Editing Wizards/text


hook Bay, the inlet in which Cove Secret is hidden, is walled from the deeper sea by a long , dangerous reef. Ships can pass safely only through a few gaps known (only, they pray) to the pirates. One the bay side the water is shallow, sandy and clear. Its Sultry currents are plied by turtles and glimmering shoals of colourful fish. Beyond the wall the sea bottom drops into deep, cold water, whose depths even the powerful tropical suns cannot probe. 

The mansion of seahorses stands on the far side of the wall, on a rocky promontory that provides a heady view of the open ocean and the  yawning blue chasm below. Sunlight dances on its turrets and coral gardens , but beneath its rocky perch the water turns blue, then black as the reef wall falls away. 

The pirates must row out over the reef and look down into the deeper water to catch sight of the mansion.

Roll fort save DC12 to beat the complicated currents 
Make a Perception check, DC 15 to spy the mansion, get a higher roll to see something more. 


A Glade outside EDWINSTOWE.  

Sir Harold looks around at those seated in the tithe barn. He calls to a lookout to check that the area is safe. Then he addresses those assembled.

" Who is here? I see some Gentlefolk. Sir Robert[Stinkyfool], Sir [Elfwine], Lady [Illtry].  And here, look, is the Wildman of Shirewood himself, good Roan, to give us counsel of the forest.  And thee, Ulfman [Max] , a good yeoman who i have also called. I see some  village reeves, Thomas Goodman, John of Upton, [he lists three more such fellows].I thank you all, I raise this cup to you. But pray you remember this meeting is secret. Never speak of it.  "

"What has become of the Shirewood? In the time of the last Sheriff, Phillip Marc, it was squeezed by Norman knights in hock to the King and desperate to  to pay his war taxes.  Mark had his own secret estates, which he bled white to line his own pocket. Guy of Gisborne was Marc's hound, and scarcely a peasant's cart was safe from the depredations of that fellow. But his bite is gone, he is but an old attendant of the King at the hunting lodge at yonder CLYPSTON.

"Now things should be better. Instead of Marc we have Sir Nicholas Huskell, a Saxon no less, and many Saxon knights restored to their lands in the forest. But times are worse, not better. Unused to authority, the Saxon lords neglect their lands, leaving them in the charge of useless stewards and corrupt reeves. The Norman knights do better , I am ashamed to say, for even if they hang a peasant for stealing a hen, they will give the folk their feasts and put a priest in their church.But all of them,Saxon and Norman, prefer war to peacetime husbandry. Some never set foot in the forest. " 
 
" What problems do we suffer because of this neglect? Bandits and footpads to be sure. Beasts , uncontrolled by the customary hunt, grow bold. But worse, too. Witches and their covens do their work, grown strong in the time of the ex-communictaion, when the dead passed unshriven. And the woods in places has grown wild and dangerous, with starnge spirits issuing from it. And now there is no Hood. No Merry Men to bring justice and protect the forest and its folk. 

"My life is ebbing from my wounds. I feel in my conscience that i have neglected my work as a lord, just as sorely as my peers. I have called you to help me bring balance to the wood. To assemble a new band of folk like those who attended the Hood in that former time of need. Not all here  can leave their place and serve. I myself am too maimed to run free as a merry man. But i will do whatever I can. Money, horses, intelligence from Nottingham where i have...eyes and ears. You four good reeves, you must attend to your villages, but give shelter and aid to these men whenever they pass through your purview. 

" But as for you five.... Surely God has placed you here at oyr time of need. the wood seldom sees such extraordinary folk, worthy of the merry men. Ia sk you, ... to serve us as our Protectors. 


An old friar, unnoted by Sir Harold in his speech, stands . It is Sir frair Tuxcck., He is very old now, no longer fat, but with drooping jowls where fat once hung.  "This paper is an induldebce worth 100 mmarks. Until i put my pen on it. he scribbles, ruining the aper. But I have pur your names here. It is used. You may do what you must without fear of mortla suo0n. Right up to murder, though excluding of course usury. Murder? you'll probaly sp-end some time in purgatory, but manslaughter -." It is not clear how much the old man is joking. 


"Tuck says. Speak each of you. Say if you will do this work. And why..."


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Thanks Pandorym Pandorym and stinkyfool for your interest!

If we are going down the 50F route, here's a compressed skills list I've devised to make skills go further ('N'are natural skills where all character start with d4)

    boating
    fighting
    guile (street, taunt, gamble)
    guts/intimidate
    handiness (lockpick, repair, survival)
    healing
    (N) notice
    (N)persuade
    (N) shift (climb, swim, throw) also jump, etc.
    shooting/cannons
    stealth

Backgrounds
Note; all knowledge is handled by background+2 to Common Knowledge rolls, The player should specify clearly their background to identify areas where they might have special knolwedge by specifying a backgorund/ main profession, eg.

    sailor. Would get +2 to CR rolls concerning knots, navigation, etc.
    beachcomber . Would get +2 to CR rolls concerning tides, treasure, etc.
    sea wanderer(if Doreen or Kehana). +2 to CR concerning marine life, etc
    other professions could be anythng incl. physician, shopkeeper, barkeep, farmer

Masquani
So I'll try not to mess with RAw setting too much but I have a real desire to make theMasquani are more obviously classical ancient wold Romano-Greek types in this version of the setting. Masquani are generally statuesque and gymnasium-honed. Their civ is all marble pillars, togas and peplum. Race traits not as in RAW but :

    Gain Edge Attractive, Brawny or Acrobat
    Start with VIG and STR at d6
    Gain hindrance (major) Naive if Ograpogian, Corrupt if Kieran
    New Edges

Edges
Beachcomber (req. app background): +2 to notice and survival near sea.
Parrot : one person in the party may have a useful parrot, more on this if we go with 50F
Old salt (req. app background) : +2 to guile and persuade with sailor types, likely connections.
Priest/ess of Lady Fortune: Masquani priests worship Ahen, an Athena-like Lady Luck figure who visits humans with luck in times of need; more on this if interested
Spear of Ahen (req. Masquani). Once per scene the warrior can hurl the blessed spear and use a free benny to determine the throw incl. damage if needed.

Hindrances
Dandy
Naive.
Corrupt.
Spendthrift












Perck is still the domain of outsiders, ruffians and ex-pirates, even when many of the islands to the north have  been tamed by the  laws of the Grand Company. But increasingly even Perckians are accepting the inevitable and settling to respectable labour. The wisest long ago set up shops vending grog, weapons and supplies. Some have started lucrative farms, growing giant tubers, grain and island plantain.  A few tend flocks of gruffs, native mini-goats that graze the rough saltbush that has sprung up on the newly-exposed shore. 

For those of a more stubborn piratical bent, though, new dangerous trades have sprung up. Banditry and hustling is rife. Treasure-delving, entering the towns and villas exposed by the receding seas, is dangerous but profitable. A few indeed still risk their hand at old school piracy, raiding the trade route that runs between the western isles and The Republic (no longer Empire) of Kiera. 

You are the Wardens of Perck, selected to do the Big Round, a full year’s service as law keepers of the island. Unusually the job is given either to citizens seeking visibility for good works (perhaps looking for office as an Assemblyman) or to those convicted of misdemeanors. Finishing the Year, taking as much care as reasonably possible on the way to address problems encountered, completes the task. 

Some notes about the setting:

1. Action takes place a generation or so after the main adventure described in the 50 fathoms book-the sea hag quest was PARTIALLY completed by a heroic crew of adventurers, but:
*the sphere was not used in the final conflict, so Elemental magic still exists
*two of the three hags were killed-a surviving sister still wanders 
*exact events of the battle are unclear as there were few survivors. Some say that some Walking Gods of Torath Ka appeared in the fight

2. The sea is very gradually receding, exposing land that was swallowed by the flood. This exposes dangerous ruins  (octopons, zombies and worse still lurk there) and has generated an industry of treasure finding. Salt-resistant plants, such as saltrush and jellyweed, grow on exposed land, creating opportunities for grazing and even cultivation. 

3. The three main trading  companies have unified to form the Grand Company, which now trades with the Kieran Republic. 

4. The Republic overthrew its Emperor and has installed its old senate 

5. Perck, where the action takes place, remains an independent entity, but its activities are greatly restricted by the Treaty of Bristol made with the GC-no fixed gun boats are allowed on Perck ships to discourage piracy


Setting Change for Masquani 

The Masquani are more obviously classical ancient wold Romano-Greek types in this version of the setting. Masquani are generally statuesque and gymnasium-honed. Their civ is all marble pillars, togas and peplum. Race traits not as in RAW but : 
*Start with VIG and STR at d6 
*Gain Edge Attractive 
*Gain hindrance Naive if Ograpogian, Corrupt if Kieran 


New Edges

Parrot : one person in the party may have a parrot, see below, an asset in this setting.

Beachcomber: +2 to notice and survival on rugged shores.

Old salt: +2 to guile and persuade with sailor rtypes, likley connections.

Naive.

Corrupt.

Priest/ess of Lady Fortune: Masquani priests of Ograpog  worship an Athena-like Lady Luck figure who visits humans with luck in times of need (human variations might be I Ching practitioners, fortune tellers. etc. or more conventional religious leaders like Anglican, Catholic, Voodoo priests).   Your fortune expert needs an Arcane Background (Fortune) skill. Three times during an adventure they can do one each of: 
*Buff:  person buffed gets number of SUCCESS AND RAISES on the AB roll as a bonus to their next action. 
*Betoken: at the start of the adventure roll AB (Fortune). Party members get benny refresh equal to 2+ (number of AB roll's RAISES).  
*Bless:a gun, bullet , ship, etc is infused with bennies and becomes a blessed item. Pools bennies= (number of AB roll's RAISES).


Tailor: The Tailors are a secret society using elements of luck magic and ancient Ograpogian magic -tech to confect devices and magically enhanced costumes. More on this if interetsed. 







wardens are assigned to a small sloop, White Lady, armed with just two deck cannons to honour the Bristol Treaty (see above). You are either up and coming attention seekers or criminals doing time 9also see above). the adventure will start off monster of the week but an arc will emerge if the adventure appears to have legs. 


A compressed skills list to make skills go further('N'are natural skills where all character start with d4)
*boating
*fighting
*guile (street, taunt, gamble)
*guts/intimidate 
*handiness (lockpick, repair, survival)
*healing
*(N) notice
*(N)persuade
*(N) shift (climb, swim, throw) also jump, etc.
*shoot/cannons
*stealth

Note; all knowledge is handled by background-+2 to Common Knolwedge rolls if the character has a relevant backgoud. 


Typical backgrounds to specify knowledge , examples are:
*marine would have +2 to CR rolls concerning weapons, cannons, etc.
*sailor: +2 to CR rolls concerning knots, navigation, etc.
*bandit/highwayman: 
*beachcomber: 
*sea wanderer(if Doreen or Kehana) 
*smuggler
*physician
*shopkeeper
*barkeep
*farmer
*gruff herder
etc. obviously there could be many more 

*Parrots are semi-sentient in the setting and can serve as scouts, pets and crew mates. A party generally one has one, to avoid parrot overload. Parrots can perform parroty tricks like: carry message, fetch key, spy, distract enemy. Roll the owner’s Spirit ( as a a measure of the parrot's bond/understanding with their owners) to see if/ how well they succeed. 

Common
*Caribdean Grey , blends in
*Wakika
*Emeraldo
*Brigandy Bay Parakeet

Decorative-add +1 Cha of perchee , +2 if with sailor/pirate types
*Tricolor, lucky
*Splendido, v lovely
*Torath Ka Tucan, funny

Intelligent-add +1 to rolls for listed tricks  
*Voleur Rouge, stealthy
*Minstrel, entertaining
*Commodore, v intelligent

Fast-capable of fast movement, +1 to evade shots and attacks and conveying messages quickly
*Blue Hussar , stamina 
*Firetail, dazzle power
*Spangled Rocket, jaunt power

Psychic-automatic success for tricks involving communication of purpose , can convey mental impressions , may sometimes intimate feelings about a person or area. Parrots may become dominant over time, or betray owners. 
*Diablo Russo
*Hierophant
*Golden Pharaoh



 







XP 1,600  “Lion of Between” 
 <br/>LE Large magical beast
 <br/>Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft, scent; Perception +9 
 <br/>DEFENSE
 <br/>AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +3 natural, –1 size) 
 <br/>hp 32 (5d8+10) 
 <br/>Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +2 
 <br/>OFFENSE
 <br/>Speed 40 ft. fly 50 ft. (clumsy)
 <br/>Melee bite +7 (1d8+5 plus grab), 2 claws +7 (1d4+5) 
 <br/>BLINK, DIMENSION DOOR
 <br/>Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
 <br/>Special Attacks pounce, rake (2 claws +7, 1d4+5) 
 <br/>Ranged 4 spikes +6 (1d6+3)
 <br/>STATISTICS
 <br/>Str 20, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 9
 <br/>Base Atk +3; CMB +9 (+13 grapple); CMD 22 (26 vs. trip) 
 <br/>Feats Flyby Attack,Hover, Weapon Focus (spikes)
 <br/>Skills Fly –3, Perception +9, Survival +4 (+8 tracking); Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Survival when tracking
 <br/>Languages Common, Astral Universal 
 <br/>With a snap of its tail, a LoB can loose a volley of four spikes as a standard action (make an attack roll for each spike). This attack has a range of 180 feet with no range increment. All targets must be within 30 feet of each other. The creature can launch only 24 spikes in any 24-hour period.



There is a strong need for the NE cities: Farweston, Weetops, Highton, Palace City itself. Palace City has no bounty 'list', all threats are handled by the Champions directly or by the Guilds pro gratis. 

-Farweston: manticore, troll, huge gaot (dire CR3), renamed CR5 fen-witch
-Weetops: tusk-hunters Guild has its HQ here. Goes against tusk raiders. Anadoned tusk and human villages with many dead. cadaver lord CR5. Danger of tusk riders on boars. Cave ginat CR5, perhaps in alliance with tusks. 
Highton: winged abductor is 4 armed gargoyle CR5, skaeveling CR5, wood golems CR6. 

-invitation to Guild for training; need to confirm intention by visiting the Slayers' Headquarters at Highton.
-Penhen needs a book from palace City to open the dungeon portal , knows a Wizard who will lend him the tome if he send s an elf emissary
-Limited acess libaray also an opportunity to opportunity to check out the Book of Necrocraft taken from the VCampire's palace

-spies report that the sorceress was Pirate City Spider Agent, assassins and spies for hire. no doubt those with her were her muscle. Likely hired by tusks to ensure no interference with weird summoning-hag story was to keep villagers away. But evidence she was from X, where the Spiders perhaps have a secret base-one of the NE towns. 



-first mission: cattle now being driven into the eastern pastures, but a griffon pair have flown in from the north, menacing the herds.
- 








The Round Theatre in Palace City holds a popular performance each year on chilly Moonless Eve.  Malkin watched it in his youth and was embarrassed by its theatricality. Powdered -faced players took the role of heroic vampire hunters descending into a misty crypt, there discovering blood-suckers. 

Yet what unfolds in the Castle's crypt (#30) seems at first hardly less real. The party see that the tomb in the centre of the chamber is empty; long since picked clean of its grave-goods. But there is a click as one of Guilders approaches. Then the 15' by 15' square space between the four pillars- with the empty coffin at its centre- drops smoothly downwards.  

[ooc] Characters can choose to descend on the platform, or stay on the present level by stepping back onto the 5' strip at the platform's  perimeter. 
http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/images/HoH_MW/02_HeroesHorror_150_ppi_2dy92.jpg




As the platform descends, it reveals that there is an identical (i.e. also 25' by 25' chamber) just below the present crypt. Its floor is awash with stinking marsh water. Stone benches lie on its perimeter. A group of SIX blue-skinned monsters- perhaps  ghouls- leer up from this verge so as to avoid being crushed by the platform. They are half-dressed in piratical gear. 

The four pillars on which the platform has descended are notched with hand-holds for the monsters to climb swiftly in and out.


Perceptions general: Dasten 15 Yona 20 Malkin 20 :poor repair, scarcrows have no decent clothes, 
village: Dasten 18 Yona 25 Malkin 14  : sth about the church 
keep : Dasten 10 Yona 19 Malkin 13
Knowledge local: Dasten 10 Yona 22 Malkin 7
Diplomacy Yona 10

Dasten

18 21

Knowledge (Local): 1d20+7 10 



Yona

Three awesome perception rolls, 1 excellent Knowledge local roll, and a really lame Diplomacy roll  

1d20+5: 20 [1d20=15]

1d20+5: 25 [1d20=20]

1d20+5: 19 [1d20=14]

1d20+7: 22 [1d20=15]

1d20+8: 12 [1d20=4] 



Malkin

3#1d20+9: 3 # 20 [1d20=11] 14 [1d20=5] 13 [1d20=4] 

And a local knowledge roll 

1d20+1: 7 [1d20=6]
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Further good news, let’s roll for treasure. Each please roll twice on the following table, once using Perception, the second just d20 plus double your CHA bonus (pure luck).
--4 sad wreckage, e.g sailor’s locket, tankard worth 3d6 poe, 10% chance of  curse
--9 elven trinket -coin, brooch or hairpin, say- worth 6d6 poe
--14 Rare coral worth 6*10 poe
--19  Elven masterwork, e.g masterwork elven weapon, healing kit, craft tools
--24 Common magic e.g potion of clw, +1 dagger, quiver of +1 crossbow bolts
--Elven art, e.g. sculpture, vase, craft piece worth 1d6 100 poe
-- Uncommon magic e.g. +1 crossbow, wand of magic missiles, potion of cure serious wounds
--Pink pearl worth 3d6 100 Poe
--Treasure chest , contains coins and jewels worth 6d6 100 poe
--Artefact e.g. +2 elven weapon or similar value magic item
--Treasure trove, roll again 3 times, treat new rolls above 30 as treasure chest, below.
-Some hefty wreckage, e.g capstan, mast, timber, cannon, too difficult to raise without block and tackle..
-Recover valuable cargo , eg barrel of rum, jar of preserved spices,   worth roll* 10 Poe
-hazardous items, eg. 1 sharp shell 3 snappy hermit crab 6 lethal sea snake
-hefty wreckage  e.g 1 ship timber 3 cannon 6
--14 valuable cargo, e.g barrel of rum, jar of preserved spices,   worth 1d6 100 poe
--19  Elven masterwork, e.g masterwork elven weapon, healing kit, craft tools
--24 Common magic e.g potion of clw, +1 dagger, quiver of +1 crossbow bolts
--Elven masterpiece, e.g. sculpture, vase, craft piece worth 2d6 100 poe
-- Uncommon magic e.g. +1 crossbow, wand of magic missiles, potion of cure serious wounds
--Treasure chest , e.g Chest of gold and jewels worth 3d6 100 poe
--Sea jewel , e.g pearl worth 5d6 100 Poe
--Artefact e.g. +2 elven weapon or similar value magic item
--Treasure trove, e.g roll again 3 times, treat new rolls above 30 as treasure chest, below
 hook Bay, the inlet in which Cove Secret is hidden, is walled from the deeper sea by a long , dangerous reef. Ships can pass safely only through a few gaps known (only, they pray) to the pirates. One the bay side the water is shallow, sandy and clear. Its Sultry currents are plied by turtles and glimmering shoals of colourful fish. Beyond the wall the sea bottom drops into deep, cold water, whose depths even the powerful tropical suns cannot probe.