Wednesday, July 15, 2026

'Hail To The King Baby!' Ashley 'Ash' Williams From The Evil Dead Films For Sword of Cepheus 2nd Edition

 Here is a 2nd Edition Sword of Cepheus write-up for Ashley "Ash" Williams, custom-built to reflect his descent into a sword-and-sorcery, "weird science" planetary-romance, or dark fantasy campaign.



In Sword of Cepheus 2e, characters utilize a streamlined 2d6 task resolution, slot-based inventory (you can carry items equal to your Strength), and standard characteristics. Below is Ash's fully formatted character block, followed by his signature gear translated directly into the system's rules.

Ashley "Ash" Williams

Background: Commoner / Outlander

Career: Soldier (Turned Reluctant Monster Slayer)

Age: 34 (4 Terms)

Characteristics

  • STR: 9 (+1) (Brawny, accustomed to hauling heavy lumber and machinery)

  • DEX: 8 (+0) (Solid hand-eye coordination)

  • END: 10 (+1) (Vastly durable; ignores horrific physical trauma)

  • INT: 7 (+0) (Pragmatic, but prone to foolish mistakes)

  • EDU: 5 (-1) (S-Mart retail training, not classical academia)

  • SOC: 6 (+0) (A loudmouth, blue-collar retail clerk)

Combat & Health

  • Stamina: 11 (END 10 + Athletics)

  • Lifeblood: 20 (2x END)

  • Armor Protection: 1 (Leather harness/S-Mart blue shirt)

Skills

  • Athletics-1 (Used for scaling walls, heavy lifting, and sprinting from deadites)

  • Artifice-2 (Mechanics, jury-rigging prosthetics, and engineering black-powder weapons)

  • Melee Combat (Chainsaw)-2 (Brutal, high-damage close-quarters hacking)

  • Ranged Combat (Boomstick)-2 (Point-blank black-powder devastation)

  • Survival-1 (Staying alive in terrifying, untamed wilderness)

  • Carousing-1 (Drinking, boasting, and smooth-talking at the local tavern)

  • Deception-0 (Spinning wild tales that usually get him into deeper trouble)

Traits

  • Indomitable Will: When rolling to resist fear, horror, or mind-affecting corruption, Ash gains Advantage on the 2d6 check.

  • Jury-Rigger: Ash can repair damaged machinery, vehicles, or complex physical mechanisms without the proper tools, suffering no penalties to his Artifice roll.

  • Iron Fist: Ash's unarmed strikes deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage instead of the usual unarmed damage, thanks to his metal, gauntleted prosthetic.

Signature Equipment (Slots: 9 Max)

1. The "Boomstick" (Ranged Combat)

A heavy, double-barreled break-action flintlock or black-powder shotgun.

  • Damage: 3d6 (at close range) / 1d6 (at medium range)

  • Range: Close (up to 5 meters) / Medium (up to 15 meters)

  • Aspects: Reload-2 (Takes two actions to reload both barrels), Deafening (Deals morale damage to beasts on a successful hit).

  • Inventory Slots: 2 slots

2. The Chainsaw Hand (Melee Combat)

A noisy, gas-powered logging saw adapted to mount directly onto Ash’s right wrist stump via a leather and brass harness.

  • Damage: 3d6+1 cutting/slashing damage

  • Aspects: Fuel-Dependent (Requires oil/kerosene), Vicious (On a roll of natural 12, the target suffers an immediate, bleeding critical injury), Noisy (Guarantees loss of stealth).

  • Inventory Slots: 2 slots (mounted on forearm)

3. The Metal Gauntlet (Prosthetic Hand)

A hand crafted from scrap metal, gears, and clockwork springs.

  • Function: Restores basic manual dexterity to his right arm.

  • Aspects: Counts as a small shield (+1 to parry) when blocking melee attacks.

  • Inventory Slots: 0 slots (worn)

4. The Necronomicon Ex-Mortis (Unidentified Ancient Tome)

An ancient book bound in human hide and inked in blood.

  • Aspects: Cursed. Anyone attempting to read or translate this book must make an INT + Religion check (Target Number: 10). Failure triggers a localized Eldritch Mishap, waking up nearby deadites, summoning forest spirits, or driving the reader temporarily insane.

  • Inventory Slots: 1 slot

Playstyle Notes

Ash behaves as a classic high-Stamina, high-damage frontliner. Because combat in Sword of Cepheus 2e is incredibly deadly, his strategy relies on blasting enemies with the "Boomstick" at close range before charging in to finish them off with his chainsaw hand. He functions as the ultimate "weird science" survivor in dark fantasy or planetary romance campaigns, using his Artifice skill to build makeshift devices from ancient ruins.

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