Rivers of Awen

Rivers of Awen is a solo and group storytelling RPG set in the British Isles around 300 BC. It is built on archaeology and historical research, and it invites you into a world of hillforts and sacred rivers, druid groves and stone circles, tribal bonds and ancestral spirits, bardic traditions and the slow turning of the seasons. You create a character, place them in this world, and create the story that unfolds, guided by dice, oracles and Story Seeds. This is the digital edition . The physical hardback, printed in the UK and illustrated throughout, is available at www.forestheartcelticart.etsy.com Three Ways to Play Solo: Write or speak your character's story alone, returning to them across sessions. A journal and a set of dice are all you need. Bardic Circle: A group gathers to share spoken or written stories while others listen. Stories weave together around a shared world. No GM required. Group Journeying: One person guides the session while others play their characters. Works around a table, over video call or anywhere people can speak and listen. What Kind of Stories Rivers of Awen is story-first and relational . The world responds to who your character is, who they belong to, and what they are willing to risk. In the Iron Age, you were known by the people who stood behind you, the clan totem on your cloak, what your ancestors did when they settled the land, and the stories woven around your clan's name. You have full freedom to create mythic heroes or ordinary folk, larger-than-life figures or people living quietly close to the land. A travelling bard collecting stories A child receiving dreams from an ancestor A war band riding into battle A healer carrying a debt they cannot repay A druid hosting a feast for the new chief A messenger crossing into another tribe's territory An elder whose craft is fading Characters grow into their reputation, deepen their bonds, and carry the weight of the oaths they swear. You can play someone rising into their strength, or someone navigating the long descent. Both are worthy stories. Rivers of Awen provides a powerful toolkit for creative writing , rich historical world material and Story Seeds throughout every chapter to keep inspiration flowing, as well as a collection of rollable Oracles you can use at the market, on the road, at a festival, or in a mead horn drinking contest. How It Works Five Attributes describe how your character moves through the world: Grace, Presence, Might, Cunning and Wisdom . Distribute 3, 2, 2, 1, 1 across them. The highest value shows what your character does best. When the outcome of an Action is uncertain, roll 1d6 + Attribute against 2d10 counter dice : Blessed: Higher than both counter dice. The action succeeds fully. Tested: Higher than one counter die. Success, but with complication or cost. Broken: Higher than neither. Something falters, fails, or turns against you. For combat and open conflict, Rivers of Awen uses a Clash of Arms system built on d20 exchanges, with weapons, armour, initiative, surprise, and mounted combat all grounded in Iron Age reality. What Shapes Your Character Crafts, Talents and Shadows each come as a list of 20 options you can roll on for quick character creation or choose freely, with guidance on creating your own. Crafts: The skills you are known for, including farming, smithing, healing, bardcraft, seer work and warcraft. Reputation grows from Learning to Trusted to Proven to Renown. Talents: Natural qualities recognised by others and deepened through experience. Examples include Weather Sense, Sharp Eye, Dreamer, Touched by a Current. Shadows: The difficult truths your character carries. Examples include Suspicious, Stubborn, Haunted, Restless, Divided Loyalty. Bonds: The most important relationships your character holds, close kin, a mentor, an ancestor, an animal. They deepen, strain and change as the story unfolds. Oaths: Promises spoken aloud before witnesses. They shape what your character does next and leave a mark on their reputation whether kept or broken. The Character Sheets The characters you create can be recorded and updated on the print-at-home character sheets included with this edition: Who You Are: Appearance, standing, land, bonds and people Your Life Force: Health, Spirit, Awen Flow and Conditions What You Do: Attributes and Common Actions What You Are Known For: Crafts, Talents and Shadows What You Carry: Clothing, armour, weapons and belongings Who Is With You: Companions, human, animal and spirit They follow the same structure as the guidebook chapters, making it easy to move between playing and reading. Each sheet is a modular tool, use the ones that serve your story and set the rest aside. What This Digital Edition Includes The full 224-page illustrated guide book : a bookmarked PDF, optimised for screen navigation Print-at-home character sheets : all sheets from the book, ready to print Rivers of Awen Obsidian Journal : a complete digital journaling vault for solo and group play, with templates, guide book and world notes built in WhatsApp Community access : connect with other players, share sessions, ask questions, and find companions for group play The Obsidian Journal gives you a structured home for your character's story, your session notes, and the world around them, all linked and navigable from the moment you open it. The physical hardback edition (A4, illustrated, printed in the UK, with physical character sheets) is available at www.forestheartcelticart.etsy.com What the Book Contains Deep historical world covering land, kin, tribes, sacred sites, the Otherworld, the Wheel of the Year and the Great Currents that shape character and fate. 40+ Common Actions across survival, social life, art, spirit and conflict. Crafts system built around reputation and relationship, not numerical stats. Clash of Arms for combat, covering weapons, armour, mounted fighting and battle lines. Oracle tables for names, foraging, road encounters, market prices, social standing, conflict triggers, festivals and Guide support. Story Loom for framing the kind of story you want to tell before you begin. Story Seeds and character questions throughout every chapter. Glossary of key terms and Iron Age concepts. "Begin with a body. It is day, or it is night. Notice where you are. What do people call you? Who is with you? What are you doing here? Something changes." — Rivers of Awen, Your First Decision A Note from Yannick Rivers of Awen is a personal creative offering, built from years of research, practice and a deep love of this land and its stories. If you have questions, need help getting started, or want to share something from your story, I am glad to hear from you. The community is there whenever you want it, and so am I. Website: www.riversofawen.com Physical edition: www.forestheartcelticart.etsy.com