Campaign Notes

These notes apply to all of the campaigns I’m currently running. The topics are:

1. Alignment
2. PC Classes
3. PC Races
4. The Adventurer
5. Age & Life Expectancy
6. Magic and Magical Items

Alignment

This is a work in progress, but the basics are adapted from the D&D Rules Cyclopedia and the D&D PHB 4e. Essentially, there are 3 alignments-- Lawful, Neutral and Chaotic. Players should use these as roleplaying and personal motivation guidelines. Being Lawful, Chaotic or Neutral do not, by themselves, mean that someone (or something) is good or evil-- although they may be perceived as such by others based on their alignment.

Lawful

Creatures that are Lawful generally respect the authority of their group, whether that group is a society, a tribe, a family, an organization, a church, etc. Their primary concern is for the security of the group. Fulfilling one's role within the group's structure, even if it means sacrificing one's self for the benefit of the whole, is more important than personal gain. Guilt, fear of failure, upholding the honor of one's group are all powerful personal motivators.

Chaotic

Chaotic characters think of their own needs, desires and survival first. They would rather depend on their own abilities and experience for success than rely too heavily on others who may let them down in the end. Although most live within some kind of society out of necessity, they don't believe that the society will always protect them in a time of need. The reason for this perspective may be based on harsh reality, cynicism, an elevated view of their self-importance, a desire to exercise their free will, creativity and self-expression, etc. Chaotic creatures are comfortable fleeing to live and fight another day rather than sacrificing themselves for some 'glorious' end that nobody will remember.

Neutral

Neutral characters believe that individuals can do little to permanently alter the bigger truths of life and nature. These fatalistic characters accept that each creature has their role to play in the world, whether as a part of a society or alone. While groups or individuals may bend life to the way they want it in the short term, ultimately, the best you can do is to harmonize your actions with the way life is. Accepting ambiguity and balancing competing (or conflicting) interests is part of life (and death).

Good and Evil

Good and Evil exist in the world, but these are defined from the point of view of the PC, not on some objective basis. Every creature, action and event can be judged as good, evil or neutral by a given (N)PC depending on how it fits with their personal morality. I will give the players wide latitude to determine for their PCs what is good and evil. The PCs will also be judged as good or evil by others based on their behavior, etc.

Here are some notes that may be useful when considering the PC you want to play.

As stated elsewhere, these classes will fit almost every campaign: Fighter, Rogue, Wizard, Cleric and Bard. These classes will not fit every campaign: Ranger, Assassin, Barbarian, Monk, Illusionist, Druid and Paladin.

Fighters

Every fighter specializes in the use of one type of weapon. This weapon can have a special significance within their group. An exceptionally well crafted weapon of this type might appear magical in their hands.

Lawful: These fighters are highly respected by their group and are expected to use their superior skill in its defense. Any Lawful fighter who leaves their society must have good reasons or risk being an outcast or a traitor.

Chaotic: Fighters who live in societies with many Chaotic individuals have many opportunities to demonstrate their superior fighting abilities. Once powerful enough, the Chaotic fighter might break free from their society to follow their own goals.

Neutral: These individuals recognize that they are good at one thing—fighting. Whether they lead or follow is irrelevant. Their purpose is to use their strength in the service of whichever cause. Neutral fighters often become sell-swords, because the whos and whats and hows and whys are not important as long as they can be the best fighter they were meant to be.

Rangers

Rangers will not be playable in campaigns that take place primarily in cities. They generally serve to protect the borders of their society from marauders. They use their superior understanding of the wilderness and respect for nature in forming their defenses, but they are not defenders of nature, per se.

Lawful: These rangers have a strong sense of duty to protect the borders of their society (no matter the cost), for which they are held in high esteem.

Chaotic: These rangers may serve on their societies' borders as long as the society is deemed worthy. A ranger who is no longer able or willing to protect their society from external threats, may decide to use their talents in pursuit of their own goals.

Neutral: A Neutral ranger will protect their society’s borders for as long as possible. If unable to continue to do so, they will probably seek new communities that can be served by their abilities.

Rogues

Rogues are generally perceived as dishonest and not to be trusted. They must use charm, cunning, guile and group ties to be tolerated or accepted. Rogues need the protection of a group to pursue their own aims. A young rogue with no ties, can quickly become a dead thief. For this reason, they do not widely advertise their skills until they feel powerful enough to do so.

Lawful: A Lawful rogue may often feel that their group (be it a guild, a family, a community or a race) is somehow unfairly treated. They always use their skills on behalf of their group, but never against their group.

Chaotic: These rogues often use the protection of a group to hide behind, but usually have no strong loyalty to the group or its cause. It’s not unusual for Chaotic rogues to leave a group once they feel powerful enough to be on their own. Any rogue who openly operates in a city outside of the Thieves’ Guild knows that they do so under the constant threat of death.

Neutral: Neutral rogues always know that someone will value their skills. They are under no illusions that they will be respected or treated fairly. They can serve groups given the right opportunity or they fall back on their resourcefulness to fend for themselves when they find themselves without the protection of a group.

Assassins

Assassins will only be allowed in campaigns that take place primarily in urban settings.

Assassins are highly feared and rarely trusted. Except for those that serve in a legal capacity, assassins rarely reveal their true profession. As with rogues, assassins rely heavily on charm, cunning and guile to hide their true natures.

Lawful: A small group of Lawful assassins do exist to protect a community. For example, they may serve as a society’s executioners or spies. They are feared for their remorselessness and incorruptibility.

Chaotic: Chaotic assassins tend to take as much pleasure in the stalking of their prey as in the killing. They also tend to prefer to play potential victims off of each other in an attempt to extort higher fees. They may also accept the risk of performing freelance operations in a city with an active Assassins’ Guild.

Neutral: Most assassins tend to be Neutral. Killing isn’t personal, it’s business. Whether in the service of the city’s Assassins’ Guild, the strong or the weak, the Neutral assassin lives by a personal code of professionalism that helps them perform their lethal work.

Barbarians

Barbarians are born, not chosen. They are physically big, but emotionally unstable and are generally less intelligent members of a society. Unlike other classes, barbarians have ability score restrictions. They must have a min of 16 in both STR and CON. A player may take points from their INT, WIS and CHA scores to raise their STR and CON scores to the minimum level. INT may not be higher than 9 and CHA and WIS may not be higher than 13. If these cannot be achieved, a barbarian cannot be played.

As defined in the 3rd printing of the PHB, this class does not represent the tribal or savage barbarian archetype and is not restricted to wilderness campaigns. This class will be used in urban settings for some NPC thugs, bodyguards, laborers and gladiators. In wilderness settings, it will be used for some NPC tribal champions.

Lawful: These barbarians have strong emotional ties to their community, often bordering on the irrational. They may be overprotective of group members and are fiercely and proudly loyal. Perceived slights from outsiders are dealt with swiftly and without regard to consequences.

Chaotic: A barbarian with no bonds to a community may choose to give in to their primal urges and use their brute force to take and defend what they want. Due to their low emotional intelligence, they may find it impossible to maintain long-lasting bonds.

Neutral: These conflicted barbarians may be tortured by an awareness of who they are, but an inability to control their desires. They seek to accept that their nature puts them at odds with their communities.

Monks

Monks are spiritual masters who derive their abilities from achieving mental and physical harmony. Monks may not be suitable for every campaign. How they fit in with the type of campaign and potential parties should be confirmed with the GM.

Lawful: These monks are devoted to a monastery or other community. They use their abilities to further the aims of the group.

Chaotic: A Chaotic monk may choose to live as a wanderer, hermit, ascetic, etc., removed from society’s concerns.

Neutral: Given their affinity for spiritual balance, most monks are Neutral. They are philosophical about life and death. They understand their place in the world and help others fulfil their own higher purpose.

Wizards

Due to the power that their dabbling into the arcane might bring them, wizards are generally feared, misunderstood and distrusted by most creatures. Communities may ban the use of magic outright or severely limit its practice. Even those who practice in the open and have the protection of powerful groups cannot feel too safe. The public killing or maiming of magic-users is never unpopular with the mob.

Mage schools are often eliminated by a frightened populace before they become too powerful. Wizards must accept the danger of persecution if they are discovered practicing against the law. Other magic-users may offer some support and cooperation, but they are typically jealous and secretive of their work because of the dangers involved.

Wizards learn their first spells and the rudiments of their profession (probably in secret) from a master. The master will be unlikely to offer new spells beyond a certain level and new magic-users are unlikely to find many spells in dusty tomes in city libraries (if they exist). Any spells that would have been found have probably been stolen or destroyed years ago. To acquire new knowledge (and power), a young wizard must adventure.

Lawful: Some wizards have the privilege of serving their community openly in their role as spellcaster. These societies appreciate the benefits that the wizard can offer, but their actions are closely watched. These magic-users are often hyper-vigilant for signs of disallowed magic use. It is both a threat to themselves and the community. Lawful wizards rarely attain high-level power—they are too strongly tied to the community to find new spells and to do so might jeopardize their place in the society.

Chaotic: These wizards are among the most secretive. They know the prejudice that exists towards their kind and they are always watching for betrayal. Their desire for power is strong, but they know that they need the protection of a loyal group while they gather the knowledge. As with rogues, guile, charm and cunning are crucial for survival.

Neutral: It is difficult for wizards to be Neutral as the knowledge they often seek is not natural. They may have to be content that the knowledge they acquire cannot be openly used.

Illusionists

Due to their use of magic that affects intelligent beings, some wilderness campaigns may not be appropriate for illusionists. Illusionists share many of the concerns and motivations as wizards. They choose to use very specific types of arcane power that influence and alter the minds and perceptions of others.

Clerics

Priests may run the church, but clerics spread the faith or defend it from persecution. Often, clerics are seen as the holy warriors of their religion. A deity’s favored weapon in their hands can take on magical properties. Players who choose to play cleric PCs may expand upon any stereotypes of clerics as pacifistic healers.

Lawful: Lawful churches require their clerics to be the most orthodox in their beliefs. A Lawful deity is often a jealous one and less likely to allow their clerics to use their spells to assist non-believers.

Chaotic: Clerics of Chaotic faiths are allowed much greater freedom in the application of their beliefs.

Neutral: Neutral clerics follow deities who advocate universal truths. These patient clerics often take a longer view of faith and belief, knowing that the tenets of their religion are usually proved over time.

Druids

Druids will not be allowed in campaigns that take place primarily in cities.

Druids in this campaign are not defenders of nature, per se, nor do they worship nature. Rather, their study of and/or deep appreciation for the natural world has allowed them to temporarily harness its power in the form of special abilities and spells. They abhor aberrations, the undead and other unnatural creatures.

Lawful: Some druids choose to form druidic circles to further a larger cause. A Lawful druid would live according to the Circle’s strict code.

Chaotic: Chaotic druids use natural powers towards their personal ends. Bonus spells they receive due to high wisdom may not always succeed.

Neutral: Most druids are Neutral. Their acceptance of nature, fate, life and death are total.

Paladins

Because paladins are always Lawful, they may not be appropriate for every party or campaign. It is very difficult for a paladin to serve in a party that does not share or strongly respect their beliefs.

Players with paladin PCs should use the Knight’s Code of Conduct in the PHB to construct their own. Note: the 4th level ability, Divine Mount, has been replaced with the Knight’s Demoralize, which will be received at 4th level.

Bards

Bards in this campaign are related to, but distinct from the music-performing, jack-of-all-trade spellcasters traditionally found elsewhere. They are a kind of legend master who use their brawn, brains and charm to discover ancient and arcane knowledge lost to current civilizations. They are both historian and explorer, information gatherer and storyteller, scholar and weapon wielder. They are not roving actors, poets or musicians who recount the deeds of others and never get bloody themselves.

To clarify what exists in the PHB: the ability to decipher script allows bards an attempt to use arcane scrolls; legend lore will give them a chance not only to identify magic items, but in some cases, use them.

The following changes have been made to the class: bards receive rogues’ traps ability, half-elves’ empathy ability and a new cast runes ability from 1st level. The cast runes ability is dependent on the bard finding runes to learn from and passing an INT check. The bard will no longer receive fascinate at 4th level. A bard’s HD are d8 and not d10. Add whip to weapons. A bard’s XP progression will be adjusted accordingly.

Lawful: A Lawful bard may be tasked with recovering a community’s lost artifacts or treasures. Their work is highly supported by the society because it reinforces group cultural identity.

Chaotic: Chaotic bards use their abilities to find treasure and magical items that suit their personal interests.

Neutral: These bards may be driven to discover life’s universal truths through their explorations. Neutral bards may not be so concerned about who they work with or who they work for in order to further their passion.

Humans are going to be the primary race in our campaigns. Halflings will be also be available as PCs. They live in a symbiotic relationship with humans, though relations aren’t exactly friendly. Humans consider halflings an inferior race and frequently try to employ halflings to do work they’d prefer not to do.

For their part, halflings accept humans’ treatment in exchange for the protection that their civilizations provide. Halflings have survived history’s persecutions by rarely make their true feelings known outside their race. Halflings have developed a secret culture that they express only in private.

Any dwarves and gnomes will require GM approval as these races don’t typically live in human settlements, though occasional contact has been known to happen. Elves haven’t been seen by humans in centuries. They are suspected to exist only in bedtime tales told to children with warnings to be good or the elves will come for you. There exists a strong degree of mistrust (and racism) between the races. All dealings should account for this.

Half-elves and half-orcs (if they exist) would be considered abominations and are reviled by most other races.

As I’ve said elsewhere, Adventurer is a dangerous and misunderstood profession. No matter how difficult their life, the average person does not think to leave what little comfort might exist in their surroundings to seek adventure.

Lawful parties who begin their careers in the service of their home communities will be respected for their bravery. Nevertheless, circumstances must be pretty dire for a society to send out a group of its youngest and ablest members. Parties of other alignments are not generally going to be so well respected in the beginning.

There may be other adventurers in the world, but they will be rare in wilderness campaigns. Explorer and mercenary societies are not going to exist. Adventuring resources are going to be limited. Well-armed and –armored strangers are going to get their share of stares. It may take time to earn the locals’ trust.

PCs should not expect to walk into towns and receive unlimited healing services, stores with magical items on the shelves or patrons who are going to give them jobs. However, because adventuring is so rare, players should be open to unusual opportunities where they appreciate the significance of something that goes over the head of a local.

Urban campaigns will provide more adventuring rivals, but they will still be rare. Anyone who says they are looking to find lost treasures or fight ‘bad guys’, will sound too much like a thief, the city watch or a fool to be trusted. Friends can be found, but remember: good and evil in this campaign are subjective. Everyone fights for 'good' and everyone's enemies are 'evil'.

Age won’t have any important role in the campaigns. Nevertheless, it may be interesting to give your PC an age. For humans, this would fall between 16-27. Note that middle age is 35 years old and it’s rare that the average person lives beyond 55.

Halflings live longer than humans. Middle age is 50 and the average life expectancy is 75. Starting ages should be between 21-40