Restraints

Restraints are Conditions that bind and capture a target such as manacles or ropes. For these Conditions, Severity represents (1) the strength of the restraint itself and (2) how well that restraint was applied.

Restraints are dangerous; they bind all Chakra in an element, effectively preventing usage of your power in that element!

You may still Challenge in a restrained element; however, you suffer various penalties as listed on each Restraint.

Thankfully, Restraints are the easiest Condition to remove; coordinate with your allies to avoid being roped down!

Each element controls a particular domain:

  • Air – Perception
    • Examples: Blindfolds, hoods, techniques that inflict darkness or numb the senses
    • Usually inflict Penalties to all Challenges
  • Water – Communication
    • Examples: Bubbles of silence, gags, masks
    • Usually increase the Charge cost of many abilities
  • Fire – Dexterity and Tool usage
    • Examples: Ropes, manacles, numbing strikes
    • Usually reduces your Reach or Speed
  • Earth – Movement
    • Ropes, cuffs, iron ball
    • Usually reduces your defenses

No Restraints are known for Light and Dark. The spirit remains free, even if the body is restrained.

Applying Restraints

To apply Restraints, Challenge against the target elemental defense. On a success, apply that Restraint.

  • Difficulty = your Result
  • Severity = Restraint base + your excess Result

Free an ally

Unlike other Conditions, Restraints are physical objects that allies may attempt to remove.

Adjacent allies may spend an Action to Challenge against the Difficulty of the Restraint.

  • Disaster: Increase Severity by Cd6
  • Failure: No effect
  • Success: Degrade Severity by Cd6
  • Flourish: Destroy the Restraint

Reinforce

Anyone may spend their Action to tighten a Restraint, increasing its Severity.

To reinforce, you or a foe target an Adjacent character. Challenge against the elemental defense of that character in the element with the target Restraint.

  • Disaster: Decrease Severity by Cd6. Oops.
  • Failure: No effect. Stop squirming!
  • Success: Increase the Severity of the Restraint by the excess of your Result over their defense
  • Flourish: As Success

Restrained

When you suffer Restraints in all four concrete elements, you become Restrained.

Once Restrained, you may not Challenge, take Actions, or move.

You are helpless in this state and must hope your allies can help you.

Captivity

While Restrained, you may be abducted by enemy forces.

During transit, your Restraints use the usual rules. Your allies may pursue and interdict them to rescue you.

If your allies are not successful, you may be remanded to a secure facility (see below).

If your character has been set to a secure facility, consider playing another character for a while.

Secure facilities

Secure facilities such as prisons or remote, stormy islands act as a form of Restraint. When a captured character is delivered to a secure facility:

  • Remove all Restraints
  • Convert the total Severity of the Restraints into the Prison Rating

When you are Captured, you may Challenge against the Prison Rating to make a break-out as a Downtime. This is unlikely to succeed in most cases since the Prison Rating is likely to be much higher than your Ki pool.

However, you may instead take a Downtime to plan your breakout.

  • Each time you plan, degrade the Prison Rating by Cd6

Elemental storms aid you. When an elemental storm enters the region of the prison:

  • Degrade the Prison Rating by Cd6

Most foes exit the narrative when consigned to a Secure Facility. The storyteller usually sets the foe aside. However, for strong foes and important individuals, the storyteller may use these same steps to seek freedom.

Restraint List

Air

  • Blindfold
    • Base Severity: 5
    • Effect: Penalty 5 to all Challenges
  • Hood of Muffling
    • Base Severity: 10
    • Effect: Penalty 5 to all Challenges; your words can only be heard by Adjacent characters
  • Skull-numbing Strike
    • Base Severity: 20
    • Effect: Penalty 10 to all Challenges; reduce Speed by ½
  • Slave Crown
    • Base Severity: 40
    • Effect: Penalty 12 to all Challenges except when you exactly and obediently follow the commands of the crown’s owner

Water

  • Leaf-woven Gag
    • Base Severity: 6
    • Effect: Increase Charge costs for Water by 1
  • Mask of Slow Thought
    • Base Severity: 12
    • Effect: Increase Charge cost for Air and Fire by 1
  • Mark of The Dispirited
    • Base Severity: 12
    • Effect: Increase Charge cost for Light and Dark by 1
  • Coral-salt necklace
    • Base Severity: 25
    • Effect: Increase all Charge costs by 1

Earth

  • Well-woven ropes
    • Base Severity: 7
    • Effect: Reduce Earth defense by 3
  • Rosewood shackles
    • Base Severity: 40
    • Effect: Reduce all defenses by 5
    • Special: Your captor knows your exact location at all times while this restraint is equipped
  • Iron ball of the criminal
    • Base Severity: 15
    • Effect: Reduce Earth and Air defenses by 5
    • Special: Though quite heavy, this item fetches a great price at any blacksmith
  • Fae-woven vine
    • Base Severity: 10
    • Effect: Reduce Earth, Water, and Fire defenses by 3
  • Titanium Manacles
    • Base Severity: 30
    • Effect: Reduce all defenses by 4
    • You can’t break these cuffs
  • Crypt wrappings
    • Base severity: 25
    • Effect: Reduce all defenses against Shades by 10
    • Special: Shades may perceive you no matter which Realm you are in

Fire

  • Cursed Loadstone
    • Effect: Reduce Speed by 2
    • Base Severity: 19
    • Special: Once Severity drops to 0, you must pass this Restraint to another target (friend or foe); it is not destroyed. To destroy this Loadstone, you must Challenge (Fire) against Difficulty 50. On a failure you are inflicted with the Loadstone again

Special restraints

  • Ward-bound metal cage
    • Base Severity: 30
    • Base Severity against Fire (lockpicking): 15
    • Effect: You may not draw or spend Charge while in the cage
  • Fairy circle
    • Base Severity: 45
    • Effect: While within the circle, you cannot interact with the external world. If you spend 3 consecutive rounds in this circle, you are forcibly transported to a location of the Fae Ruler’s choice within the Realm connected to this circle