Shadowlords™
Copyright by Horoscope
Iron & Fire™ 2nd Edition
Playtest Material
Shadowlords™ Iron & Fire™
2nd Edition is a minimalist RPG
based on Shadowlords™ Dark
Fantasy setting. This document will
help you playtest the second edition
of the game prior to its official
release. Please send your impressions
to horoscopezine3000@gmail.com.
Thanks in advance!
ARE YOU NEW TO RPG?
If you’re new to RPG, this game
works like this: a Game Master
(GM) and some Players sit around
a table to create the stories of
their Player Characters (PCs),
experiencing adventures and
journeys through imaginary
fantasy worlds together.
However, today we can play RPG
online using tools like Discord,
Meet, Teams, or Zoom. Even text
chat can be used to play. Although
a GM-guided game session could
be the most common play mode,
you can play it alone being your
own GM. This is called Solo RPG.
Roll your Skill Die.
If you get 1, 2, or 3, you fail.
Otherwise, you succeed.
ACTIONS
When PCs try to do something
related to their Occupation, they
roll the Skill Die, ie the die Players
choose to represent their PCs’ Skill
Attribute. The higher, the better.
If PCs try something unusual to
their Occupation, they roll 1d4
instead of their Skill Die. Chances
are a failure can occur, but if any
Grit point is available, this can be
avoided. Check Adding Grit below.
On a roll of 1, 2, or 3, there’s
a failure. Otherwise, there’s a
success. The higher the dice, the
better the chances of succeeding.
ADDING GRIT
It’s possible to burn 1 or more
Grit points and add them to the
Action roll in order to succeed. By
increasing the chances of success,
PCs are able to accomplish otherwise
harder or difficult tasks, even if
unusual to their Occupation.
Shadowlords™ Iron & Fire™ 2nd Edition
Created by Horos and Rossi. Proofreading by Rossi Antúnez. Map by Gustav Sokol.
Zine, 2022. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or used in any manner without
written permission of the copyright owner except for quotations in a brief review. For more information,
please write an email to horoscopezine3000@gmail.com. Get to know our games: horoscopezine.itch.io.
Some game details are deliberately missing, including Magic, Leveling, Bestiary, and Setting. This may
by Horos & Rossi
or may not appear in the full game release. We encourage you to play the game improvising these details
as you see fit. Remember to share how you dealt with this limitation in your feedback. Thank you!
HOW TO PLAY WHAT IS NEEDED TO PLAY ATTRIBUTE DICE
A Player is the GM while the other Everybody will roll some polyhedral Choose one die for each Attribute:
Players roleplay their PCs. The GM dice: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20. d6, d8, and d10. This means you
describes an initial situation and the These dice sets can be found online have more chance to succeed if you
PCs deal with it, asking questions or in hobby stores. As an alternative, assign the higher dice for a particular
to the GM to better understand it, you can roll virtual dice too. Besides Attribute. Here is the comparison:
taking action, and so on. dice, grab some pencils and paper.
Dice Chance of Success
The GM will be the referee of PCs’ CREATING CHARACTERS d4 25%
actions, judging if they succeed d6 50%
or fail. However, the GM plays First: define the PC’s Occupation. d8 62%
alongside the Players, not against Second: choose the dice for each d10 70%
them, helping them tell the story one of the PC’s Attributes. d12 75%
they want. Remember to have fun! d20 85%
OCCUPATION
SOLO GAME DEFENSE AND GRIT
An Occupation is the PCs’ class
As a solo Player and being your own or profession. This influences their For Defense, roll the chosen
GM, you may ask many questions Skill Attribute and determines Stamina Die and add 6 to the
to the Oracle. Imagine the Oracle what they can or cannot do. Once result. This is the initial Defense
as an invisible GM who gives you the Occupation is defined, time to score. Damage can lower it. Losing
the answers to your inquiries. choose the PC’s Attributes dice. all Defense means the PC can die.
The more you ask, the better ATTRIBUTES For Grit, roll your chosen Willpower
immersion and experience through Die and add 3 to the result. This is
detailing. Take notes to record your Skill, Stamina, and Willpower are the initial Grit score. It’s possible to
session. This is called Journaling. the PCs’ main Attributes. Defense burn Grit points and add them to
Check Asking the Oracle below. and Grit are determined by them. any rolls during the game.
Trying something unusual for
your Occupation? Roll 1d4
instead of your Skill Die.
ATTACK WEAPONS ASKING THE ORACLE
When PCs try to attack opponents, Type Damage Cost Ask a very objective question
they roll their Skill Die. An attack is Axe, Battle 1d8 36 involving Yes or No as an answer.
essentially an Action and is handled Axe, Hand 1d6 10 Roll any dice: evens are Yes, odds
accordingly. In addition to this, a Bow 1d6 20 are No. Keep asking questions to
successful attack causes Damage. Club 1d4 2 refine the details of your story.
Crossbow 1d6 48
Remember: the PCs’ Occupation Dagger 1d4 6 RECOVERING DEFENSE
can limit an attack. Check Actions Hammer, Small 1d6 5
above for situations where PCs Hammer, War 1d8 42 PCs’ Defense scores can be recovered
try something unusual to their Mace 1d6 15 through long rest. After a full day
Occupation. Anyway, the GM gives Spear 1d6 8 away from any action, PCs roll
the final word on these occasions. Staff 1d6 3 their Stamina Die to recover their
Sword, Short 1d6 12 Defense. Recovering does not go
DAMAGE Sword, Long 1d8 16 beyond Defense’s initial score.
Pole Weapon 1d10 12
Roll the Weapon die and subtract RESTORING GRIT
the result from the victim’s Defense ARMOR
score. Adding Grit causes even more After overcoming a remarkable
Damage. Check the table below. Type Defense Cost challenge, PCs roll their Willpower
Shield, Small 1 24 Die in order to restore their Grit.
If PCs lose all their Defense, they Shield, Large 2 36 Keep in mind the value is limited
can die: roll the Stamina Die and Leather 1 42 by its initial score.
if there’s a success the PC is alive Studded 2 84​​
for the next minute. Otherwise, it Chainmail 3 240 FEEDBACK
dies definitely and the Player creates
another PC and joins the story Armor increases the Defense score Share your thoughts on our email:
as soon as the GM sees fit. and adds the value given above to it. horoscopezine3000@gmail.com.
1 horoscopezine.itch.io/iron-and-fire-2e
Shadowlords™
Iron & Fire™ 2nd Edition
Playtest Material
The
Udhum
Far North
Dark
Tower
The
Frozen Sea
12
miles
The adventurers are traveling
from Udhum to the City of the
Dead looking for treasure.
THE ADVENTURERS
Glauros is a Warrior skilled in
combat. He carries an Axe, a Long
Shield, and wears Chainmail.
The fighter is Joanna’s PC.
Hagla is a Sorceress skilled in
the arcane arts. She carries a Staff,
a ceremonial Dagger, and a wolf
skull. The magic-user is Max’s PC.
Helga is a Priestess skilled in
warding off the undead. She
carries a Mace, a Shield, and
wears Studded Leather Armor.
The cleric is Arthur’s PC.
Manthar is a Rogue skilled in
raiding tombs. He carries a Short
Sword, a Crossbow, and wears
Leather Armor. The thief is
Hellen’s PC.
Joanna, Max, Arthur, and Hellen are
guided by Michelle, the GM during
this weekend afternoon gaming
session in the local library. They
never played tabletop RPG before.
Shadowlords™ Iron & Fire™ 2nd Edition
by Horos & Rossi
SKANDIA
Fire
City of Mountain
the Dead
Old
VOSKUR
Ruins
Dead
Marches
THE JOURNEY
Hellen – Can I search for wood? We
can freeze out in these cold wastes!
Michelle – Sure! You said you
grew up in Udhum but you didn’t
mention you traveled out of the city.
Maybe by the sea? I should have
asked you guys to add a bit more
detail to the Occupation. Anyway,
seems Manthar isn’t skilled in
surviving the cold wastes. Roll 1d4!
Hellen – Hey, but I have trained my
senses and I’m just looking for some
wood out in the snow! We’ll have
some time before sundown, right? I
bet I can do that using my Skill Die!
Michelle – Oh, that’s fair enough!
Roll your Skill Die instead!
Hellen – Got a 3 in 1d8! Damn! I’ll
burn one Grit point to add 1 to the
roll! Then, I’ll have 4, right?
Michelle – Right! You gathered some
wood, enough to light a small fire.
2 horoscopezine.itch.io/iron-and-fire-2e
Created by Horos and Rossi. Proofreading by Rossi Antúnez. Map by Gustav Sokol. Copyright by Horoscope
Zine, 2022. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or used in any manner without
written permission of the copyright owner except for quotations in a brief review. For more information,
please write an email to horoscopezine3000@gmail.com. Get to know our games: horoscopezine.itch.io.
Some game details are deliberately missing, including Magic, Leveling, Bestiary, and Setting. This may
or may not appear in the full game release. We encourage you to play the game improvising these details
as you see fit. Remember to share how you dealt with this limitation in your feedback. Thank you!
THE FAR NORTH
This is the Far North, the icy
wastes beyond the Frozen North,
a land sparsely inhabited by free
folk but heavily occupied by hordes
of evil creatures, the terrible Sons
of Skandir. Here, the demons sent
by Bhaligund the Treacherous
wander in search of the unwary
in order to capture and enslave
them. Those caught are soon sent
to Khulan Bogyr, the feared hidden
stronghold of the Prince of Lies,
Bhaligund himself.
SHADOWS
Shadows are immaterial creatures.
Many of them are capable of
conjuring sinister spells and therefore
used as guardians of treasures and
artifacts of power in crypts, ruins,
and dungeons. Since they have no
physical form, shadows can only
be defeated by sorcery or magical
weapons. Like some undead, these
creatures can drain the life energy
of other living beings.
The place is occupied by bandits
and the treasure is guarded by
strange shadow creatures.
THE GUARDS THE CRYPT
Michelle – Turns out there are some Joanna – A shadow creature coming
guards watching the city ruins. They out from the crypt gate? Ok! I’ll
use bows and maybe can see in the fight it with my Axe!
distance. What you’re going to do?
Michelle – Roll your
Max – I’ll use my spells! Skill Die, warrior!
I’ll turn everybody invisible!
Joanna – Wow! An 8 in 1d8! This is
Michelle – Fair enough! a critical roll, right? I saw something
Roll your Skill Die! similar on Youtube! Like, when you
roll a 20 on 1d20!
Max – Oh no! I rolled a 1 in
1d10! Can I burn 3 Grit points? Michelle – Nice idea! But remember
the creatures could do the same,
Michelle – Yes, sure! Be careful right? Roll for Damage! Double
to not burn everything before damage, in this case!
encountering a tomb! This place
seems full of bandits and who Joanna – Got a 3 and a 5 rolling
knows what is lurking around? 1d6 twice. Total of 8! Did I
destroy the creature?
Max – Yeah, so I turn everybody
invisible, maybe enough to walk Michelle – Unfortunately not!
away from the guards and pass safely Nothing happened! Seems your Axe
through fallen walls and columns? cuts the air to no avail! Maybe this
strange creature is an immaterial
Michelle – Let’s see what happens being only affected by sorcery?
when you guys enter the city! Who knows? (evil laugh)