Outlander

Core Rulebook by Jarren Magnell

Outlander is a Paleolithic tabletop roleplaying and survival game designed for solo play, also playable with a small group. Set in the primordial Outlands, you play as either a Homo Sapien or a Neanderthal navigating survival, community, knowledge, and loss.

Eight Pillars support every session: Community, Discovery, Growth, Possessions, Resources, Trade, Village, and Violence. Everything in Outlander connects back to these, from the moves you make to the world you build before you ever play.

• World Truths that shape your specific era and region before play begins
• A Life Path system inspired by “Traveller” where 5-year blocks of lived experience build your character through dice rolls, yes, you can die in character creation, but its rare and would take some pretty bad dice luck…I should know, it happened to me in testing. 
• A skill progression system where you improve by doing, even if you fail. 
• A slot-based Possessions system, with conditions that slot into your backpack, your mental scars can physically weigh you down
• A Village building track that grows from a cold camp to a thriving community, delegate hunting, or crafting projects to your tribe
• A Violence and Hunting system using progress tracks that make every dangerous encounter feel like a genuine event
• A Legacy system that lets you pass your accumulated knowledge, and tools to your next character
• Oracles and tables to spark your imagination when building scenes and scenarios, Yes/No oracle included
  
  Outlander uses a 1d8 + Stat + Skill bonus vs 2d12 Challenge dice resolution mechanic, a la Ironsworn or Starforged. Theres some tweaks I made for a slightly more brutal feel and gives more mechanical “oomf” to progressing your skills. 

Not sure where to start? The included sample scenario, “Cult of the Skull” drops you into a three-scene solo adventure and teaches the game through play. 

The world is harsh. Build your community. Pass down your legacy. Die (its inevitable) and repeat.

Outlander is available through DriveThruRPG in PDF.

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