Zimrala Horror Adventures: 2026 System Update (Playtest)
1. Introduction: The Urland-Zimrala Bridge
The Hook: It’s almost 3:00 AM. In the quiet of the Shreveport cabin, the distance between the Milky Way and the Leo Galaxy feels a lot shorter. We aren't just playing in a backyard anymore; we are charting a course across the stars where the "Shadow-Strain" follows every jump.
The Context: Everything we are building here spans the vast reach from the Milky Way to the Leo Galaxy. I have officially integrated Zimrala into my upcoming Urland Universe Leo Galaxy Campaign Book. This project serves as a companion to that work, and per my collaboration with Ken St. Andre, these mechanics are designed to complement the lore found in his legendary Monsterary of Zimrala (MoZ).
The Problem: Crossing galaxies means facing horrors that don't follow terrestrial rules. The environments of the Leo Galaxy—and the portals that lead back to the Milky Way—demand a system that tracks the psychic erosion of the traveler.
The Promise: This update provides the "Universal Horror Engine" for the Urland Universe. We are bridging the legacy of Ken St. Andre (MoZ & MM 2.7) with the OpenD6 system. For a full bestiary of the creatures mentioned here, you must refer to Ken St. Andre's Monsterary of Zimrala.
2. The Master Symbology Table (The Translation Key)
When navigating the Monsterary of Zimrala (MoZ) or the Leo Galaxy, use this chart to convert classic Monsters! Monsters! 2.7 symbols into the specific saving rolls triggered by the Zosma System. This ensures you know exactly what you’re looking at in the stat blocks.
| Classic Symbol (MM 2.7) | Leo Galaxy Icon (Shadow-Strain) | Name | Saving Roll (SR) | Context & Trigger |
| ! (Exclamation) | ⚡ (Jagged Strike) | Fear | Lvl 1 SR on Luck | Sudden, visceral threats (Shadow-Reapers). |
| ? (Question) | 🌀 (Void Spiral) | Horror | Lvl 2 SR on IQ | Unnatural sights (Sludge-geometry). |
| 💀 (Skull) | 👁️ (Weeping Eye) | Madness | Lvl 3 SR on IQ | Contact with Outer Gods or Rifts. |
| Y (Y-Shape) | 🌟 (The Lure) | Awe | Lvl 2 SR on IQ | Deceptive beauty / Moon Krystals. |
Section 3: The Internal Dread Engine
In Zimrala Horror Adventures, Dread is more than just a feeling; it is a trackable resource representing the "Shadow-Strain" on a character's psyche. As we bridge the gap from the Milky Way to the Leo Galaxy, this mechanic tracks the psychological weight you carry after the initial adrenaline of an encounter wears off.
Calculating Your Max Dread (Threshold):
OpenD6 System: Your Max Dread is equal to your Willpower attribute.
MoZ and MM 2.7 System: Your Max Dread is the sum of your CON + IQ attributes. (Note: These mechanics are integrated between Ken St. Andre’s Monastery of Zimrala (MoZ) for the world-building and Monsters! Monsters! 2.7 for the core rules.)
The Mechanics of the Build-Up:
The Trigger: Anytime you fail a saving roll against a ⚡ (Jagged Strike), 🌀 (Void Spiral), or 👁️ (Weeping Eye) icon, you gain 1 Dread Point in addition to the standard failure effects. These Leo Galaxy Icons indicate that the Shadow-Strain has taken a bite out of your resolve.
The Breaking Point: When your current Dread equals your Max Dread, your mind reaches its limit. You must immediately roll on the Bolt Thrower Sanity Table to determine the nature of your permanent mental fracture or obsession.
Section 4: Environmental Dread Lenses (The 4+ Threshold)
Once a character reaches 4 or more Dread Points, they are officially "Shaken." At this threshold, the environment itself—whether in the bogs of Louisiana or the rifts of the Leo Galaxy—begins to manipulate their senses.
Swamp Dread (Bog, Marsh, & 12-Mile Bayou): Heavy Mist. All 🌀 (Void Spiral) reactions are treated as ⚡ (The Jagged Strike). You lose the ability to be "surprised" because your mind is locked in a state of exhausting, hyper-vigilant fear.
The Green Sentinel (Forest & Jungle): Echo-Phobia. When stationary in the deep woods or Tygerian jungles, you must pass a L1 Luck SR. Failure means you hear whispers of your name in the foliage, causing a -1D penalty to Initiative as you scan the shadows.
Desert Desolation (Waste-Lands): Mirage Madness. You begin to see 🌟 (The Lure) symbols shimmering in the heat waves. You must pass an IQ SR or wander away from the safety of your party toward a non-existent oasis.
The Mountains of Madness (Peaks & Hills): Echo of the Ancients. Pass a L2 IQ SR or suffer Acute Vertigo. This results in a -2D penalty to all Agility and Athletics rolls as the "impossible geometry" of the high peaks makes the world spin.
Void Loneliness (Deep Space/Leo Galaxy): Abyss Aura. The crushing silence of the vacuum takes hold. You suffer a -2D penalty to all Technical and Knowledge skills whenever you are physically separated from your crew or the familiar stars of the Milky Way.
Section 5: Featured Bestiary — The Krystalwyrm
Universal Deadliness Rating (UDR): 6/10 Monster Rating: 111 to 999 (Refer to the Monsterary of Zimrala for scaling guidelines).
The Krystalwyrm is a 50-foot magical serpent that serves as a living bridge between the gold mines of the Milky Way and the crystalline rifts of the Leo Galaxy. It doesn't just hunt for sustenance; it feeds on high-frequency energy from Moon Krystals and raw gold ore.
The Golden Hide (Armor): Its skin is composed of metallic golden scales. Subtract 7 from all combat totals rolled against it.
Cold Venom Vapor: The wyrm doesn't just bite; it breathes a freezing mist. Anyone in combat range must make a progressively higher CON SR each turn (L1, L2, L3, etc.).
The Poison Math: Take damage equal to the amount you missed the SR by, multiplied by the current combat round number.
Example: If you miss your SR by 3 points on Round 3, you take 9 points of poison damage.
Reflective Will: The serpent has a WIZ of 33. If a caster attempts a spell with a WIZ attribute lower than 33, the spell fails and rebounds instantly upon the caster.
Flame Convulsions: If attacked with fire, the wyrm enters a violent, erratic state. Everyone in the vicinity must make a L3 SR on Luck or take impact damage equal to 3 times the amount missed on the roll as the massive golden body thrashes blindly.
Section 6: Moon Krystal Mood Waves
Moon Krystals are the primary psychic broadcasters of the Urland Universe. Staying within 10 meters of an active Krystal forces a character to resist the "Mood Wave" of that specific stone. Failure on the required Saving Roll results in an immediate psychological shift:
Lunar Silver (Melancholy): L1 Luck SR. Failure: You are overcome by the "Silver Melancholy," resulting in a -1D penalty to all actions.
Zosma Amber (Enraged): L2 CON SR. Failure: You enter a "Zosma Rage" and must immediately attack the nearest living target.
Void Obsidian (Catatonic): L3 IQ SR. Failure: Your mind shuts down to protect itself, resulting in a complete catatonic state.
Tygerian Rose (Euphoric): L1 IQ SR. Failure: Overwhelming overconfidence. You cannot use "Dodge" or "Total Defense" as you prioritize aggressive, flashy maneuvers.
Join the Playtest
These rules are the foundation of the upcoming Urland Universe Leo Galaxy Campaign Book. I am looking for brave delvers and GMs to take these mechanics into the field and report back on how they handle the darkness.
How to Submit Your Feedback:
Official Contact Page: Visit the Contact Page and reach out to the Webmaster and/or Captain Hedges.
The Contact Form: Please fill out the Contact Form and be sure to include the word "play test" in the Comments section.
What I’m Looking For: Send in any questions you have or a full playtest report from your games. Tell me how you used these rules—did the Krystalwyrm’s scaling poison keep the tension high, or did the Environmental Dread take your party out before the fight even started?
Social Media: You can also contact Captain Hedges directly on Facebook at Earl C. Hedges Jr.
Your feedback is a critical part of charting the Leo Galaxy. Let's see if your Sanity holds.
Product Identity & Legal
The following items are designated Product Identity of Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. / The Adventures of Captain Hedges: The world of Zimrala (as utilized in the Urland Universe), the Tygerian Isles, the Ether Dragons, the Tiger Force Shadow Saga, and the specific "Hedge Wizard of the Shreveport Cabin" persona. Unique Items: The Ink of Anticipation, The Scope of the True Meridian, the Rod of Infinite Spanning, and the Plumb of Gravity’s Anchor.
Monsters! Monsters!™ and Humans! Humans!™ (1st Edition) are trademarks of Ken St. Andre and Troll Godfather Press and are used with permission. The Monastery of Zimrala (MoZ) is the official campaign setting and intellectual property of Ken St. Andre.
The Lovecraft Variant for Monsters! Monsters!, including Sanity Tables and Mythos rules (originally written by the Roman Brothers for classic T&T), has been revised and updated by Tim Pugh of Bolt Thrower Press. These rights are the sole property of Bolt Thrower Press and are used with permission.
Mechanics referenced from the Open D6 System are used under the Open Game License (OGL v1.0a). This report is a non-commercial fan work intended for community building and the development of the Urland Universe.
© 2026 Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. All rights reserved.
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