Equipment

In Nowhere Land, what you carry defines your survival. Weapons forged from domain essence, armor that bends reality, tools that bridge worlds, and exaltations that reshape fate itself.

Equipment Overview

Equipment in Nowhere Land falls into five categories: Weapons (for combat), Armor (for protection), Tools & Kits (for skills), Partisan Items (essence-touched mundane gear), and Exaltations (reality-bending artifacts).

Equipment Basics

Starting Gear: New characters begin with one weapon, one armor set (or none), one tool kit relevant to their career, and 3d6 silver coins.
Currency: Silver is the universal currency in Nowhere Land. 1 silver = modest meal. 10 silver = night's lodging. 100 silver = weapon/armor.
Availability: Common items available in most domains. Partisan items require specific domains. Exaltations are unique and must be found.
Weight: Track significant items (weapons, armor, heavy tools). Don't micromanage coins, rope, torches.

Weapons

Weapons in Nowhere Land are categorized by weight class (Light, Medium, Heavy) and range (Melee, Ranged). Each adds bonus damage on successful attacks.

Weapon Properties

Damage: Bonus Wounds dealt on hit (base 1 + weapon bonus)
Range: Melee (5 ft), Close (5-30 ft), Medium (31-60 ft), Long (61-120 ft)
Hands: One-handed (can use shield/offhand), Two-handed (requires both hands)
Special: Unique properties (Reach, Thrown, Versatile, etc.)

Melee Weapons

Weapon	Damage	Hands	Cost	Special
Light Weapons (+0 Damage)
Dagger	+0	1H	5 silver	Concealable, Thrown (Close range)
Shortsword	+0	1H	50 silver	Finesse (use Brawl or Martial Prowess)
Handaxe	+0	1H	10 silver	Thrown (Close range), Tool use
Club/Mace	+0	1H	5 silver	Bludgeoning (good vs armor)
Medium Weapons (+1 Damage)
Longsword	+1	1H	100 silver	Versatile (+2 if 2H)
Battleaxe	+1	1H	100 silver	Versatile (+2 if 2H)
Warhammer	+1	1H	100 silver	Bludgeoning, Versatile (+2 if 2H)
Spear	+1	1H	20 silver	Reach (10 ft), Thrown (Close), Versatile (+2 if 2H)
Heavy Weapons (+2 Damage)
Greatsword	+2	2H	200 silver	Heavy (cannot use while mounted)
Greataxe	+2	2H	200 silver	Heavy, Cleave (on kill, free attack vs adjacent enemy)
Maul	+2	2H	200 silver	Heavy, Bludgeoning, Sunder (ignore 1 armor)
Halberd	+2	2H	150 silver	Heavy, Reach (10 ft), Brace (vs charging)

Ranged Weapons

Weapon	Damage	Range	Cost	Special
Shortbow	+1	Medium	50 silver	2H, Rapid (can attack twice per turn at -2 dice each)
Longbow	+1	Long	100 silver	2H, Precise (+2 dice at Medium+)
Crossbow	+2	Long	150 silver	2H, Reload (1 action), Armor-Piercing (ignore 1 armor)
Throwing Knives (×3)	+0	Close	15 silver	1H, Concealable, Rapid
Javelin (×3)	+1	Medium	30 silver	1H, Can be used in melee (+1 damage, Reach)
Sling	+0	Medium	5 silver	1H, Cheap ammo (stones), Bludgeoning

Ammunition: Arrows/bolts cost 1 silver per 20. Assume you recover half after combat.

Weapon Mastery System

Your proficiency with weapons determines your combat effectiveness. Weapon mastery is tied to your career choices and achievements, representing training, experience, and specialized expertise.

Three Tiers of Mastery

Incapable (-5 penalty)

You have no training with this weapon type. You suffer a -5 penalty to your attack roll total (subtract 5 before counting successes against TN). This represents fumbling, poor grip, and lack of technique.

Example: A scholar wielding a greatsword without training—clumsy and ineffective.

Normal (no modifier)

You have basic competence with this weapon type. No bonus or penalty. This is the default for most weapons your character picks up.

Example: A traveler using a common sword—functional but not exceptional.

Mastery (+3 bonus)

You are an expert with this weapon type. You gain a +3 bonus to your attack roll total (add 3 before counting successes against TN). This represents perfect technique, muscle memory, and tactical expertise.

Example: A veteran sentinel with sword mastery—deadly and precise.

Gaining Weapon Mastery

1. Career Choices

Each career grants proficiency levels in certain weapon types:

• Sentinel: Mastery in Swords, Normal in Spears and Shields
• Wanderer: Mastery in Bows, Normal in Daggers and Axes
• Rogue: Mastery in Daggers, Normal in Crossbows
• Scholar: Normal in Staves, Incapable in Heavy Weapons
• Mystic: Normal in Staves and Unarmed, Incapable in most weapons

Work with your Trickster to determine career-specific weapon proficiencies.

2. Achievements

Every 3 notable achievements (things you learned, did, saw, or dreamt during adventures) can grant one of the following:

• Upgrade a weapon type from Incapable to Normal
• Upgrade a weapon type from Normal to Mastery
• +1 to a skill level
• Mastery in a tool type (see Tools & Kits)

What counts as an achievement? Significant events that shape your character:

• Defeated a domain boss or major enemy
• Discovered an ancient portal or lost domain
• Negotiated peace between warring factions
• Survived a deadly trap or environmental hazard
• Learned a forgotten language or secret
• Witnessed a miracle or impossible event
• Completed a major quest arc or character goal

3. Training (Downtime)

During downtime between adventures, you can dedicate time to weapon training:

• 1-2 sessions: Practice with a weapon type regularly (narrative arc)
• After 3 sessions: Make a Forma check (TN 12). Success upgrades proficiency by one tier
• Requires access to a trainer or mentor (NPC, career guild, domain blessing)

Weapon Type Categories

Melee Weapon Types:

• Swords (shortsword, longsword, greatsword)
• Axes (handaxe, battleaxe, greataxe)
• Hammers & Maces (club, mace, warhammer, maul)
• Spears & Polearms (spear, halberd, pike, glaive)
• Daggers & Knives (dagger, throwing knives)
• Staves (quarterstaff, walking stick)
• Unarmed & Brawling (fists, grappling)
• Shields (used defensively and offensively)

Ranged Weapon Types:

• Bows (shortbow, longbow)
• Crossbows (hand crossbow, heavy crossbow)
• Thrown Weapons (throwing knives, javelins, axes)
• Slings (sling, staff sling)
• Exotic Ranged (domain-specific or magical ranged weapons)

Optional: Specialized Mastery

For campaigns focused on martial prowess, allow characters to specialize further:

• Weapon Specialist: After achieving Mastery, spend 3 more achievements to become a Specialist (+5 bonus instead of +3)
• Signature Weapon: Dedicate a specific named weapon (e.g., "Mira's Silver Blade"). Gain +1 additional bonus when using that exact weapon
• Combat Techniques: Unlock special maneuvers specific to your mastered weapon type (disarming strikes for swords, shield bashes for shields, etc.)

Armor

Armor reduces incoming Wounds. The better the armor, the more it reduces—but the heavier it is and the more it restricts movement.

Armor Mechanics

When you take damage, subtract your armor's Damage Reduction (DR) from the total Wounds dealt. Armor doesn't prevent hits—it softens the blow.

Example: An enemy deals 3 Wounds. You wear Medium Armor (DR -2). You take 1 Wound instead of 3.

Armor Types

Armor	DR	Penalty	Cost	Description
No Armor	0	None	—	Cloth, robes, or nothing. Full mobility.
Light Armor	-1	None	50 silver	Leather, padded cloth, or hide. Quiet, flexible. No Stealth penalty.
Medium Armor	-2	-1 die Stealth	200 silver	Chainmail, scale mail, or breastplate. Balanced protection and mobility.
Heavy Armor	-3	-2 dice Stealth, -1 die Athletics	500 silver	Full plate, splint mail. Maximum protection, significant weight. Cannot swim without removing.

Shields

A shield doesn't reduce damage—it makes you harder to hit. When wielding a shield (requires one hand), your Target Number to be hit increases by +2.

Cost: 25 silver (wooden), 50 silver (metal)

You cannot use a shield with two-handed weapons or while dual-wielding.

Tools & Kits

Tools grant +2 dice on relevant skill checks. Without proper tools, some tasks are impossible (e.g., picking a lock without thieves' tools, performing surgery without medical supplies).

Tool Kits

Tool Kit	Cost	Use
Thieves' Tools	50 silver	Lockpicking, disabling traps. +2 dice to Larceny.
Healer's Kit	25 silver	Stabilizing Dying allies, treating Wounds. +2 dice to Survival (healing). 10 uses.
Artisan's Tools	30 silver	Crafting (smith, carpenter, weaver, etc.). +2 dice to Craft. Specify type.
Alchemist's Supplies	100 silver	Brewing potions, identifying substances. +2 dice to Lore (alchemy) or Craft (potions).
Climber's Kit	20 silver	Rope, pitons, harness. +2 dice to Athletics (climbing).
Navigator's Tools	40 silver	Compass, maps, sextant. +2 dice to Survival (navigation) or Investigation (cartography).
Disguise Kit	25 silver	Makeup, wigs, props. +2 dice to Performance (disguise) or Mendacity (impersonation).
Musician's Instrument	10-50 silver	Lute, flute, drum, etc. +2 dice to Performance (music).

Achievement System

Achievements represent notable deeds, experiences, and personal growth that shape your character. Unlike traditional experience points, achievements are narrative milestones that unlock mechanical benefits.

What is an Achievement?

An achievement is a significant event or accomplishment that your character experiences during play. Achievements can be:

Things You Learned:

Discovered a forgotten language, learned a domain's history, understood how a Portal works, mastered a new combat technique

Things You Did:

Defeated a domain boss, negotiated peace between factions, saved a settlement from disaster, completed a major quest

Things You Saw:

Witnessed a miracle, observed the Null directly, saw a domain's birth or death, encountered a legendary creature

Things You Dreamt:

Had a prophetic vision, communed with a domain's Willpower, experienced an Echo's memory, traveled in Reverie

Tracking Achievements

At the end of each session, the Trickster and players review what happened and identify 1-3 achievements that the party (or individual characters) accomplished.

Record achievements on your character sheet with a brief description (1-2 sentences). Example: "Defeated the Fleshweaver in the Crimson Wastes," "Learned the Old Tongue from the Echo Scholar," "Witnessed the portal collapse at Abbaye Road."

Quality over quantity: Not every combat or skill check is an achievement. Focus on moments that:

• Changed the narrative significantly
• Required creative problem-solving or risk
• Revealed important lore or character development
• Had lasting consequences for the character or world

Achievement Milestones: Every 3 Achievements

When you accumulate 3 achievements, you gain one of the following rewards:

+1 Skill Level

Increase any skill by +1 (e.g., Martial Prowess +2 becomes +3). Justify narratively based on your achievements.

Weapon Mastery

Upgrade proficiency in a weapon type from Incapable → Normal or Normal → Mastery. Must relate to your achievements (e.g., frequent sword combat grants Sword Mastery).

Tool Mastery

Gain +3 dice (instead of +2) with a specific tool kit. Requires narrative justification (e.g., extensive lockpicking achievements grant Thieves' Tools Mastery).

Career-Specific Ability (Optional)

Unlock a unique ability tied to one of your careers. Work with your Trickster to design something narratively appropriate (e.g., Sentinel gains "Shield Wall," Rogue gains "Shadow Step").

Achievement Examples by Type

Combat & Conflict:

• Defeated a domain boss solo
• Protected an ally from certain death
• Won a duel against a legendary opponent
• Survived a deadly ambush through clever tactics
• Disarmed an enemy without killing them

Exploration & Discovery:

• Discovered a hidden portal or lost domain
• Mapped an unexplored region
• Found a legendary artifact or Exaltation
• Uncovered a domain's secret history
• Escaped a collapsing domain

Social & Diplomatic:

• Negotiated peace between warring factions
• Earned the trust of a hostile NPC or faction
• Exposed a conspiracy or secret plot
• Convinced a villain to stand down
• Brokered a deal with the Count

Personal & Narrative:

• Overcame a personal fear or weakness
• Sacrificed something important for the greater good
• Fulfilled a character goal or quest
• Made a difficult moral choice
• Forged a meaningful bond with another character

Tying Achievements to Careers

Career-relevant achievements are especially valuable. When your achievements align with your careers, the Trickster may grant additional narrative benefits:

• Sentinel achievements (combat victories, protection) might grant access to elite training or reputation with military factions
• Scholar achievements (discoveries, lore) might unlock access to forbidden libraries or ancient texts
• Rogue achievements (heists, stealth) might earn favor with thieves' guilds or shadowy organizations
• Mystic achievements (visions, Reverie) might attract the attention of domain Willpowers or Potential masters

Optional: Major Achievements

For truly extraordinary accomplishments (stopping a domain collapse, defeating a legendary boss, saving an entire settlement), the Trickster may grant a Major Achievement worth 2 or 3 regular achievements. This allows for faster progression after game-changing moments.

Partisan Items

Partisan Items are mundane objects infused with domain essence. They're not magical, but they carry the weight of Nowhere Land—shaped by Blessings, touched by domains, anchored to reality.

What Makes an Item Partisan?

Partisan items are created through prolonged exposure to a domain's Willpower or crafted by Anchor Forgers. They have subtle effects—never overtly magical, but undeniably more than mundane.

Examples: A compass that always points toward the nearest portal. A cloak that shifts colors to match domain lighting. A journal that never runs out of pages.

Anchor-Stone

Cost: 50 silver | Weight: Light

A smooth stone marked with a domain's sigil. Once per day, test Arcane Resonance (TN 8). On success, you know the direction and approximate distance to the domain this stone is anchored to—even across worlds.

Partisan Cloak

Cost: 100 silver | Weight: Light

Woven from domain fabric, this cloak subtly shifts hues to match its surroundings. Gain +1 die to Stealth checks in domains (but not the real world).

Essence Token

Cost: Varies (10-100 silver) | Weight: Negligible

A coin, button, or trinket carrying a domain's Blessing. Once, you can activate it to gain the domain's primary Blessing at +1 level for one scene. The token crumbles to dust after use.

Null-Touched Blade

Cost: 300 silver | Weight: As weapon

A weapon (any type) forged in The Null. It deals normal damage but can harm incorporeal or Umbra-based entities (ghosts, living shadows, Umbral constructs) as if they were physical.

Unending Journal

Cost: 75 silver | Weight: Light

A leather-bound journal with infinite pages. As you write, new blank pages appear. Pages you've written can be found by flipping back—it always opens to what you seek. Perfect for Chronicle Keepers and Echo Cartographers.

Resonance Compass

Cost: 150 silver | Weight: Light

This compass doesn't point north—it points toward the nearest portal. Once per day, test Arcane Resonance (TN 10). On success, learn the portal's destination domain.

Exaltations

Exaltations are reality-bending artifacts—unique, powerful, and dangerous. They're the remnants of dead domains, crystallized Willpower, or objects touched by The Count.

Exaltation Mechanics

Each exaltation has:

Resonance: A value from 1 (minor) to 5 (legendary) representing its power
Attunement: You must attune to use it (test Arcane Resonance, TN = Resonance × 4)
Effect: The artifact's power—passive, activated, or both
Drawback: All exaltations have a cost—corruption, obsession, or curse

Attuning to Exaltations

To attune, spend 1 hour meditating with the exaltation and test Arcane Resonance (TN = Resonance × 4). On success, you're attuned. On failure, you cannot attune for one week.

You can be attuned to a maximum of 3 exaltations at once. Breaking attunement is instant but causes 1 Fracture as the bond severs.

The Crown of Echoes

Resonance: 3 | Type: Headwear

A tarnished silver circlet inscribed with fading names. When you wear it, you hear whispers of the dead—those who died in the domain you currently occupy.

Effect: Once per session, ask the Trickster one question about the domain's history. The dead answer truthfully but cryptically. Additionally, gain +2 dice to Lore checks about domains or portals.

Drawback: The whispers never stop. Test Anima (TN 8) each night or gain 1 Fracture from sleepless horror.

The Null Shard

Resonance: 4 | Type: Fragment

A jagged piece of obsidian that reflects no light. It's a fragment of The Null—pure potential, unformed reality.

Effect: Once per session, spend 1 Reverie to negate a Blessing or Curse affecting you or an ally within 10 ft. The Shard absorbs it. Additionally, you are immune to involuntary teleportation (portal kidnapping, domain shifts).

Drawback: The Shard hungers. Each time you use it, roll 1d6. On a 1, you gain a random Curse at -2 as the Shard leaks Null energy into you.

The Ledger's Quill

Resonance: 5 | Type: Writing Implement

An ornate quill with a nib that never dulls and ink that never runs dry. It was once The Count's—or perhaps still is.

Effect: You can rewrite reality—once per session. Write a sentence in a book, contract, or ledger, and it becomes true for 24 hours. The change must be plausible (e.g., "The door is unlocked," "The guard trusts me," "I own this house"). The Trickster has final say.

Drawback: Every use adds +1 to your Count's Ledger debt (even if you're at +5, this bypasses the cap). The Count will collect—and they know you have their quill.

The Genie's Lamp

Resonance: 5 | Type: Container

A tarnished brass lamp. If you rub it, a Genie appears—bound to grant wishes, but only within their domain's laws.

Effect: Once per arc (major story milestone), summon a Genie. They will grant one wish related to their domain's Willpower. The wish must be negotiated (use Social Exchange). If Disposition reaches +3, they grant it. If it reaches -3, they twist it.

Drawback: The Genie resents being bound. Each time you summon them, they test their Willpower × 4 against your Arcane Resonance. If they win, they escape the lamp permanently—and remember your face.

Acquiring Equipment

In Nowhere Land, getting gear isn't just about gold—it's about access, trust, and domain politics.

Buying Equipment

Most domains have merchants or traders offering mundane gear (weapons, armor, tools). Use the prices listed in this chapter. Availability depends on domain size and Willpower.

Small or isolated domains may lack advanced goods (no plate armor in a desert nomad domain, no crossbows in a medieval fantasy kingdom that hasn't invented them).

Looting

Defeated enemies drop their gear. Take what you can carry. Selling looted equipment yields half its listed price (fences, pawnbrokers, or shady merchants).

Quests & Rewards

NPCs may offer equipment as payment for services. A grateful noble grants armor. A Genie offers an exaltation. A Count's Debtor receives a Partisan blade as "interest."

Finding Exaltations

Exaltations are never bought—they're discovered. Hidden in ruins, guarded by monsters, buried in dying domains, or awarded by The Count. Each is a story unto itself.

Crafting Equipment

Characters with Craft or Invention skills can create equipment during downtime.

Crafting Rules

Time: 1 day per 50 silver of the item's value (minimum 1 day)

Materials: Half the item's cost in raw materials

Check: Test Craft (TN = 8 for common, 12 for complex, 16 for masterwork)

Success: Item is created. Failure: Materials wasted.

Masterwork items (success by 8+) gain a bonus: weapons deal +1 damage, armor has +1 DR, or tools grant +3 dice instead of +2.

Crafting Partisan Items (Optional)

Anchor Forgers or characters with Arcane Resonance +5 can attempt to craft Partisan items. This requires:

1 week of work in a domain with Willpower 3+
Double the normal material cost
Test Craft + Arcane Resonance (TN 16, or Resonance × 4 for exaltations)

Failure results in a mundane item or a Cursed variant (Trickster's choice). Crafting exaltations is legendary—requires months, rare materials, and narrative setup.

Encumbrance

Nowhere Land uses simplified encumbrance. Track significant items only: weapons, armor, heavy tools, treasure.

Encumbrance Limits

You can carry Forma + 5 significant items comfortably. Beyond this, you'reencumbered: -1 die to Athletics, Stealth, and Combat checks.

At Forma + 10 items, you're overloaded: -2 dice to all physical checks, movement halved.

Don't count coins, rations, torches, or small trinkets. Focus on the narrative: "Can I realistically run while carrying three swords, plate armor, and a chest of gold?"