PART 1: CREATING A CHARACTER
PART 2: COMBAT
PART 3: MAGIC
PART 4: OTHER ADVENTURING SITUATIONS
APPENDIX: BLANK CHARACTER SHEET
For random tables which can be used with these rules (or any other fantasy rules), visit Tables for Fables
For a randomly-generated idea for an adventure, click here
Each spell has a set of magic words, which the player must recite correctly for the spell to work If a player accidentally recites the magic words for the wrong spell, the character casts whatever spell they spoke the words for (provided they have enough Astral Energy Points). If the player recites words which don’t match the words for any spell, they don’t cast any spell or pay any Astral Energy Points.The GM may choose to be more lenient with new players than experienced ones in relation to these rules.
When time is of the essence – for example, if the player characters are set upon by monsters – players shouldn’t have the option to look through the rules for the correct words.
The spell descriptions assume that the target of the spell will be a non-player character. In many cases Monster Level is used to decide whether the target can resist the spell. However, it may happen that the player characters themselves are the target of a spell. In this case, use the total of the player character’s Intelligence plus their Level, in place of Monster Level.
Player characters may reverse spells that they themselves have cast. This costs the same amount of Astral Energy Points as it cost to cast the spell, and again requires that the magic words be spoken correctly.
Each spell is listed in the following order:
Name: the name of the spell
Magic Words: the words required to cast the spell.
Effect: What the spell does. This may include how long it lasts, whether a target has any chance to resist the spell, etc.
Range: Similar to ranged weapons, all spells have a maximum range. Any creature or thing further away from the caster than this distance may not have that spell cast on them. Some spells have a range of 0, which means they can only be cast on things which the caster is touching, or on the caster themselves.
Cost: If a Magician or Elf successfully casts a spell, they lose this amount of Astral Energy Points. If they don’t have that many points to start with, they can’t cast the spell.
Who Can Use: Magicians can use all 13 spells. Elves may only use the first seven.
Name: Cockroach’s Resilience
Magic Words: Yarra Elessa
Effect: The target of the spell gains an amount of Vitality Points, which may not exceed their starting amount.
Range: 0
Cost: 1 Astral Energy Point for each Vitality Point recovered. The caster decides how many points to spend.
Who Can Use: Magicians or Elves.
Name: Firefly’s Light
Magic Words: Calad Silim
Effect: A ball of light appears, floating a few millimeters above the caster’s hand. It moves with the caster. It casts as much light as a torch or lamp – that is, up to 10 metres or 30 feet.
Range: 0
Cost: 1 Astral Energy Point. An extra point must be paid every 5 minutes, or the ball will disappear.
Who Can Use: Magicians or Elves.
Name: Mosquito’s Cunning
Magic Words: Edro Annon
Effect: The caster touches the lock, or handle, of any door three times. The door then unlocks itself, slides open its bolt, removes the wedge holding it shut etc.
Range: 0
Cost: 8 Astral Energy Points
Who Can Use: Magicians or Elves.
Name: Rhino’s Hide
Magic Words: Berio Varna
Effect: The target is covered with magical armour, which increases their Protection by 4 points. The armour doesn’t effect movement, and the target may wear normal armour as well.
Range: 0
Cost: 2 Astral Energy Points per combat.
Who Can Use: Magicians or Elves.
Name: Unicorn’s Shyness
Magic Words: Delio Halda
Effect: Renders the target, and their possessions, invisible. This spell may not be cast in combat. A given target may be visible for, at most, an amount equal to 25 minutes, plus 5 minutes for each Level that the caster has gained. After this, they can’t have the spell cast on them again for at least 15 minutes.
Range: 0
Cost: 2 Astral Energy Points per five minutes of invisibility.
Who Can Use: Magicians or Elves.
Name: Fly’s Foulness
Magic Words: Layva Kayleb
Effect: The caster points their wand, or a weapon, at the target. The player rolls three six sided dice and takes the total. The target loses this many Vitality Points. If the total rolled is higher than the caster’s current Astral Energy Points, the target only loses Vitality equal to the caster’s Astral Energy Points.
Range: 7 metres, or 21 feet.
Cost: 1 Astral Energy Point for each Vitality Point lost.
Who Can Use: Magicians or Elves.
Name: Wolf’s Loyalty
Magic Words: Lom Hillya
Effect: The caster looks the target in the eyes and pronounces the magic words.
The target rolls 3 six sided dice, and adds their Monster Level to the result.
The caster rolls a number of six-sided dice equal to their level, plus one (eg a Level 1 character rolls 2 dice). They add their Charisma to the total.
If the caster’s total is higher, the spell has succeeded. Note that the Astral Energy Points are lost whether the spell succeeds or not.
If the spell succeeds, the target will treat the caster as their master. They will do whatever the caster tells them, short of suicide, or engaging in missions which mean certain death. They will, however, fight at the caster’s side. The target will remain bewitched permanently.
Range: 5 metres, or 15 feet.
Cost: 8 Astral Energy Points.
Who Can Use: Magicians or Elves.
Name: Turtle’s Shelter
Magic Words: Hollen Annon
Effect: The caster touches the lock, or handle, of any door three times. The door then magically closes and locks. The caster must roll three six-sided dice. This is the ‘combination’ of the spell.
The door will be un-openable as long as the spell lasts, with the following exception: each character, once per 5 minutes, may try and open the door. They roll three six-sided dice. If the result is the same as the ‘combination’, the door opens (the order of the numbers isn’t important – for example 4,5,1 is the same result as 1,5,4).
The spell will last 10 minutes per level of the caster.
Range: 0
Cost: 6 Astral Energy Points.
Who Can Use: Magicians only.
Name: Sloth’s Stillness
Magic Words: Sarn Gondram
Effect: This spell temporarily turns an enemy to stone.
The caster rolls a number of six-sided dice equal to their level, plus one (eg a Level 1 character rolls 2 dice).
If the caster’s total is higher than the target’s Monster Level, the spell has succeeded. Note that the Astral Energy Points are lost whether the spell succeeds or not.
The petrified enemy can’t take any actions, but also can’t be hurt.
If successful, the spell lasts for 25 minutes, plus 5 minutes per level of the caster.
Range: 5 metres, or 15 feet.
Cost: 13 Astral Energy Points.
Who Can Use: Magicians only.
Name: Rabbit’s Panic
Magic Words: Flay Nifred
Effect: This spell temporarily renders the victim mad with fear. Generally the victim will shout, run in panic etc.
The spell only succeeds if the caster’s Intelligence, plus their Level, is higher than the target’s Courage, and if the caster successfully Tests their Charisma. Note that the Astral Energy Points are lost whether the spell succeeds or not.
It isn’t possible to use this spell to interrogate an adversary, because the victim will be too afraid to speak or to understand what’s being said to them.
If successful, the spell lasts for 25 minutes, plus 5 minutes per level of the caster.
When the spell ends, the victim will have no memory of the time they were under the spell.
Range: 7 metres, or 21 feet.
Cost: 20 Astral Energy Points.
Who Can Use: Magicians only.
Name: Dog’s Madness
Magic Words: Dagro Ota
Effect: This spell sends one of the caster’s fellow adventurer’s berserk.
While berserk, the target will add 4 to each of the following: Strength, Courage, Attack, and Defence.
Bear in mind that a Strength of 8 or less means that the character does -1 damage, and a Strength of 13 or more means the character does extra damage (equal to their Strength – 12), so the change to Strength may effect the character’s damage as well.
The spell lasts for 9 Combat Rounds, plus 1 Combat Round per level of the caster.
If the combat ends while the spell is still in effect, the caster must Test their Charisma to attempt to calm the berserk character. If the caster fails, the berserk character will fight their friends until the spell wears off.
Range: 0
Cost: 7 Astral Energy Points.
Who Can Use: Magicians only.
Name: Gull’s Empathy
Magic Words: Osanwe Ampa
Effect: The caster must be able to see the target.
The caster Tests their Intelligence. If they succeed, the spell works. Note that the Astral Energy Points are lost whether the spell succeeds or not.
If successful, the caster can tell what the caster is feeling, whether they have friendly or hostile feelings towards the caster, whether they will react to danger with cowardice or bravery, and so on. The spell doesn’t allow the caster to literally read the thoughts of the target.
The spell lasts for 10 seconds.
Range: 20 metres, or 60 feet.
Cost: 5 Astral Energy Points.
Who Can Use: Magicians only.
Name: Butterfly’s Transformation
Magic Words: Roa I-ya
Effect: This spell allows the caster to permanently give the target the appearance of whatever creature or object they desire. Note that the spell doesn’t necessarily change the target’s actual abilities, only their appearance.
The caster points the little finger of each hand at the target, while thinking of the creature or object they’re attempting to turn them into.
The spell only succeeds if the caster’s Intelligence, plus their level, is equal to or higher than twice the target’s Monster Level, and if the caster successfully Tests their Charisma.
Range: 7 metres, or 21 feet
Cost: 25 Astral Energy Points
Who Can Use: Magicians only.
