Those who don’t know it and all that. Three important events in ven history. 200 Years Ago: The Betrayer WarTwo centuries past, the ven were ruled by an Emperor. His name was Jayman Steele, Earl of Blayloch, Blooded of the Elk, primarch of the Steele family. His rule was hard, but not harsh. Crime was…
This one is very long. Enjoy it. The Rules of RomanceCharacters with the Romance skill may participate in the Game of Love. If a character does not have the Romance skill, he is unaware of the delicate rules and pitfalls that await him. He is encouraged to study first before endeavoring to play. The First…
She steps into the room and every set of eyes turns her way, as expected. They all want to see what she’s wearing tonight. Daro stands behind her, to the left, like a shadow of muscle and iron. It’s the first night she’s worn the sword belt. Everyone’s eyes fall a little lower than usual.The…
We’ve talked about Injury. Now, let’s talk about Insult. Ven dueling ritual is precise and exacting. Every movement means something. Of course, for the ven, there is always a right way to do anything. That includes throwing insults. The ven treat verbal duels with the same dignity and respect. There is a right way to…
There are moments for which words fail. The limitations of language simply cannot contain the truth of the moment. A soldier looks up on a battlefield and sees his best friend cut in two. A woman watches a ship leaving port, her own true love watching from the deck. Brothers separated for years are reunited…
Just a quickie. I have job interviews this afternoon. Getting HurtWhen you’ve been hit by a sword, knife, or any other kind of weapon, you will sustain an Injury. Injuries are like other traits: they have ranks. When you’ve sustained an Injury, the player who gave it to you gets to describe what kind of…
It is unclear when the ven began using sorcery. Official records do not give us any clues. It is clear that, since the Fall, ven leaders have expressly forbidden use of sorcery by any of their subjects under penalty of death. Of course, this did little to hinder ven nobles’ research of the topic. The…
In D&D, money is not important. Specifically, economy is not important. PCs start with enough money to retire. That’s just silly. And so, in keeping with the theme, let’s look at how the ven economy works and how the players can manipulate it. Yeah, there’s a mechanic. A big bad doozy of a mechanic. Wait…
Fans of Enemy Gods, Cat and The Secret Lives of Gingerbread Men will recognize these guys. They’re Advantage Dice. I’m stealing them for Houses of the Blooded for two reasons. First, because they really do encourage player input; and second, because as “Style Dice,” they’ll encourage players to act like the ven. For those of…
On the eve of St. Valentine’s Day… well, I should have put up the Sacred Harlot for Feb. 14th, but since I haven’t, let’s put up the Bloody One instead.