Writing: Ben Dutter

Design: Ben and Jessica Dutter

Art: Dean Spencer and Per Folmer
Editing: Joshua Yearsley
Layout: Evan Rowland

Inspired by and based on games by John Harper,

Amít Moshe, Vincent and Meg Baker, Gary
Gygax, Dave Arneson, and Tom Moldvay

© Sigil Stone Publishing 2018

Vagabonds of Dyfed is Powered by the Apocalypse,

and its design was heavily informed by
Apocalypse World and World of Dungeons

Playtesting and contributors: Maria

Rivera, Michael Prescott, Charles Gatz,
Richard Ruane, Patrick, Alex Scheibe, Wayne
McEachren, Mischa Krilov, Jason D’Angelo
Vagabonds
of
Dyfed
Contents Foreground,
BASICS11 who you are now 21
Weakness 21
What is this 12
In a nutshell 12 Lineages 22
Human 22
Principles 13 Elf 22
Dwarf 22
Challenge and
Beastkin 23
Impartiality 13
Smallfolk 23
Impact and Ingenuity 14
Meaningful Choices 14 Techniques 24
Roll Result 15 Adept 24
Distill Azoth: 24
Core Mechanic 15 Hand of Force: 24
Illuminate: 24
Inaudible Whisper: 24
Character Creation 17 Legerdemain: 25
Transfer Heat: 25
Character Creation 18
Arcanist 25
Traits 20 Armorborn 25
Approach to conflict 20
Assassinate 25
Goal, cause, or ethos 20
Gimmick or Beastspeak 25
memorable quality 20
Better Safe
Background,
who you used to be 21 than Sorry 26
bottomless lungs 26
Control vegetatIon 26
Cure 26
Cutpurse 26
devoted 26
Augury: 27
Bolster: 27
Cleanse: 27
lInguIst 30
Holy Ward: 27 magICal healIng 30
Invigorate: 27
mIghty leap 30
Restore: 27
ear to the ground 27 nose for evIl 30

eyeball It 27 oathbound 30

favored enemy 27 pathfInder 30

favored envIronment 27 praCtICed shadoW 31

favored taCtIC 28 provIdent guIdanCe 31

favored Weapon 28 pyromanCer 31

frothy rage 28 sCry 32

healIng touCh 28 shadoWmeld 32

hellrIft 28 soulsnare 32

Inner Compass 29 strong 32

Iron stomaCh 29 tough hIde 32

jellybones 29 traCker 33

last Word 29 trapCunnIng 33

lIght sleeper 29 undead thrall 33

WallClImb 33
 Your Character 43
equIpment and speed 44
damage and hp 45
Healing and Restoring HP 45
Treating and
Removing Injury Tags 45
gaInIng levels 46
xp requIrements 47

Non,Player
Characters 49
enemIes and npCs 50
hIrelIngs, horses, and
hounds 50
Gameplay 35 NPC Loyalty 51
NPC Ability 51
How to Play 36
roll result 36
Combat 53
ImpaCt sCale surprIse 54
and stanCe 38
InItIatIve and
advantage and turn order 54
dIsadvantage 39
movement 55
ConCentratIon 40
pCs dealIng damage 55
permIssIon 40 Critical Hits 55
engagIng WIth Defeating Enemies
your Core flaW 41 Without Damage 55
pCs takIng damage 56 traps 69
Separate Enemy Damage deCays: hunger, thIrst,
Roll (Method 1) 56
dIsease, and poIson 70
Enemy Damage Determined
by PC Roll (Method 2) 56 Hunger and Starvation 70
Thirst and Dehydration 70
stanCe, rIsk,
Snake Venom
and damage 57 (Example Poison) 71
armor and damage 57 Zombie Rot
(Example Disease) 71
Zombie Rot effect 71
Outside of overland travel 72
Adventure 59 Magic from Techniques 73
Magical Items 73
doWntIme sCenes 60
Elvish Magic 73
soCIal sCenes 61

Travel and
Dungeoneering 63
Travel and
Dungeoneering 64
Weather and hazards 65
potentIal travel turn
CalamItIes 65
Weather as an Obstacle 66
Weather as Enemies 66
Special Rules for Weather 67
preparatIon and
plannIng 67
The Planning Roll 68
The Preparation Roll 69
Magic 73 Making Enemies 83
Divine Intervention or
Magical Bestowment 74
speed 84
Magic from Traits or hp 84
Other Sources 74
damage modIfIer 84
azoth:
dIstIlled magIC 74 armor 85
Finding Azoth 74 traIt tags 85
Azoth’s Uses 75 abIlItIes 85
Azoth in Spells and Rituals 75
Alter environment: 85
Azoth Augmentations 75
Breath / Blast / Gas: 85
Azoth Rejection Mutation 75
Charge: 86
Critical weakness: 86
Equipment 77 Disarm: 86
Adventuring Drain: 86
Gear and Tools 78 Gargantuan: 86
Examples of Weapon Tags 78 Hit and run: 86
Examples of Equipment 79 Immune to [type]: 86
Currency Conversion 81 Invisible: 86
Knockback: 86
Morph: 87
Multiattack N: 87
Paralysis: 87
Pin: 87
Poison: 88
Reaction attack: 88
Reaction movement: 88
Resistant to [type]: 88
Special movement: 88
Stun: 88
Swallow: 88
Swarm: 88
Trip: 88
 Bear 91
Beetle, Giant 91
Berserker 92
Bugbear 92
Cat, Great 92
Doppelganger 92
Dire Ants 92
Digestive Jelly 92
Dragons 93
Ghoul 93
Giant 93
Gnoll 93
Goblin 94
Hydra 94
Lizardkin 94
Lycanthrope
(Werewolf, etc.) 95
Record HP as is. 89
Medium 95
Ignore to-hit bonus. 89
Medusa 95
Roll damage as listed. 89
Minotaur 95
To convert descending AC: 89
Orc 96
To convert ascending AC: 89
Pixie 96
Scavengipede 96
Converting Enemies 89 Soldier 96
Note saving throws. 90
Spider, Giant 97
Note special abilities
Shrieker Shroom 97
or resistances. 90
Wraith 97
Zombie 97
Example Enemies 91
Acolyte 91
Amorgobbler 91 Character
Bandit 91
Archetypes 99
BASICS
 What is this
◊ PbtA/WoDu ◊ Sum of freeform
inspired traits instead of
attributes
In a nutshell
◊ 2d6 + mod I took my favorite parts of lots of other games
12 ◊ Supplemental — some small and some large, some old and
◊ Gradient successes
moves as some bleeding edge new — and kludged
◊ One core “move” “techniques” and cobbled and sewed them together into
Basics

a game my friends and I enjoy playing.

Vagabonds of Dyfed is an extensive hack of
several Powered by the Apocalypse games The core mechanic is the same from World
— namely John Harper’s World of Dungeons of Dungeons and many other PbtA games
and Blades in the Dark mixed in with a (sum 2d6 + mod). There’s only a single basic
dash of some others (especially City of Mist) “move” with the familiar split between
— with the aim of being compatible with failure, complication, and success. There
OSR systems, modules, and supplements. aren’t any playbooks. Characters are built
off of a series of free-form descriptors
and mechanically-defined widgets.

It’s quick and dirty. But it works with

old-school B/X, OSRIC, and a bunch of
other stuff I had in my book case without
offending my story gamer sensibilities.
Principles
Challenge and
Impartiality 13
This game is as much, if not more so,

Principles
about challenging the players as it is
about creating a shared story. Rather than
collaborating to tell an interesting tale,
you’re inhabiting the minds of characters
who believe their world to be very real; that
world behaves with internal consistency,
some measure of predictability, and the
cold hard impartiality of our own reality.

It’s brutally fair, even to a fault. This means

that the world exists whether or not the
player characters ever show up; factions
rise and quarrel and wither; ecosystems
evolve and creatures feast upon each other; All of this is to say that GMs should treat the
player characters die from the unlucky roll world like a carefully cultivated ant farm,
of the dice. Such is the cold hand of fate. only to introduce a cadre of termites in their
midst and shake the hell out of the box. The
The world and its antagonists don’t exist characters should fear the danger, as it is
solely to challenge the player characters. real. But they should also respect the internal
They don’t scale to match PC interests nor logic (and chaos) of the world; it may be cruel
do they exist as some form of “balanced but it is absolutely, inexorably fair.
encounter.” If the star characters wander into
a dungeon or swamp with creatures far more
powerful than they can survive — so be it.
 Impact and Meaningful
Ingenuity Choices
As the proverbial agitators in the world, The player character’s decisions — their
the PCs want to feel their impact. Things players’ choices — are all that really drive
should naturally and rapidly escalate. the “story” of this game. There is no metaplot,
The characters’ slaying of the corrupt no three act structure, no pending climax or
necromancer should leave a power deus ex machina. There is a simple input-
vacuum that is filled by some other output of choice-action-reaction-choice.
foul thing. In turn, that leaves a gap
14 somewhere else; on and on it goes. To ensure that these choices are meaningful
and significant demands complex and
Likewise, the more clever and ingenious interesting situations. No “right” option
Basics

the players’ ideas are (embodied through or single solution — everything comes at
the personalities and approaches of their the expense of something else, everything
characters) the more a GM should reward requires sanding down the layers, nothing
this type of behavior. The players don’t want is for certain. Good people can exhibit evil
to be arbitrarily bested at every opportunity, and cruelty, just as despots can display great
outmaneuvered and out-strategized by their acts of kindness or malevolent sorcerers
enemy simply because the GM’s out-of- can weep honest tears of sorrow.
universe knowledge unfairly benefited
the NPCs. Likewise, how the characters solve a
particular problem or approach a situation
No, the GM-run characters in the world are is just (if not more so) important than the
just the same as the player-run characters. details of the scene itself. They want to feel
They’re limited by their in-world knowledge clever, they want to win. And a hard-fought,
and can absolutely be outsmarted by the bloody victory is all the sweeter and more
PCs. A common saying is that games such valuable if it is earned rather than given.
as Vagabonds treat combat as war rather
than as sport. The challenge and threat In order for them to make those choices, the
of an adversary can only be consistently players have to know — have to understand
overcome if every tactic — no matter how — the world. It has to be revealed to them
vicious or apathetic — is deployed. as inhabitants of that universe; fill their
senses with meaningful details, realistic
There are always layers that can be pulled and ugly truths. Let them immerse.
back; a bigger fish; a more powerful
sorcerer; a crueller lieutenant waiting in
the wings of every mercenary company;
an even more insatiably greedy prince
lurking in the shadows of every throne.
Core Mechanic
When you attempt an action that’s difficult,
relevant, and may cause an unwanted
outcome, roll 2d6 and add your aptitude, the
sum of relevant positive and negative tags
(max +3, min -3). Tags are discussed more in
Character Creation (page 17).
15
◊ You and the GM work out which
tags are relevant.

Core Mechanic
◊ Helpful tags give +1 aptitude each.
◊ Harmful tags give -1 aptitude each.

You can only roll once per action

until circumstances change.

roll result
◊ 6 or less is a miss (things get worse
or turn out bad).
◊ 7 to 9 is a partial success (some
good with a complication).
◊ 10 to 12 is a complete success (you
do it without issue).
◊ 13 or more is a critical success (you
do it with an added benefit).

More comprehensive gameplay rules

are covered in Gameplay (page 35).
Character
Creation
 Character Creation
1. Define your character concept. 4. Pick one technique: a knack
or special advantage. A list of
2. Write a short phrase for each of the
techniques is on page 24.
following trait tags.
18 a. Your approach to conflict 5. Pick one lineage, a species,
bloodline, or background that
b. Your goal, driven by a cause or affects your body and culture. A list
Character Creation

ethos of lineages is on page 22.

c. Your gimmick—a unique and 6. You start with 8 HP and gain +4 HP
memorable trait per level. If one of your trait tags
d. Your background—what you shows you’re especially tough or
used to do or be lucky, the GM can grant you +1 HP.

e. Your foreground—what you

are, do, or have skill in
f. Your weakness—a gap in your
abilities
These will affect your aptitude on
various rolls, described more in
How to Play (page 36).
3. Write at least a short phrase for
your core flaw: a lie about the
world that you believe; a fear that
you can’t get over; a selfishness or
vice that you can’t ignore or resist.
Creating Shorjahl

Concept: a traveling mage with a

penchant for fire. Has a past that
they’re ashamed of. Seeks attunement
and knowledge in nature and “raw”
power.

Trait tags:

Approach: a slow, logical boil until a 19

burst of wrath

Goal: to undo my profane magic, learn

Character Creation
natural magic

Gimmick: a bit of a pyromaniac, smells

like smoke

Background: apprentice of a powerful

necromancer

Foreground: a wandering pyromancer

Weakness: a terrible temper

Core flaw: I seek to understand the

world and magic through immersing
in “raw” and “natural” magic, and
doing so will cleanse my former
involvement with the profane and foul
and unnatural.

Technique: Pyromancer

Lineage: human

HP: 10 (8 + 2 from human)

 Traits
Characters are essentially the sum of their
traits. Trait tags make up the character’s
description, purpose, role, and approach, and
20 will affect how likely they are to succeed at
a given task. Below is a list of common trait
tags sorted by category.
Character Creation

approaCh to ConflICt
◊ Aggressive ◊ Stealthy
◊ Violent ◊ Prepared
◊ Direct ◊ Pragmatic
◊ Patient ◊ Measured
◊ Calm ◊ Diplomatic
◊ Cautious ◊ Manipulative
◊ Deceptive ◊ Pensive
◊ Guileful
gImmICk or
memorable qualIty
goal, Cause, or ethos ◊ Flips a coin to ◊ Cuts their arm
◊ Honorbound ◊ To overthrow kill or release before combat

◊ Family first the emperor ◊ Always smells ◊ Everything is a joke

◊ Money controls of smoke ◊ Demonic features
◊ Obey the law
everything ◊ Collects strange ◊ Slightly magnetic
◊ Chaos is natural widgets
◊ Live life to skin, hair
◊ Might is right the fullest ◊ Multifaceted eyes ◊ Flirtatious with all
◊ Liberty for all ◊ Vengeance ◊ Tattoos of slain foes ◊ Devotion to logic
◊ Knowledge ◊ Restore peace ◊ Quick to argue
is power ◊ Has to be in charge
◊ Kill all goblins and contest
◊ 37 Treatises ◊ Speaks in rhymes
◊ Find the Truth ◊ Lists all their titles
of Wisdom
 foreground,
Who you are noW
◊ Bounty hunter ◊ Hospitaller
◊ Protector of Rhys ◊ Champion of Ghor
◊ Dragonslayer ◊ Fabled gladiator
◊ Pyromancer ◊ Artifact hunter
◊ Arcanist ◊ Visceralist
◊ Thieves’ Guildster ◊ Commander of the
Iron Legion
◊ Mercenary 21
◊ Ordained warrior ◊ Boundary warden

Traits
Weakness
◊ Irrational temper ◊ Ugly
◊ Poor eyesight ◊ Poor fortitude
baCkground,
◊ Claustrophobic ◊ Overconfident
Who you used to be ◊ Gullible ◊ Dreadfully boring
◊ Born a slave ◊ Guildmaster
◊ Closed-minded ◊ Weak-willed
◊ Career soldier ◊ Trained as assassin
◊ Afraid of ◊ Hedonist
◊ Acolyte of Hynam ◊ Baron of Venmotte the dark ◊ Weak to the sun
◊ Merchant sailor ◊ Street vagrant ◊ Naive ◊ Clumsy
◊ Blacksmith ◊ Heir to vast fortune
◊ Court jester ◊ Dishonored monk
◊ Royal Guard ◊ Nomadic hunter
◊ High Councilor
 Lineages
elf
◊ You have permission to attempt
otherwise impossible tasks to
22 remember esoteric facts or specific
information, or to solve puzzles.
Character Creation

◊ You have permission to attempt to

use arcane magic even without the
proper training or implements.
◊ You never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) when
attempting something in a painfully
patient or cautious way (e.g., when
in the low-risk stance).
Lineages will vary greatly from game to game ◊ Deal +1 damage with bows and
in Vagabonds, and can easily be left out without magic.
affecting play. Lineages can also be used as a
relevant tag in some instances, but this isn’t dWarf
recommended unless extremely relevant.
◊ Select a chosen craft or art form—
you never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) when
human attempting to execute this craft.
◊ Gain +2 HP at creation. ◊ When attempting something in an
obstinate, stubborn, and direct way,
◊ Gain +1 XP when you take an injury you get a critical success on a 12+
tag. (instead of 13+).
◊ Gain +1 bonus XP when you Train ◊ You can see thrice as far as a human
during a downtime scene. in dark or dim light.
◊ Gain +1 bonus XP when you ◊ You are immune to most minor
Succumb during a downtime scene. poisons and toxins.
◊ When doing something creative or
innovative, you get a critical success
on a 12+ (instead of 13+).
 smallfolk
◊ You’re little—you can always
squeeze into tight spaces, escape
from most bonds, slip through bars,
etc.
◊ When attempting an action that is
selfless and brave, you get a critical
success on a 12+ (instead of 13+).
◊ Deal +2 damage to creatures that
are larger than you.
◊ You have permission to attempt 23
impossible tasks when determining
the “correct” route, even in

Lineages
unfamiliar territory.

beastkIn
◊ Select a creature or order of
creatures (feathered, furred, scaled,
tentacled)—you resemble this
creature, whether through magic or
natural hybridization.
◊ Gain +1 speed, and gain another
+2 speed when operating in terrain
that is native and endemic to your
bloodline.
◊ Treat your unarmed attacks as
light weapons, capable of rending,
cutting, and stabbing far greater
than a human can.
◊ You never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) at
actions directly related to your
bloodline (wolves at hunting,
chameleons at hiding, etc.).
 Techniques
Every character starts with one technique,
and gains one new technique per level.
hand of forCe:
The technique selected must have been You can mentally project a weak
telekinetic force within close range.
24 reasonably acquired—through learning,
This force subtly distorts the air and
providence, infestation, or magic.
vision around it, and makes a very
quiet reverberation. It can lift or
Character Creation

manipulate things that you reasonably

Adept could with the strength of your hand.
Doing this requires your concentration
When you take this technique, pick spells and attention.
from the list below equal in number to
your level. Each time you gain a level, pick IllumInate:
another spell. You don’t need to roll to cast
one, but you can use them as part of a roll. You can cause any one small object you
touch to glow with dim light, roughly
equivalent to a lantern. It produces
dIstIll azoth: no heat, and lasts until you lose line of
sight. If you illuminate another object,
Through magical concentration and
the first object ceases to glow.
meditation, you can convert items of
value into pure azoth, a crystalline
metal of iridescent aesthetic and InaudIble WhIsper:
magical power. Precious metals, gems, You can send a very weak, terse, and
and other magical items can be distilled abstract bit of telepathy to someone
in this way (converting roughly 50sp of with whom you make eye contact or
value into one use of azoth per hour). otherwise create mutual awareness.
They do not have to speak your
language to understand, nor can they
resist this effect without magical or
supernatural protection.
legerdemaIn:
You can perform subtle, weak, and
Assassinate
crude illusions, such as making small Roll to attack. On a 10+, you kill the
things momentarily disappear, teleport creature, as long as their current HP
between your hands, or change is less than yours and the creature is
colors. This effect dissipates once unaware of your incoming attack.
out of your line of sight or you break
concentration.

transfer heat:
You can concentrate or manipulate 25
the flow of heat. Light or snuff a torch,
heat or freeze a cup of water, make

Techniques
a brass key too hot to comfortably
hold, etc. This effect takes time and
concentration, and only works on
objects in close range.

Arcanist
You know how to read magical runes,
interpret scrolls, use wands, and identify
sundry other magical items without issue.
Truly complex artifice that requires magical
mastery to produce still requires a roll.

Armorborn
You ignore two points of speed
reduction from wearing armor (e.g.,
Beastspeak
-3 speed becomes -1 speed). Pick one environment (jungle, forest,
mountain, desert, ocean, etc.) or one type
of creature (furred, feathered, scaled,
etc.). You can speak with the beasts and
creatures of this environment or type.
 Better Safe Cutpurse
than Sorry You never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) when
attempting to pick a mundane or non-
You never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) when magically secured pocket, so long as
attempting to trigger, disarm, or avoid a trap. your target is unaware of you.
However, your party may not be so lucky.

26 Bottomless Lungs
You can hold your breath, without rolling,
for minutes equal to five plus your level.
Character Creation

Control Vegetation
You can use magic to command plant-life
and vegetation as part of another action.
Roll if you have specific, difficult goals. The
larger and more impressive the effect, the
more dangerous or exhausting it might be.

Cure
Roll to remove a disease, poison, or
curse from yourself or an ally. Devoted
◊ On a 6-, the target suffers damage Your devotion to a certain cause, deity, or
equal to your aptitude. existential meditation allows you to marshal
◊ On a 7-9, the affliction will be cured supernatural energy and abilities. When you
after the target’s next long rest. take this technique, pick devotions from the
list below equal in number to your level. Each
◊ On a 10-12, the affliction will be time you gain a level, pick another devotion.
cured by the end of the scene or Using a devotion does not require a roll, but
combat. may be used as part of a roll to overcome a
◊ On a 13+, the affliction is cured challenge or complete a noteworthy action.
immediately and the target heals HP
equal to your aptitude.
Augury: Restore:
Pray or concentrate for several moments, Concentrate on a small, mundane
asking the source of your power a simple object in your hand. As you speak
question (yes or no, left or right, more Words, you’re able to repair, clean, or
or less, etc.). You will receive an abstract mend the object back to perfect and
sign that will lead you to one answer or new condition.
the other.

Bolster:
You speak Words and concentrate
Ear to the Ground
You have a friendly NPC ally or asset in every
upon one ally. They make their next
urban center or stronghold nearby. As part of
27
roll at advantage. You can only bolster
Acquire in a downtime scene, you can meet
one ally at a time, and it requires your
with one without rolling, as if you rolled a 7-9.

Techniques
concentration (preventing you from
taking other actions or rolls yourself).

Cleanse:
Concentrate on a desecrated or tainted
Eyeball It
You can always determine near-
object. The larger the object and the
exact lengths, weights, and other
fouler its profanity, the longer it will take
measures by simple observation.
to sanctify (minutes for a small cursed
item, hours for a town’s well, days for
a cursed mausoleum). This affects both
magical profanity and mundane rot or
infestation. Favored Enemy
Pick one type of enemy (demon, orc,
Holy Ward: human, bear, etc.). You know how this
enemy behaves, where it sleeps, what it
Mark a visible circle (or another simple
eats, and you have a solid idea of its combat
shape) no greater than a few steps across.
abilities. In addition, you never fail (treat
While you concentrate at its center,
6- as 7-9) when attempting to determine
tiny beasts and insects cannot cross this
the weakness of a creature of that type.
threshold. Evil creatures, demons, and
sentient beings will feel resistance and
trigger your awareness, though you must
roll against their crossing.
Favored Environment
Invigorate: Pick one environment or ecosystem (forest,
jungle, desert, mountain, coastal, urban,
Heal +1 HP to yourself or one touched
etc.). When in this environment, you never
ally. You can only do this once per target
fail (treat 6- as 7-9) when attempting to
until they rest.
find rations, useful supplies, or shelter.
 Favored Tactic
Pick a combat tactic (flanking, ambush,
high ground, charging, etc.), subject
to GM approval. When deploying this
tactic in a fight, you deal damage based
on your highest rolled d6 + aptitude.

Favored Weapon
28
Pick a weapon type. When fighting with
Hellrift
this weapon, you deal damage based You can attempt to summon a demon by
Character Creation

on your highest rolled d6 + aptitude. rolling. The longer the time spent concocting
the ritual and the greater the sacrifice,
the more powerful the demon summoned
(e.g., one hour and some blood calls a
Frothy Rage weak imp, twelve hours and an innocent’s
soul might manifest a greater fiend). The
While in the high-risk stance during a fight, demon may obey until the end of the
you get a critical success on a 12+ (instead scene or combat (or might break free).
of 13+).
◊ On a 6-, a horrifically powerful
demon breaches the summoning
circle and attacks you and
Healing Touch your allies.
Anytime you heal HP on yourself or another, ◊ On a 7-9, an appropriate demon
heal another +2 HP. (This additional appears, but it’s guileful,
healing does not trigger this technique.) disobedient, and capricious. It might
answer questions with riddles,
or require additional payment
before completing a task. At its first
opportunity, it might still attack or
attempt to escape your binding.
◊ On a 10-12, an appropriate demon
appears and will do your bidding
for a short while. It will take this as
hostile imprisonment and hold
a grudge.
◊ On a 13+, an appropriate demon
appears and will obey you out of
fear of your power.
Inner Compass
You innately understand the cardinal
directions, even if blindfolded, underground,
lost, or otherwise non-magically disoriented.

Iron Stomach
You can eat anything and gain sustenance
from it. Yes, anything—so long as you 29
can fit it in your mouth and swallow.

Techniques
Last Word
You can touch the head of any corpse that
could communicate while alive (most
creatures with skulls), and ask the corpse
one question. It will answer the question
as long as it relates to something that it
could have experienced or observed while
alive or since it died (e.g., what killed it,
whether someone passed by recently,
or what danger lurks ahead). After
answering, the corpse crumbles to dust.

Light Sleeper
You always become alerted to danger
Jellybones while sleeping, so long as the approaching
threat is mundane or moving by
Your body and bones are soft and natural, non-magical means.
flexible. You can squeeze yourself out
of most restraints, through bars, and
into similarly confined spaces.
 Linguist Oathbound
You fluently speak five languages of your Roll 1d6 or select (PC or GM choice)
choice. Work with your GM to determine from one of these oaths:
relevant languages. You gain a new fluent
language per level (if reasonable). 1. Integrity: avoid lies and
dishonorable conduct
2. Devotion: dedicate yourself to your

Magical Healing faith and principles

3. Restraint: forgo hedonism, gluttony,
30 You can attempt to magically heal and alcohol
someone else by rolling. 4. Selflessness: sacrifice your personal
desire or gain for others
Character Creation

◊ On a 6-, you deal damage to you or

your target (your choice) equal to 5. Sympathy: comfort those in need,
your aptitude. give benefit of the doubt
◊ On a 7-9, you heal damage from you 6. Valor: protect the innocent, destroy
or your target equal to your lowest the wicked
d6 + aptitude, but you gain the While observing your oath, you don’t need
[exhausted] injury tag. to eat, gain +1 armor with no penalty to
◊ On a 10-12, you heal them equal to speed, and deal +1 damage on attacks.
your lowest d6 + aptitude.
◊ On a 13+, you heal them equal to
your highest d6 + aptitude.
Pathfinder
You never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) when

Mighty Leap attempting to find a trail or path, no

matter how small or overgrown.
You can naturally jump twice as high
or as far as normal for your lineage.

Nose for Evil

You can physically smell the vile, evil, and
murderous by rolling. Sometimes your nose
can be fooled or misdirected, though.
Practiced Shadow Provident Guidance
You never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) when Concentrate as part of a ritual for at least
attempting to hide or move with stealth one hour, whether you’re devoting yourself
against non-magical creatures of to your deity, listening to the cosmos, or
similar sensory ability to humans. achieving enlightenment through meditation.
You must sacrifice something of significant
value to you. After such sacrifice and ritual,
you can ask your deity (or whatever) one
question. The GM answers your question
in a helpful and directional way.
31

Pyromancer

Techniques
You can spark small flames and subtly
manipulate fire without rolling.
Roll if you’re using fire magic to
significantly affect the scene.

◊ On a 6-, you fail to control the

flames, potentially causing collateral
damage to allies, structures, or
yourself. You also lose permission to
attempt pyromancy until you take a
long rest.
◊ On a 7-9, you produce the fire as
intended, but it is just barely out
of your control, causing minor
collateral damage.
◊ On a 10-12, you produce the fire
without issue.
◊ On a 13+, you produce the fire, but
do it easily and fiercely. Any damage
dealt is doubled as normal for a
critical hit.
 Scry Soulsnare
You can attempt to produce visions of distant During or promptly after a battle, if you
places, people, or times by rolling. Such concentrate in still prayer or meditation
spells require a one-hour ritual; a reflective for a minimum of ten minutes, you can
surface, crystal, or intense flame; and one attempt to raise the dead by rolling.
dose of azoth (a luminous liquid most magical
in nature, commonly used in alchemy). ◊ On a 6-, you revive one enemy of
the GM’s choice, likely either at full
◊ On a 6-, you lose yourself to the HP or as a mindless undead.
omens and visions, burning up ◊ On a 7-9, you revive a killed ally and
32 your components and taking the an enemy (neither your choice) with
[delirious] injury tag until someone 1 HP.
can calm you down.
Character Creation

◊ On a 10-12, you revive one killed

◊ On a 7-9, you just barely direct your NPC of your choice with 1 HP.
visions. Ask the GM one specific
question about the sight you seek. ◊ On a 13+, you revive one killed NPC
They may answer in vague and of your choice with full HP.
abstract ways.
◊ On a 10-12, you can direct your
vision. Ask the GM two questions
about the subject of your scrying. Strong
Their answers might be enigmatic, You can lift up to 500 pounds and push up
but are helpful and directional. to 1000 pounds of dead weight without
◊ On a 13+, you can easily locate your rolling or expending any significant effort.
envisioned target. Ask the GM three This is useful both in and out of combat, but
questions, and their answers must doesn’t work against most combatants or
be clear and direct. mobile objects that can resist your focus and
thews, and doesn’t add to your damage.

Shadowmeld Tough Hide

You can roll to fold into and teleport
between shadows that have line of sight to You can ignore the detriments of inclement
each other and are within 30 feet. When weather, heat, rain, or snow up to reasonable
melded with a shadow, you cannot be levels—magical blizzards and the flaming
harmed or affect the physical world at pits of hell still require protection.
all, such as making an attack. Any major
change to the shadow (such as shining a
light upon it) promptly expels you from it.
Tracker Undead Thrall
You never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) when You can attempt to raise an undead thrall
attempting to locate non-magically hidden by rolling. The more powerful the corpse
tracks, be they from beast or man. raised, the more time and concentration this
spell requires (e.g., one minute to raise a
weak zombie of a fresh goblin corpse, or an
hour to take full command of a slain ogre).
You can only have one thrall at a time.

◊ On a 6-, you fail to raise the corpse

and gain the [horrified] injury tag. 33
◊ On a 7-9, you raise the thrall but
have weak command over it. It will

Techniques
vaguely follow your orders until the
end of the scene or combat.
◊ On a 10-12, you raise the thrall and
have strong control over it. You
can give it commands or use it as
a weapon, which it will attempt to
follow to the best of its ability until
the end of the scene or combat.
◊ On a 13+, as a 10-12 but you retain
control over it until you break line
of sight or dismiss it.

Wallclimb
You can walk or run on walls and ceilings
as if they were the ground, rolling as

Trapcunning normal. Doing this outside of a tense

or dangerous situation doesn’t require
You have a great nose for where traps are a roll, but still takes a moment.
likely to be and how they might be
triggered. The GM will always prompt you
to roll to notice a trap nearby, as you get a
“funny feeling.”
Gameplay
 How to Play
Roll Result
◊ 6 or less is a miss (things get worse
36 or turn out bad).
◊ 7 to 9 is a partial success (some
Gameplay

good with a complication).

◊ 10 to 12 is a complete success (you
do it without issue).
◊ 13 or more is a critical success (you
do it with an added benefit).

Shorjahl is attempting to use magic

to burn down a fortification. The GM
calls for a roll. Shorjahl’s been fighting
this group of traitorous soldiers long
and hard, and is getting angry. Their
relevant trait tags are their weakness
When you attempt an action that’s difficult,
(-1) [terrible temper], background (+1)
relevant, and may cause an unwanted
[necromancer’s apprentice], foreground
outcome, roll 2d6 and add your aptitude, the
(+1) [pyromancer], and gimmick (+1)
sum of relevant positive and negative tags
[loves fire]. So that’s an aptitude of +2.
(max +3, min -3).
Shorjahl rolls and gets an 11, complete
◊ You and the GM work out which
success. The fort is set ablaze as the
tags are relevant.
pyromancer contorts their flames
◊ Helpful tags give +1 aptitude each. around it until it is little more than
◊ Harmful tags give -1 aptitude each. charcoal.

You can only roll once per action

until circumstances change.
UNDER THE
HOOD: TAGS
Vagabonds is designed to simplify
and unify the mechanics of PbtA
games and OSR games. Basically
anything can be treated as a tag,
which acts as a mechanical and
narrative modifier. Rolls should
never get modified by more than -3 37
or +3 aptitude, since that’s about the
limit of what makes sense on a

How to play
2d6 roll.

If things are really severe, the

GM can just say that something is
impossible or happens without a
roll. If you’re not sure how to handle
something, the game is designed to
revert to its simplest engine: roll
2d6, add some tags, and interpret the
results based on the normal split of
6-, 7-9, 10-12, and 13+.

The GM (and even the players)

can sorta eyeball the math for tags
and aptitude; it’s easy for the GM
to just say, “You’ve got -2 aptitude
and advantage because of XYZ
circumstances.” Don’t get too hung
up on every crunchy widget unless
you enjoy that type of thing, and
even if you do, don’t let it slow
down play so much that people start
pulling out their phones and stop
paying attention.
 Once you take a stance, you’re in that stance
Impact Scale until you take a new stance or are forced
into a new one. You can only take or change
and Stance stances when you’re acting on your turn, not
as part of a reaction (such as when
Your character can change the degree defending yourself).
to which their actions affect the
scene by changing their stance—how
In the previous example, Shorjahl is
much risk they’re willing to take.
attempting to use fire magic to burn
You’ll default to normal stance unless
down a fort filled with enemy soldiers.
you choose otherwise, though some
In that example, Shorjahl took a normal
situations force a particular stance.
38 stance—no modification. The worst that
◊ High risk: greater benefits and could happen (6-) might be that they get
consequences surrounded by enemy soldiers, or the
Gameplay

fire spreads to a dangerous location and

◊ Normal: no change to benefits and escalates the situation.
consequences
◊ Low risk: lesser benefits and If instead Shorjahl chose a high-risk
consequences stance, a 6- result might have meant
that they’re outright attacked amid
flaming timbers and enemy arrows.
However, a 13+ would produce a much
more powerful outcome, allowing
Shorjahl to more quickly and efficiently
destroy the building.

Inversely, a low-risk stance might have

meant that Shorjahl could have at
best started a fire which might have
destroyed the fort eventually, and at
worst might have only caused their
enemies to notice the magical attack
and start to chase after the mage.
Advantage and
Disadvantage
Sometimes you might have advantage,
which means you roll 3d6 and take the
two highest dice. Likewise, you might
have disadvantage, which means you
roll 3d6 and take the two lowest dice.

Advantage and disadvantage are

granted by the GM due to external 39
factors, enemy abilities, or when a PC
or NPC helps or hinders your action,

How to play
using up their action in turn.

Advantage and disadvantage cancel each

other out, so if you have equal advantages
and disadvantages, you roll at neither. If you
have more advantages than disadvantages,
you simply roll at advantage, and vice versa.

If Shorjahl was trying to light the

traitor’s fort on fire during a terrible
rainstorm, they’d roll at disadvantage.
Instead, if the enemies were foolish
enough to have left their fort untreated
for fire and left hay bales out for
their horses, Shorjahl would roll at
advantage. If both cases were true at
once, they’d cancel out and Shorjahl
would roll as normal.
 Concentration Permission
Certain circumstances, such as when Certain mechanics or situations grant or
using a technique or casting a spell, deny permission to attempt a particular
require the character’s full concentration. task, action, or ability. The GM can grant
A PC can’t meaningfully act or speak permission based on the circumstances,
while concentrating, and can only what your characters can achieve,
concentrate on one activity at a time and what matters in the narrative.
(concentrating on maintaining two distinct
spell effects would be impossible). Permission keeps the game grounded
and aligned with the group’s agreed-
40 The GM can require a PC’s concentration upon level of realism and verisimilitude.
to perform a specific task or maintain an Just because a player shouts out that
ongoing effect. The effect ends once the they conquer the kingdom and roll a
Gameplay

PC’s concentration is broken, even for only 13 doesn’t mean that they do so.
a moment. A character’s concentration
breaks if they’re hit by an attack or shaken
so vigorously so as to lose their line of Shorjahl’s pyromancer technique
sight to the object of their concentration. gives them permission to control fire
through concentration and magical
energy—a sort of pyrokinesis or fire-
Shorjahl must concentrate on shaping bending. The GM could perfectly well
and directing a twisting orb of block permission of other PCs that
pyromancer’s fire. They want the orb didn’t have this technique or some
to burn a particular path through similar widget, whether mechanical or
some ruins, and must maintain focus narrative.
in order to do so. When a ghoul rushes
the mage and bites onto their ankle, the At one point, Shorjahl attempts to use
pyromancer’s concentration breaks. pyromancy to melt a stone castle. The
The orb of fire dissipates into a wave of GM thinks this would break the internal
searing heat. consistency of the world and make
Shorjahl far too powerful of a mage.
The GM blocks Shorjahl’s permission to
attempt this—mechanically, at least. If
Shorjahl wants to try it and have it fail,
that’s fine, but their player can’t just roll
to “make it so.”
Engaging with UNDER THE
Your Core Flaw HOOD: FICTIONAL
POSITIONING
Once per session, you or the GM can get you
into or out of a terrible spot by engaging
with your core flaw. Doing this gives you
distinct authorial control. While the GM Following context is more important
can always get you into trouble, doing this than following rules. If the GM
makes the situation even more legitimate. thinks something is reasonable, it is.
You don’t have to engage with your core flaw If something just seems impossible
every session (and probably shouldn’t). or obvious, it is. Just because a 41
character can roll and get a 13+
When you engage with your core flaw, doesn’t mean that they should roll.

How to play
the GM frames a scene and you describe
how your character wriggles in or out of All of this is to say that fictional
the nasty situation. Your allies are likely positioning—the details and
hindered or harmed, or you’ll suffer trappings of the scene or narrative—
some consequences down the road. are the ultimate guideline for using
the rules. This is to encourage the
players to try to win, to overcome
Shorjahl’s core flaw is that they haven’t the challenge, as intelligently and
faced their problem directly, and that carefully and deviously as possible.
they believe their current actions will If they come up with a particularly
atone them for their lifetime of evil and clever way to ensnare and kill their
grotesque magic. enemies, they might roll at advantage
or even succeed without rolling at all.
During a session, the GM decides to
pull on this flaw, and frames a scene Likewise, if their strategy could never
in which Shorjahl comes across a conceivably succeed regardless of
battleground full of corpses being their characters’ skill, then they don’t
defiled by a necromancer’s thrall. This need to roll. They’ll just fail, or die, or
brings up bad memories and forces get captured.
Shorjahl to make a choice: challenge the
thrall or run away in shame and fear. Caution: This can quickly devolve
into a “mother may I” style of
In another session, Shorjahl and their authoritarian GMing. This game isn’t
party are surrounded by a cadre freeform roleplay; the GM is there
of slavers. The pyromancer uses to objectively adjudicate and make
their former master’s reputation to rulings in the spirit of verisimilitude
intimidate the slavers away, preventing and the game’s principles. But with
a fight. But word will spread, and this responsibility comes a high
Shorjahl’s former master may even hear demand for trust; misuse that trust,
of their whereabouts. and the game and group will
quickly fold.
 Your
Character
 Equipment
and Speed
Every PC and NPC has a speed, or how
fast they’re able to move and react. A PC’s
speed starts at 0, but gains +1 per level. The
more you carry, the slower you are. Big and
bulky items are especially cumbersome.
The worse you’re encumbered, the more
negative tags the GM can bestow on you.
44
Loading down a limb gives you a -1 penalty
to speed. Armor further lowers speed equal
Your Character

to its armor rating (3 armor is -3 speed).

Those with the highest speed tend to go first
in a fight or win in a foot race, but other
factors may apply (e.g., a technique).

When you reach -5 speed, you’re

encumbered and can’t move with any agility
or alacrity. At -7, you can’t move at all.

Shorjahl is level 3, so they have 3 speed

when completely unencumbered. Their
backpack gives a -1 speed penalty,
their light armor another -1, and their
assorted magical equipment another -1,
for a total of 0 speed.

When Shorjahl is firing a bow at a

group of goblins, their speed takes a -2
penalty (using two arms), bringing their
speed down to -2. Since the goblins’
speed is 1, they would act
before Shorjahl.

Another time, Shorjahl attempts to cast

a spell before a demon attacks them.
Shorjahl’s speed is 0, while the demon’s
is -2, so Shorjahl’s spell fires before the
infernal creature can touch them.
 Treating and
Damage and HP Removing Injury Tags
PCs start with 8 HP (hit points) and gain
Injury tags, if left untreated for more than
+4 HP every level. Adversaries range from
one day, can become permanent. Some
1 to 50 HP, though exceptions may exist
injuries are immediately permanent—
(see Making Enemies on page 83).
dismemberment, maiming, etc. One non-
permanent tag can be healed per long rest,
Healing and Restoring HP or per healing roll (limited to one per long
rest). Magical healing is up to the nature of
Characters naturally restore all lost HP the magic, the injury, the roll, and GM fiat.
after a long rest, characterized by comfort,
safety, and provisions. This requires a
45
camp or stronghold free of danger or Shorjahl takes enough damage to fall
stress. A long rest is not a downtime scene below 0 HP. The attack was enough to

Your Character
(page 60), though it may prompt one. seriously mangle their hand, bestowing
the injury tag [crippled hand] upon
Additionally, a conscious character can the pyromancer.
attempt to heal themself by rolling—on
a 7+, healing damage equal to the lowest Any time [crippled hand] is relevant to
d6 result + aptitude. Likewise, a character a roll, Shorjahl will suffer a -1 penalty.
can attempt to heal another character, Likewise, the GM might reason that
healing damage equal to the highest d6 certain actions are just not possible
result + aptitude. A character can only be with a [crippled hand], denying
healed by a given type of healing (magical certain permissions.
or non-magical) once between long rests.
Eventually, Shorjahl is able to make it
to Ft. Grondle and see the physician.
Shorjahl has lost some HP and wants He sets their bones and bandages their
to heal it. They roll to heal themself hand up tightly. After one day of full rest
(Shorjahl uses some magical energy in the fort, Shorjahl’s [crippled hand]
to invigorate themself) and get a 10 tag is removed. If the wizard hadn’t
(complete success). The lowest d6 was 3, received such care and rest, they’d have
with +2 aptitude, healing 5 HP. Shorjahl to suffer continuously. If such suffering
can’t attempt this method of healing lingered much longer, their hand would
again until they rest. become a [permanently crippled hand].

Later, Shorjahl attempts to heal an ally

and rolls. Their highest d6 is a 4, with
+2 aptitude, healing 6 HP.
 Gaining Levels
Your character gains a level when they’ve
accumulated sufficient XP. Increase their level
by one, clear their XP, and gain the following:

◊ A new tag that encapsulates the

previous level’s activity
◊ A new technique of your
choice, so long as reasonably
learned or acquired by magic or
46 metamorphosis
◊ +4 HP
Your Character

◊ +1 speed
If you wish, you can also rewrite any of
your tags that no longer fit your character.

At the end of a session, your

character gains XP as follows:

◊ Killed a meaningful enemy

(+1 XP to all PCs)
◊ Made a meaningful discovery
(+1 XP to all PCs)
◊ Approached a goal or a cause
(+1 XP to each PC who did)
◊ Downtime scenes (+1 to +3 XP
depending on the situation and
character, see Downtime Scenes
on page 60)
◊ Acquired meaningful loot (+1 to +3
XP, based on its value, to all PCs)
◊ Completed a quest, mission, or
major objective (+1 to +3 XP, based
on its significance, to all PCs on
this mission)
◊ Shared a meaningful social scene
(+1 XP to each PC who shared it)
XP requirements
level xp requIred
2 5
3 10
4 15
5 20
6 25
47
Shorjahl completes a session in which

Your Character
they made a significant discovery (+1
XP), killed a significant enemy (+1 XP),
and engaged with their core flaw by
Succumbing in a downtime scene (+4 XP,
3 + 1 from being human). This 6 XP is
enough to advance Shorjahl to level 2,
resetting their XP to 0.

Shorjahl’s player makes their selections,

and gains:

◊ +4 HP (now at 14 HP)
◊ +1 speed (now at -1 speed
when fully loaded)
◊ New tag: magically burned
Hillspike Fort
◊ New technique: Frothy Rage

To get to level 3, Shorjahl will have to

gain 10 more XP (for a total of 15 XP
from character creation).
Non-Player
Characters
 Enemies and NPCs Hirelings, Horses,
Enemies and NPCs have several attributes:

◊ Speed (typically +5 to -5)

and Hounds
PCs can employ NPC allies—hirelings,
◊ HP (typically 1 to 50) beasts of burden, hunting hounds,
◊ Damage modifier (+0 to +10) etc.—which function as a combination
of NPC enemies and PC equipment.
◊ Armor (0 to 4)
◊ Trait tags (1 to 5) If the NPC ally has its own state of mind
(such as an intelligent hireling), the GM
50 ◊ Abilities (0 to 5) controls it and notes its stats like any other
NPC, adding a loyalty tag rated from -3 to
Speed and armor can often be ignored if in
+3. Using an ally as a weapon may cause the
Non-Player Character

a lesser fight. Most mundane humanoids

roll to have advantage or disadvantage.
have 0 to +2 damage modifier and at most 1
armor. Trait tags describe how the creature However, when a PC gives a command
behaves and reacts to the characters (e.g., to an ally NPC or uses them as part of
sneaky, brute, archer, demon). Some traits another action, the hireling acts as a
can give disadvantage to a PC’s roll. piece of equipment, complete with tags,
abilities, permissions, and ranges.
Abilities function much like a PC’s
techniques or the spells, moves, and
supernatural abilities of other, compatible Shorjahl hires a man-at-arms to help
games. A common ability is an NPC them travel along the dangerous road.
being invulnerable to certain methods When they’re confronted by a horrific
of attack or damage (e.g., a wraith being bog hag, Shorjahl rolls 2d6 + 1 (the
invulnerable to non-magical, non-silver guard’s loyalty) to see if the guard runs
weapons). Likewise, many abilities can give away; they get an 11, so the guard
disadvantage to a PC’s roll when relevant. stands their ground.

Read more in Making Enemies on page 83. Later, Shorjahl and the man-at-arms
are fighting some deserted soldiers
turned bandits. The GM is controlling
Helltopod: A demonic octopus
the man-at-arms, and grants Shorjahl
creature. Speed -2 on land, speed 0 in
advantage to an attack roll as the man-
water, speed 3 in liquid fire. 20 HP.
at-arms is in the thick of things against
+2 damage. Armor 0. Traits: eight
the bandits.
tentacles; ambush predator; drown and
burn. Abilities: immune to fire damage; Finally, Shorjahl commands the man-at-
snatch and grapple; multiattack 4 arms to attack an enemy archer from
(make four attacks per turn). a flank. This requires Shorjahl to roll,
adding an aptitude of +2, derived by
combining Shorjahl’s traits and those of
the man-at-arms.
NPC Loyalty When a PC forces a hireling to act in a way
that tests their loyalty, the PC commander
Every NPC hireling and ally has a loyalty tag, must roll, adding the hireling’s loyalty
a combination of a word and a number that as aptitude.
depends upon their morale and opinion of the
party and especially their PC “commander.” ◊ On a 6-, the hirelings disobey as
befitting their loyalty and skillset.
◊ Mutinous: -3
◊ On a 7-9, they follow their orders,
◊ Grumbling: -2 but take -1 loyalty.
◊ Suspicious: -1 ◊ On a 10+, they follow their orders.
◊ Neutral: 0 ◊ On a 13+, they follow their orders
◊ Accepting: +1 exemplarily and gain +1 loyalty.
51
◊ Committed: +2

Non-Player Character
◊ Zealous: +3 Shorjahl has hired a mercenary
with [committed] (+2) loyalty. The
This loyalty can be used when the PC pyromancer orders the mercenary to
commander attempts to order the NPC attack a pack of goblins, and the GM
hireling, or when the hireling is confronted calls for a loyalty test. They roll and get
with something truly horrifying or a 14; the mercenary charges in and goes
frightening. It works the same way for up to +3 loyalty.
both intelligent creatures and beasts.
Later, Shorjahl orders the mercenary
Most hirelings begin with [neutral] to hand over a powerful artifact that
(0) loyalty, but the PC commander can they looted. The mercenary wants to
attempt to influence it (especially at keep it, so the GM calls for a loyalty
initial hiring) by rolling. NPC loyalty test. Shorjahl rolls and gets an 8; the
also changes every mission based on: mercenary hands it over but loses 1
loyalty, going down to +2.
◊ Their pay and share of loot
◊ Their conditions, treatment, and
rations NPC Ability
◊ The amount of danger and nature As with a PC, the skillset of an NPC ally
of their work, compared to their affects what it can and can’t do; likewise, a
expectations highly competent NPC can grant advantage
◊ How well-informed they feel, if they (or an unskilled one disadvantage) to a
have a choice PC if the ally is being used as a weapon.
◊ The behavior and leadership of
their commanders Shorjahl’s hired mercenary is quite good
at combat. When the mage orders the
ally to face off against some bugbears,
the GM grants advantage to Shorjahl’s
roll due to the mercenary’s ability.
52
Combat
 Surprise Initiative and
If one side of a fight is unaware of the
enemy, they’re surprised. PCs rolling Turn Order
to attack a surprised enemy do so at In general, the most fitting combatant
advantage. PCs rolling to defend while acts when most relevant, at the GM’s
being surprised do so at disadvantage. If discretion. However, if everyone is
someone is completely unaware and at ease, engaged in a fracas, the combatants act in
though, no roll is needed to attack them. turn order from highest speed to lowest.
Combatants with the same speed are acting
Ambush is not assumed from situation—
simultaneously, but PCs act before NPCs.
54 you’ll always need to roll to ambush an
enemy. Likewise, whenever an enemy is
attempting to ambush you, you’ll always Shorjahl is fighting a necromancer
Combat

get to roll to avoid it. GMs can couch or and their pack of zombies. The mage
abstract this language if they desire. unleashes some fiery death, and the GM
doesn’t call for a specific turn order;
Once an ambush is sprung, the surprise ends several zombies disintegrate and the
and the combatants engage as normal. necromancer has to move away.

As the fight gets closer to the end and

Shorjahl sees a distant retinue of enemy
every second starts to count, the GM
soldiers on the Alpine Road. They decide
writes down everyone’s speed. Shorjahl
to hide and lay an ambush. Shorjahl
has -1, the necromancer 0, and the
rolls to hide and gets a 10 (complete
zombies -3. The necromancer acts first,
success). The cadre marches right past
raising some new zombies. Shorjahl
Shorjahl’s hiding space in the forest,
acts next, blasting some of the undead
none the wiser. Shorjahl rolls an attack
spawn with magic. Those zombies that
using their pyromancer technique to
survived the assault get to act last,
alight the road in flames. They roll at
and shamble toward the pyromancer,
advantage (3d6, drop lowest).
hungry for flesh.
Later, Shorjahl is exploring some ruins.
A pack of goblins hides in the shadows.
Shorjahl actively keeps up their guard,
rolling to spot any threats, but gets a
5 (failure). When the goblins spring
their trap, the mage rolls to defend at
disadvantage (3d6, drop highest).
Movement PCs Dealing Damage
A character’s movement depends If a roll to attack or otherwise
on their speed, terrain, any injury deal damage succeeds:
tags, and how they’re moving.
Damage lowest d6 result
In combat, most participants can move =
dealt + aptitude
roughly 30 feet per round. Rough terrain
reduces this by 10 feet, and harsh terrain
by another 10 feet. If the GM thinks it Shorjahl fires a bow at a goblin. They
relevant, each point of speed adds 5 roll 2d6 + 3 (from three relevant trait
feet of movement (e.g., +2 speed adds tags). The d6s comes up as 5 and 2, a hit 55
10 feet of movement per round). (5 + 2 + 3 = 10). Shorjahl deals 5 damage
to the goblin (2 from the lowest d6

Combat
result + 3 aptitude).

CrItICal hIts
When you get a critical success (13+) on a
roll for damage, double the damage dealt.

Shorjahl attacks and hits an enemy,

rolling a 14 (d6 results of 6 and 5, with
+3 aptitude). Normally this would
only deal 8 damage (5 + 3), but since
Shorjahl rolled a critical success, they
deal 16 damage.

defeatIng enemIes
WIthout damage
Shorjahl has a base movement of 30’ per The GM can always declare that an NPC is
round. When they’re running through defeated due to narrative circumstances
some dense jungle thicket, they can only rather than sufficient damage to HP.
move 20’. When they come across a bog,
their speed is reduced to 10’. If Shorjahl
was unladen and had +2 speed, their Shorjahl rolls, but rather than dealing
base speed is now 40’ per round (or 30’ damage they intimidate an enemy
in the thicket or 20’ in the bog). with a show of magical force. The GM
declares that this enemy is defeated,
though not killed or even harmed.
 If you’re not referencing another game, you
PCs Taking Damage can often roll as follows:

Enemy attack damage is determined ◊ Weak enemy: 1d6 - 2 (minimum 1

in one of two ways (GM’s choice): on a hit)
◊ Normal enemy: 1d6
1. The GM rolls separately for enemy
damage ◊ Strong enemy: 1d6 + 2
2. The player’s defense roll also ◊ Very strong enemy: 2d6 (or even
determines enemy damage more if higher level)
If your character takes damage but still Anything above 2d6 is very capable of
56 has 1+ HP, they’re fine. If they drop killing any level-1 or level-2 character
to 0- HP, roll to see how bad it is. in a single roll, so fair warning!
◊ On a 6-, they’re dead if it’s a lethal
Combat

attack. If not, they’re at 0 HP and

incapacitated, but will die in 10
Enemy Damage Determined
minutes if left untreated. by PC Roll (Method 2)
◊ On a 7-12, they remain conscious This method is basically the reverse
with 1 HP, but gain an injury tag. of determining how much damage a
PC deals. When the PC rolls to defend,
◊ On a 13+, they remain conscious
they take damage as follows:
with HP = lowest d6 + aptitude, and
don’t gain an injury tag. ◊ On a 6-, the PC suffers damage equal
to their highest d6 result + any
Multiple injury tags stack
enemy damage modifier (usually +0
penalties to aptitude.
to +10).
◊ On a 7-9, the PC suffers damage
Separate Enemy Damage equal to their lowest d6 result
Roll (Method 1) ◊ On a 10+, the PC suffers no damage.
In this method, the damage roll is often
sourced from another game that is Shorjahl rolls to fight a goblin in melee,
compatible with these rules (e.g., D&D BECMI and gets a 6- (a 1, 3, + 2 aptitude).
or other modules). I recommend an upper Shorjahl misses, and then suffers 4
limit of about 4d6 for the greatest foes. damage (3 from their highest d6 result +
1 from the goblin’s damage mod).

Later, Shorjahl rolls to dodge out of the

way of a falling boulder. They roll a 7-9
(a 3, 4 + 1). They get clipped and suffer 3
damage (their lowest 1d6 result).
Stance, Risk, Armor and Damage
and Damage Characters, NPCs, and enemies can wear
(or possess natural forms of) armor.
When you take a stance, the GM can reason Armor reduces incoming damage in
that it modifies your damage dealt or taken: equal number (10 damage - 3 armor
= 7 damage suffered), and reduces
◊ High risk: +2 to damage dealt and/ speed (5 speed - 3 armor = 2 speed).
or taken
Armor cannot exceed 5.
◊ Normal: no change
◊ Low risk: -2 to damage dealt and/ Some weapon types are armor piercing 57
or taken and ignore some amount of armor (e.g.,
armor piercing 2 ignores 2 armor).

Combat
Shorjahl attacks an enemy and takes a
high-risk stance, calling it out verbally Shorjahl thrusts their spear at a bandit
to the GM. They roll and deal 4 base with 1 armor. Shorjahl rolls 5 damage,
damage +2 from the high-risk stance but only deals 4 (5 - 1 armor = 4). Later,
(for a total of 6). An enemy bandit Shorjahl uses some fire magic and rolls
attacks back and Shorjahl has to roll to 3 fire damage. The GM reasons that the
defend themself; since they’re still in the fire magic ignores the bandit’s armor,
high-risk stance any damage they take so they deal the full 3 damage.
would increase by +2.
Outside of
Adventure
60
Outside of Adventure

◊ Treat: Remove one non-permanent

Downtime Scenes injury tag.
◊ Work: Work toward a long-term
Downtime scenes are those in between
goal or project. Roll to determine
action-packed sequences of adventure and
how much progress is made.
combat. During such scenes, characters
work on long-term projects, train, or pursue
personal interests. They require the relative After their victory, Shorjahl and their
safety of an uninterrupted period of reprieve party relax back at Count Gribald’s
(such as in between sessions or quests). castle for several days. During this
time, Shorjahl wishes to Acquire some
During each downtime scene, each player information about local areas known to
picks one of the following activities: be natural sources of powerful magics.
◊ Acquire: Gain something—info, Shorjahl rolls and gets a 7-9: a success
help, or an item. Roll to determine with some complication or cost. The
its quality. count’s head alchemist knows of such
◊ Succumb: Engage with your core a place, but will only tell Shorjahl if
flaw and suffer its repercussions, the young pyromancer agrees to bring
but gain +3 XP. back some rare ingredients from their
travels. Shorjahl can choose to agree
◊ Train: Gain +1 XP.
or not.
Social Scenes
Social scenes are those in which one or
more PCs reveal something meaningful
about their character, the narrative, or a
significant NPC. These scenes usually involve
in-character roleplay between multiple PCs.

Each PC involved in a social scene gets +1 XP.

A social scene can happen as part of a

downtime scene or in the free play of the 61
game. It’s just an interesting interaction
that isn’t about stabbing something.

Outside of Adventure
Shorjahl is a guest at a feast at Gribald
Castle. They have a conversation
with several NPCs, one of whom
questions Shorjahl’s sordid past as a
necromancer’s apprentice. Shorjahl flies
into a righteous rage and storms out of
the feast, making a massive impression.

This revealed something about

Shorjahl’s character, and suggests
that the game might focus on their
necromantic past, so Shorjahl gets
+1 XP.
 Travel and
Dungeoneering
 Travel and Dungeoneering
Travel through safe areas should largely be Then, the GM selects one PC to be the focus of
ignored or abstracted. It’s fair for the GM this turn (PCs should rotate focus). The focus
to say, “You travel for four days across the PC rolls, keeping in mind their action:
64 Orangespring Plains without incident.”
◊ On a 6-, there is a calamitous event
When traveling through dangerous (avalanche, loss of food, ambush,
wilderness, hostile territory, ancient ruins, separation, capture, etc.).
Travel and Dungeoneering

dungeons, or similar places, split time into ◊ On a 7-9, there is a problem, but the
travel turns. Each travel turn is three hours focus PC can see it coming, warn the
aboveground or ten minutes underground. party, or affect its onset.
At the start of a travel turn, each PC describes ◊ On a 10-12, everything goes as
their actions (or their role) and how it might planned.
help the party. Here are some examples: ◊ On a 13+, everything goes very
smoothly because of the focus PC’s
◊ Torchbearer
perception or quick thinking.
◊ Scouting ahead
Over longer journeys in which the GM
◊ Surveying / map-drawing
has nothing particularly interesting
◊ Rearguard planned, a travel turn can be zoomed
◊ Hidden reaction force (following in out from several times a day to just
stealth) once a day, or even once for the entire
journey. The more often the party rolls for
◊ Quartermaster (keeps track of travel turns, the more dangerous, time-
rations, etc.) consuming, and narratively important
the area they’re traveling through is.
Potential Travel Turn Calamities
pC role dungeon CalamIty WIlderness CalamIty
Scout Falls into or triggers a trap Loosens precarious hazards
Torchbearer Plunges party into freezing darkness Burns up fuel, starts a wildfire
Surveyor Misses key danger, like a pit Gets lost, turned around
Guard Alerts nearby monsters Triggers an ambush
Stealth force Gets snatched up by monsters Gets separated due to terrain
65
Quartermaster Leaves a trail to be followed Loses all of the supplies

Travel and Dungeoneering

Weather and
Hazards
If your game prominently features
wilderness exploration (e.g., a hexcrawl
or military campaign), weather and
environmental hazards will be significant
in your party’s challenges and experience.

Weather events or hazards can

be handled in several ways:

◊ As an obstacle for each PC to roll

through
◊ As combat, treating hazards or
elements as enemies
◊ Using the custom Weather rules
below (page 66)
 Weather as an Obstacle Weather as Enemies
The PCs can deal with weather by rolling Especially inclement weather can be
as if they were doing any other action. treated as an enemy, with special abilities
If they roll well, they make it through (e.g., trip or knockback or paralysis; see
begrudgingly; if not, they don’t. Death is Making Enemies on page 83), a speed,
perfectly valid as a consequence (freezing, a damage modifier, and so forth.
drowning, heat exhaustion, etc.).
Namely, weather can have HP representing
Weather challenges should pay special how much preparation is necessary to
heed to the nature of the environment, overcome or defend oneself against it.
how much the party has prepared, The PCs can deal preparation damage
66 and how they’re equipped and fed. An to this weather by rolling to attack, as
underprepared party rolls at disadvantage. normal. Once the weather has been
Detrimental equipment or lack of experience reduced to 0 HP, it is no longer a threat.
Travel and Dungeoneering

applies negative tags toward aptitude.

Shorjahl is facing freezing snow.
Shorjahl must travel through the It has 10 HP, drain, and paralysis.
freezing alpine forest on their way to Shorjahl describes how they use their
Ft. Grondle. Shorjahl lacks winter- fire magic to keep themself warm,
wilderness clothing and supplies, so lighting several goat bladders full of
they roll at disadvantage. They have water and packing them beneath a
armor 1, which applies a penalty to bearhide wrap they took from a dead
aptitude when traveling. bandit. Shorjahl rolls a 12, a complete
success. They deal 9 preparation
The pyromancer rolls 3d6, drops the damage to the freezing snow (6 from
highest d6, and applies -1 aptitude. highest die, +3 from aptitude).
They get a 7, just barely enough
to survive, but get the injury tags However, since the pyromancer
[frostbite] and [exhausted]. didn’t defeat the freezing snow, it
gets to act, attempting to drain or
paralyze Shorjahl.
speCIal rules for Weather
When the party is in a situation where
wilderness or similar environmental
hazards may harm them, the GM can force
the focus PC to roll for the party. This
key member might be the trailblazer, the
scout, the cartographer, or the local with
the most knowledge of the environment.

If you can’t decide who the focus PC is, give

it to whoever has the highest aptitude in this
situation. If that still doesn’t settle it, assign 67
someone randomly by a roll of the dice.

◊ On a 6-, everyone in the party takes

Travel and Dungeoneering

6 damage (ignores armor), gains an
appropriate injury tag ([frostbite],
[dehydrated], [fatigued], etc.), and
gets lost, trapped, or blown off
course.
◊ On a 7-9, everyone gains an injury Preparation
tag, as above, but takes no damage.
Also, the GM chooses between
everyone losing some equipment
and Planning
or everyone getting lost, trapped, or Vagabonds emulates OSR-style play and
blown off course. so encourages granular and detailed
preparation, planning, mapping,
◊ On a 10-12, everyone gets through and resource management.
the weather without incident.
◊ On a 13+, everyone gets through the However, sometimes people just want
weather, and the focus PC picks one to get straight to the goblin-butchering
benefit: and dungeon-crawling without having
to detail every torch and ration and
▪ Discover a shortcut or faster bundle of equipment. The abstracted
route. “kits” in Equipment (page 77) are a great
▪ Find a useful bit of unrelated start, but here are some more rules on
information. how to quickly handle preparation and
▪ Find a bevy of helpful resources planning in a few broad strokes.
that cut down on ration loss and
uses of other equipment.
 The Planning Roll Shorjahl plans their attack on an enemy
Select or randomly choose one PC (usually fort. They have plenty of time and
with the highest aptitude or the “leader” of the assistance of an allied mercenary
the party) to be the planner. They quickly commander, so the GM grants them
describe their general approach to the advantage on the planning roll.
party’s upcoming journey (e.g., exploring a
dungeon, attacking an enemy fort, sailing Since the plan largely involves burning
across a stormy sea, etc.) and roll. the fort to the ground, the pyromancer
has three relevant trait tags: [slow
If they have all the time they need and and logical approach], [loves fire], and
a cache of resources and intelligence, [pyromancer].
68 they roll at advantage. If they have
little time or must contend with other Shorjahl rolls 3d6 + 3, drops the lowest
obstacles, they roll at disadvantage. d6, and gets a 14 (circumvent a minor
Travel and Dungeoneering

obstacle and a major obstacle, and can

◊ On a 6-, the plan fails. When the roll twice at advantage).
party cuts to the action or arrives
at the start of their quest, they’re Shorjahl is able to slip by the outer
already in trouble, generally due to perimeter of guards (circumventing the
foreseeable circumstances. minor obstacle). They roll at advantage
◊ On a 7-9, each PC can roll at to locate the most flammable area
advantage once during this quest, at of the fort (the stables), and succeed.
a time of their choosing, so long as Then, they start the fire without rolling
the plan is relevant. (circumventing the major obstacle),
catching the whole foundation of the
◊ On a 10-12, as 7-9 but each PC can fort ablaze. Finally, Shorjahl rolls at
roll at advantage twice. advantage again to quickly escape
◊ On a 13+, the party can circumvent before the enemy soldiers catch them.
one minor and one major obstacle
(GM’s discretion) due to the If Shorjahl had rolled a 6 instead of
brilliance of their plan, and each PC a 14, they would have arrived at the
can roll at advantage twice, as fort and been confronted with an
in 10-12. unassailable situation. Perhaps the
guards at the fort heard of the mage’s
approach and set an ambush, they took
precautions to prevent fire damage, a
new garrison or cadre of reinforcements
have arrived, etc.
The Preparation Roll
Preparation is distinct from planning,
Traps
as preparation has more to do with Handle a triggered trap as a single roll,
equipment, supplies, and other tangible usually rolled by the PC triggering it.
goods that will aid in the quest or mission. Traps function much like enemies or
hazards—they can deal damage, apply
As with planning, select one focus PC injury tags, cast spells, use abilities, etc. The
(with the highest aptitude or relevance). exception is that traps fire once (usually)
The focus PC rolls, at advantage with and are spent until reset or reloaded.
significant information and resources to
draw upon, or at disadvantage with little Most traps are triggered by a PC getting
to nothing to aid them in their prep. too close, stepping on a pressure plate, 69
kicking a tripwire, touching a piece of
◊ On a 6-, the supplies they thought treasure, or being detected magically. Even
they’d bring are ruined, damaged,

Travel and Dungeoneering

if one PC triggers the trap, the whole party
or lost in some way. The GM can might suffer, depending on its effect.
select one thing from each PC that
isn’t key to their abilities at the Characters can attempt to detect and disarm
moment they attempt to use it. a trap by rolling. The GM may feel that it
◊ On a 7-9, the party gets one prep is appropriate to tell the players, out of
use that they can call upon at any character, that there are traps around, but
time during the quest. This prep it is recommended to telegraph or forewarn
use produces an item, map, or other of this danger in the fiction (or somehow
good that could conceivably be grant this knowledge by preparation rolls,
acquired before going on the quest. killing an NPC hireling, etc.). PCs can’t just
roll to look for traps in every chamber or
◊ On a 10-12, as 7-9 but two prep uses. area they cross; they must have reason
◊ On a 13+, as 7-9 but three prep uses. to suspect that traps are present.

Shorjahl rolls to prep for traveling the Shorjahl wanders into a cave to seek
Alpine Road. They roll at disadvantage shelter, paying little heed to a bear
due to the short timeline, and only trap placed under some old pine
have one relevant trait. They get a 5, so needles. Shorjahl rolls and gets a 7 and
Shorjahl has to sacrifice their winter triggers the trap, getting their leg free
clothes at the onset of their journey (as but taking the injury tag [busted ankle]
chosen by the GM). in the process.

Later, Shorjahl rolls to prepare for a sea Deeper in the cave, Shorjahl is more
voyage. They get an 8, and so gain one careful, and rolls to detect and avoid
prep use for the trip. While out at sea any traps. They get a 10, so the GM
the ship gets blown off course; Shorjahl describes how they notice a goblin
burns the prep use to produce a sextant, spike trap before stepping in it and
which helps steer them back on track. losing a foot.
 Hunger and Starvation
Decays: Hunger, ◊ Trigger: No food for one week of

Thirst, Disease, typical activity, no food for three

days of laborious activity (e.g.,
adventuring), or insufficient food
and Poison over a longer period (e.g., a crust of
bread per day over a few weeks as
Any effect that kills over time—such as lack of a prisoner).
food or an insidious poison—can be treated as
a decay, which has the following components: ◊ Timeframe: Once per day.
◊ Effect: You gain the [starving]
70 Trigger: What causes the decay? It might be injury tag, which causes exhaustion,
an action, the consumption of a particular delirium, and eventual paralysis.
item (e.g., poison), or the outcome of a roll. You can resist these negative effects
Travel and Dungeoneering

with sufficient rolls or healing. Each

Timeframe: How quickly does the decay day, you take 1 cumulative damage,
begin and escalate? Is it a matter of minutes which ignores armor and all forms
(lack of air), hours (poison), days (lack of resistance. Healing does not
of water), weeks, or some much longer affect this HP loss. Eating is the
period? At each such interval, trigger the only cure.
effect (see below), and the PC, if able, might
attempt to resist the decay by rolling.

Effect: Most decays cause an injury tag

Thirst and Dehydration
(which can penalize actions or block ◊ Trigger: No water for three days
permissions). Some deal damage (which of typical activity, no water for
can kill the character). Certain effects one day of laborious activity (e.g.,
stack (e.g., damage), while others may not adventuring), or insufficient water
(e.g., paralysis—you can’t become any over a longer period.
more paralyzed). Decay effects often have ◊ Timeframe: Once per hour.
special clauses, and can only be healed or
removed by meeting specific criteria (e.g., ◊ Effect: You gain the [dehydrated]
starvation is only removed by eating, etc.). injury tag, which causes exhaustion,
hallucinations, slowness, and
eventual paralysis. You can resist
Shorjahl hasn’t eaten in several days, these negative effects with sufficient
traveling through rugged and freezing rolls or healing. Each hour, you take
temperatures, and is beginning to 1 cumulative damage, which ignores
starve. Each day the wizard doesn’t eat armor and all forms of resistance.
deals 1 damage (ignores armor), and Healing does not affect this HP loss.
while starving they have the [starving] Drinking is the only cure.
injury tag. This damage is cumulative
and can only be healed by eating.
snake venom zombIe rot effeCt
(example poIson) roll effeCt
◊ Trigger: Bitten or
1 One of your hands falls off.
otherwise injected.
2 One of your feet falls off.
◊ Timeframe: Every three hours,
escalate the effects. 3 Patches of skin slough off.
◊ Effect: Roll to resist. Each failed roll 4 Your tongue falls out.
to resist deals more damage and
gives a new injury tag: [feverish, 5 One of your eyes falls out.
3 dmg] -> [vomiting, 6 dmg] ->
[paralysis, 9 dmg] -> [death].
6 You suffer double damage. 71

Travel and Dungeoneering

zombIe rot
(example dIsease)
◊ Trigger: Failure to resist once
exposed to the touch, bite, or other
magical miasma of the undead.
◊ Timeframe: Every two weeks.
◊ Effect: Roll to resist. Zombie Rot can
be cured with sufficient magic or
sanctified healing.
▪ On a 6-, roll twice on the
below table.
▪ On a 7-9, roll once on the
below table.
▪ On a 10-12, the effects do
not worsen.
▪ On a 13+, you’re naturally cured
of the rot, but retain all of the
injuries sustained while ill
(until healed).
 Wagons, litters, pack animals, or similar
Overland Travel don’t necessarily increase speed but can
reduce strain, risk of injury, or penalties to
Open terrain: three miles per hour, or the slowest PC’s speed. A typical pack mule
roughly twenty miles per day assuming suffers only -1 speed for every -3 speed that a
a break for food and camp at night human would (e.g., a mule carrying -9 speed’s
worth of supplies would only be at -3 speed).
Rough terrain: two miles per hour,
or about ten miles per day due to
the greater exertion required Shorjahl marches for six hours; two
hours across open terrain, three across
Harsh terrain: one mile per hour, rough terrain, and one in harsh terrain.
72 or about five miles per day due to Shorjahl is of average speed and is able
back-tracking and likewise to cover 13 miles during the course of
the day (3 mph for 2 hrs + 2 mph for 3
The GM can estimate the party’s daily
Travel and Dungeoneering

hrs + 1 mph for 1 hr).

travel distance by using the above as a
baseline and modifying it with the slowest
PC’s speed. For example, a party whose
slowest character has -2 speed will cover
18 miles per day over open terrain.
Magic
magIC from teChnIques
You can attempt to use magic as described
in a given technique, and no more. How
you acquired this technique might inform
your ability to use or recognize magic
(GM discretion), though usually not. 73

magICal Items

Magic
Magical items only grant their power
while their specific criteria are met,
usually when being wielded or otherwise
connected with the PC using it.

elvIsh magIC
As an elf, you have subtle arcane control.
You can open your mind to and concentrate
Characters can acquire and use magic in upon latent magical energies, even
several ways: marshaling them to do your bidding. This
affords you very weak magical powers,
◊ Techniques (see page 24) such as the ability to detect magical items
and portals, read scrolls, use wands, etc.
◊ Magical items (scrolls, wands,
rings, swords, etc.) In addition, you can use magic as part
◊ Belonging to the elf lineage of a roll. The more you rely on magic,
and the more supernatural the intended
◊ Divine intervention or
effect is, the more dangerous it is for you
supernatural bestowment
(perhaps represented by stance). A roll
Optionally, the GM can allow PCs to use of a 6- likely means you take damage or a
magic if it makes sense with their character significant injury tag, cause unforeseeable
concept and is represented by one of their consequences, or even activate unintended
traits. Characters without a magic-related (and dangerous) magical maelstroms.
trait would be unable to use magic.
 Azoth:
Distilled Magic
Arcane magic and similar artifice is powered
by azoth, a crystalline, iridescent metal
with a very low melting point. It appears
as fractal cubes of pearlescent mirrors,
casting a dizzying array of rainbows
within and without. Check out solid
74 bismuth for some real-world inspiration.

fIndIng azoth
Travel and Dungeoneering

Azoth runs deep within the arteries of the

world, pumps in the hearts of dragons, and
drips from the twisted fist of every foul
sorcerer king. It is purified, raw magical
dIvIne InterventIon or power. Azoth can be distilled from items
of magical or commercial value, such as:
magICal bestoWment
◊ Gold and other precious metals
Sometimes a PC can acquire magical
powers—even temporarily—by communing ◊ Gemstones
with some great spirit, making dark pacts ◊ Scrolls, wands, and magical artifacts
with powerful entities, or furthering
their god’s cause. Usually, the GM will ◊ The visceral components of magical
grant a magic-focused technique to the or mythological beings
PC until this effect expires (if ever).
Collecting and using azoth is a prime reason
why many arcanists go adventuring, as it
magIC from traIts or is far more valuable than equal weights
of gold. It’s arguably more practical
other sourCes too, as it’s needed in any permanent
You can simply treat magic as another or stable form of magic, such as the
character trait. Traits related to physical forging of a magical sword or staff.
strength enable a PC to use their might, and
the same goes with dexterity or intelligence.
So too can it be with magic, yet with greater
repercussions for failure and a more
limited impact than magic from techniques.
In other words, magic can simply be a
narrative tool that’s used when relevant.
Azoth’s Uses Azoth Augmentations
Many component requirements of A PC can attempt to gain augmented powers
rituals, spells, and incantations can be through the assimilation of azoth by rolling.
replaced with azoth, or demand azoth in Magical, will-based, or fortitudinous traits
and of themselves. It can also be melted add to aptitude as relevant. You can only
down and combined with other metals attempt this type of augmentation once
to produce magical-quality steel. per level; any additional attempts cause
damage, injury, and possible mutation.
When in powder or liquid form, it burns so
fiercely that it can explode, sear the vision out ◊ On a 6-, gain no power and acquire
of someone’s eyes, or light a lantern so bright one of the below mutations as a
so as to be seen from a hundred leagues away. permanent injury tag. 75
◊ On a 7-9, gain one technique
Despite its intensity, azoth is incredibly
(without proper ritualized focus,
stable and difficult to cause a reaction with.

Magic
Neither fire nor force can cause it to combust random or GM choice), and suffer
one below mutation as a permanent
or to waste; only other magical sources can
affect it. Because of this, some mages have injury tag.
taken to ingesting, injecting, or tattooing ◊ On a 10-12, as 7-9, but with
azoth into their own bodies. While this does no mutation.
indeed have augmentative powers, it can also
◊ On a 13+, gain one technique of
produce violent and unintended mutations.
your choice and +10 XP.

Azoth in Spells and Azoth Rejection Mutation

Rituals Roll Effect
The GM can require the use of azoth for a
1 You go blind and are plagued
particular spell, especially in large rituals
by horrific nightmares.
that greatly affect the area or narrative.
2 You go deaf and hear constant,
Each use of azoth is a crystalline nugget foreboding drumming.
about the size of a fingernail, worth roughly
3 You lose a limb of the GM’s
50sp or 5gp. The more powerful the spell,
choice (roll if you must).
the more uses of azoth it requires.
4 You have endless hunger. You
Many ritual-based techniques list a must eat every two hours or die.
required use of azoth. Likewise, the GM
can convert OSR spell components into 5 You’re near rabid, and can
quantities of azoth based upon their value. only act in a high-risk stance.
6 Re-roll twice. You gain both
mutations. (This can prompt
more re-rolls if you roll a 6,
giving three or more mutations.)
Equipment
 Equipment is made up of a series of tags
which inform how it works. Each piece of
equipment reduces your speed by 1, while
a piece that requires two hands to carry
reduces it by 2.

Equipment tags function as:

◊ Mechanical modifiers (+1 / -1 when

[something relevant])
◊ Granters or deniers of permission
(you can or can’t attempt [relevant
78 action] when using this [in
this way])
Equipment

◊ Character-separable techniques
(gain [relevant technique] when
wielding this)

Additionally, some equipment have:

◊ Requirements (to [activate / use /

benefit from] this item you must [do
/ sacrifice] [this relevant thing])
◊ Limited uses (such as ammo,
potions, fragile things, etc.)
examples of Weapon tags
adventurIng ◊ Ammo / Fragile N: on a 6-, the item
gear and tools breaks or loses one of its N uses. At
zero uses, it is permanently broken
Most gear, gadgets, tools, and kits grant or needs to be replenished
a +1 to a relevant action, and grant
◊ Arm: works as a weapon up to
permission to attempt actions that would
arm’s length away
be impossible without the aid of said tools.
◊ Armor N: gives N armor, which
reduces incoming damage. Doesn’t
Shorjahl has a climbing kit. When stack, only equipment with highest
appropriately adorned and used, they armor counts
get +1 to climbing. Later, the GM blocks
permission to climb an especially ◊ Armor +N: gives N armor, stacks
daunting peak without such a kit, but with other armor
Shorjahl may attempt it with a +1 bonus. ◊ Armor piercing N (APN): ignores
N enemy armor
◊ Bane vs [type]: +1 damage versus a
particular type of target
Examples of Equipment
◊ Long range: works as a weapon up
Armor, Weapons, and Shields
to about a hundred steps ◊ Axe, heavy: 2h, step, clumsy
◊ Magic: bound and forged with ◊ Axe, light: 1h, arm, clumsy
magic. Most magic items grant the ◊ Azoth bomb: 1h, thrown, close
effects of a technique, but other OSR range, spray, AP5 (magic), 1 use
magic items and weapons work too.
◊ Bow, heavy: 2h, long range,
◊ One-handed (1h): can use with one ammo 1, bane vs unshielded, AP1
hand, quickly doffed and donned,
-1 speed ◊ Bow, light: 2h, short range, ammo 2
79
◊ Reach: works as a weapon up to ◊ Crossbow: 2h, long range, ammo 1,
several steps away reload, bane vs unshielded, AP2

Equipment
◊ Reload / Charge: once used, takes ◊ Caltrops: 1h, thrown, close range,
some time to use it again spray, anyone moving through
affected area takes damage equal
◊ Short range: works as a weapon up to attacker aptitude
to about twenty steps
◊ Dagger: 1h, arm, can be thrown
◊ Slow / Heavy / Clumsy: extra (1 use, short range)
-1 speed, +1 damage
◊ Gambeson: armor 1, worn
◊ Special: silver, cold-iron, skysteel,
blessed, etc. Treated in a unique ◊ Mace: 1h, arm, AP2
way or forged out of a unique ◊ Mail: armor 2, worn
material. Some enemies can only be
dealt damage by special weapons, ◊ Plate harness: armor 3,
and likewise with some armor worn, heavy
being penetrated. ◊ Polearm, long: 2h, reach, AP2
◊ Spray: spreads damage on hit ◊ Polearm, short: 2h, step, AP1
across all targets in a close cluster
◊ Shield: 1h, +1 armor
(usually about a ten-foot area)
◊ Spear: 1h/2h (+1 damage if 2h),
◊ Step: works as a weapon up to
reach, fragile 2, can be thrown
a step or two away
(1 use, close range)
◊ Two-handed (2h): must use with
◊ Sword, heavy: 2h, heavy, step,
two hands, -2 speed
bane vs unarmored
◊ Weak vs [type]: -1 damage versus
◊ Sword, light: 1h, arm, bane
a particular type of target
vs unarmored
◊ Worn: only works while being worn
(e.g., armor)
 Gear and Kits ◊ Climbing kit: worn, fragile 1.
Contains 200 feet of rope, pitons, a
◊ Adventuring kit: 5 uses. Contains a
climbing hammer, and a climbing
backpack, rope, chalk, lanterns, and
harness. Gives permission to climb
sundry other items. When you need
up sheer cliffs, castle walls, and
something, pull it out, define it, and
similar. Roll if under duress.
mark off a use.
◊ Craft kit: fragile 2. Contains the
◊ Cartographer’s kit: 5 uses,
portable items necessary for you to
fragile 1. Contains sheets of
execute your craft (small hammers,
vellum, ink, a quill, sextants, a
chisels, high-temperature crucible,
protractor, and similar equipment
etc. for blacksmithing; paint and
for surveying and recording
80 topography and geography.
paintbrushes and canvas for
painting, etc.). These crafts can
Whenever you want to record a
be used pragmatically or sold if a
detailed map of an area, you’ll have
willing buyer is around.
Equipment

to stop and take a short rest (5–10

mins in relative safety). Roll if the ◊ Hospitaller’s kit: 5 uses. Contains
area is complex, in bad weather, or a bandolier and harness, bandages,
you’re under duress. Mark off one surgical equipment, salves,
use per region recorded (one region antitoxins, and other medicines.
is roughly equivalent to a day’s When you need something (such as
overland travel). to heal someone), pull it out, define
it, and mark off a use.
◊ Thief’s kit: 5 uses, fragile 1.
Contains lockpicks, weights, an
hourglass, and other equipment
for burglars. Gives permission
to attempt disarming complex,
mechanical traps and picking
complex locks.

Other Equipment

◊ Bandages: fragile 2. Grants

advantage when healing someone
through mundane means.
◊ Lantern: 1h/worn, reload.
Illuminates well to close range,
dimly to far range. Last as long as
there’s fuel (tallow, wax, oil, etc.).
◊ Rations: 1 use. Food for a day.
◊ Torch: 1h, 1 use. Illuminates well to
close range. Lasts about an hour.
Common Currency and Values ◊ The comparative isolation of the
locale (the more isolated, the more
The default currency of Vagabonds
inflated the prices)
is the silver piece (sp).
◊ The amount of recycled or second-
hand product available (e.g., decent
CurrenCy ConversIon quality swords, bows, and spears
10 copper = 1 silver piece (sp) will be in cheap abundance at a
pieces (cp) recent battlefield or abandoned
military fort)
10 silver = 1 gold piece (gp)
pieces (sp) ◊ Is the item unique or customized
in some way, or is it able to be
10 gold = 1 platinum piece (pp) relatively “mass produced” (custom, 81
pieces (gp) such as armor, can multiply the cost
of an item by as much as ten times

Equipment
its average)
A typical nugget of azoth is
worth about 50sp or 5gp. Another way to gauge prices in an area
is to determine how many days’ worth
Gemstones vary in value and rarity
of skilled labor are required to create it
depending on the setting, though most
and bring it to sale. An average worker
gems’ value scales quadratically with
makes 2 copper pieces per day of labor,
raw size and clarity. A fist-sized diamond
while a skilled craftsman can make
might be worth 1000gp, whereas ten small
up to 2 or 3 silver pieces per day.
diamonds of the same overall volume
would be worth a total of only 250gp. A masterfully crafted, custom-fitted harness
of armor might take several hundred hours
Rather than list prices for weapons, armor,
of skilled work. This means that even on
and kits, Vagabonds assumes that the price
the low end it could cost upwards of 500sp
will always be haggled, negotiated, and
if bought from the smith who crafted it.
altered as suitable for your setting. When
determining the price of an item, think
of the following based upon the locale
in which the PCs are purchasing it:

◊ The finished product’s rarity

◊ The amount of resources
and logistics necessary for its
construction or transport (e.g., an
area bereft of iron will cause steel
swords and armor to be doubly
expensive than an area outside of
an iron mine)
 Making
Enemies
 The GM can convert or create an enemy
based upon its qualities below. If you’re
converting from OSR games, you can ignore
HP
AC and to-hit, as the players make all HP measures how hard an enemy
rolls. There’s more information on this in is to defeat, and signifies morale,
Converting Enemies (page 87). luck, endurance, and fortitude.

◊ Speed (typically -5 to +5)

HP Example Enemies
◊ HP (typically 1 to 50)
1 to 9 Fodder: most humanoids,
◊ Damage modifier (typically +0 to deer, most goblins
+10)
84 ◊ Armor (0 to 4)
10 to 19 Rugged: grizzled
soldiers, wolves, orcs
◊ Trait tags (1 to about 5) 20 to 29 Tough: hardened
Making Enemies

◊ Abilities (0 to about 3) mercenaries, undead

30 - 39 Sturdy: bears, ogres, giant
Each of these stats can depend on
insects, dinosaurs
meeting requirements—for example,
an enemy’s speed could favor certain 40-50 Epic: giants, dragons,
environments, while its damage greater swarms, liches
modifier will depend on its weapon.

Speed Damage Modifier

Speed depends on the enemy’s agility and The damage modifier signals how deadly
the equipment they carry. Most beasts an enemy’s attacks are. This modifier
and unintelligent creatures carry nothing, is added to any damage rolled.
so their speed tends to be higher.

Speed Example Enemies Dmg + Example Enemies

-5 to -3 Very slow: crabmen, 0 Normal: most untrained
dungeon slimes, pack oxen humanoids and wild beasts
-3 to -1 Slow: armored humanoids, +1-3 Threatening: trained
orcs, dwarves, dragons conscripts, goblins, bandits
0 Normal: most creatures and +4-6 Dangerous: experienced
unencumbered people soldiers, orcs, most undead
1-3 Fast: goblins, swimming +7-9 Severe: fiends, giants,
sharks, wolves, elves dinosaurs, mythical monsters
3-5 Very fast: horses, cheetahs, +10 Deadly: assassins, sorcerers,
giants, supernatural sprinters dragons, demons
Armor Abilities
Armor reduces incoming damage, Enemies can have abilities that grant them
and reflects how ablative the enemy’s special actions, permissions, movements, or
hide is or how well-protected it is. maneuvers. They function like techniques,
but in reverse—the PC rolls to defend
Example Equipment or counter these abilities (in most cases)
Armor or else suffer their consequences.
and Enemies
0 Unarmored: most humanoids Most enemies have no abilities, moderately
and thin-skinned beasts powerful enemies have one or two, and
powerful enemies have three. Few have more 85
1 Light: gambeson, standalone than three. See below for a list of example
shield, only a helmet abilities, but the GM can feel free to invent

Making Enemies
2 Medium: chainmail, their own or use PC techniques (page 24).
giants, crocodiles
3 Heavy: plate harness, Alter environment:
hydras, greater demons The enemy can smash walls, reveal
4 Impenetrable: articulated pits, trigger traps, produce fog, or apply
full plate, dragons any number of other environmental
effects that don’t affect the characters
themselves. Such abilities generally
apply disadvantage to certain rolls, or
Trait tags force reactions (e.g., when smashing
down a building with the PCs inside).
An enemy’s traits largely inform how it
behaves and define situations in which
the PCs would roll at disadvantage.
Breath / Blast / Gas:
The enemy attacks a wide area in
front of it or in a blast zone. The more
Trait Example Effect area covered, the weaker its effect.
Examples:
Sneaky PC disadvantage to detect the
enemy while it’s in stealth ◊ Blinding gas: disadvantage
to perception and combat
Feral The enemy attacks in a
bestial, unrelenting way ◊ Flame breath: deal damage
mod to all in zone, AP2
Calculating The enemy will deploy
ambushes, flanks, tactics ◊ Forceful gale: strong
gust of air that knocks
Grappling PC disadvantage when trying PCs prone and prevents
to escape this enemy’s bonds missile attacks
Elite The enemy fights as a soldier,
Soldier holds the line, is calm
 Charge: Such enemies are actually constructs
of multiple enemies added together,
The enemy rushes toward its target and each able to be targeted and defeated.
deals +2 damage if the target PC fails to If one such component is central to
defend. the creature’s function (e.g., its head),
destroying it will often kill all of the
Critical weakness: connected bits.
The enemy cannot die or resurrects (or Example: The Gargantuan
may not even be able to take any form Golden Wyrm of Akzoth is
of damage) unless its critical weakness actually made of four enemies—
is exploited. This weakness must be its head, body, wings, and tail.
86 telegraphed to the party, or must be Though they are part of the same
something known to those who are creature, each of these enemies
learned about this enemy. Examples: has its own set of abilities. The
wings grant permission to fly, the
Making Enemies

◊ Wraiths must be captured

claws grant pin, the tail trip, and
within a prison ward spell.
the head fire breath.
◊ Zombies must be
decapitated or burned. Hit and run:
◊ Liches must have their On a 9- to defend, the enemy deals
phylactery destroyed. damage as normal and then moves to
a range relevant to its speed (usually
Disarm: short range).
On a 9- to defend, the PC is disarmed
and the weapon drops to the ground. Immune to [type]:
On a 6- to defend, the enemy takes the Select a type of weapon, attack, or
PC’s weapon. magic. The enemy is completely
immune to this.
Drain:
On a hit, the PC takes 1 damage per Invisible:
turn (ignores armor) until healed Impossible to detect the enemy by non-
or cured. magical visual means.

Gargantuan: Knockback:
The enemy is massively large, large On a 9- to defend, the PC is forcibly
enough for one or multiple PCs to stand moved around by the enemy to a
atop it. Some gargantuan creatures are reasonable location within short range.
so large that they can house a structure
or two on their back.
 87

Making Enemies
morph: paralysIs:
Upon reaching a certain threshold (e.g., On a 7-9 to defend, the PC is
an HP value), the enemy can morph temporarily [paralyzed], which
into something else. Its abilities may reduces speed by -1 per turn until -7.
change, or it may simply add to its During this time, the PC struggles to
existing suite. fight and make physical actions. On
a 6- to defend, the PC immediately
multIattaCk N: goes to -7 speed. If they reach 0 HP,
the [paralyzed] injury tag becomes
This enemy can attack N times in one permanent.
action, either targeting the same PC
multiple times, or targeting many of
them within range. Most such enemies pIn:
have multiattack 2, very powerful ones On a 9- to defend, the PC cannot
3, and nemeses 4. move until they succeed at another
roll or until the enemy is sufficiently
distracted or damaged.
 Poison: Swallow:
If an attack deals damage to a PC, the On a 7-9 to defend, the PC is caught
PC rolls to resist the poison. On a 7-9, in the enemy’s jaws, and can’t move
the PC takes the injury tag [poisoned], but can still attack. On a 6-, the PC is
which can cause slowness, vomiting, or swallowed and takes damage equal to
dizziness. On a 6-, the PC takes damage the enemy’s damage mod each turn
each turn equal to the enemy damage until they extricate.
mod. If they hit 0 HP, the [poison]
injury tag becomes permanent
until cured.
Swarm:
An aggregate of many smaller enemies
88 Reaction attack: collected into one. Swarms are treated
as a regular enemy except that their
This enemy gets an immediate attack as armor and damage modifier depend
Making Enemies

a reaction to any PC who attacks them upon how “full” they are. As they take
and rolls a 7-9. damage, their armor and damage
modifier decrease in proportion. Spray
Reaction movement: attacks are treated as armor piercing
against a swarm. Once a swarm
As reaction attack, but can move about has been reduced to one-quarter its
the battlefield instead of attacking. original HP, it breaks into several
individual creatures.
Resistant to [type]:
Select a type of weapon, attack, or Trip:
magic. The enemy has +1 armor against On a 9- to defend, the PC is knocked
this. prone and is vulnerable to a more
lethal strike. Additionally, the PC can’t
Special movement: move except to crawl or stand up, and
attacks at disadvantage until standing.
This enemy can fly, burrow, swim,
teleport, phase, or move in another
special way. Each form of special
movement requires a speed and counts
as its own ability.

Stun:
Any PC that takes damage from this
enemy takes the temporary injury tag
[stunned], and loses their next action.
Each PC can only be [stunned] once in
this way.
Converting Enemies
To convert OSR enemies and monsters: roll damage as lIsted.
For PC-rolled enemy damage (method 2 in
reCord hp as Is. PCs Taking Damage, page 56), maximize
the monster damage and divide by three to
HP, or HD times 4.
determine its damage modifier (max +10).
A creature with 3 HD has 12 HP. 89
Roll 3d6+3, or convert to +7.

Ignore to-hIt bonus.

Converting enemies
to Convert desCendIng aC:
High to-hit (above +4) can be treated as
Every two points of AC below 10 is converted
the PC rolling to defend at disadvantage.
to 1 Armor, rounded down (max 4 armor).
Enemy with +5 to-hit instead forces Additionally, any AC less than 0 causes
PC disadvantage on defend rolls. PCs to roll attacks at disadvantage.

A creature with 5 AC will have 2 Armor.

A creature with -1 AC will have 4 Armor
and force PCs to attack at disadvantage.

to Convert asCendIng aC:

Every two points of AC over 10 is
converted to 1 Armor, rounded down.
Also, any AC greater than 18 causes
PCs to roll attacks at disadvantage.

A creature with 15 AC will have 2 Armor.

An enemy with 19 AC will have 4 Armor
and force PCs to attack at disadvantage.
 note speCIal abIlItIes
or resIstanCes.
These abilities can largely be lifted
wholesale. Otherwise, most can be easily
converted into the abilities listed in the
previous section. Weak or uninteresting
abilities that aren’t core to the creature’s
qualities can be disregarded.

The dragon’s immunity to fire can be

ported over as is. The giant scorpion’s
90 resistance to poison (half damage
from all poison attacks) can instead
be treated as resistant 3 to poison.
Making Enemies

Adjust movement speed. Enemy speeds

of 30 feet per movement turn will start
with 0 speed. For every +10 feet per
move, add +1 speed. For every -10 feet per
move, subtract 1 speed. A creature that is
heavily armored reduces speed as normal
(1 armor = -1 speed) unless that creature
also has special movement or massive size
note savIng throWs. (e.g., a dragon). An enemy that wields a
Extreme saving throws (good or bad) can weapon(s) in two hands loses 2 speed.
inform an enemy’s trait tags and abilities.
A creature with a very high “CON save” The bandit has 40 feet of movement, wields
can force PCs to roll at disadvantage a bow, and wears a light gambeson for
against poison or similar attacks that armor. The bandit’s speed is -2 = 0 (start)
involve the enemy’s fortitude or health. + 1 (10 feet up) - 2 (bow) - 1 (armor).
Saving throws of -2 to +2 can be ignored.

The Archmage enemy has a +5 Will save

in an OSR game. This enemy in Vagabonds
instead has the [willful] trait and forces PCs
to roll at disadvantage when trying to affect
the Archmage’s mental acuity or willpower.
 Example Enemies
The enemies below are simply examples, Bandit
and can be easily tweaked or changed as
befits your game. Note that adding more HP,
HP: 8 Spd: 1 Dmg: +2 Armor: 0
armor, or abilities will significantly amplify A humanoid who’ll cut your
an enemy’s power and threat level. They throat for a piece of copper
are listed with a damage mod here rather
than dice-rolling, as listed in method 2 in PCs Trait dirty fighter, strength in 91
Taking Damage (page 56). tags: numbers, stealthy, craven
Abilities: none

Example Enemies
Acolyte Combat dagger (arm), light bow (short
Notes: range), light axe (arm)
HP: 5 Spd: 0 Dmg: +1 Armor: 0
A junior priest, cleric, or disciple
Bear
Trait pious acolyte, minor
tags: divine magic, zealous HP: 30 Spd: 2 Dmg: +4 Armor: 1
Abilities: magical healing (restore 3 HP A hulking beast surprisingly difficult to kill
to one target, short range)
Trait powerful beast, scent
Combat 1h mace (arm), sanctified tags: tracking, tough hide
Notes: (or profane) oils
Abilities: charge, multiattack 2

Amorgobbler Combat
Notes:
charges and focuses on a
single target until dead
HP: 5 Spd: 0 Dmg: +0 Armor: 4
Armadillo-like, ten feet in length,
Beetle, Giant
with slavering, drill-like teeth HP: 15 Spd: -1 Dmg: +2 Armor: 2
Trait hungry for metal, defensive Iridescent, clacking, and about fifty
tags: creature, quick to retreat times bigger than the garden variety
Abilities: immune to metal weapons, Trait pincers, hard carapace,
disarm (also works against tags: drops from dark ceilings
armor), swallow (only vs
weapons and armor) Abilities: wallclimb, spit acid
(breath, AP1)
Combat unlikely to damage
Notes: people, but will eat their Combat hide, acid spray from
weapons and armor (even Notes: ceiling, then drop and
attached to their body) attack as dagger (arm)
 Berserker Doppelganger
HP: 12 Spd: 2 Dmg: +5 Armor: 1 HP: 5 Spd: 0 Dmg: +1 Armor: 0
A humanoid shapechanger capable
A warrior possessed by feral
of near-perfect facsimile
rage and wonton slaughter
Trait shapechanger, gains pleasure
Trait battle rage, careless,
tags: from deceit, hungers for flesh
tags: aggressive, willing to die
Abilities: mimic (after touch contact, can
Abilities: knockback, hit and run
morph into any humanoid)
Combat 2h axe (step), javelin
Combat will separate and mimic
Notes: (thrown, close range)
92 Notes: one, then try to eat PCs

Bugbear Dire Ants

Making Enemies

HP: 14 Spd: -2 Dmg: +3 Armor: 1 HP: 6 Spd: 1 Dmg: +1 Armor: 1

A stealthy, stinking, furry goblin Giant ants roughly a foot or two in length
of unusual size and strength
Trait insectoid, great strength,
Trait foul, stalking predator,
tags: pheromones, highly mobile
tags: bloodthirsty, cave-dweller
Abilities: poison, special movement
Abilities: none
(wallclimb, burrow)
Combat axe (arm), shield,
Combat attempt to swarm a single
Notes: smelly hide armor
Notes: target, arm range

Cat, Great Digestive Jelly

HP: 10 Spd: 1 Dmg: +5 Armor: 0 HP: 40 Spd: -4 Dmg: +7 Armor: 0
Lions, tigers, and jaguars oh my A corridor-filling ooze, largely
transparent, deadly to touch
Trait stalking predator, fangs and
tags: claws, cautious, camouflaged Trait transparent, massive, digestive,
tags: unaware, inexorable
Abilities: pin, multiattack 3, special
movement (ignore Abilities: swallow, poison, immune to
difficult terrain) non-magical weapons, AP4
Combat focuses on a single isolated Combat it eats all in its path, it can’t
Notes: target, multiattack (step) Notes: do anything proactively
dragons ghoul
spd: 1 / dmg: hp: 12 spd: 3 dmg: +4 armor: 1
hp: 50 armor: 4
4 (fly) +10
A bestial, humanoid undead; a feral vampire
A single, younger dragon. Greater wyrms
and ancient beasts should be given Trait vicious, terrifying, hate the sun,
the Gargantuan ability, and therefore tags: bloodthirsty, unintelligent
serve as multiple conjoined creatures Abilities: paralyze, drain
Trait dragon, terrifying, wings Combat will attempt to paralyze
tags: of death, fire and smoke Notes: and then drain (reach)
Abilities: hit and run, pin, swallow, 93
special movement (flight),
fire breath (breath, long
gIant

Example Enemies
range, AP4), immune to fire
Combat seeks to hoard azoth, will stay hp: 30 spd: -3 dmg: +8 armor: 2
Notes: flying if possible, uses fire
A hulking creature no less than
breath as often as possible, will
twelve feet in height and breadth
land and swallow (long range)
Trait massive, strong, smashing,
tags: charging, slow, near-blind
Abilities: knockback, blast attack
(throwing stones, long range)
Combat throws stones, then uses
Notes: treetrunk club (short range)

gnoll
hp: 15 spd: 2 dmg: +1 armor: 1
A hyena-like humanoid, foul and violent

Trait howling, pack animal,

tags: strong, fast, crude, gullible
Abilities: reaction attack
Combat heavy bow (long range),
Notes: axe (step), shield
 goblIn
hp: 4 spd: 1 dmg: +1 armor: 0
A craven, evil, skulking creature
akin to a profane smallfolk
Trait small, cruel, skulking,
tags: subservient, thieving, stinking
Abilities: reaction movement
Combat spear (reach), dagger
Notes: (arm), react to retreat
94
Making Enemies

hydra
hp:
spd: -4 / dmg: armor:
15 per
0 (sWIm) +9 4
segment
A multiheaded serpentine beast
of mythological power
Trait four-headed, giant,
tags: serpentine, thickly scaled
Abilities: gargantuan, five segments
(four heads, one torso).

◊ Each head: bite

(short range), poison,
swallow. Special: lIzardkIn
once each head is
killed, a new one spd: 0 / dmg:
hp: 10 armor: 0
grows back into its 2 (sWIm) +2
place
Lizard-like swamp things of
◊ Torso: regeneration humanoid intelligence
stops if torso
Trait swamp natives, pack predators,
is destroyed.
tags: amphibious, brutal
Knockback
Abilities: knockback, drown (pull into
Combat lurks in watery caves, uses
water on knockback ability)
Notes: heads to protect torso, will
swim away if badly wounded Combat spear (reach), sling (short
and to regenerate heads Notes: range), claws (step)
Lycanthrope Medusa
(Werewolf, etc.) HP: 16 Spd: 0 Dmg: +6 Armor: 0
HP: Spd: Dmg: Armor: An ancient creature of magical power,
3 / 25 -2 / 4 +0 / +3 0/4 capable of paralyzing any with a look

A twisted amalgamation of beast and Trait mythological fiend, serpentine,

man, driven to kill sentient prey tags: powerful sorceress
Trait Feral, strengthened by Abilities: paralysis (with eye
tags: the moon, mighty, fast contact), control stone
Abilities: morph (post / is in wolf Combat Attempts to paralyze, uses
form), multiattack 2, silvered Notes: former paralyzed stone
95
weapons ignore 4 armor. statues as minions
Lycanthropy (any PC reduced

Example Enemies
to 0 HP from the lycanthrope
gains the affliction. If not
Minotaur
cured before the next HP: 22 Spd: 0 Dmg: +6 Armor: 0
moon—usually through ritual
magic—it is permanent) Cursed to forever wander labyrinths
and kill those who enter its domain
Combat A typical civilian or weak
Notes: humanoid. When morphed, Trait Maze master, raging
unaware of its actions, tags: bull, semi-intelligent
claws (step), fangs (arm) Abilities: special movement (maze
chase, multiple angles of
Medium attack), resistant to non-
magical attack (armor +2 vs
HP: 5 Spd: -1 Dmg: +1 Armor: 0 non-magical), hit and run

An apprentice mage Combat 2h axe (step), gore (arm),

Notes: uses maze chase and hit and
Trait neophyte, academic, run to come from multiple
tags: physically inept, basic magic dizzying angles to attack
and disappear again
Abilities: javelin of air (short-range
magical attack), one spell
from adept technique
Combat accompanied by thugs
Notes: or their master
 orC
hp: 10 spd: 1 dmg: +2 armor: 1
A hulking, slightly more intelligent,
much bigger goblin
Trait Barbaric, monstrous, death
tags: from combat, strong, dumb
Abilities: charge, trip
Combat 2h axe (step), heavy
Notes: bow (long range)
96
pIxIe
Making Enemies

hp: 1 spd: 5 dmg: +1 armor: 0

A tiny fairy capable of fluttering
flight and invisibility
Trait tiny, fae, flittering, trickster
tags:
Abilities: invisibility, the
legerdemain spell
Combat can remain invisible until
Notes: coated or magically dispelled
soldIer
hp: 10 spd: -1 dmg: +3 armor: 2
sCavengIpede A grizzled killer trained in the art of war
hp: 25 spd: -3 dmg: +2 armor: 2 Trait disciplined, tactical,
A twenty-foot tentacular centipede tags: armored, battle-hardened
that feasts on corpses and carrion Abilities: formation (if three or more
Trait disgusting, one hundred legs, soldiers fight together in
tags: constricting, poison bite formation, their dmg mod
increases to +4, armor to
Abilities: wallclimb, speed 2 digging 3, and speed reduces to -2
through refuse, paralysis for the entire group)
Combat Hide and paralyze (reach) Combat spear (reach), shield, heavy
Notes: Notes: bow (long range), sword
(step), dagger (arm)
spIder, gIant WraIth
spd: -2 / hp: 5 spd: -1 dmg: +1 armor: 0
hp: 6 dmg: +2 armor: 0
2 (Web) An ethereal, shadow-like
An eight-legged horror capable of spirit of deadly power
ensnaring a small horse in its web Trait massive, strong, smashing,
Trait spider, insectoid, web-slinger, tags: charging, slow, near-blind
tags: poor eyesight, fragile Abilities: special movement (phase
Abilities: paralysis, poison, affect through walls), critical
environment (webs) weakness (immune to damage
Combat will only fight and ambush from
not dealt atop ground with 97
warding glyphs), drain
Notes: its lair or feeding grounds, webs
are difficult terrain, bite (arm, Combat will phase through a

Example Enemies
delivers poison and paralysis) Notes: wall, kill one, and escape
(focus on magical PCs to
prevent weakness)
shrIeker shroom
hp: 12 spd: 0 dmg: +2 armor: 0 zombIe
A human-sized, semi-sentient hp: 8 spd: -4 dmg: +1 armor: 0
mushroom creature
The shambling, rotten undead
Trait cave- dweller, fungal, easily
tags: startled, afraid of light Trait undead, shambling,
tags: hungry for living flesh
Abilities: release spores (Stun,
long range, gas zone Abilities: critical weakness (immune to
attack, loud shriek) any damage not struck against
the head, usually measured
Combat generally non-aggressive, but
by a 13+ on an attack)
Notes: will release spores and shriek
when startled by light or Combat operates under the direction
violence, and fight if necessary Notes: of a necromancer, and can’t
travel far from such control,
unarmed bites and claws (arm)
 Character
Archetypes
 These archetypes are designed to resemble
common character classes from D&D and
similar RPGs, or playbooks from PbtA games
such as Dungeon World.

You can grab them and use them wholesale

as premade characters. Or you can pick and
choose pieces of them to mix and match as
you see fit. The purpose of these is to give
easy guidelines for genre conventions as
well as quick pick-up-and-play characters.

100
Adventurer
A capable explorer, well versed
Character Archetypes

in overland travel and wilderness

survival.

Avowed
A divine and devoted scholar, capable
of great concentration and calling upon
cosmic powers.

Mage
One learned in the arcane and ancient,
capable of usurping the natural power
of the universe.

Rogue
A dexterous thief, assassin, and
dungeon-delver.

Warrior
The knight, the brawler, the soldier.
Vagabonds LEVEL

of
Dyfed ADVENTURER 1
GAIN ONE PER LEVEL CORE FLAW
TRAITS CORE FLAW
Sum relevant positive and negative traits to Once per session, use to wriggle into or out
determine aptitude (max +3, min -3) of trouble, or succumb for +3xp
MY APPROACH TO CONFLICT:
Run today, fight another day I never have to suffer my
MY GOAL:
problems so long as I
Plunder, pillage, and profit keep moving and running
MY GIMMICK: away from them.
Relentlessly overeager
MY BACKGROUND:
Grew up in the ship’s galley LINEAGE
MY FOREGROUND: LINEAGE
A procurer of artifacts
MY WEAKNESS: Human
Highly risky

Survived Castlebrook Siege

Stole the Great Diadem EQUIPMENT

Traversed the Frostfang Peaks HP ARMOR SPEED

-3
-1 speed for each loaded-down limb and

Waged war against pirates 10 1 point of armor; at -7, you are immobilized

cutlass (1h, arm) climbing kit

(worn, fragile)
shortbow
(2h, short
range, ammo)
1 potion of
PICK ONE, GAIN ONE PER LEVEL gambeson (1 gillbreath (1
TECHNIQUES LINEAGE armor, worn) use, breathe
underwater)
Ear to the Ground Favored Environment adventuring
kit (5 uses)
Inner Compass Iron Stomach

Linguist Pathfinder INJURIES LINEAGE

Tough Hide Tracker
Vagabonds LEVEL

of
Dyfed AVOWED 1
GAIN ONE PER LEVEL CORE FLAW
TRAITS CORE FLAW
Sum relevant positive and negative traits to Once per session, use to wriggle into or out
determine aptitude (max +3, min -3) of trouble, or succumb for +3xp
MY APPROACH TO CONFLICT:
Plodding and determined The plights of the world
MY GOAL:
are due to people’s lack of
[Quest] for their [belief] discipline, devotion, or piety.
MY GIMMICK:
[Pray] before and after battle
MY BACKGROUND:
A bloodthirsty sellsword LINEAGE
MY FOREGROUND: LINEAGE
A devout [cleric] of [Good]
MY WEAKNESS: Dwarf
Susceptible to lies

Battlefield medic

Cleansed a profane evil

EQUIPMENT
Saved a friend’s life HP ARMOR SPEED

-4
-1 speed for each loaded-down limb and

Witnessed a great miracle 8 2 point of armor; at -7, you are immobilized

chainmail
(1 armor, worn)
with holy magic)

hospitaller’s
light shield kit (5 uses)
(1h, +1 armor)

PICK ONE, GAIN ONE PER LEVEL mace (1h, arm)

TECHNIQUES LINEAGE adventuring
divine totem kit (5 uses)
Cure Magical Healing (+1 to damage
dealt or healed
Devoted Nose for Evil

Healing Touch Provident Guidance INJURIES LINEAGE

Last Word Soulsnare
Vagabonds LEVEL

of
Dyfed Mage 1
GAIN ONE PER LEVEL CORE FLAW
TRAITS CORE FLAW
Sum relevant positive and negative traits to Once per session, use to wriggle into or out
determine aptitude (max +3, min -3) of trouble, or succumb for +3xp
MY APPROACH TO CONFLICT:
Proper application of leverage I will not be corrupted by
MY GOAL:
Power, I can control the
I will acquire true Power magic better than those who
MY GIMMICK: have failed before me.
Embrace the wizard cliché
MY BACKGROUND:
Former diplomat and leader LINEAGE
MY FOREGROUND: LINEAGE
I am a master of the arcane
MY WEAKNESS: Elf
Sheer hubris

I tamed a greater fiend

Melted hordes of soldiers

EQUIPMENT
I’ve learned magical mysteries HP ARMOR SPEED

-2
-1 speed for each loaded-down limb and

Spell over sword 8 0 point of armor; at -7, you are immobilized

orb of focus
(magical
bound scrolls

implement, cartographer’s
permission for kit
short-range force
attacks, ammo)
PICK ONE, GAIN ONE PER LEVEL
TECHNIQUES LINEAGE adventuring
kit (5 uses)
Adept Hellrift

Arcanist Pyromancer

Beastspeak Scry INJURIES LINEAGE

Control Vegetation Undead thrall
Vagabonds LEVEL

of
Dyfed Rogue 1
GAIN ONE PER LEVEL CORE FLAW
TRAITS CORE FLAW
Sum relevant positive and negative traits to Once per session, use to wriggle into or out
determine aptitude (max +3, min -3) of trouble, or succumb for +3xp
MY APPROACH TO CONFLICT:
Only when the time is right Finders keepers isn’t
MY GOAL:
wrong, so long as nobody
Coin, pure and simple else knows about it.
MY GIMMICK:
Always slinking in and out
MY BACKGROUND:
Heir to a mighty business
MY FOREGROUND: LINEAGE LINEAGE
Cutthroat and sneakthief
MY WEAKNESS: Smallfolk
Bit of a coward

I stole the crown jewels

Assassin of kings
EQUIPMENT
Sly cutpurse HP ARMOR SPEED

-2
-1 speed for each loaded-down limb and

Plumbed the dungeon deep 8 1 point of armor; at -7, you are immobilized

gambeson
(1 armor, worn)
climbing kit

thief’s kit
daggers (3 uses, fragile)
(1h, arm, ammo
when thrown,
PICK ONE, GAIN ONE PER LEVEL short range)
TECHNIQUES LINEAGE
adventuring
Assassinate Practiced Shadow kit (5 uses)

Better Safe than Sorry Shadowmeld

Eyeball it Trapcunning INJURIES LINEAGE

Jellybones Cutpurse
Vagabonds LEVEL

of
Dyfed Warrior 1
GAIN ONE PER LEVEL CORE FLAW
TRAITS CORE FLAW
Sum relevant positive and negative traits to Once per session, use to wriggle into or out
determine aptitude (max +3, min -3) of trouble, or succumb for +3xp
MY APPROACH TO CONFLICT:
Kill first, question later Violence is the root of all
MY GOAL:
power, and often is the best
I seek vengeance and only solution to conflict.
MY GIMMICK:
War stories for every occasion
MY BACKGROUND:
Won my freedom from the pits
MY FOREGROUND: LINEAGE LINEAGE
I perfect myself through war
MY WEAKNESS: Beastkin
Tunnel-visioned

Won an impossible battle

Slayed hordes of beasts

EQUIPMENT
Survived the Skinmelt Plague HP ARMOR SPEED

-4
-1 speed for each loaded-down limb and

Led the Adamantium Legion 8 3 point of armor; at -7, you are immobilized

full armor
harness (armor
vs unarmored)

3, heavy, worn) adventuring

kit (5 uses)
poleaxe (reach,
2h, effective vs potion of battle
PICK ONE, GAIN ONE PER LEVEL humanoid) brew (1 use,
TECHNIQUES LINEAGE +3 damage and
longsword +1 armor until
Armorborn Frothy Rage (2h, step, effective end of scene)

Favored Enemy Light Sleeper

Favored Tactic Mighty Leap INJURIES LINEAGE

Favored Weapon Strong