Campaign Premise

The Legend of Tsialana
Legends tell of a wondrous island civilization that prospered in ancient times. Tsialana was a paradise of magic—the origin, it is said, of the world's most powerful magical items. The dwarves of Tsialana hoarded magnificent treasures and lived luxurious lives, enjoying unrivaled comforts, with an army of magical servants to do their bidding. The island city was protected by a flying fortress, elemental magicks, and an unsinkable navy.

Over time, the dwarves of Tsialana grew more and more isolated, needing nothing beyond the island's shores. Only an occasional bit of treasure, or the odd Tsialanean adventurer, trickled through, eventually fading into songs and stories.

The Lost City
Millennia passed. The ancient island of song and story was viewed as mere legend, a mythical paradise dreamt up in days gone by. Many intrepid dreamers refused to give up hope, and sailed throughout the seas seeking the ancient island. Alas, it proved ever elusive, until all came to accept that the city was either a myth, had magically hidden itself, or was destroyed in some grand calamity. Whatever the truth, the isle of Tsialana was lost to the world.

The Island's Rediscovery
A few months ago, seafaring explorers returned from a voyage claiming to have discovered an uncharted jungle island covered in ancient ruins. They brought back with them a great treasure in gold, jewels, art, and gleaming magic swords. This mysterious isle is believed to be the lost civilization of Tsialana, and the world's foremost explorers and adventurers are sailing there to make a name for themselves—or at least a fortune.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:30, Thu 01 Apr 2021.

Request to Join

For the RTJ please prepare a decent amount of the character; you can finish the details after being selected. You can start by just asking me a couple questions first, rather than the full RTJ, for instance if you want to ask about a certain race and/or subclass. Please read the character creation rules and house rules below before submitting your character.

When you're ready, here's what I want from you:

• Please select your race, class, intended subclass/multiclass, and background.
• Assign your ability scores.
• Select your proficiencies, cantrips, spells known, fighting style, invocations, etc.
• Summarize your character's personality. (a sentence or two is fine)
• Summarize your character's motivations. (a sentence or two is fine)
• Summarize how you want your character to play. (a sentence or two is fine; something like I'll be the tank, I'll scout and find traps, I want to spend a lot of time in wild shape, I'm going for the Indiana Jones vibe, I'll try to resolve everything through diplomacy, I'm awkward but still try to be the face, I'll save most of my spells for healing, I like to be prepared and plan things out, I'm totally going to push the red button right away... just something that describes your character in play)
• Summarize your experience with D&D, RPGs, and rPoL.
• Describe your preferred style of game. (RP-heavy, hack'n'slash, intrigue, slapstick, dark, etc.)
• What's your preferred posting rate?
• What drew you to apply for this game?

This message was last edited by the GM at 14:30, Thu 01 Apr 2021.

Character Creation

• This is a 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign.
• All players will begin play at level 1.
• Use the standard array for ability scores.
• Take max HP at first level and the average HP option for later levels.
• Everyone receives a bonus feat at first level (no ability may be increased by more than +2 between race and feat).
• You can purchase up to 200 gp worth of equipment in addition to that provided by your class and background, but you need to explain how you raised funds for the expedition and what debts you now owe.
• Be prepared to track resources such as food, torches, and ammunition, as well as carrying capacity (see the house rules below).
• Due to the West Marches-like nature of the island campaign, I'm currently running up to 12 players, who can freely sort themselves into 2 or 3 parties of 3–6 players each, possibly switching groups between expeditions. Some hirelings will also be available, and I can provide a few NPC adventurers to fill out a small party if necessary.

• Races
• All PHB races are allowed except for Variant Humans (since everyone will receive a bonus feat at first level); other sources are available case by case (no setting-specific options).
• Customized Origins from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything are allowed, but reallocated ASIs max out at +2/+1; Custom Lineages are not allowed (since everyone will receive a bonus feat at first level).
• Alternate Custom Lineage: +2 to any 1 score, +1 to any 2 scores, a) darkvision or b) proficient in any 1 skill, proficient in any 1 skill/tool/weapon, speak Common +1 language.

• Classes
• All PHB classes and subclasses are allowed; other subclasses are available case by case (no artificer class, no setting-specific subclasses, but the UA artificer wizard subclass is an option).

• Features & Spells
• The ranger class will replace Natural Explorer with the alternate features Canny, Roving, and Tireless from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything (to not trivialize the island's difficult terrain). If you don't have access to that book, I can provide those rules for you.
• Additional feats, fighting styles, invocations, and maneuvers from Xanathar's Guide to Everything and Tasha's Cauldron of Everything are allowed.
• Select your spells from the Player's Handbook, Xanathar's Guide to Everything, and Tasha's Cauldron of Everything.

• Expanded spell lists and optional class features from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything are allowed with the following exceptions:
• Bardic Versatility: you cannot change which skill benefits from Expertise.
• Martial Versatility: you cannot change your fighting style.
• Eldritch Versatility: you cannot change your Pact Boon feature.
• Cantrip Formulas is not allowed.

• Backgrounds
• In my experience, a few background features see plentiful use while others rarely come up. Considering that this island is a new frontier, many society-based features will see limited use. So we can discuss customized features. Pick your skills and tools/languages, describe the background they represent, and either choose a feature, propose alternate benefits, or ask me for ideas.
• The outlander feature Wanderer allows you to automatically find fresh food and water for yourself and only one other person each day.

Character & World Notes

• Your characters need to be motivated to explore the island—you're after gold, or the thrill of exploring the unknown, answers about this ancient civilization's fall into ruins, the secrets of their advanced magic, the fame of bringing back something amazing, etc.
• A good alignment is not required, but you should work well as a team and generally default to doing what's right; if you want to be evil due to the means you're willing to use, that's allowed so long as your ends are acceptable. No PC vs. PC violence permitted (if a special enmity develops and all involved players are on board, I may consider approving exceptions).
• This is a General game; keep that in mind as you plan your character.
• You've just arrived at the island by ship, but as very few ships can handle the waters and hazards crossed, sea travel is difficult to come by. Goods can be ordered from the mainland, but they'll take a long time to arrive.
• Due to mysterious magical forces around the island, teleportation to and from the island is unreliable. Don't plan on it working. Some off-camera shopping trips might be allowed, should the campaign reach high levels, but campaign play will remain limited to the island area.
• There is a small colony town on the island, but only the basics are readily available at this time.
• There are very few safe havens on the island. The town is safe, and you will find areas that are easy to protect, but you'll need to establish safe zones as you go.
• This is a sandbox where you're free to explore in any direction. Not every potential foe will be level-appropriate. Likewise, not all encounters need turn into combat.
• That said, this is also a kind of megadungeon game, and it will observe some traditional gaming conceits. In broad strokes, the danger will be greater the deeper/farther you go. But that's a generalization, not a hard rule.
• Be prepared to negotiate, deceive, and/or flee from dangerous monsters. Consider establishing fallback positions, setting traps to slow pursuers, and conducting reconnaissance before diving into new areas.
• Please try not to abuse the game system with rules exploits and "cheesy" builds. If you'd like to play with easily abusable spells, discuss it with me first to make sure we set some limits.

This message was last edited by the GM at 15:04, Sat 01 May 2021.

House Rules

This is my first chance to try out some of these rules, which I've tinkered with for some time. So, if they cause problems, I'll look for a group consensus on how to adjust them. I'm definitely aiming for a balance between standard 5e and hardcore OSR rules.

Official Variant Rules

• Feats and multi-classing are allowed.
• I'll occasionally use the skills with different abilities variant rules from PHB 175.
• The optional rule on diagonals from DMG 252 will be used — When measuring range or moving diagonally on a grid, the first diagonal square counts as 5 feet, but the second diagonal square counts as 10 feet. This pattern of 5 feet and then 10 feet continues whenever you're counting diagonally, even if you move horizontally or vertically between different bits of diagonal movement.
• The optional cleave rule from DMG 272 will be used, with one alteration — When a melee attack reduces an undamaged creature to 0 hit points, any excess damage from that attack might carry over to another creature nearby. The attacker targets another creature within reach and, if the original attack roll can hit it, applies any remaining damage to it. If that creature was undamaged and is likewise reduced to 0 hit points, repeat this process, carrying over the remaining damage until there are no valid targets, or until the damage carried over fails to reduce an undamaged creature to 0 hit points. Alteration: a creature does not need to be undamaged, but to trigger the cleave effect, you must then deal excess damage equal to what would have been needed if they were undamaged. (So if they're at 9/12 HP, you'd need to deal 9 damage to knock them to 0, but 12 damage to trigger cleave. Call it a cleave tax of 3 damage.)
• I'll use a mishmash of the standard magic item identification rules and the variant more difficult identification rule from DMG 136 — If you prefer magic items to have a greater mystique, consider removing the ability to identify the properties of a magic item during a short rest, and require the identify spell, experimentation, or both to reveal what a magic item does. This will vary from magic item to magic item (and possibly depending on the character's class or abilities). A short rest may reveal what a magic item does, or it may not be enough, and sometimes there may be more to learn with more extensive methods even if the short rest gives you some of it.
• The downtime rules in Xanathar's Guide to Everything are a good starting point; I may adjust them as needed.

Minor House Rules

• Any character can draw or stow two light weapons at the same time, but you still need Dual Wielder if one of the weapons isn't light.
• XP awards will be at my discretion: You'll still get XP for defeating/evading monsters, there will be goal-based XP, discovery XP, bonus XP, etc.
• I will not be using Inspiration.
• I'll sometimes use my own mass combat rules to adjudicate large groups of creatures; that's pretty much just on the DM side of the screen, though.
• Alignment, as such, is optional, and you don't have to choose one.

Modified Rests and Recovery

• Intent: slightly more realism, slightly longer-lasting consequences, slightly more danger, allowance for more downtime, and increased passage of time during the campaign (reaching level 20 requires, at a bare minimum, 19 days of adventuring and 76 days of downtime with these rules (around 3 months), rather than such growth being achievable within a few weeks).

• Short Rest
• 30 minutes
• Normal short rest recovery rules.

• Long Rest
• 8 hours
• Recover all short rest abilities
• Recover most long rest abilities (if multiple charges/uses, recover one less than max)
• Recover 1 level of exhaustion
• Recover a number of HP = 1/2 HP max + Con score, may spend HD
• Recover 1/2 HD as normal
• Long rest spellcasters recover 1 less spell slot at each level than your max
• If you have only one max slot at highest level, DC 20 spellcasting ability check to recover it
• If you have additional spell levels with only one max slot, recover the highest such expended slot only
• Free to change prepared spells.

• Extended Rest
• 4 restful days of safety
• Recover full HP, long rest abilities, and spell slots
• May spend downtime, shop, craft, write in spellbook
• If drawn into an encounter once, don't count that day but otherwise may continue extended rest
• An extended rest is required to level.

• Death & Dying
• If you fall to 0 HP, you gain one level of exhaustion.
• If you fall to 0 HP as the result of a critical hit or a natural 1 on a saving throw, you also suffer a lingering injury (the DMG table is a starting point, but the injury will depend on what caused it).

Modified Encumbrance by Stone

• Intent: allows us to track encumbrance to an extent, especially for moving large treasure, without having to calculate every last pound when buying supplies; should get most of the benefit with less of the hassle (I know it'll take a bit to learn the new rules, but you won't have to think about them too often)

• Equipment Sizes: fitted gear weighs half (in lbs.) for a small character; similar adjustments for other sizes (but weight doesn't affect the armor's encumbrance; this is a fuzzy measure).

• Equipment Categories and Stone
• Armor: light armor = 1 stone; medium = 2 stone; heavy = 3 stone; shield = 1 stone
• Weapons: heavy weapon = 1 stone; light weapon = 1/4 stone; other weapon = 1/2 stone
• Ammunition: any amount of standard ammunition = 1 stone
• Fabrics: worn clothes = 0 stone; other fabrics (bedroll, clothes, blankets, etc.) by weight (see below)
• Rations: up to 1 weeks' food & water = 1 stone (1/2 stone for small); mess kits included as 0 days
• Kits: 1 artisan's/other kit = 1/2 stone
• Rope: 50 ft. silk rope = 1/2 stone; 50 ft. hempen rope = 1 stone
• Coinage: <500 coins = 0 stone; 500–1,000 coins = 1 stone; may convert to gp before calculating unless there's a large trove of >100 coins in one smaller denomination; may count pp separately to save weight
• Miscellaneous: by weight (see below)

• Stone By Weight
• > 20 lbs. = 2 stone +1 per 20 lbs. over; > 5 lbs. = 1 stone; 1+ lb. = minor item; < 1 lb. = trivial item
• 7 like minor items = 1 stone; any number of trivial items = 0 stone unless abused
• reasonable containers (backpacks, pouches, sacks) can be ignored; heavy containers (chests, casks) count

• Total Stone
• Add up weight in each category, round up to multiples of 1 stone, then add to total
• Exception: small characters may round up to multiples of 1/2 stone, rounding up again at the end

Load

• Medium characters:
• A light load is up to half your Strength score in stone.
• A normal load is up to your Strength score in stone.
• A heavy load is up to twice your Strength score in stone.
• You can push, drag, or lift up to five times your Strength score in stone, or up to 30 times your Strength score in pounds (but your speed is reduced to 5 ft. if it's greater than a heavy load).

• Small characters:
• A light load is up to half your Strength score, minus 2, in stone.
• A normal load is up to your Strength score, minus 2, in stone.
• A heavy load is up to twice your Strength score, minus 2, in stone.
• You can push, drag, or lift up to four times your Strength score in stone, or up to 24 times your Strength score in pounds (but your speed is reduced to 5 ft. if it's greater than a heavy load).

• Light Load: advantage on Con checks that test endurance
• Normal Load: no special rules
• Heavy Load: reduce speed by 10 ft. (dwarves exempt); disadvantage on Str and Dex ability checks

• If these rules prove unpopular, we can instead revert to the variant encumbrance rule on PHB 176.

Group Initiative

• Intent: streamline and expedite play for pbp so that players don't have to wait for each other to post in order.

• I will roll initiative for everyone as soon as it's needed.
• In most cases, I will give your enemies one roll as a group.
• First any characters with a higher initiative than the enemies get to act, in whichever order they post.
• Then the enemies take their turns. I'll roll any saving throws for the players to expedite play, but if you have a reroll or similar feature, feel free to chime in after to adjust your roll.
• Then the PCs as a group take their turns, in whichever order they post.
• We alternate sides until initiative ends.
• Example: I declare initiative and make everyone's rolls. The order is Rogue 21, Monsters 15, Cleric 12, Fighter 8. First, the rogue gets a turn. Then the monsters get their turn. Then, the cleric, fighter, and rogue can take their turns in any order (everyone who would normally get a turn before the monsters). Then the monsters, then the party in any order, etc.

Trivial Encounters (future possibility)

• As you level past certain areas' threat levels, I may consider resolving trivial encounters with a simple ability check mechanic to save precious pbp time (something where the result tells you how many resources it cost, where you can pay the cost in HP, spell slots, etc.). I'll seek group agreement before implementing such a rule.

DM Philosophy

• These aren't house rules, as such, but an idea of how I rule things. I appreciate the way 5th edition empowers DMs to make their own rulings for their own games.
• Narrative trumps mechanics. The mechanics are a tool, but they can be altered or ignored by the DM when they don't make sense in the context of the game world.
• Setting DCs. If I don't rule an attempt as an automatic success or failure, my go-to DC is 13; this baseline corresponds to a 50/50 chance for a starting character with proficiency OR a +2 stat. I take some inspiration from older editions where all ability checks were essentially the same DC (roll under your stat), and reason that if the outcome's in doubt, 50/50 is a good starting point. I do set other DCs, working from this scale: 8 Simple, 13 Normal, 18 Challenging, 23 Formidable. And the rulebooks set some standard DCs as well.
• I regularly check for wandering monsters, with different encounters and frequencies depending on the adventure location. There's not a set number of encounters in a day. Combat is not always the best approach to wandering monsters, but sometimes it is.
• Don't count on monster stats coming straight from the books. Sometimes they will, but I tinker a lot and often build them from scratch. Similarly, I view the monster lore in the books as a source of inspiration, but it's not binding on the monsters in this world.

This message was last edited by the GM at 15:18, Fri 09 Apr 2021.

Table Rules

• This is a General game; observe RPoL's rules for General games.
• Communication is key. If you have a question, concern, or suggestion, send me a PM or post it OOC. I can run a better game if I understand where you're coming from.
• Try to post daily, or, again, communicate if there's a reason you will be unavailable. We can be more lenient with weekends (think of the weekend as a single day). I may NPC you to expedite play if you haven't posted in over a day and we're waiting on your character. Otherwise, I'll assume anyone who hasn't posted is quietly assenting to what the group is deciding. This is to keep the game moving and fun, not to be a punishment. I imagine everyone will miss a day here and there, myself included; just jump back in and keep the game moving.
• The IC threads are for in character posts. Please pick a color (not red or orange) for your character's dialogue, and use orange at the end of your post for a) any mechanical details of your turn, b) pasting any rolls you made, and c) any clarifying out of character comments.
• If you ready an action, go ahead and make the rolls in case they're needed.
• Use the OOC threads for out of character discussion; don't make a post in the IC threads for just OOC purposes.
• Be a team player, and make sure you don't monopolize the action (if you check in more often than other players, sometimes wait and give them a chance to contribute, use your judgment).
• After each adventure, it is expected that a party will record their achievements and discoveries on the Dapper Dragon's Wall of Fame for a free round of drinks.

This message was last edited by the GM at 14:30, Thu 01 Apr 2021.