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I haven't played D&D in almost a decade, and I've been looking to play again. But I'm the kind of person who appreciates simplicity (particularly when getting back into something for the first time after a long absence), and there are very few games in this forum that start the way God intended: Level 1, PHB rules, no supplements, no changes.
So, after waiting and searching, I've decided to start one of my own and see how much interest there is. I'll need a DM, though; it's been way too long since I've played for me to be able to actually run it.
Without further ado, the rules:
System: D&D 3.5e Player Count: TBD by the DM Style of Play: TBD by the DM, so long as there's a plot :) Allowed Content: PHB only for character creation; I don't have a problem with introducing supplementary material (such as prestige classes) over time, as long as you don't overdo it.
Character Creation:
Backstory: Required; DM can decide on the minimum. As extensive as you want to make it, or as the character demands, but try to give the DM plot hooks to work with.
Experience: 0. Characters start at level 1.
Wealth: As in PHB - roll depending on class.
Ability Scores: As in PHB - 4d6b3, reroll if modifiers total 0 or lower, or if highest score is 13 or lower. No point buy.
Hitpoints/Health: As in PHB - full at first level, roll from then on.
Alignment: Either any or any non-evil, depending on DM preference; if evil, give your character a backstory that contains a good reason for them to work with the group.
So.... is there interest? :)
Last edited by Avi235&258 : 09-08-2012 at 03:14 PM.
Maybe. d20srd is a great resource and includes all the basic rules that you need including prestige classes and psionics (not that I've played much with psionics).
System: D&D 3.5e Player Count: 5 Style of Play: Roleplay mainly with some action thrown in Allowed Content:
PHB
DMG
d20srd
Character Creation:
Backstory: Everything is peaceful and calm on the star isles. People make their way in life as fisherfolk, crabbers, farmers, herdsfolk, even traders. They are good and honest people for the most part and live well together. Sometimes a beast comes out of the deep or from one of the dark and unexplored forests on the larger islands and the local people have to fight it off but these are rare events that have the isles gossiping for years.
Beyond the isles there is nothing but open sea. There is a story, often told to frighten the children around their camp fires, of a brave man who sailed into away from the isles for a year and a day. He returned with wondrous treasures that can still be seen on the homes of the very wealthy and stories of fearsome giants and wicked beasts. The isles are safe and nobody bothers the people who live there.
At least until now...
Experience: Start at 1st level
Wealth: WBL so starting money rolled in this thread.
Ability Scores: As in PHB - 4d6b3, reroll if modifiers total 0 or lower, or if highest score is 13 or lower. No point buy.
Hitpoints/Health: As in PHB - full at first level, roll from then on.
Alignment: Any non-evil unless you have a really good reason to be evil and will still work towards cooperating as a party.
Other Notes:
The Big 16
Spoiler
1. What game system are you running (D&D, Call of Cthulu, Palladium, GURPS, etc.), and if applicable what edition (Original, Classic, Revised, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 10th, etc.)? D&D 3.5
2. What 'type' or variant of game will it be (i.e. "Shadow Chasers" or "Agents of Psi" for d20 Modern)? What is the setting for the game (eg. historic period, published or homebrewed campaign setting, alternate reality, modern world, etc.)? Homebrew game based on islands of halflings living in harmony and having their world turned upside down by human slavers. The humans have their own language and superior weapons, armour and magic. They are bigger, stronger, faster and more powerful and they have a callous disregard for the way of life of the people of the isles.
3. How many Players are you looking for? Will you be taking alternates, and if so, how many? 5. I'm happy to have a reserve or extend to 6 if there is sufficient interest.
4. What's the gaming medium (OOTS, chat, e-mail etc.)? Here on the OOTS forum. Please start with a character sheet on http://www.myth-weavers.com or similar.
5. What is the characters' starting status (i.e. experience level)? 1st level, maximum starting hit points. Technology is limited to that which would be found on islands in the middle ages but the halfing people are not warlike so metal armours and weapons of war are a curiosity at least initially.
6. How much gold or other starting funds will the characters begin with? Roll for wealth by class
7. Are there any particular character classes, professions, orders, etc. that you want... or do not want? What are your rules on 'prestige' and/or homebrewed classes? Standard d20srd classes only, no homebrew classes, no other books.
8. What races, subraces, species, etc. are allowed for your game? Will you allow homebrewed races or species? 'Prestige' races or species? My preference is that you would start as halflings. If you have a good reason to be another race then let me know but they should be limited to PH races only. I am happy to change this if characters are killed and you want to introduce a replacement later.
9. By what method should Players generate their attributes/ability scores and Hit Points? As in PHB - 4d6b3, reroll if modifiers total 0 or lower, or if highest score is 13 or lower. No point buy.
10. Does your game use alignment? What are your restrictions, if so? Please try to be non-evil unless there is a good reason for playing an evil character.
11. Do you allow multi-classing, or have any particular rules in regards to it? Standard PHB rules on multiclassing.
12. Will you be doing all of the die rolling during the course of the game? Will die rolls be altered, or left to the honor system? If players can make die rolls, which ones do they make, how should they make the rolls, and how should they report them? Please use the forum dice roller i.e. [ roll ] 1d20 + mod [ /roll ] but without the spaces. All rolls will be public unless there is a reason for them being secret
13. Are there any homebrewed or optional/variant rules that your Players should know about? If so, list and explain them, or provide relevant links to learn about these new rules. Nope, nothing really.
14. Is a character background required? If so, how big? Are you looking for anything in particular (i.e. the backgrounds all ending up with the characters in the same city)? A minimum of a paragraph. Please try to blend one another's back stories together so that you know at least one other character. Characters should be halflings who inhabit a series of islands (large and small) who are beset by human slavers. Other races could be available if there is a very good back story and justification for it.
15. Does your game involve a lot of hack & slash, puzzle solving, roleplaying, or a combination of the above? A bit of everything. I tend to be verbose on roleplaying by preference. If you're chomping at the bit for a fight then PM me and I'll move the action on.
16. Are your Players restricted to particular rulebooks and supplements, or will you be allowing access to non-standard material? What sources can Players use for their characters? PHB, DMG and d20srd. Try to avoid psionics please.
Background
Spoiler
Everything is peaceful and calm on the star isles. People make their way in life as fisherfolk, crabbers, farmers, herdsfolk, even traders. They are good and honest people for the most part and live well together. Sometimes a beast comes out of the deep or from one of the dark and unexplored forests on the larger islands and the local people have to fight it off but these are rare events that have the isles gossiping for years.
Beyond the isles there is nothing but open sea. There is a story, often told to frighten the children around their camp fires, of a brave man who sailed into away from the isles for a year and a day. He returned with wondrous treasures that can still be seen on the homes of the very wealthy and stories of fearsome giants and wicked beasts. The isles are safe and nobody bothers the people who live there.
At least until now...
One day in the northern isle of Star Point giants landed. They were shaped like the simple fisherfolk around them but were twice the size and had steel skin and coarse hair on their faces. They carried away the people who they found and burned their boats. They left on huge floating islands with weapons on all sides that spat fire and death at the free folk when they tried to rescue their friends and family.
Who are these monsters and what do they want? How can the small folk fight them when they have powerful magic at their disposal? What happens if they return?
Social structure:
Spoiler
The isles are made up of halflings that is largely peaceful. They are being invaded by human slavers with superior technology and magic. Hardly any halfling advances as an adventuring class in the isles and even those who do rarely get past fifth level. Access to healing is in the form of potions and scrolls from the priests and druids who support the various independent islands. More powerful magic and magic items are almost unheard of, though a few weapons, armours and such exist from long ago where a few adventurers left the isles and returned with their treasure. These have been handed down through the generations or acquired by collectors.
There is no centralised ruler for the isles. Each isle has a between one and dozen leaders with various titles from mayor to king. They rarely wage war on one another so they've had no need to band together for protection or to build large walled cities. Life is good and peaceful which is why they are so poorly prepared for an attack.
Language
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The natives islanders only speak their own tongue. I can't see a reason why they would need to speak any other. Priests have two sacred languages for the two factions. Druidic (for Druids) and Celestial (for Clerics). There is a langauge of ancient magic, Draconic. Rarely the small folk trade with intelligent sea creatures so Aquan is available. There is an ancient language of the forest folk as well so Sylvan is also available though the few who speak it generally do so only among themselves. If anyone has additional slots for languages I'm happy to keep them open so that they can learn the Common tongue or one of the other languages of the of the slavers later.
Gods and Goddesses
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There is a simple pantheon revering nature, the sea, home life, fertility, etc. The priesthood is made up of men and women who interpret the signs, keep a record of births, deaths and marriages, arrange foster care where required, collect and distribute alms for those in need, arrange and hold holy days and festivals and perform largely social functions within society.
There are some minor miracles that the priesthood is able to perform, some healing for injuries and help in labour, the creation of water and food for those who come as supplicants, etc. The sort of thing an adept, cleric or druid of 1st to 3rd level could perform. They also patrol and defend the isles from sea monsters and the occasional wild animal attack. They also protect the isle of the dead from the curious.
The two factions of the priesthood are druids and clerics or the Orders of the Sea and the Mist. Druids, the Order of the Sea is the largest, spend time travelling the isles and ministering to the needy, tending crops and helping wiht births, both halfling and animal. The clerics (the Order of the Mist is the largest) typically confine themselves to the Isle of the Dead or travel to tend the sick and administer funeral rites.
Geography of note
Spoiler
There are a few key features:
The Isle of the Dead is a sacred site where the dead are interred along with the possession that they'll need in the afterlife. Some food, a spear or fishing rod, clothes, perhaps a favourite pipe or mug. The priesthood patrol the isle to protect the dead from thieves but also to protect would be thieves from the dead who sometimes become restless and wander the mists in search of the living.
Old Alk is the largest and most central of the islands dominated by an active volcano known as the Angry Mother. The volcano itself sometimes puts out a gout of smoke when the Mother is angry or a spills a stream of lava when making a new isle. She has not been violent (or angry) is centuries. Old Alk is a fertile island and the centre of crop production and civilisation for the small folk. Major festivals are held at the capital, Alkton, a town of some 5000 permanent residents.
The Concept
Spoiler
The game should be one of defending against the incursions of a powerful force, rescuing those stolen, retrieving lost items of power, either from their owners through negotiation or by finding their way to the Isle of the Dead to recover something from the undead there. There should also be monster attacks and quests. The humans come every 4-5 months for more slaves. There is an opportunity for players who want to play other races to be escapees or turn cloaks from the slavers or even just honest traders caught up on the wrong side of the slave trade and looking for a way out.
Classes
Spoiler
Barbarian - Some halflings prowl the jungle isles or embrace the raw power of the sea. They are rare and often distrusted.
Bard - Bards are always popular among the islands. They carry news from place to place, act as repositories of obscure knowledge and provide entertainment that makes them welcome anywhere.
Cleric - The Order of the Mist is the largest clerical denomination. They worship the pantheon of gods the same as the druids but also care for the ancestors of the islanders who reside on the Isle of the Dead. There are other factions too and players are free to build these as they see fit.
Druid - The Order of the Sea is the largest Druidic sect. They worship the same pantheon of gods as the clerics but alse revere nature as a force in itself.
Fighter - There is a tradition of slingers and rock skippers among the halflings as well as guards, hunters, defenders of the faith and other cobat focussed roles that fit fighter well.
Monk - Monks do not really fit the flavour of this game but if someone really wanted to play a monk then it is always possible to fit in a strange hermit on a distant isle who could have trained them or even a small monostary.
Paladin - Affiliated with the Order of the Mist, paladins are nevertheless a rarity. Few things threaten the isles and the need for a holy warrior is slight.
Ranger - Relatively common and usually part of the Order of the Sea, rangers act as guides between and through islands and protect the forests and lands and those who live there from the few threats that nature sends their way. Favoured enemy will typically be undead, animal, vermin or plant. Given the nature of the campaign I'm happy for any rangers to hold back their first favoured enemy until after the first few encounters.
Rogue - The small folk like nothing more than demonstrating their skill at silently sneaking up on someone, clambering up a steep slope or tree or just playing hide and seek.
Sorcerers & Wizards - Both are rare. Wizards spend long years studying a few moldering scrolls, typically alongside the Order of the Mist or independently if they are wealthy. Sorcerers occur more spontenously and powers often emerge from birth or puberty. Recently the number of sorcerers born has increased though noone knows why beyond the fact that this power tends to run in families.
Equipment & Magic
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The Isles are relatively primitive. They don't make much use of metal armours which are impractical and downright dangerous for a seafaring race.
Similarly magic and magic items are rare in the isles beyond a few tricks and things to make life a little easier. The slavers are equipped with powerful offensive magics and area of effect spells like colour spray and sleep that are useful for capturing slaves.
Economics
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Both the slavers and halflings use the standard gold, silver, copper for money though they mint the coins differently. The slavers have proper coins with the head of their king on one side as there only means of payment. Not that they pay for anything on the isles. The halflings use something called hacksilver for day to day transactions. Hacksilver is simply banded silver or bracelets of silver that are broken or cut for weight. Expensive goods are paid for in gold or platinum strips or in worked gold that has a higher value.
I would like to join this game of yours, i am thinking of a halfling barbarian. he was rejected be his family along time ago when they saw his violent tendancies. they cast him out into the forest where he learnt to fend for himself, mostly.
prehaps for his tie in with one of the other characters, a member of the clergy took pity on him and occasionlly brought him food and supplies? or it could be any other person that helped him out.
Not the greatest rolls in the world but you get a net +1 bonus and a score over 13. Lots of interesting role play with a low 6 (or is that a modified 4 STR?) to explain. Perhaps your sorcery has sapped your strength and left you feeble or crippled.
Not the greatest rolls in the world but you get a net +1 bonus and a score over 13. Lots of interesting role play with a low 6 (or is that a modified 4 STR?) to explain. Perhaps your sorcery has sapped your strength and left you feeble or crippled.
You mean my Set 2, don't you? My Set 1 has a net -1...
Also interested, I've fairly new to D&D and have been looking for a good place to start pbp. I'm not an experienced RPer, but I'm very eager to work on that. Not sure what to play yet, whatever the group needs I guess.
I'm not so new that I don't understand the mechanics. I've just done more reading than actually playing.
It's not finished yet, as I need to work out some background and character info yet, as well as figure out what feat to give him. I'll edit this post to clarify when I think he's finished.
RE-EDIT: Finished.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dancing_shadows
prehaps for his tie in with one of the other characters, a member of the clergy took pity on him and occasionlly brought him food and supplies? or it could be any other person that helped him out.
I think it would make sense for my ranger to be familiar with your barbarian. They probably both spend a decent amount of time in the forests and share information, etc.
I think it would make sense for my ranger to be familiar with your barbarian. They probably both spend a decent amount of time in the forests and share information, etc.
That makes alot of sense, i will incorporate that into my background. Thanks.
Last edited by dancing_shadows : 09-04-2012 at 12:47 PM.
I managed to fix it so my character is now public, though if it has lied to me, I SHALL BURN IT! or something less anti-productive but equally discouraging
Last edited by dancing_shadows : 09-04-2012 at 04:09 PM.
Wow, I leave the forum for twelve hours and look what happens to my thread! It looks like there's a lot of demand for a simple, no-extensions game. Other DMs, take note!
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