"The Village"...a campaign of desparate horror
- Thread starter HarryFlashman
- Start date
HarryFlashman said:
Yes. Very high quality "social" science fiction from the UK.
The premise is that a UK spy resigns under rather grumpy circumstances. He is kidnapped and taken to "The Village", which is a combination retirement home, prison, and psychological torture chamber. The man is informed that he is now "Number 6" and that they want "information". Specifically, they want to know why he quit. He had already told them. They don't believe him. Very good psychological series.
HarryFlashman
First Post
Would a certain Simpson's episode be based upon "The Prisoner"?
Orwell has been on my list for months, i suppose it is time to pick up the pace. Strange that guy who has a degree in Poli-Sci has never read either "1984" nor "Animal Farm", of course i have been plying D&D for 17 years andi did not read the LOTR series until 2 years ago...come to think of it I have yet to finish even "The Two Towers".
Does anyone recall the eighties movie that featured an Indiana Jones-esque fellow who is sent to some desert kingdom to destroy a Satanist and his orkish-looing cronies? In the end the protagonist grabs a key out of a box floats in the air and emits a bright light that causes the Satanist's flesh to fall from his bones?
Orwell has been on my list for months, i suppose it is time to pick up the pace. Strange that guy who has a degree in Poli-Sci has never read either "1984" nor "Animal Farm", of course i have been plying D&D for 17 years andi did not read the LOTR series until 2 years ago...come to think of it I have yet to finish even "The Two Towers".
Does anyone recall the eighties movie that featured an Indiana Jones-esque fellow who is sent to some desert kingdom to destroy a Satanist and his orkish-looing cronies? In the end the protagonist grabs a key out of a box floats in the air and emits a bright light that causes the Satanist's flesh to fall from his bones?
TheAntiSummit
First Post
What your intro reminded me of was Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" a short story about a small, xenophobic village clinging to an ancient tradition for reasons long forgot. It's only a few pages, less than 10, so if you are short on time it shouldnt be a problem to check it out. You can even find the text on the web.
But anyway, that is a very intriguing intro and i was wondering where it would take your PCs? Will they start out as members of the regular populace or part of the Order of Simon charged with keeping the populace in line? I would be very interested in hearing where this is going from the intro.
But anyway, that is a very intriguing intro and i was wondering where it would take your PCs? Will they start out as members of the regular populace or part of the Order of Simon charged with keeping the populace in line? I would be very interested in hearing where this is going from the intro.
Desdichado
Hero
Wow, that's really cool! Y'know what else might be good inspirational material, actually, is Watership Down. Forget that the characters are all rabbits, and instead have a PC(?) have a prophetic dream that their village is going to be destroyed. The harrowing journey to find another place to live would be a good story arc in such a campaign setting.
HarryFlashman
First Post
"Beware the darker paths, travelers, for they lead to only to damnation and suffering. Stay to the roads and the light, for it is from the ways less traveled, the forgotten paths in shadow-swept hinterlands, where twisted devil-spawn do feast. Each night their foul breath creeps out beyond the timberline, lashing vulgar tendrils of night-spawned fumes across our fields and to the very walls of Lochis itself [[another city-state]].
Beware the lure's of the horned-one who's ululating calls beckon near forest edge. What seems like sweet song sung by fair maid is naught but the temptation of the damned. For what was once a voice that flowed like honey becomes a terrible mewling and noisome thrashing until you will hear no more.
Beware your curiosity as it can only breed anguish. If you ever feel your heart being tugged to the shady branches of the wood then hearken back to the embracing arms of mother Lochis and suffer not the wrath of the fiends of the night, the loping beasts of the wood, and the eternal oblivion they invite."
Sermon of Brother Bartholomew of the Order of Simon at Lochis, the City on the Hill. Age of Shadows 74
Beware the lure's of the horned-one who's ululating calls beckon near forest edge. What seems like sweet song sung by fair maid is naught but the temptation of the damned. For what was once a voice that flowed like honey becomes a terrible mewling and noisome thrashing until you will hear no more.
Beware your curiosity as it can only breed anguish. If you ever feel your heart being tugged to the shady branches of the wood then hearken back to the embracing arms of mother Lochis and suffer not the wrath of the fiends of the night, the loping beasts of the wood, and the eternal oblivion they invite."
Sermon of Brother Bartholomew of the Order of Simon at Lochis, the City on the Hill. Age of Shadows 74
HarryFlashman
First Post
In other news i would like to make the Order of Simon into a sort of core class that is wholly unavailable to PCs.
Why you ask?
Well in my Campaign world, which is Low magic (I have yet to figure out how to incorporate Clerics, but I do know that I want nothing to do with Sorcerors or Wizards) the Order of Simon priesthood is able to cast spells that is beyondhte collectie knowledge of bards or standard Clerics. To this end i have thought of some ideas but nothing has yet passed muster.
1) Allow those of the Order to cast as Normal PHB Clerics.
2) Treat the Order as an easy-to-attain Prestige class. There were some particular PrCs that interst me inteh Druid/Ranger splatbook, but as I do not own it I forget the power or even the name of the PrC.
3) ? have any Ideas?
Currently for my low-magic Clerics I am interested in toying with the spell's available. To this end I am allowing the same rate of spell memorization rules and the Spontaneous casting rules but limit the priests to 2 Domains at first level. By this I mean that they can cast spells only from those two domains. Every 3 levels afterwards ( 4th, 8th) they gain another Domain and the Granted power along with it. To balance out the class a bit I will be adding new skills ( those of the Aristocrat NPC class) and a new feat every 3 levels. No doubt there will be other campaign specific benefits of the Priesthood ( elite status, money, above the law etc) that vary by city and priesthood.
Why you ask?
Well in my Campaign world, which is Low magic (I have yet to figure out how to incorporate Clerics, but I do know that I want nothing to do with Sorcerors or Wizards) the Order of Simon priesthood is able to cast spells that is beyondhte collectie knowledge of bards or standard Clerics. To this end i have thought of some ideas but nothing has yet passed muster.
1) Allow those of the Order to cast as Normal PHB Clerics.
2) Treat the Order as an easy-to-attain Prestige class. There were some particular PrCs that interst me inteh Druid/Ranger splatbook, but as I do not own it I forget the power or even the name of the PrC.
3) ? have any Ideas?
Currently for my low-magic Clerics I am interested in toying with the spell's available. To this end I am allowing the same rate of spell memorization rules and the Spontaneous casting rules but limit the priests to 2 Domains at first level. By this I mean that they can cast spells only from those two domains. Every 3 levels afterwards ( 4th, 8th) they gain another Domain and the Granted power along with it. To balance out the class a bit I will be adding new skills ( those of the Aristocrat NPC class) and a new feat every 3 levels. No doubt there will be other campaign specific benefits of the Priesthood ( elite status, money, above the law etc) that vary by city and priesthood.
HarryFlashman
First Post
Fleshing out the Rules:
Humans gain an Additional Feat every 4 levels above and beyond what is normal (The reason is two fold. In a world without magic you have to be much more self-sufficient. This also limits the desirability of Demi-humans)
No Half-Elves or PC half orcs. Why? Well suspicion between the races and zenophobia for starters. Also with the additional feats awarded to Humans the Half-Elf becomes highly undesirable.
No Barbarians as PCs. No Druids as PCs. No Sorcerors as Pcs. No Wizards as PCs.
Rangers gain the Self-Sufficient Feat at level 2. They live out in the woods...Alone. Think Strider only more suicidal, more desparate, and far more blood thirsty.
Ranger/Paladin Spell Progression (No spells found under the Healing Domain)
1/2/3/4
-
-
-
0
0
0
1
1
1/0
1/0
1/0/0
1/1/0
1/1/1
1/1/1/0
2/1/1/0
2/1/1/1
2/1/1/1
2/2/1/1
3/2/1/1
3/2/2/2
I have been thinking about using the normal spell progression but allowing Paladins and Rangers no Bonus spells.
Humans gain an Additional Feat every 4 levels above and beyond what is normal (The reason is two fold. In a world without magic you have to be much more self-sufficient. This also limits the desirability of Demi-humans)
No Half-Elves or PC half orcs. Why? Well suspicion between the races and zenophobia for starters. Also with the additional feats awarded to Humans the Half-Elf becomes highly undesirable.
No Barbarians as PCs. No Druids as PCs. No Sorcerors as Pcs. No Wizards as PCs.
Rangers gain the Self-Sufficient Feat at level 2. They live out in the woods...Alone. Think Strider only more suicidal, more desparate, and far more blood thirsty.
Ranger/Paladin Spell Progression (No spells found under the Healing Domain)
1/2/3/4
-
-
-
0
0
0
1
1
1/0
1/0
1/0/0
1/1/0
1/1/1
1/1/1/0
2/1/1/0
2/1/1/1
2/1/1/1
2/2/1/1
3/2/1/1
3/2/2/2
I have been thinking about using the normal spell progression but allowing Paladins and Rangers no Bonus spells.
HarryFlashman
First Post
"North of Lochis, on the Towering Steppes, once lay the Jewel of the Narn, Melchor, The City in Yellow. Known for its golden hued sands and the striking sight of Azor, the Shining One, rising over the Brooding Mountains and shedding its golden rays through Khalzam Pass.
In the time of the Sojourner, Melchor was the most beautiful of the cities of the Taleta Valley but now... Now waste and ruin has befallen the Jewel of the Narn. Where once golden spires reached to the heavens now the yellow, pitted, rotting teeth of hag jut from the earth. Its once glazed tiles who shone the sun's rays now refect only the pitiable state of decay that has over taken the world. No longer are voices offered up to the One God, Katala. Now even the heathen gods are forgotten in once-great Melchor. The only song hear across the Towering Steppe now is the wailing dirge of spirits best left unseen and angry bellows of beasts best left unmet"
"The Lament Of the Jewel of the Narn" introduction to the "Tragedy of King Midian" by Khoros of Lochis, Last of the Narn, Playright in the employ Councilor Talvis.
In the time of the Sojourner, Melchor was the most beautiful of the cities of the Taleta Valley but now... Now waste and ruin has befallen the Jewel of the Narn. Where once golden spires reached to the heavens now the yellow, pitted, rotting teeth of hag jut from the earth. Its once glazed tiles who shone the sun's rays now refect only the pitiable state of decay that has over taken the world. No longer are voices offered up to the One God, Katala. Now even the heathen gods are forgotten in once-great Melchor. The only song hear across the Towering Steppe now is the wailing dirge of spirits best left unseen and angry bellows of beasts best left unmet"
"The Lament Of the Jewel of the Narn" introduction to the "Tragedy of King Midian" by Khoros of Lochis, Last of the Narn, Playright in the employ Councilor Talvis.
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