Five Torches Deep Fantasy; Old-School Renaissance (OSR); Rules Lite; Low Prep; Exploration-Driven; Resource Management

At‑a‑glance: OSR‑leaning 5e • d20 tests • 3–5 + GM • Low prep • Rules‑lite • 2–3h sessions

Theme and Setting

Five Torches Deep aims squarely at classic, peril‑forward fantasy: dank dungeons, razor‑thin margins, and hard choices. The text assumes gritty excursions—where light, rations, and encumbrance shape routes and stakes—rather than superheroic set‑pieces. Setting is intentionally agnostic, so published modules and homebrew hexes drop in with minimal conversion.

Core Mechanics and Rules

FTD sits on a familiar 5e‑style backbone (abilities, saves, advantage/disadvantage) but pares the chassis down and centers procedures: travel clocks, usage and degradation, concise gear and supply, and swift combats that end before analysis‑paralysis sets in. Classes are streamlined, magic is potent but bounded, and the emphasis is on player decision‑making in the fiction—route selection, risk tolerance, scouting, and logistics. Difficulty modulation relies more on fictional positioning and consequences than on stacking modifiers, so tables move briskly.

What Makes It Unique

The blend is deliberate: FTD is heavier than ultra‑minimal OSR pamphlets but far leaner than mainstream fantasy tomes. It keeps the feel of old‑school pressure—time, light, and inventory—inside a modern, readable layout and a compact rules footprint. The result is a game that onboards 5e‑familiar players quickly while delivering OSR staples like deadly encounters, meaningful retreats, and prep that lives at the table (random tables, oracles, and rulings) instead of in long build phases. It’s especially good at one‑to‑three session delves, open‑table play, and campaigns that treat supplies and risk as central drama.

Target Audience and Player Experience

Best for groups who want fast starts, tangible resource pressure, and dangerous exploration without dense subsystem bloat. Newer players coming from 5e will recognize the bones; veterans get OSR tempo and consequences. Expect lethal stakes when you push, short combats, and sessions that hinge on planning, scouting, and knowing when to turn back. If your table craves deep feat trees or tactical grids, this will feel intentionally light; if you want decisive turns and fiction‑first problem solving, it sings.