Rage, Frenzy, and Fury: Going Berserk in Partholon

A berserker rage is a state of violent madness that can be induced through drugs, brain damage, or deliberate practice.

Rage

In a state of rage, you are filled with bloodlust and an urge for action and violence. It is difficult to concentrate or to keep patient.

• -2 Reaction for the team. Even if you keep your mouth shut your bristling, pacing, and glaring is overtly hostile.
• +2 to mind-based saves, including charm-type spells and monstrous fear effects. However, if an effect instills an altered state of emotion and you fail the save, this new emotion overrides your rage. 
• Overheating: If wearing chainmail or plate & chain, you will become fatigued (-2 attack & saves). If wearing basic plate, must adjust the fit for comfort, which reduces AC -2. (But if wearing no armor or using just a shield, gain a +1 AC bonus.)
• Difficulty concentrating on magic or delicate tasks; requires total concentration.
• Increased risk of chance encounters; Target Number of encounter checks increases by 1 as you find it difficult to keep quiet and patient.
• When combat begins, enter a state of Frenzy.

Frenzy

When a fight breaks out, the smoldering rage explodes into violence. Depending on the source of your Rage, a frenzy may be triggered in every combat or only under certain circumstances.

• +2 to Attacks.
• Upgrade weapon damage by one die type.
• Can't shoot but can throw.
• Resistant to mental effects such as charm and fear. (Some complex interactions happen here, noted below.)
• Any action besides attacking the nearest foe requires a mind-based save, and the +2 Rage bonus does not apply. This includes such actions as withdrawing, fleeing, defending, casting a spell, activating an artifact, or even moving past an opponent to attack a different one. 

Resistance to mental effects in a Frenzy must be adjudicated by the referee. Some guidelines:

• Ongoing effects continue, but new ones usually can't be introduced.
• New effects might only be delayed until the end of the frenzy, however.
• While in a state of frenzy, the Rage can't be overridden unless something dramatically changes the situation.

For example, a hag induces a few-based weakness in those who fail their save when they first see her. A berserker could be pushed out of Rage before entering into Frenzy. Once he enters a Frenzy, the arrival of more hags won't be able to end his Rage until it is spent. However, if the first hag doesn't appear until the berserker is already frenzying, her sudden appearance could be enough to end his Rage and his Frenzy at once, if he fails his save (which still benefits form the +2 Rage bonus).


Sources of Rage have different procedures and may alter specific interactions.

Mushroom Tea
A special concoction available for 25 silver pennies.

• Spend 1 turn preparing with a quaff of water and a source of heat (like a torch)
• Make a Body save (poison). Additional doses in one day will add a -2 cumulative penalty. 
• Pass: enter a Rage for 1 hour (6 turns). Frenzy in every combat. 
• Fail: spend 1 turn vomiting, suffer 1 damage per HD, become fatigued (-2 AP & Saves). 

Skull-cracked
Head injuries sustained when dropped to 0 hit points.

• Always in a state of Rage. 
• If an altered state is induced, will revert to Rage at the end of that effect's duration
• Frenzy only when fighting humans or human-like foes

Primal Fury
A feature of the Berserker subclass of fighter

• Invoke as a free action, in or out of combat, to enter a Rage. Frenzy in every combat. 
• After combat, may choose to make a Body save vs fatigue to sustain the Rage, or may let it go and revert to normal state of mind. 
• After 1 hour without combat, must choose to save & sustain or let the Rage go, as above.
• May renew invocation at cost of 1 hp per HD.
• Additional abilities, such as Renewed Rage and Relentless Rage, allow additional invocation of the Fury without the hp cost. 

The Ranger - a Specialist class for Partholon

Art by Kelly McLarnon

In my concept, a ranger is a stealthy character and an indirect combatant, an opportunist and a problem-solver. I'm treating the class as taking the role normally filled by the thief in classic campaigns, because I like this flavor more. This is an updated version of the class, which continues to owe more to Aspar White of Eslen than the Dunedain of Middle-earth.

The Ranger is an expert hunter and tracker, accustomed to traveling on her own through the wilderness and living off the land. Her nomadic lifestyle makes her a figure of suspicion when she ventures into settlements, but the opinions of ignorant strangers are a small matter in her eyes. Prior to her treasure-hunting career, she patrolled the wilderness, hunting monsters before they could become a threat to innocent villagers, and occasionally collecting bounties from whatever baron happened to be nearby when she needed money.

Rangers generally see one another as affiliates in a loose network or brotherhood. Most are solitary, but some work in bands, and some carry on a family legacy. Two of the most famous names among rangers are the Watchkeepers and the Stargazers.

The ranger's combat style emphasizes speed and mobility. She exploits opportunities when they appear, and creates them when she needs them. She is not trained to fight in plate or mail.

Stealth Skills 

(The referee should roll for stealth skills, so the player cannot be sure of the result. The PC will believe she is successful until confronted with evidence to the contrary.)
Hide in Shadows: Anybody can hide if they can actually get out of sight. The ranger can attempt to hide with no better concealment than the shifting shadows of torchlight.
Hide in Wilderness: The ranger is even better at hiding in the wild. With 1d3 turns of preparation, she can attempt to conceal her entire party. If she is only trying to hide herself, roll 2 Skill dice instead of just 1. 
Move Silently: When hidden, any movement will normally give away the hiding character's position. The ranger can attempt to move without giving herself away.

Professional Skills
Listen: Use the Skill Roll instead of the normal 1 in 6 chance for listening.
Tracking: Indoors & underground, make a Skill Roll with -1 TN for each turn of delay. In the wild, use the best of 2 Skill Rolls, with -1 TN for each day of delay, rain, or snow.
Wilderness Expert: A party with a ranger gets +1 to Travel rolls, including disorientation, searching, hunting & foraging. 
Free-climb: The ranger is skilled at climbing walls and rock faces without gear or assistance. She can climb 2d6x10 feet per turn, but never more than 100 ft or faster than her Explore speed. If the roll exceeds either limit, she is unable to make progress. If the roll exceeds both limits, she attempts progress but falls from the halfway point.

Combat Skills
Ambush: If the ranger is attacking from hiding or by surprise, add +4 AP and add an extra damage die. The target can be on guard or even involved in combat as long as the ranger herself is hidden.
Dual Wielding: When wielding two weapons, the ranger adds +1 to AP and damage if Dex is 13+.
Expert Archer:  When using a bow, the ranger can choose one special attack:

• Move and Shoot: The ranger can move her combat speed and shoot a bow without penalty
• Sharp-shooting: The ranger adds her Skill TN to her AP. If the d20 rolls a natural 10 or less, she may hold her shot. On a hit, her damage dice can explode (i.e., if the die rolls its highest value, roll another damage die and add it to the total).

The Ranger

Level	XP	HD	AP		Traits
1	0	1	1		Skill: 2 in 6
2	1,500	2	1
3	3,000	3	2		Skill: 3 in 6
4	6,000	+1 hp	2
5	12,000	4	3		Weapon damage: 1d8
6	24,000	5	3
7	50,000	6	4		Skill: 4 in 6
8	100,000	+1 hp	4
9	200,000	7	5
10	300,000	8	5		Weapon damage: 1d10
...	+100,000	+1 hp	...		Skill: 5 in 6

Saves: +2 Physical

Edit: revised the rules for Quick-shooting.

The Veteran - a Fighter class for Partholon

Art by Storn Cook

As my campaign has grown, I have expanded the classes to include some subclasses. My take on the Fighter has been drawn from the original first level title, "Veteran," and I have reworked the class to emphasize this flavor in order to keep it distinct. This post is the updated version. 

The Veteran has already survived several battles before he begins his dungeon-delving career. He may have been a member of a village militia or a city guard, or may have fought in some warlord's campaign. He may come from a lineage of knights or similar warrior-lords charged with safeguarding the realm. Whatever his background, he has left the battlefield behind and turned to crypts and catacombs, hoping that his battle-skills will keep him alive long enough to collect lost treasures.

The veteran is in many ways the easiest class to play.  He doesn't depend greatly on planning and forethought (though he will benefit from both!) and with proper equipment is about as ready as he'll ever be for whatever situations come up. He can adapt to most any situation as needed, but his standard tactic (kill monsters and stay alive) is a smart choice most of the time.

Basic Traits

Guard: When a veteran chooses to fight defensively, he gets the normal +2 bonus to AC, but can also grant an additional +2 AC bonus to a nearby ally. Guard bonuses do not stack, so a given individual can benefit from only a single veteran's protection.

Overkill: The veteran is trained to fight his enemies not as individuals but as a unit. When he deals damage in excess of that needed to slay a foe, he can deliver the excess damage to another foe in reach (so long as that target's AC is no greater than the fighter's attack). He can combine his movement and attack if needed to deliver the overkill.

Martial Skill: The veteran has learned how to get optimal performance out of all manner of weapons. A fighter can:

• wield a spear one-handed
• throw a spear 30 ft at normal AP, 60 ft at -4 outdoors or with a high ceiling
• charge with a spear or lance for +2 AP and x2 damage
• set a spear or lance against a charge for first strike and x2 damage
•  move and shoot with a bow, but lose Overkill that round
• shoot a bow with Overkill, spending an extra shot for each additional target, but give up movement for that round
• add his Dex bonus to AP and damage when fighting with two weapons

Expert Traits

Hero: +1 to Command and Leadership [that's Number of Retainers and Retainer Morale]

Champion: a further +1 to Command and Leadership

Daunting: Starting at 8th level, when the veteran moves to engage enemies of 4HD or less, he may force them to make a morale check.

Warlord:  By ancient custom, only the most powerful warriors could be recognized as boyars, the warlords who governed and protected the clans. Imperial rule replaced the boyars with barons who grant their position to legal heirs, but with the decay of Imperial authority, the ancient customs are being revived. A veteran who declares himself a Warlord will attract a small army of followers above and beyond the command allotted by his Charisma. If he doesn't want trouble with the local barons or Duke Bellorum, he may seek to pledge fealty or claim a domain in the wilderness beyond Imperial control. If he doesn't mind defying the authorities, he may claim existing settlements as his own, or he and his men can live as brigands and outlaws within Imperial lands.

The Fighter

Level	XP	HD	AP		Traits
1	0	1+1	1		Guard, Overkill, Martial Skill
2	2,000	2	2
3	4,000	3	3
4	8,000	4	3		1d8 damage, Hero
5	16,000	5	4
6	32,000	6	5		Champion
7	64,000	7	5
8	120,000	8	6		1d10 damage, Daunting
9	240,000	9	7		Warlord
10	360,000	10	7
...	+120,000	+2 hp	...

Saves: +2 Physical

Mages in Partholon

Art by Victoria Frances

Magic-users have always been my favorite fantasy archetype, which probably owes to seeing Willow at an early age.  I like to present the class as more sinister and mysterious than is typical of D&D campaigns these days, and to that end I've tempered the resource-management with an edge of risk-management.    

The Magic-user did not study at some school of wizardry, and she is not to be found behind the counter of a cozy magic shop. She learned her secret lore through a years-long and often lonely apprenticeship, and her mentor may well be the only other mage she has met in her life. When her apprenticeship reached its end, she was sent forth to test her spellcraft in the real world and earn her initiation into the ranks of the Adepts. Delving into buried ruins in search of lost treasure and forgotten artifacts is very possibly the most dangerous way to begin a career, but anyone too timid to face great risk in search of great reward should never have trucked with magic in the first place!

Although there are other techniques and traditions, the default form of spellcraft is Vornish Sorcery, which channels the power of dead-but-dreaming abominations from before the dawn of time to warp reality according to the sorcerer's will. Other traditions will be presented as sub-classes.

The mage is perhaps the most challenging class to play. With forethought and planning, she has potential to overcome almost any obstacle, but if not properly prepared can wind up being frustratingly helpless. This class will perform best with a distinct goal for each delve, and with long-term goals in mind throughout the campaign. To broaden her options, the player should expect to reinvest most of her treasure into arcane projects, and might be wise to hire retainers for bodyguards. Despite all of these challenges, a well-played magic-user can eventually become one of the most powerful and versatile characters in the campaign.

Basic Traits
Neophyte: From levels 1-3, the character is tasked with proving that her apprenticeship is complete. She is independent, succeeding or failing by her own skill, but she is not yet ranked as a full member of her sorcerous tradition. Her mentor, an NPC of at least 6th level, oversees her progress and remains available for consultation and occasional aid.

At the dawn of her career, the mage has a compendium containing the spells known as the "common grimoire" (Gloaming, Protection, Scrivening, and Sense Arcana) as well as one of the signature spells of the Vornish tradition (Charm, Decipher Script, Lock, and Sleep). A talented mage with Int of 9-12 will have learned two of these spells, while a gifted mage with Int of 13+ will have learned three. As she attains each new level, her mentor will teach her an additional spell until 4th level, at which point he shall give her a final spell as a sort of 'graduation present' and initiate her as an Adept.

Arcane Lore: When the mage encounters an artifact or an arcane phenomenon (an "arcanum"), there is a chance she will recognize it, or recall similar arcana that might provide a clue as to what she has encountered. She will need to examine the arcanum in some way - this may be as simple as looking closely at an artifact, or may require some sort of interaction (which may prove hazardous). If she can pass a Saving Roll, she will gain an insight into the arcanum's nature. She might predict one of an artifact's powers, or guess a likely incantation for a magic mirror, or realize why the dungeon corridors keep changing, etc.

Failing this, if the mage has an arcane toolkit with her, she may devote a turn to analyzing the occult resonance of the arcanum. By testing how different herbs and reagents react to the arcanum's presence, she may be able to divine its nature, gaining a second attempt at the roll.

The mage may research in a library (her own or her mentor's) to seek more insights. This is an all-day project, but the roll may enjoy a bonus depending on the library's rating (larger libraries, or libraries stocked with rarer tomes, will tend to yield better results).

Scrivening: During her apprenticeship, a mage relies on the Scrivening spell extensively in order to read arcane glyphs and runes, as well as to transcribe spells into her own compendium. Even when she has not formally memorized the complete formula, enough of the spell can be recalled that she can always cast Scrivening. However, without the complete formula, she cannot completely hide herself from the Things Outside that hunger for the life-force of mages. Casting Scrivening without memorizing it first always counts as Echoing the spell. 

Advanced traits
Adept: The mage can undertake simple arcane projects such as brewing potions and researching spells known to her tradition. (She is not yet able to discover original, unknown spells.) Her mentor remains an ally, but expects his pupil to be truly independent of his expertise. Calling on him for help may require trades of services or treasure, if only as a show of respect.

Arcane Instruments: The mage can imbue her magical essence into a staff and a dagger (called a "virge" and an "athame," respectively). Each arcane instrument is a magical weapon in its creator's hand, and she can sense its direction at any distance. While she carries either instrument, other magic-users can sense her arcane power, giving her a +1 reaction bonus. She can withdraw her essence from either instrument and imbue it into a new one, but the process takes 1d6 days. She can never have more than a single virge and a single athame at any time.


Magister: The mage can now take on advanced arcane projects, such as re-creating artifacts from the lore found in her library, or discovering original, previously-unknown spells. She can also take on an apprentice to assist her in these projects.

The apprentice begins as a 0-level retainer, typically working as a lackey to earn his keep (and to pay the costs of the spells taught to him). Once he has been given the Scrivening spell, he can assist in arcane projects and will earn a half-share of experience from that work. Normally, this would be the apprentice's only source of XP, but if he accompanies the Magister on adventures, he will be likely to advance very quickly indeed! Once he has earned 1,000 xp as an apprentice, he can be initiated to Neophyte status, but it is best to ensure he has more spells than just Scrivening in his compendium!

Presence: The mage now exudes a subtle but palpable aura of power. She gains +1 to Command and Leadership [number of retainers and retainer morale], while her enemies suffer -1 morale. She also enjoys a +1 on reaction rolls, as even her enemies are not eager to provoke her.

Cantrips: So long as she carries her arcane instruments, the mage can create very minor magical effects using the potential of items on or about her person. For example, if she carries a tinderbox, she can light a fire with a snap of her fingers; if she has coins in a pouch, she can drop them from an empty hand. If she has a torch in her backpack, she could carry an open flame in her hand, but the torch would still be consumed as though burned. In general, these cantrips are more showy than useful, and their effects do not extend beyond her person.

Arch-mage: An arch-mage is a sovereign power unto herself. She may build or seize a tower to serve as her seclusium and claim the surrounding lands as her domain. Only the strongest and most confident warlords will dare to dispute her claim; most will leave her to her own affairs, or even send gifts to curry her favor. 

Upon establishing her seclusium, she will attract the attention of several would-be students: 1-12 0-level supplicants and 1-6 journeymages (levels 1-3) seeking superior training.


The Magic-user

Level	XP	HD	AP		Traits	I	II	III	IV	V
1	0	1	1		Neophyte, Arcane Lore, Scrivening	1	-	-	-	-
2	2,500	+1 hp	1			2	-	-	-	-
3	5,000	2	1			3	1	-	-	-
4	10,000	+1 hp	2		Adept, Arcane Instruments	4	2	-	-	-
5	20,000	3	2			4	2	1	-	-
6	40,000	+1 hp	3		Magister	4	2	2	-	-
7	80,000	4	3		Weapon damage: 1d8	4	3	2	1	-
8	150,000	+1 hp	3		Presence, Cantrips	4	3	3	2	-
9	300,000	5	4			4	3	3	2	1
10	450,000	+1 hp	4		Arch-mage	4	4	3	2	2
...	+150,000	+1 hp	5			...	...	...	...	...

Saves: +2 vs Magic

Legends of Partholon: the Bloodreaper, Ariokk

Art by Steve Argyle

Names & Titles: Ariokk, the Bloodreaper, the Duke of Blades, Prince of the Seven Darks

Symbols & Depiction:  In Tyrhennea, he is depicted with the arms and armor typical of the Delian bronze-age - what the Imperial imagination considers primitive and semi-barbaric. His face is always kept hidden. Vagyars depict him as a savage cloaked in the skins and bones of his kills - beast and man alike.

Prestige: One of the few Chaotic gods in the imperial pantheon, Ariokk revels in bloodshed and brutality. He serves Valkas as a frenzied warrior who balks at nothing, and is regarded as a patron of warfare. Tyrhenneans prefer to keep his worship at something of a distance, but many Vagyars embrace his patronage - especially berserkers.

Veneration: Ariokk's windowless temples bear mosaics depicting the most horrifying scenes of slaughter, murder, and appalling violence of every stripe. Most soldiers disdain this mad god's patronage - at least while they remain at home or in a quiet garrison. In the fog of war, it is common to hear the battlefield prayer, "Blood and souls for Ariokk!" as kill after kill is dedicated in his name.

Any place or object associated with him is held as savage and dangerous. There are rumors that his cult includes certain priests or zealots who sacrifice to him through random murders and worse.

Legends: The poet Grucca frequently depicts Ariokk as a villain, occasionally as a treacherous and untrustworthy ally to the gods and heroes of his tales. Ariokk lends his blessings to anyone who shows strength, courage, or savagery, without regard to his supposed loyalty to Valkas. Grucca even claims that Ariokk is the god most hateful to the Lawgiver.

It is also said that Ariokk was the chief patron of lost Agha-yin. Some variations of the legend tell that he was once a wise sorcerer-god, but that he gradually devolved into madness, perhaps as a result of the growing depravities among his worshippers. In these tales, it was Ariokk who destroyed Agha-yin, smiting its towers and driving its armies to slaughter the populace before sending the entire island-continent to drown beneath the Sedrian Sea.

Lore of the Kruthar

Updated - the party has fought a skrag now.
 

Art by Talon Dunning

Partholon is famed throughout the empire for its haunted forests, mysterious faeries, and the murderous Druid cult, but the greatest peril throughout the frontier baronies would have to be the Kruthar barbarians. These savages dwell in the Bleak Hills to the north, where they worship and breed with the foul spawn of uncounted hells. They strike suddenly and mercilessly, stealing livestock and equipment and abducting villagers, the fates of whom may never be known for sure, but are the subject of grim speculation. Common theories range from slave labor to sacrifice to cannibalism and worse.

Most Partholonians will tell you that Kruthar aren't actually men, but merely man-like animals. And it is true that when barbarian corpses are cleared from a battlefield, many seem to bear but a brutish approximation of human features, and others appear more animal than human, but for many the tattoos and war-paint and ritualized scars seem to disguise the face of mere humans.

Recently, Morgana of the Iron Wolf clan became attached to the treasure-hunters operating out of Sham. She has learned a little of the common tongue, and has taught her lover Brianne a little of her own. Though communication remains difficult, the party is at last learning a little about the Kruthar. Some of this new lore is summarized here. 

The Kruthar refer to themselves as the Free People. The ancient Firians, ancestors of modern Partholonians, referred to themselves the same way. They believe they once ruled over the whole of Partholon, but that they were driven into the bleak northern hills and mountains by the Firian tribes. To survive in the rugged highlands, they made pacts with the creatures of Chaos they found lurking there, and bound these pacts with their bloodlines. To this day, status is closely linked with the purity of this eldritch blood, as seen manifest in mutations and deformities.

Kruthar society is divided into clans, castes, warbands, tribes, and hordes. The interaction and overlap of these groups is more complicated than Morgana can fully explain, but their practical function seems to be to give warriors an excuse to fight for status and power while simultaneously giving them a way to join their strength against outsiders.

Kruthar religion venerates the spirits of the wild and demons of the underworld. They hold destruction, killing, and cruelty as sacred. Many believe their role in the world is to purify it of weakness. Some believe their role is to burn the world down, and that the only purity to be had is the silent eternity of oblivion. Kruthar ethics are mostly variations on "Might makes right." What you are strong enough to take is yours for the taking. What you are strong enough to keep is yours to keep.

Gender roles are assumed but not rigid. Men normally become hunters and warriors while women typically see to the clan's home and rear the children, but there is no social stigma for those who deviate from the norm. Breeding is a sacred responsibility, as the harsh lifestyle and unreliable fertility of the Kruthar means extermination is a perpetual threat. Contributing many children to the clan is a good way to gain status, and many Kruthar of both genders take on multiple partners. It is uncommon, but not rare, for Kruthar to take lovers of their own sex. As long as such affairs don't distract from the clan's need for new blood, there is no stigma involved.  

They respect strength as the primary virtue, but their definition of strength is quite broad. Charisma, cunning, and supernatural powers are included alongside battle-prowess and mere brawn. In essence, whatever lets you get your way is considered a virtue.

The caste of a Kruthar is determined not by his parentage, but by the mark of Chaos - the degree of visible mutation and deformity. Greater mutation corresponds to greater status. The castes usually segregate their warbands, but intermingle freely within their clans.A warrior of any caste may be gifted with the sacred madness of the berserker rage. Any Kruthar can advance beyond the status accorded by his caste by proving his strength. Tattoos, piercings, and ritual scars serve to mark improved status.

• The majority of Kruthar are born to the caste known as donadar, bearing little or no sign of Chaotic deformity. Although they have the lowest status, they are the most fertile, making donadars prized as mates by all castes.
• About one in four Kruthar will be a shalgar. Shalgars are bigger, stronger, and tougher than donadars, and are visibly marked by Chaos.
• Less than one in twenty Kruthar will be a morlak. Morlaks are huge, hulking brutes, sometimes twice the size of a man, but frequently stooped or hunchbacked. They are heavily mutated, barely human at all, and some even grow one or two extra arms. Morlaks frequently have little more than animal wit, but the few who are gifted with both strength and cunning become great warlords.
  
• The very rare skrag is among the most powerful of Kruthar. Skrags are even larger and more powerful than morlaks, more heavily mutated and frequently gifted with a burning madness. They are almost entirely inhuman, often growing scales, fur, and thorn-like spurs in patches. Extra arms are common, and some even grow an extra head. 
• Clans are frequently led by a grugak, a magician with the power to bestow curses and change shapes. A strong clan will have a chief grugak and his lesser apprentices. 

With Morgana's information and the party's experience fighting Kruthars, some game data can be made available.

Kruthar Warrior
AC 14
HD 1
AP 1
Morale 8
Alignment: Chaotic
Sacred Madness: When Kruthar fail a morale check or are subject to any fear effect, there is a 1 in 10 chance that they will be overcome by a berserker rage. A berserk warrior of the common caste will have the following statistics:

Kruthar Berserker
AC 11
HD 1
AP 4
Morale 12
Alignment: Chaotic
Hard to Kill: A berserker with 0 hp can continue to fight until wounded again.

1 in 4 warbands encountered will be of the elite shalgar caste.

Kruthar Elite
AC 14
HD 2
AP 2
Morale 9
Demon Eyes: These Kruthar can see in total darkness, but reduce AP by 1 in sunlight.
Savagery: These Kruthar can fight with tooth and nail even if they are disarmed.
Sacred Madness: as above.

Skrag
AC ??
HD 6+3
AP 7
Morale <11

The party has not encountered morlaks, so no reliable data can be extrapolated from Morgana's lore. They have battled a grugak in Stonehell, and are aware that changing form seemed to heal his wounds, but have no more concrete data beyond that.

Return to Partholon: Prologue to Season 3

In the last weeks of autumn, our party returns to Sham from their foray to distant Stonehell, with new guests: Brianne and Morgana. Morgana's tattoos, characteristic of the Kruthar savages, spark some concern among the villagers, but Nylian is quick to assure everyone that the girl is a captive rescued from Kruthar captivity, and that the winter will be spent teaching her how to live among civilized folks. Nylian has a reputation for honesty - brutal honesty, in fact - so no one seems to realize that she is lying through her teeth.

Thus, the young women are able to settle into their winter routine as guests at Ash's townhouse without any hassle. Gradually each learns a bit of the other's language and culture, and lay the foundations of a strong bond between them. Morgana is pleased to have been claimed by a strong warrior, and the party is obviously a powerful war-band, so she hopes to assist Brianne in building strength, status, and renown. Although love between two women is as uncommon among the Kruthar as it is in Partholon, neither culture attaches any serious stigma to it, and they are free to discover whether theirs will be a brief affair or a lasting romance.

Clementine and Bill the Green spend most of the winter in seclusion, working on the means to interweave their magicks and awaken the potential in the alicorn they had recovered from the goblins' lair. Their approachs are very different - Bill spends hours and days pouring through his collection of obscure and arcane tomes, while Clementine spends equal time in meditation seeking inspiration - there is enough common ground between their crafts that they are able to produce results. The spirit of the unicorn has been invited to rest, to lend a measure of its grace into a sacred spear which will be an instrument of healing as well as a weapon against the hordes of Chaos.

Vennet is similarly hard at work through the winter, calling on her spirit guides and giving them generous sacrifices in order to expand her spell-trove. She spends a great deal of money through the winter buying the finest animals and butchering them - and while the spirits feast on the steam of  spilled blood and the smoke of burnt fat, the villagers share in a feast of hot roast meat, and Vennet builds strange totems from the bones. These feasts help to assuage the effect of the famine, and serve as an occasion to retell the old stories and sing the old songs handed down from their Firian ancestors, from before the coming of the Empire. Though the cult of the druids is banned by Imperial law, here in Sham it has taken root once more.

Nylian's father is recovering from his illness, and she devotes herself to helping him regain his former strength. He is pleased with how well she has managed the forge in his absence, and she is freed from the responsibility of overseeing the various specialist smiths who work under her father. Though the Kruthar savages continue to raid through the winter, she is now free to face them toe-to-toe and make them remember why they fear "the hammer girl." She and the Freestone brothers come to be seen by the militia as an elite squad that dives into the thickest fighting and leaps into berserker mobs and always returns with a trio of savage grins.

Ash and his men are likewise a welcome aid to the militia. Long experience has made them a solid fighting unit, but their greater contribution is the ability to inspire and organize the village warriors. With Ash, Spurlock, and Molin each taking charge of a squad of fighters, the barbarian raiders frequently find themselves outflanked, outfoxed, and out of luck. The Kruthar have always preferred to hit hard and carry off supplies, beasts, and victims as quickly as possible, before defenders can organize enough to return substantial losses. More and more, the savages are forced to strike quickly and withdraw immediately to avoid getting mired in a grueling battle. Before the Storm Moon is through, the raids grow less and less frequent, less and less determined, and the villagers of Sham can enjoy a measure of peace at last. 

A Bad Year for Sham

It's been a bad year for Sham.Early in the year, villagers were disappearing, abducted by goblyns and sacrificed to the chaos-god Zhothaqquah. Unnatural storms brought about a terrible flood in Spring, and a plague swept the region in Summer. The flooding from Spring, coupled with early frost and early snows in Autumn, have done serious damage to the crops. Worries about a possible famine were realized when a fire in the village destroyed much of the stored harvest, not to mention the buildings and lives consumed by the flames. Woodcutters are braving the winter snows, the worst in years, to help the village rebuild. The nearly constant harassment by Kruthar raiders means that militia volunteers are needed to guard the woodcutters each day, and more are needed to patrol the stockade each night. Before Winter is through, Desmond the Elder estimates that the population of Sham has been cut to half what it was the year before.

What this means to the party

To begin with, the famine and the fire means that upkeep costs are double throughout the winter.  Unfortunately, winter is also when we assess the cost of maintenance on the characters' houses - normally 10% of the house's value, but with the fire and all the cost is doubled to 20% - 100 silver coins for each house-owning PC.

Second of all, with the very existence of the village threatened, Nylian is highly motivated to take drastic measures against the Kruthar horde. The frequency of the raids suggests that they have established a nearby camp from which to strike, but the party can also strike out for the lair itself in the northern hills, to hit them where they live. If the party opts for this action, they'll have the choice of their usual tactics - a small, elite strike force conducting guerrilla raids against the barbarians - or they could attempt to raise an organized war-band to conduct a larger-scale military strike. The party might be able to convince Prontis Blackhart to lend some soldiers, but will probably have to recruit mercenaries from a larger city like Nemedia to make the army effective. That would be a time-consuming and expensive affair, and would drastically undermine the party's usual goal of nabbing maximum treasure and XP, but it remains an option.

Winter Expenses [revised because math hates my brain]


Food & essentials for long-term residence is normally 20/month, while long-term stabling & feed of horses is normally just 2/month. While the famine & shortage of both lumber & labor persist, these will be doubled to 40 and 4. The costs below will see to all needs through the Wolf Moon and the Storm Moon and have everyone stocked up for the Crow Moon, when we will resume play.

Ash has a house with three residents, three horses, and a mule. Between maintenance, stabling, food, and other essentials, he's shelling out 508 silver to cover the three months until the party can travel again.

Brianne and Morgana are assumed to be staying as Ash's guests, but I'm also assuming Brianne is chipping in for their expenses. Including her horse's stabling, she needs to pay 252 silver for the winter.

Nylian, if I recall correctly, has rooms for Vennet at her house, and they both have horses. Between the two of them, they'll have to cough up 364 silver.

Clementine has a house and horse, but lives by herself. 232 silver.

Bill doesn't have a horse, so he only needs 220. Svaarden and Gottfried are both listed as inactive, but they'd have the same expenses as Bill. 

The Grimoire of Avathar

This book has seen better days.

This week, the party defeated the spectre of Avathar, Sorcerer of Akban-sham, in the crypts below the buried temple of Zhothoqquah. They found a pretty astonishing amount of jewelry, most of it adorning the skeletons that lay upon the lesser slabs - most likely concubines or the like. But in a hidden compartment beneath Avathar's own sarcophagus was a badly decayed codex - the sorcerer's grimoire! Bill the Green has begun to decipher it.

The book is in terrible condition. Most of what remains is but the fragments of spells and forbidden lore that hint maddeningly at what has been lost. At once time this tome held spells to conjure up storms of ice, shapeshifting magic, and even a spell to fold space itself. Sadly, these spells have been destroyed by the ravages of time. Fortunately, a handful of spells are whole enough for Bill to study them. Some are just common spells known to any journeymage, others are sorcery of a kind forbidden to the wizards of Bill's order, but a precious few are prizes for the young magician.

The spells that are complete and legible are of three kinds. Those that Bill already has in his own grimoire include Charm, Gloaming, Sense Motive, and Sleep. Those that are sorcerous include Flying, Phantom Double, Shroud, and Unseen Servant. It may be possible to derive usable spells from these, but the powers they invoke defy the laws of wizardry. Finally, there are spells which Bill can freely add to his collection, both at rank III: Binding, and Circle of Protection.

Transcribing a spell into his own grimoire will take at least three days, and could take more than a week depending on the alignment of the stars, the phase of the invisible moon, and other such details. And of course rare incenses must be burned, special inks must be mixed with exotic ingredients, and similar ritual measures taken, which will cost 10 silver per day of work.

Binding
Range: 120'
Duration: 1 hour
  This spell will paralyze up to 4 humanlike targets. If focused on a single target, that target saves at -2. The spell is ineffective against giants and undead. 

Circle of Protection
Range: 10' Aura or Ritual
Duration: 2 hours
   The caster radiates an aura that protects all allies within 10 feet, granting a +1 to AC and Saves. Additionally, creatures that are otherworldly, animated, or enchanted cannot enter the aura of protection or touch those within it. Warded creatures can still attempt ranged and magical attacks, of course. If anyone within the aura attacks a warded creature, the barrier effect will be broken (but the defensive bonuses will continue to apply).
   This spell can also be cast as a ten-minute ritual, enchanting a 20' x 20' area with an aura of protection. This can be used to block a passage or even to imprison a warded creature. This ritual requires the caster to draw a line of chalk to anchor the spell. If any creature unaffected by the spell's barrier should break this line, the magical barrier will be likewise broken.

Sadly, only another mage can see how badass you really are.

Legends of Partholon: Thunderlord Tanaris

Found on the wall of many a forge.

Names & Titles: Tanaris, the Thunderlord, the Hammer-god, Lord of the Forge, the Wrath of Valkas.

Prestige: He is counted among the sons of Valkas, and is the smith and weaponsmaster of the heavenly court. In Tyrhennea, Tanaris is mainly the patron of smiths, but his patronage is seen as the foundation for the empire's rise to power. He is also recognized as a warrior who carries out the will of Valkas.

Among the Vagyar, Tanaris is a warrior first and a smith second. He champions mankind in the battle against chaos, and demands none of the weird devotions and sacrifices required by rival war-gods like Ariokh.

Symbols & Depiction: The hammer is his primary symbol, while lightning (poetically called "sky-fire") may represent either the fires of his forge or the flames of his fury. He is depicted as a robust man, with his hammer never far from hand, and is normally quite jovial. Only when he is called to battle does his fury erupt to shake the earth and burn the heavens.

Veneration: It was the secret crafts of forging steel and working mail that propelled Tyrhennea to dominance and founded the empire. His image adorns most forges, and most citizens see him as a god of crafts only. However, the military embraces him and supports his priesthood in order to celebrate his holy days and to praise him on return from successful campaigns. Veterans give him due credit for the quality of arms and armor that have kept them alive. Furthermore, Tanaris' willingness to set aside the tools of his craft to fight for the Lawgiver's cause is an example for all soldiers.

Legends: In the age when gods walked the earth, Tanaris and Alia came to the folk of Valinar in the north and taught them the Great Crafts. He taught them to work metal, wood and stone, while she taught them the crafts of textiles, leather, and pottery. Together they raised men from savagery to civilization, and the reign of Valinar is still remembered as a golden age for humanity. When the monsters of the elder world threatened to overwhelm mankind, Tanaris and Alia took to battle, and inspired heroes to follow their example, to battle the chaotic hordes. Many a book of tales has been filled with the exploits of gods and men hunting these spawn of the black eons.

When the vilest monsters of the northlands were slain or driven into the nightlands beneath the earth, the gods returned to their heavenly abode, and envoys of Valinar brought their crafts to distant corners of the world. For a time, it seemed that their greatest threat would be the ancient empire of Agha-yin, or the sorcerers of Arkhemea, but in the end it was the Kruthar savages that overwhelmed Valinar and smote its grandeur into ruin.

It is common these days for the elders of any tribe or the priests of any city to claim their folk as the true descendants of Valinar. Perhaps it is so, that the envoys of that great civilization seeded their blood as well as their crafts among the many tribes of the earth. Perhaps it is naught but hubris and superstition. 

Artifacts: Legend tells that when Tanaris was teaching his mortal students the craft of smithing, a Favaragh giant came upon them and thought to feast upon the hapless mortals. Tanaris hurled his hammer at the giant, slaying it, and continued his lesson. This hammer, the ur-hammer of Valinar, was left in the care of his students to be the prototype from which they would devise their own tools.

20 Questions for Partholon

 Brendan of Untimately has organized a fantastic set of simple rules questions  that should make it easy to translate between referees. Here's the answers for Partholon:

Ability scores generation method? 3d6 in order, make a one-time swap of any two scores.
How are death and dying handled? At 0 hp, you are incapacitated and might die. If you survive, you will be saddled with a hampering injury. Details here. 
What about raising the dead? Bring offerings to a sacred grove of dryads and score a good reaction roll. 
How are replacement PCs handled? So far: promoting a retainer to PC status. PCs can also designate heirs to their wealth (minus 10%). New characters always start at 1st level.
Initiative: individual, group, or something else? Group d6 at start of encounter, high roll wins, ties lead to roll-off. Groups alternate for remainder of combat.
Are there critical hits and fumbles? How do they work? Natural 1 always fails and natural 20 always succeeds. If you're trying some fancy stunt, the referee may interpret rolls more elaborately.
Do I get any benefits for wearing a helmet? It could save your life at 0 hp. It's definitely helpful when green slime or spiders are dropping on you from above.
Can I hurt my friends if I fire into melee or do something similarly silly? Yes, absolutely. Ranged attacks target the melee group, with hits distributed randomly among the combatants.
Will we need to run from some encounters, or will we be able to kill everything? I'm often surprised by what the party manages to kill, as well as what they have to run from. Setting things on fire is usually a good idea one way or another. 
Level-draining monsters: yes or no? Yes, but you can recover the lost levels with extensive bed rest. 
Are there going to be cases where a failed save results in PC death? Usually a failed save just means you take massive damage, so it's likely to be fatal, but there remains a slim chance of survival. 
How strictly are encumbrance & resources tracked? Pretty strictly, but I use a simplified encumbrance system similar to LotFP.
What's required when my PC gains a level? Training? Do I get new spells automatically? Can it happen in the middle of an adventure, or do I have to wait for down time? With rare exceptions, XP and advancement is handled only during down time, and no training is necessary. Clerics get new spell access automatically. A magic-user will be offered a new spell by his/her mentor at each level-up through 4th level.
What do I get experience for? Treasure, defeating foes, unlocking new campaign resources.Magic-users get xp for money spent on each original project (e.g. the first time you make a given type of potion).
How are traps located? Description, dice rolling, or some combination? If the party is moving at mapping/sneaking speed, I assume they're looking for signs of traps. The locations of traps are therefore usually fairly obvious. How to get past them is a puzzle for the players to work out. Once a strategy is in place, dice rolls help to see if anyone goofs up. Influenced by Ben Robbins "Bad Trap Syndrome," part 1 and part 2.
Are retainers encouraged and how does morale work? Retainers are awesome, and I use B/X morale. 
How do I identify magic items? A magic-user with proper equipment can run some tests and eat up time and resources, and it might even work. Or you can just try doing things and see what happens. 
Can I buy magic items? Oh, come on: how about just potions? Not currently. Opportunities may be discovered in the future, though.
Can I create magic items? When and how? The rules I use are modified from LotFP. I'm also looking at the Crimson Pandect for additional refinements. 
What about splitting the party? I discourage it under most circumstances. As a tactic for outflanking opponents or investigating an enigma, it's fine. As a strategy for exploration, I'd rather not deal with it.

And I'm appending a couple of extras:
What kind of saving throws do you use? Modified from Swords & Wizardry: Whitebox, one target number based on class and level, with modifiers based on class and ability scores.
What's your base currency? Prices and XP are based on a silver standard.

Update: Beedo, of  Dreams in the Lich House, had some good add-ons.
How is alignment used? Among PCs, it's an ethical measure of just how trustworthy the character is, in a Sword & Sorcery or Spaghetti Western way. Among Monsters, it frequently reflects a more cosmological significance.
Are demi-human level limits enforced? Until the players find and make alliance with some demi-humans, there aren't any in the party.

Legends of Partholon: Death's Jester, Rakhir

If you see him in a dungeon, go the other way.

Names & Titles: Rakhir, the Red God, Death's Jester, the Devil Clown, Rictus Mortis, the Clown Prince of Chaos


Symbols & Depiction: Rakhir is imagined as a skull-faced jester in red and black. A skull with a jester's cap or even a harlequin pattern of red & black can be used to signify him.


Prestige: One of the few chaotic gods recognized in the Tyrhennean pantheon, he is regarded as the jester in Valkas' court. He is associated with death and the underworld, and the most absurd and tragic deaths are considered evidence of his uniquely sick sense of humor.


Veneration: There are special coins minted in Tyrhennea, stamped with Rakhir's likeness, that are reserved for offerings at graveyard shrines. As a patron of the dead, he is privy to their lost knowledge, and may be petitioned to reveal what he knows. Such revelations inevitably come in the form of riddles and puzzles, or more subtly as absurd (and even horrible) accidents that inspire insight.

Ancient Delian pottery has been discovered which depicts a skull-faced archer dressed in ragged red and black, shooting down warriors and kings. Gravesites in the distant north sometimes feature a human skull affixed with ram's horns, or statues depicting such a form, often with onyx and ruby gems in the eyes.

They're usually underground,and less cheerful.

Ancient ruins from the height of Agha-yin's dominion occasionally feature a "bone chapel," a temple or shrine dedicated to Rakhir, whose architecture incorporate real skulls and bones. The tradition was continued in ancient Arkhemea, and bone chapels have been commissioned by a handful of Tyrhennean emperors and aristocrats over the last two centuries.  

Legends: Rakhir is said to be charged by Valkas with enforcing the Law of Death, that the dead remain dead, and remain confined to their tombs and the netherworld. Unfortunately, it amuses Rakhir to see this law broken, and so long ago he gave mankind the forbidden knowledge to raise the dead. He is also said to interpret his duties rather loosely, so that the dead are permitted to haunt graveyards and tombs, and wherever their bodies lay unburied.

He appears in the tales of other gods and mortal heroes as a foil, where he may taunt them with valuable knowledge concealed by riddles. He is also depicted playing pranks with dire consequences, which may be as simple as slaying a hero's friend or loved one in a tragic accident, or something that appears quite harmless but leads to great and terrible things. The devastating war that destroyed the ancient kingdom of Ilion began with a prank Rakhir played on the goddess Yuna.

Rakhir has fathered three sons, all considered demigods: the Red Death, the Black Jester, and the Fire Clown. Each has been prophecied at least once either to conquer or destroy the world.

Artifacts: Rakhir is sometimes depicted carrying a kind of scepter bearing the likeness of his head. Many sorcerers believe it is his symbol of authority over the dead, or of his license to jest, jape, and defy the gods. Of course, any mortal who discovered such an object must question whether the Devil Clown has carelessly misplaced his scepter, or has merely set in motion one of his grisly pranks.

Combat Rules II: Melee

Edited because I realized something nifty I wanted to tweak. 


Movement

If not in melee, a character can move at at Encounter speed and still take actions (such as casting spells or pulling equipment out of a backpack, etc). This can be used to close into melee and attack. Alternately, a character can move at up to Exploring speed at a run, but can take no other actions.

A combatant in melee can maneuver around an enemy at Encounter speed, given sufficient room, while still attacking. Thus a party may attempt to 'wrap' around an enemy unit to outflank and even surround them. A combatant in melee may also choose to withdraw or retreat from combat in lieu of attacking. A withdraw action moves at 1/2 Encounter speed, and grants the combatant First Strike against an advancing enemy. A retreat action moves at full Encounter speed, but makes the combatant vulnerable against advancing enemies.

If a combatant chooses to advance against an enemy that is withdrawing, the enemy gets First Strike: it makes a melee roll against the advancing combatant as soon as contact is reestablished. Only if the combatant survives does he get to make his own attack against the enemy. In the case of advancing against an enemy that is retreating, the combatant gets +2 AP and ignores the enemy's shield (if any). If no combatant advances on a withdrawing or retreating enemy, the enemy is no longer in melee and can move as normal, including fleeing at a run.

Weapon Choice

I don't use variable damage or Weapon vs AC modifiers, but I do want weapon choice to matter. A few guidelines seem to be sufficient: Swords can be drawn and used in the same round. Blunt instruments are more effective against undead, where cutting and stabbing them generally does half damage.  Axes are normally bearded, and therefore are better at disarming and similar maneuvers. Spears and other long weapons can attack from the second rank. Bows are capable of indirect shots, arching over the line of skirmish to strike further enemy ranks. So on and so forth.

As a general rule, if a combatant is attempting to fight an enemy with superior weaponry (e.g. bringing a dagger to a sword fight), he is "outclassed" and suffers -2 AP. What constitutes "superior weaponry" may change contextually (e.g., once you've slipped past a pike's superior reach, it's the pikeman who is at a disadvantage).

Tactics, Stunts and Maneuvers

If two allies are attacking the same enemy, each enjoys a gang-up bonus of +1 AP. If the allies are on opposite sides of the enemy, they also enjoy a flanking bonus of a further +1 AP. Thus, if the party has completely surrounded a monster, each attacker enjoys a full +2 bonus.

Any combatant can declare a stunt in order to achieve some special result or advantage. Stunts are adjudicated by the referee. In general, if the stunt or tactic provides a clear advantage on par with outflanking an enemy, it's worth a +2 AP bonus. In rare cases, an overwhelming tactic may actually be worth as much as +4! However, stunts can be risky - a poor combat roll may leave the combatant at a disadvantage. The classic example is the fighter leaping off a balcony to attack foes below. This unexpected move could provide a substantial bonus, but an unfortunate roll - say a natural 4 or less - may leave the fighter sprawled at the feet of his enemies.

A combatant may also declare a special move, such as attempting to disarm, push, knockdown, stun, or break through an enemy line. The combat roll is made as usual, including the damage roll. If the AP roll indicates a wound, the enemy can choose either to accept the damage as rolled or to suffer the effects of the special move. On a natural 20, the enemy does not get the choice.

A combatant may fight defensively, foregoing all attacks to concentrate on defense, for a +2 AC bonus. A Fighter gains an extra +2 bonus which may be given to  an adjacent ally. Only a single fighter can defend a given character. 

A fighter armed with a spear or lance can charge the enemy if able to move 40 ft in a line and attack with +2 AP and +1d6 damage. This is most effective when mounted or unencumbered, but the movement can be split across two rounds if not interrupted (such as by being attacked in between).  

If the fighter is defending against a charging enemy and is armed with a spear or lance, he may "set the spear" to gain First Strike and +1d6 damage against the enemy. This counterattack can be attempted as long as the fighter is not surprised.

A PC with "best of 2d6" or "best of 3d6" damage can declare a massive attack. The attack suffers -5 AP, but if a wound is scored, the damage dealt is the total of all damage dice, not just the best. This maneuver is also known as the "Ash Smash," at least by Ash Slayum's allies.

Combat Rules I: the Basics

Philosophically, I regard combat as a complication in the exploration/treasure-hunting game that is D&D. Monster encounters are a risk that can totally derail an expedition, or use up valuable resources (spells, arrows, flasks, hit points, etc), not to mention eating up table-time (of particular importance with my Black Fog rules in play). The party is awarded XP for these encounters as a kind of consolation prize for the resources, or as a reward for good tactics & strategies that allow them to overcome the encounter at little or no cost.

The way that combat itself plays out has been fine-tuned over the years as I increase my understanding of what works for me and what my players enjoy. We have a thorough mix of Combat as Sport vs Combat as War perspectives, so I've tried to aim toward a middle-ground. My players like to meet monsters head-on, but they have also learned not to rely too much on luck or statistics to keep them on their feet.

The combat mechanics start from the Swords & Wizardry: Whitebox rules. Many of my alterations are inspired by the various editions of Basic D&D, from B/X through RC, with borrowings also from AD&D 1st edition and of course the OSR. A number of terms have been renamed either to guide interpretation of the mechanic, or to borrow terminology familiar to my players (so a number of terms have been borrowed from Warhammer 40,000 and Magic: the Gather, for example).

Mechanical Overview

The Partholon campaign uses ascending Armor Class. My calculations differ from those used by S&W, so that an unarmored character is AC 10, and the descending AC 0 is converted to AC 20. Similarly, my calculation of combat modifiers differ slightly, so that a level 1 PC starts with an attack bonus of +1. I do not use variable weapon damage, so all attacks deal d6 damage, and I don't normally use multiple attacks for monsters or for PCs. If a monster attacks twice in a round, that's a special ability.

A natural 20 always penetrates armor, a natural 1 always fails. I don't normally include critical hits or fumbles, but circumstances may call for similar outcomes - such as when a PC attempts some inspired stunt and the dice just hate him.

Time & Movement

A combat round is roughly 10 seconds of game time. A character or monster may move at Encounter speed and still take an action, or run at Explore speed without taking any other action. 

AP vs AC

Attack modifiers are termed AP, which stands for either Attack Power or Armor Penetration. AP is based off of class & level primarily. Dexterity modifies Ranged AP, and Strength modifies Melee AP only when a heavy weapon is being used.

If AP equals or exceeds AC, a wound is scored for 1d6 hp. A PC with HD 4 or better deals the best of 2d6, while a PC with HD 8 or better deals the best of 3d6 damage. A monster with HD 5 or better deals a full 2d6 damage, while a monster with HD 10 or better deals a full 3d6 damage. Monsters with these improved damage ratings may be able to split their attacks among multiple targets, rolling AP vs AC for each target and dealing a single d6 to each.

A damage result that is no more than the target's HD is very minor, suggesting the fatigue of fending off deadly strikes and the dull aches of repeated blows foiled by armor. Of course, this damage adds up, and an exhausted combatant may be unable to mount any meaningful defense. Being nickled and dimed to 0 hp is every bit as dangerous as being dropped by a few brutal hits.

In the course of a round, each combatant is understood to be making several physical attacks against an opponent, as well as parrying and evading incoming attacks. The combat roll abstracts the progress of the entire round to simplify the whole process. Rather than testing attack skill versus defensive skill, and then testing to see whether any damage penetrates armor, D&D checks first whether any damage is scored, and then interprets the damage roll to indicate the relative skill of attack and defensive routines in the process.

Incapacitation

When reduced to 0 hp, the PC is not automatically slain. He collapses unconscious and must roll a d6 to determine his status. On a 1 or 2, he is revived after combat ends, but suffers a hampering injury for 2d6 days. On a 4-6, his wounds are more serious and may prove fatal. A roll of 3 is treated as a 1-2 result if he was wearing a helmet, in which case the helm is ruined but his life is surely saved. Without the helm, a roll of 3 is treated as a 4-6 result.

In the case of serious wounds, the PC will not revive after combat ends. The following turn, if he is not revived by magic, he may roll a d6 again. On a 1, he recovers on his own. On a 6, he succumbs to his wounds and dies. On a 2-5, her remains unconscious and must roll again the following turn. In any case, when and if he recovers from this state, he suffers a hampering injury for 2d6 weeks.

If a PC is already injured and receives the same injury again, the effect is extended. If the existing injury has less than two weeks remaining to heal, a repeat of short-term injury is upgraded to long-term. If the existing injury is long-term, compounding the injury makes it permanent. Adding a long-term injury onto a short term injury is a special case: roll a Save with a Con modifier. On a failure, the injury is permanent. On a save, the injury's duration is extended to 3d6 weeks.

Hampering Injuries

Roll	Injury	Effect
1	Arm rendered useless*	Cannot put the afflicted arm to use.
2	Eye damaged*	-2 Ranged, or blinded if both eyes have become injured
3	Leg impaired*	Reduce speed by one level
4	Hideous scars	-1 to Reaction rolls, Command, and Leadership
5	Enfeebled (broken ribs or similar)	-2 AP, AC, & Carrying capacity, and run at x2 rather than x3
6	Skull-cracked	Must roll Int or Wis to cast spells and becomes Berserker**

*In the case of arm, eye, and leg injuries, roll even/odds to determine left/right.
**Berserker characters become irrationally violent during combat. Must roll Wisdom to resist plunging into melee when combat begins, and must similarly roll Wisdom to withdraw or retreat from melee. While in melee, the character gets +2 AP and -2 AC.

I like my players to have some investment in their characters, rather than treating PCs as pawns to play with and discard during the game. At the same time, I want to give players a strong incentive to play smart and retreat from a fight that is going badly. So far I find this injury system serves both goals well.

Supporting Cast: Incanus

Incanus is not amused by your tomfoolery.

Gaius Incanus Figulus is a wizard of the Order of the Silent Circle, and mentor to Bill. In traditional Tyrhennean fashion, he goes by Incanus to all but his closest friends and family members. Even his former apprentices are kept at a rather formal arm's length. He is known in Blackhart's barony as a scholar of some breeding but unexceptional wealth, and his wizardry is not widely known. He upholds the principle that the needs of the community outweigh those of the individual. He's also an expert on fine wines, and maintains a respectable collection.

Incanus is of somewhat imposing presence and sober demeanor, with little appreciation for frivolity. He is diplomatic, compassionate to those in need, but harsh with those who who cause trouble, even to themselves. He has an unfortunate jealous streak, a miserly attachment to money, and a tendency to covet what others possess, but is a truthful man and always gives the gods their due.

Incanus is an expert linguist. In addition to the common tongue and his native Tyrhennean, he is fluent in the languages of Teyzir, ancient Arkhemea, and the Kruthar barbarians, as well as the tongues of both Dark Faeries and Water Faeries, and the arcane tongues of Thiolain and Cydereal.

He is trained in the swordsmanship of the noble class, and Bill can confirm that Incanus casts spells of at least the third rank.

Legends of Partholon: The Lawgiver, Valkas

A bronze statue of Valkas

Names & Titles: Valkas, the Lawgiver, the Skyfather


Symbols & Depiction: Symbols include the eagle Kuros, often seen clutching bolts of lightning in its talons; the Solkar, a pentagon in a circle; and the Trishulion, Valkas' trident-like staff of power. He is depicted as an aged warrior, stern and unyielding, but subject to occasional whims.

Prestige: The Empire of Tyrhennea holds Valkas to be chief of the among the gods. It was he who subdued the titans, the dragons, and the abominations of the Elder World, and he who decreed or divined the natural laws of the cosmos. His bride, Yuna embodies the harmony of family, society, and the World. Alcidine is either his earthly son or his very avater. Taranis and Valkarrea, primarily patrons of craft and wisdom, also go forth in warrior aspects to enforce the Lawgiver's will. Even his brother Grivenar serves as adviser and seer to the Skyfather's court.

Among the Vagyar, his prestige is much diminished. Although recognized as the Skyfather and conqueror of monsters, his veneration is eclipsed by that of his children and his brother.

The Solkar

Veneration: Valkas is often invoked to witness binding oaths, and swearing such an oath before witnesses while sketching a solkar or trishulion is by Tyrhennean law the equal of a signature or seal. Even the Vagyar recognize that Valkas will hold a man to his word, and that ill-fortune will follow those who defy him. The typical Vagyar's pragmatic solution is to avoid making promises, or else to break them with such regularity that Valkas can't possibly take such oaths seriously.

In Tyrhennea, the Law for which Valkas stands is built upon a foundation of loyalty to one's society, community, and family. Personal integrity and self-sacrifice and seen as great virtues, and misfortune is frequently attributed to transgressions of cosmic law. Sacrifices and penance may placate the Lawgiver, but Yuna is often beseeched to intercede for mercy. In the Delian cities, it is widely recognized that Valkas has a soft spot for those who can impress him with their daring and panache. "If you cannot be meek, be astonishing," as one Delian proverb puts it, "and the gods may smile on you yet."

Legends: There are two main cycles of legends about Valkas. The first is focused on his exploits at the dawn of time, slaying or subduing the monsters of the Elder World and ordering the cosmos according to Law. The second normally centers around a mortal who transgresses against the cosmic Law, and either suffers some terrible fate or serves as the god's champion on one or another epic quest. Valkas acts as little more than a judge or patron in these latter tales.

Artifact - Thunderheads: Valkas is occasionally depicted shooting thunderbolts from his bow, either to warn or to slay those who have offended his judgement. It is said that the arrows that channel this sky-fire are burnt to cinders, but that the arrowheads may sometimes survive. Treasure-hunters have been known to scour the sites of lightning strikes in hopes of finding such relics.

The Village of Sham

Sham could fit into this space.

Sham is a small village on the north side of the Shimrod Forest, east of the Imperial territories of Partholon. With a population of about 200, the village takes up less than seven acres. Most houses are clustered inside the wooden stockade that protects against Kruthar raiders and marauding wolves.

Sham supports itself mainly by fishing and woodcutting, with some farming and other trades rounding out the village life. A volunteer militia protects the village. At any time a handful of lookouts patrol the stockade and when the warning bell rings, dozens of villagers race to arm themselves and defend their home. Most of the militia are "normal men," 0-level NPCs, but a few have seen enough action, either here or in service to the Baron, to count as 1st level fighters.

Desmond is lost in thought.

The village falls under the rule of Baron Blackhart, whose castle lies two days' journey south, on the coast. He requires little of the village save their taxes, and they ask little of him in return. The village elder, Desmond, is the nominal local authority, but little governance is actually required on a regular basis. Town meetings are usually sufficient to deal with any special concerns that may arise. This is probably fortunate, as Desmond is very knowledgeable about a variety of topics, but is quite senile and possibly a bit mad. His granddaughter, Rosalyn, takes care of him and supports the household primarily by accepting bribes from those who would consult with the absent-minded sage. She typically greets visitors by informing them that "The Elder is quite busy," and will follow it up with, "His time is very valuable," if they don't seem to get the hint.

Weyland the Smith is something of a craftsman-polymath, being the village blacksmith, bladesmith, whitesmith and brightsmith. Upkeep of the militia's armory is his chief responsibility, while his several apprentices usually see to most of the standard tasks of the forge. This is the man to see for ordering new weapons and armor, as well as to have jewelry appraised. He recently fell ill, and his daughter Nylian has taken a break from her treasure-hunting to take over his responsibilities.

Mr Barliman appreciates your custom

The Blue Boar Tavern is the social center of the village - the place where locals relax after a hard day's work, socializing, recreating, and gossiping. Harlan "the Boar" Barliman offers a selection of food and drink as well as a roof over the heads of rare travelers. Private rooms, for lodging or for parties, are available for a silver coin a night.

Adventure opportunities abound, for those willing to look around a bit. Just a few miles west of town are mysterious ruins, where the Company of the Burning Fist have been delving for months. The dungeon they've been exploring has been identified as an underground temple of Zhothaqquah, and evidence suggests the ruins were once an Agha-yin city.

A half-day's journey to the south is "Snake Den," the cave where a pair of giant adders had nested, before the company slew them and destroyed their eggs. In the nest was a caern of stones spattered with black wax, before an immeasurably deep pit that intimidated even the normally-fearless Nylian. Plans to explore this pit have been delayed by logistics and by the more tempting opportunities in the ruins.

And somewhere in the northern hills are the Kruthar barbarians, savages that are more animal than man. They've been raiding more frequently of late, and much of the militia has been stricken with plague.

Room & Board

If you've been wanting a house like this, then this is the house for you!

Up to this point, I've been charging my players a flat rate of 1 silver coin per day for room & board. Any treasure they were not carrying on their persons could be stored in the village treasury, with a 10% surcharge  (also noteworthy, I use a silver standard for this campaign).

The food & services chart from Keep on the Borderlands suggest that 1 sp would cover a private room at an inn, but since I assume my PCs are eating, (and since this podunk village doesn't have a proper traveler's inn), I assume that they're just renting a little space in the common room of the tavern. That would be 1 cp; with the remaining 9, they could afford stew, beer, bread, cheese, and fruit for dinner, with leftovers for breakfast and dungeon rations for lunch. And this is the cheap beer, pretty much just water with enough alcohol content to make it safe to drink - so pretty much your typical American beer, I guess.

A number of the PCs actually have family in town and maybe had their lodging sorted out, and they may have been eating better, but were also contributing to the family expenses, so I rule that it evens out.

Now, Ash, Bill, and Svaarden saved up enough money to buy houses, which is a good investment. A house is 500 sp, fully furnished, and allows PCs to store their treasure hoards with no additional fees. Having a pantry and an address also makes shopping a bit cheaper: 20 sp a month should do. Wow! You're saving 8 sp a month, plus 10% of the grocery money - the house will pay for itself in just four years! What a deal!

The Blue Pearl Ring

This artifact is a silver ring with claws clutching a blue pearl. Cantrik glyphs inscribed around the inside of the band give an incantation for the protection spell. The ringbearer enjoys a +1 to AC and saves, and a magic-user can use the ring as a talisman to cast protection. The ring's normal effect, the talisman spell, and the magic-user's own spell can all stack together, if desired.

The ring was round in the tomb of the Agha-yin prince Mayna-yood-sashai, in the catacombs beneath the temple of Zhothaqquah.

The Ring of Shadows

The Ring of Shadows is a blood-red gem set in silver, with a Vhoorlish glyph for "shadow" inscribed. Inside the band is another inscription, in the script of Agha-yin, which translates to an imperative: "Do not see me," or possibly just, "Ignore me!" Speaking this message aloud activates the talisman, which casts a spell of invisibility on the ringbearer. 


The ring was found in the tomb of the Agha-yin prince Mayna-yood-sashai, in the catacombs beneath the temple of Zhothaqquah.