Duels

Huldufolk are constantly in conflict with each other over the mortal world and their own place within Huldufolk society. It’s not unheard of for two Hidden People to spend weeks in struggle over the mortal world, breaking each other’s bones and leaving their blood in the street, only to grab a drink together at the end of every night of it. In most cases, it’s not personal, and the struggle doesn’t detract from wider Huldufolk business.

Yet some conflicts run deeper, and some even call out for blood. The Huldufolk are expressly forbidden from killing other Huldufolk, upon pain of death from the Patrons. When not in a time of Open War, this is even forbidden between members of The Banished and The Blessed. To resolve feuds, highly ritualized processes have developed over the millennia, with a focus on making participants seriously consider the importance of their dispute. The formality and process of the duel reinforces that Hidden Folk in conflict are still members of Huldufolk society, and must put the society’s purpose first.

Duel of Bruises

A conflict between two Huldufolk that requires a show-down, but no lasting bloodshed, is a Duel of Bruises. The winner has their way on the matter, and the loser must agree as such publicly. If the dispute was over mortal influence (such as deciding the result of a long running back-and-forth conflict over mortal actions), the result is conclusive — for a year and a day the loser cannot interfere with business related to that dispute. Any dispute which is a challenge over mortal influence is automatically considered a Bruise Duel — a Blood Duel is reserved for personal disputes between Huldufolk.

Traditionally a Bruise Duel takes the form of a one-on-one fight between the two Huldufolk. This is either fought using bare fists, or using ritualized short staffs.

In modern times, in addition to these options, the two individuals can agree on a contest — a test of wills, or abilities, or strength, etc. This is especially common when the dispute is over which is a deserving leader within their factions, and the two can come up with a relevant challenge that proves to all who is better suited for it. Regardless of a duel’s outcome, Huldufolk cannot be forced to pledge their Belief to anyone, and a challenge displaying their abilities is more persuasive (for most factions) than one displaying brute force.

If the two feuding Huldufolk cannot decide on terms on their own, their leaders (if they have one) will intervene to determine terms for the duel. This indicates a failure on the duelers’ part and a loss of face among the Huldufolk, a poor sign for their leadership potential for the future. As well, their leaders need not give their approval for a Bruise Duel, disputing the terms or even the duel itself — if the reasoning is flimsy, the dispute is fresh and without attempt at previous resolution, or the terms provide a severe disadvantage to one side. In the absence of a Huldufolk leader, a Patron themselves may intervene; for Bruise Duels this is extremely rare, given the relatively low stakes.

Assuming the conflict does not need to be resolved on that very day, the night before a Bruise Duel challenge the two Huldufolk spend the night with Hidden Folk of their community, boasting about each other (and sometimes themselves, if they can slip it in). Society admires boasts that can be taken as a jab at their opponent in a light hearted way, but look down on clear insults. Generally this night is spent with both Huldufolk drinking each other under the table.

After the duel is resolved, the two Huldufolk must exchange gifts (which may also be veiled jabs), before the loser affirms they have ceded their position on the matter.

Duel of Blood

A Bruise Duel is a regular occurrence, and generally fairly light hearted — the events surrounding a Bruise Duel are practically a festival celebrating Huldufolk tradition.

A Blood Feud, however, means there’s been a failure in Huldufolk society. Either two Huldufolk of the same side are unable to live with the other existing in the same community, or two Huldufolk across the aisle are so insistent on killing each other, outside a time of war, that they will shed the blood of one of their kind instead of uniting against their common enemies. It is a solemn event, and it requires the winner to be willing to make recompense for their personal vendetta costing society one of their own.

The ceremony is similar to that of a Bruise Duel, with no jubilance. The feud must be agreed to by both Huldufolk, along with their leaders (the leader can force a member’s acceptance if the duel is egregious enough). The night before the challenge, the two Huldufolk sit in vigil, facing each other. The challenge always occurs in a recessed ring, with the two Huldufolk fighting each other with ritual daggers (along with their magic of course), to the death — if either try to leave the ring, they are forcibly thrown back into it by the Huldufolk. One will die, the other will be a murderer.

After the conclusion, the winner must provide a gift to the the leader of the fallen Huldufolk, to provide some amount of recompense for their slain member, and beg forgiveness for the murder. In response, the leader must provide a task that the winner can complete to redeem themselves, commensurate with the importance of the Huldufolk killed. This task cannot clearly result in their death, or result in the death of another Huldufolk. It may, however, go against their own goals and allegiances. The severity of the task given is expected to be inversely proportional to the severity of the actions taken by the fallen Huldufolk leading up to the duel. If the dispute was over the fallen Huldufolk having heinously injured (or potentially killed) the mortal loved one of the winner, for example, the task is expected to be approximately the severity of a milk run. If the cause of the killing was eminently justified, a disproportionate penance can very well result in the intervention of a higher power — a higher Huldufolk leader, or potentially the Patrons themselves.

Legend tells of two feuding Greek Huldufolk leaders — of The Banished and The Blessed — who were in love with the same mortal woman and refused to back down. They took their blood feud to their Patrons, for there was no other leader to approve, and had their duel. The Leader of the Blessed was victorious, and when he begged the patron fallen Angel of the slain Banished’s faction for forgiveness, he was given a task: go to a land on the other side of the Bosphorus Strait, find the king in a gold and green crown, and kill him. The Huldufolk found this king, and discovered this kingdom on the brink of upheaval: a land struck by famine, disease, and inches from revolt. Disgusted with what he must do, the honorable Huldufolk killed this king, sending the land into a tailspin. The kingdom was destroyed by its own people. Their land destroyed, they took to piracy and raiding, spreading to the neighboring land. Onward and onward these “Sea People” rampaged through empires, taking down centuries of civilization, for want of one king, killed for repayment of one feud, over the love of one woman. Upon hearing that the Sea Peoples — now containing the combined anger and despair of the refugees of dozens of fallen cities — had reached Mycenae, the Leader of The Blessed jumped from the tallest rampart to his death.

The Exile

“I have come one step away from everything.
And here I stay, far from everything,
one step away.”
― Antonio Porchia, Voices

There have always been legends of fairies, elves, and other mythical creatures living among humanity, but never have the Hidden People been closer to their human brethren than Iceland. The Hidden People, known as the Huldufólk, were so well known by the people who lived there that the Icelanders didn’t just believe in their existence — they knew, for certain, they existed. Even now, the Huldufólk are so embedded in Icelandic culture that centuries since their peak influence, over half of Icelanders think it’s possible the Huldufólk live among them, and their government hires special surveyors to make sure public building projects steer clear of potential Huldufólk sites.

Those Icelandic Huldufólk are legendary among Hidden People around the world, which is why the name has stuck (at least in the West). They also serve as a dire warning for the Hidden.

Exile

The state of forced absence from one’s home. Whether or not one believes the Blessed or Banished’s stories of why this Exile began, the Hidden People’s separation from humanity is obvious and palpable to those living it. The Hidden Born take the brunt of it, needing to spend their hard earned Belief to be visible in the human world at all, but never able to appear as their true selves. The Stolen have it the easiest, able to appear as themselves (as they were before joining the Hidden People) — but this advantage is due to the self-imposed nature of their exile. Regardless of the reason, or ways some of the Hidden People still have to influence the world, the message appears to be clear: the world of humanity belongs to humanity. While the Hidden People can find ways to influence their world, they are interlopers.

The Hidden People who lived in Iceland were descended from those who had grown tired of their exile-in-place among humans, leaving the mainland for an uninhabited volcanic island, full of harsh forces unfriendly to the humans. They lived in complete isolation for centuries, until the Norse arrived. As the North Men settled Iceland, the Hidden People, who had moved to escape them in the first place, made their presence known, showing their clear displeasure whenever the Icelanders intruded on their territory. Unlike other Hidden People who had at least made some other pretense when exerting overt control over humanity — see the legends of dragons, will o’ wisps, and fairies arriving every Samhain expecting a gift — the Huldufólk were much more direct. They didn’t make up myths for the Icelanders to believe, but instead told their own tales. Despite the limitations on how they could appear to humans, they made no secret of their true nature when they chose to do so.

Most people know familiarity breeds contempt; sometimes, contempt also breeds familiarity. Over the years, the Huldufólk tried their best to intimidate the Icelanders — but just like humans, the Huldufólk fall in love, and as individual Huldufólk fell in love with Icelanders, creating Lost Twins, their cultures began to merge. Not only did the Icelanders believe in the Hidden People more and more, but the Huldufólk in turn began to absorb Norse Culture.

Unfortunately, there was another side effect. As more Icelanders believed in the existence of the Huldufólk, the Huldufólk were able to have less and less effect on the world. Sure, they had essentially forsaken the need for Belief to power them when they moved to a desolate island, but to be surrounded by humans, who believed in them, yet be next to powerless to affect the world, shocked the Huldufólk. The Icelanders continued to believe in the Hidden People’s existence, but as their ability to affect the world dwindled, the glass wall between their kind became next to impossible to breach.

The Huldufólk of Iceland dispersed all over the world, just as the Hidden People had done in ancient times. They brought with them the culture of the Norse they’d lived with, a name that’s stuck in many parts of the world, and a dire warning of what happens when the Hidden People reveal themselves too much to humanity.

Familiarity Breeds Disbelief

“I refuse to prove that I exist,” says God, “for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing.”
“But,” says Man, “the Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn’t it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves that You exist, and so therefore, by Your own arguments, You don’t. QED.”
“Oh dear,” says God, “I hadn’t thought of that,” and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic.
Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

The Hidden People aren’t quite sure why the effect happens, but the results are clear: the more the Huldufólk overtly affect humanity, the less effective the Belief of humanity will be for the Huldufólk. Since Belief is what fuels the Hidden People’s ability to affect the world, if it degrades they’re left powerless — silent watchers cut off from the world.

The religious theory on this is that God is enforcing the Exile — while They allow the Angels and Demons to use the Hidden People to influence the world, as the Huldufólk take overt actions to mess with Creation, the Lord’s patience grows thinner and thinner.

There’s another, more pragmatic explanation: if it’s humanity’s Belief that powers the Huldufólk, what good is belief in the face of proof? There’s a reason there’s no church of gravity, the speed of light, or bullets (though bullets receive a strange amount of reverence in some places). If something can be easily observed, people don’t believe in it — they simply know it to be true. Meaningful belief requires room for doubt, otherwise believing isn’t a choice.

Additionally, for the Hidden People who work for the Patrons, the Belief they foster in humanity revolves around the ideals of their factions. The Friends of God gain belief when they convince humans that people are generally good and watch out for each other; the Profane gain belief when they convince humans to be afraid of each other and the worst parts of humanity. Belief is based on what humans believe about themselves and those around them, and their belief is part of the choices they make. If humans are simply being manipulated by invisible people wielding cosmic powers, how important can their decisions really be?

Measuring Strain to The Exile

Though the Blessed and Banished continue a subdued war over the future of humanity, threats to the Exile — including Rogue Huldufólk attempting to turn themselves into Urban Legends — are what keep them in the same society. As part of that united front, someone (presumably the Patrons), gifts the Huldufólk with a tool to track damage to The Exile.

That symbol of strain on The Exile is different from place to place. In some places it may be a small tree, where leaves fall when The Exile is strained; it may be an hourglass where the sand only falls when the Exile has been damaged; it might be an old analogue clock showing the seconds from Midnight, Doomsday Clock style. In whichever form, this device of tracking The Exile’s strain appears, and is one of the main reasons the Huldufólk meet. The device itself is generally maintained by the Agents of Balance.

Additional Mechanics

Actions and Turns

All characters have two actions at base, one mundane and one supernatural, with the exception of mundane Minor Actors, who lack a supernatural action. These actions are resolved simultaneously, but one or both may be held until later in the initiative.

A turn in Huldufolk lasts 10 seconds, characters can generally move freely, though at the ST’s discretion for full distance. As a general rule, a character who takes an action and moves can travel about 10 meters, while a character who devotes their entire turn to movement can travel around 30 meters. These numbers are not exact, as movement is not a primary mechanic in the Huldufolk system.

Initiative

Initiative in Huldufolk is done by playing a card. All characters acting in the combat play a card, and simultaneously reveal what card was selected. Ties are resolved by each tied player drawing a card from the ST’s deck and comparing. This card is not lost, as though it were used in a challenge, but become inaccessible to the character for the duration of the combat. When the combat has concluded, the character reclaims their initiative card, adding it back to their hand.

Demesne

A character’s Demesne is their home base. At creation, a character can have only one Demesne, typically it’s wherever they spend the majority of their time. A character’s Demesne has a maximum size of their Personal Influence. The building may be larger, but only that portion is recognized by the strange rules which govern Huldufolk magic.

Over time, a character’s Demesne changes to suit them. It may take on an otherworldly beauty, hinting at their angelic origins, or a sinister feeling of fear may pervade every surface. Either way, as the character’s hold over a Demesne increases, they find that their chosen Sphere begins to assert a hold over it. All characters in the Demesne receive a +1 to actions which match the owner’s primary Sphere, as though they were benefiting from one level of that Sphere’s Lesser Path. This bonus increases to +2 at Belief 3 and +3 at Belief 5.

Additionally, the area surrounding a character’s Demesne begins to be influenced by that character’s power as well. The character’s Territorial Influence begins to shape the thoughts and actions of Minor Actors who spend significant time in the territory.

Example of Mundane Defense:

Bob the Elf has drawn the ire of three hexenwolves (Minor Actors, supernatural). He’s a Stalwart defender (+3), armored (+1), and hasn’t faced an attack in the last 10 minutes (base +5). The hexenwolves are Vicious attackers (+3), wielding knives (+1), and have Focused on Melee combat (+2).

In the first round of combat, all three wolves attack Bob. His player recognizes that they’re Minor Actors, and therefore much more limited than he. On the first attack, the wolf selects its highest card (+5) while Bob plays from the low end of his deck (+2). The two add their cards to their pools and determine that the Wolf’s total is 11, while Bob’s total is also 11. As Bob is defending, the wolf’s attack is narrowly avoided. On the second attack, Bob no longer has his 2 card, and his threshold has been reduced by 1. However, his player is fairly certain they have the measure of these wolves, and selects the 3 card. As before, the wolf plays their highest card and achieves an 11, matched by Bob, who has a lower base (now +4), but played a higher card to mitigate the attack. The pattern repeats with the third wolf, Bob’s threshold is now +3, and he selects his 4 card to keep the beast from hitting him.

On Bob’s action, he has a difficult choice to make. He’s reasonably confident that he can hit one of the wolves if he really swings for the fences, but he has no Qualities or affinities relevant to attacking, and his only weapon is a short sword (+1). He doesn’t know for sure what the wolves’ defenses are, but he knows that hitting them will likely require at least his 6 card¹5 base threshold + at least 1 from the card, defender wins ties., given that most creatures have a base threshold of +5. He decides that it’s better to attempt the attack than simply stand there while being shredded. Rather than go with the minimum possible card, he swings for the fences. The ST, deciding for the wolf in question, believes that Bob’s player will continue to try and eke out small victories, and selects the wolf’s Ace card. The wolf is a berserker, and has no appropriate defensive qualities or armor. Therefore its defense is entirely based on its threshold, currently a +5²Though the wolf has been active in combat, the threshold is only reduced by being the *target* of attacks, which until now hadn’t happened.. Bob and the ST build their pools, to the ST’s surprise, Bob swings with an uncharacteristically high 11, while the wolf has a mere 6. Because he exceeded the target by 5, Bob’s attack inflicts two damage, enough for the relatively fragile wolf to be brought down.

In round two, Bob faces only two wolves, but he’s already starting to tire from the strain of fighting off the wolf pack. His threshold is now down to a +2, and he’s starting to burn through his cards. The two wolves attack with their highest remaining cards (4 for each), while he’s forced to use even higher cards to resist (5 for the first, 6 for the second). When his turn to attack comes up, he decides his best bet is to use his Ace for the attack. He knows he won’t hit, but he doesn’t want to waste his dwindling card supply. The ST, based on his previous attack, expects Bob to play a high card, and spends his highest remaining card for that wolf (3). The two compare pools once more, Bob’s total of 2 isn’t high enough to hit the wolf’s defense of 8, but he takes solace in knowing that the beast is running out of cards.

Round three, the two wolves attack again, one spending 2 and one spending 3. Bob’s threshold is now at 0, which means his defenses are at 4 (Quality + Armor), but they won’t be going any lower. The wolves’ attack pools are still at 6 before the card, which is higher than Bob’s Ace defense (5 total), which means he has to either spend his few remaining high cards, or take some hits. However, now that he knows their resources are depleted, and that he’s not at risk of taking multiple damage per hit, he’s willing to take a bit of damage in hopes of putting the pair down. He spends his Ace on both attacks, taking 1 damage from each, and uses his 9 to hit the wolf he attacked previously, who now has a threshold of 4 and only an Ace remaining. The wolf’s total defense is 5, while Bob’s attack is at a 10. This wolf, like the last, is brought down.

Round four, there’s only one wolf, and Bob’s defenses remain unchanged. Realizing that it is unable to do enough damage to bring him down before he destroys it, the ST decides that the wolf is going to flee. While Bob could give chase, his player decides not to risk walking into another ambush and lets it escape.

As should be clear, even a small fight like this one was very nearly lethal to Bob, who only got through it with careful play and a bit of luck. Individually, the wolves would have been no challenge, but being outnumbered three to one had a major impact on the fight. In the real world, 5 good fighters will almost always defeat 1 great fighter, and the same is true in Huldufolk. Some of the most powerful warriors, or those blessed with truly remarkable Artifacts, may be able to handle a large group of enemies, but these characters are much more the exception than the rule. That said, characters willing to take a bit of a beating can still deliver dangerous blows to their adversaries on the way out.

Additionally, while a player needs to track only their thresholds, a storyteller with multiple NPCs needs to track thresholds for each, as well as the cards spend by each. With large groups, this can rapidly get out of hand. Huldufolk is not a system designed to replicate armies, and the paperwork involved is non-trivial.

Belief

A character’s Belief is a measure of their influence upon the world, and it impacts nearly everything about them. Belief is a hotly contested resource, with Huldufolk spending months or even years to steal a single follower from their rivals¹Mechanics for gaining Belief will be added in a later update.

Belief Ranks

There are five ranks of Belief available to player characters. While Huldufolk innately know the relative strength of Belief when encountering another character, it can be difficult to know exactly where a character stands. In Huldufolk society, it is common to refer to these ranks with formal titles.

• Rank 1 (Freeholder)
  • The Huldufolk can purchase powers of level 3 or below and use them freely.
  • The Huldufolk can purchase powers of level 4, but must spend Belief to use them, or Burn Belief to access their spend effects.
  • The Huldufolk’s Personal Influence is 10 meters in radius.
  • The Huldufolk’s Territorial Influence is 1 km in radius.
• Rank 2 (Citizen)
  • The Huldufolk can purchase powers of level 4 or below and use them freely.
  • The Huldufolk can purchase powers of level 5, but must spend Belief to use them, or Burn Belief to access their spend effects.
  • The Huldufolk’s Personal Influence is 20 meters in radius.
  • The Huldufolk’s Territorial Influence is 2 km in radius.
• Rank 3 (Knight)
  • The Huldufolk can purchase powers of level 5 or below and use them freely.
  • The Huldufolk’s Personal Influence is 30 meters in radius.
  • The Huldufolk’s Territorial Influence is 3 km in radius.
• Rank 4 (Margrave)
  • The Huldufolk can use the Spend effect of level 1 powers without expenditure.
  • The Huldufolk’s Personal Influence is 40 meters in radius.
  • The Huldufolk’s Territorial Influence is 4 km in radius.
• Rank 5 (Sovereign)
  • The Huldufolk can use the Spend effect of level 2 and below powers without expenditure.
  • The Huldufolk’s Personal Influence is 50 meters in radius.
  • The Huldufolk’s Territorial Influence is 5 km in radius.

Belief points

A character has access to a number of belief points equal to their Rank x 3. A character achieves the spend effects of their powers by using one of these points, which refresh at the end of a game or when a specific effect causes a refresh. When a character uses a burn effect, they temporarily reduce their Belief Rank by 1, to a minimum of 0. If a character reaches Belief 0 due to burning belief, they lose access to nearly every benefit of being Huldufolk. They are unable to affect the human world, use powers above Level 2, or regain Belief Points until their Rank has been restored to at least 1.

Rare effects can actually permanently reduce a character’s Belief permanently, if a character is stripped of Belief rank, they must regain that rank as though they never held it. A Huldufolk stripped of their final Rank is left as little more than a passing shadow, barely a threat to a will-o-the-wisp.

Augmentation

The strangest, and least understood, Sphere is unlike any of the others. Where most Spheres focus on personal achievement; empowering the practitioner so that they might pursue their own goals, this Sphere is focused on granting others the strength and affinity they need to thrive. Adherents of this path are known as Servitors.

Augmentation 1: Crash Course (Undefended) – The Huldufolk has learned to share knowledge or, in times of crisis, simply give it away. For 1 hour, the target learns a single affinity that the Huldufolk knows. The Huldufolk loses access to that affinity while this is active.

Spend: You can instead grant a Focus, regardless of whether or not the target has the prerequisite affinity. If they do not, they automatically gain that affinity for the duration.

Augmentation 2: Help from Afar (Undefended) – This power is passive. The Huldufolk cannot always be next to their charge, but with this power they might as well be. The Huldufolk can assist another’s actions even in situations where they normally couldn’t (aiding attack from across the room, aiding a drive check over the phone, etc).

Spend: In times of need, the Huldufolk becomes sharper and more capable on behalf of another than on their own. For 1 turn, the assistance the Huldufolk provides is improved. If you don’t possess the affinity, you can still grant a +1. If you do possess the affinity, but not a focus, you grant +3. If you possess the appropriate focus, you grant +5.

Augmentation 3: Bodyguard (Undefended) – At times, the best protector has to decide that their own safety is secondary to that of their charge. For one turn, any damage taken by your target is instead inflicted upon you. (Note: This cannot be chained. Another character cannot then take the damage on your behalf.)

Spend: When taking damage on behalf of another character, that damage is reduced by 1.

Augmentation 4: What’s Mine is Yours (Undefended) – The Huldufolk is, at this point, a master of self-sacrifice. So potent is their willingness to give of themselves that they can grant access to their own powers. For one turn, your target gains access to a single supernatural power you possess, you lose access to the power for that duration.

Spend: The duration is increased to an hour.

Augmentation 5: The Giving Tree (Undefended) – There is no commodity so important, or so hotly contested, as Belief. With this power, a Huldufolk can sacrifice even this last and most potent sign of their power. For one hour, the character can spend Belief on behalf of other characters, granting them the direct benefits, or empowering their magic with its strength.

Spend: The user can also Burn Belief on behalf of other characters.

Burn: The character’s sacrifice is rewarded. You do not need to spend Belief to grant other characters the spend benefits of the first three levels of their Greater Paths.

Alleviation

Focused primarily on removing and repairing deleterious effects against other characters, the Servitors of this path are typically focused on getting their allies back in the fight as quickly and effectively as possible. At lower levels, beneficiaries find themselves granted a second wind or protected from the extremes of the mundane world. At higher levels, the practitioner can bring an ally from death’s door to fighting fit in a matter of moments.

NOTE: The powers of Alleviation are usable only on other characters. A Huldufolk cannot target themselves with these powers.

Alleviation 1: Caduceus (Undefended) – The Huldufolk are largely proof against mortal ailments, their supernatural origin protecting them from diseases which would lay a human low. With this power, the Huldufolk can grant some of that capacity to a character in their charge. The Huldufolk washes away the target Minor Actor’s fatigue or sickness, curing them of common illnesses (cold, flu, etc) with a wave of the hand, and restoring their mundane threshold by 1.

Spend: The target is immune to environmental effects for 1 hour.

Alleviation 2: Field Medic (Undefended) – The Huldufolk are a hardy race, capable of withstanding attacks which would outright kill lesser beings. With this power, the Huldufolk grants some measure of that miraculous fortitude, healing their target for 1 point of damage per round.

Spend: The Huldufolk can heal up to 3 damage this round, split up among multiple characters if they so choose.

Alleviation 3: Shoring Up (Undefended) – The Huldufolk are resistant to attacks, be they mundane or supernatural, in a way that other races cannot help but envy. With this power, the Huldufolk extends that resistance to their charge, restoring one point of a Minor or Major Actor’s mundane or supernatural threshold.

Spend: The Huldufolk cannot allow their charge to become defenseless. The target fully restores the chosen threshold.

Alleviation 4: Proper Function (Undefended) – The Huldufolk has learned to finely tune their healing abilities. They may not be able to self-heal, but they can certainly eke the most of their natural resiliency when giving it to others. The target is healed of any and all mundane illnesses, regardless of their severity. Additionally, the Huldufolk’s Alleviation 2 power now heals a base of two damage to one character, and spending to heal gives six points of damage to heal, spread out among multiple characters if the user so chooses.

Spend: The Huldufolk instantly ends one harmful supernatural effect on their target.

Alleviate 5: Back in the Fight (Undefended) – The Huldufolk takes a fighter on their last legs, and restores them to fighting strength. Refresh one low card (A-5) for the target character.

Spend: Refresh all low cards for the target, or one high card (6-10)

Burn: Refresh another character’s entire deck.

Service

The strangest, and least understood, Sphere is unlike any of the others. Where most Spheres focus on personal achievement; empowering the practitioner so that they might pursue their own goals, this Sphere is focused on granting others the strength and affinity they need to thrive. Adherents of this path are known as Servitors.

• Path: Lesser Service – Granting no direct benefit to the user, this Lesser Path instead allows the practitioner to grant bonuses to other characters.
• Path: Alleviation – Focused primarily on removing and repairing deleterious effects against other characters, the Servitors of this path are typically focused on getting their allies back in the fight as quickly and effectively as possible. At lower levels, beneficiaries find themselves granted a second wind or protected from the extremes of the mundane world. At higher levels, the practitioner can bring an ally from death’s door to fighting fit in a matter of moments.
• Path: Augmentation – Focusing on improving the form and function of their charges, the Martyrs who follow this Path grant their own abilities and health to their allies in hopes that these beneficiaries will use them to greater effect. At lower levels, they share knowledge and affinity, granting the benefit of their experience. At higher levels, they offer up their own Belief, sacrificing their power at the altar of loyalty.

Demesne

Focused on maintaining one’s temporal holdings, this is the chosen path of many Huldufolk who style themselves as members of the Peerage. Within a character’s Demesne¹See Additional Mechanics, Demesne, their will can be exerted as easily as breathing, and to remarkable effect. At lower levels, a character’s Demesne changes to match their desires and extend their awareness, at its greatest heights, the Path of Demesne allows a Peer to control the entry and exit of all creatures, and to decide their fate while they’re caught in the trap.

Demesne 1: Honey Trap (Potentially Defended, Supernatural) – The patient spider is best rewarded. The Huldufolk who has begun down the Path of Demesne has learned this and can shape their Demesne to act as their proverbial web. By activating this power, the Huldufolk causes their Demesne to either become attractive; in which case Minor Actors find themselves subtly but irrevocably drawn toward it, or unattractive; in which case Minor Actors avoid it unconsciously, requiring forceful intervention to even acknowledge its presence. This power affects only those characters who can in some way perceive the Demesne.

Spend: Narrow focus can yield wide results. While the Huldufolk’s Demesne may have no sway on the flowing river of humanity, they may choose to specifically affect only a single Minor Actor, drawing them or pushing them away while leaving the overall effect of their Demesne unchanged. If the power is used in this way, it is Defended. This power affects only those characters who can in some way perceive the Demesne.

Demesne 2: Intellectus (Undefended) – This power is passive. From the moment the Huldufolk learns this power, they are always aware of all locations they’ve claimed as Demesne. They know without effort how many people are inside and their general locations. They can sense the layout and contents without effort, navigating their Demesne with eyes closed as easily as otherwise.

Spend: With an effort of will, the Huldufolk can observe any part of their Demesne as though they were physically present.

Demesne 3: Velvet Rope (Defended, Supernatural) – With an effort of will, the Huldufolk forces a single character from their Demesne, ejecting them to the boundary without necessarily crossing the intervening distance.

Spend: After a target has been ejected, or if they are already outside the Demesne, they cannot reenter for one hour (if they are already outside, this power is Undefended)

Demesne 4: Master of the House (Potentially Defended, Mundane) – For one hour, the Huldufolk can control their Demesne without effort, spending a supernatural action to cause doors to spring open, lights to turn on or off, or objects to fly across the room. If the Huldufolk chooses to use this power offensively, they may attack any character currently present in the Demesne.

Spend: If the character attacks, they may attack any number of characters, so long as those characters are currently present in the Demesne.

Demense 5: Not in My House (Defended, Supernatural) – For one hour, Minor Actors cannot leave or enter your Demesne unless you allow them to do so. Major Actors must test in order to enter or leave without your permission.

Spend: The character’s Demesne is sovereign, even to the greatest powers of the Huldufolk. Any time a supernatural power is used in the Demesne while this power is active, the user can choose to disallow it. This is a Defended challenge, but the card of the Huldufolk using power is not expended by the test.

Autocracy

Focused on improving one’s own presence and preventing adversaries from robbing the Sovereign of their freedom, be it by mundane or supernatural means. At lower levels, the Huldufolk’s force of personality becomes something imposing, showing them for the force of nature they are. At higher levels, their strength of will prevents even the most lethal adversaries from inflicting themselves upon the practitioner.

Autocracy 1: Celebrity (Potentially Defended, supernatural) – For 1 hour, the Huldufolk becomes remarkable. Perhaps they seem unnaturally beautiful, or carry an aura of violence, or simply draw the eye with pure animal magnetism. For the duration, Minor Actors will not attack the Huldufolk unless attacked first. They may choose to avoid the Huldufolk, or to toady up to such an apparently important person. This use is Undefended.

Spend: The Huldufolk can use their power to draw not only the eye, but the admiration. A single Minor Actor can be forced, against all evidence of the senses, to regard the Huldufolk as a close friend and confidant. The Huldufolk may have just finished pulling their sword from the character’s gut, but all is forgiven and forgotten when such a close ally is involved. This use is defended.

Autocracy 2: Searchlight (Potentially Defended, Supernatural) – Any Noble must be conscious of potential assailants. Assassins have been the first argument of a great many kings, and the Huldufolk have learned to handle that threat with this power. For one turn, the user automatically knows when a character is mundanely hidden within 10 meters, and gets a vague sense of their direction. If a character is hidden with a supernatural power, they may Defend against this power.

Spend: The effects of this power last for one hour.

Autocracy 3: Rejuvenation (Undefended) – Magic is the weapon of many who would deny the Huldufolk their due, and Magic is the shield against the greatest dangers of the world. With this power, the Huldufolk restores 1 to their supernatural defensive threshold.

Spend: The Huldufolk restores their supernatural defense threshold to its maximum.

Autocracy 4: Disbelief (Undefended) – Sovereignty from the effects of magic, cutting the ties which bind a Huldufolk to their birthright, is an extreme step, but at times an essential one. By activating this power, a character forces mundanity upon themselves with such power that they become completely untouchable by magic. All active magical effects (including Lesser Path bonuses) upon the character end, and they become impossible to affect with further supernatural effects. The user cannot be targeted by supernatural effects and cannot use magic.

Spend: While this power is active, the Huldufolk may spend Belief to make use of magic for one turn, they still may not be targeted with supernatural effects, and ongoing effects end after that turn.

Autocracy 5: In Persona Christi (Undefended) – The Huldufolk’s will is paramount in all matters of autonomy. Activating this power restores the character to full health and ends all supernatural effects currently active upon them. This power can only be activate once per hour.

Spend: The Huldufolk can be more discerning in their unweaving. When activating this power, the character may decide which effects to remove and which effects to keep.

Burn: At times, the most important ability is to fight another day. When the tide of battle goes too far against the Huldufolk, they may decide to exercise the essential right of travel, disappearing from their current scenario without a test (all other effects of this power still take place) and reappearing anywhere within their territorial boundary.

Dominion

There can be no attacker without a defender. The Sphere of Dominion is focused on keeping what’s yours. It is the chosen path of Feudal Lords among the Huldufolk, those who seek to preserve what is theirs and prevent any upstart usurpers from thinking they can ply their sticky fingers. Those who follow the Sphere of Dominion are known as Peers.

• Path: Lesser Dominion – Grants benefit to any attempt to protect or maintain control of a territory, person, or situation. This Lesser Path also grants benefits to supernatural resistance pools.
• Path: Autocracy – Focused on improving one’s own presence and preventing adversaries from robbing the Sovereign of their freedom, be it by mundane or supernatural means. At lower levels, the Huldufolk’s force of personality becomes something imposing, showing them for the force of nature they are. At higher levels, their strength of will prevents even the most lethal adversaries from inflicting themselves upon the practitioner.
• Path: Demesne – Focused on maintaining one’s temporal holdings, this is the chosen path of many Huldufolk who style themselves as members of the Peerage. Within a character’s Demesne¹See Additional Mechanics, Demesne, their will can be exerted as easily as breathing, and to remarkable effect. At lower levels, a character’s Demesne changes to match their desires and extend their awareness, at its greatest heights, the Path of Demesne allows a Peer to control the entry and exit of all creatures, and to decide their fate while they’re caught in the trap.