Tuesday, April 6, 2010
The Races (Part 2)
Goblins:
Goblins are a prodigal race, ever searching, ever seeking. Never content to stay grounded to one nation or another, they are well known as the bazaar masters and traders of wealth. Historically, goblins have always been in the shadow of another race -- first humans, then the orc, then the gnome – never with a home to call their own. Recently, however, Griz Quickshanks, leader of the Itacaranian Militia has taken over the Free Trade Isles and established the first goblin rule in a thousand centuries. The rest of the scattered goblin nation was never really trusted or established, and is now watched more warily due to Quickshanks’ military coup, making life even tougher for the drab skinned little wanderers of the land. Goblins tend to operate outside of the law, their motto being "what has the king ever done for me?".
Gnomes:
The dominant race of the land, gnomes are a people on the move up. The descendants of lords, ladies and conquerors - gnome lands are home to a mix of people - physically, culturally, religiously, and politically different. Hardy or fine, light-skinned or dark, showy or austere, magical or mundane, gnomes run the gamut. Led strongly by faith in magic and faith in their gods, gnomes favor professions in the priesthood and arcane talents. Gnomes are rarely druids or barbarians, as the wild lifestyle fails to suit their refined tastes and lifestyles. They are particularly aggressive and have an innate hatred towards Trolls, who they constantly war with for territory along the western borders to their lands.
Goblins are a prodigal race, ever searching, ever seeking. Never content to stay grounded to one nation or another, they are well known as the bazaar masters and traders of wealth. Historically, goblins have always been in the shadow of another race -- first humans, then the orc, then the gnome – never with a home to call their own. Recently, however, Griz Quickshanks, leader of the Itacaranian Militia has taken over the Free Trade Isles and established the first goblin rule in a thousand centuries. The rest of the scattered goblin nation was never really trusted or established, and is now watched more warily due to Quickshanks’ military coup, making life even tougher for the drab skinned little wanderers of the land. Goblins tend to operate outside of the law, their motto being "what has the king ever done for me?".
Gnomes:
The dominant race of the land, gnomes are a people on the move up. The descendants of lords, ladies and conquerors - gnome lands are home to a mix of people - physically, culturally, religiously, and politically different. Hardy or fine, light-skinned or dark, showy or austere, magical or mundane, gnomes run the gamut. Led strongly by faith in magic and faith in their gods, gnomes favor professions in the priesthood and arcane talents. Gnomes are rarely druids or barbarians, as the wild lifestyle fails to suit their refined tastes and lifestyles. They are particularly aggressive and have an innate hatred towards Trolls, who they constantly war with for territory along the western borders to their lands.
Effects Table for Rune Bullets
In an effort to spice up what occurs when a Gun Mage makes an attack with a rune bullet, I've devised this table. It represents the nature of what a Gun Mage is, a spellcaster who is chaotic and unpredictable, channeling her magic innately into rounds, uncertain of the results.
Whenever the Gun Mage makes an attack with a rune bullet that contains a spell of her highest known spell level, she must roll on the table below. For example, a level two Gun Mage's highest spell level known are level one spells. So, whenever she fires a spell level one rune bullet, she would roll on the Effects Table.
Effects:
Juiced Round: Rune bullets are finicky, and a Juiced Round results when something has gone wrong during production. Either too much powder or too much magic has been put into the bullet, and the result is unpredictable.
-Backfire: The spell goes off prematurely the instant the shot is fired, exploding through the hammer into the face of the shooter. Roll for saves as appropriate to the spell being cast, as if the Gun Mage who forged the round had cast the spell.
-Powder: The bullet has a few pellets to many of gunpowder, but still fires successfully. If the attack hits, the damage deals double base damage (not the additional force damage from a spell) as the bullet impacts harder.
-Potency: The spell that was entwined with the round has some how been granted further potential, the resulting spell damage from a successful attack is doubled (3d6+3 becomes 6d6+6, etc).
Internal Explosion: The powder mixture for the round was far from correct, and the bullet explodes before the spell has a chance to go off. Deal normal weapon damage (excluding the force damage from a rune bullet) to the weapon itself, as fire and steel scar the inside of the barrel.
Spell Fizzles: For whatever reason, the spell fails to go off when the bullet is fired. Ignore the bonus force damage for a rune bullet and any subsequent spell effects from the attack.
Normal Firing: The bullet, force damage, and spell function correctly and nothing extraordinary occurs. Every cantrip rune bullet functions this way.
Alternative Spell: The attack goes off without a hitch, except for the fact that the spell inscribed into the rune bullet was the wrong one. Roll randomly for a new spell of the same level off of the Gun Mage's spell. If the same spell is rolled, roll again.
Additional Spell: The fates have blessed this round with exponentially more potency than the caster intended. When making the attack, roll randomly for an additional spell (as for the alternative spell effect) and add the effects as if the two spells were being cast simultaneously. Having the same spell twice is permitted.
Whenever the Gun Mage makes an attack with a rune bullet that contains a spell of her highest known spell level, she must roll on the table below. For example, a level two Gun Mage's highest spell level known are level one spells. So, whenever she fires a spell level one rune bullet, she would roll on the Effects Table.
Effects:
Juiced Round: Rune bullets are finicky, and a Juiced Round results when something has gone wrong during production. Either too much powder or too much magic has been put into the bullet, and the result is unpredictable.
-Backfire: The spell goes off prematurely the instant the shot is fired, exploding through the hammer into the face of the shooter. Roll for saves as appropriate to the spell being cast, as if the Gun Mage who forged the round had cast the spell.
-Powder: The bullet has a few pellets to many of gunpowder, but still fires successfully. If the attack hits, the damage deals double base damage (not the additional force damage from a spell) as the bullet impacts harder.
-Potency: The spell that was entwined with the round has some how been granted further potential, the resulting spell damage from a successful attack is doubled (3d6+3 becomes 6d6+6, etc).
Internal Explosion: The powder mixture for the round was far from correct, and the bullet explodes before the spell has a chance to go off. Deal normal weapon damage (excluding the force damage from a rune bullet) to the weapon itself, as fire and steel scar the inside of the barrel.
Spell Fizzles: For whatever reason, the spell fails to go off when the bullet is fired. Ignore the bonus force damage for a rune bullet and any subsequent spell effects from the attack.
Normal Firing: The bullet, force damage, and spell function correctly and nothing extraordinary occurs. Every cantrip rune bullet functions this way.
Alternative Spell: The attack goes off without a hitch, except for the fact that the spell inscribed into the rune bullet was the wrong one. Roll randomly for a new spell of the same level off of the Gun Mage's spell. If the same spell is rolled, roll again.
Additional Spell: The fates have blessed this round with exponentially more potency than the caster intended. When making the attack, roll randomly for an additional spell (as for the alternative spell effect) and add the effects as if the two spells were being cast simultaneously. Having the same spell twice is permitted.
Monday, April 5, 2010
The Races (Part 1)
Halflings:
A tribe of Nomadic Halflings rides sleek ponies on the wide plains. Living by a strict code of warrior honor, these Halfling barbarians are experts at mounted combat (including archery) and are fierce in battle. They are also incredibly attuned to the natural surroundings of their native plains. Over the years, the gradual encroachment of human settlers onto the plains has forced the Halflings closer to the eastern mountains, where the Troll kingdom blocks any further retreat. Caught between the trolls and the humans, the Halflings are facing drastic changes to their traditional lifestyle. Many turn to a life of adventure, either in the human deserts or on the borders of the troll kingdom. Others gather in the slums of Gnome cities, while some bands have been captured by the humans and sold into slavery.
Humans:
Humans are a fallen race. Thousands of years ago, a great human empire ruled the world. Tall human cities graced the land, blending naturally and beautifully into the forests. Graceful ships sailed the seas, spreading culture and conquering other lands. The other races, if they existed then, were all subservient to the human empire. But the fall of that great empire was also the fall of the human race. The great cities and provincial capitals were destroyed and their populace slaughtered. Humans in smaller towns and out-of-the-way places were driven from their homes and cut off from trade and communication. They gradually – over many generations – fell into a state of total savagery. Their descendants are barbarians in every sense of the word, ignorant of the ancient glories they possessed long ago.
A tribe of Nomadic Halflings rides sleek ponies on the wide plains. Living by a strict code of warrior honor, these Halfling barbarians are experts at mounted combat (including archery) and are fierce in battle. They are also incredibly attuned to the natural surroundings of their native plains. Over the years, the gradual encroachment of human settlers onto the plains has forced the Halflings closer to the eastern mountains, where the Troll kingdom blocks any further retreat. Caught between the trolls and the humans, the Halflings are facing drastic changes to their traditional lifestyle. Many turn to a life of adventure, either in the human deserts or on the borders of the troll kingdom. Others gather in the slums of Gnome cities, while some bands have been captured by the humans and sold into slavery.
Humans:
Humans are a fallen race. Thousands of years ago, a great human empire ruled the world. Tall human cities graced the land, blending naturally and beautifully into the forests. Graceful ships sailed the seas, spreading culture and conquering other lands. The other races, if they existed then, were all subservient to the human empire. But the fall of that great empire was also the fall of the human race. The great cities and provincial capitals were destroyed and their populace slaughtered. Humans in smaller towns and out-of-the-way places were driven from their homes and cut off from trade and communication. They gradually – over many generations – fell into a state of total savagery. Their descendants are barbarians in every sense of the word, ignorant of the ancient glories they possessed long ago.
The World Around You (Part 1)
Magic Items
Distribution of magic items will be dealt with differently with in this world. Magic items are rare, and the market for any substantial magical wealth is slim to none. The same magic items are passed from family to family, from father to son, and distributed between generations through thievery and murder. Chances are, that belt of giant strength you have is about four hundred years old, and has had a half dozen owners. So, in order to facilitate your acquisition of useable magic gear, before an adventure, I would like a list of five magical items from each player on a “wish list.” The items should be within level appropriate range, if they aren’t, you’ll go home without loot. Anyway, at the end of an adventure, when the dragon is slain and the maiden rescued, don’t be surprised when one item from each person’s list is among the hoard.
Legendary Figures
In a world where the lines between countries and nations change multiple times in an adventurer’s life, the only grounded things that carry over between generations (aside from magic items!), are stories and lore. The legends of the past become the stories told by children in the streets. Every little trogg knows about Gr’akk, the mighty Troll that held off a hundred gnomes at the Battle of Brisnarr, dying valiantly to give his village time to flee. Gnomes admire Lediah, the fabled “Maiden of Magic” whose hands were said to be blessed by the Gods themselves – capable of shattering mountains and starting thunderous hurricanes. And all the land has heard, some spoken in whispers, some shouted from dark chapels, the name of Vorhest, of he who has risen from the past, unfettered by the laws that bind life to the earth. Through a dark pact, undoubtedly wrought with blood and sacrifice, talk is that he has been reborn to once again wreak pestilence upon the land, immortality granted through this deal with the Gods. Though none has seen him walk among the living, or heard tell of worshippers or clerics, there is still talk. And sometimes, that is enough to sow the seeds of fear…
Distribution of magic items will be dealt with differently with in this world. Magic items are rare, and the market for any substantial magical wealth is slim to none. The same magic items are passed from family to family, from father to son, and distributed between generations through thievery and murder. Chances are, that belt of giant strength you have is about four hundred years old, and has had a half dozen owners. So, in order to facilitate your acquisition of useable magic gear, before an adventure, I would like a list of five magical items from each player on a “wish list.” The items should be within level appropriate range, if they aren’t, you’ll go home without loot. Anyway, at the end of an adventure, when the dragon is slain and the maiden rescued, don’t be surprised when one item from each person’s list is among the hoard.
Legendary Figures
In a world where the lines between countries and nations change multiple times in an adventurer’s life, the only grounded things that carry over between generations (aside from magic items!), are stories and lore. The legends of the past become the stories told by children in the streets. Every little trogg knows about Gr’akk, the mighty Troll that held off a hundred gnomes at the Battle of Brisnarr, dying valiantly to give his village time to flee. Gnomes admire Lediah, the fabled “Maiden of Magic” whose hands were said to be blessed by the Gods themselves – capable of shattering mountains and starting thunderous hurricanes. And all the land has heard, some spoken in whispers, some shouted from dark chapels, the name of Vorhest, of he who has risen from the past, unfettered by the laws that bind life to the earth. Through a dark pact, undoubtedly wrought with blood and sacrifice, talk is that he has been reborn to once again wreak pestilence upon the land, immortality granted through this deal with the Gods. Though none has seen him walk among the living, or heard tell of worshippers or clerics, there is still talk. And sometimes, that is enough to sow the seeds of fear…
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