Bound by Flame: A Tabletop RPG

G RPART TWO

AME ULES

ABOUT THE GAME Step 1


Bound by Flame is a role-playing game in the vein of The GM privately chooses a number that reflects
Dungeons & Dragons where players will adventure how difficult the proposed action is. For example,
through a fantasy land full of half-beasts, witches, and asking the shopkeeper for a discount may be a 10,
magical creatures to battle against an ancient evil that whereas persuading them to give you an item for
threatens the lives of all humanoids in the land.
free may be a 20.


The game is played with 3-5 players: one Game Master Step 2

(GM), who will facilitate, narrate, and conceptualize
the unfolding story of the game, and the remaining 2-4 The GM announces to the player the relevant skill
players that will make up the party of characters that associated with the proposed action. E.g., picking
will adventure on this quest. Each player will begin by up a large rock: strength; deciphering runes: mind;
designing their character with the provided character sweet-talking a shopkeeper: charm, etc.

sheets.

Step 3

After the players have created their characters, the
game begins. The GM will introduce the setting, then The player rolls a D20 and adds the value of the
the game moves into its core loop, consisting of one of associated skill to the result of the roll. In the case
two states: Adventuring or Combat.
of the shopkeeper, if the player rolls a 11 on a D20
and their character has a charm skill of 8, the result
ADVENTURING would be 19.


Adventuring follows a simple loop of setup, action, Step 4

check, and reaction.

The check either secretly succeeds or fails based on
Setup
whether or not the result meets the secret numeric
threshold of the action as defined by the GM





The GM will describe the current environment that
players are in and the current events that are occurring. GAME RULES 02
This could be anything from the description that the
party enters a dark forest and notices a strange carving
with runes on the side of a tree, to a cheerful
shopkeeper asking the party to purchase their wares.


Action


Players will describe an action they want to perform.
This could be anything from deciphering the runes on
the engraved carving to persuading the shopkeeper to
give them one of the items for free.























INVESTIGATING THE ATTACK

Taking a look at their surroundings, there
are several avenues that players can explore.


Have one person roll, another may give the
help action if they wish to in order to give
the rolling person advantage. Depending on
what they roll, describe what they see and
then all of the options that are lower than
their roll.


Old Man: (Mind Check: 1-2) Ask the first available Shady Half-Beast: (Mind Check: 13-16) Ask
person what happened.
someone that looks shady. There is a half-beast
“Immediately in front of you is a hurt old man, walking with purpose from the apothecary towards
groaning in pain, who appears to have just woken up a dark alleyway. He’s got his hood up, and without a
from being knocked out. He is trying to make his way to closer look it’s hard to make out his beastly
the pop-up medical tent at the north of the square.”

qualities.

“You see a cloaked figure exit the apothecary on the west
Knight in Charge: (Mind Check: 3-6) Ask the of the square and expertly dodge out of view of a group
Knight that seems to be in charge.
of Knights. The figure appears to be heading towards one
“A commanding officer stands at the center of the of the dark alleyways at the east of the square.”

square, shouting orders at the Knights and volunteers.”

South West Street: (Mind Check: 17-19)
Examining the damage, they can tell that the most
Fire Crew: (Mind Check: 7-12) Ask one of the burnt area is down a street to the south west.

cleanup crew.
“The street leading south west is charred, and completely
“You see a group of volunteers and what look to be lower empty. The fire there has been put out already, and the
ranked Knights trying to put out a small fire at the east area has been cordoned off by a group of Knights and
of the square. There is one volunteer who pauses to catch mercenaries. Only those with permission seem to be
his breath and plops down onto the ground with his head allowed down that way.”

in his hands. ‘I need a break guys. It’s been hours.’ He Alley: (Crit or Mind Check: 20+) You see a side
says. One of the Knights turns to him and nods. ‘Take 5. street that allows you into the cordoned off area.

We gotta get this done soon or we’ll never recover.’” “The guards appear to have overlooked an entry point to
the cordoned off area. There is a small alley behind the
bookstore that allows you into the south west street.
You’ll have to be a little sneaky, but you can get a closer
look.”


See next two pages for details
C T 12HAPTER WO



























Going Down SPECTRAL GUARD

Going down will lead to a maze, and eventually the shrine. 1 92
Map: Temple Maze [p. 27
Walking in the maze and stepping on sigils may trigger Shadowfire 04
traps. Players must continuously pass a group Sneak
Check of 13 as they proceed through the maze (roughly Basic attack. Can be used multiple times per
after every 2 doors they pass) or risk triggering an
alarm. encounter. Does not deal damage, but applies a
Encounter: If an alarm is triggered, a Spectral Guard
will spawn from the sigil and initiate combat.
stack of Bind on units.

Door 1: Storage room, very dusty - hasn’t been kept up in Spirit Tear
awhile
Magic attack. Can be used multiple times per
Encounter: Giant Spiders

encounter. All units with Bind take damage equal
to the number of stacks of Bind on them. All
Door 2: More storage, contains some bedding, pillows, Bind stacks are removed.
towels


GIANT SPIDERS (x2)
Door 3: Prayer room, contains an altar. One priest is
kneeling there praying 4 32

About the temple: “Oh, you’re the group Ulric sent? Thank Neurotoxin 01
you for coming so swiftly. Our order is depleted and we
barely have any numbers left. As a result, this temple has Basic attack. Can be used multiple times per
been a bit overrun by mountain creatures. They keep to
themselves if you don’t bother them. encounter. Damage of this attack is equal to the
About the shrine: “The shrine is at the back of this floor,
we’ve set up a couple of traps along the way to dissuade target unit’s current health.
thieves and hopefully slow the witch down so just lookout for
sigils on the ground.”

Venomous Bite 01

Door 4: Smaller prayer room that looks like it has Basic attack. Can be used multiple times per
collapsed
encounter. Damage of this attack is equal to the
Encounter: Going further into the room will cause the
rocks to move and grow and become Rock Monsters

target unit’s missing health.

Door 5: Looks like a prison - some cages contain skeletons. ROCK MONSTERS (x3)
Some large rocks behind bars. A far cage contains a half-
beast who has been corrupted by the Bogmother. They are 5 01
barely alive
Quaking Earth 2 1
Encounter: Corrupted half-beast [p. 28]. Players can
attempt to help it, but they will not be reasoned with. Basic attack. Can be used multiple times per
Way too starved, way too abused.

encounter. Attack also deals 1 damage to all
Going Right
enemies adjacent to the target unit.
Going to the right will lead up to the open cavern, to the
Harden
Well of Life. From there, they must find a hidden door that
Channeling ability. Can be used multiple times
will lead to the shrine below it. per encounter. Permanently increase defense by 1.

CHAPTER FOUR 26