2025's halloween one-shot, or playtesting Matt's new game
The one-shot will take place at 6:00 PM EDT on Saturday, November 1st. This time is subject to change if required by the playing majority.
This will serve as a test of the brand-new Warlords & Wizards pencil-and-paper game system. Cutting-edge gaming methodology from the far future (the 1980s) will be employed to bring to you the most engaging fantasy medieval experience you have ever embarked upon*.
You can read the rules here: Warlords & Wizards version 0.2.3
Please do let me know if you come across any errors, egregious or pedantic, in the above linked document. As always, I am happy to discuss game design. If you don't like what you read, please let me know why!
*The author of this webpage, and the Warlords & Wizards game system hereby disclaims any and all responsibility for disappointment, grievances, or loss of mental faculties incurred as a result of reading the game text.
The land occupied by the Hamlet of Pottsfield is presided over by the wizard Macros, the Black Mage. In recent times, a sinister portal manifested on the outskirts of town, and with it an outpouring of sickly undead coalitions. Macros believes the attacks to be more than coincidence - blaming the dastardly forces of Chaos itself.
You, noble adventurers, comprise the first sortie commissioned by the Black Mage to enter this portal and discover its secrets. A shadowy thought lingers at the edge of your minds: could this be the work of the ever-malevolent force of Chaos, the Egg of Coot?
For the purposes of the scenario outlined above, player-controlled characters will be advanced to the fourth level of experience. That is, Fighters will be Heroes and Magicians will be Thaumaturges. Battlecasters, being a combination class, will thus be Veteran-Seers, having two levels of experience in each profession.
In lieu of the standard chance-based equipment, characters will begin the scenario equipped with what- or whoever he or she sees fit to purchase or enlist with a sum of 1,600 silver pieces. Not all coinage must be spent, and all purchased must be carried by the character or his or her hired help or pack animals.
Further, characters created for this one-shot scenario will be granted one medium-powered (think rare-ish) magical item and one low-powered (think common-ish) potion of their choosing. Presently, no such items exist in the rules as written. It is my hope that your creativity and ingenuity as players and referees will shine through (although I'm sure a "Wand of Sparking" or a "Potion of Healing" will come in handy!). Kindly discuss the items of your choosing with me for final determinations.
Some time will be provided for the FINALIZATION of character sheets at the beginning of the allotted time. In the meantime, feel free to approach me with any questions you may have on character creation.