Chronicles from the North PART 10

Welcome back to Chronicles from the North, where we explore the many facets of the upcoming Northern Wind stand-alone expansion. This week, we will be looking at the Fate mechanic, and how it makes your game unique!

WHAT IS THE FATE MECHANIC?

In a purely mechanical sense, the Fate mechanic is used to track your decisions throughout the game. It represents choices made by the party that will have an impact on future events. Story-wise, it reflects the branching decisions of the party, and the Oni and the environment responding to the Heroes and their acts of bravery upon the mountain!

HOW DO YOU GAIN FATES?

At certain points in quests or events, you’ll be instructed to take a specific Fate token—for example, Red Fate A. There are many types, which is why they’re color-coded!

You might gain one after defeating a specific boss, interacting with a terrain feature, or completing an objective. When this happens, you place that token into your Fate envelope, which stores all the Fate you’ve collected so far.

Importantly, you won’t know in advance what action will earn you a Fate, and you won’t know what it does when you receive it. The effects only unfold later in the campaign, giving each choice a sense of mystery and consequence.

HOW DOES FATE INFLUENCE THE GAME?

Throughout the campaign, the game will ask you to check your Fate envelope at key moments. If you have a specific token, it may modify a scenario or even change it entirely. For example, if a boss has already been defeated, that encounter might not happen at all.

These branching paths are most noticeable in Act III, the final part of the campaign, where the consequences of your actions culminate in significant narrative shifts and mechanical changes. No two journeys up the mountain will be the same!

Alt text: “FATE CHECK: Overwhelming Corruption: If you don’t have at least one of the Fates J or P, the Undead Hostiles in this Quest have; +3 t, +2 ARM, +1 HP.”

ENDINGS SHAPED BY FATE

The Fates you’ve collected will also determine which ending options are available to your party. Each ending is influenced by a mix of your final decisions in Act III and the accumulated Fate from your entire campaign, allowing for 33 different endings—each one a reflection of the path you’ve taken.

CONCLUSION

This week’s article may be a bit shorter, but the Fate mechanic is foundational to the Northern Wind experience. It’s a powerful tool for storytelling, letting the world react to your actions in subtle and dramatic ways.

Fate ensures that your journey is not just about climbing a mountain—it’s about shaping the story that unfolds with every step. The consequences may not be immediate, but rest assured—they’re waiting for you around the next corner.