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Introduction

Forgotten Legends RPG is a tabletop adventure game designed for crafting and exploring a shared mythology with friends.

Several players will take on the roll of adventurers in an imaginary world while one player will control the game world and all it’s other inhabitants as the referee.

In this guide you’ll learn how to create and control a character. For details on running the game as the referee please refer to the Referee’s Handbook (coming soon).

You will need: One 20 sided die (d20), Two six sided dice (d6), a pencil, some scrap paper, and a printed character sheet.

Create a Character

1. Attributes

Your character has 4 attributes. MIGHT, DEFTNESS, INTELLECT, and CHARISMA.

Roll a d20 and check the table below to see their starting values.

  MIG DEF INT CHA
01 1 1 0 0
02 1 0 1 0
03 1 0 0 1
04 0 1 1 0
05 0 1 0 1
06 0 0 1 1
07 0 0 0 2
08 0 0 2 0
09 0 2 0 0
10 0 0 0 2
11 1 1 1 0
12 1 1 0 1
13 1 0 1 1
14 0 1 1 1
15 2 1 0 0
16 1 2 0 0
17 0 2 1 0
18 0 1 2 0
19 0 0 2 1
20 0 0 1 2

2. MAX HP

You start out with a number of Health Points (HP) equal to your MIGHT + 10.

3. Appearance & Motivations

Choose your character’s name and gender then fill out the Appearance & Motivations section of your character sheet. If you get stuck or just want a more randomized character roll a d20 and check the lists below to roll for each option.

Physique Face Hair Skin
01. Athletic 01. Blunt 01. Bald 01. Almond
02. Brawny 02. Bony 02. Braided 02. Dark
03. Chubby 03. Chiseled 03. Bristly 03. Freckled
04. Delicate 04. Craggy 04. Bushy 04. Leathery
05. Gaunt 05. Delicate 05. Cropped 05. Oily
06. Hulking 06. Dimpled 06. Curly 06. Olive
07. Lanky 07. Elongated 07. Delicate 07. Pale
08. Petite 08. Pinched 08. Disheveled 08. Perfect
09. Ripped 09. Handsome 09. Frizzy 09. Pierced
10. Rugged 10. Hawkish 10. Greased 10. Pockmarked
11. Short 11. Impish 11. Limp 11. Porcelain
12. Sinewy 12. Narrow 12. Long 12. Rosy
13. Slender 13. Round 13. Luxurious 13. Rough
14. Slim 14. Sharp 14. Mohawk 14. Ruddy
15. Stocky 15. Soft 15. Oily 15. Sallow
16. Statuesque 16. Square 16. Ponytail 16. Scarred
17. Stout 17. Thin 17. Silky 17. Tanned
18. Towering 18. Weather-beaten 18. Straw-like 18. Tawny
19. Willowy 19. Wide 19. Wavy 19. Tattooed
20. Wiry 20. Wolfish 20. Wispy 20. Weathered


Clothing Virtue Vice
01. Antique 01. Cautious 01. Aggressive
02. Baggy 02. Courageous 02. Arrogant
03. Ceremonial 03. Courteous 03. Bitter
04. Eccentric 04. Curious 04. Cowardly
05. Elegant 05. Disciplined 05. Cruel
06. Fashionable 06. Driven 06. Childish
07. Filthy 07. Focused 07. Deceitful
08. Flamboyant 08. Generous 08. Flippant
09. Formal 09. Gregarious 09. Gluttonous
10. Frilly 10. Honest 10. Greedy
11. Gaudy 11. Honorable 11. Impulsive
12. Hand-Sewn 12. Humble 12. Irascible
13. Livery 13. Idealistic 13. Lazy
14. Patched 14. Just 14. Nervous
15. Riding 15. Loyal 15. Reckless
16. Stained 16. Merciful 16. Rude
17. Tailored 17. Righteous 17. Suspicious
18. Threadbare 18. Serene 18. Vain
19. Torn 19. Stoic 19. Vengeful
20. Travel 20. Tolerant 20. Wasteful

4. Background & Inventory

Add two days of rations to your inventory then roll the d20 and check the list below to determine your character’s background and starting equipment.

  Background Starting Items
01. Actor face paint, masquerade mask, 5 gold pieces
02. Fisherman fishing net, twine (300ft), 10 gold pieces
03. Gravedigger shovel, candle, 5 gold pieces
04. Guide compass, small mirror, 10 gold pieces
05. Prison Guard shackles, signal horn, 10 gold pieces
06. Herbalist mortar and pestle, pouch of sneezing powder, 10 gold pieces
07. Hermit walking staff, book of obscure prayers, 5 gold pieces
08. Hunter bear trap, hunting knife, 10 gold pieces
09. Knave lock pick, bag of marbels, 5 gold pieces
10. Mason trowel, brick, 10 gold pieces
11. Merchant set of fine clothes, scale, 20 gold pieces
12. Monk holy symbol, chalk, 5 gold pieces
13. Miner lantern, pickaxe, 10 gold pieces
14. Night Watchman shield, spyglass, 10 gold pieces
15. Physician healer’s kit, soap, 15 gold pieces
16. Sailor needle and thread, 50 ft rope, 10 gold pieces
17. Scholar parchment, quill and ink, 10 gold pieces
18. Smith mallet, chisel, 10 gold pieces
19. Smuggler hooded Lantern, 2 flasks of oil, 10 gold pieces
20. Soldier chain mail, extra weapon, 10 gold pieces

You start with 10 inventory slots. All of the starting items only take up 1 inventory slot except chain mail which takes up 2. If you start out with chain mail your armor bonus is 2. If you just have a shield your armor bonus is 1. Otherwise your armor bonus is 0.

5. Weapons

Choose a weapon to suit your needs. Some weapons require 2 hands to wield and thus can’t be used with a shield. Bigger weapons take up 2 inventory slots but give you a better bonus to attacks.

Weapon Range Hands Bonus Slots
Bow F 2 +1 1
Club R 1 +1 1
Spear C 2 +2 1
Sword R 1 +2 1
Warhammer R 2 +3 2

Range is broken up into four categories.

6. Traits

Roll the d20 and check the list below to see what special trait your ancestors passed to you in the fight to survive.

01. Antivenemous: You are resistant to venom.

02. Carrion Constitution: You can eat raw and spoiled meat without getting sick.

03. Crinotoxic: When pierced, the pores in your skin release a mild poison that tastes terrible and may induce vomiting.

04. Danger Sense: Your party has advantage on surprise rolls.

05. Fool’s Luck: Once per game session you may re-roll one die roll of your choice.

06. Gills: You have gills on either side of your neck which allow you to breathe while moving underwater.

07. Hawk Eyes: You can see small details even at a distance.

08. Inner Compass: You always know which way is north and have a natural sense of direction.

09. Light Foot: You take half damage from falls and your footsteps make no sound.

10. Longwinded: You can hold your breath for twice as long as a regular person and can breath normally at higher altitudes.

11. Nictitating Membranes: You have a second set of transparent eyelids.

12. Night Eyes: You have slitted pupils and can see normally in dim light.

13. Plaugeborn: You are resistant to disease.

14. Prehensile Feet: Your feet can grasp objects like hands.

15. Spring Heeled: You have an extra tendon in your heel that acts as a spring. You can use this to run for much longer than the average person before getting tired.

16. Superior Balance: You have a natural grace and sense of balance.

17. Unihemispheric Sleeper: Instead of sleeping you can go into a semiconcious meditative state that will allow you to remain partially alert.

18. Verdant: Your hair is made green leafy vines. You can soak up 2 hours of direct sunlight instead of eating a meal.

19. Vocal Mimicry: You have a talent for mimicing simple sounds you have heard before.

20. Webbed Digits: You’re a natural swimmer.

7. Starting Spells

Roll a d6 and add your INTELLECT to the result. If the final number is a 5 or higher then add one starting spell to your character sheet.

Roll a twenty sided die and check the list below to see which spell you’ve memorized. Write it down as it appears. We’ll go over spellcasting in How to Play.

01. Cornucopia (DS10, C): Enough food appears to feed a number of people equal to your level. It is delicious and suited to each person’s taste.

02. Detect Owner (DS10, C): Letters appear above an object you point to and spell out the name of the last person to touch it.

03. Effigy (DS10, C): When cast on a creature it will appear as if it were made of stone until it moves or is touched.

04. Enshrouded Entrance (DS10, R): You draw your fingertips around a doorway and a thin veil of impenetrable darkness appears to cover the opening. It last for a number of hours equal to your level.

05. Glow (DS10, R): A small object you are holding gives off the equivalent of torch light for a number of hours equal to your level.

06. Gust (DS10, N): A gust of air 5 feet wide and as long as the spell’s range blasts from you in a direction you choose for 1 turn. It will disperse any gas or vapor and push any creature in it’s path that is the size of a human or smaller 10 feet away.

07. Living Glyph (DS 10, R): You become two dimensional for a number of rounds equal to your level. You can pass through narrow places and cannot be seen when viewed from the side.

08. Lock (DS10, R): A door that you touch seals itself shut and cannot be opened.

09. Mage’s Knot (DS10, R): Tie a knot while casting this spell. It will untie itself on your command.

10. Pet Rocks (DS10, C): A number of fist sized rocks equal to your level gain the ability to roll on their own at walking speed and will obey simple commands.

11. Pilfer (DS10, C): A number of small objects equal to your level are teleported into one of your pockets.

12. Portable Hole (DS10, R): Draw a circle as big as your head on a flat surface. It becomes a hole with a number of inventory slots equal to twice your level that lasts for a number of days equal to your level. If the spell ends before the items inside are removed they are forcibly ejected from the hole before it disappears.

13. Smuggler’s Rune (DS10, R): You draw a small red rune in the center of a written message. If the rune is seen by anyone other than the message’s intended recipient the paper will burn up before it can be read.

14. Summon Weapon (DS10, N): An unwielded weapon you choose leaps into the air and soars into your open hands.

15. Super Sponge (DS10, R): A small piece of absorbent material you are holding gains the ability to store up to 10 days worth of drinkable water for one person when completely soaked.

16. Spectral Eye (DS10, F): A floating spectral eye appears just above your head. It can float to any point in the spells range at will. You see what it sees.

17. Spring (DS10, N): A creature leaps up to the spell’s range.

18. Tackify (DS10, R): This spell can be applied to any object small enough to be held in one hand. The next creature to pick this object up after you set it down will be unable to let go of it for a number of hours equal to your level.

19. Wall Walk (DS10, R): You gain the ability to walk on walls and ceilings for a number of minutes equal to your level.

20. Water Walk (DS10, R): You can walk on water as if it were land for a number of minutes equal to your level.

How to Play

A referee controls and describes the game world to players. The players describe their characters’ actions in that world. Then the referee describes the results of those actions.

Attributes

Your character has 4 attributes that apply in different circumstances.

MIGHT represents their physical prowess and heartiness. It’s good for melee attacks, feats of strength, and resisting the effects of disease or poison.

DEFTNESS represents their speed and fine motor skills. It’s good for making ranged attacks, acrobatics, and stealth.

INTELLECT represents their powers of recall and perception. It’s good for spellcasting and noticing things others miss.

CHARISMA represents their persuasiveness. It’s good for making deals and talking your way out of bad situations.

Action Rolls

If a player attempts an action that requires skill or luck they must make an action roll.

Roll a d20, add a relevant attribute to the result, then add any bonuses you would receive from items. If the total is equal to or greater than the action’s Difficulty Score (DS) it is successful.

Which attribute is relevant is up to the referee’s discretion.

DS Guidelines
Easy: 10, Moderate: 14, Difficult: 18

Dangerous Actions

If an action has a risk of danger, the difference between the roll and Difficulty Score is the amount of HP that character loses.

Example:
A player character attacks an enemy warrior with a DS of 16. They roll a d20 and add 2 from their MIGHT and 1 from their sword. The total is 18. The difference between 18 and 16 is 2, so the enemy takes 2 damage. A non player character’s DS is also their HP, so now the warrior’s DS is 14. If the roll had been a 14 then the Player Character would have lost 2 HP.

Armor and Shields

Shields and armor add to your armor bonus.

Whenever a character would lose HP subtract their armor bonus from the total damage.

Shields add 1 to your armor bonus and take up 1 inventory slot. Armor can vary.

Armor Bonus Slots
Leather 1 1
Chain 2 2
Plate 3 2
Wooden Shield 1 1
Metal Shield 2 2

Advantage and Disadvantage

If an action’s success is uncertain but likely due to advantageous circumstances the referee may ask you to make a roll with advantage. Make two action rolls and keep the highest result.

When attempting an action in unfavorable circumstances the referee may ask you to roll with disadvantage. Make two action rolls and keep the lowest result.

Inspiration

In order to reward creative play or good roleplaying the referee might give a player an inspiration point. This point can be used to reroll one action roll of their choice. Inspiration points must be used by the end of the game session or they are lost.

Inventory

Your inventory score represents how many items you can carry comfortably. For each item that exceeds your inventory score subtract 1 from any MIGHT or DEFTNESS Rolls.

Death Rolls

When a character’s HP reaches zero they must roll a d6. They remain alive but in critical condition for that many rounds. If they don’t recieve medical attention before then they will die.

Stabilizing

If a character has medical supplies such as those in a healer’s kit they may attempt to stabilize a fallen comrade in critical condition by making an INTELLECT roll (DS14). If the attempt fails their patient dies even if they had rounds left from their death roll.

Advancement

Level up after completing a quest. Raise an attribute of your choice by 1 and raise either MAX HP or inventory score by 1. Repeat this process until you reach level 6 where you will choose a vocation.

Healing

After eating a meal and getting at least 8 hours of sleep roll 2d6, add your MIGHT to the result, and regain that much HP.

Magic

Spells can be found on scrolls or as pages in spell books. Holding a spell scroll or page and reading it aloud will cast the spell without the need to make an action roll but after the spell ends it will crumble into dust.

You may memorize a number of spells equal to your level. The process takes at least 8 hours per spell. Any scroll that’s memorized is destroyed as if read aloud.

Spells are listed like this:

Spell Name (DS, Range): Description of effects

Whenever you cast a spell from memory make an INTELLECT roll against that spell’s Difficulty Score (DS). On a success the spell works as intended. On a failure the spell fizzles out and can’t be cast again for one day.

Spells have ranges similar to weapons.

If you roll a 1 when casting a spell it will backfire. Roll a d6 and check the list below.

   
1 All of the magical energy in your body is expended in a rush leaving you drained. Make all rolls at disadvantage until you have a full nights rest.
2-4 After a bang and a flash of light you go blind and deaf for a number of rounds equal to the spell’s difficulty score.
5-6 Misdirected magical energy surges through your body briefly like an electric shock. You are stunned for 1 round.

Combat

Before combat begins the referee will determine if anyone is surprised and then call for an initiative roll.

Combat is broken into rounds. Each round is meant to roughly 5 seconds of game time.

During each round every player character and group of enemies can either move somewhere close and take one action or sprint anywhere near and take no actions.

Surprise

If a group may be surprised at the beginning of combat roll a d6. If the result is a 1-3 they are surprised.

Players roll at disadvantage during the first round if they are surprised and likewise with advantage if the enemies are surprised.

Initiative

At the beginning of each round the referee and one player each roll a d6. If the player rolls the higher number they go first; if not the enemies do. The players decide the order in which their actions occur.

Attacking

Attacking an enemy combatant requires an action roll. Roll a d20, add points from a relevant attribute, and then bonuses from relevant items. MIGHT is used to make melee attacks and DEFTNESS is used to make ranged attacks.

Attacks at close range are considered a dangerous action and may result in the attacker taking damage from a counterattack.