D&D5e in a Whole New Land - Interest Check - Locked for Chapter One

[greenknight]

Locked for Chapter One. May open to new players for Chapter Two, whenever that is.

I'm looking to run a D&D game set in recently rebelled colony. Keywords include "Whole New World," "What are These Guys (orcs)," "Outposts of Civilization," and "Old Ones (elves)."

It will start in the largest outpost settlement (pop. ~1500), so characters would be generally local or include why they came out here and from where in their pitches. The town has a little than 2-1 men to women ratio, a bit like a larger, less rowdy, less transient Deadwood. It's called Two Fords because it sits on two fords, and it's primary business is trade. Two Fords is as far as you can go before climbing into mountains or having to clear old growth forest for more arable land. As part of this, goods are regularly portaged from one side of town to the other and this is the signature business (vs mining to continue the Deadwood example).

More info if there's interest.

Other key character building info.

Races: No Drow (they totally don't exist, no, really), no dragonborn or tieflings (at least, not in their current form), and Gygaxian half-orcs (they're not obviously non-human). I'm really debating having a second short race, gnomes, as I'm not sure what essential narrative element they bring to bear. The subraces would fold into dwarves (rock gnomes) and possibly halflings (forest gnomes) as additional subraces if I drop the base race. And elves just plain ain't nice people; decent folk say it's always like they're sizing you up for a box or a pot.

Deities: Humans are dominated by the Church of The One. It's officially a monotheistic religion, but The One is served by a panoply of saints who serve the same role as deities in other games. Scattered nature cults of various types are collectively called the Old Faith, in much the same way as all of the beliefs systems that get lumped under Neo-Paganism. Sky-Father and Earth-Mother as central deities with or without an attendant pantheon, communing with the spirits of individual things, nature as a non-personified divine essence, any combination of these, there is no one dogma of the Old Faith. Of course, they're all manifestations of The Enemy, so The Church absolutely has no truck with them, no way, no how, nosirree.
Elves don't recognize gods. They seek to emulate mythic elven heroes and find immortality in the retelling of their lives. As such, bards better represent their ecclesiastic class.
Dwarves believe in a traditional pantheon of gods related to various things. Gnomes will be represented by the same group if they're kept as a separate race.
Halflings have their own version of the Old Faith that includes both nature (mainly) clerics and druids.
Half-elves and half-orcs generally follow the faiths they were raised in.

Some adventurer ideas (you're in no way limited to these, just some cues to get the creative juices flowing)
The daughter of one of the local slophouse owners, working as bar wench. A sturdy lass, if her right cross doesn't settle down a grabby patron, papa's club under the bar sure will.
The Governor's daughter, old enough to know better and too young to care. Or any of her peers (or hangers-on if she's a PC).
The shopgirl for the local "witch."
One of the "acolytes" from the "farm." It was a farm that's owned by an old veteran who teaches young men how to fight. He calls 'em acolytes because, why not?
A student or graduate of The Library, come home to make good or traveling for any manner of field study.
An "investor" or "salesman" come upriver from the capital to engage in legitimate business enterprise.

[PhantomPistoleer]

I would like to post my interest.

[ChaoticWake]

I'll be following. Though I don't know 5e at all.

[yaracyrrah]

Interest.

What is "The Library"?

[Chulanowa]

I'm interested.

So more of a rustic "out in them thar hills" vibe, yeah? What's the tech / period aesthetic? Like are we dark ages, early renaissance, dieselpunk with wizards...? 

[caelcormac]

Interested. Would you be allowing any UA material?

[greenknight]

By the numbers....

PhantomPistoleer, interest noted.

WhatLiesAbove, if you know any D&D, 5e should be pretty easy. It's built for intuitive play like 3e, but better. The system is stripped down like B/X and BECMI. I won't let the system be a barrier for entry. We can work concepts into the system.

yaracyrrah, the Library was a strange tower discovered fairly soon after men arrived in this part of the world, less than 150 years ago. It was claimed by an archmage who's hermitage was soon after disturbed by those seeking apprenticeship. It's essentially the closest thing to a university in this part of the world. It has also, two masters on, grown beyond being just a magic school and facilitates study in several fields of thought. Thanks mainly to the all of the uncataloged tomes found within, hence it's name.

Chulanowa, pretty much on that vibe, filtered through D&D reality. The whole of Rehl'me is quite rustic and undeveloped, Two Fords specifically similar to a walled version of HBO's Deadwood or the Russell/Kilmer Tombstone. As far as tech level, it's moving into Renaissance. Gunpowder doesn't work as expected and there is no alchemical analog like FR's smoke powder. Since I'm not sure if air pressure's a thing (which would explain why gunpowder might burn but not propel a bullet), I don't know about steam power. If you have a concept revolving around it, pitch it, you may help me decide.

With that, the river leading southeasterly out of Two Fords to Ka'ap Ital is very Mississippi-like; wide, slow, and muddy. Barge traffic comes up and down river and loaded barges can't get past the fords, hence the portage business. But how do they get upriver? Draft animals on shore? Draft animals on treadmills running paddleboat type affairs? Or real steam-powered paddleboats? Any other ideas?

EDIT: Also, while I'm not opposed to going with Victorian fashion, how it interacts with armor becomes the limiting factor. So we're going with Ren Faire Moderne as the baseline, and perhaps "Under Armour" is it's own subset.

caelcormac, yep, some. The most important is the new ranger; for once, futzing with the first draft proved worthwhile. I don't like the meta-concept behind conclaves and beastmaster changes leave cold, but overall, it's pretty good. As for other stuff, let me know what you're thinking. Note that Underdark related concepts don't work well with the vibe I'm going for.

[Hexed]

Any particular direction you see the game running? Dungeon runs/political things?

Will admit I've never seen Deadwood or Tombstone.

And any class restrictions?  Could see the clerk girl for the local witch being a bard or warlock. Or even witch if 5e ever made one. :)

[ChaoticWake]

Any particular direction you see the game running? Dungeon runs/political things?

Will admit I've never seen Deadwood or Tombstone.

And any class restrictions?  Could see the clerk girl for the local witch being a bard or warlock. Or even witch if 5e ever made one. :)

Never seen Tombstone? What were you doing while everyone else was living their lives? 

[Chulanowa]

Chulanowa, pretty much on that vibe, filtered through D&D reality. The whole of Rehl'me is quite rustic and undeveloped, Two Fords specifically similar to a walled version of HBO's Deadwood or the Russell/Kilmer Tombstone. As far as tech level, it's moving into Renaissance. Gunpowder doesn't work as expected and there is no alchemical analog like FR's smoke powder. Since I'm not sure if air pressure's a thing (which would explain why gunpowder might burn but not propel a bullet), I don't know about steam power. If you have a concept revolving around it, pitch it, you may help me decide.

So, the High Middle Ages. Expanding into wilderness, breakaway states, old and new religious conflict, armored knights, developing urbanization, some centers of learning, but no industrialization. Maybe guilds, in the bigger cities. Meeting new peoples and killing them. Paper, windmills, and compasses exist.

Cool. I was actually hoping to avoid Steampunk, so that's nice to hear 

[Hexed]

Never seen Tombstone? What were you doing while everyone else was living their lives? 

Staying away from westerns for one. Sci-fi and fantasy all the way!

That said based on pics I looked up I have seen tombstone. or at least chunks of it. It just hadn't sounded familiar.

[greenknight]

Any particular direction you see the game running? Dungeon runs/political things?

Will admit I've never seen Deadwood or Tombstone.

And any class restrictions?  Could see the clerk girl for the local witch being a bard or warlock. Or even witch if 5e ever made one. :)

I expect the initial bit to take awhile and we can OOC what comes next. Small town politics, bigger town politics downriver, exploration, if you want dungeon crawls they can be arranged.

Never... What the shit? (Just watched Deadpool)

No class restrictions, but the UA Ranger is probably going to be the one used. But note some of the background already here. Elven clerics are rare, the role replaced by bards, etc.

For everyone, I've got a worldbuilding thread up here. I'll be adding to it.

[greenknight]

So, the High Middle Ages. Expanding into wilderness, breakaway states, old and new religious conflict, armored knights, developing urbanization, some centers of learning, but no industrialization. Maybe guilds, in the bigger cities. Meeting new peoples and killing them. Paper, windmills, and compasses exist.

Cool. I was actually hoping to avoid Steampunk, so that's nice to hear 

Tech level wise, yes. But there is some indoor plumbing, and possibly steam power. But I'm not going for steampunk and I don't know how you reconcile a three-piece tweed and bowler hat with plate armor.

In terms of breakaway states, remember the Sahteeric Empire of the Upper Lippz is at least 4 weeks away by ship. The colonies here are on their own.

Whether there is religious conflict among factions of The Church there, it doesn't affect the Rehl'me. Puritans vs witches is an extreme variation of the conflict between The Church and the Old Faith; most Church sects aren't that extreme. And some areas are free enough of them that an Old Faith is openly worshiped. The more common conflict might see the Old Faith performing a rite of sympathetic magic to christen (heh) a new field while The Church just sees them looking for an excuse for a bacchanal. It might even be the rite's participants "tut-tutting" the next godsday at the direction of the Church's priest. Because The Church would never have any truck with those heathens of the Old Faith. I hope that clears it up.

Guilds exist everywhere. It's how the dwarves organize their society, rather than clans. Another feature of Two Fords is a hill in the middle of town called, not surprisingly given the town's name, The Hill. The town square is here bounded on three sides by The Cathedral of the One, The Court (where the Governor administers the area), and Granite Hall of the Guild Consortium. The last is a common hall erected by the dwarven mason's guild with the cost shared by all other guilds in the group. The dwarves know there aren't enough of them here for each guild to build its own hall, so they have a compact to use this hall in common. (It's suspected that the hall dives deeper than the hill.) This is the central clearing house for dwarven goods, including that which comes from the dwarfholds n the north for distribution to the Rehl'me. One of the guilds is the banking guild and they offer their services to the whole of Two Fords as part of the guild consortium's "rent" due the town. Where better to secure your gold than in bowels of a dwarf hold?

Industrialization is in its infancy, depending on your definition. Dwarves have a system of rapidly producing "arsenal quality" tools for war and do so with reasonable quality steel slag and dyes. There are logging camps north of Two Fords that make use of the rivers to ship to Ka'ap Ital and beyond for their furnaces and crafts. But factories weaving cloth or churning out finished goods are not yet a feature of civilized development.

And yes, a feudal evolving to professional military culture exists. The cavalry here has always been in short supply while disciplined blocks of infantry have had to hold the line against things that try to invade. There is a line of fortresses heading essentially north from Two Fords along the Long Watch that protects the Rehl'me from invading orcs hordes.

[RubySlippers]

Magic okay what is the standing of practicing Sorcerers (if they exist) and Wizards (if they exist) and Bards (if they exist) among the Humans? Are there any non-humans and half-humans in the faith of the One for example would a Halfling family if they wished to convert have issues?

[greenknight]

Magic okay what is the standing of practicing Sorcerers (if they exist) and Wizards (if they exist) and Bards (if they exist) among the Humans? Are there any non-humans and half-humans in the faith of the One for example would a Halfling family if they wished to convert have issues?

Most magic users are looked at with some level of fear, confusion, and the kind of contempt bigots hold for the mentally ill (as some rituals and daily preparations can look a lot like or even border on the autism spectrum.) But noone's going to speak up against them because you never know just how powerful they might be. The local "witch," Mama B'Gaa, runs her potion shop and "all decent, One-fearing people would do well to avoid it. During the day. Or at least have the common decency to use that unwholesome rear entrance of hers.

Warlocks are another story. The powers they worship are all accursed manifestations of The Enemy. They should be strung up and burned, every last one of 'em!!!!!

And of course those precious little Underhills want to join the light of The One. Why wouldn't they?"

Ahem, thank you Goodwife Miller. Yes, bards (especially, as they tend to bring news and some couch their magics as hymns to the One) and sorcerers ad wizards are at least tolerated, if not respected or feared for their rumored power. But the dogma of the One sees the powers they draw power from as fonts of metaphysical Evil. Of course, a not insignificant minority of elven peers adventurers are likely to encounter are archfey warlocks so diplomacy gets a little interesting. In some cases, the archfey in question are beings present in this reality.

Half-humans raised among their human parents (the default assumption for half-orc PCs) are raised in a human religious tradition, or at least a grounding in it from the general culture surrounding them. The reality is that minority sects of both The Church and the Old Faith might see non-humans as unclean and bar them, most would welcome the converts. And as the goodwife implies, an object lesson in the supremacy of The One.

To be clear, this game will be LGBT and all other letters friendly. My aim is to keep plot options open for the intolerant as antagonists, but these plots won't be included in play without the same kind of discussion as NC. While antagonists likely will exemplify some of the prejudices (evil warlock doing evil things to further his demonic master's agenda, for example), I don't men to set up the world to paint a player's choices for his or her or their character as immoral or contemptible.

[JoanieSappho]

Hmm. Think I might throw in a halfling, running with that 'shopgirl for the "witch"' idea you had. I could do things with that ...

[caelcormac]

I was thinking of trying out one of the big bushel of new Archetypes that Wizards put out earlier in the year, one of the new Sorcerers or Fighters interest me the most. As do the feats from the feats one a while back.

@WhatLiesAbove

Wizards has been super user friendly with 5e and has the basic rules for free right here

http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules

[Kathyan]

Showing interest here ^^ but still have to think on a concept

[greenknight]

JoanieSappho, check PMs. I was envisioning a full-size shop girl but we can work with halflings.

caelcormac, what specifically are you looking at? Some work, some don't, and some are


Kathyan, welcome to the show.

[RubySlippers]

Are you going to use dice rolls for ability scores or boring point buy or some vanilla method like assigning fixed scores, come on rolling characters creates some fun things like maybe a high ability score or a low one? And about Backgrounds does anyone know if they did a Farmer one yet or an option to make up your own?

[greenknight]

Are you going to use dice rolls for ability scores or boring point buy or some vanilla method like assigning fixed scores, come on rolling characters creates some fun things like maybe a high ability score or a low one? And about Backgrounds does anyone know if they did a Farmer one yet or an option to make up your own?

Rolling, default array, or point buy. But if you're going to roll, you have to share them with all of us so we can point and laugh when the dice bot won't give you more than a 12.

When it comes to backgrounds, the published ones in PHB are generic enough that they can be used for a lot of stuff (a folk hero is perfectly serviceable as a farmer) and the guidelines for making your own are there, too. What was your idea?

[RubySlippers]

Well I was going to be a Human Ranger who worships the One there must be Saints for those who hunt, live off the land and such so she could get her magic from them easily enough and a Hunter. Besides bringing in animals to sell for food and getting furs she would live outside the community likely with a homestead. But her roots was growing up on a local farm before apprenticing with a Master Ranger likely a military scout now retired in the community.

It might be fun and it seems divine magic is the only type humans aren't fearful of so she would be a wilderness warrior and scout gifted by some saint with divine magic, perfectly acceptable.

[greenknight]

Well I was going to be a Human Ranger who worships the One there must be Saints for those who hunt, live off the land and such so she could get her magic from them easily enough and a Hunter. Besides bringing in animals to sell for food and getting furs she would live outside the community likely with a homestead. But her roots was growing up on a local farm before apprenticing with a Master Ranger likely a military scout now retired in the community.

It might be fun and it seems divine magic is the only type humans aren't fearful of so she would be a wilderness warrior and scout gifted by some saint with divine magic, perfectly acceptable.

Gifted powers by a saint, you say? BLASPHEMY!!!!

Or something. Anyway, check out the world building thread linked upthread. There's stuff there about orders as well as an example of one. It's deliberately open so players help expand the world.

Since you brought it up, and it will be expanded in the worldbuilding, 30 years ago was the Battle of Two Fords where men and dwarves and the local elves fought against an orc horde. The empire didn't help, and really couldn't, being weeks away, even trudging overland from Ka'ap Ital, and this "neglect of feudal responsibility" was all the excuse the colonial powers needed to justify finally shirking their taxes, er, rebelling against unjust tyranny. Fast forward around 2 years of open war and completing the decade with skirmishes before Rehl'me was recognized as a thing.

[Bibliophilia]

I went on a PM cleaning spree yesterday and lost your PM, Green.  I know you'd mentioned a game and that bitchy-looking elf I posted, were you letting me know about this game?  'Cause, I'm always down for D&D and I like 5e!  The stuff you've put together sounds great.

[greenknight]

I went on a PM cleaning spree yesterday and lost your PM, Green.  I know you'd mentioned a game and that bitchy-looking elf I posted, were you letting me know about this game?  'Cause, I'm always down for D&D and I like 5e!  The stuff you've put together sounds great.

That was definitely it. The elves here ain't all that nice and she looks like she'd fit perfectly.