Map: The Duchy of Markhaven

This is the Duchy of Markhaven, the region the party is currently in. When you (all except Seth, who may have come by other means) got here, you arrived via Westbrook by ship and made your way in-land to Eastbrook. Information about the region of Markhaven and the major communities will be gradually released on this blog.

Suggested Rule Change: Breaking Enemy Morale

Breaking Enemy Morale

With this change, players may use the Intimidation skill to not only bring about the Shaken condition on an enemy, but also bring that enemy to the Frightened condition (where the enemy attempts to flee, if possible).

As per the regular rules, players make an Intimidation check against the enemy's modified level check (1d20 + level/Hit dice + Wisdom modifier + any modifiers against fear), with bonuses or subtractions for size. If the player is successful, the enemy gains the Shaken condition. If a second Intimidation check against the enemy succeeds (with the enemy receiving the -2 on the level check due to already being Shaken), the enemy is frightened and must flee if possible.

The player character must threaten the enemy's square in order to make an intimidate check against it.

Some NPCs are immune to Intimidation checks (undead, mindless creatures, and certain villains).

Suggested Rule Change: Detailed Critical Hits

Detailed Critical Hits

With this change, successful critical hits may have effects beyond a simple damage increase. The effects depend on the type of damage the weapon deals and how much initial damage the attack does (including the effects of the critical multiplier, which is reduced by one if this system is implemented).

This suggestion is based off of the Detailed Critical Hits rule provided in Sword & Sorcery's Advanced Player's Guide, pg. 104.

Suggested Class Change: Craft Reserve for all Spellcasters

Craft Reserve for all Spellcasters

With this change, all spellcasters have a craft reserve similar to that of the Eberron Campaign Setting's Artificer. The amount of reserve points is found through the spellcaster's caster level, which compared with the equivalent Artificer level (meaning that Clerics, Druids, Sorcerers, and Wizards use their class level while Bards use their class level -1 and Paladins use their class level -3). These points may be used in place of experience points for magic item creation.

For more information, check the Artificer description in the Eberron Campaign Setting, pg. 32.

PS: Because the Artificer is not among the available classes in the current game, there is no need to worry about its loss of niche.

Suggested spell: Bless Element

Bless Element
Transmutation [Good]
Level: Clr 1, Drd 1, Pal 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Target: Flask of element touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

This transmutation imbues a flask (1 pint) of fresh water with positive energy, turning it into holy water (page 128). Alternatively, it can imbue a flask of specially prepared alchemist's fire, freshly gathered dirt, or sacred incense smoke with positive energy, turning them into holy fire, holy earth, or holy air.

Material Components: Depends on the element: 5 pounds of powdered silver (worth 25 gp) for holy water and holy earth; sacred candles (worth 25 gp) for holy air; a specially prepared flask of alchemist's fire (worth 45 gp). A flask for containing the element.

Holy alchemist's fire combines the potential fire damage with holy damage. A direct hit deals 1d6 points of fire damage and 2d4 damage to undead and evil outsider. Every creature within 5 feet of the point where the flask hits takes 1 point of fire damage from the splash; undead and evil outsiders receive 1 extra point of damage. On the round following a direct hit, the target takes an additional 1d6+1 points of damage until the flames are extinguished.

The Village of Eastbrook

Eastbrook is the first village the players have visited in this campaign. They have, thus far, helped the village by checking and clearing out the Hightower (and nearby tor of strategic value), assisting a local couple that had a magical infestation, and investigating an attack by a giant wolf-like creature.

Buildings:

1. 1. Temple of Heironeous – led by Priestess Lana (human female) and administered by Layman Gregory (human male)


2. 2. Eastbrook Common Hall and Administrative Offices – led by Emissary-Mayor Keirnan von Shuern (human male)


3. 3. The Village Square with the Eastbrook well


4. 4. Sheriff's Offices – headed by Sheriff Grishka Mah'kt (half-orc female)


5. 5. Inn of the Four Winds – run by Regdar (human male)


6. 6. The Winter Wolf Tavern – run by Selirin (half-elf male)


7. 7. Fiona's Fine Threads – run by Fiona (halfling female)


8. 8. General Store and Storage – run by Eastbrook collective


9. 9. The Sure Shot (bowyer/fletcher) – run by Ytana (elf female)


10. 10. Lysandra's Smithy (blacksmith) – run by Lysandra (dwarf female)


11. 11. Trock's Leather and Hides (tanner) – run by Trock (hobgoblin male)


12. 12. Ellie's Meats (butcher) – run by Ella (halfling female)


13. 13. Gerald's Scribe Services – run by Gerald Pensworth (gnome male)


14. 14. Kyron's Herborium – run by Kyron (half-elf male)

Disclaimer: the map is an edited version of a map found in the Heroes of Horrors accessory by Wizards of the Coast.

Current UiO D&D Campaign: Mercenaries

The current D&D campaign we're running here at UiO is about a group of mercenaries who previously worked for* the mercenary company, the Twilight Guard. One fateful mission, however, ended with the butchering of most of the company and the PCs are all that remain of that once proud company.

Fleeing the slaughter, the PCs ended up in the village of Eastbrook (which is north-west of their original location). Here, they are trying to revive the Twilight Guard and have taken on local assignments for coin and fame. They were some of the freshest recruits of the original company, so it may take them some time in restoring it to its former glory.

The group consists of:

• Llwellyn “Chatterbox” Redgrove, a human fighter who lost his voice in a previous assignment and now relies on hand signals to communicate with his friends and comrades


• Bård Broadwinkle, a human sorcerer who specializes in the spell school of Evocation


• "Boom Boom," an elf rogue who hides a keen intelligent through the demeanor of a brutish boor


• Harar Brekaran, a dwarven druid who heeds the call of the Earth Song and who assisted the group when they first fled


• An orc wizard


• A human archivist

Together they will rebuild what once was and claim justice for lost friends.


* as they are all that is left, it is safe to say the very existence of the Twilight Company now rests with them