Terminology
Various game terminology is used in Dolmenwood, much of it in common with other role-playing games and some unique to Dolmenwood. The most frequently used terms are described here, along with page references for further details.
Glossary of Terms
Ability Check: A d6 roll modified by one of a character’s Ability Scores, aiming to equal or beat 4. See Ability Checks.
Ability Modifier: A –3 to +3 modifier derived from one of a character’s Ability Scores and applied to various rolls in the game. See Ability Modifiers.
Ability Scores: A character’s physical and mental aptitudes—Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma. Each Ability is rated from 3 to 18. See Ability Scores.
Adventure: A series of one or more game sessions during which the party explores a specific location or engages with a particular plot.
Adventurer: A person who embarks on dangerous quests to acquire wealth and renown. All adventurers belong to a Class, and all Player Characters are adventurers.
Alignment: A creature’s basic behaviour and moral outlook: Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic. See Alignment.
Armour Class (AC): A creature’s ability to avoid damage in combat. See Armour Class (AC).
Attack: A creature’s ability to hit foes in combat, rated as a modifier applied to Attack Rolls. See Attack.
Attack Roll: A d20 roll to determine whether an attack succeeds, aiming to equal or beat an opponent’s Armour Class. See Attack Rolls.
Campaign: A series of adventures, usually involving a consistent set of characters.
Character: A person in the imagined game world, whether played by the Referee (NPCs) or a player (PCs). Some characters are adventurers.
Class: A character’s adventuring profession (e.g. cleric, fighter, magician, thief).
Coin (weight): A measure of weight and bulk used for tracking encumbrance. See Encumbrance.
cp: Copper pieces—a common type of coin. See Coinage.
Creature: Any character or monster.
Damage Roll: A die roll subtracted from a creature’s Hit Point total when it suffers harm (often from an attack). See Damage Rolls.
Demi-fey: A creature born in the mortal world but whose ancestors originated in the magical parallel world of Fairy. See Mortals, Fairies, and Demi-Fey.
Dungeon: An indoor, underground, or enclosed adventuring locale, for example a tomb, castle, or mine. See Dungeons.
Encounter: An encounter occurs when Player Characters meet another group of creatures while adventuring. See Encounters.
Encumbrance: The load of gear carried by a character, which may reduce their Speed. See Encumbrance.
Experience Points (XP): Awarded by the Referee following a successful adventure. When a character accumulates a certain number of Experience Points, they increase in Level. See Advancement.
Fairy (type of creature): A creature that originates in the magical parallel world of Fairy. See Mortals, Fairies, and Demi-Fey.
Fairy (world): The native world of fairies. A mysterious, timeless parallel to the mortal world, infused with magic. Magical doors connect Dolmenwood and Fairy.
Game time: The imagined time that passes in the game world as the game is played.
gp: Gold pieces—a common type of coin. See Coinage.
Hit Points (HP): A creature’s ability to avoid dying. Damage reduces a creature’s Hit Point total. If reduced to 0, the creature dies. See Hit Points (HP).
Initiative Roll: A d6 roll to determine which group acts first in an encounter. See Initiative.
Kindred: A type of intelligent creature that a player may choose to play (e.g. human, elf, woodgrue).
Level (character): A character’s experience as an adventurer. Characters begin at Level 1 and advance through successful adventuring. See Advancement.
Level (creature): An indication of a creature’s power and overall dangerousness, equivalent to a character’s Level.
Level (dungeon): The floor number of a dungeon, with the first level being closest to the surface, and higher levels being deeper underground.
Loyalty: A rating for a retainer’s loyalty to the employing PC. See Retainers.
Magic Resistance: A modifier applied to Saving Throws against effects of magical origin. See Magic Resistance.
Melee: Attacks with close-quarters weapons or natural weaponry (e.g. swords, axes, claws, fists).
Missile: Attacks with thrown or fired weapons (e.g. arrows, spears).
Monster: Any creature encountered during an adventure. All monsters are played by the Referee.
Morale: A rating for a creature’s bravery and perseverance in battle. See Morale.
Mortal: A creature that originates in the mortal world. See Mortals, Fairies, and Demi-Fey.
Mortal world: The everyday world of Dolmenwood, inhabited by humans and other mortal Kindreds.
Non-Player Character (NPC): Characters encountered during the game. All NPCs are played by the Referee.
Party: A group of adventurers.
Player: Participants in the game, each usually running a single Player Character.
Player Character (PC): An individual player’s character in the imagined world.
pp: Pellucidium pieces—an uncommon type of coin made of fairy silver. See Coinage.
Rank (spell): The level of complexity and power of a magic spell. See Arcane Magic and Holy Magic.
Reaction Roll: A 2d6 roll determining a creature’s reaction when encountered. See Monster and NPC Reactions.
Real time: The time that passes in the real world as the game is played.
Referee: The person who leads game sessions for the other players, designing adventures, arbitrating rules, and determining the reactions of people and creatures encountered.
Retainer: NPC adventurers hired to accompany Player Characters on their adventures. See Retainers.
Role-playing: The act of deciding a character’s actions and speech by considering their point of view in the imagined game world.
Round: A span of game time (roughly 10 seconds) used during combat. See Time and Movement.
Save Target: The target number for a Saving Throw, determined by a character’s Class and Level. See Save Targets.
Saving Throw: A d20 roll to determine whether a creature avoids a detrimental effect, aiming to equal or beat the appropriate Save Target. See Saving Throws.
Session: Each time the players and Referee gather to play the game is referred to as a session. Sessions typically last around 2–6 hours.
Skill: A specific competency useful in adventuring. All adventurers can use the Listen, Search, and Survival skills. Some Classes grant additional skills.
Skill Check: A d6 roll testing a character’s proficiency with a particular skill, aiming to equal or beat the appropriate Skill Target. See Skill Checks.
Skill Target: The target number for a Skill Check, determined by a character’s Kindred, Class, and Level.
sp: Silver pieces—a common type of coin. See Coinage.
Speed: The speed at which a creature can move when exploring, travelling, or during combat. See Time and Movement.
Surprise Roll: A d6 roll to determine whether a group of creatures is taken unawares by another group. See Surprise.
Target number: A number that a die roll must match or exceed to succeed at a given task. Lower targets represent easier tasks, higher targets represent harder tasks.
Turn: A span of game time (about 10 minutes) used during dungeon exploration. See Time and Movement.
Woldish: The common tongue spoken by most sentient creatures in Dolmenwood. See Languages.