- Legacy of Bran Fendigaid
- Legacy of Boudicca, Iceni Queen
- Legacy of King Harold Godwinson
- Legacy of Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig
- Legacy of Katherine Hope Whitmore
- Legacy of Michael Collins
- Legacy of the RAF
The Defender of the Realms, as he or she grows in their responsibilities, are able to adopt abilities inspired, or perhaps granted, by previous notable Defenders. Such abilities often appear (or become available for purchase) after the Defender is visited by visions of previous Defenders, or delves into research into previous Defenders. Such abilities are available for the Defender to use when they are called to defend the realm. That is, when their mark is active and they are acting in response. Certain specific abilities may be available at all times, as noted in their description.
Legacy of Bran Fendigaid
An Age of Giants – 12 xp
“Bran, king of all Britain from Welsh legend, was a giant and son of Llyr, god of the sea.”
The defender can become the same size as an opponent, up to twice their original size. For each two feet of height gained, their strength increases by one. For every one foot of height increased, they gain temporary life points equal to their constitution. This ability can be used once per day. The usage resets at dawn.
Warband of Legend – 8 xp
“When Branwen, sister of Bran was mistreated by her husband she trained a starling to deliver him a message. In response, Bran gathered a warband and invaded Ireland, forcing them to capitulate.”
The Defender is able to grant a number of allies equal to their Intelligence an additional action. During combat the Defender can sacrifice an action of their own to grant an ally an additional action they can use that round. The additional action cannot be saved for a later round. The ally must be able to see and hear the Defender to take advantage of this ability.
Legacy of Boudicca, Iceni Queen
Boudicca, Victorious – 16 xp
“Boudica would rouse her troops by riding among them with her daughters proclaiming how hard she would fight despite the injuries and indignities she had already taken. She would encourage the men under her command to do no less or continue to live in Roman slavery.”
When the Defender defeats an opponent in battle, she may immediately roll a number of d4 equal to her Constitution. She then regains Life Points equal to the total. This effect can be used a number of times per day up to the Defenders Willpower
Raze the Enemy – 16 xp
“Her strikes against enemy fortifications and towns were both brutal and legendary. Whether on land or sea, her armies wrought terror and devastation on enemy ground.”
The Defender may invoke the names of their Defender Legacies before battle when attacking an enemy base or stronghold. If she does, a number of allies up to her Willpower may gain +1 to ALL attack rolls during that encounter. The Defender can choose to include herself among the allies or not.
This ability can be used only once per day. Access to this ability resets at dawn.
Legacy of King Harold Godwinson
Harold’s Forced March – 10 xp
“Harold’s army marched 241 miles (386 kilometres) to intercept William, who had landed perhaps 7,000 men in Sussex, southern England. Harold established his army in hastily built earthworks near Hastings.”
When the Defender is called, any travel the Defender and any companions she takes to get to the location of the event takes less time than normal. The Defender is able to travel faster than is usually possible in these cases. This ability requires only that the Defender concentrates on their duties as Defender while they travel. The method of travel can be by car, plane, public transport, or even running through wilderness. This does not grant super speed in local environments, just the ability to more quickly get to the source of trouble as part of the duties of the Defender.
Harold’s Final Stand – 20 xp
“A Norman account of the battle, Carmen de Hastingae Proelio (‘Song of the Battle of Hastings’), said to have been written shortly after the battle by Guy, Bishop of Amiens, says that Harold was killed by four knights, probably including Duke William, and his body dismembered.”
When facing two or more opponents in combat the Defender is granted an additional defensive action such as a Dodge or Parry, each round. The additional action can only be used for a defensive action of some sort, so long as it involves fending off multiple opponents. Note that if one opponent is defeated during the round, reducing the number of attackers to one the Defender still has the additional defence action that round. However, the next round this ability would not apply (unless a new opponent joins the fray).
Legacy of Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig
Avenging Fallen Family – 20 xp
Brian Boru was one of the twelve sons of Cennétig mac Lorcáin, who was King of Dál gCais and king of Tuadmumu.
Once per day, when the Defender sees a close companion fall in battle, they are able to summon additional reserves to better avenge their fallen companion. On their next attack they may roll 2d8 for their attack instead of the normal d10. However, whether or not they succeed on their attack the Defender takes their success levels as damage as a result of the ferocity and extreme exertion of their all out attack.
Further, if the Defender has an attack remaining in the round they can choose to take it immediately after seeing their companion fall.
Uses of this ability become available again at dawn of each day.
Legacy of Katherine Hope Whitmore
Always Suitably Attired – 10 xp
It is ever so important to present ones-self appropriately for every occasion.
If the Defender is wearing the Cloak of Bran Fendigaid, they can use a moment of concentration to change how it appears. It can become white or black, appear to be clean or dirty, and take the visual appearance of any form of outerwear. For example, it can become a white shawl, a black leather jacket, a long white cloak, a black woollen great coat, and anything in between. Adornments on the Cloak, such as buttons, epaulettes, or trim can take any suitable colour.
In addition, the Armour value of the Cloak is now 4 regardless of its form.
Unexpected Lethality – 16 xp
I am terribly sorry if I am not living up to your expectations of me.
When rolling a combat action (an attack, dodge, parry, feint etc), the Defender can re-roll any d10 roll that is a 1.
Legacy of Michael Collins
Rouse the folk – 16 xp
Among his famous last words is the final entry in his pocket diary, written on the journey which ended his life, “The people are splendid.”
Once per day, the defender can deliver a stirring speech to their companions within a few minutes of a battle. They need to address the combat they are about to be in and reasons or importance of the battle to the group. With a successful WIL+Influence or STR+Influence roll, the success levels of the roll creates a pool of points that the group can use as if they are luck points shared by the group in the first round of the coming combat. The Defender herself does not have access to this pool of points, unless the other characters agree they are inspired by the Defenders words. Characters can use both points from this pool and their own Luck points in combination if they have any.
If a particular character decides the content of the speech doesn’t apply to them or doesn’t inspire them, they can opt out of having access to the pool.
The ability to make such a speech resets at dawn each day.
For example, Jane makes a speech about the importance of defeating the Minotaur the group has spotted on the platform of the tube station they are approaching by escalator. She rolls a total of 15, meaning 4 success levels. Once the battle starts, Felix takes an attack on the Minotaur but just misses. He uses two points from the pool to scrape up a hit. Just afterward the Minotaur swings at Lindy, and she fails to dodge, but only by two. She uses one more of the points from the pool and one of her own Luck points to make the dodge effective, leaving one still available. Adora acts last, but decides she was busy texting Tanner during the speech so she opts out of having access to the final point. That is the end of the first round, so the last point expires.
Legacy of the RAF
Development of radar – 8 xp
“The radar invented by Robert Watson-Watt, was invaluable to the men who fought the Battle of Britain. The radar allowed Britain to track incoming German warplanes and gave Fighter Command, led by Sir Hugh Dowding, sufficient time to get airborne and attack them.”
When the Defender is called to fight in defence or revenge of the people of the land they are able to see clearly at night and dark conditions. This includes being underground or in the dark night. There is a slight green tint to what they can see under these conditions.
This ability also allows the Defender to counter the effects of magical darkness or blindness on themselves with the expenditure of a Drama Point.
This does not prevent the user from being blinded by a blindfold or similar.
Scramble the squadron – 10 xp
“…scrambling is the act of quickly mobilising military aircraft. Scrambling can be in reaction to an immediate threat, usually to intercept hostile aircraft.”
Responding quickly at the start of a fight the Defender and their allies are able to use a d12 to roll their initiative rather than a d10.
The Defender can also grant a bonus to initiative to any one of their companions. This must be declared before initiative is rolled, and the companion specified. Once the Defender has rolled their initiative they determine the success levels of their initiative and that is the bonus that is applied to the initiative of their ally.
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