Campaign Overview

Game Style and Meta notes

A few random thoughts on game style that will congeal over time.

Game Style

This game is what you might describe as hack ‘n slash.  There will be some fun characters and there will be some meaning to what is going on, but most of the focus will be on killing the monster, getting the thing, solving the problem, getting down to action.  There won’t a big focus on in-depth roleplaying, so scenes may be described instead of played out to move things along.  

Character and role-playing

One of the core tenets of an RPG is playing a character.  We will start each session by quickly describing our characters.  This is for the benefit of other players, the DM, and yourself.  You should describe visible physical traits, visible clothing and equipment, and outwardly discernable character traits.  You may also note things that the character is known for.  The character’s stats, advantages, and disadvantages, and quirks should inform this heavily.  It can be fun to play something you are not, although it should be consistent.  For example you could say that “Robert is a skinny, pale skinned man with brown eyes and long brown hair.  He carries a dull iron shortsword and wears brown leather armour.  He has a raspy voice and likes to laugh.”  You might choose to leave out the part about him being a callous bastard who would happily betray his “friends” for profit.  

In saying that, we aren’t here for high shakespearean drama, we are here to kill monsters and take their treasure.  It can be fun to have your character act in a way that you know is unwise, or unscrupulous, or way too honest, or ridiculously honourable.  You can choose to put on a voice and say what you character is saying, or you can just say “Robert says “Die, orc scum!”.”.   

Experience Points and the MVP

Every session your character will be awarded experience points, which can be spent on increasing skills and stats, buying off disads, etc…  There will also be a vote for MVP, the winner of this vote gets 1 extra XP.  Although good roleplaying is the main intent for the vote, you may award your vote based on pulling a great party saving move or general awesomeness etc...

Realism Is A Thing

Realism can sound a bit silly, given that dragons and magic exist, but here it is.  Characters should act in a “realistic manner”.  Physical harm should be scary, consequences should be logically consistent, killing a merchant on the street will bring the guards down on you, etc…  

Old school vs New School RPG

Old school rpg involves hard consequences and an adversarial DM style.  New school RPG is more collaborative and hands a lot more power to the players in shaping the game and story.  I will trying to find a good balance between the two.  No instant death traps, but there may be times where the challenge just is what it is and you may not be able to tackle it without careful planning and recruiting help.

Delvers Need Downtime

Delving into tunnels and fighting monsters is hard and stressful work.  It is assumed that characters need downtime between adventures to recover, train, carous and meditate.  It may be weeks or months before the characters are ready to head back out.  Winter also tends to make travel awful. Players should take this into account when spending treasure.  

Having Fun

We’ll try to stick to the rules, but ultimately we’re here to have fun.  Rules may be ignored or bypassed at the DM’s option to keep things moving.  An attempt will be made to remedy the rules in future sessions.  Also to be emphasized is that bad things happening to characters is part of the fun!  Without risk there is no real reward, characters dying is a part of that.  If you’re not having fun, no one will be offended if you want to leave the game or want to address something that you feel is unfair.

I’m Stealing A Lot of Shit Here

Due to constraints on time, effort, time, and creativity, I’m ripping of pretty much everything in this world from everywhere.  It’s fine.  

The Players Build The World Too

The players are encouraged to make background for their characters and add colour to the world around them.  DM can veto or suggest otherwise if it just doesn’t fit.  

The World In General

Technological level of late medieval Europe.

Social structure and commercial concepts from maybe as late as 1800s on Earth.

Advanced wind powered ships.

Gate magic and Portals

Magic gates and portals are fairly rare but not unknown.  Some lead to other places on the planet, others lead elsewhere.  Not well known by the general populace.  

 

Magic In General

Wizards and Clerics are special people with a rare gift to channel power.  In saying that, most people are reasonably aware of some magical effects.  Magic is used in some ways to make the world a cleaner and more functional place than it should be.  An example of this is blessing of crops, this creates a reasonable surplus of food, which in turn allows higher density urban populations than would be allowable in our own world.

NPCs and Hirelings

Hirelings are generally available to the players if desired, although should only be used for specific purposes, as extra characters mean extra time and DM brain power.  Marching around with 8 followers should NOT be the SOP.  There will be some randomness to who and or what is available.  Hirelings will vary in bravery and loyalty and will not be entirely under the control of the player(s).  Specialists will be a lot more expensive.  

See DFRPG rules for costs