Dungeons & Dragons/Pathfinder/*

[No1newts]

Well that's potentially 4

I'll post up some basic info on the setting tonight and if you are still all interested I'll look at trying to arrange a time and then put the finishing touches to the initial campaign I've developed though it would be a couple of weeks work to finish it as whilst I have the skeleton I need to flesh it out and get the encounters sorted and the rest.

Green players are fine, it's been over 10 years since I've DM'ed so I'll be as good as green for the first few sessions until I get back in the flow.

 

[gradyhawks]

I'd be interested, I'm looking at getting into 5e myself. I am totally green though so may require some assistance. I have the starter set and basic rules though.

See about getting yourself the players handbook (or if you are really tight for cash you could "find" an ebook of it online) as it has all the rules you need as well as everything you need for character creation.

5e is very easy to pick up and there are not many rules to learn anyway, mostly about the role play and just going with the flow.

Where is EMarkM? Im sure that he'd play!

@ No1newts - How will we play? I have heard that www.roll20.net is very good, but never tried it myself.

 

[No1newts]

Sunday sounds like a good time to me, a nice end to the week! Care to post some info about your world/campaign? See if I can get some inspiration for a character!

I haven't got a blurb yet as I'm still in the process of establishing the full history with dates etc built around the core events. However I have always used 4 core assumptions around Gods, Civilisation, Age & Magic that I can show you below, it will leave some questions but to be honest part of the campaign will reveal more as you go anywhere.

Essentially the premise is a great war between the Roman Empire and the Viking Empire way back in time (yes I took some historical liberties with timelines ) these were the two great empires and the war was unending. A shaman/war leader called Rurik at a great battle which would have spelt the end for the Viking's called upon the Gods and they were born into existence, their power gave the Viking's a fighting chance and ultimately the military might of the Roman Empire and the magical might of the Viking fought to a standstill, they united and forged one Empire which dominates the known world. Rurik was later killed and this birthed magic into the world.

A bit thin at the moment but it is being fleshed out, the core assumptions are below;

Gods Oversee the World

Since the Norse pantheon claimed dominion over the known world the Gods have openly revealed their divinity on the mortal plain. Each of the twenty one Gods have their own domain and can exert influence on the world through their gifts and avatars. Most powerful of the Gods tools is their avatars, the Gods physical vessel and manifestation of power which bestrides the earth.

Much of the World is Untamed

Whilst the empire dominates the known world threats still abound through and without the empire with mortal disputes taking the focus from the safety of many of these threats. Whilst Italia as the heart of the empire and Norsca its religious heart are largely safe from depridation the other regions are safe only around their cities and towns, the wilderness itself, even on the Imperial highway is a place unsafe large, armed groups provided the surest, if not guaranteed, protection.

The World is New

The date of Odin's Rise was only one century distant, the great Romodin Empire was born on the marriage of Norse religion and Roman state shortly after Odin's rise and the ending of the Great War. The birth of the Gods in the heavens, their mortal vessels and the ascension of Rurik, which birthed magic, is for the longer lived of the Empire only a generation distant. The monsters and fiends birthed at Rurik's ascenion dominate the wilds and the distant lands beyond the ken of the Empire itself are lost to the hordes of evil and the few nomadic tribes to stubborn to accept the Imperial way. It is a time for the forging of legends, where every path can lead to an opportunity for legend or a messy death.

Magic Permiates the World

The birth of Rurik unleashed physical manifestations of magic throughout the world, a birth which was both a gift and a curse. Madic has allowed wonders to be formed throughout the Empire, the Hand of Odinstead where the Gods avatars dwell or the Walls of Byzantium which protect the Empires eastern borders. For each wonder birthed a tragedy was formed, the degredation of the Sarmatians to bestial greenskins, the rise of the dead, the drowning of Aquitania and the deeper evils which lie hidden below the earth. The two faced God offers with one hand and takes with the other.

The world will be a gritty sword and sorcery setting, taking a darker look at things.

Hope the above hasn't put anyone off and has gave you a few ideas!


Re what we would use, probably roll20 but I will look into that.

 

[Pudney]

Roll20 is a good choice I think, although I've never actually used any alternatives!

 

[lordhughes]

Roll 20 is good but some of the drawing tools can be a paint in the ass.

 

[gradyhawks]

@ No1newts - Reminds me a bit of the "King Arthur: The Role-Playing Wargame" (PC game, similar to Total War, but with Magic and Monsters). That had the Roman's against all manner of magical beasts etc.

Sounds good to me! I've a few questions on the Pantheons if you could help answer, as I plan on perhaps being some kind of Cleric or Paladin (always do!).

Before Rurik and the "Great Battle", there were no gods? Or did they simply not care about the affairs of the mortals?

You say that the Norse Pantheon has claimed dominion over the known world but other gods have come out of the wood work, are these 21 gods the only gods in existence? Am I correct in thinking that these "Norse" gods are infact the gods of this world and none others are in existence? You're just calling them "Norse Gods" instead of "THE Gods" for our sake (so we understand it better).

Finally, is this set in the "real world", in the sense the location is the same. Just history happened differently from Roman times onwards and gods decided to come and pay us a visit?

Looking forward to this! Love vikings and love the romans!

 

[Scurra]

See about getting yourself the players handbook (or if you are really tight for cash you could "find" an ebook of it online) as it has all the rules you need as well as everything you need for character creation.

I plan on picking up the Player handbook next month (can't justify more expenditure this month after buying a new monitor).

The basic rules supplied by Wizards for free contain the bulk of what's needed for character creation AFAIK. They should get me by until I can get a copy of the PH.

 

[gradyhawks]

I plan on picking up the Player handbook next month (can't justify more expenditure this month after buying a new monitor).

The basic rules supplied by Wizards for free contain the bulk of what's needed for character creation AFAIK. They should get me by until I can get a copy of the PH.

As far as I am aware, the core rules supplied by Wizards only contain a selection of classes and races. You'd need the full PHB to be able to see whats totally available. There are also the new Elemental Evil races to consider, if the DM allows them.

Still, the PHB is £20-£30, which is indeed a fair chunk of change. If you need help with it, just post away and I will tell you whats what.

 

[No1newts]

Before Rurik and the "Great Battle", there were no gods? Or did they simply not care about the affairs of the mortals?

They were more concepts as they are now in real life, but him being magical led to them being birthed, his inate magic brought an idea into reality essentially then his death unleashed magic onto the physical plain.

You say that the Norse Pantheon has claimed dominion over the known world but other gods have come out of the wood work, are these 21 gods the only gods in existence? Am I correct in thinking that these "Norse" gods are infact the gods of this world and none others are in existence? You're just calling them "Norse Gods" instead of "THE Gods" for our sake (so we understand it better).

Yes and no, they are the only Gods recognised by the Empire and we'll leave it at that

I am just calling them Norse gods just for your sake, its the 20 historical Norse dieties plus Rurik that are active in the Empire, any others, well as above

Finally, is this set in the "real world", in the sense the location is the same. Just history happened differently from Roman times onwards and gods decided to come and pay us a visit?

Yes the location is real world as in Earth, history happened differently hence the changed setting. Plus the birth of Rurik changed some of the coastlines and some of the inland settings. It is fully mapped on grid essentially showing Europe, with outliers such as North Africa, Turkey, Russia though with names relevant to the time. (Names are loosely based around the old Roman classification of lands around the height of their Empire)

Re playing Cleric/Paladin all "core" classes are available but if someone wants to get inventive (within reason) I am happy to play along.



Are you 4 still interested? If so I will crack on with finalising the history and finer details of the wider setting and then nail down the nitty gritty of the campaign (the encounters will be interesting with how long it has been ) Not to push you all but want some definite interest before I commit to completing everything as it is a hefty time investment that I will need to fit around my work

Ask anymore questions you have grady and I'm happy to expand, I'l send you all the full details though a bit further down the line to help character generation etc.

Glad you like the sound of it

 

[gradyhawks]

Excellent stuff!

I'm fully 100% up for it, so count me in.

I'll come up with a good hundred questions before we start, so thats dangerous telling me to ask away! However, first and most pressing is what are you doing with regards to races? I'm fine with whatever restrictions you have in place, but is this just a human only world (with monsters and beasts)?

Also if you need help with anything DM wise (making stuff, or whatever) just give me a holla. I don't really do much at work as a CAD technician so have free time to sod around.

http://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/ is really good for helping out and it has a good few links for generators and the like. Also, for encounters you heard of KFC, the Kobold Fight Club, http://kobold.club/ ... it seems to be offline at the moment, but check it out tomorrow. Its an encounter builder, makes it super easy!

 

[No1newts]

Humans, Dwarfs and Elves (the Dwarf/Elf inclusion is tied into Rurik) I'm tempted to expand upon the Human to make humans from different parts of the Empire have different underlying base traits/skills but I'll look into that a bit more now I'm going to get stuck into it.

I'll give you a shout if I need a hand with other bits and peices, if the rest of you are still interested I'll aim to get things ready for June, I would say earlier but I'm away a lot in May culminating in going abroad so June is most realistic.

 

[Pudney]

Yup, still interested. May start playing around with ideas with the indication given on class and races

 

[No1newts]

I'll work to get the basic trope out ASAP before I get onto any campaign stuff so you chaps can settle on characters and all the stuff like that, I'll also give you start location and basic premise of the campaign to again help you decide.

 

[Scurra]

Yeah, I'm still very much interested. I'm already contemplating building some kind of ranger character for the purpose.

 

[lordhughes]

Very much still interested

 

[No1newts]

Happy days

I'll try and get some sorted over the weekend with the history and blurbs to get you all the basics for next week as I'm then MIA for 10 days with work and will no chance at all to get anything done.

 

[SkodaMart]

As with anything, taken in moderation it can be great fun.

There was no moderation with me lol.

 

[EMarkM]

Where is EMarkM? Im sure that he'd play!

Gah! Sorry guys - life's taken one of those "turns" just recently with illness in the family and lots of hospital visiting, etc.

Haven't even had time to progress my wife's campaign at the moment, or indulge in any video-gaming

I definitely will be interested in an online 5e game in the future - just not sure when I'll be available.

Will continue to watch the thread with interest

 

[EMarkM]

Roll 20 is good but some of the drawing tools can be a paint in the ass.

Freudian slip or pun intended?

 

[gradyhawks]

Gah! Sorry guys - life's taken one of those "turns" just recently with illness in the family and lots of hospital visiting, etc.

Hope everything gets better! Would be nice to have to in eventually, DMs dont get to play often !

@ No1newts - Another character creation question. Are you allowing multi-classing? Also, are we (or can we) play with the human variant, where instead of +1 to all skills (I think that's what it is) we get +1 to 2 different skills and then a feat at level 1? Oh, and we are starting at Level 1?

Another question on the God aspect of things, since I'm going to be a cleric this is kind of a big deal. Before the gods were "born" into existence, were they worshipped by the Vikings and the Romans? Or did the romans not worship gods and were a purely atheist race until the great battle. If I were to pick a god as my deity, it would be from 1 of the 21 correct? Unless I've a stella reason for something else?

EDIT: And another! What stat point method are we going with? Point buy, array, rolling for them?