CHARACTER CREATION Choose one of the following: Whenever a character meets a challenge, they are

required to roll 2d6. The resulting number is

Firstly, take an index card or similar. This will be 2 light weapons, light armour
modified by each of the character’s relevant
your character sheet.
light weapon, light shield, light armour and elements.
helmet
(2d6+stat+quality+item)
heavy weapon, heavy armour and helmet
The resulting number indicates the degree of
2 heavy weapons, no armour success or failure, e.g. if a roll exceeds the challenge
All items have an integrity rating which indicates tier by 2 points, the target loses 2 health but if the roll
Roll 2d6 to determine the character’s stats. falls short by 2, the character loses 2 health.
the number of times an item can be damaged
2-3 = -2 before it is broken. Light items have an integrity Because health represents mental and physical
4-5 = -1 of 1, heavy items have an integrity of 2. resilience, a character can lose health simply due
ENCUMBRANCE to the frustration of failing to do something.
6-8 = 0
A character has a carrying capacity of 12. Smaller If the total is equal to the challenge tier, the goal
9-10 = +1 is either achieved at a cost or failed with a benefit,
items may be carried together in one space while
11-12 = +2 larger items may take up more than one space. whichever makes most sense.
This includes the armour the character is wearing A roll of double 1 is a critical fail, regardless of any
The number and nature of these stats is up to the and whatever they are holding. other factors, resulting in a serious mishap, e.g.
referee and will be chosen to best reflect the
Whenever over encumbered, every challenge roll damaging the item you are using.
setting and style of play.
is reduced by twice the number of points the A roll of double 6 is a critical success, regardless of
Each character starts with 10 health points. This is character is over encumbered by. any other factors, resulting in the best possible
modified by the character’s stat total. Health is a
PACKED ITEMS outcome.
measure of both their physical and mental
resilience. The total number of health points Retrieving an item from your pack under duress Armour absorbs physical damage (light armour 1,
cannot be exceeded through conventional health requires a challenge roll. If failed, the result heavy armour 2) but becomes 1 point less
recovery. indicates the number of rounds it takes to find the effective whenever a character critically fails in
item. combat.
Distribute a total of 2 points inventing one or two
qualities the character possesses. CHALLENGE ROLLS If the character has no armour, their weapon is
damaged instead.
Make a note of what motivates them. What do Anything presenting a challenge has a tier:
they desire? If they are unarmed or the damage is not of a
Easy 6 physical nature, their most appropriate stat is
Make a note of their background. What position
Moderate 8 reduced by 1.
did they hold?
Tough 10 Heavy weapons are unwieldy, -1 to attack rolls but
Each of these elements can modify a roll (for
additional +1 to damage.
better or worse). Daring 12
When an opponent reaches half health, they make
EQUIPMENT
Heroic 14 a morale roll of 2d6+health. If the result is 8 or
Characters begin with 2d6 coin, some basic below, they will attempt to withdraw from
adventuring equipment and a couple of items combat.
related to their background.
RECOVERY
With rations and a short rest, a character can
recover half their total health. Rest without
rations, only 2 points of health can be recovered.
An uninterrupted full night’s rest restores 8
health points.
Recovering lost stat points requires professional
help and time spent in an appropriate setting.
Once a character’s health reaches zero they are
incapacitated and any additional points are
removed from the most relevant stat. If any stat is
reduced to -3, the character is dead.
ADVANCEMENT
At the end of a session, a character may be able to
add a point to a stat, an existing quality or a new
quality, depending on their actions during that
session. A stat or quality may never have more
than 2 points.
Referee
Guide
CREATING CHALLENGES
When creating challenges that may be
encountered, simply give them a numerical value.
In the case of creatures and NPCs, this value also
represents their health.
Where appropriate, give them a motivation,
equipment and some qualities.
These elements will form their challenge tier and
also inform their behaviour.
You can assign qualities to any situation. This will
indicate what may occur when a character fails to
beat the challenge.
COMBAT
Only players roll during combat.
Initiative is judged situationally. If it is not
immediately obvious who acts first, the player
makes a challenge roll.
If an opponent gets the drop on a character, the
challenge tier is raised for the initial round of
combat.
If the player is successful in dealing damage to
their opponent, the opponent’s health is reduced.
Remember to roll for morale when the opponent
is at half their health.
Once the opponent’s health reaches zero, they are
dead.
MISSILE ATTACKS
When characters come under fire, it is treated just
like any other challenge they’d encounter.
This game was inspired by...
USING QUALITIES
A quality can add either 1 or 2 points to a
Dave Arneson
Runehammer Games – Index Card RPG
James & Robyn George of Olde House Rules
characters challenge roll.
There may be situations where more than one
Tim Gray - Jaws of the Six Serpents
Mikael Hassel - Dungeon Questing
quality may apply (it is up to the referee if this is Matt Jackson of MattRandom Podcast
permitted). Steve Jackson & Ian Livingstone - Fighting Fantasy
A character’s motivation and background may Norbert Matausch of Darkworm Colt
also add a point to a challenge roll as they are Marc Miller – Traveller
Ben Milton of Questing Beast – Maze Rats/Knave
essentially qualities by another name.
Ray Otus of Plundergrounds/The Viridian Scroll
On occasion, the combination of a character’s stat,
S. John Ross - Risus The Play anything RPG
qualities and the item they may be using, will
Nate Treme of Highland Paranormal Society -
exceed the challenge tier but a roll may still be
Tunnel Goons
considered necessary when both critical success
Simon Washbourne - Barbarians of Lemuria
and critical failure offer interesting possibilities.
WHAT NOW? Cover design by Frank Turfler, Jr.
Grab a bunch of your favourite random tables and All other artwork is in the Public Domain.
have at it!
This document is licensed under CC-BY 4.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0