Toss up between Warhammer Fantasy RP and Pendragon. WFRP has a reputation for grimdarkness and brutality (fair). Pendragon has a lovely system that plays fast and really encourages actual roleplaying in Arthurian Britain.
And the most brutal thing I’ve ever seen happen in a RPG was in Pendragon. The standard start includes some training exercises with your squire characters, including a joust with practice lances (break easily, no points or metal heads). You get to this within 10 minutes of starting, after 30-60 minutes of character creation.
One of the players suffered a critical hit to the face with a “safety lance” and was killed instantly. Had to roll up a new character, but was laughing the entire time.
Toss up between Warhammer Fantasy RP and Pendragon. WFRP has a reputation for grimdarkness and brutality (fair). Pendragon has a lovely system that plays fast and really encourages actual roleplaying in Arthurian Britain.
And the most brutal thing I’ve ever seen happen in a RPG was in Pendragon. The standard start includes some training exercises with your squire characters, including a joust with practice lances (break easily, no points or metal heads). You get to this within 10 minutes of starting, after 30-60 minutes of character creation.
One of the players suffered a critical hit to the face with a “safety lance” and was killed instantly. Had to roll up a new character, but was laughing the entire time.