Writing on Rule of Fear (a.k.a. the "Ustalav Book") has reached that point where the space available keeps contracting and I'm having to make some hard decisions about what to keep and what to let go.
So, what do you want to make sure absolutely gets in the Ustalav book?
Turn it into a 200+ page book. ~GRINS~ What are our choices?
I'd like to see more of the Nosferatu from Curse of the Crimson Throne part two. I like the idea of Vampires in Ustalav being ugly & dirty.
And I'd be interested in seeing what kinds of superstitions the peasants in Ustalav have about some of the weirder monsters. Like, I'm sure they know about garlic against vampires and such, but what do they use to protect themselves from stuff like the Mi-gos?
I'll second the requests for superstitions and traits, and add: A Year in the Life.
Something I really liked from some old WotC products, and Gary Gygax's Living Fantasy, was the illustrative insights into how people live in the area.. their daily or annual routines, especially.
There's the D&D/Pathfinder trope of spellcasting, or "Vancian" if you will i.e. spellcasting is a formulaic science used to jack the enemy hard.
Then, you look at Call of C'thulhu (and Conan).....spellcasting is only for the insane/naive/stupid and it will jack your world up hard. Not only that, but goofy 15 year old nerd kids can get their hands on a Necronomicon, summon something, and.....it will jack their world up hard. He doesn't have to be a whatever level wizard to cast greater planar ally, but there's an extreme cost to performing potent magic in such a manner.
I'd like more of the latter, long as we're in Ustalav and all. I miss the ability to make the enemy a fool with a dangerous book he can't handle. I wish that there was some way to allow for both models metaphysick to exist cohesively in the same ruleset. I don't altogether know if it leads to a "balanced" game though, or if that's even possible with that model of spellcraft.
I'm not sure if this is an appropriate subject for a 64 page Ustalav book either, but....well....it's what I'd like to see in Ustalav. Think about it....what a concept....in Ustalav even the laws of magic don't necessarily behave.
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I miss the ability to make the enemy a fool with a dangerous book he can't handle. I wish that there was some way to allow for both models metaphysick to exist cohesively in the same ruleset. I don't altogether know if it leads to a "balanced" game though, or if that's even possible with that model of spellcraft.
I'm not sure that you really need rules for that sort of thing, it's mostly going to be a plot device. If you want an NPC (or one of your PCs for that matter,) to be able to perform a dangerous ritual with those sorts of dire consequences, then just use DM fiat... I think hard rules would just be a limitation.
in Ustalav even the laws of magic don't necessarily behave.
This on the other hand, I can get behind. I'd particularly like to see some details of the weird effects within Virlych.
I'd like to see more of the Nosferatu from Curse of the Crimson Throne part two. I like the idea of Vampires in Ustalav being ugly & dirty.
+1
I'd like to see more of the Nosferatu from Curse of the Crimson Throne part two. I like the idea of Vampires in Ustalav being ugly & dirty.
Yes, I would like that too. A lot.
I'm way more interested in how the people of that bleak land live their day to day lives than how monsters make their way in the country. So keep all the cool stuff about the folks in the different areas of Ustalav. (Yeah, I know...not very helpful.)
Also, traits!
+1
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History. What Ustalav's golden age was like. How extensive it once was. Which parts that are now other countries were once some of those Ustalav counties.
Information on the major city of each county/palatinate, including the 'phantom of the opera' place up in the northeast.
Information on heroic artifacts/objects of Ustalav's past. (Doesn't anyone have a crown or sceptre which is a major magical item or artifact? Actually this one is probably more appropriate to an article in the Adventure Path...)
Harrow-readers in Ustalav? Superstitions? (The place must have some sort of superstitions/traditions.)
How different races/classes are viewed. Because they're fey (or related to them), do people whip out cold iron holy symbols whenever elves or gnomes pass? Are inquisitors feared, or trusted and respected protectors against the nasty things which go bump in the night?
Oh, plus aristocratic intrigues...Edit:
Unfortunately, I expect that it's Eric, Vic & Lisa who would need to fail the saves...
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I want to learn about Pharasma and her brood of wayward lesser gods. I want to understand Ustalav's perception of the goddess of death. I would like to learn more about Norgeber <sp?> and Urgathoa. How are they perceived? Are their roles acknowledged as a necessary part of society or are they shunned? I know that Pharasma will be covered in the AP but I, the player, want to be able to learn more about her from the player perspective in a source that is readily available to the player, not just in a GM source.
While I realize that Lastwall is technically it's own region, I cannot help but think that they should be covered in some detail. They exist solely for what came out of Ustalav.
I agree that traits would be great. Focusing on regional and religious traits seems best followed by combat and social traits.
I miss the ability to make the enemy a fool with a dangerous book he can't handle. I wish that there was some way to allow for both models metaphysick to exist cohesively in the same ruleset. I don't altogether know if it leads to a "balanced" game though, or if that's even possible with that model of spellcraft.
Easy - a spell book called the Nightmare Tome of Elkaras Vasilli, Memorising spells from this tome gives +1 caster level for the spell when it is cast at "no cost".
Each time the spell is cast the DM makes a secret will save on behalf of the caster (saves are equal 10 + 1/2 the spell level). The following are examples of what can happen on failure feel free to adjust.
Failure by:
1 Caster hears whispering (feel free to amp up the casters paranoia).
2 There is a flicker of something in the caster peripheral vision, this occurs off and on for 5 mins.
3 The feeling of a presence watching them for 24 hours.
4 Gain a minor haunt.*
5 Hair turns white gain and hand withers into a claw but is still usable. Also gains a haunt.
6 (1-4)Aberrations of CR 1/2 the caster level are summoned nearby, out of the casters visual range they stalk the caster and will attempt to kill the caster and take the book.
7 The caster gains a mental illness and a haunt..
9+ The caster has is possessed by an aberration of the same CR as caster level for 24 hours - the aberration has full use of its mental characteristics and the casters body (not spells). The Aberration will use the body for its own nefarious plans.
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superstitions
folklore
customs of the people
ok ugly nosferatu are ok, but I also like classic vampires...
and where in here the hunters of the dead fit at all.
organizations both for dark cults and those hunting for the darkness.
classic ways to kill creatures of the dark that doesn't necesarily involve magic (wolfsbane, silver, etc)
and quite definitively something about dhrampyrs or those with a foot in the grave since they were born.
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Ustalav history.
Current day Ustalav (traits, folklore, government, city-at-a-glance)
New monsters. nothing super in depth, just some region specific baddies with stat work ups and some nifty art.
New Prestiege class.
A section useful to PC's of all classes (class traits, new spells, new gear, new feats)
some story hooks. These provide the flavor for DM's to better understand the setting.
A few things that spring to mind worth including (and none of these would really take up too much space, but just need to be addressed in their relevant areas):
--Relations for neighbors within and without the land, including increased hooks for politically inclined campaigns or those that have political rationales as the motivating factor for adventures.
--At least a sidebar relevant to titles, nobility (including petty nobility), succession, property rights and how or if knights fit into the culture(s) of Ustalav.
--Information on military issues, including whether most formations would be militia (trained), rabble freshly conscripted/pressed into service, etc. Who maintains their own armies? Are these armies through a tenant/feudal system?
--Information on relevant city seals and heraldry, including what style of heraldry is prevalent in the palitanates.
--What is Urban life like in the major cities and more well to-do towns of Ustalav?
--What is the generally accepted levels of available technology like? Printing press made it their yet? Fore arms generally accepted or still pretty strange?
--What are commonly used weapons amongst the peasantry and warrior elite? When someone thinks of a warrior from Ustalav what do they see in the way of arms, armor & martial tradition?
--What are the most common occupations other than farmer/serf in the countryside and the cities?
--What products are the different regions of Ustalav known for?
--What is the style of dress for different members of society?
--What are the food staples for the peasants? What is considered a delicacy in Ustalav?
--Dominant languages?
--How did people settle into the region and what are the base cultures that make up the region?
--How do humans interact with non-humans and other races in day-to-day life? How integrated are non-humans into communities?
--How do wizards, sorcerers, bards & priests fit into society?
--Monks: how do they fit in--if at all--from a cultural standpoint? Are there any monasteries in the region?
--What are the primary gods of the people? Are there any minor or new gods that currently or have historically play a role in the region?
--What are the customs related to death (cemetaries, burial etc.) in Ustalav?
--A general list of folk wisdom and superstitions would be great.
--Traits that are created to be evocative and solid roleplay/character creation tools.
A hag bloodline for sorcerers giving them access to a couple hexes.
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Lots of local dark secrets that only locals would know. The fact that every hamlet, town, inn, or major NPC seems to have a dark secret or is haunted/cursed is what makes these lands so interesting imo. The more bizarre the better, since Occam's Razor should not apply, allowing for more plot twists. These also give GMs "bones" to flesh out during the AP and their own adventures in Ustalav.
There's the D&D/Pathfinder trope of spellcasting, or "Vancian" if you will i.e. spellcasting is a formulaic science used to jack the enemy hard.
Then, you look at Call of C'thulhu (and Conan).....spellcasting is only for the insane/naive/stupid and it will jack your world up hard. Not only that, but goofy 15 year old nerd kids can get their hands on a Necronomicon, summon something, and.....it will jack their world up hard. He doesn't have to be a whatever level wizard to cast greater planar ally, but there's an extreme cost to performing potent magic in such a manner.
I'd like more of the latter, long as we're in Ustalav and all. I miss the ability to make the enemy a fool with a dangerous book he can't handle. I wish that there was some way to allow for both models metaphysick to exist cohesively in the same ruleset. I don't altogether know if it leads to a "balanced" game though, or if that's even possible with that model of spellcraft.
I'm not sure if this is an appropriate subject for a 64 page Ustalav book either, but....well....it's what I'd like to see in Ustalav. Think about it....what a concept....in Ustalav even the laws of magic don't necessarily behave.
Good ideas, Heathy. "Ustalav: Where even magic gets twisted."
Yeah, I think this just needs to be a hardback-sized CS book, so I'll pile on that suggestion. :)
Also, I like having both your courtly and your orlocky vampires, so developing their respective niches in Ustalav gets a here-here from me.
A well-done rip off of the Warhammer Witch Hunters.
Because no gothic horror game is complete without guys in steepled hats with crossbows.
Folklore on the beasties that prowl (some relevant, some not so much).
Traditional ways to deal with supernatural threats (some relevant, others... well... less).
And...
Nosferatu. Lots and lots of Nosferatu. Enough of the 'modern' vampire. It's refreshing to see a resurgence of the old school of "vampirism as a curse" that brings as many defects to the table as boons.
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superstitions
folklore
customs of the peopleok ugly nosferatu are ok, but I also like classic vampires...
and where in here the hunters of the dead fit at all.
organizations both for dark cults and those hunting for the darkness.classic ways to kill creatures of the dark that doesn't necesarily involve magic (wolfsbane, silver, etc)
and quite definitively something about dhrampyrs or those with a foot in the grave since they were born.
ok, to add to this and some of the earlier posts. I would love to see a sidebar with short stories/rumors told throughout the area. Kind of like the ones released in the bestiary entry and blog for the Sandpoint Devil. It even would be cool if you didn't provide which monsters led to these stories. Including thier names for folktales is a must :)
Many of my concerns have been covered by others (traits, history, weird horrifying magic, more Nosferatu info, etc.) but I'd also like to get something on what's happening at Ghasterhall with the Whispering Way, Lucimar the Lichworg (one of my favorite Pathfinder villains), and Tar-Baphon himself.
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Ok, a few things I'd like to see:
1. rules for playing a werewolf or vampire that is balanced with other classes (i.e. not a template but say a 5 or 10 level progression) as I get the feeling that not all werewolves or vamps are wholeheartedly evil within the Ustalav setting... rules to resist one's urge to transform or to resist drinking blood from humans (i.e. if only drawing blood from animals...) and/or rules to keep one's alignment under the curse of lycanthropy or vampirism...
2. proper rules for using wooden stakes in combat... everything else we've seen thus far has been useless (i.e. all we have is "Driving a wooden stake through a helpless vampire’s heart instantly slays it
(this is a full-round action)." which is not exactly useful... perhaps an increased damage output and superior crit range with stakes would do? perhaps also additional sneak damage dice if a rogue use a stake against a vamp?)
I'd like to see more of the Nosferatu from Curse of the Crimson Throne part two. I like the idea of Vampires in Ustalav being ugly & dirty.
And I'd be interested in seeing what kinds of superstitions the peasants in Ustalav have about some of the weirder monsters. Like, I'm sure they know about garlic against vampires and such, but what do they use to protect themselves from stuff like the Mi-gos?
Without giving away any additional spoilers, there is another large tie with between CoCT and Ustalav, additional information on the different facets of this would be welcome.
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Without giving away any additional spoilers, there is another large tie with between CoCT and Ustalav, additional information on the different facets of this would be welcome.I'd like to see more of the Nosferatu from Curse of the Crimson Throne part two. I like the idea of Vampires in Ustalav being ugly & dirty.
And I'd be interested in seeing what kinds of superstitions the peasants in Ustalav have about some of the weirder monsters. Like, I'm sure they know about garlic against vampires and such, but what do they use to protect themselves from stuff like the Mi-gos?
please feel free to spoil us providing you use the spoiler tags! :)
Example of a Nosferatu coven?
A werewolf pack and how those groups interact in the lands.
As well as any sort information, rumors and secret groups especially more examples of things like Carrion Hill and the elder gods. Boy oh Boy I can't wait.
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Writing on Rule of Fear (a.k.a. the "Ustalav Book") has reached that point where the space available keeps contracting and I'm having to make some hard decisions about what to keep and what to let go.
So, what do you want to make sure absolutely gets in the Ustalav book?
I've been doing a campaign in Ustalav for the past 6 months or so, and the players have gotten to level 15 (from level 1). There were a lot of things that I had to make up new rules for, and I wish I had a book for them:
-Lucimar the Lich-Wolf: Possibly some kind of template? I ended up making a template that was somewhere between a vampire, a werewolf, and a lich.-Weather conditions in Virlych. I used the Book of Vile Darkness for things like blood rain and green fog, but I wish I'd been able to find more.
-A couple notes on the nobility, especially Prince Reneis. He seems like an interesting figure, and could probably cause some controversy.
-We need more evil spells for villains. How about a spell that entangles a creature in chains? And what spell did Tar-Baphon use to attempt to summon General Arnisant's heart into his hands?
I can't wait to see this book.
Info on Varisians, Witches, Scarni and Scarni Wherewolves,
Hags - Night, Green, Annis, - Baba Yaga ledgends :)
Golems (Prague), and frankenstein
Ghosts,
Gouls,
Litches - and the Wispering Tyrant
Rusalka (water fey)
Firebirds
Ulfen and Hallit influences
Court Intrigue
Norgorber
The fencing academy
Der various blut saugers - penangalen, nosferatu, Vampyre,
koschi - undead warlords that keep their souls in a phylaktery