Dead Simple Fantasy RPG Rules 3rd Edition

© Craig Cartmell Version 3.0, April 2011

+Introduction+ We believe that roleplaying is more important than rules-playing. This is why we have condensed these rules into a single page. The cardinal rule is: if there isn’t a rule for it – make it up as you go along. Have fun!

+Adventurer Creation+ Attributes New Adventurers have ten points to divide between the four attributes below. Each attribute must be given between one & four points. Strength STR Dexterity DEX Intellect INT Spirit SPT

Skills Skill Level = Aptitude + Training + Professional Modifier.

Skill Aptitude Examples Agility DEX x 2 Climb, Leap, Swim Craft DEX + INT Make, Repair Fighting STR + INT Kill, Maim Knowledge INT x 2 Lore, Memory, Magic Perception INT + SPT Spot, Hear, Smell Persuasion SPT x 2 Charm, Con Shooting DEX + INT Sniper Speed STR + DEX Run, React Stealth DEX + SPT Sneak, Hide, Stalk Toughness STR + SPT Grit, Courage

Training New Adventurers are Trained in two skills & Familiar with three others of their choice. The remainder are Untrained.

Training level Bonus Untrained -1 Familiar +0 Trained +1 Experienced +2 Mastered +3

Skill Check Roll less than Skill Level on 1D20. When using a skill a roll of 1 is an automatic success & a roll of 20 an automatic failure.

Race Human: Big, ugly & everywhere. SPT+1, can be any Profession. Elf: Pointy-eared, slender & mysterious. INT+1, can only be a Fighter, Wizard or Thief. Dwarf: Short, greedy & tough. STR+1, can only be a Fighter, Thief or Priest. Hobbit: Little, larcenous & lucky. DEX+1, can only be a Thief or Barbarian.

Profession Fighter: Well armed & armoured the Fighter is often the leader of a party of Adventurers. His job is to defend his friends & kill monsters. Fighting +2, Double Trouble, any Armour & Shield. Wizard: The master of magic, he starts with three spells of his choice in his spellbook. Knowledge +2, Spells, no Armour allowed. Thief: This is the burglar & scout of the party. He stops his friends getting killed by traps. Craft +2, Stealth +2, Burglary, only Light Armour. Priest: A powerful ally against the Undead & the only Adventurer who can heal their friends’ wounds. He is not bad in combat either. Persuasion +2, Holy Light, Healing, only Light or Medium Armour & Shield. Barbarian: A complete maniac from the savage tribes of the far north who lives to kill monsters. Toughness +2, Survival, only Light Armour & Shield.

Professional Abilities Double Trouble; Can attack twice in a turn, if he has not moved, against any adjacent enemy. Burglary; Can use his Craft skill to attempt to pick locks, or to find & disarm traps. Holy Light; As long as the Priest stands still & holds up his holy symbol this light will prevent Undead approaching closer than 10’. Healing; A Priest’s touch makes a KO’d figure just wounded, or a wounded one whole. Survival; Can use Perception skill to track animals or enemies, & find food, shelter & water in the wilderness.

Improving Adventurers After an adventure the Adventurers divide the loot between them equally. They can then spend some of this on training to improve themselves.

Cost Improvement 500 Improve Attribute by +1 100 Improve a Skill’s training level by +1 200 A Wizard can choose a new spell to add

to his spellbook. Costs are in Silver Ducats.

Equipment All new Adventurers begin with a set of suitable clothes, a Hooded Cloak & a Backpack containing: a Bedroll, Rope (30’), Flint & Steel, Knife, Flask of Oil, Lantern, Sack, Three Sea Shells & Water-flask. In addition an Adventurer will have:

Fighter Light Armour, Light Shield, Sword/Axe.

Wizard Staff, Pointy Hat, Spellbook. Thief Dagger, Burglary Tools. Priest Light Armour, Mace, Holy Symbol. Barbarian Light Armour, Battle Axe, Furs. Human 3 Hunting Spears (range 30’). Elf Longbow (range 100’), 12 Arrows. Dwarf A Crossbow (range 75’) & 16 Bolts. Hobbit A Sling (range 50’) & 20 bullets.

They may each choose up to three items from the following list: Belt Pouch, Chalk, Chisels, Crowbar, Grapnel, Hammer, Ladder (10’), Small Mirror, Pick, Pole (8’), Pot of Grease, Spade, Iron Spikes (x6), Tent, Writing Set, or a Potion of Healing (as Priest).

Wizard Spells The Wizard cannot cast a spell if he is in a square next to an enemy – even diagonally. Befriend: One person likes you for 5 minutes. He will help & defend you, but not do anything suicidal. He will remember afterwards what you did. If you attack him it breaks the spell. Befuddle: Target can't cast spells & may only take non-offensive actions. Lasts 3 turns. Blind: Enemy is blinded for 3 turns. Range 30’ Countermagic: This disrupts a spell targeted at the Wizard & nullifies it. This is the only spell that can be cast as an immediate reaction and not on the Wizard’s turn. It can only be cast once per turn. Daze: Enemy cannot attack for 3 turns. He can still move & defend himself. Range 30’. Detect Enemy: Gives the location of the nearest creature who intends to harm the caster up to 60’. Detect Magic: Gives the location of the nearest magical item/creature or active spell up to 60’. Dodge: Reduces the Fighting/Shooting skill of anyone who attacks the Wizard by 1 for 3 turns. Dragon Scale: Wizard has equivalent of Heavy Armour for 3 turns. Doesn’t work with Dodge. Enchant Weapon: Touch a Weapon to give it +1 to Fighting/Shooting skill for 3 turns. Weapon can only have one enchantment. Fire Bolt: If Wizard makes a Shooting check this automatically causes a wound. Range 30’.

Float: Touch person to let them float up/down 30’/turn. Lasts 1D6 turns (GM rolls this die). Haste: Wizard can move again in Magic phase. Ignite: This sets fire to a single flammable object that is touched by the Wizard. Invisibility: Wizard cannot be seen for 3 turns unless he attacks an enemy or casts a spell. Lock & Bar: Touch holds a door shut against anything except an Open Says I spell. Open Says I: Touch opens a locked door or lid. Teleport: Wizard disappears & reappears at any point he can see within 60’. Terrify: Enemy must pass a Toughness skill check to attack wizard. Lasts 3 turns.

+Rules of Play+ When things get interesting the game is played in Turns of about ten seconds in length. Each turn follows the sequence below: 1. Movement Adventurers can choose to move before or after their enemies. Note that squares are 5’ across. They can move up to 3 + Speed in squares, -1 if in Medium Armour, -2 if in Heavy/Very Heavy. You cannot move through a solid object over waist high or another figure (unless they let you). You can climb over or up an object but this is at half speed. Swimming & Stealthy movement is also at half speed. 2. Use Magic A Wizard can cast one spell from his Spellbook in a turn. The same spells can be cast repeatedly but require a successful Knowledge check. An enemy will resist a spell cast upon him so deduct the enemy’s INT from the Wizard’s Knowledge skill. To cast a spell on an enemy you must be able to see him. A Priest can use Holy Light or Healing once in a turn, but not both. 3. Bloody Combat Adventurers & monsters can attack once each in a turn. The Adventurers always attack first. You can only engage another figure in close combat in a square next to your own (including diagonally). You can shoot at any figure that is in line of sight & range, even if they are fighting. The attacker makes a Fighting or Shooting skill check minus their opponent’s DEX. If there is more than one attacker attacking a single opponent in close combat each one gets +1 to their Skill Level. Thieves get +2 in this situation. The difference between what the attacker needs & what he scores is the damage. For example a Adventurer needs an 8 or less and then rolls a 2, he causes six points of damage to his opponent. If his weapon is Two-handed, a Crossbow or a Hunting Spear he gets +1 to damage. Armour stops the first few points of damage: Light Armour stops 1 point, Medium 2, Heavy 3, Very Heavy 4. A light shield stops 1 extra point on top of armour or a heavy shield stops 2 extra points. If his armour doesn’t stop all the damage the defender must make a Toughness Skill Check. He deducts the remaining damage from his Skill level. If he fails he becomes Wounded. A Wounded figure has all his skill levels reduced by 3 points (including Toughness). If wounded a second time he is knocked out. A KO’d figure can be easily killed or captured. 4. Use other Skills Anything not listed above can now be done.

Supplement 1: Dead Simple Game Mastering

© Craig Cartmell

Introduction

Becoming a Games Master (GM) in Dead Simple can

be great fun, especially when everyone is enjoying

themselves. The real key to doing this is to be

relaxed about the game and its rules. Never let a

rule get in the way of the story or people having

fun.

As the GM you should follow three simple laws:

1. Having Fun is more important than any rule,

2. KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid), and

3. Rules are for the guidance of wise men and

the obedience of fools.

As you read Dead Simple you will quickly realize

that there aren’t rules for every eventuality. The

desire to do this is what has led many games

companies to create rulebooks that are hundreds of

pages long. People who have been games masters

in some of the commercial role-playing games may

have a bit of unlearning to do.

So when your players come up with a new way to

risk their Adventurers’ lives you will have to assess

their chances of success on the spot.

Never say something is impossible, instead point

out the obvious risks and ask how they intend to

get around these. Once you have this information

you can decide whether they succeed

automatically, or if they need to make some sort of

dice roll.

Creating Adventurers

The key to letting players create adventurers is just

that, to let them. The system is designed to make

the whole thing one of choice. The players can

choose their adventurer's Attributes, Race, Training,

Profession and Equipment. There is enough variety

in the process to give everyone a completely

unique adventurer to play.

Two areas in which you can advise them though are

these:

1. Encourage them to give their adventurer a name

and a back story - just a few lines on where they

came from and why they are adventuring. The full

character of their adventurer will come out in play.

2. Party Balance. It may be fun for your players to

run a party full of Barbarians and Fighters but what

happens the first time they get injured or come up

against a trap or foul magic? Don't push them , but

ask if they had thought of that...

Using Skills & Abilities

Unlike many systems the skills in Dead Simple are

both abstract and extremely adaptable. This allows

you to call on them to cover a multitude of

situations.

Always let the player know which skill you will want

them to roll against in a specific situation. This may

guide their choice of actions.

Running the game

Really the main skill required of a GM is the ability

to let the players play. Their creativity may well

amaze you. You are waiting for the ‘but’ aren’t you?

Well there is just one... 'but' players enjoy a

challenge, so never, ever make it easy. Make their

Adventurers pay in blood, sweat, puns and gold for

their successes.

For the players you are the scene setter. When they

enter an area describe what they can immediately

see, hear and smell. Keep it brief and to the facts.

Then let them explore by asking questions and

moving their figures about. Don't worry about

movement rates etc. Just let them play it through.

The moment things get hazardous or interesting

then you can drop them into the system of turns.

So when the dumb Fighter stands in the trap, or the

thief fails to disarm it, or the Priest opens a door to

reveal six surprised Orcs it's party time!

Movement

The main guiding principle for movement must be

the application of common sense. That said this is a

heroic fantasy game so you should allow, or even

encourage the players to attempt many of the

moves they have seen in films, such as swinging

from chandeliers, running along tables, diving into

deep moats, fighting from the spar of a sailing ship

or between a chariot’s horses.

If a player puts a move to you that seems

reasonable then just let them do it. If it seems

fraught with danger then tell them that and

propose a suitable roll. They can then decide if they

will risk it. If they fail then make their failure

cinematic, such as falling into a pile of manure, or

an Ogre’s lap, or perhaps through a roof below and

into a lady’s bed. Don’t punish people for trying to

have fun.

If you think this is mad go and watch any version of

the Three Musketeers, The Princess Bride or Pirates

of the Caribbean and tell us you didn’t just love

those dramatic fight scenes.

Bloody Combat

Combat is chaos. The rules only sketch it out in

terms of who can hit who and when, so fill in the

blanks, add a little descriptive colour. When the Orc

get's skewered have it scream in pain and fury,

have blood spurt across the room making the floor

slick with gore.

Don't worry about little details, let the adventurers

be heroes, it's what the players are there for.

However, remember the 'but' above.

The most important rule in the whole section on

combat is the Knock Out or KO. The concept of not

immediately killing people but letting them get

KO’d is another cinematic rule. This offers a lot

more roleplaying options than simply slaughtering

them. When was the last time you saw a D&D party

get captured, or surrender rather than watch a

downed friend have his throat slit?

As the GM we are sure you can think of much more

entertaining uses for a downed adventurer than

simply killing them. Most monsters will not finish

off a Adventurer if there are other Adventurers still

alive to fight. After all their Master might want the

Adventurer alive to:

1. use as a slave in their mines (Rescue

Mission!),

2. sacrifice to their evil gods (Stop the Sacrifice

Mission!),

3. ransom back to his friends (Gotta get lots of

cash Mission!), and

4. eat later… (Catering Mission?).

Adventurers will have to remember to go around

and finish off their KO’d enemies at the end of a

fight, otherwise the monsters’ friends will come and

get them after the Adventurers leave, and then heal

them. There again keeping one alive may be useful

as a:

1. Guide, to find out what lies ahead.

2. Porter, to carry away all that treasure.

3. Trap finder…

Of course any captives will have to be guarded.

Being the Enemy

Some monsters are dumb and some ain’t. For

example, Goblins may not be the brightest

creatures that ever walked a Dungeon, but they are

often quite cunning. You have to be when your

next door neighbour might be a Vampire or a

Dragon.

So play them as people too. Many may be brave but

they are probably not suicidal so when things turn

against them they may decide to run for it, or even

surrender.

They may also have motivations the Adventurers

know nothing about. Those Kobolds who just won’t

retreat may be defending a brood nest, not just

some gold coins.

How many monsters should you use?

It takes a while for a new GM to get the feel for

how many monsters he should throw at a party of

Adventurers. Many games have encounter tables

and challenge ratings and all that stuff. Honestly

most GM’s have learnt this through trial and error.

For a new adventure with new players and new

Adventurers we suggest facing them with one more

weak monster (like goblins, skeletons or zombies)

than there are Adventurers. So if the party have

five Adventurers, send six monsters at them.

If the party struggles with this suggest that they can

retreat. If the party are finding it too easy send in

some reinforcements. You are the GM after all and

can summon up as many as it takes...

Home Base

Every party needs somewhere to retreat to, to lick

their wounds, trade their loot and plan their next

assault on the enemy.

Inns make great bases. They have secure rooms,

food, drink, merchants keen to buy loot and make a

buck selling equipment and supplies.

Conclusion

So there you have it, GM’ing in a nutshell. There

will be more specific advice in the other one page

supplements.

Until then remember Law #1.

Dead Simple Supplement 2 - Going Underground

© Craig Cartmell

Introduction

Here are some simple steps to help a new GM build his first dungeon.

Decide who the Master is. This is the monster the Adventurers will face at the end of the dungeon. He should be a lot tougher than everyone else and a lot smarter. Some GMs like to think of the Master as being themselves. A Dragon always makes a great Master.

Decide who the Bosses are. These are the monsters the Master uses to manage his troops. You will probably need one Boss for each two sessions you want to run. Then arrange them in order of nastiness. The Adventurers should generally face these Bosses, and their evil minions, in order from weakest to strongest.

Then decide who each Boss’s minions are. Thus a Hobgoblin may have three dozen goblins working for him. An Ogre may be leading a platoon of Orcs. A Necromancer may have lots of Zombies and maybe even a Mummy on his payroll.

One thing you do need to consider is this – do your monsters just sit in their rooms waiting for the Adventurers to kick the door in, or can they be encountered in the passages and other chambers going about their daily business?

Goblins could be sent out to collect firewood or water and bump into the party. Skeletons may have a programmed patrol route they follow. An Ogre could be hunting for goblins to eat and find a tastier treat – the Adventurers. Orcs could be travelling to a raid or guarding slaves working on building a new passage or room.

All you have to do now is draw up a map for the first Boss’s dungeon level or area. Once you have done that you can begin play, knowing that you have time to build the next level or area as you play the first.

A map is the most important thing for an GM to create. After all he can run the monsters straight out of the rules and use the treasure tables to create loot as he goes.

A map doesn’t have to be a work of art, just a simple line drawing on a piece of squared paper will do fine. You can even make it up as you go along though we recommend that you take notes as you do.

Think Deep

Underground dungeons should always be built in three dimensions. There should be several levels and sublevels, linked by stairs, elevators, shafts, ladder, poles, chutes and other interesting methods.

Deep underground the air is moist and cold, except in lava chambers of course. Use this fact to make walls and floors slick or even running with water.

Never worry about cramming lots of chambers into a small areas. The Under-earth is truly vast and besides it doesn’t make sense to have lots of aggressive species packed in together. Make your passageways hundreds of feet long if you like.

Also make use of natural cavern systems with their uneven passageways, stalagmites & stalactites, pools and underground rivers.

And remember it is dark down there. Even using lanterns or magical lighting there are always shadows, and we know what lurks in them don’t we?

Interesting Features

If you want to make the dungeon fun, make sure you have some interesting features in it such as:

• That fountain or pool, is it magical? Is it safe to drink from? Does a water monster lurk in it? Is there treasure at the bottom?

• Doors and Trapdoors. Most of these should be obvious, but some may be secret. Are they locked, and if so why and who has the key?

• All sorts of furnishings such as benches, forges, statuary, tables, bookcases, chests, barrels, fireplaces, torture racks, weapon racks. People once lived here, or may still.

• Chambers don’t have to all be on one level, some can have raised daises, or high balconies from which goblin archers can rain down arrows.

• Secret passages that could lead to hidden rooms, or perhaps go around traps.

• A bottomless chasm with a rope bridge over it. • Swarms of spiders, centipedes, rats and bats. • The entrance to the next level or area. You

should try to keep this from the Adventurers until they’ve almost finished the level that they are on.

• Strange carvings or paintings on the walls. • Puddles of blood and severed body parts. • Weird noises echoing down the passages. Distant

drums are always good (the Mines of Moria), or terrifying howls and screams.

• A lever sticking out of the wall, with sign by it saying “Pull Me”. What it does only the GM knows. Who can resist such a thing?

• Doors that rotate or slide instead of opening. • Iron Portcullises or barred windows, so the

Adventurers can see the monsters on the other side (and Vice Versa).

• A sacrificial altar, slick with blood. • A room where every floor slab has a mysterious

Rune on it. It will drive the players mad trying to work out which runes to step on. Add a small trap to one square to really send them paranoid.

• Gold Ducats, or other items, that float in midair. Put a hidden pit under them to make for real fun.

• 2’ of dark water in a passage or room. What lies beneath? Perfect place for a simple pit trap.

• A chamber full of a thick mist. • A single dead body. It could be trapped, or just

left as bait by a nasty critter. • A sad Ghost haunting the place where it was

killed. • Doors that close and lock themselves after the

Adventurers have all passed though, or perhaps after only half of them have.

Traps

Some chests, doors and floors have traps on them. Thieves can search for traps. Other Adventurers cannot find them except by triggering them. Some traps may be poisoned.

If a Adventurer opens a chest or a door that has a trap on it, or moves over a floor square with a trap on it, then the trap attacks him. The trap rolls to attack and the victims roll for defence as if it was a combat. The Strength of various traps is as follows:

Simple +2

Tough +4

Magical +6

If the Trap wins it does damage as usual in combat. The trap will remain active until disarmed by a Thief.

Some traps do not damage Adventurers directly. Classic examples of these include:

• The Ten Foot Deep Pit. This usually has smooth or greased walls to prevent people climbing out.

• The Slide. This takes the victim to another room or level, and possibly into a monster’s lair.

• The Hanging Snare. This whips the Adventurer upside down and hanging by one foot. Now is the time to send in the Goblins.

• The Giant Ball. This only wounds you if it catches you. It moves at 1D6+2 squares per turn until it hits a wall or other immovable object.

• The Teleport. This transports the unfortunate Adventurer to a completely different, and usually unfamiliar, part of the dungeon.

• The Magnetron. All of an Adventurer’s steel or iron kit sticks to this trap. It takes two or three people to pull the stuff off again. Send in the Goblins!

• The Bear Trap. Steel jaws close about the Adventurer’s leg locking him in place. If attacked while trapped he gets no Dexterity for his defence.

A Dungeon by any other name

Although this game is initially aimed at creating underground dungeons, don’t let this limit you.

What is a haunted Chateau but a large, above ground dungeon? How about an Elven Tree village – a dungeon with very nasty drops? A ruined Temple half sunk into a swamp? A Pirate ship adrift in a stormy sea? The back alleys and winding streets of a great City? A Wizard’s Tower?

The reason that Dungeons were the first real roleplaying setting is that you could limit the player’s choices and contain the action. This is great while you and your players learn the few rules of this game, but after that your world is literally your oyster.

The sources for your adventures can be as random as a plan of a medieval church, an issue of National Geographic with its wonderful pull out illustrations and maps, or a doodle on a napkin.

Floorplans

The easiest and most practical way of representing your dungeons is to acquire or create a gridded surface. You can buy dry-wipe mats at reasonable prices, or print out a grid and laminate it. Then you use dry-wipe whiteboard markers in a variety of colours to draw the layout of your dungeon as you go.

Or you can buy pre-made card Floorplans. These are generally modular and each sheet represents a chamber or corridor section. You just lay them down as the players see them. There are many companies now selling these either in hard copy form or as Pdf’s you can print off on card.

That said there are many excellent artists on the internet who create and share these floorplans for free.

One way we have seen this done at small cost and effort is to print off the Floorplans you need and then slip them into transparent document pockets. This makes them fairly durable in play and means they can be changed quickly.

Dead Simple Supplement 3 - Loot!

© Craig Cartmell

Introduction Most monsters have loot on them which the Adventurers can take if they kill or capture them. Chests also contain loot, but may be locked and trapped. As GM you can choose what loot to give out or you can use the random tables below. It is entirely up to you how you want to play it.

Loot Tables Source Loot Minion or small Critter

Monster’s Toughness x 3 Ducats

Boss or big Critter

Boss or Critter Toughness x 10 Ducats. A chance of a magic item: Roll 1D10, on a 8 or 9 there is a magic item, on a 10 there are two (see tables below). The basic kit of 4 dead Adventurers.

Master Master’s Toughness x 50 Ducats. 1D10 magic items (see tables below). The full kit of 1D10 dead Adventurers.

Chest 2D6 x 10 Ducats. A chance of a magic item: Roll 1D6, on a 5 or 6 there is a magic item (see table below).

Dragon Hoard

1D10 x 100 Ducats. 1D10 magic items. The full kit of 2D10 dead Adventurers.

A Minion, Boss or Master that has magic items that it can use, will use them.

1D10 Magic Item 1 - 3 Potion (see Potion table below). 4 Wonder: Roll another 1D6. On a 1-5

go to the Wonder table. On a 6 go to the Artefact table.

5 Magic Shield, +2 to Defence 6-7 Magic Crystal.

Roll 1D6: 1-3 Armour Crystal (+1 to Armour). 4-6 Weapon Crystal (+1 to Attacks)

8-10 Scroll. Magic Crystals clip onto a figure’s weapon or armour (not shields). A figure can have a maximum of three crystals clipped on his armour and two crystals on his weapon at any one time. Weapons and Armour with crystals clipped to them give off a faint blue glow. A figure can only use one Magic Shield. A Scroll contains a single spell that can be cast by anyone who can read (i.e. probably not Barbarians or Hobbits). Once read the scroll turns to ash. Potions These come in small flasks or vials, and each contains just one dose. Once they are drunk they are gone. Each potion has a distinct colour and smell which may help Adventurers identify it.

1D10 Potion Effect 1-2 Healing

(Green & Minty)

Heals figure drinking it, like a Priest, but only if you are not dead.

3-4 Purgative (Black & Peppery)

Will stop the effects of a poisonous attack. It does not cure damage already taken.

5 Dragon Breath (Red & Brimstone)

The Adventurer can breathe fire like a dragon, once. This affects every figure in a single room or corridor section, except the Adventurer himself. Each figure in that area takes a single wound.

6 Stone to Flesh (Clear & Salty)

If poured over a figure that has been turned to stone it will turn them back to flesh and blood.

7 Holy Water (Clear & Lavender)

If thrown over any Undead or a Devil it will wound them. No saves.

8 Speed (Yellow & Burnt Rubber)

For 5 turns the Adventurer doubles his movement rate.

9 Red Bull (Red & Sweet).

Figure can go without sleep for another day.

10 Acid (Black & Acrid)

Will burn through a lock or the lid of a chest.

Wonders These are enchanted items that are not deliberately made for combat. They have a wide range of forms and powers, as shown in the tables below. An Adventurer can only use three of these at any one time. The magical fields they give out interfere with each other if there are more than three and none will work. Spare items can be kept in a backpack or pouch. If an Adventurer wishes to sell a Wonder he will receive a thousand gold ducats. You cannot generally buy Wonders. Form of Wonder

1D10

1-3

Clothing

4-7

Jewellery

8-10

Other items

1-2 Boots Ring Book

3 Hat Tiara Cup

4-5 Belt Amulet Bell

6 Mask Torc* Athame**

7-8 Gloves Earrings Wand

9-10 Cloak Bracelet Candle

* A Torc is a thick, solid silver or gold necklace. ** An Athame is a small ceremonial knife. Power of Wonder

1D10 1-5

Minor 6-8

Medium 9-10

Major

1 Courage Strength Re-generation

2-4 Cursed Healing Luck

5-7 Light Dexterity Shadows

8 Random Toughness Levitation

9 Searching Speed Water-walking

10 Warmth Intellect Snake

Power Description

Attribute Bonus

This increases the listed attribute by 1 while it is being used.

Courage The Adventurer is immune to the Terrifying effects of some Monsters.

Cursed Reroll for its usual power. Each time the owner uses that power the Wonder steals a point of Toughness

from him. You cannot tell an item has a curse until it bites. Then you can’t get rid of it until someone willingly accepts it as a gift.

Healing Once per day the owner can use the Healing ability like a priest.

Levitation The owner can rise up and down at normal speed for up to ten rounds a day.

Light The item shines like a Lantern upon command.

Luck The owner receives a free re-roll once per day.

Random Each morning reroll the item’s power.

Regen-eration

The owner heals one step per minute.

Searching The owner gains the Find Secret Doors ability

Shadows The owner gains the Sneak ability.

Snake The owner is immune to poison.

Warmth The item will keep the adventurer warm in the coldest of nights.

Water-walking

The owner can walk upon water, or any liquid, as if it was solid ground.

Artefacts These are ancient, legendary and very rare items. Only powerful Bosses and Masters will have these. An Adventurer can only possess one Artefact at a time. If he tries to possess two, they will sulk and neither will work. 1D10 Artefact 1-3 Saint Percy’s Finger 4-5 The Eye of Edna 6 The Other Ring

7-8 The Book of Grudges 9 The Shiny Shirt

10 The Touchstone Saint Percy’s Finger. These sacred relics allow a Priest to both Heal and use Holy Light in the same turn. There are eight of these in existence. Saint Percy still has his thumbs. The Eye of Edna. A Character using this has the Spot ability. There are three of these in existence. An Elf holding an eye loses their Spot ability. Edna hated Elves. The Other Ring. This unique Artefact turns the Adventurer both invisible and silent (i.e. he cannot be heard when he talks) when worn. Except to Undead who then focus all their efforts on the ring wearer. The Book of Grudges. A Dwarf with this can add +2 to his Strength and Toughness when facing orcs or Goblins. There are reputed to be seven of these in existence. One for each Dwarven Clan (and they are keen to get them back – homicidally keen). The Shiny Shirt. This counts as Heavy Armour but weighs the same as a vest, and can only be used by small creatures such as Halflings and Goblins. There is only one Shiny Shirt in existence. The Touchstone. The holder can cast a single spell of his choice once per day which always works, even if he is not a Wizard. Resistance is useless. There is only one Touchstone in existence.

Dead Simple Supplement 4 - The Marketplace

© Craig Cartmell January 2011

There will come a time when the Adventurers want more than the Village of Grobblet can provide & will travel to the nearest town or city. Here they will be able to buy anything they could get in Grobblet & much, much more. This supplement widens their horizons & offers the DM a number of roleplaying opportunities as the Adventurers come up against their most devious opponents to date – the Merchants.

Currency The basic unit of currency is the silver piece, generally called a Ducat. One Ducat is the minimum needed for a day’s food & lodging. There are twelve copper Pennies to a Ducat & twenty Ducats make a golden Crown. The Kingdom also mints a half-penny which is widely used amongst the poor. All prices given below are in Ducats. The prices given here are for guidance purposes. In smaller town & villages prices may well be higher than at the craftsman’s door in the city.

Ten things you can buy with one Ducat: 1. A night in an Inn, with a dinner & breakfast. 2. A ride on a wagon between villages. 3. Any common item that took no more than

one day to make (i.e. a haversack, 30’ rope, knife, six candles, large wicker basket, a plain cloak, a copper cloak pin, a horse bridle, a woollen shirt, four arrows).

4. A lady of the night for an hour. 5. Stabling for your horse for a day & a night. 6. An afternoon in a public bath house. 7. A porter or labourer for half a day (note that

porters charge for both ways if they have to travel away from their community)..

8. A bribe to a City Guard for a minor matter. 9. A pitcher of decent beer. 10. A letter written for you by a scribe.

Haggling In the medieval world of the Dead Simple RPG people do not expect you to pay the price they quote. They expect people to haggle. Either you can roleplay this or reduce it to an opposed Persuasion roll between the Adventurer & the Merchant. The winner can increase or decrease the price by on fifth.

Weights & Encumbrance Note that there are no weights given for equipment. The player must use his common sense when loading up his character. Otherwise the DM may determine that the character is encumbered & place a -2 penalty on all die rolls & halve his movement rate.

Converting Loot In a large town or city there are a lot more people who can & will buy the Adventurer’s loot. Below is a table that will give you a rough idea of what the Adventurers can expect to get for a range of items. They still have to haggle though. Type of Item % of Price Weapons or Armour 80% Gems & Jewellery 90% Tools & general equipment 60% Gold or Silver, but not modern coins.

90%

Horses & Mules 75% Spices & Precious Oils 80% Magic Items 60% The condition of the items can also affect the likely rewards. If something is in poor condition it may only attract half of the value shown above.

The Alchemist In every town there are purveyors of potions & oils to ease the Adventurer’s way. Some of this is snake oil, but the more established practitioners actually have stuff that works:

Potions & Oils Cost Healing: Cures a wound 25 Aqua Vitae: Raises a character from the dead. As long as the corpse is complete & is no more than three dawns dead.

500

Holy Water: Causes an automatic wound to any Undead or Devil it is thrown over.

10

Fuller’s Pitch: When doused in this alchemical formulation a simple torch will burn for four hours.

5

Kobold’s Fire: A four pint ceramic flask of a volatile formulation that explodes in contact with the air. It is used by adventurers as a fireball & to clear chambers of vermin & other creatures. A direct hit on a creature will cause one wound per round until the creature is consumed or submerged in water.

25

Purgative: Will stop the effects of a poisonous attack. It does not cure damage already taken.

15

Dragon Breath: The Adventurer can breathe fire like a dragon, once. This affects every figure in a single room or corridor section, except the Adventurer himself. Each figure in that area takes a single wound.

50

Depetrificative: If poured over a figure that has been turned to stone it will turn them back to flesh & blood

100

Speed: For 5 turns the Adventurer doubles his movement rate.

Red Bull: Figure can go without sleep for another day. For each day the adventurer loses 1 INT temporarily.

10

Acid: Will burn through a lock. 25

The Horse Trader A reliable steed can be the difference between life & death out in the wilderness. Mount Cost Donkey: Small & slow pack animal. Very obedient & will even go underground.

25

Mule, Pack: The most reliable & hardy pack animal available. Can be ridden.

50

Pony, Mountain: Small, but tough riding animal. Has limited carrying capacity.

75

Courser: A swift riding horse, much favoured by wealthy travellers.

250

Destrier: A trained war horse, capable of wearing barding & fighting in combat

500

Percheron: A powerful draught horse used for pulling ploughs & wagons.

300

Any steed will also need equipment: Riding Equipment Cost Saddle 25 Cavalry Saddle 50 Pack Saddle 15 Bit & Bridle 2 Saddle Blanket 3 Saddlebags 10 Quilted Barding (light armour)* 100

Brigandine Barding (medium)* 300 Caparison (decorated horse coat) 30

* Barding is armour for horses.

The Adventurer’s Pack This standard piece of kit costs 25 Ducats & includes the following: A Backpack, Bedroll, Cord (hemp – 50’), Fish-hooks & line, Flint & Steel, Knife, Lamp oil (1 pint flask), Lantern, Small Sack, Three Sea Shells, & a Water-flask (2 pints).P

The Armourer The Armourer in a town or city is a master craftsman than can produce much better items at lower prices.

Weapon Cost Dagger 5 Sword 50 Axe, Mace or Warhammer 20 Spear 15 Great Sword 200 Great Axe 175 Bow 30 12 Arrows 5 Crossbow 150 10 Quarrels 5

Armour Cost Shield 15 Light: Padded or Leather 30 Medium: Chain or Scale Mail 200 Heavy: Plate & Mail 300 Very Heavy: Full Plate 850

Henchmen As the Adventurer’s advance they may be able to afford to hire the services of other people to aid them in their missions against their enemies. It costs 50 Ducats up front to hire a henchman for a single adventure. While in your service they follow the rules below: 1. They will not attack an enemy, but will

defend themselves if attacked. 2. They will not move into a square next to an

enemy that is not fighting someone else. 3. A Guard will defend the Adventurer that

hired them if they are attacked. 4. A Physician will heal his master first before

others, unless otherwise directed. Henchmen must be looked after, fed and protected. Adventurers who lose henchmen through negligence or folly will soon find that no-one will work for them. The Guard This is a simple Fighter who will defend their Master & his possessions. They are generally armed with Spears, Leather Tunics & Shields. They have a Fighting Skill of 5 & Toughness of 6. The Physician He has only one ability, Healing Touch as a Priest. Other than that he can defend himself if cornered with a Fighting Skill of 3 & Toughness of 5. He can be given Potions such as Healing or Purgative to carry and use. The Porter A peasant labourer who can carry goods & equipment. He will run away rather than fight & has a Toughness of 4. The Apprentice A young Wizard who knows only two spells (DM’s Choice). The Adventurer would be wise to ask what these are before hiring the Apprentice. He will run away rather than fight & has a Toughness of 4.

Inscrutable – One page Oriental Fantasy Roleplaying Rules. Second Edition

© Craig Cartmell April 2011

Introduction This variant of the Dead Simple RPG Rules places the players in medieval Nihon. A land of honour, mystery and intrigue.

Hero Creation To create a new Hero follow these rules. Attributes (player’s choice) New Heroes have ten points to divide between the four attributes below. Each attribute must be given between one & four points. Strength STR Dexterity DEX Intellect INT Ki KI

Skills (calculate from Attributes) Skill Aptitude Examples Agility DEX x 2 Climb, Leap, Craft DEX + INT Make, Repair Fighting STR + INT Killing up close Knowledge INT x 2 Lore, Memory Perception INT + KI Spot, Hear, Persuasion KI x 2 Charm, Con Shooting DEX + INT Killing from afar Speed STR + DEX Move, Run Stealth DEX + KI Sneak, Hide, Toughness STR + KI Grit, Courage

Training (player’s choice) New Heroes are Trained in two skills & Familiar with three others of their choice. The remainder are Untrained.

Training level Bonus Untrained -1 Familiar +0 Trained +1 Experienced +2 Mastered +3

Once a skill is mastered it cannot be improved further. You cannot train Toughness.

Skill Check Roll less than Aptitude + Training on 1D20. When using a skill an unmodified roll of 1 is an automatic success & an unmodified roll of 20 an automatic failure. Who said life was fair?

Gender (player’s choice) Only male Heroes can be Samurai. Female Monks are Buddhist Nuns.

Profession (player’s choice) Samurai: Well armed & armoured the Samurai is often the leader of a party of Heroes. Fighting +2, Double Trouble, any Armour. He can use Honour points to buy the Shugenja spells: Dodge, Enchant Weapon (Katana) and Terrify. Shugenja: The master of magic, he starts with three spells of his choice in his spellbook. Knowledge +2, Spells, Speak with Spirits, no Armour or shield allowed. Ninja: This is the burglar & scout of the party. He stops his friends getting killed by traps & ambushes. Craft +2, Sneaking, Burglary, only Light Armour. He can use Honour points to buy the Shugenja spells: Fade to Black, Dodge and Mask. Monk: A powerful ally against the Undead & the only Hero who can heal their friends wounds. Persuasion +2, Holy Light, Healing Touch, only Light or Medium Armour & Shield. He can use Honour points to buy the Shugenja spells: Float, Haste & Illuminate.

Professional Abilities Double Trouble; A Samurai can attack twice in a turn if he has not moved, but only against opponents in adjacent squares. Sneaking; A Ninja gets +3 to stealthy movement & hiding. Enemies can use Perception to spot him. Speak with Spirits; Shugenja know the language of the dead and can speak to spirits. Burglary; Ninja can use his Craft skill to pick locks, or to find & disarm traps. He needs tools. Holy Light; As long as the Monk stands still & holds up his holy symbol this light will prevent Undead or Demons approaching closer than 10’. If they are attacked by the Heroes the effect ceases. Healing Touch; A Monk’s touch makes a KO’d figure just wounded, or a wounded one whole.

Improving Heroes (player’s choice) During an adventure the DM may award points of Honour (On) to the players for successful or ‘right’ actions. They can then spend some of this to improve their adventurers.

Cost Improvement 10 Improve an Attribute by +1 5 Improve a Skill’s training level by +1 20 A new spell

Heroes can also improve by buying better equipment, or by finding & using magical armour, weapons & other stuff.

Equipment (player’s choice) All new Heroes begin with a set of suitable clothes, a Hooded Cloak & a Backpack containing: a Bedroll, Rope (30’), Flint & Steel, Knife, Flask of Oil, Lantern, Sack & Water-flask. In addition Hero will have:

Samurai: Light Armour, Shield, Katana & Wakizashi. Shugenja: Staff, Spellbook. Ninja: Ninja-to short sword, Burglary Tools. Monk: Light Armour, Mace, Holy Symbol.

They may also choose up to three items from the following list: Belt Pouch, Chalk, Chisels, Crowbar, Dagger, Grapnel, Hammer, Ladder (10’), Small Mirror, Pick, Pole (8’), Pot of Grease, Spade, Iron Spikes (x6), Tent, Writing Set, or a Potion of Healing (as Monk).

Shugenja Spells Befriend: One person likes you for five minutes. He will help & defend you, but not do anything suicidal. What would your best friend do for you? Blind: Enemy is blinded for 3 turns. Range 30’ Curse: If Shugenja can see victim this automatically causes 3 damage (i.e. no armour can stop it). Victim still gets a Toughness check. Range 30’. Dodge: Reduces the Combat skill of anyone who attacks the Shugenja by 1 for 3 turns. Dragon Scale: Shugenja has equivalent of Heavy Armour for 3 turns. Doesn’t work with Dodge. Doesn’t slow the Shugenja down. Enchant Weapon: Touch a Weapon to give it +1 to Fighting/ Shooting skill for 3 turns. A weapon can only have one enchantment at a time. Fade to Black: Shugenja cannot be seen for 3 turns unless he attacks an enemy in any way. Float: Touch person to let them float up/down 30’ during their movement for three turns. Haste: Shugenja can move again in this Magic phase. Ignite: Touch an inflammable object to set it alight. Does not work under water.

Illuminate: Create a floating ball of light for 5 minutes. It stays put or follows Shugenja if he wants. Lock & Bar: Touch holds a door shut against anything except an Open Says I spell. Lasts as long he keep touching door or he casts another spell. Mask: The Shugenja, or someone he touches, takes on the likeness of a person the Shugenja has closely observed. It lasts for five minutes. Open Says I: Touch opens a locked door or lid. Teleport: Shugenja disappears, & then reappears at any point he can see within 60’. Terrify: Any enemy must pass a Toughness check to attack Shugenja. Lasts 3 turns.

Rules of Play When things get interesting the game is played in Turns of about ten seconds in length. Use a surface marked in squares (20-25mm or 1”). Each turn follows the sequence below: 1. Movement Heroes can choose to move before or after their enemies. Note that squares are 5’ across. They can move up to 3 + Speed in squares, -1 if in Medium Armour, -2 if they are in Heavy. You cannot move through a solid object over waist high or another figure (unless they let you). You can climb over or up an object but this is at half speed. Swimming and Stealthy movement is also at half speed. 2. Use Magic A Shugenja can cast one spell from his Spellbook in a turn. Spells can be cast repeatedly. Casting a spell requires a successful Knowledge Skill check. To cast a spell on an enemy you must be able to see him. A Ninja, Monk or Samurai can cast one spell from his limited repertoire as above for a Shugenja. These appear as supernatural abilities not spells. A Monk can use Holy Light or Healing once in a turn, but not both. 3. Bloody Combat Heroes & monsters can attack once each in a turn. Except Samurais with Double Trouble. You can only engage another figure in close combat in a square next to your own (including diagonally). You can shoot at any figure that is in line of sight & range, even if they are fighting. The Heroes always attack first. The attacker makes a Fighting or Shooting skill check minus their opponent’s DEX. If there is more than one attacker attacking a single opponent in close combat each one gets +1 to their Training Level. A Ninja gets +2 because they are opportunists. The difference between what the attacker needs & what he scores is the damage. If his weapon is a Katana, Two-handed Sword, Crossbow or a Hunting Spear he gets +1 to damage. Armour stops the first few points of damage. Light Armour stops one point, Medium two, Heavy three and a shield one extra point on top of armour. If his armour doesn’t stop all the damage the defender must make a Toughness skill roll. He must roll less than his Toughness minus the remaining damage, or he becomes Wounded. A Wounded figure has all his skills reduced by 3 points (including Toughness). If wounded a second time he is knocked out. A KO’d figure can be easily killed or captured. 4. Use other Skills Anything not listed above can now be done.

Blood & Faith – a set of uncomplicated, one page, Reformation roleplaying rules Players’ Rules

© Craig Cartmell May 2010

Rules of Play When things get interesting the game is played in Turns of about ten seconds in length. Each turn follows the sequence below:

1. Movement Adventurers can choose to move before or after their enemies. Note that squares are 5’ across. They can move up to 3 + Speed in squares, -1 if in Medium Armour, -2 if they are in Heavy. You cannot move through a solid object over waist high or another figure (unless they let you). You can climb over or up an object but this is at half speed. Stealthy movement is also at half speed.

2. Use Magic A Warlock can cast one spell from his Libram in a turn. Spells can be cast repetitively. To cast a spell on an enemy you must be able to see him. A Minister can use Divine Light or Healing once in a turn, but not both.

3. Bloody Combat Adventurers & their enemies can attack once each in a turn. You can only fight another figure in a square next to your own (including diagonally). You can shoot at any figure that is in line of sight & range, even if they are fighting. The Adventurers always attack first. The attacker makes a Fighting or Shooting skill check minus their opponent’s DEX. If there is more than one attacker attacking a single opponent each one gets +1 to their skill check. A Rogue gets +2 because they are opportunists. The difference between what the attacker needs & what he scores is the damage. A firearm adds +2 to damage and a Sword adds +1. Armour stops the first few points of damage: Light Armour (Buffcoat/Brigandine) stops 1 point. Medium Armour (Breastplate) stops 2 points. Heavy Armour (Cuirassier) stops 3 points. If his armour doesn’t stop all the damage the defender must make a Toughness skill check. He must roll less than his Toughness minus the remaining damage, or he becomes Wounded. A Wounded figure has all his skills are reduced by 3 points (including Toughness). If wounded a second time he is knocked out. A KO’d figure can be easily killed or captured.

4. Use other Skills Anything not listed above can now be done.

Attributes (player choice) New Adventurers have seven points to divide between the four attributes below. Each attribute must be given between one & three points.

Strength STR Dexterity DEX Intellect INT Spirit SPT

Skills Skill Aptitude Examples Agility DEX x 2 Climb, Leap, Swim Craft DEX + INT Make, Repair Fighting STR + INT Kill, Maim Knowledge INT x 2 Lore, Memory Perception INT + SPT Spot, Hear, Search Persuasion SPT x 2 Charm, Con Shooting DEX + INT Sniper Speed STR + DEX Run, React Stealth DEX + SPT Sneak, Hide Toughness STR + SPT Grit, Courage

Training (player choice) New Adventurers are Trained in two skills & Familiar with three others of their choice. The remainder are Untrained.

Training level Bonus Untrained -1 Familiar +0 Trained +1 Experienced +2 Mastered +3

Skill Check Roll less than Aptitude + Training on 1D10. When using a skill a roll of 1 is an automatic success & a roll of 10 an automatic failure.

Social Class (player choice) Class Benefits & Restrictions Gentry +1 SPT, cannot be a Rogue Merchant +1 INT, cannot be a Hunter Artisan +1 DEX, cannot be a Hunter Peasant +1 STR, Knowledge -2

Gender (player choice) An Adventurer can be a man or a woman. A woman cannot be a Soldier, and female Ministers were rare, but not unknown. A female Warlock is called a Witch. Witches do not use Librams and call their spells ‘Charms’ or ‘Curses’. The use of the male pronoun is to save space.

Profession (player choice) Soldier: Well armed & armoured the Soldier is

often the leader of a party of Adventurers. His job is to defend his friends from monsters & papists. Fighting +2, Swordsman, any Armour allowed.

Warlock: The master of magic, he starts with 3

spells of his choice in his Libram. He is vulnerable to ignorant witch-hunters & has to be careful. Knowledge +2, Spells, no Armour allowed.

Rogue: This is the burglar & scout of the party.

He stops his friends getting killed by traps. Craft +2, Sneaking, Burglary, only Light Armour.

Minister: A powerful ally against the Undead &

the only Adventurer who can heal their friends wounds. He is not bad in combat either. Persuasion +2, Divine Light, Healing, only Light or Medium Armour allowed.

Hunter: A professional stalker, tracker and guide.

He is tough, but not very well armoured. Perception +2, Survival, only Light Armour.

Professional Abilities Swordsman; Can Fight, but not Shoot, twice in a

turn if he has not moved.

Sneaking; +3 to stealthy movement & hiding.

Burglary; Use Craft skill to pick locks, or to find &

disarm traps. Need Burglary tools or take -2 to check.

Divine Light; As long as the Minister stands still

& holds up his Crucifix this light will prevent Undead approaching closer than 10’.

Healing; A Minister’s divine touch makes a KO’d

figure just wounded, or a wounded one whole.

Survival; Can track animals or enemies, & find

food, shelter & water in the wilderness.

Improving Adventurers (player choice) After an adventure the Adventurers divide the loot between them equally. They can then spend some of this on training to improve themselves.

Cost Improvement 500 Improve Attribute by +1 100 Improve a Skill’s training level by +1 200 A Warlock can choose a new spell to

add to his Libram. Costs are in Gold Pieces. Adventurers who spend their money on fine clothes, good horses and socializing with the right people can also advance socially.

Equipment (player choice) All new Adventurers begin with a set of suitable clothes, a Hooded Cloak & a Backpack containing: a Bedroll, Rope (30’), Flint & Steel, Knife, Flask of Oil, Lantern, Sack, Three Sea Shells & Water-flask. In addition an Adventurer will have:

Soldier Light Armour, Pistol, Sword. Warlock Dagger, Libram. Rogue Dagger, Burglary Tools. Minister Light Armour, Cudgel, Crucifix. Hunter Light Armour, Musket, Dagger.

They may also choose up to three items from the following list: Belt Pouch, Chisels, Crowbar, Grapnel, Hammer, Small Mirror, Pick, Pole (8’), Pot of Grease, Spade, Iron Spikes (x6), Tent, Writing Set, a Potion of Healing (as Minister), an Apostle (10 balls & powder horn) or a Sword.

Warlock Spells & Witch Charms/Curses The Warlock cannot cast a spell if he is in an adjacent square to an enemy. Befriend: One person likes you for five minutes. He will help & defend you, but not do anything suicidal. He will remember afterwards what you did. Blind: Enemy is blinded for 3 turns. Range 30’ Daze: Enemy cannot attack for 3 turns. He can still move & defend himself. Range 30’. Dodge: Reduces the Combat skill of anyone who attacks the Warlock by 1 for 3 turns. Dragon Scale: Warlock has equivalent of Heavy Armour for 3 turns. Doesn’t work with Dodge. Enchant Weapon: Touch a Weapon to give it +1 to Fighting/ Shooting skill for 3 turns. Weapon can only have one enchantment. Float: Touch person to let them float up/down 30’. Haste: Warlock can move again in Magic phase. Ignite: Light an inflammable material. Illuminate: Create a floating ball of light for 5 minutes. 15’ radius. Stays put or follows Warlock. Invisibility: Warlock cannot be seen for 3 turns unless he attacks an enemy in any way. Lock & Bar: Touch holds a door shut against anything except an Open Says I spell. Open Says I: Touch opens a locked door or lid. Shrive: If Warlock makes a successful Shooting check this automatically causes a wound (i.e. no armour can stop it). Range 30’. Teleport: Warlock disappears & reappears at any point he can see within 60’. Terrify: Enemy must pass a Toughness check to attack Warlock. Lasts 3 turns.

MACHINATIONS Dead Simple Roleplaying in a Steampunk Setting

© Craig Cartmell Version 2.0, October 2010

Character Creation Attributes [player’s choice] New Team Members have seven points to divide between the four attributes below. Each attribute must be given between one & three points. Strength [STR] Dexterity [DEX] Intellect [INT] Spirit [SPT]

Skills [calculate from attributes] Skill Aptitude Examples Agility DEX x 2 Climb, Leap,

Swim Craft DEX + INT Make, Repair Fighting STR + INT Kill, Maim Knowledge INT x 2 Memory Perception INT + SPT Spot, Hear,

Search Persuasion SPT x 2 Charm, Con Shooting DEX + INT Sniper Speed STR + DEX Run, React Stealth DEX + SPT Sneak, Hide Toughness [STR + SPT]x2 Grit, Courage

Training [player’s choice] New Team Members are Trained in two skills & Familiar with three others of their choice. The remainder are Untrained.

Training level Bonus Untrained -1 Familiar +0 Trained +1 Experienced +2 Mastered +3

Skill Check Roll less than Aptitude + Training on 1D10. When using a skill a roll of 1 is an automatic success & a roll of 10 an automatic failure.

Background/Class [choose one] Noble Knowledge +1 Military Shooting +1 Artisan Craft +1 Merchant Persuasion +1 Labourer Toughness +1

Note that player Automatons are never Noble.

Gender [choose] An Team Member can be male or female & this makes no difference whatsoever in these rules. Professions [choose one] Adventurer – A misfit in search of adventure. SPT+1, Shooting +1, Double Tap. Alchemist - Wielder of arcane concoctions and chemical solutions. INT+1, Knowledge +1, Alchemy. Artificer - Creator and deployer of complex machinations. DEX+1, Craft +1, Mechanics Automaton - The mechanical given animus, allowing a deceased but valued colleague to maintain their contribution to the cause. STR+1, Fighting +1, Deathless.

Professional Abilities Alchemy; An alchemist can create and use a variety of preparations. A new Alchemist knows three from the list in these rules. Between adventures he can prepare three flasks of each type he knows. They have a limited shelf life so no more than this can be prepared for use. Double Tap; An Adventurer can shoot twice in a turn if he has not moved. Deathless; An Automaton cannot be killed, though it can be KO'd. Once KO'd it remains

shut down until repaired by an Artificer. Automatons are immune to poison, disease and narcotic agents in liquid or gaseous form. They do not sleep. Mechanics; An Artificer can examine, repair, disable and even create mechanical equipment. This includes aiding and repairing Automatons. To do this he makes a Craft check and if successful a KO’d Automaton become merely wounded and a wounded one becomes whole.

Improving Player Characters After an adventure the characters divide the loot between them equally. They can then spend some of this on training to improve themselves.

Cost Improvement £50 Improve Attribute by +1 £10 Improve a Skill’s training level by +1 £20 An Alchemist can choose to learn a

new preparation.

They can also use their money to buy better equipment.

Alchemical Preparations An Alchemist can never really know how good a preparation will be until he uses it. Thus he makes his Craft check then and if it is good it has the stated effect below. Thrown Flasks have a range of 30'. Acid: Pour - Burns through wood, adhesives and other organic substance including Alchemist's Seize. Thrown - if it hits an enemy it destroys one level of armour. If they have none it wounds them. Chameleon: Pour - A person with this poured over them cannot be seen for 3 turns unless he attacks an enemy in any way. Curative: Drink - Counter the effects of a disease or infection. Dodge: Drink - Improve effective armour of drinker by one level for 3 turns. Flash Bulb: Thrown - Affected enemy are blinded for 3 turns. Radius 10'. Float: Drink - Drinker defies gravity for 3 turns. Grease: Thrown - makes a 10' square area almost impossible to stand upon. Agility checks are needed to stand or move over it. Greek Fire: Thrown - If it hits it ignores armour when causing damage. Haste: Drink - Drinker can move again in Combat phase. Illuminate: Shaking flask produces bright light for 30 minutes. Poison: Pour - Coat onto a blade of any kind, it reduces Toughness by 3 for the purposes of resisting damage rolls. Purgative: Drink - Counters the effects of a poison. Purity: Pour – Put into a drink or over food it makes it pure and safe from poison or disease. Restorative: Drink - Makes a KO'd person just wounded or a Wounded one whole. Has no effect upon Automatons. Seize: Pour - Applied to a portal it seals it shut against anything except Acid. Thrown - Against mechanical devices, including Automatons, it stops them dead for 3 turns. Sleeping Draught: Drink - Slipped into someone’s drink it will cause them to become drowsy and then descend into a deep sleep for up to one hour.

Stun Gas: Thrown - Affected enemy cannot attack for 3 turns. They can still move & defend themselves. Radius 10'.

Equipment [based on class/profession] All new Team Members begin with a set of suitable clothes and £5 in cash. In addition they will have: Adventurer: Lined Coat [Lt. Armour], Heavy Revolver [+1 Shooting] & 12 rounds. Alchemist: Dagger , Alchemist's Tools, Three of each of his chosen preparations. Artificer: Brigandine [Medium Armour], Big Wrench [+1 Fighting], Artificer's Tools. Automaton: Brass Sheathing [Medium Armour], Retractable Wrist Blade [+1 Fighting]. Noble: Swordstick [Concealed weapon], Stipend of £100 per annum. Military: Service Revolver & 24 rounds, Pension of £25 per annum. Artisan: Contacts in the Trades Guilds, Royalties of £12 per annum. Merchant: Contacts in CHOAM, Investments producing £50 per annum. Labourer: Underworld Contacts, Dagger, Grudges.

Play When things get interesting the game is played in Turns of about ten seconds in length. Each turn follows the sequence below: 1. Movement Player characters can choose to move before or after their enemies. Note that squares are 2m across. They can move up to 3 + Speed in squares, -1 if in Medium Armour, -2 if they are in Heavy. You cannot move through a solid object over waist high or another figure (unless they let you). You can climb over or up an object but this is at half speed. Stealthy movement is also at half speed. 2. Bloody Combat Team Members & their enemies can attack once each in a turn. You can only fight another figure in a square next to your own (including diagonally). You can shoot at any figure that is in line of sight & range, even if they are fighting. This includes throwing suitable Alchemical Preparations. The Team Members always attack first. The attacker makes a Fighting or Shooting skill check minus their opponent’s DEX. If there is more than one attacker attacking a single opponent each one gets +1 to their skill check. The difference between what the attacker needs & what he scores is the damage. If his weapon is a two-handed Fighting weapon he gets +1 to damage. Armour stops the first few points of damage: Light Armour stops 1 point. Medium Armour stops 2 points. Heavy Armour stops 3 points. If his armour doesn’t stop all the damage the defender must make a Toughness skill roll. He must roll less than his Toughness minus the remaining damage, or he becomes Wounded. A Wounded figure has all his skills are reduced by 3 points (including Toughness). If wounded a second time he is knocked out. A KO’d figure can be easily killed or captured. 3. Use other Skills Anything not listed above can now be done. This includes an Artificer making successful craft rolls to repair an Automaton.

Blaster – a set of uncomplicated, one page, SF roleplaying rules

© Craig Cartmell May 2010

Play When things get interesting the game is played in Turns of about ten seconds in length. Each turn follows the sequence below:

1. Movement Adventurers can choose to move before or after their enemies. Note that squares are 2m across. They can move up to 3 + Speed in squares, -1 if in Medium Armour, -2 if they are in Heavy. You cannot move through a solid object over waist high or another figure (unless they let you). You can climb over or up an object but this is at half speed. Stealthy movement is also at half speed.

2. Use Powers A Psyker can use one ability from his range in a turn. Abilities can be used repetitively. To use a ability on an enemy you must be able to see him.

3. Bloody Combat Adventurers & their enemies can attack once each in a turn. You can only fight another figure in a square next to your own (including diagonally). You can shoot at any figure that is in line of sight & range, even if they are fighting. The Adventurers always attack first. The attacker makes a Fighting or Shooting skill check minus their opponent’s DEX. If there is more than one attacker attacking a single opponent each one gets +1 to their skill check. A Assassin gets +2 because they are opportunists. The difference between what the attacker needs & what he scores is the damage. If his weapon is a Blaster or Shotgun he gets +1 to damage. Armour stops the first few points of damage: Light Armour stops 1 point. Medium Armour stops 2 points. Heavy Armour stops 3 points. If his armour doesn’t stop all the damage the defender must make a Toughness skill roll. He must roll less than his Toughness minus the remaining damage, or he becomes Wounded. A Wounded figure has all his skills are reduced by 3 points (including Toughness). If wounded a second time he is knocked out. A KO’d figure can be easily killed or captured.

4. Use other Skills

Anything not listed above can now be done. A Scientist can use his medikit once in a turn at this point.

Attributes New Adventurers have seven points to divide between the four attributes below. Each attribute must be given between one & three points.

Strength STR Dexterity DEX Intellect INT Psychic Power PSI

Skills Skill Aptitude Examples Agility DEX x 2 Climb, Leap, Swim Craft DEX + INT Make, Repair Fighting STR + INT Kill, Maim Technology INT x 2 Perception INT + PSI Spot, Hear, Search Persuasion PSI x 2 Charm, Con Pilot DEX + INT Shooting DEX + INT Sniper Speed STR + DEX Run, React Stealth DEX + PSI Sneak, Hide Toughness STR + PSI Grit, Courage

Training New Adventurers are Trained in two skills & Familiar with three others of their choice. The rest are Untrained.

Training level Bonus Untrained -1 Familiar +0 Trained +1 Experienced +2 Mastered +3

Skill Check Roll less than Aptitude + Training on 1D10. When using a skill a roll of 1 is an automatic success & a roll of 10 an automatic failure.

Race Human: Big, ugly & everywhere.

PSI+1, can be any Profession.

Belter: Pointy-eared, slender & mysterious.

INT+1, can only be a Merc, Psyker or Assassin.

Heavy Earther: Short, greedy & tough.

STR+1, can only be a Merc, Assassin or Scientist.

Farsider: Little, larcenous & lucky.

DEX+1, can only be a Assassin or Scout.

Gender An Adventurer can be male, female or adrogenous & this makes no difference whatsoever in these rules. The male pronoun is used to save wordage.

Profession Merc: Well armed & armoured the Merc is often

the leader of a party of Adventurers. His job is to defend his friends & kill the enemy. Fighting +2, Double Trouble, any Armour & Shield.

Psyker: The master of psychic powers, he starts

with 3 Abilities of his choice. He is not good in combat & not very tough. Perception +2, Abilities, no Armour allowed.

Assassin: This is the burglar & scout of the

party. He stops his friends getting killed by traps. Craft +2, Sneaking, Burglary, only Light Armour.

Scientist: An expert in modern technology & the

only Adventurer who can operate a medikit. Technology +2, Healing, only Light or Medium Armour & Shield.

Scout: An experienced explorer of savage

planets. He keeps his comrades alive when planet-side. He is tough, but not very well armoured. Toughness +2, Survival, only Light Armour.

Professional Abilities Double Trouble; A Merc can attack twice in a turn if he has not moved. Sneaking; A Assassin gets +3 to stealthy movement & hiding. Burglary; A Assassin can use his Craft skill to pick locks, or to find & disarm traps. Healing; A Scientist’s expertise with a medikit makes a KO’d figure just wounded, or a wounded one whole. Survival; Can track animals or enemies, & find food, shelter & water in the wilderness.

Improving Adventurers After an adventure the Adventurers divide the loot between them equally. They can then spend some of this on training to improve themselves.

Cost Improvement 5000 Improve Attribute by +1 1000 Improve a Skill’s training level by +1 2000 A Psyker can choose a new ability

to add to his range. Costs are in Corporate Credits.

Technology Navcom; Handheld GPS system & surveyor. Scanner; Short range scientific analysis (5m). Medikit; Used to knit wounds &prevent trauma. Communicator; Personal telecom unit. C6; Powerful plastic explosive.

Equipment All new Adventurers begin with a set of suitable clothes, & a Backpack containing: a Bedroll, Rope (10m), Lighter, Knife, Lantern, Three Sea Shells & Water-flask. In addition an Adventurer will have:

Merc Lt. Armour, Blaster (200m). Psyker Laser Pistol (100mm) Assassin Cbt Knife, Burglary Tools. Scientist Lt. Armour, Medikit, Scanner. Scout Lt. Armour, Navcom, Cbt Knife. Human Blaster Rifle (500m). Belter Laser Rifle (2000m). Hvy Earther

Shotgun (25m), 2kg of C6

Farsider Laser Derringer (30m) They may also choose up to three items from the following list: Belt Pouch, Chisels, Crowbar, Grapnel, Hammer, Small Mirror, Entrenching Spade, Pitons (x12), Tent, Data Recorder, or a Communicator (range 50Km).

Psyker Abilities Befriend: One person likes you for five minutes. He will help & defend you, but not do anything suicidal. He will remember afterwards what you did. Blind: Enemy is blinded for 3 turns. Range 10m. Daze: Enemy cannot attack for 3 turns. He can still move & defend himself. Range 10m. Dodge: Reduces the Combat skill of anyone who attacks the Psyker by 1 for 3 turns. Adamantium: Psyker has equivalent of Heavy Armour for 3 turns. Doesn’t work with Dodge. Enhance Weapon: Touch a Weapon to give it +1 to Fighting/ Shooting skill for 3 turns. Weapon can only have one enhancement. Psychic Bolt: If Psyker makes a Shooting check this automatically causes a wound (i.e. no armour can stop it). Range 10m. Float: Touch person to let them float up/down 10m. Haste: Psyker can move again in Magic phase. Invisibility: Psyker cannot be seen for 3 turns unless he attacks an enemy in any way. Lock & Bar: Touch holds a door shut against anything except an Open Says I ability. Open Says I: Touch opens a locked door or lid. Teleport: Psyker disappears & reappears at any point he can see within 50m. Terrify: Enemy must pass a Toughness check to attack Psyker. Lasts 3 turns.

Nasty, Brutal & Short

© Craig Cartmell

Introduction Deep beneath the world of man all the ancient races still abide. The most numerous are the Goblins who make their living by stealing from the world of man and doing the bidding of more powerful beings. Life for a Goblin is nasty, brutal and short, so they form gangs for mutual protection. These are rules for playing these Goblins in the modern world. Goblins form gangs for mutual protection and amusement while adventuring. Goblins run by players should all be part of the same gang.

Rules of Play When things get interesting the game is played in Turns of about ten seconds in length. Each turn follows the sequence below: 1. Regenerate Goblins can regenerate any wound short of decapitation or cremation. They regenerate one point of Toughness per turn. 2. Movement Goblins can choose to move before or after their enemies. Note that squares are 5’ across. They can move up to 3 + Speed in squares, -1 if in Medium Armour, -2 if they are in Heavy. They cannot move through a solid object over waist high or another figure (unless they let you). You can climb over or up an object but this is at half speed. Stealthy movement is also at ½ speed. 3. Use Wyrd A Weirdo can use one Wyrd from his Wyrdbook in a turn. Wyrds can be use repetitively. To use a Wyrd on an enemy you must be able to see him. 4. Bloody Combat Goblins & others can attack once each in a turn. They can only fight another figure in a square next to their own (including diagonally). They can shoot at any figure that is in line of sight & range, even if they are fighting. The Goblins always attack first. The attacker makes a Fighting or Shooting Savvy check minus their opponent’s DEX. Shooting at someone in cover decreases Savvy by -1 (soft cover) or -2 (hard cover) If there is more than one attacker attacking a single opponent each one gets +1 to their Savvy check. A Tunnel Rat gets +2 because they are opportunists. The difference between what the attacker needs & what he scores is the damage. Armour stops the first few points of damage: Light Armour stops 1 point, Medium Armour stops 2 points and Heavy Armour stops 3 points. If his armour doesn’t stop all the damage the defender must take the rest from his Toughness. A Goblin reduced to zero toughness is splatted, and has to wait until he has fully regenerated before he can get up again. 5. Use other Skills Anything not listed above can now be done.

Attributes (player’s choice) New Goblins have seven points to divide between the four attributes below. Each attribute must be given between one & three points. Strength STR Dexterity DEX Cunning CUN Malice MAL

Skills (calculate from Attributes) Skill Natural Examples Agility DEX x 2 Climb, Leap etc Fighting STR + CUN Kill, Maim Intimidate MAL x 2 Do what I say! Know-stuff CUN x 2 Know stuff Perception CUN + MAL Spot, Hear

Shooting DEX + CUN Sniper Speed STR + DEX Run, React Stealth DEX + MAL Sneak, Hide Tinker DEX + CUN Make, Repair Toughness STR + MAL Grit, Courage

Savvy (player’s choice) New Goblins are ‘Best’ in two skills & ‘Alright’ with three others of their choice. The rest are Useless. Level Bonus Useless -1 Alright +0 Best +1 Bestest +2 Top Gob +3

Savvy Check Roll less than Natural + Savvy on 1D10. When using a skill a roll of 1 is an automatic success & a roll of 10 an automatic failure.

Gender (player’s choice) All Goblins are male for reasons that will become obvious later. The male pronoun is used on this page to save time and wordage.

Profession (player’s choice) Bruiser: Well armed & armoured the Bruiser is often the leader of a party of Goblins. His job is to defend his gang & kill stuff. Fighting +2, Double Trouble, any Armour. Weirdo: The master of Wyrd, he starts with 3 Wyrds of his choice in his Wyrdbook. He is not good in combat & not very tough. Lore +2, Wyrds, no Armour allowed. Tunnel Rat: This is the burglar & scout of the party. He stops his friends getting killed by traps. Tinker +2, Sneaking, Burglary, only Light Armour. Ragman: A good ally against powerful enemies and monsters and the Goblin’s only ‘diplomat’. He is not bad in combat either. Intimidate +2, Fierceness, only Light or Medium Armour.

Professional Abilities Double Trouble; Bruiser can attack twice in a turn if he has not moved, against adjacent opponents. Sneaking; Tunnel Rat gets +3 to stealthy movement & hiding. Enemies can use perception to spot him. Burglary; Tunnel Rat can use his Tinker skill to pick locks, or to find & disarm traps. Others can’t. Fierceness; As long as the Ragman stays put and puts on his fierce face he will prevent a single chosen enemy approaching closer than 10’. He must choose to do this before Movement.

Improving Goblins (player’s choice) After an adventure the Goblins divide the loot between them equally. They can then spend some of this on Savvy to improve themselves. Cost Improvement 500 Improve Attribute by +1 100 Improve a Skill’s bonus by +1 200 Weirdo can add a new Wyrd to his book. Costs are in Dollars.

Equipment (player’s choice) All new Goblins begin with a set of suitable rags, an Oilskin Cape & a Knapsack containing: Blanket, Rope (30’), Torch, Sack, Three Sea Shells, Small Umbrella & a Water-flask. In addition a Goblin will have: Bruiser Light Armour, Big Knife, Attitude. Weirdo Cudgel, Funny Hat, Wyrdbook, Pencil. Tunnel Rat Knife, Burglary Tools (in a Roll). Ragman Light Armour, Cudgel, Mad Grin.

They may also choose up to three items from the following list: Chalk, Chisels, Crowbar, Grapnel, Hammer, Step Ladder (6’), Small Mirror, Pickaxe, Pole (8’), Pot of Grease, Spade, Whistle, Iron Spikes (x6).

The Wyrdbook To use a Wyrd takes a successful Know-stuff Savvy Check. Rolling an unmodified 10 causes 2 damage (armour doesn’t stop this). Blind: Enemy is blinded for 3 turns. Range 30’. Buff: Touch a Weapon to give it +1 to Fighting/ Shooting skill for 3 turns. Burn: Ignite an inflammable object. Daze: Enemy cannot attack for 3 turns. He can still move & defend himself. Range 30’. Duck’n’Weave: Reduces the Fighting skill of anyone who attacks the Weirdo by 1 for 3 turns. Float: Weirdo can float up/down 30’. Go Black: Weirdo cannot be seen for 3 turns unless he attacks an enemy in any way. Haste: Weirdo can move again in Wyrd phase. Lock-up: Touch holds a door shut against anything except an ‘Open Says I’ Wyrd. Nobble: Chosen creature gets -2 to all Savvy Checks for 3 turns. Range 30’ Open Says I: Touch opens a locked door or lid. Pop-out: Weirdo disappears, & then reappears at a point he can see within 60’. Tickle: If Weirdo successfully makes a Shooting check this automatically causes 2 damage (i.e. normal armour can’t stop it). Range 30’. Trollskin: Weirdo has equivalent of Heavy Armour for 3 turns. Doesn’t work with Dodge. Wisp: Create a floating ball of light for 5 minutes. It stays put or follows Weirdo if he wants.

The Armoury Once they start making a few dollars Goblins can begin to equip themselves better.

Item $ Notes Knife 5 Big Knife 10 +1 to Fighting Cudgel Free Nightstick 20 +1 to Fighting Chopper 25 +1 to Fighting Fire Axe 50 +2 to Fighting, STR 3 Hedge Trimmer 100 +2 to Fighting Chainsaw 300 +3 to Fighting, STR 4 Darts/Shuriken 3 Range 10m, DEX 3 Taser Stick 100 KO’s enemy (1 turn) Revolver 75 +1 to Shooting, 60’ Auto Pistol 100 +1 to Shooting, 60’ Sawn-Off Shotgun

75 +2 to Shooting, 30’, STR 4

SMG 250 +3 to Shooting, 60’, STR 4

Taser Gun 300 20’, see Taser Stick Brigandine 25 Light Armour Kevlar Helmet 50 Light Armour Lined Greatcoat 75 Medium Armour Kevlar Jacket 100 Medium Armour Kettle Plate 150 Heavy Armour, STR 5 SWAT Rig 300 Heavy Armour, STR 4 Ninja Pyjamas 50 +2 to Stealth Tiger Claws 30 +2 to climbing Stun Grenade 25 Stuns for 1 turn Walkie-Talkie 50 Comms up to 1 mile Fashionable duds or Bling

100 +1 per $100 to intimidate Goblins

Note: Ammo is always in short supply, so Goblins rarely have a full load. 10 rounds costs 10% of weapon cost. Further Note: Some items cannot be used by Goblins without enough STR (see notes column).

Going Down! - The World of Nasty, Brutal and Short

© Craig Cartmell

Introduction "Life is nasty, brutal and short & so are you." With that phrase in mind this game gives you the opportunity to play a vicious, malicious, selfish, pompous, aggressive yet cowardly little git to your heart’s content. No noble quests for fair maidens, no heroic treks across the wilderness for just the fame, and no great battles against hordes of evil foes for just the glory!

Goblin, Character, Society and Manners Goblins are unique. More than that, they are amazing! They can survive (and are frequently forced to) where no other creature can. They live in underground swamps, tombs, semi-submerged caverns, lava tubes (even active ones), under the floors of houses, in sewers and cesspits. Because of their size and intellect they have been squeezed out of the fairer lands onto the margins of history and existence. But survive they do, and even seem to thrive on this adversity. Goblin society is based upon a continuously changing pecking order related to each Goblin's accumulated malice. All goblins believe they are hard done to (and they are frequently right) and each humiliation hardens their resolve and the malice they bear the rest of the universe. All Goblins suffer from an ‘Ooh Shiny’ complex. They love bling, new gadgets, outlandish clothes and anything else that gives them even a shred of self-esteem. The Goblin sense of humour is central to their character. In short it is about humiliating your friends, often in an inventive and vicious way. Because they can regenerate most damage a goblin will think nothing of putting a live grenade down another goblin’s shorts. Goblins band together in gangs because no goblin will last long on his own. More important or malicious goblins will intimidate or even hire lesser gangs to carry out a wide range of tasks for them. These tasks may include stealing stuff from the World Above, doing over other gangs, investigating potential (and probably dangerous) sources of wealth and power, and anything else that might get them in trouble. The other Elder races treat goblins with utter contempt. They enslave them, force them to work, mine and fight for them, and expect them to die in droves. Some even eat them (see Trolls). And what do goblins get in return? Absolutely nothing. Many of the most malicious goblins (the notorious Hobgoblins) think that it is time to end this. They have been sending increasing numbers of gangs out to obtain weapons, armour, technology and anything else that might give them an edge against the other Elder races. It’s time to give someone, or perhaps everyone, a good kicking!

The World Above What does Mankind know? The vast majority of Mankind know nothing of the world below for reasons that will shortly become clear. To the average Joe, goblins, elves and trolls are the stuff of fairy tales. If they should happen to come across one they will quickly rationalize the encounter to a more plausible explanation. It was just kids in masks, a trick of the light, how much did I drink? If they don't then The Agency takes care of them. The Great Compact A thousand years ago mankind and the Elder races came close to total war. At the last moment a mission by the Sandestins of the Seelie Court managed to come to an accord with the combined Emperors of Mankind. This gave man hegemony over the surface world for a thousand years. The Elder races retreated to a few surface preserves and below the ground. The Great Compact will shortly end and there are many amongst the Elder races who don't want it renewed. They argue that man has devastated the planet and it is time to take it back, by force if necessary. This has caused a state of unrest called the Uncivil War between the Courts and their followers (and lots of work for goblin gangs). The Man This is the name given to the faceless individual who runs The Agency. The Agency This ultra secret and powerful trans-national organization monitors the activities of the Elder races, and covers up any 'unfortunate' incidents. With the Great Compact due to end there has been an upsurge of such incidents, especially by members of the Unseelie Court, the Vampires, Lycans and Goblins. All members of The Agency dress in dark business attire and sunglasses.

The World Below The Sidhe These are divided into the Seelie and Unseelie Courts and include a wide range of beings from the noble Sandestins and Quastrells, through the more ‘normal’ Elves down to the troublesome Picsie clans (imagine teen Goths with real magical powers). All are arrogant, aloof and adept at sorcery. The Dwarves These are the most man-like race and many have 'gone up' and joined mainstream human society where their incredible skills with mechanical and electrical devices has served them well. Some human Corporations have taken advantage of this to their profit, but it has set them at odds with The Agency. Trolls Few people, even below ground, have ever beheld a troll. For those that have it was

probably the last thing they ever saw. Trolls are fierce, territorial and very, very dangerous. They are the only race to openly eat the others. Ogres These are much more common than their cousins the Trolls. Many serve as soldiers for the various Sidhe factions. They are huge, slow-witted and aggressive. Many are regular steroid abusers. Dragons A few of these magnificent creatures do exist, but how many is hard to quantify. This is mostly because they are talented shape-shifters and amazingly powerful sorcerers. Some people think they are behind the current dissent in the Elder races ranks. Mythic Beasts Every mythic beast in tale and fable did once exist. Some have survived a millennium in hiding, but many are thought to be lost. Human Beasts There are two sub-races of humans who were bound by the Compact on pain of being hunted to extinction by both sides. The Vampyr - a number of small clans operate in the Old and New Worlds, but have grown accustomed to keeping their activities quiet. It is thought that some may even work for The Agency. The Lycans - barely a few dozen of these are thought to remain. They include Werewolves (Europe), Fox People (China) and Wendigo (America) and some others.

Running Games of NBS As we’re sure you can imagine, the aim of Nasty, Brutal and Short is to have a laugh. So when planning a game there are just 2 rules: 1. Keep It Short & Simple, and 2. Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men. NBS is a cartoon of a roleplaying game, because the goblins can regenerate and they are actively encouraged to be ‘naughty’. An Acme anvil/piano/boulder falls on your goblin – so what? He delivers a lit stick of dynamite and waits around to see what happens when it goes bang – oops! He machine guns his buddies while trying to hit that damned elven ninja – sorry dudes! Give the gang a fairly simple objective and let them loose. Typical adventures could include: 1. Steal a magical thingummyjig from a

museum/elf’s temple/vampire’s lair. 2. Go ‘shopping’ in PC World/Guns’r’Us. 3. Put the squeeze on a rival’s operations. 4. Perform some wetwork for a Hobgoblin

crime boss. Rub some mooks out! 5. Burgle a Dwarven genetics lab in a big

human corporation (mutations galore!). Another great source are popular films: ‘Goblins of the Lost Ark’, ‘The Good, the Bad and the Goblin’, ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Ogres’, ‘The Very Dirty Dozen’ or even ‘The Maltese Goblin’. In fact any thriller or gangster movie – need we say more?