Portal Rats

High Misadventure on the Infinite Planes

Made using

The Black Hack

Portal Rats: High Misadventure on the Infinite Planes

by
Tore Nielsen
and
Neal Stidham

Made using
The Black Hack, developed by David Black
and
The Cthulhu Hack, developed by Paul Baldowski

Title typeface: Felix Titling

Body typeface: Gentium Book family
Fonts used under license

Cover image by mkweb2 @ pixabay

Used with permission

2
 Contents
Basics 4
Creating Characters 5
Adventuring and Equipment 37
Encounters and Combat 42
Magic 51
Open Gaming License 58

3
 What’s This?
Portal Rats is a traditional tabletop role-playing game, played with paper,
pencils and dice, narrating an interactive story around a table with
friends. Portal Rats is based on the simply elegant The Black Hack by David
Black, with ideas drawn from Black’s Additional Things blog and The
Cthulhu Hack by Paul Baldowski as well.

The Black Hack uses the original 1970s fantasy role-playing game as a
base. But it adds and takes away ideas from the original to come up with
an elegantly modern game with a traditional flavor.

Portal Rats adds rules to emulate games of adventure set in the grand
multiverse of planes created for the original roleplaying game,
particularly the second edition’s line of multiplanar adventure. It
supports tales of exploration, adventure, and intrigue while traversing
the infinite multiverse of inner, outer, prime, and transitory planes.

Portal Rats offers the system and mechanics to run exciting adventures
using the tropes and creatures from those classic supplements and
sourcebooks, as well as your own weird and inventive creations to be
found on the endless planes.

Basics
The Core Mechanic
Everything a character might possibly attempt that could result in
failure is resolved by testing attributes. In order to successfully test an
attribute, a player must roll below it on a d20.

GM-controlled characters don’t make tests: a character must avoid their

attacks or abilities by making a test. The only time such an opponent
would roll is for damage.

Advantage and Disadvantage

A GM may decide that a particular course of action or task has a higher
or lower chance of success. They will ask a player to roll an additional
d20 when making a test: with Advantage, the lower result is used; with
Disadvantage, the higher.

4
 Creating Characters
Selecting Attributes
The six attributes are Strength (STR), Dexterity (DEX), Constitution
(CON), Intelligence (INT), Wisdom (WIS), and Charisma (CHA). You have
65 points to distribute amongst them; you must allocate at least 3 points
to each attribute, and may not allocate more than 18 to a single attribute.
(Other factors may later raise or lower attributes beyond this range.)

Background
Roll or choose a background from the tables provided below, then roll
or choose again to locate a specific background on the following pages.
Alternately, with the GM’s permission, create your own background.

1-2 Elemental
3-4 Upper
5-6 Lower
7 Transitory
8 Prime

“Portal rat” is a common slur across the multiverse. It refers not simply
to adventurers, but a particular type: “rats” are riff-raff. The phrase
describes a hardscrabble ne’er-do-well from a tough background found
anywhere there is a portal that allows escape from hardship,
oppression, a dead-end life, or even just boredom. For a true portal rat
there’s nothing to go back to, and an endless series of upward possibili-
ties. They’re the nobodies of the planes, and that makes them capable of
anything.

5
 The Inner (Elemental) Planes
The Elemental Planes are a roiling maelstrom of the four basic elements
(Fire, Air, Water, and Earth). Contrary to the neat Prime model of
balanced forces, the truth of the Elemental Sea is perpetual expansion,
contraction, and conflict in one vast conceptual space. Between the
four Major Forces, the transient sub-planes are created and snuffed out
by their interactions: e.g., Steam can be located wherever the current
boundaries of Fire and Water meet, only to be blown apart when it
blunders into the domain of Air.

Elemental Backgrounds (D20)

1 You lived for untold years in the eye of the Everlasting Typhoon.
There is a shantytown of survivors and daredevils in there, but
your past beyond that is swept away.
You roll with Advantage when predicting the weather, or acting in
adverse weather conditions.
2 You were born from the Exhalation of Susanoo, the impetuous
brother of the Sun Herself. You spent your youth in free fall,
watching floating worlds from afar.
Falling does not hurt you. Ever.
3 You were a guard in the opulent crystal palace of a djinn emir.
You roll with Advantage to discover ambushes and tactical ruses.
4 You worked as a night-farmer in the fields of Blind Storms. Down
there in the endless dark you saw no light. Now you cannot get
enough of it.
You can see in the dark.
5 You were a foraging slave in the maggot-men’s caves. You ate
venomous grubs, blind tunnel-fish, and dirt to stay alive.
You roll with Advantage against any ingested poison, including alcohol,
spoiled food and brackish water.
6 You were a freedom fighter in the doomed war against the
Cacophonist. You saw your comrades cut down by his War
Flautists. There will be a reckoning. You will raise an army and
bring freedom to the Jungle of Reverberations.
You are immune to sound-based attacks. You are also profoundly tone-
deaf, and a bit suspicious of musicians.

6
7 You walked for years behind a drudge-drake, plowing the Magma
Plains.
Heat and fire will not hurt you, unless you antagonize it.
8 Your parents were rich merchants in Doon, grandest of the Nomad
Cities floating on the elemental vortices.
You start the game with +2 to CHA (up to a maximum of 19).
9 You were a midwife in the City of Brass, cracking open molds and
helping the infant ifrits take their first stumbling steps.
You roll with Advantage against heat damage, and when dealing with
small children (newly-
hatched rocs, baby dragons, fussy infants, et cetera.)
10 You were a boatman at the Wellspring of Rivers, just like your
ancestors since time immemorial.
You roll with Advantage when swimming or sailing. Also, you speak the
language of amphibeans.
11 Your mother was armorer to one of the Cinder Dukes. Which one?
It matters not. They are forever at each other’s throats, ascending
thrones or fleeing.
You may appraise the worth of weapons accurately, and roll with
Advantage when handling explosives and Greek fire.
12 The Council of Frost has picked you to be thawed and sent to locate
the new world of Soon as their envoy. You’re still a bit woozy from
being chiseled out of the permafrost and dumped down a churning
warp glacier.
Cold doesn’t bother you, and you have 2 AP of icy armor.
13 You lived in one of the Pearl Palaces under the Sea Without End.
You were are teaboy or a parlor maid, an invisible menial in the
heart of power. You may have slit a few narrow patrician throats
before making your escape.
You are a strong swimmer, and have gills. Your skin is turquoise scales,
and you have webbed hands and feet.
14 You came of age in Kettle, the metropolis at the Heart of Steam.
Your eyebrows are singed and your hands calloused.
You roll with Advantage when dealing with machines and steam-power.
15 You were a stable hand at the court of Iskur, the Storm King.
You rode the wild zephyr when no one looked, and polished the
pegasi’s feathers.
You roll with Advantage when riding or interacting with horses and
horse-like beings.

7
16 You lived an uneventful life on a floating island, sometimes
buffered by cold winds, sometimes all all but resting on mighty
waters. A tedious life! That was why you stowed away on a skyship
bound for the Celestial Planes.
You roll with Advantage when hiding (or farming, but you’d rather not).
17 You were raised by masked nomads in the ash-dunes of Fires Past.
Some of them must have been your parents. You eked out a living
by scavenging, and spent your free hours searching for a way out.
You found one.
You have a mask, a second face which will fool anyone who hasn’t seen
you before.
18 You were a nurse in the Filth Meadows. You looked after the
spawn of slug barons and ooze elementals, and became a power to
be reckoned. Oh, but what does power matter if you live in mud
and silt?
Diseases and infections do not bother you. You may be slightly addicted to
perfumes and incense.
19 Dwarves carved you and your siblings out from the living rock.
You were their spoiled golden children.
You have two AP of rocky armor. Your features are beautifully chiseled,
but you are a lot heavier than you look.
20 You grew up in the place where the first raindrop fell on the first
seed and begat the first tree. The rain never stopped, and the
plants never ceased spreading. You were born of a large, obscenely
colorful orchid.
You have a pocket full of seeds. If you scatter them over even the thinnest
layer of soil, they will grow into a forest within an hour.

8
 The Outer (Celestial) Planes
Divided roughly evenly into the Upper and Lower Planes, these are
the heavens and hells of the deities. When primes or planars die, their
essence is translated to the plane of their personal belief and reborn as
a petitioner, often into a radically different form, such as the mindless
lemures of the Descending Hells.

Upper Celestial Backgrounds (D20)

1 In Elysium you were a craftsman, working only with the most

beautiful and perfect of materials. You worked hard, but the
lightness of Elysium made it all seem insubstantial. Maybe it was
rash to leave, but out here in the worlds you feel you make a
difference. Your body aches from honest toil.
You roll with Advantage when dealing with your craft (and you must
decide what it is now).
2 You bought your way into heaven. Now, celestials cannot be
bribed, but you bought the name of a man who was virtuous but
poor. In Elysium there is no time, but the cheat was discovered,
and you were cast adrift in the universe. Somewhere out there
there is a man who paid for your misdeeds, and he too is free from
his assigned afterlife.
Someone is coming after you. Talk briefly with the GM about your
expectations in that regard. You start the game with +2 to CHA, as well as
a red scar where a wroth angel touched you as you were thrown out of the
Afterlife.
3 You guarded a sylvan glade with word and spear. You had a
thousand merry wars with fauns and elves.
You start game with a spear, and a breastplate made from silver scales (4
AP).
4 You are an envoy for Ezur, the valley where Thought and Action
are equally humble, and the Thunder Queen rules with the clarity
of lightning and the weight of thunder. You have been sent out
into the world to spread the good news of your Queen and her
message of balance.
You start the game with a shining broadsword and a cuirass (2 AP of
armor).

9
5 You tended the World Ash, whose leaves are stars and whose roots
extend into the Abyss. You traded gossip with the squirrels, and
fought the maggot-offspring of Nidhógg. The work, like the Tree
requires renewal, and you were sent out into the world after
uncounted years of golden toil.
Whenever you meet someone with connection to Asgard, you may test
CHA to see if you know something salacious or dark about them. You may
do this once per individual.
6 You were an agent of Dispater, in deep cover in Heaven. It was the
greatest and most audacious strike against the Manors Benevolent
since the elves learned speech. No one suspected a thing, and soon
you felt at home among the well-ordered fields and orchards. This
was Law without the threat of punishment, work without a shove
of resentment or a dagger of ambition. You knew that you had to
leave, as you were undeserving. One day you shall return, and your
lies shall become truth.
Once per day/level you may tell an undetectable lie. A person might think
you’re wrong, but they will never think you lie.
7 The Crystal Isle is a near-abandoned heaven, a place of cold
perfection teetering on the edge of Order Itself. Those few who
are sent here sit in silent contemplation of the crystals, until they
become another part of of the breathtaking scenery. You could not
quite make the transition.
You may hurl shards ripped from your partly crystallized body. They do
damage according to how closely the target is aligned with Order (GM’s
discretion). Strongly aligned: no damage; somewhat aligned: 1d4 points;
neutral (most people): 1d6 points; a force of chaos, progress, or anarchy:
d10; a being straight out of Chaos Itself: 1d12 points of damage.
8 Your reward was Nepenthe, a city build from fond memories and
cool breezes. Like a dark mirror image the city of Lost Hope was
beneath, dimly visible from towers and occasionally reflected in
the river. You felt a deep compassion for those unfortunates, and
were allowed to set out on a pilgrimage to give them Hope.
Once per day you may give a person Hope, thus making them friendly
towards you. The downside is that Hope shatters easily, and the target will
blame you for making them hurt.

10
9 You were one of the caretakers in the Stores of Wrath, where the
Instruments of Just Retribution are kept. Your task was to make
sure that the Behemoth was in working order. You tightened
the bolts, cleaned the cogs, and polished the brass until it shone
angrily. It filled your mind, the Behemoth did. Its hammering
pistons, roaring furnace and seismic trumpeting. You saw temples
broken under your feet, lances breaking against your metal flanks.
You have left of your own volition to find mental fortitude and
strength.
Once per day you may call upon a pale reflection of the Behemoth’s
unstoppable force. During one fight your fists (or similar) do 1d12 damage.
This costs you 1d6 hit points, deducted after the end of the fight.
10 You volunteered to leave Asgard. Intelligence was needed before
the looming Last War. The doings of demons and giants have to be
brought to the light, and they have to be put to the steel.
You roll with Advantage to eavesdrop, and you always deal maximum
damage to giants (GM’s got final say on what constitutes a giant).
11 Heaven is a vast plain, full of gentle sun and crystal water. It is also
a place where hunters and prey find a breathless comfort in their
natural roles. You are a hunter.
You may track by scent, provided that you have an idea what your prey
smells like. You can see by low light, but not in complete darkness.
12 You lived a simple life as a hunter and forager in the place they call
the Green Dream. It was a heaven, but not for such as you. Trees of
a million worlds come here and wander in vast herds, freed from
their sessile duties.
You speak the slow song-language of plants, but answers may be a long
time in coming.
13 You were a chef in Cornucopia, and you still smell of freshly baked
bread and roast pork. Devas and celestials probably still talk of
your broth and your herb rolls.
You roll with Advantage when preparing or assessing food. You get -2 to
all INT, WIS and CHA tests against those who have partaken of your food.
14 You were a minor bureaucrat in the Sapphire City of Eternals, and
a happy one. One day you were sent down to the World Archive for
documentation. You must’ve lost your way somewhere, and things
are less clear out here, but certainly interesting.
You roll with Advantage when forging paperwork, and when gaining a
favorable reaction from another bureaucrat.

11
15 You were a minor celestial, given the unenviable task of serving
the one thousand blessed fools. You quickly learned that the
difference between a holy fool and the more common variety is
minimal.
You get -2 to INT and +2 to WIS. You are a mountain of restraint and com-
mon sense, but some idiocy has rubbed off on you.
16 You spent a timeless eternity in the Asphodel Meadows, resting
mutely under the vast trees. You were summoned out from under
the eaves, and the offering of lamb’s blood gave you back your
voice. Maybe one day you will go back to your righteous rest, but
not now.
You do not need food, drink, or breathable air. You revel in them though.
17 In the Hidden Court sit twelve masked judges. They dispense
gentle wisdom and stern imperatives to those who know to seek
them out. They look not upon past deeds, only how a Seeker may
become good. You were such a judge. These days you struggle with
doubt, and seek experience in all the worlds.
Once per day you may determine whether a statement is true or false, and
whether the falsehood (or truth!) is intended. If the source of the state-
ment is very powerful (GM’s decision), a WIS roll may be required.
18 You were a minor functionary in the Bureaucracy of Color, which
lies where Chaos laps at the shores of Heaven. You kept tally of
hues, nuances and tints, a great responsibility, that only came with
the bitter dregs of actual power. Roll a D6 to discover your color:
1 Crimson: You hunger to vent your aggressions on the world. You inflict
Critical Damage on 1s and 2s.
2 Saffron: Once per session you can give Advantage to an ally’s roll by shouting
encouragements and affirmations.
3 Azure: You are a cerebral sort. You get +2 to INT, but -1 to STR and CON.
4 Olive: You are familiar with envy and exaggeration. Once per session you may
tell a lie and have all NPCs who hear it believe it. It must be utterly grand in
scope though, or the GM is allowed to let your attempt fail. Those who have
once believed one of your lies are immune in the future.
5 Ecru You roll with Advantage when trying to calm someone with bland
platitudes.
6 Umber: You roll with Advantage when testing your CON. You leave a trail of
brown dirt behind you everywhere.

12
19 You dug watering canals in the beautiful orchards of Ceres. You
know the value of honest toil, as well as the life-giving libation
made from grain, grapes, apples and hops.
You start with a +2 to CON (up to a maximum of 19). You roll with Advan-
tage to hold your liquor.
20 Your heaven was a place of excess and abandon, food, sex, music,
as well as every drink and herb that one might want to partake of.
Can an eternal reward become dull? Not to the truly deserving,
seemed to be the consensus. You snuck out during a mid-morning
orgy, with ambrosia, celestial wine, and emerald lotus under your
toga.
The comestibles of heaven have strange effects on those unused to them.
You cannot communicate nor predict the possible effects, and of course
they do not work on you. Their Usage die is D8. Each time a new person
partakes, roll a d8:
1 Nothing, but it tastes heavenly!
2 Once eaten you learn a secret about the thing that is right in front of you.
This knowledge comes with a side of kaleidoscopic lights, which start as a
hallucination peculiar to you, but ‘infects’ those in the immediate vicinity.
3 It heals 1d10 points of damage. Your hair turns a scintillating mother-of-
pearl, and nothing but the will of a higher power can change that.
4 It makes you pleasantly inebriated and is an antidote to most poisons.
5 It makes you invisible to people who do not know you. This lasts for about
ten minutes.
6 You feel power course through you. You have Advantage on your next roll.
7 For the next 1d6 hours your bodily fluids become holy water.
8 You feel no pain for the next day (or similar cycle). The purely physical side
is only a part of it, the you are free of emotional and psychological pain,
including habits formed around a pain response which no longer has a
trigger. Depending on the person, the response could range from reckless
psychopathy, to relief and serenity, to a crippling new pain stemming from
absence.

13
 Lower Celestial Backgrounds (D20)

1 Since you could walk you’ve been stomping grapes of bile and
rage, under the watchful eyes of stupid and brutal giants. You
will be a kind ruler, and turn all oppressors into bone-meal.
You are immune to ingested poisons, and you roll with Advantage to
appraise wine. Your back is a mass of cruel scars.

2 You come from darkness, and have learned to hide from the
shadow-filth that live in the failed Hell of Metzack.
You roll with Advantage to hide in darkness or gloom. You can see in
the dark.
3 Your ancestors were fooled by Polyphon, the Archduke of Lies,
and you have spent generations in his land of fog and false
imaginings. Never let it be said you haven’t learned from past
mistakes!
You roll with Advantage on all WIS rolls to see through illusions.
4 You spent aeons atoning for crimes you don’t remember
anymore. In Tartarus all things are drained of color, energy, and
life. When you found a tunnel which lead to another place, you
didn’t think twice.
You have no particular powers, but you get a +2 to INT and a -2 to WIS.
You are cunning, but Tartarus has given you an unhealthy yearning
for new experiences, no matter how dangerous: you may not wear
armor.
5 You died and went to Hel. This meant a near-eternity crewing
Naglfar, the ship made from the nails of the dead.
You are dead, which is obvious to all who see you. Once per session
you can attempt to speak to some creature that has died. You roll with
Advantage when you attempt to pilot a ship.
6 Your home was the chained floating mesas that make up the
Badlands of Heartless Law. You committed a crime, and had to
run from justice. What does it matter what you did? You got
away, and besides everything is a crime in that place.
You are branded with a sigil of guilt. The nature of your crime is not
apparent, but people seem to intuit that it is a punishment. The crimi-
nal class might take to you, but upstanding individuals won’t!

14
7 In the afterlife you fought alongside other damned against the
endless legions of barbed metal demons. You have been
mutilated, disemboweled, and blown up more times than you
can remember.
You are dead, and you look it. You may choose to start the game with
one of these demon- forged firearms:
Bolt Spewer: A hunk of dull grey metal with a muzzle that disgorges metal bolts
at an alarming rate. You can bypass the DEX test to hit and deal automatic
damage but you have to roll the Ammo’s Usage die immediately. Usage die: d8
Thunder Cannon: An ugly piece of pipe with a hand grip crudely attached.
Roars like an angry god. Replace class damage with a d12; the Usage die for this
gun is always a d6.
Hellfire Jezzail: A long, slender rifle, adorned with etchings of demonic copu-
lations and autocannibalism. You may skip a turn, aiming, and automatically
deal damage the next turn. Roll Usage die at the end of the combat as per
normal. Usage die: d10
8 You are one of a few people who were born in the Birthgrave,
on the corpse of a stillborn star. Here your parents fought the
all-encompassing cosmic loss to scrape enough money together
to send you off-world. Here you are now, basking in heady relief.
You are still closely acquainted with titanic sorrows. Once per session
you may test INT to paralyze an opponent with a raw unthinking mem-
ory of alien grief.
9 You served your time on the Mountain of Knives. While your
skin was flayed and flayed again, the worlds moved on. Now
that you have been brought out to life again, you feel bereft of
purpose.
You are a frightening mass of scars. You have 2 AP of natural armor.
10 The hell you’re from has no name. It is a place of absence. It
doesn’t rain, and food is practically non-existent. There are
few ruins which provide shadow, and the hungry ghosts fight
desperate hopeless fights over these places, since the sun burns
their dessicated skin.
You possess a crude makeshift spear that may harm the living, the
dead, and the incorporeal.

15
11 Ours was not a hell, or any sordid place of punishment and
sinners. We worked our fingers to the bone inside the World
Engine. What will happen to the universe now that irresponsible
angels have freed us?
Your people were killed in the struggle between your saviors and
overseers. You are the last of your kind, but their dust is still on your
skin. You speak of yourself in the plural and never bathe. You roll with
Advantage when trying to repair, operate, or understand machines.
12 You lived a life on the run. Every night the Widows descend on
you. Their hands and tongues were knives, and they meant to
inscribe secrets on you, write a world history in wounds on you
body. Inside and out. And so they did, until the day pilgrims
rescued you.
You may cut yourself for 1d3 damage and reveal an answer to a
question. Lost hit points only heal between sessions.
13 You were a tailor in Hell, and your creations were all the rage.
The iron headdresses, the skirts of living skin, the dog heads
stuffed with silver flies: that was all you. One day you used one
of your horrid masterpieces as a disguise and made your escape.
You own a garment which makes you appear as infernal nobility to
most. It will give you Advantage on intimidation rolls, and a good deal
of deference (or fear) from most normal people. It takes you an hour to
put it on, and while you’re wearing it you do not heal any damage.
14 Your punishment for dereliction of duty was the Sea Grave, the
dark ocean where sinners drown eternally, but never die.
You can’t drown or die from lack of breathable air.
15 They blinded you and left you in an endless cave. You felt along
the walls, and fought the feral things that lived there. Perhaps
they were once like you. Have you made it out at all?
You are blind, and thus immune to attacks which depend on eyesight.
Your other senses are sharp enough to compensate, but you cannot
read or consult a map.
16 You spent an aeon in the form of a nightmare, a demon horse.
You were one of the Crone Empress’s favorite mounts. Of course,
someone learned of the pride you took in your position, and you
were cursed with the weak biped shape you now wear.
Your feet remain iron hooves, and you may run as fast as a charger.

16
17 You made quite a fortune as a dung farmer. The underworld has
some potent waste, and you were the one to fight through the
instinctive disgust and hit paydirt, as it were. Envy was your
downfall, as your siblings robbed you of your empire, with the
help of Dispater’s greatest legal minds. They will all pay. And
pay again.
You are immune to attacks which depend on foul odors or revulsion.
18 You’re not a person. You’re a collective of imps disguised in this
human-suit. Pretty shrewd, eh?
Imps are nimble (+2 to DEX), but not all that good at pulling in the
same direction (-2 to STR). Once per session you may discorporate to
avoid an attack. It will take you 1D6 turns to put yourself back together
again, though.
19 You ran through the city of Lost Hope, where forgotten cities
and forgotten people end up, tormented by grief connected to
lost memories. High above its Heavenly mirror image (called
Nepenthe) glimmered. You started your ascend on crumbling
stairs and precarious roofs, and wound up in a different city
altogether. Perhaps all cities meet at one glorious point?
You gain Advantage on all DEX rolls in an urban environment.

17
20 You have forgotten your mortal life in the Madlands where the
Lower is touched by Chaos Itself. There is nothing to depend on,
whether place, time, or the certainties of one’s own body. There
is no security either, and you managed to escape one day when
you had wings. But Chaos is eternal and Hell has a long memory.
Maybe your path will send you back to the Madlands if you are
not careful.
Chaos still rumbles and churns within you. Other creatures that are
touched by chaos will seek you out, and and their attitude will be
predictably unpredictable. Once per session you may spit forth a glob
of Chaos which has one of the following effects; roll 1d8, and once an
effect has occurred, cross it off the list and replace it with a new one:
1 The target takes 1D8 points of damage and catches fire.
2 Everyone but you and the target turn into pigs. Powerful creatures may be
able to simply turn back into their real form.
3 You rob the target of 1D6 hit points (which you may add to your own, but
they disappear the next time you sleep).
4 The target can only communicate in song.
5 The target turns into a copy of you.
6 The target itself turns into raw Chaos for 1D6 turns. Chaos does no harm,
unless you touch it.
7 You turn into Chaos as above.
8 The glob does 1D4 damage per level you possess.

18
 The Transitory Planes: Astral and Ethereal
Between the Prime Material Plane and the other planes are the Astral
Plane (which borders the Celestial Planes) and the Ethereal (which
borders the Elemental Planes). These zones teem with strange
beings in their own right, either native or else transplanted by powerful
plane-crossing magic that may or may not have gone quite right.

Transitory Backgrounds (D20)

1 The Shroud stretches through the lightless caves of the Elemental,

the endless night of Hells, and the arctic nights of many primes.
Your tribe was nomadic thieves, stealing to stay alive, moving
to keep ahead of the repercussions. It was a life you were caught
red-handed by Elysian paladins. Only you escaped.
You can see in darkness, and generally prefer it.
2 You entered the Shroud as a Torchbearer, a growing cult
dedicated to enlightenment in a literal and figurative sense. Your
faith-powered light cannons were no match for the Universe of
Night. You barely made it out, and now home is nowhere.
Once per day you may cast a Light spell. It lasts until you dismiss it.
3 Near Chaos Itself lies the island called Inspiration. It is never the
same two days in a row. One might go to sleep in a bed and wake
up in a giant lilly. Most people revel in it, but you took your leave
as soon as you could. Eating crusts next to a campfire is surpris-
ingly reassuring.
You own a piece of Potential, a blue blob about the size of your hand. You
can turn it into any (non-magical) item of that size. It returns to blob-
form after 1d10 hours. You can turn it into food, or some other perishable
item, in which case it is used up.
4 You were an Astral pirate from a long line of black-hearted
scoundrels. You were caught by the authorities on the Halcyon
Isles. You were subjected to hard labor, but also to freely given
kindness, and the opportunity to learn. After many years you
were released a better person.
You roll with Advantage when climbing, and when dealing with a
scholarly subject of your choice. Your family might be coming for you
though.

19
5 You are a creature of the Cacophonist, a living song, trapped in a
humanoid body of ebony and brass.
You have a beautiful singing voice, but you are incapable of experiencing
any physical sensation. You may imitate any sound that you have heard.
6 Your mother was a Rightly-Guided Sky Captain, ferrying the
worthy across the Astral in a golden barge. She brought you along
with her.
You roll with Advantage for piloting a ship, as well as all rope-work.
7 Who your parents were remains a mystery, but you grew up alone
in the city of Cordoa, which all giants consider their lost home.
You ate gargantuan table-scraps, fought monstrous vermin, and
with time grew to a prodigious size yourself.
You start the game with a STR of 18. You are nine feet tall, heavy as a
draft horse, and eat like one too.
8 You’re from the place that outsiders call Ethereal. Here you
worked since an early age in the fog spinneries. You have gained
much substance since you left, but your are still kin to ghosts and
mirages.
Once per session you may become liminal, gaining Advantage to all hid-
ing and sneaking rolls for an hour. Alternately you may become
completely intangible for the time it takes to ignore a blow or pass
through a single wall.
9 You are a journeyman claviger, a key-maker and opener of doors.
You opened a portal which lead you to the Astral. This place leads
everywhere!
You roll with Advantage when picking locks and sussing out the
operational rules of a portal or gate.
10 The 10,000 Shining Isles have always fought the Levitaton Empire
in endless skyship battles. You were a newly conscripted mariner,
who got thrown into the wild Astral by the first cannon volley.
When you were recovered by strangers, barnacles covered your
body like a pearlescent carapace.
You have 1 AP of natural armor, and you roll with Advantage when deal-
ing with cannons and the like.

20
11 You were the spoiled child of Imperial nobles. In a tantrum you
ran off, and are starting to realize that the world is quite hard,
even if the plebs are powerfully stupid!
Your family name may open some doors, depending on where you go.
You roll with Advantage when appraising wine, gems, and riding
animals. Your nanny is on your scent by the way, her pistons clanking,
her golden hooves thrumming relentlessly.
12 You are a cloud doctor, traveling the Astral, helping people with
problems relating to the multitudes of miasma, mists, and
condensations that seem to occur so frequently here.
You roll with Advantage when diagnosing and identifying clouds and
related illnesses. Once per day you may roll to make a dangerous cloud
inert, or heal 1d6 hit points worth of cloud-related damage (distributed
as you wish).
13 Your city was a floating sky-marvel, until it was cursed by the
horrid Cacophonist to become one great mind inhabiting many
bodies. With this the Cacophonist hoped to create a choir
greater than the Heavenly Host itself. You have lived your life
in the warm oceanic feeling of the hive mind, always being part
of the harmonious chorus. You stumbled through a portal, and
ended up in this new world. Stranger still is the feeling of having
an identity of your own.
You have perfect pitch, and may communicate telepathically with any
one being out to a range of Near.
14 You were a city guard in one of the ports of the 10,000 Shining
Isles. You saw the world pass by, while you performed your simple
duty. One day you walked away to give the rest of creation its due.
You start the game with a spear, a crossbow, and a chainmail hauberk
(6 AP). You roll with Advantage on rolls against ambushes and other
surprise attacks.
15 Your floating island was a peaceful place of rice paddies and
gentle mist, until the fugitive angel Penemue passed by, brushing
your home with its bright garments. Enlightenment drove many
mad, but you managed to contain this new wisdom. Your home
seemed limiting and prosaic though, and you soon hitch a ride on
a skyship.
You start with a +2 to INT and WIS(!) but a -2 to CON. You roll with
Advantage when trying to decipher written language or code.

21
16 As the Astral approaches Law Itself, it hardens and becomes stairs,
walkways and balustrades. Your parents were traveling peddlers
of trinkets and talismans on those stairs.
You own a talisman made from a deva’s feather. Once per session you
may invoke it to gain Advantage on one roll. Alternately you may destroy
the talisman and survive a fall from any height.
17 Love is a wild ungovernable force, despite what Tu Er Shen,
Aphrodite or Cupid might tell you. You know, since your
livelihood is scavenging in the ruined Manors of those very gods,
torn loose from the Upper Planes. It’s dangerous, and often
melancholy and filthy. You are done eating nothing but oysters
and strawberries dug out of throbbing rubble!
Once per session you may cast the equivalent of a Charm spell, but only if
you don’t believe a thing you’re saying.
18 Before a person is born there is a grim, naked struggle to be the
one to enter into the mortal realms. Sexless maggot-creatures
tearing into each other, all for the dubious honor of being born.
You fought your way across the gray and blood-slicked battlefield,
and expected to find yourself being nursed, burped and doted on.
This body was not what you expected.
You are right at home fighting against hordes of opponents. When you
roll a 1 in combat, you may hit 1d4+1 opponents at the same time. (You
only deal Critical Damage to one foe, though.)

22
19 Imagine a city full of knowledge, whose only purpose is storing
knowledge. That is the libraries of Gann, floating in the Astral.
You are a young librarian, out in the worlds looking for that gath-
ering of information that will make your name and your special-
ization.
1 Celestial Planes: You roll with Advantage when dealing with the Upper and
Lower planes, their geography, politics and customs.
2 Elemental Planes: You roll with Advantage when dealing with lore
concerning the Elemental planes, their geography, politics and makeup.
3 Primes: You roll with Advantage when recalling the strange lore of the
Primes, their beliefs, symbols and place.
4 Astral: You roll with Advantage when recalling the lkore of the Astral, who
lives on the islands, and where portals may lead.
5 Sensation: Once per day you may produce a sensation from the vast archive.
It is not real in the sense that it cannot do physical weal or woe, but it may
have a profound effect on the recipient.
6 Dead Lore: Once per day you may call forth a dead idea. Again, this does not
have a physical reality, but may have a profound effect on the recipient.
Some example dead ideas:
Gluttox: There is no difference between food and not-food
Absensation: The utterly paradoxical, yet peaceful feeling of non-existence.
When it disappears, the weight of existence may be lethal.
Onis: Being suddenly conscious of the fact that being trapped in one
biological entity, locked in by time and space, is profoundly unnatural.
Sonder: A sudden oceanic certainty that every living soul is as complete a
being as you. A paralyzing moment of total empathy.

23
20 As the Astral approaches Chaos Itself, it becomes a bewildering
array of creatures given substance by the aether and form by the
forces of whim and impulse. Most of these beings are nonviable,
or fall to their death. Not you.
You start the game with +2 to CON, and you must roll 1d3 times on the
Mutations table below.
1 You contain a star seed. When you die you will become an infant sun!
2 Ungainly, muscular hulk (STR 16, DEX 6)
3 Grey bat-like wings. You can fly.
4 Octopus-like suckers growing from skin. You roll with Advantage when
climbing.
5 Insectile carapace giving 2 points of armor
6 No head. Your face is in your chest.
7 Body odor is like honey and coriander.
8 Entire body lumpy and tumorous.
9 Fetus-like parasite twin. Once per session it may whisper a warning of
nearby danger.
10 Hippopotamus-headed
11 Beautiful singing voice
12 Body grotesquely fat. You roll with Advantage on CHA rolls dealing with
demons of gluttony.
13 Body covered with coarse orange fur. You are immune to cold.
14 1d6+1 arms
15 Angelic features (+2 CHA)
16 No mouth but a pair of metallic mandibles (damage 1d6)
17 Mouth at the end of a fleshy proboscis
18 Eyes are fish-like and never blink
19 Eyes are yellow, veiny, and three in number
20 Eyes on long, prehensile, snail-like stalks

24
 The Prime Planes
At the hub of the multiverse, the Prime planes contain countless worlds
in crystal spheres hanging in an ocean of phlogiston. Planar travel from
these planes is difficult, and Primes have a reputation of being somewhat
clueless about the societies of the larger cosmos, but those that leave the
confines of their homes are often powerful, so planar travelers be wary.

Prime Backgrounds (D20)

1 Your world is rubble, atomized by the generational struggle of the six

Warlock Houses. You did not want to leave, but there was no place to
stay, nor any ground to stand on.
You roll with Advantage to avoid magical attacks.
2 You were a pampered plaything of the golden elves in the Forests of
Keriel. One day you explored the Oracle’s hut, and found a crack in
the wall to hide in when she returned. You have yet to find your way
out.
You start with a CHA of 16.
3 You were a carpenter’s apprentice in the village of Packton Green. It
was boring and safe, until the Filth Hounds invaded from some
unimaginable hell. One of them swallowed you up.
You roll with Advantage when working with wood, appraising or haggling
over wooden objects.
4 You plowed the meager fields of your homestead in the Silver Hills.
One day your plowing uncovered a scintillating hand mirror.
You have that mirror still, although it continues to be a mystery. It clearly
has some magic to it. Something connected with travel.
5 You were a proud citizen of the Seven Tribes Confederacy. Others call
you barbarian. You call them soft.
Start the game with a +2 to either STR, CON or DEX, as well as a -2 to either
INT or CHA.
6 In Kornhaime where you’re from, the grindstones are bigger than
castles. You worked your fingers to the bone in the immense mills,
until one evening when a voice seemed to beckon you from one of the
grain silos.
Once per day you may Purify any grain-based comestible.

25
7 Your people had ascended to greatness, and in the bid for ultimate
power you hunted and devoured your gods. Little did you know that
they were the only thing which kept your world from tumbling into
the darkness they call the Shroud. Now you are lost among
night-logged worlds, and so very hungry!
A small piece of the Corpus Divine is still lodged in your stomach lining. Once
per day you may either Bless a person (giving them Advantage on a roll),
Smite a person (with 1d8 points of damage, as along as you can see them), or
project your voice so that it booms like a divine edict, and may be heard for
miles.
8 You were in Lord Ethis the Righteous’ retinue when he descended
into the Pit of Iniquity. He was soon undone, and you bolted. Anyone
would have done so!
Your sword glows when in the presence of demonic evil. In many places it just
won’t quit.
9 You are on the run from the Undertaker Whales who guard the
Cetacean Graveyard. You are a grave robber, but purely out of need.
You have a bagful of ambergris, which is potentially worth a fortune.
10 Your home was Canopy, where cities grow on trees, and nomadic
tribes travel at the bosom of titanic sloth-beasts.
You roll with Advantage when climbing (and when attempting to calm a
spooked beast of burden, irrespective of its size).
11 You tended the gardens that grow on the Sleeping Ones’ mausoleum.
One day your fool son went exploring in there. Of course you had to
go in and get him.
You roll with Advantage when dealing with matters of gardening, botany,
and plants. This includes communicating and impressing plant-creatures.
12 Your world was still being formed by the warring wills of the gods.
During one upheaval, the lake next to your farm rose up as a great
beast and washed you out of the world.
You are no stranger to adverse fighting conditions. If terrain would give you
Disadvantage on a physical roll, you may ignore it.
13 You were given in marriage to the Mage Supreme. One day you tried
one of their forbidden doors. Behind it was a world of ghostly paths
and gently humming insects.
You know a single cantrip, learned from your preoccupied spouse:
Song of the Spring Rose
You sing a nonsense verse, and one Nearby person sees the world as a kinder
place, and problems as less insurmountable. Roll WIS against subjects who
would resist the effect. You may use this cantrip once per day.

26
14 You were a child apprentice in the Third Great Necropolis. You slept
among the dead, and suckled at the Corpse Mother’s teat (praise due
to Her). You were sent to the Afterlives to complete your education.
No dead person will initiate hostilities against you. This does not extend to
your companions, nor does it keep them from lying to you, informing on you,
or overcharging you.
15 You were a farrier of such skill and renown that the Kestrel Princess
of the Seven Winds heard of you and had you abducted.
You speak the language of horses (also spoken by unicorns, zephyrs, night-
mares and pegasi). If you need to roll when shoeing a horse (or horse-like
creature) you roll with Advantage.
16 You hatched from a crimson egg that was left in the care of the
Sisterhood of Ptah. They raised you to explore and walk through ev-
ery door until you found home.
Your blood holds the blessing of Ptah. You may cut yourself for 1d4 damage
and use your blood as a universal portal key. You need to know of the portal’s
existence and location for this to work, but not its destination.
17 You piloted one of the Witch-Queen’s longships as her undead draugr
rowed tirelessly. During one brutal raid of the world’s shores you
slipped away.
You can talk with the undead, no matter what language they spoke in life.
Their level of intellect greatly influences the degree to which they talk back.
18 You escaped the Glass Mountain’s stultifying pleasures, and the
automata Protectors who would keep humanity there for its own
good. The world beyond is full of deep and wondrous chasms to ex-
plore.
The Protectors imbued you with a protective measure. You roll with Advan-
tage against diseases, poisons and venoms.
19 You home was the metropolis of Buer, where humans and penitent
demons met and built a smoke-belching city of industry, speed and
love. Of course some curious fools had to explore the cave from
whence the demons came. You are the latest of such fools.
There is something of the lower planes about you. You roll with Advantage
against environmental hazards of the Lower planes.
20 Your world was spent, and you left with your idols, your family and
your livestock in a silver ship to fins a new home. You stole that ship,
but then the situation was dire.
You have a poorly-understood silver ship which may fly, but has a d6 utility
die. There must be something that unlocks its secrets and recharges its
magic.

27
 Choose Class and Occupation

There are five character Classes from which players can choose:
Adventurer, Arcanist, Priest, Rogue, and Warrior. Each Class has four
Occupations listed beneath it.

Class represents a division of people who share broadly similar

occupations or skills. A Class determines how much damage a charac-
ter can soak up and deal out, and what weapons they can use (without
penalty). In some instances the Class provides an Advantage on a Save,
in which case you should put a tick next to the attribute on the character
sheet to help remind you.

A player can choose a Class that appeals to them or the GM can provide
guidance. Each Class favors one or more Saves, and a player might be
wise to choose the Class that benefits from their best Save values.

Characters inflict Damage according to their Class: the die on the right
of the slash when using a proper weapon, the die on the left of the slash
when unarmed or improvising.

After selecting a Class, choose an Occupation. It determines certain

additional Special Features.

Adventurer Arcanist Priest Rogue Warrior

Bard Conjurer Apotheist Anarchist Duelist
Cataloguer Necromancer Cleric Assassin Enforcer
Dungeoneer Solipsist Druid Chaotician Peacekeeper
Thrillseeker Warlock Paladin Thief Man-at-arms

28
 Classes and Occupations

ADVENTURER
• Starting HP: d6 + 4
• HP Per Level/Resting: 1d6
• Weapons & Armor: Any and All
• Attack Damage: 1d6 / 1d4 Unarmed or Improvising
• Advantage on CHA Saves
• Leveling Up: When rolling to see if attributes increase, roll twice for
CON and CHA.

Occupational Benefits

Bard: When playing a musical instrument, may give allies Advantage on a

single test.

Cataloguer: Starts with 1d6 portal keys; the Cataloguer’s portal keys have
a d8 Usage Die. For each key, you can determine where one end of the
portal pair is located, and the GM determines the other.

Dungeoneer: Roll with Advantage when dealing with ruins or other

hazardous structures.

Thrillseeker: Has 1 natural AP, which is also applicable against

intoxicants and other CON saves.

29
 ARCANIST
• Starting HP: d4 + 4
• HP Per Level/Resting: 1d4
• Weapons & Armor: 1-handed Sword and Staff
• Attack Damage: 1d4 / 1 Unarmed or Improvising
• Advantage on INT Saves
• Arcane Spellcasting: Arcanists can cast a number of Arcane Spells per
day, as indicated by the table in the Spellcasting section.
• Spellbook: Arcanists start with a large spellbook containing a total of
1d4+2 spells from the Level 1 and 2 Arcane Spell lists.
• Leveling Up: When rolling to see if attributes increase, roll twice for
INT and WIS.

Occupational Benefits

Conjurer: Roll with Advantage when identifying an existing spell or

magical effect.

Necromancer: Roll with Advantage when dealing with the undead or

necromantic effects, whether divine or arcane.

Solipsist: Automatically rolls a save against any other being’s spell or

magical effect, harmful or not.

Warlock: Roll with Advantage when on your patron’s home plane, or

when dealing with natives of your patron’s home plane.

30
 PRIEST
• Starting HP: d8 + 4
• HP Per Level/Resting: 1d8
• Weapons & Armor: All Blunt Weapons, Gambeson, Leather, Chain
Mail, All Shields
• Attack Damage: 1d6 / 1d4 Unarmed or Improvising
• Advantage on WIS Saves
• Divine Spellcasting: Beginning at second level, Priests can cast a
number of Divine Spells per day, as indicated by the table in the
Spellcasting section.
• Spellbook: Priests do not require a spellbook. They start knowing a
total of 1d4 spells from the Level 1 and 2 Divine Spell lists.
• Leveling Up: When rolling to see if attributes increase, roll twice for
WIS and STR.

Occupational Benefits

Apotheist: May learn new Divine Spells by making a WIS test.

Cleric: Roll with Advantage on tests to heal allies.

Druid: Roll with Advantage on tests in natural surroundings.

Paladin: Proficient in swords; rolls with Advantage on combat tests

against Lower Celestial beings.

31
 ROGUE
• Starting HP: d6 + 4
• HP Per Level/Resting: 1d6
• Weapons & Armor: All Swords, All Bows, Daggers, Gambeson,
Leather, Small Shields
• Attack Damage: 1d6 / 1d4 Unarmed or Improvising
• Advantage on DEX Saves
• Leveling Up: When rolling to see if attributes increase, roll twice for
CHA and DEX.

Occupational Benefits

Anarchist: If you pretend to be another class or occupation, roll with

Advantage to persuade others of this. The Anarchist may have multiple
“identities” operating at the same time.

Assassin: Roll with Advantage when attacking from behind, dealing 2d6 /
2d4 + the Assassin’s level as damage.

Chaotician: Once per session, if you would have to roll with Disadvan-
tage, roll with Advantage instead.

Thief: Roll with Advantage when testing DEX to avoid damage or effects
from traps and magical devices; roll with Advantage when performing
delicate tasks, climbing, hearing sounds, moving silently, understanding
written languages and opening locks.

32
 WARRIOR
• Starting HP: d10 + 4
• HP Per Level/Resting: 1d10
• Weapons & Armor: Any and All
• Attack Damage: 1d8 / 1d6 Unarmed or Improvising
• Advantage on STR Saves
• Leveling Up: When rolling to see if attributes increase, roll twice for
STR and DEX.

Occupational Benefits

Duelist: Roll combat tests with Advantage when in single combat against
a roughly humanoid opponent wielding non-natural weapons.

Enforcer: Roll with Advantage when wielding two-handed weapons.

Peacekeeper: Roll with Advantage to save against any attempts at

persuasion or influence, mundane or otherwise.

Man-at-arms: Starts with (4d6)x10 coins to buy starting equipment; add

your level to your STR for determining Encumbrance level.

33
 Buy Equipment
Besides any equipment granted by a character’s background, every new
character starts with a set of clothes and a free one-handed weapon as
allowed by their class. Every occupation except the Man-at-arms starts
with (3d6)x10 coins with which to buy their equipment.

Converting Saving Throws

Portal Rats ignores saving throws and instead asks the player to test an
attribute when any spell, trap or effect would impact them, using the be-
low as a guide. Remember the advice in the Powerful Opponents section.

STR DEX CON

Physical Harm that Physical Harm that Poison, Disease, or
cannot be dodged. can be dodged. Death.
INT WIS CHA
Resisting Spells and Deception and Charming
Magic. Illusions. effects.

There are rumors about a city. Supposedly, in the middle of the

multiverse, one grand metropolis unifies the entirety of creation, with
doors to every possible plane. It’s probably just folklore: for one thing,
many claim to have been there, but nobody seems to know how to reach
it now. Furthermore, such a place would be the most hotly-contested
point in all of reality, and it’s impossible to imagine such a city not
becoming embroiled in an unbearable chaos of magic, politics, and
sheer greed. It may be that the city used to exist, and that very chaos is
why it doesn’t now, or perhaps it shut its doors to keep some semblance
of peace and civility.

34
 Adventuring and Equipment
Players’ Turns
During a player’s turn a character may move and perform an action.
They could attack, look for a clue, talk with an NPC, cast a spell;
interacting with the world is an action. Often they will test their attri-
butes to determine the outcome. If the player desires, the action may be
replaced with a second movement.

Moments, Minutes, and Scenes

There are 2 important types of tracked time: Moments (rounds) and
Minutes (turns). Moments are used during combat and fast paced scenes
of danger and Minutes are used when exploring and adventuring. A GM
may advance the clock as needed, substituting Minutes for Hours, Days
or even Months should the adventure require it.

Another type of time, not strictly tracked, is the Scene. A Scene usually
covers the period of time it takes for the characters to resolve a
challenge or best an opponent. They may also move from one location to
a different one. The GM can keep the definition intentionally loose, but
should indicate when a Scene ends and a new one begins.

MOVEMENT and DISTANCE

Rather than track precise numbers, Portal Rats uses four abstract ranges
for measuring distances. Close, Nearby, Far, and Distant. On their turn
every character can move somewhere Nearby as part of an action,
performing that action at any stage of the move. They can forgo their
action and move somewhere Far instead. Anything beyond Far can be
classified as Distant and would take three moves to get to.

This system is designed to support the narrative ‘theatre of the mind’

style of play, and is less concerned about tracking squares and fiddly
distances. For converting existing movement rates or measures (for
spells or areas of effect) use the following as a guide:

CLOSE NEARBY FAR

0-5 ft 5-60 ft 60-120 ft

35
 Encumbrance
A character can carry a number of items equal to their STR with no is-
sues. Carrying over this amount means you are encumbered: all
attribute tests are taken with Disadvantage, and you can also only ever
move to somewhere Nearby. You simply cannot carry more than double
their STR.

Usage Die
Any item listed in the equipment section that has a Usage die is consid-
ered a consumable, limited item. When that item is used, its Usage die
is rolled. If the roll is 1-2 then the Usage die is downgraded to the next
lower die in the following chain:

d20 > d12 > d10 > d8 > d6 > d4

When you roll a 1-2 on a d4 the item is expended and the character has
no more of it left.

Healing
Characters can gain Hit Points from Spells, Potions, and Abilities. They
can never gain more than their maximum, and can never go below zero
either. When healing a character who is Out of Action, just start at zero
and count up. That character is now back on their feet and no longer Out
of Action.

Resting
When characters rest for about an hour, they regain the use of all their
Armor points. Also, once per day, after resting, they may roll a Hit Die
associated with their class and regain that many HP.

Character Advancement
Adventurers learn through defeating and overcoming obstacles. Killing
one boring lesser demon won’t bring a revelation of learning to
someone. Surviving a dungeon, completing a quest or simply living to
tell the tale are the things that bring perspective and growth. The old
experience system has been completely discarded.

36
For every session / dungeon level / quest / major event the character
survives they gain a level.

The GM will decide which, and it’s recommended that this decision
remains more or less a constant throughout the campaign, and a GM
should be clear and upfront with the players so they know where the
‘goalposts’ are.

Gaining Levels
When a character levels up, their maximum Hit Points increase by
rolling the Hit Die for the class. Also a player should roll a d20 for each
Attribute; if the result is higher, that Attribute increases by 1.

The existence of portals and keys are one of the great mysteries of the
multiverse. Nobody knows how they are created, or why they change
from time to time. But theories abound. Some consider them damage
to the fabric of reality, perforations caused by an expanding panoply
of planes. Others blame the powers for their creation, even though the
deities themselves are often vexed by inconvenient portals in their
domains. Whatever their reason, they seem to function as an
equalizing force across creation: anyone can go anywhere if they
manage to suss out the secrets of the nearest gate, and anything - a
bottle of ink, a feather in the hair, a carved trinket - could lead to an
adventure.

37
 Equipment
Item Cost Usage Die Notes
Armor
Gambeson 50 d4 2 AP
Leather Armor 100 d6 4 AP
Chain Mail 350 d8 6 AP
Plate & Mail 600 d10 8 AP
Shield (Small/Large) 50/100 d4/d6 2/4 AP
Weapons
Quiver of arrows/bolts 10 D10
One-handed weapon 10
Short bow 15
Long bow 30 Uses 2-handed weapon
rule
Crossbow 50
Two-handed weapon 50
Supplies
Backpack 5 +2 STR for encumbrance
purposes
Flask of Oil 2 D6
Specialist Tools 25 D8
Holy Symbol 25 -2 to WIS tests to banish
Holy Water 25 D4
Iron Spikes 1
Hand Mirror 5
Lantern 10
Preserved Rations 15 D8
Fresh Rations 5 D4
50’ Rope 1
Sack (Small/Large) 1/2
Flint & Steel 3

38
 Item Cost Usage Die Notes
6 Torches 1 D6 Usage die is per torch
Wineskin 1 D6
Wine 1
Common herbs 10 D8
10’ Pole 1
Knife 2
Spyglass 15
Bedroll 5
Tent 20
Box of 10 candles 1 D4 Usage die is per candle
Mess kit 3
Fishing gear 5 D6
Caltrops 10 D4 Moving through affected
area requires DEX test
Shovel 4
Glass vial/bottle/flask 3

39
 Encounters and Combat
Random Encounters
If the players are not otherwise engaged, the GM should roll a d4
approximately every 15 minutes of real world play. A result of 1-2 means
the players will encounter a randomly generated creature or distraction
in the following Minutes (turn).

Monster Hit Dice

Hit Dice (HD) represents a monster’s level and the number of d8 rolled to
determine its HP.

Monsters deal damage based on their HD; refer to the table below, but if
you’d prefer to use the damage attributes listed in a module that you are
playing, you can certainly do that instead.

MONSTER HD DAMAGE
1 d4 (2)
2 d6 (3)
3 2d4 (4)
4 d10 (5)
5 d12 (6)
6 d6+d8 (7)
7 2d8 (8)
8 3d6 (9)
9 2d10 (10)
10 d10+d12 (11)

Powerful Opponents
For every HD an opponent has above the character’s level, add +1 to
every roll the player makes for any attribute test that would determine
the outcome of a conflict between them. For example, a level 3 character
defending against a HD 5 monster’s attack would add +2 to their roll.

40
 Random Monster Features
Planar monsters are often strange and nonsensical to adventurers. Feel
free to roll one or more times on the table below to generate new
monsters by combining random features (roll two d6 and cross-refer-
ence):

1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Chitinous Scaled Oozing Slithering Shadowed Luminous

2 Bubbling Furred Stinking Rolling Hypnotic Fanged

3 Knobby Encrusted Horned Shambling Asymmetric Clawed

4 Rubbery Acrid Tentacled Flying Fuming Finned

5 Tumerous Translucent Dripping Levitating Unstable Beaked

6 Fleshy Spined Bulbous Phasing Pulsating Budding

Creature Reactions
Some monsters and NPCs will have predetermined personalities and
goals that will guide a GM when choosing their actions and feelings
towards the characters. Those that do not, such as randomly encoun-
tered creatures, make a Reaction roll (d8) on the following table:

ROLL REACTION
1 Flee then roll again.
2 Avoid the PCs entirely.
3 Trade with PCs.
4 Give the PCs aid.
5 Mistake the PCs for friends.
6 Trick the PCs (roll again).
7 Call for Reinforcements.
8 Capture/Kill/Eat the PCs.

Initiative
When combat breaks out, everyone must be sorted into an order so they

41
each get to act and react in turn. Every character tests their DEX: those
that succeed take their turn first, then their opponents get a turn, fol-
lowed by those who failed.

Attacking, Defending, and Damage

When a character attacks a creature they must roll below their STR
attribute for a Melee Attack or DEX for a Ranged Attack. Likewise, when
a creature attacks, the character must roll below its STR against a Melee
Attack and DEX against a Ranged Attack to avoid taking damage. A GM
will often give the attribute required for the test.

The damage an attack deals is based on the character’s class or the

number of HD a monster has.

To make a Melee Attack an opponent must be Close. Ranged Attacks

against Close opponents are possible, but the attacker suffers a
Disadvantage.
Armor Points
Armor Points (AP) reduce damage from incoming blows by the AP value.

TYPE AP Usage Die

Gambeson 2 d4
Leather 4 d6
Chain Mail 6 d8
Plate & Mail 8 d10
Small Shield 2 d4
Large Shield 4 d6

Immediately after a fight where armor has been used to reduce damage,
its Usage Die must be rolled. If the roll is a 1 or 2, the Usage Die reduces
as per normal, and the Armor then has the AP of the armor above it in
the table. For example, failing a Usage roll for Chain would reduce it to
having 2 AP (Leather). If the Usage Die is a d4 and fails, it’s considered
destroyed and should be removed from a character’s inventory. Armor
can be repaired however - roll its current Usage Die and multiply the
amount by 10, this is the cost to upgrade the Usage Die to the next die up

42
in the chain.

Natural AP do not have a Usage die, nor does natural armor need to be
repaired.

Monsters have 1 AP of armor for every HD above 1, or to put it another

way, their AP is their HD-1. They can also carry shields. A monster’s
maximum armor points is 10.

Armor Proficiency
If a character wears armor that is not listed in their class, they add their
total Armor points (despite how many they have used) to any tests to
Attack or Avoid Damage. Characters with natural AP are always consid-
ered proficient in their natural armor.

Two-Handed Weapons
Larger, more deadly weapons are handled simply by adding +2 to any
dice rolled with them. They deal additional damage, but are also harder
to hit with.

Critical Damage
If a player making an attack rolls a 1, they double the result of the
damage dice they roll. If they roll a 20 when avoiding an attack, they take
double damage. Armor Points are used normally.

Weapon Proficiency
When a character uses a weapon not listed in their class, their combat
tests have Disadvantage.

Banishing Undead
Priests can attempt to banish all nearby undead as an action. They must
successfully test their WIS for each group of creatures they are
attempting to banish, adding the creature’s HD to the roll. A GM will
determine which creatures are in any particular group.

Undead monsters that are Banished by Priests must spend all their
movement (and convert actions to movement) to move away from the

43
Priests for 2d4 Moments after being Banished.

Paralysis
Some beings can inflict Paralysis. Whilst Paralysed a character cannot
move, talk or take any actions. At the start of their turn a character can
make a CON test, If successful they are no-longer Paralysed and can con-
tinue the rest of their turn.

Death and Dying

When a character is reduced to zero Hit Points (HP) they are taken Out
of Action, they are unconscious and cannot make any actions. When the
fight is over/are out of danger, a character that has been taken Out of
Action can roll on the following table to see what happens to them. If
they survive they gain 1d4 HP.

OUT OF ACTION
1 KO’d - Just knocked out.
2 Fat Head - Disadvantage on all tests for the next hour.
3 Cracked Bones - STR, DEX and CON are temp. -2 for the next day.
4 Crippled - STR or DEX is permanently reduced by 2.
5 Disfigured - CHA reduced to 4.
6 Dead - Not alive anymore.

If the characters lose the fight or are unable to recover the body of the
character, they are lost forever!

44
 Creature HD Actions & Specials
Devils
Imp 1 Can shapeshift into small animals
Lemure 1 Fist (1d2); half damage from non-mag-
ic weapons
Winged Devil 5 Bow (1d6)
Chain Devil 3 Spiked chain (2d4); 2 natural AP
Hellcat 5 2 Claws (1d6) + Bite (2d4); invisible
Spiny Devil 3 2 Claws (1d2) + Tail (1d4) + Spine Bash
(1d6)
Demons
Mane 1 2 Claws (1d2) + 1 Bite (1d4); half dam-
age from non-magic weapons
Tempter Demon 6 2 Claws (1d3); Advantage on magic
tests; immune to non magic weapons;
level drain (-1) with kiss; can cast
Charm person (spell) once per hour
Toad Demon 9 2 Claws (1d3) + 1 Bite (2d8); Cause Fear
(as per Banish) or Darkness (spell) -
each once per fight
Hound Demon 9 2 Claws (1d3) + 2 Pincers (1d4)
Greater Demon 9 Sword (1d12+2) + Whip (0): DEX test
or be pulled Close to the demon and
burnt for 3d6 fire damage
Drones
Minor Drone 2 2 natural AP
Functionary Drone 4 Reads/speaks all languages, magic
Celestials
Valkyrie 3 Spear (1d6) and hauberk (6 AP)
Messenger Angel 5 Prefers parley to combat
Avenging Angel 7 Fiery sword (2d6); can cast Light, Ward
against Evil as actions

45
 Creature HD Actions & Specials
Elementals
Mephit 1 Cone of elemental breath (1d3)
Ifrit 7 2d6 fire aura burns anyone Close; can
cast Fireball, Darkness, and Wall of
Fire as actions
Jinn 7 Can take Gaseous Form, Create Ob-
jects, Create Illusions, Cast Invisibility
(spell) as action.
Miscellaneous
Astral Pirate 3 Silver sword (1d8+1)
Chaos Toad 4 2 Claws (1d4; implants egg on a failed
CON test)

The denizens of the multiverse take innumerable forms. Three-limbed

predators tumble through the Sea of Blue Ether; masses of carnivorous
slugs consume the reincarnated to form hive-minds in the Hell of No
Privacy. But adapting to the sulphur rivers of Fire is nothing compared
to learning to subsist on the rarefied atmospheres of a far-flung
heaven. There are entities on the planes that eat regret, or exhale bad
luck. As is often the case, the best guide is a local guide; few sages worth
the title would claim an exhaustive knowledge of the ecology of more
than a handful of planes.

46
 Adventure Seed Generator
Where must the PCs go?
1 An uncharted isle in the Ocean of Razor Tides
2 The pyramid of the Mummified Goddess
3 The Traveling Invisible Bazaar
4 The Raven-Queen’s rookery
5 The camps of the Chaos Barbarians
6 The Sleeping Emperor’s dreamscape on the Astral
7 The forge-citadel of the Mithrilskin dwarves
8 Inside an egg laid by the World-Serpent
9 The outcaste district of Skull City
10 In the hull of a sunken hell-galleon

Who opposes them?

1 A would-be godling
2 The Cult of Ragnarok
3 A guild of merchant-princes
4 An insulted fae viscount
5 An estranged family member of a PC
6 A reincarnated foe
7 A rival party of dopplegangers
8 The Statisticians of Cruelty
9 An-Su, deposed archon of the Silver Thrones
10 The Council of Cats

47
What drives the antagonist?
1 The prophecy of the next All-King
2 The inadvertent theft of an artifact
3 Petty jealousy
4 Repaying a prior slight
5 A premonitive dream
6 A possessing spirit
7 An ambitious and calculating vizier
8 The songs of a malicious bard
9 The fear of annihilation
10 A mistaken missive

What is crucial to the plot?

1 A book of pure truth
2 A shard of the World-Tortoise’s shell
3 The tooth of a sleeping death-god
4 A vanishing cabin
5 The Hand of Glory
6 Ten enchanted platinum coins
7 A black witch-candle
8 A gauntlet with the touch of Chaos
9 An unclaimed throne
10 A boon from the Dragonfather

48
 Magic
Portals and Keys
One of the most valuable assets an adventurer can have is a reliable
knowledge of portals. Planar portals anchor themselves in arched
structures. Every portal requires a unique key, which can be nearly
anything: a freshly picked orchid, an emerald, a scrimshaw carving, et
cetera. Without the portal key, the portal is just another mundane struc-
ture. In theory, the portal key relates symbolically in some way to the
destination at one end of the pair of portals. However, portals may have
one fixed destination, or their destinations may shift according to a pat-
tern (though the pattern may be so complex as to seem random). Portal
keys typically have a d6 Usage Die.

Random Portal Destinations (D20)

1-5 Elemental
6-8 Upper
9-12 Lower
13-17 Transitory
18-20 Prime

Magic Items And the Planes

Traditional OSR games deal with magic items by adding +1 or +2 to attack
rolls and Armor Class.

Magic weapons typically add +1 to any attribute being tested whilst using
the weapon and +1 to each damage dice rolled. More powerful weapons
(+2/3) can be found if the GM includes them.

Magic Armor doubles the amount of AP armor would normally have;

for example, Magic Chain Mail has 12 AP. They operate per the normal
Armor Points rules.

As an option to add complexity to planar adventuring, GMs may wish

to note the plane of origin of the magic item, and may choose make the
item more powerful on its home plane, or less powerful on a very distant
or opposite plane. For instance, a longsword forged on the Ethereal may

49
be +2 on that plane, +1 on the neighboring Prime and Inner planes, and
provide no bonus on the Astral or Celestial planes. Note that this method
requires more meticulous bookkeeping, and may not suit all groups.

Spellcasting
Arcanists and Priests have the ability to cast Arcane or Divine spells,
respectively, that are chosen from their appropriate class list (on the
following pages).

They can cast any spell they know by reading from their spellbook or can
memorise a number of spells equal to their Level and cast those without
it. They have a number of ‘spell slots’ they can cast each day - as shown
in the two tables opposite. These represent a magic user’s ‘energy’ and
the taxing nature of casting spells over a long period. When they run out
of spell slots, they cannot cast any more spells.

Once a spell is cast the spellcaster must test their WIS (for divine spell-
casters) or INT (for arcane spellcasters), adding the spell’s level to the
roll. If they fail then they reduce the number of ‘spell slots’ correspond-
ing to the spell level just cast by 1. When a memorised spell is cast it is
not forgotten.

After roughly 8 hours rest, the number of ‘spell slots’ a character has
refreshes to its maximum.

If a spell from a traditional OSR or original era game calls for a creature
to make a save, the character must test their INT or WIS to see if the
magic cast was powerful enough to overcome their defences (remember
the Powerful Opponents rule).

50
 DAILY ARCANE SPELLS

-spell slot level-

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 1 - - - - - -
2 2 - - - - - -
-character level- 3 3 1 - - - - -
4 3 2 - - - - -
5 4 2 1 - - - -
6 4 3 2 - - - -
7 4 3 2 1 - - -
8 4 3 3 2 1 - -
9 4 3 3 2 2 1 -
10 4 3 3 2 2 2 1

DAILY DIVINE SPELLS

-spell slot level-

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 - - - - - - -
2 1 - - - - - -
3 2 1 - - - - -
-character level-

4 2 2 - - - - -
5 2 2 1 - - - -
6 2 2 2 - - - -
7 2 2 2 1 - - -
8 2 2 2 2 1 - -
9 3 3 2 2 2 1 -
10 3 3 3 2 2 2 1

51
 Arcane Spells
1st Level
Charm: A Nearby target obeys commands; test WIS each turn to see if the effect
lasts.
Detect Magic: Everything Nearby that is magic glows (5 Minutes).
Light: Create dim light from a Nearby spot or object (1 hour).
Magic Missile: A Nearby, Far, or Distant target takes 1d4 damage/level.
Portal Sense: Indicates whether a structure hosts a planar portal.
Shield: Gain 2 AP/ level.
Sleep: Puts 4d6 HD of beings to sleep (8 hours).

2nd Level
Darkness: Creates darkness covering a Nearby area that blocks all types of vision
(1 hour).
Invisibility: A nearby creature is made invisible until it attacks or dispelled.
Knock: A Nearby door or lock is opened.
Levitate: The caster floats up to 6 feet from the ground (10 Minutes/level).
Portal Lock: Prevents a planar portal from functioning for 1d6 Minutes.
Web: Traps a Nearby area, stopping movement; test WIS each hour to see if the
effect lasts.

3rd Level
Darkvision: See in absolute darkness (10 Minutes/level).
Dispel Magic: Removes a Nearby Arcane spell.
Fireball: 1d6 Nearby creatures take 1d6/level damage.
Read Language/Magic: Read all languages and magical writing (10 Minutes).
Magic Mouth: Creates an illusory mouth that repeats a phrase to all Nearby
creatures.
Portal Peek: Get a glimpse of the destination of a planar portal.

4th Level
Confusion: 2d6 Nearby targets immediately make a Reaction roll.
Dimension Door: Teleport a target to a Distant Location.
Polymorph Self/Other: Transform a creature to have the appearance of another.
Remove Curse: Removes a curse from a Nearby target.
Wall of Fire/Ice: Wall covers a Nearby area; WIS to attack Close targets (3d6
damage) (10 Minutes).
Wall of Stone/Iron: A wall covers a Nearby area (1 hour).

5th Level
Animate Dead: Create 2d4 Skeletons/Zombies with HD/level, from nearby bod-
ies.

52
Cloudkill: Anyone with less than 5HD that touches it must test INT or be Out of
Action (1 hour).
Conjure Elemental: Create an Elemental of chosen type with 3d4 HD.
Contact Higher Plane: Ask 1 question/level.
Feeblemind: Reduce a Nearby target’s INT to 4 (10 Minutes/level).
Telekinesis: Move Nearby objects (1 hour).
Teleport: Transports a Nearby target to any place (on current plane) known to
the caster.

6th Level
Anti-Magic Shell: Creates a Nearby zone around the caster blocking all magic.
Death Spell: 2d8 Nearby targets with 7HD or fewer die.
Disintegrate: Turns one Nearby target into a fine powder.
Invisible Stalker: Summons an extra-dimensional monster to perform one task.
Stone to Flesh: Turns a Nearby target into stone, or vice versa.

7th Level
Limited Wish: Change reality in a limited way or time.
Power Word, Kill: A Nearby target with 50HP or fewer dies and cannot be resur-
rected.
Conjuration of Demons: Summons a Demon with 2HD/level.
Meteor Swarm: Effects the same as casting Fireball 4 times.
Plane Shift: Transport self to another plane.
Time Stop: Stops time completely in a Nearby area (1d4+1 Moments).

53
 Divine Spells
1st Level
Cure Light Wounds: Heal 1d8 HP to a Nearby target.
Detect Evil: Everything Nearby that is evil glows (5 Minutes).
Light: Create dim light from a Nearby spot or object (1 hour).
Protection from Elements: Negates ambient planar environmental hazards (1
hour).
Protection from Evil: Advantage on all harmful tests from an Evil source (1
hour).
Purify Food and Drink: Removes all diseases from all Nearby food and drink.

2nd Level
Bless: Nearby allies gain +1 to attributes when making attacks and saves (1
hour).
Find Traps: Notice all nearby traps (10 Minutes).
Hold Person: Paralyse 1d4 Nearby targets; test WIS each turn to see if the effect
lasts.
Silence: Magical silence covering everything Nearby to a target (1 hour).
Speak with Animals: Can understand and talk with animals (1 hour).

3rd Level
Daylight: A nearby area is illuminated by sunlight (1 hour).
Cure Disease: Cures a Nearby target of all diseases.
Locate Object: Sense direction of a known object (1 Minute/level).
Prayer: All Nearby allies defend against attacks with Advantage (1d4 Moments).
Remove Curse: Removes a curse from a Nearby target.
Speak with Dead: Ask a Nearby corpse 3 questions.

4th Level
Align to Plane: Take on characteristics of natives of the current plane (1 day).
Create Food/Water: Create enough food/water for all Nearby creatures (1 day).
Cure Serious Wounds: Heal 3d8+3 HP to a Nearby target.
Neutralise Poison: Remove/Immunise poison from a Nearby target (10 Minutes).
Ward against Evil: Nearby allies gain 6 temp AP against evil creatures (10 Min-
utes).

5th Level
Commune: The Priest’s deity truthfully answers 3 questions (10 Minutes).
Dispel Evil: Removes a Nearby Divine (Evil) spell.
Finger of Death: Choose a Nearby target and test WIS; if a pass, the target is Out
of Action.
Plague: Test WIS for all Nearby targets; those failing lose 2d8 HP for the next 1d6

54
 turns.
Quest: Force a Nearby creature to obey an order.
Raise Dead: Return to life a Nearby willing target who died within the last 7
days.

6th Level
Animate Object: Give a Nearby object motion and a simple intelligence (10 Min-
utes).
Blade Barrier: Wall covers a Nearby area; WIS to attack Close targets (3d8 dam-
age) (10 Minutes).
Conjure Elemental: Summons an elemental with HD equal to caster’s lvl (1 hour).
Find Path: The path to a chosen location is made known (1 hour).
Speak with Monsters: Can understand and talk with monsters (1 hour).
Word of Recall: Give ability to teleport back to the location this spell was cast (1
year).

7th Level
Aerial Servant: Summons a servant to recover a distant object.
Astral Spell: Projects an avatar of the caster onto the Transitory plane (1 hour).
Control Weather: Control the Nearby weather to all extremes (10 Minutes).
Earthquake: Test WIS for all Nearby creatures; those failing are taken Out of
Action.
Holy Word: Nearby creatures with less than 5HD die; 6-10HD are paralysed for
1d4 turns.
Wind Walk: Turn into mist and back, at will (1 day).
Restoration: Returns all levels lost to monsters with level drain.

55
DESIGNATION OF PRODUCT IDENTITY
The names The Black Hack, The Cthulhu Hack, and all artwork, logos and layout are product identity.

DESIGNATION OF OPEN GAME CONTENT All text and tables are open game content.

OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a

The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the
Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.

1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed
Open Game Content; (b)”Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works
and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addi-
tion, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing
work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease,
sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)”Open Game Content” means the
game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such con-
tent does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional
content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by
this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes
Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying
marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic ele-
ments, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses,
concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and
descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special
abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or
effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly
identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the
Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used
by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open
Game License by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit,
format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or
“Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement.

2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that
the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a no-
tice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License
except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open
Game Content distributed using this License.

3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of
this License.

4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant
You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to
Use, the Open Game Content.

5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game
Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient
rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.

6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to in-
clude the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying
or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the
COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.

56
7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as
to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of
each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with
any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content
except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark
or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a
challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open
Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.

8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the
work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.

9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License.
You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game
Content originally distributed under any version of this License.

10 Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game
Content You Distribute.

11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the
name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.

12 Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with
respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regula-
tion then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.

13 Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein
and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall sur-
vive the termination of this License.

14 Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be
reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.

15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

57
 “They’re the nobodies of the planes,
and that makes them capable of
anything.”

Portal Rats is a standalone game based on the popular The Black Hack. It
features expanded rules for character creation, new occupations, equip-
ment, planar foes to face down, and much more. Find trouble across
infinite planes of adventure.

Parenthesis Press