Kingdom of Dust (D&D 3.5 original setting)

[SmilingFox]

The Dustlands. Historians have argued for centuries over where the Dustlands came from, and how. Some believe it to be a product of a natural phenomenon. That the sands in the great waste naturally seem to draw life and magic from all things that venture over it. Some believe that a natural disaster destroyed the area, creating the vast expanses of uninhabitable sand. Others believe that the Dustlands were created by mortal aspirations. That, whether intentional or not, some grand plan devastated the land, turning it into a sprawling desert rife with turbulent sandstorms.

There are tales, however, that there was once a kingdom out in the wastes. A lush utopia of magical ingenuity, a place where people lived without needs. A paradise of hedonism. They say that the mortals within studied magic for the sake of studying it, rising up above what mortals were meant to achieve and even challenging the gods. That the end result was the complete devastation of the kingdom and all that lies within it.

Most historians agree that such tales are flights of fancy. The wastes have existed for a thousand years at least, and any primitive society certainly couldn't have done what the great nations of today still struggle to do. Or at least... That's what the historians used to agree.

For now, in perhaps the first time in a millennia, the great storms of sand that always raged at the center of the waste have stilled, revealing the expansive ruins of a fallen kingdom. Archeologists from every nation have set out on an expedition to delve into its secrets, calling for the aid of any adventurer willing to risk life and limb for fame and fortune.

Only the brave or the foolish need apply.

So, this is my attempt at running a rather simple D&D 3.5 setting. I say simple in that I'm not looking for people to play optimized builds, and flavor and storytelling are going to be the main focus.

The setting is similar to that of FF12, if you've played it. There are several great nations and city states that exist in a tenuous balance with each other, what those nations are and how they act is something I'm willing to work with if you'd like something specific for your character's background, but in general... The world is filled with those who still fight with swords and shields, as well as magic. Magical weapons, rechargeable magical crystals, and airships are all common place.

Monsters are almost a common sight outside of city walls, with great guilds of adventurers who are hired to hunt down particularly bothersome individuals.

And at the very center of the explored world lies the Dustlands. A vast area of hostile desert where things just don't work right. Airships refuse to fly over it, most traders go around it, and the monsters within are twister mockeries of what are found elsewhere. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to escort a team of archeologists into the massive ruins of a city in the middle. Easy, right?

Starting characters are level 1, with about 2000g to spend on gear. Give me your best shot.

For flavor purposes, if you want to mess around with races, Ie. Keeping stats the same but changing appearances, I'm okay with that.

As always questions are welcome.

[Interdiction of words]

I say that it is time for me to step forward into the place of D&D since this realm is my perspicacity, I would love to join 

[Andi]

Would you permit a sha'ir (3.5 writeup appeared in Dragon magazine at some point and is in the Dragon Compendium released by Paizo a few years ago)?

[Rajah]

Would you permit a sha'ir (3.5 writeup appeared in Dragon magazine at some point and is in the Dragon Compendium released by Paizo a few years ago)?

The familiar is cute, but that class looks *INCREDIBLY* annoying to play. You have to "summon" every spell and make a check to see if it works, and you only remember spells for (level) hours and then you have to do it again? Admittedly the flavor is awesome and very fitting, but there are other ways to play a djinni-based spellcaster...or to expand your spell list if that's your goal there. You're gonna be making like 50 dice rolls every day just to see if you know your spells, and some of those are going to fail, and it's going to suck a lot.

[Andi]

Two points. One: I'm perfectly aware of the class mechanics - I've been playing sha'ir ever since the Complete Sha'ir Handbook fell into my hands back in Germany '98. Two: Fox stated storytelling over mechanics. That reduces mechanical concerns substantially.

[Thorne]

I'm also interested, although I was thinking to play something a little less forethought intensive - druid, mebbe.

[Interdiction of words]

What way will you do points?

[Green Goo Theory]

Any big things right off the bat that aren't allowed?  such as from a fluff stand point?  ToB, Psionics, certain books, dragon magazine, etc? 

[Rajah]

Any big things right off the bat that aren't allowed?  such as from a fluff stand point?  ToB, Psionics, certain books, dragon magazine, etc?

Gosh, I hope not those first two. A harsh desert wasteland full of aberrations and dark powers sounds like a fantastic setting for psionics - maybe even its origin point? - and something about deserts in general just makes me feel all tingly about esoteric martial arts and thrilling sword duels, the stalwart legionnaire and master of Army of One facing off across a grinning half dozen of efreet Desert Wind stylists...

(also they are so fun)

[SmilingFox]

Nothing is outright banned in broad strokes, for things coming from Dragon Magazine it'd be on a case by case basis. I'm trying to work in some other stuff that appears in other fantasy settings as well. Stuff like crystals that can be charged with magic (Give up a spell slot of an appropriate level) to cast a specific spell at a later time. Sort of a 'reusable potion' effect. They'd be rare and/or expensive of course but useful. Mostly thought here's going to be a lot of 'Oh, that's just X from D&D but with a shiny paint job' effects. So if you want a specific race of elves to be Bunny girls instead or something, it's doable.

As for stat points, I guess 32 point buy is fair. Keeps anyone starting arguments over rolls or getting shortchanged. (I literally rolled a cleric once with 4 strength. 4d6 and ditch worst, I rolled 1,1,1,2.)

[Interdiction of words]

Base ten or Eight?

[SmilingFox]

32 point buy, base 8.

[CarnivalOfTheGoat]

Tentative interest, thinking about a character at this point. Maybe a Ranger.

Fox, if you want an example of something you could perhaps model your crystal spell-storage rules on, there's something quite similar by Paizo:

This small, durable flask is designed to preserve alchemical extracts indefinitely. An extract stored in a preserving flask remains potent until it is consumed or otherwise removed from the flask.

Preserved extracts count against an alchemist's extracts per day on the day they are prepared, but not on subsequent days. Each flask is capable of preserving an extract of a particular level. An extract stored in the flask retains duration, caster level, and other properties it had when it was created. The flask works on extracts and infusions, but not mutagens.

Just substitute 'caster' for alchemist where appropriate, and you're basically done. Tossing a spell into the crystal costs you the spell on the day you do so, but then the spell is there in the crystal whenever you like and when you recover spells the next day the one in the crystal doesn't count. You could also do some variations on cost/quality to accept only lower or higher level spells in a manner similar to that used for Pearls of Power.

Psionics give me headaches.

(that was a joke!)

[Andi]

32 point buy, base 8.

So that's 26 in base 10? Wait, you were talking about the starting score to add points to, not the logarithmic base...

[Marie Reynolds]

I might be interested would you be allowing the sandstorm book?

[SmilingFox]

I might be interested would you be allowing the sandstorm book?

Absolutely.

[CarnivalOfTheGoat]

Looking at the possibility of a Tibbit, if that's permissible? Appeared originally in Dragon Magazine #135 and then in the Dragon Compendium. Full rules are here.

To put it simply, they're housecat-weres with nominal ability scores (+2 dex, -2 str), darkvision, and the "my equipment changes with me" variety of supernatural shapeshift. They are harmed by everything under the sun, no silver required.

[Thorne]

Hm.. The concept I was planning on gets a hair complicated ... oh well. If I'm going to break my head with math, I might as well do it for something I enjoy, right?

Fox. Do you allow Races of the Dragon?
No, I don't want to play a half-dragon, I want to use the Draconic Heritage feats. >.>

[SmilingFox]

Looking at the possibility of a Tibbit, if that's permissible? Appeared originally in Dragon Magazine #135 and then in the Dragon Compendium. Full rules are here.

To put it simply, they're housecat-weres with nominal ability scores (+2 dex, -2 str), darkvision, and the "my equipment changes with me" variety of supernatural shapeshift. They are harmed by everything under the sun, no silver required.

That sounds fine.

[Andi]

Still waiting to hear about the sha'ir.

[SmilingFox]

Still waiting to hear about the sha'ir.

Oh, right, sorry. Yeah Sha'ir is absolutely okay by me.

[Muse]

*Waves*  Good morning, Fox, welcome to E. 

Do you have room for a few more?  What size of group are you looking for?  It sounds like you have a fun concept building here. 

(You might consider using the 'Eternal Wands' from Magic Item Compendium to represent some of your crystal tech?  The originals from Eberon even used Dragon Shards as part of their power source.) 

[SmilingFox]

I'm probably looking for 4 or 5 players, maybe 6 if I get a lot of interest. Yeah, eternal wands seem like a good place to start. Just for flavor things, like an outpost town having a crystal of Create Water that just needs to be recharged once a month or so. I think it's interesting to imagine a society structured around them.

[Muse]

*smiles* 

how are you going to choose?  Just the first six to sign up with viable concepts? 

*ponders concepts* 

Any arcane casters besides the Shair right now? 

[SmilingFox]

It's pretty much first come first serve at the moment. I've already got a bunch of NPCs floating around in my head to introduce as well, and a starting point too.