Post by stabs felcher on Jun 16, 2006 1:49:27 GMT -5
Summary (Note: Setting written by "Zandig", and screwed around with by "Stabs")
Two factions of high-born humans known as "Astoran" occupy the land of Crescentium, stolen from the Highlanders after the invasion 280 years ago. After an initial period of conflict after the settlement, the Veriquae Empire of the North and the Taridan Empire to the South have been at peace for over 100 years. It is now a time of industry and prosperity, and with the opening up of the paths over the Stonewall Mountain Range and the unconquered westlands just begging to be explored, it's a good time to be an adventurer.
Rules:
-Starting at Level 1 (max gold for class)
-32 Point Buy
-Full HP at 1st level, then get half minimum if you roll less than half
-No Multiclass EXP penalties
-Use any Wizards 3.5 books, and other stuff upon request
-Firearms rules from privateerpress.com/docs/privateer_firearms.pdf
-Knowledge: Technology is a Skill (Class Skill for all city dwellers)
-Craft: Firearms is a class skill when you take proficiency with firearms
NEW RULE:
No Level Loss from Energy Drain.
Instead, if a character would suffer level loss (from failing a Fort Save 24 hours after being Energy Drained), they instead just keep that negative level (-1 to rolls, -5 HP, -1 Spell Slot etc). It is removed the next time they level up, so they gain both a new level and remove the penalty (it's like levelling twice! I swear! >_>)
Rule taken from here: www.andycollins.net/Theories/dying.htm
General Setting Info:
Rare-ish Magick, Low Level setting (no Elminsters running about).
Languages:
-All regular racial languages
-no Planar-based languages
-Common would be what is spoken by the Astoran in both the northern and southern empire (you gotta drawl if you're a southerner though)
-The highlanders have their own language, but most speak common too
Arcane Magick:
This is a fairly rare Magick setting. Casters aren't nerfed, but Wizards are hardly common.
To give you some idea, most people dismiss magick as superstician, and the rest see it as a very dangerous force to be stopped.
Sorcerers and Warlocks are the most common breed of Magicker in Crescentium, making up about 1% of the population, with actual "Book" Wizards being about one tenth as common. Keep this in mind when thinking up your background if you play an Arcanist.
Divine Magick:
No mortal knows anything of the Celestia, and no one can prove that any "God" exists. Most people worship a being that men have named "Kelathyr", the Sun Lord, but this is largely a human construct. Even though warriors who act in Kelathyr's name do seem to channel some kind of power, it is unknown as to whether they have truly accessed divine energies or are merely drawing on inner depths of resolve.
Apart from Kelathyr, the pagan Highlanders still worship the Old Ones, unnamed gods of a vast pantheon who cover the gamut of philosophies and alignments. Druidic circles are rare, and there are only two or three recorded throughout the entire continent, and these are almost exclusively the domain of Highlanders.
Clerics and Paladins of Kelathyr work as normal, with Kelathyr's domains being: Good, Law, Sun, War and Strength.
For other gods, patch a couple of domains together and make up a name. This would be what your god is called among your specific Pagan order, or you can merely worship a concept as normal. The PHB Deities would work fine for this. Just remember you won't have a temple in every town if your god is obscure.
Kelathyran Divinists are viewed as a relic of the past, respected and feared by the populace.
Pagans and others are viewed as either slightly delusional or incredible dangerous, depending on the amount of power they wield.
Technology:
Crescentium is undergoing an industrial revolution, so devices like steam engines, printing presses and firearms are just starting to become widespread. The skill Knowledge: Technology is used to both identify and to use technological devices. Magick and Tech have no specific effect on each other, but there are very few technological items that are also enhanced with magick (this being known as "Magelock Technology.")
Races:
Humans are the dominant species of Crescentium, to the extent that some extremely sheltered people might live their whole lives without ever seeing a demihuman. There are basically two "races", the Highlanders and the Astoran (who have two empires, the Veriquae in the north where we start, and the Taradan in the south). Think of this like the English invading Scotland, then splitting up into two divisions.
Elves, dwarves and gnomes are quite often seen outside of their own lands, and tolerance on the part of humans is decent enough to warrent them leaving their homelands to trek across the mountains to Holmgard.
I'm ripping Halflings out of the Darksun setting, so they're feared for obvious reasons (they eat people), while Orcs are treated decently in the highlands and in the southern empire, but less so in the northern empire.
That said, all PHB races are available (as well as any other LA +0), just consider how it is you came to be in these parts. The world isn't set in stone, so you wanna play something that might not fit the races as I have them set up (gentleman halfling who -doesn't- eat people) come talk to your friendly DM.
Common Knowledge:
The average person in Crescentium knows that (supposedly) magickers manipulate energy and trolls are creatures that live in the mountains and eat flesh.
Your average person wouldn't know that a Mage could make someone grow to 2 times their height, fire 1d4+1 Magick Missiles, or throw around 5d6 Fireballs, they'd just know a mage is something to be feared (and burnt at the stake). Neither would any but the most learned scholars know the difference between Sorcerers and Book Magicians.
As for Monsters, about 1/3rd of city dwellers would have actually seen something like a Kobold or an Troll, being that such creatures do not venture close to civilization. The further out you go, the higher their populations are.
Any other questions, post 'em here or AIM me.
Two factions of high-born humans known as "Astoran" occupy the land of Crescentium, stolen from the Highlanders after the invasion 280 years ago. After an initial period of conflict after the settlement, the Veriquae Empire of the North and the Taridan Empire to the South have been at peace for over 100 years. It is now a time of industry and prosperity, and with the opening up of the paths over the Stonewall Mountain Range and the unconquered westlands just begging to be explored, it's a good time to be an adventurer.
Rules:
-Starting at Level 1 (max gold for class)
-32 Point Buy
-Full HP at 1st level, then get half minimum if you roll less than half
-No Multiclass EXP penalties
-Use any Wizards 3.5 books, and other stuff upon request
-Firearms rules from privateerpress.com/docs/privateer_firearms.pdf
-Knowledge: Technology is a Skill (Class Skill for all city dwellers)
-Craft: Firearms is a class skill when you take proficiency with firearms
NEW RULE:
No Level Loss from Energy Drain.
Instead, if a character would suffer level loss (from failing a Fort Save 24 hours after being Energy Drained), they instead just keep that negative level (-1 to rolls, -5 HP, -1 Spell Slot etc). It is removed the next time they level up, so they gain both a new level and remove the penalty (it's like levelling twice! I swear! >_>)
Rule taken from here: www.andycollins.net/Theories/dying.htm
General Setting Info:
Rare-ish Magick, Low Level setting (no Elminsters running about).
Languages:
-All regular racial languages
-no Planar-based languages
-Common would be what is spoken by the Astoran in both the northern and southern empire (you gotta drawl if you're a southerner though)
-The highlanders have their own language, but most speak common too
Arcane Magick:
This is a fairly rare Magick setting. Casters aren't nerfed, but Wizards are hardly common.
To give you some idea, most people dismiss magick as superstician, and the rest see it as a very dangerous force to be stopped.
Sorcerers and Warlocks are the most common breed of Magicker in Crescentium, making up about 1% of the population, with actual "Book" Wizards being about one tenth as common. Keep this in mind when thinking up your background if you play an Arcanist.
Divine Magick:
No mortal knows anything of the Celestia, and no one can prove that any "God" exists. Most people worship a being that men have named "Kelathyr", the Sun Lord, but this is largely a human construct. Even though warriors who act in Kelathyr's name do seem to channel some kind of power, it is unknown as to whether they have truly accessed divine energies or are merely drawing on inner depths of resolve.
Apart from Kelathyr, the pagan Highlanders still worship the Old Ones, unnamed gods of a vast pantheon who cover the gamut of philosophies and alignments. Druidic circles are rare, and there are only two or three recorded throughout the entire continent, and these are almost exclusively the domain of Highlanders.
Clerics and Paladins of Kelathyr work as normal, with Kelathyr's domains being: Good, Law, Sun, War and Strength.
For other gods, patch a couple of domains together and make up a name. This would be what your god is called among your specific Pagan order, or you can merely worship a concept as normal. The PHB Deities would work fine for this. Just remember you won't have a temple in every town if your god is obscure.
Kelathyran Divinists are viewed as a relic of the past, respected and feared by the populace.
Pagans and others are viewed as either slightly delusional or incredible dangerous, depending on the amount of power they wield.
Technology:
Crescentium is undergoing an industrial revolution, so devices like steam engines, printing presses and firearms are just starting to become widespread. The skill Knowledge: Technology is used to both identify and to use technological devices. Magick and Tech have no specific effect on each other, but there are very few technological items that are also enhanced with magick (this being known as "Magelock Technology.")
Races:
Humans are the dominant species of Crescentium, to the extent that some extremely sheltered people might live their whole lives without ever seeing a demihuman. There are basically two "races", the Highlanders and the Astoran (who have two empires, the Veriquae in the north where we start, and the Taradan in the south). Think of this like the English invading Scotland, then splitting up into two divisions.
Elves, dwarves and gnomes are quite often seen outside of their own lands, and tolerance on the part of humans is decent enough to warrent them leaving their homelands to trek across the mountains to Holmgard.
I'm ripping Halflings out of the Darksun setting, so they're feared for obvious reasons (they eat people), while Orcs are treated decently in the highlands and in the southern empire, but less so in the northern empire.
That said, all PHB races are available (as well as any other LA +0), just consider how it is you came to be in these parts. The world isn't set in stone, so you wanna play something that might not fit the races as I have them set up (gentleman halfling who -doesn't- eat people) come talk to your friendly DM.
Common Knowledge:
The average person in Crescentium knows that (supposedly) magickers manipulate energy and trolls are creatures that live in the mountains and eat flesh.
Your average person wouldn't know that a Mage could make someone grow to 2 times their height, fire 1d4+1 Magick Missiles, or throw around 5d6 Fireballs, they'd just know a mage is something to be feared (and burnt at the stake). Neither would any but the most learned scholars know the difference between Sorcerers and Book Magicians.
As for Monsters, about 1/3rd of city dwellers would have actually seen something like a Kobold or an Troll, being that such creatures do not venture close to civilization. The further out you go, the higher their populations are.
Any other questions, post 'em here or AIM me.