1 on 1 Sexy Fantasy Fun! (M for F, system-centric)

[Skynet]

Edit:  This RP's reserved for the time being.

Good afternoon, prospective reader!  I have a particular fondness for worlds and stories with fantasy themes, and am a huge fan of Dungeons & Dragons and other table-top games.  For some time I've been meaning to run a system-centric game on Elliquiy.  There are many Pathfinder games on E, although I find that system ill-suited to my tastes (rules-heavy, not particularly friendly to certain character concepts, etc).  I still want to emulate a heroic fantasy story of classic RPGs.  I don't have a grand overarching plot in mind, yet.  Rather, I'd prefer collaborative story and world-building where we plot things on an ad hoc basis, adding new plots, complications, and twists over time.  I'd be the DM and you the player, but I will keep the ties of your character and her backstory in mind.  And don't worry if the rules seem overwhelming; I'll help guide you through any complications to the best of my ability, and alter or discard any rules which get in the way of our fun!

I was thinking of going for something light-hearted, with a sense of grandness.  Your character has the potential to change the region for the better, discover forgotten lore, slay evil monsters, and potentially join orders of knights, mages, and thieves guild (or even all three!).  But the potential for fantasy leaves open a lot of fun ideas:sexy succubi and incubi ply mortals with wine to lower their inhibitions and guide them into earthly pleasures; young noble lords and ladies might seek to bed your hero, much to the chagrin of their overprotective parents; a summoned tentacle monster gets a little too "friendly," and dueling mages testing out an armor-removal spell end up stripping everybody in the crowd!

There's plenty of fun to be had outside of the wilderness and dungeon, and I'd like to be more role-play heavy than standard games of old-school dungeon-crawling.

The Setting:

A lush and fertile valley stands at the crossroads of the kingdom of Nethal.  Blessed with rich soil, precious metals in its hills, and the ruins of the elven and magi empires, it attracts many folk despite its dangers.  The fair walled city of Torita stands near a river, ruled by the stern yet fair Baron Larkas.  A hidden coven of druids lairs in the dark woods to the north, Underdark spies raid small towns for new riches and slaves, elven and wizard heirs to the crumbling thrones of their kingdoms seek treasures and heirlooms from the lands of their people.  A glorious floating castle surveys the land, suspended upon a piece of rock broken from the natural mountain range below and guarded by dragons.  Few have been able to explore this place safely, but people whisper that the secret necessary to earn the dragon's passage lies in the ruins...

It is a realm of intrigue and adventure, of countless tales of both heroes and villains from all walks of life, who seek gold, glory, a new life, and other things in this seemingly pleasant realm.  As adventurers tend to bring chaos and misunderstandings in their wake, they are distrusted by most except as free agents by those in power for the talents they bring.

There is but one city, and many villages scattered amidst spots of trackless wilderness.  Goblins, demon-worshipers, bandits, and other unsavory folk lair in the cliff walls, dungeons, and other isolated spots, preying upon those unable to defend themselves.  Elves, mages, and the Nethalese government squabble over rights to the ruins and other political maneuvering in the city of Torita, while the villagers feel increasingly frustrated with their lack of protections.

The System:

Labyrinth Lord is an old-school D&D retroclone, modeled after the Basic version in the early 1980s.  An art-free version is available here.  And here's an Open Game SRD version.  The game is rather minimalist and rules-lite in comparison to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and the newer Editions.  It is a world of warriors and mages, elves and dwarves, questing for gold and glory while fighting dangerous monsters and exploring dangerous dungeons.  If you played newer editions (3rd and 4th), the game is heavily class-centric.  Character creation is pretty quick, where you abilities, race, and class are the major aspects of your character.  Additionally, each race has their own class for exceptional members: dwarves are skilled underground warriors, elves are skilled in both spell and blade, and halflings possess uncanny stealth.

There is a set of simple supplementary rules with one-on-one gaming in mind.  Black Streams: Solo Heroes increases versatility and survival rate.

As the product is free, I will copy/paste the rules here if I get an OK from the mods.  Otherwise, it can be downloaded from Drive-Thru RPG or RPG Now.

Character Creation:

My User ID for the Elliquiy Dice Bot is 30044.  I'd prefer to use Elliquiy's chat and dice bot to conduct our sessions for fast play, especially in regards to combat.  If we do end up utilizing play-by-post in combat, I'd call for multiple simultaneous rolls per post to speed things up.

Roll 4d6 (four six-sided die), drop the lowest result and add up the others for your total score.  Do this process a total of 6 times, and assign the values you want to the ability scores.  The higher the value, the better.  For example, you might assign high scores in Strength and Dexterity for a skilled blademaster, while a crafty mage might have high values in Intelligence and Charisma.

If none of your abilities are above 15, then pick one value to change to 16.  Your character is very good at least one thing.

Roll 3d8 (three eight-sided die) and times the total result by 10.  This is the number of gold pieces you start with, meaning that you can have as little as 30 or as many as 240 gold pieces.  You can spend this gold on equipment for your character, and any unspent gold is kept on your character.

All classes, spells, equipment, and races from Labyrinth Lord core rulebook are available, although dark elves, catfolk, and succubi/incubi are a common presence in the lands.  I can design a racial class for them if you wish to play as one.  In fact, I designed classes for the first two in this thread.

The house rules from Solo Heroes are in use.

Inspirational Images:

City of Torita

Ruins

NSFW:

Embarassed Nude Elves (perhaps a freak spell gone awry :3)

Tied-up Succubus

Incubus Tempter

Elf Prisoner

Catgirl Sex Slave

[Skynet]

Black Streams: Solo Heroes Rules

These 5 rules add to the Labyrinth Lord rules, and in the case of Rule 1 supersedes the existing rules on damage and enemy Hit Dice.  They are from the free product of the same name above, written by Kevin Crawford of Sine Nomine Games.

The First Rule: Damage Dice

For a solo hero game, all damage dice are read in a different way.  Instead of their full face value, each die does damage based on the roll; a roll of 1 does no damage, a roll of 2-5 does one point of damage, and a roll of 6 or more does two points of damage. If there is a modifier to the damage applied by strength or magic, the modifier can be applied to any single die in the damage roll.

Thus, someone wielding a dread goreaxe +1 with a +1 Strength bonus to damage would roll the axe’s base 2d6 damage dice and add 2 to the die of his choice. If the final results were then 5 and 6, the hit would do 3 points of damage in total. A magic-user with a -1 Strength penalty flailing away with his dagger would roll 1d4 and subtract 1 from the total. If his net result is 0 or 1, then his blow does no damage at all. A hero swinging a poleaxe with no modifiers would roll 1d10 and have a much better chance of inflicting 2 points of damage than the warrior slashing with a short sword that does 1d6.

These damage dice rules are used for all effects that inflict a random range of damage on a victim. Fireballs, falls, arrow traps, falling rocks, and anything else that rolls dice of damage will use the interpretation of those rolls given above.

If an effect does a flat amount of damage, then one point of damage is done for each three full points given in the text. Thus, if the adventure states that touching a cursed bronze statue automatically inflicts 10 points of electrical damage on the blasphemer, only 3 points of damage are done to the luckless hero. Caltrops that automatically inflict 1 point of damage on those who cross them round down to zero, being too trivial a danger to threaten a lone adventurer.

Summary: When reading damage dice, don’t count the usual totals. Instead, count each die as given on the table below. If you have a bonus to your damage roll, add it to one die of your choice before comparing it to the table:

Die Result      Damage Done
1 or less           No damage
2 to 5               1 point of damage
6 or more         2 points of damage

All damage dice are read this way, including damage done by spells, traps, and environmental hazards. Thus, a 5d6 fireball would do anywhere from 0 to 10 points of damage, depending on the rolls.

The Second Rule: Inflicting Damage

Damage received by PCs is taken off their hit points as normal. If a fighter with 6 hit points is struck by an orc’s spear, the orc rolls 1d6. If a 4 is the result, for example, then one point of damage is done and the lone fighter has 5 hit points left. Damage received by NPCs counts as a full hit die for each point. Thus, if that same orc is hit by the fighter’s sword and a 3 is rolled on the damage dice, one full hit die of damage is done to the orc. Since the orc is only a 1 hit die creature to begin with, it falls dead, skewered by the blade of its foe. Monster hit dice are rounded to the nearest whole number. Thus, creatures with ½ hit dice, 1-1 hit dice, and 1+2 hit dice all count as 1 hit die creatures. High-level NPCs are assumed to have hit dice equal to their levels.

When fighting enemies of equal or lesser hit dice, the PC can roll a fray die representing their mighty hewing, punching, kicking, biting, object-hurling, and other assorted fisticuffs or short-ranged combat spells delivered toward an enemy that does not clearly outclass them in skill. This is a separate 1d6 that can be rolled once per round. This die always does damage regardless of the hit roll, so it is best to use a die of some different color than the others so it can be easily identified. The damage from a fray die can only be inflicted on foes with equal or fewer hit dice than the hero- more experienced enemies are just too canny to be maimed without a focused attack.

At the GM’s discretion, particularly unmartial PCs might only roll 1d4 for their fray die, while iron-thewed barbarians might roll 1d8, 1d10, or even 1d12 for particularly ferocious warriors. A hero who wishes to do something other than making an attack roll in a round can still roll their fray die against any foes within reach, representing the murder they might be wreaking incidental to their other activities.

If enough damage is done to a monster to kill it, the PC can spend the rest of the damage injuring any other foe within range of equal or worse armor class. For example, an armored hobgoblin priest and his bodyguard of goblin warriors sets upon a hero. The hero swings his halberd against a goblin and hits for 2 points of damage. He also rolls his fray die of 1d6, and which does an additional point of damage that does not require a hit roll to land. Goblins only have one hit die, so his flailing fray strikes down one of them. The hero then spends the remaining 2 points of axe damage chopping up another two goblins. He cannot spend the halberd damage on the hobgoblin priest, because the priest has a better armor class than the foe he struck with his attack. Likewise, if one of the goblins was perched up on a balcony or shooting from across an open field, it would be too far away from the melee to be threatened by the warrior’s halberd or fray die.

Summary: A PC takes damage as normal and will die at zero hit points. Monsters and NPCs lose one hit die for each point of damage inflicted.  Thus, an orc would be killed by 1 point of damage, and an ogre by 4. Hit dice are rounded to the nearest whole number. When enough damage is done to kill a particular target, any left-over damage can be inflicted on any other victim within range with equal or worse armor class.

The Fray Die Summary: Every round, the PC can roll 1d6 to inflict damage on any enemies of equal or fewer hit dice, representing their martial hewing and smiting or the smaller combat spells of a trained sorcerer. This damage is automatic and does not require a hit roll. The fray die need not be targeted at the same enemy as the PC’s attack, and a PC need not attack in a round in order to use their fray die- they can murder things in passing as they focus on a different action.  For this online game, Fighters and Dwarves get a Fray Die of 1d8, Thieves, Catfolk, and Clerics get 1d6, while Magic-Users and Dark Elves 1d4.

The Third Rule: Healing

Healing dice and effects work perfectly normally on a PC, healing their listed number of hit points. When applied to NPCs and monsters, the healing dice are treated just if they were “reversed” damage dice, healing as many hit dice of injury as they would have inflicted points of damage.

After every fight or occasion of injury, a solo hero can take five minutes to bandage their cuts and catch their breath. This first aid will cure up to two points of damage, though it will not heal them above their total before the combat or injury.

Some GMs may be uncomfortable with this rule, as it makes healing magic much more efficient than damaging attacks. This is intentional, as even with the modified rule for damage the PC is likely to be suffering a great many hits if they intend to take on an adventure single-handedly. They need to be able to replenish their hit points if they are going to stand up to the steady drain, and that means surviving on such healing potions, scrolls, or sheltered rest that they can obtain. Cleric PCs have a large advantage in this regard, however, and the GM might decide to make their healing dice behave as reversed damage dice.

Summary: After every battle or source of injury, the hero can take five minutes to bind their wounds and catch their breath, healing up to 2 hit points of the damage they incurred in that battle or event.  Healing spells and magic function normally on PCs, healing the given amount of hit points. When used on monsters or NPCs, they act like “reversed” damage dice, with the totals rolled healing that many lost hit dice.

The Fourth Rule: Dodging Doom

Any time the hero is confronted by a failed saving throw against a death spell, a sleep-murdering assassin, a withering energy drain, an inescapable snare, a hopeless situation or an insurmountable barrier, they may choose to dodge doom. This lucky evasion lets them escape the effects of their calamitous situation, bypass an otherwise unavoidable condition, or get past barriers that would stop them cold, though it dangerously taxes their reserves of good fortune.

When a PC dodges doom, they suffer one damage die for every level they possess. The first time they dodge doom during a game session, they roll 1d4 for each level. The next time, they roll 1d6, then 1d8, and then 1d10 for each further attempt to dodge their fate. If the damage inflicted by this taxing of their luck would reduce them to 0 hit points, they are instead left at 1 hit point and whatever doom they were trying to slip affects them normally.

It is up to the GM to decide what situations and negative effects can be dodged. When combat is dodged, it usually means the PC has successfully fled an otherwise inescapable situation. When some arcane barrier is overcome by a PC with no access to Dispel magic, it might mean the hero recognizes the ward and knows how to spoil its effect. When a furious mob that has caught the hero in an alleyway is dodged, it might mean some local official is an old friend and rides in to disperse the crowd. The GM is the final arbiter of what can be evaded and the form that evasion takes.

Summary: When the PC is hit by a save-or-die effect, caught in a snare they cannot possibly escape alone, trapped by mobs of foes, or brainbent by a malevolent sorcerer, they can attempt to dodge doom.  Any potentially adventure-ending challenge or danger can be dodged at the GM’s discretion, though it inflicts a toll on a hero’s luck and resilience.

To dodge doom, the hero rolls one d4 damage die for every level they have, taking the damage as described above. Thus, a 3rd level fighter would roll 3d4 when he wanted to dodge doom. If the damage reduces them to 0 hit points, they retain 1 hit point but suffer the full effects of the doom. If the dodge didn’t exhaust them, they escape it through some means decided by the GM. It may be that they threw off the magic at the last moment, found crumbling handholds in the wall, or happen to know what marks to cut to deactivate the magical barrier around their goal.

The more often a hero dodges doom, the harder it gets. The second time they dodge doom during a single session, they start rolling d6s. The next, d8s, and then finally d10s if they continue to evade doom. As the die sizes increase, dodging doom risks inflicting even more damage on their future prospects. Sooner or later, their luck is fated to run out.

The Fifth Rule: Experience and Henchmen

A lone hero earns only a quarter of the normal experience points for their deeds, reflecting the fact that they have fewer hands to divide the treasure.

Henchmen and retainers can be employed as normal, but they are treated as monsters for purposes of combat damage. A minion with 1 hit die is slain by one point of damage.

GMs should feel no particular obligation to send henchmen along with a solo adventurer. The extra bodies to soak up monster attacks aren’t as crucial with these rules, and it can prove cumbersome to keep track of them all. In the same vein, GMs should be careful about including more than one PC in an adventure when using these rules- they might turn out to be far more fearsome than the adventure expected of its heroes.

And finally, one more suggested rule to ensure your PC's survival rate:

Enduring Protagonists
For some GMs and players, their intention is to play a single heroic PC through a number of adventures. They want to explore this particular hero’s tale, and aren’t interested in death or other ruinations that would otherwise terminate the PC’s tale before they were done playing him or her. For these campaigns, here’s an optional rule for protagonists meant to survive the worst the world can dole out.

An enduring protagonist always has maximum hit points for their class and level. Furthermore, zero hit points doesn’t mean death.  Instead, they are left for dead, lost in the swirl of battle, or make a hairs-breadth escape from death by some unlikely coincidence.  This good fortune comes at a price, however. The hero must retreat to lick their wounds and recover their strength. If the mission they were attempting to accomplish is time-sensitive, they will fail as time runs out while they regain their strength. If the task had no time pressure, then they realize that they were overmatched and must go pursue some other adventure before they can come back and make a second try at their goal.

Protagonists who wish to make a second try at a time-sensitive goal may choose instead to be captured by their foes, or their bodies stripped of belongings while they lay in seeming death, or otherwise substantially inconvenienced in exchange for being allowed to continue their attempt to stop events in time. Such determined heroes regain all lost hit points but must then manage an escape from their captors or scavenge some gear to replace their now forever-lost harness. GMs are advised to allow only one such second chance for any given adventure.