Magic System

To make it easier to track your character’s Magical Spheres and Paths, see our Magic Powers List Creator.

Unlike most systems, there is not a designated affinity for each path of magic in Huldufolk. Instead, when a character learns the first level of a Greater Path, they decide which affinity they want use for that Path. The chosen affinity is then used to calculate their test pools whenever necessary, and changes the form and appearance of their magic. That Path and that affinity are forever tied together. If a character loses access to the Affinity, their magic will be weakened, denying access to the spend effects of the Path. If a characters has a Focus on that Affinity, they gain +2 to pools in that Path.

No two Huldufolk use magic the exact same way. A character who works the miracles of the Creation [Life] Path based on their Computers affinity may create autonomous drones or AI systems, while a character who works that Path with their Artistry affinity may bring sculptures to life or grant sentience to paintings. Because of this variance, and the relatively broad nature of Huldufolk powers, it can be very difficult to know for certain what Path and power is being used at any given time. A player can describe their magic in any way appropriate to their affinity and Path.

Resolving Magical Conflicts

There are several powers in Huldufolk which directly oppose another character’s efforts. Typically, a character defends against a magical attack with their defensive threshold. However, in cases where both characters are attempting to achieve a mutually-exclusive goal (e.g., two characters both attempting to claim a Demesne), each character builds their attack pool as normal, and contests with that. Given the many variances in Huldufolks’ approaches to magic, the conflicts can be very strange events.

EX: Bill the Elf and Sally the Demon both attempt to claim Demesne over a single location. Bill is using his Quality of Domineering and his affinity of Computers. Sally is using her Quality of Avaricious and her affinity of Diplomacy. Bill’s spell takes effect as a cloud of electricity attempting to paralyze Sally and throw her out of the contested area. Sally’s power manifests as whispered words, twisting and shaping Bill’s mind until he realizes that he abandoned the claim apparently of his own volition. Unless specified in a power description, magic does not inflict mechanical damage even if its narrative effects would otherwise do so. A character using Melee Combat to bludgeon their enemy into submission finds that the damage is illusory and fades as soon as the contest of powers is over.

Challenge Resolution

In Huldufolk, there are two basic challenge types; defended and undefended. Undefended challenges are most commonly environmental tests, situations where the task is difficult enough to require a pool, but the Actor is not actively being opposed by another character or force. Undefended challenges can most simply be understood as challenges in which only one party plays a card.

In defended challenges, on the other hand, multiple opposed parties play cards. Defended challenges are the primary resolution for most combat¹Note there are situations in which attacks may be undefended. and for opposed situations in which multiple characters or groups compete for mutually-exclusive goals. Defended challenges between player characters may always be resolved by player-to-player mediation, which allows for narrative solutions which may not be easily replicated mechanically, and carries the additional benefit that neither player has to expend a card.

Mediation

The Huldufolk rules system is designed as a rules-light game. Compared to most tabletops, or even some LARPs, there are a small number of rules, and they are not intended to perfectly simulate reality. In any contested event, players are encouraged to first determine if they can mediate a mutually-acceptable result. Due to the built-in dwindling of resources in Huldufolk, attempting to solve every problem with brute-force mechanics is likely to cause a character to run dry very early in an event. If the two players cannot reach an agreement about the outcome of a challenge, they should then take the step of engaging in a mechanical challenge.

The Deck

All characters can be separated into either Major or Minor Actors, while there are a few major differences between them, the most essential is the type of deck each receives. At the beginning of a game, Major Actors receive a 10 card deck containing A-10 (known as a Full Deck) while Minor Actors receive a 5 card deck containing A-5 (known as a Half Deck). The current cards in a given player’s deck signify the amount of effort and energy they have in reserve. A player with a full deck is fresh, having either expended very little effort or taken a great deal of time to rest since their last exertion. A player with only three cards left is flagging, on the edge of their abilities. They may have exhausted their best options, or they may be carefully pacing themselves, with a couple of big plays still to make, that depends on the value of the cards still held in reserve.

A card is expended any time it is used in a test, either offensive or defensive. After the test is resolved, the player surrenders their card to the storyteller (or in some other way removes it from their deck) regardless of the result -a task requires just as much effort whether or not you succeeded or failed. The only exception to this test is the Ace card, which is never surrendered. Even at their most beaten-down, characters can at least attempt to take action, even if that attempt has only the slightest energy behind it.

Building the Pool

As mentioned above, both Defended and Undefended tests are accomplished by building a test pool and comparing the total to either the challenge rating or the opponent’s test pool.

Challenge Ratings:

• 5: A test rated as difficulty 5 is a basic task. For example, driving a car on a typical day. Characters who possess an appropriate affinity do not have to build a pool in order to accomplish tasks rated at 5 or below, these are simple matters of course.
• 6-12: A test rated between 6 and 12 is uncommonly difficult. At 6, the challenge may be driving a car through rush-hour traffic. At 12, the challenge could be driving through a blizzard, or driving at night without headlights on a back-country road.
• 13-17: A test rated between 13 and 17 is exceptionally difficult. At 13, the challenge might be driving through a hurricane or while missing a tire. At 17, the task is at the ultimate pinnacle of human capacity; driving in the Indy 500 while exchanging gunfire, or some similarly incredible feat.
• 18-30: A test rated at 18 is flatly impossible for a human being to accomplish. It requires either teamwork or (more likely) magical interference. A task rated at 25 is at the very upper-edge of the most accomplished Huldufolk player characters. A task rated at 30 is achievable only by the most accomplished Huldufolk with supernatural assistance.²See Lesser Paths: Service
• 30+: Here, there be dragons. A task rated above 30 is simply not something a player character can manage alone. It may be that they require direct assistance from other characters, or it may be that the task is simply beyond the ken of all but the Patrons.

A character’s pool consists of³Math for Nerds: This system is constructed such that a PC can have a maximum pool of 30 on a given test, if they have a Quality, a Focus, a powerful Artifact, and maxed supernatural bonuses (both personal and granted by the Service Lesser Path). With assistance, it is possible to go higher, to a theoretically infinite point. Most of the time, a character will hover around 10 in their specialty before the card is added, which is what the system is tuned to assume. A particularly capable Huldufolk might hang out in the 12-14 range.:

• Quality (If appropriate): +3
• Affinity Focus (If appropriate): +2
• Equipment: +0 – +2 (mundane) +0 – +5 (magical)
• Assistance: +1 (If assistant has the affinity) +3 (If assistant has the Focus) A character may be assisted by as many Actors as can logically take part in the action, per ST discretion
• Supernatural Bonuses: +0 – +10
• Card: +1 – +5 (Minor Actors) +1 – +10 (Major Actors)

The player adds all appropriate values together and determines their test pool, then surrenders the card to the storyteller, at which point the total pool is compared to their target number. In the case of undefended challenges, the card can be declared openly. In the case of defended challenges, all parties select their card before anyone announces their total pool.

Resisting Attacks

As discussed above, defended challenges are the resolution method for when two characters have mutually-exclusive goals. By far the most common example of this is when one character’s goal is “hit X person” and their target’s goal is “not get hit by Y person”. In Huldufolk, defense is a pool, but it is constructed slightly differently than most pools. Rather than being based on the combination of a Quality and affinity, defenses are based on a combination of a Quality and a Threshold, either mundane or supernatural.

All player characters start with a base mundane and supernatural threshold of 5, as do most Major Actors. Minor Actors can have a base threshold of anywhere between 0 and 5, depending on ST discretion and character type. Mundane Minor Actors (eg., regular humans, animals) always have a supernatural threshold of 0, while Minor Actors touched by magic (eg., supernatural beasts, particularly weak Huldufolk, empowered humans) may have a supernatural threshold of 0-5. Some Major Actors have base thresholds above 5, though these are rare. The most notable examples are Patrons (base threshold 20), whose supernatural and mundane defenses are impossible to breach for all but the most powerful Huldufolk, and even then usually after a great deal of effort and struggle.

Each time a character is forced to defend against an attack, the relevant threshold decreases by 1, a threshold is restored either by magic, or by resting for 10 minutes.

A character’s defensive pool consists of (Defenders win ties):

• Quality (If appropriate): +3
• Threshold: +0 – +5
• Equipment: +0 – +5
• Supernatural Bonuses: +0 – +10
• Card: +1 – +5 (Minor Actors) +1 – +10 (Major Actors)

A thorough example of defense can be found in Additional Mechanics.

Character Design

A Huldufolk character sheet is a simple thing. It has four primary sections: Qualities, affinities, Paths, and Equipment. Generally, experience is recorded on the sheet, though storytellers at their discretion may prefer to use a different recording mechanism. Here, we’ll go through the four sections and discuss the mechanics they represent.

Qualities

Qualities are the most fluid, and most essential, part of a character. They represent the innate nature of the character, and affect almost every action they take. Qualities apply a +3 to any challenge on which they are applied. A character selects 3 Qualities at creation, but may change those Qualities after entering play by roleplaying their shifting personality and spending XP¹XP cost and roleplay requirements will be discussed in a future rules version..

There is no master list of acceptable Qualities. They are, by definition, personal to each character. However, below is a sample listing to help get a sense of what makes a good Quality. It is important for a storyteller to consider carefully the breadth of a given Quality. While most characters will fall back to acting according to one of their Qualities wherever possible, this should require some amount of effort on the part of the character.

Example Qualities:

• Alacrity
• Benevolence
• Conviction
• Cunning
• Defiance
• Devotion
• Endurance
• Precision
• Regality
• Resilience
• Tenacity
• Valor
• Vigor
• Wariness
• Wisdom
• Zeal

Affinities

While Qualities describe how a character approaches the world, Affinities define the tools they use to approach their goals. A character with an appropriate Affinity does not need to test to accomplish normal, everyday tasks (CR 5 or below), but does need to test for unusually difficult situations as described in Challenge Resolution. A character without an appropriate Affinity must test to accomplish a challenge of 10 or below, and cannot test to accomplish tasks of difficulty greater than 10.

Like Qualities, there is no master list of Affinities. The list below is used to generate a list of what should be considered acceptable, but it is the decision of each ST as to what constitutes an acceptable Affinity. A character can have any number of affinities purchased with XP, but begins play with 4.

Affinity List:

• Sword-fighting
• Diplomacy
• Stealth
• Driving
• Computers

Focus

A Focus is an Affinity which has become an intrinsic part of the Huldufolk, something they spend a significant portion of their time and energy working to improve, and a way by which they define themselves. A Huldufolk with a Focus on sword-fighting is likely to self-describe as a fencer or a warrior. A Huldufolk with a Focus on Computers is likely to self-describe as a computer scientist or a hacker. Mechanically, a character can have up to 5 focuses, each of which grants a +2 on relevant pools, A character begins play with 2 Focuses.

Spheres and Paths

Spheres and Paths will be discussed at great length later on, but for now we’ll just do a brief overview. Spheres are the general types of magic available to Huldufolk, they break down into Lesser and Greater Paths, which further break down into specific, named Greater Paths, detailed below. Magic in the world of Huldufolk is an intensely personal thing, powered by and feeding a character’s innate Belief as they perform miraculous and diabolic workings. No two Huldufolk use magic in exactly the same way, influenced as it is by a given character’s Qualities, affinities, and personality. At creation, a character selects a single Sphere as their primary Sphere and gains the associated Lesser Path as their chosen Path, that Path will always be equal to their Belief. They also select a total of 10 points of powers, none of which may be rated above 3. Further Lesser and Greater Paths can be purchased with experience.

To make it easier to track your character’s Magical Spheres and Paths, see our Magic Powers List Creator.

Spheres and Paths:

• Creation – This Sphere is focused primarily on weaving the raw material of the universe into new and wondrous forms. Its adherents include artists, magical botanists, and supernaturally tough warriors. Those who select Creation as their primary Sphere are known as Artisans.
  • Path: Lesser Creation – Grants benefits to any work of creation or creativity. This Lesser Path also provides a bonus to all mundane resistance pools.
  • Path: Substance – Focuses on the creation of nonliving things. At lower levels it allows a Huldufolk to improve mundane and simple magical equipment, at higher levels it allows for creation at incredible size and scope, and for the creation of powerful Artifacts.
  • Path: Life – Focuses on the creation of living things. At lower levels it gives a Huldufolk deep knowledge of other creatures’ well-being, and allows for self-healing and resiliency. At higher levels, plagues, humans, and even magical creatures can be brought into being out of nothing but pure will.
• Destruction – Often maligned as an inherently evil Sphere, Destruction is not only for monstrous sorcerers flinging death from their fingertips (though there are certainly plenty of those). This Sphere is focused on change and chaos, often but not exclusively through the medium of violence. Its adherents include the aforementioned power-mad sorcerers, pursuers of Nirvana, and those seeking to understand the deepest nature of reality. Those who select Destruction as their primary path are known as Champions.
  • Path: Lesser Destruction – Grants benefit to any act intended to bring about change, or to inflict destruction. This Lesser Path also provides a bonus to all mundane attack pools.
  • Path: Change – Focuses on altering the nature of reality. Lower levels allow for the bending of chance or circumstance, higher levels allow for gross rewriting of the world around the practitioner, twisting it to serve their purposes.
  • Path: Strife – The path most people think of when they hear Destruction. Focuses on inflicting harm and violence. At lower levels, a practitioner inflicts inconvenience and pain upon those who draw their ire, at higher levels, a Huldufolk can inflict truly horrific damage upon their adversaries, and upon the tapestry of creation itself.
• Conquest – There are many types of Conqueror, and they all find some use in this Sphere. The powers found in these Paths are all focused on claiming or usurping territory. While this Sphere is considered to be in direct conflict with the Sphere of Dominion, the two actually complement one another in various ways both large and small. Those who select Conquest as their primary Sphere are known as Claimants.
  • Path: Lesser Conquest – Grants benefit to any attempt to take control of a territory, person, or situation; also grants a benefit to attempts to infiltrate or violate another character’s territory. This Lesser Path also grants benefits to supernatural attack pools.
  • Path: Empire – Focuses on claiming new territory and improving a character’s ability to challenge the claims of other Huldufolk. Lower levels allow for simple acts of theft and control, while higher levels allow a Claimant to take full control of their targets and claim vast swathes of territory with a simple act of will.
  • Path: Infiltration – Focuses on violating the territorial claims of others, and gaining access to forbidden places. Lower levels assist the Infiltrator in bypassing simple or mundane defenses while higher levels allow the Huldufolk to take on a target’s form, voice, and spiritual outline, shutting the original owner out of their own domain, territory, and even their life.
• 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 Demesne²See 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.
• 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.

Equipment

In the world of Huldufolk, mundane equipment comes in three types. Basic equipment (laptop computers, compact cars, run-of-the-mill weapons) provides no numerical benefit, but allows the user to attempt tasks for which that gear is needed. A character cannot attempt to pick a lock without some sort of valid equipment with which to do so. High-quality gear (sports cars, hunting rifles, hand-forged swords) grant a bonus of +1, and Exceptional equipment (high-performance dragsters, supercomputers, special forces-grade weapons) grants a +2. Mundane equipment cannot naturally offer a benefit higher than +2.

Magical equipment, on the other hand, can go far and away above what mere human hands can craft. Many Huldufolk carry swords crafted by mythical figures, or paint with brushes of unicorn hair, or wear leathers of the finest dragonskin. The vast majority of magical equipment (Baubles) offers a between a +1 and a +3, and has no more than two Minor effects. Particularly rare or remarkable equipment (Curios) may reach a +4, and/or have a Major effect and multiple Minor effects. The rarest and most incredible gear, the stuff of songs and legends (Artifacts), can reach a +5 and have as many as three Major effects, and a litany of Minor ones.

Minor Effects

• Attacks with this weapon are considered supernatural in nature, and oppose a target’s supernatural threshold.
• This item is crafted from a strange or impossible material.
• This item allows the user to travel in an unusual fashion; flight, water-walking, tunneling.
• This item grants the user immunity to weather effects, or specific types of harm.

Major Effects

• Attacks with this weapon can cut the very thread of magical workings, ending the effects of greater and lesser paths with a swing of the blade.
• This item is intelligent, acting as a confidant and advisor (whether welcome or otherwise) to its bearer.
• This item grants incredible movement to its user, allowing them to cross miles in a single step, to pass through solid objects, or to step comfortably in the heart of a volcano.
• This item binds the owner’s soul to the world, preventing even the most powerful of Patrons from truly killing the Huldufolk.

Huldufolk Mechanics System

Authors: Joe Perry, Jacob Shpiece
Contributors: Rob Paul, Sarah Farley, DJ Hicks, Jeremy White

Initial Notes

Caveat: This is the playtest rule set for the Huldufolk LARP. While these rules have now weathered multiple playtests, they will likely undergo several cycles of testing and modification before a final version. Everyone playtesting this ruleset is invited to fill out the survey and provide us with feedback to assist in the refinement process.

Glossary:

• Actor (Major) – A huldufolk or other character considered to be a major figure in the world. Major Actors receive a full deck and always have both mundane and physical resistance thresholds.
• Actor (Minor) – A human, minion, or other relatively unimportant character. Minor Actors receive half decks and, if they are mundane, do not have a supernatural resistance threshold.
• Belief – The measure of a given character’s power in the world, based on both the humans who have faith in them and the supernatural creatures who have sworn fealty to them.
• Deck (Full) – A full deck consists of the cards Ace-10.
• Deck (Half) – A half deck consists of the cards Ace-5
• Focus – A affinity to which a character has devoted an uncommon amount of time and study, marking them as far above the standard in that area.
• Quality – One of a character’s three innate aspects which define who they are and how they approach the world.
• Affinity – One of a character’s areas of knowledge and ability.
• TO BE CONTINUED

Rogue Huldufolk

“There is no escape — we pay for the violence of our ancestors.”
Frank Herbert, Dune

In some form or another, the Blessed and Banished and struggled against each other for thousands of years, potentially from the creation of mankind to the modern day. For much of Humanity’s history, however, most Huldufolk have been in neither. Before the more modern, interconnected world we live in, up to within the past few hundred years, Huldufolk society as we know it was dwarfed by Huldufolk living independently of any faction at all.

In previous nights these independent Huldufolk were responsible for many of the myths and legends around the world. The fairies that tricked unsuspecting European villagers on Hallow’s Eve; the Will-o’-Wisps luring people up and off of cliffs; the evil witches and warlocks living in dark forests; the man-eating Wendigo of the Algonquian in north-east America and Canada.

While the Blessed and Banished vie over the fate of humanity, over gaining their belief in the goals of their Patrons, these independent Huldufolk seek belief in … themselves. Usually the goal is simply fear, and some sort of reverence. Through evoking this personal belief in their own myths, these independent Huldufolk can grow extremely powerful.

In past ages, the factions of Huldufolk society and their patrons have often tolerated these independent Huldufolk. Over the past few centuries, however, as humanity as entered a more “enlightened” age of empiricism, and the majority of Huldufolk now serve the Patrons, they’ve grown far less tolerant of these free agents: any Huldufolk pursuing believers outside one of the factions are now considered Rogue, and can be killed at will by any other Huldufolk.

Despite the dangers of living a life rogue from Huldufolk society, it comes at a great advantage. Not only is it easier to gain power through direct belief, instead of merely inspiring belief in your faction’s core principles, it’s surprisingly easy to convince humans to believe in the unknown. Even in the late 1800s, it was easy for the myth of the Nain Rouge (the “Red Dwarf” – sound familiar?) to take hold in the Detroit area; people all around the world know of the Jersey Devil, supposedly hiding somewhere in the Pine Barrens; and it takes a particularly brave teenager to accept the dare to say “Blood Mary” in front of the mirror in a dark bathroom, alone. The legends are fewer than in past times, but even if we now call them “Urban Legends”, the belief, and the fear, is still there.

The more powerful the belief in one of these Urban Legends grows, the more powerful the Huldufolk behind it — sometimes more powerful, it’s said, than any member of Huldufolk society. It is said that some of these Urban Legends manage to live well beyond a normal human, or Huldufolk, lifetime, sustained by their belief — perhaps becoming something more than Huldufolk.

Even among the factions of Huldufolk society, it can be tempting to try to cross the line into becoming an Urban Legend. Over the centuries numerous Huldufolk have tried to turn themselves into legends, while still espousing the beliefs of their faction. This can be a quick route to power, but it’s a dangerous game. All eyes are on such Huldufolk celebrities, waiting for the day they take one step too far.

The Agents of Balance

“Dangers lurk in all systems. Systems incorporate the unexamined beliefs of their creators. Adopt a system, accept its beliefs, and you help strengthen the resistance to change” – Frank Herbert, God Emperor of Dune

Patron: Unknown

The Patron of the Agents of Balance (also referred to derisively as the “Free Agents” by some) doesn’t seem to have any interest in identifying themselves with a specific name or appearance. They’ve been known to appear as Azrael (an Angel of Death, but also of Transition), as the Egyptian Goddess Ma’at (holding her scales of balance and scepter), as Persephone (the Greek goddess who moved to and from the underworld each year), Kali (Hindu goddess of many things, including change), or Athena/Minerva (goddess of wisdom and strategy).

As a result, there’s no story The Agents of Balance can tell themselves about the origins of their Patron — though there is a tale involving a fallen “Watcher” from Eden. What they do know is this.

For millennia the Blessed and Banished have fought over the fate of humanity in almost every part of the globe. Countless wars have likely been the shadow of the Huldufolk’s war on the mortal world. Numerous times the supposedly “cold” war of the Blessed and Banished has turned into a bloody one, leaving disastrous consequences in both societies. As the European Renaissance began to bloom, a new power began to appear to Huldufolk as Minerva, seeking an end to this ceaseless war. Numerous Huldufolk, disenchanted by bloodshed, joined this Patron, who threatened to use their powers against any faction that continued open warfare. Because of this drastic shift in power among the Huldufolk, there has been no direct war between the Blessed and Banished since.

Motivations: If asked by other Huldufolk, their purpose is easy enough to understand: the Agents of Balance stand between the Blessed and Banished to uphold an uneasy peace between them, and dissuade further outbreaks of open war. This answer is palatable enough to most Huldufolk of both sides, but isn’t the entirety of the truth.

The Agents of Balance don’t believe any of the goals of the other factions are what’s best for humanity — at least not in extremes. They believe that the best future for the world involves a shifting equilibrium between them. Often their version of balance skews towards the Blessed (especially the Friends of God) more than the Banished for certain fairly obvious reasons, but there are times where even the worst parts of the Banished must have their due.

If the Agents of Balance had their way, Huldufolk wouldn’t be influencing humanity’s future at all — their Patron seems to buy into the Blessed’s version of the Hidden People’s origins even more than the Blessed do themselves, strongly believing that humans should be making their future of their own free will, as they were supposedly created to do. However, the Agents of Balance recognize that Huldufolk have the instinct to meddle; therefore their real option is to try to restrict the amount of influence any group has over humanity, and have the upper hand shift enough that none of them truly control the future. Hopefully, in this constant shift of control, humanity will find a way to make their own path.

Goals: To keep a balance between the Banished and the Blessed, and importantly, try to make sure no faction stays in power long enough to outlive their welcome. Sustained control breeds extreme action, as well as complacency. Additionally, if the Banished or Blessed ever go to war again, the Agents of Balance have pledged to side against the aggressors.

When the powers of the Huldufolk are in balance on their own, the Agents of Balance often deal with all the other factions fairly openly, providing assistance that benefits them (hence why some refer to them as “Free Agents”). When one of the factions is in clear ascendance, however, the Agents shift their power against them, supporting the other factions to attempt to keep the balance between them — or in some cases, working to topple the faction in control to shift power entirely.

Beliefs Invoked: The future is uncertain; life can change at any moment. The future is what we make of it. I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.

Criticisms: The other factions are of course understanding when the Agents of Balance use their influence to push their enemies out of power, but are far less understanding when it’s them being maneuvered out of control.

Both the Banished and Blessed have a similar criticism against the Agents of Balance: they believe that the Agents have no real belief, or principles, at all, and that little is served by their place in society. The Judges of Light, in particular, believe the Agents of Balance are simply the last stopping post before a Huldufolk forsakes society altogether, and goes Rogue.

The Agents, in response, make a simple observation: there has only been one civil war between the Blessed and Banished while the Agents of Balance have existed, and it was during that war that the Agents of Balance rose to prominence between them. It is their existence which led many Huldufolk to return to society, and their actions continue the tense peace between them.

The Stolen

The Huldufolk live alongside humanity, influencing their world, but forever apart from them. Some Huldufolk appear to humans (but usually cannot appear to them as themselves), and if they feel strongly enough for a person, they might fall in love with them. They might even have children with them (a Lost Twin), though afterwards they won’t be able to appear to them again.

… But what if that’s not enough? What if they aren’t content to just watch from afar? What if they must find a way to bridge the gulf between them and the human they’ve fallen for?

Or, what if Huldufolk’s reason for stealing a human isn’t even as relatable as that? What they just want some company, or a useful tool, or they genuinely want to ruin someone’s life? Whether they have a have a reason they can convince you is valid or not, only the Banished have a way to turn a human into a Huldufolk, and the power to do so has lead many a Huldufolk to fall to the Banished over the centuries.

The process is simple in explanation, but abhorrent in application.

1. Simply get your human of choice (your candidate) to commit an unforgivable act (usually murder, but torture and grievous bodily harm that can never been recovered from have been known to suffice on occasion) to an innocent person. Usually this involves some trickery, often mistaken identity, or fooling your candidate into believing their victim has wronged them in some way. The important part isn’t whether the candidate was tricked into doing it — the only important aspect is that they chose to commit the sin of their own volition. The victim did not deserve their fate in any way, and a Huldufolk created the situation where their candidate did the deed of their own free.
2. Once the candidate has committed the act, they begin to separate from the mortal world. The reality around them begins to dim from focus, and mortal society starts to no longer notice their existence. At this point, any Huldufolk can appear to the candidate at will. After letting the candidate’s sanity unravel for a bit of time, the Huldufolk trying to steal them from the world reveals themselves.
3. The Huldufolk attempting to steal the candidate must reveal the ruse to them: they’ve done harm to an innocent person, and that harm can never be taken back. They then need to convince the candidate to agree to be hidden from the world permanently. They can convince their target however they want. Often these discussions involve their eternal damnation; or convincing them they can never be redeemed; or, the simplest truth: that they’ll be found out and arrested if they return to the mortal world. Importantly, the Huldufolk cannot threaten or use coercion to convince their candidate — they again must choose to be stolen of their own free will.
4. If the candidate chooses to return to the mortal world, reality snaps back into focus. Everything returns to normal, with the exception of them having committed a terrible deed and whatever consequences may come of that, in this world or the next. Their story with the Huldufolk ends here.
5. If the candidate chooses of their own free will to leave the world of humanity, the participate in the Huldufolk’s ritual, appealing to the Patrons of the Banished to steal them from humanity. That ritual requires a sacrifice, which they have already made. Once completed, they are now one of The Stolen.

The process to create a Stolen Huldufolk, while requiring the assistance of the Patrons of the Banished, does not require the Stolen to join the Banished themselves. Their kidnapper must explain the options available to them, and let them choose. Often they will attempt to downplay the other choices, presenting the Banished as their natural home

Some Stolen will refuse to make the decision right there, and end up either joining one of the other factions, or forsake the society altogether, becoming a Rogue Huldufolk. Most, however, will accept this explanation from their kidnapper, and make their choice on the spot. Some choose the Banished having chosen to lean in to their sin, making evil their new life’s work. Others choose the Banished believing they have no real place elsewhere. Unfortunately, once the choice is made, leaving the Banished is a dangerous pursuit, and one rarely attempted.

Advantages: Stolen have an advantage no other type of Huldufolk can claim: they grew up as an actual human, part of human society. They therefore have the closest connection to humanity, and the easiest time influencing it by far.

Additionally, a Stolen can do something no other Huldufolk can: when they choose to appear in the mortal world, they can appear as themselves. They appear as themselves as they looked before they were Stolen, but it does mean they can use their own identity, if they wish to, and they usually have documentation from their mortal days to back up their identity. Unfortunately for them, if mortal authorities or others have an idea of who committed the awful act that led to the Huldufolk being Stolen, being able to resume their former life might not be much of an advantage.

If the Stolen joins the Banished, they have the reputation for having been important enough for a Huldufolk to go through a great deal of trouble to bring them into the fold. If the Stolen joins the Blessed, either immediately, especially if they make the dangerous conversion later, they gain a reputation as one trying to redeem themselves for their sin.

Disadvantages: Because they’ve spent their lives as humans, only to cross into Huldufolk society much later than the other kinds of Huldufolk, Stolen have a distinct disadvantage dealing with the Patrons.

If they stay within the Banished, the Patrons generally perceive the Stolen as owing them something, given their earlier appeal to be removed from the mortal world. They do, however, seem to respect the Stolen for choosing to live this way.

While the Patrons among the Blessed may also respect a Stolen for pursuing redemption, the Stolen’s appeal to the power of Demons leads the Patrons to be unlikely to wish to speak to them. The Patrons will only appear to the most successful Stolen among the Blessed, and it’s unclear if they do so out of respect or necessity. Even their Messengers are unlikely to appear to a Stolen, even if they make themselves the most powerful member of their faction in the city. Additionally, the Stolen among the Blessed are expected to spend some of their time trying to atone for their actions, even if that pursuit does not help their faction.

Luckily for some, the mysterious Patron of the Agents of Balance seems to have no qualms about dealing with the Stolen, and leaves it up to them whether they wish to atone in the mortal world.

The Lost Twin

The Huldufolk are powerful, supernatural beings, with a tremendous amount of control over the world. But they are very much like us, and like us, the Huldufolk crave what they can’t have. The Huldufolk live among humans, can move among us and influence humanity, but they can never truly be a part of humanity, and it is impossible for them to ever truly be understood by a human (unless they do something terrible to bring them closer than they should — see The Stolen). Still, because the Huldufolk are very much like us, they still manage to fall in love with the humans they walk among, and sometimes humans manage to love them back, even if they don’t truly know what they love.

When a Huldufolk and a human have children, they always have two: one human, one Huldufolk. The Lost Twin. Once conceived, the Huldufolk parent can never appear to their lover as the same person, no matter what happens to the children. If the children are born to a human mother, twins are born in the hospital, and one is quickly forgotten about, disappearing from all records and all human memory. If the children are born to a Huldufolk mother, the father will usually receive a basket with a baby one day, along with a mysterious note of explanation.

In most circumstances, the human parent raises both children — even though they don’t realize it. The human child will probably often talk about having a play companion, but the adults of course write it off as kids and their imaginary friends. Once the children are old enough, the Huldufolk parent will spend more and more time with their child (either remaining invisible, or appearing as babysitters or new family friends), and will start teaching their Lost Twin more about their secret world. Even with this introduction, the Lost Twin is firmly planted in two worlds, forever torn between them, and rarely leaves their twin’s side for very long.

Advantages: Because a Lost Twin grows up alongside their mortal twin, they have much better understanding of the human world and its workings than the Hidden Born, and therefore have an easier time influencing and shaping that world.

In addition, when a Huldufolk’s mortal twin is asleep, they can appear to the world as their twin, taking on their appearance (whatever minor differences there might be) and persona in the mortal world. They can do this with significantly less effort than a Huldufolk would normally be able to appear as someone among humanity.

There’s another, darker advantage available, for any Lost Twin who is amoral enough to follow through on it, and willing to join The Banished: if a Huldufolk kills their Lost Twin, but keeps the death secret, they can take over their dead twin’s life, freely appearing to the human world as their twin any time they wish. Most Lost Twins would never consider such a vile act, but for some who grow tired of the burden of their mortal sibling, this exit strategy is a gnawing temptation in the back of their mind.

Disadvantage: Lost Twins have a blind spot of their own: their twin. A Lost Twin spends much of their time watching over their human twin, as a sort of guardian angel. This can easily distract from their other pursuits in Huldufolk society. Additionally, other Huldufolk will often use this weakness to their advantage, causing problems for another Huldufolk’s twin so they can move against their rivals while they’re distracted.

The Hidden Born

The first type of Huldufolk is the simplest to understand: if two Huldufolk have a child together, that child is a Huldufolk, “Hidden Born”. With two Huldufolk parents, the Hidden Born have the closest relationship to Huldufolk society, having been raised entrenched in it, sitting on their parents’ knee.

Advantage: Due to their upbringing, the Hidden Born have an advantage in Huldufolk society itself compared to other Huldufolk, especially when dealing with the Patrons. Unlike the Lost Twins, who live in two worlds, or The Stolen, who have been sucked from the human world into the world of the Huldufolk, the Hidden Born have always been part of Huldufolk society. There is no learning curve or blind spot — this is who they are. As a result, the Hidden Born are more likely to take excel in positions of leadership than other Huldufolk their age.

Disadvantage: While the Hidden Born have a firm grasp on Huldufolk society, they don’t have a close relationship with normal human society. They might have a fair understanding of humanity and how it works, but there’s a difference between what you’re taught by others or learn from a distance, and what you learn from being entrenched in the culture. When it comes to relating to humans, or being able to inject themselves into human struggle and manipulate the world, the Hidden Born are at a disadvantage compared to Lost Twins or Stolen, often having difficulty keeping up with human trends, or even an understanding of idioms and behaviors that are decidedly human.

Traditions (coming soon): It only takes two Huldufolk having a child to make a Hidden Born. Some Hidden Born, however, come from long lines of Huldufolk born among Huldufolk, separate from humanity. Among these family traditions, certain traits have born out of those lineages, harkening back to the “dark” (and fantastical) ages of the Huldufolk as mythical creatures living in humanity’s periphery.

Types of Huldufolk

While all Huldufolk have their have unique strengths and weakness, and are free to choose the factions and goals they support, there is one thing they cannot change: how they were born. How they became a Huldufolk, and how they were raised, greatly influences their place in Huldufolk society. There are three ways to become one of the Huldufólk:

• Hidden Born – Born of two Huldufolk parents, the Hidden Born have the closest relationship with the Angels, but don’t have a close relationship with normal humanity. Almost universally, the highest level leadership of The Blessed is composed of Hidden Born, who have the closest connection to the Angels they serve.
• The Lost Twin – When a Huldufolk and human manage to cross the barrier between their kind, fall in love, and have children, they always have twins — one becomes human, one Huldufolk. The Lost Twin is drawn to their sibling their entire life, and lives with one foot in the Huldufolk world, another following the footsteps of their twin.
• The Stolen – The Stolen are humans who a Banished has coaxed into committing a mortal sin, often murder, to separate themselves from humanity. While separated, the Banished perform a ritual to hide the target from the world permanently, bestowing the curse of the Huldufolk.