Editing The Wilderlands of Absalom
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*[[Caballi Warrior - custom class]] | *[[Caballi Warrior - custom class]] | ||
*[[Kobold Warrenguard - custom class]] | *[[Kobold Warrenguard - custom class]] | ||
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| + | ==Bonus Proficiencies== | ||
| + | PCs (not henchmen) get an additional general proficiency at 3rd and 6th level. | ||
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| + | ===Riding Proficiency=== | ||
| + | All characters can ride horses, mules, etc. Those without the Ride Proficiency suffer a -2 to to melee attacks and a -4 to missile attacks*. If the horse moves during the round characters without Ride cannot cast spells or make missile attacks. Characters with the Ride proficiency gain the following: | ||
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| + | *Judge of horseflesh: On a throw of 14+ they can get a rough idea of how healthy a mount is. | ||
| + | *Mounted combat. Can melee as normal, charge (p. 112), and use missile weapons while stationary without penalty. A -2 penalty is assigned if firing a missile weapon while moving, and spells can be cast while moving with a throw of 7+. | ||
| + | *Control animal. The mount gains +1 to their morale score while being ridden by someone with the Ride skill. | ||
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| + | Ride may be chosen again for the same type of animal with the following benefits. | ||
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| + | *Judge of horseflesh: On a throw of 7+ they can gain a rough idea of how healthy a mount is. | ||
| + | *Mounted Combat: Can melee as normal, charge, use missile weapons or cast spells without penalty, regardless if they are moving or not. | ||
| + | *Horse as shield: With a saddle, the character can hang over the side of a mount, keeping it between themselves and a foe. This grants them partial cover (+3 to AC) while allowing them to cast spells or use missile weapons with a -2 penalty (cast spells on a throw of 7+). | ||
| + | *Control animal: Mount gains +2 to morale while being controlled. | ||
| + | *Can use Animal Husbandry with -2 penalty to throws, *or* gains +2 bonus to Animal Husbandry throws if she has both Proficiencies. | ||
| + | *Can use Animal Training with the type of mount, at a +1 week penalty *or* if she already has Animal Training as the time reduced by 1 week (minimum of 1 week). | ||
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| + | ==Hexcrawling== | ||
| + | I'll be using [http://www.autarch.co/forums/ask-autarchs/securing-domains this post from the Autarch forum] to determine how many lairs are within each hex. For a hex to be "cleared" all of the lairs need to be dealt with, either be killing the residents, convincing them to move on or making peace with them. Each hex will also have a number of "features", areas of interest ranging from the dead body of a solitary trapper, an abandoned gold mine, a dungeon, hardwood forest, etc. I'm not saying you have to, but proficiencies such as Naturalism, Knowledge and Craft will be more useful here then in other campaigns, specifically to help recognize features of value. | ||
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| + | Hexes can, of course, be traveled through, but they can also be explored. Exploration of a hex isn't based so much on movement rate, since it assumes that such travel is relatively slow and cautious, so as to avoid missing anything. It will take anywhere from four to eight days to fully explore a single 6-mile hex. Unless otherwise stated, I will assume that travel through a hex takes the shortest possible distance. | ||
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| + | ''Further comments:'' To clarify: clearing a hex requires that all the lairs in a hex be dealt with. In order to keep a hex cleared, however, the hex must be garrisoned. A keep needs to be built and manned by troops to prevent monsters from returning. At this point the Prince's men are busy rebuilding the bridge across the River Bel; it is estimated construction will be completed six months from the start of the campaign. They make it clear to Mr. Hand that while increasing and securing territory is of concern to them, the Prince (not his domain, but the Prince himself) only has the resources and manpower to build and maintain one garrison per year (so, they could have two hexes garrisoned at the end of the second year). Of the hexes immediately west of Junction, it is the one the road goes through that is of paramount concern. The Prince is willing to pay 500 gold to the party that is able to clear this hex, with the understanding that his men will be responsible for garrisoning it. | ||
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| + | That being said, you guys could certainly clear and garrison hexes on your own. However, the Prince will not be sanguine about this activity so close to his border without accepting a vassalage from the party (or party member). In other words, if you try and build a domain this close to his territory it will be difficult to do that independently. If you want to be independent you'll have to strike out further from civilization. | ||
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| + | ''Additional comments:'' This assumes a 6-mile hex divided into 25 1.5-mile hexes. Rates are as follows: | ||
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| + | *Plains/Grassland/Desert: 6 subhexes per day (four days to explore an entire 6-mile hex) | ||
| + | *Hills/Broken/Forest: 4 subhexes per day (six days to explore an entire 6-mile hex) | ||
| + | *Jungle/Mountain/Swamp: 3 subhexes per day (eight days to explore an entire 6-mile hex) | ||
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| + | I will be making wandering monster checks. A post over on Autarch by Alex suggests that lairs are discovered based upon random monster checks, but I'm going to say screw that, as that could conceivably take weeks or even months to clear something like a mountain hex with 2d6+1 lairs. Therefore, we're going to do the following: | ||
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| + | *I'm going to make one random encounter check per day and one at night, as normal for wilderness exploration. | ||
| + | *Unless otherwise stated in the lair/feature description you will automatically encounter whatever it is upon entering a subhex. There may be hidden lairs or features that simply aren't discovered; it should be evident that, in these instances, there are still lairs when wandering monsters keep popping up and trying to eat settlers. Likewise, there may be features that are below ground, invisible or whatever*. | ||
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| + | (*There's a pdf over on the Autarch site that goes into mining rules, which we'll use should you become so inclined. Essentially, it presumes that each hex has a certain number of veins of ore that can be discovered through a careful survey -- which takes longer than the time to clear a hex. It seems to me that this is activity best reserved for a cleared and garrisoned hex.) | ||
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| + | ==Hex Management== | ||
| + | *Clearing the hex. Before you guys are able to import any workers or peasant families you're going to have to clear the hex. This will involve a thorough exploration as per the house rules posted on the wiki and slaying, driving out or making peace with any monsters dwelling within the hex (for instance, if there was a family of pixies they could most likely stay put provided a truce is arranged). I will tell you that the trolls were by far the toughest monsters laired within the hex, so from a logistical standpoint it would be possible to leave a garrison of henches and mercenaries to do the clearing while the PCs attend to other stuff. One downside to this is that if the henches are adventuring by themselves they'll gain a full share of XP and may level faster than you would like. Clearing the hex will reveal any features or resources within, as well as give you an idea of the land revenue of this hex (as per p. 125). | ||
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| + | *Keeping the hex clear. Even though the Keep is large enough to cover two hexes it will only be able to garrison one hex until fully repaired. The rules on p. 130 for garrisoning a hex assumes the cost is based off the number of families currently in the hex. Since there are -- as far as you know -- no families in the hex we're going to say it will take a minimum of five mounted mercenaries plus a commander to keep the hex clear. Since this is a wilderness hex there will have to be either a PC or a henchman in charge of any mercenary force (i.e. being the commander). This will change as the hex gradually changes to Borderlands and then Civilized, assuming you end up staying here. In addition, you will need to spend another 4 gp on mercenaries for every ten workers you import. This is in addition to the base five needed to keep the kex cleared. | ||
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| + | *Repairing the Keep. Before any workers can be imported the hex must be cleared of all lairs and garrisoned. Only then will workers feel safe enough to travel here. I'd like to use the expanded rules for construction in Domains at War, which clarify costs, and we've got two choices for doing the repairs: we can abstract the total cost and assume you bring in enough masons and carpenters to do the required work or we can break it down into various trades and get super specific. While the workers are here they will have to be sheltered, fed and transported. Again, we can just assume a base cost or break that down as well. You will also have to get the workers from somewhere. These can come from either the Principality or from one or more of the settlements scattered about. If you swear fealty to the Prince I will likely apply some modifier to the number of workers available. | ||
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| + | *Populating the lands. At this point the hex is unsettled and you've got two choices if you want to settle it. As posted at the beginning you can swear fealty to the Scarlet Prince and receive official leave to import families from the Principality. In this case I will apply some modifier to the number of families that are attracted per month. Or you can seek out human settlements (such as Hob and the rumors of villages you have heard to both east and west) and try and entice families to move. | ||
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| + | *Profiting. Only once the repairs are complete will you be able to begin taxing the families in the hex (and spending to maintain them) as per the rules on p.127. | ||
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| + | ==Masterwork Items== | ||
| + | *Masterwork weapons gain one of the following qualities for a base cost of 500 gp: +1 to hit, +1 to damage, +20/40/80' (ranged weapons only), +2 to Saves (such as from Sundering or other applicable effects). Qualities can be stacked, but not in a linear cost. Each additional quality adds 250 gp to the cost. Therefore, a masterwork sword with a +1 to hit and +1 to damage would cost 1250 gp, as opposed to 1000. | ||
| + | *Masterwork armor can be purchased with the following qualities, each at a cost of 750 gp: +1 to AC (note that this quality adds to the encumbrance of the suit), -1 to encumbrance (minimum 1 stone), +3 to Saves. As with masterwork weapons, qualities can be stacked, with an additional 500 gp added to the cost per quality. Therefore, a suit of plate that has a +1 to AC and a -1 to encumbrance would cost 2000 gp, and would be as encumbering as a normal suit of plate. | ||
| + | *Existing masterwork items that the adventurers use for at least one level can be imbued with magical energy. The process gains the following benefits: | ||
| + | **Provided it has been used during a full level (i.e. the adventurer goes from 4th to 5th while wearing the same suit of masterwork armor) the item counts as being one unit (10,000) gp of precious materials for the purpose of the magic research throw. Every additional level wielded counts as an additional "unit". | ||
| + | **For every great deed the adventurer has performed using the item (surviving an attack which would kill a lesser mortal, slaying a great beast singlehandidly -- such as Karag did) it gains one more "unit" of precious metals. | ||
| + | **For every bonus the item has reduce the base cost of the magic item by 1% (so, if a masterwork sword was +1 to hit *and* damage the base cost would be reduced by 2%). | ||
| + | **Any magical bonuses automatically supplant bonuses granted by the masterwork quality. | ||
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| + | ==Mercenaries== | ||
| + | As per Domains at War (p. 12), mercenaries may be veterans. They are classed characters (usually fighters or explorers) and inflict an extra +1 damage and gain a +1 bonus to their morale score. Their base pay is increased by 12 gp, however. Note that due to the dangerous nature of the expedition (venturing into the unknown) all mercenaries and specialists (such as animal trainers, healers, etc.) are going to charge double their base price, unless garrisoned in cleared hexes. | ||
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| + | ==Shields Shall Be Splintered== | ||
| + | You can negate a physical attack against you by having your shield take the force of the blow. | ||
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| + | ==Money Matters== | ||
| + | *We are using standards of living (p. 39): 450 at 4th and 5th, 1225 at 6th. The adventurers begin with the 1st month already paid. Henchmen will use the table on p.51 for their monthly fee. | ||
| + | *There are no banks. I like the idea of you guys hauling around chests full of gold and jewels and trying to figure out what to do with it. Please note that your factor will be able to keep money for you (like, I'm assuming he has a big saferoom in his office like Scrooge McDuck). | ||
| + | *You guys have coinpurses that can hold up to 50 coins or their equivalent without adding to encumbrance | ||
| + | *Jewelry worn openly does not count towards encumbrance. | ||
| + | *There's no exchange rate or fees for gems. All those costs are baked into the Standards of Living costs. Spend 100 gold get a 100 gp gem. | ||
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| + | ==New Trade Good: Herbs, Common== | ||
| + | These are plants found without undue difficulty that typically see either medicinal or alchemical use. As a general rule only a specific part of the plant is used, and there is also usually a limited time frame to harvest the specific part. For instance, one plant might be valued for its flower petals, which are only in bloom one month out of the year. Once picked the herbs must be sold within a month or properly treated by someone with the Alchemy proficiency. This treatment requires the use of a lab worth a minimum of 500 gold. It takes 2d2+1 man hours to properly harvest one hundred sq. ft of herbs, with a minimum of one hour spent. | ||
| + | 1 load=2 bags, 1 load=10 stone, base price of 175 gp. | ||
| + | *Bloodroot - Bloodroot is an herb found in shaded temperate forests. Every hundred square feet of bloodroot can be harvested for five stones worth of dye and one stones worth of herbs, common. Note that harvesting for dyes means uprooting the plants. In order to have a self-sustaining patch you must harvest no more than half available plants. | ||
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| + | ==Fire Arrows== | ||
| + | Made by twisting rags around a normal arrow and soaking it in military oil, fire arrows must be lit before firing. Due to the added bulk the arrow is fired at -2 to hit and has its range decreased by 1 increment (arbalest --> long bow --> crossbow --> shortbow --> sling). If the attack is the exact same as needed to hit the target's AC the arrow extinguishes in flight. Upon hitting, an unlit fire arrow inflicts 1d4 hp, while a lit fire arrow inflicts 1d4 damage plus 1d4 fire damage. To make life easier for myself and to eliminate making a bunch of saving throws, I'm going to say that if the physical damage and the fire damage are the *same* the oil burns for another round, inflicting another 1d4 points of fire damage. For instance, if a fire arrow hits a troll and the 2d4 result is 3, 3 the arrow would do 6 damage, half of which is fire damage, and continue to burn for one more round, inflicting an addition 1d4 damage. | ||
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| + | One flask of military oil can make five fire arrows. | ||
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| + | ==Alchemical Items== | ||
| + | '''Bluestem''' | ||
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| + | Bluestem tea, if drunk, either acts as the Delay Disease spell or if used in conjunction with the spell (Player's Guide) will treble the duration of the spell to 72 hours. A target only benefits once in their lifetime from such a tea. The cerves have two doses of this, with each dose having an equivalent trade value of 20 gold. | ||
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| + | '''Koriko''' | ||
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| + | Those inhaling the smoke of the koriko grass must make a Save v. Poison. Those failing become violently ill for 1d6 hours, unable to take any actions. Those who succeed are still unable to move faster than a slow walk or make any physical attacks for one hour. For those who are not incapacitated by the smoke there is a 1-4 in 6 chance that the following spells gain these benefits: | ||
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| + | *Augury. Chance of success increased by 3%, can see into the future ten turns instead of the normal 3. | ||
| + | *Commune. May ask one additional question. | ||
| + | *Divination. Chance of success increased by 4%. | ||
| + | *Trance. Range doubles to 240'. | ||
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| + | ==Identifying Items with Magical Engineering== | ||
| + | *You need to spend 4 hours per item being IDed. | ||
| + | *You must be able to cast Detect Magic once per item, or have some other method of viewing magical auras. | ||
| + | *The item must be common (whatever that means), which means that, for instance, you might be able to suss out the "plus" of a sword but unable to determine any other powers it may have. | ||
| + | *It will not identify cursed items. | ||
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| + | ==Monster Parts== | ||
| + | According to the books monster parts are worth a number of gold equal to their XP. One load of monster parts weighs 5 stone and is worth 300 gp. | ||
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| + | There are two options when it comes to selling monster parts: you can sell it direct to a magic-user, provided the mage is looking for those parts in particular. This sale is at the exact cost of the monster parts (so, if you find a mage who needs chimera spleens you could sell it to her right then for 1300 gp). You also don't run the risk of losing any money. The downside is finding a mage who wants the specific monster parts right then and there. You can also treat monster parts as part of mercantile exchange, in which case you have to wait a bit longer than if you had a buyer lined up, but the good news is that there are merchants out there who deal *just* in monster parts, so you don't need to worry about finding one mage who wants to buy ogre skulls and another who wants to buy wyvern stingers. On the plus side, you can also come out with more than the base price assuming market conditions are favorable. | ||
=Important NPCs= | =Important NPCs= | ||
