VIRTUES
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The first true mechanical choice for a character, the virtues a character gains should match how the player wants to tackle problems in a game. Taking the 'Cunning' virtue would be great for an assassin- or thief-type character, probably useful for a ranger or detective, and rubbish for a barbarian. In this way, virtues define the approach a character usually takes. It doesn't mean they always have to hew to their virtues, just that they get an extra d6 on action rolls when they do
Your virtues are the ideals that define you—the guiding stars of your saga. They shape not only what you hold dear but also how you rise to meet the world’s trials. When you act in line with a virtue, you are in your element. Your conviction sharpens your hand, steadies your step, and hardens your will.
Virtues aren’t numbers on a page; they’re the heart of your character’s approach. Two heroes may both scale a crumbling tower, but the one calling on Grace does so like a dancer at a ball, while the one leaning on Fury does it with iron hands and gritted teeth. Virtues flavor your every move. During character creation you gain three virtues from a selection. The eight virtues of H&S are:
Vigor—fitness, might, and fortitude.
Courage—bravery, willpower, and defiance.
Grace—elegance, poise, and finesse.
Fury—wrath, ferocity, and zeal.
Heart—conviction, hope, and warmth.
Instinct—awareness, reflexes, and intuition.
Wisdom—mind, knowledge, and deduction.
Cunning—schemes, trickery, and secrecy.
When you act in the spirit of a virtue, say so in the fiction. Tell the table how you draw on Courage to hold the breach or on Grace to sway a foe with elegance. If the action requires a Check, you can add an additional d6 to your die pool—but only if your approach truly matches the virtue’s nature.