Equipment & Services

Rules for Vehicles

Game Statistics

Hull Points (hp)

The vehicle’s structural integrity and ability to keep moving when damaged. Analogous to a character’s hit points. A vehicle that reaches 0 hull points is destroyed.

Armor Class (AC)

The vehicle’s ability to resist damage from attacks.

Movement Rate

The speed at which the vehicle can move. Every vehicle has a ‘base movement rate’ and an ‘encounter movement rate’ (noted in parentheses). The encounter movement rate is one-third of the base movement rate.

Cargo Capacity

The maximum load the vehicle can carry; measured in coins (see Time, Weight, Movement).

Required Crew

The number of people or animals (e.g., sailors, oarsmen, horses required for the vehicle’s normal operation.

Passengers or Mercenaries

Some vehicles have extra space aboard explicitly intended to carry passengers or mercenaries of any type (see Mercenaries) and the normal crew. Suppose a vehicle’s description does not mention this space for passengers. In that case, it is assumed only to have space for the crew—the referee may rule that cargo hold space could be converted into additional living quarters.

Seaworthiness

Water vessels are divided into two categories, each behaving differently under different wind conditions (see Wind Conditions). Seaworthy vessels are suitable for use on the high seas, away from coastal waters. Unseaworthy vessels are restricted to rivers, lakes, or coastal waters.

Damaging Vehicles

In combat, attacks and damage may be directed at vehicles, characters, and monsters.

Normal attacks: Unless noted in a vehicle’s description, attacks with normal weapons (e.g., bows, swords, etc.) do not inflict hull damage.

Magical attacks: Damaging spells or magical attacks inflict one point of hull damage per five points of normal hit point damage the attack does.

Giant monsters: Can damage vehicles, inflicting one point of hull damage per five points of normal hit-point damage the attack does.

Mounted weaponry: Some vehicles carry mounted weaponry specifically designed for vehicle-to-vehicle combat. Such weapons inflict hull damage directly. The rules for attacking with ship-mounted weapons are described in Water Vessels.

Effects of Hull Damage

When a vehicle loses hull points, its movement rate is also affected. This may be due to structural damage influencing how the vehicle moves or, in the case of water vessels, due to taking on water.

Movement rate reduction: For every 10% a vehicle is reduced from its maximum hull points, its movement rate is reduced by an equal percentage. For example, if a vehicle loses 20% of its hull points, its movement rate is reduced by 20%.

Destruction

If a vehicle is reduced to 0 hull points:

• It will lose structural integrity in 1d10 rounds (e.g., a water vessel sinks).
• Any mounted weaponry is no longer functional.

Repairs

In a workshop: Vehicle damage can be repaired by experienced technicians working in a suitable workshop or dock.

In the field: A vehicle’s crew can repair up to half of sustained damage. The remaining damage can only be repaired in a suitable workshop or dock.

Time: It takes five crew members one turn to repair one hull point. This task requires full attention, so any crew involved in repair cannot take any other action during a turn repairing a vessel.

Boarding

When the occupants of a vehicle wish to board another vehicle, the two vehicles must be brought alongside one another.

Forceful boarding: If the occupants of one vehicle wish to board the other vehicle forcefully, there is a 2-in-6 chance of successfully maneuvering the vehicle into a boarding position. The two vehicles may then be clamped together with grappling hooks.

Mutual boarding intent: If the occupants of both vehicles wish to board one another, their mutual goal makes the action succeed with no chance of failure.

Boarding characters: Characters who are in the act of boarding another vehicle suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls and Armor Class for one round.

Rowed Water Vessels

Rowing Encounter Speeds

Some rowed vessels may have an increased encounter movement rate. This represents the tremendous effort of the oarsmen that may be exerted during combat. Such speeds cannot be maintained for long periods; thus, such vessels’ per-turn and per-day movement rates are much slower.

Reduced Oarsmen

Having less than the required number of oarsmen reduces a vessel’s speed.

Movement rate reduction: For every 10% reduction in the available rowing crew, the vessel’s rowing speed is reduced by an equal percentage. For example, if 10% of the oarsmen are used to repair hull damage, the vessel moves at 90% of its normal speed (i.e., 10% slower than normal).

Land Vehicles

Cart: A two-wheeled vehicle. Carts have an AC of 9 [10] and 1d4 hull points.

Wagon: A four-wheeled, open vehicle. Wagons have an AC of 9 [10] and 2d4 hull points.

Required Animals

These vehicles must be pulled by a minimum number of mules or draft horses. If double the minimum number of animals is employed, additional loads may be carried.

Difficult Terrain

When traveling through difficult terrain (e.g. desert, forest, mountains, swamp), these vehicles can only travel on maintained roads.

Water Vessels

Vessel Dimensions

A ship’s beam is its width, and its draft is the depth it extends beneath the water.

Historical Periods

The vessels described in this section span various historical periods, from the ancient period to the medieval. Not all types of vessels may be available in a campaign setting.

Seaworthy Vessels

Descriptions

Lifeboat: A small boat with a mast that folds down for storage. Small ships usually have 1–2 lifeboats, while larger ships may have 3–4. A lifeboat weighs 5,000 coins and reduces the ship’s cargo capacity on which it is carried by this much. A lifeboat is usually equipped with rations to feed ten human-sized beings for one week.

Longship: A narrow ship that may be used in rivers, coastal waters, or the open seas. A longship may be rowed or sailed, depending on the conditions. The crew typically fills the role of oarsmen, sailors, and fighters as needed.

Sailing ship, large: A large, seaworthy vessel with up to three masts. Usually, it has multiple decks and raised “castles” at the bow and stern.

Sailing ship, small: A small, seaworthy vessel with a single mast.

Troop transport (large, small): These ships have similar dimensions and characteristics to normal sailing ships but are specially designed to carry troops, mounts, and equipment of war as their cargo.

Warship (large, small): These ships have similar dimensions and characteristics to normal sailing ships but are specially designed to carry mercenaries and war gear.

Unseaworthy Vessels

Descriptions

Boat, river: Riverboats are either rowed or pushed with poles. The cost of the boat increases by 1,000gp if it has a roof (to protect passengers or cargo).

Boat, sailing: A small boat typically used for fishing in lakes or coastal waters.

Canoe: A small boat made of hide or canvas stretched over a wooden frame. Because of its small size and lightweight construction, a canoe may be carried by two people (weighing 500 coins).

Galley, large: A long ship with a shallow draft and a single, square-sailed mast.

Galley, small: A ship with a shallow draft and a single, square-sailed mast.

Galley, war: A large, specially constructed galley that is generally a fleet’s flagship. War galleys are always fitted with a ram (comes with the basic cost) and have a full deck above the rowers. They have two masts and 10’–20’ wide wooden towers rising 15’–20’ above the bow and stern.

Raft, makeshift: Given sufficient wood, characters may build a makeshift raft in 1–3 days per 10’ square section (up to a maximum size of 20’ × 30’).

Raft, professional: A professionally built raft has raised sides, a basic steering oar, and some shelter for goods or passengers. Such a raft may be up to 30’ × 40’. Professionally built rafts are sometimes floated downstream with cargo and then broken down and sold for the value of their wood (25cp per square foot).

Vessel Movement and Crew

* Crew act as rowers, sailors, and fighters ** May be piloted by unskilled characters

Crew

Vessels are propelled by rowing or sailing, with some able to use either means. The necessary crew and the resulting speeds are given in the table above. The pay rates for the crew are listed in Specialists.

Vessel Combat Stats

* Crews act as rowers, sailors, and fighters.

Ship Modifications

The following modifications may be made to an existing ship:

• Warship: A sailing ship may be converted into a warship or troop transport of the same size. The modification costs one-third of the ship’s original cost.
• Catapult: A catapult may be added to a galley, longship, or warship.
• Ram: A ram may be added to a large or small galley (a war galley already has a ram fitted).

Ship Weaponry

Rams

It can be used against ships or giant sea monsters. Small individuals cannot be targeted.

Attack rolls: These are made using a THAC0 of 19 [0], occurring simultaneously in the combat sequence as missile fire.

Attack modifiers: May be applied for weather conditions, maneuverability, etc.

Large or war galley: Deals 1d6+5 × 10 hull points damage against ships and 6d6 hit points damage against monsters.

Small galley: Deals 1d4+4 × 10 hull points damage against ships and 3d8 hit points damage against monsters.

Catapults

Fire either large rocks or flaming pitch.

Weight: A catapult plus twenty shot rounds weighs 10,000 coins (subtracted from the ship’s cargo allowance).

Range: 150–300 yards.

Attack rolls and rate of fire: Depend on the number of crew manning the catapult:

• 2 crew (minimum): Attacks with THAC0 19 [0]. Fires every 10 rounds.
• 3 crew: Attacks with THAC0 19 [0]. Fires every 8 rounds.
• 4 crew (maximum): Attacks with THAC0 17 [+2]. Fires every 5 rounds.

Attack modifiers: May be applied for weather conditions, maneuverability, etc.

Catapult Shot

Inflicts 3d6 hull damage against ships.

Catapult Shot, Pitch

Sets a 10’×10’ area of a ship on fire. The burning does 1d6 hull points of damage per turn (for at least one turn) and will spread to other areas of the ship if not extinguished. A fire may be put out by five crew in 3 turns, ten in 2 turns, or fifteen in 1 turn.

Retainers

Retainers are NPCs hired to accompany a character on adventures.

Limit per PC: A character’s Charisma score defines the maximum number of retainers that will work for them at any one time (see Ability Scores).

Duties: Retainers are expected to share the risks of adventuring with the party but will only continue working for a PC if treated well. A disgruntled retainer may spread the word to others in the area, making hiring other retainers more difficult for the PC.

Class and Level

Retainers can be of any class (including normal humans—effectively of level 0), but must be of equal or lower level to the hiring PC.

Recruitment

Potential retainers may be located by frequenting drinking establishments or by paying to post notices of help wanted.

Applicants are recruited through negotiation, with the referee playing the roles of the NPCs a character attempts to hire. The PC should explain what the job entails and the wages paid.

Wages and Upkeep

The referee should determine the rate of pay desired by potential retainers, taking the following factors into account:

• Skill level: More experienced retainers will want a higher pay rate, whereas those employed for unskilled tasks will have lower demands.
• Competition: Retainers may accept lower pay rates if there are many applicants but may demand higher rates if there is little competition for the job.

Standard Rate

Retainers usually want a guaranteed fee (per day or adventure) and a share of treasure recovered (at least a half share). For example: a cost of 1gp per day plus a half share of treasure.

Upkeep

The hiring PC must also pay for the retainer’s daily upkeep (food and lodgings) and any new adventuring gear, weapons, or mounts the retainer requires.

Shares of Treasure

Fractional treasure shares are calculated by dividing the treasure by the total number of shares. For example, a party consisting of 5 PCs (who receive full shares) plus one retainer (who is paid a half share) discovers 2,750gp of treasure. The total is divided by 5.5 (five full shares plus one-half share): 500gp. Thus, each PC gains 500gp, and the retainer gains 250gp.

Applicant Reactions

Once an offer is made, the referee determines the potential retainer’s reaction by rolling 2d6 on the table below, modified as follows:

• Charisma: The roll is modified by the hiring character’s NPC reactions modifier due to CHA (see ***Ability Scores.
• Generosity: The referee may apply a bonus or penalty, depending on the attractiveness of the deal (+1 or +2 for generous offers, -1 or -2 for poor offers).
• Reputation: A penalty of -1 or -2 may be applied if the hiring PC has a bad reputation.

Ill will: The applicant’s ill will incur a –1 penalty to further hiring reaction rolls made in the same settlement or area.

Experience

Retainers gain experience and advance in level in the same way as PCs.

XP penalty: Because retainers are generally not directly involved in decision-making, instead following instructions from PCs, the XP they receive is penalized by –50%.

Normal humans: When a normal human (i.e., a retainer of level 0 with no character class) gains XP, they must choose an adventuring character class.

Loyalty

A retainer’s loyalty rating reflects their willingness to stick by PCs in the face of danger. The hiring character’s CHA determines loyalty (see Ability Scores) but may be adjusted as follows:

• Bonuses: Saving a retainer from danger or granting generous treasure rewards may increase loyalty.
• Penalties: Ill-treatment of a retainer or lack of treasure may decrease loyalty.

Loyalty Checks

The referee should roll 2d6 against the retainer’s loyalty to make a loyalty check. The check succeeds if the roll is lower than or equal to the retainer’s loyalty.

When to Check Loyalty

Loyalty checks are made in two circumstances:

• Peril: In situations of unexpectedly great danger. If the roll fails, the retainer will likely flee.
• After an adventure: If the roll fails, the retainer will not work for the PC again.

Mercenaries

Hired soldiers who will guard, patrol, and otherwise serve in wilderness settings, but only as part of a larger force, not an adventuring party. Mercenaries do not accompany characters on adventures.

Note that as mercenaries are hired by a character to perform specific services, they are not treated as retainers and thus do not count toward a character’s maximum number of retainers.

Locating Mercenaries

Mercenaries can be located by posting notices of help wanted. The response will depend on the availability of suitable troops in the area and the offer made.

Wages

Outside of wartime: As listed below.

During wartime: All wages are doubled.

Upkeep

The monthly rate of pay includes food and essential gear. Most mercenaries already have weapons and armor when hired, though their employer may give them additional equipment. Armorers are required to repair mercenaries’ armor and weapons (see Specialists).

Archer

Equipped with a shortbow, leather armor, and a shield.

Archer, Mounted

Mounted on a riding horse. Equipped with a shortbow.

Crossbowman

Equipped with a crossbow and chainmail.

Crossbowman, Mounted

Mounted on a mule. Equipped with a crossbow.

Footman, Light

Equipped with a sword, leather armor, and a shield.

Footman, Heavy

Equipped with a sword, chainmail, and a shield.

Horseman, Light

Mounted on a riding horse. Equipped with a lance and leather armor.

Horseman, Medium

Mounted on a warhorse. Equipped with a lance and chainmail.

Horseman, Heavy

Mounted on a warhorse. Equipped with a sword, a lance, and plate mail.

Longbowman

Equipped with a longbow, a sword, and chainmail.

Peasant

Unarmed.

Wolf Rider

Mounted on a wolf. Equipped with a spear and leather armor.

Specialists

PCs may wish to hire all types of characters for non-combat and non-adventuring purposes (i.e., not mercenaries or retainers) and are termed specialists.

Note that specialists are hired to perform non-adventuring services and are not treated as retainers. Unlike retainers, there is no limit on the number of specialists a character may employ.

The most common types of specialists and their usual monthly wage are described. The referee may add new types of specialists as desired.

Locating Specialists

Specialists can be located by posting notices or inquiring at suitable guilds. The response will depend on the availability of suitable specialists in the area and the offer made.

Wages and Upkeep

The monthly rate of pay includes food and essential gear.

Alchemist

Recreating potions: Based on a sample or recipe, an alchemist can produce a potion at twice the normal speed and for half the normal cost (see Magical Research).

Researching potions: An alchemist may also research new potions, but this takes twice as long and costs twice as much as normal.

Animal Trainer

Trainers are required for exotic creatures or larger numbers of common animals (e.g., dogs, horses, mules).

Specialty: Each animal trainer specializes in a single type of animal.

Number of animals: A trainer can work with up to 6 animals at a time.

Time required: The referee decides the time required to train an animal, depending on the difficulty of the training and the animal’s intelligence. Learning the first new behavior or trick typically takes at least one month. Subsequent behaviors take at least two weeks each.

Interruptions: Training of all desired behaviors must occur back to back. If interrupted, the animal becomes unable to learn further behaviors.

Armorer

Producing weapons and armor: An armorer can produce five weapons, three shields, or one suit of armor per month.

Maintaining mercenaries’ gear: A dedicated armorer is required per 50 troops.

Assistants: An armorer’s output (either in arms produced or troops maintained) may be doubled by hiring two assistant armorers and one blacksmith. The armorer’s production may be quadrupled if four assistants and two blacksmiths are hired. An armorer cannot coordinate more assistants than this.

Assistant Armorer

Apprentices who may work under an armorer to increase the production rate (see Armorer).

Blacksmith

Craftsmen trained in the art of forging metal. Blacksmiths may be hired to work under an armorer to increase the rate of production (see Armorer).

Engineer

Engineers are experts in planning and managing construction projects, for example, building strongholds (see Construction).

Number required: One engineer is needed per 100,000 gp cost of the project.

Specialty: Certain races may have special expertise (e.g., a dwarf engineer may specialize in subterranean construction).

Navigator

Experts in navigating the high seas. A ship that travels beyond sight of land becomes lost if a navigator is not aboard (see Waterborne Adventuring).

Oarsman

Normal humans employed to power rowed ships; not trained for combat.

Sage

Sages are very rare individuals who devote their lives to studying obscure knowledge. A sage may be consulted to answer unusual questions.

Time and cost: The referee must judge the time and cost required to research the answer to a question.

Chance of success: There is never a 100% chance of finding an answer.

Sailor

Normal humans trained in the handling of sailing ships. Sailors can fight to defend their ships, typically equipped with a sword, shield, and leather armor.

Ship’s Captain

A seasoned sailor required to command a larger ship. A captain is familiar with the waters around the coasts they frequent.

Spy

A spy is hired to gather information about a person or group. The spy may be an outsider trying to infiltrate or a traitor already connected with the person or group to be spied upon.

Class: Spies are often NPC thieves but may be of any character class.

Time: The referee will determine the time required for the job.

Chance of success: Based on the circumstances, the referee judges the chance of the mission succeeding.

Reliability: The referee may also secretly decide a chance of the spy betraying the character.

Strongholds

Construction

When PCs wish to construct strongholds or any other type of building, the following procedure should be used:

1. Permission: It may be necessary to secure permission to build from an existing authority over the land. This may not be required if the land is uncharted wilderness.
2. Clear land: If the construction site is in the wilderness, all monsters in a 6-mile area (i.e., one hex on a typical small-scale wilderness map) must be killed or driven off.
3. Design: The player creates a plan for the stronghold and calculates the costs (see construction prices in Structures.
4. Review: The referee should review and approve the player’s plans.
5. Hire engineers: For every 100,000gp cost of the stronghold, the PC must hire one engineer (see Specialists).
6. Construction: Construction may commence once the land has been cleared and construction materials delivered. The time required depends entirely on the stronghold’s total price: one day of game time per 500 gp.
7. Prepare for settlers: If the PC wishes to find a dominion and attract settlers, a wider area around the stronghold should be cleared of dangers.

Building in Towns

Permission: While local rulers may allow PCs to build in a town, it is unlikely that they will grant permission to construct castles or fortifications.

Costs: When building in an existing town or city, the proximity of materials and labor dramatically reduces the costs.

• Stone buildings: Reduced by 60%.

• Wooden buildings: Reduced by 80%.

Domain Management

Maintaining Cleared Lands

Mercenaries may be hired to conduct patrols to prevent monsters from returning to cleared lands. These patrols can cover a maximum radius of 18 miles around a stronghold (6 miles in inhospitable terrain such as swamps, mountains, or thick jungle). If the area to be maintained is larger, additional garrisons must be stationed at intervals.

Settlers

The PC may wish to attract settlers into a cleared area. In addition to ensuring the safety of surrounding lands, the character will have to fund the construction of other buildings (e.g., accommodation, commercial facilities, transport infrastructure, etc.) to attract settlers. Advertising may also be necessary. The referee will determine the costs involved and how many settlers are attracted.

Taxation

If settlers move into the PC’s domain, the character can expect to gain 10 gp of taxes per year from each settler.

Structures

Descriptions

Barbican: Heavily fortified entry/exit point in a castle wall: two small towers, a gatehouse, and a drawbridge.

Bastion: Semi-circular tower built against a castle wall. 30’ base, 30’ high, walls 5’ thick.

Civilian building, stone: Two levels; wooden stairs, doors, floors, and roof; attic. The outer wall is 120’ long (e.g., 30’×30’), walls 1–2’ thick.

Civilian building, wood: Two levels; wooden stairs, doors, floors, and roof; attic. The outer wall is 120’ long (e.g., 30’×30’).

Drawbridge: Raisable wooden bridge crossing a moat. It may be attached to a gatehouse. 10’ long.

Gatehouse: Fortified entry/exit point in a castle wall. Includes a portcullis. 30’×30’ base, 20’ high, walls 5’ thick.

Keep: Fortified, central building of a castle. 60’ square, 80’ high, walls 10’ thick.

Moat: Defensive ditch, often filled with water. 100’ long, 20’ wide, 10’ deep.

Subterranean passage: Typical 10’×10’×10’ dungeon passageway.

Tower, large: Round tower, either freestanding or built into a castle wall. 30’ base, 40’ high, walls 5’ thick.

Tower, small: Round tower, either freestanding or built into a castle wall. 20’ base, 30’ high, walls 5’ thick.

Wall, castle: A stone wall with battlements. 100’ long, 20’ high, 10’ thick.

Non-Standard Dimensions

Bastions

Bastions of dimensions other than those listed may be constructed. Use the guidelines for towers, below, and divide by two.

Castle Walls

Higher castle walls may be constructed at an increased cost. A 100’ length of 30’ high wall costs 7,500 gp. Every additional 10’ height beyond this (up to a maximum of 60’ tall) costs 5,000 gp.

Towers

Towers of dimensions other than those listed may be constructed. The cost is determined by the tower’s height and its base’s diameter (in feet).

• Maximum height: Twice the base diameter.
• Up to the base diameter: Each 10’ height costs 200 gp × the base diameter.
• Above the base diameter: Each 10’ height costs 400 gp × the base diameter.

Example Tower Cost Calculation

A 60’ high tower with a 40’ diameter base will be constructed.

The cost will be 8,000 gp (40 × 200 gp) per 10’ for the first 40’ of height and 16,000 gp (40 × 400 gp) per 10’ for the remainder of the height.

The total cost is thus (8,000 gp × 4) + (16,000 gp × 2) = 64,000 gp.

Interior Features

The common interior features of a stronghold are listed in the table below.

Simple Approach

For simplicity, the cost of a stronghold may be increased by 25% to account for interior details, including: reinforced doors, stone stairs, flagstone flooring, tile roofing, windows or arrow slits, bars and shutters on windows, and standard furnishings.

Detailed Approach

The table below may be consulted if the group wishes to perform more detailed calculations or if additional features are desired.