D&D 5E Middle Earth and aSoIaF martial campaign

[GMforPowergamers]

alright so I am using the idea given from a post here about hex gridding a lot of regions (so that the wanderer will have choices) and I have decided to keep the shadow effects (land and magic is corrupted).

here is the primer for my world

"The gods are not perfect...they made a mistake. They made the world, and there perfect races...then they said "let there be light..."
But any time there is light, there is shadow too. So by divine action, the shadow was born as well."

A points of light setting with strong but rare magic (no spell caster PCs) A place that isn't about saving the world, as much as keeping it as close to good as it is, without falling into shadow...

Today is 319DF (After the DragonFall). Humans rule the small points of light, the Elves and Dwarves have there holds, but most of the world is ruled by Orcs, Hobgoblins, Gnolls and worse...

The world is a dangerous Dark place, and the shadow looms over all ready to corrupt anyone and anything. The 'center' of the known world is the largest citystate...a powerful school and counsel ruled city known as the Citadel. There are rumors of Warlocks empowered by the shadow, and an orc necromancer that both are ready for the 4th (and finale?) great war. Some say dragons and magic are returning, others are out to kill magic once and for all...

The City State of the Citadel is a Sanctuary (Point of light), a safe place in an unsafe world. Or at least it once was... 2 generations ago during the goblin war Randal Dunkeld almost corrupted the whole thing. last generation during the bug invasion the city almost fell again... only the sages and there alchemical healing aided in turning that tide. Now as alchemy and herbalism have started to become stronger, and the sages more learned in the ways of non magical healing has the world even stood a chance... but how long until the next great cataclysm... how long until the deep ones rise or the orcs march, they say the age of heroes is over never to come again, but what happens if there are no heroes next time???

Most of the 30,000 people who live in the Citadel are either atheist or agnostic...belief without proof is hard. However a few small religions have taken hold. Some pray to the spirits of the land like the shamans of the ashen wastes, and some pray to the whispering tide of the river men. the most prevalent of the three religions though is the pantheon...old gods said to have been the gods of the elves. Sometimes the purple haired women or bald men form the storm mountains come and speak of the earth mother, but few here give any sway to that. Some times crusaders and pilgrims from the Highlands come to preach there "one above all" but that faith is very intolerant.

and

There are no heroes, heroes were in the past, but the shadow killed them. The shadow touched everyone, and ended the idea of heroes. The age of heroes is over and will never come again...or so they say.

The City State of the Citadel is a Sanctuary (Point of light), a safe place in an unsafe world. Or at least it once was...
The Citadel is a huge metropolis... it's over five miles in diameter with almost 30k people and house the ruins of the old college of wizardry that now is home to the sages school. It also has a shadow connection to the explorers socioty.

all of you are Humans, and the Classes are from my Middle Earth book. However your humans can use different stats... Half Elf, Half Orc, and Teifling are allowed, but still humans just 'touched' by fey orc or shadow somewhere in the past... so I have an NPC who is a 'half elf' because his great grandfather was elven. You only have one 'throw back' physical feature of the race but look mostly human. In the citadel you are fine...but someplace might be 'burn the witch' if they think you have been elf or orc or worse touched...

 

[GMforPowergamers]

So I named my world and as I did I had a realization. without PC spell casters, and with most magic being under story point or DM control I could rework the entire idea of planes... and so I did. Here are 2 more sets of notes

The world of Zemlya was once a high magic world, one with demon sorcerers and dragonriders...but that world has fallen. The elves and dwarves have retreated to there own fortresses, maybe into magical realms and with them much of the magic of the world. There are no more dragons, and the only magic is a dark and evil thing.

The world is a Points of Light setting. With powerful but rare magic, and settlements spread out in a wilderness that is a dangerous place. The world is in need of heroes, but all too often those heroes fall to the lure of the shadow. Orcs and Goblins have thrived, and the idea of a hoard of either keeps many men at arms up at night.

Normal planes and levels of being are not present on The world of Zemlya. Instead there are only a few things like D&D planes. Silver light of higher thought with pockets of paradise, and Dark shadow with holes dug into it down to oblivion.

There is an Astral Plane that connects the entire world. It's a higher level of being that can be tapped into by psychics and some of the faithful, but few really know what it is.

There is a Shadowfell that is a silent mockery of life on the world. It's a dark and unsafe place that not only is the power source for many undead and necromancers, but is the home of the 'shadow' itself, corruption and entropy that is only quisy real.

Inside of small portions of the astral plane near the places nature is still powerful are demi planes similar to the fey wild...

Inside the worst of places, were the shadowfell's touch is most real, there are demi planes as well... an endless abyss that falls into oblivion.

 

[Zardnaar]

Would not use 5E. Would use 2E with tweaked classes from skills and powers. Most classes would not exist magic would be the. Ritual caster feat level. Critical hit table from Combat and Tactics.

Even in 5E with a handful of archetypes allowed you still have rapid non magical healing.

 

[BookBarbarian]

Would not use 5E. Would use 2E with tweaked classes from skills and powers. Most classes would not exist magic would be the. Ritual caster feat level. Critical hit table from Combat and Tactics.

Even in 5E with a handful of archetypes allowed you still have rapid non magical healing.

5E's popularity is likely what is driving this though. getting players to learn 2E might not be worth the effort.

Healing can be limited too.

The Gritty Realism rest variant might be the norm in this campaign, or the AiME variant rest rules that limit where you can take a long rest.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Would not use 5E. Would use 2E with tweaked classes from skills and powers. Most classes would not exist magic would be the. Ritual caster feat level. Critical hit table from Combat and Tactics.

Even in 5E with a handful of archetypes allowed you still have rapid non magical healing.

5E's popularity is likely what is driving this though. getting players to learn 2E might not be worth the effort.

Healing can be limited too.

The Gritty Realism rest variant might be the norm in this campaign, or the AiME variant rest rules that limit where you can take a long rest.

most of my table (all but the kid of the group) started in 2e, but none of us have our books out anymore. I don't think any of us would enjoy doing thac0 any more.


Besides we have always played the most recent editions, in general I feel that they are all improvements in one way or form.

 

[Zardnaar]

most of my table (all but the kid of the group) started in 2e, but none of us have our books out anymore. I don't think any of us would enjoy doing thac0 any more.


Besides we have always played the most recent editions, in general I feel that they are all improvements in one way or form.

2E is really easy to tweak though, I don't use THACO, no level limits, and I errata the humans to compensate the level limits going bye bye. Its also not hard to put in B/X or d20 ability modifiers.

1-3 hp per day+ critical hit table form Combat and Tactics, variant classes (you would only have 4 or 5 classes).

5E is a square peg round hole for Game of Thrones type game. Well D&D in general but 2E with some of the optional rules is about the closest you will get short of a d20 based GoT RPG which was made a few years ago.

Making a new gritty rules and your own classes could also work if you wanted to use 5E mechanics. Put heling back to 1-3 h a day, no magic a'la D&D classes, classes are something like warrior, expert and mystic and the mystic is a 1/3rd ritual caster.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

2E is really easy to tweak though, I don't use THACO, no level limits, and I errata the humans to compensate the level limits going bye bye. Its also not hard to put in B/X or d20 ability modifiers.

1-3 hp per day+ critical hit table form Combat and Tactics, variant classes (you would only have 4 or 5 classes).

5E is a square peg round hole for Game of Thrones type game. Well D&D in general but 2E with some of the optional rules is about the closest you will get short of a d20 based GoT RPG which was made a few years ago.

Making a new gritty rules and your own classes could also work if you wanted to use 5E mechanics. Put heling back to 1-3 h a day, no magic a'la D&D classes, classes are something like warrior, expert and mystic and the mystic is a 1/3rd ritual caster.

the middle earth book has non magic classes and that it works well. That is what inspired the entire idea.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Ok, so lets take a look at magic of the Game of Thrones world... the starks, and a few others are Skin changers/Worgs… I plan to have a potential ally/enemy have this power based on a charcter from the books that didn't get in the show...

so PC info if they learn it:

Choose an animal (beast) that you already convince you mean it no harm, and you can stay within 200ft of for an entire day and night. It must see and hear you. If the beast’s Intelligence is half of yours or higher, the effect fails, and if it’s CR is more then ½ your HD it also fails. This creature can become bound to you.

A bound animal acts independently of you, but it always obeys your commands. In combat, it rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn. A bound animal can’t attack, but it can take other actions as normal. Additionally, when you take the Attack action, you can forgo one of your own attacks to allow a bound animal to make one attack of its own.

While your bound animal is within 100 feet of you, you can communicate with it telepathically. Additionally, if you are within 25ft, as an action you enter your bound animal. When you do you can see through your bound animal’s eyes and hear what it hears until you end the effect, or loose concentration, gaining the benefits of any special senses that the animal has. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses. You may also use your own proficiency modifier instead of the animals and your trained skills.

If you bond with a second creature you may choose to keep both animals bound. You may have a number of bound animals equal to 1 plus your charisma modifier OR your proficiency modifier witch ever is higher.

Now I have a barbaric tribe near the town that tell stories about these...but they have to travel to the dark woods ruled by gnolls and goblins to find someone who can do it...

This woman has wild and chaotic energy in her eyes, and red hair that is pulled back in a series of braids. Jade, and Obsidian trinkets are mixed into her hair. Around her neck sits a wooden symbol. At her side is a black iron hand axe. Behind her is her name sack, a Giant Hawk, a Phase Spider, a Displacer beast, and a Troll Boar.

Anatol the Menagerie
Armor Class 13 (Hide) Hit Points 44 (9d8) Speed 30ft.
STR 14 (+2) DEX 15 (+2) CON 11 (+0)
INT 14 (+2) WIS 15 (+2) CHA 20 (+5)
Skills Perception +5, Stealth +5
Senses. passive Perception 15 languages Elvish, Sylvan Challenge 5 ( XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The dryad's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14). The dryad can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: druidcraft, detect thoughts
1/day each: entangle, goodberry

Magic Resistance. The dryad has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Speak with Beasts and Plants. Anatol can communicate with beasts and plants as if they shared a language.

Token of Favor. As an action, Anatol can cut a lock of her copper hair and twist it into a token for a creature she chooses. As long as that creature carries the token, it gains the magic resistance trait (see above). and have a +1 on any rolls to control or influence animals.

ACTIONS Multi Attack, Anatol can take 2 attacks, or can give up an attack to have one of her Menagerie attack.

Hand Axe. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2)

 

[BookBarbarian]

Ok, so lets take a look at magic of the Game of Thrones world... the starks, and a few others are Skin changers/Worgs… I plan to have a potential ally/enemy have this power based on a charcter from the books that didn't get in the show...

so PC info if they learn it:

Interesting. I Probably would have used the Moon druid wildshape requirements (minus elementals) for what animals you can Warg into.

I also would probably have the number of Animals that can be bound related to Wisdom rather than Charisma as Wisdom traditionally governs Animal Handling.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Interesting. I Probably would have used the Moon druid wildshape requirements (minus elementals) for what animals you can Warg into.

I also would probably have the number of Animals that can be bound related to Wisdom rather than Charisma as Wisdom traditionally governs Animal Handling.

Both good idea's... I have to look at the moon druid rules, but I doubt displacer beasts work with it (Yes I know 'shadow cats' in the books are not displacer beasts but D&D is much more magical). I went with Charisma because I figure you are forcing your personality into someone or something else...