Post by Melan on Jan 17, 2011 13:21:51 GMT -6
Since some people have previously expressed interest in my homebrew fantasy system, and I have finally been able to oblige them, without further ado, I am happy to present Sword and Magic: Adventures on Fomalhaut. As the introduction on my site states, this is not a complete game with explanations, monsters, treasures and all that, but on 24 pages, it contains all the rules needed to generate characters and run a game - and since we have used it since early 2004, it has proven to be reliable and entertaining for our group.
Note that this is not an "OSR" game and not necessarily an "old school" one by all possible standards. Rather, it aims to synthesise the mechanical elegance and ease of a trimmed-down d20 with the principles of older rulesets. It is, in the end, its own thing. At the end of the booklet, I outline some of my thoughts on systemic decisions, and also present a one-page Primer that, like the ones by Matt Finch and Philotomy Jurament, expresses my vision on old school gaming.
To let you check out the rules if you wish, I am also releasing Towards Fomalhaut, a brief collection of three example scenarios that previously appeared in Fight On! and Knockspell:
So, without further ado, if you have an interest in a simple OGL-meets-old school system, a document to mine house rules from (check out the XP rules, the combat manoeuvres mechanic and the divine patronage guidelines for an example), or you are just curious about how other people run their campaigns, go and check it out.
(Note: I have crossposted this message to a number of message boards I frequent. My apologies if you bump into it too many times.)
Note that this is not an "OSR" game and not necessarily an "old school" one by all possible standards. Rather, it aims to synthesise the mechanical elegance and ease of a trimmed-down d20 with the principles of older rulesets. It is, in the end, its own thing. At the end of the booklet, I outline some of my thoughts on systemic decisions, and also present a one-page Primer that, like the ones by Matt Finch and Philotomy Jurament, expresses my vision on old school gaming.
To let you check out the rules if you wish, I am also releasing Towards Fomalhaut, a brief collection of three example scenarios that previously appeared in Fight On! and Knockspell:
- The Isle of Barzon is an island where the inhabitants toil under the reign of a repressive dictatorship, who in turn obey the Flying Gods, mysterious beings who hunt and kill according to their purpose. The scenario, suitable for any level, pits the characters against the island’s mystery whether they are castaways, thieves or prospective conquerors.
- The Tower of Birds is a small dungeon set in an arid environment. Dangerous traps, implacable foes and the challenges of navigating the tower’s interior and exterior await those who would seek water or solace from the powers of the wasteland. Levels 3-5.
- Pentastadion is a briefly outlined example city-state ruled by an oligarchy of the rich and devious, and populated by the best sailors of Fomalhaut. Here, adventure awaits in teeming ports, elegant villas and squalid slums; opportunities are open for swordplay, thuggery, but also in the hallways of power and the tangled web of intrigue.
So, without further ado, if you have an interest in a simple OGL-meets-old school system, a document to mine house rules from (check out the XP rules, the combat manoeuvres mechanic and the divine patronage guidelines for an example), or you are just curious about how other people run their campaigns, go and check it out.
(Note: I have crossposted this message to a number of message boards I frequent. My apologies if you bump into it too many times.)
