Karl Green
First Post
Warhammer Fantasy -GRIM TALES d20
A key turns in the lock to your cell with a grating sound, and the door opens to admit a tall man in black full plate armour. He holds an elaborate helmet under his arm, with a tall crest representing the head of looks like a Beastman. The drink-sodden jailer fawns round him as if he were royalty - which he might well be, for all you know - and beyond him, in the passage, you can several more men, identically armoured. He looks you up and down with an expression of disgust, and then turns to the jailer.
"This is the best you've got?" the jailer somehow manager to cringe and grin at the same time.
"Oh, the werry best, may't please yer lordship, the werry best. 'Course, they looks a biut rough, bet give 'em a wash down an' some fresh clothes, an' I think yer lordship'd be surprised. An' yer should've seen the gear they 'ad they was taken - not yer ordinary criminals, yer lordship an' no mistake."
The man tosses the jailer a handful of gold crowns, and motions you out of the cell. In the passage, you are surrounded by a dozen heavily-armed men, and marched across the Square of Martials to a solid-looking building with the sign of a panther's head hanging outside - the headquarters and barracks of the Order of the Knights Panther.
You are marched into a large room, hung with banners and with racks of weapons lining the wood-paneled walls. Only when you are there does the man deign to address you directly.
"I am the Ritter Eberhardt von Kreuzzug" he says, wasting no time with preambles. "You will call me Sir. I have the honour to serve the ancient and noble Order of the Knights Panther in the capacity of adjutant, and you …people have been discharged into my care. From the time you left your cell, you have been under martial law."
"I am aware of your crime, your abilities and the equipment you owned when arrested. As your jailer said, you are not ordinary criminals. But you are criminals nonetheless, and I have the power to have you summarily executed here or returned to your cell to await execution in due course. Remember that."
"I also have the power to offer you an amnesty. It pains me to waste it on scum like you, but if you're the best Middenheim can offer, so be it. If you accept the amnesty, you shall be inducted into the Order - at the lowest level, I'm glad to say - and you shall await further orders in the quarters, which have been set aside for you. Of course, you have the option to refuse the amnesty, and allow the process of law to take its natural course. The course is yours."
Some choose you think. In fact one of those with you shouts "Bugger ye Gov'ner" to which von Kreuzzug waves a two fingers at the man and two of Armored Knights surrounding you drag the man out.
"Any others? No, good then let us move on. Raise your right hand and repeat after me…"
The Oath of the Knights' Panther…
I, (name here), swear before Sigmar and Ulric and in the witness of this company here gathered, to serve the ancient and noble Order of the Knights Panther truly and faithfully unto death, observing the laws of the Order:
- To serve and protect Graf Boris Todbringer, his family, his legitimate successors and his appointed officers with me life;
- To render full and unquestioning service to my superiors in the Order and to those they may appoint over me;
- Never to suffer any person or thing bearing the 'Mark of Chaos' to live while there is breath in my body.
The Order has my Oath, which only death may break. Let all here present bear witness.
After they have taken the oath von Kreuzzug stands up and leave. Each of the characters is presented a scroll where they are to sign their name or 'make their mark' and are given a medallion on a chain that is hung around his or her neck. It is gold, and depicts a rearing panther.
You are then marched to a large common room, with no windows and only one locked door. There are ten bunks here, and a common bathroom in the back where water for bathing etc have been set.
"Get yerselves cleaned up scum. Yer be a gettin' a meetin' with his lord'ship soon enough to finds out what.., work we have fer ya" to which there is much laughing from the other guards. The doors are locked and the ex-prisoners and now newest members of the Knights Panther look at each other and their new 'home'… welcome to the Grim World of Perilous Adventure…
OK to much time on my hand over the break, I'm CRAZY and too much talk about Warhammer have made me want to run something in it. I have been debating to do something with Grim Tales for a LONG time
so I am going to run something based loosely on the some of the Enemy Within Campaign. The players, for whatever reason (part of your history) were recently thrown into jail in the northern city of Middenheim. Mistaken identity, rebel poets, fallen nobles, killers, cutthroats, failed priest, drunken berserker, whatever, you where arrested and sentenced to death. But, within the last couple of days were placed into the same cell with the rest of the party. Then you were 'saved' by joining the Order of the Knights Panther your new life of 'adventure' is about to begin…
SOOOO I am looking for 4-5 'volunteers' to be sent on only the most dangerous and glorious of missions (i.e. suicidal) for the Order
Character Creations Basics
Grim Tales standard classes (and there will be few in any PrC, none to start).
Attribute Point Buy: 30 points
Level: 4th
Hit Points: max at 1st level, after that D6=4, D8=6, D10=8, and D12=10
Most will be Human but I will allow no maybe two none-humans (Elf, Dwarf or Halfling; see below).
Background as in G.T. but if you want to make up your own using the Professions from Warhammer or anything else you are allowed to subject to my approval.
Starting Equipment: you get ONE item of choice that you had from your past life before 'joining' the Order. Otherwise you have none other items, except those assigned by the Order. Give me an idea what you want, it can be Masterwork but non-magical
Campaign Planner
Model: Archaic with streamtech vehicles and early firearms
Economic: Currency (copper are called 'pence', silver is called 'shillings' and gold is called 'crowns' or 'royals'; although the characters start with none)
Combat-
Flat-footed: lose Shield Bonus, lose Class Defense Bonus
Death: Death at 10 +CON modifier
Massive Damage Threshold: CON score + 1/2 level (round down)
Horror-
Horror Saves: Will Save
Fight-or-Flight Allowed
Short-Termed Insanity Duration: end of current session
Spell-Casting-
Spell-Burn Die: d6
--House Rules: Spell-Burn Drain Damage for Adapts is 'non-Lethal' damage when casting spells equal to or less then their primary spellcasting attribute minus 10 (if above it still applies as CON damage; see Grim Tales). ALSO they may add their primary spellcaster attribute to the 'Casting Spell Check' (Why? I want Adapts to be better then generally presented in G.T.). But Spell burn dice is the Spell's level +1d6 (so a 0-level spell, roll 1d6, 1st level spells roll 2d6, etc).
--All healing type spells that resort Hit Points of damage instead only heal 1/2 (round down) the base hit point. The rest (1/2 round up) is converted into non-lethal damage.
--Non-lethal damage is NOT healed by any known Spell and can only be recovered with rest.
Firearms -Muzzle-loaders
Other Campaign Options-
Undead/Turn Undead
Vehicles
Action Points: You re-gain Action Point up to your Max each time you raise a level, plus those awared during play.
-Use and renewal: all uses as in Grim Tales, using one Variant: Gain Action Points During Play (all those)
Allegiances: should pick at least two (even if they are Me and Myself)
Armor as Damage Reduction from Unearth Arcane pg. 111
Equipment and Weapons from D&D 3.5 plus firearms as follows (note firearms are NOT build for different sizes. Small sized people (halflings) can use Md in two hands)
Blunderbuss* (cost: 75gp, Damage: 2d8, critical: n/a, Range Inc: n/a, Wt: 7lbs, Type: P, Size: Medium). Ammo: shot (10) 6gp, 3lbs
*is loaded with a bag of small lead pellets, resolved as Breath Weapon Line, with a range of 30ft. Opponents caught in the line-of-fire can make a Reflex save vs. DC15 for half.
Pistol (cost: 150gp, Damage: 2d6, critical: 20/x3, Range Inc: 30ft, Wt: 2 lbs, Type: P, Size: Medium). Ammo: bullets (10), 2gp, 1 lb
Cavalry Pistol (cost: 400gp, Damage: 2d8, critical: 20/x3, Range Inc: 40ft, Wt: 4 lbs, Type: P, Size: Medium). Ammo: bullets (10), 3gp, 2lbs
Rifle (cost: 500gp, Damage: 2d8, critical: 20/x3, Range Inc: 100ft, Wt: 8 lbs, Type: P, Size: Large). Ammo: bullets (10), 3gp, 2lbs
Gunpowder 1lb for 25gp (enough for 8 blunderbuss shots, 20 pistol, 10 cavalry pistol and rifle shots)
All firearms half the AC and DR bonuses of Armour (both man-made and natural)
Non-Human Races… you get 1 less Feat at First level and 4 fewer skills (and 1 fewer skill after first, NO favored classes)
Dwarf - as PHB3.5 but
*Attributes: +2 Str, +2 Con, -2 Dex, -2 Cha
* -2 to all Charisma based skills when dealing with Elves
* Language: Riekspiel and Khazalid (dwarven). Bonus Languages: Dwarven Battle Speak, other Human dialects, Goblin, Grumbarth, Terran
Elf (wood-elves generally only) -as PHB3.5 but
*Attributes: +2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 Con, -2 Wis
* +10ft Fast Movement (only when wearing no, light or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load)
* -2 to all Charisma based skills when dealing with Dwarves
* Languages: Riekspiel and Eltharin (Elven); Bonus Languages: Ancient Elven, other Human dialects, Sylan
Halfling -as PHB3.5 but
*Attributes: +4 Dex, -4 Str
* Languages: Riekspiel
Some Basic Languages (secret tongues cost twice as many Skill points to learn, different dialects cost half as much, i.e. half-points gets you two):
Old Worlder
-Albion (Old Worlder dialect of Albion)
-Breton (Old Worlder dialect of Bentonia)
-Estalian (Old Worlder dialect of Estalia)
-Tilean (Old Worlder dialect of Tilea)
-Riekspiel (Old Worlder dialect of the Empire)
-Skavic (Old Worlder dialect of Kislve)
Classic (Imperial Classic or Old Worlder)
Khazalid (language of Dwarfs)
Eltharin (language of Elfs)
Battle (specific for many Knightly orders, etc)
Arcana (secret tongue spoken generally only by students of magic)
Dark Tongue (spoken by Beastmen and Warriors of Chaos)
Goblin Tongues (dialects spoken by Goblins, Hobgoblins, Orcs and Snotlings)
Ssisssyl'k (secret tongue spoken by Lizardmen)
Grumbarth (spoken by Ogres and Trolls)
Queekish (secret tongue spoken by Skaven)
Aquan (water based creatures)
Auran (air based creatures)
Ignan (fire based creatures)
Terran (earth based creatures)
Sylan (woodland based creatures)
Playing the GAME is here
Rogue's Gallery is here
A key turns in the lock to your cell with a grating sound, and the door opens to admit a tall man in black full plate armour. He holds an elaborate helmet under his arm, with a tall crest representing the head of looks like a Beastman. The drink-sodden jailer fawns round him as if he were royalty - which he might well be, for all you know - and beyond him, in the passage, you can several more men, identically armoured. He looks you up and down with an expression of disgust, and then turns to the jailer.
"This is the best you've got?" the jailer somehow manager to cringe and grin at the same time.
"Oh, the werry best, may't please yer lordship, the werry best. 'Course, they looks a biut rough, bet give 'em a wash down an' some fresh clothes, an' I think yer lordship'd be surprised. An' yer should've seen the gear they 'ad they was taken - not yer ordinary criminals, yer lordship an' no mistake."
The man tosses the jailer a handful of gold crowns, and motions you out of the cell. In the passage, you are surrounded by a dozen heavily-armed men, and marched across the Square of Martials to a solid-looking building with the sign of a panther's head hanging outside - the headquarters and barracks of the Order of the Knights Panther.
You are marched into a large room, hung with banners and with racks of weapons lining the wood-paneled walls. Only when you are there does the man deign to address you directly.
"I am the Ritter Eberhardt von Kreuzzug" he says, wasting no time with preambles. "You will call me Sir. I have the honour to serve the ancient and noble Order of the Knights Panther in the capacity of adjutant, and you …people have been discharged into my care. From the time you left your cell, you have been under martial law."
"I am aware of your crime, your abilities and the equipment you owned when arrested. As your jailer said, you are not ordinary criminals. But you are criminals nonetheless, and I have the power to have you summarily executed here or returned to your cell to await execution in due course. Remember that."
"I also have the power to offer you an amnesty. It pains me to waste it on scum like you, but if you're the best Middenheim can offer, so be it. If you accept the amnesty, you shall be inducted into the Order - at the lowest level, I'm glad to say - and you shall await further orders in the quarters, which have been set aside for you. Of course, you have the option to refuse the amnesty, and allow the process of law to take its natural course. The course is yours."
Some choose you think. In fact one of those with you shouts "Bugger ye Gov'ner" to which von Kreuzzug waves a two fingers at the man and two of Armored Knights surrounding you drag the man out.
"Any others? No, good then let us move on. Raise your right hand and repeat after me…"
The Oath of the Knights' Panther…
I, (name here), swear before Sigmar and Ulric and in the witness of this company here gathered, to serve the ancient and noble Order of the Knights Panther truly and faithfully unto death, observing the laws of the Order:
- To serve and protect Graf Boris Todbringer, his family, his legitimate successors and his appointed officers with me life;
- To render full and unquestioning service to my superiors in the Order and to those they may appoint over me;
- Never to suffer any person or thing bearing the 'Mark of Chaos' to live while there is breath in my body.
The Order has my Oath, which only death may break. Let all here present bear witness.
After they have taken the oath von Kreuzzug stands up and leave. Each of the characters is presented a scroll where they are to sign their name or 'make their mark' and are given a medallion on a chain that is hung around his or her neck. It is gold, and depicts a rearing panther.
You are then marched to a large common room, with no windows and only one locked door. There are ten bunks here, and a common bathroom in the back where water for bathing etc have been set.
"Get yerselves cleaned up scum. Yer be a gettin' a meetin' with his lord'ship soon enough to finds out what.., work we have fer ya" to which there is much laughing from the other guards. The doors are locked and the ex-prisoners and now newest members of the Knights Panther look at each other and their new 'home'… welcome to the Grim World of Perilous Adventure…
OK to much time on my hand over the break, I'm CRAZY and too much talk about Warhammer have made me want to run something in it. I have been debating to do something with Grim Tales for a LONG time
so I am going to run something based loosely on the some of the Enemy Within Campaign. The players, for whatever reason (part of your history) were recently thrown into jail in the northern city of Middenheim. Mistaken identity, rebel poets, fallen nobles, killers, cutthroats, failed priest, drunken berserker, whatever, you where arrested and sentenced to death. But, within the last couple of days were placed into the same cell with the rest of the party. Then you were 'saved' by joining the Order of the Knights Panther your new life of 'adventure' is about to begin… SOOOO I am looking for 4-5 'volunteers' to be sent on only the most dangerous and glorious of missions (i.e. suicidal) for the Order
Character Creations Basics
Grim Tales standard classes (and there will be few in any PrC, none to start).
Attribute Point Buy: 30 points
Level: 4th
Hit Points: max at 1st level, after that D6=4, D8=6, D10=8, and D12=10
Most will be Human but I will allow no maybe two none-humans (Elf, Dwarf or Halfling; see below).
Background as in G.T. but if you want to make up your own using the Professions from Warhammer or anything else you are allowed to subject to my approval.
Starting Equipment: you get ONE item of choice that you had from your past life before 'joining' the Order. Otherwise you have none other items, except those assigned by the Order. Give me an idea what you want, it can be Masterwork but non-magical
Campaign Planner
Model: Archaic with streamtech vehicles and early firearms
Economic: Currency (copper are called 'pence', silver is called 'shillings' and gold is called 'crowns' or 'royals'; although the characters start with none)
Combat-
Flat-footed: lose Shield Bonus, lose Class Defense Bonus
Death: Death at 10 +CON modifier
Massive Damage Threshold: CON score + 1/2 level (round down)
Horror-
Horror Saves: Will Save
Fight-or-Flight Allowed
Short-Termed Insanity Duration: end of current session
Spell-Casting-
Spell-Burn Die: d6
--House Rules: Spell-Burn Drain Damage for Adapts is 'non-Lethal' damage when casting spells equal to or less then their primary spellcasting attribute minus 10 (if above it still applies as CON damage; see Grim Tales). ALSO they may add their primary spellcaster attribute to the 'Casting Spell Check' (Why? I want Adapts to be better then generally presented in G.T.). But Spell burn dice is the Spell's level +1d6 (so a 0-level spell, roll 1d6, 1st level spells roll 2d6, etc).
--All healing type spells that resort Hit Points of damage instead only heal 1/2 (round down) the base hit point. The rest (1/2 round up) is converted into non-lethal damage.
--Non-lethal damage is NOT healed by any known Spell and can only be recovered with rest.
Firearms -Muzzle-loaders
Other Campaign Options-
Undead/Turn Undead
Vehicles
Action Points: You re-gain Action Point up to your Max each time you raise a level, plus those awared during play.
-Use and renewal: all uses as in Grim Tales, using one Variant: Gain Action Points During Play (all those)
Allegiances: should pick at least two (even if they are Me and Myself)
Armor as Damage Reduction from Unearth Arcane pg. 111
Equipment and Weapons from D&D 3.5 plus firearms as follows (note firearms are NOT build for different sizes. Small sized people (halflings) can use Md in two hands)
Blunderbuss* (cost: 75gp, Damage: 2d8, critical: n/a, Range Inc: n/a, Wt: 7lbs, Type: P, Size: Medium). Ammo: shot (10) 6gp, 3lbs
*is loaded with a bag of small lead pellets, resolved as Breath Weapon Line, with a range of 30ft. Opponents caught in the line-of-fire can make a Reflex save vs. DC15 for half.
Pistol (cost: 150gp, Damage: 2d6, critical: 20/x3, Range Inc: 30ft, Wt: 2 lbs, Type: P, Size: Medium). Ammo: bullets (10), 2gp, 1 lb
Cavalry Pistol (cost: 400gp, Damage: 2d8, critical: 20/x3, Range Inc: 40ft, Wt: 4 lbs, Type: P, Size: Medium). Ammo: bullets (10), 3gp, 2lbs
Rifle (cost: 500gp, Damage: 2d8, critical: 20/x3, Range Inc: 100ft, Wt: 8 lbs, Type: P, Size: Large). Ammo: bullets (10), 3gp, 2lbs
Gunpowder 1lb for 25gp (enough for 8 blunderbuss shots, 20 pistol, 10 cavalry pistol and rifle shots)
All firearms half the AC and DR bonuses of Armour (both man-made and natural)
Non-Human Races… you get 1 less Feat at First level and 4 fewer skills (and 1 fewer skill after first, NO favored classes)
Dwarf - as PHB3.5 but
*Attributes: +2 Str, +2 Con, -2 Dex, -2 Cha
* -2 to all Charisma based skills when dealing with Elves
* Language: Riekspiel and Khazalid (dwarven). Bonus Languages: Dwarven Battle Speak, other Human dialects, Goblin, Grumbarth, Terran
Elf (wood-elves generally only) -as PHB3.5 but
*Attributes: +2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 Con, -2 Wis
* +10ft Fast Movement (only when wearing no, light or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load)
* -2 to all Charisma based skills when dealing with Dwarves
* Languages: Riekspiel and Eltharin (Elven); Bonus Languages: Ancient Elven, other Human dialects, Sylan
Halfling -as PHB3.5 but
*Attributes: +4 Dex, -4 Str
* Languages: Riekspiel
Some Basic Languages (secret tongues cost twice as many Skill points to learn, different dialects cost half as much, i.e. half-points gets you two):
Old Worlder
-Albion (Old Worlder dialect of Albion)
-Breton (Old Worlder dialect of Bentonia)
-Estalian (Old Worlder dialect of Estalia)
-Tilean (Old Worlder dialect of Tilea)
-Riekspiel (Old Worlder dialect of the Empire)
-Skavic (Old Worlder dialect of Kislve)
Classic (Imperial Classic or Old Worlder)
Khazalid (language of Dwarfs)
Eltharin (language of Elfs)
Battle (specific for many Knightly orders, etc)
Arcana (secret tongue spoken generally only by students of magic)
Dark Tongue (spoken by Beastmen and Warriors of Chaos)
Goblin Tongues (dialects spoken by Goblins, Hobgoblins, Orcs and Snotlings)
Ssisssyl'k (secret tongue spoken by Lizardmen)
Grumbarth (spoken by Ogres and Trolls)
Queekish (secret tongue spoken by Skaven)
Aquan (water based creatures)
Auran (air based creatures)
Ignan (fire based creatures)
Terran (earth based creatures)
Sylan (woodland based creatures)
Playing the GAME is here
Rogue's Gallery is here
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the system is not to my liking BUT I love the style
