Saturday 7 February 2015

New Feierland: The Rules I Used For G+ Games

NEW FEIERLAND
WHAT THE HELL IS NEW FEIERLAND?
“This place is horrible.”


“All New Feierland Travel Tips seem to boil down to: If you're in New Feierland, you've already fucked up at life,
and you're about to pay dearly for the string of bad decisions that landed you here in the first place.”

Note: This whole system was used successfully for a few years, til the end of 2014, but I've moved onto a new thing. It's not perfect, but I don't think I'm going to update this anymore. There are some decent ideas in here. Feel free to use the system, or pieces, for your games. Some pieces were borrowed from other people. Please ask me if you want to use anything make money.


New Feierland In Short:
New Feierland is the setting for my More-or-less Oldish School D&Dish campaign. These are the D&Dish hack rules under whichever license lets people do this kind of thing. It is grubby fantasy, exploring an ill fated colony to an unforgiving new land, loosely inspired by the mystery and horror of the Cthulhu Mythos.
People with Irish Accents negotiate the Dilapidated Hovels, Filthy Law Enforcement and Thrice-Cursed Landscapes of ‘New Feierland’. Some Cretin has disquieted the Goat-Headed Emaciates to the South. Unscrupulous Fae haunt Dark, Misty Frankenwood. Diminutive, Stone-Dwelling French lurk in Ancient, Unknown Ruins. There are Rats in all of the Basements and a 'Wizard' in every Tavern... Everyone is afraid of the dark.


New Feierland Playstyle:
This is a horrible faerie tale, touched with mystery and character, laced with doom and decay. Flirtations with violence and unknowable filth are dangerous. There may be maimings. If you are cunning enough to overcome the threats and confusions of the wilderlands, you may escape these maimings. Interesting experiences will be rewarded, and the luckiest survivors may find ancient treasures. Characters have complete freedom of action. There is no plot armour. There is adventure in every direction, and every adventure has a wonderful, horrible or unexpected consequence. Despite or because of all this, it’s pretty damned fun.


Links:
A Map of the The Isle Of Rats And Mouses:  https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bz09SGDZfIV-UVZWV2pYd1hsT2c/edit


________________________________________
CHARACTER CREATION:

5 STEPS TO MAKING A NEW FEIERLANDER
1. Determine STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA. 3D6 in order. If you are sad, Re-roll the one you most hate.
2. PICK a CLASS from the selection below (Fighter, Mage, Cleric, Rogue). Ask if you want something else.
3. Roll HP. 1D6, or 1D10 if you are a Fighter. Reroll if you are sad. Apply your CON bonus/penalty.
4. HAVE some STUFF. Write down some items and stuff, but not too many. You’re probably a Dirty Peasant.
5. OPTIONAL RANDOM CURIOUS ITEM: Roll a D100, pick high or low, tell GM.

3D6 IN ORDER. You may re-roll one attribute if you like.
STR: Melee Attack Bonus, Damage
DEX: AC, Initiative, Ranged Attack Bonus
CON: HP/Level
INT: +1 Rogue Skill (any class). Magician (only) Spells.
WIS: Reroll 1 die per session. Cleric (only) Spells.
CHA: +/-1 Reactions & Morale, +1 Henchman (new char starts with hench)

ATTRIBUTE PENALTY/BONUS
BAD: 3-6 = -1 GOOD: 13-15 = +1 EXCELLENT: 16-18 = +2

CHARACTER CLASSES:


FIGHTER: (Warrior, Fighting-Man, Belligerent, Knight-Errant etc)
Things: HD D10. Starting Attack Bonus of +1 (Other classes are +0). Damage die is one higher than usual. Aggression (Attack again after opponent dropped, once/round/per 3 levels, within 5 yards). Armour counts as 1 step lighter. Unscrupulous Feierlander Mudfighting (+1 to Doing Bastard Stuff and Screwing with people in a fight)
LevelUP: +1HD, +1 Attack bonus per level.
Every 3rd Level: +1 to an Attribute, Damage Dice Increase, +1 Reaction/Morale or +1 'Skill'.


MAGICIAN: (Magic-User, Sorcerer, Wizard, Witch, Occultist etc)
Things: HD D6. Can employ awful arcane magic (LOTFP or other D&D spell system). Extemporaneous-Channelling* (See later). Cannot cast spells in Armour (Clothes no thicker than silk to cast effectively). Also needs hands for magic. And words. Can Read & Detect Magic within 2 yards, after 1 round concentrating.
LevelUP: +1HD, +1 Attack bonus per 3 levels, Spell progression as per spell system.
Every 3rd Level: +1 to an Attribute, +1 'Skill', +1 to Extemporaneous-Channelling rolls or +1 Spell Known.


*Extemporaneous-Channelling: Foolish or desperate Magicians can try to navigate the mysteries of inscrutable sorcery and cast a spell unprepared. It is difficult and dangerous which is why, typically, enchantments are carefully ritualised, formulated and locked safely away in the matrices of a sorcerous mind. A magician may cast any spell she's previously cast (inc.from scrolls), beyond normal spells/day, by rolling 11+ or higher on a D20. If the spell is higher level than you can normally cast/memorise, subtract the difference from the roll. Each daily attempt beyond the first carries a cumulative -5 penalty to the roll (increasing chance of taking extra damage as well). If you fail, the attempt backfires with inverse effect. If the result is 1 or less, it also causes D6 damage/spell level to the caster.


ROGUE: (Specialist, Explorer, Thief, Ranger, Treasure-Hunter etc)
Things: HD D6. Skillful (^). “Guys. I’ve Got This.” (*). Special Contacts (#). Select 4 (+ Int mod) 'Skills'. examples;
1. Stealth 2. Tinkering 3. Murder/Backstab 4. Survival
5. Lore/Occult 6. Perception/Investigation 7. Symbology/Cryptology/Forgery
8. Engineering/Stonework 9. Therapy/Medicine 10. Exploration/Spelunking
LevelUP: +1HD, +2 Attack bonus per 3 levels.
Every 3rd Level: +1 to an Attribute, +1 Attack Bonus, +1 Re-roll per session or +1 'Skill'.
^ Skillful: Rogues may take a skill twice (for 2 points), for increased success (See ‘Doing Stuff’ on next page).
* “Guys. I’ve Got This.”: A Rogue may ReRoll any Skill type check Once/Level/Session. If the die result is EVEN then it stands and the Rogue may treat the task as if she were Trained in it (ie add level, doesn't stack with actual training). If the die result is ODD then, regardless of everything else, you fumble/critically fail/shit goes awry. Shit goes so awry that, even (especially) if said rogue was just deciphering a tome in her room and there's really no shit to go awry, Something will (D3): 1. Catch Fire, 2. Inflict Insanity, 3. Be Summoned from Somewhere Horrible.
# Special Contacts: Once per Rogue level, you may call upon a local specialist contact to help you with your current schemes. The form of the contact depends on the locale and your character concept (eg a Ranger may befriend a horse or vulture, a Treasure-Hunter contacts a quality fence, a Thief a partner in crime etc.). The contact will be roughly the same level as the Rogue (or Rogue level, if multiclass) and will be generally friendly and helpful. It will help from either ‘behind the scenes’ or assist directly not unlike a henchperson. May or may not remain for as long as s/he is alive and not mistreated by the PC/s, though will not generally travel beyond the locality, generally dependent on having a reason to stay there.


CLERIC: (Paladin, Shaman, Militant Preacher, Zealot, Prophet etc)
Things: HD D6. Has sweet god-granted spells (LOTFP or other system). Memorisation unnecessary. Needs to be touching Religious-Icon for spells. If you’re interested in fluff or special rules, check below in the religion section.
LevelUP: +1HD, +2 Attack bonus per 3 levels, Spell progression as per spell system.
Every 3rd Level: +1 to an Attribute, +1 Reaction/Morale, +1 Attack Bonus or +1 'Skill'.



MULTICLASSING:
You start with one class. You can take a level in anything when you level up. Your total Level/HD still determines required XP for levelUP. Each time you level in a class, you get all the appropriate upgrades for the level you have in that specific class. HP are added to existing totals, Attack Bonus is totalled, etc.
NOTE: Any Class Skills only count the Level of the Relevant Class eg If you have ROGUE skills, only count your Rogue Level for the Skilled bonus.
EXAMPLES:
1. Your Level 1 Fighter hits 2k XP and you take Level 2 in Fighter. You get +1 Attack (For +2 total) & D8 HP. Later, you hit 4k XP and you take a level in Magician. You get D6 HP and spell progression for a lvl 1 mage. You are 3HD and require 8K XP for next level, with the skills of a Lvl 2 Fighter and Level 1 Mage.
2. Later still, you have just over 16k XP. Your character is 5 HD: Fighter Level 2, Mage 3. You reach 32k XP and you take another level in fighter: You gain D8 HP, +1 Attack (For +3 total) and you pick an upgrade from the Fighter '3rdlvl' list. You are now 6HD (Ftr3, Mage 3).
3. When you hit 64k XP you push Mage to lvl 4 and are now 7HD. You gain D6HP, spell progression and also +1 attack (Mage gets it’s first attack bonus at 4th level) for a total of +4 attack bonus.

EXPERIENCE:
THE 2K STANDARD: Characters need 2000 XP for level 2, Doubled for each subsequent level. Once that number hits 128k (for lvl8), just keep adding 128k for each subsequent level (256k lvl9, 384k for level 10) up to level 10. Which is maximum.


GAME RULES:
GENERAL RULE: Only make a check if it is important, or if failure is going to affect something in a meaningful and interesting way. Common sense, etc.


SAVING THROWS: (Generally reaction/defensive.)
Saving Throws are (Half Attribute) + Level. Roll D20 equal/under.

DOING STUFF or SKILL CHECKS: (Generally premeditated or decisive action.)
If it is reasonably achievable but challenging for most humans: D20 under Attribute.
If it would require specific training (or is otherwise difficult): D20 under Half Attribute.
If a trained Skill of yours is also relevant: + Level
If you have Double-Training (Skilled Rogue): D20 under Full Attribute + Level. Natural 20 is always failure.

Other Bonuses/Penalties may apply - Eg trying to be acrobatic whilst wearing Medium armour = Penalty. Climbing a wall with appropriate gear = Bonus.

OPPOSED CHECKS:
Both make Saving Throws or Skill Checks, as appropriate. Whoever passes by the greater amount wins.

NEW FEIERLAND ENCUMBERANCE:
- If you are wearing a Pack With Stuff you are at -4 to physical tasks. Packs contain a reasonable amount of stuff.
- If, after dropping pack, you have more stuff than you would want to cartwheel with, you are -2 to physical tasks.
- Generally, assume everyone drops their pack in the first round of combat. That way it only becomes relevant if they want to go somewhere else quickly, or use an item from their pack.


NEW FEIERLAND TIME, INITIATIVE & MOVEMENT:
- Combat or similarly time sensitive things are broken into 5 second Rounds.
- Initiative is D6 per side.
MOVING in combat:
- As a guide, a guy/girl rushes about 20 yards per round, Double that if sprinting, Half that if sneaking.
- You may move half that and still take an action. If it’s close or uncertain, max a DEX check to do both things.
- Effective speed is based on Initiative. High Initiative rolls move relatively faster/farther.
- Fast/Slow creatures move maybe two or three times as Fast or/Slow.
NEW FEIERLAND FOOD AND SUCH:
- It's heavy. If it matters, you can carry 2 weeks if fresh water is readily available, 1 week if not. Negotiable, If you really must.
COMBAT!

INITIATIVE: D6 For your group. D6 for the badguys. Winner goes first, then take it in turns. You may hold your action on “Overwatch” to be taken as an interrupt.


ATTACK!: Roll D20 and add Attack Bonus from STR/Class etc. You hit that AC. Damage Die is usually a D6, or D8 for a Fighter.

CRITICAL!: If you rolled a Natural 20 or beat the target AC by 10, your attack is super effective. If so, after you roll damage, make a second Critical Attack. This attack, if it hits, will cause a Wound, despite remaining HP etc.


WEAPONS: Most Melee Weapons: D6 damage. Two handed: +1 to hit and damage. Dual-Wielding: (Need Dex13+) Pick/round: +1 to hit, +1 damage OR +1AC (Melee). Shield: +1AC, May Be Sacrificed If a Normal DEX check is passed. If so, shield is ruined to ignore one physical attack. Shields are strapped to user’s Arm.


RANGED WEAPONS: Thrown are short range and mobile (move & fire). Bows/Slings etc are as expected, Effective range ~35 yards (-3 hit penalty/extra 35 yards). Crossbows are as bows, +2 hit and damage, 1 immobile round to reload.


ARMOUR: Ascending AC. Unarmoured = AC11. Light Armour = AC 13. Medium = AC 15. Heavy = AC17. Note: FIGHTERS count armour as being 1 step lighter (for initiative). (Which... will matter, once I write in some more penalties for heavy armour that I don’t think are boring or annoying)
WOUNDS AND HEALING!
WOUNDS!:
If an attack takes you below 0HP or is a Critical Hit (see Combat, above), it causes a Wound.
1. Determine location (D6): 1,2: Legs. 3,4: Arms, 5: Body, 6: Head (+2 on damage/severity roll).
(Called Shot: You may reroll the location die. If you get the same # as the first roll, you missed your chance. No wound)
2. Roll Damage (Note that bludgeoning weapons don’t cause Bleeding/Dying):
1-3: Fleshwound. No immediate effect. After the fight, D6: 1-3 are Injured.
4-7: Serious Wound. Bleeding/Dying, Immediate CON save, and save every D6x5 minutes. Injured.
8+: Mangled. As Serious Wound, but the Injury is immediately and probably obviously Permanent (Severed or Ruined).

BLEEDING/DYING/ADVERSITY/RECOVERY:
The Only Immediately Important Bit: Pass 3 CON saves, at the appropriate rate, before failing 3 CON saves.


- Once you fail ONE you are probably incapacitated and/or unconscious. Also reduced to half total HP, if you had more.
- If you fail THREE before passing 3, you usually die.
- Skilled Healers and/or Magic Healing can help here. (See Healing!)

INJURED:
The Only Immediately Important Bit: -2 to actions involving Injury.


- Recovery from injury is Dying/Adversity checks above, but save every 2D6 Days.
- Arm/Leg: Failure to recover means the Injury is permanent.
- Body: Failure to recover means Horrible Slow Death.
- Head: As Body, but also you have lost (D6): 1: Nose, 2: Mouth/Tongue, 3,4: Ear, 5,6: Eye. Mangled Head is instant death.


HEALING!
Combat Options: (Make a Therapy/Medicine Skill Check @ 1/2 INT, + Level if you are Skilled. Once per Wound.)
1. Tourniquet: 1 ROUND, Limbs only. Success temporarily disables a limb and pauses the bleeding process for D6 Hrs.
2. First Aid: Takes D6 ROUNDS. Success grants the patient 1 Automatic Bleeding save pass.
3. Amputation & Cauterization: D6 ROUNDS, Limbs only. Grants 1 Auto Bleeding save pass and a Permanent Injury.
4. Hasty Surgery: D6x10 MINUTES, requires Skill, Equipment, and Shelter. Success grants the patient 1 auto Bleeding Pass. Once per Wound.
Non-Combat Options: (Make a Therapy/Medicine Skill Check @ 1/2 INT, + Level if you are Skilled)
1. Corrective Surgery: D6x10 HOURS, requires Skill, Equipment, and Shelter. Success grants the patient 1 Auto Injury Recovery Pass. Once per Injury.
2. A Short Rest: A 30-60 minute break. Restores 1+ CON bonus HP/Level. Must be stationary. Encounter Check.
3. A Restful Night: If fed and sheltered, restores all HP. Otherwise HDxLevel HP.


Note:
A critical failure on First/Surgical Aid gives patient 1 Auto Fail because you are a terrible doctor.
A critical success on First/Surgical Aid gives patient 2 Successes because turns out they were complaining about nothing.

MAGIC HEALING:
- Cure Light Wounds: heals 1HD/3 levels of the target OR counts as 1 passed save (for any Adversity checks)
- Cure Moderate Wounds: Heals 1HD/2 Levels of target (minimum 2 dice) OR counts as 2 passed saves.
- Cure Serious Wounds: Heals 1HD/Level of Target (min 3 dice) OR counts as 3 passed saves.
- Cure Critical Wounds: Heals 1HD/Level of Target (min 3 dice) AND counts as 3 passed saves.
- Heal: Completely Heals the Target AND removes all negative non-permanent health effects.
- Permanent Injuries, where the limb etc is still attached can be fixed with Cure Critical Wounds and a CON save.
- Permanent Injuries, including severings etc, can be fixed with a Heal spell and a successful CON save.
- These spells may be available from powerful NPCs, for a price.

MULTIPLE WOUNDS, INCAPACITATED TARGETS:
- Incapacitated Targets can be curbstomped in melee as a 1 round action. The target takes a Wound to a chosen location.
- If attacked whilst already Bleeding/Dying: Additional Wounds add Failures to the existing Wound/Bleeding Save checks (Serious wound +1 Failure, Mangling +2 Failures). They may also cause additional Injuries.


EARNING EXPERIENCE:
LOOT ANCIENT TREASURE: 1XP per/Coin Value of Loot or Ancient Treasure recovered to civilisation.
DEFEAT FOES: Each Foe Negotiated earns the party (HD^2)x10 XP (eg 1HD = 10XP, 3HD = 90XP, 5HD = 250XP)
TERRIBLE PLAN: Up to 100XP/Level for enacting a Terrible Plan.
CUNNING PLAN: Up to 100XP/Level for enacting an Actually Good Plan.
TEAMWORK: up to 100XP/Level for getting another PC out of a bind.
NEW PLOT/RUMOUR: Any individual directly involved in actions creating a new plot/rumour earns Up to 100XP/level
EXPLORATION: Being the first PCs to find a Thing Of Interest nets you XP. Additionally, If half the party has been to a particular Thing Of Interest, and it's appropriate, you may start the session at that Thing.
SESSION REPORT: Up to100XP/Level for a decent session writeup. Ideally on G+ with Players and GM Tagged in.
DARWINISM: Encounter XP (from HD etc) is divided amongst the survivors only.

THE 2K STANDARD: Characters need 2000 XP for level 2, Doubled for each subsequent level (4K = Lvl 3. 8K = Lvl 4, etc). Once that number hits 128k (for lvl8), just keep adding 128k for each subsequent level (256k lvl9, 384k lvl10 etc.)
Note: Magic Treasure only gives ⅕ value as XP.
Note: Foes can be recruited, negotiated with, driven off, slain, subverted etc to get ‘Defeated’ XP. Having an AC of 18+ and each Special Ability of a Foe counts as +1HD for XP.


MAGIC!
Ok Listen I totally haven’t done this bit!
Just pick an existing Oldish Magic system and use that. LOTFP is good.
THE END!

New Feierland Lost Souls:
People keep asking for this and I keep having to go look for it...


Walter the Physician: Spirited Away By Elfs.
Flavio Fantastique, Bard: Led astray by a Corvid and Spirited Away by Varanis.
Zzyzxszasz, Rainbow Wizard: Led astray by a Corvid. Captured and consumed by Varanis.
Karl, Feierlander Belligerent: Mauled by Owlhounds and Exsanguinated.
Unknown, Elfin Panthera: Overwhelmed and Traumatically Inseminated by a Blightberry Rotwyrm.
Rzzssszzzzsz, Prismatic Elfin Varanus: Found Wanting by Inscrutable Forces
Maurice The Grub: Drowned in a Sack whilst Draped Horsewise
KullPetal The Ork: Misplaced beneath the Blightberries... Suspect Fallen Through Cracks or Taken By Fae.
Steve The Amazing/Ridiculous: Blasted Self Out Of A Tree With Miscast Magic, Fell 20 Yards, Broke Leg, Immediately Set Upon By Vicious Owlhounds, Laid Open, Mauled and Exsanguinated.
The Tinker: Dismembered, Torn Asunder And Consumed By Owlhounds.
Blain, Ranger: Lain Low And Neck Cracked By Mo the Elf Monk.
"Stabatron", Moron: Beaten And Impaled By GoatHead Emaciates
Bob The Brave: Limb Severed And Beheaded By GoatHead Butcher
Buttercup, Wolf Familiar of Sir Digby Chicken Ceasar: Put To Sleep And Slain By The Party After It Was Established That Said Digby Was, In Fact, An Elf Or Other Unscrupulous Fae. The Digby In Question Was Driven Into The Woods In A Hail Of Curses, Magic And Missile Fire.
Mo the Elf Monk: Spirited Away By Nefarious Arachnids...
Archibald, Cleric of Odin: Mortally Afflicted by a Nighteye.
Mikael, Cleric of Horace: Lost After An Ill-Advised Experiment Beneath The Blightberries...
Handsome Dan McStuffin: Lost In The Warrens. Feared Taken...
Nick 'The Tweezer' Cosey: Aggrieved By A Sack Of Spiders, Impaled Liverly, and Bloodily Abandoned On The Shore.
Grondor McFlatch: Troubled By Foul Venoms and Teleported A Kilometre Into The Ocean. Feared Drowned.
Lucus Pionce: Disembowled By Pirats and Violently Conflagrated.
Korath, Cleric of Ahab: Brought down, dismembered and head eaten off by a pack of Mushwood Cephalosaurus.
Queeqeg, Warrior And Braviard: Brought down and head eaten off by Underhog Cephalosaurs.
Lame Jimmy Headshots, Belligerent: Brought down, arm and head eaten off by Underhog Cephalosaurs, despite uncharacteristically effective defensive efforts.
Erp Berton, Fledgling Wizard: Skull rent cruelly by a Faeline Construct.
Mo, Elf Monk, Agent Of The Fae Queen, Mutantor Of Chaos (7): Captured by Cunning Fish and Slain By Great Magic whilst Almost Escaping
Pajak, Pious Assassin and Agent Of Chaos (3): Dragged And Incorporated Into A River Of Green Slime, Which He Did Concoct
Rasdole Pompomore, Bartender and Treasure Hunter (1): Shot in the Kidney And Face, Swallowed Pint Of Green Slime, Had Thumb Severed, Digested By Slime In Question, Animated As Green Slime Golem, Reincarnated From Severed Thumb On Banks Of Green River...
Tancred, Old-Fashioned White Hat Thief (4): “Shredded by skeletons while climbing aboard a necro-rats' ship; the fatal coup de grace (to the face, no less) was delivered by a rat”.
Malick Sy, Aspiring Summoner (1): Crossbow bolt between the eyes on the very next round.
Criminal Rick, Criminal (1): Shot with one dozen muskets from the stern of a Pirat Ship, which he did try to cut the rudder of.
Bill The Sneak, Murderer (1): Trapped in an Alchemist’s lab with a cruel, emaciating mist.
Krute The Sailor, Braviard (1): Struck down mid ladder by frosty, dessicating magics.
Jane Groinstab, Miscreant and Reincarnatrix (1): Stole from villagers, murdered one whilst resisting punishment, cut down by angry, vengeful, Ex-Marine Villagers, raised Undead-wise by twisted curse, cut down, torn asunder and burned by angry, vengeful, confused villagers.
Alistair Crowfriend, Prophet Of The Allseeing Eye (2): Infected by corrupting fungus, dragged into a sewer and immolated by companions.
Zander, Swarthy Warrior (1): Captured by Gobblin Forest Webspinner, dragged into the inky canopy and leisurely consumed.
Traveller, Sneak And Treasure Hunter (1): Leg torn off, body ripped twiceways by Starveling Owlhounds.

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