Paleomythic Fantasy;Sword-and-Sorcery;Survival;Exploration-Driven;Resource Management;Sandbox;Low Prep;Rules Lite
At‑a‑glance: Stone & Sorcery • Opposed dice • 2–5 + GM • Low prep • Rules‑lite • 2–3h sessions
Theme and Setting
Paleomythic takes place in Ancient Mu, a prehistoric world of biting winters, scarce resources, and mythic strangeness. Tribes hunt and forage to survive while colossal beasts roam the wastes and ruins whisper of forgotten rites. The tone is ‘stone and sorcery’: gritty day‑to‑day survival shaded by superstition, spirits, and the occasional flash of the uncanny. It supports grounded, human‑scale stories first, with room to dial the mystical up or down to taste.
Core Mechanics and Rules
The system is intentionally light. Characters are built by selecting talents and gear rather than fixed classes, emphasizing capability through items, craft, and hard‑won experience. Most tasks resolve with opposed dice pools: each side rolls a handful of dice and compares highest results, producing quick, decisive outcomes that feel perilous without dense modifiers. Conditions and injuries replace long lists of statuses, keeping bookkeeping minimal while still making consequences bite. Resource management—food, warmth, tools, and time—is central, with crafting and scavenging integrated into the core loop.
What Makes It Unique
Where many prehistoric games lean cinematic, Paleomythic leans tactile and practical. Foraging tables, weather, encumbrance, and campsite choices matter, but sessions stay brisk thanks to streamlined procedures and modular subsystems you can snap on as needed. The “stone & sorcery” framing lets you color survival with omens, spirits, and relics without committing to full‑on high magic. The book’s guidance makes travel, hunting, and settlement play easy to run at the table, encouraging emergent adventures from scarcity and terrain.
Target Audience and Player Experience
Great for groups who like exploration under pressure, OSR‑adjacent sensibilities, and fiction‑first rulings. New players benefit from the straightforward character creation and clear survival objectives; veterans get a low‑overhead chassis for hexcrawls, seasonal campaigns, or one‑shot hunts. If you enjoy Cairn’s wilderness focus or Ironsworn’s journey structure but want a prehistoric twist with even lighter mechanics, Paleomythic is a strong fit.
