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of King Arthur’s court Smite bloodthirsty giants, crush treacher- Sir ed ous invaders, brave the inysteriou? lands of faerie, and dabble in Celtic magic. To become a knight of the Round Table you must uphold chivalric ideals of couragc, honesty, fair play, and justice. Anned and armored, you are the law of land, in a life-or-death struggle to join the fellowship of the Round Table. Or, you might instead become a powerful magician using PENDRAGON’S ncw Celtic magic system. Scour legendary Britain and the lands of fae where and summoni

Sir This book contains everything you need to explore the mysteries and dangers of Arthur’s Britain Its many features include a complete game system, extensive background information covering knighthood, chivalry, the magical traditions, your home and family, the feudal world,a nd chivalric duties. Clear, concise instructions make character generation easy and quick, and many examples are included Other sections teach you how to present a PENDRAGON game session and how to start your first campaign. Exotic monsters, fearsome creatures, and other peoples are described in detail. Statistics for many famous knights and nobles include Arthur, Gawaine, Lancelot, Guenever, Mordred, Merlin, and Morgan le Fay. Many adventures are pro- vided so that you can play immediately

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Pendragon is a roleplaying game wherein you and your friends participate in heroic adventures. One player, the gamemaster, presents the story. Everyone else creates knight-characters - the heroes of the tale. Each player verbally responds to the gamemaster’s plot and the actions of the villains, and describes how his or her character reacts.You can face the same dangers that Arthur and Lancelot encountered, but this time you decide your knight’s actions!

1 Want a FREE CATALOG including all (3, Green Knight publications? Write to a 52995 SampleWIZARD’S ATTIC file --L 950-A 56th Stre i? Oakland CA 94 w based on the legend z 9 781928 999003 or call 1-800-213-1493 VI 4TH EDITION

EPIC ROLEPLAYING IN LEGENDARY BRITAIN

King Arthur Pendragon Sir Thomas Mallory by Greg Stafford with Sam Shirley

Cover Artist: Stephen King Cover Design: Charlie Krank Cartography: Darrell Midgette, Carolyn Savoy

/ Artists: Lisa Free, Gud DiZerega, Carolyn - red gold goid ' savoy Arnie Swekel, Teanna Byerts, Michael Blu f n Celtic Border Decorations: Gus DiZerega

4th Edition Layout: Sam Shirley Proofreading: Anne Merritt, Jennifer Starling

GREEN SampleKNIGHT file

1999 Pendragon

Credits

CONTRIBUTORS: Frederic Blayo, Bill Bridges, Heather NBryden, William Dunn, D. Hudson Frew, Sharon Grant, Peter Tamlyn, T. Michael Trout, Anne Vetillard.

SPECIAL THANKS GO to these people, who contributed greatly or a little, but whose impact has affected the game: Stephen Abbot, Don Alaman, Marcie Alaman, Matt Bailey, Mike Beavers, Christopher Beiting, Michael Blinde, Derek Boain, Martin J. Bourne, Heather Bryden, John Camahan, Yurek Chodak, Morgan Conrad, Suzanne Courteau, Bogdan Dabrowski, Gigi D’Arn, Philippe Dohr, Bruce Dresselhaus, Christer Edling, Steve Englehart, Jason Fink, Scott Fitz, Sean Fitzpatrick, Lisa A. Free, Don Frew, Rick Geimer, Sharon M. Grant, Marc Grossberg, Steve Hartman, Keith Herber, Ed Holtz, Jim Hooker, Tony Hughes, Bill Johnson, Sherman Kahn, Ken Kaufer, Katherine Kerr, Bill Kayes, Charlie Krank, Eric Krupa, Mike Koop, Freya Lambides, Peter Larsen, Gary May, Teresa McLean, Harold Moe, Ed Mooring, Ellen Munro, Henri Naccah, Helmut Nikel, Daniel Nolte, Michael North, Carol Parker-Pollock, Gleb Perfiloff, Sandy Petersen, Jon Quaife, Richard A. Rian, Rory Root, Wolfe Schaaf, Studette Scoflaw, Frank Shewmake, Leigh Skilling, Benjy Sikora, Noah Stafford, Bob Starfire, Andy Tauber, Marcus Thomas, Anne Vetillard, David W. Wilkins, Lynn Willis, Marc Willner, Elizabeth Wolcott, Bill Zurn...and my apologies to any others who were unrecorded.

FOR THIS FOURTH EDITION we owe thanks to Shannon Appel, Les Brooks, Tim Carroll, Peter Corless, Donald Dennis, Steven Kaye, Greg Maples, John Markham, Anne Merritt, Mark Morrison, Eric Rowe, Doug Schnur, Bob Schroeder, Michael Schwartz, Jennifer Starling, Richard Strong, the Player’s Guild of Central Oklahoma, and the Berkeley Gaming Croup for playtesting and thoughtful comments; and Les Brooks for his occult .....expertise and constant good advise.

This work was prepared using the Penguin Classics edition of Le Morte D ’Arthur edited by Janet Cowen.

The arms of King Arthur’s Knights are based on the 15th-century document known as La forme quon tenoit des tournoys in the collection of Harvard University, attributed to Jacques d’hagnac, Duc de Menours.

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2 Welcome to Pendragon

Table of Contents

Welcome to Pendragon ...... 4 Saxons ...... Chivalric Duties ...... 247 Which Arthur is This? . . Glory and Ambitions ...... 115 ...... 247 Pendragon Chronology . . Sample Glory Table ...... 120 The Hunt ...... What Your Characte Ambitions ...... 123 The Feudal World 11 Romance ...... 252 ...... Women 138 Religion ...... 254 Chivalry ...... 12 ...... Traditional Roles ...... 138 Adventuring ...... 256 Britain and Europe ...... 16 Battle 256 ...... 21 Generating Female Characters ...... 140 ...... The Role of the. Warrior Woman ...... 142 Battle System ...... 260 ...... 29 Woman's Character Sheet . Magician Character Generation 264 Character Generation 31 Game Mechanics ...... 146 Insight ...... 264 ...... Magic Traditions ...... 264 Your First Character ...... 3 1 Basic Concepts ...... 146 147 Magician Character Sheet ...... 266 First Knight's Character Sheet ...... 35-36 Make Character ...... 269 Default Knights ...... 37 149 Your Advanced Character Generation ...... 47 150 Magic and Faerie ...... 274 Knight's Character Sheet. . 49-50 Experience ...... 151 Talents ...... 285 Movement ...... 152 Your Family 59 Enchanted Britain ...... 2% ...... Combat ...... 157 Magic in Faerie ...... 300 Your Father's History ...... 63 Skills...... 165 LandsoftheDead...... 302 The Lands 67 Injury and Health ...... 178 ...... The Winter Phase ...... 185 Scenarios ...... 303 Geography of Britain ...... 67 Introductory Scenario ...... 303 Travel in Britain ...... 69 Ideals and Passion ...... 192 The Knighting Ceremony ...... 309 How to Use the Regional Sections ...... 70 Personality Traits ...... Solos ...... Logres ...... 72 Passions ...... Adventures ...... Religions 207 Short Adventures...... 320 ...... Stories ...... 328 TheNorth ...... 86 Christianity ...... 207 Characters and Creatures ..... 329 Ordinary Characters ...... 329 Judaism ...... 333 France ...... 98 Gaul ...... 100 Your Home ...... 223 Hunted Beasts The County of Salisbury ...... 223 The Peoples ...... 102 Castles ...... 235 Cymri ...... 102 Travel inBritain ...... 236 Appendices ...... 344 French ...... 105 Character Generation Synopsis ...... 344 Occitanians ...... 106 Wealth ...... 238 The Winter Phase ...... 345 . 108 Standard Price. List ...... 240 Bibliography ...... 347 ...... 110 Great City Price. List ...... 242 Appendix ...... 349 . 112 Major Investment List ...... 246 Index ...... 350 Sample file

3 Pendragon

Welcome to Pendragon Join the Story of King Arthur!

ENDRAGON IS UNLIKE any game you have played. It together. The dates and politics are those of the sixth century, has many revolutionary features which are novel to the so-called Dark Ages or Early Middle Ages, when King roleplaying games. It provides an imaginary method Arthur really lived. But the customs and fashions are those for you to participate in the wondrous world of King of the High Middle Ages, when the literature about him was Arthur. first written. As a result, in this chronology feudalism was This game portrays the legendary era of King Arthur instituted by Uther Pendragon circa 480-495, in the style of Pendragon, the mythical ruler who unified Britain, repelled his contemporary, Clovis of the Franks. Chivalry, which the Roman Empire, vanquished the Saxons, and led the refines the brute ways of knighthood, is introduced by young invincible brotherhood of heroes called the Round Table. King Arthur after he ascends to the high kingship in 510. The myth of Arthur’s world has grown over the fourteen Romance, the art of fine amot is popularized by Queen centuries of its literary existence, added to by many authors, Guenever after her marriage to Arthur in 5 14. whose ranks you are about to join. Ths setting is not fair to people outside Britain, and does The game world of King Arthur Pendragon (hereafter not strive for game balance for everyone. The untamed Celts, known as Pendragon) is a place of high chivalry and Saxons, and Picts who defy Arthur’s rule must rely upon glittering armor. In it meet the many interpretations of King their own barbaric cultures, devoid of the anachronistic gifts Arthur, from the barbaric tribal realm of the ancient Welsh which feudalism, chivalry, and romance deliver. Their texts to the modern Hollywood glamour. Pendrugon is a warriors might be addressed as knights, and their chieftains literary game, based on the pioneering works of Chretien de might be called kings, but these enemies of the Pendragon Troyes, the later French Vulgate texts, and the culminating are deluded and are destined to be conquered by him. work of Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte D ’Arthur: Between the kingdoms of men lie the mythical domains It is a land where jousting and romance are the common of Faerie - great dark woods and bright shining fields sports, and where killing enemies is daily work. In this arena unexplored by human foot or thought. Entire kingdoms of Christian virtues struggle to vanquish savage passions and immortals lie beyond and within Arthur’s realm. Their cities worldly motives. Characters are clothed in noble court and castles appear and vanish like mist. Their magical fashons, and equipped with medieval customs and morals. residents, such as the Green Knight, often visit the world of It is a time of glorious and deliberate anachronisms, men. In turn, bold human questers enter the Faerie realm to brought together because they are of King Arthur, a timeless seek the greatest adventures. hero. To start with, we have two chronologies crunched From the domains of the faerie comes the magic which enchants Britain in Arthur’s time. Merlin, Morgan le Fay, and the Lady of the Lake are the foremost practitioners of the occult arts, twisting enchantments to their own hidden goals. Ancient rites echo in the challenges of the magical foes found in lonely places, and old folk songs remember other stories with similar prizes. The world of Arthur is sometimes not at all what it seems, and much is yet to be discovered.

What Is Roleplaying? Roleplaying games give the players a way to rationally interact with a fantasy world. In a roleplaying game the players make up an imaginary person called a character: SampleThen they direct the actions of thisfile character as he interacts with other imaginary characters. Through the actions of their imaginary characters the players are like actors in the legendary world. The players, through the actions of their

4 Welcome to Pendragon

character-knights, visit and explore the enchanted medieval More advanced characters, such as Picts or Magic-users, are world of Pendragon. discussed later in the rules. Most of the game is verbal interchange. Most actions are Typical adventures of player characters are to combat automatically successful: everyone can walk, talk, ride a robber barons, rescue damsels in distress, hobnob with horse under calm conditions, and so on. Dice rolls are used famous knights at court, hunt fabulous monsters, and cross to determine whether or not a character succeeded at lances with the likes of Lancelot, Tristram, Gawaine, and performing an act which is not automatically successful, Palomides. Knights will travel throughout an enchanted land such as fighting, leaping his horse over a ditch, or arguing to see many marvels and curiosities. with another person. The players begin by controling characters who are To play the game a second task must be undertaken by household knights, bachelor knights, or banneret knights. If one player: that of the gamemaster. The gamemaster someone already knows how to play this game they can describes the world and events within it to the players. He probably explain most of the necessary rules in half an hour. controls the non-player characters.

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5 Pendragon

will help to guide you through adventures. Remember, however, that it is much more fun with another player, and that the worst problem of solitaire play is when someone cheats. Pendragon presents an on-going story. It is a campaign roleplaying game in which time progresses, unique events occur, and characters age. If the players play through the whole Arthurian campaign the players’ characters at the end will be the grandchildren of the original characters. Player-characters normally have one big adventure per game year, each of which will last one or more sessions. The player characters’ knowledge of their world is different from the players’. Players should remember to differentiate between their knowledge and that of their characters. A good gamemaster will accept the players’ assistance and ask for their help when needed. Success in Pendragon comes through cooperation between player characters, and also between players and gamemaster. Some familiarity with medieval history and customs is useful before play, but not much is needed. Seeing almost any film about knights, or reading almost any book about King Arthur will supply the minimal information needed. The Unique Features of Pend ragon Some players may be new to this type of game, while many may already be familiar with other roleplaying games. Both should read this section, because Pendragon presents a novel approach to roleplaying, combat, and magic. To enjoy the game at its fullest you must use all the game elements summarized below. The game works best as a totality, and you will fail to give Pendragon a fair try if you start playing The gamemaster in a roleplaying game directs the flow the game without understanding the intentions and overall of the game while the players control the actions of the concept of the game. Once you have experienced the game, characters. As the gamemaster describes what is going on, you can go ahead and change parts you are unhappy with; where they are, and other details of the plot, the players but try the total package at least once before you judge it. choose actions for their characters, thus cooperating with him in creating the adventure. Knighthood The gamemaster oversees the imaginary world, Pendragon is a game about knighthood. It compares and describing it in detail and directing its course. He is not an contrasts the beauty and high chivalry of the literary adversary, but rather the key to the world of Arthurian romances with the brutal reality of the Middle Ages. The Britain. He brings both friends and enemies to life for the game tries less to adapt the milieu to the modem mind than players. When they have questions or need help, players turn to instruct the modern mind to the milieu. It is a realm of to the gamemaster for answers. Likewise, the gamemaster paradoxes: inspirational love and festering wounds; must ask for opinions from the players to make it an communication with elf-kind and brutal plunder; ecstatic acceptable game. spiritual visions and stillborn children. The beauty and One-on-one gaming is possible, with one gamemaster inspiration of the legendary world take on depth and and one player. This type of adventure where a single knight meaning within this contrast. travels alone against all odds is very Arthurian and should Knights are an elite and privileged part of a working notSample be avoided. society. This game provides the structurefile around which to Also, solitaire gaming is possible with a single person build your personal knight in Arthur’s glorious and squalid taking the both roles of gamemaster and player. The rules age.