• If you've played OSE, this game is 85% just OSE with the Advanced/variant rules. The other 15% is house rules I’ve picked up from playing other OSR games and reading other people’s homebrew. The house rules have been (mostly) playtested on my IRL group. They exist to expand character options and reduce bookeeping without completely handwaving it.

( Art by Pauhami )

The Duchy of Brackenwold

Ruling from the supposedly impregnable Castle Brackenwold on the south-eastern verge of the forest, the Dukes of Brackenwold trace their line back to the earliest settlers in the region. All mortal folk within the Wood—from the humblest beggar to the highest lord—pay fealty to the duke. The whole forest is his property.

The Pluritine Church

The monotheistic Pluritine Church dominates throughout Dolmenwood and beyond. While it holds much political clout, the Church is of late diminished in Dolmenwood. Many shrines and chapels that once saw regular worship have fallen into ruin and been reclaimed by the forest. Some within the Church seek to rediscover and re-sanctify these lost shrines.

The Drune

The Nag-Lord A wicked, trickster figure of local folklore, said to keep unholy court in the twisted northern woods, where his armies of corrupted breggles and other creatures of Chaos lair. The Nag-Lord is known in folktales as the “King of the Wood,” and is portrayed as being part man, part unicorn, with nine legs (nine being regarded as an especially accursed number). A cabal of sorcerers who roam the Wood, cloaked in black. They claim the magical energies of Dolmenwood and what gods they worship is a matter of conjecture, for they guard their secrets with their lives. In the eyes of the Church they are heathens to be eradicated, for it is said they deal in devil worship and human sacrifice. Kidnap by the Drune is among the greatest fears of the simple folk of Dolmenwood, who refer to the cult as “the Hooded Men,” fearing to speak the word “Drune.”

The Duchy of Brackenwold

Ruling from the supposedly impregnable Castle Brackenwold on the south-eastern verge of the forest, the Dukes of Brackenwold trace their line back to the earliest settlers in the region. All mortal folk within the Wood—from the humblest beggar to the highest lord—pay fealty to the duke. The whole forest is his property.

The Pluritine Church

The monotheistic Pluritine Church dominates throughout Dolmenwood and beyond. While it holds much political clout, the Church is of late diminished in Dolmenwood. Many shrines and chapels that once saw regular worship have fallen into ruin and been reclaimed by the forest. Some within the Church seek to rediscover and re-sanctify these lost shrines.

The Drune

The Nag-Lord A wicked, trickster figure of local folklore, said to keep unholy court in the twisted northern woods, where his armies of corrupted breggles and other creatures of Chaos lair. The Nag-Lord is known in folktales as the “King of the Wood,” and is portrayed as being part man, part unicorn, with nine legs (nine being regarded as an especially accursed number). A cabal of sorcerers who roam the Wood, cloaked in black. They claim the magical energies of Dolmenwood and what gods they worship is a matter of conjecture, for they guard their secrets with their lives. In the eyes of the Church they are heathens to be eradicated, for it is said they deal in devil worship and human sacrifice. Kidnap by the Drune is among the greatest fears of the simple folk of Dolmenwood, who refer to the cult as “the Hooded Men,” fearing to speak the word “Drune.”

Helmets

Any character that can wield plate armour may be protected from a crit by a helmet, by forcing the opposition to re-roll. This works only once. Then the helmet breaks.