Talls Strongholds and Followers adventure - Full

[TallIan]

IC Thread
Known Ratcatchers

With my shiny new Strongholds and Followers pdf from Matt Colville I am looking at running a game that puts the rules to use. I will be running the adventure that goes with it IRL but I doubt very much that I will get a chance to do much beyond what is in the book and the adventure ends just as you actually get a stronghold, so I am looking to run it here as well and maybe including a chapter 2 that will allow a bit more use of the stronghold rules as the adventure in the book pretty much ends as you get a stronghold.

Currently full

[-]I am looking for 4 players, where at least one of them is looking to own a stronghold. The rules for S&F allows players to fully engage or completely ignore the stronghold rules, so don’t feel like you need to be interested in the new rules. They won’t even affect the game until the very end.[/-]

The adventure should last 4 to 6 session IRL, so even online should not take too long

Character creation: Can be found here

Background: The adventure is set in Matt's own world, link 2 which is probably a bit long and link, which is much more condensed. For more specific info see here

 

[jmucchiello]

I'm in. It will be a good way to get me to spend time reading the PDF. I'm willing to go the stronghold route (And I own the book so that might help). I've been thinking about playing a Fighter. I haven't done that yet, somehow. But I might go Paladin instead. It will definitely be a martial class.

 

[TallIan]

Yay, my first [-]victim[/-] player, I said PLAYER! I'll drop some hooks for player as they suggest possible characters. Feel free to make your own though.

If you choose the paladin (or any religious based character) there is a church in town dedicated to St Gaed, the setting uses the catholic(ish) style, "pray to a saint who entreats your god". Gaed is a saint of Cavall, a lawful good deity concerned with truth and justice. Gaed is the saint of exposing secrets and exposing conspiracies. If that sort of thing suits your style.

If you've read Matt's books, you might know that though.

The church in town has a stained glass window that is beyond the current wealth of the town and could be a reason to travel here on a pilgrimage.

For a fighter (with a recently found magic thingy) there is a well known mage here, who can identify magic items and supply various potions.

 

[jmucchiello]

I haven't had the chance to try his books. I only meant I had the Strongholds PDF.

 

[TallIan]

I haven't had the chance to try his books. I only meant I had the Strongholds PDF.

That's fine, I just didn't want to sound patronising with the explanation of religion in the setting. There isn't much to go on really.

EDIT: actually found this which is about as close as it gets to a source book.

 

[jmucchiello]

Drumming up interest I guess is also slow during the holidays.

 

[TallIan]

Yeah I thought about waiting until after New Years but I don’t think that’ll actually make it faster.

 

[KahlessNestor]

I haven't had a chance to look at the PDF yet, but I have read the two novels. I would be willing to throw my hat in.

 

[TallIan]

Yay, two players.

I’m thinking about letting players start with a retainer to see how those work.

 

[jmucchiello]

The UA sidekicks? Sounds good.

 

[TallIan]

The UA sidekicks? Sounds good.

No, the retainers from the strongholds book.

There are three types of followers, Units, Retainers and Artisans. Retainers are a lot like the sidekicks, but much simpler, and are useful without a stronghold. Units are for attacking or defending strongholds, artisans affect costs, etc of your stronghold so neither are any use until after you get one.

Technically I think you are supposed to have a stronghold first, but since you only get that at the very end of the adventure I might give you one each to try out the mechanics.

 

[jmucchiello]

See? I really need to break open that PDF.

 

[Shayuri]

Hm, do we need this PDF to play this? I still remember the old 3.x Stronghold Builder's Guide, and all the fun I had with it. Makes it very tempting to throw my hat in here too.

 

[TallIan]

Hm, do we need this PDF to play this? I still remember the old 3.x Stronghold Builder's Guide, and all the fun I had with it. Makes it very tempting to throw my hat in here too.

No, they are quite well designed so that the players don’t need to know the mechanics. Or even participate. The short of it is; you get something to spend your gold on that gives you cool stiff according to your class.

There are also some basic large unit and warfare rules that go well with owning a stronghold.

You’re welcome to join either way.

 

[jmucchiello]

Not a big fan of the recruit rules. As I argued in the enworld thread about UA-sidekicks, I don't think running two full character sheets is difficult at all. So the whole premise is off for me. Also, if I were to have a companion, I'd want one that complements my abilities, not mirror's my abilities. I find the idea that the recruit hits whenever the hero hits a bit gamey.

Also, I suspect that the health levels will make the companion character unconscious more frequently than tracking hit points would.

But I'll play with the rules if you want to use them. Having a spare character can't hurt.

 

[TallIan]

It’s more to try out the rules, there is a lot of the retainer rules I’m not too keen on but a few bits of it make other aspects simpler.

For me the wound level things makes no sense, you basically made them immune to sustained, small amounts of damage and vulnerable to heavy hitters.

If they aren’t floating anyone’s boat after a few combats I’ll swap them out.

 

[jmucchiello]

I just noticed you didn't say point buy, standard array, or roll for ability scores. I'm guessing point buy.

 

[TallIan]

Talls S&H adventure - recruiting

I just noticed you didn't say point buy, standard array, or roll for ability scores. I'm guessing point buy.

Oops, good point. Yeah I prefer point buy online as the rollers seem to be a bit strange when it comes to abilities.

 

[jmucchiello]

Standard 27 I assume.

 

[TallIan]

Yes, I don’t want to push too many boundaries in the same game.