Midnight: First Impressions of Campaign Book

[gambler1650]

Ok... Finished Chapter 1.

Basically it covers character races, classes, heroic paths, feats and a few new weapons. First, to someone who asked whether Psionics are part of the campaign world... sorta. There are two heroic paths (sorta like a secondary class in that each level gives a special ability, sometimes a spell-like ability, sometimes something unique) that have Psionic-like abilities... One question immediately pops up.. are these abilities scented by the Astirax? One comment immediately pops up.. these abilities should have been marked with an asterisk and a footnoted that The Psionicist's Handbook is needed. Had someone not asked the question, I would have been confused as to why I couldn't find the spells in the PHB (the only book mentioned as being needed), since I don't have the Psionicist's Handbook.

I also have to make a correction to some perceptions I had, and may have misled others on.. There are healing spells in the game (the arcane versions of the Cure spells under the Lesser Conjuration Spell Listings along with Restorations, etc). Additionally there's a healer class with these spells as spell-like abilities. However there's still no equivalent of resurrection except at Level 20, a Healer can Restore Life but only under very specific circumstances (it's like a real life Medic's ability to bring back from the dead rather than a supernatural ability). I really like the heroic paths, and some of them allow you to create a 'poor man's' <name standard AD&D class here>, like a Druid for instance. The heroic path of Naturefriend can make the character seem druidlike. Other paths are quite unique and add a great deal to the feel of the game.

On to Chapter 2.. Magic!

 

[gambler1650]

Ok.. One question as I go through the Magic chapter... I'm still not convinced I understand the Channeler class's examples for what level spells they can cast. It states that you add +1 to the character's level if they have more channeler levels than other levels to determine what level spell they can cast. First, I think this probably means what spells they can _learn_ (technically not a difference given the magic system, but the change in how it's worded can make one think they're separate things). In general, to learn a spell, you have to have double the number of class levels (any class level) as the spell's level. Easy enough.

I think one of the examples is wrong though under the Channeler's info. Summarized:

1st Level Channeler (1 level + 1 for more channeler levels than others) = 2 / 2 = 1st level spells can be learned (and cast). This is what the book says.

3rd level channeler (3 levels + 1) = 4 / 2 = 2nd level spells can be learned and cast. This is what the book says.

2nd level channeler / 1st level rogue (3 levels + 1) = 4 / 2 = 2nd level spells can be learned and cast. The book says 3rd level spells can be cast

1st level channeler / 2nd level rogue (3 levels) = 3 / 2 = 1.5 rounded to 1.. 1st level spells can be cast. This is what the book says.

I take it that example three is wrong?

Ritual magic's wording is a bit confusing on first reading. It states that the purpose is to greatly reduce spell energy needed and then gives a chart that shows spell damage taken dependent on the spell level cast. A quick overview of the magic system for those not familiar.. Each character has a certain number of spell points. Each spell cast drains a number of spell points equal to its level. When there are no spell points left, each spell drains temporary constitution points equal to its spell level (called Spell Damage). Back to Ritual Magic, nowhere does it state that spell energy is reduced to 0 and to just use the chart, but that's the assumption I made since it doesn't say how much to reduce the spell energy of each spell. I assume the interpretation I came up with is the correct one?

 

[EricNoah]

testing reply...

this thread somehow got messed up. I may have to delete a post or two toward the end to save it.

 

[gambler1650]

Everything looks good to me... Could it be the color I added to my last post for some reason?

 

[EarthsShadow]

I just glanced at the book today but I was really impresssed with it and I think playing a game in it would be fricken awesome. It's 'bout time we got a good Dark Fantasy game.

 

[d20Dwarf]

Ok.. One question as I go through the Magic chapter... I'm still not convinced I understand the Channeler class's examples for what level spells they can cast. It states that you add +1 to the character's level if they have more channeler levels than other levels to determine what level spell they can cast. First, I think this probably means what spells they can _learn_ (technically not a difference given the magic system, but the change in how it's worded can make one think they're separate things). In general, to learn a spell, you have to have double the number of class levels (any class level) as the spell's level. Easy enough.

I think one of the examples is wrong though under the Channeler's info. Summarized:

1st Level Channeler (1 level + 1 for more channeler levels than others) = 2 / 2 = 1st level spells can be learned (and cast). This is what the book says.

3rd level channeler (3 levels + 1) = 4 / 2 = 2nd level spells can be learned and cast. This is what the book says.

2nd level channeler / 1st level rogue (3 levels + 1) = 4 / 2 = 2nd level spells can be learned and cast. The book says 3rd level spells can be cast

1st level channeler / 2nd level rogue (3 levels) = 3 / 2 = 1.5 rounded to 1.. 1st level spells can be cast. This is what the book says.

I take it that example three is wrong?

You are correct. I pointed this out on the Yahoo! group earlier this week, and it will be in the errata. It's a biggie too!

Ritual magic's wording is a bit confusing on first reading. It states that the purpose is to greatly reduce spell energy needed and then gives a chart that shows spell damage taken dependent on the spell level cast. A quick overview of the magic system for those not familiar.. Each character has a certain number of spell points. Each spell cast drains a number of spell points equal to its level. When there are no spell points left, each spell drains temporary constitution points equal to its spell level (called Spell Damage). Back to Ritual Magic, nowhere does it state that spell energy is reduced to 0 and to just use the chart, but that's the assumption I made since it doesn't say how much to reduce the spell energy of each spell. I assume the interpretation I came up with is the correct one?

Yes, there is some poor wording that confuses the issue. Pretty much ignore the text at the beginning of the section, and use the rules presented under "Using Rituals." This is an example of flavor text getting in the way of rules. Sorry!

So, you take spell damage when you cast a ritual, there is no way around it. Spell energy does not come into play during a ritual casting. Ritual magic is ok for a single caster, but the increased time makes it not that great...but for multiple casters....whoa! With magic as rare as it is in Midnight, the ability to cast high level spells with NO loss of spell energy or spell damage is immense. It's especially useful for long-lasting, large effect spells such as mirage arcana (used in the example).

One cool thing about this, in as much as the Midnight magic system works, is that you can have a village with several spellcasters devoted to the same discipline. So, all of the village elders of a certain halfling village have access to Illusion spells. No matter what class they are, they can all come together to cast a big mirage arcana when Izrador's agents come a'knockin'. Now, something that big is going to attract every sniffer in the area, but luckily legates are nearly as common as orcs and goblins.

 

[gambler1650]

Oh, no need to apologize.. It becomes fairly evident what the intent is, but it still can throw people. Yeah, I figured that was the usage for Ritual Magic that was intended. Pretty darned cool, yup. I also like the "Charms" (small, everyday items that can release a one time small effect - luck bonus, bonus to an attack roll, whatever). They can be spotted by Legates and astirax when used but not beforehand. Then there's the True Charm which gives a reasonably large permanent effect while worn and can't be spotted. I really like the Covenant Items too. If I run a campaign I plan to make most of my magic items to be either charms or Covenant Items (which would be very rare). That'll cut down on a player's natural desire to try to sell or trade it (even though they know it's possible, you just _know_ they'll try to trade em if they find something 'better') if the object grows in power with their leveling up. Most of my 'special' weapons will be masterwork items, charms and potions (already thinking of a potion with a temporary magic dampening effect - if there's not one already - basically turns the body into a magic sink, creating a 'magic free' shell around it that shields any items close to the body.. of course, the problem is that you can't use said items until the effect wears off and might not be completely sure when said effect will disappear...

 

[gambler1650]

While still working my way through... I'm into the "Gazetteer" stage of the book.. all very well written. One of the key marks of a good Campaign Setting is how many ideas come to mind for adventures or campaigns. As stated before, folks who've browsed the book but not read it fully (and even some who have done the latter) had concerns about how the Campaign setting would work for a long term game with the "Well, you can never really defeat the big evil" feel. There was also a concern over always having to be on the run.

I'll address the latter "problem" first. I think this is caused because people are still looking at this through the "Glasses of Traditional AD&D" a powerful artifact indeed... I also think this may be caused by not having read the whole setting through. There are certainly places where a standard AD&D group could live and return to over and over again, where they'd even be welcomed. There are pockets of strong resistance even in the most firmly controlled Shadow's lands, like the pirates on the Pellurian Sea and their cove or island that has yet to be discovered. Since they're really only an annoyance and in an area that the orcs just don't like, they're probably a pretty safe haven for PCs over the long term... assuming the PCs are smart about covering their tracks at least. There are also whole campaigns that could be done in Erethor (the great elven forest) that would provide safe, strong havens to return to and even some areas that are not under direct attack. The islands off of the western coast which is for the time being not even threatened by Izrador is fertile ground for a more or less standard AD&D campaign since they contain ancient ruins. This is particularly the case because the coastal region is at least relatively cosmopoliton, allowing for numerous races to be found there to be drawn from for PCs. There's also Baden's Bluff, a city on the southern edge of The Sea of Pelluria that's relatively untouched by the orcs and where even the Fey can walk without too much trouble. Hmmm.. could some of the most immediately obvious safe havens being areas dominated by water be because of FFGs "Seafarer's Handbook"? Naaah.

Now.. as far as the "Well, you can't defeat the big, bad evil"... Well, no. The PCs can't do that themselves. What they _could_ do is find a way to tilt the balance so that Izrador could eventually be defeated by the people of Eredane. Ideas immediately popped into mind:

1. From the Yahoo group, one of the elements that didn't make the book was described.. A Fane that has rumored powers that would allow the veil that separates the Gods from Aryth to be destroyed. That of course is the most helpful, but what if the Fane only did something subtler.. like allowed the spirits of the dead through. It's because they aren't allowed through that the Fell (think ghouls that always need to eat living - or at least recently living - flesh) are rising, and helping tip the balance even more.

2. The City of the Sea (conveniently located in one of those islands off the western coast of Erethor and the ancient towers on the islands are highly dangerous adventuring sites, but what if the reason that the City was destroyed by the gods was because the Elder Fey had discovered a way to make one of their own a god? This ritual would have caused the wrath of the gods to descend and destroy the city as an example... But now, when things are most desperate, what could tilt the balance better than to turn the most shining example of light against the dark, the elven Witch Queen who already seems immortal, into a god? The mention of the rite could be discovered by accident in a relatively 'mundane' AD&D campaign of looking through the towers for items that could help the resistance and then the journey into the sunken city's ruins to find the components and rites necessary to complete the task.. Wouldn't a final stroke of fate be if Izrador himself had been the god that was created by the Elder Fey? (We aren't given enough of the cosmology to say he couldn't be...) Again, the players haven't defeated Izrador in one fell blow, but they've evened up the odds and given the world hope once again.

So... In my mind, this world can supply a great number of campaigns, from relatively standard AD&D campaigns if done in select areas, to the "on the run" style that I think could work if done right, to massive world changing events... If you want to think inside the box, just look for a spot relatively untouched by the war... but for those who want to think outside the box... well, there are possibilities not easily found in most other campaigns.

 

[gambler1650]

So Aryth rotates opposite Earth's rotation?

Just a note for any future information created for Midnight, Aryth rotates in the opposite direction of Earth if you didn't realize. I assume the authors realized it, but one never knows.

My evidence? The current on the western shore of Eredane goes south to north. This means the ocean's gyre on that side of the continent is counterclockwise rather than clockwise like the oceans on Earth in the Northern Hemisphere. Based on that, one of two things is possible. Eredane is in the Southern Hemisphere (obviously not true based on climate), or the planet rotates the reverse of Earth, in which case the sun will rise in the West, and set in the East. Additionally, any currents on the eastern side of Eredane will go North to South.

How do I know this? Well... I have a Marine Biologist background that deals with currents a fair bit.

 

[NewJeffCT]

Thanks for all the input above gambler, et al. I will definitely take a closer look at the Midnight book when I get the chance. I meant to this weekend, but our little baby was tough on us this past weekend.

Looks like a nice dark fantasy campaign.

One question I do have is how recent was the dark victory? Do the average humans know that they are being ruled by evil minions of a dark god, or are these minions spouting propaganda over time to make them believe that they are better off now than they were before?