An Adventure game for brave adventurers

by Emiel Boven
 If the d6s rolled are Buffs, the highest roll among them is added
The Game to the final result.
A Game Master (GM) controls and describes the world to If the d6s are Breaks, the highest roll among them is subtracted
players who then describe how their characters (PCs) act in the from the final result
world.
Luck
Time A Luck roll works similar to an action roll. Roll a d20, add the
• Turn - 10 minutes in game. PC’s Luck with a result over 15 being a success.
A Luck roll is made whenever the outcome of something is
• Round - 10 seconds in game.
unclear and isn’t directly affected by a PC’s actions, or when
Character Attributes a player asks something about the world the GM has no clear
answer to. You could, for example, roll Luck to find out:
• Force - Physical strength and endurance.
• If a PC knows anybody in town whom they could sell their
• Finesse - Physical skill and dexterity.
stolen goods to.
• Will - Mental endurance and force of character.
• If the guard wakes up before the party can escape.
• Wits - Cleverness and (social) awareness.
• Which PC gets hit by arrow fire while retreating.
[RE] action Roll
When the success of an action or reaction is uncertain, a player
rolls a d20 and adds the score from their relevant attribute. A Optional Rule: Luck Save
result over 15 is a success. Instead of making a reaction roll of the most appropriate attri-
bute, the GM and players could decide to just use a Luck roll to
Buffs & Breaks determine a PC’s success when attempting to negate a negative
Some situations can give a PC Buffs and/or Breaks on their effect. This is perfectly fine, but would make it so that a PC’s
action roll. These cancel each other out, so a PC can can have chance to survive is a lot more dependent on their luck than on
multiples of one type affecting a roll but never both types at the their skill.
same time. When making the action roll, for each Buff or Break
the player rolls a d6 (in addition to the normal d20).
Load and Stress Advancement
Max Load dictates how many items a PC can carry and how PCs gain a level when they have accumulated a total of 1000 XP.
much stress they can endure. When gaining a level a PC’s hit dice increase by 1 and they may
choose one of the following:
A PC’s Max Load is equal to 10 + their Force score.
Some actions and situations, like pushing the PC (see below), • Increase one attribute by 1 point. No attribute can be in-
cause a PC to recieve stress points. If all carried items and creased above 8.
accumulated stress points combined are more than a PC’s Max
• Learn a spell.
Load, they are stressed and gain Breaks equal to the differ-
ence when making any action roll.
Rewarding XP
At the end of each session the GM rewards each character
Pushing a character XP based on the gold value of the non magical treasure they
Before making an action roll, players may choose to push their
brought back safely (1 GP = 1 XP), and 10 XP per Monster Hit
character to receive a Buff on their roll. Each time they do so
Die of each monster they defeated or outsmarted.
the PC receives a Stress point. A player may choose to push
their character multiple times on a single roll. PCs cannot be
pushed when they are stressed.
Optional Rule: Milestone XP
healing stress Alternatively the GM could reward each character XP depending
on how much they achieved during the session. For example:
Spending a day resting in a safe location removes all stress.
• 250 XP for a low-risk accomplishment.
• 500 XP for a moderate-risk accomplishment.
• 750 XP for a high-risk accomplishment.
 damage is first subtracted from their Armor points. If no
Combat Armor points remain a they take the remaining damage as
wounds.
Combat is played in rounds of 10 seconds. Each round:
Hit Dice & Death
• Establish combat order. Roll a d6 for each side to de- Each time a creature receives wounds they roll their Hit Dice (HD).
termine the combat order this round. Sides with the same Each HD is a d6. If the result is less than or equal to the wounds
result act simultaneously. they have accumulated the creature dies.
• Each side acts. When a character can act it may move Healing
around and take an action. This action may be attacking, Spending a day resting in a safe location heals all wounds, re-
casting a spell, making a second move or any other action moves all stress and repairs Armor.
deemed reasonable by the GM.
Attacking Morale
When attacking, a PC must make a successful action roll (Force NPCs have a Morale score. The GM should make a Morale roll
for melee attacks and Finesse for ranged attacks). On a success when something manages to shock the NPCs (they meet more
they deal their weapon’s damage to their target. resistance than expected, their leader is killed etc.).

If the d20 rolled a result of 20 the attack is a critical success To make a morale roll, roll 2d6. If the result is higher than the
and it deals double damage. Morale of the NPCs they flee.

Dodging
When an NPC attacks a PC, instead of the DM making an action
roll, the player being attacked must make a Finesse roll to
dodge the attack. If the roll fails the PC takes the damage noted
Spellcasting
for the NPC’s attack. To cast a spell the caster can’t be stressed, must have at least
one hand free and must be able to speak.
If the d20 rolled a result of 1 the dodge is a critical failure and
the PC takes double damage. Casting a spell automatically succeeds, but the caster receives
a stress point and must make a Wits roll. Failing this roll results
Damage & Armor in a roll on the Blunder table to determine an unforeseen
If a creature takes damage while they’re wearing armor, the effect.
d20 Blunder Table Some Spells
1. Caster is shrunk to a 10th of their current size for 2d6 turns. If a spell description contains an X, swap that out for the cast-
2. A bushy field of poison ivy springs up around the caster. er’s Will score.
3. A leaf sprouts from the top of the caster’s head. Players and DM’s are encouraged to come up with their own
4. The caster’s hands turn to slippery fish heads for 1d6 turns. spells.
5. Caster forgets the names of their companions. 1. Demonic Servant - Summons a demon to complete a
simple task. Disappears after a turn or when it has finished
6. Caster becomes blinded for 1d6 turns
its task.
7. Caster cannot lie and thinks out loud until the next sunrise.
2. Grasp of Yahzahar - Up to X creatures are grabbed by a
8. Caster and the target(s) of the spell switch places. shadowy hand and held in place for 1d3 rounds.
9. It starts raining sardines. 3. Healing Hand - Heals X wounds.
10. All footwear disappears in the area around the caster. 4. Bark Skin - Target’s skin grows a layer of bark. +X Armor
11. Caster strongly smells like roses for 1d6 days. for 1 turn.
12. A small wooden outhouse materializes around the caster. 5. Levitate - Up to X targets can levitate themselves for a
13. Doves keep flying out of the caster’s pockets, at random inter-
turn.
vals, for an hour. 6. Talk with Spirit - The caster can summon the spirit of
14. Caster gains 20 pounds. (Flip a coin to determine weight or wealth.) remains near the caster to talk to for a turn.
15. A small gnome ringing a silver bell appears and starts shaming 7. Weave Light - A visual illusion manifests itself at a place
the caster. nearby or around a nearby object or creature.
16. Caster becomes mildly allergic to fur for 1d6 hours. 8. Swarm Form - Caster turns into a swarm of bugs, rats or
bats for up to X turns.
17. Gravity affecting the caster becomes reversed for 1d4 rounds.
9. Worm Ray - Target is turned into an arm-sized worm for X
18. Caster falls asleep. turns.
19. All non magical weapons around the caster are turned into 10. Displace - Willing target is teleported to a location nearby.
flowers.
11. Truth Sight - Caster can see magical auras and invisible
20. Caster becomes under review by the Council of Numbers. A things.
temporal scribe will follow them for a week, silently taking
notes. 12. Bolt - Throw X bolts of magical lightning, each bolt deals 1
damage.
 d20 Gear d6 Armor
1. Bedroll 1. No Armor + Spell (roll or choose)

Character
2. Lantern + Oil
2. Light Armor
3. Caltrops
3. Light Armor + Shield

Creation
4. Whistle
4. Medium Armor
5. Crowbar
5. Medium Armor + Shield
6. Manacles
Grappling Hook 6. Heavy Armor
1. For each attribute, roll 2d4 and note 7.
down the lowest result. 8. 6 Torches
2. Roll a d6 to determine your Luck.
9. Iron Spikes d6 Curio
3. PCs starts with 1 Hit Die.
Net
10. 1. Bomb 9 dmg in a small area.
4. Note your Max Load (10 + your
Force). 11. 10’ Pole
2. Eye Stone Grants night-vision.
5. PCs start with 5 days of rations and a 12. Tent for 3 people
weapon of their choice. Roll twice on 3. Spiked Shield 1 dmg to the attacker.
13. Healing Tonic
the Gear table and once on the Armor
to determine your starting gear. Spyglass 4. Dream Flute 3 dmg to sleeping
14. creatures that hear it.
6. Roll to determine your starting gold 15. Musical Instrument
(2d6 x 5). 5. Bottle of Bees As the name
16. Lockpicks suggests.
7. Name your character.
17. Trap 6. Serpent Scale Cloak +2 Armor.
18. Rope
19. Waterskin
20. Curio (Roll on Curio table)
Equipment Adventuring Gear
Bedroll 5
Costs are given in gold pounds (GP). Caltrops (Bag) 10
All items can be assumed to count once when calculating load, unless otherwise noted. Chalk (10 pieces) 1
Crowbar 10
Face Paint (Pot) 2
Weapons Ammunition Grappling Hook 25
Blowpipe, Sling, Dart, etc. Arrows/Quarrels (20) 5 Healing Tonic (Heals 4 wounds) 50
2
2 dmg Iron Spikes (12) 1
Bullets (30) 3
Dagger, Club, Staff, etc. Lantern (Requires oil) 10
4 Black Powder (Enough for 30 shots) 35 Lockpicks 25
3 dmg
Manacles 10
Sword, Axe, Flail, etc. Mirror 5
10
4 dmg +1 load Musical Instrument 30
Greatsword, Halberd,
Armor Net 10
Warhammer, etc. 15 Light (Leather, etc.) Oil (Flask, 4 hrs. of light in lantern) 5
20
5 dmg, two hands +2 load 3 Armor Pole (10’) 1
Rations (5 days) 5
Bow Medium (Chain, etc.)
35 40 Rope (50’) 5
3 dmg, two hands +1 load 5 Armor +1 load
Shovel 5
Crossbow Heavy (Plate, etc.) Sledgehammer 7
30 60
4 dmg, two hands +2 load 7 Armor +2 load Spyglass 50
Pistol Shield Tent (personal) 20
60 10 Tent (3 persons) 45
5 dmg, round to reload, loud +1 load Grants a Buff when dodging.
Torches (6, 1 hr. of light each) 1
Trap 5
Waterskin (½ a gallon of liquid) 2
Whistle 1
Enemies Armor 0
•
HD 1 Dmg 2 ML 8
Slippery: PCs attacking or trying to restrain a boggle gain a
Adversaries PCs can encounter are described using the follow- Break on their roll.
ing statistics:
• Paralyzing Poison: PCs who get wounded by a boggle must
• Armor - The amount of damage it can take before it starts make a successful Force roll, or become paralyzed for 1 turn.
rolling its Hit Dice.
• Hit Dice (HD) - The amount of d6s the GM should roll Spellclaw
when the monster becomes wounded. Small humanoid creatures with cracked obsidian skin, white
pupils and long glass-like transparent claws. Spellclaws are often
• Damage (Dmg) - The amount of damage the monster does found around places of magical power trying to find spells to
when its attack isn’t dodged by a PC.
absorb to feed their hunger.
• Morale (ML) - The monster’s odds of giving up during battle.
Armor 3 HD 2 Dmg 3 ML 7
For more details on how to use these, see Combat.
• Absorb Magic: Spellclaws can’t be affected by magical
some enemies effects and can drain the magic from an item they touch,
doing so grants them the powers of the drained item for a
Here are some examples you can use in your game. You are en-
few days.
couraged to make up your own or to borrow from games you like.

Flesh Orb of Zuld

An ancient sentient computer covered in a fleshy mass. It Written by Emiel Boven
levitates around its lair and knows when it is purposely being DURF is made to be hacked, pulled apart and built on top of.
lied to. When threatened, it can shoot jolts of energy from its It is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) so you
flesh-encased circuitry. can share and adapt this material for any purpose, as long as
Armor 4 HD 4 Dmg 4 ML 10 you give attribution.
Special thanks to Hedwig Klamer
Boggle
Slippery frogmen who like to live in warm and wet climates. Inspirations Ben Milton’s Knave, Daniel Sell’s Troika!, Gary
They are known to coat their weapons in a paralyzing poison. Gygax and Dave Arneson’s Dungeons & Dragons, Nate Treme’s
Tunnel Goons and Robert J. Schwalb’s Shadow of the Demon Lord.