Introduction

Open00 System Reference Document

Compiled from Against the Darkmaster Core Rules v1.5, restated under the Powered by Open00 Third Party License.

What This Is

This SRD collects the mechanical backbone of the Open00 System — the rules engine behind Against the Darkmaster — in a form free of setting-specific fiction, sample material, and book-specific fluff. Text is drawn directly from Against the Darkmaster Core Rules v1.5, trimmed of worked examples, sidebars, and non-rule material (GM advice, table etiquette, flavor asides). As publisher, Open Ended Games is reusing its own copyrighted text here; this document does not rely on Rule 2 of the Open00 license below (which governs third parties' reuse of book text) since no third-party reuse is involved.

It does not include:

• The implied default setting, its history, gods, or geography
• The three sample Darkmaster antagonists (Horned King, Witch Queen, Blood Lord) and the Dark Magic Lore chapters tied to their narrative framing
• The sample adventure ("Shadows of the Northern Woods")
• Illustrations, layout, or any other art asset
• GM-facing campaign advice that isn't a rule (e.g. pacing philosophy, table etiquette)

It does include, per your scope call: full core mechanics (character creation through combat, health, movement, and equipment), the complete Grimoire (all Spell Lores and spells), and the full Bestiary.

License

This document is published under the Powered by Open00 Third Party License:

The Open00 System has been written with the fantastic community of TTRPG content creators in mind.

1. If you adhere to these terms you are allowed to publish free or commercial material based upon and/or declaring compatibility with the Open00 System without express permission from Open Ended Games, Inc.
2. Art and text from our books may not be reused or translated unless you have our explicit permission.
3. The mechanics and game rules of Against the Darkmaster may be reused and referenced freely. You can also use the names of creatures, locations, and entities of the game world.
4. Your product cannot use the Open Ended Games or the Against the Darkmaster logo unless you have our explicit permission.
5. You are allowed and encouraged (but not required) to use the Powered by Open00 compatibility logo.
6. You're not allowed to give the impression that this is an official Against the Darkmaster or Open00 product, or that we endorse or sponsor you, unless we've made special arrangements with you.
7. Open Ended Games, Inc takes no responsibility for any legal claims against your product.
8. Any legal disputes, controversies, or claims related to this license shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the US Code and/or the State of New York and be settled by a New York and/or Federal court.
9. The following text must be included in the legal text, somewhere visible in the publication, and on the website or storefront where you promote the product: "[Product name] is an independent production by [Author or Publisher] and is not affiliated with Open Ended Games, Inc. It is published under the Powered by Open00 Third Party License."
10. This copyright text must be legibly included somewhere in the product and on the storefront: "Powered by Open00 is a Open Ended Games, Inc copyright."

Full text and updates: https://www.vsdarkmaster.com/open-license/

Document Structure

Core Mechanics

• Basic Dice Rolls — d100, d10, d5
• Types of Dice Rolls — The four roll types, Unmodified Rolls, Open-Ended Rolls
• Skill Rolls — When to Roll, Difficulty, Taking the Time, Helping, Tools, Conflicting Actions
• Save Rolls — Toughness Save Rolls, Willpower Save Rolls, SR Table, Resolving Save Rolls, Points of Failure
• Attack Rolls — The Combat Bonus, Making an Attack Roll, Attack Tables, Damage Types, Critical Strikes, Weapon Fumbles
• Spell Casting Rolls — Requirements, Concentration, Modifiers, Spell Casting Table, Unwilling Targets, Bolt & Area Spells, Magical Resonance, Spell Failure, Overcasting

Character

• Stats — Brawn, Swiftness, Fortitude, Wits, Wisdom, Bearing; Generating Stats
• Kins — All 13 Kins with stat modifiers, traits, and suggested cultures
• Cultures — All 13 Cultures with skill ranks, outfitting options, and starting Wealth Level
• Vocations — All 7 Vocations with Development Points, Vocational Bonuses, and Spell Lore access
• Skills — All 22 Skills across 6 categories: Armor, Combat, Adventuring, Roguery, Lore, Body
• Derived Attributes — Move Rate, Defense, Save Rolls, Hit Points, Magic Points, Size

Equipment

• Starting Equipment — Universal Kit, Culture Outfitting
• Wealth Level — Wealth Levels, Buying Goods, Availability, Barter, Item Quality, Treasure
• Encumbrance — Encumbrance Levels, Determining EL, Armor and Encumbrance
• Armor — Reading the Table, full Armor Table, Shields
• Weapons — Reading the Table, Weapon Qualities, full Weapons Table
• General Gear — Gear Table, Food & Lodging
• Mounts & Vehicles — Mounts & Animals, Vehicles, Services

Travel

• Journeys — Preparing for Travel, Overland Movement, Traveling by Water, Pathfinding
• Hazards — Traveling Hazards, Resolving Hazards, Hazard Categories, Random Hazards, Encounters & Evasion, Chases
• Environmental Perils — Weariness & Starvation, Falling, Extreme Heat & Cold, Drowning & Suffocation, Visibility, Foraging
• Safe Havens — Camping, Safe Havens, Finding a Safe Haven, Generating a Safe Haven, Activities

Combat

• Combat Actions — Parrying, Cover, Melee Attacks, Ranged Attacks
• The Tactical Round — TRS Phases, Assessment, Action Declaration, Move, Spell & Ranged Phases, Melee, Action Types, Combining Actions, Readied Actions, Multi-Round Actions
• Tactical Movement — The Battlefield, Combat Areas, Features, Movement, Full Movement & Sprinting, Half Movement, Arduous Terrain
• Conditions — Dying, Engaged, Frightened, Held, Incapacitated, Prone, Stunned, Surprised, Flanking, On Rear, Weary
• Combat Options — Aiming, Charge, Mounted Fighting, Two Weapons, Improvised Weapons, Martial Moves, Disarm, Feint, Knock Down, Lock, Shield Bash
• Health & Healing — Hit Points, Bruised Value, Resting, Bleeding, Injuries, Lingering Injuries, Death & Dismemberment, Poison & Disease, Soul Damage, Healing Herbs

Magic

• Spell Lores & Magic Points — Spell Lore Categories, Learning Spell Lores, Magic Points, Warping

Grimoire

• 38 Spell Lores — Aspects of Nature through Necromancy, each with 10 spells (First through Tenth Weave)