Fresco is a system for RPG intended to be universal, agile, without any complication and ideal for quick games on the beach or in other futile places. Needed stuff:

the manual in your hands
at least 2 six-faced dices
a sheet for any character
pencils and rubber
a few paper sheets

The system is based upon 7 attributes:

• Force (FO): the pure strength, but also the skill to govern it. It's used, for instance, in melee attack and parry.
• Agility (AG): the ability of body control, dexterity. It's used for movement, distance combat, escaping attacks.
• Constitution (CO): the toughness, the ability to resist damage and fatigue. During the game, it can be lowered by hits and work. When it reach a value under 0, the PC falls unconscious, when it reaches a negative value even to original value, the PC dies.
• Intelligence (IN): it's the memory, the skill to make complex thinking, to learn and teach notions. If it falls under 0, the PC become unconscious. It's also used to cast spells, (if applicable).
• Sensibility (SE): the wisdom, the common sense, the ability to feel the hidden meaning. It's used, for instance, for perceptions, and to resist to magic.
• Reactivity (RE): the skill to think quickly, the charisma, the communication. It's used mainly in interpersonal relationships, or when quickness is important.
• Fascination (FA): it's how other people see the PG. De gustibus non est disputandum.

The players roll 3d6 (3 six-faced dices) to define the first six attributes. It the PC are humans, that's it. If they're not, apply any modifications that could make sense. For instance, for an elf, it could be right to make +2 RE, +1 AG, -1 CO and -2FO. About the FA, it's linked to CO and RE. so make (CO+RE)/3+ 1d6, round to the closer unit.

Any time a PC intend to to a particular action, he (or she) has to make a TAF (Throw for Action in Fresco.... OK you can call it FAR: Fresh Action Roll, if you rather like it)

if the result i positive, the action is OK, if not, it fails. The difficult is stated by the master (also called “the Freshest”) . For instance, a very common action is “-5”” (why rolling?), a normal thing is “0”, something quite difficult is “+5”, something absurd is “+15”.

Sometimes, when someone else is trying to contrast the PC (or vice versa) the difficult value can be the result of the opponent's TAF. Keep in mind that a double 1 on a TAF (FAR) means that the action is a success. A double 6 means a failure. If there are a quick succession of actions (a fight, for instance), firs all characters must do a RE TAF (FAR), to state the order of actions. Then start, keeping that anyone can do only 1 action in a round, i.e. 10 seconds.

When fighting, the attacker can decide to aim: if so, rise by 2 difficulty. If not, the freshest should determine the location randomly (1d6, see below). In a fight, usually anyone should parry in melee and avoid missiles in distance. Who decides to do the reverse, will have a “5” malus on his attr. A shield gives “+1” to the defender's attruibute.

The roll for hitting someone is as follows:

The difficulty can also be negative (i.e. -10 for surprise, -5 for lateral attack, -10 for rear attack, ...).

If the result is less than “-7” (or double 6 on TAF), the attack fails. If the result is between “-7” and “0”, the attacker does the normal damage. If the result is above “0” (or double 1), the attacker also inflicts a special damage (see below).

When someone is taken, the weapons do the following damages:

bare hands: 1 point CO (someone call them HP)

light weapon (dagger, spray, shocker): 2 HP

medium weapon (sword, handgun, civil laser): 3 HP

heavy weapon (2-handed sword, rifle, crossbow, military laser): 4 HP

- head (1 on randomly chosen target roll): - 1 SE; -1 RE; 1 round stunned (he can only defend)

Armours and protections can reduce damage:

light armour (leather): 1 HP less per hit
medium armour (metal, police special jacket): 2HP less
special armour (kevlar, sf alloys): 3 HP less

About all the remaining... it's on the freshest's hands.

Actually, Fresco is designed mainly for short campaigns, but if you really want....

And now? Enjoy it!
 

Special thanks to the first Fresco players: Alanadin (the druid), Fantaghirò (the elf fighter), Fox (the weapon master), Rosto Kune, aka the Darkwood (the dunadan), Savonarola (the preacher).