ne cause.

If you have ever wished to sail with Jason on the Argo, to

dare the labyrinth in the footsteps of Theseus or to twist
men s bodies into the shapes of swine like Circe; if you
would besiege the white walls of Troy or fly amid the clouds
on winged sandals. If you would walk in columned halls
and practice the magic that ibis-headed Thoth teaches, or
learn the secrets buried in the hearts of the pyramids; if
you would leave your body and, in spirit form, meet with
the witches on lonely mountains. If you long to spread
your wings with the artificer Dedalus and hunt with silver
Artemis, listen to the Orphic melodies and aspire to the
feast that awaits a true hero in Olympus... then read on!
ogl ancients
system and other
ogl games
The basic system used in OGL Ancients is fundamentally
similar to those used in the other Core books from
Mongoose Publishing. The skills and feats are similar, as are
the combat and task resolution systems, though there are
some important changes. If you are familiar with other
games using this same system, then feel free to skip right
over this chapter.
introduction
3
characters in the
ancient world
Players in OGL Ancients take the role of heroes, characters
who stand a head and shoulders above ordinary men
and women. Each player s character, even at the lowest
level of experience, is an exemplar in his field, capable of
performing tasks far out of reach of ordinary folk. They
are the warriors, sages and artificers whose deeds will
eventually enter the realm of legend or be commemorated
in epic poems.
There are two styles of play available in OGL Ancients. If
you wish to recreate the atmosphere of heroic legends in
which the Gods walked the earth and terrible monsters
lurked in forsaken places, then you can play in the Mythic
Age. This kind of game is essentially a fantasy world built
on a Graeco-Egyptian theme. The Gods are real, there is
such a thing as witchcraft and magic and the powers of
heroes and their ilk are supernatural. When the strength
of Heracles is spoken of, people mean that he genuinely
can tear a tree up by the roots or hurl a boulder for a mile.
Monsters such as the Gorgons or the Minotaur are very
real. This is the recommended option for players who want
magic, adventure and the broadest range of powers. Films
such as Jason and the Argonauts or Clash of the Titans
typify this style of play.
Alternatively, you may play in the Classical Age. This is
a recreation of ancient Greece and Egypt as they were,
incorporating a measure of poetic licence to allow for easy
game play. In this version of the game, miracles do not
occur and the myths are only stories. Those creatures that
the legends record as monsters are exaggerations of the
truth; the Cyclops was only a brutish human with one eye
and the Minotaur was the deformed son of King Minos,
hidden away in a labyrinth. You may prefer to play in the
Classical Age if you like a more realistic campaign or if you
want to tie events in world history into the adventures.
Characters and Dice
When an Egyptian archer draws back his bowstring and
looses a shot at a charging barbarian, he may hit or he may
miss. In a movie, his success or failure would be part of the
script. In a roleplaying game, this is determined by random
chance based on the skill of the archer in question. Since
there is a variable involved, dice become a necessary part of
the roleplaying medium. This is part of the excitement of
roleplaying; you can never be certain that what you have in
mind will come to pass, and you are always taking a chance
whenever you do anything dramatic. The story of your
character is not written in advance and even the Games
Master respects the results of the die rolls. Strange though
it may sound, dice make a game more realistic and enrich
the challenge of the game. Just as in the real world, you
never know quite what is around the corner.
When a person fires arrows at a straw target, the variance
of their shots is mostly based on their skill but can also be
influenced by luck, timing and a thousand other factors.
These are summed up by rolling a d20 (that is a 20 sided
die) with a high number representing more of these factors
aligning in a favourable way and a ne cause.
If you have ever wished to sail with Jason on the Argo, to
dare the labyrinth in the footsteps of Theseus or to twist
men s bodies into the shapes of swine like Circe; if you
would besiege the white walls of Troy or fly amid the clouds
on winged sandals. If you would walk in columned halls
and practice the magic that ibis-headed Thoth teaches, or
learn the secrets buried in the hearts of the pyramids; if
you would leave your body and, in spirit form, meet with
the witches on lonely mountains. If you long to spread
your wings with the artificer Dedalus and hunt with silver
Artemis, listen to the Orphic melodies and aspire to the
feast that awaits a true hero in Olympus... then read on!
ogl ancients
system and other
ogl games
The basic system used in OGL Ancients is fundamentally
similar to those used in the other Core books from
Mongoose Publishing. The skills and feats are similar, as are
the combat and task resolution systems, though there are
some important changes. If you are familiar with other
games using this same system, then feel free to skip right
over this chapter.
introduction
3
characters in the
ancient world
Players in OGL Ancients take the role of heroes, characters
who stand a head and shoulders above ordinary men
and women. Each player s character, even at the lowest
level of experience, is an exemplar in his field, capable of
performing tasks far out of reach of ordinary folk. They
are the warriors, sages and artificers whose deeds will
eventually enter the realm of legend or be commemorated
in epic poems.
There are two styles of play available in OGL Ancients. If
you wish to recreate the atmosphere of heroic legends in
which the Gods walked the earth and terrible monsters
lurked in forsaken places, then you can play in the Mythic
Age. This kind of game is essentially a fantasy world built
on a Graeco-Egyptian theme. The Gods are real, there is
such a thing as witchcraft and magic and the powers of
heroes and their ilk are supernatural. When the strength
of Heracles is spoken of, people mean that he genuinely
can tear a tree up by the roots or hurl a boulder for a mile.
Monsters such as the Gorgons or the Minotaur are very
real. This is the recommended option for players who want
magic, adventure and the broadest range of powers. Films
such as Jason and the Argonauts or Clash of the Titans
typify this style of play.
Alternatively, you may play in the Classical Age. This is
a recreation of ancient Greece and Egypt as they were,
incorporating a measure of poetic licence to allow for easy
game play. In this version of the game, miracles do not
occur and the myths are only stories. Those creatures that
the legends record as monsters are exaggerations of the
truth; the Cyclops was only a brutish human with one eye
and the Minotaur was the deformed son of King Minos,
hidden away in a labyrinth. You may prefer to play in the
Classical Age if you like a more realistic campaign or if you
want to tie events in world history into the adventures.
Characters and Dice
When an Egyptian archer draws back his bowstring and
looses a shot at a charging barbarian, he may hit or he may
miss. In a movie, his success or failure would be part of the
script. In a roleplaying game, this is determined by random
chance based on the skill of the archer in question. Since
there is a variable involved, dice become a necessary part of
the roleplaying medium. This is part of the excitement of
roleplaying; you can never be certain that what you have in
mind will come to pass, and you are always taking a chance
whenever you do anything dramatic. The story of your
character is not written in advance and even the Games
Master respects the results of the die rolls. Strange though
it may sound, dice make a game more realistic and enrich
the challenge of the game. Just as in the real world, you
never know quite what is around the corner.
When a person fires arrows at a straw target, the variance
of their shots is mostly based on their skill but can also be
influenced by luck, timing and a thousand other factors.
These are summed up by rolling a d20 (that is a 20 sided
die) with a high number representing more of these factors
aligning in a favourable way and a ne cause.
If you have ever wished to sail with Jason on the Argo, to
dare the labyrinth in the footsteps of Theseus or to twist
men s bodies into the shapes of swine like Circe; if you
would besiege the white walls of Troy or fly amid the clouds
on winged sandals. If you would walk in columned halls
and practice the magic that ibis-headed Thoth teaches, or
learn the secrets buried in the hearts of the pyramids; if
you would leave your body and, in spirit form, meet with
the witches on lonely mountains. If you long to spread
your wings with the artificer Dedalus and hunt with silver
Artemis, listen to the Orphic melodies and aspire to the
feast that awaits a true hero in Olympus... then read on!
ogl ancients
system and other
ogl games
The basic system used in OGL Ancients is fundamentally
similar to those used in the other Core books from
Mongoose Publishing. The skills and feats are similar, as are
the combat and task resolution systems, though there are
some important changes. If you are familiar with other
games using this same system, then feel free to skip right
over this chapter.
introduction
3
characters in the
ancient world
Players in OGL Ancients take the role of heroes, characters
who stand a head and shoulders above ordinary men
and women. Each player s character, even at the lowest
level of experience, is an exemplar in his field, capable of
performing tasks far out of reach of ordinary folk. They
are the warriors, sages and artificers whose deeds will
eventually enter the realm of legend or be commemorated
in epic poems.
There are two styles of play available in OGL Ancients. If
you wish to recreate the atmosphere of heroic legends in
which the Gods walked the earth and terrible monsters
lurked in forsaken places, then you can play in the Mythic
Age. This kind of game is essentially a fantasy world built
on a Graeco-Egyptian theme. The Gods are real, there is
such a thing as witchcraft and magic and the powers of
heroes and their ilk are supernatural. When the strength
of Heracles is spoken of, people mean that he genuinely
can tear a tree up by the roots or hurl a boulder for a mile.
Monsters such as the Gorgons or the Minotaur are very
real. This is the recommended option for players who want
magic, adventure and the broadest range of powers. Films
such as Jason and the Argonauts or Clash of the Titans
typify this style of play.
Alternatively, you may play in the Classical Age. This is
a recreation of ancient Greece and Egypt as they were,
incorporating a measure of poetic licence to allow for easy
game play. In this version of the game, miracles do not
occur and the myths are only stories. Those creatures that
the legends record as monsters are exaggerations of the
truth; the Cyclops was only a brutish human with one eye
and the Minotaur was the deformed son of King Minos,
hidden away in a labyrinth. You may prefer to play in the
Classical Age if you like a more realistic campaign or if you
want to tie events in world history into the adventures.
Characters and Dice
When an Egyptian archer draws back his bowstring and
looses a shot at a charging barbarian, he may hit or he may
miss. In a movie, his success or failure would be part of the
script. In a roleplaying game, this is determined by random
chance based on the skill of the archer in question. Since
there is a variable involved, dice become a necessary part of
the roleplaying medium. This is part of the excitement of
roleplaying; you can never be certain that what you have in
mind will come to pass, and you are always taking a chance
whenever you do anything dramatic. The story of your
character is not written in advance and even the Games
Master respects the results of the die rolls. Strange though
it may sound, dice make a game more realistic and enrichAlmost everyone claims t
o be a good Christian, but a few
men and women are truly such. They are God s saints, and
because of their holiness they can intercede more effectively
with the Godhead. The ignorant claim that God grants
them a portion of His power, but the saints know that they
are nothing, and that all their wonders come purely from
God, and purely at his will. Still, God has promised that
he will not abandon his faithful followers, and as long as
the saint remains faithful, she fi nds that her prayers are still
answered.
Saints, perhaps surprisingly, often fi nd themselves in
confl ict with the Church authorities. Many abbots and
bishops prefer their saints safely dead, as living saints have
a tendency to make uncomfortable pronouncements, and
to attract the veneration of the living. In some cases, where
the ecclesiastical hierarchy is actually corrupt, this confl ict
can become serious, but usually it takes the form of wellmeaning
churchmen trying to direct the saint into a more
? The Saint Core Class ?
conventional, less obvious, path. If the confl ict becomes
serious, the Church may even excommunicate the saint, but
this has no effect on the saint s link with God.
A few saints are declared heretics by the church, and most
of these truly do appear heretical. The Church believes that
their powers come from Satan, but the Church is wrong.
God s view of his doctrine is broader than that of his
servants, and not all heresy is wrong in His eyes.
Adventures
Saints do not go on adventures as such. That kind of
activity is too selfi sh, driven by the character s own needs
and desires. Instead, the saint follows God s will, and this
can sometimes take her into danger, from which she can
trust God to protect her. Some saints have a better insight
into God s will than most people, and thAlmost everyone claims to be a good Christ
ian, but a few
men and women are truly such. They are God s saints, and
because of their holiness they can intercede more effectively
with the Godhead. The ignorant claim that God grants
them a portion of His power, but the saints know that they
are nothing, and that all their wonders come purely from
God, and purely at his will. Still, God has promised that
he will not abandon his faithful followers, and as long as
the saint remains faithful, she fi nds that her prayers are still
answered.
Saints, perhaps surprisingly, often fi nd themselves in
confl ict with the Church authorities. Many abbots and
bishops prefer their saints safely dead, as living saints have
a tendency to make uncomfortable pronouncements, and
to attract the veneration of the living. In some cases, where
the ecclesiastical hierarchy is actually corrupt, this confl ict
can become serious, but usually it takes the form of wellmeaning
churchmen trying to direct the saint into a more
? The Saint Core Class ?
conventional, less obvious, path. If the confl ict becomes
serious, the Church may even excommunicate the saint, but
this has no effect on the saint s link with God.
A few saints are declared heretics by the church, and most
of these truly do appear heretical. The Church believes that
their powers come from Satan, but the Church is wrong.
God s view of his doctrine is broader than that of his
servants, and not all heresy is wrong in His eyes.
 Adventures
Saints do not go on adventures as such. That kind of
activity is too selfi sh, driven by the character s own needs
and desires. Instead, the saint follows God s will, and this
can sometimes take her into danger, from which she can
trust God to protect her. Some saints have a better insight
into God s will than most people, and thAlmost everyone claims to be a good Christ
ian, but a few
men and women are truly such. They are God s saints, and
because of their holiness they can intercede more effectively
with the Godhead. The ignorant claim that God grants
them a portion of His power, but the saints know that they
are nothing, and that all their wonders come purely from
God, and purely at his will. Still, God has promised that
he will not abandon his faithful followers, and as long as
the saint remains faithful, she fi nds that her prayers are still
answered.
Saints, perhaps surprisingly, often fi nd themselves in
confl ict with the Church authorities. Many abbots and
bishops prefer their saints safely dead, as living saints have
a tendency to make uncomfortable pronouncements, and
to attract the veneration of the living. In some cases, where
the ecclesiastical hierarchy is actually corrupt, this confl ict
can become serious, but usually it takes the form of wellmeaning
churchmen trying to direct the saint into a more
? The Saint Core Class ?
conventional, less obvious, path. If the confl ict becomes
serious, the Church may even excommunicate the saint, but
this has no effect on the saint s link with God.
A few saints are declared heretics by the church, and most
of these truly do appear heretical. The Church believes that
their powers come from Satan, but the Church is wrong.
God s view of his doctrine is broader than that of his
servants, and not all heresy is wrong in His eyes.
Adventures
Saints do not go on adventures as such. That kind of
activity is too selfi sh, driven by the character s own needs
and desires. Instead, the saint follows God s will, and thisThe Tale of Laodice
Somewhere far to the west of Thena, on a cliff that
rises above the Middle Sea, there stands a single
withered olive tree surrounded by a ring of stones
whose aspect brings to mind horses. This tree
marks the entrance to a series of caverns that once
served as a hideout for the greatest thief of the Age
of Magic, Laodice of Minea, who stole countless
treasures and artifacts from all across Mythika.
Laodice's legend spread far and wide in those
golden days. Sailors from every corner of the world
came to sail with her, and upon seeing unparalleled
beauty swore allegiance to her. She and her crew
knew no fear (or wisdom) and ransacked bazaar
and temple with equal zeal.
Laodice's career came to a devastating end when
she dared to boast the she was a better thief than
even wind-swift Hermes. The god of thieves, ever
clever, sought to punish Laodice for her hubris.
Rather than simply visit divine wrath upon her,
though, he challenged her to prove her skill by
daring her to steal both the trident of Poseidon and
the spear of Athena. Such was her skill that Laodice
actually succeeded in this fool's errand.
Still, Hermes held the upper hand. He simply
informed the two mighty gods of the identity of the
thief and left them to mete out punishment.
The affront so angered Poseidon and Athena that
they brought forth the full weight of theirThe Tale of Laodice
Somewhere far to the west of Thena, on a cliff that
rises above the Middle Sea, there stands a single
withered olive tree surrounded by a ring of stones
whose aspect brings to mind horses. This tree
marks the entrance to a series of caverns that once
served as a hideout for the greatest thief of the Age
of Magic, Laodice of Minea, who stole countless
treasures and artifacts from all across Mythika.
Laodice's legend spread far and wide in those
golden days. Sailors from every corner of the world
came to sail with her, and upon seeing unparalleled
beauty swore allegiance to her. She and her crew
knew no fear (or wisdom) and ransacked bazaar
and temple with equal zeal.
Laodice's career came to a devastating end when
she dared to boast the she was a better thief than
even wind-swift Hermes. The god of thieves, ever
clever, sought to punish Laodice for her hubris.
Rather than simply visit divine wrath upon her,
though, he challenged her to prove her skill by
daring her to steal both the trident of Poseidon and
the spear of Athena. Such was her skill that Laodice
actually succeeded in this fool's errand.
Still, Hermes held the upper hand. He simply
informed the two mighty gods of the identity of the
thief and left them to mete out punishment.
The affront so angered Poseidon and Athena that
they brought forth the full weight of their
can sometimes take her into danger, from which she can
trust God to protect her. Some saints have a better insight
into God s will than most people, and th
the challenge of the game. Just as in the real world, you
never know quite what is around the corner.
When a person fires arrows at a straw target, the variance
of their shots is mostly based on their skill but can also be
influenced by luck, timing and a thousand other factors.
These are summed up by rolling a d20 (that is a 20 sided
die) with a high number representing more of these factors
aligning in a favourable way and a