A setting inspired by the TV show Britannia, which was in turn inspired the historical events surrounding the Roman invasion of the British Isles.

I am not a historian, and nothing about this is meant to be historically accurate. I’m just a dude on the internet who likes hex crawlin’ in ancient Albion, where the Romans are demons and the leader of the Druids is David Bowie.

Under the banners of General Aulus Plautius, the Romans have returned to Britannia to complete the conquest attempted by Julius Caesar nearly a century ago. A war machine comprised of peoples and gods from the corners of the world, their arrival is a crawling chaos crashing over the land.

As one prophetic druid put it, “the stones upon which Time itself stands… those stones have shifted. They’re collapsing. Crushing centuries, annihilating pantheons… the ghosts of all our dead churned into a whirlwind, incinerated in a single flash…and when it’s gone….”

Player characters

Starter loot

	1 HP	2 HP	3 HP	4 HP	5 HP	6 HP
3-9	Great sword (d8) Sling (d4) Arcanum	Bow and arrow (d6) 10 Silver pieces Arcanum	Spear (d6) Shield (1) Arcanum	Farmer knife (d6) Horse Sling (d4)	Bow and arrow (d6) Horse Spear (d6)	War axe (d8) Shield (1) Arcanum
10	Spear (d6) Shield Arcanum	Shortsword (d6) Bow and arrow (d6) Arcanum	Walking stick (d6) Incense Arcanum	Sickle (d6) Hour glass Arcanum	Farmer knife (d6) Horse Arcanum	Gladius (d6) Legionary shield (2) Arcanum
11	Great axe (d8) Battle shield (2) Triple pipes	Sickle (d6) Hunting knife (d6) Arcanum	Shortsword (d6) Grappling hook War horn	Great sword (d8) 40 Silver Arcanum	Bow and arrow (d6) 1 gold piece Horse and chariot	Hierophant staff (d6) Quill and paper Arcanum
12	Spear (d6) Legionary shield (2) Nazar	Bow and arrow (d6) Hunting knife (d6) Arcanum	War axe (d8) Bow and Arrow Horse and wagon	Gladius (d6) Bow and Arrow (d6) Gladius (d6)	Dagger (d6) Horse Vial of poison	Spear (d6) Shield (1) Arcanum
13	Hunting knife (d6) Warhammer (d8) Fine leather armor (2)	Spear (d6) Dagger (d6) Horse and chariot	Gladius (d6) Legionary shield (2)	Spear (d6) Legionary Shield (2) Arcanum	Great sword (d8) Bow and arrow (d6) Leather armor (1)	Sickle (d6) Walking stick (d6) Hour glass
14	Spear (d6) Legionary shield (2) Fine leather armor (2)	Bow and arrow (d6) Incense Arcanum	Warhammer (d8) Wolf pelt armor (1) War horn	Shortsword (d6) Shortsword (d6) Arcanum	Hunting knife (d6) 30 Silver Triple pipes	Spear (d6) Shield (1) Horse
15	Walking staff (d6) Bow and arrow (d6) Hunting knife (d6)	Sling (d4) Farmer knife (d6) 10 silver	Greatsword (d8) War horn Arcanum	Hunting knife (d6) Grapling hook Healing tea (heals d4 Strength)	Shortsword (d6) Battle shield (2) Horse	Axe (d6) Battle shield (2) Dagger (d6)
16	Warhammer (d8) Bow and arrow (d6) Arcanum	War axe (d8) Wof pelt armor (1) Horse and cart	Spear (d6) Great sword (d8) Fine leather armor (2)	Bow and armor (d6) Shortsword (d6) Horse	Farmer knife (d6) Walking staff (d6) Arcanum	Great sword (d8) War axe (d8) Arcanum
17	Bow and arrow (d6) Grappling hook Hour glass	Shortsword (d6) Dagger (d6) Arcanum	Hunting knife (d6) Silver torc	Spear (d6) Battle shield (2) Hunting knife	Walking stick (d6) Arcanum Arcanum	Bow and arrow (d6) 10 gold pieces Gold torc
18	Farmer knife (d6) Sickle (d6) 30 Silver	Bow and arrow (d6) Fine leather armor (2) Arcanum	Walking staff (d6) Incense Triple pipes	Great axe (d8) Fine leather armor (2) Donkey	Dagger (d6) Farmer knife (d6) Bow and arrow (d6)	Sling (d4) 10 Silver pieces Bronze torc

Starting arcana

Roll	Arcana	Description
1	Cauldron of Murias	A cauldron of bottomless plenty. Refresh 10 Supply every morning. Once per day, make a Will Save and attempt to pull from the cauldron any item that your heart desires. If you fail the Save you are pulled into the Otherworld.
2	Spear of Gorias	2d6 Damage. Engravings of a gold eagle flank the blade of the spear. Enemies you pierce are struck with lightning that pulses from the spear.
3	Sword of Finias	2d6 Damage. On your command, this sword can illuminate at the level of a bright torch. While this sword is on your person, you never decrement more than 1 Supply per Turn.
4	Triple pipes	Playing these pipes allows you to summon an animal for 1 day. The animal is friendly to you, and understands your intentions to a reasonable level. The animal will protect you if asked, but the Referee may ask for Will Saves when the animal is taking damage to see if they run away.
5	Egg of protection	A green gemstone, carved and polished into the shape of a chicken egg. Grasp the egg to create an invisible circle of protection that surrounds you completely in the shape of a large egg. The protected area is big enough for 3 people, standing close together. Nothing you do not allow can pass the boundaries of the egg, including rain, smoke, projectiles, or people. If a determined attacker is attempting to enter, or an extremely large object falls on the protective barrier, the Referre may call for a Will save. On failure, the egg shatters, rendered unusable.
6	Seeking snake	A pet snake about 2.5 feet long with 1 HP. Once per turn, you may transform the snake into a seeking arrow with a fanged arrow head that deals d8 damage, ignoring HP.
7	Oak carved spoon	Dip the spoon into a natural body of water, drink, and receive d6 healing to each of your Ability scores.
8	Horseshoe	Keeping this on your person gives +2 Armor. It also makes you a friend of horses, easily able to find and tame wild horeses.
9	Cloak of invisibility	Really rare. Yes, others can still hear you or see your foot prints.
10	Ochain of Conchobar	+3 Armor. A large shield that looks beat up, but is very sturdy. It will warn you of dangers ahead if you ask it.
11	Golden apple	The bearer of this apple can add +3 to any of their Ability scores. You can shift the Ability score to which this applies once per day.
12	Drowsy branch	A white branch dotted with silver leaves. Shaking the branch creates beautiful, soothing music, that will lull any nearby humanoids to sleep.
13	Seeing sticks	Cast these sticks and interpret the way they fall. You are immune to damage in your next combat encounter.
14	Hour glass	Once per day, you can move extremely fast for 2 Turns.
15	Black stone of Pessinus	A smooth black stone that fits in the palm of a hand. Once per day, you can fly into a rage that increases your Strength. Make 2 Attacks instead of 1, and your Attacks deal an additional d6 Damage.
16	Buck horn helmet	Bronze and leather helmet with antlers. Gain an extra damage dice to your Spells.
17	Bear skin cloak	Super warm and comfy. Once per Turn use your Action to shield someone from Damage.
18	Falcata	d12 Damage. Ignore Damage done to you this Turn if you roll above 9.
19	White oak bow	d12 Damage. If enemeies are in melee range, you can make an additional Attack.
20	Herb and resin incense	Once per day, you can light this incense, and everyone around you partakes of the benefits. For the next 10 Turns all your Rolls are Enhanced.

Advancements

Advancement	Hit die	Description
Healer	d4	Use your Action to tend to an injured ally. Your medical skill, charms, and potions return d4+2 hit points.
Assassin	d6	When you attack an enemy who is unaware of your presence, your damage hits their Strength score directly, bypassing their hit points.
Sure-footed	d6	You never lose your balance or grip in difficult or slippery terrain. Effectively, you don’t need to make Dexterity Saves in situations that involve slipping, falling, or balancing.
Thief	d6	You can unlock any door, vault, or chest, and disarm any trap. Use of your Thief tools does not cost an additional Supply per Turn.
Silent steps	d6	You always move completely silently.
Blade in the dark	d6	When you hide in deep shadow, you are invisible until someone is right on top of you.
Bowmaster	d6	Make two attacks with your bow each turn.
Berserker	d8	You may choose to ignore the effects of damage taken by instead taking d6 Will damage.
Ironclad	d8	Double the value of any armor you wear. Eg, 1 armor grants 2, 2 armor grants 4
Swashbuckler	d8	Whenver you slay a target with a melee attack, you may immediately make and additional melee attack against another target within range.