Swords of the Serpentine is a fantasy RPG blending sword-and-sorcery adventure with investigative gameplay, set in the mysterious city of Eversink. Ideal for newcomers and veterans alike, it offers a unique mix of mystery, combat, and character-driven storytelling.
1.1 Overview of the Game
Swords of the Serpentine is a fantasy roleplaying game that combines sword-and-sorcery adventure with investigative gameplay, powered by the GUMSHOE system. Set in the enigmatic city of Eversink, the game emphasizes mystery, exploration, and strategic combat. Players take on the roles of heroes navigating a world of secrets, political intrigue, and ancient magic. The game is designed to be accessible to both newcomers and experienced players, offering a balanced mix of investigation and action. With its unique setting and flexible rules, Swords of the Serpentine provides a compelling experience for fans of investigative and fantasy RPGs alike.
1.2 Key Features of the RPG
Swords of the Serpentine stands out for its blend of investigative gameplay and sword-and-sorcery action, powered by the GUMSHOE system. It features a unique character creation system, where players craft heroes with distinct skills and backstories. The game emphasizes problem-solving and strategic thinking, with investigative abilities playing a central role. Combat is tactical yet flexible, allowing for creative solutions. Set in the enigmatic city of Eversink, the RPG offers a rich, immersive world filled with secrets and political intrigue. Its design caters to both newcomers and veterans, making it an accessible yet deep fantasy RPG experience.
The GUMSHOE System in Swords of the Serpentine
The GUMSHOE system powers Swords of the Serpentine, emphasizing investigative gameplay and resource management. It adapts the investigative-focused mechanics for a fantasy setting, blending mystery and action seamlessly.
2.1 Mechanics and Core Principles
The GUMSHOE system in Swords of the Serpentine revolves around investigative gameplay and resource management. Players allocate points to investigative abilities, enabling them to uncover clues and solve mysteries. Combat and exploration are handled through a combination of skill checks and narrative resolution. The system emphasizes preparation and strategic thinking, with mechanics designed to avoid dead ends and keep the story moving. Core principles include the use of investigative pools, general abilities, and the interplay between stability, sanity, and stress. This creates a balanced mix of mystery, action, and roleplaying, tailored for a sword-and-sorcery setting.
2.2 Investigative Abilities and Combat
In Swords of the Serpentine, investigative abilities are central to gameplay, allowing players to gather clues and solve mysteries. Combat, while present, is integrated seamlessly with investigative mechanics, emphasizing strategy over brute force. The GUMSHOE system ensures that players can combine their skills creatively to overcome challenges. Combat encounters are designed to be narrative-driven, with an emphasis on pacing and storytelling. This blend of investigation and action creates a dynamic experience, where both problem-solving and physical confrontation are essential to advancing the story. The game strikes a balance between mystery and mayhem, keeping players engaged and adaptable.
Setting: The City of Eversink
Eversink, a sprawling, ancient city, is steeped in mystery and intrigue. Its history spans 40 generations, with thousands of buildings vanished, leaving remnants hidden beneath the surface.
3.1 History and Lore of Eversink
Eversink, a city steeped in ancient lore, has been settled for over 40 generations. Its history is layered with mystery, as thousands of buildings have vanished over time, leaving remnants hidden beneath the surface. The city’s past is marked by secrets and forgotten civilizations, creating a rich tapestry of stories and legends. Players can uncover hints of Eversink’s ancient times through its architecture, hidden ruins, and whispered tales. This depth of history provides a compelling backdrop for adventure and exploration, making the city a character in itself within the game.
3.2 Unique Aspects of the City
Eversink is a city like no other, with a unique blend of ancient mystery and urban decay. Its submerged districts and hidden ruins create a labyrinthine environment, perfect for exploration and intrigue. The city’s architecture is a mix of crumbling structures and vibrant, living quarters, reflecting its long history of transformation. Eversink’s culture thrives on secrets, with whispers of forgotten civilizations and hidden treasures drawing adventurers and scholars alike. The city’s dynamic, ever-changing nature ensures that no two visits are the same, offering endless opportunities for discovery and adventure.
Character Creation and Development
Character creation in Swords of the Serpentine emphasizes customization, allowing players to craft unique heroes with distinct appearances, sounds, and roleplaying opportunities, enriching the game’s narrative depth.
4.1 Building Your Hero
Building your hero in Swords of the Serpentine involves crafting a unique character tailored to your playstyle. The PDF guide provides detailed options for customization, allowing players to define their hero’s appearance, voice, and background. You can choose from a variety of abilities and skills, ensuring your character stands out in the shadows of Eversink. The system encourages creative roleplaying, enabling you to shape your hero’s personality and motivations. With clear instructions and examples, the PDF makes it easy to create a memorable and impactful character, ready to dive into the mysteries and dangers of the city.
4.2 Appearance, Sound, and Roleplaying
In Swords of the Serpentine, your hero’s appearance, voice, and roleplaying are integral to the experience. The PDF guides players in defining these aspects, ensuring a vivid and immersive character. Players are encouraged to describe their hero’s look and sound, while the GM helps bring these traits to life in the story. Roleplaying is collaborative, with players expressing their character’s goals and the GM responding with opportunities and challenges. This dynamic fosters a rich, narrative-driven adventure, making every hero unique and memorable in the world of Eversink.
Magic and Sorcery in the Game
Magic in Swords of the Serpentine is a powerful yet delicate art, woven into the fabric of Eversink’s world. Drawing from ancient sources, it offers immense power but demands caution, as overreach can lead to unforeseen consequences.
5.1 Sorcerers and Their Abilities
Sorcerers in Swords of the Serpentine wield immense magical power, drawn from mysterious sources tied to Eversink’s history. Each sorcerer can command a limited number of magical Spheres, which define their abilities and versatility. These Spheres allow for creative problem-solving, combat enhancement, and shaping the narrative. However, magic use is risky; overextending oneself can lead to unpredictable consequences. The game emphasizes balance, ensuring sorcerers are powerful but not invincible. Their abilities are deeply intertwined with the setting, making magic a central yet unpredictable force in the world of Eversink.
5.2 Limits of Magical Power
Magical power in Swords of the Serpentine is balanced by strict limitations. Sorcerers can only wield a finite number of Spheres, restricting their versatility. Overuse of magic risks exhaustion, corruption, or unintended consequences, adding tension to its use. The game emphasizes that magic, while powerful, is not a solution to every problem. These constraints ensure sorcerers remain balanced within the game’s framework, fostering creative problem-solving and strategic play. The PDF details these limits, ensuring players understand the risks and rewards of wielding magic in Eversink’s dangerous world.
Combat and Investigation Mechanics
Combining action-packed combat with mystery-solving, Swords of the Serpentine uniquely blends GUMSHOE’s investigative strengths with thrilling battles, offering clear rules and examples for both players and GMs.
6.1 Combat System Overview
Swords of the Serpentine delivers a dynamic combat system that balances traditional RPG elements with narrative flexibility. Players use a combination of weapons, skills, and investigative abilities to overcome foes. The game emphasizes clarity and structure, providing detailed rules for initiative, attacks, and defensive actions. Combat encounters are designed to be both tactical and cinematic, allowing players to express their characters’ unique styles. The system also integrates seamlessly with the GUMSHOE investigative mechanics, ensuring that battles and mysteries are equally engaging. With clear examples and GM guidance, the combat system is accessible yet robust, catering to both newcomers and seasoned players.
6.2 Investigative Abilities and Problem-Solving
Swords of the Serpentine excels in its investigative mechanics, allowing players to solve mysteries and uncover secrets through a variety of skills and abilities. The GUMSHOE system ensures that each character’s investigative skills are meaningful and distinct, preventing overlap between party members. Players can spend ability points to uncover clues, decode messages, or analyze environments, making every investigation feel dynamic and collaborative. The game also encourages creative problem-solving, enabling players to think outside the box and use their abilities in innovative ways. This approach ensures that investigations are as engaging as combat, fostering a rich and immersive storytelling experience for all players.
The PDF Version of Swords of the Serpentine
The Swords of the Serpentine PDF is a 220-page comprehensive guide, detailing core rules, setting lore, and gameplay mechanics. It includes bookmarks, a detailed table of contents, and clear formatting for easy navigation, ensuring players and GMs can quickly access any section; The PDF also incorporates material from the Masks RPG under a Creative Commons license, enhancing its versatility and accessibility for fans of investigative fantasy roleplaying.
7.1 Content and Structure
The Swords of the Serpentine PDF spans 220 pages, offering a detailed guide to the game’s rules, setting, and mechanics. It begins with an introduction to the world of Eversink, followed by chapters on character creation, the GUMSHOE system, magic, and combat. The PDF includes a comprehensive table of contents and bookmarks for easy navigation. Key sections cover investigative abilities, sorcery, and the unique aspects of Eversink. Additional resources, such as GM advice and sample scenarios, are also included, making it a complete toolkit for both players and game masters. The structure ensures accessibility and deep dives into gameplay elements.
7.2 Navigating the PDF
The PDF version of Swords of the Serpentine is designed for ease of navigation, featuring a detailed table of contents, bookmarks, and hyperlinks. Players and GMs can quickly access specific sections, such as character creation or combat rules, using the bookmarks tab. The document is divided into clear chapters, with subheadings and bullet points to enhance readability. A robust search function allows users to find keywords instantly, while page references ensure smooth transitions between related topics. The layout balances aesthetics and functionality, making it user-friendly for both digital and print-on-demand formats. This structure enhances the overall gaming experience.
Authors and Their Contributions
Kevin Kulp and Emily Dresner co-created Swords of the Serpentine, blending GUMSHOE mechanics with sword-and-sorcery themes, offering a fresh yet accessible fantasy RPG experience for players.
8.1 Kevin Kulp and Emily Dresner
Kevin Kulp and Emily Dresner are the visionary co-authors of Swords of the Serpentine, bringing their expertise in RPG design and storytelling to this unique fantasy setting. Kulp, known for his work on Masks and other GUMSHOE titles, crafted the game’s investigative mechanics, while Dresner’s passion for sword-and-sorcery lore shaped its immersive world. Together, they balanced accessibility for newcomers with depth for veterans, ensuring Swords of the Serpentine stands out as a compelling blend of mystery and adventure. Their collaborative approach created a game that honors classic fantasy tropes while introducing fresh ideas.
8.2 Influences and Inspirations
Swords of the Serpentine draws inspiration from classic sword-and-sorcery literature and the GUMSHOE system’s investigative roots. The game combines the gritty tone of titles like Dungeon Crawl Classics with the structured encounters of Dungeons & Dragons, creating a unique blend of mystery and action. The setting of Eversink is influenced by dark, atmospheric urban fantasy, while its investigative mechanics build on the foundations laid by Brendan Conway in Masks. This fusion of influences results in a game that feels both familiar and innovative, appealing to fans of both fantasy RPGs and detective storytelling.
