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Posts Tagged ‘worldbuilding’

City of Bones: the loppe

01 Jun

In The City of Bones there can be found a race of intelligent spiders known as the loppe. These come from the distant and exotic jungle far to the South West, Stranglevine jungle. They come to Godsend for two main reasons: as part of the followers of the Great Weaver, the loppe goddess of creation and fate, or to take part in the gladiatorial matches at the arena; for the loppe are a violent race, tempered only by their priests.

From a design point-of-view, I decided to use the basic class design to make up the two classes below, rather than mess about with creating builds for a new race (which I did last time), and instead trimmed away some elements to give the classes additional ‘powers’ to create the racial traits. It more or less works for me.

The Loppe

All loppe have the following racial traits:

  • Scuttling: as long as the loppe can move freely and is unencumbered, they gain a +1 to their base AC, this increases to +2 at level 7, and +3 at level 13;
  • Tough Hide: all loppe have a base AC of 1, but cannot wear any armour or use shields;
  • Claws & Bite: although loppe are unable to wield weapons (or even objects), and lack any fighting styles, they can use their claws and pincers to fight with- claws do 1d2 damage, their bite does 1d4;
  • Infravision: all loppe have 30′ infravision;
  • Spider-Climb: being spiders, the loppe can spider-climb at-will, as per the spell;
  • Inhumanity: loppe are no human and most races have a natural, primal aversion to them; all reactions with non-loppe are at -1.

Loppe Priests

The priesthood of the loppe are known as Webspinners and are essentially clerics with the following differences:

  • cannot wear any armour, use shield, or weapons;
  • turn undead is replaced by the ability to cast fate once per day, after a turn of meditation (as the spell, see the Players Companion for details).

Lopp Gladiators

Loppe make excellent fighters and excel at gladiatorial combat. At 1st level they attack unarmoured foes with a throw of 10+; this decreases by 1 per level (i.e. they fight like a monster). The claws and bite of the gladiator are more powerful, with claws dealing 1d3 damage, and bites dealing 1d6; the loppe has a damage bonus added to this, +1 at first level, increasing by 1 per three levels. They have saving throws as per fighters.

All loppe gladiators can fly into a murderous rage: the loppe gains a +2 bonus to damage rolls and becomes immune to fear. However, the loppe cannot retreat from combat. Once it has begun, a murderous rage cannot be ended until combat ends.

However, when a loppe gladiator reaches 5th level (Exemplar), his battlefield prowess begins to inspire others to follow him. Any henchmen and mercenaries hired by the gladiator gain a +1 bonus to their morale score whenever he personally leads them. This bonus stacks with the modifiers from the gladiator’s Charisma, proficiencies, and race.

At 9th level (Loppe Warlord), a loppe gladiator can build a castle and claw his way into a position of authority. When he does so, up to 1d4+1×10 0th level mercenaries and 1d6 loppe gladiators of 1st-3rd level will come to apply for jobs and training. If hired, they must be paid standard rates for mercenaries. Through force of arms, the gladiator may ultimately control several castles or even entire realms, though he can expect to face ongoing challenges from humans and demi-humans.

Loppe Gladiator Level Progression
Experience Title Level Hit Dice Damage Bonus
0 Pitfighter 1 1d6

+1
2,900 Gladiator 2 2d6

+1
5,800 Clawmaster 3 3d6

+2
11,600 Hero 4 4d6

+2
23,200 Exemplar 5 5d6

+2
46,400 Myrmidon 6 6d6

+3
95,000 Champion 7 7d6

+3
190,000 Epic Hero 8 8d6

+3
310,000 Warlord 9 9d6

+4
430,000 Warlord, 10th lvl 10 9d6+2*

+4
550,000 Warlord, 11th lvl 11 9d6+4*

+4
 670,000  Warlord, 12th lvl 12 9d6+6*

 +5
 790,000  Warlord, 13th lvl 13 9d6+8*

 +5
 910,000  Warlord, 14th lvl 14 9d6+10*

 +5

*Hit point modifiers from constitution are ignored

Loppe Gladiator Proficiency List: Acrobatics, Alertness, Ambushing, Blind Fighting, Climbing, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (disarm, force back, incapacitate, knock down, overrun, sunder), Contortionist, Command, Dungeon Bashing, Endurance, Fighting Style (claws & bite), Gambling, Intimidation, Kin-Slaying*, Languages, Manual of Arms, Military Strategy, Precise Shooting, Running, Skirmishing, Survival, Swashbuckling, Tracking, Wakefulness, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus.

*see Players Companion.

Loppe Gladiator Saving Throws
 

Level

 Petrification& Paralysis Poison & Death Blast & Breath Staffs & Wands Spells
1 15+ 14+ 16+ 16+ 17+
2-3 14+ 13+ 15+ 15+ 16+
4 13+ 12+ 14+ 14+ 15+
5-6 12+ 11+ 13+ 13+ 14+
7 11+ 10+ 12+ 12+ 13+
8-9 10+ 9+ 11+ 11+ 12+
10 9+ 8+ 10+ 10+ 11+
11-12 8+ 7+ 9+ 9+ 10+
13 7+ 6+ 8+ 8+ 9+
14 6+ 5+ 7+ 7+ 8+
Loppe Gladiator  Attack Throws
 Level Attack Throw
1 10+
2 9+
3 8+
4 7+
5 6+
6 5+
7 4+
8 3+
9-14 2+
 
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City of Bones

10 May

I’ve started a new blog, dedicated solely to a new setting: The City of Bones.

You can follow it via the link above. It’s going to be mostly in-game, flavour text, with maps. Design stuff will end up on this site.

Not entirely sure where this is going to go, but I am hoping that one way or another I am going to be running a campaign based there; an urban campaign, mostly taking place in the city and its environs. There will be factions, dungeons, lots of stuff to do, all based in the city.

I’ll expand the region around it, over time, posting here and over on the new blog, as the ideas form, are designed, and brought to life. It’ll be an ACKS game, since that’s my new love.

I hope you’ll follow the new blog, and give me feedback on what I post. Hope you enjoy the tour of the city that starts today; I’m hoping to post every Wednesday, dealing with a difference part of the city each week, then moving onto specific areas.

 
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Horse Nomads

09 Apr

A new class using the Leonine racial build in conjunction with the ACKS Players Companion.

Horse Nomad

Leonine Class

Adventurers, explorers, warriors and restless wanderers, the Horse Nomad is a Leonine with a lust for life, a desire to seek out new locations and delve into the unknown, always accompanied by their faithful steed. They are true nomads, seldom staying in one location for long, always looking towards the horizon, constantly yearning for new experiences.

Hit Dice: 1d6, +2 hit points after 9th level
Maximum Level: 11
Primary Abilities: Constitution, Dexterity
Requisite: Dexterity 9+

As with all Leonine, Horse Nomads have cat-like reflexes, and gain a +4 bonus on any proficiency throws to hear noises and detect secret doors. With a proficiency throw of 18+ the nomad can notice secret  doors with just casual observation, they also gain a +1 bonus to avoid surprise. Their feline nature allows them to see in the dark, with an effective infravision of 30′. The Leonine can also attack with tooth & claw, gaining a claw/claw/bite attack, with a base damage of 1d2/1d2/1d4.

Expert archers and riders, Horse Nomads are trained warriors, their Attack Throw starting at 10+, and advancing by two every three levels (same as a Fighter). They may use any weapon, dual wield, and use two-handed weapons as well as shields; however, due to their need for mobility, they are restricted to chain mail or lighter armour. Horse Nomads are especially skilled at using bows, gaining a +1 to attack with such weapons. Their skill extends into precision attacks, enabling them to inflict greater damage: at level 1, they receive a +1 damage bonus to all attacks, increasing by +1 every three levels. They can also cleave once per level.

It is on horse-back that the Horse Nomad really excels. When mounted their rider expertise grants them a bonus of +1 to Armour Class and attacks, which stacks when using a bow (for a total of +2 to hit with a bow). Their accuracy improves, so that by level 3, they are able to precisely shoot into combat, at -4 to attack, avoiding allies in the process; this reduces to -2 at level 11.

Due to the natural grace and mobility of the Leonine, a Horse Nomad wearing leather or lighter armour and forgoing a shield, can hide in shadows and move silently as a thief of the same level.

At level 1, regardless of their starting wealth, all Horse Nomads must start their adventuring life with a light riding horse, and are assumed to have the riding proficiency as a bonus. If they cannot afford a horse, one is loaned to them, but the debt must be paid off before they reach level 3; otherwise, the loaner comes looking for the nomad.

At 5th level, the Horse Nomad’s battlefield prowess grants a +1 bonus to all Morale of henchmen and hired mercenaries, so long as the nomad leads them into battle. Their reputation allows them to attract followers at 9th level, building a Nomadic Camp that follows them around: 5d10 0-level followers, and 1d6 1st to 3rd level nomads join up.

Horse Nomad Proficiency List: Acrobatics, Alertness, Ambush, Animal Husbandry, Animal Training, Beast Friendship, Climbing, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (Overrun), Command, Craft (Bowyer), Endurance, Fighting Style (Missile Weapon), Knowledge (Geography), Land Surveying, Leadership, Manual of Arms, Military Strategy, Naturalism, Passing without Trace, Running, Signalling (smoke), Skirmishing, Skulking, Sniping, Survival, Tracking, Trapping, Wakefulness, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (Bows).

Template: Nomad
Proficiencies: Animal Training, Weapon Focus (Bows)
Starting Equipment: Composite bow, quiver with 20 arrows, scimitar, leather scale armor, wool tunic and pants, riding boots, light riding horse, riding saddle and tack, leather saddlebags, 2 weeks’ iron rations, 2gp

Nomad Template: This pre-generated template represents a typical Nomad of the Leonine. The template is ready for adventure. However, if your Horse Nomad’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick one or more additional general proficiencies before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Chapter 4 of ACKS).

Horse Nomad Level Progression
Experience Title Level Hit Dice Damage Bonus
0 Rider 1 1d6 +1
2,350 Nomad 2 2d6 +1
4,700 Nomad Archer 3 3d6 +2
9,400 Nomad Rider 4 4d6 +2
18,800 Horse Archer 5 5d6 +2
37,600 Horse Rider 6 6d6 +3
75,000 Horse Warrior 7 7d6 +3
150,000 Horse Nomad 8 8d6 +3
300,000 Horse Lord 9 9d6 +4
450,000 Horse Lord, 10th level 10 9d6+2* +4
600,000 Horse Lord, 11th level 11 9d6+4* +4
Horse Nomad Attack and Saving Throws
Level Petrification & Paralysis Poison & Death Blast & Breath Staffs & Wands Spells Attack Throw
1 15+ 14+ 16+ 16+ 17+ 10+
2-3 14+ 13+ 15+ 15+ 16+ 9+
4 13+ 12+ 14+ 14+ 15+ 8+
5-6 12+ 11+ 13+ 13+ 14+ 7+
7 11+ 10+ 12+ 12+ 13+ 6+
8-9 10+ 9+ 11+ 11+ 12+ 5+
10 9+ 8+ 10+ 10+ 11+ 4+
11 8+ 7+ 9+ 9+ 10+ 3+
A to Z Blogging

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Below the Seven Kingdoms

02 Apr

The Void Between

Above, below and between the Seven Kingdoms is the eternal sky; a void of clouds and pale blue, with no end in sight. It is known that there are other islands floating in this sky, some of which are inhabited and close enough to trade with (such as the Serpent Isles off the Goblin kingdom), while others hold ruins or are just desolate islands.

High above are the stars: a glittering collection of twinkling motes of light that are forever altering their positions, although many have a fixed constellation even as they move across and around the firmament. At night the stars blaze; during the day, they are hidden by the light of the sun; a ball of fire that rises from the clouds below, arcing overhead until it disappears back into the clouds over in the West. The moon follows soon after, following the same path, and many believe it is chasing or being pursued by the sun, and that both are the manifestations of some unknown or forgotten deity. There are cults of Moon and Sun Worshippers who track the paths of these bodies, diving all sorts of nonsense based on their trajectories. Some of these cultists have been known to wield divine magic, so there may well be something in the tales.

Below the kingdoms, a mile or so down, the clouds are thick and all-encompassing; nothing can be seen through them, and they range from black storm clouds, to white fluffy clouds, a compact and infinite expanse of cloud. Few have tried to penetrate the cloud layer, as it is a dangerous and risky venture; there are monsters that ‘swim’ through the clouds, the size of whales and the temperament of dragons. None have returned to tell of anything below.

Speaking of the dragons: the clouds below are where the dragons and drakes came from; they swarmed out of clouds like fish leaping from the sea, from the unknown. Some believe that they are devils and demons, and that the clouds hide Hell itself; others believe there are caverns and deep chasms underneath, and that the dragons destroyed everything down there, forcing them up to conqueror anew.

Travel Between the Kingdoms

The Seven Kingdoms are connected by bridges, both natural and artificial. Some span several miles in length, suspended by reinforced ropes and chains; others are fingers of rock that meet, forming a narrow and perilous walkway from one continent to the other. Before the coming of the dragons, many of these land-bridges were guarded by the soldiers of the various kingdoms; now only a few are thus maintained and protected, with others held by bandits and independents, or left to rot.

Several kingdoms (notably those of men, dwarves and goblins) also built air-ships that travelled the sky and traded with one another, as well as those few other islands beyond. Few of these air-ships remain, most in the kingdom of the Goblins, and fewer still have retained the knowledge to build them. Still, air-ships can be found beached and broken, and make great prizes for those who can claim them.

A to Z Blogging

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7 Kingdoms: further notes

15 Feb

Following on from the other posts, I’ve had further thoughts and am approaching this slightly differently. The essence remains the same, but rather than the explosion of new races, I’m going to keep with the core three of Human, Elf and Dwarf. Mostly to make it easier to work with, partly to make it more generically appealing; but still, each kingdom is still going to be different, and new Classes are still my intention; along with new templates.

Here’s what I’ve come up with so far:

Humans:

  • New Class: Dragon Hunter
  • Templates: Horse Lord/Nomad; Scavenger
Plus, clerics will belong to one of six major churches (minor ones will appear as I think of them), four of which have an alternate power that replaces the standard Turn Undead; maybe I’ll throw in an optional Priestess class from the Players Companion play-test. We shall see.

Elves:

  • New Classes: Dream Hunters; and, Shining Ones

Dwarves:

  • New Classes: Monk (needs a better name); and, God-Slayer

I think I’ll still have elements of the other races, but more for NPCs. This might, of course, all change again, but this is the path I’m currently meandering along, whistling tunelessly to myself. I’ll also have a list of classes available by Kingdom, and anyone who wants to play a class from ‘out-of-town’, so to speak, has to roll on a table to determine why they are here rather than there; or come up with something else.

The six human churches, as they currently stand, will be (and some are based on previous ideas and mental wanderings):

  1. Church of the Divine Flesh (or Consumption);
  2. Church of the All-Seeing Eye;
  3. Church of the Sleeping Rage;
  4. Church of the Musical Discordance;
  5. Church of the Cleansing Light (standard clerics and priestesses);
  6. Church of the Forgotten Lore.

There are also two gods for the others, elf and dwarf:

  1. Church of the Fleeting Dream (elf);
  2. Church of the Heart (dwarf).

I also am thinking that elves are spilt into two camps, although their origins are the same. Both are essentially the physical manifestations of their deity’s dreams, immortal until their god awakens. One sect, however, has been cursed by some ancient enemy and is not immortal. These, the Shining Ones, have a limited life-span of no more than 10 years, literally burning themselves out; in exchange they are all spell-casters, some quite powerful, advancing quickly, but dying swiftly too. When they finally perish, their souls end up trapped in the Forest of Broken Dreams, wherein the elven Dream Hunters track and capture them, putting them out of their misery and allowing their souls to rejoin the Great Dreaming.

Dwarves are highly religious, ruled by a theocracy that is dominated by the monks that guard the Heart of the Gods from their fortified monasteries. The Heart of the Gods is the birthplace of the deities, and is heavily guarded.

The gods are all physical entities, manifestations of their worshippers beliefs, wants and needs; or perhaps manifestations of concepts and ideas; whatever the truth, they were born in the Heart, and live within the main temples/churches of the various religions. Others gods exist, minor and petty, and come and go. Some of these are thought to be abominations and the dwarves send their God-Slayers to hunt these creatures down.

Sometime this week, over the weekend, into the next, I’ll start posting further notes on the religions, and make a start on the new classes, using the ACKS build in the play-test document. Templates are the easiest to deal with, so I’ll leave them until last.

Until later. Ta ta.

p.s. does anyone else have problems with WordPress. There’s been a few comments that I’v never got notified about, and only discovered them when I logged in. Very annoying.

p.p.s I’m playing a human paladin in a G+ PBP game, which is quite fun. Cedric Brightblade has just attended a party with fellow adventurer Hadrian, and now they’ve gone looking for thieves to apprehend. It’ll probably go horribly wrong.

One more thing: played another session of the Known World game on Sunday; we didn’t break the game this time, but were nicely railroaded out of the way and back on track. Now we’re looking for a wizard.

Oh, and another: played another Crypts & Things game on Monday night, and the party finally got some loot and killed more things (including a resting party of other adventurers). The C&T system isn’t quite doing it for me, so I’m going to move us over to using ACKS in a while, once I’v finished reading the book and sorted out all the macros for Map Tools (takes bloody ages).

Bye :)

 
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