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Hey everybody! After enjoying the Scarred Lands setting when it was published in the early 2000s and seeing the successful update of the line through Kickstarter I've got a hankering to run a game in the setting again and I think the Spiragos adventures will be a good way of going about it, since it's an adventure trilogy and not a whole Adventure Path.
The Setting: The Scarred Lands is a semi post-apocalyptic campaign setting set 150 years after the Gods overthrew their parents the capricious and primordial Titans in a catastrophic war known as the Divine War. While the Gods and their followers (the Divine races) were victorious over the Titans and their Titanspawn, the land itself was poisoned and ruined in many places where the battles raged and the Titans' blood rained onto the land. Furthermore, since the Titans are so tightly woven into the fabric of the world, they could not be destroyed outright- only imprisoned or banished. In the years after victory, the Gods announced a Divine Truce to prevent any further destruction on such a grand scale, leaving mortals to mostly sort out their own disagreements. Now the Divine races have returned to rebuilding their nations and renewing their disputes against one another, all while the Titanspawn driven into the wild and remote corners of the world seek methods of freeing their masters or enacting revenge on their persecutors.
This thread is to see if there's enough interest in the setting and the 5th edition rules to run a game here on the boards. I'm choosing 5E because it's the system I'm most comfortable with at this time and because I think that it will provide an easier pbp experience for me to run. I would want 4-5 players, 6 maximum, that are at least familiar with the 5th edition rules. You don't have to own the Scarred Lands player's handbook, just be willing to read up on the basics of the world a little bit.
About me- I've been on the boards for a while, though I mostly stick to online campaigns these days. I'm currently running a Trail of Cthulhu campaign that's going on 2 years next month (so risk of me disappearing is low). As a DM, I try to post at least once a day and err on the side of keeping things moving. If there's enough interest, I'd like to start recruiting at the end of the month or beginning of September should there prove to be enough interested players.
I loved the Scarred Lands setting. Dotting for interest.
Awesome! I remember having a Scarred Lands Bestiary back in the 3.0 days with some pretty gross monsters in it.
It's orientation week at my university, so I can't read up much right now. Next week I should have some time though. If that timing is alright, consider me in.
Also, is this what we should be reading? Scarred Lands
Very interested. I even kickstarted the Scarred Lands 5E book coming out soon. My first 3.0 campaign was run in SL, and I have all the books. Never played the modules however.
Cool! And hey, Atlas- yeah, since the Fallout game we've been running into each other pretty often.
Jam- that is the latest incarnation of the game, yeah. If you don't want to shell out the $20 for the PDF, there's also the old Ghelspad Gazeteer which can give you a short rundown on the continent and the setting. For the most part, I don't think much has changed setting-wise between then and now.
The newest trilogy focuses on Fangsfall and the surrounding peninsula- it's a remote city-state built using materials quarried from the fallen teeth of the Titan Gaurak the Glutton.
As a big fan of 5E, and with interest but little knowledge of the setting, I'll throw my hat in the ring here. (Also, hello to the familiar faces here!)
Cool, looks like we have enough interest to pivot into a recruitment thread. Let me think about character creation guidelines and write up a little 'player's guide' for the setting and I'll post it up here.
Yep...interested...
I am also interested!
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Here is a short player's guide to the campaign and the area where the game is set- character creation stuff will come soonish.
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love this setting. this is the one with hollowfaust, the city of LN necromancers.
Yep, I dropped that city into the Realms, had a few pretty cool encounters there with my PCs a while back. :-)
Man, the scarred lands was an awesome setting. I'm dotting for this.
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Character Creation
Ability Score Generation As a change of pace, I'd like to do 4d6 drop the lowest for ability score generation. If you prefer not to use that, I'm fine with using the point buy method or ability score arrays from the PHB. No stats can be over 18 at level one.
Races Dwarves, elves, halflings, half-elves, half-orcs and humans allowed. The Scarred Lands setting has some adjustments for the core races to give them some setting flavor, which I will detail shortly (mostly as a list of swaps or additions to the SRD descriptions). If you have the Player's Guide and want to play a Redeemed Slitherin or Asaathi character, I'll allow them as well. We'll use the variant human abilities on the SRD since I think that gives humans a boost in terms of uniqueness (and this means we'll be using feats in this campaign).
Classes Core classes and options from the Scarred Lands Player's Guide are allowed as appropriate and we can re-skin things as necessary if there isn't a suggested analog in the campaign setting.
Alignments Any good or neutral alignment is accepted.
I'd like a brief background on your PC, their personality and what brings them to the Fangsfall Peninsula if they aren't originally from there. To work best with the adventure trilogy you should be the type of character that's willing to retrieve Titan artifacts in the interest of destroying them (you don't have to immediately feel that way, but it will help keep the adventures on track while we're playing and prevent "why would my character do that" situations from cropping up).
The action starts at Creagfort in the Bronze Hills. I prefer that you're all acquainted at the start- whether as recent companions/co-workers or old friends is up to you.
My suggestion for why you're in the remote mining settlement is that your party was hired by a group of refugees to escort them there: since entrance to the city itself is often held up in days long lines and checkpoints, a few families pooled their meager resources to pay your party to escort them north where they might be able to find work in the mines near Creagfort. We'll open with you finishing off that job only to be presented with a new opportunity.
Quick question, can we just use 3e sourcebooks for flavor as I don't have any new books (I know we are using 5E for builds).
You sure can! The setting hasn't changed drastically- Hollowfaust is still around, Calastia is still in a hot/cold war with Vesh and Burok Torn, the Forsaken elves are still forsaken etc.
You sure can! The setting hasn't changed drastically- Hollowfaust is still around, Calastia is still in a hot/cold war with Vesh and Burok Torn, the Forsaken elves are still forsaken etc.
Great!
I once ran a Cleric of Chardun that was constantly trying to convert PCs and NPCs alike. Fun times!
This time around I think I'll submit a Human or Forsaken Elf Wizard (Necromancer) from Hollowfaust.
I'll dig out my books and out together a submission over the weekend. From next Monday to the Monday after I'll be away and off the boards just an FYI.
The dice roller hates me so I'll probably just use the point buy method.
Woo! Hoo! Elven (Ganjus) Cleric of Belsameth (Arcana) and ex pirate incoming.
14
14
14
12
13
13
Well nothing outstanding, but nothing sucky as well.
STR 12 12 +1
DEX 14+2 16 +3
CON 14 14 +2
INT 13 13 +1
WIS 14+1 15 +2
CHA 13 13 +1
Sounds interesting. I'll read the player's guide and see if I can come up with something.
Not bad. 17, 14, 13, 12, 12, 9
Race Adjustments
Dwarf
The only changes to the dwarf base race is replacing Dwarven Combat Training with Dwarven Armor Training: You have proficiency with light and medium armor.
Sub-races
Charduni Dwarves Originally from the continent of Termana to the South, at their apex before the Divine War the Charduni Empire ruled a vast amount of Ghelspad before their decline. As the name suggests, Charduni dwarves revere Chardun but they are not a universally evil race. They have a brutally strict hierarchical society with social mobility only accomplished through conquest, violence or political cunning. Slavery (especially of non-Charduni) is widely practiced but like Chardun himself, the Charduni do not treat their slaves cruelly without good reason, nor do they tolerate such behavior from their peers.
Charduni have dark or ruddy skin, usually some shade of charcoal gray with just a hint of reddish or amber; they have light-colored hair ranging from pure white to dirty blonde. Their eyes range from flint grey to dark hazel.
Ability score increase Your Strength score increases by 1.
Charduni combat training You have proficiency with the light hammer, warhammer, warscepter and spiked chain.
Dense Flesh Your hit point maximum increases by 1 and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.
Kelder Dwarves The majority of dwarves on Ghelspad trace their roots to the Kelder Mountains and the city-state of Burok Torn currently besieged by the forces of King Virduk of Calastia. Kelder dwarves often worship their hero-god Goran, though you can find them amongst almost every god's worshippers.
Ability Score Increase Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Dwarven combat training You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer and warhammer.
Steadfast You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed and frightened.
Elf
In addition to the default elf racial traits, elves in the Scarred Lands gain the following traits.
Elf Poise When you select skill proficiencies from your class during character creation, add Acrobatics and Persuasion to your list of options.
Tattoo Mystic You have proficiency in tattooist's supplies. You can activate one magic tattoo you possess one extra time per day without completing a rest, provided that tattoo can be used again after you complete a short or long rest.
Subraces
Forsaken Elves Far away on the northern side of the continent of Termana, the Forsaken Elves fought against the Charduni Empire for thousands of years. The elves were skilled both in martial pursuits and arcane knowledge, blessed with the wisdom of their learned god. The Divine War brought all of that crumbling down, however, after the Titan Chern fled south toward Termana. Legions of elves struck out at the Titan, only for Chern to loose his plagues upon them- the Forsaken elves' own god being betrayed by his Herald after succumbing to Chern's mind-altering sickness. The Elves slew Chern, but their god and his name are lost to them forever. Furthermore, the lingering curse of Chern has left 99 out of 100 Forsaken elves infertile.
Ability score increase Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Elf weapon training You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow and longbow.
Darkvision (30 ft.) Forsaken elves are accustomed to working and traveling at night in dark forests.
Chern's Curse You have advantage on saving throws against disease. However, there is a 99 percent chance that you are infertile and even if you aren't your offspring are very likely to be born with some birth defect, should they even survive birth.
Languages You can speak, read and write Elduran (the modern Termana dialect of High Elvish) as well as any two other common, exotic or old languages.
Ganjus Elves Denev's most beloved creations, the wood elves can be found far and wide across Ghelspad in small numbers but only in the Ganjus Forest and their nation of Vera-Tre beneath its boughs can they be found most commonly. While the wood elves remain on good terms with the rest of the Divine Races, they tend to be wary of former titanspawn like the asaathi and ironbred.
Ability score increase Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Speed Your speed increases to 35 feet.
Darkvision 30 ft. Ganjus elves are accustomed to working and traveling at night in dark forests.
Ganjus combat training You have proficiency with the longbow, quarterstaff, shortbow and spear.
Natural stealth You have proficiency in the Stealth skill. In addition, you can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist and other natural phenomena.
Language You can speak Elvish and any one other language.
Races continued
Halflings A largely rootless people with a lost history, halflings throughout Ghelspad are used to keeping their heads down and staying underfoot among the larger races. King Virduk's overtures to found an halfling homeland in Virduk's Promise has lead to many of the small folk signing up for indentured servitude and military contracts with the Calastians for status as full citizens and all the accompanying rights. A small number remain skeptical of Virduk's overtures and see only his ruthless exploitation of their hopes. Some halfling travelers pay homage to Enkili or Tanil, while many communities have altars to Madriel. In the Heteronomy of Virduk, the halfling hero god Hwyrdd is revered alongside Hedrada.
In addition to the SRD Halfling racial traits, halflings in the Scarred Lands receive the following:
Halfling Combat Training Halflings are proficient with the blowgun, dart, sling and spear.
Halfling stealth You can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.
Halfling talent When you select skill proficiencies from your class during character creation, add Acrobatics, Deception, Persuasion and Stealth to your list of choices.
Languages You speak Ledean (Common) as well as one other language.
Half-elves and Half-orcs These two races remain largely unchanged from their SRD entries, though Half-Orcs may replace Menacing with Unobtrusive- you gain proficiency in the Deception skill.
I'll leave recruiting open until Monday September 4th, 6 pm U.S. Eastern time and choose 5 or 6 players after that.
A note before anyone makes an alias, just in case it's a sticking point: I don't plan on using battle maps for combat, preferring a theater of the mind approach. Since attacks of opportunity are simplified in 5E, I think it's easier to approach the game that way and it allows me to avoid the extra labor of updating a map for every combat round. I will put up visual aids when they're helpful and if there's a misunderstanding I'm happy to retcon for the sake of fairness. Hopefully that's cool with everybody.
Rolling? Now I'm definitely interested!
Alright, that's certainly a solid array. I'll need to think about what to build and play.
4d6
4d6
4d6
4d6
4d6
4d6
I have 18 17 17 14 10 and 3
Can I turn one of my 17's into a ten and the 3 into a ten. Or even two 8s.
You can bump the 17 down to a 10 and the 3 up to a 10.
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6
15
15
18
11
15
wow a 6
now this makes for some interesting RP possibilities
Keegan, where do half-orc barbarians usually come from in the Scarred Lands?
just watched this Youtube video about the russian mafia and a guy called the machine, and though my character is a barbarian i see him speaking like a russian ganster, which would warrant a Charisma 6
Keegan, you might like this.
11
13
17
10
9
7
Quick question: How do you feel about unearthed arcana or other WOTC supplements (like the sword coast adventurer's guide or elemental evil companion?)
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Of course he can. He won't be smart, or use long words, but 6 Int is fine. Ogres have 5 for example.
I loved this post here describing low-int character.
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Nice. Get ready for The Unchained
Background and Appearance
Background: The Unchained’s earliest memory is that of being branded with the mark of his master, who deemed him fit only to do farmwork. Years of hard toil strengthened his body and his master considered selling him to the arena for sport. But that did not happen as fate intervened and a beast out of the wilds emerged to slaughter his master, his family, his guards, his servants, and his slaves, all except The Unchained who shattered his bonds and broke the beast’s back.
Thereafter, he left his former master’s estate and went on to become a monster hunter, offering his service to mostly poor communities beneath the concern of their distant overlords. The people call him The Unchained on account of this rusted chains dangling broken about his body.
Appearance: The Unchained is a large, grime-stained half-orc. His former owner’s mark is branded on his forehead. Rusty, broken chains dangle from his neck and wrist. No armor hides his muscled physique and the only protection he carries shield on his left arm. A longsword is strapped across his back ready to be drawn at a moment’s notice.
4d6 11
4d6 13
4d6 17
4d6 10
4d6 9
4d6 7Quick question: How do you feel about unearthed arcana or other WOTC supplements (like the sword coast adventurer's guide or elemental evil companion?)
I'll consider Unearthed Arcana stuff and I actually prefer the UA Ranger rebuild WoTC put out a few months ago. I don't have access to my Sword Coast book right now, but let me know what you're looking at and I'll think it over. The campaign companions I'm less inclined to go for since they're made with a specific campaign in mind that isn't this one.
4d6 6
4d6 15
4d6 15
4d6 18
4d6 11
4d6 15wow a 6
now this makes for some interesting RP possibilities
Keegan, where do half-orc barbarians usually come from in the Scarred Lands?
just watched this Youtube video about the russian mafia and a guy called the machine, and though my character is a barbarian i see him speaking like a russian ganster, which would warrant a Charisma 6
Keegan, you might like this.
Half-orcs are spread out all over. The main orc population is far to the northeast in the Plains of Lede, but given that half-orcs are social outcasts for the most part they tend to bounce around. Dunahnae northwest of Fangsfall is a great choice for where your character could be from- it's a mostly human and charduni dwarf country that worships Chardun and keeps slaves. A half-orc would be very prized as humans and halflings make up most of the slave population.
I would like to make a Chardun worshipping mystic who uses his power to control people (specifically would be going order of the avatar).
Would you allow revised College of Swords Bard?
Interesting setting, 5e ruleset and rolling for stats?
Biting so hard I suffered damage.
= 8
= 16
= 16
= 9
= 15
= 11
Hi James! I need to have a look at the setting in a bit more depth, but I'd like to submit a character.
Working on a Lore Bard who collects and retells lore about the Divine War. We'll see if I can come up with something that catches me.
Let me know if you have more on half-elves. I thought I might be a bastard son of a noble. Does that make sense? Would Noble be a fitting background, or do you have something else to suggest?
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here is the rough crunch for my submission. I hope it is ok.
Rook the Hooded
Human Fighter 1
Medium humanoid, neutral
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 13 (1d10+3)
Speed 30 ft.
STR 14 (+2), DEX 17 (+3), CON 16 (+3), INT 13 (+1), WIS 14 (+2), CHA 11 (+0)
Feats Sharpshooter
Saving Throws Str +4, Con +5
Skills Athletics +4, Perception +4, Persuasion +2, Stealth +5, Survival +4
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Giant
Actions
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 150 ft./600 ft., one target.
Hit: 1d8+3 piercing damage.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 1d8+2 slashing damage or 1d10+2 slashing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 3 bludgeoning damage.
Equipment Longbow, Longsword, studded leather, backpack, bedroll, mess kit, rations (10), rope, hempen (50 feet), tinderbox, torch (10), waterskin, 50 gp
I'm building an Elven Cleric of Arcana if that works (Or magic in the Scarred lands book).
Came from a normal cultured Ganjus (Wood Elf) who was kidnapped by pirates, and kept as a laborer. Met a cleric of Belsameth, who converted him to the worship of the Goddess. Live became much easier after this conversion, so he took up the worship of this goddess, and has found his calling... unfortunately he crossed the wrong pirate captain, and is now on the run... What better place to hide out then in the hills away from the sea.
He is a lightly armored cleric who fights with a dagger and shortsword, and his magic. Athletic, Acrobatic, and reliable if not always predictable.
I would like to make a Chardun worshipping mystic who uses his power to control people (specifically would be going order of the avatar).
I'm not a huge fan of adding another whole class with unique rules to the game, and the concept skirts evil alignment too much for me. So I'm going to say no on the mystic.
Keegan - I was looking at making a human arcane archer. Will that fit within your story? He will probably go rogue after 4th level to pickup sneak attack...and maybe assassin as archetype. Will work background to reflect this, if allowed. Thanks
I'll allow the revised arcane archer for submission.