You know what adventure model works best for virtually any version of Dungeons & Dragons?
The Heist.
The more old school your rules, the more the game supports heists too.
If you are playing the original game, Basic/Expert, and AD&D prior to 2nd edition experience points meant getting gold pieces. Fighting monsters is a 2nd rate means to gain EXP (after the original greyhawk supplement) if playing by the rules the game is best played as a heist game. PC's don't have enough HP to really make combat a good option unless the players are darned careful in deciding when, where, and who to fight.
The very idea of character classes supports the heist as ideal play. Watch a heist movie and there's a team of assembled specialists ... those are characters with different classes. Even with just 3 or 4 classes there's enough differentiation to support a heist setup. Everyone has a role and everyone gets a chance to shine and best of all...you can split the party and focus on briefly on one or two characters working towards advancing the heist for the whole party.
When adventures are heists and not saving thr world from unending evil it actually adds the chance for depth in play. There's less reason for characters to be murder-hobos. They are encouraged to bribe and trick NPCs into helping out on the heist not just killing everything and everyone while the experience points pop out. This allows for a much wider cast of foils and foes which may be against a successful heist but aren't threatening the lives of everyone in the campaign world.
I'm jumping about here but check out the spells from the 2nd Basic set and how they add to heist play.
First Level MU spells
1. Charm Person- compromise a guard or foil.
2. Detect Magic- not just for identifying scrolls and magic items, also good for spottign magical traps and alarms (which should be part of some heists).
3. Floating Disc- got to move that loot after all
4. Hold Portal- getting in and getting out are key features of a heist and those pesky doors are certainly an issue.
5. Light- when it's dark you have to see
6. Magic Missile- this is a lousy heist spell unless there's some key guardian that must be taken out with magic and is easy to beat that the MU knows about.
7. Protection from Evil- not as big a deal in heist play.
8. Read Languages- research montage
9. Read Magic- to use a high level spell slipped to the PCs by a patron or contact at the wizards guild
10. Shield- not so useful in heist play unless you want to have someone distract guards and draw a few arrows while the loot goes the other direction.
11. Sleep- Defeat a bunch of guards youhave no actual motivation to kill, they aren't likely to be going on a rampage and slaughtering a village after this and they are probably hired men-at-arms or draftees that have no strong need for revenge.
12. Ventriloquism- the opportunities this spell gives for a heist game give it much more utility than it has in default dungeoncrawling or world saving.
SencondLevel MU Spells
1. Continual Light- a useful tool and a foil the PCs may have to defeat to sneak away with the loot.
2. Detect Evil- not a real biggie in heist play unless it can be used to detect people who are goign to con you.
3. Detect Invisible- pretty darned useful in a competitive heist or the mark uses invisibility.
4. ESP- very useful for planning, scouting, and look outs.
5. Invisibility- Much more useful to grab loot and scoot than it is to enable a sneak attack, also obviously useful for scouting ahead.
6. Knock- get that door open!
7. Levitate- get in that window or over that wall.
8. Locate Object- surely useful if the goal of a heist is a specific McGuffin.
9. Mirror Image- distraction is the a major part of the art of heist.
10. Phantasmal Forces- as above but even more so.
11. Web- another spell for neutralizing a number of foes without killing them.
12. Wizard Lock- a foil and a useful tool for covering up a theft.
Not a perfect summary but in those 24 spells there are 19 with direct and obvious utility in a heist.
The heist is a much more survivable adventure model for low level play than typical smash and grab dungeoncrawling. The game rules have always supported that style of play really. Just look at the reaction table, it's a little wonky in a dungeon bash but of great utility in a heist adventure. Played RAW a heist adventure works great with the reaction table. If the whole world isn't in the balance and not every NPC is an evil monster it makes sense fights will be rare and NPCs may help out the PCs on a whim.
Another cool thing from the DM point of view is the heist doesn't have to be a level-specific to allow PC to survive. You want a dragon in the heist go for it...defeating the dragon is not the goal. A troll guard on the front door..go for it, the party pulling a heist shouldn't be fighting their way through the front door. It's actually possible to have a campaign with a bit more verisimilitude by not having everything level specific.
The adventure can be quicker too. Want a quick adventure for a session or two? Have a heist where the Players have a map of the place, at least of the areas you want to feature. There's less bumbling around and fights with random monsters to deal with, motivations are clear and the whole campaign isn't over of the heist fails. A failed heist sets up a rescue from a dank cell or before execution.
The heist opens up a wider range of opponents and place for Dungeons and Dragons campaigns where the goal is loot and world-building instead of world saving or murder hobo hijinks.
Showing posts with label citylife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label citylife. Show all posts
Sunday, May 17, 2020
Friday, February 17, 2017
Training, Research, Carousing, Gifting, and Sacrifice. (part 1)
Training, Research, Carousing, Gifting, and Sacrifice.
Turning coin looted on adventures into experience points for old-school dungeon fantasy games.
The original dungeon crawling RPG awards 1 experience point per gold piece hauled away on an adventure. This original method works fine for a simple campaign but in a complex and enduring campaign the PCs end up with incredible treasure hoards and little to spend all that treasure on in they aren’t empire builders. The following outlines more explicit methods for turning treasure into experience points.
What changes and what doesn’t change in awarding experience points should be noted first. Experience points for defeating monsters, overcoming challenges, and specific mission awards are given to PCs as normal under the campaign rules used. No experience points are granted for the specific value of treasures gained during an adventure. For those GMs that wish to award experience points (hereafter to be noted as exp) for magical items it is recommended to consider only awarding exp for utility as opposed to monetary value (it may be possible for some players to gain multiple awards from discovering magical items). Earned exp should be given as normal for the campaign but converting money to experience points requires specific actions on part of the PC/player.
Keeping track of downtime is essential as this shall be a resource as precious as coins when converting treasures won to exp. It is recommended that the campaign be structured to allow for 2 to 4 weeks of downtime to occur between adventure sessions. It is during this downtime period players will make decisions on how to spend their treasure and the time required to do so.
Health and preparation are also essential to the entire process and recovery from injuries and other maladies will reduce the time a character has to convert wealth into exp. Aside from Gifting and Carousing a character must be over 50% of their normal HitPoint total to benefit from the following methods of exp gain.
Throughout these guidelines "coins" will be used to express treasure costs. This is done to fit the coinage used in a campaign and is meant to be the common coin of value used in a campaign, so in a typical "gold standard" campaign all coins are gold pieces and in a "Silver Standard" these would be silver pieces of course. One should feel free to adjust fees as appropriate to the campaign economy of course as the suggested pricing assume lots of coins flowing even if the specific type may vary.
All of the methods of exp advancement require a 2d6 die roll with appropriate modifiers to determine the success and quality of the attempt to gain experience points. This roll may be made per week or at the end of multiple weeks depending on the campaign.
Experience Point Reward Table
* a roll of two “1’s” on the 2d6 roll will always be unsuccessful regardless of modifiers applied.
** a roll of two “6’s” will always be a success regardless of modifiers to the contrary but will only be an amazing success if the total score indicates it to be such.
Training
Training is study and exercise dedicated to a character’s class and skills. The time span for training is based on the week. The definition of training here is meant to cover potentially tiring and stressful exercises.
A character may spend a maximum of 100 coin per current level each week spent in training. A specific trainer may be employed if a character so wishes but the costs will be greater and may not contribute to exp gained.
Training prohibits spending time on Research but does not interfere with Carousing, Gifting and Sacrifice in and of itself (those methods may prohibit or reduce time allowed for Training however).
Training Modifiers
-3 for self training.
-1 if character has inferior prime attribute.
+1 for prime attribute of 13-16
+2 for prime attribute of 17 or higher
+1 if Trainer employed is at least 2 levels/ranks above character
+2 if Trainer employed is at least 6 levels/ranks above character
-2 for Training during long term travel.
-1 if training in a space not dedicated to training
+1 if training in superior training space.
-2 to +2 depending on relationship with trainer
Training results:
Unsuccessful Training: No Experience points are gained and there is the possibility of injury or stress being inflicted upon the character, check on training mishaps chart to see what fate befalls character. A character’s relationship with a trainer declines during this training.
Limited Success: Earn experience points equal to 50% of coin spent on training. Extra fees paid to trainer are excluded from these exp. (Example: 150 coins are spent on training and 100 coins spent to employ a trainer and the character would gain 75 exp)
Typical Success: Earn experience points equal to coin spent on training. Extra fees paid to the trainer are excluded from these exp. (Example: 150 coins are spent on training and 100 coins spent to employ a trainer and the character would gain 150 exp). The relationship with the Trainer will improve.
Unexpected Success: Earn experience points equal to coin spent on training. and 50% of fees paid to trainer up to normal weekly limit allowed.(Example: 200 coins are spent on training by a 2nd level fighter and 300 coins spent to employ a trainer . The character earns 200 exp for initial coins spent and an additional 100 coins (half of the 200 allowed per week)).
Amazing Success: Earn experience points equal to coin spent on training. and 50% of fees paid to trainer. (Example: 200 coins are spent on training by a 2nd level fighter and 300 coins spent to employ a trainer . The character earns 200 exp for initial coins spent and an additional 100 coins (half of the 200 allowed per week)). The relationship with the trainer will improve. Consult Training Boons chart to see if additional benefits are received.
Relationship with trainer
A character’s relationship with training will impact the benefits of training. A trainers disposition to a character will impact fees, training roll, actual experience points rewarded for training, and
the benefit or severity of boons and mishaps.
Initial Relationship with trainer.
If the relationship with a trainer isn’t defined by social relationships within the campaign roll 2d6 and apply the appropriate modifiers to determine that relationship.
Initial relationship modifiers:
-1 if CHA of student 6 or less
+1if CHA of student 15 or more
-2 if of opposing alignments
+1 if of same alignment
-1 if student prime attribute is inferior
+1 if student prime attribute is 15 or greater
Initial Relationship with Trainer
Impact of Relationship with Trainer
Training Mishaps
Only roll on this table when an unsuccessful training session has been completed.
+10 to roll in a superior training space
-10 to roll in a makeshift training space
+1 per point of prime attribute over 14
Training Boons
Only roll on this table when an Amazingly Successful training session has been completed.
+10 to roll in a superior training space
-10 to roll in a makeshift training space
* Temporary bonuses do not stack.
Some campaigns may not handle permanent ability score gains well, treat this a bonus that will last for the next month of game time if a permanent increase fitting.
(more to come in future posts)
Turning coin looted on adventures into experience points for old-school dungeon fantasy games.
The original dungeon crawling RPG awards 1 experience point per gold piece hauled away on an adventure. This original method works fine for a simple campaign but in a complex and enduring campaign the PCs end up with incredible treasure hoards and little to spend all that treasure on in they aren’t empire builders. The following outlines more explicit methods for turning treasure into experience points.
What changes and what doesn’t change in awarding experience points should be noted first. Experience points for defeating monsters, overcoming challenges, and specific mission awards are given to PCs as normal under the campaign rules used. No experience points are granted for the specific value of treasures gained during an adventure. For those GMs that wish to award experience points (hereafter to be noted as exp) for magical items it is recommended to consider only awarding exp for utility as opposed to monetary value (it may be possible for some players to gain multiple awards from discovering magical items). Earned exp should be given as normal for the campaign but converting money to experience points requires specific actions on part of the PC/player.
Keeping track of downtime is essential as this shall be a resource as precious as coins when converting treasures won to exp. It is recommended that the campaign be structured to allow for 2 to 4 weeks of downtime to occur between adventure sessions. It is during this downtime period players will make decisions on how to spend their treasure and the time required to do so.
Health and preparation are also essential to the entire process and recovery from injuries and other maladies will reduce the time a character has to convert wealth into exp. Aside from Gifting and Carousing a character must be over 50% of their normal HitPoint total to benefit from the following methods of exp gain.
Throughout these guidelines "coins" will be used to express treasure costs. This is done to fit the coinage used in a campaign and is meant to be the common coin of value used in a campaign, so in a typical "gold standard" campaign all coins are gold pieces and in a "Silver Standard" these would be silver pieces of course. One should feel free to adjust fees as appropriate to the campaign economy of course as the suggested pricing assume lots of coins flowing even if the specific type may vary.
All of the methods of exp advancement require a 2d6 die roll with appropriate modifiers to determine the success and quality of the attempt to gain experience points. This roll may be made per week or at the end of multiple weeks depending on the campaign.
Experience Point Reward Table
|
2d6+mods
|
Result
|
|
3 or less
|
Unsuccessful*
|
|
4 to 6
|
Limited Success
|
|
7 to 10
|
Typical Success
|
|
11 to 12
|
Unexpected Success
|
|
13 or more
|
Amazing Success**
|
* a roll of two “1’s” on the 2d6 roll will always be unsuccessful regardless of modifiers applied.
** a roll of two “6’s” will always be a success regardless of modifiers to the contrary but will only be an amazing success if the total score indicates it to be such.
Training
Training is study and exercise dedicated to a character’s class and skills. The time span for training is based on the week. The definition of training here is meant to cover potentially tiring and stressful exercises.
A character may spend a maximum of 100 coin per current level each week spent in training. A specific trainer may be employed if a character so wishes but the costs will be greater and may not contribute to exp gained.
Training prohibits spending time on Research but does not interfere with Carousing, Gifting and Sacrifice in and of itself (those methods may prohibit or reduce time allowed for Training however).
Training Modifiers
-3 for self training.
-1 if character has inferior prime attribute.
+1 for prime attribute of 13-16
+2 for prime attribute of 17 or higher
+1 if Trainer employed is at least 2 levels/ranks above character
+2 if Trainer employed is at least 6 levels/ranks above character
-2 for Training during long term travel.
-1 if training in a space not dedicated to training
+1 if training in superior training space.
-2 to +2 depending on relationship with trainer
Training results:
Unsuccessful Training: No Experience points are gained and there is the possibility of injury or stress being inflicted upon the character, check on training mishaps chart to see what fate befalls character. A character’s relationship with a trainer declines during this training.
Limited Success: Earn experience points equal to 50% of coin spent on training. Extra fees paid to trainer are excluded from these exp. (Example: 150 coins are spent on training and 100 coins spent to employ a trainer and the character would gain 75 exp)
Typical Success: Earn experience points equal to coin spent on training. Extra fees paid to the trainer are excluded from these exp. (Example: 150 coins are spent on training and 100 coins spent to employ a trainer and the character would gain 150 exp). The relationship with the Trainer will improve.
Unexpected Success: Earn experience points equal to coin spent on training. and 50% of fees paid to trainer up to normal weekly limit allowed.(Example: 200 coins are spent on training by a 2nd level fighter and 300 coins spent to employ a trainer . The character earns 200 exp for initial coins spent and an additional 100 coins (half of the 200 allowed per week)).
Amazing Success: Earn experience points equal to coin spent on training. and 50% of fees paid to trainer. (Example: 200 coins are spent on training by a 2nd level fighter and 300 coins spent to employ a trainer . The character earns 200 exp for initial coins spent and an additional 100 coins (half of the 200 allowed per week)). The relationship with the trainer will improve. Consult Training Boons chart to see if additional benefits are received.
Relationship with trainer
A character’s relationship with training will impact the benefits of training. A trainers disposition to a character will impact fees, training roll, actual experience points rewarded for training, and
the benefit or severity of boons and mishaps.
Initial Relationship with trainer.
If the relationship with a trainer isn’t defined by social relationships within the campaign roll 2d6 and apply the appropriate modifiers to determine that relationship.
Initial relationship modifiers:
-1 if CHA of student 6 or less
+1if CHA of student 15 or more
-2 if of opposing alignments
+1 if of same alignment
-1 if student prime attribute is inferior
+1 if student prime attribute is 15 or greater
Initial Relationship with Trainer
|
roll
|
Initial relationship
|
|
3 or less
|
Dislike
|
|
4-5
|
Unfavorable
|
|
6
|
Mercenary
|
|
7-8
|
Polite
|
|
9-10
|
Favorable
|
|
11 or more
|
Friendly
|
Impact of Relationship with Trainer
|
relationship
|
minimum trainer fee
|
Training Roll
|
Impact on exp
|
Mishap or Boon
|
|
Hostile
|
200/level
|
-2
|
-10%
|
-25
|
|
Dislike
|
150/level
|
-1
|
-10%
|
-10
|
|
Unfavorable
|
125/level
|
-1
|
-
|
-
|
|
Mercenary
|
110/level
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Polite
|
100/level
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Favorable
|
75/level
|
+1
|
-
|
-
|
|
Friendly
|
50/level
|
+1
|
+10%
|
+10
|
|
Mentor
|
none required
|
+2
|
+10%
|
+25
|
Training Mishaps
Only roll on this table when an unsuccessful training session has been completed.
+10 to roll in a superior training space
-10 to roll in a makeshift training space
+1 per point of prime attribute over 14
|
1d100 roll
|
Training Mishap
|
|
1 or less
|
Permanent loss of Prime Attribute. Character loses 1 point in prime attribute.
|
|
2-10
|
Grievously Injured during training. Character’s Prime attribute is halved for next 8 weeks. Recovers 1 point per week of complete rest (final points only recovered after all rest). HP reduced to 1.
|
|
11-25
|
Seriously Injured during training. Character’s Prime attribute is reduced by 2-5 points Recovers 1 week owe week of complete rest. HP halved.
|
|
26-40
|
I’ll fated. All saving Throws and Class actions are at -2 for next 7 weeks.
|
|
41-50
|
Strain/Stress reduce Prime attribute by1 point for 2 weeks.
|
|
51-60
|
Forlorn. All saving Throws and Class actions are at -1 for next 2 weeks.
|
|
61-70
|
Down the wrong road. Next three training sessions -1 to roll.
|
|
71-75
|
Took a wrong turn. Next training session is -1 to roll.
|
|
76 or more
|
Mishap avoided
|
Training Boons
Only roll on this table when an Amazingly Successful training session has been completed.
+10 to roll in a superior training space
-10 to roll in a makeshift training space
|
1d100 roll
|
Training Boon
|
|
25 or less
|
No Boon Granted
|
|
26-40
|
Insight gained, +1 to next training session roll.
|
|
41-60
|
Good Student, +1 to next 3 training session rolls.
|
|
61-80
|
+1 to all die rolls until a failed saving throw, skill check, or hit roll.*
|
|
81-90
|
+1 to all die rolls until a failed saving throw, skill check.*
|
|
91-99
|
+1 to all die rolls until a failed saving throw.*
|
|
100 or more
|
Character Permanently gains 1 point in prime attribute.
|
Some campaigns may not handle permanent ability score gains well, treat this a bonus that will last for the next month of game time if a permanent increase fitting.
(more to come in future posts)
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Handling Cities Idea: Neighborhoods are Terrain
Notion towards getting cities right: Neighborhoods in fantasy RPG cities are best treated as terrain. Let the players see the map, do it up tourist map style with some key neighborhoods indicated along with key features/goals and let the players see it, even present it like a hex map board game.
Each neighborhood can have a movement rate, a chance to get lost, a random occurrence or two, maybe a chance to catch disease by eating iffy street food and meat pies from alley shops, taverns where you get drunk and lose movement points could be treated like traps as could harlots. Maybe the placement of city guards checkpoints is relevant and the players will be trying to dodge those so they can move about with all their armor and double-sized magic swords.
Cities and respectably sized towns are big and a DM is going to go crazy and waste a lot of time trying to detail it in the same manner (even in passing) as a dungeon. The difficulty and hazards of
Fisher's Row and Slopside can serve as a swamp and mountain hexes do in wilderness travel. Keep it big, treat it big and you don't have to sweat the small stuff ; no one ever tries to map every tree in a forest, the sames sort of treatment can apply to buildings in a city if they are not important features.
Each neighborhood can have a movement rate, a chance to get lost, a random occurrence or two, maybe a chance to catch disease by eating iffy street food and meat pies from alley shops, taverns where you get drunk and lose movement points could be treated like traps as could harlots. Maybe the placement of city guards checkpoints is relevant and the players will be trying to dodge those so they can move about with all their armor and double-sized magic swords.
Cities and respectably sized towns are big and a DM is going to go crazy and waste a lot of time trying to detail it in the same manner (even in passing) as a dungeon. The difficulty and hazards of
Fisher's Row and Slopside can serve as a swamp and mountain hexes do in wilderness travel. Keep it big, treat it big and you don't have to sweat the small stuff ; no one ever tries to map every tree in a forest, the sames sort of treatment can apply to buildings in a city if they are not important features.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
The Scornsmen
That which rots in the underworld is best kept in the underworld. Those that pry the filthy lucre, cursed refuse, and grave-goods of forgotten tribes should be called out for their sins. - typical notions of The Scornsmen.
The Scornsmen are an association of anti-dungeon delvers that is just begging to be included in a megadungeon campaign. Put them in on the random encounter tables for your local dungeon or town, have the be a foil for your murder hobos, or a faction to join. the following are a few ideas on using a loose confederation of anti-dungeoneering activists in campaigns.
Scornsmen in the local tavern.
Seeing as “adventurers” like to frequent taverns that’s where you are going to find scornsmen. Scornsmen in taverns will typically be of two varieties the obvious rabble-rousing do-gooders preaching about the dangers of dungeon looting and the moral and spiritual decay that it inflicts on practitioners and spies keeping an eye on dungeon-looters. If the scorns men are busy in the local taverns adventurers will have half the chance of finding henchmen, patrons, and clues as they normally would.
Scornsmen in the Streets.
Some scornsmen will appear to be soap-box prophets, or stange cultists preaching about the danger s of dungeon delving but some will also be hit squads willing to act when the law will not or when the law find’s it convenient to not offend a bunch of psychotic murder hobos of undecided power. Having scorns men causing a ruckus in the streets will reduce the opportunities dungeoneers have in unloading less portable loot, scorns men have been known to report sales of illicit goods to the proper authorities.
Scornsmen in the Outdoors
Scornsmen encounter on the road iand in the fields will come off as much as they do in the streets and alleys of a town but sometimes they will draw up large crowds of rustic folk and work them up into a frenzied rabble that wouldn’t be wise for a band of adventurers with sacks full of freshly looted coin to bump into. Scornsmen have been none to host educational events to boost their ranks and warn the public and sometimes these encampments can last for weeks drawing in the curious for miles about. There have been events all to similar to with-hunts/burnings sponsored by scorns men or taken to extreme by locals (many scorns men would be happy to shame adventurers onto a righteous path).
Scornsmen in the Courts of power
Scornsmen will constantly be trying to sway the opinions of nobles and royals to get them to pass laws and decrees that make dungeon-looting illegal or more difficult. when the scorensmen don’t; resort to violence but do have the ear of a prince or duke there will be tough times ahead for adventurers.
Scornsmen in the Dungeons
It would seem and unusual place for the scornsmen but the more militant of them and the hardier can be found in the catacombs and dark mazes of the underworld where they seek to save souls, stop the flow of dangerous contagion to the surface world, and purge the world of the unredeemed. Such wandering bands of scornemsen can be almost as well equipped as adventuring parties but they may lack some of the prized times that can normally only be found while looting dungeons. Some scornemen chapters leave the goods heaped in dungeons, some trap and even guard illicit caches down in the underworld, some destroy what they can in the depths while others secret them away to vaults of dangerous goods kept safe by the scornsmen.
Scornsmen as Adventurers
They are no fools these scornsmen and they will recruit and employ those who may otherwise fall to drawing forth the tainted goods of the underworld and as such this offers adventurers a number of opportunities. PC scorns men could gain exp for converting NPC dungeons, for treasure liberated from looters, for time spent guarding caches, and for times secreted away into vaults.
The Scornsmen are an association of anti-dungeon delvers that is just begging to be included in a megadungeon campaign. Put them in on the random encounter tables for your local dungeon or town, have the be a foil for your murder hobos, or a faction to join. the following are a few ideas on using a loose confederation of anti-dungeoneering activists in campaigns.
Scornsmen in the local tavern.
Seeing as “adventurers” like to frequent taverns that’s where you are going to find scornsmen. Scornsmen in taverns will typically be of two varieties the obvious rabble-rousing do-gooders preaching about the dangers of dungeon looting and the moral and spiritual decay that it inflicts on practitioners and spies keeping an eye on dungeon-looters. If the scorns men are busy in the local taverns adventurers will have half the chance of finding henchmen, patrons, and clues as they normally would.
Scornsmen in the Streets.
Some scornsmen will appear to be soap-box prophets, or stange cultists preaching about the danger s of dungeon delving but some will also be hit squads willing to act when the law will not or when the law find’s it convenient to not offend a bunch of psychotic murder hobos of undecided power. Having scorns men causing a ruckus in the streets will reduce the opportunities dungeoneers have in unloading less portable loot, scorns men have been known to report sales of illicit goods to the proper authorities.
Scornsmen in the Outdoors
Scornsmen encounter on the road iand in the fields will come off as much as they do in the streets and alleys of a town but sometimes they will draw up large crowds of rustic folk and work them up into a frenzied rabble that wouldn’t be wise for a band of adventurers with sacks full of freshly looted coin to bump into. Scornsmen have been none to host educational events to boost their ranks and warn the public and sometimes these encampments can last for weeks drawing in the curious for miles about. There have been events all to similar to with-hunts/burnings sponsored by scorns men or taken to extreme by locals (many scorns men would be happy to shame adventurers onto a righteous path).
Scornsmen in the Courts of power
Scornsmen will constantly be trying to sway the opinions of nobles and royals to get them to pass laws and decrees that make dungeon-looting illegal or more difficult. when the scorensmen don’t; resort to violence but do have the ear of a prince or duke there will be tough times ahead for adventurers.
Scornsmen in the Dungeons
It would seem and unusual place for the scornsmen but the more militant of them and the hardier can be found in the catacombs and dark mazes of the underworld where they seek to save souls, stop the flow of dangerous contagion to the surface world, and purge the world of the unredeemed. Such wandering bands of scornemsen can be almost as well equipped as adventuring parties but they may lack some of the prized times that can normally only be found while looting dungeons. Some scornemen chapters leave the goods heaped in dungeons, some trap and even guard illicit caches down in the underworld, some destroy what they can in the depths while others secret them away to vaults of dangerous goods kept safe by the scornsmen.
Scornsmen as Adventurers
They are no fools these scornsmen and they will recruit and employ those who may otherwise fall to drawing forth the tainted goods of the underworld and as such this offers adventurers a number of opportunities. PC scorns men could gain exp for converting NPC dungeons, for treasure liberated from looters, for time spent guarding caches, and for times secreted away into vaults.
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Into the Ruins III
A few more tables of relatively mundane features to help describe large ruins. I'm going to go from the top to the bottom starting at Roof Access necessary to get more use out of the first set of tables and it shall flow form there.
Roof Access (1d100)
1-20 No Interior Access or formal external access (get a ladder)
21-25 Trapdoor to roof, no ladder
26-40 Trapdoor to roof w/ladder
41-55 Trapdoor to roof with narrow and shallow stairs
56-60 Trapdoor to roof with stairs
61-62 Trapdoor to Cupola on roof, no ladder
63-70 Trapdoor to Cupola on roof w/ladder
71-75Trapdoor to Cupola on roof with narrow and shallow stairs
76-80Trapdoor to Cupola on roof with stairs
81-83 Exterior Stairs lead to roof from street
84-86 Exterior stairs lead to roof from lower floor balcony/porch.
87-90 Exterior Ladder leads to roof
91-95 Exterior Ladder leads to roof from lower floor balcony/porch
96-98 A bridge from building across street/alley.
99-100 Rope hangs from roof on outside
Sewer/Sewer Access
1-20 No sewage facilities beyond gutter in street
21-35 Hatch to private cesspit
36-40 Piping to private cesspit
41-55 Piping to neighborhood sewer (2-12 nearby structures share it in common)
56-60 Piping outflow to gutter
61-62 Trench outflow to gutter
63-75 Piping to sewer
76-80 Wide drain to Sewer in basement
81-95 Hatch to sewer in basement
96-98 Hatch to sewer against outside of home
99-100 Drain to sewer against home
Sanitary Facilities
1-10 None of note
11-30 Bedpan/chamber pots
31-33 Bedpan/chamber pots, recently used
34-50 Seating above chamberpot
51-60 Nook with seating above chamberpot
60-70 Full privy with chamberpots
71-75 Elaborate Pail Closet
76-85 Privy with outflow to street
86-100 Privy with outflow to sewage(if connection is present).
Roof Access (1d100)
1-20 No Interior Access or formal external access (get a ladder)
21-25 Trapdoor to roof, no ladder
26-40 Trapdoor to roof w/ladder
41-55 Trapdoor to roof with narrow and shallow stairs
56-60 Trapdoor to roof with stairs
61-62 Trapdoor to Cupola on roof, no ladder
63-70 Trapdoor to Cupola on roof w/ladder
71-75Trapdoor to Cupola on roof with narrow and shallow stairs
76-80Trapdoor to Cupola on roof with stairs
81-83 Exterior Stairs lead to roof from street
84-86 Exterior stairs lead to roof from lower floor balcony/porch.
87-90 Exterior Ladder leads to roof
91-95 Exterior Ladder leads to roof from lower floor balcony/porch
96-98 A bridge from building across street/alley.
99-100 Rope hangs from roof on outside
Sewer/Sewer Access
1-20 No sewage facilities beyond gutter in street
21-35 Hatch to private cesspit
36-40 Piping to private cesspit
41-55 Piping to neighborhood sewer (2-12 nearby structures share it in common)
56-60 Piping outflow to gutter
61-62 Trench outflow to gutter
63-75 Piping to sewer
76-80 Wide drain to Sewer in basement
81-95 Hatch to sewer in basement
96-98 Hatch to sewer against outside of home
99-100 Drain to sewer against home
Sanitary Facilities
1-10 None of note
11-30 Bedpan/chamber pots
31-33 Bedpan/chamber pots, recently used
34-50 Seating above chamberpot
51-60 Nook with seating above chamberpot
60-70 Full privy with chamberpots
71-75 Elaborate Pail Closet
76-85 Privy with outflow to street
86-100 Privy with outflow to sewage(if connection is present).
Friday, October 10, 2014
Into The Ruins, Part II
Two more tables for my ruin stocking. This time tables for household shrines and the accoutrements in those shrines. The ruins I'm stocking have few grand temples so a great deal of regular worship happens in the home so a household shrine is a common feature of a household.
Household Shrine (roll 1d1000)
1-200 Shrine of major faith, simple, looted
201-300 Shrine of major faith, simple, poorly supplied
301-350 Shrine of major faith, simple, well supplied
351-410 Shrine of minor faith, simple, looted
411-450 Shrine of minor faith, simple, poorly supplied
451-470 Shrine of minor faith, simple, well supplied
471-530 Shrine of major faith, fair, looted
531-560 Shrine of major faith, fair, poorly supplied
561-575 Shrine of major faith, fair, well supplied
576-615 Shrine of minor faith, fair, looted
616-635 Shrine of minor faith, fair, poorly supplied
636-645 Shrine of minor faith, fair, well supplied
646-677 Shrine of major faith, elaborate, looted
678-693 Shrine of major faith, elaborate, poorly supplied
694-701 Shrine of major faith, elaborate, well supplied
702-713 Shrine of minor faith, elaborate, looted
714-721 Shrine of minor faith, elaborate, poorly supplied
722-725 Shrine of minor faith, elaborate, well supplied
726-735 Shrine of heretical faith, simple, looted
736-745 Shrine of heretical faith, simple, poorly supplied
746-755 Shrine of heretical faith, simple, well supplied
756-765 Shrine of heretical faith, fair, looted
766-773 of heretical faith, fair, poorly supplied
774-780 Shrine of heretical faith, fair, well supplied
781-786 Shrine of heretical faith, elaborate, looted
787-791Shrine of heretical faith, elaborate, poorly supplied
792-795 Shrine of heretical faith, elaborate, well supplied
796-802 Shrine of Nemesis faith, simple, looted
803-808 Shrine of Nemesis faith, simple, poorly supplied
809-813 Shrine of Nemesis faith, simple, well supplied
814-818 Shrine of Nemesis faith, fair, looted
819-822 Shrine of Nemesis faith, fair, poorly supplied
823-825 Shrine of Nemesis faith, fair, well supplied
826-828 Shrine of Nemesis faith, elaborate, looted
829-830 Shrine of Nemesis faith, elaborate, poorly supplied
831 Shrine of Nemesis faith, elaborate, well supplied
832-839 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, simple, looted
840-846 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, simple, poorly supplied
847-852 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, simple, well supplied
851-858 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, fair looted
859-863 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, fair, poorly supplied
864-867 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, fair, well supplied
868-71 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, elaborate, looted
872-874 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, elaborate, poorly supplied
875-876 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, elaborate, well supplied
877-1000 No evidence of household shrine
Determining accouterments/loot of a household shrine unless looted :
A simple shrine will have 1d3 items present (double if well supplied).
A Fair shrine will have 1d4+2 items present (double if well supplied).
An Elaborate shrine will have 3d6 times present (double if well supplied).
Accoutrements/Loot (1d1000)
1-75 Wooden Holy Symbol
76- 80 Silver Holy Symbol
81-90 Elaborate Holy Symbol
91-100 Low Quality Incense
101-200 Common Incense
201-230 Fine Incense
231-250 Scented Oil
251-270 Clay/Wood Brayer Beads
271-280 Lapis/Amber Prayer Beads
291-300Silver Prayer Beads
301-320 Pottery Incense burner
321-555 Brass Incense Burner
356-360 Elaborate/Fancy Incense Burner
361-400 Simple Prayer Shawl
401-420 Elaborate Prayer Shawl
421-447 Simple Prayer Robes
448-450 Elaborate Prayer Robes
451-470 Brass Bell
471-490 Silver Bell
496-500 Gold Bell
501-550 Scroll of Holy Tract
551-697 Scroll of Hymns
598-599 Scroll with single Cleric Spell of level 1 to 3
601 - 620 Small Book of Collected Holy tracts
621-635 Elaborate Book of Collected Holy tracts
636-650 Small Book of Hymns
651-660 Elaborate Book of Hymns
661-695 Small Prayerbook
696-700 Elaborate Prayerbook
701-780 Simple prayer candle
781-795 Large prayer candle
696-700 Elaborate prayer candle
701-730 Holy Water in simple clay flask
731-740 Holy Water in glass flask
741-749 Holy Water in brass flask
750 Holy Water in golden flask
751-795 Brass Aspergillum
796-799 Silver Aspergillum
800 Gold Aspergillum
801-860 Painted Icon
861-880 Carved wooden Icon
881-898 Ivory Icon
899-900 Engraved Silver Icon
901-920 Small Wooden Idol
921-930 Small Clay Idol
931-940 Small Brass Idol
951-960 Small Panchalcum Idol
861-967 Small Silver Idol
968-970 Small Gold Idol
971-974 Large Wooden Idol
975-977 Large Stone Idol
978-979 Large wooden Idol with silver inlays
980 Large Wooden Idol with gold and precious stone inlays
981-990 Faux Relic in plain box
991-994 Faux Relic in Reliquary
995-997 An empty Reliquary
998 A true (but not potent) relic
999 A true (but not potent) relic in a Reliquary
1000 A Potent Relic, essentially a minor artifact of the faith.
* there is a 2% chance a large idol is a Magical Statue.
Magical Altar?
There is a small chance a household shrine is a magical altar.
For each type of shrine roll a number of dice as indicated and if all come up the highest value possible on each die the altar is a magical altar.
for simple altars roll 6 dice
for fair shrines roll 5 dice
for elaborate shrine roll 4 dice
If major diety, roll d6's
if minor or nemesis diety roll d8's
for others (or looted shrines) roll d10's
Household Shrine (roll 1d1000)
1-200 Shrine of major faith, simple, looted
201-300 Shrine of major faith, simple, poorly supplied
301-350 Shrine of major faith, simple, well supplied
351-410 Shrine of minor faith, simple, looted
411-450 Shrine of minor faith, simple, poorly supplied
451-470 Shrine of minor faith, simple, well supplied
471-530 Shrine of major faith, fair, looted
531-560 Shrine of major faith, fair, poorly supplied
561-575 Shrine of major faith, fair, well supplied
576-615 Shrine of minor faith, fair, looted
616-635 Shrine of minor faith, fair, poorly supplied
636-645 Shrine of minor faith, fair, well supplied
646-677 Shrine of major faith, elaborate, looted
678-693 Shrine of major faith, elaborate, poorly supplied
694-701 Shrine of major faith, elaborate, well supplied
702-713 Shrine of minor faith, elaborate, looted
714-721 Shrine of minor faith, elaborate, poorly supplied
722-725 Shrine of minor faith, elaborate, well supplied
726-735 Shrine of heretical faith, simple, looted
736-745 Shrine of heretical faith, simple, poorly supplied
746-755 Shrine of heretical faith, simple, well supplied
756-765 Shrine of heretical faith, fair, looted
766-773 of heretical faith, fair, poorly supplied
774-780 Shrine of heretical faith, fair, well supplied
781-786 Shrine of heretical faith, elaborate, looted
787-791Shrine of heretical faith, elaborate, poorly supplied
792-795 Shrine of heretical faith, elaborate, well supplied
796-802 Shrine of Nemesis faith, simple, looted
803-808 Shrine of Nemesis faith, simple, poorly supplied
809-813 Shrine of Nemesis faith, simple, well supplied
814-818 Shrine of Nemesis faith, fair, looted
819-822 Shrine of Nemesis faith, fair, poorly supplied
823-825 Shrine of Nemesis faith, fair, well supplied
826-828 Shrine of Nemesis faith, elaborate, looted
829-830 Shrine of Nemesis faith, elaborate, poorly supplied
831 Shrine of Nemesis faith, elaborate, well supplied
832-839 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, simple, looted
840-846 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, simple, poorly supplied
847-852 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, simple, well supplied
851-858 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, fair looted
859-863 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, fair, poorly supplied
864-867 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, fair, well supplied
868-71 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, elaborate, looted
872-874 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, elaborate, poorly supplied
875-876 Shrine/Memorial for ancestor, elaborate, well supplied
877-1000 No evidence of household shrine
Determining accouterments/loot of a household shrine unless looted :
A simple shrine will have 1d3 items present (double if well supplied).
A Fair shrine will have 1d4+2 items present (double if well supplied).
An Elaborate shrine will have 3d6 times present (double if well supplied).
Accoutrements/Loot (1d1000)
1-75 Wooden Holy Symbol
76- 80 Silver Holy Symbol
81-90 Elaborate Holy Symbol
91-100 Low Quality Incense
101-200 Common Incense
201-230 Fine Incense
231-250 Scented Oil
251-270 Clay/Wood Brayer Beads
271-280 Lapis/Amber Prayer Beads
291-300Silver Prayer Beads
301-320 Pottery Incense burner
321-555 Brass Incense Burner
356-360 Elaborate/Fancy Incense Burner
361-400 Simple Prayer Shawl
401-420 Elaborate Prayer Shawl
421-447 Simple Prayer Robes
448-450 Elaborate Prayer Robes
451-470 Brass Bell
471-490 Silver Bell
496-500 Gold Bell
501-550 Scroll of Holy Tract
551-697 Scroll of Hymns
598-599 Scroll with single Cleric Spell of level 1 to 3
601 - 620 Small Book of Collected Holy tracts
621-635 Elaborate Book of Collected Holy tracts
636-650 Small Book of Hymns
651-660 Elaborate Book of Hymns
661-695 Small Prayerbook
696-700 Elaborate Prayerbook
701-780 Simple prayer candle
781-795 Large prayer candle
696-700 Elaborate prayer candle
701-730 Holy Water in simple clay flask
731-740 Holy Water in glass flask
741-749 Holy Water in brass flask
750 Holy Water in golden flask
751-795 Brass Aspergillum
796-799 Silver Aspergillum
800 Gold Aspergillum
801-860 Painted Icon
861-880 Carved wooden Icon
881-898 Ivory Icon
899-900 Engraved Silver Icon
901-920 Small Wooden Idol
921-930 Small Clay Idol
931-940 Small Brass Idol
951-960 Small Panchalcum Idol
861-967 Small Silver Idol
968-970 Small Gold Idol
971-974 Large Wooden Idol
975-977 Large Stone Idol
978-979 Large wooden Idol with silver inlays
980 Large Wooden Idol with gold and precious stone inlays
981-990 Faux Relic in plain box
991-994 Faux Relic in Reliquary
995-997 An empty Reliquary
998 A true (but not potent) relic
999 A true (but not potent) relic in a Reliquary
1000 A Potent Relic, essentially a minor artifact of the faith.
* there is a 2% chance a large idol is a Magical Statue.
Magical Altar?
There is a small chance a household shrine is a magical altar.
For each type of shrine roll a number of dice as indicated and if all come up the highest value possible on each die the altar is a magical altar.
for simple altars roll 6 dice
for fair shrines roll 5 dice
for elaborate shrine roll 4 dice
If major diety, roll d6's
if minor or nemesis diety roll d8's
for others (or looted shrines) roll d10's
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Into the ruins, part I
I'm working on a ruined city for a fantasy adventure and developing charts to help me fill in details for the approximately 400 buildings on the map I drew up. Here's the charts for cisterns and the state of the roof. Most of the roofs in these ruins are flat topped so the rooftops offer more opportunity for action and encounters.
Cistern?
1-25 No rooftop cistern
26-35 Slow leak,in cistern compromising integrity of roof.
36-40 Empty and broken cistern.
41-45 Empty and broken, integrity of roof is compromised.
46-50 Intact but Empty cistern.
51-60 Cistern contains potable water.
61-65 Cistern appears to contain potable water, it isn’t.
66-80 Cistern contains clearly foul water.
81-85 Cistern contains a scummy water, safe if boiled.
86-88 Cistern is old and lined with bronze that includes arsenic, good luck with that.
89-90 Vermin swim in the stew-like broth in this cistern.
91-94 Vermin swim in the stew-like broth in this fragile cistern fit to burst at any moment.
95-97 Empty cistern is a nest for birds/vermin.
98 Empty cistern holds a body.
99 Full cistern of seemingly potable water contains a body.
100 Cistern full of foul water contains a body.
State of roof
1-5 Intact unremarkable roof.
6-10 Leaky roof.
11-14 Water pooling on roof, leaky but nor dangerous (yet).
15-18 Water pooling on roof, roof is dangerous to walk on.
19-22 Roof appears stable but is unsafe.
21-25 Roof appears hazardous but is safe, for now.
26-30 Roof appears hazardous and is dangerous.
31-34 Small hole in roof.
35-38 Small hole in roof with signs of fire damage.
39-42 Small poorly patch hole in roof.
43-46 Small poorly patch hole in roof with signs of fire damage.
47-50 Large hole in roof.
51-55 Large hole in roof with signs of fire damage.
56-59 Large poorly patched hole in roof.
60-64 Large poorly patched hole in roof with signs of fire damage.
65 Well maintained rooftop garden. (hmm someone must be taking care of it)
66-68 Overgrown rooftop garden.
69-71 Overgrown rooftop garden, vermin lurk in cover.
72-75 Overgrown rooftop garden, conceals weak points in danger of collapse.
76-79 Abandoned and barren rooftop garden.
80-82 Abandoned and barren rooftop garden, water pooling here and there.
83-85 Abandoned and barren rooftop garden, water pooling here, roof is dangerous to walk on.
86-90 Half collapsed roof.
91-95 Mostly collapsed roof.
96-100 Completely collapsed roof.
Cistern?
1-25 No rooftop cistern
26-35 Slow leak,in cistern compromising integrity of roof.
36-40 Empty and broken cistern.
41-45 Empty and broken, integrity of roof is compromised.
46-50 Intact but Empty cistern.
51-60 Cistern contains potable water.
61-65 Cistern appears to contain potable water, it isn’t.
66-80 Cistern contains clearly foul water.
81-85 Cistern contains a scummy water, safe if boiled.
86-88 Cistern is old and lined with bronze that includes arsenic, good luck with that.
89-90 Vermin swim in the stew-like broth in this cistern.
91-94 Vermin swim in the stew-like broth in this fragile cistern fit to burst at any moment.
95-97 Empty cistern is a nest for birds/vermin.
98 Empty cistern holds a body.
99 Full cistern of seemingly potable water contains a body.
100 Cistern full of foul water contains a body.
State of roof
1-5 Intact unremarkable roof.
6-10 Leaky roof.
11-14 Water pooling on roof, leaky but nor dangerous (yet).
15-18 Water pooling on roof, roof is dangerous to walk on.
19-22 Roof appears stable but is unsafe.
21-25 Roof appears hazardous but is safe, for now.
26-30 Roof appears hazardous and is dangerous.
31-34 Small hole in roof.
35-38 Small hole in roof with signs of fire damage.
39-42 Small poorly patch hole in roof.
43-46 Small poorly patch hole in roof with signs of fire damage.
47-50 Large hole in roof.
51-55 Large hole in roof with signs of fire damage.
56-59 Large poorly patched hole in roof.
60-64 Large poorly patched hole in roof with signs of fire damage.
65 Well maintained rooftop garden. (hmm someone must be taking care of it)
66-68 Overgrown rooftop garden.
69-71 Overgrown rooftop garden, vermin lurk in cover.
72-75 Overgrown rooftop garden, conceals weak points in danger of collapse.
76-79 Abandoned and barren rooftop garden.
80-82 Abandoned and barren rooftop garden, water pooling here and there.
83-85 Abandoned and barren rooftop garden, water pooling here, roof is dangerous to walk on.
86-90 Half collapsed roof.
91-95 Mostly collapsed roof.
96-100 Completely collapsed roof.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Mummer's Joust
This raucous and violent farce has been a part of life in
the shady boulevards and beggar’s courts for at least a century. At it’s
highest it’s an outrageous pantomime affair between mummers troupes put forth
by the low guilds aping the contests of chivalry at it’s lowest it’s a sporting brawl between neighborhoods or tavern gangs.
The Mummers Joust is held in a square, empty lot, or back
alley court. There will typically only be two teams (sometimes with classical
rivalries) and each team will consist of 4 to 12 men of equal number on each
team that will bear carry a rider seated upon a barrel fastened to staves (held
by the aforementioned bearers). The rider is often costumed as a knight is not
lucky enough to be wearing a set of second hand antique armor; bearers are typically
unarmored but clever ones will wear a helmet of some sort and good thick gloves.
Only the rider (sometimes called the Mum-ritter) is armed and that will
typically be with a staff, a wooden sword, a broomstick, a baldder filled with
sad or a sack of rocks. The goal is to be the first team to parade about the
field a half dozen times without the rider falling off his steed (the barrel
held aloft).
The only restrictions in completion of the half dozens
circles of the jousting “field” are the field must be crossed through the
middle at least 3 times by each ride team. Riders may strike each other and the
bearers of the opposing teams. Bearers may strike each other with their hands
but if a bearer releases both hands from a stave he is required to exit the
field (he is typically allowed parting blows against the opposite team but grabbing
another rider or bearer while jettisoned is not sporting).
While in spirit this is nominally a contest it can be a contest that has an outcome that has already been decided upon by the hosting each troupe but even them there is a small chance pride of bearers and riders will overwhelm compliance with the wishes of their sponsors. Gambling is still seen in these events but it is often towards the lower end as many recognize likely collusion but to do speak of it. When a more obvious rivalry comes to bear the outcome is less certain and gambling will leap to whatever foolish heights onlookers desire.
Like many public contests the Mummer's Joust offers a distraction to cover larceny and cutpurses and pick pockets will surely try to ply their trade intermingled with the crowd if they do not fear the wrath of the sponsors. The distraction will of course open chance for trespass and other crimes in the periphery of the Mummer's Joust.
While the Mummer's Joust is far less dangerous than an chivalric joust it is still an affair with the potential for violence and injury. It's unlikely by not impossible for a rider or bearer to suffer broken bones, disability, or even (unluckily) death. Injuries suffered in a Mummer's Joust are not considered an appropriate situation for private recourse and open vendetta or duels would be frowned upon and even considered criminal. A death in a Mummer's Joust that isn't sanctioned by town officials (or high guild) may be considered a crime by some but evidence is not offered up as a point of honor among witnesses and participants in the joust as everyone in the contest has nominally entered it voluntarily.
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