Colville West Marches

Foreword

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. - Revelation 22:13 NKJV

Hello, I would like to just take this opportunity to thank all of our DMs new and old for being the backbone and bedrock. Without you there is nothing, no victory, no defeat, no happiness and no despair. You are what makes us great and this community what it is. Thank you, you're the best!
- Ninja Bob and the Organizer Team

Foreword		2
Chapter 1: The Basics		3
Chapter 2: Running a Session		4
Chapter 3: Loot and Rewards		5
Chapter 4: General Rules		8
Appendix A - Server Links		12
Appendix B - DM Resources		13
Appendix C - Past Organizer Rulings		14

DM Basic Rules

Before you start play, consider the following:

• Don’t be a wangrod!
  

• Use common sense! Don't be that guy!

• Timeout: if you are uncomfortable with anything that happens in the game, just say “timeout” and the DM will take a break and give everyone a chance to address the issue.

• By default, all PvP requires consent, whether this be touching other people's possessions or attacking them directly. If there is a situation where consensual PvP does arise, we ask that you try to make it non-lethal.

  Note: Incidental damage where a player uses an ability to help the party out considerably is not considered PvP, and whether or not something is considered PvP is at the discretion of the DM.

• If you are to plan a follow-up session, let your players know what you'll be doing in the follow-up.

• Accept players based on level range and recency; the more recent they've played, the lower their priority should be to join the quest as long as they are within the level range.

• If you don't know about something, ask before acting.

Voice and PBP Games

The server hosts two types of games, voice and play by post.

Voice Games are expected to be run by speaking and by using the Discord and other programs to enhance and grant ease for the play. Voice games are expected to be done within a session which are generally 4 - 6 hours. If they are to continue for longer, a new posting is made for them.

Play by Post (PBP) Games are primarily played by text. These sessions can last over a week and they go forward in much slower pace than a normal session. See Chapter 4 for more details on PBP rules.

Level Ranges

Each game is supposed to be directed to one tier of the level ranges. This does not mean your game can't have characters outside of the intended level range, but it is there to guide the expectations and the expected power level of the characters who are joining the session.

The level ranges are also sometimes referred as tiers.

Tier	Level Range
1	3-4
2	5-8
3	9-12
4	13-16
5	17-20/Epic

DM No Show / Cancelled Game

If you do not show up for a game or the game is not able to be ran, the characters signed up for the quest that show up receive XP rewards. This is true for short notice cancellations and no-shows. The game has to have been posted for at least 8 hours.

It is preferable if you can get appropriate replacement players from those not signed up for the quest and you should have some patience to see if people come late. This is also only for abrupt cancellations for sessions that have time and date set and those are coming up soon.

Level	Reward		Level	Reward		Level	Reward
3	180	I	9	1600	I	15	3000
4	380	I	10	2100	I	16	3000
5	750	I	11	1500	I	17	4000
6	900	I	12	2000	I	18	4000
7	1100	I	13	2000	I	19	5000
8	1400	I	14	2500	I	20	5000

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Examples: The DM is unable to make it to the session, the game has been posted for a 24 hours. All players receive XP.

A player is unable to make it to a quest, the DM decides they are not willing to run for that few players, and are unable to find someone to fill the slot last minute. The remaining players and the DM receive game cancelled xp.

XP/GP Table

Note that a DM does not receive any rewards (be they gold, XP, or magic item) until all player gold, player experience, and other player rewards have been approved (as applicable) and posted within a rewards channel. Once rewards are posted, a DM with two characters must specify which of their characters is gaining DM Rewards.

Magic Item Rewards

Every second quest DMs may forgo their XP rewards to instead gain a random magic item of rarity appropriate to their tier.

The DM chooses any tier up to that of their rewarded character. The DM then rolls 1d100 twice. The DM can choose to split their two rolls across their valid tiers, but rolling on a lower tier does not increase the quantity.

The DM must state as part of each roll which tier they are rolling on using the “!roll 1dX ” command. If they fail to specify which tier within the roll, then that roll is invalidated.

After making their pair of rolls, a DM will ping @Helpers. A Helper will post two items as appropriate to the roll. The DM may choose one of the two items by adding a reaction. The DM then gains the selected item. Should any of the posted items require a second roll, the Helper will indicate as much.

If a spell scroll is rolled, the DM may choose what class list the scroll is for. The DM then rolls on the Random Spell Table (linked below) for the class selected and level of the scroll rolled.

If ammunition is rolled, the DM gains 10 unit of it. The exception is an Arrow of Slaying, the DM gains 1 units of it.

Setting Up a Session

There are few things you normally need to do to run a session. First of all, the quest will need a quest posting. This can then be posted to #dm-quest-posting or #player-quest-requests. In most cases if the session is posted in the #player-quest-resquests it should be done by the player requesting it even if you are running the session as a DM. There are templates for the quest posting in pinned messages. To have the posting appear inside of a box you need to place three ` markings before and after the message. It is also beneficial and usually necessary to mention about your game in the #request-discussions channel that you have posted a quest posting and ping the level range of players that the quest is intended for.

After you have posted the quest, players will start signing up for the session. This is usually done by DMing the DM or by mentioning about it in the #reuqest-discussion channel. As a DM you are not expected to read everything what is happening the request channel and if the players are signing up there, they usually will ping you or say it right after you have mentioned about the session you have posted.

As the players are signing up for your quest, you will have some leeway into who you will put as playing on the quest or in reserves. The rules you are to follow when deciding who is on the quest and who is not is the following:

Priority 1: Level Range: Characters who are in an appropriate level tier for the quest you're running should always be the first in.

Priority 2: Time since last played: If you have too many people signed up for what you want to run, ask everyone when their last quest was. Whoever hasn't had a game recently should be included.

There are exclusions to these rules as always. Examples include a second part to a quest, in which case the people in part 1 may be the priority, if you simply want to run a game right away you can choose to take whoever signs up in order on a first come first serve basis.

When you are considering characters outside of the level range, please consider what will be their impact for the session. In case of a level 3 character might want in for a 5-8 session, but they only have 17 HP and will most likely die, or an epic level 5 character is joining a 13-16 session, but their power level will be too much compared to the other characters. You are always allowed to deny a character from joining a session but you should consider informing the player why you are excluding them.

Accelerated Approval

If all quest rewards in a submission are different rewards from the quick loot tables, or Homebrew Reward Reference List, then they can avoid the 24 hour waiting period if the rewards are approved by three individual DMs (3 thumbs).

The indication that the rewards are from the Quick Loot Tables or Homebrew Reward Reference List would need to be mentioned in the message with the link to the reward document, so it can be seen and verified without the need to view rewards.

If an item is simply reflavoured from an item in the Quick Loot Tables or Homebrew Reward Reference List, with no other function to the item added, those items are valid for the accelerated approval.

Common Homebrew/Variant Rules

Gold Guideline Formula

GP: Exp gained by player / number of players.

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For example, a party of four each gain 1000 exp, however one player is out of tier and only gains 500 exp.

The three in tier would gain 250 gold, while the player who gained 500 exp would gain 125 gold.

Minor and Major Magic Items

• Minor items are consumable items and some utility items, for examples see Magic Item Tables A through E

• Major items are permanent items that increases character power, for examples see Magic Item Tables F through I

Flavouring Items

Finally, remember to add some flavor to your rewards. An important part of making rewards interesting and meaningful is the roleplaying flavor that you add to your items. DMG, page 132 gives tables for adding these.

Instead of a +1 Longsword, consider an item like:

Homebrew Reward Reference List

Is a curated set of balanced homebrew items to assist DMs. All players and DMs on the server can submit items to the list. Submissions are curated by the brewers or merchants and submitted in batches of 10 or so to #reward-submission.

Once an item has been in reward submissions for 7 days, has 2 approvals and no objections it may then be added to the Homebrew Reward Reference List. (Approve an item by commenting that you approve of the item.) If 2 DMs object to an item on the Homebrew Reward Reference List then the item will be pulled off the list and reviewed to be resubmitted. The 2 DMs must submit what their objections are to the item. I.E. power level too high for it’s rarity or promoting wangrod behaviour etc.

Quick Loot Tables

Are designed for quickly roll up loot for a session. Link

• You can also roll on a minor level tier below the quest level range 1d4 times for a bundle of more common items. eg. 1d4 Health potions
• If you feel the item doesn’t make sense for the session feel free to reroll it.
• If you roll an item with the ammunition property recommend giving out a bundle x10 or 4d4 of the item except for arrows of slaying.
• Any item on the Restricted items list has been removed.

List of Uncraftable Items

Items which are not as much of a problem on the games themselves, but present a problem to the server through the ability to create magical items. These items should be given out with some minor flavorful features added on with the [Homebrew] tag, making them unable to be crafted.

Tome and Manual Limitations

The following text be included in any item that increases stats.

List of Banned Items

Items which have been deemed as serious problems to the server or the games they’re used in, which have been banned from giving out to players.

Artifacts

Not to be given out as generic rewards, Artifacts are intended for major high level quests are announced to the server when given out as only one exists.

DMs must post the rewarded Artifact in #artifacts under the Lore category; include the name of the artifact, the recipient, and any applicable lore.

Any Artifact that comes from an official source such as the 5e DMG, previous editions, or WotC lore should be worded in some way that makes it available to the world again once its owner retires or dies so others in the future may seek them.

Modifying an Item

The easiest way to invent a new item is to tweak an existing one. If a paladin uses a flail as her main weapon, you could change a holy avenger so that it's a flail instead of a sword. You can turn a ring of the ram into a wand of the ram, or a cloak of protection into a circlet of protection, all without altering the item's properties.

Other substitutions are equally easy. An item that deals damage of one type can easily deal damage of another type. A flame tongue sword could deal lightning damage instead of fire, for example. One capability can replace another, so a potion of climbing can easily become a potion of stealth.

You can also modify an item by fusing it with properties from another item. For example, you could combine the effects of a helm of comprehending languages with those of a helm of telepathy into a single helmet. This makes the item more powerful and increases its rarity.

Finally, remember the tools that are provided for modifying items in DMG Chapter 7, "Treasure." Giving an item an interesting minor property, a quirk, or sentience can alter its flavor significantly which can be found on DMG, page 132

“You can't give her that!' she screamed. 'It's not safe!'

IT'S A SWORD, said the Hogfather.

THEY'RE NOT MEANT TO BE SAFE.

'She's a child!' shouted Crumley.

IT'S EDUCATIONAL.

'What if she cuts herself?'

THAT WILL BE AN IMPORTANT LESSON.”

― Terry Pratchett, Hogfather

Spell Cypher

The following is a template for rewarding homebrew spells as one use items called Spell Cypher. Originally from the RPG Numenera, Cyphers are essentially one-shot magic items. They cast the spell or effect once then crumble to dust.

You can find examples here at Donjon

Template:

Example Item:

Astral Barrage

3rd level Evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 140 feet
Components: V S
Duration: Instantaneous

You create four glowing bolts of magical force that leave a trail of stardust behind them. Each bolt can hit a different creature of your choice that you can see within range. Each bolt deals 3d4 + 2 force damage to its target. The darts all strike simultaneously, and you can direct them to hit one creature or several. Any target hit by one of the bolts becomes highlighted until the end of its next turn with a starlight glow and is easy to see in the dark.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the spell creates one more bolt for each slot above 3rd.

Source: Windrider, page 34

Training an Arcadian Mount

A standard mount, as listed in the Player's Handbook under Mounts and Vehicles, may be trained into an Arcadian Mount by paying gold equal to 400 times the mount's CR. The Arcadian template is applied to the mount, which is simply adding the three features listed under the Arcadian Mount Template and applying their effects to the new mount.

Any steed summoned by a spell such as Find Steed or Find Greater Steed can be trained in the same manner as a regular mount. The caster only pays the gold cost (400 times mount CR) once and does not need to pay it again if they re-summon the same mount. If the caster uses this spell to summon a different mount, such as changing from a Warhorse to a Camel, they will need to pay this cost for the new mount.

Arcadian Mount Template

After paying the requisite gold costs, the following three traits are applied to newly trained Arcadian mounts.

Mounted.

During a long rest, the mount can designate one creature that rode it within the last 10 days as its rider. The mount gains temporary hit points equal to 3 times the rider’s level or challenge rating after completing the long rest. The mount uses its rider’s proficiency bonus in place of its own proficiency bonus on ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, and the DC to resist effects of the mount’s actions as listed in its stat block, and the rider’s proficiency bonus is applied to the mount’s AC.

As One.

The trained mount acts on the rider’s turn, even when the rider is not mounted. The mount may move and take the Dash, Disengage, or Dodge action. While mounted, the rider may also use a bonus action to command the mount to take one action listed in the mount’s stat block. The rider and mount work in tandem and may take their respective actions in any order during their turn.

Vaulting Attack.

A rider can use their bonus action to dismount spectacularly and perform a vaulting attack. The rider must make a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. The DC is equal to 10 + the mount’s challenge rating. On a success, the next attack the rider makes before the end of their turn has advantage. Otherwise, the rider falls prone in an unoccupied space adjacent to the mount and the rider’s speed becomes 0 until the start of their next turn.

PBP Specific Rules

PBP games have quite a few remarks how they should be ran. These rules are on top of other rules noted in this guide.

• PBP games must be clearly marked as such in the quest posting

• DM must set a IRL time period that the game will be played over

• Max game length is 2 IRL weeks

• If the game is going too long, the DM can steer the game to a good stopping point and end the quest there. Experience can be given out and what rewards have been earned up to that point. The quest is considered finished and can be picked up again in a follow up quest from where they left off.

• Players are not required to role play if they do not wish but they do need to respond to the DM's requests for checks, saves, etc. Any DM specific preferences for this will be stated and confirmed to be understood by the players before the game begins.

• The DM, in the quest posting and before the beginning of the quest, needs to reach an understanding with players about the time limit imposed on them to take their turn in combat, respond to checks and saves, or to give the go ahead that they are prepared to proceed.

• The quest posting should state that players have x amount of hours to take an action before the DM moves forward without them. The DM is free to make the time limit as short or as long as they wish in order to finish the quest.

• While in combat, The server default for an absent player is to take the Dodge action and pass their turn. The DM may act differently such as: the DM controls the players turn, the player's turn is skipped and possibly returned to later, or the player Disengages and runs away. For checks and saves, the server default is the DM instead rolls for the player a 1d20 with no bonuses

• DMs can run normal sessions while in a play by post but cannot run two play by post sessions at the same time

• These rules maybe adjusted after feedback

Gathering

When a character finds a suitable body to harvest for ingredients they need to make a roll for how well they succeede in it. The general attribute to use is Wisdom (Survival), but there can be different possibilities if the DM considers it possible. Character performing the gathering and anyone assisting them should be required to be proficient in the skill.

The gathering DC is relative to the CR of the creature and the size of the creature:

The base difficulty is 8 and the modifiers of CR and size increase it further. The minimum change from CR is 1 and maximum change from it is 8. This represents the hardiness of the creature and possible difficulty of the gathering of the required ingredient. The size modifier represents the amount of work that is required.

The yield of the gathering is determined by the amount of units the success and the size of the creature. If the success is five higher than the DC, the yield is increased by 1. One unit of an ingredient is enough to brew one potion.

This can be decided to be less depending on what the thing is that is being gathered from the creature and if the players decide not to carry all of the thing they are able to gather.

Alternative Ingredients

The ingredients listend in the guideline are mainly suggestions and give an idea what kind of a monster is required for a potion. In general, the higher the rarity of the potion, the harder the ingrediends should be to get. It is completely possible for the DM to allow other kinds of ingredients to be gathered that then could be used for potions.

When players are gathering alternative ingredients, have them roll an ability check to see if they know if something could be used. You don't need necessarily need to be specific, it can be "parts of X creature" for example. The general DC to know if something can be used is the same as gathering DC but the size modifier is replaced with flat bonus of 4. It's not easy to know these things, and even if you do know what could be used, you would also need to know how it should be handled.

The players can surely suggest what the parts could be used for, but in the end it is the DM's call to decide if they end up being usefull for a potion, or something that the players could turn in for additional gold rewards.

The yield of the alternative ingredients can be calculated in the same way as the ones listed in the guideline.

When the ingredients are brought to the shop to be sold to them, the DM should require them to make an ability check to see how well they manage to barter. Depending on the result, the discount could vary from 10-30%. The bartering should be required as these ingredients are not something that the shop is actively looking for.

Remarks for DMs

• The characters should be expected to have containers that they can use to effectively store the ingredients if needed.
  

• There is a limit how much one quest can yield to not completely over saturate the need for ingredients.

• Contact an organizer when the quest is done so the ingredients can be added to the shop.

• As an additional reward for the quest, the characters can be allowed to buy one potion per character of the type that they brought ingredients for with 30% discount. These potions can be considered to be immediately ready instead of having to wait for them to be brewed. The amount of potions can't exceed the amount gathered, but gives "first dibs" on buying said potions.

• Additionally, another possible additional reward is to add more gold as reward, but any limitations of maximum gold gained from a quest should still be followed.

• There are few exceptions and changes can be made to the current guidelines if there is need for it.

• New potion types could possbly be introduced if it is decided. This is the set that we are going for at the start.

• The idea is not that the characters start butchering every creature and bring them back in parts. Most things should not be usable for potions.

Spells

Mizzium Mortars

2th-level Evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
You hurl a hail of molten projectiles at a creature or object within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 4d6 fire damage. A flammable object hit by this spell ignites if it isn't being worn or carried.

Overload. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher. Make a ranged spell attack against each non-allied target within range.

Art from Return to Ravnica by Noah Bradley

Items

Valkmira, Protector's Shield

Shield, very rare (requires attunement by a cleric or a paladin), Major tier

While you hold this shield, it creates an aura in a 10-foot radius around you. You and all creatures friendly to you in the aura gain the following benefits.

• Damage that you take is reduced by 3.
• Whenever you become the target of a spell, You may cause the spell to fail and to have no effect unless the caster uses an additional 1st level or greater spell slot. You are affected by spells with an area of effect as normal.

If you have 17 or more levels in the paladin class, the radius of the aura increases to 30 feet.