Skara Brae — Mechanics Source Mapping
Source: Joplin note 87a0f70b45c4453caae0fa2b5b8a96f9, migrated 2026-10-03
How elements from each inspiration source map to Skara Brae mechanics.
Sources
| Source |
Type |
Key Contribution |
| The Bard's Tale I (1985) |
Dungeon crawl RPG |
Setting, city structure, review board, party system, spell learning, dungeon progression |
| RoleMaster / MERP (1980+) |
Tabletop RPG |
Combat engine (d100 open-ended, crit tables), 10-stats, skill ranks, spell realms, brutality |
| Idle Fantasy (2024) |
Mobile idle RPG |
Offline sessions, hireable workers, pets, guild ranks, blessings, slayer tasks, quest diversity |
| Torn City (2004) |
Text-based MMORPG |
Crime→adventure loop, economy, factions, properties, education, PvP, billions-scale stats, casino, travel |
The Mapping
Leveling & Progression
| Mechanic |
Source |
Skara Brae Adaptation |
| Review Board |
Bard's Tale I |
The Adventurers' Guild in Skara Brae. Unmarked building (must be discovered). Only place to level up, learn new spells, and change spell schools. Pay gold + meet XP threshold. Magical exam for spellcasters (lore check). |
| Experience points |
All |
BIGINT XP. Earned from adventures, combat, crafting, quests. Level thresholds scale exponentially. |
| Stat growth to billions |
Torn City |
BIGINT stats, tiered display (K/M/B/T). Stats only go up. Training, equipment, education, and crafting all feed into stats. |
| Skill ranks via development points |
RoleMaster |
Skills leveled through use (not point-buy). Each skill has its own XP bar. Higher ranks = logarithmic cost increase. |
| Education courses |
Torn City |
Schools (Fighters' Academy, College of Magic, Thieves' Den, Merchants' Guild). Real-time courses, permanent bonuses. Some adventures require prerequisites. |
Spell System
| Mechanic |
Source |
Skara Brae Adaptation |
| Spell schools as classes |
Bard's Tale I |
Magician (offensive), Conjurer (summoning), Sorcerer (debilitating), Wizard (utility). Mages can switch schools at the Review Board. Master all four = Archmage title (cosmetic + achievement). |
| Spell learning at Review Board |
Bard's Tale I |
Must visit the Adventurers' Guild to learn new spells after leveling. Each spell costs gold + requires minimum skill level. Spell codes replaced by meaningful names. |
| Three realms of magic |
RoleMaster |
Essence (wizards — raw magical energy), Channeling (clerics — divine power from Old Gods), Mentalism (bards/psionics — mind power). Each realm has open lists (available to all) and closed lists (class-restricted). |
| Bard songs as spells |
Bard's Tale I |
Bard songs function as long-duration buffs. Strengthen armor, increase attack speed, heal over time, boost skill XP. Certain puzzles/adventures require specific songs. |
| 85 spells |
Bard's Tale I |
Target: 60-80 spells at launch across all realms and schools. Expandable via updates. |
Combat
| Mechanic |
Source |
Skara Brae Adaptation |
| d100 open-ended roll |
RoleMaster |
All attacks roll d100 open-ended (96-100: roll again and add). Creates rare but exciting high rolls. |
| Critical tables by weapon type |
RoleMaster |
Slash, crush, puncture, unarmed crit tables. Each maps roll range to damage multiplier + status effect (bleed, stun, disarm, cripple, blind). Tables stored in skara-brae-common/crit-tables/. |
| Crit damage capped by level difference |
Original design |
Equal level = full crit. +50 levels = 15% cap. +100 = 5% cap. Status effects always apply. Low levels can disrupt, not kill. |
| Armor type vs. weapon cross-reference |
RoleMaster |
Attack tables cross-index weapon type against armor type (unarmored, leather, chain, plate). Heavy armor reduces crit severity. |
| Concussion hits |
RoleMaster |
Normal hits (non-crit) = concussion damage. Accumulates, can knock unconscious. Natural recovery over time. |
| Body part damage |
RoleMaster |
Crit rolls determine hit location (head, torso, arms, legs). Location affects which status effects apply. Head crits = stun. Arm crits = disarm. Leg crits = cripple. |
| Resistance rolls (RR) |
RoleMaster |
Magic attacks require resistance roll: d100 + Will stat vs. spell difficulty. Failed RR = full effect. Partial success = reduced effect. Success = resisted. |
| Turn-based combat |
Bard's Tale I |
Combat is turn-based/text-based. Choose actions each round. Manage stamina, mana, positioning (front/back rank). |
| Party combat (6 characters) |
Bard's Tale I |
See Party System below. |
Adventures & Dungeons
| Mechanic |
Source |
Skara Brae Adaptation |
| Crime tiers |
Torn City |
Adventures in risk/reward tiers: Safe (pick pockets) → Moderate (burglary) → Dangerous (dungeon raid) → Extreme (Undercity deep). Higher tiers = better rewards, more energy cost, higher failure chance. |
| Dungeon progression |
Bard's Tale I |
Sequential dungeons with prerequisites: Wine Cellar → Sewers → Catacombs → Harkyn's Castle → Kylearan's Tower → Mangar's Tower. Each unlocks the next. Later dungeons require items/keys from earlier ones. |
| Random encounters on city streets |
Bard's Tale I |
Moving between districts at night triggers random encounters. Higher danger districts = harder encounters. Daytime = mostly safe. |
| Dungeon puzzles and riddles |
Bard's Tale I |
Dungeons include locked doors (lockpicking check), riddles (lore check), magical barriers (spell requirement), and boss mechanics. |
| Racing → Idle adventuring |
Torn City + Idle Fantasy |
Expeditions: Send your character (or a hired worker) on a timed expedition to a dungeon or adventure zone. Takes 15 min to 1 hour. Returns with loot. Reduced rewards (60%) compared to active play. Energy consumed while on expedition. Comparable to Torn's racing (timed event with wager → payout). |
| Organized crime → Guild raids |
Torn City |
Guild raids: Cooperative dungeon runs requiring 4-6 guild members. Each member contributes. Rewards split. Guild treasury gets a cut. Weekly cooldown. |
City & Navigation
| Mechanic |
Source |
Skara Brae Adaptation |
| 30×30 city grid |
Bard's Tale I |
Decision needed: Full MUD-style room-by-room map, or district-based navigation? See Map Question below. |
| Named streets and buildings |
Bard's Tale I |
Key locations are named (Rakhir Street, The Singing Tavern, Garth's Equipment Shoppe). Even with district navigation, these names persist as flavor. |
| Locked gates / guardian statues |
Bard's Tale I |
Certain districts require keys, quest completion, or level thresholds to access. The Undercity requires a password from a quest. The Noble Quarter requires property ownership or guild rank. |
| District-based navigation |
Torn City |
Click on a district, see available actions. Fast, mobile-friendly, no spatial navigation needed. |
| Christmas Town |
Torn City |
Seasonal locations: Temporary areas that appear during seasonal events. Festival of Lights → Frozen Lake (ice fishing, ice dungeon). Mangar's Eve → Shadow Realm (special dungeon). The Great Market → Bazaar of Wonders (rare vendors). These locations disappear after the event. |
| Travel (off-shore) |
Torn City |
Travel system: Take a ship from the Harbor to offshore locations. Each trip costs gold + takes real time (1-4 hours). Destinations: The Iron Islands (mining colony, rare ores), Stormwatch Keep (military outpost, PvP zone), The Lost Tombs (ancient ruins, high-level dungeon), The Free Ports (neutral trade hub, no PvP). Travel time = opportunity for ambush by pirates or sea monsters. |
Map Question: MUD-Style vs. District Navigation
Option A: MUD-Style Room Map
- 30×30 grid (like BT1), each tile is a "room" with description, exits, and possible encounters
- Players navigate with cardinal directions (N/S/E/W)
- Feels immersive, authentic to BT1 roots
- Problem: Tedious on mobile. Hard to make feel good in a web UI. Most players would find it annoying.
- Works if we want a true MUD feel
Option B: District-Based Navigation (Recommended)
- City has 10 districts (already defined). Click a district → see available locations and actions.
- Within districts, specific locations (The Singing Tavern, Garth's Shoppe) are clickable destinations.
- Dungeons are separate instances (enter → turn-based combat + exploration).
- Problem: Less immersive. Loses the BT1 city-as-maze feel.
- Works best for web/mobile, fast navigation, Torn-like UX
Option C: Hybrid
- District navigation for the main city (fast, mobile-friendly)
- Dungeons use room-by-room exploration with a minimap (MUD/MUD2 style)
- City streets at night can trigger random encounters when traveling between districts (without full room navigation)
- Best of both worlds: fast city navigation, immersive dungeon crawling
- The BT1 city-as-maze can be a special dungeon instance ("Skara Brae: The Eternal Winter" — a flashback to Mangar's original attack)
Recommendation: Option C (Hybrid). District nav for city, room-by-room for dungeons. Night travel has encounter chance.
Economy
| Mechanic |
Source |
Skara Brae Adaptation |
| Bazaar / Item market |
Torn City |
Player-driven marketplace. List items for sale. Search, filter, buy. Transaction fee (gold sink). |
| Garth's Equipment Shoppe |
Bard's Tale I |
NPC shop with basic equipment. Always available. Sells low-to-mid tier gear. Buys items at 40% value. |
| Auction House |
Torn City |
Rare items, timed auctions. 24-72 hour listings. Buyout option. |
| Bank of Skara Brae |
Torn City |
Deposit gold, earn interest (0.5%/day). Loans available (collateral required). |
| Casino → Inn games |
Torn City |
The Singing Tavern offers gambling: Dice (craps variant), Cards (fantasy poker), Arm Wrestling (strength check), Shell Game (perception check). Wager gold, win or lose. House edge ensures long-term gold sink. High-stakes table in the back room (Noble Quarter access). |
| Stock market → Merchant ventures |
Torn City |
Invest in trading caravans departing from the Harbor. Returns depend on random events (pirates, storms, bandits, rare finds). Check results after 24 hours. |
| Player shops/stalls |
Torn City |
Set up a stall in the Market Square. List items at custom prices. Stall rent = gold sink. Higher rent = better location (more traffic). |
| Fencing stolen goods |
Torn City |
Old Grist at the Harbor buys stolen goods. Lower prices than market but no questions asked. Thievery skill affects quality of goods you can fence. |
Guilds & Clans
| Mechanic |
Source |
Skara Brae Adaptation |
| Factions |
Torn City |
Guilds (already designed). Player organizations with hierarchy, guild hall, territory, treasury, taxation, wars. Guild rank progression (10 ranks). |
| Companies |
Torn City |
Clans — a separate system from guilds. Clans are player-run businesses/cooperatives. |
| Clan types |
Original design |
Clan types: Trading Company (market bonuses), Mercenary Band (PvP bonuses), Crafting Cooperative (crafting bonuses), Exploration Society (adventure bonuses). A player can be in one guild AND one clan simultaneously. Guilds are about power/territory. Clans are about economic specialization. |
| Guild wars |
Torn City |
Territory control through raids. Formal war declaration. Surrender terms. Winner takes territory + treasury portion. |
| Alliances |
Torn City |
Guild-to-guild treaties. Non-aggression pacts, trade agreements, mutual defense. Alliance chat channel. |
| Guild Adventures |
Torn City |
Cooperative activities requiring multiple members (→ Torn's organized crimes). Weekly cooldown. |
Party System & Grouping
| Mechanic |
Source |
Skara Brae Adaptation |
| Party of 6 characters |
Bard's Tale I |
Parties of 2-4 players (not 6 characters per player). Group up for adventures and dungeons. Party leader chooses destination. Loot distributed by configured rules (need/greed, round-robin, leader assigns). |
| Front/back rank |
Bard's Tale I |
Combat positions: Front rank (melee, takes hits first) and back rank (ranged/magic, protected). Party leader assigns positions. |
| Adventurer's Guild party board |
Bard's Tale I |
Looking for Group board at the Adventurers' Guild. Post: "Looking for healer for Catacombs run" or "Need tank for guild raid." Players apply, leader accepts. |
| Group bonuses |
MMORPGs |
Party of 2: +10% XP. Party of 3: +20% XP. Party of 4: +30% XP. Encourages grouping without making it mandatory. |
| NPC party members |
Bard's Tale I |
Hire mercenaries from the inn to fill empty party slots. Cost gold per adventure. Lower stats than players, no special abilities. Better than nothing for solo players attempting hard content. |
| Raid content |
MMORPGs |
Guild raids: 6-12 players in an instanced dungeon. Boss mechanics require coordination. Weekly lockout. Best loot in the game. |
Races (Conservative)
Drawing from all fantasy settings but keeping it traditional:
| Race |
Bonus |
Penalty |
Lore |
| Human |
+Charisma, adaptable |
None (jack of all trades) |
Most numerous. Run the City Watch, merchant houses, and government. |
| Dwarf |
+Constitution, +Smithing |
-Agility |
Clan-based hill-dwellers. Run the best forges in the Crafters' Quarter. |
| Elf |
+Intelligence, +Perception |
-Strength |
Ancient, declining race. Tied to the Old Kingdom's magic. Run the Academy. |
| Halfling |
+Agility, +Thievery |
-Strength |
Nimble, underestimated. Run the smuggling routes at the Harbor. |
| Half-Orc |
+Strength, +Intimidation |
-Intelligence |
Marginalized. Often found in the Arena or as mercenaries. |
| Half-Elf |
+Charisma, +Magic |
-Constitution |
Bridge between human and elven societies. Often diplomats or bards. |
Decision: Keep the 6 races from the current design. Conservative, well-understood, no weird ones.
Classes (Conservative)
| Class |
Role |
Key Abilities |
Source Inspiration |
| Warrior |
Tank / Melee DPS |
Heavy armor, weapon mastery, shield skills |
BT1 Warrior, RM Fighter |
| Rogue |
DPS / Utility |
Stealth, lockpicking, poison, backstab (high crit chance) |
BT1 Rogue, RM Thief |
| Mage |
Ranged DPS |
4 spell schools (Magician, Conjurer, Sorcerer, Wizard). Switch schools at Review Board. |
BT1 Magician/Conjurer/Sorcerer/Wizard, RM Essence user |
| Bard |
Support / Buffs |
Bard songs (long-duration buffs), lore skills, social bonuses, minor healing |
BT1 Bard, RM Bard |
| Cleric |
Healer / Support |
Channeling spells (healing, protection, undead turning), blessings |
RM Channeling user, D&D Cleric |
| Ranger |
Ranged DPS / Survival |
Bow mastery, tracking, wilderness survival, minor nature magic |
BT1 Hunter, RM Ranger |
| Paladin |
Tank / Healer hybrid |
Heavy armor + minor healing, undead bonuses, aura buffs |
BT1 Paladin, D&D Paladin |
| Monk |
Melee DPS / Evasion |
Unarmed combat, high dodge, stunning blows, meditation (mana recovery) |
BT1 Monk, RM Monk |
Decision: 8 classes. The original 6 + Paladin and Monk (both in BT1). Conservative, recognizable archetypes. Each class has a clear role.
Properties & Housing
| Mechanic |
Source |
Skara Brae Adaptation |
| Properties |
Torn City |
Buy/rent dwellings: Straw bed at inn → Room at boarding house → Apartment → House → Tower. Properties provide: energy recovery rate, storage capacity, crafting station quality, pet stable size. |
| Upgrades |
Torn City |
Upgrade properties: Add a forge (blacksmithing bonus), library (education speed bonus), garden (herbalism yield), wine cellar (entertaining bonus). |
| Rent |
Torn City |
Properties have weekly rent. Fail to pay = locked out (items in storage). Pay back rent to regain access. Permanent ownership available for high gold cost. |
Pets & Companions
(Fully designed in Idle Fantasy Inspirations note)
| Mechanic |
Source |
Skara Brae Adaptation |
| Collectible pets |
Idle Fantasy |
Rare drops from enemies. Provide passive bonuses. |
| Pet breeding |
Idle Fantasy |
Combine pets for rare offspring. |
| Pet death in PvP |
Original design |
Pets can be killed, resurrected at temple. Creates stakes. |
Crafting
(Fully designed in Game Concept Overview note)
| Mechanic |
Source |
Skara Brae Adaptation |
| 23 skills |
Idle Fantasy |
Mapped to 5 gathering + 7 crafting + combat + support skills. |
| Quality rolls |
Original design |
Common → Legendary quality tiers with crafting crits (RM-inspired). |
| Crafting professions |
Idle Fantasy / RM |
12 professions with mastery levels (Novice → Grandmaster). |
Quest System
| Mechanic |
Source |
Skara Brae Adaptation |
| Main storyline (5 acts) |
Bard's Tale I |
Mangar the Dark as antagonist. 5-act progression mirroring BT1's dungeon sequence. |
| Daily quests |
Idle Fantasy |
3-5 daily quests from NPCs. Quick goals, moderate rewards. |
| Weekly quests |
Torn City |
Larger goals, better rewards. |
| Cumulative achievements |
Idle Fantasy |
"Mine 10,000 ore total" → permanent bonus. Long-term engagement. |
| Slayer tasks |
Idle Fantasy |
Kill-specific-enemy assignments from Captain Rennick or The Beggar King. |
| Bounty board |
Torn City |
Player-posted and NPC-posted bounties on other players. |
| Riddles and puzzles |
Bard's Tale I |
Dungeon-specific puzzles requiring lore knowledge, bard songs, or specific items. |
World & Events
| Mechanic |
Source |
Skara Brae Adaptation |
| Day/night cycle |
Original design |
Compressed clock (1 game day = 4 real hours). Night = stealth bonuses, danger increases. |
| Calendar events |
Original design |
Moonday (magic bonus), Market Day (reduced fees), Arena Day (tournaments). |
| Seasonal events |
Torn City |
Festival of Lights, The Hunt, Mangar's Eve, The Great Market. Each with temporary locations (like Torn's Christmas Town). |
| Dynamic world events |
Original design |
Plague, invasion, festival. City-wide events affecting all players. |
| Weather |
RoleMaster |
Affects combat (rain = ranged penalty, fog = stealth bonus) and gathering (rain = herbalism bonus). |
Summary: What Each Source Primarily Contributes
Bard's Tale I — Setting & Structure
- The city of Skara Brae (setting, districts, key locations)
- Review Board (leveling, spell learning)
- Adventurer's Guild (character management, LFG board)
- Party-based combat with front/back rank
- Dungeon progression with prerequisites
- Mangar as antagonist
- Named locations (Garth's Shoppe, Rakhir Street)
- Spell schools (Magician, Conjurer, Sorcerer, Wizard → Archmage)
- Bard songs as buffs
- Paladin and Monk classes
RoleMaster / MERP — Combat Engine
- d100 open-ended roll system
- Critical tables by weapon type (slash, crush, puncture, unarmed)
- Attack vs. armor cross-reference tables
- Body part damage with status effects
- Resistance rolls for magic
- Concussion hits vs. critical hits
- Three realms of magic (Essence, Channeling, Mentalism)
- 10 stats (expanded to fit our 6-stat system)
- Skill rank progression
- Brutality: any level can critically affect any level (adapted with caps)
Idle Fantasy — Idle & Progression Mechanics
- Offline sessions (1-hour cap)
- Hireable NPC workers (inn system)
- Pet collection and passive bonuses
- Guild rank progression (10 ranks with daily tasks)
- Blessings/church system
- Slayer tasks
- Daily + cumulative quest system
- 23-skill framework (adapted to our profession system)
- Quality tiers in crafting
- Provision buying in bulk
Torn City — Economy & Long-Term Engagement
- Crime → adventure loop with energy system
- Billions-scale stat growth (BIGINT)
- Player-driven economy (bazaar, auctions, bank, market)
- Properties and housing with rent
- Education system (real-time courses)
- Casino → inn gambling games
- Racing → expeditions (timed adventures)
- Travel to offshore locations
- Factions → guilds (with territory wars)
- Companies → clans (economic specialization)
- Stock market → merchant ventures
- Bounty system
- PvP (arena + ambush)
- Patron subscription (ethical F2P)
- Community API from day one
- Seasonal events with temporary locations (Christmas Town)
Open Design Questions
Related Notes
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