Getting Started

Tavern Tales is a fantasy-themed tabletop roleplaying game (RPG) that invites players to take on the roles of powerful heroes who fight dangerous monsters, explore exotic locations, and interact with amazing characters. RPGs are unique in the world of games in that there is no ultimate objective. Players don’t win or lose—they simply make decisions and see where the adventure takes them. An RPG is a collaborative story where everyone affects the outcome.

Tavern Tales is played across one or more sessions, which typically last several hours. Past that, it’s entirely up to your gaming group to determine the scope of your game. Do you want to play a short and sweet one-shot that only lasts a few hours? Would you rather play an epic ongoing campaign that consists of dozens of sessions? The choice is yours!

Before You Start
You'll need a few basic supplies to play Tavern Tales: It's generally agreed that the sweet spot for a roleplaying game is 4-6 players, but tastes will vary between gaming groups. One of you will play as the Game Master (GM), and the others will be the players.
 * Pen and paper.
 * Three twenty-sided dice (d20), preferably enough for each player to have their own set.
 * This rulebook.
 * 2-6 friends
 * Optional: A battlemap and miniature figures

Make Tavern Tales Your Own
Tavern Tales is designed to be modular, which means that many of the rules are optional. You should feel empowered to customize the game however you want. Ultimately, this is your game. The only people who matter are you and the people you’re playing with. You’re free to use, ignore, or add as many rules as you like. That’s the first rule of Tavern Tales: You and the people you’re playing with are in charge of your game.

Work Together
Roleplaying games require a lot of teamwork. The players and the GM need to work together to create an enjoyable experience for everyone. The game intentionally leaves gray areas so that players can flex their creative muscles and interpret the game in interesting ways. So, the players and the GM need to work together to come to an agreed-upon interpretation of the rules.

The GM and the Players
Everyone who plays Tavern Tales is either the GM or a player.

The Players
Each player will create their own player character (PC) that they will use during the game. Your PC can be anyone or anything imaginable. For example, you might play as a feral barbarian, a scholarly wizard, or a crafty rogue.

The GM
One of you plays as the GM. The GM controls everything in the world except the players: the weather, the setting, the events, and non-player characters (NPCs).


 * System Rules | Next Chapter: Telling Tales →