From: sst@MIT.EDU Date: Mon, 11 Mar 1996 11:27:29 -0500 Subject: dkk's AD&Dv1 Fivtoria Campaign Summary dkk's AD&Dv1 Fivtoria Campaign Summary: About the Game World ------------------------------------------------------------ a) Anything (except maybe recent high-tech) that works in real life will work in Fivtoria. With the addition of magic, the laws of physics hold. b) Anything that works in the movies is worth a try. c) There is justice in this world. That and clerical magic are the only reason it's fantasy instead of SF. d) While the non-magical tech level is medieval and magic is costly, magic is well known (most people are at least capable of learning a cantrip or two with enough study) and present on the big scale in things like the city street lights and sewer system. This raises the lifestyle techlevel almost to the present, and in some ways higher. For a member in good standing of a major church, a Raise Dead spell can be had for the modern equivalent of $25,000. Most features of the real world have analogues in Fivtoria. e) Every living creature has the potential to advance in levels. Ordinary people are from 0th to 3rd level and proficient in at least one weapon. The average person can read a little and is a free farmer or artisan. About 10% of the population is in the army or reserves. About a quarter of the military is female. f) The population of the city of Fivtoria is ~16,000, of which 90% are human. Every religion in the book plus a few that aren't can be found somewhere if you look hard enough. The major deities are Ukko and Apollo (and formerly Athena). g) The words "man" and "woman" mean adults of any medium-sized humanoid race, not just humans. h) Witches, illusionists, psionics, and ogre magi have a bad rep. Elves used to. But only demons and the like are subject to attack on sight. i) There are lots of undead about. Fortunately they don't do permanent level draining. j) Slavery is accepted only as punishment for a crime, crimes being mostly the major modern ones except blackmail and drugs, which are legal. Eating intelligent creatures is considered unacceptable but happens a lot anyway. k) Don't look like you're casting a spell in public or use a metal weapon to threaten anyone inside the city walls. l) Magic items are available for purchase, with typical cost being five times what TSR says. People don't go around piled high with magic. If you're carrying more than you can protect, someone will lighten your load. m) Money is plentiful. Or at least a large amount will probably pass through your fingers. No xp's for money unless you're a thief stealing it. n) Characters *do* know game terminology except for anything referring to dice. Mostly avoid the word "treasure" too; the DM doesn't like it. o) The current player characters act very much as a team but not as a hive mind. They are a special forces squad in the employ of the Governor. Newcomers can expect polite suspicion. Good references help a lot. p.s.) Never kick an archmage's dog. dkk's AD&Dv1 Fivtoria Campaign Summary: Playing Style and Major House Rules --------------------------------------------------------------------------- a) Don't assume anything based on typical AD&D. b) This is often a tactical game. If you're looking at 216 orcs, one of them has an 18 intelligence. And with your luck that's their strategist. Don't keep a brilliant idea to yourself. Even if your character is incapacitated or too dumb to have thought of it, somebody else may have. c) Anything you say is assumed to be in character unless *obviously* not, or indicated not beforehand. If you can't keep a secret neither can your character. Use notes for private communication. d) Don't worry about offending the DM with rules lawyering. In all probability he's better at it than you anyway. If he's overlooked a rule or a likely possibility he'll want to know about it. On the other hand, if he confirms that something did indeed happen a certain way, save any further arguments for after the game. e) Get a look at a continent map and ask about the political boundaries. f) The PHB and Addendum are the only guaranteed rules. Monster Manual info is Fivtorian common knowledge and legend -- some of it wrong. g) Attributes are best 3 of 4d6, with a fair amount of freedom in arrangement. PCs will have at least [a 16 and a 15], or [a 17 and a 14], or [an 18 and nothing awful]. The current most senior character is 10th level after 15 years of play. h) Zero or fewer hit points takes you down but won't kill you if you make your system shock rolls. Depending how long you're down how far, you may have to make a lot of them. (The record is ~160.) This makes it very worthwhile to have a high constitution score. i) Combat rules: Shields give 4 places of armor class, not 1. A parrying dagger is almost as good (3 places) if you're proficient in two-weapon use. On the flip side, strong people can get full benefit of their strength only by using a two-handed weapon. Parrying is a useful option. There is a system for critical success and failure. A round is 30 seconds, not 60. j) Alignments are used but aren't important enough to worry about. Read the write-up eventually, as the dividing lines are not where TSR says. k) New classes available: avenger (LN paladin), black knight (LE paladin), woodsman (druidic paladin), samurai, bandit, archer, priest, witch, spy, jack-of-all-trades, bard, psionicist, misc. professions and creatures. Most characters have a side class. There are no multiclasses or racial level restrictions. There is a very simple system of skill points. l) Druids use the clerical spell progression table. The "Heat Metal" spell is on third list instead of second. m) It's usually better to avoid combat if you can find other options. n) Normal familiars are fully intelligent, often being reincarnated MUs.