Cairn (2020) is a neat little skeletal OSR system, born in part out of Ben Milton’s Knave and Chris McDowall’s Into the Odd. Yochai Gal’s stated intent is to make something that allows Into the Odd to be used for OSR settings like Dolmenwood. The result is a fast, light, classless game that feels, in a sort of surprisingly non-specific way, like a D&D experience, without any of the usual headaches.
A lot of stuff actually reminds me of other non-D&D-based systems. Reducing attributes to three (Strength, Dexterity and Willpower) feels pretty Dungeoneer to me. The combat reminds me a bit of HeroQuest, actually. You roll your weapon die, subtract the opponent’s armor value and subtract the balance from their HP. HP is Health Protection, not traditional hit points. They can be restored with a brief breather and a swig of water. If they are reduced to exactly zero, the character gets a scar. Damage exceeding HP is taken out of Strength — once that is gone, the character is dead. Magic is similarly unusual, facilitated by scrolls and spellbooks that any character can read. Casting spells (which are leveless and extremely open-ended) costs fatigue, which is logged in inventory, which I think is an odd, but exceedingly clever, mechanic.
And that’s about it. Light, flexible, keyed to OSR experience without feeling particularly OSR in its mechanics. This is a great introductory system. Its flexibility has sparked a surprising creator community which has produced hacks and Cairn-specific adventures. Good stuff.
Cairn pointed the poker at the rug. “Lie down. That is an order from your Queen.”
Fenrys’s head thrashed from side to side, his body bucking against invisible chains. Against an invisible oath. His dark eyes met Cairn’s. Blood began running from the wolf’s nostrils. It’d kill him-to sever the oath. It would break his soul. His body would go soon after. But Fenrys put one paw forward. That impossible step.
Milk Bar: sci-fi OSR roleplaying in post-Communist Poland
Bełchatów exemplifies what the paypigs called Total Fucking Vertical Integration. They dug out coal from a hole in the ground 300m deep and 10km across, wheeled it 17km across a field, and burned it to produce 50TWh of energy a year. The city, this city, sprang up around it to keep those functions and those conveyor belts alive at any cost; total fucking vertical integration.
Eventually, the coal ran out. The Soviets found a more lucrative source of energy in the south and they would wheel it back here to justify keeping hundreds of thousands of people in the middle of nowhere. An explosion at the plant sent them reeling, leaving only you—the Communards—to pick up the pieces.
🧑🔬sci-fi OSR roleplaying in the vein of Cairn and Mothership
🇵🇱 set in an alternate timeline, post-Soviet Communist Poland
🏠 unique progression system tied to basebuilding
🥟 pierogi
Coming soon! Follow the project on Kickstarter to get updates 👀
U know my dating sim choice already. I'm in the trenches desperately saving and reloading trying to select the flirting options in conversation with Cairn without scaring him off
I READ THAT AS LIKE .... RELOADING A GUN ....... oops
"Pre Moon Cairngorm was kinder to Phos than they are now"
Pre Moon:
Some of these may just be banter but still- you have to admit that Welegato isn't as bad as they were before they had the ghost removed. and ngl I could be wrong on this but I dont think Cairn ever told Phos 'thank you' pre moon.. Also Pre Moon Cairn (arguably) only gave advice that would make Phos feel better. while Post Moon Welegato? Welegato actually gave GOOD advice to make EVERYONE happy, not just Phos.
you can go ahead and ship these messy exes if you still want to tho, Make them hate eachother so much that they think they're in love <3 or create an AU where Phos realizes Cairn still has ghost in their eye and removes it only to realize that their connection was fabricated and not truly real and give Phos an even worse sense of isolation. Cuz omg they're so toxic and it is delicious. or make them fluffy who knows, but still, please realize that in canon that they are SO toxic that they bring Cinnabar's mercury shame