It is assumed that all player characters are of the warrior type. This means that Fate and Her twisted sisters, the three snake-haired Furies of Night, have already smiled upon them by placing a weapon in the hand. Since I have been inspired to make this RPG while listening to Alexander’s Anabasis by Arrian, I will use that social setting for examples. Until very recent times, a genetic component to human achievement and status was recognized and reflected in institutions, particularly of the warrior class. Throughout Arrian one hears a name, and then spends thrice as long hearing the name of his father.
Hence, in Grunt, one begins play as the birth of a hero looms, with social status granted from its only warrior source, the father, as a slave girl taken from a conquered race is planted with your sire’s seed—no mind the wishes of your squirming mother! In attendance are the shades of the ancestors of both parties, the farmer planting you his seed, and his booty, his tillage, her scheming shades having a say as well—then the gods, perhaps even God Almighty Himself, might take an interest. Even Time, locked in the deepest hell, by his very inattention, places his stamp upon thee. So have you, a warrior, been sent into the miserable suffering realm of the living, even as gods jealous of your temporary nature, envious even of your doom, weave hurdles for you upon their dastard loom…
Enjoy, warrior, unlikely to earn a song; for your trials will not wend overlong.
Wicked Fate, however, is a fickle bride to every one of her leaf-lived grooms. Even Alexander, Greatest of Historical men, was not granted a poet with a fraction the range of Homer, who sang for Achilles, a fellow who would have been a subordinate unit commander in Alexander’s own army. If a Bronze Age pirate might win renown that eluded the Iron Age’s Greatest Conqueror, there is hope for your unmade form yet.
The goal of the episodic game of Grunt, is to earn a song, at least a line, in some epic. But first, before we temporal characters fail or succeed, we must be created.
Father’s Race 1d6
Historically, the low level men who win the most fame for a conquering race are often not of that Imperial blood, but soldiers of Fortune, which is to say more than fighting for pay. Alexanders #1 unit, used more than any other and cited the most in after action reports, were the semi-barbarian Agriane allies, who seem to have fought for the sheer joy of helping the Brat King of Antiquity bring the World Order to its bent knee. So, although most of Alexander’s men were Macedonian, to whom administrative posts fell, as much of the killing was done by minority allies and mercenary units.
-1. A Conquered and Bound Race [a Theban]
-2. A Tributary Barbarian Race [a Thracian]
-3. An Allied Barbarian Race [an Agriane]
-4, 5. A Civilized Race: Ally, Mercenary or Volunteer [Thessalonian, Elean or Corinthian…]
-6. A Man of the Conquering Race [Macedonian]
…
Father’s Class 1d6
-1. Slave [can include many conscript soldier types, especially in modern adventures]
-2. Freedman [manumitted]
-3. Freeman [born free but not inheriting slaves]
-4. Peasant [herder or farmer inheriting slaves]
-5. Warrior Class
-6. Ruling Class
…
Ruling Class Type 1d6
-1. Merchant [slave driving/banking/mining]
-2. Clan/Band Leader [headman]
-3. Tribal/District Leader [chief]
-4. Priest/Seer [advisor to prince]
-5. Guard [companion to prince]
-6. Prince [So, rolling 3 6s in a row on this makes your Alexander himself! That character will be made for you as an example in Arete & Pathos. But continue, let’s see how your Alexander stacks up to the historical one.]
Choose Identity
Father’s Name, Title, Race
Character’s Name
Determine Blessings
If a character’s father was of a certain class, no matter his race, then he may save that class die roll and use it to replace a poor ability die roll, as a pre-rolled advantage:
… Peasant Class Characters may use their 4 class roll to replace a lesser result on one of the Body Ability scores. Make the choice on the fly.
… Warrior Class Characters may use their 5 class roll to replace a lesser result on one of the Body, Mind or Spirit Ability scores.
… Ruling Class Characters may use their 6 class roll to replace a lesser result on any one of the Body, Mind or Spirit Ability scores.
Each character of the three fortunate classes only gets one blessing, essentially used as a fixed re-roll to redress a bad score. This blessing must be decided upon or rejected anytime a 3 or less is rolled during that process described under Warrior Creation. The other players should heckle or advise the creating player to represent the fact that mamma was taken against her will, but also with social sanction.
…
Warrior Creation
This process is done in order, one character at a time, with the other players present as angels, demons, jesters, advising uncles, jealous slaves, loyal servants, wicked stepmothers, helpful midwives, scheming uncles or even seers, making suggestions as the future warrior is ejected from the womb of the suffering slave girl, or even the princess chained by her father’s alliance, that was planted with his father’s seed.
Step 1
Name the grunt.
We already think we know who his daddy is.
Step 2
How old is this poor bastard now that his dreary life’s one heroic test is upon him?
1d6
-1. Too Young [12 to 17] years (11 + 1d6)
-2. Young [15 to 25] years (13 + 2d6)
-3, 4. Prime [25 to 35] years (23 + 2d6)
-5. Veteran [33 to 48] years (30 + 3d6)
-6. Too Old [44 to 64] years (40 + 4d6)
This age scheme was used by the legion of Republican Rome. Some men of the same age will be of an older class, one fellow too old at 45, and another still an able veteran at 48.
Step 3
Hand of Khronos [Time], Saturn to you Latin Mercenaries.
This process establishes the effects of mixed age groups of warriors or soldiers on combat operations at the lowest, personal level. Do not worry, there is something worthwhile about each age grade. There was a reason why Alexander was still served by his father’s men, and his successors by them still into their 60s, and why Postmodern militaries with narrow age groupings lack psychological stamina. All fighters are assumed to be fit for duty at their age, with Time afflicting some men of the same age differently. For instance, fighters of prime and past prime may both be 35 years.
Too Young? 12 to 17 Years
Re-roll an Agility score of less then 3
Re-roll an Esoteric score of more than 3, but mark the original score as a potential that may be realized through play.
Young? 15 to 25 Years
Re-roll a Stamina of less than 3
Re-roll a Wit of more than 3—dummy! [place set aside result in brackets as potential]
Men of your age are boring but reliable.
Prime 25 to 35 Years
Re-roll a Stamina of less than 3
Re-roll a Strength of less than 3
Re-roll an Animistic of less than 3
You are the backbone of the army. Expect to be struck first.
Former Strength
Below we get into age related infirmity. When a high score is re-rolled and a low score results, that original high score is retained [in brackets] as an old worn ability. If the player makes a check against the over all ability of that given Pillar of Arete, during play, then he may use his old time ability. For instance, if Grudge the Avenger once had a 6 agility and now has a 2, if he wishes to use that 6, even as a component of the overall body score, he must roll equal to or less then his over all body score.
If he rolls a 20, he is crippled in the attempt. [see crippling rule in play]
If he rolls a 1 he is restored by Nike to his previous ability. [See restoration rule in play.] This concept will be explained later, in detail. If he rolls less then his overall ability he may use his old agility score for the rest of the battle or action. However, the 1 restoration and 20 crippling rule are in force for the length of the immediate adventure.
Veteran 33 to 48 Years
Agility of more than 3 must be re-rolled.
Stamina of more than 3 re-rolled
Kit of less then 3 re-rolled
Wit of less then 3 re-rolled
Animistic of less then 3 re-rolled.
An expertise may be selected.
Expertise will be described in Pathos.
This is the NCO territory.
…
Too Old! 44 to 64 Years
An Old Man must make all of the same checks as a Veteran. In addition:
Strength and Agility scores of more than 4 are re-rolled.
A 2nd expertise may be selected.
Can you spell garrison duty?
Your warrior has now been brought to life and placed within Time—decoration is the subject of steps 5 thru 10.
