Secondary Characteristics

Derived values, and the four pools every character tracks.

Derived Values

Stat	Formula	Notes
Basic Speed	(DX + PER) ÷ 4	Initiative and dodge base.
Basic Move	HT ÷ 2, round down	Yards per second.
Dodge	Speed + 3	Round Speed down first.
Melee Base (BSM)	(DX + HT) ÷ 2	Controlling attribute for all melee weapon skills.
Ranged Base (BSR)	(DX + PER) ÷ 2	Controlling attribute for all ranged attacks — bows, thrown weapons, and missile spells.

The Four Pools

Pool	Base	Buy	What It Is
HP	ST	2/pt, ±30% of ST	Your body.
FP	HT	3/pt, ±30% of HT	Your wind. Recovers 1 per 10 minutes' rest.
QP	QN	5/pt, ±30% of QN	Your soul's reserve — spellcasting fuel and magical armor. Recovers 1 per 10 minutes of genuine quiet.
SP	WILL − LSP	2/pt (GM's cap)	Stability — your mental armor against horror. See below.

Stability (SP) and Long-Term Stability (LSP)

Adapted from Pyramid #3/103, "Mad as Bones" (p. 4), with SP based on Will. SP is the pool that fear, horror, and the unnatural erode. LSP is the scar tissue: it starts at 0, and every point of it lowers your SP maximum until slowly recovered.

Fear Events

A frightful thing forces a Will-based Fright Check, modified by the horror and the circumstances (heat of battle +5 if you're already fighting when you first see it; −1 if it touches you; −1 in the dark; −2 alone; +1 per prior exposure to this threat within 24 hours; +1 to +3 forewarned).
A roll of 14 or higher always fails, whatever your Will.
Even on a success you lose 1 SP. On a failure, lose one-third your margin of failure (round up, minimum 1). Critical failure: the loss becomes LSP instead.
Fearlessness (max 4 levels) and Combat Reflexes add their full bonus to fear rolls.
You also gain 1 LSP each time SP drops below a multiple of SP/2, and every real battle costs at least 1 SP at its end (+1 if injured, +1 for a major wound).

States

SP	State	Effect
Below 1/3	Mental Shock	Halve Will vs. mental intrusion; −3 to self-control, focused IQ/Per rolls, skill rolls, influence rolls, steady-hands DX, and Will vs. fear.
0	Crisis	The −3s become −8. Will roll or suffer a debilitating affliction; another roll every second of stressful action (combat). Do Nothing to enter the fugue instead.
−1×SP	Breaking Point	Will roll to avoid permanent mental damage — gain 1d LSP even on a success (−1 per 3 points of margin, min 1). Failure inflicts lasting mental disadvantages. Repeats at each further multiple.

Recovery

Above 0: 1 SP per 10 minutes of genuinely relaxing circumstances (+1 for an indulgence). At 0 or below: 1 per hour. At or below −1×SP: a daily Will roll for 1 per day. LSP: a Will roll on a day spent doing nothing but rest regains 1. Nothing recovers in a place of dread.