Sample file TALES FROM THE SORCERER UNDER THE MOUNTAIN Sample file 1 Other games by D101 Games Crypts and Things The Company The Hollow West Hunters of Alexandria Monkey The Role-Playing Game OpenQuest River of Heaven For more information visit d101games.com Sample file 2 Credits Swords and Wizardry Rules: Matt Finch. Edited/Further Development/Layout: Newt Newport. Example of Play/Dungeon Creation/What is the OSR?/The Sorcerer Under the Mountain by Newt Newport. Cover: Jon Hodgson (handicraft.games). Maps: Glynn Seal (monkeyblooddesign.co.uk). Interior Art: Javier Charro, Jesheilds, Eric Lofgren, Daniel Comerci (hounworks. it) Proofing: Paul Mitchener. Legal Notices Swords & Wizardry, S&W, and Mythmere Games are trademarks of Matthew J. Finch, and D101 Games are not affiliated with Matthew J. Finch, Mythmere Games™, or Frog God Games. All art copyright respective artists. Tales of the Sorcerer Under the Mountain copyright 2019 Paul Newport See Legal Appendix page 237 for declaration of Open Gaming Content. Sample file 3 Contents Introduction 10 What this Book Contains? 11 What is the ‘OSR’? 12 UK OSR Influences 12 What Else is Out there? 13 Swords & Wizardry Introduction 17 How this Game Works 17 Common Terms 18 The Dice 18 Free-Form Roleplaying 18 Actual Play: Exploring the Tomb 19 Characters 26 Creating a Character 26 Alignment 26 Armour Class 27 Attributes 27 Character Classes 31 Cleric 33 Fighter 39 Magic User 43 Thief 49 Equipment 54 Weight & Movement 60 Movement 60 Races 62 The Lifecycle of an Adventurer 64 HowSample to Play file66 Gaining Experience 66 Time 67 Saving Throws 67 Combat 68 4 Magic 80 Magical Research 82 An Alternate Approach to High-Level Magic 82 Spell Lists 84 Dungeon Creation 118 Features of a Dungeon 118 Monsters 122 Creating Monsters 122 Monster Statistics 122 Challenge Levels 123 Monster List 128 Treasure 166 How Much Treasure? 166 Generating a Random Treasure Hoard 166 Magic Item Descriptions 169 House Rules 206 Determining Attributes 206 Luck 206 Companions 208 Damage Rulings 210 The Sorcerer Under the Mountain 211 Players Introduction 211 Gamemasters Information 212 Dungeon Key 218 Index 236 Appendix A CharacterSample Sheets file242 Legal Appendix 247 5 List of Tables Table 1 : Strength 28 Table 39: Magic Scrolls (General) 173 Table 2: Dexterity 29 Table 40: Protection Scrolls 174 Table 3: Constitution 29 Table 41: Cursed Scrolls 176 Table 4: Intelligence 30 Table 42: Magic Armor & Weapons 177 Table 5: Charisma 31 Table 43: Cursed Armor, Shields, and Table 6: Cleric Advancement 33 Weapons 178 Table 7: Turning Undead 35 Table 44: Magic Melee Weapon Types 178 Table 8: Fighter Advancement 39 Table 45: Magic Armor Types 178 Table 9: Fighter Parrying Ability 40 Table 46: Unique Magical Swords 179 Table 10: Magic-User Advancement 44 Table 47: Magic Missile Weapon Types Table 11: Thief Advancement 49 181 Table 12: Thief Skills 52 Table 48: Minor Abilities for Melee Table 13: Non-Human Thief Bonuses 52 Weapons 181 Table 14: General Equipment 54 Table 49: Unusual Weapons 181 Table 15: Transportation 56 Table 50: Unusual Armors 183 Table 16: Melee Weapons 57 Table 51: Remarkable Magic Items 185 Table 17: Armor 57 Table 52: Lesser Wands 186 Table 18: Missile Weapons 58 Table 53: Greater Wands 186 Table 19: Base Movement Rate 60 Table 54: Lesser Rings 187 Table 20: Indoor, Underground, and City Table 55: Greater Rings 188 Movement 61 Table 56: Magic Staffs 190 Table 21: Cleric Attack Table 71 Table 57: Lesser Miscellaneous Magical Table 22: Fighter Attack Table 72 Items 192 Table 23: Magic-User and Thief Attack Table 59: Medium Miscellaneous Magical Table 73 Items 193 Table 24: The Ascending AC System 78 Table 60: Greater Miscellaneous Magical Table 25: Challenge Level Modifications 194 124 Table 61: Cursed Items 203 Table 26: Experience Point Values by Challenge Level 125 Table 27: Monster Saving Throws 126 Table 28: Monster Attack Rolls 127 Table 29: 100 GP Trade Out 167 Table 30: 1,000 GP Trade Out 167 Table 31: 5,000 GP Trade Out 167 TableSample 32: Minor Gems and Jewelry 167 file Table 33: Medium Gems and Jewelry 167 Table 34: Major Gems and Jewelry 168 Table 35: Minor Magic Items 168 Table 36: Medium Magic Items 168 Table 37: Major Magic Items 168 Table 38: Magic Potions 170 6 Kickstater Backers This book was made possible in August 2019 by the following backers. The Sorcerers Under the Mountain Christian Cooper, Andrew “Doc” Cowie, James Candalino, Jeff “Sage” Trisoliere, Jason Behnke, Richard William Sorden, Gary McBride, Sebastian Braun, Morgan Hazel. Head Sheildbearers Trevpb_101 , Martin G , Mat Hart , Matthew Beckham , Mark “Butters” Grehan , James Culshaw , Godu , Neal Stanifer , AndyD , Christopher Iain Siddall , Evan Dooner , Glynn Seal , Neil Shaw , Russell Hoyle , Keith Mackay , RichardBlackburn , Steve Dodge , Marius Salsbury , pookie , Robert Lambert , Frederic SCHAAFF , Carol & Jamie McIntosh , PsycoticHamster , Christopher Robichaud , Robert Reynolds , Jeremy R Haupt , GreyM , Swifty , William King , Hawkwind , Noah Green. Head Torchbearers donttalk . Philip N. Raistas&Marie . Gianfranco “Zotob” Bux . Neil Coles . Daniel Watkins . Clint Doyle . Jesse Grier . Craig . Matthias Weeks . Erik Talvola . Dylan “Caligula” Distasio . Brett Bozeman . Chayne “TheVandeMan” Vande Zande . Paul Farrell . Lloyd Rasmussen . AwesomeWasabi . Jonas Karlsson . Baz of Dungeons . Filthy Monkey . Pytman . Philip Hindley . Akrasia . Richard August . Peter Wood . Steven Fujisaka . Mark Featherston . Emma & Simon Gelgoot . Phil Ward . Patrick P. Dave McAlister . A. V Jones . Ragnar Hill . Daniel . Kip C . Miguel F. Santiago AE . Jeff Scifert . Todd Stephens . Jean Alahel FRIDRICI . Mike Hansen . Brad Faun Henderson . Dan Wood . Marc Young . Dave Brown . James “Squiggy” Whitchurch . Timothy Baker . Debbie (Dragongirl74) . Monza the Cat . Ian McKay . Guy Milner . Matthew Broome . Simon Hatch . Jim . Paul Mitchener . Benet Devereux . Pete Bounous . Pete Tracy . Steven D Warble . Keith Higdon . Oubliette . Damian Storm . Jamie Wheeler . Hauke Stammer . Sheldon Ga . Fearchar Battlechaser . Murray Oates . JC Smith . Sam Eckersley . VictorSample E. Serrano . Lance Myxter . Rory Klein . Dylan H . Christopher Andersonfile . Ketaendros . Richard Ohnemus . Brett Slocum. Old School Sheildbearers Kevin Mantle, M.O. Bredsdorff, Gully Feuerhammar, Christopher Marvin, Lars- Inge Lindbom , Tim Rudolph, do1254ddwaco, Sjef Haan, John Power Jr., Ulf H., R Fitz, David Dierks, Dave Thoms, Youseph “Yoshi” Tanha, Randy Smith. 7 Old School Torchbearers Sean Richer, Ryan “Rhino” Hixson, Chris Heath, Christopher Hill, Rick Hull, John Wright, Jeffrey Osthoff, Carl, Ido Magal, Neil Benson, Boris, Ngo Vinh-Hoi, Mad Martian Games, Meztoons, Francesco Paparelli, Ray W, Tobin F. Stryder, Sean Poynter, Ed of Fannyside, Sean Wills, Jake Bruce, Alistair C, Bellhound, Jason Connerley, Andrew Schleifer, Tim Knight, Karl Forster, Joolz “The Crypt Keeper” Hayley, Tony A. Thompson, Simon D., Gaelather , STIMBOT5000, C.R. Brandon, Fabio MILITO PAGLIARA, Samuel F., Jonathan Biedron, Jon Hancock, padishahZ. New School Sheild Bearers Dan Connolly,Michael Sunlin,Jason Heredia,David R. ,Ian Griffiths,SoulSpinner,Richard Mundy,Gordon Johnston,Daniel Colby,Logan,Turan Holland,Peter Curd,Orik jadechisel,Hayden Robertson,Kevin J. “Womzilla” Maroney,Ben Collett. New School Torchbearers Peter Haldenby, Tod Jeffcoat, Zach Cremisi, E.Harry, STEEVAMFG, Morten Trydal, Pierre-Olivier Jourdenais, Pedro Rocha, Luke Kay, Jeremy Kear, Tim Voves, Bendik Berg, Nickolas Szilagyi, Legal Dick, Dylan and Gareth Morgan, SM Hillman, Nick Ackermann, JP Patterson, Alexander Neumann , Aaron Herrington, Trevor Hardy, ELF Vesala, Shaun B, Roger “Frostin†Van Cleave, Steven Danielson, Daldalus, Chase Street, Joan Queraltó, PenguinPhobia, Jonathan Brown, Paul Aparixio, C-Bass, Ashran Firebrand, Moru-moru, Vincent E. Hoffman, Serenity Kaysdatter, John Paul, Chris “Baelian†Anderson, Lilly Ibelo , Phill Massey, Simon Taylor, André van Driel, Rob Walling, RPG Lump, Dungeon Daniel, T. Kaiser, Gabel Gamers, Cyber Gandalf, K.L.Svarrogh, Michael Carson , John ‘johnkzin’ Rudd, Hugo Perez, Philip Shinnie, Curse of Sebs, Imredave. Maximum thanks to you all ;O)Sample Newt file 8 9 Introduction Sample file 10 Introduction Gather round and listen to Tales from the Sorcerer Under the Mountain. The early versions of the World’s Most Popular Fantasy Roleplaying Game* in the 1970s opened the door to the worlds of imagination containing powerful magic, fantastic beasts, vile plots of evil villains, explorations of incredible lands and massive battles. When I first encountered the game in the 1980s, when it was enjoying mainstream approval, my friends and I spent most of our teenage years playing our fantastic alter egos as they explored underground dungeons and trekked through a dangerous monster-infested wilderness. It was the inspiration behind the successful Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, which occupied my time between my roleplaying game sessions, and many of the computer adventure games of that time. It is the root of all the fantastic roleplaying games that I have played since but by the early 90s one that I had long moved away from believing it was ‘kids- stuff’. I also found the modern editions of the game complicated for the game I want to play. Then I had the pleasure of being reintroduced to the game via an internet phenomenon known as the “Old School Renaissance” (OSR). In short, the OSR is a group of bloggers who promote playing in the original and 1st editions of the game as well