From the introduction: Swords of the Serpentine is a tabletop roleplaying game (RPG). It supports 1-7 players (with a sweet spot of 4-5) playing fantasy heroes inspired by sword & sorcery fiction, and one Game Master (GM) who keeps the adventure moving and plays the foes and supporting cast, also known as Supporting Characters. This is a game of investigation, heroism, sly politics, and bloody savagery, set in a fantasy city rife with skulduggery and death. These rules adapt Pelgrane Press’ GUMSHOE system into a fantasy game with a relatively loose class structure and high-action roleplaying. These rules work fine even without the included setting of Eversink, and shine more brightly when political allegiances are closely tied to the heroes. About the System In Swords of the Serpentine, following sword & sorcery-style clues while roleplaying your character propels you headlong into mysteries and adventures filled with danger and forbidden knowledge. A clue may let you find lost and sunken treasure, ancient jungle ruins, the lost key to a sorcerous trap, or the identity of a charming murderer. About the Setting Eversink Almost a thousand years ago, the “city” of Denaria was nothing more than several dozen squalid huts perched on a few islands in the swampy, salty river delta of the River Serpentine. The city’s patron goddess Denari soon pushed back the swamp and raised dozens more islands from the river’s bottom. Times have changed: close to 100,000 people dwell here now and the population soars during festivals or major market days. Long since renamed Eversink, the city looks westward onto a rich and well-protected sea harbor and boasts a powerful patron goddess who promotes trade and profit. Eversink is one of the best-known cities on the continent and wields unmatched economic power.