Book 3

The Campaign
 ®

Book 3

The Campaign
Net Edition

by

Tim Barrett
(as at May 7, 1996 3:38 pm)

Once again, Sincere thanks to all the helpers, supporters and infinite number of sceptics without whom I
would not have had the drive to complete this mammoth task.

The Campaign book contains information required for running the Dark Fantasy Campaign. It is not
necessary for Players to read this section, nor is it necessary for the Game Master to fully absorb the entire
book. It is given as a defence and a guide for Game Mastering only.
 Table of Contents
1 Game Mastering .................................................................4 Non-Player Character Skills ............................................ 17
Social Aspects ....................................................................4 3 Beasts, Creatures & Nasties............................................ 18
Interaction Between Player & Game Master ................ 4 Introduction ..................................................................... 18
The Campaign World ........................................................4 Beasts .............................................................................. 18
The Campaign as a Story .............................................. 5 Darkfolk .......................................................................... 19
The Nature of Magic ..................................................... 5 Ogres........................................................................... 19
Creating the Campaign ......................................................5 Lesser Orcs, Hobgoblins............................................. 20
Realism.......................................................................... 5 Goblins........................................................................ 22
Making Your Reality..................................................... 6 Great Orcs, Black Orcs ............................................... 23
The Physical World....................................................... 6 Trolls........................................................................... 23
People............................................................................ 6 Undead ............................................................................ 24
Character Compatibility ................................................ 6 Lesser Undead ............................................................ 25
Running the Campaign ......................................................7 Unliving Skeletons ................................................. 25
Generation of Campaign Mood..................................... 7 Unliving Corpses.................................................... 26
How to Run NPCs......................................................... 7 Shades .................................................................... 26
Keeping Players Happy................................................. 8 Vorshai - The Wandering Possessors ......................... 27
Player Character Survival ............................................. 8 Lich ............................................................................. 28
Keeping Track of Time ................................................. 8 The Eldar Races .............................................................. 28
Coping With Multiple Players ...................................... 8 Elves ........................................................................... 28
Travelling and Mapping................................................ 9 Dwarves ...................................................................... 29
Players’ Freedom .......................................................... 9 Giants .......................................................................... 29
Running “Off-the-Cuff” Campaigns ............................. 9 Enchanted Creatures ........................................................ 30
The Dark Fantasy Dark Age ..............................................9 Unicorns...................................................................... 30
Dark Ages Introduction................................................. 9 Pegasi .......................................................................... 30
Agriculture .................................................................. 10 Dragons....................................................................... 30
The Diet....................................................................... 10 Enchanted Trolls ......................................................... 31
The Village.................................................................. 10
Trade ........................................................................... 11
The Dark Ages Economy ............................................ 11
The Village House....................................................... 11
Law.............................................................................. 11
Drugs and Potions ............................................................11
Drug information......................................................... 11
Preparing Drugs .......................................................... 11
Drug Descriptions ....................................................... 12
Berserker Weed / Devil’s Fire ................................ 12
Contra Heal............................................................. 13
Contra Immune ....................................................... 13
Death Feign............................................................. 13
Devil’s Eyes............................................................ 13
Ergot ....................................................................... 14
God’s Hand............................................................. 14
Pleasure................................................................... 14
Stamina ................................................................... 14
Strength................................................................... 15
2 Non-Player Characters ....................................................15
What Is a Non-Player Character? ....................................15
Creating the NPCs ...........................................................15
Sergeants-At-Arms, Petite Sergeants .......................... 15
Militia, Lesser Yeomen, Lesser Town Guard ............. 16
Peasants ....................................................................... 16
Berserkers.................................................................... 17
Important NPCs ...............................................................17
Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Dark Fantasy
Book 3 - The Campaign Page 3
1. Game should never be contested by any Player. It is the Game
Master’s right to have the final say in any matter pertaining
to their campaign. It is their duty however, to be fair in the

Mastering judgements that they make.

It is through the Player’s eyes that a campaign comes to life.
Their right is to be treated with justice and respect for the
desires of their Character. Their opinions must be listened
Game Mastering involves the creation and operation of a to and given due merit before any decision regarding the
world and those who live in it. Below are a few notes to help game is made. The game of Role-Playing is a mutual and
the Dark Fantasy Game Master run a good campaign. Every equal thing.
Game Master will undoubtedly have their own style and
this section does not endeavour to override that by any One of the duties of the Game Master to keep a lot of the
means. It is hoped, however, that Game Masters will find machinations of a campaign secret from the Players. This is
this section useful and interesting. well and good but there may come a time when the Game
Master must discuss aspects of the campaign secret from
Social Aspects the Characters with the Players. It is incumbent upon the
The imaginary game that you, real life people, are playing Players in this situation to follow the etiquette of the game
should not be taken too far. It is not advisable to let a game by not letting the information affect the actions of their
interfere with outside life so never lose your sense of Characters. If the Players do not respond to the Game
perspective. Masters trust in discussing secret campaign matters with
them then all that will happen is that the Game Master will
Role-Playing is made up of interaction of people; it would forge on ahead with their own ideas without consulting
otherwise be merely imagining or daydreaming. The them.
interaction between the Players and game Master make the
game. It is of little point to play in a campaign where people Trust is a much needed and often lacking in a campaign. A
don’t get on as nobody will really enjoy it and the campaign Game Master should be able to trust their Players and vice
may degenerate to a point where it is used to vent real life a versa. If trust is lacking between the participants in a
grievances. game then the game itself will suffer. If a Player rolls dice
when instructed and the Game Master misses what was
Everyone who plays a Role-Playing game should strive to rolled they should be able to trust the Player’s word on what
account for the other people’s desires. All who play are they rolled. If a Player’s opponents in a campaign seem to
going to want to have their Character paid some attention be incredibly lucky or devastating the Player should be able
to, though no single Character should hog the limelight and to trust that the Game Master has the Player’s best interests
no single Player should be allowed to dominate the others. at heart. If this kind of trust does not exist then suspicion
Remember that every Player of a Role-Playing game has and bad feeling become rife. Players also become
equal rights to gain enjoyment from it. suspicious and resentful when they seem to encounter
Game Masters should have fun playing the game too! The undue difficulty in achieving their goals. On the other hand
campaign should be designed and run to meet their needs as Game Masters worry about being manipulated and lied to
well as the Players’. Game Mastering should never become when faced by Players that seem untrustworthy. Being
a burden accepted for the sake of the Players’ enjoyment. human, lack of trust will cause these sorts of problems.
The game will only be enjoyable for them in the long run as Trustworthiness is the duty of both Player and Game
the Game Master has creative enthusiasm. Master.

Before a campaign starts everyone who is going to play it The Campaign World
should be fully aware of what to expect in terms of the Before a Game Master actually runs a campaign it is
nature of the campaign and the Game Master’s style of advisable that they sit down and have a long think about
refereeing. This way any problems or differences of what exactly they want to achieve. By analysing their
opinion can be rationally discussed before proceedings get desires a Game Master will have a clarity of purpose that
under way. It can be an ugly experience to enter a campaign will help make the campaign just what they want it to be.
with certain unspoken assumptions that are at cross They should, of course, also take into account the potential
purposes with the Game Master’s. Players.

Interaction Between Player & Game Master It is not always necessary to pre-prepare a campaign either
by writing things down or by planning it mentally. It is in
Both the Player and the Game Master must have respect for fact possible to run an excellent campaign off the top of
each other. Mutual respect and friendly discussion of one’s head without any preparation at all. This takes either
differences are necessary ingredients for a good campaign a natural talent for creativity, or extensive experience in
and this must always be remembered. Game Mastering. We do not advise every Game Master to
The Game Master is the overall director of the fantasy. It is attempt to run a campaign without planning but we have
their burden and their joy to create and master the included this point to remind some Game Masters that the
environment in which the game is played. Coupled with labour intensive approach to campaign preparation is often
this responsibility is their sacrosanct authority which self imposed and possibly unnecessary.

Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Game Mastering Dark Fantasy

Page 4 Book 3 - The Campaign
 The campaign starts where the Players begin. Often the The Nature of Magic
Characters will know little of the world around them and
In our conception of the Dark Ages world, Magic is
have only vague perceptions of what lies beyond the edge
something awesome, wonderful and uncommon. In most
of their experience. Even the location in which the Players
places, the sight of a Mage will turn many heads and their
grew up needs only a relatively basic background. Never
power is not taken lightly. An ordinary man will wonder
try and look at the whole world at once. Expand on it as the
like an innocent child at the sight of a glowing crystal as its
Players travel and decide ahead of time roughly what lies in
many facets sparkle with rainbow colours. He will be
which direction and what may be encountered along the
moved by the pale fire flickering in the eyes of a Mage who
way.
sheds tears for the beauty of a storm. It is as it would be to
Taking the campaign a piece at a time will allow one idea us today if the magic we speak of were found to exist in
to flow from another. Deciding, for example, that there are everyday life. In the reality of Dark Fantasy, magic is
mountains to the North then begs the questions; Have they everywhere and in everything though only a few are
been crossed? If so, what is on the other side? If not, what capable of seeing its beauty and using its power.
secrets do the mountains hold? Is there an ancient fortress
hidden deep within them? and so on. Let each idea lead to Creating the Campaign
the next.
Realism
When designing the campaign, it is a good idea to map out Realism is a desirable quality in any campaign. It adds so
a roughly scaled map of your world (or at least the country much to the enjoyment of the fantasy, and it is not so hard
or province in which the campaign will be played). Be to achieve. It is best if we first explain what we mean by the
careful to follow laws of nature so that rivers flow from the word “realism” as we use it in Dark Fantasy. We live in our
mountains to the sea and so on. It is often a good idea to real world and lead our real lives and this has a certain
look at real maps and draw terrain ideas from them. pattern and order to it. Life flows in a certain way. When we
play these fantasy games we live in another world, a world
Whenever you create a point of civilisation (or a point
created by our conscious imagination. When this imaginary
where there once was civilisation), think about why it is
world flows as does the everyday one we call it “realistic”.
there, where it get its food from, what are the trade routs,
A realistic fantasy campaign is very believable by those
who owns the land, is it subject to attack by brigands or
who participate in it. A realistic campaign means that all
other creatures, is it defended, etc. Ancient ruined castles or
who play in it can accept and believe the things that happen.
deserted temples in the middle of deep, dark forests, for
There is that parallel with the ways of real life. To give a
example, add interest to the campaign though if there is
concrete example of what is meant we give you an excerpt
such a thing, there must be a good reason why it was put
from one of our Playtest sessions.
there and a good reason why it is no longer functional.
The alderman of the town had refused to pay their
In villages or settlements, try and determine a logical
protection money. The thieves’ guild organised to have the
layout. Often small settlements consisted of a few scattered
place robbed but the alderman had hired a mercenary for
farm houses and a tavern on the main road through the area.
protection. Being fairly cowardly, the thieves were afraid of
Larger settlements may have docks, barracks, a
the mercenary and brought along some muscle for the
marketplace, etc. Don’t go into too much detail but sketch
operation. Three “smooth” thieves and the muscle snuck
out a rough map to give yourself an idea where things are.
into the kitchen window of the house and, after unlocking
Finally, when playing the inhabitants of your world, try not the hall door, proceeded down the dark hall. While the
to make them reflections of yourself. Make them unique dining room and study on either side of the hall were being
and make them credible. Remember to take into account the quietly searched a light was seen beneath the kitchen door
great diversity of personalities that exist and also take their and the clink of a glass was heard.
current circumstances into account.
The strongest of the party snuck to the door and peered
The Campaign as a Story through to see a mercenary sitting at the table with a large
smile and a glass of the alderman’s finest port. He had been
It is Dark Fantasy’s view that a campaign should be like a down in the cellar when the Characters had arrived. Soon
very good story. It can be seen that this is an exacting the mercenary realised that he had left his shield in the
standard because, thinking about it, many campaigns that cellar. Looking around he gathered up the candle and the
are run would not be really worthy of printing or filming. In sword which he put in his belt. With a smile on his face he
fact, some would be laughed out of the cinema or the book pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the cellar door.
shop for their absurdity. Strive always for a campaign that He kissed it as he put it away and descended the stairs. The
you would be proud to tell the tale of, for a campaign that muscle snuck to the doorway and as the mercenary reached
captures the heart and the imagination with its creative the top of the stairs he was clobbered with an exceptionally
flow. We urge you to not allow your campaign to become a well placed blow from the flat of an axe. He fell to the
thing used for ego, competition or as an arena for various ground in a heap and was then bound, gagged and dragged
“cute” ideas. into the cellar. As the thieves were feeling generous the
mercenary was also cut up a bit so that it appeared that he
had put up a fight.

Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Dark Fantasy Game Mastering

Book 3 - The Campaign Page 5
 The party then snuck up the stairs of the house to a corridor Making Your Reality
with four rooms and a shutter at its end. Two of the doors
With the idea of realism in mind the Game Master must set
were locked and from behind one, the master bedroom it
about the great task of creating the campaign. Just as we
seemed, snoring could be heard. The lock was picked and
may see the wonder in our world, this too may be instilled
two of the party quietly entered. The alderman awoke with
into the fantasy world. Never let the fantasy world
a knife at his throat and a hand over his mouth. He was
degenerate to a cold, grey world of game statistics.
instructed to tell the two where the strongbox was and
whether there was anything else that they should know. In We entreat Game Masters of Dark Fantasy to create with
terror the alderman replied that the box was under his bed their hearts deep and moving campaigns that will draw their
and that there was a poison needle trap near the lock. players into a mysterious and forgotten fantasy. Make your
reality dark and beautiful. Make it flow as life does; give it
The passage above could be considered realistic in that
the hard edge of reality but do not forget the wonder in all
what happened could easily fit into real life. The mercenary
things. Do this and your players will rejoice if they can truly
was not something put there to kill the Players. He was a
feel for tales like “The Lord of the Rings”.
man (who liked his grog) had been hired to do a job and he
felt a little alcohol would do no harm as no one would ever
know. The people in the house were not woken by the
The Physical World
thieves as they made little noise. There was no crossbow The first point to consider in creating a world is that the
trap arbitrarily placed to kill the first Character who walked world should feel right to you as a Game Master. Looking
through the door. In many campaigns, also, the mercenary at the real world will give the clues needed for the mapping
would have been a death machine who never wavered in his of a world. It takes certain climates to support particular
vigilance and perhaps the alderman would have been an kinds of forests and animals. Coastal climates will
Magic User with a wand that shot fireballs. This would be generally be cooler and wetter than inland etc. In terms of
done to provide a challenge and an exciting adventure for human civilisation, there were generally good reason for
the Players. It would not be realistic at all, however. settlements to be where they were. A town, for example,
would need a water supply and due to this, as well as
A campaign that is realistic has many advantages and this perhaps trade, towns were often found on or near rivers. A
is why we are so fervent about realism. Because the Players village would generally be found in a logical location near
live in everyday “real” life, when a campaign is realistic the fields that were farmed by its inhabitants, castles were
they can relate to it much better than would otherwise be generally found in easily defended places, such as cliffs or
possible. In a fantasy campaign especially there can be an hilltops.
element of culture shock because the Players are thrown
into an environment of which they have no true People
understanding. If the events in the fantasy campaign are
It takes a great deal of understanding to comprehend the
similar to those that happen in real life, then the Players will
nature of our world and all its inhabitants. A Game Master
be able to relate to the campaign well and will therefore not
must be all people within the world and to do this they must
suffer this effect. Creating a campaign that is realistic will
realise the differences that exist between people. There are
mean that everybody who participates in it will be drawn
some people who like money, others who simply like life,
closer to the fantasy because they can relate to it.
people full of bitterness, people who are simple, people
Another advantage of realism is that it will allow better who like travelling, warriors who live to fight and people
Role-Playing from the Players. People respond to the who live to learn. The variety in people is endless but this
nature of the environment around them and so when people is sometimes easy to forget, instead making Characters
play in a campaign that is much like real life then their own simple reflections of ourselves. Ensure that you giver
Role-Playing will tend to be more life-like. We would like diversity to the Characters of your world.
to feel that prospective Game Masters of Dark Fantasy
aspire for true to life Role-Playing and so will endeavour to Character Compatibility
create realistic campaigns. We find it sad that many people Often there will be several people playing in a campaign
miss out on the incredible enjoyment of truthfully together. This group of Characters has become
portraying alternate personas because they have not yet affectionately known as the “party”. To have a successful
seen beyond the limitations of playing two dimensional campaign, it is important to have a party that works. If
Characters. Players are going to Role-Play and at the same time be in a
party then they must have a good reason for being together.
The use of realism also helps to conquer the feeling of
paranoia that many Players may have about what will be There are a few ways of achieving this end. Firstly, the
lurking around the next corner or what will hit them when Game Master may take the Players individually and have
they open the door. There is a tendency for Players to wish them create whatever Characters they want. In this case, the
for very powerful Characters so that they can survive such Game Master may throw each of the Characters into a
things but in this setting something is lost. In life we do not situation where they have a common goal or interest in
have to constantly worry about the world being out to get staying together.
us, as it were, and this is what unrealistic campaigns
sometimes lead to.

Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Game Mastering Dark Fantasy

Page 6 Book 3 - The Campaign
 Secondly, the Game Master may give each of the Players What do you do?”....
certain parameters in which to design a Character, giving
freedom of choice, but placing some restrictions on the The second description of the castle has an atmosphere, but
Characters that may be created. The only other real option it is a weaker one and probably less suited to a fantasy
is to get all the Players together and discuss what they want campaign. It might be more suitable if the Characters are
from the campaign and what sort of Characters they would mundane and unappreciative of beauty but this may have
like to play and find a party structure by negotiation. unwanted side effects. If the tone of the Game Master’s
campaign is as ordinary as the second description then the
A campaign is no fun when Players are together without Players may feel less inclined to Role-Play as everything
reason. If it happens that a Character has no good reason to becomes mundane and not such an involving story.
be with a group of others then they should leave. Otherwise,
the Role-Playing suffers because of the incredible situation. This is not to say that the particular feeling of the first
example of play is the only one to be considered for a Dark
Running the Campaign Fantasy campaign. As was mentioned, every type of
In our modern society, science and technology makes narrative will have its own atmosphere even if it is
things defined and accurate. This was not the case in the mundane. It is all a question of creating the atmosphere that
Dark Ages. It was a simple society where people did not is most effective for telling the story that is the campaign.
care for exact distances or times. The distance from one The atmosphere could be romantic chivalry, high fantasy,
village to another might be measured in terms of the time it fairy tale fantasy, dark age simulation, and the sort of
should take to reach it by horse or foot. In almost all things, fantasy that is shown in the story that begins Dark Fantasy.
a rough approximation was quite good enough. The Game As a Game Master, select and create the feelings that you
Master should always remember this in running the think are best for the interactive story between you and the
campaign. Players.

Generation of Campaign Mood How to Run NPCs

“You reach the edge of the trees and look down on the Running Non-Player Characters well is a difficult skill to
gently curving ground that flows down and then up into a master and one that many Game Masters have trouble with.
large, craggy hill. The ground is brilliant green and soft to This is unfortunate, because well run NPCs are crucial to
walk on as it is covered by long swishing grass. To your left creating a good story.
you see strands of trees from which bright flecks of colour The single most important thing to remember when running
dart and wheel through the clouded summer sky. To your NPCs is that they are representations of real people. They
right are more trees but more widely spread and with many are unique individuals with their own aspirations, ideas and
ferns, bushes and other kinds of undergrowth obscuring the fears. Each of them has an entire lifetime of experiences
ground. Shafts of streaming sunlight illuminate the earth as behind them and though this is a daunting fact, it must be
the sun shines from between clouds. It is a breathtaking and foremost in the Game Master’s mind when running NPCs.
magical scene to behold. Role-Play your Non-Player Characters as though they were
As your eyes sweep up the steep rocky slope of the hill real people or your own Characters. Make them believable
ahead of you, you see that bushes and small trees grow and your campaign will have the depth that all good novels
sparsely between the rocks. Before your gaze reaches the and films do.
crest of this mighty hill you notice the vegetation gives way For example, in the middle of the night a thief wishes to get
to open grass. Atop the very crest of the hill you all see an out of town before he gets his throat cut. The night is cold
ancient and ruined castle that stands grey and weathered in and the thief knows that his enemies will have someone
the afternoon sun. Its crumbling and broken parapets give waiting for him if he tries to leave by the main gate. The
testimony to its venerable age. The jagged towers sag but only way to get out is over the wall, he decides, though he
still rise proudly into the sky. has to be careful of guards patrolling it. As he approaches
What do you do?”.... the place he thinks most appropriate, he sees two guards
nearby huddling around a fire instead of being on the wall
The atmosphere of a campaign is one of its most important as they should. After all, who in their right mind would
features. When a Game Master runs a campaign they must attack the city on a night such as this! Due to his stealth and
be aware of this and make sure that they create the moods the human idiosyncrasies of the guards, the thief finds his
and feelings that they desire. way over the wall and into the cold night air.
The above example of play was from one of our Playtests There are also NPCs that are not human. Every creature that
and it is a good example of what is meant by atmosphere. is alive is under the control of the Game Master and it is
Its prose and strong imagery evokes a sense of beauty and their responsibility to run them accurately. What has been
feelings appropriate to the campaign. It would be different said for Non-Player Characters also applies to the monsters
if the castle were described in the manner below. and other non-humans of a campaign. They are also not
merely numbers to be played shallowly. Remember that
“OK, you reach the edge of the trees. To your left and right each non-human is also an individual. Monsters that can
you see a few trees though on your right there is a bit more reason will have their own thoughts and feelings and will
undergrowth. There are a few birds around and ahead of not automatically throw themselves at the party and fight to
you there is a big, rocky hill. On top of the hill there is a the death. Their motivation is as diverse and complex as
ruined castle.
Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Dark Fantasy Game Mastering

Book 3 - The Campaign Page 7
 those of humans, perhaps even more so. Even the trouble, perhaps someone or something else may intervene
unthinking creatures that Players will meet must be Role- (for a good reason of course). If dice rolls indicate the
Played carefully. A beast has a consciousness with Character is killed, the damage may be reduced to a point
particular motivation just as we do. A wolf, for example, where they are badly wounded and so on. The only danger
will only attack a man at a campfire if it is starving and is that this may make the campaign mundane to the Players
desperate for food. It is not to be rolled up as a random or they may not ever feel that anything is a challenge, and
monster that will attack the party and fight to the death. If often what makes a game fun is overcoming a great
the Game Master remembers this when the Players confront challenge. If you elect to adopt this method, make it very
one of the monstrous denizens of the dark then the subtle an only adjust the occasional result, and then only by
campaign will be better for it. up to about 10% (Which would normally make the
difference between a Critical and Body Hit). If you find that
Keeping Players Happy you are manipulating rolls all the time then something is
In the Social Aspects Section (p 4) we said that the wrong.
interaction between Player and Game Master is very Another more structured and Play Balanced method of
important. The style and manner in which the Game Master preventing accidental Character death is that of Hero
runs the campaign must be accepted by the Players or there points. This is where a Player earns points during the course
will be great difficulties. What a Game Master expects from of a campaign and uses them to allow any one roll to be re-
the Players must be discussed with them beforehand. Not rolled. The way they can be earned varies. They can be
only that, the GM should discuss their refereeing style with dependent on Rank, for example, though this is generally
the Players. This includes things such as Player etiquette, not best, because the number of hero points is too low.
basic assumptions and what the Game Master expects from Also, with this method, the way they are earned is strange
the campaign. There must be some consensus between the because the lower Ranks are gained quickly while the
participants of the fantasy. The Game Master must be higher Ranks take longer to acquire. Another method is to
willing to adjust the way they run their campaign to meet acquire 1 Hero point for a certain amount of real time. This
needs of the Players, and the Players must accept the can be as much as 1 per session in a very adventurous and
particulars of how their Game Master operates. dangerous campaign. Perhaps the best method of all is for
If the Players are not happy with how the Game Master runs the Game Master to award a hero point to a Player
the campaign, then something must be done. It is no good Character whenever they feel that the Character earns it as
if an agreement cannot be reached about exactly how things a reward for commendable behaviour such as exemplary
will flow. Both sides must be willing to compromise for the Role-Playing, humour, heroic feats, etc.
sake of the enjoyment of the other. Game Masters
especially should note that because they have ultimate Keeping Track of Time
authority within the campaign world it does not necessarily In a campaign it is important to know what is happening
mean that they have the right to lay down the law to the and when. In Dark Fantasy the concept of Game Time has
Players about how the campaign is run. already been introduced in the form of the combat round.
This is a period within the game of roughly four seconds
Player Character Survival that may take some minutes of Real Time to simulate. It is
The object of playing Dark Fantasy is to have fun and make important for the Game Master to have defined the current
a good, interactive story. This aim can’t really be fulfilled time of year or the month, or even the specific day so that
if after spending hours creating a Character it dies after a the Players may keep a log of what has happened in their
short period of time. A heroic death as a fitting end to the adventures even if their Characters do not know the date.
long saga of a well played Character’s life is good and Time is also relative to each of the Players in a group. For
desirable, but a death that leaves the game unfulfilled is not example, Caio gets up in the early morning and his friends
so. It does not make an enjoyable campaign if a Character’s are still asleep. He decides to go hunting. When the rest of
death from unlucky dice rolls is not averted by the Game the party awake, it is mid morning, and Caio has gone. Thus
Master. If a Player is in this situation then they will feel bad we have two groups of people placed differently in time.
due to the loss of the Character and the Game Master, if
they have any compassion, will also feel bad for the Player. Coping With Multiple Players
The simple solution to this problem is not to let it happen in
the first place. This is not to say that a Player Character When there is more than one Player playing in a campaign,
should never be allowed to die due to stupidity or even bad the Game Master should take care to pay attention to each
luck, but you must strike a balance. of them. There are some specific techniques of Game
Mastering used to cope with multiple Players. The first is to
Thus the Game Master should strive to create a campaign manage the attention that a Player gets from the Game
where the Player Characters may develop and live for a Master. The Game Master, as autocrat of the campaign, has
long period of time; even if, as it is occasionally necessary, the power to keep a Character active or inactive. This power
it means going against the rule system. No Game Master must be used wisely and fairly. Give each Player their due
should ever be bound by unthinking dice or uncaring rules. share of your attention and do not be dominated and
So, if the game mechanics indicate that a Character dies manipulated by attention seeking Players. Make every
prematurely, or suffers some other undesirable fate, then Player Character an integral part of your story.
the result should generally be tempered by the Game
Master to give a more acceptable result. If they get into

Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Game Mastering Dark Fantasy

Page 8 Book 3 - The Campaign
 When the Player Characters of a group split up and The ability to run off-the-cuff campaigns will come with
diversify their activities, great care must be used in dealing Game Mastering experience. Ideas from previous
with the different time streams. If two Characters separate campaigns may be used and the experienced Game Master
and go to different parts of the world then it is quite feasible will have a better idea of how to handle the potentially
to Role-Play years of game time at a time as the actions of difficult circumstances that may arise.
one can in no way influence the life of the other. If two
Characters are in a ruined castle and they split up, it is not When running a campaign off-the-cuff, go with the flow of
advisable for the Game Master to play one of them too far events as they naturally progress. Let the Players’ own
in advance of the other. This is because if one Character has actions dictate the future course of events. If the Players are
Role-Played an hour ahead it is possible for the other to fall a bit slow or have inertia in their Role-Playing then seize
down a pit and call for help in the first five minutes of the the campaign flow directly and make something interesting
other Character’s play. If the original Character could hear happen that the Players can react to. Whatever happens next
their companion’s cries then they would quite logically go is whatever you feel like, and whatever is appropriate to
to help them, which means that everything else would be make a good story based on what has happened already.
different. It is important to keep separate Player Characters In running a campaign off the top of one’s head, there is no
pretty much in synchronicity. real need for a well defined map of the place in which the
Characters are travelling or travelling to. The Character’s
Travelling and Mapping perception of the world is basic and imprecise and if the
As described in the introduction to this section, the people Game Master does not have a well defined map then this
of the Dark Ages had little interest in accuracy. There were feeling may be easily transmitted. One thing to watch out
few roads and they normally had little more complexity for is restricting the Players because you are not sure of an
than a very occasional fork. Distances were measured very appropriate response for the Player’s actions. If this
roughly, usually in fractions of days, as even hours were a situation arises, take some time to stop and think of an
very ill-defined concept due to their being no accurate way appropriate response and even discuss it with the Players.
to measure them. If distances were measured more They will understand that you can’t think of everything and
specifically, they were usually given in leagues, which if they are good Role-Players, they will offer helpful and
roughly equate to roughly miles. impartial advice as to the best course of action.
As given in the Movement Section (p 55), the rate of The Dark Fantasy Dark Age
movement under normal conditions would be between 2.5
and 3.5 miles per hour depending on how forced the pace Dark Ages Introduction
was. Certain types of terrain will slow movement down.
Dark Fantasy does not endeavour to restrict the Game
Travelling in thick forest or rocky mountains would slow
Master who uses it to any specific type of campaign.
the rate of travel to around 1 mile per hour or less.
Indeed, the authors strongly encourage Game Masters to
Cartography was an exceptionally uncommon skill in the use and adapt Dark Fantasy to whatever kind of campaign
Dark Ages and only the crudest of maps (if any) existed. they wish to master, be it ancient, renaissance, eastern or
Routs would be more likely to be described in terms of whatever. We hope that Dark Fantasy is flexible and
following a path until you come to the big oak tree, go left realistic enough to be used in a great variety of settings.
over the hill until you come to a stream, & so on.
With all this in mind, as it stands Dark Fantasy is a game set
Players’ Freedom in a definite period and place. The authors have chosen
Dark Ages Europe and England as a fitting time and place
It is important to allow the Players to do as they wish with for Dark Fantasy, because we wanted an atmosphere of
their Characters in a campaign. Dark Fantasy only has rules darkness and mysticism based in times of ignorance,
for a limited number of skills and Characters will obviously mystery and superstition.
be able to do more than is specifically allowed by the rules.
In any action that the Player wishes their Character to The Dark Ages was a time that is very different to the one
undertake, the Game Master should determine what will be we now live in. It was a time of mystery when men did not
a fair chance of success. This should also be the case when pretend to understand and quantify the big, wide world.
rules for a particular usage of a skill are not specified. If the There was superstition instead of our science and the
Character requires a Skill not listed in the rules, create a difference between superstition and science is a good
new one and use those given as a basis for it. indication of some of the difference between then and now.
Life and the world were awe- inspiring and mysterious
Running “Off-the-Cuff” Campaigns because people did not have science to tell them how
It is possible to run the campaign without notes, maps, or everything worked. They believed in spirits and demons
scenario ideas because it is all being made up on the spot. and felt things in a more primal, emotive way. The
This has the great advantage of total flexibility as the perceived reality was not one of computers and machines
campaign is fluid enough to accommodate even the most but rather one of barely understood magical forces that
unexpected actions of Player Characters. It also allows a were feared and held in awe because they could not be
game to begin on the spot. controlled.

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Dark Fantasy Game Mastering

Book 3 - The Campaign Page 9
 People who lived in the Dark Ages were generally very used for the threshing of grain and it is from this implement
ignorant and uneducated. They did not know much about that the military flail developed. In some richer areas,
the world at all. Most of them did not ever travel more than horses hooves were used for the threshing of grain in an
a few leagues from their home village. They were simple effort to take some of the work out of farming.
folk who led very basic lives that consisted mostly of
hardship and the struggle for survival. They were face to Normally each farmer would only own small portions of
face with the necessities of survival that our affluent culture land on which they worked with communal equipment.
has allowed us to forget. The Dark Fantasy Game Master Farming was a communal affair and each family helped
must always remember the differences between the two others to work their land. The system was arranged such
times and account for it in the Non-Player Characters that that the authorities could keep the farmers in check in the
populate their world. age old tradition of the rich getting richer and the poor
getting poorer (if that was possible.)
The quality of life for most people in the Dark Ages was
very low. Their diet was quite restricted and somewhat The Diet
deficient in nutrition. Clothing was generally of poorer The diet in the Dark Ages was generally very simple and
standard than today and one set of clothes lasted its owner varied from place to place according to what was available.
many, many years. The kind of affluence that many of us A very common meal for peasants was a very thick soup
are used to today was either not present or applied only to made from dried peas that was served hot. This was
the very elite during the Dark Ages. supplemented by bread and potatoes if they were available.
The sections below give a brief outline of the nature of the The poor smoked meat for preserving, as they could not
Dark Ages as it is the preferred setting for Dark Fantasy. afford such expensive commodities as salt. A family may
have a pig that would be killed in the autumn, smoked, and
Agriculture then that meat would do for the year.
There were many facets to agriculture in Dark Ages society Instead of plates, the rich used large slivers of fairly stale
and the production of food was necessary for the survival of bread for eating their meals. When they were finished, this
all. The ownership of the land determined a large part of the bread, along with the leftovers, were given to the poor. The
structure of society. It was a representation of power and rich could also afford quite extravagant meals. Different
wealth and those with influence would normally own large varieties of meat, vegetables and wine were quite common
tracts of land. On very large properties there may be even on the tables of the “well off” in the Dark Ages, though the
several small manors, from which local farming could be “well off” were not very common themselves.
supervised.
The Village
The Dark Ages was a time when the pressure on population
growth was quite dissimilar to today. The death rate in the The village was generally a close knit group of families that
conditions that existed was often higher than the birth rate worked on nearby farms. In larger villages there would also
and thus farmers tended not to worry so much about the be found craftsmen and other traders that supplied the needs
future or getting the most from the land, and it was not used of the people other than food. Craftsmen and traders usually
to its fullest capacity. Crop production was generally of a worked at home and had shutters out onto the street. The
subsistence level, but in times of surplus or shortage, crops average village craftsman was not exceptionally good at
were traded. what they did, but the people of a village could not afford a
high standard of workmanship anyway.
The crops that were grown in the Dark Ages were grown for
survival, rather than some of the luxury crops we have Each village had a communal well or stream for the supply
today. The main crops grown were Barley, Oats, Rye and of water. Some of the larger villages may have also had a
Wheat. Along with these, a few garden vegetables would windmill to grind corn or a large brick oven for baking
add variety to the table, and a large number of leguminous bread. Each citizen of the village had rights to the water
(pod-bearing) plants were grown for animal and human supply, and the natural resources of the forest around them
consumption. Flax and Hemp were also grown for the according to the amount of land they held.
production of textiles. The average farmer was a peasant who did not live on their
There was a shortage of manure in the Dark Ages as the land, but rather lived in a village, pooling their resources
land that was required to keep the animals and produce was with others for the land as a whole. In this way a group of
more valuable for crops. As the land was not kept poor farmers were able to afford a team of oxen and a
effectively fertile, a system of two fields for crop rotation plough which they would communally use. Often, the
was often used. That is, one field would be harvested, and authorities would have some form of overseer in the village
another would lay dormant or be ploughed and fertilised. In to keep the peasants in check and police the village in
better climates, where the used fields were quicker to general.
recover, a system of three field rotation was used, where Once or twice a year a village may stage a fair. Usually it
two fields would be sewn while one recovered. would last a few weeks with the first week being for setting
Generally, oxen were used to pull the ploughs because they up and unpacking, the second week for showing and
were strong and cheap. Some of the very rich preferred selling, and the third week for finalisation of deals and
horses, but their slightly better performance in no way payment.
justified the vast price difference. The agricultural flail was
Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Game Mastering Dark Fantasy

Page 10 Book 3 - The Campaign
Trade There are many natural substances that may be used as
drugs, though extracting the pure drug from these may be
There has always been long distance trade in exotic items difficult. Gaining specific effects from drugs is also
such as spices, silks, furs and slaves. Merchants were difficult, as there are many substances that may kill a
seldom honest and with prices being based on supply and person or make them sick, but a drug to make a person
demand, such goods were very expensive. Other less exotic sleep, for example, may be very rare or may involve a
items were also traded from place to place with prices combination of many substances.
varying according to availability.
Drug information
The Dark Ages Economy
In the drug descriptions the following information is given:
In the Dark Ages, prices for various goods and services
varied greatly from place to place and even time. The Name: This refers to the common name
economy depended on the climate, topography, abundance for the drug.
of certain materials, and even the season. There was trading Effects: This is a description of the general
of goods, but this was limited by the primitive methods of effects of the drug.
transport, storage and communication. The availability of Locale: Refers to the type of climate or
certain goods also varied greatly from place to place. If for countryside in which the
example there was a village isolated from trading in a substances required for the drug
wooded area with only sparse minerals in the earth, then may be found.
wooden products may be fairly cheap whereas metal items Sub-locale: The sub-locale is the exact vicinity
may not be found at all, or otherwise be incredibly within a region that a plant may
expensive. exist.
Location Modifier: The Location Modifier modifies
Banks did not really exist. The major creditors were abbeys the Characters perception roll to
and monasteries (who had all the money) though the loans locate the particular substance
were for goodly purposes such as aiding local famine or within the sub-locale.
paying the ransom for a knight. Plant Description: Gives general guidelines as to the
physical appearance and
The Village House properties of the plant or
Houses were generally timber frames surrounded by woven substances that are used to make
twigs covered with mud, with a thatched roof. The lifespan the drug.
of such a house would be about 75 years whereupon it Administration: This is the way in which the drug
would have to be completely rebuilt. Any light in the house may be introduced into the
came from small windows with heavy shutters, as most human system.
people could not afford candles. There was generally one Complexity: This is the complexity of the
bed for the whole family that was covered with thick fur or preparation of the drug. A Herb
woven rugs. The possessions of the average family were Lore Skill of at least this value is
not great and usually consisted of 1 or 2 rugs and some required to make this drug and
cooking utensils, etc. the complexity may affect the
degree of success of production. A
The concept of a chimney did not become popular until the roll must be made to determine
middle ages and thus in the Dark Ages, few houses had the degree of success of making
them. The fire inside the house added great warmth though the drug.
it meant that the inside of the house was usually very Preparation: This refers to the method of
smoky. The type of house depended on the location. For preparing the drug.
example, in mountain areas, stone houses with slate roofs Game Effects: These are the specific effects on
may be found. the Character using the substance
in game terms.
Law
Under feudal law, everyone owed allegiance to the king and
the definition of crime was “Disturbing the King’s peace”. Preparing Drugs
Prisoners were not generally fed in gaol and had to rely on To make a drug the Character must know of the substances
friends and relatives for their survival. People were fined used, their location, and the method of preparation. This
for petty offences and hung or beheaded in front of large knowledge is assumed in “knowing” a drug. Once the
crowds for major offences; Highway Robbery, Murder, knowledge of a drug is gained the following procedure
Treason, Stealing Valuables (e.g. livestock etc.). must be followed to obtain the necessary ingredients.
Drugs and Potions 1) The Character must be in the specified location.
The Herb Lore Skill in Dark Fantasy allows the Character
to learn how to make a variety of potions, drugs and 2) A perception roll is made for every hour of searching
poisons. These are detailed in the Section below. The rules with modifiers according to the ease of finding the exact
for using these are outlined in the description of the Herb region in which the plant may be found. For example if
Lore Skill. there is only one dell in an entire forest then a Character

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Dark Fantasy Game Mastering

Book 3 - The Campaign Page 11
 may spend quite some time searching for it, whereas if the The effects for each of the listed drugs may also vary quite
plant they are looking for occurs throughout the forest then widely. A slight difference in preparation, or the addition of
they are already considered to be in the exact vicinity and different substances may make a vast difference in the
should move onto step 3. effect of the drug. It therefore must be left to the discretion
of the Game Master (once again) to determine the final
3) When the Character reaches the exact vicinity they must effects of the drug.
make a perception roll to find the plant or substance.
Due to the structure of guilds etc., the price for substances
4) When the substances have been obtained the Character is primarily determined by its degree of nastiness rather
may attempt to prepare the drug. The degree of success in than its ease of production and availability. It is not in the
making the drug is determined by rolling percentile dice best interests of the assassins guild, for example to allow
and comparing this with the Character’s Herb Lore Skill + large quantities of poisons to be circulated.
50 minus the “Complexity” rating of the drug. The table
below is then consulted. For a critical success the results are Below are a few ideas for some drugs that you may wish to
fully controllable as well as the dose strength being doubled include in your campaign. They are not based on anything
if required. in particular so feel free to modify them as you see fit.

Drug Preparation Drug Descriptions

Success Result* Berserker Weed / Devil’s Fire
Critical Fully controlled effects (+ double dose)
Effects: After ingesting this drug the
Special Double dose strength (if desired) receiver feels drowsy and after 15
Success. Normal effects minutes or so they feel great anger
Some Problems Double preparation time + lessened effects and goes into an uncontrollable
Failure Poor effectiveness + side effects rage. After 30 minutes the drug
Automatic Fail No desired effect + bad side effects gains full effect. The receiver is in
a berserker type rage, caring for
Fumble Game Master’s Discretion (Probably Nasty)
nothing but destruction. Their
body is numb to the pain of over-
*The results on this table are only a rough guide to the
exertion, broken bones,
Game Master. The effects of the roll should be very much
lacerations and the like. They
dependent upon the individual drug. (Use GMD)
have magnified strength and
nothing short of death will stop
Drugs are quite complex in that there is a lot involved in
their berserk spree of destruction.
their preparation and administration. On top of this there is
The side effect of this drug is that
a great variation in effects depending on how well it is
the receiver may experience
prepared and there is also the problem of determining what
regressions to the berserk state at
drugs are available and which drugs are generally known.
any time in later life. The chance
The success table above is a guide to the Game Master as to
of regression increases with every
how the degree of success of the roll determines the
dose taken. The regression chance
outcome. These are really only suggestions and once again,
is d3 hours.
Game Master’s Discretion is required.
Locale: Found in Forest and mountain
It is to be noted that information about drugs and their regions
preparation may be very hard to come by. Very few Sub-Locale: Dark, moist areas around streams
societies tolerate the use of many drugs or poisons and thus, etc.
depending on the campaign, it may be very difficult to even Location Modifier: Found between boulders and
learn of the existence of many drugs, let alone how to make rocks (- 10%)
them. Plant Description: Dark green weed with broad
spiked leaves and growing up to
The listed drugs in Dark Fantasy are just a few examples. 10” high.
There should be an almost infinite variety of effects Administration: Oral (Ingestive)
obtainable from the mixing of natural substances and Complexity: 22
therefore it is up to the Game Master to be creative and Preparation: After finding the plant (Devils
allow whatever seems reasonable. For example, a drug to Fire) it is ground, mixed in equal
kill someone or make them very sick could take many quantities of water and boiled for
forms, it just depends how crude you wish to be. There are, three hours. Charcoal is added
for example, many poison berries around that would kill and the brew is let stand for one
someone if they ate enough. There are also substances that, day. The brew is then strained and
when in contact with an open wound cause death in a matter dried after which time it may be
of minutes. stored indefinitely. One dose may
be obtained from about 4 average
sized plants.

Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Game Mastering Dark Fantasy

Page 12 Book 3 - The Campaign
Game Effects: Character becomes as a berserker Death Feign
in all respects. Strength increased Effects: Gives the symptoms of death that
by 20%. The side effect of this remain for 3-4 days.
drug is that the recipient may Locale: Deep Forest
experience the berserk state at half Sub-locale: High in sunny trees
normal effect for the rest of their Location Modifier: - 20%
life. The chance of regression in Plant Description: Large fleshy vine
the first month is 5% daily for the Administration: Oral
first dose and 2% for every Complexity: 20
subsequent dose. After the first Preparation: Leaves are picked and dried, then
month the regression chance is eaten.
equal to 2% per month for the Game Effects: The Character appears dead for 3-
initial dose with the addition of 4 days until he slowly awakens.
1% for each subsequent dose. The The chance of death under this
side effect duration is also d3 drug is 8 - Endurance Bracket as a
hours. percentage per day. The Character
will be very groggy for a couple of
Contra Heal hours after awakening.
Effects: Weakens victim’s healing
processes Devil’s Eyes
Locale: River Regions Effects: The receiver feels nothing until an
Sub-locale: Stream Side hour or so after administration.
Location Modifier: - 15% They then begins to have uneasy
Plant Description: Small moist brown plant with a thoughts. When the drug has
small number of largish leaves taken full effect the receiver
Administration: Oral experiences horrific
Complexity: 10 hallucinations of evil and
Preparation: The leaves are picked and boiled unearthly matters. They feel every
into a tea. This tea may be fear imaginable. If the receiver
dehydrated and re-diluted with does not die of heart attack or an
water. unfortunate accident during
Game Effects: Half healing rate may be “Devil’s Eyes” he can look
experienced in first 2 weeks of forward to a life of insecurity and
ingestion. manic depression.
Locale: Moderately dense forest
Contra Immune Sub-locale: Dense, damp stands of evergreen
trees.
Effects: Weakens victim’s immune system Location Modifier: - 5%
Locale: Heath Plant Description: Devil’s Eyes is derived from an
Sub-locale: Windy, rocky hillocks orange fungi that grows beneath
Location Modifier: 0 fallen limbs of certain evergreen
Plant Description: Fruit of a thorny plant that flowers trees of forest regions.
only in summer Administration: Oral
Administration: Oral Complexity: 18
Complexity: 15 Preparation: The fungi is dried, then
Preparation: The fruit is dried and powdered powdered. The powder is then
and then ingested. mixed in clear spring water and
Game Effects: Game Effects are up to GMD. simmered lightly for an hour, the
resultant liquid then being ready
for administration.
Game Effects: As described above.

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Dark Fantasy Game Mastering

Book 3 - The Campaign Page 13
Ergot Pleasure
Effects: This drug is used to increase the Effects: These are a series of mind or
rate of recovery from wounds and consciousness altering drugs
for fighting infection. A sound taken for pleasure. They have no
knowledge of fungi is all that is serious side effects.
required to know of this drug. Locale: Various
Locale: River Regions. Sub-locale: Various
Sub-locale: Damp dells and shaded river Location Modifier: GMD
sides. Plant Description: Various
Location Modifier: 0 Administration: Oral (generally smoked or eaten)
Plant Description: A fungus that grows on the bark Complexity: 5 - 25
of fallen branches. Preparation: Various
Administration: Oral Game Effects: The effects of such drugs may be
Complexity: 0 left up to the discretion of the
Preparation: None Game Master. It is to be noted that
Game Effects: Reduced chance and effect of most of these drugs will impair
infection and healing rates up to the Character’s thinking ability.
1.5 times normal for up to three Combat ability and skill chances
days. may also be reduced.

God’s Hand Stamina

Effects: After drinking God’s Hand the Effects: This is a drug that stimulates the
receiver rapidly begins to feel mind and temporarily relieves the
confident. He feels above all effects of fatigue and pain. The
worldly problems and limitations. duration of the drug is d3 hours.
The world about him seems petty Locale: Mountains, Forest, Woodland
and insignificant, he feels Sub-locale: Grows in low trees
invincible. He believes that Location Modifier: - 10%
nothing can stand in their way, Plant Description: Pale vine
nothing can defeat him and that Administration: Inhaled
he is all-powerful. Unfortunately, Complexity: 10
the effect of God’s Hand is all in Preparation: Leaves are dried and smoked.
the receiver’s mind, he is not Game Effects: Increases the Characters
stronger, nor any more powerful; Endurance by 9 -Endurance
he is but deluded. Bracket points. The effect comes
Locale: Moors on over a period of about 15
Sub-locale: Found in very moist areas within minutes. When the drug wears off
the moors. the Endurance of the Character
Location Modifier: 0 will slowly return to the level it
Plant Description: The plant God’s Hand is derived should be (This will take 1/2 to 1
from is a tall moist reed-like plant hour). About an hour after the
found in stinking swamps. Two effect wears off the Character will
plants make one dose of God’s become extremely tired and will
Hand. generally fall asleep for 3-4 hours.
Administration: Oral (Ingestive)
Complexity: 14
Preparation: The roots of the plant are chopped
finely then placed in water for a
couple of hours. The roots are
then strained from the water and
the solution drunk.
Game Effects: None. Game Masters should note,
however, that for best results the
Player of the drugged Character
should not know that this drug
has no gaming effects.

Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Game Mastering Dark Fantasy

Page 14 Book 3 - The Campaign
Strength
Effects: Increases physical Strength for
around 1/2 an hour.
2. Non-Player
Locale:
Sub-locale:
Location Modifier:
River Regions
Dark, Rocky crevices.
- 20%
Characters
Plant Description: Small Mushroom
Administration: Oral What Is a Non-Player Character?
Complexity: 15 A Non-Player Character or NPC is a Character in a
Preparation: The spores of the mushroom are campaign that is not being controlled by a Player. The Dark
dried and then are powdered and Fantasy Game Master has the task of Role-Playing all the
dissolved in water. people that populate their world other than the Players'
Game Effects: Adds 8 - Strength Bracket points Characters. It is often necessary to have game statistics for
to the Character’s Strength and these Characters and so we have provided a guide to some
adds 8 - Speed Bracket to the additional personality types not covered in the Character
Character’s Speed for the Generation rules.
duration. Time of onset is about 10
minutes and effects last for about Creating the NPCs
1/2 an hour after which the NPC’s should be created in a similar way to Player
Character will be quite fatigued. Characters though the level of detail should vary according
There is also a possibility of to the level of involvement the NPC has in the campaign. A
muscle damage from over guard on a town gate, for example, may need very little
exertion (GMD). detail unless the situation develops into a combative one. In
this case it is important to assign the NPC a Fighting Rank,
Defence, Body, Might Ratings, Damage Modifier, Overall
Initiative Bonus and a weapon Skill.
The sections below give guidelines to generating statistics
for non-important NPCs. In determining these values, it is
best to take a guess based on the information given and you
knowledge of the dark Fantasy System. It is exceptionally
time consuming and wasteful to detail every NPC fully.
More often than not, having a rough idea of the
approximate level of skill of the NPC and assigning
appropriate values will be more than sufficient.
In the sections below, a few additional Character Types are
listed that are not listed in the Character Generation Section
(generally because they are only of limited interest to play).
Instead of listing Attributes, however, we have just listed
average Damage Modifier and Initiative Bonus statistics.
For the Character’s Secondary Attributes, pick values that
approximate your image of the Character. Attributes are not
generally used for non-important NPCs so don’t worry
about assigning them. Instead make decisions about what
you feel the effect of these Attributes will be (such as
roughly how fast the Character can run, what their Damage
Modifier will be, etc.)
Note: Skill ratings are based on the categories listed in the
Skill Level Descriptions Table on (p 19) given in Book 1.

Sergeants-At-Arms, Petite Sergeants

Sergeants-At-Arms or Petite Sergeants are the auxiliary
heavy cavalry that supported the nobility in battle. They
were quite professional and powerful as warriors and often
the only difference between a knight and a sergeant on the
battlefield was the knight's generally superior equipment.
There were two kinds of sergeantry. One was a lord's
retainer who bore their lord's insignia and served him in
return for clothing, food, shelter and pay. The other was the
well to do yeoman who owned some property and could

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Dark Fantasy Non-Player Characters

Book 3 - The Campaign Page 15
 afford the great expense of a horse, arms and armour. Both common. The quality and frequency of militia training
were well trained and served their lord at their request as depended a lot on the lord who trained them and how
auxiliary cavalry units. The second kind of sergeants were important he thought such training was. If for some reason
known as petite sergeants. the lord of a manor thought that it was vital that their
peasants be able to fight well, then the quality of the militia
In conditions of peace sergeants were rather like army would be relatively high and they would be passable troops.
officers of the modern day. They led and looked after the
lesser ranking troops, in this case the men-at-arms, and Typical Personality Type: Any
went on patrols to maintain the security of the fief. They
also guarded the lord's castle or manor, acted as bodyguards Typical Fighting Rank: 1 - 3
when the lord went travelling, performed some of the Typical Weapon Skills:
mundane chores around the lord's dwelling and trained to
keep themselves in fighting trim. Weapon Skill Level
Hand Axe Unskilled - Competent
Typical Personality Type: Fighter Spear (1) Unskilled - Competent
Typical Fighting Rank: 2-5 Spear (2) Unskilled - Competent

Typical Weapon Skills:

Weapon Skill Level Typical Equipment:
Hand Axe Competent + Common weapons for militia would be the ubiquitous
spear, sometimes hand axe and rarely a short sword.
Spear (1) Competent +
Spear (2) Competent + Damage Modifier: 1.0 to 1.3
Broadsword Unskilled - Skilled* Initiative Bonus: Rank/2 - 1
2 Handed Sword Unskilled- Skilled*
Peasants
Morning Star Unskilled - Skilled*
Lance Unskilled - Skilled* Peasants are generally non-combatants who would do quite
poorly in any serious fight. Their statistics are given for
* A Sergeant-at-Arms will not be skilled in all these those inevitable situations where somebody wants to beat
weapons. Usually they will pick a favourite weapon and up on a poor farmer. It is conceivable that a peasant may
concentrate on perfecting it. have fighting instinct and some latent ability hidden within
them that will show up in a real fight. This is extremely
Typical Equipment: unlikely however, and almost all peasants will have
The sergeantry were permitted to bear chivalric arms such statistics in the middle to low range. The upper ranges of
as the lance and the knightly swords because of their peasant statistics assume a peasant of fighter mentality. It is
privileged and trusted position in feudal society. They even possible for a peasant to have done some fighting
tended to use the same sorts of heavy weapons that the during their life, perhaps in the local militia, and thus they
knights used, such as swords, maces and lances. Their may have up to Fighting Rank 2.
armour was medium to heavy based on what they Typical Personality Type: Any
themselves could afford if they were petite or based on
what their lord could afford if they were at-arms. Typical Fighting Rank: 0 - 2
Damage Modifier: 1.3 to 2.0 Typical Weapon Skills:
Initiative Bonus: 1 + Rank/2 Peasants will generally use agricultural implements as
weapons. Examples are improvised flail, improvised spear
(pitchfork) and improvised battle-axe (woodsman's axe).
Militia, Lesser Yeomen, Lesser Town Guard There might even be a real weapon lying around for a
The militia were third rate troops who were only part time peasant to use, probably scavenged from a battlefield. The
soldiers. They existed as low quality back up for the feudal only real weapons that a peasant is at all likely to be able to
armies of a lord, who would train some of the population so use is a Hand Axe or Spear.
they would be of more use than a peasant levy. This Non-
Player Character category also includes all lesser troops Weapon Skill Level
such as poor yeomen and inferior town guard as they have Hand Axe Unskilled - Competent
statistics similar to militia, the only difference being that Spear Unskilled - Competent
they should be better equipped.
Typical Equipment:
Militia would drill about once a month and in between Common weapons for militia would be the ubiquitous
times they would have ordinary jobs and lead the lives of spear, sometimes hand axe and rarely a short sword.
ordinary people. The militia of feudal times are much like Damage Modifier: 0.5 to 1.6
the army reserves of today. Their training would often be Initiative Bonus: - 3 to 1 + Rank/2
conducted by one of the local lord's sergeants designated
for the duty. Sometimes militia would be lucky enough to
be trained by a squire or even a knight but this was not

Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Non-Player Characters Dark Fantasy

Page 16 Book 3 - The Campaign
Berserkers The Background of the important NPC should be detailed
and the Character should be pro-rated, just as it is for a a
In a few cultures in the past there have been exceptionally Player Character. This gives the NPC a fullness and
fierce and bloodthirsty warriors that felt no pain or fear. credibility.
They were filled with an insane rage that enabled them to
do incredible things in battle. These warriors are known as Example: A boy was raised in a village and occasionally
Berserkers. The term “Berserker” is derived from the travelled into the woods to think while he fished. When he
Viking term “bare sark “meaning “no armour” as the classic was 15, he saw a flash of colour through the trees and went
Viking Berserker never wore armour. to investigate, finding a tall, old man wearing garish clothes
watching a flame dancing about their hand. The two fell
In the heat of battle a Berserker becomes completely
into deep conversation and the boy became fascinated with
enraged. All that fills their mind is a raging fury, and a lust
the old man's knowledge. The boy spent the next 10 years
to kill. There is no way to stop him except to kill him or to
studying under the Mage until he felt ready to face the
deal him such a wound that their body cannot function, like
world with his new found power. He emerges at the age of
removing a leg. This is because the Berserker feels no pain
25 a 4th Rank Fire Mage with increased wisdom and skill,
and will continue to fight until every last foe is slain, or
and it is at this point that he begins his new life as an NPC.
until death takes him.
It is to be noted that pro-rating in no way affects the normal
He feels no fear whatsoever, and will attempt things that
flow of events but rather makes logical evolution possible.
sane men would quail to hear of. The foolhardy courage of
Knowledge that has been learnt in a pro-rated situation may
a Berserker is quite legendary for a Berserker would quite
have atrophied as it normally would with disuse, but this
readily throw away their shield, grip their sword in two
will all depend on the Character and what they have done in
hands and charge an enemy shield wall alone and with no
the intervening time.
armour. In fact, such events were quite common
historically. Berserkers would wreak untold carnage on the Non-Player Character Skills
enemy by doing such suicidally bold things. Amazing as it
It is very hard to quantify the skills of a Non-Player with
may seem, they even survived sometimes.
any exactness. Any Character can have a huge range and
In Dark Fantasy, a Berserker is exempt from the penalties diversity of skills. The competency of a given Non-Player
of being wounded except when their Body total reaches Character in a given skill is also highly variable and should
10% of its normal value, in which case the Berserker’s be predetermined by the Game Master to accurately
weapon hit chances are halved. A Berserker has their Might represent the kind of person he wishes the NPC to be.
total doubled while Berserk due to the overwhelming
The Game Master of Dark Fantasy should really fully
ferocity of their mind. Also, because the Berserker is so
prepare all their Non-Player Characters before using them
totally on the offensive in battle he gets no Defence
in a Role-Playing session. The Game Master should
whatsoever. The amount of adrenaline that courses through
imagine the important Non-Player in great detail and
the body of a Berserker gives him an almost superhuman
determine their traits and past. This will hopefully enrich
strength. Thus, in Dark Fantasy, a Berserker does double
the Role-Playing and make it more vivid for both players
the amount of Damage they would normally do.
and Game Master. It is also difficult to quickly develop an
Berserkers have a higher hit probability when Berserk important NPC whilst playing and do it any justice.
because of their aggression. Add ten to the hit chance of any
weapon a Berserker uses. Also, because a Berserker is so
high with adrenaline add two to their Initiative Bonus. The
adrenaline also gives the Berserker + 2 to their Speed
Bracket. In history people faced by Berserkers usually
broke morale. Even if they stood their ground their
efficiency was greatly impeded by their lack of morale.
Trying to defend against a Berserker is like trying to stop a
tornado. The Game Master should always keep in mind
what it is like to see a madman charging towards you with
no armour, frothing at the mouth, biting their shield and
screaming for death. Most soldiers who face Berserkers
should have their hit chance reduced by up to 50% from
fear, if they even stay to fight at all. It is a very brave
warrior who can competently fight a Berserker.

Important NPCs
In most campaigns there will be a number of important
NPCs. These are Characters that the Game Master runs that
will have considerable interaction with either the Player-
Characters directly, or affect what happens to them. Such
NPCs deserve a great deal of thought and generally warrant
generation under the normal Character generation rules.

Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Dark Fantasy Non-Player Characters

Book 3 - The Campaign Page 17
3. Beasts, There are a number of beasts that are fairly likely to be
encountered if the players spend any significant time in the
wilderness. Their game statistics are listed below.

Creatures & Bear

Body: 20 + d12 Might: 6 + d6

Nasties Armour: <3>

Attack: Bite
Defence: d3 - 1
Hit: 15 Body: 6Crit: 1
Dam: 2d6 + 4
Init: - 2
Attack: Claw Hit: 35 Body: 10Crit: 3
Dam: d8 + 4
Init: - 1
Introduction Attack: Hug Hit: 45 Body: 15Crit: 6
In Dark Fantasy, the emphasis has always been on a Dark Dam: d6 + 12Init: 0
to Middle Ages setting. As such, the majority of encounters Description: The statistics given above represent your average
will be with human opponents, such as bandits or soldiers, run of the woods brown bear. A bear may either bite or claw in
or with wild creatures. Having said that, there is still Magic any given round, but bears are more likely to attack with their
in the world, and room in it for fantastic creatures. Human claws. If the bear manages to actually strike its victim with a
myths and legends full of strange beasts and creatures that claw attack then it may attempt to hug next round. The hug will
defy explanation. Encounters with such creatures or beings continue as long as the bear keeps rolling under its Normal Hit
should be rare and wondrous occasions, and not something chance or until it flees or dies.
that happens every day.
Boar
In this section of Dark Fantasy, we have set out descriptions Body: 10 + 2d4 Might: 7 + d3
and gaming statistics for a variety of beasts and creatures, Armour: <6> Defence:d3+ 2
both real and fantastic. As always in Dark Fantasy, all Attack: Gore Hit: 30 Body: 7Crit: 2
statistics should used as a guide only, with GMD needed to Dam: d6 + 6 Init: - 1
properly run any encounters. Description: Due to the nature of a boar’s attack the Character
being attacked gains + 20 to their hit chance as the boar will
Beasts tend to charge straight for them. Boars are extremely resilient,
It is quite likely that at some stage the Player Characters and as such are extremely difficult to kill. Also, they are very
will encounter beasts and desire or have a need to kill them. single-minded - once they attack something they are unlikely
It may be that the Characters need to hunt for food or, to stop until they are their target has been killed.
conversely, it may be that some predator hunts the
Characters. Thus, we have attempted to provide a rough,
working guideline for the GM as to the combat statistics of Deer
various beasts. The statistics given are very rough, so feel Body: 4 + d6 Might: d3 - 1
free to modify them according to the knowledge you Armour: <1> Defence:d4+ 1
possess about that particular animal. Description: Statistics are given for deer as they are commonly
hunted. Deers are quite fast, but have no effective attacks.
Although the beast’s statistics are generally given in the
form of dice, they need not necessarily be rolled. A
minimum value of Body Points for any beast will represent Horse (Standard)
a small animal of the species and the high numbers Body: 10 + d10 Might: d3 - 1
represent the larger or tougher animals of the species. Armour: <1> Defence: d6
The Armour rating of an animal represents the thickness of Attack: Trample* Hit: 90 Body: 40Crit: 2
their hide which protects them in the same way as armour Dam: 2d8 Init: 0
does for a human. If using the optional Protection Modifier Attack: Other Hit: 35 Body: 4Crit: 1
rules, animals will all have quite a high Protection Modifier Dam: d8 + 2 Init: - 1
(usually around -2 or -3 at GMD) due to the difficulty of * Only a fallen victim can be trampled.
penetrating their hide. The Protection Modifier is a Description: There are many ways for a horse to attack if it has
modifier to the Character’s Chance of finding a weak spot to fight so we have chosen to give one generic set of combat
in armour and as the hide of an animal covers them statistics. This one attack includes things such as rearing and
completely, there are few spots where penetration is plunging, biting, etc. Trampling is different in nature to other
possible. horse attacks so we have given separate statistics for it
.
At all times remember that beasts must be Role-Played, just Horse (War)
like humans. Beasts have their own personalities, patterns Body: 15 + d10 Might: d6
of behaviour and motivations. There is always a reason for Armour: <1> Defence: d6+ 4
whatever they do and they must never be viewed as merely Attack: Trample* Hit: 90 Body: 40Crit: 1
“monsters” for the players to encounter and defeat. They Dam: 2d8 + 2 Init: 0
are not mindless, random occurrences that will fight to the Attack: Other Hit: 45 Body: 6Crit: 1
death in order to give the players a game challenge. Dam: d10 + 2 Init: + 1
* Only a fallen victim can be trampled.

Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Beasts, Creatures & Nasties Dark Fantasy

Page 18 Book 3 - The Campaign
Description: Warhorses are large and aggressive members of Darkfolk
their kind. They are specially bred and trained for war and are
quite fearsome in combat. As opposed to other horses who are Ogres
panicked by the scent of blood, warhorses are excited by the Ogres are fearsome and brutish monsters that have
smells of war. They are temperamental, finicky and highly humanoid form. They stand about 8’ tall on the average and
strung as a general rule and they require a great deal of care. are heavily built. They appear much as ugly and dirty
Many warhorses will allow none but their master touch them humans do but their eyes have colours that no human has.
for they are often fiercely loyal. A warhorse can only be ridden Ogres are greasy, pimply, dirty and coarse in appearance
by someone who it respects and to earn the respect of a and the stink that they give off is enough to sicken even the
warhorse, one must be strong in warrior spirit. hardiest of men. Their clothes are crude, little more than
filthy rags that are never washed. Their hair is an unruly
Lion tangle of coarse, dirty locks of dark and unsavoury colour.
Body: 16 + d8 Might: 4 + d4 All in all, Ogres are disgusting looking beings that are
Armour: <1> Defence:2d4 + 6 otherwise quite human in form.
Attack: Bite Hit: 30 Body: 8Crit: 2
Dam: d6 + 8 Init: 0 Ogres are extremely strong in comparison to humans
Attack: Claw Hit: 40 Body: 10Crit: 1 because of their huge size. Their Agility leaves a lot to be
Dam: d8 + 6 Init: 0 desired, however, as they are fairly slow and clumsy
Description: The lion will use either bite or claws depending on creatures. Their gait is ungraceful to say the least. For all
which seems most appropriate to it at the time. This is left up their sick appearance Ogres are really quite healthy and can
to Game Master’s discretion. Lions favour attacking from withstand more hardship of the body than can most
ambush, and a group of them will often cooperate to herd their humans.
prey into a trap.
Ogres are diurnal creatures like humans but they still dislike
Stag really bright light and tend to stay in the shadows on fully
Body: 10 + d6 Might: d3 + 1 sunlight days. The sun does no real harm to Ogres,
Armour: <2> Defence: d4 however. Their vision at night is only slightly better than a
Attack: Butt Hit: 35 Body: 7Crit: 2 human’s but their hearing is significantly better than a
Dam: 2d6 Init: 0 humans.
Description: A stag is a male and somewhat more fearsome
version of a deer. The intellect of an Ogre is poor in most ways but they are
fairly cunning in an evil, scheming sense. They don’t
Wild Cat understand much about most things but are quick to betray
Body: 7 + d6 Might: 1 + d2 loyalties and kill if they see it to be to their advantage.
Armour: <1> Defence:10+ d6 Ogres also have another flaw in their reasoning. They are
Attack: Bite Hit: 25 Body: 6Crit: 1 inordinately fond of riddles and can easily be tricked into
Dam: 2d3 + 1 Init: + 2 trying to puzzle out a riddle while their prey slips away. The
Attack: Claw Hit: 30 Body: 5Crit: 1 best time for this is when the Ogre is fairly calm and content
Dam: d6+1 Init: NA such as after a good meal, in which case the ploy is likely
Description: With its claws the wildcat gains + 2 to its Initiative to work. It is inadvisable, however, to try and entice an
roll and will always use its claws to attack unless a second Ogre into a game of riddles when he is in a berserk fury and
attack is gained through the initiative roll in which case it will is smashing anything in reach with their six foot, two
claw then bite. Wild Cats tend to attack from above or else run handed maul.
in from behind a victim and attempt to hamstring them. Ogres live to an average age of around fifty if they survive
childhood. They are fairly antisocial creatures but they
Wolf manage to interact with each other on occasion. This is
Body: 7 + d6 Might:1 + d2 usually for the purpose of breeding. An ogre and an ogress
Armour: <2> Defence: 4 + d6 will live together for a few years as a family. When any of
Attack: Bite Hit: 40 Body: 8Crit: 1 the children seem capable of surviving on their own the
Dam: 2d4 + 2 Init: + 1 father will move on to greener pastures, leaving their mate
Description: The above statistics assume a large wolf. In to look after any children. An ogre’s gestation period is
general, wolves will hunt as a pack and attack when the about a year long and one to three children are born at a
conditions are most favourable. A wolf pack is an extremely time.
organised entity, and wolves are quite capable of acting
“intelligently”, or at least with great cunning. A wolf pack Ogres do not form true societies of their own. In many
encountered in open terrain is by no means easy to defeat, and cases, ogres live within the societies of other Darkfolk.
will always be a threat to all but the strongest of armed parties. There they are used as bully boys for the strongest warriors.
Most tribes of Orcs have a few ogres integrated into their
culture, for example. In places where ogres live on their
own the region is populated by scattered and small groups
that each claim a certain territory and hunt within it. The
largest stable social unit of ogres would be the family
group.

Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Dark Fantasy Beasts, Creatures & Nasties

Book 3 - The Campaign Page 19
 Ogres do not know any real crafts because they are too Lesser Orcs, Hobgoblins
stupid to learn them. They fashion stone age implements
All the above are the terms used to describe a foul race of
that serve their basic needs well enough. When they live
humanoid creatures that plague the lands of men. They
with other Darkfolk, like Orcs, they get supplied with
stand somewhat shorter than a man due to their gnarled and
whatever their hosts see fit to give them. One thing they are
stooped posture (generally about 5’ tall). Their skin is dark
fairly good at, besides being generally evil and obnoxious,
and leathery, being very unwholesome in complexion.
is finding enough food to survive in the barren and hostile
They have wiry black hair covering most of their bodies.
terrain they seem to prefer. They know many tricks to get
Orcish features are gruesome and fierce in aspect, being
their subsistence from areas where experienced foresters
very brutish with enhanced eye ridges, projecting snouts
find hardship in surviving.
and receding foreheads. Orcs have large protruding teeth
Ogre Statistics that are very similar to a carnivore’s, being very sharp and
pointed. The eyes of an Orc are deeply menacing, darkly
Speed: Average = 60 Maximum = 75
glimmering under their thick brows.
Strength: Average = 95 Maximum = 99
Bulk: Average = 99 Maximum = 103 On average, Orcs are as nimble and dexterous as ordinary
Appearance: Average = 35 Maximum = 50 men and are somewhat stronger. This is due to the warrior
nature of their race; they continually hone and perfect their
Agility: Average = 35 Maximum = 60
fighting skills and this gives them strong physiques. Also,
Endurance: Average = 71 Maximum = 95 from an early age the weakest members of an Orcish group
Will: Average = 37 Maximum = 68 will be weeded out by the strongest ones. Orcs do not have
Mind Power: Average = 30 Maximum = 55 the same reasoning ability that humans can achieve but they
Empathy: Average = 30 Maximum = 50 have a great instinctive cunning. Orcs are also quite hardy,
Leadership: Average = 25 Maximum = 60 being able to endure much physical abuse and discomfort.
The Orcish race is a nocturnal one and they are most active
(values in Human Terms) during periods of darkness. Orcs fear the sun, and its bright
light hurts their eyes and burns their skin. In bright daylight
Typical Fighting Rank: 0-4 Orcish warriors are weak, confused and vulnerable but in
Typical Weapon Skills: darkness they are in their natural element. They know the
Weapon Skill Level ways of the night and use darkness to good effect in their
Bare Fist Unskilled - Skilled tactics. The dark vision of Orcs is far greater than that of
Large Axe Unskilled - Skilled men and they can even see for about 20’ in pitch blackness.
Club Unskilled - Skilled The Orcish race is inherently corrupt and evil. Their society
Bare Fist Unskilled - Skilled is racially based upon precepts of violence, greed and might
makes right. Orcs have all that is bad in human nature, with
Average Damage Modifier: 3.0 x none of the redeeming qualities that enable humans to rise
Average Initiative Bonus: Rank/2 above their baser instincts.

A Rank 0 listing above is for very young Ogres. Rank 4 is Human folk lore has established three simple rules for
typical of an ogre in the prime of life (around 35). The dealing with Orcs:
reason that such low Ranks are given for Ogres is because
they do not learn well or quickly. Most techniques of “Never trust an Orc for he will betray you., Never let down
fighting are beyond their limited comprehension. It is your guard for he will kill you., Never accept their offerings
possible for genius Ogres of around average human Mind for he will poison you.”
Power to exist and they would learn far more easily than This is not to say that one cannot have other than violent
their more stupid brethren. The Game Master must use their dealings with an Orc. They are reasoning creatures that can
judgment to determine statistics for such rare individuals. be bargained with. It is just that Orcish nature is extremely
evil and it is therefore wise to treat them with utmost
Note that it is also possible for Ogres to be trained in
caution.
fighting techniques, though who would want to train an
Ogre? In that case their Fighting Rank may be as high as Orcs are not artistic, they find beauty, or rather pleasure, in
size though this would be exceptionally rare. trophies of war or representations of power. Crude, bold
colours such as blood red or dirty yellow appeal to the
Ogres wear no real armour unless it is supplied by their
senses of Orcs. They fashion their banners and insignia in
Darkfolk hosts when they live in those societies. They will
such style.
at most have thick animal hides and furs which should have
a Protection Value of no more than 4. Deep down Orcs are cowardly creatures who would rather
run away and live to fight another day than endure through
Ogres do not make well crafted weapons by themselves.
danger. They hate and despise the weak because deep in
They fashion only crude stone age implements such as flint
axes. This is what they will be armed with unless they can their hearts they are weak themselves. And so it has been in
somehow obtain better weapons that are large enough to be their history that they have been utterly defeated many a
used by them. time by doughty dwarven axemen or stout human soldiers.

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Beasts, Creatures & Nasties Dark Fantasy

Page 20 Book 3 - The Campaign
 Orcs are gregarious creatures and they congregate in large they are born and never truly ceases. All this makes the
numbers. They form tribal warrior societies with the Orcish race quite feared and hated because they are so
strongest ruling the weaker. Their society is oriented for cruel, bloodthirsty and brutal. They are also feared because
war and raiding and thus their craftsmanship for tools of they are good fighters who do not hesitate to use the foulest
war is very high as is their aptitude to wage it. Orcish arms tactics to win a fight.
may look shoddy but they are in fact very well fashioned,
being durable and functional. They do not practice many Orcs practice no chivalry and any way to win a combat is
other crafts because they have no use for them. good enough. They even take pride in the artistry of their
foul tactics. An ambush is a common form of Orcish attack,
The many tribes of Orcs dwell mostly underground. This is as is poison. They avoid open combat where possible,
because of their dislike of the sun and their nocturnal though if forced they will fight to the best of their ability.
nature. They tend to live in large, well defended cavern
complexes though they have been known to inhabit Orcish armies are always disorganised infantry of various
particularly deep and dark forests. types. They never ride horses for they are poor riders and
horses hate them. Some of the smaller varieties of Orcs
Orcs support themselves primarily by sending out hunting have been known to ride large, perverse and evil wolves.
parties to cover their often huge hunting ranges. They also This is the only Orcish cavalry that exists. Orcs fight as
practice some small amount of foraging to supplement their irregular medium infantry supported by skirmishers armed
diet. Wherever possible, Orcs prefer to raid for what they with missile weapons. Orcish units have a noticeable
need to survive. resemblance to unruly mobs with little true leadership.
About 95% of the Orcish race is male. Only relatively few Orcish Statistics
females are born and this balances the prolific Orcish birth Speed: Average = 50 Maximum = 90
rate. Female Orcs look much the same as male Orcs when
Strength: Average = 58 Maximum = 87
they are young but they quickly develop into a different
form. Orcish females become bloated and corpulent Bulk: Average = 55 Maximum = 80
vaguely humanoid breeding machines who become Appearance: Average = 25 Maximum = 40
impregnated through the efforts of their tribe and give birth Agility: Average = 50 Maximum = 91
to approximately half a dozen young at a time. Their Endurance: Average = 60 Maximum = 95
gestation period is about six months long. Developed Will: Average = 40 Maximum = 80
Orcish females require constant attention as they are quite
helpless by themselves, being almost immobile. They Mind Power: Average = 43 Maximum = 78
spend their relatively short lives lying in the breeding Empathy: Average = 20 Maximum = 50
caverns being impregnated or giving birth. Leadership: Average = 50 Maximum = 94

Orcs can also breed with human women and they even (values apply within race and are in Human Terms)
prefer this because humans are far more comely than Orcish
females, as can be imagined. The resultant crossbreed As Orcs are intelligent they will learn the use of weapons in
varies in the degree to which parent it takes after but there a similar fashion to humans. Below is a table describing the
is a strong tendency towards Orcishness. Most Orcish tribes range or Orcish weapon skills.
have quite a few human females as pleasure slaves in their
cavern complexes. Typical Fighting Rank: 3-8

Orcs have a shorter lifespan than humans but they develop Typical Weapon Skills:
far more quickly. The average Orc will live to a ripe old age Orcs have their own weapons (described below). They are
of about forty, assuming, of course, that they do not die at least competent with all of these as well as bare handed
before this due to the violent practices of their race. Orcs combat.
are considered fully matured at an age of ten and will fight, Average Damage Modifier: 1.3
rape, pillage and hunt even before this. Average Initiative Bonus: Rank/2
The Orcish lifestyle is fairly primitive and neither spiritual
nor intellectual matters have a great deal of meaning to Most Orcs will have a fighting rank of 4, 5 or 6. Orcs may
them. Their language reflects this as, for example, there is be found in several different types of armour, specifically
no word for love. The closest equivalents would be lust or Generic Armour Types 8, 13 and 13 (See Book 1, the
weakness. Their speech is made up of what would appear to Generic Armour Types Section (p 26)). Note that armour
a human to be exceedingly gruff speech in combination type 13 would be rare and restricted to the elite of a tribe,
with grunting. The language is in part dependent on body such as chieftains and their bodyguards.
movement and signals that have stemmed from the Lesser Orcs use a great variety of weapons, some of which
extensive battle experience of the race. are their own unique designs. The normal weapon forms
The lifestyle of an Orc is harsh and violent. There is a great they use include Dagger, Pole Arms, Hand Axe,
deal of fighting, assassination and power play within the Broadsword, Mace, Scimitar, Shortsword and Spear. Their
Orcish race. This lifestyle leads to the deaths of many Orcs unique weapons are listed below and many Orcs prefer to
but teaches them brutal cunning and how to fight. An use these as they are well suited to the Orcish fighting style
Orcish warrior’s martial education begins a few days after and are more common, being made by Orcish armourers.

Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Dark Fantasy Beasts, Creatures & Nasties

Book 3 - The Campaign Page 21
 Weapon Damage Hit Stats LR MSR E.W. Spd
Ashkar (1) d8+6 25 / 8 / 2 1/1 4 3 2
Ashkar (2) d6+9 30 / 8 / 3 1/1 3 3 1
Korek d6+9 25 / 9 / 5 2/1 6 5.5 6
Pirak (2) 2d6+8 25 / 10 / 5 5/2 5 6 5
Tashorg (1) 2d6 30 / 7 / 2 1/1 4 3.2 0
Tashorg (2) 2d6+2 35 / 9 / 2 3/2 2 3.2 0

Ashkari: This weapon is basically a cross between a hand Goblins are weaker than ordinary Orcs, not only in physical
axe and a battle axe. It has a haft about one and 3/4 feet long terms but also in mentality. They are far more cowardly and
with a large axe head and a vicious backspike. The top of snivelling and will not fight an open battle unless the odds
the shaft is also spiked. are grossly in their favour. Even more so than Orcs they
fight from ambush. They are masters of building traps and
Koreks: This is another combination weapon. It resembles this is the primary leisure activity amongst the race, apart
a mace with an axe like blade circling the head. The head is from brewing poison. Goblins often use nets along with
also spiked. Overall the Korek is approximately two and a traps to good advantage in their ambushes.
half feet long.
Goblins are often found as cavalry for they tend to ride
Piraks: These are polearms similar to halberds but they large and evil wolves. Such Goblins are usually armed with
have fewer protrusions and thus are simpler to use and easy javelins and do not wear much armour. In all other respects,
to learn. goblins are similar to their cousins, the lesser Orcs.
Tashorgi: These are simply spears that have two spikes Goblin Statistics
bent back along the shaft about eight inches down from the
Speed: Average = 41 Maximum = 65
head. One spike is swept forward and the other is swept
back. This weapon is more versatile than the spear and is Strength: Average = 45 Maximum = 70
excellent for disarming. Bulk: Average = 37 Maximum = 60
Appearance: Average = 35 Maximum = 45
Note that Tashorgi are not really throwable as are Ashkari.
Agility: Average = 60 Maximum = 95
It is possible to throw an Ashkar with some accuracy but it
is very hard and the vast majority of Orcs do not do so Endurance: Average = 55 Maximum = 92
except in extreme circumstances. Will: Average = 35 Maximum = 60
Mind Power: Average = 44 Maximum = 72
Note that the Tashorgi and Ashkari are not really
Empathy: Average = 25 Maximum = 60
throwable. It is possible to throw an Ashkar with some
accuracy but it is very hard and the vast majority of Orcs do Leadership: Average = 50 Maximum = 90
not do so except in extreme circumstances.
(values apply within the race and are in Human Terms)
Orcish skirmish troops use missile weapons like slings,
short bows and javelins. Typical Fighting Rank: 0-6
Note that light adversely affects Orcs. Full sunlight gives Typical Weapon Skills:
them a 70% penalty to their attack, Body, Critical and Parry
chances, as well as their Defence. Bright light such as a Goblins use similar weapons to lesser Orcs.
cloudy day would give them a penalty of about 50%, and so Average Damage Modifier: 1.0 x
on until they gain no penalty from twilight on. Average Initiative Bonus: 1 + Rank/2

Goblins Goblins do not often wear armour and if they do it is usually

only a soft leather jerkin, sometimes with studs in it.
These are the lesser of the lesser Orcs. They are a race of Generic armour types 3, 5 & 8 (See the Generic Armour
cowardly and weak beings that are less militaristic and yet Types Section (p 26) of Book 1) would be the very best that
even more underhanded than Orcs. Goblins could obtain and Type 8 would be reserved for
Goblins are smaller than normal Orcs, standing about 4’ their chieftains and selected favourites.
tall, but are otherwise very similar in physique. They appear These sub-Orcs do not use any heavy weapons, both
less grotesque to the human eye but share the characteristic because they are not good weaponsmiths and their build is
facial features with Orcs. Their teeth are less pronounced not suited to the use of heavy arms. One of their best
but still sharp like a carnivore’s. weapons, reserved mostly for their best warriors, is the
Goblins are endowed with keener senses than others of short sword. They also use small spears, axes, daggers and
Orcish kind. They hear and smell better than Orcs. Their clubs. Their favourite missile weapons are javelins, closely
hearing is equivalent to a keen human’s but their sense of followed by slings. Goblins are affected by the bright light
smell is as good as most canines’. This is a valuable asset as Orcs are.
that is often used by Orcs and Great Orcs who take Goblins
as slaves and use them as trackers, or more like dogs.

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Beasts, Creatures & Nasties Dark Fantasy

Page 22 Book 3 - The Campaign
Great Orcs, Black Orcs Great Orc Statistics
These are the most feared of Orcish kind for they lack many Speed: Average = 55 Maximum = 95
of the weaknesses that Orcs otherwise have. Great Orcs are Strength: Average = 66 Maximum = 94
a far more dangerous threat to humanity than the more Bulk: Average = 65 Maximum = 89
common lesser Orcs for they form disciplined armies as Appearance: Average = 30 Maximum = 45
opposed to groups of disunified pillagers. Agility: Average = 54 Maximum = 91
Great Orcs stand straight backed and tall, taller than most Endurance: Average = 65 Maximum = 95
men (average of 6’). Their limbs are only slightly askew. Will: Average = 55 Maximum = 95
They carry themselves with great pride and arrogance for Mind Power: Average = 55 Maximum = 90
they are the master race. They look fierce and warlike, more Empathy: Average = 30 Maximum = 60
frightening than even normal Orcs. Their visage is of the
same type as that of lesser Orcs though there is a deadly, Leadership: Average = 65 Maximum = 95
calculating intelligence in their hateful eyes.
(values apply within the race and are in Human Terms)
Great Orcs are similar in nature to their lesser brethren but
are even more cruel, brutal and murderous, if that is Typical Fighting Rank: 3-10
possible. They have far greater self discipline, however,
and they do not slay their own kind nearly as frequently. Typical Weapon Skills:
They prefer to take out their homicidal desires on both other Black Orcs are well trained and disciplined soldiers who
Orcs and humans. have ranks as humans do. Great Orcs use a range of heavy
Human and Orcish weapons with a great degree of
Black Orcs have a great practical intelligence that at least competency. Skill levels with Great Orcs in the weapons
equals that of mankind. They are ruthless and pragmatic they use will be Competent+.
and will wage war with a cruel efficiency. Their
craftsmanship is superb in those fields appropriate to their Average Damage Modifier: 1.6
nature but they disdain all other skills. Average Initiative Bonus: Rank/2

The societies of this Orcish master race are far more rigid Most Black Orcs will be Fighting Rank 5 or 6. Only the
and disciplined than their counterparts. They are built on very cream of the race will ever achieve Ranks 8, 9 & 10.
the model of military camps; harsh and efficient. There are The average Great Orc warlord would be Fighting Rank 8.
defined ranks within their hierarchy of power similar to Great Orcs wear several types of armour, especially
military officer positions. All power is ultimately derived Generic Armour types 7,12,13,15 (See the Generic
from their warlord who rules with absolute power within Armour Types Section (p 26) of Book 1). Most Great Orcs
their clan. will wear generic armour type 12 as listed above. Note that
Generic armour type 13 is quite rare as is armour type 15
The Master race will always seek to dominate lesser Orcs, which is reserved for the elite of the clan such as the
often building slave empires in the lands of Orcs. Any Great warlord and his captains.
Orc on their own will tend to rise to the leadership of a
group of lesser Orcs. Normal Orcs hate and fear Great Orcs Great Orcs use the same sorts of weapons that Orcs do but
but are easily cowed by them. there is much less variability of weapon type within one
given clan, though different clans have different
Great Orcs do not fear the sun, even though they do not like preferences. Great Orc missile troops use stout bows which
it. They suffer none of the same effects that lesser Orcs do should be rated as custom made short bows of an average
from its light. This makes the race of Black Orcs very MSR of 5.
dangerous because one of the main weaknesses of the
Orcish race is their aversion of bright light. Trolls
As stated earlier, Great Orcs form well disciplined armies. The Troll is an ugly creature standing some 9’ tall. If they
They fight as regular heavy or heavy medium infantry with stood to their full height they would be between 10’ and 11’
a sprinkling of throwing weapons. They also field missile though they have a rather characteristic stoop. Their hide is
units armed with bows. very thick, is an uneven dark gray colour, and resists all
attempts to pierce or cut it. The hide of a Troll makes
excellent armour and it has been known for heroes who
have slain trolls to make armour out of their skin. They
have very large, broad shoulders though their legs and
lower body are quite slight of build despite being very
muscular. The Troll’s face is lean and hoary with a long
nose and prominent chin. The creatures wrinkled forehead
recedes from its dark forbidding brow from under which
stare two soulless gaping eyes, devoid of anything but the
most twisted and evil of primal feelings.

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Dark Fantasy Beasts, Creatures & Nasties

Book 3 - The Campaign Page 23
 Trolls tend to be solitary creatures that generally live in then it will do so in the round after the claw hit has been
dank caves and the like. They are very uncommon and scored. A claw attack with the unoccupied claw is also
would generally be found alone and never in a group of possible in the same round as the bite. If the unoccupied
more than three. They have a life span of some 80 years and claw is used to assist the other in holding the victim then the
breed slowly. They would find a mate for some time and Troll will gain +15 to both Normal hit chance and body hit
then leave when their offspring are able to fend for chance with its bite.
themselves.
A Troll may use a club as a weapon. It will be far from an
Trolls are creatures of the night. They can see about 40’ in ordinary club but would be more like a section of tree. If a
pitch blackness and have an extremely acute sense of smell. club is used the Troll will get one attack with it per round
The sun painfully burns the skin of the Troll and they take subject to normal initiative rules. The Troll may also attack
1 point of Damage per Round of exposure to the sun with its free claw while using a club. Note that trolls will
coming of Might first and then Body. use clubs in their stronger left hands. Due to its fearsome
nature, the Troll will gain +1 to the normal calculated
Trolls are remarkably hardy and they heal very quickly in Initiative.
comparison to humans. Trolls recover lost Body and Might
points at double the rate that would be normal for a human. Undead
Wounds that trolls receive clot very quickly so they suffer Undead are beings that exist on the material plane but are
very little blood loss. not alive in the normal sense. Sometimes they will have
The trollish race is fearsome in personal combat and they spirits and minds but often they will have very little of
are quite dreaded opponents. This is not only for their either. The mindless, or nearly mindless, ones are named as
formidable physical prowess but also for their terrible the Lesser Undead whereas those with spirit and mind are
ferocity and awesome cunning. A Troll may not have the deemed to be the Greater Undead. The Greater Undead are
intellect to learn and study the techniques of fighting but it far more dangerous and powerful than their Lesser kin.
certainly has the patterning of instincts developed over Undead do not have living bodies, if they have bodies at all,
millennia that allow it to easily slay most warriors. and so many limitations of being alive do not apply to them.
Troll Statistics The Undead do not need to eat, sleep, breath, etc. Some
require the life force of the living to sustain them but is they
Speed: Average = 70 Maximum = 85 are granted this through magic then they can exist for
Strength: Average = 96 Maximum = 100 centuries.
Bulk: Average = 95 Maximum = 98
All Undead resist certain forms of Magic very well in
Appearance: Average = 10 Maximum = 12
comparison to humans. If they have material forms then
Agility: Average = 50 Maximum = 80 Elemental Magic will affect them in the normal way unless
Endurance: Average = 80 Maximum = 96 the magic deals with the elements as applied to the living.
Will: Average = NA Maximum = NA If that is the case then the Undead will be unaffected. Magic
Mind Power: Average = Animal Maximum = 30 of the self can’t affect Undead either as it deals purely with
Empathy: Average = 60 Maximum = 70 living bodies.
Leadership: Average = 10 Maximum = 50 Armour ratings of Undead represent the forces binding
their form. Undead may also be wearing Armour which
Secondary Attributes: may add to the normal Armour rating though unless this is
Body: 30 + 4d6 the case, a Critical Hit does not apply to Undead as their
Might: 20 + 3d12 natural armour can never be penetrated by an exceptional
Armour: 9 blow.
Defence: 20 + 1d20
Lesser Undead
The Troll has the following attacks:
The Lesser Undead include the Unliving Skeletons,
Hit Stats Speed Damage Unliving Corpses and Shades. Both Unliving Corpses and
Attack: Left Claw 65/10/5 Spd:1 Dam: d6 + 4 Unliving Skeletons are brought into existence by the
Attack: Right Claw 60/5/2 Spd:2 Dam: d5 + 3 powerful Magic of a Black Channeller. If their master and
Attack: Bite* 80/70/3 Spd:4 Dam: d4 + 8 creator is still alive and within about 10 miles then Unliving
Corpses and Unliving Skeletons will sense his presence and
Attack: Club 50/8/5 Spd:3 Dam: d5 + 11
follow his bidding. If this is not the case, then the Undead
will act upon their own twisted will to destroy life though
*Troll may only bite after an unparried physical hit with a claw.
any person with a large measure of good or evil within their
hearts and a large measure of spiritual strength may be able
Average Initiative Bonus: +1
to repel or command them. In game effect, if a Character
Average Damage Modifier: 3.2
desires to force their will upon Lesser Undead then it will
succeed if they roll equal to or less than their Empathy
The Troll may make two claw attacks per Round with the
Damage being subject to the Damage Modifier appropriate
to its strength. A claw hit from a Troll will mean it has its
claws embedded in the target. If the Troll wishes to bite
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Beasts, Creatures & Nasties Dark Fantasy

Page 24 Book 3 - The Campaign
 Bracket Modifier on a d6. The force of their command will these has an innate magical force that binds them together.
last up to approximately an hour for the weakest of the This force acts as armour against any blow and is in
Undead. The duration of the command is listed for each addition to any armour that the Unliving Skeleton may be
Type of Unliving Skeleton. wearing.
If the one who commands the Undead is pure of heart then Thrusting weapons do half normal Damage against
they will not harm him. They may pass amongst the Undead skeletons unless the skeleton is wearing armour in which
and be safe, and they will shy away if they can. One who is case normal Damage is done for purposes of penetrating the
evil may command their service and they will obey him armour and any Damage that does get through is then
unto destruction. All Undead, who have no master follow, halved. It is to be noted that thrusting weapons also do half
who sense the Character at the time of command will be Damage against the Unliving Skeleton’s natural armour.
affected. A Channeller's command of Undead always has Skeletons are also not affected by the “Mortal Blow”.
precedence over that of normal men because the
Channeller’s is tied to the very force of their creation. Type 1
These are the weakest of the four types of skeletons. They have
Unliving Skeletons and Corpses feel no pain, no pity, no simply been animated and the force that binds them together
real fear. They have no normal constraints on Endurance does little to stop them being damaged (counting as 2 points of
and the only limitation would be the physical wearing away Armour) and thus their bones will be easily shattered. The vast
of their tissue and bones. As this tends to take rather a long majority of Unliving Skeletons will be of type 1. Type 1
time, they have effectively infinite Endurance. Skeletons may be created from any body provided in life they
were at least Fighting Rank 1.
Unliving Skeletons
These are remains of bodies that have mostly withered Yds/Rnd: 30 Dam Mod: x 1 Init Mod: + 1
away and have been raised to unlife through unholy Body:10 + d4 Might: d3 - 1
sorcery. Magical force gives their forms integrity and so Armour: 2 + Variable (Whatever is being Worn)
they need no flesh or sinew to hold them together. Defence: 10 to 30
Shield: Sometimes
Unliving skeletons do not have consciousness as living Weapon Skills: 1 Simple Weapon Unskilled - Competent
humans do. They are devoid of thought but instead act on Duration of Command: 1 Hour
something that could be called instinct. There is no choice
in their actions, they will always react in a given way in a Type 2
given situation. They are instructed by their creators and Slightly more powerful, a Type 2 Skeleton must be created
masters to do certain things and these are the parameters of from the body of a soldier of Fighting Rank 2 to 3.
their choice. Left alone and without instruction they revert Yds/Rnd: 35 Dam Mod: x 1 Init Mod: + 3
to a basic hatred of all life and will seek to slay it whenever Body:12 + d6 Might: 2d4
they find it. Armour:5 + Variable (Whatever is being Worn)
Defence: 31 to 60
Unliving skeletons have no soul, they have merely a pseudo
Shield: Sometimes
existence that is a cheap mockery of life. They are empty of
Weapon Skills: 1 Simple Weapon Competent- Skilled
feeling as they are empty of thought but their physical body
Duration of Command: 1/2 an Hour
has a dim remembrance of life and there is a vague longing
for the life they once had. This gives them their unthinking
Type 3
hate of living beings.
Type 3 Skeletons are created from the bodies of mercenaries
Unliving skeletons have no physical mechanism through and seasoned warriors (around Ranks 5-6).
which to perceive the material world. Instead, they can Yds/Rnd: 38 Dam Mod: x 1.3 Init Mod: + 5
sense in a Magical way things like life, good and evil. Body:15 + 2d6 Might: 3d6
Without eyes, they know where things are and can move Armour: 8 + Variable (Whatever is being Worn)
about physically with no problem, but their perception is Defence: 61 to 120
vastly different from a normal human’s. Shield: Sometimes
Weapon Skills: 1 Weapon Skilled - Masterful
Skeletons tend to use light and quick weapons such as short Duration of Command: 10 minutes, + 2 is added to roll to
swords and spears. They are generally only equipped with command
one weapon. Unliving Skeletons do not actually learn the
use of a weapon but their skill stems from their innate Type 4
ability to fight. These are the greatest of the Unliving Skeletons. They are
made from the remains of mighty heroes long dead and are
Unliving Skeletons are very quick and nimble as they have fearsome in their undeath. Very few have ever been created and
no flesh to hamper their movement. The physical power of they are to be avoided at all costs. Type 4 Unliving Skeletons
skeletons is not so much a function of their form but rather cut 8th Rank knights to pieces with little effort at all. They
the force put into them. There are four Spells to raise a
Skeleton to Unlife. Each is more powerful than the one
before and each creates a more fearsome creature and
requires the body of a greater person. Each of these Spells
corresponds to one type of Unliving Skeleton and each of

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Dark Fantasy Beasts, Creatures & Nasties

Book 3 - The Campaign Page 25
almost always have enchanted arms and armour and if not will Type 1
have top quality normal equipment. These are the weakest of the Unliving Corpses. They will
generally be fairly rotten as that which binds them is not that
One man was once heard to say: “Whimpy skeleton he says. strong.
It`s killed 16 party members already!” Yds/Rnd: 15 Dam Mod: x 1 to 4 Init Mod: -1 to -3
Yds/Rnd: 41 Dam Mod: x 1.6 Init Mod: + 7 Body:14 + 2d20 Might: d6 - 1
Body:20 + 2d8 Might: 9 + 2d8 Armour: Variable (Whatever is being Worn)
Armour: 10 + Variable (Whatever is being Worn) Defence: d8
Defence: 121 to 200 Shield: Sometimes
Shield: Often Weapon Skills: 1 Simple Weapon Unskilled - Competent (low)
Weapon Skills: 1 Weapon - Masterful Duration of Command: 1 Hour
Duration of Command: No command possible.
Type 2
Yds/Rnd: 17 Dam Mod: x 1.6 to 5 Init Mod: 0 to -2
Unliving Corpses Body:20 + 2d20 Might: d8
Unliving Corpses are as Unliving Skeletons in physical Armour: 1 + Variable (Whatever is being Worn)
form only they have more of their body intact. This means Defence: d10 + 2
that it is easier to give them unlife for power does not have Shield: Sometimes
to be spent to hold the form together. It also means that Proficiency Points: 1 Simple Weapon Unskilled - Competent
Unliving Corpses are different to Unliving Skeleton in Duration of Command: 1/2 Hour
several ways.
Type 3
Unliving Corpses are as Unliving Skeletons in the Yds/Rnd: 20 Dam Mod: x 2 to 6 Init Mod: +1 to -1
intangible aspects of their existence. They are soulless, Body:25 + 3d12 Might: 6 + d6
mindless and seek to destroy life. Their perceptions are Armour: 3 + Variable (Whatever is being Worn)
more dependent on physical form than are those of Defence: d8 + 6
Unliving Skeletons for they have eyes and ears. They have Shield: Sometimes
a lesser perception of life than that of Unliving Skeletons Weapon Skills: 1 Weapon Competent- Skilled
but their perceptions of normal things are far superior. For Duration of Command: 10 minutes, +2 to command roll.
example an Unliving Corpse can actually see and thus can
distinguish between colours etc. Type 4
Type 4 Unliving Corpses are grossly powerful and extremely
Unliving Skeletons are silent apart from the rustle of their
rare. They are created from great knights or heroes and usually
garments and the clicking of their bones against the earth
have enchanted ordnance and are heavily armed and armoured.
but Unliving Corpses have voice as they did when alive.
Yds/Rnd: 25 Dam Mod: x 2.4 to 7 Init Mod: +2 to 0
What they can say is a reflection of their soulless nature and
Body:30 + 3d12 Might: 10 + d6
so usually only unearthly moans escape their lips. Perhaps
Armour: 5 + Variable (Whatever is being Worn)
the greater types can call the name of the one they seek to
Defence: 10 to 30
slay in that terrible, lifeless moan that chills men to their
Shield: Sometimes
very bones. Unliving Corpses are very slow and lumbering.
Weapon Skills: 1 Weapon Skilled - Masterful
As with Unliving Skeletons, the power of an Unliving
Duration of Command: No command possible.
Corpse is a function of the force put into it but it also
depends on the body being used. A once great knight raised
as an Unliving Corpse is a fearsome sight whereas a raised Shades
scholar is not physically impressive. There are thus large
ranges given for the statistics of Unliving Corpses. Shades are minor malignant spirits that dwell partly in the
Thrusting Weapons do half damage against Unliving material world and partly in another. They have an intellect
Corpses in the same way as they do against Unliving of sorts and they conspire to bring more people into their
Skeletons. Unliving Corpses are also not affected by the horrid, half alive world through draining their life energy.
“Mortal Blow”. Shades can reason in a limited way unlike other Lesser
Unliving Corpses use heavy and slow weapons such as Undead such as Unliving Skeletons. They have a twisted
maces and flails. Just like Unliving Skeletons, Unliving cunning that makes them dangerous foes of the living as
Corpses would generally only carry one weapon. As they can understand and use tricks and ploys to catch their
Skeletons, Unliving Corpses do not actually learn to use a prey. The false cry of a child in trouble or the lure of
weapon but rather have an innate skill with it. unguarded golden treasure are common methods they use
to ensnare and slay the living they hate so much. They are
diabolical in their fervour to bring others into their world of
empty, whispering shadows.
The form of the Shade is not entirely whole. It is not a
matrix formed of the elements that supports a living spirit,
but is rather a shadowy half-material manifestation of their
Undead nature. The body of a Shade feels like a sluggish,
cold shadow through which material objects may pass with
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Beasts, Creatures & Nasties Dark Fantasy

Page 26 Book 3 - The Campaign
 some resistance. Thus, they can move through doors and Vorshai - The Wandering Possessors
walls with some difficulty. They dwell half in this reality
Vorshai are evil spirits of people who have died though
and half in another. It is empty, cold and has no life and no
they desire more than their fair share of life and so come
love. It is a chilling, cheerless place filled with soulless
back to the material world to possess bodies. They do not
moaning.
have the strength to take bodies from those who still live so
Their world is devoid of the light which is their bane. Bright they steal the bodies of the dead who have been abandoned
light torments Shades and drives them away. Full sunlight by their eternal spirits. The Vorshai are corrupt in their
is enough to instantly slay them and send their evil souls hearts for they cannot accept death and they still desire life
back to the place where they should be. Of all the weapons after they have left this plane of existence. They are
men have, light is the best way to defeat Shades for swords supreme hedonists who exist for bodily pleasure and
and arrows pass mostly through them. sensation.

The touch of a Shade chills to the very bone, to the very soul Vorshai are nothing until they possess a once living human
of the victim. This touch is like icy talons clutching at one’s body. They are spirits that have no tie to the material world.
beating heart, sapping all vigour and warmth from it. When they find a desirable body they merge with it and
Shades suck the very life force from those they touch, for over the course of a few minutes they make it their own.
they feed on it. Those who have been struck by a Shade and They are then almost fully in the material world and have a
survived to tell their tale have described the feeling like a pseudo life similar to living people.
pitiless, arctic wind that swept through their heart, freezing
Vorshai use bodies in the exact condition that they find
all the living warmth from it and filling it with an empty,
them. Any wounds or other disfigurement remain when one
unearthly howling.
of the Wandering Possessors takes a body. Thus, Vorshai
When almost all the victim’s life force is sucked out of greatly prefer corpses that are as intact as possible. Once a
them they are nearly soulless. Theirs elemental body drops human shell is possessed by a Vorshai it appears alive
from their darkened spirit like a discarded suit of clothes though it does not need to breath or eat or rest. The elements
and they take the form of shadow. Their heart is corrupted that make up the body, however will gradually separate;
to hate and evil because of the awful emptiness that fills that is, the body of a Vorshai will continue to rot. The
their soul. They remember the joy of living breath and long presence of a spirit, even an Undead one, will tend to give
for it. They hate those who have what they don’t have but some holding force to a body and so a Vorshai's form will
once did. The victim’s eyes now see the half world of rot at about a third of the normal rate.Vorshai often use
shadowed desolation that their Undead brothers have make-up and strong perfumes to hide their decay.
brought them into. The endless howling of despairing
Vorshai have a matter of only a few hours in which to gain
winds fills their ears and heart and there is the eternal,
a physical form. Their spirit form moves at the speed of a
relentless chill that freezes his soul. The victim is then
horse canter and so they can only search so far to locate a
Undead. They become as those who fed on their soul. They
new body. This is one of the few ways to rid the world of a
have become shadow in two worlds, a Shade, twisted to evil
Wandering Possessor; slay it and make sure there are no
by unbearable loss.
intact or partially intact corpses within a few hours' ride.
Shade Statistics Otherwise, when a Vorshai is slain it will merely inhabit a
Body: 10+d10 Armour <0> new body and so continue existing.
Might: d6 Defence 2d20
Vorshai will always seek to gain better bodies for
Touch 40/40/40 Spd:1 Dam:2d4 + life drain
themselves so if they find a body that it is more beautiful or
more intact than the one they currently possess they will
The touch of a Shade drains the life force of the victim for
seek to obtain it. This may involve slaying the current
the Shade to feed on. Each touch of a Shade will
owner and this is something that the Vorshai do without
temporarily drain the victim’s Empathy bracket + d10
compunction. They will, of course, use a method that leaves
Empathy points. When the victim’s Empathy is 10 or less
the body unmarked.
then the victim will fall to the ground, gripped with deathly
illusions of another world. Over the next three to six rounds When the Game Master has a Vorshai in their campaign
the unfortunate victim will slowly be drawn into the world they should create its entire history, at least roughly, so that
of shadows. As this happens the victim’s body drops from they can quantify its experience and mentality. It is also
their spirit which then assumes the Undead form of a Shade. useful for campaign ideas to create the background of a
Vorshai. Note that it is possible for upwards of 12th rank
If the victim dies due to the freezing touch of Shades before
Vorshai to exist because they live for so long. Also, it must
they have been drained of enough Empathy to make him
be noted that Vorshai are extremely rare.
into a Shade then he has been fortunate enough to escape
their fate by dying.
Lich
Shades take one third of the damage inflicted on them by The Lich is the final possible form of a Channeller of
ordinary weapons as unmodified by Strength Damage Darkness. When the Necromancer grows tired of their
Modifier after their Defence is negated. Enchanted mortal form and has the power and knowledge, they may
weapons that exist in more than the material plane will do cast a spell that ascends their form to that of a Lich.
from half to full Damage with Strength counting as normal. Physically the Lich is Unliving. It's body is a mass of
Damage taken from Elemental Magic is half normal. rotting flesh hanging off a skeletal form. The eyes of the
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Dark Fantasy Beasts, Creatures & Nasties

Book 3 - The Campaign Page 27
 Lich are merely points of light in the dark recesses of the Elves
skull. It's clothes are those that the servant of darkness was
The oldest of the Eldar races, Elves have existed since the
wearing when the transformation took place though they
world was new. They are a private and secretive race
too may be rotten from the centuries of foul damp air in the
shrouded in mystery and legend.
lair of the Lich.
Although relatively human in appearance, Elves have
In the transformation the Lich loses none of power they
subtle differences that make them stand out. The tops of
possessed as a mortal though once he has taken the form of
their ears are slightly pointed and their eyebrows curl up at
a Lich, he is no longer a victim of the ravages of time.
either side of the forehead. Their skin is fair and
Just seeing a Lich will strike fear into the hearts of any unblemished and they are always very slender. Evlen
mortal. In order not to flee, a Character must make a roll speech is beautiful to hear and if speaking in a common
versus his Will Power - (5 x the Will Bracket of the Lich). tongue, Elves tend to have a very proper accent.
If the Character does not make this roll then they have no
Like the other Eldar races, Elves avoid contact with the
option but to flee. If the Character wishes to return then
world outside their own. They generally live and play deep
they must make the same roll to find the courage to return
in the heart of the forest in simple dwellings fashioned in
and then again roll to stay. This may only be done once per
and amongst the trees.
day. Unless a Special Success is made on the roll, the
Character will suffer a 50% penalty to all combat rolls due There is a magic about Elves. They radiate a feeling a
to fear. strength and oneness with their surroundings. This comes
from the love and understanding they have of their natural
Only an Enchanted weapon of the Magic of a Channeller of
environment. They are at peace with nature and unlike man
Light will harm a Lich. The forces binding the body
are able to exist happily within it without disrupting the
together will simply repel any non-enchanted weapon.
natural order of things. The Elven understanding or nature
Even with an enchanted weapon, the Lich has a massive
means that most Elves are capable of using Magic powers
effective Armour Value as there are no weak spots in the
of nature at will.
forces protecting the physical form. Apart from this, the
physical statistics of the Lich are fairly much as they would They are a peaceful race and although they have no great
be for the Mage though the Lich has no Defence. It is to be love of civilisation, they tolerate it whilst ensuring it does
noted that the Lich is a Black Channeller of at least 10th not encroach too far into their domain. They posses
Rank and will use their power to the fullest. Without the aid legendary skill with the Bow and use it as a preferred
of an exceptionally high Ranked White Channeller, a Lich weapon of defence. Elves prefer to avoid conflict if
is most definitely best avoided. possible and thus tend to have minimal combative but
extensive defensive skills. General information for Elves is
Lich Statistics
given below.
Body: 4d4 Might: d3 Armour: <20>
Defence: None Elven Statistics:
Attacks: As High Ranked Black Channeller (+Fear)
Speed: Average = 65 Maximum = 97
Strength: Average = 45 Maximum = 91
The Eldar Races Bulk: Average = 42 Maximum = 75
Long before men had developed writing and civilisation, Appearance: Average = 60 Maximum = 95
the Earth was inhabited by other races. Now, only secretive Agility: Average = 70 Maximum = 98
remnants of these races live on, shunning all contact with
humanity, and dwelling only in the most inaccessible Endurance: Average = 50 Maximum = 95
regions. Will: Average = 60 Maximum = 95
Mind Power: Average = 55 Maximum = 95
Hidden in the depths of the largest, most trackless, forests Empathy: Average = 70 Maximum = 98
live the Elves. Creatures of nature, Elves live very closely
with their environment, using whatever nature provides for Leadership: Average = 50 Maximum = 95
their own ends while never disturbing the balance of the
wilderness. (Values all in human terms)

Away from prying eyes by the solidity of stone, the Typical Fighting Rank: 0-7
dwarven race live on in their cities of stone carved out of
the hearts of mountains. They are content to explore the Typical Weapon Skills:
depths of the earth, and experiment with the ways of Normally Elves do not have great combat skills in any
mechanisms. Indeed, it was from the Dwarves that humans melee weapons. Occasionally an Elf may learn to use such
first learnt the arts of making tools and harnessing the a weapon, but this would be rare. Normally, any fighting
environment through fire and steel. experience the Elf has is devoted to Defence and generally
they have exceptionally high Defence values in relation to
High in the mountains, small settlements of Giants still their other skills.
exist. Be it in forest, snow or stone, the giants lead a
contented life, away from man’s civilisation. An Elf is almost competent with a bow when they pick it
up. Once they have been trained in its use, they tend to
master it very quickly to a point where they may exceed a
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Beasts, Creatures & Nasties Dark Fantasy

Page 28 Book 3 - The Campaign
 skill rating of 100%. A masterful Elvish bowman would Giants
have a skill rating of around 140%. Although Elves prefer
Giants are born about 4” tall and grow to be between 13’
Longbows, shortbows are also used. With either, the
and 16’ tall when they reach maturity at the age of about 50.
craftsmanship is beyond compare and Elvish bows have an
Like the other Eldar races, Giants are long lived, surviving
exceptional power to performance ratio.
on average to the age of about 300. Giants tend to not only
be tall but well built and are consequently immensely
Average Initiative Bonus: 3 + Rank/2
strong by human standards.
Average Damage Modifier: 1
Their civilisation is relatively primitive but relatively
Dwarves comfortable. They tend to use natural features such as caves
Dwarves are a race of short, pale and generally stout people for dwellings and light fires for warmth.
that live in stone cities deep underground. Descended from
generations of miners, they live and work mining the earth Despite their size and strength, Giants are shy and retiring
for precious metals such as gold & silver. creatures who tend to avoid contact with the world outside
their community if possible. In general, however, they are
They are strong willed, physically tough and excellent friendly and good natured.
warriors. They take pride in their skill with the axe (usually
a battle-axe) and have a general feeling of superiority over The average intellect of Giants is below that of humans
the other races of the world. Dwarven culture is dominated though it is on a similar scale. Statistics for Giants are given
by material wealth and combative skills. below.

Dwarves are not as friendly and accepting as Elves. Their Giant Statistics
feeling of superiority is evident in their dealings with those Speed: Average = 65 Maximum = 97
not of their race. Although they do venture out into the Strength: Average = 98 Maximum = 110
daylight, Dwarves prefer twilight or darkness and have Bulk: Average = 97 Maximum = 110
acute night vision (particularly for metals). Appearance Average = 30 Maximum = 55
If forced to live above ground, they are exceptionally :
uncomfortable in anything other than stone dwellings. They Agility: Average = 45 Maximum = 80
intensely dislike hot sun as they burn easily and are Endurance: Average = 70 Maximum = 95
uncomfortable in the rain. They prefer cool damp Will: Average = 50 Maximum = 95
conditions.
Mind Average = 45 Maximum = 85
There is no love lost between Dwarves and Elves as the Power:
Elves see Dwarves as being shallow and selfish whereas the Empathy: Average = 70 Maximum = 95
Dwarves see the Elves as being poor and weak. Dwarfish Leadership: Average = 40 Maximum = 70
statistics are given below.
(Values all in human terms)
Dwarven Statistics:
Speed: Average = 40 Maximum = 85 Secondary Attributes:
Strength: Average = 70 Maximum = 96 Body: 45 + 4d6
Bulk: Average = 45 Maximum = 85 Might: 20 + 4d6
Appearance: Average = 40 Maximum = 80 Armour: 4 (Thick Skin)
Defence: 10 + 3d6
Agility: Average = 50 Maximum = 90
Endurance: Average = 70 Maximum = 97 Typical Fighting Rank: 0-4
Will: Average = 70 Maximum = 95
Mind Power: Average = 50 Maximum = 95 Typical Weapon Skills:
Empathy: Average = 35 Maximum = 80 Giants are not traditionally skilled warriors. If necessary,
they use large, simple and heavy weapons such as clubs
Leadership: Average = 50 Maximum = 95 (usually taking the form of a small tree trunk). With such a
weapon, the average Giant would have about a 50% hit
(Values all in human terms) chance, though some may be classified as skilled with it.
Typical Fighting Rank: 3-9
Average Initiative Bonus: None
Typical Weapon Skills: Average Damage Modifier: 4
The preferred weapon for Dwarves is the double bladed
Battle Axe. Combative skill is an important part of the
Dwarven culture and therefore most Dwarves are
competent fighters (at least Rank 4 or 5)

Average Initiative Bonus: Rank/2

Average Damage Modifier: 2

Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Dark Fantasy Beasts, Creatures & Nasties

Book 3 - The Campaign Page 29
Enchanted Creatures Pegasi will only serve for a noble cause, and will always do
so through their own choice. A Pegasi can never be forced
Unicorns to do something against its will, even by powerful Magic.
The appearance of a Pegasus in a Character’s life will
The Unicorn is a very rare and beautiful creature. Its
usually herald momentous events.
appearance is that of a strong mare or stallion with a shining
white coat and a single horn protruding from the forehead.
They are a solitary creature preferring their own company
Dragons
and they shun contact with all other living creatures. The Dragons are the stuff of great legends and dreams. The
female is left by the male after mating to carry and raise the nature of the Dragon depends on the campaign. It may be a
young to maturity when it leaves to follow its own destiny. large winged beast that breathes fire, or they may be purely
a legend used to explain the natural order. Their roar may
Unicorns are good natured beasts, loving life and their be heard in the winds and the rumbling of the earth, their
forested world. Although they possess no means of verbal breath may be seen in the mist and their tears in the morning
communication, they have an intellect superior to that of an dew and fire is the wrath of the Dragon.
average man. This makes them very difficult to trick or
trap. They also possess an inherent life sense and can sense Legends have it that Dragons were mighty creatures that
a living being within a radius of 100'. The Unicorn will not inhabited the earth long before man. They lived for many
allow anyone to get near them save a young, female virgin hundreds of years, mostly alone and mated only a few times
of pure heart and intent. If such a woman exists, the during their lives. They had huge scaly, winged bodies with
Unicorn will adore her caress. a sharp, spiny tail and a head that looked much like that of
a lizard with a spiky mane. They were capable of breathing
The Unicorn is immune to all poison as their horn will fire and would grow to be up to almost 100 feet in length.
purify any substance it touches. It is the for this reason that Their scales were almost impenetrable to all weapons and
the Horn of the Unicorn was greatly sought after and with a single strike of a claw, a man could be torn to shreds.
brought a great price. From them were fashioned the
goblets and utensils of kings. The Unicorn, if it can be It was rare to see a Dragon as they often lived peacefully
found, however, is not a creature to be trifled with. If within the heart of a mountain cave. Should they be aroused
cornered it will attack with great ferocity. In addition to the or angered, their wrath would often be terrible. Thew would
normal modes of attack employed by such a beast, the burn villages and towns to cinders and maul or eat livestock
Unicorn will attack with its horn, attempting to impale its and people. Because of their size and strength they were
attackers. virtually unstoppable. Legend also has it that Dragons
horded treasure on which they slept and of which they were
Unicorn Statistics exceptionally loving and protective.
Body: 10 + d8 Might: d6 Armour: <1>
Defence:d8 + 8 Dragons should be created to suit the flavour of the
Attack: Trample* Hit: 90 Body: 40Crit: 2 campaign. Often they may exist only as legend, other times
Dam: 2d8 + 2 Init: 0 they may be very real. Use them to add an atmosphere to a
Attack: Impale Hit: 70 Body: 20Crit: 2 campaign, but never use them as an excuse for a great
Dam: 2d10 + 4 Init: + 2 treasure hunt as this will destroy the spirit of the Dragon.
Attack: Other Hit: 45 Body: 6Crit: 1
Dam: d10 + 2 Init: + 1 Enchanted Trolls
* Only a fallen victim can be trampled. There are two kinds of Trolls that may be found in a Dark
Fantasy world. There are those that are ordinary creatures
Pegasi and there are those that are Enchanted, or rather cursed.
The Pegasus is a legendary creature from Greek Hundreds of years ago a evil wizard placed a curse on a
mythology, taking the form of a winged horse. In Dark band of trolls to make them his slave. He wished to use
Fantasy, the Pegasus is a very rare and intelligent magical them as warriors in a terrible army an he bent the will of
creature that, if befriended, can transport a Character their minds to their own.
virtually anywhere.
The curse meant that when the Trolls were injured, their
Pegasi appear in the form of a large white horse with high, already rapid healing rate was further accelerated to the
sweptbacked wings. The wings are feathered as opposed to point where they will regain 20% of all Damage per Hour.
being scaled like a dragon or bat. Innately magical, Pegasi Lost limbs will heal, broken bones mend, etc. If the Troll is
are exceedingly strong, and will have no problems carrying killed (that is their Body total is reduced to below 0) then
a large armoured man over large distances. the recovery is a bit slower. It takes an additional hour for
the Trolls body to regenerate once it has been killed but it
Due to their Magical nature, Pegasi can transport people to will regenerate and the Troll will come back to life. The
places that would otherwise remain inaccessible, and once soul is bonded to the body by the curse and when the Troll
there, their Magic extends to protect their rider as well. For is killed it is forced to leave the body until it recovers
example a Character riding a Pegasus could travel to the sufficiently for it to return. The other part of the curse was
highest mountain peak or hottest desert without suffering that, as the wizard wanted an army of the night, if the Trolls
from the extreme temperatures and conditions there. were touched by sunlight they would turn to stone forever.

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Beasts, Creatures & Nasties Dark Fantasy

Page 30 Book 3 - The Campaign
 The curse may be removed by a remove curse Spell in
which case the Troll will revert to its normal state. The
Trolls may only be killed by being exposed to sunlight or
by having their entire body totally destroyed (usually by
burning).
These cursed Trolls may breed in the normal Trollish way
but the curse is passed from generation to generation. The
life-span of these trolls is unaffected by the curse as the
aging process still continues. Eventually the body becomes
unsatisfactory for the soul to inhabit.

Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Dark Fantasy Beasts, Creatures & Nasties

Book 3 - The Campaign Page 31
 Dark Fantasy is Copyright ©1984 - 1996 by T. A. Barrett. All Rights Reserved. This edition may be reproduced for personal use only. No part of Dark Fantasy may be sold without permission from the author.

Beasts, Creatures & Nasties Dark Fantasy

Page 32 Book 3 - The Campaign