CHARACTER CREATION AND HOUSE RULES

[Magnus]

Character Creation Rules are below. Do not hesitate to PM me if you have questions!

0. General Rules: OSRIC is the applicable rule set. Use the US Dice Roller, Campaign ID 130. Please manually code each roll and make sure it is assigned to your character. Please use the US character sheet.

1. Ability Rolls: 4d6, discard the lowest die. Arrange as desired.

2. Rolling for Level: To simulate the comings and goings of a long-term campaign, players are to roll 1d10 x 40,000 to calculate starting XP, subject to the following.

- Clerics get an automatic +1 to level
- Fighters who roll a 10 will be at min experience for level 10
- Owing to the high-stakes nature of their profession, thieves are subject to an additional d% roll:

1-15: -2 levels
16-45: -1 level
46-85: no change
86-100: +1 level

3. Character Classes: All core classes are permitted, excluding illusionists. Will consider monks on a case-by-case.

The druid slot is taken as well, so players cannot choose druid for now. Will re-open if Antheris dies.

While I do not want to damper anyone’s creativity, players are strongly encouraged to align their character type to Westeros Lore. Rangers and Thieves from the Night’s Watch, Paladins from the Westerlands, Maesters who are clerics, Fighters from the North, etc. are all relatively straightforward ways to jump into the action. More creative choices are of course permitted, but I expect a little more effort to make the characters fit into the setting.

**Weapon Specialization is in effect for Fighters ONLY.

4. HPs – max at first level, then roll ‘em up and add applicable bonuses.

5. Character Races: Humans only.

I have recently concluded that that limitation puts the party at a mechanical disadvantage, so I am permitting demi-humans on a case-by-case (e.g., Brax).

6. Possessions:

Characters may freely possess any “normal” item, subject to encumbrance. Choose wisely --- these can be important. Make sure your party has light sources!

Characters have Level x 10 GP in "loose change"

Characters will receive 1d6+Character Level x 1,500 to equip themselves with magic items.

Players may also negotiate with the DM as to a particular "signature" item that they feel suits their character, even if it is over budget. The better the backstory, the more likely it is to be obtained.

Please keep the milieu in mind when choosing items. Westeros is in a fairly high magic period, but magic items are still more rare than "default" D&D. This is particularly true with miscellaneous magic items. Note that potions are not magical, and +1/+2 items are Valyerian steel, so those items are relatively common.

DM has the final right to approve all magic items.

7. Alignment: Good encouraged. No evil. Assassins may be neutral. Use common sense given current party composition.

8. Choose Height and Weight.

9. Background and description: Your character has been called, compelled, or forced to serve on this expedition by The Lord Commander of the Night's Watch or The King of the North, Rickon Jon Stark. Who are they? Why are they here? Please give a paragraph or two explaining this, and anything else relevant to your character.

10. In light of this game's history with player conflict, DM reserves the right to approve all character concepts with an eye towards making sure that they do not promote inter-character or player conflict. This is not a game for inter-character drama -- there is enough drama trying to stop the giants. Players who want to make troublesome characters will be booted from the game.

NOTE CHANGES ABOVE ON 12/16/13

ADDITIONAL CHANGES MADE ON 1/22/15

[Magnus]

Identify Spell will be as provided in 3E Rules:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/identify.htm

[Magnus]

Posting Rate

Characters are expected to post at least 1x per day.

Characters will only be NPCed in combat, but will be assumed to be following the group and not acting if no post is made.

The DM is happy to accommodate players who notify him in advance of any absences.

Maps and Descriptions

In the event of a clear discrepancy between a map and a written description, the map prevails.

Called Shots and Criticals

Players may occasionally call shots in combat, particularly in critical situations. The DM will rule ad hoc as to the difficulty of the action. The default is an adjusted 20, though the player may ask for their odds up front.

Characters entitled to more than one attack only get one roll for a called shot.

Any natural 1 or natural 20 will be a critical fumble/critical hit respectively. The consequences are in the DM's discretion, though the most frequent results for fumbles are the loss of a turn, free attack to opponent (in melee) or hitting a friendly (when using a missile weapon). The default for critical hits are that damage dice are doubled.

Druid Shape Change

A druid shape change takes one round, though a half move is possible with an initiative win of a few segments. Changing and attacking is not possible in the same round.

A druid's shape change is not interrupted by damage taken during combat.

Ranger Spell Casting

Druid Spells awarded Rangers are subject to all benefits and restrictions as "BtB" Druid spells.

MU spells are TBD.

Character Death

Characters who reach 0 HP (or lower, subject to the below) due to damage are knocked unconscious. They fall and lose 1/hp per round until death at -10. However, any attack that renders a character at -15 or below will be deemed to kill the character.

Monsters may administer a killing blow via melee to a held or unconscious character (or vice versa), which will result in instant death. Such a killing blow will be the monster's action for a round. A roll to hit AC 10 is necessary to render the blow.

These rules apply to characters, key NPCs and enemies, but do not apply to followers of the party.

Poison, traps, death effects, etc. cause instant (-10) death unless stated otherwise in the rules.

Players are very strongly encouraged to view character death as an opportunity for something else interesting to happen or to take up a new character.

Players whose characters die may choose to take the same level roll AND ability score rolls as the last character (though may rearrange the abilities) or make a new set of rolls.

**EDIT: XP rolls will be adjusted such that a replacement character will not be more than one level greater than the dead character. I made this change to provide a disincentive to reckless play.

This requirement is likely to be waived if more than three characters die at once or if the character dies under sympathetic circumstances.

Characters may also elect to assume the reigns of any NPC who has joined the character party, subject to the DM's approval.

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Conjured Elementals:

With control, it can be dismissed, subject to a final control roll-failure indicates failed dismissal and immediate attack.

A Dispel Magic can dismiss the magic holding the elemental spirit to this plane.

And a Dismiss Elemental spell automatically sends the elemental away, without any roll.

[Magnus]

Touch Attacks:

Spells that require a successful "touch" require a "to hit" roll equal to AC 10, less Dex and Shield Bonus (or monster equivalent).

Musk/Spray Poison Attacks:

Creatures 8 HD to 11 HD will suffer no effect on a successful save; creatures of over 11 HD will suffer no effect at all; regardless of save. The same applies to characters of equivalent level.

Musk Attacks may also be negated by environmental conditions (e.g., VERY hot conditions); and ignored by poison-resistant creatures, undead, creatures who do not use sight as primary sense, demons, oozes, etc.

Druid Transformation:

DM will generally allow druids to transform into giant-sized creatures listed in "animal" listing in OSRIC manual; DM will allow transformation into "Lost World" creatures consistent with GoT milieu (subject to weight and other druid restrictions)

[Magnus]

The % chance to learn is listed in the OSRIC doc under the description of the Mage class instead of under INT. Vorsyin has a 75% chance to learn a spell and Lorath has a 65% chance. Also, BTB, Vorsyin can know a max of 14 spells per level and Lorath can know 11.

OSRIC doesn't say anything about time to copy spells AFAIK. In AD&D 1e, it's a day per spell level (DMG p. 117-118).

...

ETA: It just occurred to me that Eulalios was probably asking how the chance to know spell mechanic worked (i.e., when do you roll, can you roll to learn a spell you couldn't know before, etc.). Sorry to relay the basic info everyone knows already. As for the actual question, I won't even try to venture a guess.

ETA2: Or is the Write spell the way magic users are supposed to copy spells? If so it only takes one hour per spell level, but requires a saving throw to do it without taking damage!

I agree with the first and second paragraphs above. It also does take a casting of read magic to read a spell for the first time.

In terms of game procedure:

Read magic ---> read the spell ---> roll % to see if you know it ---> copy into spell book (1 day/spell level)

OR

Write ---> roll save ---> copy into spell book (1 hour/spell level) ---> read magic ---> roll % to see if you know it

A spell would need to be in *your* spell book before it can be memorized. The idea is that the act of copying would also subsume the act of studying the spell such that it could be memorized. Further, spells can be cast from another's spellbook, but the applicable mechanic in that instance is the same as of scrolls.

[Eulalios]

Well this seems like a good time for another question re: spells - may a spell slot be used to memorize a spell of lower level ? E.g. if Lorath suddenly decided to go all-sniper, could he memorize 8 magic missiles and a levitate?

Also, at MU 6, each casting of magic missile gives 3 x (1d4+1) missiles ... 8D

[Magnus]

Well this seems like a good time for another question re: spells - may a spell slot be used to memorize a spell of lower level ? E.g. if Lorath suddenly decided to go all-sniper, could he memorize 8 magic missiles and a levitate?

You need to use the slots for the appropriate spell level, unless you can find a RAW reference to the contrary.

[Magnus]

The Paladin's Protection from Evil Aura

The paladin's protection from evil 10' aura keeps all conjured, summoned, or extraplanar creatures at bay. This "hedging effect" is subject to the following limitations:

* If the paladin attacks, the hedging effect drops for everyone.

* If a character other than the paladin attacks, the effect drops for that character only.

* The hedging effect only works when opponents have somewhere else to go. If the paladin moves so that a monster would be trapped between the protection aura and some obstacle, the hedging effect drops for that monster.

**Credit to Zhym

Charm Person


Charm person is not dominate person, the relation simply becomes extremely positive. There is some risk in asking a charmed creature to act against its "former" fellows (or other things that it would be very hard-pressed to "normally" do), especially outside of the immediate "heat" of combat.

Gaze Attacks

When first encountered, everyone who can view it does so. Meaning all characters need to make a save or suffer.

After the first round, PCs state whether they are avoiding gaze or not. Those avoiding gaze do not have to make a save, those viewing do. If they choose not to view, they suffer a -4 to hit and are +4 more likely to be hit.

[Magnus]

AETHEREAL TRAVEL
A character can achieve the ethereal state by various means which include magical ointment (oil of aetherealness), magical items, magic spells and other means. It is possible to move to or about any plane which the Aethereal Plane permeates, and it is also possible to move from plane to plane ethereally.

All movement and travel in the Aethereal Plane is subject to certain hazards. Some monsters are able to function partially in this plane. Some monsters roam freely in the Aethereal Plane. The worst hazard, however, is the aether cyclone, a strong moving force which can cause the individual to enter a different world or plane or become lost in the ether for many, many days when it blows across the stretches of this multi-plane.

Aethereal travel is tireless and rapid. Creatures in ethereal state need neither food, drink, rest, or sleep.

Tracking on the Ethereal Plane:

Creatures native to planes other than the Prime Material - including the insubstantial undead such as ghosts - leave no tracks on the Ethereal Plane which are discernible to Prime Material natives.

Creatures from the Prime Material, however, do leave discernible tracks depending on their movement speed. Such tracks take the form of a visible "trail" or gap in the shifting mists, the edges of which smoke and swirl. The slower the creature moves, the more effect they have on the mists and hence the longer the tracks last, according to the following table:

Code:
Movement rate Duration of tracks
"Skimming" 6 hours
24" 12 hours
12" 24 hours
9" 36 hours
6" 48 hours
3" 60 hours


These tracking times apply to trackers which originate from the Prime Material. Creatures which are native to planes other than the Prime Material can detect these tracks for double this time, except in the case of specialist extraplanar trackers such as Invisible Stalkers and certain unique creatures such as Demon Lords or Archdevils, which can follow tracks for at least quadruple the time listed.

If successfully following a trail across the Ethereal, the point of arrival will not be random as noted earlier. The tracking person or party will arrive within 1d100 yards of the point of arrival of the group being tracked.

The "Bloink" (with a grateful nod to F.M.)

Spell effects cast on the Ethereal make a vast disturbance in the magical mists. They leave a discernible trace depending upon the level of the spell cast, according to the following table:

Code:
Spell level Duration of trace
9 1 year
8 6 months
7 3 months
6 1 month
5 2 weeks
4 1 week
3 3 days
2 2 days
1 1 day


Again, these times are increased for creatures native to planes other than the Prime Material as noted above. A spell which is cast on the Prime Material but enables access to the Ethereal Plane (such as Plane Shift) DOES count for these purposes.

The spell effect used is detectable at distances up to the spell's level in miles.

Effect on magic items:

All magic items of +2 or lesser bonus do not function on the Ethereal Plane. Magic items of +3 or greater bonus lose two "pluses" from their effect.

Miscellaneous magic items which do not have a simple magical bonus assigned to them have a 50% chance of retaining their function on the Ethereal Plane (roll a d6, on an odd number they cease to function.) Reroll the dice for this every time the Ethereal Plane is entered. Note that the item will function again as normal when returned to the Prime Material; its power is not drained by entering the Ethereal, merely deadened for the duration of the extraplanar visit.

This deadening property of the plane applies even to Artifacts and Relics. However, storing an Artifact or Relic on the Ethereal Plane is most unwise, since it will certainly attract attention from curious (and usually malignant) Ethereal entities. Using any of the powers of an Artifact or Relic in the Ethereal has the same effect as casting a 9th level spell in terms of the "bloink" and leaving traces.

**Thanks to the incomparable Stewart Marshall for the ruleset above.

Aethereal creatures are invisible and silent. However, Aethereal creatures may choose to make their voices heard. Physical attacks do not cross planes, generally speaking, though some magic weapons may strike Aethereal creatures.

Spells cast on the Aethereal Plane stay on that plane, with the exception of force-based spells (e.g., wall of force - magic missile) and spells whose effects are transmitted verbally (Power Word, Holy Word, charms, suggestions, etc.).

There are creatures who can see into the Aetheral Plane, can attack across planes, and are otherwise exceptional to the rules above.