[Burning THAC0] B2: The Keep on the Borderlands (ooc/setup)

[engrishonly]

A 'houses in conflict' sub-theme would be made of awesome. And the intrigue could create some interesting possibilities for the thief-pardoner. Perhaps House Karameikos could have a few lesser houses (of varying loyalty) sworn to it, while the Traladaran houses could be independent of each other and of more or less even prominence. I'm sure this is pretty far afield from the Keep on the Borderlands materials but if everyone's down for some intrigue, betrayal, large battles, etc. it could be a lot of fun.

Yeah, the Keep on the Borderlands doesn't have this stuff in mind... but it doesn't rule it out either. That's kind of the brilliance of it.

The original module doesn't even have names for the major NPCs... just roles & titles. A lot of it is pure sandbox, in that the DM fits it all into the story of the PCs. It really is a different mentality than many more modern scripted adventures (and I like the Pathfinder APs that I have, so it's not that I'm against railroad-y stuff).

So, the Castellan of the Keep is one personality that plays into this "Minor House" thing. He'd be useful.

There's also a "Mad Hermit" who lives in the woods. One of my crazy schemes is to make a "Lear" out of him... a blind old crazyman (like the Preacher in Frank Herbert's "Children of Dune"?), with a Fool for a servant. I don't know what that means in the scheme of our story, however.

Another sub-theme that might be interesting would be religious conflict. Perhaps the Church of Karameikos could be monotheist, but trying to integrate/subjugate Traladaran polytheism (i.e. there could be some doctrine about how the 12 Traladaran gods are but aspects of God).

Yes! I like that interpretation of the Church... but I'll stay out of this discussion for now. It's a solid path to take, IMO.

There's also an evil cult in the countryside, BTW.

EDIT:
The Paladin is Traladaran... so your Thief/Pardoner should be the official Church of Karameikos, I think. Like the Catholic church in need of a Reformation (and I am Catholic, so no offense towards Catholics is intended)... selling indulgences, being as much about temporal power as spiritualism.

 

[engrishonly]

Alrighty.

At this time, we have...

• Paladin
• Thief/Pardoner
• Magician/Enchanter

There's a few different story threads. Noble houses, former Masters, religious organizations.

We could use one more!

I'm going to bow out of this one. Sorry, it looks like fun, but I've determined my hands are already full.

Take care, and have a great game!

Thanks for letting us know! There definitely can be too much of a good thing with PbP.

 

[Mathalus]

To Kobold Stew, consider opening the crossbow skill. It doesn’t matter if you have low power when you use a crossbow and if you get Spear Tip bolts they pierce armor like cheese. Plus you can carry it around loaded and they make for great Instincts.

I'm looking to integrate my character with the others. Voidrazor, could we have known each other in Vyalia? Maybe that's where my master was based at the time and when I had to leave you left as well, due to the whole grief/vision thing? I'd like to figure out why we all want to hang out.

I was going to burn up a character using this site and the Born Noble, Arcane Devotee, and Sorcerer lifepaths.

Burning Wheel Character Burner

Also I am all about rolling with three players if we can't find another.

 

[Voidrazor]

At this time, we have...

• Paladin
• Thief/Pardoner
• Magician/Enchanter

There's a few different story threads. Noble houses, former Masters, religious organizations.

We could use one more!

You missed my character, the elven ranger.


Mathalus, would it work for you if our characters got to know each other just outside of Vyalia/Álfheim? My char would have exiled himself well over a century before the start of the game. Hmm, if its cool with you, perhaps I could have known your master for a long time before he went mad. That way he'd be of concern to both of us, but we could have some interesting conflict about how best to deal with him.

 

[Mathalus]

I like it. Then we know each other from elsewhere. Was it my idea to go to the Keep on the Borderlands? I need to get antecedents from somewhere and monsters are a good source. Do you want to come along to keep me out of trouble? Are you worried about me in general? What makes your character, who is this awesome elf, hang out with a young impulsive guy like me? I made up this bit of backstory and sort of created this Quicksilver cloak, but we don't have to use it.


From the Enchanting rules

The item can be cursed. A curse makes the item so desirable that it destroys the relationships of those who use it. A cursed item is coveted by its owner, who believes it to be mighty and powerful.
If the player wishes his character to give up the item, a Will test is required. The obstacle is equal to the Enchanting obstacle.
If, during the course of play, another character offers to purchase or trade for the item and is rebuffed by the owner, he too is cursed! He gains the benefit of the Enmity Clause when dealing with the bearer of the cursed item. Cursed items always cause a Greed test in Dwarves.


Quicksilver Cloak
Cursed silver that pulls like the void

This shimmering cloak flows like a river of silver. It is actually made of extremely tiny steel scales held together with binding magicks. Attacks seem to slide off of it, although if damaged it becomes torn. It then must be mended like armor (with +1 Ob).

14 gray shaded dice used to enchant the item. (Pretend we only made 9 successes).
• Specially created vessel +1D (maybe Voidrazor has smithcraft?)
• Ferrantos helping, Enchanting exponent B5, +2D
• Master Vide Enchanting exponent B6, +6D (Epiphany shaded to Gray)
• Crazy Ritual to activate (Must left out in the light of the halfmoon for one hour) +2D
• Internal Duration, Specific Physical condition (lasts until taken off) +2D
• Target, item itself +1D

Obstacle 10 difficulty to enchant.
• Rechargeable +1Ob
• Gray-Shade Chain armor +3 Ob per location, (Arms, legs, torso) +9Ob


9 successes against an obstacle of 10 would normally mean failure, but instead the item ended up cursed. Both Master Vide and Ferrantos failed their Obstacle 10 Will rolls. There was a fight over who should wear it and (The Elven Ranger) broke it up, but not before Ferrantos lost his eye. Master Vide won and now never takes off the cloak, even to sleep. Ferrantos attempted to enlist the aid of Master Vide’s daughter, Vela, in stealing the cloak, but she could see that it was driving them both mad. Infuriated and driven mad by lust for the cloak, Ferrantos stabbed Vela. He and (The Elven Ranger) left immediately.

Anyway, if this is too dark or you just don't think it's fun let me know.

 

[Voidrazor]

Sounds great. Vellekhyr is staying close to Ferrantos in hopes that the latter will eventually be able to help the former escape his fate (of seeing Vyalia/Álfheim burn). But Vellekhyr hasn't mentioned his desire for help, planning to wait a decade or so. He might also have some notion of getting the Quicksilver cloak into the hands whatever threat inevitably arises to threaten Álfheim. But V. isn't blithe about his planned manipulations. I'll be going for a melodramatic guilty overcompensating vibe.

 

[engrishonly]

You missed my character, the elven ranger.

Whoops! My bad!

We're at 4, then! Perfect!

Let me sift through the ideas as I sketch out the caves a bit more intelligently for BW's purposes.

...

The story for Vellekhyr & Ferrantos sounds good! Elven characters are sometimes hard to tie into the situation, so I'm glad there's a link. Perhaps some kind of Beliefs need to be shared between them? (For the Elven Ranger: something about that which Ferrantos is to make, and the fate of Alfheim? For the Sorceror: something about the Elven Ranger & tracking down the former Master?) Voidrazor is already on this track, but I just wanted to say, "Go with that!"

I'm not sure that either the Paladin or the Pardoner would have much cause to be in Alfheim.

Perhaps there is a common jumping off point for the Alfheim & the Karameikos portions of the group? Some link there would be nice...

The capital city of Specularum is as good a place as any.

Have not heard from the Paladin in a while...

Let me quote from Gary again...

The Realm of mankind is narrow and constricted. Always the forces of Chaos press upon its borders, seeking to enslave its populace, rape its riches, and steal its treasures. If it were not for a stout few, many in the Realm would indeed fall prey to the evil which surrounds them. Yet, there are always certain exceptional and brave members of humanity, as well as similar individuals among its allies - dwarves, elves, and halflings - who rise above the common level and join battle to stave off the darkness which would otherwise overwhelm the land. Bold adventurers from the Realm set off for the Borderlands to seek their fortune. It is these adventurers who, provided they survive the challenge, carry the battle to the enemy. Such adventurers meet the forces of Chaos in a testing ground where only the fittest will return to relate the tale. Here, these individuals will become skilled in their profession, be it fighter or magic-user, cleric or thief. They will be tried in the fire of combat, those who return, hardened and more fit. True, some few who do survive the process will turn from Law and good and serve the masters of Chaos, but most will remain faithful and ready to fight chaos wherever it threatens to infect the Realm.

You are indeed members of that exceptional class, adventurers who have journeyed to the KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS in search of fame and fortune. Of course you are inexperienced, but you have your skills and a heart that cries out for adventure. You have it in you to become great, but you must gain experience and knowledge and greater skill. There is much to learn, and you are willing and eager to be about it! Each of you has come with everything which could possibly be given you to help. Now you must fend for yourselves; your fate is in your hands, for better or worse.

Ahead, up the winding road, atop a sheer-wailed mount of stone, looms the great KEEP. Here, at one of civilization’s strongholds between good lands and bad, you will base yourselves and equip for forays against the wicked monsters who lurk in the wilds. Somewhere nearby, amidst the dark forests and tangled fens, are the Caves of Chaos where fell creatures lie in wait. All this you know, but before you dare adventure into such regions you must become acquainted with the other members of your group, for each life will depend upon the ability of the others to cooperate against the common foe. Now, before you enter the grim fortress, is the time for introductions and an exchange of information, for fate seems to have decreed that you are to become an adventurous band who must pass through many harrowing experiences together on the path which leads towards greatness.

...

You have travelled for many days, leaving the Realm and entering into the wilder area of the Borderlands. Farms and towns have become less frequent and travellers few. The road has climbed higher as you enter the forested and mountainous country.

 

[HandofMystra]

Whoops! My bad!


Have not heard from the Paladin in a while...
.

I am not sure what to do here next. I don't have BW. Should I get it? Hiw do I create beliefs?

 

[engrishonly]

Ah, okay... you must have missed my earlier post...

Here's the mechanical stuff for the Paladin...

The Lifepaths...
Village Born, leads to Religious Setting, to Temple Acolyte, leads to Professional Soldier, to Bannerman

These lifepaths lead to the following:
Starting Age: 21

Ability Scores:
8 pts to divide between Will & Perception
17 pts to divide between Power, Forte, Agility, Speed
(See the intro chapter PDF for info about these basic abilities & what they mean. "Weak" Humans (old, young, infirm) are around B3 in their stat, with stronger/adult Humans having B4 in a stat, on average)

Skill Points:
9 pts, to be split between lifepath skills:
Conspicuous*, Doctrine, Read*, Riding, Sword, Temple-wise, Write, Armor Training**
(* Required (1 point minimum), ** Costs 2 pts to unlock & does not advance)

Plus, 3 General skill points to spend
(Can be spent on any general skill or any lifepath skill. Ask if you are looking for something. Oratory (speaking to a crowd) and/or Persuasion (convincing individuals) may be something you want)

Skill Descriptions...
Conspicuous is the skill to make yourself seen, and to stand out in a crowd. This is what Bannermen use to "say", I am here & I carry the banner for my Lord.
Doctrine is knowledge/lore about the religious faith.
Temple-wise (and any "wise") is the BW style of knowledge skill. It probably takes some explaining... I'll see if I've done it already in my Blog here. Otherwise, that's the next topic for my blog.
Armor Training eliminates some movement penalties for wearing heavier armor. If you want to wear heavier armor, you should invest in this skill.

...

Starting Traits...
Traits: Tonsured, Faithful, Honored, plus 2 extra points

Tonsured means your character has shaved his head as part of the rites of joining the Order.
Faithful unlocks the ability to call on Faith.
Honored is a characteristic of a bannerman. The expectation of this character trait is that the character must represent someone who truly deserves to be honored... it's probably a defining "Paladin" characteristic.

This is just another step, but the concept seemed good.

...

The toughest part is in writing Beliefs & Instincts.

I'll touch on that next...

 

[engrishonly]

Okay, I blogged about Wises already...
EN World: D&D / RPG News & Reviews - engrishonly

I am not sure what to do here next. I don't have BW. Should I get it? Hiw do I create beliefs?

Oh, and no need to buy the book.

Creating Beliefs. Let's start with that.

Burning Wheel has a "reward" system, which I've described briefly in my Blog.

Beliefs are integral to that. By engaging Beliefs, you get "drama points" called Arthas, which you can use to power up your dice rolls.

Meaning: You want the sort of Beliefs that are tied into the game's "Situation" (what is going on that needs to be fixed). You want the sort of Beliefs that are actionable & constantly in your face. You want Beliefs that make you stronger & tougher as a player because they challenge you, and through the challenge of your inner beliefs, you get a stronger player character (More Arthas to spend on more dice rolls).

It's a methodology for building a stronger player & stronger character.

So, Beliefs... and suggestions for writing the sort of thing that gives you Arthas...

Belief 1 should be about the Situation. Look at what Gary Gygax wrote about the Keep on the Borderlands (the intro passage above). Look at your own ideas about the fallen Noble heritage. Why is the Paladin going to the Keep, and for what purpose?

Belief 2 is typically about another player character in the group. It might put your characters at odds, and often! (Think Sturm Brightblade & Raistlin Majere) How does your character's code of ethics conflict with the hopes & wishes of another?

Belief 3... well, Thor Olavsrud (one of the people at BW HQ) suggests holding off on writing the third one until you get to the Keep. I think your hands will be full with 1 & 2.

And take a look at what the others are writing.

Here's a couple Beliefs (plus a Grudge) for a Dwarven character that I burned up (a totally different game)...
Belief 1: The crown is mine. I will use it to claim my rightful place as Prince!
Belief 2: I can end Bolbere's banishment when I am Prince. I will play along with his delusions about that Burik until I can convince him that I am right.
Belief 3: As an Oathbreaker amongst my people, a sense of honor and fairness are luxuries I cannot afford. I need to look out for myself.
Grudge: I swore an Oath to our father to see my brother, Burik, sit on the throne. Burik will bow to me instead!

(Situation... some lost magic crown thingy. Prince Burik is an important NPC, and Bolbere is a player character. I decided that my Dwarf would fit in that space. He perhaps seems like a villain. I think he has great opportunity to prove himself a hero.)