0e play test copy

8/17/2019 0e Play Test Copy

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Treasure

HuntersAdventure Rules for Fantastic Heroes Monsters

O.E. C ompatible Prolix EditionPlayer’s uide


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Copyright © 2015 by Scott Anderson All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review orscholarly journal. Exception: Reasonable copies may be made for noncommercial in-game use.First Printing: 2015ISBN Pending

Address all correspondence to:The Great American Drug and Meat Company119 Central AvenueSeekonk, MA 02771


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Dedicated to Frank Mentzer


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to the community who enjoys older- style games, I’ve had all the encouragement I needed to publish this book,this labour of love. Chronologically and foremost, I should like to thank Maj. Dave Wesley, Dave Arneson, RobKuntz, and Gary Gygax. I should further like to thank J. Eric Holmes, Tom Moldvay and Frank Mentzer. Without

these men our concept of “fantasy” and our own fantasy adventures would be far poorer.

From the modern community, I should like to thank Jon Peterson, Havard, Urieal, Leonaru, Gold, Thorkhammer, Vile, Theslo, Rastus Burne, Geordieracer & several others who I have met through Dragonsfoot . I should also thankand recommend to you Michael Mornard, Dyson Logos, D.H. Boggs, John Matthew Slater, Erik Tenkar, DavidBrawley, Courtney Campbell, Roger G-S, Brendan of Necropraxis , Jack of Tales of the Grotesque & theDungeonesque , the Greyhawk Grognard, Chris Tamm, John Laviolette, Rob Conley, Trollsmyth, Chris Kutalik, J.B.of B/X Blackrazor , Wayne Rossi, Zenopus, John Arendt, Jeff Rients, Telecanter, Daniel Proctor, Paul Gorman,Christopher Cale, Matthew J. Finch, Alexander Macris, Tavis Allison, Greg Tito, Cameron Dubeers, Simon J. Bull &Paul Elliott.

Art Credit: the Dwarves on Page Three appear courtesy of Tomasso Galmacci.


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5

Treasure Hunters Prolix EditionPlay Test Document 2

February 7, 2015


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6

Copyright 2014-2015 rules by Scott Anderson [email protected] Explicit limited permission is hereby granted to make reasonable and necessary

copies and necessary changes to this rule set for the purposes of play testing and pre-publication editing.

THIS COPY ISSUED TO:

Name:Name as you wish it to appear in the published game credits:

Email (not shared):

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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FOREWORD

This is not a game of skirmish & volley!

This is a game about Exploration , Acquisition , and Reclamation first and foremost; and about the heroes who undertake thesechallenges.

Occasionally there is no alternative but to skirmish, so rules for skirmish are included. But make no mistake: this is not “Fantasy StreetFighter II ”; this is “Fantasy Oregon Trail .”

This is most jarring to those who come to RPGs through those composed the modern way. "When do we get to the good stuff?" asks themodern edition gamer, because to the modern eye, the game "should" focus on tactical simulation. Often table time is dominated byskirmish, which puts the squeeze on all the rest of the game. This is by the design in the modern game: over time, the game genre hasevolved to emphasize and reward this kind of play.

The older game is a game of resource management. The heroes have scarce resources: game turns, Hit Points, rations, torches, &c. Theplayer is to manage these and turn them into other resources: gold, personal power (experience points), and in-game knowledge, therebygrowing the hero's ability to manage the former through application of the latter.

The several players should make their heroes to be self-directed within the game world the Referee provides. In setting goals,overcoming obstacles, and reaching those goals do the characters grow, & Adventures surely will transpire.

So as this is a “Role -Playing Game,” it is expected that there be an explanation on how to play one. Here it is:

Invent a character different from yourself.

Imagine his motivations in the game world, and direct him to follow thosemotivations.

Make your decisions and his based upon the information your character would have.

And that’s it. Go Play.

In Victory,Scott AndersonSeekonk, Massachusetts19 January 2015


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What One Needs to Play

There are a few things which one shall need to acquire that are notincluded with the game in order to take full advantage of this rulesset.

The first thing you shall need is paper and pencil, in order tomark down some of the information you will gain.

You shall also wish to keep graph paper, upon which to drawmaps & floor-plans.

Additionally, one or more players shall need hex-paper, upon which overland maps are drawn.

The second thing you shall need is some dice of the regular,square sort. If you haven’t any, raid your board games for someto borrow. Some stores shall sell sets or loose pieces as well.

You shan’t need the other kinds of dice for the game, but youmight use them as counters or stand-ins.

The third, optional thing you may wish to have to play is miniature figures meant to represent your heroic treasure hunter,his loyal henchmen, and the odd men & monsters he may encounter.

To start, however, just paper, pencil, and dice shall suffice.


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Chapter One: YOUR CHARACTER

Creating a Player-Character

Creating a Player-Character for TreasureHunters follows a six-step process:

Step 1: Throw for Exceptional abilities.Step 2: Select a kind for your character.Step 3: Select your Player-Character class.Step 4: Throw for starting equipment.Step 5: Determine skirmish scores.Step 6: Choose a name, sex, age andalignment. Flesh out your Player-Character.

Step 1: Throw for Exceptional abilities

Basic abilities (or “Stats”) describe thephysical and mental capabilities of yourPlayer-Character. They are: Strength,Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution

and Charisma.

Exceptional & Inferior Abilities

Each Player-Character may have abilitiesconsidered Exceptional or Inferior. Each ofthe others can be presumed to be in thenormal range for Men. An Exceptionalability awards a +1 to scores related to thatability, Saving Throws based on that ability,and perhaps an XP bonus, should the Player-Character’s Exceptional ability match hischosen class’ Prime Requisite(s). An Inferiorability penalises the character by -1 on throws

resolved by that ability.

How to Generate Ability Scores

Throw three dice and add up the pips. Youshall find the number is between 3 and 18.This is your Strength Ability score. Repeatthis process to generate scores fromIntelligence through Charisma in order.

You may keep absolute track of yournumbers if you wish, but they have no bearingon the game. Only the modifiers (q.v.: -1, +0or +1) shall impact your man in any way.

Table 1.1: Ability Modifiers Ability Score Modifier

3-8 Inferior -19-12 Normal +0

13-18 Exceptional +1

The Six Abilities

Strength (STR) measures your physical might.It is useful in swinging a sword or bendingiron bars to escape a cage.

A Player-Character with Exceptional Strengthgets a +1 To-Hit and damage in skirmishcombat. He can also lift more weight thanthe normal man.

Intelligence (INT) measures how well yourPlayer-Character learns and retainsknowledge.

A Player-Character with an ExceptionalIntelligence can learn to speak one newlanguage at Levels 1, 4, 7 and 10.

Wisdom (WIS) measures how keen yoursenses are. It is also a measure of “commonsense.”

A Player-Character with Exceptional Wisdomgains a +1 to spot hidden things such as traps

or secret doors.

Dexterity (DEX) measures nimbleness andhand-eye coordination. It is useful whenshooting a Bow, and makes you harder To-Hit.

A Player-Character with ExceptionalDexterity gains a +1 To-Hit with volley

weapons and a +1 to Armour Class.

Constitution (CON) measures how healthyand strong-of-body you are.

A Player-Character with ExceptionalConstitution gains +1 Hit Point per level.

Charisma (CHA) is a measure of your forceof personality. It is very important, as itdetermines how well you interact socially andhow many loyal followers you can have at onetime.

A Player-Character with ExceptionalCharisma may have three Retainers at thesame time. He also gains a +1 to ReactionThrows. Characters with normal Charismamay have two Retainers; those with InferiorCharisma may have only one.

Prime Requisites

Each kind of Player-Character has one abilityscore which he uses most regularly in his classabilities. Having an Exceptional score in thisability means he will find his job easier, and

will advance more quickly than fellows withnormal scores. The abilities associated witheach class are called Prime Requisites, andthey are listed below:

Table 1.2: Prime RequisitesClass Prime RequisitesCleric WISFighter STR

Thief DEX Wizard INT

Step 2: Select your Player-Character kind

This is a world of Men. However, someDemi-Humans also inhabit the world in smallnumbers.

Dwarfs are an underground peopleconsumed by Wealth and Order.Elves are a Sylvan people consumed byBeauty.Hobbits are little folk consumed bycreature comforts and Family.

Men of course are consumed by Ambition.

Each kind of Demi-Human has some limitedability to train in the professions of

Adventurous Men. Further, each kind mayListen for sounds on a 5-6 throw on one die;Men only hear faint sounds on a 6 thrown onone die.

The Dwarf

Dwarf Special Abilities

Darkvision (seeing in the dark) at a rangeof 60 feet.Dwarfs can instinctively spot slanting

passages, stonework traps, stoneworksecret doors, or unusual and newunderground construction on a throw of5-6 on one die.Dwarfs gain a +1 to their Save versuspoisons.Dwarfs speak Dwarven, Common,Undercommon and Kobold.

Dwarf Limitations


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Dwarfs may not begin play with InferiorConstitution.Dwarfs may be Fighters of up to level 9and Thieves up to any level or acombination of the two.They may not use a Bow, for it is toounwieldy for them.

The ElF

Elf Special Abilities

Darkvision at a range of 60 feet.Elves can find a secret or concealed dooron a 2-in-6 (rather than the normal 1-in-6).They are immune to Ghoul Paralysis.Elves are also immune to Sleep andCharm effects.Elves need not sleep, but must rest for 4hours’ time per night. Elves speak Elven, Gnoll, Goblin andOrc. Elf adventurers also speak the

Common language of Men.

Elf Limitations

Elves may never be brought back fromthe dead.Elves may not begin with ExceptionalConstitution.Elves may be Fighters of up to level 4 &

Wizards of up to level 8. They may beThieves up to any level, but must reachLevel 2 in another class before takingThief levels.

The Hobbit

Hobbit Special Abilities

Hobbits receive a +1 bonus to their Armour Class against opponents largerthan Man-sized.They gain a +1 To-Hit with volley

weapons.Hobbits hide indoors 2 out of 6 timesand outdoors 5 out of 6 times.Hobbits gain a +1 on their SavingThrow, because they are lucky.

Hobbit Limitations

Hobbits speak the Common tongue ofMan and get no free extra languages.Hobbits may not begin play withExceptional Strength, nor InferiorDexterity.Hobbits may be Fighters of up to Level 4and Thieves up to any level.Since they are very small, they arelimited to small weapons.

The Man

Man’s Special Abilities

Men can be of any one class, and mayadvance to any level.They stay alive to -4 Hit Points and die at-5. Demi-Humans die at -1 Hit Point.

Men’s Limitation

Unlike the others, Men must choose oneclass at a time and stick to it.

Select your Player- Character’s kind now.

Step 3: Select your Player-Character Class

Now that you have selected your Player-Character’s Exceptional Abilities and kind,mark them down on your sheet to better keeptrack. More in-depth descriptions of the

various classes and what they can do follow.

Player-Character classes are like professions.They determine what kinds of things aparticular Player-Character is best at.

Clerics are men of piety and learning.They value Wisdom.Fighters are masters of Arms & Armour.They value Strength.Thieves are men of cunning and skill.They value Dexterity.

Wizards have mastered weird andforbidden arts. They value Intelligence.

On Player-Characters with Several Classes

Elf: When starting a new Elf Player-Character, the player selects whether he isstarting as a Fighter or Wizard. Whilstadventuring, he fights, Saves, and gains XP asa member of that class, abiding by allrestrictions, with the sole exception of beingable to wear magical Armour whilst casting

Wizard spells. At the beginning of eachadventure session, the Elf's player may choose

to change to the other class . When changingclass, he throws the appropriate hit dice foreach class he has obtained and choosesbetween them . He may use any weapon with

which he is proficient from his current classonly.

To change class, the Elf spends one hours’time meditating over-night or in the morning,and returns as a member of his new class.His mental state is changed. His personalitymay differ. He may even take on a newCosmic Alignment (i.e. switching from Lawfulto Chaotic, for instance.)

Dwarves and Hobbits with more than oneclass choose which class to honour in themorning as well, but their personalities stay asthey are.

Men with More than One Class

A Man may add a second class as well. Heleaves his first behind completely, and maynot switch back whatever. He may take on anew class only if he has an Exceptional scorein the new class' Prime Requisite.

He brings with him his Hit Dice, Hit Pointsand Saves earned but abides by his new Base

Attack Bonus. In the case of the unusualskills of his old class, he must leave thembehind until such time as his level in his newclass matches the level in the old class at

which he earned the use of a particular skill.

Further, he may not cast Wizard spells whilstcarrying or wearing more than 1-2 lbs. of

worked iron.


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The Classes are presented below.

Cleric

Clerics are Men of God who go forth into the World to spread Good News to those whohave not yet heard it, & to strengthen thebelief of those who have. They are learned inmatters of religion, of monsters, and of those

worldly pursuits which should help them intheir appointed mission.

Not all Clerics are stodgy book-worms,however, and some bring the Word withmace and Maille.

Arms & Armour Proficiency: As the arm,shield and heart of God in the Mortal World,the Cleric may use neither swords, nor spearsnor arrows; no large points or sharp edgesallowed. He is able to wear any Armour anduse any Shield.

Prime Requisite: Clerics with Exceptional Wisdom gain a +10% bonus to Experience

earned.

On The Cleric and the Anti-Cleric

Clerics may be of any Cosmic Alignment:Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic, depending upontheir personal nature. However, a Clericmust choose to be of the regular kind or ofhis opposite number, the Anti-Cleric, prior toattaining Level Seven. All Clerics are Lawful,and all Anti-Clerics are Chaotic. NeutralClerics cannot advance beyond Level Six;however an individual Neutral may choose tobehave as a Lawful or Chaotic and eventually

see his alignment change as such.

Clerics always Turn Undead and cast allreversible petitions in the normal way; Anti-Clerics Command Undead, and cast allreversible petitions in the reversed manner.

Although both pay lip service to serving God,the Anti-Cleric derives his power from theperverse forces of Cain instead.

The following are the special abilities of theCleric.

Magic Item Use and Creation : Clerics mayuse any kind of Holy Relic, including potions,scrolls, rings, other jewelry, Armour and arms(aside from those prohibited) & vestments,amongst other things. Clerics maymanufacture potions and scrolls starting atLevel 5 and other kinds of magic itemsstarting at Level 9.

Monster Lore: Upon encountering a newkind of creature, the Cleric shall be able toidentify something useful about it from hisstudies on a 4-in-6 throw.

The Petitioning of Divine Power

Clerics, through their devout and earnestbelief in God, petition the Almighty for GreatPowers. Should the Cleric be in good stead

with his Holy Order and the Almighty, heshall be able to wield these powers in his fightagainst Chaos. The Cleric’s petitions fall into

four categories & each requires differentpreparations and prayers.

Aura: Auras are long-acting petitions which protect one being (either theCleric or another) or ward a small areafrom some effect. The Cleric may haveone in effect at any time and may

maintain the Aura indefinitely.Example: Protection from Evil.Command: Commands are petitionsuseable at short notice, even in the Row& Rattle of a fight. Example: Turning theUndead.Ritual: Rituals are petitions of some not-insignificant power which require tenminutes to call. Example: Cure LightWounds.Prayer: Prayers are petitions formiraculous events beyond the power ofMan. They take a day to call upon.Example: Stone to Flesh.

Limitation: The Cleric is a servant of aHigher Power. He must always act inaccordance with that high power, to the bestof his ability. To do otherwise will cause himto lose the ability to call divine power and useholy relics. Therefore the Cleric must act

within his alignment at all times, or risksanction by his Church & his God.

Alternative Cosmogonies: Should the severalplayers wish it, you may instead use anhistorical or invented Pantheon of Gods; aHost of Immortals; generic Gods without tiesto the Abrahmic tradition, or even usemetaphysical ideals such as Law and Chaos.For the purposes of exposition, we shallspeak of one “God” but this is merely amatter of taste.

More is said on the Anti-Cleric in theReferee’s Companion book.

Table 1.3: The Cleric

Cleric Level ProgressionXP Level BAB HD Save0 1 +0 1 9

1,500 2 +0 2 93,000 3 +0 2+1 86,000 4 +1 3 8

12,000 5 +1 4 725,000 6 +1 4+1 750,000 7 +2 5 6

100,000 8 +2 6 6200,000 9 +2 6+1 5320,000 10 +3 7* 5440,000 11 +3 7+2 4560,000 12 +3 7+4 4

680,000 13 +4 7+6 3800,000 14 +4 7+8 3

*Hit point modifiers from Constitution nolonger accrue.

Fighter A Fighter is exclusively trained in the arts ofskirmish and war. He is a specialist at dealing

and receiving physical blows. A Fighter isparticularly burdened in a group of


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adventurers because he is tougher and musttake the lead to defend others.

Arms & Armour Proficiency: Fighters mayuse any Armour or Shield and may wield any

weapon. Only Fighters may use magicswords.

Prime Requisite: Fighters with ExceptionalStrength gain a +10% bonus to Experienceearned.

The following are the special abilities of theFighter.

At 2nd level, Fighters develop the savvy toCleave through weaker foes. If a Fighterstrikes a foe down with a blow, he mayimmediately take another attack againstanother enemy near-by with the same weaponor weapons.

Beginning at 4th level, the Fighter has honedhis battle-senses to Heroic levels. Whilstengaged in skirmish, he may sense invisiblecreatures which are near-by as if they were notinvisible. This ability does not work innormal out-of-combat conditions, and it islimited to 30’.

At 8th level, the Fighter becomes deadly withhis choice of skirmish weapon or bow . With

his chosen weapon, a natural attack throw of12 (before bonuses or penalties) which canaffect a target with level or number of hit diceequal to or lower than his level deals damageequal to the target’s current hit point total,dropping the target to 0 hit points instantly.

Forge Lore: Fighters of Level 9 and abovemay craft magical weapons and Armour intheir stronghold using the same rules as

Wizards do. They may not craft other typesof magic items.

Table 1.4: The FighterFighter Level Progression

XP Level BAB HD SaveNM 0 +0 1 11

0 1 +1 1+1 102,000 2 +1 2+1 10

4,000 3 +2 3+1 108,000 4 +2 4+1 10

16,000 5 +3 5+1 832,000 6 +3 6+1 864,000 7 +4 7+1 8

120,000 8 +4 8+1 8240,000 9 +5 9+1 6360,000 10 +5 10+1* 6480,000 11 +6 10+4 6600,000 12 +6 10+7 6

800,000 13 +7 10+10 41,000,000 14 +7 10+13 4*Hit point modifiers from ExceptionalConstitution no longer accrue.

Thief

Thieves are the Extraordinary Individuals who leave hearth-and-home with nary morethan their cunning and wit (and perhaps asword and lantern) to learn of the Greater

World and claim it’s Treasure as his own.

Arms & Armour Proficiency: Thieves mayuse any one-handed weapon and any kind of

Bow. They wear only Jack Armour. Theymay carry Shields, but must drop them beforeattacking and before using many of their classskills.

Prime Requisite: Thieves with ExceptionalDexterity gain a +10% bonus to Experienceearned.

The following are the special abilities of theThief.

The Thief’s Skills The Thief trains two skillsat Level One and one skill at each subsequentLevel, up to Level Seven (for a total of eightskills out of the following list of 14.)

The skills are: Backstab, Climb, Eaves-Dropping, Find and Remove Traps, FindSecret Doors, Forgotten Lore, Hide, PickLocks, Play Music, Prestidigitation, ReadLanguages, Cast from Scrolls, Thief’s Luck,

and Stealth.Backstab: Whenever a defender is unawareof the Thief, is flanked by the Thief and anally, or is unable to actively defend itself(bound or surprised), the Thief may attemptto Backstab . Using this special attack, theThief may make one attack which will receivean attack bonus of +2 and will multiply alldamage (after throwing it) by 2. At Level 5,this multiplier increases to x3; At Level 10,x4.

Weird Lore: Upon the discovery of theancient, forbidden or weird, the Wizard shallbe able to identify something useful about itfrom his studies on a 3-in-6 throw.

Climb: Thieves are adept at scaling sheersurfaces, including walls or steep cliffs, andthey are successful on a 5-in-6. They require askill throw for each 100 feet they intend toclimb. If the throw fails, they fall a distance

equal to half the attempted distance, taking 1-6 points of damage per 10 feet. Thieves areadept at determining whether they can climba particular sheer surface at a glance. Throwthe Thief’s chance of success in climbing thefirst 100’ before he starts his ascent. If hefails this throw, he knows that this particular

wall is beyond his ability until he reaches hisnext experience level.

Eaves-Dropping: whilst every character has achance to listen for sounds (1-in-6), theThief’s senses are keener than others’. A


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Thief can attempt to listen for noises in a caveor hallway and at a door or other locations.He may also attempt to overhear aconversation across the room in a salty tavernor other loud places. However, the Thiefmust be quiet and remove his cap, should he

wear one. That’s just being polite. He willsucceed on a 4-in-6.

Find and Remove Traps: A Thief may only

try one time to find or remove a trap in anarea with a 4-in-6 throw. Note that these areseparate applications of the same skill, for aThief must find a trap before he can removeit. If a Thief uses a tool, such as a 10’ pole orsmall steel mirror, he receives a +1 bonus tohis throw.

Find Secret Doors: So adept is a Thief’s nosefor trouble, he may find a secret door on athrow of 3-in- 6, even when he’s not searchingfor it. Normally, a character must besearching, and then only succeeds 1-in-6times.

Forgotten Lore: A Thief has learnt a thing ortwo in his travels. Once per day, a Thief maymake a check to see if he knows a bit of loreabout a person, place or thing that he’s got nobusiness knowing. On a throw of 4-in-6, hecan call upon his knowledge to aid himself orhis friends (but usually himself.)Hide: whilst remaining motionless or usingStealth, a Thief who succeeds with his Hidethrow becomes invisible to all visual sensesincluding those of a super-natural nature. AThief will always think he is successful in thisskill, and will not know otherwise until othersreact to his presence. Thieves have a 4-in-6chance of success, +1 for ExceptionalDexterity.

Pick A Lock: A Thief is skilled in pickinglocks on a 5-in-6 throw, but needs lock picksto do so. He can only try to pick a lock onetime, and if he fails, he may not try the same

lock again until he reaches a higherexperience level.

Play Music: Music covers instruments of allkinds. It can be used to make small changeon street corners, Woo Lovers & other such.It does not give benefits in skirmish unless theThief does something really clever. Ifbusking or finding a bit of work in taverns, theThief can earn 1 die x 2 dice silver shillings

per night.

Prestidigitation: A Thief with this skill has fastfingers and is a master of mis-direction. On athrow of 5-in-6, he can nick a small item suchas a coin purse or hide an item on his person.Should he fail, throw 2 dice. A result of 5 ormore means he has been noticed. A result of6 or more means the “mark” is angered!

Stealth: When successful on a 4-in-6 throwmodified by Dexterity, the Thief will becompletely silent. The Thief always thinks heis successful in this skill, and will not know

otherwise unless others react to his presence. A Thief may attempt stealth even in unusualconditions, such as stepping on dried leaves,over egg shells, or between sleeping animals.

Read Languages: Thieves can read anylanguage on a 5-in-6 throw. This ability doesnot include magical writings. If the throw doesnot succeed, the Thief may not try to readthat particular piece of writing until hereaches a higher level of experience.

Cast from Scrolls: Thieves who already knowhow to Read Languages can read magicscrolls of any kind and cast the spells

contained therein with 5-in-6 accuracy. Afailed throw means the spell does notfunction as expected, and can create ahorrible or hilarious effect at the Referee’sdiscretion.

Thief Luck: The Thief permanently adds +1to his Saving Throw and a permanent +3Hits.

Table 1.5: The ThiefThief Level Progression

XP Level BAB HD Save0 1 +0 1 9

1,500 2 +0 2 93,000 3 +0 2+1 86,000 4 +1 3 8

12,000 5 +1 4 725,000 6 +1 4+1 750,000 7 +2 5 6

100,000 8 +2 6 6200,000 9 +2 6+1 5320,000 10 +3 7* 5440,000 11 +3 7+2 4560,000 12 +3 7+4 4680,000 13 +4 7+6 3800,000 14 +4 7+8 3

*Hit point modifiers from Constitution no

longer accrue.

Wizard

The Wizard is a mortal being who hasbreached the Aether and established akind of a link with extra-dimensionalliving energy; a kind of life which isunknown in this Realm. Through thissymbiosis, the Wizard evokes fantasticeffects.

Arms & Armour Proficiency: A Wizardmay not cast spells whilst carrying on hisperson worked iron of more than 1-2pounds’ worth. Therefore he is limited to

Jack Armour & may not use a Shield. Hedoes not train in use of arms, and is

limited to using the dagger, club, staff and sling.

Prime Requisite: Wizards with Exceptional Intelligence gain a +10% bonus to Experienceearned.

The following are the special abilities of the Wizard.

Magic Item Use: Wizards may manufacture potions and scrolls starting at Level 5 and otherkinds of magic items starting at Level 9. They may use all manner of scrolls, potions, ringsand other jewelry, clothing, wands and staves, and other kinds of miscellaneous items ofarcane power.

Spell-Casting: Only Wizards are able to harness arcane Dweomers. Among others, thisability is foreign. The process whereby they do so is explained in Chapter Five.

Weird Lore: Upon the discovery of the ancient, forbidden or weird, the Wizard shall be ableto identify something useful about it from his studies on a 3-in-6 throw.


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Table 1.6: The Wizard Wizard Level Progression Spells by Spell Level

XP Level BAB HD Save 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th0 1 +0 1 10 1

2,500 2 +0 1+1 10 25,000 3 +0 2 10 3 1

10,000 4 +0 2+1 10 3 220,000 5 +1 3 8 3 3 140,000 6 +1 3+1 8 3 3 2

80,000 7 +1 4 8 3 3 3 1160,000 8 +1 4+1 8 3 3 3 2320,000 9 +2 5 6 3 3 3 3 1480,000 10 +2 5+1* 6 3 3 3 3 2640,000 11 +2 5+2 6 3 3 3 3 3 1800,000 12 +2 5+3 6 3 3 3 3 3 2960,000 13 +3 5+4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3

1,200,000 14 +3 5+5 4 3 3 3 3 3 3*Hit point modifiers from Exceptional Constitution no longer accrue.

Step 4: Throw for Starting Equipment

Below you shall find an inventory of whatthings your Player-Character possesses when

he begins play. Throw thrice on Table 1.7 and record your Kit and the results of thethree throws on your character sheet. Thiefcharacters may instead throw twice, and take a

set of Lock Picks or a Trap-making Kit as athird item.

Adventurer’s Kit

Contains: Backpack; Flint and steel; 7 days’ Iron Rations; 6 Torches; Waterskin with two pints of water or small beer; Jack Armour, or a spell-book with one spell inscribed & a pouch of components; one dagger or holy symbol, and one other weapon. Cash-on-Hand: 4-24s. (4 dice.)

Table 1.7: Starting characters throw 3 times upon the table below for miscellaneous gear.

6x6 1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Blanket, winter Case, map, withpaper, ink & quill

Palfrey with saddle& bag

Lantern & 3 flasksof oil

Pole, 10-foot wooden

A Normal Shield

2 Wolfsbane (fist full) Book, Blank withink & quill

A Bashing Shield Donkey orSumpter

Sack, small (empty) Upgrade to Plate Armour

3 Dog, Large A Canoe & Paddle

or Row-BoatMilitary Oil (2

Flasks)Mirror, small steel

Rations, trail (7 days,preserved)

Drey’s Horse

4 Dog, Standard Garlic (3 cloves) Holy RelicMerlin or Kestrel

& hoodRope, hempen (50’) Grappling Hook

5 BandagesStakes, Wooden(4), with hammer

Holy Water (2Flasks)

A second weapon Sack, large (empty) A Normal Shield

6 A Normal Shield Walking Stick

(Works as aCudgel)

CrowbarPick, miner’s, or

ShovelUpgrade to Maille

Armour A Bashing Shield

On the Usual Equipment

In your travels you shall find items not onthis list without a doubt. This table is notexhaustive, but represents the items anitinerant adventurer would have been givenby his family before starting out or wouldhave found at the start of his travels. Animalscome with 1 weeks’ proper food.

You are encouraged to make trade with yourfellows in order to maximise your collectivesurvivability as you start on your way.

What follows is short explanations ofcommon kinds of gear treasure hunters may

wish to purchase.

Arrowheads are for making your own arrows.Twenty make one batch.

Backpacks and Knapsacks come in varioussizes. They do not count as encumbrance

when used to carry other things.

Bandages: When a Man is at zero or fewerHits, he will lose one Hit per round ‘til dead.Bandages stop this loss and take one roundto apply. They also stop any bleeding effect,and when applied overnight, heal 1 additionalHit damage. When you use bandages, throwone die. On a result of 1, your currentbandage is your last.

Battle Standards are tall banners which markparticular military units, mercenarycompanies and some treasure hunters.

When held aloft, they grant Henchmen a +1to Morale. Should they fall in battle, theyinflict a -2 to Morale. They can be made tofit into special brackets in Armour, whichfrees the hands, but disallows a backpack orback quiver.

Belts and other clothing items do notencumber whilst worn. An extra set ofclothes counts as one item for Encumbrance.

Block & Tackle is a bulky pulley system withrope and hook which makes heavy weightsfour-times easier to lift.

Bowstrings come twenty to a pack.Bowstrings break on a throw of 2, and takeone half round to re-string.

Large Candles burn for one hours’ time.Ten make one item for Encumbrance. A stiffbreeze shall blow-out a candle half the time(1-3 on one die).

A Cart is hitched to two draft horses ormules. It carries one tonne of cargo and hasseats for two Men or four Hobbits.

A Climbing Hook in each hand shall allow aperson other than the Thief to climb sheersurfaces with a 4-in-6 chance.

A Disguise Kit shall allow a person todisguise himself. When you use one, throwone die. On a result of 1, the kit is exhaustedand must be replaced.

Dogs make fierce companions in thedungeon. A normal dog has 1+1 HD and a


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Large Dog has 2+1 HD. A player may optfor a non-combatant dog as well.

A Holy Symbol such as a Cross on a chain ispresented to the Undead when turning orcommanding them. A fine one shall cost18s. and be wrought of silver. A Commonone is made of wood, and may also be usedby a Cleric in his Petitions.

Holy Water is water blessed by a priest ofLawful alignment. It comes in fragile glassglobes meant to shatter upon impact. Holy

Water deals 4-14 (two dice +2) damage toany undead it impacts directly, and 2-7damage to undead near impact. Undead willnot cross an unbroken line of Holy Waterfor one Turn (ten minutes’ time). Holy

Water is also a component in Clericpetitions.

Two such orbs count as one item for thepurposes of counting encumbrance.

Holy Relic: a Holy Relic in the hands of abeliever of any Class shall Turn Away theUndead as the Cleric Command withoutmaking a check. After each use, throw onedie. On a result of 1, the Relic is exhaustedand crumbles to dust.

Table 1.8: Adventuring GearItem Cost Enc. Item Cost Enc. Item Cost Enc.

Arrowheads 10p. 1 Hammer, Utility 5s. 2:1 Quiver, Back 5s. 0/2Backpack, Explorer's 8s. 0/6 Hat 5s. -- Quiver, Belt 5s. 0/1Backpack, Standard 10s. 0/8 Holy Symbol 18cr. -- Quiver, Plain 2s. 0/1

Backpack, Waterproof 25s. 0/6 Holy Water 5cr. 2:1 Rations, Dungeon 10s. 1Bandages 2s. 1 Ink, Full Glass Vial 10s. 1 Rations, Trail 3s. 1

Battle Standard 6m. 3 Instrument, Musical 10f.+ 1 Rope, Hempen 1s. 1Bedroll, Heavy 10s. 1 Iron Spikes, 6 1cr. 1 Rope, Silken 1cr. 2:1

Belt or Bandolier 2s. -- Knapsack 3s. 0/3 Sack, Large 20p. 0/4Block & Tackle 3cr. 2 Knife, Utility 10s. -- Sack, Small 10p. 0/2

Boots, Plain 10s. -- Lantern 7s. 1 Scroll Case, Waterproof 5s. 1

Boots, Riding 3cr. -- Lantern, Bull's-Eye 10s. 1 Sewing Kit 18p. 1Bowstrings 15s. 1 Lasso or Net 4s. 1 Shovel or Crowbar 5s. 1

Candle, Large 30f. 10:1 Lock-Picks 10s. 1 Soap 30f. --

Cart 3cr. Magnifying Glass 3cr. 1 Spell Components 5cr. 1Chisel 7s. 2:1 Map, Explorer's 25cr. -- Spell-book, Blank 10cr. 2

Climbing Hook 1cr. 1 Map, General 10s. -- Spell-book Cover 10s. --

Cloak, Long15s.6p. -- Mirror, Small Steel 5s. -- Stake, Wooden, 4 10p. 1

Cloak, Short 12s. -- Oil, Lantern 2s. 1 Tent, 2-Man 15cr. 2Clothes, Extravagant 50cr.+ -- Oil, Military 5cr. 2:1 Tinderbox 3s. 1

Clothes, Fine 20cr. -- Parchment 10s. -- Torches, 6 5s. 1Clothes, Normal 5cr. -- Parka 5cr. -- Trap-Making Kit 25s. 1

Disguise Kit 20s. 2 Pick Axe 7s. 1 Twine, 100' 2p. --Drill, Hand 7s. 1 Pole, 10' 10p. 1 Vial, Glass 1s. 1

Garlic 12p. 1 Pony, Riding 50cr. Water / Wineskin 15s. 0/1Gloves, Heavy 7s. -- Pot, Cooking 2s. 2 Wax, Sealing 2p. --

Gloves, Soft 1cr. -- Pouch, Belt 1s. 0/1 Whistle 10f. --Grappling Hook 18s. 1 Quill Pen 1s. -- Wolfsbane 5cr. 1

Table: 1.9: Assorted Gear & Services

Item Price Item Price Item PriceFarm Animals Hirelings in Peace-Time Hunting Birds

A good Tom 1p. Mounted soldier 8s. / wk Eagle 5cr.Cow 6s. Infantryman 2s. / wk Falcon 3cr.

Shepherd, Water or Lap Dog 3p. Labourer 2s. /wk Goshawk 6s.

Fowl 2p. Lackey 2s. / wk Kestrel 5s.Goat 1s. Messenger 5s. /wk Merlin 1s.

Pig 2s. Sergeant 1cr. / wk Accommodation & Food

Sheep 1s. Common servant 2s. / wk Board in the country 1s. / wk

Beasts of Burden Vehicles Board in town 18p. / wk

Nag 2cr. Great boat or raft 50cr. Country cottage 15s. / wk

Drey Horse 30s. Great carriage 50cr. Floor in a town house 4s. / wkDonkey 12s. Merchant ship 500cr. Room at an inn 6s. /mo.

Ox 9s. Small boat or raft 30cr. Bottle of spirits 2s. - 50cr.Palfrey 3cr. Small carriage 15cr. Fine dinner at restaurant 12s.


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Pony 5cr. Wagon 5cr. Flagon of ale or beer 10p.Sumpter 4cr. War Ship 1,000cr. Jack of wine or sack of port 10p.

War-Horses Tack Pub lunch 2s.Courser 150cr. Caparison 2s.+ Sit-down inn dinner 8s.

Destrider 250cr. Bit & bridle 1cr. Stabling for a horse 10s.Pony 125cr. Pack saddle 10s. Stabling for a nag 1s.Beasts of War Palfrey Saddle 15s. Fine suite in the City 5cr. / night

Blood Hound 1s. Military Saddle 50s. Good room in the City 2cr. / night Wolf Hound (1+1 HD) 8s. Saddlebag (0/4) 20s. Average room in the City 10s. / night

Mastiff (2+1 HD) 2cr. Flop in the City 10f. / night

A Detailed Map shows some of the featuresof an area of the Realm. It is generallyaccurate.

An Explorer’s Map may or may not beaccurate, but it marks out the locations ofPoints of Interest.

A General Map shows the roads, trail, castles,Churches & enpeoplement of a knowncivilised area.

Military Oil is a black viscous alchemicalconcoction which comes in fragile glass

globes meant to break upon impact. Uponexposure to air, Military Oil alights and burnsfor 2-7 damage for two consecutive Rounds.It sticks to its target and may lightinflammables it encounters. It also deals 2-7damage to targets near impact, burning forone Round.

Two such orbs count as one item for thepurposes of counting encumbrance.

Lamp Oil comes in pints and one pint shalllight a lamp for 4 hours’ time. Lamps are notprone to extinguishing in a breeze, but a

dropped or doused lamp shall extinguish 2-in-6 times.

A Small Steel Mirror mounted on a shortmetal rod is a clever way to look ‘roundcorners and over obstacles.

Parchment is for writs and spell scrolls.

A Parka encumbers in the same way asHeavy Armours do, and counts as Jack.

Quivers: A Back Quiver holds 40 arrows butprohibits the use of a backpack. A Belt

Quiver holds 10 arrows or crossbow bolts. APlain Quiver sits upon the back and holds 20arrows, but does not prohibit wearing abackpack.

Rations: Iron Rations for the dungeon aredreadful things that are only recommendedby virtue of lasti ng for two months’ timeunspoilt. Standard Rations for the trail lastfor one weeks’ time, but are tasty and easy toeat.

Rope: Hempen Rope counts as one item forthe purpose of encumbrance. Silk Rope istwice the length for the same bulk. Eachsupports up to 750 lbs.

Spell Components are rare or unusual herbsand powders to which Dweomers aresympathetic. A Wizard must haveComponents to cast spells. After each spellcast, throw one die. On a result of 1, thecomponents are exhausted. For this reason,it is wise to carry more than one pouch.

A Trap-Making Kit has the tools & materials

necessary to set or disarm dungeon traps. Ittakes at least one Turn to set such a trap ordisarm one. When used to set a trap only,throw one die. On a result of 1, the kit isexhausted and must be replaced.

Table 1.10: Arms & Armour ARMS Size Type Cost EncDagger T P 1cr. 4:1Silver

DaggerT P 15cr. 4:1

Holy Water T special 5cr. 2:1Military Oil T special 5cr. 2:1Backsword S P 5cr. 1

Hatchet S S 1cr. 1 Javelin S P 10s. 1Lt Hammer S B 3cr. 1

Lt Mace S B 3cr. 1Pilum S P 10p. 1Pistol S special 50cr. 1Sling S B 15p. 0

ArmingSword

M S 12cr. 1

Crossbow M P 25cr. 1Dane Axe M S 12cr. 1

Flail M B 7cr. 1Mace or

Warhammer M B 5cr. 1

Morningstar M B 6cr. 1

Pick M P 7cr. 1Spear M P 1cr. 1Match-Lock L special 10cr. 1

Bow L P 40cr. 1Claymore L S 15cr. 2Halberd L S 10cr. 2

Maul L B 7cr. 2Pike L P 10cr. 2

Pole Arm L varies 7cr. 2Lance L B 6cr. 2Heavy

CrossbowL P 50cr. 2

Arrows (30) A P 10s. 1

Bolts (20) A P 5s. 1Bullets (10) A special 10p. 1Powderhorn A - 2cr. 1Stones (20) A B 10f. 1

ARMOUR AC Spd Cost Enc Jack 1 120 2cr. 1Maille 2 90 10cr. 3*Plate 3 90 20cr. 4*

Shield 2 10cr. 1BashingShield

1 10cr. 1

Barding 10 15cr. 8Barding 12 30cr. 12

*If carried. Each counts as only 2 items ifworn.

Lycans are unsympathetic to WolfsbaneThey will stay away from someone who is

warded by holding it in his fist. It is also usedin the treatment of Lycanthropy whenadministered by hedge wizards or Priests.Such a treatment requires 28 days and nightsand 700s. For the Church faithful, the priceto them is based upon their ability to pay.

Jack Armour is a catch-all for the wide varietyof simple Armours worn by brigands &commoners. It is easy to make and use butprovides limited protection. Anyone can

wear Jack Armour. Examples includepadded, silk, corded, leather (studded orboiled) or even a very heavy cloak or robe.

Armours heavier than Jack interfere with alldweomercraft.

The most common kind of Armour amongst warriors & soldiers is Maille . Maille is madeof minute interlocking steel rings, fashionedinto garments and layered to absorb blows. Itis heavy and hot, but sturdy. Scale Armourand the lamellar Armour of the samurai aremechanically identical to Maille.

The heaviest Armour is Plate , named sobecause it is made from interlocking metalplates. A suit of plate must be made-to-order. It takes one fortnight per 100s. spentto construct. Many nobles and warriors willhave their Plate Armour decorated withblooding, gilding, inscripting, fluting, gems, &so forth; a good-looking kit will cost 600s.easily.


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It takes one Turn (ten minutes) to don ordoff Plate and donning it requires a helper.One may cut his way out of a suit of Plate inone Round, but it must then be repaired.

Elven Chain is magical Maille made by Elvesout of Mithral , which is as strong as steel butmuch lighter and finer. Elves and Men whocast Wizard spells may cast in Elven Chain.

Shields come in many shapes and sizes. It isassumed your PC knows how to use one if itis allowed by his Class. Shields are usuallymade of wood or wicker (almost nevermetal), or layers of animal hide stretchedover metal or wood skeletons.

A Bashing Shield is made of heavy woodreinforced by metal and is used as abludgeoning weapon as well as for defence.Because they are smaller, sometimes 10- 12”in diameter, Bashing Shields provide lessprotection.

An Arming Sword is the standard one-handercarried by Fighters and Nobles. A favouriteof the Elves.

Axe, Dane: A Viking-style weapon, 3- 5’ long, with a curved axe head. It is popular withMen and Dwarfs. It may be used one-handed or two-handed.

A Backsword is a sword of 18- 24” and broad -of-blade. It may be hidden under a cloak atthe back and is carried by ruffians as well ashonest folk when out and about.

The Claymore is a sword as long as a Man istall, always wielded two-handed.

A Silver Dagger deals damage normally toLycans, but hits at -1 because Silver is a softmetal and the blade is dulled.

A Pilum is like a little harpoon. Whether inskirmish or volley, it is a one-use weapon.On a successful hit, the attacker may chooseto Splinter the defender’s shield instead ofdealing damage.

Pistols are hand-held firearms with shortbarrels, accurate to only short range. Pistolstake a half-round to re-load, like crossbows,and thus a wielder may not move, re-load,and attack all in the same Round.

The Match-Lock is a long fire-arm used withboth hands, with considerable range andaccuracy. The Match-Lock takes a half-round to reload, like a crossbow, and thus a

wielder may not move, re-load, and attack allin the same Round. Pistols and Match-Locksmis-fire on a throw of 2 and do not fire.

A Halberd is an axe-head or cleaver affixedto a sturdy pole of 5- 8’ length. It is used intwo hands.

Pole Arm is a catch-all term for the severalkinds of hammers and blades affixed to long,sturdy poles, generally descended fromfarming implements. Pole Arms may dobludgeoning, slashing or piercing damage ora combination of any two kinds. They are

always used in two hands. Pole Arms are ofsufficient length that they may strike targets10’ away, but are too long to use againstadjacent foes.

The Pike is a lightweight spear of 15- 20’length. It is meant to be used in formation

with other fighters against the charge ofcavalry. A lone warrior with a pike must useit two-handed, and drop it once his opponentcloses within 15’.

A Powderhorn holds black powder necessaryto fire-off a pistol or Match-Lock. One

powderhorn can hold sufficient powder andkit for a day of hunting, or 30 shots.

The Heavy Crossbow is more of a stationarydevice than a dungeon weapon. It is so large,it requires a separate device called thewindlass to cock it. It fires-off once every twoRounds, & its wielder may not do anythingother than load it in the mean-time.However, it deals two dice damage andignores armour, always shooting against AC 7against other Men.

On Money

In the days of the First Empire, coins of theseveral metals were called librae , solidi , and denarii. Once common throughout theEmpire, these coins of the purest metals wereover time debased through governmentalthievery and the wages of invasion, and afterthe First Empire fell, the terms themselvesbecame general names for the coins in theseveral Realms of Men. Over time languageschange, and we call our coins crowns,shillings and pence (or pennies).

When delving into deep dungeons oruncovering the wealth of ages past, often thecoins shall seem strange and have the faces offorgotten Lords upon them. Changing inyour old coins for coins-of-the-realm alwayscosts a flat 10 , but judging the values of oldcoins in odd denominations or purity can betricky to do. Dwarfs and the money-changercan usually tell what ancient coins are worthfor you.

Table 1.11: Appraisal of Old Coins2 Dice Result

2 10% high3-4 10% low

5-12 Accurate Appraisal

On the Values of the Several Coins

The five common coins are copper farthings(f), silver pence (p), silver shillings (s),electrum crowns (cr) and gold marks (m).These are interchangeable at the following

rates:

1 m. = 5 cr. = 100 s. = 1,000 p. = 4,000 f.

i.e., 1 crown = 20 shillings; 1 shilling = 10pence; and 1 penny = 4 farthings. There aremany local variants on these coins andexchange rates.

20 coins weigh one pound (lb.) and 400 in abag make a unit of encumbrance. Theexception is the tiny farthing, which is 40 to apound and 800 to a unit of encumbrance.

Valuation of Jewels : Jewelers or gem-cutterscharge a flat rate of 2cr. per item appraised. On the Royal Bank & Bank Notes

Additionally, Bank Notes may be available incities with Royal Banks, and are issued in1,000cr and 10,000cr denominations inexchange for equal deposit. 3% interest ispaid once (upon deposit) to the depositor inexchange for these Bank Notes, which arerecognised by many richer merchants andmembers of the Nobility.

Banks will not deal with common riff-raff with no pedigree or breeding. They are heldby the Crown of the Realm (or a near-byrealm) and maintain their standing throughroyal decree. Commoners are kept awayfrom the Bank. But clever types will find

ways of retaining bank services regardless.

The very existence of Royal Banks and theirplacement shall be the sole provision of theReferee.

Table 1.12: PropertyProperty Cost Upkeep/mo.

Small hut, 1room 50s. 30p.

Small apartment,2 rooms

500s. 5s.

Apartment orsmall house, 3

rooms1,000s. 10s.

Large apt. ormed. house, 5

rooms3,000s. 30s.

Grand apt. orlarge house, 8

rooms10,000s. 100s.


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Grand fortifiedhouse

50,000s. 500s.

Luxurious Palace 100,000s. 1,000s.Castle 30,000s.+ varies

On Living Expenses

The treasure hunter must live somewhere when he is not mucking up a ruin or clearinga dungeon.

Adventurer’s Guilds: Membership of variousadventurers' guilds costs 25cr. initially, plus5cr. per month. They all offer cheap, secureaccommodation and food is included.

Buying Property: For a more permanentbase, Player-Characters may choose to buyproperty. Most normal people in towns

would never own property, even a shack – itis purely the province of the well-to-do.Buildings will also entail monthly runningcosts (which include a rough averaged figurefor repairs &c.), unless the character wishes

to allow them to fall into disrepair.

The ultimate goal of many Adventurers is toretire to a Castle and grounds, & perhapscontrol several villages, & a valuable resourcesuch as farmland, a mineral or gem mine, atrade road, or a port. This should bepossible but not assuredly so at Level 9 orsome-time there-after. More on this topicappears in Chapter Four. Step 5: Determine Skirmish Scores

The important numbers to know for skirmishare your Base Attack Bonus (BAB) and

other bonuses To-Hit, your Armour Class(AC), your Hit Dice (HD) and Hit Points (hpor Hits), and your Saving Throw.

Skirmish is explained in Chapter Three. Fornow, record your Base Attack Bonus basedon your class and level. Some classes start at+1 and some start at +0.

Exceptional Strength gives a +1 To-Hitin skirmish.Exceptional Dexterity gives a +1 To-Hitin volley fire combat.Hobbits get a +1 To-Hit in volley firecombat.Later, magic items may grant youadditional bonuses To-Hit.

Armour Class

Armour Class (AC) is a measure of how hard you are To-Hit with a weapon, tooth & claw,or bare hand. For the common kinds, ACstarts at 7 for no Armour.

Jack Armour grants +1 AC; Maille, +2;Plate Armour grants +3 AC.

A Normal Shield grants +2 AC & aBashing Shield grants +1.Exceptional DEX grants +1 AC; InferiorDEX penalizes you -1.Hobbits gain +2 AC against opponentslarger than a Man.

Hit Dice

Each class has its own Hit Dice progression.

Upon creation and then anew upon attainingeach additional level, throw all Hit Dice todetermine Hit Points.

Between one level and the next, Hit Pointsshall never decrease and shall increase by atleast one, no matter the number thrown onthe Hit Dice.

Hit Points

Hit Points are an abstract scale, where at oneend is “totally unharmed” and at the otherend is “near death and dying.” Anythingphysically dangerous, such as a long fall, asword strike, or a fire ball spell, reduces yourcurrent Hit Points. Characters withExceptional Constitution add +1 Hit Pointper level up to 9; characters with InferiorConstitution subtract one per die in the samemanner.

Hit Points come back through magic, rest,bandages, and the restful power of music.

Just how this is so is covered later in ChapterTwo.

The Saving Throw

Your Save is listed in the table for your Class.

Hobbits always gain a +1 to their Savebecause they are lucky.Dwarfs gain a +1 to all poison Savesbecause they are hardy.

Saves are a gracious last-chance granted bythe Gods to mitigate the effects of thedangerous world and of harmful magic.

A Saving Throw is a chance your characterhas to avoid or mitigate damage or avoid yourfate. Some spells allow Saves; some traps do,too. The Referee will ask you to throw aSave when you get one. Saves are listed withother level-based abilities on the severalcharacter tables. Sometimes the Referee willsay, “Make a DEX Save,” which means add

your DEX modifier to the throw. Other statsmay also be used in this way.

Step 6: Determine Name, Sex, Age andAlignment

Each adventurer ought to be thought of as hisown man, with his own life and motivations.

Although he is created by the player at thetable, the character himself is real within thefictional confines of his world. Name himand think a little about his past.

A Word about Pronouns

Throughout this book, the male pronoun isused when one is needed. However, the pastis filled with Famous & AdventurousHeroines of many nations and epochs.There is no mechanical difference between amale and a female character, nor shall theplayer be bound to play one with the samesex as himself.

On Alignment

Alignment is a descriptive , rather than proscriptive , measure of your character’sethos. Some characters tend toward Law,and adventure to advance the goals of thoseChurches & Lords which mean to maintainOrder. They tend to follow just laws andtreat sentient beings, friend or foe,respectfully. Chaotic characters are moreinterested in Freedom than in Order, andmay or may not follow laws as it suits them.They are sometimes tempted by the lure ofEvil. Neutrality is a category thatencompasses most common folks and somePlayer-Characters. They are not stronglyinclined one way or another, or perhaps theyare actively committed to maintaining abalance between Law and Chaos.

Each of these choices is appropriate for aPlayer-Character. You are still theprotagonist, even if you decide to be Neutralor Chaotic.


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Clerics have a special burden when it comesto alignment. Their class abilities are grantedby higher powers with strict standards. Thatmeans they must be careful not to committoo many acts that oppose their patron,

whether that patron is one of Law, one ofChaos or one of Balance (as Neutral ones arecalled.)

In the case of the Cleric, the Referee shallguide you when he sees you taking apotentially alignment-violating action bysaying something like, “Are you sure you

want to commit to that Chaotic action?” sothat you may reconsider. You may stillcommit to the ethically-questionable act, butit may affect your character later at thediscretion of the Referee.

On Gaining Experience and ExperienceLevels

Heroes learn and grow from adventuring and

taming the wilderlands. They achieve greaterpersonal power and make the Realm of Mensafer by overcoming dangers, slayingmonsters, and especially through theliberation of ancient magic and treasure.

Treasure Hunters rewards knowledge,discovery and the acquisition of wealth withExperience Points (XP). Experience pointsare a measure of knowledge and personalpower dependent thereupon. When yourcharacter earns enough, he gains anotherlevel.

This means his Base Attack Bonus may goup; his Hit Dice and Hit Points will go up;and his Saving Throw may change.

Additionally, some classes advance in theirclass abilities or gain new abilities uponachieving another level (especially spell-casters), so be sure to check what new orimproved abilities you will have.

Activities Which Grant Experience Points

Liberating Treasure: When you loot adungeon or a bandit camp, you gainmoney. But you also gain XP at the rateof 1 shilling. = 1 XP. This is the fastestand easiest way to gain XP.

Monsters: Observing and bypassingmonsters and other opponents or using

parley or trickery against them is just as valuable as killing them outright inTreasure Hunters . Of course, killingthem also grants the XP award. Thisaward is listed in the monsterdescriptions in The Referee’sCompanion and is based upon thethreat the monster generates.

Exploring new areas: Every time you

explore a full dungeon (the Referee willdecide how much counts as “fullexploration”), you will gain XP at therate of 1000 XP per dungeon level.Every time you explore a new wildernesshex, you will receive 1000 XP per PCparticipating, split amongst PCs &Retainers.

Prime Requisite Bonuses

If your Character has Exceptional PrimeRequisites, he will receive a 10% bonus to allXP received. Rather than determine this

amount as he goes along, it is awarded at thestart of the level. For instance, if your Fighterneeds 2,000 XP for Level 2 and hasExceptional Strength, he will immediatelystart his career with 200 XP.Splitting XP Awards

All participating Player-Characters must splittheir XP evenly, and give half-shares to theirRetainers and NPCs with class levels. In thecase of a party with Retainers, count each PCas 2 shares and each Retainer as 1 share.Divide the XP by the total number of shares.Then award 2 shares each to the PCs and 1share each to the Retainers.

Other kinds of hirelings do not earn XP fortheir adventures, but rather are paid a flatrate. Unless one is promoted to Retainerthrough role-play, his abilities will neverimprove.On Splitting Treasure

When there are valuable magic items to behad, or some of the treasure is in gemstones,it will be impossible to split the treasure upexactly evenly. It is up to the several players,and not the Referee or a chart, to decide howto split the physical treasure up.

No matter how treasure is split up, the XP issplit evenly.

Upon Attaining a New Level

Characters need two things to attain a newlevel; the first is sufficient Experience Points.The second thing they need is to spend timeand money Training. Training requires aMaster. This master can be anyone who is ofthe same class as your PC wants to attain andat least the same level as he seeks to achieve.Training costs 100s. x (current level) x

(current level) and takes 1-6 weeks.

For example, if the character wishes toachieve Level Three, he must spend 1-6

weeks and 100 x 2 x 2 = 400s.

Only when both of these requirements aremet can your character “level up,” add HitPoints and other things, and in the case of theusers of Wizard magic, record a new spell inhis spellbook.

Henchmen with levels must train up too; aPC leader can train henchmen of the same

class for free, but will lose out on the moneyand XP to be gained. This grants thehenchman a +1 to morale.

Your Referee may have a different rule aboutClerics attaining a new level, or he may usethis general rule for all character classes.

On Upkeep

Each month, the PC must spend moneyequal to 1% of his current XP total. Thisrepresents the “cost of doing business” as it

were, and accrues him no benefit.

The “Squander” Rule

If a player has his character intentionally waste money on things that the PC mayenjoy, but provide no in-game advantage(nights out on the town, giving lavish gifts topeople other than his friends & hirelings,beautifying a town he visits, aiding strangers,building a work-house), he should keep trackof the money so “squandered”.

Upon the death of that character, the playermay apply 90% of the Squandered money asXP to the next PC he creates & plays.


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13

Chapter Two: DUNGEONS, TRAPS & WILDERLANDS

Table 2.1: EncumbranceStrength Unencumbered (120’) Light (90’) Moderate (60’) Heavy (30’) OverburdenedInferior 6 items 9 items 12 items 15 items 18 items

Normal 9 items 12 items 15 items 18 items 21 items

Exceptional 12 items 15 items 18 items 21 items 24 items

Ogres 24 items 30 items 36 items 42 items 48 items

Giants 48 items 57 items 66 items 75 items 84 items

On The Referee’s Prerogative

The Referee shall have final say in alladjudications. All other rules are optional.

On Taking Miscellaneous Action

You may usually have your man try anyaction you can imagine. Success sometimesrequire throws-of-the-dice and consultation oftables. These throws adjudicate actions, theresults of which may be in question. Theyare not meant to supplant the story-telling,but rather to support it.

Rather than have several granular skills assome games present, Treasure Hunters presumes general competence amongst

Adventurous Men and tries each PC againstthe same number.

If a PC should try something which is neitherautomatic nor impossible, and the Refereeshall wonder how to adjudicate it, the Rule ofSeven shall apply.

The Rule of Seven:

When attempting a task not covered in theserules, throw two dice and add or subtract anappropriate Ability Modifier at the Referee’sdiscretion. A modified throw of 7 or bettershall constitute a success.

Modifiers for ease or difficulty may also beapplied by the Referee in the range of -2 to+2.

On Encumbrance

Any item of value or good use encumbers aperson, as does anything heavy or bulky.

Jack counts as one item; Maille or Plate astwo. One-handed weapons count as oneitem (four daggers make one item); two-handed weapons count as two. A Bow andits Arrows count as two together. A bag withabout 400 coins or gems in it is one item.

A person with Inferior Strength may carry sixitems without worry; up to nine with areduction in speed of 30’; up to twelve with areduction in speed of 60’, and 15 with areduction in speed of 90’. More than that, hemay not fight, but only defend himself. 18 ishis maximum carrying capacity in any case.

The other classes of Strength are presentedin Table 2.1: Encumbrance . Added forcomparison are the Encumbrance values formighty Ogres and Giants.

2.2 Effects of Encumbrance

LevelCumulative

EffectsMovement

Unencumbered No ill effects 120’ Light No ill effects 90’

Moderate No ill effects 60’

HeavyLose Dex

bonus to AC30’

OverburdenedMay not

attack or run30’

Armour as Encumbrance

Furthermore, no matter how mighty a

particular treasure hunter may be, he isconsidered at the least Lightly Encumbered ifhe is wearing Maille or Plate. This rule shallnot apply to Dwarfs, who are built to wearheavy Armour for long periods withoutbother.

Heavily Encumbered

Heavily Encumbered characters forfeit their Armour Class bonus due to ExceptionalDexterity, should they have one.

Overburdened

Overburdened characters stagger about at30’, lose their Dexterity bonus, andfurthermore cannot attack in any way untilthey drop some weight. They can howeverdefend themselves.

It is good to keep your Encumbrance down,so that you are not slowed down at thedeciding moment. To this end, non-combatant Henchmen & Beasts of Burdenare well worth their price.

How Time is Measured

There are three important measurements oftime as the characters experience it passing ingame.

None of these time periods relate to ourobjective experience of time passing in thereal world whilst we play. They refer to thesubjective time experienced by the charactersin the game world only.

The Day

A normal day of adventuring or other activityis the first unit of time marked by theReferee. Each game day he will instruct youto perform daily tasks such as marking downrations, planning your activity, prayer orspellbook study, &c. Overland movement istracked by the day as well.

The Turn

During the course of the game, things will gettense for your character from time to time.

Time will become an important factor insome situations. When we need to measuretime, the Referee will tell you he is markingExploration Time.

The units of Exploration Time are tenminutes each and they are called “Turns” orExploration Turns . Each Turn is tenminutes of in-game time long. Afterspending five consecutive Turns at an activity,the heroes must rest for one full Turn beforecontinuing along.


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Some Actions that can be completed in oneExploration Turn:

Carefully move twice your speed,adjusted by Encumbrance.Hustle along at 8x your speed, adjustedby encumbrance. Three Turns must befollowed immediately by three Turns ofrest.Search a 10’ x 10’ area of a dungeonroom.

Pick a lock or disarm a trap.Parley with NPCs or monsters.Load or unload a pack with care; saddleor un-saddle a mount.

The Round

When a character is in skirmish, in volley orfacing another life-or-death scenario whereseconds count, the Referee will inform youhe is switching to Skirmish Time. SkirmishTime is marked in one-minute intervals. These one-minute units of Skirmish Timeare called Skirmish Rounds or simply“Rounds”.

When the Skirmish Rounds period ends, theReferee will jump to the end of the next ten-minute Exploration Turn. The mean-timecan be assumed to be a period of bindingminor wounds, re-adjusting gear, andcatching one’s breath.

Some Actions that can be completed in oneSkirmish Round:

Run twice full speedMake a skirmish attack*Make a volley attack*Cast a spellDrink a potion*Switch weapons or equip a new shield*Barge through a door*

Aid another character*Make a charging attackMake a fighting retreat

*You may also move 1/2 of your speed. If inskirmish, your opponent may react to thismovement.

On the Fourth Time Period

Although it is not measured precisely, thereis a fourth time period which is just asimportant as the rest of them: The timespent between adventures in the relativesafety of a city, town or castle. Activities suchas

buying & selling items,training up to a new Experience Level,healing wounds,planning & overseeing new construction,squandering,

attending to Hirelings,intrigue at Court or Romance,& creating new magic items

shall happen during this fourth time period.The several players shall keep track of whatthey wish to accomplish and the time &money it takes to do it, in order to know whattime of year it is & what their bank balancetells.

On Speed of Movement

Dwarfs, due to their odd gait, have anunencumbered speed of 90’. All of the othercommon kinds have an unencumberedspeed of 120’, even the tiny Hobbit.

Every creature has a movement rate whichshows how far it can carefully move in half aTurn. Therefore an unencumberedcharacter can move 240’ whilst paying closeattention to his surroundings or move 960’ ata hustle in one Turn.

The speeds given are for indoor exploration.Out-of-doors, convert each foot to a yard,effectively tripling all movement rates andranges.

The Hex

The out-of-doors is measured in hexes , justas in-doors is measured in squares. Hexesmore resemble circles and allow for easymeasurement of travel in many directions.The basic hex size used is six miles fromcentre-to-centre. Larger hexes, such as a 30-mile hex and smaller hexes such as a half-mile hex are possible.

Wilderness Travel Daily Steps

1. Mark off a day on the calendar. Noteany important events.

2. Record Hit Points healed andprogression of any conditions.

3. Check weather.

4.Check supplies. Mark off suppliesused.

5. Plan out day's activity.

Overland Movement

Movement from point-to-point across the wilderlands proceeds at a base rate of foursix-mile hexes per day, or about 24 miles.For each six days’ time the characters makeprogress, they must rest for a full day.

Larger Groups

Groups of over 100 people and Beasts moveone hex slower per day. Groups of 1000 ormore move at two hexes slower per day.

Groups larger than 10,000 are often splitacross more than one hex as they march.

Running

Whilst running, a person can move eighttimes his base movement rate per Turn, buthe cannot pay attention to his surroundings.He may miss important details and may notdraw a map. He may not take advantage of

his Exceptional Dexterity bonus to ArmourClass.

Overland Exploration

Surveying a six-mile hex or hunting for aparticular thing within it takes 3- 18 days’ time(either thrown on dice at random or chosenby the Referee). After such time, the hex canbe said to be fully explored & mapped, atleast for the group of PCs at-hand. N.B.: thisis roughly 32 sq. mi. - that’s a lot of ground tocover!

Wilderlands Generally

The wilderlands are all the areas outside ofand between towns, cities and hamlets, whichare untamed and largely unknown.Thereabouts be there monsters, bandits,ruins, dungeons, and all manner of fantasticdanger.

Wilderlands Mapping

Each six-mile hex has one dominant terraintype, be it grassland or mountain or what-have-you. Some hexes will be civilised.Some will be borderlands. Some will be true

wilderlands. Additionally, some will havedungeons, castles, towns, or cities locatedsomewhere within. Be sure to mark upon

your map or a map key the terrain and thecontents of each hex.

It is best to map out the wilderlands on hexpaper. The Referee shall keep a completedand keyed map to the wilderlands which hehas devised beforehand.


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Wilderlands Sighting

On level ground, the distance to the horizonis about three miles. Monsters can bespotted (when not hiding) at a distance of 4-24’ x 10 outdoors ( n.b. read feet as yardswhilst out of doors, so this means 40-240

yards.)

Higher Ground

Climbing to the top of the highest point inthe hex ought to give a good amount ofinformation about adjacent hexes.Sometimes finding this high ground can bean Adventure in itself.

Movement Not on Foot

Animals and monsters each have their ownmovement rate. Ships on the water move at

various rates across water and sometimesswampland. Aerial travel is independent ofthe terrain below. Sample movement ratesfor some vehicles and animals are givenbelow in Tables 2.3 to 2.5 .

Table 2.3: Animal Movement Rates

TypeMovement Turn /

Gallop Movement Per Day Encumbrance (1/2 speed)

Palfrey or Courser 480’ / 3840’ 36 miles per day (6 Hexes) 300 lbs. / 15 ItemsPony 120’ / 1920’ 24 miles per day (4 Hexes) 200 lbs. / 10 Items

Destrider 120’ / 1920’ 24 miles per day (4 Hexes) 400 lbs. / 20 ItemsDrey’s Horse 90’ 1440’ 18 miles per day (3 Hexes) 2000 lbs. on cart / 100 Items

Sumpter 120’ / 1920’ 24 miles per day (4 Hexes) 200 lbs. / 10 Items

Encumbrance indicates the maximum load ahorse will bear and still move at full speed. Ifthis load is surpassed, they will only move athalf speed.

Only a Courser or Destrider will fight. Othermounts will scatter or retreat (mules are aspecial case) until battle is concluded.

Table 2.4: Aerial Hex Movement PerDay

Vehicle/Creature Any TerrainMagic Contraption 33

Air Elemental 25Demon 13Djinn 25

Dragon 20Efreet 17

Griffin 25Hippogriff 33

Pegasus 40Roc 40

The Pony is for small characters & Dwarfs.They may ride horses, but only as a secondrider. They count against encumbrance inthis case.

Draft Horses are not meant for riding. Theypull carts. One draft horse can pull a loadedcart weighing one tonne.

Mules will defend themselves if attacked.They are willing to enter dungeons if guided.

All horses can feed themselves if there isgrazing fodder available, but they still need todrink. Where grazing fodder is not available,it costs 5p per day for riding horses, 10p for

war and draft horses, and 5p for ponies andmules.

On Losing One’s Way

Whenever the party loses track of where theyare or the route they wish to take, the

Table 2.45 Hex Movement on Water perDay

Ship Type Water SwampBoat 12 4

Galley 16 5Merchant Ship 10 10

Raft 5 3

Referee shall throw one die. Dependingupon the terrain type, the party may becomelost. Once lost, the Referee secretly throwsone die and determines which direction theyare headed (using only his own map). Each

day, the party may make only one change ofdirection. See Table 2.6 , below.

Table 2.6: Getting LostTerrain

TypeChance of Losing One's

WayPlains 1 (on one die)Forest 1-2River 1

Swamp 1-3Mountains 1-2

Desert 1-3City nil

If the party should spend time to explore thesurroundings of an area in depth, the Refereeshould reveal the direction of travel. If nearcivilisation (in the same hex as a town orcastle), the party will not get lost.

Table 2.7: Terrain Type Modifiers toBase Movement Rate

Terrain Type SpeedDesert, Hills, Forest x 2/3

Jungle, Swamp, Mountains x 1/2Road or clearly-marked trails x 1

Dungeon Exploration

The mythic Underworld and ancient ruinsare referred to as “dungeons” and include

any sort of indoor space with discrete roomsand corridors, containing dangers.

Generally

Dungeon “level” is a rough description of thelevel of danger & reward contained within acertain area, although levels can indeed bestacked atop one another. The level closestto the wilderlands is generally the safest, withincreasing danger as one descends to furtherlevels.

Dungeon Rooms

Most dungeons will contain much moreempty space than monsters, traps or treasure.The Referee will as a rule place monsters in

1/3 of the rooms, &c. for traps and treasure.Unguarded treasures of great value are rare,and usually hidden.

On Traps

Traps, either naturally-occurring hazards ormechanical or magical wards, also filldungeons. The Referee shall avoid “bang!

You’re dead!” style traps which removeplayer interaction from the game, usually.The Referee shall determine ahead of timehow a particular trap is triggered & its effects.

In general, there must be some way to avoidor reduce the effect of the trap being sprung.For instance, a Save is used to avoid fallinginto a covered pit or being hit by a poisonedneedle trap.


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Normal characters have a 1-in-6 chance todetect a trap modified by Wisdom(minimum 1-in-6) if a search for one is made.

Thieves have a special ability to find andremove traps, which supersedes this throw, asdoes the stonework trap-finding ability ofDwarves. In all cases, a search for traps takesone Turn per 10' square area. A singleperson may only search a given area for traps

once.

On Doors

Doors in dungeons are usually locked orstuck shut. Most open doors closethemselves automatically, unless wedgedopen with spikes. Doors open automaticallyfor monsters in most cases unless precautionsare taken.

Listening at Doors

Anyone may Listen. Each kind of Demi-

Man may listen for sounds on a 5-6 throw onone die; Men only hear sounds on a 6thrown on one die.

Breaking Down Doors & &c.

Breaking a door down or performing a featof Strength requires a Round and succeedson a 2-in-6 (or a 3-in-6 for ExceptionallyStrong characters). Using a crowbar achievesthe same effect but at +1, but a crowbar canonly be used for certain strength-relatedtasks.

Performing such “spot -engineering” createsquite the racket which will draw nearbyattention. The Referee shall likely throw for

wandering monsters whenever you decide totry something noisy such as this.

A stuck door can be opened on a 2-in-6; addthe character's Strength modifier to the range,so that a character with a bonus of +1 canopen a stuck door on a throw of 3-in-6.People with Inferior Strength still succeed ona 1-in-6 throw.

Locked doors and conventional metal barsare forced by throwing the same range;however those with Inferior Strength shallnever be able to bend iron bars or performsuch legendary feats of strength without aid.

On Secret Doors

Under normal conditions, searching forsecret doors takes one Turn per 10' of wall

searched. A secret door is found on a throwof 6 on 1 die. Elves find secret doors on athrow 2-in-6. Some Thieves find them on 3-in-6 without actively searching.

On Monsters in the Underworld

Players and Monsters shall discover oneanother when they approach

within 2- 12 x 10’ unless oneparty or the other issneaking; in that case,success means they gainsurprise. Monsters with

some motivation willalways chase playercharacters. In the case ofnon-intelligent or animalintelligent monsters, theyshall be deterred on a 5-in-6if the players drop food themonster likes. In the case ofintelligent monsters, they shallbe deterred on a 5-in-6 if theplayers drop treasure the monster likes.

Monsters and Burning Oil

Burning oil will deter most kinds ofcorporeal monsters. If the Referee is indoubt, monsters will only pursue through fireon a 10 or more on two dice.Monsters & Parley

Should one of your band share a language with one of the monsters, it is possible tomake Parley with them, and perhaps avoidcombat or even join forces. See Table 2.8below.

Each go-round of Parley takes one Turn, andParley may continue exhaustively in somecases. All the while, your torches areexpiring and other wandering monsters mayhear & approach.

Table 2.8: Monster Reaction Table2 Dice Reaction

2 Immediate Attack3-5 Hostile, possible attack6-8 Uncertain, continue parley

9-11No attack; leaves or considers

offers12 Enthusiastic friendship

On Wandering Monsters

Not all monsters are waiting in place for youto come slay them! Many wander around:

whether on patrol, scavenging, working intheir Underworld home, or for otherreasons. At the end of each third Turn whilstdungeoneering, the Referee may throw upona table of possible wandering monsters topresent to your party.

On Light Sources

The mythic Underworld is usually dark.Regular heroes cannot see in the dark; onlyDwarfs and Elves have Darkvision, amongthe common kinds.

On Darkvision

Some kinds have Darkvision.This gives them the ability tosee in total darkness, but isdisrupted by even a candle’s

worth of light. Darkvision issimilar to heat-map vision, withcolors representing thetemperatures of surfaces.Darkvision does not grant onethe ability to see in magicaldarkness and effects which blindnormal sight also blindDarkvision. The range ofDarkvision is 60'.

Light interferes with Darkvision. A charactermay not utilize Darkvision across a pool oflight, whether he is inside it or out.

On Monsters and Darkvision

For game play purposes, monsters which livein dark places are assumed to haveDarkvision.

Basic Light Sources

Mundane light sources come in threeintensities.

The Candle creates enough light for oneperson to see what he is doing. It burns for36 Turns in total.

The Torch creates enough light for twopeople to see what they are doing. It burnsfor Six Turns.

The Lantern creates enough light for threepeople to see what they are doing in a darkplace. It burns for 24 Turns on a pint of oil.

Sometimes other light sources are comparedto one of these three measurements.


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The Bulls-Eye Lantern creates a cone of light100’ long and 20’ at the far end. It castsillumination rather like a modern flash-lightand consumes oil at the same rate as normallanterns.

In any case, a person or group carrying a lightsource in a dark place or at night cannotcause surprise. Nor can they be surprised byanother group similarly using a light source.

Magical Light Sources

Light spells are point-source in nature.

Blindness or Deafness

A deafened creature is surprised on 1-3 on 1die. A blinded creature is surprised on 1-4on 1 die, suffers a -2 penalty to its skirmishattack throws, a -5 penalty to his volley attackthrows & for those temporarily blinded, a -4penalty to its Armour Class. Naturally-blindcreatures suffer no such penalty.

These effects are modified when dealing withmonsters having unusual sensory abilities; forexample, bats may be affected by deafness asif blinded instead.

Environmental Dangers

Aside from horrid monsters and diabolicaltraps, the treasure hunters shall be at timesthreatened by more mundane sources ofgrave danger & inconvenience.

On Comestibles

PCs and their companions must consumeone day's worth of rations (or equivalentfood) and a minimum of two quarts of waterper day.

Upon the third day of no food, a personloses 1 Hit Point from his total until he haseaten and rested. Each additional day

without food subtracts another Hit Pointfrom his total number. After the third day,the character cannot heal Hit Points throughconventional means, though magic will still

work. Eating enough food for a day restoresthe ability to heal, & the character willrecover lost Hit Points normally thereafter.

Dehydration is swifter. Each day without water subtracts 1-3 Hit Points, even day one.No conventional healing is possible until thecharacter is rehydrated, which takes abouttwo hours per day of thirst.

On Drowning

A PC can hold his breath for two plus hisConstitution modifier in one-minute Rounds

and may exert himself normally during thistime.

After this fixed period the character begins todrown. He may no longer exert himself inany way, becomes insensate, and is reduced

to -1 Hit Points through subdual damage.

After three Rounds in this condition, thatsubdual damage is converted to normaldamage. Most people then becomedead. Men will continue to lose one HitPoint per round until they reach -5 Hit Pointsand are dead.

At any point before death, the character canbe saved by bringing him to a place where hecan breathe air and then spending one roundaiding him in breathing by getting the waterout of his lungs.

Suffocation works in the same way, althoughexposure to some poisoned media may havelonger-lasting effects.

On Falling

A PC or other character that falls is dealt 1die per 10' fallen, max 20 dice. A PC orother character that falls for any distance over50' takes damage regardless but must alsomake a Save or die instantly.

On Foraging

Usually this is possible in town or the wilderlands but impossible in the dungeon.Foraging for food and water takes eighthours’ labour. This will find food for 1-6people. Hobbits count as two people for thepurposes of consumption.

On Immolation

If a PC or other character contacts fire froma point source, he shall throw a

Save. Success means damage is limited to 1-3 Hit Points of immediate damage, and hedoes not catch fire. Failure means 1-3immediate damage and he does catch fire.

If a PC is subjected to a great area on fire, thecharacter takes 2-7 damage immediately and2-7 each round he is in the fire, until dead.Upon leaving the inferno, he may throw aSave to avoid being on fire as above: Success

means the fire is put-out. Failure means 1-3immediate damage and he does catch fire.

While in an inferno, each of the PC'sinflammable possessions must throw a Saveor be destroyed. This Save is thrown versusthe same target number as the PC carryingthese items. Magic items gain a +2 to thisSave. Inflammable items include clothing &

Jack Armour among other obvious items.On extinguishing fire: it takes one fullRound to extinguish a fire on your person orin a small area, by smothering the flames indirt or jumping in a lake. During this round,

the PC or other character takes no damage.

On Henchmen

Henchmen of the several varieties are critical!There are two reasons for this.

This game’s skirmish is much moredangerous than what many players are usedto. Fighting with some henchmen is useful insoaking up hits as well as in dealing extradamage, without slowing down skirmishterribly.

Torch-bearers and porters are useful for theusual reasons.

Treasure Hunters also takes as itsphilosophical antecedent the original RPGs

which in turn were descendants of the wargame. In the wargame, the Hero ledunits or entire armies. So it becomes naturalfor Heroes in Treasure Hunters to leadgroups of NPCs into the unknown.

Later in this book you shall find rules forrunning mass skirmish as between opposingarmies as well as castle sieges.

Generally

Especially for players unfamiliar with theolder aesthetics, this is going to be a hardlesson to absorb. Be reminded: TreasureHunters is designed to be played withhenchmen and hirelings. To avoid theirengagement will hamper your charactergreatly.


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On the Cost of Hirelings

Men-At-Arms will demand 5cr. per day,and twice that or more if there isskirmish. They also require gear.Non-combatants will demand 3cr. perday and twice that if there is skirmish.Retainers always get ½ XP and ½treasure.Specialists get 50-2000s. per month or

per job (whichever comes first) plus 1-3x 50s. up-front. See Table 2.7 below.

Each type of hireling expects his family to be justly compensated upon the occasion of hisaccidental death. 12-25s. plus their mortalremains is customary.

Table 2.9: SpecialistsType Cost per month

Animal Trainer 300s. Armourer 100s.

Engineer 500s.Herbalist 700s.

Hit Man 1500s.+ per missionSage 300s.Sailor 20s.

Sea Captain 250s.Smith (black orred), carpenter

50s.

Smith (gold orsilver)

75s.

Spy 500s. or more

Henchmen becoming Retainers

There are no rules for the process by which aHenchman becomes a Retainer; it shall behandled through role-play or by playeragreement.

On Beasts as Henchmen and Retainers

At your pleasure, you may make animalssuch as war dogs or stallions available asRetainers, and they shall count toward acharacter’s total number. If the Refereereally wants to get the players’ attention, hemay have someone or something threaten theparty’s dog!

Monsters of the same Alignment may also betaken as retainers or Henchmen, but mayscare off some common folk and the otherMen-at-Arms.

Should a monster of any Alignment bebested and surrender to the party, he mayserve as a Henchman for a time.

The Normal Man

Most Hirelings are Normal Men. They have1 die Hit Points and a +0 Base Attack Bonus,but otherwise function as Fighting-Men. Inthe case of Saving Throws, their Level is

considered 0, and they only Save on an 11+.

Despite their name, Normal Men may bemen or women of any of the common kinds.Dwarfs will not consider employment byElves, and vice-versa, since the common onesof each kind have a healthy disdain for theculture of the other.

On His Experience Points

Normal Men have few chances to advance inlevel, for they do not generally earn XP.There are three ways for a Normal Man to

gain XP. Adventure on his own, not as ahenchman;Participate in a military campaign as asoldier (See Chapter Seven); orBecome a Retainer.

Otherwise, the Normal Man shall alwaysremain normal and never gain experience. ANormal Man who gains 100 XP shall beeligible to become a Level 1 character in aclass he otherwise qualifies for.

Henchmen in Skirmish Along with theirLeaders

Each henchman in skirmish alongside aPlayer- Character adds +1 AC to his PC’s

Armour Class. Whenever the PC hits anopponent, the PC deals an extra 1-2 Hitsdamage for each henchman involved in theskirmish, rather than throwing separately foreach henchman.

Note that this

0e play test copy

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