paizo.com - 0one's Blueprints Backdrops: Headquarters (OGL) PDF

The Great City’s military falls under the command of four generals, appointed every eight years or so from the ranks of commanding officers who have proven themselves to both the senate committee and the current military council. Collectively, all these officers are known as the Kharel, a title once used by the ancient tribesmen, which loosely translates to “warrior without fear of death.” While most of the Kharel own properties elsewhere within the Great City, they spend the majority of their time within the Army Ward training troops, analyzing military data, and developing new strategies. While on duty, members of the Kharel reside at a large two-story complex informally dubbed The Headquarters...

Written by Tim Hitchcock

Note: The original map of the Headquarters appears in 0one's Blueprints: The Great City—Army Ward.

Welcome to 0one's Blueprints Backdrops!

This new set of products is based on 0one Games' popular 0one's Blueprints. In 0one's Blueprints Backdrops, you will find a fully developed version of one of the locations from the Blueprints line. The Backdrop features a complete description of the location, and its NPCs and monsters (if any), penned by one of our talented writers, and portrayed by skillful artists. You also get a simpler version of the map found in Blueprints and a complete detailed 3D map of the location. The 3D view will help you to visualize the area and better describe it to your players. You can even show it to them, if you wish.

The product is suitable for use with any fantasy RPG system. We have separated the d20 stats from the main text, allowing you to print out either a generic description or a fully d20-statted version. But the good stuff is just beginning.

This product takes full advantage of PDF technology, joining old-fashioned style with the most advanced electronic features. Using the exclusive "Rule the Dungeon" feature (look for a big blue and white button–don’t worry, it won’t print) you will be able to fully customize this product. For example, the 3D map can be changed to show only one floor, with or without walls, with or without furniture, or only an external view, and on and on, with many possible combinations!

This product has also been designed to help busy referees prepare adventures—or even single encounters. Instead of spending extra time scaling the encounters to your party, the d20 stats are scaled in three different versions, suitable for low, middle, and high levels of play, using a "Rule the Dungeon" button. This button lets you choose which level to play, changing all relevant text accordingly: monsters will scale, DCs and traps will change, and behaviors of the villains will change, all according to the level of play you choose.

NOTE: you must use Adobe Acrobat 6+ in order to use all the features of this product.

Are there errors or omissions in this product information? Got corrections? Let us know at webmaster@paizo.com.

An RPG Resource Review
Reviewer: Megan Robertson
Sat, Oct 20, 2007, 07:42 AM

Situated in the Army Quarter of the Great City (or, indeed, wherever else in your own campaign world you wish), this is a finely-detailed and palatial military headquarters building with facilities for senior commanders to plan, administrate and socialise. Marred only by rather disorganised text - a good proof-read would have helped - the layout of the building is described in detail, including little snippets about the current crop of senior officers using the place. It should prove easy to describe the various rooms as your players move around it (assuming the numerous guards posted here let them!).

The ground floor has everything you need to run an army - meeting rooms, a library, a fantastic map collection, an armoury, stores and a roomful of clerks busy on administrative tasks. There's also a lounge where the commanders can socialise. It is dominated by the open central area, in which an elaborate 'weather clock' has been constructed of temperature and moisture sensitive glass. Upstairs, a balcony circles the building giving a fine view of the ground floor with most of the rooms providing accommodation for senior officers. They are lucky enough to have an indoors privy, although from the description it sounds as if it is time some of the soldiers drew latrine duty and cleaned it up!

Next comes full descriptions of some of the resident 'characters' such as the librarian and the cartographer, and a few adventure seeds to give your players a reason to call by. The statistics for the residents and guards come separately, to allow for those who wish to substitute another game system without having to pick out flavour text from game mechanics. There's also a new feat, bibliophile, for those who like researching things in books, and a special item called shadowglass - made by dwarf specialists, it is a smoky one-way glass which has been used extensively throughout the building.

Most armies would be quite jealous of these facilities!