THE

BLACK
HACK
 A comprehensive, rules-light Old
School fantasy roleplaying game
- developed by -

DAVID BLACK
-.-
Featuring a DIY home-brew of original era
fantasy gaming and modern game design theory.

EDITING
Pookie

COVER ART
Karl Stjernberg

INTERIOR ART
Karl Stjernberg, David Black, Sean Poppe, Jeff Call

THANKS
Lucy, Evelyne, Isaac, Sally, Chris, Stephen & Gareth, Toby, Oscar,
Charlotte, Ffion Norman, Peter Goold, Punch, Jarrett Crader, Evey
Lockhart, Brad Black, James Young, Peter Regan, Mick Reddick,
Jarrett Crader, Tony Tucker, Wayne Synder, Chris Mcdowall,
Dominic Bailey, kjdavies, Noah Stevens, Jon Payne Karlen
Kendrick, Christian Kolbe, Luka Rejec, Bruno Bord, Chris Wilson,
Norbert G Masauch, Jonny Gray, Mike Evans, Ramanan S, Anxy P,
Tore Nielsen, Oli Palmer, Scott Dorward, Clint Egger, Sean Poppe,
Cecil Howe, Mark Hunt, Jim Pinto, Andrew Shields, Dylan Ross,
Richard August, Logan Knight, James Raggi, Paul Ward, Fiona
Geist, Dyson, Daniel Sell, Luke Gearing, all the BETA testers, too
many to name, Kickstarter Backers likewise - you’re dope, Anyone
who I know on the internet - hi!
The name The Black Hack and all layout is copyright © David Black 2018
All artwork and cartography is copyright © Karl Stjernberg, David Black,
Sean Poppe and Jeff Call 2018
 PLAYING THE GAME
p.4

THE CORE MECHANICS

p.6-7

MOVEMENT &
DISTANCE
p.8

ATTACKING,
DEFENDING &
DEALING DAMAGE
p.10-11

IMPORTANT PLAYER
RULES
p.14

LEVELS &
EXPERIENCES
p.13

SPELLCASTING &
MAGIC
p.15 / 26-27 / 42-43

CREATE A CHARACTER
p.16-25

IMPORTANT GM RULES
p.30-31

RANDOM
ENCOUNTERS
p.32-33
 EQUIPMENT &
ECONOMY
p.34-35

HIRELINGS
p.36

PANIC & LIGHT

p.37

TRICKS, TRAPS &

SECRET DOORS
p.70-73

DISEASES, NARCOTICS
& POISONS
p.38-42

TOOLS QUICK
REFERENCE
p.45

NPCS
p.46-50

MONSTERS
p.79-113

MAGIC ITEMS &

TREASURE
p.114-116

SAMPLE
ADVENTURE
p.117-121
PLAYING THE WHAT SHOULD THE
GAMEMASTER DO?
BLACK HACK The role of the Gamesmaster (GM) is very
different from the Players. They control
WHAT IS THIS GAME? the Movement and Actions of the Non-
The Black Hack (TBH) is a table top role- Player Characters (NPCs) and Monsters,
playing game, played with pencils, paper presenting the world to the Players,
and dice. TBH looks back at the dungeon helping them navigate it with fair
delving games of the 1970s, rebooting rulings and dice rolls and describing the
those experiences with modern rules for events that happen during play.
another generation of gamers.

The game has been designed to use a PLAYING A GAME

simple set of rules that are presented in a You’ll need some Players who will each
plain, conversational language. For ease control a Character and one person to act
of play anything styled in Bold Italics is in as the GM who will control the Monsters,
the Appendix on p.122 for quick reference NPCs, and deliver some kind of pre-
during play. planned or impromptu world to explore.

The Players should create some

HOW DOES IT WORK? Characters (see p.16) or introduce ones
The game is played in the joint they have already. The GM should start a
imaginations of the people around the session by setting the scene, explaining
table. Players create Characters who briefly where the Characters are and what
explore an imaginary world, presented they can see - it’s a good idea to quickly
to them by the Gamemaster, going on recap anything the Characters should
daring and dangerous adventures. know - then ask the question "What do
you want to do next?"
WHAT SHOULD THE
The Players tell the GM what their
PLAYERS DO? Characters’ Actions are and then the GM
The Players' roles in the game are adjudicates the outcomes, asking dice to
straightforward but not necessarily easy! be rolled if there is a chance of failure - or
They will be presented with a scene in by making consistent rulings.
which they describe in turn what their
Characters do, rolling dice to determine
the outcome of their Actions. THE SPIRIT OF DIY
TABLETOP RPGS
ROLLING THE DICE The thing TBH encourages above all is the
TBH uses polyhedral dice to impartially freedom to mould the rules, customising
run the game. If you see d4, d6, d8, d10, them to both suit the preferences and
d12, and d20 written in the rules - this meet the needs of everyone playing. In
refers to a die of that size, so a d20 is a other words – change the rules! – Hack it
twenty-sided die and a d4 is four-sided. and make it yours.

4.
EXAMPLE OF PLAY sewer tunnel, still Nearby to your
GM : “I hope the cultists don’t find you friends, please test your Dexterity to see
and eat your hearts!” Laughs the mad how quiet you are - remember you get
sorcerer maniacally as he waves goodbye. Advantage on tests when sneaking, roll
Warrior : Oh, this is going to go great. two d20s and choose the result you like.
Thief : I sarcastically shout back “Thanks!” Thief : *rolls* despite rolling two dice I’ve
Wizard : Quick, let’s just get out of here! got a 17 and 19. What are the odds?
Thief : Okay! Is the sewer cover Nearby? GM : Ouch. You’re making so much
GM : Yeah and it's made of rusty iron bars noise being sneaky, a Ghoul hiding in
Thief : I’ll move to it and as my Action I’ll the darkness Close to you leaps out and
check it for traps. Attacks!
Warrior : Assuming it’s safe, I want to Thief : Bugger!
bend the bars, so we can slip through. GM : Initiative time! Everyone test their
Wizard : And I want to cast light on my Dexterity, passing means you act before
staff so we can see Nearby. the Ghoul, failing means you go after.
GM : Okay, Thief, test your Wisdom by Thief you test with Disadvantage.
rolling a d20 under your WIS score - to Warrior : I go before.
check the portcullis for traps. Wizard : I’m after.
Thief : *rolls* Made it! GM : Thief?
GM : You’re confident it’s free of anything Thief : How long was it to roll up a
designed to do you harm. Warrior, still Character again? I go after.
want to bend the bars? If so test your Warrior : I want to run down the tunnel
Strength! and hack the Ghoul with my broad sword.
Warrior : *rolls* Piece of cake! GM : Okay Warrior, you move Close to the
GM : Good stuff. Now Wizard, you cast Ghoul. Test your Strength to see if you
Light on your staff - it glows. That’s a level hit it, you should add +1 to the roll, as the
1 spell that you’ve memorised right? Ghoul’s a Powerful Foe.
Wizard : Yup. Warrior : *rolls* Rolled a 7! *rolls again*
GM : Okay, well test your Intelligence and So that’s 8HP damage.
add one to your d20 roll - because it's a GM : Good hit! Now it’s the Ghoul’s turn.
level one spell - if you fail you can’t cast Thief, test your Strength to try and fight
that spell from memory anymore. off the Ghoul’s paralysing claws and bite.
Wizard : *rolls* I need to roll under, not Remember to add the +1 to your roll.
on it, right? Thief : *rolls* Ugh! 18.
GM : That’s right. GM : Oh dear. You feel a painful numbing
Wizard : Damn, I failed. sensation run through your body. Test
GM : Unlucky! Beyond the bent iron bars your Constitution, if you fail the Ghoul
is a long dark sewer tunnel heading deep Paralyses you.
down. What do you want to do next? Thief : *rolls* Oh no, 20!
Warrior : Explore down the tunnel...? GM : Wizard, you see the Thief fall rigid
Thief : Agreed! I’ll sneak ahead. to the floor, what do you do?
Wizard : And I’ll protect the rear! Wizard : I’ll start backing away slowly.
GM : Okay Thief, you move down the Thief : I’ll get you in the next life you git!

5.
RULES FOR RELATIVE TIME
Time can scale up during periods of

EVERYONE narrative play, instead of Minutes a GM

may use Hours whilst in towns or areas of
CHARACTERS & NPCS relative safety, or Days whilst resting or
The imaginary world that the Players travelling large distances - a turn still lets
will explore is populated by a cast of you Move and perform an Action as per
Creatures, the rules define Creatures as normal. However, the scope of what can
being one of the two following types: be achieved in that time increases.

ƒƒ Characters controlled by the Players.

ƒƒ Non-player characters (NPCs) and QUICK EXAMPLES
Monsters that are created and If the Characters search for a hidden
controlled by the GM. door, they each roll to see if they find
it - perhaps taking them Minutes. If a
Dragon attempts to tear them in two,
TAKING TURNS & TIME they roll to Defend and evade its vicious
Every Creature has a turn, on which they
jaws - happening in just Moments.
can Move and interact with the world
with an Action - the GM will present and
track these turns, affecting what the
Creatures can do in one of two ways:
THE GM’S ’TURN’
The GM will respond to each Character’s
Actions by narrating the effects of each
ƒƒ Moments are used during combat
Action on the world, and then performing
and represent split seconds - when
Actions and Movements in response by the
everyone is attempting to act at
once, often against one another. appropriate NPCs and Monsters.
ƒƒ Minutes are used when exploring and
adventuring. They represent a dozen RESOLVING ACTIONS
or so real minutes - when time is not Simple Actions are automatically
of the essence. successful - the GM just narrates what
happens in reaction. However, if it’s
These abstract measures of time are difficult or dangerous, with a chance
written to be conversational in tone. of failure - the GM will ask the involved
Moments (called ’rounds’ in other games) Player to roll an Attribute Test to
are fleeting, allowing enough time determine the outcome of the Action.
for quick and rapid Actions such as an
Attack.
CHARACTER ACTIONS
Minutes (called ’turns’ in other games) & ATTRIBUTE TESTS
function the same way but are longer
Every Action involving a Character that
than the quick and tense Moments,
might fail or make the situation worse
giving the Creatures more time to move,
for the Character is resolved by Testing
think, and perform longer and more
one of their six Attributes.
complicated Actions.

6.
In order for their Character to succeed HIT DICE & HITPOINTS
at an Action, a Player must roll below the Every Character, NPC, or Monster
Attribute on a d20. has something called a Hit Die (HD),
accompanied by a number. This number
Rolling on or above indicates things went represents their Level - for example a Level
poorly or that the Action did not go as 6 Ogre has 6HD and a Character that has
planned. The GM will then narrate the 3HD would be Level 3.
outcome of the failed Action describing
how the Characters are affected. HD also indicate how many dice to roll to
A GM never rolls dice to resolve NPC or determine the number of Hit Points or HP
Monster Actions, or negative elements of a Creature begins the game with.
the environment such as traps - if they
involve a Character, that Player will roll. ƒƒ NPCs and Monsters roll d8s for HP.
Otherwise the GM will make a swift and ƒƒ Characters roll the dice given in their
fair judgement call that moves the story Character class for HP (p.18-25)
forward and abides by the logic of the
unfolding fiction, taking note if need be. Hit Points are used track how much
damage something can take through
physical and spiritual wear and tear. Bad
ADVANTAGE & things happen when a Creature runs out of
DISADVANTAGE Hit Points (p.11).
A GM may decide that an Action or
outcome isn’t straightforward; perhaps When a GM or Player first rolls to
something is more or less likely to determine a Creature’s starting Hit Points,
happen - perhaps having a greater or this is the maximum they can ever have.
lesser effect - this is called having an No amount of healing, spells, or effects can
Advantage or a Disadvantage. take them beyond this amount. The only
way for a Creature to increase their max HP
Advantage and Disadvantage means is to gain a Level - when they do, a single
when a roll is being made, it should be Hit Die is rolled, the result is added to their
made twice as follows: maximum HP.

ƒƒ With Advantage the Player chooses Rules for Experience and Levels are on p.13.
which result to use.
ƒƒ Disadvantage means the GM chooses
the result to use.

Don’t forget! This could apply to any die

roll, such as damage, an item’s Usage Die
or a random Encounter Roll.

7.
MOVEMENT EXPLORING, DISTANCE
& ACTIONS
& DISTANCE Various interactions with the
environment and the things in it will
ABSTRACT DISTANCES require Characters to be certain distances
The Black Hack uses four range bands from the target. For example, to Attack
for measuring relative positions of someone with a sword a Character would
Characters, Creatures, and things in the
need to be Close to them, to shoot them
world. From nearest to farthest :
with a bow a Character should ideally be
Close, Nearby, Faraway and Distant. Faraway.

These ranges are designed to support

the narrative ’theatre of the mind’ style
RELATIVE DISTANCES
of play, where a map and miniatures These range bands scale up or down to
aren’t being used. Therefore, it is useful if any level, much like Fractal Time (p.6).
everything in the world is tracked by its From adjacent rooms to towns and
relative distance from the various points mountains, everything in the world can
of interest around it. be defined by its relative distance to
another point. During tense Moments it
For example, in play a GM might narrate scales down significantly - Close being
a room to the players by saying, “You less than 5 ft. away and Nearby around
are Close to the northern doorway, which 25 ft. away. While the Characters explore
is Nearby the fountain. The torch on the a location and they have Minutes at their
southern wall is Faraway from you.” disposal, a Nearby place could be the end
of a path, over 250 ft. away.

CREATURE MOVEMENT
During their turn Creatures may CONVERTING
normally Move somewhere Nearby. If MEASUREMENTS
a Creature is Nearby to something and Here are some approximate guides
decides to move towards it, they’re now to converting real measurements or
Close to it. Moving shifts you one step increments onto a battle mat - useful for
along the range band, either closer to or miniatures and using adventures written
further away from a Creature, object, or for other games.
location.
ƒƒ Close - roughly 5 ft. or 1 Square
TOKENS ARE USEFUL ƒƒ Nearby - upto 30 ft. or 6 Squares
Whilst a full range of miniatures isn’t ƒƒ Faraway - upto 60 ft. or 12 Squares
necessary to play The Black Hack, tokens ƒƒ Distant - beyond 60 ft. or 12 Squares
such as coins or chess pieces may be
extremely useful for tracking relative
positions - such as who is behind or in
front of someone and other complex
situations like combat encounters.

8.
 MINI BATTLEMAP

MARCHING ORDER
Useful for tracking the order of the Characters in corridors or when travelling on roads.

Rear Front

9.
ATTACKING ARMOUR
Each piece of armour a Character wears

DEFENDING gives the Player a ‘pool’ of Armour Dice.

Each Armour Die is a d6 and the number of

& DAMAGE
d6s in the pool is equal to the Armour Value
(AV) of the armour worn. For example,
leather armour (AV2), gives a Player two
INITIATIVE & THE Armour Dice in their pool.
ORDER OF COMBAT
When combat breaks out, everyone must ƒƒ If a Character fails to Defend or would
be sorted into an order, so they may each take damage they can take one
act and react in turn. At the start of every Armour Die out of the pool, put it to
Moment each Player rolls a DEX Test for one side and declare it ‘Broken’. In
return, this allows all damage from
their Character. Those that succeed, take
that Attack or effect to be ignored.
their turn before their NPC opponents. ƒƒ Armour Dice that have been Broken
They must then discuss as a group to and put to one side cannot be used to
decide their own order for individual ignore any further damage.
Character Actions. Those that fail their
DEX Tests, act after their opponents. After a Rest, any Players with Broken Armour
Dice can try to fix them by rolling them:
ATTACKING & ƒƒ If they roll above the armour’s AV - the
DEFENDING die is no-longer Broken.
As an Action a Character might choose ƒƒ If they roll on or below their armour’s
to deal damage to an opponent with an AV, the die is Broken permanently
Attack. Their Player must succeed at an until it’s repaired. If all the Armour
Attribute Test before they can roll their Dice in a pool are permanently broken
Attack Damage dice and subtract the the armour is destroyed.
result from their opponent’s HP.
Armour Values do not stack. Only the
armour with the highest AV counts.
Likewise, something will surely attempt
Shields and helmets add +1 each to
to inflict damage in return and reduce a the pool size, they do not modify the
Character’s HP. To Defend and avoid this Armour’s AV value in any way.
damage the Character must succeed at
an Attribute test. The GM will determine
what test to use for both Attacking and ARMOUR AV
Defending using the guidelines below:
Cloth / Improvised 1
ƒƒ Melee - STR Attribute Tests for Leather 2
Attacking and Defending with swords
and axes etc. Chain Mail 3
ƒƒ Ranged - DEX Attribute Tests for Plate & Mail 4
Attacking and Defending with bows
and thrown weapons. Shield / Helmet +1 die

10.
DAMAGE & HIT POINTS ONGOING DAMAGE-
If an NPC or Monster takes damage from Some Attacks and spells deal damage
an Attack, or a Character fails to Defend, to Creatures after their initial effects.
they subtract damage from their total Hit When a Creature takes Ongoing Damage
Points (HP). it loses HP equal to its Level at the start of
every turn. An Attribute Test of the GM’s
ƒƒ When a Character or NPC is reduced choosing should be made by the Player at
to zero HP they are unconscious and the end of the turn to see if the Ongoing
taken Out of Action (OofA). Damage continues.
ƒƒ When a Monster is reduced to zero
HP, it is removed from the game.
OUT OF ACTION (OofA)
When a Character is taken Out of Action
LARGE WEAPONS they can no longer take Actions or Move.
When a Character wields a large or When they receive aid, or the danger
two-handed weapon such as a polearm they were in passes, the Character must
or heavy crossbow, a d4 should be rolled roll on the table below to see what
and added to the Attribute Test to Attack, happens to them.
Defend, and to any Attack Damage rolls.
ƒƒ If they survive (results 1-5) they
CRITICAL HITS regain 1d4 HP counting up from zero
When the result of a d20 roll to Attack is and are no longer OofA.
a natural 1 or a roll to Defend is a natural
20, the damage dealt to the Creature is If the Character’s side loses the fight or
doubled. are unable to recover the body of the
OofA Character, they are lost forever -
HINDRANCES and presumed dead!
Certain abilities, magical effects and
consequences of Actions will leave
OUT OF ACTION
Creatures hindered until a successful
Attribute Test of the GM’s choosing is 1 KO’d - Just knocked out
made, sometimes needing an Action to
complete. Fat Head - Disadvantage on all
2
tests for the next half hour of play
ƒƒ Weakened - All Attribute Tests are Cracked Bones - Disadvantage on
rolled with Disadvantage. 3 all STR, DEX, and CON Tests for
ƒƒ Distracted - A Character cannot
the remainder of the session
perform any Actions, but may still
Move normally. 4 Disfigured - CHA reduced by 1d4
ƒƒ Stuck - A Character cannot Move, but
they may take Actions as per normal. Badly maimed - either STR or
5
ƒƒ Paralysed - A Character cannot Move DEX is permanently reduced by 2
or take any Actions. 6 Dead - The Character dies!

11.
 ARMS HEAD
1. Shattered knuckles 1. Two black eyes
2. Finger broken in a zig-zag 2. Smashed nose
3. Splintered wrist 3. Cool eyebrow scar
4. Split fingers 4. Shattered teeth
5. Big dirty gash 5. Jaw fractured
6. Busted arm 6. Ears ruined
7. Dislocated shoulder 7. Scalp missing
8. Pulverised hand 8. Most of nose gone
9. Biceps exploded 9. Develops lisp
10. Hand wrenched off 10. Milky eyeball
11. Mangled stump 11. Fractured skull
12. Red fountain! 12. Brain damage

LEGS BODY
1. Broken toe 1. Winded
2. Twisted ankle 2. Oof! Crown jewels
3. Cracked kneecap 3. Bruised rib
4. Toes ripped off 4. Long deep cut
5. Tendon snapped 5. Painful gut wound
6. Deep puncture 6. Visible ribs
7. Foot fractured 7. Pierced kidneys
8. Knee shattered 8. Shredded liver
9. Messy break 9. Snapped sternum
10. Foot pulverised 10. Popped lung
11. Exposed bone 11. Disembowelled
12. Bloody stump! 12. Crushed heart!

DAMAGE LOCATION DROP TABLE

Should you need to know where a Creature has been hurt, roll
the Attack Damage by dropping the dice on this page.
12.
LEVELS & SHARING EXPERIENCE
In order for the Character to ‘share’ their

EXPERIENCE Experiences - they must go carousing

and regale their companions in revelry
GAINING EXPERIENCE with stories of their exploits and growing
The Black Hack uses an abstract system renown. A Player who wishes their
of Experiences to measure a Character’s Character to share Experiences must:
development as they adventure and
grow in power. Unlike in many other ƒƒ Tell the other Players one very
games, Characters don’t earn points short story from their Character’s
incrementally, all that matters is that a past - over a round of drinks and
Character is able to Experience enough toasts - for each Experience they
things that will change them as a person. wish to share.
There are a number of potential ways a ƒƒ The Player should roll a d6 for
Character can be awarded an Experience each story told. This is the cost in
by the GM. coins that must be paid for the
accompanying drinks and feasting
ƒƒ Defeating a powerful ‘named’ enemy
- if they don’t have the coin - the
either in combat or by thwarting
GM will determine the amount of
their schemes.
debt they owe and to whom.
ƒƒ Discovering the entrance - or a
newer, deeper level of a ’dungeon’ or ƒƒ Find the highest result rolled
lair and begin exploring it. on any of the d6 and consult the
ƒƒ Rediscovering a magical artefact Carousing table below.
from a previous enlightened age.
ƒƒ Completing a quest for an NPC.
ƒƒ Overcoming, disabling, or surviving CAROUSING
a deadly and powerful threat such as
a magical trap or curse. Drunk and Disorderly!: Fined
ƒƒ Failing so spectacularly and in such 1 for bad behaviour - roll all the
dramatic fashion that everyone d6s again, adding to the cost
around the table agrees it’s worth it. Drunken brawl: Lose a
number of Max HP equal to the
USING EXPERIENCE TO 2
Character’s Level, regain them
GAIN LEVELS & POWER next session
Once a Character has acquired a number Fame: CHA Tests have Advantage
of Experiences equal to their current Level 3
for the remainder of the session
they may ’share’ them to gain a Level. Eg,
a Level 2 Character would need to share 2 Revelry!: Roll a d20, if it’s higher
4
Experiences to advance to Level 3. than CHA, gain 1 point of CHA
5 Real story: Alter a Background
ƒƒ Each class gains something different
when they go up a Level, see pages Secrets revealed: Gain another
18-25 for each class’ benefits. 6
entirely new Background

13.
RULES FOR USAGE DIE &
AMMUNITION
THE PLAYERS When tracking the Usage Die for
ammunition such as arrows and bullets,
CHARACTER TURNS roll the Ud after the combat is resolved.
Every Character normally gets to
do two things on their turn: Move
somewhere Nearby, and perform an ARMOUR PROFICIENCY
Action. Anything a Character does to If a Character wears armour that is not
interact with or impact the state of the listed in their class - they should add
world is considered an Action. They may its Armour Value to the d20 result when
alternatively forgo their Action and make making any Attribute Tests.
an extra Move instead.

The length and complexity of the Action RESTING

must match the amount of time the When Characters take an Hour to Rest,
Character has to complete it. The GM they may roll any Broken Armour Die to
determines the time, either Moments or see if it is Broken permanently and needs
Minutes. Often when there is no danger repairing by an armourer, or can be used
or intrigue involved, Hours and Days again as per normal.
might be used to allow for longer or more
complex actions. After an Hour’s Rest a Player may roll one
of the Character’s HD and regain that
many HP.
LIMITED RESOURCES
AND THE USAGE DIE For every Day of narrative story time
When an item described has Ud and spent resting - taking no Strength or
then a number after its name, it is Dexterity Attribute Tests, a Character may
considered to be a consumable, limited roll all of their HD and recover that many
item. The ’Ud’ stands for Usage Die, the HP.
number indicating what size die it is. For
example, oil (Ud6) has a Usage Die of d6. HEALING
Characters can recover Hit Points from
When that item is used its Usage Die spells, potions, and abilities. Regardless
should be rolled. If the result is 1-2 then of how many Hit Points are healed, the
the Usage Die is downgraded to the next Character can never recover more than
smallest die in the following chain: their maximum HP.

Ud20 > Ud12 > Ud10 > Ud8 > Ud6 > Ud4 If a Character who is Out of Action
recovers HP, but hasn’t rolled on the OofA
When you roll a 1-2 on a d4 - the lowest table yet, start at zero and count up. That
die in the chain - the item is expended, Character is now back on their feet and
and the Character has no more of it left. no longer OofA.

14.
USING BACKGROUNDS
TO GAIN ADVANTAGE
MAGIC &
Once per session, a Player may tell
the GM that their Character is using a
SPELLS
Wizards and Clerics - known as
Background to aid them in making an Spellcasters - have the ability to
Attribute Test. The Player should give a
memorise and cast spells and prayers,
convincing narrative explanation as to
chosen from their Class list (p.26-27).
how their Character’s Background relates
to the current Action, and provide some
kind of useful exposition about the MEMORISING SPELLS
Character’s story. Once per day a Spellcaster may spend
an hour memorising a number of spells
If the GM agrees - the Player may roll that or prayers equal to their Level, from
Attribute Test with Advantage. scrolls and books. A Spellcaster can only
memorise spells or prayers from levels up
to and equal to their own Level.
INVENTORY
A Character may happily carry a number
of items up-to or equal to their STR. CASTING SPELLS
A Spellcaster can spend an Action on
ƒƒ Carrying more items than their STR their turn to cast a spell or prayer from
means they are Encumbered and memory. Once the effects of the spell
ALL Attribute Tests are taken with have been resolved, the Spellcaster should
Disadvantage. make an Attribute Test - adding the spell’s
ƒƒ Characters simply cannot carry a or prayer’s level to the roll. If they have
number of items more than double already cast the spell this session, the
their STR. Attribute Test is made with Disadvantage.
If they fail, the spell or prayer is no
longer memorised.
BANISHING UNDEAD
Clerics may attempt to banish Nearby When Turns are being tracked using
undead Monsters as an Action. They must Minutes a Spellcaster may spend an Action
test their WIS adding the Creatures’ HD to attempt to cast a spell or prayer by
to the roll for each group of undead that reading it from a book or scroll. To do so
they are attempting to Banish (groups are they must make an Attribute Test - adding
determined by the GM when unclear). the spell’s or prayer’s level to the roll.
If they succeed, it is cast. If they fail, it
Undead Monsters that are Banished take misfires and the Player should roll on the
damage equal to the Cleric’s Level and Magical Side Effects table (p.43).
must spend all their future Movement
(and convert Actions to Movement) so they A Spellcaster can only cast spells up to
are Distant from the Cleric that Banished and equal to their Level.
them, a successful banishment lasts
for d4 + the Banishing Cleric’s Level in Arcane spells use Intelligence and prayers
Moments. use Wisdom for all Attribute Tests.

15.
CREATING A Strength (STR)
Physical power and Melee Attacks
CHARACTER Dexterity (DEX)
ROLLING DICE AND Swiftness, agility and Ranged Attacks
FINDING A CONCEPT
The first step to creating a memorable
Character is coming up with an engaging
Constitution (CON)
Resilience and physical well being
’concept’. In your mind, think of one
sentence that summarises who the
Character is, and what might make them Wisdom (WIS)
interesting to play. Cunning, perception and Divine Prayers

To figure out all the rules and mechanics, Intelligence (INT)

follow steps A, B, C, and D. Knowledge, judgement and Arcane Spells

Charisma (CHA)
A
A ROLL DICE FOR Influence and power of personality
THEIR ATTRIBUTES
Characters have six defining Attributes C CHOOSE A CLASS
C
that are listed to the right, along with Choose a Class from pages 18 to 25, this
what each attribute is and what it relates determines what sort of adventurer they
to in the rules. They define everything are and what innate abilities they have.
about the Character - how strong, The four choices are :
dexterous, resilient, intelligent, wise,
and charismatic they are. Warrior, Thief, Cleric and Wizard.

ƒƒ Take 3d6 and roll them, adding Each Class will also determine how much
them together, do this for each of damage a starting Character can take -
the Attributes to the right in order - measured in Hit Points, also what armour
writing the results in pencil, next to they can use, damage they deal when
the Attributes on a Character sheet. they Attack, and what they gain as they
ƒƒ If you roll 14+, don’t roll dice for the advance in Levels.
next Attribute - instead it will be 7.
Roll again as per normal after this.
D MAKE A
D
B SWAP TWO
B BACKGROUND
Use the information on the next page to
ATTRIBUTES create a unique piece of history that will
Swap the values of two Attributes around aid the Character on their adventures,
if it suits the Character’s concept better. frame their story, and who they are.

16.
USING A CHARACTER’S “I lived with the Black Hill tribes. I
BACKGROUND learned to live off the land. Learned to
Backgrounds are significant times in hate the Black Baron’s dog soldiers too.”
a Character’s past life that give them
Advantages in their current exploits. They “I’m a Loremaster for the Magisteriat of
can represent all manner of experiences, Bulgator Craxis - the ONLY thing I don’t
skills and Moments in a Character’s past know is why the Council want me dead.”
- helping define who they were before
their current adventures, and what type “A hefty price is on my head from the
of Actions they are good at now. Black Bank! They don’t take kindly
to being conned out of large sums of
money.”
HOW TO MAKE A
GOOD BACKGROUND “The Black Wind took me from the forest
Decide on a short sentence that in my youth. Humans of Gloomhaven
encapsulates an interesting time in the raised orphaned elves such as myself.”
Character’s past - consider the following:
“It’s been 100 years since I was young -
ƒƒ Backgrounds should ideally contain but by my beard I know nothing of the
one piece of world-building fiction, surface - the deep mountain highways
allowing a Player to craft a narrative are like veins to my heart - a true dwarf.”
tie to the game world, and a story
element unique to their Character.
ƒƒ It should also reveal one specific D12 INSPIRATION
skill or narrow field of proficiency
or knowledge, that they learned or 1 Raised as a poor street child
relied upon during this time.
2 Escaped being held prisoner
Here are some short example backgrounds 3 Won freedom through valour
and a table of inspiration to help get started :
4 Reputation ruined by vices
“Once spent a summer in Yvesh hunting 5 Fleeing a broken noble house
the Black Banner. Made a lot of enemies.
Tracked down most of them ‘n’ killed em.” 6 Sold to a Wizard as a child
7 Fought a distant, useless war
“I was raised as a sewer child of
Sorrowset, pickpocketing and hiding in 8 Smuggler of illegal goods
the shadows was my way of survival.”
9 Chosen as a god’s instrument
“Being raised up to Brother Chaplain in 10 Survived an arcane disaster
the 11th Legion taught me all I need to
know about tactical warfare and death.” 11 Child of political exiles
12 Lost heir to an old throne

17.
WARRIOR
NAME

STRENGTH
DEXTERITY
CONSTITUTION
INTELLIGENCE
WISDOM
CHARISMA

HD HP

Armour AV

-
Put Usage Die &
Armour Die here
-

INVENTORY
1 11
2 12
3 13

4 14
5 15
6 16

7 17

8 18

9 19

10 20

XP -
STARTING STATS DEALER OF DEATH
A Warrior has a ‘pool’ of Damage Dice
Starting Hit Points (HP) : roll 1d4 + 6
(d6s) equal to their HD.
Starting Hit Die (HD) : 1d8
Usable Weapons & Armour : Any and all
ƒƒ When making an Attack distribute
Attack Damage : See ‘Dealer of Death’
any number of these Damage Dice
among any number of Nearby
WAR TROPHY targets.
D6
ƒƒ For each target the Player assigns
1 Scalp of an enemy chieftain the Damage Dice, the Player must
come up with an exciting and
2 Vial of widow’s tears bespoke narration for the Attack.
3 My lord’s sundered shield ƒƒ Make an Attribute Test for each
target to see if they are hit, if so, roll
4 Ears from a goblin tribe the Damage Dice assigned to them
5 An enemy’s heraldic banner and reduce their HP by that amount.
ƒƒ The pool of Damage Dice resets at the
6 A dragon-tooth pendant start of the Warrior’s turn.

EQUIPMENT WHEN YOU GAIN A

Every Warrior starts with a Decorative NEW LEVEL
Shield displaying their heraldic device, Acquire and share a number of
which the Player should design. Also Experiences equal to your current HD
choose to start the game with either A to advance a Level. When you gain a
or B: Level:

ƒƒ A - Scale tunic (AV2), A one-handed ƒƒ Roll a d20 once for each

weapon, large shield (AV2), 2d6 Attribute - if you roll over, it
coins, unopened orders. goes up one point, make an
ƒƒ B - Thick hide (AV2) tin helm (AV1) extra roll for one attribute of
two-handed weapon, 4d6 coins, war your choice.
paint, book of grudges. ƒƒ Gain 1HD - Roll a d8 with
Advantage to gain that
SELF RELIANT many additional
When rolling Broken Armour Die a maximum HP.
Warrior may re-roll results of 1. ƒƒ Gain a
Damage
Die.
SHIELD BASH
When you are Attacked in melee
combat whilst holding a shield -
and your roll to Defend is 1-5, the
attacker takes damage equal to
your Level.
19.
THIEF
NAME

STRENGTH
DEXTERITY
CONSTITUTION
INTELLIGENCE
WISDOM
CHARISMA

HD HP

Armour AV

-
Put Usage Die &
Armour Die here
-

INVENTORY
1 11
2 12
3 13

4 14
5 15
6 16

7 17

8 18

9 19

10 20

XP -
STARTING STATS NIMBLE EXPERTISE
Roll with Advantage when testing
Starting Hit Points (HP) : roll 1d6 + 2
Dexterity to avoid damage or effects from
Starting Hit Die (HD) : 1d6
traps and magical devices.
Usable Weapons & Armour : All one-
handed swords, all bows, daggers, cloth,
leather, small shield SNEAK ATTACK
Attack Damage : 1d6 or 1d4 if unarmed If a Thief has Moved silently to get behind
a Creature, and they are unaware of the
Thief ’s presence, the Thief may make an
D6 LUCKY CHARM Attack that automatically hits and deals
2d6 + the Thief ’s Level damage.
1 Oversized moon-shaped coin
2 Bag of knuckle bones DEEP & MURKY PAST
At the start of the gaming session roll a
3 Locket with a portrait d10, if the result is below your current
4 Praying hand tattoo Level - you can customise or entirely
change your Background.
5 Eyepatch (both eyes are fine)
6 Fishhook made of gold A DAGGER FOR EVERY
OCCASION
EQUIPMENT Regardless of what the Thief is carrying,
Every Thief starts with a Disguise of your they can produce a small throwing knife
choosing. Also choose to start the game from somewhere about their person.
with either A or B:
GAINING A NEW LEVEL
ƒƒ A - Black leather hood & vest (AV2) Acquire and share a number of
2 short swords, 2d8 counterfeit Experiences equal to your current HD to
coins, stolen heart - still beating. advance a Level. When you gain a Level:
ƒƒ B - Cloth gambeson (AV1), bow &
arrows (Ud8), 3d6 coins, a small waxy ƒƒ Roll a d20 once for each Attribute
jade statue of an octopus-man. - if you roll over, it goes up one
point, make an extra roll for either
ROGUISH TALENTS Dexterity or Wisdom.
Roll Attribute Tests with Advantage when ƒƒ Gain 1HD - Roll a d6 - gain that many
performing the following Actions: additional maximum HP.
ƒƒ Delicate tasks
ƒƒ Climbing
ƒƒ Listening and eavesdropping
ƒƒ Moving silently and unseen
ƒƒ Understanding written languages
ƒƒ Finding secret things

21.
CLERIC
NAME

STRENGTH
DEXTERITY
CONSTITUTION
INTELLIGENCE
WISDOM
CHARISMA

HD HP

Armour AV

-
Put Usage Die &
Armour Die here
-

INVENTORY
1 11
2 12
3 13

4 14
5 15
6 16

7 17

8 18

9 19

10 20

XP -
STARTING STATS DIVINE FORTIFICATION
Roll with Advantage when making a
Starting Hit Points (HP) : roll 1d6 + 4
CON Attribute Test to resist poisons or
Starting Hit Die (HD) : 1d8
being paralysed or impeded.
Usable Weapons & Armour : All blunt
weapons, cloth, leather, metal, all shields
Attack Damage : 1d6 or 1d4 if unarmed MEMORISING PRAYERS
Once per day, a Cleric may spend an Hour
memorising a number of prayers equal
D6 HOLY SYMBOL to their Level, from scrolls and books.

1 Mummified pointing hand A Cleric can only memorise prayers of

levels up to and equal to their current
2 Ornately engraved crescent Level.
3 Small vial of divine blood
4 Flaming brass hammer INVOKING PRAYERS
A Cleric can spend an Action on their
5 Face made of thorns turn to cast a prayer from memory.
6 Thrice knotted cord Once the effects are resolved, the Cleric
should make an Attribute test - adding
the prayers level to the roll. If they have
EQUIPMENT already cast the spell this session this
Every Cleric starts with a Prayer Book Attribute Test is made with Disadvantage.
containing 1d4+2 prayers of your If they fail, the prayer is no longer
choosing from levels 1 & 2 (p.27). Also memorised, and the Cleric cannot cast
choose to start the game with either A the prayer until they memorise it again.
or B:
For expanded spellcasting rules see p.15.
ƒƒ A - Studded hide breastplate (AV2),
flail, shield (AV1) 2d8 coins and GAINING A NEW LEVEL
purse, forbidden holy scriptures. Acquire and share a number of
ƒƒ B - Thick cloth vestments (AV1), two Experiences equal to your current HD to
handed hammer, tiny stone box with advance a Level. When you gain a Level:
a voice trapped in it.
ƒƒ Roll a d20 once for each Attribute
- if you roll over, it goes up one
BANISH UNDEAD point, make an extra roll for either
A Cleric may spend an Action to banish all Strength or Wisdom.
Nearby undead by testing their WIS and ƒƒ Gain 1HD - Roll a d8 - gain that many
adding the Creatures’ HD to the roll. For additional maximum HP.
full Banish Undead rules see p.15.

23.
WIZARD
NAME

STRENGTH
DEXTERITY
CONSTITUTION
INTELLIGENCE
WISDOM
CHARISMA

HD HP

Armour AV

-
Put Usage Die &
Armour Die here
-

INVENTORY
1 11
2 12
3 13

4 14
5 15
6 16

7 17

8 18

9 19

10 20

XP -
STARTING STATS MEMORISING SPELLS
Once per day a Wizard can spend an Hour
Starting Hit Points (HP) : roll 1d4
memorising a number of spells equal to
Starting Hit Die (HD) : 1d4
their Level, from scrolls and books.
Usable Weapons & Armor : Cloth, one-
handed sword, staff, dagger
A Wizard can only memorise spells of
Attack Damage : 1d4 or 1 if unarmed
levels up to and equal to their current
Level.

D6 FAMILIAR
CASTING SPELLS
A 6-inch tall moon-faced A Wizard may spend an Action on their
1 turn to cast a spell from memory. Once
man
the effects are resolved, the Wizard should
2 Spellbook with legs and tail make an Attribute Test - adding the spell’s
3 Three eyed hummingbird level to the roll. If they have already cast
the spell this session this Attribute Test is
4 Small swarm of ladybugs made with Disadvantage. If they fail, the
5 A toad with human legs spell is no longer memorised, and the
Wizard cannot cast the spell until they
6 Luminescent crab memorise it again.

For expanded spellcasting rules see p.15.

EQUIPMENT
Every Wizard starts with a Spellbook
containing 1d4+2 spells of your choosing GAINING A NEW LEVEL
from spell levels 1 and 2 (p.26). Also Acquire and share a number of
choose to start the game with either A Experiences equal to your current HD to
or B: advance a Level. When you gain a Level:

ƒƒ A - Cloth robes (AV1), bent oak staff, ƒƒ Roll a d20 once for each Attribute
shorts sword, a void creature’s egg, - if you roll over, it goes up one
2d8 coins & purse. point, make an extra roll for either
ƒƒ B - Ceremonial headdress (AV1), Intelligence or Wisdom.
angry shrunken head, 4d6 coins & ƒƒ Gain 1HD - Roll a d4 - gain that many
purse, sacrificial dagger. additional maximum HP.

ARCANE FORTUNE
If you roll a 1 for starting Hit Points -
generate a random magical item from
p.114-115 as part of either of the starting
equipment choices.

25.
lvl ARCANE SPELLS
Charm: A Nearby NPC or Monster obeys a simple command and will perform a simple Action.
1 Magic Missile: A Faraway or Distant target takes 1d6 damage for each of the Spellcaster’s Levels.
Light: Creates dim light from a Nearby spot or object that lasts for Ud8 Minutes.
Shield: Gives the caster Arcane Mail (AV2) - when each Armour Die is broken it’s gone for good.

Sleep: Roll the Wizard’s HD, Nearby Creatures with fewer HP than rolled fall asleep - lasts Ud6 Minutes.
2 Detect Magic: Everything Nearby that is magic glows - lasts Ud6 Minutes.
Knock/Lock: A Nearby door or lock is either opened or locked.
Web: Traps a Nearby area, stopping movement - lasts Ud6 Minutes.

Darkness: Pure darkness covers a Nearby area and blocks all types of vision - lasts Ud6 Minutes.
3 Dispel Magic: Removes or reverses the effects of a Nearby Arcane spell.
Magic Mouth: Creates an illusory mouth that repeats a phrase to all Nearby Creatures.
Read Languages/Magic: Read all languages and magic - lasts Ud12 Minutes.

Invisibility: A Nearby Creature is made invisible until it Attacks or the spell is dispelled.
4 Fireball: 1d4 Nearby Creatures take 1d6 damage for each of the Spellcaster’s Levels.
Darkvision: A Nearby Creature can see in absolute darknesss - lasts Ud6 Minutes.
Confusion: 2d6 Nearby targets immediately make a Reaction Roll (p.32-33).

Telekinesis: As an Action, the Spellcaster may Move a Nearby object - lasts Ud10 Minutes.
Polymorph Self/Other: Transform a Nearby Creature to have the appearance of another for a Day.
5 Remove Curse: Removes a curse from a Nearby target.
Elemental Wall: Wall of one of the four elements (air, earth, fire, or water) covers a Nearby area,
any Creature that comes Close takes damage equal to its HD.
Dimension Door: Teleport a target to a Distant location.
Animate Dead: Reanimate 2d4 Nearby bodies. Each has half the Spellcaster’s HD and is under the
6 effects of Charm.
Flesh to Stone: Turns a Nearby Creature into stone (or vice versa).
Feebleminded: Reduces a Nearby target’s INT to 4 - lasts Ud6 Moments.

Elemental: Create an Elemental (p.91) of any type with 1d6 HD. It is under the effect of Charm.
7 Invisible Stalker: Summons an extra-dimensional monster (1d6 HD) to perform a complex task.
Cloudkill: Creates a cloud Nearby, Creatures that touch it are taken OofA - lasts Ud4 Moments.
Teleport: Transports a Nearby target to any place known to the Spellcaster.

Anti-Magic Shell: Cancels all Arcane magic Nearby to the caster - lasts Ud6 Moments.
8 Death Spell: 2d4 Nearby targets with 7HD or fewer are taken OofA.
Contact Higher Plane: Ask three questions and receive truthful answers from the outer gods.

Meteor Swarm: Nearby Creatures take 8d6 damage.

9 Conjuration of Deamons: Summons a Deamon (p.84-85) with 1d8 HD that is under the effect of a
Charm spell - the caster must make a INT Attribute Test to maintain the Charm when used.
Disintegrate: A single Nearby Creature of lower Level than the Spellcaster turns into a fine powder.

Power Word, Kill: A Nearby Creature with 50HP or less dies and cannot be resurrected.
Level Drain: A Nearby Creature must Test its CON, if they fail that Test they lose a Level and all its
10 Time Stop: Stops time completely in a Nearby area - lasts Ud4 Moments.
Limited Wish: Change reality in a minor and limited way (at the GM’s discretion).

26.
lvl DIVINE PRAYERS
Cure Light Wounds: Heal a Nearby target 1d8 HP.
1 Detect Evil: Everything Nearby that is evil glows - lasts Ud6 Minutes.
Light: Create dim light from a Nearby spot or object - lasts Ud8 Minutes.
Protection from Evil: Advantage on all harmful tests against an evil source - lasts Ud8 Minutes.

Purify Food and Drink: Purifies all Nearby food and drink.
2 Bless: Nearby allies gain +1 to stats when making Attacks and saves - lasts Ud8 Minutes.
Find Traps: Notice all Nearby traps - lasts Ud6 Minutes.
Hold Person: Paralyses 1d4 Nearby targets. Test WIS each turn to see if the effect lasts.

Silence: Magical silence covering everything Nearby to a target - lasts Ud8 Minutes.
3 Speak with Animals: Can understand and talk with animals - lasts Ud8 Minutes.
Daylight: A Nearby area is illuminated by sunlight - lasts Ud8 Minutes.
Cure Disease: Cures a Nearby target of all diseases.

Locate Object: Sense the direction of a known object - lasts Ud6 Minutes.
4 Prayer: All Nearby allies Defend against Attacks with Advantage - lasts Ud4 Moments.
Remove Curse: Removes a curse from a Nearby target.
Speak with the Dead: Ask a Nearby corpse three questions.

Create Food/Water: Create enough food/water for all Nearby Creatures for one day.
5 Cure Serious Wounds: Heal a Nearby target 3d8+3 HP.
Neutralise Poison: Instantly remove a poison or immunise a Nearby target from poison.
Protect: Gives Nearby Characters Aura (AV2) - when each Armour Die is broken it’s gone for good.

Commune: The Cleric’s deity truthfully answers 3 questions.

6 Dispel Evil: Removes a Nearby evil spell.
Finger of Death: Choose a Nearby evil Monster and make a WIS test. If passed the target is OofA.
Plague: Test WIS for d12 Nearby targets. On a success, they lose 2d8 HP and take Ongoing Damage.

Quest: Force a Nearby Creature to obey a complex series of up to 2d4 orders or steps.
7 Raise Dead: Return a Nearby willing target to life, who’s died within the last seven days.
Animate Object: Give a Nearby object motion and a simple intelligence.
Blade Barrier: Blades cover a Nearby area, any Creature that comes Close takes its HD in damage.

Conjure Elemental: Create an elemental (p.91) with HD equal to caster’s Level - lasts Ud12 Minutes.
8 Find Path: The path to a chosen location is made known - lasts Ud10 Minutes.
Word of Recall: Gives the caster the ability to teleport back to the location this spell was cast.

Astral Spell: Projects an avatar of the caster onto a chosen place - lasts Ud8 Minutes.
9 Control Weather: Controls the Nearby weather to all extremes - lasts Ud6 Minutes.
Earthquake: Test WIS for all Nearby Creatures, on a success, they are taken OofA.

Holy Word: Nearby Creatures with 5HD or less drop dead, those with 6-8HD are Paralysed and
10 Creatures with 9-10HD cannot make an Action for the next d6 Minutes.
Wind Walk: The caster may turn into mist and back, at will for the rest of the session.
Restoration: Returns all Levels lost by the caster or a single Nearby Creature via Level drain.

27.
NAME Armour AV
-
CLASS Put any Usage
Die & Armour
Die here
STRENGTH -
DEXTERITY
CONSTITUTION
INVENTORY
INTELLIGENCE
WISDOM 1 11

CHARISMA 2 12

3 13

HD & HIT POINTS 4 14

5 15

6 16

7 17
ATTACK DAMAGE 8 18

9 19

MAPS & NOTES

10 20
 PLAYERS
TURN BACK
Beyond this point is all the rules, random tables and exciting stuff for the
GM - don’t read any further if you intend on only playing!
RULES FOR Strength (STR)
ƒƒ Physical harm which cannot be
THE GM dodged.
ƒƒ Athletics and Actions such as
PLAYING A GAME STEP running, lifting, and bearing weight.
BY STEP ƒƒ Melee combat and any attempt
The GM should use these steps to help to restrain or move an opponent
structure and run the game, they work through force.
regardless of where the Characters are,
or what they are doing, and create a Turn Dexterity (DEX)
structure using Minutes for exploration ƒƒ Physical harm which can be dodged.
or Moments for combat and danger. ƒƒ Acrobatics and Actions such as
jumping, accuracy, and balancing.
1. Quickly recap the last Turn’s Actions. ƒƒ Remaining unnoticed.
2. If you’re using Minutes to track time ƒƒ Ranged combat and any attempt to
- anyone with a light source should hit or interact with a swift opponent.
roll its Usage Die. Roll any other time
sensitive Ud rolls now as well. Constitution (CON)
3. Figure out who can act right now, ƒƒ Poison, disease, or death magic.
rolling Initiative if enemies or ƒƒ Healing and endurance.
dangerous circumstances are ƒƒ Actions that rely on physical resolve
involved. Ask those players “What and longevity.
do you want to do for the next few
Minutes/Moments?” Then narrate
those Actions and the outcomes of Wisdom (WIS)
any Attribute Tests you call for. ƒƒ Seeing through deception and
4. Narrate the Actions of NPCs and the illusions.
environment around the players. ƒƒ Searching and listening.
5. Make sure everyone has acted who is ƒƒ Knowing ‘when’ you’re supposed to
able, make a Random Encounter Roll do something.
(p.32) if necessary.
6. Go to Step 1 and repeat. Intelligence (INT)
ƒƒ Resisting spells and magic.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT ƒƒ Recalling lore and languages.
ƒƒ Knowing ‘what’ you’re supposed to
ATTRIBUTE TO TEST do.
Anything that a Character might do
to interact with the world and has a
legitimate chance of failure - requires an
Charisma (CHA)
ƒƒ Resisting Charm type magic effects.
Attribute Test to determine the outcome.
ƒƒ Persuasion and performance.
ƒƒ Imposing your will onto another.
Here are some guiding concepts behind
what Actions each Attribute Test governs.

30.
BACKGROUNDS AND CREATURE REACTIONS
ATTRIBUTE TESTS Some Monsters and NPCs will have
If a player can provide a convincing predetermined personalities and goals
narrative reason, they may use their that will guide a GM when choosing
background to give them Advantage on their Actions and feelings towards the
an Attribute Test of their choice. They may Characters. For those that do not, such as
only do this once per session. randomly encountered Creatures, a GM
should roll 2d6 on the Reactions table:

DEALING DAMAGE TO
THE CHARACTERS REACTIONS
Damage dealt to the Characters can be 2 Surrender/offer allegiance
based on the HD of whatever is dealing
it. A GM can roll the dice to determine 3 Give PCs an item/info/aid
the how much damage the Characters 4 A mutually beneficial trade
take - or use the average in brackets.
5 Mistake the PCs for allies
6 Wait for the PCs to act first
HD DAMAGE
7 Withdraw to a safer location
1 d4 (2) Demand the PCs withdraw
2 d6 (3) 8 - If they don’t add 1d6 to this
result
3 2d4 (4)
Call for d6 reinforcements
4 d10 (5) 9
- Then see result 6 on this table
5 d12 (6) Trick the PCs using result 2-4
10
6 d6 + d8 (7) (roll again for true intentions)

7 2d8 (8) 11 Capture the PCs

8 3d6 (9) 12+ Kill/eat the PCs

9 2d10 (10)
CREATURE MORALE
10 d10 + d12 (11) If 50% of a group of NPCs and Monsters
are taken OofA, or a single powerful
NPC or Monster loses 50% of its HP - they
POWERFUL FOE must pass a Morale Test or use all further
If an opponent’s HD is higher than the Actions and Movements to escape danger
Character’s, the Player should add the and combat.
difference between the two HD values to
the d20 when making any Attribute Tests ƒƒ The GM tests Morale by rolling on
to Attack, Defend, influence, or otherwise or under the highest Creature’s HD
interfere with their opponent. value with a d12.

31.
RANDOM D6 NEARBY LIFE
ENCOUNTERS 1 Bloody, still wet footprints
WHAT AND WHY? 2 Still warm abandoned camp
A Random Encounter could be anything
from a Distant, suspenseful noise to a 3 Irregular approaching footsteps
Nearby deadly Monster. They serve two
4 Rancid smell of body odour
major purposes; Firstly, they ensure that
the ‘game’ will always offer unexpected 5 Knocking from a closed door
situations for the Players to tackle.
6 Nearby yelp of pain
Secondly, they reinforce the fact that the
world the Characters belong to exists
beyond their own Actions in it.
D6 FARAWAY LIFE
HOW TO MAKE AN
1 Quiet shouts and fighting
ENCOUNTER ROLL
The GM should make a secret Encounter 2 Delicate wisps of black smoke
Roll every 15 minutes of real time play in
3 Echoing bangs and clanking
dangerous environments OR when the
Characters linger in one place/perform 4 Quiet drumming and chanting
Actions that would reveal themselves.
5 Faint smell of burning flesh
ƒƒ Secretly roll a d6 and apply the effects 6 Low muffled sounds of talking
from the table below immediately:

CREATURE TABLES
The tables on the following page produce
D6 ENCOUNTER ROLL
random Creature encounters for when
the result of an Encounter Roll is a 1. The
1 Roll on a Creature table, p.33 GM should simply choose to do either:
2 Introduce signs of Nearby life
ƒƒ A - Roll a d6 and add the lowest
3 Introduce signs of Faraway life Character’s Level to the result.
4 Reduce a light’s Usage Die 1 step - or -
ƒƒ B - Add the dungeon level to the
A randomly determined Character lowest Character’s Level.
5 is overcome with stress and suffers
Disadvantage on their next die roll The GM should cross-reference the
result against the most thematically
All Characters must consume food
appropriate table from the following
6 and water or lose HP equal to their
page (or one of their own creation) to
Level through fatigue
determine what Monsters/NPCs appear.

32.
 UNDEAD CHAOS

2 1 wretched cadaver per PC 1 lesser horror per PC

3 1 dusty old bones per PC 1d4 round green slimes
4 Black magic wizard (2HD) 1 gazer (1HD) & 1 lesser horror per PC
5 1d6 pale ghoul 1d6 pig orc warriors
6 d4 freshly risen per PC 2d4 lobotomised slaves
7 2 blood thrall 3 prismatic horrors
8 1 emberfire construct per PC Toad deamon & d6 lesser horrors
9 Ravenous wight & d8 cadavers Gazer (6HD) & 1 prismatic horror per PC
10 Cyclopean guardian Disguised cellular mimic
11 Master vampyre & 2 blood thrall Cephalopod wizard
12 Black magic wizard (9HD) 2 spawn of Shog’Na’Gosh
13+ Sorcerous liche & 3 wights Balor & d4 black magic wizard (6HD)

HUMANOID DRACONIC

2 1d4 confused rabble per PC 2 goblin snitches for every PC

3 2 dwarven miners per PC 1 goblin witchdoctor & d6 snitches
4 Forest trolle & d4 rabble d8 juvenile lizardfolk
5 1d6 mercenary soldiers 2 dire lizards
6 4 black elf knights d6 bugbear footpads
7 Runepriest & d4 miners d8 lizardfolk warriors
8 1d6 giant raiders 3 harlequin assassins
9 Black elf witch & d6 knights Juvenile dragon & d4 lizardfolk warrior
10 River trolles 2d4 mercenaries Lizardfolk warpriest & d6 warriors
11 Giant battle smith & d4 raiders Adult dragon & 2d6 dire lizards
12 Black elf matriarch & d6 witches Elven rune shepard & 2 harlequins
13+ Giant chieftain & 2d6 raiders Ancient dragon

33.
EQUIPMENT Exotic\Expensive (4d8 x 10 coins)
◼ fine jewellery ◼ alchemical ingredients

& ECONOMY (Ud4) ◼ poison (Ud6) ◼ sextant &

navigation tools ◼ accurate map
COINS AND MONEY ◼ materials for alchemy and magic
◼ roll three times for chain mail (AV3)
The Black Hack simplifies realistic
◼ broken chain mail Armour Dice ◼ roll
approaches to currency and uses a base
four times for plate armour (AV4)
unit of ‘coins’. A GM or group can easily ◼ one broken plate Armour Die.
introduce a more granular currency
system if they wish. THE USAGE DIE
Consumable items use a die to track
ECONOMY BASED ON their quantity and inject a little drama
RARITY & VALUE into otherwise boring bookeeping. Here
It’s simpler for the GM to classify things are the average rolls or ‘Uses’ for each Ud
by their rarity and roll to see how much before it is consumed.
that item would cost as-and-when it is
sought out. If something is not on the
following lists, it’s simply a case of the GM UD USES
deciding how rare or how valuable it is.
d4 2
Common\Cheap (d8 coins) ◼ arrows/
ammunition (Ud8) ◼ backpacks/sacks ◼ d6 5
candles (Ud4) ◼ canvas/cloth ◼ 10ft chain d8 9
◼ chalk (Ud6) ◼ commoners garb ◼
crowbar & labourers tools ◼ flasks/ d10 14
wineskin ◼ grappling hook ◼ climbing
d12 20
gear ◼ flint & steel ◼ garlic/herbs (Ud6)
◼ ink & quill (Ud6) ◼ jug of oil (Ud6) d20 30
◼ one-handed weapon ◼ light bow
◼ parchment ◼ 10ft pole ◼ pots/cooking
utensils ◼ 50ft rope ◼ rations - dried (Ud8) HAGGLING
◼ wax (Ud4) ◼ whistle ◼ iron spikes (Ud6) It is not uncommon for a player to want
◼ small tent ◼ torches (Ud6) ◼ cloth to haggle with a merchant over the cost
armour (AV1) ◼ one broken cloth Armour
of an item. If they roleplay the encounter
Die ◼ shield ◼ helmet.
well, or if the GM chooses, succeed at a
Rare\Valuable (2d8 x 5 coins) : CHA Test - they may roll the cost of the
◼ custom or exotic weapons ◼ two- item with Advantage. If they fail either
handed weapons ◼ heavy bow ◼ crossbow however, the item’s cost is determined
◼ caltrops (Ud6) ◼ disguise ◼ well-made with Disadvantage.
clothing ◼ holy symbol ◼ holy water (Ud6)
◼ lock ◼ musical instrument ◼ thieves’
toolkit ◼ roll twice for leather armour
(AV2) ◼ one broken leather Armour Die.
EQUIPMENT LIST RARITY & AVAILABILITY
Players might find themselves It’s very easy for a GM to make a ruling
disgruntled at the idea that item prices about what would be available in any given
fluctuate everytime they are bought, place based on the established fiction of
especially with common items. To offset the setting. An easy assumption or rule
this, record the cost of items bought on of thumb to use is that Common items are
the following ledger, only re-rolling their available everywhere, Rare items only in
cost when the Characters are in a new towns, and Exotic items are only found in
locale. cities and adventuring sites.

Item Cost Rarity/Notes/Location

35.
HIRELINGS & Ultimately, it’s up to the GM to determine
if the hireling will do so, sometimes a

RETAINERS CHA Test is required, or an additional

payment might help persuade them.
GETTING PEOPLE TO
ƒƒ If needed hirelings have an HD of
DO YOUR DIRTY WORK 1 and are subject to all the normal
Often players will look to hire NPCs in NPC related rules, such as Morale.
towns and civilised places, to help them
achieve their Characters’ aims, and
support them on their adventures. The TALENTS
rules to do so are designed to be simple
and flexible. Alchemist (Exotic) Identify and create
poisons and potions if supplied with
the right materials
THE RETAINERS ROLE
The mechanics for hirelings are Armourer (Rare) Roll d8s instead of
simplified down to their one unique d6s for Armour Dice
skill or Talent, providing the Characters
Hunter (Common) Gives Advantage to
an Advantage on an Attribute Test or
tracking and provides rations Ud4
enabling them to do something useful
under specific circumstances - the Local guide (Common) Gives
hireling must be Nearby to the Character Advantage to exploring and finding
in order to do so. Nearby locations
Mystic (Rare) Gives Advantage when
PAYING WAGES understanding arcane spells and texts
As soon as a Character takes on a hireling
they must be paid for the task that they Porter (Common) May carry upto 12
are expected to undertake. Typically, the items
task will relate to the adventure or quest Rogue (Rare) Gives Advantage to
the Character is on. The hireling’s Talent looking for Nearby secrets and traps
will have a rarity, determining the number
of dice to roll to establish their wages. The Sailor (Common) Gives Advantage to
GM may give Advantage or Disadvantage navigation and maritime Actions
to this roll based on the risks and effort Scholar (Exotic) Gives Advantage to
required to complete the proposed task. reading languages and recalling history
Common : d8 coins, Rare : 2d8 x 5 coins, Torchbearer (Common) Provides dim
Exotic : 4d8 x 10 coins. light to everything Close and Nearby
Tradesman (Common/Rare) Can
WHO CONTROLS THEM create material goods if given the
When needed the GM should control required resources and tools
each hireling as if they were a normal
NPC. Players will often ask a hireling Mercenary (Rare) Re-roll one Attack
to perform unforeseen or risky Actions. OR Defend roll per combat

36.
PANIC & D6 PANIC!
LIGHT Gritted teeth - Make a free
ENDING UP IN THE 1 WIS Test in order to end the
Panic!
PITCH BLACK
When the Characters explore deep Frozen solid - The Character
2
subterranean places - with unknown is Stuck
horrors lurking behind every shadow -
Shock - Cannot perform any
light is vital to their survival.
3 Actions that would involve the
use of the hands
ƒƒ If a Character ends their turn in a
place without a source of light they Fumble - The Player must
must immediately make a WIS Test. 4 perform everything this turn
If they succeed they may continue with their eyes closed
to act as normal but if they fail, they
Life before the eyes - CON
Panic! 5
Test or WIS reduced by 2
At the start of every turn whilst Heart Attack - The Character
6
Character is panicked the Player must is taken Out of Action
roll on the Panic! table. At the end of
the turn they must make a WIS Test - if
successful they overcome the Panic! RANGES OF LIGHT
SOURCES AND SIGHT
MADNESS & HORROR Typical light sources such as lanterns and
It’s not just the things that the Characters torches provide enough illumination to
cannot see that could induce terror and for all Creatures that are Nearby to see by.
Panic! A GM might ask a Player to pass Should the GM need to make a ruling, it’s
an Attribute Test else panic if they are a fair call to say that any source of light
confronted with something so horrific it can been seen by someone else in the
has the potential to damage their mind. darkness - even if it is Distant.

TRACKING DAYLIGHT DIM AND LOW LIGHT

A GM can track daylight or the passage Some sources of light - such as candles or
of time using the Usage Die. When a distant beam of sunlight - offer enough
using Minutes the Ud should be rolled illumination to stave off the effects
once all the Players have done what they of Panic! However, they don’t provide
want to do with their turn. Start with enough light for Characters to adequately
a d10 in the morning, d8 for the perform Actions that require their sight.
afternoon, d6 for the In these cases, the GM should rule that
evening and d4 any Actions that require an Attribute Test
for dusk. are done so with Disadvantage.

37.
DISEASES The Black Lung - Ud4
NARCOTICS A spluttering, wheezing cough that

& POISONS
peculiarly produces no echo, causing the
infected to spray black phlegm on anything
(and anyone) Close to them
UNIVERSAL RULES FOR
AFFLICTIONS & TOXINS If you fail the CON Test - reduce CHA
permanently by the amount shown on
ƒƒ When a drug is taken, poison the Usage Die due to the horrible cough
administered, or disease caught - a
Character should immediately Test
their CON. Creeping Basilism - Ud6
ƒƒ The drug/poison/disease’s Ud should
be rolled at the same time and added Thick, hard grey stone erupts all over
to the CON Test’s result. the skin - locking joints and slowly
ƒƒ Each drug/poison/disease indicates immobilising the afflicted as a living statue
the penalty for failing the CON Test.
If you fail the CON Test - all DEX Tests
Diseases and drugs each have their own are made with Disadvantage until a
unique exceptions to the standard rules. cure is found or a CON Test is passed.

DISEASES Void Cackle - Ud8

There are many ways a careless Violent streams of psychic void energy lash
adventurer might meet their untimely and buffet the Creature, time echoes are
end. However by a spending a significant drawn to the raw void in the sufferer’s mind
amount of time around dungeons and
death - a nasty disease might be he thing If you fail the CON Test - the Player
that ultimately gets them. must roleplay a random ‘wicked
laughing tick’ or reduce a random
ƒƒ When a disease is caught, failing Attribute to 4 until another CON Test is
the CON Test means the Character passed.
falls ill, and suffers the effects of the
disease.
ƒƒ Characters who already have diseases
Sloughing Dread - Ud6
should make a CON Test with the Lumps of flesh swell up, emitting a horrible
Usage Die at the start of the session, sickly stench, eventually dropping off
applying the effects if they fail.
ƒƒ The Usage Die controls the life of the If you fail the CON Test - the Character
Disease - when the Ud expires the takes their level in damage every time
Character is free of the Disease. they attempt to make a STR Test.

38.
Soul Mould - Ud12 Blinding Night Fever - Ud6
Threads and visions of other realities sweep A burning sweating fever causes the
over and assail the afflicted - a child of afflicted’s eyes to engorge, burn and swell
change and void incubates within their soul
If you fail the CON Test - every action
If you fail the CON Test - Reduce WIS that requires vision is tested as if the
by 2, when WIS cannot be reduced any Attribute is 4 OR a Player can play
further the afflicted dies and a prismatic the game with their eyes closed for a
horror (p.84) bursts from their corpse. number of minutes equal to the Ud.

D12 CAUGHT FROM IT CAN BE CURED BY

1 Mites living on giant slugs - Bathing in the light of a full moon

2 A tacky sickly-coloured coin - Drinking a tonic of ghoul ash and lemon
3 Long rusty spikes - Cutting off a hand or foot
4 Pungent dripping fluid - Submerging oneself in a holy river
5 An ancient latrine - Packing garlic into every orifice

The pitch blackness of a 1d4 days bedrest, preferably with a

6 -
dungeon little bell and someone to wait on you
7 Giant rats = giant fleas - Bathing in milk under a full moon
8 Wizard with an astral cough - Coughing on the person you caught it off
9 Slightly sticky door handles - Wrapping dirty socks around the throat
10 The tiniest papercut - Stuff ears with pipe-weed and light
11 A cloud of sentient bacteria - Drink fresh snake poison and whiskey
12 Sound of maniacal laughter - Burying your pillow with a corpse

To determine the details of the disease, roll one or two d12s and consult the above
table. If the results have been used before or are inappropriate, replace them with
some of your own devising.

39.
 D12 INGREDIENT DOSES FAILED CON TEST

1 Evergreen hazlewurt Ud4 Lose 1d4 HP per Character level

2 Vampyre teeth Ud6 Roll all future CON tests with +d4
3 Corpse slugs Ud8 Daylight causes Panic!
4 Rusted coffin nails Ud12 Immediately taken Out of Action
5 Moon flower petals Ud4 Teeth turn grey and fall out -d6 CHA
6 Fire beetle glands Ud6 Lose voice to the creator of the poison
7 Ghoul liver extract Ud8 Max HP reduced by Character’s Level
8 Domesticated choker vine Ud12 Take Character’s Level x 4 damage
9 Medusa tears Ud4 Reduce either STR or DEX by 1d8
10 Psychic giant ant honey Ud6 Next OofA roll has Disadvantage
11 Goblin warts Ud8 Reduce a random stat by 6
12 Graveroot Ud12 -2 DEX, grow scales with AV1

POISON D12 ANTIDOTE

Name Prefix 1 A banshee’s kiss
◼ Black ◼ White ◼ Deadly ◼ The sorrowful
◼ The long ◼ The sleeping ◼ Mind ◼ The 2 The exact dosage again
crippling ◼ Burning ◼ Sweating 3 A rare dungeon plant
◼ Vomiting ◼ Cutting ◼ Lady’s ◼ Lord’s
◼ Ferryman’s ◼ Bleak 4 The healing tears of a sphinx
5 Tonic only delays inevitable
Name Suffix 6 Must be buried alive
◼ end ◼ wither ◼ watcher ◼ goodbye
◼ widow’s kiss ◼ scale ◼ choker ◼ fire 7 Bathing in an elven river
◼ drowner ◼ knife ◼ curse ◼ cackle
8 Brew from a dwarven beard
◼ silencer ◼ best friend ◼ last moments
9 Be magically frozen
Preparation 10 Pollen from another plane
◼ Ground finely between basilisk teeth
◼ Boiled in gold ◼ Decanted in pitch 11 A swim in the holiest river
darkness ◼ Extracted through gravesoil
◼ Frozen in elemental ice 12 Burn out the poison

40.
DRUGS Somewhere Drops - Ud6
Small droplets of milky liquid
Deep within the dark and lawless corners
of any city, the trade in Exotic and illicit
substances is booming. Alchemical Project your consciousness (seeing
reagents, rare extracts and unnatural and hearing) into a Nearby place for a
by-products all serve as effective and number of Moments equal to the Ud roll
inordinately dangerous ways to relieve
oneself of reality. If you fail the CON Test - user is OofA,
using the Ud roll on the OofA table.
ƒƒ When a dose of a drug is taken,
failing a CON Test means that the
Character has overdosed, each drug Violet Wine - Ud6
describes what happens if the Test is Thick, noxious smelling resin
failed.
ƒƒ The drug’s effects, given in grey, are Heal all lost HP back to maximum
always applied immediately.
ƒƒ The Usage Die also works normally, If you fail the CON Test - Max HP are
when it runs out the drug has been permanently reduced by the Ud roll.
used up and is gone.

Black Lotus Powder - Ud4

Cackle Beans - Ud4 Fine, shimmering black powder
Large round compressed tablets
INT and WIS Tests have Advantage for a
Ignore pain and gain AV equal to the number of turns equal to the Ud roll
Ud roll for the next 15 minutes of play
If you fail the CON Test - When an INT
or WIS Test is made a d4 should be
If you fail the CON Test - all tests have
rolled in addition to the d20, for the
Disadvantage unless cackle beans are
remainder of the session.
taken again immediately.

Ghat - Ud6
Basilisk Stones - Ud6 Long, teeth-staining reeds
Hard cream-coloured rocks
Ignore the effects of Panic! for the
STR is temporarily increased by the Ud remainder of the session
roll for the remainder of the session
If you fail the CON Test - the Character
If you fail the CON Test - the Character must make a WIS Test everytime they
takes their HD in damage every time enter a place they have not been before
they attempt to make a STR Test. - if they fail they immediately Panic!

41.
FINDING NEW SPELLS
When Character seeks a new spell, roll one or two D12s and consult the following table
to determine where and in whose possession it can be found. If the results have been
used before or are inappropriate replace them with ones of your own devising.

KEPT IN THE POSSESSION OF

1 Tattooed on a prisoner The mad monks of Dar-Dhola-Ram

2 A psychic labyrinth A charming, slumbering prince
3 A giant sticky bubble A shoal of invisible fish
4 In the notes of birdsong All the flowers in the forest
5 A transmission of light A star cult of Ohm
6 A rune marked crystal skull Yex, petty god of trickery
7 A page from the first spellbook A cabal of mad cephalopod wizards
8 Piloting the body of an NPC A champion of war god KORPUS KOSER
9 Burnt into the belly of a dragon A roving band of astral pirates from Pleth
10 The collar of a black cat The forgotten and buried library of Kush
11 The facets of a perfect gem The 13 children of the full moon
12 A chest that opens to the void The elder time council

WIZARDS FAMILIAR
Names Earthly appearance
◼ Morrovolol ◼ Vebb ◼ Varn ◼ Xomor ◼ Laughing cat ◼ Moon-headed child
◼ Krustus ◼ Peng ◼ Joop ◼ Fhorox ◼ Angry parrot ◼ Three ravens ◼ White stag
◼ Blem ◼ Zarnos ◼ Yollo ◼ Arkle ◼ Bunt ◼ ◼ Black wolf ◼ Giant snake ◼ Thousands of
Ahma ◼ Ranit ◼ Viz ◼ Horonos ◼ Gammyr small spiders ◼ Spell book with legs
◼ Ekstess ◼ Mongallous ◼ Disembodied hand ◼ Firefly ◼ Floating
Titles eyeball ◼ Shadow
◼ of Peng ◼ the Jaundiced ◼ the Black Peculiar talent
◼ the Bog King ◼ the Banished ◼ the Duke ◼ Throw voice ◼ Read emotions
of Naught ◼ of the Present ◼ the Dench ◼ Understand any language - speak none
◼ the Lacking ◼ the Clamouring ◼ the ◼ Transform into small jewellery
Obese ◼ the Fleshless ◼ River Witch ◼ the ◼ Live inside a reflective surface ◼ Appear
Slaverous ◼ Void-Touched translucent like a ghost

42.
 Examined by a divine light, it
D100 MAGIC SIDE-EFFECTS 47-48
leaves unimpressed
1-2 Age 2d10 years 49-50 All teeth fall out
3-4 Stone skin, gain AV2 51-52 Sloshing sounds when walking
Gain a physical trait from other 53-54 Gain 1d4 maximum HP
5-6
the opposite gender
55-56 Everything tastes like cheese
7-8 Randomly ignores gravity
57-58 Tiny head grows from neck
9-10 Greedy for the next thing seen
59-60 Blows bubbles when whistling
11-12 Stuck until successful CON Test
61-62 One arm turns into a crab claw
13-14 Target finds 1d4 coins in ear
63-64 Stomach becomes a big mouth
15-16 Target flinches at the word ‘yes’
65-66 Gains perfect vision in darkness
17-18 Wail and sob for 1d6 Minutes
67-68 Skin becomes hard like leather
19-20 Two sides of the brain switch
69-70 Talking releases clouds of flies
Perceive everyone’s faces as
21-22 71-72 All speech is heard in reverse
demonic and warped
23-24 Hear faint music constantly 73-74 Face constantly shifts subtly

25-26 All clothes now on backwards 75-76 Transformed into an albino

27-28 1d4 Void tadpoles swim Nearby 77-78 Eyes become huge and gross

A small futuristic and sentient, 79-80 Body is turned into living ooze
geometric drone appears, 81-82 Eyes can shoot mild lasers
29-30
scanning the Creature with
light before vanishing 83-84 Skin develops weak magnetism

31-32 Grows 2d6 inches 85-86 Arms become like a T-rex’s

33-34 All hair grows 2d12 inches 87-88 Grows functional gills

35-36 Natural perspiration is grease 89-90 Reads minds of Nearby cats

37-38 Skin turns jet black 91-92 Always knows where east is
39-40 Eye appears in centre of head Grows an extra heart (+4
93-94
maximum HP)
Everyone’s brain slugs are
41-42
visible! 95-96 Inner organs become clockwork
Anything made of paper 97-98 Swap two Attributes
43-44
screams at you for 1d6 Minutes
99- Roll twice on this table, re-roll
45-46 Hover 1" off the floor 100 any duplicate results

43.
Roll one or two D12s to determine an inciting incident to start play. If the results have
been used before or are inappropriate, replace them with one of your own devising.

D12 INCITING INCIDENT

1 Locked inside a burning inn & chained to a huge granite keystone

2 Lost in the city sewers & they’re in debt to the thieves guild
3 In an unnatural snowstorm & a lying wind whispers the way out
4 Unconscious in an oubliette & dopplegangers have a key to freedom
5 Waking up in a cryo-tube & all their memories have been stolen
6 In the belly of a Kraken & cursed ghost pirates seek revenge
7 Inside a goblin labyrinth & violent insects know the way out
8 At the mad wizard’s funeral & they’re locked inside various coffins
9 Part of a fey queen’s dream & they’ll fade away at midnight
10 A hole where the town was & a ransom note is staked to the floor
11 Locked in an alchemist’s lab & they’ve been shrunk to 54mm scale
12 On a plummeting airship & local gravity has been turned off

STARTING THE The world is cruel & weird

The assumed fantasy setting of TBH is
FIRST GAME uncaring and gritty. If the Characters
are not shrewd, the world will defy their
GAMING IN THE OLD expectations and act against them -
SCHOOL FASHION when it does it should be deadly.
The Black Hack’s focus is weird fantasy
swords and sorcery. If you’re playing The world is persistent
in its assumed old school pulp fantasy The world should react to the Characters
setting, keep the following in mind: Actions and the effects of those Actions
should change and shape the world.
Adventure must be found
Characters should explore and seek out The very first session
Experiences, new spells, treasure and Generate an inciting incident to resolve
magic items. In a ’real’ world like the and then an urban environment (p.56),
one we live in, fortune and skill must be dungeon (p.64), or wilderness (p.53) to
sought out, the same should apply for the start the Characters in. Use the tables to
fantasy world the Characters live in. fill in any blank areas as you play.

44.
TOOLS QUICK Towns & Civilisation
Refer to the following pages to create
REFERENCE a ’civilised place’ - useful as a location
to start your first game in or when the
HOW TO PREPARE Characters explore urban environments.
AND IMPROVISE
This is a quick reference page to the ƒƒ Random settlements and maps p.57
ƒƒ Hireling and retainers p.36
most commonly used tables and rules,
ƒƒ Random taverns and maps p.58
grouped by purpose and function.
ƒƒ Equipment and economy p.34
ƒƒ What’s on the corpse p.50
For pre-planned games : Sit down with
ƒƒ Diseases narcotics and poisons p.38
the book and prepare all the elements
you think you will need for the next
session - keep the book on hand to fill in Dungeons & Adventures
any blank areas that arise during play. See the references on p.63 for dungeon
adventure tools.
For improvised games : Bookmark this
page and use the following tables during
play - if you need something to riff off,
Wilderness & Travel
See the references on p.51 for wilderness
or if something unexpected happens.
adventure tools.

COMMONLY USED Treasure & Rewards

TABLES & RULES Reference the following pages to reward
the Characters for their adventures.
Step-by-Step Play Guide
How to structure every turn so that each
ƒƒ Treasure hoard drop table p.116
Player gets to do something interesting.
ƒƒ Magic items p.114
Also handling Attribute Tests and dealing
ƒƒ Equipment and economy p.34
damage to the Characters p.30-31.
ƒƒ What’s on the corpse p.50

Non Player Characters Common Rules Reference

Refer to the following pages to produce a
cast of supporting NPCs.
ƒƒ Taking turns and time p.6
ƒƒ NPC concepts and appearances p.46 ƒƒ Combat and Hit Points p.10
ƒƒ NPC activities p.49 ƒƒ Movement and distances p.8
ƒƒ Quest generator p.60 ƒƒ GM specific rules p.30
ƒƒ Rival adventurer tables p.61 ƒƒ Character classes p.18
ƒƒ What’s on the corpse p.50 ƒƒ Player specific rules p.14
ƒƒ Combat abilities and stats p.80 ƒƒ Experience and levelling up p.13
ƒƒ Magic and spellcasting p.15
ƒƒ Spells and prayers p.26-27

45.
NPC CONCEPT D10 QUIRK TO PLAY
GENERATOR 1 Pronounces ‘R’ as ‘W’
Roll one of each - d4, d6, d8, d10, d12.
2 Infectious and dirty laugh
3 Uses one phrase over and over
D4 SOCIAL POSITION
4 Strong regional accent
1 Low born 5 Selective comedic hearing
2 Working class 6 Keeps losing, err ... focus
3 Merchant class 7 Talks with an inflection?
4 High born 8 Obvious and implausible liar
9 Profusely sweaty all the time
D6 HERITAGE 10 Talks like a cartoon character

1 Young human male

2 Young human female D12 REPUTATION FOR
3 Old human male
1 Expert sword for hire
4 Old human female
2 Connected to gangsters
5 Ageless forest elf
3 Spy pretending to be a sailor
6 Bearded mountain dwarf
4 Able to talk with the birds
5 Deciphering arcane tomes
D8 VISUAL THING
6 Playing practical jokes
1 Wears unusually large hats 7 Connected to state authority
2 Thinning lank hair 8 Hunting the rarest game
3 Fake and wooden body part 9 Learning obscure facts
4 Dressed indecently Harbouring a grudge (create
10
5 Covered in giant warts another NPC to hate!)

6 Gold dentures Commanding a tight knit

11
group of warriors
7 Has a hook hand/peg leg
Being able to get hold of
12
8 Stunningly good looking anything for a price

46.
NPC APPEARANCE
To determine the appearance of an NPC, roll one or two D12s and consult the
following table. If the results have been used before or are inappropriate, replace
them with some of your own devising.

D12 CLOTHING/ATTIRE UNIQUE FEATURE

1 Overdressed for the occasion Port wine stain that grows when angry
2 30 years out of date Prehensile antennae that knows north
3 Rough and hand-stitched Tribal scarification from far off land
4 Made from yellow canaries Map tattooed onto their body
5 Layers and layers of dirty rags Faint light emanates from their mouth
6 Immaculate and bespoke Ugly, but disarmingly cute, like a pug
7 Contemporary and odd Beard made of bees that know directions
8 Faded and frayed Covered in badges and pins that tell story’s
9 Heavily customised military Clothes have room for unlimited objects
10 Thick sombre linens Fate interfering third eye
11 Practical and well made Staff of pleasant woodland animal helpers
12 Painted with many words Skin is tattooed in a solid, primary colour

NAME STORY HOOK

Elf ◼ Aeval ◼ Aanis ◼ Bean ◼ Barg ◼ Wanted pirate ◼ Comically bickering
◼ Curpur ◼ Cannad ◼ Fach ◼ Feeor with partner over work ◼ Searching for
◼ Golm ◼ Gwyll ◼ Hesk ◼ Hyst their missing eye ◼ Struggling to get
◼ Klepp ◼ Kubura ◼ Lyffe ◼ Lolp ◼ Pickt their golem to work ◼ Looking for a
cure for a supernatural curse ◼ Deliver a
Human ◼ Ranulph ◼ Keern ◼ Ghall message before they die ◼ Let everyone
◼ Murut ◼ Abwall ◼ Weland ◼ Rayce
know about the conspiracy (that’s
◼ Kibir ◼ Utet ◼ Istwel ◼ Vesh ◼ Ellery
◼ Enan ◼ Lellani ◼ Aquey ◼ Gorem actually true) ◼ Spread their extreme
◼ Knowel ◼ Elenna ◼ Shyren ◼ Lelleth religious ideology ◼ Recover their honour
and noble rights ◼ Spread false rumours
Dwarf ◼ Dainir ◼ Brokkr ◼ Eitri for trade purposes ◼ Forget and hide
◼ Fjala ◼ Litr ◼ Otr ◼ Regin ◼ Sindri from their past warcrimes ◼ Sell illegal
◼ Gormel ◼ Agrand ◼ Uthag ◼ Valmr goods ◼ Hire artists to work on a royal
◼ Ygwyn ◼ Dwylr ◼ Billingr ◼ Galar
project ◼ Proselytize their doom cult
◼ Voor ◼ Prok ◼ Wolda ◼ Onna
HOW NPCS D10 INTENTIONS
ARE RELATED 1 Never speak to them again
Roll one of each - d4, d6, d8, d10, d12.
2 Ruin their plans and dreams

D4 TYPE 3 Take advantage financially

4 Steal a treasured possession
1 Social scene acquaintances
5 Demand a public apology
2 Belong to the same house
6 Discredit their work
3 Childhood friends
7 Give them a magical item
4 Business associates
8 Repay an old blood oath
9 Write a letter of support
D6 STATUS 10 Confess their feelings
1 Bitter enemy
2 Obvious contempt and disgust
D12 HISTORY
3 Estranged and bitter
1 Owes a large sum of money
4 Warm, polite and cordial
2 Made them lose their honour
5 Great open admiration
3 Overshadowed their work
6 Hopelessly in love
4 Conspirators in a kidnap
5 Escaped prison together
D8 JOINT ACTIVITY
6 Foes in a forgotten war
1 Adventuring company
7 Rivals for a powerful job
2 Members of the same guild
8 Former famous adventurers
3 Student of the same master
9 Survivors of shipwreck
4 Rival potential suitors
10 Allies in a doomed army
5 Political adversaries
11 Numerous illegal trade deals
6 Sporting team members
12 Is a long time benefactor
7 Taking an extended holiday
8 Literary competition When you use an entry on the table, cross it
out and replace it with one of your own.

48.
 53-54 Yodelling aggressively
D100 NPC ACTIVITIES
55-56 Selling old rope to simpletons
1-2 Recruiting for a fake quest
57-58 Returning from a useless war
3-4 Giving life to art via rituals
59-60 Being hunted by void bats
5-6 Buying experimental reagents
61-62 Summoning a Deamon
7-8 On an alchemical drug trip
63-64 Enjoying a raucous street play
9-10 Magic induced split personality
65-66 Mumbling loudly about circles
11-12 Hiding from a secret crime guild
67-68 Entertaining foreign guests
Fast asleep in a very odd and
13-14 69-70 Drunk axe juggling
uncomfortable position
15-16 Rapidly shedding all their hair 71-72 Surreptitious carnal activity

17-18 Painting their body jet black 73-74 Selling counterfeit goods

19-20 Gossiping about the Characters Receiving a thrashing from a

75-76
gang of feral street kids
21-22 Being lowered into a well
Writing hilarious, but
23-24 Shouting soap box politics 77-78
outrageously rude graffiti
25-26 Searching for their lost novel 79-80 Washing their clothes in oil
27-28 Arguing with a dog about class 81-82 Stuck in a street oubliette
29-30 Drawing arcane chalk runes 83-84 Haunting their fresh corpse
31-32 Paramilitary reconnaissance Plaiting their hair with noxious
85-86
33-34 Incognito deity playing tricks plants and roots

35-36 Daubing swine blue Bleeding profusely from

87-88
accidental belly wound
37-38 Wandering around headless
89-90 Hanging in a mouldy gibbet
39-40 Passed out in the open
91-92 Counting their meagre wages
41-42 Scavenging for basilisk stones
Throwing their lover’s clothes
Stealing a merchant’s goods 93-94
43-44 from a balcony window
with an overly complex plan
95-96 Taking a tour on a slave litter
45-46 Hiding yet another body
Filling jugs full of booze that
47-48 Urinating a corrosive liquid 97-98
flows from a natural spring
49-50 Clandestinely smoking a pipe
99- Doing exactly what the
51-52 Posing for a smutty painting 100 Characters are doing

49.
 WHATS ON THE CORPSE?
Drop a d6 for each HD the Creature has, 5s and 6s indicate the items
the dice land on. The remaining results are coins found on the corpse.

5 - Empty velvet purse

5 - Well-made dagger 6 - Town map & notes 5 - Poster of a Prince
6 - Rare scotch egg 6 - Turkish delight

5 - Tin of rare stamps

5 - Warped glasses 6 - Silver whistle 5 - Infernal egg
6 - Sinister music box 6 - Banned poem book

5 - Poisoned crackers 5 - Vial of grey liquid

6 - Sentient tattoo 6 - Tickets to a play

5 - Half burnt book 5 - Valuable nuts 5 - Screaming skull

6 - A gangster’s keys 6 - Deed to toxic land 6 - Hipflask of tears

5 - Dank washcloth 5 - Huge monocle

6 - Torn dungeon map 6 - d4 fingers & rings

5 - Illuminati invite 5 - Rotten ham

5 - Odd shaped key
6 - Cursed dentures 6 - Blurred portrait
6 -Large I.O.U.

5 - Miniature octopus 5 -Golden goose egg

6 - Brass knuckles 6 - List of names

5 - Ghost rabbit foot 5 - Ear necklace

6 - Bloody fork 5 - Lazy glass eye 6 - Royal ball invite
6 - Treasure map

5 - Small pouch of dust 5 - Letter of apology

6 - Soggy journal 5 - Pouch of beans 6 - Improvised bomb
6 - Two left shoes
50.
OVERLAND TOOLS FOR PLANNING
OR IMPROVISING
ADVENTURES Here are a few tools that will help create
and manage wilderness adventures.
GM TIPS FOR GAMES
IN THE WORLD ABOVE Hex terrain generator
What is a Hex Map? : Overland games
Determine the terrain, weather and if
use a different type of map - instead of a
any features exist in a blank hex p.52
grid, it is divided into hexagons or ‘hexes’
- used to track the Characters’ location as
they explore the world. Hex feature generator
Stock a hex randomly with unusual
Distances : The range bands Close, features, monsters and dungeons p.53
Nearby, Faraway expand in abstract
nature to cover far greater areas. For Hex maps
example, ‘The cackling body in the gibbet’ An example map plus blank and prekeyed
is Close to the ’Rotten Town’ which might hex maps, with space for some notes p.54
be Nearby to the ‘Foul River Nyne’ and
‘Black Spindle Mountain’ is Faraway from
that. Settlement generator
Create random urban environments and
Time & turns : Because of the increase in details for rest or adventure p.56
geographical scale, Minutes are renamed
to Hours, but are otherwise handled Urban drop table
normally. Generates a map of a town or city
district, useful for urban adventures p.57
Travelling : Characters still get turns as
they explore the world above and still get
to Move somewhere Nearby and perform
Tavern generator
Where all good adventures start p.58
an Action.

Transportation : For simplicity’s sake Quest generator

transport such as mounts and boats Produce random adventure threads with
double movement speed. varying goals and destinations p.60

What’s on the horizon : Tell the Players

freely what features and terrain types are
Nearby to their current location.

Rations : Players should roll their

Characters’ rations Ud every time they
move into another hex. If they cannot, or
decide not to, they take damage equal to
their Level.

51.
HEX TERRAIN D10 THINGS TO SEE
GENERATOR
The d4 and d6 are required - the d8, d10,
1 Deep round pools of water

d12 are optional to add flavour. 2 Infrequent skulls on spikes

3 All animal sounds are gone

D4 HABITATION 4 Remains of a bitter skirmish

5 Convoy of foreign wagons
1 Unnaturally uninhabited
6 Herds of grazing animals
2 Incidental and natural wildlife
7 Evidence of an ambush
3 Roll on an enounter table p.33
8 Inhabitants are spirits
4 Generate a hex feature p.53
9 A massive excavation site
10 Fire on a velvet horizon
D6 TERRAIN
Establish a type of common
1-3 terrain, such a ’grasslands’ D12 FLORA & FAUNA
for future 1-3 results
4-5 As 1-3, but an uncommon 1 Thick black vines
terrain, such a ’deep woods’ 2 All dying, sickly and sparse
As 1-3, but a rare terrain type, 3 Overgrown and angry
6
such a ’rocky hills’
4 Foreign summer berries
5 Tainted medicinal herbs
D8 WEATHER 6 Man-sized and carnivorous
1 Bright and pleasantly warm 7 Bright purple razor grass
2 Overcast, chilly and grey 8 Giant floating pollen
3 Driving rain showers 9 Quietly bickering flowers
4 Damp and creeping fog 10 Wandering trees and bushes
5 Bitterly cold and snowing
11 Flowers ooze red goo
+1 to previous roll. Start at
12 All burned to a crisp
6-8 entry 1 if this is the first roll
you’ve made on this table When you use an entry on the d12 table, cross
it out and replace it with one of your own.

52.
HEX FEATURE D10 ...SEEKING
GENERATOR
Roll one of each - d4, d6, d8, d10, d12.
1 Part of a clockwork map
2 Void iron skeleton key
3 Runemarked dragon egg
D4 VISIBILITY
4 Shattered magic mirror
1 Buried underground
5 Bottle of whispered secrets
2 Overgrown and hidden
6 Doorway to another time
3 Obscured by odd geography
7 Broken flying pirate ship
4 Out in the open
8 An immortal servant
9 A lost larval star
D6 FEATURE 10 A piece of golden fate thread
1 Dungeon entrance p.66
2 Natural hazard/crossing p.71 D12 ODD TWIST
3 Lone reclusive NPC p.46
1 Waterfall flows upwards
4 Ruin from another age p.74
2 Huge floating rock
5 Lair of a Monster p.80
3 Cave in the shape of a skull
6 Generate a settlement p.57
4 Destroyed convoy of wagons
5 Aggressive sentient plant life
D8 DENIZENS...
6 Unnatural winding maze
1 Pre-historic humanoids
7 Abandoned doomsday lab
2 Sickly and savage warband
8 Forgotten ancient library
3 Hedonistic pleasure cult
9 Site of lost expedition
4 Nocturnal changelings
10 Overrun gem mine
5 Reclusive ground dwellers
11 Functional void well
6 Puritanical religious sect
12 Domain of petty minor god
7 Dormant evil doomsday cult
8 Future society lost in time After using the d10 or d12 table, cross the entry
out and replace it with one of your own.

53.
 EXAMPLE HEX MAP
Faraway

Nearby

1 - Cliffs, orc tribes (C) 8 - Abandoned church (B) 15 - Spectral sword (A)
2 - Foggy graveyard (A) 9 - Territorial wyvern (C) 16 - Tar skeletons (A)
3 - Bubbling tar pools (A) 10 - Ghost battle site (B) 17 - Clammy dungeon (B)
4 - Cliffs, cannibals (C) 11 - Titans skull (B) 18 - Wickerman (A)
5 - Obsidian keep (B) 12 - Black lodge (B) 19 - Rare black lotus (C)
6 - Old road, bandits (A) 13 - Sacrificial stone (A)
7 - Buried vampyre (A) 14 - Man eating plant (A)

Common Terrain Uncommon Terrain Rare Terrain

Gloomy damp moors (A) Dark forest (B) Bleak steep hills (C)

54.
 BLANK HEX MAP
Faraway

Nearby

1
2 4
5 3 9
6 8
10 7 14
11 13
15 12 19
16 18
17

Common Terrain Uncommon Terrain Rare Terrain

SETTLEMENT D10 GOVERNMENT
GENERATOR 1 2d6 elected councillors
Roll one of each - d4, d6, d8, d10, d12.
2 Reclusive, man-child despot
3 Utterly mad warrior king
D4 SIZE
4 Kind and caring blood cult
1 Forgotten hamlet (1 district) 5 Nameless sea of bureaucrats
2 Lonely village (2 districts) 6 Complete utopian anarchy
3 Suburban town (d4 districts) 7 Collapsed, might is right
4 Urban city (2 + d4 districts) 8 Mercenary martial law
9 Violent street judges
D6 DISPOSITION 10 Psychic thought police

1 Hostile and unwelcoming

2 Rude and obnoxious D12 PREOCCUPATION
3 Uncaring and dismissive
1 Cannibalistic feast day
4 Indifferent and haughty
2 Mock election of pig
5 Polite and courteous
3 Purging the place of all flies
6 Friendly and welcoming
4 Painting red ‘X’s on doors
5 Mass building operation
D8 BUILDINGS
6 Open air carnival
1 Tall, leaning, brick terraces 7 Snail racing tournament
2 Slender, sandstone villas 8 Running of the monster
3 Meandering, stone towers
9 Large, public, legal duel
4 2 Story basement buildings
10 A peculiar food/drink festival
5 Long, wooden, thatched halls
11 Campaigning for an election
6 Squat, thatched yurts
12 Rounding up all the elves
7 Treetop walkways and houses
8 Carved into natural stone When you use an entry on the d12 table, cross
it out and replace it with one of your own.

56.
 Farmer
Noble Manor
Tavern

Baker Bank Jeweller

Brothel
Theatre
Tailor
Market

Tap Rooms Guild

Court House

Club Library
Town Hall

Gate House
Barracks Trader

Blacksmith
Gambling Den
Temple

Alchemist Docks

DROP TABLE MAP D4 STANDARD

Create an urban space by dropping a
handful of d4s on the map above : 1 Avoided and old fashioned
2 Struggling and dilapidated
ƒƒ If a d4 lands on a building it is present
in that village, town, or city district. 3 Thriving and well kept
ƒƒ Buildings with no dice on can be
considered residential or abandoned. 4 Exclusive and fashionable

57.
TAVERN GENERATOR
To determine the name of the tavern and its speciality, roll one, two, or three d12s and
consult the following table. If the results have been used before or are inappropriate,
replace them with some of your own devising.

D12 PREFIX SUFFIX KNOWN FOR

1 The White Wigs Voodoo club Dwarven beer made from rare soil
2 The Pirates Society Accessible via a pocket dimension
3 The Black Hands Baking its critics into pies
4 The Porters Guildhouse Every tankard has a magical effect
5 Pennywhistle & Nail The landlord is a vampyre
6 Sparrows & Blade Venue of violent, yodelling duels
7 The Shrunken Head & Casket Its special brew of void moonshine
8 The Bloodied Axe & Cucumber They don’t take coin, only favours
9 Black Wolves & Bonnet Owner is adorned with ‘lost’ teeth
10 Toppers Rooms Serving poison instead of booze
11 Pathfinders Den A selective ‘member’s only’ club
12 Halanders & Halanders Elven wine made from nymph tears

Decoration Entertainment
◼ Lewd and ornate braziers ◼ A stuffed ◼ Boxing match between a giantess and
four-dimensional moose head six bare-chested barbarians
◼ No doors or windows ◼ Large glass ◼ Ghost choir ◼ Three-fingered knife
cage containing withered deamon juggler ◼ Accomplished doppleganger
◼ Permanently submerged under d4 impersonator ◼ Mandatory laughter
feet of water ◼ Mounted heads of barred and executioner comedian ◼ Giant slug
patrons ◼ Furniture made from bones fighting matches ◼ Spectral burlesque
◼ Arcane symbols painted in blood on ◼ Giant talking snake ◼ Indoor fireworks
the floor and walls ◼ Giants’ skulls hold ◼ Musician who can influence rodents
massive barrels of whiskey ◼ Chairs are ◼ Anatomically correct puppet show
made of bent and melted giants’ daggers ◼ Patron arguing with a statue ◼ Three
◼ Unusual alchemical apparatus ◼ Wall- competing playwrites performing
to-wall books of all varieties ◼ Hundreds simultaneous read throughs ◼ Baby
of impaled daggers all over the floor cockatrice fight ◼ Astral portal fishing

58.
 SAMPLE TAVERN

TAVERN PATRONS
◼ Obvious spy ◼ 2d8 Angry soldiers ◼ A Weeping merchant ◼ An Obese debt collector
◼ Wild, naked wizard ◼ Off duty assassin ◼ Undercover noble ◼ Psychic twins
◼ 2d4 Sullen dwarves, ◼ 1d6 Cocky rogues ◼ An aloof-looking forest elf ◼ A snide
court official ◼ Lovesick sailor ◼ Forgetful wizard ◼ Criminal prince ◼ Duplicitous
haberdasher ◼ Town drunk ◼ Incompetent knight ◼ Miserable bard ◼ Mutant princess
◼ Alchemical avenger ◼ Sadistic noble’s son ◼ Suspicious priest ◼ Talking frog ◼ Heavy
metal dwarf ◼ Hilarious, foreign mercenary ◼ Occult policeman ◼ Washed-up elven
comedian ◼ Lost vampyre child ◼ Excommunicated cleric ◼ Unpopular baron and
sheriff ◼ Wounded football team ◼ Sentient spell and host

59.
QUEST HOOK D10 OBSTACLES
GENERATOR 1 Geographically hard to reach
Roll one of each - d4, d6, d8, d10, d12.
2 Guarded by a large monster
3 Has been split into d4 parts
D4 ACQUIRED
4 Entirely forgotten about
1 Commonly known rumour 5 Behind untold deathtraps
2 Secret to be bought and traded 6 The belly of a giant Creature
3 Through dreams or prophecy 7 Guarded by evil hordes
4 From an NPC seeking aid
8 Disguised as something else
9 Doesn’t exist on this plane
D6 ACTIVITY... 10 Protected by spells and curses
1 Fix the broken form of...
2 Retrieve all or part of...
D12 INCENTIVES
3 Destroy or kill...
1 Knowledge that will help you
4 Escort to a safe place...
2 Password or key to vault
5 Discover the true nature of...
3 Bring peace to a kingdom
6 Steal away or take by force...
4 Reveal an evil’s true nature
5 Secure a noble’s birthright
D8 ...TARGET
6 Gain unnaturally long life
1 A lost magical artefact
7 Take control of an army
2 An oddly made map or key
8 Reveal an opponent’s weakness
3 Body parts of a rare monster
9 Map to long lost valuables
4 A famous NPC or Creature
10 Stop a rampaging monster
5 A unique scroll/tome of lore
11 Secure freedom for an ally
6 A forgotten or mythical spell
12 Significant amount of money
7 The entrance to a dungeon
8 Location of a magical vault When you use an entry on the d12 table, cross
it out and replace it with one of your own.

60.
RIVAL HERO D10 POSSESSION
GENERATOR
Roll one of each - d4, d6, d8, d10, d12
1 Promise of inherited wealth
2 Expert on rare creatures

D4 CLASS 3 Key or password

4 Truly accurate map
1 Warrior
5 Trust of a powerful creature
2 Thief
6 A random spell of their level
3 Cleric
7 Location of a dungeon
4 Wizard
8 Scandal to blackmail an NPC
9 Location of forgotten NPC
D6 RACE 10 Magic item (p.114)
1 Epicene banished elf
2 Young human
D12 FAME
3 Middle-aged human
1 Has been killed 13 times
4 Old human
2 Can bend the bars of any cage
5 Ever-young elf
3 Doesn’t have footsteps
6 Ageless dwarf
4 Two shadows
5 Remembers everything
D8 THEY WANT TO
6 Can see their own death
1 Take your valuables
7 Criminal prince
2 Steal or learn your spells
8 Seduced a goddess of love
3 Use you as monster bait
9 Can change their face
4 Aid you in your adventure
10 Renowned war hero
5 Achieve your goal before you
11 Retired, now a politician
6 Give you a false reputation
12 Can’t remember their face
7 Follow you as a henchman
8 Kill you for sport When you use an entry on the d12 table, cross
it out and replace it with one of your own.

61.
62.
UNDERWORLD Dungeon generator
Randomly determine the grand scheme
ADVENTURES or idea behind the dungeon (p.64).

SOME TIPS FOR GMS

Inhabitants generator
RUNNING ’DUNGEONS’ Create factions and groups of Creatures
Grid maps: Dungeon focused adventures to inhabit the dungeon (p.65).
often use a type of map divided into a
grid, on which adjacent squares are Close
to one another.
Entrance generator
Produce an engaging and interesting
Setting the scene: Be as concise and entrance to the dungeon (p.66).
evocative as possible - Too much
information makes things confusing, not Room & area generator
enough can leave Players at a loss as to Stock a dungeon room or area randomly
what to do. with unusual features, monsters,
treasure, and traps (p.67).
Searching for secrets: Looking for clues
to traps and secrets is an Action which Empty areas & rooms
takes one Moment and covers a Nearby Make mundane elements of the dungeon
area, resolved by Testing WIS. a little more interesting (p.68).
Hidden things: If the Characters enter an
area where something is hidden, such as Dungeon ambience
a trap or door - secretly roll a d6. If the Random sights, sounds and smells from
result is a 1 give them a clue that there is the dungeon and its denizen (p.69).
something hidden Nearby.
Trick & hazard tables
Stuck doors: Every time the Characters Generates random tricks suitable for
take an Action to open a new door, dungeon environments (p.70-71).
secretly roll a d6. If the result is 1 the
door is Stuck or locked (p.73). Trap tables
Generates random traps suitable for a
Random encounters: Make a hidden dungeon environment (p.72).
Encounter Roll every 15 minutes or if the
Characters linger in an area/make a lot of
noise - see the table on p.32. Use a timer
Secret door generator
Rules for discovering new doors and
or smartphone alarm to help track this.
generating secret doors (p.73).

TOOLS FOR PLANNING Blank & random maps

OR IMPROVISING Pre-keyed dungeons grid maps,
A few tools that can be used to help the procedural dungeon maps (p.74-78).
GM create dungeon based adventures.

63.
DUNGEON D10 ORIGINAL USE
GENERATOR
Roll one of each - d4, d6, d8, d10, d12.
1 Valuable quarry or mine
2 Refinery for gems or metals

D4 ENTRANCE 3 Arcane engine or factory

4 Prison or massive trap
1 Is hidden by nature or design
5 Monster breeding grounds
2 Has a local or exotic guardian
6 Vault for a doomsday device
3 Accessibility is sporadic
7 Link to another universe
4 Is a puzzle to find or open
8 Battery or store of resources
9 Place of learning or religion
D6 CONSTRUCTION 10 Home to an outer being
1 Precisely chiselled obsidian
2 Twisting fungal growths
D12 FEATURE
3 Body of a huge automaton
1 Time bubbles
4 Psychic dream of fey queen
2 Gravity is intermittent
5 Stone heart of a dead god
3 Size isn’t always logical
6 Timelocked otherworld
4 Atmosphere deals Ongoing
Damage
D8 BUILT BY 5 It is infinite and unending
1 Army of slaves and king 6 Classic dungeon under castle
2 Long dead mad wizard 7 Doors must be drawn to exist
3 Subterranean molemen 8 It’s raining inside
4 A coalescence of negativity 9 Made of reflective crystals
5 A void-faring race of ooze 10 Carnivorous jungle flora
6 Living, super-intelligent spell 11 Partially underwater
7 World’s most powerful guild
12 Telepathic atmosphere
8 It built itself
When you use an entry on any of the tables,
cross it out and replace it with your own entry.
64.
INHABITANTS D10 EVIL GOALS
GENERATOR 1 Astral pirating for reputation
Roll one of each - d4, d6, d8, d10, d12.
2 Raid and pillage for slaves

D4 MINIONS 3 Forging and thieving for gold

4 Clone politicians and royalty
1 Humanoid guild
5 Create a ‘perfect’ race
2 Undead horde
6 Violently conquer a regime
3 Demonic cult
7 Infiltrate and replace society
4 Draconic sect
8 Open a huge rift to the void
9 Set off a doomsday device
D6 EQUIPMENT 10 Awaken a cruel elder god
1 No tools and DIY weapons
2 Failing and dilapidated gear
D12 LEADER
3 Well-maintained and mundane
1 Avatar of KORPUS KOSER
4 One powerful magic item
2 Psychic ghost chieftain
5 Several minor magic items
3 Fanatical, blind cleric
6 Far future technology
4 Demon prince in a mirror
5 Ancient, possessed ring
D8 RESOURCES
6 Brutal, cannibal warlord
1 Lots of disposable troops
7 Sentient thinking machine
2 Good knowledge of the area
8 Unhinged void witch
3 Well-trained war veterans
9 Council of giant lords
4 Wide range of arcane spells
10 Undead child prince
5 Advanced defences and tactics
11 Mutated champion warrior
6 Unusual physical resistance
12 Whisper from the void
7 Divine precognition
8 One off cataclysmic power When you use an entry on the d10 or d12 table,
cross it out and replace it with your own entry.

65.
ENTRANCE D10 CONSTRUCTION
GENERATOR
Roll one of each - d4, d6, d8, d10, d12.
1 Giant, ruined castle door
2 Massive, ornate drawbridge

D4 SECURITY 3 Titan skull’s mouth

4 Shimmering mirror portal
1 Magical lock or barrier
5 Gently humming black hole
2 Common, mundane lock
6 Long, deep stone well
3 Closed and unlocked
7 Huge, perfect chrome sphere
4 Closed and stuck
8 Rickety, steampunk elevator
9 In a standing stone’s shadow
D6 COMPLICATION 10 Waterfall that flows upwards
1 Random encounter (p.32)
2 Hidden by a magic trick (p.70)
D12 TONE SETTING
3 Potentially fatal trap (p.72)
1 Foggy and chilled atmosphere
4 Opens and closes in a pattern
2 Faint, eerie glow creeps out
5 Magical side effect (p.43)
3 Wails heard from within
6 No complications
4 1000s of scuttling bugs
5 Skulls on really tall pikes
D8 ON ENTERING
6 No sound escapes
1 Inhabitants are alerted
7 Time seems to slow within
2 A deeper trap is made ’live’
8 Several aghast heads on pikes
3 A disease is released
9 Objects weightlessly float
4 Teleported somewhere
10 Precognitive sign of doom
5 Attribute Test or take damage
11 Decaying nature Nearby
6 An item is taken away
12 Distant, tribal drumming
7 Appearance has changed

8 Nothing When you use an entry on the d8, d10 or d12 table,
cross it out and replace it with your own entry.

66.
ROOM/AREA D10 ROOM TYPE
GENERATOR 1 Level transition
Roll one of each - d4, d6, d8, d10, d12.
2 Corridor or transition area
3 A large hall to socialise
D4 TREASURE
4 A small, domestic space
1 None
5 Room to detain prisoners
2 Yes, if there’s a trick or trap
6 Place to prepare sustenance
3 Yes, if there’s a monster
7 Animal pens or food farm
4 Yes! (drop table p.116)
8 Store for perishable goods
9 Place of power or magic
D6 CONTENTS
10 Place of divine purpose
1 Empty area or room (p.68)
2 Dungeon ambience (p.69)
D12 EMPTY FEATURE
3 Trick (p.70-71)
4 Trap (p.72) 1 Grubby, oddly-sized furniture
5 Secret door (p.73) 2 Huge columns and manacles
6 Roll on a Creature table (p.33) 3 Boarded up windows/doors
4 Large, badly stained rugs
D8 LIGHTING 5 Innumerable, smelly candles

1 Completely pitch black 6 Deep cracks and fissures

2 Weak, guttering candles 7 Fast running water feature

3 Dim light from room exterior 8 Walls decorated with bugs

4 Wall-mounted torches (unlit) 9 Localised aurora borealis

5 Wall-mounted torches (lit) 10 Room shrouded in deep mist
6 Tall, brass brazier in corner 11 Piles of sacrificed heads
7 Oil lamps hanging from roof 12 Fighting pit in centre
8 Large fire pit in the centre
When you use an entry on the d12 table, cross
it out and replace it with one of your own.

67.
EMPTY AREAS D12 WALL DETAILS
& ROOMS
When you use an entry on a table, cross it out
1 Big, arcane symbol in blood

and replace it with one of your own. 2 Nest of big angry insects
3 Trail of liquid leads to wall
4 Innumerable mouse holes
D12 ROOM DETAILS
5 Masterwork x-rated fresco
1 Large twisting columns
6 Corners thick with mould
2 Tiered steps leading to exit
7 Broken and sprung spear trap
3 Smashed masonry and tiles
8 Walls have glowing stones
4 Scaffolding covers the walls
9 Floor-to-ceiling alien symbols
5 Broken mirrors everywhere
10 Magically animated war scene
6 Gigantic empty fireplace
11 Magical daylight ‘windows’
7 Deep murky pool
12 Big bowls of incense
8 Braziers with purple flames
9 Perfect stone ‘bowl’ in centre
D12 ODD CORRIDORS
10 Seemingly infinite ceiling
1 See through to a lower level
11 Ornately, carved gargoyles
2 Obviously being monitored
12 Large pool of tacky resin
3 Distance magically warped
4 Low sentient whispers
5 Are haunted by their maker
6 Warp time a little bit
7 Distort light going through
8 Impenetrable darkness
9 Are buried in rubble
10 Look much further away
11 Have depressing rainclouds

12 Wobble and twist about

68.
 D12 SIGHTS

1 Crate with huge claw marks

2 Big, furry mound
3 Thick, unnatural cobwebs
4 Arrows and sundered shield
5 Deep pools of green blood
6 Split helmet and ghost head
7 Black stones in a ring
8 Ruined and torn backpack

DUNGEON 9 Oddly bent door spike

AMBIENCE 10
11
Dripping damp scenery
Shards of rude ceramic urns
When you use an entry on a table, cross it out
and replace it with one of your own.
12 Large, rusty chain

D12 NOISES D12 ODORS

1 Deep creaking and crunching 1 Overpowering ammonia

2 Echoed shouting 2 Suffocating smoke
3 Ringing of giant bells 3 Earthy and dank
4 A lone Nearby sneeze 4 Metallic taste in the throat
5 Raucous muffled music 5 Bleach like chemical
6 Splashing of water 6 Honey like sweetness
7 High-pitched whistling 7 Rotten vegetation
8 Long irritating sobbing 8 Sulphurous and eggy
9 Mechanical thumping 9 Salty and damp
10 Faint childlike giggling 10 Putrid trash
11 Raucous guttural laughter 11 Fresh air

12 Marching footsteps 12 Like petrol

69.
D12 ARCHITECTURAL TRICKS

1 Visible crank and pulley operated Alcove slides to the side

2 By speaking a magical command word Illusory balcony revealed
3 Giant circuit needs completing Ceiling drops to block path
4 Give an offering of blood Deep chasm in the floor closes
5 Turn d6 lost keys in order Idol mouth reveals doorway
6 Tilt a light fitting d100 degrees Chute delivers part of key
7 Pull a specific book from bookshelf Portal opens to Nearby room
8 Pull on a delicate tripwire Reveals compartment in floor
9 Pry out metal ball blocking exposed gears Floor jerkily tilts 3d10 degrees
10 Apply equal weight to d4 pressure plates Fire pit reveals staircase
11 Stand in a precise point Nearby Floor falls exposing Creatures
12 Move Close to a particular Nearby object Pillar shifts, revealing doorway

D12 WRITTEN TRICKS

1 Letters only readable from a vantage point Reader learns of Nearby Creatures
2 Shredded gruesome scroll Reader has visions of their death
3 Letters on jumbled tiles CARE - reader gains 2 max HP
4 Letters visible in complete darkness BLIND - reader is immune to Panic!
5 Letters covered with thick, red paint CLEAN - reader cured of all diseases
6 Letters on intermingled, etched bones Poem gives reader Advantage Ud4
7 Letters visible through a prism LIGHT - reader gains 1d8 HP
8 Letters in the shadow of a corpse SEEN - reader is invisible Ud4
9 Magical, autonomous writing quill If commanded reveals a password
10 Letters visible when scorched Reader learns of a secret door
11 Giant letter written backwards CLICK - unlocks the next lock found
12 Letters covered up by gravesoil HEARD - reader is utterly silent Ud6

70.
D12 NATURAL HAZARDS

1 Bridge on toxic river crossed Crumbles away after Ud4 Moments

2 Ravine edge walked on Test DEX or fall for HD damage
3 Mould patch disturbed Test CON or choke for HD damage
4 Erupting geyser approached Character takes Ongoing damage
5 Thick, sticky amber is touched Stuck until a STR Test is made
6 Invisible natural gas inhaled Weakened until a CON Test is made
7 Hastily filled in ditch crossed Creature trips and loses their next Move
8 Quicksand gravel entered Creature must make a CON Test or be OofA
9 Steep, natural staircase used A randomly selected item is dropped
10 Enveloped by thick smoke All Creatures’ CON reduced by 2
11 Black, spotty fungi disturbed Creature immediately Panics!
12 Noxious poison cloud inhaled Creature is taken Out of Action

D12 MAGICAL HAZARDS

1 Horrific tome is read aloud Ages the reader 2d10 years

2 Giant cyclopean skull is moved Shrinks a Creature to size of 2d6 year old
3 Light source is extinguished Grants a Character a limited wish
4 Alchemical reagents are mixed Removes the Creature’s voice
5 Handle is turned wrong way Randomly swaps 2 of a Character’s Attributes
6 Bust is rotated 180 degrees Turns the Character into a Monster
7 Basin of water is drank from Cries loudly like a baby, effect has Ud4
8 Grotesque tapestry is burned Swaps 2 random Characters’ minds
9 Elaborate armour is worn Character acts as a biological skeleton key
10 Giant mushroom is touched Changes Creature into solid gold statue
11 Pentagram has blood added Changes the Character’s limb into a tentacle
12 Onyx sphere is examined Turns a Character’s skin pitch black

71.
 D12 LOCATION TRIGGER ACTION

1 Flagstones in floor Pressure plates touched False floor reveals pit

2 Doorway or portal Magical seal broken Ceiling slowly lowers
3 Along passage walls Thin, silver wire tripped Darts shoot from holes
4 Beneath floor tiles Change in temperature Surface is magnetised
5 Retractable inside wall Password not spoken Sawblade strikes area
6 Grilles in the ceiling All doors are closed Sucks air from room
7 Angry gargoyle faces Weight change noticed Thick gas pours out
8 Rotten wooden door Touched by bare skin Brain slug Attacks face
9 Large chemistry set Arrangement disturbed Acid cloud seeps in
10 Statue of wizard Clever greeting ignored WIS reduced by d4
11 Mosaic in floor Treasure is taken Massive cave-in
12 Large circle on wall Touched by anything Annihilates target

TRAPS
The Black Hack treats each trap like a
D12 CLUES
mystery that must be figured out. Every 1 Broken revealing workings
trap has three clues, each giving away its:
2 Badly-made and obvious
ƒƒ Location (L) - Where the trap is. 3 Weathered and discoloured
ƒƒ Trigger (T) - What will set the trap off.
ƒƒ Action (A) - What the trap does. 4 Covered in warning graffiti
5 Visible repairs to its structure
The GM should secretly roll 1d6 the first
time a Character moves Nearby to a 6 Hasn’t reset properly
trap. If a 1 is rolled, give them a clue.
7 Is made from odd materials
A successful Attribute Test to resolve a
targeted search will also reveal a clue. 8 Cautious footprints around it

Characters should make Attribute Tests to 9 Excessive wear and tear

avoid taking damage - based on the trap’s
10 Produces an unusual echo
assigned HD (often the dungeon level)
refer to the damage table on p.31. 11 Hastily constructed

12 Crackles with arcane energy

72.
D12 LOCATION TRIGGER ACTION

1 Hidden behind curtain Simply Move through Move rooms unnoticed

2 Ornate mosaic Tiles rearranged Floor rapidly lowers
3 Summoning circle Arcane runes altered Teleports a Creature
4 Back of a wardrobe Put on a special coat Passage to the surface
5 Large mounted mirror Visible in reflection Door appears in reflection
6 Fake wall section Sconce’s angle tilted Wall opens like a door
7 False bookcase Mundane item moved Wall rotates around 90°
8 Via animated statue Elven word for passage Decoration reveals door
9 Behind an illusion Believe it exists Fades to reveal door
10 Inside a painting Fix untidy arrangement Distant place is connected
11 Ornate fireplace Fire extinguished Iron spiral steps appear
12 Behind a huge rock Knock d6 times Floor disintegrates

SECRETS MUNDANE DOORS

The GM should roll a d6 for every

DOORS mundane dungeon door the Characters

encounter, a 6 indicates it’s Stuck and
The way The Black Hack treats secret doors won’t open easily. Consult the table below
is much the same as traps (p.72). They to determine how it is Stuck:
are mysteries that must be figured out by
searching for clues. Every secret door has
three clues, each giving away its: D6 STUCK DOORS
ƒƒ Location (L) - Where the door is. 1 Magically locked and sealed
ƒƒ Trigger (T) - What circumstances
need to be met for the door to open. 2 Secured with a unique lock
ƒƒ Action (A) - How the door operates. 3 Covered in rubble from a cave in
The GM should secretly roll 1d6 the first 4 Boarded and nailed shut
time a Character moves Nearby to a 5 Swollen from damp
secret door. If a 1 is rolled, give them a
clue. A successful Attribute Test to resolve 6 Hinges are melted and fused
a targeted search will also reveal a clue.

73.
BLANK TOMBS & LAIRS

C.

D.
B. A.
E.

F.

W E

G.
H.

I.
N.
L.
O.

K.
J.
M.

Each square is considered to be Close to adjacent squares - roughly 5ft.

74.
 Room Notes for Map:
A

B
C

D
E
F

G
H
I
J
K
L

M
N
O

MONSTER D6 SIGNS OF LIFE

2 Monster equal to the characters’ HD 1

3 2
4 Monster equal to the characters’ HD 3
5 4
6 Monster equal to the characters’ HD + 2 5
7 6
8+ Monster equal to the characters’ HD + 4

If a Random Encounter Roll is a 1 (p.32) roll a d6 + Character HD/dungeon level for the Monster.

75.
 BLANK DUNGEON
Each square is considered to be Close to adjacent squares - roughly 5ft. N

W E

A B
D F
C
E
G

H I J

M
L

N O P

T
Q R S
U V

W
X Y Z

76.
Room Notes for Map:
A

B
C

D
E
F

G
H
I
J
K
L

M
N
O
P
Q
R
S

T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

77.
 RANDOM MAP MAKER
Roll two d6 to determine the room shape. The symbols and features should be interpreted to suit.

1 2 3 4 5 6

D6 CONSTRUCTION D6 DOORS
1 Natural rock cavern 1 One mundane door
2 Masoned granite blocks 2 Two mundane doors
3 Organically burrowed tunnel 3 Up to four mundane doors
4 Impossible material (crystal) 4 No further exits
5 Underground body of water 5 One magical or unusual exit
6 Vibrant fungal forest 6 Two magical or unusual exits

The GM should roll a d6 for every mundane dungeon door the Characters encounter. A roll of a 6
indicates it’s Stuck and won’t open easily (p.73).

78.
MONSTERS & THE CREATURE STATS
& POWERS BLOCK
OPPONENTS All the mechanical information the GM
needs to run the Monster in a combat
A GUIDE TO CREATURE encounter is here. The fluff and tables
ENCOUNTERS on the Monster’s page will give ideas of
One of the many challenges a GM faces is how to present them and their possible
retaining some measure of control over Actions outside of combat.
the mechanical difficulty the Characters
face. What follows are methods of ƒƒ STAT is the Attribute the Character
creating Creature encounters and the must Test in order to Defend against
logic behind using them. the effects of the Attack.
ƒƒ Targets, indicates who the Attack
can affect e.g. (1 Close).
Don’t worry about balance ƒƒ DMG is the amount of HP Damage
Accept that some Creatures encountered the Character loses if they fail to
will be too powerful for the Characters Defend against the Attack.
to overcome. Their Players should know ƒƒ Special powers! Any special
when to fight, and when to run. mechanics or notes are given here.

Always provide an out Creatures Name - HD X

If Characters bite off more than they can
chew, always provide a means - even a Name of Attack - STAT (Targets) DMG
slim one - of escape. ƒƒ Special Power! Explanation of how it is
triggered and how it works.
Creature behaviour
At the beginning of an encounter, ATTACKS & ACTIONS
summarise in your head a quick sentence If a Creature has multiple Attacks in their
describing the Creatures’ intentions stat block, they may use only one as an
and what they want to gain from the Action.
interaction. Make roleplaying choices
stemming from that. CREATING MONSTERS
The GM is encouraged to create their own
Using a HD budget Monsters and stories. This can be as deep as
Total the Characters HD and use this as planning pages of detailed notes on their
a budget to ‘spend’ on Creatures - their fiction, powers and much more - or as light
HD being the cost for them to appear in as choosing an interesting name and giving
the encounter. The GM should be wary it an HD value, then using the tables for
of ‘buying’ Creatures more than 2HD damage on p.31.
above the Characters’ average Level, as
they have the potential to turn lethal very The ‘Every’ Monster on the following page
provides a framework to underpin many
quickly.
Monster concepts mechanically.

79.
‘EVERY’ HD X DAMAGE Y
MONSTER
These Monsters are pulled from a timeless
1 2 (d4)
2 3 (d6)
place of pure imagination - willed into
existence by great and unknowable 3 4 (2d4)
minds - They come in any shape or size,
4 5 (d10)
type or ability. Some can be individual
and unique, others being one of many 5 6 (d12)
in an uncounted horde of identical
Creatures. 6 7 (d6 + d8)
7 8 (2d8)
Every Monster - HD X 8 9 (3d6)
Melee - STR (1 Close) Y dmg 9 10 (2d10)
Ranged - DEX (1 Nearby) Y dmg
ƒƒ Morale! Test Morale when at ½ HP see 10+ 11 (d10 + d12)
(p.31).

SPECIAL ABILITIES Spiteful

Deal Ongoing Damage to a target that
The GM can give each Monster powers
and abilities to help distinguish them in makes an even Defence Roll.
the story and the action.
Graceful
ƒƒ Choose or create two power/abilities Roll a d6 at the start of each turn, on a 1
for strong Monsters with names; and or 2 the Monster gains an extra Action.
just one for weaker Creatures and
minions.
Stubborn
If hit by an Attack with an odd die roll,
the Monster takes half damage.

Striker
Targets must make two Defence
Rolls that each only deal half of the
Monster’s normal damage.

Slippery
Once per battle, when a Character hits
the Monster, they are forced to re-roll the
Attack.

80.
Bloodthirsty THINGS YOU MIGHT
The Monster deals double damage against FIND ON EVERY
targets below ½ max HP.
MONSTER
Lowly Monster: Its HD in coins, soiled
Supportive footwear, slightly damp trade good,
Twice per battle, the Monster can heal a cumbersome trade tool, simple weapon
Nearby ally equal to its Level. & ammunition, heraldric device and
uniform, love token, cultural heritage
item, trophy of conflict.
Inspiring
Once per battle, a Nearby Character has
Disadvantage on a Defence roll. Important Monster: Its HD x5 in
coins, quality gloves and boots, symbol of
office, well-made and elaborate weapon
Armoured and ammunition, heraldry and medals,
The Monster has an AV equal to ½ its total orders and records, item of power and
HD (rounded down). magic.

Swarming ACTION ..
All Nearby swarming Monsters share their D6
HP equally as one communal ‘pool’. 1 Looking for/harvesting its food
2 Hunting 1d4 quarry
Frenzied
Every time the Monster misses, it gains 3 Patrolling its territory
an additional Attack in all subsequent 4 Recovering and resting
turns. All additional Attacks cease if it
deals damage. 5 Crafting valuable goods
6 Eating
Pack tactics
When Attacking roll a 1d4, if the result is
under the number of Nearby allies, deal D6 .. MOTIVATION
that value as damage to the target.
1 Displaced and lost
2 Under Attack and threat
Hidden
Gives Disadvantage to Attacks against it 3 Religious dogma and belief
made by Faraway Characters. 4 Routine and duty
5 The control of another
Sprightly
Twice per battle, the Monster may make 6 For fun and sport
two Movements per Moment.

81.
BANISHED Banished Elf Mother - HD 9

ELVES
A race of boneless, subterranean spider
Fang dagger - STR (1 Close) 14 dmg
Pain web - CON (1d4 Nearby) O dmg
ƒƒ Pain slave! When a Creature first
worshipping elves - long exiled to the Moves after being hit by the pain web
deep - their wickedness and malice govern they take Ongoing damage.
everything they do. Banished elves are
locked in an eternal, genocidal war with
every other race living in the Underearth, D6 THEY ARE ...
who they see as gifts of property given to
them by the eight-eyed god X’XIT. 1 Roasting and eating a tarantula
2 Skulking about without a light
Banished Elf Knight - HD 3 3 Climbing on vertical surfaces
Skittering strike - STR (1 Close) 6 dmg 4 Overseeing the digging of a grave
ƒƒ Swift! If the elf is hit by a melee Attack
5 Enacting a sacrificial ritual
it may Move immediately.
6 Paralysed by strong venom
Banished Elf Witch - HD 6
Venom blade - STR (1 Close) 9 dmg D6 ... WITH ...
ƒƒ Dead veins! If a Creature rolls 16+ to
Defend they take their Level in damage. 1 Obsidian spider statue
2 Barbed metal net
3 Lore inscribed spider husk
4 Spider silk hammock
5 A valuable albino slave
6 1d12 ragged human slaves

THINGS YOU
MIGHT FIND ON A
BANISHED ELF
A purse containing d6 coins per HD,
weaponised spider venom, obsidian
blade, mithril scales, cluster of spider
eggs, black diamond ring, spider
silk rope, ring of d6 slave
collars and keys.

82.
BLACK MAGIC Black Magic Wizard - HD X

WIZARDS
Channelling void and magic through a
Feeble weapon - STR (1 Close) HD dmg
ƒƒ Spellcaster! As an Action cast one of
the following spells - each spell has a
mortal mind is a recipe for disaster. The Usage Die to track its limited power:
extraneous otherworldly forces swiftly
tear a conscience to shreds and leaves the ƒƒ Level 1 - Magic missile (Ud8) -
heart hard and decayed. 4 dmg to a Nearby target.
ƒƒ Level 2 - Sleep (Ud8) - Roll a d8 for
THINGS YOU MIGHT each HD the Wizard has, Nearby
FIND ON A WIZARD Creatures with fewer HP hen the
A purse containing d10 coins per HD, sum are Paralysed.
pet void snail, slug pellets, mouldy tome
ƒƒ Level 3 - Dispel Magic (Ud6) -
of lore, pocketful of soil, 13 black nails, a
Removes a Nearby arcane spell.
mummified heart, indecipherable scrolls,
shrunken head, cursed glass eye. ƒƒ Level 4 - Fireball (Ud6) - 1d6
Nearby Creatures take 1d6 damage
per HD the Wizard has.
D6 THEY ARE ...
ƒƒ Level 5 - Polymorph (Ud6) -
1 Inhaling a great void cloud Transforms a humanoid giving
them the appearance of another.
2 Hovering around on a disc
ƒƒ Level 6 - Animate dead (Ud4) -
3 Sheltering under an umbrella Creates 2d4 skeletons or zombies
4 Arguing with their shadow with HD equal to half of the
Wizard’s Level.
5 Delegating to their d6 clones
ƒƒ Level 7 - Elemental (Ud4) - Create
6 Polymorphed into a cat a subservient elemental of any
type with 1d6 HD.
ƒƒ Level 8 - Anti-Magic Shell - (Ud4)
D6 ... WITH ...
Cancels all arcane magic in a
1 Bubbles of slo-motion Nearby area for ten minutes of
play.
2 Flail snail mount
ƒƒ Level 9 - Disintegration Ray (Ud4)
3 Storm giant’s spell book - A Nearby, non-organic object is
4 Reflective gold shield turned into a fine powder.

5 Black sunflower in a pot ƒƒ Level 10 - Death Ray (Ud4) - A

Nearby target with 50HP or fewer
6 Stacks of floating books dies and cannot be resurrected.

83.
DAEMONS VOID-SPAWN
CHANGELINGS
Forged from malice and wicked glee,
daemons are summoned from the ever- The nature of their reality-bending births
changing void, torn from their nefarious often mean daemons come with unusual
purposes to languish in temporary and mutations - roll on the table below.
horrific fleshy prisons.
D8 VOIDSPAWN
Lesser Horror - HD 1
1 Batwings - can clumsily fly
ƒƒ Minion! This creature only has 1HP
2 Bulky mass - +1HP per HD
Warping blade - DEX (1 Close) 2 dmg
3 Stag horns - extra Attack
4 Face of a crying baby!
Sludge Daemon - HD 3
Rumbling flesh - they explode
5
Rancid bite - STR (1 Close) 4 dmg when at half HP
ƒƒ Fester! Deals Ongoing Damage that Oozing - Move Close and be
requires a CON Test to end. 6
Paralyzed, DEX Test to avoid
7 Shiny like metal - ooh! rare!
Prismatic Horror - HD 4 8 Roll twice - or make one up
Chromatic blade - STR (1 Close) 8 dmg
ƒƒ Split! If reduced to 0HP, replace with
two lesser horrors.

Frenzy Daemon - HD 4
Pair of claws - STR (2 Close) 3 dmg
ƒƒ Rage! If it misses, its next Attack has
Advantage against the same target.

Toad Daemon - HD 5
Slam - STR (1 Close) 8 dmg
ƒƒ Pinned! Creatures hit are Stuck
until they make a STR Test as an
Action.

84.
 THINGS YOU MIGHT
FIND ON A DAEMON
A purse containing d6 coins per HD,
pouch of writhing larvae, 13 black
candles, tome of maddening text,
large ruby that screams, small oil
painting with no subject, 1d8 rune
carved femurs, white hot chains,
demonic brand.

TRUE NAMES
Daemons have names, just as we do.
To speak its name aloud is to have an
Advantage over Tests to influence it.

Vosh, Mall’ach, Porr, Vixwizzle, Houwe,

Saache, Vrack, Tzitch, Zarkak, Shlep, Grell,
Hanurr, C’thulor, Xsetti, Korl, Meeck

Vrok - HD 6
D6 THEY ARE ...
Rending talons- STR (2 Close) 7 dmg w,
ƒƒ Screech! If an even number is rolled to 1 Taunting gleefully
Defend, make a Void Call Attack.
2 Whispering secrets
Void call - DEX (1 Close) 14 dmg
ƒƒ Weakness! Creatures hit are Stuck 3 Enacting a dark ceremony
until they make a WIS Test.
4 Carving deep, cosmic runes
5 Hiding inside themselves
Serpent Daemon - HD 8
6 Offering to the void
Eight blades- STR (1d8 Close) 7 dmg
ƒƒ Blade dancer! For every enemy Close
the Serpent Daemon deals +1 dmg. ... WITH ...
D6
Void call - DEX (1 Far) O dmg
ƒƒ Entranced! Creatures hit must Move 1 A soul trapped in a bottle
towards the Daemon next turn.
2 13 mirrored voidstones

Balor - HD 10 3 2d6 wretched prisoners

4 A writhing brass key
Abyssal Blade - STR (1 Close) 13 dmg
Fiery Whip - DEX (1 Nearby) 9 dmg 5 A dagger that weeps black oil
ƒƒ No Escape! Creatures hit Move so they
6 A three-eyed hummingbird
are Close to the Balor.

85.
DIRE D6 THEY ARE ...

WILDLIFE
Through the course of some oddball
1 Consuming something alive
2 Marking their territory
evolution, either natural or altered,
certain animals have become monstrous, 3 Asleep and camouflaged
hideous parodies of their genealogical 4 Performing dog-like tricks
forebears. Beware the dire wildlife.
5 Super-intelligent discourse
6 Temporarily incapacitated
Dire Lizard - HD 2
Rend & chew - STR (1 Close) 4 dmg
ƒƒ Acid! Armour Dice cannot be used to D6 ... WITH ...
ignore damage from the lizard.
1 Massive nest
2 A child in a red cloak
Dire Wolf - HD 4
3 Source of knowledge
Vicious bite - STR (1 Nearby) 8 dmg.
4 Gnarly remains of its food
ƒƒ Alpha beast! Nearby allies deal 2 extra
damage to the dire wolf’s opponents. 5 Poop with coins in
6 Tracks of more dire animals
Dire Python - HD 6
Scything teeth - STR (1 Nearby) 6 dmg
ƒƒ Winding jaws! Characters who fail to
Defend Move Close to the python.
Crushing coils - DEX (1 Close) 14 dmg
ƒƒ Immense form! Creatures hit are
Stuck until they make a STR Test as
an Action - if they fail they’re taken
Out of Action.

THINGS YOU MIGHT

FIND ON A DIRE ANIMAL
1 d4 loose coins per HD, severed arm, pile
of skulls, undigested coins and gems,
ragged clothing, carcass of its last kill,
embedded jewelled dagger.

86.
87.
DRAGONS
The great and ancient species of wyrms
are renowned for their intelligence,
power, greed, cunning, malevolence
and fury. Only the mightiest of
heroes can stand before them and be
treated as true equals.

Juvenile Red Wyrm - HD 6

Sharp claws - DEX (2 Close) 7 dmg
ƒƒ Hot breath! Take 4 extra damage
if 16-20 is rolled to Defend.

Adult Blue Wyrm - HD 8

Shock nova - DEX (d4 Close) 4 dmg
ƒƒ Arc! Targets take 1 extra damage for
every Creature Close to the dragon. DRAGON TITLES &
Razor tail - STR (2 Nearby) 10 dmg UNIQUE POWERS
Formidable wyrms will be known in
Faraway lands, their fearsome deeds
Ancient Black Wyrm - HD 12 foretold by the titles and names bestowed
Onslaught - STR (3 Close) 15 dmg upon them. All dragons should have one
ƒƒ Enraged! Targets take damage equal to unique power.
their Level if they roll even to Defend
Blight Horns - DEX (1 Nearby) 10 dmg Agrax the Immolator, Belhuan the Merciful,
ƒƒ Ferocious charge! +15 damage to Dread Xarl, Norrox Coldfire, Wyrmprince,
targets below half their HP. Black Neer, Gorgoros the Wicked, Phwor the
Awful, Khlorox the Terrible, Wickedwing,
Virex the Petulant, Zephyx, Loci the Bleak,
Aggrarios, Xotton Dwarfbane

HOARDS & TREASURE

Roll 2d6 and multiply the result by the
dragon’s HD. It will have collected this
ALL DRAGONS HAVE many hundred coins in a number of piles
equal to its HD around its lair. Generate
Heartfire - DEX (4 Nearby) HD dmg. one item for each HD the dragon
• Armor Dice cannot be used to negate has, using the drop table on p.116 and
distribute them amongst these piles and
damage dealt by this Attack.
a few suitable containers as well.

88.
 AURA OF TRUE FEAR
D6 UNIQUE POWER Any Character that starts their turn
Nearby a Dragon, must pass a WIS or
Quick - Players add 1d4 when CON Test (Player decides) - or suffer
1 they make DEX Tests for Disadvantage on any test they take this
Initiative round.
Aura of pain - Any Creature
starting its turn Close to the D6 THEY ARE ...
2
dragon takes damage equal 1 Hibernating, just waking up
to their Level
2 Gloating about its exploits
Engine of death - If reduced
3 to half HP, Defending against 3 Decrying its minions’ failures
the dragon has Disadvantage 4 Out, returning soon
Humanoid form - The 5 Hidden, stalking prey
4
dragon can shapeshift at will
6 Talking to a hostage artist
Strong - Players add 1d4
when they make STR Test
5
when Defending against the
dragon D6 ... WITH ...

Staggered - When the 1 A ruined treasure horde

dragon is reduced to 50% 2 Newly broken giant mirror
6 HP it uses its breath Attack
immediately, regardless of 3 Captive noble heir/ess
whose turn it is 4 2d4 scorched corpses
5 Structurally damaged lair
6 1d8 expensive portraits

WYRM FEAR
Any Characters that flee from a dragon
must make a WIS Test. If they fail, they
develop the disease Wyrm Fear p.38.

Wyrm Fear - Ud6

Haunted with terrifying visions of dragons

If you fail the CON Test - only heal half

the amount of HP when rolling any
dice to heal this session.
89.
DWARVES Dwarven Grudgekeeper - HD 5
The dwarven race is an ancient, stoic Warpole - STR (3 Close) 4 dmg
stonefaring species of demihumans.
Most begin their curmudgeonly long and
bearded lives in the depths of a mountain Dwarven Forgelord - HD 6
in service of the dwarven King and only
the unhinged or dispossessed defy his White-hot stave - STR (3 Close) 8 dmg
law and venture up to the overworld and ƒƒ Growing Grudge! Add the number of
into the sun. Moments since Initiative was first
rolled to all damage the forgelord deals.
Dwarven Miner - HD 2
THINGS YOU MIGHT
Swift pickaxe - STR (1 Close) 2 dmg
ƒƒ Hardy! Any damage dice that are rolled FIND ON A DWARF
even against the dwarf are halved. A purse containing d8 coins per HD,
ivory beard comb, small golden hammer,
stone map, brass key, uncut fist sized
Dwarven Runepriest - HD 3 gem, impossibly heavy hammer.

Rune hammer - STR (1 Close) 6 dmg

ƒƒ Shockwave! Two Nearby Creatures D6 THEY ARE ...
also take 3 damage if the rune hammer
hits. 1 Eating rocks out of a basket
2 Excavating with delicacy
3 Cracking stonebread loaves
4 Smashing with hammers
5 Looking to trade
6 Sleeping whilst standing

D6 ... WITH ...

1 Giant neon crystal
2 Dead banished elf witch
3 Talking enchanted wall
4 Steam powered minecart
5 Ancient mining laser
6 Statue of dwarf hammer god

90.
ELEMENTAL
Forces from the elemental plane may
be called upon and harnessed via wild
magic - that only masterful or mad
Wizards pursue. A spellcaster can bind
elemental fire, earth, water or air into
valuable material reagents, creating a
mindless and utterly willing elemental
servant for them to command.

Lesser Elemental - HD 3
Elemental attack - STR (1 Close) 5 dmg
ƒƒ Destructive Attack! Armour Dice
cannot be broken to ignore the
elemental’s damage.

D6 THEY ARE ...

Elemental - HD 5
1 Chained with crystal bonds
Elemental attack - STR (2 Close) 8 dmg
ƒƒ Lasting Attack! When a Creature 2 Condensed into a gem
takes damage from the elemental,
3 Hypnotically dancing
they take Ongoing Damage until a
successful CON Test is made. 4 Rapidly changing colour
5 Posing like a statue
Greater Elemental - HD 7 6 Spread thinly across the floor
Primal attack - STR (2 Nearby) 10 dmg
ƒƒ Damaging presence! Creatures that
start their turn Close to the elemental D6 ... WITH ...
take extra damage equal to their Level.
1 Ornate stoppered bottle
2 Gently floating stasis bubble
THINGS YOU MIGHT Appropriate and intense
3
FIND ON A ELEMENTAL weather effect
Reagents worth d8 coins per HD, Fuel tank and rumbling
amber, pile of ashes/mound of dirt/ 4
engine
puddle of water/light breeze, rune
inscribed gem, wizard bones. 5 An arcane circle and runes
6 Pool of elemental energy

91.
ELVENKIND
The alien elves live haughtily in their
untraceable leafy groves, protected by the
forest and in turn acting as caretakers for
it - all ruled by a cold and beautiful queen
- holding a bizarre timeless court in the
heart of the woods.
UNNATURAL ACCURACY
Once per fight any elf can force an
opponent to re-roll an Attribute Test to
Elven Hunter - HD 3 Defend against their Attack.

Longbow - DEX (1 Faraway) 7 dmg

ƒƒ Vantage! If the Elf Moves, then Attacks
THINGS YOU MIGHT
the roll to Defend has Disadvantage. FIND ON AN ELF
A purse containing d6 coins per HD,
bitter acorns Ud6, elven silver broach,
forest bread Ud12, pennywhistle, d6
Elven War Dervish - HD 5
juggling balls, cards, opal bird figurine.
Wild blades - STR (All Close) 5 dmg

D6 THEY ARE ...

Harlequin Assassin - HD 7 1 Gutting a freshly hunted kill
Psionic blade - DEX (1 Nearby) 12 dmg 2 Waiting in ambush
ƒƒ Turbulent! Harlequin elves ignore all
3 Perched impossibly high
damage from even damage die rolls.
4 Carefully planting seeds
5 Performing a sacrifice
Elven Runeshepard - HD 9
6 In a psychic fever dream
Thorned blade - DEX (1 Close) 18 dmg
Spellcaster! As an Action the Spellcaster can
cast one of the following spells - each spell has D6 ... WITH ...
a Usage Die to track its limited power:
1 Soft floating orbs of light
ƒƒ Blinding light (Ud6) - 1d4 Nearby
2 Prince of the Goblinkind
Creatures make all Tests to Defend
with Disadvantage until they pass a 3 Talking raven
CON Test as an Action.
4 Giant runic standing stone
ƒƒ Gladewalk (Ud4) - One Nearby elf
can Move to somewhere Nearby 5 Buried giant stone golem
immediately.
6 A black stag

92.
FLOATING D6 EYE RAYS

OCCULUS
The dread occuli are a race of wicked,
1 Vorpal ray - STR - 3dmg per
eye
narcissistic and utterly mad beings 2 Sleep ray - CON - target is
from the Realm of Change. Every
Paralysed for 1d4 turns
dread occulus has its own totalitarian
- and unhinged motivation for seeking 3 Telekinesis - STR - Force a
universal domination. No two creatures Nearby target to Move
made of change practice evil similarly. 4 Hold beam - DEX - Nearby
target is Stuck for 1d4 turns
Gazer Occuli - 1 HD per eye 5 Level drain - CON - The
Character loses a Level
Maw - STR (1 Close) 2 dmg per HD
ƒƒ Chaos! As an Action randomly choose Death ray - CON - Nearby
6
an eye ray and use that Attack. target is reduced to 0 HP

SUPREME POWER
An occulus may perform two Actions D6 THEY ARE ...
every Moment/Minute.
1 Laughing at its own plans

THINGS YOU MIGHT 2 Eyballs off exploring

FIND ON AN OCCULI 3 Covered in a purple cloud

A chest containing d10 coins per HD, 4 Flying in a fast circle
doomsday component, astral key,
ancient amulet, cycloptic crown, psychic 5 Casting eye rays randomly
vessel, meteorite, world gem, 6 Gently bobbing about
elemental fire, void
gas cannister, a
chaos engine. D6 ... WITH ...
1 Pools of deep green fog
2 A pile of eyeballs
3 Repository of knowledge
4 Whole room on fire (green)
5 A black kitten
6 100s of floating mini-eyes

93.
 GIANTKIND
Gaints believe they were created by
elemental primordials, long before
the current child gods existed. Their
emotions and whims are as gigantic
and exaggerated as they are physically,
unpredictably boiling with rage or
freezing with sorrow - much like the raw
elemental substances that make up their
huge bulking forms.

Giant Raider - HD 5
Huge sword - STR (1 Nearby) 7 dmg

Giant Elementalist - HD 7
Elemental rod - STR (2 Nearby) 6 dmg
Ringed fist - STR (1 Nearby) 15 dmg
ƒƒ Elemental lifesource! The giant takes
half damage from sources that aren’t
magical or elemental in nature.

Giant Battlesmith - HD 8
Big hammer - STR (1 Nearby) 11 dmg
Ground stomp - DEX (1 Nearby) 0 dmg
ƒƒ Unsure feet! Creatures that fail to
Defend fall over and must sacrifice
their next Movement to get up.

A GIANT’S HOME
Giants of all types keep houses and
homes in fantastic and unusual places.

◼ A colossal stone boot ◼ a floating castle ◼

beneath an ancient bridge ◼ inside a titan’s
skull ◼ through a polished mirror ◼ a lost
mountain fortress ◼ behind a waterfall of light
◼ beneath the stage of a theatre ◼ at the end of
the rainbow

94.
 Giant Sailor - HD 9 THINGS YOU MIGHT
FIND ON A GIANT
Harpoon - DEX (1 Faraway) 12 dmg A purse containing d8 huge coins per
HD, belt made of shields, club crafted
from a tree, net of livestock, mammoth
Giant Chieftain - HD 12 tusk tankard, frozen lightning, massive
Giant blade - STR (1 Nearby) 16 dmg sandals, handful of squeezed helmets.
ƒƒ Perfect physique! Damage dice rolled
against the Giant are ignored if they roll a
natural 1 or 2. D6 THEY ARE ...
Spellcaster! As an Action the Spellcaster can 1 Roasting a dire creature
cast one of the following spells - each spell has a
Usage Die to track its limited power: 2 Hunting for game
3 Intimidating a peasant child
ƒƒ Elemental pillar (Ud4) - 8 dmg to
1d4 Nearby Creatures. 4 Singing a low dirge
ƒƒ Hurl elements (Ud4) - 15 dmg to one
5 Engaged in a three-shield duel
Nearby Creature.
6 Drunk and oblivious
ELEMENTAL BODY
Every giant gains certain benefits from
their elemental heritage. Roll or choose an D6 ... WITH ...
appropriate entry from the table below.
1 Perpetual black rainclouds
2 Elven slaves.
D6 ELEMENT
3 Engraved runic hammer
Fire: Deal Ongoing Damage with 4 Giants feasting table
1
successful Attacks
5 Incongruous golden object
Frost: Creatures that start their
2 turn Close to the giant take 6 Their heraldic clan totem
damage equal to its HD
Storm: Roll the giant’s Attack
3
damage with Advantage
4 Stone: The giant has AV2
Cloud: Ranged Attacks against
5
the giant have Disadvantage
Shadow: Odd Attack rolls against
6
the giant deal half damage

95.
GNOLLS Gnoll Warlord - HD 4
Ferocious, bipedal hyena-beastmen Savage spear- STR (1 Nearby) 5 dmg
known as gnolls live to raid and spill ƒƒ Bloodlust! If the warlord deals damage
blood for KORPUS KOSER - the god of to a Character, a Nearby gnoll ally
violence and war. Their hideous cackles must make an Attack against that
preclude a rampage of slaughter, torture Character next.
and degradation - where mercy is a
distant, unknown concept.
THINGS YOU MIGHT
FIND ON A GNOLL
Gnoll Beserker - HD 2 A purse containing d8 coins per HD,
severed hand and rings, bag of hearts, d6
Stained axe - STR (1 Close) 1 dmg scalps, bloodstained idol, pouch of eyes,
ƒƒ Pack animal! Deal 1 extra damage for horrifying horn, ragged bloodied flag.
every Nearby Gnoll.

D6 THEY ARE ...

Gnoll Pack Torturer - HD 3
1 Cackling and laughing loudly
Razor claws - STR (1 Close) 5 dmg
ƒƒ Cruel master! Once per fight the 2 Chasing their tails
pack torturer may give every Nearby
3 Cracking open giant bones
gnoll a free Move that they must use
immediately. 4 Burning a pile of shoes
5 Snarling and scrapping
6 Torturing a monk

D6 ... WITH ...

1 Roasting spit and burned body
2 Cage of emaciated prisoners
3 Numerous buckets of blood
4 Pile of rotting heads
5 Child in a hessian sack
6 Visible ‘cloud’ of fleas

96.
GOBLINKIND
Goblins grow from the deep sweat and
hate of the world - lightless rotten pools
beneath the mountains provide a perfect
ecosystem, allowing the evil of the world
to coalesce. Every goblin born is more
wicked and pathetic than the last.

Goblin Snitch - HD 1
Mucky shank- STR (1 Close) 2 dmg
Blackbow- DEX (1 Nearby) 2 dmg
ƒƒ Rapid feet! In their first turn a goblin THINGS YOU MIGHT
snitch may move twice. FIND ON A GOBLIN
A purse containing d4 coins per HD,
Goblin Witch Doctor - HD 1 padded boots, small shield (+1AV),
dead bird or spider totem, poison frog,
Foul hex - CON (2 Nearby) 3 dmg sharpening stone, squirrel claw.
ƒƒ Evil words! Creatures hit by foul hex
take 1d4 damage if they Move during
their next turn. D6 THEY ARE ...
1 Attempting to conceal
Bugbear Footpad - HD 2 2 Gleefully teasing
Garotte - DEX (1 Close) 4 dmg 3 Bickering over ownership
ƒƒ Strangle! Creatures hit by garotte are
4 Washing in foul water
Paralyzed until they make a successful
STR Test. 5 Cutting up with shears
6 Desperately searching for
Hobgoblin Bully - HD 3
Spear - STR (1 Nearby) 2 dmg
D6 ... WITH ...
ƒƒ Tall shield! The hobgoblin may ignore
the damage from one Attack per fight. 1 A basket of giant toads
2 A peach with a worm in it
SNEAKY BUGGERS
When determining Initiative involving 3 d4 horrible blight pigeons
goblins, the Player whose Character has 4 Piles of stolen clothes
the highest DEX rolls their Attribute Test
with Disadvantage. 5 A mouldy deck of tarot cards
6 Redcaps in a fungus garden

97.
HUMANS D6 THEY ARE ...
Humans are a violent, patriarchal, tribal
species of omni-theistic humanoids that 1 Laying out blanket and picnic
can survive in almost any environment, 2 Making rubbings of things
thanks to their stubbornness and tenacity.
They also have voracious appetites for 3 Setting up a tent
material resources, and bloody conflict. 4 Arguing for fun
5 Guarding a chest
Confused Rabble - HD 1
6 Catatonic (brain slug)
Club- STR (1 Close) 1 dmg
ƒƒ Minion! This Creature dies when it
takes any amount of damage. D6 ... WITH ...
1 A makeshift barricade
Fighter - HD 2
2 A pig in a dress
Halberd - STR (1 Nearby) 5 dmg
ƒƒ Hard! Once per fight the fighter takes 3 Leaflets of state-sanctioned law
half damage from an Attack. 4 A pig roast and a ruined dress
5 Game of imagination and dice
Magic user - HD 6
6 A smouldering campfire
Oak staff - STR (1 Close) 3 dmg
Spellcaster! As an Action cast one
of the following spells - each spell
has a Usage Die to track its
limited power:

ƒƒ Hex (Ud6) - 6 dmg to a

Nearby target.
ƒƒ Clouded vision (Ud4) - A Nearby
Creature has Disadvantage on
their next Action.

THINGS YOU MIGHT

FIND ON A HUMAN
A purse containing d6 coins per HD,
big bunch of keys on a ring, ham
sandwich, half a map, comb, big
bottle of gin Ud6, hides (1AV),
punctured helmet, tome of
irrelevant lore, I.O.U.
 Lizardfolk Warpriest - HD 7
Sacrificial blade - STR (1 Close) 12 dmg
ƒƒ Heart strike! If a Character rolls 16+
when Defending against the warpriest
they take double damage.

THINGS YOU MIGHT

FIND ON LIZARDFOLK
A purse containing d6 coins per HD,
shrunken head, necklace of ears, tribal
totem, blowpipe, savage scaled axe, slave
collar, crystal skull, golden claw, coral
necklace.

D6 THEY ARE ...

LIZARDFOLK 1 Manhandling slaves

Clans of aggressive and savage humanoid 2 Erecting a hideous idol
reptiles known as lizardfolk inhabit the
black swamps and rotten fens of the old 3 Hidden in Nearby terrain
world. They are feared for their vicious 4 Performing a vivid tribal dance
tribal warriors who launch swift and
brutal raids claiming slaves, food, and 5 Sacrificing and burning hearts
treasure - or worse - sacrifices to their 6 Prostrate in worship
poisonous and unfathomable old gods.

Lizardfolk Warrior - HD 1 D6 ... WITH ...

Crude atatl - DEX (1 Nearby) 2 dmg 1 An illusory solar eclipse
ƒƒ Cold blooded! Roll starting HP (1d8) 2 A rival tribe’s warrior
with Advantage.
3 Skulls with crude glyphs
4 A sacrificial totem
Lizardfolk Champion - HD 4
5 A dragon skull altar
Obsidian sword - DEX (2 Close) 8 dmg
ƒƒ Bleeding wounds! Characters who 6 Large bamboo cages
take damage from the champion roll
all dice to gain HP with Disadvantage
this session.

99.
LONG DEAD FRIGID EXISTENCE
If a long dead future man is exposed to a

FUTURE MAN
Cold dead astronauts from an age ahead
warm environment longer than its HD in
Minutes it is reduced to 0 HP.
of time, scattered by the void winds.
Their mangled future suits - leaking THINGS YOU MIGHT
radioactive death into the Nearby FIND ON A LONG DEAD
atmosphere - imbue the black void-
scorched remains with a simplistic, FUTURE MAN
unfathomable intelligence. Keycard with 1d4 future creds per HD,
50ft plastic flex tube, disarmed photon
grenades (Ud6), large glowing crystal
Frozen Astronav - HD 2 (Ud4) broken electric handlamp, lazor
Icy fist - STR (1 Close) 4 dmg scalpel (Ud6), frozen flowers.
ƒƒ Toxic cloud! Nearby Creatures take 3
damage at the start of their turns.
D6 THEY ARE ...

Timelocked Marine - HD 3 1 Moving listlessly

2 Standing eerily still
Future rifle - DEX (1 Nearby) 6 dmg
ƒƒ Depleted cells! Roll a Usage Die of 1d4 3 Collecting fluid samples
to deal 3 extra damage. When the Ud
4 Tied to the dungeon
expires the marine explodes and deals
10 damage to every Nearby Creature. 5 Floating close to the ceiling
6 A vocoder voice yells ‘WARM!’

D6 ... WITH ...

1 In localised zero gravity
2 4 empty Future Suits
3 A broken blinking future box
4 Assorted floating black bones
5 A cloud of suit coolant
6 A huge spherical magnet

100.
 Fungal Hive Brain - HD 7
Psychic pain - WIS (1 Nearby) 4 dmg
Sense overload - CON (2 Close) 5 dmg
ƒƒ Regeneration! The hive brain regains
1d4 HP for every walking mushroom
Close to it at the end of its Turn.

THINGS YOU
MIGHT FIND ON A
MUSHROOM PERSON
A purse containing d4 coins per HD,
A pouch of tiny desiccated human
corpses, fungal skin infection, parasitic
caterpillars, dried woodchips, soil that
heals 1d4 HP when applied to wounds.

MUSHROOM D6 THEY ARE ...

PEOPLE 1 Drooling streams of mucous
Despite being wiped out to extinction
many times, the mushroom peoples’ 2 Exhaling spores through gills
refusal to be eradicated is a feat that rests
largely with their genetic memory and 3 Perfectly motionless
reproduction through spores. If there is 4 Singing a shrill droning song
warmth and moisture, they will return -
and in greater numbers. 5 In a psychic trance with hive
6 Completely desiccated
Toxic Spore Swarm - HD 3
Choking gas - CON (All Close) 2 dmg D6 ... WITH ...
ƒƒ Vulnerable! toxic spore take double
damage from fire-based sources. 1 Long glowing tubular fungi
2 A dog shaped mushroom
Walking Mushroom - HD 5 3 Genetic memory spore
Echo-slam - CON (1 Close) 7 dmg 4 Acid drooling fungal wall
ƒƒ Weak hearing! Characters with DEX
higher than 12 roll Tests to Defend 5 A half-dissolved humanoid body
against the walking mushroom with 6 A massive glass jar
Advantage.

101.
OOZES & Grey Goo - HD 3

SLIMES DNA damage - CON (1 Close) 5 dmg

ƒƒ Spread! If a Character takes damage
The arcane run-off, by-products of a
thousand years of spellcasting have left from the grey goo any Nearby
a peculiar mark on the environment. Creatures take 3 damage.
Sentient alluvium live secluded beneath
the overworld, ambushing and dissolving Gelatinous Cuboid - HD 4
those unwary or foolish enough to poke
around in the deep black. Engulf prey - WIS (All Close) 0 dmg
ƒƒ Dissolved! Creatures hit by Engulf
begin to take Ongoing Damage.
Round Green Slime - HD 1
Oozing attack - DEX (1 Close) 2 dmg THINGS YOU MIGHT
ƒƒ Split! When the green slime takes FIND IN AN OOZE
damage it splits into two, sharing HP. A purse containing d6 coins per HD,
A bubbling key, d8 Iron teeth fillings, a
fizzing short sword, a boot with a foot in
Black Jelly - HD 2 it, clumps of sticky hair.
Burning splash - DEX (2 Close) 4 dmg
ƒƒ Searing bath! Creatures who took D6 THEY ARE ...
damage last turn from the black jelly
take double this turn from any of its 1 Bleaching numerous bones
Attacks that hit. 2 Seeping through pipework
3 A motionless puddle
4 In the form of an icosahedron
5 In humanoid form
6 Frozen into large ingots

D6 ... WITH ...

1 A large stone well and bucket
2 A half dissolved adventurer
3 An engraved stone tablet
4 A large lead pan and ladle
5 An intricate metal skeleton
6 A giant pool of protoplasm
PIG-FACED D6 THEY ARE ...

ORCMEN
An ancient race of savage, gluttonous,
1 Failing at starting a fire
2 Loudly running around after
bestial pig-men. Each orc’s perpetual
battle lust is fuelled by their devotion to 3 Drunkenly bickering over
the blood god KORPUS KOSER. It drives 4 Gorging themselves on
them to raid and pillage, killing, burning
and consuming anything they can - in 5 Cluelessly examining
any order they can do it in. 6 Smashing to pieces

Pig Orc Warrior - HD 2

D6 ... WITH ...
Vicious blade - STR (1 Close) 2 dmg
ƒƒ Wild! If the Defence Roll against 1 A bound and bloody goblin
vicious blade is 17-20 it deals double 2 A half dead pig orc shaman
damage.
3 2d4 barrels of rotten fruit

Pig Orc Beserker - HD 3 4 An angry cow - with bell

Sharp polearm - STR (1 Nearby) 2 dmg 5 1d12 left footed boots

ƒƒ Unstoppable! When reduced to 0HP, 6 A sack of mouldy grain
instead of removing the pig orc beserker
- keep them for 1 more Moment.

Pig Orc Champion - HD 4

Long spear - STR (1 Nearby) 5 dmg
Warscream - WIS (3 Nearby) 2 dmg
ƒƒ Easy target! Choose one Character -
all orcs deal +1 damage against them.

THINGS YOU MIGHT

FIND ON A PIG ORC
A purse containing d6 coins per HD,
1d6 teeth, oversized septum ring, rotten
mail (AV1), collection of bent spoons,
broken war mallet, a dirty war-totem,
rusty ball and chain, 1d4 iron spikes, 1d3
skulls filled with 1d6 coins.

103.
SHADES &
HORRORS
The vast legions of undead draw the
power needed to sustain their everlife
from Dur-Dhola-Ram, the child god of
death. Ancient sorcerer liches command
THINGS YOU MIGHT
powerful shades and horrors in the FIND ON SHADES &
service of this black eyed prince. HORRORS
A purse containing d8 coins per HD, the
Pale Ghoul - HD 3 original magical wand, an incomplete
necronomicon, oils and perfumes,
Frenzied claw - STR (2 Close) 2 dmg funeral gown, withered roses, jewelled
ƒƒ Deaths touch! Creatures damaged by headband, glass coffin, ornate hand
the ghoul must Test their CON or be bell, paper with indecipherable writing,
Paralysed. ancient lunar calendar.

Ravenous Wight - HD 6 D6 THEY ARE ...

Ravaging claws - DEX (1 Close) 5 dmg
1 Holding a severed hand
ƒƒ Withering touch! Creatures damaged
by the wight lose 1d4 maximum HP. 2 Phasing through walls
3 Lying immobile
4 Arguing with firesmoke
Sorcerous Liche - HD 10
5 Becoming corporeal
Soulburn - DEX (1 Close) 13 dmg
6 Just a floating life mote
Spellcaster! As an Action cast one of the
following spells - each spell has a Usage Die
to track its limited power: D6 ... WITH ...
ƒƒ Soulfire (Ud6) - 13 dmg to 1d4 1 A fragile clay jar prison
Nearby Creatures who fail CON
Tests. 2 An adventurer’s ghost
ƒƒ Mangle flesh (Ud4) - One Nearby 3 An ancient religious fresco
Creature must choose to reduce its
STR, DEX or CHA by 1d4. 4 2d4 fresh graves
ƒƒ Ray of death (Ud4) - A Nearby
5 A talking golden skull
Creature must Test its CON or be
reduced to 0HP. 6 A mindwarping ritual assembly
ƒƒ Level Drain (Ud4) - The Character
loses a Level and its related benefits.

104.
SKELETONS D6 THEY ARE ...
Animated bones given a horrific, frail
power - dark magic allows them to 1 Lying around, posed
eternally serve their masters. Skeletons 2 Home to a hermit crab
often feature as the soulless guardians of
black magic wizards or liches. 3 Standing in formation
4 Arranged in a pentagram
Dusty Old Bones - HD 1 5 Being ‘worn’ by a ghost
Rusty scimitar - STR (1 Close) 3 dmg 6 Scattered over a Nearby area

Ragged Militia - HD 3 D6 ... WITH ...

Busted pike - STR (1 Close) 2 dmg 1 A well full of bones
ƒƒ Rank & file! Deals 1 extra damage for
each Nearby Skeleton. 2 A zombie on a surgery slab
3 Engraved spells on skulls
Flaming Skeleton - HD 3 4 A large bucket of acid Ud6
Searing claws - STR (2 Close) 4 dmg 5 d8 pools of liquid metal
ƒƒ Spitting flames! Creatures starting
6 Two large sarcophagi
their turns Close take 4 damage.

Cyclops Skeleton - HD 7
Giant stomp - CON (1d4 Close) 6 dmg
ƒƒ Many gaps! Cyclopean Guardians
reduce incoming ranged Attack
damage by half.

BRITTLE BY NATURE
Skeletons take double damage from
blunt weapons or crushing type effects.

THINGS YOU MIGHT

FIND ON A SKELETON
A purse containing d6 coins per HD,
rusted metal armour (AV1), 1d6 gold
teeth, daggers and knives wedged in
skulls, a snake, part of a key, gems for
eyes, ancient heraldry, ragged tabard.

105.
SPIDERLINGS D6 THEY ARE ...
Eons have passed since the first spiders
journeyed through the stars to our earth. 1 Arguing/fighting over food
Since then, their descendants have 2 Testing their webbed traps
spread across the world and evolved into
a thousand different deadly and clever 3 Hanging from a single thread
forms. 4 Singing a shrill shanty
Gibbering Swarm - HD 1 5 Weaving a pentagram web

Thousand cuts - CON (1 Close) 2 dmg 6 Blinded and confused by light

ƒƒ Puny! Takes double damage from
Attacks that affect multiple targets.
D6 ... WITH ...

Dog-sized Spider - HD 3 1 Whispering spider webs

2 A mummified humanoid
Leaping strike - DEX (1 Close) 4 dmg
ƒƒ Venom! Characters hurt by the spider 3 Divine wall paintings
must pass a CON Test or roll on the
4 Huge clusters of eggs
Venom table and apply its effects.
5 Ages old corpses everywhere
6 Discarded giant spider husks
Mature Deathweb - HD 5
Leaping strike - STR (1 Close) 6 dmg
ƒƒ Venom! Characters hurt by the spider
must roll on the Venom table and apply
its effects.

D6 VENOM
1 Roll on the Panic! table (p.37)
STR Tests are Disadvantaged
2
for the rest of the session
3 Additional d6 damage
4 Take Ongoing Damage
5 Reduce DEX by 2
6 Taken Out of Action

106.
TELEPATHIC
GASTROPOID
An ancient race of space-faring, psionic,
octopus-headed humanoid wizards - that
have a genetic craving to the consume of
all the cerebral matter in the galaxy. Their
goals are simple. Enslave anything with a
brain, then eat that brain.

THINGS YOU MIGHT

FIND ON A OCTOPOID
A purse containing d6 coins per HD,
brain slug pellets, jar of amniotic fluid,
bone saw, silver ritual dagger, volume of
esoteric arcane scripture, pickled brain.

Lobotomised Slave - HD 3 D6 THEY ARE ...

Senseless strike - STR (1 Close) 6 dmg 1 In a one-sided conversation
ƒƒ Senseless courage! The slave does not
make Morale checks. 2 Pouring through arcane tome
3 Rehearsing a monologue

Cephalopod Wizard- HD 8 4 Powering a ritual

5 Constructing a monolith
Keen claws - STR (2 Nearby) 12 dmg
6 Phasing into the void
Spellcaster! As an Action cast one of the
following spells - each spell has a Usage Die
to track its limited power: D6 ... WITH ...
ƒƒ Psionic blast (Ud6) - 1d4 Nearby 1 A swarm of flying brains
Creatures must make a successful INT 2 Mirroring its image
Test or take 7 dmg.
ƒƒ Mind wipe (Ud4) - One Nearby 3 d6 goblin test subjects
Creature must roll 2d6 and replace
4 A mechanically propelled brain
their INT with the result.
ƒƒ Ray of harm (Ud4) - A Nearby 5 Tubes of half-grown clones
Creature must Test its CON or take
6 An incomplete void bomb
13 damage.

107.
TOADMEN D4 VENOMSKIN
Sickly and belligerent toadmen are most
frequently found in squalid swamps and Venom: Pass a CON Test or
1
filthy mires. Their flabby and hunched Attacks deal Ongoing damage
frames support a gross lolling toad-head, Slimy: On even rolls to Defend a
wearing a perpetual expression of either 2
Character drops a weapon
intellectual decline or confused rage.
3 Leathery: Toadman has AV2
Healing: Gains HP equal to
Hopping stilt walker - HD 2 4
its HD at the start of its turn
Slick spear- DEX (1 Nearby) 3 dmg
ƒƒ Giant leap! Once per fight a stilt THINGS YOU MIGHT
walker can move to a Distant place.
FIND ON A TOADMAN
A purse containing d4 coins per HD,
Rancid muck raker - HD 4 rotten meat Ud6, net with hole in it,
skulls on a string, greasy jar of fireflies,
Greasy hatchet- DEX (1 Close) 6 dmg stinking swamp lilies, bag of eyeballs.
ƒƒ Dirt wound! Rolling 16-20 for an
Attribute Test to Defend against
a greasy hatchet Attack deals an D6 THEY ARE ...
additional 4 points of damage.
1 Devouring heaps of mud
2 Arguing over broken stilts
3 Building a hut made of skulls
4 Croaking into the distance
5 Belching clouds of rancid air
6 Submerged entirely in mud

D6 ... WITH ...

1 a swamp bubbling with voices
2 A gigantic bluebottle fly
3 A map carved into skin
4 Pools of thick mud and crap
5 A perfect white linen blouse
6 Long poisoned javelins

108.
TROLLES THINGS YOU MIGHT
FIND ON A TROLLE
Coming in uncountable shapes and
sizes - trolles are hideously deformed A purse containing d8 coins per HD,
and aggressive giant-kin, who use their a blackened skull, rare medicinal moss,
extra-sensory abilities to seek out their an unpolished gem, a leg/pelvis bone
cruel and exotic culinary fetishes. They necklace, a large brass key, recipe book
lurk on the fringes of the forgotten for cooking children, broken glasses.
wilderness waiting for travelling
ingredients to present themselves.
D6 THEY ARE ...
1 Smashing large rocks
Stone Trolle - HD 3
2 Sniffing everything
Boulder - DEX (1 Nearby) 7 dmg
Rapid claws - DEX (2 Close) 4 dmg 3 Buried in the floor
ƒƒ Shatter! When the trolle is reduced to 4 Eating big bundles of paper
0hp 1d4 Creatures that are Close take
2 damage. 5 Transparent in patches
6 Turned to stone
Forest Trolle - HD 4
Uprooted trunk - STR (1 Close) 9 dmg D6 ... WITH ...
ƒƒ Rageful! When reduced to ½HP the
trolle immediately makes an Attack 1 A ring of stone monoliths
against whoever dealt it damage last. 2 1d6 giant moths
3 A scared trussed up wizard
River Trolle - HD 7
4 Adventurers’ old possessions
Acid vomit - DEX (1d4 Nearby) 6 dmg
5 A spectral goldfish
ƒƒ It burns! Acid vomit deals Ongoing
Damage, needing a CON Test to stop. 6 Silver plated dentures

BODY REGENERATION
A Trolle regains HP equal to its HD at the
start of its turn provided that it hasn’t
suffered fire damage last turn.

109.
 REGENERATION
Vampyres regain HP equal to their HD at the
start of their turn unless they are exposed to
a Nearby Holy Symbol or Banished.

IMMORTAL BLOOD
If reduced to 0HP - and not in a manner
appropriate for truly killing vampyres in the
campaign - a vampyre turns into a cloud of
red mist, escaping to fight another day.

THINGS YOU MIGHT

FIND ON A VAMPYRE
A purse containing d8 coins per HD,
a desecrated holy symbol, a locket (including
portrait), a black rose, book of ancient
prophecy, grave earth.

VAMPYRES D6 THEY ARE ...

Immortal and timeless descendants of
an eon old blood curse, vampyres are
1 Hanging upside down
driven by an insatiable hunger for living
blood. Their last shreds of humanity hold 2 Kneeling at an altar praying
back a feral beast tearing and clawing
3 ‘Sleeping’ - arms crossed
from within, fighting to take control
- pushing them to feed and slay with 4 Holding a burning cross
hedonistic abandon.
5 Laughing and cursing the dark

Blood Thrall - HD 4 6 Returning from feeding

Tooth & nail- STR (2 Close) 4 dmg

ƒƒ Broken bloodline! If the thrall’s master D6 ... WITH ...
vampyre is killed it is reduced to 0HP
also. 1 3 beautiful vampyre thralls
2 A flock of giant bats
Master Vampyre - HD 8 3 An open velvet-lined coffin
Claw & fang - DEX (All Close) 11 dmg 4 d6 petrified peasants
ƒƒ Draining! Creatures hit are Paralysed
5 A hideously deformed servant
until they pass a CON Test.
6 A hypnotised blood donor

110.
VOID SPAWN Spawn of Shag’Na’Gash - HD 10
The void is an unfathomable in-between Void touch - CON (1 Close) 18 dmg
place where anything that might - could Void scream - WIS (All Nearby) 8 dmg
never happen. The abject and utter chaos ƒƒ Cosmic calling! Characters that take
of it strains the sides of reality and leaks damage from the spawn’s void scream
into the world of life. These leakings are must roll a d12 at the end of every
called void spawn by the people who session from now on - if they roll a 12
survive an encounter with them. they are taken Out of Action as they
scream back. Once this has happened
they no longer need to roll the d12.
Quivering Amoeba - HD 5
Pseudopod- STR (1 Close) 6 dmg THINGS YOU MIGHT
ƒƒ Split! The amoeba splits in half
whenever it deals damage to a
FIND ON VOID SPAWN
Black shards of void crystal, A jade
Creature - sharing a pool of HP
statuette of a Cyclopean god, Fused &
between all ‘split’ amoeba.
melted coins, Nervous looking eyeball,
Black iron chain, Smouldering tome.
Cellular Mimic - HD 7
Mirrored attack- STR (1 Close) ? dmg D6 THEY ARE ...
ƒƒ Cellular mirror! Creatures hit by the
1 Gruesomely devouring
mimic are dealt the same amount of
damage that the mimic received last. 2 Lurking in the shadows
3 Polymorphed into a dog
Climbing on the walls and
4
ceilings
5 An amoebic reproduction
6 Imprisoned in ritual circle

D6 ... WITH ...

1 A large crack into space
2 A brutally savaged humanoid
3 A floating monolith
4 A seeping thick black oil
5 A black devil-horned hand
6 Countless blinking eyes

111.
REANIMATED
ZOMBIES
A creeping stink alerts all those Nearby
to the presence of these hapless undead.
Zombies shuffle and groan towards
anything living, any vestige of their
former selves gone - they exist only to
tear, rend, and consume flesh.

Wretched Cadaver - HD 1
Rotting fist- STR (1 Close) 2 dmg
ƒƒ Deadly?! Rolling 16+ to Defend deals
1d4 damage to both the target and the
cadaver.

Freshly Risen - HD 3
Putrid fist- STR (1 Close) 3 dmg D6 THEY ARE ...
ƒƒ Dirty wound! Target takes Ongoing
Damage - CON Test to end. 1 Laying down, immobile
2 Motionless and saluting
Shambling Hulk - HD 5 3 Performing a play (badly)

Corpulent slam- STR (1 Close) 6 dmg 4 Shackled with rusty chains

ƒƒ Surprising speed! Make an additional 5 Arranged in various glass jars
move Nearby on an even-numbered
Moment. 6 Covered in flammable oil

AIM FOR THE HEAD

If a zombie suffers a critical hit, don’t roll D6 ... WITH ...
damage - it is reduced to 0HP.
1 A long dead Necromancer

THINGS YOU MIGHT 2 Large wooden caskets

FIND ON A ZOMBIE 3 A podium with an open grimoire
A ruined funeral dress, an embedded
4 Various types of torture racks
axe, false teeth, wilted grave flowers,
two coins, prayer book, locket & picture, 5 2d6 non-animate corpses
walking stick, dagger in back, perfume,
6 Beds of sweet-smelling herbs
burst football, wedding ring.

112.
WEIRDO 2D10 MORE ODDNESS
MONSTER 2 Quotes Shakespeare

GENERATOR 3 Polymorphed wizard

These tables will help you create some 4 Masterplan: genocide!
super weird monsters that your Players
will have never heard of before - keeping 5 Has an aura of calm
them on their toes! 6 Generates massive heat
7 Insatiable hunger for love
D8 PART A 8 Phases in/out of existence
1 Astral-projected 9 Apologetic and super evil
2 Albino 10 Only knows RAGE!!!
3 Hyper-intelligent 11 Made of futuristic tech
4 Power armoured 12 Fresh out of time stasis
5 Void-born 13 Yellow mould grows on it
6 Ghost 14 Bio-luminescent
7 Vat grown 15 Talks with two voices
8 Telepathic 16 Lonely and one of a kind
17 Calculates probabilities
D8 PART B 18 Is actually a robot suit
19 Missing its brain
1 Four-armed gorilla
20 Host to a living spell
2 Hypnosaurus
3 Time travelling caveman Give the Creature a Hit Die value based on
4 Man sized amoeba the story that’s happening around the table
- or just roll a d10. Select some mechanical
5 Man o’ war jellyfish powers from the ‘Every’ Creature section,
6 Battle snail and consider giving it something from the
Magic Items section (p.114) also.
7 Mosquito swarm
8 Vapour cloud

113.
TREASURE & 6- Erno’s Earhorn
Winding ram’s horn: A user can hear any

MAGIC ITEMS sounds coming from any point they can see
and point the horn at.
TREASURE & COIN
An easy and quick ruling a GM can make 7 - Black Portal Chalk Ud6
is to declare for every HD an NPC has, Carrot-sized stick: Drawing the shape of
they have d6 coins on their person. The a door will create one. If there is solid earth
Players should roll the dice to determine behind the surface its drawn on - the door
the exact amount. It’s often fun to get leads to the grey void.
a bunch of gold coloured d6s and hand
them to the Players to let them ‘count’ the 8 - Tonic of Power
loot they find. Vial of buttery liquid: When drunk or eaten
with toast - add 1d4 to a random Attribute
for the rest of this session. Then reduce
2D12 MAGIC ITEMS the Attribute by the same amount for the
Coins and jewels often pale in
following session.
comparison to the unusual and bizarre
trinkets found deep inside dungeons and
other forbidden places.
9 - Relentless Ammo Ud4
Thin & delicately made: This ammunition
rolls its Usage Die with Advantage.
2 - Bag of Edda Stones Ud12
Black velvet bag: Small marble-sized stones
that glow with vibrant and shocking colours
10 - Wax Seal of Holding Ud6
Black wax candle & horned hand seal:
for a Moment after being bounced.
When a door or window is sealed with it, it is
as if a Lock spell has been cast upon it (p.26).
3 - Bronze Ring Ud6
Slender bronze ring: As an Action blow
through the ring to create a bubble. If worn
11 - Chromatic Feather Ud8
Shimmering peacock feather: Whoever
like a helmet, the bubble provides enough
holds this feather hovers a few inches off the
oxygen to breathe for the rest of the session. It
ground, its Ud should be rolled every time they
pops if 16+ is rolled on a Defend Roll.
Move.
4 - Breadcrumb Boots 12 - Tonic of Watery Absolve
Warm leather boots: When worn fills Tub of pink milk liquid: Turns any water it
the Nearby area with the smell of freshly comes into contact with to stone. It also turns
baked bread and the wearer leaves a trail of any stone into water - single use.
breadcrumbs as they Move.
13 - Acorn of Stoning Ud4
5 - Salve of Resistance Ud6 A small grey acorn: Thrown as a ranged
Silver tin of thick paste: When applied Attack. It doesn’t do damage - instead the
to the skin it provides Advantage when target is Paralysed.
Defending against an elemental source of
damage for the remainder of the session.

114.
14 - Sun Drill 21 - Mithril Shirt
A small hand turned masonry drill: Incredibly light silver chain shirt:
Any hole made with the drill lets a beam of Counts as cloth armour for the purposes of
sunlight through. class armour restrictions, it has AV4.

15 - Cup of Ending Ud4 22 - List of True Names

A modest silver tankard: Anyone drinking Never-ending musty scroll: If the scroll is
from the cup who is not the owner takes 1d8 read for a number of Minutes equal to the HD
damage and Ongoing Damage until they of a Creature, its true name will be learned
pass a CON Test. The cup considers the last and by speaking it, the reader will gain control
person to fill it to be its owner. over the Creature for a Day.

16 - Elixir of Vitality Ud6

Wineskin of peppery draught: Drinking 23 - Golden Toad
the elixir restores the drinker to max HP, but Small gold statue: Whilst holding this item
when they next roll on the Out of Action table a Creature can talk with amphibians.
they do so with Disadvantage.
24 - Wand Ud6
17 - Chain of Binding Simple metallic rod: Roll a d8 when found
Small length of tangled rusted chain: - this wand is able to cast a randomly selected
Thrown as a ranged Attack, the Creature spell of that level when appropriately waved as
it hits is bound and is Paralysed for 1d6 an Action.
Moments.

18 - Phantom Limb VANILLA MAGIC ITEMS

If you are looking for boilerplate magical
Spectral glowing appendage: Replaces a
item mechanics that may be used for any
lost limb and allows the wielder to re-roll one
situation - consider the following:
Attribute Test every session if the Phantom
limb is involved in performing it somehow.
• Advantage on a die roll.
• Add 1d4 points to an Attribute whilst
19 - Frenzy Dust Ud4 the item is being used.
A black leather pouch: Containing a • Cast a spell with a Ud6.
stinging, vibrant red powder. If a handful • Increase an Armour Die to d8.
is thrown into the air Nearby Creatures
gain Advantage on Attribute Tests to deal
damage, but also Disadvantage on tests to BETTER MAGIC ITEMS
avoid damage. The best magical items don’t provide flat
bonuses or improved Character abilities,
instead they offer the Players new and
20 - Black Candle Ud6 interesting ways of interacting with the
Thick two-pronged black wax candle: world - weird and unusual options ensure
Removes all Nearby shadows when lit. that the item will be used again and again
in different and surprising ways.

115.
 TREASURE HOARD
Drop a d6 on the table below for every HD a Creature has, as well as the items the dice land on, the
sum of the dice x 10 is the amount of coins included in the hoard.

Dungeon Famous Designer

Brilliant Ornate silk Silver Oval Pile of
delver’s lost made
ruby robes bracelet amethyst elven coins
backpack painting shoes
(Exotic) (Rare) (Common) (Rare) (Rare)
(Common) (Exotic) (Rare)

3d12 Pile of Gold Desiccated Large Wreathed

Delicate Ivory
ancient sticky sweetheart saint’s jewelled wedding
gold torque dinner set
coins coins locket hand key band
(Rare) (Rare)
(Rare) (Common) (Common) (Rare) (Exotic) (Common)

1d6 golden Damaged Vial of

Grand Bottle of Elven life Golden
dragon’s holy Spyglass blessed
wyrm horn velvet fire bread prosthesis
scales symbol (Rare) soil
(Exotic) (Rare) (Common) (Rare)
(Exotic) (Common) (Common)

Dwarven Deed of Fragment Pile of Ragged Saints

Lump of Accurate
forge sacred land of treasure dwarven golden knuckle
amber sextant
hammer ownership map coins cloak bones
(Rare) (Rare)
(Rare) (Exotic) (Rare) (Rare) (Common) (Rare)

Round Scuffed Tacky Bloodied Scratched

Pile of bent Gold plated Pile of tiny
polished malachite silver septum diorite
coins jawbone coins
mirror hammer medallion ring bust
(Common) (Rare) (Rare)
(Rare) (Rare) (Common) (Common) (Rare)

Sapling Ornate Pile of Handful Necklace

Palladium Patinaed Square
from the holy forged of shiny of silver
thimble axe head sapphire
life tree symbol coins buttons ears
(Exotic) (Exotic) (Exotic)
(Exotic) (Rare) (Common) (Rare) (Rare)

Stunning Rare out- Pile of Well-made

Round Slippery Ancient Bejewelled
crystal of-print defaced bamboo
moonstone quartz cup noble crest boardgame
helm book coins shield
(Exotic) (Rare) (Exotic) (Rare)
(Exotic) (Rare) (Common) (Common)

Eye Giant’s Gem Heart

Dragon Clockwork Golden
Uncut opal studded butter encrusted shaped
statuette music box false teeth
(Rare) crown churn cup topaz
(Rare) (Rare) (Rare)
(Exotic) (Rare) (Exotic) (Exotic)

Pile of 1d4 Melted

Scary ivory One golden Ornate Pile of
melted Phoenix An I.O.U. holy
mask cufflink beer stein giant coins
coins feathers (Exotic) symbol
(Rare) (Rare) (Common) (Rare)
(Rare) (Exotic) (Rare)

116.
SAMPLE out cellars and passageways, looking for
lost treasures amongst the buried ruins

DUNGEON of a city that once stood on site of the

dilapidated and forgotten port.
THE RUINED TOWER OF Decades later - a careless disaster befell
GORMALONG Gormalong. A column of black eldritch
The ‘wizard’s tower’ is a classic fantasy flame engulfed the tower - destroying
trope and makes for an iconic first game large parts of it, killing the mad wizard.
session. It’s fitting then, that this sample Still the townsfolk shunned the place,
adventure is a re-imagining of a dungeon
reporting odd lights and ghastly sounds
beneath a wizard’s tower - that first
echoing from it at night. Even the
appeared in the 1977 edition of ‘The Original
Fantasy’ rpg. It’s presented here in an easy- flattening of its upper levels by trebuchet
to-read format and aims to provide a good did little to improve its reputation.
evening’s fun for a Games Master (GM) and
3-5 Characters of first Level. Today Black Wharf is a small but bustling
city. Exotic folk of all kinds have made
homes there, taking advantage of the
ROOM DESCRIPTIONS trade in rare goods - from the merchant
The bulleted lists indicate the contents caravans that meet the ships bold enough
of each distinct section of the dungeon. to sail the pirate infested seas to the
The bold elements are immediately north.
noticeable and should be read aloud to
the Players as their Characters explore Others come drawn by persistent
that area. Anything written after the “>” rumours of buried treasure in the cellars
symbol should only be read out when that beneath the Black Wharf cliffs - it is
element has been inspected or a special these whispers that bring the Characters
circumstance, as described, is met. together at the entrance to The Ruined
Tower of Gormalong.
Should a die appear before a description,
for example # - secretly roll a d6. If the
value is under that shown, read that entry RUMOURS & GOSSIP
for the Players as their Characters enter the Every Character knows one or more of
area. If it isn’t read out but they later take the following things about the tower:
time to explore that particular part of the
environment, give them the information. ◼ You can enter the ruined tower’s cellar
from the West via the cliffs ◼ You can
THE HISTORY OF enter the ruined tower’s cellar from the
BLACK WHARF BAY North via a hidden path ◼ Smugglers’
Cove can be reached through the cellar
A long weary century ago the malevolent
and devious wizard Gormalong built ◼ Goblins wander the corridors ◼ There
his tower on the cliffs overlooking the is treasure in the flooded room ◼ A giant
beleaguered port of Black Wharf Bay. The white spider lives in the cellar ◼ The cove
townsfolk whispered about the excavation is cursed, anything that dies there will
works Gormalong undertook - digging haunt it as a ghost forever.

117.
 G W
N
E
F
S

D
A B

E C

ANTEDILUVIAN CELLAR D6 DOORS

“The air hangs heavy and thick,
choking every nook and cranny of the 1-2 Stuck, covered in vines
antediluvian cellar - sound is muffled
3-4 Smashed open and rotted away
by the mouldering and omnipresent
vegetation, the buckling fat walls give 5-6 Boarded shut with nails
every room a bloated and constipated
feeling. Impossible wild roots have taken
over choking the sagging corridors with D6 ENCOUNTERS
barbed, winding vines.”
2 Distant shouting and fighting
D6 EMPTY ROOM 3 Nearby muffled talking
1-2 Overgrown store room 4 2 bugbear footpads (p.97)
3-4 Ancient alchemical depository 5 2 goblin snitchs (p.97) per PC
5-6 Makeshift herbal grow room 6 1 pale ghoul (p.104) for every 2 PCs
7+ 1 rival adventurer (p.61) per PC
ROOM DRESSING
◼ Bones bound by ragged roots ◼ a firefly nest ◼ large arm-sized earthworms
◼ a shattered weapon ◼ a soil packed skull ◼ discarded bloody boot ◼ a fist-sized hissing
beetle ◼ crumbling stonework ◼ a small swarm of moths ◼ a freshly dug pit and spades
A - WINDING STAIRS F - HORRID STUDY
ƒƒ Narrow sloped steps > Lead down to ƒƒ $ Clue (exploding desk trap) >
area D in the Smuggler’s Cove (p.116) Luminescent stained workstation (L),
fragile alchemical beakers (T), volatile
B - FLOODED ROOM liquids (A) 2d6 dmg to all Nearby.
ƒƒ 5 starving goblins (HD1) > They want ƒƒ Desiccated wizard’s corpse > 2d6
to trade the amber with the town. coins, broken wand of petrification.
ƒƒ Chair-sized lump of amber > Exotic ƒƒ 2 blindfolded zombies (HD3) >
and extremely heavy. Smuggler’s garb, skewered with a +1
ƒƒ ^ Numerous colourful giant snails sword,gold belt worth 2d10 coins.
> two contain 1d4 coins in their shells. ƒƒ # Clue (secret door in south wall) >
Discoloured bricks (L), rusted hinges
C - DANK STORE (T), swinging wall panel (A).
ƒƒ Pitch black > Floor covered in a thick ƒƒ Stone statue > Petrified adventurer.
layer of undisturbed dust. ƒƒ Anatomical stone rubble > Broken
ƒƒ Door (north) > Ajar, smashed open petrified adventurer.
and won’t close. ƒƒ Narrow sloped steps > Lead upwards
ƒƒ 4 very narrow round deep pits > a to the surface and the hidden path
zombie (HD1) is squeezed into each beyond.
pit, they will animate and Attack the
Nearest Creature if removed. G - LOST LABORATORY
ƒƒ 4 tangled ropes > Each rope is ƒƒ Caved-in crawlspace (north wall)
attached to a zombie (HD1) in a pit. ƒƒ 4 bronze bowls with mouth-like
details built into the floor > Empty
D - SQUALID CHAMBER ƒƒ 6 bronze bowls with mouth-like
ƒƒ Heavy iron doors (north, south) >
details built into the floor > Liquids:
Large intricate key operated lock
ƒƒ 1. Chromatic soup Ud6 > Dyes
engages after a door automatically
anything it touches a random colour
closes itself.
ƒƒ Large glass bowl on pedestal > ƒƒ 2. Sweet-smelling red water Ud8 >
Contains a rotgrub swarm (HD3) Acid that burns for 1d4 HP damage.
and one enchanted key for each door ƒƒ 3. Foul fatty broth Ud4 > If consumed
- keys return to the bowl if removed the Character no longer needs to eat
from the room or when used. or drink.
ƒƒ 4. Clear tangy oil Ud6 > If applied to a
weapon the next damage dealt by it is
E - GLOOMY NICHE rolled with Advantage.
ƒƒ Hundreds of old rat traps covering
the floor > Intermingled with broken ƒƒ 5. Pink pearlescant goo Ud4 > Any
skeletal rats. Creature that touches this is at a
ƒƒ Mass of old bones > 4 skeletal dire Disadvantage when making Charisma
rats (HD2), gold teeth (3d6 coins) that Tests for the rest of the session.
animate if a Character Moves Nearby. ƒƒ 6. Cloudy fleshy soup Ud4 > Roll a
ƒƒ Narrow sloped steps > Lead upwards d20, if it’s higher than the Character’s
to the surface and the cliffs beyond. STR they permanently gain a point
of STR.
119.
 N
W
S
E
A
SMUGGLERS’
COVE
B

F E D

G C

SMUGGLERS’ COVE D6 DOORS

“Mouldering sea air festers and mixes
with the stench of death in the winding 1-2 Stuck, bloated with damp
corridors - where the salt bleached bones
of untold hapless lawmen are buried 3-4 Rotten rope net curtain
beneath the loose gravel floor. Sounds 5-6 Encrusted with giant coral
echo oddly through the cold stone caves
that pirates have been using to avoid the
hangman’s noose for as long as people
have been in Black Wharf Bay.” D6 ENCOUNTERS
2 A faint whisper in the wind
D6 EMPTY ROOMS 3 A sudden muffled shriek Nearby
1-2 Partially submerged cave 4 1 lost ghost pirate (HD2)
3-4 Wrecked shipyard and store 5 1 ghost dog (HD1) for each PC
5-6 Dire rockpool 6 2d4 ghost pirates (HD1)
7+ Ghost pirate captain (HD4)
ROOM DRESSING
◼ An unsettlingly shaped shell ◼ 2d4 broken oars ◼ stolen navy flags ◼ a giant chain
and anchor ◼ a star map engraved in the floor ◼ a petrified giant octopus ◼ skeletons
shackled to the wall ◼ shattered and smashed chests ◼ a spectral sea shanty choir
A - TALL CHAMBER E - FUNGAL CRECHE
ƒƒ Doors (east, south, west) > Magically ƒƒ Large glowing fungi illuminate the
lock when closed. Nearby area > If picked they have a
ƒƒ Two large bronze bowls with Ud6 and cry loudly like a baby.
faces on pedestals > The faces are ƒƒ Whisps of green smoke that enters
animated and will answer questions. through the east walls.
One always lies, the other is always ƒƒ Crumbling crude wall > Leaking
honest. One bowl contains the keys spectral salt water from room C.
to exit the room - with an illusion ƒƒ 2d6 fist-sized bubbles float
to make them look like deadly throughout the room > They are
spiders. The other bowl contains a deathly cold.
deadly spider swarm (HD3). The GM ƒƒ Dry gravel mound on southern side
decides which is which. > An angry giant ghost crab (HD2) is
concealed under the mound blowing
ectoplasmic bubbles. It will Attack
B - BLEAK RAVINE any Nearby Creatures.
ƒƒ Thick cobwebs in all corners >
Appear to have been made by a F - MIDNIGHT CAVE
species of giant spider. ƒƒ Cave entrance leading to the sea
ƒƒ $ Exceptionally tall dark ceiling > (north) > Provides moonlight to the
A giant albino spider (HD4) lurks entire cavern.
on the roof of the room and will ƒƒ Sandy beach with two ruined
drop down on a randomly selected longboats drawn up on shore >
Character after the group enters, or The boat contains old bones and a
it is discovered. If this Attack hits, Healing tonic Ud6 that restores 4HP.
the Character is knocked down and ƒƒ 4 swarthy ghost pirates (HD1)
Weakened (All Ability Tests are taken gambling loudly > The pirates are
with Disadvantage and they cannot playing a complex spectral drinking
move) until the end of their next game, sitting on two large locked
Turn. The spider has a +1 dagger chests - one contains 4d10 coins, the
lodged in its abdomen. second has 6 gems worth 2d6 coins.

C - BONE BEACH G - DESPAIR CORAL

ƒƒ Rushing spectral ghost-river that ƒƒ Narrow maze of endless crawlspace
enters and exits through the east tunnels > Characters can crawl
and west walls > Gravel beach through but have Disadvantage on
intermingled with broken bones. all Tests.
ƒƒ Large vivid coral > Each turn they
spend exploring a Creature is more
D - WINDING STAIRS convinced that they are lost. In
ƒƒ Narrow sloped steps > Lead upwards reality, they’re still Nearby the
to area A in the Antediluvian Cellar entrance and the psychic coral is
(p.118). feeding on their despair. A WIS Test
test will break this effect.

121.
APPENDIX Character - p.14 - The Players each control
one Character in the game. Also referred to as
Player Chatacters (PCs).
Actions - p.6 - Every Creature has an Action on
their Turn which they can use to interact with CHA / Charisma - p.30 - Influence and power
the world and its contents. of personality.

Advantage - p.7 - When you would roll one Close - p.8 - A measure of relative distance in
die, roll two of the same type and the Player the world.
chooses the result to use.
CON / Constitution - p.30 - Resilience and
Armour Die - p.10 - A Player can declare an physical wellbeing.
Amour Die Broken to ignore all damage from
one source. Creature - p.6 - Refers to all beings in
the game including NPCs, Monsters, and
AV / Armour Value - p.10 - Grants the wearer Characters.
an Armour Die for each point of AV the
armour or shield possesses. Damage Dice - p.19 - Warriors have a pool
of d6s, when they make an Attack they can
Attack - p.10 - If a Character makes an Attack, assign each Damage Die to a Nearby Creature,
their Player must roll below an Attribute The warrior’s Player must make a successful
determined by the GM in order to deal Attribute Test for each target to see if they
damage to a Creature. If a Monster makes an are hit. For each successful hit the Damage
Attack against a Character, then their Player Dice assigned to that target are rolled and the
will need to Defend against it. target’s HP are reduced by the total.

Attack Damage - p.10 - How much HP Day - p.6 - Long periods of narrative time
damage is dealt when a successful Attack is outside combat may be measured in Days
made. instead of Minutes.

Attribute - p.30 - The six Attributes determine Defend - p.10 - To Defend and avoid damage a
the success of a Character’s Actions, by rolling Character must succeed at an Attribute test.
below them on a d20.
DEX / Dexterity - p.30 - Accuracy, swiftness
Background - p.17 - Elements of a Character’s and agility.
back-story that can be used to gain Advantage
on an Actions - once per session. Disadvantage - p.11 - When you would roll
one die, roll two of the same type and the GM
Banish - p.15 - A cleric Character may spend chooses the result to use.
an Action to Banish all Nearby undead
Creatures, forcing them to Move Faraway on Distant - p.8 - A measure of relative distance
their next Turn. in the world equal to three Moves.

Broken - p.10 - A Character may declare Distracted - p.11 - A Distracted Character

an Armour Die to be Broken and ignore all
cannot perform any Actions, but may still
damage from an Attack, once an Armour
Move normally.
Die is Broken - it cannot be used to ignore
any damage. A Character can recover Broken
Amour Die after a Rest.

122.
Encumbered - p.15 - A Character is Light - p.37 - If the Characters find themselves
encumbered if they are carrying more in pitch black with danger present, there is a
items than their Strength Attribute, while chance they might Panic!.
Encumbered they have Disadvantage with all
Tests. Minutes - p.6 - Turns outside combat are a
purposefully abstract measure of roughly a
XP / Experience - p.13 - Characters can gain dozen Minutes.
any number of Experiences by doing notable
things determined by the GM. When they Moments - p.6 - Turns inside combat are a
have a number of Experiences equal to their purposefully abstract measure of roughly half
Level, they may share them to advance a Level. a dozen Moments.

Faraway - p.8 - A measure of relative Monsters - p.79 - GM controlled Creatures.

distance in the world equal to two Moves.
Morale - p.31 - When a Creature loses half its
GM / Game Master - p.4 - One person takes Hit Points the GM should roll a d12, if they
the role of GM and impartially adjudicates the roll above the Creature’s HD the Creature will
story, outcome of Actions and facilitates ‘the disengage and flee the combat or danger.
game’.
Moves - p.8 - Every Creature under normal
HD / Hit Die / Hit Dice - p.7 - The dice circumstances can Move somewhere Nearby
rolled to determine the maximum. Hit on its Turn.
Points a Creature has, NPCs roll d8s, while a
Character’s HD is determined by their class. Nearby - p.8 - A measure of relative distance
in the world equal to one Move.
HP / Hit Points - p.7 - The amount of damage
a Character can sustain before they are taken NPC - p46 - A Creature controlled by the GM
Out of Action. For Monsters and NPCs the in the game.
amount of damage they can sustain before
dying. Ongoing Damage - p.11 - When a Creature
takes Ongoing Damage it loses HP equal to its
Hours - p.6 - Turns outside combat whilst
Level at the start of every Turn. An Attribute
travelling and in relative safety may be
measured in Hours instead of Minutes. Test of the GM’s choosing should be made by
the Player at the end of the their Turn to see if
Initiative - p.10 - The order in which Creatures the Ongoing Damage continues.
act in combat. Characters should test their
Dexterity. If they succeed they act before their OofA / Out of Action - p.11 - When a Character
opponents. loses all their Hit Points the Player should roll
a d6, referring to the table on page 11 to see
INT / Intelligence - p.30 - A measure of what happens.
knowledge and smarts.

Level - p.13 - Every Creature has a Level

which determines its HD. Spells also have
Levels which correspond with the levels of
Spellcasters that may cast them.

123.
Panic! - p.37 -If a Character ends their turn STR / Strength - p30 - A measure of might
in complete darkness, whilst in potential and physical power.
danger - such as a dungeon - they must make
a successful Test of their CON or Panic!. At the Stuck - p.11 - A Stuck Character cannot Move,
start of their Turn a Character in a panicked but may take Actions as per normal - they may
state should roll a d6 and consult the table on end this hindrance by making a successful
p.37. Attribute Test of the GM’s choosing.

Paralysed - p.11- A Paralysed Character Every time the Characters discover a new
cannot Move or make any Actions. door, the GM should roll a d6, if the result is a
1 the door will not easily open (p.73).
Player - p.4 - One of the people playing the
game, controlling a Character or PC. Stunned - p.11 - A Stunned Character cannot
Move or make any Actions.
Powerful Foe - p.31 - Add the difference
in HD values to any Attribute Test to Attack, Talent - p.36 - A Henchmen or NPC’s special
Defend or interfere with any Creatures with a ability.
higher HD than the Character.
Test - p.6 - An Attribute Test, attempting to
roll below a Character’s Attribute score on a
Random Encounter Roll - p.32 - Roll a d6 d20 to determine the outcome of an Action or
every 15 minutes of play, or when Characters situation.
draw attention to themselves and consult the
table on page 32 to determines what happens. Turn - p.6 - Every Creature has a Turn during
which they may Move somewhere Nearby and
Reaction Roll - p.31 - If a GM is uncertain perform an Action.
about how an NPC or Monster will treat the
Characters, they can determine their attitude Ud / Usage Die - p.14 - Every time a
consumable resource is used its Usage Die
by rolling on the Reactions table.
should be rolled. On a roll or 1-2 the die is
downgraded to the next lowest die in the
Rest - p.14 - After an Hour of Rest, Players chain.
may roll any Broken Armour Dice to see if they
are Broken permanently. After an Hour’s Rest WIS / Wisdom - p.30 - How cunning and
a Player may roll one of their Character’s HD aware a Character is.
and regain that many HP.
Weakened - p.11 - If a Character is Weakened
For every Day of narrative story time spent all their Attribute Tests are rolled with
resting - a Player may roll all of a Character’s Disadvantage.
HD and recover that many HP.

Spellcaster - p.15 - Wizards and clerics are

Spellcasters. As an Action they can cast a spell
from memory or from a scroll or book. Some
Monsters can cast spells from the lists on
pages 26-27.

124.
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