Right now Im still trying to collect people to game with actually. Got two possibles,maybe. I favor a more classic style, low magic, lengthy adventures in a dark and serious setting. It's sadly been almost 3 months since I've been able to run and I have anywhere from 4-11 game worlds i could run, but I mostly am trying to get people together, talk about whats interesting to whom and go from there. Here is something I was working on, prior to , well what I posted about. It's loosely based on another setting I have put a deal of work in that I may end up using. I had more plans for this then set down, but a four hour argument between myself and three of the players over if there were going to be dark elves or not. (I explained they were myth, the stuff of nightmares but eventually playable) sort of froze the work I was doing sadly.
uses things like condensed skills, slightly expanded combat lore and abilites and other combat modifications to suit the theme that I can also post.
Adventures in Tella.
Stats 4d6 down the line. Reroll 12 or less. One free 18.
Five Flux.
Players handbook classes only. Every five class levels you choose another book to take materials from. Book must come form list of approved manuals. Game starts at level 2.
Will have background rolls for character. 1-2 per age type for basic background. May buy non magical gear from standard list, can get magical tokens/cahrms
Races.
Human. Elf. Dwarf. Warforged. Gnome. Kobold. Halfling.
Tella is a sprawling city to the north, on the continent of Zelpurg. One of the most populated cities, it is known for its construction yards and warforged. Near a great mineral vein the city is rich in depth and levels. Surrounding it are smaller cities for miles in any direction. Legends about the forests around the city range anyhwere from ghosts and werewolves to orc pirates hiding within the dark trees.
Notes about the city:
* Has three layers.
-The Above. Which is towers and high arching buildings, connected by roadways and walkways where the ruling class lives and works.
-The Core. The ground floor/level where both merchant and hobo will brush elbows, a mix of scum on one end and ruins to highly packed assembly yards.
-The Pit. The ruined buildings, run down places and bars. Black market headquarters and so on, only the brave go here.
Gomes, Kobolds and Halflings: Banded together by time they all work together loosely, the Kobolds were freed of orc influence centuries ago and have became as common as rats in the city. Many are good, many are evil but many more simply want to survive. Gnomes are the centers of innovation and development, halflings filling every role fom ore hauler to bolt placer. The three short races band together in times of need and have a overall helpful outlook even if individual behaviors will vary.
Mid to low magic setting. Uses the rules for magical items set down by me from Tokens and Charms to arcane gift items. Anyone with skills and training can find/buy items.
Silver based city. Gold reserved for leaders and very rich.
Dwarfs and Warforged. Created by the dwarves orginally, these metal men and women are known throughout the kingdom as tireless workers and loyal to no end. Their secrets of construction is a tightly held lore only dwarves know. The warforged number at about 800 total, only being created when one is destroyed. The dwarves of this kingdom are often near the top as master craftsmen and rulers they do what they can to secure themselves as best as possible in all times.
Humans: Tied to the dwarves and gnomes, the three races rule in a council that has one leader and ten voices chosen among the races by voting. Every ten years a new council and leader is elected.
Uses condensed skills, wound/stamina tables, expanded criticals etc and other rules from my setting changes.
World has no set alin.
Uses the default pantheon of gods, names have been changed to the first half of the name with -Thsa added to it so Pelor becomes Pel-Thsa. Each god has a major temple on each level of the city and they often have violent contests amongst each group to see who is the strongest.
City uses a gladiator arena to determine crimes and punishments.
Several cities through the kingdom have been given over to the walking dead. These places are walled off by a standing army of guards to keep the horrible plague down. The source of these walking dead is unknown and nothing can keep them from coming back from the dead. Much riches are gotten at these walls of steel and much horrifying death.
Four major markets.
The Trash Market: At the lowest point of The Pit. Here anything from illegal magics and ancient curses to broken warforged can be found buried amid the ruins and stench.
The Silver Market: Known throughout the kingdom as the center for arts, statues and the beauty of the world around oneself.
Blood Market: Slave trade of monsterous races such as Orcs and Gnolls for sale. Sale of civilized humanoids is forbidden.
Death Market: The black market where things not even the Trash Market will touch, can be found, from demonic texts and portals to weapons of destruction and terror. Its location is hotly contested by the law enforcement.
Far to the south the Kings City sits. A place of several million loyal souls. King Tella XV has ruled as has his family in a nearly unbroken line since the land was first settled. The king, city and area around it equal parts fortress and gardens. A mecca of delicate art and strong fortifications. Ancient myths tell a story that the city itself can walk on great metal legs in time of combat and rain down terrible and ancient magics though this has not been seen in recorded war histories.
The kings lands cover the north, south and western parts of the land. To the east a great marsh that surrounds a volcano is the holdings of the monsters. All manner of beasts from Rocs and orcs to giants, trolls, gnolls and the like are found here. This is a place of great evil and dark gods long forgotten, all here living in a primitive manner that is a great threat from numbers and raw fury alone.
Template guilds for my standard 3.5 setting are as follows. Considered to exsist in any world I create.
The Guard:
Warriors and a standing army these are the rank and file soldiers and guards for the various lands, they stand as a unified organization dedicated to protecting and keeping the peace, overall they serve a hybrid line between solider and sheriff; also working oftentimes as fire control. They are dedicated to the protection of the King/queen and council, and are trained to show no fear and face down even the most frightening of targets and battle them hand to hand. Among their ranks the variant classes are found now and then as well.
Due to their martial bent, each is trained in peaceful means as well, ranging from painting and dance to meditation and sculpting. A warrior of the Guard is encouraged to learn skills to balance out his or her combative side, to educate and study. Each warrior undergoes a period of training that ranges from four too fifteen years, during which they advance in ranks steadily, being given the choice to retire and be given a house in one of the cities and a small staff of servants.
Many Guard multiclass between the martial classes, adapting various skills as they need and becoming both powerful combatants and dedicated craftsmen, stories being told of a powerful Guard member turning to glass blowing and crafting the faces of his foes out of glass after a battle to remember them.
The uniform of the Guard consists of mail or scale typically tinted in earthtones with a cloak and tabard over it for on duty and off duty consisting of light robes with a knife or two.
The Guard operates in two types of unit, one is known as a Hand, the other as an Eye.
Each of the cities maintains a standing group of between two and six dozen militia members, sometimes more; but each maintains a elite squad of men and women, dedicated to the High Commander. These are the best of the land, pulled from various clusters and trained as brothers and sisters, warriors all.
A Hand is a group of 5-35 warriors of the same class, usually in the same area that band together to complete a task or to aid someone in need with more resources then a single warrior can bring to bear. Trained to be the best, it is to them the role of protection at all costs often falls.
Notable Hand units.
Wounded Warriors: Often on the front lines, these spear and dagger masters are dedicated to both healing the wounded and seeing to it that suffering is put to a end quickly. Among the most adept at front line combat, these warriors are often the most scarred and maimed of all, but they laugh it all off, taking pain and suffering with a quiet resolve and a unwavering strength of arms.
Monster Slayers: Strikers and tactical combatants, they are trained to fight the giant creatures of this land hand to hand when needed and defend the walls of the most attacked cities regularly. The common chant among them to never suffer evil and survive, to take on all challenges and serve the just; victory over monsters and to never take defeat.
The Eye: Each Eye consists of between ten to a hundred soldiers, specialized in infiltration and stealth over direct combat who often wear multiple uniforms and do their best to take care of jobs the Hand cannot without repercussions, they are the black ops who move in and take care of situations then move out.
Hard Hammerers: Warrior smiths, this group wields hammer and sword as one, often waging battle against others in the middle of working if need be. They are dedicated to both the weapons of war and maintaining them at all times. Many of them typically work as miners, choosing to take the challenge of wresting survival from the unforgiving rock as a personal test.
The following list covers how the various magic users are organized.
Guild of the Seeing Eye:
This group composes the spellcasters of all types in the land, divided into various sections based on what their talents are. They have houses and shops in every city and some say even in every building, always alert and aware.
Magistrati: the governing arm of the arcane users, they are usually ones of high power who have stepped back from casting and study and chosen to guide the study of magic. Typically they will leave the cities on business they consider important, clad in fine robes, jewelry and usually enough magical talent to devastate a block or two if need be.
Arcanists: These casters study and focus on the mechanical aspects of magic, working heavily with smiths to create golems and magical gadgets and tools for daily use, while considered ‘odd’ by most, their tool clad green robes and distracted air are distinctive and nearly universal.
Mentalists: These secretive ones focus on the study of the mind and its powers, many of them being small in number compared to the rest, their power is equal to that of many of the others. Little colors or outfits are the same among these casters all but for a garnet ring worn upon the middle finger of the left hand.
Cannabalum: Bringers of destruction these mages are many things, focusing on combative arts of magic. They are the warmages, sowing spells of destruction during wartimes and furthering the gains of their allies through militant means. Robes of red and orange mark them.
Crusaders: The healers, these casters dedicate their skills towards medicine and herbal concoctions, helping any and all who approach them in times of need or suffering. They are the voice of the gods, and often the only divine beings encountered. Ranging from hide wearing Shamans to robed alchemists, they tend to the needs of many.
Oremen: Not really casters or studiers, it is those of this calling that craft magical gear and weapons strictly for common use and deal extensively with trade and sharing among all the races. This organization is as likely to be found scattered to the winds selling their hardware as they are to be down in the mines digging.
Faeseekers: Obsessed with the past, this group studies the great legends out of a need to regain the power and style of the ancient world. They pry and poke about anywhere they are welcome and often where they are not. They are all slightly mad and have a habit of literally taking anything even remotely magical.
Theme Specific Guilds:
The Silken: Female assassins for hire. Operate at all levels of the city, exact numbers and members is not fully known. They have been around at the kings orders, in every city across the land for centuries. His secret eyes and ears that miss nothing.
Gronds Grunts: Formed out of a veteran military unit, they are the best of the best. only the most scarred and deadly warriors get in. Work for the king and ruling councils of the cities as a personal guard. Will sell out services in dire needs or at the direct command of the king.
