The Campaign Builder's Guild

Tybalt and I have been trading useful posts for about a month, and I have to say it has been one of the best and most useful relationships I could have asked for.  Kudos to him and for the CBG for creating this enviroment.

A consistent theme has been the particulars of my Guildschool system.  My current setting has been run for about 25 years.  I went skill based in response to the AD&D rules of the early 80's, and continued off in my own.  Some of the rules and particulars are very similar to other systems, some are not.  Some of the probelms I have solved were solved later and differently by later versions ofthe game, others have not.

We are going to do this in a very conversational way; in other words, all the conversations and questions that an intelligent gamer would have I expect him to ask.  So there will be some digression.  In addition, there will be times when something comes up that is being re-written.  When I was a younger GM, I defended my rules a lot more; my current groups (which include members that have played all 25 years of this game and some of my earlier variations) know that I now look at the rules as guidlines that can still change/evolve.  So it shall be here.

I am not going to put up a seperate discussion thread for now, for a few reasons.  I do not expect too  much feedback on this, for one.  Also, I might end up killing my own threads anyway...I have that talent.  So feel free to question and comment, but try not to drag something too far afield.  I'm always willing to start a thread about my gaming heresies.

Lastly, the pace may be slow.  Personal data does not come up too often, but I am the product manager of a busy company, and also wear a lot of other hats...while somehow finding time to run 3 live groups (once per month each) and one online group (which is about to come out of summer hiatus, as the players all have kids).  Much of my gaming work comes at the expense of sleep.

Tybalt,
Here is the basics from my character creation page, pasted right from it..  Let's start here.  Do you have any prefernces or questions before we get started?

[ic]
Celtrician Rules
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Basic Creation

 

Initial Attributes

Despite all the time and work that goes into creating a setting, the Celtrician setting exists primarily for Player Characters to explore.  The sytem of rules we use is called a skill-based system, in that the game's primary mechanism is determining how the characters use their skills in the world, and how they get better in them.  Through use and betterment of these skills, they make their way in the Celtrician world.  Every character creates a story, a book or a set of books, and every one is different.

 

A player character is one created and controlled by a player.  A player rolls dice to determine the character's basic abilities, their race, and their social upbringing.  This gives a framework to the player for what the character might be good at.

 

The basic attributes are Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Coordination, Health, Charisma, and Appearance.

Strength describes the amount of muscular strength and muscular endurance a character has.  This affects combat skills and carrying capacity tremdously.

Intelligence describes the reasoning capability of a character, and their ability to process data and retain it.  The affects spells skills and knowledge skills mainly.

Wisdom is a measure of the character's internal strength and common sense.  Whereas intelligence may determine a character's ability to determine the reasons why it rains, wisdom allows them to remember to bring an umbrella.  In the parlance of today's metric, 'emotional intelligence' would be under the bailiwik of Wisdom.  Many spell skills and faith-based skills need wisdom.

Coordination is the determinant of a character's reflex and hand-eye coordination, as well as small motor skill ability.  Bow skills, thiefing skills, and many artisan skills are aided by this.  

Health is the ability to resist damage, infection, sickness, and poison.  Whease strength allows a character to lift a lot of weight a few times, health allows the chatacter to keep going after others have fallen down.

Charisma controls how likable a character is, and governs how other people respond to them.  Almost all social skills are charsima based.

Appearance is the least of them, kind of a throw in.

 

These basic abilities are determined by rolling 6 4-sided dice, and taking the best 5 rolls, giving us a range from 5-20.  The rolls are taken in order, and cannot be rearranged.  The 'average person' in Celtricia has a 12 in all ability scores, but these dice give player characters an average of 14.  We like the protagonists to be a little more heroic than average, though a few flaws makes for an interesting character as well.

If no rolls exceed 16 (talk to Brian and Gerry), you can re roll the whole character.  I do need to point out that while it is nice to have great initial abilities, some of the best player characters have extremely mundane beginings. [/ic]

so far your system seems very similar to the normal rules of D&D, although i am curious to see where your rules differ.

I do have a few questions though, is they any reason that you replaced dexterity with co-ordination and constitution with health? And will appearance have any mechanical effect within the game?

LordVreeg: I appreciate you taking the time to put this up. I am going to read it through and think about it before I respond. Lately I'm pretty busy too--I'm starting teaching independantly this year which is something of a venture and juggling that with my current job and other things, so at the moment I'm just up rather early and letting you know that I've seen that this is here.

Tybalt--
Like I said, the pace may be slow.  That's fine.  Some things in life are better that way.
Let me know how the teaching goes.  I think you'll be fine, as every GM has a teaching job, and you seem to excel at the GMing side.

Kalin--
Look here first. http://thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?31806, that whould be some background.  This thread is something of a reaction to that.  
Short answers to the 2 questions are:
[blockquote=Kalin]so far your system seems very similar to the normal rules of D&D, although i am curious to see where your rules differ[/blockquote]
I use a classless, skill-based system where experience is gained in a skill only when it is used.  Every skill has and EXPMOD, based on where it was learned and what kind of helpful attributes the character has.  So there is a 5 yr old (playing time) PC that only has level 2 in HP, as he never is in combat.  I also have characters that started in the Turniper Farming Commune as a famer with some basic outdoors skills, fighting with a pitchfork, that is now a minor knight and who is now studying with the Church of the Autumn Harvest.  The guild or school where skills are learned is the primary factor in the creation and later development in a character.
[blockquote=Kalin]I do have a few questions though, is they any reason that you replaced dexterity with co-ordination and constitution with health? And will appearance have any mechanical effect within the game?[/blockquote]  My PC's and I voted on these.  Dexterity was narrowly edged out (I can't believe I still remember this) as Coordination described how the ability was actually affecting skills.  Same with Constitution vs health.
Appearance was more of an argument.  We almost had sub abilities at one point, that would have been partially based on other abilites and partially rolled.  Apearance came from that argument, in that we all know people who look good, and know how to maximise looking good, who are really unpleasant or socially inept.  
And it affects the game mechanic strongly.  The fourth Circumstance Check I use is a social one, wich uses Appearance and Cahrisma and social skills, and is used constantly.  It is actually the most used derived CC in Guildschool.

(on a side note, you just reminded me of my summer Vermont group from 15 years ago, which I have not been adding to my list of total gamers and characters.  Tine to update that.  That certainly makes me feel older.)

16
13
14
13
18
17
18

Here is what I rolled.

I will post the raceial stuff over the next few days.
Races are rolled up like abilities in Celtrician Guildschool, going by the idea that this is what you are born with, like abiliites.

Quick look at your rolls says you might be trying to qualify for a bardic guild, or an affiliation with a church strong in Animist spell points, as Animist spell poinsts are heavily charisma based.  No bad rolls, which is nice.

Could you possibly post a list of choices from either the bardic or priestly schools or affiliations?

Okay, I'll go out of order a bit and give you the full listing of the organizations and affiliations you can try to achieve membership in, though we will need to do the race first, as there are attribute bonuses for the % to be able to join.  Characters can hae one primary affiliation, and one secondary afiliation.  It is very, very common to take a religious secondary, though some of the other minor ones (social, trade) are often used.

[ic=Igbar's Guilds]
   
   Alchemical
   The Green Flame---   Fire mages, and the eye's alchemical branch
   Vasko's Brew---   The blackstripe's poison makers

   Archer
   Bowyers of Ceminiar---   Martial order of the Ceminiarians
   Calling Shot---   Quasi Military group, Official Martial order

   Assassin
   Collegium Tortoris---      old and tiny (and weird)
   Holders of the Straight Way---      Belial's Assassins, Ritualistic
   Jocien's Knives---       The blackstripes warrior arm,
   Karin Machinations---      The strong arm of the Eye.

   Bard
   Bertrand's Bard School---   drummer warriors.  Very Loud and annoying to others, Proud
   The Frigid Song---   Warrior Bards from the frozen north

   Religious-churches
   Church of Weaves---   Bamik, weaver god, many Hobbits
   Church of Belial the True and Clear---      Belialist believee in Order, and in getting what
   Church of Change (Jubilex of Chaos)---      Very social, and Chaotic
   Church of Direction---      Arlieng the guide,many sages worship here.
   Platform Of Trade (Ogleic)---   The Trade God, the scasles,Mercantile church
   Church of Fortune (Ishma)---   Goddess of thieves and the hopeful, lucky Ishma
   Church of The Living Earth (Madrak the Mighty)---   Huge, solid  and Popular
   Church of the Green Mother (Vernidale)---     Vernidale, the Green Mother Druidic and neutral
   Church of the Autumn Harvest (Amrist)---   very small, Seasons, harvest,From the North
   Church of The Hunt (Verbren)---   The warrior arm of nature
   Church of the Lawful Triumverate---   Nebler the Defender, Rakastra the judge, Abradaxus the Harsh--very popular
   Messianic Church of the Theocracy of Nebler---     Nebler the Shield Many transplants worship here
   Church of the Wild Hunt (Geryon)---   Chaotic and wild, The mighty lawlessness of The woods and fields
   Church of Hosting    (Woerter)---    Host, and hospitality.  The Meeting god
   Shrine of Amerer---   very small, neutral mages and beurocrats
         The Shrine of the Whole (Kiminus)---  Very small, God of Heroes and fools, of the whole person,

   Cooking
   Tolmar's Bakery---   3rd generation, amazing cakes
         Bamik's Soups---Children of the Weave eat here often
   
 
   Cooking, service   
          Hostem's Hospitality---   The huge and famous restaraunt,

   Druid/ranger
   Defenders of the Land---   of Madrak/Vernidale.

   Fighter
   Terrors of the Knife---   Assassin/Fighters of Vernidale

   Governamental
   Ministry of the Unicorn---   School of government

   Kensai/Bard
   Martial School of Song---   the "Archers are pansy's" guild

   Mage
   Alternative school of magic   ---Independent, Irreverent, and in money trouble
   Collegium Arcana---   The huge, multi national consortium
   Red Witches ---   Just Outside of Town, blood magic
   Shell of defense---   Igbar militia mages.
   The Tower--            The Water-mages

   Martial Artist
   Brightblue Limbs---   martial artist from Xamdu hold
   Green Dragon Clan--   Draconian and sly
   Mysteriarchs of Lathe---    warrior Commando-monks from Gwynell

   painting
   Goodeval Art school---   From the Stenron branch

   Ranger
   The Hunters of the Shade---   Verbren's Hunters, tracker's non-pariel

   Sage
   Greta's Words---   sages who specialize in scrolls
   Steel Library---   strange old sages' guild.

   Sailing
   Igbar sails!---   sailing school.  Young navy ensigns

   Samurai
   Blue turtles---   The honorable enemy of the Red circle
   Unicorn Swords---   female -heavy school of spear users

   Smith
   Collishaw's Ironmongery---   Great place to learn how to mend armor

   Social   
         House of Twazinia---   Harou hospitality school, old orbic version
   Parshan House of Chance---   learn how to lose money like a pro
   The Grounds of Dismissal---   Banneti's Coffee House

   Thieve's guild
   Blackstripes---   Helipolian
   Padisha of Pilfering---   independent, real thieves, not political
   The Bully Boys---   The dock's underside.
   The Eye---   Kasarack's boys.

   Trade
   Wello House of Adornment---   learn the value of everything!
   Winfire Trading Consortium---   trading guild
         Sceding Tree---   Traders of commodities, one of the largest
         Teque Guild of Travelers---   Guild Clan specializing in inns, wagons, land travel

   warrior
   Caleb's Tactical---    Specialized vs humanoids
   Lance and Slay---   How to kill on the open plains, great horseman
   Order of Stenron---   The largest military order in the North
   Order of the White Paladin---     Wear white and like it!
   The Armor of Trade---          The Knights of the
   Toffler's Defenders---    Marines for the Navy
   Trabler Scarlet Pilums---   Military School of Trabler, heavy into cavalry
   Tristonian knights   ---         The knights of John of Triston, Neblerian[/ic]

I'll be posting the races basic page tonight.

Here is the first racial post.

Players can roll twice for base race, in case their is a presupposition or a character ideal in mind...however, race is like basic abilities, something you are born with.

[ic=Races, part1]
Races
 

Races in Celtricia, much like basic abilities, are rolled for, though a player can roll twice and choose the best base race.  Sometimes, you have an idea in your head that just doesn't mesh with your first roll.  This does not reflect the population density of Celtricia, or the northern celtrician area, but rather, the frequency of exceptional beings.

 [table=Base races]
[tr]
[th]%roll
[/th]
[th]base race
[/th]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]01-30[/td] [td] Human[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]31-45[/td] [td]Omwo~ (Elven)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]46-49[/td] [td] Gartier (Bugbear)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]50-55[/td] [td] Orcash(Orc)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]56-71[/td] [td] Klaxik (Dwarven)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]71-89 [/td] [td]  Hobytalia(Hobbit) [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]90-98 [/td]  [td]Gnome [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]99-00 [/td] [td] Cross [/td]
[/table]

After finding the base race, there is a need to roll for the particular sub race.

 

Humans

Humans, known to the Omwo~ as Pablar's toys.  Created originally by the Celestial Planar of Rebellion and Hopeless causes, it is little wonder that humans were the first short-lived race, and their willfullness is legendary still.

 

"The Omwo~ Grow things,

The Klaxik Build them.

The Hobyt's use things,

and the gnomes find how they work.

The Men start things,

leave them, and start something else."

Tel Jas Klaxik, Bard of the Copper Bell, Sembina, 405 RON

 

The original human tribes from the depths of the Age of Heroes were House Telman (northern), House Kalil (southern), and House Wastri (Middle), named by Pablar himself.  They are short lived, normally living up to sixty years, and impatient.  They are also almost as fertile as Orcs, and almost as violent.

Humans organize people.  They do well with governments, and armies.  Most humans are between five and six and a half feet, and have a seventy year lifespan, if allowed to live in peace.  There are as many Humans as Klaxik, and almost as many humans as orcash and Hobyts.

 

Gartier

Gartier is what the Bugbears call themselves, Bugbear being a slang term the Gartier find derisive.  They are the most recently 'inductee' into the the cultured world.  It was only fifty years ago that the Gartier started living in settlements with other races, and there is still a great amount of racial tension in some areas. Gartier are quite often the brains of the various humanoid bands, as they are brighter than any other type on there average (brighter than humans, Klaxik, and Hobyts, as well, on the average).

Gartier are large and strong, averaging almost seven feet in height, and have a base HP of 5 instead of the normal 3.  they also have a decent detect scent ability and 30' of darksight.  Their weaknesses lie in their low birthrate, short lifespan (averaging under 50 years), and their incredible sarcasm.  Gartier suffer a large social skill penalty, partially due to their new acceptance into the cultures of the northern Celtrician area, but also due to practised gartier ability to use irony like a club.

 

Orcash

The Orcash, or orcs in the Common Westic vernacular, are shorter than humans but taller then dwarves, with wide bodies and flatter faces.  They are a descendent ofd the ancient Ogrillite tribes, from the early Age of Heroes, and were in those ancient times the foot soldiers of the Arch-Lich Arbor.  Orcs have only been part of the 'civilised world' since 740 RON, when the BrightLands began recognizing them based on their behavior, instead of their race.  Most orcs are particularly fond of Hobyts because of this.

Orcs are normally four and a half to five and a half feet in height, and are gregarious and clannish, but often crude and money hungry.   The Orcash and the Hobylatia are tied for the most poulous of races.

 

 

Omwo~

The Omwo~ were the first servants of the Celestial Planars, more ancient than the sauroids, and perhaps almost as arrogant.  Though given to art and culture, the Omwo~ bear the knowledge thet theirs is a race in remission, a shadow of the Xoui Omwo~, the first born that lived thousands of years in splendour.  Elves still take naturally to music and culture, but often are melencholy.

Elves are thin, with piercing eyes.  The more rare elves have hair that is given to metallic tints and eyes that match.  They average six to seven feet in height, and normally live between two and three centuries.  Due to their low birthrates, the OMwo~ and trhe Gartier are tied for the lowest population density of the norther celtrician area.

 

Klaxik

The tough Klaxik, the short, stout dwarves, dwell in clannish groups.   They are the warriors of the Stunatu, the Celestial Planars workers.  As in legends, these strong beings are miners and earth lovers.  Klaxik are fertile, crossbreeding easily with Gnomes, Orcs, Humans, and Hobyts, and a female Klaxik is almost never satisfied.  Just don't call her fat, that is probably solid muscle, and the woman fight as well as the men.  Klaxik's are normall between three and a half and four and a half feet tall, and live up to a century and a half.

Though they are excellent miners, some black klaxik are also excellent sailors and explorers, and almost all klaxik have a drive to explore and discover.  Klaxik make excellent merchants and earth mages as well.  Klaxik's get along woth almost everyone

 

Hobytalia

The Hobytalia are the organizers of the Stunatu, created by Madrak and Pablar to keep the houses and the records of the Omwo~ back in the Age of Legends.  The Hobyt's are the laughing folk, and can make any creature feel at home.  They are born socialites and build freindships and relationships easily.  

Hobyt's are also loyal and creative, on the whole.  They average about 3 feet tall, as often shorter as taller.  So they don't really use pole weapons...

Hobyt's are prominent in almost every country, being tied with the Orcash for the largest population on Celtricia.  The Brightlands Plutocracy, while open to all, is dominated by the Hobytalia.  Hobyt's get along with the Orcash extrememly well, as long as they have joined passed the test of civilization.  Hobyt's normally pass back into the void as often after eighty as before it.

 

Gnomic

The Gnomes are the faithful of the Stunatu, created by Madrak and Nebler back in the Age of Legend.  The gnomic race have great faith and are the heads of many religions, and are excellent healers.  Hardy by nature, they are almost as good natured as the Hobytalia, with whom they share a great bond, though they get tired of patching up the Klaxik.

Gnomes are short, rarely topping four feet, and are extremely hardy.  The males have beards like the klaxik, and the woen are more slender, looking almost like the Hobyts they are distantly related to, albiet slightly larger.  They are shorter lived than the other Stunatu, being called back to the Void by the end of their sixth decade on average.

[/ic]

Next the rolls for sub races

We have a human. And I'm interested in Karin Machinations btw.

The Karin Machination take their name from Karin Beechhurst, (female Hybern Klaxik).  She was the leader of a small guild of slayers that allied with the Eye when Kasarak first came to Igbar.  She went to the Void back in 890, but her guild has become the strong arm of the Eye of Igbar, part muscle, part knife.  
Like most of the Eyes, the 'enforcement' arm is called the 'Searing Eye' within, but the kniowledgable of Igbar still call it the Karin Machination.
The machination is especially strong in the Harou districts of Igbar, the Omnian/gwynellian sections populated by expatriated Wastris.  Varkovich Von Zap, Vanir Omwo~ Head of the Eye, is partial to the eastern hospitality and afternoon tea services.

Most of the population of Igbar thinks of the Karin Machination as primarily strongarm, but that is a carefully crafted facade.  They actually compete with the Holders of the Straight Way and Jocien's Knives in the sectret world of political and paid death.

Human stock, racial background roll

[table=humans]
[tr]
[th]roll[/th][th] strain [/th] [th]ST[/th] [th]IN[/th] [th]WI[/th] [th]CD[/th] [th]HE[/th] [th]CH[/th] [th]AP[/th] [th]Hright[/th] [th]Weight[/th] [th]social[/th] [th]age[/th] [th]max age[/th]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]01-40[/td] [td] Mixed human [/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]1.00[/td] [td]1.00[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]42-52[/td] [td]Southern Human  [/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]-1[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0.95[/td] [td]0.95[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]53-59[/td] [td]Gwynellian Human [/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]-1[/td] [td]-1[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0.95[/td] [td]0.9[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]1.05[/td] [td]1.05[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]60-76[/td] [td]Omnian Human [/td] [td]-1[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0.9[/td] [td]0.9[/td] [td]+4[/td] [td]1.00[/td] [td]1.07[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]77-85[/td] [td]Delvan Human [/td] [td]0[/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]+10[/td] [td]1.05[/td] [td]1.20[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]86-96[/td] [td]Grey march Human [/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]1.1[/td] [td]1.05[/td] [td]+09[/td] [td]0.80[/td] [td]1.15[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]97-00[/td] [td]Gesana Human[/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]1.15[/td] [td]1.15[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]1.10[/td] [td]1.30[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]

Southern Human. Would you be kind enough to post some background information on this please?

will do tomorrow...you're going to be one healthy fellow, though...