Barbarians & Black Magic - A Sword & Sorcery Pamphlet RPG

Hey folks! Today I'm posting the first draft of a swords & sorcery inspired 'Pamphlet RPG' I've created, called Barbarians & Black Magic. This is the nuts and bolts of an RPG all crammed into a double-sided standard letter-sized page and folded into three panels. Download here from the google drives.

Barbarians & Black Magic owes it's mechanical chassis to such fine old RPGs as The Fantasy Trip and GURPS, so it should be easy to grok for anyone familiar with those games. The stats are pretty straightforward and simple and the gameplay (admittedly minimal playtesting so far) is pretty quick.

I'm hoping to get out a companion 'scenario pamphlet' later this summer which will provide examples of spells, magic items, traps, monsters, and other such things to help make the game feel more 'complete.' So look for that in late August!

Ultimately, the goal here is to write a digest-sized version of Barbarians & Black Magic RPG in the 32 page range that is an xd6-based, roll-under game engine, with some different and hopefully colorful combat and magic mechanics, but is not just yet another Dungeons & Dragons retro-clone type RPG.

This is what I got so far. Cheers!

Steve



P.S. Thanks to William McCausland for his great collections of fantasy spot art available at DriveThruRPG.com. Check out Outland Arts for more art & RPG goodies!

P.P.S. If any person knows (or can figure out!) where I cribbed the name Barbarians & Black Magic from, I will send you a free print & PDF copy of Dice Roll Zine #2, my zine devoted to OSR roleplaying games. This mini-contest is open to anyone, worldwide. Leave a comment below with your answer. Good luck!

How to Resolve Anything That Comes Up!

This blog post was prompted by +Michael Bacon's G+ post over here. This is a one-page article from my first issue of Dice Roll Zine (PDF at RPG Now or POD from Lulu) published in the fall of 2017. I hope you folks find it useful ... and at least a little bit funny. :-)

HOW TO RESOLVE ANYTHING

THAT COMES UP

What Else are Those Damn Ability Scores for Anyway?

In a tense game session, players sometimes forget that NPCs and monsters can be bargained with, not just slain. NPCs have bills, taxes, bad habits, and exes, too. Hired guards might flee suddenly when one of their own is used as Old One bait. Go figure. Your enemies may pay your torchbearer to stick his torch up your ass. When did Oddwick accidentally sell the mahogany chest (or was it the one with gold-pressed black iron locks?) with Blackrazor and the Eyes of the Overworld in it? Why is that weird jade monkey statue looking only at you? Is that giant slug with the bloody spiked tail going to offer you tea and directions or thump you? Did that tavern owner's potboy leave you fidgeting with an itch? Scratch scratch.

When stuff like this happens, either you or the Referee rolls 2d6 and adjusts the sum of the dice by one of your PC's ability score modifiers, whichever one seems right for the situation. Then check the result on the Resolve It! table below.

RESOLVE IT!

Roll	Result
2 or less	Catastrophically bad. It attacks, hurts, steals, hates, maims, attempts to eat, uses its worst, or otherwise fucks you up. Seriously. No chance of fixing. Hope you got a sharp sword or some hot spells of fiery doom.
3 to 5	Hostile or very bad. You're attacked or otherwise thwarted, hindered, harmed, or cleverly made to look like a chump. Too bad for you. If you want to recover, get creative or make some damn good rolls. Maybe get the Referee a beer.
6 to 8	Cautious or uncertain. Make another offer cheapskate, think outside the box, keep the negotiations going, play to your strengths, etc. Roll again if the Referee feels generous. Referee, you had a beer lately?
9 to 11	Friendly or good. Things go your way, your offer is accepted, or the NPC is willing to comply/discuss/help you out. Otherwise, the NPC thinks you rock on toast and quite possibly even likes your sexy smell and smarts. Or thinks you might taste good later, if hungry. Good going!
12 or more	Enthusiastic or extremely good. The monster or NPC goes far beyond your expectations to provide assistance or information. Perhaps you glean arcane or divine insight about something, real or imagined. Can you translate ancient hieroglyphs into six modern languages without a reference? Easy peasy, step aside lads, watch the professional work!

This table means to quickly resolve any minor issues and avoid messing about with obscure situational rules you never recall and probably have to look up during play. In fact, this table may spell the end of rules subsystems as we know them. Forever. Okay, perhaps not. Obviously, this table shouldn’t be taken too seriously—it’s also meant to inspire a ‘Rulings not Rules’ play style. This is only a game, after all. If you decide that a ruling is valuable to your game play, stick with it consistently in the future. No doubt, you do this already. Carry on with the fun!

Warriors of the Red Planet & d30 Companions!

It has been entirely too long since my last post!

Just a quick note today to praise the coolness of my two (well, three) most recent OSR purchases.

Warriors of the Red Planet by Al Krombach and Thomas Denmark (see the WotRP blog) is a crisp, lean, old-school rules guide for games of the Sword & Planet genre. I've been reading through this the past couple of days and I can say without doubt that this 134-page booklet-sized paperback (color cover, black & white interior, perfect bound, available from Lulu) has me all jazzed up for leaping from airship-to-airship, slaying evil Black Martian baddies, ripping the blonde wigs off Therns and rescuing me a hot Red Martian princess. Excellent work gentlemen.

The d30 Sandbox Companion and d30 DM Companion by Richard LeBlanc are both fantastic accessories for the overworked and under-appreciated referee. These two saddle-stitched paperbacks (black & white interiors with mono-color covers, available in PDF from Drive-Thru and PoD from Lulu--see links above) weigh in at 52 and 36 pages, respectively, and provide a plethora of random tables (all of the cool d30 variety!) to generate damn near close to everything you could expect to generate during a game session--random ruins, settlements, NPCs, temples, monsters, weather, treasures, even entire adventures. You name it and it's in there. These two books will feature prominently in my next sandbox game and I highly recommend them both.

That's all for today, next up will be a post discussing the sandbox game I just mentioned. :-)

Random Dungeon Stuff Generator

I've been tinkering away this past week at a collection of random tables for my game sessions. I like random tables (who doesn't!) and so I figured I'd come up with some that cover a range of items and events all in one convenient place. It is a bit silly, has a few goofy references, and overall just feels pretty old-school to me.

PDF version here.

Thus we have the ... 

RANDOM DUNGEON STUFF GENERATOR!

Roll 1d6 and consult the Random Stuff Table below whenever you think random stuff may happen. Whether it’s once per turn, once per hour, once per minute, whenever the players annoy you … the frequency doesn’t matter.

RANDOM STUFF?

1d6	Stuff?
1-3	Yes, random stuff happens.
4-6	No, nothing happens.

If your roll indicates random stuff happens, roll 1d12 and check this table.

RANDOM STUFF TYPE

1d12	Roll on Sub-Stuff Table
1	Lost Loot
2	Obstacle
3-4	Mystery
5-6	Discarded Item
7-9	Monster Encounter
10-11	Trap or Trick
12	Weird Stuff

Based on your roll on the Random Stuff Type Table, consult the appropriate Sub-Stuff Table below.

SUB-STUFF TABLES

LOST LOOT

1d20	Lost Loot
1	Golden bracelet inset with obsidian, turquoise and jade gemstones (400 gp).
2	An iron-hinged blank spellbook with a black cover of displacer beast hide decorated with silver and gold filigree. Inset in the center of the front cover is a silver stiletto dagger with a bright red ruby in the pommel. The back cover is emblazoned with a stiletto as well, but in delicate silver ink (special).
3	A bundled up dirty rag conceals an intricately engraved golden chalice inset with tiny diamonds and black sapphires (1,000 gp).
4	A 6” diameter ivory sphere carved to depict many intertwined dragons (300 gp).
5	Silver ring inset with a small emerald (250 gp).
6	Black leather choker studded with various tiny gemstones (50 gp).
7	Belt of etched leather and silver (25 gp).
8	Obsidian stiletto dagger with a moonstone inset in pommel (75 gp).
9	Scuffed up oak case lined inside with purple velvet holding six silver cutlery sets, each piece inset with a tiny amethyst gemstone (100 gp).
10	Gold piece from an exotic foreign land (5 gp).
11	Purse of gold 3d6.
12	Bag of silver 5d4.
13	Brass Orcus-head belt buckle (25 gp).
14	Golden eagle-shaped pendant on a thin silver chain (150 gp).
15	Silver framed hand mirror (20 gp).
16	Red crystal ball flecked with silvery veins on an etched brass stand (250 gp).
17	Silk bag with 1d6 gems worth 1d6  x 10 gp each.
18	Grotesquely carved jade statuette of unknown deity performing obscene acts on six Venezuelan red llamas (75 gp).
19	Iron-shod walking stick carved with feline figures and topped with an obsidian panther head (125 gp).
20	Polished silver skullcap (150 gp).

OBSTACLE

1d12	Obstacle
1	Ceiling collapse blocks passageway with rubble and dirt, 1d6 hours to clear crawl-through space large enough for human-sized creature.
2	Sinkhole 10’ across and 50’ deep. Hidden at the bottom of the sinkhole is a skeleton in tattered rags. Iron manacles are around the skeleton’s wrists and ankles.
3	A 3’ high barricade of broken tables, chairs, stools and other furnishings blocks the passageway. Arrows and bolts stick out on the side facing the party.
4	A 30’ long stretch of the floor is coated in lantern oil. Make a check to see if party smells or spots the oil.
5	Chamber wall has collapsed out into the passageway covering floor with loose rock and stone for next 20’. Chamber can be entered through hole in wall.
6	A 10’ diameter puddle of phosphorescent green goo covers the floor.
7	Floor slopes down to a 10’ wide pool of brackish stinky water, and slopes back up on other side.
8	A locked iron gate or portcullis blocks passageway.
9	Rift 15’ across and of unknown depth has shorn through entire passageway, which continues on the other side.
10	Dozens of 1’ diameter holes in floor over the next 30’ of passageway. Unknown depth.
11	Spider webs hang from ceiling almost to floor for a 20’ length of passageway.
12	Wall of translucent magical force blocks passageway.

MYSTERY

1d20	Mystery
1	Thick smoke fills the next 60’ of passageway.
2	Statues carved in stone resemble an adventuring party in mid-action.
3	A 10’ section of floor is littered with thousands of charred insects.
4	A blood-chilling scream reverberates down the passageway.
5	Voodoo dolls resembling party members lie on a table.
6	Opened manacles on long chains are fixed to two iron rings in the wall. Upon the wall is a large blood splatter.
7	Cloud of flies swarm around a headless corpse. There are no items or clothing on the corpse and it’s covered in bruises.
8	Three elf heads impaled on spears are in the middle of the passageway.
9	Cruel mocking laughter echoes in the corridor.
10	Two leather boots are stuck to the floor. Nothing appears to be holding them down. The only thing that will remove them is a wish spell.
11	A humanoid skull rolls down the hallway.
12	Twenty-five lines are notched into wall in groups of five, as if someone was counting something.
13	Miniature tornado swirls around area. Seems to follow certain party members.
14	A frog hops around in a circle.
15	Horn blast echoes somewhere in the distance.
16	The chattering squeaks of a rat swarm fill the hallway.
17	A desiccated 2’ long purple worm lies on the floor.
18	Glowing spheres 1’ in diameter float and move about randomly near the ceiling.
19	A faint sound of droning pipe or organ music lingers just out of earshot.
20	One gold and one silver coin rest on the floor. They flip into the air and land again every few seconds.

DISCARDED ITEM

1d20	Discarded Item
1	Hilt and pommel of a sword but no blade.
2	Shattered ivory statuette of the beloved local healing/mercy/group-hugs deity.
3	Broken wand etched with phrase “Boom Stick”.
4	Tied-up sack with three bottles of vinegary red wine and a book of goblin love poetry.
5	Pair of crusty soiled breeches. Elf-sized.
6	An insanely rambling diary detailing a fabulous visit the writer had with a pale-skinned foreign aristocrat sporting rather long teeth and his loyal, if strangely melancholic, household staff.
7	Rusted and chipped short sword.
8	Short bow snapped in three pieces.
9	Sack containing a human head with blond hair and a broken silver tiara (10 gp if restored). Carved into the flesh of forehead is “Princess Buttercup. Ex-maiden.”
10	Wooden shield with an axe stuck in it.
11	Dented silver flask with sticky black contents spilled onto floor (2 gp if restored).
12	Flattened conical helm. Human-sized.
13	Burnt torch.
14	Skeletal remains of halfling (or gnome) in a sack. A note tied around a foot bone reads: “So sorry, Rudy! Thanks for the stuff!”
15	Set of smashed up brass knuckles.
16	Chain mail bikini. Dwarf-sized.
17	Clerical prayer book encrusted with dried blood.
18	Torn leather necklace strung with various large animal fangs.
19	Brass ring holding 4 different-sized brass keys.
20	Backpack containing 1 week iron rations, 50’ rope, small steel mirror, full waterskin, and 2 flasks of oil.

MONSTER ENCOUNTER

Use an appropriate wandering or random monster encounter table.

TRAP OR TRICK

1d12	Trap or Trick
1	Child peeks around a corner and giggles “Ha ha! Can’t catch me!” and disappears. Continues to happen in this area of dungeon; child mocks party more and more each time. Could be an illusion or haunting, or something else entirely.
2	A 10’ tall pole of multi-colored glass stands upright in the center of this area. All of the coins possessed by a person who touches the glass pole instantly turn into colored glass marbles. In 24 hours the marbles revert back to their normal coin state.
3	Invisible force smashes into character’s back. On a failed save vs breath weapon the character is knocked to the floor and suffers 1 point of damage. If the character is wearing metal armor, make a wandering monster check to see if a monster is attracted by the noise.
4	Empty torch sconces along the walls randomly shoot out jets of flame across the corridor. Any creature walking down the corridor must save vs breath weapon or suffer 1d6 damage per jet of flame. Putting a torch into a sconce deactivates its flame jet trap.
5	Three lidded cisterns are on the floor against the wall. Two are empty and the middle one has a pit viper inside that will immediately strike when the lid is removed.
6	On a table rests a small locked iron box. In the box is a scroll that when read curses the character, making his voice sound humorously high-pitched (as if he inhaled helium).
7	A small leather pouch with a drawstring holds a stone charm of the kobold deity Kurtulmak. The charm is trapped with a polymorph other spell which polymorphs any creature touching it into a kobold upon a failed saving throw vs spells. Kobolds are unaffected.
8	A magic mouth appears on a wall or door in front of the party. The mouth is crude, insulting and lecherous toward all the party members (especially elves), but is otherwise harmless. If the party goes away the mouth continues to insult them until they are out of earshot. Monsters in the area know the mouth’s temperament.
9	This area (ideally a cavern or dungeon with lots of tunnels or side passages) is affected by a permanent dancing lights spell. The lights move around to confuse onlookers, making it seem as if another group is trying to surround them.
10	One party member hears whispering in his ear. The voice is another party member saying insulting things about him to a third party member. Every few minutes while the party remains in this area, randomly determine who hears a voice.
11	The room or area is under the effect of a reverse gravity spell at 1 turn intervals. Normal gravity for 1 turn, reverse gravity for 1 turn, etc. Smashed items in the area may give a clue to the trick.
12	A pulsating blue orb is held inset in the wall by a finely-wrought iron brace. When touched by a living creature the orb instantly teleports that creature to a random area in the dungeon.

WEIRD STUFF

1d12	Weird Stuff
1	In the room is a large ceramic jar filled with a clear gelatinous substance. When a non-living object is touched to the substance while it is contained within the jar, the substance mutates to mimic the form, size (nothing larger than a two-handed weapon), and properties of that object, creating an exact duplicate within the jar. The “duplicate” object can be removed from the jar and will function exactly as the original, except for any magical properties. After 1 hour, the “duplicate” item reverts back into its natural clear gelatinous state.
2	The party comes upon a large egg partially covered by dirt and twigs. A compsognathus dinosaur hatches from the egg and immediately takes to the first character it sees as if he were its mother. If fed a diet of lizards and insects it will reach full size (18” tall) in about a month. The dinosaur will learn a few tricks (as if affected by an animal friendship spell) and will fight to defend its “mother”.
3	A ghostly funeral procession passes by the party.  In a lidless casket carried by six ghosts is one of the party members. The spirits cannot be affected and do not react to the party.
4	Entering this chamber/cavern the party members are instantly (and unknowingly) transformed into 2” tall versions of themselves. Exploring the room they encounter seemingly “huge” mushrooms, pits, pools, boulders, spiders, rats, and the like. They might eventually find a clue as to their current state, such as a huge book or dagger. When they leave the room they immediately return to their normal size.
5	A character gains the Shining power! Once per day at a random time, he has uncontrollable visions about the past tied to the local area where he is standing. Despite their crippling strangeness (character can take no action while Shining), these visions will augment his historical and empirical knowledge, providing a +2 bonus on any Intelligence or other checks the DM requires to learn something. The Shining lasts for one minute but the bonus lasts for one turn or until the character leaves the general area. After one week the Shining power disappears.
6	Cursed! A tiny imp appears on the character’s shoulder and constantly insults, mocks, and judges his every action. The imp is visible only to the character, cannot be harmed by any means, and remains until a remove curse (or wish) spell is cast upon the character.
7	A floating disc suddenly appears 6’ from one of the characters. The disc functions as a tenser’s floating disc for that character as cast by a wizard of the same level as the character.
8	Room contains a fancy dining table set for the same number of guests as there are party members.
9	Pool of magic detection. Magical items submerged in this 5’ diameter and 1’ deep pool glow from faint to bright green depending on the strength of their magic. Only one item at a time may be detected as magical by the pool and only six items may be set in the pool per day (any more and they do not detect as magical even if they are).
10	Healing zone. Any person touching the stone/pool/symbol/item in this area is healed 1d8 hit points. Functions only once per person per day.
11	Exact duplicates of the party suddenly appear in the area. They are quite perturbed at being teleported here from whatever alternate dimension they are from and challenge the real party to a battle naturally assuming that the real party had something to do with interrupting the great life-changing events that were going on at that exact moment in the other dimension. The extra-dimensional versions of the party members disappear when slain.
12	Party enters a chamber and observes a very serious production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance being performed by zombies. The undead actors pay no attention to the party (unless they are attacked), thinking them extras in the production.