D&D General GM's Closet for the CONAN RPG
-- The Hyborian Age Campaign Setting --
This is a damn nice fan made Campaign Setting for use with ANY RPG as there are no rules contained within the setting material. To take a look, click on the title of this post.
This is a damn nice fan made Campaign Setting for use with ANY RPG as there are no rules contained within the setting material. To take a look, click on the title of this post.
-- MEADOW SHEMITE --
A foreigner common to The Shar (the southwestern part of Argos that shares a border with Shem) are collectively called Medow Shemites. These are the people from the cities states of Shem just across the border.
They aren't referred to as "Meadow Shemites", unless you are talking about them as a whole. They will be referred to by the city or tribe from which they hail.
This Meadow Shemite obviously comes from one of the grand city states in Shem. He is no tribal hill bandit. And, with that breastplate, and colored clothing, he's obviously a man of some wealth. Look at the gem in the pommel of his sword! The design features on his weapons and armor do not come cheap.
Note the soft leather boots with the pointed toes. The pointed toe design is extremely popular in Argos right now. All the wealthy merchants and nobles dress with shoes or boots with points like that.
Heck, the way this Shemite is dressed, he might be a prince! Or, just an adventurer who hit it big.
Typically, when evaluating a person, the more colorful their clothing, the more wealthy they are, the higher their status. Commoners wear various shades of brown and pale green, since these dyes are simply derived from oak bark or weld. Brighter, more varied colors are more expensive, ranging from 5-100 times the base cost listed in the equipment list.
For example, a basic kafieh (the man's head cloth) will cost about 1/2 a silver piece. That's for a rough spun, bone white kafieh that hasn't been dyed. This man's kafieh is of a rich dyed color with gold embroidery. That one costs somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 silver, and it's 50 silvers if that is real gold thread being used.
Ten silver makes a gold piece, so this Meadow Shemite could have spent 5 gold on just the sheet he uses to cover his head!
The dude is really showing off his wealth with the different colored dyes he uses. That teal he has over his legs will cost quite a number of coins.
I have no doubt, either, that his weapons are of the highest quality, with higher than standard stats (masterwork).
A foreigner common to The Shar (the southwestern part of Argos that shares a border with Shem) are collectively called Medow Shemites. These are the people from the cities states of Shem just across the border.
They aren't referred to as "Meadow Shemites", unless you are talking about them as a whole. They will be referred to by the city or tribe from which they hail.
This Meadow Shemite obviously comes from one of the grand city states in Shem. He is no tribal hill bandit. And, with that breastplate, and colored clothing, he's obviously a man of some wealth. Look at the gem in the pommel of his sword! The design features on his weapons and armor do not come cheap.
Note the soft leather boots with the pointed toes. The pointed toe design is extremely popular in Argos right now. All the wealthy merchants and nobles dress with shoes or boots with points like that.
Heck, the way this Shemite is dressed, he might be a prince! Or, just an adventurer who hit it big.
Typically, when evaluating a person, the more colorful their clothing, the more wealthy they are, the higher their status. Commoners wear various shades of brown and pale green, since these dyes are simply derived from oak bark or weld. Brighter, more varied colors are more expensive, ranging from 5-100 times the base cost listed in the equipment list.
For example, a basic kafieh (the man's head cloth) will cost about 1/2 a silver piece. That's for a rough spun, bone white kafieh that hasn't been dyed. This man's kafieh is of a rich dyed color with gold embroidery. That one costs somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 silver, and it's 50 silvers if that is real gold thread being used.
Ten silver makes a gold piece, so this Meadow Shemite could have spent 5 gold on just the sheet he uses to cover his head!
The dude is really showing off his wealth with the different colored dyes he uses. That teal he has over his legs will cost quite a number of coins.
I have no doubt, either, that his weapons are of the highest quality, with higher than standard stats (masterwork).
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-- QUILTED JERKIN --
This is an excellent pic of a Quilted Jerkin. This guy must have put all of his coin into his greatsword with the fancy wavy blade. Greatswords are known primarily as Hyborian weapons (the damn things do 2-18 damage, which is 1d10 + 1d8, Critical on 19-20 for x2 dam, and have Armor Piercing 4).
For most races, the greatsword is an Exotic Weapon, but for Hyborians, it is a Martial Weapon. It is the only two-handed weapon that Hyborian Thieves learn to use (unless a special feat is taken), though the weapon is too big and unwieldy for the tastes of most Thieves. Occasionally, you will see a Hyborian Pirate swing this bloody weapon on the deck during a boarding action.
Note the mercenary in this pic has a buckler tied to his belt and a smaller, one handed weapon behind his right hip. He can drop the greatsword and use the buckler to get a +2 Parry AC bonus and fight with what looks to be (from the size of the hilt) an arming sword (1d10 Damage, Critical on 19-20 for x2 dam, Armor Piercing 2).
His torso may look like it is protected by leather, but if you look closely, you'll see that it's definitely cloth--cloth that is more dense that that used for the arms.
A quilted jerkin is hand-sewn from twenty or more layers of linen, making for a light armor that fits well. Notice how snugly the armor fits the mercenary. The quilted jerkin leaves the man completely unencumbered and offers protection of Damage Reduction 3, with Max DEX bonus of +7 and no Armor Check penalty. This is a favored armor of Thieves and Pirates.
This is an excellent pic of a Quilted Jerkin. This guy must have put all of his coin into his greatsword with the fancy wavy blade. Greatswords are known primarily as Hyborian weapons (the damn things do 2-18 damage, which is 1d10 + 1d8, Critical on 19-20 for x2 dam, and have Armor Piercing 4).
For most races, the greatsword is an Exotic Weapon, but for Hyborians, it is a Martial Weapon. It is the only two-handed weapon that Hyborian Thieves learn to use (unless a special feat is taken), though the weapon is too big and unwieldy for the tastes of most Thieves. Occasionally, you will see a Hyborian Pirate swing this bloody weapon on the deck during a boarding action.
Note the mercenary in this pic has a buckler tied to his belt and a smaller, one handed weapon behind his right hip. He can drop the greatsword and use the buckler to get a +2 Parry AC bonus and fight with what looks to be (from the size of the hilt) an arming sword (1d10 Damage, Critical on 19-20 for x2 dam, Armor Piercing 2).
His torso may look like it is protected by leather, but if you look closely, you'll see that it's definitely cloth--cloth that is more dense that that used for the arms.
A quilted jerkin is hand-sewn from twenty or more layers of linen, making for a light armor that fits well. Notice how snugly the armor fits the mercenary. The quilted jerkin leaves the man completely unencumbered and offers protection of Damage Reduction 3, with Max DEX bonus of +7 and no Armor Check penalty. This is a favored armor of Thieves and Pirates.
-- PELISHTIM MERCENARY --
Wearing a steel cap (+1 DR) and brigandine coat (steel plates sandwiched between layers of cloth and leather, Damage Reduction 6, Max DEX bonus +2, Armor Check Penalty -5). He carries a curved blade popular among the Shemites (1d10 Damage, Critical on 19-20 for x2 dam, Armor Piercing 2).
Wearing a steel cap (+1 DR) and brigandine coat (steel plates sandwiched between layers of cloth and leather, Damage Reduction 6, Max DEX bonus +2, Armor Check Penalty -5). He carries a curved blade popular among the Shemites (1d10 Damage, Critical on 19-20 for x2 dam, Armor Piercing 2).
-- RAEZE --
The city of Raeze, on the Argossean coast, near the border with Shem. This pic below, if you can imagine it not as ancient, weathered, and worn, is very similar to the design of the city.
The structure in the foreground is how most of Raeze is built. Raeze is in the middle of a desert area. Lumber has to be imported. Stone can be mined in the nearby hills. With Raeze, there are these grid-like structures making for most of the city. It makes a framework that people use for housing and other structures. Much of Raeze are these little plots with cloth stretched across the roof and sides. People enter through a flap. It's like a tent with a stone framework. The framework exists. When you get a space, you can fill in the walls however you can afford.
Not all of the framework is stone. There are some wooden frames. The more expensive way to go is to put up wood walls and ceiling within the framework. The floor can remain dirt or stone, or a flooring of wood can be added. Some places within the framework are quite elaborate, with wood or stone staircases to upper levels. There are a couple higher structures in Raeze, but rarely do buildings (the framework) go above two levels. Most of the city is spread out in a single story.
Thieves are known to climb up the sides of the framework and drop down on businesses from above. The citizens of Raeze call he roof structure the "Thieves Highway".
Here, in the pic, we see stone walkways. But not all of it is stone. There are sandy dirt paths between structures, down the narrow allies and the like.
Imagine this place in better shape (not an ancient ruin), and imagine cloth or wood closing up the holes between the columns. Then imagine all sort of people walking about--native Argosseans, hook-nosed Shemites, primarily--and you'll have a good idea of what the city looks like.
The outer structures of the city are filled in, making a sort of city wall. But,the wall connects directly to structures--it's not a wall, then path, then structure. The wall is like the side of the buildings, except it is filled in without the holes that you see.
Just inside the main city gate is a large, open area that serves as a bazaar. Some of the more established merchants have building stalls for their businesses, but many come to open bazaar to trade their goods. Beware of pick pockets that play their trade here!
If you enter the city gate and move to the left, you will travel through the bazaar and right into the Caravan Gate. Raeze sees a lot of trade as it is the last major city on a trade route connecting Argos and Shem, though the route has seen decreased traffic in the last eighteen months as bandit activity has picked up considerably.
The city of Raeze, on the Argossean coast, near the border with Shem. This pic below, if you can imagine it not as ancient, weathered, and worn, is very similar to the design of the city.
The structure in the foreground is how most of Raeze is built. Raeze is in the middle of a desert area. Lumber has to be imported. Stone can be mined in the nearby hills. With Raeze, there are these grid-like structures making for most of the city. It makes a framework that people use for housing and other structures. Much of Raeze are these little plots with cloth stretched across the roof and sides. People enter through a flap. It's like a tent with a stone framework. The framework exists. When you get a space, you can fill in the walls however you can afford.
Not all of the framework is stone. There are some wooden frames. The more expensive way to go is to put up wood walls and ceiling within the framework. The floor can remain dirt or stone, or a flooring of wood can be added. Some places within the framework are quite elaborate, with wood or stone staircases to upper levels. There are a couple higher structures in Raeze, but rarely do buildings (the framework) go above two levels. Most of the city is spread out in a single story.
Thieves are known to climb up the sides of the framework and drop down on businesses from above. The citizens of Raeze call he roof structure the "Thieves Highway".
Here, in the pic, we see stone walkways. But not all of it is stone. There are sandy dirt paths between structures, down the narrow allies and the like.
Imagine this place in better shape (not an ancient ruin), and imagine cloth or wood closing up the holes between the columns. Then imagine all sort of people walking about--native Argosseans, hook-nosed Shemites, primarily--and you'll have a good idea of what the city looks like.
The outer structures of the city are filled in, making a sort of city wall. But,the wall connects directly to structures--it's not a wall, then path, then structure. The wall is like the side of the buildings, except it is filled in without the holes that you see.
Just inside the main city gate is a large, open area that serves as a bazaar. Some of the more established merchants have building stalls for their businesses, but many come to open bazaar to trade their goods. Beware of pick pockets that play their trade here!
If you enter the city gate and move to the left, you will travel through the bazaar and right into the Caravan Gate. Raeze sees a lot of trade as it is the last major city on a trade route connecting Argos and Shem, though the route has seen decreased traffic in the last eighteen months as bandit activity has picked up considerably.
-- ARMOR DAMAGE --
The Core game already considers damage to armor. See page 179 of the 2E rulebook. The game addresses armor damage whenever Massive Damage is caused on the character (that is, the character suffers 20+ points of damage from a single blow). So, the same blow that may kill the character (you would check that first, of course, with the character's Fortitude Save per the Massive Damage rules) will degrade the armor from 1-4 points, per the rule.
That rule is fine for most. And, it reminds you to degrade the armor every time 20+ points of damage is delivered.
I've written this optional rule for those of you who think that armor should be able to degrade without a chance to kill the character. This rule will represent normal wear and tear on the armor, and it will encourage characters to use their repair skills and spend their coin on both repair necessities and new armor. During downtime, it will become common to make an armor repair check and soak up some of the character's resources (the armor repair expendables).
The rule works just like the official rule, except that the damage needed to trigger Armor Damage is lowered, and the armor damage will only be 1 point instead of 1d4.
Select either 10 or 15 points of damage, depending on how often you want this to be an issue.
I think the 15 point threshold works well (10 points may be too often). So, if 15+ hit points are delivered to a character, then automatically drop the armor's DR rating by 1 point. If 20+ damage is delivered, drop the armor DR rating by 1d4 points if the character survives the Massive Damage blow.
You would not use this rule, of course, unless if the attacker is successful with a Finesse Attack.
Another tweak to this idea is to consider the shield, if the character carries one. Deliver 10+ damage for 1 point of Armor Damage if the defender is not using a shield. Otherwise, deliver 1 point of Armor Damage when 15+ points are placed on the foe.
The original rule listed on page 179 should probably be appended to include the times when a character's hit points is less than 20. So, the rule should probably be triggered by a 20+ point blow or by the character being knocked to 0 or less hit points.
The Core game already considers damage to armor. See page 179 of the 2E rulebook. The game addresses armor damage whenever Massive Damage is caused on the character (that is, the character suffers 20+ points of damage from a single blow). So, the same blow that may kill the character (you would check that first, of course, with the character's Fortitude Save per the Massive Damage rules) will degrade the armor from 1-4 points, per the rule.
That rule is fine for most. And, it reminds you to degrade the armor every time 20+ points of damage is delivered.
I've written this optional rule for those of you who think that armor should be able to degrade without a chance to kill the character. This rule will represent normal wear and tear on the armor, and it will encourage characters to use their repair skills and spend their coin on both repair necessities and new armor. During downtime, it will become common to make an armor repair check and soak up some of the character's resources (the armor repair expendables).
The rule works just like the official rule, except that the damage needed to trigger Armor Damage is lowered, and the armor damage will only be 1 point instead of 1d4.
Select either 10 or 15 points of damage, depending on how often you want this to be an issue.
I think the 15 point threshold works well (10 points may be too often). So, if 15+ hit points are delivered to a character, then automatically drop the armor's DR rating by 1 point. If 20+ damage is delivered, drop the armor DR rating by 1d4 points if the character survives the Massive Damage blow.
You would not use this rule, of course, unless if the attacker is successful with a Finesse Attack.
Another tweak to this idea is to consider the shield, if the character carries one. Deliver 10+ damage for 1 point of Armor Damage if the defender is not using a shield. Otherwise, deliver 1 point of Armor Damage when 15+ points are placed on the foe.
The original rule listed on page 179 should probably be appended to include the times when a character's hit points is less than 20. So, the rule should probably be triggered by a 20+ point blow or by the character being knocked to 0 or less hit points.
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