Please be aware, this is NOT a West Marches game. I'm running a single party. If you go off on your own for any length of time, you are effectively withdrawing from the game. I prefer to run one group through a setting at a time, and never more than 2 games (in different settings) in total. I just can't give more players or games the attention they deserve. Sometimes I can't even do so with one, even with limiting players numbers.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:08, Wed 11 May 2022.

Please remember, when having something built by one of the craftsmen available,that it will take a week per 50 gp of cost...assuming you're top of his project list, and he has all the materials he needs.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 17:31, Wed 17 Oct 2018.

Highlights:
Red and Green are reserved for me, the DM, to use.

Orange is reserved for OOC Comments. Please use it AND start the OOC block with the OOC: tag.

Blue is reserved for Speech. Please also remember to use quotation marks.

Thoughts and feeling don't belong in your posts unless you are a broadcast telepath, and I'm pretty sure you aren't. I prefer Roleplaying over Storytelling (Acting, not Authoring, even in print). Post what folks can see and hear from you, but don't interpret for them. Let them draw their own conclusion about the expression on your face or whatever.

When it comes to skill use:
For the most part, I will roll skills rolls for you. I'll tell you the results of your attempt, but the die roll won't affect your interpretation of that result. Also, you and I may have different ideas of which skill to use. I'll use the right one, you may send in the wrong one.

Combat will be different. Any roll where the results will immediately be obvious you will roll. initiative, attack, damage, saves, etc.I may not tell you why you are rolling always, but you'll roll it.

Basically you will roll all attack and damage, all saves you know about, and pretty much anything where results are automatic. Knowledge rolls or anything else where the results I give you could be influenced by knowing your die roll will be rolled by me. If you want to search, tell me, but no need to send in a roll. Or even to ask if it's Investigation or Perception. I'll handle that for you and just give you results.

My preferred DM update rate is Monday/Wednesday/Friday outside of combat, daily while in combat. Holiday weekends get Tuesday/Friday Updates, instead, and fall/winter holidays I play by ear, as day of the week for the Holiday vary from year to year.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:42, Mon 19 Nov 2018.

Character sheets are locked. They become the master copies. I will update as necessary, but it's still on you to verify the information and report any discrepancies to me.

Also, your skills will be marked with a letter when learned, based on the source of the knowledge: R for race, B for Background, C for Class/Path, F for Feat. A double entry reflects a double proficiency bonus for some reason (Expertise), based on the letters used. Bard, Rogues and Artificers all get this doubling to some degree, as may some Paths for other classes.

You will be added and your sheet posted when the character is complete.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:55, Fri 10 Feb 2023.

This is a general house rule about kits that are bought as units, but have charges. The Healer's Kit is the example I'll use, because it's the one that comes to mind, and that is actually on equipment lists for this game.

Basically it's a pouch with odds and ends of tools,  splints, plus bandages and salves.

Bandages, salves, thread, etc are used up during treatment, but the pouch, splints. suture needles and the like are not. So, instead of buying whole new kits, you can refill based on what's missing.

In the case of a Healer's kit, this is 10 uses, plus the reusable. Call it 11 parts, or 9% per part.

So, the reusable counts as 10%, and each charge is 9%. And that's what a refill will cost: 9% per use.

This is assuming such is available. Very poor towns won't have kits, but they might have bandage material and an herbalist that can make the salves. Big enough cities will, of course, have anything they use to make other things, such as complete kits. Traders, medium cities that don't have a full industry base, and similar such situations may only have completed kits...or nothing.

Now, with a Healer's Kit, you're likely in fair shape in any city. The local Wise Woman or Cunning Man, for instance, probably has the herbs you need, and there's always cloth scraps about. Unless it's a town of nudists...or leather clad primitives.

Keep in mind that these prices are based on PHB costs. Local costs may vary.

As this comes up for various Kits, I'll list them below:
Healer's Kit 9% per refill (45 cp)
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:56, Fri 10 Feb 2023.

Robes can be worn over most armor and clothing, and will turn traveler's clothes into basic cold weather clothing. They may help offset the heat dissipating properties of metal armor in the snow, but not by a lot. Unless enchanted, of course.

Keep in mind that robes are only an extra 4 pound of cloth, presumably wool. That's why they only help over Traveler's Clothing, which is already built for milder chills. It's still not as cold resistant as Furs or heavy quilted clothing. It will provide only partial protection vs the full effects of extreme cold.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:48, Sun 18 Nov 2018.

Familiars have their care built into their summoning spell, and eat minimal enough amounts to be inconsequential...as long as the summoner is able to eat himself.

Paladin Mounts and Familiars in their extra dimensional homes need no care or feeding.

As to normal pets....I'll deal with Ranger Beasts should the issue come up.

Pets:
Mastiffs are big dogs, Medium sized. They take up the space of a human in a tent, are omnivorous and can eat table scraps, so they need the same food and water as a character, either from packed rations and water, or from forage. They can wear appropriate barding, which provides cold protection as appropriate, 1f necessary.

Horses (including mules and ponies) eat Feed on the road, can graze, assuming sufficient grass is available, slowing a party down to half speed if done while traveling. If done while camped, the animals need to be moved periodically, the more animals, the more often, as the area around them becomes grazed out. Foraging done specifically to feed equines may be done, but it takes 4 successes to feed one horse, and must be declared beforehand. Mainly this means collecting tall grass elsewhere and bringing it to camp, although some stands of grain may be available in some areas.

Keep in mind that type of food required might affect Survival DCs. Herbivores are harder to feed than Carnivores, which are harder to feed than omnivores.

Stabling at a livery takes all the worry away, but uses up precious coin. Stabling one at home cuts down on necessary weather protection, but still leaves grooming and feeding as an issue.

Basic care on the road (grooming, feeding if food available, etc) is part of long and short rests. In town it takes place behind the scenes as well, assuming your day allows time for such activity.

Inclement weather can be an issue. Stables keep off the rain, retain some warmth, and can be heated. Picketing a horse outside your tent on the road requires at the very least, a good blanket, and quite possibly more (quilted barding, for instance). Sleeping in armor rules apply to Horses well as Characters: Keep it Light.

Basically, pets other than dogs tend to be a drain on resources and/or time. This may well be worth it, of course.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:18, Wed 11 May 2022.

Evey so often I find a rule I dont' agree with totally. They will be listed here.


Animals and vehicles: The PHB says that animals can pull a variety of vehicles up to 5 times their load. All but one a are wheeled, and I'm fine with that. The SLED however, lacks wheels. I'm overruling the book on this point, and limiting animals pulling sleds to their "drag" encumbrance levels. Without wheels, that's what they are doing: Dragging it. Sure, snow helps, but not as much as wheels on a road.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:32, Wed 26 Dec 2018.

Rounds are 6 seconds, and there isn't a lot of time for debating what to do while you should be doing it, so I borrowed a page from my PBeM days: combat actions are posted to a private thread and I string the actions together as best as I can (place in the initiative order may affect things, of course).

Include any movement, action, bonus action, reaction you expect to want to make (if it's not triggered, the spell or whatever won't be expended) and all die rolls.

If we're not in combat, I'll  generally make all die rolls that don't have an immediate obvious effect. You'll make your own saves, but I'll make knowledge rolls and the like. And I'll know which skills apply best, so it'll be the right roll.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:30, Sun 05 Dec 2021.

Determining an item is magical without a Detect Magic spell takes a minute or so while handling the item. Basically, not in combat, but any other time.

Identifying a magic items without use of a Identify takes a short rest and handling of the item.

Attuning an item takes a short rest and handling of an item.

A day of down time or without encounters has 1 short rest around noon, if you're otherwise occupied traveling or crafting or somesuch. There is a 2nd short rest around the dinner hour, before the Long Rest known as Sleep.

So, basically, you can do 2 short rests a day when not adventuring (more while adventuring as you're likely to need a breather every couple of encounters to heal and what not). That is enough to identify two items, or identify and attune one items. Or even attune two items, assuming you know what it does already.

There are rules for what happens when something steps in a hunting trap, but not for how often somethings tumbles on one in the wild.

Mainly it's a forging tool, and works to help foraging while camped, which is something we really aren't given rules for. Foraging while on the move is possible, but traps are useless for this, as they'd be left behind.

We also have rules for working a profession, but that's measured in weeks. It doesn't help for the occasional trap set at night.

So...

Take an hour before AND after camping to set and recover traps, which cuts into personal sleep time (so make sure you have time enough in the night to do your watch, and your long rest or this time comes out of the long rest. And we have rules for that being skipped, too).

Roll Survival at -10 (+1 per extra trap) IN THE MORNING, to see what, if anything you caught. A success gives the usual amount of food per the DMG. This may be multple small animals of multiple traps are used, or one larger animal if not. Keep in mind that the catch  may still be alive.

Fur trapping is a Profession, and results are determined per week. Still, you might get lucky and find a decent pelt somewhere in your catch. Of course preserving the fur/pelt/hide takes time and will cut into your travel day, so that may be moot.

Odds are, most mornings, the trap will be empty.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:25, Wed 11 May 2022.

reposted from an update to the FE thread.

What fits in a tent?

In a standard 2 man tent space is limited. Light weapons (in reasonable amounts) may always fit in with you. Two Handed weapons and Versatile weapons need to stay outside.

For those weapons that fall between the two size areas: if it's one man in a two man tent, you can fit it in with you. If here are two of you in the tent, leave them outside.

Familiars are small enough not to be an issue, as are pet mice, if you were an Urchin. Small and medium pets/ranger beasts take up the 2nd spot. Anything Large or larger needs to stay outside.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:05, Fri 10 Feb 2023.

I had rules for this, then Xanathar's came out with some, so I'll use those. Page 77.

link to a message in another game is where I keep an expanded list of adjustments/expansions to rules collected from different specialty games in the Fantasy Earth setting.

Post #12 of the thread has some rules for senses other than sight and hearing.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:40, Sun 05 Dec 2021.

There have been a few instances of people doing things that don't match the room I have their character in. Someone checking a pile of bodies 2 rooms and 60' away from where he is. Someone else moving north while in an east-west passage. That sort of thing.

Now, this is fine. It does, however, have potentially unexpected consequences, so it's a good time to warn you, so you can't claim ignorance of how I do things when you're stabbed in the back by a critter you moved past without glancing around, or trip a trap or something else you would have prevented had you told me you were moving, and how.

So..when you're describing action in a room you're not in (or that only make sense to me if you are in a room you're not in) then you've moved there, and without searching, looking around, or etc. If you get there without being attacked (probably by surprise) or tripping a trap, then I'll tell you the results of your action. If something happens on the way, I'll cover that instead.

Now I'm fine with all this. But you need to be clear: if you're making assumptions I'll have to, too, and they may be different. After I've posted the results is too late to correct me. The good news is that this is the most forgiving edition of the game, ever, and I've played them all, including the original original game that no one remembers.