Mon, 16 Jun 2003 09:40:42 -0700 (PDT)
Notes by the DM, Brad, in Khem, a setting imagined by The Other Gretchen
Some other very rough campaign assumptions that I think there is a consensus on. I've tried to make it a bit more specific and this section is open to discussion before we play. It seems like a fun approach to a difficult moral and game mechanic problem.
Capture and Ransom is normal between intelligent races. Accidental death during combat is ok, combat is risky. But you're expected to stabalize downed enemies and do your best to ransom them back. Failing to abide by this code is similar in consequences to a decision like that in a Supers campaign....everyone treats you as a lethal enemy, you will never get a break.
Because of that though, when a prisoner gives parole, he'll mean it. Breaking a parole oath is a quick way to get a "kill on sight" reputation, and even the most chaotic or clever are only going to risk that kind of a hit to their rep and only if they are under extreme pressures. This means that, say, if you run into a goblin warband after the same ancient treasure you are excavating, you beat them in combat and revive the survivors....they'll swear to go home and send ransom to your agent...and they'll go away. You won't have to guard them, feed them, etc. Ransom is typically more than the total value of their equipment, so you also aren't burdened with heavy "loot" of marginal value. If you are captured and ransomed, the price is based on your rep and your obvious carried wealth. You can reduce your ransom by giving them stuff you are carrying, but generally you get to keep your stuff if you promise adequate gold to compensate the victor. If you die before paying, your associates assume the debt.
This sort of thing is one reason Hero "bands" are popular. A solo Hero who gets into trouble is more likely to be unable to meet his obligations and enter the afterlife with debt on his soul.
It also means the losing side is likely to cut and run, to minimize the ransom owed.
Undead, Aberrations, constructs and wild animals are not of course treated this way. Whether or not you ransom a Werewolf or Vampire depends on whether your society treats that sort of thing as a disease or a lifestyle choice. On the frontiers, things are usually pretty fast and loose, intelligent enemies get treated according to their reputation not according to their race, class or "afflictions".
This part is campaign specific and is pretty much in Brad's control as GM.
The campaign starts with a recently established frontier village, "Argus's Hope" calling for a band of heroes to "open up" a local Haunted Valley to settlement or at least trade.
This town is primarily a trade nexus, sited in an area with an unusual concentration of magical plants and animals nearby. According to the advertisements, the town has a first-rate inn and tavern, with food both grown/gathered locally and imported from Halfling, Dwarf and Shining court lands. The local Orcs keep the Wild from the Town and provide security for caravans moving through Sea People territory. In addition there are some Ranger Guides who specialize in travel to and trade with the closest Fire People and Shining Court settlments.
The town itself boasts scroll makers, potion makers and crafters of minor magical items. A lot of the profit comes from turning local "power" plants/animal parts into minor magic items. Wizards will be glad to know that paper and ink are cheap and plentiful.
While recently settled, the founders have done a good job of advertising this town and attracting talent. Most of you, although young, have heard of Argus's Hope, if only because you know someone who bought a potion made there, or have seen a caravan move through town, or heard some bard singing the praises of the wine and food of its Tavern, "Hope Springs Eternal". The relentless marketing of the town is somewhat unusual among the Sea People, it is more of a Dwarvish custom to stamp goods with makers marks, more of a Halfling custom to have common names/sigels for a township and more of a Shining court custom to encourage settlement by encouraging the Bards to sing about it.
Argus's hope is a Sea Person Settlement, with a fairly large Orcish tribe surrounding a smaller Human/Halfelf township, with a sprinking of Elves and members of other races. The permanent population of the town is likely around 100 individuals, but trade missions may well swell it to twice or even three times that number. Perhaps this growth is what is causing the drive to open the nearby Haunted Valley. The town was founded about 40 years ago, that's 3 Orc generations, 2 Human generations, and less than a generation for the other races. As all of you are young for your race, you probably grew up with rumors of this town, which became more concrete as it got more established (Elves are funny, read the Elf Hero thing...they don't always start out with an Elf Lifetime of experience)
PC's can be of any race and should be inclined to want to help a town open a new frontier for growth. All sorts of "Heroes" may show up, but I'd prefer the PC's to be non-evil and more or less behind the stated goal of the advertisement. I'm aware in the real world adventurers will come for a lot of reasons, but I'd prefer the more unsavory reasons to be reserved for future villains :).
All of you have recently taken the Hero mantle...this generally involves a ritual of some kind, ranging from renunciation of family and commercial ties for an Orc to an elaborate graduation ceremony from your school if a typical Halfling. You've seen the advertisments and must now find your way to the town from wherever you currently live.
The one thing you can NOT be is from Argus's Hope. The call for Heroes is quite clear on that point, no locals need apply. They want a "Fresh approach" to the problem of the Haunted Valley.
Getting to Argus's Hope is going to be the first challenge you face as a Hero, and you will face it alone (as a Hero Band isn't going to go in a group to a town advertising for "all comers". That is clearly a call to form one or more "mixed" bands). Now if some of you want to be from same race/family/school, I can of course allow that. Just don't expect an NPC band to let you join or herd you there safely.
Exception. If you all chose, say, to be a Dwarf hero band and conformed to the usual conventions of that race then you'd BE the local Dwarf Hero band and might have a "mixed race" rival band. In general I want to use unified racial Hero Bands as contrast, but it works just as well if you're a fairly typial band of a race, and I contrast you with a more diverse team.
The challenge breaks down into overland travel, and if you go with the caravans it is safer but your purpose is very likely to be known and anyone who might oppose this gathering may strike at you.
If you go overland, you risk all the dangers of howling wilderness. If you have good nature skills and bad social skills, though, this may be an attractive option.
The closer you are to Argus's Hope, the more likely it is that you will be known to those who might want to do you harm.
OOC....you'll be third level before you arrive at Argus's Hope. I really am bored with the "send the firsties to battle some dire rats until they aren't fragile anymore" beginnings and wanted to try something different.
Halflings will all have a long journey, although much of it is in the settled Earth People lands. Don't assume though that there are no dangers in settled lands, they just tend to be more subtle than a pack of stirges looking for a meal.
Dwarves will have either a short, dangerous overland trip through howling wilderness or a short caravan trip to the town, travelling openly unless you are a very unusual Dwarf. Dwarves have horrible information passing techniques, which means most Fire People have never heard of Argus's Hope unless they traded with them directly.
Gnomes and Goblins, by contrast, can be from anywhere in the Shining Kingdom. If you grew up on the caravan route, then your situation is similar to Dwarves...you can easily get there if you travel openly but you'll be known by name and reputation. If you are from further away or if you avoid the caravan you can be more discreet...although a Gnome is likely to announce his presence anyway if he is typical. The Shining Kingdom is fairly safe for Gnomes in daytime and Goblins at night, but a traveller alone is always at some risk to raids from his opposite numbers, so if from further away you need to state if you are traveling in a group or alone.
The Sea People situation is similar to Gnomes and Goblins, with the exception that they aren't as noticable in caravan. You can be as close or as far as you want away, with your reputation being more likely to be known if you are from closer.
It is not accidental the campaign is taking place in Sea People lands. In other lands foreign races are at a larger social disadvantage and roles are more restrictive. It is perfectly allright to play a character who wouldn't "fit in well" at home, but your background should make sense and you should be aware that until you earn a reputation, people's steriotypes will tend to treat you as a typical member of your race and visible profession.
Heroes have a special place in this world, they are individuals who have chosen to make themselves and their struggles visible to the Gods. Successful heroes rise in power very, very quickly, unsuccesful ones tend to die, or worse, be broken (hopelessly in ransom debt, possibly foresworn, etc).
Generally you can "opt out" again and retire, possibly taking up a leadership position in society. Leveled "Hero Class" NPC's will have reputations that indicate whether they are still on the Hero path or whether they have retired. Heroes can resume the mantle, most of the time, but resumption after retirement usually indicates a major crisis.
Having the attention of the Gods is not a comfortable thing. There are major benefits to being a Hero, but they do not come for free. Think carefully before chosing a patron god, before swearing an oath, and especially before doing something offensive to any god. (beating up a God's followers is all in good fun, and busting up the temple may be allowed if he's an especial enemy of your God or people. Attempting conversions via dialog is always ok. Violating ransom or parole rules, hospitality rules or disrespecting a deity is a quick route to ending a Hero's career, usually by breaking them, rather than killing them)
The Heroic conventions are well understood by those who embrace the Path. I'll warn you as a GM if you're doing something that is going to take you out of the Game of Gods and put you on someone's hit list. Conflict is an important part of the cosmology. Modern total war concepts are not....the cosmology rewards growth through conflict. It does not reward absolute destruction, except possibly some of the very darkest aspects of the InBetween.