Grot and Grime: Rules and Character Creation

In dark places deep beneath the earth where lie the rotting corpses of civilizations past...

In the cursed city of Moldberg, moldering in time, twisted by fell things from beyond the stars...

In the Gnarlwood, where trees wrinkle and gnarl with age, and bright yellow eyes flit between the bent bows...

In the towers of long-dead wizards where demonic chittering is heard, unseen among yellowing tomes and jars of writhing things...

In the depths of the sewers where bronze lion faces spout filth and the discarded wretches of humanity moan and wail...

...there is only GROT AND GRIME!

Art Commissioned from Zeph Siebler

Main Mechanic: 

Roll high on a d20, adding an appropriate attribute as determined by your GM. 

DC: 10 for easy checks. DC: 15 for middling checks. DC: 20 for very difficult tasks.

The same is true for attacking enemies: DC: 10 for minor mooks, DC: 15 for trolls and larger enemies, DC: 20 for Dragons and Greater Villains.

Character Creation: 

Failed Career: 

Gain a Random Background and its starting items.

Attributes:

Roll 1d6-2 for each of the following attributes:

Strength: Physical power, attacking with force, kicking down doors

Constitution: Hardiness, physical defense, toughness, resisting poison

Dexterity: Manual dexterity, agility, speed, hand-eye coordination

Intelligence: Brains, wits, knowledge, arcana

Personality: Charisma, willpower, attractiveness

Oddities and Weirdness:

For every attribute that is 0 or -1, roll once on the Oddities and Weirdness Table below, rerolling any repeats. You may also set one of your stats to -1 if you want to roll on the chart but have all positive scores.

1d10 Oddities and Weirdness:

1. A demon familiar has chosen you in much the same way cats choose their humans. It doesn't really serve you but might be persuaded to help. (Gain a Random Demon Familiar)
2. You found an old book full of arcane secrets in a forgotten place. (Gain a Random Grimoire)
3. Strange radiation or a witch's curse has transformed you. (Gain a Good Mutation. Roll 1d30 on the list)
4. You have discovered a strange bobble in some old tomb. (Gain a Random Minor Magic Item)
5. An ancient warrior's bones clutched this weapon tightly even in death. (Gain a Random Minor Magical Weapon.)
6. Wizard or not, you have somehow gained a Wizard Gimmick! (Gain a Random Wizard Gimmick)
7. You are one of the subhuman races which dwell in Moldburg. (Roll for or pick a Subhuman Race)
8. The ways of the elves of old, fair and bright, have long survived their civilization. (Gain a Random Elf Trick.)
9. You learned a trick from the village Wise Woman. (Gain a Random Mundane Magic)
10. You trained with some priests for a while. (Gain a Random Divine Mundanity)

Roll HP:

Roll 2d6+Con to determine HP.

Pick a Starting Package:

Warrior: You gain a Weapon of your choice (Light: 1d4, Medium/Ranged: 1d6, Two-Handed: 1d8) or a Shield (Negate 1 Attack per Day. Takes an Arm) You may add +1 to all attacks and damage you make with weapons.

Thief: You can add 1d6 to all checks involving sneaking, skullduggery, thieving, acrobatics, lockpicking, ect. You can also add 1d6 to attacks and damage made from stealth. You may also reroll one failed check per day.

Wizard: You gain a Random Grimoire. You may add 1 to all checks made for casting spells and knowing things.

Pick and Roll Starting Gear:

Gain 1d6 Rations and Torches.

Gain a Weapon of your choice: (Light: 1d4, Medium/Ranged: 1d6, Two-Handed: 1d8)

Roll a Weapon Descriptor for all your weapons (1d20): 

1. Jagged
2. Bloodstained
3. Slimy
4. Sticky
5. Wicked
6. Rusty
7. Spiked
8. Grimey
9. Old
10. Scorched
11. Black
12. Pale
13. Mysterious
14. Runic
15. Menacing
16. Patchwork
17. Clawed
18. Crude
19. Strange
20. Talking

Ranged weapons exhaust ammo on a Critical Fail. To start each comes with 1d3 Reloads.

Pick Armor: 

• None
• Shield (Negate 1 Attack per day. Takes an Arm)
• Light (Negate 1 Attack per Day. 1 Slot)
• Heavy (Negate 2 Attacks per day. 2 Slots. Disadvantage on Spell and Stealth checks.)

Roll 3 Trinkets.

Rules:

Item Slots: 

You have 12+Strength Item slots. You can fit up to 6 Torches and Rations onto a slot. Two-Handed Weapons Take 2 so does Heavy Armor. Each Ammunition Reload takes a slot. Each Grimoire takes up a slot. 100gp fits on one slot. Every character is expected to be wearing a backpack of some sort to hold these things.

HP, Healing, and Death's Door: 

HP stands for Hit Protection. This is how much damage you can ameliorate or evade before you take a mortal blow. 

You regain all HP with a night's rest. Once per day you can sit and have a hearty meal (2 Rations) to heal 1d6 HP.

The first time you hit 0HP each day, you instead stay at 1HP and take a Wound, the severity and placement of which is determined by the kind and amount of damage as determined by the GM.

For example: A Bloody Bones' cleaver deals 4 damage. You gain an Arm Gash: Disadvantage on all checks with that arm.

A Mold Giant's axe deals 10 damage. Your arm is chopped off.

Every Wound leaves a scar. Players should feel free to describe and envision their gnarly scars.

After the first time you hit 0HP each day, if you should go to 0HP again, you die.

Advantage and Disadvantage: 

The GM may call for a roll with Advantage, meaning you roll the die twice and take the higher. The GM may also impose Disadvantage on a roll, meaning you roll the die twice and take the lower. This can apply to attacks, checks, damage, or pretty much any other kind of die roll.

Critical Successes and Failures: 

On a Natural 20, you wildly succeed at any possible check. On a Natural 1, things go bad as determined by the GM.

Spell Checks: 

You must have the Grimoire open and be able to read from it aloud. You declare your intent with the Spell based on its Name and the GM sets a DC. You make a check modified by Intelligence. On a Critical Failure, the spell horribly misfires as determined by the GM.

Every time you cast a Spell, your Critical Failure range increases by 1. So from Natural 1s to 2s then 3s and so on.

Armor: 

Armor is used to negate a certain amount of attacks against the wearer. The wearer may choose when to use these negations. The armor must be repaired to regain uses.

Dragons: 

Don't fight dragons in a fair fight. You will die.

Use Whatever Tables you Want or Insert them where I Haven't: 

Like it says on the tin. This is a cobbled-together game, so the GM may have to veto or alter certain table results to fit or find preferable ones. If you want to use a table for Wounds and Injuries go ahead.

Enemies and Monsters: 

Enemies make attacks against PCs at DC: 10. Armor instead allows them to negate attacks like for PCs. Otherwise, most OSR monsters work without too much effort.

Advancement?: 

Only diegetic advancement. Find magic items. Be trained by great masters. Uncover ancient spellbooks. You know, do the adventurer thing. Thus, you shall become great! Or die. Probably die.