Deaths Gate - Rule's finalized, Now Recruiting! **Paging Players**

[Jemal]

So I've been re-reading Weis & Hickman's "The Death Gate Cycle", and I've been thinking that the labyrinth from it would make for an interesting campaign world... However, the setting doesn't quite fit D&D so some changes would have to be made... Specifically, the fact that Patryn's and Sartan use what's known as "Rune Magic", which takes something that's "possible" and makes it happen... The less likely it is, the harder it is to do. I don't think that would work out too well in a D&D game, so I'ld basically scratch that and just replace it with the normal magic system.

There are several other minor things, but the other MAJOR thing is Equipment - They don't use much, except for weapons made by themselves and self-enchanted with runes (Which anybody can do). I still haven't figured out how to handle that.. Maybe Iron Heroes, maybe something akin to 'vow of poverty'. I was also thinking that maybe I could just allow magical items, but they all take the form of tattoos on your skin (A'la one of the races of the book, Patryns), etc, etc.

The basic setting of the books is that the Sartan (A super-powerful group of humanoids who use Rune Magic and live in large communities) and the Patryn (Same thing, but mostly loners/small tribes) were at War on Earth. The Sartan grew weary of the war and all banded together to Sunder the World into several pieces.. Four different worlds (Air, Earth, Fire, Water) for the Mensch (Humans, Elves, Dwarves), the Labyrinth - A prison for their enemies (The Patryn), and the Nexus, a beautiful city outside the last gate of the labyrinth, built for their enemies to inhabit after they've "escaped and been rehabilitated".
Everything backfired, of course - The worlds were supposed to support each other (Fire sending energy, Earth sending Resources, etc) but something failed. The labyrinth also got screwed up - Some of the Sartan's Anger and Hatred fueled it, made it come alive, and it hates all living things, trying to destroy everything instead of challenging and rehabilitating them. The Patryn grew up in this labyrinth for many generations, fighting it and trying to get out.

The Labyrinth itself is what inspired me... A sentient prison realm filled with all manner of horrible beasties, death and evil incarnate... But also filled with Hope, as people band together to try defeating it.

If you haven't read the book, getting the 'feel' of it won't be as easy, but shouldn't hinder you too much...
I was just wondering, before we commit to anything, a few things :
Who's read the Death Gate Cycle?
Who would like to try something like this out?
Who wants more information?
Who has ideas to share that could help?

 

[krunchyfrogg]

I was just wondering, before we commit to anything, a few things :
Who's read the Death Gate Cycle?
Who would like to try something like this out?
Who wants more information?
Who has ideas to share that could help?

Read it, love it.
I'd definitely try something out.
I want info!
I'm not too familiar with 3.5, definitely not with any additional books, so my help probably won't be very good.

 

[Jemal]

Well, we'ld have to make some modifications to make if fit the flavour, unless you know of another system that would work better...

I was more wondering if anybody else had ideas of how to work in the lack of magical items, racial abilities of Patryn/Sartan (And whether we should even use them, or just stick to the normal base races and make the world 'similar enough'.

On the lack of magical items, I was thinking either A) Use the Iron Heroes setting from Monte Cook, B) Use an alternate form of magic items that is essentially Tattoos (A'la Patryn), but costs the same as Magic, and instead of getting treasure, when you level up you get another tatoo or upgrade existing tatoos to make up the relative treasure difference, OR C) Make up something entirely unique.

Because of the setting and the lack of gear, Vow of Poverty would make absolutely no sense, so it would obviously not be allowed. As to what other books would work, we'ld have to figure that out, though I'm sure most 3.5 material would work. Though, as I said, if anybody can name a system that would work better (And If I could somehow get ahold of said system), we could try that.

 

[Shayuri]

You -can- use D&D core rules with low magic. You have to ditch the "recommended money per character level" thing, and you have to pay -very- close attention to what monsters you're using, and what their stats are, because the CR system will fall apart.

If you don't mind doing those two things, low magic should be fine.

 

[Jemal]

I haven't used the CR system in a couple years, it tends to not work unless the players are using cookie cutters.

Even then though, half the monsters aren't D&D monsters, I'ld have to ad-hoc create them.

 

[-SIN-]

I've not read them, but it sounds REALLY interesting. Count me in!!

As a thought, you might want to post this in the OP to generate a little more interest?

"The Earth was destroyed.
Four worlds were created out of the ruin. Worlds for ourselves and the mensch: Air, Fire, Stone, Water.
Four Gates connect each world to the other: Arianus to Pryan to Abarrach to Chelestra.
A house of correction was built for our enemies: the Labyrinth.
The Labyrinth is connected to the other worlds through the Fifth Gate: the Nexus.
The Sixth Gate is the center, permitting entry: the Vortex.
And all was accomplished through the Seventh Gate.
The end was the beginning. "

As for the low/no magic - I was reading about a supplement purely about non-magical equipment/treasure (for 3.5) which may help, I'll have to tryt to find it though (I may already have it as a PDF?)

As for races, why not just have one race with 'regional' modifiers?

As i said originally, I've not read the series so don't know if anything I say is any help?

I got the quote from wiki, but I've not actually read the page. I'll do so now and see if I can garner anything that can help us build a workable system.

One thing that immediatly spings to mind - how in gods name did they manage to split the ruins of earth into the 4 domains without the said 'non-existant' magic?...

 

[Jemal]

OH, there's a LOT of magic, they just don't have magic ITEMS.

 

[-SIN-]

Ahhh, there IS magic - on wiki it says you can go as far as controlling dragons with magic? Thats pretty high magic. It also says Patryn all have inate magic abilities...

Why not run magic like wild psionics in darksun? i.e. Certain cirumstances 'trigger' the spell, like dropping to x HP for example. Each player would not know the spell's they're capable of, nor the trigger, which couldbe quite interesting. Or Once a spell has been triggered, the individual is left with scar (in the form of a tattoo), and then can call upon it's magic at will x amount of days? Or a combination of both (i.e. once reaching say 5th lvl, or having tripped the spell x amount of times?)

Says there's Dwarves & Elves too, so that's cool. 5 races is enough (Human, 2 sub-human, dwarves & elves), just need to work out modifiers....

Reading what's on wiki has really got me interested! I don't like Hick's 'n Wiess - but I may just order the series up!! (providing it won't spoil the game of course)

 

[Lord_Raven88]

I have to say that I absolutely love this series of books, and I've re-read the entire serries at least three times over the year. So yeah I'm interested.

Regarding the magic for the Partyn's and Sarytn's you could use the system outlined in 'Elements and Magic' sourcebook. Basically the Partyn's and Sartyn's could use the generic Mage class, the sourcebook allows characters to learn spell list (which is essentially one spell that scales over the 9 levels), the Mage then uses magic points to cast any combination of spells up to their MP limits (very much like Psionic characters).

There is no restrictions on what spell list can be learnt so characters could learn anything from the 'Fast Healing' list to the 'Dominate Creature' list.

There are also character options for specialist mages who have a much narrower focus, such as on the elements. This would also work for the Mensch, but they coud be limited to a certain level of spells (say 7th or 8th) to duplicate the fact that the Mensch weren't as powerful or versatile as the Partyn's and Sartyn's. Also the Sartyn's and Partyn's didn't use material components to cast their spells.

Regarding Magic Items I seem to remember that the Partyn's used to carve 'death' runes on to various items (such as spears), these were then expended once activated. This could be simulated by using the 'inscribe rune' feat (from Forgotten Realms).

Other permanent magic items such as armour, potions (temporary tatoos), wondrous items could be crafted directly onto a person in the form of permanent protective/enhancement runes which occupy the normal item body slots. Perhaps these can be altered over time so that the xp invested into the old tatoo partially pays for any new upgrades/replacements.

Perhaps characters could receive a pool of 'rune points' each level (simiar to artificers craft points) to go towards the cost of such improvements.

Also I think you should allow for characters to determine how much they actually specialise in earning the Partyn rune magic, some would be like the Master of the Partyn's and be very powerful magic users (i.e. advancing in spells known each level) while others might split there time between learning magic and other skills such as fighting (Better BAB and advance is spells known even other levels), this is also covered in the Elements of Magic sourcebook via their re-worked paladin, ranger and bard classses.

Anywho that a just a few thoughts from me.

 

[-SIN-]

Sounds good!