PLEASE Help w/ Homebrew

[Bonehoard Taffer]

You really oughtta take a look at the Monsternomicon by Privateer Press. Not only is it the best monster book in print but it's swarming with new undead types. It also has a brand new dragon concept that sounds like it would work quite well with your Old Black concept.

Thanks for the info. I'll have to keep my eye out for that one.

 

[Bonehoard Taffer]

I'd set up a percent possibility per round of the dead rising as undead, the stronger the character the stronger undead it would be. I'd also adapt or create spells to protect the dead from turning, eventually all dead would be burned or sealed in crypts that protected them from negative energy. Characters would have to be shielded or raised quickly, once undead they could never turn back.

I think that would work well in my walled city areas. However, in the outlander areas, it seems like it'd be less of a sure thing. Not to mention that there may even be undead and/or others outside the cities going around breaking into crypts.

As far as in the cities, I could see crypts and mausoleums where great pains are taken to sanctify and guard them.

Another question to throw up, do any of you historians or archaeologists out there have any idea how big/long the Great Wall of China is? And how many years did it take to build it?

 

[jdavis]

outside the walls ritual cremation would probably be the norm for disposal of the dead.

Page on Great Wall of China:
http://www.chinavista.com/travel/greatwall/greatwall.html

 

[Bonehoard Taffer]

outside the walls ritual cremation would probably be the norm for disposal of the dead.

True. Most cemetaries would probably be within the cities.


Also, thanks for the link on the Great Wall. I think that something like that would definately be within the people's capabilities given the timeframe I am looking at.

 

[Bonehoard Taffer]

I have, more or less, decided on what roles I envision most of the character classes playing in my setting.

Barbarian: ?

Bard: ?

Cleric: Most dwell within the protective confines of the cities. A few, however, feel an urge to go among the inhabitants of the wilderness areas. Their normal, day to day, duties include blessings and sanctification rituals, making laws, city/government administration, and conducting the liturgy in the various churches and temples to name a few things.

Druid: Druids are to the wilderness dwelling folk what clerics are to city folk. Outside the cities, druids are very useful because they are capable of turning and controlling undead plants the way clerics can undead creatures.

Fighter: For the most part, fighters make up the bulk of of the militias. They can be found in both city and wilderness areas protecting those they live among.

Monk: Few monks live within the confines of the city. Most dwell in monastaries located in the wilderness regions. They protect themselves as best they can. Sometimes certain monastaries will try and bring a cleric or druid to them.

Paladin: LG fighters who are responsible for most of the protection. They enforce the laws made by the clerics. Whenever someone leaves the city, if possible Paladins will accompany them. Generally speaking a paladin will lead armies in instances of war. A person is pre-ordained to became a Paladin at birth. They are pre-ordained by motes (shards of positive energy) , who are attracted to the purity of a persons heart. When a person is born, these motes will seek out the pure and righteous and enter the paladins body. It is this mote that is the source of a paladins pos. energy. Upon the death of a paladin, the mote will leave the deceased's body and seek out another who is pure in heart.

Ranger: A ranger functions similar to a paladin, but they are most commonly found in the wilds.

Rogue: There are severe penalties for those caught robbing and stealing. There are two solutions to this problem the rogues face, don't get caught or hire out as a guide or spy and limit stealing to enemies of the lawmakers. Rogues are also often hired to track down practitioners of necromancy. Practice of necromancy is illegal in most societies and an offense that is either jailable or punishable by death.

Sorcerer: same as PHB

Wizard: same as PHB, note however information under the rogue entry about necromancy. There are no public colleges of necromancy. Any such colleges are well hidden. Most, if not all these colleges are well outside the jurisdiction of the cities.


As I said at the beginning, this is how I picture the roles of character classes in the context of my setting. There are a few changes, but nothing too significant I think. Also still trying to come up with something for the barbarian and bard classes.

 

[Ghostmoon]

I would think bards would be quite valuable in this setting. Because of the dangers of the world, I suspect many of the cities would be very isolated. The wandering bard could travel from place to place, bringing news from the outside world. Also, with the clerics and particularly the paladins so preoccupied with the undead, the bards could very be the only ones to heal a minor wound with a soothing song or listen to yet another tale of woe from the common people. They very well could be the visibile superstars of the people (Just like in real life, where people know all about various celebrities, but probably don't know much about the scientists and geniuses who push progress forward every day). Alternatively, they could be used by the faith to lift the spirits of the people in this dismal time.

On the barbarians, perhaps the negative energy has tainted the souls of certain people. The symptoms of this taint are always the same: the afflicted tend to be restless, have a short attention span, easily agitated and prone to outbursts of extreme emotions (mostly rage). The vast majority of these people are born this way, but it can appear at anytime (allowing for later multiclassing into barbarian). While the majority of the tainted are not dumb (in fact some are devilishly clever), they have little patience for skills that require prolonged periods of focus and relish physical activities, particularly battle. Also, while these people can be good-hearted, they are often self-destructive and are unable to think in the long-term, preferring to act immediately.

 

[jdavis]

I can see Barbarians being common among those who live outside the walls and I can see Bards being very popular outside the wall, I can also see both groups being unpopular or watched inside the wall. Barbarians would not fit into the highly ordered world inside the wall and bards would be watched to make sure they didn't spread any information that the church deemed troubling or misleading. Bards would be welcome if they were functionaries of the church, and would help to keep moral up and spread the church's view. I don't see where Barbarians would ever be welcome in a city but their fighting ability would be very welcome to the people living outside.

 

[jdavis]

something like the great wall would take huge amounts of effort to maintain and patrol, it would be of central importance to those who lived behind it, repair work would be constant as would additional construction. I could see the church mandating that every citizen puts in time on the wall, either in the Militia or in the construction crews. Damaging the wall or even talking bad about the wall would be punished by the church. The wall would take on religious significance.

 

[Bonehoard Taffer]

jdavis,

thanks for your input on the bards and barbarians. Also for your thoughts on the great wall idea. Those are some great ideas. Honestly, I don't know how you can do it. Something as simple as a wall, and you have given it so much character.


Now, I have some questions for you (and anyone else who is interrested) on necromancy. I am going to go with the idea that during the daylight hours of the neg. energy/fire element sun, the necromancy is enhanced as if by maximize. That's gonna greatly help necromancers, and may unbalance the power levels. Is the fact that necromancy is outlawed an equal trade off or do I need to develop other things that balance? For example, because the necromancy is so much more powerful, it ages those who use it by a month per spell level (including the extra enhancements for a maximize effect). So like a ninth level spell may age someone almost a year per each casting.

 

[Ghostmoon]

Hello,

Another alternative is that spells with necromancy descriptor somehow resonate with high levels of ambient negative energy, causing a palpable aura that all in the area can feel. No known substance is known to block this emanation, it extends in all directions (thus forming a sphere around the caster), and even seeps into co-existent planes (such as the ethereal and astral). The more powerful the necromantic spell, the further this emulation spreads (a simple formula could be worked out, taking into account of the spell level).

Living creatures can make a Sense Motive Check (as if checking for a hunch, DC:20) to sense that a necromantic spell has been cast somewhere nearby or a an ongoing spell necromantic effect has moved into the area. Creatures receive a bonus to this check equal to the level of the necromantic spell. This does not give the creature any indication of where the caster is located, only a sense that something is very wrong. Trained or experienced individuals (such as adventurers) know this feeling and act accordingly.

Thus, while necromantic spells are more powerful, they are difficult to cast in secret in populated areas and those who use them regularly are fairly easy to discern. Necromancers must seek out the wastes and other lonely places so they can cast their spells in peace. If they were to somehow to get in the cities, they must be careful not to cast any spells, lest they bring down the wrath of the faithful.

Hope this helps,
Ghostmoon