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Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Castle Mordha -1

I'm still deep in prep work for next month and the Old School D&D game. We took a few minutes at the end of the last Hobbit session to start to roll up 2 characters a piece for the setting, which produced a higher than I anticipated demi-human contingent, with two elves, two fauns and a centaur among the PCs (Fauns are the settings halfling replacements as sneaky types who are more skilled in the woods; centaurs are a PC class just because I think they're cool). That's 50% human, 50% demi-human among 10 PCs. The players will all start with their choice between their two PCs with the other one on tap should there be any unfortunate deaths.

I expect there to be some unfortunate deaths; I may be wrong - they may be very careful/ lucky, but you just can't tell. I have modified parts of the rules to make character death a little less likely (though not as unlikely as 2E AD&D with the -10 HP bleed out) but it's still a risky world for first level PCs.

anyway, to whet your appetite here are the random character background tables I built for when you want to give a little history to your just rolled up new PC..... They should give a good feel for the setting without hemming it in too much.




Background

Players should write down what their PC did before starting play. This can be just a word or two (i.e. Baker, Army Scout) or a couple of sentences describing their former, likely mundane life (i.e Shanterra as an apprentice beggar and lookout before he hit a big score that paid for his wizard’s apprenticeship.).

The DM can choose to give a +2 on any tests where experience of that background is relevant.

If you’re uninspired on non-class background, human PCs can roll here to get immediate inspiration.


D10
Born in…
To a(n)…
,
Family. After training as a
(S)he received class training then joined a
Until a(n)
1
Mordha Town
Slave
Farm/herding
Ecdysiast
Mercenary Company
Plague
2
Shankill Gold Gate
Starving
Land Crafts
Ecclesiast
Privateer Ship
Enemy Attack
3
Shankill Guild Gate
Struggling
Sea Crafts
Soldier
Merchant Vessel
Internal Coup
4
Shankill Docks
Settled
Fishing
Sailor/Fisher
Coast Raider/Guard
Bad Love Affair
5
Shankill Slums
Comfortable
Sailing
Craftsman
Overland Trader
Death of a Friend
6
Alboling City
Wealthy
Thieving
Scholar
Wizard’s Cadre
Accusal of Theft
7
One of Isle’s 26 towns
Eccentric
Trade/Lending
Merchant
Thieves’ Guild
Suspicion of Murder
8
Another Island
Obsessive
Merchant
Accomplice
Hero’s Band
Divine Inspiration
9
An East Island
Devout
Religious
Woodsman
Noble House
Endless Nightmares
10
The South
Crazy
Noble
Farmer
Guild Staff
Evil Commander
…Forced him or her to move on.

Motivation

If the players are having problems coming up with character backgrounds for being in Mordha town tracking bandits, roll 1d12 for immediate motivation:
Roll
Immediate Motivation
1
Helping out a friend/family member
2
Needed a reliable job after the last one went south
3
Needed to prove employment to avoid press gang.
4
Was lied to by recruiter, signed fixed contract.
5
Master ordered you to for mysterious reason.
6
Master died suddenly, you needed to get out of town before you were suspected in killing.
7
Master owed someone an old debt you’re repaying.
8
Your old station too gods cursed dull.
9
Drunk too much, woke up here.
10
Took shelter with this company to avoid angry mob/ mark/ dalliance/ spouse.
11
Sea-witch fortune teller told you that your first death would not find you here.
12
Found old adventurer’s journal that led you here with promise of vast riches.

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