Cunning Folk Template

120 Points (30 points left for customization)

The Cunning Man or Wise Woman stands between the shaman and the scholar-mage – understanding magic in terms of their own local folklore or religious idiom but with more sophistication and educated method than the instinctual shaman. The template can be tailored to produce a Voudoun Houngan, a Pennsylvania Dutch Hexer, an Italian Strega or a traditional Northern European Cunning Man.

Attributes: ST 10 ⁰; DX 10 ⁰; IQ 14 ⁸⁰; HT 10 ⁰.

Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 ⁰; Will 13 ⁰; Per 13 ⁰; FP 10 ⁰; Basic Speed 5.00 ⁰; Basic Move 5 ⁰.

Advantages: Higher Purpose (Tradition) 1 ⁵, Ritual Magery 1 ¹⁵. • 10 points chosen from among Dark Walker 2 ¹⁰, Introspection 2 ¹⁰, Mystic 2 ¹⁰, Nourisher 2 ¹⁰ or any other suitable Path Talent (see below). • 20 points chosen from among Additional Magery levels [10/level]; one or two more levels of Higher Purpose [7/14]; IQ +1 ²⁰; Increasing Path Talent by 1-2 levels [5-10]; increased Will [5/level]; Allies [varies]; Acute Sense [2/level]; Autotrance 1; Charisma [5/level]; Claim to Hospitality (Covens, Guilds, Secret Societies, etc.) [5 to 10]; Clerical Investment ⁵; Empathy or Sensitive [15 or 5]; Danger Sense 15; High Pain Threshold 10; Intuition 15; Luck 15; Religious Rank [5/level]; Reputation [variable]; Ritual Mastery [1/ritual]; Status [5/level]; Talent – Cunning Folk (Horror p19) [10/level]; Tenure ⁵, Versatile ⁵, or Wealth [Varies].

Disadvantages: -30 points chosen from among Addiction [varies]; Bad Temper [-10*]; Compulsive Behavior [varies]; Delusions [Varies]; Curious [-5*]; Disciplines of Faith [varies]; Distinctive Features [-1/level]; Duty [varies]; Dwarfism [-15]; Fanaticism [-15]; Hunchback [-10 or – 15]; Loner or Intolerance (Total) [-5* or – 10]; Low TL -1 [-5]; Odious Personal Habit (No social graces, or other) [-5, -10, or -15]; Selfish [-5*]; Sense of Duty [varies]; Stubbornness [-5] and Vow [varies]. Up to -10 more points in other Disadvantages or from the list above and 5 Quirks.

Primary Skills: Ritual Magic (VH) IQ-1 ⁴-13; Religious Ritual (Tradition) (H) IQ ⁴- 14; two Path Skills both (VH) IQ-1 ⁴-13 and a total of 10 points in any of Dreaming (Will/H), Esoteric Medicine (Per/H), Exorcism (Will/H), Farming (IQ/A), Fortune-Telling (IQ/A), Gambling (IQ/A), Hidden Lore (for spirits or monsters)* (IQ/A), Meditation (Will/H), Mind Block (Will/A), Naturalist (IQ/H), Occultism (IQ/A), Pharmacy/TL (Herbal) (IQ/H), Poisons (IQ/H), Survival (Any) (Per/A), Theology (Tradition) (IQ/H), Weather Sense (IQ/A).

Secondary Skills: A total of 12 points in any of Area Knowledge (any) (IQ/E); Artist (Body Art) (IQ/A); Dancing (DX/A); Diagnosis/TL5 (IQ/H); Diplomacy (IQ/H); First Aid/TL5 (IQ/E); Intimidation (Will/A); Mimicry (any) (IQ/H); Musical Instrument (any) (IQ/H); Politics (IQ/A); Singing (HT/E); Sleight of Hand (DX/H); Ventriloquism (IQ/H).

Background Skills: 7 points spread among any of Axe/Mace (DX/A); Brawling (DX/E); Camouflage (E/IQ); Guns (Musket) (DX/E); Guns (Rifle) (DX/E); Knife (DX/E); Thrown Weapon (Axe/Mace) (DX/A); Stealth (DX/A); Tracking (Per/A) or any of the Primary or Secondary skills.

Notes

*Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.

Cunning Folk’s magery uses Ritual Magic as its primary skill, rather than Thaumatology.

For “Higher Purpose (Tradition)” see Pyramid 3/66 page 16.

Path Talents are those found in Pyramid 3-66 The Laws of Magic page 18-20 (A Talent for the Arts). They each feature two Path skills and three related skills. In addition to the five listed skills, each Taletn adds its level to Thaumatology, but only when the two Path skills or the concept of the Talent is involved; this bonus does raise Thaumatology fo the purpose of limiting the two Paths’ skill levels. Further, the Talents do not grant a reaction bonus – instead, they add to the caster’s effective Magery level for the purpose of limiting the two Path skill levels. A character may have only a single Path Talent, with a maximum level of four. The Talent chosen should represent the Cunning Man or Woman’s tradition, not just in the use of magic but also in the skills chosen.