0

This game is played with paper and pencils, a standard set

of gaming dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, and another d10 The Basics 2
to roll % if need be), and as many supplementary materials Character Creation 3
as the referee likes (miniatures, music, a screen, handouts, Item Lists 5
You are not a superhero or a knight in shining armor who’s Rules for Adventure 7
gunna save the day. You aren’t King Arthur or Gandalf. etc.). Character sheets and other reference documents are
available for free online and are included with a purchase ❖ Usage Dice
You are a low-down, dirty, scum-of-the-earth, bottom-of- ❖ Senses and Obscurity
the-barrel, thieving, reaving, grave-robbing, illiterate of this game. This book contains everything needed to run ❖ Exhaustion
troglodyte. You deal in copper pennies and your gear is a basic session of Brave, good for one-shots and low-level ❖ Sleep and Healing
always breaking or being stolen. You’re fragile and you’ll let adventures. However, there are several other Brave books ❖ Potent Potables
someone else take the fall whenever possible. that can expand the game, all of them optional. ❖ Reactions
❖ Languages and Lore
You are a knave. [WARNING: None of these books exist yet. They’re all in ❖ Item Quality
varying states of development, which you can find on my ❖ Followers
…At least for now. blog, https://knightattheopera.blogspot.com/] ❖ Alignment
Combat 9
Brave: Songs of High Adventure provides everything
❖ Advantage in Combat
KNAVE is a rules toolkit created by Ben Milton for run- you need to set up a long-term campaign and run mid-level ❖ Death and Injury
ning old school fantasy RPGs without classes. BRAVE is adventures for characters who’ve survived the early game. ❖ Stunts, Critical Hits, and Fumbles
my personal modification of that. Miscellaneous minor and Brave: Legends of Mythic Deeds provides a lot of con- ❖ Morale
major tweaks have been introduced, in addition to rule ❖ Mounts
tent to keep high-level players interested with world-shap- ❖ Conditions
modules to expand the game further. ing activities, and to keep a campaign going for many years. Cohorts 10
This is a game for telling a fun adventurous story with your You can also expand your game with these books: Dungeons 11
friends. There are rules and procedures to help you do that ❖ Encounters
in a structured, challenging, and fair way, but the game ulti- • Enchiridion of Fates and Fortunes offers rules that ❖ Actions and Movement
mately relies on the imaginations of the players and the add playable classes and species into the game with a ❖ Traps and Hazards
judgment of the referee. deed-based system of character advancement. Settlements 13
• Grimoire of Medicine and Magick offers rules to ❖ Activity: Shopping, Lodging
& expand on magic and rules for advanced rituals. ❖ Settlement Info: People, Generic Locations
It’s lite on rules, not as epic as the high fantasy of modern • Catalogue of Trinkets and Treasures expand on Magic 15
D&D, and it’s optimized for an old-school playstyle. This treasure, knave gear, and best of all, magic items. Appendix A: Dungeon Control Panel 16
game is most similar to either 1974 Original D&D (the • Bestiary of Freaks and Fiends offers a library of Appendix B: Settlement Sheet 17
three little brown books) or the Basic D&D line that ran monsters and creatures to include in the game. Appendix C: Character Advancement 18
from 1977 to 1995. However, it incorporates many innova- • Brave: Underworld offers everything you’ll need for Appendix D: Related Games to Plunder 18
tions of the “old-school renaissance” of game design, and adventuring under the world’s surface, in the mythic Appendix E: Monsters 18
does away with traditions like saving throws, most ability subterranean realms below. Appendix F: Ludography 18
variables, class and “race,” skills, proficiency, and so on. Credits 18
Lastly, Brave remains highly compatible with other RPG
products in the old-school tradition, and the Referee Guide
includes some advice on converting material.
For starters, there’s a lot more here. There are procedures
for different common adventure activities and many more
items, and with the supplementary books, many monsters,
many more spells, and just generally a greater potential for
long-term, mid-to-high level play. Various houserules,
changes of terminology, and minor edits can be found
throughout, but a consistent theme is giving a bit more
power and durability to player characters.
1
 If the check is opposed by another character, both parties
will roll against each other with their relevant ability. This
type of check is called an opposed check or sometimes a
contest. In the case of a tie, the status quo is maintained.

The most important rules are given here up front because Example: A wizard casts a fireball spell at a goblin, who gets a
they apply to nearly everything else in Brave. These con- check to avoid. This is resolved as an opposed check using the wiz-
straints come up again and again as the core ingredients of ard’s Intelligence versus the goblin’s Dexterity. The goblin may roll
your story and its challenges. plus their DEX bonus and the wizard may roll plus their INT.
Whoever’s is higher is successful.
If there are factors that make a check significantly easier or
harder, the referee may grant the roll advantage or disad-
Player Characters (PCs) have six abilities: Strength, Dexter- vantage. If a roll has advantage, roll 2d20 and use the bet-
ity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. ter of the two dice. If it has disadvantage, roll 2d20 and use
Each ability is described by a number called its bonus, the worse of the two dice. Advantage and disadvantage
which are each added to checks in different circumstances. cancel each other out and are not cumulative.
• Strength (STR): Used for melee attacks and checks re-
quiring physical power, e.g. lifting gates, bending bars.
• Dexterity (DEX): Used for checks requiring poise, One of the most important assets at an adventurer’s dis-
speed, and reflexes, like dodging, climbing, sneaking, bal- posal is their equipment. Most items, including spell books,
ancing, etc. PCs also have “handy slots” equal to DEX. potions, light weapons, tools and so on take up 1 item
• Constitution (CON): Used for checks to resist poison, slot, but particularly heavy or bulky items like armor or
sickness, cold, etc. The Constitution bonus is added to medium to heavy weapons may take up more slots. Groups To be filled in with something
healing rolls. A PC’s number of item slots is always equal of small, identical items may be bundled into the same slot,
to their CON+10. at the referee’s discretion. 100 coins can fit in a slot, as can
• Intelligence (INT): Used for checks requiring concen- 8 candles or a week’s rations. As a general guideline, a slot
tration and precision, such as wielding magic, resisting holds around 5 pounds of weight. Handy slots are a type
magical effects, knowing lore, crafting objects, tinkering of item slot that can be accessed freely. It otherwise takes 1
with machinery, picking pockets, etc. urgent turn to retrieve an item.
• Wisdom (WIS): Used for ranged attacks and checks re-
quiring perception and intuition, such as tracking, navi-
gating, searching for secret doors, detecting illusions, etc.
• Charisma (CHA): Used for checks to persuade, deceive, Time moves at the speed of narration and passes fully at
interrogate, intimidate, charm, provoke, etc. PCs also the referee’s discretion. There are a few common modes to
have follower slots equal to their Charisma, determining frame the story, each suited to different activities. For fast-
the total number of NPCs they may command. paced action there is urgent time, structured with initiative
“rounds,” measured in 6-second turns, and mostly used for
combat. For moment-to-moment decisions, there is active
time, measured in 10-minute turns, and mostly used for
If a character attempts something where the outcome is dungeon crawling and other inspections. For slower-yet-
uncertain and failure has consequences, they must check still-adventurous progress there is steady time, measured
for success, or “check” by rolling 1d20. To be successful, in 1-hour turns, and mostly used for wilderness explora-
the total must be greater than or equal to the check’s “dif- tion, urban activity, and perhaps warfare. Activity at a
ficulty class” (DC), determined by the referee. Lower slower scale of calendrical time, such as 1-day turns or
than that and they fail. If neither the rules nor the referee longer, is used for things like domain management, very
declares one, the assumed DC of most checks is 15. long-distance travel, or downtime. The referee fluidly
changes the timescale as they need.
2
When creating a PC, roll 3d6 for each of their abilities, in order. The lowest of the three
dice on each roll is that ability’s bonus.
After you’ve finished rolling, you may optionally swap the bonuses of two abilities.
Example: You roll a 2, 2, and 6 for Strength. The lowest die is a 2, so your PC’s Strength has a bo-
nus of +2. Repeat this process for the rest of the abilities.

PCs start with 2 rations and one weapon of their player’s choice. Roll on the Starting Gear
tables on the following page to determine starting armor and equipment. You can instead
roll for a random spell if you forfeit any chance of armor, helmet, and shield.
Armor comes with an armor class (“AC”) value. Note that value on your character sheet.
If the PC is not wearing any armor, their AC is 10.

Roll 1d8 to determine your PC’s starting and maximum hit points (HP). A PC’s healing
rate is 1d8+ Constitution bonus. Speed is 30 ft per turn for urgent time, 300 ft for active
time, and 3 miles per hour for steady time. Your starting level (“L”) is 1.

Invent or roll the rest of your PC’s traits using the random tables on the following page.
You can come up with as much or as little as you like, but background and alignment tend
to be the most useful to details to know. Talk to the referee about the languages you know
based on their setting. Choose a gender and a name for your PC, but don’t get too at-
tached. It’s a dangerous world out there.

If you’re joining a campaign in progress, the referee may allow you to roll 1d4 to deter-
mine your starting level instead. Advancement is explained in Appendix C on page 18.
If the referee is using content from the Enchiridion of Fates and Fortunes, there is ad-
ditional character creation information to be found in that book.

A funnel is a lethal adventure designed to introduce newer players to the lifestyle of a

knave. Characters in this game are weak, but there’s strength in numbers.
In this variant, the referee asks each player to create 2-4 characters to play as, each level 0.
That means that when they reach 0 HP, they instantly die. These characters are basically an [The front and back of the character sheet is shown above]
angry mob of peasants, but any of your characters who survive the funnel may then ad-
vance to level 1.

3
 1. Ambitious 6. Disciplined11. Honorable 16. Merciful
2. Cautious 7. Focused 12. Humble 17. Righteous
3. Courageous8. Generous 13. Idealistic 18. Serene
4. Courteous 9. Gregarious 14. Just 19. Stoic
5. Curious 10. Honest 15. Loyal 20. Tolerant
1. Athletic 6. Hulking 11. Short 16. Stout
2. Brawny 7. Lanky 12. Sinewy 17. Tiny
3. Corpulent 8. Ripped 13. Slender 18. Towering
4. Delicate 9. Rugged 14. Flabby 19. Willowy 1. Aggressive 6. Deceitful 11. Lazy 16. Suspicious
5. Gaunt 10. Scrawny 15. Statuesque 20. Wiry 2. Arrogant 7. Flippant 12. Nervous 17. Vain
1-3: 4-14: 15-19: 20: 3. Bitter 8. Gluttonous13. Prejudiced 18. Vengeful
No armor Gambeson Brigandine Chain 4. Cowardly 9. Greedy 14. Reckless 19. Wasteful
5. Cruel 10. Irritable 15. Rude 20. Whiny
1. Bloated 6. Elongated 11. Impish 16. Sharp
1-13: 14-16: 17-19: 20: 2. Blunt 7. Patrician 12. Narrow 17. Soft
None Helmet Shield Helmet and Shield 3. Bony 8. Pinched 13. Ratlike 18. Square
4. Chiseled 9. Hawkish 14. Round 19. Wide 1. Blunt 6. Droning 11. Mumbling 16. Dialect
5. Delicate 10. Broken 15. Sunken 20. Wolfish 2. Booming 7. Flowery 12. Precise 17. Slow
3. Breathy 8. Formal 13. Quaint 18. Squeaky
Roll twice on this table, and once on the following two. 4. Cryptic 9. Gravelly 14. Rambling 19. Stuttering
5. Drawling 10. Hoarse 15. Rapid-fire 20. Whispery
1. Rope, 50ft 6. Crowbar 11. Ladder 16. Pole, 10ft 1. Battle Scar 6. Oily 11. Reeking 16. Sunburned
2. Pulleys 7. Tinderbox 12. Oil, flask 17. Tent 2. Birthmark 7. Pale 12. Tattooed 17. Tanned
3. Candles, 4 8. Grap. hook 13. Padlock 18. Shovel 3. Burn Scar 8. Perfect 13. Rosy 18. War Paint
4. Chain, 10ft 9. Hammer 14. Manacles 19. Spikes, 5 4. Dark 9. Pierced 14. Rough 19. Weathered 1. Apothecary 6. Clergy 11. Mariner 16. Pickpocket
5. Chalk 10. Waterskin 15. Mirror 20. Torches, 4 5. Makeup 10. Pockmarked15. Sallow 20. Whip Scar 2. Beggar 7. Cook 12. Mercenary 17. Rat catcher
3. Butcher 8. Gambler 13. Merchant 18. Smuggler
4. Burglar 9. Herbalist 14. Outlaw 19. Student
5. Charlatan 10. Magician 15. Performer 20. Tracker
1. Air bladder 6. Saw 11. Fish. rod 16. Net 1. Bald 6. Disheveled 11. Limp 16. Ponytail
2. Bear trap 7. Acid 12. Marbles 17. Tongs 2. Braided 7. Dreadlocks12. Long 17. Silky
3. Shovel 8. Caltrops 13. Glue 18. Lockpicks 3. Bristly 8. Filthy 13. Luxurious 18. Topknot
4. Bellows 9. Chisel 14. Pick 19. Metal file 4. Cropped 9. Frizzy 14. Mohawk 19. Wavy 1. Abandoned 6. Defrauded 11. Framed 16. Pursued
5. Grease 10. Drill 15. Hourglass 20. Nails, 10 5. Curly 10. Greased 15. Oily 20. Wispy 2. Addicted 7. Demoted 12. Haunted 17. Rejected
3. Blackmailed 8. Discredited13. Kidnapped18. Replaced
4. Condemned9. Disowned 14. Mutilated 19. Robbed
5. Cursed 10. Exiled 15. Poor 20. Suspected
1. Incense 6. Bottle 11. Fake jewels 16. Face paint 1. Antique 6. Elegant 11. Foreign 16. Patched
2. Sponge 7. Soap 12. Blank book 17. Whistle 2. Bloody 7. Fashionable12. Frayed 17. Perfumed
3. Lens 8. Spyglass 13. Card deck 18. Instrument 3. Ceremonial8. Filthy 13. Frumpy 18. Rancid
4. Perfume 9. Tar pot 14. Dice set 19. Quill & Ink 1-6: 7-14: 15-20:
4. Decorated 9. Flamboyant 14. Livery 19. Torn
5. Horn 10. Twine 15. Cook pots 20. Small bell Law Neutrality Chaos
5. Eccentric 10. Stained 15. Oversized 20. Undersized

4
 Crowbar 10 Sponge, large 5
Drill 10 Spyglass 1000
Face paint/Makeup (Ud8) 10 Tar (Pot) 10 Dagger, Cudgel, Sickle, 5 Up to 4 in a slot for each kind.
Fishing rod/tackle 10 Tent (3 people) 100 Staff, etc. (d6 damage, 1 slot, Poisons may allow a CON check.
Gaming set (backgammon, 10 Tent (personal) 50 1 hand, 3 quality)
chess, dice, knucklebones, Twine (300 ft) 5 Booze HP+1/WIS-1 1
Spear, Sword, Mace, Axe, 10
cards, rithmomachy, etc.) Warding chemical (Ud6) 100 Venus philter CHA+1/INT-1 10
Flail, etc. (d8 damage, 2 slots,
Glue (Ud8) 1 Waterskin 5 Samson juice STR+1/INT-1 10
1 hand, 3 quality)
Grappling hook 10 Wax (Ud10, sealing) 5 Elf serum INT+1/CHA-1 10
Halberd, War Hammer, 20
Grease (Ud6) 1 Whistle 5 Troll oil AC+1/DEX-2 20
Great Sword, Battle Axe,
Hammer 10 Yorick balm CHA+2/HP-2 30
Most stuff is stored in item slots, etc. (d10 damage, 3 slots, 2
Holy symbol (wood) 20 Opium HP+2/WIS-4 50
an abstraction of weight, space, hands, 3 quality)
Holy water (Ud6) 25 Toxin disadvantage on all 25
and wieldiness. All prices are in Sling (d4 damage, 1 slot, 1 5
Horn 10 Handheld light casts bright light checks for 1d4 hours
copper pieces (cp), but coins also hand, 50 ft, 3 quality)
Hourglass 300 for 5’, dim light for another 5’, Sedative sleep for 1d4 hours 30
exist in silver (1 sp = 10 cp) and Bow (d6 damage, 2 slots, 15
Incense (Ud6) 10 and lasts 1 hour. Antitoxin cures toxin 50
gold (1 gp = 100 cp). Electrum is 2 hands, 200 ft, 3 quality)
Instrument (cheap: drum, 50 Iocane Powder 4d8 damage 50
an old, exotic material equal in Candle (8 in a slot) 1 Crossbow (d8 damage, 3 60
flute, horn, shawm, etc.) Tonic removes 1 exhaustion 50
value to copper but found and Lantern (protects candle, 30 slots, 2 hands, 100 ft, 3Q)
Instrument (expensive: lute, 200 Elixir cures all potable effects 75
used only in the Underworld. If may share its item slot) Ammunition (Ud8) 5
dulcimer, lyre, viol, etc.) Venom: coated on weapons.
shopping in a settlement, villages Torch (4 in a slot, smelly 1 Specialized Weapon (lance, net,
Iron tongs 10 +1d4 damage to next Ud8 hits.
only sell items below 100 and + creates smoke) battering ram, etc.) ask the referee
Ladder (10 ft) 10 Special Coating (venom, silver,
towns only sell items below 1000. Lens (magnifying) 100
Markets for trade goods (food, stygium) 100 cp/slot coated
Luring chemical (Ud6) 100
textiles, fuel, etc.) are open daily Manacles 10 “Black market” goods vary by
in cities and weekly elsewhere. Characters can use 3 “storage
Metal file 5 area but are only available at spe-
items” to gain bonus slots.
Mirror (small, silver) 200 cialist shops. Prices listed “+X”
This rare substance is uncommon
Nails, 10 (10 in a slot) 5 Sack, basket, utility belt, 10 are added to the item’s base price.
in the Overworld. Firearms re-
Net 10 bucket, etc. (+1 slot) quire ammunition and a powder
Each of these takes up 1 slot and Fenced goods: 1-in-6 chance
Oil (Ud6, flask) 1 Backpack (+2 slots) 30 horn in your inventory, and dam-
can be bought in most markets. they have it, 10% cheaper price
Oilskin trousers 10 Oilskin (waterproof) +10 age armor for 1 quality on a hit. Fake item: 20% base price
Abacus 20 Padlock and Key 20 Disguised weapon +15
Air bladder 5 Paper (10 in a slot) 2 Pistol (d10 damage, 1 slot, 1 150
Contraband (weapons, +20 per
Bear trap 20 Perfume (Ud8) 50 hand, 30 ft, 3 quality)
Shield 40 venom, potables, etc.) unit
Bedroll 10 Pick 10 Arquebus (d12 damage, 2 300
(AC +1, 1 slot, 2 quality) Banned book/art +200
Bell (small, brass) 20 Pole (10ft) 5 slots, 2 hands, 200 ft, 3Q)
Helmet 40 Street surgery 15
Bellows 10 Prosthetic, small (nose, eye) 20 Musket (d20 damage, 3 500
(AC +1, 1 slot, 1 quality) Acid (Ud6, flask) 25
Block and Tackle 30 Prosthetic, large (limb, jaw) 100 slots, 2 hands, 300 ft, 3Q)
Gambeson 60 Fake jewels 50
Book (Blank) 300 Quill and Ink (Ud12) 1 Bomb (splash 5’, 1 slot, 1 100-
(AC 12, 1 slot, 3 quality) Human organ 50-200
Book (Reading) 600 Rope (50ft) 10 hand, 60 ft, DEX avoid) 300
Brigandine 500 Forgery/fake credential 50-300
Bottle/Vial 1 Saw 10 Alchemical: 1d4 damage each
(AC 13, 2 slots, 4 quality) Loaded dice/cards 75
Caltrops/Marbles (Ud6) 10 Scale (Merchant’s) 50 turn, reroll DEX each round
Chain 1200 Lockpicks (Ud8) 100
Censer 100 Shovel 10 Fire: 2d8 damage, ignites stuff
(AC 14, 3 slots, 5 quality) Poached goods (tusks, 100-500
Chain (10 ft) 10 Signet ring 50 Smoke: no DEX, just heavily
Half Plate 4000 skins, horns, etc.)
Chalk (Ud8) 1 Soap 1 obscures for 1d4 rounds
(AC 15, 4 slots, 6 quality) Disguise kit 200
Chisel 5 Spike (iron, 5 in a slot) 5 Powder Horn (1 slot, 3d8 150
Full Plate 8000 Monster eggs 300/HD
Cookpots 10 Spike (wood, 5 in a slot) 1 damage if shot, splash 10’,
(AC 16, 5 slots, 7 quality) Building floorplans 500-3000
Spiked boots 5 DEX to halve damage)

5
 Jeweler’s tools 200 Map (24-mile area in detail) 1000
Leatherworker’s tools 50 Map (undetailed) (Length in miles + width
Mason’s tools 100 Travel rations (1 day) 5 in miles) × 20 cp
Painter’s supplies 100 Animal feed (1 day) 2 Itinerary (per mile) 1
Potter’s tools 100 Up to 1 weeks’ worth in a slot Compass 200
Prospector’s kit 50 Bacon, side of 10 Road or gate toll: 1 if citizen, 10 if foreign
Smith’s tools 200 Bread, 1 loaf 1
Surveyor equipment 100 Cheese, 1 lb 2
Tinker’s tools 50 Cider, 4 gallons 1
Torturer’s implements 100 Noncombat hirelings (price is per day)
Cod, whole 20
Weaver’s tools 10 Torchbearer 1
A knave with a steady way of making a liv- Eggs, 24 1
Woodcarver’s tools 10 Servant (carries, cleans, assists, etc.) 2
ing can earn 2d4 copper each week of Flour, 5 lbs 1
Gunsmith’s tools 500 Scribe 2
downtime but can also roll INT once each Fruit, 1 lb 1
Herald 2
week to roll another d4. Garlic, bunch 1
Scout 3
Grain, 1 bushel (8 gal.) 4
Anything bought at market has a sales tax Chaplain 3
Herbs, 1 bunch 1
attached, already included in all listed For mounts, riders always take 15 slots Traveling minstrel 4
Lard, 5 lbs 1
prices. Towns and cities often hold annual Camel (20 slots, 7 morale) 2000 Driver or teamster 8
Onions, 1 bushel 8
trade fairs, during which all items are 10% Chicken 1 Interpreter 10
Salt, 1 bushel 3
cheaper and rare goods are found but an Cow 100 Trail guide 10
Spices, 1 lb 100
entrance fee of 1d4 × 10 copper is charged. Dog, hunting 50 Combat hireling (price is per HD per day)
Sugar, 1 lb 12
Dog, small but vicious 20 Ranged weapon user 3
Haggling is usually frowned upon except Wolfsbane, belladonna, holly, 20
Donkey/mule (30 slots, 5 morale) 300 Melee weapon user 6
with specialist vendors. Nearly anything mistletoe, mandrake, etc. 1 lb
Elephant (90 slots, 5 morale) 50,000 Sapper: can use bombs/siege engines 3
priced at 1000+ takes 1d4 weeks to Goat 10 Mounted +6
make/secure, being a hefty purchase. Dis- Hawk 1000 Heavily Armored +2
tricts have daily buying and selling caps to Horse (20 slots, 5 morale) 1000 Knave henchman: % of treasure earned =
Bed, per night 1
represent the limits of how much activity Horse, war (30 slots, 9 morale) 10,000 Private room, per night 2 % of group’s total levels/HD they have
the local economy can handle from one Ox 300 Meal 2
character shopping at market. Pig 30 Hot bath 2
Sheep 15 Stabling and fodder 2
Saddlebags (+10 slots on animal) 50 Crafting Commission: 10 + (price of
Assume a living expense of 3 cp every day.
Barding: ×4 base armor price something similar) + (2 per assistant used)
Each of these takes up 3 slots and include Keep track of any debt this could incur.
Armor/weapons of rare material: ×5 the
everything needed to perform a specific base price, specialist smiths only.
skill or occupation (for the working knave). Messenger (per mile) 2
Alchemist’s supplies 500 Clothing doesn’t occupy item slots, but For vehicles, riders always take 15 slots Spicy gossip 2
Barber/Surgeon’s tools 50 how you dress may still be important. Cart (10 slots, needs a work animal) 50 Private guard (per day) 3
Brewer’s supplies 200 Poor 10 Wagon (40 slots, requires at least one 120 Bribe 5-50
Calligrapher’s supplies 100 Standard 50 work animal) Scholar, expert, or appraiser 6
Carpenter’s tools 80 Noble 3000 Carriage (80 slots, needs at least two 320 Moneylender (annual interest) 1d6 × 10%
Cartographer’s tools 100 Furs 5000 work animals) Prostitute 20-100
Climber’s gear 50 Winter 100 Raft (40 slots) 50 Spy/Private eye 20-100
Cobbler’s tools 50 Fabulous hat 50 Fishing boat (80 slots) 500 Barber-Surgeon 25
Cook’s utensils 10 Passage over sea (per mile) 1 Fortune teller 25
Glassblower’s tools 300 Passage over land (per mile) 3 Portrait or song 100-1000
Herbalism kit 50 Passage under land (per mile) 9 Assassination: d20 × d6 × target HD × 10

6
 Certain effects tire you out. One level of exhaustion occu- When the PCs encounter an NPC or monster whose reac-
pies an item slot. Enough levels may force you to drop tion to the party is not obvious, the referee may roll 2d6
items! The easiest way to not abandon them is to stop and and consult the following table.
rest. One level of exhaustion can be removed after 8 hours
of mostly uninterrupted rest. If your exhaustion exceeds 2 or less 3-5 6-8 9-11 12 or more
your CON, you pass out until rested enough to recover Hostile Unfriendly Unsure Talkative Helpful
from those excess levels. If your exhaustion exceeds your This number is the NPC’s disposition towards the PCs.
CON+4, you must roll CON (DC 15) every 8 hours or die. Modifiers may apply. For example, matching alignments
could grant +2, but having no common languages might
A character who goes 24 hours without eating gains one impose -4. Significant actions can change disposition over
Consumable items that are tricky to measure are listed with level of exhaustion. If they don’t drink, they gain 3 levels. time, including successful Charisma checks.
the notation UdX. The Ud stands for Usage Die, and the An ally can help feed your unconscious ass, but without
“X” is a number indicating what size die it is. When that outside help, you may take too long to sleep off your ex-
item is used its Usage Die should be rolled. If the result is haustion and starve to death.
1-2 then the Usage Die is downgraded to the next smallest Knaves begin fluent in one native language + bonus lan-
die in the following chain. guage fluencies/literacies = to half their Intelligence
(rounded up). Points are spent to either gain verbal fluency
Ud20 > Ud12 > Ud10 > Ud8 > Ud6 > Ud4 After a full night’s rest (8 hours of sleep, max 1/day), PCs or to gain literacy, one at a time. If INT increases from lev-
When you roll a 1-2 on a d4, the item is expended and the regain lost hit points equal to Ld8 plus their Constitution eling up, 2d4 weeks of downtime must be spent studying a
character has no more of it left. bonus, where L is their current level. If this results in spill- language to learn it (again, either verbally or literate).
over HP, one extra level of exhaustion may be removed.
Items with a Usage Die can pack into one slot. All arrows, Characters who speak related languages can communicate
all chalk, all marbles, etc. fit in one slot each (up to Ud20). but still have a -2 on disposition and cannot be affected by
When buying more of these items, you pay only half price verbal Charisma checks. Reading a related text will leave
to restore it to its original die size, but then full price for Characters can get intoxicated to temporarily adjust their gaps or multiple interpretations. The referee should make a
each die size above that. stats. A character drinking alcohol loses an amount of WIS list of languages used in their setting and their relations.
and gains HP equal to Xd4 - CON, where X is the number INT checks can retroactively determine lore that PCs know
Ammunition uses a Usage Die but is only rolled for once,
of drinks they have. If they reach 0 WIS, they become poi- already if their level of familiarity isn’t obvious. Further
at the end of any battle where you fired at least one shot.
soned and have disadvantage on all checks. Every point of checks can be made with access to research materials to
negative WIS incurred also gains one level of exhaustion. learn new lore, usually during steady or calendrical time.
Characters sober at a rate of 1 hour/WIS point regained/
Your senses can be impaired by levels of obscurity. An bonus HP lost. If sobering up and losing bonus HP re-
area that’s lightly obscured may impose disadvantage on duces your HP below 0, you pass out and gain exhaustion.
checks requiring the relevant sense, such as stinky debris Example: You drink 3 bottles of ale and have a +2 CON bonus. Weapons and armor have quality (“Q”), measuring how
for smell and muffled ground or loud ambiance for hear- You roll 3d4 and get 1, 1, and 4. 1+1+4-2 = 4. You gain 4 HP worn out they are. They lose quality from being crushed,
ing. An area that’s heavily obscured makes these checks and subtract 4 from your WIS. By the time it’s been 4 hours, your corroded, warped, and so on. Quality is most commonly
impossible. For vision, dim lighting (such as under foliage WIS will be back to normal and your HP will have gone down by 4. degraded by critical hits and fumbles. At 0Q, the item is
or at dusk) is a light obscurity, while darkness is heavy ob- destroyed. Each point of quality costs 10% of the item’s
scurity. Darkness also imposes disadvantage on attack rolls. These mechanics can apply to other potables as well! While cost to repair. Some items may have additional effects:
“pure” potions and poisons exist, many consumable items
All sources of handheld light cast bright light in a 5-foot ra- instead have a tradeoff. Different items that affect the same • Fragile (wood, bronze, cold iron, starmetal) weapons
dius and then dim light for another 5 feet beyond that. Us- stats will stack. Potables with this tradeoff are usually listed lose 1Q when maximum damage is rolled while fragile
ing a torch, candle, lantern, etc. requires a free hand. If you with the notation of “stat gained/stat lost” with their ratio. armor loses 1Q when hit by a die of max damage.
don’t want to keep a strict record of light supply, the ref- • Rubbish (bone, rust, glass, improvised gear) weapons
eree may allow you to roll 1d6 each active turn, expending Example: Alcohol is listed as: HP+1/WIS-1. This means that
always lose 1Q on a hit while rubbish armor always
1 hour of light on a result of 1. for every temporary hit point gained, a point of Wisdom is lost.
loses 1Q when hit.

7
 Alignment could also characterize the landscape of the
cosmic powers. The great powers that be are divided
Adventuring characters have follower slots equal to their Alignment is a tool that some referees and players like to among competing factions who use the world and its in-
Charisma, determining the total number of NPCs they may incorporate which can inform roleplaying decisions and habitants as their playing field. While these factions often
command. Followers will accompany their boss and carry perspectives. To what degree alignment affects the game embody certain attitudes and values, an individual mortal’s
out orders to the best of their ability. The player can world is at the referee’s discretion, but it often manifests in allegiance to one is less often a choice and more often a
broadly control the NPC as their own, although the referee one or more of the following ways: matter of destiny, chance, or opportunity.
may still speak for them or possibly overrule an action. Any • The forces of Law congregate in the Heavens and dic-
Alignment can characterize an individual’s personality
NPC can be made a follower if convinced. However, free tate great designs and destinies to their subjects.
and ethos. Those of shared alignment will likely think in
long-term service isn’t easy to inspire. Saints, angels, blessed warriors, and the faithful dead
the same way, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll
The most common followers are hirelings who must be agree on “right and wrong.” comprise the armies of Law, but they’re often vulnera-
paid daily for their service and can be recruited in settle- ble to Stygium, a red metal that forms in the banks of
ments. Most are assistants who are level 0, meaning they • A lawful character would be one who values rules, the River Styx.
won’t join in combat, they have 1d8 HP, and they die in- structure, and consistency. • The forces of Chaos congregate in the Underworld
stantly at 0 HP. They’ll need protection and will flee if • A chaotic character would value freedom, change, and and disrupt these designs for personal interests. De-
harmed regardless of pay. Other hirelings are combatants the unexpected. mons, archdevils, cursed warriors, and most undead
controlled in combat by a PC. A hireling’s ability bonuses • A neutral character is usually conflict-averse and non- comprise the armies of Chaos, but they’re often vul-
are 1d6 in each ability used for their main skill (e.g. WIS for committal to abstract ideals. nerable to Silver, a shiny metal traded for its value
an archer, CHA for a herald), and just 1 in all others. Alignment could instead characterize a society’s structure among mortalkind.
and values. Not all societies of a shared alignment are • Neutral forces are often said to be aligned with the
Henchmen are a special type of follower who are more quite the same, but they do tend to ally together and rein- Earth itself, and work to preserve the natural order in
loyal to the PCs. They’re usually low-level knaves recruited force similar lifestyles. the face of the Aberrant. Magical hubris, robotics, and
in a settlement, but they have the potential to level up and
interdimensional rifts are all seen as disruptions to the
be upgraded to PCs if they earn a place in the party. • Lawful societies rely on the social contract combined
world’s stability. Elementals, the fair folk, people of
They’re usually paid a cut of any treasure the party ac- with strict hierarchies, such as feudalism, caste sys-
the land, and wild animals comprise the armies of
quires. The referee should create potential henchmen using tems, and religious stratification. Common values are
Neutrality, but they’re often vulnerable to Cold Iron,
the same rules as knaves and have a few unique characters traditions, oaths, self-restraint, duty, and heteronorma-
the raw and unprocessed form that iron takes when
ready to pull out when needed. PCs cannot command a tivity. Power is legitimized by norms like divine right,
it’s fresh from the earth. It has, however, been found
henchman of greater level than themselves. blood right, or rigidly defined political mechanisms.
that the Aberrant is often vulnerable to Starmetal,
• Chaotic societies rely on “might makes right.” There which comes from outer space and other dimensions.
probably aren’t civic duties or public services (such as Anywhere in the rules that alignment is mentioned is 100%
To recruit hirelings and henchmen, the PC declares the taxes), but there’s often lots of threats and extortion. optional to use and can be interpreted in a range of ways.
type they’re seeking and on a successful DC 10 CHA check The way to improve one’s station is by strength or For example, a referee that includes “individual alignment”
(1 hour long), they find a willing and able NPC. If they fail, cunning. Common values are rewards and self-interest, can reinforce that by having alignment differences modify
they must wait a week before they can attempt to recruit adventurism, establishing fear or respect, and indul- disposition rolls. A referee with “societal alignment” will
that type of follower in that district again. When attempting gence. Hierarchies of strength can naturally emerge customize settlements by alignment patterns and design
to recruit combatant hirelings, the PCs choose which traits but there’s no “illegitimate” way to gain power. If you factions with alignment in mind. A referee with “cosmic
they’re looking for. Any who answer the call have 1d4 HD. disapprove of a coup d’état then just pull your own! alignment” might categorize magic spells by alignment, use
The DC may increase if the PCs have earned a poor repu- • Neutral societies rely on the natural balance of the uni- alignment-based monsters, and include the classes in the
tation for how they treat followers. PCs can also leave a job verse, kept alive by the efforts of mortals. The only Enchiridion of Fates and Fortunes with alignment ties,
posting up for a day or longer. By default, 1d6 NPCs will thing inherently deserving of respect is the Earth itself, like knights, assassins, and rangers.
answer the listing per week. and worldly aspirations are short-sighted. Common
values are communalism, practicality, outdoor living, It’s a flexible concept that can sometimes help players get
Players may also ask for services not on the list and are free and nomadism. If there are any leaders at all, they tend into the mindset of their character better and sometimes
to recruit an NPC they meet into a hireling for pay. It’s also to be elders or druids. Neutral societies almost never help referees to sculpt the conflicts and powers of their
not uncommon for desperate NPCs stuck in a crisis with start wars, but their practices can still conflict with the world. Nonetheless, feel free to adapt, replace, or ignore it
the party to become temporary followers. interests of others. entirely!

8
 During a successful attack roll, if the attacker rolls a natural
20 (a critical hit), the defender’s armor loses 1 point of
When a character reaches 0 HP, they suffer major trauma quality and they take an additional die of damage (of the
or death. Roll 2d6 on the following table to determine an weapon’s type). If the attacker rolls a natural 1 (a critical
ongoing effect. Each time they are hit thereafter, they roll fumble), the attacker’s weapon loses 1 point of quality.
At the start of each urgent round, determine initiative by
again on the table. “Negative HP” is not tracked. As soon
rolling a d6. On a 1-3, the NPCs will act first. On a 4-6, the
as a character receives healing, they again function as nor-
PCs will act first. Reroll initiative each round. Monsters and NPCs all have a morale rating, usually be-
mal, with positive HP equal to the amount they healed. No
On their turn, a character may move their speed (usually 30 roll is made if the attacker declares their damage to be tween 5 and 9. When they face more danger than they were
ft) and take up to one combat action. This action may be “nonlethal” before they hit, allowing for some mercy. expecting, the referee will make a morale roll by rolling
casting a spell, making a second move, making an attack, 2d6 and comparing the result to the NPC’s morale rating.
Roll Effect If it’s higher than the rating, the NPC will attempt to flee,
attempting a stunt, or any other action deemed reasonable
2 Instant death: decapitated or other grievous wound. retreat, or parley. Morale rolls can be triggered by defeating
by the referee. Swapping items with something stored in a
3 Fatal wound: gutted, stabbed through lung, broken half of an enemy group, defeating a group’s leader, reduc-
handy slot is free, but retrieving any other item is an action.
back, etc. Die in 1d6 rounds. ing a lone enemy to half HP, or at the referee’s discretion.
Melee weapons can strike adjacent foes and ranged weap- 4 Severed limb: referee’s choice. -2 item slots, die in
ons can targets foes far away, but ranged weapons cannot 3d6 rounds unless tourniquet used, cauterized, etc. Followers make morale rolls when they aren’t paid, their
be used if the shooting character is engaged in melee com- 5 Broken limb: referee’s choice. -2 item slots, can’t be employer dies, or they face traumatic danger. Morale may
bat. To make an attack, roll a d20 and add the character’s used to hold or do anything. 2d4+3 weeks to heal. be improved by paying them more and treating them well.
Strength or Wisdom bonus, depending on whether they are 6 Broken bone: -1 item slot. 2d4 weeks to heal. The referee may use morale for a fear effect, especially if
using a melee or ranged weapon, respectively. If the attack 7-8 Knocked out for 2d6 rounds, unless wearing a helm. the PCs are targeted by a spell. In this case, a PC’s morale
total is greater than or equal to the defender’s armor With helm, only stunned for 1 round. rating is 4 + half their Wisdom (rounded up).
class (AC), the attack hits. If not, the attack misses. If a PC 9 Stunned for 1 round, unless wearing helm. With
is not wearing any armor, their AC is 10. helm, only knocked prone.
10 Knocked prone. A mounted character moves with their mount’s speed but
On a hit, the attacker rolls their weapon’s damage die to 11 No effect.
determine how many Hit Points (HP) the defender loses. otherwise acts normally. Against foes on the ground, they
12+ Adrenaline surge returns 2d4 hit points. At the end have both +2 AC and +2 on attack rolls. Foes attacking
Damage can be modified if a certain strike was appropriate. of the combat, the adrenaline drains, hit points are
For example, blunt weapons double their damage against a them must designate if they’re aiming for the mount or the
reduced to zero, and the PC faints for 2d6 rounds. rider. Riders can use their action to have their mount attack
skeleton, while piercing weapons may halve their damage.
Depending on the circumstances, the referee may deter- but must roll DEX not to fall off if the mount isn’t combat
mine another effect that makes more sense, e.g. an injury trained. Mounts roll morale whenever hit or spooked.
from an acidic ooze monster probably won’t break bones.
Characters can gain advantage in combat by attacking a tar-
get that is unaware, on lower ground, off balance, dis- When a knave dies, players should roll a new PC and rejoin Certain effects can inhibit you in ways other than reducing
armed, distracted, or tactically disadvantaged in any signifi- the party as soon as possible. The referee may allow minor HP. The referee applies and interprets these as they prefer,
cant way. The referee, as usual, has the final say. characters to simply die at 0 HP, but probably not anyone but some common conditions are listed here.
with levels. Characters can also die instantly if a single at-
When a character has advantage against an opponent on • Stunned: cannot move or take any actions. Attacks
tack deals damage equal to their maximum HP.
their combat turn, they may either apply advantage to their against you have advantage.
attack roll/stunt against that opponent or make an attack Some miscellaneous combat rules include: • Prone: move at half speed + disadvantage on melee
and a stunt attempt in the same round against that oppo- attacks + melee attacks have advantage against you
nent, without advantage. Characters may incur disad- while ranged attack have disadvantage. Takes ½ move-
vantage by attacking a target behind cover, amid darkness, Stunts are combat maneuvers such as stunning, shoving, ment speed to stand up.
beyond the normal distance of their ranged weapon, etc. disarming, tripping, sundering armor, and so on. They are • Poisoned: disadvantage on all checks and attacks.
resolved with an opposed check. They may not cause dam- • Restrained: cannot move + attacks against you have
Characters “dual-wielding” weapons make only one attack age directly, but may do so indirectly (for example, pushing advantage. STR to break free, STR contest if grappled.
but may choose to take disadvantage on their attack to an enemy off of a ledge). The referee is the final arbiter as
then roll damage for both weapons. • Charmed: cannot harm the charmer + charmer has
to what stunts can be attempted in a given situation. advantage on CHA checks + disposition increases.
9
 Members of a cohort are functionally identical, with shared A cohort that isn’t in formation is dispersed and will likely
stats and special qualities. They are based on one common have to be treated as individuals. For example, a team of la-
set of stats that defines a typical member, taking the aver- borers at work or a troop of scouts spread throughout the
[This page is taken from the second core rulebook for age level of all members. When in formation, they act as if woods aren’t treated as a “group.” If enough are killed, the
Brave which is currently in early development, called Songs of they were one character, though with broader possibilities. referee might reduce the cohort by a size class. If a cohort’s
High Adventure. It’s part of a series of rules and systems for They roll Ld8 to determine their maximum HP, recover commander calls them into formation, they take a turn to
various domain assets, such as buildings, retainers, and HP just like a PC, and gain levels collectively just like a PC. arrange themselves in close order and act as follows:
enterprises. This is first section I’ve got (mostly) done and A cohort has CON+10 item slots for common equipment.
Actions: Cohort actions are done together. This usually
have playtested, both for PCs and NPCs. I’ve also begun Cohorts are defined by size class, affected as follows:
means they collectively do one thing on their turn. An ex-
incorporating these mechanics into the classes from the Size Class Small Medium Large ception is attacking. They can make an attack against every
Enchiridion of Fates and Fortunes, so it felt appropriate to in- People (avg.) 10-25 (15) 25-100 (60) 100-400 (250) separate target within range, rather than just one. They also
clude this early version here. This system was designed for Level required 6 9 12 move together, are targeted as one unit, and share morale.
both theatre-of-the-mind play as well as miniature + grid CHA required 3+ 5+ 7+
combat, hopefully.] Space: Cohorts can be arranged in different shapes but are
Formation Area 10’-25’ 25’-50’ 50’-100’
constrained by the minimum and maximum lengths listed
Assembly time 1 week 1 month 4 months
in their size’s “formation area.” They can choose to over-
Assembly cost 500 cp 2,000 cp 8,000 cp
lap other units and are considered adjacent to any unit
Upkeep (cp) 1d8 × 100 2d8 × 200 3d8 × 300
A cohort is a special type of follower in the form of a sharing their space. But if the cohort resists, breaking into
Cost to equip Item ×15 Item ×60 Item ×250
group of NPCs working together. It is logistically cumber- their space requires a STR contest.
some for the referee to run 10+ NPCs every turn of com- Cohorts range in size from 10 members to hundreds, but
Size Class: Units of the same size class fighting each other
bat or in a dungeon, so cohorts are used to abstract large the precise number isn’t tracked. Cohorts with similar
are treated like individuals. But when units of different size
groups of people. The most common task cohorts are used stats can be combined at the referee’s discretion, using the
classes fight, attacks and STR checks have +4/-4 for each
for is combat, but they can engage in any kind of group average level of all members. 4 cohorts of the same size
size class higher or lower they are than their target and deal
task they’re collectively capable of. From resource collec- can combine into 1 cohort of the next size class greater.
+5/-5 damage accordingly. Damage reduction can be ne-
tion and rapid construction work to sailing and arming a Some cohorts have a shared skill that gives them a bonus. gated by area attacks. Units overlapping a cohort’s space
galleon to cleaning out a manor of its valuables. For example, a cohort of pirates has advantage on all also receive the defense bonus against attackers from out-
checks related to seamanship, fanatical cultists might have side that space, but not the damage reduction.
+3 to morale, and an angry mob, while mostly average, is
Commanding a cohort uses all of one’s follower slots, but Death: If a cohort reaches 0 HP, they are broken and im-
usually equipped with fire. One or two short tags like this
also requires a minimum CHA bonus and character level mediately roll for morale. Roll 2d4 on the following table
are often attached to cohorts to give them more customiza-
(based on size class). Multiple characters may combine to determine an ongoing effect. Each time they are hit
tion. But any individual with distinct enough stats or gear
their total levels to co-command a cohort, but they still thereafter, they roll again on the table. As soon as a cohort
must instead be treated as a separate, single NPC.
must all have the required CHA bonus and also fill all their receives healing, they again function as normal, with posi-
follower slots. Cohorts can grow and shrink in size and Equipping a cohort with an item can be pricey, since the tive HP equal to the amount they healed.
power, but they typically require upkeep pay each month to cost is multiplied by the average membership of that size
Roll Effect
cover their living expenses and loyalty (unless otherwise se- class. It’s unlikely that an entire cohort can be equipped
2 Wiped out: all members slain.
cured on a permanent basis) or else they’ll disband. They with the same spell book. Instead, any spells in their pos-
3 Decimated: reduced by a size class. If reduced be-
may also disband if their commander dies or abandons session can simply be cast alongside an action, still using up
low small, 1d4 remain as individuals at 1 HP each.
them, unless they are quickly replaced. the book for the day. If a cohort is targeted by a spell, the
4 Heavy casualties: -1 to all attacks and -2 to all dam-
referee may temporarily separate out one or several NPCs
Other questions of command should be resolved on a age and will be decimated in 1d6 rounds.
from the group. For example, if a member is Polymorphed
case-by-case basis. If their commander is unconscious and 5 Casualties: -1 to all attacks and -2 to all damage.
into a squirrel to act as a spy, or if several members are
they have no orders, how will they behave? Can there be 6 Disarray: stunned for 1 round.
made invisible by Shroud, then they can be treated as indi-
infighting? Favoritism of different co-commanders? Can 7 No effect.
vidual NPCs. But many offensive spells cannot affect
there be a point where they no longer support their com- 8 Rallied: returns 2d4 hit points. At the end of the
enough members of a cohort to have a meaningful effect,
mander? It just depends on what makes sense. combat, hit points are reduced to zero.
like Sleep, Charm, or Frenzy.

10
 For some actions, the referee rolls secretly with the player’s To alleviate this, a PC can use an action to map the dun-
abilities, not revealing how high they rolled. For example: geon, with their player drawing a map of what the referee
• A player measuring a room’s dimensions uses INT. If says. The referee only describes what’s within sight range,
the referee rolls low, they’ll give inaccurate numbers. in the first person. In darkness, this means that players
• Stealth uses DEX, rolled once when sneaking begins won’t know the full size of many rooms unless they seek
A dungeon is generally defined as any hazardous and and keeping the same result until the sneaking ends. out the edges. PC-made maps of dungeons usually don’t
vaguely confined site of adventure. Old ruins, catacombs, look like precise floorplans. Rather, they look like simple
• Noticing hidden things, listening at doors, and inspect-
mineshafts, infested sewers, haunted houses, highly active flowcharts of room relationships. If a player really wants
ing a room or object all use WIS. The DC depends on
pockets of the Underworld, and so on. Even places that are exact dimensions, they have to spend a turn precisely meas-
how broad an area the PC(s) asks to cover during the
regularly inhabited like castles, temples, schools, and pris- uring the local area. Otherwise, the referee will usually give
10 minutes but can be lowered or nullified if they
ons can become dungeons under the right circumstances. broad descriptors like “small,” “long,” “round,” or “tall.”
mention any key details that they’re looking out for.
Navigating dungeons is done with 10-minute active turns. • Negotiating with a monster uses CHA, but monsters Some dungeons are designed with tricky architecture, such
The following procedure should be followed each turn: are tricky and might mislead a PC by acting amiable. as subtle curves and slopes, identical rooms, and shifting
1. The party decides how to use their actions. features. These will likely only be noticed by taking precise
2. The referee checks for an encounter, if applicable. measurements, so PCs must weigh the tradeoff carefully.
3. The referee describes what happens, and if there is an The party decides on a default marching formation, with
encounter, it is incorporated now. encounters typically affecting those in the front first. Most
4. The turn ends. The referee updates time records, while characters’ active speed is 300 ft, but if both actions are
used to move then they can go ×10 faster. They can also Encounters with creatures, hazards, or anything else worth
players reduce spell durations, light sources, and so on.
instead use both actions to dash, going ×20 faster but the party’s attention can be triggered either automatically
The party may optionally designate one player to act as the gaining exhaustion. Movement in the dungeon is inter- based on the party’s actions (like running into a guard NPC
team’s caller, the person who communicates to the referee rupted by the referee whenever the party reaches a door, or a trap) or randomly (usually a 1-in-6 chance each turn).
the party’s actions and is ready to make firm decisions. NPC, or something else notable. The party will choose if The referee can create one or several tools for this. They
they want to stop and interact with it or continue moving. can prepare a random encounter table, rolled on once
If the party chooses to stop and cuts their movement short per turn and containing hostile creatures, complications,
by 50% or more, they can replace their move action with exhaustion, and changes to the situation, so there is a
Characters can take two actions in an active turn, either something else for the rest of the turn.
simultaneously or sequentially. Actions include moving, meaningful consequence to spending time in the dungeon.
probing for traps, staying hidden, barricading a door, loot- Example: Referee: You just finished the battle and killed the last They could also prepare an adversary roster, a key of what
ing bodies, gathering treasure, or anything else deemed rea- bandit, and a new turn begins. What do you do with your actions? non-random NPCs are found in which rooms and under
sonable by the referee. Lots of small things can be done what conditions (and any other notes needed for quick ref-
[party discusses] Caller: Okay, first, we’ll be attempting to sneak. erence). Specific triggers or loud noises may also prompt a
throughout the turn easily, like talking, re-lighting a lantern, Second, we move through the exit on the northern wall.
drawing weapons, shoving or lockpicking a door open, etc. random encounter, or a consequence based on the roster.
The referee resolves the sneak action and then narrates the movement. Lastly, the referee might prepare a scenario timeline to
Typically, most of the group will use one or both actions to follow, a list of any major events/changes that happen each
do the same thing (e.g. everyone is using one action to R: You go through the door and immediately enter a decrepit library. turn of the adventure unless otherwise disrupted by the
move, or one action to search the room). Using both ac- Do you want to stop and interact with it or continue your movement? PCs, sometimes set to a cycle (such as guard patrol routines
tions the same way means twice the effort. When a check C: We’re going to stop and start searching for spellbooks. or a rate of water flow in a flooding dungeon).
needs to be made on behalf of the group, only one roll will
be made by whoever has the highest bonus. If they have The party had two actions: 1) sneaking, and 2) partial movement to When an encounter is triggered, the referee should estab-
1+ allies helping them somehow, they can have advantage. the library + the results of their search for spellbooks. lish if anyone is surprised (losing the chance to act in the
first ensuing urgent turn), and the distance away it is from
Example: Caller: It looks like everyone will be moving down the the party. Many surprise encounters, such as triggered
hall. Alice, Bob, and Charles will be keeping an eye out for secret traps, will be adjacent to or overlapping with the party.
The players will form a mental map of the dungeon as the
doors. Dana will be busy mapping and Evan will be sneaking ahead. Foreseeable encounters are usually triggered within 2d6 ×
referee describes each room, but memory is fallible. If a
player’s conception of where they are relative to other 10 ft, or if it’s dark, the range of the light source in use. If
Referee: Alright, Dana can update her map. Evan, I’ll roll DEX
rooms isn’t matching up to the referee’s description, then the encounter is a creature, then the referee should roll a
for your sneaking result. Bob, you have the highest WIS, so I’ll roll
they’re lost. And if a player is lost, so is their PC! reaction, with a -4 penalty for members of enemy factions.
for you with advantage to determine if you find anything secret.
11
 The dungeon’s purpose will inform what kinds of rooms It’s natural to build a dungeon out of rectangular chambers
There’s enormous variety in all the ways non-creature dan- there are, its layout, its inhabitants, and its overall theme. and straight hallways, but some rooms should have a more
gers can impede or harm characters. While the effects of interesting relationship to space. These don’t tell you much
such dangers can be nearly anything, the referee always Asylum Circus tents Hospital about the purpose of a room, just their shape and features.
needs to account for 1) how they are perceived, 2) what Bathhouse Divinity’s residence Laboratory
triggers them, and 3) how they might be interacted with. Bug hive Funhouse Library 1. Antechamber 11. Galleries
Castle in the sky Garden Master knave lair 2. Atrium 12. Gatehouse
Most traps are hidden in prepared locations and are only 3. Attic/basement 13. Great hall
noticed if players are actively looking for them. However, Catacombs Giant tree Maze
Caves Haunted house Menagerie 4. Balcony 14. Hub room
they are likely to have some subtle clue to their presence
that may be included even in a broad description of the 5. Bridge 15. Mezzanine
area. In fact, the clues are often intentional and consistent, Mine Palace Ship 6. Catwalk/rafters 16. Peristyle
establishing a pattern that is recognizable to dungeon deni- Monster lair Pocket dimension Stronghold 7. Cliffs 17. Rooftop
zens who regularly avoid them. But for other traps, their Monster settlement Prison Temple 8. Columns/cover 18. Rotunda
presence is obvious, in which case their complexity, una- Monster’s belly Ruined castle Tomb/mausoleum 9. Courtyard 19. Stairwell
voidability, and potential harm are all likely to be greater to Monument interior Ruined settlement University 10. Foyer 20. Veranda
compensate (sometimes called a room trap). Still yet other Museum Sewers Vault
traps and hazards in unpredictable environments can be
× × ×
randomly occurring. For example, an unstable cave system Roll 1d12 once for each column to generate a trap.
might have “earthquakes” on the random encounter table. Interesting relationships between rooms are what make
navigation fun. Medium, roll 1d4+1. Large, roll 1d4+4. 1d12 Trigger Effect Clue
Most traps have a simple trigger and could be automatic 1 Always active Alarm Coloration/glows
(e.g. anyone who passes through this doorway, or anyone Backtracking Chutes Looping path
who touches this statue). Others may have a randomized Blocked path Concentric layers Maze 2 False floor Bludgeon/crush Consistent area
trigger, oftentimes only affecting a player on a 1-in-6 Branching path Crossing paths Multiple entrances 3 Light/shadow Burn/corrode Groove/hole
chance (e.g. anyone who passes through this hallway has a Central hub Curved paths One-way door 4 Magical trigger Contain/paralyze Hand/footprints
1-in-6 chance to step on the wrong floor tile). Depending Chasm Dense rooms One-way loop 5 Make sound Flood/suffocate Hollow sound
on the trap, the referee may allow players to make one, Chokepoint Divided level Platforms
simple, split-second reaction immediately after triggering it. 6 Open door/lock Gravity Juts out slightly
Pocket dimension Secret loop Teleporters 7 Pressure plate Heavy obscurity Light/shadow
Players describe how they interact with traps, but if their
success in disabling, sidestepping, or whatever else has un- Repeating features Secret path Tower 8 (Re)move object Pierce/slash Magical clue
certainty, they usually make an INT check to not trigger it. Safe room Shifting layout Vertical loop 9 Snare Poison/exhaust Nearby object
Satellite (ex: a shed) Spying opportunity Vertical paths 10 Tripwire Psychic/fear Residue/blood
Scattered keys Subtle hall angles Water/canals
11 Wrong choice Relocate/separate Symbol/glyph
Secret entrances Subtle ramp slopes Windows
The best dungeons are thoughtfully crafted by the referee 12 Wrong password Spell effect Wear and tear
with all their most creative ideas. But these tables can be
used to help the referee make design decisions during prep Like layout, these elements will affect the dungeoncrawl as
and stock a dungeon with content. These tables assume Roll 1d6+1 for the number of rooms, each from this table:
a whole, rather than any single room. Roll 1d4+2 times:
three broad size classes of dungeon:
1. Wandering monsters 7. Recurring natural hazards 1. Entrance guardian 7. Lore (e.g. books, records)
1. Small: About 1-7 rooms, without complicated layout.
2. Adversary roster 8. Time (poison, fear, stress) 2. Big monster lair 8. Art (e.g. mural, statue)
The referee may want to create a dozen or more of
3. Scenario timeline 9. Opposed factions 3. Villainous knave 9. NPC
these to sprinkle into their game world generously.
2. Medium: About 7-20 rooms, possibly multiple floors. 4. Stuck doors 10. PCs acquire a partial map 4. Puzzle 10. Magic item
3. Large: 20+ rooms, almost certainly with multiple 5. Locked doors 11. Spells nullified/modified 5. Room trap 11. Valuable resource
floors and a complicated layout. 6. Pattern-based traps 12. Rival knave party 6. Hidden traps 12. Treasure hoard

12
 Example: The party plans to dungeoneer today, and they want to
be back before nightfall, but they also want to spend some time digging
up info first. The referee says that for each hour spent researching, the The most important factor in generating info is size. Pre-
party can roll either an INT check (if they plan to hit the books) or a cise population figures shouldn’t be strictly tracked, but
CHA check (if they plan to ask the locals) to learn something useful. broad size class determines many details.
Settlements are usually where characters prepare for adven-
tures and tie up loose ends afterwards. But they can also be Basic navigation within a settlement can usually be glossed Size Class Village Town City
the site of adventures of their own, like investigations, war- over without issue. Generally, players can simply name any Population (3d10)×10 (6d6)×200 (1d4+2)×2000
fare, heists, parties, chases, and so on. What follows are known site and go there. However, factors like urgency, Districts 1 1d4 1d4+3
suggestions for what information, at minimum, the referee hostility, unfamiliarity, or sheer size can all transform urban Major industries 1 1d4 1d4+1
should prepare about a settlement and the players should areas into more adventure-apt settings, like a dungeon. In Defenses 1d4-1 1d4+1 1d4+2
expect. Beyond that, the referee usually generates new de- such cases, the referee may begin tracking PC location up Languages 1 1d4 1d4+2
tails on the spot as needed. close and introduce random encounters, typically rolled Major temples 1 1d4 1d6
whenever PCs enter or leave a district. In addition, each district should have…
Precise maps of every building in a settlement are usually
Players can name a generic location (“we go to a smith”), a 1d4 specialist shops 1d4 landmarks 1d4 factions
unnecessary. Settlements are more practically modeled as a
known location (“we go to our friend Jim’s smithy”), or a A wealth level 1d4 notable NPCs 1d4 taverns
landscape of people, information, and notable details.
location whose existence they can infer (“we follow that Roll 2d6 for each
2-4 5-9 10-12
man to his home”). The referee can also offer specific sites, district’s wealth:
including commonly helpful things like taverns, temples, Wealth level Poor Medium Rich
When PCs enter a settlement, the referee should: and geographic features, but also notable sites of the settle- Daily selling cap 100 500 1,000
ment like specialist shops, monuments, and landmarks Daily buying cap 1,000 5,000 10,000
1. Resolve any customs needed (entrance tolls, arms sei- (“let’s check out the Library of Alexandria!”). The weekly available stock of a generic item in a district =
zure, name recording, travel papers, whatever else). (daily buying cap ÷ item price). Wealth level also affects
2. Roll for an event to keep the world feeling alive. available generic locations, crime, languages, and culture.
3. Provide a basic outline and some reference info if the Unless a player has questions or is interested in something
PCs are planning to do more than just pass through. unusual, they can shop on their own by consulting the
Once in, players usually have a lot of freedom in what they equipment list and informing the referee of their purchases. The existence of many NPCs is implied by most of the
can do. The provided info should help with the most com- Unless the PC is visiting a specialist shop, it is assumed above info. Other important NPCs to account for might
mon activities. Different actions are best resolved in differ- they’re shopping at a range of sites found on the generic be the local leadership, celebrities, experienced knaves, and
ent time scales, with some suggestions as follows: locations table on the next page. Availability is based on just “known persons.” Who is the richest? Who is trusted?
base market price. Any item or service priced at 100+ cp is Who is the strongest? Who is the expert on XYZ? Who is
• Battles, chases, races against time, and disasters like
unavailable in villages, and anything 1000+ cp is unavaila- weird? Who causes trouble? More known NPCs come
house fires, etc. are best done in urgent time.
ble in towns. The referee should consider the wealth level about in the natural course of adventuring, too.
• Quick shopping, meetings, moving assets, carousing,
petty crimes, raids, etc. are best done in active time. of the district where shopping is done. Black market goods “I know a guy.” If the PCs need someone for help (a rare
might mean trouble, and luxury goods might require status. item, expertise, access to somewhere or someone, etc.) but
• Prudent shopping, investigating, research, recruiting
followers, lite crafting, etc. are best in steady time. no known NPC will work, they can use a contact. Con-
• Resting, recovery from injury, slow sieges, ambitious tacts are undefined until the player uses them, at which
Characters resting in a settlement must secure lodging. If time they declare who they know (at the referee’s discre-
crafting, major crimes, honest work, politics, domain they don’t own property, they can make a CHA check to
management, etc. are best done in calendrical time. tion). From then on, they are a permanent NPC in that set-
determine what accommodations they can get. Once a PC tlement. A player automatically has 1d4+CHA contacts in
Generally speaking, as long as life and death isn’t at stake, has secured lodging, they can keep using that same option.
any of these activities could easily be folded into a higher their home settlement. Elsewhere, for each 3 months a
They hear one rumor each week. If they sleep on the player lives in a settlement they gain 1 contact there.
timescale, too. If you’re spending a week in downtime, do streets, roll 1d6 nightly: 1 robbed, 2 fined, 3+ nothing.
as much shopping and research as you need. But if charac- Brave: Songs of High Adventure has more information
ters are trying to save time, an ability check may be re- When PCs are spending downtime in a settlement, they on factions. Some cities may have additional “settlement
quired for them to resolve the action quickly. should track their daily or weekly living expenses. If they factions” whose power and influence spans the whole
have the know-how and any necessary equipment, they community.
may be able to earn a modest living as well.
13
These are organized by district wealth, but with a special The famous and remarkable shops. Specialists sell nearly
note of locations that only appear in cities (either because These tables help the referee add details, but can be useful anything connected to their theme, regardless of the size or
they’re rare or they’re a product of urban conditions). This to players, too. The referee will also create some history wealth of a community. These vendors are up for haggling
list is neither exhaustive nor strict. and interesting lore. Generally, more info is created for set- and commissions. The referee should also prepare 1d6
tlements that are large or interacted with frequently. unique and interesting items/services offered at this shop.
Bakery Dump Smith
Brewery Fighting pit Stables × 1. Animals 6. Foodstuffs
Brothel Fishmonger Surgeon/Barber A major industry is a cornerstone source of capital in the 2. Art/entertainment 7. Potables
Poor
Butcher Gallows Tanner settlement, either by providing the bulk of jobs or from 3. Black market goods 8. Smith/armorer
Cooper Livestock dealer Wheelwright sheer profitability. Each creates many peripheral jobs, too. 4. Books/writing 9. Textiles/leather
Drug den Potter Workhouse Iron Stone Wool 5. Carpentry/vehicles 10. Wilderness supplies
Apothecary Cheesemaker Mill Copper Clay Ivory
Barracks Forester Shoemaker Silver Coal Furs During a major trade fair, the referee may add 2d4 more
Bathhouse Granary Tailor Gold Gems Fish temporary specialist shops to a settlement.
Med
Bowyer/fletcher Grocer Tinker Tin Lumber Foodstuffs
Candlemaker Leatherworker Weaponsmith Obscure metal Linen Water ×
Carpenter Mason Weaver Aqueduct Clocktower Graveyard
Armorer Glassworks Restaurant Arena Club Haunted building
Silk Tourism Military/defense
Cartographer Hatter School Asylum Courthouse Infirmary/hospital
Clothier Jeweler Scrivener Glass Shipping Vehicles
Rich Bank Famous street Library
Engraver Merchant house Sheriff station Spice Luxury goods Construction
Canal Gallery Luxury Bathhouse
Farrier/marshal Moneylender Spicemonger Salt Drugs Religion Casino Garden Major guild hall
Furrier Printer Vintner Wine Entertainment Education
Art dealer Foundry Mint Vegetable oil Sport Finance Palace Square/plaza
Master knave lair
Bookbinder Guild hall Orphanage Mausoleum Park Theatre
Cities
Clockmaker Hay seller Physician Menagerie Performance hall Trade hall
Only
Curiosity shop Lawyer Salon These are most important for raids and sieges, but they Monument Prison Town hall
Fortuneteller Locksmith Sculptor might define the socioeconomic landscape, too. Museum River/bridge University
2. Chokepoint 8. Garrison Observatory Shrine Watchtower
3. Traps 9. Fort / castle
Upon entering a settlement that the PCs plan to adventure 4. Towers 10. Surrounding river
in, the referee hands players an info sheet to start. They im- 5. Harbor 11. Ditch / moat The referee should roll for an event affecting the commu-
mediately learn some details with background knowledge. 6. Height (hill, cliff) 12. Magic defense nity once per week spent in a settlement, or whenever the
Each player picks a district and either locations or 7. Wall (stone, wood) PCs return to a settlement after more than a week away.
NPCs/factions, and the referee reveals one detail. They
usually give just a name and the broad description (e.g. + 1. Drought 11. Trade boom
“you’ve heard of the famous Michelangelo of Florence be- One check can be made per district, per night. On a roll of 2. Leader death 12. New migrant population
fore, a renowned artist and architect”). PCs with 4+ INT 8 or less, the PC can’t secure lodging in that district. 3. Plague 13. Spoils of war
learn +1 detail, and PCs with 8+ INT learn +2 details. 1d20 9-12 13-16 17-20 4. Running a major shortage 14. Notable NPC arrested
Research: To reveal more, PCs can spend time asking Trap House Stables Almshouse 5. Raided 15. Protests
Poor
around. On a successful DC 15 CHA check (1 hour long), No food No food 1 free meal/day 6. Currently besieged 16. New site constructed
they can reveal 2 details about a district they're in. Temple Flophouse Farmer 7. Men all gone to war 17. Execution
Med
Room = 3 cp Room = 1 cp 1 meal for chores 8. New decree 18. Trade fair
Aside from that, PCs have to adventure to learn more! The Tavern inn Friendly local Noble manor 9. New tax 19. Tournament
referee should also write down any new details they had to Rich Private rooms + Room + 1 free Private room + 3 10. Major funeral 20. Major trial
create during a session. 1 meal = 3 cp meal/day free meals/day

14
 1. Magic Missile: Fire L unavoidable darts that do 1 1. Fireball: Each creature in a 20ft radius sphere is en-
damage each. gulfed in flame and takes Ld8 damage.
2. Comprehend: You become fluent in all languages. 2. Psychometry: The referee answers L yes or no ques-
Spells are cast out of spell books, which must be held in 3. Animate Object: Object obeys your commands as tions about a touched object.
both hands and read aloud. Each spell book can only be best it can. It can walk 15ft per round. 3. Polymorph: Another creature and their possessions
used once per day. Importantly, each spell book only holds 4. Shroud: L creatures are invisible until they move. transform into a mundane animal. They revert to their
a single spell, and each spell book takes up an item slot, so 5. Teleport: An object disappears and reappears on the normal form early if harmed.
if a PC wants to be able to cast a wide variety of spells, ground in a visible, clear area up to L×30ft away. 4. Unseen Servant: You summon an invisible, mindless,
they’ll have to fill most of their inventory with spell books. 6. Telekinesis: You may mentally move L items. shapeless force to do simple tasks for L urgent turns.
7. Grease: a 10ft radius circle is covered in grease. 5. Fly: You can fly at twice your normal speed for L ur-
PCs gain new spell books primarily through adventure, by 8. Knock: L nearby mundane or magical locks unlock. gent turns.
either recovering them from dungeons or looting them 6. Fog Cloud: Dense fog spreads out from you.
from other magicians. PCs openly carrying spell books are 7. Haste: Your movement speed is tripled.
likely to be hounded by bandits and wizards looking to “ac- 1. Color Spray: Up to L HD worth of creatures are 8. Fear: You conjure an image that reflects the worst
quire” them. Creating, copying, or transcribing spell books stunned for L urgent turns. nightmares of those who see it. L creatures who can
is difficult, requiring a great deal of time and resources. 2. Read Mind: You can hear the surface thoughts of see your image must roll for morale at +2.
There are also magic items that function like spell books, nearby creatures.
usually allowing the user to cast a spell once per day. 3. Mirror Image: L illusory duplicates of yourself appear
Wands, amulets, orbs, staves, rings, rune stones, tablets, under your control. They disappear once hit. 1. Lightning Bolt: Each creature in a line 60ft long is
etc. may not require the use of both hands, but cannot be 4. Charm: L creatures treat you like a friend. struck by lightning and takes Ld8 damage.
read and understood like a book, nor can their magic be 5. Sleep: L creatures fall into a light sleep. 2. Heavenly Voices: Receive L instructions about how
copied over into another text. Likewise, there can be found 6. Auditory Illusion: You create illusory sounds that to accomplish a plan you might take in the next hour.
single-use versions of spells in the form of scrolls, potions, seem to come from a direction of your choice. 3. Destroy Undead: Undead within 10ft with L HD or
and the like. Once cast, they are spent forever. Other con- 7. Deafen: All nearby creatures are deafened. less roll CON or explode/wither.
sumable spellcasting items are spent with a Usage Die. 8. Command: A creature obeys a single, three-word 4. Bless: A creature receives +L temporary HP and +L
command that does not harm it. to all attack rolls.
When a spell allows for a check, make an opposed Intelli- 5. Hold Person: A creature up to L HD is paralyzed.
gence check against the target’s relevant ability, usually 6. Illuminate: A floating light moves as you command.
Dexterity for ranged attack spells, Constitution for life- 1. Vampiric Touch: All damage you deal for the next L 7. Pacify: L creatures have an aversion to violence.
draining spells, Intelligence for mind-altering spells, or Wis- urgent turns restores your HP by the same amount. 8. Upwell: A spring of seawater appears.
dom for Illusions.
2. Augury: Ask if L number of specific actions you or
Most spells scale up as the caster becomes more powerful. your allies might take in the next day will have good,
In the following spells, “L” is a number equal to the bad, or mixed consequences. 1. Cloudkill: A 20ft radius circle is engulfed in poison.
caster’s level, an item is an object able to be lifted with one 3. Raise Dead: L skeletons rise from the ground to Creatures lose L HP each round they begin in it.
hand, and an object is anything up to human size (includ- serve you. They are incredibly stupid and can only 2. Speak with Plants: The spirit within a plant or fun-
ing living creatures). Unless otherwise noted, all spells with obey simple orders. gus manifests and will answer L questions.
ongoing effects last up to L×10 minutes (but can be dis- 4. Summon Fiend: Summon a fiend of L HD or less to 3. Beast Form: You and your possessions transform
pelled early as an action) and have a range of up to 30 feet. serve you. Can be banished early with an action. into a mundane animal.
If a spell directly affects another creature, the creature may 5. Bane: A creature takes L damage and has -L to attack. 4. Nature’s Ally: Summon animals with combined HD
make a check to avoid it (as described previously). Success 6. Contagion: You target a creature with a nasty disease equal to L or less to serve you.
reduces or negates the spell’s effects. that decreases one ability of your choice by L. 5. Control Weather: You may alter the type of weather
7. Darkness: A 20ft radius sphere is filled with magical at will, but you do not otherwise control it.
Given here are 48 sample spells to get started, popularly darkness that cannot be permeated by nonmagical 6. Visual Illusion: A silent, immobile, illusion of your
recorded by six famous magicians whose work is well- light. Everything in the area is heavily obscured. choice appears, up to the size of a bedroom.
known among knaves. To randomly select a spell, roll 1d6 8. Frenzy: L creatures erupt in a frenzy of violence. 7. Adhere: Object is covered in extremely sticky slime.
for the group, and then 1d8 for the item within that group. 8. Smoke Form: Your body becomes living smoke.

15
The referee should review the appendices before running a
session of Brave so they can best fit the game to their pref-
erences.

Whenever the referee makes a dungeon, they should pre-

pare 1) a map, 2) a room key for the map, and 3) a control
panel. There is a blank template available for free online,
with an example filled out here. The control panel should
be placed flat on the surface in front of them, displaying
important information useful for running the session.
There are seven major parts of the control panel to know:
1. The steps of the dungeoncrawl procedure written out,
the reaction roll table, and an area to jot down notes
throughout the session. For example, the referee may
need to keep track of HP or the distance the party has
traveled in the turn. This corner is the “home base”
for the referee to return to each turn.
2. When the dungeoncrawl begins, the referee should
record information about the party. For many checks,
one character will be needed roll once on behalf of the
party. To make this easier, the highest score in each
ability should be written down by the referee, who can
then make secret rolls on the party’s behalf (such as
for stealth, noticing secrets and enemies, and getting
accurate dimensions for a detailed map). 5. If there are any generally consistent features to the 7. Also while creating the dungeon, the referee should
3. At this same time, the referee should ask the party to dungeon, they can be included in any broad descrip- make any notes necessary for macro-level challenges
decide on a default marching formation when travel- tion of the rooms no matter where the PCs are. The they’re using. This is different for every dungeon, so
ing through the halls. They should note if anyone has referee should fill this out while creating the dungeon. they should think about the best way to use this space
a light source and may want to draw the bright and Materials, construction, feeling, dimensions, etc. For to make their notes. A random encounter table, details
dim ranges in order to better visualize things. doors, note a DC if they’re locked or stuck. For about a repeated pattern-based trap, a growing mental
4. The referee can keep track of time elapsed in the dun- senses, include light, sound, smell, and temperature. or physical duress related to time, an adversary roster,
geon by marking off each turn. Briefly writing the 6. If the dungeon is permanently altered in any way, it and so on should all be put in this area.
party’s actions can also help the referee review the will be useful to note for later. Drawing or writing If the referee is using a pre-made dungeon, it’s worth it to
events of the session. While preparing the dungeon, onto the map directly may not be ideal, and if any PCs take the time to create a control panel for running it in-
they should write any scheduled events in the column revisit the dungeon later, the referee will want to be stead of relying on notes in a book or picture. However, a
for “timeline events,” such as an NPC who enters at a easily reminded if, say, any walls have been destroyed control panel isn’t necessary for running a small dungeon.
specific time or if the dungeon is going to collapse. or statues have been teleported.

16
 5. The major defensive features of the
settlement, which can be labeled on
the map as well. These help to shape
the community and provide common
reference points, but also may become
Whenever the referee makes a settlement important if the PCs ever get involved
for adventure, they should prepare 1) a in warfare.
map, 2) a site key for the map, 3) an info 6. Some rumors for the referee to distrib-
sheet, and 4) a player version of the sheet. ute to players, along with additional
There is a blank template available for free details that can be learned if a player
online, with an example filled out here. The chooses to do follow-up research. If
info sheet should be placed flat on the sur- the party spends a long amount of
face in front of them, displaying important time adventuring in this settlement,
information useful for running the session. they might burn through all the ru-
The referee creates the settlement sheet as mors the referee originally prepared!
part of creating the settlement. The fill in 7. A random encounter table for if the
the template using the Settlement Info PCs ever go wandering the streets get-
generator on page 13 and can fill in details ting themselves into trouble, or even
using the Resources on page 14. just if the referee wants to spring them
with an interesting encounter. This ex-
Creating the player copy is simple. The ample has 5 universal encounters and
template replaces the back of the info sheet then a handful of extras that are spe-
(shown below here), and the front can be cific to each district, further reinforc-
made by copying the info sheet’s content ing their identities.
and then removing all the locations, NPCs, 8. Factions are normally explained in the
and factions for players to fill in on their map key, in the section for whichever
own. district they call home. However, some
There are eleven major parts of the settle- factions have influence spanning the
ment sheet to know: whole community, such as the local
government, religious leaders, and mo-
1. Basic information applying to the nopolies.
whole settlement. 9. A copy of the “Lay of the Land”
2. A description of general facts and rules. When the referee hands the PCs
qualities the settlement is known for, their copy, they begin the initial detail-
plus a coat of arms for it. distribution process using this rule.
3. An info block for each district, includ- 10. A copy of the Generic Locations ta-
ing its name, wealth level, general de- ble for easy reference. Remember that
scription, and notable sites, NPCs, and this list just contains suggestions of
factions. The latter three will be given sites that can be consistently found in
detail in the map key. This example ample numbers in any settlement.
settlement has a full 7 districts, the 11. A copy of the lodging rules for quick
maximum number possible. reference.
4. A copy of the rules on shopping for Routine, non-adventurous activities in a
quick reference. This stays on both the settlement can be covered by the rules for
referee’s copy and the players’ so both shopping, lodging, and research. But your
can easily consult these rules without entire game could be set within a detailed
needing to look in the rulebook. settlement like this. As a site of adventure,
it must be prepared not unlike a dungeon!
17
 1. Knave++, by “Agile Goatman” at The Man With a 1. 1974 OD&D by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, for
Hammer blog, mostly compiled in a Google Doc. countless nonsense in this game.
2. Lots of material from “Valzi” at the Buildings are People 2. David Black’s The Black Hack, mostly for Usage Dice.
blog in their 29 August 2018 post. 3. Death and Injury: Adapted from Trollsmyth (James
3. To Blave! by Thomas Davis. Brian Murphy), itself adapted from Robert Fisher’s
Characters can advance in level and improve in their abili- 4. Grave by Jason Tocci. version of “Death and Dismemberment.”
ties. The referee will decide a scheme for determining when 5. Crave by u/n4tune8 on Reddit. 4. I swear the “Potent Potables” idea came from some-
characters gain new levels. A handful of options are below. 6. Swords & Sinners by Ryan Heffelfinger (Bluelotis). thing Patrick Stuart once said but I can’t find where.
1. Milestones: the referee may decide to automatically 7. Arcane Ugly by Trent Holbrook (Miscast) 5. Most of the Artisan Kits are taken from D&D 5th Edi-
grant new levels after a certain period of time has 8. Cairn by Yochai Gal tion (from Wizards of the Coast), as are the conditions
passed, progress has been made in the story, or on a and a lot of various terminology.
regular session-based schedule. 6. Adversary Rosters are mostly an innovation of Justin
2. Treasure: every copper piece a PC acquires in the Alexander at his blog, The Alexandrian. He’s also cov-
course of adventure is counted as one “experience It’s recommended that the referee use the Bestiary of ered Scenario Timelines pretty well.
point” (XP), with new levels gained every 1000 XP. Freaks and Fiends as their primary resource of monster 7. Goodman Games’ Dungeon Crawl Classics came up with
The referee may also require that this copper be spent information in this game. However, monsters from OSR the “funnel adventure.”
on leveling, and thus, cannot be spent on goods and games should work as-is in Brave with little conversion 8. The example dungeon in Appendix A is Ben Milton’s
services. needed. Here are some guidelines. Drums in the Deep with some adaptations.
3. Danger: whenever a PC defeats or overcomes a source Hit Dice/Hit Points: All monster hit dice can be as- 9. “Handy slots” are taken from Agile Goatman at his
of danger, such as monsters, traps, survival challenges, sumed to be d8s unless otherwise specified. To get the blog, The Man With a Hammer.
and so on, the referee might grant XP rewards. PCs monster’s hit points, just multiply the number of hit dice 10. The combat conditions are inspired by those in D&D
receive 50 XP for low-risk accomplishments, 100 XP they have by 4 (or 5 if you’re feeling mean.) 5th edition but are more flexible, of course.
for moderate-risk accomplishments, and 200 XP for 11. Cohorts are inspired by the “detachments” from Chris
high-risk accomplishments. The referee should freely Armor: Monster AC (if ascending) can be kept. If the AC McDowell’s Into the Odd, with additional suggestions
notify the PCs of how much XP different objectives is descending, subtract it from 19 (if it is from OD&D or from Gundobad of Gundobad Games.
are worth when asked. B/X D&D) or from 20 (if it is from AD&D) to find its as- You’re encouraged to hack this up and mix it with any
When a PC gains a level, they roll a number of d8s equal to cending equivalent. other RPG resources you have access to. Make it your
their new level to find their new HP maximum. If the re- own, and don’t forget to attack the PCs’ equipment.
Attack Bonus: Any attack bonus given is unchanged and
sult is less than their previous maximum, their maximum can be added to both melee and ranged attacks. If no at-
HP increases by 1. They also raise the bonus of 3 different tack bonus is given, use the monster’s number of hit dice.
abilities of their choice by 1 point. Abilities may never be
raised higher than +10. The maximum level that a charac- Damage and Morale: Each remains the same. Brave is a derivative of Knave, by Ben Milton. As such, I
ter can reach is 10. owe nearly everything to him. Both of these works are re-
Checks: Since OSR monsters usually don’t have ability leased under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 In-
If you’re group is using the Enchiridion of Fates and scores, assume they have bonuses equal to their level. ternational License. You are free to share and adapt this
Fortunes, it has its own advancement rules that replace Example: A typical 4 HD monster would have a bonus of +4 in material for any purpose, including commercially, as long
any of these options. all of its abilities by default, unless modified by the referee. as you give attribution. This game was made using the
standard font Garamond and the free fonts Hamlet Tertia
While HD can substitute for “level” in most cases, NPCs 18 and Black Castle MF. I made the art myself.
who are just regular people without any class levels can be
considered “0th level” and only have 1 HD or less. All A thanks to all the people who playtested my game and
knaves have at least 1 class level. gave feedback, including my players Chris Glock, Alexan-
der Goldberg, Jesse Gowland, CipheredYT, Jared
Mr. Milton designed Knave as a “rules toolkit,” so the po- McDonough, Jacob McFadden, Tyler Teachey, Caitlin
tential to hack the game is endless. If you want to see some Vasta, Ryan “Gigger” Geiger, Ben Dzuricky, and everyone
alternatives to Brave, or you just like seeing the kinds of else who gave it a spin. An extra special thanks to my
Aside from Knave itself, many other games and designers
houserules people make for a system like this, I’m recom- brother Sam, who brought me into the hobby.
influenced Brave. Those whose content I directly plundered
mending you check out the following systems.
fall within the Open Gaming License (OGL).

18