respec ive copyrighholders of ha ma erial.

This work is based on F ATE C ORE S YSTEM and F ATE ACCELERATED E DITION (found a htp://www.fa erpg.com/),produc s of Evil Ha Produc ions, LLC, developed, au hored,and edi ed by Leonard Balsera, Brian Engard, JeremyKeller, Ryan Macklin, Mike Olson, Clark Valen ine, AmandaValen ine, Fred Hicks, and Rob Donoghue, and licensedfor our use under he Crea ive Commons Atribu ion 3.0Unpor ed license (htp://crea ivecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).

The F ATE C ORE fon is Evil Ha Produc ions, LLC and isused wi h permission. The Four Ac ions icons were designedby Jeremy Keller.

F ATE is a rademark of Evil Ha Produc ions, LLC. The P OWERED BY F ATE logo is Evil Ha Produc ions, LLC and isused wi h permission.


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WHAT IS THIS?The Pa h of Des iny is a lifepa h genera or for

use wi hT IANXIA. A lifepa h genera or is a collec ionof random ables and advice on how o genera ea full-playable Player Charac er (PC), comple ewi h suppor ing charac ers, mo iva ions, andbackground. Wi h a few dice rolls, i will provide

he ools o crea e playable PCs ha defaul ohe s andardT IANXIA s ar ing charac er ( ha is 4

Refresh, 5 Aspec s, 3 free S un s, e c). Sugges ionsfor how o use his o crea e charac ers using adifferen s ar ing poin are discussed, bu mos ly iis a case of rolling a few more or less imes on heincluded ables.

SO IT IS COMPLETELY RANDOM?Well, yes and no. Given he open ended na ure

of many of he mechanics inT IANXIA and he F ATE C ORE sys em, i is nigh impossible o ruly genera eevery possible Aspec , S un , and so on, randomly.However, in hese cases he Lifepa h Genera orwill give sugges ions, guidance, and examples. Of

course, here is no hing wrong wi h grabbing oneof he provided examples and running wi h i , oradap ing one from one of he charac ers in o herT IANXIA books; do wha works bes for you and whaseems he mos in eres ing for your charac er.

Also, some imes a par of he Lifepa h will giveyou a number choices and you will have o pick jus a few. When his happens, a random way ofde ermining where o go will be provided; you canalso jus pick he pa h you like and keep going.

WHAT AM I ROLLING?S andardF ATE dice ha will genera e a number

be ween -4 and +4. You can also use a 2d6 roll andsub rac one dice from he o her o ge a numberfrom -5 o +5. In his case, consider -5 and +5 aschoose or roll again. This me hod is useful if youare going o use +d6-d6 for yourT IANXIA games, asyou do no need o useF ATE dice a all.

No e ha players using Evil Ha Produc ionsD ECK OF F ATE can use he cards o genera e he same -4 o+4 range, and migh nd cool inspira ion drawingfrom he Arcana and o her cards for Aspec s ando her rai s for heir charac ers. I can be a funop ion, bu i is no required.

The only excep ion o being able o useF ATE diceor cards is if you wan o randomly de ermine yourKung Fu S yle. There are 36 S yles in he mainT IANXIA book and here is really no beter way o randomlyde ermine hose han wi h rolling d6s. Every hingelse is a lo of ma h or rolling weirdness o ge o

he same resul achieved by rolling wo of he moscommonly found dice around, so we s uck wi h ha .

DO I HAVE TO ROLL EVERYTHING?No. You can roll up some, all, or none of your

charac er using hePa h of Des iny. If you ge o as age and one of he op ions jus looks oo darnedcool o leave o chance? Go ahead and ake i skip

he roll. In fac , if you wan some of he rarer op ions( he -4 or +4 ones) on a able, your chances of geting

hem randomly are fairly slim and no leaving hoseo chance migh be desirable. Tha said, randomly

rolling he whole hing and making wha you gework can be a lo of fun!

IS THIS GONNA SCREW M Y DREAMS OF BEING A K UNG FU FIGHTER?

Deni ely no . One hing every charac er who useshePa h of Des iny all he way hrough will ge is a

leas one Kung Fu S yle. Kung Fu is king inT IANXIA and we are no going o randomly rob you of yourchance o play around wi h i . You can make a non-Kung Fu-using charac er, bu ha is your choice. Todo ha , jus skip he Kung Fu Training Sec ion of helifepa h.

PATH OF DESTINYTHE T IANXIA LIFEPATH GENERATOR


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SKILLST IANXIA uses he defaul Skill lis fromF ATE C ORE ,

plus he addi ionalChi skill, and he s andardF ATE C ORE Skill ranks for s ar ing charac ers (One Grea ,Two Good, e c). Looking a he numbers his meansyou have 20 ranks of 19 Skills o al and hey forma s andard skill pyramid wi h Grea a he op halooks like his:

Grea (+4): 1 Skill

Good (+3): 2 Skills

Fair (+2): 3 Skills

Average (+1): 4 Skills

To help de ermine hese for he Lifepa h, we havebroken Skills up in o ca egories. A various S ages of

he Lifepa h, you will be given ranks o pu in o heseca egories. They are:

Weal h & Prosperi y: Con ac s, Craf s,Resources

Grace & Charm: Empa hy, Provoke, Rappor

Body & Spiri : Chi, Physique, Will

War & Batle: A hle ics, Figh , Shoo , Drive

Shadows & Lies: Burglary, Deceive, S eal h

Mys eries & Secre s: Lore, Inves iga ion,No ice

You can ge he same ca egory mul iple imes;his will le you selec even more ranks in hose

skills. Unless you are using an al erna ive charac ergenera ion me hod ha does no use he skillpyramid, you canno break i . So, once you haveone Grea Skill, Two Good, e c, you need o puranks in o her Skills. If you manage o ll up allallowable ranks in a ca egory you can ei her re-rollfor a differen ca egory or pu hose ranks where youwish.

ONE AT A TIME OR ALL AT ONCE?You can roll for all your S ages and hen assign

skills and aspec s. Or you can roll once, assignranks, hen roll again. Nei her is beter, bu hey area bi differen . Rolling all a once le s you ge hebig pic ure before you s ar selec ing, meaning youwill no nd yourself pouring poin s in o one Skillonly o nd ano her skill in he same ca egory is noavailable la er or end up weaking an aspec several

imes o ge i jus righ . However, rolling one a aime gives a more gradual progression ha can givehe impression of raining, developmen , and grow h

during charac er crea ion.

A nal op ion is o make all your rolls and henassign wha ever rolls you wan o each s age. Thiscu s down on randomness, which could be a plus orminus depending on ou look.


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STAGE ONE: A GREAT DESTINY AWAITS Y OUALL PLAYER CHARACTERS IN T IANXIA HAVE A GREAT DESTINY AWAITING THEM. They migh become a grea

hero or a famous general. They migh pro ec of a errible secre or uncover a mys ery ha will savehousands of lives.

This s age gran s you wo hings: your Core Concep Aspec and 4 ranks of Skills from wo ca egoriesbased on he resul s. You can selec one ins ead of rolling, of course; in fac , if you already have a s rong

cen ral idea for your charac er, his migh be a good idea. O herwise, roll he dice and see whades iny he heavens reveal:

[+4] CHOSEN ONENo only are you somehow connec ed o a

grea hero, villain, scholar, or perhaps even heEmperor himself, his connec ion is a he cen erof your charac er and drives his ac ions, goals,and mo iva ions.

Wha o Consider: How has your des inyaffec ed your life? Who de ermined you have

his des iny? Do you know you are he chosenone?

Wha o Avoid: Some hing ha means youare always he cen er of aten ion, as his showsup all he o hers PCs. Make sure your des inyis no so limi ing you have no freedom duringplay.

Examples: D ESTINED TO U NITE THE S OUTHERN T RIBES , LAST S TUDENT OF A F ORGOTTEN S TYLE ,T OUCHED BY THE W ILL OF H EAVEN , G OLDEN C HILD ,LAST H OPE FOR A D YING C LAN , B ASTARD C HILD OF THE E MPEROR

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): War & Batle,Weal h& Prosperi y

[+3] GUARDIANYou are he pro ec or or care aker of some hing

impor an : a person, as secre , or an ideal. Yourraining, adven ures, and personal life are

always under he shadow of his responsibili y.

Wha o Consider: Who or wha are youpro ec ing? Why does his du y fall o you? Howdevo ed are you?

Wha o Avoid: A du y ha makes you unableo join your fellow PCs on adven ures; i is

in eres ing only if his is some imes difficul oaccomplish.

Examples: S WORN TO S ERVE THE E MPEROR U NTO D EATH , T EMPLE G UARDIAN , K EEPER OF A S ACRED S CROLL , C ARETAKER OF A M YSTIC G ARDEN , P ROTECTOR OF B O J ING S O RPHANS

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): War & Batle,Body& Spiri

[+2] MASTERY OF SKILLYou are dened by some special knowledge, ap i ude, or skill you possess. This goes beyond normal

raining; you have pu ex ra effor in o learning a weapon, scholarly me hod, or o her challengingendeavor.

Wha o Consider: Wha are you devo ed o learning? Can you make a living a his or do you needo her work? How far along he pa h of mas ery are you?

Wha o Avoid: Being he bes in oo wide a ca egory o s ar . Leave some room o fail and advanceiof en makes hings more in eres ing.

Examples: M ISTRESS OF THE T WIN S ABERS , E XPERT S TORYTELLER , W ONDROUS D OCTOR , S EEKS TO C RAFT THE P ERFECT W EAPON , S TRONGEST W OMAN IN THE P ROVINCE

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): War & Batle, Mys eries& Secre s


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[+1] VIRTUE

You are devo ed o embodying or realizing agrea vir ue. You migh even seek rue spiri ualenligh enmen . Every hing you do is cen eredaround hese ideals.

Wha o Consider:Wha vir ue do you aspireo? How far will you go o achieve i ? Wha

sacrices have you already made o live by yourcode?

Wha o Avoid: An overly broad code orvir ue i dilu es focus and s ops feeling special

af er a while. Likewise, some hing oo narrowrarely comes up.

Examples: H EART OF B OUNDLESS C HARITY , M Y W ORD IS M Y B OND N O M ATTER W HAT , S EEKING E NLIGHTENMENT , U NFLINCHINGLY C HIVALROUS

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): War & Batle,Grace & Charm

[-2] HIDDEN DEPTHSYou are linked o some hing ha lurks in he

shadows of Shnzhu. Secre socie ies, criminals,or los mys eries are a cen ral par of whayou are. You may have spawned his darknessyourself, or simply nd yourself sucked in o i .

Wha o Consider: Wha do you know ofhese secre places and groups? Were you one ofhem or have you acciden ally fallen in o heir

inuence?

Wha o Avoid: Dening all he secre s andmys eries righ now. Par of he fun is discovering

hem.

Examples: D ESCENDANT OF R EBEL C LAN , I MPERIAL S PY , T RAINED BY THE LIN K UEI , T RIAD B ROTHER ,W ANTED BY THE E MPIRE , W HITE W IDOW W ARRIOR

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): War & Batle,Shadows & Lies

[0] PROFESSION

For some a job is jus a job, bu ha is no you.Your profession is cen ral o your iden i y andyou opera e and view nearly every hing hroughi s lens.

Wha o Consider: Wha is your job? Do youlike wha you do or is here ano her reason youdo i ? How good are you?

Wha o Avoid: S ar ing ou wi h no room ogrow; ha is a beter des ina ion han s ar ingpoin .

Examples: J IANGZHOU S G REATEST C HEF ,S WORD - FOR -H IRE , W ANDERING H OLY M AN , D EVOTED M AGISTRATE , R ELENTLESS B OUNTY H UNTER ,ADVENTUROUS T REASURE H UNTER

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): War & Batle,Mys eries& Secre s

[-1] FAMILY Your blood is your life. Your paren s, clan,

or siblings are key o who you really are andwi hou hem you are diminished. Even whenyou are away from hem, hey are cen ral o yourexis ence.

Wha o Consider: Wha does your family do?Is your bond o hem love, du y, or bo h? Are youa odds wi h any of hem?

Wha o Avoid: Your family being oo mundaneor boring. If hey are ha impor an o yourcharac er, hey should be in eres ing.

Examples: C HILD OF A G REAT W ARRIOR , B ROTHER OF A B ANDIT C HIEF , S OLE P ROVIDER FOR M Y F AMILY ,S EEKING A C URE FOR M Y D YING C HILD , S CION OF A T RIAD F AMILY , S OLE S URVIVOR OF A G REAT M ASSACRE

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): War & Batle,Weal h& Prosperi y


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[-4] ITS COMPLICATEDYour des iny and role in he world is unusually

complex and involves wo or more componenpar s combined o form a unique hird concep .Roll again and combine. If you ge -4 again?Ei her ignore i or if you wan roll again and adda hird concep . If you ge -4 once more? S op,check o see if someone swi ched ou your dicewi h loaded copies and hen use he hree youhave; here really is only so much you can mix

hings up before you lose focus.

Wha o Consider: How do he componen swork oge her? How do hey conic ? Is herea na ural par of bo h ha you can use o link

hem oge her?

Wha o Avoid: Being scatered or long-winded. In eres ing is grea , bu you wan aconcise, focused Core Concep o help drive

hings forward.

Examples: C HIEF S COUT FOR C LAN OF T HIEVES ,E NLIGHTENED H ERETIC M ONK , H IDDEN H EIR TO A H ERETIC C ULT , K EEPER OF THE S TOLEN I MPERIAL S EAL

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): From any ca egory

of he resul s rolled

[-3] GREAT ADVERSARY You are dened by who you gh : organiza ion,

individual, group, or even a concep . You haveo her in eres s and skills, bu in he end mos ofyour life is consumed and ouched by his enemy.

Wha o Consider: Who is your foe? Wha dohey wan ? Why do you oppose hem?

Wha o Avoid: A grea enemy who showsup all he ime, overshadowing impor anan agonis s in he game and enemies of o herPCs.

Examples: H UNTING F AMILY S K ILLER , M ARKED FOR D EATH BY C ULT , O BSESSED V IGILANTE , S WORN TO K ILL THE E MPEROR


Jon is using hePa h of Des iny o genera ehis charac er and has decided o go one s agea a ime. He s ar s wi h hisGrea Des iny androlls a -1, Family . Some hing signican abouhis charac ers family will drive his des iny.Maybe he is heH EIR TO A P OWERFUL C LAN , ormaybe he is D RIVEN TO AVENGE LOST LOVED O NES .He is going o see wha else comes up beforedeciding.

Looking a Skills, he sees he ge s 4 rankso spli among War& Batle and Weal h &

Prosperi y skills. Already knowing he wishes obe a grea warrior, he spends 3 ranks o bringhis Figh o Good (+3), and 1 on A hle ics obring i o Average (+1). This done, he moves on

oS age Two

ADVANCED LIFEPATHING: COMBINING IDEAS AND ASPECTSIf you wan o expand, adap ,

or mix up Aspec s from his Life-pa h, ry combining various ideasin o one Aspec . For example, ifyou go [0] PROFESSION inS age One and [-3] DISABILITY in S age Two?You could have a O NE -ARMED S WORDSMAN FOR H IRE as your Core

Concep andM Y S WORD IS M Y S ECOND ARM for Trouble, sugges -ing bo h he disabili y, profession,and how he charac ers ati udes,limi a ions, and skills drive andhinder him. Such a charac er, inaddi ion o he obvious disabili y,migh be unwilling o go unarmed

or use mos o her weapons, whichcould lead o a lo of rouble in

he wrong circums ances. Howev-er, as having only one arm is alsoa Core Concep , he various wayshe has learned o compensa e forhis loss could jus ify some in er-es ing invoca ions.


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STAGE TWO: WHAT TROUBLES Y OUTHE ROAD TO YOUR DESTINY IS ROCKY .You will no ge o where you are going easily or wi hou grea effor .

This s age represen s one of he chief obs acles ha s ands in your way. This migh be an in ernal aw oran ou side hrea , bu ei her way i will genera e a lo of in eres ing and frus ra ing imes.

S age Two provides he charac ers Trouble Aspec and 4 more Skill ranks in wo ca egories. Rolland check for your exac resul :

[+4] DOOMED DESTINY Whe her in your pas or fu ure, here is some

errible ragedy ha colors your whole life. Youmay face i head on or ry o run from i , bu ialways seems o nd you. This is worse hansimple ragedy, i is if he heavens hemselvesdesire your downfall.

Wha o Consider: Wha is your ragic Fa e?Can i be avoided? How will hese even s changeyou or have hey already done so?

Wha o Avoid: Cons an ragedy. EvenShakespearean ragedies have he occasional joke or reprieve from cons an dea h and ruin.

Examples: C URSED BY THE G ODS , H AUNTED BY THE G HOSTS OF T HOSE S HE K ILLS , T ERMINALLY I LL , W ILL N EVER F IND P EACE

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): War & Batle,Shadows & Lies

[+3] DISABILITY Some physical or men al ailmen roubles you.

I will no kill you, bu i makes life difficul andsome imes causes less enligh ened individuals o

hink less of you. You have learned o compensa efor your disabili y in various ways ha haves reng hened you, bu i is s ill a problem.

Wha o Consider: Wha condi ion or injurydo you suffer from? How do you usually workaround i ? When does i hinder you he mos ?How did you ge hur ?

Wha o Avoid: A disabili y ha makes iimpossible for you o par icipa e in adven ureswi h he o her PCs.

Examples: B LINDED IN B ATTLE , B ORN D EAF ,M ISSING LEFT -ARM , C ANNOT S PEAK ABOVE A W HISPER , P RONE TO B OUTS OF M ADNESS

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Body & Spiri ,Mys eries& Secre s

[+2] WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESEWhile you love your friends and allies, some hing abou hem keeps causing you rouble. Maybe you

are bes friends wi h an ou law or rebel. Perhaps your sworn bro hers were charged wi h murder andhe governmen assumes you were involved. In any case, your pals migh jus be he dea h of you. This

migh no even be rela ed o a par icular person or group, perhaps you always nd roublesome allies.

Wha o Consider: Wha did your friends do ha manages o cause problems for you? Why are you soclose o hem ha dis ancing yourself o save yourself rouble is no an op ion?

Wha o Avoid: Friends and allies ha become unwan ed and unatrac ive addi ions o yourcharac ers background and he games cas ; crea ing problem personali ies ha are jus annoying (orworse, boring) for everyone.

Examples: M Y C HILDHOOD F RIEND IS A P IRATE K ING !, K NOWN R EBEL S YMPATHIZER , ALWAYS M AKES THE W RONG F RIENDS

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Mys eries& Secre s, Weal h& Prosperi y


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Jon rolls for wha chiey roubles hischarac er and ge s a -2,OBLIGATION. As he rolled

FAMILY for S age One, he clearly has some debor obliga ion he owes o one or more rela ives.He s ill is no sure exac ly how o dene his

core concep ye , bu he is conden heF AMILY IS M ORE I MPORTANT THAN ANYTHING rouble aspec

will apply no mater wha , causing all sor s ofproblems.

[+1] REPUTATIONThrough ac ion or acciden , you have picked

up a repu a ion and, wi h i , a sea of roubles.While i some imes comes in handy, i is of en jus a pain. Many you encoun er have heard

ales of your exploi s, real or fabrica ed, and will judge you by wha hey have heard.

Wha o Consider: How did you pick uphis repu a ion? Is i deserved or due o some

misunders anding or lie? Wha would you haveo do o change i ?

Wha o Avoid: A repu a ion ha makeseveryone you mee ha e you and wan you dead.Jus mos people will be more sa isfying.

Examples: R UN ! I T S THE B UTCHER OF B O J IANG !, F AMOUS K ILLER - FOR -H IRE , K NOWN F UGITIVE , S USPECTED S PY , C ONNECTED TO THE T RIADS

Skill Ca egories (4 Ca egories): Mys eries& Secre s, Shadows& Lies

[0] PERSONALITY FLAWSome hing abou your demeanor or

personali y ge s you in o rouble. Try as youmigh , you canno help bu cause problemsfor yourself and o hers. This migh be a vice oraberran behavior, bu even a vir ue can urnin o a problem if pursued obsessively. In anyeven , you of en have o bluff, gh , or o herwisege yourself ou of si ua ions your ati ude pu syou in.

Wha o Consider: Why do you ac his way?Why can you no jus al er your behavior? Whawould cause you o change and wha would be

he likely ou come of his?

Wha o Avoid: A aw ha makes he playersuncomfor able and heir PCs wan o avoid you(or worse). Keep i in eres ing.

Examples: C ONTEMPT FOR THE W EAK , E ASILY ANGERED , S OMEWHAT S POILED , T ALKS LOUDLY AND T OO M UCH , U SED TO G ETTING M Y W AY , C YNICAL M ISANTHROPE , H ONORABLE TO A F AULT

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Shadows & Lies,War & Batle

[-1] FAMILY TROUBLESYour bigges problems s em from your rela ions and you of en nd yourself gh ing batles for or

because of hem. This could be due o a roublesome paren , child, sibling, or o her rela ives. Al erna ively,some hing from your familys his ory regularly rises up o cause you rouble or you could be avengingsome wrong agains hem. Maybe an ances or was a rai or or your clan is involved in an ancien bloodfeud or perhaps mom jus will no leave you alone un il you setle down and give her some grandchildren.

Wha o Consider: Wha abou your family is causing your problems? How do you feel abou no onlyhis problem, bu your familys involvemen ? Can you do any hing o solve he problem or mus you

simply endure?

Wha o Avoid: A problem ha will make every adven ure abou your family, overshadowing o hercharac ers suppor ing cas and backgrounds.

Examples: C HILD OF A D ISGRACED G ENERAL , LITTLE S ISTER W ON T LEAVE M E ALONE !, ANCIENT B LOOD F EUD WITH THE J UN C LAN , M Y T WIN B ROTHER K ILLED THE G OVERNOR

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Weal h& Prosperi y, War& Batle


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[-4] COMPLICATED ISSUESYour roubles are deep and varied, involving

wo or more componen par s combined oform a unique hird concep . Roll again andcombine. If you ge -4 again? Ei her ignore i orif you wan roll again and add a hird concep .If you ge -4 once more? Again, check o see if

someone swi ched ou your dice wi h loadedcopies and hen go ahead and use he hree youhave anyway; here is only so much you can mix

hings up before you lose focus.

Wha o Consider: How do he componen swork oge her? How do hey conic ? Is herea na ural par of bo h ha you can use o link

hem oge her?

Wha o Avoid: Being oo scatered or ackingoo many problems oge her. Losing focus like

ha makes hings harder o work in o play.

Examples: O UTSPOKEN H ERETIC , C RIPPLED BY M Y W ORST E NEMY , C URSED TO B ETRAY M Y LOVED O NES

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): from any of hecombined selec ions.

[-3] UNDUE ATTENTIONSome individual or group is more concerned

wi h you and your life han is comfor able orsafe. They seek o con rol, kill, or disgrace youand will go o grea leng hs o do so. They mighno even ha e you, an obsessive lover or parencould cause no end of roubles. Al erna ively,

you migh have a repu a ion ha makes hingsrough, such as being a famous bandi or memberof here ical religious sec .

Wha o Consider: Why does his person orgroup care so much abou you? Was i wha youdid, or does i have some hing o do wi h yourfriends, allies, or family?

Wha o Avoid: Cons an harassmen or anever-presen problem. Make sure you are nocons an ly s ealing he spo ligh by having

aten ion always on you.Examples: ARRANGED M ARRIAGE , O BSESSIVE

S UITOR , W ANTED FOR B ANDITRY , M ARKED AS A H ERETIC

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Shadows & Lies, Grace& Charm

[-2] OBLIGATIONSome grea deb or obliga ion follows your charac er wherever hey go. This migh be a mone ary

deb , a deb of honor, or a favor you owe a powerful or impor an individual. Welshing on his debinvi es misfor une, re ribu ion, and may well anger he gods! However, fullling his deb will ake greaeffor , if i can ruly ever be wiped away a all. No e his migh also no e service in he mili ary or someo her organiza ion ha places grea demands on your ime.

Wha o Consider: Who do you owe and wha ? Did you en er in o his obliga ion willingly or did youinheri i from a family member or dear friend? Wha can you do o resolve his obliga ion, if any hing?

Wha o Avoid: Deb s and obliga ions ha preven adven uring or forbid any advancemen . Limi a ionsare grea plo and s ory fodder, bu refrain from overdoing i .

Examples: I O WE THE W HITE W IDOWS M Y LIFE , I ALWAYS P ROTECT M Y B EST F RIEND F ONG , D EEPLY IN D EBT ,S WORN T RIAD B ROTHER /S ISTER

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Grace& Charm, Weal h& Prosperi y

Jon ge s 4 Skill Ranks o spli be ween heGrace & Charm and Weal h & Prosperi yca egories. He akes Rappor and Empa hy

a Average (+1), and Provoke a Fair (+2) andmoves along


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STAGE THREE: UPBRINGING AND SOCIAL CLASSWHILE SOCIAL CLASS MEANS LITTLE IN THE

JIANGHU, IT MEANS A LOT IN SHNZHU AS A WHOLE.A charac ers family, upbringing, and socialclass do no necessarily domina e heir ou look,bu i will have an inuence. No e ha while acharac ers class is usually due o heir paren s,excep ions exis . For example, a peasan child

aken in and raised by merchan s would beconsidered o be of heshang class, no henong .

This s age gran s an Aspec and 4 more poin sfrom wo ca egories. Roll he dice and check he

resul :

[+4] IMPERIAL LINEAGEYou race a rela ive or ances or o one of

he glorious rulers of Shnzhu. This may behe curren dynas y or an earlier one. If he

former, you will likely be closely wa ched byhe governmen based on jus how close o hehrone you are. If he later, you may be seen as

a po en ial usurper o he curren order.

Wha o Consider: How closely ied o heImperial line are you? How did his affec yourchildhood? Are you well hough of by hecurren regime or do hey despise you for somereason?

Wha o Avoid: Being oo closely ied o heEmpire, which migh make some adven uresharder; focusing on your lineage o heexclusion of all he o her PCs his ories andbackgrounds.

Examples: B ASTARD C HILD OF THE E MPEROR ,S CION OF A F ALLEN D YNASTY , 13 TH IN LINE FOR THE T HRONE , I MPERIAL C OUSIN , H IDDEN H EIR TO S HNZHU

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Weal h&

Prosperi y, Grace&

Charm

[+3OR +2]S HI You are descended from nobles and es eemed scholars. Seen as among he mos enligh ened and

educa ed of all Shenzhous social classes, you and your kin are eleva ed above all o her social ordersbu he Emperor himself. In fac , he Emperor himself is considered o beShi , hough his connec ion o hedivine will of heaven eleva es him above even your lof y s a us. No all of heShi are necessarily rich orpowerful, bu hey are respec ed.

Wha o Consider: How powerful is your family? Are you connec ed o a par icular es eemed ype of

s udy or area of Shenzhou? Wha are your responsibili ies as a member of his class and how do heyhelp and hinder you?

Wha o Avoid: Thinking you have a license o push everyone around, especially in he world of heJianghu, where mar ial skill and vir ue is prized over bir hrigh .

Examples: R ESPECTED S CHOLAR , E RRANT N OBLE , ADVENTUROUS H ISTORIAN , E STEEMED D OCTOR

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Weal h& Prosperi y, Mys eries& Secre s


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[+1]G ONG Ar isans and craf smen, hegong make he

ools, weapons, and o her devices which helpkeep civiliza ion working. They are respec edbo h for heir applied knowledge and balance ofmen al and physical alen s. No o her class couldperform heir du ies wi hou he crea ions of hegong . The general ati ude and impression is ha

hegong make hings ha o hers use, and hisimpression usually resul s in a mix of admira ionand vague resen men among hose who hens ar heir work af er he craf smen nish heirs.S ill, grea craf smen are held in incrediblees eem by heir pa rons and are closely guardedby hose hey serve.

Wha o Consider: Wha does your familymake? Did you learn he family craf or do youlack heir skill and raining?

Wha o Avoid: Hyper-focused or overly broadcraf s, especially as a basis for aspec s. Theformer is oo limi ing and he later overdone.

Examples: C HILD OF A S MITH , T RAINED AS AN APOTHECARY , I K NOW M Y W EAPONS ..., F AMILY T RADE S ECRETS , I C AN F IX T HAT F OR Y OU ...

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Weal h & Prosperi y, Body& Spiri

[+0]W U OR JIANGHUTechnically no a legi ima e social class,

warriors, soldiers, and skilled mar ial ar is snever heless are bo h respec ed and feared

hroughou he land. In many cases hey are seenas necessary bu unfor una e individuals, whoselife of violence runs coun er o laudable spiri ual,academic, or economic pursui s. S ill, for many,

he bes way o learn o become a wanderingknigh wi h powerful Kung Fu is o be bornin o one of he mili ary families, mar ial clans,securi y companies, or even bandi kingdomswho opera e on he fringes of civiliza ion. If youdo no wan o be from a mili ary background,

his resul could also reec a foundling ororphan raised by monks or mar ial pries s.

Wha o Consider: Exac ly wha sor ofmar ial endeavors is your family know for? Do

hey echnically belong o ano her social class,such as how a family of nobles famed for heirmili ary service migh be echnicallyShi ?

Wha o Avoid: Being simple or boring despi eplaying he la es in a line of people who solveproblems wi h gh ing. Many warriors inShenzhou have o her passions and in eres s aswell.

Examples: C HILD OF A G REAT C OMMANDER , K UNG F U P EDIGREE , LAST OF A G REAT M ARTIAL C LAN ,I MPERIAL ARMY T RAINING , R AISED BY K ILLERS

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): War & Batle,Body& Spiri

[-1]N ONG Peasan s and farmers, your family migh no be lauded wi h praise or or even rea ed ha well, bu

here is a recogni ion and a sense ha he world could no work wi hou you. Wi hou scholar, craf smen,and merchan s civiliza ion would crumble, bu wi hou hose who grow crops and end lives ockeveryone would s arve. Thenong are of en seen as hear y and simple bu possessing a quain wisdomo hers lack. This is no always rue, bu i is usually wha people expec . In ru h, some peasan s do qui ewell for hemselves, hough even more barely eke ou a living.

Wha o Consider: Why are no working a farm or ending a ock? Do you seek hings beyond yourhumble origins or did ragedy pu you on your curren pa h?

Wha o Avoid: A simple or quain background ha is boring; remember ha many grea heroes andvillains came from humble origins which helped shape who hey were.

Examples: S ALT OF THE E ARTH , S TRONG FROM W ORKING THE LAND , F OLKSY W ISDOM , P EASANT H ERO , U SED TO D OING W ITHOUT

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Body& Spiri , Charm& Grace


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This s age ells you where you charac er camefrom, bu i does no necessarily con rol where heyare going. S ories of scholars who became bandi sor peasan s who were eleva ed o nobili y forsome grea service o he Emperor are rare, bu nounheard of.

Jon rolls a -1 and nds ha he hails fromheNong , or peasan class. He quickly decides

his family are farmers and selec s he aspecT HEY G ROW E M B IG ON THE F ARM o reec he is abig, s rapping lad made s rong and hardy byworking he land. He can ake 4 Skill ranksfrom Body & Spiri or Weal h& Prosperi yCa egories. He pu s every hing in o Physique,making i Grea (+4).

[-4]Y E You are from ou side he empire, or one of he exo ic indigenous groups in he wild ha are considered

no rue Shenese. You migh hail from he Nor hern barbarian ribes, or arrived from far away by ship.Many will rea you differen ly han hey do normal ci izens of any social class, and your atire, accen ,or cus oms will mark you as s range and alien. Many keep a heal hy dis ance from you and will assumeyour behavior or abili ies are common for you people; his can be bo h useful and annoying.

Wha o Consider: Ou side of Shenzhou is a big, mos ly unknown placewhere exac ly do you comefrom? Wha is i like and wha do you hink of his land you have come o?

Wha o Avoid: Being offensive or obnoxious o your fellow players; seeming offensive or obnoxious ocharac ers in he seting due o being an ou sider can be fun, bu can ruin o hers enjoymen if overdone.

Examples: W ANDERING B ARBARIAN , V ISITOR FROM THE E XOTIC W EST , C HILD OF THE H ILL P EOPLES , S HAMAN OF THE S OUTHERN T RIBES

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): War & Batle, Body & Spiri

[-2OR -3]S HANG Merchan s and purveyors of services, heshang move mos of he goods and weal h of he empire.

Resen men exis s for his class ha does no make or grow any hing hemselvesviewed as he leasof he four aknowledged classes spiri ually, i is recognized hey serve a necessary func ion in keeping

he empire supplied and connec ed. While many merchan s are qui e weal hy, i is no universal; severalsmall- ime shopkeepers, impoverished peddlers, and humble salesmen barely eke ou an exis encebuying and selling.

Wha o Consider: Wha goods did your family raffic in? Did you pay any aten ion o he familybusiness?

Wha o Avoid: Tying your charac er oo closely o easy ways of earning money and ma erial weal hif hose are major mo iva ing fac or in your campaign.

Examples: C HILD OF H UMBLE M ERCHANTS , H EAD FOR B USINESS , R AISED BY W ANDERING P EDDLERS , W EALTHY M ERCHANT C LANSMAN , I C OULD S ELL F ISH TO A F ISHERMAN

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Weal h& Prosperi y, Grace& Charm


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STAGE FOUR: OTHER ASPECTS AND PAST E XPERIENCESB Y THIS STAGE, A CHARACTER HAS THREE OF THEIR FIVE ASPECTS AND SEVERAL RANKS OF SKILLS. For he

remaining skill ranks and aspec s, roll wice. The aspec s and experiences crea ed here are no ascen ral o he charac er as heir Core Concep or Trouble, bu hey are s ill impor an and inuen ial.

There are no rivial encoun ers on hePa h of Des iny!

[+4] SUPERNATURAL INFLUENCESSome powerful and s range force or being

has ouched your life in a signican way.These forces migh be benevolen or devilish,bu in any even hey have litle regard for

he charac ers desires and goals. Ins eadhey asser hemselves on he charac er in

wha ever ways hey see . In mos cases,close connec ion o he superna ural is bo h ablessing and a curse. For example, being cursedby a demon o only die by re affords a cer aincondi ional pro ec ion from o her fa es, bu ialso means he universe will push o even uallykill you in he prescribed manner.

Wha o Consider: Wha s range forcessurround or follow he charac er and why?Wha do hey wan ou of he charac er?

Wha o Avoid: Cons an and never-endingsuperna ural phenomena; a litle goes a longway. Overdoing i can cause i o lose some ofi s fun and wonder.

Examples: D EMON S B LOOD R UNS IN M Y V EINS ,W ATCHED BY THE F OREST S PIRITS , C HOSEN M ATE OF

A R IVER G ODDESS , C URSED TO D IE BY F IRE , H AUNTED BY R ESTLESS ANCESTOR

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Body& Spiri andpick one o her Ca egory.

[+3] IMPORTANT PERSON OR GROUP

You connec ion o ano her charac er or grouphelps dene who you are. You migh be besfriends wi h a sorcerer, be be ro hed o crimelords daugh er, a member of a fearsome gang,or have a unique pe . In many cases, a KungFu S ylis ssifu or fellow s uden s provideinspira ion as do family members. This personis no necessarily any more skilled, powerful, orimpor an han you, i is simply someone who isvery impor an o you.

Wha o Consider: Who is his impor anperson or group? Where are hey now?

Wha o Avoid: Making he s ory abou hiso her charac er; use i ins ead o makeyour charac er more dynamic.

Examples: S TUDENT OF W HITE P HOENIX G UAN ,S ILVERWING THE T RAINED F ALCON , A G IRL ( OR G UY ,OR B OTH ) IN E VERY T OWN , D AUGHTER OF N OTORIOUS B ANDITS , ASSISTANT TO H IGH P RIESTESS LIEN , W HITE W IDOW S ISTER

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Weal h & Prosperi y, Grace& Charm


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[+1] PROFESSIONSomeones raining or job of en inuences who

hey are and how hey deal wi h hings a loand you are no excep ion. A lo of people carrypreconcep ions abou various professions, forgood or ill.

Wha o Consider: Wha do you do and wha

sor s of si ua ions and challenges would halogically help wi h? How is you job a hindrance?

Wha o Avoid: Merely dening yourprofession. Dene your s reng hs or quirks and iwill be more useful and in eres ing.

Examples: F EARLESS S OLICITOR , C OMPASSIONATE P HYSICIAN , R ELUCTANT ASSASSIN , B EST T RACKER I N THE W EST , R IGHTEOUS B ANDIT

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Mys eries & Secre s and ei her War& Batle or Shadows

& Lies

[0] PERSONALITY Some hing abou your demeanor or behavior

is excep ional, for good or ill. This is hard ocover up and colors your in erac ions. How you

go his way is up o you: maybe you were raisedhis way or perhaps some impor an even lefan impression ha caused a serious ati udeadjus men . This includes phobias, manias, andan array of compulsions.

Wha o Consider: Wha is your deal and whydo you ac ha way? Do you like his par of yourpersonali y or would you change if you could? If

he later, why do you no change?

Wha o Avoid: Jerky, annoying, or disrup ive

personali ies ha kill games. S rive for a s rong,memorable personali y.

Examples: ALARMINGLY S TUBBORN , E ASY TO ANGER , N EVER B ACKS D OWN FROM A F IGHT ,R ELENTLESSLY M ERCENARY , Q UICK TO F ALL IN LOVE ,E ASILY B ORED , D ISLIKES AND D ISTRUSTS AUTHORITY

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Grace & Charm, Shadows & Lies

[-1] PHYSICAL TRAITWhe her i is good looks or being quick on

your fee , some physical gif or disabili y s icksou . Your life has been made easier or harder invarious ways by his abili y and some peoplecer ainly make assump ions based on hese

rai s.

Wha o Consider: Wha abou your physicalappearance or abili ies is no ewor hy? Wha are

he upside and downsides o his?

Wha o Avoid: Being overly broad, as i mayannoy he o her players and make compels nighimpossible. BeingS TRONG AS AN O X is grea , beingA P ERFECT P HYSICAL S PECIMEN IN E VERY W AY is oomuch.

Examples: Q UICK AS LIGHTNING , I MPECCABLE B ALANCE , D ISARMINGLY B EAUTIFUL , M ISSING M Y LEFT E YE

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Body & Spiri ,Grace & Charm. If desired, you may also ake

A hle ics.

[+2] REPUTATIONYou have gained a repu a ion for some

no ewor hy skill, rai , or deed. This repu a ion

is less abou one overwhelming ac and ins eaddue o a record of solid accomplishmen . Thisrepu a ion usually makes i easy o ge no ice andrespec in some areas, bu also makes laying lowdifficul once he charac ers iden i y is known.No e ha a repu a ion need no be rue. So i ispossible ha Always Hones charac er mighac ually be an incredibly skilled liar, albei onewho will need o preserve ha repu a ion if heywan o capi alize on i .

Wha o Consider: Wha is your charac er

known for and do you deserve i ?Wha o Avoid: Overblown repu a ions wi h

no downsides; pick some hing ha will win youfriends and enemies. If your repu a ion is false,make sure he GM knows.

Examples: S USPECTED OF T REASON , W ON T G O B ACK ON A P ROMISE , C ANNOT BE B OUGHT , N EVER F AILS ON A C ONTRACT , K NOWN C RIMINAL

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): Weal h & Prosperi y, Mys eries& Secre s


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[-4] STRANGE COMBINATIONSRoll wice and combine he resul s in o a

single aspec . You may also assign skill rankso any ca egories from bo h rolls. If you ge -4

again on ei her of hese rolls, ei her pick a resulor re-roll.

Wha o Consider: How do he concep s andideas combine in o a fun and in eres ing singleidea?

Wha o Avoid: Folding in oo many dispara eelemen s in o one idea. A litle bi of s range goesa long way.

Examples: D ESTROYED THE D EMON OF D EVIL S G ROVE , P ARENTS S USPECTED OF T REASON , LOST M Y H AND F IGHTING P IRATES

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): From anyca egory of he resul s rolled.

[-3] IMPORTANT OBJECTSome i em you carry or own says more abou

you han he average rinke . I migh be a uniquepiece or craf smanship or jus a normal lookingobjec . In ei her case, wha makes i so specialis i s connec ion o you, your his ory, and yourdes iny.

Wha o Consider: Wha is his i em and whyis i special? Are here any condi ions on i s use?

Wha o Avoid: Making he i em more po enhan o her aspec s by defaul . Unless you are go-

ing o build he i em as an ex ra or s un , keep i sabili ies reasonable.

Examples: M Y G RANDFATHER S S WORD , G ENERAL M A S B OOK OF W AR , G OLDEN T IGER N INE -R ING S A- BER , I MPERIAL B ADGE OF O FFICE , S ATCHEL OF M EDI - CINES AND H ERBS


Jon rolls wice inS age Three o de erminewha his nal skills and aspec s will be, getinga +1 and -1 a Physical Trai and a Profession.Despi e his familys background as peasanfarmers, Jon knows he wan s o be aW ANDERING S WORD - FOR -H IRE , and, given his high Physique, healso decides he isB UILT LIKE A T IGER . Looking a heskills he already has, he no es he has 1 Good,1 Fair, and 3 Average Skills o ll in unless he

wan s o adjus his exis ing picks. Deciding he

is happy wi h his curren Skills, he looks overhe op ions for Profession and Physical Trai

and ends up aking Good (+3) A hle ics, Fair(+2) Chi , and Average (+1) Will, S eal h, andNo ice.

Jon s ill needs o gure ou exac ly wha hiscore concep is, bu he wan s o see how he resof hePa h of Des iny plays ou before makingsuch a big decision. O herwise, his aspec s andskills are comple e

[-2] PAST HEROISMYou are known for some grea pas ac ion or effor s ha dene your charac er and lef an impac

on he world. This need no be a widespread effec , even saving one person from hardship is enough oreveal some hing signican abou your charac er.

Wha o Consider: Wha did you do? Why was i no ewor hy? Who did i help or hur ?

Wha o Avoid: Overdoing pas heroic ac s. Save he really impressive s uff for play.

Examples: K ILLED A B EAR W HEN O NLY T HREE , S AVIOR OF T EN T REE V ILLAGE , E STEEMED W AR H ERO , D EFENDER OF THE W EAK , T IRELESS H EALER OF THE S ICK

Skills Ca egories (4 ranks): War & Batle, Body & Spiri


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STAGE FIVE: LEARNING TO FIGHTTHIS STAGE DETAILS WHERE YOU LEARNED TO FIGHT,

HOW, AND GIVES YOU SOME INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES DOING SO. Firs gure ou who aughyou, hen how much you have learned so far,and nally which of he several Kung Fu S yles

does your charac er know?

SCHOOL & S IFU ?Roll oneF ATE die o de ermine who augh

you and wha he general environmen waswhere you learned. Wi h a+ , your sifu was afamily member or close family friend; 0 meansyou atended a school run by a mas er; and - means you sough ou a hermi , wanderingwarrior, or o her unique individual whoins ruc ed you personally (and possibly qui eunconven ionally).

You can ll in he de ails of your ins ruc ionand raining how you like, or consul heOp ional Sec ions la er o randomly de ermine

he s a us of yoursifu and your rela ionshipwi h o her s uden s.

WHEN IN DOUBT, FIGHT! (OR SHOOT, C HI , ETC)If you desire a more deni ely

mar ially focused charac er, you

can swap ou some or all of heSkill Ca egories in he Lifepa h formore generally comba orien edSkill choices. The Lifepa h willgive you some ranks in Figh ,Shoo , e c no mater wha youroll, bu his migh no be enoughfor some players and concep s.There are hree ways o do his:

Allow players osubs i u e a Skill Ca egoryin one or more s ages forWar & Batle and Body& Spiri . Allowing onesubs i u ion gives more

reliable comba rela edSkills, bu does no

comple ely overwhelmo her choices.

Allow any player ospend 1 Rank per S ageof War & Batle or Body& Spiri Skills in addi ion

o wha ever Ca egorieshey ge wi h a dice roll.

This does much he sameas he rs op ion, bumakes i a more gradualadvancemen in heseareas per S age.

Allow any player o

always ake War & Batle or Body & Spiri

for any Skill Ranks heywan . This gives he mosfreedom, bu cu s ou alo of he randomness andvarie y of he S ages.

Any of hese op ions workne; GMs and players should jus gure ou which, if any, heyprefer. You need no even use hesame op ion for each charac er,bu realize if you mix and ma chyou migh end up wi h a widervariance in comba -rela ed Skills

han o her groups.


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HOW MUCH DO I K NOW?While his process assumes ha every charac er has learned some Kung Fu, no everyone receives he

same level of ins ruc ion. If you wan , you can skip his and spend your Refresh (usually 4 for s ar ingcharac ers) elsewhere. Bu assuming you wan o know how o do crazy Kung Fu? Roll fourF ATE Dice andconsul he following:

[+4] MULTIPLE STYLES AND SECRETSSpend 2 Refresh o gain wo Kung Fu S yles (wi h one free Technique and he Form for each), hen ake

one Los Technique. For he later, ei her selec from one of he echniques already published, or crea eyour own. Remember, you need o keep a leas 1 Refresh for your charac er!

[+3] MULTIPLE STYLES AND E XTRA TRAININGSpend 3 Refresh o gain wo Kung Fu S yles ha share a Subs yle (wi h he free Technique and Form

for each), plus wo addi ional Techniques chosen from hese S yles.

[+2] MULTIPLE STYLESSpend 2 Refresh o gain wo Kung Fu S yles (wi h he free Technique and Form for each)

[+1] ONE STYLE AND INTENSIVE TRAININGSpend 3 Refresh o gain a Kung Fu S yle (and one free Technique and he Form), and four addi ional

Techniques in he s yle. This means you are only one Technique away from qualifying o become a Mas er!

[0OR -1] ONE STYLE AND E XTRA TRAININGSpend 2 Refresh o gain a Kung Fu S yle (wi h he free Technique and Form) and wo addi ional

Techniques in he s yle.[-2] ONE STYLE

Spend 1 Refresh o gain a Kung Fu S yle (wi h one free Technique and he Form)

[-3] ONE STYLE AND SECRETS Spend 1 Refresh o gain a Kung Fu S yle (wi h he free Technique and Form), hen ake one Los

Technique. For he later, ei her selec from one of he echniques already published, or crea e your own.Remember, you need o keep a leas 1 Refresh for your charac er!

(-4) ONE STYLE WITH E XTRA TRAINING AND SECRETS

Spend 2 Refresh o gain a Kung Fu S yle (wi h he free Technique and Form) wi h wo ex ra Techniques,and hen ake one Los Technique. For he later, ei her selec from one of he echniques already

published, or crea e your own. Remember, you need o keep a leas 1 Refresh for your charac er!

Jon rolls randomly o de ermine learn abouhis Kung Fu ins ruc ion. He rolls a singleF ATE die and ge s a+ , sugges ing a family memberor close friend augh him o gh . Given hisdes iny is closely ied o his family, he decides i

was his uncle who ins ruc ed him. He hen rollso see how much raining he received. Rolling

4 F ATE dice he ge s a -1, so he knows one KungFu S yle and has received some ex ra rainingin he form of wo more Techniques in his S yle.


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SELECT Y OUR STYLEYou can pick your own S yles if you like, roll on he following able o de ermine hem. Roll 2d6,

rea ing one number as a ens digi and he o her as he ones.

11 Fores Crane

12 Ghos Crane

13 Iron Crane

14 Ligh ning Crane

15 S one Crane

16 S orm Crane

21 Fores Dragon22 Ghos Dragon

23 Iron Dragon

24 Ligh ning Dragon

25 S one Dragon

26 S orm Dragon

31 Fores Monkey

32 Ghos Monkey33 Iron Monkey

34 Ligh ning Monkey

35 S one Monkey

36 S orm Monkey

41 Fores Phoenix

42 Ghos Phoenix

43 Iron Phoenix

44 Ligh ning Phoenix

45 S one Phoenix

46 S orm Phoenix

51 Fores Serpen52 Ghos Serpen

53 Iron Serpen

54 Ligh ning Serpen

55 S one Serpen

56 S orm Serpen

61 Fores Tiger

62 Ghos Tiger63 Iron Tiger

64 Ligh ning Tiger

65 S one Tiger

66 S orm Tiger

Though he is looking hard a he TigerS yles, Jon decides o choose his Kung FuS yle randomly. Rolling 2d6 he ge s a 6 anda 3. Reading i as 63, he no es his charac erhas s udiedIron Tiger! I seems ha hischarac er ruly is des ined o follow he pa hof he Tiger!

OTHER STYLESThis able uses he 36 S yles combina ions

provided in T IANXIA: B LOOD , S ILK & J ADE . If youwan o use o her Subs yles, such as hoseprovided in fu ure supplemen s, ei her subs i u e

hem for en ries on his able or add hem.


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STAGE SIX : STUNTSCHOOSING YOUR THREE STARTING STUNTS IS THE

FINAL PART OF CREATING YOUR CHARACTER. Unlikeo her charac er abili ies ha can be de erminedby s ages s un s are so varied and personal heyshould generally be selec ed by players o

heir ul ima e concep and s yle. Tha said, in apinch, you can use he following ables o give

you an idea or some guidance.

FATE DIE STUNT USES+ One of your Grea orGood Skills.

0 Weapon Ra ing, ArmorRa ing, or S ress

- One of Your Fair orAverage Skills

FATE DIE STUNT INVOLVES

+A bonus (usually +2) o a specic ype of ac ion and si ua ion (Crea e an

Advan age when confron ed wi h a par icular si ua ion, +2 Armor Ra ing againsa par icular ype of atack, e c)

0Subs i u ing one Skill for ano her for a par icular ype of ac ion (Use Physique

o defend agains Provoke atacks, use Figh in place of Con ac s o loca e andrecrui skilled warriors, e c)

-

Crea e an Advan age wi h a free invoca ion, 2 shif effec , or 2 Armor or

Weapon Ra ing when succeeding wi h S yle on a es using his Skill for an Ac ionype (Crea e aS HATTERING I MPACT advan age ins ead of boos when a Figh atackac ion succeeds wi h S yle)

S ar ing charac ers ge hree S un s by de-faul and can buy more wi h 1 Refresh per newS un . However, remember you have alreadyspen some Refresh for Kung Fu and you wan

o have a leas 1 o give you Fa e poin s.

Jon is a bi s uck for a s un and decides o rollfor some inspira ion. He rolls woF ATE dice andge s a 0 on he rs die and - on he second,resul ing in a s un ha involves a Weapon orArmor Ra ing, S ress, or some similar effec

ha riggers when he succeeds wi h S yle on

a par icular ype of ac ion. Discussing someop ions wi h he GM he crea esCagey Defense,a new s un for his charac er ha allows him

o add a freeC HI ARMOR invoca ion (gaining 2Armor Ra ing when used) when he succeedswi h S yle on a FighDefend ac ion.

Once you have your s un s, name your char-ac er if you have no already and recover yours ar ing Refresh.


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FAMILY AFFAIRSThe following en ries will allow you o randomly genera e your charac ers rela ions wi h heir

immedia e family. If you wish you can also use his able o de ermine a charac ers rank and s a us ina mar ial ar s school or similar organiza ion. In his case, subs i u e a charac erssifu for paren s andfellow s uden s for siblings. A Kung Fu school migh have many more s uden s han de ermined by heseresul s, bu hese are jus he fellow pupils he charac er is closes o and rained wi h he mos .

HOW ARE Y OUR PARENTS?A+ indica es bo h paren s are alive. A 0 means one of hem is dead. - means hey bo h are. If only

one has died, roll again.+ means your fa her is alive, - means your mo her s ill lives, 0 means ei herpick one or roll again. Op ionally, a dead paren migh be severely ill or dying. If using hese resul s ode ermine he s a us of yoursifu ins ead of your paren s, hen+ means hey are alive, 0 means heyare missing or far away, and - means hey are dead.

HOW MANY CHILDRENRoll fourF ATE dice and add +2 o he number. This is he number of kids your paren s had, no including

yourself. 0 or less means you are an only child. If you wan o randomly de ermine gender of yoursiblings: + is a bro her, - is a sis er, 0 pick or roll again. For age:+ is older, - is younger, 0 is rollagain, if you ge 0 again, you have a win. No e when rolling for fellow s uden s under asifu or men or,age migh deno e skill or school ranking ra her han biological age.

If you wan o be par of a larger family, feel free o add a larger number o hese rolls, bu keepingrack of oo many bro hers and sis ers can be unwieldy. Al erna ively, if bo h your paren s are dead and

you have no siblings, you are an orphan and migh no even know your paren s!

HOW ARE Y OUR SIBLINGS?

For each sibling, roll aF ATE die.+ or 0 means hey are ne and generally heal hy, - means hey aredead or perhaps severely disabled.

HOW DOES Y OUR FAMILY FEEL ABOUT Y OU?Roll a F ATE die for each paren and sibling:+ means hey love you dearly, 0 means generallyposi ive bu no excep ional, and - means hey resen or dislike you.

OPTIONAL LIFEPATH ELEMENTS

THE FOLLOWING ROLLS ARE OPTIONAL, SINCE THEY DO NOT DIRECTLY AFFECT YOUR CHARACTERS STATS BUT CAN BE USED TO COLOR, INFLUENCE, OR FURTHER DEFINE YOUR CHARACTER. The resul s of hese ables can also be used

o weak, inspire, and o herwise inuence he exac way o her rolls are viewed.


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ROMANCERoll on he following o de ermine your charac ers roman ic his ory.

HAVE Y OU EVER BEEN IN LOVE?Roll a F ATE die. + means yes, your charac er has known a serious and las ing love, 0 means your

charac er has been in roman ic rela ionships in he pas bu no hing long erm or las ing, - means yourcharac er has never known love. No e ha las resul does no mean your charac er has never had aroman ic rela ionship, jus ha hey never amoun ed o any hing posi ive.

HOW MANY LOVES HAVE Y OU K NOWN?If he charac er has a loving rela ionship, roll 4F ATE dice and sub rac 1 from he resul . This is he

number of imes he charac er has had ruly loving roman ic rela ionships. A roll of 0 or lower means hecharac er has only known love once so far. Again, his does no necessarily ell how many rela ionships

he charac er has had, jus how many were serious enough o be considered loving and signican .

WHAT HAPPENED TO Y OUR LOVER?For each roman ic par ner, roll aF ATE die.+ means hey are alive and heal hy and love your charac-

er s ill. 0 means hey no longer love he charac er. - means hey now dislike or even ha e your char-ac er. If hey are no longer love, roll ano herF ATE die:+ means hey have grown apar and now love

ano her, 0 means circums ances or obliga ions drove he wo apar , and - means hey died.

Jon is rolling o see wha his familybackground is like. Firs he rolls for his paren s.Geting a - , he nd ha bo h his paren s aredead. He rolls 4F ATE dice and ge s a -1. Adding+2 he sees he has one sibling. He rolls for gendergeting 0 , and elec s o pick ins ead of rollingagain. He decides his charac er has a sis er.Rolling for age he ge s a - , so she is younger

han his charac er. Rolling once nal ime hecomes up again wi h a - , his younger sis eris dead, dying, or disabled. Thinking abou i ,he decides his younger sis er was killed in hesame calami y ha ook his paren s lives.

As his charac er also rolled[-1] FAMILY

on hisDes iny, he gures his family was murderedby some errible villain who killed his familyand much of his village and now he is oufor revenge. Wi h ha nal piece in place, hedecides ha his Core Concep , de ermined byhis S age One Lifepa h roll, isAVENGING S ON OF B LACK T URTLE V ILLAGE .

Jon also decides o roll for hissifu (who, inhis case, is also his uncle) and fellow s uden s

from his ime s udying Kung Fu. He rolls a - ,indica ing ha his mas er is dead bu hen

rolls +2 when de ermining siblings. Adding2 o his, he nds he has 4 s uden s he rainedwi h who were close o him. Rolling for each,he nds all are s ill alive and heal hy, onemale and hree females. All hree females wereyounger han him, sugges ing hey were juniors uden s o his charac er, while he lone malewas senior o him. Rolling o see how hey feelabou him, he nds ha all hree of he females uden s are generally posi ive owards himand ha his big bro her loves him dearly. Jon

hinks abou his and decides he has a friend-ly rivalry wi h his litle sis ers, while his big

bro her was especially suppor ive, aking himunder his wing when he came o rain wi h heirsifu . Looking a how every hing has come o-ge her, he decides his fellow s uden s are ac u-ally his cousins, he children of his uncle andsifu . He also decides ha his uncle was killedby he same villain who murdered his family,bu af er he had been aken in and rained.

Jon rolls for his roman ic rela ionshipsand ge s a 0 . His charac er has had a few

girlfriends in he pas , bu never had he imeor good for une o loca e he one.


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THATS IT?Well, yes, unless you wan io be more. ThePa h of Des iny

ends here because, by his poin ,you have genera ed a charac erwi h every hing you should need

o play, plus a few ex ra bi s forplo hooks or fun backgroundelemen s.

I is prety easy o add ex ra

ables o randomly de erminepar s of your charac er if youwan , especially if you use adie or o her randomizer hais no purelyF ATE -based. Forexample, a 12-sided die couldeasily lead o a able for whichyear of he Shen Zodiacwhichis he same as he Chinese Zodiac

and fea ured in our upcomingadven ure,T HE 12 G OLDEN

B UTCHERS

a person was born in.Add or sub rac from his pa h

based on wha works bes foryou, jus remember o s op roll-ing a some poin and play yourawesome new charac er!

tianxia path of destiny

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