Thursday, December 29, 2005
Next session...
Monday at 530 in Eatontown? Lemme know what you think.
ALSO: Spoils include a masterwork warhammer, 1 scroll of animate dead, a +1 Returning dagger (this is not the evil sacrificial knife), a 500g reward for the return of a family heirloom, and 1500g in cash and unremarkable gems. I have decided not to use a system for claiming speficic items in exchange for some of your share of treasure until we are closer to having all our desired generic gear, as magic stuff's listed value is typically way higher than its value to a character who still has room to grow in nonmagic equipment. I'll probably use the system in the session after next.
We are in downtime. You can use your 525g (400 for spuds, who did not get 125 from the first session) however you want. Generic salvaged equipment and starter equipment sells for 1/4 value, gear bought at full value and used for a few months will sell for 1/2 value.
ALSO: Spoils include a masterwork warhammer, 1 scroll of animate dead, a +1 Returning dagger (this is not the evil sacrificial knife), a 500g reward for the return of a family heirloom, and 1500g in cash and unremarkable gems. I have decided not to use a system for claiming speficic items in exchange for some of your share of treasure until we are closer to having all our desired generic gear, as magic stuff's listed value is typically way higher than its value to a character who still has room to grow in nonmagic equipment. I'll probably use the system in the session after next.
We are in downtime. You can use your 525g (400 for spuds, who did not get 125 from the first session) however you want. Generic salvaged equipment and starter equipment sells for 1/4 value, gear bought at full value and used for a few months will sell for 1/2 value.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
XP
Session 1: Mon Dec 19. XP 1375 apiece. Spoils- 500 gp worth of gems & trinkets total.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Coming soon...
Coming soon to this page:
-spoils from last session
-world map
-maybe some notes on the last session
Next session is planned for mon dec 26 early afternoon. Sound off on whether this is good for you or not.
-spoils from last session
-world map
-maybe some notes on the last session
Next session is planned for mon dec 26 early afternoon. Sound off on whether this is good for you or not.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
DM Document
This will be a document distributed to players in my campaign. It is a lame .txt document so anyone can read it.
System- This campaign will be run in 3.5. I know we have a lot of 3.0 books still hanging around, and we'll just have to deal with it. Rules are available at http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35. As the campaign wears on you may wish to change characters. This is fine, and if the character you're retiring is still active in other capacities, they may gain experience even as you use the new one. Keep in mind, sharing gear/loot won't be allowed.
Stats- 18 16 15 14 13 9
Distribute them as you see fit. These numbers can only be altered through choice of race. Remember also that at level 4 and every 4 levels thereafter you can add 1 to any ability score.
Races- There will be 5 available races to PCs: Human, Half-orc, Hill Folk, Peak Dwarf, Mountain Dwarf. There are also Orcs and Deep Dwarves on the continent, but they're almost invariably evil. I buffed demihumans in general, giving them a feat or featlike ability to keep them in line with humans, who get a feat for free as well as free skill points and have all classes favored.
HUMAN: As in PHB, except with the following abilities:
City-Dweller: A typical human spends his whole life inside the walls of a city, where dangers come in the form of silver tongues, not teeth and claws. A human who has spent at least a year in any city gets a +2 competence bonus to all sense motive checks. [end of abilities]
Nearly all humans on this continent live in cities. Those outside the cities are typically connected to them through a feudal system or something else that sucks for them. Their alignments run the gamut.
HALF ORC: As in PHB, except with the following abilities:
Vindictive: While the source of any orc conflict is probably long forgotten, their wars are in no danger of ending as orcs never let a blow go unreturned. A half-orc gets a +2 to hit any creature which has damaged him in the last 3 rounds. (Numbers subject to tweaking for balance.) This bonus is derived partially from rage and partially from studying their opponent's attacks. The half-orc must be congnizant of who injured him for this to work.
Threatening: Empty threats are unlikely to come from an Half-orc because they are typically strong enough to enforce them and not subtle enough to make them. They recieve a +2 competence bonus on intimidate checks. [end of abilities]
There are no peaceful relations between orcs and humans. It is safe to assume that any half-orc is the product of a forced union. They are unlikely to be lawful.
HILL FOLK: Also called halflings, hobbits, wanderlings, and the like. We all know what they are, and I use the terms interchangeably. As in PHB, except:
Fool's Luck: A common saying of the Hill Folk is, "better lucky than good." A halfling may reroll one savings throw per day. This is in addition to the savings throw bonus in the PHB.
Likable: It's hard to feel threatened by a short friendly dude. Hill Folk get a +2 competence bonus to diplomacy checks. [end of abilities]
Hill Folk are generally low key and friendly. However, all Hill Folk at some point in their life are consumed by a great feeling of wanderlust and set off to see the world. This feeling may last as little as a month or as much as 100 years, and greatly varies between individuals. A 'wandering' halfling is very unlikely to settle down for a period of time in other lands. As the period of wanderlust is waning, he is considered 'homebound' and will try to return to the place of his childhood. A homebound halfling always knows vaguely in which direction his home lies unless he is in another plane, completely sorrounded by open sea, and other such circumstances. Life-or-death circumstances can cause a halfling to ignore these urges, but this tends to be extremely uncomfortable after a while. A halfling may get the urge to wander more than once in his life, and it is just as common for a very old halfling to expire out on the road as in his own burrow. As a result, hill folk society has very flexible rules concerning property ownership, marriage, and the like. Things can change a lot on one's absence, and they will change again to accomodate one's return. Halfling adventurers are most likely wandering or homebound, but comfortably situated hill folk will take up arms or go on quests to defend their homes if their comfortable lives are threatened. While it is common to see halflings in other lands, you will probably never see a community of them outside of their native lands, or businesses run by halflings in foriegn lands. They just don't stick around. They love games of chance and incredibly long, stupid stories and jokes. They favor good alignments.
PEAK DWARF: These dwarves moved out of the mountain tunnels milennia ago, and have adapted to their environment. Not as squat as a PHB dwarf, and a couple inches taller on average. A peak dwarf could be easily mistaken as a tall mountain dwarf or a short hairy man (or woman). +2 con -2 int. They are hardy, but their society does not reward, encourage, or nurture book-learnin'. Or have books. Abilities:
Normal movement: land speed 30.
Hardy: Peak dwarves are accustomed to harsh conditions. In fact, they enjoy them. They take no subdual damage from extended exposure to natural cold.
Sturdy: Peak dwarves are naturally tough and their society cultivates endurance. They recieve the diehard feat for free, even if they do not meet the prerequesites.
Precision: Logging and hunting are vocations that require precision with their respective tools. Peak dwarves who grew up in a mountaintop society get a +6 bonus to confirm critical threats when attacking with any axe. Peak dwarves who grew up in a hunting society recieve this bonus with a longbow, shortbow, shortspear, or javelin(pick one). [end of abilities]
Most peak dwarves live rugged lives on wooded mountaintops. Their main vocation is logging and carpentry. Some societies subsist on agriculture and some on hunting. Unlike their shorter cousins, the peak dwarves have spread across the continent. Their love of a rugged life has allowed them to fill niches that other races might consider unpleasant. Some live on the plains as nomadic hunters. Some have even spread to the coast and live as fishermen and sailors. Some are traders, dealing in the wood or animal goods that peak dwarves harvest, but it is more common for outsiders to go to the dwarven communities than the dwarves to venture out. They are considered generally rude and offensive, hard-drinking and quick to fight by other cultures. This is not an undeserved reputation. In peak dwarf society it's considered good form for a discussion to come to blows, and you're not really good friends with someone till you've made fun of his mother and punched him in the face. Well-traveled peak dwarves are more sensitive to the sensibilities of the other races, and are more careful about being insulting to strangers or violent with friends. Anyone who can win the friendship of (and withstand the blows of) a peak dwarf will probably find him quite fun to hang around. They have a fondness for ale and games of strength, both simple and straightforward and team-based and complicated. They favor chaos and are unlikely to be evil.
MOUTAIN DWARF: as PHB, but they recieve the precision bonus to hammers and picks, much like a peak dwarf. [end of abilities]
Mountain dwarves have a strictly regimented society. They hollow out large Ironforge-esque cavern cities. Mining and smithing are their primary activities. A typical mtn dwarf seems grim and humorless at first, but that's just because they are at their happiest when busy at work, drilling, mining, or smithing. They are somewhat paraniod, and keep a highly trained standing army at all times, poised to withstand attacks from above or below. They are fond of long chants and stories about their ancestors that seem impossibly boring to anyone else, as well as games of skill and strategy, especially military strategy. They favor lawful alignments.
More races and possibly classes will become available for your secondary characters as we travel to other
locales.
Classes- All core classes, and multiclass applications thereof, are available in their PHB forms. Any classes in sourcebooks should be run by me first. Prestige classes will also need to be run by me. I'll probably say yes to any Prestige Classes except spellcasters that don't lose any spell progression.
Description- All alignments are allowed. If you want to be evil, you'll have to think up some way to not be such a dick about it. Being good or neutral will probably make our lives easier, but I like to think that we're flexible. I'm gonna use the PHB (greyhawk) gods, plus a couple new ones.
Skills- Nothing new here.
Feats- Not here either.
Equipment- All characters start with 200 gp to buy their equipment. Ammo is unlimited if you buy 20 shots worth, otherwise you need to keep track. One set of clothes is free.
Here is some setting information. A well-informed character would know most of this information, and a commoner would know only the basics. There are no psionics for now, mostly because I'm unfamiliar with the system.
The three human countries are in a constant state of near-war. Fighting often breaks out, but if any country depleted its resources too much to actually fully defeat another, the third would likely take advantage and be the final victor. So they remain at a kind of standstill. Among the poor and middle class, relations are not really all that bad. The tactical minds among those in power also realize the benefits of perpetual conflict without all-out war, but these people typically work in a behind-the-scenes capacity.
MILDAIN, the Walled City - Our starting city. Inherited monarchy with supreme control over the military. The monarchy is an ancient institution, and most are loyal to it. Power struggle between church and king ended only recently, with king as victor. Church (which is of Pelor) still has a lot of influence. The other gods have scattered temples in the country, but they carry no influence. Also sharing influence are the noble families. All old noble houses, they often fight among themselves for influence and standing. Moderately-sized urban class made up of merchants, tradesmen, and poor laborers who live within the city walls. Large peasant class lives outside the city, within the walls of the greater territory of Mildain. The military, when not on campaign, has the duty of policing the city. It is widely known but never admitted that the police devote very few resources to protecting the poor folks at he Outer Wall. The peasants are left to their own methods of protection. The country of Mildain has the most arable land and a strong land army. There is a wall surrounding the entire country, and it has only one port city. Entrance through the inner wall is closely guarded, but not the outer. Arcane magic is formally taught by a few noble houses.
FORCAS, the Free City - Not really that free, but probably moreso than the other two. Ruled by an oligarchy which is itself in a constant conflict between new and old nobility. There is no official church, and its people worship a variety of gods, who each have their own scattered temples. The country of Forcas specializes in trade, and they have the largest fleet. Fishing and agriculture are also important sources of sustenance and income. Arcane magic is formally taught by a classless society of mages. This society is pretty big, and quite powerful. They owe no real allegience to the ruling nobles.
OSALOMANSE, the Holy City - Theocracy devoted to the god Osalo. Because the fanatics and zealots are the ones with power, the only way to gain influence is to be a fanatical zealot. The church is the military, and it controls the nobles. Temples of any other gods must act in absolute secrecy. Those least likely to be zealots are traders and craftsmen in the middle class. The city is under strict watch by templars. The country has rich mineral resources and powerful clerics. Arcane magic is considered heresy, although common folk can't always tell the difference between divine and arcane magic.
On this continent, there are only 2 large halfling communities: Uupanell and Eastglenn. Uupanell is farther from human civilization, and typically only has contact with them through its wanderers. They welcome outsiders unless they show any signs of staying for the long haul. Eastglenn has limited trade with the humans of Forcas. Eastglenn has even found itself caught in other races' wars, as humans and orcs are nearby. Wanderers from one community almost never settle in the other, but they are common stopoffs on a wandering journey. Hill Folk society in Eastglenn is a little more ordered, but still extremely easygoing compared to any other society. Uupanellans are free-spirited pretty much to the level of uncontrollable, by human standards. Their neighbors, the peak dwarves, appreciate chaos and could care less.
peak dwarves are pretty similar anywhere you go. I guess they get a little more crazy-go-nuts the further from mtn dwarf society that you go.
Chars must choose a relationship with one of the following groups in Mildain: church, military, outer wall, or nobility. outer wall is the peasant community of the countryside of MIldain. The exact nature of this relationship is up to you, even ex-member is an acceptable relationship. Characters of players who chose the same link will possibly know each other already. we'll hammer that out on the first session.
i realize that without a map, these locations don't mean much.
Other places on this continent-
north of east mtns: laid back halfling village (Uupanell)
east of forcas: less laid back halfling area (Eastglenn)
westmost mountains: mountain dwarves inside, peak dwarves around
west coast: peak dwarf villages
mid mountains: osalo's lands
south plains: mildain's lands
northmid, and lakes: forcas
east mtns: peak dwarves. also live as hunters on the lowlands near mtns
southeast: other humans.
orcs have no lands of their own but shuffle off from place to place fighting with each other and the other races.
A side note: The climate of certain regions of this planet, in a scientific sense, will not make any sense geographically. At least, not when compared to Earth. So that's that.
System- This campaign will be run in 3.5. I know we have a lot of 3.0 books still hanging around, and we'll just have to deal with it. Rules are available at http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35. As the campaign wears on you may wish to change characters. This is fine, and if the character you're retiring is still active in other capacities, they may gain experience even as you use the new one. Keep in mind, sharing gear/loot won't be allowed.
Stats- 18 16 15 14 13 9
Distribute them as you see fit. These numbers can only be altered through choice of race. Remember also that at level 4 and every 4 levels thereafter you can add 1 to any ability score.
Races- There will be 5 available races to PCs: Human, Half-orc, Hill Folk, Peak Dwarf, Mountain Dwarf. There are also Orcs and Deep Dwarves on the continent, but they're almost invariably evil. I buffed demihumans in general, giving them a feat or featlike ability to keep them in line with humans, who get a feat for free as well as free skill points and have all classes favored.
HUMAN: As in PHB, except with the following abilities:
City-Dweller: A typical human spends his whole life inside the walls of a city, where dangers come in the form of silver tongues, not teeth and claws. A human who has spent at least a year in any city gets a +2 competence bonus to all sense motive checks. [end of abilities]
Nearly all humans on this continent live in cities. Those outside the cities are typically connected to them through a feudal system or something else that sucks for them. Their alignments run the gamut.
HALF ORC: As in PHB, except with the following abilities:
Vindictive: While the source of any orc conflict is probably long forgotten, their wars are in no danger of ending as orcs never let a blow go unreturned. A half-orc gets a +2 to hit any creature which has damaged him in the last 3 rounds. (Numbers subject to tweaking for balance.) This bonus is derived partially from rage and partially from studying their opponent's attacks. The half-orc must be congnizant of who injured him for this to work.
Threatening: Empty threats are unlikely to come from an Half-orc because they are typically strong enough to enforce them and not subtle enough to make them. They recieve a +2 competence bonus on intimidate checks. [end of abilities]
There are no peaceful relations between orcs and humans. It is safe to assume that any half-orc is the product of a forced union. They are unlikely to be lawful.
HILL FOLK: Also called halflings, hobbits, wanderlings, and the like. We all know what they are, and I use the terms interchangeably. As in PHB, except:
Fool's Luck: A common saying of the Hill Folk is, "better lucky than good." A halfling may reroll one savings throw per day. This is in addition to the savings throw bonus in the PHB.
Likable: It's hard to feel threatened by a short friendly dude. Hill Folk get a +2 competence bonus to diplomacy checks. [end of abilities]
Hill Folk are generally low key and friendly. However, all Hill Folk at some point in their life are consumed by a great feeling of wanderlust and set off to see the world. This feeling may last as little as a month or as much as 100 years, and greatly varies between individuals. A 'wandering' halfling is very unlikely to settle down for a period of time in other lands. As the period of wanderlust is waning, he is considered 'homebound' and will try to return to the place of his childhood. A homebound halfling always knows vaguely in which direction his home lies unless he is in another plane, completely sorrounded by open sea, and other such circumstances. Life-or-death circumstances can cause a halfling to ignore these urges, but this tends to be extremely uncomfortable after a while. A halfling may get the urge to wander more than once in his life, and it is just as common for a very old halfling to expire out on the road as in his own burrow. As a result, hill folk society has very flexible rules concerning property ownership, marriage, and the like. Things can change a lot on one's absence, and they will change again to accomodate one's return. Halfling adventurers are most likely wandering or homebound, but comfortably situated hill folk will take up arms or go on quests to defend their homes if their comfortable lives are threatened. While it is common to see halflings in other lands, you will probably never see a community of them outside of their native lands, or businesses run by halflings in foriegn lands. They just don't stick around. They love games of chance and incredibly long, stupid stories and jokes. They favor good alignments.
PEAK DWARF: These dwarves moved out of the mountain tunnels milennia ago, and have adapted to their environment. Not as squat as a PHB dwarf, and a couple inches taller on average. A peak dwarf could be easily mistaken as a tall mountain dwarf or a short hairy man (or woman). +2 con -2 int. They are hardy, but their society does not reward, encourage, or nurture book-learnin'. Or have books. Abilities:
Normal movement: land speed 30.
Hardy: Peak dwarves are accustomed to harsh conditions. In fact, they enjoy them. They take no subdual damage from extended exposure to natural cold.
Sturdy: Peak dwarves are naturally tough and their society cultivates endurance. They recieve the diehard feat for free, even if they do not meet the prerequesites.
Precision: Logging and hunting are vocations that require precision with their respective tools. Peak dwarves who grew up in a mountaintop society get a +6 bonus to confirm critical threats when attacking with any axe. Peak dwarves who grew up in a hunting society recieve this bonus with a longbow, shortbow, shortspear, or javelin(pick one). [end of abilities]
Most peak dwarves live rugged lives on wooded mountaintops. Their main vocation is logging and carpentry. Some societies subsist on agriculture and some on hunting. Unlike their shorter cousins, the peak dwarves have spread across the continent. Their love of a rugged life has allowed them to fill niches that other races might consider unpleasant. Some live on the plains as nomadic hunters. Some have even spread to the coast and live as fishermen and sailors. Some are traders, dealing in the wood or animal goods that peak dwarves harvest, but it is more common for outsiders to go to the dwarven communities than the dwarves to venture out. They are considered generally rude and offensive, hard-drinking and quick to fight by other cultures. This is not an undeserved reputation. In peak dwarf society it's considered good form for a discussion to come to blows, and you're not really good friends with someone till you've made fun of his mother and punched him in the face. Well-traveled peak dwarves are more sensitive to the sensibilities of the other races, and are more careful about being insulting to strangers or violent with friends. Anyone who can win the friendship of (and withstand the blows of) a peak dwarf will probably find him quite fun to hang around. They have a fondness for ale and games of strength, both simple and straightforward and team-based and complicated. They favor chaos and are unlikely to be evil.
MOUTAIN DWARF: as PHB, but they recieve the precision bonus to hammers and picks, much like a peak dwarf. [end of abilities]
Mountain dwarves have a strictly regimented society. They hollow out large Ironforge-esque cavern cities. Mining and smithing are their primary activities. A typical mtn dwarf seems grim and humorless at first, but that's just because they are at their happiest when busy at work, drilling, mining, or smithing. They are somewhat paraniod, and keep a highly trained standing army at all times, poised to withstand attacks from above or below. They are fond of long chants and stories about their ancestors that seem impossibly boring to anyone else, as well as games of skill and strategy, especially military strategy. They favor lawful alignments.
More races and possibly classes will become available for your secondary characters as we travel to other
locales.
Classes- All core classes, and multiclass applications thereof, are available in their PHB forms. Any classes in sourcebooks should be run by me first. Prestige classes will also need to be run by me. I'll probably say yes to any Prestige Classes except spellcasters that don't lose any spell progression.
Description- All alignments are allowed. If you want to be evil, you'll have to think up some way to not be such a dick about it. Being good or neutral will probably make our lives easier, but I like to think that we're flexible. I'm gonna use the PHB (greyhawk) gods, plus a couple new ones.
Skills- Nothing new here.
Feats- Not here either.
Equipment- All characters start with 200 gp to buy their equipment. Ammo is unlimited if you buy 20 shots worth, otherwise you need to keep track. One set of clothes is free.
Here is some setting information. A well-informed character would know most of this information, and a commoner would know only the basics. There are no psionics for now, mostly because I'm unfamiliar with the system.
The three human countries are in a constant state of near-war. Fighting often breaks out, but if any country depleted its resources too much to actually fully defeat another, the third would likely take advantage and be the final victor. So they remain at a kind of standstill. Among the poor and middle class, relations are not really all that bad. The tactical minds among those in power also realize the benefits of perpetual conflict without all-out war, but these people typically work in a behind-the-scenes capacity.
MILDAIN, the Walled City - Our starting city. Inherited monarchy with supreme control over the military. The monarchy is an ancient institution, and most are loyal to it. Power struggle between church and king ended only recently, with king as victor. Church (which is of Pelor) still has a lot of influence. The other gods have scattered temples in the country, but they carry no influence. Also sharing influence are the noble families. All old noble houses, they often fight among themselves for influence and standing. Moderately-sized urban class made up of merchants, tradesmen, and poor laborers who live within the city walls. Large peasant class lives outside the city, within the walls of the greater territory of Mildain. The military, when not on campaign, has the duty of policing the city. It is widely known but never admitted that the police devote very few resources to protecting the poor folks at he Outer Wall. The peasants are left to their own methods of protection. The country of Mildain has the most arable land and a strong land army. There is a wall surrounding the entire country, and it has only one port city. Entrance through the inner wall is closely guarded, but not the outer. Arcane magic is formally taught by a few noble houses.
FORCAS, the Free City - Not really that free, but probably moreso than the other two. Ruled by an oligarchy which is itself in a constant conflict between new and old nobility. There is no official church, and its people worship a variety of gods, who each have their own scattered temples. The country of Forcas specializes in trade, and they have the largest fleet. Fishing and agriculture are also important sources of sustenance and income. Arcane magic is formally taught by a classless society of mages. This society is pretty big, and quite powerful. They owe no real allegience to the ruling nobles.
OSALOMANSE, the Holy City - Theocracy devoted to the god Osalo. Because the fanatics and zealots are the ones with power, the only way to gain influence is to be a fanatical zealot. The church is the military, and it controls the nobles. Temples of any other gods must act in absolute secrecy. Those least likely to be zealots are traders and craftsmen in the middle class. The city is under strict watch by templars. The country has rich mineral resources and powerful clerics. Arcane magic is considered heresy, although common folk can't always tell the difference between divine and arcane magic.
On this continent, there are only 2 large halfling communities: Uupanell and Eastglenn. Uupanell is farther from human civilization, and typically only has contact with them through its wanderers. They welcome outsiders unless they show any signs of staying for the long haul. Eastglenn has limited trade with the humans of Forcas. Eastglenn has even found itself caught in other races' wars, as humans and orcs are nearby. Wanderers from one community almost never settle in the other, but they are common stopoffs on a wandering journey. Hill Folk society in Eastglenn is a little more ordered, but still extremely easygoing compared to any other society. Uupanellans are free-spirited pretty much to the level of uncontrollable, by human standards. Their neighbors, the peak dwarves, appreciate chaos and could care less.
peak dwarves are pretty similar anywhere you go. I guess they get a little more crazy-go-nuts the further from mtn dwarf society that you go.
Chars must choose a relationship with one of the following groups in Mildain: church, military, outer wall, or nobility. outer wall is the peasant community of the countryside of MIldain. The exact nature of this relationship is up to you, even ex-member is an acceptable relationship. Characters of players who chose the same link will possibly know each other already. we'll hammer that out on the first session.
i realize that without a map, these locations don't mean much.
Other places on this continent-
north of east mtns: laid back halfling village (Uupanell)
east of forcas: less laid back halfling area (Eastglenn)
westmost mountains: mountain dwarves inside, peak dwarves around
west coast: peak dwarf villages
mid mountains: osalo's lands
south plains: mildain's lands
northmid, and lakes: forcas
east mtns: peak dwarves. also live as hunters on the lowlands near mtns
southeast: other humans.
orcs have no lands of their own but shuffle off from place to place fighting with each other and the other races.
A side note: The climate of certain regions of this planet, in a scientific sense, will not make any sense geographically. At least, not when compared to Earth. So that's that.
Test post time!
Here's a test post!
