Sunday, December 16, 2012

A World Full of Wizards

This is a consideration of the WIZ attribute and I shall centre it upon humans.

Why is Trollworld not bursting at the seams with human wizards? At first glance it ought to be! How so?

The average roll of 3d6 is 10.5 and so most humans should pass the 1st Level wizards' test - 10 for INT and 10 for DEX. Ah but maybe no one teaches them and that's why so may are just citizens. I don't believe this is so...

The Wizards' Guild was formed to counter the law-breaking of people with the ability to cast spells. The idea was that spells would be standardissed and social engineering would go hand in hand with magical tuition in classes so that graduating wizards would keep the law, by and large, and the rulers would be better served.

It wasn't a matter of money - the rulers wanted to net as many fish as they could. Rogues are literally rogue wizards - people who the trawling nets have missed and have not been 'programmed' magically or ethically. (I see no reason why they should have just one spell or that the spells they have should be just as those the Guild teaches but that's another story.)

The explanation for the comparative lack of wizards, given that the INT and DEX starting requirements are so modest, might be this: there are two types of WIZ.

The common one gives rise to spell resistance and everyone has it to some degree, even though it may be very weak. The rarer version allows spell casting. The Wizards' Guild attempts to assess every citizen and then trains those who have the rarer WIZ quality.

That's how it works on Khaghtch'an, the Kraken Continent, anyhow.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Sir Geoffery gets rich, has no need for anti-perspirant and forms a cunning plan



Putting such thoughts aside (you'll have to read the last post!), he determined to explore the upper gallery next. A place overgrown with vines and filled with intriguing statues, it surprisingly yielded no booty and no danger. Scarcely believing this dearth of risk and reward, the knight descended and headed north into a section of the castle sadly decayed by the passing years. It was a mess. He reckoned there was no immediate danger so he left the security of the entrance archway and set about searching methodically.

In game terms, this meant increasingly difficult LK saving rolls with the prospect of getting lost if a commeasurately high INT SR was not made at the end of the treasure trawl. L7 was the top LK ask – with INT of 20 even with a 6 level bonus, Sir Geoffery accepted that he would lose his way. It dawned on him that at the earliest opportunity he should pray for increased intellect.

Truth to tell, this time proved to be a calm cruise in happy hunting grounds for de Boyks. He turned up a total booty bonus of 15,710 gold pieces in value – far too heavy to take out by himself. He successfully battled a skeleton and a mountain gorilla without breaking sweat, as well as a vampire. In two of the fights, he would have taken one point of spite damage but I ruled that as he won so overwhelmingly, these enemies didn’t manage to even touch Sir Geoffery (house rule: if the difference in combat totals is vast, the victor gets a L1 SR on LK to avoid spite – if an ant does battle with a dragon and rolls a 6, I’m not going to be quick to smack the dragon with a point of damage) – so no vampire infection.

The hero pulled up a heavy stone with a flick of his wrist and located an amulet which uplifted his strength by 3 when worn. He got another weapon – this time a plain sword enchanted to give the wielder’s STR in dice. For de Boyks, that is 63 currently! Only one add though…

Twice he got a bad feeling as he explored and heeded the intuition. A plan grew in his mind – go to Khaboom and team up with an experienced and trustworthy wizard to complete the cleansing of the castle and hire a team of dwarves to demolish the parts of the castle beyond repair and then rebuild and renovate. Satisfied with this plan, he hid the cash and legged it out of his by now favourite creepy hang out.

As he sauntered back to the village, a longer term plan fermented: to find a witch wife to forge a more permanent partnership with, in which he would – after a little playtime – be able to sleep easily at night.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Sir Geoffery and the Castle of Death

I'm going to write up the next exciting installment of our favourite knight in shining armour's adventures in the creepy but treasure-laden castle.

I think he's likely - if he survives and gets more loot - to employ a troop of dwarves and a couple of elven mages to clean out the castle and then have the dwarves stabilise what can be salvaged of the masonry before he hires a bunch of carpenters and navies to spruce it up to habitable standard.

Do you think this is fair, to take a sole setting apart, milk it for all its worth and live the life of Riley (assuming he was a happy fellow)?

Rotten Borough - Election Special: Dirty tricks option

I'm adding a dirty tricks option to the election solo where you try to be elected as the Mayor of Stoneydaze - its up on DriveThru with Fairyland included.

I've generated a menu of 11 'dirty tricks' - anyone got any suggestions?

My brain is custard after a haaarrrd week...

Monday, December 3, 2012

Underwater Kindreds

A concept for a new solo grew on me yesterday. Now I need to brainstorm under the sea trollworld kindreds - if anyone has any offerings, they will be greatly received and probably included.

kia ora

Mark/Khaghbboommm