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The Fantasy Files
Creatures Cultures Classes System

In 1976 I went with a friend to a thing called a "Gaming Convention", ostensibly to play a miniature wargame called Seapower. I never did play any Seapower. Instead, I discovered a thing called D&D. By the end of the weekend I had bought the game, dice and several miniatures to go with it.

It was hardly the end of the matter. By the time I was done (and as of yet I am not) I had filled many a box with the miniatures, two four-drawer file cabinets with paper and a good deal of my hard drive as well. (Once the personal computer was invented.)

D&D, and its later incarnation AD&D has become a life time hobby. I have gamed in the same setting for Three Decades now. RPG gaming has brought valued friends, confidence, and yes, even love my way. So yes, I am fond of the game, and expect to be playing when they haul me away to bury.

In the process of playing the game I have created a large number of items for the game. I offer a selection of those creations for your persual here. A few races, fantasy religions for your clerics, and a class or two that has worked out in the long run.

Many of my documents are in Adobe PDF format. While proprietary formats are not my favorites, PDF allows me to more accurately present the documents as my own players see them. If you don't have the Acrobat Reader you can get it at Adobe Acrobat Reader

I also offer a few sites with answers for those people that might have problems with the idea of RPGs, or might be having problems with those that have problems with RPGs. Destroy the myths, check the facts.

"D&D", "Dungeons & Dragons", "AD&D", and "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" are of WotC. Some fantasy materiels posted here are derivative of the D&D and AD&D game. Original materiels are copyrighted © by the author or authors, and have not been sold to WotC or any one else. Permission is granted for private use only.

On Thud and Blunder This excellent essay by Poul Anderson is hosted on the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writer's Association web site. I strongly recommend a read of this essay by anyone that attempts to write fantasy or a fantasy RPG. It is a reality check and good one. Yes, even fantasy needs a grounding in reality. Read it, it will do you good.

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File links in bold type are HTML documents for easy reading on-line. File links in Italic type are in PDF format which lets me get things up here quicker. Many of my Files are in AD&D 1st/2nd Edition terminology. I am incorporating aspects of Third Edition after poking them well and seeing if they bite. (Hey an old D&D player has to do something with all those ten-foot poles in the closet.) Don't expect to see an overall conversion to Third Edition. I like a lot of the way I have been doing things, and "fixed" many of the difficulties in Second Edition in my own way long before WotC did.

Creatures

The creatures presented here represent a good deal of work and love on my part, please treat them gently.
With that request I also issue a warning. Fantasy creatures removed from their natural enviroment can prove to be dangrous, even deadly to the local ecology of another finely crafted fantasy world, so use them with extreme care for the flavor of your world and the balance thereof. What works for me might not work for you. So as much as I like my creations and like other people to like them too. Be careful what you use.

The Avians -- A bird-man type creature in five varieties. These creatures are prevlant in my game world as Non-player Characters and also seen as Player Characters. They are highly magical and fairly powerful creatures. Handle with extreme care.

The Centaur -- My take on the classic fantasy creature. I like Centaurs, and this will show it.
The Centaur My Monstrous Compendium Sheet in PDF format.

The Leoman -- A cat man creature, something warm and friendly. A creature that doesn't prefer human flesh, amazing that. This should fit into most games with little alteration. It is not powerful, just different. cultural and religious details included.

The Sauroi -- Royal Saurian, "Sauoi" as they call themsleves. A dragon-human cross. This creature is very powerful, and should be handled with extreme care. That is a warning label.

The Vampire -- A different view of the Vampire from the AD&D standard. Much less the cartoon monster, and more the cunning ancient being. Inspiration taken from Saberhagin, Rice, and Yarburrow.

Cultures

       I do not believe in the use of real religions in any RPG game. It is after all a game, and not real life in any form. I do not consider using real Faiths respectful to those beliefs.
       The "religions" presented here should never be considered an attempt to present a desirable creed, or any any way reflect on my personal creed. They are a framework upon which to hang a fantasy character. It should never be considered anything more.
       If you are stupid enough to look for the meaning of life in the ramblings of an old Dungeon Master (hopefully no one reading this fits that catagory) on your own head be it. Don't come crying to me when you mess up your life following "Ogg the Inscrutable". If you are looking for proof of satanic influnce in RPG games, do everyone a favor, get a life.
       Author's Note: The specific details of the gods, and the relationships of the sects are very much part of the in-gown development of my game and game world It would take a good sized volume to explain the entire thing in enough detail as to not entirely confuse you. Take it for granted that certain elements are just not going to make sense, and if you use it, alter what you must to make it work.

The Vala -- The gods of the First Children, also known as "Elves". This is likely the most important bit of myth on my game world.

The Orders of Abba Eecreeana -- Four orders with different proposes, one power. The Order of Abba; your basic goodly priest types. The Guardians of Aqulin; Support and logistics for a brotherhood of Paladins that are dedicated to tolerance and diversity. The Fellowship of Mycr; dedicated to the practice of free will. They also rescue unwilling sacrifices. The Protective Order of Magi; priest/magicians for the ethical use of magic, and protection of magicians.

The Centaur Gods -- The ethics and morals followed by the Centaurs of my World, and the powers that represent and back them.
Centaur Gods in PDF for those that prefer PDF format.

Coran the Oathkeeper -- Coran the Golden is also know as "The Oathkeeper". Various people seek him or his priests out to have oaths sworn that cannot be broken. This is his religious order dedicated to Oaths and Soldiers. Most non-centaurs that worship him do so through this order.

Hospitalers of the Rose -- As Coran has his separate order, so does his wife Suszan. This is a healing order that combines aspects of the cleric and healer classes in the same way that the The Protective Order of Magi does for cleric and magician.

The Sect of Sharla -- Sharla, god of the Leomans. This is presented as part of the Leoman culture. Can be used as a templet for a racial patron god, or small-scale single interest cult such as youth or a single trade.

The Church of Kirt -- The god of the Sauroi, Lord of life and death. Kirt is also a god supporting adventurers and a highly libertarian point of view, for a god.

The Disciplines -- An urban religion. A patron for a city of less than upright character. A sect for thieves and outcasts. Lastly a god for the changes of life, birth death and what falls between.

The Church of Creation [PDF fomat] -- The Three Brothers offer primal support to the creative in terms of love, healing, and spiritual sustenance. A general propose religion

The Church of Heaven [PDF format] -- How to get to Heaven by the powers that run the place. A good works, reward and punishment, old testament style religion. Good for those ernest Paladin types.

The Church of Mephistopheles The pleasant face of evil. The oh so reasoanble approach to getting exactly what you want, for a price, as it sees itself. What I said in the introduction goes double for this one. This is not a guide on how to worship the devil! This is a fantasy piece. You know, fantasy, as in not real. Every game needs evil to oppose, this is one of the milder types.

The Fellowship of Plenty -- A merchant's creed. Great for that ambitious, but ethical shopkeeper or caravan master. A capitalistic way to paradise.

The Church of Moreland The Institutional face of evil. A state religion designed to make servants of the people while claiming to be the servants of the people. Again presented as it sees itself. Read between the lines. What I said in the introduction goes double for this one. This is not a guide on how to worship the devil or anything else! This is a fantasy piece. You know, fantasy, as in not real. Every game needs evil to oppose, this is one of the stronger types.

The Way of the Sacred Self A Zen Gnostic religion that treats everyone as a god, yet worships no god. Something a little off center to offer your players, or to throw at them.

The Fantasy Religion Worksheet [2K] -- A guide and blank to aid in creating fantasy religions in the style I present them. Includes guildelines on questions to ask of your creation, and a worksheet and gildelines for creating orders of Paladin as well.

Leagion of the Damned: A group of immortal heroes from a late war against fell dark powers. They go about the land fighting any such they encounters. Not a religion, but something to encounter or even provide help.

The Evil Slayers' Guild: A slightly less than clueful bunch. It started as a party recruiting joke. When ever they were looking for help they would get some big shouldered, small brained guy that wanted to "SLAY EVIL!" Well I figure they had to come from some place.

Atlas of Law -- A compendium of the law codes of several of the principle Empires of Thindacarulle This is a PDF file.

"The Pilot" 2nd Edition, Air 3.15 -- A sample broadsheet newspaper from the City of Seahaven. Obviously not universally useful, but it might be interesting as an example of a player handout. Yes there is information that is of some importance to the Player Characters, but certainly not all of it. Most of the ads and about two thirds of the text are drawn from historical Victorian sources dates 1860 to 1880. I printed several copies. I was gratified by the way my players passed the papers back and forth digging into the contents. The file is an 11"x17" broadsheet in PDF format.

Classes

Any class presented here has gone through a good deal of testing and refining. Some will be entirely new classes, others are derivatives on the existing classes using the DMG's custom class rules. Each has proved it's value and usefulness in play.
In every case, the warning I gave with the creatures applies equally here. Be careful what you allow in your fantasy setting. The simple and innocuous seeming can have devastating effects on your game balance. Read each class completely, and consider well what you are introducing to your game.

The Craft - Users of earth magic, Hedge wizards and witches. Strengths lie in divination, alteration and charm. Unique spells.

The Healer - Physicians with a touch of magic. The traditional view of medicine as science mixed with magic. The functions of the Doctor and the Veterinary rolled into one profession. This version is for 1st/2ed AD&D

The Hoc Ta'lung - An order of monks with a peculiar viewpoint towards extra planer creatures.

Clerical Spells
So you are looking of my religions and say, "what is this spell?" Yes I have moved things around a bit., added some spells, and edited the entire lot to suit myself. Here are my standard clerical spells. When ever possible the old names are kept. The spells not alignment based were added from the 3.x game..

The Cleric Spells List
Zero Level Cleric Spells
First Level Cleric Spells
Second Level Cleric Spells
Third Level Cleric Spells
Fourth Level Cleric Spells
Fifth Level Cleric Spells
Sixth Level Cleric Spells
Seventh Level Cleric Spells
Cleric Spell Index

Magician Spells
One of the items that bothered me about D&D 3e was the arbitrary renaming of spells we have been using for 30 years. It's like the editors down at Lizards* didn't think it tasted right until they pissed in it. Well I didn't like the taste. I have a computer and I'm not afraid to use it. Ergo I didn't change the names except where it made sense to do so. This is my Magician spells by level with the names not changed, with a more 2ed flavor and d20 terminology.
Also included are the Spell List with random spell generation numbers and the Spell Index. A table I am mighty glad I made. All the files are in PDF format and when put together make a nice little book.

Magician's Spell List
Magician Zero Level Spells
Magician First Level Spells
Magician Second Level Spells
Magician Third Level Spells
Magician Fourth Level Spells
Magician Fifth Level Spells
Magician Sixth Level Spells
Magician Seventh Level Spells
Magician Eight Level Spells
Magician Ninth Level Spells
Magician Spell Index

Generic Character Record 4 -- The most recent version of the sheet that better reflects my current game. If you are playing with me, use this one. Other Character Record sheets customized for your class. Front and Back on separate PDFs so make sure to get the ones you need.

Front Cleric Front Craft Front Fighter

Front Healer Front Mage
Front Rogue

Front Toymaker Back Standard Back Psionic skills

Old Character Sheets -- Repository for sheets I no longer use.

System

As an old gamer that had his start in wargaming, I game by the principle that there is a better way, and I will find it. Therefor I am always looking for an improvement, a way to make my game better.
The system changes below represent those ideas that have stood the test of long game play, and have worked, and worked well. they also reflect my philosophy of RPG gaming; The less system, the better. You will not find tons of rules, but what I hope is the most transparent method for ingratiating the necessary system needed to run the game, without disrupting the flow of the role-playing.

Maps - In my long history with the D&D game I have created a great many maps, both wilderness and dungeon. Here is a slection for you enjoyment.

Greyhawke Campaign Player's Manual
Below are the chapters of the "MD&D 2.8 Edition Player's Manua". This is the latest effort for my game. This is a work in progress and each chapter will be posted as I finish it. Even "finished" chapters are a work in progress and subject to change. All files are PDF format. The PDFs are primarily for my players to download and print out. some colors that do not look good on the screen look good on paper.

Cover
Title Page
Table of Contents
The Physical World
Chapter One: Introduction and Cultures
Chapter Two: Ability Scores
Chapter Three: Player Character Races
Chapter Four:: Character Classes
Chapter Five: Character Skills
Chapter Six: Money & Equipment
Chapter Seven: Combat
Chapter Eight: Magic
Chapter Nine Psionic Abilities
Appendix A -- Other Races
Appendix B -- Other Classes

Greyhawke Campaign Dungeon Master's Guide
My personal DMG. I only work out the chapters I frequently find a use for, so this is by no means a complete work. It is primarily a reference for an old Dungeon Master that knows his stuff. You will find no how to hints in here. Sorry.
One note, I am somewhat different in how I handle experience. I award experience based on story only. To aid me in getting the amount of experience right for the level of the character I created this table. It is based in the Second Edition AD&D Experience tables plus the classes used in my game. I award experience base on the average level of the party and the percentage of an average level I think they have earned in that session. Usual awards are from 10% for a slow night to 40% for a major campaign changing event. This is the Experience page herein

DMG 1: Experience
DMG 2: Treasure & Magic
DMG-A1: Wand of Wonder Effects.
DMG-A2: Generating Books, and Rare books.
DMG-A3: Bag of Tricks Animals.

Historical Books
My MD&D 2.5 manual.