Savage Sherwood: The New Greenwood Adventures

Interest/Recruitment thread

OOC thread

IC thread

Setting

The Hood is long dead, and the people of Sherwood look to new wardens to protect their ancient forest home. A forester, wild man, nun, ex-Crusader (or whatever you come up with) form the New Merry Men. Perhaps a heel face Guy of Gisborne. Their mentor is none other than the aged Tuck, Marion or whoever. The band battle corrupt nobles, vampires, witches and such.

It will have mystical elements (I am thinking the 80s UK TV version which had quite a bit of mysticism, including one scary episode where they foil a coven summoning the Devil). But I don’t think we would have Arcane Backgrounds. I’ll handle some of the mystical expectations with the Blessed Edge in the first post.

Money

Main unit of currency in the setting is the silver penny (equivalent to the RAW $). A shilling is 12 pence, a pound 240.

Higher value coins, rarely used except for the largest transactions, are the gold noble (6 shillings and 8 pence) and quarter-noble (1 shilling and 8 pence).

Non-Player Characters

Sir Harold

And old Saxon nobleman and the main patron of the Merry Men.

Sir Nicholas Huskel

The new Saxon sheriff of Nottingham.

Village Reeves

Thomas Goodman, John of Upton and five others. Sometimes hesitant and strictly covert local backers of the Merry Men.

Player Characters

Cateline Desroches (Illtry)

Hailing from a family of French knights, Cateline grew up around stories of of chivalry and romance, but none captured her heart more than the dashing tales of the Hood and his Merry Men. She begged her father to train her in the ways that he had been taught, without much convincing he conceded to train his youngest child. She was soon proficient in use of the Quaterstaff. Her family eventually found its way over to England. The King, attempting to curry favours and influence, had brought Cateline right to the heart of the stories she loved the most. Of course as soon as she heard tell of the new Merry Men she leapt at the chance to join them in Sherwood, to continue her families legacy of heroism. Her father assumed she would soon get tired of playing ‘pretend,’ her mother knew better.

Background

Knight’s Daughter (heraldry, chivalry, manners, etiquette)

Attributes

Agility d6

Smarts d10

Spirit d8

Strength d6

Vigor d6

Charisma 2

Pace 6"

Parry 7 (+2 with quarterstaff)

Toughness 6 (+1 with armor)

Skills

Fighting d8

Guile d8

Guts/Intimidate d8

Handiness d4

(N) Notice d6

(N) Persuade d8

(N) Shift d6

Edges

Attractive (human bonus)

Brave (advance)

Forest Fighter (free)

Quarterstaff Master (Heroic)

Strong Willed (advance)

Hindrances

Heroic (Major)

Loyal (Minor)

Pacifist (Minor)

Gear

Quarterstaff ($10) Str+d4, parry +1, reach 1

Dagger ($25) Str+d4

Normal clothing- Fitted Blue robe + dark grey cloak ($20)

Light Leather chest piece+ bracers ($50)

Leather Pack ($50)

Waterskin ($5)

Experience

XP: 20

Rank: Seasoned

Advances

1. raised Smarts
2. gained Strong Willed
3. gained Brave
4. raised Spirit

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Roan Wykes (Talisman)

The son of a poacher, he fled to the depths of Sherwood when his father was killed by the Normans. He lived among the beasts and the birds for nearly ten years, but he's finally joined the New Merry Men and seeks to avenge the wrongs done to the Saxon peasantry.

Background

Wildman (plants, animals, local geography, occult)

Attributes

Agility d8

Smarts d8

Spirit d6

Strength d6

Vigor d6

Charisma 0

Pace 6"

Parry 7

Toughness 6 (+1 with armor)

Skills

Fighting d8

Guts/Intimidate d6

Handiness d6

Healing d6

Notice d8 (+2 Alertness)

Persuade d4

Shift d8

Stealth d8 (+2 in wilderness)

Woodcraft d8 (+2 in wilderness)

Edges

Alertness

Forest Fighter (+1 Parry) (bonus)

One with the Forest

Woodsman (+2 Stealth, Woodcraft in the wild)

Hindrances

Clueless (major)

Illiterate (minor)

Vengeful (minor)

Gear

Dagger (2) ($50, 2 pounds) range 3/6/12, damage Str + d4

Throwing axe ($75, 2 pounds) range 3/6/12, damage Str + d6

Leather hauberk ($50, 15 pounds) +1 Toughness

Normal clothing ($20) Green tunic and pants, brown hooded cloak

Healing kit ($200, 5 pounds)

$30

Experience

XP: 20

Rank: Seasoned

Advances

1. gained Woodsman
2. raised Fighting and Shift
3. gained One With the Forest
4. raised Handiness and Notice

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Robert (stinkyfool)

Robert comes from a long line of common farmers, and was conscripted into the Crusader courses heading east to fight. He was forced to help with logistics and hauling goods on the way there, where he was then forced into being one of the first through the breach as battles began. He accumulated a lot of scars in those fights, which now obviously show on his face. Indeed, Robert returned home to find his family dead, and their farm appropriated. When he tried to sort out what happened, the guard tried to run him off. Robert reacted rather poorly to how he was being treated, and the resulting altercation and its fallout forced him to flee into the Forest, where he joined up with the New Merry Men.

Sir Robert has been worn down by fighting, and is glad to join up with the New Merry Men to help those been held down by the oppression of the local rulers.

Background

Ex-crusader breach fighter (Languages: English, Arabic, ?; siege tactics and construction/sapping, movement of goods/people)

Attributes

Agility d8

Smarts d6

Spirit d6

Strength d6

Vigor d8

Charisma -2

Pace 6"

Parry 7 (+1 with shield)

Toughness 7 (+1 with armor)

Skills

Fighting d8

Guile d4

Guts -d6

Handiness d6

Healing

Notice (N) d6

Persuade (N) d6

Shift (N) d8

Riding

Shooting d6

Stealth d8

Woodcraft d6

Edges

Brawny

Combat Reflexes

First Strike

Forest Fighter (Free)

Hindrances

Curious OR Heroic (Major)

Ugly (Minor)

Wanted (Minor)

Gear ($125, Wt. 36)

Leather (+1, $50. Wt. 15)

Warhammer (Str+d6, AP 1 vs rigid armor (plate), $250, Wt. 8)

Dagger (Str+d4, Wt.1, $25)

Medium Shield (+1 Parry, +2 Armor to Ranged attacks that hit, Wt.12, $50)

Experience

XP: 20

Rank: Seasoned

Advances:

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Ulfred (Max)

Rhymes with (and means) "wolf rede".

A freeborn Saxon farmer and archer in the Crusades who returned from the Holy Land to find his own land claimed by the crown in his absence, being without legitimate heir and alleged dead. Left with nothing but a renewed grudge against the Norman rulers, he took up poaching and banditry and soon joined the Sherwood outlaws.

Generally sullen and cynical in disposition, but has a wry sense of gallows humor and tends to cheer up under pressure.

Background

Ex-crusader archer (archery, soldiery, basic fletchery and bowmaking, field tactics, infidels, Mediterranean Lingua Franca)

Attributes

Agility d10

Smarts d6

Spirit d6

Strength d8

Vigor d6

Charisma 0

Pace 6"

Parry 7 (+1 with buckler)

Toughness 5 (+1 with armor)

Skills

Fighting d8

Guts d6 (+2 for Fear tests)

Notice d6

Persuade d4

Shift d8

Shooting d10 (+1 with longbow)

Stealth d8

Woodcraft d6

Edges

Brave

Forest Fighter

Marksman

Trademark Weapon: longbow

Hindrances

Bad Luck (major)

Loyal (minor)

Wanted (minor)

Gear (26/40lbs.)

Coarse russet tunic, deerskin boots, moss green woolen cloak (+1 Armor)

Buckler (+1 Parry) - 8lbs.

Sword (Str+d8) - 4lbs.

Knife (Str+d4) - 1lb.

Longbow (15/30/60, 2d6) - 5lbs.

Quiver of 20 arrows - 6lbs.

Flint and steel - 1lb.

Waterskin - 1lb.

$10

Experience

XP: 20

Rank: Seasoned

Advances:

1. raised Agility
2. raised Shooting and Guts
3. gained Trademark Weapon
4. gained Marksman

Rules

I'm using Explorer Edition rules, mainly cos more people seem to have the book, but with some tweaks from later (Deluxe and Adventures) editions. I'll house rule a few bits and pieces like the skill list (see below).

Characters will start as Seasoned.

Shaken: We'll pay with the Deluxe rule that if you unshake, you can go in the same turn

Bennies: are called Boons and refresh at 3 per adventure.

Armour limits: the system doesn't have good encumbrance rules to restrict armor choices. Fighting-focused players must take Forest Fighter (below) as a free edge.

Skill List and Knowledge 'Backgrounds'

('N' are natural skills where all characters start with d4)

• Fighting
• Guile (street, taunt, gamble)
• Guts/intimidate
• Handiness (lockpick, repair [plough, brew, etc.])
• Healing
• Notice (N)
• Persuade (N)
• Ride
• Shift (N) (climb, swim, throw) also jump, etc.
• Shooting
• Stealth
• Woodcraft (survival and tracking)

All knowledge is handled by background +2 to Common Knowledge rolls. The player should specify clearly a background to identify areas where they might have special knowledge, e.g. a forester would have +2 in knowledge of forest flora and fauna, Sherwood geography, forest folklore; a monk would have +2 in religious and occult knowledge, church politics, Latin and Greek. Other professions might be farmer, knight, archer, servant, courtier, peddler, merchant, etc.

Edges

Bowman of Old England

Seasoned, Shooting d8

If you miss two shots/ attacks in a row, gain a free Boon to spend on the next.

Disguise

Guile d8

Use Guile to appear as another. Penalties/bonuses to success/shifts (-1 if disguise is ersatz; +1 if generic (e.g. a peddler), etc.

Ex-crusader

Seasoned, Vigor d6, Fighting d6

Grizzled from bitter warfare against Saracens and heretics. +1 toughness , +2 languages. Bonds with similar, even foes. Tends to either fanaticism or skepticism.

Forest Fighter

New Merry Men only

The NMM move unencumbered by mail or plate. You gain a +1 dodge bonus to Parry even if you wear a sturdy +1 armor tunic.

Holy

Your monk, rabbi, wisewoman can intervene to gain favor for the party.

• Buff: Once a day, roll Spirit to give an ally a +1 bonus for each success and raise on their next/upcoming action.
• Pray: At the start of an adventure, roll Spirit to give all party members a Boon refresh equal to 2 + total successes and raises.
• Bless: Once an adventure, roll spirit to infuse a bow, arrow, horse, etc. with one Boon for each raise.

Minstrel

Guile d6, Handiness d6

+2 to Guile-based rolls to entertain. Has some leeway to slight authority figures in song.

New Hood

Spirit d8

Folk say you are the Hood returned. Impossible to live up to, but once an adventure gain two Boons to spend on Hoodish stunts

Norman blood

You speak proper Norman French and have a respectable non-Saxon name. -2 Cha first impressions with locals, +2 with authority types. Double starting funds.

Quarterstaff Master

Fighting d8

+1 to Parry and Fighting while using a staff (the weapon can break). Unbalanced edge but it’s Sherwood!

Sleight

Novice, d8 in Guile or Handiness

Your character excels at sleight of hand tricks. Use one of Guile or Handiness (choose once) to perform pickpocket, palm, hold-out, actions. >1 raise on a roll makes action invisible/mysterious to onlookers.

Split the Arrow

Spirit d6, Shooting d8

Gain a free Boon once/scene to spend on trick shots