Troll Lord Games

Anyone want to start one up?

If there is no interest I might be up for running one, though to be honest I haven't really ever done it before.

So any interest on either side?
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I'd play in one.

I've been thinking about running one, but right now isn't good for me, lots going on professionally and personally. maybe in the new year when the day job lets up.

but I can post a PbP daily.

You know what?

Screw it! I'll give it a go, running a PbP.

I'll take 2 or 3 players with 2 characters each. Only one magic user to a player please.

I'll assume Aslan wants in.... 2 more slots!

Lets aim for starting 10/15/09, posting at least every 2 days (or if everyone's posted/ready we'll go more quickly, but I'll skip you if you're over, say, 36 hours).

I'll complie and post any house rules... I'm pretty loose with optional classes, so if you like a non-PHB class, let me know.

Caveat: I havn't DM'd in a while, and never by PbP so I may be shaking off some rust at first, but my main focus is always on FUN!

Sure... I'm in. Relaxo, let me know some of the specifics assuming there's a spot open by the time you see this.

M
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Partner to Brave Halfling Publishing
http://www.arcanacreations.com

Pat, you're in, as yours is the first reply!

Everyone, please go w/ this:

Attributes:

Please roll 3d6 but re-roll all 1's. Do so 7 times and take the 6 highest, arrange as desired.

If you still roll a 6 or 7, reroll that too.

Classes:

Whenever possible, go with the 4th printing versions.

Please build characters with 11,005 XP (around 4th - 5th this is for most)

I'll post an optional class or three to choose from, though I probably aught not.

I am interested, but I haven't done this before.

Is there anyway we can make it 1 character. I don't want to get overwhelmed?

Oh and I only have 2nd printing Phb.
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If it were not for the fact that you wanted to start in the middle of the worst month for me, I may have been interested. I am itching to finally play a dwarf monk/ wrestler inspired by Randy "The Macho Man" Savage... oh well.
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Serl's Corner

AslanC wrote:
I am interested, but I haven't done this before.

Is there anyway we can make it 1 character. I don't want to get overwhelmed?

Oh and I only have 2nd printing Phb.

I think the idea was one character each.
There is little difference between the classes from the 4th printing and the previous printings save for the Barbarian. The Monk mostly had his powers renamed for a more 'western' take with a slight tweak to the AC progression and the Illusionist only get some new spells.

If you want to play one of these, just let me know and I'll be more than happy to supply you with what you need.
M
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"You face Death itself in the form of... 1d4 Tarrasques!"

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I am in...

expect some stats and a suitably desperate name by Thursday at the latest...

excellent!

Relaxo wrote:
You know what?

I'll take 2 or 3 players with 2 characters each. Only one magic user to a player please.

Read again Moritarty
Anywho, what is everyone else thinking of playing?

Can we get some idea of the setting as well?

I like to really put some thought into my characters and make sure they are interesting for me to play and for you to CK
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AslanC wrote:
Read again Moriarty
Anywho, what is everyone else thinking of playing?

Can we get some idea of the setting as well?

I like to really put some thought into my characters and make sure they are interesting for me to play and for you to CK

Dang... I didn't see that point in the earlier post -- I was going by his other guidelines posted afterwards. I too would prefer just the one if the CK wouldn't mind.

M
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"You face Death itself in the form of... 1d4 Tarrasques!"

Partner to Brave Halfling Publishing
http://www.arcanacreations.com

why would I mind? it's YOUR game, the way I see it...

Setting... vague fantasy setting, akin to Forgotten realms, not overly magical, but not low magic. Yes that's vague, sorry... there are more frequent visitors from far off lands (monks and such) than classical arthurian fantasy... I'm a stew kind of guy, so vikings may be found w/ romans... don't panic.
I'll leave this up to you all, but I'd prefer if the party are already assembled and know each other somehow rather than role play their initial meetings and such since that can take weeks in PbP. Backgrounds are fun but probably won't amount to roll bonuses... unless they're really really cool backgrounds.

In General:

The goal is to have fun, so don't sweat ANYTHING. I won't, so you shouldn't either. It's a game, and games = FUN!

I had actually intended for people to play 2 characters each, because when I played in a PbP, it worked well with 2 each, (and it was cool to have 1 regular and 1 magic).

But by all means, do feel free to play only one character, it's totally up to you. Maybe we'll have 4 players even... it's all good. (more than 4 seems untenable with posting and such, especially with different time zones... we'll work it out)

Choose whatever class(es) you like and if needed we'll "fix" party balance later with NPCs (see that not sweating anything in action?).

Whenever possible, go with the 4th printing versions. If you don't own the books however no sweat the only real difference is in the Barbarian, and probably even the white box versions are just about the same. If you want to try the 4th printing barbarian, I think the stats are posted somewhere, and one of us will be able to forward it if you need.

Attributes:

Please roll 3d6 but re-roll all 1's. Do so 7 times and take the 6 highest, arrange as desired.

If you still get a 6, reroll that too.

Max HP at 1st level, each level re-roll any HP rolls that are < half the die value (e.g. reroll 1 or 2 on d6, or 1-4 on d10)

Natural 1 / Natural 20

On any attack / siege roll: a natural 1 is a fail and a natural 20 is a success.

For attack rolls, 1 = botch/fumble and the character will be inconvenineced in some way (drop weapon, lost action, catch fire).

20 = critical hit, max of damage die + roll die + mods (STR etc). Same for monsters/NPCs.

I should make it such that if the only way to hit a target is to roll nat 20 (like a level 1 character attacking AC45) then it's just a regular hit... but i may not bother.

Classes:

Please build characters with 22,005 XP

Magic users must study/pray for 1 hour each day to refresh/swap out spells.

Divine spell casters have access to their entire list (of levels they can cast), while arcane casters have in their spell books d4+6 0-level spells, d4+3 1st level spells, d3+2 2nd level spells, 1d2 3rd level spells... you pick 'em!

Fighters can use Combat Dominance w/ Bows.

The following Optional classes are available, (but by no means required!):

I can email you a word file that's easier to read

Weapon master (Strength): The Weapon master is a warrior of any social class wholly dedicated to mastering a single particular weapon, and is capable of amazing feats with their signature weapon.

Wu-Jen (Constitution): The Wu-Jen are magic users who transform their own life force into magical effects on themselves and others.

WEAPON MASTER (Strength)

Weapon masters are highly trained warriors who dedicate their lives to mastering one particular weapon at the expense of almost all other pursuits. Some may begin training as early as when they begin walking. Orphans, noble born children who will never inherit a title or commoners seeking to elevate their status may seek out a lone master or join a monastery in their youth.

The Weapon masters dedication to total mastery of their weapon of choice makes them capable of amazing feats with their weapon. The weapon itself may be of the highest master quality or utterly common. The weapons real value is realized when the Weapon master displays their total control of it and themselves. Accordingly, the Masters weapon is precious to them and they usually sleep with it and make a daily ritual of cleaning, oiling, honing or otherwise caring for it to keep it in the best possible condition. A Weapon master must make reasonable efforts to regain a lost or stolen weapon or they can not gain XP for 3 months. If the weapon is destroyed or irretrievably lost, the Weapon master is free to find or buy another, but may not gain EP for one month and during this time, they will also fast, shave their head, or make some other outward gesture of mourning.

Weapon master (Strength)

Prime Attribute: Strength

Hit Dice: d10 / +4 per level 11+

Alignment: any non-chaotic

Weapons: All / Special

Armor: All / as Ranger

Shields: none

Abilities: Weapon Master, Ki Strike, Kiai Strike, Deflect Missiles, Master Strike, Additional Attacks, Flurry

Armor: Weapon master can wear any armor, but can only use their Kiai Strike, Deflect Missiles and Flurry special abilities if wearing the armors listed above, as they need to have a full range of motion to perform these feats.

Weapon Master: The Weapon master is a master of their signature weapon. They can choose to master any weapon, but due to their tight focus on this one single weapon, they are clumsy with other weapons. A Weapon master can only use their special abilities with their signature weapon. At 1st level, the Weapon master chooses only one weapon to master, and once chosen, it can not be changed.

All weapons are categorized in loose groups for determining a Weapon masters proficiency with them. Weapon master fight with other weapons in the same category as their Weapon of Choice at a -2 penalty, and are considered non-proficient in any other weapon (-4 penalty). For example, if a Weapon master masters the short sword, they are -2 with any other sword, knife or dagger, and -4 with any other weapon. See the table below.

The Weapon master enjoys many benefits from their weapon mastery. A Weapon master can never be disarmed of their signature weapon and is ambidextrous with their signature weapon. Using their signature weapon, they gain a +2 disarm an opponent. Weapon masters gain a +2 bonus to hit when attacking an enemy from the rear.

Ki Strike: With the Weapon masters signature weapon only, this ability is otherwise the same as the Monk ability of the same name (called Fists of Iron in 4th printing).

Kiai Strike: The Weapon master releases a vicious shout and strikes with total focus and unity of mind, breath and body. They add their Constitution modifier, if positive, to their attack roll and their level to their damage roll. At 3rd level, the Weapon master can use Kiai Strike once per day. At 12th level, they can use it twice per day.

Deflect Missiles: At 5th level, a Weapon master can use their signature weapon to deflect missiles as the Monk ability of the same name.

Master Strike: At 7th level, the Weapon masters mastery allows them to strike unerringly once per day. The Weapon master must spend one attack studying their target, taking only defensive moves up to half their movement rate, and the following round, their attack will automatically hit. Damage is rolled normally. If the Weapon master is struck for damage during the round they are studying their target, the Master Strike is disrupted and lost for the day. At 14th level, the Master Strike will also automatically inflict maximum damage. The Weapon master can not use Master Strike and Kiai Strike for the same attack.

Additional Attacks: At 10th level, the Weapon master can make an additional attack each round with their signature weapon only. This additional attack allows the weapon master to use their Master Strike ability to study a target but still attack once in the round they are doing so.

Flurry: At 12th level, the Weapon master can use the Flurry special ability once each day to attack every enemy within 10 feet once in the same round. Each attack is rolled separately. The CK may allow the Weapon master to attack every enemy within 15 feet if they mastered a pole arm or other long melee weapon.

If the Weapon master mastered a missile weapon, Flurry allows them to attack up to seven enemies within short range once each in the same round (the Weapon master must have enough ammunition or weapons to attack all seven targets).

If the Weapon master mastered a weapon that can be used for both melee or missile attacks, they can use it either way, but not both in the same flurry. They must not be in melee combat to use the missile attack Flurry.

Weapon master Hit Dice BtH EPP

1 d10 0 0

2 d10 +1 2,301

3 d10 +2 4,801

4 d10 +3 10,001

5 d10 +4 21,001

6 d10 +5 42,001

7 d10 +6 80,001

8 d10 +7 160,001

9 d10 +8 320,001

10 d10 +9 600,001

11 +4 +10 925,001

12 +4 +11 1,300,000

13+ +4 +1 each +300,000 each

Weapon master Weapons

Weapon Category Includes

Blades All handheld swords and knives of all sizes

Chopping/Bludgeoning All clubs, axes, batons, maces, etc

Two Handed All staves, held spears, pole arms, chains, etc

Missiles All thrown missiles, thrown spears, etc

Bows All bows except crossbows

Crossbows Not allowed

Note: if a Weapon master masters a weapon that can be used for both melee or missile attacks, they can use it either way.

WU-JEN (Constitution)

Wu-Jen are magic users who channel their own life force into magical energy to affect themselves and others. They are in tune with the intricacies of their life force, their bodies and the life force of all nature surrounding them. This attunement and insight allows them to channel their life force to create magical effects, that is, cast spells.

Wu-Jen are always in peak physical condition and in great health for their species. This is reflected in their Hit Dice and Body Mastery special ability. A Wu-Jens health is of paramount importance to their spell casting ability, as they must literally transform their own life force into the magical effects they are attempting to create. In game terms, they spend hit points or take damage to manifest any spell they are casting.

Wu-Jen (Constitution)

Prime Attribute: Constitution

Hit Dice: d6, at 11th level onward +2 hit point

Alignment: any

Weapons: Quarterstaff, club, dagger, dart, short sword, spear, dirk, light crossbow

Armor: None

Shields: Small only, CAN cast spells while wearing/holding small shield

Abilities: Spells, Spell scrolls (Spell book, as Wizard), Body Mastery

Wu-Jen Spells: Whenever a Wu-Jen wishes to manifest a spell, they must spend hit points equal to 1+ the spell level. All spells cast by a Wu-Jen require no material components, and they do not gain any bonus spells for any high attributes.

As one's body and survival instincts naturally resist danger, the casting of spells becomes more difficult for a Wu-Jen if they are not in good health, that is, at less than full hit points.

At each level, the player should calculate one half (drop any fractions or decimals) and one quarter (round up) of the characters maximum hit points. For example, if a Wu-Jen has 18 hit points maximum, half would equal 9 hp and one quarter would equal 5, rounded up from 4.5. When this Wu-Jen levels up, the player rolls a 5 on the hit die and so the new maximum is 23. The new halfway point is 11 (drop decimal from 11.5) and a quarter is 6 (rounded up from 5.75).

If the Wu-Jen is above half of their maximum hit points, they can cast spells freely.

If the Wu-Jen is currently at or below half of their maximum hit points, but above one quarter, they must make a Constitution check to cast any spell. The CL of this roll equals the hit point cost of the spell (the spell level +1). If the Wu-Jen fails this roll, they cannot manifest the spell, their action for the round is spent, and they can attempt to cast any spell again the following round if desired.

If the Wu-Jen is currently at or below one quarter of the maximum hit points, they must make a Constitution check with a CL = 3 x the hp cost of the spell. If the Wu-Jen fails this roll, they cannot manifest the spell, their action for the round is spent, and they cannot attempt to cast any spells the following round.

In no case can a Wu-Jen ever cast a spell that would take them to 0 or fewer hp. If a Wu-Jen is ill or suffering a magical disease, the CK may increase the CL for them to cast spells by 1-6 based on the severity of the illness.

The highest-level spells a Wu-Jen can learn and cast are limited by their class level, as shown in the table below.

Wu-Jen can choose any spell they have in their spell scrolls at the time of casting. They must study their scrolls for at least an hour every day. Typically they meditate over their contents in a daily ritual at dawn or sunset. To permanently acquire a spell, they must scribe it into their spell scrolls for their daily study. Wu-Jen can not cast spells from magic scrolls, but can copy spells from magic scrolls into their personal spell scrolls as a way of learning them permanently. Doing this destroys the magic scroll.

The Wu-Jen will have 1d4+2 0-level spells, and 1d3+1 1st-level spells in their spell scrolls at the beginning of play. The CK and Player will decide which spells to include by mutual agreement or determine them randomly. Throughout their career, Wu-Jen constantly seek new spells to master and scribe into their spell scrolls for their permanent use.

Body Mastery: At 4th level, Body Mastery grants Wu-Jen a +1 to save vs. Death Magic, Disease, Paralysis, Petrifaction, and Poison. This bonus increases to +2 at 10th level, and +3 at 15th level.

Wu-Jen Level Hit Dice BtH Maximum Spell Level EPP

1 d6 0 1 0

2 d6 +1 2 2,601

3 d6 +1 2 5,201

4 d6 +1 3 10,401

5 d6 +1 3 20,801

6 d6 +2 4 42,501

7 d6 +2 4 85,001

8 d6 +2 5 170,001

9 d6 +2 5 340,001

10 d6 +3 6 500,001

11 +2 +3 6 750,001

12 +2 +3 7 1,000,001

13 +2 +3 7 1,250,001

14 +2 +4 7 1,500,001

15 +2 +4 8 1,750,001

16 +2 +4 8 2,000,001

17 +2 +4 9 +250,000

SPELL LIST for Wu-Jen

Pages refer to C&C Players Handbook 3rd printing

Wu-Jen Spell List

0-Level

Arcane Mark 62

Detect Illusion 70

Detect Magic 69

Detect Poison 69

Endure Elements 71

Ghost Sound 75

Light 80

Mage Hand 81

Mending 83

Open/Close 84

Prestidigitation 87

1st-Level

Alter Size 60

Burning Hands 64

Change Self 64

Charm Person 65

Color Spray 65

Command 65

Conjure Shuriken(Magic Missile) 81

Daze 68

Feather Fall 72

Floating Disk 73

Hold Portal 77

Identify 78

Jump 79

Protection from Chaos etc 88

Read Magic 89

Shield 93

Shocking Grasp 93

Sleep 94

Sound Burst 94

Spider Climb 94

Unseen Servant 101

2nd-Level

Acid Arrow 59

Alter Self 60

Blur 64

Darkness 68

Detect Thoughts 69

Enhance Attribute 71

First Aid 73

Fog Cloud 74

Invisibility 79

Levitate 80

Mirror Image 83

Misdirection 84

Protection from Arrows 88

Pyrotechnics 88

Ray of Enfeeblement 89

Scare 91

Shatter 93

3rd-Level

Blink 64

Continual Flame 67

Dispel Magic 70

Fireball 73

Fly 74

Gaseous Form 74

Gust of Wind 76

Haste* 76

Hold Person 77

Lightning Bolt 80

Rope Trick 91

Stinking Cloud 95

Suggestion 95

Tongues* 100

Water Breathing 103

4th-Level

Charm Monster 64

Confusion 66

Dimension Door 70

Emotion 71

Fear 72

Fire Shield* 73

Freedom of Movement 74

Ice Storm 78

Minor Globe of Invulnerability 83

Polymorph* 86

Remove Curse* 89

Resilient Sphere 90

Seeming 92

Shout 93

Wall of Fire 102

Wall of Ice 102

Ok so we've got:

Aslan

Moriarty

Heruka

...

Since that's 3-4 PCs I say there's room for one more!

Who's in?

I know I contradicted myself, but please build characters with 22,005 XP so I don't have to worry that they're too fragile -- I mean, because many classes get cool powers at 5th level!

It may be clear that I wrote the previous post before carefully reading the entire thread... again, don't sweat any inconsistencies.

I'm thinking... but by no means married to this idea, that the party has jsut completed some expedition, generally poor-ish, and are traveling to a far off place for some reason. Like the far off thing is their quest, and the thing they just did was a side adventure, but the point is they're not going home, they're soldering on.

Low on supplies, and soaked in rain for the past 2 days, morale is dropping when you realize there's a city on the horizon! perhaps a pub with nice warm beds, good food and drink! A place to rest, recharge, get drunk and go whoring! Huzzah!

or something.

Can you tell me anything about your world at all?

I would love to know a bit more before I start creating a character.

I get that it is sort of European meets FR.

Is this a world you have already created or is it a new world you are making up as we go along?
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Good question.

Over night, I realized I have a map I can use, and with it a bunch of details.

here' s a link to a jpg of it.

if you have Campaign cartographer 2 demo, you can view the real thing (I think cc3 demo sohuld be viewable also? they have a viewer just for viewing for free (or I can email you copy of it))
http://i606.photobucket.com/albums/tt14 ... eencap.jpg

In brief, b/c the baby's up early...

THARKUS:

The land from the western coast to the moutain ranges, including disputed foothill areas bordering Mountain Clan lands. Dense woodsy northern frontier is not well explored. Southwest is great grassy prairie land, windy sometimes due to the sea and it's winds. In the Southeast the land is moist and wet with river deltas, especially in the famous Bog-Town, surrounded by several acres of marshy bogs.

Windy and cold and rainy in the Northern frontier.

Less rain in central area around Shadydale, ieal farming land, major farming center of the nation.

Generally nice in south, much like SanFrancisco weather.

Tharkan people tend to be more war-like, with designs to conquer and unify the whole continent.

A strong fishing economy, especially in Fisherly. Off the coast of Fisherly is a complex reef system that the local fishers know well, it can make or (literally) break a fishing expedition. It also makes Fisherly almost totally safe from a sea invasion.

Some sheep and horse breeding around Riverton, where they export down the rivers or along roads to the western cities.

A very stong Farming economy centered in Shadydale, which provides most of the grains for the rest of the nation, and even some exports to Zvard.

Famous breweries and distilleries in Bog-Town.

In the cities, they will make the second floor of a building wider than it's bottom floor and sometimes string rope bridges between buildings. the roads can be narrow and tunnel-like, if there are enough of these bridges or arches between buildings blocking out the sky-- especially in BogTown, which is like a Venice/New Orleans/Merovingen type place.

FREEMAN'S POINT:

an independant c ity-state, home to rogues, outcasts, free thinkers or those chooseing to take themselves out of civilzation... like a wild-west attitude

Harsh ocean winds whip the land and make the trees stunted and gnarled.

Ocean is harsher on teh southern coast, and the Bay of Zvard is mild by comparison.

Cooler than Tharkus in the summer, but warmer winters due the the insulating effects of the water. THink Sanctuary, from Thieve's World, with a slightly Alaskan flavor.

Semi-autonomous city-state allied to both Zvard and Tharkus, though not acknowledging either as the ruler.

Considered to be the City of Freeman's Point itself, and several miles up the penninsula into the foothills of the Grudlands.

Peopled by folks who want to live outside the system, fugitives from the law, rogues and a few freebooters. People from the unexplored continents sometimes make their way to Freeman's point.

A rough frontier town, made hard by harsh weather, bad food, coarse frontier justice and proximity to the Grudlands and frequent raids by gruds.

The rulers of Zvard and Tharkus have precious little influence here, as it is really an independant state, and runs by it's own laws.

Food: Mostly fish with some trade for grain, most of which is made into cheap, harsh liquor.

Beachy and rocky.

Hilly further up the penninsula as you approach the grudlands.

EDIT: I left out this: the natural conditions on the penninnsula, and the fast winds blowing off the ocean make Freeman's point an ideal place for blacksmithing, as the constant winds serve as a natural bellows, making hotter forges, and the smiths can temper the steel in sea or fresh water, or boiled, concentrated sea water to create various hardnesses of steel. Freeman's point is the only place on the continent that can make fine steel, and this is an expedition many make in order to aquire fine weapons or armor, or to repair such. Naturally, this attracts dwarves as well.

ZVARD:

The land hugging the coast from the eastern part of the continent to the Mountain Clan's mountains. The hilly land west of the Ashen wasteland is technically Zvardic territory, but few people live north of Hillydale, and that land is generally under the control of the Mountain clan, if anyone. The area is not in dispute as the citizens there are rustic and more friendly to the mountain clan than the other civilized peoples.

Arid near Mhoud, and rainier by the coasts. Fairly dry by glasslake, which is fed by runoff from the mountains and the many springs there. Warm and usually not too hot in summer, cool winters, can get very cold at night near Mhoud, where it rarely rains.

Zvardic people tend to be less ethnocentric and peaceful, with designs to allure the whole continent to unify simply by prooving that their ways are better, and to learn from and assimilate foreign cultures.

Cool relations with the Mountain Clan over the Clan's marrying practices, but some trade at Glasslake and Hillydale, and general goodwill exists in the hilly lands north of Hillydale.

Total enemies with the Bird-people and Gruds.

Strained relations with the Kingdom of Mhoud, constant struggle to be neighborly with their xenophobic neighbors. Very very little trade (the only trade with the Moudi) at Borderdale (called Zanf by the Mhoudi). Generally, the Zvards leave the Mhoudi alone, and visa versa, although the Tharkan Shan'ToVar would like to bring the Mhoudi into the fold, so to speak, or deal with them otherwise (with us or against us...)

Fishing and logging economy, producing some of the finest exotic lumbers in the known lands.

Shell fish and crustations eaten by coasts, large bass-like fish from glasslake considered a delicacy.

Bridgeport has a large drawbridge thru the center of town that allows large ships to sail upriver to Spring Lake.

More heavily treed than Tharkus, full of little quiet spots in the woods, and soft, sandy beaches.

FULDON MOUNTAINS: and the Fuldon MOuntain Clan. (Barbarians will be from here)

Mountains...

with some plateaus that allow farming, like a mountainous Scotland, grassy mountains with trees and several lakes.

there are a very few hot springs.

To the south are the Cliffs of the Raptors, where the Bird-People have conquered a small area and the hills at the South West end of the range are the lands of the Gruds, who have a tentative alliance with the Bird-People. This alliance between the Gruds and Bird-People makes them a force to be reckoned with, and makes them too powerful to be wiped out.

Colder due to elevation, but not extreme except on the highest peaks. A few lakes provide fish and water and attract deer and whatnot for the barbarians to hunt. Many plateaus and flatlands allow some farming. Western side of mountatins rainier than rest, arid on eastern side of range.

Kingdom of the Fuldon Mountain clan, for which the mountain range is named. The Fuldon Mountain Clan rules and lives in the Northern part of the mountain range, even having explored further North than the Tharkan or Zvardic peoples. Relations between the Mountain Clan and the other human peoples tend to be chilly, but they will fight together when the threat of the bird-people and gruds becomes too great.

Have a complex family system that prevents marriage of folk too closely related.

Also, every other son (starting with the second) is expected to travel abroad and return with a foreign woman to wed in the mountains. After producing 2 children, the women are allowed to leave if they desire. These "wife-prizes" (as opposed to Clan-wives, who are from the mountain clan) are a bone of contention with neighboring nations, although it makes the Clan more worldly than barbarians typical in fiction.

These marriage practices are supported by their legends of the Lost Clan, which they believe lives in the mountain range far to the north (in the unexplored north). THe Lost Clan is said to have become dangerously inbred and to have devolved into savages. They are like hairy ape-people with no agriculture, weapons, or culture, being much like half-men/half-gruds. Sadly, the legend is true!

Great love of mead and beer, butter and cheese, the longer aged and aromatic, the better.

Distrust cosmopolitan people, especially the Shan'ToVar.

Tend to venerate the great wooly goat-beasts that make their life possible, wear goat-themed clothes and ornimentation made from goat horns and the like. Typical outfit is a skirt/kilt woven of goat-beast wool about knee length.

Armor and arms tend to be light, favoring spears. Men may serve as elete goat-cavalry.

The clan has a unique form of wrestling much like judo or sumo, which they use to settle arguments and strengthen the youth.

Economy, mostly self-suffient, but some trade with the folk in Hillydale and Northtown, usually trading blankets, goat meat and cheese (considered exotic (and often smelly and distastful) by the Civilized peoples) and mead for fish, grains, spirits, weapons.

Crude blacksmithing, copper, brass, soft metals.

Much stolen or secondhand weaponry and armor.

good industry of beekeeping and honey and mead exports.

On a clear day, Mount Vhotar can be seen from the highest peaks in the Fuldon Montains, and the clanspeople call it "the old man of the east" and consider it a good sign when it's visible during one of their undertakings, such as a wedding or goat-shearing. The older clanspeople will sometimes look to the old man of the east and ask questions aloud, and try to interpret an answer from what happens next. Most of the younger ones think this practice is silly.

havn't read all this, just cutting/pasting, so some may be not applicable

CLIFFS OF THE RAPTORS

Cliffy mountains resembling a cross between the badlands of South Dakota and the cliffs in Arches national park and the Grand Canyon. Dry but not arid, not a desert. Lots of nooks and crannies and dangerous looking rock formations.

Warmer than the Fuldon Mountain area and less rainy. Steeper and rockier than the Fuldon area of the mountain range. Many more sharp cliffs, where the bird-people like to nest. Very difficult for walking races to climb or move thru on foot. Many nasty geothermal springs, some of which are quite violent and dangerous. The bird-people mostly know them all and they only pose a danger to strangers.

Warlike aggressive people who are never friendly to human peoples.

Not in open war for many generations, but probably would subjugate all the continent if they felt they could get away with it.

Alliance with the Gruds to the south prevents open war from Tharkus. Most Tharkans would like to wipe out the bird-people.

Uneasy truce with the Fuldon Mountain Clan. Each will fight the other but are too evenly matched to destroy the other.

Most Zvardic people live too far east to be in close contact with the Bird-people, so their relations are not openly hostile, but the bird-people will attack Zvards when they can and visa-versa. The Zvardic attitude to the Bird-people is formed mostly thru their union with Tharkus, but the Zvards usually see the Tharkans as extremists, and don't believe exterminating the bird-people is necessary.

The Bird-People have no know relations with Mhoud.

They see no problem keeping human slaves, and often use them in military drills to train their warriors or sword-beaks. They refer to humans as "Monkey-people", and call themselves "people".

Looking like a cross between birds and humans (gee, who would have guessed?)

Averaging the size of a short man, some are smaller.

Have long arms that reach their knees, thighs shorter than humans, but ankle to toes part is longer and they stand like a cat (or bird) on it's hind legs, with the double bend in the legs.

Have three fingered hands in the middle of their wings, the other fingers extend out to form the rest of the wings.

Various beak shapes depending on race.

High cast are more vulture-like, with nasty hooked beaks and bald heads

Middle cast are stork-like, with longer necks and legs

Lower and least casts are heavily varied.

Life-span of about 60 years. Egg layers, keen eyesight, light for their size and more delicate than a human. As smart as humans, use of many tools as well, have complex language combining spoken words with bird-like noises, and elaborate dances for their deepest storytelling.

Not necessarily evil, but extremely opportunistic, self-centered and egocentric, seeing nothing wrong with dominating any lesser being, which they see as being anything that isn't a bird-person.

beware the vicious Sword-Beaks!

THE GRUDLANDS

Low mountains and hills with scrubby thorny bush and badlands. Many caves and smelly, dank holes in the ground. Tends to be muddy between hills. Primary home of the Gruds.

Warm, but cold windy winters. Can be rainy.Tends to be foul-smelling, especially in the little fens and muddy low areas between mountains and hills.

Creepy and desolate, shadowy and good for a horror story.

Basically a crappy wasteland with little value, this is where the Gruds have been pushed back to by the civilized peoples. No one wants the land, so they don't bother to eradicate the gruds, and doing so would be quite difficult as the gruds take to the inhospitible terrein quite well.

No real relations with any other people except the Bird-people, whom the Gruds hold in high regard and don't usually realize that the Bird-people detest them and are using them as pawns.

Gruds are basically a goblin or small orc.

Sometimes called "mudling" or "dirtling"

many can speak a bad pidgin of one of the human tongues.

delight in cruel torture and murder, will kill for fun.

Aggressive and stupid, would be a menace if better organized.

Crude wooden weapons or stolen equipment from those they kill.

Will not fight unless they have overwhelming odds, and then can be formidible.

Mostly confined to Grudlands due to routine culling by Tharkan and Zvardic fighters under the direction of the Shan'ToVar.

Unfortunately, this leaves the strongest and or most wiley to breed, and the gruds are starting to be smarter than a few generations ago.

Wandering bands will occasionally cause trouble in nearby human areas.

Some individuals are quite smart, and if cleaned up, can pass for ugly little people.

Subsist mostly on moss, insects, rodents, and swamp goo.

THE ASHEN WASTE

A flat, burnt-looking desolate desert of silty, dead dusty soil.

many ruins far into the wastland and some ancient roads that have been in long long disuse.

Legend has it that this was the former sight of an ancient empire that ruled the whole continent. Powerful mages ruled the empire and even sailed to other continents to conquer them as well.

The mage-emperor became too powerful and tyrannical and his closest advisors tried to assassinate him, their war of conflicting magicks destroyed a vast area and burned all life force out of it, leaving behind the Ashen Wasteland, in which nothing grows to this day.

This is a common enough story that no one really believes. The common people use the "ancient ones" as boogy men to scare the kids.

Most who enter the ashen wasteland do not return, those who do often have nothing useful to report.

Most harbor an irrational fear of the wastland.

MOUNT VHOTAR

The only mountain in Zvard, on the border of the ashen wasteland and the southwestern corner of Mhoud.

The northern face is charred black, and to this day, remains lifeless and bleak, though the rest of the mountain has grassy ground-growth and animals live on the southern slopes.

Rumor has it that the ruins on the peak of the mountain are haunted and may be the ancient home of a powerful sorceror. No one really believes this rumor, and no one ever finds anything special in the ruins, which have been picked clean generations ago...

...or have they?

all i got time for....

I'm thinking you're all from Tharkus, sent east to meet the leadership in Zvard for some reason... roll with that and we can make it up together! I always find it more fun that way!

Cheers!

Oh yeah, Gods.

Um... go with any really... Clerics will be Btb, so it's really only flavor. In my view, druids worship nature in general as a sort of animistic thing.

Just to clarify, for character backgrounds, please feel free to make your PCs FROM anywhere (excpet Mhoud and the non-PC race lands such as the Cliffs of the Raptors and the Grudlands), but you all know each other and have adventured together at least once. Please feel free to go nuts fleshing that out.

As I've re-read these notes over the day, I have some clarifications to share, as I dind't have a chance to look closely before.

Please ignore any references to the ShanToVar since they are not going to be part of this. Suffice it to say they are the rulers of Tharkus and Zvard, which are separate nations but are tight allies since the same ruling class rules them both.

For this game, let's say they are two allied kingdoms, perhaps ruled by cousins, though the general population may not know that.

Please ignore references to the Great Wooly Goat Beasts of the Fuldon Mountain clan. The Mountain barbarians will be regular barbarians from the 4th printing, but the other details will still fit. They raise a few pigs and goats for milk and meat and hunt deer.

All the PC races are available, and live where you'd expect (elves in forests, dwarves in the hills/mountains, halflings (Kindals?) in the forests near farmlands, etc).

A dwarven nation co-habitates the mountains in peace with the Mountain clan, though they generally keep separate, not really understanding each others ways, but trading for weapons and alcohol regularly.

BTW: This whole mess is from notes for a "novel" I've been "working on" for like, 6 or 8 years....

You may notice references to the north being unexplored, (The thick dashed line across the north being the end of the mapped area) other continents unexplored, etc.... The bulk of this continent comprises the "Known Lands" while everything else is unexplored frontier ... this name (Known Lands) I used back in the day, not knowing an actual game product exists with this name (whcih I just discovered weeks ago on these boards), so that's a coincedence, if you were wondering.

If I ever get my act together and publish this, I'll use a different name. (and in my full notes, the north IS explored so it just doesn't work anyway). ((not that you asked)) (((these parentheses are just for you, Keith!)))

And finally, there's room for one more player! Who's game?

Okay I am thinking either a Ranger or a straight up Fighter.

Kindals are mine you bastich! Just kidding, feel free to use them
Yeah I think Ranger... human or maybe half-elf...

Well since this is vanilla fantasy let's go with Half-Elf Ranger
Woot!

I will work on him this weekend.
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Perfect!

So far we have confirmed:

Cleric

Weapon Master (basically a fighter)

Ranger

Jump in people! THe water's fine!

That is most thoughtful (special), I'm touched (no, really)

And I can confirm that the water is indeed mighty fine (though murky, and there are slimy wriggling things under our feet...)

Nice work Bill

I'm about 90% sure I'm going to replace the bird people with monstrous humanoid mosquito monsters (they're in Domesday 2.4). They'll have a similar role, and in D&D/C&C terms fill the role of baddies like Drow and Mind Flayers. They'll still live in the Cliffs.

Lovely

SARCASM WILL GET YOU EATEN BY OWLBEARS!

Ahhh, just ss my old Nan used to say... and yet, Owlbears make such great pets