Lost Londinium

A play-by-post game using a mash up of 5.6e Call of Cthulhu (BRP) and B/X D&D, set in apocalyptic Roman Britain.

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IC Thread

OOC Thread

The apocalypse rages. Mighty empires have fallen. But some pits are darker than others...

Setting

The Imperial government is gone. In its place are:

• the Bureaucracy, which handles the nuts and bolts of actually running the city. Based in the Old Forum, now called Albus Atrium.

• the Constabulary, which maintains order and enforces the Rules of the City. Based in the Old Fort, now called Caledonia Yard.

Player Characters

Irbis, formally of Bremetennacum

Played by Walkie Talkie Noise Decoder

• Level 1 Scout
• 200 xp

• STR 12, INT 16 (2), W 10, D 16, CO 10, CHA 8
• HP 6
• AC -1

• Languages: tbd
• Skills: Athletics 19, Navigation 19, Stealth 19, Occult 3

• Thief Skills: Hear any noise 15, Find and remove small traps 15

• Connections
  • Imperial Veterans

• Complications
  • The Painted people.
  • Visions.
  • Wife and kids.

• Esoterica: Whispered Hint x 1
• Equipment:

Mail, decorated helmet, round shield, long sword/spatha, recurve bow and arrows, 3 short throwing/thrusting akontes/spears with saddle quiver, saddle, axe, rope, lamp, bedding, satchel, wineskin. Cavalry horse.

• 25 gp

Quintus Valerius Carbo

(real name: Rufus)

Played by NoMessiah

• Level 1 Fighter
• 200 xp

• STR 16, INT 10, W 9, D 14, CO 14, CHA 13
• HP 9
• AC -1

• Languages: tbd
• Skills: Athletics (7), Etiquette (14), Fast Talk (6), Law (5), Medicine (5), Navigation (5), Occult (3), Psychology (5), Research (10)

• Connections
  • Muscle for Hire

• Complications
  • Social Climber
  • Secret Identity

• Esoterica: Whispered Hint x 1
• Equipment: Lorica segmentata (probably banded mail?), scutum (shield), rounded helmet, gladius (short sword), spear, riding horse, backpack, waterskin, three sets of fine clothing
• 25 gp

Valerius Apius Scaurus

Played by Brill1ance

• Level 1 Fighter
• 200 xp

• STR 12, INT 9, W 16, D 13, CO 16, CHA 10
• HP 10
• AC -1

• Languages: Latin, Celtic
• Skills: Athletics 12, Occult 3, Research 13, Stealth 17, Streetwise 15

• Connections
  • Londinium Constabulary

• Complications
  • Dark Secret
  • Secret Identity

• Esoterica: Whispered Hint x 1
• Equipment: Banded Mail, Helmet, Shield, Short Sword (Gladius), Dagger, 4 Javelins, Backpack, Bedroll, Rations, Mirror, Silk Rope, 2 Lg. Sacks, Waterskin
• 50 gp

Dionisyios Aelius

Played by MonsterMash

• Level 1 Magic-User
• 200 xp

• STR 10, INT 16, W 10, D 13, CO 10, CHA 14
• HP 1/4
• AC 4

• Spell: Sleep
• Languages: Latin, Greek

• Skills: Athletics 5, Engineering 2, Etiquette 10, Law 10, Medicine 3, Navigation 6, Occult 3, Psychology 7, Research 5, Stealth 5, Streetwise 4

• Connections
  • Londinium Bureaucracy

• Complications
  • Smuggler
  • Secret Identity

• Esoterica: Whispered Hint x 1
• Equipment: Spatha (Long sword), sling and 30 bullets, waterskin, backpack, set of fine clothing, lamp and oil, set of scales and weights, bedroll, 2 lg sacks, rope, Leather armour, oval shield, helmet.
• 50 gp

House Rules

I will be using a number of House Rules to better fit B/X D&D to Call of Cthulhu's concepts, gothic horror themes and my lazy DM philosophy:

• Character Generation

• • Character Classes: Only humans allowed but to give players more options, I'll roundabout bring back the Elf and Halfing as two new classes, the Spellsword (Fighter/Magic User) and Scout (Fighter/Thief).

• • Characters get a Standard Array for ability scores 16, 14, 12, 10, 10, 8 (arrange to suit). Then, PCs modify ability scores with bonus points depending on class. NB- it costs 3 bonus points to increase a 17 to an 18, it costs 2 bonus points to increase a 16 to an 17, and all other increases cost 1 bonus point

• • • Fighter, 6 bonus points
    • Thief, 4 bonus points
    • Cleric, 3 bonus points
    • Magic User, 3 bonus points
    • Scout, 2 bonus points
    • Spellsword, 1 bonus point

• • Characters get limited hit points depending on class, modified by Constitution scores. (i.e., after 2nd level hit points DO NOT INCREASE WITH LEVEL)

• • • Fighter, 8 hit points + (Constitution adjustment)
    • Cleric, 6 hit points + (Constitution adjustment)
    • Scout, 6 hit points + (Constitution adjustment)
    • Spellsword, 6 hit points + (Constitution adjustment)
    • Thief, 5 hit points + (Constitution adjustment)
    • Magic User, 4 hit points + (Constitution adjustment)

• • Cleric, call forth magic light from a holy weapon at will
    • Unlike Magic Users, a Cleric does NOT need to select his/her spells beforehand (i.e., s/he decides at the time of casting)
    • Every day, a Cleric can produce one vial of holy water

• • Thief, divide 60 points among 1) open locks, 2) find and remove small traps, 3) pick pockets, 4) hide in shadows, 5) hear any noise and 6) move silently
    • After Character Generation, add 6 points for every new level

• • Scout, divide 30 points among 1) open locks, 2) find and remove small traps, 3) pick pockets, 4) hide in shadows, 5) hear any noise and 6) move silently
    • After Character Generation, add 3 points for every new level
    • Unlike Thieves, a Scout CANNOT backstab

• • Spellsword, cast spells as per a Magic User of half level round down (i.e., 1st level Spellsword cannot cast spells, 2nd level Spellsword cast spells as per a 1st Magic User)

• Complications

• • Every PC has one to three complications from their past (ala the characters from “Lost”).

• • • if one or more of your complications impacts your character alone (i.e., not causing problems for the whole party) in a significant way, you get bonus XP.

• Investigator skills

• • All PCs start with 60 points to distribute among skills

• • • Athletics- includes Swim
    • Engineering
    • Etiquette- knowledge of what is becoming or appropriate for a person of good breeding
    • Fast Talk- confuses someone for a few minutes. Not Persuasion
    • Law- includes Bureaucracy
    • Medicine- includes Herbalism and Forensics
    • Navigation- getting around. Includes Tracking
    • Occult- **THINGS MAN WAS NOT MEANT TO KNOW**
    • Psychology- detects lies and insanity
    • Research
    • Stealth- broader than Thieves' Skills of Hide in Shadows and Move Silently, and at an amateur level
    • Streetwise- the necessary knack, personality and instinct for survival in rough, urban environments

• • Occult starts with max 3 points- further increases in Occult cost permanent reduction in Wisdom via reading forbidden books.

• Characters Generally

• • All classes can use all weapons, armor and magic items (e.g., MUs can use swords and fighters can use wands).

• • All classes use the Fighter XP and Saving Throw tables

• • All PCs speak at least Latin and one other language of their choice

• • All PCs begin with whatever mundane gear they would like and 25 gp

• • For Fighters, Scouts and Spellswords, THAC0 improves by 1 each level. For others, THAC0 improves by 1 every other level.

• • For Fighters, Scouts and Thieves, natural AC improves by 1 each level. For others, natural AC improves by 1 every other level.

• • XP is awarded for completing tasks, NOT FOR KILLING CREATURES AND/OR TAKING THEIR STUFF

• Equipment

• • shields deduct 3 from Armor Class, rather than 1

• Standard Checks

• • Spot Checks use Intelligence

• • Fear Checks use Wisdom

• • Stealth Checks use (Intelligence + Dexterity) / 2

• Combat

• • Facing
    • Flank Attacks are at +2
    • Rear Attacks are at +4