Prevail Unbound - Tabletop Roleplay Game

159 Pages

Format: Colour PDF

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Prevail Unbound - Core Rulebook - Original Frontiers | MODERN FANTASY | DriveThruRPG.com

Prevail Unbound is a Tabletop Roleplaying Game set in a dark, gothic vision of the near future. Humanity has connected to Magic and the Supernals - Spirits of the Plane of Kur, previously labelled as Demons.

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By the year 2066 Humanity on the planet Earth was a shadow of it’s former achievement. Tribal notions of division at every level of human interaction had become so entrenched that any hint of global accord was null and void. Those who shared ideologies banded together placing social, economic, and physical walls around their territories. This model for existence, coupled with the wars for resources and the emergence of powerful and deadly viruses, led to the realisation that conflict was inevitable. With no outside perspective to blame, those who dwelled within their walls could only turn on each other. Technological development paused. The most extreme followers of religious and political ideals became ever more fervent. This precipitated a worldwide conflict which raged for three decades.

 At the turning of the Century a sect of paranormal researchers unearthed the Tome of the Unbound and inadvertently summoned the Spirits of  Kur to the dying Earth. Chief among the Spirits was Baal, who promised that his five Supernals would restore humanity to a state of peace and prosperity. The champions of each Supernal, known as Adherents, would be granted Gifts in exchange for shepherding the herd in this new world. In a few short years global conflict came to an end and humanity began to rebuild. 

The Adherents of the Supernals remained in place, watching from the shadows as humanity tried to find it’s way. The Era of the Unbound had arrived.

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Prevail Unbound is a dark modern fantasy tabletop roleplay game. The setting is that of of near-future dystopia, with the emergence of occult Magic granted via the Supernals - Spirits of the Plane of Kur. In this time our world has endured merciless change, though there is time yet for the planet Earth to prevail.

 All Original Frontier games are designed for Player and Storyteller to work in conjunction for the purpose of advancing an Adventure It is therefore encouraged for both Player and Storyteller to read and understand the contents of this Rulebook up to and including the Character Sheet on page 114. The Storyteller Section is provided to assist the Storyteller only, from page 115 onward.

The dice required to play will include a twenty-sided dice (d20), a six-sided die (d6), and a three-sided die (d3).

You will also require a method to record notes in addition to the Character Sheet. If you wish to use maps, miniatures, tokens, and tech to enhance your Adventure, I wish you every success. I personally believe that the imagination is the greatest tool we possess, though I do not disparage the many ways available to enhance a gaming experience.

As with all Original Frontiers systems – the Storyteller has the final word on all outcomes. If a rule within this book comes into conflict with the good of the story, the Storyteller is free to bend, amend, or ignore that rule to their discretion.

Above all I wish you a fun, expressive and creative RPG experience.

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ACTIONS PER TURN

When the Storyteller has called for a dice roll to resolve an Action, each Player may take one Action per Turn. There is no particular order in which the Party or the Storyteller needs to decide which Player acts, however all Players must have described or acted out their Action for the Turn to be completed. This is to encourage Players to role-play their Character without rigid limitations. 

MELEE COMBAT

Melee Combat in Prevail Unbound combines the brutality of realistic fighting with the potential for flowing, continuous exchanges. Skill, training, and talent with a weapon may prolong survival and increase the chances of besting an opponent, but every dog may have it’s day and every weapon may prove deadly. There are no generic, standardised forms of offence or rigid methods for defence – every part of Combat is circumstantially adjudicated by the Storyteller. There are no hit points or wounding tracks. Endurance and personal injury are measured instead by the Status of the Character or NPC’s body parts at any given time. Status impacts the Character’s readiness during Combat, and affects their Physical Actions outside Combat. 

 When entering into Combat keep your intent and desired outcome in mind. Be ready to adapt your approach to any given situation, for death is a constant and perpetual truth in Prevail Unbound.

RANGED COMBAT

Firearms are readily available and wielded by the Unbound. Though martial prowess in close combat is respected, there is nothing so satisfying as dispatching a foe efficiently and with minimal resistance. In gameplay terms Ranged Combat involving Firearms works slightly differently to Melee Combat. The Storyteller still assigns a Difficulty Rating for the Attack based upon intent and bodily location, and now includes distance in this calculation. The target’s Defensive Roll still takes into account their Armour, and now includes any feasible cover. When defending, the Defensive Roll should start at +3 Difficulty to the Attacking Roll. There is also less opportunity to control the wounding caused by a Firearm, and therefore though an Injury may be the result of a Ranged Attack it is not a realistic intent – if a Firearm is aimed and fired at a sentient being the chance of deliberately causing a minor Injury only is incredibly slim. If attempted, the Difficulty Rating should reflect this.

MAGIC

Baal’s arrival granted humanity unprecedented access to a torrent of Magic, and the Unbound may attempt to manifest Magical Abilities. Since Magic follows it’s own will the practitioner may only mitigate it’s power rather than fully control it. The practitioner is the conduit, not the source. Magic, as with all aspects of Unbound life, is practiced in seclusion from the outside world. If the practical application of Magic is to be used outside the confines of Unbound understanding then extreme caution is to be exercised. Though the herd are evolving and some individuals outside Unbound society may possess that which is required to learn about Magic, Magic itself is still largely feared and mistrusted.

There are many tomes and grimoires dedicated to specific Magical practices. The pages which follow are a general guide to Magic as a whole.

PERSONAL CODE

The Character’s Personal Code is broken down into four measuring factors; Elevated, Libertine, Wanton, and Measured. Actions taken which impact how the Character is perceived will garner points within each of these. These points may be converted into bonuses, may be used to cancel each other out, and offer a guide as to how NPC’s and other Characters may choose to interact with that Character. There is no “right” or “wrong” path; the Personal Code represents a series of decisions made and how the Character navigates their personal journey.

The Storyteller determines whether an Action will garner a point in any of the Personal Code categories based on a number of variables. The most important things to consider are intent, and whether the Action was witnessed, who by, and the effect this had on others. If the Character is deliberately attempting to shape others’ perception this too should be taken into account.

THE SETTING

The Planet Earth in 2106 is an echo of the high points of recent history. The economic aspirations and social acceptance of the late 1900s, along with most of the technologies brought by the new millennium, all thrive in this new world. Some Cities fortunate enough to be unscathed by decades of war have prospered, and are havens for the world’s renewed populations. Most of the Earth’s lands outside the Cities are desolate but hold potential for new civilisations to emerge.

 The schism between restored systems of governance and corrupt oligarchy is the grey area in which the Unbound are most observant. Though the Supernals have aided humanity, it is the Adherents of the Supernals who must oversee what becomes of humanity’s future existence. Many entities, even the Supernals, regard the world as theirs for the taking.

 It is with all of this in mind that Adventures within Prevail Unbound take place. Nothing is set, nothing is certain.

THE FIVE BEACONS

Much of the conflict in recent decades took place in the Western hemisphere, and it was here that the Supernals focused their attention. Each used their influence in a particular area, drawing five points upon the map from which to start their world anew. These are still referred to in Unbound society as the Five Beacons. Those who dwell within the herd outside Unbound society are scarcely familiar with this term.

NATURAL LAWS OF THE UNBOUND

Though each Sect is different in their application of service to the Supernal, some Tenets apply to Unbound conduct which are non-negotiable.

I. Do not impose your will unless to address an imbalance; if you seek to intervene do so fully and mindfully 

 II. Cause no harm to those without means of defence 

 III. Do not complain if your Magic does not serve you; re-focus your energy to make it serve you, or else refrain from it’s invocation

It is expected for every Unbound to adhere to this code and to go against it can bring shame upon them, their Sect, and their Supernal. Consequences for breaking the code depend upon severity and circumstances. 

THE SUPERNALS

Each Greater Spirit of Kur is called a Supernal. Their human followers are called Adherents, and the groups they bind together in are called Sects.  Each Supernal has dozens of Sects loyal to them, made up of thousands of Adherents.

 Powerful Magical Abilities, known as Gifts, are granted to Adherents by the Supernals. In gameplay terms these Gifts are noted as Specialities on the Character Sheet.

 Since the dawn of time the Supernals of the Spirit Realm have chosen Avatars – representations of their physical appearance – when communing with humans.

 The pages which follow detail the characteristics of the  Supernals along with their Adherents and Sects. The Gifts received by the Adherents of each Supernal are also described. 

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AFTERWORD

This Core Rulebook is intended to provide an outline for the crafting of Adventures. The Unbound World, though concealed, is ever-expanding and is largely undocumented, and as such there is no right or wrong way to present your setting. Above all, have fun and enjoy the Adventures you create.

P.G. Harrington

All content was designed, formatted and/or edited by P.G. Harrington.