Celtricia, World of Factions-posting thread

[LordVreeg]

BJZ and Tybalt, here is a quick sample of a partial combat talen from the Wikisite.
I'm heading into the busy season at work, and most of our vendors are frankly screwing us, so I am very crazy trying to move product into the company and train staff to sell it.

However, here is...
Man vs Orc, example 1

The man is Jor Hiramson, a Southern human private in the Scarlet Pilums of Igbar.  He's a nice guy, almost 30 years old, and all his skills are taught by the scarlet pilums.

STR 14
INT 10
WIS 10
CDR 12
HEL 15
CHR 10
APP 12


He has basic spear skill (L3=9%), which has dropdowns of multi/combo attack of .1 (9%*.1 =.9% ability, not usable), critical hit bonus of.1 (9%*.1=.9% skill, not usable), Damage Bonus of .25 (9%*.25=2% skill), and initiative bonus dropdown of .25 (9%*.25=2% skill).  He also has learned Initiative bonus as it's own skill (L1=5%, + the 2% dropdown =7% skill)

He has L3 Hit points (12HP), and has a basic defence skill (L2=5%), which has 1.0 dropdowns of avoidance skill and protection skill.

 

  Jor Hiramson-Combat skills        
Skill status skill amount dropdown total skill
Basic Spear L3 9% 0 9%
multi/combo att Drpdown   0.90% 0
Critical hit bonus Drpdown   0.90% 0
Damage Bonus Drpdown   2.25% 2%
Init bonus L1 5% 2.25% 7%
         
Hit Points l3 12hp   12hp
         
Basic Defence L2 5%   5%
Avoid Drpdown   5 5
Protect Drpdown   5 5


 

As a Spearman of the Scarlet Pilums, he has been issued padded underarmor (10 av/10 prt)and RingMail (35 av/22prt).  So his avoidance is 45-5 (skill)=40 Avoid.  Protection is 32+(5skill*.2)=33 protection.  AV40/PR33

 

Jor uses a pair of Pilum, like many of the Scarlet Pilums.  A pilum has Strength needed of 14 1-handed, 10.5 2-handed with a strength bonus of 2.0, and a Coordination needed of 10 1-handed and 8 2-handed, and has a Coordinatin bonus of .75.  It does 1d12+17/d6 basic damage, Speed factor 5

Jor uses the pilum 2 handed, ST14-10.5=3.5*2.0=+7% hit (+1 damage), CD12-8=4*.75=+3%, so +10% hit, +1 damage 2 handed.

Add in his 9% in basic spear, s0 10%+9%=19%/

Jor Pilum 2-handed, +19% hit, speed 5, damage (1d12+17/d6)+1

 

 

The Orcash is Kentil Ban Zyjmanez, from the southern Zyjmanese tribe of the Astrikon forest.  His skills have all been learned from the tribe, where he has spent his whole life.

  STR 15
INT 8
WIS 10
CDR 11
HEL 16
CHR 9
APP 9


 Kentil has basic Curved Sword (l2=5%), Basic Defence (L3=9) and HP (L4=15hp).

  Kentil Ban Zyjmanez

Combat Skills
       
Skill status skill amount dropdown total skill
Curved Sword L2 5% 0 5%
multi/combo att Drpdown   0.50% 0
Critical hit bonus Drpdown   0.50% 0
Damage Bonus Drpdown   1.25% 1%
Init bonus Drpdown   1.25% 1%
         
Hit Points L4 15hp   15hp
         
Basic Defence L3 9%   9%
Avoid Drpdown   9% 9%
Protect Drpdown   9% 9%


 

Like many of the Zyjmanese, Kentil uses a smaller weapon and a target shield (av10/pr5)  He wears low quality padded (10 av/7pr) and studded leather (20av/18pr).  So his Avoidance is 10+10+20=40-9 (avoid skill)=31 avoid, and protection 5+7+18=30+(9skill*.2)=34.8 prot.  AV31/PR35.

 

Kentil uses a scimitar, with a Strength needed 14 1-handed, and 10.5 2=handed, with a Strength bonus of 2.25.  It has a coordination needed is 13 1-handed, and 9.75 2-handed, with a coordination bonus of .95.  It does 1d8+1d6+11/d6, speed factor 5.

Kentil has a shield, so he uses the scimitar 1 handed.  15-14=1*2.25=+2.25% hit, CD 11-13=-2*.95=-1.9% hit, so +.35% to hit (zero, really).

Add in basic curved sword, so 0% +5% =5%.

Kentil Scimitar 1-handed,+5% to hit, speed 5, damage 1d8+1d6+11/d6.

 

Okay, we have our protagonists.  They meet in the eaves of the Astrikon forest, as Jor's patrol has run afoul of a Zyjmanese ambush.  Jor and Kentil face off in the woods, about 10 yard apart.  They both were not surprised.  
They both must roll initiative. Kentil puts his shield in front of him and moves forward in a defensive crouch(+10PR), 1/2 speed(d8 roll+0), while Jor throws his readied pilum (d8+5), deciding not to move as he does so.  Kentil rolls a 3 and Jor a 4.
[note]The +5 for Jor is the speed factor for his weapon.  Kentil is merely moving.  Both of them are rolling a d8 for their initiative dice.  Once the get into combat, that changes to a d10[/note]
Jor-9
Kentil-3

Kentil goes first, but his was merely a movement initiative in a defensive crouch, moving 3 yards.  He rolls again, still not in combat but affected by others, so another d8, this time he rolls a 4.

Jor 9
Kentil 7

Very exciting.  Kentil had moved 3 yards, and decides to move another 3 yards at a crouch (he'd go 6 yards at normal movement).  He rolls another d8, and rolls a 6.

 

Jor 9
Kentil 13
 
So at segment 9, Jor has readied and flings his Pilum at Kentil, trying to catch a spot where the shield is not.  The pilum has a range of 30 yds, and Kentil is around 5 yards away (30/25 yds is 83  so the range modifier is .83).    Kentil's Avoidance is 31%, +19% for Jor's weapon skill so 50% chance to hit *.83 range modifier.  Jor has a 42% chance to hit Kentil.  He rolls a 59%, and misses.  (Dm roll says the pilum landed 10' behind Kentil).  He rolls a movement initiative, d8, and rolls a 5.
[note] the range modifier is literally the % of maximum range a person is at.  if a bow has a 100 yard range and you try to hit them 90 yards away, your chance to hit suffers by 90%.  if they are 10 yards away, it suffers only 10%.  Jor's 50% chance *.83-42%[/note]

Jor 14
 Kentil 13
 
Kentil 's 13 comes up next, and he has moved 9 yards.  The Dm adjudicates that is close enough to begin melee.  This means that both combatants roll combat initiative with d10+weapon speeds, but Kentil has a +2 (-2) bonus due to being the one whose movement phase initiated combat.  Both try to roll their initiative bonuses, 7% skill for Jor and 1% skill for Kentil.  71% and 37%, both fail (and Jor gets 3 EXP in the skill for failing, since he does have the skill, not just a dropdown0.  Jor rolls a 6+5, bringing him from 13 to 24, while Kentil rolls a 4+5, -2 Bonus, for a 20.
[note] Once a character moves close enough for melee initiative, all combatents in that melee roll initiative from that point.  However, the one who moves into that range first, the instigator, gains a +2 (-2) bonus [/note]
Jor 24
Kentil 20
 

At segment 20, Kentil whips his Scimitar around at Jor.  Jor has a 40 avoidance, + Kentils's +5 to hit, giving Kentil a 45% chance of hitting.  He rolls a 74, and misses Jor.

Kentil rolls for initiative bonus, rolls a 39% and fails, and rolls a d10 for initiative, rolls a 5+5 for the weapon.

Jor 24
Kentil 30

at segment 24, Jor can try to stab at Kentil, having a 50% chance to hit (Kentil's 31 AV+ Jor's 19% to hit).  Jor rolls a 31%, and succesfully (finally) hits Kentil.

Jor rolls for his damage bonus skill of 2%, rolls a 21%, and fails.

His damage is (1d12+17/d6)+1, rolls a 9 on the d12, so 26 damage, divider die rolls a 2, so 13+1 or 14 total damage.

Kentil's protection is 35, rolls a 1 and then rolls a 5 and a 3 on the 2d6 dividers, 35, minus 1=34, divided by (5+3/2) 4= 9 total protection.

Kentil takes 5 hits of damage, so he is down to 10.  not enough for any penalties.

Jor rolls his initiative bonus, rolls a 31% (miss), and rolls a 6+5 speed factor.

Jor 35
Kentil 30
 
Kentil is not really worried yet, though bleeding.  He takes another swing with his scimitar, needing a 45% chance to hit.  He rolls a 60%, and misses again.  He misses his 1% init bonus, and rolls a 1+5 initiative, good roll.
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That is, hopefully, a first quick example as to what combat looks like.

[LordVreeg]

[blockquote=Raelifin]My question now is: "Why did the other churches allow the Pact Veritus? Wouldn't it damage the idea of their church being the 'truth?'"[/blockquote]  
2 reasons.
1) In the Polytheistic Celtrician religion, it is very normal to visit the shrine or Church of a diety whose primary sphere meets the needs of a particular circumstance.  Worshippers of the Curch of Change (Jubilex) may spend time praying in the Lawful Triumverate when a family member is going before a court (As Rakastra the Just is one of the Gods of the Lawful Triumverate).  A rugmaker that normally worships at Bamik of the Loom may spend time praying at the Platform of Trade when openning a new shop.  
2) The main secular reason for the 'Pact Veritus' is to stop (or at least reduce) persecution of a person due to religion.  No church want to face the wrath of all the other churches in an area arrayed against them, nor does a church want their own worshippers to be persecuted against.

[blockquote=Imperious Vreeg]For there is no doubt that the gods are real. Too often have their avatars made plain their opinions, too often do they nudge events, too plainly do they bicker, and sometime, too obvious are their favorites.[/blockquote]
Avatar not meant in the gaming sense , but in the proper dictionary sense.
Main Entry: av·a·tar  
Pronunciation: \ˈa-vÉ-ËŒtär\
Function: noun
Etymology: Sanskrit avatāraḥ descent, from avatarati he descends, from ava- away + tarati he crosses over '" more at ukase, through
Date: 1784
1: the incarnation of a Hindu deity (as Vishnu)
2 a: an incarnation in human form b: an embodiment (as of a concept or philosophy) often in a person

An extension of my earlier sin, Raelifin.  I am in my busiest work season now, but I have looked through my thread and realized I spent far too much time cramming in info and not enough time writing the thread as I would have when I created the setting.  IN the Age of Heroes, deities worked directly through their agents.  The greatest being The Bard, and the Archlich Arbor.  Even today, the gods make their will known to a few. I should have made it clear that the Gods make their existence clear still, but do not interfere directly.

[Tybalt]

So in other words religion is rather like say that of the Greeks or Romans in that you worship deities not based on alignment or allegiance (unless you're a priest or priestess) but rather based on your particular needs of the moment?

So for instance let's say Jor (your guy from above) has a few different circumstances.

Let's say he needs to do the following things and wants divine assistance if possible. First of all for a good marriage for his brother, second for surviving an upcoming campaign, third for a journey he's about to undertake. Am I correct in assuming he doesn't expect a particular deity he worships to cover this for him?

[LordVreeg]

So in other words religion is rather like say that of the Greeks or Romans in that you worship deities not based on alignment or allegiance (unless you're a priest or priestess) but rather based on your particular needs of the moment?

So for instance let's say Jor (your guy from above) has a few different circumstances.

Let's say he needs to do the following things and wants divine assistance if possible. First of all for a good marriage for his brother, second for surviving an upcoming campaign, third for a journey he's about to undertake. Am I correct in assuming he doesn't expect a particular deity he worships to cover this for him?

Jor is a human member of the Scarlet Pilums, so he probably worships at the Lawful Triumverate, the Church of the Hunt (Verbren), or the Wild Hunt (Geryon), as they are the most martial churches in town and are the most likely patrons of a Scarlet Pilums.  We'll say that He follows Verbren the Hunter as his Major Patron.  The best way to describe it using the same words you used would be to say that people have a major patron church but that the needs of a particular circumstance make it totally acceptable to pay homage of a deity that can better control the outcome of that need.

As in most things in the World of Factions, shades of grey rule.  But almost all major patron churches are heavily influencesd by guild and group memberships.  So understand, a patron deity is normally a function of the most common aspect in a person's life.  Jor understands that he is subject to any Deity's will if he is in their sphere of influence, but expects Verbren 's protection to help him in most of his day-to-day affairs.

However, in the situation you describe, Jor would probably go to the Church of Woerter of the Hosting to pray for a blessing for his brother's wedding and to recive a token from the church to give to his brother.
He'd count on Verbren to protect him in the campaign against the Zyjmanese, but he'd actually make a trip over to the Church of Direction (Arlieng the Guide) to pray for a safe journey.  He'd probably hit the Devilkin Shrine of Oblimet, Devil-Duke of Travels that is in the Church of Direction while he was there to cover his bases, and maybe to get a token, if he could afford it.[note]There are often shrines to Saints or other deities that share spheres in common in a church, unless they are already in another church.  That is actually how the Chruch of the Lawful Triumverate came into being, and the Church of Direction's major Patron is Arlieng, but there are shrine's to Obliment and Saint Manwessa the Younger. [/note]

[Tybalt]

Hey, Vreeg. I'll check out your wiki over the next couple of days, thanks for the update.

[Tybalt]

Just fyi--I don't know if anyone else has this problem but the url from your other threads to here ddoesn't work properly. It doesn't recognize my ID for instance and doesn't let me post. You might want to try it and check.

Anyway, here's my Igbar review.

I have to admit that I compared this immediately with my own setting's cities and those of settings I've liked, published or not.

First of all, the quotations from various Igbarians helps a lot in establishing a sense of the flavour of the city. The one about the importance of money is a strong one in doing so.

I generally liked the sense of the city's construction, the layout and the authorities, religions and so on in it. It is probably emblematic of your campaign world in that at a glance people can see 'big names' among the faiths that indicate that this is not a city that is typically D&D polarized vis a vis alignment. At a glance one can tell that this is a place that is very much a city whose first concerns are maintaining a sort of balance of the many alliances and factions while seeking the main underlying function of it: that of gaining prosperity. I think this is something of an achievement as most fantasy roleplaying cities are really presented as places to have adventures in but not as part of a living landscape.

I like at the same time your emphasis on the local conflicts and how they affect the city. I think that the adventuring opportunities should seem part of the locale and not unusual events that seem to coincide with their arrival.

A few criticisms.

1. The descriptions of dress, local laws, etc need to be better organized. I'd like to see categories like 'local laws' 'local customs' and so on. it would make it easier to find stuff if say someone wanted to use your site as a reference.

2. The stories are good and I've commented on them before. The only problem is that it looks like you have an entire chapter for a novel in the lower half of the page. It looks like a lot to read and it might be a little better if it were in sections that could be accessed either on other pages, in spoilers of some kind or perhaps in the larger chapter sections you see in some Wikis that are more distinctly separated.

3. The maps are off to a good start, so I guess this is not really criticism.

All in all though a good job.

[LordVreeg]

I have what may seem like an odd question, based on all the stuff you've posted so far.

[blockquote=tybalt]How much do the people of Igbar enjoy factionalism? I mean--do they LIKE it, identify with it? It seems that they take great pride in the opportunities that exist in their city, and indeed there are many, and most of them one way or another are about gathering influence and wealth, which seem synonymous in Igbar.

This may seem like a strange thing to say but I sometimes like to compare one campaign to another. For instance Dark Sun is a more bleak and gritty setting than Greyhawk; it is only the evil of monsters and cruel cults and evil regimes that keeps the world from being a paradise. Ordinary people seem ready enough to identify with good heroes or to cower beneath overlords in Greyhawk. Dark Sun seems to taint everyone with cynicism and desperation.

In the Republic of New Edom itself factionalism doesn't exist to the same extent at all as in Igbar. I think a New Edomite merchant would be shocked at how many guilds there are that are not merely trade guilds but also mercenary guilds, thieves guilds, magical guilds and so on. I think his question would be "How do you RUN this place?"

Of course based on what I know of your campaign alliances are sometimes swiftly made or are invoked by old debts and so on in the face of danger or difficulty. But here is my second question really: is there any chance that any one power block is likely to achieve greater power than the others? Even temporarily?

Er...btw sorry i forgot not to post here--maybe you could move or delete this reply...thanks.

[ Edited Wed Dec 26 2007, 07:40PM ]

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le coeur a ses raisons que le raison ne connait point [/blockquote]

Consider it moved.

1) one of the ideas of the factionalism (A term I still give you all the credit for, even on the site) is that the factions are not all considered equally or even in any level of competition.  The polytheistic religion of Celtricia means that a person worships or at least aknowledges the other parishes in town, say worshiping in the Church of Direction yet needing help during the birth of Children from the Green Mother.  A person may be a member of the Teque guild of travelers, yet still purchase meats from the RaphiButchers (who are under the umbrella of the Vissippee trading family).  Castellots (the political faction that believes Igbar is being used as a shield against the Empire of Argus) may find themselves paying off the Blackstripes, the Thieves guild centered in Argus held Coom Isle.  And all the above can be the same person.  It is very, very important to understand that the above example is not a far-fetched one, but more the normal situation for the Trablerian citizen of Igbar.  They are just not all guilds or competing guilds, more like factions.

2) On the other side of it, people join and ally with factions to get ahead, and every real mover-and-shaker group is allied with others, as no one organization, church, poilical movement,guild, knighthood, or school is overwhelming in a given area like Igbar.  No person rises ever to the top, but they do rise.  especially in their area of influence, which makes them more important for groups from other spheres to ally with.  The Church of Chaos, The Church of the Hunt, the PLatform of Trade (Church of Ogleic), and the Sceding Tree Merchants have a secret alliance against the Church of the Green Mother, But the Church of the Green Mother is secretly linked to the Collegium Arcana and the powerful Sheering Family...so the game goes...
(and if you think that is bad, Stenron is twenty times older and over twenty times as large...)

3) but do they enjoy the loyalties and alliances, the cheering for politcal favorites for the House of the Unicorn (Upper and Lower)and the competing churches, the brawls fo the Eye and the Blackstripes?  This is their life.  They live it, and know no other way...swim in the currents of factionalism with the other sharks, or play in the safer shallow waters...

[Tybalt]

Nice list of ales and wines--makes one want to do a pub crawl in Igbar. Is there much competition between brewers or vintners?

[LordVreeg]

Nice list of ales and wines--makes one want to do a pub crawl in Igbar. Is there much competition between brewers or vintners?

Not that much is made in Igbar itself, as the guild control this jealously.  The Benshin Brown winery is part of the Cowel Trading family, House of Hostem Ale is made at the House of Hostem Hospitality House, and so is protected by the Teque Guild of Travelers.  The others are all brought in by the various guilds.  The Rissa family has the exclusive rights to the 'Tolerance Red Chias' from Recum, and would start all out war if anyone tried to move into that.  So anyone who wanted to make and market strong drink would have to make some friends first.  
So while there is competition, in the true Celtrician way, it is between the Trading Guilds and their allies.

[Gilladian]

Vreeg,
I've been reading your adventure outline. Poor girl - is anyone going to care what happens to her? Sounds like her captor is gonna tire of her pretty soon and want to dispose of her before his boss gets back. Joey doesn't  sound like the patient, long-range planner type...

[LordVreeg]

Vreeg,
I've been reading your adventure outline. Poor girl - is anyone going to care what happens to her? Sounds like her captor is gonna tire of her pretty soon and want to dispose of her before his boss gets back. Joey doesn't  sound like the patient, long-range planner type...

Joey is a nit, it's true.
His Boss's Boss, Bilow, was the one who snatched Henriessa Rissa...and the leader, Koplow, of Kerumbal's old retreat, will be pissed when he finds out that Bilow might have compromised their secret lair.

[Gilladian]

Okay, so Joey wasn't the one who did the grabbing. I must have been tired when I read that! But I like Joey; I may borrow his personality for a soon-to-be-encountered minor villain in my game.

[Tybalt]

So reading your adventure--I like the fact that there's lots of background. If you present such things online that will be very convenient. It is very clear which factions are what, and the maps are easy to read. I know you haven't had much feedback on it but I encourage you to go on. It's off to a very good start. It is also a very (to my mind) typical sounding adventure, which is good, typifying your 'grey' take on situations.

BTW--why do you use different idioms when referring to orcs? Is it to actually distinguish between the language, the things they use, and so on?

[LordVreeg]

So reading your adventure--I like the fact that there's lots of background. If you present such things online that will be very convenient. It is very clear which factions are what, and the maps are easy to read. I know you haven't had much feedback on it but I encourage you to go on. It's off to a very good start. It is also a very (to my mind) typical sounding adventure, which is good, typifying your 'grey' take on situations.

BTW--why do you use different idioms when referring to orcs? Is it to actually distinguish between the language, the things they use, and so on?

The Orc vs orcash terminology is actually there to tie it together for a typical reader...which you are not...but that is a good point.

and this is actually how i go about creating my adventures.  I try to ask myself how would I want it written.  This is actually the first of a three adventure arc, with three sub-quests.  Igtiche actually is set to be the loacl base, but with the players going back to Igbar occasionally for serious resupplying.  

[Tybalt]

My own private test group. A small group of New Edomites (for whatever reason) acting as mercenaries are hired to find the missing lady. They consist of Loegaire (ranger, Celtic expat and scout commander) Venn (Council Police; rogue specializing in investigation and traps) Ravel (wizard) Sorkvir (dwarvish cleric/fighter) and Achyss (lizardfolk barbarian).

The group find Igtiche a pleasant place, very much like home. The only thing that disturbs them is the coinage asked in the hostel--at first to their outrage they think that slaves are used as currency. They are embarassed to discover otherwise.

As Igtiche is the closest friendly locale, one of the first things they want to do is to discover if anyone is acting a little suspicious. Is it possible that there are allies of the kidnappers in town? Venn and Ravel might disguise themselves in an effort to determine whether this was true, slipping into town before the others to scout it out regardless while the more wilderness friendly others conceal themselves in a campsite.