THE ZACHLINGS CHRONICLES

A Fantasy RPG About Ordinary Heroes and the Weight of Duty

What You Need to Play

• 3-7 players (one will be the Game Master)
• Two 6-sided dice per player
• Character sheets (provided)
• Pencils
• Empathy and desire to help those in need

Basic Game Rules

How to Play:

1. The Game Master (GM) describes situations where the vulnerable need protection
2. Players decide how to help and what sacrifices they're willing to make
3. Roll dice to determine if your compassionate actions succeed
4. Work together to heal suffering and stop those driven by endless greed!

Rolling Dice:

• Roll 2 dice and add them together (2-12 total)
• Add your character's relevant skill number
• 10 or higher = SUCCESS!
• 7-9 = PARTIAL SUCCESS (you succeed but something goes wrong)
• 6 or lower = FAILURE (but the story continues!)

Character Stats (each starts at 1-3):

• Combat - Protecting others, defending the vulnerable, standing against oppression
• Arcane - Elemental powers used for healing, creating, and restoring balance
• Diplomacy - Understanding others, offering comfort, building trust with the wounded
• Infiltration - Moving unseen to help those trapped, gathering information to expose exploitation

Health Points:

• All Zachlings start with 10 Health Points
• When you take damage, subtract from your health
• At 0 health, you're incapacitated but your allies will never abandon you
• Rest for an hour to recover 3 health points

Primal Elemental Surge:

• Each Zachling can channel this once per mission
• Automatically overwhelms lesser greedy forces with the power of contentment
• Shows major threats the futility of their endless wanting
• Each color manifests as a different aspect of inner peace
• Creates a moment of clarity that can break cycles of greed!
• Zachlings can synchronize surges to demonstrate the power of cooperation!
• After channeling, the Zachling feels deeply peaceful but temporarily drained

The Zachling Aura of Contentment:

• All Zachlings emanate a subtle glow reflecting their inner peace
• Only those who have found satisfaction can see it (the greedy are blind to contentment they've never known)
• Brightens when helping others and during moments of genuine compassion
• Allows the content to recognize each other across any distance

Taking Turns

1. GM describes who is suffering and needs help
2. Players discuss what they can do and what they're willing to sacrifice
3. Roll dice when the outcome is uncertain or the task is difficult
4. GM describes how their compassion affects the world
5. Continue working together to heal and protect!

Simple Combat

1. Everyone rolls dice + Combat to see who acts first
2. Fastest response helps determine who gets protected
3. On your turn: move and take one action
4. Actions: defend someone, heal with arcane power, inspire allies, or find creative solutions!
5. Defending Others: roll dice + Combat vs the threat they face
6. Arcane Healing: roll dice + Arcane (costs 1 health to channel your life force)

The goal is to show that a heart at peace is more powerful than any amount of wealth, and that those who have enough can always find strength to help those who have nothing.