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Welcome to a Land in Shadows. The Gods are distant powers. There are hidden worlds, magic is real, and mortals live many lives.
Science and technology have made great strides (clockworks, steam power, railroads, firearms, etc), despite the world being filled with terrible monsters.
And last and certainly not least - the Empire burns as the shadow of the Demon Lord spreads across the lands. As the Demon Lord's influence grows stronger, the fabric of sanity subtly fades.
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Welcome to Shadow of the Demon Lord, a dark and gritty fantasy horror. This system is an amalgamation of Warhammer Fantasy and D&D 5e. Written by Robert Schwalb and published by Schwalb Entertainment.
I'm Elsine. Hi. I’ll be GMing!
In this game, we will watch people rise from humble beginnings to try to challenge the horrors of the night… or die trying. You do not have to own the book. You do not have to know how to play. Its a fairly intuitive system, and I’ll walk you through it
Character death should be expected, although through clever play and a bit of luck, you may survive. My first game had zero deaths! You could survive, too.
• If this is your first time playing Demon Lord with me, start at Spoiler 1, below.
• If you do not own the Core Book, proceed to Spoiler 2.
First, you start as a Level 0 Character, choosing only your race and background. Next, it's even simpler, with uncontested challenges being Pass, Fail, at DC 10. There are no skills; instead you have professions which grants an area of knowledge that you can apply during the game. There is no alignment in this game, though Corruption does serve that purpose somewhat
Dice: The only dice used in this game are a d20 and a d6. (and a d3, but that’s only two dice-shapes IRL)
Ability Scores: Your race determines your ability scores, and you can modify them by a single instance of +1 for -1. (i.e. I could decide I want an extra clever changeling, and downgrade my Will by 1 (to 9) to up my Intellect by 1 (to 1))
Classes and Levels: After each adventure, you level up. At Level 1, you pick your Novice Class (Warrior, Rogue, Wizard, Priest). At Level 3, you pick your Expert Class (one of 16, no pre-reqs), and at Level 7 you pick your Master Class (one of 64, no pre-reqs). Having no pre-reqs means you can hyper-focus or mix and match as you see fit. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, and all classes are fairly well balanced. You can't make a bad choice, so play what sounds fun.
While there are no pre-reqs for picking a class, the classes you choose should be based on the story and the actions you took during play. If you spent the entire game hitting things with a big stick and not attempting or engaging in any magic whatsoever, then you'd need a really good reason why you chose "Wizard" for your class. If you talk with me a little about a path you want, I will find a way to introduce some hooks for you.
Hit Points: Are called Health in this game. They are gained by Race and Class. Unconscious is called "Incapacitated." That's your 0 HP mark. Taking damage equal to your max HP in one hit is instant death. Otherwise you roll Fate Rolls (d6) which have a chance to heal, pass out, or die. You also have a Healing Rate. This is how much you heal after a night’s rest, a healing potion, or some special ability or spell.
Skills: Skills don't exist in this game as defined by D&D or Pathfinder. Instead, you have Professions. Whenever you think your profession can aid you in a task, ask me about it. You'll add one or more Boons to your roll, if they don’t let you succeed outright.
Boons and Banes: During play, difficulty will be set by a Bane and advantages by a Boon. They're a d6, and they add or subtract to your d20 roll. They cancel each other out, but they stack (3 Bane and 4 Boon = 1 Boon total). When stacking, you only pick the highest roll, you don't add the rolls together.
Ability Scores: Strength, Agility, Intellect, Will. That's it! Your starting set is determined by your race, modified slightly by you as detailed above. Your class then modifies it further as you level. Your ability Score Modifier is “Ability Score - 10.” So an 11 Strength is +1, 12 is +2, and so on.
Insanity: This determines how psychologically instable you are, and as you gain lots of it you could develop quirks or even go Mad. Insanity increases when you see something horrific and you fail a Will challenge roll.
Corruption: This is gained by doing evil things, learning evil Traditions of magic, or learning evil spells. Increased corruption can physically alter your appearance, and enough of it can make it so you auto die when you become incapacitated (0 HP). These are called Marks of Darkness.
Power Score: This determines what level spell you can cast, and how many times per day you can cast it. It's gained by picking up spell casting classes.
Rolls: These are either opposed or not. If opposed, its an attack roll targeting a stat on someone else (for example, lying to someone is likely an intellect attack against an opponent’s intellect). Unopposed are like skill checks or ability checks, and are either Auto Pass, Auto Fail, or DC 10. There's no other DC than 10, ever, though a task may have associated Boons or Banes
For anything else, please ask. Or we'll go over the rule as needed in game. :)
Proceed to Spoiler 2.
Follow these steps:
Pick a race: Human, Changeling, Clockwork, Dwarf, Goblin, or Orc
Your race will determine your starting stats, with some modification by you.
Roll randomly to get background, appearance, and other starting characteristics as described. I encourage you to use what you roll, but I’ll be flexible, and let you “Nudge” the die +-1, so you don’t get a character you absolutely hate.
If you don't have the book, I'll tell you what results you get (if it is a d20 roll, it will likely b 3 choices, with the one you’ve actually rolled Bolded.) If you do, feel free to look them up on your own
If this game starts at higher than Level 0, then do all this first and the instructions for your other levels will come later.
If you want a Human, proceed to Spoiler 3.
If you want a Changeling, proceed to Spoiler 4.
If you want a Clockwork, proceed to Spoiler 5.
If you want a Dwarf, proceed to Spoiler 6.
If you want a Goblin, proceed to Spoiler 7.
If you want an Orc, proceed to Spoiler 8.
If you're not sure, roll a d6.
Ability Score: S10, A10, I10, W10. +1 to one. (You may also take a -1 for a +1, once).
Perception = Intellect
Defense = Agility
Health = Strength
Healing Rate = 1/4 Health (round down)
Size: 1/2 or 1
Speed: 10
Power: 0
Damage: 0
Insanity: 0
Corruption: 0
Languages and Professions: Common (speak only), +1 additional spoken language OR one random profession (1d6, then 1d20)
Background: Roll 1d20
Personality: Roll 3d6
Religion: Roll 3d6
Age: Roll 3d6
Build: Roll 3d6
Appearance: Roll 3d6
Profession 1: 1d6, then 1d20
Profession 2: 1d6, then 1d20
Lifestyle: 3d6
Interesting Thing: 1d6, then 1d20
Personality Traits: Roll 4d20, then pick one positive and one negative from the results.
Write up a story or explanation for how all these fit together (this can be done before or after the Questionnaire). This does not need to be more than a paragraph.
Go to Spoiler 10 - Questionnaire and answer the questions.
Faerie create changelings to conceal the absence of children they steal. They construct a changeling from natural materials and use magic to give it the appearance of the missing child. The magic often fades after a few weeks, but sometimes it lingers and lets the changeling grow up to become a real person.
Many Masks: Changelings can use their magical natures to adopt the forms of anyone they see. They assume different forms to conceal their true natures, forms most deem hideous and unsettling. When stripped of their disguises, changelings look like humanoids formed from dirt, sticks, and rocks, with glowing green eyes set in otherwise featureless faces. Changelings in their natural forms stand 5 feet tall and weigh 90 pounds.
Changeable Identities: Constantly changing identities has a deleterious effect on changeling personalities. Most mimic the attitudes and outlooks of the people around them, having no particular views themselves or, if they have them, burying them so deep they cannot remember who they started out being or what they hope to become.
Ability Score: S9, A10, I10, W10. (You may take a -1 for +1, once).
Perception = Intellect + 1
Defense = Agility
Health = Strength
Healing Rate = 1/4 Health (round down)
Size: 1
Speed: 10
Power: 0
Damage: 0
Insanity: 0
Corruption: 0
Languages and Professions: Common (speak only)
Immune: Damage from disease; charmed, diseased
Iron Vulnerability: You are impaired while in contact with iron.
Shadowsight: You see into areas obscured by shadows as if those areas were lit.
Steal Identity: You can use an action to alter your appearance to match that of a target living creature you can see within short range. The target must be Size 1 or 1/2 and have a humanoid shape of flesh and blood. Your body changes so you look like the target, though your clothing and possessions remain unchanged. The effect lasts until you use this talent again. If you become incapacitated or touch an object made from iron, you immediately revert to your normal appearance.
True Age: Roll 3d6
Apparent Gender: Roll 1d6
Apparent Ancestry: Roll 3d6
Background: Roll 1d20
Changeling Quirk: Roll 1d20
Personality: Roll 3d6
Profession 1: 1d6, then 1d20
Profession 2: 1d6, then 1d20
Lifestyle: 3d6
Interesting Thing: 1d6, then 1d20
Personality Traits: Roll 4d20, pick one positive and one negative from the results.
Write up a story or explanation for how all these fit together (this can be done before or after the Questionnaire). This does not need to be more than a paragraph.
Go to Spoiler 10 - Questionnaire and answer the questions
Ability Score: S9, A8, I9, W9 (You may take a -1 for a +1, once).
Perception = Intellect
Defense = 13
Health = Strength
Healing Rate = 1/4 Health (round down)
Size: 1
Speed: 8
Power: 0
Damage: 0
Insanity: 0
Corruption: 0
Languages and Professions: Common (speak only)
Immunities: Damage from Disease and Poison, asleep, diseased, fatigued, and poisoned conditions
Key: You have a key on you somewhere that you can't reach. When it is cranked and turning, you count as a creature and can move and make actions. When it stops, you become an object and cannot move or act (or perceive or talk, it's in "OFF" mode). Your key stops turning when you become incapacitated. It also stops turning at the end any round in which you get a total of 0 or lower on any attack roll or challenge roll. Any creature within reach can spend an action to turn the key and activate you. If you are not incapacitated, you become a creature once more. If you are, roll a d6; on a 4 or higher heal 1 point if damage and become a creature at the end of the round (3 or less does nothing).
Mechanical Body: You do not eat, drink, breathe, or age. You cannot be transformed into an undead. You cannot swim (you sink).
Repairing Damage: When you're a creature, you heal as any creature. If you're an object, any creature can repair you with a tool kit. At the end of each 4 hours of work, that creature makes an Intellect roll with 1 Bane. On a success, you heal damage equal to your healing Rate.
Age: Roll 3d6
Purpose: Roll 3d6
Form: Roll 3d6 (determine shape, size, and weight)
Appearance: Roll 3d6
Background: Roll 1d20
Personality: Roll 3d6
Profession 1: 1d6, then 1d20
Profession 2: 1d6, then 1d20
Lifestyle: 3d6
Interesting Thing: 1d6, then 1d20
Personality Traits: Roll 4d20, pick one positive and one negative from the results.
Write up a story or explanation for how all these fit together (this can be done before or after the Questionnaire). This does not need to be more than a paragraph.
Go to Spoiler 10 - Questionnaire and answer the questions.
Things about dwarves: The beard is the thing, for men and women. They're short but dense (physically, but probably also mentally). They're dour and suspicious.
Ability Score: S10, A9, I10, W10 (You may take a -1 for a +1, once).
Perception = Intellect + 1
Defense = Agility
Health = Strength + 4
Healing Rate = 1/4 Health (round down)
Size: 1/2
Speed: 8
Power: 0
Damage: 0
Insanity: 0
Corruption: 0
Languages and Professions: Common (speak only), Dwarven (speak, read/write)
Darksight: You can see in areas obscured by shadows and darkness within Medium Range as if they were lit. Beyond this distance, you treat Darkness as Shadows, and you treat Shadows as Lit.
Hated Creature: You have a creature you hate, which grants you 1 Boon on all attack rolls vs that creature type.
Robust Constitution: You take half damage from poison, and you make challenge rolls with 1 Boon to avoid or remove poison.
Age: Roll 3d6
Build: Roll 3d6
Appearance: Roll 3d6
Hated Creature: Roll 1d20
Background: Roll 1d20
Personality: Roll 3d6
Profession 1: 1d6, then 1d20
Profession 2: 1d6, then 1d20
Lifestyle: 3d6
Interesting Thing: 1d6, then 1d20
Personality Traits: Roll 4d20, pick one positive and one negative from the results.
Write up a story or explanation for how all these fit together (this can be done before or after the Questionnaire). This does not need to be more than a paragraph.
Go to Spoiler 10 - Questionnaire and answer the questions.
Goblins have Bizarre and Varied Appearance, and have weird habits.
Ability Score: S8, A12, I10, W9. (You may take a -1 for a +1, once).
Perception = Intellect +1
Defense = Agility
Health = Strength
Healing Rate = 1/4 Health (round down)
Size: 1/2
Speed: 10
Power: 0
Damage: 0
Insanity: 0
Corruption: 0
Languages and Professions: Common (speak only) and Elvish (speak only)
Immune: Damage from disease; charmed, diseased
Iron Vulnerability: You are impaired while you are in contact with iron.
Shadowsight: You see in areas obscured by shadows as if those areas were lit.
Sneaky: When you roll to become hidden or move silently, you make the Agility challenge roll with 1 boon.
Age: Roll 3d6
Build: Roll 3d6
Distinct Appearance: Roll 1d20
Odd Habit: Roll 1d20
Background: Roll 1d20
Personality: Roll 3d6.
Profession 1: 1d6, then 1d20
Profession 2: 1d6, then 1d20
Lifestyle: 3d6
Interesting Thing: 1d6, then 1d20
Personality Traits: Roll 4d20, then pick one positive and one negative from the results.
Write up a story or explanation for how all these fit together (this can be done before or after the Questionnaire). This does not need to be more than a paragraph.
Go to Spoiler 10 - Questionnaire and answer the questions.
Mighty, threatening figures, orcs tower over humans. Most have thick, coarse hair covering their bodies. Some shave their body hair into lewd or grotesque patterns to accentuate their fearsome look. Blotchy skin, bone white to nearly black, blistered and scarred from flaws in the magic that made them gives them a ghastly appearance aided in part by their brutish, exaggerated features. Most orcs have short pug noses and wide mouths filled with sharp teeth and a tusk or two. Orcs stand 6 to 8 feet tall and weigh 200 to 600 pounds.
Ability Score: S11, A10, I9, W9. (You may take a -1 for a +1, once).
Perception = Intellect +1
Defense = Agility
Health = Strength
Healing Rate = 1/4 Health (round down)
Size: 1
Speed: 12
Power: 0
Damage: 0
Insanity: 0
Corruption: 1
Languages and Professions: Common (speak only) and Dark Tongue (speak only)
Shadowsight: You see in areas obscured by shadows as if those areas were lit.
Age: Roll 3d6
Build: Roll 3d6
Appearance: Roll 3d6
Background: Roll 1d20
Personality: Roll 3d6
Profession 1: 1d6, then 1d20
Profession 2: 1d6, then 1d20
Lifestyle: 3d6
Interesting Thing: 1d6, then 1d20
Personality Traits: Roll 4d20, then pick one positive and one negative from the results.
Write up a story or explanation for how all these fit together (this can be done before or after the Questionnaire). This does not need to be more than a paragraph.
Go to Spoiler 10 - Questionnaire and answer the questions.
Once you have all that, now you must Answer the following Questions (you may choose to do this after you know the results of all the randomness above).
1) How do others make you feel? Do you like being the center of attention or being left alone; is there such a thing as a stranger to you or do you even know what it's like to have a friend. Things like that.
2) Name one thing you value most. Then name one thing you could lose. These could be ideals, physical possessions, relationships, etc..
3) What do you fear? What do you hate?
4) What do you desire? What do you love?
5) You have (at least) one secret. What is it?
6) Have you done something Notable? What was it?
7) Are you in charge or do you let others take that roll? Do you rebuke authority or revel in it?
8) Do you follow through on your promises and obligations? Or do you delay or avoid? Do you feel guilty when you don't uphold them?
9) What are your opinions on Good and Evil? Do they exist? Or is it all shades of Grey? Where do you see yourself?
Put the following in specific fields as designated, adjusting as needed for your PC:
Race Field: Gender* Ancestry* Path Level | S10, A10, I10, W10 | HP 10\10 | D10 | Move: 10 | Insanity: | Corruption: | Fortune: No | Status: Normal
*If you’re a changeling, put Current Identity: Gender Ancestry. You may also include a name if you plan on changing names a lot.
Occupation: List of Professions. Ex: Academic (War), Martial (Refugee)
All other fields: Fill in as you like.
So based on that, I request that all players strive for the following:
Be Excellent to Each Other this is just “don’t be a dick”. Please refrain from using IRL slurs, don’t belittle or mock each other (or me). Keep the vibe kind.
Posting Rate. so, I’d like us all to strive for 1+ per day. But I’ll be real, this is 2020, s!!& is constantly happening. And unfortunately, 16-hour days at work are becoming a bad habit for me. So I’ll ask everyone, myself included, commit to once every two days
Give a Heads Up. If you can't post for a period of time - even if it is one day - please tell us! I don’t need to know what’s going on, if you don’t want to say, just a simple “not gonna be able to post today” or ‘This weekend is nuts, please Bot”. its a nice courtesy, and helps us all keep momentum
Emotions. Your posts should include the emotions of your characters. How are they feeling at that moment in time? Even if you only have a one liner, please include one emotion in the line. PBP games don’t translate the horror genre very well, so including emotional descriptions in your posts will go a long way to help with the environment of this game.
Don’t wait for others to make a decision. I'd prefer it if we weren't all waiting on someone else to make the decision to do something. I’ll play by the “2 people in agreement” rule, where as soon as I see two players agree to a course of action for the group, that’s the direction we’ll go in game. If people start stalling, I'll make Something Bad Happen in game, just so we can bring interest back into the game.
Quitting the Game. It’s ok to quit. Any reason is acceptable. Just give us a notice so we’re not waiting on you. Maybe you’re too busy with life, maybe you don’t like the system, maybe you don't like me. It’s ok. Any reason is ok. I can handle criticism and I will accept literally any reason for why you want to leave the game. Just be mature, be an adult, and let the group know you’re bowing out. Just please don’t disappear
Lines. Horror, as a Genre, inherently lives in a place that’s close to the edge of acceptable for a lot of people. The descriptions are meant to make us a little uncomfortable, the atmosphere should feel tense and anxious. That said, I have no interest in actually making anyone experience anything more than fun, adrenaline-y, horror movie dread. So If we have “Hard No” on any content, PM me, or mention it in the discussion.
Lastly, this is a horror fantasy game. Role-play appropriately. :)
Thanks, and I hope we all can have fun!
I'm looking for 3-5 Players.
I absolutely adore Shadow of the Demon Lord and would like to see if I could bring back a character that I had played in my first game.
Cynerik Salt is a refugee escaping the terrors crossing over the land. He is currently 1st level and is a priest, having discovered his faith in Astrid. I'd pull him back to his starting stats as a somewhat broken wanderer and see what happens this time.
If you rather I roll for someone brand new, I'll keep the name and stay a human but I'll reroll everything else. That stuff is all down below. Let me know which you prefer.
= The faerie held you prisoner for years.
= You try to do what you think is right, even if it breaks laws and social conventions.
= You follow the tenets of the Old Faith.
= You are a young adult, 18 to 35 years old.
= You are short.
= You are plain and uninteresting to look upon. People notice you, but your appearance fails to make an impression.
= Religious; Street Preacher
= Common; Artisan
= Wilderness; Outlaw
= Getting By
= A black iron cauldron filled with bones.
= Fair & Surly
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I have skimmed through the Core rulebook but have never actually played. I'd be delighted to roll a Clockwork gunslinger/tactician of some sort...maybe the spirit of an orc rebel who was bound into their new mechanical form as a cruel punishment.
For work reasons I won't be able to get a character finished tonight, but would by end-of-week be okay?
I can't resist new-to-me systems. I'll take a look at the rule book...
@KingHotTrash
I won't say no to bringing back an old fave, though... the guy who had half his life stolen by the Sidhe does sound fun... :)
@CrusaderWolf
I love the idea, though, again, I encourage rolling, because it's fun to see where the story goes. and if you can be one of the first 5 in, I'd love to have you.
@Daniel Stewart
I think I actually saw you in the thread I got the big intro from (with permission). When you feel like it, throw down some dice!
Hello! Thank you for inviting me. Glad to see another GM for this game on the boards.
I've got a character concept I rolled up a while back that I would love to be able to try out, if that's ok with you. I used the clockwork supplement Ghost in the Machine and rolled up a quadruped clockwork "hound." I can remake a lot of the random rolls for the rest of the PC, but I really wanted to try the base concept. Would something like that be ok?
For those who do have other books, would other races be approved, or should we stick with the core book? Was thinking specifically about a faun or sylph.
As with most new systems, I have too many ideas to settle on one!
So, I'll roll everything!
[/ooc]Male [/ooc]
[/ooc]Orc [/ooc]
Definitely curious about this. What I've read so far sounds quite interesting.
Orc.
Adolescent, 8-12 years old.
Thin.
Ugly.
You caught the rot and lost your nose and ears.
You take care of yourself, take what you want, do what you want.
Wilderness, Pioneer.
(Same roll: rerolled) Common, Servant or Valet.
Getting by.
A pair of spectacles that sometimes let you see through up to 1 inch of solid rock.
(then pick one positive and one negative from the results) Forgiving, Deceitful.
I will work on those results to see if I can weave them into an interesting character.
@BookRat, Yorick
I don't have the books that have either of those (though, Ghosts is $3 on DTRPG, so I may pick it up) Which book are sylphs/Fauns from?
though, also, maybe we should try to keep it a little more grounded, as a dark fantasy. So I think maybe we should just go with the Core ancestries, at least to start.
Which book are sylphs/Fauns from?
though, also, maybe we should try to keep it a little more grounded, as a dark fantasy. So I think maybe we should just go with the Core ancestries, at least to start.
Faun and Halfling are in Demon Lord's Companion and Demon Lord's Companion Vol 2 has Ferren (catfolk), Dryads, Molekins, Naga, Slyphs, and Yerath (bug-people), but yeah, that's totally understandable!
Fauns and Halflings were originally part of the core book, but got trimmed out due to page space. Everything in Demon Lords Companion (the first one) was originally intended to be a part of the core rules.
I wouldn't recommend Sylphs. They're one of the few broken (strong) PC choices in the game.
As for my clockwork idea, I'm perfectly happy to keep to the core book - would I be able to take that same clockwork shape, even though it's not an option for core?
"You have a quadruped shape, about 4 feet long, 3 feet high at the shoulder, and weigh 200 pounds. Your forelegs end in functional hands. Increase any two different attributes by 1 and your Speed by 4."
If not, it's totally cool. I can come up with something else. :)
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OK, looking to play a recently freed Orc slave. Let's see what the rolls have in store for him (or her!)
Age: Adolescent (12 years old)
Build: Short
Appearance: Ugly
Background: Spent years in a fighting Pit
Personality: Takes care of self, does what he wants and takes what he wants
Profession 1:, then Criminal-Cultist
Profession 2: , then Academic - Navigator
Lifestyle: Getting by
Interesting Thing: , then A bottle filled with a maiden's tears
Personality Traits: Roll , then pick one positive and one negative from the results. Unfriendly (Neg.), Fair (Pos.)
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@Yorik
Okay, looking at the companion, I'll say Halflings and Fauns fit the mood very well. so go for it. But I think the whole "Fantasy kitchen sink" vibe I'm getting from two makes me inclined to disallow it,.
@bookrat
Seems reasonable
and for players who want to play a Faun/Halfling, now that they are on the table
Elves and the other fair folk withdrew from the mortal world long ago, but in their wake they left behind humans altered by contact with the immortal faerie. Chance encounters with the capricious and mercurial fey shattered lives with madness, broken hearts, and in some cases, offspring. Centuries later, the influence of faerie can still be felt in the deep wilderness, where doorways yet stand to the Hidden Kingdoms of Alfheim, Niflheim, and other magical realms populated by immortals. In such feytouched places dwell fey-touched creatures—some true descendants, others warped by magic—known as fauns.
• Animal Features: People can mistake fauns for beastmen, and for good reason, since fauns combine human physical traits with those of goats. Unlike beastmen, which are mortals corrupted and twisted by demonic influence, fauns owe their distinctive appearance to traces of faerie blood in their veins or, at the very least, the influence of faerie magic on the body. The connection to the immortals gives a faun shaggy legs with cloven hooves and small horns sprouting from the forehead. Faun features combine the traits of human and animal, reminiscent of both but belonging, truly, to neither.
Most fauns stand 4-1/2 feet tall and weigh about 110 pounds. Although they have the same range of coloration as humans do, fauns tend to be swarthy, with brown or black fur from their navels down to their hooves. Their horns usually grow up to a few inches long, though a few fauns have horns that can spiral a foot or more in length.
• Mixed Heritage: As offspring of faerie and human, fauns are a people entirely separate from both. They have traits from these peoples, yet fauns are neither faerie nor human. An unusual appearance and otherworldly nature make fauns unwelcome in most human settlements, and the fey also spare fauns little kindness. In fact, fauns who live in fey realms have low status as fools, messengers, servants, and playthings for elf lords and ladies. Fauns make their homes wherever they can. Many live on the misty borders of the hidden kingdoms, while a few venture off into the trackless wilds, joining remote communities of other exiles. Few fauns find places among humans.
• Guarded Curiosity: Fauns learn quickly to keep other people at arm’s length. Fear and derision are the most common reactions from humans, and scorn and mockery are usual from faeries. Fauns are justifiably hesitant to seek friendship with such folk.
Fauns can be timid, but they are curious too. They might watch travelers and lend aid if the wayfarers seem good of heart and mild of disposition. Ill-mannered or destructive interlopers might be led astray or otherwise tricked into harm. Curiosity can land fauns in trouble, since many vile mages pay a high price for faun blood.
Rarely, a curious faun finds the courage to travel human lands, wearing clothing designed to conceal inhuman features.
Ability Score: S10, A11, I11, W9. (You may take a -1 for a +1, once).
Perception = Intellect +1
Defense = Agility
Health = Strength
Healing Rate = 1/4 Health (round down)
Size: 1/2-1
Speed: 12
Power: 0
Damage: 0
Insanity: 0
Corruption: 0
Languages and Professions: Common (speak only) and Elvish (speak only)
Quick Step: When you use an action, you can move 1 yard before or after the action, provided your Speed is greater than 0.
Shadowsight: You see in areas obscured by shadows as if those areas were lit.
Skittish: You make Will challenge rolls with 1 bane.
Age: Roll 3d6
Build: Roll 3d6
Background: Roll 1d20
Personality: Roll 3d6.
Profession 1: 1d6, then 1d20
Profession 2: 1d6, then 1d20
Lifestyle: 3d6
Interesting Thing: 1d6, then 1d20
Personality Traits: Roll 4d20, then pick one positive and one negative from the results.
Halflings are happiest when relaxing in their tidy homes or sitting in the village pub, laughing with their friends over mugs of Belinda’s Finest Stout. The wider world seems large and dangerous, filled with people of low character and evil intent. Yet halflings do find their way into the most unexpected places, and when faced with peril, they overcome their misgivings and do what needs to be done. The reason? Luck. Halflings have all the luck in the world.
Small Humans: Halflings look like small humans. Their appreciation for fine food shows in a heavy frame and a paunch that usually hangs over the belt. Halflings always dress their best, keep their clothes clean, comb their hair, and wash their skin.
Halflings stand between 3 and 4 feet tall. Good eating and a fondness for drink can make them portly, and halflings can, as a result, weigh from 50 to 150 pounds.
Simple Life: Halfling settlers entered the Empire’s lands about six centuries ago, crossing crossed the mountains from the west and settling in the foothills and plains. There they built small communities where they could grow crops and graze their flocks. Halflings made peace with the local lords and paid for the land with gold coins of unusual mint. The halflings had no objections to joining the Empire or paying taxes, provided halfling communities were free to see to their own affairs and protect their lands. Halflings have proven to be good neighbors, a gentle folk with great skill at farming and herding.
Halflings have managed to stay clear from the Empire’s troubles, conflict rarely coming to their doorsteps. The orc uprising in the south, however, has cast a shadow over their lands, and gangs of rampaging orcs have attacked halfling towns and raided trade routes. Fearing worse troubles on the horizon, halflings have begun to pack up their families and belongings to begin again somewhere safer. Currently, the refugees are a trickle, but if they become a flood, famine is almost certain to follow in the Empire.
• Pragmatic Courage: Halflings understand how the world works better than most. They believe this life is but one of many, and they have embraced this truth in a way that makes them almost impervious to fear. Such fearlessness makes halflings suited to exploring dangerous places, since doubts and misgivings don’t get in the way of getting the job done. Being unmoved by fear does not mean halflings take ridiculous risks, but they don’t fret when they have to do a dangerous task. Without fear as a distraction, halflings can focus their minds on whatever goal they set for themselves. They are less likely to make critical mistakes and can usually catch themselves before a situation goes sideways. Others interpret this phenomenon as uncommon luck, favor from the gods, or something else. The halfling reputation for good luck leads some dark souls to keep halflings as lucky charms, and some twisted folk believe halfling luck lingers even after death.
Ability Score: S9, A11, I10, W11. (You may take a -1 for a +1, once).
Perception = Intellect
Defense = Agility
Health = Strength
Healing Rate = 1/4 Health (round down)
Size: 1/2
Speed: 8
Power: 0
Damage: 0
Insanity: 0
Corruption: 0
Languages and Professions: Common (speak only)
Good Fortune: Whenever a creature within short range rolls a 1 on any die, you can use a triggered action to discard the roll and let the creature roll the die again.
Uncommon Courage: When you become frightened, you can use a triggered action to make a Will challenge roll. On a success, you remove the affliction.
Age: Roll 3d6
Build: Roll 3d6
Appearance: Roll 3d6
Background: Roll 1d20
Religion: Roll 3d6
Personality: Roll 3d6.
Profession 1: 1d6, then 1d20
Profession 2: 1d6, then 1d20
Lifestyle: 3d6
Interesting Thing: 1d6, then 1d20
Personality Traits: Roll 4d20, then pick one positive and one negative from the results.
Awesome! Thanks!
Let's see what we get. :)
= 6-10 years old
years old
= You were built to gather intelligence or assassinate targets. Increase Agility or Intellect by 2.
= You appear crude or ill-formed
= You were left to find your own way in the world when your maker died.
= You were made to serve. You commit your existence to aiding others.
= Martial (Militia Member)
= Martial (Mercenary)
= Getting by.
= A silver necklace with a medallion.
= Forgiving, Thoughtless
Honestly? I'm kind of digging the Outlaw that was kidnapped by the Sidhe as well. I do have a request though; could I lose the Street Preacher profession so I could have Artisan & Outlaw and pick up an additional language? I was thinking of picking up Elvish since I was gone in their lands for eighteen years.
Okay, so far we have:
A human who's lived a few lives (Fae hostage, Outlaw, Artisan, and preaches of the old gods) who is grouchy, with more conscience than is good for him.
A boatman Crypto-Changeling (apparently Orc) with some martial training
A scrawny, ugly young orc with a surprisingly amiable temperament
An orc who has been fighting in pits since they were VERY young (and is unfriendly. Odd) who has also been a cultist and a navigator. A sad tale, all things considered.
A clockwork who fought in (maybe the orc wars? or some other thing, the empire was never in less than 3 wars) since it was made, and the hound outlived its master.
Pray tell, why are all of you in a town on the ass-end of the empire?
I've still got to put all the rolls together and answer the questionnaire, but I was hoping my PC could have befriended another PC and followed them to this town.
I'll have to fill out the questionnaire too but you know I got you Bookrat <3
Awesome, thanks Elsine!
- Middle Aged
- Typical
- Look like a faun
- 2nd or 3rd gen, remote homeland
- Do what you please
- Religious Pilgrim
- Wilderness Trapper
- Getting By
- A snuffbox filled with snuff.
- Benevolent/Aloof, Honorable/Slovenly, Humble/Stingy, Fair/Malicious
"I think it's wonderful, Sir," said General Hou's assistant. The thing was absolutely terrifying. Not terrifying as in hideous, but terrifying as in "dear god it's going to rip my throat out." It was sterling silver in color, the light reflecting off it could be blinding. Razor sharp teeth, four inch claws, articulated armor plating. Two hundred pounds of metal and death in a four foot long frame. "If I may ask, what happened to the other three?"
"Hmm?" the General asked, absentmindedly as he stared at his creation. "Oh. Unit 1 just didn't take. Something about how the housing couldn't hold the magic. Missing the proper materials, not the right frame." He started to walk around his new creation as he spoke, staring at it with admiration. "Unit 2 walked like a retarded dwarf missing a leg. Unit 3 ripped the magician to shreds and killed fifteen soldiers before we could put it down. But this one! This one is it. This time I found a proper technomage, straight from Lij. Not one of these local hacks." He sneered in disgust thinking about what a waste of resources his last mage was. "This time it's going to work. This time our mage actually understood me when I said I wanted a killer. I didn't mean some hellbeast that would kill half my men - that's how you got this job, by the way. I want something loyal. Something fierce. Something deadly! But something deadly to, you know, my enemies. Not to my men.
"So lad, this is it. My final version. This is going to be a good one. Paint its name on it before the weirdo gets here to make it alive."
"Yes, sir," the assistant said as the General started to leave.
"Oh, General?" asked the assistant, "What's the D stand for?"
The general smiled, "Dog."
------------------------
Hou's Unit IV D tore through the battlefield, ripping through the enemy like they were butter. Its magically sharpened claws shredded armor as if it were paper. It's teeth gashed open throats without a second thought.
Or at least that was what General Hou had hoped for. Unfortunately, he had died moments after he brought his mechanical dog to life. The "enemy" (as he liked to think of them, but really they were just a collection of rebellious civilians) had breached the lines of his army. He was desperately trying to cast the incantation to make his dog come to life - it would protect him, he knew. If only he could get the damn spell to work. That damn Lij mage made it sound so easy!
They entered the commander’s tent right when the spell went off. The general was killed before he could see his creation come to life. Without someone to turn the key, Hou's Unit IV D would not wake up.
After their victory, the rebellion army took the unit for their own, waking it up and conscripting it for their own purposes. They repainted it to cover the lettering which told of its origins.
This time, the clockwork did tear through the battlefield, ripping apart soldiers from the Empire. The militia cheered as it plowed its way through enemy lines. They awarded him with a silver medallion and called it their highest honor. It's a shame that by the end, none of them would be alive to remember what the medallion symbolized.
The rebellious force made their way toward Caecras. Their intent was to kill the emperor. Each battle, they relied heavily upon their clockwork weapon. Each battle saw the clockwork get more battered, more damaged.
Two years had passed. The paint job was long gone. Most of the armor was gone. It no longer shone bright with reflected light. Two battles ago, it lost most of its teeth, removing its ability to kill with a single bite. Another year had passed by the time an orc regiment of the empire had slaughtered the last of the rebellion forces. During that battle, its key stopped. The orcs ignored what looked like a pile of junk lying in the mud, rain dripping off the rusted metal frame of what once looked like a facsimile of a dog. They didn't even care about the remaining letters still etched on it: Hou's Unit IV D. The orcs didn't even remember General Hou.
------------------------
A few months later, someone turned the key. It didn’t see who. It just woke up. It tried to get up, but fell back down again; it’s front feet were missing. The sharp claws on its back feet were likewise removed. For what, it did not know. It searched around the battlefield for anything useful, but the field was long ago scavenged for anything useful. The unit limped away from the battle, uncertain of what would lie ahead.
------------------------
”Thank you,” the clockwork said. It was speaking to a faun who had given it a voice modulator. These were the first words it had spoken since it was created.
The bespectacled horned man smiled down at Hou’s Unit IV D. ”You’re quite welcome,” he said, peering at him through two different lenses over one of his eyes. He switched the lens and looked further inside the clockwork’s inner workings. ”You’re lucky to be alive. There’s barely anything left of you. You don’t seem to have any hands, they look to have been sawed off by something crude. It looks like your back feet once had claws, but they’re all gone. You seem to have once had teeth - I can see remnants where they were broken off or smashed out. My my, what have you been up to?”
Unit IV D didn’t know how to respond. It wasn’t used to speaking. It wasn’t used to articulating words.
”That’s ok. You don’t have to answer now. Why don’t you just listen to me talk as I work. I like to talk as I work. It helps keep me focused. Did you know that you have some sort of lettering etched on your frame? RIght here, along where your belly would be if you were a real animal. It reads.. “H… and there’s some lettering missing. You can tell by the spacing. U… and again some letters are missing. IV right next to each other. Is that supposed to be a four? And a D. H U N D. HUND? Was your creator trying to be clever and call you a hound?”
The modulated voice responded, ”General Hou Unit Four D.”
”Oh! That’s an IV, not an N. Yes, I see it now. It makes sense. Looks like a blade of some sort has scratched the metal - it makes the letters seem like they're together. And you were a general? General Hou your name?”
”No."
”Your creator, then?"
"Yes.
"Oh! That's good. What kind of person was he?"
"Don't know."
Oh, didn't get to spend much time with him, huh?”
”No.”
”Don’t say much, do you? That’s ok. I think I can talk enough for both of us. Now, let's see here… I can’t replace your claws or your front feet, but I do have some hands here. They will be of much greater use for you….”
------------------------
A few years later, the clockwork known as The Hund would make a name as a mercenary - a hired killer and hunter of monsters and men. It didn’t care much who it fought against. It didn't even seem to care much about the money. For the most part, it just wanted the company. It wanted someone to talk to. It wanted to belong.
I need to be around others. The sense of being alone and unwanted is a deeper fear.
2) Name one thing you value most. Then name one thing you could lose. These could be ideals, physical possessions, relationships, etc..
I value friendship and loyalty. I could lose all my possessions.
3) What do you fear? What do you hate?
I fear abandonment. I hate being alone.
4) What do you desire? What do you love?
I desire friends and companionship. I do not yet know what I love.
5) You have (at least) one secret. What is it?
I was built by the empire and I have fought against the empire.
6) Have you done something Notable? What was it?
I have almost single-handedly won multiple battles against the empire. Once. Long ago. Before my broken body became what it is now.
7) Are you in charge or do you let others take that roll? Do you rebuke authority or revel in it?
I am not the alpha. But I am loyal to my people.
8) Do you follow through on your promises and obligations? Or do you delay or avoid? Do you feel guilty when you don't uphold them?
I only follow through on obligations and promises to those I care about. Everyone else doesn't matter.
9) What are your opinions on Good and Evil? Do they exist? Or is it all shades of Grey? Where do you see yourself?
Good? Evil? What do they matter? Why do people even bother with these questions?
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This is Daniel. Here is the start of my character sheet. Will add more as I have time, but wanted to get the basics setup.
My character sheet is up and ready. I have a ready-made character sheet available for anyone who wants to copy and paste it into their character profile. Available here.
Also, this is the best avatar I could find so far; doesn't really fit the image of a clockwork hound, but oh well. If anyone sees another one that might be better, let me know!
Character's name is Hund, as in the German pronunciation of hound. The hu is like who.
I'm loving what I'm seeing so far. Keep up the good work you guys!
@Mok - when you roll Academic, you also gain the ability to read one language you speak.
I'm super interested to see where you take the story with such rolls! Were the organizers of the fighting pits cultists? Or perhaps a secret cult existed within the ranks of the pit fighters? Did he travel from city to city along the coast to fight in different pits, and he picked up the study of Navigation from the sailors? Or perhaps the cult was just super into the celestial tradition and they studied the stars because of it.
@HUIVD, @Grommok
Why don't you two head over to the Discussion Thread.
Super excited to see who else joins us!
I'm bowing out. I won't have time to put together an application I'm happy with.
Happy gaming.
Warforged, I get it.
@Yorick, KingHotTrash, Spazmodeus, and CrusaderWolf
That leaves you guys. Does't need to be much backstory or anything (especially as this is a moderately lethal system), just an idea of the character.
also, is Paizo being kinda Glacial for anyone else?
I'll have something up tonight or tomorrow! Just been super busy is all <3
A couple extra rolls
older 27 to 32
corpulent
ugly
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Here's Spazmodeus' Changeling...
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Yorick here. I need to finish up the questionnaire but have most of the broad strokes down for my Faun.
@Spaxmodeus, Yorick
Do join us as well.
@KingHotTrash, CrusaderWolf
I officially have 4 players, so I'm going to start the adventure proper on Monday, til then. I'd love to have one or both of you if you can make it in before then''(There probably will be stuff in the gameplay before then, but it will be Character-establishing banter)
Sounds like recruitment is closed, yes? If not I would love to give SotDL another go, hopefully I won't die to friendly fire this time lol
"Sounds like recruitment is closed, yes? If not I would love to give SotDL another go, hopefully I won't die to friendly fire this time lol"
I promise nothing :P
sorry, friendly fireball
The friendliest.
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18-35
Skinny no matter how much I eat
Average and unremarkable
Went on an adventure with a band of dwarfs and plan to write about it someday
Don't believe gods exist
Try to do right by my friends provided it doesnt slow me down
Guide
Exile
Getting by
Piece of amber containing an human faced fly
Idealistic and Obnoxious
@ElbowToTheFace
I'm willing to take up to 6 players, and we've been doing First-come-first served. so whichever two of You, KingHotTrash, and CrusaderWolf get a character together first are are in.
Incidentally, weren't we in a MASKS! game together (Briefly)? I was Mosaic.
Yes (Frostbite)
If that is the case, I think I'll drop out. I am already getting my hands on a wonderful SotDL game being ran by bookrat and I don't want to be too greedy. If someone doesn't come on in by next week though, let me know Elsine!
*Submitted for your review*
I think this should have everything, if not I can fix it
Seems fine.
Alright, I'm coming in!
Alright! Let me throw some rolls down here and (hopefully) remember how to format rolls on Paizo...
Young Adult 11 to 25
Tall
One Eye (Is it in the middle?)
Lick things to claim them
Someone in this party saved my life and I now owe them a life debt
Spent the last 1d6 years in a drunken stupor... I am not proud.
Just trying to stay alive, man
Martial/Detective
Academic/Literature
Getting By
Pair of boots 1 boon on sneak (or cloak 1 boon on hide)
Idealistic, Deceitful
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Hey, hello! I will roll up a character shortly.