Legendary Tales Corebook.pdf

This is a Beta version of Legendary Tales. Please post errors on our Errata forum at www.pmzg.nu

Legendary Tales v.0.5 Beta

Author: Peter Samuelsson - Ideas & Help: Peter Aronsson & Mats Andersson

Proof Reading: No proof reading has been done yet…

Legendary Tales is Copyrighted © PMZG - Game Studio, 2004-2007

This game is free, and can be downloaded from our web site at http://www.pmzg.nu

Legendary Tales first words were written 28 of April 2004, last updated 14th of November 2007

This is a pen and paper roleplaying game created for high fantasy campaign worlds. This book contain the basic

rules for the game, no campaign world is described, only the rules. There are many campaign worlds out there

that this system will work perfect with, and the game master always have the option to create his own world.

This game system is built on attributes and skills - no level system is used. The player characters get experience

by raising their attributes and skills with training and experience rolls. The rules for this game are easy to learn,

but the game it self is rather advanced because of the freedom the players and game master have while playing.

The Authors Comments

This pen and paper roleplaying game is the fourth complete game I have written. There have been other games

that I never completed, and more ideas for others than I can count. With this game system I have tried to go a

step further with my ideas, and you may notice many similar things to my old games in these rules. The other

games I have created are Zhoria , Dark Fantasy RPG in Swedish, Adrenalin , Action RPG in Swedish and S.E.R.S ,

Multi Genre RPG in English. A thing I wanted to do with this system is to step away from using spells and

formulas that are learned by the player characters, and described in detail. These rules will give the magician a

wider range, and it’s only the player’s fantasy that will stand in the way.

- Peter Samuelsson

Roleplaying

The best way to describe a roleplaying game is to compare it to a movie or a book, but in storytelling form,

where the players describe what they do as they move forward in the story. The game is always lead by a game

master who tell the story, describe the world and what happens in it, and play the non-player characters.

Anything can happen in a roleplaying game, but there are frames that the players and the game master must stick

to, otherwise things can get out of hand. The game master should never take any player’s side or favour a player

and not the others in anyway. In a way you can say that the game master is the opponent to the players, but he

must be fair and use common sense when leading the game. At first a roleplaying game can be hard, but after a

while you will find that it’s not really that hard to master.

The most important thing when playing a roleplaying game is to have fun, and remember that the rules are there

to aid the players and the game master, not to stop them. If a rule is to hard or in the way, change it to fit your

group, or simply remove it from the game. But as a game master you must always state what rules are used,

changed and removed for your players before the game session start.

Chapters in this Book

1 - Game System - how rolls and experience work

2 - Player Character - how to create a player character, and rules when playing one

3 - Skills - how skills work while playing

4 - Equipment - lists of equipment the character can buy and own

5 - Economics - economics system suitable for a fantasy campaign

6 - Time & Motion - travels and large-scale movement

7 - Spot Rules - miscellaneous rules that may be needed while playing

8 - Bestiary - races, creatures and monsters

9 - Encounters - wilderness and dungeons encounters

10 - Treasures - treasures and special items

11 - Playing the Game - examples on how to play the game

12 - Campaigns - Campaign suggestions for game masters

This is a Beta version of Legendary Tales. Please post errors on our Errata forum at www.pmzg.nu

Game Aids

When playing a pen and paper roleplaying game the most important things are pen and paper, eraser, dice (3d6

and 2d10 per player), calculator and a game master screen (used to hide the game masters papers and notes from

the players). Some players also use papers with squares, and something to act as the player characters and non-

player characters, to figure out where everyone is in a combat situation.

Playing Styles

There are many play styles, but all comes from one of two different styles. The most common is when the game

master rolls for skills and attributes that the players aren’t sure that the player character have succeeded with or

not. A few examples on such skills and attributes are hide, stalk, evaluate, perception and so on. The players roll

for all other skills and attributes.

The second play style, mostly used by players that set the feeling of adventure and storytelling at first hand, are

when the game master rolls all dice hidden, even all skill and attribute rolls for the player characters. The game

master also notes the player characters wounds and magi power used. The players don’t know anything more

than what the game master share with them, and players using this game style never talk in numbers. If a player

character is near death or badly injured, or if he have used almost all his magi power the game master tells him

this in words not containing numbers at all, then the player must decide if he want to keep fighting or seek help,

or if he wants to try to cast another spell or not before he have waited some time. This play style give the game

master much to keep up with, but can be really awarding for the whole group in the long run.

Measurements, Weights & Temperature

We use the Metric system for measurement and weight in this game. For temperature we use the Celsius system.

If you need to convert these to Imperial measurements and Fahrenheit and don’t know how to there are plenty of

information about this on the Internet, and in many dictionaries.

Fractions

When dividing a number you may get a fraction. In all these cases you should always round up unless the text

says otherwise. Mostly it is when figuring out secondary attributes fractions will play a role, but there can also be

fractions from other things in the game.

1 - Game System

This game system is created to be as easy as possible. Most rolls that are made while playing are skill rolls, to

see if the player characters and the non-player characters succeed or fail with an action. There are also attribute

rolls and resistance rolls that work just like skill rolls. Lastly we have the damage rolls that are rolled with a

number of d6 to find out how much damage a player character or non-player character inflicts when an attack is

successfully performed.

Dice

There are only two different types of dice in this game. Two ten-sided dice (d100) is used for skill, attribute and

resistance rolls, and sometime for table rolls. The six-sided die (d6) is used mostly for damage rolls, but also for

some other rolls. If there is a number noted before the die type, 2d6 for example, this number shows how many

dice to roll. Sometimes there will be a modification to the die rolls, 2d6+2 or 4d6-3 for example, that shows how

the final die result should be modified.

1d100

A d100 is rolled with two ten-sided dice where the first show the tens-column and the second show the ones-

column. A result of 3 and 7 reads as 37, a result of 0 and 5 reads as 5, a result of 0 and 0 reads as 100, and so on.

To make this easier you can use two d10 with different colours, and decide which one are the tens and which one

are the ones.

This is a Beta version of Legendary Tales. Please post errors on our Errata forum at www.pmzg.nu

Skill, Attribute & Resistance Rolls

All these rolls are done with a d100 where all results equal to, or below, the skills, attributes or resistance %V

mean success and all the results above the %V mean failure. The die result 01-05 is always a success, and the die

result 96-00 is always a failure, no matter how high or low the actual chance of success is.

Modifications

Sometimes the skills or attributes chance of success must be adjusted if the task is easier or harder than normal.

See the table below for common situations when skills and attributes chance of success are modified. The game

master is always the judge of how easy or hard a task should be.

Attributes & Skills

Modification

Routine

+60

Very easy

+40

Easy

+10

Average

±0

Below average

-10

Hard

-20

Very hard

-40

Extremely hard

-60

Absurd

-75

Critical Success

All d100 rolls for skills, attributes and resistance have a chance to be a critical success. If the roll is below or

equal to the skill, and the ones-column die result is 5 or 0 the roll is a critical success. Lets say that the player

character have a chance of 35% to succeed with a skill. All results of 05, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 would be a

critical success. A critical success means that the player character really shines.

Critical Failure

All d100 rolls for skills, attributes and resistance have a chance to be a critical failure. If the roll is above the

skill, and the ones-column die result is 5 or 0 the roll is a critical failure. Lets say that the player character have a

chance of 65% to succeed with a skill. All results of 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95 and 00 would be a critical failure. A

critical failure means that the player character has failed miserably, and it can even lead to personal injuries.

Initiative Rolls

The initiative roll is used to see whom among the player characters and non-player characters act first in a

situation. The initiative roll is made with a d10 and the attribute rank for quickness is added to the result. The

character with the highest initiative acts first, then the one with the next highest, and so on. If two characters

have the same initiative a new d10 (don’t add quickness attribute) is rolled between them to see who acts first.

2 - Player Character

The first thing to do when creating a player character is to choose what race to play. Each race has advantages

and disadvantages compared to each other. Each race has racial skills that the player character gets a skill rank of

1d6 to, these skills is listed below. Racial abilities and drawbacks are also listed below. Read about the different

races below and choose which one to play.

Human

Human is the easiest race to play. We all know how humans work, and how to play one. A human can be of any

complexion and have any hair and eye colour. The average height for humans is around 160 cm to 200 cm and

the average weight is around 50 kg to 90 kg. Humans can have any occupation and can be of any religion. The

average life span for humans is around 60 to 80 years.

Racial Skills: Catch, Climb, Hide, Jump, Stalk, Throw, Brawling and Dodge

Racial Abilities: None

Racial Drawbacks: None

This is a Beta version of Legendary Tales. Please post errors on our Errata forum at www.pmzg.nu

Half-Elf

Half-Elf is the result from an elf and human. A half-elf can have any physical looks from both races, but they

always get the elven eyes and their ears are slightly pointed. The average height for half-elves is around 150 cm

to 180 cm and the average weight is around 40 kg to 80 kg. Half-elves can have any occupation and can be of

any religion. The average life span for half-elves is around 250 to 500 years.

Racial Skills: Same as human or elf, depending on growing up environment.

Racial Abilities: Night Vision, like a cat. Need a light source to see well, stars, moon etc. Can’t see any better

than humans in pitch black. Good resistance against diseases, +10 to resistance value.

Racial Drawbacks: Fear of dying, each year above 100 years old, the half-elf must roll above 15 with a d100. If

the roll is 15 or lower the half-elf will go into a shell of self-pity from fear of dying for 2d6 months, and is very

hard to get close to. During this time the half-elf often want to seek out elves, and try to get the answer to why he

ages, and they not.

Elf

Elves mostly live in forests where they build their cities up in the treetops. They are good rangers and magicians,

but can be of most occupation, and think of them self as protectors of Mother Nature. Elves complexion is

usually fair, and their hair is often white, sandy, red or brown, but some have darker hair colour also. Their eyes

have the same shape as cat’s eyes, and are usually green, violet or yellow. Elves have slightly pointed ears. The

average height for elves is around 140 cm to 170 cm and the average weight is around 40 kg to 70 kg. Elves

religions are usually nature and animal gods, with Mother Nature as the main piety. Elves are immortal, and can

only be killed by physical force or due to sickness, and they always keep their youthful appearance.

Racial Skills: Catch, Climb, Fauna Lore, Flora Lore, Hide, Jump, Orientation, Stalk, Throw, Time Sense, Bow

and Dodge

Racial Abilities: Night Vision, like a cat. Need a light source to see well, stars, moon etc. Can’t see any better

than humans in pitch black. Good resistance against diseases, +20 to resistance value.

Racial Drawbacks: Training time is doubled for elves because they live so long, and don’t see time as any

problem, they aren’t in any hurry to master a skill or attribute by training. Most elves only learn the basics by

training if they need to, and then master a skill by practical use. An elven saying is that if you must study to

master a skill, do you really need that skill?

Dwarf

Dwarves usually live in the mountains, in great halls and towns. They work in stone and metal, and are

considered one of the best smiths in the world. A dwarf can be of any complexion and have any hair and eye

colour. All male dwarves have a beard, this show that they no longer are a child, a dwarf is thought of as a child

until he get his beard. Female dwarves have no beard, but many think that they do. The average height for

dwarves is around 100 cm to 120 cm and the average weight is around 60 kg to 100 kg. Dwarves mostly belong

to the Mother Nature piety, but can belong to other religions as well. The average life span for dwarves is around

250 to 300 years.

Racial Skills: Catch, Climb, Evaluate, Hide, Jump, Stalk, Throw, Axe or Hammer or Sword and Dodge

Racial Abilities: Dark Vision, can see very well if there’s a light source, and can see in pitch black, but no more

than at an arms length away.

Racial Drawbacks: Most dwarves doesn’t like open water and boats. They easily get sea sick, and think it’s

unnatural to sail on the seas. Dwarves also have a hard time when trying to learn how to ride, and mostly try to

avoid horses, unless they can use a wagon. They get a negative modification of -15 when trying to ride.

Halfling

Halflings live in small villages where they work with agriculture and other normal things. Most halflings doesn’t

care much for the world outside their village, and most are not interested in adventures. Halflings can be of any

complexion and have any hair and eye colour. Halflings never use shoes or boots of any sort. Halfling feet are

This is a Beta version of Legendary Tales. Please post errors on our Errata forum at www.pmzg.nu

covered with more hair than humans, and the sole have a harder skin. The average height for halflings is around

80 cm to 100 cm and the average weight is around 30 kg to 50 kg. Halflings mostly doesn’t care much for

religions and such, but they have great respect for other people’s religions. The average life span for halflings is

around 125 to 150 years.

Racial Skills: Catch, Climb, Hide, Jump, Stalk, Throw, Dodge and Sling

Racial Abilities: Fast Reactions, +1d6 to all initiative rolls.

Racial Drawbacks: Most halflings like the good things in life, food, wine and beer. They have habits that they

are used to from very early age. They eat breakfast when they wake up, after breakfast an hour or two later,

lunch two to three hours later, dinner three to four hours later, supper three to four hours later and before bed

snack before they go to bed. And often they eat something between all meals. This is not really a drawback for

them, but can be thought of as a drawback for other races because the halflings usually never miss a meal, and

can’t understand why others doesn’t understand how important this is. Can only use small and medium weapons.

Gnome

Gnomes can be found in most human cities and towns where they work as crafters and inventors. But there are

also a few gnome settlements in the world. These settlements aren’t big, and mostly contain shops and crafters.

Gnomes usually don’t like agriculture and other normal work, that’s one of the reasons that they have moved out

to live in human cities and towns. Gnomes can be of any complexion and have any hair and eye colour. The

average height for gnomes is around 70 cm to 100 cm and the average weight is around 30 kg to 50 kg. Almost

all gnomes think of religion as something bad, and don’t want to be involved in the affairs of the Gods. The

average life span for gnomes is around 150 to 200 years.

Racial Skills: Catch, Climb, Evaluate, Hide, Jump, Stalk, Throw and Dodge

Racial Abilities: Very handy with tools, all craft skills, that require tools to build things, %V +10.

Racial Drawbacks: Gnomes often want to check how machinery and other technical items work unless they

already know it, and often pick apart different items to see how they work. This can be very annoying to other

races if they are involved with gnomes in some way. It’s very hard to get a gnome to listen to others when they

have found something that they don’t understand, and are in the process of picking apart the item, and rebuilding

it to try to get it to function better than before. Can only use small and medium weapons.

Half-Orc

Half-Orcs are the result of an orc and human. The half-orc can have the physical looks from both races, but

usually look more human than orcish. Sometimes orcs steal the child away to be raised by orcs, if they know that

it’s a half-orc, but most of the times half-orcs are raised by their human mother or killed after birth. The average

height for half-orcs is around 150 cm to 180 cm and the average weight is around 60 kg to 90 kg. Half-Orcs can

be of any religion. The average life span for half-orcs is around 50 to 70 years.

Racial Skills: Same as human or orc, depending on growing up environment.

Racial Abilities: Dark Vision, can see very well if there’s a light source, and can see in pitch black, but no more

than at an arms length away.

Racial Drawbacks: Bright light sources give them a penalty of -5 to all skills and attributes chance of success.

Orc

Orcs are a fierce race that lives in deep forests and mountains in small clans. They have many racial enemies and

the elf and human is their worst one. Orcs usually have yellow eyes, pointed ears and dark or brownish skin.

Many orcs have tusks. They usually don’t have any facial hair. The average height for orcs is around 140 cm to

180 cm and the average weight is around 60 kg to 100 kg. One thing that makes orcs hated by most other

humanoid races is that they usually eat the fallen enemies, and prisoners. Orcs is usually not religious, but they

may pray to some dark god if they feel the need to do so. The average life span for orcs is around 40 to 60 years.

Racial Skills: Catch, Climb, Hide, Jump, Orientation, Stalk, Survival, Throw, Brawling, one Melee combat skill

and Dodge.

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