CAMELOT Roleplaying in the Court of King Arthur By Peggy U.V. Schroeck and Robert M. Schroeck Edited by Loyd Blankenship and Steve Jackson Additional material by Aaron Allston and J. David George, Loyd Blankenship, Steve Jackson, Chris W. McCubbin, Steffan O'Sullivan and Daniel U. Thibault Cover by John Zeleznik Interior Illustrations by Ruth Thompson, Keith Berdak, Carl Anderson and Larry McDougal Cartography by Mike Naylor Useful Suggestions: Lisa Pinkham, Vincent Wales, William R. Wells Research Assistants: Gabriela Catalano, Lisa Pinkham Heraldic Consultants: Lisa and Scott Pinkham Playtesters: Ken Allison, Chuck Bikle, Tom Bither, Drew Bittner, Andy Blum, Marcellus Cadd, Bert Carney, Jennifer Caroselli, Casey Clark, Larry Cohen, Bonnie Coleman, Chris Cosper, Ben Davis, Salvatore T. Falco, John M. Ford, Mike Fox, Jonas Karlsson, John Kono, Chris McCubbin, Wayne McDonald, Tim McGaughy, Walter Milliken, Tom Pafford, Mike Perez, Luis Rodriguez, Brian Seeley, Brett Slocum, Curtis Stabler, Daniel U. Thibault, Dave Van Cleef, Chris Vermeer, Ken White, Todd A. Woods, Steven T. Zieger. GURPS, Illuminati, Roleplayer and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All names of other products published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are registered trademarks or trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license. GURPS Camelot is copyright © 1991 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. STEVEISBN 1-55634-164-4 JACKSON1 2 3 4GAMES 5 6 7 8 9 10 72 Power............,..... 79 Medicine ................ 79 Magic ... 79 CONTENTS Religion ..,...,...... ..... 79 Clothing Styles ............ 79 Character Types ............. 80 INTRODUCTION .......... 3 Technology ................ 50 A Real "Excalibur"? ....... 80 About GURPS ............. 3 Castle Terminology ......... 52 Status and Rank ........... 80 About the Authors ........... 3 The Lake ................ 53 Castle Camelot ........... 54 Campaign Focus ............. 81 1. CHARACTERS .......... 4 Economics ................ 56 Barbarian Onslaught! ....... 81 Advantages ................. 5 Prosperity ............... 56 Infiltrating The Enemy ...... 81 Disadvantages ............... 8 City and Castle of Camelot "Arthur's Men ............. 81 Skills .................... 12 Map................. 56 History and the Game ....... 81 Character Types ............. 13 Trade .................. 57 Roman Construction Map ... 82 Job Table ................. 18 Quests and Errantry .......... 57 Roman Roads ............. 82 57 Saxon Violence ........... 83 2. JOUSTS AND TOURNEYS 16 Errantry ................ Other Possibilities ......... 83 Non-Lethal Combat .......... 17 The Imaginary Merlin ....... 57 58 Adventure Seeds ........... 83 Honor and Calling Blows .... 17 Quests ................. HISTORICAL CHARACTERS . 84 Jousting Lances ........... 17 Pavilions and Pavilion Etiquette 58 Artorius Riothamus ........ 84 Jousting ................... 18 Adventures .............. 59 Courtly Love ............... 60 Guenhumara ............. 85 3. MAGIC .............. 19 Religion .................. 60 Ambrosius Aurelianus ....... 85 The Nature of Mages ......... 20 Adventure Seeds ........... 60 Bedwyr ................. 86 Power Level ............... 20 Other Faiths ............. 61 7. A CAST OF THOUSANDS 89 Magic and Arthurian Society .... 20 The Once and Future King .... 61 Arthur Pendragon .......... 90 Merlin ................. 20 5. CINEMATIC CAMELOT . 62 Guinevere ............... 91 Herbalism and Potions ........ 21 Lancelot du Lac ........... 92 Creation of Concoctions . 21 Arthur, Britain and the World .... 63 What Is Different? ........... 63 Sir Kay ................. 93 Gender and Magic ......... 21 Galahad ................ 94 Historical Magic .......... 21 Technology ................ 63 Percival ................ 95 The Celtic Church ......... 22 T. H. White and the Cinematic Tristram ................ 96 Special Combat Rules: Arthur ............... 63 La Beale Isolde ........... 97 Invisibility and Darkness ... 23 Magic Weapons, Revisited .... 63 Politics and Warfare .......... 64 Palomides ............... 98 Communication and Empathy .... 24 Breuse Sans Pith ........... 98 SPELLS .................. 24 Faerie Castles ............ 64 Generic Knight ........... 99 MAGIC ITEMS ............ 30 Court Intrigue ............ 65 Religion .................. 65 The Orkney Brothers .......... 99 4. MYTHIC CAMELOT .... 35 Magic .................. 65 Gawaine ................ 99 Britain - Physical Map ..... 36 "Let Us Not Go To Camelot; Agravaine ............... 100 Arthur's Britain ............. 37 It Is A Silly Place." ........ 65 Gaheris ................. 101 Arthur's Predecessors ....... 37 The Cinematic Picts ........ 65 Gareth ("Beaurnains") ...... 101 Geoffrey of Monmouth's History 37 Adventure Seeds ........... 65 Mordred ................ 102 5th Century or 10th? ........ 38 How Long A Reign? ........ 66 Magic-Wielders ............. 103 Barons and Kings .......... 38 Merlin .................103 Political Divisions ........... 39 6. THE HISTORICAL Morgan le Fay ............ 105 The Picts ................ 39 ARTHUR ............ Nimue .................106 Cinematic-Mythic Britain - Riothamus ................. 73 Other Characters ............ 107 Principal Locations Britain in the 5th Century ...... 73 Nobility ..................107 and Kingdoms Map ...... 40 Riothamus and Geoffrey of Ladies ...................109 Political Alignments ........ 41 Monmouth ............. 73 Knights ................... 110 The Dolorous Stroke ........ 43 5th Century Britain Foes and Troublemakers ....... 114 Avalon - The Island of Avalon Historical Map ......... 74 Other Notables .............. 115 at Glastonbury Map ..... 44 Historical Europe of the Plot Hooks ................ 116 Equipment ............... 45 5th Century Map ....... 75 8. ARTHURIAN BESTIARY 117 Non-Magic Magic Weapons ... 45 Post-Roman Britain ........ 76 Mystical and Magical Beings .... 118 Europe of the Cinematic-Mythic Technology . .............. 76 Beasts .................... 121 5th Century Map ....... 46 Transportation ............ 76 Races .................... 122 Money ...... .... ..... 47 Weapons and Armor ........ 76 Courts and Royal Progress . 47 The Villa Society .......... 76 BIBLIOGRAPHY.. ....... 124 The Political Environment ...... 48 British Tribal Society ....... 76 GLOSSARY ............. 126 Arthurian Names .......... 48 Fortifications ............. 77 Arthurian Idioms ............ 126 Alliances, Rivalries, and Hatreds 49 South Cadbury Castle Map . 77 Storming the Castle: The Fortifications at Cadbury . 77 CAMPAIGN PLAN ....... 127 Siege Warfare .......... 49 The Celtic Tribes Map ...... 78 INDEX ................ 128 Round Table Politics .......... 50 Communications .......... 79 Contents - 2 - INTRODUCTION Perhaps the most enduring legend of the Western world is that of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. For 15 centuries the tales have About GURPS survived, and in that time they have undergone changes that would astound their Steve Jackson Games is committed to original tellers! But still, something remains the same at the core of the myth, full support of the GURPS system. Our address is SJ Games, Box 18957, Austin, something bright and glorious that transcends the stories and evokes a brilliant, TX 78760. Please include a self-ad- perfect vision at the mere utterance of the word "Camelot." dressed, stamped envelope (SASE) any GURPS Camelot seeks to evoke of that vision. More than just a simple game time you write us! Resources now avail- able include: setting, GURPS Camelot will challenge the players - and the GM to live the Roleplayer. This bimonthly magazine ideals at the heart of the tales. includes new rules, variants, new races, Although tales about Camelot date back to the 6th and 7th centuries, it was beasts, information on upcoming releases, not until the appearance of Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Brittaniae scenario ideas and more. Ask your game retailer, or write for subscription informa- in 1136 that Arthur truly caught the public imagination. In less than 200 years, tion. King Arthur went from a shadowy ruler in a few Welsh and Breton legends to a New supplements and adventures. central figure in British and European culture. In France, a number of Breton We're always working on new material, and we'll be happy to let you know what's tales were collected and embroidered to become what is now known as the available. A current catalog is available for Vulgate cycle. In England, stories ostensibly derived from "reliable sources" an SASE. began to expand the sketchy career Geoffrey outlined. Arthurian verse appeared Errata. Everyone makes mistakes, in- cluding us - but we do our best to fix our across the Continent. errors_ Up-to-date errata sheets for all The capstone was Le More D'Arthur, written by Sir Thomas Malory, and GURPS releases, including this book, are published by William Caxton in 1485. Le Morte drew together the widely di- always available from SJ Games; be sure to include an SASE with your request. verse sources that predated it. Malory knew of both the French tales and Brit Q&A. We do our best to answer any ish/Welsh traditions, and fused them in a masterly work that still survives as a game question accompanied by an SASE. classic today. Gamer input. We value your com- ments. We will consider them, not only for Malory's work set the standards and tone for Arthurian material for the next new products,