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Character Creation

Rules Summary

If coming from other old-school games, these are the assumptions used for a few important rules:

  • HD are d6.
  • Reroll all HD each long rest.
  • To-hit bonus equal to HD.
  • Ascending AC with unarmored AC = 10.
  • Single saving throw (roll-over).
  • Spellcasting as in Wonder & Wickedness

Advantage & Disadvantage When a character has advantage on a roll, roll two dice instead of one and take the better result. When a character has disadvantage on a roll, roll two dice instead of one and take the worse result.

Ability Scores

Roll 3d6 for each ability score. Scores of 14 or higher grant the bonus indicated on the table below.

Ability Scores
Ability Bonus for High (14+) Score
Strength +1 damage in melee, +1 to open doors
Dexterity +1 damage with missiles, +1 to flee
Constitution +3 HP
Intelligence +1 spell known at 1st level
Wisdom Start with 500 XP (instead of 0 XP)
Charisma +1 to reaction rolls and retainer morale

Experience & Advancement

Pick a class. Start at 1st level with 0 experience points (XP), d6 maximum HP, and 3d6 silver pieces (sp). Gain 1 XP for every sp spent on carousing, partying, donating, gambling, or other pursuits without material reward. Slaying monsters may award XP as well, but this is significantly more dangerous and less rewarding than stealing treasure.

When a character gains a level, reroll all of their HD. If the total of the results is greater than their current maximum HP, the total becomes their new maximum HP.

Classes

Fighter

Fighter Levels
Level XP HD To-Hit Save
1 0 1 +1 14+
2 2,000 2 +2 13+
3 4,000 3 +3 12+
4 8,000 4 +4 11+
5 16,000 5 +5 10+
6 32,000 6 +6 9+
7 64,000 7 +7 8+
8 128,000 8 +8 7+
9 256,000 9 +9 6+

Weapons Any
Armor Any
Shields? Yes
Name Level When they reach 9th level, they become a Lord (or Lady) and can rule over a manor and its subjects.
Cleave Upon slaying an enemy, a fighter may immediately make an additional attack against an enemy within reach.
Shields Shall Be Splintered A fighter may sunder his shield to negate all damage from a single melee or missile attack.

Mage

Mage Levels
Level XP HD To-Hit Save Spells per Day
1 0 1 +1 16+ 1
2 2,500 1 +1 15+ 2
3 5,000 1 +1 14+ 3
4 10,000 2 +2 13+ 4
5 20,000 2 +2 12+ 5
6 40,000 2 +2 11+ 6
7 80,000 3 +3 10+ 7
8 160,000 3 +3 9+ 8
9 320,000 3 +3 8+ 9

Weapons Simple
Armor None
Shields? No
Name Level When they reach 9th level, they become a Wizard (or Witch), and can build a tower (or hut) to train apprentices.
Spellcasting Mages may memorize and cast a number of spells per day as indicated by the table above. Mages start with three spells written in their grimoire, and can transcribe more into their grimoire from scrolls. Mages must study their grimoire (a bulky item) for 1 hour to memorize that day’s spells.
Spell Level Mage spells are considered to be of a level equal to the casting mage’s level.

Thief

Thief Levels
Level XP HD Save To-Hit
1 0 1 14+ +1
2 1,500 1 13+ +1
3 3,000 2 12+ +2
4 6,000 2 11+ +2
5 12,000 3 10+ +3
6 24,000 3 9+ +3
7 48,000 4 8+ +4
8 96,000 4 7+ +4
9 192,000 5 6+ +5

Weapons Simple and Missile
Armor Light
Shields? No
Name Level When they reach 9th level, they become a Master Thief, and can set up a hideout to attract fellow criminals.
Backstab Thieves have advantage on attacks against, and deal double damage to, surprised opponents. In addition, thieves surprise enemies on a roll of 3+ (instead of on a 5+).
Thievery Thieves may use their thievery skill to perform the following feats of stealth and skill. To succeed, they must roll 3+ with a d6.

  • Hear noises
  • Pick locks or disable traps
  • Climb sheer surfaces
  • Move silently
  • Hide in shadows
  • Pick pockets

Elf

Elf Levels
Level XP HD To-Hit Save Spells per Day
1 0 1 +1 16+
2 2,500 1 +1 15+ 1
3 5,000 2 +2 14+ 1
4 10,000 2 +2 13+ 2
5 20,000 3 +3 12+ 2
6 40,000 3 +3 11+ 3
7 80,000 4 +4 10+ 3
8 160,000 4 +4 9+ 4
9 320,000 5 +5 8+ 4

Weapons Simple and Missile
Armor Medium
Shields? No
Name Level When they reach 9th level, they become an Elf Prince (or Princess) and assume leadership of a secluded grove or valley, and its settlement of elves.
Spellcasting Elves may memorize and cast a number of spells per day as indicated by the table above. Elves start with three spells written in their grimoire, and can transcribe more into their grimoire from scrolls. Elves must study their grimoire (a bulky item) for 1 hour to memorize that day’s spells.
Spell Level Elf spells are considered to be of a level equal to ½ of the casting elf’s level (round down).
Keen Senses Elves get +1 to rolls to hear noises, and can detect secret doors when entering a room with a roll of 5+ on a d6 (no time spent searching is needed for this roll).

Dwarf

Dwarf Levels
Level XP HD To-Hit Save
1 0 1 +1 14+
2 2,500 2 +2 13+
3 5,000 3 +3 12+
4 10,000 4 +4 11+
5 20,000 5 +5 10+
6 40,000 6 +6 9+
7 80,000 7 +7 8+
8 160,000 8 +8 7+
9 320,000 9 +9 6+

Weapons Any
Armor Any
Shields? Yes
Name Level When they reach 9th level, they become a Dwarf Lord (or Dwarf Lady) and can build or take over a mine and its dwarven workers.
Shields Shall Be Splintered A dwarf may sunder his shield to negate all damage from a single melee or missile attack.
Greed Dwarves can detect the approximate direction of any large treasure (1000sp or more) within 100 feet.
Grudge Dwarves deal +1 damage to goblins, orcs, ogres, trolls, and similar creatures.

Equipment

Encumbrance & Movement

Unencumbered Load A person can carry up to ten (10) items. Some items are bulky — these require two hands to carry or wield, and count as two items for encumbrance purposes. Some items are tiny — any number of the same type of tiny items fit into the same slot. A purse of 300 coins counts as one item.

Encumbered Load A person can carry up to an additional ten (10) items (for a total of twenty). When they are carrying more than ten items, they are encumbered, and movement speed is halved. When mounted, movement speed in combat is doubled.

Items

Supply Common adventuring equipment and resources are abstracted into supply. Each unit of supply takes up one (1) slot, costs 1sp, and can be readily converted into…

  • Food, one (1) day for man or beast
  • Water, one (1) day (generally not required unless traveling through a desert)
  • Torches, three (3)
  • Ammunition for one (1) missile weapon
  • A common tool, such as a shovel, pickaxe, oar, rope, or the like.
  • Camping equipment suitable for a night in the wilderness.
  • Any other miscellaneous common item that the GM deems appropriate.
Armor and Shields
Armor AC Cost Encumbrance as… Examples
Unarmored 10 - - -
Light Armor 12 10sp 2 items Quilted gambeson, mail shirt
Medium Armor 14 250sp 4 items Mail hauberk, brigandine
Heavy Armor 16 3,000sp 6 items Bronze breastplate, full plate
Shield +1 10sp 1 item
Weapons
Weapon Damage Special Cost Examples
Simple Hand d4 10sp Dagger, club, hatchet
Simple Polearm d6 bulky 15sp Staff, pitchfork, billhook
Martial Hand d6 20sp Sword, spear, mace
Martial Polearm d8 bulky 25sp Poleaxe, halberd, lance
Missile, Sling d4 10sp Sling
Missile, Bow d6 bulky 25sp Hunting bow, light crossbow
Unarmed 1 -

Bulky weapons must be wielded in two hands, in addition to counting as two items for encumbrance purposes.
Missile weapons may be loosed in the missile phase of combat, and require ammunition. Roll a d6 after each combat in which a missile weapon was used. On a 1 or 2, you are out of ammo.

Transportaion
Transport Cost
Cart, hand 5sp
Cart, draft 10sp
Wagon 30sp
Mule 30sp
Horse 50sp
Warhorse 100sp
Canoe 50sp
Longship 10,000sp

Carts double (2x) the carrying capacity of the user.
Wagons quadruple (4x) the carrying capacity of the user.
Mules have a morale score of 7, and are only as fast as a walking person. Can carry 30 items unencumbered, or 60 items when encumbered. They require 1 unit of supply per day.
Horses have a morale score of 6, and double movement speed. They can carry 40 items unencumbered, or 80 items when encumbered. A rider counts as 20 items (max 2 riders). They require 4 units of supply per day.
Warhorses are as horses, but have a morale score of 9.
Canoe Carries 2 men and 300 items of cargo, counts as a bulky item when portaging.
Longships can carry 40 oarsmen, and sail at speeds of 10 mph.

Hirelings

It costs 25sp to place an advertisement in a settlement for hirelings. The advertisement lasts for 1 week and provides d6-2 prospects for hiring. Hirelings are not brave or foolhardy enough to enter dungeons, but can be used for logistical support to and from dungeons and for guarding camp.

Hirelings
Type Notes Cost per Month
Servant HD½ AC10 M6 4sp
Foot, Light HD1 AC14 M7 20sp
Foot, Medium HD1 AC 15 M7 30sp
Foot, Heavy HD1 AC16 M8 40sp
Foot, Missile HD1 AC12 M7 60sp
Horse, Light HD2 AC14 M7 100sp
Horse, Medium HD2 AC15 M7 130sp
Horse, Heavy HD2 AC16 M8 160sp
Horse, Missile HD2 AC12 M8 160sp
Armorer Need 1 per 50 soldiers 100sp
Blacksmith Need 1 per 50 mounts 20sp
Engineer Builds strongholds 800sp

Horse archers may act in both the move phase and the missile phase of combat.

Encounters & Combat

Surprise

To determine surprise, roll a d6 for each side that is unaware of their enemies. On a 5+, they are surprised. If a side is surprised, they are unable to act in the first round of combat.

Common situations where players may surprise monsters:.

  • Bursting through a door on the first try.
  • Entering a room by picking the a locked door.
  • A thief successfully hides in shadows or moves silently (only the thief has a chance to surprise).

Common situations where monsters may surprise players:

  • The party has no light sources.
  • The party enters a room after an unsuccessful attempt to force the door, if the party did not hear any noises before entering.

Reactions

When encountering a wandering monster or other entity, and their disposition is unknown, roll 2d6 to determine their reaction.

Reaction Roll Results
2d6 Reaction
2- Hostile
3-5 Negative
6-8 Uncertain
9-11 Positive
12+ Enthusiastic

Distance

Wandering monster encounters take place at the following distance, depending on location and whether any parties are surprised.

Distance of Encounters
Indoor Outdoor
Surprised 1 move away 1d4 moves away
Not Surprised 1d4 moves away 4d6 moves away

Initiative & Phases

To determine initiative within the combat round, each side rolls a d6 at the start of combat. The side with the highest result has the initiative. Combatants take their actions in the following phases, with the side having the initiative acting first in each phase.

Phases:

  1. Magic, cast
  2. Missile
  3. Move
  4. Melee
  5. Magic, effect

Casting Interruptions A spellcaster who is hit by an attack while casting a spell must make a saving throw. If he fails, the spell is lost (as if it were cast) and no effect takes place.

Moving and Missiles A combatant who looses a missile in the missile phase cannot move during the move phase.

Attacks & Damage

Basic Attacks Roll a d20 and add to-hit bonus. Results that are equal to or greater than the target’s armor class (AC) deal the weapon’s damage to the target. The target reduces their HP by that much. Attack rolls of 20 are critical hits — roll twice as many damage dice.

Charge In the first round of combat, a combatant may charge an enemy by moving from outside of melee range to within melee range of an enemy in the movement phase. The charging combatant gains advantage on their next attack against the charged enemy, and successful attacks deal double damage.

Withdraw When a combatant within melee range of an enemy moves out of melee range, the enemy may immediately make a melee attack against the combatant. This can be avoided if the combatant only makes a half move.

Combat Maneuvers A combatant can choose to trip, disarm, blind, or otherwise perform a dirty trick on his opponent. He makes an attack and damage roll as normal. If he hits, his opponent can choose to take damage as normal, or suffer the effects of the combat manuever.

Saving Throws

Some effects require characters to make saving throws. To do so, roll a d20 and compare the result to the character’s saving throw score on their character sheet. A result equal to or greater than the saving throw score is a success.

Death & Healing

Bind Wounds Characters may bind their wounds after combat to restore 1d6 HP of damage sustained in that fight.

Rest & Healing Resting in camp for a night restores all HP (up to their maximum HP value).

Deprivation If a character is lacking food, water, or shelter, they are deprived and cannot regain HP.

Rerolling HD Resting in town for a week allows characters to reroll all of their HD. If the total of the results is greater than their current maximum HP, the total becomes their new maximum HP.

Grievous Wounds When a combatant reaches 0 HP, they must make a saving throw. On a failure, they die. On a success, they are merely grievously wounded — roll on the table below to determine their injuries. When grievously wounded, characters require a week’s rest in camp or town to reroll HP (instead of a night’s rest).

Grevious Wounds
d6 Grevious Wound
1 Gruesome Scars -1 to reaction rolls.
2 Eye Gouged Out Disadvantage on ranged attacks. If this happens twice, they are blinded.
3 Broken Arm Disadvantage to all actions with that arm / hand. Heals in 1d4 weeks.
4 Broken Leg Move speed and carrying capacity halved. Heals in 1d4 weeks.
5 Dismembered, Arm Lose an arm.
6 Dismembered, Leg Lose a leg. Move speed and carrying capacity halved.

Morale

When a side takes 50% casualties, make a morale check to see if they break. Roll 2d6; a result equal to or greater than the morale score means that the side routs and flees the field. Morale is usually based on the combatants experience level, per the table below.

Morale Scores
Experience Morale Roll to Rout Examples
Green 6+ Conscripts, levy
Trained 7+ Militia, town guards
Veteran 8+ Experienced fighters
Elite 9+ Knights, house guards

Undead are always hostile, never check morale, and normally cannot be reasoned with (intelligent undead such as liches are an exception).

Evasion

Evasion and Surprise If the party surprises a monster, they can evade the monster automatically by retreating from the dungeon room or taking a circuitous wilderness path.

Fleeing If the monster is not surprised, and the party tries to flee, the monsters may give chase if the reaction roll indicates it. To successfully flee from a pursuer, the fleeing characters must each make a roll of 5+ on a d6. Encumbered characters have -1 on this roll. Unarmored characters have +1 on this roll. Failure means the monster catches up, and resumes its attack.

Distractions Food will always distract unintelligent monsters from the chase, by dropping 1 day’s ration per monster HD. Treasure will always distract intelligent monsters from the chase, by dropping 100sp worth of treasure or coins per monster HD. Passing through a secret door will always evade a pursuer.

Dungeon Delving

Turns

One turn of dungeon exploration takes about ten (10) minutes, and generally allows the party to take one action, such as:

  • Move to the next room
  • Open a stuck or locked door
  • Search the current room
  • Rest and bind wounds
  • Interact with a feature of the room, such as a trap

Dungeon Events

Every turn of exploration, or every time the party rests or makes excessive noise, roll a d6 on the event table below.

Dungeon Event Rolls
d6 Event
1 Encounter Roll an encounter on the appropriate wandering monster table.
2 Clue Roll the next encounter on the appropriate wandering monster table and foreshadow it with a clue (sound, smell, or sight).
3 Exhaustion Encumbered characters must spend a turn resting, without moving.
4 Light A torch burns out.
5 Free, no effect
6 Free, no effect

Doors

Forcing Doors All doors are stuck and must be burst open by force with a roll of 5+ on a d6. A failed attempt makes surprising whatever is behind the door impossible.

Hear Noises Characters can listen at doors and attempt to hear if the room is occupied on a roll of 5+ on a d6. Note that the undead make no sound.

Secret doors require the room they are in to be searched completely (takes one turn, sometimes more for larger rooms) Some doors are locked, and require a key or a thief to pick the lock to open.

Spiking Doors Doors will open freely for monsters unless wedged shut with iron spikes. When wedged shut, monsters must attempt to burst the door open as above, possibly giving the party time to hear them coming. Doors can also be wedged open with spikes, to ensure the party a clear path of escape.

Holding Doors Sometimes (especially during a chase) the party will try to hold a door against pursing monsters. The side trying to force a held door must try to burst it open as normal (5+ on a d6).

Traps

Room Traps are activated on a roll of 1 or 2 on a d6. They can be detected by spending a turn searching the area. Thieves can attempt to disarm traps; but be careful, as a failure will trigger the trap. If the character doesn’t want to risk this, find a clever way to bypass the trap.

Treasure Traps such as locks with poison needles, or a weighted plate underneath a statuette, can only be detected by a thief spending a turn searching the treasure. Thieves can attempt to disarm them, but failure will trigger the trap.

Wilderness Travel

Timekeeping

Watches are a period of 8 hours. There are three (3) watches in a day. In summer, two (2) of these watches are daylight, and one (1) is nighttime. This is reversed in the winter months.

During daylight watches, travelers can take one of the following actions as a group:

  • Move 2d6 miles towards another area
  • Hunt, fish, or forage for d3 rations of food or water (natural features permitting)
  • Explore the current area to reveal landmarks
  • Travel within the current area to a discovered landmark

Travelers must consume 1 unit of supply per person each day, or they become deprived and cannot regain HP. Travelers usually rest in camp overnight, but can conduct a forced march if needed (move 1d6 miles during a nighttime watch, and become deprived).

Wilderness Events

Every watch of travel, roll a d6 on the event table below.

Wilderness Event Rolls
d6 Event
1 Encounter Roll an encounter on the appropriate wandering monster table.
2 Clue Roll the next encounter on the appropriate wandering monster table and foreshadow it with a clue (sound, smell, or sight).
3 Exhaustion Encumbered characters must spend an entire day (3 watches) resting.
4 Lost You are lost. Find a landmark to resume travel.
5 Weather Roll a d6: (1-3) weather gets worse by one step, (4-6) weather gets better by one step.
6 Free, no effect

Magic

Spellcasting

Casting Unless otherwise specified, spells take 1 action to cast. Spells can only be cast in armor if the character is proficient in its use.

Duration Unless otherwise specified, spell effects last for 10 minutes per spell level.

Counterspells A prepared spell may be expended to protect one (1) person per spell level from the effects of one (1) spell.

Spell Descriptions

Animate Dead

Animate a number of HD worth of undead equal to spell level. Roll d6 when spell ends: (1-3) undead become hostile, (4-5) undead collapse into dust, (6) undead serve the caster permanently.

Augury

Perform a divination to determine whether a given course of action will result in weal” or woe”. The caster may ask one question per level. DM rolls a d6 secretly: on a 4+, the answer is truthful. Sacrifice 1d6 HP in blood to guarantee a truthful answer.

Bless

Affected creatures gain +1 to attack rolls, saving throws, and morale checks. This can affect 1 target per spell level.

Charm

Hostile creatures become neutral, neutral become friendly, and friendly creatures become infatuated. Affects a number of HD worth of creatures equal to spell level.

Circle of Protection

Draw a circle on the ground with chalk, salt, or blood. Undead, fey, demons, or other unnatural creatures cannot cross the boundary. Protects one (1) creature per spell level.

Control Weather

Control the weather, causing clear skies, storms, winds, etc as desired. Effects last for 1 day per spell level.

Dominate

Release control of your own body and domineer that of a nearby creature. Subject saves to prevent.

Fireball

Deals 1d6 fire damage per spell level to all targets in a small area (such as a melee or a room). Targets save for half damage.

Fly

Fly at walking speed. Affects one (1) creature per level. Spell is reliable for 10 minutes per spell level, then has a chance to end on each subsequent turn on a roll of 5+ on a d6.

Haste

Targets automatically gain initiative for the duration of the next combat. Affects one (1) creature per spell level.

Heal Sickness

Heal all injuries, diseases, poisons, and curses currently affecting a creature. This spell automatically cures any mundane injury or ailment (such as wounds sustained in battle, or poison from nonmagical creatures), but merely grants an additional saving throw to those afflicted by magical ailments.

Hold Person

Paralyzes a number of HD worth of creatures equal to spell level. Subjects save to avoid.

Invisibility

Turn a number of creatures equal to your level invisible.

Knock

Open one stuck or locked door within arm’s reach.

Lightning Bolt

Deals 1d6 lightning damage per spell level to all targets in a line. Targets save for half damage.

Scry

Requires a mirror, crystal ball, still water, or similarly reflective surface. Remotely see and hear events that are up to 10 miles away per spell level.

Sleep

Puts all within a small area (such as a melee, or a room) into a deep slumber. Subjects save to avoid.

Slow

Targets automatically lose initiative for the duration of the next combat. Affects one (1) creature per spell level.

Speak with Animals

Speak with animals for 10 minutes per spell level. Reaction rolls apply.

Speak with Dead

Ask 1d6 questions of the corpse of a deceased intelligent creature. Reaction rolls apply and negotiation may be required. Corpse may be dead for a period of time based on spell level…

Spell Level Deceased for…
1st 10 minutes
2nd 1 day
3rd 1 week
4th 1 month
5th 1 year
6th 10 years
7th 100 years
8th 1000 years
9th No limit

Third Eye

You can see all invisible, ethereal, and shapechanged creatures in their true form. You also see the auras of spells (both cast and prepared) and enchanted objects.

Tongues

You can comprehend all written and spoken languages.

Water Breathing

Can breathe under water for 10 minutes per spell level. Affects one (1) creature per spell level.

Wind Barrier

Buffeting winds prevent missile attacks from harming those within. Protects one (1) creature per spell level.

Wizard Lock

Locks one door, chest, window, or similar portal. Requires a knock spell or similar magic to open.

Domains

At 9th level, a character can begin ruling their own domain. This might take the form of a fortress or manor house and its accompanying village for a fighter, a secluded tower or hut for a mage, or a hideout or tavern for a thief.

Manor

Manors consist of the lord’s keep (anything from a small fortified house, to an expansive castle, depending on the wealth of the lord) and the accompanying peasant population of the manor. The population density of a manor depends on the region in which the manor is located:

  • Wilderness: d6-3 households per square mile
  • Borderlands: d6 households per square mile
  • Heartland: d6+3 households per square mile

The typical manor for a 9th level fighter is 2 to 3 square miles in size. If this is located in the borderlands, it will thus contain approximately 10 households.

Each household generates 1 sp in productive capacity every month. This consists mainly of food, cloth, and labor, rather than pure cash. The peasantry are typically taxed at 10%; higher taxation rates are possible but require a 2d6 roll to avoid an uprising. This is modifed by the lord’s Charisma bonus.

Peasant Uprisings
Tax Rate Uprising on…
10% happy, no uprising
15% 10+
20% 9+
25% 8+
30% 7+

Peasants can provide one (1) levy (as light foot, 1HD, morale 6+) per household in times of war. Levy will serve for 6 weeks unpaid (though they must be supplied with food, either by their lord or through forage); beyond that, they must be paid wages as mercenaries or they immediately disperse. Even if paid, make a morale roll each week to see if they return to their farms regardless.

Mass Combat

Each turn of mass combat, roll one (1) d6 per HD of creatures in the units in combat. A unit deals a hit on a result based on the armor of its enemy:

Mass Combat Hits
Armor Hit on…
Unarmored 3+
Light Armor 4+
Medium Armor 5+
Heavy Armor 6+

Shields are not counted in determination of armor in mass combat.

Each hit removes one enemy HD from combat as a casualty. Check morale as normal. Casualties check for survival with a result of 3+ on a d6 after combat. If they survive, they are greviously wounded.

Appendix

Monsters by HD

Monsters are able to see in complete darkness. When converting monsters from other publications, their saving throw and to-hit bonus should be based on the number of HD. A monster’s saving throw is found by subtracting it’s HD from 19 (for example, a 2 HD monster has a saving throw of 17). A monster has a to-hit bonus equal to its HD. HD should be converted to d6. Monsters typically deal d6 damage per attack, though particularly dangerous monsters might deal more.

Monsters by HD
HD HP To-Hit Bonus Saving Throw XP Awarded
<1 2 +0 19+ 10
1 4 +1 18+ 15
2 8 +2 17+ 30
3 12 +3 16+ 60
4 16 +4 15+ 120
5 20 +5 14+ 240
6 24 +6 13+ 400
7 28 +7 12+ 600
8 32 +8 11+ 800
9 36 +9 10+ 1100
10 40 +10 9+ 1400
11 44 +11 8+ 1700
12 48 +12 7+ 2000
13 52 +13 6+ 2300
14 56 +14 5+ 2600
15 60 +15 4+ 2900