Merits

Inspiration Merits (House Rule)

Inspiration Merits replace standard Heroic Inspiration in this campaign.

What Are Inspiration Merits?

Inspiration Merits are special rewards earned through strong roleplay and character-driven choices, particularly when a character:

• Acts according to their ideals, bonds, or faith

• Makes meaningful sacrifices

• Protects innocents or places themselves at risk for others

Examples:

• Paulus sacrifices a valuable item or endangers himself to perform last rites or bless a creature

• Ruth places herself between innocent NPCs and imminent harm

How They Differ from Heroic Inspiration

• Inspiration Merits are not limited to one at a time

• You may gain Inspiration Merits even if you already have inspiration

• They do not grant advantage directly

Instead, they function as a currency.

Using Inspiration Merits

At the start of each session, Inspiration Merits may be spent at the Temple of the Great Light to purchase temporary bonuses for that session.

These bonuses may include (examples):

• Rerolls or modifiers to certain rolls

• Minor blessings, protections, or resistances

• Narrative boons tied to the Great Light

Unused Inspiration Merits carry over between sessions unless otherwise stated.

When Are They Awarded?

The DM awards Inspiration Merits at the moment the roleplay occurs, or at the end of a scene, when a character’s actions:

• Deepen the story

• Reinforce the themes of sacrifice, faith, and hope

• Create meaningful consequences

Design Intent

Inspiration Merits are meant to:

• Encourage immersive roleplay

• Reward selfless or thematic choices

• Tie character actions directly into the world and its institutions

They represent the Great Light taking notice.

Archival Merits (House Rule)

What Are Archival Merits?

Archival Merits are special rewards earned by players who document their character’s exploits from a session and share them in the Tales of the Valiant! Discord channel.

Entries are written in character, from the viewpoint of said character.

How to Earn an Archival Merit

A player earns one Archival Merit per session when they:

• Write a unique recap of their character’s actions, victories, or discoveries from that session

• Ensure the entry is original, written by the player, and not copied or substantially derived from another player’s post

• Post the recap in the Tales of the Valiant! section of Discord

Each entry should meaningfully contribute to the shared history of the campaign.

Originality Requirement

All Archival Merit submissions must be original works.

• Copying, closely paraphrasing, or otherwise reproducing another player’s entry—whether in part or in full—is not permitted

• Collaborative storytelling is encouraged at the table, but recaps must be individually written

Violation Consequence:
Any player found copying another’s work will have all Archival Merits gained by that player confiscated, at the DM’s discretion.

Using Archival Merits

Archival Merits function as a currency within the Gilded Compass.

They may be exchanged for:

• Guild supplies

• Special equipment or services listed in Bonecloaks Provisions (posted separately)

Available items and prices will be updated and shared in the market listings.

When Are They Awarded?

Archival Merits are awarded after the session, once the recap is posted and reviewed for originality and quality.

They represent the guild formally recording your deeds into its archives.

Design Intent

Archival Merits are meant to:

• Encourage player creativity and accountability

• Preserve a living record of the campaign

• Reward meaningful engagement beyond the session

They represent your character’s legacy being truthfully recorded.