Hwæt?

The Old English word hwæt is the first word of Beowulf. It is often translated as “listen!” or “lo!” but I prefer the softer, interrogative “how?” How is it that we tell stories of worthy deeds? 

Hwaet? is rules-lite pen and paper fantasy roleplaying game that takes this question as a mechanical prompt. Players take on the roles of scrappy adventurers - exploring lost places, recovering treasures, but most of all returning to their communities to brag of their exploits. The Adventurer's Companion contains all the rules for creating and playing an adventurer. The Steward's Companion contains rules and advice for running the game.

Hwaet? borrows from Dungeon World by Sage LaTorra and Adam Koebel, Goblinville by Narrative Dynamics, and the various hacks of The Goblin Laws of Gaming by Arnold K.

For zine construction, check out this excellent folding guide. Most inkjet printers have a little bit of scatter, so some pages may be a little off register.

Fonts are Bookman Oldstyle and Josefin Sans.
Covers adapted from illustrations by J.R. Skelton, 1901.