Professional Documents
Culture Documents
OF ZYLARTHEN
ALTERNATE
ENCUMBRANCE
RULES
1 June 2014
PUBLISHED BY
INTRODUCTION:
The following are slightly revised from the encumbrance rules and related encumbrance values included in the electronic and print editions of SEVEN VOYAGES of
ZYLARTHEN, available from 12-23-13 to 5-25-14. They are listed as alternate,
among other things because some might prefer the original versions. However
they will be included as the official rules going forward.
The main changes and points are:
1. Reducing the permitted number of units carried from 40 to 25. This makes
things more symmetrical in that each encumbrance step is now 5 (as opposed to 5, 5, 10, 10 and 10.)
2. The attack/defense penalties on Super-Heavy encumbrance (Base Move: 3) have
been eliminated. Thus the maximum encumbrance that one can have without suffering a penalty on combat is really only being reduced by 5 (from 30 to 25). In addition, there is an option to carry up to 10 more units without being able to attack or
defend (perhaps holding a sack over ones shoulder with both hands).
3. The intention behind changing the shape of the encumbrance steps was NOT
to further limit what people can really carry. Rather, in part the assumption is
that each encumbrance unit now represents on average a bit more weight.
Many items still have an encumbrance of 1, and thus the result will be to make
them slightly heavier. However, some of the already heavy items have in turn
had their encumbrance units reduced. Big weapons generally had their encumbrance reduced from 5 to 3 or from 4 to 2. This also applies to the shield. It
follows that there are now only 3 weapon encumbrance categories instead of 4,
thus making things a bit simpler. In addition, the encumbrance of Plate Armor
goes from 10 to 8, Mail from 8 to 6 and that annoyingly heavy sledge hammer
from 6 to 3, among other things. Groups of items adding up to 1 encumbrance
unit now generally contain more items (and thus their prices have been modified in a few cases). It should be noted that the only item that gains encumbrance on the new list is the crossbow.
4. Rules limiting the number of big items or weapons one may carry have been
changed in conformity with the new assignments. I think the results are a bit
simpler, clearer and more intuitive. These rules now only apply to weapons, not
to the more general category of items. You can now carry 12 shovels if you
damn well want.
5. Partly in line with the above changes, but also for other reasons, I have revised
the rules for Food and Water requirements in the wilderness.
6. Each set of new text below will include a reference as to what it replaces. As
always, I welcome feedback and criticism. Honestly, I put a great deal of
thought into the original scheme and so I think its pretty good. (I wouldnt have
published ZYLARTHEN otherwise.) Its just that I think this alternate scheme
is a bit better.
Oakes Spalding
# Units
0-5 *
6-10 **
11-15
16-20
21-25
26+
Base Move
13
12
9
6
3
Prohibited***
May only carry individual items with a maximum encumbrance of . Otherwise, encumbrance will be light or medium. A character wishing to move quietly, climb a nearly vertical wall or engage in any other similar delicate task is
usually advised to be unencumbered.
**
May only carry individual items with a maximum encumbrance of . Otherwise, encumbrance will be medium.
*** At the referees discretion, up to 10 additional units may be carried, but both
hands will be occupied and the character will be unable to attack or defend.
Thieves may carry up to 500 coins for free (generally, each set of 100 coins has
an encumbrance of ). However, they may still not go above the overall maximum
of 25 units, counting all carried coins.
Cost
Item
Cost
10 Pole
12 Iron Spikes
Sledge Hammer
10
Shovel
Hammer
15
Crowbar
Battle Axe
15
Long Sword
40
Glue, pint
Staff
Morning Star
Lantern
6 Flasks of Oil
6 Torches
Spear
Pole Arm
10
6
10
Lance
10
Sling
25
10
Bow
Crossbow
10
3 Javelins
24 Arrows or Quarrels
12 Sling Bullets
Silver Dagger
200
5
1
25
20
Leather Armor
25
Chalk
8
30
500
1
200
Fine Clothing
Plate Armor
500
Steel Mirror
100
15
Buckler
Pair of Dice
Shield
Deck of Cards
Helmet
10
Whistle
Mule
30
Hourglass
1
10
Light Horse
200
Water/Wine Skin
Warhorse
500
1000
Large Sack
Small Sack
50 of Hemp Rope
200
5
15
Encumbrance
Item
Dagger
10 Pole
Axe
12 Iron Spikes
Mace
Sledge Hammer
Shovel
Sword
Hammer
Battle Axe **
Long Sword *
Staff **
Morning Star **
Spear *
Glue, pint
6 Flasks of Oil
6 Torches
Bow **
Crossbow **
1-3 Javelins
24 Arrows or Quarrels
12 Sling Bullets
Silver Dagger
Chalk
Fine Clothing (carried)
Steel Mirror
Pair of Dice
Mail
Plate Armor
Leather Armor
Crowbar
Lantern
Sling **
Lance
Pole Arm **
Encumbrance
Shield
Helmet
Buckler
Deck of Cards
Whistle
Mule
Hourglass
Light Horse
Warhorse
Barding
Free at Start:
50 of Hemp Rope
Standard Clothing
Iron Hook
Vol. 1, p. 24:
Animal Transport: Mules, camels and horses come with complete tack and saddlebags. The relevant statistics are listed below (a man, without arms, armor or
equipment, etc., counts as 30 units):
Horse
Mule
Price
Carry Capacity
Hit Dice
Attacks
Armor
Class
Move
30
40
2+1
Nil
12
Draft Horse
50
60
2+1
Nil
12
Camel
150
50
Nil
15
Light Horse
200
40
Nil
24
Warhorse, Medium
500
60
2+1
18
Warhorse, Heavy
1000
75
3+3
Hooves or
bite (1 die)
7
7
12
Only mules may be taken into a dungeon, and even that may be problematic.
Camels have been known to go for two weeks without water or food.
Helmets: These are included in the price and encumbrance of Mail and Plate Armor.
Vol. 2, p. 24:
EAGLES: These potentially helpful giant birds can carry up to 50 units of encumbrance and still fly at half speed.
Vol. 3, p. 39:
Enchanted mail will have an encumbrance of whereas magical plate armor will
have an encumbrance of .
Vol. 3, p. 49:
Bowl of Commanding Water Elementals: This is a large, fragile bowl made of
semi-precious materials (encumbrance: ). It will take as many as 10 minutes to
unpack, set up and fill with water (encumbrance of required water: ). A Water
Elemental may then be summoned. Magic-Users only.
Censer of Controlling Air Elementals: It will take as many as 10 minutes to unpack and prepare this item (encumbrance including required incense: ). An Air
Elemental may then be summoned. Magic-Users only.
Vol. 3, p. 51
Drums of Panic: Each of these large kettledrums has an encumbrance of
and thus, a set of two may only be carried comfortably by a horse or
the equivalent. When struck, all creatures of fewer than 5 hit dice, and all noncarnivorous animals within a range of 120 will flee in panic. More powerful creatures may also flee but are entitled to a saving throw versus magic.
Vol. 3, p. 55:
Jug of Alchemy: This jug may be used to pour out one chosen ordinary liquid up
to seven times in in a day (a different liquid may be chosen each day). Maximum
amounts per pouring are as follows:
Liquid
Water
Beer
Wine
Oil
Acid
Hot Tea
Poison
Volume #/Containers
10 Gallons
10 Gallons
5 Gallons
2 Gallons
1 Gallon
1 Quart
1 Quart
10 Skins
10 Skins
5 Skins
18 Flasks
9 Flasks
3 Flasks
3 Flasks
Encumbrance