!

!2

!3

THE BASIC HACK

Written by Nathan J. Hill
Copyright 2016 Mystic Ages Publishing.
Based on and inspired by the Black Hack,
an OSR First Edition Hack developed by DAVID BLACK
Find information and support at
[Link]

!4

EQUIPMENT & SPELLS

NAME YOUR HERO
EXAMPLE HEROES
SPELLS
CLERIC SPELLS
WIZARD SPELLS
GROWING YOUR HERO
MORE HP
NEW SPELL
ATTRIBUTE INCREASE
MAGICAL ARMOR
MAGICAL ITEM
MAGICAL POTION
SPECIALS
HIRELINGS
CREATURES
TREASURE
CREATING MORE
MONSTERS
WHERE DO MONSTERS
LIVE?
THE BANDIT WIZARD
BACKGROUND
THE HEIST
THE HEROES
THE ADVENTURE
SCENE ONE: THE RUSE
GOES AWRY
SCENE TWO: BATTLE AT
DAREKS CASTLE
SCENE THREE: RIDE TO
JUSTICE
CONCLUSION

TABLE OF
CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
4
WHATS THIS?
6
WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY 6
LEARN THE RULES AS YOU
GO
6
GAMEMASTERS
6
WHATS DIFFERENT
7
IN SEARCH OF WYVERN 8
HOW TO PLAY
21
WHO ROLLS?
21
ROLLING A 1
21
ROLLING A 20
21
SAVES
22
ADVANTAGE
22
DISADVANTAGE
23
GETTING HURT
23
HEALING
24
REST
24
ENCOUNTERS
24
TAKING ACTION
25
COMBAT
26
FLEE
27
PARLAY
27
CREATING YOUR HERO 29
ROLL ATTRIBUTES
29
CHOOSE A CLASS
29
WARRIOR
29
CLERIC
30
WIZARD
30
THIEF
30
CHOOSE A RACE
30

!5

31
32
32
34
35
36
38
39
39
39
39
40
40
41
41
43
43
43
44
45
46
48
49
50
50
52
53
54

polyhedral dice (D12, D10,

D8, D6, and D4). You can
find dice at many gaming or
comic shops, or you can use
a free dice roller online.
Hero sheets from page
56.
Pencil and paper

WHATS THIS?
The Basic Hack is a
beginner-oriented fantasy
tabletop roleplaying game,
based on and inspired by the
Black Hack and classic
versions of one of the worlds
most popular fantasy games.
Primarily, its designed to be
played with people of all ages,
including children, whether
they are new or experienced
with roleplaying.

Friends

LEARN THE RULES

AS YOU GO
You can get started
learning how to play by going
through the solo adventure
starting in the next section.
Feel free to let new players,
even children, use the solo
adventure as a guide to learn
how to play.

At a later date, as you seek

more complexity, you can
easily upgrade your game
with additional rules and
resources from the Black
Hack. Read more here.

WHAT YOU NEED

TO PLAY

GAMEMASTERS
For the game to work the
best, one player gets to be the
GameMaster or GM. The GM
has the privilege of creating
the stories, monsters,
puzzles, and places the heroes
will encounter. Fantasy
adventure modules are widely

Heres a simple checklist

to help you get started.
Digital or print copy of
these rules
A set of dice with at
least two D20s and an
assortment of other

!6

available and easily used with

the Basic Hack. Youll find
more resources in the book to
help you get started. An
introductory adventure, The
Bandit Wizard, can kickstart
further adventures and fun.

WHATS
DIFFERENT
If you have played the
Black Hack or other OSR
fantasy games, you may be
curious how the Basic Hack is
dierent.
First, its heavily
streamlined to be easy
enough for people of all ages,
including children, to play.
Second, there are no levels
whatsoever. Heroes can
advance in strength and
power - but they do so
collaboratively as the story
unfolds, where hero growth is
rooted in what happens in the
ongoing story and fun.

!7

IN SEARCH OF
WYVERN

Adventures begin with a

story, a quest, a mission, or a
mystery to be solved.

The following pages

contain a solo adventure that
help you get up to speed on
how to play the Basic Hack.
Youll need a 20-sided die
(D2), an 8-sided die (D8), a
6-sided die (D6), and a 4sided die (D4) to get started.

In preparation for your

journey, you run into your
room to get what you need.
Who knows what trouble
Wyvern got himself into? Its
best to be prepared.
Lets learn more about
your hero. Most of the time
when you create a hero, you
will roll some dice to figure
out your heros strengths and
weaknesses and make choices
like selecting a class, which
defines some of the cool
things your hero can do. For
this solo adventure, well do
things a bit dierently. Grab a
piece of paper (or a character
sheet) and write down the
information below.

Last night was a terrible

night in your village. Just as
you and your family bedded
down for a peaceful rest, a
ferocious storm ripped through
your community. You huddled
together, praying for the storm
to pass quickly. In the morning,
your fears were confirmed trees toppled over, debris
strewn about, many homes
with leaking roofs and broken
windows. On top of all of that,
your puppy, Wyvern, has gone
missing. You decide you must
go find the little scamp. You
hope he is safe.

Your hero is a warrior,

which means they are really
good at swinging swords and
axes at evil creatures. They
have the following stats or
attributes, which tell you that

!8

the hero is particularly strong

and kind of average
everywhere else.

finding secret doors. Well

explain this later.
Once youve copied down
this information, its a good
idea to to give your hero a
name too.

Strength: 14, Dexterity: 10,

Constitution: 11, Intelligence: 9,
Wisdom: 8, Charisma: 10

Lets continue.

Your warrior has 10 hit

points, which represent how
dicult it is for a monster to
knock your hero out of play,
and starts play with a battle
axe for a weapon.

With your trusty battle axe

in hand, you leave behind your
devastated village and begin to
explore the surrounding woods.
You call out for your puppy.
There is no response. You are
just about to give up when you
notice an old, strange cave near
a canyon wall. The entrance to
the cave is muddy. In the mud,
you can make out what look
like tracks leading into the
darkness. What would you like
to do?

Second, choose your heros

race. You can read more about
human, elves, and dwarves on
page 30, but its most
important to note that each
race grants your hero a little
bonus and makes them
special.
If you choose human, you
get to raise one of your heros
attributes by +1.

In roleplaying games like

the Basic Hack, your
imagination and creativity are
the only limit to what you
might do next. The
GameMaster (or GM) might
give you ideas or hints, but

If you choose elf, your hero

can see well even in the
darkness. You can write this
down as darkvision.
If you choose dwarf, your
hero gets advantage when

!9

you have the freedom to

approach problems and
mysteries however you would
like. Since this is a solo
adventure, well give you a
few options. Choose one and
follow the instructions.

Since you are investigating

the tracks in the mud, pull
out your D20 and roll.
Compare it to your
Intelligence score.
If you rolled equal to or
less than your heros
Intelligence, go to #3.

If you want to examine the

footprints more closely, go to
#1.

If you rolled higher than

your heros Intelligence, you
dont notice anything special,
just tracks of what could be
animals or other creatures.
You proceed into the cave. Go
to #10.

If you want to march right

into the cave, go to #10.
If you want to run home in
terror, go to #14.

#1

#2

The Basic Hack uses a

simple mechanic to figure out
what your hero learns when
they investigate mysterious
things, try to dodge attacks
from nasty trolls, persuade an
innkeeper to give you a room,
or cast magical spells at
stinky goblins. Figure out
which attribute most matches
the action, and roll a D20. If
your roll is equal to or less
than your attribute, your hero
succeeds.

You can make out the shape

of the goblin down the left
corridor. You chase after him
but come to a stop just as he
slams a big iron door shut at
the end of the hallway.
Go to #7.

#3
As you study the mud, you
notice the comings and goings
!10

If you would like to search

the pile of furs in the corner,
go to #15.

of several creatures, some who

might be humanoid. More
importantly, you notice paw
prints among the tracks. Could
it be Wyvern?

If you would like to go

further into the cave, ignoring
these curiosities, go to #20.

You found an important

clue. Searching rooms,
interrogating monsters, and
listening are ways to make
sure your hero is on the right
track. Proceed into the cave
by going to #10.

#5
Stepping closer to examine
the strange bundle of furs, you
are nearly taken by surprise as
the furs turn out to be attached
to someone - a nasty, yellowtoothed goblin waving a rusty
dagger! The creature must have
been lying in wait to surprise
you (or some other unfortunate
creature), but your quick
reflexes mean the goblins
dagger misses. Without the
bonus of surprise, the goblin
hisses, turns, and sprints down
the hallway deeper into the
cavern before you can react.

#4
You get closer to the cage,
and it doesnt take a really
smart adventurer to figure out
that it is a crude trap meant to
lure in a hungry creature. The
meat smells horrid. Deciding it
is better not to touch it, in case
it is trapped, you step away.
Sometimes, traps are
dangerous, and you will need
to disarm them.

If you want to give chase,

go to #9.

!11

If you let the goblin go and

proceed more carefully down
the hallway, go to #21.

your shadow dance on the stone

walls of the tunnel.
Dead ends are often never
dead ends. A good adventurer
always tries to search for
ways to move forward.
Searching for secret doors or
traps can reveal treasure or
helpful information.

#6
Maybe your mind plays
tricks on you, but you have a
gut feeling that the goblin went
right.

Roll a D20 and compare it

to your Wisdom.

Sometimes, things will not

go as planned for your hero,
but in a roleplaying game,
this doesnt mean the story
comes to an end. Getting
things wrong can lead to
more interesting and
compelling stories.

Remember if your hero is a

dwarf, they get Advantage, so
roll two D20s and keep the
lowest.
If your roll is equal to or
less than your heros
Wisdom, go to #11.

Go to #12.

If your roll is higher than

your heros Wisdom, go to
#22.

#7
You have reached the end of
the left branch of the hallway.
A large iron door looms before
you. However, you see no door
handle, keyhole, or way of
opening the door. A flickering
torch on the wall seems to make

#8
The goblin may be faster,
but you arent too slow
yourself. You burst into a sprint
after the nasty little creature,
following him down a smooth,
!12

If you roll is higher than

your heros Dexterity, you
unfortunately lose the goblin.
Proceed down the hallway. Go
to #21.

sloping hallway deeper

underground. You suddenly
come upon a fork, realizing
that you need to make a quick
decision. Which way did the
goblin go?

#10

Make a Wisdom check this

time. If your hero is an elf,
you get Advantage since elves
can see in the dark. An
Advantage means that you get
to roll two D20s and keep the
lower roll.

You enter a humid, trash

strewn cave. A single torch set
in the wall in the far corner
flickers over a pile of dirty furs.
You notice a single exit at the
far end of the room, leading
further into the cavern. In the
middle of the room, you see
something unusual - a rusty
cage with its door swung open.
Inside of the cage, a piece of
rotten meat dangles from a
string. What is this place?

If your roll is equal to or

less than your heros
Wisdom, go to #2.
If you roll is higher than
your heros Wisdom, go to
#6.

#9

If you would like to

investigate the cage and meat,
go to #4.

Chasing a goblin requires

another roll. Once again, roll
a D20 and compare it to your
Dexterity.

If you would like to search

the pile of furs in the corner,
go to #15.

If your roll is equal to or

less than your heros
Dexterity, go to #8.

!13

If you would like to go

further into the cave, ignoring
these curiosities, go to #20.

room reflects this scene in all of

its beauty. You feel a sense of
deep serenity here. A faint
glimmer from the pool catches
your eye.

#11
Your sharp eyes and clever
hands pour over the surface of
the door, the floor, the seams,
and even the torch. Finally, you
feel a sense of satisfaction - a
nearly invisible button on the
far wall. You take a deep breath
and press it. The iron door
swings open with a whoosh.

Do you want to investigate

the glimmer? If so, go to #16.
If you want quietly return
back to the fork and try the
left path, go to #7.

#13
Trusting your innate
reflexes, you duck forward just
as a nasty, yellow-toothed
goblin takes a vicious swing at
you with a rusty dagger. You
feel the blade whisk by your
chin. That was close, too close.
The goblin howls and sprints
away down the left branch of
the tunnel.

Go to #17.

#12
The pathway continues to
slope downward into the
darkness until you step into a
large cavern space. A dim light
from glowing moss sets an
unreal but beautiful scene.
There are stalagmites and
stalactites here, forming a rock
forest. A still, clear pool of
water in the middle of the large

If you want to chase after

the goblin, go to #2.
If you would rather explore
the right branch of the
tunnel, go to #12.

!14

will roll a Save to see if your

hero escapes harm.

#14

Roll a D20 and compare it

to your Dexterity.

The cave terrifies you.

Maybe its the smell or the
darkness or the symbolism as it
represents a hole into the
unknown. You run screaming
back to your village, giving up
on a life of adventuring,
content to whittle away your
years collecting firewood for
your people.

If you roll equal to or less

than your Dexterity, go to #5.
If you roll more than
Dexterity go to #18.

#16
You peer into the pool and
notice a vial filled with a purple
liquid within arms reach. You
feel gently compelled to take the
potion.

Yes, in a roleplaying game,

you can even do bizarre,
nonsensical actions that make
everyone laugh. But of course,
being a hero is about facing
danger and the unknown.
Why dont you go back to
page 10 and choose another
option?

Congratulations! Youve
found your first magical item.
The vial is a potion of healing.
If you are hurt, you can drink
it to restore D8 points of
health. You can use it now if
you are wounded or choose to
use it at a later time.

#15
Get ready to roll again, this
time doing what is called a
save. When your hero is
attacked, poisoned, or the
target of a magical spell, you

Once finished, go back

down the tunnel and to the
left branch. Read entry #7.

!15

No matter how creative

you are, sometimes you will
be forced to confront great
evil in your hopes to make the
world a better place. In the
Basic Hack, this is combat,
and the rules slow down just
a bit to make sure everything
stays organized. When you
are with other players, you
will each take turns attacking
enemies, casting spells,
helping each other, or doing
other creative things to turn
the tide of battle. Since this is
a solo adventure, lets keep it
simple.

#17
Beyond the iron door, you
find a large rectangular room
and are overwhelmed by
strange smells and sound. The
left half of the room has
collapsed, maybe from some
ancient explosion or rockslide.
The right side of the room is
clearly occupied. Tables covered
with pots and pans surround a
crude brick oven. At the back,
along the far wall, rusty cages
are stacked upon each other,
and inside, you see all manner
of creatures - chickens, wild
rabbits, cats, lizards, snakes,
frogs, and squirrels. Amongst
them, there is Wyvern, your
pesky puppy who started this
whole mess. It hits you then - as
a rotund, greasy goblin
approaches you with a meat
cleaver, accompanied by that
nasty goblin you met earlier they plan to eat Wyvern! You
cant let that happen.

The Goblin Cook has 6 hit

points and a meat cleaver as a
weapon (D6).
The Goblin Guard has 3
hit points and a rusty dagger
as a weapon (D4).
You get to go first. You can
swing your battle axe at one
of the goblins. Choose one to
try to hit. Since you are a
warrior, you get Advantage
when attacking, so roll two
D20s and compare the lower

!16

result to your Strength. If you

succeed, roll your weapons
damage which is D8. If you
fail, the goblin cackles and
dodges out of the way.

creatures to make delicious,

delightful stews.
If your hero takes too
much damage and their HP
drops to 0, unless you found a
potion of healing, try the
battle again. If you wish to
use the potion, your hero
drinks it and regains D8 hit
points.

After you have attacked,

its the goblins turn. Roll a
D20 for each goblin and
compare your result to your
Dexterity. If your roll is lower
than your heros Dexterity
score, you dodge an attack. If
your roll is higher than your
heros Dexterity score, you
are hit! Take damage - D6
from the Goblin Cook or D4
from the Goblin Guard.

Go to #23 to see how this

adventure ends.

#18
Before you know what is
happening, the piles of fur
move! Its a nasty, yellowtoothed goblin, lying in wait
for a fool such as yourself. The
creature leaps to its feet and
lashes out with its dagger. You
are too slow to react and feel
the rusty blade strike at your
chest. The monster howls in
laughter and sprints down the
hallway in triumph.

Continue taking turns

until one of the goblins has
no more hit points, or you
have no more hit points.
Once either goblin is out
of the action, incapacitated,
or dead, the fight ends. The
other goblin surrenders in
fear. Your hero may let them
go or place them in one of
their own cages. If you
interrogate the goblin, it
confesses to capturing

Your hero loses 2 hit

points from the attack.

!17

Hit points are an abstract

way to measure how much
pain and abuse your hero can
take before he collapses. Once
their hit points reach zero,
your hero is out of the action.
Again, this doesnt mean your
heros story is over, but
things have gotten pretty
tough. A character who is
out of the action cant act
and is at the mercy of its
captors or companions until
she can be healed.

#18. Once you are finished,

return to this entry because
your hero has a choice to
make.
If you want to follow the
goblin, seeking revenge, go to
#7.
If you want to explore the
right fork in the cave, go to
#12.

#20
The cave gets darker as you
go down a sloping hallway. The
air is cool. You wonder who
built these old tunnels. Finally,
you come to a fork in the path.
You can go right or left. As you
ponder which way to go, you
sense a dangerous presence
behind you!

To chase the goblin further

into the cave to get revenge,
go to #8.

#19
The goblins dagger pierces
your back. You grunt in pain.
Before you can react, the goblin
cackles in laughter and runs
down the left branch of the
hallway.

You will need to make

another roll, comparing your
Dexterity attribute. Because
your enemy snuck up on you,
catching you o guard, you
suer a Disadvantage on this
roll. You will need to roll two

Your hero loses 2 hit

points. If you want to learn
more about hit points, you
have permission to read entry

!18

D20s and keep the higher of

the two rolls.

Maybe you missed a clue? In

frustration, you bang on the
door as loudly as you can.
Something howls in laughter
on the other side of the door,
but this has given you an idea.
What if you kept pounding on
the door? Could you break it?

If your roll is equal to

lower than your heros
Dexterity, go to #13.
If your roll is higher than
your heros Dexterity, go to
#19.

#21

Often, there are many

solutions to a problem. If
something doesnt work, try
again.

The cave gets darker as you

go down a sloping hallway. The
air is cool. You wonder who
built these old tunnels. Finally,
you come to a fork in the path.
You can go right or left.

If you want to bash the

door down, make a Strength
check.
If you roll less than or
equal to your heros Strength,
the door gives way. Go to #17.

If you would like to go left,

go to #7.

If you roll higher than your

Strength, try again. Keep
rolling until your hero
succeeds.

If you would like to

explore the right branch, go
to #12.

#22

#23

Your search yields no fruit.

There appears to be no way to
open the door from the outside.
Perhaps the goblin used magic?

With the goblins defeated,

you set about to free the
animals. This takes longer than
you anticipated, but with each
!19

What mischief will Wyvern

get you caught up in next?

cage opened, you feel a burden

being lifted. Last but not least,
you release Wyvern, who licks
your face in joy. You poke
through the rest of the room
and find little of interest until
you spot a pouch underneath
one of the goblins bedrolls.
Inside, a shiny emerald and 10
gold coins shine in the
torchlight. You are now ready
to return home, having saved
your dog and rid your village of
a lurking danger.

This is the fun of a

roleplaying game - the story
continues as long as you
would like.
Continue reading this
book to learn how to create
more heroes and start new
adventures with your friends.

If you did not find the

potion of healing, Wyvern
barks up a storm and leads
your hero down that branch
of the cavern too. See #12.
Like any good story, there
is more to be told.
Were the goblins alone?
What other secrets lurk in
that old cavern?
What is special about the
pool of water where your hero
found the potion of healing?

!20

rolls to see if the hero

succeeds. When a hero is
attacked by some slobbering
mountain of ooze, only the
player rolls to see if his hero
was able to avoid being
swallowed up by acidic slime.

HOW TO PLAY
When a hero tries to do
something heroic, like swing
a sword at a goblin, open a
heavy door, find a secret, cast
a spell, jump out of the way
of a fireball, or convince some
angry goblins to run away, the
player rolls a D20 (20-sided
die). If the roll is equal to or
less than the relevant
attribute, the action succeeds.
If the roll is higher than the
relevant attribute, the action
fails.

The GM still rolls for other

things - like damage inflicted
upon heroes by those evil
monsters.

ROLLING A 1

Tests or checks always

begin with a player describing
what it is that your hero will
do, usually something heroic
and daring. Then after you
roll your dice, the GM
describes what happens next.

Whenever you roll a 1 on

your D20, your heros action
succeeds in an incredible
fashion, no matter how
dicult. In combat, your hero
gets to double their damage
against a monster. Outside of
combat, rolling a 1 means you
get advantage on your next
action. You might choose to
describe this in fantastic,
imaginative terms.

WHO ROLLS?

ROLLING A 20

The Basic Hack calls these

rolls tests or checks.

Whenever you roll a 20 on

your D20, your heros action
fails miserably. Your hero will
also have disadvantage on

Players are the only ones

who roll a D20. When a hero
attacks a monster, the player

!21

their next action, in combat

or not. The GM will usually
describe the embarrassing
results of your heros bad
luck when this happens.

STR

SAVES

DEX

SAVES
Physical Harm that cannot be
dodged.

When any spell, trap, or

eect can impact a hero, the
player rolls an attribute test
to dodge, absorb, or resist the
impact of the action.

Physical Harm that can be

dodged.
CON
Poison, Disease or Death.

A failure might mean the

hero takes damage, loses
clout, or gets turned into a
toad.

INT
Resisting Spells and Magic.
WIS

A success means the hero

isnt bothered by the action or
eect.

Deception and Illusions.

CHA

See the chart above to get

an idea of how each attribute
can be used in a Save
situation.

Charming eects.

D20s and keeps the lower

result.
Every class has one action
or situation that they always
get Advantage for.

ADVANTAGE
When a hero has
Advantage on an action, the
odds are especially in their
favor. The player rolls two

Some spells or magical

eects will also give
Advantage to a hero.

!22

A GM may also award

Advantage for a heroic, clever,
or imaginative action.

Player vs. Player

Occasionally, a hero
might need to subdue,
attack, or cast an oensive
spell against another hero.
These are opposed rolls,
and they resolve just as
normal checks or saves,
except both heroes get to
roll. The lower roll that is a
success determines how the
action plays out. A tie
always defers to the
defensive hero.

DISADVANTAGE
When a hero has
disadvantage on an action,
the odds are against them.
The player rolls two D20s and
keeps the higher result.
Some spells or magical
eects will give Disadvantage
to a hero.
GMs may also give
Disadvantage when things are
not going well for your hero,
or you propose an action that
is particularly foolhardy.

For example, if a wizard

attempts to cast sleep on a
warrior in order to drag him
out of a dungeon, the
wizard rolls to cast the spell
as normal, a check against
Intelligence, and the warrior
rolls a save against the
spell, a check against his
Intelligence. Both succeed,
but the wizard rolled a 2
and the warrior an 8. The
warrior falls fast asleep.

If your hero has both

Advantage and Disadvantage
on a roll, they cancel
themselves out. Roll one D20.
No matter how much
Advantage or Disadvantage
you have, you only ever roll a
maximum of two D20s.

GETTING HURT
If your hero fails to dodge
an attack or gets stuck under

a giant boulder, they will take

damage. The GM will roll a

!23

die and tell you how much to

subtract from your heros hit
points. Once your heros hit
points drop to zero, your hero
is out of the action. He is
unconscious, asleep, and
barely hanging on. Typically,
heroes do not die but can be
rescued by their friends. If a
friend spends an action
rescuing your hero, he gains
1 hit point and wakes up.
Sometimes, your hero wont
have anyone to help and will
be captured. The story will
continue either way.

If the party decides to stay

vigilant and keep watch to
prevent monsters from
sneaking upon them, they
only gain half their hit points
back, but wizards and clerics
still are able to cast their full
number of spells the next day.
If there is danger in the
area, like wandering
monsters, adventurers cannot
rest. If they do and the
monsters find the weary
party, their sleep is
interrupted! They receive
none of the benefits of their
attempt to rest.

HEALING

ENCOUNTERS

Characters can replenish

Hit Points from Spells,
Potions, and Rest.

Every Basic Hack game

runs as a series of encounters.
Encounters may include
combat, spell casting, puzzle
solving, exploration,
conversation, resting, or
anything else you think of.

REST
A rest is a time for the
whole adventuring party to
camp and sleep in safety.
Wizards and clerics are
refreshed enough to be able
to cast their full number of
spells. All Hit Points are
restored.

An encounter typically
begins when a group of
heroes (often called a party)
explores a room in a
dungeon, meets a group of

!24

allies or monsters, travels to a

strange city, interacts with
characters played by the GM,
or searches for clues in old
ruins. Again, its really up to
what the players imagine.
An encounter typically has
four ways to be resolved.

their journey. Believe it or

not, not all monsters are
interested in a fight. Some
may oer valuable
information if they are let go,
while others may want to
figure out if the heroes are a
danger to them.

Heroes can choose to take

some creative action,
especially if there is no
apparent danger. Maybe they
will cast a spell, look for
secrets, try to figure out a
puzzle, or barter for goods.

TAKING ACTION

At the beginning of an
encounter, the players get to
decide what kind of action
their heroes will take in each
encounter.

During an encounter, each

player should take a turn,
describing what their hero is
doing. As needed, the GM
will ask them to make rolls to
see if their actions succeed.
Outside of combat, order isnt
greatly important. Every
player should get an
opportunity to have their
hero act.

Heroes can engage in

combat, especially when they
encounter monsters in a
dungeon or old ruin.
Sometimes, they wont have a
choice, since the monsters
will attack first!
Heroes can flee or leave
the encounter. If they are face
to face with a pack of
ravenous goblins, this may be
a tough task.

The encounter ends when

the heroes advance to the
next room, situation, or
battle, by solving puzzles,
obtaining what they needed,

Heroes can also try to talk

to a group of monsters or
other strangers they meet in

!25

or learning all they can. Some

encounters are meant to be
returned to when more clues
are discovered. The GM will
call for appropriate attribute
checks as the heroes try to get
whatever it is they need from
the encounter.

the hero with the highest

Dexterity. Repeat this until
combat has been resolved.
There are a few special
actions in combat:

All heroes and monsters

have a range. Far means
the creature is way o in
the distance, too far to be
attacked (except for some
spells). Near means the
monster or hero is close
enough to attack via any
ranged weapons like bows
and slings but not hand-tohand weapons. Close
means the creature can be
attacked by hand-to-hand
weapons like swords and
axes but not ranged
weapons. You can use these
simple terms to imagine
where the heroes and their
enemies are in the midst of
a battle.

COMBAT
When heroes come upon
hostile creatures in an
encounter, combat begins.
The GM will determine
initiative, basically the order
of who goes first to last in the
encounter. Each hero gets one
action to attack, maneuver,
flee, or do something else.
The GM will typically have
the heroes take actions in
order of their Dexterity,
highest to lowest. Monsters
always attack last. Remember
that the heroes must roll to dodge.
The GM does not roll for the
monsters to attack. After
everyone has taken their turn,
unless the monsters have
been defeated, start the round
over again, beginning with

A hero may spend their

action maneuvering.
Maneuvering means that
hero tries to get closer to
or away from a monster.

!26

They do not need to roll. A

hero can maneuver so that
a monster is no longer far
but near, for instance.

and defending, making it

more challenging to defeat
the creature. For example,
an ogre might have a
Challenge score of +3,
which is added to the D20
roll. When Kahn attacks
the ogre, his player rolls
and gets a modified roll of
14, 11+3.

If the hero successfully

attacks, rolling under their

relevant attribute, they deal
damage to their enemy.
Roll a die for the weapon
used. The GM will subtract
it from the monsters hit
points.

FLEE
Sometimes, the heroes
may come upon an encounter
that they are ill-prepared for.
Imagine poking your head
behind a door to find a
sleeping dragon! In these
cases, the heroes will try to
quickly get away. Each hero
must make a Dexterity check
to see if they can get away. A
failure means the heroes may
be forced to confront the
monsters, wake a sleeping
creature, or be embarrassed.

If a player making an

attack rolls a 1, they double

the result of the damage
dice they roll. If they roll a
20 when avoiding an
attack, they take double
damage.

Heroes can cast spells in

combat. Wizards must
make an Intelligence test to
succeed. Clerics must make
a Wisdom test to succeed.
Some monsters are

more dicult. They have a

Challenge score, usually
rated with a plus sign.
Players will add this to
their roll when attacking

PARLAY
If the monsters dont seem
ready to attack or the
encounter involves peaceful

!27

villagers, the heroes may

choose to talk with them.
Again, much information can
be gleaned, even from hostile
creatures, when heroes test
their persuasiveness and
kindness. The GM will call for
Charisma checks as needed to
see if the heroes learn
something useful and helpful
- or make new friends.
If the GM chooses, they
may roll on the reaction chart
to see how the monsters or
strangers react when they
meet the heroes.

!28

Roll

Reaction

Flee then roll again.

Avoid the PCs

entirely.

Trade with PCs.

Give the PCs aid.

Mistake the PCs for

friends.

Trick the PCs (roll

again).

Call for
Reinforcements.

Capture/Kill/Eat the
PCs.

rolled, the next must be

rolled with 2D6+2, then
continue with 3D6 until you
are finished or another 15+ is
rolled. You may arrange the
results as you would like to fit
the kind of hero you wish to
play.

CREATING
YOUR HERO
1. Roll attributes.
2. Choose class.
3. Choose race.
4. Equipment & Spells
5. Name your hero.

CHOOSE A CLASS

ROLL ATTRIBUTES

nimble your hero is

There are 4 classes from

which a hero may choose.
Warrior, Cleric, Wizard, Thief
- your class determines your
Hit Points and what your
hero is really good at doing.
The main attribute for each
class is recommended to place
your highest die roll.

How sturdy your hero is

WARRIOR

Attributes define your hero

physically and mentally.
The six attributes are:

- Strength (STR) - How

strong your hero is

- Dexterity (DEX) - How

- Constitution (CON) - Intelligence (INT) - How

Hit Points: 10

smart your hero is

Main Attribute: Strength

- Wisdom (WIS) - How

A Warrior fights evil

monsters in hand-to-hand
combat and is never afraid to
help someone in trouble. A
warrior always has advantage
when swinging a sword, axe,
or other weapon at a villain or
monster.

perceptive your hero is

- Charisma (CHA) - How

persuasive your hero is

Generate your attributes

by rolling 3D6 a total of six
times. If a stat of 15+ is

!29

Starting Equipment:
Chainmail, Battle Axe, &
Explorers Pack

magical spells against evil

creatures.

CLERIC

Cloak, Sta, and

Explorers Pack

Starting Equipment:

Hit Points: 8

Starting Spells: Magic

Missile & Sleep

Main Attribute: Wisdom

A Cleric heals wounded
friends and is kind and
compassionate to those in
need. A cleric always has
advantage when healing
others with magical spells or
potions.

THIEF
Hit Points: 8
Main Attribute: Dexterity
A Thief sneaks around and
steals secrets and treasures
from monsters and gives it to
those who need it more. A
thief always has advantage
when trying to sneak, disarm
traps, and open locked things
(like doors, chests, etc).

Starting Equipment:
Chainmail, Mace, &
Explorers Pack
Starting Spells: Cure Light
Wounds & Detect Evil

Starting Equipment:

WIZARD

Leather, Bow & Arrows

(10), Dagger, and Explorers
Pack

Hit Points: 6
Main Attribute:
Intelligence

CHOOSE A RACE

A Wizard casts magical

spells that batter foul
monsters and help their
friends. A wizard always has
advantage when casting

Select one of three races

for your hero below.
Humans are influential,
hard-working, and flexible
and love to explore the world

!30

and make their land a better

place. Humans can raise one
attribute of choice by 1 point.

and armor. You can find out

how much damage the
weapon deals in the charts on
the next page. If you would
like, you may switch it out for
a weapon of equal or lesser
value.

Elves are tall, elegant

creatures with pointy ears
who are often mysterious and
reclusive but go on
adventures to save the world
from great evil. They get
angry when the natural world
is poisoned by wicked
creatures. Elves have
advantage when seeing in
darkness.

Your heros armor adds

points to their Hit Points,
making it a little harder for
evil monsters to knock your
hero out of play. Roll the
Armor Points die (if there is
one) for your heros armor
and write the result in the AP
box on your sheet. You will
add it to your heros Hit
Points for their starting
number.

Dwarves are short, stout

creatures who are stubborn
and suspicious but always
loyal to their friends. They
grow very angry when
monsters overrun the world
and steal treasure from kind
people. Dwarves have
advantage when searching for
secret things.

Every hero begins with 10

gold coins. Gold is the
standard currency in most
fantasy settings. If the hero
would like, they may buy
some supplies.

EQUIPMENT &
SPELLS

Heroes will find more gold,

jewels, and even magical
items in their quests and
adventures. Youll want to

Each class provides the

heroes with a few starting
items, including a weapon

!31

keep track of such finds on

your hero sheet.

Cha: 9. HP: 14 (6 AP).

Equipment: Chainmail, Mace,
Shield, & Explorers Pack.
Spells: Cure Light Wounds &
Detect Evil.

NAME YOUR HERO

Every hero deserves a
brilliant, iconic name. Come
up with one now.

Dregbedge (Dwarf Warrior) Str:

16, Dex: 10, Con: 10, Int: 9,
Wis: 10, Cha: 9. HP: 16 (6 AP).
Equipment: Chainmail, Battle
Axe, & Explorers Pack. Special:
Searching for secrets.

Some players love to draw

or doodle a picture of a hero,
their tattoo, or their weapon
of choice. You may also write
a brief and compelling
background story for your
hero.

Ayanna Redthorn (Elf Cleric)

Str: 12, Dex: 8, Con: 7, Int: 10,
Wis: 15, Cha: 11. HP: 12 (4 AP).
Equipment: Chainmail, Mace,
Shield, & Explorers Pack.
Spells: Cure Light Wounds &
Detect Evil. Special: Seeing in
the dark.

EXAMPLE HEROES
Kahn (Human Warrior) Str: 15,
Dex: 11, Con: 10, Int: 9, Wis: 10,
Cha: 8. HP: 15 (5 AP).
Equipment: Chainmail,
Longsword, & Explorers Pack.

Virick Rosewood (Elf Wizard)

Str: 7, Dex: 8, Con: 11, Int: 16,
Wis: 11, Cha: 13. HP: 7 (1 AP).
Equipment: Cloak, Staff, &
Explorers Pack. Spells: Magic
Missile & Sleep. Special:
Seeing in the dark.

Jade (Human Wizard) Str: 7,

Dex: 10, Con: 8, Int: 16, Wis: 11,
Cha: 12. HP: 7 (1 AP).
Equipment: Cloak, Staff, &
Explorers Pack. Spells: Magic
Missile & Sleep.

Vixorga (Dwarf Rogue) Str: 9,

Dex: 17, Con: 6, Int: 10, Wis: 10,
Cha: 14. HP: 10 (2 AP).

Tissela (Human Cleric) Str: 10,

Dex: 11, Con: 9, Int: 8, Wis: 17,

!32

Adventuring Gear

Description

Price (GP)

Explorers Pack

Torches (6), rations (7),

bedroll, backpack, flint &
steel, flasks of water

15

Holy Water

D6 damage against undead

25

Lantern

Pole (10 ft.)

Rations (7)

7 days worth

Rope (50 ft.)

Thieves Tools

7
1

Useful for picking locks

25

Shovel

Torches (6)

Equipment: Leather Armor, Bow

& Arrows (10), Dagger, &
Explorers Pack. Special:
Searching for secrets.

!33

Weapons

Damage

Range

Price (GP)

Battle Axe

D8

Close

15

Bow & Arrows (10)

D6

Far

15

Club

D6

Close

Crossbow & Bolts (10)

D8

Far

15

Dagger

D4

Close

Dagger (Thrown)

D4

Nearby

Longsword

D8

Close

15

Mace

D6

Close

10

Shortsword

D6

Close

10

Sling

D4

Nearby

Spear

D6

Close

Spear (Thrown)

D6

Nearby

Sta

D4

Close

10

Two-handed Sword

D10

Close

50

Armor

AP

Price (GP)

Leather Armor

D4

25

Chainmail

D8

50

Plate Mail

D12

100

Shield

D4

25

Cloak

10

!34

SPELLS

Cure Light Wounds: Heal 1D8

HP to a nearby target.

Magic, be it arcane or
divine, is the force that makes
fantasy adventuring so much
fun. Spells blast villains and
unlock the natural boundaries
of the world. Magical items
grant heroes incredible boons.
The miraculous becomes the
daily realm of heroes.

Cure Poison: Remove poison

from a nearby target.
Cure Serious Wounds: Heal
2D8 HP to a nearby target.
Daylight: A nearby area is
illuminated by sunlight for 1
hour.
Detect Evil: Everything nearby
that is evil glows for 10 minutes.

There are no limits to how

many spells a wizard or cleric
can cast each day, but they
can only cast spells that they
know. Each spell requires the
appropriate check.

Find Traps: Notice all nearby

traps for 10 minutes.
Freeze: Your holy power freezes
one monster for 10 minutes,
even in combat.

CLERIC SPELLS

Light: Create dim light from a

nearby spot or object for 1 hour.

To cast a spell, your cleric

must roll equal to or lower
than her Wisdom score.

Locate Object: Sense direction

of a known object for 1 minute.

Bless: The cleric and all of her

friends gain a bonus of +1 to all
attributes for the duration of one
combat.

Raise Dead: Return a nearby

willing target to life, whos died
within the last 7 days.
Silence: Magical silence covers
a nearby target, preventing them
from speaking or casting spells
for 10 minutes.

Control Weather: Control the

nearby weather to all extremes
for 10 minutes.

!35

Speak With Animals: Can

understand and talk with animals
for 1 hour.

Fireball: A target is hit with fire

3D6 damage.
Identify: The wizard can identify
a single magical item or potion
after casting this spell.

Speak With Dead: Ask a nearby

corpse 3 questions.
Water Walking: The caster or a
target can walk on water as if it
were dry ground for one hour.

Invisibility: Caster or nearby

target is made invisible until it
attacks, one hour passes, or
magic is dispelled.

WIZARD SPELLS

Knock: A door or lock is

opened.

To cast a spell, your wizard

must roll equal to or lower
than her Intelligence score.

Light: Create dim light from a

nearby spot or object for 1 hour.

Charm Person: Caster gains

advantage on all Charisma rolls
against target for one hour.

Lightning Bolt: Attack a target

with electricity for 2D6 damage.
Magic Missile: Attack a target
for D6 damage.

Detect Magic: Everything

nearby that is magic glows for
10 minutes.

Shield: Protects one nearby

target (or caster) with magical
armor that reduces damage by 2.

Disguise: Caster or target has a

magical disguise that makes
them look like someone else for
one hour.

Sleep: Puts nearby target to

immediate sleep.
Stone to Flesh: Turns a nearby
target into stone (or vice versa).

Dispel Magic: Removes a

magical spell from working on a
target or object.

Teleport: Transports caster or

target to an inaccessible location
(like across a chasm, out of a

!36

jail cell, or onto a boat from the

shore).
Water Walking: The caster or a
target can walk on water as if it
were dry ground for one hour.

!37

GROWING
YOUR HERO
In the midst of the story,
your hero will face all manner
of evil, perform courageous
deeds, and save innocent
people from dark things. Your
hero will grow stronger and
more competent, ready to
tame haunted dungeons and
solve arcane mysteries.
Legends and stories will be
spread about their great deeds
of cunning and valor.
Adventurers do not level
up in the Basic Hack. Instead,
after a series of adventures or
exploits, the GM will grant
Awards which simulate a
heros rise to legendary
status. These should fit
within the overall story and
reflect milestones as the
heroes face more and more
dangerous foes and solve
sinister puzzles.

Roll

Award

More HP

New Spell

Attribute Increase

Magical Armor

Magical Item

Magical Potion

Specials

Hirelings

IF YOU WANT LEVELS

If a GM does want to go
for a level-like eect, when
appropriate, each player can
upgrade their hero as
follows.
Warriors and Thieves
always get More HP and
then may roll for or select
another benefit.
Clerics and Wizards
always get a New Spell and
then may roll for or select
another benefit.

A GM may choose to roll

randomly (D8) to award a
brave hero, or they may allow

!38

the player to select the Award

they desire.

they may study arcane

knowledge discovered in their
adventures which leads to
fresh insight

MORE HP
Heroes grow more dicult
to defeat over time. Warriors
may roll a D10 and add the
result to their Hit Points.
Clerics may roll a D8 and add
the result to their Hit Points.
Thieves and Wizards may
each roll a D6 and add the
result to their Hit Points.

ATTRIBUTE
INCREASE
Some heroes hone their
physical and mental abilities
to perfection. A player may
raise one of their heros
attributes by 1.
In a game, a hero might
get trained by a master
swordsman or adventurer as
part of a reward or sense of
gratitude for their good
deeds.

Heroes gain HP in a story

after they experience combat,
facing dangerous creatures
and precarious situations.

NEW SPELL

MAGICAL ARMOR

Spells are gained from

dusty scrolls and tomes found
in strange places or gifted
from wise mystics. A cleric or
wizard may select a new spell
that they learn or discover
through their adventures.

A hero gains a magical

piece of armor. Instead of
rolling a single die for its
Armor Points, double the die.
For example, Magical Leather
Armor, once donned, would
give the hero 2D4 Armor
Points.

Heroes gain spells usually

by finding a teacher or guide
who sees potential in them
and is willing to take them
under their wing. Alternately,

Magical armor is almost

always given as a gift or

!39

discovered in ancient treasure

troves.

Many other magical items

mimic cleric or wizard spells.
A Ring of Invisibility, when
worn, acts like the wizard
spell and can be negated by a
Dispel Magic spell. A Ring of
Finding acts like the cleric
spell Find Traps. A Sta of
Oceanic Opulence grants the
wielder the ability to walk on
water per the cleric and
wizard spell.

MAGICAL ITEM
Glowing swords, blessed
arrows, mystical belts,
mysterious wands, and
strange baubles are
discovered in treasure chests
and monster troves,
fragments from ancient
civilizations and distant
battles. On occasion, the
heroes might be given
magical trinkets or weapons
made specifically for them by
a powerful wizard. If the hero
chooses this option, the GM
should decide what kind of
item and how the hero
discovered it.

Some magic items can

have limited uses before they
become a mundane object.
The number of uses will be
listed in parentheses next to
the item. For example, a Bag
of Glow Stones (6) can be
used six times to cast light on
a room before becoming
empty and useless.

Magical weapons add +1

to any attribute being tested
while using the weapon and
+1 to each damage die.
Rumors abound of even more
powerful weapons with +2 or
+3 bonuses, but these will
likely only be found under
very special circumstances.

Dont be afraid to come up

with creative names for
magical items.

MAGICAL POTION
Potions are a great help to
courageous adventurers. The
most common potion is a
Potion of Healing which

!40

restores D8 hit points after

drinking it. Other potions
may grant a bonus to an
attribute for one turn or
mimic a particular magic
spell.

nightmare adventure
exploring a cursed forest
filled with giant spiders, an
appropriate Special might be
poison resistance, which
gives Kahn Advantage when
rolling to save from a
poisonous attack.

A friendly alchemist or
cleric may oer a potion or
two to heroes embarking on a
dicult quest or in exchange
for brave deeds. Potions are a
little more common than
other magical items.

Specials always tie into a

heros exploits and adventure.
On occasion, they may even
be granted by a divine person
or powerful wizard.

SPECIALS

HIRELINGS

Specials are abilities that

give your hero advantage in
certain situations because of a
physical feature or mastery of
a particular action. Like how a
warrior swinging his sword
against evil creatures grants
him Advantage, your hero
might gain such Specials
which make them more
challenging. Your GM will
help identify an appropriate
Special based on the ongoing
story and heros exploits.

As heroes grow in
notoriety and legend, they
attract curious followers who
wish to aid and learn from the
brave adventurers. A hireling
allows the player to create a
new adventurer to tag along
with their hero. This hireling
may complement their heros
weaknesses or strengths.
Keep in mind that while
hirelings may help in some
situations, they are prone to
being kidnapped, targeted, or
harassed by enemies.

For example, if Kahn the

warrior just endured a

!41

Hirelings almost always

show up after a particularly
famous adventure in which
the hero conquers some grave
evil. They are generally very
loyal but will grow sour if
mistreated or placed into
harms way in a cruel fashion.
The GM will help come up
with a personality and story
to explain who the hireling is
and why they too seek
adventure.
Hirelings can also be pets,
like Wyvern! Sample pets can
be pulled from the Creature
chart in the next section.
Recommended pets include a
dog, bear, and falcon.

!42

CREATING MORE
MONSTERS

CREATURES
Heroes will encounter evil
and helpful creatures in their
journeys. Here are a few to
use as a template to make
your own. Creatures can have
special abilities, spells, and
magical items as well. Each
creature lists its challenge
rating, hit points, any special
abilities, and damage it
inflicts in combat.

Its simple to modify or

create new villains and
monsters for the heroes to
face. Remember, the GM does
not need to roll attributes for
these creatures.
Name: What is the name
of the monster?
CR: What is the challenge
rating of the monster?A CR
of 0 is great for beginning
adventurers, but more
experienced heroes will face
challenging foes. A CR of 10
or higher will be nearly
impossible for all but the
most well-prepared heroes to
face.

TREASURE
Some monsters, at the
GMs wish, may leave
treasure behind. For each CR,
roll 1D10. The heroes find
that amount of gold coins
stashed away in the creatures
lair. GMs may also plan out
magical items that fit the
story and theme of the
adventures and match up
with planned Awards given to
heroes at the conclusion of
their adventures.

HP: How many hit points

does the monster have? You
might multiply 6 or 8 by the
Challenge Rating to start, but
you can make the monster
less or more dicult as you
desire.
Actions and Specials:
How does the creature inflict

!43

damage? Can it do anything

else like spit poison, breath
fire, cast spells, attack twice,
or paralyze heroes? Does it
carry any special equipment?
Does it have Advantage in
certain situations?

ancient burial tomb, a

forgotten sewer complex, or a
hidden compound for
doomsday cults. Dungeons
can have many rooms and
connect to cavern systems.
Old Ruins: When castles,
keeps, towers, and cities
crumble after war or natural
disasters, monsters love to
move in to find curious knick
knacks and claim the prime
real estate as their own.

WHERE DO
MONSTERS LIVE?
One part of a good old
fashioned adventure is an
exciting place to explore.
Monsters and creatures find
these remote and dangerous
locales worthy as homes. For
one, they love treasure too,
but they also prefer to stay
away from populated areas
like villages and cities because
thats where people with
dangerous weapons hang out.
Plus, they get to do some of
their redecorating, setting up
traps and secrets to make it
dicult for snooping
adventurers.

Caverns: Natural formed

caverns or old mines are filled
with precious minerals, slugs
and other tasty treats, and
bones.
Villages: Many creatures
live in small communities,
where they raise their young,
farm, and hunt.
Wilderness: Some
monsters camp out or patrol
vast swathes of wilderness,
looking for unsuspecting
targets to rob or intimidate.

Dungeons: Dungeons are

smelly, dirty, and damp,
whether they are part of

!44

CREATURE

CR

HP

ACTIONS AND SPECIALS

Bear

8 D6 damage

Fire Beetle

6 D4 fire damage

Deadly Centipede

6 D6 damage, Must save versus poison or

receive D6 more damage

Dog

6 Gives advantage to a hero when tracking

someone. D4 damage

Dragon

10

70 Three attacks: Claws (D8), Bite (D12), and

Fire Breath (2D12). Can often cast 1-3
magical spells too.

Evil Wizard

32 Magical Sta (2D4 damage), 7-8 spells

Elven Guard

8 Magical Leather Armor, Shortsword

Falcon

4 D4 damage. If trained, can send messages

to allies

Ghoul

10 Two attacks (claws & bite): D4 damage

Giant

48 Giant club (D8). Successful attack always

does double damage against smaller
creatures.

Giant Leech

7 D6 damage

Giant Vampire Bat

6 D4 bite damage, Advantage to flee

Goblin

4 Rusty dagger

Goblin Archer

4 Bow & Arrows (10)

Hobgoblin

8 Spear, Shield

Orc

8 Longsword, Shield

Ogre

15 Ogre Club (D8 damage)

Owlbear

28 Two attacks (claws & bite): D8 + D6

damage

Skeleton

Sinister Cleric

30 Mace, Can cast 5-6 spells

Zombie

10 D6 damage, with successful hit must save

versus paralysis or lose next turn

5 Rusty shortsword

!45

and Dareks father, ever

mindful of public and private
opinion, knew his son had
heaped no small amount of
disgrace upon the family line.
To exact revenge on top of the
academic failure would be
even worse and possibly
deadly.

THE BANDIT
WIZARD
The Bandit Wizard is an
introductory fantasy
adventure. This short,
whimsical, action-packed
adventure is designed to serve
as a next step for players and
GMs wishing to go further
with the Basic Hack.

Dareks father, Troyle,

decided that he must do the
dicult thing and banished
his son from Coluris. When
Darek had suciently
removed the disgrace that is
his wizard career, the son
could then return to the
family household. Darek was
put on a one way ship to the
dusty Southlands. In time,
the brat would hopefully
learn some respect for his
elders. Well, at least, the
family hoped so.

BACKGROUND
When Darek Flugthorn
was kicked out of Wizard
School in Coluris, his first
instinct was to turn right
around and teach the School a
lesson. Unfortunately,
revenge is frowned upon by
Dareks family. The Flugthorn
family had long ago
established themselves as a
great line of wizards, rumored
to trace their heritage back to
the days when Coluris had
been founded. Already, word
of Dareks dismissal had
spread through the noble
wizards of their hometown,

Spoiled and rotten to the

core, Darek decided the way
to impress his family was
to become the most daring
outlaw in the Southlands. He
used his remaining gold to
buy a secluded cottage, sturdy

!46

wagon, team of horses, and

month of supplies. Employing
his minor magical abilities,
Darek setup an ambitious
robbery schedule.

Rivercreek
Rivercreek is a farming
and fishing village in a
remote section of the dusty
Southlands. The town has a
hearty population of 223
citizens. The two most
prominent townsmen are
the Constable, Ogre
Stonenek (a retired dwarf
warrior who likes the quiet
farm life), and the Mayor,
Aleena Mirkshire (a fiery,
well-spoken human cleric
with a passion for young
children). The town is
centered around a deep well
and common town square.
Four dirt roads cut through
the simple two story houses
and shops from each
direction. Outside of the
village, meadows, lush with
green grass, await grazing
herds and horses on trading
days. A nearby creek boasts
an ample supply of catfish
and trout. Once, a young
boy found a jeweled dagger
in the belly of a prize fish.

Using sound illusions,

invisibility, and charm, the
rebellious son would trick
and frighten local peasants
into handing over their scant
provisions and coins. Sadly,
peasants, farmers, and
hunters are among the only
individuals in his area and
provided few worthy rewards.
As many locals became aware
of his harassment, the
amount of loot he gained in
each month began to dwindle.
While local authorities were
informed of the annoying
criminal, the wizard has
managed to elude capture. An
increase in goblins in the
farmlands has also prevented
a more coordinated response.
Darek, dubbing himself the
Bandit Wizard, continues his
minor exploits on
unsuspecting travelers and
country folk.

!47

victims on his wagon, rushing

from the trail ahead or
behind. He waves and hollers
to them for help and weaves a
sound illusion. The spell
creates goblin-like sound
eects, increasing in intensity
from the direction Darek is
fleeing from. To the untrained
ear, the sounds are
reminiscent of a war party of
some kind. Clanks of metal,
guttural shouts, the stomping
of feet, and bloodthirsty cries
echo from up the trail. Once
he closes the distance with
his targets, Darek invites
them to hide with him in the
nearby bushes until the
goblin party has moved past.

Darek Flugthorn (Human

Wizard) Str: 6, Dex: 11, Con: 8,
Int: 14, Wis: 9, Cha: 12. HP: 7 (1
AP). Equipment: Cloak, Staff,
Dagger, Explorers Pack, Mule,
Wagon, & Camping Equipment.
Spells: Detect Magic, Disguise,
Illusory Barrage, Magic Missile
& Sleep.
Illusory Barrage: The spell
creates an auditory and visual
illusion that lasts for 10 minutes.
Requires a successful Wisdom
check to disbelieve.
Description: A freckled, redhaired human with a large sense
of humor and a devilish grin,
usually wears a pale yellow
robe, now stained with mud and
dirt, with a dagger prominently
displayed in Coluris-style (just
above his knee).

Once there, Darek casts a

sleep spell on the group,
securing them and preventing
a counter attack. Once that is
done, he proceeds to
systematically steal their
belongings, gives a short
speech about his growing
legend, and disappears back
the way he came on his
wagon. The conniving wizard

THE HEIST
Darek considers his plan
among the most ingenious of
strategies.
The Bandit Wizard first
approaches his intended

!48

THE HEROES

usually heads to his hideout,

an isolated cottage in the
wilderness, and covers his
trail so as to discourage
pursuit. If chased well
enough, he will ditch his
wagon and cast some illusion
spell to change his
appearance into an old man
or a farmer. He can also fight
back, if needed, with some
other illusory or enchantment
type magical eect, although
he will prefer to flee at the
first opportunity and will
surrender if his life is in
serious jeopardy.

The heroes can enter the

story in several ways. First, as
a side adventure to an
ongoing campaign, the heroes
might be asked by a local
farmer to scare o the pesky
wizard, as his magical
exploits are ruining some
perfectly reasonable travel
routes. One of the family
members of Darek might
have heard about the Bandit
Wizard during a recent trip
and want to discretely have a
band of heroes put a stop to
their outcast brothers
tirades. A local lawman might
also be willing to oer a small
reward of gold to put Dareks
highwayman-like deeds to a
permanent standstill. Or, the
heroes could just happen to
be following the right country
trail at the wrong time.

Dareks deeds are

spreading among local
peasants, and some have
already begun to find
alternate routes to use to
avoid the annoying magician.
Eventually, a local law
enforcement team may be
dispatched to bring the
foolish wizard to justice. For
now, Darek enjoys his modest
success.

Since Darek hasnt stolen

too much money, rewards are
based upon his capture -alive. One point in the
wizards favor is the fact that

!49

THE ADVENTURE

no one has been seriously

hurt during his raids. For
whatever mischievous streak
the wizard has, he apparently
has sense enough to not
outright hurt folks.

Once the heroes are on the

move, Darek targets them,
feeling some what confident
in his abilities. He prepares
his normal ruses after
scouting out the group.
Despite their larger number
and presence of weapons, he
feels that he is ready to prove
his amazing skills to the
world. Unfortunately, things
do not go as planned.

To put a decent twist on

the adventure, the heroes
might catch a few tales of the
Bandit Wizards criminal
deeds at a nearby tavern. A
wary traveler might deliver a
warning about the particular
country path where Darek
strikes. The foolish wizard
himself might be disguised
and goad the adventurers into
traversing his path. If the
group is hired by someone,
they can expect a good
lowdown on the wizards
tactics. In fact, for maximum
humor, relate Dareks heist
process from top to bottom in
detail from a previous victim.
When they actually encounter
the wizard, their supposed
inside knowledge may be
their undoing.

SCENE ONE: THE

RUSE GOES AWRY
The day is scenic, and the
countryside is teeming with
life and sunshine. The trail
meanders through some
farmland, fields growing with
wheat and corn, then climbs
over the peak of a sharp hill.
The road is dusty and wellworn. Thick green bushes line
either side of the trail. If the
heroes are being cautious,
they are close to where Darek
the Bandit Wizard is known
to strike.

!50

Suddenly, Darek barrels

over the hill ahead at high
speed, waving and hollering
at the party. He shouts about
goblins, war party, spears,
marauders, and other such
warnings. As he approaches
the characters, he pulls to a
halt, out of breath and pale. A
distant drum booms, and
shouts of goblins echo from
beyond the hill. Any character
who attempts to see through
this sound illusion
automatically fails.

explode over the hill, running

toward the group.
In Dareks preoccupied
concentration for his criminal
mischief, he did not notice a
band of goblins closing in on
him. When he did spot the
advancing humanoids, Darek
decided the best thing to do
would be to get out of harms
way, as fast as possible. The
goblins, at a good distance
initially, have steadily closed
the gap and are now prepared
for battle.

The moment can be a

tense encounter. Darek,
flustered and out of breath,
will quickly try to explain the
sudden war party of goblins
about to boil over the hill.
Our heroes will most likely
ignore him, try to apprehend
him, or argue with the
wizard. Again, the humor of
the situation could be that
the heroes believe they are
in on Dareks game. After
the appropriate conversation
or attempts to subdue the
frightened wizard, the goblins

Goblins (6) CR: 0, HP: 4,

DMG: D4. Rusty axes, spears,
and swords.
In the ensuing battle, as
the heroes do their best to
figure out what is going on,
Darek will cast an invisibility
illusion and escape. If the
heroes notice it (Wisdom
check), they can try to track
his whereabouts later. The
wizard has decided to split
and return to the safety of his

!51

abode. He leaves his wagon

and mule behind.

wizard. There is a fireplace

(not currently lit) and a newly
built stable in the back. A 50
ft. clearing extends in a radius
from the cottage.

Feel free to let the battle

finish however you choose.
Once it is over and enemies
have fallen or fled, Darek
should be discovered missing.
The wizard did not make any
eort to hide his tracks, so
some character with
wilderness skills should lead
the group to Dareks abode.
If the group decides to bring
along the wagon, they find
nothing but a sack lunch,
quartersta, and empty chest
inside.

As the heroes approach,

Darek has holed himself up in
his cottage, terrified beyond
measure after encountering
yet another goblin war party.
Characters may wish to make
listening actions of some sort
or sneak up on the clearing.
The goblins, 12 in all, have
surrounded the house, and
one has lit a torch, evidently
intent on burning down
Dareks home. The heroes
have a choice to engage the
goblins, save Dareks life, or
watch.

SCENE TWO:
BATTLE AT
DAREKS CASTLE

These goblins are the

similar to their counterparts
from the previous battle.

Dareks cottage, hidden

amongst a thick patch of
woods, is a sparse aair -- a
four-walled wooden box with
crudely thatched roof. A few
modest repairs and changes
have been made over time to
the cottage, but it is hardly a
magnificent abode for a

Goblins (12) CR: 0, HP: 4,

DMG: D4. Rusty axes, spears,
and swords.
During the fight, a
frightened Darek might peek

!52

from one of his empty

windows from time to time.
Once the battle is over, the
mischievous wizard will
apparently have disappeared
from his cottage. Worried that
the heroes would not defeat
the goblins, he climbed up
into the fireplace and is
hiding there, covered in soot
and ash. You might
considering making it an
ordeal just to pry the pathetic
spell caster from his brick
prison. If the heroes return
his wagon and mule, he will
soften and be more
cooperative.

Coluris
A powerful trade city to
the north, emissaries,
merchants, and travelers
regularly head to and from
Coluris through the
Southlands. They need
guards, laborers, and
guides. Sometimes, they
can oer tantalizing clues to
future quests or come to
hide out from bounties
placed on their heads. A few
might be wizards or clerics.

The Southlands
The Southlands have a
reputation as decent
farming land, settled by
hardy, independent-minded
families who till the soil for
generations. Rumors
suggest that the occasional
farmer discovers a gem or
piece of broken armor in the
fields. Are there ruins or
dungeons beneath the
farmland? Why do goblins
claim this land as their
own?

SCENE THREE:
RIDE TO JUSTICE
Despite Dareks bad day,
the heroes will probably still
feel inclined to bring him into
justice. If they kill him or if
he is killed during a battle
with goblins, the heroes
should not receive any bounty
reward for his capture.
However, any local constable

!53

will gladly take in the wizard

(alive) and keep him out of
harms way for a few weeks at
least.

buildings or return in the

middle of the night. Their
intent is to run the villagers
o. However, the goblins are
not afraid to use their pointy
weapons for bloody eect.

Unfortunately, evil is at
hand. As the heroes make
their way back to a constable
or town of choice, the village
appears to be under siege.
Four goblin war parties are
making light raids through
the town square, while the
constable and other brave
villagers do their best to fend
them o. The goblin war
parties are part of a light
oensive by a local tribe to
gain more farm ground for its
people.

Goblins (8) CR: 0, HP: 4,

DMG: D4. Rusty axes, spears,
and swords. Each goblin war
party has 8 members. There are
4 total war parties.
Goblin Chief CR: 3, HP:18, D8
damage from Battle Axe

CONCLUSION
You may conclude the
story as you like. In a perfect
world, the heroes will use
their wits, cunning, and tact
to defeat the goblins, save
Dareks life, and ride o into
the sunset. Darek should also
have a chance to become a
minor hero. Villagers should
might also be rescued. For
saving the town, the heroes
(and Darek) will find
welcome respite there as long
as needed. A small reward of

Feel free to run this

closing battle anyway you
wish, and make sure Darek
has an opportunity to redeem
himself, casting some spell
that blasts a goblin into
oblivion or saves the life of a
child. The goblin war parties
could do their best for several
days to harass the villagers -their intent is not mass
murder. They may set fire to

!54

200 gold coins will also be

oered. A family heirloom or
two, magical in nature, might
be given to particularly
creative heroes.

more than our heroes or local

commonfolk suspect? Is it
possible that Darek is actually
the mastermind behind the
goblin invasion? Is it possible
that Darek is preparing an
army of vicious humanoids
that will build a kingdom and
conquer all that lie in its
path? Is it possible that
Dareks magical skills are far
greater than he lets on?

Furthermore, Darek will

turn his life around. He now
decides to be the town
intellectual and sage, oering
his magical skills and
knowledge to help the village
remain strong. News of this
will eventually reach Coluris,
and the wizards father will
finally be pleased with his
son.

If you decide to go this

route, Darek could become
the center of a long term
campaign about this
inconsequential farmland, its
people, and its independence.

In any event, the GM can

feel free to use this small
adventure to add flavor or
further threads in a campaign
or storyline. Perhaps one
morning, the Flugthorn
family sends a shadowy
representative to the heroes,
oering riches and magical
artifacts in exchange for their
skills in other delicate
matters.
And as for one alternate
ending -- perhaps Darek is

!55

Hero Sheet
Name:

Player:

Class:

Race:

Strength

Hit Points

Dexterity

Armor Points

Constitution

Weapon

Intelligence
Wisdom
Charisma
Specials

Items

Notes

!56

Damage

DESIGNATION OF PRODUCT IDENTITY

The name The Basic Hack, all artwork, logos,
layout, and In Search of Wyvern (pages 820) are product identity.
DESIGNATION OF OPEN GAME CONTENT
All text and tables are open game 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.
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 other 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 eects, 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 ax 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. Oer and Acceptance: By Using the Open
Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of
the terms of this License.
1 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.
[Link] 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 sucient 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 copy- right holders
name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any
original Open Game Content you Distribute.
1 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.

!57

You agree not to indicate compatibility or coadaptability 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.
2 Identification: If you distribute Open Game
Content You must clearly indicate which
portions of the work that you are distributing
are Open Game Content.
3 Updating the License: Wizards or its
designated Agents may publish updated
versions of this License. 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.
1 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 aected.
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 1.0 Copyright 2000,
Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

The original roleplaying game "The Black

Hack" text, tables, all artwork, logos and
layout are Copyright 2016, David Black.
The Basic Hack text, tables, all artwork,
logos, and layout are Copyright 2016,
Nathan Hill.

!58