How to Play IronMarck 2nd Edition (2024)

What is IronMarck 2nd Edition?

This is a Tabletop Roleplaying Game designed by Erik von Silverfeyer. It uses a unique system created for this game called ‘Hydra System’, which utilizes d100s and d60s for most rolls. It is a difficult roleplay system and has a slower pace than most TTRPGs. It operates with a Loremaster leading the game and narrating the story for our intrepid explorers. This game is built upon careful progression, mystery solving, battles, and storytelling, all supported by simple Dice and rule sheets.

What is this setting?

In the Grand City of Kursha, barkeepers tend to their crystal glasses as visitors partake in conversation and drink, eyes glancing between tables. At the theater, an excited young actress performs the famous play 'The Tale of Two Murderers' as shadowy figures plot her downfall, cigars glowing hot amid the tenebrous booth. In the halls of power, a journalist is judged for his hobby and sent to concealed dungeons. At the Megalopolis of Valliance, young Magi begin their training in the mystic arts, the teacher wielding a hand glowing hot with cosmic ethereal light. In the city's strata, a concealed war between authorities and vast criminal gangs rage to halt the trade of Azurium spice, a powerful narcotic. Upon the majestic valley of Dromon, a dragon rider prepares his first sail upon the back of the exotic drake, the wings spread and ready for takeoff. In the cold mountains of Jotunburg, a young soldier explores a fallen castle, now draped in darkness, beckoning for her to enter and witness its horrors.

These scenes are not on the same world, but part of a vast labyrinthian map of the Milky Way galaxy in the 25th Millennium of the Empire. Even within the same system, one world may play host to an advanced society of titanic arcologies with great city-sized airships flying ahead. At the same time, another may remain in the late Iron Age, struggling to get by the next winter. Meanwhile, another nearby planet may be engulfed in war, soaked in the blood of millions in a conflict that may never end for another century. These worlds may reside in the same system or could be light-years apart, with the vast empty void spanning between them. This galaxy is shattered, with patchwork territories stitched between gargantuan cosmic kingdoms dominating hundreds of systems to small fringe states of only a few systems. Great empires do exist, and many have sought to exert power over the galaxy, but none have ever managed to gain total domination. The most influential and enduring of these great states is the Greater Drachenvell Empire, a juggernaut of human power that has reigned for over 25,000 years and of which the calendar revolves around. Much of the drama takes place from within their labyrinthian confederation of vassals and holdings.

The horrific reason why the galaxy remains chaotic is the nature of superluminal travel, the Aether. It is a parallel realm that magi across the universe tap into for their ethereal powers.

Creating your Character!

Character Template

Name: Your name is what we all will call your character. Noble Names often have more exotic surnames with modifiers such as 'Von', 'Ver', and 'Zon'. Lower Classes often have a simple word or descriptor they have adopted to distinguish them, even if it sounds a little out of place such as 'Swordspiter' or 'Walker'. Some peasant families have proper surnames, but this is most often boils down to describing their home province like 'De Lavignon' or 'Nordburg'. These latter names are however the exception rather than the rule.

Height: This is partly modified by your 'Robustness', which grants 3 Centimeters of height per point. However, keep in mind that height does not mean you are stronger, and it could impede your progress throughout the campaign. Your Race Class will provide details on the average height of an adult for a specific species.

Sex: Male, Female, or Other...

Health Count: Base of 20 | Your Health Pool is modified by the Robustness Skill and your Classes' Starting Health Bonus. At base, you have 20 HP. Robustness adds +1 HP per point. However, the HP Factor of both the Job Class and Race Class increases the Robustness Bonus. Aside from HP Bonuses from equip-able items or abilities, this is the only way to increase your Health pool.

Mana Count: Base of 20 | Your Mana Pool is your magic-casting resource, allowing you to access spells and rituals alike. At base, you have 20 MP. Arcane Strength adds +4 Mana per point.

Focus Count: Refer to Spellcraft for further information. Applies only to magic users.

Movement Speed: Base of 3 Meters | Movement speed is based around a single AP, how far one would travel in a second. Athletics increases Movement speed by + 0.1 Meters per point. Dashing uses 50% More movement. walking is 50% of the movement and so is swimming. Sneaking is 25% Movement.

Health Conditions - The Health Conditions are 3 stackable scores every character will have entirely negative consequences for the players. Each Condition has three tiers of severity, each one activating at 100 Exhaustion/Insanity/Stress per tier. The goal for the Players is to keep these scores as low as possible and not trigger any of their effects. At the start, you begin with 0 of each. Refer to Status Effects for each Condition's effects.

• Stress Level: 0/0/0 - Stress represents emotional pressure on your character, affecting your decision-making and general health. The Psychology Score is used to attempt resistance against the onset of Stress.
• Exhaustion: 0/0/0 - Exhaustion represents physical fatigue on your character, affecting your movement and general health. The Endurance Score is used to attempt resistance against the onset of Exhaustion.
• Insanity: 0/0/0 - Insanity is the representation of mental deterioration of your character, affecting your overall well-being and lucidity. Traumatic events and crises cause such effects. The Willpower Score is used to attempt resistance against the onset of Insanity.

Defensive Dice - The defensive dice are three stats that protect you against incoming strikes. Typically, when an enemy has to make a precision strike, they must get past your defensive dice first. The Job Class provides these scores, and the Race Class will occasionally have a modifier for one of the three.

• Evasive: - The Evasive score is rolled against when the targeted creature is attempting to remain in motion or to dodge incoming attacks. It will also be rolled against if it is the highest of the three scores.
• Passive: - The Passive score is rolled against if both dodging and countering an attack is out of question such as being sneak-attacked, surprise-attacked, or attacked whilst in a restrained position. It also partially represents your armor. It will also be rolled against if it is the highest of the three scores.
• Counter: - The Counter score is rolled against when you have the capability of parrying or blocking an attack with a counterstrike of your own. This is unavailable if there is no item or feasible way to properly counter an attack. It will also be rolled against if it is the highest of the three scores.

Movement Speed: Base Movement speed is locked at 3 Meters per Action Point. All other Movement modifiers increase or decrease this number. Dashing will cause 10 Exhaustion Points but doubles your movement Speed for the turn. Walking Speed is 50% of the Movement. Sneaking is 25% of the movement. The Slowness Effect decreases your speed by a specific amount based on your normal speed.

Aura Radius: The Aura Radius is the radius your magical energies radiate to before reabsorbing into the Aether. The Aura Radius is used by NPCs to feel your presence and for certain abilities to utilize as an area effect. If something has no Aura Radius, it means it has no magic, soul, or mind, or is a Pariah. Each point in your Arcane Strength will add 0.5 Meter increase to your Aura Radius. Both the Job Class and Race Class will provide the sum for your Aura Radius.

EXP Count: Only applies to games that use the EXP System. Seven types of EXP are available, each corresponding with one of the Seven Greater Scores, and each will only level up that specific category. if EXP is used, then some Items will consume EXP as its casting or activation fuel. Resurrection in the EXP System depletes 5 entire levels.

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Job Class: Your Job Class is a profession and your fighting ability. It represents your life path and how your character approached it. There are a few Job Class Types, Martial, Scholar, Divine, Sorcerous, Magister, and Special. Martial Classes focus on fighting. Scholarly types focus on learning and discovering knowledge. Divine Types gain magic from another entity. Magister types gain magic from learning and studying. Sorcerous types gain magic from their bloodline or inheritance. Special types do not fit in the other classes.

Power: The Job Classes' various sub-types have a unique power, granting at least 1 potent ability at base. These do not count towards your Perk or Skill count.

Subclass: The Subclass is a specialization within a Job Class / Race Class. It focuses on a particular path one could go with that Profession and how it would affect their capabilities. You can only have 1 Subclass for your Job.

Perks: Perks are abilities provided by your Subclass and provide a variety of bonuses, effects, and even skills. Only 4 Perks can be gained until you have gained ten levels, granting an additional Perk slot. This continues until you have reached the maximum Perk count of 8 total from both Racial and Job Classes. Every Long Rest allows you to rechoose 4 your Perks as long as they are within your Class or place in the Universal Ability Tree (Shadow Grove). You begin with 1 Perk total at the start, your choice whether it be from your Race Class, Job Class, or the Universal Ability Tree.

Feats: Feats or Class Features are available by leveling up your Greater Scores to certain thresholds. The amount you can have has no limit. Feats are also sometimes gained in the Universal Ability Tree.

Race Class: Your Racial Class is the species of your character, determining your natural physical limits and capabilities independent of your Profession. Race Classes have a few categories, Humanoid, Demihuman, and Heteromorphic. Humanoid Racial Classes share the ability to use Perks from adjacent subclasses within the same Profession (Class). Demihumans instead can use multiple Bloodlines without Inheritance costs. Heteromorphic Racial Classes to pick Perks from their adjacent Subclasses.

Power: The Race Classes' various sub-types have a unique power, granting at least 1 potent ability originating from that species's natural abilities. Not all Race Classes have a Power. All Humanoids lack any Powers. Demihumans sometimes have a Power. All Heteromorphs have a Power. These do not count towards your Perk or Skill count.

Bloodline: A Bloodline determines the specific genetic lineage of a species based on cultural or ethnic differences. It is possible to be multi-ethnic but at max, you can access 3. For each Bloodline you multi-class into, you lose the option to choose one Inheritance. Bloodlines at base are lore-based and provide a small ability or passive bonus.

Inheritance: A specific ability gained from that Bloodline.

Subclass: The Subclass is a specialization within a Job Class / Race Class. It focuses on a particular variation of a genus one could go with that Race and how it would affect their capabilities. You can only have 1 Subclass for your Race if available.

Perks: Perks are abilities provided by your Subclass and provide a variety of bonuses, effects, and even skills. Only 4 Perks can be gained until you have gained ten levels, granting an additional Perk slot. This continues until you have reached the maximum Perk count of 8 total from both Racial and Job Classes. Every Long Rest allows you to rechoose 4 of your Perks as long as they are within your Class or place in the Universal Ability Tree (Shadow Grove). You begin with 1 Perk total at the start, your choice whether it be from your Race Class, Job Class, or the Universal Ability Tree.

Traits: Class Traits are gained naturally through leveling up your Greater Scores. These have no limit and they primarily benefit your physical abilities rather than your skills. No traits are gained through the Universal Ability Tree.

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Job Class Skills: These are manually activatable abilities gained either from the Universal Ability Tree or your Perks.

Race Class Skills: These are manually activatable abilities gained either from your Perks or Bloodlines.

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Invocations: These are spells you can instead use by calling upon their power. This will utilize the natural mana of the world and inflict Insanity to manifest them. You begin with none with no levels.

Rituals: These are higher-tier spells you can use or spells typically unavailable to you. These have to be spells that your class will eventually provide. You begin with one +with no levels.

Spells: Spells are your main method of magic casting, a mostly swift action that unleashes an effective ability. Spells can be modified with a 'Spell Command' that costs an additional 1 AP to use. These will add additional effects. The number of Spells you can cast is limited by your Mana and the number of spells you can have prepared is determined by your Focus.

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Inventory (Weight) Limit: Base 50 Ibs: The Weight Limit determines how many items you can carry upon your person. Struggle Power increases your Carrying Capacity by +2.5 Ibs per point.

Inventory: Your Inventory holds all your items and has two kinds of storage. Visible Storage and Concealed Storage. Visible Storage refers to items held on your person that can be seen such as a sheath, belt-held tools, headphones, or even ammunition belts. Concealed Storage involves items that are out of sight. The visible storage is limited by what is reasonable for the Loremaster. The Concealed Storage depends on the dedicated storage item.

Greater Ability Scores And Lesser Ability Scores

Strength ( )

• Bladework - This represents your capability with Strength-Based bladed weapons. It is rolled when performing a complex technique with your bladed weapon.
• Struggle Power - Struggle power is your raw brute strength and your ability to wield/carry heavy items or loads. It can also be used when in a deadlock. Increases your Carrying Capacity by +2.5 Ibs per point.
• Brutality - This is your physical destructive power and ability to deal blunt damage to your foes with either bludgeoning weapons or raw fury,
• Brawl - Brawl is your martial fighting score, determining your ability to fight unarmed or using weapons unconventionally such as buttstock slamming an enemy or using the hilt of a sword to deal blunt damage rather than the blade.

Constitution ( )

• Toughness - Toughness is your bodily resistance to physical damage. Each point in this score increases your Resistance to physical damage by +1%.
• Robustness - This score is one of your Health modifiers, increasing your HP by an additional +1 HP per point. The HP-Factor adds onto this bonus from both the Racial Class and Job Class.
• Disease - Disease provides bodily resistance against biological hazards such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and toxic water. You roll a Difficult Skill Check against your Robustness.
• Willpower - Your Willpower represents your psychic, emotional, and mental might. This score is used in Death Saving Throws, resisting Charm, and resisting Tier III Stress.
• Endurance - Endurance manifests your physical ability to resist exhaustion and fatigue. It is used when rolling against Exhaustion Tiers.

Dexterity ( )

• Acrobatics - Acrobatics is the score that controls your maneuverability and agility. This can be rolled to avoid projectiles that cannot be blocked like fireballs, firebolts, and freezing rays. Every point in Acrobatics increases your jump height (Base 0.3 Meters) by an additional 0.1 Meters.
• Athletics - This score is the manifestation of your running ability and controls your top speed. Each point in Athletics increases your movement speed by 0.1 Meters. This is also used for throwing.
• Swimming - Swimming represents your ability to traverse water. This adds to your Swimming Speed (50% of your Movement) by an additional 0.1 Meters.
• Rock-Climbing - Climbing is an important ability regarding scaling tall objects and surfaces. Each Point in climbing increases Climbing speed by +0.1 Meters per point.
• Sleight of Hand - Quick hands and swift theft is the specialization of Sleight of Hand, allowing you to steal and make silent, fast or unnoticeable actions.
• Stealth - Stealth represents your skill in staying undercover or unnoticed, even amongst crowds of people or amid daylight.
• Prowess - Prowess is your fighting skill for weapons that are not Strength-based or fighting fast and swift.
• Marksmanship - Marksmanship is your accuracy skill with ranged weapons, rolling Marksmanship is a way to use Heavier unwieldy weapons. Every 5 Points in Marksmanship provides a +1 to hit for Ranged Weapons using D60s.

Intelligence ( )

• Learning - Learning is a specialized skill used for Ability Score Improvement or when attempting to learn a new Weapon / Spell. To Use Ability Score Improvement through, you must have at least rolled a particular score five times successfully without Luck total. Upon failing or succeeding, this counter resets. A Difficult Skill Check is made to roll Learning ( DC-95 - Learning).
• Lock-Picking - To try and manipulate locks and sealed containers is a unique set of skills. Lock Picking allows you to attempt lock picking Chests, Vaults, Hacking, or Solving complex problems akin to Lock Picking. A Hard Failure (Below a 10) will cause the Lock Picking Tools (If being used) to break.
• Insight - Your ability to make
• Investigation:
• History:
• Nature:
• Psychology:
• Faith:
• Cipher:
• Culinary:
• Linguistics:
• Appraisal:
• Craftsmanship:
• Arcane Crafting:
• Workmanship:
• Piloting:
• Driving:
• Navigation:

Wisdom ( )

• Memory:
• Animal Handling:
• Diplomacy:
• Generalship:
• Survival:
• Medicine:
• First Aid:
• Perception:
• Stewardship:

Charisma ( )

• Performance:
• Intimidation:
• Quick Talk:
• Therapy:
• Romance:
• Persuasion:
• Deception:

Aether ( )

• Sorcery:
• Arcana:
• Dark Insight:
• Necromancy:
• Divinity:
• Alchemy:
• Summoning:
• Occult:
• Elementalism:
• Arcane Strength:

Job Classes

Knight Class - Rogue Class - Barbarian Class - Cleric Class - Warlock Class - Sorcerer Class - Soldier Class

Race Classes

Human Race - Alfeinn Race - Giant Race