OSH: Backgrounds. Domain.

The following will be included in “Fictive’s Talents and Templates 2″ to be released before the end of the year.

Domains are locations or networks ruled by the character.

Upon leveling, the character can forego the +1 to an attribute, and get 5 points of Domain. The DM can add up to 4 more points of Domain with each purchase or upgrade to add Unrest.

Once a quarter, the domain’s finances are summarized. Roll 1d10, -1 for each point of Unrest.

1. Lose [Domain x 10] gold, then reduce the Domain by 1.
2. Lose [Domain x10] gold.
3. Lose [Domain x5] gold.
4. Break even.
5. Break even.
6. Break even.
7. Gain [Domain x5] gold.
8. Gain [Domain x10] gold.
9. Gain [Domain x10] gold, then increase the Domain by 1.
10. An adventuring possibility has serious implications for the future of the domain.

There are six kinds of domains. Any character type can get any domain type, but some are better suited for specific character types than others. Listed below is the type of domain, and roughly what its scale and composition is for the first 4 levels of Domain.

Border

• 5. Outpost.
• 10. Fort.
• 15. Fortified town.
• 20. Fortress.

Church

• 5. Shrine.
• 10. Temple.
• 15. Worship and administration in an area.
• 20. Worship and administration in a region.

Noble

• 5. Mansion. (Sir)
• 10. Castle. (Lord)
• 15. Town and area. (Baron)
• 20. City and region. (Duke)

Spy

• 5. Route or special interest.
• 10. Town and area.
• 15. City and region.

Warlord

• 5. Warband.
• 10. Fighting unit.
• 15. Small army.
• 20. Large army.

Wizard

• 5. Library.
• 10. Apprentices.
• 15. Tower.
• 20. School.

When the character uses the Domain, the DM can at any time roll for Unrest, and if rolling equal to or under the Unrest total, the Domain shows it is not fully under its master’s control. This is deliberately vague, to cover the widest range of entertaining Domains.

When the character does something that pleases those in the Domain, Unrest drops one. Otherwise, it rises 1 each time the character’s attention is elsewhere for more than a week or so.

Part of the fun of this system is allowing various character types to have different domains. A wizard can become a noble, or lead a fighting band, or guard a border; a fighter can rule a temple, or manage a library, or a spy network.

 

OSH: Backgrounds. Legendary Object.

The following will be included in “Fictive’s Talents and Templates 2″ to be released before the end of the year.

Legendary objects represent daring adventurers putting part of their essence in a chosen object that has been through adventures with them.

Upon leveling at the end of a quest, the character can forego the +1 to an attribute, and give a piece of gear a mystical advantage. This doesn’t work with any random item at hand, it must be something that is near and dear to the character and has emotional and symbolic significance.

A character can put any number of advantages into an object (maximum one at the end of each quest upon leveling) but cannot put the same advantage on an object twice. Here is a list of advantages.

• +1 to hit.
• Conditional +2 to hit (against spellcasters, against reptiles, etc.)
• +1 wound.
• Conditional +2 wounds.
• Put one of your talents in the object.
• If a constant talent the bearer also has, add 1 improvement.
• If arena or rested talent the bearer also has, add 1 use.
• If someone who does not have that talent uses the object, they can use the talent.
• Recharge 1 rested talent.
• Reduce 1 Awesome Point cost for a favorite Awesome Point costing action.
• Protection from 1 special attack, up to 1 wound or +2 resistance.
• Summon a magical being once.

Good candidates include the weapon used to kill a dragon taking on some of its power, a good-luck charm from the character’s deceased mother offering protection, a cleric’s holy symbol being more profoundly blessed by the god, and so on.

Not only is this a great way to allow characters to make their gear more advantageous, it also is a way to create magic equipment with a story behind it, as other adventurers make these items and then die, lose them, or pass them on to their students or successors.

You may remember the cannon and war donkey, and the possibilities for making it magical. After talking it over with the player, he definitely wanted a magic cannon, and while some of the options were intriguing, what he really wanted was a cannon that had the talent “Powdermaster” so it would be much less vulnerable to misfiring. With this rule set, that can be done!

But it had to be enchanted by someone who went on a quest. I invented Phagro the Peg Legged, a pirate who could not handle boarding actions after a shark bit his leg off. So, he manned the cannon crews below-decks, and he had a favorite cannon he used to kill all sorts of monsters.

He gave this cannon to his son when he retired (he wouldn’t need it to have Powdermaster for his benefit, as he had the talent and passed it on into the gun.) Fortunately, his son is an idiot, and now the gun is on the market, and Tulip snatched it up and had it modified.

OSH: Backgrounds. Wealth Management.

The following will be included in “Fictive’s Talents and Templates 2″ to be released before the end of the year.

Wealth Management allows a character to invest in something that is not totally safe, but can generate money on a quarterly basis.

Upon leveling, the character can forego the +1 to an attribute, and invest up to 1,000 gold pieces in an enterprise at Risk 1. Once a quarter, the investment generates 5% earnings (or succumbs to Risk.)

The enterprise can be an orchard, a coaching inn, a share of a trading ship, or whatever seems to be a good opportunity at the time.

Before generating profit, the DM rolls 1d10; rolling above the Risk rating, income is generated as normal. Rolling equal to or less than the Risk rating, the DM rolls 1d10 x 10% and that’s the loss the investment takes.

The default Risk is 1. However, each additional Risk point the character adds also adds another 5% earning every quarter. A character with Risk 4 would be generating 20% profit a quarter–assuming Risk didn’t wipe out the investment.

An advantage to this  background is that the character can own part of the game world, and make profits based on that (or accept risks, possibly leading to adventures). Sometimes characters can’t spend their loot fast enough, and they are carrying around sacks of gold; well, there are no banks as we know banks, and it is inconvenient to hide the money in a hole in the ground in the woods. Investing can look like a safer option. And they periodically get paid! (If you play long enough.)

Is it for everyone? Well, no. But it’s a cool option to have available in the background for the adventurer who may someday retire or has a great opportunity open up during game play. Like buying the inn they usually use in their travels, or refurbishing a dungeon environment as a prison, or building a watch tower in a dangerous mountain pass.

 

OSH: Backgrounds. Contacts.

The following will be included in “Fictive’s Talents and Templates 2″ to be released before the end of the year.

Contacts are people in a network that the character has met while adventuring, who are willing to help.

Upon leveling, the character can forego the +1 to an attribute, and get 1-4 points of Contacts, depending on the power of the network.

• 4 points: a group with little to offer.
• 3 points: a group with local resources.
• 2 points: a group with specific expertise or local power.
• 1 point: a powerful group.

To use the Contacts, the player rolls 1d12 +1 per Contacts rating.

• The player can add 25 gold to get +1 on the roll, before rolling, using some money to sweeten the deal for the existing relationship.
• After rolling, the character can insist and lean on relationships, weakening them; each 1 Contacts rating sacrificed after rolling adds +2 to the roll.

Here are the basic difficulties to get help from Contacts,  based on what the character wants. (The DM can feed the bowl to increase the difficulty based on other circumstances.) Failure can mean inability to get in touch, or inability to get cooperation, interpreted by the DM.

• 3. No risk. Common knowledge. Basic equipment and transportation. Overnight shelter for a small group.
• 6. Moderate risk. Protected information. Could get someone’s life ruined. Specialty equipment. Transportation through secured areas. Longer term or better accommodations. Harboring a person of interest.
• 9. Risky. Costly information that could get someone killed. Rare equipment. Smuggling through high security (prison break.) Harboring a fugitive.
• 12. Dangerous. Sharing this information will cause the contact to lose power and face danger.
• 15. Too hot. Even talking to the character is life-threatening.
• Add +3 difficulty each time after the first that Contacts are used within an adventure or a week.

Contacts may be able to provide henchmen, equipment, transportation, shelter,  and an introduction to meet someone shy or connected.

Here are some sample contact groups. The number is how many points of “Contact” a character would get by spending the attribute point on them. These groups can be made up on the fly, and they can overlap.

• Pembriss Scholars. (1) An elven lore center, they have incredible stores of ancient legendry and primary sources. A deep network of adventurers is in their hire, finding out information about wealth and danger on a wide-spread basis on sea lanes.
• Khuselb Wizards. (2) Can provide enchanted potions, research into divinatory lore, travel conditions along the Fydria trade route, contacts in Baffram.
• Gellsetch Auction House. (2) Can provide shady labor and experts, buyers for rare antiquities, access to fenced goods and magic, rumors from the criminal and law communities of Baffram and surrounding areas.
• Baffram Court. (2) Noble intrigues, invitations to parties, the best gossip, contract services nobles use (including guards, entertainers, criminals, crooked lawmen, private investigators, wizards, etc.)
• Fydria Traders. (3) Contacts along the trade route collect information about what goods are moving, who is wealthy, who is criminal, who is mysterious, and what opportunities and resources exist up and down the long, long trade route.
• Hobbin Sheriffs of Medria. (3) Anything that happens near or within the boundaries of Medria, the hobbin enclave, is known to the sheriffs. They also gossip freely with hobbin that travel in the surrounding areas, whether attached to the wealthy as cooks and entertainers, or keeping a low profile and listening in on local threats. They can provide excellent food and shelter, and they have access to many grateful merchants.
• Nhel’s Trade District. (4) The slums and back shops of Nhel, poorest quarter of Baffram. Sure, people hear things sometimes. More often, there are friends here who will hide you, get you equipment, help locate expertise for criminal activity, and spread the word on your behalf in Baffram.

OSH: Attribute Limits by Race

The following will be included in “Fictive’s Talents and Templates 2″ to be released before the end of the year.

Attributes at generation can be up to +5. I think it is reasonable to make the human limit 8–that’s half again more than the starting maximum, and 8 has a generous effect on game mechanics.

Here is a chart with the maximums for each attribute for each race in “Fictive’s Talents and Templates.” (I know it is too tiny to use, I include the chart here to give you a sense of what I’m up to; it will be plenty big enough in the book.)

To allow play up to higher levels, then, we must have things for characters to spend that +1 attribute on each time they level up. So far, I allow them to learn languages, learn to play musical instruments with great proficiency, and allow them to lump the bonus in with the new talent to gain a wound or pick up an occupational talent. Still, that’s not enough different ways to absorb that +1 attribute every level.

I have devised five backgrounds that can be purchased with that +1 attribute upon leveling up.

• Contacts. Access to information (research or current events) as well as henchmen, equipment, transportation, and meetings with shy people.
• Domain. Territory controlled by the character, appropriate to the character type.
• Favor. A government, organization, settlement, or individual thinks well of the character and is positioned to offer help.
• Legendary Object. Life force infused into objects near and dear to the character, gaining an advantage upon completion of a quest.
• Wealth Management. Invest money into an enterprise, so it can generate more money (as long as the investment doesn’t suffer setbacks.)

I will unpack these in later entries.