- This game contains mature content.
- The GM has marked this game as containing personal and intellectual property.
If the GM leaves or deletes the game nobody else will be able to continue the game.
[B5] Setting Old Kingdom
Premise: At the edge of the known world was a region called the Westmarch, far from the machinations of great empires and kingdoms. The land was once a part of the Old Kingdom, but that great dynasty fell and left the realm in chaos. You lived in a sleepy village called Lindondale, where most of its residents were destined to be born, live, and die there without ever setting foot in the world beyond.Your small village was a haven, but it was not safe. Dangerous fairies lurked in the forest just outside town, also called the Marchwood, and wicked men and ferocious monsters were a constant threat, including bands of goblin tribes and prowling werewolves. You and your companions were young and untested, but ready to protect what mattered.
Journey with your friends beyond the wall...
Notes: Tales from the Old Kingdom takes place in a secondary world inspired by The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and other works of epic fantasy. The aim is to let players experience the heros journey, to feel what it means to go adventuring in a wild and perilous land, out of a forgotten past, as well as to create unique ring-cycle after the fashion of the aforementioned The Lord of the Rings or Nibelungenlied or the Volsunga Saga.
It is a dangerous, threatening world that has more in common with the world depicted in Nordic sagas or with the Dark Ages of Europe than with our contemporary world. Players are invited to leave the age of information and fast travel behind, and adopt the point of view of individuals whose horizons often did not extend further than a few miles from their birthplace.
Some threats you may face:
- Wandering monsters
- Wakened barrow kings
- Warring goblin tribes
- Inscrutable raiding orcs
- Rampaging werewolves
- Dark elves from Deep Below
- Pillaging giants
- Hoarding dragons
However, not all may be as it seems and more may lie below the surface. Like in Eberron, things may not always be clear cut or black and white.
Characters
At its heart, this is a game about young heroes who find themselves in over their heads and have to grow as a result of their experiences. Their world is often gritty and dark, but it is never grim. The characters have a chance to save their homes, their friends, and their families, but their success is not guaranteed.
Characters should be aged in their mid to late teens (ages 14-18). The game will focus mostly on the lower end of the range, and I expect to accept very few 18 year-old characters into the game.
On the other hand, you may want to play a more older or mentor-like figure. In that case, you will be closely screened, as I do not want these players to disappear, and I need to be sure we can play well together.
A company should be comprised mainly of humans, with only one or two of each other of the races, at the most.
Campaign Precepts
Heroes are heroic. In this game, there is an expectation of heroism. This means certain behaviours commonly found in other games are out of place here. The company dont steal from one another, or try to get the biggest slice of pie: they proactively help and care for one another. Where player characters in other games may choose to intimidate, steal, murder, rob and hoard gold, eventually becoming a tyrant, these arent things we would see here in our story. The heroes are bonded by a common enemy and actively strive with one another, though of course they may falter from time to time from the righteous path.
Some characters may rise to this expectation and do great good. Others, may fail, and redeem themselves only in death or through great suffering. The right path may not always be clear, nor easy. It may not even be achievable Frodo, for example, did his best, but still failed at the climax of the quest of the Ring but there is always a moral choice to be made.
The road goes on, but the journey is greater than the destination. Most epic fantasy heroes undertake great journeys and must overcome peril and hardship on the way. The world is wide and little-travelled. Most people never stray far from where they were born, and there is little communication between North and South, East and West. Some races were even seen as figures out of legends in some places, as most had never seen an elf, a dwarf, or even a hobbit.
The years are long. The world is an ancient place, with a rich and varied history. To the elves, these passing years are a trifle, for they are immortal and recall the Elder Days. All others, though, are mortal and have short lives; the deeds of their ancestors have passed into legend and are mostly forgotten, save in the stories and songs that are a key part of their own lore. Players should keep this in mind, that there is a history to the world that is waiting to be discovered.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, this game will take place over extended periods of time. Some quests might play out over only a few short months, but in general, this game will unfold slowly, with time to breathe in between adventures.
The Long Defeat in a Fallen World. The battle between Good and Evil, Light and Dark, is a history of defeat after defeat suffered by the Light punctuated by bright, fleeting victories over the Dark. Good is not an unassailable force, but is instead constantly chipped away at over the long years. It is an endless struggle, and while one Dark Lord may fall, one will surely rise to take its place.
Deliverance arrives as all seems lost. Tolkien coined the term eucatastrophe for the joyful turning of the tide at the darkest of hours. In short, "The Eagles are coming!"
However, the heroes should not rely upon deus ex machina to get them out of tight spots or to solve their problems for them. It is by their own heroic actions that the grace of the gods comes, after all.
System: This game will use Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition to resolve conflicts. However, the fiction will often triumph over mechanics. I will always go the path that makes for a better story. I also use other supplemental material, including from Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures and Adventures in Middle-Earth (mostly for flavour, as this campaign is certainly not Middle-Earth!).
House rules
Encounters will not be scaled for balance or appropriate challenge rating. If you find yourself in a situation where you think you will not be able to survive, it is okay to flee.
Not all combat situations will be played out round by round, but instead by a single or multiple skill check roll. In fact, most rolls will utilize a fail forward mechanic, as can be found in systems like Burning Wheel, Fate, and other small press RPGs.
Other house rules will be documented in its own game thread.
Allowed Races
Men (origin: village, noble)
Elves (origin: citadel, wood)
Dwarves (origin: mountain)
Halflings (origin: riverlands)1
1. Also called hobbits.
Allowed Classes
Barbarian1
Bard
Fighter
Cleric
Druid
Monk
Paladin
Ranger
Rogue
Wizard2
1. Barbarians should not be taken to mean that the character originates from a primitive tribe, but more that they are more in tune with their rage and fury and are perhaps less disciplined as a warrior.
2. Wizards are a rarity in this campaign, and most belong to the Order of the Magi. In order to understand the scope of their uniqueness, there are about 20 or 30 members in this organization at any one time in the entire world. The principal twelve are given a unique title and numeral place among the Magi, while the others are completely subordinate to them. These are given a title formed from a unique animal and color combination to denote their skills and predilections.
Archetypes
We'll be using archetypes from the supplement Beyond the Wall in order to help with character creation. It's a system of random tables that are similar to lifepaths and help determine things like ability scores and help to replace or enhance Backgrounds.