Rules for Solo Game of Barbarian Prince

[tibbius]

I like the procedurally-generated events tables of Barbarian Prince but have always struggled with the rules. Not sure why; they're not terribly complicated. Maybe it's the combined flipping back and forth that is tolerable when there's one book but more annoying when there's two.

Anyway, recently I thought it might be fun to try adapting There and Back Again to run a solo game of Barbarian Prince (a game intended to be played solo). Though these adaptations would be equally applicable to running a group in the same setting ... maybe at some later time.

The following won't make much sense without reference to the original BP rules and the TABA rules. Here goes:

House Rules
How to Roll.

Roll [1d6][1d6][1d6]. Pick one or more left to right depending whether you have (dis)advantage. Any 5 or 6 is a success. Two or more successes are a critical success. All 1s means a Blunder.

Advantage and Disadvantage.

An advantage (like having a relevant skill or having a good plan or position) can cancel a disadvantage (like poor planning or an unfavorable position or lacking a relevant Trait). Advantages don't stack to give more than 3d6 and disadvantages don't stack to give less than 1d6. If you have any number of advantages and any number of disadvantages, roll 2d6.

Begging.

On any day that you are in a Haven, you can adventure by begging - an all-day action that uses the "charming" skill. Roll against Carousing or charming. Any number of successes gain one point of Wealth.

Caches and Seeking Trouble.

Roll against the "scouting" skill (or Foraging trait) to find your cache. On a Blunder, the cache has been looted. This rule also works for seeking trouble - if you succeed, roll on the event table; on a Blunder, someone before you laid waste to the event and only debris remains.

Borrowing.

With a successful charming roll, you can borrow 1 Wealth. Some time you may have to repay that loan, and then you will need to succeed at a haggling roll to avoid paying 2 for 1 (with a Blunder meaning you pay 3 for 1, and a critical success meaning you get the loan continued).

Combat Rolls.

Each success subtracts one from an opponent's Toughness. If you have no successes you lose one point of Toughness. On a Blunder, you lose points of Toughness equal to the number of opponents.

Combat Skill.

A "Barbarian Prince" value of 1-3 equals a lack of the Fighting trait. 4-6 equals having the Fighting trait (or Foraging for ranged weapons). 7+ equals having a relevant skill (melee or brawling or shooting).

Endurance->Toughness.

Exposure.

On any night you sleep in desert, mountains, rain, or snow, roll against Foraging or wilderness survival. Any success means you're fine. Failure means you lose one Toughness. A Blunder loses two Toughness. You can die from exposure. You gain an advantage if you have a tent.

Food and Hunger.

You need to eat one unit of Food each day. You can carry up to seven units as a single item. Each day without food, after the first day, roll 1d6. A result less than your Toughness means that you lose one Toughness. You can't die from starvation.

Havens.

Towns, castles, temples, and farms all are Havens. Havens are special areas where you can rest safely, work, or beg. In some Havens, you can seek information, hire minions, purchase items, and so on.

Healing.

On any day in a Haven that you only rest and eat, you recover all Toughness and Fate. On days in a Haven that you work, beg, or otherwise adventure, you don't recover anything.

Hunting.

Each day in the countryside, farmland, forest, hills, or swamp, you may roll against hunting or Foraging to obtain food. One success equals one day's worth of food, two successes equal two days' food, three successes equal four days. A Blunder means you lose one Toughness.

Items.

In addition to clothing and footwear, you can carry and wear a number of items equal to your Toughness. If you exceed that number, you are at disadvantage on all physical rolls - even ones for which you have a relevant skill. You start with adequate clothing and footwear, one item relevant to your Concept, one item relevant to each of your Skills, and one bonus item. You can purchase more with your starting Wealth.

Job.

On any day that you are in a Haven, you can adventure by working a job. Roll 1d6, 2d6 for a relevant trait, 3d6 for a relevant skill. Any number of successes gain you one point of Wealth. A Blunder loses you the job.

Lost (r205).

Usually, you can't get this result more than once when trying to cross a particular hex border. Your second attempt to move between two hexes always succeeds. River crossings and mountain passes are the two exceptions.

Magic (incoming hostile).

Test the Magic trait, or the relevant magic skill if you have it. Failure means you suffer the effects of the magic. Blunder means you also suffer one wound. Injury from hostile damaging magic generally is limited to one wound, but magic can do many things other than directly injure you.

Minions.

Sometimes you will have assistance in combat from NPCs. This could be tricky to represent using TABA's single roll mechanic. The solution is that you gain an advantage to your combat roll if you and your minions outnumber the opponents, or a disadvantage if your side is outnumbered. On your single roll, success means that you and your minions together inflict a total number of wounds equal to the lesser number of combatants on a side; failure means that you and your minions together suffer that same number of wounds. A Blunder means that you and your minions together suffer a total number of wounds equal to the larger number of combatants on a side. A critical success means that you and your minions together inflict a total number of wounds equal to the larger number of combatants. You decide where the wounds are allocated ("meat shields" is an appropriate phrase).

Ranged Weapons (incoming).

In a turn that you are subject to incoming missiles, test hiding or Sneaking to avoid the danger. On a failure you lose one Toughness, on a Blunder you lose Toughness equal to the number of shooters.

Resources / Gold -> Wealth and Purchases.

You start with Wealth 2. Each time you try to purchase an item or service, you spend 1 Wealth to make a roll against Carousing or haggling. You roll with advantage for ordinary things (e.g., food and lodging or hiring a porter for a day) - so if you lack the Carousing trait you still roll 2d6. You roll with disadvantage for very expensive things (e.g., armor or a horse or hiring a skilled warrior for a week) - so if you have the haggling skill, you still roll only 2d6. You have neither advantage nor disadvantage for moderate purchases (a week of lodging, a sword or bow, hiring a porter for a week or a warrior for a day). You may provisionally spend additional points of Wealth to roll additional d6 - if it gets to a point where you're worried about running out of money, and you haven't succeeded in the purchase, you may cancel the transaction to avoid losing any Wealth. If you get to Wealth 0 you can purchase nothing. If you get a critical success you make the purchase without losing any Wealth. You can gain one point of Wealth by successfully working or begging or robbing a person or corpse. If you loot a treasure hoard, you roll 1d6 to 3d6 depending on the size of hoard. Each success adds one to your Wealth. A critical success indicates a Special Item.

Routs (r220f).

Each time you kill an opponent, roll to see whether the remaining opponents run away. Roll with a disadvantage if your group is clearly inferior to the opponents in total Toughness. Roll with advantage if clearly superior. Any success means that the opponents break and flee. Your choice of whether to harry them down, which would cancel the rout. A Blunder means that the opponents rally and inflict double damage on your next failed combat roll. The same applies for NPCs assisting you when one of your comrades falls: roll with disadvantage if clearly inferior in total Toughness, roll with advantage if clearly superior, any success means that your minions hold, a failure means they run away. A Blunder means that the opponents inflict double damage on your next failed combat roll.

Seeking News (r209).

The first result of 5 or 7 gives you an additional die to roll on the table for r209 (pick two). The second result of 5 or 7 means that you find a job. The third result of 5 or 7 means that you find a job appropriate to one of your traits. The fourth result of 5 or 7 means that you find a job appropriate to one of your skills.

Thirst and Water.

You need to drink one unit of Water each day. You can carry up to three units as a single item. Water is easily available everywhere but in the desert and mountains, so usually you don't need to track it. In the desert or mountains, roll against Foraging or wilderness survival to find one unit of water (this is an additional roll on top of the roll to find food). Each day without water, roll 1d6. A result less than or equal to your Toughness means that you lose 1 Toughness. You can die from thirst.

Weather.

Each morning and evening, roll for a change in weather. Possibilities for weather:
Start off clear and comfortable. Roll 1d6: success means rain or snow; a Blunder means heat. Assume it never rains in the desert, snows in the mountains, and rains elsewhere.
Heat: in the desert, must roll for exposure every morning and every evening, not just after sleeping. Roll 2d6: success means it cools off.
If it rains or snows, must roll for exposure whenever you try to sleep. Also, morning and evening roll 2d6: success means it clears. Blunder means it gets worse (heavy rains or blizzard). This is in addition to the "Heavy Rains" result on the travel tables.

Wit&Wiles->Fate.

Cal Arath, the Barbarian Prince

Toughness 9, Fate 3, Wealth 1, Food 0, Water 3. Fighting: melee, brawling. Foraging: wilderness survival. Items 4: Bonebiter, fire kit, gem-crusted dagger, waterskin. Clothing: kilt, cloak, crossbelt, sandals. Goal: gather an army to retake the throne of the Northland.

[tibbius]

Day 1: The Ghosts of Jakor's Folly
It was morning and the caravan from Ogon to Weshor had made camp at the foot of a mountain, a half-mile below the ruins of Jakor's Keep and just a few hills away from the river to the south. Jakor had been an almost-forgotten king of the North who thought a keep was needed to take tolls from the seldom-traveled river ford on the other side of the hills. Sometimes the ruins were named Jakor's Folly.
Cal Arath awoke, untangled himself from his dark green woolen cloak, and rolled from the wagon where he had slept, lithe as a cat. He wore a kilt, checked bright red and green, and sandals. With one hand he lifted the crossbelt and scabbard that held Bonebiter, the huge sword that was his father's legacy. He donned the crossbelt over his bare torso, then swept the heavy woolen cloak over his shoulders in a way that left easy access to Bonebiter's hilt. He surveyed the scene.
There might be useful items in the ruined Folly, he decided. Without speaking a word to anyone, he began the slow climb up the steep track that led from the caravan trail to the gate of the fortress.
r208: Entering the gate, Cal Arath smelled a fetid, musty odor. (rolled 2d6=10). He passed through the courtyard, and as he did so he noticed an old well, its peaked roof and winch undisturbed by centuries. Going to the well, he looked down into a dry, dark shaft. Then he felt a cold hand on his shoulder.
Turning, he confronted a group of six ghosts. (rolled 1d6=1, ghosts; 1d6+1=6). As they surrounded him, he rasped Bonebiter from its sheath and set at the closest opponent. (Fighting: advantage for melee skill, disadvantage for outnumbered: 2d6=3,2). One of the ghosts briefly gripped him by the throat and the chill touch sent a tremor through his chest. (One wound, Toughness 8). Continuing to battle, (Fighting: rolled 2d6=2,6, one success) he struck out fiercely and one of the ghosts burst into shreds of smoke that blew away in the morning breeze. There was no choice but to continue the combat. (Fighting: 2d6=2,6) Bonebiter slashed another ghost to tatters. (Fighting: 2d6=5,6) Spinning, bobbing, slashing, Cal Arath avoided the clutches of the undead and his blade burst two more revenants to ribbons of smoke. Two remained, undaunted by their comrades' second demise. (Fighting: 2d6=6,1) He cut another and it too dissipated on the wind. (Fighting: advantage for skill, no longer outnumbered: roll 3d6=5,2,6) The last ghost finally succumbed to Bonebiter's edge. Cal Arath drew a deep breath of cool morning air and rubbed his throat, which burned from the grip of the one ghost's fingers. (gain 1 XP).
Now, he decided, he would continue to explore. Examining the well again, he saw that runes were etched around its rim. (This is event e044, ancient altar, following from defeat of ghosts.) Unfortunately, the prince had never learned his ancient runes. He shrugged and continued to explore the ruins for the rest of the day, pausing briefly to consume the last of his rations. Nothing more was found.
Looking out the gate in the mid-afternoon, Cal Arath saw that the caravan had moved on without him. Only dust remained. The forested hills stretched before him, toward the river, from the mountainside where the ruins stood. He was hungry and it was time to hunt. (Foraging: 2d6=1,4). By sunset, despite his greatest efforts, he had found nothing particularly edible in the forest near the trail. It was as if the animals shied from the road, and there were no fruiting plants. He went to sleep hungrily under his cloak on a soft bed of pine needles.

Day Two: Hunting and Resting
Determined to make something of the ruins, Cal Arath recognized that first he must find sustenance. As soon as dawn broke the next day, he arose and set out in search of prey or forage. (Foraging: advantage for full day: 3d6=5,2,3). By mid-day, he had tracked down a good supply of mushrooms and a stand of wild raspberries. Then he had even better luck: the point of his gem-crusted dagger struck down an incautious rabbit. He started a small fire using sparks struck into pine needles from the flints kept in the small pouch on his crossbelt, and slowly cooked the rabbit rare. He ate eagerly.
Somewhat restored, Cal Arath decided to rest for the remainder of the day.

Day Three: Hunting and Searching
In the morning, the prince decided to hunt and forage again before resuming his search of the ruined keep.
He had no luck (Foraging: 2d6=1,2); the mushrooms and berries were not sufficient to stem the tide of his hunger. (a second day without eating would be a wound if he rolled less than his Toughness on 1d6). Nevertheless, he turned his attention uphill to the tumbled stones and still-standing portions of Jakor's Folly (r208: 2d6=3,4). He spent the rest of the day searching, and found nothing!

Day Four: Crossing the Ford
On his fourth morning at the keep, Cal Arath decided he had lingered too long. He set out southward through the hills that lay between the mountains and the river, seeking the river ford (r204e, 207: 2d6=4,3). By mid-morning he had splashed across, getting his kilt and stomach wet as he held Bonebiter and his crossbelt wrapped in his cloak, high over his head. Nothing of moment occurred as he crossed, though a few fish jumped (r207, 2d6=1,2). The area south of the ford was flatland, lower than the hills. He spent the rest of the day hunting (Foraging: 2d6=4,5) and found food enough for a decent dinner. Nothing happened before he settled in for the night, wrapped in his cloak on the cool grass under the cold starry sky. (r207, 2d6=2,3).

Day 5: Around the Woods
The prince awoke in a light rain that soaked his cloak. He stood and wrapped the woolen garment round his shoulders, rubbing his side where the crossbelt had chafed in his sleep; in foreign lands, he slept with his sword on. Considering the vista before him, masked in a drizzle as it was, he saw that the land rose gradually southward from the river. To left and right were forest; just to the left of straight south, if he could guess directions right beneath the thickly clouded sky, there was an apparent gap of open land several miles wide between the two stands of wood. He chose to follow that path, hoping that a village or town might be at the other end. (r204, r207: 2d6=2,3->not lost; 2d6=6,1->no incident). By day's end, he had traversed the open land between the woods and saw before him a stretch of rolling, rocky hills with little vegetation. Turning to the forest he began to forage. (Foraging: 2d6=6,1->one day's food). He ate well that evening as the rain abated.

Day 6: The Halfling on the Hill
Cal Arath rose early, just before the sun came up. He started walking southward toward the hills (r205: 2d6=1,2->not lost) and wandered upward, not sure exactly where he was going and not sure how the day's foraging would go for him. (r207: 2d6=6,1 (hills)->e008(halfling)). About the middle of the day, as he came over the top of a hill among thornbushes, he saw a small man sitting on a rock whistling a tune. Turning, the small man greeted the prince, and Cal Arath saw the curly head and hairy feet and realized he was speaking with a halfling. He responded courteously and the two struck up a conversation. (e008: 1d6=3->r342: 2d6=1,2->r330(unwilling combat):2d6=5,6->r301(first strike, n/a with TABA)). The halfling was an irascible fellow, and when the prince remarked that the hair on his feet was quite thick and glossy, he leaped to his feet and struck Cal Arath in the groin. "Keep your eyes to yourself!" he shouted, yanking a dagger from a hidden sheath. The prince reluctantly but swiftly pulled out Bonebiter, and combat was joined. (Fighting, melee skill plus size gives advantage: 3d6=1,2,4->one wound; Toughness 7). In the first passage, the halfling slashed Cal Arath's thigh with his fierce little dagger. (Fighting: 3d6=6,1,3->deal one wound; halfling Toughness 5). Cal Arath responded with a sword hilt to the head, staggering but not dropping the tough little fellow. (Fighting: 2,3,5->deal one wound; halfling Toughness 4). He followed with a knee to the face. (Fighting: 6,5,1->deal two wounds; halfling Toughness 2). Another blow to the head and the halfling dropped his dagger and fled. (gain 1 XP). Cal Arath stooped and lifted the dagger, examining it closely. It was fine elvish work. He slipped it under the waistband of his kilt, hoping it wouldn't scratch him. There still was time to hunt for food.
Cal Arath Toughness 7, Fate 3, Wealth 1, Food 0, Water 3, XP 2. Fighting: melee, brawling. Foraging: wilderness survival. Items 5: Bonebiter, fire kit, gem-crusted royal dagger, elvish dagger, waterskin.
(Foraging: 2d6=6,1->one day's food). He found enough for dinner.

Day Seven: Still in the Hills
A river ran along the eastern side of the hills. Cal Arath could see it when he woke up facing the just-risen sun. Its cold blue water glinted under the cloudless sky. He rose and followed the river upstream most of the day. (r205: 2d6=4,5(hills)->lost). It was hard going. (r207: 2d6=4,5(farmland)->mounted patrol: 1d6=1). Toward the end of the day, as he ambled along a gravelly goat track at the top of the ravine in which the river gurgled, the prince saw a dust cloud rising from just beyond a low rise to his right. Scrambling to the top of the rise, but keeping low, he saw a single horseman clad in dull black armor with a shield and sword slung from his saddle. Seeing no need to challenge a mounted man who might reasonably be wary of strangers, the prince tried to lay hidden until the potential danger had passed. (Foraging: 2d6=3,5). After a while, the horseman was out of sight, riding northward. (gain 1 XP). Cal Arath decided to risk seeking food, though most likely the horse had frightened off anything edible. (Foraging: 2d6=2,4). He found nothing and slept hungry.

Day Eight: A Mysterious Offer
The next morning the prince set out before the sun rose, determined to put the rocky hills behind him. Following the course of the river, (r207:2d6=2,4->not lost) he came by late morning to the top of the last hill in the family. Before him, a grassy slope stretched downward to green and yellow fields surrounding a small tidy town of white and gray stone buildings with brown thatched roofs. One building had fresh green thatch. He hastened toward the town.
At the edge of the town, he encountered an old man carrying a bundle of sticks. The old man wore a patched brown tunic. Eyeing the prince's big sword and bare chest, the old man gave a cautious greeting. Cal Arath decided to try learning more about the town. He walked beside the old man and even offered to help with the bundle, then began asking casual questions. (r209: 2d6=5,6->discover thieves' guild and plan for theft). After a while, the old man mentioned that he and his friends could use a good strong hand in the evening at the big house near the river. But the prince would need to be stealthy! the old man added. And silent... with a menacing look the nameless old man made it clear that this was an offer Cal Arath should not refuse.
Nevertheless, knowing that if he went on an escapade in this town it would be no Haven for him, the prince respectfully declined. He hoped the old man and his cohorts would not be offended (Charming (disadvantage, no trait): 1d6=4... but it is not the prince's Fate to die in a dispute with thieves (-1 Fate): 1d6=5->no offense). Taking his leave from the old man with the bundle, Cal Arath went in search of an inn to purchase food and lodging. (minor purchase: 2d6=1,3; spend 1 Wealth: 1d6=5->able to purchase; Wealth 0). He was in luck! The Broken Branch had space on the floor and a bowl full of stew. He spent the night first eating, then singing and drinking, then sleeping well past dawn. By doing so, he recovered his lost Toughness and his spent Fate. Cal Arath Toughness 9, Fate 3, Wealth 0, XP 3. Fighting: melee, brawling. Foraging: wilderness survival. Bonebiter, kilt, crossbelt, cloak, fire kit, gem-crusted royal dagger, elvish dagger.

Day Nine: Going Around the Town
Cal Arath got up off the floor when the sun was halfway up the sky and the barmaid was sweeping him with her broom. She giggled when he opened his eyes; she was plump and had a pretty smile and bright eyes. "Good mornin' sleepy eyes," she said. He grunted and rolled to his feet, checking that Bonebiter still was at his side. The gem-crusted dagger was missing, he noted, but the elvish one that he had got from the halfling still was there. He tried it in the sheath for the lost royal dagger; it pretty much fit.
"Where can a man like me find work?" he asked the barmaid. (r209: 2d6=2,3->first 5: feel at home, learn nothing, gain one extra die for future attempts). She shrugged, and giggled again, showing the cute little gap between her teeth as she smiled. The rest of the day went like that - lots of friendly people, no results. Toward the end of the afternoon, Cal Arath started trying a different tactic: menacing people. (Fighting trait: 2d6=1,3; spend 1 Fate: 1d6=4; spend 1 Fate: 1d6=1). It didn't work for him. By nightfall he had no job, he had no money, and he had no roof to sleep under. He found a vacant manger behind an abandoned stable, wrapped himself in his cloak, and slept hungry under the stars. Cal Arath Toughness 9, Fate 1, Wealth 0, Food 0, Water 3. Fighting: melee, brawling. Foraging: wilderness survival. Items 4: Bonebiter, fire kit, elvish dagger, waterskin.

Day Ten: Begging for a Meal
It was not a very big town, but it was big enough to remind Cal Arath of the beggars he had seen in the town around the royal palace. He was hungry and he had no coin. He decided to try begging for some coins and maybe for a meal. (no applicable trait: 1d6=2; spend 1 Fate: 1d6=3, Fate 0). He had no luck after a full day of effort, and spent the evening restlessly in the empty manger, feeling his empty stomach twist in knots. (subsequent day of hunger: 1d6=4, less than Toughness->1 wound; Toughness 8). Cal Arath Toughness 8, Fate 0, Wealth 0, Food 0, Water 3. Fighting: melee, brawling. Foraging: wilderness survival. Items 4: Bonebiter, fire kit, elvish dagger, waterskin.

Day Eleven: Seeking Work or at least a Meal
The next day, again, Cal Arath rose at dawn and set out through the streets of the town in search of anything. (r209: 2d6=3,4+1->cutpurse; lose 1/2 of Wealth). Toward mid-afternoon, he noticed his coin pouch was missing. "Twas empty anyway," he scoffed silently. He hoped he was silent. He did not want to be seen talking to himself. Though perhaps that could win some sympathy... he decided to try begging again. (no trait: 1d6=6->gain 1 Wealth->Wealth 1; gain 1 XP->XP 4). Did he make enough to pay for lodging and a meal? (minor purchase: 3d6=5,2,3->yes). Staving off hunger and rain for a night was a welcome relief. He settled on the floor of the Broken Branch, glad to have a roof above him as the rain splashed the puddles on the muddy streets.

Day Twelve: Seeking Work Again
(r209: 2d6=5,6->thieves guild invites to a theft) The next morning, while he was looking for work, hoping to save enough money to get a day of rest, Cal Arath came across the old man who carried the bundle of sticks. He still didn't know the man's name, but this time when he heard an urgent invitation to accompany the man to a tailor's shop after it had closed, he acquiesced. First, he looked for dinner (cheap purchase: 3d6=2,3,1; spend 1 Wealth: 1d6=5->dinner, Wealth 0). Then he met the old man casually in front of the local temple to the gods. They wandered aimlessly through the muddy streets until they reached the back door of the tailor shop. The old man indicated that Cal Arath should break in the door. (feat of strength (Fighting trait): 2d6=5,6->broken door). He did so, and they entered, finding no-one in the shop. From the rooms above there were footsteps. The old man motioned the prince to guard the foot of the stairs as several accomplices entered and began to carry out bolts of cloth. Nobody descended the stairs. After ten minutes or so, the accomplices had emptied the shop of its finest cloth and the old man waved Cal Arath urgently out the broken door. In the alley, he passed over a purse of coins. (looting a hoard: 1d6=5->Wealth 5). "You got to get out of here," he whispered. "Take the money and run." The prince departed hastily, and as stealthily as possible. (gain 1 XP->XP 5; sneaking (no trait): 1d6=3->pursued; direction: 1d6=4->south). Before midnight, he found rest in a field well south of the town. He slept fitfully (pursued e050: 1d6=5->mounted; 1d6=6+1->seven riders). Cal Arath Toughness 8, Fate 0, Wealth 5, Food 0, Water 3. Fighting: melee, brawling. Foraging: wilderness survival. Items 5: Bonebiter, fire kit, elvish dagger, waterskin, coin purse.

Day Thirteen: Unluck and Good Luck
A while before dawn the sleeping prince awoke to hear hoofbeats pass by southward. Just after sunrise, the horses came back north, then stopped nearby. A loud voice hailed him: "You in the field! Stand up and show yourself!"
Cal Arath rose to face the sunrise and the speaker. He stood staring at a large man sitting on a horse at the front of six other men on horses. Each man wore leather armor and a shield and had a sword sheathed at their saddle. "It's him!" said one of the six other men. "I saw him last night when I was walking my round. Big guy with a cloak and kilt and a big sword, coming out of the alley behind the tailor's shop. He knows the whole story, by the gods."
"Will you come in with us, or fight?" asked the large man at the front. The prince assessed the odds. He was outnumbered (disadvantage) by mounted men (disadvantage doesn't stack) who might be skilled swordsmen (another possible disadvantage) but he too was a skilled swordsman (advantage cancels disadvantages->roll 2d6). All in all, he realized, he had a small chance of surviving a fight. Better to give up. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said. "Where did you come from?"
"Cumry," sneered the rearward rider. "As if you didn't know."
"I'm on my way north," Cal Arath lied. (no trait for lying: 1d6=3). "Is Cumry up this road?"
"I've seen you around the town," said a third rider sitting to the right hand of the lead man.
"Throw down your sword, and hold out your hands for the rope," said the lead man. "Quick!"
It occurred to Cal Arath that he might be able to bribe the guardsmen. (moderate purchase: 1d6=5; charming without trait: 1d6=6). "I'll give up some coin," he offered in a pleasant voice. He hastily shook coins from his purse into his palm. "You never found me," he added calmly.
The lead man urged his horse closer and gazed down at the strange southern coinage that the prince displayed. "It's enough!" he called back over his shoulder. Reaching down, he scraped the coins from Cal Arath's hand with dirty fingers. He reined his horse away and began to distribute the coinage among his followers.
The exiled prince turned his back on the guards and headed down the road, shaken by his narrow escape.
(gain 1 XP->XP 6. r207 (countryside): 2d6=5,5->event; 2d6=1,2->mercenary band). A few hours later, as the sun approached its zenith, Cal Arath saw ahead of him a low cloud of dust and heard the sound of a marching song. (mercenaries: 1d6=4 followers). He stepped off the road, looking for a place to watch the approaching people unobserved. (sneaking, no trait: 1d6=6!->success). Lying very still in the bushes next to the shallow ditch, he saw that a woman mounted on a horse kept it walking at the steady pace of the four men marching behind her. All carried shields and spears and wore light armor and swords. They sang in a southern language with a lot of long vowels, which Cal Arath did not know. They seemed cheerful. He decided to rise and greet them. (charming, no trait: 1d6=4). They did not recognize his speech. After some awkward gesturing, he shook hands with all of them and they departed northward while he continued south. (gain 1 XP->XP 7).
Toward mid-afternoon, the prince realized he was hungry and decided to hunt in a stand of trees a quarter-mile off the road. (Foraging: 2d6=4,5). He found sustenance enough to serve the day. As his three squirrels roasted over his small fire, he considered his situation. Scratched and bruised, down on his luck, not knowing where he was going. He needed a place to get his wits together. Somewhere he could rest and eat and sleep easy. Somewhere he could make friends to help him win back his throne. He decided to start looking for a farmstead where he might find hospitality.
After eating, Cal Arath searched until sunset for signs of settlement near the empty road. (Foraging: 2d6=5,6->success->e009: farm, friendly approach, 2d6=3,4->generous farmer). Just as the sun touched the horizon, he wandered across a pasture and through an opening in a stone pasture wall, into the dooryard of a long low cottage with an old thatched roof. A big barn stood next to the cottage. Two children and a short, burly man with a red beard were kicking around a ball in the yard between the barn and the cottage. The man looked over toward Cal Arath and waved, smiling. "Welcome!" he called. "It's been a while since we've seen a stranger here." He seemed unafraid of the prince's barbaric and travel-worn appearance or of the prince's sword.
"Hello," said Cal Arath cautiously, "good health to you and yours." He strode over to the ball, which the kids had abandoned to stare at him, and with a swift motion of his foot, he sent it toward the bigger child, the boy. (charming: 1d6=4->no effect on farmer's attitude) The boy grinned and sent the ball toward his father, who returned it to the girl. As they played for a while, the red-bearded father asked a few gentle questions of the prince: where was he headed? did he need a place to sleep? what news did he have? The prince shared that he came from the Northlands, he was looking for a castle with a friendly lord, and that he needed a place to sleep. The only news he had, he said, was that Cumry was a den of thieves. The farmer laughed at that. "I ate today," Cal Arath added, "there's no need to feed me again. I'd be grateful for a bath and a place in your hayshed."
The farmer told the prince of a castle named Huldra, a hundred miles south or more. "There's other forts and keeps," he said, "but the one at Huldra is a great lord and said to be generous." He gave general directions that he had gotten from travelers: "Follow the river south to the crossing between the mountains at the left and the hills at the right. The road ends there. Continue southeast around the mountains to another set of hills, follow the feet of the hills south past the forest and continue to the great road at Cawther. From Cawther follow the road south through more hills and ask the way to Huldra Keep."
After he and his family had eaten, with Cal Arath sitting by as their guest, the farmer offered to sell the prince supplies for his journey. Cal Arath eagerly accepted, seeking to purchase rope, a sack, a staff, and a week's worth of bacon and onions and cheese to fill the sack. (moderate purchase: 1d6=5->success). He also asked permission to stay another day and rest. The farmer politely agreed.

Day Fourteen: Rest
(resting and eating in a Haven->restores all Toughness and Fate). Cal Arath spent the day playing with the kids and chatting pleasantly with the farmer's wife as she worked in the kitchen. It felt good to be around the common people and learn their ways. (spend 5 XP->gain Carousing trait, XP 2).
Cal Arath Toughness 9, Fate 3, Wealth 5, Food 7, Water 3. Fighting: melee, brawling. Foraging: wilderness survival. Carousing. Items 8: Bonebiter, fire kit, elvish dagger, waterskin, coin purse, food sack, rope, staff.

Day Fifteen: Southward
When the next morning broke, Cal Arath bid a warm goodbye to the farm family and headed out southward. (r207: 2d6=4,5->lost. 2d6=2,3->no event). By day's end, he found the river and decided to follow it southwest. Before resting, he hunted. (Foraging: 2d6=3,2->no joy). Finding nothing edible, he feasted sparingly on a small serving of bacon and onions. Food 6.

Day 16: Bandits!
(rain? 1d6=4->no). The next day the prince got up and continued southwest along the river. (r207: 2d6=4,6->event; 2d6=3,4->e051 bandits). Toward mid-day, he passed by a stand of trees and three fierce-looking men leaped out with swords drawn. They set at him as he yanked Bonebiter forth from its scabbard. (bandit leader has the Fighting trait and Toughness 6; two followers have the Fighting trait and Toughness 4. Hand-to-hand combat, outnumbered: 2d6=4,6->inflict one wound; leader Toughness 5). Cal Arath cut the leader across the face and darted aside as the followers tried to strike him. (2d6=6,1; first follower Toughness 3). As they pursued, he struck out at another and drew blood. (2d6=3,4->suffer one wound; Toughness 8). Moments later, the prince suffered misfortune as one of the lesser bandits slashed his thigh near where the halfling had earlier wounded him. (2d6=3,5->first follower Toughness 2). He immediately retaliated, eliciting a yelp as Bonebiter cut deep. (2d6=6,5->first follower Toughness 0). Following up, Cal Arath struck a blow deep into the same man's chest. The bandit collapsed, blood spurting irregularly from his grievous wound. (Rout: 2d6=6!,4->the surviving bandits flee; gain 1 XP, XP 3). As the flow of blood slowed to a trickle and the two other bandits left his sight, the prince stooped and pillaged the corpse. (gain 1 Wealth, Wealth 6).
After the conflict, Cal Arath did his best to distance himself from the scene. Nevertheless, he found it difficult to follow the river as he frequently had to circumnavigate marshy ground. Toward evening, he hunted. (Foraging: 2d6=1,2). Again finding nothing, he ate another day's rations (Food 5). Then he slept anxiously, listening half-awake for stealthy footsteps of revenge. None came.

Day 17: Crossing the River?
When the prince awoke in the morning, he looked east to the sun rising over mountains downriver. Then he looked west to the stars fading over hills upriver. Before him, the river flowed from right to left through flat land between the hills and the mountains. He knew the crossing must be nearby. He set out to find it. (r207: 2d6=4,5->lost; 2d6=1,2->no event). By mid-afternoon, he had no luck finding any water shallow enough to ford. He set about hunting for supper. (Foraging: 2d6=1,2). He had no luck at that, either, and settled for a dinner of cold bacon and cheese. (Food 4).

Day 18: The Raftsmen
The next morning, Cal Arath set out westward along the river, looking for a shallow narrow spot. (r207: 2d6=1,3->not lost; 2d6=5,6->2d6=6,1->e122 raftsmen). Mid-morning, he found a group of rough-looking men sitting on a crude raft that they had pulled up onto the bank of the river. They drank from flasks and sang songs about women and fish. When he approached, they greeted him cheerfully and offered to raft him across the river for a small fee. (cheap purchase: 3d6=1,3,5). He made it dry to the other side.
Continuing southeast around the mountains that loomed steep at his left side, the afternoon sun brightening their slopes, (r207: 2d6=3,4->no event) Cal Arath passed the rest of the day in peaceful travel. In the late afternoon, he approached the verge of the forest before him and began to hunt. (Foraging: 2d6=4,5->gain 1 Food). He ate rabbit rare and slept well. (rain?: 1d6=2->no).

Day 19: Around the Woods to the Hills
(rain? 1d6=3->no). Between the woods to the south and the mountains to the north, Cal Arath saw a broad gap of open land that lead toward the hills the farmer had spoken of. He headed toward that. (lost? 2d6=2,3->no. event in hills? 2d6=4,3->no). Toward the middle of the afternoon, he reached the feet of the hills and hunted for food. (Foraging: 2d6=6,2->1 Food). Cal Arath Toughness 9, Fate 3, Wealth 5, Food 4, Water 3. Fighting: melee, brawling. Foraging: wilderness survival. Carousing. Items 8: Bonebiter, fire kit, elvish dagger, food sack, waterskin, coin purse, rope, staff. (rain? 1d6=3->no). As the stars and moon came out, he slept wrapped in his cloak, appreciating the warmth of a late spring evening in the southern lands.

Day Twenty: South Along the Hills
(rain? 1d6=5->yes). Rain woke the prince. He shuddered in his clammy cloak, then rose to face the cloud-covered sky over the hills. He briefly said the words of the dawn, then turned his left shoulder to the hills and walked south. (lost? 2d6=4,5->yes. event in the countryside? 2d6=3,4->no). The day passed quietly, the rain continuing stronger and weaker again. In the afternoon he hunted. (Foraging: 2d6=1,2). By evening he was wet and tired, and not overjoyed to eat cold rations in the rain. (Food 3). (clearing? 2d6=3,4->no). Moreover, he had to sleep in the wet, which was the first time he had done so in his journey. (exposure? wilderness survival 3d6=5,1,2->no). He found a copse of trees and pulled branches and leaves over himself to make a dry shelter under which his body heat gradually warmed and somewhat dried his dark green woolen cloak.

Day 21: Still South
(not lost on the second day. clear? 2d6=3,1->no). The next morning still was wet and generally unpleasant. Cal Arath cursed quietly as he rose and moved southward again. (event? 2d6=4,6->yes: 2d6=3,4->cave tombs). As he walked along the side of a hill to avoid the muddy ground at its feet, he noticed a strangely regular-shaped opening a few dozen yards above him. If nothing else, it offered a sheltered place to sleep out of the rain. He decided to explore it before hunting for supper. (1d6=6->e029: 1d6=5->cache under stone). Lacking a torch, he groped his way into the shadows and suddenly his hand dislodged a stone. He jumped back as the slab nearly struck his foot. Without pausing for caution, he probed the opening where the stone had been. He felt something like dried meat, and bones, as well as (1d6=nerve gas bomb, gain 1 XP->XP 4) a smooth, round, cold thing that was not a skull. Bringing that thing back to the mouth of the cave, the prince observed an expensive globe of thick glass filled with some sort of dust that floated around when he shook the globe. He was not sure what it might be good for and decided to return it to its place.
The rain continued as Cal Arath hunted. (Foraging: 2d6=2,4). He ate another day's worth of his food from the farm, noting that not much remained. (Food 2). Then he slept in the dry cave, near the entrance. (clearing? 2d6=2,3->no).

Day 22: South
The cave faced west, so the sun did not wake the prince. He rose in the middle of the morning and went out of the cave into the shadow of the hillside. (clear? 2d6=6,1->yes) The rain had stopped. The ground was damp. He turned southward. His sandals left prints on the soft earth.
(lost? following the edge of the hills. event? 2d6=5,1->no.) After walking most of the day, he left the hills for open countryside below their feet. He hunted for dinner (Foraging: 2d6=5,1->1 Food) and found enough to fill his belly. The ground had mostly dried, and he found a particularly dry patch under a bush, where he rolled himself in his cloak. (rain? 1d6=5->yes. wilderness survival: 3d6=4,3,5->no exposure.) During the night, it began to rain again. The bush kept the prince dry.

Day 23: Cawther?
(lost? 2d6=2,3->no. event? 2d6=3,4->no. clear? 2d6=5,2->yes.) Rising early again as the rain faded to drizzle and then to nothing, Cal Arath walked quickly toward where he saw smoke hanging under the clouds. After a couple of hours, he was among fields, seeing cottages scattered around him a mile or more apart but closer together in the distance ahead. Peasants moved about their work, not noticing his passage or ignoring him. He did not try to approach them; he was not desperate, and he did not want to alarm the masters of this settled land with reports of his presence.
The prince continued south. After two more hours, he reached the place where smoke rose from numerous chimneys. Greeting a passing youngster on the outskirts of town, he asked: "Is this Cawther?" "Yup," replied the youngster, gazing wide-eyed at Cal Arath's kilt and cloak and sword.
The prince spent the rest of the day seeking news in the town. (r209: 2d6=1,2->thieves' den). After a few hours, toward mid-afternoon, he was in a low tavern when he overheard two scruffy men discussing the location of a hideout. When they left the tavern, the prince followed carefully (sneaking: 1d6=2) to find out where the hideout was, thinking he might pillage it. But the two men must have observed him; when he turned a corner into a narrow alley, they were waiting with drawn knives. (two thieves, Fighting trait, each Toughness 3). Bonebiter flashed repeatedly (an advantage for melee skill and larger weapon, but disadvantage for outnumbered: 2d6=1,2) but one of the thieves darted in and gouged Cal Arath's forearm with his curved knife. (Toughness 8). The prince continued to battle (2d6=2,3) but suffered another wound (Toughness 7). Emboldened, the thieves pressed hard (2d6=2,3,5); this time, Bonebiter struck home and elicited an angry outcry from one of the men (first thief Toughness 2). The fight continued (2d6=1,2) and the wounded thief stabbed Cal Arath in the shoulder (Toughness 6). Unrelenting, the prince fought more fiercely (2d6=6,1; spend 1 Fate: 1d6=2, Fate 2) and cut the wounded thief across the shins (first thief Toughness 1). Pressing their luck, the two thieves darted in and out, trying to pierce Cal Arath's flesh (2d6=2,3; spend 1 Fate: 1d6=5). Finally, the prince got in a solid blow, staggering the wounded thief to his knees (first thief Toughness 0) and reflexively thrusting Bonebiter deep through the man's sternum with a crackling noise. (rout? 3d6=1,2,4). Despite his comrade's fall, perhaps because of it, the remaining man shrieked with rage and lunged forward (no longer outnumbered: 3d6=4,5,1); Cal Arath cut him across the chest, then (3d6=6,2,3) on a backhand stroke across the forehead, but missed a killing blow; instead, the thief jammed the tip of his knife into the prince's thigh (Toughness 5) and attempted another attack (3d6=4,5,1). This time, Bonebiter severed the man's hand and knife, and he fell to the dirt howling with pain. (gain 1 XP, XP 5).
Hoping to evade attention, the prince hobbled rapidly down the street toward a door that he recognized from the fallen thieves' conversation back in the tavern. He threw his unwounded shoulder into the door, Bonebiter still in his hand (break door: 3d6=4,6,5) and almost fell through as the old wood shattered. Ducking into the abandoned room beyond, he went immediately to the old wooden chest that the thieves had described, and rifled through it, adding coins and a couple of gems to his purse. (loot hoard: 1d6=5->Wealth 10; gain 1 XP, XP 6). He had too much to carry in his wounded condition, so he abandoned the food sack, the rope, and the staff. He would come back for them when he was healed - if they remained. Cal Arath Toughness 5, Fate 1, Wealth 10, Food 0, Water 3. Fighting: melee, brawling. Foraging: wilderness survival. Carousing. Items 5: Bonebiter, fire kit, elvish dagger, waterskin, coin purse.
It was time for an evening of food and rest, and probably another day's rest after that, Cal Arath told himself. He cleaned Bonebiter on a tattered cloth from the burgled chest, then limped on his wounded leg through the streets in search of a safe place to rest. He found the Antlers, a nice-looking inn with the eponymous branching ornament above the door. There he splurged on food and lodging for a week (moderate purchase: 2d6=1,3->spend 1 Wealth: 1d6=4->spend 1 Wealth: 1d6=2, spend 2 Wealth: 2d6=3,5; Wealth 6).

Days 24-30: Cawther
The prince rested for a week from his travels, enjoying the hearty meals and soft bed that he had purchased. (Toughness 9, Fate 3). He also spent a lot of time conversing with travelers and local folk in the dining room. (spend 5 XP, XP 1->gain "charming" skill). During each day and evening in the dining room, he tried to gather more information about the town and the surrounding area. (2d6=3,4->discover cheaper lodgings; from now on roll with advantage on this table and when purchasing long-term shelter in this Haven) He learned of a reputable but less fancy inn called the Caged Raven, which had the eponymous bird in a cage in its dining room. (3d6=6,1,1->discover a menial job, or nothing) The next day he heard of a job watching for shoplifters in the market. (3d6=4,4,5->pick pocket, or local constabulary->Wealth 3) Later on, he found that someone had gone through his coin purse and plucked out the gems that he had lifted from the thieves' den. (3d6=3,4,6->job suitable to a trait, or local magician, or local constabulary->local magician, e016 friendly). On the fourth evening at the Antlers, he met a tall and slender man with a rugged bearded face, who wore plain grey robes of silk and an onyx pendant. The prince struck up a conversation (charming: 3,4,4->pleasant but neutral; spend 1 Fate: 1->no improvement) that lasted for a while but ended when the robed man paid for their last drinks and walked out into the night. (1,3,4->job suitable to trait) The next day he heard about a job unloading wagons in the market, something his strength was suited for. On the sixth day (6,1,3->rumors of secret rites; job suitable to skill; or constabulary) there was a rumor whispered that the priests of the gods at the temple of Donat, up in the hills to the east, practiced unspeakable rituals. That was the first that Cal Arath had heard of a temple nearby. He decided that he would visit that place. On his final day in the Antlers, (2,3,3->nothing, or caravan) a burly woman entered the dining room wearing travel-stained clothes. She strode to the bar and tossed a small jingling bag to the startled innkeeper. "Rooms for my men," she said flatly. "We've had a long road." Turning to the room, she announced, "our wagons and such are just outside of town on Temple Road."
Cal Arath decided to visit the caravan camp. (3,4->hostile guards; spend 1 Fate: 3->independent merchant). After exchanging awkward greetings with the guards, who looked suspiciously at his big sword and barbaric attire, the tall prince wandered through the camp. He came to a halt outside the tent of a man dressed in brown tunic and trousers sewn from fine cloth, with a pointed blue cap. The man was frying sausage in a small copper pan over a fire. He greeted Cal Arath warmly: "Good to see a foreign face," he said, "one of the reasons I chose to be a traveling merchant." They spoke for a while (e128: 1,2->cave tombs e028), and the merchant mentioned nearby caves, in which the ancient dead were buried.
After a while, Cal Arath left the merchant to eat his sausage and wandered toward the rumored caves. (rain? 4->no).
It did not take long to find the caves. It was late afternoon when Cal Arath entered them, groping in the dim light from the elaborately carved stone archway at the entrance. (6->1->1 mummies). Soon he found something: a stone sarcophagus, and more beside it. (3 more coffins). Carefully he tried to remove the heavy lid. (feat of strength: 4,5->lid comes off). With a whispery scraping noise, the lid came off and thumped onto the dirt floor of the cave. An odor of dusty decay arose from the contents of the coffin. Turning away and taking a deep breath, the prince returned his attention to the mummified remains, using the sense of touch more than sight to find whatever treasures might be hidden on or around the corpse. (gain 1 Wealth->Wealth 7). He tucked a few gems into his coin pouch and then turned his attention to the other coffins. (feats of strength: 1,3; 5,6; 2,3) Two of the lids exceeded his strength, but one more he was able to gruntingly lift and slide. It too thumped to the floor and he rifled the contents, adding a few more gems and an amulet to his purse. (gain 1 Wealth->Wealth 8). Untroubled by a passing thought of vengeful ghosts (he already had fought such creatures), Cal Arath emerged from the tomb (rain? 2->no) into the red-gold light of the setting sun.
"Would have been easier to loot the tomb, had I had help," he murmured to himself. The two still-covered sarcophagi tantalized him. Who knew what treasures lurked within?
He stiffened suddenly, gazing toward the sun setting over the town below him. Had he given up on reclaiming his throne? His thoughts were of treasure and comfort, not of vengeance. Was he content to spend the rest of his life wandering the Southlands, pillaging tombs?
"I'll seek guidance from the temple priests," the prince decided. "If they say so, I'll turn to the lord of Huldra Castle for men and provisions. Then we can march ..." but his mind still longingly rested on the feather mattress in his room at the Antlers.