"Beyond the North Wind, under a dying crimson sun — adventure by steel and sorcery."
Hyperborea 3e is a streamlined restatement of Gygaxian AD&D tailored for sword-and-sorcery and weird science-fantasy. Jeffrey Talanian combines the baroque class-and-level framework of 1E AD&D with intuitive modernizations — unified saving throw, simplified combat matrices, and a d6 task resolution — while preserving full backwards compatibility with classic modules.
Hyperborea is a flat hexagonal realm hemmed in by the mystical North Wind, lit by a bloated dying red sun. Inspired by Howard, Lovecraft, and Clark Ashton Smith — ancient amethyst cities, radium pistols, cannibal Picts, cyclopean ruins, and slumbering alien horrors. A world where survival itself is considered thriving.
4 Base Classes, 22 Subclasses
Fighter, Magician, Cleric, or Thief — or one of 22 subclasses (Barbarian, Pyromancer, Runegraver, Cataphract, Witch...). Each with distinct requirements, abilities, and XP tables.
Unified Saving Throw
Instead of AD&D's five saving throw categories — a single roll with class- and level-based modifiers. Simpler, yet old-school.
Weapon Mastery & Armour DR
Fighters gain bonuses with chosen weapons. Medium and heavy armour grant damage reduction (DR). Armour is a tactical choice, not just AC.
D6 Task Resolution
A referee-facing d6 system for non-combat actions (climbing, stealth, persuasion). Encumbrance simplified to armour weight. The game keeps moving.
Open in Session Zero to let every player vote and see the results.