Core Rules
By Ryan Dallaire - Nov 2025
The reason the players are exploring the underground world is to find these gemstones to sell or use.The larger gemstones could also have effects on their environment before they are mined and removed.
Basic Rules
Roll two six sided dice (2d6) and add your stat and compare it to a target number (TN) for the target’s defense or the area TN, or compare it to a roll made by another character.
Stats: Brawniness - Strength, Endurance, Athletics Nimbleness - Dexterity, Agility, Accuracy Cleverness - Intelligence, Wisdom, Memory Braveness - Charisma, Willpower, Bravery
Magic takes up an inventory slot, because the magic can only be channeled through a magic item. Such as a magic ring or magic sword.
Target Numbers
The number you need to meet or beat to succeed on a roll is called a Target Number (or TN). Different obstacles and creatures will have different TNs. But also different areas will also have a TN that the GM can use at any time in place of another TN. If the GM wants to modify the TN for an area, they can add +2 to make it harder or -2 to make it easier.
| Example Target Numbers: | |
| Normal task for level 1 | 10 |
| Hard task for level 1 | 12 |
| Normal task for level 5 | 12 |
| Hard task for level 5 | 14 |
| Normal task for level 10 | 14 |
| Hard task for level 10 | 16 |
Advantage and Disadvantage
Roll 3d6 and drop the lowest: Advantage from situational bonuses and superior equipment.
Roll 3d6 and drop the highest: Disadvantage from situational penalties and poor quality items.
Resting, Repairing, and Enchanting
Resting:
Characters who rest in safety get back all their HP. When resting in the wild, they only get back half their total HP. But some abilities might allow you to help someone heal faster.
Healing Kit - You can spend a few minutes tending to a creature’s wounds using the supplies in your kit. The creature regains 6 HP. Roll a Clever check vs the area TN. If you fail the check, your healing kit is out of supplies.
Repairing:
Items can be repaired by professionals in town for half the price of the item, assuming they have the tools and materials needed.
Gear Repair - You spend 10 minutes trying to repair a piece of gear using scrap. Roll a check (the GM will tell you what kind of check) vs the area TN. If you succeed, the piece of gear is barely repaired. If you fail, the gear is destroyed. This action can only be attempted on each piece of gear once, so a shield that was repaired using scrap could only be fixed again if it was done by a professional.
Enchanting:
Another service the players might need is to embed a magic gemstone into an item, or even remove one that was previously embedded. The cost for this is high and needs to be done by someone trusted, as they could try to steal the gem or put in a fake one.
Damage
Average Damage
2 for weak hits, multi target spells, and damage over time effects.
1d6 for normal hits, magic weapons.
2d6 for huge monsters and epic magic.
Damage Types
Blunt, Slash, Stab, Fire, Cold, Decay, Holy
Resistance and Vulnerability
If you are resistant to a type of damage, then you only take half damage. And if you are vulnerable to the type of damage, you take double the damage. Resistance and vulnerability applies after any damage reductions from your armour or magic items.
Armour and Defense
The armour you wear reduces the damage you take and/or increases your defense stat.
When you attack someone, your attack roll needs to beat their defense TN. You deal damage based on the weapon you wield and the amount over their TN your roll was.
Some weapons and monsters can ignore armour when dealing damage.
Sundering a Shield
If you are holding a shield and are hit by an attack roll, you can choose to sunder your shield to prevent the damage. This breaks your shield and makes it unusable, though it might be able to be repaired.
Encounter types
Exploration: For longer distance travelling. Players can move around a certain number of hexes per day. They do one event per day and one event per night. Some items and spells could allow them to move faster or avoid events. Some events don’t really do anything (flavor text), some require a player to do a skill check to avoid a negative thing or to get a positive thing, some require all players to do the skill check. There are day time events and night time events. Each player can also describe what their character does while exploring. Such as practising a skill or mapping their path.
Investigation: Each player gets a chance to interact with NPCs or locations. No map or movement. Skill checks to get through non-combat obstacles. Talking through things. Finding clues. Players can purchase goods, services and knowledge from NPCs. Investigating doesn’t require a roll in order to find the important clues you need to move the story forward. A roll would only be used to find extra information that isn’t required. This prevents the GM from having to find another way to give you the clue you need because you failed a roll. All that is needed to find the clue is to be in the right place at the right time and to know roughly what you are looking for.
Delving: Players exploring a cavern or dungeon. As they move room to room, they can do skill checks to pass obstacles, figure out puzzles, and hide from monsters. Every so many turns an event might happen, such as their torch burning out, a wandering monster, or some loot.
Combat: The players, NPCs and enemies take turns performing 2 actions each to fight a battle until one side is defeated (killed or fleeing). Turn order is determined with a roll. Characters can use reactions to do things during other people’s turns.
Puzzle Combat: Large scale combat where things don’t play out as a blow-by-blow battle. Instead the enemies have certain traits that the players must find a way to defeat. In some cases via a roll or in others by preparing ahead of time. Example: a goblin army is marching towards the town and the players build defenses and strategize. Then they make a final roll to see how good/bad the outcome is. Good for large boss battles or battles against armies.
Tracking: The players are trying to follow the tracks of a creature that recently moved through the environment. They can make a Cleverness roll to find the tracks. If a creature is actively trying to prevent anyone from following them, then the pursuers can only roll if they are familiar with the area or are using a magic item.
Turn Order
When the GM decides to define a turn order for when everyone acts, they get a player to roll a d6. If the roll was 4-6, the players go first, and if it was 1-3, the GM goes first. The players and GM get to decide on their turns which characters act in what order. This includes allowing a player to do one action and then letting someone else do something before they take their second action. The turn order could also be situational, such as an ambush or similar situation.
Actions
Move Around: You can move up to 5 meters or 5 spaces on a gridded map per turn. Difficult terrain costs double the distance to move through, as does climbing and swimming. Standing up from prone takes 3 meters of movement. When using index card locations, you can move anywhere in your location for a move action or can use 2 move actions to move to another location. When travelling long distances on a hex map, you can move 3 hexes across the map per day.
Attack: You make an attack roll against a target in range. Roll a check using a stat depending on your weapon. You need to beat the enemy’s Defence TN. Some spells also work like weapons but use Clever as the stat.
Use Magic: You attempt to use a magic item by rolling a Clever check. If you beat the TN of the target of the magic, or a specific TN if it doesn’t target someone, then you get a magic effect. If you fail to beat the spell’s TN, you might get a bad effect.
Maintain Magic: You maintain the ongoing effect of a magic item you used previously, its effect continues until the end of your next turn. You do not need to be within range of the effect to maintain it but must be on the same plane of existence. If a magic effect is maintained for long enough, it may become permanent at the GM’s discretion.
Command: You give instructions to a hireling, bystander, or pet.
Re-equip: You change your equipped items by dropping, drawing, removing items from your bags, belt or hands. You can also use the action to reload a weapon you are wielding.
Intimidate: You try to cause fear in your enemies to make them break rank and run. Roll a Bravecheck . You need to beat the target’s Defense TN.
Check the Room: You interact with the room you are in. Searching for something, pulling a lever, opening a door, etc…
Persuade Them: You try to convince another character to change their mind. This can be used both when you are telling the truth or to deceive them. Roll a Clever check vs the target’s Defense TN.
Think It Out: You spend a moment thinking about the situation to try and figure out something about it. You need to have training in the area of knowledge. Roll a Clever check vs a TN the GM created. The higher your result, the more info the GM will tell you.
Skill Check: You use your skills to attempt to interact with something or someone in a way not covered by another action. Roll a Stat check. You need to beat a TN from the GM. Such as dancing, repairing, etc…
Pick Their Pocket: You try to steal something from someone without them knowing. You must be next to them and roll a Nimble check vs the target’s Defense TN.
Restrain: You use your strength to block/grab another character to prevent it from moving and reducing its ability to perform actions of its own. Roll a Strong check vs the Defence TN of the character you are restraining.
Hide: You try to hide from other characters. You must find a way to conceal your body from the other characters. Roll a Nimble or Clever check vs the area TN.
Aid: You attempt to aid another character with an action they are about to perform. They get advantage on it. This could represent you distracting an enemy, physically helping to lift something, or even just inspiring someone to try harder. You can also aid yourself to gain advantage on your next action or reaction. This represents you taking a moment to focus, aim or brace yourself.
Parry: You prepare to defend yourself the next time you are attacked before your next turn. You get a +2 bonus to your Defense on that attack.
Harry: You prepare to attack someone the next time an enemy moves up to, away from, or past you until your next turn.
Ready an Action: You prepare to do an action when a trigger occurs. If the trigger doesn’t occur before your next turn the action is lost.
Reactions
Stand Firm: Roll a Brave check. Need to beat the enemy’s Horror TN. A magic item might aid you in this check.
Readied Action: If you used the Ready an Action action, and the triggering event occurred, you can now perform that action.
Conditions
Covered At least half of their body is behind an obstacle. They get +2 to their defense TN. The condition ends if they move away from cover.
Unconscious The target is unable to perform any actions and is unaware of what is going on around them. Any checks against them, automatically succeed. They still get the bonuses from what they are wearing but not from items being held in their hands. The condition ends if they are shaken awake or if they take damage. The effect also ends after 1 hour.
Hidden The creature is concealed from others around them. They get advantage to all checks to stay hidden from anyone and advantage on an attack against a target that is unaware of them. Some actions will end this condition, such as attacks, using magic items, and some other checks.
Weakened The target gets disadvantage on all Strong checks. The condition ends after the amount of time listed in the ability.
Clumsy The target gets disadvantage on all Nimble checks. The condition ends after the amount of time listed in the ability.
Confused The target gets disadvantage on all Clever checks. The condition ends after the amount of time listed in the ability.
Frightened The target gets disadvantage on all Brave checks and most other actions while the source of their fear is present. The condition ends after the amount of time listed in the ability, or after the source of fear is removed.
Blinded/Deaf The target gets disadvantage on any check that relies on the senses. And others get advantage on checks that affect them.
Slowed The target can only move at half speed. Or quarter speed if overloaded or going through difficult terrain. The condition ends after the amount of time listed in the ability, or after resting.
Restrained The target cannot move further than 1 m away from the source of this condition. The condition ends if they can do a Strong check to get away from them. The target also gets disadvantage to Nimble checks.
Stunned The target cannot perform actions of their own, but is aware of their surroundings. The condition ends after the amount of time listed in the ability, or if the target is damaged.
Underground Navigation
Trying to find your way to a specific place underground? Roll a D6, if you roll a 6, you successfully get to your destination. You can improve your odds by having equipment and knowledge that helps with navigation. Such as:
- Directions or a map of some sort
- A decent light source that will last long enough
- A compass or similar navigation device
- Local landmarks that you can’t miss