An interactive tutorial and character forge for Cairn, a rules-light tabletop adventure game of treasure, peril, and exploration.
Into the woods, into the dark, into the unknown
Cairn is a rules-light, old-school-inspired tabletop roleplaying game. You play as adventurers - townsfolk, wanderers, and fortune-seekers - exploring a forest full of ancient ruins, hidden treasures, and terrible dangers. The game rewards cleverness over combat prowess: a well-placed trap or a hasty retreat will serve you better than a drawn-out sword fight.
Cairn draws from Into the Odd and Knave, distilling their innovations into a system that fits on a single page. There are no classes, no levels, and no skill lists. Your character is defined by what they carry and how you play them.
Play in Cairn follows a simple rhythm:
Roll dice only when the outcome is uncertain and risky. If a character attempts something with no real cost for failure, or if success is a foregone conclusion, simply describe the result. The dice are reserved for moments that matter.
Cairn uses only d6s and d20s. Most rolls are 3d6 for character creation and d20 for saves. The system avoids the "math bloat" of larger games - every roll is quick, and the stakes are always clear.
Every character has three attributes, each generated by rolling 3d6 (you may then swap any two results). These numbers define your character's physical and mental resilience - and your ability to resist harm.
| Attribute | Abbr | Used For |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | STR | Physical power, lifting, breaking free, resisting poison |
| Dexterity | DEX | Poise, speed, reflexes, dodging, climbing, sneaking |
| Willpower | WIL | Persuasion, deception, intimidation, spellcasting, charm |
When the outcome of an action is uncertain and risky, you make a Save: roll 1d20 and compare to the relevant attribute. If you roll equal to or under the attribute, you succeed. A 1 is always a success; a 20 is always a failure. Higher attributes make you more resilient - a character with 16 DEX is remarkably agile, while one with 8 DEX is at greater risk when dodging.
Combat in Cairn is fast and dangerous. A Round is roughly ten seconds of in-game time, with each side taking turns. During the first round, each PC must make a DEX save to act - those who fail lose their turn. After that, PCs act, then opponents, alternating until combat ends.
There is no attack roll in Cairn. The attacker rolls their weapon die, subtracts the target's Armor, and deals the remaining total to the target's HP. If multiple attackers target the same foe, roll all damage dice and keep the single highest result.
HP reflects your ability to avoid damage in combat - it is not health or fortitude. When you take damage, HP is reduced first. When HP reaches 0, any further damage reduces your STR. If STR reaches 0, the character dies. If DEX reaches 0, they are paralyzed. If WIL reaches 0, they are delirious.
Damage that reduces HP below zero is subtracted from STR by the remaining amount. The target must then immediately make a STR save using their new, lower STR score. On a failure, they suffer Critical Damage - they cannot do anything but crawl weakly, grasping for life. If given aid (such as bandages), they stabilize. If left untreated, they die within the hour.
Armor reduces incoming damage by a flat amount before it reaches HP. A character cannot have more than 3 Armor. Shields and similar items provide a bonus while held or worn.
Exploration is the heart of Cairn. You venture into the forest, into ruins, into caves - seeking treasure, knowledge, or simply survival. The game uses encumbrance slots to manage what you carry. Each character has a limited number of slots, and every item takes up space.
Most items take 1 slot. Bulky items take 2 slots. You can carry up to 10 slots worth of gear. If you exceed your carrying capacity, you suffer penalties - you become slow and vulnerable. What you choose to bring matters.
Light is a resource. Torches burn for a set duration. A lantern is precious. Wandering in the dark is deadly. Managing your light sources creates natural tension and pacing - you can't explore forever, and every moment in the dungeon costs something.
Not every encounter needs to be a fight. When you meet a creature, the Warden rolls a Reaction Roll (2d6) to determine initial disposition. Low results mean hostility; high results mean friendliness. Morale checks determine when enemies flee or surrender. Smart players can negotiate, trick, or intimidate their way out of danger.
Cairn has no levels and no experience points. Your character grows through what they acquire, what they learn, and how the world changes them. A character who finds a magic sword is fundamentally more capable - not because of a number on a sheet, but because of the tool they now possess.
Scars deserve special mention. When a character reaches 0 STR but survives, they roll on the Scars table. This permanently changes a character - sometimes for the worse, sometimes in surprising ways. A scar is a story, and your character becomes more interesting with each one they survive.
Step into the wilds - craft your adventurer
Creating a Cairn character is quick - most of the work is done by the dice. In five steps, you'll have a fully playable adventurer ready to explore the forest and its ancient secrets.
Roll d6 on the Armor table to determine your starting protection. If you roll "None," you'll get to roll for Additional Gear instead.
| d6 | Armor |
|---|---|
| 1 | None - Roll for Additional Gear |
| 2 | Shield (+1 Armor) |
| 3 | Helmet (+1 Armor) |
| 4 | Gambeson (+1 Armor) |
| 5 | Chainmail (2 Armor, bulky) |
| 6 | Plate (3 Armor, bulky) |
Roll d6 on the Weapons table to arm your adventurer. Each entry represents a category - pick a specific weapon that fits the description.
| d6 | Weapon Category | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dagger, Cudgel, Sickle, Staff, etc. | d6 |
| 2 | Spear, Sword, Mace, Axe, Flail, etc. | d8 |
| 3 | Halberd, War Hammer, Long Sword, etc. | d10 (bulky) |
| 4 | Sling | d6 |
| 5 | Bow | d8 (bulky) |
| 6 | Crossbow | d8 (bulky) |
All characters receive Additional Gear. Roll d100 once normally. If you have no armor, roll again. If your background grants "Random Additional Gear", roll again.
Roll 3d6 for each attribute. The result is your score - and your defense against attacks of that type. Click the button to roll all three at once, or roll them individually.
Roll 1d6 for your Hit Protection. This represents your ability to avoid serious injury - not your health, but your luck, stamina, and reflexes in combat.
Your background represents what you did before becoming an adventurer. It determines your starting gear - the tools of your former trade. Roll d100 (or 2d10 for tens and ones) and let fate decide who you were.
Roll 3d6 for your starting gold pieces. All adventurers also begin with a torch, three days' rations, and a waterskin.
Roll d100 on the name tables to discover who you are. The forest already knows your name - now you will too.
Quick rules at a glance
When the outcome of an action is uncertain and carries risk, the character makes a Save. Roll 1d20 and compare it to the relevant attribute:
Attacks automatically hit in Cairn. There is no attack roll. If an attack is possible — you're in range, you have a weapon, the target can be harmed — you roll damage. The attacker rolls their weapon's damage die, subtracts the target's Armor, and the remainder reduces HP.
Damage is determined by the weapon:
| Weapon | Damage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dagger | 1d6 | Concealable, close quarters |
| Staff | 1d6 | Two-handed |
| Sword | 1d8 | Standard sidearm |
| Axe | 1d8 | Can be thrown |
| Spear | 1d8 | Reach, can be thrown |
| Bow | 1d8 | Ranged, requires arrows |
| Crossbow | 1d8 | Ranged, slow to reload |
| Unarmed | 1d4 | - |
Armor reduces incoming damage by a flat amount:
| Armor | Reduction | Slots |
|---|---|---|
| No Armor | 0 | 0 |
| Light Armor (Leather, Padded) | 1 | 1 |
| Medium Armor (Chain, Scale) | 2 | 2 |
| Heavy Armor (Plate) | 3 | 2 |
| Shield | +1 | 1 |
Note: Armor does not make you harder to hit - it reduces the damage that gets through. Your attribute is your defense. Armor is mitigation.
Characters have 10 inventory slots. Most items occupy 1 slot. Bulky items occupy 2 slots.
Reaction Roll (2d6): When encountering a creature, roll to determine its initial disposition:
| 2d6 | Reaction |
|---|---|
| 2 | Hostile - attacks immediately |
| 3-5 | Unfriendly - may attack if provoked |
| 6-8 | Neutral - uncertain, wary |
| 9-11 | Friendly - open to parley |
| 12 | Helpful - offers aid freely |
Morale (2d6): When creatures take losses or face overwhelming force, roll 2d6 vs their Morale score. If the roll exceeds their Morale, they flee or surrender.
When a character reaches 0 STR, they are critically wounded. If they survive (with aid), roll 1d6 on the Scars table:
| 1d6 | Scar |
|---|---|
| 1 | Lost limb - permanently reduce STR by 1d4 |
| 2 | Scarred face - permanently reduce WIL by 1d4 |
| 3 | Battered body - permanently reduce STR by 1d4 |
| 4 | Shattered nerves - permanently reduce DEX by 1d4 |
| 5 | Haunted mind - permanently reduce WIL by 1d4 |
| 6 | Marked by fate - permanently reduce a random attribute by 1d4, but gain a strange ability |
Scars are permanent. They tell the story of what your character has survived - and what it cost them.