TEXT:  
  1 
   
   
   
   
  Dragons at Dawn: Supplement I 
  Twilight 
   
  By Daniel Hugh Boggs, Delanson, New York.   Copyright 2011 
  Published by Southerwood Publishing 
  All rights reserved 
  Release 6/23/11 
   
  Text and Layout: Dan Boggs 
  Editing and Proofreading: Ian Burns 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Acknowledgement:  As always, thanks to Marv Breig for his excellent ODD74 forum.  Special thanks to Sam Briskin 
  aka Jerulan Murchryan for advice and commentary on Magic and for being a creative player.  Thanks also go out to 
  Felina and Waffles, a fine pair if ever there was, and to Lathan (always clever), Ash (always knows where to duck), 
  Nileis (ever inquisitive), and the great people of the Schenectady Wargaming Association.   SWA‘s Council of Five 
  Nations is the third oldest gaming convention in the world.  Consider attending. 
   
  Further gratis to original players Maj. David A. Wesely, Greg Svenson, Stephen Rocheford, Jeff Berry, Mike 
  Mornard, Dave Megarry and John Snider for seeming to never tire of my inquiries.  
   
  The excellent art included is courtesy of Tiffany Auiler, Andres Canals, Dave Felton, and Micheal Hill and remains 
  the sole property of each artist.   Additional art, also the sole property of the artists but used under license, by Olga 
  Makarova (Mildegard) and Unteroffizier http://www.dreamstime.com/, and cover art, also via Dreamstime, by 
  Patrik Ružič (Wampa) and back cover, Darla Hallmark (Therealdarla).  Background and bordering ideas courtesy of 
  Jim Richardson.  Works herein by Howard Pyle, Ross Mathis and John Gilbert are in the public domain.   
   
  Author Contact: D. H. Boggs, Box 473, Delanson NY. 12053 USA or Email etic@aprioricrs.com 
   
   
  Legal Conditions 
  Licensing:  
  Authors are encouraged to create derivative works for use with this product; however all such work issued for sale must be vetted 
  by Southerwood Publishing and approved for sale by Southerwood Publishing through its websites and other distribution venues 
  agreed to by the publisher and author(s) of the work.  Approved products may also be sold by their authors through any other 
  channels desired provided a remittance of 10% of any net profits be paid to Southerwood Publishing annually.  Southerwood 
  Publishing reserves the right to wave these or any other fees.  Only approved products may carry the label ―Approved for use 
  with Dragons at Dawn‖ or ―Officially licensed Dragons at Dawn product‖.    
   
  Authors who wish to create and freely distribute without charge derivative works for use with Dragons at Dawn may do so 
  without restriction except there must appear the statement - ―Unofficial unlicensed product designed for use with Dragons at 
  Dawn and provided at no charge to any user.‖ – on the cover or within the first 3 pages. 
   
  Reproduction: 
   Any number of print or electronic copies of this supplement, in whole or in part, may be freely made by any purchaser for their 
  own use and for the temporary use of any players participating in a Dragons at Dawn game with the purchaser or for the 
  temporary use of students being educated by the purchaser.  Copies may also be made for review purposes.  No copies may be 
  made for sale or open distribution without the express written consent of D.H. Boggs.    
   
  Art: 
   Unless otherwise noted, all artwork is the individual property of the artist and cannot be reproduced outside this work without 
  their permission. 
   
  
   
  2 
   
  Contents
  Contents ................................................................................................................................................................................. 2 
  Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................... 8 
  Dice and the Game ................................................................................................................................................................ 8 
  Hexcrawl ................................................................................................................................................................................ 9 
  STEP 1 – PHYSIOGRAHICS ......................................................................................................................................... 9 
  Players and Mapmaking .............................................................................................................................................. 10 
  Off the map .................................................................................................................................................................. 11 
  STEP 2 - POPULATION: .............................................................................................................................................. 11 
  STEP 3 - ADVENTURE ENCOUNTERS .................................................................................................................. 12 
  The Creatures Encountered ........................................................................................................................................ 12 
  CHANCE OF ADVENTURE WHILE TRAVELING ............................................................................................. 14 
  OUT OF LAIR ENCOUNTERS .............................................................................................................................. 15 
  CASTLE ENCOUNTERS ........................................................................................................................................ 16 
  DUNGEON STOCKING REVISITED.......................................................................................................................... 17 
  Protection Points Revisited ............................................................................................................................................. 17 
  HOUSERULING COMBAT ............................................................................................................................................ 18 
  CONVERTING AC TO OTHER SYSTEMS. .......................................................................................................... 18 
  MORALE, MOMENTUM, AND DETERMINING THE ORDER OF ATTACKS IN A COMBAT ROUND
   .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 18 
  The Armor Class Saving Throw and Armor Damage .................................................................................................. 20 
  ―Level‖ vs. AC ................................................................................................................................................................. 20 
  The Level vs. Armor Class Saving Throw .................................................................................................................... 20 
  Level vs. Armor: The Basic Game .................................................................................................................................. 21 
  FAME ................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 
  TRAITS ............................................................................................................................................................................... 24 
  HEALTH(CONSTITUTION): ........................................................................................................................................... 24 
  DEXTERITY: ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24 
  GRACE (GRC): .................................................................................................................................................................. 24 
  QUICKNESS (QWK): ........................................................................................................................................................ 24 
  APPEARANCE: .................................................................................................................................................................. 24 
  MORALE FOR HIRELINGS AND HENCHMEN ....................................................................................................... 24 
  Loyalty Trait for Players ................................................................................................................................................. 24 
  ADDITIONAL MORALE THROWS ............................................................................................................................ 25 
  
   
  3 
   
  Desensitizing.................................................................................................................................................................... 25 
  Inspiring ........................................................................................................................................................................... 25 
  Leader Death or Panic ..................................................................................................................................................... 25 
  FAILING MORALE ........................................................................................................................................................... 25 
  Panic Table: .................................................................................................................................................................. 25 
  SANITY .............................................................................................................................................................................. 26 
  Failing a Sanity Throw ................................................................................................................................................... 26 
  Period of Insanity ........................................................................................................................................................ 27 
  Insanity Intervention .................................................................................................................................................. 28 
  Curing Insanity............................................................................................................................................................ 28 
  NONPLAYER CHARACTER REACTIONS ................................................................................................................ 28 
  AGEING .............................................................................................................................................................................. 28 
  Arneson‘s Monster HP By Age: ..................................................................................................................................... 29 
  CHARACTER MATRIX .................................................................................................................................................. 30 
  PLAYER CHARACTER SPECIES .................................................................................................................................. 30 
  Doppleganger (aka Face Dancer) .................................................................................................................................... 30 
  Orc .................................................................................................................................................................................... 30 
  Trollborn .......................................................................................................................................................................... 30 
  THE CLASSES ................................................................................................................................................................... 31 
  Taming The Wizard ....................................................................................................................................................... 31 
  PRIEST/MONK ............................................................................................................................................................. 31 
  Monk – Order of the Frog ........................................................................................................................................... 31 
  Monk – Order of the Green Robes ............................................................................................................................. 32 
  Monk – Order of the Guardians ................................................................................................................................. 32 
  Monk – Order of the Slayer ........................................................................................................................................ 33 
  CREATING THE PLAYER CHARACTER ................................................................................................................... 35 
  Society and Profession .................................................................................................................................................... 35 
  Skills and Education ........................................................................................................................................................ 35 
  Formal Learning ........................................................................................................................................................... 36 
  Informal Learning ........................................................................................................................................................ 36 
  How to Learn New Skills Formally ............................................................................................................................... 36 
  Attempts to Gain Formal and Informal Knowledge and Skills .................................................................................... 36 
  Education Based On Character Age And Background .................................................................................................. 36 
  
   
  4 
   
  Using Skills Together .................................................................................................................................................. 36 
  Using Skills in Ignorance ............................................................................................................................................ 37 
  Judging Difficulty Penalties ........................................................................................................................................ 37 
  Skill and Trait Clashes – Opposed Throws ............................................................................................................... 37 
  Skills  (Appendix I) ......................................................................................................................................................... 38 
  PLAY OF THE GAME ...................................................................................................................................................... 38 
  Assigning Object Statistics ............................................................................................................................................. 38 
  When to use Saving Throws .......................................................................................................................................... 39 
  COMBAT ............................................................................................................................................................................ 39 
  Special Combat Conditions ................................................................................................................................................ 39 
  Number of Combatants ................................................................................................................................................... 39 
  Surprise Attack ................................................................................................................................................................ 39 
  Climbing .......................................................................................................................................................................... 39 
  Invisible Characters ......................................................................................................................................................... 40 
  Kneeling or Recumbent ................................................................................................................................................... 40 
  Cover ................................................................................................................................................................................ 40 
  Bronze and Flint Weapons .............................................................................................................................................. 40 
  Contact and Area Damage Weapons ............................................................................................................................. 40 
  Shield Wall ...................................................................................................................................................................... 40 
  Fighting with a Cloak ...................................................................................................................................................... 40 
  Fighting Withdrawal ....................................................................................................................................................... 41 
  Rout .................................................................................................................................................................................. 41 
  Unarmed Combat ............................................................................................................................................................ 41 
  Wrestling ......................................................................................................................................................................... 41 
  Dressing Wounds ............................................................................................................................................................ 41 
  Helmets and Head Hits................................................................................................................................................... 41 
  Fumbles ............................................................................................................................................................................ 42 
  Critical Hits ..................................................................................................................................................................... 42 
  Effects 0f Lost Limbs ....................................................................................................................................................... 43 
  Sustaining Accumulative Damage ................................................................................................................................. 43 
  Death And Dying ............................................................................................................................................................ 43 
  Surrender and Bribery: .................................................................................................................................................... 44 
  Damage while Immobilized or Diseased ........................................................................................................................ 44 
  
   
  5 
   
  Deadly Situations ............................................................................................................................................................ 44 
  FALLING ............................................................................................................................................................................ 44 
  POISON .............................................................................................................................................................................. 44 
  Poison Types ................................................................................................................................................................ 44 
  POISONED WEAPONS .............................................................................................................................................. 46 
  FATIGUE ............................................................................................................................................................................. 46 
  Terrain Modifiers ............................................................................................................................................................ 46 
  Underwater/swimming .............................................................................................................................................. 47 
  Light and Vision .............................................................................................................................................................. 48 
  Food and Water ............................................................................................................................................................... 49 
  TRAVEL OUTDOORS AND GETTING LOST .......................................................................................................... 49 
  MAGIC ................................................................................................................................................................................ 50 
  Concentration .................................................................................................................................................................. 50 
  Schools of Magic .......................................................................................................................................................... 51 
  Original Dragons at Dawn Spells by School ............................................................................................................. 51 
  Earth ................................................................................................................................................................................. 51 
  Air ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 51 
  Water ................................................................................................................................................................................ 51 
  Energy .............................................................................................................................................................................. 52 
  Obviation ......................................................................................................................................................................... 52 
  Organic ............................................................................................................................................................................. 52 
  Illusion .............................................................................................................................................................................. 52 
  New Spells by Level ........................................................................................................................................................ 52 
  Countering a Spell (Elf Mages only) .............................................................................................................................. 53 
  A Note on ―Elfin‖ Magic ................................................................................................................................................ 53 
  Gaining New Spells ......................................................................................................................................................... 53 
  Spell Ingredients .............................................................................................................................................................. 54 
  Magic and Iron ................................................................................................................................................................. 54 
  Health and Magic ............................................................................................................................................................ 55 
  Enchanting Iron ............................................................................................................................................................... 55 
  Power Nodes .................................................................................................................................................................... 55 
  Magic Wands, Staves, and Focal Objects ...................................................................................................................... 56 
  The Bond ...................................................................................................................................................................... 56 
  
   
  6 
   
  Breaking the Bond ....................................................................................................................................................... 56 
  INSCRIBED MAGIC ........................................................................................................................................................ 56 
  Runes and Armor Class: .................................................................................................................................................. 56 
  Making A Permanent Inscribed Spell: ........................................................................................................................... 56 
  Inscribed Magic Ritual: ................................................................................................................................................... 57 
  Trigger: ............................................................................................................................................................................. 57 
  Effect of Inscribed Magic: ............................................................................................................................................... 57 
  Duration of Runes:........................................................................................................................................................... 57 
  Recarving: ......................................................................................................................................................................... 57 
  Knowledge of Runes: ....................................................................................................................................................... 57 
  New Magic Range and Frequency .............................................................................................................................. 59 
  Crafting Time and Failure: ......................................................................................................................................... 59 
  MAGICAL CURSES .......................................................................................................................................................... 59 
  MIRACLES ......................................................................................................................................................................... 60 
  Calling For Miracles ........................................................................................................................................................ 60 
  Like Faith ..................................................................................................................................................................... 60 
  Avoiding Miracles ........................................................................................................................................................... 60 
  Miracles by Level ............................................................................................................................................................. 60 
  Appendix I – Skill Descriptions ......................................................................................................................................... 62 
  Appendix II - Additional Magic Spells .............................................................................................................................. 70 
  Earth ................................................................................................................................................................................. 70 
  Air ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 71 
  Water ................................................................................................................................................................................ 72 
  Energy .............................................................................................................................................................................. 72 
  Obviation ......................................................................................................................................................................... 75 
  Organic ............................................................................................................................................................................. 76 
  Illusion .............................................................................................................................................................................. 78 
  Appendix III - Miracles....................................................................................................................................................... 78 
  Apendix IV - Monster Monsters! ....................................................................................................................................... 85 
  STAT ECONOMY .................................................................................................................................................... 85 
  Some Undead Types ........................................................................................................................................................ 85 
  Undead ......................................................................................................................................................................... 85 
  Infected Undead........................................................................................................................................................... 86 
  
   
  7 
   
  Ghosts, Spirits, Etc.: .................................................................................................................................................... 86 
  Vættir: .......................................................................................................................................................................... 86 
  Reanimated Undead:.................................................................................................................................................... 86 
  Mummies, Sarcouphagus Skeletons, Zombie Lords: ................................................................................................. 86 
  Appendix V Personal Alignment ....................................................................................................................................... 92 
  Appendix VI - Diseases ...................................................................................................................................................... 93 
  Appendix VII – Potions and Powders ................................................................................................................................ 95 
  Appendix VIII - A few Miscellaneous Magic Items ......................................................................................................... 95 
  Appendix IX – Sample Character Sheet ............................................................................................................................ 96 
  Appendix X - Level vs. AC Reference Sheet ..................................................................................................................... 98 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  8 
   
  Introduction 
   
  Dragons at Dawn is a game of guidelines, not 
  rules per se, in the spirit of that underappreciated  
  pioneer of fantasy role playing games in America, 
  Dave Arneson.   The first thing that must be said is 
  that this supplement is in no way a new set of 
  ―official‖ rules.  It is a toolkit for referees and players 
  to adapt into their games as desired.  These ideas may 
  freely be mixed, matched and altered as bests suits the 
  individual campaigns.  Although unique to this work, 
  the guidlines herein are deeply rooted in the 
  ―Arnesonian‖ tradition, and have been inspired by his 
  lifetime of published works and interviews, as well as 
  the 
  work 
  of 
  other 
  early 
  gamers. 
   
  Arneson 
  characteristically created rules on the fly, kept them 
  memorized, and also memorized his adventures.  
  Arneson‘s adventures tended to be bare bones anyway 
  so he could add flesh to bone as he and the players 
  interacted to create the game.  Dragons at Dawn 
  encourages that same spirit of creativity and social 
  interaction without necessarily getting all tangled in 
  rules and restrictions.  Yet those who want a more 
  detailed and comprehensive ruleset may directly apply 
  the whole of this supplement for their game. 
   Although there are many differences in the 
  rule mechanics, Dragons at Dawn is designed in such 
  a way as to allow use of materials produced for 
  traditional and familiar game systems with only 
  minor adjustments to key statistics and some magic 
  items.    
  Ultimately it is your game and it is up to you 
  to find out what is most fun.  Anything not 
  specifically forbidden is permitted. 
   
  Dice and the Game 
   
   
  Dragons at Dawn makes extensive use of 6 
  sided dice throws, often 2d6.  As you may know, 
  throwing several dice and adding them together 
  produces a skewed effect often referred to as a ―bell 
  curve‖ after the bell like shape that results when the 
  effect is graphed.  What this means is that mid range 
  values like 5, 6, 7, on 2d6, are far more likely to occur 
  than extreme range values like 2 and 12.  Whether this 
  is a good thing or a bad thing depends entirely on 
  personal point of view of any given game mechanic. 
  The rules in Dragons at Dawn are meant to 
  reflect the early days of gaming with Dave Arneson in 
  the Twin Cities area.  In those days only very few 
  people had any kind of dice other than the common 6 
  sided variety.  But in today‘s world we have many dice 
  choices.  Any players who dislike the skewed results 
  of the ―bell curve‖ effect should feel absolutely free to 
  use straight 10 and 12 sided dice instead.  This makes a 
  less predictable game and opens the chances for both 
  success and failure at the extremes of the die range.  It 
  is up to the Referee and Players to decide if this makes 
  the game more or less fun.  The only rule that should 
  apply regarding dice use is that every one should be 
  using the same methods.  It is completely unfair for 
  one player to roll 2d6-2 for their saving throw when 
  another is rolling 1d10. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  9 
   
   
  Hexcrawl 
   
  Re: Official Dave Arneson Q&A Thread – ODD74 Forum 
  « Jan 9, 2009, 3:25pm »   
   
  Bob Meyer said: 
  My character Robert the Bald started in Blackmoor and ended up in the area called The Dragon 
  hills on the present maps. At the time there were no Dragon Hills and the Valley of the Ancients 
  seemed to be further away. It was just a wilderness that we had to explore…  
   
  « Reply May 22, 2008, 7:37pm »    
  Dave Arneson:  Yes Bob and that is why I had to do all those encounter charts.   
  "The best laid plans of players and DM s are for naught."  Plan on them turning right and they are 
  bound to go a different direction - not always left ether! 
   
   
  Hex Maps:   Adventures begin with a map.  Once the 
  general nature of the world setting has been 
  determined, the Referee must place the Player 
  Characters somewhere in it.  That somewhere is 
  where the game map must begin.  The world maps, as 
  with maps of specific castles, cities, the Underworld 
  and so forth, may simply be drawn from the 
  imagination or borrowed from some other source, but 
  for game purposes, it is often most fun and easiest to 
  begin with a blank sheet divided into a hexagon grid. 
   
  Scale: The greatest distance across any given hex is 
  assumed here to be 5 miles.  If you wish to use a 
  different 
  scale, 
  numbers 
  should 
  be 
  adjusted 
  accordingly.   
   
  Random Map Generation Area: The extent of the 
  starting map is a matter of preference.  For most 
  games it is best to start in small stages (say 7 to 50 
  hexes at a time) and leave the rest for later expansion 
  and exploration.  Follow the system below to generate 
  your map: 
  STEP 1 – PHYSIOGRAHICS 
  First choose a biome or roll for it randomly: 
   
  1 
  Arid or Ocean 
  2 
  Tropical 
  3 
  Sub Tropical 
  4 
  Temperate 
  5 
  Sub Arctic 
  6 
  Arctic 
   
  Note that Biomes should extend for a minimum of 40 
  miles to a maximum of about 2500 miles as a general 
  guide. 
   
  Next determine the general characteristics of each five 
  mile hex: 
   
  For Arid or Ocean,  
  d10 
  The hex has.. 
  1, 2 
  Hills 
  3-6 
  Hills and Canyons 
  7,8 
  Open Country 
  9-10 
  A Deep Canyon 
   
   
  Roll again for chance of water in each hex - the 
  chance depends on how dry the desert is, but as a 
  default use 1d10 again with a 1 indicating the presence 
  of a well or oasis.  Otherwise, there is no source of 
  water.  If instead of desert, you are creating an ocean 
  or large lake, a similar chance can be used for islands. 
   
  Arctic, and Tundra:  
   
  d10 
  The hex has: 
  1, 2 
  Elevated Terrain 
  3,6 
  Elevated Terrain and Lakes 
  or Glaciers 
  7 
  Open Country 
  8 
  Open Country with lakes 
  9,10 
  A Miry Swamp 
   
   
   
  
   
  10 
   
   
   
  Roll again for Elevated Terrain (1d12) 
   
  d12 
  Elevation Type 
  1-5 
  Hills varying between 25 to 500 vertical feet 
   
  6-8 
  Mountains varying between 500 to 3000 vertical feet 
   
  9,10 
  Tall mountains varying between 3000 to 5000 vertical feet 
  11,12 
  Grand peaks 5000 + vertical feet 
   
  For Sub Arctic, Temperate, Sub Tropical or Tropical 
  Roll 1d10 for each square: 
   
  d10 
  The hex has.. 
  1,2 
  Woods 
  3,4 
  Elevated Terrain 
  5,6 
  Elevated Terrain and Woods 
  7-9 
  Open Country with few trees or hills 
  10 
  A Miry Swamp 
   
  Roll again for Elevated Terrain (1d12) 
   
  d12 
  Elevation Type 
  1-5 
  Hills varying between 25 to 500 vertical feet 
   
  6-8 
  Mountains varying between 500 to 3000 vertical feet 
   
  9,10 
  Tall mountains varying between 3000 to 5000 vertical feet 
  11,12 
  Grand peaks 5000 + vertical feet 
   
   
  Once the general character of the hex has been 
  determined, it needs to be filled out.  If the hex is 
  wooded, how extensive are the woods and what are 
  they like?  Percentile dice can be used to resolve this 
  (20%, 50% etc.) or creative judgement can be used.  
  Similarly, how long are any hills or canyons, and how 
  deep are the canyons or how tall are the hills?  Dice 
  can be used to determine these things again.  For 
  example, perhaps the hills make up 70% of the hex. 
  Perhaps there is also a canyon indicated.  How long 
  should it be?  Roll 1d6 (reroll on a result of 6) and use 
  the result as the length of the canyon in miles. 
   
   
  Virtually any feature of the terrain can be 
  generated this way.  Additional detailed terrain tables 
  can be created or terrain tables from published sources, 
  such as Judges Guild Ready Reference™ sheets or 
  ―The Wilderness Architect‖ in Fight On! #2 and #3, 
  can be used, can be used, but it is usually best to 
  generate the general character with dice using the 
  system above and create the specific detail by 
  imagination.  For example, suppose several heavily 
  wooded hexes are generated near each other.  The 
  Referee may decide the area is a great Elven Wood and 
  fill in a number of adjacent hexes with woods – as 
  many as seems good - and then continue the map 
  randomly beyond it. 
   
  Players and Mapmaking 
   
   
  It has been assumed up to this point that the 
  Referee will be preparing the map ahead of time for 
  game play, but there is no reason the players 
  themselves can‘t be involved in the mapmaking 
  process too.  Everyone can sit down together and use 
  their collective imagination to flesh out the immediate 
  surroundings of the game.  The key is just to have fun!  
  It is best though that the players not know too many 
  
   
  11 
   
  details about the great world beyond so they maintain 
  the sense of discovery. 
  Off the map 
   
  When players travel beyond the existing map, the 
  Referee has two options;  
   
  1) draw more map 
  2) flip and reuse the existing map board 
   
  To reuse the existing map board when someone 
  anyone ventures beyond the edge, simply have them 
  reenter from the opposite edge of the board; i.e. if the 
  character exited the map by traveling south they then 
  enter the north edge, traveling east, renter from the 
  west, etc. It is possible to traverse 3 or 4 boards on long 
  expeditions this way. 
     
  STEP 2 - POPULATION: 
   
  The tables below refer to the dominant intelligent 
  species in the area.  Usually this is humans in most 
  campaign worlds, but that is up to you 
   
  Arid, Subarctic 
   
  All terrain:  1 hex in 20 populated. 
   
  Temperate, Tropical, Subtropical 
   
  Wooded: 3 hexes in 10 populated 
  Elevated Terrain: 2 in 10 
  Elevated and Hilly: 1 in 10 
  Open: 6 in 10 
  Swamp 1 in 20 
   
  POPULATION CENTERS 
   
   
  When a square is determined to be populated, roll on the table below to determine the type of settlement. 
  d6 
   
   
  1 
  Walled City of 10,000 – 20,000 people 
  Roll 1d10 - Has a Keep** on 1 - 6; has no Keep on 7,  
  two Keeps on 8 – 10 
  Roll 1d6 – Hex includes 1 castle with retainers on a 1-2, 
  2 castles on a 3, no castles on 4-6. 
  Roll 1d6  - 1 – 3, hex has an equal mix of 4-40 hamlets 
  and villages, 4-5– hex has 4-40 hamlets and Scattered 
  farmsteads, 5, hex has 20-80 scattered farmsteads. 
  2 
  Walled City of 1,000 – 10,000 People 
  Roll 1d12 for each – Has a Keep on 1 -4, Wall on 5 – 10 
  Roll 1d4, 1-2, hex has 4-40 hamlets 
  Roll 1d4, on a 1, hex has 1 castle with retainers. 
   
  3 
  4-40 open Hamlets 10 to 100 people 
  Roll 1d6 – Hex includes 1 castle with retainers on a 1-3 
  4-5 
  2-10 Villages of 100 – 1000 people 
  Roll 1d12 for each – Has a Keep on 1 -4, Wall on 5 – 8, 
  Wall and Keep on 9,10, open on 11,12  
  Roll 1d6 – Hex includes 1 castle with retainers on a 1-2 
  6 
  10 – 60 Scattered isolated farmsteads of 1-
  20 people each 
  Roll 1-6, 1-2 indicates the presence of 1-3 locked and 
  uninhabited Blockhouses stocked with provisions. 
   
   
  * The keep will be a short tower or fortified structure housing any town militia, an armory, and jail.  
   
   
  Places of less than 200 people will have only a few 
  basic shops.  Larger settlements will have much more 
  varied shops:, a dragon market for selling valuable 
  living catches, hirelings available, magic shops, 
  libraries and so forth. 
   
  After determining the general character of 
  several hexes, placing any population centers and so 
  forth, roads, streams and rivers, if any need to be 
  added.  These are simply drawn on as seems logical.  
  Roads will run out of population centers of 500 or 
  
   
  12 
   
  more and may also exist at industrial and trade 
  locations.  Areas with smaller populations may well 
  have some small paths and marked trails, but these 
  will rarely extend for any appreciable distance and 
  those that do may well be nearly impossible to follow 
  for those who don‘t know the landmarks.  Of course, 
  ancient roadways may exist in even the most 
  overgrown wilderness.   
  STEP 3 - ADVENTURE ENCOUNTERS  
   
  Each Temperate, Tropical, Subtropical area 
  has an average 1-3 encounters per 5 mile hex.  
   
  Each Arid, Subarctic, Ocean Hex and when 
  engaged in Flying Travel, every 6th 5 mile hex has a 
  chance for an adventure. 
   
  Each Arctic 5 mile Hex has a 1 in 10 chance of 
  an adventure. 
   
   
  The Creatures Encountered  
  First determine the type of creatures present:  
   
  d8 Open Land 
  Forest 
  Lakes and  
  Rivers 
  Swamps 
  Mountains 
  Deserts 
  Ocean 
  Cities 
  1 
  Humanoid 
  Human 
  Human 
  Human 
  Human 
  Human 
  Human 
  Human 
  2 
  Fantastic 
  Fantastic 
  Fantastic 
  Fantastic 
  Fantastic 
  Fantastic 
  Fantastic 
  Undead 
  3 
  Humanoid 
  Humanoid 
  Humanoid 
  Humanoid 
  Humanoid 
  Humanoid 
  Humanoid 
  Undead 
  4 
  Lycanthropes 
  Lycanthropes 
  Lycanthropes 
  Lycanthropes 
  Lycanthropes 
  Human 
  Undead 
  Human 
  5 
  Normal 
  Lycanthropes 
  Normal 
  Normal 
  Normal 
  Normal 
  Normal 
  - 
  6 
  Human 
  Human 
  Fantastic 
  Undead 
  Humanoid 
  Dragon 
  - 
  - 
  7 
  Normal 
  Normal 
  Normal 
  Undead 
  Dragon 
  - 
  - 
  - 
  8 
  Dragon 
  Dragon 
  Dragon 
  Dragon 
  Dragon 
  - 
  - 
  - 
   
   
   
   
  If the chances of encountering a particular 
  creature type do not suit the flavour of your campaign, 
  alter the table as needed. 
   
  In Hexes where the creature(s) encountered 
  could be aquatic, assign an appropriate chance (say 
  50%) and roll to see what creature table  - aquatic or 
  non aquatic - to use. 
   
   
   
  CREATURE TABLES: 
   
   
  Once the general type of creature has been 
  determined (i.e. Undead, Normal, etc.) roll on a table 
  listing each type of creature.  Separate tables should be 
  made for aquatic and terrestrial creatures.  Avian 
  creatures can be mixed in each.  These tables are best 
  if made by the Referee to fit the flora and fauna of the 
  game world.  Some examples are provided below using 
  traditional creatures: 
   
   
   
   
  Humanoid Table 
  D10 
   
  1 
  Dwarves 
  2 
  Elves 
  3 
  Giants 
  4 
  Goblins 
  5 
  Halflings 
  6 
  Hobgoblins 
  7 
  Kobolds 
  8 
  Ogres 
  9 
  Orcs, Giant 
  10 
  Orcs, tribal 
   
  
   
  13 
   
   
  Fantastic Table 
  D12 
   
  1 
  Basilisks 
  2 
  Centaurs 
  3 
  Cockatrices 
  4 
  Dragons 
  5 
  Elemental, Air 
  6 
  Elemental, Earth 
  7 
  Elemental, Fire 
  8 
  Elemental, Water 
  9 
  Treant 
  10 
  Troll 
  13 
  True Troll 
  12 
  Unicorn 
   
   
  Humans table 
   
  D8 
   
  1-2 
  Bandits 
  3 
  Rebels 
  4-6 
  Retainers 
  7 
  Angry Mob 
  8 
  Nomads 
   
   
  Lycanthrope Table 
  D6 
   
  1-2 
  Werewolves 
  3-4 
  Werebears 
  5-6 
  Werelions/tigers 
   
   
  Normal Creatures Table 
  D8 
   
  1 
  Giant Eagle 
  2 
  Giant Wolves 
  3 
  Roc 
  4 
  Tarn, Cargo 
  5 
  Tarn, Racing 
  6 
  Tarn, War, 
  7 
  Thoat 
  8 
  Wargs 
   
   
   
  Undead Table 
  D6 
   
  1 
  Ghouls 
  2 
  Sarcophagus Skeleton 
  3 
  Wights 
  4 
  Wraiths 
  5 
  Vampire 
  6 
  Zombies 
   
   
   
  NUMBER APPEARING 
   
   
  Once the type of creature is determined, look 
  to the creature description to determine details like the 
  number appearing in the hex, the treasure type and so 
  forth.  Note that the general treasure types refer to the 
  treasures found in the lair and the number appearing 
  refers to potential combatants.   Adjust as necessary. 
   
   
   
  
   
  14 
   
   
  DETERMINING THE LAIR 
  Roll 1d8 
   
  D8 
  Structure 
  Details 
  1 
  Industrial/Commercial 
  Buildings 
  2 - 12 Structures, each of 1 - 6 Rooms with 1 - 12 Passages on 1 ·2 
  Underground Levels (sawmill, mine, smelting works, pottery, 
  glassblowing, saltworks, quarry, tavern, fairgrounds, trading 
  post etc. at Referees discretion. 
  2 
  Temple 
  2 - 24 Rooms, 1-3 stories, Underground 1 - 6 Passages on 1 - 4 
  Levels 
  3 
  Cave 
  3 - 30 Passages on 1 -4 Levels 
  4 
  Castle (not previously 
  known) 
  4-24 Rooms, 1 - 6 Towers, and 1 - 6 stories; Underground 2 - 12 
  Passages on 1 - 4 Levels 
  5 
  Farm 
  1 - 6 Buildings of 1 - 6 Rooms, and 1-4 stories, Underground  0 - 
  3 Passages on one Level 
  6 
  Magic-user‘s Tower 
  3-18 rooms on 2 – 7 stories, Underground 3 – 30 passages on 0 – 
  3 levels 
  7 
  For Undead only, a roll of 
  7 indicates a burial ground 
  1-100 graves, 1-12 passages on 1-3 levels 
  7-8 
  A combination of the 
  above… 
  roll d6; 1 ·2 two of the above, 3 - 4 three of the above, 5 - 6 four 
  of the above.  When the same type lair is indicated more than 
  once, the number of structures, rooms and underground levels 
  are added together. 
   
   
   
  When the lair indicated is not appropriate to the 
  creature type inhabiting it, the lair should be 
  considered either abandoned or in ruins, otherwise 
  whether any structures are intact or abandoned is at 
  Referee discretion.  As an example, suppose the rolls 
  indicate a dragon as the creature type for the 
  adventure and a farm as the lair.  The Referee must 
  then imagine how such a thing came to be.  Perhaps, a 
  young dragon discovered a sturdy farm and promptly 
  ate the farmer and livestock.  Appetite sated, the large 
  stone barn, nestled securely in the hillside, offered a 
  comfortable den…  Such is how a few random dice 
  rolls lead to active adventure design. 
   
  CHANCE OF ADVENTURE WHILE 
  TRAVELING 
   
  Once an adventure location has been determined, it 
  remains to be seen if the player characters discover it.  
  The information may be passed on to the players by 
  any number of means if they are actively inquiring 
  into the local situation, but if they are simply passing 
  through or otherwise unaware of the possible 
  encounters in the area, they may randomly encounter 
  the inhabitant(s) of the lair as they travel through the 
  hex.   
   
  1) First it must be determined if the player 
  characters have found the Lair itself.  The 
  chance of randomly finding a lair are given as 
  part of the creatures description as the % in lair 
  (the percent chance the PC‘s have found the 
  creature in its lair).  So, if the Referee has 
  determined that a group of Elves, 25% in Lair, 
  for example – comprise the adventure in 
  question then the adventurers have a 25% 
  chance 
  of 
  stumbling 
  on 
  the 
  elven 
  village/city/cave.  Note that this is a typical 
  chance, and may be subject to modification 
  depending on circumstance.  For instance, a 
  band of trolls guarding a narrow mountain 
  pass will present a 100% chance of having their 
  lair discovered by anyone passing through.  
   
  2) Whether or not the adventuring group has 
  discovered the creature‘s lair, it must next be 
  determined how many are present in it, or - if 
  it is a solitary creature - whether it is present 
  
   
  15 
   
  at all.   Unless otherwise specified, this is 
  always 40% to 60% chance.  Roll a six sided 
  die; a 4 or less = 40%, 5 = 50%, 6 = 60%.  So, if 
  in our previous example the Referee had 
  determined that there were 100 elves in the 
  hex, with 50% present (a 5 on the d6), then 50 
  of them would be present in the elven lair.  If 
  this were a solitary creature – a dragon perhaps 
  – then there would be a 50% chance that it is in 
  its den and not out hunting. 
   
  3) Unless there is only one creature, the next step 
  is to roll a d6 to see how many groups those 
  outside the lair are split into.  A 1-4 indicate 
  they are all together, a 5 or 6 indicates two 
  equal sized groups and require another roll.  If 
  a 5 or 6 comes up again, one of the two split 
  groups is split again, and so forth, until no 5 or 
  six comes up or no more splits are possible.   
  So to follow our example, a roll of 5, a second 
  roll of 6, and a third roll of 1 indicates the 50 
  bandits outside their lair are split into three 
  groups, one of 25, one of 12 and one of 13 elves. 
   
  4) If the referee wishes to determine the direction 
  the groups of creatures are away from their lair 
  and distance from the lair randomly, further 
  die rolls can be used - consulting the random 
  direction chart and rolling another 1d6 to 
  determine miles distant.  A 6 would indicate 
  departure from the hex.   
   
  OUT OF LAIR ENCOUNTERS 
   
   
  If the characters did not manage to find the 
  lair, there is still a very good chance they will 
  encounter some of its inhabitants.  Once the number 
  and size of all the groups that are present in the hex 
  have been determined, the Chance of Discovery 
  column on the table below should be rolled for each 
  group to see if they come into contact with the Player 
  Characters.  Chance of discovery merely indicates that 
  the two (or more!) groups have come into sight (or 
  hearing or smell) of one another and could potentially 
  become aware of each other.  The direction any NPC‘s 
  are coming from will usually be from the direction of 
  their lair unless there is reason for otherwise.  
  Whether both groups are moving or one is stationary 
  and other specific details must be determined by the 
  referee. 
   
   
  # of Player 
  Characters 
  (Mounted 
  or on foot) 
   
  Number of NPC‘s 
  Encountered 
  Out of Lair 
   
  Chance of 
  Discovery 
   
  Chance of 
  Evading 
  1-3 
  30+ 
  50% 
  50% 
  16-30 
  30% 
  70% 
  1-15 
  10% 
  90% 
  4-9 
  30+ 
  70% 
  30% 
  16-30 
  50% 
  50% 
  1-15 
  30% 
  70% 
  10-24 
  30+ 
  90% 
  10% 
  16-30 
  70% 
  30% 
  1-15 
  50% 
  50% 
  25+ 
  30+ 
  95% 
  5% 
  16-30 
  85% 
  15% 
  1-15 
  75% 
  25% 
   
  - 
  Woods subtract 10% to 25% to Chances of Discovery and add 10% to 25 % to Chances of Evasion and allow a 10% 
  chance of evasion even when surprised.   
  - 
  Mountainous terrain subtract 20% to Chances of Discovery and add 20 % to Chances of Evasion. 
  - 
  Swamps and cities subtract 5% to Chances of Discovery and add 5 % to Chances of Evasion  
  - 
  Travel on roads adds 20% to Chances of Discovery and subtracts 20% to chances of evasion. 
  
   
  16 
   
    
  CHANCE OF ADVENTURE WHEN 
  RESTING 
   
   
  When the Player Characters stop to make 
  camp, or find some other resting accommodations at 
  the end of their travels each day, an additional roll 
  takes place.  If the Player Characters are taking an 
  entire day of rest or otherwise staying in one location, 
  check twice per day.  Roll a d6 and consult the table 
  below. 
   
  Hex Terrain  
  Encounter Occurs 
   
  Swamp, Mountains 
  4-6 
   
  Forest, Desert, Rivers 
  and Lakes, 
  Or While Flying 
   
  5-6 
  Ocean, City/village, 
  Open Landscape 
  6 
   
   
   When an encounter is indicated, using this 
  method, it will be entirely up to the referee to decide 
  what time of day (or night) the encounter takes place.  
  The creatures encountered could be one of the 
  individuals or groups present in the hex, at the 
  referee‘s discretion, but in most cases will be a 
  ―Wandering Monster‖ rolled for randomly using the 
  tables.  The number appearing should be determined 
  exactly as is done in underworld encounters.  Surprise 
  (see below) applies as normal except sleeping groups 
  without guards are automatically surprised. 
   
  Chance Cards and Hex Maps 
   
   
  Chance Cards, as described in the Dragons at 
  Dawn rulebook, add in random, major events in a 
  given area.  It is important to note that Chance Cards 
  can be used to cover various sized areas and calendar 
  frequencies, meaning they could be used on an hourly, 
  daily or weekly basis as may be suitable for a 
  particular overland journey.  They may also be used 
  retroactively back in time as far as the Referee desires 
  to flesh out recent and not so recent history.  
   
  SURPRISE 
   
   
  Encounters, especially in the wilderness may 
  often be unexpected.  Generally the referee will know 
  by the nature of the circumstances whether groups and 
  individuals may be surprised by an encounter.  When 
  an unexpected encounter of some sort has occurred, 
  surprise must be rolled to determine who becomes 
  aware of whom first.    
  Player Characters get the first roll – one per 
  group.  Surprise is indicated by result of a 1 or 2.  .  A 
  roll of 1 indicates 1 round of surprise; a roll of 2 
  indicates 2 rounds of surprise; a roll of 3 or more 
  means no surprise. 
   
  If the PC‘s are not surprised, roll next for the 
  NPC‘s to see if they are surprised.  If neither side is 
  surprised then they become aware of each other 
  simultaneously.   
  Surprised groups are caught unprepared and 
  are unable to fight effectively or act decisively for the 
  number of rounds indicated, essentially allowing 
  unsurprised groups to act freely, provided their Morale 
  permits it.   The exception is that surprised characters 
  may decide to simply run, allowing a 25% chance each 
  that they might drop something they are holding. 
   
  Aggressive monsters who gain a surprise 
  advantage will invariably attack unless severely 
  outmatched.  Such a monster cannot be avoided if 
  within 20 feet. 
   
  Player Characters surprised by a group of 
  NPC‘s may well be surrounded (at the discretion of 
  the Referee).   
   
  Either side may attempt to avoid the 
  encounter if they are not surprised.  To do so they 
  must make a successful roll on the Chance for Evasion 
  column.  If the chance of evasion fails, they have been 
  spotted and the sides are mutually aware of each other. 
   
  Surprise 
  in 
  confined 
  settings, 
  such 
  as 
  dungeons and castles, may still occur, but with less 
  frequency and with little or no chance of evading or of 
  the Player Characters being surrounded, depending, of 
  course, on specific circumstance. 
   
  Sighting Distance: Roll 2d4 for the distance (20 - 80 
  yards) unsurprised characters will first become aware 
  of any other person or groups in the area.  Surprised 
  characters roll 1d4. 
  CASTLE ENCOUNTERS 
   
  Tolls and Fees 
   
   
  A toll/travel tax will be expected by any castle 
  forces the PC‘s encounter but do not immediately 
  engage in combat, unless the player characters have a 
  
   
  17 
   
  pass, or are otherwise allied to the inhabitants of the 
  Castle.  The toll may vary based on leader type, with 
  fighters and Clerics typically demanding 1d6*100 gold 
  pieces per group and Magic users usually expecting an 
  equivalent amount gold and additional magic items.  
  On occasion, the Castle leader may demand the 
  recovery of an item or some other quest as payment 
  for passage.  Some leaders may accept a bet or 
  challenge to a competition of some sort to resolve the 
  toll.  Failure to pay will result in attempts to capture 
  the Player Characters for sale in the slave market, use 
  as mercenaries, etc. 
   
   
   
  DUNGEON STOCKING REVISITED 
   
  The method Arneson originally recommended 
  - that given in Dragons at Dawn - had a 1 in 6 chance 
  for first level rooms to be empty, 2 in 6 for third level, 
  and 3in 6 for levels 7 and above.  
  Interestingly the suggested progression does 
  not match that found in Arneson‘s own dungeon notes 
  from the early days.  In his most famous dungeon, for 
  example, level 6 has 35% of the rooms occupied, level 
  7&8 are at 40% occupancy, (9 seems very incomplete 
  and missing info ) and 10 is 50% occupied.  In 
  Arneson‘s later (1979) RPG he gives a different 
  progression based on percentiles and increasing in 5% 
  increments per level, matching the 35% at sixth level 
  quoted above.  Merging the two methods gives us and 
  interesting system: 
   
  Levels 
  Rooms Occupied 
  1 and 2 
  1 out of 6 
  3 and 4 
  1 out of 4 
  5 and 6 
  1 out of 3 
  7 and 8 
  2 out of 5 
  9 + 
  1 out of 2 
   
  This method gives dungeons that are a bit 
  fuller than the original and closer to what we actually 
  see in Dave Arnesons actual dungeons.  However, 
  what needs to be remembered here is that these 
  represent occupied rooms, not the number of monsters 
  actually present.  There are also always wandering 
  monsters.  In dungeons that have been festering 
  unmolested for a long time, the frequency of 
  wandering monsters can be quite high regardless of 
  level… 
   
  Protection Points Revisited 
   
  The Protection Point system presented in 
  Dragons at Dawn compromised somewhat the method 
  Arneson suggested in order to achieve results similar 
  to what he actually did in his own games.  In fact it is 
  clear he generated Protection Points in a number of 
  different ways, some of them by simply multiplying 10 
  times a 2d6 result. 
  As an example of the Dragons at Dawn 
  system, lets use the occupancy rates given above and 
  the point generation method in Dragons at Dawn – 
  (counting the number of rooms per level, looking at 
  the total number of points  each room should have for 
  that level and simply multiplying the rooms times the 
  points). 
   
  So here‘s how it works out, more or less, for 
  one of Dave‘s actual maps: 
   
  Level 1: 3 rooms 1 occupied; 15 points 
  Level 2: 15 rooms, 3 occupied; 210 points 
  Level 3: 12 rooms, 3 occupied; 180 points 
  Level 4: 12 rooms, 3 occupied; 300 points 
  Level 5: 5 rooms, 2 occupied; 175 points 
  Level 6: 4 rooms, 1 occupied; 160 points 
   
  These results are both typical and appropriate, 
  however wide swings in the number of rooms can 
  
   
  18 
   
  leave situations in which deeper dungeon levels can be 
  significantly easier than the one before.  In the above 
  example, level 6 could be a lot easier to clear out than 
  level 4, depending on the monsters selected by the 
  Referee.   
  Dungeon designers may prefer to use a more 
  random version of the system going back to Arneson‘s 
  original suggested method. 
   
  Level 
  Points 
  x 1d10 
  1 
  5 
  2 
  15 
  3 
  15 
  4 
  25 
  5 
  35 
  6 
  40 
  7+ 
  50 
   
   
  Once a room/area has been determined to be 
  occupied, the number of Protection Points for the 
  room are determined by rolling a 1d10 and multiplying 
  the result times the number in the appropriate column, 
  for the level.  So for example, to get the Protection 
  Points for a level 2 room, it would be 1d10 x 15, giving a 
  range of anywhere from 15 to 150.   
  This system can also produce some wild 
  swings, but will tend to be a lot more flexible and 
  balanced across levels. 
   
  HOUSERULING COMBAT 
   
  CONVERTING AC TO OTHER SYSTEMS 
   
   
  To quickly convert Dragons at Dawn AC 
  (positive numbers) to the traditional descending AC 
  seen in many retroclones and older games, simply 
  subtract the Dragons at Dawn AC from 10.  So, for 
  example, to convert a Dragons at Dawn Armor class 
  of 4 to a descending armor class, the calculation would 
  be (10 - 4 = 6).  Thus Dragons at Dawn AC4 converts 
  to descending AC6.  The reverse, converting Dragons 
  at Dawn AC to the traditional descending systems is 
  also the same – subtract from 10 – a traditional AC of 2 
  coverts to AC8.  In fact the only difference to be 
  aware of is that while shields usually give a measly 1 
  point bonus in both Dragons at Dawn and traditional 
  games, in Dragons at Dawn a shield alone is always 
  AC 3 (traditional AC 7).  Negative AC, of course, 
  needs no converting. 
  MORALE, MOMENTUM, AND DETERMINING 
  THE ORDER OF ATTACKS IN A COMBAT 
  ROUND 
   
  Dragons at Dawn only specifies that those 
  who pass their morale throws always strike over those 
  who fail, but no guidelines are given when opponents 
  equally either fail or pass their Morale throws.  The 
  method that follows takes Morale into account to a 
  greater extent by creating a system of shifting 
  momentum whereby back to back rolls are possible by 
  either the Players or the Non Player Character 
  monsters. 
  As I play it, the order of who strikes when in a 
  round is first determined by position.  Those who 
  entered the combat first and pass their Morale Throw 
  strike first.  When several characters meet this 
  criterion I simply roll a die to pick who attacks or 
  defends against who.  Another approach, requiring a 
  bit more bookkeeping, is to compare the Dexterity 
  Traits of the attackers and allow higher dexterities to 
  roll first.  
  Often the ―monster‖ NPC‘s will lose their 
  Morale Throw, and all the Player Characters will have 
  equal or higher Morale and thus may be allowed to 
  attack first, but if the monsters pass Morale and some 
  of the players fail or have a lower Moral Condition for 
  some other reason, then the order of attack/defend 
  will not be the same for all players.  Monsters and 
  Player Characters who pass their Morale Throw will 
  attack first in a combat round against their opponents.  
  Each case of who attacks and who counter attacks in a 
  Round must be handled individually regardless of 
  which ―side‖ they are on. 
  Should the attacker subsequently fail a Morale 
  Throw, or the Morale Condition of the defender 
  otherwise improve to an equal or better condition than 
  that of the attacker, then momentum has shifted and 
  the attacker will become the defender in the next 
  round.  Thus the attack/counter attack order in the 
  round is switched.   
  For a simple example, a Selfish Orc is 
  confronted by a Lawful Priest and a fight ensues.  The 
  orc fails his Morale Throw and drops from Normal to 
  Shaken for two rounds.  The Priests Morale Throw is 
  successful and so he attacks.  For two rounds the Priest 
  attacks and the Orc counter attacks.  Neither gets a 
  clean hit.  At this point the Orcs Morale returns to 
  Normal and since it is equal to the Priests, the Referee 
  
   
  19 
   
  declares a momentum shift.  The Orc, who has just 
  rolled for his counterattack, now rolls again for an 
  attack.  After several more rounds, let us suppose the 
  Priest, now counter attacking, manages to inflict a 
  severe wound on the Orc.  As a result, the referee 
  requires the Orc to make another Morale Throw and 
  he 
  fails 
  again, 
  dropping 
  back 
  to 
  ―Shaken‖.  
  Momentum therefore shifts once more and the Priest 
  gets to roll again as the attacker.  He hits again and 
  kills the Orc. 
   
   
   
  ALTERNATE HIT DETERMINATION TABLES 
   
   
  The table below may be directly substituted 
  for the combat table provided in the Dragons at Dawn 
  rulebook.  Hits are determined by rolling percentile 
  dice. With this table, chances of hitting an opponent 
  are improved – which may often work against the 
  players favor!  A base chance to hit an equal opponent 
  of 40%  is given in the rules Arneson co-authored and 
  published in 1979 with Richard Snider.   The table 
  below reworks this figure into a Dragons at Dawn 
  attack matrix in 5% increments following the pattern 
  Arneson used in his 1973 draft manuscript: 
   
  Combat Matrix 
   
   
   
  DEFENSE VALUE 
   
   
  <1 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  7 
  8 
  9 
  10 
  11 
  12 
  13 
  14 
  15 
  16 
  ATTACK VALUE 
  <1 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  25 
  20 
  15 
  10 
  5 
  1 
  - 
  - 
  - 
  - 
  - 
  - 
  - 
  - 
  1 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  25 
  20 
  15 
  10 
  5 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  25 
  20 
  15 
  10 
  5 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  3 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  25 
  20 
  15 
  10 
  5 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  4 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  25 
  20 
  15 
  10 
  5 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  5 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  25 
  20 
  15 
  10 
  5 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  6 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  25 
  20 
  15 
  10 
  5 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  7 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  25 
  20 
  15 
  10 
  5 
  1 
  1 
  8 
  80 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  25 
  20 
  15 
  10 
  5 
  1 
  9 
  85 
  80 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  25 
  20 
  15 
  10 
  5 
  10 
  90 
  85 
  80 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  25 
  20 
  15 
  10 
  11 
  95 
  90 
  85 
  80 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  25 
  20 
  15 
  12 
  99 
  95 
  90 
  85 
  80 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  25 
  20 
  13 
  99 
  99 
  95 
  90 
  85 
  80 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  25 
  14 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  95 
  90 
  85 
  80 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  15 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  95 
  90 
  85 
  80 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  16 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  95 
  90 
  80 
  80 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  17 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  95 
  95 
  85 
  80 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  18 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  90 
  85 
  80 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  19 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  95 
  90 
  85 
  80 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  20 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  99 
  95 
  90 
  85 
  80 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  
   
  20 
   
   
   
  ―Monster Attacks‖ 
   
  Dave Arneson always made things just a little 
  tougher for the monsters.  This included giving them a 
  separate attack matrix that gave monsters of 
  approximately the same level as human  characters 
  and related races 5% less chance to hit - a one column 
  shift in the defenders favor.  For Referees who would 
  like to do the same, it may be simulated easily without 
  creating a separate table by simply adding one to the 
  defense value of the defending Player Character, etc.  
   
  Two Handed Combat and Shield Bashes 
   
  Although it will negate a shields defensive 
  bonus, a character may gain 1 additional Attack Value 
  using their shield offensively or with a weapon held in 
  the second hand in place of the shield or with a two 
  handed weapon.  Such attacks add half again as much 
  damage (+ ½ HD) to the damage roll total.  Likewise, 
  a second weapon may be wielded defensively in place 
  of a shield.  The weapon will provide the same 
  defensive bonus as a shield in melee, but not against 
  projectiles.    A secondary weapon cannot be used 
  defensively and offensively in the same round. 
   
  The Armor Class Saving Throw and Armor Damage 
  Armor Class Saving Throws can be very 
  effective against all but the best magic weapons, 
  particularly when characters have especially good 
  armor and bonuses.  Sirjaguar in the ODD74 forum 
  made a suggestion I wholeheartedly recommend - A 
  simple rule for armor damage.  Every time an Armor 
  Save roll exactly matches the Armor Class number 
  required to save, damage has been done to the armor, 
  causing loss of one point of AC until such time as the 
  armor can be repaired by a professional.   
   
  “Level” vs. AC 
   
  As research continues we may well come to 
  know exactly what combat tables Arneson developed 
  in his first year or two of play.  The table given above; 
  and the combat table presented in Dragons at Dawn 
  are based on numbers he is known to have used at 
  various points and are reflective of his style of play, 
  but there is good evidence that he created the original 
  form of the now famous ―alternate‖ combat system, 
  arranging his tables as Level/Hit Dice vs. Armor 
  Class as seen in the common method of resolving 
  combat in the worlds most popular roleplaying game.  
  We do know that Arneson‘s tables were either d6 or 
  percentile based and not the d20-based table familiar to 
  so many gamers.  
  Either the combat table given in Dragons at 
  Dawn or, preferably, the alternate table given above 
  may be used in the traditional Level vs. Armor Class 
  system.  To do so, simply use the character/creatures 
  Armor Class rating instead of their HD number when 
  calculating Defense Value in Step 1 as follows: 
   
  Step 1 – calculate Fighting Strengths: 
  1) Apply Dexterity modifier – Take the 
  difference, if any, between the Dexterity 
  scores of the  combatants.  This difference 
  becomes a Fighting Strength benefit to the 
  combatant with the higher Dexterity by 
  being added to the Hit Dice number for 
  calculating Fighting Strength when 
  attacking or to the Armor Class number 
  when defending.  
  2) Apply Size modifier (For combatants of 
  significantly different physical sizes only) 
  – divide both the attacker and defenders 
  Hit Point Values by 10.  If the attacker is 
  physically larger than the defender, add 
  the difference to the defenders Armor 
  Class number.  If the defender is 
  physically larger than the attacker, add the 
  difference to the attackers Hit Dice 
  number. 
  3) Apply level modifier - Take the difference, 
  if any, between the levels (or number of 
  Hit Dice if no level is given) of the 
  combatants and add it to the Hit Dice 
  number when attacking or Armor Class 
  when defending, of the combatant with 
  the highest level.  
  4) Apply any special modifiers.  The results 
  of steps 1-4 are the Attack Values and 
  Defense Values of the Combatants.   
  5) Apply any Morale Condition modifier 
  6) Compare combatants Attack Value versus 
  Defense Value on the Combat Matrix 
  Step 2, etc as normal (see Appendix X for complete 
  reference table). 
  The Level vs. Armor Class Saving Throw  
   
   Whether the Armor Class saving throw is 
  used with this method is purely a matter of preference.  
  
   
  21 
   
  Some may dislike the double use of Armor in the 
  system (although as a game mechanic, it makes little 
  difference).  Of course, Armor saves can be ignored 
  altogether, but for those who prefer, an alternative 
  Saving Throw is presented below.   
  These Saving Throws were almost certainly 
  used by Arneson at least in regards to some monsters 
  early in the development of the game. Therefore, those 
  playing the basic version of Dragons at Dawn with a 
  Level vs. AC combat table are encouraged to use this 
  Saving Throw table and restrict the Saving Throw to 
  warriors only, as Arneson did.  
   
   
   
   
  2d6-2 
   
  Level 
  Saving Throw 
   
   
  1-3 
  9 
  4-7 
  7 
  8-10 
  4 
   
   
   
   
  Level vs. Armor: The Basic Game 
  For convenience, one combat table is given in 
  Dragons at Dawn for use in both the Basic and 
  Enhanced versions of the game, a combat table based 
  around Hit Dice.  Careful study of Arneson‘s early 
  notes and statements, indicates that Hit Dice were not 
  originally applied to monsters, but apparently referred 
  to the number of dice a player character would roll for 
  damage. 
  Exactly how Arneson handled those early 
  monsters is a mystery, but some of his statements 
  suggest that ―fantastic‖ monsters at least (meaning 
  those with magical, unnatural abilities) are all to be 
  considered as ―superheroes‖, regardless of their actual 
  Hit Dice.  Juvenile, inexperienced Fantastic or Leader 
  type Normal creatures (lets say 2HD and greater  
  Normal creatures)  are rated as ―heroes‖ (½ the Hit 
  Point and other Values for Fantastic creatures), and 
  less than 2HD Normal creatures or the youngest, 
  weakest and oldest Fantastic creatures are rated as 
  ―Flunkies‖ 
  (¼ 
  standard 
  Values 
  for 
  Fantastic 
  creatures). 
  Players of the Basic game may want to 
  emulate this early system using the attack charts 
  provided below: 
   
   
  
   
  22 
   
   
  Player Character Attack Table 
   
  AC 1 
  AC 2 
  AC 3 
  AC 4 
  AC 5 
  AC 6 
  AC 7 
  AC 8 
  Flunky & 
  Wizard 1-4 
  90 
  85 
  80 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  Hero & 
  High Wizard 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  Superhero 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  25 
  20 
   
   
  Monster Attack Table 
   
  AC 1 
  AC 2 
  AC 3 
  AC 4 
  AC 5 
  AC 6 
  AC 7 
  AC 8 
  Flunky 
  95 
  90 
  85 
  80 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  Hero 
  75 
  70 
  65 
  60 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  Superhero 
  55 
  50 
  45 
  40 
  35 
  30 
  25 
  20 
   
   
   
  FAME 
   
  As characters go up in levels, their fame 
  spreads and with fame comes a reputation.  People will 
  have heard of level 1 characters within a ten mile 
  square (100 square miles) centered on the characters 
  base of operation, provided they remain within that 
  area for more than 6 months. This amount is doubled 
  with every level as shown below:
   
   
  Character Level 
  Area of Fame 
  In  Square Miles 
  %  Chance of 
  Fame Outside 
  Area 
  1 
  100 
  2 
  2 
  200 
  4 
  3 
  300 
  6 
  4 
  400 
  8 
  5 
  500 
  10 
  6 
  600 
  12 
  7 
  700 
  14 
  8 
  800 
  16 
  9 
  900 
  18 
  10 
  1000 
  20 
   
   
   
  If characters travel outside their Fame Area 
  before 6 months have passed, their fame area will not 
  increase with level advancement in their old area, but 
  will grow to the proper size in their new area if they 
  stay within it for the required 6 months.  The last 
  column of the table indicates a base chance that any 
  given person outside the fame area may happen to 
  have heard of the characters – and should be modified 
  of course depending on the type of individual, 
  meaning a Wizard might be more likely to have heard 
  of another Wizard than the average given.  The 
  column may also be used in reverse for the chance that 
  a person in a characters area of fame has actually not 
  heard of the individual. 
  Fame is always accompanied by a reputation.  
  Reputations can consist of any number of things 
  depending on the alignment and deeds of the 
  characters and the cultures of the game world.  Thus 
  the effect of reputation is sometimes a matter of 
  roleplay, but reputation in general will have an effect 
  on non player character reactions and the hiring of 
  hirelings.  For this purpose the Referee must keep 
  
   
  23 
   
  track of the general tenor of the characters reputation 
  from adventure to adventure.  Famous characters 
  would be wise then to guard their reputation! Rumors, 
  both positive and negative, and formerly positive 
  rumors discovered to be lies, can have interesting in-
  game consequences…   
  For situations where the Referee may have 
  some doubt regarding a Non-player Characters‘ 
  reaction, the following table may be used: 
   
    
  Reputation 
  Positive Reaction Chance Persuasion 
  Bonus/Penalty 
  for Merchants 
  Heroic Reputation 
  85% 
  +15% 
  Successful or More 
  Than Fair 
  75% 
  +10% 
  No Reputation or 
  Average 
  60% 
  0 
  Mixed 
  45% 
  -10% 
  Greedy, Incompetent 
  or Abusive 
  30% 
  -15% 
   
   
   
   
   
  A Heroic reputation can only be had at Hero 
  levels and above, however, being a high level character 
  is no guarantee of such a stellar reputation.  
  Adjustments of up to 15% should be made for high or 
  low Appearance scores, depending on gender, species, 
  age, class and so forth of the characters involved- yes, 
  some people can almost always get what they want.  If 
  price haggling is going on, the amount of money 
  offered will also affect chances. The Bonus/Penalty 
  for Merchants Persuasion ability is just that – add it or 
  subtract it from the Merchants chances to persuade. 
  The result of the die roll gives an indication of 
  the degree of passion in the reaction.  The greater the 
  difference between the percentage needed and the 
  actual roll, the more positive and enthusiastic the 
  reaction. For example, let us suppose a Warrior with a 
  Heroic reputation is attempting to talk a street vendor 
  into giving him a free lunch.  If the warrior rolled a 10 
  (a 75 point difference from the 85 needed), the Vendor 
  would gladly give the warrior what he‘s asking for and 
  more.  If on the other hand the warrior rolled an 80 (a 
  mere 5 point difference) the vendor may well only 
  give him an apple and offer the rest of the lunch at 
  half price.  Of course a roll over 85 would indicate total 
  failure for the Warrior.   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  24 
   
  TRAITS 
   
  The following notes and modifications can be 
  applied to the Character Traits as desired:  
  HEALTH(CONSTITUTION): 
   
   The bonus is added to the number of Hit 
  Point Values recovered in the usual time.  
   
   
  Health Bonus Table 
   
  Character Trait 
  Bonus 
  Healing Points 
  8 
  +1 
  9 
  +2 
  10 
  +3 
   
  DEXTERITY:  
   
  For a finer grained approach, dexterity maybe 
  divided into quickness and grace. 
  GRACE (GRC): 
   
  Grace encompasses the ability to move fluidly, 
  with control, agility, balance, and fine motor skills.   
  QUICKNESS (QWK): 
   
  Quickness is a measure of speed of movement 
  - how fast a Character can react and otherwise move 
  or run.  It is primarily used when determining base 
  movement rate, Battle Order in combat, or as a Throw 
  versus traps, and the like.  High Quickness could give 
  a bonus to Hit Point Values due to the quick, reflex 
  reaction that helps minimize the impact of damage. 
   
  APPEARANCE: 
   
  Appearance Leadership Table 
   
  Character Trait 
  Bonus to 
  Morale Roll 
  8 
  +1 
  9 
  +2 
  10 
  +3 
   
   
    
  MORALE FOR HIRELINGS AND 
  HENCHMEN  
   
  Loyalty Trait   
   
  All 
  Non-Player 
  Characters 
  (including 
  monsters) in the service of Player Characters must be 
  given a Loyalty (aka Ego) Trait.  Loyalty traits are a 
  kind of Character Trait generated by rolling 2d6 -2.  It 
  primarily determines possible benefits or penalties to 
  Morale throws but can be used for other situations, 
  such as temptations to steal or attempts at bribery.  
  Adjustments to this score are made for the Player 
  Character‘s Appearance Trait score and for other 
  factors as determined by the Referee.  For example, 
  hirelings continually exposed to extra-hazardous duty, 
  poorly paid, and so forth, may receive a -1 or -2 to their 
  Loyalty.  NPC‘s kept in service may receive a +1 bonus 
  for every year of time in game. If they are treated 
  particularly well, given bonus pay, and participate in 
  successful adventures, this bonus may be increased to 
  +2 or +3 a year.  The players, of course, can not know 
  the hirelings Loyalty trait, shy of reading their minds. 
   
  Loyalty Trait Morale Effect 
   
  3 or less 
   
  -3 on morale throws 
  4 
  -1 on morale throws 
  5-6 
  No effect 
  7 
  +1 on morale throws 
  8-9 
  +2 on morale throws 
  10 and above 
  Need never check morale 
   
  In most cases, hirelings are employees, usually 
  not servants or slaves.  They may be ordered to 
  perform certain duties, but are completely free to 
  refuse to perform tasks not explicitly agreed to at the 
  time the NPC was hired.  Most hirelings will not 
  sacrifice life and limb for the good of the party; they 
  look out for their own interests first.  The same may 
  be said of henchmen, - NPC‘s who follow the party 
  for their own reasons.   If a hireling or henchman has 
  been fairly treated, they will normally be willing to 
  take an equal share of the risks.  If they are given a full 
  share of treasure when their first expedition is 
  completed, their Morale should be raised by 1 while 
  they remain associated with the characters. 
   
  Loyalty Trait for Players 
   
  Players may, if they wish, add a Loyalty or 
  Ego trait to their character matrix.  This would only 
  be used by players who prefer to have the dice decide 
  
   
  25 
   
  when their character might take a bribe or rebel 
  against the other players or similar instances of self 
  interested behavior that are normally handled through 
  role play. 
   
  ADDITIONAL MORALE THROWS  
  In addition to the beginning of combat, 
  Morale Throws should be made when faced with some 
  great challenge or when the danger appears unusually 
  threatening, extreme or shocking.  The character must 
  know, suspect, or believe that they are overmatched 
  and in serious danger.   If however the character is 
  facing the danger on purpose as a means of protecting 
  the life of others – an act of bravery, the Referee may 
  rule that there is no need for a Morale throw.  
   
  Typical examples of appropriate times to 
  require a Morale roll: 
   
   
  The character could be killed in just one 
  round. 
   
   
  The first time a character has received any 
  significant damage in months  
   
   
  The characters Hit Point Values drop to 
  less than one third. 
   
   
  At least ½ of a characters companions are 
  dead or have run off. 
   
   
  The character suddenly experiences a 
  severe shock from something 
  unexpectedly horrible. 
   
   
  Neither the character nor the group has 
  physical or magical means of dealing with 
  the challenge they are facing. 
   
   
  Death of a leader or the most experienced 
  character. 
   
   
  Any non Elf (or partial) is learning a new 
  Elfin spell.  Learning Elfin magic exposes 
  a character to  dangerous Numeninous 
  influences and can damage and warp the 
  mind.  
   
  Characters may also have no way of knowing, 
  in any given situation, the true level of danger they are 
  in.  Characters who do not even suspect the amount of 
  danger they are in require no special Morale throw.  
  When determining whether to require a Morale 
  Throw, what the characters believe is more important 
  than what they know.  For this reason, a powerful 
  illusion is certainly cause to make a Morale Throw, 
  even though the threat is false.   
  Desensitizing 
   
   
  If a character has already successfully faced a 
  particular creature or terrifying sight, then they are 
  less likely to falter when facing it again.  Every time a 
  type of encounter is successfully resolved, a + 1 
  adjustment factor may be added to future Morale 
  throws for a similar encounter later.  This soon leads 
  of course to a point where higher level characters will 
  no longer need Morale throws in many situations.  
  Players need to keep track of these bonuses if their 
  character has them. 
  Inspiring 
  Spells, magic items, and other methods which 
  instill courage, will negate the need for a Morale 
  Throw.  Likewise an inspiring orator or leader with a 
  high appearance can lift the Morale of any group.  The 
  orator must make an Appearance throw, adjusted by 
  any oration education bonus they may have. 
  Leader Death or Panic 
  Leader death results in any Morale bonus the 
  leader may be imparting being turned into a negative – 
  thus the more popular the leader the bigger the loss of 
  Morale.  Leader death always requires a Morale throw.  
  Much the same result occurs if a leader panics. 
  FAILING MORALE 
  When the state of Surrender is reached on the 
  Morale Condition table and no surrender is possible or 
  simply at the Referee‘s discretion in the appropriate 
  circumstance, the player or referee must roll a 1d6 and 
  consult the Panic Table. 
  Panic Table: 
  1) The character drops everything and runs their 
  full movement rate (routs) or cowers as best 
  they can if there is nowhere to run, (as per 
  banished undead) for 2 rounds.  After 2 rounds 
  the character must make another Morale 
  Throw at -2.  Characters who are cornered 
  may attack after one round at +1 Chance To 
  
   
  26 
   
  Hit but -3 penalty to their own armor class.  
  Spell casters have shaky hands and voices, etc. 
  and must make a Saving Throw against their 
  Level. 
  2-3) 
  The character is either fear struck or startled 
  and will hesitate, rooted motionless to the spot 
  for one round.   
  4) 
  If the character is facing some kind of enemy, 
  they (regardless of class) are overcome with a 
  kind of maniacal berserker rage and charge the 
  target, utilizing whatever weapons are on 
  hand.  All attacks are 3 times FS.  The 
  character will ignore all damage and keep 
  attacking round after round until the target is 
  in tiny pieces or someone stops them.  Anyone 
  interfering with the character has a 75% 
  chance of catching one attack from the 
  character themselves.  However if the threat 
  faced by the character is not an enemy or 
  object that can be attacked, the rage will be 
  transferred to someone or something else, such 
  as the person they blame for getting them in 
  the mess in the first place, the locked door of 
  the dungeon, etc.  Similarly any spell caster 
  reading a new spell may tear the scroll or spell 
  book to pieces. 
  5-6) 
  The character must make a sanity Throw.  
  This is accomplished using 1d10.  (See below)   
   
  SANITY 
   
   
  Culture matters.  In fact culture matters 
  MOST in regards to what constitutes "proper" 
  behavior, be it sane or insane.  For gaming purposes, 
  this means that what causes trauma, how characters 
  respond to it, what constitutes dysfunctional insanity, 
  and how others react to those affected should never be 
  some colorless, one size fits all paradigm based on the 
  learned behavior of the modern industrial west.   
   
  Presented here are a few broad categories that 
  generally reflect the types of basic genetic/instinctive 
  "wiring" responses that occur as a result of mental 
  stress and trauma.  Exactly how these play out should 
  be done in accordance with specific cultural 
  expectations in the campaign. 
  For example, in some societies the ―natural‖ 
  response to extreme trauma is to go headhunting, in 
  others, by non violent religious devotion, in others, 
  ritual suicide.  In some societies, blind rage is 
  encouraged (Berserkers) in response to shock; in 
  others 
  a 
  semi 
  catatonic/schizophrenic 
  state 
  (zombiism) is the expected response.  etc. 
   
  If required to make a Sanity Throw, the player 
  must roll a 1d10.  On a 1 through 4, nothing happens 
  and the player gets to pick 1, 2, or 3 from the Panic 
  Table.  On a 5-10 the character has gone insane.  There 
  may well be situations where the Referee will feel that 
  having one of the characters, or NPC‘s go insane is 
  either not appropriate at the time or will otherwise 
  detract from the enjoyment of play.  If so simply 
  ignore the results.  Keep in mind that experienced 
  characters, having ―been there and done that‖ will 
  receive Desensitized bonuses, and may very well be at 
  a point where insanity – at least for familiar horrors - 
  is impossible and no roll is needed.  
   
  Failing a Sanity Throw  
   
  There are two ways to handle a failed Sanity 
  Throw.  The player can look through the list and 
  choose the form of insanity the character has 
  developed.  This method has the advantage of keeping 
  the player in control of the character and allowing 
  some creative role playing.  The second method is to 
  simply let the dice decide.   
   
  5,6 
  Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 
  The trauma and stress of repeated 
  frightening encounters has worn down 
  the characters psyche to the point they 
  are mentally and physically affected.  
  They begin to suffer nervous jitters 
  and twitches, aches and pains and are 
  easily fatigued and panicked.  The 
  character feels a sense of imminent 
  doom they may express to other 
  players and will feel distracted and 
  unable to focus.  Any spell takes twice 
  as long to cast; Armor Class is 
  worsened by -1 and Attack Values and 
  all saving throws are at -1 from the 
  appropriate Trait. 
   
  7 
   
  Schizophrenia  
  A schizophrenic suffers from a lack of 
  clarity about themselves and the 
  nature of reality.  They experience 
  bizarre delusions, babbled speech, 
  auditory 
  hallucinations 
  (―hearing 
  voices‖), social withdrawal and they 
  engage in bizarre, irrational behaviors.  
  A schizophrenic character can not 
  
   
  27 
   
  solve complex problems, participate in 
  any kind of rituals or cast any spells.  
  They are 50% likely every round to 
  flee from the party or attack someone 
  in the party if fleeing is not an option.  
  If the party engages with NPCs they 
  are 50% likely to take action opposite 
  to that of the party, i.e. refuse to attack 
  a monster or attack a friendly group of 
  elves. 
   
   
   
  8 
   
   
  Paranoia  
  The character fears everyone and sees 
  plots and schemes behind everything.  
  Threats 
  are 
  everywhere 
  and 
  everyone‘s actions have an insidious 
  dark purpose meant to lead to the 
  characters 
  downfall 
  or 
  death.  
  Paranoid characters may still interact 
  with friends and party members, but 
  will 
  tend 
  to 
  grow 
  increasingly 
  suspicious of their companions and 
  perhaps one or two companions in 
  particular.  They may attempt to form 
  alliances with ―trusted‖ friends and 
  can sometimes be very convincing in 
  their arguments.  The paranoia may 
  also be directed toward a particular 
  kind of object or species of creature.  
  In some cases the paranoia can be 
  beneficial to the party, as the paranoid 
  character may be hypervigilant, in 
  certain circumstances.  More likely, 
  the paranoid character will engage in 
  unpredictable and unfriendly behavior 
  at inappropriate times.  The Game 
  Master and player will need to work 
  out the exact details. 
   
   
  9 
   
  Amnesia  
  Loss of memory may not seem so bad 
  until it is realized that it means the 
  character no longer knows anyone, or 
  who to trust, or why they are where 
  they are.  Further, the amnesiac loses 
  all 
  experience 
  while 
  affected, 
  becoming a 1st level character.  While 
  skills remain intact, they will not 
  know they have them until they make 
  some attempt that utilizes their skill, 
  and they can not make use of any 
  character class abilities, including 
  spellcasting.   Hit Point Values and 
  Character Traits remain unchanged.  
  The single benefit of amnesia is that 
  whatever happened in the past is no 
  longer affecting the characters mind, 
  possibly sparing them from the need 
  to make additional Morale Throws.  
   
   
   
  10 
   
   
  Hallucinations 
  The character begins ―seeing things‖; 
  things that aren‘t there; and reacting 
  as if they were.  The imaginary objects 
  are usually of a consistent nature.  The 
  character always sees snakes or bugs or 
  rushing water or bloodstains but not 
  all three.    The hallucinating character 
  will always react with a strong 
  emotional response to what they think 
  they see. They will behave as if it is 
  very real and important to them with 
  possibly 
  deadly 
  consequences.  
  Alternatively, 
  the 
  character 
  may 
  consistently fail to see something, 
  such as a dragon or perhaps a color, 
  such as blood red.  The hallucinations 
  can be triggered at any time. 
   
  Period of Insanity 
   
  The Player must roll 2d6 and subtract their 
  level from the results.  If the result after subtracting 
  level equals 1 or more, then that is the number of days 
  the character will suffer the effects of the insanity, 
  provided 
  each 
  day 
  includes 
  a 
  full 
  8 
  hours 
  uninterrupted rest.  If the roll result minus the 
  characters level is 0 or less, then the raw roll result 
  equals the number of rounds the character will be 
  affected before the character snaps out of it.  
  Optionally, a roll of a natural 10 could be taken to 
  indicate permanent insanity.  For example, Nosenrald, 
  the 3rd level Elf Mage, is adventuring with a friendly 
  party when the group is attacked and overwhelmed by 
  werewolves.  Nosenrald fails several Morale Throws  
  and runs away.  When he returns he finds his 
  companions have literally been torn to bits and 
  gnawed on.  It drives Nosenrald insane.  Nosenrald‘s 
  player rolls a 4 on 2d6.  Four minus Nosenralds level 
  (3) equals 1, so Nosenrald will remain insane for 1 day.  
  
   
  28 
   
  If the player had rolled a 2 instead of a 4 then 
  subtracting Nosenralds level 3 would have resulted in 
  a -1.  In that case the raw die roll of 2 would represent 
  the number of rounds Nosenrald would remain insane.  
  After an episode of temporary insanity ends, the 
  character should still evidence some lingering effect or 
  altered behaviors.  The character will generally seem 
  to be their old self, but certain things and certain 
  moments may evoke quirky behavior.  It‘s up to the 
  Player to decide how to role play this, if at all. 
  Insanity Intervention  
   
  If immediate attention is given when a 
  character suffers an episode of temporary insanity, 
  attempting to calm, slap, or otherwise bring the person 
  back to sanity, the period of insanity can be shortened 
  by 1d6, either rounds or days, depending on the length 
  determined for the insanity.   
  Curing Insanity  
   
  Priests, calling on a special healing, are able to 
  cure Insanity in the same manner as physical wounds, 
  or a Wizard could brew a Vital Mind potion that will 
  return the character to normalcy.   
  NONPLAYER CHARACTER 
  REACTIONS  
   
   
  Often the Referee will decide how a Non 
  Player Character should react in a given situation and 
  determine play accordingly, but for those times when 
  the Referee is uncertain or simply wishes to leave it up 
  to fate, the following table may used by rolling two 
  six-sided dice and adjusting for Appearance and any 
  other appropriate factors: 
   
   
  Reaction Table 
   
  Dice Score Reaction 
   
  2 
  Hateful, Desires Violence  
  3-5 
  Dislike 
  6-8 
  Neutral/ambivalent 
  9-11 
  Friendly/agreeable 
  12 
  Enthusiastic (Loyalty +3) 
   
  Alignment (if known), intelligence, cunning, fear, 
  greed, special skills, and so forth should all be 
  considered when determining reactions. 
   
  CHARACTER INHERITANCE 
   
   
  Characters live dangerously.  When fate turns 
  against them and death occurs, the player may 
  designate a relative or companion (usually their new 
  PC) as the heir of the deceased.  Inheritance may be 
  immediate but if there are any questions regarding the 
  death or no body is present, a month or more may be 
  required for local authorities to recognize the 
  inheritance.  A 10% tax on the value of the inherited 
  property may be assumed and ―collected‖ by the 
  referee.  
  If a presumed dead character should suddenly 
  return and want their property back, they should 
  generally be allowed to have it as far as any authorities 
  are concerned – along with another 10% tax – provided 
  there are no particular quirks to local culture that 
  might suggest otherwise.  The heir in such a case must 
  have a Loyalty score which would be given a 0-2 
  penalty.  The resulting Loyalty modifier is then 
  applied to a Reaction roll (rather than a Morale throw) 
  to see how they ―feel‖ about the return of the property 
  to the previous owner.   
   
  AGEING  
   
   
  Even great characters must face old age and 
  natural death.  Players roll once per year (or whatever 
  passes for a year in your campaign) for natural death.  
  Each player will be required to roll their characters 
  death chance using a d20 and comparing the result to 
  the table below.  If the roll is equal to or less than the 
  number listed, there is a chance of natural death.  
  Players are allowed a Throw against their Health 
  Trait.  If the roll equals or is less than the Trait, the 
  character will have 1 to 6 weeks of illness but will live.  
  If the roll is greater than the Health Trait, the 
  character dies of natural causes.   
   
  At the ages in the table marked with an 
  asterisk (*), the effects of growing old begin to 
  manifest.  When the character reaches these age 
  grades they subtract 50% of the number listed in the 
  DEATH ROLL column rounded up, from ALL 
  Character 
  Traits 
  except 
  Brains, 
  Cunning 
  and 
  Appearance.  For game purposes, Brains, Cunning and 
  Appearance are generally unaffected by age.  The 
  amount subtracted from the characteristic Traits 
  however, can never be more than 50% of the original 
  total.   For example, a mighty warrior with a Strength 
  of 10 can never drop to less than 5 due to the effects of 
  age.   
  
   
  29 
   
   
  At 
  age 
  56 
  for 
  most 
  Humanoids 
  and 
  Doppelgangers, and 111 for Trollborns, Elves and 
  similarly long lived creatures, the character may no 
  longer gain additional Hit Point Values regardless of 
  level gains, and at 61/121 years of age the character will 
  actually begin to lose Hit Point Values at the rate of 2 
  per year, regardless of whether they continue to 
  advance in levels or not.  Note that this loss of Hit 
  Point Values due to age stops once the characters base 
  Hit Point Values are reached.  A character can never 
  drop below level 1 Hit Point Value no matter how old.  
  Also, there are magical means whereby both the loss 
  of Hit Point Values and Characteristic Traits can be 
  prevented or reversed, but sudden loss of that magic 
  can have drastic and immediate consequences. 
   
   
   
   
  THE TABLE OF DEATH 
  AGE – Humans 
  and 
  Dopplegangers 
  AGE – Elves, 
  Etc.  
  Hit Point Value 
  DEATH 
  ROLL 
  0 -1  
   
  0-2 
  1 Hit Point Value 
  4 
  2 to 10  
  3-8 
  2 
  2 
  11-16  
  9-24 
  3-4 
  1 
  17-35  
  25-70 
  Full 
  1 
  36-45  
  71-90 
  Full 
  2 
  *46-50  
  *91-100 
  Full 
  2 
  *51-55  
  *101-110 
  Full 
  3 
  *56-60  
  *111-120 
  No Additional HPV gained 
  4 
  *61-UP  
   
  *121-UP 
  Automatically loose 2 HPV a year 
  5 
   
   
   
  Arneson’s Monster HPV By Age:  
   
   
  Monster Hit Point Values can be varied by 
  both age and Hit Dice.  Some creatures (like humans) 
  will usually only have one HD throughout their lives, 
  but others (like characters and Dragons) will gain Hit 
  Dice as they mature.  Their Hit Point Values will 
  vary with age.  The very young should have 1 pip per 
  die increasing to 6 at the height of maturity/strength.  
  Some variation may be given between males and 
  females of many species also. 
   
  For example, a very young female Giant may 
  get either 5 or 6 hit dice but count only 1 spot on each 
  of those dice toward her Hit Point Value total. As she 
  matures she may reach 11 or 12 hit dice and count 6 
  pips on each die thus having Hit Point Values of 66 or 
  72. 
   
   
   
   
  (Fantasy role play gaming) at its start was a simple system with guidelines that could 
  be tailored to the players. The game was a co-operative effort by the players (Each 
  having strong points and weakness.) to overcome the obstacles (Problem solving.) set 
  up by the DM.  The skills (Such as found in my AIF [Adventures in Fantasy] 
  game.) allowed you to build your character.  As each edition came out new layers and 
  more/different rules were added. Some good, some bad, always more restrictive in 
  some way even if it was a more 'simple' game. 
   
  Dave Arneson, "Dark Lord of Game Design", ODD74 Forum 
   
  
   
  30 
   
   
  CHARACTER MATRIX 
   
   
  In addition to the categories listed in Dragons 
  at Dawn, players using the Ageing and Society rules 
  should include that information on their character 
  record. 
   
  A very basic Sample Character sheet is 
  provided in Appendix 10.  There are also several very 
  excellent fan created versions available on the 
  internet. 
   
  PLAYER CHARACTER SPECIES 
   
   
   Here are a few ―new‖ character races used in 
  my campaign: 
  Doppleganger (aka Face Dancer) 
   
  A rare species of shape changing humanoid 
  who are often hated and feared by others.  Since they 
  have the ability to mimic any humanoid form within 
  two feet of their height and 300 pounds of their weight 
  with 
  90% 
  accuracy, 
  evil 
  dopplegangers 
  often 
  assassinate some person and assume their identity. 
  However, player character dopplegangers need not 
  follow this trend.  Dopplegangers are unable to cast 
  spells or use magic items of any sort due to some 
  element of their make up.  They are also resistant to 
  magic, receiving a +3 to all saving throws involving 
  magical effects. 
   
   
  No 
  Wizard, 
  Elf 
  Mage, 
  or 
  Cleric 
  Characters 
   
  Cannot wear armor or clothes, 
                     but can carry shields and   
   
  weapons. 
   
  Natural Armor class base of 6. 
   
  +1 to Health 
   
  -1 to Strength 
   
  +3 to all magic saving throws involving 
  magical effects. 
  Orc  
   
  About the same size as elves, but much 
  stockier, Orcs have grey-green skin, small eyes, large 
  jutting jaws with huge canines and pointed incisors.  
  Orcs are usually fighters.  They are tribal, very 
  hierarchical and nocturnal, being able to see in the 
  dark as well as elves and dwarves.  They are of average 
  intelligence but tend to be volatile and very 
  militaristic.  While martial skill and strategic savvy 
  are highly valued by orcs, honor and responsibility are 
  not.  There are, of course, exceptions.   Tribes of orcs 
   
   
  are usually found in isolated places, most often in 
  mountain caverns and thick forests, due to the orcs‘ 
  dislike of sunlight.  Orcs move normally at 90 yds per 
  round. 
   
   
  -1 penalty when fighting in bright light  
   
  +1 to their Health score and a +4 to any 
  saving throws involving disease 
   
  Track sign on a roll of 1-2 on a d6 when 
  within 10 feet, or on a roll of 1-4 on a d6 
  when they are actively looking.    
  Trollborn   
   
  It has been a common enough occurrence for 
  certain monstrous creatures to take a sexual interest in 
  a human, and vice versa, for the offspring of such 
  unions to be a known, if rare, occurrence in most 
  lands.  These offspring usually are called Trollborns.  
  The most usual parents of Trollborn, other than 
  another Trollborn, are Goblins, Trolls, Ogres, 
  Nightmares and Hafgygr.  As frequent targets of 
  discrimination by all concerned, Trollborns often band 
  together 
  or 
  attempt 
  to 
  mask 
  their 
  identity.    
  Trollborns tend to be stronger than normal and quick 
  tempered, and are often lacking in what most people 
  would call good looks.  There are, of course, 
  exceptions.    Trollborn are resistant to the effects of 
  
   
  31 
   
  magic and, like elves, their natural life span is about 
  160 years - but few actually live that long.   
   
   
  +2 to Strength 
   
  +2 to Saving throws vs Magic 
   
  -2 to Appearance 
   
  THE CLASSES 
   
   
  Classes are only broad, general categories.  By 
  concentrating on the appropriate education as the 
  player 
  levels 
  up, 
  the 
  character‘s 
  abilities 
  are 
  customizable so that most characters can be made 
  quite distinctive.   
   
  In essence there are only two character types – 
  those who use magic and those who don‘t.  Those who 
  fight are further subdivided into those who focus 
  entirely on fighting and those who focus on fighting 
  and subterfuge.  Magic likewise, is divided between 
  those who practice divine magic, and those involved 
  with the raw and not so raw forces of numenous 
  powers.  Other types of magic could conceivably exist, 
  also. 
   
  Taming The Wizard 
   
  In Dragons at Dawn, even first level Wizards 
  are amazingly powerful with their at will abilities of 
  fireball and lightning, drawing from the fantasy 
  wargaming rules by Gygax and Perren.  In Role play 
  gaming, Wizards were ―tamed‖ and became one of the 
  weakest characters to play until high levels were 
  reached.  While many love having Wizards who can 
  play a prominent role in the game even at first level, 
  others prefer the more typical ―weak‖ Wizard.  It is 
  very easy to tame the at will powers of the wizard in 
  your Campaign world if desired by applying the 
  following rule: 
   
   
  The damage done by a Wizard casting 
  their at will abilities of Fireball or 
  Lightning is 1d6 per Hit Die of the caster 
  for Fireballs and the same for Lightning 
  except it receives an additional +1 per die.  
  All other characteristics of the spells, 
  including 
  any 
  saving 
  throws, 
  apply 
  unchanged. 
   
  Elf Mages should follow the spell rules as originally 
  written in Dragons at Dawn.  
  PRIEST/MONK 
   
   
  Monks, as described in the rulebook, are a sub 
  variety of Priest who have dedicated themselves to a 
  particular order, individual, or philosophy within a 
  religion.  Monks therefore are specialists who may (or 
  may not) have particular skills related to their 
  discipline but are otherwise identical to other Priests.  
  Listed below are some examples of possible Monk 
  varieties.  
   
  Monk – Order of the Frog 
   
   
  A strange cult that believes humanity must be 
  replaced by intelligent amphibians. 
   
  Miracles: 
   
  Level 1 
   
  Priests who make their Saving Throw 
  suffer no damage or ill effects, 
  regardless of the circumstances.   
   
  Amphibian Communication (instead 
  of Cure) – The Monk is able to both 
  speak to and understand the speech of 
  all Amphibians.  Further, the animal 
  will, at least initially, react positively 
  toward the monk.  
   
  Turn Away Undead – as normal 
   
  Level 4 
   
  Water Breathing (instead of Detect 
  Alignment) – the monk can breath in 
  water as easily as in air. 
   
  Blessing - as normal 
   
   
   
  Dispel – as normal 
     
  Ward - as normal 
   
   
    
  Tranquilize – as normal 
   
  Level 8 
  At 8th level, Priests who fail their 
  Saving Throw will nevertheless only  
  
   
  32 
   
  receive half the damage or suffer half 
  of the called for results. 
   
  Control Animals – the monk is able to 
  give orders to normal animals, who 
  have no choice but to obey. 
   
  Levitate - as normal 
   
  Death Curse – as normal 
   
  Revivify – as normal 
   
   
  Monk – Order of the Green Robes 
   
   
  These Monks celebrate nature and abhor all 
  but the simplest and most natural technologies.  They 
  will not use any refined metals.  These Monks are also 
  skilled at predicting the weather up to three days 
  ahead, having a 50% chance of a correct prediction at 
  level 1 increasing to 75% at level 4 and 100% at level 8. 
    
  Miracles: 
   
  Level 1 
   
  Priests who make their Saving Throw 
  suffer no damage or ill effects, 
  regardless of the circumstances.   
   
  Cure – as normal 
   
  Change Shape (instead of Turn Away 
  Undead) – Three times per day, a 
  Monk of the Green Robes may change 
  shape into any kind of animal, bird, or 
  fish, once to each kind and varying in 
  size from about 1 to ten feet long.  
  They receive the Hit Dice and Hit 
  points of their new form. 
   
   
  Level 4 
   
  Speak with Animals (instead of Detect 
  Alignment) – as per the spell 
   
  Blessing - as normal 
   
   
   
  Control Insects (Instead of Dispel) – 
  the monk is able to demand 
  unconditional obedience from all 
  insects within 1 yard per level of the 
  monk.  The effect is permanent as long 
  as the insects being controlled are 
  within the range allowed.  Control will 
  be lost within one normal round as 
  soon as the insects are out of range. 
   
     
  Ward - as normal 
   
   
    
  Tranquilize – as normal 
   
  Level 8 
  At 8th level, Priests who fail their 
  Saving Throw will nevertheless only 
  take half the damage or suffer half of 
  the called for results. 
   
  Control Plant Growth (instead of 
  Mental Immunity) – the monk is able 
  to cause all plants within 1 yard per 
  level of the monk to grow at a rate of 
  ten feet per round.   
   
  Levitate - as normal 
   
  Death Curse – as normal 
   
  Control Animals (Instead of Revivify) 
  – the monk is able to demand 
  unconditional obedience from all 
  animals within 1 yard per level of the 
  monk.  The effect is permanent as long 
  as the animals being controlled are 
  within the range allowed.  Control will 
  be lost within one normal round as 
  soon as the animals are out of range. 
   
   
  Monk – Order of the Guardians 
   
   
  A martial order dedicated to the protection of 
  pilgrims and the weak.  The monks frequently seek 
  out war torn or troubled areas or places of pilgrimage 
  to carry out their mission.  These Monks give up some 
  of the priests miraculous powers in return for martial 
  training and skill and typically seek out education in 
  weapons training.   
  
   
  33 
   
   
  Miracles: 
   
  Level 1 
   
  Priests who make their Saving Throw 
  suffer no damage or ill effects, 
  regardless of the circumstances.   
   
  Cure – as normal 
   
  Turn Away Undead – as normal 
   
  Level 4 
   
  Detect Alignment – as normal 
   
  Blessing - as normal 
   
   
   
  Resilience (instead of Dispel) - The 
  guardians‘ divine faith imparts a 
  complete immunity to normal 
  diseases, germ attacks, and the like; 
  and a +1 bonus per level for Throws 
  against poisons, the effects of 
  dehydration and hunger, hot and cold, 
  lack of sleep, etc..  
     
  Ward - as normal 
   
   
    
  Protect (instead of Tranquilize) - The 
  monk has acquired impressive and 
  deeply ingrained skill at preventing 
  harm to persons nearby.  This effect 
  confers a +1 bonus to the Armor Class 
  rating of any friendly character or 
  NPC within 5 feet of the guardian.  At 
  eighth level, this bonus increases to +2 
  to Armor Class to friendlies within 8 
  feet of the Monk. 
   
  Level 8 
  At 8th level, Priests who fail their 
  Saving Throw will nevertheless only 
  take half the damage or suffer half of 
  the called for results. 
   
  Mental Immunity – as normal 
   
  Fanatic Might – (instead of Levitate) - 
  the Priest‘s faith and devotion allows 
  the Priest to fight beyond the point 
  that other characters would fall 
  unconscious or die.  Priests are able to 
  engage in melee, call down Miracles, 
  or take other combat actions until 
  reaching -8 Hit Point Values (-1 more 
  HPV per level after 8).  At -9 Hit 
  Point Values or more (adjusted by the 
  Priests level) the Priest collapses 
  unconscious as normally occurs at 0 
  Hit Point Values.  After this point is 
  reached, death will occur in 1d6 normal 
  rounds as usual.   
   
  Death Curse – as normal 
   
  Revivify – Not allowed 
   
   
  Monk – Order of the Slayer 
   
  A Slayer is a fanatical enemy of all undead and 
  of any Numenous beings who threaten harm to the 
  living.  Their primary purpose, is to battle evil spirits 
  wherever they may be found and especially to rid the 
  world of undead.  Slayers are so fanatical in this 
  regard they will rarely hesitate to attack undead or 
  malicious ghosts and will often insist on tracking 
  down and exterminating them when any rumors of 
  their existence are heard.  This can be extremely 
  problematic for some other characters who may be 
  companions of a Slayer and who may have a more 
  pragmatic or live and let unlive philosophy.  Slayers 
  will always insist on destroying undead.  Slayers are 
  usually (there are sometimes exceptions) much more 
  at peace with ghosts, spirits, and other Numenous 
  beings, provided such spirits are harmless.  Many 
  Slayers will form a kind of bond with some spirits, 
  particularly those of dead ancestors and may also have 
  a familiar who is bonded to them – usually in the form 
  of a bird of prey, but any animal is possible. 
   
   
  Miracles: 
   
  Level 1 
   
  Priests who make their Saving Throw 
  suffer no damage or ill effects, 
  regardless of the circumstances.   
   
  Cure – as normal 
   
  
   
  34 
   
  Turn Away Undead – as normal 
   
   
  Level 4 
   
  Detect Alignment – as normal 
   
  Detect Disease (instead of Blessing) - 
  As protectors of life, Slayers develop 
  some skill (+1 Bonus, +2 at 8th level) in 
  herbal medicine and the healing and 
  detecting of diseases.  There is a 5% 
  chance per level that the Slayer will be 
  able to properly identify any given 
  disease. The chance increases to 10% if 
  the disease is related to sprits or the 
  undead. 
   
   
   
  Gain Familiar (instead of Dispel) – 
  Slayers are able to attract a familiar 
  spirit who will come to them in the 
  form of an animal – often a bird of 
  prey – which the spirit has possessed.  
  The spirit will usually be that of a 
  dead ancestor or friend.  Not all 
  Slayers will want to have a pet 
  familiar with them, particularly 
  zealously righteous Slayers who object 
  to spirit possession of all sorts.  
  Because of the Numenous bond 
  between them, the familiar can 
  communicate very basic and general 
  information to the Slayer who will 
  suddenly just know or have a hunch or 
  be able to gather the information from 
  the behavior of the animal.  The 
  familiar will always understand the 
  Slayer and may be sent on reasonable 
  errands.  
     
  Ward - as normal 
   
   
    
  Uncanny Sight (instead of 
  Tranquilize) – Slayers gain the ability 
  to see Numenous beings that are 
  otherwise invisible (this ability does 
  not extend to include living creatures).  
  Slayers are also able to sense the 
  presence of both Numenous beings 
  and undead creatures within 20‘ no 
  matter how well they are hidden.  This 
  does not mean they will know exactly 
  where the hidden being is or exactly 
  what they are, but the Slayer will 
  sense that the being is close and there 
  is a 10% chance per level they will be 
  able to identify the nature of the being.   
   
   
  Level 8 
  At 8th level, Priests who fail their 
  Saving Throw will nevertheless only 
  take half the damage or suffer half of 
  the called for results. 
   
  Mental Immunity – as normal 
   
  Levitate - as normal 
   
  Death Curse – as normal 
   
  Revivify – as normal 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  35 
   
  CREATING THE PLAYER 
  CHARACTER 
  Society and Profession 
   
   
  Although it is no longer accepted as a 
  universally valid way of categorizing human societies, 
  the 
  anthropological 
  model 
  of 
  Bands, 
  Tribes, 
  Chiefdoms, States is perfectly useful as a simplified 
  abstraction for the purposes of a game.  All humanoids 
  therefore must be part of one of these broad social 
  categories.   Persons who are members or living within 
  one of the less complex categories may face class and 
  level restrictions.  However, the class and level 
  restrictions apply only to persons living within the 
  given society.  There is no restriction on anybody – 
  beyond common cultural prejudices – who chooses to 
  leave a society and live in another, more complex one.  
  Moving to a simpler society may or may not restrict 
  character growth depending on circumstance. 
   
  Bands – Living in intimate, small groups is the natural 
  state of humanity.  Societies organized as bands travel 
  in small, kin based groups ranging from a single 
  family to 30-50 persons but averaging around 25.  
  These groups often have only very weak leaders, 
  usually the elders of the group.  Individuals are both 
  strongly dependent on the group and highly 
  independent in attitude – meaning nobody does what 
  someone else tells them if they don‘t want to or to 
  which they feel no strong social obligation.  Bands 
  travel large territories in search of food and other 
  resources and rarely stay in one place for more than a 
  few weeks or months at a time.  Housing needs are 
  met with basic shelters that can be erected in a day.  
  Since the time demands of gathering wild foods are 
  usually not great, Band societies often have a great 
  deal of leisure time and they may develop fairly 
  complex social conventions as a result.  They may or 
  may not practice some agriculture but never more than 
  on a very basic,  plant it and leave it level.  Bands do 
  not have access to complex technologies except 
  through trade.  Examples: Inuit, Yanomamo, Aeta, 
  Andamanese 
   
  Tribes are usually larger than bands and are always 
  more organized societies.  A typical tribe may number 
  more than 100 persons.  Tribes have stronger leaders 
  and engage in more purposeful agriculture.  Leaders 
  achieve their positions through impressive behavior 
  which gains the respect of the tribe; some titles may be 
  inherited but real authority never is.  Tribes occupy 
  villages or territories for years, sometimes decades 
  before relocating. Often wealth redistribution and 
  feasting are central and important organizing features 
  of tribal life.  Complex technologies are possible, but 
  limited manpower is always an issue in such 
  endeavors, and specialists are rare.  Examples: Ainu, 
  Sioux, Iroquois 
   
  Chiefdoms are larger still.  Thousands of people are 
  organized together under the leadership of an 
  established aristocracy.  Positions of power are usually 
  inherited and society is stratified into classes.  The 
  society often engages in noteworthy constructions, 
  monumental architecture and so forth.  Law lies in the 
  hands of the aristocracy and is usually unwritten.  
  Justice must often be undertaken by the individual as 
  the mechanisms for enforcement beyond social 
  ostracism are weak.  Virtually any kind of pre 
  industrial technology could be developed in Chiefdom 
  societies. Examples: Vikings prior to 900, Pre 
  Dynastic Egypt, 18th century Hawaii, Mound Builders. 
   
  States are a collection of strong and highly organized 
  institutions; the destruction of one or more of which 
  transforms but does not destroy the state.  Among the 
  hallmarks of states are institutions that coin money.  
  Also. Occupations in states are highly specialized.  
  States demand obedient populations and develop the 
  means to enforce law and order.  All character classes 
  and levels are present in state level societies. 
   
  Skills and Education 
   
  I also wanted to get in something on educating your 
  character so one could learn different skills.”  Dave 
  Arneson, Pegasus Magazine™, Premiere Issue, 
  1981,  Judges Guild Inc. Pg 6   
   
   
   
  Dragons at Dawn does not have a standard list 
  of ―skills‖ for players to choose from.  Nevertheless 
  having a list to serve as a guideline to potential areas 
  of expertise and their effects can be useful and so the 
  following information and skill descriptions found in 
  Appendix I are given in the spirit of example, rather 
  than rule.   My own players continue to make their 
  own unique additions to the education lists, as no 
  doubt will players in every group. 
   
   
  Education can be either Formal or Informal.    
  
   
  36 
   
  Formal Learning 
   
   
   
  Formal skills are those which must be 
  formally studied for long periods of time with a 
  master and/or at a formal location such as a school, a 
  royal court, or within a business.  The average length 
  of time is listed with each skill.  For a character to 
  have these skills they either have to be acquired prior 
  to adventuring (level one) or the character must take a 
  break from adventuring for the designated length of 
  time and have access to a teacher.   
   
  Informal Learning 
   
   
   
  Informal skills are those which could be 
  learned while engaged in other activities, such as 
  adventuring.  Skills that do not require formal 
  learning nevertheless do require that the character has 
  been in a circumstance allowing the learning of the 
  skill.  For example, tracking can be learned informally 
  provided there is a teacher and the character has 
  opportunity to learn.  Tracking could not be learned if 
  the character had been adventuring in an underwater 
  kingdom or trapped in a jailhouse. 
  How to Learn New Skills Formally 
   
   
  To learn a formal skill, the character must find 
  a teacher, go to a school or location where the skill can 
  be learned, and spend an appropriate length of time 
  devoted to learning.  No breaks of more than two 
  consecutive weeks or a total of 2 months in a year may 
  be spent on outside activities, such as adventuring, 
  when a character is engaged in a course of study.  lf 
  more time than this is taken for extracurricular 
  activities, the student will lose 50% of their 
  accumulated time in training in the course and may be 
  fined or penalized by the instructor.   
   
  Attempts to Gain Formal and Informal Knowledge and 
  Skills  
   
   
  The times listed with the skill are the average 
  amount of time it would take to complete the course to 
  the degree of a +1 bonus. These times represent the 
  normal amount of time required to be spent learning.  
  To determine if a Character has learned a formal or 
  informal subject, they must make a successful Brains 
  throw.  A character is allowed three attempts to 
  complete the course. The first attempt may be made 
  before Average Time is expired with a +2 modifier. 
  The second attempt is made at the point where 
  Average Time is reached with no modifier. The final 
  attempt may be made at any reasonable time after the 
  average time at a - 2 modifier.  If all three rolls fail, the 
  character may not attempt the course again for a 
  number of months equal to the average time of the 
  course times three.  
   
  Note that both formal and informal skills 
  require some time to learn.  If circumstance is such 
  that the character would not have the time to learn the 
  skill, or is not in an appropriate place, or does not have 
  a teacher when one is required, then the skill cannot be 
  acquired.   
   
  Education Based On Character Age And Background  
   
   
  In Dragons at Dawn, a random number is 
  generated to determine how many background skills a 
  character has at character creation.  Referees and 
  Players may wish to use the following rule instead for 
  a more realistically backstoried character.   
   
  The Referee and Players must decide on the 
  wealth and social status of the characters before 
  assigning their education.  Middle class characters 
  begin with 4 areas of knowledge/skills.  Very poor 
  characters begin with only 2 and must choose at least 
  one occupational skill that involves manual labor, rich 
  characters start with 6 but may not choose any craft or 
  profession that involves manual labor.   
   
  Players also receive 1-3 extra Education points 
  for every 5 yrs after the age of 15 the character is, to 
  use as they please.  In other words, a new character 
  who is between the age of 15 – 20 gets 1 extra education 
  bonus points to use at character creation, a character 
  20-25 get 2-6 extra points to distribute, character 
  between 25-30 get 3-9 points and so on.  These extra 
  Education points are given only to new 1st level 
  characters.    
   
   
  After their initial education points are 
  determined, characters never again get 
  automatic points.  They must take the 
  time in game to learn new skills or 
  knowledge either formally or informally. 
  Using Skills Together 
   
   
  If players decide to pool their characters skills 
  on a particular task, this can be allowed.  In this case 
  
   
  37 
   
  everyone with the skill will get a Saving Throw with a 
  +1 bonus to the relevant Character Trait. 
  Using Skills in Ignorance 
   
   
  Characters will want to attempt things for 
  which they have no training, but which would 
  normally require training.  For instance, a Warrior 
  may want to attempt to pick a lock.  The Referee may 
  simply allow a Saving Throw versus the Dexterity 
  Trait and another versus Brains, but in such cases it 
  would be normal to apply an appropriate penalty to 
  the scores.  Picking a lock might be considered very 
  difficult for someone who has no idea how to do it.  If 
  the Warrior player argues that he has watched the 
  Thief/Assassin do it a hundred times, the Referee may 
  allow the rolls with no penalty, but in no circumstance 
  would a bonus apply to a character with no skill in the 
  task they are attempting.  
   
  Judging Difficulty Penalties 
   
   
   
  Referees must necessarily develop their own 
  sense of what they think are appropriate bonuses and 
  penalties in the context of their campaign.  As a 
  general guide, a -2 is justified for tasks of significant 
  difficulty;  a -4 would apply to the kind of stunts that 
  only work in Hollywood and -8 should be sufficient 
  for things only a fool or a god would try. 
  Skill and Trait Clashes – Opposed Throws  
   
   
  Situations will arise where characters will 
  attempt opposing actions.  There are two ways of 
  handling such situations in Dragons at Dawn.  Which 
  ever method is used, it must be consistently applied. 
   
   
  The first method calls for two or more 
  Throws- one for each character.  If all the characters 
  involved manage to make successful Throws, then the 
  character with the greatest difference between the 
  Throw and the Character Trait wins.  Ties are ties and 
  nothing is resolved; if necessary have the characters 
  roll again.  
   
  Another, and perhaps better, method is to 
  make the difference between the statistics involved 
  into a positive modifier for the one who has the 
  advantage.  Suppose the town bully - Strength 9 + 2 
  Ringkunst bonus for 11 total - is arm wrestling 
  Nosenrald the Spell caster – Strength 6, no bonus.   
  Working the math, the bully has the advantage by +5 
  so its 11 + 5 = 16 and that‘s an automatic win for him.  
  The bully declares that even his teenage daughter 
  could trounce poor Nosenrald.  Now suppose, the next 
  day, Nosenrald is challenged by the Bully‘s daughter – 
  who only has Strength 5 and no modifying training.  
  Nosenrald - Strength 6 - in this case has a one point 
  advantage.  So that one point difference, added to his 
  Strength (6+1=7).  With Saving throws, equal or over 
  fails, so Nosenrald would have to roll 6 or less to win.  
  If he fails, he loses again.  Of course, the player might 
  be wise to let the daughter win… 
   
   
  
   
  38 
   
   
  Skills  (Appendix I) 
  Informal skills are marked with an (I), formal skills with a (F). 
   
  Brains Skills 
  Arithmetic (F) 
  Craft  (F)  
  Disguise  (I) 
  Fire-Building (I) 
  Forgery (I) 
  Language (I)  
  Listen (I) 
  Death Attack (I) 
  Deflect Missiles (I)  
  Hypnosis (I) 
  Identify (I) 
  Literacy (F) 
  Literacy - nonnative (F) 
  Lip Reading (I) 
  Mapping / Cartography 
  Mimicry (I) 
  Nature/Survival (I)  
  Navigation (I) 
  Pankration 
  Savate (F) 
  Signaling (I) 
  Tracking (I) 
  Sleight of hand (I) 
  Weaving  (I) 
   
   
   
  Strength Skills 
  Berserk Attack (I)  
  Leap (I) 
  Ringkunst (F) 
  Strength Training (I) 
  Health Skills 
  Poison Resistance (I) 
  Repel Undead (I) 
  Swim/diving/Holding Breath (I) 
   
  Dexterity Skills 
  Acrobatics (I) 
  Ambidextrous (I) 
  Art (I)  
  Binding (I) 
  Climb (I) 
  Cavalry (F) 
  Driving (I)  
  Defensive Fighting (I) 
  Escape (I) 
  Ice Skating (I) 
  Nordic/Telemark 
   
  Skiing (I) 
  Open Locks (I) 
  Piloting  (I)  
  Riding (I)  
  Slow Fall (I) 
  Snares/Traps (I) 
  Skulk(I) 
  Weapon Mastery (I)  
   
   
  Cunning Skills 
  Animal Training  (F)  
  Appraise (I)  
  Direction Sense (I) 
  Divination (I) 
  Detect Deception (I) 
  Foresight (I) 
  Hand Signal (I) 
  Law and Justice  (F)  
  Observation (I) 
  Occupations(F) 
  Oration (F) 
  Medicine (F) 
  Memorize (I) 
  Uncanny Sight (I) 
   
  Appearance Skills 
  Acting (I) 
  Impersonate (I) 
  Leadership (I) 
  Music (I)  
  Singing (I) 
  Luck (I) 
   
   
  PLAY OF THE GAME 
  Assigning Object Statistics 
   
   
  There are times when it may not be clear cut 
  what the difficulty of a given task should be for the 
  characters in question.  In these situations an 
  appropriate Characteristic Trait may be assigned to 
  the obstacle the characters are trying to overcome, a 
  locked door, or chests, for example.  Doors might 
  range from flimsy paper thin panels to heavy oak.  If 
  characters are unable to unlock a door they may elect 
  to try to bash it in.  The Referee can assign an 
  appropriate Strength score to the door and resolve the 
  attempt as an Opposed Throw.  So, for example let us 
  say that Nosenrald – Strength 8 – is faced by a 
  moderately sturdy dungeon door that the Referee 
  decides is the equivalent of Strength 7.  Nosenrald‘s 
  attempt to smash in the door can then be resolved as 
  an Opposed Chance Role (see above).   Nosenrald can 
  of course make repeated tries and might also improve 
  his chances using a battering ram. 
   
  Now, suppose poor Nosenrald fails to smash 
  in the door and decides to hack it with an axe.  In such 
  a case, the Referee can assign Hit Point Values to the 
  door – lets say 15 and let Nosenrald attack it with no 
  chance of missing.  Generally, unless the object is 
  really tough – a steel safe, for example – wherein the 
  characters would become fatigued long before it is 
  reduce to 0 Hit Point Values, the Referee should 
  
   
  39 
   
  simply declare Nosenrald successful and move on 
  with the game.  
  When to use Saving Throws 
   
  Realize players should only have to roll if they 
  are doing something where a significant chance of 
  failure is "realistic".  After taking the entire situation 
  into consideration, if the Referee thinks players don't 
  have a significant chance of failing, then there is no 
  need to roll.  
   
   
   
  COMBAT 
   
  Fantasy role Playing began to lack the role playing aspects that the original adventurers 
  enjoyed so much in Blackmoor.  They enjoyed the role playing instead of hacking and 
  slashing the monsters.  They thought up clever tricks and traps instead.  Dave Arneson, 
  Pegasus Magazine™, Premiere Issue, 1981,  Judges Guild Inc. Pg 6.   
   
  Special Combat Conditions 
  Number of Combatants 
  Provided there isn‘t a wall or some other obstructions, up to 6 human sized attackers can engage a single character at 
  a time.  Characters, on the other hand, can stand within melee distance of only so many opponents at a time without 
  penalty, as shown below: 
   
  Level 
  Warriors 
  (and Guardian 
  Monks) 
  Wizard, Elf Mage 
  and Priest 
  Thief Assassin, 
  Merchant, and Sage  
  1 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  2 
  1 
  1 
  3 
  3 
  1 
  2 
  4 
  4 
  2 
  2 
  5 
  4 
  2 
  3 
  6 
  5 
  3 
  3 
  7 
  5 
  3 
  4 
  8 -10 
  6 
  3 
  4 
   
  Any attackers above the number the defender can normally face, will hit automatically each round! 
   
    
  Surprise Attack 
   
  A surprise attack occurs when the defending 
  side is either completely unaware or unsuspecting of 
  the attack.  The attacker gets an automatic +4 Chance 
  To Hit for one round and the defender automatically 
  drops two levels of Morale Condition.  Thereafter the 
  defender- regardless of level - must check Morale at 
  the start of each round.  The bonuses and penalties 
  remain in effect until the defender is able to make 3 
  successive Morale Throws without routing. 
  Climbing 
   
  Characters who are climbing ladders, walls or 
  cliffs suffer an automatic penalty of - 4 to their Armor 
  Class.  If they can manage to get a hand free to 
  attempt to attack with a melee or projectile weapon 
  their opponents get a +3 bonus to their Armor Class. 
  
   
  40 
   
  Invisible Characters 
   
  Invisible characters can only be attacked if 
  their approximate location is known.  Some creatures 
  have powerful senses of smell, echolocation, or 
  electromagnetic detection that may give them a fair 
  idea where an invisible character is.  A general 
  modifier of +4 to the Invisible Creatures Armor Class 
  may be used when the approximate location is known 
  but this should be modified according to the 
  circumstance.   Note that to a blinded character or 
  characters in darkness, all creatures are invisible. 
  Kneeling or Recumbent 
   
  Creatures on their knees, on their backs 
  (supine), face down (prone), or otherwise recumbent 
  suffer a penalty of -3 to their Armor Class and any 
  standing opponents a kneeling or recumbent character 
  attempts to attack with a melee or projectile weapon 
  get a +3 bonus to their Armor Class. 
  Cover 
   
  Complete, 
  impenetrable 
  cover 
  provides 
  complete protection (AC 10) of course.    However, the 
  amount of partial cover a character may have as a 
  percentage determines the amount of protection.   
  Here is how: determine the percentage of cover; divide 
  the number by 10; subtract 1 and add the total to the 
  hiding creature‘s Armor Class.  It may sound 
  complicated but it is really simple.  Example: 
  Nosenrald, wearing only his Spell casters robes and a 
  helmet (AC 2), is hiding behind a rock that gives him 
  50% cover, so dividing 50 by 10 (round up if needed) 
  gives 5.  Subtracting 1 from this yields 4.  Adding 4 to 2 
  (Nosenralds Armor Class) yields 6.  Therefore, hiding 
  behind the rock gives Nosenrald an effective Armor 
  Class of 6.    
  Bronze and Flint Weapons 
   
  Weapons made of bronze inflict the same 
  damage as steel 
  weapons when used against 
  unarmored or cloth armored foes.  However, edged 
  bronze weapons suffer a – 1 to damage rolls per Hit 
  Die against all other types of armor.  Likewise, edged 
  flint weapons suffer a -3 penalty per die to damage 
  against the same types of armor.  
  Contact and Area Damage Weapons 
   
  Weapons that spray, splash, or project an 
  effect – such as a Molotov Cocktail, a jar of acid or an 
  explosive rune carved on a chest – are treated as short 
  range projectile weapons.  As such, any thrown area 
  damage object may receive an education bonus to hit if 
  the thrower is practiced at pitching.      
   
  Damage for Area Damage Weapons is given 
  for two areas - a zone of Direct Effect and a Splash 
  Zone.  The Splash Zone is always double the distance 
  of the Direct Effect zone and ½ as damaging to 
  characters.  For example, a bottle of sulfuric acid does 
  4d6 points of damage in a Zone of Effect of 4 feet and 
  2d6 in a Splash Zone of 8.   
   
  The chance of being hit in the Splash Zone is 
  the same as being in the Direct Effect Zone.   
   
  All characters have a chance to avoid the Area 
  Damage Weapon by making a successful Saving 
  Throw with whatever modifiers the Referee feels are 
  appropriate.   Characters in the Direct Effect Zone 
  must make an Armor Class save.  If that is successful, 
  they must then make a Dexterity save or take Splash 
  Zone damage.  Characters in the Splash Zone who 
  make a successful Dexterity save take no damage.  
   
  The near miss - For thrown Area Damage Weapons 
  that miss their target, there is still a chance that the 
  Area Damage Weapon will land and activate near 
  enough to put the target in the Splash Zone.  To 
  determine if this is the case, the player or Referee 
  representing the throwing character must make a 
  Dexterity save.  To determine where the object landed 
  and who else might be in its Direct Effect and Splash 
  Zones, roll a 1d4 and consult the table below. 
   
   
  D6 
  Location  
   
  1 
  falls short and lands to the 
  front of the target 
  2 
  overshoots to the rear 
  3 
  wide to the left 
  4 
  wide to the right 
     
   
  Shield Wall 
  Three or more characters standing side by side 
  with shields overlapping edge to edge and engaged in 
  purely Defensive Fighting may add 2 points to their 
  Armor Class.   
  Fighting with a Cloak 
  Using a cloak, jacket, towel, or the like imparts 
  a 1 point bonus to Armor Class if used defensively in 
  hand to hand combat.  If used offensively, the cloak 
  may entangle the opponent‘s weapon, causing them to 
  
   
  41 
   
  miss their attack that round and there is a chance they 
  could be disarmed.  To see, make a Saving Throw 
  against Dexterity for both attacker and defender.  
  Both results must favor the attacker for the 
  entanglement to succeed.    
  Fighting Withdrawal 
  Characters may freely back away from a fight 
  while continuing to engage in melee - making a 
  fighting withdrawal.  However, any character making 
  a fighting withdrawal due to severe injury will 
  automatically cause all nearby friendly companions 
  involved in the fight to make a Morale Throw at a -1 
  penalty. 
  Rout 
  Anyone (or thing) who turns and bolts 
  automatically gains a -3 to their Armor Class and 
  looses any shield Armor Class benefit they may have 
  for as long as they run.   
  Unarmed Combat 
   
  The Combat method for humanoids who are 
  fighting unarmed is the same as armed combat except 
  that damage is an automatic 1 Hit Point Value + any 
  strength or other modifiers.  For every Education 
  Bonus point characters have in Savate, they may add 
  an additional Hit Point Value of damage.  
  Wrestling 
  The Combat method for humanoids who are 
  attempting to wrestle, throw, toss, grab, grapple, or 
  take an opponent to the ground is exactly the same as 
  armed combat except that any Armor Class benefit 
  received by body armor is completely negated.  Shields 
  however, continue to give their normal Armor Class 
  benefit.   So, for example, Nosenrald – a human with 
  no skill at Ringkunst - is wearing chainmail AC 5  and 
  carrying a shield (AC3) rendering a wrestling Armor 
  Class rating of AC 3 because of the shield.  Without 
  the shield, Nosenralds wrestling AC would be 1.  Note 
  that having an education in Ringkunst changes Armor 
  Class, as noted in the Ringkunst description. 
  Once AC adjustments have been made the 
  combat chance to hit rolls are made normally.  A 
  successful hit indicates the wrestler was successful at 
  engaging the defender and the wrestler may roll 1d2 
  points of damage plus any Ringkunst Education bonus 
  the wrestler may possess.    Other attackers may 
  attempt to attack normally or may also attempt to 
  wrestle the defender.  In either case they will attack at 
  +2 to Fighting Strength.  
   
  However any additional attackers who miss 
  the engaged defender are considered to have 
  automatically hit the wrestling attacker instead, and 
  must roll damage against them!   
  Further, any wrestling attempts against a 
  defender which fail result in the attacker being 
  ―thrown off‖ for 1d2 points of damage + any 
  Ringkunst Education bonus. 
  When the time comes in the combat round for 
  the defender locked in a wrestling grip with an 
  attacker, to counterattack, a normal attack roll is 
  made, and a successful hit indicates the defender has 
  thrown off the attacker for 1d2 points of damage + any 
  Ringkunst Education bonus.  
   
  Dressing Wounds 
  Whenever a character has lost 5 or more Hit 
  Point Values from damage in a single encounter, or 
  50% of their total if the character has less than 9 Hit 
  Point Values, the character can bandage their wounds 
  or allow another to do so.   The encounter must be 
  over and, the players must make it clear to the Referee 
  who is being bandaged and who is doing it.  It is not 
  automatic.  The procedure is to roll a 4 sided die.  The 
  result is then restored to the character‘s Hit Point 
  Value total.  Note that the character must have access 
  to some means of dressing the wounds, such as strips 
  of cloth, water, healing salves or herbs, a first aid kit 
  or some such.  Dressing Wounds takes 1 round for 
  every Hit Point Value restored.  The effects of 
  Dressing Wounds can be combined with any 
  miraculous or alchemical healing provided the ―first 
  aid‖ is, in fact, done first.  Dressing Wounds can only 
  occur when characters are resting and may be done 
  only once.  However, emergency bandaging may be 
  allowed during a fight to save the life of a character 
  reduced to 0 HP.  The character doing the emergency 
  care is themselves subject to a +4 Chance To Hit while 
  wrapping the bandages, etc.  Emergency bandaging 
  done during a battle may not be repeated for any 
  additional benefit after the battle. 
   
  Helmets and Head Hits 
  Anyone in armor (or just carrying a shield) 
  but not wearing a helmet or wearing a helmet of a 
  lesser class than their body armor has a 10% chance of 
  being hit in the head per successful attack against 
  them.  Persons wearing metal helms are not affected 
  by this rule.   Hits to the head of persons affected by 
  the rule mean they can only make the Armor Class 
  
   
  42 
   
  Saving Throw against Armor Class 1 (no armor) with 
  no modifiers allowed. 
   
  Fumbles 
  On any roll of a natural 12 when rolling for hit 
  probability, there is a possibility of a fumble.  Roll a 
  2d6; on a 6 there is no fumble; treat original roll as a 
  normal 12.  On any other number 2 through 12 the 
  character has fumbled – refer to the chart below for 
  results using the raw number rolled.  A fumble always 
  misses the opponent  
   
   
  Fumble Table 
   
  10-12.     
   
  Character 
  is 
  knocked 
  unconscious for 1 – 100 rounds 
   
  8-9     
   
  Weapon twists or bends or 
  otherwise malfunctions or loss 
  of use of natural weapons from 
  natural causes (sprain, etc.).  
  Requires 1d6 rounds to restore 
  normal function. 
   
  7 
  Weapon breaks.   
   
  5 
  Hit nearest object or ally, 1/4 
  damage; 50% chance weapon is 
  stuck for 1d6 rounds. 
   
  6 
  Close one, but no fumble. 
   
  4 
  Hit self; 1/3 damage. 
   
  3-2     
   
  Stumbled.  Make Saving Throw 
  vs. Dexterity or fall recumbent. 
   
   
  Critical Hits 
   
  Dave Arneson created a hit location system 
  that proved a bit unwieldy and too deadly in practice 
  and it has been rarely used.  Nevertheless, some of the 
  details of that system lend themselves quite well to a 
  more nuanced critical hits system.  Frequency of hit 
  location was determined by me through forensic data 
  from skeletal material from battle of Visby casualties. 
  A combat roll of a natural 2 indicates a critical 
  hit may have occurred.  Roll a 1d10 and refer to the 
  chart below for the results indicated by the number 
  rolled.  A Critical Hit always hits the opponent 
  regardless of its Armor Class although an AC saving 
  throw should be allowed as normal.  The only 
  exceptions are targets that can only be damaged by 
  particular types of weapons and the character is not 
  using a weapon capable of hitting it.  (Note: right and 
  left below should be reversed if the attacking character 
  is left handed.) 
   
   
  1 
  Strike on right arm or equivalent; 
  arm severed if damage exceeds 
  more than 1/3 of the character‘s 
  remaining Hit Point Values, 
  causing the further loss of ¼ of 
  the character‘s remaining HPVs 
  per round unless immediate 
  medical or miraculous attention is 
  applied.  Severed limb reduces 
  Dexterity, and Strength Traits by 
  1/3rd. 
   
   
  2 
  Strike on left arm or equivalent; 
  arm severed if damage exceeds 
  more than 1/3  of the character‘s 
  remaining Hit Point Values, 
  causing the further loss of ¼ of 
  the character‘s remaining Hit 
  Point Values per round unless 
  immediate medical or miraculous 
  attention is applied.  Severed limb 
  reduces Dexterity, and Strength 
  Traits by 1/3rd. 
   
  3,4 
  Strike on right leg or equivalent; 
  leg severed if damage exceeds 
  more than ¼ of the character‘s 
  remaining Hit Point Values, 
  causing the further loss of ¼ of 
  the character‘s remaining HPVs 
  per round unless immediate 
  medical or miraculous attention is 
  applied.  Severed limb reduces 
  Dexterity, and Strength Traits by 
  1/3rd. 
   
  5-7 
   Strike on left leg or equivalent; 
  leg severed if damage exceeds 
  more than ¼ of the character‘s 
  remaining Hit Point Values, 
  causing the further loss of ¼ of 
  
   
  43 
   
  the character‘s remaining Hit 
  Point Values per round unless 
  immediate medical or miraculous 
  attention is applied.  Severed limb 
  reduces Dexterity, and Strength 
  Traits by 1/3rd. 
   
  8-10 
  Head wound, instant reduction to 
  0 Hit Point Values if damage 
  exceeds more than ¼ of the 
  character‘s remaining Hit Point 
  Values, otherwise the character is 
  knocked unconscious for 1 – 50 
  rounds. 
   
   
   
  Effects 0f Lost Limbs 
   
  Leg 
   
  Loss of a leg slows movement to a crawl for 
  bipeds (1/4 movement reduction for quadrupeds) and 
  reduces Dexterity, and Strength Trait by 1/3rd.   
   
  Two Limbs 
   
  Loss of an arm and a leg or two legs severely 
  reduces movement to a ½ speed crawl or roll, reduces 
  Dexterity by ¾, and causes loss of ½ of the characters 
  remaining Hit Point Values per round unless 
  immediate medical or miraculous attention is applied. 
   
  Primary Hand 
   
  Loss of primary hand (usually the right hand) 
  in non ambidextrous characters means the automatic 
  loss of all weapon mastery skills. 
   
  Arm 
   
  Loss of either arm prevents any use of bows or 
  the loading of crossbows. 
   
  Two Arms 
  Loss of two arms causes loss of ½ of the characters 
  remaining Hit Point Values per round unless 
  immediate medical or miraculous attention is applied. 
   
  Wing 
  Loss of a wing prevents any ability to fly and reduces 
  the Dexterity Trait by 1/3rd.  
   
  Tail 
  Loss of a tail or other appendage reduces the Dexterity 
  Trait by 1/3rd. 
    
  Sustaining Accumulative Damage 
  When Hit Point Values drop below ½ due to 
  physical injury, 1 point is removed from the Dexterity 
  score and movement rates are cut in half.  When Hit 
  points drop below ¼ due to physical injury, 2 points 
  (total, not in addition to any points already removed) 
  are removed from the dexterity score and movement 
  rate is reduced to ¼ of normal. (The above rule 
  derived from principles found in Supplement II of the 
  1974 rules.) 
   
  Death And Dying 
   
  Upon reaching 0 Hit Points, Non Player 
  Characters of 1 HD or less are unconscious.   For each 
  level a character has (and optionally NPC‘s), +1, they 
  can survive damage below zero Hit Point Values 
  provided they receive medical or magical care within 1 
  turn.  Thus a 1st level PC is unconscious at -2 and dead 
  at -3, a 2nd level PC is unconscious at -3 and dead at -4, 
  
   
  44 
   
  etc.  A healing potion or cure spell restores 
  consciousness and Hit Point Values immediately. 
  Surrender and Bribery: 
   
  Even animals and creatures of limited Brains 
  will often attempt to run instead of die.  Any character 
  can, of course, offer to surrender at any time or 
  attempt to bribe opponents with treasure; their 
  opponent need not stop fighting or even consider the 
  offer if they wouldn‘t want to.     
   
  Damage while Immobilized or Diseased 
   
  The initial Hit Point Values a character has at 
  level 1 is considered their Base Health score.  If a 
  character (PC or NPC) is immobilized for any reason 
  (turned to stone, paralyzed, knocked unconscious, etc.) 
  their HPV‘s temporarily revert to whatever they were 
  at level 1, no matter what level they may have 
  advanced to.  Similarly, any NATURAL diseases also 
  damage only the characters Base Health score, making 
  it just as likely for the 10th level Thief/Assasin to die 
  of plague as the 0 level barmaid.  However, characters 
  get their full Hit Point Values when afflicted with 
  Magical diseases.   
   
  Deadly Situations  
   
  As with diseases, characters caught in deadly 
  situations revert to their base level 1 Hit Point Values.  
  The exact nature of the situations will vary and must 
  be announced as a deadly situation by the Referee.  
  Common examples include being caught under a 
  descending ceiling and being held with a knife to the 
  throat.  Generally the character may receive a Saving 
  Throw, for instance if attempting to escape, but failure 
  to get out of the situation may mean damage will be 
  taken.  All damage will apply to the characters level 1 
  base Hit Point Values and may very well result in 
  character death, regardless of level. 
   
  FALLING 
   
  Damage from falling is determined by rolling 
  a six-sided die for every ―level‖; that is, every 10 feet 
  to a hard surface or every 20 feet if the fall is broken 
  by water or some yielding substance.  Those falling 
  must make saving throws, one chance out of six for 
  every level fallen in which damage could be sustained.  
   
  Falling Save Table 
   
  Level Fallen 
   
  Numbers needed on 1d6 
  1 
  2-6 
  2 
  3-6 
  3 
  4-6 
  4 
  5-6 
  5 
  6 
  6+ 
  7 
   
  For a fall of 6 levels, the character would save 
  and take no damage if a 7 or higher were rolled on a 
  1d6, and while that is normally impossible, a DM 
  could assign bonuses based on circumstance that 
  might make it possible. Otherwise falls of 6 levels or 
  more automatically fail the save and damage is d6 per 
  level fallen. 
   
  POISON  
   
  Poisons in Dragons at Dawn usually do not 
  kill instantly.  Instead poisons have the following: 
   
  a damage rating 
  an incubation period 
  a duration 
  a Throw penalty or bonus 
   
  The damage rating tells what die to use when 
  calculating damage and the duration will be a number 
  of rounds, turns or days the poison lasts and how 
  frequently to calculate damage.  Prior to every damage 
  calculation, the character will get a Saving Throw 
  against their Health Score, modified by the amount 
  specified by the poisons‘ Throw penalty.   Referees are 
  encouraged to make poisons that reflect the flavor of 
  their game world, but a few from my own campaign 
  are listed in Appendix VII as examples. 
  Poison Types 
  (adapted with appreciation from Roger from Australia: 
  http://heroesonly.com/handling-poison) 
   
  Generally in pre-industrial societies, a few 
  dozen plant-based poisons may typically have been 
  know, but rarely were more than one or two known 
  that were really powerful.  Further, the majority of 
  
   
  45 
   
  poisons had to be administered in numerous doses 
  over time because they are not themselves strong 
  enough to kill in a single dose, and are basically useless 
  when applied to weapons.  Most plant based poisons 
  also won‘t be effective in ancient traps in tombs 
  because they break down within a couple of years (or 
  sometimes, within days.)  And only a very, very few 
  are fast enough acting to be useful in combat.   
  The following are all based on real poisons 
  known historically.  Rather than give specific names, a 
  type is given.  This way the Referee can use whatever 
  naming conventions desired followed by one of the 
  types listed below.  Each Type description is that of a 
  specific, unnamed poison, but the description and 
  symptoms can be changed as desired to create 
  different poisons of the same general type. 
   
  TYPE I. Mineral poisons: Very stable poisons that can 
  remain potent in a trap for centuries.  Based on a real 
  poison that was fairly well known in mediaeval and 
  Renaissance Europe.  Lethal dose is about 3 grains. 
  • 
  Description: crusting of fine white 
  powder stuck on the blade with some 
  binder; sharp metallic taste followed 
  by soreness in the part that touched it. 
  • 
  Saving Throw: +1d4 (many people 
  have a mild tolerance.) 
  • 
  Incubation: 1d4 hours (although it 
  immediately causes pain in the wound 
  and irritation in the surrounding skin) 
  • 
  Duration: 1d4 days 
  • 
  Damage: -1d4 Health/ day, death 
  through heart failure if Health reaches 
  0. 
  • 
  Symptoms: Headache, vertigo and 
  nausea; progressing to jaundice 
  (yellowing of the skin), exhaustion, 
  and severe shortness of breath. 
   
  TYPE II. Typical arrow poisons: while common in 
  legend, only a handful of real ones exist.  This 
  example is based on one which was actually used in 
  Europe, China and India, mainly for hunting (it is too 
  slow to be really effective in combat): 
  • 
  Description: A lethal dose is nearly 
  invisible on a blade.  Extremely bitter 
  taste, causes numbness to lips. 
  • 
  Saving Throw: -1d4 
  • 
  Incubation: 1d6 minutes 
  • 
  Duration: 10d6 minutes 
  • 
  Damage: -1d4 Strength / 10 minutes, 
  commence drowning damage when 
  STR = 0 (total paralysis, including 
  chest muscles). 
  • 
  Symptoms: A numbing, tingling 
  sensation starts near the wound site 
  and gradually spreads outwards.  
  Death is eventually due to cardiac 
  arrest or respiratory failure. 
   
  TYPE III. ―Instant‖ arrow poisons: one major reason 
  that poisoned weapons have never been popular is that 
  there are very, very few poisons that work fast enough 
  to actually be useful in melee combat.  None at all 
  were known in mediaeval China or Europe.   The 
  example below is based on a real one from South 
  America; it is one of the fastest acting poisons known, 
  and note that it still isn‘t actually ―instant‖ at practical 
  arrow dosages: 
  • 
  Description: minimum lethal dose is 
  invisible.  Crude form appears as 
  milky sap. 
  • 
  Saving Throw: 0 (Just to give the 
  suckers an even break; in reality, you 
  don‘t survive this unless a friend has 
  the antidote.) 
  • 
  Incubation: 4d6 rounds 
  • 
  Duration: 1d4 hours 
  • 
  Damage: -1d10 Strength / round, 
  commence drowning damage when 
  STR = 0 (total paralysis, including 
  chest muscles). 
  • 
  Symptoms: No other effects, but the 
  sensation of paralysed breathing 
  muscles is terrifying. 
   
  TYPE IV. Typical plant based poisons added to food.  
  There are literally thousands of plant based materials, 
  and a few animals, that will make anyone deathly sick 
  or dead who eats them, so the Referee can wax lyrical 
  on the precise effects.     
  a) all but the most potent need several 
  spoonfuls somehow slipped into 
  someone‘s dinner; 
  b) most taste absolutely awful 
  (probably an adaptation to stop you 
  eating them accidentally), so they need 
  to be masked with strongly flavored 
  foods; 
  c) *NONE* of them work quickly, 
  and many take days to kill. 
  The example below is based on a poison used 
  in many real life murders, possibly including the 
  assassinations of several emperors, popes and tsars.  
  
   
  46 
   
  One advantage for the assassin is that, unlike most 
  plant based oral poisons, it actually tastes nice. 
   
  • 
  Description: about an ounce of pulped 
  vegetable, off-white with a very 
  faintly greenish hue. Smells slightly of 
  honey. 
  • 
  Saving Throw: 0 
  • 
  Incubation: 4d6 hours (no precursor 
  symptoms at all.) 
  • 
  Duration: First phase, 1d4 days.  
  Second phase, 2d8 days. 
  • 
  Damage: -2 penalties to Fighting 
  Strength due to illness in first phase. -1 
  Health per day in 2nd phase.  If victim 
  survives, 50% of this loss cannot be 
  healed naturally. 
  • 
  Symptoms: First phase, stomach pain, 
  vomiting and diarrhea.  The victim 
  then appears to get better for about a 
  day, but then begins to suffer diarrhea, 
  jaundice (yellowing of the skin), and 
  headaches progressing to delirium, 
  seizures, then coma, and finally death. 
   
   
  POISONED WEAPONS 
   
  If a hit is scored by a poisoned weapon, the 
  victim must make a Saving Throw and also take the 
  normal number of damage points indicated by the die 
  roll.  If they make their saving throw, the poison failed 
  to penetrate, but if the character does not make the 
  Saving Throw, they are poisoned, and take additional 
  damage according to the type of poison used. 
    Characters may freely use poisoned weapons, 
  but there is a 50% chance each turn such a weapon is 
  displayed that any person in viewing range of it (10‘ or 
  less) will recognize that the weapon has poison and 
  react with ferocity, gaining a +4 Fighting Strength and 
  +4 points of damage when a hit occurs on the bearer of 
  the poisoned weapon. 
   
  FATIGUE 
   
   
  Even heroes get tired:   
   
  Activity 
  Rest Required 
   
  5 days of overland travel 
   
   
  1 day 
  5 turns of normal movement 
   
  1 turn 
  2 turns of running 
   
  1 turn 
  3 rounds (minutes) of combat 
  per level, tests of strength, 
  climbing (unskilled) 
  1 round per level 
   
  Failure to rest results in fatigue.  Fatigued 
  characters fight less effectively.  Strength and 
  Dexterity suffer a -1. Fatigued characters must also 
  subtract 2 from all Hit Rolls and Damage Rolls, drop 1 
  Morale Condition automatically, before any throws 
  are made, and drop to 1/3 normal movement rate. 
   
  Terrain Modifiers 
   
  Woods: 
  Visibility is reduced to 25% when trees have leaves; 
  75% if bare. 
  Projectile distances (except throwing spear) reduced 
  by 50% 
  
   
  47 
   
  Riding mounts and flying 10% cumulative chance 
  against hitting a tree limb, can be avoided with a 
  successful Dexterity Saving Throw at a -1 penalty. 
   
  Gentle Slopes and Ladders  
  On approximately 10 to 44 degree slopes, uphill 
  movement reduced by 1/3.  Going downhill does not 
  affect movement rate. 
   
   
  Steep and Treacherous Slopes, Cliffs, Walls, Ropes, 
  Webs, etc.  
  On approximately 44 to 90 degree slopes, uphill 
  movement is reduced by 2/3rds.  Downhill movement 
  is reduced by 1/3.  Wheeled vehicles and untrained 
  horses cannot cross this terrain either uphill or 
  downhill.  
   
  Mountains: 
  Movement rate reduced by 25%. 
   
  Swamp: 
  Movement reduced to 1/3 of normal.  No Charging. 
   
  Fences and Trenches and Broken ground 
  Movement reduced by ½ 
   
  Rivers and Creeks 
  Movement reduced by ½.  All melee combat receives 
  a +2 penalty to Armor Class rating. 
   
  Underwater/swimming  
   
  The swimming movement rate for most land 
  based 
  creatures 
  (excepting 
  those 
  with 
  aquatic 
  adaptations) is ¼ their normal movement rate. 
    
  Swimming underwater further slows the 
  character.  Movement should then be reduced to 
  smaller units.  If the surface movement rate is being 
  measured in yards, underwater it will be measured in 
  feet; if meters are used for the surface rate, the 
  underwater rate will be decameters, etc.  Thus, a 
  character who swims at 22 meters per round on the 
  surface will swim at 22 decameters per round 
  underwater. No projectile weapons may be used 
  except crossbows and their range is reduced to point 
  blank and short.  All attacks result in half damage.   
  Shields are useless.  No fire - except magical - will 
  function.  Any release of Electrical energy (like a 
  lightning bolt spell) can not be directed but will 
  instead effect the entire area and everyone in it.  
   
   
  Armor and Burdens While Swimming  
   
   
  Wearing 
  armor 
  and/or 
  being 
  heavily 
  encumbered creates a chance of drowning.  Characters 
  in water have a 50% chance to shed their armor before 
  being dragged down.  Roll once per turn in the water. 
  Failure to remove armor or burdens results in the 
  chances of drowning given in the table below: 
   
   
  Armor or Weight Allowance 
  Chance of 
  Drowning 
   
  Plate or more than 25% Encumbered 
  100% 
   
  Chain-Type or 25% Encumbered 
   
  80% 
   
  Leather  or 20% Encumbered 
   
  20% 
   
  Unskilled swimmer or Storm* 
   
  +50% 
   
   
  *In a storm or for individuals who have not learned to swim, add 50% to the chance of drowning given.  
  Unencumbered characters in no armor will still have a 50% chance of drowning in a storm.  Unskilled swimmers 
  caught in a storm face a 100% certainty of drowning. 
   
  Only weapons that can be held in the teeth or buoyant weapons (wooden, usually) can be carried when swimming, 
  otherwise, the hands must be unencumbered. 
   
   
  
   
  48 
   
  Light and Vision 
   
  Adventure role playing games are most often 
  played around a table indoors under electric lights, or 
  at the very least under circumstances where there is 
  plenty of light to read by.  These sorts of 
  circumstances can make it easy to forget that many 
  adventuring situations are dark and shadowy and lit 
  with flickering flames or eerie magical glows.  What is 
  important to remember about this is not just the 
  atmosphere, but the limits to what the characters can 
  and cannot clearly see. 
   
  The 
  chart 
  below 
  lists 
  common 
  vision 
  circumstances and the distance to which characters 
  can see clearly. 
   
   
  Vision Circumstance 
  Vision Radius in feet 
   
   
  Starlight 
  35 
   
  Moonlight (full to half full) 
  150 
   
  Moonlight (1/4 to half full) 
  80 
   
  Bonfire 
  40 
   
  Torch 
  15 
   
  Candle/lamp 
  8 
   
  Mirrored Lantern 
  25‘ in ½ radius (not a full circle) 
   
  Characters may also be able to dimly see reflective objects at up to twice these distances.  Such objects include gems, 
  shiny metal, and yes, eyes.   
   
  
   
  49 
   
   
  Food and Water 
   
  Often the fact that characters are taking care 
  of their basic bodily functions is simply assumed.  It is 
  not too unusual, however, for the adventuring part to 
  become involved in situations where the basic staples 
  of life can not simply be assumed.  Traveling in a vast 
  parching desert, for example, will require the party to 
  have sufficient supplies of food and water with them.  
  What 
  counts 
  as 
  sufficient 
  will 
  depend 
  on 
  circumstance and the environment.   
  A general rule for water is one quart per 
  person per day, minimum.  Lack of water results in the 
  loss of ¼ total Hit Point Values and a 1 point penalty 
  on all Saving Throws and Fighting Strength per day 
  lacking water, cumulatively.  Thus the fourth day will 
  see the character reduced to 0 HPV and likely to die if 
  unaided. 
  Food is not as critical, but characters who eat 
  less than 1000 calories a day (varying by size, climate, 
  activity, etc.) will loose 1 Health point every 2 Days.  
  If reduced to 2 or less Hit Point Values, the character 
  must make a Health Saving Throw or become 
  unconscious, and will loose the last two points at a 
  rate of one per day.  If reduced to 0 HPV, the 
  character is dead.  Every decent meal a starving 
  character eats will restore ¼ of their Hit Point Values.  
  Certain vitamin deficiencies, such as scurvy, 
  might also be an issue in some campaigns and should 
  be kept track of when appropriate.  A character who 
  lacks vitamin C in their diet has a 25% chance of 
  contracting scurvy after 4 months with an additional 
  25% per month thereafter (100% at 7 months).  Scurvy 
  prevents any non-magical healing and reduces the 
  characters Hit Point Values by half for every week it 
  remains untreated, until the character is dead. 
   
  TRAVEL OUTDOORS AND 
  GETTING LOST 
   
   
  Much of the characters time is likely to be 
  spent travelling overland.  If the player characters 
  venture out of sight of a trail, road or marked path, 
  without a guide or map, they may have to make 
  Navigation Throws and may very well get lost.    
  If there is some way for the players to navigate 
  or landmarks to follow they will not be lost but may 
  require a Navigation Throw.  If, on the other hand, 
  they have no guide or reference a throw to see if they 
  are lost is required.  Since knowing the true direction 
  one is travelling in is often in question for the players, 
  the referee must track where and how the PCs actually 
  move.  
  Navigation Throw - If the characters are able to 
  see the sun, stars, a river valley, etc and the players 
  state they are observing such orienteering aids, the 
  players may be led to believe their characters are 
  moving in a stated direction.   Whether they are 
  actually moving in that direction depends somewhat 
  on the judgement of the Referee.  Any party of 
  travelers in unknown territory and without roads, 
  markers and modern devices like a compass, could 
  easily be as far as 45 degrees off even though carefully 
  observing the direction of the sun etc.  When, in the 
  judgement of the Referee a Navigation Throw is called 
  for, the Referee must roll a d6, apply any appropriate 
  modifiers, and consult the table below: 
   
   
   
  Navigation Throw Table: 
   
  Die Roll 
  Travel  
  1-2 
  Drifting  Right 
  3-4 
  Drifting Left 
  5-6 
  Moving Straight  
   
   
  Getting Lost - If there are no direction 
  indicators or navigational aids or the characters are not 
  actively noticing them, there is a chance they may get 
  lost, depending on the terrain type.  A roll must be 
  made to see if the players are lost every time they stop 
  to rest or at least twice a day.  Roll a d6 add or subtract 
  any appropriate modifiers, and consult the following 
  table: 
   
  Chance to be Lost by Terrain Type: 
   
  Terrain 
  Die Roll 
  Clear  
  1 
  Woods 
  1-2 
  River 
  1 
  Swamp/Jungle 
  1-3 
  Mountains 
  1-2 
  Desert 
  1-3 
   
   
  If the roll is outside the number or range 
  shown on the table, the group continues to travel in 
  the direction desired, but the Referee may nevertheless 
  feel a Navigation Throw is called for. 
  
   
  50 
   
  Direction Checks - If the number rolled falls 
  within the range indicated on the Chance to be Lost 
  table the characters are lost and a Direction Check 
  must immediately be made by the referee.  Further 
  Direction Checks must be made every time the players 
  stay in one location for one turn or longer.  To make a 
  Direction Check, roll a d6 and consult the table: 
   
  Direction Check Table 
   
  1-2 
  Wandering in 1d6 
  mile Circles 
  Clockwise   
   
  3-4 
  Wandering in 1d6 
  mile Circles Counter 
  Clockwise   
   
  5-6 
  Moving Straight in a 
  Random Direction  
   
  On a result of 5 or 6 – Moving Straight in a 
  random direction - the referee must next roll a 1d6 and 
  consult the Random Direction Table to determine 
  exactly which way the characters are going, regardless 
  of the direction they think they may be heading. 
   
  Random Direction Table 
   
  Roll 
  Direction of 
  Actual Travel 
   
  1 
  North 
  2 
  Northeast 
  3 
  Southeast 
  4 
  South 
  5 
  Southwest 
  6 
  Northwest 
   
  Note that being lost is not necessarily a bad 
  thing, in that it can provide an opportunity for the 
  Referee to introduce an adventure to the players they 
  would otherwise have missed. 
   
   
  MAGIC 
   
  Concentration 
  For Elf Mages to cast a spell, or for Wizards to 
  use an at will ability or magic item, the spell caster 
  must concentrate.  If something threatens to interrupt 
  the Spell caster‘s concentration as they attempt to cast 
  a spell, the spell caster must succeed on a 
  Concentration Saving Throw or fail and lose the spell 
  points/spell without casting the spell.  
   
  The table lists common interruptions to 
  concentration and the appropriate Throw. 
   
   
  Spell Concentration Table 
   
  Disturbance 
  Saving Throw Target Number (2d6 -2) 
   
   
  Injury 
  From 12, subtract both the points of damage taken by the 
  caster, and the spell point cost of the spell being cast. 
  Spell attack 
  Caster Level 
  Grappling or Pinned 
  Level of the spell caster 
  Jostling Motion or Noise 
  Caster Cunning  
  
   
  51 
   
   
  Schools of Magic 
   
  There are seven schools of magic: 
   
  Earth 
  Air 
  Water 
  Energy 
  Obviation  
  Organic/Miracles 
  Illusion  
   
  Magic is magic.  Magic, regardless of type is 
  the manipulation of the raw, mindless spirit energy of 
  the Numenous world.   The difference in types of 
  Magic User or Priest has more to do with the nature of 
  the means of manipulation, not the numenous energy 
  itself.  
  There is no difference in the magic behind 
  each school.  Rather, the schools represent broad 
  groupings of similar kinds of spells.  Spell casters may 
  learn spells from any group, but some will choose to 
  specialize in one or two. 
  A wizard who specializes gains a +5% bonus 
  on Spell Failure Throws per level or an Elf Mage who 
  specializes subtracts 1 point per level of the caster up to 
  6 points total, from the spell cost of spells of the 
  chosen school.  Note that this can never reduce spell 
  point costs to less than 1.  
  To specialize in a particular school the spell 
  caster must choose to do so at 1st level.  
   
  Earth: Spells that deal directly with the soil, 
  metal and rock. 
   
  Water: Spells that manipulate liquids. 
   
  Air: Spells that manipulate aspects of the 
  atmosphere, gaseous forms, and wind. 
   
  Energy:  Possibly the most common sorts of 
  spells, Energy spells channel the magic of fire, 
  electricity, temperature, light, time, and space. 
   
  Obviation:  Spells that prevent some other 
  action, protect, block, or banish or create an 
  absence of some kind such as darkness.  
   
  Organic/Miracles: Spells that effect the living 
  things of nature; grant control over animals 
  and plants and or allow communion between 
  them and the spellcaster.  Miracles in 
  particular are able to alter the very nature of 
  reality such as turning water into wine. 
   
  Illusion: Spells that create false images and 
  false perceptions.  
   
   
   
   
   
  Original Dragons at Dawn Spells by 
  School 
   
  Earth 
   
  Conjuration of an Elemental (V) 
  Air 
   
  Conjuration of an Elemental (V) 
   
  Water  
   
  Conjuration of an Elemental (V) 
  
   
  52 
   
  Energy 
   
  Cause Morale Check (II) 
  Conjuration of an Elemental (V) 
  Detection (II) 
  Evil Detection (II)  
  Extra-sensory Perception (IV) 
  Fireball (III) 
  Fly (III) 
  Invulnerability (VI) 
  Lightning Bolt (III) 
  Locate Object (II) 
  Teleport (V) 
  Wizard Light (I) 
  X ray Vision (I) 
  Obviation 
   
  Darkness (I) 
  Protection against Magic (III) 
  Protection against Lycanthropes (III) 
  Protection against Undead (III) 
  Raise Morale (V) 
  Re-Direct Edged Weapons (IV) 
  Resistance to Fire (I) 
  Organic 
   
  Animal Obedience (II) 
  Boost Reaction Time (I)  
  Brains Increase (VI) 
  Cause Panic (V) 
  Clone (VI) 
  Combat Increase(V) 
  Decay (V) 
  Food (VI) 
  Heroism (VI) 
  Human Obedience (VI) 
  Invulnerability (V) 
  Move Silently (III) 
  Paralyze (VI) 
  Read Emotions (I) 
  See in Darkness (IV) 
  Shape Changing (IV) 
  Size (IV) 
  Speak with Animals (II) 
  Speak with Plants (IV) 
  Speed (III) 
  Strength (V) 
  Truth (IV) 
   
  Illusion 
   
  Appearance (IV) 
  Concealment (III) 
  Detect and Open Secret Doors (III) 
  Illusion (II) 
  Invisibility (IV) 
  Project image (VI) 
   
   
  New Spells by Level 
   
  Level 1 
   
  Change Colors (Illusion) 
  Command Rope (Energy)  
  Nudge (Energy) 
  Trip Trap (Obviation) 
   
  Level 2 
   
  Detect Secret (Energy) 
  Find Precious Metal (Earth) 
  Find Precious Stones (Earth) 
  Flame Whip (Energy) 
  Giant Leap (Organic) 
  Lock/Unlock (Obviation) 
  MageSpark (Energy) 
  Metal Location (Earth) 
  Return Weapon (Energy) 
  Ritual Sacrifice (Energy) 
  Shape Water (Water) 
  Telescopic Vision (Organic) 
  Ventriloquism (Illusion) 
  Web Strand (Earth) 
   
  Level 3 
   
  Accelerate (Energy) 
  Detect Outline (Energy) 
  Disguise (Illusion) 
  Duplicates (Illusion) 
  Fog (Water) 
  Hide Odor (Obviation) 
  Magic Shield (Energy) 
  Telekinesis (Energy) 
  Telepathy (Organic) 
  Water Walking (Water) 
  Web Net (Earth) 
   
   
  
   
  53 
   
  Level 4 
   
  Boil (Water) 
  Cold (Energy) 
  Control Gasses (Air) 
  Protection (Obviation) 
  Rain (Water) 
  Reflect Bolt (Energy) 
  See in Darkness (Organic) 
  Silence (Obviation) 
  Slow (Energy) 
  Spider Fingers (Organic)  
  Substitutiary Locomotion (Energy) 
  Trail (Organic) 
  Trail Erase (Organic) 
  Walls (Earth) 
  Wind (Air) 
   
  Level 5 
   
  Conceal Magic (Illusion) 
  Flesh Death (Organic) 
  Gash (Organic) 
  Heavy (Organic Magnet (Earth) 
  Immobilize (Obviation) 
  Mind Bullet (Organic) 
  Rain of Acid (Water)  
  Snowstorm (Water) 
  Spontaneous Combustion (Energy) 
  Slow Magic (Obviation) 
  Traveling Spell (Energy) 
  Wizard Sight  (Organic) 
   
  Level 6 
   
  Age (Organic) 
  Arrest Magic (Obviation) 
  Burning Bright (Energy) 
  Create Weather (Air) 
  Disintegration (Energy) 
  Earthquake  
  (Earth) 
  Gaseous Form (Air) 
  Link (Organic) 
  Magic Gate (Earth) 
  Part Water (Water) 
  Reverse Gravity (Energy) 
  Stop Time (Energy) 
  Tornado (Air) 
  Wind Blast (Air) 
   
   
  Countering a Spell (Elf Mages only) 
   
  If an Elfin Mage has a spell cast at them and 
  the Mage also knows the spell, they have a chance to 
  cancel its effect, provided they are aware the spell is 
  being cast and are not engaged in some activity which 
  would prevent them from trying.  If, for example, an 
  Elfin Mage is engaged in melee or some other activity 
  and a spell is cast on them, that character has no 
  chance to counter it; they must be aware and 
  unoccupied to counter a spell.   
  To counter a spell, the character must roll a 
  Health Trait saving throw, just as if they were casting 
  the spell themselves.  Success means it is countered 
  and the spell ―fizzles out‖ without effect.  Countering 
  takes one round and costs 1 spell point and no other 
  activities at all may be undertaken during that round. 
  A Note on “Elfin” Magic 
   
   
   
  While elves are often found in fantasy worlds, 
  they certainly do not populate every such world.  Elfin 
  magic, is a system, and it is a system the Referee can 
  choose to use or not, or alter, as befitting the 
  campaign.   For example, the elfin magic system might 
  instead be that of a lost or dying race in a Martian 
  desert like environment, or perhaps as a rare kind of 
  psionics in orcs. As a system, it can be used in any 
  number of creative ways regardless of the presence of 
  elves in the world.   
  Gaining New Spells 
    
   
   
  Any spell caster of any level can research 
  spells and create new ways of using magic as detailed 
  in the Dragons at Dawn rule book.   The spell caster 
  must specify precisely what type of spell they are 
  attempting to create. The player must submit detailed 
  descriptions to the Referee.  They must then work out 
  together exactly what level the spell should be, what it 
  will cost, how long it will take, how long it will last, 
  etc. 
   
  The Referee should carefully consider all 
  aspects of the spell, including range, duration, area of 
  effect, and saving throws.   The important thing for 
  the Referee to be cognizant of is the effect any new 
  spell will have on play.  If the effect is particularly 
  advantageous for the Player Characters, some 
  counterbalancing measures should be considered, such 
  as repeated use leading to addiction and insanity. 
   
   
   
  
   
  54 
   
  Spell Ingredients 
   
   
  Wizards need stuff. They constantly search 
  out sources for the ingredients they require to create 
  spells.  What those ingredients are can radically alter 
  the feel of magic in a campaign world.  It could be 
  buttercups and fairy tears, or it could be orc eyes and 
  grave mold.  Whatever the case, it is definitely 
  important to know how much and to what extent the 
  players will be interested in joining in searches for 
  spell ingredients.  Arneson himself does not seem to 
  have used "search for spell ingredients" as group 
  adventure hook much, if at all. Gathering spell 
  ingredients seems to have been one of the sort of 
  things that were left for the players to do individually 
  between group adventures.  It could be handled as a 
  one on one adventure with the player or just as a short 
  between game narrative, if the other players are not 
  interested in such quests. This is part of the reason its 
  important to track players on a calendar. 
   
  In my own campaign, the wizards often gather 
  monster body parts and such, for use in formula, and 
  also for sale (hide value) during the normal course of 
  an adventure.  Anything else they need is usually 
  purchased. 
  Magic and Iron 
   
  Iron and magic are intimately linked.  When 
  magic is in operation it always produces an odor of hot 
  metal, or some say, hot blood.   
  Iron, while molten, or red hot, is a kind of 
  conduit or enabler of magical energy.  Even the iron 
  content in warm fresh or circulating blood (heme) will 
  act as such an enabler.  In fact, this is why undead, 
  except of course recently fed vampires, are unable to 
  cast spells.  Few persons outside the learned circles of 
  the magic using classes understand the connection, but 
  it is well known or rumored that the smell of blood is 
  a warning that spells are being cast. 
  By the same token, cold, hard iron and steel 
  objects are barriers to magic because the magic therein 
  is arrested, finished, stilled.   The finished, cold, 
  product arrests or freezes the magic but like the metal 
  itself, the magic is active and malleable when the iron 
  is red hot.  To be clear, hot iron as a channel for magic 
  refers to the point at which iron is malleable, as in red 
  hot on a forge, for example.  It need not be flowing, 
  but the more malleable, the easier the magic. 
  Spell casters must not be in physical contact 
  with any objects, including magical objects, containing 
  any amount of cold (room temperature) iron when 
  they are attempting to cast a spell.  Any cold iron will 
  ruin the spell.   This of course includes iron and steel 
  armor.  However spell casters can wear armor of other 
  materials – dragon scales for example – without any 
  problems.  
  Further, spell casters must eat a diet heavy in 
  red meat, marrow, blood puddings and the like, and 
  iron rich vegetables like spinach, due to the constant 
  risk of anemia from the magic they cast; casting spells 
  draws out some of the iron from their blood with 
  every spell.   The laboratories of many a Wizard 
  develop a light coating of red dust that is the iron that 
  has been drawn from the caster during spell work.    
  Spell casters must avoid raw iron as much as 
  possible, never wearing it, eating things cooked in it, 
  etc.  Solid, cold objects predominantly made of iron 
  can not be enchanted in any way, and will resist the 
  penetration of pass through magic effects  like magical 
  effects, like X-ray Vision, Locate Object, Detection, 
  ESP and Clairaudience.     
  In the presence of magic, objects containing 
  any amount of iron will begin to grow warm – the 
  stronger the 
  magic, 
  the greater the 
  warmth.   
  Continued exposure will increase the warmth to the 
  point that the iron can grow red hot and even melt – at 
  which point it begins to strengthen the magic instead 
  of resisting it as when it was cold.  A spell caster 
  clamped in manacles could still theoretically cast a 
  spell, but would almost certainly burn themselves very 
  badly in the process. 
  This also means that anyone in iron armor or 
  holding any iron at all within the area of effect of a 
  spell will likewise be affected.  A warrior in plate 
  standing in the bask of a continual light spell is going 
  to start sweating pretty quickly and sword bearing 
  goblins under the cloak of a Darkness spell will find 
  their hands getting burned if they don‘t let go.  Note 
  that ―flash bang‖ magic effects, such as fireballs, 
  lightning, teleportation and so forth, take place to 
  quickly to effect iron and its alloys very much.  
  To find how fast and to what extent this 
  warming effect occurs, consult the tables below: 
    
   
   
   
   
  
   
  55 
   
  Time in rounds (spell levels 1-3) 
  Weight lbs. 
  Very warm 
  Scalding 
  Red Hot 
  Molten 
  >5 
   
  1 
  2 
  3 
  6-30 
  1 
  2 
  2 
  4 
  31< 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
   
  Time in rounds (spell levels 4-6) 
  Weight lbs. 
  Very warm 
  Scalding 
  Red Hot 
  Molten 
  >5 
   
   
  1 
  2 
  6-30 
   
  1 
  2 
  3 
  31< 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
   
  Enchanted objects containing iron, such as magic swords, will always be warm to the touch, and always have 
  at least a very feint odor of magic.  
   
  Health and Magic 
  As 
  mentioned 
  above, 
  creating 
  magic 
  physically draws out the iron components (heme) in 
  the blood of the caster.  Usually this is well within the 
  tolerance of the Health of the magic user, but it is 
  quite possible to exceed it.  Each time within a 24 hour 
  period, a Wizard creates a spell in a laboratory or 
  either a Wizard or an Elf Mage casts a spell a note 
  should be made of the spells level.   When the total of 
  the spell levels exceeds 20, a cost of one Health point is 
  temporarily removed from the spell caster‘s Health 
  Trait total to reflect the loss of iron in the blood.  
  Health Trait points return after 7 days provided the 
  caster is able to eat properly. 
  Enchanting Iron 
  Iron and alloys of iron such as steel can not be 
  enchanted as easily as objects of wood, stone, bone and 
  so forth.  For Iron and its alloys to be made into magic 
  items, the enchantment – the carving of the runes – 
  must be done while the iron is hot, fresh from the 
  forge.  Once finished and cooled, no changes to the 
  enchantment can be made without reforging.  
  Power Nodes  
  Numen exists almost everywhere.  It is an 
  extremely rare location that a Spell caster cannot draw 
  upon Numen to create magic.  However the 
  distribution of Numen is not strictly uniform.  There 
  are some very rare places where little or no Numen is 
  present.  More commonly, there are places where 
  Numen is concentrated for some reason or other.  
  These points or power nodes as they are sometimes 
  called, allow a spell caster to cast spells with much 
  greater ease – meaning that Elf Mages can use some 
  percentage less of spell points (never more than 75%) 
  or Wizards will have a greater success rate when 
  casting or creating a spell.  Nodes are never less that 2‘ 
  in circumference and never more than 200‘.  More 
  than one can occur in a given area but they may also 
  be solitary.  They are truly special places where 
  magical effects can sometimes spontaneously occur.  
  Spell casters who build towers or permanent research 
  facilities will often attempt to do so on or near a node. 
   
   
  
   
  56 
   
  Magic Wands, Staves, and Focal Objects 
  In Dragons at Dawn, wands, staves or any 
  other of a Wizard‘s focal objects, such as crystals, 
  shrunken heads, etc. do not contain spell ―charges‖ as 
  such.  Instead they channel numenous power.  These 
  items are heavily carved with runes scripts and 
  bindrunes.  Any object can be enchanted to have a 
  given property or compatible properties, but once it 
  has that property there is no way to switch it on and 
  off without knowing the trigger (see below).   
  Many wands and particularly, staffs are 
  designed not to cast certain spells but instead to 
  Augment a particular spell or school of spells.  These 
  are carved with additional runes needed for those 
  spells – and may contain or have attached other 
  specific components.  The rune staff or wand so 
  carved does not contain the spells or spell itself and 
  the spell caster must know the type of spell the staff or 
  wand augments, in order to make use of the 
  Augmentation effect.   
  Note that as Inscribed magic, these effects 
  may be used continuously and without end as long as 
  the runes remain intact.  There are no charges or 
  limits or any such thing.  There is however a price to 
  pay. 
   
  The Bond 
   
  Spells, whether made by Wizards in a lab or 
  cast by Elf Mages through song, are all basically one 
  off affairs.  Once used, the magic is gone.  Magic items 
  created through the inscription of Runes, are 
  enchanted through a bond of blood and magic and 
  have an almost living quality.  In the case of swords, 
  the enchantments are so great that they achieve a kind 
  of sentience, and behave differently from other magic 
  items, including having a loyalty score. 
  In any case, magic items are quite a bit 
  different, and more intimate than mere spells.  Other 
  than swords or items simply reinforced with magical 
  strength like armor or an appearance altering effect 
  like a cloak of invisibility, inscribed magic items 
  containing a specific spell effect have a 10% chance per 
  use by Wizards or Elfin Mages or 15% per use for all 
  other classes of forming a bond between item and user. 
   
  The effects of such a bond are that the user 
  will not wish to discard or replace the item.  They will 
  grow inordinately possessive of it and have a strong 
  craving to use it whenever opportunity arises (save 
  versus Cunning to deny the craving). 
   
  Thereafter, the bonded individual has a further 
  10% or 15% chance per use, depending on character 
  class as above, of developing one of the 5 types of 
  insanity.  This chance is reduced by 1% for each level 
  of the wielder, so that a fifth level Wizard bonded to a 
  particular magic item has but a 5% chance per use of 
  developing an insanity; an eighth level wizard, but a 
  2% chance and so forth. Continued use means 
  continual chances, and the character could conceivably 
  develop all 5 types of insanity.  The only exception to 
  this 
  rule 
  is 
  magic 
  wands 
  that 
  cause 
  spell 
  Augmentation.  While these wands are just as likely 
  to bond with a user as other wands and magic items, 
  they do not carry the side effects that can lead to 
  insanity.  
   
  Obviously, it is in the character‘s best interests 
  to use inscribed magic items with active spell effects 
  carefully and sparingly, if at all. 
   
  Breaking the Bond 
   
  Death of the owner or destruction of the item 
  severs the bond.  Other methods may exist but can 
  neither be easy nor harmless.  Magic items which have 
  been separated from their bond have a 50% chance of 
  becoming cursed. 
    
  INSCRIBED MAGIC 
   
  Inscribed magic is glyphs, signs and runes 
  imbued with a magical effect.  All ―magical‖ objects 
  must have characters either carved or stamped and 
  stained with blood or written/painted with blood.  
  Sometimes, these magical runes may be invisible 
  under normal circumstances, but they can always be 
  revealed with a reveal magic spell or under conditions 
  particular to the object. such as in moonlight, in fire in 
  the presence of certain creatures, etc.  
  Runes and Armor Class: 
  Although the effect of runes are based on the 
  level of the rune carver, effects on chance To Hit rolls 
  and Armor Class ratings present a different case.  No 
  matter how powerful the spell caster is, inscribed 
  magic may never effect an armor class rating by more 
  than 5. 
  Making A Permanent Inscribed Spell:   
  A permanent spell may be carved into a 
  permanent edifice, such as a building, a statue, etc., or 
  may be carved on an artifact, such as a weapon, a ring 
  or medallion, etc.  The glyphs, runes or signs must be 
  carved or stamped into the object being enchanted.  
  
   
  57 
   
  Runes that are drawn will not effect what they are 
  drawn on, however, the ink itself can be enchanted 
  this way. 
    
  Inscribed Magic Ritual:   
  Each rune or sign has a name and an associated 
  power or related group of powers.  To enchant an 
  object, these steps must be performed in exact order: 
   
  1. 
  Carve the runes. 
  2. “color” the runes with blood. 
  3. ―prove” the runes by chanting the names of the 
  runes in the order they were carved. 
  4. “enchant” - say poetically and sometimes 
  plainly or sometimes cryptically what the 
  runes were meant to do. 
     
  The time it takes for the magic to be complete 
  depends on the level of the spell as detailed in Dragons 
  at Dawn. 
   
  Trigger: 
  Runes are always continuously live; however, 
  their effects often only occur in specific circumstances.  
  The magic of the spell will radiate from the focal point 
  (runes). The spell itself will be triggered when the 
  appropriate condition occurs.  If no trigger is specified, 
  the effect is continuous.  Triggers can be anything, a 
  magic word, the presence of a being within a certain 
  distance, a specific event, such as falling into a trap or 
  being shot at, etc. 
  Ranged effects, once activated, will extend the 
  full distance of their range, provided nothing prevents 
  it, and will always effect the target that is closest to 
  the focal point (rune) and so on until there is no one 
  left within range.  
   
  Effect of Inscribed Magic: 
  The inscribed magic will have the level of 
  effectiveness of the spell caster who created it or less.  
  It is possible for a Wizard or Elfin Mage to make an 
  inscribed spell less powerful than their level if they 
  want to.   
   
  Duration of Runes:  
  Inscribed magic is a material manifestation of 
  numen independent of the spell caster.  Because of 
  this, inscribed magic will remain effective until the 
  terms or circumstances of the spell, are broken or it is 
  re- carved/written as a new rune/runescript by 
  someone of equal or greater level than the original 
  creator.  The death of the spell caster will not affect 
  the permanence of the magic.  As long as the item and 
  the runes remain intact the spell will remain. 
    
  If the item, or focal point, is broken, then the 
  person who broke it must take a Throw versus 
  Cunning or receive such damage as the Referee deems 
  appropriate. 
   
  Recarving: 
  An equal or higher level spell caster may 
  attempt to recarve the runes to alter their effect.  
  Success will be determined by a Brains Throw. 
   
  Knowledge of Runes: 
  There are 24 standard runes and spell casters 
  will know all 24 at first level.  These runes may be 
  written differently in different cultures (glyphs/signs) 
  or have different names but the sounds associated with 
  the rune and the corresponding effects will always be 
  the same.  Additional Glyphs, signs and runes can of 
  course exist, however they may be extremely obscure, 
  lost, or the idiosyncratic creations of individual spell 
  casters and not otherwise likely to be known, as best 
  suits the details of each campaign.   All Glyphs, signs, 
  and runes work in a similar fashion and according to 
  the same rules as the 24 known runes.   
   
  Spell casters will not necessarily recognize a 
  given rune when written in the magic script of another 
  culture.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  58 
   
   
  
  
  AB
  C 
  Name 
  Literal 
  Meaning 
  Normal sphere  
  Merkstave sphere 
  
  f 
  Feu 
  Cattle  
  Moveable Wealth, Gain 
  Greed, Jealousy 
  
  u / 
  v 
  Ur 
  Bison, 
  Wild 
  Cattle 
  Natural Power 
  Natural Disaster 
  
  th 
  Thurs 
  Giant 
  Bad luck, harm 
  It has the power 
  when employed in a 
  sequence of three to 
  alter the meanings of 
  succeeding runes. 
  
  a 
  Ansur 
  Gods  
  Positive 
  Spiritual/Divine 
  Power, spirit realm 
  Negative 
  Spiritual/Divine 
  Power, spirit realm 
  
  r 
  Reid 
  Cart wheel 
  Fast Travel 
  Motionless, fixed 
  
  k 
  Kaun  
  Ulcer 
  Disease, fever 
  Light, heat  
  
  g 
  Geofu  
  Gift  
  Protection from poison, to make 
  safe 
   
  
  w 
  Wynn  
  Comfort 
  Joy, Contentedness 
  Induces madness 
  
  h 
  Hagall 
  Hail  
  Causes Hail, cold , bad weather 
  Protection from bad 
  weather 
  
  n 
  Nied  
  Necessity, 
  Enslavement 
  Oppression, binding 
  Salvation, freedom 
  
  i 
  Is 
  Ice 
  Bridge, 
  bring 
  together, 
  dangerous crossing 
   
  
  j 
  Jara 
  Year 
  Good year/period of fortune, 
  prosperity 
  Bad harvest, period 
  of misfortune 
  
  p 
  Peorth 
  Hnefatafl 
  Game piece 
  Unknown fate, chance 
  Doom 
  
  ï 
  Yr 
  Yew 
  Permanence, 
  Steadfastness, 
  security, 
  protection 
  from 
  conjury 
  Death 
  
  z / 
  r 
  Jlhs 
  Elk 
  Cause Wound 
  Protection 
  from 
  wounds 
  
  s 
  Sywil 
  Sun 
  Knowledge, Clear-sightedness 
  Melting away, ―ice‖ 
  destruction 
  
  t 
  Tyr 
  Honor/Victor
  y 
  Victory 
   
  
  b 
  Biarkan 
  Birch 
  Young Healthy Growth 
  Withering  
  
  e 
  Eoh 
  Horse 
  Comfort, Happiness 
   
  
  m 
  Man 
  Humans 
  Creation,  
  Destruction 
  
  l 
  Lagu 
  Water  
  Life 
   
  
  ng 
  Ing 
  Fertility/Gro
  wth 
  Fertility/Growth 
   
  
  d 
  Dagr 
  Day 
  Light, safety  
   
  
  o 
  Odal 
  Possession 
  property and inheritance, wealth 
  and prosperity, protect what is 
  precious against trolls and other 
  malevolent forces 
   
  
   
  59 
   
   
  Combining runes produces creative and more 
  powerful effects allowing the mage to specify exactly 
  what he wants the runes to do, the exact spell desired.   
  The rune combinations for specific spells are not given 
  in the game and generally don‘t matter.  The 
  following is informational ―color‖ for Referee‘s, but 
  could of course be worked into a specific system if 
  desired.  
  Repeating runes increases their effectiveness 
  by a full amount each time.  If Nosenrald, is making a 
  +3 macana of striking, he might carve the TYR rune 3 
  times for +3 bonus Chance To Hit.  If he only carved 
  it twice, it would only be +2, despite the fact that 
  Nosenrald is level 3.  Although, each rune has a 
  powerful effect individually, combining the runes into 
  runescripts or bindrunes would bring much greater 
  results if done properly.   
   
  A Bindrune is simply two runes written onto 
  each other so as to be one character. 
   
  A Stacked-rune is the same rune drawn on 
  itself several times, slightly offset.  The Tyr 
  rune resembles a pine tree when you do this to 
  it. 
   
  A Runescript is a series of runes written one 
  after another in such a way as to produce a 
  specific magical effect – such as the protection 
  of a ship from storms.  A runescript may 
  contain Bindrunes and or stacked runes. 
   
  Merkstave – a ―trolled‖ rune, meaning it is 
  reversed, backwards, upside down.  Doing so 
  gives an opposite effect.  Some runes cannot be 
  written merkstave. 
   
  New Magic Range and Frequency 
  Range is specified for known spells, but if the 
  caster is attempting to create a new kind of magic 
  effect with a runescript, a rule of thumb is 10‘ per level 
  of the spell caster.  For the Frequency the spell effect 
  occurs, use the level of the caster per round (or less as 
  desired by the runecarver). 
   
  Lets say Nosenrald is a 3rd level Wizard and he 
  wishes to create a staff that can produce fog.   Once 
  made, this staff would permanently create fog within 
  a 30‘ radius, renewing a maximum of 3 times a round 
  (since fog lasts about ten minutes, the effect in this 
  case appears continuous).  Nosenrald can increase the 
  area of fog by carrying it around of course, but not its 
  frequency. 
  The effect will always remain at the level of 
  the spell caster (or less, if made so on purpose) at the 
  time it was made.  Should the spell caster reach higher 
  levels, he would have to re-carve and re-enchant the 
  runes for the magic to be increased to his new level. 
  Thus Nosenrald, our 3rd level Wizard, may 
  wish to make a goblet that will cause a spill should any 
  poisoned drink be poured into it.  The effect will be 
  that anyone drinking from the goblet will get a + 3 to 
  their Health Trait when making a Saving Throw to 
  avoid the poison.  When Nosenrald reaches 4th level 
  the goblet will remain at +3 and not gain a point unless 
  Nosenrald re-carves and re-enchants the runes.   
  Crafting Time and Failure:  
   
  Making a magic item by carving runes, glyphs 
  and signs on them is handled exactly the same as 
  creating potions, scrolls and so forth in Dragons at 
  Dawn.  Thus, there is a 35% base chance the finished 
  magic item will be a dud and not work when 
  employed.  This failure rate increases by 10% per level 
  of complexity of the spell, (i.e. level II - 45%, level III 
  - 55%, etc.), -5% per level of any Wizard or Elf Mage 
  who has previously made an identical magic item 
  successfully.    
  Time to successfully enchant the item is 
  likewise identical - one week for level 1 items, one 
  month for level 2 items, and 1 year for level 3 and 
  higher.  A spell caster may work on any number of 
  spells at one time provided they have the components 
  and the workspace.  Upon reaching level 6, the spell 
  caster may reduce the item creation time by 1/2 and a 
  level 8 wizard needs only ¼ the usual time.  A 
  successful save against Brains (raw score - no bonus) 
  can further reduce the crafting time by 1d6 * 5%. 
   
  MAGICAL CURSES 
   
  A magical curse may be created by combining 
  runes or runescripts into a normal writing.  These 
  curses must be read to be activated, but are exactly the 
  same in effect and nature as a Sage‘s curse.  They may 
  in fact be created by Sages, who are otherwise unable 
  to write runes for magical purposes, or they may be 
  written by Wizards or Elf Mages.  When a Sage 
  writes out a runic curse, their chances of success are 
  identical to their normal curse success rate.  Likewise, 
  Elf Mages or Wizards writing out a runic curse have 
  
   
  60 
   
  the same chances they normally do when creating 
  runic magic items. 
   
  MIRACLES 
   
  Magic is capable of doing many wondrous 
  things.  The one thing magic can never do however is 
  change the chemical nature of a substance.  Magic can, 
  for example, heat water, freeze it, evaporate it, 
  transport it, color it, mask its taste and more, but it 
  can never transform it into anything that isn‘t water 
  or its base components (oxygen and hydrogen).   
  Magic can not change water into wine.  Miracles can 
  and do transform materials.  A Miracle can make wine 
  out of water or poison or anything else.   
  Normally, Miracles are special, world altering 
  magic coming through divine power available to 
  Priests, (although a referee is of course free to fold the 
  list of Miracles into the normal spell list of Wizards 
  and Elf Mages if doing so will suit their campaign 
  world better). 
  Calling For Miracles 
   Priests may attempt to pray for a Miracle 
  anytime they wish, however they only have a 10% 
  chance per level of having the Miracle granted.  
  Further, each day they pray for a Miracle and fail to 
  receive one, their chances are reduced by 10%.  Thus a 
  first level Priest who prays for a Level 1 Miracle and 
  fails, can‘t try to have a Miracle granted again until 
  the next day.  Priests generally pray for Miracles of 
  their level or less, having only a 1% chance of 
  successfully calling down a Miracle of a level greater 
  than their own. Miracles, by nature, often do things 
  that should not be possible, altering reality at a 
  molecular level. 
  It takes a full round for a priest to effectively 
  call for a Miracle.  The Miracle, if granted, will then 
  take effect the following round, or, if the Referee 
  prefers, at a time randomly determined by a dice roll.  
  Gods don‘t like to be rushed. 
  The Miracle comes from the god the Priest 
  calls on.  It may well be that being able to grant 
  Miracles is what makes a being divine.  Usually, 
  Priests may only call on Miracles that agree with the 
  god‘s philosophy and personality.  No god will 
  knowingly enact a Miracle whose effects they would 
  find disagreeable, but gods are usually not omniscient 
  and it may be the Priest is pulling from a pool of 
  power reserved for them, without, necessarily, the 
  divinities awareness.  Sooner or later though….   
  Like Faith 
  Miracles cast on another Priest, cleric, or 
  devout follower of the same faith, are twice as 
  effective. 
  Avoiding Miracles 
   
  Any 
  Characters 
  (including 
  NPC‘s) 
  not 
  wishing to receiving the effects of Miracles can make 
  an appropriate Saving Throw to avoid or reduce the 
  effects.    
   
  Miracles by Level 
   
  Level 1 
   
  Alter Density 
  Anti-Shock  
  Itch 
  Purify Food  
   
  Level 2 
   
  Hurt  
  Charm 
  Create Food 
  Create Water 
  Mend 
   
  Level 3 
   
  Abandon 
  Cause Disease  
  Change Weight 
  Cure Disease 
  Dizzines 
  Might  
  Sick 
  Tired  
  Wake 
   
  Level 4  
   
  Conjury 
  Cure Blindness 
  Shape Change  
  Miracles in a Bottle  
  Throes 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  61 
   
  Level 5 
   
  Blind  
  Deafen  
  Hemophilia  
  Paralyze 
  Projection  
  Rot 
  Truth  
  Translucence 
   
  Level 6  
   
  Clumsiness 
  Sleep  
  PanLingua 
  Somebody Else‘s Problem 
   
  Level 7  
   
  Increase 
  Invulnerability  
  Lethe 
  Rubber Skin 
   
  Level 8 
   
  Grow New Body Part  
  Phasing 
  Poison Touch 
  Possession: 
  Question 
  Vermin Plague 
   
  Level 9 
   
  Become Object 
   
  Level 10 
   
  Create Spring 
  Transform  
  Transmute  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  62 
   
   
  Appendix I – Skill Descriptions 
   
   
  Occupational skills 
  Average Time: 2 years 
  These are crafts, labors, professions, sciences 
  and any kind of occupational skill a character may 
  have.  Usually, these would be background skills and 
  knowledge the character would have acquired prior to 
  adventuring, but it is conceivable that a player may 
  wish their character to learn a new occupational skill.  
  All such learning is acquired formally, but the length 
  of time will vary.  Most occupational skills take years 
  to learn well.  The benefits of having a particular 
  occupational skill will have to be decided by the 
  Referee and players on a case by case basis.  The 
  character can attempt to make a living at their skill 
  and provide expert information or make informed 
  judgements on the activities of the occupation.  
  Characters with low bonuses may need to make a 
  Saving Throw to do so at the discretion of the Referee. 
   
  Knowledge  
  Average Time: 2 years 
  The character has expert knowledge in a 
  particular field of study, having a 35% chance of 
  knowing any given topic with certainty (equivalent to 
  the secondary field of a fist level Sage).  Each 
  additional point of Education acts as a 10% bonus.   
   
  Acrobatics   
  Average Time: 10 months 
  Acrobatics is the ability to balance, jump, 
  catch, and juggle in very impressive ways.  Such skills 
  can be developed with an emphasis on performance, 
  such as trapeze flight, human pyramids, and such, but 
  can also be applied or developed for more adventurous 
  purposes.  A character with this skill may attempt 
  anything and receive the skill bonus, but the Referee 
  will apply appropriate penalties for particularly 
  difficult things like leaping from tree branch to tree 
  branch in the forest while engaged in combat.  A 
  character with this skill may also be allowed to apply 
  their talents to situations where agility is called for – 
  such as dodging a trap.  
   
  Arithmetic   
  Average Time 2 months 
  The character with this knowledge is able to 
  use all basic forms of mathematics and arithmetic 
  with increased education bonus points, indicating 
  increased mathematical ability. 
   
  Ambidextrous   
  Average Time: 1 year 
  The character with this skill improves the 
  ability of the non primary hand by +1 per talent point 
  allocated.  Three points are all that is necessary to be 
  considered completely ambidextrous with no penalty 
  for either hand. 
   
  Appraise Value   
  Average Time: 1 month 
  Appraisals are for objects of value, such as 
  jewelry, musical instruments, antiques, works of art, 
  rare weapons, etc.  Although similar to a Merchant‘s 
  ability to appraise, this Education bonus is limited to 
  one specific category, such for example, as the erotic 
  pottery of Sweetwater or the tapestries of Faraaz.  The 
  possessor of appraisal knowledge has a 35% chance of 
  knowing the value of an object in their prevue.  Each 
  additional point of Education acts as a 10% bonus.   
   
   
  Berserk Attack   
  Average Time: 1 month 
   
  Berserk Attack provides an automatic Morale 
  Condition of Flushed when attacking and a +3 to 
  Damage, but, when defending, the Berserker suffers a 
  penalty of ½ to their Defense Value.  Berserkers feel 
  nothing and are incapable of reason.  They will 
  continue to fight until all enemies are dead or they are 
  exhausted.  Fatigue from going berserk equals a 
  number of rounds equal to the level of the Warrior. 
   
  Binding  
  Average Time: 1 month 
  This skill entails the making of knots, tying 
  techniques, and binding.  Additional Education bonus 
  points allow the character to make more secure and 
  complex bindings, and if the character has two points 
  or more, they will also know how to use a lasso. 
   
  Calling   
  Average Time: 1 month 
  A character with this skill can imitate animal 
  calls, to the point where even the animals may not be 
  able to tell the difference.  Bonus points in this skill 
  generally allow the character to copy other sounds 
  with which they are familiar, including foreign 
  accents, particularly so if they have had an 
  opportunity to practice.  Characters with this skill 
  should specify what sounds they are particularly good 
  
   
  63 
   
  at, and they must be sounds the character is exposed 
  to, but there is no limit to the types of animals or 
  other sounds they can practice imitating.  
   
  Cavalry    
  Average Time: 2 years 
  Characters with the cavalry skill are familiar 
  with all types of horses used for riding and are trained 
  in methods of mounted combat, both individually and 
  in a cavalry group.  They are further familiar with 
  basic horse care and the use of most kinds of tack and 
  do not need to make a Saving Throw to saddle, mount, 
  ride, charge, and care for and evaluate horses or some 
  other sort of mount with regard to the campaign 
  setting. Increased bonus points indicate greater 
  abilities to maneuver through or jump over obstacles 
  (never more than 2/3rds the height of the horse), ford 
  bodies of water, guide the mount with the knees, and 
  so forth.  The following actions can also be 
  accomplished with a successful Saving Throw with 
  appropriate modifiers: 
   
  1)  Cover: The rider is able to use the horse as 
  cover by lowering themselves   down the 
  side of the mount, becoming 90% hidden 
  from view of the opposite side.  The 
  character doing so will only have one hand 
  free. 
   
  2) Break Fall: The character who falls or is 
  thrown from their horse can apply their 
  Cavalry Education bonus to any Saving 
  Throws they need to make to avoid damage. 
   
  3) Shoot: the character can shoot projectile 
  weapons from a moving or still mount with 
  no penalty and with any applicable bonuses 
  as if they were standing on solid ground.  
   
  Climb    
  Average Time: 1 month 
  The character can apply any bonus points in 
  this skill to any Saving Throws the Referee may 
  require when climbing a cliff, steep incline, wall, rope, 
  web, or the like.  A failed Throw means that the 
  character goes nowhere.  If they are on solid ground 
  they may not attempt to climb at that precise location 
  again that day.  If they are already climbing but have 
  been required to make a Dexterity or Strength Throw, 
  it means they are stuck and must either go back or 
  make a second roll to try again.   A second failed 
  Throw means that the character falls.  Both hands 
  must be free for climbing.    
  Contortion 
  Average Time: 3 years 
    
  The character has the ability to bend, stretch 
  and move their body in unusual ways.  They have a 
  knack for untying or loosening bonds, breaking free 
  from grips, and getting loose from anything that 
  constricts them.  
   
  Death Attack  
  Average Time: 1 month 
  Characters with this skill are able to put 
  enemies in Deadly Situations more easily.  They are 
  skilled at slitting throats, strangling, and the like.  Any 
  points they have in this skill are applied both to their 
  attack roll and as negative modifiers to the opponent‘s 
  Saving Throw to escape the attack, if there is one. 
   
  Defensive Fighting   
  Average Time: 1 year 
  The character who elects to fight purely 
  defensively is able to add every point they have in this 
  skill to their Defense Value.   
   
  Deflect Shafted Projectiles   
  Average time: 8 months 
  The character can deflect incoming shafted 
  projectiles such as arrows, spears, javelins and axes 
  away from themselves.  At least one hand must be 
  free.  The attempt to do so must be done before the 
  Referee makes an attack roll for the incoming 
  projectile.  The player may then make a Saving Throw 
  of 8 minus any talents they may have in this skill.  On 
  an adjusted roll of 4 or less, the character may 
  optionally catch the projectile.   
   
  Direction Sense   
  Average Time: 1 month 
  The character has an increased chance of 
  retracting their steps correctly from memory, if 
  necessary. 
   
  Disguise  
  Average Time: 4 months 
  Gives the character a knack for making 
  themselves look, sound and act like someone else - 
  base chance of success is 40% plus 10% per additional 
  Education bonus point. 
   
  Disarm Opponent  
  Average Time: 10 months 
  The character has become adept at knocking 
  loose an opponents hand held weapons.  Every natural 
  6 rolled on a damage die, requires the target to make a 
  
   
  64 
   
  Saving Throw verses Dexterity with a penalty equal 
  to the number of points the character posses in this 
  skill.  Failure of the throw means the targets weapon 
  flies from their grip.  The target also receives the 
  damage rolled minus 6.  The character may elect to 
  ignore the disarm opportunity if they choose, in which 
  case the target takes full damage and keeps its weapon. 
   
  Divination   
  Average Time: 2 months 
   
  The ability to read messages from the spirit 
  world through various means to reveal hidden 
  knowledge, once per day per point.  It is up to the 
  Referee to decide on the level of detail.  Knowledge of 
  the future is generally not possible except in the 
  vaguest of terms. 
   
  Driving  
  Average Time: 2 weeks 
  The ability to control a particular type of moving 
  vehicle. 
   
  Forgery    
  Average Time: 3 weeks 
  The character is able to both create a forged 
  document or assess a possible forgery - base chance of 
  success is 40% plus 10% per additional Education 
  bonus point. 
   
  Fire-Building   
  Average Time:  3 weeks 
  With this skill, characters can start a fire with 
  nothing more than some sticks and tinder if necessary.  
  They will also be proficient at using flint and steel and 
  may know other methods such as the use of a fire 
  piston if appropriate to the setting.  Success is 
  guaranteed when weather and time conditions are not 
  issues, and the character may start the fire in 1d12 
  rounds minus the talent rating.  In other, more 
  adverse, circumstances a Saving Throw applying the 
  Education bonus may be necessary. 
   
  Hand Signal   
  Average Time: 2 months 
  A special hand signal language by which any 
  information can be passed - base chance of success is 
  40% plus 10% per additional Education bonus point. 
   
  Hypnosis/Autohypnosis   
  Average Time: 6 months 
  The Hypnosis/Autohypnosis ability is non 
  magical.  Auto hypnosis is the ability to put one‘s self 
  into a trance like state which sharpens the focus of the 
  mind.  It takes a full hour to take effect, minus 3 
  minutes for each level of the character, during which 
  the character must remain completely undisturbed.  
  Both hypnosis and autohypnosis may be attempted 
  once per day per point of skill.  Hypnosis acts exactly 
  like the Charm spell.  Autohypnosis allows any ONE 
  of the following:  
   
   
  1) Mind over Body: The character is able to 
  control the normally automatic bodily 
  functions, such as breathing, heart rate and 
  metabolism.  This can allow them to 
  survive much longer in low or no oxygen 
  or poisoned environments and even allows 
  the character to convincingly appear dead.  
  The character may maintain the mind over 
  body state for a number of turns equal to 
  the number of points the character has in 
  this skill. 
   
   
  2) Fast Healing: At two or more Education 
  points, the character‘s body is able to heal 
  at twice the usual rate, provided they are 
  able to have 8 hours of sleep or meditation. 
   
   
  3) Iron Mind: At three or more Education 
  points, the character acquires a +2 bonus to 
  all Saving Throws made against any 
  Miraculous or magical attack directed to 
  the mind.   
   
   
  4) Focus:  At three or more Education points, 
  the character adds a plus + 2 bonus to any 
  physical or mental task, including combat 
  for the number of turns equal to the 
  Education points the character has in this 
  skill.  This bonus can be combined with 
  any other bonus the character may have. 
   
  Hunting 
  Average Time: 2 years 
  Hunting requires that the participants spend long 
  hours and cover a great deal of ground in wilderness 
  terrain.  Most hunters are involved in the harvesting 
  of meat animals and/or the trapping of fur bearing 
  animals; however some hunters are not involved in, or 
  have any skill at, the killing of animals at all, pursuing 
  their own purposes.  Also a special kind of hunter, 
  sometimes called a Ranger, hunts for a different type 
  of ―game‖ entirely.  These characters are in service to 
  a people or a place, engaged in searching for enemies, 
  monsters, invaders, criminals, and the like.  Typically, 
  rangers do not leave their range, except for temporary 
  
   
  65 
   
  purposes.  Having an Education bonus in Hunting 
  confers the following benefits: 
   
  1) Resistance To Elements: Hunters gain a +1 bonus 
  to all Throws involving damage from fire, 
  water, earth, air, cold and lightning attacks or 
  environmental 
  conditions. 
   
  This 
  bonus 
  increases to +2 at 3 bonus points and +3 at 5 
  Education bonus points.   
   
  2) Hypersense:  The hunter is keenly aware of 
  thier surroundings and is able to sense when 
  something is amiss.  They have a +1 increase 
  per bonus point to any Saving Throws for 
  knowing if they are being watched or 
  followed.  They also have an equal bonus per 
  level of picking up faint or unusual smells and 
  an equal chance per level of being able to 
  correctly identify them.  This bonus does not 
  extend toward secret doors, indoor traps, or 
  other architectural features. 
   
  3) Camouflage: Hunters have learned to blend in 
  with their accustomed surroundings using the 
  terrain, objects, light and shadow, types of 
  dress and skin pigments.  Note that this skill 
  will not be known by hunters who only hunt 
  for flora, and further can only be employed in 
  natural environments.  Once hidden, the 
  camouflaged individual or object will not be 
  noticed by any casual passersby and will 
  receive a -1 for one or two bonus points, -2 at 
  three and four bonus points and -3 at five 
  Education bonus points in the Hunting skill to 
  any Cunning Saving Throws made by anyone 
  searching the area where the camouflage is.   
  Hunters cannot camouflage when being 
  watched or within anyone‘s field of vision.  
  Further, any attempts to Move Silently while 
  camouflaged must be done at some penalty as 
  determined by the Referee for the particular 
  circumstances.  If metal armor of any kind is 
  being worn, Moving silently is out of the 
  question.  Hunters receive an automatic 
  surprise attack when attacking opponents 
  while camouflaged. 
   
  4) Bane: Hunters become intimately familiar 
  with their prey.  For each Education bonus 
  point in Hunting, one specific kind of creature 
  (or other) that the hunter has encountered 
  often becomes a favored mark.  The Hunter 
  gains double Attack and Defense Values when 
  confronted by the creature in combat and a +2 
  to any Saving Throws involving the same.   
  Exactly what beings are chosen is up to the 
  player but must be creatures the character has 
  encountered on multiple occasions. 
   
  Ice Skating  
  Average Time: 1 week 
  The character with this skill knows how to use 
  Ice skates – more talents means increased skating 
  ability. 
   
   
  Identify Poisons And Diseases   
  Average Time: 8 months 
  The character is able to correctly identify 
  poisons and diseases 20% of the time for each point of 
  skill the character posses in this field of study – 
  provided they are able to either see or smell the 
  substance up close.  Likewise, Characters with this 
  knowledge can identify diseases at the above rates 
  both as they are manifesting in symptoms and in cases 
  where the disease is present in large quantities in an 
  object – provided some telltale sign of it exists. 
   
  Leap  
  Average Time: 5 months 
  The Character can jump both high and long.  
  Each skill point adds one foot to a 1d8 roll for height 
  and a 1d20 roll for length.  The character also knows 
  pole vaulting – adding the length of the pole plus body 
  height plus skill bonus plus 1d8. 
   
  Language (choose type)   
  Average Time: 6 months  
  The character can understand and speak a 
  language 
  (not 
  necessarily 
  very 
  well, 
  20% 
  comprehension per Education Bonus point) and can 
  read it if coupled with a literacy skill.   
   
  Leadership   
  Average Time: 5 years 
  Successful use of this skill adds + 1 per point to 
  the Morale of any NPCs under the character's control.  
  It can also be used to convince other NPCs to follow 
  the character's commands.  
     
  Listen   
  Average time: 2 months 
  The character is adept at picking out soft 
  sounds, whispers, etc., hearing a specific conversation 
  in a crowded room, or a thief sneaking up within 30 
  feet or in the open or behind a door.  Exactly what is 
  heard 
  is 
  generally 
  up 
  to 
  the 
  Referee, 
  but 
  
   
  66 
   
  comprehension should be 20% per Education bonus 
  point.  It takes one round to listen.  A character can 
  make use of this ability for as long as they like. 
   
  Lip Reading   
  Average Time: 8 months 
  The character is able to ascertain what a 
  person is saying by watching their lips.  This is 
  especially useful at a distance where it is difficult or 
  impossible to hear the speaker or of use to deaf 
  characters.  The lip reader must, of course understand 
  the language being spoken.  
   
  Literacy 
  Average Time: 5 months 
  Gives the character the rudiments of reading 
  and writing their native tongue, such that they will be 
  able to read signs, scrolls, simple books and most other 
  printed material.  In addition the character with bonus 
  points in this skill has the ability to create written 
  messages – very simple writing if the character has 
  only one point of Education. Literacy of at least 2 
  points is required for Wizards and 3 points are 
  required for Sages.  Many types of learning may also 
  require some points in this skill as decided by the 
  Referee.  Literacy does not allow the character the 
  ability to understand magical texts.  Magi, the 
  language of magic, is both arcane and foreign to the 
  untrained.   Reading comprehension is 20% per 
  Education bonus point.  Note that this skill does not 
  allow a character to ever interpret writing in a 
  completely unfamiliar language.  
   
  Literacy -  Nonnative Language   
  Average Time: 5 months 
  The character must be able to speak the non-
  native language before attempting this skill.  Points in 
  this skill allow the character to both read (signs, 
  scrolls, simple books etc.) and write (send messages, 
  sign documents etc).  Reading comprehension is 20% 
  per Education bonus point.   
   
  Luck  
  Just what you think.  Allows the lucky player 
  to reroll one die roll per day per skill point.  
   
  Medicine  
  Average Time: 2 years 
    
  Education points in medicine may be applied 
  to the HPV restored by bandaging.  Characters who 
  are poisoned, burned, or subjected to any damage that 
  normally requires a Saving Throw, may be treated by 
  a character with medicine skill, provided that is all 
  both the characters are doing and there are no 
  distractions, so that the education bonus points may be 
  added to the affected character‘s Saving Throw.  
  Characters with medicine skill may also treat 
  themselves.  The effects and duration of diseases will 
  also be somewhat mitigated by the skill in medicine 
  possessed by the attending character, as determined by 
  the Referee on a case by case basis. 
   
  Memorize  
  Average Time: 3 months 
  The character with points in memorization 
  can attempt to memorize long passages of data of all 
  sorts, including virtually anything seen or heard.  The 
  more points a character has, the greater amount that 
  can be memorized.  As a rule of thumb, each point 
  allows the accurate memorization equivalent of a 
  typical story, poem, chapter in a book, detailed map, 
  contents of a house, long string of numbers or lists, or 
  the 
  like. 
  The 
  character 
  always 
  retains 
  this 
  information. 
    
  Music   
  Average Time: varies by instrument, often 6 months 
  or more 
  The character with music Education can play a 
  specific type of instrument (flute, harp, etc.) with 
  competence and is also able to play related 
  instruments with less competence depending on how 
  different they are.  The skill may or may not include 
  music notation, if such exists in the character‘s world, 
  depending on the character background and the 
  interpretation of the Referee. 
   
  Nature Lore and Survival  (choose biome)  
  Average time: 3 years 
  This skill is the knowledge of common plant 
  and animal life forms of one specific biome: desert, 
  deciduous forest, boreal forest, jungle, grassland, 
  various seascapes, plains, or the arctic.  Characters 
  with talents in Nature Lore and Survival have 
  knowledge of such things as where to find potable 
  water, edible and poisonous plants, and healing herbs.  
  They will have some chance of knowing how to make 
  proper shelters and what steps must be taken to 
  survive in the environment.  They will also have a 
  chance to recognize when something is amiss in their 
  normal environment.  If the skill throw occurs in a 
  biome different from the one(s) the character is skilled 
  in, the Referee may modify the roll according to best 
  judgement of the degree of difference.  Base rate of 
  success 50% plus 10% per additional point.  
   
  
   
  67 
   
  Navigation   
  Average Time: 2 years 
  The character is able to ascertain cardinal 
  directions while traveling or sailing outside.  The 
  character must be able to see such things as landmarks, 
  weather and vegetation patterns, and especially the 
  position of the sun and stars and shadows.  
   
  Nordic/Telemark Skiing    
  Average Time: 2 weeks 
  Like riding, diving and swimming, the higher 
  the skiing talents, the better the chance of avoiding 
  difficult situations. 
   
  Observation   
  Average Time: 3 weeks 
  The character with this skill is really good at 
  noticing things, seeing traps, secret doors, finding lost 
  objects or that suspicious character in a crowded 
  tavern.   Provides 1 Saving Throw bonus per 
  Education point but no more than 3 total. 
   
  Open Lock  
  Average Time: 4 months 
  This character with an Education in this skill 
  knows ways of opening locks without the proper key.  
  Identical to Thief/Assassin chances – 1 point per level. 
   
  Oration    
  Average Time: 6 months (Formal) 
  This skill includes the ability to speak well in 
  public, debate effectively and avoid or broker conflicts 
  with diplomacy.  It takes 6 months of formal 
  education to acquire this skill, however additional 
  points may be added without further formal training.  
    
  Piloting  
  Average Time: Varies by type – never less than 6 
  months 
  This skill is the knowledge of directing a 
  sailing vessel or flying ship.  Knowledge of piloting 
  applies to one category of vessels only (such as 
  yachts).  The Referee may rule that some partial skill 
  bonus may apply to some similar types of vessels but 
  generally 
  each 
  type 
  requires 
  separate 
  piloting 
  knowledge. 
   
  Poison Resistance   
  Average Time: 1 year 
  This skill gives a 1 point bonus per Education 
  point to Saving Throws against the effects of poisons.  
  This is because the character has built up a resistance 
  to the effects of poison through the self administration 
  of miniscule doses. 
   
  Riding (choose type)   
  Average Time: 6 weeks 
  This skill includes the handling, care, feeding, 
  and use of tack and saddles for one type of riding 
  animal, in addition to the ability to mount, direct and 
  maintain a seat on the animal.  Lack of this skill 
  means that a failure may occur in any of the above 
  areas and any attempts by the character to care for, 
  saddle, or ride an animal they are unskilled with, will 
  take four times the normal length of time and will 
  have a much greater level of difficulty. 
   
  Ringkunst   
  Average Time: 10 months 
  This is the skill of Wrestling/Grappling.  In 
  wrestling combat, the character with this skill receives 
  + 1 Fighting Strength per point when attempting to 
  knock down, grab, throw, or otherwise wrestle with an 
  opponent.  Further, and possibly more importantly, 
  they receive an automatic AC of 4 when an opponent 
  attempts to wrestle them or has the character in their 
  grip, regardless of what type of Armor the character is 
  wearing. 
  Further still, the opponent‘s weight/size 
  becomes irrelevant, except in extreme cases, such as 
  attempts by a PC to wrestle a full-grown dragon.  
  Thus, while the character with Ringkunst skill may 
  choose to apply their own size modifier if it is to their 
  advantage to do so, the opponent‘s size will give them 
  no advantage, provided the opponent does not posses 
  Ringkunst skill themselves.  When two skilled 
  wrestlers engage in combat, the size modifier applies 
  to neither. 
  Pankration: players receive the Pankration 
  skill automatically when they posses any 
  talents in both the Ringkunst and Savate skills 
  together.  Pankration cannot be chosen as a 
  separate skill and no skill points are allocated 
  for it, instead the bonus points must continue 
  to be allocated to the base Ringkunst and 
  Savate skills.  The advantage to being a 
  Pankrationist is that in addition to the Savate 
  and Ringkunst skill benefits, the character also 
  gets to add 1 to the Armor Class base of 4 for 
  every 1 talent point they have in Ringkunst.  
  For example, a Pankrationist with 2 Education 
  bonus points in Ringkunst would have a 
  wrestling AC of 6 (4+2); a Pankrationist with 3 
  Education points in Ringkunst, would have an 
  effective Armor Class of 7; and so on. 
  
   
  68 
   
  Running  
  Average Time: 1 month 
    
  Characters with this skill can run or jog two 
  times longer per bonus point than normal before 
  becoming Fatigued. 
   
  Savate    
  Average Time: 18 months 
  This is the skill of Unarmed Combat - 
  knowing how to kick, punch, elbow, and knee 
  opponents and defend from the same.  This does not 
  include body locks, throws, holds and pins which are 
  part of the Ringkunst skill.  For every talent in this 
  skill, characters add one point of damage to successful 
  attack.   
   
  Pressure Point Attack: 
  Pressure Point attacks are  special attacks 
  available to practitioners of Savate who have 
  at least two Education points in the Savate 
  skill, have spent at least 8 additional months in 
  formal training, and have at least one 
  unencumbered hand or foot.  In addition to the 
  unarmed 
  damage 
  sustained, 
  anyone 
  successfully struck by the Pressure Point 
  attack must make a Saving Throw vs Health 
  or be put in such severe pain or otherwise 
  stunned so as to be unable to act for 1d4 
  rounds.  The character must declare a Pressure 
  Point attack before making an attack roll.   
   
  Signaling (choose type)  
  Average Time: 1 week 
  This skill applies to a specific set of codes or 
  signs used to communicate.  The signs or codes may 
  involve repeated sounds, symbols, flags, patterns of 
  smoke, branches, or any other objects.  In all cases 
  their will be a formal and consistent set or rules for the 
  arrangement of the code ―objects‖.  However, 
  knowing one type of signaling system imparts no 
  knowledge of any other signaling system.  Each must 
  be learned separately. 
   
  Singing   
  Average Time: 2 months 
  Although many can sing well naturally, 
  learning to master the craft to be able to carry a tune 
  with proper pitch, pacing and breathing takes a bit of 
  practice and training.  
   
  Sleight of Hand   
  Average Time: 1 month 
  A character with this skill is able to move or 
  switch an item in a manner such that those around 
  him are not readily aware where the item has been 
  hidden or that it has been moved at all. This ability 
  also includes lifting or cutting purses and removing 
  items from pockets or otherwise off of a character 
  without being detected.  Chance of success and 
  modifiers identical to Thief/Assassin Deceit. 
   
  Slow Fall  
  Average Time: 11  months 
  For every talent the character has in this skill, 
  they take damage as if the fall were 10 feet shorter 
  than it actually is, provided they are within 10 feet of a 
  vertical surface or other objects that can be used to 
  slow the descent.  This distance increases by 10‘ for 
  every talent added to a maximum of 100‘. 
   
  Skulk   
  Average Time: 8 months 
  If not being directly observed, a character with 
  skulk talents (points) knows how to hide from other 
  individuals or animals in a built environment.  A 
  successful Dexterity Throw makes the character 
  almost invisible.  The character can also move quietly 
  up to one-half normal speed and hide at no penalty but 
  suffers a -4 penalty to Dexterity Saving Throws while 
  moving one half to normal speed.  Movement at less 
  than ½ speed incurs no penalty. The character can 
  perform this skill indoors and outdoors and may have 
  improved chances if there are distractions, shadows, 
  and the like.  
   
  Snares and Traps   
  Average Time: 11 months 
  The character with this skill is practiced in the 
  art of building and using traps capable of snaring 
  animals, creature, and unwanted visitors. A successful 
  Saving Throw indicates that the trap will function 
  properly.  The character can also determine the nature 
  of traps built and left by others and attempt to disarm 
  them using any Snares and Traps Education bonus 
  points they posses as a bonus modifier towards the 
  disarm attempt.  Failure to disarm requires a second 
  Saving Throw and if that fails also, the character sets 
  off the trap and suffers the trap‘s effect. Note that this 
  skill is restricted to the kind of traps and snares the 
  character has had an opportunity to learn.  Basically 
  this means that a character from a tribal society would 
  not know how to create or disarm a complex 
  descending ceiling trap in a medieval style castle.  
  Similarly, a character with no experience as a spell 
  caster, would have no clue how to set or disarm a 
  magical trap, regardless of how many points in Snares 
  and Traps they posses. 
  
   
  69 
   
   
  Strength Training   
  Average Time: 6 weeks 
  Allows the player to add 1 point to the 
  Strength Trait per bonus point.   Strength for 
  humanoids can never be more than 12.  
   
  Swimming/Diving/Holding Breath   
  Average Time: 2 months 
  Persons with this skill know how to swim and 
  how to dive well.  They are also able to hold their 
  breath one minute (round) per bonus point.  No one 
  can hold their breath for more than 10 minutes, unless 
  hypnotized. 
   
  Tracking   
  Average Time: 4 months 
  The character can follow tracks and find and 
  interpret sign. The Referee is encouraged to increase 
  or penalize the chance of success depending on the 
  circumstances (age of the sign, type of terrain, number 
  of tracks being followed, and so forth).  The amount 
  of information gathered by a tracker from sign will 
  also depend on how many Education bonus points the 
  character possesses and it is up to the Referee to decide 
  what is reasonable.  
   
  Veterinary    
  Average Time: 16 months 
  The character has knowledge of how to treat 
  wounded or sick animals - handle as Medicine skill. 
   
  Weapon Mastery    
  Average Time: 5 months 
  Characters with this skill may add a one point 
  modifier to both the Fighting Strength and to damage 
  done, per Education bonus point, for a single Weapon 
  type, up to a maximum possible of +5.  All types of 
  weapons, including all projectile – crossbows, bows, 
  etc. -  and all throwing weapons - stones, knives, 
  sticks, spears, axes, javelins, bolas etc. – are governed 
  by this skill.  Each type of weapon must be mastered 
  separately and there is no limit to the number of 
  weapons an individual may master.  Types of weapons 
  can be fairly broad, such as ―swords‖, ―bows‖, ―pole 
  arms‖, etc. 
   
  Weaving 
  Average Time: 3 weeks 
    
  Not the hand craft, the maneuver.  When not 
  wearing armor, a character with weaving skill may 
  apply any Education bonus points in this skill to their 
  Armor Class.    The character must be able to move 
  around freely in an environment to which they are 
  accustomed.  Thus the skill would not apply to non 
  aquatic creatures when they are in water or vice versa, 
  or to characters experiencing a noticeably different 
  Gravity, such as might be found on a moon; and so 
  forth.   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  70 
   
  Appendix II - Additional Magic Spells 
   
  Earth 
   
  Earthquake  
  Level: 6  
  Duration 1 round 
  Range: Sight 
   
  Causes the ground to shake and split within a 
  300 yard area that must be within sight of the caster.  
  There is a 1 in 6 chance per individual caught in the 
  area that they might fall into a crack for 2d12 points of 
  damage.  Trees in the area have a 2 in 6 chance of 
  falling, but structures such as buildings will have 
  varying chances depending on the type of construction 
  and ground conditions as determined by the Referee.  
  Generally a 25% chance per story may be assigned to 
  wood frame constructs.   
   
  Find Precious Stones 
  Level: 2  
  Duration: 2 rounds 
  Range: Sight 
   
  Causes the caster to ―see‖ in their minds eye 
  the location of all precious stones within a radius of 75 
  feet.   
   
  Find Precious Metal  
  Level: 2  
  Duration: 2 rounds 
  Range: Sight 
   
  Causes the caster to ―see‖ in their minds eye 
  the location of all precious metal within a radius of 75 
  feet.   
   
  Magic Gate  
  Level: 6  
  Duration: 1d20 rounds at random 
  Range: Sight 
   
  Opens a door to another location – can be anyplace the 
  caster thinks of. 
   
  Magnet 
  Level: 5  
  Duration: 2 rounds  
  Range: Sight 
  Causes an object (any kind including flesh) to 
  attract all magnetic metals (Iron, steel, etc.} in a radius 
  of 30 feet.  The attraction is absolute and can not be 
  resisted by loose objects.  Fixed metal objects, 
  including body armor, must make a Saving Throw 
  against a Strength of 10 plus or minus any modifiers 
  the Referee feels are appropriate.   Damage to flesh or 
  fragile objects is 1d4 for every 10 feet the metal object 
  travels for a maximum of 3d4 at 30 feet. 
   
  Walls 
  Level: 4  
  Duration: 2 rounds 
  Range: Sight 
   
  Creates a magical wall of a given substance.  
  The size of the wall is roughly 8 inches thick and 30‘ 
  by 30‘ straight or a circle with a circumference of 15 
  feet and the same height.  An additional 5 feet in any 
  direction or 4 inches in thickness can be added for each 
  level of Augmentation.  The shape and curvature of 
  the wall can be adjusted at will by the caster and can 
  even be made to from a dome.  The wall can also be 
  moved at a speed equal to the basic movement rate of 
  the caster.  The effects of different types of walls are 
  shown on the table below: 
   
  Fire 
  3d6 points of damage – will burn 
  anything flammable within 1 yard. 
   
  Water 
  No damage, but will leave anything 
  caught in it soaking wet. 
   
  Ice 
  Solid barrier that can withstand 17 points 
  of damage – if moving, causes 1d6 points 
  of damage to anything it hits. 
   
  Rock 
  Solid barrier that can withstand 34 points 
  of damage – if moving, causes 1d6 points 
  of damage to anything it hits. 
   
  Sand 
  3d6 points of damage to anything caught 
  in this wall – will remove paint, rust, etc. 
  ruin clothes and cause general wear and 
  tear. 
   
  Web Strand 
  Level: 2  
  Duration: N/A 
  Range: caster 
   
  
   
  71 
   
  Causes a thread of webbing to shoot out from 
  the casters palm to a distance of 30 feet.  The web is 
  1/8 inch thick and very sticky.  The strand can be 
  moved and directed as the caster desires.  A Strength 
  score of 7 or greater is required to break it but it can 
  easily be burned or cut with a sharp object.    
   
  Web Net 
  Level: 3  
  Duration: N/A 
  Range: caster 
   
  Causes a 9‘ by 9‘ net made of webbing to shoot 
  out from the casters palm to a distance of 30 feet.  The 
  webbing is 1/8 inch thick and very sticky and will 
  cling to and wrap around anything it lands on.  A 
  Strength score of 7 or greater is required to break it but 
  it can easily be burned or cut with a sharp object.   
   
   
   
  Air 
   
   
  Control Gasses  
  Level: 4 
  Duration: rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: 1o feet per caster leve; 
   
  The caster gains complete control of all gasses 
  – including sentient creatures in gaseous forms - 
  within 10' per level of the Spell caster, and is able to 
  direct their shape and location.   
   
  Create Weather  
  Level:  6  
  Duration: rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: Unlimited 
   
   
  Allows the caster to create any localized form 
  of weather desired.  The size of the weather 
  phenomenon is 10' per level of the caster, unless 
  Augmented. 
   
  Gaseous Form  
  Level: 6 
  Duration: rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: Touch 
   
  The spell caster is able to turn a target (usually 
  themselves) into a cloud of gas.  The cloud of gas is 
  able to remain contiguous and move at the creature‘s 
  normal movement rate.  As a gas, the creature can 
  penetrate anyplace that is gas permeable and is able to 
  return to their normal form at will.  All possessions 
  held by the creature become part of the cloud and are 
  transported with it.  The gas itself is made of the 
  molecules of the object from which it arose.  In no 
  way does this spell allow the object to be transformed 
  into a specific kind of gas – like mustard gas, for 
  instance. 
   
  Wind Blast 
   Level: 6 
  Duration: 4 rounds 
  Range: 175 feet 
   
  Creates gale force winds within a 20 cubic foot 
  path chosen by the caster.  Anything not tied down or 
  otherwise secured or extremely heavy will be picked 
  up and thrown 3d6 feet and suffer damage equal to 
  half the distance thrown unless a successful Saving 
  Throw verses Health is made.    
   
  Wind  
   Level: 4 
  Duration: 4 rounds 
  Range 175 feet 
   
  Creates a breeze, either ranging from gentle to 
  steady at the discretion of the caster,  within a 20 cubic 
  foot path chosen by the caster.  The breeze is 
  sufficient to fill the sails of a ship if desired and may 
  be maintained for longer by Augmentation.  
   
  Tornado 
  Level: 6 
  Duration: 30 rounds 
  Range: 10 miles 
   
   
  Fills a 10 foot circle with a tornado.    
  Anything or being caught in the effect receives 6d6 
  points of damage unless sufficient cover is available 
  and a successful Saving Throw vs. Dexterity is made.  
  Further the tornado will toss lose objects or creatures 
  from in a random direction for 100 to 600 feet (1d6) for 
  additional falling damage.   Any creature within 300 
  feet has a 1 in 12 chance of being hit by debris for 2d6 
  points of damage.   The caster may optionally let the 
  tornado follow a random path or may control the 
  speed and direction.  However to control the tornado 
  the caster must remain still and concentrate on the 
  tornado for the entire time.    
   
  
   
  72 
   
  Water 
   
  Boil 
  Level: 4  
  Duration: instantaneous 
  Range: 60 feet 
   
  This spell causes all water within a 9‘ sphere to 
  instantly boil.  Any object - including all living ones - 
  containing 5% or more of water will certainly explode 
  as the water forces its way out.   Larger objects or areas 
  may be selected by Augmenting the spell.  Magical 
  objects are not affected but otherwise the effect is 
  automatic.   
   
  Shape Water 
  Level: 2  
  Duration: Hours equal to caster level 
  Range: 120 feet 
   
   
  This spell allows the caster to form water, ice 
  or fog into any shape desired.  The material properties 
  of the H2O do not change however. 
   
  Fog  
  Level: 3  
  Duration: Hours equal to caster level 
  Range 300 feet 
   
  Causes a thick fog to arise from the ground to 
  a height of 30 feet.  The fog takes 1 round to fully 
  form.  Visibility is reduced to 8 feet.  The outline of 
  invisible persons and items will become noticeable up 
  close.   
   
  Part Water  
  Level: 6 
  Duration: Hours equal to caster level 
  Range: 400 feet 
   
  Pushes water back on two sides, creating a 
  part, for a maximum depth and distance of 400 feet 
  unless Augmented.  
   
  Rain   
  Level: 4 
  Duration: Hours equal to caster level 
  Range 400 feet 
   
  Will cause a steady rain for a distance 
  anywhere from 2 to 400 feet.  The rain is stationary, 
  but will move if cast on a moving object, (such as a 
  person).  Augmentation can increase the amount of 
  rain falling to a torrential downpour.  In any case, 
  unprotected objects will quickly become soaking wet.  
   
  Rain of Acid  
  Level: 5 
  Duration: Rounds equal to caster level 
  Range: 100 feet 
   
  This spell creates a steady rain of highly 
  reactive acid that will immediately begin corroding all 
  non magic objects except glass.  This spell will 
  function both indoors and out for a distance anywhere 
  from 2 to 100 feet.  The rain is stationary, but will 
  move if cast on a moving object, (such as a person).  
  The acid does a base damage of 12 points per round and 
  will continue to do 12 points per round for up to 2 
  rounds until washed off. 
   
  Snowstorm  
  Level: 5  
  Duration: Rounds equal to caster level 
  Range: 100 feet 
   
  This spell creates a steady snowfall.  This spell 
  will function both indoors and out for a distance 
  anywhere from 2 to 100 feet.  The snow is stationary, 
  but will move if cast on a moving object, (such as a 
  person).  If the surface the snow falls on is freezing or 
  less in temperature, accumulation will be one inch per 
  round. 
   
  Water Walking  
  Level: 3 
  Duration: Rounds equal to caster level 
  Range: 100 feet 
   
  This spell allows either the caster or one 
  person per level of the caster to move normally on top 
  of the water as if it were a solid surface. 
   
   
  Energy 
   
  Nudge 
  Level: 1 
  Duration: 1 second 
  Range: 80 feet 
  Creates a force that will push or shove any 
  object.  The amount of force applied can range from 
  
   
  73 
   
  extremely gently to the equivalent of a Strength 8 
  shove as desired by the caster. 
   
  Substitutiary Locomotion 
  Level: 4 
  Duration: 20 Rounds 
  Range: 400 feet 
   
  Causes an infusion of animating magic around 
  non living materials of any kind.  The objects will 
  then be under the control of the user, obeying directly 
  both verbal commands and thoughts, including the 
  caster‘s subconscious expectations.  The number of 
  objects that can be controlled is ten times the Level of 
  the caster for a duration of 20 rounds. 
   
  Traveling Spell  
  Level: 5 
  Duration: 24 hours per caster level 
  Range: 15 feet 
   
  Similar to Substitutiary Locomotion and 
  Telekinesis.  Causes an object (broom, carpet, chair, 
  bed, etc.) to be surrounded with a force that will move 
  the object at rates up to 500 miles per hour, along with 
  anyone or anything on it, wherever the spell caster 
  commands.  The spell lasts one day per level of the 
  spell caster.  It can, like most spells, be made 
  permanent with the use of runes, in which case the 
  object itself becomes magical.    
   
  Accelerate  
  Level: 3 
  Duration: Rounds equal to caster level 
  Range: 100 feet 
   
  The spell may be cast on an individual or a 
  group but will always cost 3 points per person.  The 
  result allows the affected individual to double their 
  normal movement rate; and Attack Values.   
   
  Flame Whip 
  Level: 2 
  Duration: 1 round 
  Range: caster 
   
  Causes a whip like tendril of fire, 30 feet long, 
  to arise in the casters hand and extend toward the 
  target.  The flame whip will not be affected by gravity 
  (won‘t fall) but may otherwise be moved like a normal 
  whip.  The whip does 1D6 of damage to whatever it 
  strikes.   
   
  Burning Bright 
  Level: 6  
  Duration: rounds equal to levels of caster 
  Range: 20 foot radius around caster 
   
  This spell creates a sphere of bright radiation 
  that will cause severe radiation burns to any creature 
  within a 20 foot radius around the caster (caster 
  excluded).  Any creature or character within this area 
  for more than 1 round thereafter will be debilitated 
  after 3 rounds and die in 1 round from radiation 
  poisoning unless given magical healing.  Any creature 
  that is negatively affected by light suffers a -3 to any 
  Saving Throws they may attempt.  Any creature that 
  makes a successful Throw to avoid this spell must 
  make a second successful Throw or suffer 1d6 points 
  of damage 24 hours after being exposed to the 
  radiation.  
   
  Cold  
  Level: 4 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: 100 feet 
   
  This spell draws out up to 10 degrees Celsius 
  per round from any or all object(s) the caster directs 
  within an area of up to 50 cubic feet.  The caster may 
  stop the heat loss at any point and hold the 
  temperature steady for the duration of the spell.   
   
  Command Rope  
  Level: 1 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: 21 feet 
   
  Animate any rope so that it will move as 
  instructed by the caster.  The force exerted by the rope 
  is equal to that of a Strength Trait of 9.  Any creature 
  attempting to hit or catch the rope must make a 
  Dexterity (Quickness) Saving Throw, modified by 
  the difference between it and the casters Dexterity 
  (Quickness) Trait and the characters Quickness.  For 
  example, if the caster is 2 Trait factors ―quicker,‖ then 
  the throw is at -2 for the catching character.  
  Conversely, if the catching character is 1 point quicker 
  than the caster, the throw would be +1 for the 
  character. 
   
  Detect Outline  
  Level: 3  
  Duration: Rounds equal to caster level 
  Range: 100 feet 
   
  
   
  74 
   
  This spell will cause a faint glowing outline to 
  surround any invisible location object or person. 
   
  Detect Secret 
   Level: 2 
  Duration: Rounds equal to caster level 
  Range 100 feet 
   
  This spell causes all secret doors, panels, 
  passageway, false walls, floors, hidden traps, and the 
  like to glow with a steady red light.  
   
  Disintegration  
  Level: 6 
  Duration: 2 rounds 
  Range 90 feet 
   
  This spell allows the caster to cause any object 
  within a 9‘ sphere to turn to dust and vapor up to 90‘ 
  from the caster, provided that object or creature is 
  stationary for at least one round.  Larger objects or 
  areas may be selected by Augmenting the spell.  
  Magical objects are not affected but otherwise the 
  destruction is automatic.  The caster may selectively 
  target any items within the area of effect, such as a 
  warriors arms and armor, while leaving other objects – 
  such as the warrior – unaffected.  
   
  Magic Shield  
  Level: 3 
  Duration: rounds per level of the caster 
  Range 9 feet 
   
  This spell creates a magical force field that 
  will not break and through which no object may pass, 
  (including air or gas).  The shield may be any size and 
  shape the caster wishes between a 1 foot square 
  minimum and a 6 foot square maximum.  The shield 
  will not stop magic at all. The shield is weightless and 
  can be moved and reshaped by the caster at will. 
   
  MageSpark 
  Level:  2 
  Duration: 2 rounds for every level of the caster 
  Range: 200 feet 
   
  Creates a small spark about the size of a .45 
  caliber roundball.  The number of sparks created 
  equals the level of the spell caster.  Each spark can be 
  targeted separately, divided among targets or directed 
  at a single target as desired.  Each spark will 
  automatically hit its target and do 1d6 points of 
  damage.  Armor slows the progression of a spark for a 
  number of rounds equal to ½ the armor class, rounded 
  down, i.e. Armor Class 5 takes two rounds for the 
  spark to penetrate.  If armor or clothing is removed 
  before the spark has penetrated, the target will not 
  receive any damage. 
   
  Metal Location  
  Level: 2  
  Duration: 2 rounds  
  Range: Sight 
   
  Causes the caster to automatically know the 
  cardinal direction of the largest amount of any 
  particular metal within a radius of 150 feet of the 
  caster. 
   
  Reflect Bolt 
  Level: 4  
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range 21 feet 
   
  Any, 
  Lightning, 
  Flame, 
  Disintegration, 
  MageSpark or other bolt, ray, or spark type spell 
  directed at the individual or object protected by Reflect 
  Bolt will be immediately reflected back at the caster at 
  full strength, and will travel for the remaining 
  distance of its range, possibly hitting the spell caster 
  who cast the spell in the first place.  The spell could 
  also conceivably be bounced back and forth until its 
  maximum range is reached if the original caster has 
  also activated a Reflect Bolt spell.  
   
  Return Weapon  
  Level: 2  
  Duration: 1 round 
  Range: touch 
   
  Any weapon touched by the caster while 
  reciting this spell will return to its owner or to its 
  resting place when thrown or shot; lasts until 
  dispelled. 
   
  Reverse Gravity  
  Level:  6 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range 100 feet  
   
  When cast, all gravity ceases within an 80 
  cubic feet area (or less as desired).  Anything moving 
  more than halfway out of the bounds of the spell will 
  immediately feel the pull of gravity again, as will 
  everything upon the completion of the duration of the 
  spell.  This spell must be centered on an object or 
  
   
  75 
   
  person within the casting range and it will move with 
  the center object if it too is moving.  
   
  Ritual Sacrifice 
  Level:  2 
  Duration: (temporary) 
  Range: touch 
   
  By chanting this simple spell while the 
  creature the spell caster is touching is in the process of 
  bleeding to death, the spell caster, upon the death of 
  the creature, will receive all of that beings base Hit 
  Point Values as a Health bonus.  An Elf Mage may 
  employ them as spell points.  This can be done with 
  any living creature and the spell caster need not 
  necessarily be the one who dealt the killing stroke.  
  The additional spell points received by this method 
  may be used only once, and once used are gone.  
  Whether used as a Health bonus or as spell points, the 
  effect lasts no more than 24 hours. 
   
  Slow  
  Level:  4 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: 40 feet 
   
  Causes the subject to move at ½ their normal 
  movement rate.  Any attacks made by slowed 
  characters will be as if made against AC 1 opponents.  
  All persons within 40‘ and in the line of sight of the 
  spell caster will be affected. 
   
  Spontaneous Combustion 
  Level:  5 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: 60 feet 
   
  Causes any object or character to burn out of 
  control, even under water.  Only one object/character 
  within 60‘ of the line of sight of the Spell caster will be 
  affected, unless Augmented.    
   
  Stop Time  
  Level:  6 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range 100 cubic feet around caster 
   
  Causes time to appear to come to a near stand 
  still around the caster and those physically in contact 
  with the caster or any single character the spell is cast 
  on.  In fact, it alters time so that the recipient of the 
  spell is accelerated relative to all those not affected. 
   
  Telekinesis 
  Level 2 
  Duration: unlimited, as long as the caster concentrates 
  Range: anywhere within the caster‘s range of vision. 
   
  Causes objects, including living creatures, to 
  move and float in any way caster wishes.  The number 
  of objects, regardless of weight, the caster can effect is 
  equal to the casters level.  The spell caster can not 
  walk, talk, or do anything at all to disturb their 
  concentration or the objects will fall.  Objects going 
  out of sight will fall.  Small objects hitting characters 
  or creatures do 1 point of damage; larger objects do 
  damage as appropriate.     
   
   
   
  Obviation 
   
   Arrest Magic  
  Level:  6 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range 30 feet 
   
  This spell stops all magic from occurring 
  within 40 cubic feet or less of the focal point of the 
  spell.  Any magic cast is disrupted and the spell lost.  
  Inscribed magic will function normally after the spell 
  has run out. 
   
  Slow Magic  
  Level:  5 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range 30 feet 
   
  This spell slows all magic so that the effects 
  takes turns, rather than rounds to take place, within 40 
  cubic feet or less of the focal point of the spell.   
   
  Hide Odor  
  Level:  3 
  Duration: Hours per level of the caster 
  Range: 30 feet  
   
  This spell removes all odors whatsoever from 
  a 25 foot radius around the focal point of the spell.  If 
  cast on a creature or character, the spell will travel 
  with them as they move around.  No smells can 
  emanate from within the area of effect; however, those 
  within the area can detect odors coming from outside 
  as normal.  The area of effect of the spell can be 
  
   
  76 
   
  reduced as desired by the caster to affect as little as the 
  personal space of a single character. 
   
  Immobilize 
  Level:  5 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: 80 feet 
   
  The spell causes any creature to be frozen still, 
  unable to move, even if in midair.  The victim gets a 
  Saving Throw against the spell.    
   
  Lock/Unlock  
  Level:  2 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: touch 
   
  This spell allows the closing and fastening of 
  anything that can open, or the opening of anything 
  closed.  The seal is impermeable and may only be 
  dispelled by a higher level spell caster.  Likewise, 
  anything magically locked can only be opened by a 
  higher level spell caster or, of course the spell caster 
  who originally cast the spell. 
   
   
  Protection 
  Level:  4 
  Duration: Hours per level of the caster 
  Range: Touch 
   
  This spell causes the individual it is cast on to 
  be immune to damage from a specific type of weapon, 
  such as knives, swords, or arrows.  The weapon type 
  in question will always somehow miss the target. 
   
  Silence 
   Level:  4  
  Duration: Hours per level of the caster 
  Range: 30 feet  
   
  This spell removes all sound whatsoever from 
  a 25 foot radius around the focal point of the spell.  If 
  cast on a creature or character, the spell will travel 
  with them as they move around.  No sound, including 
  vocals can emanate from within the area of effect; 
  however, those within the area can hear sound coming 
  from outside as normal.  
   
   
   
   
   
  Trip Trap 
  Level:  1 
  Duration: 1 round 
  Range: 40 feet  
   
   
  Casting this spell causes any and all normal, 
  non magical traps to spring as if activated by the 
  normal means. 
   
   
  Organic 
   
  Age 
  Level:  6 
  Duration: 1 round 
  Range: Touch 
   
  The victim of this spell will change in age by 4 
  years for every level of the caster, either younger or 
  older as the caster desires.  This spell can be cast in 
  reverse.  Memory remains intact as only physical age 
  is affected.   
   
  Flesh Death 
  Level:  5 
  Duration: 1 round 
  Range: Touch 
   
  Causes  severe damage to all flesh within one 
  foot of the area touched by causing the cell walls to 
  burst.  The affected area is dead and will begin to rot 
  unless magically healed.   
   
  Gash 
  Level:  5 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: Touch 
  The victim of this spell will have deep gashes 
  appear on their skin which will bleed profusely 
  causing 1d6 points of damage per round.  For each 
  round the spell is active new gashes will appear.  
  Bandaging can staunch the flow of blood. 
   
  Giant Leap 
  Level: 2 
  Duration 10 rounds 
  Range: Touch 
   
  Allows a character to leap one yard for every Strength 
  point. 
   
  
   
  77 
   
  Heavy  
  Level:  5  
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: 30 feet 
   
  This spell makes any object within range that 
  the caster desires up to twice as heavy per level of the 
  caster.  
   
  Link 
  Level:  6 
  Duration: Permanent 
  Range: Touch  
   
  Creates a bond between two creatures whereby 
  physical effects that happen to either one are shared 
  equally by each.  Therefore if one were to take 6 points 
  of damage, each character would get 3.  This effect will 
  take place regardless of how far apart the characters 
  are.  Death of one character will not sever the link and 
  the remaining character will begin to rot to the point 
  that they too will die in 3d6 days.  
   
  Mind Bullet 
  Level:  5 
  Duration: 1 round 
  Range: Touch 
   
  Causes  severe synaptic damage in the victims 
  brain rendering them brain dead.  The victim will die 
  within 24 hours unless cared for or magically healed.   
   
  See in Darkness 
  Level:  4  
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: Touch 
   
  The recipient of this spell can see in darkness 
  as well as if it were broad daylight.   The spell works 
  in any amount of darkness including complete absence 
  of light but does not work in magical or miraculous 
  darkness.  
   
  Spider Fingers  
  Level:  4 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: Touch 
   
  The subject of this spell will be able to cling to 
  any solid surface while carrying up to two times their 
  own body weight.  Fingers and toes must be bare to 
  work. 
   
  Telescopic Vision 
  Level:  2 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: Touch 
   
  The recipient of this spell can zero in on 
  objects at great distances or that are very small as if 
  using a telescope or microscope.  The objects must be 
  able to be seen, as the spell does not allow the recipient 
  to see through anything.  
   
  Telepathy 
  Level:  3 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: Touch 
   
  Allows silent, mental communication between 
  two or more spell casters who have both cast the spell, 
  or between a spell caster who cast the spell and 
  someone possessing a magic item allowing the same 
  effect, or between two or more persons possessing 
  such an item. 
   
  Trail  
  Level:  4 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: 600 feet 
   
  This spell causes the footprints of any being or 
  beings selected by the caster to glow with a feint blue 
  glow.  Flying creatures, obviously, can not be tracked 
  this way, but the wake of swimming creatures or 
  objects can be seen.   
   
  Trail Erase  
  Level: 4 
  Duration: Permanent 
  Range: 600 feet 
   
  This spell causes all traces of the passage of 
  any creature or creatures selected by the caster to be 
  completely obliterated.  
   
  Wizard Sight   
  Level: 5 
  Duration: Hours per level of the caster 
  Range: Touch 
   
  This spell gives the recipient the ability to see 
  invisible objects or beings.  
   
    
   
  
   
  78 
   
  Illusion 
   
  Change Colors  
  Level: 1 
  Duration: Hours per level of the caster 
  Range: Touch 
   
  This spell will change the color of anything to 
  any color the caster chooses, up to a cubic foot area of 
  400.  
   
  Conceal Magic  
  Level: 5 
  Duration: Hours per level of the caster 
  Range: 30 feet 
   
  Hides magic effects so that they are invisible 
  from normal sight and from Reveal Magic spells that 
  are cast by a spell caster of lesser levels than any Spell 
  caster casting a reveal magic spell.  
   
  Disguise  
  Level: 3 
  Duration: Hours per level of the caster 
  Range: 30 feet 
   
  Any one object or person within range of the 
  spell can be made to appear to be any thing, character 
  or creature the spell caster wishes.   The effect only 
  changes the appearance, not the actual substance.  
   
  Duplicates  
  Level: 3 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: 60 feet 
   
  This spell creates multiple visual copies of any 
  person or object.  The effect is mirror perfect, but any 
  duplicate that is actually touched with any object will 
  instantly disappear.  The duplicates have no substance 
  and will mimic exactly any movement made by the 
  original.   
   
  Ventriloquism  
  Level: 2 
  Duration: Hours per level of the caster 
  Range: 80 feet 
   
  Using this spell the caster can mimic the 
  sound of any voice or noise and have it emanate from 
  any point within range.   The sound can be multiple 
  voices, music or loud, disorienting noise if the Spell 
  caster wishes.  
   
   
   
  Appendix III - Miracles 
   
   
  Alter Density 
  Level:  4  
  Duration: Hours per level of the caster 
  Range: Touch 
   
    
  This 
  Miracle 
  will 
  change 
  the 
  hardness/softness of an object or creature by a factor 
  of 2 for each time it is cast.  Whether the effect is to be 
  twice as soft or twice as hard is entirely up to the 
  caster.  When a hardening Alter Density spell is cast 
  on a living being the effect is an improvement of 
  armor class by 2.   Conversely, when a softening Alter 
  Density spell is cast on a living being the effect is a 
  worsening of armor class by 2.  The spell may be 
  repeated for increased effect. 
   
  Anti-Shock  
  Level 1 
  Duration: Instantaneous 
  Range: Touch 
   
  This Miracle revives any unconscious being 
  who has -3 Hit Point Values or more and halts all 
  damage from loss of blood or pain.  The victim must 
  have or gain positive Hit Point Values or they will 
  lapse back into unconsciousness and possibly die in 1 
  round.  
   
  Itch 
  Level 1 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: 50 feet 
   
  The victim of this Miracle will suffer an 
  unendurable itch that will move to a different part of 
  the body the moment it is scratched, continuing to do 
  so for the duration of the spell.  A Cunning Throw at -
  1 is required every round the effect is active for anyone 
  attempting to ignore the Itch.  Failure means the 
  character will attempt to scratch the itch, ignoring 
  anything else that may be happening.   
   
  
   
  79 
   
  Purify Food  
  Level 1 
  Duration: Hours per level of the Priest 
  Range: Touch 
   
  Food and drink blessed by this Miracle will be 
  restored to its original nutritive value and have any 
  harmful components rendered completely inert and 
  harmless.  
   
  Hurt  
  Level 2 
  Duration: Permanent 
  Range: Touch 
   
  This Miracle causes 1d6 points of direct 
  damage to a target.  The damage is an internal 
  concussive type with no exterior wounds.   
   
  Charm 
   Level 2 
  Duration: Hours per level of the Priest 
  Range: 50 feet 
   
  This Miracle creates an aura of good feeling 
  within a 15 foot radius, such that all creatures within 
  this area who fail a Cunning Throw will believe the 
  recipient of the spell to be someone they can trust, 
  who cares about them and is simply a friend.  Victims 
  do not have a personality change and will still behave 
  ―in character‖, but are much more likely to want to 
  ingratiat themselves with their friend than not.   The 
  Miracle may be repeatedly renewed without additional 
  throws for the victim.  
   
  Create Food 
  Level 2 
  Duration: 1 round 
  Range 10 feet 
   
  This Miracle transforms any object (rock, 
  lump of dirt, old bones) into nourishing food of the 
  meat and potatoes sort.   The amount of food is only 
  what is necessary to feed those who need it for one 
  day.  Any uneaten food rots and becomes poisonous 
  after 24 hours.   
   
  Create Water 
  Level 2  
  Duration: 1 round 
  Range 20 feet 
   
  This Miracle allows the magician to create up 
  to days ration of water for all who need it.  If the 
  water is not consumed it will disappear in three 
  rounds. 
   
  Mend 
   Level 2 
  Duration: 1 round 
  Range: Touch  
   
  This Miracle will mend any broken, objects so 
  that no trace of the break remains and the objects are 
  as good as new.  Broken magical objects can also be 
  restored, but the magic will no longer function. 
   
   Abandon 
  Level 3 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the Priest 
  Range: 50 feet 
   
  This Miracle stimulates the pleasure centers of 
  the brain such that anyone within a 15 foot radius 
  affected will experience a degree of pleasure as 
  determined by the Priest.  This may be mild 
  stimulation to complete disabling ecstasy, - a state in 
  which there is a 50% chance the victims will sit or fall 
  down and in any case will be unable to concentrate on 
  anything other than the sensations they are feeling.  
  Significant pain will however break the effect. 
   
  Cause Disease  
  Level 3 
  Duration: Hours per level of the Priest 
  Range: Touch 
   
  This Miracle causes the target to contract 
  Pacevon disease, or some other disease of the Priests 
  choosing. 
   
  Change Weight 
  Level 3 
  Duration: 10 Rounds per level of the Priest 
  Range: Touch  
   
  This 
  Miracle 
  physically 
  changes 
  the 
  gravitational density of any person or object the Priest 
  wishes so that they can become a different weight.  
  Heaviness can only be increased up to the base weight 
  times the level of the Priest but lightness can be 
  increased to less than that of air.  A frequent 
  application of this Miracle is to keep one-self float.  
   
   
  
   
  80 
   
  Cure Disease 
  Level 4 
  Duration: Permanent 
  Range: Touch 
   
  This Miracle will kill the cause of any disease, 
  removing it from the victim completely.  Note, this 
  does not heal any physical damage already done by the 
  disease.  
   
  Dizziness 
  Level 3 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the Priest 
  Range: 30 feet  
   
  Causes everyone the Priest designates with a 
  15 foot radius to suddenly loose all sense of balance.  
  The victims will fall to the ground, unable to stand for 
  more than a second or walk except to lurch and 
  tumble.  Five points are automatically subtracted from 
  the victims Combat Values and Saving Throws. 
   
  Might  
  Level 3  
  Duration: Hours per level of the caster 
  Range: Touch 
   
  Doubles the Strength Trait of the recipient.   
   
  Sick 
  Level 3  
  Duration: Rounds per level of the Priest 
  Range: 70 feet 
   
  The victims of the Miracle become violently 
  ill, repeatedly emptying the contents of their 
  stomachs.  The area affected is up to 30 cubic feet.  
  Five points are automatically subtracted from the 
  victims Combat Values and Saving Throws. 
   
  Tired  
  Level 3  
  Duration: Rounds per level of the Priest 
  Range: 70 feet 
  This Miracle causes all victims to suffer the effects of 
  Fatigue.  
   
  Wake 
  Level 3 
  Duration: Permanent  
  Range: Touch 
   
   
  Wake will break the effects of any naturally, 
  magically or miraculously caused Charm, Sleep or 
  Tiredness/Fatigue to anyone the Priest touches within 
  1 hour of calling this Miracle - provided the charm was 
  cast at level equal to or lower than that of the Priest. 
   
  Conjury 
  Level: see below 
  Duration: see below 
  Range: 60 feet 
   
  Conjury involves calling spirit entities out of 
  the netherworld.  Conjurers pour out blood for strange 
  rituals to call forth (summon) ghosts and vættir into 
  material manifestations, forge pacts with them, 
  question them, or bind and control them.  
  Some fear conjury and those priests who 
  practice it, others venerate the wise and powerful 
  keepers of the arcane knowledge of the dead.    
  The conjuring of spirits (ghosts, vættir, etc.) is 
  effected through ritual.  All ritual has three elements – 
  liquid (usually blood or water), solids (eye of newt, 
  bone dust, needles, incense, gems, etc.), and chants.  In 
  addition many rituals also require heat or light or have 
  a particular time frame and/or place in which they 
  must be performed.  Cauldrons, altars, trenches, and 
  wards are often also employed.  The exact components 
  and methods will be determined by the outcome 
  desired.  Rituals must have at least one of several 
  different goals.  These are:   
   
  1)  Exorcism – the attempt to banish a spirit 
  entity 
  back 
  to 
  the 
  netherworld 
  or 
  somewhere else of the conjurors choosing. 
  2) Invocation  – calls forth spirit entities to a 
  particular place.  Simply invoking a spirit 
  does not give the conjuror any control over 
  it.  The effect lasts for the number of 
  rounds equal to the conjuror‘s level.  
  Higher level priests can attempt to control 
  the entity in one of two ways: 
  a) Binding – Requires level 5 Priest - 
  forces an invoked entity to obey the 
  conjurer.  The effect will last until the 
  entity is exorcised or until some 
  component of the ritual is broken or 
  destroyed.  
  b) Implantation – Requires level 7 priest - 
  these rituals keep entities confined to a 
  container of some sort or within an 
  object (like a sword or an oil lamp) 
  which then allows the user to be in 
  direct contact with that power, 
  
   
  81 
   
  creating a range of possible benefits.  
  The effect is permanent until the being 
  is exorcised or the container is broken.  
  It is possible for the ―container‖ to be a 
  living being.   It is also possible to 
  create many forms of undead by 
  implanting a spirit in a corpse.  
  Further, a conjuror may deliberately 
  create powerful and obedient vættir by 
  implanting multiple spirits within a 
  single container filled with a specially 
  prepared liquid (Vættir can outgrow 
  these containers in time, however, 
  causing the container to explode!  This 
  may take weeks or millennium, 
  depending on the Vættir).  A trapped 
  Vættir may offer to trade several 
  services (wishes, possibly) to anyone 
  who will break the container. 
  3) Luck and Protection  - rituals that cause 
  entities to add a bonus to protection from 
  particular kinds of harm or provide 
  bonuses for particular kinds of activities 
  (like a ―guardian angel‖).  Only one entity 
  can serve a character in this manner at a 
  time. 
     
  Performing rituals is often dangerous for the 
  conjurer.  The Priest must gage the power of the entity 
  they are summoning, the type of ritual intended, and 
  their own ability to master the situation.  Provided a 
  ritual is performed properly, entities who‘s Hit Dice 
  are less than the level of the conjurer will 
  automatically be compelled by the ritual.  Those who‘s 
  Hit Dice are equal to or greater than the conjuring 
  Priest have a 10% chance per level of difference of not 
  being compelled by the ritual.  Therefore an entity 
  whose Hit dice is 5 levels greater than the level of the 
  Priest, has a 50% chance of ignoring the ritual.  The 
  conjurer will not necessarily know the Hit Dice of the 
  entity nor why a ritual may have failed.  
  Conjurers who have conjured an entity and 
  unsuccessfully attempted to bind or imprison it, will 
  be attacked by the entity.  Conjurers who are standing 
  inside a ward (usually a pentagram drawn with bone 
  chalk or made of blood dust or iron filings) may be 
  protected.  The ward under attack must successfully 
  save as if it were AC 8 or be broken. 
   
  Cure Blindness 
  Level 4  
  Duration: Permanent 
  Range: Touch 
   
  This Miracle will cure blindness caused by anything.  
   
  Shape Change  
  Level 4 
  Duration: Hours per level of the Priest 
  Range: Touch 
  Casting this Miracle changes the recipient into 
  any chosen being of any size.  The character‘s 
  Strength Trait will change accordingly but all other 
  character Traits, 
  memories, and skills remain 
  unchanged.    
   
  Miracles in a Bottle  
  Level 4 
  Duration: Permanent 
  Range: Touch 
   
  This Miracle binds the properties of any 
  Miracle the Priest is normally capable of calling forth, 
  into liquids.  To be effective, the liquid must be 
  ingested.   When drunk the effect is as if the subject 
  had just been the recipient of the Miracle.  
   
  Throes 
  Level 4  
  Duration: Rounds per level of the Priest 
  Range: 70 feet 
   
  The 
  victims 
  of 
  the 
  Miracle 
  suffer 
  uncontrollable spasms, causing them to fall to the 
  ground, unable to react to any outside stimulus.   The 
  area affected is up to 30 cubic feet. 
   
  Blind  
  Level 5 
  Duration: Permanent 
  Range: Touch 
  This Miracle causes permanent loss of sight.  
   
  Deafen  
  Level 5 
  Duration: Permanent 
  Range: Touch 
   
   
  This Miracle causes the recipient to have a 
  total loss of hearing.  
   
  Hemophilia  
  Level 5 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the Priest 
  Range: Touch (level 8 priest can use this Miracle at a 
  distance of up to 80‘) 
  
   
  82 
   
  This Miracle will cause a creature to bleed 
  uncontrollable from the mouth, ears and nose at the 
  rate of 1/10 their total blood supply per round.  If loss 
  exceeds 50% of total the victim will pass out, and die if 
  blood loss continues one more round.  This Miracle 
  may also be blessed upon weapons, whereupon any 
  wounds made with the weapon will not heal without a 
  magical or miraculous intervention.  If such a wound 
  is bleeding, the victim will bleed to death.   
   
  Paralyze 
  Level 5 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the Priest 
  Range: Touch  
   
  The priest can paralyze any one victim 
  touched so that they are completely unable to move 
  except to breathe.  
   
  Projection  
  Level 5 
  Duration: rounds per level of the Priest 
  Range: Miles per level of the Priest 
   
   
  The Priest is able to project their spirit into the 
  body of another living being.  The Priest does not gain 
  any control of the being into which they have 
  projected but they can read thoughts and see what the 
  being sees.  The being will not be aware of the Priest‘s 
  projection, unless the victim is also a Priest and of 
  equal or greater level.  The projecting Priest may also 
  attempt to whisper thoughts with a 10% chance per 
  level.  Beings being whispered to in this manner may 
  make a Cunning Throw, and if successful, may realize 
  the thoughts come from an invading spirit.  Projection 
  is automatic if the Priest‘s Brains is greater than that 
  of the being into which they are projecting.  If the 
  being has a Brains score equal to or greater than the 
  Priests, the being gets a Saving Throw to attempt to 
  prevent the Projection - with a bonus equal to the 
  number more of Brains points the being has than the 
  Priest.  The distance a Priest may project is equal to 1 
  mile for every level of the Priest and the length of the 
  projection is equal to 1 round per level of the Priest.  
  When projecting, the Priest will appear to be in a 
  trance; their body will be unaware and unresponsive to 
  any stimulus or danger. 
   
  Rot 
   Level 5  
  Duration: Permanent 
  Range: Touch 
  Anything (organic, living, or dead) will begin 
  to decay and wither as with great age.  Excepting the 
  Priest who called forth the Rot, anyone or anything 
  touched by the victim will also begin to decay.  The 
  rate of decay is equal to 1d6 Hit Point Values per 
  Round, however, at Level 8, the effect can be sped up 
  to 2d6 per round or down to 1d6 per day or any rate in 
  between.   Saving Throw is versus Health.  
   
  Truth  
  Level 5 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the Priest 
  Range: Touch 
   
  Provided the recipient of this Miracle fails a 
  Cunning Throw, they will be forced to answer any 
  question truthfully.   
   
  Translucence 
  Level 5 
  Duration: Permanent  
  Range: Touch 
   
  By this Miracle, a Priest is able to molecularly 
  transform an object, creature, or character or any part 
  of them, so that they exhibit any degree of 
  translucence desired – from see through skin, to partial 
  see through, to nearly invisible with only the feint 
  distortion of the outline showing.  This Miracle is 
  reversible, but requires the calling forth of another 
  Translucence blessing. 
   
  Clumsiness 
  Level 6 
  Duration: Days per level of the Priest 
  Range: Touch 
   
   
  This Miracle causes a reduction in the victim‘s 
  Dexterity Trait by 1d6 points.  
   
  Sleep  
  Level 6  
  Duration: Hours per level of the Priest 
  Range: 40 feet 
   
  This Miracle causes all victims in a 30 foot 
  radius to fall asleep.  Save versus Health to avoid. 
   
  PanLingua 
  Level 6  
  Duration: 1 day 
  Range: Touch 
  
   
  83 
   
  This Miracle allows the recipient both speak 
  and understand all languages and read those languages 
  which use a familiar alphabet.  Unknown scripts 
  cannot be read.   
   
  Somebody Else‘s Problem 
  Level 6 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the Priest  
  Range: Touch 
   
  This Miracle convinces any character that fails 
  a Cunning Throw that the recipient is unremarkable, 
  utterly forgettable, and should be ignored. 
   
  Increase 
  Level 7  
  Duration: Rounds per level of the caster 
  Range: Touch  
   
   
  Causes 
  the 
  temporary 
  increase 
  in 
  one 
  character Trait to 9 or 10 if it already at 9.  
   
  Invulnerability  
  Level 7 
  Duration: Turns per level of the caster 
  Range: Touch  
   
   
  This Miracle reduces the number of Damage 
  Points the recipient receives by half.  
   
  Lethe 
  Level 7  
  Duration: Days per level of the Priest 
  Range: Touch 
   
    
  The recipient of this Miracle will loose all 
  memory of a time period chosen by the Priest (but not 
  more than one month per Priest level).  All experience 
  and skill gained during the time forgotten will be lost 
  until the memory is restored.  
   
  Rubber Skin 
  Level 7  
  Duration: Rounds per level of the Priest 
  Range: Touch 
   
  The recipient of this Miracle has an altered 
  body that will respond as if made of a stretchable 
  rubber.  No damage will be taken by concussion 
  weapons or from falling or any other sort if impact.   
  The recipient is able to stretch any part or all of 
  themselves up to three times their normal length or 
  width and able to conform to fit into spaces of 
  virtually any shape provided the volume of the space 
  is sufficient for the normal volume of the character.   
   
  Grow New Body Part  
  Level 8 
  Duration: Permanent 
  Range: Touch 
   
  This Miracle allows the recipient to grow or 
  re-grow any body part desired, including extra parts 
  and parts normally belonging to other species, such as 
  functional wings, tails, etc.  
   
  Phasing 
  Level 8 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the Priest 
  Range: Touch 
   
  This Miracle causes the molecules of the 
  recipient to arrange themselves in such a way as to 
  allow the person and any and all possessions to pass 
  through any and all non magical objects up to a 
  distance of 10 feet per level of the caster.  Weapons, 
  rocks; anything that is solid will pass right through 
  them, but, if the recipient desires it, they can reverse 
  the effect at any time.  
   
  Poison Touch 
  Level 8 
  Duration: Rounds per level of the Priest 
  Range: Touch 
   
  The entire skin of the recipient of this Miracle 
  becomes poisonous to the touch. The poison is a nasty 
  one; Damage Rating 1d12 per round, Duration 18 
  Rounds, No Health Throw modifier.   
   
  Possession: 
  Level 8 
  Duration: days per level of the Priest 
  Range: Miles per level of the Priest 
   
    At eighth level, the Priest can take possession 
  of any body they project into, allowing the Priest full 
  control of that being.  The Priest can also transfer 
  other spirit entities they have control over into any 
  body over which the Priest has possession.   If the 
  affected being is an intelligent creature, they get a 
  Saving Throw versus Cunning every day they are 
  possessed.  The maximum length of a possession is the 
  number of days equal to the level of the Priest.  There 
  are rumors, however, that there are rituals to make 
  possession permanent and banish the original spirit. 
  
   
  84 
   
  Question 
   Level 8 
  Duration: 1 Round 
  Range: Touch 
   
  This Miracle allows any inanimate object to 
  answer three short answer questions of not more than 
  4 words.  The object is able on to answer questions 
  regarding events occurring in its presence, but can not 
  comment on abstract or subjective questions, like ―was 
  the princess happy?‖   
   
  Vermin Plague 
  Level 8 
  Duration: Hours per level of the Priest 
  Range: Miles per level of the Priest 
   
  Causes annoying and dangerous small animals 
  and insects of whatever types the Priest designates to 
  multiply prolifically and spread out voraciously or 
  angrily within the area of effect. 
   
  Become Object 
  Level 9 
  Duration: Hours per level of the Priest 
  Range: Touch 
   
  This Miracle allows the recipient to transform 
  themselves into any inanimate object.  Although 
  unable to see, move or speak the subject remains able 
  to smell hear and feel their surroundings.  Character 
  Traits remain unchanged. 
   
   
   
  Create Spring 
  Level 10 
  Duration: Permanent 
  Range: Touch 
   
  Allows the Priest to create a small but steady 
  spring of water producing 2 gallons per minute.  The 
  spring may be made anywhere, but must not be within 
  10 miles of any other Miracle springs, and must spring 
  from the natural earth or stones.  The water is 
  perfectly potable, but will also restore 2 Hit Point 
  Values per day if drunk or bathed in. 
   
  Transform  
  Level 10 
  Duration: Permanent  
  Range: Touch 
   
  Causes physical transformation as specified by 
  the Priest, affecting the recipients Charisma and/or 
  Strength Traits by no more than 1 point per level of 
  the Priest.  The form of the being may be remade and 
  reshaped as desired except limbs may not be added or 
  deleted.  
   
  Transmute  
  Level 10  
  Duration: Permanent 
  Range: Touch 
   
  The Priest successfully calling for this Miracle 
  is able to change anything that will fit within a 10 foot 
  radius into anything else, living or non living.     
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  85 
   
  Apendix IV - Monster Monsters! 
   
   
  In this section are a few more sample monsters 
  and villains to illustrate what a Referee can bring to 
  the creation of the anti heroes of the campaign.  
  Generally, every world and every adventure will likely 
  contain new types of monstrous beings designed to fit 
  the particulars of the campaign setting and there is 
  absolutely no point in trying to include standard list of 
  monsters here.  However, for those who may be 
  having trouble developing new bad guys, the internet, 
  and Wikipedia in particular can provide a vast pool of 
  inspiration.  The entries on Legendary Creatures  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_legendary_creat
  ures is a nearly inexhaustible source.  Future published 
  adventure modules and campaign settings will of 
  course contain new monsters also.  Also, while most 
  readers are probably well aware, it is worth 
  mentioning that whole catalogs of monsters developed 
  for various game systems are available online. 
   
  As non player characters, monsters, creatures 
  and entities of all sorts will have a set of 
  characteristics to describe them.  The examples below 
  show what these may be and how they are usually 
  ordered.  In summary the information might include: 
   
  Monster Matrix 
  Hit Dice (HD)/ Weight/Size (Wt/Sz)/ Hit Point 
  Values (HPV)/ Armor Class (AC)/ Special Damage 
  (sDg).  
   
   
  A couple of these are new categories for 
  Dragons at Dawn and require some explanation. 
   
  Weight/Size – usually this is either weight or size and 
  most often weight will be the most useful statistic, but 
  that simply depends on the creature and to some 
  extent Referee preference.  Weight and Size are used 
  as a guide for step 2 (size modifier) in adjustments to 
  Fighting Strength.  So, for example, a goblin might be 
  given a weight of 70 pounds (or 14 stone or kilograms, 
  as preferred).  In a fight with a Warrior weighing 220 
  pounds – more than three times as much as the goblin 
  - the Referee would know to add 3 to the Warriors 
  Fighting Strength.   
   
  Special Damage: if the monster has any means of 
  inflicting special damage, such as poison, it will be 
  listed here. 
   
   
  Other information that it is sometimes useful to single 
  out includes: 
   
  Alignment (Aln) – The characters approach to life and 
  society. 
   
  Society – how the character is socially organized – 
  solitary, small groups, packs, herds, - bands, tribes, 
  chiefdoms, states, etc. 
   
  Ecology – what biome type the being lives in and how 
  in particular it is adapted to its environment (food, 
  habitat, behavior, etc.) 
   
  History – relevant events in the past that shape its 
  behavior 
   
  % in Lair – For use when a monster has been 
  encountered randomly, the % in Lair statistic gives the 
  percentage chance that the lair of the monster has been 
  encountered, or, put another way, that the adventurers 
  have found the lair of the monster.  A further roll may 
  be necessary, as detailed in the Hexcrawl rules section, 
  to determine where the monster(s) themselves are. 
   
  STAT ECONOMY 
   
  When preparing creatures for an adventure, it 
  is almost never necessary to list all the information 
  one could for it.  In fact, in most cases a matrix of just 
  a few key characteristics are necessary.   For Example: 
   
  Huge Spider: Wt: 3lbs/ AC 1/ HD 2 /HPV 6 / sDg 
  poison (see description)  
   
   
  Important:  When creating new monsters be 
  sure to indicate the number of 6 sided die you roll for 
  the various statistics.  Humanoids are always 2d6 (-2) 
  for Character Traits and vary by class and other 
  factors for Hit Point Values, but most animal species 
  will use 1d6 for things like Brains and Cunning and 
  may have 5d6 or more for something like strength.   
   
  Some Undead Types 
  Undead  
  Only animal/humanoid and dragons can 
  become undead.  Many undead have particular 
  susceptibilities; however all are repelled by certain 
  plants in their raw form, including garlic, castor 
  leaves, and tobacco leaves. 
  
   
  86 
   
   
  These are the general types: 
  Infected Undead 
    
  Infected undead are individuals who have been 
  infected with a parasitic disease that will stop the 
  heart from beating, ―killing‖ the person infected 
  within a set period of time (24hrs for vampires).  
  Their cells no longer grow and replicate in a normal, 
  living fashion.  However, the individual will continue 
  to be able to move, think, feel, etc. as if alive because 
  the disease essentially takes control of the body at a 
  cellular level.  In this undead state, the disease will 
  cause severe personality changes and cravings.  
  Vampires and ghouls are the most common kind of 
  infected undead.  
   
   
  Ghosts, Spirits, Etc.:   
  There are many kinds of these and there are 
  many sources describing them.  Ghosts may only be 
  affected by magical weapons as detailed in the 
  Dragons at Dawn rulebook.  Not all ghosts must be 
  malevolent or even especially interested in the affairs 
  of the living.   
   
  Haunted Places: 
  Certain places may be particular magnets for 
  ghosts or spirits for one reason or another.  
  Graveyards, old houses, ruins, and the like can be 
  expected to harbor a share of ghosts, but there are also 
  certain areas where ghosts are drawn and become 
  trapped.  These areas are usually associated with 
  particularly strong magic that seems to entice and hold 
  them.  Often such trapped undead become completely 
  mad and unpredictable.  
  Vættir:  
  (Aka Loa in Tim Powers)  Vættir are twisted 
  undead amalgamations.  They may begin as the spirit 
  of a particularly powerful spell caster or dragon or 
  fearie lord or sometimes a group killed in some 
  tragedy or having other commonalities.  In any case 
  they grow through mergers and assimilations of spirits 
  and magical powers, and spirit energies, becoming 
  more powerful with time.  Thus, Vaettirs vary greatly 
  in strength, age, personality, and so forth. Vættir are 
  territorial, tied to a place, usually of some importance 
  to the spirits who become the Vaettir, before they 
  died.  Each Vættir is unique, but there are general 
  types. The two broad categories of Vættir are 
  landvættir (land based) and Sjövættir, who are 
  guardians of specific waters.  When taking material or 
  visual form, each Vættir will have a favored 
  appearance, but no two are alike.  They may look like 
  men or animals or hybrids of strange luminous forms. 
  Reanimated Undead:  
  Reanimated 
  undead 
  include 
  zombies, 
  skeletons, glory hands and the like, who can move and 
  obey simple commands.  The mindless, spiritless 
  variety can be created simply by an animation 
  (Substitutiary Locomotion) spell, but to bind a spirit 
  to the dead form takes stronger magic.  Often this is 
  accomplished by placing the corpse or bones within a 
  magical cauldron and then summoning an animal 
  spirit to indwell the remains.   
  Mummies, Sarcouphagus Skeletons, Zombie Lords:  
  Similar to reanimated undead, but possessing 
  the spirit of a sentient being – usually the spirit of the 
  original owner of the body but not necessarily so.  
  Particularly 
  powerful 
  spell 
  casters 
  may 
  turn 
  themselves into a Mummy or Zombie Lord in the 
  process of dying, but otherwise this type of undead 
  results from the will and circumstances of death of the 
  individual.  
   
  
   
  87 
   
  Sample Creatures: 
   
   
   
  Arcanahog (courtesy Sam Briskin)  
   
  Str:  2d6 -2 
  Brs:  (see below) 
  Cng:  1d6 
  Hlt:  2d6 -2 
  Grc:  1d6 
  Qwk:  2d6 -2 
  Aprs:  2d6 -2 
  Weight: 10 stone 
  Armor Class 1 
  Hit Dice: 1-4 
  HPV 13 
  % in Lair: N/A 
   
   
  A monster that consumes magic items. As 
  such, this monster's personality, intentions, appetite, 
  difficulty, and alignment depends on how many items 
  of what types it has consumed. Originally created by a 
  Wizard intent on devising some way to conserve the 
  power inherent in unneeded magic items, the creation 
  exhibited an immediate and insatiable appetitie and 
  quickly gained intelligence through the consumption 
  first of an intelligent sword, followed shortly 
  thereafter by the Wizard who created the Arcanahog 
  itself. While Arcanahogs do not gain the spells 
  (usually), of the items (or Wizards) they consume, 
  they may gain special abilities resulting in physical 
  changes - depending on the details of the specific item 
  - and any intelligence the item possed adds to the 
  Arcanahogs knowledge and comprehension.  Each 
  magical weapon or device/spell improving combat 
  effectiveness an Arcantog eats adds a hit die.  Upon 
  eating its fifth and subsequent such item, the 
  Arcanahog will spawn a 1 HD ―child‖ Arcanahog 
  within 24 hrs.  Very little about Arcanahogs as a 
  species is known, given the variety and uniqueness of 
  the 
  few 
  Arcanahogs 
  encountered 
  (and 
  whose 
  encounter was both known and survived). The overall 
  number of these creatures and their rate of population 
  increase is also unknown, though those with their ear 
  to the underground have noticed a recent sharp 
  increase in demand for any and all magic items... 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Aswang 
   (Mananaangal, Penanggalan, Nukekubi)  
   
  App 2d6-2 
  Br 2d6-2 
  Cng 2d6-2 
  Dex 2d6-2 
  Hth 2d6-2 
  Str:  2d6 -2 
  Weight 10 stone 
  Armor Class 9  
  Hit Dice: 2 
  HPV 10 
  Damage – 1d6 + sleep inducing bite. 
  % in Lair: 16% 
   
  Aswang are young, female, blood sucking, 
  infected undead.   Due to their limited magic powers, 
  Aswang are often described as a combination of 
  vampire and witch.  Aswangs are able to change their 
  appearance, normally appearing as shy but typical 
  females (although they usually have bloodshot eyes 
  
   
  88 
   
  and unusually long tongues), but changing at night to 
  ghoul like creatures that enjoy eating unborn fetuses 
  and small children, favoring livers and hearts in 
  particular.  Some even grow long proboscises, which 
  they use to suck children directly from their sleeping 
  mothers' wombs.   Aswangs will also suck the blood of 
  males they find attractive – about a pint at a time, but 
  it is usually not their preferred meal.    
  The bite of the Aswang injects a sleep 
  inducing drug.  The victim must make a Health 
  Throw to avoid going to sleep in one round. 
  Aswangs also have limited spell casting ability 
  - they can cast 3 Charm spells a day. 
  Aswangs live no longer than normal humans.  
  Those who have reached the age of 40 transform into 
  Mananangal. 
   
   
  Despite 
  being 
  older 
  females, 
  Manananggal are quite beautiful.  
  The Mananangal gains an additional Hit Dice 
  and 5 more Hit Point Values but is identical to 
  Aswang most of the time.  However during the full 
  moon, the Mananangal is able to split itself in half and 
  fly through the air to hunt for victims.   The head and 
  shoulders, with attached entrails (heart, lung, liver, 
  intestines, spine.) glowing and sparking like fireflies, 
  of the Mananangal flies through the sky using huge 
  bat-like wings. 
   The lower torso is left standing in a secluded 
  lair for safety.  While the head and neck are detached, 
  the torso becomes inanimate.  The severed lower torso  
  is the more vulnerable of the two halves.  It is said 
  that if one finds this torso and either sprinkles salt or 
  sand on it or burns it, the Mananaangal will die with 
  the coming dawn.  
   
   
  Typically, an aswang or manananggal is 
  revealed by using a bottle of a special oil extracted 
  from boiled and decanted coconut meat and mixed 
  with certain plant stems upon which special prayers 
  have been said.  When an aswang comes near or roams 
  around the house at night, the oil is said to boil (or 
  froth into bubbles) and continue boiling until the 
  aswang departs. 
   
   
   
  Brown Dragons  
   
  App 2d6-2 
  Br 2d6 
  Cng 2d6 
  Dex 2d6-2 
  Hth 2d6-2 
  Str:  4d6 + 1d6 per age grade 
  Weight 80 + stone (adult) 
  Armor Class: 6,7,8 (Very Young, Young, Adult+)   
  Hit Dice: 4 – 24 
  Damage – see below 
  % in Lair: see below 
   
  Brown Dragons are a species of Lizard.  They 
  are winged quadrupeds, but are most remarkable for 
  their Brains and for their size.   
   
  Adult Dragons are large, very powerful, and 
  extremely deadly - how big and powerful depends on 
  age and sex, because dragons never stop growing as 
  long as they are alive.  Exact Hit Point Values and Hit 
  Dice are derived as shown on the table below:  
    
  D
  6 
  Age 
  Grade 
  Years 
  H 
  PV 
  per 
  Die 
  HD  
  Range 
   A 
  HD  
  Range  
  B 
  HD  
  Range 
   C 
  1 
  Very 
  Young 
  10-25 
  1 
  1 (+3 
  HP) 
  2(+3 
  HP) 
  3 (+3 
  HP) 
  2 
  Young 
  25-55 
  2 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  3 
  Full 
  Adult 
  55-85 
  3 
  8 
  9 
  10 
  4 
  Matur
  e 
  85 – 
  115 
  4 
  12 
  13 
  14 
  5 
  Old 
  115 – 
  200 
  5 
  16 
  17 
  18 
  6 
  Very 
  Old 
  200+ 
  6 
  20* 
  22* 
  24* 
  * add 4 HD for every 25 years over 200 
   
   
  Female Brown Dragons will either be Hit Dice 
  Category A or B; male Brown Dragons will be either 
  B or C.  The age grade gives the number of Hit Points 
  
   
  89 
   
  a dragon has, times the number of Hit Dice.  For 
  Example, a young female dragon (age 25-55) of 
  category B will have 5 Hit Dice, and, at 2 HP per Hit 
  Dice, 10 Hit Point Values. 
  In family groups, there will always be a 
  mother present, otherwise to determine the sex of a 
  Brown Dragon, roll a ten sided dice: 1-7 = male, 8-10 = 
  female.  When more than one dragon is present in a 
  hex, a family group is indicated, except under some 
  special circumstance. 
  Brown Dragon are excellent and fast flyers, 
  (180 yds/rd) but a bit slower on the ground (60 
  yds/rd), relying on their weight and their tails in 
  combat.  Their legs are long, limber and muscular and 
  their feet are very tough and capable of squashing a 
  man in full plate with little damage to the foot.  Each 
  foot has 5 long but thick digits with a very sharp (non 
  retractable) claw.  Brown Dragons have an opposable 
  thumb on each foot.  When dragons trample on 
  victims they usually also pierce them with their claws.  
   
  A Dragons tail is perhaps their greatest, and 
  least respected weapon.  The tail of an adult Brown 
  Dragon is so powerful it can uproot half a dozen 
  medium sized trees in one flick.  In fact, the flick of 
  the tale is very quick and many a would-be 
  dragonslayer has met their end thereby. 
   
  Fire breathing, while deadly, is not that 
  difficult to avoid.  To spit fire, brown dragons must 
  align their head and neck in a straight line, pointed at 
  the target.  The distance varies according to the size of 
  the dragon.  A Brown Dragon‘s fire breath extends 
  just as far as the dragon is long from tip to tail.  The 
  maximum width of the fire varies between three to 
  ten feet, usually depending on the size of the dragon. 
  To determine what attack a dragon will 
  employ in battle, roll 2d6 and consult the following 
  table: 
   
  Result 
  Attack 
  Damage 
  1-6 
  Bite 
  2d6 per age grade 
  7,8 
  Breath Weapon 
  = HD of Dragon 
  9 
  Tail 
  2d6 per age grade 
  10 
  Claw 
  2d4 per age grade 
  11,12 
  Claw and 
  Stomp 
  2d6 per age grade 
   
   
  Brown Dragon‘s scales are as hard as the best 
  steel and make an excellent armor.  There are only a 
  few points where the leathery skin is exposed – the 
  armpits and the belly and groin.  The brown dragon is 
  aware of its vulnerabilities and takes precautions to 
  protect them.  As a coup de grace, a brown dragon may 
  rise on its hind legs, using its full weight to squash a 
  victim, but would never do so if faced with more than 
  one opponent as it exposes the vulnerable underbelly.  
   
  Society –Brown Dragons are solitary, with the 
  exception that females may be accompanied by their 
  young until they reach the age of ten.  Brown Dragons 
  will occasionally visit each other for a few hours to 
  discuss maters of importance to them.  Family groups 
  consist of a mother and 1-6 eggs (40% chance) or 
  hatchlings.  Hatchlings (age 0-9) have 1 HD, AC 2, 
  and are all 3HP each.  When tending young, mother 
  dragons are more active and will only be encountered 
  in the Lair 60% of the time.  Hatchlings will be 
  present 90% of the time.  The Mothers will fight at 
  DOUBLE Fighting Strength while defending their 
  young, and possibly more at Referee discretion, if one 
  of the younglings is captured, wounded or killed.   
   
  Dragon Lairs  – Dragon Lairs may be found in virtually 
  every biome.   Some common Lair types can be 
  determined randomly with a ten sided die and the 
  table below: 
   
  1-7 
  Cave or Cavern 
  8 
  High Cliff Overhang 
  9 
  Crater of (mostly) inactive Volcano 
  10 
  Large Structure or Ruins 
   
   
  Brown Dragons are carnivores and require a 
  large food intake to remain active.  However, they will 
  often lay without eating in a semi dormant state - for 
  up to several decades for the oldest – in order to 
  conserve energy.  There is a 90% chance a dragon will 
  be home when a lair is discovered and a 60% chance 
  that any Brown Dragon encountered in its lair will be 
  asleep.   
   
  Dragon Treasure - Dragons 
  love to surround 
  themselves with gold and gems, hording as much as 
  they can in their dens.  All Treasure the dragon has 
  will be kept in a pile where the dragon sleeps.  Very 
  Young and Young Brown Dragons will probably not 
  have had the opportunity to acquire a great amount of 
  treasure, whereas Very Old dragons can have 
  unbelievable treasures, four or more times the usual. 
   
  History – Dragons are said to be the offspring of 
  Tihom and the oldest of the intelligent species. 
   
  
   
  90 
   
   
   
  Cave Trolls 
   
  Str:  2d6 -2 
  Brs:  1d6 
  Cng:  1d6 
  Hlt:  2d6 -2 
  Grc:  1d6 
  Qwk:  2d6 -2 
  Aprs:  2d6 -2 
  Weight: 8 stone 
  Armor Class 5  
  Hit Dice: 2 
  HPV 5 
  Damage – 1d6 + possible use of potion of cave troll 
  strickening 
  % in Lair: 25% 
   
   
  Cave trolls are horrid creatures found in cool, 
  and damp climes.  They stand about 4 ½ feet tall on 
  average and are very ugly, being covered with thick, 
  greasy, flea infested green black hair – the older the 
  cave troll, the darker the green.  They have long, 
  snotty noses, big ears, a short tail and peach colored 
  skin.  Cave trolls stink.  They love to eat or wreck – in 
  that order – everything they chance to find. 
   
  Cave trolls take such bad care of everything 
  they find that captured weapons and tools are soon 
  ruined from corrosion, but they can bite and claw 
  effectively.  They will use hand weapons should they 
  happen to have them, but rarely will a cave troll 
  bother to carry more than a spear or a knife when 
  traveling.  Cave trolls love to set up an ambush, and 
  will always do so if given a warning that an opponent 
  (just about everybody) is coming.  They also love to 
  hide under dark bridges and demand a toll of passers 
  by. 
   
  Cave trolls, like many fey kind (huldufolk), 
  will occasionally kidnap a human baby to raise as a 
  slave.  Cave trolls also love to torture small creatures 
  and other huldufolk for entertainment. 
   
  Older Cave trolls are capable of brewing a 
  concoction that affects them with symptoms much 
  like that of alcohol consumption for humans.  Should 
  any of this potion of Troll Strickening come into 
  contact with the flesh of any creature not a cave troll, 
  that unfortunate must make a Saving Throw at -2 
  versus Health or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds and 
  develop an itchy rash for 24 hours.   
   
  Society – Cave trolls live in small, matriarchal family 
  groups – usually 2-10 individuals.  The ―Mama‖ of the 
  group rules with an iron fist.  She is very protective of 
  her ―babies‖. 
   
  Ecology – Cave trolls dwell exclusively in caves and are 
  capable of darkvision as per the spell.  They are 
  omnivorous and none to picky eaters, being immune 
  to most poisons and diseases.  Eighty percent of all 
  cave trolls are male.  Cave trolls cannot tolerate 
  sunlight.  If a cave troll is caught in the light of the 
  sun it will be Earthbound until the sun sets.  
  Earthbound cave trolls are still as statues, unable to 
  move or speak, but otherwise unchanged.  Some cave 
  trolls know how to make a magical helmet – called by 
  them a sun shield – which prevents the cave troll from 
  becoming Earthbound when it is worn.  It has no other 
  effect.  Cave trolls wearing such a helmet are at +1 to 
  AC and -1 to all chance to hit rolls when in daylight.   
  Cave trolls thus equipped tend to wander much farther 
  than those without sunshields. 
   
   
   
  
   
  91 
   
   
   
  Hafgygr 
  App 2d6-4 
  Br 2d6-3 
  Cng 2d6-2 
  Dex 2d6-2 
  Hth 2d6-2 
  Str:  3d6 + 2 
  Weight: 20 stone 
  Armor Class: 6    
  Hit Dice: 6 
  % in Lair: 16% 
   
   
  Shaggy, amphibious giants standing twice the 
  height of the average man, Hafgygr have large jaws 
  with sharp teeth, sharp hard nails, and very tough 
  hides.  They are cold blooded and live in swamps and 
  lakes, often raiding more civilized areas for prisoners 
  and food.  Hafgygr are aggressive, selfish creatures 
  who seeth with hatred toward any perceived slight or 
  wrongs, and being notoriously territorial, they will 
  attack anyone who trespasses, wittingly or not.  
  Hafgygr disdain the use of weapons, preferring to rend 
  and pummel their victims or simply scoop them into 
  their great, deadly maw.  Nevertheless, magical arms 
  and armor are often found in their treasure. 
  
   
  92 
   
  Hoyauk 
  App 2d6-2 
  Br 1d6-1 
  Cng 1d6-2 
  Dex 2d6-2 
  Hth 2d6-2 
  Str:  1d6 + 2 
  Weight: 20 stone 
  Armor Class: 8    
  Hit Dice: 6 
  % in Lair: 90% 
   
   
  The Hoyauk is a giant water serpent with a 
  pointed shark like snout and slim head and tail.  It also 
  has long, wing like fins with which it can sail up to 100 
  feet through the air.  It frequently launches itself 
  through the air in this fashion to catch large birds of 
  prey hovering near the waters or hunting for fish.  It 
  also attacks people in open boats in the same manner. 
   Hoyauk have a terrible stench, and exhale a caustic 
  gas that causes burns and blisters to anyone standing 
  within 10 feet of its head.  The stench can cause 
  vomiting (+3 on Saving Throw) and the breath does 
  an automatic 2 points of damage per round.   
   
  Jimru 
  App 2d6-2 
  Br 2d6-2 
  Cng 2d6-1 
  Dex 2d6-2 
  Hth 2d6-2 
  Str:  2d6 + 2 
  Weight: 25 stone 
  Armor Class: 8   
  Hit Dice: 9 
  HPV 44 
  Damage – 1d6 + sticking quils 
  % in Lair: 16% 
   
   
  The Jimru is a large, dangerous and cunning 
  beast the size of a large bear, and vaguely similar in 
  appearance, although the head is shaped more like that 
  of a tiger and the tail resembles that of an elephant 
  with the tuft at the end being made of quills, not hair.  
  The overall color of the Jimru is also an elephant like 
  stone grey.  The creature is covered, porcupine like, 
  with quills instead of fur.  These quills are barbed so 
  that any bare flesh that touches them will very likely 
  be impaled and stuck.  The Jimru often catches prey 
  this way.  It is capable of relaxing the musculature 
  that holds in the quills at will so that it can detach a 
  stuck creature at leisure – after it has been killed by 
  the Jimru‘s deadly bites, usually. 
  Appendix V Personal Alignment 
   
   
  The personal alignment system presented 
  below is entirely optional and only meant as an aid to 
  role playing the characters.  No personal alignment 
  system is necessary to play.  However, players may 
  find the system below useful or alternatively may 
  elect to use one of their own or a more traditional 
  system. 
   
  Note that I am using terms for game purposes 
  that have commonly understood meanings in the 
  social sciences.  However, their use here is meant to be 
  far more generalized and not tied directly to specific 
  theories and theoretical histories in the social sciences.  
  The relationship should be taken only in the broadest 
  terms.   
   
  Personal Alignments are deliberately broad 
  and it is not at all unusual for individual behavior to 
  lean toward different alignments at different times.  
  Nevertheless the chief alignment is to be taken as 
  embodying the principles that predominantly guide 
  the individual‘s outlook and actions.   
   
   
  There are two prime Personal Alignments: 
   
  1) Structuralism – this outlook, sometimes 
  perceived as a top down approach, is by far the 
  most common.  Structuralists perceive the 
  world to be made up of discreet, definable and 
  somehow natural systems.   Things are the 
  way they are because that is how they are 
  meant to be.  Life is organized, ordered and 
  subject to natural law.  Systems function 
  normally just as they are supposed to and are 
  meaningful and need to be preserved for life to 
  prosper.  The disruption of natural and 
  traditional systems is destructive and usually 
  should be avoided.  It may be necessary to 
  destroy or modify some systems to preserve 
  the most important ones.  However, some 
  argue that no matter what, divine order will 
  always prevail.  The king is in his palace, the 
  bankers in their banks, the gods are in their 
  heaven and all is right with the world.  The 
  structure is always greater than the sum of its 
  parts. 
  2) Freeagency – An uncommon and often 
  unappreciated outlook sometimes 
  characterized as a bottom up approach.  Those 
  with the Freeagency alignment do not believe 
  in natural systems except as aggregates of 
  individual action, in continual flux due to 
  
   
  93 
   
  random and often unexpected factors.  
  Individual actions and events may collectively 
  self organize as ―systems‖ but these are in no 
  way inherently stable, proper, or inevitable 
  and certainly not monolithic orders that must 
  be preserved at all costs.  Ideas and ideals are 
  of far more importance than supposed natural 
  orders.  Any structures that exist are always 
  just the sum of their parts and have no reality 
  beyond them. 
   
  Secondary Alignments 
  1) Greatness is for characters who value high 
  ideals, causes and enterprises who reach 
  beyond their own life concerns to the society 
  at large.  
  2) Equality - a belief that all persons are of equal 
  value or nobility, and deserving of respect as 
  human beings, regardless of actual social 
  position, ability, knowledge or wealth.  
  3) Power is the conviction that being at the top of 
  a hierarchy is of paramount importance, 
  allowing one to have influence and control 
  over others.  
   
   
  Combing primary and secondary alignments:  Every 
  character has both a primary and secondary alignment.  
  All secondary alignments may be combined with 
  either primary alignment as follows: 
   
  1) Greatness/ Structuralism  makes for noble 
  minds, champions of causes, states, and 
  institutions.  Those following this 
  alignment argue that it is the 
  responsibility of organizations to protect 
  and care for those less fortunate. 
  2) Equality/Structuralism argues that 
  individuals are responsible for their own 
  success or failure, and it is up to them to 
  learn the rules of how the world works and 
  follow them.  Anything one does while 
  playing by the rules is okay.  Social 
  Darwinism is an aspect of this alignment.  
  3) Power/ Structuralism  - A common 
  outlook for those seeking control  
  over others and for those who believe that 
  everyone needs to fit into their place in an 
  ordered world .  This is a merciless 
  outlook, one that demands conformity and 
  obedience and argues that those who 
  disagree are dangerous and must be dealt 
  with somehow.   This alignment is typical 
  of those who have no power or are 
  politically ambivalent, believing that their 
  role is just to get by, obey the factions 
  greater than them and maintain their place 
  as a cog in the machine. 
   
  1) Greatness/Freeagency – this is a rare and 
  much admired person; the rebel, 
  philanthropist, or teacher who works first 
  and foremost for the furtherance of ideals 
  they believe will be of great benefit to 
  others.  When persons with this outlook 
  seek power/influence it is solely as a sense 
  of duty and as a means to serve others. 
  2) Equality/Freeagency – the anarchist; those 
  who believe that everything is relative, full 
  of the hubris and nonsense of people who 
  think or are led to believe otherwise, and 
  the only real ideal is personal satisfaction.  
  Their guide in life is themselves, their 
  feelings, likes and dislikes with little 
  regard for principles, except in relation to 
  their personal goals.  These people may be 
  quite selfish and aloof, but often as not are 
  deeply community oriented and caring and 
  concerned about those people and things 
  close to them. 
  3) Power/Freeagency – Might is right; these 
  persons are interested only in personal 
  glorification and influence in the world.  
  How or why or who losses out in the 
  process isn‘t particularly important. 
   
  Appendix VI - Diseases 
    
   
  Mummy‘s Curse (Aspergillus)  
   
  Where: Graves/undead  
  Season: Any 
  Chance:   10%   
   
  Incubation: 36hrs 
  Duration: 3-6d    
    
  Recovery Wks: 2 
  Death Rate: 5% 
   
   
  This is a virulent form of fungus that grows 
  slowly and usually invisible in the flesh and bones of 
  the undead.  Anyone combating the undead or even 
  entering the dwelling place of most undead must make 
  a Saving Throw vs. petrifaction.  Failure of this roll 
  results in contraction of the disease, which will begin 
  to manifest pneumonia like symptoms (fever, 
  persistent cough, short breathing) in 36 hours.  These 
  
   
  94 
   
  symptoms will incapacitate the victim within 3d6 
  hours of the onset of symptoms, at which point a 
  second Check versus Health must be made.  Failure of 
  the second roll results in death for the victim; success 
  means the victim will recover in 3-6 days.  
   
  Mykamoor   
   
  Where: Any 
   
  Season: Any 
  Chance:   see below 
  Incubation: 2 days 
  Duration: permanent  
  Recovery Wks: 2 
  Death Rate: 0% 
   
   
  Mykamoor is a disease arising from exposure 
  to gold – 2% chance per 1000 GP encountered.  It is 
  transformative in character in that those who develop 
  the disease undergo an almost immediate mental 
  change and a much slower physical one.  The victim is 
  inflicted with Paranoia and greed and becomes a 
  compulsive and elaborate liar.   They will attempt to 
  hoard and hide wealth, particularly gold.  Further, the 
  victim will grow increasingly larger, gluttonous and 
  slovenly as the disease progresses.  After two years, 
  their skin will split open and a young dragon will 
  emerge.  Mykamoor dragons are shunned by all other 
  dragons as an abomination.  
   
  Pacevon   
   
  Where: Any 
   
  Season: Any 
  Chance:   100%  
  Incubation: 0 
  Duration: 2-3d     
  Recovery Wks: 2 
  Death Rate: 95% 
   
  Pacevon is an airborne disease with a 95% kill rate.  
  The victims blood thickens, causing bodily swelling, 
  unconsciousness and usually death within 4 hours of 
  exposure.  Typical signs are slurred speech and the 
  spontaneous development of bruises all over the 
  victims skin.  Those few who manage to survive the 
  disease awake after 24-48 hours suffering from some 
  temporary (1d3 days) memory and speech loss.  
   
  Tarantism  
   
  Where: Any 
   
  Season: Any but Winter 
  Chance:   16% 
   
  Incubation: 1-4 Hrs 
  Duration: 2-6 Months  Recovery Wks: 8-24 
  Death Rate: 5% 
   
   
  Transmitted through the bites of poison 
  spiders, there is (if the character survives the poison) a 
  1 in 6 chance a bite victim will be infected with 
  Tarantism.  The primary symptom of Tarantism is an 
  uncontrollable jerking of the legs and hands so as to 
  make the victim appear to be dancing, -4 to Fighting 
  Strength.  The effect will last until the victim 
  collapses from Fatigue, and will reoccur once every 
  three hours the victim is awake until the disease is 
  cured or has run its course. 
   
  Weils Disease   
   
  Where: Any 
   
  Season: Any but Winter 
  Chance:   50% 
   
  Incubation: 4-14 dys 
  Duration: 1 Month  
  Recovery Wks: 2 
  Death Rate: 15% 
   
   
  Weils disease (Leptospirosis) causes high 
  fever, severe headache, chills, muscle aches, and 
  vomiting.  After two weeks these symptoms are 
  followed by jaundice, red eyes, abdominal pain, 
  diarrhea, and rashes.  This disease is prevalent in 
  damp, dark dungeons, especially in areas frequented 
  by rats, giant rats, cave trolls, and other creatures 
  frequently associated with filth.  The disease may be 
  present on any damp surface or in stagnant water.  
  Characters with open wounds or characters who injest 
  anything exposed to these conditions (for example 
  drink from a potion bottle recovered from a rats nest 
  without cleaning it first)  may become infected. 
   
  Wisp Spores   
   
  Where: Swamps 
  Season: Any 
  Chance:   80%  
  Incubation: 3 Wks 
  Duration: 1 Month  
  Recovery Wks: 2 
  Death Rate: 95% 
   
  Wisp Spores are tiny, dust like parasites that lodge in 
  the lungs of victims who breathe them in.  The spores 
  are actually the offspring of certain kinds of Will of 
  the Wisps, and will remain dormant, attached to 
  swamp vegetation or virtually any dry surface until 
  disturbed.  Upon lodging in the lungs of a victim, the 
  wisp spores will begin to grow, causing internal 
  bleeding and coughing fits in the victim that are 
  difficult to distinguish from the symptoms of 
  advanced tuberculosis.   After 30 days of growth 1d6 of 
  the spores will have reached an inch or more in 
  diameter and will tear through the lungs and 
  esophageal passage to emerge through the mouth of 
  the victim, who will usually die as a result (4d6 
  damage to base HPV).  The spores may be killed by a 
  priest or by inhaling the smoke from the burning of 
  the byaku plant. 
  
   
  95 
   
  Appendix VII – Potions and Powders 
   
  KumKum powder – a seemingly innocuous spice that 
  produces the same effect as the Burning Bright spell to 
  anyone who consumes it 
   
  Starack – Type III poison powder, dissolves in water.  
  Ninety five percent fatal if ingested or exposed to cuts 
  or lesions.  Enters the bloodstream and binds with 
  oxygen causing suffocation in rounds equal to 2x the 
  Health Trait. 
   
  Dust of the Dead – A choking dust that arises from 
  dry undead when they are hit.  The dust itself is not 
  fatal but a portion of it always contains spores of the 
  Mummy‘s Curse fungus. 
   
  Dust of Choking - Causes coughing and severe 
  difficulty breathing for 2-8 rounds.  Victim suffers a -3 
  to Fighting Strength. 
   
  Flash Pellets — A small pellet about the size of a 
  common marble that will explode on impact with hard 
  surfaces creating a dense cloud of smoke.  The smoke 
  is normally harmless but more deadly effects may be 
  mixed in. 
   
  Paralyzation Potion  — Causes the victim to be 
  paralyzed for 1 hour.  
   
  Cure Disease — Acts as the Miracle of the same name. 
   
  Hallucinogens – Various kinds with predictable 
  effects. 
   
  Mummy‘s Curse Immunization - A potion that 
  prevents the Mummy‘s Curse fungus from infecting a 
  victim and cures those who already have it. 
   
  Yellow Mist – First created accidentally when a 
  Wizard neglected to monitor several spells he was 
  percolating, and one of them went awry.  Yellow mist 
  is a dense noxious gas that spreads at a rate of 60 yards 
  a minute.  The distance the gas spreads depends on the 
  number of spells involved, it being about one mile per 
  spell.  Additional spells encountered by the mist will 
  react with it and contribute further to the mists‘ 
  growth.  The effects of the gas are choking, coughing, 
  and a burning sensation in any exposed skin.  Victims 
  within a cloud of Yellow mist are unable to breath and 
  will loose ½ of their Health points per round.  Upon 
  reaching less than 1 Health factor the victim is 
  unconscious and will die in 1 round without medical or 
  magical attention.  Skin damage from the gas is 1d4 fer 
  turn.  The mist can be created by deliberately mixing 
  any 3 spells.   
   
   
   
   
  Appendix VIII - A few Miscellaneous Magic Items 
   
   
  Jerulan‘s Gem of Vision -  A headband holding a 
  single gem with a permanent X-ray Vision spell active 
  within it.  The device may be activated as often as 
  desired but is extremely addictive and can cause 
  vertigo in the user (10% chance per use). 
   
  Lusty ‗Prentis – a Lusty ‗Prentis is both a gift and a 
  trap, usually given by a Wizard to a prospective 
  apprentice, the item consists of a headband with a 
  single jewel – not easily distinguishable from Jerulan‘s 
  gem of vision – the function of which is to give the 
  user the ability to see in the dark, as if it were in 
  daylight, exactly as Wizards can.  The trap is that 
  each day the gem is worn or each time it is put on the 
  head, the wearer must make a Saving Throw against 
  their Cunning Trait, at -2, with no bonuses allowed.  
  Failure of the Saving Throw means the wearer is 
  compelled to study magic and becomes a first level 
  Wizard – whereafter of course they no longer need the 
  gem to see in the dark.   
   
  
   
  96 
   
  Avian Cloak – This item appears to be a normal cloak 
  with a sky blue lining.  Anyone wearing the cloak 
  however is able to fly through the air exactly as if they 
  were a bird, at a maximum rate of 160 yards per round.  
  Characters must learn to maneuver themselves as 
  birds do in order to take off, fly, and land properly, 
  and may not hover or stop while flying. 
   
   
   
   
  Examples Of Magic Swords 
   
  Koriszegy – The ancestral blade of the now extinct 
  Rodemus family, dukes of Ymus isle. 
   
  1) 
  Bane to enemies –  
   
  Lycanthropes 
  Goblins 
  Orcs 
  True Troll (triple Values) 
  Giant rats 
  Ents  
   
  2) 
  Magical abilities – 
    
  Paralyze 
  Project Image 
  Truth 
   
  3) 
  Combat Increase – +2 
  4) 
  Alignment – Selfish. 
  5) 
  Intelligence – 3 (able to pass on  
   
  crude emotion only)  
  6) 
  Ego  - 8 
   
   
   
   
   
  Falcon – Haunt Destroyer 
   
  1) 
  Bane to enemies –  
   
  Lycanthropes 
  Ghosts  
  Shadows (triple values) 
  Wraiths  
  Ghouls 
   
   
  2) 
  Magical abilities –  
   
  Detect and Open Secret Doors 
  Decay 
   
  3) 
  Combat Increase – +1 (+5 vs  
   
  numenous beings) 
  4) 
  Alignment – Lawful. 
  5) 
  Intelligence – 7 (talks)  
  6) 
  Ego  - 7 
   
   
   
   
   
  Fred‘s World 
   
  The following magic items stem from a campaign run 
  by Fred P. Funk III – the original Orc Player 
  Character Funk I – who passed away in January of 
  2011.  May he rest in peace. 
   
  Instant BBFRD  (Big Brown Furry Rue Dog) – A 
  small bag of up to 30 canine teeth.  Each tooth when 
  thrown upon the ground, will instantly grow into a 
  full sized street mutt who will obey as far as able, the 
  commands of its creator.  HD 2, HP 10 
    
  Box of 20 Holy Wafers – automatically disintegrates 
  undead of two hit dice or less upon touch.  All other 
  undead automatically route (Turn). 
   
  Ring of Flight – allows the wearer to fly as with the 
  third level spell, but for as long and as often as desired. 
   
  Crunchberries - Each berry good for 1 day's rations of 
  food and water. 
   
   
   
   
   
  Appendix IX – Sample Character Sheet  
   
  (Next page) 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  97 
   
   
  Character 
  Class 
  Level 
  Hit Dice 
  Player 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Character  
  Trait 
   
  Class/Level 
  Throw Bonus 
   
  Appearance 
   
   
   
  Brains 
   
   
   
  Cunning 
   
   
   
  Dexterity 
   
   
   
  Health 
   
   
   
  Strength 
   
   
   
  Class Specific Abilities 
   
  Ability 
  Success Chance 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Character Age 
  HPV Adj. 
  Trait Adj. 
   
   
   
   
   
  Personality 
   
  Society  
   
     Status 
   
  Alignment                         Hit Point Value: 
   
   
  Armor: 
   
   
  Fame Area  
  (sq Miles) 
  Positive 
  Reaction 
  Chance 
  Persuasion 
  Bonus/Penalty 
  for Merchants 
   
   
   
   
  Education: 
   
  Subject 
  Bonus 
  Subject 
  Bonus 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Possessions and Spells: 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  98 
   
   
  Appendix X - Level vs. AC Reference Sheet 
   
   
   
   
  Step 1 – calculate Fighting Strengths: 
   
   
  1)  Apply Dexterity modifier – Take the difference, if any, between the Dexterity scores of the  
   
  combatants.  This difference becomes a Fighting Strength benefit to the combatant with the higher Dexterity 
   
  by being added to the Hit Dice number for calculating Fighting Strength when attacking or to the Armor 
   
  Class number when defending.  
   
   
  2)  Apply Size modifier (For combatants of significantly different physical sizes only) – divide both the 
   
  attacker and defenders Hit Point Values by 10.  If the  attacker is physically larger than the defender, add the 
   
  difference to the defenders Armor Class number.  If the defender is physically larger than the attacker, add 
   
  the difference to the attackers Hit Dice number. 
   
   
  3)  Apply level modifier - Take the difference, if any, between the levels (or number of Hit Dice if no level is 
   
  given) of the combatants and add it to the Hit Dice number when attacking or Armor Class when defending, 
   
  of the combatant with the highest level.  
   
   
  4)  Apply any special modifiers.  The results of steps 1-4 are the Attack Values and Defense Values of the 
   
  Combatants.   
   
   
  5)  Apply any Morale Condition modifier 
   
   
  6)  Compare combatants Attack Value versus Defense Value on the Combat  Matrix 
   
  Step 2 
  1) Roll 2d6  
   
  2) Consult Combat Matrix.  Equal or under scores a hit.  
   
  Step 3 - hit successful:  
  Saving Throw vs. AC 1-8 – roll 2d6 -2; a result under the defenders Armor Class means no damage.  
  (Optionally, this Saving Throw can be reserved for players only) 
   
  Step 4 - Damage: 
   
  1)  Roll Hit Dice, removing one d6 for each +1 of any magical defenses (unless this bonus was added to the 
   
  AC Saving Throw in Step 3).  Sum dice and remove total from Hit Point Values. 
   
   
  2)  Unless the player specifies otherwise, damage is dealt first to the weakest opponent in melee with the 
   
  attacker.  If that opponent is killed, remaining damage is shared out to the next weakest opponent and so 
   
  forth until all damage rolled has been inflicted to opponents within melee distance (10 feet).  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dragons at Dawn/Dragons at Dawn Supplement 1 Twilight.pdf