Introduction to the Campaign and Rules
This section serves as an introduction to this campaign world and rules. Reading it will have you up to speed for session 0. It is divided into three parts: Session notes, Rules notes, Class notes, and World notes.
Session notes: Starting in the late fall, we will play once per month for roughly 4 hours with a meal break. I'll conduct a poll on Facebook and post the most popular date. Bring snacks. All players and the DM must be fully vaccinated - many of us have vulnerable people or young children.
Rules: The rule system is a modified Castles and Crusades system. Features of the system include the following: (link here for complete rules).
1. Less rules. Few Player Character (PC) races. Limited number of classes (see below).
2. More role playing and less roll playing. For instance, instead of rolling a 'Diplomacy' check, it's what comes out of the player's mouth that will determine success or not. There are far fewer skill checks, etc.
3. Clever play is rewarded (by both sides). For instance, smart ambushes and picking conditions that hamper your enemies' initiative might mean making two attacks before your enemy can respond.
4. NPC's and monsters will pursue their own agendas to the best of their ability.
5. World centered, not PC centered. The PCs do not travel from an area of Level 1 threats then Level 2 threats... If the DM gives world hints there is a large dragon near your Level 1 party; it means avoid the encounter, not that there is a chance... The world moves on around you, not through you. However, as you become more powerful and accomplished, you will increasingly affect the world and others will notice you - for both good and bad!
6. World centered #2. In the first 1 or 2 sessions the DM will railroad you somewhat until you are acclimatized to the world. Then, you're on your own. The DM will not be running scheduled scenarios for the players (i.e. module R2 will become available to the players after they complete module R1). Nope, my master villains, their henchmen, and NPC's have plans and schedules to keep - most of which involve corrupting, enslaving, and/or killing those you care about and destroying all those beloved landmarks. Nothing personal; well, at least not until your characters become an known obstacle to those plans ... then it will become very personal for my villains (mwahahaha!).
6. Your reputation and actions have consequences. Save the village and have the militia as allies; sack the village and the militia will string you up. Reputation also means by 8th or 9th level you attract followers and can build a stronghold.
7. Wizards, mages, illusionists and high bards all use different types of magic.
8. Each god has its own unique priest class. Priests range from strong in magic and weak in combat to weak in magic and strong in combat (and all points in between). Each priesthood has its own distinctive powers. They can also enhance certain spells (power, duration, ...) by priests combining their energy and/or tapping into the energy of faithful followers of the religion.
Class Notes: The classes in brief with how they fit into the campaign world. All classes listed are in the world and will probably be encountered. NA (not available) classes for campaign #1 are noted. These classes may become available in campaign #2 depending on the characters' actions in campaign #1. Descriptions are not given for obvious classes.
Assassin - N/A. (Obvious what this class is)
Barbarian - N/A - a fighter used to surviving in more primitive conditions. Has the most hit points of any class, hard to surprise, hardier, survivor BUT uncivilized behaviour. World: PC must be member of Ridgeway Highlanders - has all barbarian features, non-swimmer, tech is close to civilized areas, behavioural code cross between Scottish Highlanders and Plains native tribes.
Bard - Low - entertainer for the common people with best people skills, decent fighting ability, inspires party members, and a few rogue skills. World: can be any human group but Wanderer bards are believed to be superior.
Bard - High - entertainer for the upper classes with best people skills, fighting ability not as good as low bard, inspires party members; but has bard magic spells and the ability to sense and analyze raw magic in the environment. World: must be of Wanderer ancestry. Wanderers are somewhat like gypsies.
Cleric - a holy warrior who is a healer and wielder of divine spells with o.k. combat skills. All clerics have: the same total number of spells they can cast per day, the same chance to hit an enemy, and the ability to cast more potent spells with the support of other clerics and/or worshipers. HOWEVER, a cleric's deity determines any extra powers or restrictions and the range of both combat resources and available spells. A cleric will be strong in either combat or spells and weak in the other area. Other clerics are a balance. Each deity's clerics are unique and must be on excellent terms with their deity! World: Clerics can be of any race but may have race restrictions for specific deities.
Druid - a cleric devoted to nature with unique powers and a nature orientated view of the world. World: Human (likely of Old Human ancestry) druids are called kuakgan and have 'taig sense' (ability to sense the health of the forest). Elven druid (NA) - has taig sense as well. Kuakgan and elven druids are unfriendly to each other at best...
Fighter - for armed combat, the most potent of the classes. World: Any race.
Knight - fighter on horseback valued for both fighting and leadership skills. Bound by a knightly code. World: a few royal orders exist and are open to all Prealith races (mostly of mixed heritage). Many known as knights are actually clerics with good combat resources and limited spells (e.g. Knights of Falk).
Monk - master of brawling, the quarterstaff, and improvised weapons. Protector and educator of the peasants/common people. World: Order of St. Neot - open to all races but almost all are human. The order teaches peasants not only better farming, crafting, etc. but also combat skills. The order is very unpopular with certain classes and other religions.
Paladin - holy warrior with excellent fighting skills but very limited spells and some abilities. Must be lawful good. World: a few of the religions have paladins. Gird's paladins are the best known but discouraged by the Sea Prince's government from operating in Prealith (they owe allegiance to their Marshal General who is another kingdom's - Fintha- ruler).
Ranger- wilderness warrior and scout. World: most powerful human rangers are the Royal Rangers who recruited from the Ice People; Lyonya's half-elf and elven rangers are also quite powerful. Both have taig sense.
Rogue - thief skills - disarm traps, sneak attacks, pick pockets, pick locks, climb, move silently... most are in it for themselves but there are 'Robin Hoods' and those who use the skills to explore ruins or catch thieves. Any race. World: There are very well organized and sophisticated thieves' guilds in the major cities. Sanctuary's ready access to both arcane and divine magic make actual thieving a lot more difficult...
Rune Master - NA (More possibly revealed during Campaign)
Sorcerer - NA (More possibly revealed during Campaign)
Wizard - master of arcane spells. World: organized schools and/or organizations can be found in Prealith's major cities and in Sanctuary. Wizards are expected to follow a code of conduct (essentially not using magic for illegal/immoral reasons). A wizard must be of Dawntreader ancestry - enough that it is physically obvious (red hair, pale skin, and freckles).
World Notes: These are suggestions and crucial points to consider when creating a character/party.
1. Suggested party members for Campaign #1 - wizard, cleric of Tenille (human magic), bard (for people skills - a High Bard would also give you additional people influencing power), Royal Ranger, a rogue, and a few fighters - you could have a cleric strong in combat and weaker in spells.
2. Your characters will be mainly adventuring in wooded terrain (mostly hilly, some flat and swampy, and some mountainous - think Applachians- parts). Villages, a town or two, ruins will be very significant parts and you may end up on the water (easiest way to travel and the areas are bisected by rivers and bounded by the coast).
3. Note: This part will simply detail #2 (what's roughly where).
Campaign area - Campaign #1 will take place mostly on Sanctuary's fringes, in the territory of the Barony of Marshton, and the unclaimed areas around the Coum river. Sanctuary is run by an elected council. Marshton has a semi-independent town council influenced heavily by the Baron who has absolute control over the rest of the Barony. The unclaimed territories have scattered villages but is mostly uninhabited - at least by humans.
Sanctuary is the Kingdoms' center for human magic and pushes for a resurgence of all aspects of human magic. Its history has lead to an obsession with defensive planning and training (all citizens learn the longbow). Its web of villages spread out from the Casaga river and support each other defensively and economically. Dangerous territory is only found at the 'Fringes' - an ever expanding shell of new settlements at the edge of settled territory. Sanctuary's population and Council are split between the two opposing strategies of continued, methodical expansion and its traditional economy versus a quick expansion out to more defensible borders and then clear the land of threats within that shell plus expand the economy with more exports. Sanctuary has the most diverse human population of the Kingdoms (outside of the cities of Bannerlith and Danalith). Its territory stretches from the coast to the foot of the mountains. The characters are from Sanctuary.
Marshton is somewhat ramshackle and built on the impressive and extensive ruins of an earlier city. It depends on fishing and trade - a trade that is suspected to be far from legal at times... The Barony is a patchwork of villages, farmland, and scattered woods. The Baron's authority is absolute and weighs heavily on his peasants. Royal authorities suspect but cannot prove wrongdoing by the Baron. Relations are poor with Sanctuary. This territory only stretches part of the way up the coastal plain drained by the Coum River.
The rest of the territory near the Coum River is mostly forest (some of which grew over abandoned farmland and settlements over hundreds of years). Ruins from different ages in Prealith's past dot the landscape.
All of these regions are part of the coastal landscape. From the coast, a wide strip (dozens of miles) of coastal plain has a mix of fairly flat land with rich soil. There are numerous swamps and windy rivers and streams. Moving inland, the next strip of land - the coastal hills - is also dozens of miles wide but made up of rolling hills with shallower soils (about 8-12' deep) over granite bedrock. Where this region meets the coastal plain, any streams or rivers descend to the plain in a series of rapids or falls. Both regions' land is forested unless cleared for farming. The third region is the mountains. From southwest to northeast, two parallel chains of older mountains stretch - separated by a broad valley. This region is also heavily forested but very rugged. The region is infested with fell creatures. The mountains' mineral deposits tempt adventurers; but the valley is a natural highway for raiding and killing, from the even more dangerous northeast to the more settled lands in the southwest.
4. Royal support is very limited in this area as Prealith's resources are concentrated on dealing with the pirates to the south and the hostile kingdoms of Kostandan and Pargun on its northern border. However, since Sanctuary has proven it can defend itself and run its territory to its maximum potential; the Sea Prince's has granted unprecedented freedoms and powers to Sanctuary's Council and citizens. As a result, Sanctuary citizens tend to be royalists, but with a pragmatic attitude that Sanctuary's needs come first.
Session notes: Starting in the late fall, we will play once per month for roughly 4 hours with a meal break. I'll conduct a poll on Facebook and post the most popular date. Bring snacks. All players and the DM must be fully vaccinated - many of us have vulnerable people or young children.
Rules: The rule system is a modified Castles and Crusades system. Features of the system include the following: (link here for complete rules).
1. Less rules. Few Player Character (PC) races. Limited number of classes (see below).
2. More role playing and less roll playing. For instance, instead of rolling a 'Diplomacy' check, it's what comes out of the player's mouth that will determine success or not. There are far fewer skill checks, etc.
3. Clever play is rewarded (by both sides). For instance, smart ambushes and picking conditions that hamper your enemies' initiative might mean making two attacks before your enemy can respond.
4. NPC's and monsters will pursue their own agendas to the best of their ability.
5. World centered, not PC centered. The PCs do not travel from an area of Level 1 threats then Level 2 threats... If the DM gives world hints there is a large dragon near your Level 1 party; it means avoid the encounter, not that there is a chance... The world moves on around you, not through you. However, as you become more powerful and accomplished, you will increasingly affect the world and others will notice you - for both good and bad!
6. World centered #2. In the first 1 or 2 sessions the DM will railroad you somewhat until you are acclimatized to the world. Then, you're on your own. The DM will not be running scheduled scenarios for the players (i.e. module R2 will become available to the players after they complete module R1). Nope, my master villains, their henchmen, and NPC's have plans and schedules to keep - most of which involve corrupting, enslaving, and/or killing those you care about and destroying all those beloved landmarks. Nothing personal; well, at least not until your characters become an known obstacle to those plans ... then it will become very personal for my villains (mwahahaha!).
6. Your reputation and actions have consequences. Save the village and have the militia as allies; sack the village and the militia will string you up. Reputation also means by 8th or 9th level you attract followers and can build a stronghold.
7. Wizards, mages, illusionists and high bards all use different types of magic.
8. Each god has its own unique priest class. Priests range from strong in magic and weak in combat to weak in magic and strong in combat (and all points in between). Each priesthood has its own distinctive powers. They can also enhance certain spells (power, duration, ...) by priests combining their energy and/or tapping into the energy of faithful followers of the religion.
Class Notes: The classes in brief with how they fit into the campaign world. All classes listed are in the world and will probably be encountered. NA (not available) classes for campaign #1 are noted. These classes may become available in campaign #2 depending on the characters' actions in campaign #1. Descriptions are not given for obvious classes.
Assassin - N/A. (Obvious what this class is)
Barbarian - N/A - a fighter used to surviving in more primitive conditions. Has the most hit points of any class, hard to surprise, hardier, survivor BUT uncivilized behaviour. World: PC must be member of Ridgeway Highlanders - has all barbarian features, non-swimmer, tech is close to civilized areas, behavioural code cross between Scottish Highlanders and Plains native tribes.
Bard - Low - entertainer for the common people with best people skills, decent fighting ability, inspires party members, and a few rogue skills. World: can be any human group but Wanderer bards are believed to be superior.
Bard - High - entertainer for the upper classes with best people skills, fighting ability not as good as low bard, inspires party members; but has bard magic spells and the ability to sense and analyze raw magic in the environment. World: must be of Wanderer ancestry. Wanderers are somewhat like gypsies.
Cleric - a holy warrior who is a healer and wielder of divine spells with o.k. combat skills. All clerics have: the same total number of spells they can cast per day, the same chance to hit an enemy, and the ability to cast more potent spells with the support of other clerics and/or worshipers. HOWEVER, a cleric's deity determines any extra powers or restrictions and the range of both combat resources and available spells. A cleric will be strong in either combat or spells and weak in the other area. Other clerics are a balance. Each deity's clerics are unique and must be on excellent terms with their deity! World: Clerics can be of any race but may have race restrictions for specific deities.
Druid - a cleric devoted to nature with unique powers and a nature orientated view of the world. World: Human (likely of Old Human ancestry) druids are called kuakgan and have 'taig sense' (ability to sense the health of the forest). Elven druid (NA) - has taig sense as well. Kuakgan and elven druids are unfriendly to each other at best...
Fighter - for armed combat, the most potent of the classes. World: Any race.
Knight - fighter on horseback valued for both fighting and leadership skills. Bound by a knightly code. World: a few royal orders exist and are open to all Prealith races (mostly of mixed heritage). Many known as knights are actually clerics with good combat resources and limited spells (e.g. Knights of Falk).
Monk - master of brawling, the quarterstaff, and improvised weapons. Protector and educator of the peasants/common people. World: Order of St. Neot - open to all races but almost all are human. The order teaches peasants not only better farming, crafting, etc. but also combat skills. The order is very unpopular with certain classes and other religions.
Paladin - holy warrior with excellent fighting skills but very limited spells and some abilities. Must be lawful good. World: a few of the religions have paladins. Gird's paladins are the best known but discouraged by the Sea Prince's government from operating in Prealith (they owe allegiance to their Marshal General who is another kingdom's - Fintha- ruler).
Ranger- wilderness warrior and scout. World: most powerful human rangers are the Royal Rangers who recruited from the Ice People; Lyonya's half-elf and elven rangers are also quite powerful. Both have taig sense.
Rogue - thief skills - disarm traps, sneak attacks, pick pockets, pick locks, climb, move silently... most are in it for themselves but there are 'Robin Hoods' and those who use the skills to explore ruins or catch thieves. Any race. World: There are very well organized and sophisticated thieves' guilds in the major cities. Sanctuary's ready access to both arcane and divine magic make actual thieving a lot more difficult...
Rune Master - NA (More possibly revealed during Campaign)
Sorcerer - NA (More possibly revealed during Campaign)
Wizard - master of arcane spells. World: organized schools and/or organizations can be found in Prealith's major cities and in Sanctuary. Wizards are expected to follow a code of conduct (essentially not using magic for illegal/immoral reasons). A wizard must be of Dawntreader ancestry - enough that it is physically obvious (red hair, pale skin, and freckles).
World Notes: These are suggestions and crucial points to consider when creating a character/party.
1. Suggested party members for Campaign #1 - wizard, cleric of Tenille (human magic), bard (for people skills - a High Bard would also give you additional people influencing power), Royal Ranger, a rogue, and a few fighters - you could have a cleric strong in combat and weaker in spells.
2. Your characters will be mainly adventuring in wooded terrain (mostly hilly, some flat and swampy, and some mountainous - think Applachians- parts). Villages, a town or two, ruins will be very significant parts and you may end up on the water (easiest way to travel and the areas are bisected by rivers and bounded by the coast).
3. Note: This part will simply detail #2 (what's roughly where).
Campaign area - Campaign #1 will take place mostly on Sanctuary's fringes, in the territory of the Barony of Marshton, and the unclaimed areas around the Coum river. Sanctuary is run by an elected council. Marshton has a semi-independent town council influenced heavily by the Baron who has absolute control over the rest of the Barony. The unclaimed territories have scattered villages but is mostly uninhabited - at least by humans.
Sanctuary is the Kingdoms' center for human magic and pushes for a resurgence of all aspects of human magic. Its history has lead to an obsession with defensive planning and training (all citizens learn the longbow). Its web of villages spread out from the Casaga river and support each other defensively and economically. Dangerous territory is only found at the 'Fringes' - an ever expanding shell of new settlements at the edge of settled territory. Sanctuary's population and Council are split between the two opposing strategies of continued, methodical expansion and its traditional economy versus a quick expansion out to more defensible borders and then clear the land of threats within that shell plus expand the economy with more exports. Sanctuary has the most diverse human population of the Kingdoms (outside of the cities of Bannerlith and Danalith). Its territory stretches from the coast to the foot of the mountains. The characters are from Sanctuary.
Marshton is somewhat ramshackle and built on the impressive and extensive ruins of an earlier city. It depends on fishing and trade - a trade that is suspected to be far from legal at times... The Barony is a patchwork of villages, farmland, and scattered woods. The Baron's authority is absolute and weighs heavily on his peasants. Royal authorities suspect but cannot prove wrongdoing by the Baron. Relations are poor with Sanctuary. This territory only stretches part of the way up the coastal plain drained by the Coum River.
The rest of the territory near the Coum River is mostly forest (some of which grew over abandoned farmland and settlements over hundreds of years). Ruins from different ages in Prealith's past dot the landscape.
All of these regions are part of the coastal landscape. From the coast, a wide strip (dozens of miles) of coastal plain has a mix of fairly flat land with rich soil. There are numerous swamps and windy rivers and streams. Moving inland, the next strip of land - the coastal hills - is also dozens of miles wide but made up of rolling hills with shallower soils (about 8-12' deep) over granite bedrock. Where this region meets the coastal plain, any streams or rivers descend to the plain in a series of rapids or falls. Both regions' land is forested unless cleared for farming. The third region is the mountains. From southwest to northeast, two parallel chains of older mountains stretch - separated by a broad valley. This region is also heavily forested but very rugged. The region is infested with fell creatures. The mountains' mineral deposits tempt adventurers; but the valley is a natural highway for raiding and killing, from the even more dangerous northeast to the more settled lands in the southwest.
4. Royal support is very limited in this area as Prealith's resources are concentrated on dealing with the pirates to the south and the hostile kingdoms of Kostandan and Pargun on its northern border. However, since Sanctuary has proven it can defend itself and run its territory to its maximum potential; the Sea Prince's has granted unprecedented freedoms and powers to Sanctuary's Council and citizens. As a result, Sanctuary citizens tend to be royalists, but with a pragmatic attitude that Sanctuary's needs come first.