User summary:
Yellow Tome: Beyond the Mists (often Beyond the Mists) is a medieval fantasy roleplaying game with well-developed rules that favor realism and complexity over rapid play. The rules are presented in HTML only and the layout is quite fragmented, leading to numerous links required to follow any rule.
The main page presents four major topics, namely: Character Generation, Skill Lists, Magic and Miracles, and Combat and Equipment. Each of these major topics then leads to multiple sub-topics, most of which lead to further entries.
Character creation is complex and math intensive. Characters have multiple attributes (intelligence, wisdom, constitution, strength, dexterity, speech, appearance, art, ethics, faith, etc.), some of which are scored by distributing a pool of 60 points, and some of which are randomized. Secondary traits (class, gender, race, size, horoscope, social status, etc.) are either selected or generated based on attributes or random rolls.
Skills are then selected with skills being accessed via skill clusters, available only to some classes. Skills are further distinguished by the cluster which granted access and by the method of study yielding proficiency in the skill.
Spells (magic or miracles) are categorized into several casting methods and are created through a specific spell skill (of which there are nine, roughly aligning with "schools of magic"). Each spell skill grants tentative access to an exclusive spell list. Spells are assigned a difficulty depending on effect, as well as a fatigue value for depleting character spell power.
Combat is resolved with the aid of a large array of matrices, each one devoted to weapons of a similar type (e.g., heavy impact weapons, light piercing weapons, etc.), cross-indexed with opponent's armor class to yield both "to hit" modifiers and damage ranges. Character hit points are divided among six body areas (head, chest, right arm, etc.) and damage is influenced by armor type at that body location. The game enumerates an exhaustive list of weapons and armors.