The Roll of Ages

by Drewfro66

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Table Of Contents

The Roll of Ages

Houserules

Homebrew

Appendix I: Code of law

The Roll of Ages

What is the Roll of Ages?

The "Roll of Ages" is the double-entendre used by scholars to refer to the world as it is known, highlighting the cyclical nature of its history, lateral circumnavigability, and immense age. Thus, the "Roll of Ages" is used both to refer to the physical "world" beneath your feet, as well as the world in terms of history and time. An old farmer might lament, "Never in the Roll of Ages have things been so bad...", while an explorer might describe a newly-discovered species of plant as "Unlike anything I've seen elsewhere on the Roll!".

The name itself stems from the popular belief that the Roll of Ages is fundamentally defined by a cyclical series of "Ages", each one lasting somewhere between five and fifteen thousand years. The current age is the Age of Fire and Light, synonymous with the reign of Immotian the Over-God, and has been running for a little over fifteen thousand years. It is rumored that there exists a physical ledger - also called the Roll of Ages - which catalogues ages both past and to come, though if it does exist, it is not apparent if even Immotian and his Overgods know of its location.

What came before the Age of Fire and Light?

Little is known about the state of the Roll before the ascendence of Immotian. His chief rival - the god Xel - is certainly older, that is known for certain; and beings which dwell beneath the earth trace histories from before the beginning of the current age. They claim that, before descending beneath the earth, the world looked much different; some claim the land was swathed in darkness, while others hold that the entire world was made of eyes (some still believe this to be true, but the theory has been firmly debunked by modern micro-ocular physicists).

Ultimately, it is impossible to distinguish what is false mythology from what is true pre-history. What the roll looked like before the current age is cloaked in mystery; and even if that mystery was uncovered, there is always the question of the age before that, and the age before that...

What's Happened Since?

There will be no discussion of the history of the Ohm Basin in particular here - that is up for the players to discover on their own and share with their fellows through conventional means.

What follows is a general history of the world, divided into Eras - segments of hundreds or thousands of years that give a general overview of worldwide technological progress.

c. 15,000 years ago, the Age of Fire and Light begins, starting with the Era of Creation. Immotian appears, and he and the other overgods mold the Roll to suit their whims. This process takes approximately five thousand years, during which time the state of the world is too unstable for real societal progress.

c. 10,000 years ago are the first signs of the Era of Myth. The oldest races - Elves, Dwarves, Humans, Dragons, and Giants, among others - build the first great civilizations with the help of the gods. Not the overgods, who by this time are already distant, but the beings hereafter referred to as Pantheonic Gods. The first pantheonic gods were Outsiders from the outer planes, who adopted or were adopted by the mortal races; however, many are ascended mortals, and a great many mortals ascended to godhood during Mythic times.

The Mythic era was dominated by larger-than-life personalities and high magic, and was destroyed by the same; dragons the size of mountains and spells with the power to destroy them, gods dwelling on the Material and interfering with its politics and fighting in its wars. One by one, the great Mythic Empires fall to war and catastrophe.

c. 5,000 years ago the Ancient Era begins. The majority of Human cultures drag themselves out of the paleolithic by force of will during this period. Simple technology and written magic is developed. Horses are tamed as mounts. Shortswords are the weapon of choice, and shortbows - a weapon of the Elves - are adopted by some humans. Barbarians, Druids, and Sorcerers are the only PC classes to exist at the start of this era, and Clerics, Fighters, Rogues, and Wizards are all commonplace by its end.

c. 500 years ago, most cultures are entering the Medieval era - though the nations of the Far East are ahead by a couple hundred years. Structured Feudalism becomes predominant. The longsword, crossbow, and plate armor are invented. Later comes the golden age of medieval warfare, where many weapons were invented. It is easier to list the weapons that existed before this point than the ones invented thereafter (this listing excludes non-Human cultures and centers on Common-speaking lands): the Dagger, Sickle, Club (all varieties), Spear (all varieties), Javelin, Sling, Handaxe, Shortsword, Battleaxe, Trident, Lance, Shortbow, Whip, Bolas, and Net. Bards, Paladins, and Rangers begin to grow more popular during this time.

The regions directly abutting the Ohm Basin are still undergoing a Renaissance. Rapiers, muskets, and pistols have been invented within the living memory of a human. The ideas of political absolutism, centralized states, and democracy are becoming more prevalent.

Chapter 1: Nations and Cultures

Deciding where your character is from is one of the most important definining traits of your character; it may influence how they look, what weapons they use, what gods they worship, and even what classes and game-races fit for them.

There is no world map; places exist only in relation to one another. And feel free to just make up a place your character is from if none of the options call out to you. Since the Ohm Basin is practically uninhabited, you have to be from somewhere, and there is no default option; save, perhaps, hailing from one of the thousand petty kingdoms rounding the coast of the Shining Sea.

Traditionally, the geographic boundaries of the Ohm Basin are considered to be - Clockwise - the Desert Without End to the South-east to South-West; the Rashari Highlands to the West; the Narsmounts to the North-West; the Shining Sea to the North; and Khondiiland to the East.

Any ethno-geographic grouping of nations or cultures is by definition arbitrary to some extent; that being said, for the sake of convenient reference, the following peoples and polities are divided into a series of Theatres to aid in visualization of the world.

Ardu Albahar, Inlet of the Shining Sea

Where the Shining Sea meets the Middlesea, a near-circular gulf is sheltered from ocean-waves by the Gateway Archipelago. This Gulf, and the land around it, is known as Ardu Albahar. It is the interface of two continents and countless peoples and cultures.

Going Clockwise; the North of the Gulf is dominated by the Kingdoms of Dathral and Zweistrum; to their East, the Empire of Mesa Sfaira straddles the inner inlet to the Shining Sea. South of Mesa Sfaira sits the significantly larger Empire of Al-Qashqa, which stretches all the way to the southern end of the gulf.

The Ancient Empire of Mesa Sfaira

Mesa Sfaira is an old empire on the decline. It has only recently regained its independence from Al-Qashqa, the new power of the region; only a few hundred years ago, Mesa Sfaira was just Sfaira, and included lands to the West and East along with the Stathas peninsula.

Mesa Sfairans have light-to-tan skin, and can have a variety of hair and eye colors. Many weapons see use here, though straight swords are the most common. Monks are rare here, but not unheard-of.

The City-States of Stathas

Stathas is a peninsula, jutting into the Shining Sea from the Ohm Basin. The feature is dominated by a handful of city-states, which constantly fight with coin and cannon over trade rights and ship passages.

Stathasians look essentially the same as people from Mesa Sfaira. Likewise, Monks are rare here, and Barbarians, Druids, and Rangers are also basically unheard of.

Al-Qashqa (The Empire)

Al-Qashqa - in its language, The Empire - is a multiethnic empire unified by a common desire for efficient government. They worship their own pantheon, led by the god Atarsuruma. Airy robes and turbans are the common style, though due to its diversity, a Qashqan person can have quite literally any physical appearance; almost all are Humans, however. Sun Elves and Gold Dwarves (a type of Hill Dwarf) are present, but none are indigenous to the area. Curved swords - Scimitars and Falchions - are ubiquitous, as is the musket. Qashqans have a strong Paladin tradition, but few Druids or Monks.

The leader is Grand Sultan Malmon the Perfectionist, often referred to disparagingly as “the Busybody” or “the Micromanager”, which have a much better ring to them in the Qashqan language.

Al-Qashqa sits just West of the Rashari Highlands; within the past 50 years, the Empire has lost control over both the Rashari Highlands and Mesa Sfaira. Many are worried this could be the beginning of a period of decline. The cultural ancestors of the Qashqans are said to have migrated from far-off Shuth over a millenia ago.

The Kingdoms of Dathral and Zweistrum

Twin countries set on the inlet of the Shining Sea West of Al-Qashqa, while the nations may be rivals, the people are functionally indistinguishable. They tend to have pale skin, brown hair, and simple features. Axes are the most prevalent weapons here, though straight blades (Longswords and Greatswords) are also common.

While Dathral is a heavily feudal society, Zweistrum is partially democratic and focuses more on trade.

North of Zweistrum is naught but frozen mountains and needle-pine woods. Here, a people called the “North-Men” live. Thought to be related to humans, they are a physically massive but unintellectual people. Their god is named Droller.

Both nations have a strong Paladin tradition, though both - especially Dathral - lack many Wizards or Sorcerers. Rangers are vital on the fringes of civilization. Monks are all-but unheard of. Among the Northmen, Druids replace Clerics in daily life, and Barbarians are ubiquitous.

Both nations speak a language called Dathran, while the North-Men have their own tongue.

Petty Kingdoms of the Shining Sea

On the North, East, and Southern shores of the Shining Sea sit a thousand realms. Their only unifying feature is a maritime culture, swarthy skin tones, and the lingua franca of Shiner’s Common.

The Far East

The nations at the far eastern reaches of the continent of Mandhri are generally held to be the most technologically advanced on the Roll. Feudalism is a dead idea in the Far East; it is a land of States, advanced musket warfare, and budding industrialism.

The Kingdom of Alba

Sitting far east of the Shining Sea, Alba is the heartland of innovation. While the rest of the world is just pulling itself out of the medieval era, Alba is centuries ahead; somewhere in the mid-1800s, relative to our own world, in the middle of a Victorian Era.

The firearm was invented here decades ago, and likewise, wonderful inventions are both spread abroad from here or hoarded jealously, at the whims of the aristocratic organizations which rule the Kingdom.

The people of Alba are typically pale-skinned, with elaborate and innovative facial hair styles in men. Brutish weapons of war, such as axes, hammers, and heavy swords, have gone well out of style in Alba. Muskets and pistols are ubiquitous, though daggers and rapiers still see use. They speak Alban, a dialect of the same language spoken in Zakarion, Haderoth, and the Free Cities.

There are few Monks, Druids, or Barbarians in Alba, but otherwise all classes are represented normally.

The Land of Shuth

Sitting South-East of Alba, Shuth is a harsh land of deserts and jungles. It is generally divided into two realms: the Great Road, which leads from Alba to the Shadowsea and on which every major city is positioned; and Utter Shuth, the deserts and jungles off the beaten path. Utter Shuth is utterly dangerous; between cultists, lethal fauna, and the old gods said to dwell beneath the earth there.

Shuthans range from pale-skinned to a medium brown in skin tone. Most are bi-lingual, being fluent in both True Common and Shuthan. Airy robes and turbans are a necessity in the oppressive heat. While firearms are common, the scimitar is still a cultural staple-weapon.

Shuthans have strong Clerical and Paladin traditions, but few Druids. Rangers serving as desert guides are common, however.

The Twin Kingdoms of Lunda-Ngonda

The Lundans and Ngondans are one people divided into two nations. While Lunda is a coastal trading hub, Ngonda sits deep in the inland jungles, ruled over by a cult of mages obsessed with the void - the Ichyapu. Both sit on an island-continent south of Shuth.

Lundans and Ngondans are universally dark-skinned and black-haired. Both nations use the musket extensively; aside from that, Ngondans prefer the Longsword in combat while Lundans prefer the Spear-and-shield.

Lunda has a strong Paladin tradition, and Druids are nearly as common as Clerics in both kingdoms. Lunda-Ngondan Druids have their own language and set of wilderness markings, though traveling Lundan-Ngondan Druids always take the time to commune with outsider Druids to learn the customs of the land they’re traveling to.

The Zheng Confederacy

The land of seven Kings and thirteen Kingdoms. Zheng is a confederacy to outside forces; in their cultural philosophy, Zheng was granted seven holy kingly titles, and for hundreds of years, warlords have fought over them. De Jure rarely matches De Facto control, and the political scene is a complex web of recognition, with different Kings declaring others to be legal or illegal to suit their own gains.

Zheng is a verdant basin with lush grasslands and an occasional wood here and there, but is surrounded by desert on three sides and ocean on the fourth. Every year, the sands creep further. It is a few hundred miles South-by-Southeast of the Ulm Basin, across the desert.

Zhengens are oriental in appearance, with darkers tones being common in the north. They favor the straight swords - longswords and greatswords - in combat, and some armies have adopted the musket. They speak Zhengen.

Zheng lacks a Paladin culture entirely, but does have an extremely strong Monk tradition and many psions. Zhengen holy men blur the line between Druid and Cleric.

The South Pass

Roughly equidistant from Ardu Albahar to the East and Lunda-Ngonda to the West are the two continents of Ashkarith and Malteca; where the two (almost) meet is a temperate land dotted with trading cities. The land is more isolated than most, and a technological backwater, but enough trade braves the Middlesea and the Shadow to keep these lands informed on the greater goings-on in the world.

The Free Cities

The four Free Cities straddle the South Pass. Renazzo and Vernassa sit on Southern coast of Ashkarith; Terni controls an island in the center of the Pass, while Vasto is a slave-state on the Northern coast of Malteca. They are wealthy city-states that have controlled the flow of trade through the pass for centuries.

The Free Cities are heavily cosmopolitan and have a long history of trade and travel, so people of all appearances can be found here; the archetypal Citizen is swarthy-skinned and dark-haired. Weapons of personal combat are the norm: one-handed swords, pistols, and the like.

Uncivilized classes such as the Barbarian, Druid, and Ranger are rare in the cosmopolitan Free Cities, except among the Maltecan slaves of Vasto. Paladinry is banned in Vasto, due to their tendency to cause trouble; the irony is lost on them.

The Gibilrazen Confederacy

The Gibilrazen Confederacy was founded over eight hundred years ago when the Founders arrived by boat and helped the indigenous Braels fight off a Takhelan invasion. Crowned as Kings in the Gibilrazen Compact, the Founders eventually ascended to godhood upon death and the Gibilrish people began a slow physical and cultural transformation until they had almost entirely adopted the gross physical characteristics and language of the Founders.

It is usually considered to consist of twelve states: Aberfoyle, Altenoise, Bonnstadt, Camarasa, Chesterfield, Cwmbelan, Elterland, Llwyn-Madoc, Malderry, Narthshire, Schootschot, Vilstal, and Westerlem. However, Llwyn-Madoc is not a part of the Confederacy - it is an independent Braelic nation - and Bonnstadt, Chesterfield, Cwmbelan, Elterland, and Schootschot are not official members of the Compact, having arisen through rebellion since the Foundation (though they're almost always considered part of "Gibilrazen", if not the Confederacy). They are divided among five languages - Elster, Westerlich, Aberflannish, Altenese, and Camarasan - and the area also hosts several minority groups, including the Morini, Larathans, and a not-insignificant number of old Lundan settlers. The largest city is Narthwich.

Gibilrish people are generally light-skinned and can have a variety of hair and eye colors, depending on their exact homeland. The various minority groups guarantee that you can look like anyone and be from here, however. While soldiers favor polearms, you can find most weapons in common use here. Likewise, all classes are represented.

The Emirate of Takhela

Thirteen hundred years ago, Toktamiş the Horse Lord broke the siege of Vernassa and used the fabulous wealth looted from the city to build a great nomadic empire encompassing all of the steppes north of the Scarlet Range, even convincing the gods themselves to follow him. Shortly after his death, the people of this empire - thereafter known as the Takhelans - chose to settle in the relatively fertile land in the cradle of the Scarlet Range, and the rest is history. Takhela is today a strong, militaristic state that takes equal advantage of its settled state and nomadic heritage.

Takhelans range from light brown to dark brown skin colors, and tend to have brown or black hair and brown eyes. They speak Takhelan, which while part of the same language-family as the other steppe-languages, is written in the Shuthan script. Firearms are rare; the scimitar is still the most common weapon in use.

All classes can be found in Takhela in roughly expected numbers.

Just East of Takhela sits another steppe-bound nation, Ralmeres. Similar to Takhela culturally, they speak a different language and have a less explicitly martial culture. Currently, Ralmeres is a tributary state of the Takhelans.

Maltecan Jungle

The Maltecan jungles have no single, organized government; in fact, they are mostly uninhabited, with mostly only sparse, disorganized tribes calling it home. The largest known city is Sacramachaca, near (but not on) the South-Eastern coast, where the people worship a giant snake of the same name as a god.

Maltecan people have light to dark brown skin and dark hair. They do not have firearms, nor chain or plate armor, and primarily fight with spears.

Malteca has no Paladin tradition to speak of. Barbarians, Druids, and Rangers are all much more common than average. They speak Maltecan, or one of its sister-languages.

Northern Ashkarith

The Northern third of the continent of Ashkarith has an almost unbroken line of civilization from the Kingdom of Moriduunum in the far-Western swamps, to the dwindling Haderoth Empire in the more metropolitan East, with a dozen more kingdoms in-between (some named here, some not).

The Haderoth Empire

Haderoth is an empire in decline; once spanning far to the West, Haderoth has dropped to a third of its former size in less than half a century and is set to lose more to both separatist movements at home and foreign threats. It sits West of Zakarion, across the Middlesea. It is a militant, zealous nation. The state church is dedicated to Immotian, the God of Fire and Light, who demands perfection from his subjects.

Haderothis tend to have tanned skin and dark hair in the east end of the empire with lighter tones of skin and hair to the West. Most varieties of Medieval European weapons see use here, though firearms are a toy of the rich.

Haderoth has strong traditions in all major classes; the church trains many Monks, in addition to Paladins and Clerics. Druids and Rangers are more common in the forests of the West.

The Valnesse

The Valnesse is the largest Elven nation in the world, thought by many to be the Elven homeland. All non-evil varieties of Elves can be found here in some number. Valnesse is surrounded by ocean, swamp, mountain and impenetrable forests, shielded from the outside world. It is south of Haderoth; the Forest of Illusion separates them. The Valnesse is old, a holdover from the Mythic Era.

As Elves, warriors of the Valnesse prefer the traditional Elven weapons: Bows, Longswords, and Rapiers. Glaives are also popular. They lack a Monk tradition; otherwise, most classes are heavily associated with one or more varieties of Elves; Barbarians are uncommon outside of Wild and Wood Elves, for example.

Other Regions

Yakami

Yakami is an island in the Middlesea south-west of Al-Qashqa. It is a peaceful land of feudal realms; oftentimes, adventurers and heroes leave this land in pursuit of gold to loot and evil to thwart in more barbaric lands.

Yakami are oriental in appearance with pale skin and black hair. While the common soldier likely uses a spear, curved swords - especially the katana, a sort of bastard sword - are ubiquitous among more prestigious soldiers, with different sizes of swords having their own names in the Yakami language.

The Yakami lack a Paladin or Druidic tradition. Monks are very common, on the other hand; it’s common for powerful Yakami warriors to supplement their other skills with a few Monk levels.

Empire of Zakarion

Zakarion is a mysterious land, but what is known isn’t good. Led by a council of eleven Wizard-Governors, the Empire of Zakarion (Zakarion being the name of the capital city, purported to have been named after its enigmatic founder) is renowned for being a dark and depressing land. The Mage-Governors consolidate all power under themselves, banning the owning of weapons or practice of magic by any but their loyal servants. It sits north of Al-Qashqa, beyond mountains and forests, north even of the lands of the North-Men.

The Mage-Governors are thought to be among the most powerful spellcasters in the planet; their first among equals, Nazira, an immortal mage-slayer, is by all available evidence the most powerful spellcaster in the world, and by a wide margin.

Zaks are pale-skinned, with dark hair and features. They speak Zak, thought to be the progenitor language of Alban and Haderothi. Zakarion rarely produces adventurers; those that do exist are typically refugees, who managed to escape their homeland.

Chapter 2: Languages

The human nations and cultures of the Roll of Ages speak a variety of languages. Non-humans tend to have universal languages; common academic thought holds that among the nonhumans, language is typically divinely inspired. Humans, lacking a unified pantheon, also lack a unified language. So while a high elf on one end of the Roll speaks the same Elvish as a wood elf on the other, or even a dark elf beneath it (though each will speak with an accent), Humans that live only a few miles away might speak entirely different language.

On the Roll of Ages, most languages are split into multiple mutually-intelligible dialects. This is also true of the four elemental languages (Aquan, Auran, Ignan, and Terran). But while the languages are mutually-intelligible, they are immediately distinguishable, and it is impossible to "fake" another dialect unless the character in question knows the dialect they are attempting to speak. Oftentimes, the listener might have some prejudice against speakers of other dialects of their language. For example, elemental creatures tend to dislike sound of the dialect opposite to their own, and assume speakers are enemy sympathizers; dumber ones will fly into a rage at the very sound of the language.

The following is a list of the various languages and dialects of the Roll of Ages, divided first by language group, then by language, with dialects listed in the language's description.

Truecommon Group

The "True Common" languages are those derived from the ancient language spoken in what is today Zakarion. The people of that land spread throughout much of the world by sea, and while their language changed much, most are mutually-intelligible.

Truecommon

Probably the most common language in the world. Truecommon has several, mutually-intelligible dialects: Alban (spoken in Alba), Haderothi (spoken in Eastern Haderoth), Western Haderothi (spoken in Western Haderoth and other nearby lands), and Zak (spoken in Zakarion), among others. Dialects of Truecommon are also spoken in the Free Cities and several other nations.

Dath

A branch of Truecommon spoken in Dathral and Zweistrum. Unlike most languages in the Truecommon Group, Dath is not mutually intelligible with any other languages in the family.

Shining Sea Group

The Shining Sea Group consists of various languages which originated from the areas immediately adjacent to the Shining Sea.

Shiner's Common

This is the language referred to as "Common" for the purposes of the Ohm Basin campaign. Originally a trade language for seafarers on the Shining Sea, Shiner's Common is now the official language of many of the Petty Kingdoms of the Shining Sea and is a lingua franca for traders and aristocrats in even more. It has several dialects, though none are prevalent enough to name here.

Firinjian

Originally a dialect of Shiner's Common, Firinjian is today a distinct language, not mutually-intelligible with its parent language. It is only spoken in Firinjia, one of the larger Petty Kingdoms of the Shining Sea, to any significant extent.

Arulat

The language of the Arulats, a nomadic people who originally had no language but developed one as they traveled through the Petty Kingdoms of the Shining Sea before settling in the Ohm Basin. Arulat has no written form.

Stathasian

Spoken in Stathas, a collection of city-states on a peninsula jutting into the Shining Sea. Stathasian is mutually intelligible with Sfairan, the language of Mesa Sfaira, which itself has two dialects: Mesa Sfairan (spoken in Mesa - or Eastern - Sfaira), and Dytika Sfairan (spoken in Western Sfaira).

Elisylian

The language spoken in old Elisylia. Elisylian is now a dead language; all speakers either perished or assimilated into other cultures hundreds of years ago. Only its written form remains in concrete form, though it is similar enough to related languages (especially Stathasian) that linguists can guess at pronunciation with relative accuracy.

Negana Group

A collection of languages found in Negana, a land to the East of the Ohm Basin. They are all ultimately derived from Old Oon, the language of the ancient Randdalid Empire.

Negana

The language spoken in most of Negana today.

Old Oon

Spoken in ancient times, Old Oon was the primary language of the old Randdalid Empire. It has retained some use in mostly religious contexts since that time, but is no longer the primary language of any people-group.

Other Languages

The following languages have no relation to each other, except where noted.

Braelic

The language spoken in Llwyn-Madoc, a very small country near Gibilrazen. The Braels used to inhabit all of Gibilrazen, before they adopted the Gibilrish languages; it used to have many dialects, but most are lost. The Morini speak a dialect of Braelic, and there are other tribes east of Gibilrazen which speak dialects of the language as well.

Lunda-Ngondan

The language spoken in Lunda and Ngonda. Though many consider Lundan and Ngondan to be separate dialects or even languages, typically for political reasons, they are in fact almost entirely identical. That said, most Lundans will say that they speak Lundan, while Ngondans will say they speak Ngondan.

Maltecan

Spoken by the people of Malteca, this language is almost entirely isolated.

Yakami

The language of Yakami.

Zhengen

The language spoken in the Zheng confederacy. Though composed of multiple nations, the language itself is standardized.

Chapter 3: Deities

Gods on the Roll of Ages are generally divided into two groups: the Overgods and the Pantheonic Gods.

The Overgods are beings of immense power, sometimes considered to be omnipotent (though their power is shown to have some limit). Typically, they are non-anthropomorphic, and represent abstract concepts divorced from the banalities of mortal existence. They are usually Greater Deities.

The Pantheonic Gods are still very powerful entities, no doubt! But they occupy a lower valence of power than the Overgods. Most pantheonic gods are humanoid in shape, and indeed, roughly half are ascended mortals. They range from hero-deities to intermediate powers, with Divine Ranks ranging from 0 to 15.

While the Overgods theoretically rule over all the world (in actuality, their influence waxes and wanes over various regions depending on local worship), pantheonic gods are almost exclusively tied to a given culture, region, or even organization.

In addition to the overgods and pantheonic gods, many beings not traditionally thought of as "Gods" possess divine ranks, can be worshiped, and divine spellcasters may draw power from them. These beings are typically Outsiders of the greatest power; Demon Lords, Archdevils, and categorically similar beings. While there are more powerful exceptions, a typical Demon Prince is a rank 0 power that becomes rank 1 within their domain.

In addition to the listed domains, a Cleric of any deity (except one devoted to peace) may choose the War domain.

Overgods of the Roll of Ages
Deity Alignment (allowed) Domains (Non-PHB) Symbol? Temple Location High Priest Chosen Favored Weapon
Immotian, god of fire and light LN (any lawful) Fire, Healing, Law, Sun (Community, Inquisition, Purification) Ruby or Red Orb . . . .
Mara, goddess of death and undeath LG (any non-evil) . . . . . .
Xel, god of blood and the food chain LE (any non-good) Death, Evil, Plant, Trickery (Community, Gluttony) Sickle and Scythe Crossed over Wheat Sheafs . . . .
Fowgt, god of time and the caverns N (any) . . . . . .
Omorose, goddess of beauty and love CG (any non-evil) . . . . . .
Salkaya, goddess of the skies and stars CN (any chaotic) . . . . . .
Wod, god of the ocean and mutation CE (N, CN, NE, CE) . . . . . .
Enji, goddess of sleep and restoration NG . . . . . .
Loorg, god of thoughts and slimes NE . . . . . .
Icele, goddess of the cold and darkness LN . . . . . .
Nort, god of decay and fate N . . . . . .
Kalyun, goddess of lightning and transfer CN . . . . . .
Raenar, god of power and tenacity NE . . . . . .
Scor, god of fear and ferocity N . . . . . .
Oao, goddess of stone and the moon NG . . . . . .
Lundan-Ngondan Pantheon
Deity Dominant Nation Alignment (allowed) DvR (category) Domains (Non-PHB) Symbol? Temple Location High Priest Chosen Favored Weapon
Amanchye, goddess of law Lunda LG (LG, NG, LN) 9 (lesser) Good, Protection, Strength, War Decorative Shield . Kabelo Matlakala Spear
Amazu, god of erasure Ngonda LE (LN, LE, NE, CE) 8 (lesser) Death, Destruction, Evil, Magic Lodestone . . . .
Ikenna Emeka, god of the earth Ngonda N (any) 7 (lesser) Animal, Earth, Plant . . . . .
Ndulu Uchee, god of the tribe Lunda N (any) 7 (lesser) (Community, Nobility, Oracle) . . . . .
Chikere, goddess of trickery Ngonda CE (any non-lawful) 6 (lesser) Chaos, Trickery, War . . . . .
Oku, god of the sun Lunda CG (any non-evil) 6 (lesser) Fire, Sun (Charm) . . . . .
Uchena Okko, demigoddess of magic Lunda N (any non-evil) 3 (demigod) Luck, Magic, Plant . . . . .
Orus, god of inquisition Other LN (any lawful) 8 (lesser) Law (Inquisition, Trade) . . . . .
Shuthan Pantheon
Deity Sphere Alignment (allowed) DvR (category) Domains (Non-PHB) Symbol? Temple Location High Priest Chosen Favored Weapon
Armeen, goddess of the sun The Great Road LG (any non-evil) 12 (intermediate) Fire, Good, Law, Sun . . . . Warhammer
Chekad, god of the jungles Utter Shuth CE (any non-good) 11 (intermediate) Chaos, Evil, Plant (Darkness) . . . . WEAPON
Ardoon, god of swordmages The Great Road N (any) 9 (lesser) Magic, Strength, War . . . . Scimitar
Manoochehr, god of luck The Great Road NG (any non-evil) 7 (lesser) Good, Luck, Travel, Trickery . . . . WEAPON
Kaygobad, god of snakes Utter Shuth CE (any non-good) 7 (lesser) Chaos, Evil (Rune, Scalykind) . . . . WEAPON
Cheshne, goddess of nightmares Utter Shuth NE (any non-good) 6 (lesser) Destruction, Evil (Dream) . . . . WEAPON
Dorna Karani, demigoddess of oases The Great Road LN (any) 4 (demigod) Law, Water (Weather) . . . . WEAPON
Abdul Ali Adeli, demigod of wizardry The Great Road LN (any non-evil) 3 (demigod) Magic (Nobility, Spell) . . . . WEAPON

Yakami Pantheon
Deity Type Alignment (allowed) DvR (category) Domains (Non-PHB) Symbol? Temple Location High Priest Chosen Favored Weapon
Oidomo, overgod of the Yakami Kami LN (any non-chaotic) . Law, Sun, War (Nobility) . . . . .
Kuraun, lord of the oni Oni LE (any non-good) . Evil, Law, Magic, Strength . . . . .
Komorebi, goddess of nature and civilization Kami LG (LG, NG, LN, N) . Good, Healing, Law, Plant (Community) . . . . .
Hikai, oni of fire and destruction Oni NE (any non-good) . Destruction, Evil, Fire, Trickery . . . . .
Yamru, oni of darkness and evil Oni CE (any non-good) . Chaos, Death, Evil (Darkness) . . . . .
Sen, god of good samurai Kami LG (LG, NG, LN, N) . Good, Law, Strength, War (Glory) . . . . .
Nen, goddess of evil samurai Kami LE (LN, N, LE, NE) . Evil, Law, Strength, War (Tyranny) . . . . .
Hanma, god of craft Kami NG (any) . Air, Good, Knowledge (Artifice) . . . . .

Chapter 4: Calendar

Month Name Season
1 Xel Spring
2 Omorose Spring
3 Kalyun Spring
4 Wod Spring/Summer
5 Scor Summer
6 Immotian Summer
7 Enji Summer
8 Raenar Summer/Autumn
9 Loorg Autumn
10 Oao Autumn
11 Nort Autumn
12 Icele Autumn/Winter
13 Salkaya Winter
14 Mara Winter
15 Fowgt Winter

Calendar

The Roll of Age's most accurate calendar is composed of four-year cycles of fifteen months per year. Each month is exactly six weeks long, and each week ten days. Every

Festival Weeks

The Roll has five week-long festivals which fall on a regular four-year cycle. Since one week passes in-game for every day out-of-game, and four in-game years pass every out-of-game year, the five

Houserules

The following is a list of all of the various houserules used on the server. Where applicable, differing rulings on houserules between DMs are mentioned here. They are divided into several broad categories, for ease of reference.

General Guidelines

Tone and Theme. The server strives to maintain a grounded, somewhat retro, very "Dungeons and Dragons" theme to the game. To this end, anime and furry-style character portraits are not allowed. Anthropomorphic animals - aside from Lizardfolk, Thri-Kreen, and certain other very common races from the Basic Resources - are not allowed or heavily disincentivized. It's preferred that players stick to less exotic races, and level adjustment will never be waived to facilitate playing an exotic race. When building your character, it's better to play within the framework the game provides, rather than attempting to replicate characters or archetypes from other media within the DnD 3.5e system.

Number of Characters. Once your character reaches a sufficiently high level, you can make additional characters to play in the server simultaneously. Once your character reaches 4th-level, you can make a second character at 1st-level; and once you have at least two characters above 4th-level, one of which is also above 8th-level, you can make a third character at 1st-level.

If you lose a character due to death or retirement, you do not lose any existing characters (such as if your 8th-level character dies, revoking your third character slot), but you cannot make one to replace it unless you would ordinarily be able to according to the above rules.

Minimum Charge for Items and Services. If you are selling an item or charging for a service, you must charge to make a profit of at least half as much as an NPC would earn by default. You need not charge at all if you are in the same party as the person during an expedition. The rule is waived if it is the recipient character's birthday, or the day is a gift-giving holiday in-game.

Rules Outside Core. Rules and guidelines from outside of the PHB, MM, and DMG (especially those in the Rules Compendium) are not necessarily used in this server unless explicitly referenced by a DM.

Retraining

You may expend XP to retrain many aspects of your character. The costs are as follows:

Skills: 10 xp per rank per level

Feats: 100 xp per level

Changing the target of a feat, such as Weapon Focus: 50 xp per level

Changing a known spell: 20 xp per spell level per level. Cantrips are 1/2-level.

Exchanging a class feature, such as a Cleric's domain, whether a neutral Cleric turns or rebukes undead, a Ranger's combat style, a Rogue's special ability, or a wizard's specialization or prohibited schools: 500 xp per level

Resurrection Failure

Any spell that brings a character back from the dead has a chance of failure (except true resurrection, which always works). The character must roll a d20 and add their Constitution modifier and ECL (hit dice plus level adjustment, if any). If their result is a 0 or higher, the resurrection is a success.

If the result is a failure, the character can no longer be brought back to life by any means short of a carefully worded wish. Each time a character is brought back from the dead, the DC for this roll increases by 5.

Death and Retirement

When your character retires or dies and declines resurrection, you can carry over a portion of your old character's gold and experience towards a new one. This cannot be added to an existing character; the gold and experience must be added to a new character that has not yet been on an expedition by the old character's death.

If you wish to make use of this houserule, start by adding together the base cost of all of your character's assets. This includes coinage, magic items, and real estate, as well as all gold donated to charitable institutions, tithed to churches, and spent frivolously. Divide this number by 5, then add your total experience.

Take this number, subtract 4,000, and then divide by 4 (if your character died) or 3 (if your character retired). This final result is your new character's experience total and starting gold.

Unlike normal, you can purchase some magic items at base cost (rather than double), at DM's discretion. These might include non-specific weapons and armor, ability score boosting items, bracers of armor, cloaks of resistance, rings of protection, and similar items.

Books

Basic Resources. Nine books are allowed in the game in their entirety (or near-entirety): the "Player's Handbook", "Monster Manual", "Dungeon Master's Guide", "Complete Adventurer", "Complete Arcane", "Complete Divine", "Complete Warrior", "Expanded Psionics Handbook", and "Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting".

Taking a +1. Aside from those banned outright (see "Prohibited Books"), with DM approval you may choose one other book in addition to the Basic Resources to pull options from for your character. For example, a Paladin may pick the Book of Exalted Deeds as their +1; a demon-summoning wizard may choose the Fiendish Codex I; and a Rogue might take Complete Scoundrel to take advantage of that book's Luck Feats. Only you may use the material from this book: if you craft or purchase a magic item from your +1, while you may loan it out to a party-mate, you may not sell or loan it on a permanent basis, and you may not share it outside of an expedition. If it is a scroll, staff, or wand of a spell from your +1, only you may use it at all. Compendium books - "Spell Compendium", "Magic Item Compendium", and "Dragon Compendium" - cannot be taken as a +1.

DM Approval. Taking any option from a book outside of the Basic Resources requires explicit DM approval, even if you have received permission to take a particular book as your +1 already.

Spells from the Complete Series. Spellcasters can add one spell per Caster Level to their class's spell list from the following books: Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, Complete Adventurer, Complete Arcane, Complete Divine, and Complete Warrior. This addition is only for them. Spellcasters cannot prepare other spells from these books.

Books to Avoid. The following books, while not explicitly banned, have balance issues and content within them is more likely to be rejected than others:

Complete Mage

Drow of the Underdark

Dragon Magic

Anything from a Dragon Magazine

Races of Destiny/Stone/the Dragon/the Wild

Player's Handbook II

Prohibited Options

Prohibited Books. The books "Magic of Incarnum", "Tome of Battle", and "Tome of Magic" are banned. Nothing within is allowed within the game. The first two are banned because they require significant worldbuilding to incorporate into the setting which does not exist. Tome of Battle is banned because the classes within are oftentimes better versions of PHB classes, and allowing Tome of Battle would effectively force new players to pick up a book other than the PHB in order to play a martial character.

Compendiums. Compendium books - "Spell Compendium", "Magic Item Compendium", and "Dragon Compendium" - cannot be taken as a +1.

Setting-Specific Material. While material from setting-books is allowed (the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting is even part of the basic resources), setting-specific material is not. This includes the following:

Races: Warforged, Shifters, Kalashtar, Dromites, Maenads, Xephs

Prestige Classes: Harper Scout, Hathran, Red Wizard, most Eberron PrCs

Other: Dragonmarks

The Purple Dragon Knight and Shadow Adept prestige classes are allowed; please see a DM about lore considerations and renaming (if necessary).

Artificers. Due to balance issues and potential to interrupt the player-driven economy, the artificer class was banned unanimously by the DM team.

Spell-to-Power. The Spell-to-Power optional rule for psionic characters is not allowed.

Leadership. Due to balance issues and the problems inherent in a single player running two characters in a game, the Leadership feat was banned by a majority vote among our DM team.

Races. The following races have been banned outright:

Jermlaine

Lesser Planetouched

Necropolitans

Hellbred

Feats. The following feats have been banned outright:

Natural Spell

Born of Three Thunders

Spells. The following spells have been banned outright:

Luminous Armor (Book of Exalted Deeds)

Spectral Weapon (Complete Adventurer)

Last Breath (Complete Divine)

Revivify (Miniatures Handbook)

Bands of Steel (Complete Arcane)

Prestige Classes. The following prestige classes have been banned outright:

The Abjurant Champion

Major Houserules

Accelerated Feat Progression. You gain a feat every odd level, rather than at 1st and every 3rd level thereafter. So a character earns a feat at level 1 and 3, as normal, but then at level 5, 7, and 9, etc.

Free Minor Feat. Every character may take a free "Minor Feat" at level 1. See the list here.

Fractional Base Bonuses. At your option, you may use the "Fractional Base Bonuses" optional rule from Unearthed Arcana. NPCs and monsters generally do not. Using this houserule, you may add the fractional remainders of your class's Base Attack and Base Save bonuses if you are a multiclass character. For example, a Wizard 1/Sorcerer 1 would have a Base Attack Bonus of +1, rather than +0, because each class level gives the character a +.5 to their BAB.

Multiclass Saving Throws. You do not get the additional +2 to a saving throw if you multiclass into multiple classes that have that save as a good save. For example, a Fighter 1/Barbarian 1 would have a Base Fortitude Save of +3, not +5.

Flaws. You may take a maximum of one flaw at character creation, and it must be one that significantly impacts your character. See the list here. You can work with your DM

Downtime Restrictions of New Characters. If your character is newly-made, you may not engage in crafting or downtime activities except during character creation under the supervision of a DM.

Waiving PrC Prerequisites. At a DM's option, you may ignore some skill, feat, and miscellaneous prerequisites to entering a Prestige Class so long as they are not essential to the function of that prestige class, or allow you to enter it at a level lower than normal. For example, a DM might choose to waive the Hide skill rank requirement for entering the Blackguard prestige class, but it's unlikely that they would allow a Sorcerer/Cleric to enter the Mystic Theurge class with fewer than 4 Sorcerer levels. Caster Level, BAB, and class feature prerequisites will typically never be waived.

Magic-Psionics Transparency. The game assumes full magic-psionics transparency. Spells, powers, and effects that affect magic/spells also affect psionics/powers, and vice-versa.

DM Points. Every adventure run by a DM earns them 10 "DM Points". Each DM point can be redeemed for:

10 × level XP (1% of a level-up)

OR

20 × level GP (20 gp/level)

Game Summaries. If a party member writes a recap of an adventure in the Game Summaries channel, every member of the expedition gains 10 XP per character level.

Polymorphing. Creatures under the effect of a polymorph spell or similar effect (including Wild Shape) cannot cast spells, and cannot benefit from the effects of any beneficial buff spells.

Druids with Wild Shape may still benefit from a small subset of spells, which can be found here.

Feats on Companions. You may change the feats (though not the bonus feats) of any companion of yours, such as an Animal Companion, Special Mount, or an animal you own and train with the Handle Animal skill. They may be retrained just like feats on PCs, except they cost gold pieces equal to five times the normal XP cost. Any replacement feats must be chosen from the list of approved companion feats, which can be found here.

Learning Spells from Other Spellcasters In addition to any normal method of learning spells, a spellcaster may teach another any spell they know, so long as it is on both of their spell lists. Casters typically charge 50 gp per spell level, just like wizards. Learning spells this way cannot exceed your normal limit of known spells, if any.

Critical Failures. When you roll a natural 1 on your first attack roll during a turn, confirm the attack as if it were a critical hit. If this confirmation fails, the attack is a critical miss. Roll a d8, and consult the following table. Many DMs do not use this houserule; never roll unless asked to.

d8       Result
1 The attack hits yourself.
2 The attack hits an ally within range. If there are no allies within range, reroll.
3 Your weapon gets stuck in the wall or ground, and you must use a standard action to pull it free. If your weapon is a ranged weapon, its string breaks.
4 You overextend yourself, granting a +4 circumstance bonus on the attacks against you for the next round.
5 You drop your weapon and fall prone.
6 You provoke an attack of opportunity from each creature that can reach you. If there are no hostile creatures within range, reroll.
7 You temporarily injure yourself, and take a -4 penalty on attack rolls for the next round.
8 A strange, unrelated event occurs. Its exact nature is up to DM discretion.

Classes and Prestige Classes

Psionic Monks. A Monk's supernatural abilities are psionic, not magical, and a Monk gains one power point per character level and the "psionic" subtype.

Use Psionic Device. Any class with Use Magic Device as a class skill also has Use Psionic Device as a class skill.

Archivist Spells. An Archivist can only learn spells from the Cleric and Druid spell lists. Ask a DM if you wish to learn a spell from the Ranger or Paladin list, or a Cleric domain list; however, if a spell is available on both the Cleric/Druid list and another list, you always use the Cleric/Druid spell level if it is higher. This same ruling applies for other classes with similar mechanics.

Master of Many Forms. The Master of Many Forms is allowed if played in good faith, and is subject to most of the same limitations as Polymorph spells (see below).

Feats

Dodge. When you take the Dodge feat, you may choose one of the two effects:

The Dodge feat gives you a flat +1 dodge bonus to AC against all opponents. If you have another feat or ability that acts as a rider on your dodge target, you must still designate a specific creature for that rider-effect.

The Dodge feats works normally, but provides a +2 bonus to AC instead of the normal +1.

Toughness and Improved Toughness. The Toughness feat grants you 3 hit points or hit points equal to your level, whichever is higher. The Improved Toughness feat is superseded by this and so does not exist. You may still take the Toughness feat multiple times, but each additional feat grants only 3 bonus hit points.

Endurance. A character with the Endurance feat can also sleep in heavy armor without penalty.

Monkey Grip. The penalty on attack rolls when using Monkey Grip depends on the size you wield weapons as. A medium-sized creature takes a -2 penalty, a large-sized creature takes a -4, a huge-sized creature a -8, a gargantuan-sized creature a -16, and a colossal one -32. A small-sized creature only takes a -1 penalty on attack rolls, and a tiny or smaller creature takes no penalty at all.

Powerful Build and similar features make you count as one size category larger for the purposes of wielding weapons also increases the penalty you take accordingly.

Superior Unarmed Strike You may take the Superior Unarmed Strike feat from Tome of Battle without taking it as your +1. This feat provides no benefit to Monks.

Aiding in Item Creation. A character must have the requisite item creation feat to aid in the creation of a magic item.

Optional Feats. The Hidden Talent, Collegiate Wizard, and Precocious Apprentice feats are allowed. You do not count as knowing a 2nd-level spell for the purposes of qualifying for Prestige Classes and other options with the Precocious Apprentice feat, however.

Spells

Limits of Polymoprhing. Polymorph spells tend to have balance issues because they can give access to many different "solutions" within a single spell. DMs have final say on whether you can take a given form, and may change their answer depending on what you want to do with it. For example, a DM will probably veto you turning the Rogue into an octopus so they can make eight sneak attacks, but would probably be fine with you turning yourself into an octopus just to breath underwater. Using alter self to turn into obscure humanoids with special abilities (especially flight) is specifically not allowed.

Limits of Summoning. Summoning spells tend to have balance issues because they can give access to many different "solutions" within a single spell. DMs have final say on whether you can summon a given creature for a particular task. For example, a DM will probably veto you summoning a Thoqqua to melt down a stone door, but would probably be fine with you just summoning it to fight an enemy.

Lesser Vigor. Wands, Scrolls, and Potions of lesser vigor do not exist and cannot be created. We wish for cure light wounds to remain the most efficient hp/gp spell for magic items, so that players do not have to refer to a secondary book for efficient healing.

Entangle. A creature can break free of an entangle spell by dealing a cumulative 10 points of damage to the plants, which have a hardness of 5 which is bypassed by fire and slashing damage. This spell has no effect in an area without enough nearby plants to entangle a creature.

Grease. A creature standing within grease does not need to make a balance check to avoid falling prone in reaction to taking damage. A creature that is prone in grease can use a move action to crawl 5 feet, with no chance of failure. In addition, a creature standing on grease can move into an adjacent, non-greased square at half its speed without needing to make a check or save (this first square of movement is still at half speed). A creature is only considered "in the grease" if all of its spaces are greased; thus, a Huge or larger creature is never affected by grease.

Detect Alignment. Spells that detect alignment can only detect the alignment of a non-Cleric, non-Undead, non-Outsider if they have at least 5 hit dice.

Reduced-Cost Metamagic. Features which reduce the cost of applying a metamagic feat to a spell do not stack, and do not work on magic items nor with Divine Metamagic and similar features.

Reincarnate. The material component cost of the reincarnate spell is 3,000 gp instead of 1,000. The costs for hiring a caster to cast a resurrection spell is as follows:

Reincarnate - 3,280 gp

Raise Dead - 5,450 gp

Resurrection - 10,910 gp

True Resurrection - 26,530 gp

Magic Items

Special Materials. Certain special materials, such as Dragonhide and Deep Crystal, cannot be bought from NPC merchants; they may only be found in adventures, typically by slaying dragons and clearing psionic crystal mines, respectively.

Twilight Armor. The Twilight armor enhancement is considered part of core, and can be crafted and bought without taking any book as a +1.

Wild Shape Spells

The following spells may continue to affect Druids while they are Wild Shaped. All other spells are suppressed while the Druid's shape is changed.

Barkskin

Death Ward

Freedom of Movement

Longstrider

Magic Fang

Magic Fang, Greater

True Seeing

Water Breathing

Animal Companion Feats

Ability Focus

Agile

Alertness

Athletic

Awesome Blow

Blind-Fight

Cleave

Combat Reflexes

Diehard

Dodge

Endurance

Far Shot

Flyby Attack

Great Cleave

Great Fortitude

Hover

Improved Bull Rush

Improved Critical

Improved Initiative

Improved Natural Armor

Improved Natural Attack

Improved Overrun

Improved Precise Shot

Improved Sunder

Iron Will

Lightning Reflexes

Mobility

Multiattack

Point-Blank Shot

Precise Shot

Rapid Shot

Run

Shot on the Run

Skill Focus

Spring Attack

Snatch

Stealthy

Toughness

Track

Weapon Finesse

Weapon Focus

Wingover

Minor Feats

PHB

Feat Summary
Acrobatic +2 Jump and Tumble
Agile +2 Balance and Escape Artist
Alertness +2 Listen and Spot
Animal Affinity +2 Handle Animal and Ride
Athletic +2 Climb and Swim
Deceitful +2 Disguise and Forgery
Deft Hands +2 Sleight of Hand and Use Rope
Diligent +2 Appraise and Decipher Script
Eschew Materials Cast spells without material components
Investigator +2 Gather Information and Search
Magical Aptitude +2 Spellcraft and Use Magic Device
Martial Weapon Proficiency Proficiency with one martial weapon
Negotiator +2 Diplomacy and Sense Motive
Nimble Fingers +2 Disable Device and Open Lock
Persuasive +2 Bluff and Intimidate
Self-Sufficient +2 Heal and Survival
Simple Weapon Proficiency Proficiency with simple weapons
Spell Mastery Prepare wizard spells from memory
Stealthy +2 Hide and Move Silently

Expanded Psionics Handbook

Feat Summary
Autonomous +2 Autohypnosis and Knowledge (psionics)
Open Minded +5 skill points
Psionic Affinity +2 Psicraft and Use Psionic Device
Wild Talent Gain psionic ability and 2 power points

Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting

Feat Summary
Arcane Schooling Arcane spellcasting class becomes favored
Artist +2 Perform and any Craft (art)
Blooded +2 Initiative and Spot
Bullheaded +1 Will and +2 Intimidate
Cosmopolitan +2 to any skill, class skill for you
Courteous Magocracy +2 Diplomacy and Spellcraft
Daylight Adaptation No penalty for bright light
Discipline +1 Will, +2 Concentration
Education All Knowledge skills are class skills, +1 to two
Horse Nomad MWP (composite shortbow), +2 Ride
Mercantile Background +2 Appraise and Craft or Profession
Militia MWP (longbow and longspear), MWP (shortbow and shortsword) for small size
Resist Poison +4 vs. poison
Silver Palm +2 Appraise and Bluff
Snake Blood +2 vs. poison, +1 Ref
Street Smart +2 Bluff and Gather Information
Strong Soul +1 Fort, Will, and vs. death and drain
Survivor +1 Fort and +2 Survival
Thug +2 initiative and Intimidate
Treetopper +2 Climb, not flatfooted while climbing

Flaws

When you create your character, you can choose up to one flaw from this list. If you take a flaw, you gain a free feat.

Feeble

You are unathletic and uncoordinated.

Effect: You take a -2 penalty on Strength-, Dexterity-, and Constitution-based ability checks and skill checks.

Frail

You are thin and weak of frame.

Effect: Subtract 1 from the number of hit points you gain at each level. This flaw can reduce the number of hit points you gain to 0 (but not below).

Special: You must have a Constitution of 4 or higher to take this flaw.

Meager Fortitude

You are sickly and weak of stomach.

Effect: You take a -3 penalty on Fortitude saves.

Noncombatant

You are relatively inept at melee combat.

Effect: You take a -2 penalty on all melee attack rolls.

Special: You cannot take this flaw if you are not proficient in martial melee weapons, or if your Strength score is lower than 12.

Pathetic

You are weaker in an attribute than you should be.

Effect: Reduce one of your ability scores by 2.

Special: You cannot take this flaw in an ability that does not affect your character significantly, nor if the total of your ability score modifiers is 8 or higher.

Poor Reflexes

You often zig when you should have zagged.

Effect: You take a -3 penalty on Reflex saves.

Shaky

You are relatively poor at ranged combat.

Effect: You take a -2 penalty on all ranged attack rolls.

Special: You cannot take this flaw if you are not proficient in martial ranged weapons, or if your Dexterity score is lower than 12.

Slow

You move exceptionally slowly.

Effect: Your base land speed is halved (round down to the nearest 5-foot interval).

Special: You must have a base land speed of at least 20 feet to take this flaw.

Unreactive

You are slow to react to danger.

Effect: You take a -6 penalty on initiative checks.

Vulnerable

You are not good at defending yourself.

Effect: You take a -1 penalty to Armor Class.

Weak Will

You are highly suggestible and easily duped.

Effect: You take a –3 penalty on Will saves.

Homebrew

The following is a list of all homebrew content created by members of the server and available to all players. You don't need to ask before taking anything from this document.

Feats

Spear and Shield [Fighter, General]

You are adept at using a typically two-handed spear along with a shield.

Prerequisite: Proficiency with spears, longspears, or halberds.

Benefit: You can wield a spear, longspear, or halberd in one hand as long as you have a shield in your other hand.

Special: Because you are wielding their weapon in one hand, this feat is not compatible with the Spinning Halberd feat or similar abilities that assume the weapon is being wielded in two hands. In addition, you do not add 1.5× your Strength bonus, since you are only wielding the weapon in one hand.

Axe and Sickle [Style]

Flavor text goes here.

Prerequisites: Power Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (battleaxe, handaxe, or dwarven waraxe), Weapon Focus (sickle)

Benefit: As a full-round action, you can make a touch attack against a creature using your sickle. On a hit, make a contested strength check against your opponent. If you succeed, your opponent is considered flat-footed and you may take a 5-foot step away from them, dragging your opponent into the space you previously occupied.

You may then make an attack with your axe. If the attack hits, your opponent must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 character level + Str) or be knocked prone.

Appendix I: Barrow's Maw Code of Law

Chapter 1: Jurisdiction

Section 1: The Basin

  1. Unless stated otherwise, the laws of the town of Barrow’s Maw do not apply within the Ohm Basin at large, though the Government retains certain rights there nonetheless.

  2. The Government also retains the right to respond in kind to any activities in the Basin At Large that run counter to its interests, up to and including the requisition of adventurers to perform certain tasks that may violate its own law, so long as the tasks are undertaken outside of the town’s borders.

Section 2: Amnesty for Foreign Criminals

  1. The Government of Barrow’s Maw holds no extradition agreements with foreign governments, and a resident will never be given up to a foreign power or government for any crimes committed outside of the basin unless it violates its own laws (subject to Chapter 1, Section 1, subsection 1; crimes such as Necromancy and Demon-Trafficking still apply and may incur extradition in place of local punishment).

  2. The Government has a responsibility to protect residents from forced extradition by foreign governments if at all possible. This responsibility may only be waived if doing so would present serious risk to Barrow’s Maw’s independence and integrity.

Section 3: Personhood

  1. Non-living beings are not considered persons according to the Barrow’s Maw penal code. This includes magical constructs and undead creatures.

  2. In addition, beings whose typical intellect does not exceed that of an ordinary animal are not considered persons. If a being normally is of good intellect but has been reduced to the state of a beast by some magic or other happenstance, they are still considered people with all of the legal rights guaranteed therein.

  3. All such living beings of human or greater intelligence are considered persons, even those considered monstrous by other laws and not afforded full rights without.

Chapter 2: Exceptions Therein

Section 1: Burden of Proof

  1. Any crime with a punishment of death requires two witnesses in good public standing to testify to their guilt.

  2. A crime with a punishment of a fine requires one witness in good public standing to testify to their guilt.

  3. If an individual is charged with a crime normally punishable by death but only one witness may be found to testify against them, they may still be levied a fine of at least one thousand gold pieces.

Section 2: Alternate Punishments

  1. Wherever this code calls for a punishment for a crime, the Government may always elect to issue a lesser punishment, at the discretion of the High Judge. In the case of a fine needing paid to the victim of the crime, the Government must in this case pay the fine in their stead.

  2. A sentencing of execution may always be commuted to an indefinite imprisonment and forced labor, or to exile from the Ohm Basin.

  3. If a criminal is ever unable or unwilling to pay a fine issued, they may instead be forced to work off their debt, whether to Government, guild, or individual persons.

  4. If a criminal is unable or unwilling to pay a fine issued in excess of one thousand gold pieces, execution may be levied as punishment instead, especially if the criminal working off their debt is an undesirable option, for whatever reason.

Chapter 3: Violent Crime

Section 1: Murder

  1. Taking the life of another person within the borders of the town of Barrow’s Maw is the greatest of criminal acts, punishable by summary execution.

  2. Pursuant to Chapter 1, Section 1, Subsection 1, the taking of life outside of the town of Barrow’s Maw, even within its territorial claims in the Basin At Large, is no business of this Government.

Section 2: Assault

  1. Assaulting the body of another person against their will is punishable by a fine of at least 10 to 1,000 gp, depending on the severity of the assault, paid to the victim of the crime.

  2. Alternatively, in the case of especially heinous assault (especially one which results in permanent disability of the victim) or if a batterer is found to have committed a violent crime a third time or more, summary execution may be levied instead.

Section 3: Public Disturbance

  1. Causing a public disturbance within the borders of the town of Barrow’s Maw is a crime punishable by imprisonment for a period no longer than a month, or the levy of a fine appropriate to the severity of the disturbance and the wealth of the offender.

  2. Possible disturbances include the following: Fighting or dueling in public in a disorganized or unsafe manner; Public drunkenness or lunacy; or the Bothering of passersby, especially for religious evangelism or political activism

Chapter 4: Property Crime

Section 1: Theft

  1. The theft of any property up to a value of one thousand gold pieces is punishable by a fine equal to at least one hundred gold pieces plus the return of the stolen property or gold equal to the value of the property stolen.

  2. If a thief is unable to pay the necessary reparations to the offended, or the theft is in excess of one thousand gold pieces, the offended party may also demand the loss of the thief’s hand. If the thief is found to have gotten the hand restored without paying their fine, the hand will be taken again.

  3. A thief found to have committed the offense of thievery a third time or more within the borders of the town is instead subject to summary execution, at the option of at least one victim of their crimes.

Section 2: Guild Rights

  1. Within the town of Barrow’s Maw and the Basin At Large, the Government retains the right to set prices for goods and services, and to grant the right to set prices for as well as the exclusive right to provide certain goods and services to guilds and other entities.

  2. Breaching these rights is punishable by a fine equal to the difference in prices or the price of goods illegally sold, to be paid to the wronged party.

  3. Repeated infringement on the rights of the guilds may result in the revocation of an individual’s right to sell goods or offer services within the Basin at all. Breaching such a sanction is punishable by a fine of at least one thousand gold pieces. Section 3: Kidnapping and Slavery

  4. The restriction of a person’s bodily freedom by any entity other than the Government is a crime punishable by the emancipation of the withheld and a fine of at least one hundred gold pieces per person, with the fine being paid to the transgressed.

  5. An especially long period of imprisonment, or the enslavement of a person of high birth, may incur higher fines or imprisonment of a term no longer than a year per charge.

Chapter 5: Transgressions against Nature and Goodliness

Section 1: Necromancy

  1. The creation or calling of an undead creature through unholy rite, or the reservation of one’s service or loyalty for a period exceeding twenty-four hours, is a crime punishable by summary execution. The offense need not be committed within the jurisdiction of Barrow’s Maw.

  2. If an undead creature falls under the control of an individual through the course of normal activities, the undead being must be destroyed before twenty-four hours have passed. The escape of such a creature is punishable by a fine of at least one hundred gold pieces per creature.

  3. Other spells and magics of the school of necromancy, such as those that drain life, instill terror, or wither flesh, are not prohibited except where their use breaches some other law.

  4. The creation or ownership of any magical dweomer whose primary function is the creation or control of the undead, or whose creation requires magic that creates or controls undead, is punishable by the confiscation of the item and a fine of at least one thousand gold pieces.

Section 2: Traffick with Fiends

  1. The contracting with non-deific beings of the lower planes is strictly prohibited. This includes performing tasks at their demand or request, performing sacrifices (of any sort) dedicated to them, contracting such fiends to perform tasks for you, and especially summoning them onto the Roll. The offense need not be committed within the jurisdiction of Barrow’s Maw.

  2. The summoning of fiends onto the Roll or the performance of sacrifices to them, whether of blood or goods, is punishable by summary execution. An exception is made for the summoning of beasts of those planes of mean intellect, so long as they are dismissed in a safe and timely manner.

  3. In the interest of religious freedom, the worship and service of deities of evil alignment is permitted, except where following those religious practices violates some other law. The solicitation of planar allies of lawful yet evil deities by their senior priests is permitted.

Notes

Whenever a law states that it incurs a fine of "At least" an amount of gold, this fine is multiplied by the offender's character level.

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