Savage Sherwood: The New Greenwood Adventures

Interest/Recruitment thread

OOC thread

Setting

The Hood is long dead, but 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 penny (=RAW $) , a shilling is worth 12 pence. A higher value coin is the Gold noble (6 shillings and 8 pence) and quarter-noble (1 shilling and 8 pence).

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 character start with d4)

• Fighting
• Guile (street, taunt, gamble)
• Guts/intimidate
• Handiness (lockpick, repair [plough, brew, etc.])
• Healing
• (N) Notice
• (N) Persuade
• Ride
• (N) Shift (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

Forest Fighter

NMM 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.

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.

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.

Quarterstaff Master

Fighting d8, uses QS as main weapon

+1 to Parry and Fighting, weapon can break. Unbalanced edge but it’s Sherwood!

Holy

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

Buff (daily): Roll Spirit. Buffee gets a +1 bonus for each success and raise on next/upcoming action.

Pray (adventure start): Roll Spirit. Party members get Boon refresh equal to 2 + total successes and raises.

Bless (once/adventure): Roll spirit. A bow, arrow, horse, etc. is infused with one Boon for each raise.

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.

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.

Split the Arrow

Spirit d6, Shooting d8

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

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.

Minstrel

Guile d6, Handiness d6

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

Player Characters

Roan Wykes

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

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. He 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.

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

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:

---

Ulfred

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

Longbow (15/30/60, 2d6) and arrows

Sword (Str+d8) and buckler (+1 Parry)

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

Experience

XP: 20

Rank: Seasoned

Advances:

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