Saturday 10 February 2024

Manganiello shares my views on 5e D&D

 Archive for safekeeping, from https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/joe-manganiello-compares-baldurs-gate-3-to-early-dungeons-dragons-fifth-edition/


Sunday 28 January 2024

Running your first 5e D&D Game

 It's good to run a simple dungeon for your first D&D game. I've been talking about it with my son recently, he's planning to GM, the main thing that came up was that starting PCs at 1st level, you do need to pay attention to the D&D encounter building guidelines, because level 1 PCs are fragile. This is true even if running a published adventure, many if run as written are likely to wipe out new PCs, including the infamous goblin forest ambush at the beginning of the 5e 2014 Starter Set. A friendly NPC aiding the party can be a good idea too.


If it were me, I'd take an existing dungeon map eg from Dyson's website https://dysonlogos.blog/ and have a go keying it with some monster encounters, say 6-8, built by the DMG guidelines for 'easy' to 'moderate' encounters, eg one CR 1 monster or two CR 1/4 monsters. Maybe add one or two tricks & low damage traps (d6 is good, eg a 10' pit trap). Perhaps a friendly NPC or two, such as a prisoner, or non-hostile monster. Add one or two treasure hoards, again using the DMG or an online generator. Then come up with a hook for exploring the dungeon - rescue a prisoner, find a magic item, defeat a monster threatening the locality, or just seeking treasure.

Level 1 of Dyson's Delve - the start of a great campaign?


Tuesday 12 December 2023

Dragonbane: HIGHFELL

 

Highfell


INTRODUCTION

HighFell, an ancient keep long abandoned and in decay, now drifts slowly across the landscape.

A millenia ago, black wizards founded the keep as a school of eldritch wizardry atop a remote mountain called the Dwimmerhorn. Only the most gifted students received instruction within its walls.

In time, HighFell was deserted and fell into ruin. Its towers, battlements, citadels, and catacombs became home to all manner of wandering monsters. Adventurers and dungeon explorers began making the dangerous trek up the mountain in search of arcane lore and magical treasures.

In recent months a strange green light was seen emanating from the ruins at midnight. The light slowly intensified until a great explosion rocked the Dwimmerhorn. HighFell pulled away from the mountain and now slowly drifts - and occasionally phases in and out of place - over the Great Steppe of The Northern Reaches.

Are you brave (or foolish) enough to explore the ruins of HighFell - The Drifting Dungeon?







DRAGONBANE EXPERIENCE (modified)

Life as an adventurer brings many challenges, and if you survive you are sure to change and maybe even learn a thing or two along the way.
Advancement Marks: When you have rolled a dragon or demon when using a skill, tick the check box
next to that skill. At the end of the game session, the GM asks you the following questions about the session you just completed. For each question that you can reply “yes” to, and justify your answer, you may place another advancement mark next to an unmarked skill of your choice. The GM has the final word, but should adopt a permissive attitude.
Did you acquire substantial treasure (magical or mundane)? (new)
Did you acquire secret knowledge? (new)
✦ Did you explore a significant new location?
✦ Did you defeat one or more dangerous adversaries (usually monsters)?
✦ Did you overcome an obstacle without using force?
✦ Did you follow your weakness?

Advancement Rolls: After placing your marks, roll a D20 for each of them – if the result exceeds your current skill level, it is increased by one, up to a maximum of 18. Once you have made your advancement rolls, erase the marks and start over in the next game session.

Teacher: A Shift of intense training with a teacher whose skill level is 15 or higher and exceeds your own gives you an additional advancement roll to improve the skill in question. Make the roll immediately, without waiting for
the session to end. However, a teacher can only raise a skill level by one – after that you must improve the skill through experience before you can get more help from a teacher. 
Teachers, especially those with high skill levels, are usually very expensive.
Magic: A school of magic that you already know can be improved like any other skill. However, learning new spells and new schools of magic requires special training. For more information, see chapter 5.
Heroic Abilities: You can earn new heroic abilities during play in two ways:
✦ When you increase a skill level to 18, you immediately gain a new heroic ability of your choice.
✦ After a grand heroic deed, the GM or the adventure can reward you with a heroic ability. This should be a
rare event, never more than once per standard-length adventure. To earn a new heroic ability, you must meet its skill requirement.


Principality of Brine


Thatchum


Thatchum (Village)
Population: 596 (in the year 824 AI)
Demographics: Human, with some Dwarves, Half-Elves and Halflings
Political Structure: Barony (Von Saulter)
Industry and Trade: Primarily Salt, in addition to Sheep, Honey Mead, and Lumber. 
Regional Trade Center with the Free City of Threshold.

1. The Spelltower of the Mystics of Matoowb

The Order of the Mystics (or simply the Mystics) are a small, but ancient, order of wizards founded by the Archmage Matoowb. Matoowb built the Spelltower and also founded the village of Thatchum. Although he died soon after the completion of the spire, his apprentices continued his instruction. The Mystic Order of Matoowb has grown slowly since. Through a secret election the order selects a new Archmage every ten years. 
Under Wannistol the Wondrous, the Mystics assumed the administration of civic duties prior to the
elevation of Derrick Von Saulter as the Baronet of Brine.
Membership Fee: 100gp. PC Mages may begin as members.

Wannistol



Wannistol the Wondrous is bald and thin with the slight hint of an aristocratic accent. He possesses a
very serious mind, and can be distant and brooding. He is impeccably groomed and has a small scar on
the left side of his lip. The people of Thatchum view Wannistol as a community leader, who, by and large, has overseen the administration of the region with his fellow mages in the absence of a central authority. He is considered lawful and just in his dealings with the townsfolk.

Serinx the White is next in the hierarchy to become the archmage of the Spelltower of the Mystics. He
looks the part of a wizard with a long beard, pointy hat, and thick bottle-like spectacles that distort his
eyes. Serinx is an older, but a very capable mage.

Allinbroch is a short, round man with a handsome face who says little and often replies skeptically with “Mmmhmm” to most queries. He is in charge of all logistical and supply issues related to the Spelltower and its mages. Allinbroch is also the “face” of the wizardly order in the Spelltower. Those who want to speak to anyone in the tower must first meet with Allinbroch.


2. Well and Marketplace
The village well provides a meeting point for many in Thatchum. Once a week villagers from across the Principality of Brine bring their carts and their tents and create a marketplace that includes local food, clothing, musicians, and entertainers (jugglers, fire-eaters, dancers, acrobats, etc.). The town also sponsors popular bear-baits and monster-baits.

3. Adderon’s Alchemy Shoppe
Adderon Moon-Shadow established his alchemy shoppe at the base of the spelltower to profit from
the presence of the mages and their apprentices. His shoppe is filled from floor to ceiling with shelves
of glass bottles, jars, and containers of various shapes and sizes. These vessels are filled with all
manner of colourful liquids – some stagnant and others bubbling with magical energy.

Adderon



Adderon Moon-Shadow or Adderon the Alchemist is fairly typical for a middle-aged elf. His centuries of existence have made him aloof, disinterested, and patient. He moves slowly and yawns constantly.
Adderon is extremely thin, even by elvish standards, and has dirty blonde hair and green eyes.
Adderon has an excellent relationship with the wizards of The Spelltower of the Mystics and
prioritizes their regular business over those who offer occasional patronage.

4. The Inn of the Wanton Wench
The Wanton Wench is a small but cozy inn with a large stone hearth and good local honey mead.
Truna “The Bearded Lady” DunDonnel owns and operates the bar and is a stout dwarven warrior in
her own right. The serving wenches Nuula and Reyna, as well as the serving boy Navig, are normally
busy serving tables.

Truna DunDonnel

Truna DunDonnel, a stout female dwarf known throughout the region as “The Beaded Lady” is the
proprietor and barkeeper at The Inn of the Wanton Wench in Thatchum. DunDonnel has a bright and
cheery personality for a dwarf. She is extroverted, friendly, and gregarious. The Beaded Lady is short
(3’8”) even by dwarven standards, with stubby arms and legs. She often strokes her beard when in
contemplation. DunDonnel constructed a ramp and platform behind the bar so she can view human
patrons in the eye.

Reyna
Reyna is a young woman with shoulder length red hair. She is quiet, but her shyness belies her strong
personality. Like Navig, Reyna was taken off the street by DunDonnel and raised as her own. She
has no memory of her family or her people. Her earliest recollections are begging for food outside
The Wanton Wench and DunDonnel’s kindness and charity. Reyna has a quick wit and will trade
compliments and insults with tavern patrons.

Nuula
Nuula is a short (5’1”), comely woman with short fair hair. She is quiet but friendly. She has a
tendency to roll her eyes at patrons, which she means in a playful way. Nuula is athletic and can
best some men in her favourite sport: wrestling. Instead of hello, she greets patrons with “Hiya!”

Navig
DunDonnel came upon Navig, a dirty street urchin, a few years ago and took him in. Navig is quiet and
shy. He wears a peasant cap that he often pulls down over his head to avoid eye contact with bar
patrons. Reyna, Nuula, and DunDonnel have raised him together. He may ignore Reyna and Nuula, but
never disrespects DunDonnel.

5. The Temple of the Blue Star
Maladar Stargazer, the High Priest of Arcantryl, oversees the worship of the Mother of Magic in
Thatchum. Stargazer works in concert with the Mystics to support and spread the faith in the region.
The temple overtook, in part, the administration of some civic duties, prior to the appointment of Derrick Von Saulter as the Baronet of Brine. The Temple of the Blue Star is a broad domed structure.
The sanctuary is not grand, nor does it possess a large library, but it still serves as a place of
enlightenment and religious study for the people of the region.
Membership Fee: 20gp. PC Mages may begin as members.
Maladar




6. The Briny Brothers Caravan Company
The Briny Brothers Caravan Company focuses primarily on the transport of pots of salt and
barrels of brine from Endtown to Thatchum.
Caravans run daily back and forth between the two locations. They also routinely run caravans
of similar cargo to Threshold and to the other villages within The Principality of Brine. Master
Zag is always looking to hire strong sword arms as caravans have occasionally been attacked by
wolfkin north of Thatchum and by frogfolk on the trail to Endtown. Normally there are multiple
caravans being loaded and unloaded at this location. There are also storage sheds with large clay
pots and barrels awaiting transport.
The Briny Brothers: Master Zag and George
Even though they are not blood relations, Master Zag and George are known as The Briny Brothers across the Principality of Brine. Zag is a small halfling with a keen intellect and mind for business. He is physically weak and suffers from a muscular disease.
George, on the other hand, is a mountain of a human warrior with the intellect of a child. Through
Zag’s mind and George’s brawn, the two created The Briny Brothers Caravan Company. The company
oversees the harvesting of salt and minerals from the flats and their transportation to Thatchum, Brine,
and Threshold. They also ensure the flow of raw materials and finished products between the towns
and villages of the region as a secondary business.

7. The Silver Nugget
Nyx Tumbledown
Nyx Tumbledown
, a jeweler and moneychanger, operates The Silver Nugget. The shop is a quaint
little two-story building. The shop is housed on the lower level. Nyx uses the upper level as his home.
His shop contains some interesting and rare treasure items that Nyx enjoys as conversation pieces as well as a large iron chest.
He appraises and exchanges jewels, treasures, and antiquities for profit (5% per transaction). He can
also lend money at an interest rate of 18% per month. Those interested can also make deposits at The Silver Nugget. The cost per deposit is 5% of the total gold piece value per month.



8. Main Gate and Guardhouse
Thatchum’s defensive structure is based largely on natural geography. The town is situated on a
low elevated ridge that is closed off by a stonewall (insufficiently repaired in places with wood). The
town’s defenses are a reflection of the absence of a central authority and the townspeople’s mistaken
belief that the Mystics and the priests of Arcantryl can repel any assault.
The guardhouse itself is still in construction but includes two towers opposite the main entrance.
Archers are normally positioned at the top of both towers and guards wearing the livery of Brine
question all those who enter. Town guards are armed with broadswords and longbows, and carry chainmail and shield.

9. The Manner-House of The Baronet of Brine
Von Saulter
The manor of the Von Saulter family is located at the highest point on “the hill” in order to command
the village and surrounding landscape. The manor is an impressive structure and the grounds are well groomed and maintained. A statue of Syldina, the demi-god and heroine of the northern wilderness,
stands in the center of the family’s grounds. Local townspeople are welcome to worship and leave
offerings by the statue, particularly during the celebration of Salmanay.
The Von Saulter family is one of the oldest in Thatchum. They established their wealth and
position through the salt trade in the Principality of Brine. The Von Saulter family was recently invested
as minor nobility by the court in Threshold with the advancement of Derrick Von Saulter as Baronet of Brine. Under the provision of their advancement, the Von Saulters have been charged with establishing a standing garrison and overseeing the creation of civic administration in the region.
PC Knights may begin as members of the Von Saulter family.




10. Traders’ Tent
Quinari Stol
Quinari Stol, a transient gypsy, travels between the villages of Brine buying and selling rare goods.
He erects a large tent and his presence in the marketplace creates excitement and stimulates local
trade. Quinari will normally use these opportunities for clandestine reconnaissance and to gather
information and intelligence he can sell for the right price. His tent carries all manner of things including (but not limited to) rare spices, clothing, antiquities, art, sculptures, books, and scrolls.




11. The Pine Grove
Praed Greenleaf, Human Druid of Silvanus (Animist)
The Pine Grove, as the locals call it, is nestled at the base of “the hill” below the town. The grove is a
holy site devoted to the faith of Silvanus. Numerous faces have been carved into the trees and the rocks
symbolic of the worship of Green Man. The grove also contains a fairy ring of stones with an
altar at its center. Beyond the altar a cave extends into the rock and connects to a labyrinth of passages
underneath the town. Some say the Pine Grove is the resting place of a powerful magical relic devoted to the faith of Green Man.




12. Statue of Bormanus
A great statue of Bormanus, the demi-god of salt and minerals, is the first face to greet visitors to
Thatchum. His statue looks like a roughhewn golem, with the alchemical symbol of salt set within the
symbol of earth upon his chest. The statue stands on a large dais with the inscription “No one shall sit below the salt” carved into the stone. There are normally effigies of Bormanus, bottles of brine, or salt chunks laid at the base of the statue.
As part of the celebration of Salmanay, the festival that marks the beginning of the New Year, locals
construct large balls of salt, tar, and thatch to light aflame beneath the statue and roll out the gatehouse
at midnight. Rolling the balls through the gatehouse symbolizes the “entrance” into the New Year.

Salmanay


13. Statue of Syldina, Demi-God of Winter
The statue of Syldina, the demi-god of the northern wilderness, stands majestic and proud on the lands
of the Von Saulter estate. Syldina, the Winter Warrior as she is called by the townsfolk, appears as a tall,
redheaded shield-maiden armed with a spear, shield, and a stoic gaze.
Like Herne the Hunter, Syldina was a worshipper and the chosen of Silvanus in life. She champions
the Northern Wilderness and its peoples. Archers and those who hunt and range across the far forests
of the Northern Reaches also worship Syldina. Her symbol is a spear with feathers or severed head
attached at the base. Valdghar and Syldina are allies.

14. The Gleaming Sword
Izog Hillside, a dwarf originally from Citadel Silver, is one of the most skilled weaponsmiths in the
Northern Reaches. Hillside normally has a small number of dwarven and human apprentices that
scurry about his workshop. His shop is highly organized and clean, a reflection of the perfectionism Hillside applies to his work. He specializes in traditional dwarven weaponry like the hammer, two-handed hammer, hand axe, and battle axe. He always has a selection of broadswords and spears, as they are the most popular weapons among human warriors in the Northern Reaches.
PC Artisans may begin as members.

15. Burgoyne’s Metalworks
The smithy known as Burgoyne’s Metalworks is a busy place. The blacksmith services Thatchum, but
also neighbouring villages who require his services. Malcon Burgoyne is a fourth generation blacksmith and is well respected amongst the townspeople. Malcon is a master craftsman and can forge unique dungeoneering items given time and coin.
PC Artisans may begin as members.

16. The Swords of Fortune Mercenary Barracks
Captain Tenneal
The Swords of Fortune, the mercenary guild in Thatchum, is based in an aging tower located
just west of the main gatehouse. The tower serves as their barracks and base of operations. The
guildmaster, Captain Tenneal, is a veteran warrior and serves as the instructor for new recruits.
Training activity normally takes place outside the tower during daylight hours. Tenneal recruits and
trains unskilled labourers to work as porters, guides, torch-bearers, and men-at-arms. Weapon training
emphasizes the broadsword, or spear, and shield. Ranged weapon training typically focuses on the
sling, light crossbow, or longbow for more advanced learners.
Membership Fee: 10gp. PC F may begin as members.


RUMOURS

1. Pomplemoouse the Prestidigitator, a newly apprenticed magic-user, has come to Thatchum to find a party and seek the magical treasure said to exist in HighFell. He can be found recruiting in The Wanton Wench.

2. Guldurn, a local sheep-herder, has been missing for three days. He was last seen near the Henge of
Lost Souls. 

3. Allinbroch, a wizard in the tower of the Mystics, is sponsoring an expedition to HighFell. He is offering gold and equipment to those who would brave the journey.

4. The salt harvesting station called Endtown was recently attacked by frogfolk from The Great Salt
Reach. The Briny Brothers Caravan Company has offered 50gp if they are hunted down and brought to justice.

5. Derrick Von Saulter is recruiting a small force of sword-arms to track and kill a raiding party of wolfkin that is harassing caravans between Thatchum and Woodvale. He can be found in his estate house in town.

6. A tribe of goblins is hiding and raiding from deep within the Timberland of Gheal. Praed Greenleaf,
the druid of Silvanus, is recruiting some stalwart adventurers to deal with the goblins.

7. A barrow mound was recently discovered in the Fargone Forest northeast of the Henge of Lost Souls.
Tales and legends say barrows are filled with grave goods and lost treasures.

Principality of Brine: Towns and Villages

Threshold (City)
Population: 25,021 (10,021 within the walls)
Demographics: Any (Primarily Human)
Political Structure: Hereditary Kingship (King Lothric IV Brightore)
Industry and Trade: Financial, Political, and Trade Capital of the Northern Reaches
King Lothric IV Brightore
Threshold is the capital of the Northern Reaches. Five years ago (819 AI), the city was attacked by a horde of monsters from the Black Peaks. The army included orcs, goblins, and hill giants who nearly leveled the city and destroyed the stone fortifications. The warriors of Threshold, alongside support from the high clerics and wizards, barely repulsed the horde. Currently, only half the city is habitable. The rest remains under construction.

Thatchum (Village)
Population: 596
Demographics: Human, with some Dwarves, Half-Elves and halflings
Political Structure: Baronetcy (Von Saulter)
Industry and Trade: Primarily Salt, in addition to Sheep, Honey Mead, and Lumber. Regional Trade
Center with the Free City of Threshold.

Woodvale (Hamlet)
Population: 435
Demographics: Human, half-elves, elves, and halflings
Political Structure: Von Saulter Reeve: Handel Bjornson (Human Fighter)
Industry and Trade: Lumber, Mead
Woodvale has a population that approaches the size of Thatchum. The hamlet is defended by a wooden
palisade and earthen embankments. The town survives primarily as a way-station between Thatchum and the northern villages of Inverbarren and Lyndisfar. Woodvale’s primary industry is lumber
logged from the Fargone Forest. The lumber is then forwarded to Thatchum and transported to the Free
City of Threshold. The hamlet of Woodvale has an ongoing feud with “The Black Teeth” a wolfkin
tribe that lives along the eastern edge of the forest. Lumberjacks and those foraging in the woods are
routinely ambushed.

Lindysfar (Hamlet)
Population: 327
Demographics: Humans and half-elves with some
elves and halflings
Political Structure: Council of Village Elders
Industry and Trade: Primarily Lumber with Fur Trapping (Beaver, Muskrat, Giant Ferret) and Livestock (Sheep) and Agriculture (Corn)
Lindysfar is one of the northernmost hamlets in the Northern Reaches. Just as Endtown represents the
western frontier, Lindysfar represents the northern edge of civilization – and the word civilization
is used loosely. The village has a rough mix of fur traders, trappers, hardy frontiersmen, rangers,
brigands, criminals-on-the-run, ruffians, and a few acclimatized barbarian families.

Inverbarren (Hamlet)
Population: 209
Demographics: Human with some half-elves and dwarves
Political Structure: Council of Village Elders
Industry and Trade: Mining (Iron, Silver, and Gold), Game (Deer, Elk), Livestock (Sheep)
Inverbarren is a small hamlet located on the edge of the Northern Reaches. Inverbarren, and its sister
village Lyndisfar, represent two of the northernmost villages and often serve as the point of first contact
with civilization for nomadic barbarian tribes (and the last point of contact for those seeking to hide).
The people of Inverbarren sustain themselves through small-scale metal panning and mining in the
streams at the base of the Skyfall Mountains and the Bluffs of Brine, as well as game and livestock.

Endtown (Thorp)
Population: 118
Demographics: Human
Political Structure: Briny Brothers Caravan Company
Industry and Trade: Salt
Endtown is little more than a series of shacks and huts that serve as a salt harvesting station. The
village was founded by the Briny Brothers Merchant Caravan Company to harvest and transport salt to
Thatchum. The industry has drawn a few hardy souls who eke out their existence in Endtown. With the
exception of the guards posted by the Briny Brothers there is no central authority. When attacked, the
villagers flee to Thatchum.




The Middenmark

The Prelacy of Middenmark
1. Eastdale 2. Kirkliston 3. Darkwood Forest 4. Westkeep 5. Citadel Silver (Silverhame)
6. The Spine 7. Dragon’s Teeth Henge 8. The Caverns of Archaia 9. The Forbidden Zone
10. Coal Hills 11. The Black Peaks 12. The Red Thicket 13. Raven’s Pass 14. River Isenduin
15. Threshold


Religion and the Gods
Old and New Gods: Anganach and Futurus in The Principality of Brine

The Ancient Ones, called the Anganach in The Northern Reaches, represent the elder gods.
Some believe they preexisted in the forests, swamps, and streams of the land – like Silvanus (Green Man), Cromm, Herne the Hunter, Valdghar, Malachai, Nergal, and Impurax. Others believe the first elves, or perhaps the first nomadic humans brought their gods with them. No one knows for certain.
With the founding and growth of the population of Threshold, new religions expanded into the Northern Reaches. These faiths are called the New Gods or the Futurus. The church of St. Ygg has been the most aggressive in establishing itself in Threshold and The Prelacy of Middenmark. The church has been less successful in more peripheral, and more traditional, regions like The Principality of Brine and The Duchy of Aerik. The clerics of St. Ygg are dismissive of the Ancient Ones and position them as backward and primitive. The folk of The Principality of Brine still consider it a good omen to wander across the face of the Green Man carved into a great tree or rockface in the wilderness.

Deities in The Principality of Brine

Arcantryl (Magus)
Goddess of Magic
Lawful Neutral
Symbol: A star within a star
Arcantryl derives her power from knowledge of the universe and existence. She believes in
understanding the structure of the cosmos and harnessing (and bending) that knowledge
to express magical energy. Instead of branching out immediately to the smaller
villages of the Northern Reaches, the clerics of Arcantryl focused on developing followers at larger
centers in select districts of the Reaches. These include the city of Threshold, Eastdale in The Prelacy
of Middenmark, Thatchum in The Principality of Brine, and Ironguard Motte in The Duchy of Aerik.
One might see a humble, or impromptu, shrine for prayer located in other villages.

Baracus (Irratus)
Demi-God of Wrestling and Athletics
Chaotic Good
Symbol: Two tattooed arms wrestling
Baracus appears as a large, very muscular athletic warrior with a jolly smile.
He is the demi-god of warrior-athletes, especially wrestlers. Warriors of all types and those who wish to
hone their bodies through personal discipline and exercise worship Baracus.
He is a gregarious and boisterous figure who lives large, drinks hard, and laughs harder. Baracus is
primarily worshipped in the northernmost expanses of the Northern Reaches where feats of strength are
common and wrestling is the sport of choice. He is closely associated with Crom.

Bormanus (Salus)
Demi-God of Salt and Minerals
Neutral
Symbol: The symbol of earth inside the symbol of salt 
Bormanus appears as a roughhewn golem made of salt with expressionless blue glowing eyes. His worshippers include prospectors, miners, diggers, panhandlers, and those in related mining industries.
Often his followers will carve small effigies from salt and leave them at his shrines and places of worship. The common people in Thatchum and Woodvale hold festivals of salt in his name.

Crom (Cromm Cruach)
God of Strength and Battle
Chaotic Good
Symbol: A silver crown over a mountain
Crom, or Cromm Cruach, is worshipped largely by warriors, mercenaries, and frontiersmen.
Crom is considered grim and gloomy. He prizes feats of strength, valour, and daring in battle. He rarely answers prayers. Instead, he prefers to watch resilient and resourceful warriors blaze their own path to glory. His followers use his name as a blessing, a curse, or in astonishment. Crom’s symbol is a crown atop a great mountain. The crown represents his position as the greatest of warriors. His followers, upon death, must climb Crom’s great mountain and stand in judgment before him. If they have been cowardly, or fled in the face of battle, Crom will laugh at them and cast them out. However, if a warrior has been stout of heart and died bravely he will be welcomed into the afterlife. Crom is often depicted as a barbarian with black hair and piercing blue eyes.

Denara (Pecuna)
Demi-Goddess of Wealth, Bureaucracy, Trade
Lawful Neutral
Symbol: Unbalanced scales of trade 
Denara’s sphere includes the areas of trade, wealth, and administration. Her followers include entrepreneurs, traders, merchants, bureaucrats, and the wealthy. Denara is not as fickle as Fortuna. She believes in judicious treatment  of wealth, the hierarchical distribution of capital, and lawful organization of trade and trade agreements.

Dogma (Illuminatus)
God of Knowledge, Scholars, Learning
Lawful Neutral
Symbol: A sunrise within a book 
Dogma appears as an old, thin, grey-bearded man in a monk’s habit carrying a great book under his arm. The Learned One is the patron of those who seek knowledge and those who create new knowledge, such as scholars, inventors, alchemists, and mages. Dogma embodies the notion of enlightenment through higher education.

Syldina (Timereach)
Demi-God (Heroine) of the Northern Wilderness
Neutral Good
Symbol: Spear with severed head of a man
Syldina appears as a tall, redheaded shield-maiden armed with a spear and a stoic gaze. Like Herne the Hunter, Syldina was a worshipper and the chosen of Silvanus in life. Upon sacrificing herself
in a great battle against overwhelming odds, she was called upon to serve the Green Man in the afterlife. She champions the Northern Wilderness and its peoples. Archers, and those who hunt and range across the far forests of the Northern Reaches, also worship Syldina. Her symbol is a spear
with feathers or the severed head of a man attached at the base.

Valdghar (Sangdro-Libidus)
Demi-God of the Valdghardt, Nomadic barbarians, Bloodlust
Chaotic Neutral
Symbol: A woolly mammoth
Sages are unclear as to whether Valdghar is a distinct demi-god, or an aspect of Crom acclimatized to
northern warrior tribes and barbarians. Valdghar appears as a brawny barbarian with black hair and cold blue eyes. He wields a broadbladed battle-axe and rides a woolly mammoth into combat. He values strength, courage, and feats of arms. Sages believe he instills his bravest and most loyal warriors with an inspiring bloodlust. The barbarian tribes of the Northern Reaches worship him, and his totems, exclusively.
The Valdghardt barbarians consist of a number of small distinct tribes, such as Cougar Claw, Black
Wolf, Green Griffon, Three-Eyed Raven, Horned Stag, Great Moose, Blood Moon, and others. They
have their own dialect, totems, worldviews, and spiritual beliefs. The tribes are fiercely independent
and will occasionally ally themselves with neighbouring clans for security or war.

Vol (Draco Frigidus)
God of Evil Dragons, Dracoliches, Dragon Cults, and Dragonmen
Lawful Evil
Symbol: A rampant dragon 
Vol is the god of evil dragons and their followers. He appears either as a draconian looking humanoid or as a great white dragon. Followers of Vol, called the Volsectum Draconis, are humans who support the machinations of evil dragons and their transition into undeath as dracoliches. Vol blesses his closest and most devout followers with transmutation into dragonmen, although very little is known about this process. Vol is dedicated to the destruction of human civilization in the Northern Reaches and, specifically, the Free City of Threshold.

Sunday 2 July 2023

Dragonbane Misty Vale Session 8

 Session 8 

1/7/823 At the House of the Guardians defeat nun-cultists under Sister Isabella sent by Brage's mother to kill him.

2/7/823 Investigate the time-lost Road's End Inn, ending the curse caused by the long ago mistreatment of the crone soothsayer, Stare, in the year 286 AI!

Antelia - attractive but slightly scatty blonde shepherdess, from a farm east of Outskirt.
Helemi - halfling female innkeep of the Road's End Inn from 286 AI.
Grunn & Edda - young couple from 286 AI who wrongly accused Stare of stealing their infant son.
Stig Stonehilt - dwarf adventurer, father of Tymma, plans to explore the fallen dwarf fortress of Gunderholfen.
Krog Stonehilt - young dwarf adventurer, half brother of Tymma, accompanying his father Stig.

Stig Stonehilt

Antelia the Shepherdess

Helemi the Innkeep
Grunn & Edda ca 286 AI








Tuesday 13 June 2023

XP for Gold in 5e D&D

I think 1 gp = 1 xp in 5e D&D can work with the regular 5e XP table, but the DMG treasure hoard tables would need some tweaking; at high level XP to level is almost flat, only about 1/10 what a 1e-2e PC needs, while the hoard tables give tens of thousands of gp at 11-16 and hundreds of thousands at 17-20. I think the 1st two Tier tables work ok, but Tier 3 should only be twice Tier 2 not 10 times, and Tier 4 should only be four times Tier 2 not 100 times.


Tier DMG Award Suggested Award
1 100s 100s, eg 500gp
2 1000s 1000s, eg 5000gp
3 10000s 2000s, eg 10000gp
4 100000s 4000s, eg 20000gp

Another way to look at it would be to base typical treasure hoards off the Monster XP table, which is already tailored to PC XP-to-level:

Tier XP award (GP/XP)
1 200-1100
2 1800-5900
3 7200-15000
4 18000-25000

That matches up pretty close to my intuition for Tiers 3 & 4.

Magic item sale values would need to be tweaked similarly if magic items give XP, eg:

Rarity DMG List Value > Tweaked Value (DMG) >Retweaked value (XGTE)
Common 100   100   100
Uncommon 500 500 400
Rare 5000 5000 2000
Very Rare 50000 10000 10000
Legendary 500000 20000 25000

Update:
When converting OSR adventures to 5e D&D, GP values are likely to need tweaking, since 0e-2e XP requirements to level tend to be around x10 5e (although the disparity is less at mid level), while monster XP values are low. Dividing treasure amounts by 10 should work ok.