31 Days of Character Creation #18 – Dragonbane

There’s no deficit of fantasy tabletop RPGs. Because Dungeons & Dragons was the runaway success in the early days of the industry, fantasy has become a default of sorts. If you tell someone who is unfamiliar with the depth of games out there that you are doing ttrpg they will probably imagine D&D or at minimum fantasy tropes. So why do we need anymore fantasy games at all at this point?

Dragonbane manages to justify its existence through its structure. It’s a seemingly simple system of mechanics but with great depth. It has that perfect level of crunch that doesn’t bog you down with resources tracking. Instead, you can keep your focus on the narrative and the characters while still having that dice rolling and risk we enjoy from games like D&D. Here’s how Dragonbane is described on its official website:

Dragonbane is a classic fantasy tabletop roleplaying game full of magic, mystery, and adventure. It is designed from the ground up to facilitate fast and furious play, with very little prep time and adventures that are a breeze to run. This is a game with room for laughs at the table, while still offering brutal challenges for the adventurers. We call this playstyle “mirth and mayhem roleplaying” – great for long campaigns, but also perfect for a one-shot.

Dragonbane is a translation of Drakar och Demoner, Scandinavia’s first and biggest tabletop RPG, originally launched in 1982. This new and reimagined edition has one foot firmly planted in the heritage of decades of Swedish gaming and the other in the modern and innovative game design for which Free League Publishing is known worldwide.

The game uses a skill-based D20 system that is very easy for new players to learn. Each skill is rated from 1 to 18, and the player needs to roll equal to or lower than the skill level to succeed. That’s right – in this game you want to roll low. Rolling a natural 1 is called rolling a dragon, and triggers powerful special effects.

The core Dragonbane game has ten professions, including the classic Fighter, Mage, Hunter and Thief, but also the more unorthodox Artisan, Merchant, Mariner and Scholar. The profession will impact a player character’s starting skills and give it a starting heroic ability, but after the game starts the player is free to further develop their character in any way they choose, unbound by any class restrictions.

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I was very happy that when I rolled for my Kin I got the one I wanted, Mallard. These are duck humanoids – think Daffy, Donald, or for the deep cuts Dead-Eye. Meet Sir Splats Hackleswell, the Mallard Knight.

Sir Splats Hackleswell, the Mallard Knight has earned a reputation as a formidable warrior. However, his ill-tempered and slothful nature often overshadows his virtues, making him a polarizing figure among his peers. His most trusted companion is his combat-trained horse, Bramble, a steed as fearless as Sir Splats himself.

The origins of Sir Splats’ knighthood are tied to a simple wooden knight doll, a gift from Lady Cressida, an aging but wise paladin who saw potential in the young mallard after saving his village from an attack by raiders. This figure has remained with him through thick and thin, a reminder of the chivalric ideals he strives to uphold despite his glaring flaws. His closest ally, Brother Quill, an extremely patient cleric, often tries to temper Sir Splats’ short temper to varying success.

Sir Splats and Brother Quill find themselves in the village of Greendale, where they are approached by Lady Cressida with a dire request. A powerful relic, the Shield of Eldara, has been stolen by a band of ruthless mercenaries led by Captain Thornbeak. The relic is said to protect the village from an ancient curse, and its loss has already begun to wreak havoc through deadly storms and predators emerging from the forests.

Lady Cressida implores Sir Splats to retrieve the shield, promising a handsome reward of not just gold but a five day feast made from the royal pantry. With Bramble and Brother Quill by his side, Sir Splats sets off on a perilous quest to reclaim the Shield of Eldara and protect the people of Greendale.