TinyZine Compendium 2018

TinyZine Compendium
2018
Tiny Compendium
Collects Tiny Zine Volume 1, issues 1-8, 2018.
Written by Max Adolph, Alan Bahr, Shawn Carman, Elizabeth Chaipraditkul,

Robert Denton III, Brian Fitzpatrick, Drew Gerken, Patrick Harrington,
Christopher Helton, Mathew Hulett, Gregory Israel, James M. Spahn, John
D. Payne, Patrick Tracy, Steffie De Vaan, and Dan Waszkiewicz
Managing Editor: Alan Bahr
Editor: Alana Joli Abbott
Interior Art: Anthony Cournoyer, Jason Adams, Nicolás R. Giacondino,
Peter Saga, and Adobe Stock
Cover art: Nicolás R. Giacondino
Graphic Design & Layout: Robert Denton III
TinyD6 Line Manager : Alan Bahr
Based on the game Tiny Dungeon by Brandon McFadden
Second Edition
Published by Gallant Knight Games, 2018
Tiny Dungeon 2e and TinyD6 are trademarks of Gallant Knight Games.

©2018 by Gallant Knight Games. All rights reserved. Reproduction without
the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden, except for
the purposes of reviews, and for the blank character sheets, which may be
reproduced for personal use only.
Gallant Knight Games, Ogden UT 84404
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Table of Contents
Introduction.............................................................................. 4
(Super) Natural Resources by Drew Gerken............................. 5
Level Progression for Tiny Dungeon 2E by Patrick Tracy...... 11
Why Aliens & Asteroids? by Brian Fitzpatrick....................... 16
New Heritage: Minotaur by Patrick Harrington..................... 19
New Traits for Tiny Dungeon 2E by Alan Bahr..................... 23
New heritage: The Glitterbug by Alan Bahr............................ 25
The King’s Daggers by Gregory Israel..................................... 26
The Executioner by Alan Bahr................................................ 33
Stress & Trauma by Alan Bahr................................................ 37
Roll & Play: Tiny Inns by Steffie de Vaan............................... 38
New Berserker Traits by Alan Bahr......................................... 42
The Green Hell by Max Adolph.............................................. 43
Literal Tiny Dungeon by Robert Denton III.......................... 52
Roll & Play: Tiny Magic Items by Steffie de Vaan.................. 70
Traps! by Alan Bahr................................................................. 74
New Heritages by Alan Bahr................................................... 77
Power & Politics in the Aliens & Asteroids Universe............. 79
Roll & Play: Tiny Thieves Guilds by Steffie de Vaan.............. 85
Grave hark by Matthew Hulett............................................... 90
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The Painfully Complete Alchemist by John D Payne............ 100
NPC Feature: Arthur Pendragon by Dan Waszkiewicz........ 106
Destiny of Tides: Watery Foes by Robert Denton III........... 109
Roll & Plat: Tiny Gladiator Arenas by Steffie de Vaan......... 116
Familiars by Liz Chaipraditkul.............................................. 122
Starting: Blazing Exodus by James M Spahn........................ 127
Grit, Shootouts, & Bounties by Alan Bahr............................ 133
New Mechanics by Shawn Carman...................................... 136
Tips for GM’s & Players Steffie de Vaan.............................. 140
Law v Chaos by Christopher Helton.................................... 146
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INTRODUCTION
Hail Loyal Gallants!
Brave soul, you hold in your hands the physical result of a nearly
full year of TinyZines. A few months and misses, and a few bonus
articles (found near the end), round out this tome and bring a
satisfying conclusion to this collection of varied authors and their
unique words.
The year 2018 was is counted as a very strange, interesting,
gratifying, painful and stressful year for the honorable team at
Gallant Knight Games, as well as many of our communal family
(of which we count you.) We said vale to many good friends and
family, and welcomed new souls into our commune.
As this tome reaches you, we’ve persevered into a new year, and
your continued support, grace, and patronage aids and succors us.
With no small gratitude, some tears in our eyes, and a glass full
of favored spirits (in the case of this editor, single-barrel whiskey),
we salute you, the Gallant Knights, who enable us to make our
tales of fancy, fantasy, and heroism, and we are humbled by you.
With all the love we can offer, and all the joy we can impart,
thank you.
- Alan Bahr, 01/31/2019
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(Super)Natural Resources
Micro-Setting
By Drew Gerken
Possible Themes: The curse of (super)natural resources (i.e the

Curse of Plenty), exploration of new reserves of resources, political
and societal struggle to control access to resources, understanding
mystical locations similar to Stonehenge, Ggantija, or Göbekli Tepe.
Inspired by: Avatar, There Will Be Blood; James Bond: Quantum
of Solace; Blood Diamond
Pitch:
These days, in the world of Sheold, magic isn’t the ethereal,
mystical power your world knows. Magic is now a finite resource,
known as Quintessence, and is coveted by many. It turns out the
druids of Sheold planned for this thousands of years ago - planned
for a day when magic would disappear. They created confluences
of power at key intersections of leylines across Sheold. These
confluences siphoned off imperceptible amounts of Quintessence,
transforming the power into various raw substances such as liquid
or crystals, secretly storing it for several millennia.
A few things to consider: What if the druids were eradicated
and the knowledge of these wells of power was lost with them?
What if someone were to stumble on a hidden druid glade and
uncover the mysteries of the confluences? What if in-fighting
amongst the druids escalated over a few thousand years as they
vied for control of the confluences? What if Sheold’s ruling class
were to seize control of the confluences instead?
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Setting
Sheold
Tattered, ancient maps mark Sheold as one of seven shards of
land in an expansive ocean known only as The Endless Waves.
Sheold has seen several ages of civilizations rise and fall, only to be
forgotten by time. A few millennia ago, during the Age of Aether,
the goddess Niana blessed her children with the ability to peer
through the veil and understand Sheold’s lifeforce. Those blessed
gained the ability to read the leylines of power spiderwebbing
across the land. As centuries passed, these druids started to
observe the power of the leylines wane and felt their goddess’s
presence begin to fade ever so slightly. The druids united, sharing
their understanding of Sheold and its magical energy. Soon their
collective knowledge arrived at a solution; begin siphoning and
condensing her power into reserves which would, in turn, maintain
a cycle of power across the land forever.
Now, in the Age of Return,
Sheold’s political structure is
centered around finding,
mining, and fortifying
confluences. Wealth and
prosperity are intrinsically
intertwined with access to,
and extraction of, Quintessence.
Leaders and their followers
have risen and fallen over the
discovery of the resource -
doomed by the inevitable
greed and lust for power
that it bears.
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Aethercast Magnates
The ruling class, known as the Aethercast, have access to the known
stores of Quintessence. Some believe them descendants of the last
glade of druids, desperately using their knowledge to maintain a
semblance of power. Whoever they once were, the Aerthercast
have begun harnessing Quintessence, granting them heightened
states of awareness and physical aptitude. These new abilities come
in all forms, from wielding what we know as magic, to possessing
god-like strength, to transforming into unimaginable creatures.
All that is known currently is Quintessence affects each Magnate
differently - the manifested powers are unique to each person and
seem to reflect a personal affinity or worldview.
Sample Adventure Seeds

Each of the following Seeds explores an angle of how Quintessence
and it’s value/scarcity effect politics, business, and cultural norms across
Sheold.Within these seeds, a group should be able to cover game types
ranging from the dark, gritty campaigns
of guilds and politicians vying to control
more confluences of Quintessence, to
epic stories full of dungeon delving and
fantastical locations,to playing as a group
of magically-powered superheroes.
There’s no limit to what Quintessence’s
effect on the body/mind has other than
your own imagination.
There’s no right or wrong way to
tell stories in the world of Sheold,
either. Using crystalline shards of
Quintessence as a bodily implant or
as the focus for a magical artifact are
equally awesome ways to harness
the physical manifestation of magic.
Exploring the ancient druidic secrets
and using the archaic knowledge
7
uncovered to either tear apart or create a world-dominating empire

are equally engaging. The only rule is this; make sure every character
has a voice and every player a good time.
Pomp & Circumstance

At times, several Magnates will join forces to better serve similar
agendas - be it world domination or world salvation. These
collectives are commonly referred to as Pomps or Circumstances.
Several known collectives of magnates include; The Pyre Barons,
The Lords of the Silent Beyond, The Sisters of the Blue Ruin, and
The Sheoldinite Brotherhood.
Play as you will as a Pomp (or Circumstance) of Magnates whose
abilities are unlocked and boosted by harnessing Quintessence.
As a group, you should decide on what common ground all of your
Magnates stand on. Your Game Master will then work with the
group to understand the collective’s goals, agendas,
and points of opposition as a means to tell an
engaging story. Playing as a Magnate
means you will face general distrust
and, sometimes, outright defiance by
the general populace. These reactions could
be due to several reasons; the masses feeling
oppressed by the Aethercast, the fear that
comes with unknown powers, and greed or
jealousy are a few examples.
Exploratory Forces
Quintessence is a commodity more
valuable than gold, diamonds, or fresh
water. Some hubs of population in
Sheold are constructed around large
confluences and the Aethercast in those
areas work to protect and harvest the
supernatural resource. It is believed, however,
there are more undiscovered confluences
8
in Sheold than there are established ones. Some Aethercast have

made their wealth seeking and mining remote confluences in
silence. They grant their Magnates controlled use of Quintessence
as a means to travel Sheold and discover more undiscovered wells.
In Exploratory Forces, you are a different sort of Pomp or
Circumstance. You are colloquially called a Hush of Magnates,
a group of supercharged adventurers operating with clandestine
objectives. You are the exploratory elite venturing out into
unexplored lands searching for signs of uncharted confluences.
Crawling through collapsed ruins, spelunking into flooded caves,
and eradicating creatures warped by Quintessence is what you
do. Finding locations where no one has stepped for thousands
of years is your shtick. Unraveling the druids’ former magical
protections is just another day’s work for you. All of this in
the name of the Aethercast who chose to grant you access to
Quintessence and its powers.
The Blue Ruin

There is a large area in southern Sheold that serves as a cautionary
tale these days. A hundred years ago a Pomp, now referred to
as The Sisters of the Blue Ruin, ruled over the metropolis of
Tralda. A mecca of sorts, Tralda was the pinnacle of power and
wealth in Sheold. It was the center of magical study and claimed
the ability to field an entire army of highly-trained Magnates.
Records indicate that the library of Tralda was built around, and
for the protection of, the oldest druid glade in Sheold. There
was reportedly more information on Niana, her druids, and how
and where the confluences were created than the rest of the
libraries across Sheold. Most of the information was destroyed
or rendered inaccessible when the Sisters’ experiments reached
too far beyond their power, causing a cataclysm that wiped out
Tralda.
Many have since tried accessing the information lost in the ruins
of the former metropolis. There’s plenty of danger, treasure, and
knowledge to be gain for those daring enough.
9
Taken from the journal of Dsesmont Pontoo, great-great-

grandson of the druid Shybild:
“I maintained a low profile, choosing to be a fly on the wall rather
than a sycophantic priest-in-training. I did not want to be a servant
boy for the Sisters, erratically coming and going to their whims- or
worse, one of their test subjects. I chose to be a scribe, to write until
my fingers held the imprint of cheap quills, as a means to learn more
about the druids of old. I chose to avoid the priesthood and the gassy
windbags who cheapened Niana’s blessings by wasting Quintessence
on trivial, creature comforts rather than restoring faith in her and
her presence.”
-- --- --
“I have slowly gathered enough information to understand what
my forefathers were doing. There are so many more confluences than
are discovered across Sheold. Hundreds of undiscovered wells of
Quintessence.
I have slept less and less these days because of this knowledge.
It took many hours to seek out and recruit the capable crew of explorers
set to join me. However, we are ready now. I’ve had to sell secrets,
or the promise of keeping certain information secret, to numerous
Aethercast to fund my exploits, but I am certain
it will pay off in the end. We are
ready to head northeast
from Tralda, into the
mountains, to find
the first confluence.
It is said to be a
valley dotted by
perfectly spherical
stones laid out in a
pattern resembling a
pentagram.
We leave at dawn.”
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Optional Rule
Level Progression
Level Progression for

Tiny Dungeon 2nd Edition
By Patrick Tracy
While rules-light games do not always require progression in
power, you may wish to play with more impressive characters
within the framework of Tiny Dungeon, or to launch into a
mighty campaign that sees the characters attain legendary status.
Here is a set of possibilities, should you wish to implement such a
“structure” into your games.
Methodology and Progression Speed: In this optional rule set, the
progression is purely based upon the whim of the Game Master.
Perhaps, in a quick-progressing game, there is a sense that each
adventure takes place months or years after the last one, and that the
characters are advanced with each game, reaching impressive
status within a handful of games. Whether progression is
based upon games played, goals met, or some
metric known only to the Elder Gods, it is up
to your GM.
The Term “Hero”: I use this word as a non-
judgmental term. Your characters may
be fair or foul, but they are more
powerful and ambitious than the
farmers and the crafters of the world.
They are agents of fortune, and I see
hero is as good a term as any. Also,
note that no assumption of gender
is being made here. If you prefer a
different term, you are welcome to
employ it at your discretion.
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Young Heroes: When using the character creation methodology
in the rulebook, the result would be a first level character. Young
heroes can be of any temporal age, but they are at the outset of
Level Progression
their adventuring career. They’ve had some experience, some

close scrapes perhaps. Maybe they’ve worked as a city guard or
an apprentice healer, whatever is appropriate to their traits, but
they’ve really never struck out on their own. Within this phase of
their adventuring career, they are learning the ways of the world.
They are seeing the glimmers of what might be, should they
survive the dangers of their chosen profession.
• Level 1: Just as described in the book
• Level 2: +1 Hit Point
• Level 3: +1 Hit Point; Pick a new Weapon Proficiency or
Mastery
Veteran Heroes: By now, the characters have been around,
fighting foes and solving riddles. They’ve taken a few hard knocks,
and have learned better from them. In their local area, they are
now known as stalwarts who can handle themselves in a bad
situation. If a few heroes of this ilk ask for others to volunteer for
a dangerous journey or daring task, their stature and bearing help
to put bravery into other’s hearts.
• Level 4: Pick 1 New Trait
• Level 6: +1 Hit Point; Pick a new Weapon Proficiency or
Mastery
Renowned Heroes: Word of your deeds has spread far and wide.
Children fight with sticks, pretending to be you, or perhaps they
pretend to lay you low with their might. You’ve ingratiated yourself
to warlords and regents, slain men and monsters, and gained
fame. Now, the weight of your deeds begins to weigh upon your
shoulders. Sought out by both allies and enemies, you are thought
of as one who can change the balance of the world.
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• Level 7: Hero To Some - When you announce your presence
in an area, the GM will secretly roll a test for you, determining
if you have a secret ally or enemy nearby. Depending upon
Level Progression
your history in that land, this roll could be at advantage or

disadvantage. Thus, if you know yourself to be in a hostile
country, traveling in secret might be advisable. In any case, a
success means that you have a secret ally, who will approach
you to render aid when needed. A failure means that an
enemy has marked your presence, and that you will be subject
to some scheme of theirs.
Legendary Heroes: Songs and epic poems of your deeds will carry
down the ages. Your name and likeness are known on foreign shores.
Queens and scholars seek you out to assist them in their struggles.
In a friendly city, you could never buy a drink again. In ports where
the populace has been ill-treated by your deeds, every knife would
seek for your blood. You are beloved of some gods, while others
would throw you down into the dust of death. The greatest foes and
monsters are now your destiny, and the consideration of
how best to die has become a nightly worry.
• Level 11: +1 Hit Point; Pick a new
weapon Proficiency or Mastery
• Level 12: Might of Legend - You have
attained some skill, power, or godly boon
that no one else can claim. With
your GM, create a new trait
that grants you an ability
that borders upon the miraculous.
Think of the heroes of myth using
their signature qualities as a guide.
Perhaps you run like the wind, able
to move twice the distance of
(Continued...)
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(Continued...)
any normal hero in a given time. Maybe you have mastered
some miraculous spell that lets you draw lightning from the
sky, or turn yourself into a giant eagle. As with all things, this
Level Progression
power is subject to GM fiat. Finally, create for your character

a title or epithet that reflects your particular brand of might.
Dominion of the Gods: Having reached the pinnacle of
achievement for mortal heroes, the only road left to you is that of
transcendence. If you wish to carry on advancing, perhaps the GM
will create a series of tasks and challenges you can perform, so as to
attain immortality and become like the very gods in the heavens.
• Level 13: Essence of the Eternal - Your character ceases to
age as mortals would, becoming ageless and immune to scars,
diseases, and the infirmities of age.
• Level 14: The Many Roads - You choose the path of your
might, and gain one of the boons described below. This will
become your symbol and purpose in a pantheon of gods,
should you complete your journey.
• Level 15: Beyond the Mortal Realm
- Upon attaining the goal of
apotheosis, you now ascend to
the realm of immortals, to
guide and shape the futures
of the mundane world from
on high. No further adventures lay in
your future. All that can be done
with force of arms and might of
logic has been done. Another arises
to fight, and your time has passed.
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Level Progression
The Many Roads: Here are but some ideas for these paths. Note
that some are the roads of evil, so that averting the rise of an evil
deity can be one possible adventure for powerful characters.
• The Road of Might: Your attacks now do 2 points of damage
per hit.
• The Road of Learning: All languages are known to you.
• The Road of Remembrance: Any test that relies upon
knowledge of history is now done with Advantage.
• The Hidden Road: You can now become invisible upon your
turn with a skill test. Any attack will reveal your presence.
• The Road of Rebirth: Once per day, you can revive a recently
dead person to full health.
• The Road of Ruin: Damage you deal to a foe will never heal,
short of magic healing.
• The Road of Rage: When anger overcomes you, you gain 5
temporary hit points, but can no longer discern friend from foe.
• The Road of Hatred: A hated enemy faces disadvantage on all
roles to attack or overcome you. Such is your enmity that it is
like a curse upon your foes.
• The Road of Lies: Normal folk believe every vile untruth you
tell, at least for a short while. Your words are like poison, always
wrenching friend from friend and sowing discord.
• The Road of Havoc: Your very presence threatens the fabric
of the natural world, bringing about death and chaos, pushing
the world closer to an apocalypse
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Why Aliens & Asteroids?
By Brian Fitzpatrick
A little over a year ago now, I started working on the first iteration
of Aliens & Asteroids. The plan was to create an Old School science
fiction RPG that we could use to play scenarios inspired by movies
like Aliens and computer games like X-COM.
Why science fiction? For most of the last 25 years, I’ve been
focused on fantasy fiction, but before that I was a big sci-fi geek.
My imagination was fueled by stories from Robert Heinlein,
Jules Verne, Douglas Adams, Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Isaac
Asimov, Frank Herbert, Arthur C. Clarke, and many others.
And though that phase of my life faded decades ago, the flame
never completely went out. It was rekindled in recent years by shows
such as Killjoys, The Expanse, and Stargate: Universe. Watching a
starship get shot full of holes in the first season of The Expanse and
the Killjoys crew banter back and forth while in a firefight, suddenly
I was re-energized by the prospects of playing in similar stories.
Why choose the name “Aliens & Asteroids”? This honestly
started with trying to capture that Old School feel of Dungeons &
Dragons a bit, while using the alphabet to ensure that we showed
up at the top of search results. But as I began exploring the universe
that was forming in my mind, the name became so much more
with that as I discovered that the Dread - the big baddies - were
actually throwing rocks into the universe to spread evil.
Starting with that Old School vibe, I really wanted to use our
Mazes & Perils rules system as the base for Aliens & Asteroids,
but when I started working through attempting to convert it to
something that might work in a science fiction setting, I was struck
by how clunky it seemed. I wanted battles to be fast and furious,
changing mid-combat like Han Solo suddenly charging down a
hallway at a squad of Stormtroopers and yelling to confuse them.
And M&P reskinned as A&A just felt too much like D&D.
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Thankfully, Alan was around and we had a 15 minute discussion
on Slack that completely tore the system to shreds and rebuilt it
from scratch. That quarter hour changed the direction of A&A
forever and created a whole new RPG rules set we called Inverse20.
With a few quick ability score rolls and picking a few traits,
you’re off to the races with your Space Marine, Technician, Medic,
Scientist, or Commander. And with an open system, you’re not
locked into your profession but can choose to diverge quite quickly
-- much like real life. Everything just exploded from there.
Within a very short amount of time we had a handful of aliens,
a ton of cool technology, and a backstory with a great evil just
waiting to consume one planet after another. Aliens & Asteroids
really took on a life of its own and I had a great time calling on all
my old science fiction influences to mine for ideas.
When we launched the Kickstarter in October, I wasn’t quite
sure what to expect -- but Alan was quite encouraging. And
before long we were mostly funded and it was almost the end of
the project. By the end, we squeaked by with more than 140 folks
who wanted to see our version of the future. And with the help of
some spectacular artists, great editors, and a lot of time and energy
I’m happy to say we have shipped most, if not all of the copies to
our amazing backers by the time you see this article!
Some of you may be looking for some new bits and pieces to
bolt onto your A&A experience, so here are a few new things for
you to consider!
New Profession - CyQ Enforcer

The great minds of the Cydyne Corporation have been
manufacturing robotics resources for more than a century and
involved with some of the greatest technological projects humankind
has ever achieved. Mining on Mercury? Check. Automated
construction of BANCE Gates in other solar systems? Check. But
such vision is not without its risks.
Cydyne’s Quality Assurance department works long hours
ensuring that Cydyne assets are reliable in even the most stressful
17
of circumstances. And yet, the occasional Glitch finds its way into
the system. Any time you attempt to approximate the flexibility of
the human mind in digital form, you are bound to introduce an
unintended bug or two into the design.
You may have heard of the so-called “Neogen” androids popping

up throughout Dominion space. These androids are rumored to
have personalities and be able to think for themselves, going beyond
their programming and becoming nearly human in their worldview.
Cydyne has officially stated that these rumors are unfounded and
that any appearance of human-like behaviors by androids must be
sought and destroyed like any glitch in the system.
That’s where you come in. You are the front line in the battle
against digital sentience. If you fail in your mission, all of humanity
may be at risk. You must hunt down and eliminate these Glitches
with extreme prejudice, wherever they may be found in the galaxy.
• Prime Attribute: Accuracy
• Traits: Bits & Bytes, Diagnostics, Gears, Guns, Robotics,
Security
New Technology
• EMP Grenade - Area-effect device doing 4d6 damage to
any electronic device, ½ damage 3-10m; Save vs. Toughness
(Disadvantage) or immobilized 1d6 turns
• EMP Stick - Melee weapon that does 1d6 damage to any
electronic device it comes into contact with. 30 charges
per battery. Target must Save vs. Toughness or become
immobilized for 1d6 turns
New Background
When creating characters, you can choose the background “Ex-
CyQ Enforcer” and choose from any of the traits for the profession.
If you encounter CyQ Enforcers in the field, you are considered
at best a deserter and at worse a Neogen sympathizer, which may
have unintended consequences in the field.
18
New Heritage
MINOTAUR
New Heritage: Minotaur
By Patrick Harrington
Minotaurs are a tall brawny race of bullheaded people. They average
around seven feet tall, not counting the horns, and typically weigh
between 350 and 600 pounds. Their fur is most commonly brown
but minotaurs are occasionally born with hues of grey, red or black.
Some clans of minotaurs count important victories with gold ring
earrings. Others use the art tattooing or ritual scarification to detail
the important moments in their lives, such as great battles won, or
to indicate other achievements, such as successfully raising many
children to adulthood or brokering a peace treaty between clans.
Society The minotaur heritage

Minotaurs organize themselves is suitable for both Tiny
into clans, named after the Dungeon 2e and Tiny
founder of the clan. New clans
are only founded in times of
Frontiers: Revised.
great strife, and their culture
is very martially oriented. Minotaurs are fierce warriors, utilizing
long swords called kardas. Their natural bulk enables them to wear
heavy armor, and they have raised a special breed of mounts called
Toubous which they ride into battle, as few normal horses can
bear the weight of a minotaur in full battle gear. Toubous resemble
large wolf like creatures with blue fur with streaks of red.
Minotaur clans are often hired by lords to be used as security
forces or small private armies, though they can be difficult to
manage, as it is considered a stain on one’s personal honor to
pursue an unworthy foe in Minotaur culture.
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Hospitality in minotaur
culture is considered to be
absolute. When entering a
minotaur’s home guests are
given a small piece of meat
and salt to be consumed.
Once the meat and

salt is consumed the
guest is considered to
be members of their
household. Minotaurs
never break the rites of
hospitality as violating
them would provoke
the wrath of their gods,
Fragath the Bull and Rawgath
the Warrior.
Minotaurs subside mainly on a fish and rice diet and are known
for their love of spicy cuisine. They raise goats for dairy products and
meat. They eat an herb known as Ergad to supplement their diet.
Minotaur recreation is based mainly around martial training.
But minotaurs enjoy a game of their own devising called Crash.
It’s an asymmetric war game with very few rules. Masters of Crash
are well respected in Minotaur society and are often groomed for
leadership positions.
Magic is not respected among minatours. It is accepted as a
necessary tool but it is rare to see a magic user rise to leadership.
Culture
A minotaur’s word is their life, and as such they are careful about
giving it freely. Minotaurs who pledged themselves in service are
often willing to die before breaking their word. Minotaurs who
break their word are hunted down by their clans and have their
horns removed.
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Minotaur Attributes A minotaur without
horns is no longer
• 7 Hit Points considered a minotaur
• Minotaurs start with one of and their clan destroys
the following Heritage Traits: all mention of them in
Strength of the Bull, Death their history. More than
Before Dishonor, or One
one story has been passed

Against Many. down of “he that was
called Vosug”, who was
Strength of the Bull: When
trapped by the orders of
Hit with an attack, you may
a dishonorable lord, and
choose to take 1 extra
committed many foul deeds
damage. If you do, on your
before finally slaying his
next turn, all of your attacks
own lord - one of the truest
get +1 damage.
of the minotaur tragedies.
Death before Dishonor: Despite these tales, many
Once per day you may young Minotaurs seek
choose to take no damage employment outside of
from an attack. their clans, as almost all
of the greatest heroes of
One against Many: When Minotaur culture have left
outnumbered your attacks their clan for a time only
do 1 extra damage. to return with knowledge,
wisdom, or skill - which
then helps the clan to grow and prosper.
However, only a few Minotaurs each year are permitted to
leave their clan - and the competition for the approval of the
clan elders can be fierce.
The historic foe of the Minotaur is a race of wolf-people named
Deniz Kurdu. These sea raiders are known as ferocious fighters
but lack the coordination between packs to become a serious
threat. Minotaurs respect their fighting spirit but disapprove of
their lack of discipline.
21
Magic Gear
Gauntlets of Banjo
“The minotaur with the heart of gold”

Allows you to use fists as Heavy Weapons.
Punches with the fury of the bull
Sword of Honor
“Stiffens your spine.”
Grants the Cleave Trait
Stained red with the blood
of the dishonorable
Armor of
the Oath
“Death before
failure”
Grants the
Diehard Trait.
Heavy Armor
It shines with an
internal light.
22
New Traits for
Tiny Dungeon 2e
By Alan Bahr
Weapon Focus: Your Mastered Weapon attacks do +1 Damage.
However,all non-Mastered Weapon attacks are made at Disadvantage.
Weapon Savant: You must have Weapon Focus to take this Trait. You
New Traits
may choose one of the following benefits:

1. You are Proficient with all Weapon Groups (this effectively
removes Disadvantage from your attacks due to proficiency.
Enemies, the GM, and such can still impose Disadvantage.)
2. You may select two new Mastered Weapons.
You may take this Trait multiple times.
New Prestige Traits

Weapon Master:
To take this Trait you must have Weapon Focus and Weapon Savant.
You must choose three of the following Style
Benefits:
• Two-Weapon
Fighting: When
you are wielding two
weapons, when
you make an attack
action, you may
make a bonus attack
with Disadvantage as
part of that action. If both
attacks hit, the second attack
deals +1 damage.
(Continued...)
23
(Continued...)
• Heavy Weapon Master: When you attack with a Heavy

Weapon, if you miss, you may make an immediate attack with
Disadvantage. If this attack hits, you deal +1 Damage. You
may not benefit from this more than once per turn.
• Shield-Thrower: When wielding a shield, you may treat it as
a Ranged Weapon you are Mastered with. After you make an
attack where you throw your shield, test with Disadvantage.
If you fail, the shield falls next to the target you struck. If
New Traits
successful, you may choose one of the following benefits:

o Have it return to your hand.
o Have it ricochet, dealing damage to one additional enemy
within 30 feet of your first target.
• Master Archer: Your Ranged Attacks with a bow weapon
deal +1 Damage.
• Master Thrower: When you make a Ranged Attack with
a weapon you throw, you may make a Bonus attack with
Disadvantage immediately.
• Trip Attacks: When you strike a foe with a chain, flexible
or unarmed attack, you may force them to make a Save Test.
If they fail, they lose one action on their next turn as they
untangle themselves. You may not force this Save Test on foes
that are significantly larger than you. (GM’s discretion.)
• Grappler: When you strike a foe with an unarmed attack,
you may immediately force them to make a Save Test. If they
fail, they can not take any actions except to make Save Tests
to escape your grapple. If they are still grappled on your next
turn, you may automatically deal 1 damage without the need
to make an attack roll as an Action.
• Shieldmaster: You gain Advantage on Evade tests while you
bear a Shield.
24
New Heritage
THE GLITTERBUG
By Alan Bahr
Glitterbug Attributes Glitterbugs are intelligent
• 5 Hit Points
and flittering insects
who traverse the world,
• Glitterbugs start with two Heritage
Traits: Flight and Rainbow Shell.
attempting to learn and
experience all of life!

Flight: Your wings have developed and
you can move at the half the speed in
Glitterbugs look like
the air as you can on land. large ladybugs, but their
Rainbow Shell: As an action, you can hard shells are covered
Dazzle! Everyone who can see you in glittering shapes and
when you take the Dazzle Action must colors of all sorts. They can
make a Save Test with Disadvantage unfold small wings from
or lose their next Action (not turn.) their backs under their
shells, allowing them to fly,
or use their shell to dazzle and daze their opponent with bright lights.
Glitterbugs are generally very friendly and enthusiastic,
and tend to take names that reflect the shapes they see in
their own shells. They shed their shells yearly
and grow new ones, but the patterns
always stay the same. Glitterbug shells
are often sought after as shields!
New Magic Items

Glitterbug Shell Shield
It’s…so…dazzling….
The bearer can use the Rainbow
Shell Heritage Trait as long as they
are actively holding the shield.
25
The King’s Daggers
By Gregory Israel
Synopsis
The King’s Daggers = Tiny Dungeon + Teleportation + Secret
Agents + Game of Thrones. It is designed for a GM and one
Adventurer, but works with larger groups as well.
You are a member of the King’s Daggers, an elite group of
operatives who have been taught the secrets of teleportation magic.
You conduct top secret missions vital to Crown and Country.
Introduction
For generations, the people of Cassorra had been plagued by
marauding tribes of orcs. The orcs relished any opportunity to
raid towns and villages, which frequently left the settlements
pillaged and burned. This ongoing nightmare was finally put
to an end under the reign of Cassorra’s current monarch, King
Odinel Ingran.
King Ingran knew that knights and archers alone could not put
an end to the orc attacks. The King tasked his most knowledgeable
mages, sages, and alchemists to find something to help bring a
victorious end to the long running conflict. Although it took many
years, considerable quantities of gold, and the lives of many brave
warriors, they did not disappoint their liege.
Using a newly discovered mineral known as darkstone, along
with powerful magic and breakthroughs in alchemy, they were
able to create an amulet which allowed the wearer to teleport to
any location they had ever been before. The King immediately
put the amulet to use. He gathered his best spies, assassins,
26
and warriors to be trained in the use of
teleportation magic. As this training
ensued, additional amulets were created
as quickly as possible. The King
dubbed this small elite group
the “King’s Daggers”.
The King’s Daggers quickly
turned the tide against the
orcs. Instead of confronting
the enemy head-on, the Daggers
began to target and eliminate
orc leaders and priests,
breaking the morale of the

marauding forces. When the Orc
King, Drakmok the Cunning, was
ambushed and killed in his own camp, the orc tribes retreated deep
into the mountains and have not returned since. Teleportation
magic helped save Cassorra from the orcs, but now it may be
tearing the elective monarchy apart from the inside.
Some leaders of the Nine Noble Houses of Cassorra want the
secrets of teleportation magic to be shared with all of the Noble
Houses. They believe it is their fair reward for the sacrifices that
they all made in the fight against the orcs and as repayment
for the many resources they contributed to the development of
teleportation magic. King Ingran, however, fears what might
happen if a large number of people know this powerful secret. He
believes that only a select group of trusted people should know
how to use the amulets.
This dispute has lead to rising tensions and mistrust between
those who agree with the King and those who want access to
teleportation magic. The King’s Daggers play a vital role in
defending King Ingran and making sure that Cassorra does not
fall into civil war.
27
The Nine Noble
Houses of Cassorra
The Nine Noble Houses govern Cassorra through an elective
monarchy. When the throne is vacant, due to death of the
monarch or abdication, the Noble Houses elect a new King
or Queen. Using a selection system which varies from House
to House, each Noble House nominates a candidate. Each
House then casts one vote which cannot be used to vote for the
candidate it nominated. If no candidate receives a majority, the

lowest vote getters are eliminated and another vote is cast. The
winning candidate becomes the King or Queen of Cassorra.
Coalitions between Noble Houses change over time, and the
Houses have long memories. A monarch who mistreats a Noble
House knows that the next ruler may come from that very House.
This serves as a check on a monarch’s abuse of power.
House Name Head of House Heritage
House Barrat Grand Duke Skirr Barrat Karhu
House Dowsett Grand Duke Körbl Dowsett Salimar
House Froude Grand Duke Matvey Froude Human
House Ingran King Odinel Ingran Human
House Leveson Grand Duchess Cordelia Leveson Human
House Ramage Grand Duchess Thura Ramage Dwarf
House Scammel Grand Duke Tobbar Scammel Goblin
House Tepest Grand Duchess Nezetta Tepest Human
House Warrender Grand Duchess Raven Warrender Fey
There are currently two well known alliances within the Nine
Noble Houses. The first is between the Houses of Ingran, Dowsett,
Froude, Leveson, and Scammel. The second includes the Houses
of Barrat, Ramage, Tepest, and Warrender.
28
There are also at least three secret alliances between Noble
Houses, including agreements between Houses Tepest and
Warrender, Houses Dowsett and Ramage, and Houses Scammel
and Warrender.

Those wishing to join the ranks of the King’s Daggers must prove
their skills and loyalty in a series of missions. If these missions
are successfully completed, they are offered a spot in the King’s
Daggers. They must pledge their life to King and country – once
a Dagger, always a Dagger. When this oath is sworn, the new

Dagger is taught how to use teleportation magic. Daggers are
never allowed to speak of their affiliation, nor are they publicly
acknowledged or rewarded for their actions.
The King directs his Daggers and consults with a team of advisors
and strategists who help plan the missions for the Daggers. There
is also a team of mages, alchemists, and scholars who work to
improve teleportation magic and develop other magic items which
may prove useful for the Daggers.
The researchers are currently focusing on several aspects of
teleportation magic for improvement. One is to make the magic
item smaller. It is currently an amulet, but this might become a
ring, or something that could be implanted under the skin. The
second aspect is to make the magic more potent. This might involve
making it easier to use, decreasing the side-effects, teleporting
more gear, teleporting another person, etc.
Another area of interest is anti-teleportation magic. One goal is to
create “anti-exit” magic items which prevent people from teleporting
away from the affected area. Another is an “anti-entry” magic item
which prevents people from teleporting into the affected area.
All of the research done for the King’s Daggers is a closely
guarded secret, to which many people want access.
29
New Trait
Teleportation Magic: If I’ve been there, I can return in the blink
of an eye. You have been taught to use teleportation magic.
Teleportation magic adheres to the following guidelines:
• You must have a teleportation magic item (typically an
amulet).
• You can teleport to any place you have been before. You
must have actually set foot in the location.
• You can teleport once per day.
• Teleporting requires at least two Actions:

• First, you must spend on Action to concentrate on your
destination.
• Second, you must make a successful
Test. If you fail the Test, you may try
again with your next Action(s),
but completing any other Action
(Move, Attack, etc.) before
successfully teleporting breaks
your concentration and requires
you to start the process again.
• Upon arriving at your
destination, you must make
a Save Test to avoid being
disoriented for 1d6 Actions.
• Within reason, objects in
direct contact with your skin
teleport with you. The GM
has the final say.
30
Beyond the Borders
The lands surrounding Cassorra are filled with potential allies and
enemies.
• While they have made no signs of returning to their raiding
ways, the orc tribes of the eastern mountains are always on
the minds of Cassorrians.
• The northern desert is home to various nomadic tribes
which act as a trade link between Cassorra and the peoples
who live far north of the scorching barren land.
• To the west lie the city-states of Zardissa,five large independent

cities which also also engage in trade with Cassorra.
Adventure
Hooks
• Someone has
infiltrated the strategists of
the King’s Daggers and is
using the Daggers to further
their personal agenda.
They start by giving the
Adventurer(s) a mission to
eliminate a political rival in
another Noble House.
• A new deposit of darkstone has been
found in the eastern mountains.
The King wants to control this
precious resource. His rivals see this as
an opportunity to change the balance of
power in Cassorra.
31
• One of the King’s most trusted advisors is missing. The
information he knows about the Daggers and teleportation
magic would make it much easier for someone to craft their
own teleportation amulet.
• A secret alliance of Noble Houses has started to create
teleportation amulets for themselves. How did they learn to do
this? Will the King use his Daggers to stop this proliferation
before it becomes a reality? Is it already too late?
• Not only has one of the Noble Houses reproduced
teleportation magic, they have advanced it.
• The city-states of Zardissa are considering more formal
alliances with each other. They are concerned about

Cassorra’s teleportation magic and are contemplating ways
to reproduce and counteract it.
• The King’s strategists want Daggers to visit each of the
city-states of Zardissa so they may teleport there in the
future. This could involve getting arrested and tossed in
the city’s dungeons, finding a reason to visit the castles and
strongholds of the leaders of the city-states, etc. The more
secure the locations, the better.
• The King’s strategists want Daggers to visit the seats of
power for each of the Nine Noble Houses.
32
The Executioner
Executioners are a mix between sell-swords and assassins. Often
employed as wandering law enforcers, they are merciless killers,
drawing their blades for the law that coin can buy, as much as for
their own pleasure and the needs of justice.
The Executioner Advancement Table

Level Exp Hit Saving Base Hit Lethality
Points Points Throw Bonus
1 0 Con+1 14 0 1
2 1,250 Con+2 13 1 1
The Executioner
3 2,500 Con+3 12 2 2
4 5,000 Con+4 11 2 2
5 10,000 Con+5 10 3 3
6 20,000 Con+6 9 4 3
7 40,000 Con+7 8 4 4
8 80,000 Con+8 7 5 4
9 160,000 Con+9 6 6 5
10 320,000 Con+10 5 6 5
33
Executioner Class Abilities
Weapon/Armor Restrictions
Executioners are proficient with all weapons but may only wear
light armor and may not use shields.
Executioner’s Blade
Each Executioner is granted a unique Executioner’s Blade. They
should name this blade, which generally adheres to the the
following rules of construction.
The blade is a two-handed great sword that does 1d6+3 damage due
a channel in the spine of the blade that contains liquid hydrargyrum.
The amount of decoration and flair on each blade is unique, granting
each Executioner’s Blade a history. An executioner is expected to
retain possession that blade.
The Executioner
An individual wielding an Executioner’s Blade who is not an

authorized member of the Executioner’s Guild is branded a
criminal and is hunted down until dead.
Lethality
An Executioner increases their Critical Hit range by their Lethality
rating based on their level. For example: A level 1 Executioner
would score a critical hit on a 19 or 20, where as a level 10
Executioner would score a critical hit a 15-20 on the attack roll.
This ability only applies when they are wielding their
Executioner’s Blade.
Every time an Executioner kills an enemy with a Critical Hit,
they gain a +1 Increase to Infamy.
Establish Guild (9th):

An Executioner of ninth or higher level has the potential to become
the Guild Master of the Executioner’s Guild. To become so, they
must defeat and kill the previous Guild Master. While as a Guild
Master, they are responsible for all aspects of the Executioner’s Guild,
determining rates, whose laws to enforce, and other such aspects.
34
Open Game License
Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of the Open Game License Version
1.0a (OGL). Only the Executioner Class and it’s text are designed as Open Game Content under
the OGL. The following are not Open Game Content: “For Coin & Gold, Sword & Wizardry,”
“S&W,” and “Mythmere Games,”, TinyD6, any TinyD6 writing or rules, other trademarks noted below
under DESIGNATION OF PRODUCT IDENITY and COPYRIGHTNOTICE and with the
exception of all artwork.
These trademarks, and the Trade Dress of this work (font, layout, style of artwork, etc.) are reserved as
Product Identity by their various companies.
DESIGNATION OF PRODUCT IDENTITY
Gallant Knight Games™ is copyright 2015-2017, Alan Bahr. The Gallant Knight Games™ logo is
copyright 2017, Alan Bahr. Art is copyright 2017, Gallant Knight Games.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
The introduction and fiction or descriptive text, and the setting of [CITY] in this product is Copyright
of Gallant Knight Games © 2017 and is not open content.
DESGNATION OF OPEN CONTENT
All Executioner rules, Executioner charts, and Executioner house rules are open content.
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the
Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.
The Executioner
1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed
Open Game Content; (b)”Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works
and translations (including into another computer languages), potation, modification, correction,
addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing
work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease,
sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)”Open Game Content” means the
game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content
does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional
content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by
this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes
Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying
marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements,
dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts,
themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of
characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places,
locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols,
or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity
by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f )
“Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to
identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the
Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate
and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the
licensee in terms of this agreement.
2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that
the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a
notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this
License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any
Open Game Content distributed using this License.
3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms
of this License.
35
4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant
You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to
Use, the Open Game Content.
5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game
Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation
and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License
to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying,
modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s
name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.
7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as
to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of
each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with
any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content
except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or
Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a
challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open
Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.
8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the
work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.
9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License.
The Executioner
You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game
Content originally distributed under any version of this License.
10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game
Content You Distribute.
11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the
name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.
12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License
with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental
regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.
13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein
and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive
the termination of this License.
14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be
reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. System Reference Document
Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip
Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff,
Thomas Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Swords & Wizardry Core Rules, Copyright 2008, Matthew J. Finch
Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox Rules by Marv Breig, copyright 2008-2011 Matthew J. Finch.
Some rules text copyright 2015 Barrel Rider Games and James M Spahn
For Coin & Blood, Copyright 2018, Alan Bahr and Gallant Knight Games
36
STRESS &TRAUMA
TinyD6 normally only uses These rules are designed to
Hit Points to represent replace the standard TinyD6
health. This subsystem allows Hit Point rules. We recommend
you to expand those rules. only players use them (managing
Stress Capacity represents them for NPCs is certainly a lot
emotional, mental, or non- more work! However, be aware
physical fatigue, damage, they will increase the toughness
and harm. Trauma Capacity of your heroes.
represents the physical
damage one can take. To use these rules use the following steps:
Starting Trauma Capacity is equal to the Starting Hit Points
Stress and Trauma
for each Heritage. Any attack that deals

damage reduces Trauma. Treat Trauma
Capacity just like Hit Points.
Starting Stress Capacity is
different. Each player starts with
d3+4 stress (anywhere from 5
to 7 stress). Attacks that are not
directly intended to harm the target
(stun attacks, social insults, mental
onslaughts) reduces Stress Capacity.
When Stress Capacity reaches 0,
the character can still act but suffers
Disadvantage on all rolls.
Stress recovers at the rate of 1 per
hour or via Healing as normal. When
someone performs a Healing test (either
from the Healing Trait or other) they
may choose to restore Trauma or Stress
as they see fit.
37
Roll-and-Play:
Tiny Inns
Steffie de Vaan
Roll-and-Play is a monthly article by Steffie de Vaan which lets
GMs create easy, readymade locations, items, and characters for
their game. The concept is simple: grab a d6, and roll on the tables.
Whether your campaign starts with a fortuitous meeting in an
inn, or you need a place for characters to stay on their adventures,
a good inn provides both homebase for the players’ characters and
new adventure seeds. The tables below are written for our Tiny
Dungeons setting, but you can easily adapt them to any other: the
harbor becomes a spaceport, and a dwarf a stocky alien.
D6 Name & First Impression
1 The Cloud Bar once held a different name, but the
building’s pastel blue and white paint scheme quickly
Roll-And-Play
gave rise to its colloquial name.

2 The Keg hosts the city’s most renowned beer bar. The
owner, a self-named connoisseur, imports ales from both
established and promising up-and-coming breweries.
3 The Lantern is named for the ironcast lantern swinging from
a rod above the door. The lantern seemingly lights itself when
dark falls, and burns until morning come wind or rain.
4 The Laughing Mermaid is marked with a wooden sign
depicting the eponymous mermaid: a hellish hybrid
from the deep with a mouth full of needle teeth.
5 The Old Firehouse occupies an old firemen’s hall. The
building is vast, tables filling the entire space, and the
innkeep must shout to have servers hear them.
6 The Wagging Dog has no official name or sign. It’s named
for the friendly stray that sits just outside the door and
performs tricks for scraps.
38
D6 Location
1 Criminal part of town: The inn is wedged between a bar
serving as front for a thieves’ guild and an illicit opium den.
2 Destitute neighborhood: Nextdoor stands a house
with six families occupying too-small rooms, and an
abandoned run-down building on the other side.
3 Entertainment district: The inn sits between a large
revue theater and an opera house. Music comes in
through the windows.
4 Harbor: The inn sits between a sailors’ inn and casual
gambling den. The smell of sea and fish is all-pervasive.
5 Large plot of land near the city walls: The land is cheap
and the inn has no immediate neighbors, but it’s first to
burn if enemies ever breach the wall.
6 Rich neighborhood: A beautiful white building used for
parties, and a broad alley leading to horse stables round
the back sit on either side of the inn.
D6 Staff and Owner

Roll-And-Play
1 Adai, the Elven owner, keeps to themself - a beautiful

androgynous presence quietly working to support their staff.
2 Innkeep Kai is a cantankerous human of few words. He’s
honest though, and never over-charges - in fact he’s apt
to evict patrons who accuse him of it.
3 Gnomish waitress Lila barely reaches above the table as she
takes orders, but she’s quick and never gets an order wrong.
4 Mira, the Dwarven innkeep, is charming and jovial with
hearty laugh that shakes her large stomach as she flirts
with customers.
5 The servers put on a smile, but they’re more quiet than
usual. One of their own, Half-Orc Niagi just suffered a
personal loss (ie death in the family, eviction).
6 Halfling owner Tressa Darefoot purchased the inn after
retiring from a life of adventuring, and has a thousand
stories to tell.
39
D6 Services & Entertainment
1 The food at this inn is mouth-wateringly savory and
spicy. One character even recognizes a famous and hard
to get spice grown in their hometown.
2 The beds at this inn are the softest and cleanest in town,
and the characters never slept so well.
3 The room comes with a magical bath, which is self-
cleaning and remains at perfect temperature as long as the
characters want to soak.
4 This inn hires the best entertainers: renowned singers,
storytellers, and dancers. The common room quickly packs
with fans, and the characters can enjoy a great performance.
5 The inn hosts a city-sanctioned competition characters
can compete in, be it arm-wrestling, Poker, or singing.
6 The inn hired a singer and he’s awful. The patrons all
applaud though, and after asking around the characters
learn he’s the son of a someone dangerous and powerful
(ie a corrupt sheriff, master assassin).
Roll-And-Play
D6 Patrons
1 The inn’s patrons are hard-working and underpaid
people, such as farmers of miners, and harbor a grudge
towards any character flaunting their riches.
2 The patrons are not all criminals themselves, but they
are certainly criminal-adjacent: they all know a guy who
knows a guy, who can do you a favor.
3 Most patrons in this bar are drunk: either the servers
overpour, or the customers are belligerently pushy for
alcohol, but few of them could walk straight.
4 The inn’s patrons are predominantly non-human, and they
saunter over to check out any human characters.
5 The patrons are very friendly, inviting the characters to join
them in game and drink, and share tales of their adventures.
6 The inn is packed, yet eerily silent. All patrons keep to
themselves, eyes front, and no one makes conversation.
40
D6 Trouble
1 False accusations: A man stands up at the next table,
and loudly accuses the characters of stealing his purse or
another valuable.
2 False lead: A woman approaches the group with
information. She knows enough about their quest to appear
trustworthy, but most of what she tells them are lies.
3 Hidden assassin: An old enemy tracked the characters, and
a hired assassin waits in the crowded inn.
4 Legal problems: Just as the characters sit down for
a drink, the Sheriff ’s men arrive to harangue and
intimidate the innkeep and servers.
5 Pick pockets: When they pull out their purse to pay, one of
the characters finds theirs slit and missing coins.
6 Unscrupulous rival: A small group of very obnoxious
patrons harass the characters. Investigation reveals they’re
hired by a rival inn to drive off patrons.
Roll-And-Play
41
New
Berserker Traits
Rage: You may Rage twice per day. When you Rage, you gain
the Strong Trait and the Tough Trait. Entering a Rage takes an
action, and it lasts for the next six Actions you take (3 Turns.) You
may take this Trait multiple times. If you do, each time after the
first grants you +1 use of this Trait per day.
Mighty Thews: Your Melee attacks do +1 Damage. This Trait
counts as two Traits (for choosing Traits and for Experience
Mechanics).
Illiterate (DrawbackTrait): You
are Illiterate. You may never take
the Scroll-Reader or Educated
Traits, and automatically suffer
Disadvantage on any Tests
related to advanced knowledge,
New Berserker Trait
education, learning or reading

and writing. (The GM will define
these in play.) This Trait does not take
up a Trait choice, and grants you one
additional Trait of your choice.
42
The Green Hell
By Max Adolph
Inspirations:
Wild West, Indiana Jones, Fallout,
Monster Hunter
Introduction:
What are Delvers you ask? Well,
I think I got some explaining to do
there.
These lands used to be fertile ground.
We didn‘t always survive on
potatoes, beets and a little meat.
Long ago, there used to be trees so
high you couldn‘t even see the top of
them with fruits as big as my head
and sweet as beet juice. I can‘t tell you
what happened, but somehow, they just
disappeared. The Trees wilted. The green covering the
ground faded and all that was left was the dirt and the burning sun.
The Green Hell
I never saw these trees myself. I worked the potato field since i was a kid,
much like my father before me and his father before him.
All I know is that when the woods began to fade, they built monasteries. It is
said they were working on some kind of solution. On rejuvenating the land.
By then most of the people already got used to working the farms and we built
great roads to trade and make the most of what we could produce.
But then, the big fertilization happened.
I don’t know what these people in their secret monasteries did. They
had cut themselves off from the rest of the world for centuries by then. I
mean it’s not like folk really tried to keep contact either.
43
Someday it just happened.The ground began
to shake and ripped open like the baked
crust of a cake. The Quake lasted for
about a week and by the end, canyons
span all over the land, ripping trade
routes, villages and farms apart. That
in itself was bad enough, but when the
dust settled and people came to look at the
canyons, all they saw was green. Treetops
so dense that you couldn’t see the ground
they stood on. We thought the woods
from old had returned and people
celebrated and ventured down
into the canyons, but hardly any of
them came back and those who did
told tales of bears the size of houses
and snakes that could swallow a
man whole. These woods flourished,
but they were not meant for man.
So we stay away from them. We try to
get by on what we produce. Since our
cities where cut off from one another,
we can hardly keep contact, much less
trade with them. There is only one thing
The Green Hell
that can cross these canyons, a delver.

These are the people that wander off into the deeps. Some try to figure out what
happened, some try to find a new place to live down there, but most of them
just hunt for whatever they can sell. Fruits that can feed a family of four for a
week. Pelts so thick and large, you can coat a house with it to have it warm in
the winter.They might bring us these things, but don’t you get it wrong.They are
not our friends. They are dangerous people who know only the laws of nature.
You never know where they really come from or what they actually
want. If you want to trade with them, pay them well and keep your
distance. Their world is the green hell below and they are more closely
related to the snake that swallows you whole than to any of us.“
- James McGavvin, Farmer from Kirnwood in the great Massaro Plains
44
Themes and Adventure Hooks:
Walking the fences:
The land is divided, and few information ever crosses the dangerous
canyons, which is a blessing for everyone who likes to stay under the
radar. Few towns even have anything worth stealing, but those who
do definitely lack the
resources to protect these
goods. This is exactly the
climate someone with a
loose definition of morals
can thrive in. Or maybe
you actually help these
poor people to get rid of
cutthroats and muggers,
if they provide the right
amount of coin of course.
But no matter if down
in the green or up
here, there is always
someone above you in
the foodchain and sooner or later you will have to take the delve.
Hunter vs. Predator:
The Green Hell
The beasts down in the deeps are fierce and dangerous, but they
are also incredibly valuable. You can craft whole buildings from
the bones of a grown Daran-Mug or use the Shell of a Drabb
to craft yourself a weapon that will never get blunt. Preparation
and studying your prey is key, because you might see yourself as
a hunter, but these beasts see you as little more than a snack.
So advanced, it’s almost magic:
Back then, people built 11 monasteries: 10 for specific research and
an 11th one acting as a central link and database of the monasteries.
Site 11 was right where Grundaar now stands, the biggest portion
of land completely swallowed by the green hell. While the depths
45
mostly span across the continent via canyons, Grundaar is a big
crater several hunded miles in diameter. The other sites researched
fields such as fungi-communication, neuroscience of humanoids,
the magnetic field of the planet, interactions between dead organic
matter and anorganic substances, neurochemistry and interspecies
communication and interdimensional signal transfer.
People believed the monasteries were destroyed during the
fertilization. After all, the canyons formed right around them,
which was more than a mere coincidence. But delvers report to
have found strange buildings that withstood their descend into
the deeps. They seem to have been designed to withstand much
worse, which actually makes them all the more frightening.
Those lucky and brave enough to investigate these monasteries
can find strange artifacts that reach from teleportation devices
to portals into other worlds. Playing around with stuff you don’t
understand can be quite dangerous... and a lot of fun.
Raiders of the Lost... Towns and ruins and stuff:
Not every society survived being cut of from the rest of the world.
Some collapsed completely while others had to abandon their
cities to built villages out in the country more suited to surviving
on farming alone. These abandoned cities still have riches hidden
in them and are a lot less dangerous than the monasteries down
in the green hell. If you are the first one to reach them that is,
because raiding ruins seems to have become a fun activity for
The Green Hell
every lunatic and fortune seeker out there..
Hunting Beasts:
Hunting is more than just finding something and sticking
your knife into it. Research is key and if the player wants to
kill something, he should research his prey on his own. That
means that only the Gamemaster should know the specifics of
the monster and it is up to the player to squeeze information out
of the environment. To give you an idea of how the outline of a
monster can look, here is an example for the Daran-Mug.
46
Daran-Mug:
A big bear-like beast, that is
covered in thick fur. Its belly
it furless, but covered with
thick, callused skin. The
weakest spots are the hollows
of the knees and once you
bring him down, the best
option is to cut open
his throat, because he
will bleed out in a few
minutes.
Doing so is no
easy feat, because
his claws are covered in
the spores of the poisonous
mushrooms he eats. An antidote to the
poison must be prepared, but since the
specific poison depends on the local mushrooms, research needs
to be done.
The Daran-Mug has difficulties seeing things straight in front
of him, because excess skin under his eyes protects his eyes from
the spores of its food. He will know you are in front of him if
The Green Hell
you run at him, but if you can get beneath him unnoticed, you
have a massive advantage. The Daran-Mug is also heavy and if you
manage to topple him over, he will need a minute to get back up.
In a straight up fight without any preparation, you simply have no
chance. His claws rip through armor and poison you on contact. The
callused skin on his belly will make any weapon lose its edge within
two strikes and once a claw actually grabs you, you are done for.
Once a Daran-Mug is wounded, he will flee towards his cave,
where his mating partner might be waiting. If fought too close to his
cave, this mating partner might also be alarmed by the roars of the
Daran-Mug and come to his aid, so make sure you know its territory.
47
Steps:
• find antidote
• locate his cave and find out if he has a partner
• prepare an ambush to get beneath him unnoticed
• attack the hollow of his knees
• beware his claws, especially when he tries to grab you
• do not attack the belly
• topple him (easier when knees are wounded)
• kill him (by cutting his throat for example)
• Bounty: sturdy and valuable bones, a lot of meat, poison
coated and razor sharp claws
If a player finds other solutions, go for it and reward clever thinking,
as long as he actually works with the environment.
“If you want to understand a land, you should listen to the stories of
its people.”
- Galathia Sternenschimmer
“I am looking for a man”
“What’s your type?”
“Delver. Have you seen any lately”
“ Yeah, a lizard fellow. Artesian I think.”
The Green Hell
“No such thing as Artesia anymore. The north of it is called Marshak now.”
“There was a rip in Artesia?”
“More than one actually, but yeah, it has been divided.”
“So how did the rich folk of south Artesia like their new existence as
farmers. I take it trade has become difficult down there.”
“It has... and I guess they didn’t enjoy it. Not that one could ask them
since they all died in the great famine.”
“Man, you really don’t get any news up here.”
“Trust me, the rest of the world has it the same way. So this lizard,
you know where he went.”
48
“Somewhere warmer I’d guess. I mean you probably lose track of
seasons down there, but winter is coming up and all you furless people
don’t wanna know what that means up here.”
“ Yeah, that pretty white fur can be quite handy.”
“The fella you looking for, why are you even interested. I don’t get a lot
of people looking for a delver. At least not anyone specific.”
“Let’s just say he broke the laws in one too many cities.”
“So you people have your own justice system now, too.”
“I do whatever I get paid for. Someone pays me to track down some
son of a bitch, I oblige.”
“Real noble of you… The one you’re looking for, he had a pretty flashy
crossbow. Was mighty good with it too.”
“He killed someone?”
“No, he wounded Ordin, but he’ll get over it. Folk didn’t want
anything to do with the guy after that.”
“So he probably took the delve. Know here he could be heading?”
“I take it you come from the south. The nearest save delve would be
west of here. Two days travel if you hurry.”
“What if he went up to Tarbak?”
“There is no Tarbak anymore. We can hardly supply our villages down
here. Nobody cares about expeditions to the north anymore.”
“So you’re telling me nobody has been to the northpole for about 50
The Green Hell
years?”
“There’s nothing up there except ice and water. I don’t know why
anyone would bother.”
“50 years ago the earth suddenly ripped open and revealed a forest
beneath our feet. I think you might wanna double check if there’s not
more than ice up there.”
“If you wanna take a look, suit yourself. I am looking to survive this
winter.”
- John “The Footprint” Lindel, famous delver
- Fenir Heygal, Barkeeper in the “Savory Bucket” in the city of Old
Norrenval
49
“To understand why the deeps are the way they are, we need
to understand why the trees disappeared all these centuries ago.
I think the reason was us. This world once had an intact eco-
system much like the one in the canyons. A system we are not
a part of. But we somehow bested these dangerous animals and
thereby doomed the forests.
The Green Hell
“The scientists found a way to restore the fertility of the earth,

but they thought they would turn back the clock by a thousand
years. Instead, they restored it to the way it was maybe millions of
years ago. The ground from that age was activated and rejuvenated
and forcefully made its way to the surface. I can’t even imagine
what kind of forces were at work during that process.
“You ask me how one could fix this. I say we better learn to
accept the way it is now, because I don’t think this planet will
recover from another attempt at fixing it.”
- Travis Richards, historian and scientist
50
“There has been an attack in Trell. They say a huge spider took three
of their men.”
“Trell is about half a mile from the edge of the deeps. You just
shouldn’t build a village that close to it.”
“ Yeah, but I’ve been thinking. What if whatever lives down there
is making its way up?”
“Why would it? For the dried out farmlands in the Massaro Plains?
For the infertile cliffs and mountains of Marshak? Or do you think
they’d like to move to the icy tundra of however they call the northern
shores these days? They have a forest with all they’d ever need down
there. You can’t even grow a tree higher than seven foot from the earth
up here, because it will die if you don’t trim it.”
“ You’re talking like the wilds down there would be paradise.”
“They are, just not for us.”
“But you still keep on going down there...”
“Last year, when I took the delve west of Norrenval to cross to
the mountains of Hyall, I found a tunnel made of carved stone. The
walls where covered in glowing mushrooms that were arranged in
paintings and writings of a language I couldn’t read. I found a sword
out of a metal I had never seen, that cut through wood like it was
water and supplies of cured meat and dried fruits that kept me fed for
two month and I still sold the leftovers for a small fortune. Whoever
managed to build and live down there was miles ahead from what
The Green Hell
we call civilization right now. That’s why I go down there. Because I

want to feel the spirit of something greater than… this.”
“That’s a nice story. I pretty much had to become a delver, when I killed
that rich guy in Allo-Hou. Still don’t like it down there, but once you cross
the deeps to a new land, you might as well be born a new man.”
“From what I hear you are running out of places you can be reborn from.”
“I think I am going back to Massaro. Some place west of the canyon.
They should have forgotten about me by now.”
- Amy Lahir, alias “The Scholar”
- Oprin Jay-Lauwns, one month before his execution in Ripetown,
west-Massaro
51
Literal Tiny Dungeon
A Tiny Dungeon 2e Adventure for 3-5 players
by Robert Denton III
Introduction
The Adventurer’s Guild hands out some odd assignments to up-and-
coming adventurers, but this one might be among the oddest. A local
magician is seeking an adventuring party to help her find a missing
item, one so important that “her entire future depends on it.” When
pressed for details, she only told the recruiter that she needs adaptable,
spry, and determined warriors, and that finding his lost item might
be “a short order.” You’re not exactly sure what that means, but the pay
is supposed to be good, and it’s been weeks without an assignment. So
with only that to go on, you and your party arrive at the front step
of the magician’s abode, a small cottage near a small pond set in the
outskirts of the nearby city…
Hello, Tiny Game Master! This is a whimsical fantasy adventure
for your Tiny Dungeon 2e campaign! It is designed to be dropped
into any high fantasy campaign with minimal changes, or as the
establishing session of your new fantasy game.
Tiny Dungeon Players, read no further! If you do, you might

spoil some of the surprises and take some of the fun out of this
adventure. Instead, give this to your playgroup’s Game Master
and ask them to run it for you! That way, you can experience it
firsthand for yourself, and wouldn’t that be better?
In this adventure, the heroes will seek a lost treasure in a mysterious
new world filled with strange and dangerous creatures. Sounds like
a typical fantasy game, right? Well, there is one little twist. And by
“little,” we really mean “tiny…”
52
The Tiny Hook
Are the players gone? Is it just you and me now, Game Master?
Good. You’ll want to read this entire adventure before running it
for your adventuring party. That way, you’ll know what’s coming
up and you can be ready for the inevitable curveballs the players
will throw at you. Feel free to adapt this adventure for your
existing campaign or expand upon the premise however you
wish! This document is here just to get you started.
The magician Fritzi has recently completed the graduate
program from the magic academy, and she’s proven herself to
be a talented spellweaver, if a bit absent-minded. For the past
several years, she’s been dating a forest witch (the elf of her
affections might not have considered them “dates,” but she is
fond of Fritzi), and now that she’s completed her training, she’s
ready to pop the question. She’s got the whole moment planned
out: a quiet dinner in the mangrove, the night air lit by swamp
gas and will-o-wisps, serenaded by croaks of the pond frogs…
with such a romantic setting, Fritzi just knows she’ll say yes!
The trouble is, Fritzi has lost the most important thing: the
engagement ring! She’s looked everywhere, but she’s certain that
she dropped it in the backyard, probably in the herb garden.
Such tiny things are impossible to find because they are so
small. But if they were massive, they’d be easy to find, right? The
solution, therefore, is for everyone to shrink down to teeny tiny
size, making the ring massive by comparison! Luckily, Fritzi has
developed a spell to do just that!

Welcome to literal tiny dungeon!
53
The Magician’s Cottage
Our adventure begins with our heroes arriving at Fritzi’s cottage
at the outskirts of the city. She opens the door just as they arrive
and, glancing at their official Adventurer’s Guild pendants,
beckons them inside!
Laying it Out
The cottage is a clean, cozy, yet cluttered space, with books stacked up to the
ceiling and all manner of trinkets and gadgets lining the living space. Fritzi
guides you through a thin pathway she’s cleared through her things and sits
everyone down at a table she’s swept of research papers. Once everyone has
a nice steamy mug of tea (only a few of which are cracked or chipped), she
explains why she reached out to the Adventuring Guild for aid.
For maximum effect, the Game Master should play this scene out
with the players. Fritzi is a scatterbrained but friendly magician
with big dreams and aspirations. She
wants to create magical solutions
for mundane problems, improving
the quality of life of everyone, no
matter their station in life. She’s
enthusiastic, idealistic, creative,
and outgoing, but she lacks self-
discipline and has a tendency
toward spontaneity. Adopt her
persona and, improvising with
player reactions and questions,

relate the following information:
• Fritzi’s been seeing the elf
Dínlothe (she calls her “Deen”)
for a few years now, and they’ve
grown very close. They’ve been
on several dates (“Well I mean… I
think they were dates… Hunting
basilisk tail for stonecure potion
54
counts right? Cuz she was totally into how I stunned it with a
Glimmershower!”), and now that Deen is almost done with
the witches’ apprenticeship, and since Fritzi’s finished her
Magician’s Master’s (“With a B.S. in Thaumatergical Studies”),
she thinks it’s time to pop the question. If pressed, Fritzi goes
on about how awesome Deen is, mostly focusing on how
Deen makes her feel, and that she wants to spend her life with
her. She’s nervous about it, but is sure Deen feels the same way.
• As part of her marriage proposal, Fritzi bought a very expensive
gold ring, which is adorned with “the crystalized tear of a kirin.”
It cost a fortune. She had to sell half her personal library and risk
her own life in a dungeon crawl to afford it. But it’s worth every
penny… as she says, “Once Deen sees a glimpse of our happy future
together in the enchanted facets of the ring, I just know she’ll say yes!”
• Fritzi lost the ring. She’s turned her entire house inside out
looking for it (maybe even literally… she seems like that kind
of magician), but to no avail. After thinking it over, and after
summoning an ether demon and trading a pint of her own
blood for a demonic answer, she is certain she accidentally
dropped it while she was tending her herb garden out back.
But even after looking, she couldn’t find it. It’s just too small!
That’s why she invoked the Adventurer’s Guild. She needs
the heroes to find the lost engagement ring. There isn’t a
moment to lose… she wants to propose tonight!
After this, Fritzi leans in.
“You see, the thing about losing small objects is that they’re impossible to
find. Because of their size, you see? We’re always overlooking what’s small.
But the counter to that is that we can’t help but notice what’s big. If only
the ring was massive, then it would be easy to find!” Fritzi leans forward,
a peculiar glimmer in her eye. “I’m afraid it’s beyond my abilities to make
the ring bigger, especially if I cannot find it. And besides, the kirin’s tear
would reject any enchantment cast on it. But, what I can do is make you
smaller!” With that, she produces a scroll and pops it from its case. “I have
the spell right here! It’ll make you micro-sized for about a few hours! Well,
let’s go outside and get this show on the road…”
55
If players are reluctant to Aren’t You Coming Too?
be shrunk down to tiny size If players ask if Fritzi is coming,
and go on a scavenger hunt she bursts out laughing. “Yeah
through Fritzi’s garden, then right, like I’m gonna shrink
congratulations: you have myself dow-I mean, it’s better
sane players. However, we that someone stays behind
need them to go along with and keeps an eye on things.
this. So offer the heroes You know. Just in case.” Then,
the following spoils and “Look, I’m paying you guys to
reassurances: go. Okay? You want the money
• In addition to payment or not?
from the Guild (it
should be a decent sum for each), Fritzi will allow characters to
keep any other items they should find in her garden. She just
wants the engagement ring. Anything else is theirs.
• The shrink spell will only last for a few hours. It wears off
naturally. Even so, since it is woven from her own mana,
Fritzi can dispel the enchantment at will. She will do so if
things get too rough; she gives one hero a little rocket that
will signal her if the party needs to “grow up.”
• If the heroes need more, offer them each a special item in
addition to the regular payment.
Honey, I Shrunk The Heroes

Once they are ready, Fritzi leads the party
into the garden to work the spell.

Perceptive heroes may take note
of the surroundings: the herb
garden is about twelve paces
from the back stoop, and is only
about seven feet by seven feet.
The rest of the yard is a grassy
meadow, unkempt and littered
with dandelions. At the far
side of the property is a small
56
pond. Beyond the fence bisecting the pond, the meadow rolls
over short hills and grows wild.
With everyone ready to go, Fritzi casts her patented shrinking spell.
Fritzi begins her enchantment several times, stopping now and
again to squint at the scroll, furrow her brow, and re-pronounce a
difficult incantation. You can tell she finally cast it correctly when her
words echo with a force that shakes your teeth, and the lines she traces
in the air glow like falling embers.
The stalks of grass grow thicker. The air grows denser. It is as if the
world is inflating around you. Fritzi rises slowly, growing taller and
taller. From her rapidly deepening voice come quick words:
“Okay, that should do it! Be careful! Watch out for bugs and things,
they might think you’re a predator or something. Once you find the
ring, set off that rocket I gave you, and I’ll bring you back to normal
size. And if you find anything else I’ve dropped, keep it. Just get me
the ring! That’s all I care about!
“Oh, and before I forget, don’t go splitting any atoms! You’ll know one
when you see it! I think. And even more important, and I can’t stress
this enough, whatever you do, absolutely do not…”
Her voice is too deep to understand. It only registers as thunder.
The heroes now average about two inches tall.
What was once a quiet if overgrown yard now
teems with sound and movement. The grass
has become a jungle of thick stalks, their
grassy fragrance overwhelming. The
herb garden is like a redwood forest, the

rosemary like massive pine evergreens,
the basil casting a sprawling
shadow, and all the other
medicinal and magical herbs
stretching beyond the horizon.
Nowhere to go but forward!
57
The Herb Garden
The Herb Garden is now like a sparse forest, but it’s not as thick or
foreboding as the grassy jungle. It smells better, too. Heroes should
begin searching for the lost engagement ring, but they should also
be careful, since they could become lost in the vegetation.
If the Heroes split up, have them each roll a Test to determine
if they find anything among the massive herbs. Heroes that are
successful search the entire garden without incident. Heroes that
fail are each attacked by 1d3 Garden Ants! Oh no! Heroes that
were successful may assist those who weren’t, joining the fight to
fend off the colonial invaders!
If they stay together, let one of them roll the same Test. If successful,
the group searches the entire garden as one without incident. If the
test fails, they are attacked by 1d6 Garden Ants! Yikes!
Garden Ant
HP: 1 (Fodder)
Description: Raising its elbowed antennae and staring with
textured orb-like eyes, the massive ant charges forward on six legs,
threatening to trample and gore you on its razor-sharp mandibles!
Smile And Tell The Players: “This creature is Level One.”
Traits:
• Strong
• Teamwork: When a melee attack against a Garden Ant
fails, an adjacent (different) Garden Ant may immediately
make an attack with Disadvantage against the target that
missed. Each Garden Ant may only do this once per Round.
Notes:
• The ants each leave a trail of stinky pheromones behind them
as they skuttle along. These musky pathways seem to influence
how the ants cooperate. As an Action, a Hero may attempt to
disrupt the pheromone trails via any valid method they invent.
If they do, it takes up their entire turn, but the ants become
confused, unable to use their Teamwork Trait, and attacks
against them are made with Advantage.
• The ants will flee when they are outnumbered two to one.
58
Grassblades
When the Ants are
defeated, or if the The fibrous grass has a cutting edge,
Heroes searched the which may be of use to our Heroes.
garden without incident, At any time, a Hero may pull a
they come upon a large “grassblade” from the ground, wielding
ring-shaped depression the grassy shoot as one would wield a
in the ground. It seems sword. Such improvised weapons are
the ring fell here! But considered Light Melee Weapons.
the ring isn’t here Heroes can use the giant fibrous grass
anymore. The most to make other useful things too, like
observant heroes spot backpacks, pouches, nets, and other
tiny pawprints in such things. Let players invent and
the dirt. Some small create whatever they wish out of the
creatures must have grass, but remind them that they only
taken it! Heroes with have so much inventory space.
relevant Traits, Family
Trades, or backgrounds may Test to identify them; they are mouse
tracks, and judging from their number, there were several of them.
Following the tracks reveals several places where the ring was
dropped and then picked up again, winding this way and that,
around the basil and through the vervain, until at least the trail
leads to the edge of the garden and into the grassy jungle beyond.
If the ring is to be recovered, players will have to continue
following the trail into the untamed wild grasses.
The Winding Path Through The Meadow

At this size, the grassy yard is virtually indistinguishable from a

verdant forest. The sun peeks in only through tiny cracks in the
canopy of grass blades and clover, making the path seem dark and
foreboding. Heroes must literally press through the thick grasses;
a character with a bladed weapon may take the lead, hacking a
trail as if wielding a machete. Beyond, heroes hear all manner of
strange noises, buzzes and chirps, low growls and echoing keens.
Following the trail of pawprints is easier said than done! Choose
one Hero to be the “Pathfinder.” Ask for volunteers. That Hero
must roll three Tests to determine if the party becomes lost. Each
59
Test is made with Advantage if that Hero possesses a Trait that
would be helpful in finding one’s way in the wilds.
For each failure, the party has an encounter. The Game Master
chooses one of the Encounters below, or rolls one randomly. If the
same result shows up, roll again or pick another.
• Encounter 1: 1d6 Garden Ants. Oh no! (Refer to the above profile.)
• Encounter 2: A Garden Snail, apparently one of the few
carnivorous species.
• Encounter 3: A Garden Snake, apparently also hunting mice
but happy to settle for adventurers...
• Encounter 4: A freak thunderstorm, complete with massive
drops of rain! Run for cover!
• Encounter 5: A Spider. Eek! Horrible!
In addition, Heroes will have one more Encounter from the
above list as they forge their path, even if they suffer no failures.
Garden Snail
HP: 3 (Medium)
Description: A gigantic snail rears its slime-coated head, extending
two tentacles capped with bulbous eyes. Its featureless face splits,
and it extends a gaping maw on a dripping stalk!
Traits:
• Reach: The snail may make Melee attacks to any targets
within 10 (relative) feet.

• Shell: Attacks against the Garden Snail are only successful
on a 6, or if the enemy Focuses, a 5 or a 6.
Notes:
• If a Hero happens to have some table salt, applying it to the
snail immediately inflicts 2 damage to it. Players may attempt
to outrun the snail by making a Test with Advantage. If they
do, they leave the snail behind.
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Garden Snake
HP: 5 (Medium)
Description: A massive ribbon snake
darts from the underbrush, moving so fast
you can barely react! It unhinges its gaping
jaw and unfurls two dripping fangs of death!
Smile And Tell The Players: “This
creature is Level One.”
Traits:
• Snek Constrict (Melee Attack): “i am darkness.” Test against
an enemy within 10 (relative) feet. If successful, the enemy
must roll a Save Test to avoid being grappled. Each round
an enemy is grappled, it suffers two damage. On its turn, a
grappled foe can attempt a Save or Evade Test to escape. If
this snake is successfully attacked while it grapples a foe, it
releases that foe from the grapple.
Notes:
• He sneec. He attac. But if reduced to 2 HPs or less, he pull bac.
Freak Thunderstorm
A thunderous boom resounds, followed by the unmistakable sound
of falling rain. A giant orb of water breaks through the grass and
explodes on the ground, showering the area. These droplets are so
big, they might cause a concussion! The Heroes run for cover!
Each Hero must make an Evade Test to find cover and avoid the
falling rain. Those who fail are struck by a water orb, which knocks
them over and inflicts 1 point of damage. Allow players to invent
feats that might grant Advantage for the test.
After everyone has tested, they must wait out the storm. It only
lasts a few minutes, but during this time, let each player tell the
group what they are doing to pass the time. Are they exploring
their hiding place? Weaving something out of the nearby grasses?
Wondering how they got themselves into this mess? This is our
chance to find out a bit more about them.
When the storm finally passes, our heroes can move on.
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Cucumber Green Spider
Without saying what just happened, have our Heroes each make
a Save Test; Traits that represent the ability to pay attention to
surroundings grant Advantage for this Test. Each Hero that fails
becomes trapped in a sticky web; they literally just walked into it.
Within moments, a giant green spider crawls down from a nearby
grassblade, but it doesn’t attack. Instead, it hovers just out of reach.
Then, comes a surprisingly deep voice: “Hey! What are you squishies
doin’ in me web?!”
This garden spider is known as Spindle-
Legs. He’s been in the
garden for a long time,
nearly two years! He prefers prey that
won’t fight back, and that doesn’t include
the adventurers. But neither will he
release them. You’ve got weapons, hack
yourself free!
If asked, he’s seen a ring matching
the one the heroes are searching
for. But he won’t just tell them;
what’s in it for ol’ Spindle-
Legs, eh? If coaxed, either with
something he’d like or with the threat of violence,
he’ll tell the party that a group of field mice went past carrying it
(with some trouble). “Probably an offerin’ to the Lilly Pad King, I’d
venture! That bloke’s obsessed with anything shiny!”

Heroes may attack Spindle-Legs if they wish. He doesn’t want to
fight, but will if he must. Use the Giant Spider profile on page 51 of
Tiny Dungeon 2e, but only give him eight Hps.
After the party has stumbled their way through the grasses, they
come to a clearing, where the grass is shorter. The trail continues
onward, but after their ordeal, they are exhausted, and they sit down
to rest for a moment by a large dandelion stalk.
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The Dandelion Dryad
Resting beneath a massive dandelion stalk as the cool air relaxes your
sore bones, a small timid voice reaches your ears. “Who’s there? Hey!
Are you guys mortals?”
It came from above! There, perched on the fluffy dandelion flower, is
a lithe humanoid girl! She is pale green, wearing a tunic of leaves,
and with a thick messy puff of golden hair. Her eyes shimmer as she
looks from one of you to the next. “ You guys can see me, right?” Her
grin widens. “Wow! I didn’t think any of the giants could see me!
Then again, I guess you’re not very ‘giant’ anymore, are you?”
The girl is Blowball, the dryad of this dandelion. Like most
dryads, she is a nymph, a nature spirit inhabiting and bound to
a living plant. In this case, the plant is a dandelion. Heroes with
appropriate backgrounds will know that dryads share the fate of
their plant and are generally shy and harmless magical creatures.
Blowball is extremely curious about the heroes. She’s never spoken
with a giant before, and when she sees the heroes are friendly,
immediately leaps down from her perch to interact with them. She
wants to know everything about the giant world. How
do people live there? What do they do? Are there plants
there too? The questions are endless, but if heroes
are patient and explain that they are on a mission,
she will reluctantly relent.
If the heroes are injured,
Blowball with tend to their wounds,
healing them completely. If asked about

the ring, Blowball’s eyes light up. “Why, I’ve
seen the ring you’re talking about! The field mice took
it! I watched them drag it for about five minutes
before they finally figured out they could roll it
if they put it on its side. They’re taking it to
their fortress at the pond, probably to throw
into their big stack of treasure there.”
Blowball sighs. “Oh, I wish I could go
with you. It’s so dull here.”
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If they entertain at least some of her questions, or they
otherwise charm her, Blowball will pluck three seeds from her
dandelion. These are special seeds imbued with her power, she
says. Throwing them will cause dandelion stalks to grow from
the ground, providing cover, platforms, or other such useful things.
She gives them to the heroes and asks that they be careful.
If for some reason the heroes are not friendly, she dives into
the puff of the dandelion and does not reappear.
The Fortress By The Pond

As heroes approach the pond, they spot the so-called “fortress” of
the field mice. At a glance, especially if one were of “normal size,”
this fortress would merely be an unusually large mouse nest. But
from this vantage, our heroes can clearly see this structure was
skillfully woven from hundreds of grass blades by tiny hands. At
its base is a round door set into the earth, like a trap door. The
true warren will be underground!
If heroes approach, they are immediately attacked by a group of
1d3+1 mouse warriors, and as the fight begins, three other mice
leap down into the hole. The entire fortress is now warned!
Cautious heroes might foresee this and try to sneak into the
fortress. If so, let them Test to do so, and remember they Test with
Advantage if they are Sneaky! Successful heroes can infiltrate the
fortress without being noticed by the hidden mouse guards. Those
who fail trigger the above encounter. If a hero infiltrates alone,
they can quietly “knock out” the guards and let the other heroes in.
Heroes might also try something more drastic. If they are able
to light the dry, grassy fortress on fire, 1d3+1 mouse warriors
attempt to put out the flames, flinging little water droplets from
grass slings! This allows the heroes to get the jump on them, or
rush past and into the warren.
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Warrior Mouse
HP: 3 (Medium)
Description: Technically, this would be a “Wood Mouse,” as
identified by the round ears, fluffy brown fur, and-holy jingles it
has a sword!!
Traits:
• Weapons: The mouse either has a toothpick that it wields as a
sword (melee), or a grass sling that hurls cherry pits (ranged).
• Defender or Fleet of Foot (Choose one).
Notes:
• When reduced to 1 HP, a Warrior Mouse cries out and falls
over, lying still. It might take a while for the mouse to realize
it’s not dead. In any case, the mouse is defeated at 1 HP.
The Chase Through The Warren

The warren is a series of tunnels and rooms dug out of the earth,
padded underfoot with dry grasses, straw, and cloth fibers. There
are all manner of things scavenged from Fritzi’s home: lint,
buttons, little coins, toothpicks, sewing needles, broken glass, ink
vials, seeds, dried fruits, bits of paper, a reconstructed skeleton of a
fruit bat, and even a love poem (written in Fritzi’s handwriting…
it’s not very good). Much of the bedding seems to be sheets torn
from knightly adventure epics. The rooms are dark, but shafts
of light peek in through the cracks of the grass-woven vaulted

ceiling. Three hallways extend from the massive entrance room.
Upon entering, the heroes are attacked by three Mouse
Warriors (use the profile above). If the Warren was alerted, they
are instead attacked by eight! Yikes!
Heroes can try to run from mouse warrior encounters, but
they are chased throughout the warrens if they do. By ducking
into different rooms and hiding, sneaking around, or inventing
swashbuckling-style feats with the surrounding junk, they can
try to evade capture as they seek the treasure room. Or they can
65
just fight the mice directly, although this will likely just wear
them down (and there’s no harm in saying so). Even if they are
running, they will have to cross swords (or toothpicks, or grass
blades, or whatever) with a Mouse Warrior now and again.
Whenever heroes move from one room to the next, roll a Test
to see how far they get. On each success, they found another large
room with more junk, which gets progressively more “grand” as
they proceed, with things like little mouse tapestries, little mouse
paintings, furniture, chandeliers with tiny candles, little bottles
made into manually-worked elevators… oh how cute, it’s like a little
castle! Ahem. On each failure, they find a hall with several exits, and
you get to add another d3+1 mouse warriors to the chase! Yay!
When the heroes have succeeded three times, they find
themselves in a “grand hall.” It is a long and narrow room with
a huge banquet table at the center. On this table is a feast of
cooked insects. It reeks. Within moments, every mouse warrior
that has been chasing them pours into the room. And you know
what? Throw in ten more for good measure. Why not?
Against such impressive numbers, there’s no way to win. Urge
your heroes to “strategically withdraw” through the unguarded
door at the back of the room…
The Pond and the King

The door opens to the outside! The heroes are standing before the
small pond in Fritzi’s back yard. Sunlight glints off the still waters,
upon which float massive lilly pads. Thick grass stalks protrude
from the waters, and above dragonflies rest dangerously on their
perches. The mouse warriors freeze in the doorway. Their little
bulging eyes are fearful, and none dare move beyond the threshold.
The waters suddenly break, and with a triumphant croak,
a gigantic frog lands on the ground with a wet slap. This frog
towers over the heroes. Gold bands encircle the frog’s limbs, and
a tattered cloak of stained silk is draped around its shoulders.
Perched around one of its massive bulbous eyes, glinting in the
sun, is the engagement ring.
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As soon as it appears, the Frog attacks!
Pond Frog / The Lillypad King!
HP: 12 (Heroic)
Description: This horrific frog rises at several times your height,
towering above you with merciless bulbous eyes. Its slick, glistening
skin is thick and hardy, seeded with bony plates. Within its abyssal
maw rest two sets of jaws and a coiled tongue! This is the dragon
of the gardens! Without warning, it is upon you!
Traits:
• Strong
• Stomp: Test 2d6. On a success, all enemies within 5 feet are
knocked prone. Oh no!
• Tongue-Lashing (Melee Attack): The frog can unleash its
sticky tongue at a target up to 15 (relative) feet away. That
target must immediately Save Test; failure means they are
caught and whipped into the frog’s maw, where they are
grappled. Each round the enemy is grappled, they suffer
two damage. On its turn, a grappled enemy can make a
Save or Evade test to escape. If the Frog suffers three or
more damage in a round, it releases its grappled foe.
• The Ring!: Thanks to the ring around its eyeball (ew!), spells
flung forward this feisty frog fizzle! By which I mean, spells
cast on the frog automatically fail. Better just buff your allies…
Notes:
• When the Pond Frog’s HPs are reduced to 6 or less, the
engagement ring becomes visibly looser. Heroes may Test
to remove the ring, although they cannot do this and
also Attack or Evade. Success means the ring falls off.
Alternatively, they can attack the ring directly; if the ring
is successfully struck three times, it falls off. If the ring is
separated from the frog, it immediately suffers 3 HPs of
damage and loses its “The Ring” Trait.
• The Frog attempts to retreat when it is reduced to 2 HPs or less.
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When the Pond Frog is slain, it lets out one final croak and
then collapses into the waters with a massive splash. The ring falls
from around its eye and lands with a thud, just barely missing
one of our heroes (who stands, unharmed, in the ring’s center).
Congratulate our heroes, for they have found the engagement
ring and saved Fritzi’s proposal! Just then, the mice rush from
their fortress and surround the heroes…
...and as one, they bow.
Encircled by dozens of humbly bowing mice, you watch dumbfounded
as the tallest among them approaches, head lowered, offering you all
a slender sword. It is a blade crafted from a sewing needle, the guard
made from a piece of cork, a tiny glass bead adorning the handle. The
mouse extends this with both hands and kneels before you. Suddenly
he speaks, his voice rich and noble!
“The Kingdom of Thistle-Hollow thanks you, noble heroes! Long
have we suffered beneath the yoke of the cruel Lillypad King, for he
forced us to do his bidding and rendered us powerless beneath his
slimy, unblinking gaze! Were it not for you, we would have toiled
beneath him for several more generations, surrendering unto him our
precious treasures and appeasing him with trinkets dropped by the
giants of the Larger-World. The word of our sacred law is clear: you
are now our rulers! We bow to you! Hail, saviors of Thistle-Hollow!
Long live the vanquishers!”
Three mighty cheers rise from the pond!
After the sword is accepted, the tall mouse rises, a fire in his eyes.
“But our woes are not over, gentle lords! We beseech thee aid us again,
and if you do, we will shower you with our most precious treasures
and our bards will sing your names in song! For now, our kingdom
is assailed by our ancient enemy: the evil bunny Fu-Fu, who has long
been scooping us up and bopping us on the head-”
There is a loud pop. In the span of three seconds, you grow to normal
size. The horrified screams of the mice rapidly fade. The last you see of
them is their tails as they scatter away.
Fritzi chuckles nervously as she wraps up the magic scroll. “Oops! Didn’t
mean to do that! Oh well. Find my ring?”
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Epilogue
If the heroes manage to retrieve the ring, Fritzi is
overjoyed. But she’s also in a hurry; she’s supposed
to meet Dínlothe at the mangrove dock within the
hour. She thanks the heroes and pays them their gold,
along with anything else she promised to give them.
Furthermore, she also gives them a number of potions
and a bottle of dandelion wine, which she says was
made from dandelions picked right from her
own backyard! Yummy!
If a character managed to hold on to that
mouse sword at the moment the shrinking spell broke, then it
grew to large size with them. They now have a rather peculiar
sword… one might even call it “homemade.” It counts as a Light
Melee Weapon. Not a bad take home!
Heroes who remember and wish to find Blowball will find that hard
to do as normal-sized individuals. At the GM’s discretion, a hero
seeking her may Test with Disadvantage to check the dandelions in
the yard. If successful, she appears on the top of her flower-stalk. If
characters transplant her flower, maybe they can take her with them.
She’s always wanted to see the world of the giants, after all!
Heroes may want to tag along for the proposal. Fritzi will allow that,
so long as they stay out of sight. Dínlothe is a lot different from Fritzi,
a very calm, almost icey personality, far more reserved and practical-
minded. The forest witch seems rather amused by Fritzi’s bumbling
manner and rambling, nervous speech. When Fritzi shows her the
ring, her eyes widen, and for a long moment, perhaps too long, she
says nothing. Just as it grows awkward, Fritzi begins to say, “Ah,
nevermind,” as if to save face.
But she is interrupted by Dínlothe’s quiet reply: “Yes. I will.”
Heroes should expect “save the date” letters within a few months.
69
Roll-and-Play:
Tiny Magic Items
Steffie de Vaan
Every warrior needs a good weapon, every wizard a book filled
with spells. The tables below provide handy roll-and-play items
for our Tiny Dungeons setting, but you can easily adapt them to
any other: the sword becomes a phase rifle, and the spellbook a
piece of tech achieving Clarke’s Third Law.
D6 Item
1 A blade of folded metal. It shines with a dark radiance,
and is both unbreakable and sharp beyond ken.
2 A blunt weapon of wood and iron, equally suited to
Roll-And-Play
breaking skulls or knocking opponents unconscious.

3 A suit of beautifully wrought armor which changes its
facade to show the greatest triumphs of the hero’s life.
4 A bow crafted of bleached wood, and strung with the sinew
of a long extinct species. It arrows fly absolutely silently, or
emit a terrifying shriek, at the archer’s command.
5 A ring or amulet which changes to match its wearer’s
personality, from a stout metal band to delicate filigrain.
6 A tome which holds secret knowledge of eternal darkness
and light. It holds 4 spells of the GM’s choosing to be
cast as if from a scroll, and 1 permanent spell.
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D6 Legend
1 This item was crafted by angelic beings, its design imparted
by gods of goodness and light. The wearer is destined to
play a role in the upcoming battle against darkness.
2 The Lord of Nine Hells pulled this item from his own body,
and on moonless nights it shines red with ichor and blood.
It was never intended for mortal hands, but here we are.
3 A great dwarven hero willingly poured his soul into
this item. You see, the dwarven hero was dying and he
sought to leave a legacy for future heroes to take up.
4 A humble elven boy crafted this item for his lover. It was lost
on the field of an ancient battle, along with the lover’s life.
Does this portend a bad omen for any lovers the wearer takes?
5 This item fell from the sky in a meteor shower: A gift
from whatever entities dwell beyond the stars. It vibrates
whenever new meteors fall from the sky.
6 This item has not yet been made. Instead it will be made,
sometime in the future, and be sent back to the hero now
to change the course of destiny.
Roll-And-Play
D6 Acquisition
1 Sold by a traveling merchant. If the heroes return with questions,
the merchant’s cart is gone, and no one has seen or heard of her.
2 Taken from a corpse, whose fingers the hero must pry open
to claim the item. Beware, for its ghost may still be present.
3 In the dark recesses of an ancient dungeon, displayed on a
pedestal at the end of a trap-filled hall.
4 In the hoard of a dragon who is not currently home but
returning soon. The heroes might evade her if they’re quick,
but eventually she does find the item missing.
5 Granted as reward for a simple quest. In fact, the reward is too
great and the quest too simply. Is the owner trying to get rid of it?
6 The item simply appears in the hero’s backpack, as a blessing
(or curse) for her to claim. Or perhaps someone put it there,
but who?
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D6 Quirk
1 The item is sentient and likes to crack lame jokes. Its
feelings are hurt if no one laughs.
2 Rats adore the item, and constantly try to steal (ordinary
rats) or trade (sentient rats) for it.
3 The item emits a soft hum which grows into a haunting
melody as the moon waxes, then fades again when the
moon wanes.
4 The item is invisible, though it retains corporality and
weight. If it’s a spellbook, the pages are written in braille.
5 The item shines with a soft light which cannot be
dimmed. The player chooses the light’s color.
6 A riddle is engraved on this item, which holds a clue to their
next adventure. Alternately, the item holds divining magic
and the characters may ask one simple question of it.
D6 Bonuses
1 The item grants Advantage on combat and spell checks
Roll-And-Play
against a creature type of the player’s choice.

2 The item grants +1 range on combat and spell checks
against a creature type of the player’s choice (i.e. a 5-6
success range becomes 4-6).
3 The character begins her turn by teleporting to a zone of
choosing. She can also teleport within the same zone to
strike a different target or remain put.
4 The character automatically stabilizes upon falling
unconscious and cannot be harmed until she is healed.
5 The bearer can strike a target creature with Sleep (1d6
hours, unless woken by physical violence) once per day.
6 Bearer gains one free Evade action per turn in combat.
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D6 Trouble
1 An ancient, evil cult covets the item. They worship a
peacock made of stars and void, and who represents the
end of all things.
2 The item is cursed, and the wearer loses 1 hit point per day.
The hit point cannot be healed, nor the item abandoned,
until the curse is lifted.
3 A thieves guild has chosen the item as object in their
annual rat race, and the character is besieged by every
manner of pickpocket and scam artist.
4 A nobleman lays claim to the item, either by virtue of
being found on his land or belonging to an ancestor. The
character must beat him in court.
5 The item is haunted by the ghost of a past owner. While it
cannot harm the characters, the ghost is always present and
might conspire against them with their enemies.
6 An evil villain searches for the item, and his quest leads
straight to the hero now wearing it.
Roll-And-Play
73
Traps!
Alan Bahr
One of the most common questions
we get around Tiny Dungeon 2e, is the
question of how to handle traps.
The idea of the Save Test in Tiny
Dungeon 2e is the core element of a
Trap, but perhaps we could elaborate on
that, and showcase some of how you can
leverage that mechanic to add greater
depth to traps.
So, keeping in mind the Trapmaster
and Perceptive Traits, let’s tackle traps!
Discovering Traps
The first element of any Trap is how
difficult it is to notice or recognize the trap before it occurs.
Keeping it simple, we have 3 difficulties:
• Easy – Provides Advantage on attempts to locate the Trap.
This level invalidates Perceptive and Trapmaster, so use it sparingly.
• Normal – A normal Test.
This level is used most frequently.
• Difficult – Imposes Disadvantage on attempts to locate the Trap.
This level would penalize Trapmaster and Perceptive, so be
careful not to make every trap Difficult. It can be tempting,
Traps!
but TinyD6 heroes are generally very competent (and should

be treated so.)
Severity of the Trap

After you determine how hard a trap is to locate, you need to
determine the severity of the trap.
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There are two core ways
(though more exist), that you can
handle severity.
First, is the difficulty of the
Save Test to avoid the Trap. A
Trap that imposes Disadvantage
is going to be far more likely to
harm the players then one that
grants Advantage.
Secondly,you want to determine
the effect of the trap. What does
a failed Save Test do? It can cause
damage, out right death (Save or
Die Tests are brutal) or have a
different effect (like poison that
grants Disadvantage, or a trap
that strips magic items from the character.)
Sample Traps
Using the guidelines above, and some creativity, we’ve created
these two classic Traps in TinyD6 Form:
Pit Trap
A Pit Trap is easy to notice (Advantage on Tests to Notice it), and
easy to avoid (Advantage on Save Tests). However, a character
who fails falls into a pit, suffering 1 Damage, and requires a
successful Test to climb out (The Acrobatic Trait would grant
Advantage on this Test to climb out.)
Traps!
Modifications
• Spikes: Spikes on the bottom of the pit trap increase the
damage for failing the Save Test to 2.
• Greased Walls: Grease on the Walls imposes Disadvantage
on Tests to climb out (aid from fellow adventurers outside of
the trap can negate this.)
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• Automatic Closure: The trap is rigged to immediately shut,
through a clever system of counter-weights and pulleys. The
trapped Adventurer can’t get out and will require quick
thinking and aid from her compatriots above.
Arrow Trap
A carefully hidden trap fires an
arrow at the Adventurers! It’s hard
to notice (Disadvantage to Notice),
but average to avoid (a Standard Test,
with perhaps Acrobatics providing
Advantage? The GM can choose.)
The Arrow does 1 Damage.
Modifications
• Poison: Poison is on the tip of
the arrow! If an Adventurer is hit,
they must make an additional Save
Test (at Disadvantage). If they fail
this Test, they suffer Disadvantage
until the end of the next combat.
Alchemy can cure this.
• Volley: Multiple arrows fire! Each Adventurer caught in the
trap must make an amount of Save Tests as determined by
the GM. (I’d generally go with 2-4.)
Wrapping Up The modifications are simply

created by me as the GM to
As you can see, the process is change the trap and make it
fairly simple: different. You can do whatever
Traps!
you’d like! It’s very flexible.

• How hard is it to notice
the trap? (Default to a Standard Test if unsure.)
• How hard is it to avoid the trap? (This is the Save Test.)
• What are the effects of the trap? (1 Damage is the standard
but get creative!)
What other traps would you love to see written up? Let us know!
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New Heritages
Alan Bahr
In honor of the month of October, we have two all new Heritages
for you! More will be coming in our upcoming TinyD6 Horror
Toolkit book (currently codenamed: Tiny Monsters), but here’s
Spirit Attributes
some special ones now!
• X Hit Points
• Spirits start with the Heritage Trait Afterlife.
Afterlife: This Heritage is unique in that it can be applied to a
deceased character. Hit Points, previous traits, and more all remain
the same. However, the following changes occur:
• Only Magic can harm the Spirit (either a spell or magic items.)
• The Deceased can not harm the Living without Magic.
• If the Spirit wishes to interact with the living world, they must
first spend their first action to Focus.
• Every full moon, the Deceased must make a Save Test with
Disadvantage or pass on to the Afterlife, fully leaving play.
• (If the Spirit is a brand-new Character, they start with 4 HP,
and 2 Extra Traits.)
New heritages
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Skeleton Attributes
• 1 Hit Point
• Skeletons start with the Heritage Traits Rattlebones, Boney
Claws, and Bone Armor
Rattlebones: Skeletons are piles of bones held
together with magic. Whenever a Skeleton dies, at
the start of a round where the Skeleton is dead, it
can make a Save Test. On a success, the Skeleton
reforms and immediately takes it’s turn. A
Skeleton can only permanently die when
the magic binding it is undone (which is
powerful magic, from ancient items.)
Boney Claws: Skeletons gain Claws as a
Mastered Weapon. They count as always
being armed with Claws.
Bone Armor: Whenever a Skeleton is
struck by a non-magical attack, they
may roll a d6. On the result of a 1, the
Skeleton takes damage. On all other
results, the attack is ignored. (The GM
might make an exception for attacks
that utilize acid, exceptionally large
weapons or their Discretion.)
New heritages
78
Power & Politics in
Power & Politics in A&A
the A&A Universe

Brian Fitzpatrick
Overview
The Dominion of Humankind (DHK) was formed in 2065 in
the aftermath of rampant destruction and political upheaval on
Earth in the mid-21st century. It has continued to change and
solidify power over its people and resources ever since. But who
are the players in the political landscape? What changes are on the
horizon and how will the Dominion Council respond?
A Bit of History
The Dominion didn’t spring up out of nowhere. Certain members of
humanity always seem to benefit from the chaos of human existence
and nothing is more certain than the propensity for our species to
build things, grow tired of them, and destroy them on a cyclical basis.
As environmental disasters, overpopulation, incompatible views
of the world, and corporate greed took over the Earth, things got
worse and worse. The tipping point came when terrorists detonated
a pocket nuclear explosive at the Alamo in Texas, kicking off a
second American Civil War. But even amidst the chaos of that
turbulent era, the human spirit of exploration somehow triumphed
and we launched a series of commercially successful missions to
the moon, which culminated in the establishment of the Luna 1
colony in 2026.
With the establishment of Luna 1, a whole new vista opened up.
Corporations were already chomping at the bit to begin mining
the untold riches of the asteroid belt and there had been numerous
unmanned and manned trips to Mars, both successful and
unsuccessful. But as soon as a permanent base was established, the
technology was proven to be reliable enough to take the risk again.
79
The first orbital shipyard was built soon thereafter by the

Spherepoint Corporation and the first permanent settlement on
Mars was built in 2041, a mere 15 years after Luna 1. Placed in
Arcadia Planitia, it was well stocked through the supplies sent
year after year before the actual crew arrived. Terraforming began
almost as soon as the first domes were put up, but that was a
longer-term project from the start.
The Belt Mining Alliance was formed in 2052 as a collective
of corporate interests legally defending the claims they’d been
struggling to protect against government acquisition. And it was
about that time that the populations of Earth began revolting
against the dichotomy of plenty. Those who worked for the
corporations benefiting from space industries were profiting
handily from the discoveries made with mining, zero-g and low-g
manufacturing, scientific advancements, and so on.
Unfortunately, the violence on Earth had not ended during these
exciting events. In fact, it reached a new peak in 2059 with the
burning of Washington D.C. and the downward spiral continued
from there. Anybody who could afford to leave Earth did so in a
hurry and the population boom on Luna and Mars was a boon
and a bane to all forward progress. Small orbiting stations cropped
up around several of the larger asteroids in the belt -- Ceres, Vesta,
and Pallas seemed to spring up almost overnight as thousands of
people legally and illegally headed to the stars.
Of course, a handful of corporations were waiting in the wings
the whole time to pick up the pieces on Earth. In 2065, CEOs
of the top five corporations formed a shared cooperative known
as the “Dominion of Humankind” -- or simply “The Dominion.”
This new organization would provide shared services and materials
to all members great and small.
Mikosian, Cydyne, TaylorTech, Spherepoint, and Fractional
formed the backbone of what would come to be known as the
Dominion Council. CEOs or their appointed representatives
took control of trillions of dollars of resources almost overnight,
improving the lives of nearly every living being on a human-led
world, moon, base, or station.
80
Anyone who worked for a corporation on Earth or elsewhere

in the Sol system immediately gained access to health benefits,
a steady paycheck, and even corporate-sponsored housing. The
corporate-run country of Mikosia (founded in 2006 during the
Second Civil War of the former United States) became the model
for the Dominion across the world and beyond. The Mikosians
proved that money and control could work hand-in-hand to
advance technology, improve the quality of life, and increase
profits, all at the same time.
By 2100, the last of the world governments was abolished.
They simply couldn’t compete with a truly corporate world. The
Dominion’s domination was complete.
Politics as Usual
It is now 2229 and though the rising tide of
Dominion has improved the lives of most citizens
under its watch, the process has not been
without its pitfalls and challenges. The leaders
of Bondi-Andisse, after the success of their
BANCE gates at key locations throughout
Dominion space, began demanding more
and more access to Council members --
eventually petitioning for admission to the
Council themselves.
In 2230, a key vote will be held, and the
possibility exists that Bondi-Andisse may
get a seat at the table. Pundits believe the
odds are in their favor and it is suspected
that they have slowly been finding ways
to increase influence with current council
members. Such influence has a high price,
with the usual leverage thru blackmail,
controlling interests, and key alliances
between smaller fish in the larger ocean.
81
Beyond Bondi-Andisse, the Belt Mining Alliance (BMA) has

been operating in the dark halls of power since its formation
more than a decade before the Dominion Council. They have no
need of direct representation, instead choosing to bide their time
among the rocks of the asteroid field between Mars and Jupiter.
The BMA has always had the ear of the Council, providing both
raw and refined materials to everyone seeking such resources.
Should the BMA be sanctioned or punished in any way, many
corporations would suffer as a result. That has factored into many
Council decisions in the last two centuries.
Smaller Influences
Once you look beyond the Council itself, you begin to see a larger
tapestry of smaller groups, who like Bondi-Andisse want to peddle
their influence as well.
Though the Dominion Council tends to have an iron grip on
media throughout their empire, there are renegades attempting
to influence the signal through less overt means. The Colonial
News Network (CONN) does a great job of walking a fine line
between sharing the news from the Inner Planets to the fringes
of the Proxima Centauri, Gliese 832, HD 85512, and Trappist
systems. Fines and prison sentences are a high price to pay for
sharing things the Council doesn’t want shared, but many among
the CONN reporters are willing to pay that price.
Where the CONN has led a more public campaign against the
lack of transparency into Dominion oversight, it’s the Excursori
who have quietly garnered the support of smaller corporations
throughout the Known Systems and beyond. Their unorthodox
methods and apparent boundless capacity for risk has granted
them almost carte blanche when it comes to financing expedition
after expedition.
There are rumors of a Small Council of corporations among
those outside the Big Five, clamoring for reforms and a return
to the democratic ways of the 20th century when groups such as
the United Nations offered a forum for not only open discussion
82
of ideas, but the application of sanctions against those members

unwilling to follow the rules.
If such a “Small Council” exists, it does so without the blessing
of the Dominion and is in danger of being on the receiving end of
more cutthroat business practices to end any operations they may
have to undermine the larger Dominion goals or get in the way of
the Council’s plans.
Extraterrestrial Influences
Though the Greys have been a thorn in the side of securing the
home front for centuries, it was the discovery of the Skaali on
Venus that really started a landslide of efforts to gain a broader
alien input on the big issues. There are those among the Council
who voted against ending the war when the Skaali ended five
years of hostilities in 2221. And there are those who wish to bring
them into the Dominion fold as full citizens.
Diplomatic missions have been proposed to the Skaali and it
seems they are waiting for another event of some kind before they
accept any meeting on the armed orbital station hovering above
their heads. Many are hoping that
whatever it is they are waiting for
happens quickly.
Beyond the Skaali are the
mysterious Gollus, who are
seemingly packing up their toys
and ready to head to a quadrant of
deep space far from our own. It’s
obvious that they have technology
and knowledge well beyond
what we know currently but are
unwilling to share further.
The Excursori have been making
inroads among these alien races
and have claimed to contacted
others. Scouts and rebels may be
83
an odd choice for First Contact, but many among the Dominion
Space and Defense Forces have warned against reaching out with
open arms into the cosmos.
It can only be assumed that there are planets and alien species in the
universe willing to act as intermediaries, bartering for resources and
information they need and granting a broader view of what it means
to be galactic citizens among the stars. We know they must exist, but
thus far have been unwilling to make themselves known to us.
The Next Hundred Years

As the Dominion spreads its influence across the Known Systems
and begins to explore new frontiers, it knows that there are factions
growing within its expanding borders that will want to exert their
own influence over the Council and its myriad resources.
Other systems, such as Proxima Centauri, have already begun the
march towards representation in the “inners-only” club protected
by the Dominion Council. And if the Skaali remain on Venus, it is
only a matter of time before they will want a say in how politics and
inter-planetary resource distribution occurs in their new back yard.
Though Cydyne fervently denies they exist, the advent of sentient
machines will change the landscape of politics and power just as
much as the advent of alien species will. Many will fight tooth and
nail to keep the Dominion free of anti-human influences as long
as possible, but its introduction is inevitable.
Will the Dominion of Humankind change? Of course. Change
is inevitable. However, the landscape of those changes continues
to be as inscrutable as the future has always been. We will have to
wait and see.
84
Roll-and-Play:
Tiny Thieves Guilds
Steffie de Vaan
Thieves guilds are the backbone of every society. Well, sort of.
They’re the backbone of something, and present in every city. The
tables below provide handy roll-and-play thieves guilds for our
Tiny Dungeons setting, but you can easily adapt them to any
other Tiny setting.
D6 Guild Name
1 The Black Hand leaves a soot-covered handprint as its
calling card--when it suits them to impress rivals, or put
Roll-And-Play
the sheriff on this particular case.

2 The Bone Guild is infamous for many necromancers in
its ranks, and legend claims the guild was founded by a
lich to guard their phylactery.
3 The Freemen were founded to resist and--if necessary--
remove corrupt nobles and city leaders.
4 The Purple Orchid is named for the eponymous poisonous
flower, as a nod to the guild’s favorite way of disposing of
enemies.
5 Red Shoes was founded on a lark centuries ago, the
oddly successful brainchild of drunken partygoers.
6 Rose Red traces its origins back to a legendary princess
who murdered suitors when they fell out of favor.
85
D6 Guild Hall
1 The largest tavern in town. It’s a bit of an open secret, and
law-abiding citizens don’t go here.
2 A sprawling underground built on the streets and houses
of an ancient mud-swallowed city.
3 A tower with neither doors nor windows, the only entry
a teleport spell cast through guild members’ signet rings.
4 The backrooms of all the shops on one city block, connected
through false walls and secret doors.
5 A bath house where thick lavender-scented fog obscures
faces and identities. (GM’s note: Don’t force players to
have their characters go naked if they don’t want to.)
6 None. This thieves guild works through cells and magic
messengers, with no central meeting place to compromise
safety.
D6 Leader
1 Clever Ragana won leadership in a game of riddles decades
Roll-And-Play
ago, and retains her sharp wit in her old age.

2 Fox is the third in a lineage of Thief Kings, and feels
overwhelmed living up to the legacy of his mother and
grandfather.
3 The Mask is a criminal mastermind, forever scheming
behind the beautiful ivory mask that grants their name.
4 Tall and muscular, One-Eyed Sonya is a former gladiator.
She is smarter than people give her credit for, but her
impatience sees her settle most disputes with her sword.
5 Silver Damascus is of noble birth, the last of so many
siblings zie stood no chance of inheriting any real wealth or
power. So, zie became a thief instead.
6 Roguish and charming, Slippery Jack has friends in
unexpected places.
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D6 Main Income
1 Blackmail! These thieves have dirt on everyone. They adhere
to a moral code though, and blackmail only those guilty of
heinous crimes, or public figures who put on a false facade.
2 Extorting local businesses for protection money. Their
victims are initially reluctant to talk, but can provide a
wealth of information once they do.
3 Fencing. Rather than steal their own items, these thieves
sell items for an allied guild. Perhaps the guild is a
subsidiary of sorts, or the allied guild is too closely watched
by authorities to sell the stolen goods.
4 Pick-pocketing. These nimble-fingered thieves aim for
small, but high-value items. They operate in small groups,
to distract their mark while one of them steals the item.
5 Racketeering. Whether it’s selling watered-down drinks,
or crafting fake jewelry, this guild runs a plethora of
fraudulent businesses.
6 Simple theft--it’s traditional and honest (if you’re a thief ).
Roll-And-Play
They also commit burglary, though they avoid physical

confrontation with owners.
87
D6 Membership Perks
1 A Chameleon Cloak that allows hiding in plain sight
(resulting in a normal check under cover of darkness, or
Roll-And-Play
Disadvantage in bright or daylight).

2 Healing Potion, heals 1D3 Hit Points (roll 1D6, divide
by 2, round up). If the character has special standing in
the guild, they receive a greater potion which heals 1D6.
3 Invisibility Powder. Two doses, which each affect one person
for a scene. The character can get a new bag of powder by
performing a dangerous task for the guild.
4 Magpie Glasses, which highlight the most expensive item
a person is carrying. Alternately, the glasses highlight only
magical items. Works 2 times per day, for one scene.
5 Shoes of Silence which grant Advantage on sneaking. Despite
the name, this magical footwear also comes as sandals and boots.
6 Sleeping Powder. Three doses, which each affect one person
for a scene. Can be delivered through the blade of a weapon.
The character can get a new bag of powder by performing a
complicated task for the guild.
88
D6 Trouble
1 A rival thieves guild engineers a hostile (and deadly, for those
who don’t comply) take-over. Any overt warfare will further
complicate matters by drawing the sheriff ’s attention.
2 The local sheriff knows where the Guild Hall lies. He hasn’t
moved on the thieves yet; either he is organizing a big bust,
or he has different plans for them (such as sending them
after this own enemies).
3 A rogue thief stole a magic item from the guild, which it
already promised to an evil wizard. The wizard’s apprentice
in underway to make the trade, and the guild better have it
back by then.
4 The guild unknowingly stole a cursed item, which now
lies in its vault. The item poisons members, which can
either be physical (draining HP), emotional (making
them volatile), or mental (making them paranoid).
5 An internal challenger to the leader secretly works to
destabilize the guild, by setting the sheriff on the leader’s most
Roll-And-Play
loyal allies. Any thieves a caught in these sting operations are

simply collateral damage.
6 Someone has been writing and publishing romanticized,
but true, tales of the thieves guild. This creates goodwill
with the public, but also draws attention of local authorities.
89
Gravehark
Gravehark
By Mathew Hulett
Introduction
You awake in a smoldering corpse-filled pit. Confused and stiff, a strange
stir within beckons you to the sprawling city above.
Gravehark is a dark settting where you play an undead character
risen inside a massive underground crypt. You have no memory of
your death. But your mind is sentient and your body is moving.
Something in the sprawling medieval city of Gravehark is stirring
above you. It calls you by a new name, your undead name. It pinches
the back of your head for attention. To stop this endless call you
have to find it’s source high above the crypt.
Memories of family and friends are gone. On rare occasions
something can trigger a memory. You see someone in the streets
that stirs a familiarity. Or a house you
remember wandering in. The
Undead Stir with some
token of their past
life with them. You
could have been a
soldier buried with
your sword. Or a
simple merchant
with a wedding ring
on your finger. These
tokens can invoke
an emotional
response or a
curiosity. Your
token is something
you cherish and
you don’t know why.
90
The Undead Heritage
The Undead can wield weapons and armor the same as the living
Gravehark
Heritages can. The undead cannot use Healing magic. Healing

magic and healing items used on the undead cause damage.
Choose three Traits from the list below. You can also use the
Traits listed in the core rulebook.
Undead Traits
• Rigor Mortis: You Undead Attributes
gain Advantage on all
• 8 Hit Points
strength based rolls.
• You have one token that ties
• Frozen Shanks: One or you to your previous life.
both of your hands has
• You start with the Heritage
frozen over into a sharp
Trait Cannibalism
blade of ice. These can be
retracted for a short time. Cannibalism: Once per a day
But eventually grow you can consume 1 pound of
back. any fresh humanoid flesh and
• Creeping Death: Target regenerate your HP.
an enemy, they are at a
Disadvantage on combat rolls for that round.
• Horrid Tentacle: You gain an extra limb. A four foot tentacle
anywhere on your undead body.
• Mortal Terror: Once per a round you can paralyze one
humanoid enemy. This effect ends at the end of their turn.
• Tombstone: Your skin is hardened from petrification, you gain
Advantage on damage that would normally pierce your skin.
• Grave Sight: You gain Focus on perception rolls.
• Screeching Dirge: You cry a dirge that gives friendly players
Advantage on one attack per a battle.
• Vile Bile: Once per an encounter you can spew fourth a acidic
bile on an opponent. This is a ranged attack.
91
Optional Rule:
Decay & Permadeath
Gravehark
Undead bodies continue to decay. The adventurer’s start with 0 hit

points. Permadeath happens when a player hits -8. They can no longer
physically function or gain Hit Points. Although the mind can still
function, unless their head is crushed, burned, or impaled. The body
decays at a rate of -1 per a week of in-game time. At a certain number
of HP the following conditions apply in the Decay Table below.
Decay Table
HP Effect
0 You feel good for being dead.
-2 One of your limbs is loose but useable.
-4 You permanently lost a limb.
-6 You are at a Disadvantage on all rolls.
-8 Permadeath
92
The City of Gravehark
During the great war of Lament. One empire dabbled in the dark
Gravehark
art of necromancy. Their studies bore fruit as they found a way to

Stir the dead. As a result they waged a guerrilla war by using the
bodies of their enemies. They sent their necromancers into enemy
territory and cast the dark rituals in cemeteries. Soon villages
would find themselves overwhelmed by their own dead.
To battle the plague of undead Gravehark was built. A massive,
secure underground crypt built in the heart of the kingdom.
The people were ordered to carry their dead to Gravehark to
be entombed. Out of the convenience of travel, trade, and the
migration of elderly and sick. It quickly grew into a sprawling city.
The war still rages between the living and Gravehark continues
to grow with strong trade and work and the threat of necromancy
is believed to be quelled.
Religion is prominent in
Gravehark. The ruler, Lord
Orland, a cleric of the Lambent
church, has taken no family and
rules Gravehark in Theocracy.
While he oversees the city,
his main task is to monitor
the activities in the Crypt of
Coronach. As the threat of
the undead plague is gone,
resources have been allocated
elsewhere and the crypts have
been left in disrepair. Instead
of pulling resources from the
growth of the city, Lord Orland
hires hunters to prowl the
crypts in search of any stirring
of the undead.
Gravehark is divided into four districts.
93
The Topaz Market
The most extravagant of the city. Where the rich live and thrive off
Gravehark
trade. You can find sellers from all over the world who bring their
wares by sea. It derives its name from the gem believed to stave off
fears of death and sickness.
The Temple Ministry
Home to Lord Orland and the church. Most of the Temple district
is closed off to the public. While small areas are left open for
worshipers to come and go as they please. The church is devoted
to the god Lambent.
Seagrime Harbor
Considered a slum by the rich. But it’s considered home to most of
the city. The harbor expands along the sea coast and is the largest area
of Gravehark. You can find inns, taverns, entertainment, and cheap
goods right off the ships. The locals consist of sailors, merchants,
and hunters looking to make a name for themselves in the crypts.
The Crypts of Coronach
The people of Gravehark fear the dead as they rise on occasion.
Over the years grave robbers and other supernatural beings have
burrowed tunnels up into the city. While many have been closed
off by rotting boards or flooded with water. There still remains ways
for those trapped to find a way out. As a means of maintaining the
crypts the city hires hunters to quell the undead that sometimes stir.
Getting Around Gravehark

The living are hostile. You are a walking abomination and must be
destroyed at all costs. As an undead, if you make it to the surface,
things can get more chaotic when the living see you. The city watch
is trained to quickly dispatch any undead head that break the light
of day. Your characters are not thoughtless zombies, they still retain
a sense of preservation. Subterfuge is the best strategy. Cloaks and
the cover of night can make it easier to get around the streets.
94
The Denizens Of Gravehark
Gravehark
Hounds
HP: 3 (Low)
Description: Trained dogs typically seen with their owners.
They are very aggressive and have a scent for the undead.
Traits:
• Berserker
• Perceptive
Grave Hunter
HP: 5 (Medium)
Description: Soldiers of
fortune skilled in hunting
the undead.
Traits:
• Tracker
• Opportunist
• Dark-fighter
City Watch
HP: 5 (Medium)
Description:
Roaming the city to
keep the peace. part
of their training is in
dispatching with the
undead.
Traits:
• Defender
• Resolute
95
Cleric of Lambent
HP: 6 (High)
Description: Speakers for the god Lambent. They are trained
Gravehark
healers and have a history of manipulating the undead.

Traits:
• Charismatic
• Healer: When used on the undead causes 2 HP damage.
• Voice of Lambent: The cleric attempts to stun one of the
players. The player makes a Save Test. On a fail they are
stunned for the duration of the turn.
Graveshark
HP: 12 (Heroic)
Description: An undead shark that roams the Crypts of
Coronach. It swims within piles of bones and will attack
anything that disturbs its piles.
Traits:
• Fleet of Foot
• Cleave
• Armor Master
• Bone Dive: The Graveshark dives into a pile of bones and
rises below one of the players. The player makes a Save
Test. On a fail they take 3 damage.
Lord Orland
HP: 10 (Heroic)
Description: Lord of Gravehark and a cleric of Lambent.
Traits:
• Healer: When used on the undead causes 2 HP damage.
• Armor Master
• Diehard
• Divine Light: A circle of white flame bursts around him.
All players near him make a Save Test. On a fail, they take
3 damage.
96
Pre-Made Characters
Largultha the Wriggling
Heritage: Undead HP: 8
After your Stir you pieced yourself together. You somehow
Gravehark
finished with a bit more parts then you remember having. You
woke without eyes and a religious cowl covers your head.
Traits:
• Cannibalism (Heritage Trait)
• Spell-Touched
• Horrid Tentacle: Calm down, Skiv’. It will let go. A four
foot long bone tentacle snakes from your back like a
stripped bird wing. Sometimes it has a mind of it’s own.
• Grave Sight: Quiet! The living approach. With hounds.
From the rats who scurry in the pits. To snapping torches
of hunters. You know when something is near.
Items:
• A staff.
• Dagger (within reach of the tentacle).
• Cowl commonly found on religious leaders.
Petrified Grum
You woke under a pile of bones covered in something brittle and
cracking. You struggled to free yourself and eventually emerged
from the pile. Your skin browned and your mind snapping to a
voice far above you.
Traits:
• Opportunist
• Tombstone: Break your blade upon my flesh. Your dark skin is
petrified from time spent under a pile of corpses. You gain
Advantage on damage that would normally pierce your skin.
• Rigor Mortis: My strength is not from muscle. You feel an
unnatural strength coursing through your hardened body.
You gain Advantaged on strength based rolls.
Items:
• Warhammer
• Tunic depicting the crest of a great house.
97
Kexxi the Screamer
When you Stired you screamed. You screamed until the stir
Gravehark
called you. Around your neck you found a locket with pictures of
two familiar children inside.
Traits:
• Beserker
• Screaming Dirge: Eeeeeeeeeeeeee! Your screams infuse your
companions with inspiration. They gain Advantage for one
round.
• Mortal Terror: This ones flesh is mine. You put the fear of
the dead in the living. You target one living creature and
they are paralyzed for one turn.
Items:
• Greatsword
• Picture Locket
Greengut
You woke in a deep puddle. Your body swollen and flesh eaten
by small fish. You climbed out of the water and ejected the water
from your body.
Traits:
• Cleave
• Vile Bile: It boils within me. Never ending. You can blast a
ranged, deadly bile at a target once per an round.
• Familiar (Small Creature): Slick, he has some use. You have a
pet eel who feeds on carrion and lives in your stomach. He
can be called upon and crawls through your belly button.
Slick can paralyze an enemy for one round
Items:
• War Axe
• Your pet Slick the eel.
• A coin stamped with an insignia of a far away city.
98
Skiver
Heritage: Undead
HP: 8
Gravehark
You awoke under a sheet of soft snow. You struggled to break

free of the slick of ice that held you down. You emerged from the
snow with ice covering your hands. You tried to break them off
but they always grew back.
Traits:
• Vigilant
• Frozen Shanks (Light Melee): As sharp as they are cold.
Your hands are both frozen over into two sharp blades.
These can be retracted for a short time. But eventually
grow back.
• Creeping Death: Don’t think you will escape what we have
become. This sight of you puts your opponents in state of
fear that puts them at a Disadvantage for one round.
Items:
• Throwing knives
• A flag from a notorious pirate
ship wrung around your
neck like a noose.
99
THE PAINFULLY
COMPLETE
The Painfully Complete Alchemist
ALCHEMIST
John D. Payne
Adventurers with the Alchemist Trait can mix powerful magical
draughts that anyone can use. This article discusses each of the
four types of alchemical draughts, and then gives rules for how
they are made and a quick method for generating an Alchemist’s
starting kit.
Inventive GMs and devious players will imagine an infinite
variety of alchemical draughts, appropriate to their campaigns.
But to get started, here are some simple, setting-neutral potions,
poisons, and alchemical bombs that (mostly) mimic the effects of
familiar spells and martial arts techniques.
The first type we will discuss are potions, which have beneficial
effects on those who ingest them. These are divided into two
groups of six.
D6 Potions of Eldritch Power
1 Shield potion: As the Shield (Onyx) spell.
2 Communication potion: As the Communicate (Crystal)
spell.
3 Timeview potion: As the Timeview (Crystal) spell.
4 Healing potion: As the Heal (Emerald) spell, first option.
No Test required.
5 Greater Healing potion: As the Heal (Emerald) spell,
second option. No Test required.
6 Surge potion: As the Surge (Sapphire) spell. No Test
required.
100
D6 Potions of Mystic Energy
1 Stony Earth potion: As the Stone Stance (Earth) martial
arts technique.
2 Blood Iron potion: As the Iron Stance (Metal) technique.

3 Flowing Water potion: As the Flowing Stance (Water)
technique.
4 Graceful Heron potion: As the Graceful Dodge (Soaring
Heron) technique.
5 Cure Disease: Cures one disease. At GM’s discretion, a Test
(Standard or otherwise) may be required.
6 Troll Heart potion: As the Bridge Troll Regeneration Trait.
After each healing, roll a d6. On a 1, the effect is exhausted.
The second type of alchemical draughts are poisons. Here are
six common varieties, any of which can be administered through
ingestion (slipped into a drink) or by contact (delivered via
dagger blade).
D6 Poisons
1 Pacifying poison: As the Pacify (Crystal) spell, but whoever
is next to roll against this target gets Advantage.
2 Unsettling poison: As the Unsettle (Crystal) spell.
3 Bone Chilling poison: As the Bone Chill (Diamond) spell.
4 Glacial Mind poison: As the Glacial Mind (Diamond) spell.
5 Fiery Claw poison: As the Fiery Claw Strike (Fire) martial
arts technique.
6 Dim Mak poison: Like the Dim Mak (Crimson Death)
technique, the first attack with this poison does no additional
damage. But a second successful attack in the same round
does 3 damage.
For all of the above poisons, ignore what the spell description
says about how to Test for the effect and instead follow these
instructions for either the ingestion or contact method.
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• Ingestion: Alchemists must Test at Advantage to mix the
poison into the food or drink. Failure means the dose is
wasted. At GM’s discretion, an additional test (Nimble
Fingers, Charismatic, etc.) may be required to get the target
to ingest the poisoned food or drink. Upon ingestion, the

target can save to avoid the effect.
• Contact: Alchemists must Test at Advantage to apply the
poison to the weapon. Failure means the dose is wasted.
Throughout the next combat, the wielder of the weapon
Tests at Disadvantage any time the poisoned weapon
damages the target. (Maybe include a differently colored
‘poison die’ with each attack roll.) Upon success, poison is
delivered, but the target can save to avoid the effect.
The third category of alchemical draughts are bombs, or throwing
potions. There are six common varieties, all of which are delivered by
throwing a breakable bottle at a target. (Thrown potions are a Ranged
weapon, and can be Mastered.)
D6 Alchemical Bombs
1 Coldsnap bomb: As the Coldsnap (Diamond) spell, except
it affects everyone within 10 feet of the target.
2 Burning Flame bomb: As the Licking Flames OR Burn and
Ignite (Ruby) spell.
3 Tentacle bomb: As the Tentacles (Sapphire) spell, except the
tentacles attack indiscriminately.
4 Entangling Vine bomb: As the Entangling Vines (Wood)
martial arts technique.
5 Flash bomb: Creates a sudden burst of blinding light. All
within 10 feet of target must save or suffer Disadvantage on
their next turn. Target saves at Disadvantage. No save for
Dwarves, etc.
6 Smoke bomb: Creates a cloud of obscuring smoke. Target
rendered Sneaky (as the Trait) for their next action. Targets
with the Sneaky trait get a free action.
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As with poisons, ignore
what the spell or technique
descriptions say about Tests

and just make a Ranged
Attack Test to get the effect.
The fourth and final kind
of alchemical draught
is an elixir. Elixirs are
mysterious and very rare,
with incredibly powerful
effects, like making
humans who drink it
immortal. As such, GMs
are advised to craft them
carefully and dole them
out sparingly.
Getting Draughts
Now that we know the four types of alchemical draughts (potions,
poisons, bombs, and elixirs), it is time to discuss how Alchemists
get them. There are two methods.
First, by identifying unknown liquids. As per the Trait description,
Alchemists have Advantage in any Test to identify an unknown
liquid. But most (1-5 on a 1d6) liquids they identify have no
Alchemical properties.
Second, Alchemists can mix up their own alchemical draughts, as
long as they have the right recipes and reagents (i.e., ingredients).
Success on a Standard Test yields a dose of the desired draught.
Failure means you made nothing useful-- and probably used up
your Reagents. (Test at Disadvantage.)
In much the same way, Alchemists can create antidotes to cure
poisons. Think of them as very specific potions of healing. This
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typically takes some time (GM’s discretion) and two Standard
Tests-- one to identify the poison and infer a Recipe for the
antidote, and one to try to mix it up from available Reagents.
But how do Alchemists get Reagents and Recipes in the first

place? The GM can always hand them out during an adventure.
For example, as rewards given by Alchemist allies or loot taken
from Alchemist enemies.
But Alchemists can also take matters
into their own hands by reverse
engineering Recipes from existing
alchemical draughts. First, meticulous
study. Test at Disadvantage. Failure
means 1 dose of the draught is wasted.
Success means the Alchemist has
an experimental recipe.
After gathering the necessary
Reagents, the Alchemist performs
another Test at Disadvantage. If this
one also succeeds, the Alchemist
has produced a dose of the intended
draught. More importantly, this
Recipe becomes a permanent
addition to their inventory.
Recipe in hand, the Alchemist now
knows what Reagents to search for.
(Or pay for, at GM’s discretion.) In
the lair of a band of Orcs, this might
require a Test at Disadvantage. Taking
an hour in an enchanted glade might
yield Advantage. On a raft at sea, the GM
might say no Reagents can be found, period.
For common alchemical Recipes, one success
(or two) provides all the necessary
Reagents. For a rare and powerful
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elixir, the GM may require three or more successes, or even a series
of quests that span multiple gaming sessions.
But before we set off in search of eye of newt and toe of frog,
let’s go back to the beginning and talk about starting inventories.

What is your new Alchemist carrying in their kit? Let’s find out!
For new PCs, roll three times on the following table. For NPCs
and enemies, the GM may want to give more (or fewer) rolls,
depending on Threat level.
D6 What’s In The Alchemist’s Kit?
1 Unknown liquid
2 Unknown liquid
3 Draught
4 Draught
5 Draught
6 Recipe (Standard Test to see if you also have Reagents)
For each result of Draught or Recipe, roll once on the following
table. Then consult the appropriate table given above.
D6 What Kind of Draught / Recipe?
1 Potion of Eldritch Power
2 Potion of Eldritch Power (2 doses)
3 Potion of Mystic Energy
4 Potion of Mystic Energy (2 doses)
5 Poison (Roll 1d6. On a 6, get antidote also.)
6 Alchemical Bomb
Congratulations. Your Alchemist now has everything they need
to start adventuring. Bottoms up!
105
NPC Feature:
Arthur Pendragon
The Once and Future King
Arthur Pendragon - NPC
Dan Waszkiewicz
People: Britons
Homeland: Camelot
Age: 30
Eyes: Grey
Hair: Brown
Family Trade:
Royalty
Belief: “What I do, I
do for England.”
Heritage: Human
Heritage Trait:
Additional Trait
(Defender )
Traits:
Armor Master, Cleave,
Defender, Diehard, Insightful, Quartermaster
(Arthur is an advanced character with many tales in his history
providing him with additional traits.)
Weapon Proficiencies: Light Melee, Heavy Melee
Mastered Weapons: Excalibur, Spear
Equipment: Excalibur and it’s Sheath. Ron The Great Spear,
Pridwen The Shield of King Arthur
106
King Arthur Pendragon, the Once and Future King, The King of the
Britons, Knight of the Roundtable. Born of violence and deception,
Arthur strives to be just and righteous. As a child, he learned humility,
fostered by Sir Ector and squired to Ector’s son Sir Kay. The Wizard
Merlin tutored the boy, teaching him that knowledge is stronger than
mere brute force. Then one fateful day, the boy Arthur barely fifteen
years of age, pulled the sword Caliburn from the Stone. The prophecy
read “Whoso pulleth out this sword from this stone, is right wise
King born of all England.” The Boy King was crowned.
Prior to King Arthur’s coronation, England was a chaotic mess.
Dukes and Lords quarrelled over lands and the right to rule. Arthur’s
ascension to the throne united England under a rule that was just and
merciful. His skill with diplomacy was matched by his prowess in
battle. Arthur repelled foreign invaders and out maneuvered armies
larger than his own. Tactics and knowledge gleaned from his mentor
and now advisor Merlin solidified Arthur’s rule.
Even with the Kingdom united, Arthur felt incomplete until he laid
his eyes up the most beautiful woman in the world Guinevere. Against
Merlin’s advisement, Arthur asked for Guinevere’s hand in marriage.
Merlin warned that she would only bring misery and dismay to Arthur
and Britain. The great Wizard foretold of dooms that would rend
the kingdom. Surely Love can not bring ruin to the kingdom. In his
wisdom, Merlin brought Arthur to the misty lake where Arthur met
Nimue, the Lady of the Lake. Nimue presented Arthur with a weapon
fitting for the King of Britain certain to encounter trials and tribulations
from all sides. Excalibur. A sword made of the finest strength that could
cut through iron and steel and scabbard that would prevent it’s wielder
from succumbing to their wounds in battle.
As a wedding gift, Guinevere’s father gifted Arthur with a grand
round table. Around it the finest knights of the realm could sit and
discuss matters of importance equally.
Together with his love at his side, a weapon of legend at this hip, his
finest knights alongside him in peace and war, Arthur is met by his
soon to be closest confidante and friend. Lancelot.
Surely all is well as Arthur begins his quest for the Holy Grail.
107
Roleplaying tips: King Arthur Pendragon believes in the Code of
Chivalry. Once a knight gives his word, he will ensure that his task is
completed. Lies will not be tolerated. Mercy will be granted to those
that ask for it. Generosity is akin to godliness. Care for the weak.
Arthur also attempts to resolve situations with nonviolence. Tactics
and wit are the key to winning the battle. Show your undying loyalty
toward your fellow knights and your kingdom.There will come a time
when Arthur must make some very hard choices. He is not infallible
and subject to the lusts and fails of the common man.
108
Destiny of Tides:
Watery Foes
By Robert Denton III
In Destiny of Tides, players create aquatic adventurers from underwater
tribes and venture on land in search of secrets. The Enemies section
provides many new underwater creatures, such as the Giant Eel, the
Watery Foes
Orca, and the Storm Clam. In this article, one will find even more
aquatic foes for your Destiny of Tides campaign. You can challenge
your players with the below profiles, or use them to provide new allies
as they seek their people’s future in the ruins of the flooded world.
Underwater Beasts
The ocean may be safer than the land, but there are still threats lurking
in the depths. Most creatures will leave you alone if you don’t bother
them, but some are hungry predators, and a lonely adventurer looks
like an easy meal.
Archelon
Unlike other turtles, this giant sea
turtle has no shell, instead boasting an
armored boney carapace. Archelons feed
on giant squid, or sometimes adventurers
that venture too close.
HP: 5 (Medium)
Traits:
• Armored: When struck, Test 2d6.
On a success, the Archelon takes
no damage.
• Vicious Bite: Bite attacks from
the Archelon inflict 2 damage
instead of 1.
• Aquatic: The Archelon is mostly
bound to the water and is an excellent swimmer
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Dire Orca
The black-and-white dolphins known as orcas hunt the open sea in
packs and avoid aquatic civilizations. But recently lone oversized, “dire
orcas” have appeared, attacking tribes directly, and no one knows why.
HP: 10 (Heroic)
Traits:
• Berserker
• Diehard
• Strong
• Aquatic: A dire orca is water bound and an excellent swimmer.
Watery Foes
• Vicious Bite: Bite attacks from the dire orca inflict 2 damage
instead of 1.
• Fleet of Fin: Fleet of Foot, but for swimming
Storm Ammonite
Ammonites are massive cephalopods that look similar to giant
squids, but with giant spiral shells protecting their heads. Normally
these harmless mollusks rarely grow larger than one’s palm, but
sometimes they gather around deepstones, becoming coated in
deepstone glitter. When this happens, they grow several times in
size, wandering crazed and lighting-laced throughout the seas.
HP: 6 (High)
Traits:
• Resolute
• Armored: When struck at range, Test with 2d6. On a success,
the Storm Ammonite suffers no damage.
• Crushing Tentacles (Melee Attack): Test 2d6 against an
enemy within 10 feet. On a successful hit, the target must Save
Test to avoid being grappled. Each round a target is grappled,
they suffer 2 damage. On its turn, a grappled foe can make a
Save or Evade Test to escape. The Storm Ammonite can only
grapple one foe at a time.
• Aquatic: This enemy is water bound and a decent swimmer.
• Shocking: When threatened or attacked, everyone nearby
suffers 1 damage from an electric shock, unless they can
mitigate or negate it somehow. Grappled foes suffer 2 damage
instead. Storm Ammonites are immune to electricity
110
Xiphopteryx
Many doubt the Xiphopteryx exists, although it appears on
tapestries in the land ruins. It is a gigantic aquatic bird with massive
wings, a long neck, and a many-toothed beak. Its wing feathers are
razor-sharp, able to shear through coral and bone. Living mostly on
land, these creatures are said to dive into the water in search of tuna,
swordfish, or sharks, which it eats in one gulp.
HP: 16 (Solo)
Traits:
• Perceptive
Watery Foes
• Sneaky
• Diehard
• Sonar Sense (See Destiny of Tides, page 90)
• Dagger-Feathers (Ranged Attack): With a flap of its wings,
it hurls dagger-feathers at foes! All foes within 10 feet (or 30
feet above water) must pass a Save or Evade Test, or be struck
for 2 damage.
• Flight and Dive: This enemy can fly, swim, and dive into the
water. It can hold its breath for a long time and dive deep
without slowing down.
• Bite (Melee Attack): Test 3d6 against a target within 5 feet.
If successful, the target suffers 2 damage.
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Tribal Foes
To survive and uncover
the histories hidden in
the surface ruins, aquatic
tribes must set aside their
differences and unite. But
this may be easier said
than done, especially when
old grudges leave fresh
wounds. The underwater
Watery Foes
peoples are the last bastion

of civilization, the only hope
to save a world lost to the
extinct land-dwellers’ hubris.
Fighting among themselves
is fruitless, but sometimes it
cannot be avoided…
Hykarchas Gladiator
The hykarchas live for competition, and the great games decide
their champions. The greatest among them are the masters of many
arenas, uniting dozens of tribes through their athletic and tactical
mastery. Sports-obsessed, they never turn down a challenge…
unfortunately for you.
HP: 9 (High)
Preferred Weapons: Giant Pearls, Sharktooth Gloves, Shell Glaves
Traits:
• Athletic
• Strong
• Lionfish Spines: When you attack this enemy and you’re not
wearing armor, roll a d6: on a 1-3, you suffer 1 damage from
their spines and jagged frills.
• Massive: This enemy’s melee attacks inflict 2 damage instead
of 1.
• Water-Bound: While able to leave the water for brief periods,
this enemy is at Disadvantage while fighting on land.
112
Kayde Artificer
The cecaelian Kayde keep mostly to themselves in their glittering
cities, spreading across the continental slopes and sometimes even
onto the land. In their laboratories, they unlock ancient secrets and
invent new devices to scour the ruins. Stubborn to a fault, when they
seek a trinket of power, there is little that can dissuade them.
HP: 8 (High)
Preferred Weapons: Any number of gadgets and devices.
Traits:
• Dark-Fighter
• Opportunist
• Spell-Reader
Watery Foes
• Multiple Arms: This enemy may perform three different

Actions on their turn.
• Ink Blast: This enemy may deploy a 20 foot cloud of ink as
an Action. Those within must pass a Save Test at disadvantage
unless they were Evading. Failure means you can only take
one action during your next turn in initiative order.
Kikusui Sing-Spear
The singspears were the legendary elite of the kikusui people.
United by ancient code, they trained to protect all aquatic peoples,
honing their keen echolocation into a weapon and mastering
the magical language of the extinct whales. Although their ways
have long been lost, rumors say that they still exist somewhere in
the depths, awaiting the time they must return.
HP: 6 (High)
Preferred Weapons: Shell Spears, Coral Tridents, Battlehooks
Traits:
• Fish-Speaker (See Destiny of Tides, page 89)
• Whalesong (See Destiny of Tides, page 91)
• Sonic Keen: Singspears sing as they fight, confusing aquatic
combatants with walls of sound. Electroreceptive characters
(Kikusui, Hykarchas, and Duwanni) are at disadvantage while
fighting this enemy in melee.
113
Lulutani Trickster
Sentient river-otters, the playful lulutani are known for their
floating barge-cities, but some especially mischievous lulutani
venture out on their own to find their fortunes. Individually
weak, they are rarely encountered while unescorted.
HP: 4 (Medium… but don’t
be fooled!)
Preferred Weapons: Slings,
nets, and all manner of tricks and
traps. They won’t fight fair!
Watery Foes
Traits:
• Opportunist
• Sneaky
• Fleet: This enemy can
move 30 feet a round, on
both land or underwater.
• Dirty Trick: This
enemy may use a Dirty
Trick as an action to
force everyone within
20 feet to attempt
a Save Test. Failure
means you cannot
Evade during your next
action, and if you are
already Evading you
no longer are.
• Just Kidding:
The first
time you
successfully
attack the Lulutani
Trickster, you must make a Save Test. Failure means you
actually hit a fake dummy, not the trickster, and the attack is
wasted. However, you won’t fall for that again! This enemy
can only use this Trait once.
114
Sea Witch
The “sea witch” is a duwanni whose life-quest is to seek mastery
over all magics and to spawn a new generation of even more
powerful children to continue this task. Most sea witches dwell
in hidden covens to study in solitude, but a few wander the lands
and seas after obscure knowledge or powerful mates. Distrusted
and feared, to be a sea witch is to be misunderstood. It’s still a
bad idea to anger one.
HP: 5 (Medium… but don’t be fooled!)
Preferred Weapons: Coral Staff, Crystalline Glave, Ancient Focus,
Watery Foes
Animal Companion
Traits:
• Spell-Touched
• Spell-Reader
• Temper Tantrum: When angered or after suffering damage,
the Sea Witch may throw a magical tantrum; anyone within
30 feet (whether ally or enemy) must pass a Save Test or suffer
2 damage from the resulting electric storm and be tossed away
by the force.
• Underwater Magic Mastery: This enemy knows and can
cast spells from the Pearl, Topaz, or Aquamarine disciplines
(choose two). They cast these spells with Advantage. (See
Destiny of Tides, page 70).
You can get your hands on Destiny

of Tides, a full expansion for Tiny
Dungeon 2e, at this address:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/
product/251409/Destiny-of-
Tides-A-Tiny-Dungeon-2e-
Campaign-Setting
115
Roll-and-Play:
Tiny Gladiator Arenas
Steffie de Vaan
This time we’re visiting gladiator arenas,
from blood-soaked pits where men and
women go to die, to training grounds
where Guild fighters engage in
friendly sparring. Whether your
warrior is looking to prove
herself or settle a score,
this is the place!
The tables below
Roll-And-Play
provide roll-and-
play arenas for our
Tiny Dungeons
setting, but you can
adapt them to any other
Tiny setting.
116
D6 Name
1 The Cursed Gorge
2 The Dragon Dojo
3 The Hall of Strength
4 The Kalari of Honor
5 The Pit of Souls
6 The Towering Coliseum
D6 Description
1 Set in the great arena of a capital city, this gladiator
spectacle lasts five days. Fighters are matched against each
other in groups of equal strength (but not number), until a
single champion stand victorious.
2 This arena sits on a floating disc inside a volcano. Fumes
rise to shroud the field, and fighters make quick work of
opponents by throwing them over the edge--the nets might
catch them, but ‘leaving’ the arena spells a loss.
3 A cavernous, dark underground holds this arena. Once
Roll-And-Play
the domain of an evil necromancer, the tunnels branching

into the dark are home to a dozen skeletons--they cluster
behind the gates, drawn by the smell of blood.
4 This large amphitheatre is flooded, with fighters arrayed
in teams of three on small boats. Sharks (HP 10, Aquatic,
Fast Swimmer, Vicious Bite) stalking the water certainly
raise the stakes.
5 This arena holds flying jousts on pterodactyls. Fellow
adventurers fly smaller pteranodons below, to catch their
friend if they’re knocked off their mount.
6 This battle royal is set in an abandoned city, fighters
relying stealth as much as they need combat prowess to be
the last one standing. Hooded figures stalk the battlefield,
to quietly retrieve downed fighters.
117
D6 Notable Patrons
Roll-And-Play
1 Nobles eager to patron the fighter who impresses them,

through combat prowess or flair, and give them extra funds.
2 The criminal elite, who place grand bets and offer a share to
any leading fighter willing to take a dive.
3 An envoy of a prestigious adventurer’s guild, offering
membership if the fighter shows determination and fair play.
4 An ambitious warlock, who offers a small magic item to
the fighter in exchange for a nail clipping. If the adventurer
agrees, the warlock uses this clipping to create a simulacrum
for his army.
5 A fair lad or lass, who never attended a gladiator fight
before, and has far too romanticized expectations.
6 An information broker, in possession of a map to an
ancient castle and seeking a great fighter to retrieve its
lost treasure.
118
D6 Reigning Champion
1 Fey Silver Bough uses the arena’s terrain to zir advantage,
keeping opponents at range where zie can pick them off
at leisure.
6 HP; Acrobat, Bow Mastery, Marksman, Quick Shot;
Short Bow
2 Rowan is a Dwarven Shield Maiden, near-impossible to
defeat and even harder to keep down. In fights with multiple
opponents, Rowan offers the strongest adventurer a temporary
alliance.
11 H; Armor Master, Dark Vision, Defender, Die Hard,
Shield Bearer; Great Axe
3 Little Stick the Goblin is quick and evasive, playing the
audience for laughs while he sneaks around his opponents
and stabs them in the back.
7 HP; Fleet of Foot, Goblin Agility, Lucky, Sneaky; Rapier
4 Nihanu is the human star of the arena. Zie is strong, quick
to pounce, and ever the showperson. Audiences love zir,
and mercilessly boo anyone who defeats zir.
Roll-And-Play
9 HP; Armor Master, Cleave, Shield Bearer, Vigilant; Mace

5 Great Onchai, a brown Karhu, towers over her opponents,
knocking them down like pegs. She steadfastly refuses to
kill, and sometimes loses matches as she pulls her punches.
12 HP; Armor Master, Brawler, Powerful Claws, Tough
6 Razza is a small and cruel Lizardfolk. He loves drawing
blood, more than he does winning, and likes to taunt and
mock helpless opponents.
8 HP, Berserker, Cold-Blooded, Die-Hard, Opportunist;
Dual Swords
119
D6 Championship Reward
1 Snake is a chained sword (Light Melee Weapon) that
allows you to attack at short range (or the Near zone).
2 Warhammer Bone Breaker (Heavy Melee Weapon)
deals 1 extra damage if your attack roll contains at least
one 6.
3 Anyone hit by an arrow from the Blood Bow (Ranged
Weapon) must Test 1d6 each turn, and suffers 1 damage
on failure. The target can staunch the bleeding by spending
a full round dressing the wound.
4 The iron Bracelets of Power add 1 damage to successful
Focus attacks.
5 The Shield of the Defender lets you challenge any enemy
combatants. These enemies attack only you, moving
towards you if necessary, and ignore all other targets.
6 This Healing Potion heals 3 HP. You can get a new one
by re-visiting the arena and performing a task for the arena
master. This task may include another fight, but you do not
Roll-And-Play
need to win--the potion is yours as former victor.
120
D6 Trouble
1 Spilled blood draws a great predator, and gladiators must
band together to fight it off. Tailor the predator to the arena
description: Change the amphitheatre to open water and
introduce a Kraken, or set the Draco-Lich on fighters in the
underground.
2 An evil necromancer releases a poisonous gas that kills any
unconscious warriors, so she can raise them into a new army.
3 One combatant is a golem, and cannot be killed or knocked
unconscious. Physically trapping her is the only way to win.
4 The arena masters release wild predators to ‘spice things
up’, such as a pair of Saber-Tooth Tigers or Wargs.
5 A gladiator coats their blade (or arrows) in a poison that
saps opponents’ strength. Fighters who are cut must
succeed at a Save Test, or make all Tests at Disadvantage
until they are healed.
6 A series of small tremors rocks the arena, creating anything
from large waves (in the amphitheatre) to falling rocks (in
Roll-And-Play
the underground). The GM rolls a d6 every turn: on a 6,

adventurers must make a Save Test or suffer 1 damage.
121
Familiars
By Liz Chaipraditkul
Through magical study and arcane might you’ve pulled and
tugged at the threads of the universe and a benevolent power
answered. It took shape next to you and now it travels with you
on your adventures. The relationship isn’t always easy, aside from
assisting you the being wants and needs things, but you wouldn’t
have it any other way. You have more than a companion now -
you have a familiar.
This article for Tiny Zine takes an in depth look at magical
Familiars
familiars of Tiny Dungeons and offers some options for familiars

to grow with your adventurer.
122
Origins
Many familiars appear a common creatures – cats, owls, toads –
however they are anything but. Familiars are created from the pure
power of the universe and within the aether each had their own
unique form and life. Some were once mischievous sprites while
others were gargantuan god-like beings. No matter what they
once were each familiar has a good reason to be with their mage.
When your character gains a familiar it is important to decide
what their motivation is. For players who want more mystery
– let your GM decide and discover the familiar’s story yourself.
There are a few common reasons familiars grace mages with
their presence:
Familiars
Cover Story
Your familiar angered something and that thing is looking for
them. Taking a form in the mortal realms allows them to escape
detection and they’re happy to help a mage out along the way.
Curse
Your familiar was cursed to walk the mortal realms for their
timeless immortal life. They see to break this curse, regain their
power, and return to the aether.
Fortune
Things are great and mysterious within the great weave of magic
and your familiar was small in inconsequential. They entered the
mortal realms looking for someone to appreciate their unique
gifts, who they could help, who they could guide.
Friendship
Living within magic was lonely, relationships were fleeting, and
bonds were easily broken. They came to the mortal realms in
search of a friend and hope that you are the person they’ve been
searching for. Or perhaps your familiar lost their mage to battle
or old age and they seek a new companion…
123
Fun
Life dancing within the infinite mysteries of magic became oh so
droll. Your familiar bound themselves to you for some excitement
to see and experience the lands of fleeting, breakable things.
Give & Take

An important aspect of familiars that differentiates them from
animal companions is that familiars expect things from their
mage. Most familiars aren’t happy with their mage’s mere
presence, the mage must do something for them. This isn’t to
say all familiars are greedy, in fact the opposite is (mostly) true,
however the relationship between mage and familiar is most
Familiars
akin to a friendship. If you treat your friend badly they won’t like
you for very long will they?
The more a familiar does for their mage, the more they will
expect. A mage who is happy having a magical cat who follows
them around sometimes speaking to them will be asked for very
little. A mage who regularly sends their familiar into dangerous
situations as a scout will likely be asked for a lot. Just because
familiars reform after being dissipated doesn’t mean getting hit
doesn’t hurt. Plus, when familiars are hit they return to the aether
they have to contend with their lives there until they reform in
the mortal realms – and depending on a familiar’s backstory this
could be very bad for them.
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What to ask
Familiars may ask any number of things proportionally based on
what their mage has asked them to do. If you’re unsure of what
a familiar would ask for, roll 1d6 and select an option for the list
below.
1. A delectable treat – your familiar wants something special to
chow down on, something made of pure magic and might.
2. A trip – something from your familiar’s past has formed in
this realm travel to it.
3. A promise – you’ve done something the familiar does not
like, promise to never do it again.
Familiars
4. A favour – your familiar asks you for a ‘blank-scroll’ favour

in the future, to be determined by them, when and if they
feel like it.
5. An object – your familiar needs an specific object for a
magical practice they wish to perform (or for another reason
which is none of your business).
6. A reckoning – someone made the mistake of crossing your
familiar, deal with them.
If mages refuse to give in to their familiar’s demands, depending
on the relationship, the familiar may have a wicked surprise for
them – a humiliating prank, a cutting quip, or even the refusal to
help at a crucial moment.
New Mechanics
To deepen your bond with your familiar its important they grow
with you. Below are a list of traits you can take for your familiar to
represent the progress you two made. These traits work the same as
traits for your character, but then for your familiar. Gaining familiar
traits are simple - when you would be able to gain a trait for your
character, you may choose gain a trait for your familiar instead.
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Familiar Traits
Corporeal
I’m a real boy! Your familiar may become corporeal and incorporeal
at will. While corporeal it may interact with objects as a creature
of the species it mimics. If it attacks and hits, it does one damage.
If you’ve given your familiar extra hit points – it only has the
additional hit points when corporeal.
Hit Point
Hit me with your best shot. Your familiar gains a hit point when
they are corporeal. You may take this trait multiple times and the
hit point bonus is cumulative.
Familiars
Invisible
Now you see me… Your familiar may turn invisible at will. When
invisibile, all Perception Tests to locate the familiar and all attacks
against the familiar must be made with Disadvantage.
Magical Recall
Your familiar remembers their time within the flow of magic of
the universe and recalls one spell they may use. Use the same
mechanics for casting this spell as you would for your mage. This
trait may be taken multiple times and these spells may be cast by
your familiar even when they are incorporeal.
Voice
You know I can hear you, right? Your familiar summons the magical
power within to create a voice. It speaks the same languages you do.
• Liz wrote her own game about familiars and you can buy it
here: http://angryhamsterpublishing.com/shop.
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Starwing: Blazing
Exodus
By James M. Spahn
All pilots to your stations! All pilots to your stations! Xeldraxian Battle
Locus inbound! I repeat, All pilots to your stations -- this is not a drill!
Inspirations: Batlestar Galactica (2004), Macross, Robotech, the
Star Wars: X-Wing novels.
The End of the Earth

Starwing: Blazing Exodus
The Earth was at peace. In the aftermath of the third World

War, mankind finally set aside its petty squabbles and an age of
unimagined prosperity begin that lasted for centuries. With peace
came progress and exploration, education and enlightenment.
Humanity turned its gaze to the stars and stood together as one
unified people, gazing into the galaxy for a brighter tomorrow.
Tools of warfare were locked away on great orbital tankers and
abandoned as vessels designed for exploration and scientific study
were elevated above the barbaric purposes of murder and self-
destruction. Humanity, where natural born Earthling or orbital
lab grown Gens worked alongside their Autoborg and Hologram
creations in what became known as the Age of the Star. Yet for all
their exploration, mankind found no new planets to colonize or
terraform and no new species to call friend.
That was before the Xeldraxian came. Great warships, bristling
with strange bio-mechanical weapons arrived in an instant.
Driven by previously unimaginable faster-than-light drives, the
orbital bombardment of Earth lasted less than a day before the
entire planet was “pacified.” In a single rotation, billions died and
the birthplace of mankind was reduced to a ruined husk. Billions
died in less than a minute.
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The only known
survivors were
those aboard the
orbital tankers that
stored relics from
the age of warfare.
Ironically known
as Redemption-
Class cruisers, these
museums of a darker
time held the last
and greatest weapon
known mankind:
The Starwing. These
fast, agile, and deadly
starfighters were
operated by ace pilots
and their armaments
once laid wasted to
nations. But they
were no match for the
Xeldraxian Armada.
So, with artifacts of war from a bygone era and with little hope
of survival, fewer than a dozen Redemption-Class tankers were
scattered to the stars by ship captains that were little more than
lighthouse keepers. Caretakers have become fighter pilots and
civilian visitors in the wrong place at the wrong time have become
conscripts in this, the Blazing Exodus of Mankind…
Premise
In Starwing: Blazing Exodus the players take on the role of
characters aboard a Redemption-Class Orbital Cruiser fleeing
the genocidal Xeldraxian Armada. They are living aboard a
starship that is incapable of faster-than-light travel, unarmed, and
unprotected. The only hope for humanity is a weapon that was
once the most deadly weapon Earth has ever known: The Starwing
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starfighter. These small, agile, and deadly one-man fighters were
once used by the nations of the now-destroyed Earth to pacify
nations with white hot laser blasts by highly trained pilots. But the
player characters are not highly trained pilots. They were caretakers
of technology that very nearly brought mankind to the brink of
self-destruction and tourists suddenly caught up in a fight for the
survival of the human race.
Starwing: Blazing Exodus is a setting that only includes Humans,
Gens, Autoborgs, and Holograms. Humanity has yet to discover
other alien species beyond the Xeldraxians. Only a dozen or so
Redemption-Class Orbital Cruisers survived the Xeldraxian attack,
and each is outfitted with a squadron of six Starwing starfighters
and a few basic supplies. Characters will travel across the stars trying
to stay one step ahead of the Xeldraxian Armada in an effort to stay
alive as they search for other lost Earth ships, supplies on previously
undiscovered planets, and turn to their Starwing starfighters as the
last hope for the survival of the human race.
Characters in Starwing: Blazing Exodus

Starwing: Blazing Exodus characters vary slightly from standard
Tiny Frontiers Revised characters. All player characters are of
Human, Gen, Autoborg, or Hologram Heritage. There are no
other player character Heritages available, as no alien species have
been discovered in the vast expanse of the universe thus far.
Xenotech has yet to be discovered and utilized by mankind. That
is not to say it doesn’t exist, simply that its introduction should be
a key plot element during a Starwing: Blazing Exodus campaign, if
it is introduced at all.
Starwing: Blazing Exodus makes use of the following optional Zone
rules found in Tiny Frontiers Revised as well the information found
in the Starship Rules found in the Appendix. In addition, Psionic
Disciplines are not used in the Starwing: Blazing Exodus microsetting.
In addition, Game Masters are strongly encouraged to make use
of the Depletion Rules in order to create an atmosphere of tension
and limited resources.
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Redemption-Class Orbital Shuttles
Little more than space worthy warehouses, Redemption-Class
Orbital Shuttles were never designed for long-range travel or
warfare. They’re slow, bulky, but they can take quite a beating. In
addition to storing a dozen Starwing Starfighters, they also house
a number of other pieces of abandoned technology from Earth’s
third World Wars. They are spartan and built for storage, not for
passenger comfort. They use the statistics identical to that of a
Carrier-Class starship as found in Tiny Frontiers Revised, except
they do not have any weapons.
Starwing-Class Starfighters
The deadliest weapon in the history of mankind, the Starwing was
once regarded by an enlightened human race as the scythe that

very nearly destroyed the whole of humanity. Ironically, it is now its
most likely savior and
the only thing standing
between the Xeldraxian
Armada and extinction.
Fast, tough, and well-
armed, a skilled pilot is
nigh unstoppable in the
cockpit of the Starwing.
Starwing Starfighters
use the same stastics as
a Striker-Class starship
found in Tiny Frontiers
Revised, except that
they only regular a
single pilot to operate.
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Who are the
Xeldraxian?
The Xeldraxian are a
nebulous, undefined
alien threat that
has all but achieved
victory in its efforts to
destroy mankind in
the Starwing: Blazing
Exodus setting. But who
are the Xeldraxians?
Why has their armada
arrived to destroy the
human race? Where

did their advanced tech
come from? What do
they look like?
The truth is that these
questions are intentionally unanswered. These are hooks for Game
Master to flesh out in order to suit the stories they want to tell.
They can be a classic alien species that is hellbent on destroying
all other species or pillaging Earth for its resources. They can be
a strange cybernetic species with no greater desire than to draw
humanity into their greater collective. They could even be humans
themselves, perhaps come from the future to destroy their own
past in order to prevent an apocalypse yet to pass.
The Xeldraxians are a plot device to be fleshed out and
implemented as the Game Master sees fit. They can be anything
the Game Master needs them to be and could even be different
in different Starwing: Blazing Exodus campaigns. The Xeldraxians
are, in short, whatever you need them to be.
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Adventure Hooks
Described below are a few adventure hooks you can use in your
Starwing: Blazing Exodus campaigns.
First Exodus: The player characters are all aboard a Redemption-
Class Orbital Transport orbiting Earth when the Xeldraxian
Armada arrives to destroy humanity. They must survive the initial
onslaught, and escape aboard the Redemption carrier if mankind
is to live through the day. Perhaps they have to escape Earth
aboard a shuttle and get to a Redemption-Class Orbital Transport
before it flees, or maybe they’re forced to hop into the cockpit
of a long-dormant Starwing in spite of their lack of experience
and training in hopes of defending their fleeing allies. This is an
excellent adventure to open a Starwing: Blazing Exodus campaign.
Dangerous Resources: After weeks on the run, resources aboard their
ship are running dangerously low. But there is hope, a planet rich in
resources like fuel, water, and other consumables has been discovered!
But the planet is dangerous and it will take time to harvest these
resources. Perhaps the atmosphere is hostile to humans, or maybe
there is a beastial alien creature that dominates the planet’s surface, or
even an aggressive sentient species lives there in secret. Meanwhile, the
longer it takes to recover these vital resources the more likely that the
characters’ Redemption-Class Orbital Transport will be discovered by
the Xeldraxian Ardama and be destroyed...
Rogue Xeldraxian: The players discover a Xeldraxian scout ship, but
unlike every other Xeldraxian they encounter, this ship is broadcasting
a comm signal asking for parlay. Are the Xeldraxians suing for peace?
Is this an elaborate trap meant to make the characters lower their
guard? Is there a schism in the Xeldraxian Armada?
First Contact: Upon entering an unfamiliar sector of space, the
characters discover something previously unknown to all of humanity: a
technologically advanced sentient species. Are they potential allies? Are
they warlike and threatening? What if they’re vassals of the Xeldraxian
Armada? Will they trade the location of the player characters to the
Xeldraxians to avoid being in the path of their brutal Armada? This
adventure hook is an excellent opportunity to introduce a new playable
alien species to a Starwing: Blazing Exodus campaign.
132
Grit, Shootouts &
Bounties
By Alan Bahr
These rules were first tested as a
A classic science fiction trope draft for Tiny Gunslingers, but as
is that of the Bounty Hunter that game currently isn’t on our
and the Science Western genre. release schedule, they’ve been
Below are a set of rules for Grit, repurposed here. If we ever do
Shootouts & Bounties! move back to Tiny Gunslingers,
You will need a set of playing you’re likely to see a version of
these rules there.
cards with the jokers removed
to utilize the Shootout rules.
Grit
Grit, Shootouts, & Bounties
At the start of every session, each Explorers in the posse gets 2

Grit. Grit is a representation of willpower, fortitude, and savvy
that all folks out in the frontiers of space seem to possess in
spades. It’s recommended you use poker chips to represent Grit
(though you can use any tokens you want).
Explorers can spend Grit for a number of effects.
• 1 Grit will give you a reroll on a failed Test. The reroll is
made with Disadvantage. You can’t reroll a Test that has
already been rerolled.
• 1 Grit will let you look at a facedown card in a Shootout.
• 2 Grit will let you swap out a facedown card in a Shootout
(yes, even your opponents).
• 3 Grit will make an attack that hits you miss instead.
Recoverin’ Grit is pretty essential. The only way to recover Grit
during gameplay is to collect “Bounty” on a folk. If you kill,
capture, or arrest someone with a Bounty, you recover 1 per point
133
of Bounty that the wanted scum has. This can be distributed
however you want.
You can never have more than 3 Grit though, unless you have a
special rule that says so, so any extra you better share with your
posse.
Bounty isn’t always around, so be wise when you decide to use
Grit.
Bounty
Bounty is a stat that represents how wanted a folk or varmint
is. Bounty has no upper limit but use this handy table below as
a benchmark. Bounty is assigned by the GM at their discretion,
but there are some abilities that allow others to increase or
decrease Bounty.
D6 Infraction
1 Petty Crimes
2 Stole somefolk’s ride
3 Killed someone
4 Killed a whole passel of someones
5 Most wanted outlaw in the redion
Gunplay and Shootouts

A key component of science fiction westerns are shootouts,
quick-draws, and staredowns in the main spaceport dock in
town.
Here’s how we adjudicate that: with an awesome version of
Blackjack! The table will need a single deck of playing cards with
the Jokers removed (we mentioned that early, if y’all will recall).
A shootout is between two characters (either Explorers or
NPCs). After determining who is in the shootout, the GM will
take the deck of cards and deal one card face up to each player.
Then the GM will deal one card facedown to each player.
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The Explorers or GM can look at the facedown card in front of
them, but no one else should see it.
Then, starting with the character with the highest value card
faceup in front of them, they can choose one of the following
three options:
• Hit. A character who chooses hit gets another face-up card.
• Stand. They get no card, but hold.
• Shoot. If they shoot, Remember, the Explorers are
everyone reveals the cards the focus of the story. You
they have. should never have a shootout
If all shootout participants without at least one player
stand consecutively, give them being involved
one more chance to pick an
option, and if they all stand again, proceed to the Shoot option.
Once someone picks shoot, the lasers start to fly. Immediately

stop dealing cards. The player with the highest total on the cards
that doesn’t exceed 21 gets to make an attack. This attack will
automatically hit and deal 1d6 damage. If the other participants
are still standing, in descending order of value, allow them to
make an attack that deals 1d6 damage.
Once everyone has made their attack, collect the cards and roll
initiative as normal.
135
New Mechanics
New Heritage: Flyfolk
Alan Bahr
According to popular legend, the insect-like flyfolk are a race

born not of nature, but of man. As the legend tells, there was one
a wizard of incredible power who still coveted more. Intent on
becoming nothing less than a demigod, the wizard developed a
ritual to dramatically enhance his intelligence, power, and physical
capabilities. He sealed himself within his ritual chamber and began
the ritual, but in his arrogance, he failed to realize there were flies
present in the chamber, and the energy meant for him was absorbed
by them instead. Thus, the first eight members of the flyfolk race
were born and their race continues to prosper.
New Mechanics
Flyfolk are small

beings, perhaps four Flyfolk Attributes
feet tall at the most, and • 5 Hit Points
very closely resemble • Flyfolk begin with 2 Heritage
the houseflies from Traits: Flight and Adhere
which they supposedly Flight: Your wings allow you to
originate. They have move at half the speed in the air
developed human-like as you can on land.
mouths, however, which
Adhere: You may stand on
allows them to speak
vertical or inverted surfaces as if
most languages without you were standing on the ground.
difficulty (even though
they tend to use a lot of buzzing noises in between phrases). They
still have their wings and can fly without difficulty. They also have
thin, hair-like appendages on their limbs which go unseen by most,
but which allow them to cling to vertical surfaces like walls, trees,
cliffs, or even ceilings.
136
New Prestige Trait:
Golemancer
The practice of golemancy, or creating and commanding golems,
is both an art and a science. It might be more accurate to say that
it can be an art or a science, since it is possible for a golemancer’s
creations to be made using either sorcery or science. In the
case of the former, the golemancer gathers sufficient material,
whether it is clay, stone, metal, or any other suitable substance,
and slowly infuses it with arcane power over a long period of
time, eventually awakening the golem and binding it to their
will so that it will follow their commands without question. In
the case of the later, the golemancer crafts the golem the old-
fashioned way, with a hammer and anvil, gradually shaping it to
suit his needs and animating it with steam-powered technology
instead of magic. Accordingly, a golemancer must possess either
the Spell-Touched Trait or the Blacksmith Trait, depending
New Mechanics
upon what kind of character it is.

Upon purchasing this Trait, you gain the services of a golem
that will follow your every command and will ignore everyone
else unless you tell it to do differently. You construct your golem
using the guidelines that follow. You may purchase this Trait
multiple times. Each additional time you purchase it, you either
gain the services of an additional golem or your existing golem
gains an additional 2 Traits.
Golems
Golems are powerful servitors of either magic or technology and
bound to the service of their creator. Because of their construction
from hardened materials like stone or metal, golems tend to be very
physically powerful, and even small ones are remarkably strong for
their size. Golems can perform one melee attack per round.
137
Creating a Golem
• Choose the chassis
• Add 2 Traits from the Player Trait List
• Play!
Chassis Type: Drone
Drones are small golems, roughly half the size of a human or less,
and are often (but not always) in the form of an animal. They are
used for reconnaissance and surveillance and tend to be very light
on their feet (or wings, as the case may be).
• 6 Hit Points
• Replay: Drones have a crystal set into their chest that can replay
any scene they have witnessed within the past three hours,
allowing their creator to see what they have seen.
• Sneaky: The drone gains the Sneaky Trait if it is a terrestrial
creature.
• Flight: The drone may fly up to sixty feet as an action if it is a
New Mechanics
avian creature.
Chassis Type: Companion
Companions are human-sized golems that have greater range of
movement that larger models lack, even if they don’t have the same
amount of physical power those chassis possess. Their size allows
them to go anywhere their master goes, and they have the most
developed awareness of any of the golem models.
• 7 Hit Points
• Responsive: Companion golems can respond to questions from
their creator, but only with a Yes or No answer. They can only
answer questions regarding things that have happened within
their presence.
138
Chassis Type: Enforcer
The largest golem models are built for combat, and it shows. They
tower several heads above even the largest humans and are easily as
broad as a dwarf. Their sheer size prevents them from entering some
places, like smaller buildings, and almost no conventional buildings
can support their weight on any floor higher than the ground floor.
The trade-off, however, is tremendous physical power and combat
prowess.
• 8 Hit Points
• Overpowering: Enforcers inflict 2 damage with their melee
attack.
New Mechanics
139
Tips for GM’s
and Players
There’s a lot of different ways to role play and, assuming you
don’t spoil anyone’s fun, all are equally valid. Here are a few tips
on being a better GM or player that work for all styles.
Session Zero
Session Zero takes place before the campaign starts. The group
meets, online or in person, to discuss what they want for their
next campaign and characters.
The GM:
Be clear. If you only want to play a Tiny Dungeons campaign,
Session Zero is not to discuss the merits of Dungeons versus
GM and Player Tips
Wastelands, but to find a Dungeons setting everyone can enjoy.

Don’t present options unless you’re truly okay with your group
picking them. Assuming you have multiple options, let people
vote for their favorite or divide 3/2/1 points across their top
three. Tally votes to determine your winner!
Do the heavy lifting. If your group can choose from multiple
settings or micro-settings, it’s up to you to read and summarize
them. Enthusiastic players might go ahead and read the lot,
but that’s not something you can demand across the board--it
may seem unfair, but being the GM is simply more of a time
investment than playing. Once you’ve chosen a setting though,
it is fair to ask players to read the basics of the setting and know
how their characters ’powers work.
140
Players:
Know your boundaries and preferences. Maybe you don’t want
to deal with racism in game, because you get enough out of game.
Tell the group this is a hard no for you--decent people respect that.
Heck, you don’t have to tell them why. Your boundaries are still
valid without an explanation. If you feel uncomfortable sharing
your boundaries with the group, speak to the GM in private. A
good GM doesn’t want to make you ill at ease during play.
When it comes to preferences though, you have to be more
flexible. Maybe you don’t like sharing a character archetype. You
can ask if people mind not choosing the thief, but you may need
to wait until the other characters are made and then choose an
untapped niche.
The Group:
Discuss content and play styles. Are your characters murder
hobos or honorable knights? Do the dice decide when a character
dies, or do you prefer ‘dramatically appropriate’ deaths? Does the
GM use the rules as written, or do they have house rules? All
these options are valid so long as everyone is on board.
GM and Player Tips
Game Preparations
You’ve settled on a setting and playstyle, and now it’s time to
prepare for the game!
The GM:
You need to map your campaign--trust me, it’ll make things so
much easier later. First, write down ALL the random ideas you
have. Make sure to use the player character backgrounds, and
campaign ideas discussed in Session Zero. Then, pick out the
best one--the story you can carry across a full campaign and gives
141
all characters a chance to shine. This is your main arch. Break it
down like you would a television show: how many ‘seasons’ is
your full arc? Typically you’ll want one Big Bad per season--
looking at Buffy the Vampire Slayer, we go from the Master,
to Spike and Drusilla, to Angel. Then break your first season
(leave the others for when you get to them) into episodes. Write
each episode down on a card (one card/episode, leave the back
blank) or in a notebook (one page/episode, leave the opposite
page blank).
From your remaining ideas, pick the best and check every
character gets enough chances to shine. Personal plots are fine,
so long as everyone gets them. Intersperse these with your big
arc. The big arc and a minor plot can share an episode (minor:
museum heist! / arc: the characters don’t know yet, but the ruby
they stole is part of the Rhaza’ul ritual), or do a minor plot for a
full episode. Write down which character goes with each plot, so
you can easily switch them around if a player can’t make it.
If you’re running a campaign with a lot of recurring NPCs,
make cards for them too--name, basic traits, and motivation--
and keep the backs blank.
Players:
GM and Player Tips
Read the book, or at least the chapters the GM asks of you.

Odds are someone has a PDF to share, but if you can afford to
buy your own--that money goes to the creator, who can use it to
make more cool stuff. At the very least, chip in with other players
to buy one new copy together.
Know what your character can do. Write each trait and power
on a scorecard for easy reference. Want to use Quick as Water?
Pull out the card to see it grants Advantage on all movement
checks made in water. Do not rely on your GM to tell you what
your character traits do.
142
Creating the Story
Role playing is a collaborative act, as GM and players work
together to bring the story to life. Having out of game fun is as
important as creating in-game drama and suspense.
The GM:
Keep notes of what characters did earlier than you planned, as
well as things they skipped completely. This is when those blank
note card backs and opposing pages come in. “Did not notice
barkeep missing!” lets you know to give them another reason
to drop by the tavern, or they’re going into a hostage situation
blind--both are fine, but you need to know what’s going on.
Conversely “killed boss 1, need another!” reminds you of the
gap in your boss line-up. Do the same
with recurring NPCs--keep track
of “flirts with the thief ” or “does
NOT like the knight.” Before the
game, go over your notes and pull
GM and Player Tips
out the ones you need this game.

(Hide them behind your GM
screen or under your GM book
though. Or practice the world’s
least legible handwriting.)
Incorporate character actions.
If you wanted the story to play out
in a fixed manner, you’d write a
book. You didn’t, because this
is a game. The characters get
to mess with your best laid
plans--they get to split the
party so one group can distract
143
the big bad while the other tosses the ring in a fiery mountain.
Luckily you mapped everything so it’s easy enough to split future
episodes between the two parties--now you have two stacks of
cards.
Say yes. Unless you have a very valid reason to say no (“hey,
GM, can I have a breastplate of absolute invulnerability?”), just
say yes. If you’re not entirely sure something is a good idea, feel
free to add in a caveat: we’ll see how it works, but I might nerf
the item if it proves overpowered (or, if your group objects to out
of game intervention, steal it).
Do not play favorites. There are always players whose play style
matches better with yours, and whose in-game actions therefore
make more sense. But don’t give them an in-game advantage
because of it. Keep track of how often you let a character’s plans
succeed, and remind yourself to give even the outlandish ones a
fair shot.
Players:
Keep track of your loot. Seriously. The GM is juggling a lot,
and they don’t need to keep track of who has which item and
GM and Player Tips
how much gold. As a group, make item cards containing name/

description/powers--whoever holds the physical card, has the
item in game.
Make notes during or immediately after the game. Memory
is a tricky thing, and “grrr elf !” isn’t gonna help you. Just take a
moment to write down “Harun the elf stole my Ring of Jumping
& I hate them.” Assign a player (rotate if no one feels like it,
though GM take note: you could offer extra xp for this) to write
a short log breaking down what happened during the game, and
email it to the group.
Share the spotlight. Not every story is about your character,
and that’s okay. If the Paladin finds his long lost mentor, don’t
jump in with details about what your character is doing--just
let the other player have their moment. In a good group, the
spotlight swings around to everyone eventually.
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Don’t antagonize other players. If your characters is a thief
and another player asks you to please not steal their character’s
heirloom ring, don’t steal it. You control what your character-
-a fictional entity created by you--does, so don’t be an ass.
Remember, ‘I’m just playing my character’ goes both ways. If
your character steals that ring, theirs might hogtie your character
while they sleep and remove both their hands.
Dare to fail. Your barbarian got dragged to a fancy party, and
the GM calls for etiquette rolls. Just throw your hands up and say
“yeah, she fails.” At worst they make a bad impression, but at best
interesting your character gets challenged to a duel, or thrown in
jail for disrespecting the crown. Failure, in role playing, can lead
to interesting places.
GM and Player Tips
145
Law v Chaos
I think that everyone who designs role-playing games has
their moment of schism with the orthodoxy of Dungeons &
Dragons, whether they realize it or not. That breakpoint could
be character classes. The interrupt might be the handling of
skills. Whatever that low-water mark, it is a thing that has to be
changed to make the game work for them as a designer, game
master or player.
For me, that thing is alignment.
Yes, it is probably a weird thing to be dissatisfied about, and it
isn’t as if I am strictly unhappy about alignment in Dungeons &
Dragons. It is more about how things are implemented. What I
didn’t like was when alignment went from a system of allegiance
to cosmic forces in the universe to an enforced method of morality.
In a game that rewards murder with making your character more
adept at things, the addition of a morality system comes across
as an overly artificial construct
within the rules of the game.
To understand the issue, I
have to unpack things a
little bit and take a brief
look at this whole Law
Law v Chaos
v Chaos thing. While

Poul Anderson took an
early look at Law and
Chaos in his novella
Three Hearts
and Three Lions,
which was later
expanded into a
fuller novel, the
concepts that
we know as
146
gamers were more fully
developed across the
works of fiction writer
Michael Moorcock.
More than Anderson’s,
Moorcock’s concepts
for Law, Chaos
and a multiverse
built around them
would inform a
number of other pop
cultural concepts as well.
Moorcock’s ideas about
the eternal conflict of
Law and Chaos have bled
into super-hero comics, as
much as any other medium,
and would shape the universes of both Marvel and DC Comics.
Role-playing games like Runequest and Warhammer Fantasy
Roleplay also draw upon the lore that Moorcock has created
over the last few decades. All of this has come together to form
a cosmology where I have taken the Law and Chaos concepts
of Moorcock and married them to the idea of the Great Old
Ones from the Cthulhu Mythos. Law is not good. Chaos is not
evil. Individual characters are responsible for their own morality,
Law v Chaos
against the backdrop of a universe that is ultimately uncaring.

How does this make a game like The Demon Codex different
from the baseline of Dungeons & Dragons, or fantasy role-
playing games like For Coin & Blood? I have played, and
designed, The Demon Codex with the idea that there is a
conflict at the heart of the universe. The forces of Law and
Chaos rage against each other across a multitude of world, their
only thoughts being “beating” the other. This conflict won’t
necessarily reach the world of the characters, and they may never
know what it is, but it will still have an impact upon characters.
147
Magic in The Demon
Codex is wilder and
more present than in
other fantasy games
derived from
Dungeons &
Dragons. There is a
form of commonplace
magic that is available
to any character that fulfills the
requirements for it. Organizations
like cults teach this magic to
its members, and can provide a
continuity of knowledge across
the ages. It is also dangerous to
use this commonplace magic
because it can easily backfire
upon the caster.
The so-called real
magic alters those who use it, those who step onto the
path of magic must give up what makes them human for power.
Magic is chaos. Magic is change. Magic is danger.
Despite the strong influence of Moorock’s fiction, like much
swords and sorcery fiction, The Demon Codex is a game of
human-centric play. Player characters are humans who are trying
Law v Chaos
to survive and thrive in an ultimately uncaring universe. Because

of the universal conflict of Law v Chaos, nearly everything that
isn’t human is out to kill humans. Monsters are an important
part of any fantasy role-playing game. They are important in a
couple of ways. Monsters, as much as any other element of your
game, can help to define the world of your game. When a game
has familiar monsters, you know what to expect from the game,
and when you want something new and exotic in your game’s
bestiary. What I have tried to do is to find a balance between the
familiar and the different.
148
You can’t really have a game called The Demon Codex without
having demons in it. One of the things that I had to think
about with the game’s cosmology was how does de-coupling
Law and Chaos from morality impact that. In more orthodox
interpretations of Dungeons & Dragons, where Law is good
and Chaos is evil, the afterworlds tend to follow suit. Heavens
tend towards good/Law, while hells are evil/Chaos. But what
I’ve done is give each “side” their own interpretations of heaven
and hell. This means that both Law and Chaos have their own
celestial and infernal creatures. The hells of Law and Chaos are
about punishing those who fail to live up to the precepts of each
side’s dogma.
The decisions that you make about your game, about the setting of
the game and the rules of it, should cascade across your game. All
of these different elements should also inform and support each
other. I have tried to do this with The Demon Codex. Starting
with the lighter weight of the rules framework of older editions
of Dungeons & Dragons, and I have added back in those things
like I like to have in games (like skills) until I had the game
that I wanted. Playability, and not being overly complex, have
been primary design goals, but The Demon Codex has not been
written to simulate an older edition of Dungeons & Dragons.
For the game’s mechanics I have drawn upon elements of other
editions of the game as well. There are interesting things to be
found in the third and fifth editions of D&D, and where they
Law v Chaos
fit the needs of my design, I folded them into the mechanics.

Dungeons & Dragons is also not the only game to inspire the
mechanics of The Demon Codex. Games like Runequest have
had a massive influence on how the mechanics of my game work.
I have hit my word count for now, but I am sure that there
will be more essays like this about The Demon Codex, and the
development of the rules. For a further look into the game (for
now) you can look to my YouTube channel, and some games that
our online group recorded a few years ago, here: https://tinyurl.
com/y8uhswmo.
149
In Memorial: Greg Stafford
My heart is heavy. Greg Stafford (called the Grand Shaman of
Gaming) has passed into the next adventure.
Greg’s impact on my life cannot be overstated. It’s hard to put it
into words, but there are few individuals in this world who have left
such an indelible imprint on me. His ethos of game design defined
how I view a good game, his interactions with fans, colleagues and
all people defined how I strive to interact with everyone.
Greg was a kind, generous person, and I will always remember
our conversations, meetings and the lessons he taught me through
his actions and example.
He was the rare creative who transcended the limitations of art,
creating whole new boundaries to be pushed out, and defining in
the most inspiring of terms what we can do with gaming.
As you wrote in my copy of Pendragon: “We are all knights together.”
Thank you.
Vale Greg.
150

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TinyZine Compendium

Written by Max Adolph, Alan Bahr, Shawn Carman, Elizabeth Chaipraditkul,

Published by Gallant Knight Games, 2018

Tiny Dungeon 2e and TinyD6 are trademarks of Gallant Knight Games.

Gallant Knight Games, Ogden UT 84404

Possible Themes: The curse of (super)natural resources (i.e the

Sample Adventure Seeds

uncovered to either tear apart or create a world-dominating empire

Pomp & Circumstance

in Sheold than there are established ones. Some Aethercast have

The Blue Ruin

Taken from the journal of Dsesmont Pontoo, great-great-

Level Progression for

their adventuring career. They’ve had some experience, some

your history in that land, this roll could be at advantage or

power is subject to GM fiat. Finally, create for your character

New Profession - CyQ Enforcer

You may have heard of the so-called “Neogen” androids popping

Society The minotaur heritage

Once the meat and

one story has been passed

“The minotaur with the heart of gold”

may choose one of the following benefits:

New Prestige Traits

• Heavy Weapon Master: When you attack with a Heavy

successful, you may choose one of the following benefits:

experience all of life!

New Magic Items

You conduct top secret missions vital to Crown and Country.

breaking the morale of the

candidate it nominated. If no candidate receives a majority, the

The King’s Daggers

a Dagger, always a Dagger. When this oath is sworn, the new

• Teleporting requires at least two Actions:

• To the west lie the city-states of Zardissa,five large independent

alliances with each other. They are concerned about

The Executioner Advancement Table

An individual wielding an Executioner’s Blade who is not an

Establish Guild (9th):

for each Heritage. Any attack that deals

gave rise to its colloquial name.

D6 Staff and Owner

1 Adai, the Elven owner, keeps to themself - a beautiful

education, learning or reading

that can cross these canyons, a delver.

every lunatic and fortune seeker out there..

“The scientists found a way to restore the fertility of the earth,

we call civilization right now. That’s why I go down there. Because I

Tiny Dungeon Players, read no further! If you do, you might

developed a spell to do just that!

player reactions and questions,

Honey, I Shrunk The Heroes

into the garden to work the spell.

herb garden is like a redwood forest, the

The Winding Path Through The Meadow

At this size, the grassy yard is virtually indistinguishable from a

within 10 (relative) feet.

venture! That bloke’s obsessed with anything shiny!”

healing them completely. If asked about

The Fortress By The Pond

The Chase Through The Warren

of light peek in through the cracks of the grass-woven vaulted

The Pond and the King

breaking skulls or knocking opponents unconscious.