Zedth's Dark Sun - Boiling Blood and Bleached Bones (ShadowDark Ruleset)

Game Master Zedth

*work in progress*

Unfamiliar with ShadowDark?:

If you're a diehard Pathfinder fan (or any other system) and you feel inclined to skip over recruitments for other game systems, I humbly invite you to consider the following -

No need to buy any new books or spend hours poring over some PDF - trust me, you already know how to play this game.

ShadowDark is a d20 game system with many similarities to Pathfinder, D&D, and the like:
-Six core stats
-Class abilities
-Roll high to beat a DC

There are certainly substantive differences, but ShadowDark is simple, elegant, and fun. You can make a character in minutes and be ready to jump into adventure here in this PBP game.

Read the 'Campaign Info' tab and see if your interest is piqued.

Lore and Story:

*nothing yet*

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Notable NPCs:

Shemnak, an infamous raider and flesh-peddler. A human man with a reputation as having a shrewd eye for business, reliable bounty hunter, and for being a merciless killer. He and his band of brigands roam the wastes in search of plunder, specializing in the capture and selling of slaves. Noted for wearing an eye patch and for being covered in glossy tattoos. Each PC was captured by Shemnak and his men in the days/weeks prior to being sold to Varisia.

Varisia, Templar of Nibenay. A young human woman of notable beauty, she wears her shining blue-black hair sectioned off into a half dozen pigtails bound by colored stone rings. Her dress of flowing red and beige silk was designed to leave little to the imagination, serving to distract her victims from her considerable magical and political power.

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HEAT and THIRST rules:

FOOD & DRINK
Rations = food only.
Water is tracked as a separate resource: a DRINK.

-A waterskin holds 2 DRINKS (1 item slot)
-A clay jug holds 5 DRINKS (2 item slots)

To recover hit points during a rest, you must consume one DRINK and one ration.

GOING WITHOUT
-If you go 3 days without a ration, you lose 1 hit point.

-If you go 1 day without a DRINK, you lose 1 hit point. This increases to 1d4 hit points lost per day on the 3rd day of no DRINK.

-This damage cannot be healed by magical means and will eventually kill you (with no death roll) if you cannot stop it.

HEATSTROKE
You must also consume 1 DRINK per day of overland travel. You can avoid this requirement by traveling at night, but you will need to rest during the day to compensate. If you force yourself into daytime travel without taking a DRINK, you will enter heatstroke. This imposes disadvantage to all rolls until you take a DRINK. If you suffer heatstroke a second time, you must make a CON check vs DC 15 or die of thirst.

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The captives were becoming dizzy from the wavy mirages ahead, and so shifted their gaze down to the orange-red sandstone, watching their blistered, sandaled feet amble endlessly onward. The fetid water offered during their infrequent stops never seemed to fully wash the dust from their mouths, nor did it quench the thirst inflicted by the oppressive red sun, looming above like some fiery puddle of blood. Sweat dripped down their nose onto the leather cuffs cinched with giant-hair, chafing at the wrist anytime one of the prisoners walked out of sync with the rope-bound single-file train.

What felt like weeks at this point had in fact only been three days since this woman Varisia, a templar to the Shadow King of Nibenay, had purchased them from the notorious Shemnak and his vile band of slavers. The various backgrounds preceding these wretches didn't seem to matter in this moment; what was clear was that they were all now in the same bind, literally and figuratively. Their thoughts were all on the same thing – what dreary fate were they being marched toward at the hands of this templar?

Feel free to peruse this PDF to familiarize yourself with ShadowDark.

Character Creation - Start Here! :

Each player will roll up THREE Level 1 starting characters.
ShadowDark characters are quick and easy to generate. This game has a high potential death rate for PCs, so it will be helpful to have a backup PC ready to go.

For each character:

-Roll 3d6 six times for each your six STATS (see page 15). These are allotted in the order they are rolled, (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma) with no rearranging. Note that per the ShadowDark rules, if you don't get at least one '14' you may reroll the character's stats entirely.

-Roll 1d20 for your BACKGROUND, (see page 2). Note that I do not want lengthy backstories for your characters. If you choose to write one, keep it brief. The result of this roll might help flesh it out. Game mechanics-wise, this roll can give you a small range of skills based on your past, perhaps to gain ADVANTAGE on a roll.

Assume that your characters are illiterate unless you have at least average intelligence (10+) and can justify literacy from your background. Literacy is illegal, and so it is an uncommon gift.

-Roll 1d20 for your WILD TALENT power. All characters are considered WILD TALENTS, which is to say that they have innate psionic abilities. If you choose the MENTALIST class, this power is still received, in addition to whatever psionics you get from your class.

After all THREE characters have stats, backgrounds, and wild talents generated, then you must select a RACE for each character.

Copy/paste the following into the 'Discussion' tab for character generation:

Character 1
[dice=STR]3d6[/dice]
[dice=DEX]3d6[/dice]
[dice=CON]3d6[/dice]
[dice=INT]3d6[/dice]
[dice=WIS]3d6[/dice]
[dice=CHA]3d6[/dice]
[dice=Background]1d20[/dice]
[dice=Wild Talent]1d20[/dice]

Character 2
[dice=STR]3d6[/dice]
[dice=DEX]3d6[/dice]
[dice=CON]3d6[/dice]
[dice=INT]3d6[/dice]
[dice=WIS]3d6[/dice]
[dice=CHA]3d6[/dice]
[dice=Background]1d20[/dice]
[dice=Wild Talent]1d20[/dice]

Character 3
[dice=STR]3d6[/dice]
[dice=DEX]3d6[/dice]
[dice=CON]3d6[/dice]
[dice=INT]3d6[/dice]
[dice=WIS]3d6[/dice]
[dice=CHA]3d6[/dice]
[dice=Background]1d20[/dice]
[dice=Wild Talent]1d20[/dice]

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Race:

Select one of the following RACES for each character.
Alternatively, you may opt to roll your race randomly. Roll 1d10:
1-4) Human, 5) Dwarf, 6) Elf, 7) Half-giant, 8) Halfling, 9) Mul, 10) Thri-kreen

HUMAN (any CLASS)
Bold, adaptable, and diverse people who learn quickly and accomplish mighty deeds. Humans are the most common race on Athas. They comprise the lion's share of slaves, masters, traders, and even sorcerer kings.
-You speak the Common language and one additional common language: Dwarfish, Elvish, Halfling, Thri-kreen, Giant, or Merchant (only if your BACKGROUND can justify you spending time with a merchant house).
-Ambitious. You gain one additional talent roll at 1st level.
-Gifted. You may select any one STAT and replace it with 16.

DWARF (cannot choose WIZARD, DRUID)
Brave, stalwart folk as sturdy as the parched rock of the stony badlands. They are short, broad, and thickly-muscled. They have little-to-no hair (including beards) and are generally tanned from toiling under the unrelenting sun. They are known for craftsmanship and their expertise in stonework.
-You speak the Common and Dwarvish languages.
-Stout. Start with +2 HP. Roll your hit point gains with advantage.
-Resilient. Dwarves have ADVANTAGE on checks to resist poison. Spells and psionics checks targeting dwarves are rolled with DISADVANTAGE.

ELF (any CLASS)
The harsh landscapes of Athas are home to hundreds of tribes of nomadic elves. While there is a great deal of cultural diversity amongst the tribes, they are generally known for their exceptional running prowess and for being prone to theft and raiding.
-You speak the Common and Elvish languages.
-Farsight. You get a +1 bonus to attack rolls with ranged weapons AND a +1 bonus to spellcasting checks.
-Sprinter. Gain +2 to Initiative Checks. You are faster than any humanoid race. You can run for hours without tiring.

HALF GIANT (cannot choose WIZARD, THIEF, CHARLATAN)
Products of some magic experiment, half giants are typically 10-12 feet tall with an appearance like a broad-shouldered human, but with exaggerated or sometimes monstrous facial features. Their unparalleled strength makes them desirable slaves and gladiators.
-You speak the Common language.
-Thirsty. Half Giants require 4x water as a man.
-Mighty. Replace your STR score with 20 (+5 modifier), or 22 (+6 modifier) if you previously rolled an 18 for STR. Hit Dice and Weapon damage dice go up one tier due to large size. (Example: 1d4 -> 1d6, 1d8 ->1d10, etc.).

HALFLING (cannot choose CHARLATAN)
The undisputed rulers of the jungles are the savage other-race-eating halflings, standing at about 3 ½ feet tall. They believe their culture to be superior to all others but often respectfully attempt (poorly, awkwardly) to imitate others’ when appropriate. As the original race of Athas, halflings hatred for defiling magic outstrips that of other groups.
-You speak the Halfling language. If your Intelligence is 12+ you also speak the Common language.
-Stealthy. Once per day, you can become (effectively) invisible for 3 rounds.
-Brutality. Humanoid foes within NEAR distance must check for MORALE (Wisdom check at DC 10 + your CHA) after witnessing you kill a foe with a show of gore or brutality.

MUL (cannot choose WIZARD)
Known for extraordinary toughness, a Mul (pronounced “Mule”) is a crossbreed of man and dwarf. They retain the versatility of a human but boast the robust strength and girth of a dwarf. They are also somehow taller on average than humans, completely bald, well-muscled, and have pointed ear tips. Muls are commonly bred and employed as gladiatorial slaves.
-You speak the Common language.
-Grit. Any penalties for going without food and/or drink begin on the third day, not the first, even in daylight travel.
-Tough. Start with +2 HP. Roll thirst and endurance-related checks with advantage.

THRI-KREEN (cannot choose THIEF, WIZARD, CHARLATAN)
The mantis-like race of insect folk is renowned for being excellent hunters and being the undisputed masters of survival in the unforgiving wastes. They average 7 feet in height with a sandy yellow exoskeleton. They are the least "human like" of any character race, and often have trouble understanding the ways of non thri-kreen. It is common for the thri-kreen to be feared by other races because of their tendency to devour everyone else.
-You speak the Thri-Kreen language. If your Intelligence is 12+ you also speak the Common language.
-Insectoid. You do not sleep.
You require 1/4 the water of a man.
You have 4 arms and 2 legs.
You cannot wear armor.
Your AC is 12 + your Dexterity modifier.
You gain advantage on Jump checks.
You cannot gain benefit of magic items meant for typical humanoid use
(such as armors, helms/hats, belts, etc.)
Reaction checks are made at -2 when dealing with humanoid races.
-Venom. You may make a melee bite attack that deals 1d4 damage. Once per day you may inject venom with this attack. The opponent must make a DC 12 CON check or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds (or 1 round for large creatures).

After you have selected a RACE for each character,
then select your CLASS.

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Class:

As this is a Dark Sun game, your character's choice of weaponry and armor will be somewhat different than that of a typical fantasy TTRPG. Keep this in mind when looking at your class' listed weapons and armor. Steel, iron, and even bronze are extremely valuable and rare. Bone, stone, obsidian, wood, and animal parts are what most arms and armor are made of.

HIT POINTS will be rolled after you select your class. All starting characters gain a bonus +2 HP. The world of Athas is not for the weak.

Select your character’s CLASS from one the following:

From the the ShadowDark Player Quickstart:
-FIGHTER (page 18)
-THIEF (page 22)
-WIZARD (page 24-25)

From the Compiled ShadowDark Dark Sun rulebook:
-EXPLORER (page 3)
-MENTALIST (PSIONICIST) (page 4-5)
-CHARLATAN (page 6)
-SAVAGE (page 8)
-DRUID (page 9-10) Note that DRUIDS will use NATURE spells instead of PRIEST spells. See the 'Spells and Powers' spoiler below.
-MONK (FIRE PRIEST) (page 11-12)
-MYSTIC (WATER PRIEST) (page 13-14)
-ORACLE (EARTH PRIEST) (page 15-16)
-VALKYRIE (AIR PRIEST) (page 17-18)

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Spells and Powers:

-WIZARDS (Arcane, page 19), DRUIDS (Nature, page 40), and MENTALISTS (Psionics, page 60) will use the spells/psionics as listed in the Compiled ShadowDark Dark Sun rulebook, not from the core ShadowDark Quick start.
-PRIESTS of all elemental types will use PRIEST spells as detailed starting on page 57 in the the ShadowDark Player Quickstart.

DEFILERS AND PRESERVERS
The wanton destruction inflicted upon the landscapes of Athas is a direct result of DEFILING magic of WIZARDS. The practitioners of this spellcasting method pay no heed as it strips the life force from the world, destroying nearby plant life (and even animal life when cast by a high level wizard). It is the path of least resistance, in contravention to PRESERVING which requires more care and attention to ensure that harnessed energies are properly recycled back into the planet.

Most WIZARDS on Athas are evil DEFILERS, but WIZARD PCs are assumed to be PRESERVERS. One may opt to employ defiling but it is a path most magic users who care about their world prefer not to tread. Not only is it destructive and evil, but it is nearly universally looked upon as despicable by the peoples of Athas.

-Unless specifically stated to the contrary, PC spellcasting is done as a PRESERVER (no special rules apply).
-WIZARD PCs may opt to cast a spell as a DEFILER, which gives you ADVANTAGE on the casting roll. If you fail to cast, you incur a Spell Mishap (page 54) as if you had rolled a natural 1. Take caution and note that this action will likely earn you bad blood (roleplaying-wise) from fellow party members and will certainly inspire hate or even violence against you when witnessed by NPCs. You have been warned!

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