The Unseen Servant forums

Multiple Groups

Given the number of players who have expressed interest, I propose we run multiple groups in the same world (similar to what the West Marches and North Marches games have done, albeit on a smaller scale). I think most of the required changes will be in the story, not the mechanics:

• Characters occupy the same game world, and will learn at least the basics of what the other group(s) is/are doing.
  Even between settlements, rumors will spread of dangers faced and treasures unearthed.
• Characters are NOT required to remain with the group they started with. If you're in town (between adventures) and there's an adventuring group getting ready to head out, feel free to join it.
• To start, each player may have one character. This may be later expanded to allow for multiple characters, but under no circumstances can characters belonging to the same player interact, trade equipment or information, leave an inheritance to another character, etc.
• Mechanically, I doubt we will have enough players to warrant strict timekeeping. What's important from Torchbearer's mechanics is that each character must undergo a Town phase between each Adventure phase. Players may color this as they like: they found a part-time job that barely covers the expense of life in town; they remained shacked up with their parents for an extended period; or the timing was just fortuitous. Whatever is reasonably plausible is fine.
• This also allows players who need a break for whatever reason to press the "pause button", stopping play and coming back later without dropping out of the game or inconveniencing the rest of the group. It also makes it easier for new players to join.

We considered these variants:

Enoch wrote:

• Whether you want to use any, all, or none of the modifications that Mythcreants has proposed to improve Torchbearer, and each of them has some merit. I'd like to discuss whether you all want to use any or all of them once we get a forum up. Those rules can be found here: Seven House Rules for Torchbearer Campaigns.

From those, we'll incorporate the following:

• Relaxed race/class pairings. If anyone wants something different in character generation, I'll adjudicate as GM. (We already did this and are past it for now.)
• Choosing a trait during Nature questions adds the trait rather than replacing your home trait. (Already implemented on existing sheets.)
• Skill customization - we implemented this by auditing all the sheets made to make sure they balance to the same totals. (Not all additional suppliment classes do.)
• Balancing conflict actions. Choosing Defend in a conflict will get a +2D against an Attack action.
• Abstemious ability. Applies only to the Halfling Burger at level 2 (so no impact yet), but we will adopt their rule to reverse it, allowing the halfling to change Angry to Hungry and resolve it by eating.
• Haggling does not raise the lifestyle cost in town. (It can make things better or worse as-written, anyway.)
• Changing the "Finding Work" rule in town. It now gives +2D cash, but also gives you the Exhausted condition. (It no longer raises the Lifestyle cost.)
• Helping someone grants you tests for advancement (not just if you spend a Check), but only if you post your roleplay for how your helping skill contributed to the success/failure.

We're also adding a house rule for Play-by-Posts:

• Assumed Help. the character conducting the primary action can check the other sheets for related skills and assume that the group works together, adding the +1D from each PC's help unless the other player posts roleplay to the contrary.

This rule sped up play in previous PbP games (because you don't need to wait for every other player to post between announcing your action and rolling your dice pool). It is also important because every test by every character advances the grind for the whole group, so it is important to assume that the group is working together on these tests. (The GM also sets difficulties based on this total die pool for the group-size, so it is important you DO actually work together.)

Collectively, this means:

• The primary actor describes their action and is given a roll and obstacle number by the GM.
• The primary actor adds up their own pool and the potential help from others (related/help skills are listed in the main rule book for each skill, each PC can add a potential +1D), then rolls the dice.
• Other characters can embellish the roleplay with their supporting actions (gaining the promise of advancement), or they can clarify that they're having no part of a specific action (potentially supporting their beliefs).
• All PCs who helped share the consequence of a failed roll, but if they add a post to the roleplay scene they also all mark advancement for their skill that was helpful as well. (This will make skill advancement faster, but that's a great thing in slow PbP.)
• Characters with high skills usually end up rolling the dice and those with more skills at 2 usually end up helping. In a larger group and in a PbP format, this makes sure that everyone gets to be part of the narrative and gain the benefits of advancement across the group.

Examples:

Clough faces a locked door in the dungeon where he's hoping to not get caught opening it, something his criminal life has prepared him for. The book says that Scout and Scholar are the Suggested Help for Criminal (p. 31). Clough has 4D Criminal and gains +1D each from Grimm's Scout, Tancred's Scout, Haar's Scout, Durgenor's Scout, and Ganna's Scholar. He rolls 9D and passes. Grimm posts that he adds his keen observation skills to work as a dwarf by listening to the tumblers and advising when the picks are working. Tancred posts that he keeps a lookout to provide warning if patrols are coming, helping avoid the group's detection while the lock is being picked. Ganna posts that she recognizes the ruins as being of the Cult of Valnor and therefore the number three is sacred to them - with this advice, Clough is better able to decode the tumblers within the locking device. Clough, Grimm, Tancred, and Ganna each record a "passed" test for their relevant skill while Haar and Durgenor didn't post and so don't do so.

Exceptions:
A few exceptions that will come into play early, so I'll lay them out now. Most exceptions are caused by Instincts - an instinct is each PC's one chance to say how they break a rule with their PC.

• An Instinct can allow a PC to make a test WITHOUT impacting the group and advancing the grind. (Grimm's "always tell a story," Haar's "Always look for new ingredients," and Durgenor's "Always look for good trash." are examples of this.) These tests are always performed ALONE and without help unless someone else has an equally-applicable Instinct.
• Clough's instinct of "Let others go first" specifically allows him to avoid harm from helping. If he helps and the group fails, he doesn't share the consequence.

Witches and Enchanting:
There's a good bit of wierd and new stuff on the Witch that is unclear. Please see clarifications below.

The Witch uses Enchanter as her magic skill; it is used in place of Arcanist or Ritualist for determining spell effects and success.

She can enchant a new wand, rod, or staff or recharge one in camp or in town. Each test spends a check (in camp) or raises +1 Lifestyle cost (in town).

Wizard spells known by the witch can be placed into wands, rods, and staves, then cast from those objects. To make a new one, she needs to acquire the object first (it can be crafted by a PC or NPC).

• Putting a spell into a new rod, staff, or wand uses the same obstacle as enchanting a scroll. Additional uses of the spell can be added at +1 ob (instead of re-casting a second time), up to the limits listed for wands, rods, and staffs.
• Wands can hold one spell and up to 3 charges. Rods can hold two spells and up to 3 charges (total). Staves can hold three spells and up to 6 charges (total). Once enchanted, the spells held by a wand, rod, or staff cannot be changed.
• Recharging an existing wand or rod is Ob3. A Staff is Ob 6. It recharges all charges originally enchanted into the object.
• A Wand, rod, or staff can only be used by someone with the Arcanist [or Enchanter] skill, or with Arcanist Beginner's Luck.

Wizard spells OR Clerical prayers known by the witch can be placed into food, drink, clothing, jewelry, gems, mirrors, candles and other mundane gear. (Not wands, rods, or staffs.)

• Only one charge of one spell/prayer can be enchanted into any item.
• The prayer is triggered when the item is used, worn, or consumed appropriately, or when a designated command word is spoken. After that, the item is no longer enchanted. The effect of the spell must be defined at the time the object originally is enchanted.
• The difficulty of putting this enchantment on a mundane item is either Ob4 for a 1st circle spell/prayer (and +1ob for each circle above that) OR the obstacle for getting the defined effect, whichever is higher.
• I will allow enchanting of objects outside of camp/town as a normal adventure phase turn if the narrative supports it.

Her Familiar is a magical creature hosted in the body of a mundane animal.

• You share an empathic bond with your familiar and can see through its eyes. Likewise, the familiar can sense your desires, allowing you to give it simple commands.
• It should be treated as suitably intelligent. At level 2 you can choose give it the power of speech (instead of getting a spell).
• The familiar is there to help you. At level 1, it gives +1D help whenever you are acting in its nature. At level 3, it also gives you a +1D on Alchemy and Enchanting tests (instead of getting a spell). It can also help (as an ally) any time it is appropriate narratively.

Example:

• Ganna the witch is 1st level and knows one spell, Arcane Semblance, and owns one wand with the same spell and three charges. She can cast the spell up to three times. When she camps, she can then recharge the wand with an Ob3 Enchanter test and get back all three charges, regardless what was spent.
• If she wants a second wand, she would need to spend the actions to acquire a magical antecedent and a pristine wood (like troll heartstring and willow wood from a Site of Power). She could enchant the wand with one charge for Ob1 or three charges for Ob3.
• Casting her spell from the wand requires an Enchanter test with the same difficulty that a magician would have for their Arcanist skill.
• Beginning with Enchanter 2 skill, she needs two passes and a fail to raise her skill. (Potentially possible before the first camp recharging.) Her Moonchild trait is also naturally applicable to uses of Enchanting skill.
• If she wanted to enchant food, drink, or mundane gear with Arcane Semblance, she would need to pass an Ob4 test to enchant it, and it would then transform the recipient when used/consumed.
• When she reaches level 2, she can choose any one 1st circle spell OR prayer she wishes (or get the cat to talk in common), expanding the repitoire of enchantments she can make. She can then enchant things with that spell's power as well.
• Her familiar is in a cat named Tabbi. At level 1, Ganna gets +1D from their connection when she acts according to a feline nature (Stalking, Climbing, and Pouncing). Tabbi can also aid as an Ally (for +1D Help) if the narrative supports the cat physically doing so. If she makes Tabbi a talking cat at second level, then Tabbi can offer intelligent advice for help when her feline knowledge makes sense to do so [wider scope for narrative help]. If she takes the arcane assistance benefit at level three, then Ganna will get +1D to Enchanter and Alchemist from the mystical knowledge her familiar provides.