Player Guide

This guide provides players with principles to keep in mind for their characters and questions to consider during session zero.

Player Principles

Endure Together

The bonds between the Enduring are forged in darkness and tempered by loss. Your character has likely witnessed death, corruption, and the fall of loved ones to the Soul Blight. These shared tragedies create unbreakable connections between survivors. Lean into these relationships—trust your fellow players, share your character's burdens, and find strength in unity against the overwhelming night.

Kindle the Flame

In a world consumed by shadow, every act of hope matters. Your character should seek out the light—whether that's protecting a Sacred Pyre, saving an innocent from The Umbra's corruption, or simply sharing a moment of warmth with a fellow survivor. These small victories accumulate into something greater. Even when the darkness seems insurmountable, remember that you carry a spark of defiance.

Resist Corruption

The Soul Blight marks all mortals, and The Umbra is always watching, waiting for weakness. Your character will face temptations—dark power offered in exchange for pieces of your humanity, shortcuts that come at terrible costs, and moments where giving in seems easier than fighting on. The struggle against corruption is both external and internal. How does your character maintain their sense of self when the world seems designed to strip it away?

Session Zero Questions

• If members of the party hail from different communities, why did they leave, and what called them to this particular settlement? Do their home communities still exist? What rumors and mysteries surrounding or permeating their communities still linger in their minds?
• Are any characters burdened with burgeoning oracle sight? If so, what visions have begun to creep into their sleep?
• What do your characters see when they stare into the inky void of night too long?
• How deadly does the group wish this campaign to be? Would you enjoy a possible churn of many character deaths across a campaign, or do you want a more balanced flow where danger is real, but not stacked so hard against you?
• What beloved person or place has your character lost to the Soul Blight? How does this loss drive them?
• Does your character have any superstitions about The Umbra or the darkness beyond the Sacred Pyres?
• How does your character feel about Aetherweaving? Do they trust those who practice it, or do they share the common suspicion that magic invited the gods' wrath?