BRP Magic World Operator's manual

Magic World
Quick-Start Rules

Interior Illustrations
Richard LeDuc and Friends
Cover Painting
Andy P. Timm
Editing & Production
Nicholas Nacario
Copy Reading
Meghan Mclean
The Fishsinger’s Daughter
Richard LeDuc
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Magic World Quick-Start Rules is copyright ©2013, 2014 by Chaosium Inc. All rights reserved.
The names of public personalities may be referred to, but any resemblance of a scenario character to persons living or
dead is strictly coincidental.
Except in this publication and associated advertising, all illustrations for Magic World remain the property of the artists,
who otherwise reserve all rights.
This book is an introduction to the roleplaying game Magic World, available separately.
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Item #MWQS
ISBN10: 1568824327
ISBN13: 9781568824321
Created in California, Printed in the USA

CONTENTS
How to Play................................5
The Fishsinger’s Daughter.........13
Handouts...................................24
Characters..................................27

How to Play
5
Magic World Quick-Start
Don’t panic! Despite all the rules, charts,
and arcane language, you already know
how to play this game. It’s simply the same
‘let’s pretend’ games you played as a child.
But in Magic World, and other roleplaying
games, there are rules to describe how the
world works, and how your characters in-
teract with it. And to solve the perpetual “I
got you!” “No, I got you rst!” problems.
Magic World has only a few core principles
to keep in mind, and once you know these,
you should be ne:
• Attributes are usually 3-18 (the higher the
better), human average is 10-11. Make an
attribute roll when there is no opposition
and a resistance roll when there is an op-
posed force that can be rated.
• e Resistance Table is based on equal
forces having a 50/50 chance against one
another. e more unequal the forces are,
the greater the dierence. Both scores’
chances always add up to 100%.
• Skills have percentile ratings (the higher
the better), and you want to roll low to suc-
ceed. A roll of 99 and/or 00 is a fumble. A
roll over your skill is a failure. A roll equal
to or under your skill rating is a success. A
roll of 1/5 your skill is a special success. A
roll of 1/20 your skill is a critical success.
• Occasionally, skill ratings will be mod-
ied by a value (usually within the range of
±20%) if some contributing factor makes
things more dicult, or if something makes
the skill attempt easier.
• When you run out of Hit Points, you die.
• Most spells use Magic Points for fuel.
When these run out, you fall unconscious.
Everything else can be determined during
the course of play, or explained as required.
If knowledge of the rules is getting in the
way of actually playing, better to play.
Remember, this is a game! Have fun with it.
IF YOU’VE NEVER PLAYED A ROLEPLAYING
GAME BEFORE, READ THIS FIRST!

How to Play
6
Magic World Quick-Start
How to Play
Storytelling is the most ancient art in which hu-
manity still engages. From time inmemorial we
have gathered in groups to engage in the myths
and legends of our people. From the hearth fires
of ancient tribes, to the glittering cineplexes down
the street, stories help us to understand who we
were, who we are, and who we wish to be.
Magic World is a set of rules to allow you
and your friends to tell astounding stories of
fantasy and myth. The rules codify what ac-
tions are available within the game, while re-
maining intuitive so that they do not get in
the way of your enjoyment of the stories.
The rules to Magic World are easily remem-
bered. Most tasks can be resolved with a single
roll of the dice. Character creation is quick
and intuitive, with numerous options as to
character race, skills, etc.
But don’t take our word for it. Grab some
dice and friends and forge the stuff of legends!
R
Fantasy Roleplaying is a form of social gam-
ing, akin to acting out a novel. There are two
sorts of players. Most players act out the prima-
ry roles in a game, the heroes around whom the
tales revolve. They might be swaggering war-
riors in plate armor, sly beggars whose weapons
are the deformities with which they earn their
living, or decadent Sorcerers of noble birth.
One other player becomes the Chronicler, who
devises and presents the adventures in which
the rest of the players participate. The Chroni-
cler describes the world in which the Adventur-
ers roam, and how that world is affected by the
players’ actions. While a player acts out only one
role, or perhaps two if playing two Adventurers,
the Chronicler presents the entire fantasy world
in which the game is set, with its people, places,
monsters, and gods.
Play is mostly conversation: the Chronicler
outlines some situation or encounter, then
the players say what they, in the guise of the
Adventurers, propose to do. Relying on the
rules to keep everything consistent and fair,
the Chronicler then tells them how to do what
they proposed or, if impossible, what hap-
pens instead. Dice rolls, the results of which
are unpredictable, keep everyone honest and
provide surprises, triumphs, dismal defeats,
and hairs-breadth escapes.
Success in roleplaying comes not from play-
ers eliminating each other, as in chess or Risk,
but in memorably adopting the personas of
characters quite different from themselves, and
in reacting as those people would to other-
worldly scenes and creatures.
Part of the pleasure in roleplaying is the in-
teraction and cooperation between players: a
novel gives solitary pleasure, but roleplaying
gives the satisfaction of theater. Cooperation
among players is important in successfully
completing the task or quest the scenario set
forth, and in granting their own pleasure in
the game—you are not only the actors, but
the audience as well.
Many of the game’s details are glossed over here
but since Magic World is a game of fantasy and
wonder, this will not the atmosphere of imagi-
nation necessary for a good fantasy game.

How to Play
7
Magic World Quick-Start
Once you’ve played a game or two, you will
probably want to take a look at the full rules
for Magic World, which are available from any
good game store, most large bookstores, or di-
rectly from us at www.chaosium.com. To cre-
ate your character, you will only need three
ordinary six-sided dice. To play the game, you
should invest in a full set of polyhedral dice.
At least one of 4, 6, 8, 10 and 20-sided dice
are needed to play the game.
A   N
To play Magic World you need a character.
Characters in the game are called “Adventurers”
because they primarily spend their play time
exploring and adventuring in the regions and
dungeons of Magic World. It will be helpful for
you to have a piece of scratch paper handy, or
ideally a Magic World character sheet. There is
one located at the end of this PDF or you can
download one for free at www.chaosium.com.
Click on “Free Downloads” then “Character
Sheets, Keeper Forms, and more.”
e Primary Attributes
To begin, a Magic World character has seven
primary attributes:
Strength (STR) Strength measures an Adven-
turer’s muscle power. It shows how much some-
one can lift, push or pull, or how tightly he can
hold on. Strength decides if an Adventurer can
wield the heaviest hand weapons at full ability.
It is also a component in figuring the damage
bonus which may increase the effect of hand-
to-hand attacks.
Human STR cannot naturally exceed 21. An
Adventurer reduced to zero Strength is an in-
valid, unable to leave bed.
STRx5 is the Effort roll. Additionally, STR
influences Damage Bonus and Physical skills.
Constitution (CON) Constitution summarizes
the health, vigor, and vitality of an Adventurer.
Constitution helps calculate how well an Ad-
venturer resists drowning and suffocation, poi-
sons, diseases, and magic—which makes him
harder to kill.
If Constitution points are ever reduced to
zero, the Adventurer dies.
The Stamina roll is equal to CONx5. CON
influences Hit Points and Perception skills.
Dexterity (DEX) Higher Dexterity makes for a
quicker and more nimble Adventurer who has
potential for more activity in a round. A suc-
cessful DEX roll may prevent a fall, let an Ad-
venturer stand in a high wind, do a delicate
task, or take something without being noticed.
The multiplier DEXx5 is called the Agility
roll. DEX also influences an Adventurer’s reac-
tion speed in combat, and Manipulation skills.
Human DEX cannot normally exceed 21.
An Adventurer with zero DEX points is un-
able to accomplish any physical task without
also a successful Luck roll.
Example: Jeromyn the Thief needs to make an
Agility roll to ensure that he will be able to slide
under the closing door in time. His player, Krista,
wishes that she will roll below Jeromyn’s Agility
of 75%. She rolls a 52 on her percentile dice. Jero-
myn slides under the door safely.
Size (SIZ) The characteristic of Size repre-
sents the average of an Adventurer’s height and
weight. Can an Adventurer can see over some-
thing, or squeeze through a small opening, or
be seen in tall grass? This characteristic also
helps calculate the Adventurer’s Hit Points and
Damage Bonus. To show loss of one or more
limbs, decrease SIZ and DEX.
Human SIZ cannot be higher than 21. If
starving, loss of half or more of SIZ causes
Pre-Generated Characters
This adventure pack includes several pre-generated
characters to use for the adventure at the back of this
QuickStart PDF. It is suggested to use these charac-
ters for this adventure to allow new Magic World or
Basic Roleplaying players to begin their game right
away. If your group would like to create their own
characters, feel free to do so.

How to Play
8
Magic World Quick-Start
death. If an Adventurer somehow loses all SIZ
he withers to a husk, or disappears entirely!
SIZ influences an Adventurer’s Hit Points,
and Damage Bonus.
Intelligence (INT) This characteristic repre-
sents how well an Adventurer learns, remem-
bers, and analyzes. INT equals the number of
spells and other magic that an Adventurer can
know and have ready to use. Much depends
upon the INT characteristic.
Human Intelligence can rise indefinitely.
Reaching zero INT reduces the Adventurer to
a babbling idiotic state. The Idea roll is INTx5.
INT influences Knowledge skills.
Example: Eoghain the Sorceror has an INT of
18. This allows him to have a maximum of nine
levels of spells. Eoghain’s player, Jeff, chooses
his spells and writes them down on his charac-
ter sheet: Contribute to Truth, Heal, Moonrise,
Muddle, and Witch Sight.
Power (POW)
The more Power an Adventurer
has, the greater is his or her force of will, confi-
dence, and capacity for magic. (Power does not
correspond to leadership: that is earned by ro-
leplaying.) To cast magic, an Adventurer must
have POW 16 or higher. The amount of Power
equals the Adventurer’s maximum Magic Points.
POWx5 is a convenient multiplier called
the Luck roll. Power can rise indefinitely. An
Adventurer without POW lacks will and be-
haves like a zombie. POW influences an Ad-
venturer’s Magic Points.
Appearance (APP) Appearance shows relative
agreeableness, eloquence, gracefulness, dyna-
mism, and physical attractiveness. It calibrates
first impressions, and also indexes the eagerness
of people to associate with the Adventurer. Low
APP could indicate ugliness, or perpetual dis-
agreeableness. High APP need not mean beauty
or handsomeness so much as a memorable face
or the ability to make a good impression.
A handy multiplier, APPx5, is called the
Charisma roll. APP influences Communica-
tion skills.
Human APP cannot naturally exceed 21. An
Adventurer with zero APP points provokes
disgust everywhere.

How to Play
9
Magic World Quick-Start
e Secondary Attributes
There are a number of attributes which are de-
termined after you have figured the attributes
above. These are your adventurer’s Damage Bo-
nus, Magic Points, and Hit Points.
Damage Bonus (DB) is how much extra dam-
age your investigator does with a successful
close-combat attack. Add your STR and SIZ
and consult the Damage Bonus Table to find
your damage bonus.
Example: Ruairi the Mercenary has STR 15 and
SIZ 10. His player, Meghan, combines Ruairi’s
STR and SIZ to determine his damage bonus:
+1D4. Ruairi is a strong fighter.
Magic Points (MP) are equal to your POW.
MPs fluctuate up and down as you cast spells. If
your adventurer’s MPs ever fall below 0, he or
she is rendered unconscious.
Hit Points (HP) are determined by adding SIZ
and CON together, then dividing the total by
two and rounding up. As your adventurer takes
damage from combat or other events, your HPs
will drop. If you drop to only 2 HPs, your inves-
tigator is rendered unconscious. If he hits -2 or
lower, he or she is dead.
Occupation and Skills
Choice of occupation will influence the se-
lection of skills for your character. The Magic
World rulesbook contains a fuller explanation
of occupations and occupation skills.
Final Touches
Look over the character sheet and taking one
last look at all the skills, attributes, etc.
From looking over all this material, you will
begin to get an idea of who this character is.
You might want to fill out some notes on
your adventurer’s background and personality.
Who is he or she really? Where did she grow
up? What is his family like? The more time
you spend thinking about your character, the
more he develops a personality.
T G S
Playing the Game
In a roleplaying game, there is no winner or
loser. You all win if everyone has fun telling a
good, moving tale. You lose if no one has fun.
To keep things moving along during the course
of the game, and to add that spice of risk and
improbability, you occasionally will be called
on to roll dice to determine the outcome of
critical events. Generally, Skill Checks may be
called for by the Chronicler in stressful situa-
tions. Walking through a field on a pleasant
evening is not a stressful situation. Fighting a
group of orcs that has ambushed your party in
the middle of the night is.
The following section outlines the basics of
playing a game of Magic World.
Dice Rolling & Skill Checks
Different types of polyhedral dice are used to
determine the outcome of events in a Magic
World session. You should be able to purchase
a set of these dice in any good game store. You
will want at least one each of 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-,
and 20-sided die. You will also want to pick up
dice referred to as “percentage” dice. These dice
will have ten sides numbered “10, 20, 30, etc.”
Dice notation in the game is simple. You will
always know what type and number of dice
to roll when you see something like “1D6” or
“3D10.” The first number is the quantity of dice
to roll. The second number (after the “D”) tells
you what type. So, “1D6” means to roll a single
6-sided die. “3D10” tells you to roll 3 ten-sided
dice and add the values. If you ever see some-
thing like “2D6+6” that means to roll 2 six-sid-
ed dice, add them together, and then add six to
that sum.
For the most part, dice are rolled normally:
roll the dice called for in the rules, and read
the uppermost number. One of the most com-
mon rolls you will make is a “percentile” roll.
All skills, as well as Idea, Know, and Luck rolls
start with a percentile roll. To do this, roll a

How to Play
10
Magic World Quick-Start
something else. If the attack succeeds, the de-
fending player rolls for any interposing armor.
The rules for combat in Magic World are
simple. When a combat occurs, all adventurers,
as well as characters and monsters controlled
by the Chronicler, act in order of their DEX
scores. The highest DEX goes first, followed
by the rest in descending order.
Statement of Intent
The Chronicler and players tell each other what
their characters generally intend to do in the
round. The player needs no statement of intent
to let an Adventurer parry, Dodge, or prepare a
weapon during the round. Actions always can
be canceled, and targets can be changed. Limit
intent to that which is logical — for instance, if
a player misses a skill roll which would have de-
tected an ambush, the Adventurer will not then
prepare for an ambush.
Magic
Play begins. Spells cast in the previous round
take effect first. Start new spells only in this
phase. Characters use magic in the order of
percentile die as described above, and a reg-
ular ten-sided die. Then simply add the two
numbers together. If the number you rolled
is less than or equal to the skill listed on your
character sheet, you have succeeded.
Example: Kris is rolling to see if her character
spots an elf sneaking up on her in a field of high
grass. She has a “Sense” skill of 45%. She rolls the
two dice, getting a 60 on the percentile die, and 3
on the ten-sided die. Adding them together, she
gets a total of 63, well over her skill of 45%. She
never sees the elf coming.
Generally, the Chronicler for your game tells
you when you can attempt a skill roll.
Additionally, when you successfully roll a
given skill, put a check mark in the box next
to it on your sheet. You can only get one check
per skill per game session. At the end of the
evening’s session your Chronicler generally
will tell you to “roll for skill increases”. At this
time, roll percentile dice against any checked
skills. If you roll over the value of the skill,
you can add 1D6 points to the skill’s value. In
other words, the more you know about some-
thing, the harder it is to learn anything new,
or get any better.
C
Fights occur in combat rounds. The Chronicler
begins marking game time in combat rounds
whenever he thinks that a physical encounter
may start. Each combat round lasts about a few
seconds of game time, enough time for partici-
pants to start or complete at least one action.
When the combat round ends, the next one be-
gins. When an encounter concludes, marking
time in combat rounds stops. Within a com-
bat round, the Chronicler calls out the passing
DEX- ranks, the players roll the dice, and the
combatants wield their weapons. If attacking,
the player rolls D100 to see if the attack hit.
Defending, the player might decide to parry
or dodge, or hope that his Adventurer’s armor
blocks any attack while the Adventurer does

How to Play
11
Magic World Quick-Start
Resolution
Everybody checks their Adventurer sheets to
make sure that Hit Points, Magic Points, magic
in memory, etc., are current. The next round
begins.
E
Weapons
Broadsword, Cutlass, Scimitar, Rapier - They
are roughly a yard long or less, have one or two
sharp edges, are usually one-handed weapons,
and have sharp points for skewering opponents.
This is the broadest weapon class; Chroniclers
wishing for more authentic treatment of medi-
eval weaponry may wish to place the rapier in
its own class.
Battle Axe, Great Axe - Heavy cleaving blades
mounted on long wooden or metal-clad han-
dles. Designs vary: one sort has one cleaving
blade topped by a metal spike for puncturing
armor. Another might feature a hook as a sec-
ond blade, for pulling down cavalrymen.
Dagger - There is not much difference be-
tween a long dagger and a shortsword. The use-
fulness of this weapon class, however, is in its
lightness and compactness as a second weapon
and, if equipped with a cross-guard, as a parry-
ing weapon.
Hunting Bow - Various sorts of bows occur
throughout history. The recurved bow is short-
er than the others, for ease of use from horse-
their INT, starting with the highest necessary
and working down until everyone has had a
chance. A character may delay casting magic
until a later INT-rank. INT- rank 1 is the last
INT-rank. Roll D100 if ties are a problem on a
particular INT-rank.
Mark off Magic Points as they are sacrificed.
An Adventurer can begin one spell in a round.
All the spells in this book require exactly one
full combat round of concentration to cast
and take effect.
Example: Dúnhere casts Sorcerer’s Razor on his
INT-rank in the magic phase of round one. The
spell takes effect on his INT-rank in round two. If
he wishes, he can cast new magic on his INT-rank
or later in round two.
Actions
Adventurers not engaged in hand-to-hand
combat from the previous round or other- wise
committed may move to their maximums.
Those not moving, or using half or less of their
MOV may use other skills in this round, before
or after movement.
Use DEX-rank to order attacks, parries, and
dodges, starting with the highest rank useful
and working down. For instance, in a given
round a DEX 17 fighter attacks before a DEX
16 opponent. DEX-rank 1 is the last rank in
the round. An action may be delayed until a
later DEX-rank in the same round. Within a
particular DEX-rank, opponents armed with
missile weapons have the opportunity to attack
first, followed by those with long-length weap-
ons, and then by those with medium and short
hand-to-hand weapons. The weapon tables de-
fine weapon lengths. Roll D100 to break ties.
Parries and attack-related Dodges occur in
the same DEX-rank as the attack.
If the Adventurer performs more than one
action in a round, then separate the actions
by at least five DEX-ranks, excepting parries
and Dodges. Begin at his or her DEX, then at
DEX minus five, then at DEX minus ten, etc.,
until no more ranks remain in the round.

How to Play
12
Magic World Quick-Start
S
Sorcery is a system for invoking supernatural
effects on the physical world through complex
occult formulas, formalized as spells. When
your character performs the proper ritual to ac-
tivate a sorcery spell, the specific type of magic
energy is released and has the desired effect.
Sorcery spells always activate, though they
may not be able to overcome the target’s re-
sistance. Rarely is a roll required to activate
the spell, and there is no need for any special
targeting. Generally, the only chance of fail-
ure for sorcery spells is if the target’s relevant
characteristic (usually POW) cannot be over-
come on the Resistance Table.
A sorcery spell’s duration equals the cast-
er’s POW in combat rounds. For example, a
character with POW 19 casts Sorcerer’s Razor.
The spell takes one round to cast, then takes
effect in the Magic phase of the next round.
It lasts for 18 more combat rounds, and ex-
pires in the Magic phase of the 20th round.
Once cast, a sorcery spell needs no mainte-
nance, and continues in effect whether or not
the target moves out of range.
back. The hunting bow is made entirely of
wood, and found universally across the worlds
of fantasy. Dampness and rain stretch unpro-
tected bowstrings, warp arrows, and render
bows unusable.
A
Armor is essentially a kind of clothing stiff
enough to protect against attack. Most often
armorers make it of leather, bronze, and steel
in some combination. Like a shield, armor
is a barrier interposed between an attack and
the defender’s body, but armor leaves both
hands free: strapped on, armor remains in place
so you do not have to think about it.
No armor is perfect. Plate armor (sheet steel
curved to fit the body) is the most protective,
but even it has plenty of chinks where the
separate parts meet or where the joints must
move. Armor without joints would be immo-
bile, like a block. Armor is better or worse in
different fashions. Every armorer tries to make
a light, strong armor, but working with steel
is difficult and expensive. The best is plate
armor, customized to the individual wearer.
Civilized places take the wearing of armor to
signify hostility.
Armor comes in SIZ. Depending on the sort
of armor, sometimes a suit of it may be worn
by a person slightly different in SIZ from the
person for whom the armor was made. A col-
umn on the weapons table shows what SIZ
will fit.
Because armor roll results vary widely, most
Adventurers also use shields for parrying. It
takes a mighty blow to penetrate both shield
and armor.
Soft Leather - The hide is as thick as heavy belt
leather and may be padded at points with more
layers. The leather is usually discontinuous,
covering the forearms, shins, and torso with
separate articles of armor. The leather skullcap
may be reinforced with metal ribbing. There
may be metal decoration, but it has no defen-
sive value.

How to Play
13
Magic World Quick-Start
If your character succeeds in a POW x3 roll,
he can momentarily convince the target of
something as if using the Fast Talk skill. The
command or misinformation must be spoken
aloud and the target must be able to under-
stand the language being spoken.
The target can attempt to break it once each
combat round if he can make a successful Idea
roll (to realize your character’s influence). If
this roll is successful, the target can attempt
a magic point vs. magic point resistance roll.
Both rolls must be successful for the target
to break free. The nature of the spell requires
that the Idea roll be made each round, but
once the target is free from the spell, no fur-
ther rolls are required.
Witch Sight (3 MP)
Range: Touch Resisted: NoYour character learns
the approximate strength of a target’s POW
characteristic, defined as one of the following
(compared to your character’s POW):
• Much Stronger Than Me (more than dou- ble
your character’s POW)
• Stronger Than Me (up to double)
• Equal To Me (within one or two points)
• Weaker Than Me (down to half)
• Much Weaker Than Me (less than half)
The spell can be canceled by or shielded against
by Undo Sorcery. During the spell’s duration,
your character can also see emanations from
any invisible beings, elements, and spirits, and
can follow or trace where sorcerous entities
have recently passed. The Chronicler should
determine if this spell works to detect char-
acters made invisible through technology or
another type of power (basic magic, psychic,
super, etc.). The spell will also detect beings of
extremely high Allegiance to a particular force,
at the Chronicler’s discretion.
Contribute to Truth (1 MP)
Range: Sight Resisted: POW vs. POW
With a successful casting, the target feels he
must tell the truth in response to a question,
or else must look away and remain silent. The
target has no sense that he can mislead or tell an
outright lie unless the spell accompanying that
question has failed.
If the target answers, he tries to answer as
fully as the question demands, but never more
than a few sentences. Follow-up or new ques-
tions require new castings of the spell and
the sacrifice of another magic point for each.
Heal (2 MP)
Range: Touch Resisted: No
This spell immediately adds 1D4 Hit Points to
the target’s current total, up to his or her maxi-
mum Hit Points. Hit Points healed to a single
wound, in excess of the wound’s value, are lost.
This spell can be cast once per wound. Ad-
ditionally, you can use this spell to treat a
wound that has already been treated by Physik,
and both will improve Hit Points if success-
ful. This spell is often used in tandem with
Physik by some healers.
Moonrise (1 MP)
Range: Touch Resisted: No
This spell causes a ball of light 1/2 meter across
to appear and float in the air, glowing suffi-
ciently enough to brightly illuminate a room. If
your character wishes, he can grasp the ball of
light and move it about.
Only your character can move it in this man-
ner. Undo Sorcery 1 will cancel this spell.
Muddle (1 MP)
Range: Sight Resisted: MP vs. MP
This spell disorients the target enough that
he cannot cast spells or carry out coordinated
plans. However, the target continues to be able
to defend him- or herself and move by his or
her own volition.

The Fishsinger’s Daughter
14
Magic World Quick-Start
passed and Maegth grew to a young woman,
but this was before the ogre Aeled arrived.
About a month ago Aeled the Ogre arrived
near the Fishsinger’s Tower. The first thing the
ogre did was take possession of the House on
Oak hill; a small abandoned structure with its
own magical connections. After “rekindling”
a fire elemental associated with the house, he
sets out to steal the river crystal that binds the
Fishsinger to the mortal world. Aeled placed
it in the fire elemental and causes the Fishs-
inger to “die.” The fishermen, ignorant of her
immortal nature bury her body and consid-
er what to do with her daughter. Suddenly
Aeled appears to them, using glamour to take
the form of a human, claim to be her father
and the heir to the abandoned house on Oak
Hill. He befriends several unsavory charac-
ters in the fishing village, and invites them to
his new house — where he has taken up resi-
dence along with a small group of orcs. The
evil men, the orcs, and the ogre get along well.
They take to banditry, capturing two hunters
to ransom, and planning even greater mischief
while keeping Maegth as their slave.
Unknown to her captors, Maegth has deep
magical connections to water. One night while
fetching clean drinking water, she magically
traps her guard, escapes, and runs to the Riv-
ermen at Singers Landing. The Rivermen are
strong law-abiding people, but they do not
C’ S
What is going on
For centuries the Count of the Mists has been
scheming for the return of the Fey! Recently, he
has sent a number of ogres and other dark crea-
tures out to harass the mortals. This is the story
of one of them, an ogre named Aeled.
Along the White river there are small fishing
villages inhabited by the descendants of the
Purdagi pirates and their half-orc brides. Col-
lectively these fishermen are a nearly-lawless
group and the breeding grounds for highway-
men, brigands, and thieves. Still most of the
time, the fishermen are peaceful. Near one vil-
lage is, or was, the Fishsinger. She is, or was,
a magical naiad (a non-Fey water spirit) who
in the time when the fairies ruled the Parlin
Plains was the spirit of the river. With the ar-
rival of the mortals her domain had shrunk
and she had diminished until she was confined
to a short length of river and a small tower.
There she lived much as a mortal. Seventy
years ago when the fishermen came, she was
already reduced to living in her tower, and
along the nearby river. Each day she would
sing up an eel to sell to the fishermen. Even-
tually she was wooed by a mortal prince and
gave birth to a very magical mortal daughter
— the Fishsinger’s daughter, Maegth. Years
The Fishsinger's Daughter
A Short Adventure in the Southern Reaches for 4-6 beginning Magic World characters
CAUTION: Nothing that follows is intended for players, it is for the Chron-
icler only. If you are going to play this adventure, stop reading now.

The Fishsinger’s Daughter
15
Magic World Quick-Start
them, or talk to her when they find the fire el-
emental.
G S
Read the following to the players, and explain
that it is common knowledge to anyone travel-
ling up river by boat and is known to all the
characters.
e Old Story of Eel
The story goes that long ago when the White
River flowed through the fairy forest and spirits
and the Fey were common, the Fairy King and
the River got into an argument. The King had
been hunting Wily Snake which in his despera-
tion for a place to hide, slipped under River.
Now the King followed the trail of Snake to
River and assumed that she was purposefully
hiding his prey — he confronted her, she de-
nied his allegations, and the two fell to argu-
ing. Meanwhile, Snake took the opportunity to
slip away, but not before impregnating River’s
least attractive fish-daughter. Later this daugh-
generally interfere in the affairs of the fisher-
men. Still, Maegth arrives and pleads for help
with those travelers who are at the tiny Sing-
er’s Landing Inn. These travelers are the PCs.
The PCs must first handle a drunken mob
of brigands that want Maegth back — then
they will investigate the House on Oak Hill
and see the ogre and orcs. They must destroy
the ogre and route or kill his followers. Next
they will learn that the Fishsinger is not dead,
and can be restored by returning the River
Crystal. A few short encounters later and this
deed will be done.
Timeline for Play
This adventure is expected to take between two
and three hours:
30 minutes — meet players and introductions,
pick char- acters, and review the basics.
30 minutes — encounter with the angry fisher-
men and the Fishsinger’s daughter.
35 minutes — first encounter at the house on
oak hill.
25 minutes — the rest of the house.
30 minutes — get the stone out of the fire, and
revive the Fishsinger.
15 minutes — close the game, and feedback.
M P, I,
C
This adventure is intended as a first introduc-
tion to Magic World which can be run at Friendly
Local Gaming Stores and Gaming Conventions.
As such, the story progresses pretty linearly, but
there is plenty of room for individuality. The
first half hour is set aside for meeting the play-
ers, maybe a round of introductions, and then
picking characters from the ones provided.
Each of the characters is potentially useful, but
if the group does not have either the Sorcerer
or the Scribe, than the Chronicler should en-
courage the PCs to either take the Maegth with
The Fishsinger’s Tower

The Fishsinger’s Daughter
16
Magic World Quick-Start
the news and gossip. It is just after nightfall
and everyone has finished their supper, and
talk has turned to the speculation about a pair
of missing hunters, the curious new neighbor
near the landing, and the unfortunate Fish-
singer’s daughter. The PCs cannot help but
learn the following local gossip:
1. Two minor nobles who went inland on a
hunting expedition last week are now three
days overdue for their return.
2. The Fishsinger died two weeks ago, leaving
behind her daughter Maegth.
3. A sinister man named Aeled has moved
into the house on Oak Hill, and claimes to
be Maegth’s father.
4. He has befriended the rowdy and lawless
young men of the fishing village just up-
stream.
At this point there is a commotion, the door
opens and in rushes the Fishsinger’s daughter
pleading for help! She quickly says that she is
ter gave birth to Eel which was forever unloved
by River but prized on the dinner table of kings.
T F  
The Rivermen say that every morning for as
long as anyone could remember the Fishsinger
would come out of her small tower with her fish
basket, walk to the edge of the river and sing.
One eel, charmed by her song, would swim into
her basket. Then, basket in hand she would row
her coracle across the river to the fishermen’s
village where she would sell the eel for her daily
bread and the occasional bauble. Old-timers
say she has always been a young and attrac-
tive woman. Further, some years ago a prince
travelling up the river happened to meet her as
she crossed to the village. Smitten, he set about
wooing her, and succeeded. Unfortunately the
Fishsinger would not leave her tower, and even-
tually the prince had to return to his duties —
but not before leaving her with child, who is
now a young woman; Maegth. Just two weeks
ago the Fishsinger suddenly died. The locals
laid her to rest, and almost immediately, a man
claiming to be her father arrived. This unusual
and sinister man had a writ from Lord Beleghir
giving him title to the abandoned house on Oak
Hill, where he immediately took his daughter.
A F
The PCs are all making their way up the White
River from Lashingport to Shillingshead, the
largest inland settlement in the Southern
Reaches. Although it is only a one day trip down
the river to the sea, it can take keelboats several
days to go upstream. There are three small com-
munities along the trip where the Rivermen
camp with their keelboats for the night on the
upstream journey. The adventure begins at the
last of these landings before reaching Shillings-
head. Things start in the early evening after the
PCs have settled down at the tiny Singer’s Land-
ing Inn that serves the needs of the few travelers
heading by boat upstream.
Two boats are at the landing, and both boat-
master’s have come to the inn to catch-up on
Maegth, The Fishsinger’s Daughter
STR 12 CON 10 SIZ 8 DEX 13
INT 17 POW 18 APP 15
Hit Points: 9
Damage Bonus: none
Skills: Art (Sing) 53%, Dodge 34%, Fast
Talk 43%, Insight 40%, Nature 73%, Ora-
tory 33%, Physic 98%, Potions 48%, Track
35%
Due to her magical heritage, Maegth is in-
herently a deep magician (See the upcom-
ing Advanced Magic supplement) but she
is untrained. Her sphere is Water, and her
Rune of Power is Direction, but since she is
untrained all she knows how to do is to sing
a 4 yard wall of water with 4 AP, and to do
basic water sculpting. These effects can last
18 minutes.

Magic World Quick-Start
The Fishsinger’s Daughter
being held captive by Aeled, who is not her fa-
ther, and that he is an evil monster. She is clear-
ly upset and injured from running through the
forest in the dark. Within moments a crowd of
surly looking men appear from the forest. They
have been chasing the girl to the inn. Quickly
thereafter a large group of Rivermen appears
from the camp.
• It is clear that her pursuers are from the
fishing village. A World Lore roll will let a
PC recall that the fishermen of the White
River are the descendants of the Purdagi
pirates and their orc companions, and his-
torically do not respect the king’s law.
• They will state that they are guests of the
girl’s father, and they have come to take her
home. The Insight skill can be used to rec-
ognize that these men are not interested in
the health or safety of Maegth, and that they
are greatly amused by her current distress.
The situation is tense. The fishermen want the
girl. Maegth pleads not to let them take her. The
sailors are generally neutral, but their presence
will prevent things from getting too far out of
hand. Of course, a strict reading of the law says
that Aeled is free to treat Maegth however he
wants, provided, he is her father. Most PCs will
be interested in seeing that the truth is found
and that justice is done, but if none of the PCs
take an interest in helping Maegth for her own
sake, she will accuse Aeled (the lord of the
House on Oak Hill) of holding the two miss-
ing hunters captive. This will force any person
of honor to investigate.
The fishermen are suspicious, but they are
not breaking the law. Their efforts to return
Maegth can be considered “legal” — and cer-
tainly this will be the position of the River-
men. They would just as soon close their eyes
to Maegth’s plight and hope the problem goes
away. Because of the ambiguity of the situa-
tion a character using weapons in this fight
will receive +1 Shadow points for the action,
and killing a fisherman is murder and carries
+3 Shadow points. The good news is that the
Chronicler should warn the PCs of this if any-
one considers drawing weapons. Of course,
beating someone to submission with the Brawl
or Wrestle skills is perfectly acceptable. Thus,
17
The Singer’s Landing Inn

The Fishsinger’s Daughter
18
Magic World Quick-Start
some common options for resolving this sit-
uation are:
1. Beat one or both ofthe burly guys in a fair
fight. The mob will disperse, and head back
to their village, leaving the PCs to deal with
Maegth.
2. Use Orate, and possibly Insight, to calm
the fishermen and to convince them that
the PCs will sort things out and make sure
Maegth is returned to where she belongs.
This will be easier for the Minor Noble, but
others can give it a try.
3. Swordwork. The mob will quickly disperse,
but if either of the burly guys dies there will
be repercussions; both legal and in Shadow
Points (see above).
4. The PCs can accompany the Fishermen
back to the House on Oak Hill. See the
“Options” section under The House on
Oak Hill. If the fishermen realize that their
new “friend” is, in fact, an ogre they will run
off. The fishermen are okay with associat-
ing with orcs, many of them have orc blood
themselves, but shadow fey are trouble, and
they will want nothing to do with him.
If asked, the Rivermen will guarantee Maegth’s
safety while the PC’s go up the hill — but they
are not interested in going themselves.
S L   I
The tiny inn at Fish Singer’s Landing provides
sparse accommodations to the travelers head-
ing upstream by keelboat. Travelling in this part
of the world is generally rough, and the inn is
generally welcome by travelers as an inexpen-
sive alternative to camping on the boat. The
beds are clean and comfortable, and the food
simple but well prepared. Physically the inn
consists of a stone main room, with an open
passage to a common sleeping space with four
sets of bunk beds (sleeping eight). A fireplace
provides modest light and heat while the out-
The Singer’s Landing Inn Floorplan

The Fishsinger’s Daughter
19
Magic World Quick-Start
Fishermen Mob
The fishermen who come to retrieve Maegth are the worst layabouts of the nearby fishing village. There are two
big burly guys who will challenge the PCs and a mob of smaller guys backing them up. All are staring characters
made with the bandit profession.
Burly Guy #1 : Knum
STR 14 CON 11 SIZ 14 DEX 12
INT 10 POW 10 APP 8
Hit Points: 14
Damage Bonus: +1D4
Skills: Dodge 71%, Evaluate 40%, Hide 46%, Nature 40%, Sailing 92%, Track 46%, Trap 31%
Weapons: Heavy Mace 82% 1D8+2+1D4 (2H)
Brawl 57% 1D3+1D4
Burly Guy #2: Knautts
STR 14 CON 11 SIZ 14 DEX 12
INT 8 POW 10 APP 9
Hit Points: 14
Damage Bonus: +1D4
Skills: Dodge 71%, Evaluate 39%, Hide 46%, Nature 39%, Sailing 92%, Track 46%, Trap 31%
Weapons: Club 92% Damage +1D4
Brawl 57% 1D3+1D4
Small Shield 55%,
The Mob
STR 10 CON 11 SIZ 10 DEX 10
INT 14 POW 10 APP 8
Hit Points: 10
Damage Bonus: none
Weapons: Club 40% 1D6
Brawl 55% 1D4
Skills: Dodge 45%, Evaluate 42%, Hide 65%, Nature 42%, Sailing 60%, Swim 40%, Track 86%,
Trap 50%,