GURPS Simple Fantasy

Overview
GURPS is a huge game that can cover practically any genre of roleplaying. But GURPS is also incredibly
flexible, and this document was designed to show you how little you need to know to play the game.
GURPS only uses six-sided dice, and uses abbreviations for die rolls – for instance, a roll on three dice
would be shown as “3d”.
The rules presented here are geared towards using GURPS to run a simple fantasy campaign.

Characters ST Thr Sw
GURPS characters are created by spending points. A good default for a player 5 1d-4 1d-3
character (PC) is 100 points. Characters are defined by their Attributes and Skills. 6 1d-4 1d-3
7 1d-3 1d-2
Attributes: Attributes must be purchased before skills. Each attribute starts at 10
8 1d-3 1d-2
(human average) for free. They can be increased using points. Attributes can also be
reduced, refunding points that can be spent elsewhere, but a good rule of thumb is that PCs 9 1d-2 1d-1
shouldn't have attributes below 8. The four attributes are as follows. 10 1d-2 1d
Strength (ST): Sets Hit Points (HP) and Basic Damage (Dmg). Costs (or refunds) 10 11 1d-1 1d+1
points per level. 12 1d-1 1d+2
Dexterity (DX): Helps determine Basic Speed. Costs (or refunds) 20 points per level. 13 1d 2d-1
Intelligence (IQ): Helps you notice things and resist fear. Costs (or refunds) 20 points 14 1d 2d
per level.
15 1d+1 2d+1
Health (HT): Governs how well you resist bad effects, determines your Fatigue Points
16 1d+1 2d+2
(FP) and helps determine Basic Speed. Costs (or refunds) 10 points per level.
17 1d+2 3d-1
Secondary Characteristics: These are derived from attributes, as follows. 18 1d+2 3d
Hit Points (HP): Your body's ability to sustain injury. Your HP are equal to your ST. 19 2d-1 3d+1
Fatigue Points (FP): Your body's “energy supply”. Your FP are equal to your HT. 20 2d-1 3d+2
Basic Speed: A measure of your reflexes. Your Basic Speed is your HT and DX added 2020
together and divided by 4. Do not round off – a 5.25 is better than a 5.
Basic Move: A measure of how far you can run in one turn, in yards. This is equal to your Basic Speed with
no fractions; e.g. a Basic Speed of 5.25 gives a Basic Move of 5.
Damage (Dmg): The damage you do in combat. Dmg is further broken up into Swing damage (Sw) and
Thrust damage (Thr). Both are based on your ST. Consult the chart to the right to determine your damage. Note
that this is a damage roll, not a fixed result, and can be further modified by the weapon you wield.
Example: We want to make a warrior. Warriors tend to have high strength but low intelligence. We spend 50
points to raise our ST to 15, since it costs 10 points per level. We lower our IQ to 8, returning 40 points, since it
refunds 20 points per level. We keep DX and HT at their default values of 10. We have spent a net total of 10
points and have 90 points left to spend.

Skills: Skills govern what your character is good at. Skill costs depend on Final Skill E A H
their controlling attribute and their difficulty (Easy, Average or Hard). This is
Attribute-3 - - -
usually written in the form “IQ/E” for, as an example, an Intelligence/Easy skill.
Attribute-2 - - 1
The chart to the right shows the cost of skills. To determine the cost, find
the skill level you wish to obtain on the chart relative to the skill's controlling Attribute-1 - 1 2
attribute, then look across to the difficulty. That is the number of points you Attribute+0 1 2 4
must spend to learn that skill at that level. Attribute+1 2 4 8
Example: We wish to purchase the Shortsword skill, which according to Attribute+2 4 8 12
the Equipment Table is a DX/A skill. If our character has a DX of 13, buying Attribute+3 8 12 16
Shortsword-13 would cost 2 points. Shortsword-14 would cost 4, etc. Extra +1 +4 +4 +4
While every character should have at least one weapon skill, you need
more than just weapons to survive. Here are some common skills for a simple fantasy campaign. The full version
of GURPS has many more!
Area Knowledge (IQ/E) - Represents familiarity with the people, places, and politics of a given region.
Carousing (HT/E) – Partying is a skill! A successful Carousing roll gives you a +2 bonus on a reaction roll –
see the Reaction Rolls section for details. A failed roll gives you a -2 penalty!
Fast-Talk (IQ/A) - The ability to convince others to do or say something they really shouldn't.
First Aid (IQ/E) - The ability to patch up an injury in the field – see the Recovery section for details.
 Gambling (IQ/A) - Skill at playing games of chance, determining if such games are honest, or just
“estimating the odds” in any tricky situation.
Lockpicking (IQ/A) - The ability to open locks without the key. Each attempt requires one minute.
Pickpocket (DX/H) - This is the ability to steal from someone’s person – or to plant something on him!
Stealth (DX/A) - This is the ability to hide and to move silently.
Traps (IQ/A) - This is the skill of building and disarming traps.
Innate Attack (DX/E) - This skill allows a mage to throw a spell after it has been charged - see Magic.

Task Resolution
The basic mechanic of GURPS is the success roll. A success roll is a roll against a skill or attribute. To
succeed, you (or the GM) must roll less than or equal to your skill or attribute level on 3d. The GM may assign
modifiers to your skill from -10 (hard to do) to +10 (very easy). Attempting to perform a task using a skill you do
not have has a penalty of -4 if the skill is Easy, -5 if Average and -6 if Hard. A 3 on the dice always succeeds and
an 18 always fails!
Sometimes two characters are competing to do something very quickly – for instance, two enemies lunging
for a gun. This is called a quick contest. Each competitor attempts a success roll. If one succeeds and the other
fails, the winner is obvious. If both succeed, the winner is the one with the largest margin of success. If both fail
the winner is the one with the smallest margin of failure. A tie means no one won – it's up to the GM to determine
what happened.

Reaction Rolls
If the PCs encounter a non-player character (NPC) whose relationship to the PCs has not already been
determined, the GM may roll 3d6 for a reaction. On a roll 6 or below, the NPC is hostile and works against the
PCs. A roll of 7-14 is neutral – he might talk and barter, but won't help. A roll of 15-18 is friendly, and means he
actively helps the PCs.

Combat
When combat begins, it is assumed that all the melee fighters from both sides are within melee range of
each other, and all the missile combatants on both sides are 15 meters outside of melee range on either side.
Combat proceeds in turns. A turn lasts one second. Each turn, characters act in the order of their Basic
Speed. Each player then chooses a Maneuver for their character from the following list. A Maneuver takes an
entire turn.
Attack: Attack an enemy with a ready weapon. A successful attack requires a success roll against your
effective skill with the weapon, and there are many things that can temporarily lower or raise your skill. If you
succeed, you do not automatically hit – the target must then fail to Defend (see the Defend Maneuver). The
exception is if the enemy does not know you are there – not only do they not get to defend, but you get a +4
modifier to your skill on the attack!
Aim: This maneuver can only be used with missile weapons. Take no action this turn, but aim at a specific,
visible enemy. If you attack the same enemy with the same weapon on your next turn, you may add your
weapon's Acc bonus to your effective skill – but if you lose sight of your enemy, change targets or change
weapons, the bonus is lost.
Move: Use this maneuver to run from melee range towards missile range or back at the rate of your Basic
Move.
Ready: Use this Maneuver to take an unready weapon (on the ground, in your pack, etc) and prepare to use
it. All missile weapons become “unready” upon being fired – this represents having to reload the weapon. Bows
require two turns of “readying” before they can be fired again. Crossbows require four!
Concentrate: Begin or continue casting a spell – see Magic. Nothing else can be done this turn!
Dodge: This is a defensive maneuver used on the enemy's turn to prevent him from hitting. Your dodge skill
is equal to your Basic Move + 3. If you make a success roll against this number, you dodge the attack. You may
dodge any type of attack and there is no limit to the number of different attacks you can dodge in a turn, but you
must be aware of the attacks. Your Dodge skill may be affected by how much you are carrying; see the
Equipment section.
Parry: This is another defensive maneuver. To parry, you must have a ready weapon. Your parry skill is
equal to half your skill with the weapon you are parrying with + 3. Make a success roll against this number and
you have parried the attack. You may only parry melee attacks that you are aware of and you may only parry one
attack per turn.
Free Actions: Free actions can be performed at any time and do not take up the character’s turn. The most
common free actions are to drop a weapon (possibly so another can be readied) and talk to other characters.
Damage, Armor and Health
The amount of damage a melee attack does depends on the character's Sw attribute and the weapon used.
Each weapon has a damage modifier; the amount of damage done is the character's Sw roll plus the modifier.
Ranged weapons use Thr instead of Sw. If a character attacks barehanded and succeeds, they do half their Sw.
An attack always does at least 1 point of damage.
Armor: In GURPS, armor (and some spells) grant a damage resistance (DR) value. Any successful attack
will have its damage reduced by the character's DR. If an attack does the character's DR or less in damage, then
the character takes no damage at all.
Health: Any damage that gets past DR comes off your HP. You do not automatically die at 0 HP, but every
turn thereafter you must make a success roll against HT. Failure means you instantly pass out. If you continue
taking damage down to -HP, you collapse and pass out automatically. You must then make a success roll against
HT or die.
Recovery: A character with the First Aid skill can make a success roll to attempt to heal a wounded
character. This requires one minutes and restores 1 HP if successful. If the caregiver continues to care for the
wounded character for another 30 minutes, the wounded character recovers 1d-3 HP – minimum 1. Further
healing requires rest. Characters that fell unconscious because they had fewer than 0 HP automatically wake up
15 minutes after their HP becomes positive again.
Fatigue points can be recovered at a rate of 1 per ten minutes of rest.

Equipment: All characters start with a certain amount of money (determined by the GM) to outfit themselves. All
characters can carry up to 2xST in equipment with no penalty. Characters can carry up to 4xST in equipment,
but suffer a -1 if they attempt to Dodge, as above. Characters cannot carry more than 4xST in equipment. In the
chart below, all weapons with a (2H) after their name can only be used two-handed.

Melee Missile
Weapon Skill Damage Cost Weight Weapon Skill Dmg Acc Cost Weight
Axe DX/A Sw+2 $50 4 Longbow DX/A Thr+2 3 $200 3
Mace DX/A Sw+3 $50 5 Short Bow DX/A Thr 1 $50 2
Broadsword DX/A Sw+1 $500 3 Crossbow DX/E Thr+4 4 $150 6
Large Knife DX/E Sw-2 $40 1
Shortsword DX/A Sw $400 2 Armor DR Cost Weight
Poleaxe (2H) DX/A Sw+4 $120 10 Cloth Armor 1 $150 12
Quarterstaff (2H) DX/A Sw+2 $10 4 Leather Armor 2 $340 19.5
Greatsword (2H) DX/A Sw+3 $90 7 Light Scale 3 $610 49

Magic
Magic in GURPS is built around an advantage called Magery, which costs 15 points. Buying Magery is
required to cast spells, and any character with Magery is called a mage.
Gaining Spells: Spells in GURPS are purchased with character points as if they were IQ/H skills, but may
have an additional cost representing the additional effort necessary to learn the spell. This additional cost is
listed in the description for each spell. Having the Magery advantage allows you to purchase spells as if your IQ
was one point higher.
Example: We have an IQ of 14 and want to buy the Fireball spell at our IQ level. Our Magery allows us to
buy the spell as if our IQ was 15, and the spell costs 3 more than the normal number of points for an IQ/H skill.
So we could buy Fireball-13 for 4 points, Fireball-14 for 5, etc.
Casting Spells: Spells require Fatigue Points (FP) to cast. Each spell has a different FP cost. To cast a
spell, the mage must concentrate for the number of seconds listed in the spell description. If the mage is in
combat, he must instead take the Concentrate maneuver, which takes his entire turn. At the end of the last turn
of concentration, the mage rolls against their skill with that spell. If they succeed, they pay the FP cost of the
spell and the spell takes effect immediately. If they fail, they must still pay 1 FP.
If the mage uses an active defense maneuver, takes any injury or is otherwise distracted while
concentrating, the mage must make a success roll against IQ with a -3 penalty to continue casting.
Spell Classes: Most spells fall into the Regular Spell class. These spells use the rules above unmodified.
Other classes of spells have slightly different rules.
Missile Spells send harmful projectiles to a target. If a missile spell is successfully cast, it appears in the
mage's hand. On the mage's next turn, the missile can be thrown at a target by making a success roll against the
mage's Innate Attack skill. The mage doesn't have to throw – the spell can be held until the end of combat – but
if the mage takes an injury while holding the missile spell, he must make a success roll against IQ or the missile
spell goes off, hitting the mage!
Resisted Spells have a chance to not affect the target. When the spell is cast, the mage must win a quick
contest between his skill with the spell and the attribute the target is using to resist, which will be listed in the
spell description. If the target resists, the mage must pay the full cost of the spell even though it failed.
Here is a list of common spells. The full version of GURPS has many more!

Daze – Resisted by HT – Costs IQ/H + 1

Subject looks and acts normal, but does not notice what is going on around him and will not remember it
later. Any injury to the subject breaks the daze. A mage must have an IQ of at least 12 to learn this spell.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 3 FP.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.

Sleep – Resisted by HT – IQ/H

Subject falls asleep. If standing, he falls – but this does not wake him. He can be awakened by a blow, loud
noise, etc. If not awakened, he will sleep for around eight hours and awaken normally. A mage must have spent
at least one point on the Daze spell before he can learn this spell.
Cost: 4 FP.
Time to cast: 3 seconds.

Detect Magic – Regular – IQ/H

Lets the mage determine if an object is magical, but does not identify the spell affecting the object.
Cost: 2 FP.
Time to cast: 5 seconds.

Fireball – Missile – IQ/H + 3

Lets the mage throw a ball of fire from his hand. When it strikes something, it vanishes in a puff of flame,
damaging enemies and igniting readily-flammable targets.
Cost: 1 FP per second for up to three seconds. The fireball does 1d damage per FP spent on it.
Time to cast: 1 to 3 seconds.

Haste – Regular – IQ/H

Increases the subject’s Basic Move and Dodge scores by up to 3.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 2 FP per point added to the subject’s Move and Dodge.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.

Light – Regular – IQ/H

Produces a small light, like a candle flame. It stays still unless the caster concentrates on moving it; then it
can travel at Move 5.
Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 FP

Minor Healing – Regular – Costs IQ/H + 2

Restores up to 3 HP to the subject. Attempting to cast it on the same subject more than once per day incurs
a -3 penalty for each time cast.
Cost: 1 to 3 FP. The same amount is restored to the subject.
Time to cast: 1 second.
 In the Court of the River King
An Adventure for GURPS
by Anthony Salter
Introduction

This is a short adventure meant to be used with GURPS. It's intended as an introduction to GURPS and is
specifically designed to help players become familiar with its various systems – success rolls, reaction rolls,
combat, magic, etc. If you wish to jump straight into the adventure with your players, have them use some of the
100-point characters in the Sample Characters section.

1. An Audience with your Liege

In this adventure, the PCs are minor functionaries in the court of the Queen of Veritria. Veritria is a small, but
prosperous and fairly happy kingdom, and the PCs have spent their lives in loyal service to Queen Alina as
guards, agents and dignitaries.

One day the Queen summons the PCs and tells them that she wishes them to attend the Feast of the Floods in
the neighboring kingdom of Gertal. Gertal is situated on a river delta that floods every year, providing rich soil to
grow the next year's crops. This is why Gertal's king, King Medos, is known as the River King.

Medos has sent the customary formal invitation for members of Alina's court to attend the Feast, which is usually
politely declined...but the Queen has noticed Medos becoming a bit distant and wishes to strengthen Veritria's
relationship with Gertal. Thus, the PCs will be attending the Feast.

None of the PCs are trained as formal ambassadors, but since this mission involves simply showing up at a
party and not embarrassing themselves, the Queen has decided to allow some lower-level members of her court
the chance to serve her. In any event, the safety of foreign dignitaries is considered absolutely sacred, so no
matter how badly the PCs might botch the event things shouldn't get too bad.

At this point, allow the players to ask questions of the Queen but they won't get much additional information. If
the players ask, the Queen will disburse $200 to each PC for expenses – but only if they ask.

The trip to Gertal takes a few days and is absolutely uneventful...unless the GM doesn't want it to be.

2. In the Court of the River King

Once the PCs arrive in Gertal, they can shop and look around, but eventually they will have to check in at the
castle. There they will meet the major-domo, who will ask them to wait in the vestibule while they are announced.

Unbeknownst to the PCs, King Medos of Gertal has already put in motion a plan to launch a sneak attack
against Veritria – this is the reason he has informally broken contact. When the major-domo announces the PCs'
arrival, the already-paranoid king is thrown into a panic. Who are these people? They claim to be minor
dignitaries, but the invitation was a mere formality. Why are they here? Are they spies? Saboteurs? Does the
queen of Veritria already know?

Thus the order comes down...the PCs are to be welcomed warmly, fed at the King's table, and then assassinated
in the night. If Veritria asks after their missing dignitaries, King Medos will simply claim they never arrived. This
vile betrayal has caused an uproar among the staff and Royal Guard but the King is adamant.

After a fairly long delay, the sergeant-at-arms will appear to guide the PCs into the castle. The sergeant-at-arms
will make the traditional greeting and Sign of Safety – a forward-facing palm with all fingers extended but the
pinky, thrust forward from the chest. The GM should have all the players make a success roll against IQ or Area
Knowledge, whichever is higher. Players who succeed should be told that while the gesture has been made
correctly, the sergeant-at-arms has oddly made it with his left hand, while the sign is traditionally made with the
right. (This way, he can tell himself that he never actually swore their safety.) This should be the first clue to the
PCs that something is amiss.

The PCs are guided into the huge dining hall where dinner is already underway. They are announced loudly and
King Medos states that he is overjoyed that members of Queen Alina's court have joined the Feast of the Floods.

Medos, the River King - 60 Points

Description: Early 40s, fair skin, blonde hair, overweight, fine features, 5' 10”, 175 lbs.
Atributes: ST 11 [10], DX 10 [0], IQ 9 [-20], HT 15[50]
Secondary Characteristics: Thr 1d-1, Sw 1d+1, HP 15, Basic Speed 6.25, Basic Move 6, Dodge 9, Parry 8
Skills: Large Knife-11 [2]; Gambling-12 [8], Fast-Talk-12 [8], Carousing-16 [2]
Equipment: Large Knife: 1d-2; Cloth Armor: DR 1

The feast is a fairly rowdy affair – Medos does not really stand on ceremony. If the players simply wish to join
into the festivities, allow them to make Carousing rolls if they have the skill to contribute to the party. To add to
the fun, you might have a half-drunk Medos throw his arm around a PC that has no charismatic skills and have
him “say a few words to everyone”, or perhaps there are some gambling games happening around the edges of
the party.

If the PCs explicitly state that they are keeping a look out for anything suspicious, allow them to make IQ rolls to
notice people acting nervously towards them or Fast-Talk rolls to try to pry some information about what is to
come.

The GM should make a note of the PCs' overall behavior at the party.

3. Treachery!

Once the party starts to wind downs, the major-domo will appear and suggest the PCs retire to their quarters.
They will be led to a long, clean single room with beds and lockers for each PC. The major-domo will tell the PCs
that the feast will continue tomorrow and wish them a good evening.

Soon after he leaves there will be a knock at the door. A young maid named Grizelda will enter.

Grizelda - 25 Points
Description: Mid-20s, fair skin, brown hair, plain features, 5' 4”, 120 lbs.
Atributes: ST 9[-10], DX 12 [40], IQ 10 [0], HT 9[-10]
Secondary Characteristics: Thr 1d-2, Sw 1d-1, HP 9, Basic Speed 5, Basic Move 5, Dodge 8
Skills: First Aid 10[1], Stealth 13[4]

Grizelda desperately wants to tell the PCs that they are in danger, but won't say it outright for fear of getting into
trouble. A successful Fast-Talk roll at +2 will get her to open up.

She will tell the PCs that they will be attacked tonight, and that Gertal is planning to attack Veritria. She won't
have many more details than that, but if pressed will say that she saw King Medos poring over some papers in
the war room when she brought him his lunch that day.

If any of the PCs successfully pick Grizelda's pocket, they will find a key. If they fail, have Grizelda run out of the
room in a huff.

If the players ask where the war room is in relation to their room, she will tell them that it is on the same level,
about 30 feet north. This will come in very handy later.

Even if the PCs completely botch every attempt to gain Grizelda's trust, as she is leaving she will turn back to
the PCs and quickly say, “Don't sleep!” before running away. Once she leaves, any PC that tries the door will
discover that it is locked. Any PC attempting to pick it will have a -3 penalty – it's a hard lock. Grizelda’s key will
open it.

If the players decide the best course of action is to leave immediately, mention that doing so would look
extraordinarily suspicious, and that the best thing to do would be to wait until morning, when they can make a
polite, if hasty, exit.

If the players try to search for hidden doors or other passages, they’ll fail. There is a door, but it’s very well-
concealed and can only be opened from the other side.

Much later that evening, that hidden door will open at the back of the sleeping hall with a party of Royal Guard
ambushers in plain clothes behind it. This party should number one more than the PCs and should be composed
of a random assortment of 60-point fighters and archers – see the Sample Characters section for ready-to-use
characters.

The ambushers will stay near the door and assess the situation before moving in.

If the ambushers don't see the PCs (perhaps because they picked the lock and are hiding out in the hallway),
they will retreat back down the passage to report.

If all the PCs are asleep, the ambushers will move in and begin slitting throats. Give each player a roll against IQ
to wake up when an ambusher approaches – if he fails, he's dead! PCs that awaken can shout an alarm, waking
everyone else. Combat then proceeds as normal, though the PCs are not wearing armor and do not have any of
their weapons ready.

If the PCs set a watch, that PC will see the ambushers enter the room – they are guards, not ninjas. He can then
shout an alarm and awaken everyone as above, though he will be the only one ready to fight.

If the PCs are present and awake, the ambushers will move in and combat will begin.

When handling the combat, you may wish to fudge things so that the NPCs don't die from combat wounds. You
can do this by having NPCs fall unconscious as soon as they are wounded to below 0 HP. Only allow an NPC to
die if a player explicitly says they are killing one (this will count against the players at the end).

Once the ambushers have been dealt with, the PCs really only have one option – to explore the secret passage
the ambushers came from. (If the players start to consider fighting their way out the front, gently remind them of
the dozens of armed, alerted guards between them and their goal.)

4. Underground Escape

The DM can run this as a full dungeon crawl, or simply have the PCs make a few IQ rolls to determine which
way leads out. If the PCs found out where the war room is in relation to theirs from Grizelda, they can find it and
enter it (it also has a secret entrance just like the PC’s room) and possibly recover the war plans. The desk they
are in is both locked and trapped and will require a successful roll on both skills to open. Tripping the trap
sounds the alarm, but the PCs can retreat back into the tunnel and shut the door to prevent the entire castle from
following them.

At the end of the tunnel, blocking final escape, is Medon's captain of the guard, Beren.

Beren – 180 Points

Description: Mid-30s, brown skin, no hair, grizzled features, 6', 200 lbs.
Attributes: ST 15 [50], DX 13 [60], IQ 10 [0], HT 15 [50]
Secondary Characteristics: Thr 1d+1, Sw 2d+1, HP 15, Basic Speed 7, Basic Move 7, Dodge 10, Parry 11
Skills: Broadsword-16 [12]; Large Knife-14 [2]; Gambling-11 [4]; First Aid-11 [2]
Equipment: Broadsword: 2d+2; Large Knife: 2d-1; Scale Male: DR 3

He is aware of practically everything the PCs have done while in the castle. He vehemently disagrees with King
Medon's plan to betray Veritria and is appalled at Medon's betrayal of the Safety of Dignitaries.

If the PCs simply attack, Beren will defend himself to the death. If they choose to talk first he will briefly converse
with them, allowing the PCs to plead their case (and make Fast-Talk rolls).

Once the conversation is over make a reaction roll for Beren with the following modifiers:
-1 if the PCs were rude or otherwise indecorous at the party
+1 if the PCs were polite and respectful at the party

+2 if any of the PCs successfully made Carousing rolls at the party

-2 if any of the PCs attempted Carousing rolls at the party and failed

+1 if a PC successfully uses Fast-Talk against him

-1 if the PCs harmed Grizelda

-3 if the PCs killed Grizelda
+1 if the PCs did not harm Grizelda

-1 for every ambusher the PCs killed (they are Beren's men, after all)
+1 for every ambusher the PCs did not harm (the ambusher must have ended combat with full hit points)

On a hostile result, Beren attacks, giving no quarter and asking none.

On a neutral result, Beren will allow the PCs to leave if they do not attack him. He will not aid them, no matter
how much he disagrees with his liege.

On a good result, Beren will decide that dishonor is worse than disloyalty, and will desert King Medon's service.
He will accompany the PCs back to Veritria and testify before the queen about Medon's intentions and
deception.

5. A Presage to War

After a few days, the PCs return to Queen Alina's court and testify as to what happened to them in Gertal. The
queen is absolutely shocked by Medon's betrayal of the safety of dignitaries – so much so that she almost
doesn't believe the PCs. Any evidence the PCs have will convince her to varying degrees. If the PCs have the
plans or Beren's testimony, she takes what they say seriously and sends additional spies into Gertal to
corroborate what they say. War will probably be averted. If the PCs have both, she immediately sends the army
to conduct “training exercises” along the border to Gertal as a show of force. Once Medon knows his secret is
out, he will abandon plans to attack and war will be averted, though relations between Veritria and Gertal may
never be the same. If the PCs have nothing but their wounds, Alina will thank them blandly for their service but
take no further action.

Sample Characters

The following characters are meant to be used as foes against the PCs.

Fighter - 60 points
Attributes: ST 13 [30], DX 12 [40], IQ 9 [-20], HT 10 [0].
Secondary Characteristics: Thr 1d, Sw 2d-1, HP 13, Basic Speed 5.50, Basic Move 5, Dodge 8, Parry 11.
Skills: Broadsword-13[4]; Knife-14[4]; Stealth-12[2].
Equipment: Broadsword: 2d, Large Knife: 2d-3

Archer - 60 points
Attributes: ST 10 [0], DX 12 [40], IQ 10 [0], HT 10 [0].
Secondary Characteristics: Thr 1d-2, Sw 1d, HP 10, Basic Speed 5.50, Basic Move 5, Dodge 8, Parry 9.
Skills: Bow-14 [8]; Knife-13 [2].
Weapons: Short bow: 1d-2, Acc 2, 20 arrows

The material presented here is the original creation of Anthony Salter, and is intended for use with the GURPS system from
Steve Jackson Games. This material is not official and is not endorsed by Steve Jackson Games.