Vade Arcanum

Vade Arcanum provides mechanical scaffolding to support role-playing when a player decides their PC wants to develop a new spell in-game. Research becomes play, not downtime handwaving.

This edition includes a sample playthrough, a dozen new spells, a new magic item, and two new monsters (all stats for OSRIC).

"This is an oft ignored area of the game. I warmly recommend this supplement!" — @BlackDragonGames, professional DM in Canada

Sales of this game help fund additional development (editing, art, and expansion).

More Spell-Focused Supplements

Spellvember - A collection of magic-user and illusionist spells

Magic by Candlelight - Magical candles and candle-related items

Inseparable Doors - A magic book on creating magically connected doors

For Rangers & Druids

A Woodland Path - Additional options, spells, magic items, and monsters for nature-focused classes

Something Different: Research the Dungeon to Survive It

If you enjoy the investigation of spell research, consider applying that same rigor to dungeon exploration:

Beneath Ahknoor - Where understanding IS survival Free playtest available now. Paid expanded version coming April 2026.

Beneath Ahknoor is a megadungeon for Carved from Brindlewood where every level is a mystery to solve. Like spell research, you gather clues, test hypotheses, and face consequences for what you discover. Keep OSR's lethality and resource management—but survival depends on understanding the dungeon, not just mapping it.

Think: "What if the dungeon was a spell you had to research before it killed you?"

It's Worse Than That! - Master consequences and escalation PWYW with paid volumes available.

If you've ever wanted to run games where investigation leads to tougher choices, this is your practice ground. Each scenario teaches you to escalate tension, offer meaningful Devil's Bargains, and improvise under pressure. Designed for narrative games, but the skills make any system's consequences land harder.

Follow My Work

I'm exploring what happens when OSR's tactical stakes meet narrative investigation—where research, discovery, and consequence drive play.

Get design updates & early access:

• Blog: Foot of the Mountain Adventures - Weekly development diaries on BA, mysteries, and design thinking
• Patreon: patreon.com/mountainfoot - Early playtests, exclusive content, and discount codes on all releases