Integrating The Arduin Grimoire III: The Runes of Doom (1978) into an Adventurer Conqueror King System II (ACKS II) campaign bridges Dave Hargrave’s most systemically ambitious volume with ACKS II’s granular domain engine. This blog post picks right up from
OSR Commentary - Using domains from ACKS II in the Arduin rpg & Tying the Adventure Welcome To Skull Tower Into The Campaign Mix
The Arduin Grimoire Vol.III picture used without permission from Wayne's Books here.
While Volumes I & II established the gonzo flavor and megadungeon delves of Arduin, Volume III introduced systemic frameworks ideal for domain-level gameplay: Random Social Status & Legacy Tables, Guild Fee Schedules, Random World Events & Political Alignment, Techno-Magik/Hell Spirals, and Domain-Threat Monsters.
1. Social Status, Family Legacies, and Starting Claim
The Runes of Doom introduced tables for starting wealth, background, and social standing (ranging from Orphan to Close Royalty).
High Social Status Integration: If a character rolls Royalty or High Nobility from Grimoire III:
Instead of extra personal gold, translate this into an ACKS II Inherited Land Grant: Start at 1st level with a claim to a 6-mile hex (Borderland/Civilized).
Vassal Obligation: The PC's family owes feudal service or annual tribute (15–25% of Domain Tax Revenue) to an Arduinian Overlord (e.g., the House of Silverhand or the King of Arduin).
Orphan / Outlaw Status Integration:
Grants a +1 Morale Modifier to unlawful domain troops (bandits, sell-swords, phraints), but increases the domain’s starting Unrest Category in ACKS II by 1 step.
2. Converting Grimoire III Guilds into ACKS II Domain Structures
Grimoire III provides explicit Guild Initiation Costs and Monthly Guild Dues for classes including Thieves, Mages/Alchemists, Clerics/Sages, Traders, Assassins, and Technos.
In ACKS II, domains prosper when urban centers house organized guilds. Use Grimoire III fees to model Guild Halls as domain urban investments:
| Guild Type (Grimoire III) | ACKS II Construction Cost | Domain Revenue & Market Modifier | Special Arduinian Perk |
| Techno Guild | 15,000 gp | Increases Market Class of settlement by 1 step. | Enables fabrication and upkeep of energy weapons, laser grids, and force doors. |
| Thieves & Assassins Guild | 5,000 gp | Taxable Revenue: $+1\text{ gp per family/month}$ (via illicit trade). | Unlocks the Grimoire III Ninja/Assassin variant as elite domain spy units. |
| Alchemist & Sage Guild | 8,000 gp | Generates $500\text{ gp/month}$ in refined trade goods/reagents. | Allows identification and stabilization of ancient technomagic artifacts. |
| Trader Guild | 10,000 gp | $+2$ to ACKS II Land Revenue; unlocks inter-planar trade routes. | Mitigates economic damage during domain random events. |
3. Grimoire III Random World Events as ACKS II Domain Hazards
Grimoire III contains random event tables covering political shifts, localized catastrophes, and political intrigue.
During the monthly Domain Event roll, if a Domain Event occurs, roll 1d6:
Planar Bleed / Hell Spiral Manifestation: A Grimoire III Hell Spiral opens within the domain.
Effect: Security level drops to 0% in a 6-mile hex until cleared; 1d6 peasant families flee per week.
Techno-Magical Disruption: An ancient energy grid overloads or leaks.
Effect: All magic items function at -2 potency, but technomagic structures gain double AC for 1 month.
Political Intrigue / Noble House Claim: A rival noble family from Grimoire III (e.g., House of Sunn or Shadowstar) asserts a legal deed over part of the PC’s domain.
Effect: Domain Confidence drops 1 category; tax collection suffers a 25% loss due to disputed legitimacy.
Epidemic / Crop Transformation: Hargrave-style wild mutation sweeps through livestock.
Effect: Tax revenue is halved for 1 month unless cured by a Sage or Alchemist.
Planar Trade Boom: A temporary gate allows off-world merchants to enter the local market.
Effect: Domain Market Income triples for the month.
Invasion of Grimoire III Monsters: A lair of True Elementals, Lesser Demons, or Great Name Demons manifests in the hex.
4. Grimoire III Class Variations in ACKS II Domain Warfare
The Runes of Doom details unique versions of standard classes (Foresters, Ninja Assassins, True Paladins, Alchemists, and Sages).
Forester-Led Domain Units: Foresters grant their units immune status to woodland ambush checks and double movement speeds in forest hexes.
True Paladin Holy Berserkers: Replacing traditional cleric aura/spells with holy rage, a True Paladin leading a heavy cavalry unit grants a +2 Morale Bonus and +1 to damage rolls for every consecutive round of sustained melee combat.
Techno Units & Energy Weapons: Grimoire III includes rules and charts for energy weapons in fantasy settings.
In ACKS II Mass Combat, a squad (120 men) equipped with Grimoire III energy blasters functions as a Super-Heavy Missile Infantry Unit with armor-piercing capabilities (ignores non-magical plate armor), costing 200 gp/month per unit in battery/power maintenance.
5. Managing Grimoire III "Mega-Scale" Hit Points in ACKS II
Grimoire III introduced an overhauled hit point system designed to give higher starting survivability while curbing exponential high-level scaling.
To keep domain duels and heroic combat balanced alongside ACKS II domain mechanics:
Use the ACKS II System for Army/Garrison Morale, but allow commanders using Grimoire III hit point totals to take a direct "Heroic Strike" in mass combat without immediately falling to standard troop damage thresholds.
Use Grimoire III's revised healing scales (Heal Lesser, Heal Serious, Heal Grievous, Heal Critical calculated by percentage of health) for rapid post-battle recovery of domain commanders and high-value garrison champions.
