Lost Londinium

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

Meta Thread

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

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 static 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., 3rd level Spellsword cast spells as per a 1st Magic User, 4th level Spellsword cast spells as per a 2nd Magic User)

• 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 mission objectives, 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