Preorder Physical Zines Now!

The horrid wizards have stolen magic from every realm. They stole our spells, our destiny, and it's time to take it all back. Thank goodness you're here — a thief, cunning and resourceful. 

You may not know how to cast magic, but you will cast magic nonetheless! Revel in the consequences of infinite arcane power and finite knowledge. For every spell that shrinks you to the size of dead skin, another will grow mountains in your foe's stomach.

Improvise and twist every wretched spell effect into something that can help you escape. Use every tool at your disposal to beat the wizards.

Do as Na'zar intended and embrace your destiny. Become a Thief of the Tome.

What is this Game?

This explosive TTRPG is played using real books. You read that right, real books. You will bring a book from your shelf and turn it into a spellbook for another player to cast from. The GM will bring a book for you to dive into, shaping the world around you and the obstacles in your way.

This Game Features:

• A one of kind spell casting system using real physical books. Thieves don't know how to cast spells and neither do you. It will be hilarious.
• A simple D6 pool resolution mechanic that always ties back to the Tomes. Quick, easy to learn, and adaptable.
• Character creation that is fast, literary, and prophetic. (Of course it uses books. What do you expect at this point?)
  
• A system called Doom & Destiny that foretells your character's worst demise and most towering victories.
• Rules for the GM to create a module based on the book they bring to the table, setting the game in nearly any genre.

The Download Contains:

4 chapters, including glorious illustrations and layout. Here's a chapter list:

1. In the Beginning - An overview of the game and core mechanics.
2. Tomecraft - How to write spells for a book to be stolen.
3. The Thieves - How to create characters using a stolen book.
4. The Escape - How to escape the White Guard with your lives (by casting spells and acting)

Also a few other documents:

1. The Quick Reference - As many rules as I could fit on 3x 8.5x11" pages. Very printer friendly.
2. The GM's Sheet - A tool used by the GM to plan the session based on their own book.
3. The Thief Sheet - Character sheets used by the players.
4. The Spell Sheet - Sheets used by the players to write spells.

Open Beta Information

This is an open beta of Thieves of the Tome. The game is a work in progress. As such, it is listed as free with a suggested donation. Feel free to download without paying, but if you like what I'm working on, your support is helpful. This isn't my full time job.

If you play, or even if you just read the book, I am looking for feedback. Please post in one of the feedback threads here in the itch community for this game after running it. This is the best thing you can do to help me get a nice physical copy of this game into your hands!

Running a Game

If you want to run a game, the best thing you can do is read the Rulebook and then read the Quick Reference. The Rulebook doesn't currently cover everything about using the GM sheet, but this is covered completely (though briefly) in the Quick Reference. If you have any questions please ask them in the rule clarification threads here in the itch community for this game.

I am particularly interested in GM feedback, so if you run this game, please leave feedback in the threads below.

Join the Community

If you want to try the game, give feedback, or participate in a potential mega game run by First Pancake Studios, join our discord: https://discord.gg/Kw6XBdh6rQ