Halford
First Post
This will be a Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 game. Once the game gets underway I hope to run an occasional session on OpenRPG, players will have plenty of notice if this is to occur and everyone involved will be consulted until we can find a mutually agreeable time and date - I'll drop this if it proves impractical.
I am an experienced DM who used to be active on EnWorld previously. I pulled something of a disappearing act, to my shame, due to personal issues - getting divorced and moving to the U.K from the U.S - to those whose games I was involved in as player or DM I apologize unreservedly. I certainly do not plan to disappear again, but I know how frustrating it is when people vanish and feel I should give a heads up about this for the sake of fairness.
7th level characters using a 32 point buy. 1 Flaw may be taken if you wish. No crafting may take place before the game begins. You get 19000gp which may be spent as you wish - though you cannot craft before play begins. HP will be rolled.
I would also request, it's not a requirement and won't effect your chances of getting in, that you consider using the Mythweavers character sheet. I think they are easier to write up and read. You do have to sign up to utilize them, but they are great and it is free. See the following for an example... http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=181480
The following books will be allowed, there will be no exceptions.
1st Adventure
Prince Arvin of Marn has hired you to kill a dragon for him. To do so you must head into the center of the Wyrmspires. He plans to take credit for the deed himself and as such is paying you for both the deed and your silence. Arvin's only stipulation is that the dragon must be demonstrably larger than the green slain by his elder brother Prince Harn.
Arvin - well the Court Mage Relfius Thanderghast if truth be told - has provided you with a map showing the locations of several Goliath villages high in the mountains and suggests that these creatures will be able to point you in the direction of a suitable dragon for slaying.
In OOC terms the green dragon slain by Prince Harn was large sized meaning the quest entails the slaying of a huge sized true dragon. It should also be noted that there is no such thing as a good dragon, metallic dragons a fair game.
Your characters will be aware of the following things - you must be to!
Religion
In ages past before the sundering the gods dwelt amongst their peoples and great was thier joy. But the gods were eternal and they grieved to see those closest to them dwindle and die and so they each over the centuries elevated some few who pleased them to immortality so that time could not touch them.
The Crow King was not content with his lot though, and the creation of the immortals denied to him forever provoked his ire. His was the world of the unclaimed dead, the bloodless land, and he wished it filled to increase his dominion. So he went to his siblings and played upon the jealousy hatred lust and fear. And war stirred amongst the gods ever swelling the legions of the Crow King. The battles of the gods made the earth tremble and Marn realized that if their folly continued it would destroy the world, and with the aide of Telthus saw through to the route of the conflict the silver tongue of the Crow King.
Marn sent his people against the Crow King's swelling horde and sprung forth to do battle with his brother whose power had been swelled by the deaths of millions. By the battle stood Tharr the Tyrant and as Marn was beaten down he considered his brother Marn's words, for they were two sides of the same coin, and when it seemed Marn should be beaten he struck out at the Crow King and the protectors together slew the Bloodless Lord and banished his shade to his own cold Kingdom where he would be bound for all time.
This battle was too much for the world though and the great land shuddered and was sundered even as the last blow struck home. Tharr and Marn gathered their siblings and forged an accord bound by the powers of all, that they would leave the world forever and touch it only by their faithful and some few of their beloved immortals. Of the gods only Malor the mad refused and his fellows could but bind him to safeguard all, they imprisoned him in the great fires at the worlds heart where he would be forever burned and his powers taken in sustaining himself to prevent him breaking free of his imprisonment. Even then his evil and madness leached out and corrupted the creatures that dwelt beneath the surface of the world.
Adranall
The Elven Lord called the Lonely Bowman. Wanderer and warrior, friend of the forest and moon. Patron of the Wood Elves and Hunters. Adranall's ancient foe is the first Dragon Skalidrak Incardamane who slew the closest of his siblings Nerra mother of the elves, this being the reason that the loner Adranall is the patron of the Wood Elves in memory of his sister. His holy weapon is the longbow and his symbol is the stag. Adranall's own bow is known as Xans Narhethi (Word of Vengence in Ancient Draconic) and is one of only two weapons to penetrate the hide of the first dragon.
Tharr
The protector, who calls himself the father, but who others call the Tyrant. Tharr wishes dominion and holds the people who are his in a tight fist forgeing them as he sees fit. His clergy preach that the best should control those beneath them for their own good and that power was justification enough of ones worth. Tharr prohibits the practices of hereditary positions and nepotism and, everyone of rank under his sway must compete for it and endure challenges to his position. Tharr's holy symbol depicts a gauntlet with claw-like fingertips and his holy weapon is the bastard sword his own being named Javin Sventlin (Kinslayer in Ancient Draconic) in challenge to the claim of Marn's identically named trident.
Marn
The protector, who calls himself the guard or soldier. Marn sees himself as guard not master and those loyal to him espouse the protection of the weak by the strong and even handed justice for commoner and King. Marn's holy symbol and holy weapon is the trident, his own being Javin Sventlin (Kinslayer in Ancient Draconic), with a plain shield also commonly used both on its own and in combination with the trident.
Sharanna
The lady of the woods, the Unicorn maid and defender of the natural world. Sharanna is worshipped in different beastial aspects by the Aradai Tribes and by the wild elves. Like Adranall Sharanna became a patron of the elves after the death of her beloved sister Nerra. Sharanna's holy weapon is the spear (all varieties), and her own weapon Aussir Donotreska (White Strike in Ancient Draconic) the tip of which resembles a Unicron's horn.
Malor
The mad god of monsters and beserkers. Malor is unthinking and rageing, more so by far since his endless burning in the fiery heart of the world. Many of the creatures of the underworld revere Malorwhose taint has leached into them over the aeons. Malor's holy symbol is a mouth or eye bordered by writhing tentacles. Malor distains weapons - but his followers view the whip as his holy weapon in crude emulation of his tentacles (followers of Malor who possess tentacles may treat them as Malor's holy weapon for all purposes) - instead making use of his powerful tentacles, claws, and fangs.
Skallidrak Incardamane
Skallidrak is not a god, he is older than they and has slain many of their number. He is the proginator of all Dragons with his closest offspring supposedly growing from his blood, fangs, bile, and scales. Skallidrak now slumbers though even his dreams influence the world through his descendants and worshipers. Skallidrak also rules over the realm of dreams and all those who travel there do so at his sufference - this is why Elves the ancient foes of the dragons no longer truly sleep. Skallidrak is also rumored to have slain the father of the gods, who created the world, with the prophectically imbued blood of dragons being punishment for this crime.
The Shattered Continent of Allaran
KINGDOMS OF ALLARAN
HARRAN
The Elven Kingdom of Harran is primarily concerned with its own vitality, as such Half Elves have been embraced and welcomed with Harran's even offering gold to women who bring them youngsters of elven blood and offer sanctuary to any such women if they wish to raise their offspring. Approximately one third of the Kingdoms population is half elven - and rapidly growing - and they are as well regarded as any elf in policy if not necessarily in fact. In another hard step to assure the elves continue to remain in numbers gainst their swift breeding competitors the Harran endeavor whenever possible to hunt down the entire family of anyone who slays an elf. Most of the populance dwells in Erelonde (Mountain Haven in Elvish) the only traditional city which surrounds an ancient Dwarven Fortress carved into the mountainside taken up by the elves after the disappearence of the dwarves - though there are a few mountain towns of similar style. Otherwise Elves dwell in small settlements within the great Gnarl, their tree cities long ago abandoned after incursions by orcs and dragons. The only large permanent settlements within the Gnarl are Omentandune and Omentrhun (West Meet and East Meet in Elvish) which are more manned fortresses with buisy markets to trade with neighboring Kingdoms than real settlements.
Outsiders tend to view Harran as a fey and terrifying place. Everyone claims to know some family that was exterminated root and branch because some far flung scion slew an elf, though the veracity of many of these tales is in question. Many poor women make the trek to Harran and find better lives after allowing themselves to be impregnated by an Elf.
Harran's current ruler is Queen Aralla known as Arrowflight with the Prince Consort being the beloved, but maimed, Torillin. Torillin is regarded as the compassion of the Elves and acts as a check on his fierce warrior bride.
Harran's Wizards are regarded as some of the finest in the world, though they cannot match the number of their human counterparts. After the establishment of Harran almost a thousand years previously many of the Elven high mages have been tasked with ways of increasing the Elven populance an effort which has been more noted for its spectacular and costly failures than for any real progress. Necromancy and Transmutation have both become particularily common amongst the elven high mages due to this focus. It should be noted that the use of reincarnation has been strictly prohibited for the creation of more Elves on the word of the Druidic Council, and the Druids of the Gnarl have taken it upon themselves to enforce this rule.
MARN
The Kingdom of Marn is ruled over by the Marn dynasty, descendants of the god himself - though most scholars believe this was by adoption not blood. From an ancient Fortress that anchors the Breach Wall, which protects Marn from the monsterous hosts of the Wyrmspire Mountains - amongst other threats. Though the King always has the right to overrule any decision this right in seldom exercised and everyday rule is largely the providence of the Trident's Points, each of these men elected by one of the councils of the Trident cities, Aleer, Durant, and Tipport.
Honor, justice, bravery and martial prowess are the prime virtues of life in Marn. Every man must serve at the Breach Wall or else join the Ward's Navy for three years, and thus every man of sixteen years or more is a trained soldier. While the men serve as soldiers Marn's women are all trained in the crossbow, and each is gifted with one upon their sixteenth nameday when their male counterparts are presented with the weapon in which they showed the most prowess.
Marn also has a great naval tradition and the Trident Fleet is a match of that of any of Allaran's nations. Long ago Darrik the Seahawk broke the might of the Sahaguin and slew their King in single combat. Some of the sea monsters seeing their leader bested swore fealty to the Ward and since then Marn has been possessed of a sizable force of Sahguin now more fiercely devoted to Marn as any.
THARRADAS
The most populous of the lands of men Tharradas is a fertile and soft land that produces rich harvests and has long ago been cleared of the vast majority of its monsterous denizens. However, life in Tharradas is anything but soft, all is devoted to worship of the dread Protector Tharr who would have his people rule over the world.
Every family must place a man in the ranks of the Swordsworn at all times save those of more than forty years, women are taken if no other is available and tend to the logistical needs of the Swordsworn.
The largest City in the known world is Tharrakan, a vast sprawling hub of humanity where the Swords of Virtue Tharr's Priesthood administer their master's hard justice and pluck the best of the thieves and assassins from the vast shantytown that surrounds the city to serve in the Red Spiders Tharr's massive network of agents and secretive killers.
Law in Tharr is a matter of survival of the fittest, those with the power make the rules - for they are obviously the best fit to do so. There are no hereditary positions in Tharr and Tharr's current King Karg the Merciless was born a wood cutter's son before demonstrating an astonishing prowess with the bastard sword, a keen clear mind, and most importantly an unmatched ruthlessness.
Tharr maintains a powerful fleet, though it is more concerned with transporting vast hordes of soldiers than with naval combat. Its most famous units are the Wyvern Riders of Tharroban and the poison drenched druids of the Kathalan rain forest.
Further detail is available at www.wyrmblood.webs.com - although as I type this it appears to be down.
I am an experienced DM who used to be active on EnWorld previously. I pulled something of a disappearing act, to my shame, due to personal issues - getting divorced and moving to the U.K from the U.S - to those whose games I was involved in as player or DM I apologize unreservedly. I certainly do not plan to disappear again, but I know how frustrating it is when people vanish and feel I should give a heads up about this for the sake of fairness.
7th level characters using a 32 point buy. 1 Flaw may be taken if you wish. No crafting may take place before the game begins. You get 19000gp which may be spent as you wish - though you cannot craft before play begins. HP will be rolled.
I would also request, it's not a requirement and won't effect your chances of getting in, that you consider using the Mythweavers character sheet. I think they are easier to write up and read. You do have to sign up to utilize them, but they are great and it is free. See the following for an example... http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=181480
The following books will be allowed, there will be no exceptions.
- PHB
- PHB II
- DMG
- DMG II
- XPH
- All Completes
- Races of, Destiny, Stone, and the Wild
- SPC
- MIC
- Dungeonscape, Frostburn, Sandstorm, Stormwrack
- Dwarf - See disappearance below.
- Gold Dwarf (simplified to a dwarf with -2 Dex instead of -2 Cha)
- Elf
- Grey Elf - Not regarded as a separate race, generally Harran nobility.
- Wood Elf - Not regarded as a separate race, generally soldiers.
- Half Elf - Gains either the elven weapon proficiencies or the Open Minded feat (+5 skill points) depending on whether or not has joined the Harran.
- Human
- Halfling
- Strongheart Halfling
- Kalashtar
- Gnome[/spoiler]
1st Adventure
Prince Arvin of Marn has hired you to kill a dragon for him. To do so you must head into the center of the Wyrmspires. He plans to take credit for the deed himself and as such is paying you for both the deed and your silence. Arvin's only stipulation is that the dragon must be demonstrably larger than the green slain by his elder brother Prince Harn.
Arvin - well the Court Mage Relfius Thanderghast if truth be told - has provided you with a map showing the locations of several Goliath villages high in the mountains and suggests that these creatures will be able to point you in the direction of a suitable dragon for slaying.
In OOC terms the green dragon slain by Prince Harn was large sized meaning the quest entails the slaying of a huge sized true dragon. It should also be noted that there is no such thing as a good dragon, metallic dragons a fair game.
Your characters will be aware of the following things - you must be to!
- The Wyrmsblood Codex is an oft copied book which contains the bulk of the dragon blood prohecies, most copies leave numerous blank pages in which to add new prophecies as they are spoken.
- The gods Tharr and Marn are known as the protectors.
- Both Tharr and Marn are referred to as the slayer by their own followers, only one truly owns the title though perhaps even they themselves do not truly know which.
- The Dwarves disappeared as a people though some few wandering lost remain ever searching for the fate of their race.
- The Wyrmtouched are those who follow prophecy, they are dangerous folk, both heroes and villains rise from their ranks and they bring change.
- Slavery is outlawed in Marn and Rond, under heavy restriction in Harran, and commonplace in both Tharradas and Gendirr.
- Each god is able to have only three immortals upon the earth at any one time.
- The Elves of Harran will hunt down the entire family of any man who kills an elf and put all to the sword.
- Ogres are respected mercenaries and their small Princedom of Gand Orokk has enjoyed neautrality for over five hundred years.
- The bones of those whose souls are not taken up vanish upon death drawn to the King of Crows in his cold and terrible realm.
- When the slayer of a Dragon drinks it's blood they speak a prophecy, these prophecies are - for the most part - widely known and most literate people possess a copy of the Wyrmblood Codex which they update as needed. Dragon's are not thrilled about it.
- The gods are real, but they have withdrawn from the world. They used to be physically present and their battles almost destroyed the world.
- The Dwarves vanished as a race some five centuries ago. Their vast Empire disappeared overnight leaving only those few traveling, etc. There are many theories, but nobody truly knows what happened to the dwarves.
- The Elves are a dieing race, but they are taking action against it. Half-elves are being embraced into the Harran Empire and any half-elf child can be sold to the Harran for 100gp - creating a whole new trade for many enterprising humans.
- Sorcerers are made by killing one of a pair of twins in the womb and binding the spirit to the living child. Such magic is widely practiced by the savage races, and Tharradas.
- Many people who fear they will be rejected by their gods strike pacts with the Crow King and serve him in live. They are known as Carrion - because the Crow King consumes them.
- There is no such thing as a good dragon. Dragonkind are essentially at war with the gods and their followers and have been ever since the gods cursed all Dragonkind with the Wyrmblood Prophecies.
Religion
In ages past before the sundering the gods dwelt amongst their peoples and great was thier joy. But the gods were eternal and they grieved to see those closest to them dwindle and die and so they each over the centuries elevated some few who pleased them to immortality so that time could not touch them.
The Crow King was not content with his lot though, and the creation of the immortals denied to him forever provoked his ire. His was the world of the unclaimed dead, the bloodless land, and he wished it filled to increase his dominion. So he went to his siblings and played upon the jealousy hatred lust and fear. And war stirred amongst the gods ever swelling the legions of the Crow King. The battles of the gods made the earth tremble and Marn realized that if their folly continued it would destroy the world, and with the aide of Telthus saw through to the route of the conflict the silver tongue of the Crow King.
Marn sent his people against the Crow King's swelling horde and sprung forth to do battle with his brother whose power had been swelled by the deaths of millions. By the battle stood Tharr the Tyrant and as Marn was beaten down he considered his brother Marn's words, for they were two sides of the same coin, and when it seemed Marn should be beaten he struck out at the Crow King and the protectors together slew the Bloodless Lord and banished his shade to his own cold Kingdom where he would be bound for all time.
This battle was too much for the world though and the great land shuddered and was sundered even as the last blow struck home. Tharr and Marn gathered their siblings and forged an accord bound by the powers of all, that they would leave the world forever and touch it only by their faithful and some few of their beloved immortals. Of the gods only Malor the mad refused and his fellows could but bind him to safeguard all, they imprisoned him in the great fires at the worlds heart where he would be forever burned and his powers taken in sustaining himself to prevent him breaking free of his imprisonment. Even then his evil and madness leached out and corrupted the creatures that dwelt beneath the surface of the world.
Adranall
The Elven Lord called the Lonely Bowman. Wanderer and warrior, friend of the forest and moon. Patron of the Wood Elves and Hunters. Adranall's ancient foe is the first Dragon Skalidrak Incardamane who slew the closest of his siblings Nerra mother of the elves, this being the reason that the loner Adranall is the patron of the Wood Elves in memory of his sister. His holy weapon is the longbow and his symbol is the stag. Adranall's own bow is known as Xans Narhethi (Word of Vengence in Ancient Draconic) and is one of only two weapons to penetrate the hide of the first dragon.
Tharr
The protector, who calls himself the father, but who others call the Tyrant. Tharr wishes dominion and holds the people who are his in a tight fist forgeing them as he sees fit. His clergy preach that the best should control those beneath them for their own good and that power was justification enough of ones worth. Tharr prohibits the practices of hereditary positions and nepotism and, everyone of rank under his sway must compete for it and endure challenges to his position. Tharr's holy symbol depicts a gauntlet with claw-like fingertips and his holy weapon is the bastard sword his own being named Javin Sventlin (Kinslayer in Ancient Draconic) in challenge to the claim of Marn's identically named trident.
Marn
The protector, who calls himself the guard or soldier. Marn sees himself as guard not master and those loyal to him espouse the protection of the weak by the strong and even handed justice for commoner and King. Marn's holy symbol and holy weapon is the trident, his own being Javin Sventlin (Kinslayer in Ancient Draconic), with a plain shield also commonly used both on its own and in combination with the trident.
Sharanna
The lady of the woods, the Unicorn maid and defender of the natural world. Sharanna is worshipped in different beastial aspects by the Aradai Tribes and by the wild elves. Like Adranall Sharanna became a patron of the elves after the death of her beloved sister Nerra. Sharanna's holy weapon is the spear (all varieties), and her own weapon Aussir Donotreska (White Strike in Ancient Draconic) the tip of which resembles a Unicron's horn.
Malor
The mad god of monsters and beserkers. Malor is unthinking and rageing, more so by far since his endless burning in the fiery heart of the world. Many of the creatures of the underworld revere Malorwhose taint has leached into them over the aeons. Malor's holy symbol is a mouth or eye bordered by writhing tentacles. Malor distains weapons - but his followers view the whip as his holy weapon in crude emulation of his tentacles (followers of Malor who possess tentacles may treat them as Malor's holy weapon for all purposes) - instead making use of his powerful tentacles, claws, and fangs.
Skallidrak Incardamane
Skallidrak is not a god, he is older than they and has slain many of their number. He is the proginator of all Dragons with his closest offspring supposedly growing from his blood, fangs, bile, and scales. Skallidrak now slumbers though even his dreams influence the world through his descendants and worshipers. Skallidrak also rules over the realm of dreams and all those who travel there do so at his sufference - this is why Elves the ancient foes of the dragons no longer truly sleep. Skallidrak is also rumored to have slain the father of the gods, who created the world, with the prophectically imbued blood of dragons being punishment for this crime.
The Shattered Continent of Allaran
KINGDOMS OF ALLARAN
HARRAN
The Elven Kingdom of Harran is primarily concerned with its own vitality, as such Half Elves have been embraced and welcomed with Harran's even offering gold to women who bring them youngsters of elven blood and offer sanctuary to any such women if they wish to raise their offspring. Approximately one third of the Kingdoms population is half elven - and rapidly growing - and they are as well regarded as any elf in policy if not necessarily in fact. In another hard step to assure the elves continue to remain in numbers gainst their swift breeding competitors the Harran endeavor whenever possible to hunt down the entire family of anyone who slays an elf. Most of the populance dwells in Erelonde (Mountain Haven in Elvish) the only traditional city which surrounds an ancient Dwarven Fortress carved into the mountainside taken up by the elves after the disappearence of the dwarves - though there are a few mountain towns of similar style. Otherwise Elves dwell in small settlements within the great Gnarl, their tree cities long ago abandoned after incursions by orcs and dragons. The only large permanent settlements within the Gnarl are Omentandune and Omentrhun (West Meet and East Meet in Elvish) which are more manned fortresses with buisy markets to trade with neighboring Kingdoms than real settlements.
Outsiders tend to view Harran as a fey and terrifying place. Everyone claims to know some family that was exterminated root and branch because some far flung scion slew an elf, though the veracity of many of these tales is in question. Many poor women make the trek to Harran and find better lives after allowing themselves to be impregnated by an Elf.
Harran's current ruler is Queen Aralla known as Arrowflight with the Prince Consort being the beloved, but maimed, Torillin. Torillin is regarded as the compassion of the Elves and acts as a check on his fierce warrior bride.
Harran's Wizards are regarded as some of the finest in the world, though they cannot match the number of their human counterparts. After the establishment of Harran almost a thousand years previously many of the Elven high mages have been tasked with ways of increasing the Elven populance an effort which has been more noted for its spectacular and costly failures than for any real progress. Necromancy and Transmutation have both become particularily common amongst the elven high mages due to this focus. It should be noted that the use of reincarnation has been strictly prohibited for the creation of more Elves on the word of the Druidic Council, and the Druids of the Gnarl have taken it upon themselves to enforce this rule.
MARN
The Kingdom of Marn is ruled over by the Marn dynasty, descendants of the god himself - though most scholars believe this was by adoption not blood. From an ancient Fortress that anchors the Breach Wall, which protects Marn from the monsterous hosts of the Wyrmspire Mountains - amongst other threats. Though the King always has the right to overrule any decision this right in seldom exercised and everyday rule is largely the providence of the Trident's Points, each of these men elected by one of the councils of the Trident cities, Aleer, Durant, and Tipport.
Honor, justice, bravery and martial prowess are the prime virtues of life in Marn. Every man must serve at the Breach Wall or else join the Ward's Navy for three years, and thus every man of sixteen years or more is a trained soldier. While the men serve as soldiers Marn's women are all trained in the crossbow, and each is gifted with one upon their sixteenth nameday when their male counterparts are presented with the weapon in which they showed the most prowess.
Marn also has a great naval tradition and the Trident Fleet is a match of that of any of Allaran's nations. Long ago Darrik the Seahawk broke the might of the Sahaguin and slew their King in single combat. Some of the sea monsters seeing their leader bested swore fealty to the Ward and since then Marn has been possessed of a sizable force of Sahguin now more fiercely devoted to Marn as any.
THARRADAS
The most populous of the lands of men Tharradas is a fertile and soft land that produces rich harvests and has long ago been cleared of the vast majority of its monsterous denizens. However, life in Tharradas is anything but soft, all is devoted to worship of the dread Protector Tharr who would have his people rule over the world.
The largest City in the known world is Tharrakan, a vast sprawling hub of humanity where the Swords of Virtue Tharr's Priesthood administer their master's hard justice and pluck the best of the thieves and assassins from the vast shantytown that surrounds the city to serve in the Red Spiders Tharr's massive network of agents and secretive killers.
Law in Tharr is a matter of survival of the fittest, those with the power make the rules - for they are obviously the best fit to do so. There are no hereditary positions in Tharr and Tharr's current King Karg the Merciless was born a wood cutter's son before demonstrating an astonishing prowess with the bastard sword, a keen clear mind, and most importantly an unmatched ruthlessness.
Tharr maintains a powerful fleet, though it is more concerned with transporting vast hordes of soldiers than with naval combat. Its most famous units are the Wyvern Riders of Tharroban and the poison drenched druids of the Kathalan rain forest.
Further detail is available at www.wyrmblood.webs.com - although as I type this it appears to be down.
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- but I did love Brudd... I'll think about it, I'd have to read over the rules again it's been months.
