We will use the Labyrinth Lord Original rules as the core rulebook for this setting. Character Creation begins on page 6.
Making a New Character
- Create your character in the Unseen Servant die roller: http://www.unseenservant.com/
- On the Characters tab, choose Create a New Character. Name your PC, and put in Campaign ID number 417.
- Next to your character's name, click the big gold die under the "Roll Stats" button. Roll using the 3d6 method. Assign the stats in the order of your choice. There is no point-buy option. Click "Aye." (Players are encouraged to use the initial roll, and rewarded if they accept a low result (see below). Players are permitted to re-roll by clicking "Nay" if there is a specific concept desired. Remember, no roll is perfect and flaws are fun to play, too. Pick a set and move forward.)
- Choose a class: Cleric, Dwarf, Elf, Fighter, Halfling, Magic-User, Thief
- Use the Die Roller to roll your hit points. (You may re-roll 1's for hit points at all levels.)
- Make notes on your character sheets about any other class abilities.
- Use the Die Roller to roll and record your starting coin: 3d8x10 gold pieces (gp) for all PCs.
- Record your character's Savings Throws (found on page 55)
- Magic Users and Elves choose two first-level spells and one second level spell for their starting spellbook (list on page 42). Read magic is given to all Magic Users for free; record it as a third first-level spell.
- Purchase all starting equipment from the lists on pages 15 and 16. (Additional materials beyond this list for purchase will be listed in the store locations in-town on the IC threads.)
- Write a character description and character background and record it on your sheet. You are invited to view the Backgrounds: Places of the Southern Lands thread for inspiration and to link your background to what other players have used for their characters previously.
- All characters begin at the minimum XP for second level (effective Sept 2019).
- Once the Stats roll is accepted, add up all six attributes. It the total is higher than 70, proceed as is. If the total is 63 to 70, one of your starting equipment items is a family heirloom with 2001xp. If the total is 62 or below, you have 4002xp on one heirloom or 2001xp each on two heirloom items. See the Family Heirloom rules for details. Alternately, Magic users or Elves may also use this to begin with a larger spell book, spending 2001xp for another initial first level spell or 4001xp for a second level spell.
- Choose from the expanded list of nine alignments rather than the three in the LL book. This means choosing on the Law-Chaos axis as well as the Good-Evil axis separately. See below for the list of nine alignments.
- Clerics must choose a deity who they serve from the Deities list. If a new deity is desired, it should be submitted to the GM for review and mirror the format for existing deities.
- Clerics, Elves, and Magic Users receive bonus spells-per-day for high attribute scores, wisdom and intelligence respectively. This table can be found below. Bonus spells only apply once the spellcaster reaches a character level where that spell-level can be cast.
- Fighters receive extra attacks at 5th level, not at 15th. With this modification the book text should read, "Beginning at 5th level, a fighter gains one additional attack per round. One further attack is gained every 5 levels to a maximum of 4 attacks per round."
- Thieves receive a bonus to their skills for high dexterity. +5% for 16 or 17. +10% for 18. (Does not apply to Hear Noise.)
- Thieves can wear both leather or studded leather armor.
- There is no cost for helmets - they are assumed to be part of whatever armor you buy and don't impact armor class in LL Basic.
- Dwarves can wield battleaxes, picks, and warhammers, and can do so one-handed due to racial familiarity. Dwarves also gain a racial advantage when performing excavation and construction tasks.
- Halflings can use long swords and bastard swords per the book, but these count as two-handed for them.
- Hammers are adjusted to match the other bludgeoning weapons. Light Hammers do 1d6 damage. Warhammers do 1d8 damage.
- A normal staff is effectively free (it is a cut sapling or a wizard's walking stick). It does 1d6 damage and is two-handed. An iron-banded quarterstaff is an intentional weapon and costs 2gp per the book. It is two-handed, does 1d8 damage, and weighs 8lbs for encumbrance.
- As the wizard weapon allowance is ambiguous, it is clarified as: Club, Dagger, Dart, Short Sword, and Staff (1d6 version).
- All humans and halflings get one free language. So, Humans get Common, Alignment, and one of choice. All races still get additional intelligence languages normally. Clarification of languages can be found here.
Once complete:
- Embed the "sheet" code from the top of your character sheet into a Private Message and send it to the GM (i.e. Marullus). I'll review your sheet, die rolls, background, and heirloom items and then reply back with edits or approval.
- You must introduce your new PC in the Rogues' Gallery thread, but don't need to share any information about the character that wouldn't be clear from a visual inspection or brief personal interaction.
- Go to the Census of Faith thread and record your relationships with the divine entities of the gameworld.
- Go to the IC threads in (IC) Settlement - Gaul and make your first post to roleplay your character's arrival in the game world. Interact with other PCs until you find an expedition to embark upon.
All character sheets will be private in general, except that I will share out the character sheets of individuals you embark on an expedition with. You learn a lot day in and day out from traveling with someone.
Importing a West Marches Character
As this game is a follow-on due to the cancellation of Keehnelf's Lab Lord West Marches Sandbox, we will allow the import of characters from that chronicle using the following rules.
- You have the option of making new PCs.
- You have the option of making a "reskinned" PC with the same class, level, stats, HP, and XP.
- You choose a new alignment, roll new starting coin, and choose new equipment. You can apply all house rules for this game appropriately, including beginning with an heirloom item if permitted by the imported stat roll.
- All PCs are unique creations of this world. Any similarity between the experiences of their background write-up and the previous campaign's play is at your (the player's) discretion.
- Relationships between PCs based on previous experience elsewhere just needs to be discussed and agreed between players.
- Characters must be brought in one at a time, following the same rules as those beginning new characters: One character is imported and when that character returns from his first expedition a new character can be imported.