Reese Laundry � v0.
1 August 2021
INTRODUCTION exist, it’s the DM’s job to give you the tools
you need to succeed. Telegraphing the
danger of monsters, traps, and so on is one
No “old-school” style D&D campaign of those tools.
worth its salt is played strictly by-the-
book. Therefore, a short set of house rules For those who wish to read a bit more on
are in use. These are always subject to old-school gaming and its “rulings over
change if we should find them not rules” ethos, I recommend two
working as intended. documents: Matt Finch’s “Quick Primer
for Old School Gaming” and David
WHY OLD-SCHOOL? Perry’s “Principia Apocrypha.”
Which Rules?
Old-school gaming offers a very different My games are run using the 1981 TSR
“feel” than what is typical when playing Basic/Expert “B/X” rules. The 1984 revised
more modern editions of D&D. “Lighter” “BECMI” rules and the compiled Rules
rules lead to more flexibility by both Cyclopedia are virtually identical and may
players and DM and a more free-flowing be referenced as well.
play style, not so locked-in by the rules as
written. Playing this way may require Personally, I use Old-School Essentials
some time for adjustment (and a few dead (OSE) - a modern, 100% compatible
PCs!) for players unused to such a game, “clone” of B/X by Necrotic Gnome. I
but below are a few tips to help ease the highly recommend these for their far
transition: superior organization and design. The
following OSE books are recommended
▶ For most problems, the answer won’t for player reference.
be found as a skill check on your character
sheet. Ask questions, engage and interact ▶ Old-School Essentials Classic Fantasy
with the game world, DM and other Rules Tome or Player’s Rules Tome
players. Your dice will fail you, but with a ▶ Old-School Essentials Advanced
good plan, you won’t need to roll them. Fantasy Player’s Tome
▶ Adventuring is dangerous business. Note that the entirety of the Classic
Characters will die, possibly quite often, so Fantasy Rules can be freely accessed via
embrace those failures and have fun with the Necrotic Gnome OSE website at:
it. Characters are simple and quick to roll http://bit.ly/OSE_SRD. The additional
up for a reason. Advanced material is not open content
▶ How do you NOT die? Play smart, and players wishing to use those options
make plans, and fight dirty. Don’t be afraid will need to have access to the books or
to run away. PDFs.
▶ Bear in mind that monsters are not
balanced to the character levels - see “run
away” above. Weight risk vs reward, The
bulk of XP does not come from killing the
monsters, but rather from stealing their
precious treasure.
▶ While “gotcha” situations can and do
CHARACTER OPTIONS 1st level. With a 16+, they gain a bonus
2nd level spell usable at 4th level, and with
an 18, gain a bonus 3rd level spell usable
Available Classes at 6th level, when those higher spell levels
are normally gained.
We will use both the base Classic Fantasy
(B/X) and Advanced Fantasy (AD&D) Free Casting: Clerics do not need to
class options from OSE. This includes memorize specific spells each day. Instead
using the race-classes as provided. We will they may freely cast any spells available to
not be using the optional rule which them on the Cleric spell list, subject only
separates race from class. to the limitations imposed by remaining
spell slots at the time of casting. They are
However… only the core B/X classes calling upon their deity for what aid they
(cleric, fighter, magic-user, thief, dwarf, elf need at the time of the casting.
and halfling) will be available initially.
Other class options will become available Elf
over the course of the campaign, as they
Elven Sub-races: Elven characters may
are introduced through play, i.e., meeting
choose from two possible blood-lines.
a paladin, druid or gnome NPC, etc.
High Elves follow the standard class as
Character Creation written and choose spells from the Magic-
User or Illusionist spell lists.
For the most part, character creation
follows the rules as written. For me, a Wood Elves instead choose their spells
large part of old-school play is the from the Druid spell list. In addition,
randomness, and the challenge of letting wood elves lose the ability to Detect Secret
the dice help mold the story and Doors and instead gain the Hiding ability
characters, as opposed to coming in with a of the Halfling class.
predetermined character concept. That
said, it’s no fun to play a particularly weak Fighter
or sub-par character, so some changes are Fighter Sub-classes: Fighters may choose
in order. between two class options.
Option 1: Are you old-school cool?: Warriors gain an additional +1 bonus to-
Ability scores are rolled using 3d6 in order hit on all attacks, as well as the Cleave
(S,I,W,D,C,Ch), either as rolled or in ability - when an opponent is slain in
reverse order. Using this method, combat, the warrior may make an
characters begin play at 2nd level. immediate free attack against an adjacent
Option 2: Fine, do what you want to: opponent.
Roll 4d6 and drop low roll, repeat six Rangers gain Awareness - they are only
times. Arrange as desired. surprised on a roll of 1, and Tracking - the
▶ All characters start with maximum hit ability to identify and follow tracks in the
points at 1st level. wilderness. The chance of success begins
at 1-2 on a 1d6 roll and uses the Thief’s
Class Modifications Hear Noise progression.
The following additions are intended to Magic-User
add a bit more flexibility to the core Arcane Bolt: Once per round, magic-
classes from Classic Fantasy. users may make a magical ranged attack
requiring a to-hit roll against the target
Cleric and using the magic-user’s INT modifier.
Bonus Spells: Clerics with a 13+ in WIS This attack has a range of 10/20/30 and
gain a bonus 1st level spell slot usable at does 1d4 damage (as a dagger).
Arcane Magic: Magic-users may choose for an orc between 6 people. XP from
spells from a combined list of both the treasure is still treated as usual.
Magic-User and Illusionist spells.
XP for Dungeon Exploration: PCs gain
Beginning Spells: Arcane spell casters XP as they explore deeper into a dungeon,
begin play with Read Magic and Detect receiving 10 XP (cumulative) for every
Magic plus 1 + INT modifier additional new room they discover. Anything
spells in their spell book, chosen by the previously explored gives 0 XP. This resets
player. Additional spells may only be when they return to a safe town. Each PC
added when leveling up, as per the receives the totals shown below:
standard rules.
▶ 1st room: 10xp ▶ 11th room: 660xp
Combat: In addition to daggers, as ▶ 2nd room: 30xp ▶ 12th room: 780xp
detailed in the standard rules, magic- ▶ 3rd room: 60xp ▶ 13th room: 910xp
users may also wield a staff. ▶ 4th room: 100xp ▶ 14th room: 1050xp
▶ 5th room: 150xp ▶ 15th room: 1200xp
Spell Books: While a magic-user’s own ▶ 6th room: 210xp ▶ 16th room: 1360xp
spell books are limited to what spells they ▶ 7th room: 280xp ▶ 17th room: 1540xp
begin with plus those added when ▶ 8th room: 360xp ▶ 18th room: 1720xp
advancing in level, they may memorize ▶ 9th room: 450xp ▶ 19th room: 1910xp
their daily spells from any spell books they ▶ 10th room: 550xp ▶ 20th room: 2110xp
can read. Adventuring for lost tomes, or
claiming the books of defeated enemy
wizards are tried and true ways to expand
one’s repertoire!
Read Magic (Clarification): Each casting
of Read Magic will decipher an entire spell
scroll or a single spell (randomly
determined) in a spell book.
Thief
Back-stab: The amount of damage dealt
increases with experience. Damage is x2
from levels 1-4, x3 from levels 5-8 and x4
from 9-14. Additionally, a thief may make
ranged “back-stab” attacks provided they
do so from hiding.
Note that except in the most extreme
circumstances Climb Walls does NOT
need a roll to succeed. At the discretion of
the DM, there may be situations where a
relevant ability score modifier may be
added to the character’s chance of success
as well.
ADDITIONAL RULES
Increased Monster XP: In order to speed
up the rate of character advancement, XP
for monsters defeated will be awarded to
each PC, rather than dividing the 10 XP
THE DUCHY OF AERIK
their peaks often penetrate the clouds. A
clan of dwarves, the Hammerhands, lives
in the northernmost of these mountains
Overview near Bogtown.
The region draws its name from Aerik Helix: Located between the Blackened
Ironguard, one of the first settlers and the Forest and the northern edge of the
founder of Ironguard Motte. Located on Barrowmoor, Helix was established on the
the western borders of more civilized location of a much older settlement. Its
lands, the Duchy and its surrounding population swells during the late spring
regions have long drawn adventurers and summer months when adventurers
seeking fame and fortune. and treasure-seekers of all sort arrive.
Some locals in Helix believe the barrow
Gazetteer mounds must be left alone and that the
dead must not be disturbed.
The Barrowmoor: A vast, fetid bog which
dominates much of the area. Villagers tell Ironguard Motte: Located at the eastern
tales of the dead walking in the mists, edge of the Blackened Forest and north-
riches buried in the swamp, and speak of west of Old Dwarf Bridge, Ironguard
tribes of froglings and lizardmen who Motte is the largest populated town in the
dwell deep within its depths. region and the home of the ruling
Ironguard noble family. As the largest
The Blackened Forest: A dark swampy town and center of trade in the region,
woodland on the northern borders of the Ironguard Motte offers all the services
Duchy. Some say the trees have turned available in Helix in addition to more
black from the peat of the Barrowmoor specialized services such as an armorer,
and others say that a greater evil has weaponsmith, and various temples and
poisoned the forest. The wood is known to shrines.
harbor all manner of monstrous creatures
including goblins, bugbears, trolls, and Bogtown: Bogtown is located on the
giant spiders. eastern edge of the Barrowmoor at the
base of the Moon Peaks. Bogtown was first
The Thornswild Forest: A rotting swampy settled to facilitate trade between
wood choked with vines, thorns, and Ironguard Motte and the dwarves of the
tangled branches. A small community of Moon Peaks but now has a rather seedy
black-haired elves is said to live in the reputation among the other villagers.
forest. They protect their borders against
both men and lizardmen alike. Little else Religion, Faith and The Gods
is known about this woodland.
The Ancient Ones, called the Anganach by
The Wyrdwood: A dark forest that stands the folk of the region, represent the elder
between the Barrowmoor and the Moon gods. With the migration of the new gods
Peaks. It is a mixed wood: damp and wet from the civilized kingdoms to the east,
closest to the bog and dry nearest the the Anganach are in decline.
mountains. Tribes of neanderthals are said
to live in the low caves of the Moon Peaks The New Gods, known as the Futurus, are
and wyverns have also been spotted at represented by priests who have made
higher elevations. their way to the duchy and have been
aggressive in their attempts to convert the
The Moon Peaks: A mountainous range people from the “primitive” faiths.
that runs southeast of the Wyrdwood. The
mountains are called the Moon Peaks due The Anganach
to their extreme vertical elevation that ▶ Crom: God of Strength and Battle. The
reaches toward the moon in the night sky. clerics of Crom seek to advance their faith
The tips of these mountains are so high
through strength of arms and feats of ▶ St. Ygg: God of Righteousness and Light.
daring in battle. St. Ygg demands his followers destroy
undead as he views them as an
▶ Herne the Hunter: Demigod of the abomination of the highest order. His
Hunt, Swamps and Forests, also called the followers include clerics and a group of
Horned God. The worship of St. Ygg has paladins known as the Order of the
replaced Herne in recent years, but there Crimson Cross.
are those who still pray and offer sacrifices
to him. The Dark Ones
▶ Silvanus: God of Nature and the It is whispered that among the worshipers
Balance, also called the Green Man. Faces of the new gods and the old are those who
of Silvanus have been carved into trees follow darker paths.
and rocks in the region for centuries. ▶ Impurax (A): God of Decay, Corruption
Tales say good fortune befalls those who and Pestilence.
chance upon his face in the wild. ▶ Orcus (F): God of the Undead and the
Underworld.
The Futurus ▶ Set (F): God of Serpents, Death and
▶ Arcantryl: Goddess of Magic. The clerics Deceit.
of Arcantryl have focused on developing ▶ Nergal (A): Greater God of the Undead,
followers at Ironguard Motte where they Death and the Underworld. It is believed
have established a small shrine to facilitate that Nergal was deposed and presumably
the instruction of both clerics and magic- destroyed by his sons, Set and Orcus.
users.
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