Dungeon-Claim Jumping Jerks

For dungeon entrances that are known and active, there is a chance that some assholes set up a "taxation" station. They basically steal stuff from the party - on the way in, on the way out, etc.

Known Entrance

An entrance is considered known if the party has gone in or come out that way at least once and the dungeon is known to be still active. Folks have to know there is some benefit to setting up. If the entrance is in the middle of nowhere or it doesn't make sense, don't use this. I've been using this in my Barrowmaze game.

Are they Here?

Roll 1d6 and add the "Confidence" modifier. if the total is 6 or more, they are here. They aren't always here, but the more Confidence they have the more likely they are to be around.

• Confidence starts at 0.
• Once they set up (the first time they show up, +1 to Confidence
• Each time they get some good loot from a party, +1 to Confidence
• Each time they get attacked and lose, -1 to Confidence

If the mod ever hits -1, they fuck off for a while. After a session or two, reset Confidence to 0 and start rolling again.

How Many?

The number appearing is 2d4+half (round up) the total on the d6 roll. So if the "are they here" roll was a total of 7, 2d4+4 of these jerks are around. 

Also, check for a leader type. Roll 1d20. If that is equal to or less than the number appearing, there is also a leader hanging out with their claim-jumping besties.

Claim Jumping "Tax" Jerks

HD:1 AC:8 (leather)       Morale: +9 (or 6 if using 2d6)

50% have short sword and wooden kite shield (-1AC)

50% have bow and 2 daggers

1 in 4 have a better weapon (dagger to short sword, short sword to long sword)

1 in 6 have a better shield (none to wooden kite, wooden kite to metal kite)

1 in 8 have a stat bonus (1-2:+1STR, 3-4:+1DEX, 5-6:+1CON)

Loot on hand: 2d4 copper groats (in a silver-based system)

Claim Jumping Leader Type

HD:3 AC:5 (chain+shield)       Morale: +12 (or 8 if using 2d6)

Always a spear and metal kite shield (spears are cool)

+1 to hit and damage from being a tough guy

1 in 4 have a healing potion

1 in 6 have a major healing potion

1 in 8 have another potion (1-2:gaseous form, 3-4:heroism, 5-6:invisibility)

Loot on hand: 2d10 silver crowns

What Do They Want?

Heading in? They might charge 1 or 2 silver, but that is negotiable. They are more interested in making to loot folks who are beaten down and leaving the dungeon with loot. Heck, they might even hide, then set up once the adventurers are in the hole.

On the way out? As much as they can get. They (think they) have the upper hand and will negotiate hard. In the end, a failed morale check will cause them to make poor choices and demand too much. I'll leave this up to the GM. You know your players and how hard you want to push them.

Total Number of Bandits - Will They Ever Stop?

An infinite amount. There is always some asshat who wants to steal from folks. They never stop. The only way to get them to stop is to set up your own (the PCs I mean - these guys are yours) camp around the entrance with henchmen or hirelings or whatever. Fun!

Some Alignment Weapons

Average Spear

Lawful and chaotic characters Save vs Magic or take 1d6 damage when picking this up. Even if they save, they are at disadvantage to use it but it otherwise works as a normal spear.

In the hands of a Neutral character, the spear come alive. It acts as a +2 weapon ... but with some complications. Critical hits and fumbles are ignored - every attack is an average hit or miss. Damage is always 5 (dice are not rolled, average of 3+2) plus STR and any other modifier. Healing (recovery or magic) always heals an average amount. Once per day the wielder can declare any die roll to be average BEFORE it is rolled.

These might suck. Just wanted to throw out a few ideas this morning.

Glaive of Law

Neutral characters simply can't touch the weapon, Chaotic characters that touch it Save vs Paralysis or are paralyzed for 1d6 Turns. 

Lawful characters carrying the glaive (pole-arm +1,+3 vs Chaotic foes) must always speak the truth, are unable to perform illegal or morally suspect acts, and may, 1/day, Command a group (total HD up to 1d4 per character level) and the command will be obeyed (assuming it isn't unlawful).

Chaos Mace

Lawful and Neutral characters see the chaos mace as filthy smear on reality. Lawful characters must Save vs wands or attack the wielder; if the wielder is an ally they can roll with Advantage (or +5 if you aren't into the Advantage thing). 

Damage is randomly determined each time the weapon hits (1d6)

1. 1d4 to the wielder
2. 0 damage
3. 1d4 to the target
4. 1d6 to the target
5. 1d8 to the target
6. 1d10 to the target

Against lawful targets the damage is +1d4. Once per week the wielder makes a Save vs Wands or they get a random mutation (which might be super awesome or crazy terrible).

4 games, 1 campaign ... and the other campaign

I'm running my BXDH game as a living campaign. I have 2 online groups, 1 (soon to be) in person group, and am trading notes with another Boston-area DM that is also running Barrowmaze.

This is NUTS!

When a group does something, it is done: chambers looted, monsters killed, walls marked up, doors smashed, NPCs irritated (or killed off). And each group KNOWS that other groups are playing in the same game.

The only real issue is one of time. My 2 online weekly groups are moving at whatever pace they like, their actions are not happening at the same time on the same calendar. The in person group is going to be western-marches style, so they'll get up to whatever every 2 weeks. Between that and the other group that is running (weekly?) there is/are a lot of events.

So I just mash them together to let things make sense. I don't track who did what when exactly. Time out of time. I'm sure there are going to be cross-over situations. Group A is in the middle of the barrowmaze and Group B decides to do some serious exploration. They aren't going to encounter Group A camped out, but might find evidence of it. When Group A picks back up they'll fnd that the area beyond those doors was already looted - perhaps long ago? Or maybe there are other ways around this place?

I'm leaving it a mystery to the players and not getting too uptight about it.

I do have a google doc that I'm sharing with the Other DM of stuff that goes on. For example, that group went poking around barrow mound #9. My group had already looted it, but Other DM got that note later, so #9 will be looted when his group checks it out again.

So - has anyone else done this kind of thing? How did it go? Any tricks you developed? 

... And I'm also running the biweekly Sorrow game. I may be in over my head, but it sure is fun.

Rules for Retirement, Not Dead Yet, and Mentors

Some rules in my BXDH game, likely going to get wrapped into Sorrow as well.

Retirement

The Rule: Starting at 11th level, character may just straight up retire from adventuring. A character can retire by choice at any time, but starting at 11th level there is a 1 in 6 chance they retire even if the player isn't inclined to have them retire. 

My Thoughts: high-level gaming is another thing entirely than low-level gaming. if high level characters are just running around dungeons the same as low-level characters but with more danger, then it is the same game - details are different but nothing has changed. Retirement also allows character to achieve goals and complete their story arc (if such a thing exists) and for players to "Win at D&D".

Not Dead Yet

The Rule: If a character is dropped below 0 HP, they are not automatically dead. They are done with adventuring even if they aren't dead though - lingering injuries or trauma causes a change of mind. Adventuring is tough. Certain death situations (crushed by a mountain, dove into lava, etc.) don't use this rule.

• Roll 1d6+ damage beyond 0.
• If the total is 6 or less, the character Survives
• If the total is 7 or more, the character is Dead
• A player can choose for their character to be dead if they prefer

Alternate Roll (from Redcaps): Instead of the d6 roll, just make a Death Save. Easier and smoother.

A surviving character is unable to do much of anything except stagger around. They can't fight, run, climb, or cast spells. They are a burden to an adventuring party. In fact if they take any more damage at all they are automatically dead. 

• If the survivor is brought back to civilization, the crew gains 1000XP per survivor character level (split up as usual).
• The player's new character gains their share of that XP bump!
• The previous character is now an NPC once they recover (a few weeks). What this means is up to the GM

My Thoughts: This ties into the Mentor rule below, but also allows for characters to remain part of the campaign as a memorial. It is just plain fun to have your old fighter now running the blacksmith shop in town and tell everyone he used to be an adventurer until he took an arrow in the knee.

Mentors

The Rule: A Retired or Survivor character can become a mentor.   

• For any given character class, the highest level mentor provides their level as a % bonus to XP for members of that class.
  

Example: If there are 4 mentors in town, 2 fighters (level 3 and 5) and 2 thieves (both level 4), then fighter characters gain 5% bonus to XP, and thief characters gain a 4% bonus to XP. Mages, with no mentors do not gain a bonus to XP (as their are no mage mentors).

My Thoughts: A reward for good role playing - helping survivors get back to town or actually rocking characters to higher levels. 

Combat Fumbles and Crits

 I've always liked these things ... so here are the rules i use in BXDH:

FUMBLE (You rolled a natural 1 to hit)

Roll 1d6:

1-3: you are disarmed/weapon is temporarily unable to be used

4-5: enemy gets a free attack against you 

6: your gear is damaged [it gets save, failure is broken, success is damaged until repaired]. If using a ranged weapon 50% you need to make an immediate ammo usage check instead.

CRITIAL (you rolled a natural 20 to hit)

You hit and roll double damage dice

• not double the total damage, just double the dice
• for example, if you do 1d8+2, on a critical you do 2d8+2

I do that to keep it simple

I'm considering this instead - roll 1d6:

1-3: double damage dice

4-5: act again, right now (attack, disengage, chug a potion, whatever)

6: combat maneuvers - you disarm the enemy, break their armor, push them somewhere or get to move yourself. Likely narrated by the GM with Player input?  I don't want this to overshadow some of the character's special abilities.

In Sorrow, the levels of success (Crits and Fumbles):

Legendary Failure: the enemy just straight up damages you

Critical Failure: on the sent count, the enemy gets a free attack against you

Critical Success: do maximum damage and enemy count is reset

Legendary Success: do damage directly to VIT and stagger the enemy

I like the variable nature I'm using in BXDH, but the defined actions in Sorrow make for a smoother experience. Sorrow is already more complex, i feel adding complexity isn't going to make it more fun.

In both systems, however, monsters almost always have something more interesting that is monster specific for critical (legendary) hits in combat. Giant worms swallow you, ogres throw you across the room, and so on. Sometimes this is determined by the monster rules, but often it is entirely narrative and based on what makes sense at the time.

I used to use the hackmaster tables and for a while the WHFRP tables ... but they are just too much. simple and a little more, not an entire subsystem.

Electric Troikaland

I'm going to smash together Electric Bastionland and Troika! and a little bit of PbtA into a new system. Why? Why not? SHould make for one hell of a one-shot.

Part 1: Your Class

• Roll 2d6: 1 for loose change, one for Vitality (will be used for EBL stuff)
• Roll 2 Troika! classes
• Roll 2 EBL failed careers
• Choose 1 from each
• Mash them together to form a sweet concept
• Write down the gear and skills

Part 2: Stats

There are 4 stats. For 1 of them, roll 1d6+12. For another roll 2d6+6. For the other 2 roll 3d6. Write them down and figure out the -3 to +3 modifiers (BX D&D style).

• Aggro – Physical stuff, brawling, being tough
• Swift – Agility stuff, running fast, sleight of hand
• Cool – Social stuff, tricking people, being accepted
• Luck – Other stuff, Saving Throws, can be used for anyhting*

If your Vitality is less than 3, make it 3.

How to Do Stuff

• Roll 2d6 + a stat
• 13+: Critical Success
• 10-12: Total Success
• 7-9: Partial Success or Total Success with a Cost
• 6-: Consequences

Are you skilled in something? If so, you can reroll a Test up to a number of times equal to the skill rank. A re-roll cannot result in a critical success. Mark off your use of the reroll.

Luck? You can CHOOSE to use Luck instead of Aggro, Swift, or Cool. If you choose to do so, reduce Luck by 1 point after the Test (success or failure). If the GM tells you to make a Luck Test, you do not need to reduce the score.

Conflict

Any kind - not just swords and fists.

When you try and harm someone (physical, social, mental, whatever), roll like usual.

• Critical success = you do 2 damage to your opponent
• Success = You do 1 damage
• Partial Success = You do 1 damage and opponent does damage (usually 1) to you
• Failure = You take damage (usually 1). ouch.

Damage

• If you have good stance/weapon/blackmail/whatever, +1 to damage
• Damage is removed from Vitality
• At 0 Vitality, a character is defeated
• instead of dropping to 0 vitality, you can instead lose 1 point from the attribute you rolled

At 0 Vitality you are out of the action and defeated. In a particularly deadly situation this could mean death, but it rarely does. Killing folks is really rude. Even monsters will just send you home with your tail between your legs. Bandits will probably just steal all your stuff. In social conflicts this might mean you are humiliated.

If you have armor, it can take damage instead of you, but it is situational. Any item can be armor under the right circumstances. That blackmail you were using as leverage, it takes the damage instead of you and it turns out to be not as damaging as you thought. Oops. Heavy armor absorbs 2 hits instead of 1.

Recovery

When you have some down time, you can do one of the following

If at 0 Vitality, you MUST recover 1d6 Vitality (up to the max)
Otherwise you may do one of the following:

• Recover 1d6 Vitality (up to the max)
• Recover 1d3 attribute points (up to the max)
• Recover 1d3 skill points (up to the max)
• Test to get rid of an unfortunate condition (like a broken arm, a hex, or shame)
• When you take downtime, the Action Moves Forward without you … so choose wisely.

How Magic Works

More or less like like everything else

• A partial success causes the ability score to drop by 1 point or a less effective spell
• A failure instead causes damage, based on the spell. 
• You can roll on the “Oops” table instead

Use the spells and skills from Troika! Use everything from EBL and Troika! Make shit AMAZING.

Done. I'll let you know if we do this and how awesome it.

SAMPLE CHARACTER

Class: Lonesome Monarch OR Fellow of the Peerage of Porters

Career: Rook Tamer or Alpha Tester

I'm choosing Lonesome Monarch  + Alpha Tester

Lord Pesterly Union (Mr. Union)                                                        

It was just one more season of war! We went through the portal. Now nobody knows who I am. I AM NOBILITY YOU SCUM. I wish my coins were worth something here. I took up with the first guilder who would assist me - but somehow I'd been tricked into pushing buttons and flipping switches. I ate terrible things and suffered numerous indignities. Now I'm off on my own! BOW BEFORE ME!

Stats

Aggro: 9 (+0) [3d6]

Swift: 14 (+1) [3d6]

Cool: 16 (+2) [2d6+6]

Luck: 16 (+2) [1d6+12]

Skills

Etiquette OOO

Halberd Fighting OOO

Ride Horse OOO

Tracking O

My Stuff

Nice weapon (ornate, but slightly worn halberd)

Crown made of tin and dragon spittle

A sad horse who is slow and stupid [Curt]

Telescopic Rod

Protective Armor vs explosions (heavy)

Temperance Band [refuse a need, will all catch up if i remove the band]

Worst Thing that happened to me

I've lost an eye to a toy mouse that was trained to fetch grapes. I loathe mice. I fucking despise grapes.

Pease Park District

WTF it is July already. And we have a holiday weekend here in the US. The weather in the northeast is awesome - if you like cold temperatures and rain, which I do.

Anyway, with the new Sorrow in Haven crew formed up, we have a new character map:

and I'm working on the "4-page" for another district - Pease Park.

We also decided to try something with this set of characters which, I feel, is not going to work out well in the long run. I grabbed the Hackmaster 4e Quirks and Flaws tables. I let people roll on them. Rather than Build Points, they get a % bonus to their XP. Things went well for the most part, but one player's character just went completely haywire and down the shitter. I eventually had mercy on them and made them stop rolling on the tables.

If I do include a quirks & flaws mechanic in character creation, it'll have to be be seriously tweaked. Not just for the mechanical aspects (obviously) but to both imply additional role playing and make them feel more "Sorrow in Haven"-y. I don't want adventurers with multiple amputations. One eye is fine (and led to a great in-character story), but who cares about "drooling"? I know HM4e has a lot of parody content ... but it also was a beautiful re-designed version of AD&D.

I think for now I'll spend my effort on setting material.

Oh - and the first (unedited) version of the monster book is ready done. I have more material to write (a few tables here and there) and need to start tracking down some artists to fill it with creatures. But it is in a playable state! So that is pretty sweet.