Sampl

e file

astonishing swordsmen & sorcerers of hyperborea

volume I: swordsmen & sorcerers

Sampl

e file

a s t o n i s h i n gswordsmen & sorcerers

of h y p e r b o r e a™

A Role-Playing Game of Swords, Sorcery, and Weird Fantasy

ISBN 978-0-9851476-0-0Made in the USA

©2012 North Wind Adventures, LLC

SWORDSMEN-AND-SORCERERS.COM

“Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea”, “AS&SH”, and all other North Wind Adventures product names and their respective logos are trademarks of North Wind Adventures, LLC in the USA and other countries. This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events included herein is purely coincidental.

VOLUME I: SWORDSMEN & SORCERERS

Written by JEFFREY TALANIANIllustrated by IAN BAGGLEY

Sampl

e file

2. | Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea

CREDITS

Text: Jeffrey TalanianIllustrations: Ian BaggleyEditing: David PrataCartography: Andreas ClarenBox Cover Art: Charles LangBox Cover Design: James KramerPlay-Testing: Jarrett Beeley, Dan Berube, Jonas Carlson, Jim Goodwin, Don Manning, Ethan Oyer; Andrew Baggley, David Baggley, James Flannigan, Alaric Nurm, Andreas Nurm, Marcus WatsonAdditional Development: Ian Baggley, Antonio Eleuteri, Morgan Hazel, Joe Maccarrone, Benoist Poiré, David Prata, Matthew J. Stanham

With Foreword by Stuart Marshall

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This game’s milieux are inspired by the fantastic literature of Robert Ervin Howard, Howard Phillips Lovecraft, and Clark Ashton Smith. Other inspirational authors include Edgar Rice Burroughs, Fritz Leiber, Abraham Merritt, Michael Moorcock, and Jack Vance. Game rules and conventions are informed by the original 1974 fantasy wargame and miniatures campaign rules as conceived by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

DEDICATION

Dedicated in fond memory to E. Gary Gygax

SPECIAL THANKS

Thanks are due to Stuart Marshall, both for his pioneering role in the Old School Renaissance, and for his kind referral to Jeff that set me on this nigh interminable path two years ago; to Jeff Talanian, for entrusting me with his baby, for indulging my inner grammar geek, for making me remember 8th-grade geometry, and for expanding my vocabulary in new and “surprizing” ways; and to Kara Jackman, my favourite librarian, for her invaluable research assistance.

Special thanks and highest esteem are accorded the late Gary Gygax, for reasons obvious (the very foundation of the RPG hobby, upon which our humble endeavour has been built) and less obvious: that it’s okay to “write up” to one’s audience, to challenge the reader. Thank you, good sir, for making my 12-year-old self look up words like puissant, sans, and weal, for your gracious affability, and for 30 years of gaming enjoyment.

David PrataMarch 2012

Sampl

e file

Volume I: Swordsmen & Sorcerers | 3.

Thanks to my wife, Elena, and my parents, Gale and Bob, for their unyielding love and support; and special thanks to Jeff Talanian, my friend. A while back, I emailed Barry Moser, an American artist, to pass on how much I was inspired by his work. I thought it appropriate to include his response here for all who are interested in pursuing the creative as a career: All good wishes for a successful career. And, if I may, never underestimate the power of luck. Especially when that power is generated by the omnipresence of hard, consistent, and daily work—never in competition with others, but always in competition with your self and your last work, which, if you are working well and sincerely, will never be good enough. God help you if it ever is. Work well. —Barry

Ian BaggleyMay 2012

Thank you to my wife, Erica, for her constant love and support; to my parents, Bob and Pat, for their love and encouragement; to my dear friend, Jimmy Curran, for introducing me to the world’s most popular fantasy role-playing game; and to my gaming group, the “Knights of Next Tuesday”, for countless hours of fun, gaming, and camaraderie.

To my fellows, special thanks to Ian Baggley, whose rare combination of talent, hard work, and dedication are demonstrated in each illustration found in this game; to Dave Prata, whose tireless and meticulous editing efforts seemingly effected his untimely demise, but thank goodness for a resurrection that redefined “Life-in-Death”; to Andreas Claren, whose exemplary patience, flexibility, and attention to detail gave realization to the Hyperborea map; to Chuck Lang, for creating a painting that inspired the very conception of this game; to Jim Kramer, for his willingness to go back to the drawing board time and time again; to Antonio Eleuteri, Morgan Hazel, Joe Maccarrone, Benoist Poiré, and Matthew J. Stanham for their invaluable candour, advice, and contributions; and to all the “Friends of North Wind Adventures” who supported the publication of this game.

Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea would not be possible without the trailblazing efforts of Stuart Marshall and Matt Finch, whose design, development, and publication of OSRIC™ categorically paved the way for this and countless other traditional gaming publications. I commend Stuart and Matt for their courage and innovation.

I have dedicated this game to E. Gary Gygax, the “Father of Role-Playing Games”, whom I had the pleasure of knowing for an all-too-brief time. Gary was a boyhood idol of mine, an inspiration, a mentor, and eventually a friend. I will always remember Gary with great fondness, and I will forever cherish the honour and privilege to have learnt from him. Thank you, Gary!

Jeff TalanianApril 2012

Sampl

e file

4. | Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea

FRIENDS of NORTH WIND ADVENTURES

Platinum SupportChainsaw, Morgan Hazel, Charles Myers, Rebecca Baim, North Texas RPG Con

Gold SupportDerrick “Omote” Landwehr, Bill Lackey, Jon “tacojohn” Hershberger, Harold L. Powell Jr., Sam Curry

Electrum Support Benoist Poiré, Jamie Stafford-Evans, Joe Maccarrone, Luke Gygax, Ken Haylock, Derek “The Geekpreacher” White, Mark Wholley, Mark Greenberg, Philip Gelatt, Marc Paladini, Charles “CharlieAmra” Kearns, Patrick Barrett

Silver Support Enrique Lancha, Niels Adair, Johnathan L. Bingham, Zeb Doyle, Bryon J. Almeida, Allan T. Grohe Jr. (“grodog”), James “ProlificVoid” Lewis, Jeremy “Aplus” Deram, Mark “Whichammer” Featherston, Greywolf, Adam Hackley, J. R. January, Gary Bratzel, Edmond Courtroul, Jody Kline, Mark Malone, Jeremy “Ligmancer” Ligman, Filthy Monkey, Anonymous

Copper Support John Lile, Christian A. Nord, Tony Reyes, Mike Tremaine, Gordon Richards, David Macauley, Jeff Black, Kairam-ah heir of Klarkash-ton, Andrew Byers, Rich “Cthulhu’s Librarian” Miller, Brett Easterbrook, “Captain Skumbo”, Franz Georg Roesel, Thorsten Schubert, Jeffrey Wong, James “Dregg” Carpio, Matthew Broome, Rich “Francisca” Franks, William D. Smith Jr., Maximus, Mike Gruber, James Maliszewski, Colin Steele, Matthias Weeks, Rick “Geleg” Barton, Vortex Games LLC, Chris “FEAR” Card, Errant Tiger, Thomas “Brannalbin” Biskup, Jeremy S. Holley, Tim Knight, David Leavenworth Jr., Michael “Restless” Bowers, Mark A. Siefert, Jean “Whimpering Vote” Fridrici, Pascal “Childeric Maximus” Oliet, Nathanael “Natha” TERRIEN, Nicolas Delzenne, David Parrier, Philip Sokolov, Robert “LB” Lynch, Dallas McNally, Matthew Bottiglieri, Dan “Snap” Berube, Steven A. Torres-Roman, Theo Kabisios, Mark Jaeger, Steve Dempsey, David Caldwell, Patrick “Noffham” Seymour, James A. Smith, Géraud “myvyrrian” G., Scott “Machpants” Sutherland, Axel Boucher, Hector “Chucho68” Varela, Mark Craddock, David White, Chris Perkins, Pedro Gómez-Esteban, Adam Maddox, Steven J. Edwards, Jason “Hierax” Verbitsky, Jim “Wilmanric” Pacek, Herman Duyker, Paul Knight-Morris, Gerald Kuster, Lance J. Ofenloch, Keith Davies, Christopher “Flambeaux” Cain, Erik Tenkar, Bill Stowers, Kevin Donovan, Ralph Kelleners, Colin “Radioactive Ape” Chapman, Michael Rooney, Bonnie “SkimbleCat” Beyea, Connor Uber, Shawn Hibbs, Geoffrey Lamb, Jake Parker, Donald Wheeler, Kerry Forester, Paul Vermeren, Paul Sudlow, Tom Hudson, Jason M. Cook, Eric Andres, Javier Murillo Sánchez, Christian Kolbe, Jim Skach, Calum McDonald, Steve “balrog62” Balog, Alex Matthew “Terrex” Riedel, Grandy Peace, Chris “Wildfire” Thompson, Kristian Hartmann, EEHoyt, Rob “Wolfthulhu”, Stephen King, Rick Hull, Smyth “fightingfish18” May, Jussi Myllyluoma, Fétide Grigou, Darren S. Tunseth, Ryan Simm, Harami, Robert Yaschuk, Jason Richardson, Jorge Carreras, Chris Turner, Steve “EOTB” Smith, Orion Cooper, Charley Phipps, Jason Zavoda, Aaron Zirkelbach, Alan Krause, Diogo Nogueira, Jonathan “Samaritan” Combs, Alex Williamson, Taylor Martin, Curt Meyer, Justin Woodman, Harley Stroh, Chris “Afon y Bydysawd” Harvey, Primus the one and the prime, Michal “Zdan” Zdancewicz

Bronze Support Steven D. Warble, Faster Monkey Games, John M. Stater, John Johnson, Jonathan “Buddha” Davis, Michael Waite, Adam “Sixtystone Press” Crossingham, Tom Ladegard, Phil T. Steak, Arthur Braune, Christopher Hopkins, Randall Dederick, Mary Ashby Girard, Bill Adcock, Kirt Dankmyer, Shane Mclean, Torolf, Reverance Pavane, Cédric du Sud, Aaron Kesher, Jason Nell, “Daz” Graham, Jeff Ruszczyk, John Fiala, Aramis, Heron Prior, G. Hartman, John F. Rauchert, Matthew C. H. Winder, Mark Shocklee, Andrew Crenshaw

Iron Support ΩΜΕΓΑΤΡΟΝ, Shane Harsch

Sampl

e file

Volume I: Swordsmen & Sorcerers | 5.

TABLE of CONTENTS

FOREWORD � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 6INTRODUCTION � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 7DICE CONVENTIONS � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 8CHARACTER CREATION � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 9ATTRIBUTES � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 9

Table I.1.: Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Table I.2.: Dexterity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Table I.3.: Constitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Table I.4.: Intelligence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Table I.5.: Wisdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Table I.6.: Charisma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

RACES � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 14PHYSIQUE � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 15

Table I.7.: Height and Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Table I.8.: Age Groupings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

CLASSES � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 16Table I.9.: Fighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Table I.10.: Magician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Table I.11.: Cleric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Table I.12.: Thief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Table I.13.: Progressive Thief Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

SUBCLASSES � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 26FIGHTER SUBCLASSES � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 27

Table I.14.: Barbarian (Fighter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Table I.15.: Berserker (Fighter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Table I.16.: Cataphract (Fighter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Table I.17.: Paladin (Fighter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Table I.18.: Ranger (Fighter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Table I.19.: Warlock (Fighter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

MAGICIAN SUBCLASSES � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 43Table I.20.: Illusionist (Magician) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Table I.21.: Necromancer (Magician) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Table I.22.: Pyromancer (Magician) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Table I.23.: Witch (Magician) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

CLERIC SUBCLASSES � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 52Table I.24.: Druid (Cleric) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52Table I.25.: Monk (Cleric) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Table I.26.: Priest (Cleric). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Table I.27.: Shaman (Cleric) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

THIEF SUBCLASSES � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 62Table I.29.: Assassin (Thief) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Table I.30.: Assassination Attempt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Table I.31.: Bard (Thief) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66Table I.32.: Legerdemainist (Thief) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Table I.33.: Scout (Thief) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

ALIGNMENT � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 74OTHER STATISTICS � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 74

Table I.34.: Initial Combat Matrix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75Table I.35.: Saving Throw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Sampl

e file

6. | Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea

BACKGROUND � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 76Table I.36.: Secondary Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76Table I.37.: Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

WEAPON SKILL � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 78Table I.38.: Unskilled Weapon “To Hit” Penalty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78Table I.39.: Attack Rate / Rate of Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

MONEY � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 80Table I.40.: Monetary Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

EQUIPMENT � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 80Table I.41.: Armour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81Table I.42.: Shields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82Table I.43.: Melee Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83Table I.44.: Missile Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86Table I.45.: Equipment (General) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88Table I.46.: Equipment (Clothing). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90Table I.47.: Equipment (Provisions) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90Table I.48.: Equipment (Religious) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91Table I.49.: Livestock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92Table I.50.: Tack and Harness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93Table I.51.: Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93Table I.52.: Services (Food and Drink) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94Table I.53.: Services (Room and Board) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94Table I.54.: Services (Transportation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94Table I.55.: Typical Starting Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

FOREWORD

A few years ago I had the immense pleasure and privilege of editing a volume called OSRIC. It met with a certain success, and since then, my important contributions to the hobby of old-school pen and paper fantasy roleplaying games have all been in the field of forewords. I am not a modest man, so I always find it gratifying to be asked to write a foreword; but it’s also an important duty that I take seriously. This is my chance to give you, reader, a quick pen portrait of this game. Of the various forewords I have written, this is one of those that gave me the most satisfaction, because in these paragraphs I have the chance to introduce you to something quite special.

In Chicago, in May 1923, a man called Jacob C. Henneberger set up a magazine called Weird Tales. It ran until September 1954 (and was revived a few times since). During its golden age in the 1930s, Weird Tales published fiction by H. P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and Robert E. Howard, among many others. It created the genre of weird fiction almost singlehandedly, and it inspired a legion of writers such as August Derleth, Frank Belknap Long, Robert Bloch, E. Hoffman Price, and Fritz Leiber, all of whom went on to write for Weird Tales themselves. These people in turn were among the key influences on a young man called E. Gary Gygax, who in his later life worked with a young writer called Jeff Talanian.

This game is, of course, called Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea, but one might equally think of it as Weird Tales: The Roleplaying Game. It is a return to some of the literary roots of the hobby, to the thrill and the wonder of weird fiction. You will find the pages that follow are overflowing with references to that golden age of Weird Tales: the Picts and the Atlanteans, the Amazons and the barbarians, of Howard; the Colour out of Space and the Plateau of Leng, from Lovecraft; and Hyperborea itself is, of course, a name familiar from Smith, though he did not invent it.

So the game that you are about to read represents the union of the hobby’s most time-honoured ruleset (expressed in Jeff Talanian’s admirably clear and workmanlike prose) with some of its vintage literary antecedents. The

Sampl

e file