I shall be away for next week, resuming duties the following week as per usual.
In the meantime, here are some notes for the Tale of the Crystal Princess.
DO NOT reply just yet, as I won't around to answer questions, but I shall be ready to start the game proper when I get back. If you've been interested, or are interested, let these notes give you some inspiration.
The Setting – Overview.
The Kingdom of Peladar can roughly be described by a long rectangular shape, bordered by mountains to the north, west and south, and sea to the east. It is split down the middle by a huge north-south running cliff into Upper Peladar (west) and Lower Peladar (east). Upper Peladar is largely forested, including the deep dark Hexenwald. The Black River runs west to east, tumbling over the cliff into Lower Peladar, where it splits into many smaller channels and eventually reforms as the White River, flowing out to sea by the city of Mournharbour. Sited at the Black River Falls is Candlespire Keep, home to the King and Queen and capital city of Peladar.
Since the enchantment of their daughter, royal rule is failing. Peladar, particularly Lower Peladar, is collapsing into Duchies and Baronies engaged in petty squabbles and war. Recently, a powerful warlord calling himself Lord Ironheart has arisen, based at Castle Lament in Mournharbour, and he is subjugating the smaller baronies under his rule.
To the south is the Caliphate of Suliman, actually just as much a loose conglomeration of squabbling satrapies as Peladar. Although the two nations are at peace, friction arises due to minor points of religious doctrine and cross-border bandit raids.
To the north are the fearsome Isenfjoll mountains, home to fierce Kozakh tribesmen and cold-loving monsters.
A complex archipelago lies off the eastern sea shore, beyond that the wide ocean leading to the lost home of the giants.
Travelling land, river, sea and sky are the viajetes, wandering people with a great love of life but little trusted by settled folk.
Religion
Peledar reveres The Light, a beacon of hope and goodness in a harsh world, a symbol of all that is good and pure. The Sulimen also hold the Light to be sacred, although they follow a slightly different dogma written down by their Prophet (May His Name Be Blessed). The viajetes also worship the Light, but they also pay homage to their old Aegyptian gods, notably Osiris. The Kozakhs are said to worship demons, although they have a rough and ready religion remniscent of the Norse gods.
PC Races
Humans – as usual, may be Peladan, Suliman, Viajetes or Kozakh.
Faen – all types are quite common in Peladar, hailing from upper Peladar but being driven from their ancestral homes in the Hexenwald by trolls and worse.
Giants – rare, unlike the Diamond Throne setting the giants are not incharge but are still respected advisors. They built Mournharbour and Candlespire Keep.
Litorians – Come from the south, from lands west of the Caliphate although many mingle with the Sulimen and have learned their culture. Fairly common. Litorians may take the racial ability modifiers given in the book, or may choose to have no racial ability modifiers (for a wiser but less dextrous variant).
Sibeccai – came with the giants, with the same relationship as per AE. The sibeccai are far more numerous than their creators and are found in most cities.
Verrik – very rare, come from beyond Caliphate, usually traders or explorers.
Mojh – very rare.
Dracha – also very rare. There are few dragons left, and none known to live in Peladar. Some say that they are dying out.
Elves – SRD elves are known in this setting as “half-elves” and are part of the Faen race. They gain all elven abilities except for the weapon familiarity, and may become a spryte same as the other faen types.
Half-Orcs – SRD half-orcs are known as half-trolls. They do not have the orc blood feature (no orcs), but gain the Fast Healing talent as a bonus feat.
Dwarves – SRD dwarves were once known to live in the north-eastern mountains, in their fastnesses of Eisenberg and Zwergberg, but have not been seen for centuries and are thought to be extinct.
Races not used: half-elf, gnome, Halfling.
Talking Animals
I am allowing ONE character to be a talking animal (only one to prevent a menagerie feel). They can choose from
– cat, dog, donkey, horse (light riding), marmot (uses same stats as badger minus rage), monkey, porpoise, raven, snake (tiny or small, either type) and wolf. Ability scores are created as any other character, with the physical ability scores modified according to race. Mental ability scores have no modifier. They have all exceptional abilities, movement modes and skill bonuses of the animal type, but do not gain bonus feats (by gaining intelligence they have lost some of their instinct). Animals with a single hit die may take class levels instead of the racial hit die. Animals with 2-3 HD may also add class levels, but their racial HD count as 1 class level for the purposes of ECL.
Talking animals have limited ability to manipulate objects. They fall into one of three categories:
1) Clever paws. Rodents and monkeys are able to manipulate objects normally and do not suffer any penalties to skills involving manual dexterity.
2) Clumsy paws. Animal that have claws or paws of some kind can use them to manipulate, but suffer a -4 penalty to the checks. This goes for attacks with manufactured weapons as well as skills such as Disable Device.
3) No paws. Animals with hooves, flippers or coils must use their mouth, or coils, for manipulation. They suffer a -6 penalty to above checks.
All animals with legs, even monkeys, must spend a move-equivalent action to remain bipedal if they want to. However:
Feat: Dextrous Animal – reduce manipulation penalty by 4.
Feat: Bipedal Animal – may remain bipedal as a Swift action.
Outlanders
I will also allow ONE character to start as an Outlander. This is a person who has somehow been transported from our world into this fantasy world. Use d20 Modern to create the character. They start with the clothes that they wear plus one or two objects that can be held in the hand – technological items will still work.
Firearms
Because the setting takes some inspiration from the Brother’s Grimm tales, which often feature soldiers or hunters with a special gun of some kind, I will allow firearms. Use
these rules, but the cost of everything is 1/5th that presented in the PDF. Only firearms are available from the items given in the PDF, and are useable with the Weapon Proficiency: Firearms feat. Unfettered and Warmains may take this feat instead of their usual Exotic Weapon Proficiency, but otherwise it is not a starting feat for any class. Firearms and ammunition may have any magical property granted to missile weapons.
Opening Scene
You begin in the village of Waybeloved, near the mysterious Forest of Lights haunted by the whispering wraiths. Waybeloved is a peaceful crossroads in the Duchy of Rosen in Lower Peladar, a river crossing for traffic heading for the nearby town of Gildenspire to board an airship, or for river traffic moving up and down one of the branches of the White River.
It is a summer evening and a wedding is in progress, perhaps even the wedding of one or two player characters. You may be guests, or you may be passing through on other business (but even strangers are invited to partake of the celebrations).
