In the Cold North - Forum RPG

[Arkbrik]

In the cold north stands the city of Eisgir, the last outpost of civilization before the ice wastes begin. Its people are uneasy. The priests of Päkkaan have read the signs, and though unclear they speak of great evil. Heroes are needed in this ominous hour, but those are few and far between. Eisgir will have to make do with you.

It's been far too long since we had a play-by-post RPG on this forum. So let's have one.

This is going to use a D&D-old-school-hack system that I've worked on for a while now. Kind of a hybrid of the old Moldvay B/X books and 4e, if that makes sense. You don't need to worry about the rules though, I'll make the dice rolls and all that.

To sign up, just make a post saying that you want to join. That is, you don't write all the race, class, etc. stuff in your initial post - just that you want to join. Then I roll up the ability scores for your character. Then you choose a race and a class from those below, plus alignment, spells, and equipment. Post all that as well as name for your character. Background is nice too. The setting is kept unclear so you can come up with whatever you want.

The info spoilers below assume you are familiar with D&D type games. If something is unclear, just ask!

Max four players to start with. We might expand that later.

Some Basic Rules Stuff You Might Want to Read

Spoiler: show

Abilities

The six abilities are Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Scores of 10-11 are average. Higher means you are better in an ability, lower means you are worse.

Strength (Str) affects your Melee skill and damage.

Constitution (Con) affects your Fortitude defense, and your Hit Points (HP).

Dexterity (Dex) affects your Ranged skill and damage, your Backstab skill and damage, your Armor Class defense (if you are not wearing heavy armor), your Reflex defense, and your Initiative. It also affects your Pickpocketing if you are a Thief.

Intelligence (Int) affects your Spell skill and damage if you are a Mage or Elf, and your Lockpicking if you are a Thief.

Wisdom (Wis) affects your Prayer skill and damage if you are a Cleric, and your Will defense.

Charisma (Cha) makes you look good and talk smooth.

Defenses

Armor Class (AC) defends you against Melee and Ranged attacks.

Fortitude (Fort) defends you against poisons and diseases, and helps you avoid dying when your HP fall below zero.

Reflex (Ref) defends you against Backstab attacks, and some attacks that ignore armor.

Will defends you against most Spells and Prayers.

Big List of Races, Classes and Stuff

Spoiler: show

(This looks long, but don't panic - it's mostly lists where you pick options.)

Races

Each race gives a bonus to one or more ability scores. Write in your post what score(s) you want a bonus to.

Elf
+2 Dex or Int
You get one Spell of your choice, which can be cast once per day.

Dwarf
+2 Con or Wis
You can see in the dark for ca. 60 feet.

Halfling
+2 Dex or Cha
You get +1 AC, Fort, Ref, and Will.

Human
You get +2 to two ability scores of your choice.

Classes

Each class has a Hit Die (HD). This determines your HP. You start with as many HP as the maximum result on this die, possibly modified by your Con.

If your class has choices for you to make (like what spell you want, what skill you want to improve) be sure to write your choice in your post.

Cleric
HD: 1d6
+1 Melee or Ranged skill
+1 Prayer skill
+2 Will
You get one Prayer of your choice, which can be cast once per day.

Fighter
HD: 1d8
+1 Melee and Ranged skill
+2 Fort

Mage
HD: 1d4
+1 Spell skill
+2 Will
You can't use armor or shields.
You get two Spells of your choice, each can be cast once per day.

Thief
HD: 1d4
+1 Backstab skill
+2 Ref
You can pick locks and pick pockets. You are better than most at sneaking, climbing and listening.

Spells

The names should be descriptive enough. I'll give more details for the spells you choose.

Charm Person
Detect Magic
Floating Disc
Hold Portal
Light
Darkness
Magic Missile
Protection from Evil
Read Languages
Read Magic
Shield
Sleep
Ventriloquism

Prayers

When two different prayers are given, separated by a /, it means that the first prayer is for Lawful clerics and the second is for Chaotic clerics. See Alignment, below.

Cure Light Wounds/Cause Light Wounds
Detect Evil
Detect Magic
Light/Darkness
Protection from Evil
Purify Food and Water
Remove Fear/Cause Fear
Resist Cold
Turn Undead

Alignment

You worship a god of either the Lawful or the Chaotic alignment. All characters have a god, not just clerics! The local god of this campaign is Päkkaan, a Lawful white mammoth god of cold and wilderness. You can worship Päkkaan or make up a god on your own. If you do, write the god's name, alignment, and its areas of influence.

Equipment

You start with 100 gold pieces, and you can spend it on the following stuff.

Weapons

Club/Staff - Dam 1d4 - 3 gp
Dagger - Dam 1d4 - Can be thrown and used to backstab - 4 gp
Mace - Dam 1d6 - 5 gp
Short sword - Dam 1d6 - Can be used to backstab - 6 gp
Spear - Dam 1d6 - Can be thrown - 6 gp
Hand axe - Dam 1d6 - Can be thrown - 6 gp
Battle axe - Dam 1d8 - Two-handed - 7 gp
Warhammer - Dam 1d8 - 8 gp
Sword - Dam 1d8 - 8 gp
Longsword - Dam 1d10 - Two-handed - 10 gp

Sling - Dam 1d4 - 8 gp
Shortbow - Dam 1d6 - 12 gp
Longbow - Dam 1d8 - 16 gp
Crossbow - Dam 1d10 - 20 gp

Armor

Leather armor - +2 AC - 20 gp
Chainmail - +4 AC - 40 gp
Plate armor - +6 AC - 60 gp
Shield - +1 AC - 5 gp

Other equipment

The following things cost 1 gp each:

Torches (6), small hammer, jug of oil, rope (50'), nails (12), sack, wooden pole (10'), waterskin.

5 gp each:

Crowbar, lantern, food rations (1 week), backpack, small mirror, tinderbox.

25 gp each:

Lockpick kit, holy symbol, vial of holy water, grappling hook.

Secret Waiting List

Spoiler: show

Congratulations! You've found the secret waiting list. When someone's character dies, the first person on the list will get to replace them. The player who lost their character will automatically be added to the bottom of the list unless they don't want to. To get placed on the waiting list, send me a PM.

1. lawmaster
2. C4.
3. Alcatraz
4. Vami_IV

Saucix Leileif (Silverdream):

Spoiler: show

Saucix Leileif (SOSS-IX LAY-LAYF)
Race: Elf
Class: Cleric
Level 1, 333/1000 XP

8 HP

Str 13
Con 15
Dex 13
Wis 12
Int 10
Cha 10

AC: 14
Fort: 12
Ref: 11
Will: 13

Initiative: +1

Melee: +1, 1d8+1 damage
Ranged: +2, 1d8+1 damage
Backstab: +1, +1 damage
Spell: +0, +0 damage
Prayer: +2, +2 damage

Spell: Sleep. One creature of Level 4 or 2d8 level's worth of creatures of Level 1-3, up to 240' away, are put to sleep. This spell only works on creatures that naturally sleep in the first place.

Prayer: Cure Light Wounds. Lay your hands on a creature (or yourself) and it regains 1d6+2 HP. Instead of healing HP, this prayer can cure paralysis, and certain diseases.

Alignment: Päkkaan (Lawful)

Equipment:

Longbow
Sword
Chainmail
Rope
Lantern
Backpack
3 weeks of food rations
Strange map, taken from Fyespon
Scroll case with squiggly writing, empty
Sealed scroll case
Piece of glowing mushroom
283 gp (100 from the church of Päkkaan, 175 taken for the church)

Gerald Longhouse (IVhorseman):

Spoiler: show

Gerald Longhouse
Race: Human
Class: Fighter
Level 1, 329/1000 XP

8 HP

Str 12
Con 11
Dex 10
Wis 16
Int 11
Cha 10

AC: 16/17
Fort: 12
Ref: 10
Will: 13

Initiative: +0

Melee: +2; 1d10+1/1d8+1 dam.
Ranged: +1 1d10+0 dam.
Backstab: +0

Alignment: Solai, god of The Sun and Natural Law (Lawful Neutral)

Equipment:

Longsword
Sword
Mysterious warming sword
Shield
Plate Armor
Crossbow
Book: On Conquest and the Conqueror
Magnifying lens
6 torches
Rope (50')
Tinderbox
waterskin
2 weeks of food rations
wooden pole
2 strange golden bracelets
89 gp

Gregor Polzin (Quantumsurfer):

Spoiler: show

Gregor Polzin
Race: Human
Class: Thief
Level 1, 233/1000 XP

6 HP

Str 6
Con 14
Dex 13
Wis 8
Int 11
Cha 9

AC: 13
Fort: 12
Ref: 13
Will: 9

Initiative: +1

Melee: -2, 1d6-2 damage
Ranged: +1, 1d4+1 damage
Backstab: +2, 1d6+1 damage
Lockpicking: +4
Pickpocketing: +5

You are better than most at sneaking, climbing and listening.

Alignment: Stribog, god of the Winds, Sky, and Air. (Chaotic Neutral).

Equipment:

Dagger
Short Sword
Leather Armor
Torches x6
Rope 50'
Waterskin
Food Rations 3 Weeks
Backpack
Lockpick Kit
Grappling Hook
Pair of knucklebone dice
Green-brown healing (?) salve
126 gp

Nisos Bronzetongue (Scratch):

Spoiler: show

Nisos Bronzetongue
Race: Elf
Class: Mage
Level 1, 393/1000 XP

1 HP

Stats:

Str 10
Con 5
Dex 7
Wis 7
Int 16
Cha 16

AC: 8
Fort: 7
Ref: 8
Will: 10

Initiative: -2

Melee: +0, 1d6 damage
Ranged: -2, -2 damage
Backstab: -2, -2 damage
Spell: +4, +3 damage

Spells:

Magic Missile. +4 vs. Ref. A glowing arrow hits a foe up to 150' away, doing 1d6+3 damage.

Charm Person. +4 vs. Will. An intelligent, non-undead creature up to 120' away becomes your friend. It will obey orders that it can understand, and which are not suicidal or completely against its nature. The creature gets one Will save per day to break the spell.

Protection from Evil. For one hour, you get +1 to all defenses against attacks from chaotic creatures. You are also immune to melee attacks from summoned or magically created creatures, until you attack the creature in melee yourself.

Alignment: recently converted to Päkkaan (Lawful)

Equipment:
1 week rations
1 week fishgrub rations
Staff
Mace
Waterskin
Backpack
Tinderbox
206 gp

Adarim (mgb519):

Spoiler: show

Adarim
Race: Human
Class: Fighter
Level 1, 249/1000 XP

7 HP

Stats:

Str 10
Con 8
Dex 10
Wis 8
Int 14
Cha 14

AC: 13
Fort: 11
Ref: 10
Will: 9

Initiative: +0

Melee: +1, 1d6 damage
Ranged: +1, 1d8 damage
Backstab: +0, 1d6 damage

Alignment: Rajcha, god of justice, vigilantes, and outcasts (Chaotic Good)

Short sword
Longbow
Leather armor
Shield
Torches (5), small hammer, empty oil jug, rope (50'), nails (12), sack, wooden pole (10'), waterskin
Backpack
5 weeks food rations
3 jugs of oil
Tinderbox
122 gp

[Silverdream]

I want to play.

For a name, I like Saucix.

[Arkbrik]

Sweet, here are your ability scores.

Str 13
Con 15
Dex 13
Wis 12
Int 8
Cha 10

You had a lot of luck with these! Pick race, class and so on.

[Silverdream]

Holy Shit

Name: Saucix Leileif (SOSS-IX LAY-LAYF)
Race: Elf
Class: Cleric

Stats:

Str 13
Con 15
Dex 13
Wis 12
Int 10
Cha 10

+1 Melee or Ranged skill
+1 Prayer skill
+2 Will
+4 AC

Spell: Sleep

Prayer: Cure Light Wounds

Alignment: Päkkaan

Equipment:

Longbow 16gp
Sword 8gp
Chainmail 40gp
Rope 1gp
Lantern 5gp
Food Rations 5gp
Backpack 5gp

And 20 gp left over.

[IVhorseman]

I'm in!

[Quantumsurfer]

I'll join.

[Scratch]

I'll round the group off.

[mgb519]

I'll give it a shot.

[Arkbrik]

Saucix Leileif:

Spoiler: show

Saucix Leileif (SOSS-IX LAY-LAYF)
Race: Elf
Class: Cleric
Level 1, 0/1000 XP

8 HP

Str 13
Con 15
Dex 13
Wis 12
Int 10
Cha 10

AC: 14
Fort: 12
Ref: 11
Will: 13

Melee: +1, 1d8+1 damage
Ranged: +2, 1d8+1 damage
Backstab: +1, +1 damage
Spell: +0, +0 damage
Prayer: +2, +2 damage

Spell: Sleep. One creature of Level 4 or 2d8 level's worth of creatures of Level 1-3 are put to sleep. This spell only works on creatures that naturally sleep in the first place.

Prayer: Cure Light Wounds. Lay your hands on a creature (or yourself) and it regains 1d6+2 HP. Instead of healing HP, this prayer can cure paralysis, and certain diseases.

Alignment: Päkkaan

Equipment:

Longbow
Sword
Chainmail
Rope
Lantern
Food Rations
Backpack
20 gp

Do you want +1 to Melee or Ranged?

IVhorseman's scores:

Str 10
Con 11
Dex 8
Wis 16
Int 11
Cha 10

Quantumsurfer's scores:

Str 6
Con 12
Dex 11
Wis 8
Int 11
Cha 9

Scratch's scores:

Str 10
Con 5
Dex 7
Wis 7
Int 14
Cha 16

mgb519's scores:

Str 10
Con 8
Dex 8
Wis 8
Int 14
Cha 11

Ok, we go with five people. Signups closed.

[Silverdream]

I'm gonna go all Elf and say Ranged. Also would sleep work on people?

[Arkbrik]

Yes, it works on anything that naturally sleeps. So it doesn't work on undead, golems and stuff like that.

[IVhorseman]

Gah, Silva's stat spread says fighter while mine says cleric, so I guess I'll be the fighter.

Gerald Longhouse
Race: Human
Class: Fighter

10 HP
AC: 16
Fort: 12
Ref: 10
Will: 13

Str 12
Con 11
Dex 10
Wis 16
Int 11
Cha 10

Melee: +2; 1d10 +2 dam.
Ranged: +1 1d10 +1 dam.
Backstab: +0
Spell: +0
Prayer: +3, +3 damage

Alignment: Solai, god of The Sun and Natural Law (Lawful Neutral)

Equipment:

Longsword
Plate Armor
Crossbow
Food rations
6 torches
waterskin
wooden pole

2gp remaining

[Arkbrik]

Gerald Longhouse:

Spoiler: show

Gerald Longhouse
Race: Human
Class: Fighter
Level 1, 0/1000 XP

8 HP

Str 12
Con 11
Dex 10
Wis 16
Int 11
Cha 10

AC: 16
Fort: 12
Ref: 10
Will: 13

Melee: +2; 1d10 +1 dam.
Ranged: +1 1d10 +0 dam.
Backstab: +0

Alignment: Solai, god of The Sun and Natural Law (Lawful Neutral)

Equipment:

Longsword
Plate Armor
Crossbow
Food rations
6 torches
waterskin
wooden pole
2gp

Are you native to Eisgir or did you come here from somewhere else? If so, where?

[Quantumsurfer]

Gregor Polzin
Race: Human
Class: Thief

Str 6
Con 14
Dex 13
Wis 8
Int 11
Cha 9

6 HP

+1 Backstab skill
+2 Ref
You can pick locks and pick pockets. You are better than most at sneaking, climbing and listening.

Alignment: Stribog, god of the Winds, Sky, and Air.  (Chaotic Neutral).

Equipment:

Dagger (4gp)
Short Sword (6gp)

Leather Armor (20gp)

Torches x6 (1gp)
Rope 100' (2gp)
Waterskin (1gp)
Food Rations 2 Weeks (10gp)
Backpack (5gp)
Lockpick Kit (25gp)
Grappling Hook (25gp)

1 Gold Pieces

A dirty, no-good, low-down wanderer, only Päkkaan and Boreas know how he's survived this long.  Gregor is reckless, careless, and weak, scavenging what he can from his betters and sticking them in the back when they aren't looking just for the opportunity to loot their gear.  He is an opportunist in the purest sense of the word.  His only redeeming traits are his above average endurance and his uncanny ability to keep his fingers at least somewhat nimble in the cold.

[Arkbrik]

Gregor Polzin:

Spoiler: show

Gregor Polzin
Race: Human
Class: Thief
Level 1, 0/1000 XP

6 HP

Str 6
Con 14
Dex 13
Wis 8
Int 11
Cha 9

AC: 13
Fort: 12
Ref: 13
Will: 9

Melee: -2, 1d6-2 damage
Ranged: +1, 1d4+1 damage
Backstab: +2, 1d6+1 damage

You can pick locks and pick pockets. You are better than most at sneaking, climbing and listening.

Alignment: Stribog, god of the Winds, Sky, and Air. (Chaotic Neutral).

Equipment:

Dagger
Short Sword
Leather Armor
Torches x6
Rope 100'
Waterskin
Food Rations 2 Weeks
Backpack
Lockpick Kit
Grappling Hook
1 gp