Heroic Age of Tékumel Convention Packet

(I posted this earlier on my G+ feed, but I forgot to include the spell cards with the spell descriptions on them.)

Since I'm still playtesting my game, I like to have players roll up characters at con games. I've been working at getting the time it takes for a player unfamiliar with the rules to make a character down to 30 minutes. The latest innovation is my Convention Equipment Rule, which eliminates buying equipment. I created this quick reference to character generation for at the table -- the Convention Packet.

Here is the final format of my Heroic Age of Tékumel convention packet. It contains everything you need to create 1st level characters, but rules for anything in higher levels have been eliminated. It contains a two-page summary of Tékumel, character generation charts, a two-page player rules summary, and a character sheet. I have a separate file of spell cards that have the spell descriptions, range, area, and duration on them. I did not use the color cover I created for HAoT, since I wanted to print these very cheaply. If you play one of my games at a con, you will receive one of these to guide you in making a character.

(Since I run my games in The Time of No Kings, the Current Affairs section of the Tékumel Summary reflects that. I will be posting a version of this that has my original 2375 A.S. summary -- 6 years after Mirusíya's ascension.)

Downloads

Heroic Age of Tékumel Convention Packet

Heroic Age of Tékumel Spell Cards

Differences from previous versions

• No equipment list because of the Convention Equipment Rule.
• A clan-centric background table was added.
• Metal's effect on spellcasting added.
• Clarification of what weapons can be used by magic users and specialists.
• Deity restrictions on spells added.
• Integration of combat rules from Wizard Duel added. This gives characters two actions per turn and expands the actions available: Aim, Disbelieve, Pickup Weapon, and Adjust Spell were added.

Future Plans

The next piece of the Heroic Age project is a Heroic Age of Tékumel Quick Start. This will be in the format of the Convention Packet, but will contain everything a player needs to advance to 10th level, nonhuman character generation, all the skills and spells and their descriptions, skill mastery, full equipment table, a pronunciation guide, a full character generation example, and an example of play. Basically, it'll be an abbreviated player's manual. To play with this version, the referee will need some version of Empire of the Petal Throne for creatures, treasure, encounters, etc. I'm hoping to get this done by the end of April.

After that is done, I'll start a monthly campaign to playtest the rules more thoroughly, though I'm not sure if this will be face-to-face or on Hangout. I hope to start this in May.

During the playtest, I will turn the Quick Start into the draft of the final product, adding a more complete setting chapter, verbiage around all the rules, and the referee sections. I hope to have the draft done by U-Con in November.

After that, the generic non-Tékumel version of Heroic Age will begin. It is intended to be a swords and sorcery RPG with a simple worldbuilding mechanism. I hope to sell this.

Comments and suggestions are welcome.