Yavanna's Tidings (Game Information)

[Old Duergar]

Campaign information:

Source Material: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. Familiarity with the books, or at least the Peter Jackson LOTR trilogy, is needed.

Tone: Valorous, selfless heroes in a crumbling land, fraught with danger and many challenges, of various kinds and forms.

Time: Year 1349 of the Third Age of Middle Earth. The imminent collapse and subjugation of the Kingdom of Rhudaur to Angmar in 1350 T.A. is almost upon us. A dire time, when heroes are most needed.

Game System: There And Back Again (https://rayotus.itch.io/taba)

Game's nature: Completely Homebrew with a mixture of investigation (and puzzle solving), roleplay and combat in wilderness and underground settings. Group's fun as a whole is a priority. No drama, just gaming and respect to the Professor's works.

Characters: May be Dwarf, Elf, Hobbit or Man. Good alignments only (it's Tolkien!). Roleplay over rollplay. Creativity encouraged. Please honor the tone of the genre. Aiming for four posts per week (to be adjusted, group's decision depending on progress and enjoyment).

[Old Duergar]

Posting:

I like to keep the main game thread free of posts that aren't game related. I don't mind if you post "out of character" if you have to, but please don't use it as a chat room. That is what the OOC thread is for. Thanks.

I would also like everyone to post their characters dialogue in blue, (dialogue button in full editor), any OOC comments or questions in red (ooc button) and your PC's names in Bold ("B" button in full editor). Anything else can be in normal type.

[Old Duergar]

House rules (courtesy of roryb and tibbius):

Magic (incoming hostile)

Test the Magic trait, or the relevant magic skill if you have it. Failure means you suffer the effects of the magic; Blunder means you also suffer one wound. The effect of hostile damaging magic generally is limited to one wound, but magic can also do many things other than directly injure you.

Battle resolution & minions

Sometimes you will have assistance in combat from minions. This could be tricky to represent using TABA's single roll mechanic. The solution is that you gain an advantage to your combat roll if you and your minions outnumber the opponents, or a disadvantage if your side is outnumbered. Remember advantages or disadvantages do not stack beyond 3d6 or 1d6, and any number of advantages will cancel any number of disadvantages. On your single roll, success means that you and your minions inflict on the opponents a total number of wounds equal to the smaller number of combatants; failure means that the opponents inflict on you and your minions a total number of wounds equal to the smaller number of combatants (so if you're outnumbered, you and each minion could suffer one wound); a Blunder means that you and your minions suffer a total number of wounds equal to the larger number of combatants; a critical success means that you inflict a number of wounds equal to the larger number of combatants (so if you're outnumbered, each of the opponents could suffer one wound). You decide where the wounds are allocated ("meat shields" is an appropriate phrase).

Spending Fate

Fate can be spent to add dice after the results of a roll are known. 1 point of face spent = +1d6 to the roll. An unlimited amount of Fate points may be spent on any given role, provided they are readily available in the relevant PC's pool.

[Old Duergar]

VERY IMPORTANT: Dice rolling

Please use this format when rolling: [_2d6]

The reason for the underscore is that it will display the result of each dice roll separately for each die and that's necessary, since a 5 or 6 on each die individually counts as a success.

Thank you.

[Old Duergar]

VERY IMPORTANT 2 re: DICE ROLLING

Courtesy of our very own Tibbius:

I handle this by having the players roll [_3d6] and telling them I'll use either the first two or all three depending how well I like their approach. That way only 3 dice total get rolled instead of 5. Also, you don't have the situation where they get a success on one of the 2 dice but fail on all of the 3 dice.

As of now, ALL rolls will be [_3d6], that way all eventual situations are covered. Thank you for observing this from now on.

[Old Duergar]

HOUSE RULE: CORRUPTION

Our game does not use the D&D alignment system. All PC heroes are assumed to be heroes – perhaps reluctant, perhaps ill-favoured and foul-looking, perhaps suspicious or haughty but heroes all the same. Heroes try to do good, but must contend with their own fears and failings. The Shadow does not solely rely upon instruments of war and the devious deeds of its servants to breed fear and doubt in its enemies. The temptations that dwell even in the hearts of the brave have ever been the ally of the Shadow. Valiant warriors, adventurers and kings can all stray from their path willingly, given the right circumstances. No matter how pure they believe their motives to be, or how just the ends, giving in to their darkest desires will eventually lead them to exert their power for personal gain or the domination of others.

The PCs accumulate Corruption points to represent the growing burden of grief, doubt, weariness and self-interest that comes to rest on the hearts and minds of those who oppose the Shadow. While much corruption can be attributed to the anguish caused by the Dark Lord’s deeds, the Shadow works best when exaggerating and nurturing weaknesses that are already present.

Heroes mainly risk gaining Corruption points in four ways (flavour example text in brackets):
1) Experiencing distressing events. (… suddenly he knew that he was imprisoned, caught hopelessly; he was in a barrow.)
2) Crossing or dwelling in an area tainted by manifestations of the Shadow (There was no movement of air down under the forest-roof, and it was everlastingly still and dark and stuffy.).
3) Committing despicable or dishonourable deeds, regardless of the end they sought to achieve. ("You can say that I was too strong and took it by force. For I am too strong for you, halfling," he cried; and suddenly he sprang over the stone and leaped at Frodo.)
4) Retaining willingly possession of a cursed or tainted item or treasure. (There for ages his huge bones could be seen in calm weather amid the ruined piles of the old town. But few dared to cross the cursed spot, and none dared to dive into the shivering water or recover the precious stones that fell from his rotting carcass…)

Consequences of Corruption:

Adventurers who dare to challenge the encroaching darkness face the risk of being overcome with grief or worse. In gaming terms, a PC must be careful not to accumulate more Corruption points than he is able to get rid of. When a PC’s Corruption point total reaches five (5), they have been made Miserable, as their spirit is weakened by too much grief, sorrow and dark experiences. Mechanically, this means they will roll with Disadvantage at a single roll of the GM's choosing (roll of [_1d6] instead of [_2d6]), to be announced after the said roll took place by the GM.

Moreover, the Dark Lord's baleful Eye is momentarily drawn upon the darkening that took place gradually on the said PC. Nasty surprises, extreme misfortunes and bouts of ill luck will haunt the Hero (or Heroes!) for a moment, before the Dark Lord's attentions are drawn elsewhere, by design or whim.

Removing Corruption:

Those who fight the encroaching darkness can work on removing the taint of corruption within themselves. PCs belonging to different races resort to different methods to get rid of Corruption (the following are just an example and by no means exhaustive, players feel free to improvise according to your PC's characteristics, backstory and feel): Dwarves usually turn to the forge to burn their frustration smiting the red iron on the anvil; Hobbits dedicate themselves to a beloved activity, like gardening, painting or writing a diary; and Elves and Men generally create, play or recite poems and songs. Such an undertaking tames time and requires safety and peace of mind; the Company must spend at least one week of uninterrupted game time in a location deemed safe and free of the Dark Lord's hindrances in order to attempt it.

A PC wishing to remove their corruption must make a [_2d6] check. For each success (roll of a 5 or 6), they remove 1 Corruption point. If their check results in double success (two rolls of 5 or 6), they remove 2 Corruption points. If two 6s are rolled on the two dice, 3 Corruption points are removed. PCs attempting to heal corruption in a location which is deemed a bastion of the Free Peoples (such as Lothlorien, Rivendell, Erebor, Minas Tirith etc), they make their check with Advantage (rolling of [_3d6]). If one of Middle's Earth Wise Ones is present during the undertaking (i.e. the PCs have managed to convince the likes of Elrond Half-Elven or Gandalf the Grey to offer advice or gained their sponsorship), the PCs add +1 to the result of each die.

In the case of extreme misfortune (double 1s are rolled on the check), the Player Character succumbs unto further despair, seeing his attempt go in vain and convincing himself of the futility of their own struggle against the mighty ploys of the Dark Lord. The PC in question -gains- 2 Corruption points. If three 1s are rolled in the case of rolling with Advantage, the result is impressively and disastrously grim, indeed: the PC gains 4 corruption points.