[IK] The Corvis University Discreet Investigation and Retrieval Union (OOC)

[Blue_Genie]

I'm putting out feelers to see if there's any interest in an PbP adventure set in the Iron Kingdoms, using the rules presented in PP's "Iron Kingdoms Character Guide".

PCs would play "troubleshooters" and "relic hunters" working for Professor Pendrake of Corvis University and anyone else that could pay the bills. RPG would focus on role-playing and problem solving with combat thrown in to keep folks on their toes. I would be particularly interested in having folks associated with different organizations or groups who each have their own interests and motivations.

I've run the Witchfire trilogy before (before the IKCG came out) and am interested to see how the new rules work. Owning or having access to the IKCG would be encouraged, although not necessary; I'd be willing to help people with the new rules and settings issues.

If there's more interest in running the Witchfire trilogy, I'd be more than willing to run a 3.5 version of it, instead of a game focused on Corvis University.

 

[Karl Green]

I have the campaign primer would that be ok? I would be totally interested in an IK game, but I don't have the cash to get the IKCB until xmas (my wife is getting it for me then as we are saving for some stuff right now and I can't get any new games for two months well I promised anyway)

A Human (Midlunder from Cygnar) male Sorcerer would be cool for me if possible

 

[Blue_Genie]

That's not a problem, Karl. If you have L&L:CP then you know most of the rules changes for human sorcerers already. The big ones are that Diplomacy and Hide are class skills, and having an obvious familiar will get you stares in the more tolerant cities and possibly lynched in the backwaters and less enlightened places. Also note the summon monster spells work slightly differently.

In the IK, wizards are a highly organized group who guard their secrets very closely. It's very rare to find a wizard above 6th level who hasn't joined one of the established guilds or orders. Sorcerers are regarded with much suspicion and disdain because of this. Not only are they not part of any "club", but they didn't even have to work for their power!

I'm thinking of starting things off at 3rd level. That way, if people want to play Ogrun we could incorporate them.

 

[Karl Green]

Kewl yea I remember reading about the Sorcerer treated like Witches in some places (especially in the Protectorate of Menoth), and I think it would be kind of interesting to play one still. I might pick up a EWP: Firearms also just cause they are cool and all. Are the cost, damage, skill and such still the same as the PDF that PP put out a couple of year ago?

 

[Blue_Genie]

No, the prices for most firearms and ammunition have changed, plus they've added many new firearms. Let me know what kind of a weapon you're interested in, and I'll let you know what's available. There's also lots of customizations you can add to firearms, in addition to specialty ammo.

As a sorcerer, you probably also want to look into wearing a greatcoat, which come in either plain or reinforced flavor. They give you a +1 armor bonus without ACP or ASF for a very reasonable price.

 

[Karl Green]

Right, cool I forgot about those things... and the image is so cool also

As for pistol I was thinking of a medium to light miliitary pistol (if they have different sizes)

 

[Karl Green]

Alaios O'Aodh
(hehe - note Alaios is Gaelic form of Aloysius, meaning war and strife; while Aodh is Old Irish for Aed or fire)

Description:
Alaios is an attractive young Cynar male (age 19), with fire red hair and well-trimmed goatee. His is fairly tall (5'9") and slim (163lbs), in good shape from his last year as a mercenary with the Draken Blades. He wears his favorite midnight black greatclaok with a number of internal pockets, where he hides his spell components. On his left hip he wears a military pistol and over his right shoulder he has slung a light bandolier of ammo.

Alaios is a sorcerer who favors fire magic and excels in this area. While he is open and easy going for most people, he is rather secretive about his arcane powers. He has encountered too much prejudice from so called witch-hunters and 'simple' folk who are quick to pick up pitchforks and torches.

STAT and stuff to come after I know Attribute points, money, etc (I know it is starting at 3rd level)

 

[Krug]

I'd be interested. Will need to borrow a character primer from a friend though. Since there's a sorcerer already, either a fighter, priest or rogue type?

 

[DrunkenMonkey]

I would like to get in on this game if possible. I have been toying with the idea of a gunmage character who is a member or maybe charter member of the group I believe they are called the Order of Illumination, sorry I don't have my books with me. The books indicated it was mostly a mage kind of organization that hunted down infernalists but if you don't have a problem with a gunmage joining I would be interested in working in that direction. I really can't remember if a 3rd level gunmage could qualify or not. If you don't like this idea I would still like to play a gunmage or possibly a ranger.

 

[Blue_Genie]

BASIC INFO

Well, now that I know there are some folks who are interested, let me give you a little bit more info. If you need more info on any of the classes or races, let me know.

Standard 28 point buy for abilities. Max hitpoints for 1st level, average +1 (rounded down) for every level after that; wis/sor get 3.5, rog 4.5, etc. The IK is a tough place to stay alive. I'm also using a modified rule from Arcana Unearthed, where you are considered disabled from 0 hp - Con modifer, and don't die until you reach your Con score, expressed as a negative number. Note that temporary enhancement spells modify this. Example, Erhardt has a Con score of 15, so he is considered disabled from 0 hp to -2 hp, and finally dies when he reaches -12 hp.

2,700 gp of equipment, which is mostly non-magical. Standard (i.e. from the DMG) magical items cost DOUBLE 150% the listed price, and may not be available at all (check with me). Mechanika (IK mix of magic and machine) magic items are much cheaper. Also, standard magical items are never generic (e.g. long sword +1), but always created for a specific task or goal. Magical healing mostly comes various alchemical healing salves, as divine healing is much trickier. Healing potions are available, but at DOUBLE the cost listed in the DMG.


Available races:

Human

(Kossite) Tall and untamed peoples of northwestern Khador only truly at home in cold, wolf-infested homeland. Brilliant trappers and hunters, they are the tallest humans in western Immoren.
(Skirov) Semi-barbaric tribal warriors of north-east Khador who onced worshipped the Devourer Wurm, they are mostly pale-skinned, scarred and tattooed. They mistrust arcane magic in the extreme, and it has become fairly common in recent decades to see a charred and broken body of a "witch" swinging from the village gates.
(Khardic) Proud horsemen of old, the Khards have been fighting wars of conquest to expand their kingdom for hundreds of years. Pugnacious, and patriotic, these folk are easy to incite to action for their country, and they are numerous, especially in the north where a man must provide his own workforce to till the land and guard the homestead.
(Umbrean) A small minority, who live on the border between Khador and Llael, they are mistrusted by both nations. They are an ancient people who fought for many years against Khadoran aggression. They keep to themselves, and have a long memory. These folk no longer have a true kingdom of their own; their loyalties lie with the relics and paintings of a bygone era, a time before the border squabbles, when they were the proud princes and warlords of Old Umbrey.
(Ryn) Ofen lableled as flippant cavaliers, foppish counts, or shameful charlatans by the sods fuond in city commons, courtley matters are of great importance in their country of Llael. Ryn folk are witty, arrogant, charming, conceited, flirtatious, beguiling, and devil-may-care.
(Tordoran, Morridane, Thurian, Midlunder, Caspian, Scharde, Sulese, and Idrian)
Rhulfolk (i.e dwarf)
Goblin (Gobber, or bogrin)
Iosan (Elf)
Nyss (Winter Elf)
Ogrun
Trollkin


Available classes:

Arcane Mechanik: Minimal spell-casting ability focus on creating and maintaining mechanika.
Barbarian: Basically unchanged from the PHB, but rarer than in most standard D&D settings.
Bodger: Specialist fixers of all things technical (at least temporarily).
War bard: Slightly more martial than standard bards.
Cleric (of Morrow, Menoth, Thamar, Devourer Wurm, Cyriss, Nyssor, Dhunia, the Great Fathers, and Scyrah): Religion and faith are taken very seriously in the IK, and there are some big changes in this class.
Druid: Mysterious figures of the wild, feared by most civilized folk.
Fell caller: Trollkin bards whose massive voices assist their companions, and terrorize their enemies.
Fighter: Get craft (cannoneer, demolitions, and small arms) as class skills.
Gun mage: Specialized spell-caster who focuses his spells through pistols.
Monk (Order of Keeping): Guardians of clerics, relics and holy sites of Morrow.
Paladin
Ranger "Scout": No magic, additional feats, changed skill selection.
Rogue: Get Craft (small arms) as a class skill.
Sorcerer
Wizard

There are lots of IK-specific skills which I won't go into right now. Notice that the IK has lots of Craft skills designed to understand, create and repair the various technologies. Having a few of these skills will allow characters to interact more fully in the world of the IK. The classes which have the biggest interests in this subject are the Arcane Mechanik and the Bodger. Most other classes have access to these "advanced craft skills" only as cross-class skills. These skills include Craft (alchemy, cannoneer, clockwork, demolitions, gunsmithing, mechanika, small arms, steam engine.)

There are also a few new skills:
Creature lore, 'jack handling, knowledge (mechanika), knowledge (tactics).


Available feats
-Any of the feats from the PHB, IK Character Guide, Lock & Load, and Monsternomicon. Many from Complete Warrior, and Complete Divine fit, although you should double-check this with me.


Available spells
-Most anything from the PHB (ask me about specifics). From other sources, run it by me and I'll let you know.


Available nationalities
Cygnaran, Khadoran, Ordic, Llaelese, Protectorate, Cryxian, Iosan, Rhulic.
The adventure is set in Cygnar, so that will be the most common group of folks you'll be running into. It's the most technologically advanced of all the Iron Kingdoms, and is also the most cosmopolitan.
Khador is the neighbor to the north, and has been at a very tenuous peace with Cygnar for the past hundred years. It's people are very proud and militaristic.
The smaller kingdom of Ord is to Cygnar's northwest, has a proud naval tradition, and contains the city of Five Fingers, where you can find anything for sale.
Llael is sandwiched between Khador, Rhul, Cygnar, and Ios, and is know for its political machinations. It's also the home of the Order of the Golden Crucible, who invented blasting power.
The Protectorate of Menoth was once part of Cygnar, but seceeded during a bloody civil war over religious differences in A.R. 484 (about 120 years ago), and is ruled sternly by a Menite theocracy. There is an almost constant low-intensity struggle betwen the Protectorate and Cygnar.
The nightmare island nation of Cryx is ruled by Lord Turok, father of dragons, and is home to countless undead monstrosities, including the terrifying Lich Lords. No one know much about this nation.
The elves of Ios are xenophobic in the extreme, rarely allowing their own citizes to travel beyond its wooded borders. No one who has ever entered Ios uninvited has ever returned.
Rhul is the ancient home of the dwarves of Western Immoren (the continent which houses the Iron Kingdoms). It has never been conquered, and maintains tenuous relations with Khador, and civil relations with Llael and Cygnar. It is a country ruled by milennia of tradition.

Let me know what other info I can give you.

Blue