Mordite legions, today we launch our Kickstarter campaign for our new book, The Vagrant's Guide to Surviving the Wild. Over 140 pages of mounts, new classes, gear, spells and prayers, monsters... a little of everything for both players and game masters.

As we did last week, we're going to update on Monday and Friday while we tour the features of the book. We'll explore by taking a look at the iconic characters of the four new classes, and how they engage with the new rules.

On Friday we introduced you to Ramiro, the iconic cavalier. Now let's meet...

Qacha the Marauder

Stock: Human

Class: Marauder

Age: 16

Home: Scofflaw’s Hideout

Raiment: necklace of bones and feathers

Enemy: Walzis the Rider

Level: 1st

Alignment: Unaffiliated

Belief: There is no beast I can’t tame, for I’m the master of the wilds.

Goal: Earn some favors from people in high places.

Instinct: Always scout the path ahead.

Raw Abilities: Will 3, Health 5, Nature 4

Town Abilities: Circles 1, Resources 0

Nature Descriptors: Boasting, Demanding, Running

Skills: Hunter 3, Rider 3, Fighter 3, Scavenger 2, Survivalist 2, Pathfinder 2, Criminal 2, Manipulator 2, Cook 2

Wise: Gambling-wise

Traits: Boorish 1, Brave 1, Loner 1

Inventory

Head/worn: helmet

Hands/carried: recurve bow

Hands/carried: (recurve bow)

Torso/worn: leather armor

Torso/worn: satchel

Torso/worn: rope

Belt/pouch: tinderbox

Belt/weapon: quiver with arrows

Belt/skin: water (full)

Feet/worn: shoes

Satchel: torches (4), preserved rations (3), salt lick

Nature Answers

Sit and boast, listen to the wisdom of the elder ones, do not fear those who prey on civilization

Circles Answers

Loner tough and cool

Banzal

Type: Cheap horse

Nature: 5

Nature Descriptors: Spooking, Grazing, Herding

Coat: Pinto

Sex: Mare

Instinct: Look for some lush grass to graze on.

Inventory

Mount/worn: riding saddle

Mount/worn: (riding saddle)

Mount/worn: saddlebags

Saddlebags: bedroll (x2 slots), Grain (1), Horseshoes (4)

Feet/worn: Horseshoes

Qacha doesn't like people.

Beasts are more agreeable. They understand her; they intuit her feelings. Of all the souls Qacha met on the Trackless Steppe only two would she ever dare to call friends: Banzal, her mare, and Chira, the centaur warrior with whom she journeyed out of the steppe and into the lowlands. While Chira might take offense at being called half-beast, that's what Qacha likes about her. She understands them, just like Qacha does.

Everyone else would jeer and mock Qacha. Well, screw them. She's got Banzal and Chira, and one day she'll find a powerful and imposing beast to train, because she understands beasts. Then she'll ride back into the steppe on the back of that terrible monster, and show them all who is truly the master of the wilds!

Qacha may not be as good a Rider as Ramiro, but she doesn't need to be. She's earned the trust of her mare and when they are in the midst of a battle they move as one. She can loose arrows from horseback at full gallop, outmaneuvering her foes to her advantage.

Banzal's an old nag with a mind of her own. Being old, she'll never again be able to gain the fresh condition, but that doesn't bother Qacha, who's come to depend on Banzal's keen nose for dangerous situations and take-charge attitude when it comes to getting the hell out of them. When she's hungry, she'll happily eat fresh or preserved rations, but her appetite is such that it requires a whole stack of either to sate her hunger. Qacha carries grain in her saddlebags to feed Banzal economically when there's no grazing to be had.

While Banzal's a loyal mount, Qacha is always on the lookout for other beasts to train with her natural insight. With the aid of a salt lick she has managed to retrain Banzal's instinct so that the mare will wait patiently at the campsite in her absence. Now it's looking like she'll have to teach that spoiled brat Ramiro's horse a thing or two as well!

A few weeks ago, rumors hit Highwater that a wagon laden with bribes from the thieves' guild was attacked by an angry gryphon in the Misty Mountains, and all the riches were lost. While most adventurers perked up their ears at the mention of missing gold, it's the gryphon that's got Qacha's attention. If she ever managed to tame such a monster, she could fly back to the Scofflaw's Hideout, command it to chomp Walzis' stupid head off, and fly back in time for dinner.

Come back next Friday for a peek at our final new iconic character and class, Nazdreg, the goblin wolfrider!

chaos reigns

lord mordeth

Vagrants art by Duamn Figueroa Rassol. Marauder by Paul O'Connell.