Aether and Powers
Aether is a measure of energy pulled from ancient machines and mystic energies. It is depleted to use your Powers, or by some abilities. You start with a maximum of 4 Aether.
After rolling a dice pool, you may spend Aether 1-for-1 to increase any die rolled. Describe how your Warden’s supernatural abilities bend the situation to their favor.
Powers
A Power is a unique talent or area of expertise that your character possesses. When you make use of your Power, consult the below chart with the Referee. Add up all the relevant factors to determine your power’s cost (called Magnitude).
| Factor | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | A couple seconds | A few minutes | Half an h our | Hours | A day | A week |
| Quality | Average, mass-market | Good, trained, well-made | Excellent, world-class, expert | Nigh-impossible, unbelievable | Miraculous, impossible, legendary | World-shaking, epic |
| Area | Within reach | A room | A house | A multi-story building | A city block | A town or city district |
| Range | 5 feet, a couple paces | 45 feet, a long hallway | 150 feet, a short block | 1000 feet, a long block | A mile or two, across town | Up to a dozen miles, between towns |
| Specific Targets | One | <10 | 10-30 | 30-50 | 50-100 | 100+ |
Magnitude comes from spending Aether. You may also gain Bonus Aether from various sources, only up to the amount of Aether you spent (even if you have access to more Bonus). If your character has +3 Bonus Aether when standing in water, and spends 1 Aether to use their Power, they have 2 Magnitude to work with. If they spend 2 Aether, they have 4 Magnitude; if they spend 3 Aether they have 6; if they spend 4 Aether they have 7.
Overcharged Aether acts as additional free Aether, but does not activate Bonus Aether. If your character has +3 Overcharge when fighting to protect their friends, and spends 1 Aether to use their Power, they have 4 Magnitude to work with.
Your character can take their time in exchange for Overcharged Aether. It must be spent in uninterrupted preparation or constant working, whichever is more appropriate; the time spent grants that much Magnitude.
Backlash
(TODO: cut this?)
Some mechanics may cause Backlash when you use your Power. For each Backlash taken, pick from the list below without replacement. If the list is exhausted, the Referee will refill it.
- Inflict a Wound on a player character of the Referee’s choice.
- Destroy an item in your gear.
- Cause collateral damage beyond your expectations (the Referee will tell you what happens).
- Lose an important opportunity (the Referee will tell you what happens).
- The situation changes unpredictably (the Referee will tell you what happens).