Player Guide & House Rules

Arcane Magic MOVING SPELLS AROUND

Spells can be moved from one scroll to another with an hour of work,
performed by a magician who has has learned it. Spells cannot be
copied, merely moved.

S
pells are extra-dimensional creatures. Magicians—sometimes
called wizards or sorcerers—imprint these spells into their Memorizing spells: A magician can move a spell into their brain via
minds (a process known as memorizing a spell). This is what memorization. One hour of study allows a magician to swap around any
turns a spirit into a spell. It is the act of comprehension that traps the number of spells between his brain and scrolls or spell books, causing
spirit; to understand a spirit is to cage it. spells to disappear or return to the pages they are stored in. Memorized
spells stay in the magician’s brain until the magician returns them to
SPELL BOOKS the their book or scroll.
Arcane spells are recorded in Rest: A character can only memorize spells following a night’s rest.
grimoires, treatises, tomes, and Number of spells: A magician can memorize one spell for each level
folios, collectively known as spell they possess, up to a maximum of four spells at Level 4. Once a
books. Arcane spell-casters collect magician has a spell memorized they can cast it spontaneously.
and jealously hoard spell books, as
Death: If a wizard dies while spells are still stored in his brain, the spells
these works of eldritch study are
remain. They do not return to the now-blank pages of scrolls or books.
the primary source of their power.
Studying a Spell Book CASTING SPELLS
To learn spells from a spell book, Casting since: A magician has a number of casting dice (d6s) equal to
the character must be able to their Level, up to four. When a magician casts a spell they roll any
understand the written language number of dice from their casting pool. Any dice that roll 1-3 return to
(by dint of study or magic) and must spend time attempting to learn the the caster’s pool and any dice showing 4-6 are expended until the
spells it contains. magician gets a full night’s sleep.
Learning: Learning a spell from a spell book requires 1 week of quiet Mishaps: If a magician uses more than one die to cast a spell, they risk a
study. The character must then make an Intelligence Check. If the casting mishap. When doubles are rolled on any of the dice used to cast
check succeeds, they have learned the spell and may henceforth a spell, the numbers shown on the dice determine the result on the
memorize it. If the check fails, the character may not try to learn this mishap table below. Unless a mishap says otherwise, the spell is still
spell again before gaining a Level. successfully cast. (If triples are rolled, a Magician risks their DOOM.)
Learning From a Mentor Mishaps
If a character has an established relationship with an arcane spell- 1. Fizzle: The spell sputters and has no effect.
caster of at least 3 Levels higher, they may be able to consult with them 2. Magic Burn: This spell works, but caster cannot cast spells or use
to learn new spells. Learning a new spell from a mentor takes 1 week. any magical abilities for 1d6 rounds.
The mentor usually expects a service in return, perhaps 3. Sapped: Magic Dice only return on a 1–2 until you spend one hour
sending the character on a quest of some kind. in arcane meditation. This includes the dice used to cast this
spell. (Or lose 1 casting die.)
Creating a New Spell Book
4. Befuddled: the caster is stunned and cannot move or act for d6
Spell books weave the essence of up to three spells rounds.
together. Spell books give the spells within them a
cohesive identity to cling to, therefore all of the 5. Mutation: A random mutation afflicts the caster for 1d6 rounds,
spells contained within the book must adhere to then they make a Save Versus Spells. On a failed save the
mutation is permanent.
a common theme. The book must then be given a
name and bound in materials all which reinforce 6. Backfire: The caster has lost control of the spell, and it is liable to
this theme. Constructing such a book may go wrong in the worst possible way. The caster may attempt a
require rare materials. Save Versus Spells to regain control of the spell; on a successful
save the spell works as intended but the caster takes d6 damage.

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DOOM MAGICIAN ABILITIES
Every apprentice knows that if they travel down the road of wizardry Book casting: Beginning at Level 2, a magician can cast from a scroll or
long enough, their DOOM will eventually claim them. It waits at the end a spell book in a way that does not expend the spell. There is no free
of every wizard's career. casting die normally generated by consuming a scroll, and the caster
▶ The first time you roll triples, you suffer your first DOOM. automatically loses initiative. The spell vanishes from the scroll and
returns again the next morning.
▶ The second time you roll triples, you suffer your second DOOM.
Vancian preparation: Beginning at Level 3, magicians have the option to
▶ The third time you roll triples, you suffer your third and final DOOM.
prepare a spell for more consistent casting. When you choose to
The manifestation of DOOM is unique to each individual. While your first prepare a spell in this way, draw a 'V' next to it on your character sheet.
and second DOOMS tend to be survivable, your final DOOM usually spells When you cast the spell, draw a line through the 'V'. You cannot cast it
the end of your career (usually through your death). again today. You never suffer mishaps when casting this spell-ignore
There are three ways to avoid your DOOM: any doubles generated by the casting roll. (DOOM is still possible.)
▶ Never use more than two casting dice at a time, forever limiting your Cantrips: Magicians can produce smaller effects related to the spells
magical power. they have memorized without using their magic dice. For example, one
▶ Seek out a solution to your DOOM. These are always unique quests with the Sleep spell memorized might make someone drowsy enough to
that your referee designs for you. They are usually pretty epic. yawn. A magician with fireball memorized might be able to produce
tendrils of smoke from their hands, or light a candle. These effects will
▶ Pledge your service to a supernatural patron.
not generally provide an advantage in combat or replicate the abilities
of other classes, but may be useful if used ingeniously.
MAGIC ITEMS
Wands and Staves: Wands and staves have spells stored within them Detect magic: A magician can make a skill check to detect if an object,
that Magicians can use their casting dice to cast. Staves have additional place, or creature in question is magical. Given an hour of solitude, a
powerful abilities and can be used as a melee weapon. magician automatically succeeds at detecting magic.
Magic robes: Magic robes lend the wearer one casting die, starting from RESEARCHING A NEW SPELL
when they wake up in the robes to when they take them off. Robes
Magicians may research spells they know to exist, or attempt to capture
cannot be worn with armor, but can be used with shields.
a spell before unseen. When researching a new spell, the referee
Scrolls: Casting a spell from a scroll, or even the pages of a spell book, creates a tracker with a predetermined number of steps (at least three).
directly without memorizing it destroys the spell in the process. The magician may spend a week of study to attempt to progress this
However, this destruction invests one free casting die into the spell. (A tracker. For this attempt, the player rolls 2d6 and adds their Intelligence
magician can even show a non-caster how to cast the spell, and they modifier. The results are as follows:
will be able to cast the spell from it using this casting die.) Magicians
Snake Eyes—Disaster: Roll on the magical disaster table.
can also add their own casting dice into this spell, but the die from
consuming the scroll is always expended. 6 or less: The tracker does not advance.
7–9: Something is required to advance on step on the new
Spells on the Brain? spell tracker.
It is possible to learn spells from a 10+: Advance one step on the new spell tracker.
dead wizard. It involves bisecting the
magician's skull and balancing it atop
a golden needle. The memorization of
spells causes the brain to carve
grooves on the inside of the skull,
which can be measure with a device
is called a cerebreus (sarah-BRAY-us),
a common part of a wizarding
laboratory.

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 Holy Magic PRAYING AT SHRINES
Shrines dedicated to specific saints are scattered
throughout Dolmenwood. A holy spell-caster who prays
for 1 hour at such a shrine earns the blessing of the saint

H
oly spells take the form of blessings bestowed upon characters in the form of an additional spell. Once bestowed, a
by the grace of the saints of the Pluritine Church. A holy spell blessing remains with the character until the spell is
caster may pray to a specific saint, reciting a prayer in the cast.
Liturgic tongue, and their prayers may be answered by a miracle.
One use: The spell bestowed by a saint’s blessing can be
PRAYING FOR SPELLS cast one time without the need for a prayer roll.
When a character prays for a spell, the player makes a prayer roll which One blessing at a time: A character may only have the
determines the outcome of the prayer. blessing of a single saint at any one time.
Successful prayer roll: the saint bestows their blessings in the form of Spells of higher Rank: A spell bestowed by a saint’s blessing may be of
the spell asked for. higher Rank than the character is usually able to pray for.
Failed prayer roll: The prayer goes unlistened and the player rolls on TURNING THE UNDEAD
the Divine Disapproval table. A holy spell-caster may attempt to drive off undead
Spell ranks: Spells are categorized by Rank, from Rank 1 (the least monsters by presenting their holy symbol and
powerful) to Rank 5 (the most powerful). A holy spell–caster’s Level invoking the might of the One True God.
determines which Rank of spells they are able to cast. Range: The undead must be within 30′.
Target number: The target number to cast a spell is 12, rolled on a d20. Concealed undead (e.g. behind
doors or in coffers) are
Modifiers: Clerics add their Wisdom modifier to the prayer roll, while unaffected.
Friars add the average of their Wisdom and Intelligence modifiers,
rounded up. Turning roll: When a cleric attempts to turn the undead, roll 2d6 to
determine the result (modifiers listed below):
Lower Spell Ranks: Casting spells of lower ranks is easier as characters
advance. The difficulty of casting a spell decreases by 1 for every Spell ▶ 4 or lower: The undead are unaffected.
Rank above this spell the character can cast. (See Prayer Tables on the ▶ 5–6: 2d4 undead are stunned for 1 Round, unable to act.
following page.) ▶ 7–12: 2d4 undead flee from the holy spell-caster for 1 Turn.
Higher Spell Rank: A character may attempt a prayer that is one spell ▶ 13 or higher: 2d4 undead are permanently destroyed.
Rank higher than they are normally allowed to. To do so, they must roll Lower Level undead: If the undead are lower Level than the cleric, the
a 13 plus the Rank of the spell. turning roll is modified by +2 per Level difference (maximum +6). For
example, a Level 5 cleric turning Level 3 undead would gain a +4 bonus.
CASTING SPELLS
Higher Level undead: If the undead are higher Level than the cleric, the
In combat: Casting a spell counts as the character’s action in a Round, turning roll is modified by –2 per Level difference (maximum –6). For
and the character may not move in the same Round as casting a spell. example, a Level 3 cleric turning Level 6 undead would suffer a –6
The intention to cast a spell must be declared before initiative is rolled. penalty.
If the character is harmed before their initiative, the spell is disrupted.
Mixed groups: In encounters with multiple types of undead, those of
Speech: The character must be able to speak. A holy spell-caster cannot lowest Level are affected first. On a successful turning roll, the cleric
cast spells if gagged or in an area of magical silence. may make another roll the following Round, affecting the next lowest
Holy Symbol: A holy spell-caster must carry a holy symbol to cast Level type of undead present. This process may be repeated until all
spells. This is usually the Chapes (depicted on the page opposite) or the types of undead have been affected or a turning roll fails.
symbol of a specific saint or a clerical order. Usage frequency: One attempt per Turn.

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DIVINE DISAPPROVAL DIVINE WRATH!
Roll 1d6 when a prayer Roll is failed. Roll 1d20
1. Divine Wrath! 1. Silenced (impossible to speak and cast) for 1d6 rounds.
The prayer is not granted. The cleric is forbidden to ask that same
prayer again, and the player rolls immediately on the Divine 2. Blinded (cannot attack) for 1d6 rounds.
Wrath table. (Next page) 3. Crippled (halved movement) for 1d6 rounds.
2. Granted, lost spells of this level 4. Main arm paralyzed and unusable for 1d6 rounds (drops anything
The prayer is granted. The cleric is forbidden to ask any prayer of in hand).
the same spell level again.
5. Penalty –1 to Attack and damage rolls for 1d6 rounds.
3-4. Not granted, lost for the day
The prayer is not granted. The cleric is forbidden to ask that same 6. Bleeding from the eyes for 1d6 (non-lethal) damage.
prayer again. 7. Insect Plague spell centered on the caster, stays in place for 1d6
rounds.
5-6. Not granted but can retry
The prayer is not granted at this time but the cleric can try again 8. Invisible spirits torment the caster’s body and soul: impossible to
on the following round or at any other time. speak and cast, halved movement, –4 to attack rolls, for 1d6
rounds.
Rest: A character can remove any effects of the Divine Disapproval table
9. The caster is paralyzed on their knees and cannot act in anyway
meditating and praying for one hour, after an uninterrupted night’s for 1d6 rounds. While paralyzed, they receive divine visions and
sleep. are impervious to all damage and harm. At the end, the player
rolls 1d20. If the result is higher than their Wisdom, it increases
PRAYER TABLES by 1 (up to 18).
CLERIC PRAYER TABLE FRIAR PRAYER TABLE 10. Silenced (impossible to speak and cast) for 1d6 turns.
Spell Rank Spell Rank 11. Blinded (cannot attack) for 1d6 turns.
Level 1 2 3 4 5 Level 1 2 3 4 5 12. Crippled (halved movement) for 1d6 turns.
1 (14) — — — — 1 12 (15) — — — 13. Main arm paralyzed and unusable for 1d6 turns (drops anything in
2 12 (15) — — — 2 12 (15) — — — hand).
3 12 (15) — — — 3 11 12 (16) — — 14. Penalty –1 to Attack and damage rolls for 1d6 turns.
4 11 12 (16) — — 4 11 12 (16) — — 15. Bleeding from the eyes for 2d6 (non-lethal) damage.
5 11 12 (16) — — 5 10 11 12 (17) — 16. Insect Plague spell centered on the caster, stays in place for 1d6
6 10 11 12 — — 6 10 11 12 (17) — turns.
7 10 11 12 (17) — 7 9 10 11 12 (18) 17. Invisible spirits torment the caster’s body and soul: impossible to
8 10 11 12 (17) — 8 9 10 11 12 (18) speak and cast, halved movement, –4 to Attack, for 1d6 turns.
9 9 10 11 (17) (18) 9 8 9 10 11 12 18. The caster is paralyzed on their knees and cannot act in anyway
10 9 10 11 12 (18) 10 8 9 10 11 12 for 1d6 turns. While paralyzed, they receive divine visions and are
impervious to all damage and harm. At the end, the player rolls
11 9 10 11 12 (18) 11 7 8 9 10 11 1d20. If the result is higher than their Wisdom, it increases by 1
12 8 9 10 11 12 12 7 8 9 10 11 (up to 18).
13 8 9 10 11 12 13 6 7 8 9 10 19.— The caster receives a Holy Quest (as the spell) from the saints.
14 8 9 10 11 12 14 6 7 8 9 10 20.
15 7 8 9 10 11 15 5 6 7 8 9
( ): Entries in parenthesis indicate attempts to cast a higher Rank spell
than is normally allowed.

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 Other House Rules DEATH & DYING
When your hit points are depleted you will roll on the injury table. A d6
is rolled with a penalty equal to the amount of HP below zero. (Ex: a
character with 3 hit points remaining receives 4 damage, they roll a d6
DOLMENWOOD SILVER STANDARD and subtract 1.) Unconscious characters can be awakened early with
The value of one “gold piece” is replaced with the “groat piece”. The magical healing, which grants them 1 hit point.
standard coin is silver, called a groat, and still abbreviated as “gp”. 0. (or less) Instant death.
Gold: A gold coin worth ten groats is called a “florin” or a “crown”. 1. Death’s Door: unconscious and will die without magical aid.
Fairy silver: Pellucidium Pieces are worth five groats (5gp). 2. Major injury: You awake in 1 hour suffering a permanent loss of 1
point from a random Ability Score
Weight: Groats, Florins, and Pellucidium Pieces weigh one “coin”.
3. Roll a d6: 1-5 = Broken or severed limb. (Save Versus Doom) 6 =
Item slots: 100 coins occupy one slot. If you are carrying 50 coins or Lost eye. Can’t act for d4 rounds then become active with 1 HP.
more, you must dedicate a slot to the coins. (150 coins is two slots, etc.)
4. Fall unconscious for d4 rounds, awaken with 1 hp.
Smaller denominations: One tenth of a groat is a “silver penny” (sp). 5. Fall unconscious for d2 rounds, awaken with d4 hp.
The smallest unit of currency is a “farthing”, worth ¼ of a silver penny.
These are tracked as a decimal point or fraction of groats. 6. Not done yet. Gain d4 hit points!
Copper: Copper coins are rarely used, especially by adventurers, but
one copper “coin” is worth the same as one silver penny.
Abstract coins: Some coins may actually be different sizes, but their
value is directly proportionate to their weight, so coins are simply
tracked by the standard denominations above.

Death’s Door (DPB 168)

Effects: A character at death’s door is unconscious and will die without
magical aid. Each Round, there is a 2-in-6 chance of the character
dying.
Tracking Example Aid: Healing that takes effect instantaneously (e.g. Lesser Healing,
A character has 9 groats, and spends one penny on a barrowblaster Spirithame, magic potions) saves a character if applied before they
(8.9gp) and a hay'penny on a pig’s ear (8.85gp). Then they pay a farthing perish, restoring them to 1 Hit Point. Characters brought back from
for to sleep on the inn floor, and they have 8gp and 8¼sp remaining, or death’s door suffer a permanent loss of 1 point from a random Ability
“8.825gp” Score.

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GENERAL SKILLS
When a player attempts a specialized task that is not covered by the
rules, the referee may call for a general skills roll. General skill rolls use
an x-in-6 system. Three factors apply to a general skills roll:
1. Experience: whether the character’s background or other
experiences apply to the task.
2. Tools: whether the character has specialized tools applicable to
the task.
3. Time: whether the character has ample time to complete the
task.
If all three of these factors are present, the character does not usually
need to make a roll (6-in-6). If a character has none of these factors, it
is usually not possible to complete the task (0-in-6). For each factor a
character does have, there is a +2 to the roll, (i.e. 2-in-6 for one, 4-in-6
for two).

WEAPONS
Battle axe: Characters that can use Heavy weapons may wield a battle
axe in two hands and when doing so the damage die may explode.
(When an 8 is rolled for damage, roll another d8 and add to result. The
die can explode multiple times!)
Longsword: Can be used in two hands, negating one point of Strength
penalty to Attack and damage rolls. Small kindreds may only use a
longsword in two hands.
Dagger: Gains a +4 bonus to Attack against an enemy in melee who is
prone, or otherwise vulnerable. These situations also allow a thief to
use Backstab (the Attack bonus does not stack). Backstab always deals
2d6 damage.

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