Delvers and Denizens: Languages

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 I'm a little surprise I haven't posted the language rules I've been using for awhile now.

Here is what I have written up at the moment:

Ethnic Tongues

-Characters may be fluent in one or more languages

-Determined by birthplace and Ethnicity

-Reaction rolls get a -1 if speaking a regional dialect

-Reaction rolls get a -2 if speaking a related tongue

-Reaction rolls get a -3 if speaking a foreign tongue

The Common Tongue

-A pidgin language also known as Trade Common

-All PCs with INT 6+ know this language(2 learning points)

-Treat as if speaking a foreign dialect when speaking with humans who do not know trade common

Language List

1. Ethnic Human*

2. Gobgob(goblin)

3. -Hobos** 

4. -Bugbear

5. -Kobold

6. Orcish

7. Elder

8. -Elfin

9. -Faerie

10. -Draconic

11. Gnomish

12.   -Denwarf’s Tongue

13. -Hinnic

14. Giantish

15. -Ogre

16. Ghebbelin

17. -Gnoll

18. -Hutaakan

19. -Lupin

20. Lizardman

*this list doesn't include all the human dialects, as the ones I use are specific to Mystara, and so I won't be putting them in the final rulebook.

**each dialect is indented(in case that wasn't obvious)

Learning Languages

-INT score = # of points to spend on learned languages

-familiar(1, weekly) = -2 reaction

-basic(2, monthly) = -1 reaction

-fluent(3, yearly) = no penalty

-may learn through study(only to basic) or daily practice

-make INT check at stated time intervals to learn language

How it works in play: I let the players tell me what they are trying to communicate, and then the dice basically tell me if there is miscommunication. For NPCs speaking adifferent language I might say that the characters don't understand every word but then tell them the gist of what the npcs are saying; the amount of info I give is based on  the degree of separation between languages(dialect, same family or not etc.) I don't ask for the players to describe their gestures or anything like that, I simply let the conversation go as normal, but then the reaction dice tell if their was miscommunication resulting in a violent confrontation or some other hostile reaction.

as far as the learning rules go I just finalized them now; I've experimented with a few haphazard rules for language learning, but never been satisfied. I quite like these ones, we'll have to see how it pans out in play

Delvers and Denizens: Design Goals

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So I wrote a rough draft of this post in early 2019 and I've finally gone back and revised it; my views are still well reflected in what I wrote then. I've held back on posting it because I wanted to also post links to my UGS rulesets I mention in the post, but the files were disorganized and lost their formatting because the originals were saved with word perfect, and they got all jumbled up when I opened them in Microsoft Word. So instead of going back to the oldest files, I just converted the newest complete version(which was in Word) to PDF and maybe eventually I'll release older versions of the game. Without further ado, here are my opinions on RPG design in general . . . 

I designed an RPG in my senior year of high school; there have been 6 major versions or "editions." The impetus for this new game came about because I was constantly making new rules for D&D to incorporate things from newer editions of the game or to 'fix' problems I found in D&D, so I figured if D&D was so broken and I was making all these rules anyway, I might as well write my own game. The original ur-document of this new game was derivative of BECMI D&D with influences from 2nd and 3rd edition and and Alternity mostly. During the design process I researched practically every rpg I could get my hands on(digitally anyway, it was a lot harder to find pdfs for out of print games back then, sometimes I would resort to descriptions of a game system instead of reading a book). I quickly switched away from a D20 system to a D6 dice pool skill based system with rules I liked cherry picked from various other game systems; I called this game UGS(Universal Gaming System). I completed the 1st version by the end of 2010. Over the years I continued to develop the game and there were 5 complete versions or 'editions.' I changed the name a few times because I thought UGS sounded too similar to GURPS. While I was in university in 2017 I was working on a 6th version, revamping the skills, when I decided to abandon this game, not because the mechanics or system are bad but because I've come to the realization that I never designed the game I simply compiled it. I didn't have any overarching design goals other it being a game I wanted to and could play in any setting (which I've come to realize can be done with DND or a variety of other games).

To actually design an RPG there has to be goals and a plan to reach those goals. The game should be created with a purpose in mind and everything should tie back to that purpose. I made the mistake with UGS of just wanting a game where it could be adapted to any setting. I created a universal mechanic and then made everything mechanically sound, but without any real purpose of what I wanted out of the game. There was no actual plan or design goals beyond having the mechanics work together.

I learned a lot from creating UGS. I did a lot of research into the mechanics of other RPGs, about combat and weapons and real life professions, trades, and skills. I also came to the realization that this is not the game I want to be playing. It has many pieces of what I want from a game, but because it was never designed it doesn't fit my vision of the perfect RPG system. I've come to an understanding that in designing an RPG it's critical to set clearly defined goals and to make specific plans on how to execute those goals. A perfect example of a game which was not designed vs one that was:  the Original D&D from 74 vs AD&D1e.

The next RPG I want to design is an OSR D&Dish game that could be called a fantasy heartbreaker or maybe a retroclone. Though it's not really a clone of anything; I'm not trying to emulate any specific version of the game, maybe BECMI a little, but only because that's the version I'm most familiar with. Details about my design goals follow.

So this OSR game I'll be working on has the working title of Delvers and Denizens. My main goal is to create a game that is compatible with most versions of D&D or retroclones and for the game to still 'feel' like D&D. It will of course have my personal touch to create the game I want to run. Most of all I want to maintain compatibility, if something is no longer easily convertible to or from D&D then I've gone too far. I also want to avoid any universal mechanics. There will be discreet systems for each possible task/resolution, similar to TSR D&D as opposed to WOTC D&D.

Some specific systems/smaller goals I have: use a class system with a corresponding subclass/profession type associated with each class; name level titles are a character's prefession; include a wound system that is complementary to HP, but doesn't replace it;  create a new system for divine magic while being compatible with the old spell lists; refine vancian magic to be more vancian(ie in line with the fiction vance wrote); and also make non human magic(elves) inherent and not based on spells; nonhuman peoples will be designed different than humans in significant ways, and any adventurers of these species will be abnormal; create a social interaction system that is just as detailed as combat but still encourages freeform role-playing. And above all I want it to be a game that runs well at the table, my experience with OSE has shown just how much layout is important to an RPG.

Some things I want to include in the book: 

basic rules
solo training adventure for new players
training adventure for dm
gm book-how to run, how to make rules, how to make setting
setting book-special rules and fluff

Other possible expansions:

Dwellings and Dens(about city and wilderness games)

Domains and ???? (about domain management and warfare)

???? (superhero book based on the goldbox Immortals rules set)

You may notice most of the houserules I've developed here on this blog recently have been in line with my design goals of Delvers and Denizens, I've just held off on announcing the title. Over the course of the next few weeks/months I will be posting my houserules which I haven't previously talked about on this blog that I have been using that will form the backbone of this system.

You can find version 5.2 of UGS here, if you're interested in perusing it.

The Known World: Ethnicities

So after perusing the new material from the OKW and comparing to some stuff I had already worked, I've decided to make some changes to my version of mystara. A lot of this I already decided but haven't shown anyone, and some stuff is new. First a map: or maybe not, its taking a bit longer than I thought, maybe another post.

The Doulakki

The beginning of time starts with The Great Rain of Fire which nearly destroyed humanity. Out of the ashes emerged the people of Taymora with their great city of Taymoraz. The Taymora people built many great cities and mastered bronze, waging war on those without this technology. The Taymora were scattered and destroyed in The Great Cataclysm, a series of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions which broke apart the land and sunk much of taymora into the sea. The people that survived became the Doulakki, a people who are bound together by a mutual heritage and shared many cultural traits though they differ in many social practices and government from place to place. The Doulakki became a great seafaring people and shrewd merchants, dominating the sea of dread and the surrounding islands. When the Thang Empire rose to power the Doulakki were a vital part of it, both culturally and militarily, being the best sailors in the empire. After the fall of the Thang Empire, a Doulakki empire rose in the vacuum spearheaded by the great city of Thyatis which has dominated the sea of dread fro the last few hundred years.

Cultural Analog: The Greeks

Domains: Grand Duchy of Karameikos (Ducal Lands), Kingdom of Ierendi, Minrothad Guilds, Grand Duchy of Terentias, Duchy of Machetos, Duchy of Thyatis, County of Lucinius, County of Hattius, Duchy of Mositius, Protectorate of Borydos, Protectorate of Sclaras, County of Actius, Protectorate of Carytion, Duchy of Retebius, Duchy of Kantrium, Kingdom of Alasiya, City of Ctesiphon, City of Tameronikas, Barony of Biazzan, Duchy of Tel Akbir

The Thasians

After the Great Cataclysm many Taymorans migrated north far from the sea, being fearful it would  swallowing up the land. They drove out the local inhabitants of the land and eventually settled int he Streel River basin. From here they founded many great cities and formed a mighty republic which contended with the other great power of the age, the Nithian Empire. The Thang Republic became the Thang Empire after the defeat of their long rivals and the empire stretched its domain across the sea and land. After many centuries of power the Thang empire succumbed to internal divisions, revolts of subject peoples, and barbarian invasions. For a short time the barbarians ruled the Thang empire, but this soon collapsed and each Thasian city became its own petty kingdom. Over time a new religion took hold of the Thasian people, and the Patriarchs of this Church began to wield equal or more power than the Kings. Through force and coercion the patriarch of Darokin began to dominate the other partiarchs and a new Holy Empire was formed. In the short life of this new empire it has expanded rapidly, subjugating the Kingdom of Alasiya, the traldar Kings, the isles in the sea of dread, the empire of thyatis, and pushing into the territory of the barbarians.

Cultural Analog: The Italians

Domains: City of Darokin, City of Akorros, City of Akesoli, City of Athenos, City of Specularum, Barony of Kelven, Barony of Vorloi, Patriarchate of Threshold, Estate of Penhaligon, Estate of Dmitrov, Estate of Marilenev, Estate of Sulscu, Estate of Vandevicsny, Estate of Rugalov

The Gwynish

Following the Great Rain of Fire, sea levels were much lower allowing a land bridge to form between the Isle of Dawn and the current Northern Reaches. At the same time as the Taymora were rising in the south by the sea, many of the ancient Dunhalian people native to the Isle of Dawn migrated across the land bridge and settled the four countries which they named Gorllewin(Glantri), Canolbarth, Carnuilh(current day Ethengar), and Dwyrain(the northern reaches). The great kings of Corunglain ruled over the canolbarth plains(before the elves arrived) and contended with giants of Grondheim while Taymora was at its height. Following the Great Cataclysm the Kings of Corunglain waned in power and were conquered by either the Thang Republic in the south and the Nithian Empire in the east. During the fall of the Thang Empire, the Gwynish territories revolted and formed a shortlived Carnuilh Empire with Corunglain as the capitol. This zenith was shortlived however, as the same barbarians that toppled the Thang empire also toppled the Carnuilh Empire and killed or drove off the Carnuilh people claiming the land as their own. The only remnants of the once great Gwynish people survive in the lands around the Canobarth forest desired neither by the Elves or the Thasians, in the mountain country of rockhome tolerated by the mountain gnomes, and in the highlands of Gorllewin where petty kings and princes rule and fight each other for minor causes, oblivious to the outside world.

Cultural Analog: The Welsh(Gorllewin), The Britons(Canolbarth and Dwyrain)

Domains: Kingdoms of Gorllewin, City of Corunglain, City of Llyntref, Canolbarth Highlands, Klintest Lowlands, Stahl Lowlands

The Iasuli

During the time of ancient Taymora, the ancestors of these people were enslaved by Mogreth, an empire of the greatest evil. After the Great Cataclysm the people built the great city of Nithus; the people of Nithus were the first to discover the secrets of Iron. Nithus quickly rose to power enslaving many of the Doulakki of Ierendi and Minrothad, and establishing colonies far and wide over the great seas. Many natives of the southern continent were enslaved by the Nithians; over time the Nithians intermingled with and came to adopt the culture of these these enslaved people. At the peak of their influence the emperors of Nithia turned to the worship of dark demons which urged Nithia on a path of conquest. Yet the Nithian Empire was challenged by the republic of Thanegioth. When the Nithians turned their back on their sacred Immortals, their doom was sealed; with the blessing of the Immortals the Thanegioth Republic triumphed and completely destroyed Nithia. Legends of the city of Nithus and its empire is lost to the sands of the desert and the mists of time. The remnants, the Iasuli tribes were first subjugated by the Thang Empire, and then the Kingdom of Alasiya, and then the Empire of Thyatis and the Heldann Jarls. It wasn't until the great leader Masinissa Amzizrt united the Iasuli tribes that they were able to throw off the yoke of oppression and free themselves of all outsiders. Masinissa established the Kingdom of Ylaraum which has only grown in power and wealth under the rulership of his successors.

Cultural Analog: The ancient Berbers/Tamazight of Libya and Numidia

Domains: Kingdom of Ylaruam, Barony of Biazzan, Duchy of Tel Akbir, Kingdom of Thothia, Kingdom of Ierendi, Minrothad Guilds

The Ethengar

For ages after the Great Rain of Fire these people roamed the great plains of the continent to the west of the known world. A great chief by the name of eastwind envied the wealth of the Thang empire, and seeing the weakness of its leaders, led a great invasion and completely destroyed the legions of the empire in the battle of Ariton Vale. Eastwind had himself crowned the Thang Emperor. His legacy did not last long however, within a century the Thasians overthrew his weak successors and the empire split into fractured kingdoms and city-states. Despite the fall of the eastwind dynasty many Ethengar people remained in the plains and grasslands of the known world. For a time the Kingdom of Alasiya was ruled by Ethengar kings. Most of the present day people of Ethengar dwell in the ancient country of the Carnuilh.

Cultural Analog: The Mongols

Domains: Ethengar Khanates, Makistani Khanate, Krondahar Khanate, Kingdom of Alasiya, City of Akesoli

The Goths

While Eastwind was fighting the Thang Empire in the west, The Gothic people of the northern mountains and forests descended on the the old country of Dwyrain. The old Gwnish people, long subject to the Empire, called for aid and received none. Some fought the invaders, some fled to hills and mountains. Eventually the Gothic tribes won out and settled the land of Dwyrain, establishing many petty kingdoms. They called the low coastal land Vestland and the nearby islands off the coast Ostland. The Gothic Kings only ruled for a short time in this land before they too were conquered by another people from the north, the Heldann. 

Cultural Analog: The Anglo-Saxons(Vestland), The Dutch(Ostland)

Domains: Kingdom of Vestland, Kingdom of Ostland, Kingdom of Ghyr, Nordharatar Defense League, Vestland Jarls, Black Eagle Barony

The Heldann

These northern barbarians share an ancient ancestry with the goths dwelling on the lowlands near the coasts in the north country. A few centuries ago the Heldannic people began conducting ever more daring sea raids on the Gothic Kingdoms, and even further south targeting Thyatian shipping in the Sea of Dread. Eventually raids led to conquest; Ostland was the first to fall, from which the other other Gothic Kingdoms were easily isolated and targeted. For a time Heldanic raiders even established some colonies along the coast of the desert until they were driven out by Al-Kalim. The Heldannic Kings and Jarls continue to ply the waters of the Sea of Dawn and the Sea of Dread as sometime traders and sometime pirates.

Cultural Analog: The Norse

Domains: Heldannic Freeholds, Kingdom of Vestland, Nordhartar Defense League, Vestland Jarls, Kingdom of Ostland

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EDIT: updated the Iasuli background

Planetary Atlas

Just got the Mercury and Moon Atlases at my door today. I backed the original Mars Atlas kickstarter, and when I heard they were expanding to the moon and beyond, it was a no-brainer. So what follows are just some pretty pictures.

The Merchant Class

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This is presented as a non-adventuring class; what that means is the character has no fighting ability more than a normal man and is generally treated as an npc class, though the standard multiclassing rules apply and a PC could choose to spend time advancing in this class. My sources of inspiration come from gaz 11, Dragon #62 Magic for Merchants on pg 56-60, Dragon 136 Taking Care of Business on pg 22-26 and the trader subclass from Darksun. This is a completely mundane non-spellcasting class, any spells I liked have been converted into class abilities. The class follows my format of base class with advanced specializations (Banker, Dealer, Smuggler, Merchant Prince) once name level is reached in the vein of the Companion Set.

The Merchant

Becoming a Merchant - the character must convince a of name level to take the character as an apprentice. This may involve becoming a member of a Merchant Guild; most guilds require a character to be sponsored by a current guild member and the payment of guild dues of 1,000 sp per year but may charge as high as 2,000 sp per year.  A merchant character must still undergo training as normal between levels(1-6 months).

Fighting Ability - as normal man; 1d6 HD(no more than the normal man); no weapon training

Prime Requisite - Charisma (5% XP bonus if 13-15, 10% if 16+; 10% penalty if 8-6, 20% if 5-3)

Secondary Requisite - Wisdom (3% XP bonus if 13-15, 5% if 16+; 5% penalty if 8-6, 10% if 5-3)

Tertiary Requisite - Intelligence (1% XP bonus if 13-15, 3% if 16+; 3% penalty if 8-6, 5% if 5-3)

XP - 1 point of experience is gained for every Silver Piece earned as profit (based on the silver standard, if using the gold standard, 1xp=1gp).

Languages - Trade Common

Level    XP            Appraisal        Haggle

1        0                   1d100 x2           -                

2        5000             1d100                -       

3        10,000          1d100 -5            -           

4        20,000          1d100 -10        +1

5        40,000          1d100 -15        +1

6        80,000          1d100 -20        +1

7        150,000        1d100 -25        +1

8        300,000        1d100 -30        +2

9        750,000        1d100 -35        +2

10      1,500,000     1d100 -40        +2

11      3,000,000     1d100 -45        +2

12      6,000,000     1d100 -50        +3

Appraisal - This ability can be used to quickly estimate the value of a pile of coins, a single item, or the contents of a container. When appraising an item % dice are rolled, and the final value (including any bonuses or penalties) gives a range of what the merchant believes the value of the item to be. If the merchant specializes in the class of item to be appraised they gain a -20 bonus. The DM may also apply bonuses or penalties as the situation requires. If the appraisal total is less than 50% then the presence of any enchantments will be discernible, but not their effects.

        For example, Billarsh the 6th level merchant is trying to determine the value of an ornate vase an adventurer is trying to sell him. he rolls % and gets a 81, add his level bonus(-20) and a small penalty applied by the dm for the dirty condition of the vase(+5) and he gets a total of 67%. The vase DM has determined the value of the vase at 35 sp, so Billarsh knows the vase is worth between  23 and 59 sp. Billarsh wants to buy the vase at a low value and sell it at a high value, so he offers the adventures 15 sp and after haggling they agree on 20; he later is able to sell it to a gullible noble for 50 sp, so he earns 30 sp in profit form that transaction and thus 30 xp.

Alarm - A merchant has the ability to set an alarm over a specified area (a door, a camp, a wagon) that will alert him of the presence of any creature by creating a loud noise. This requires the use of assorted objects necessary for the rigging of the alarm ( a bell, string, buckets, etc). Upon reaching 4th level a merchant can rig the alarm to be a repeating and not disabled after the first activation(a bell over a shop door).

Haggle - anyone can attempt to haggle, but merchants are trained in this art. Haggling is done using the standard reaction chart rolling a 2d6. There are 3 phases, the approach, the offer, and the counteroffer. The approach determines the attitude of each character toward each other and the result of any subsequent dealings, this may be determined by the DM or rolled for, and also may be modified by the initial price set for an item(if above or below appraisal value). Once an initial price is set, the PC makes an offer and may add any bonuses due to level or CHA to a 2d6 roll, the other party either accepts or refuses the offer. If they continue negotiating the PC must makes another counteroffer and roll again. this is the last roll which determines refusal, acceptance, or if the merchant settles for a price in the middle.

Approach                    Offer                                            Counter

2          Hostile, refuse to negotiate

3-5      Unfriendly        2-8    Refuse to negotiate

                                     9-12  Continue Negotiations    2-5    Refuse to negotiate

                                                                                      6-8    Settle

                                                                                      9-12  Accept offer

6-8      Indifferent        2-5    Refuse to negotiate

                                    6-8    Continue Negotiations    2-5    Refuse to negotiate

                                                                                      6-8    Settle

                                                                                      9-12  Accept offer

                                    9-12  Accept offer

9-11    Receptive        2-5    Continue Negotiations     2-5    Refuse to negotiate

                                                                                      6-8    Settle

                                                                                      9-12  Accept offer

                                   6-12  Accept offer

12       Friendly, accept offer

On Modules

Recently I've had one of my players badger me consistently to run this or that module, and I keep saying that if they go to that part of the world then they will encounter what's in the module. And honestly the modules I do have in my game world are all site based locations located in specific places in the world of mystara, they are part of the lore/background of the setting (for example I have the tunnels under threshold and the temple of the shield connected to my megadungeon which have both been partiallyexplored by my current group).  I almost never run modules that aren't baked into the setting. The modules put out for OSE recently are pretty good as far as modules go, but I have yet to buy a single one. And I tend to ignore all the modules coming out of kickstarter too, whether they are OSR-adjacent or not. I just have no use for them, and I feel they are a detriment to DMs really fulfilling their potential.

You might ask whats my beef with modules, or why I think they are a primary cause of bad games. 

First off, I dont need someone else to do my imagining for me (something gygax originally supported, until he realized the plebes would give him $$$); I already have too many ideas to actually put in play. 

The real problem with modules is prep. I realize most people use modules because they think it saves them on prep time, but I believe that's a false assumption. Time is one factor in my poor opinion of modules, but it really comes down to knowledge of the material (which is why prep time is a problem). My first rule of DMing, which I try to impart to others but noone really seems to take to heart, is modified axiom from my college days: "know your setting,  be your setting" (the original pertains to GIS, know your data, be your data). If you know your setting,  every other detail of dming will follow. And this is where the problem with modules arises, because the module is written by someone other than oneself it takes a tremendous amount of labor to really know it and thus dm it well. Sure modules can be run without being overly familiar with them, but that usually leads to a very poor running and some degree of obvious railroading. 

Essentially it comes down to the quality of game you want to run vs how much time you want to put into prep. In general, any game session I run will be better if I do a half-assed completely improv session, than if I do a module which I just skimmed through or read completely only once. And sure I can do a well-run session using  a module, but at that point it must be practically memorized, and in the time it takes to get to know the module to that degree I could have prepared so much more material myself. And even the well run module will rarely measure up to my own material. 

Now I can hear everyone saying that modules are a great tool for beginner DMs to learn from. I call BS. I've helped over a dozen(probably more, but I'm not really counting)  players transition to DMing, and the most common thing I've found is that they all have a lack of confidence, whether running a module or not. Yet in all cases the dms who start with their own material tend to run better sessions(but let's be honest,  every 1st time dm is pretty bad),  and more importantly, they tend to stick with it and want to learn to be better. The desire to learn and grow as a dm is stifled when half the job is done by someone else; it's nearly impossible to really know the setting if you didn't make it yourself.

Weather Generation: Global Wind Patterns

So in conjunction with my last post I sketched a preliminary map of the predominant winds. Arrows show direction; cells of low and high pressure are marked, and these are all relative, I'm not creating a proper pressure map with isomers or anything yet; and a W marks where winds are weaker than normal. At those spots where there are weak winds, a -2 should be applied to the wind speed roll.