Equipment

Weapon Quality Tiers

Improvised

Edge: +0d6

Slots: By size

Stick, bottle, fist, thrown rock

Basic

Edge: +1d6

Slots: 1-2

Club, knife, sling, staff, hatchet

Military

Edge: +1d6

Slots: 2

Sword, axe, bow, spear, mace, shield

Superior

Edge: +2d6

Slots: 2

Masterwork blade, enchanted bow, ancestral weapon

Legendary

Edge: +3d6

Slots: 2

Named weapon, heirloom, thread-forged blade

Military Weapon Specialties

Sword

+1d6 to first attack each scene (muscle memory)

Spear

+1d6 to defense against charges (bracing)

Bow

+1d6 to first shot each combat (aimed opening)

Axe

+1d6 to break/shatter rolls (breaker)

Mace

First attack each combat: reduce an armored target's Defense HT by 1 for that attack (minimum HT 1)

Shield

+1 Defense TH while wielded (stacks with armor)

Dagger

+1d6 to Lurk when concealed; spotting a properly concealed dagger is Sense + an appropriate approach vs HT 3

Staff

+1d6 to appropriate Cast/Channel rolls when used as a focus. This is the staff's normal equipment benefit for the item and the same staff bonus cannot be counted twice; a separate Weaver's Kit may provide additional Edge when independently justified by the action. Both remain subject to the normal Edge stacking rules and the maximum of 8 positive Edge dice.

Sling

+1d6 to ambush rolls (silent ranged weapon)

Armor

None

Def TH: 1

Swift: 0

Slots: 0

Civilian clothes, robes

Light

Def TH: 2

Swift: 0

Slots: 1

Leather, padded cloth, furs

Medium

Def TH: 3

Swift: -1d6 Swift

Slots: 2

Chain, scale, boiled leather

Heavy

Def TH: 4

Swift: -2d6 Swift

Slots: 3

Plate, full mail, war armor

Fortified

Def TH: 5

Swift: -3d6 Swift + immobile

Slots: 4

Siege armor, barricade

Tools

Lockpick Set

+1d6

Lurk (picking locks)

1 slot(s)

Climbing Kit

+1d6

Sinew (climbing) or Swift (acrobatics)

1 slot(s)

Healer's Kit

+1d6

Any eligible treatment, healing, binding, or stabilization attempt

1 slot(s)

Maximum 3 uses, tracked from 3 down to 0. Optional equipment: never a prerequisite for Treat Injury. Spending 1 use grants +1d6 Edge on an eligible attempt, or instead restores 1 Vitality — the two benefits never come from the same use, and direct Vitality restoration does not stabilize a Dying character. Replenishment: spent uses can be restored during downtime or at a settlement when suitable medical supplies are available, each restored use requiring sufficient replacement supplies at the GM's determination. Resting alone does not refill the kit, and replenishing it restores no Vitality, removes no Wounds, and stabilizes no one.

Scholar's Kit

+1d6

Study (research, identification)

1 slot(s)

Navigator's Kit

+1d6

Scout (pathfinding, navigation)

1 slot(s)

Trader's Kit

+1d6

Parley (trade, negotiation)

1 slot(s)

Forge Kit

+1d6

Craft (forging, repair)

2 slot(s)

Weaver's Kit

+1d6

Cast/Channel (thread manipulation)

1 slot(s)

Survival Kit

+1d6

Scout (foraging, camping)

1 slot(s)

Disguise Kit

+1d6

Parley (deception) or Lurk (infiltration)

1 slot(s)

SUPERIOR TOOLS

Masterwork Lockpicks

+2d6

Lurk

1 slot(s)

Alchemist's Kit

+2d6

Craft (alchemy)

2 slot(s)

Cartographer's Set

+2d6

Scout (mapping)

1 slot(s)

Thread Compass

+2d6

Cast/Channel (detecting threads)

1 slot(s)

Forge-Master's Tools

+2d6

Craft (forging)

2 slot(s)

Oral Archive

+2d6

Study (history)

1 slot(s)

Stillward Kit

+2d6

Endure (resisting the Still)

1 slot(s)

Consumables

Each consumable occupies 0.5 inventory slot regardless of type or rarity; two consumables occupy 1 slot. In combat, administering a Health Draught, Vigor Tonic, or Wound Salve to yourself or an adjacent character takes one action and consumes the item — that action does not itself stabilize a Dying character.

Health Draught

Common

Restore 2 Vitality; at 0 Vitality it revives a character who is not Dying, or one already stabilized

Warm, bitter. Ember Road minerals. Does not cancel the Dying state.

0.5 slot(s)

Vigor Tonic

Common

Restore 2 Vigor

Salty, bracing. Tide Road salt-marsh herbs.

0.5 slot(s)

Stillward

Uncommon

+2d6 Edge to resist the Still for 1 scene

Hollowborn alchemist's brew.

0.5 slot(s)

Thread Oil

Uncommon

Apply to weapon: +1d6 Edge to the next attack with that weapon

Threads woven into oil. Silkborn-made; evaporates after one strike.

0.5 slot(s)

Ember Dust

Uncommon

Throw in 1-zone area: all in the area take 1 damage + fire exposure

Refined volcanic ash.

0.5 slot(s)

Memory Vial

Rare

Drink to experience a memory

The Dust Road's currency.

0.5 slot(s)

Still Bane

Rare

+3d6 Edge to any Reversal roll for 1 scene (one use per adventure)

The Still's antithesis, distilled.

0.5 slot(s)

Wound Salve

Rare

Remove 1 ordinary Wound (never a Permanent Wound)

Rootborn deep-soil remedy. Does not stabilize a Dying character.

0.5 slot(s)

Luck Stone

Very Rare

Re-roll one die after seeing the result

Glassborn-carved crystal; one use.

0.5 slot(s)

Thread Anchor

Very Rare

Stabilizes a Thread in a region for 1 session (prevents Still advancement)

Silkborn artifact.

0.5 slot(s)

Legendary Items

The Tyrant's Crown

+3d6 to Parley with constructs; commands all constructs with Spirit + Parley vs HT 2 unless otherwise stated.

2 slot(s)

How to get: Campaign climax. Sit in the Echoing Throne and win Spirit + an appropriate approach vs HT 5 to claim it from the dead king's brow.

The Ember Forge-Hammer

+3d6 Edge on appropriate Craft actions using the hammer. Can craft Superior gear given materials and time, and Legendary gear given a Reversal's worth of materials and an Aptitude + Craft + applicable Edge roll vs HT 3.

2 slot(s)

How to get: Found in the deepest forge on the Ember Road, beneath a cooling rift. Requires a Reversal adventure to access; the forge is behind the Still.

The Silkweaver's Mantle

+3d6 to Cast/Channel. Can bind two Threads simultaneously.

1 slot(s)

How to get: Woven by Silkborn masters at deepest leyline.

The Dustkeeper's Ledger

+3d6 to Study. Contains oral history of every road.

1 slot(s)

How to get: Earn trust of all eight roads.

The Glass Eye

+3d6 to Sense. Sees structure of anything.

1 slot(s)

How to get: Glass Road's deepest flat.

The Rootheart

+3d6 to Endure. Cannot be moved. Regenerates 1 Vitality/round on natural ground.

1 slot(s)

How to get: Carved from the oldest tree on Root Road.

The Still Compass

+3d6 to find the Still. Points to the Still's source.

1 slot(s)

How to get: Hollowborn archivist. Found in Hollow Library.

The Turning Key

Unlocks the old empire's final secret. One use.

1 slot(s)

How to get: Campaign's final reward.

Starting Gear

New characters start with gear based on their training — no shopping required and no starting-gold minigame.

Strike

Weapon: Military weapon of choice

Tool: —

Armor: Light

Consumable: 1 Health Draught

Lurk

Weapon: Basic dagger

Tool: Lockpick Set

Armor: Light

Consumable: 1 Health Draught

Parley

Weapon: Basic dagger

Tool: Trader's Kit

Armor: Light

Consumable: 1 Vigor Tonic

Study

Weapon: Basic staff

Tool: Scholar's Kit

Armor: None (robes)

Consumable: 1 Vigor Tonic

Cast/Channel

Weapon: Basic staff (+1d6 to Cast/Channel)

Tool: Weaver's Kit

Armor: None (robes)

Consumable: 1 Vigor Tonic

Craft

Weapon: Basic hatchet

Tool: Forge Kit (2 slots)

Armor: Light

Consumable: 1 Health Draught

Scout

Weapon: Basic sling

Tool: Survival Kit + Navigator's Kit

Armor: Light

Consumable: 1 Health Draught

Endure

Weapon: Basic club

Tool: Healer's Kit

Armor: Medium

Consumable: 1 Health Draught

Every character also starts with a backpack (0 slots), a water skin (0 slots), 3 days of rations (0 slots), and a personal item of the player's choice (1 slot, no mechanical effect).

Staffs occupy 2 slots; clubs and hatchets occupy 1 slot each, and quality does not change those costs. The Strike, Lurk, Parley, Study, and Cast/Channel packages each use 4.5 slots and the Craft, Scout, and Endure packages each use 5.5 slots — all within the 6-slot starting capacity.

Encumbrance

Encumbrance Calculator

Capacity (slots)

Slots Used

Total Slots

✓ Within carrying capacity. 3 slot(s) free.

Every newly created character has a minimum carrying capacity of 6 inventory slots, regardless of Aptitude ratings. A higher capacity granted by another applicable rule still applies. Penalty: -1d6 to Swift- and Sinew-based actions until the load is reduced

Light weapon (knife, dagger, sling)1

Can be concealed: +1d6 Edge on appropriate Lurk actions when hidden

Heavy weapon (sword, axe, bow, spear, mace)2

Visible when carried; no concealment

Shield1

Fixed regardless of quality. +1 Defense HT while wielded; stacks with armor to the normal maximum Defense HT 5, so medium armor combined with a wielded shield may provide Defense HT 4. Armor penalties, equipment requirements, and slot costs still apply

Light armor (leather, padded cloth)1

No Swift penalty

Medium armor (chain, scale, boiled leather)2

-1d6 Edge on Swift-based actions

Heavy armor (plate, full mail)3

-2d6 Edge on Swift-based actions

Fortified (siege armor, barricade)4

-3d6 Edge on Swift-based actions + immobile

Tool kit1-2

1 slot for most kits; 2 for the Forge Kit

Consumable0.5

Each consumable occupies 0.5 slot, regardless of type or rarity; two consumables occupy 1 slot

Miscellaneous item1

Each item takes 1 slot

Weapon quality affects Edge and other weapon properties, not carrying slots. Weapon slots are set by physical size: light weapons 1 slot, heavy weapons 2 slots, shields 1 slot regardless of quality. Unarmed attacks use no slots.

The Meridian Market

Prices are in threads — small strips of woven Thread, usable as Edge dice in small quantities. The economy runs on trade, favors, and Connections rather than hoarded coin.

Basic weapon1 threadCommon, any market

Military weapon3 threadsCommon, Meridian's Forge Quarter

Superior weapon15 threadsRare, Emberborn forge-masters

Light armor2 threadsCommon

Medium armor5 threadsUncommon, requires a forge

Heavy armor10 threadsUncommon, requires a master forge

Basic tool kit2 threadsCommon

Superior tool kit8 threadsRare, requires a specialist

Health Draught1 threadCommon, any apothecary

Vigor Tonic1 threadCommon

Stillward4 threadsUncommon, Hollowborn alchemists

Thread Oil3 threadsUncommon, Silkborn weavers

Memory Vial5 threads or a storyRare, Dustborn traders

Still Bane10 threadsRare, requires a Reversal to brew

Wound Salve8 threadsRare, Rootborn herbalists

Luck Stone20 threadsVery Rare, Glassborn crystal-cutters

Thread Anchor25 threadsVery Rare, Silkborn artifact-smiths

Legendary itemNot for saleLegendary, earned through adventure

The Meridian Economy

•Characters earn 3-5 threads per adventure as payment from patrons.
•Selling gear returns half price; Memory Vials can be traded; Connections can be called in.
•A Road Connection can get a discount; an NPC Connection can get a free item.
•Connections can be as valuable as the threads a character carries.

Sky Vessels (Ley-Sails)

The Silk Road is the only road traveled by sky. Ley-sails are vessels that ride leyline currents between weaving-towers. Ley-sail travel uses the same dice: Swift to navigate, Scout to chart, Spirit to bind the Thread-anchor. The ship is fiction, not a new rules system.

Thread-skiff

Cost: 5 threads

Crew: 1-2

Speed: Fast

Cargo: 0 slots

Anchors: 1

Single-sail skiff for short trips between adjacent towers. No cabin, no cargo.

Ley-sail (standard)

Cost: 15 threads

Crew: 2-4

Speed: Fast

Cargo: 5 slots

Anchors: 2

Standard vessel. Small cabin, 5 slots cargo. The most common ship on the Silk Road.

Thread-galleon

Cost: 40 threads

Crew: 4-8

Speed: Fast

Cargo: 15 slots

Anchors: 4

Large vessel. Full cabin, 15 slots cargo. Trade runs and military patrols.

Weaver's vessel

Cost: Legendary

Crew: 1-6

Speed: Fast

Cargo: 10 slots

Anchors: 4

Thread-forged ship. Hull woven from living Thread-silk. Self-repairing, +2d6 Edge to all Swift navigation rolls. Requires a Silkborn with Thread Sight to pilot.

Travel Rules

Navigate

Swift + Scout vs HT 2 (standard), HT 3 (in a storm)

Bind Anchor

Spirit + Cast/Channel vs HT 2 to bind a Thread-anchor to a new leyline

Dead Current

If a current goes dead, the ship drifts until the crew re-anchors or lands at the nearest weaving-tower

Boarding

Boarding an enemy ship is a Strike + Sinew roll, same as any combat

Thread-anchors

Portable crystals that bind to nearby leylines. Used for emergency re-anchoring when a current goes dead.

Standard Thread-anchor

2 threads

Bind to any nearby leyline. Standard Spirit + Cast/Channel to anchor.

Superior Thread-anchor

5 threads

+1d6 Edge to binding rolls. Can anchor to distant leylines.