THE OLD GUARD
THE OLD GUARD
[The game]
You are a bunch of old knights. You wander the land, trying to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. You've had your doubts. These days, you're just trying to push through. Because that's who you are.
Or are you?
[Make a knight]
Write down two regrets that you carry around with you.
I SHOULD NEVER HAVE ...
IF ONLY I ...
Dream up a crucial moment for each one. When and how did you turn away from that other road? Who was there and what role did they play in your decision?
Give your knight a name.
You can either be quick for your age (deal 2 dmg/take 2) or sturdy (deal 1 dmg/take 3).
Those are your belongings: A weapon, a horse and a special something. A squire accompanies you.
The horse can take 2 hits and deals 1 dmg. The squire can take 1 hit and deals 1 dmg.
Describe your belongings to some detail.
[How to play]
The game proceeds as a standard rpg of the dragon game variant. A dm describes stuff, you react, they react back.
Whenever you have to roll, roll lower than 9 on a d20. If one of your belongings can help, you get a -2 on your roll.
You are old. You don't want any checks. Proceed with caution and plan well.
Once per session, you may describe how your regrets now give you an extra boost to a) succeed automatically on a check b) shake off damage or prevent someone else from being hurt.
Take a quick note of what you said. You can't use that again as long as you play that character.
For adventures, pick existing scenarios for your favorite games. Go for those you can finish in one to three sessions.
Put each of the opponents from those scenarios in one of the following categories:
Critter (deals 1 dmg/takes 1 dmg/checks against 10) Regular orc-like (deals 1 dmg/takes 2 dmg/checks against 12) Ugly fucker (deals 2 dmg/takes 3 dmg/checks against 12) Big Bad (deals 2 dmg/takes 4 dmg/checks against 13) Dragons and such (deals 3 dmg/takes 6/checks against 14)
Magic fuckers can be treated as either ugly fuckers or dragon-likes, if they absorb dmg through some magic fuckery. They have all sorts of items to fuck with you.
[Fighting]
You have been in too many fights already. They have cost you. Please, not again.
Knights and opponents deal their damage when it's their turn. Some monsters from your favorite game have special attacks (vampires, magic stuff). Use common sense when modelling those (immobilized knights don't deal dmg on their next turn etc)
Opponents who have taken at least one hit or have seen their comrades die can be reasoned with or just run (for now), unless they have a good reason to fight to the death.
Knights should avoid fights. If they do have to fight, they should do everything in their power to be on the initiative and use the battlefield to their advantage.
Loot counts as another "special something" that grants bonuses. Magic items can grant automatic successes on appropriate checks or heal dmg (usually 1 pt per application).
Injured knights, squires and horses recover 1 dmg from a short rest (check for random encounters). Full healing needs magic, medical attention in a safe place or invoking your regrets.
[Tokens]
Knights gain tokens from good deeds. If they successfully fight for someone weaker (literally or otherwise), any member of the group can award them one token. Knights can use that token to re-roll a check or shake off dmg from one attack.
Tokens are only good for one session. The memories of the good you supposedly did won't warm you for too long.
[Death]
If a knight can take no more dmg and can't be healed without abusing the rules, they die.
That player tells the others, what the knight sees in their final moments. Make it hopeful. What made life as a knight worthwhile?
The player then makes their old knight's squire into their new knight.