Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Monday, April 28, 2025
Sunday, April 27, 2025
| Campaign One | Secrets of Saltmarsh |
Friday, April 25, 2025
▶ Alignment: We use the nine alignments from AD&D 1st edition located here.
▶ Level One Hit Points: We give all level 1 characters max hitpoints. This is done "only" for level One. This gives the characters a fighting chance, especially the Wizard who could easily have 1-2 hit points. Yea I know, it is babying them at level 1. We try to make sure our players have a good time and not worry about tripping and taking lethal damage from a pebble. From level Two and higher, hit points are rolled normal.
▶ Death & Unconsciousness: The official rule in AD&D 1st edition says—a character becomes unconscious at 0 hit points (HP) and begins to die, losing 1 HP per round if left unassisted. Death occurs when hit points drop to the negative of the character's level, or when a character's HP reach -10. If a character takes enough damage that takes him below -10 hit points, he/she is just dead. Our house rule we've added for recovery is, if a character is brought back to consciousness using non magical healing, that character requires one week of bedrest for recovery but if that character is brought back to consciousness using magical healing, that character needs to rest for eight uninterrupted hours before returning to full health.
▶ Playable Races & Classes: You can find all the available races and classes on the following page.
▶ Wizard Starting Spellbook: The way we handle a Wizard's starting spellbook is, the player chooses one spell (any spell) from the 1st level list of Magic-User spells in the 1st edition Players Handbook as the starting spell for that character. The DM "gifts" the following spells to add to the starting spellbook—Write, Read Magic & Identify which gives a new starting Wizard four spells to start with.
▶ Elves Resistances: In AD&D Elves have a 90% resistance to spells/abilities that charm or unnaturally cause sleep. It makes sense that elves would have this but in Old-School Essentials it is not a rule so I have chosen to make this a house rules of sorts. Elves, Drow, Moon Drow & Sylvan Elves are particularly resistant to spells and spell-like abilities that charm or unnaturally cause sleep. When making saving throws against these types of spells, they receive a +10 bonus, Half-Elves get a +5 bonus.
▶ Elves & Resting: Elves, Drow, Moon Drow & Sylvan Elves do not need to sleep in the traditional sense. Instead, they engage in a meditative state called a "trance" for four hours, which provides them with the same benefits as eight hours of sleep for other races. While they can technically sleep if they choose, they rarely do, and it wouldn't provide them with the same restorative effects as their trance. Half-Elves however do require sleep.
▶ Detect Magic Skill: The "Wizard & Sorcerer class" can detect magic on an item by concentrating for 1 full turn. This procedure is repeatable.
▶ Identify Skill: The "Wizard & Sorcerer class" can identify a magical object by studying it for 3 full hours. They then have a 3-in-6 chance of successfully determining its effects. This procedure is repeatable.
▶ Clerics & Level One Spells: In Old-School Essentials, Clerics do not normally start out with an opening spell at level One which I find a bit harsh so we have house ruled in that Clerics will gain one level One spell at level One. Level two and beyond the Cleric follows the spell chart as it is written. Basically, to put it in simple terms, I have a kind heart . . . "occasionally".
Thursday, April 24, 2025
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Monday, April 21, 2025
Sunday, April 20, 2025
Friday, April 18, 2025
Thursday, April 17, 2025
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
It's "very" important that you get familiar with this campaign blog "there will be a test later" . . . nah, just kidding on the test part lol, but trust me when I say, this blog was created for you, the player, so make use of it. This will be my first "modified" Old-School Essentials Advanced Fantasy system that I've ever ran "since for pretty much my entire gaming life, I've ran Advanced Dungeons & Dragons exclusively".
▶ We will use Discord for Audio "only" & Roll20 for everything else. "please be familiar with Roll20"
▶ We are planning to play every other Saturday night 7-10pm EST "maybe a little longer depending on player schedules"
▶ We may be able to squeeze in the Friday before at times (players discretion)
Player Requirements
― We have a group chat in Facebook Messenger for all players. This is used to make communication simple between GM & players, it's kind of required. Request access to this chat group with DM James.
― Within a few days after each session ends, I will do a livestream on my TTRPG YouTube channel where we will do a recap. This livestream will have each person from our group who wishes to join using webcams. This is where we basically do an indepth recap of each session and interact with chat. Attendance is not mandatory, it is requested however but if you choose not to attend that is ok too.
― I will need a picture of your own choosing to represent your character (for the blog ascetics of course) I will do a reskin of it to make it more realistic looking and add it to the blog.
― I'll need a short background, maybe a paragraph but you can elaborate as much as you want. Backgrounds help me tweak the story a little more to include your characters back story in our campaign.
― We use a slightly modified Old-School Essentials "mainly to bring things up to 1st edition adventures standards". DM james will talk about this with you. Most of our games are on the "AD&D 1st edition" power scale for monsters and such so some slight adjustments have been made to classes to bring them up to spec but our core rules will remain Old-School Essentials.
• Class Page: We have a wide selection of playable classes to choose from.
• House Rules: We do have a few "quality of life" house rules to help make the game run a little smoother and be slightly more forgiving than it is in it's current form. These rules may change over time.
• About Our Campaign: Here you can read all about our World of Greyhawk campaign.
• Journals Page: This is where my players can find everything they need to know about our campaign.
▶ We are looking for mature adults as players.
▶ We are an east coast group.
▶ I do not fudge on dice rolls, whatever gets rolled, is rolled.
▶ We are not looking for rules lawyers that will debate every rule the DM says.
▶ Mistakes will be made by players and the DM, deal with it.
▶ We want friendly, chill players that simply want to have a fun night of gaming.
▶ I plan to run a very relaxed, friendly game for my players.
• You can reach me on Discord, make sure you introduce yourself and let me know who you are and how you found our Discord when you join.
• Facebook: I rarely use Facebook but for our chat group I think we have to be friends before I can invite you to the chat group, not 100% on this and you can unfriend me once I bring you into the chat group if you want.
• Email: If all else fails, my email is jamesefullard@gmail.com
▶ Important: Don't just blindly ask to join us, take the time to really go through the campaign blog & go through the links provided on this page. It's important that you understand exactly what this campaign involves, what rules we use, what house rules use along with everything else. If you don't bother reading about this campaign and just go straight into asking blind questions that are either "already" answered here or somewhere else on the blog, you're going to get turned away . . . "just saying". Everything on this campaign blog was put here "for you" to use so please make use of it.
Rules
• Other Games During Game Time: Look, be respectful and while we are playing D&D, don't have World of Warcraft pulled up in the background etc. etc. Either you want to play in our campaign or you don't. Just be respectful please, your DM puts in a lot of hard work to try and give his players a good solid game.
• Be Mature: We are all adults, please ... let us all act like adults when we play.
• Real Life Stuff: We don't bring "anything political from the real world" to our table, we basically don't bring anything from the real world into our games.
• Pronouns: We don't do the pronoun silliness. When we sit down at the table, it's about the "game" and nothing else.
• Please Show Up to Game Night: I understand "real life" is a bitch and we will have cancelations at times, but with us only playing twice a month without counting the "possible" Fridays before, we really need you to show up. I usually cancel games if someone does not show up. I hate playing with missing people.
▶ Make sure you as a player have read, explored & understand this "entire" page before requesting to join this group If everything you read here seems fine to you, please return to the Roll20 page and request to join our group.
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Monday, April 14, 2025
I wanted to write up an article describing the game rules we will be using. We are using a "modified" Old-School Essentials system. Basically we are using Old-School Essentials Advanced Fantasy with "some" house rules" and some "slight" adjustments to the classes to bring them up to scale with 1st edition since most of the adventures I plan to run are from 1st edition anyways.
We are going with the old school class system, not the race/class system from 1st edition, basically the same as what is in the Old-School Essentials books but with a lot more choices to choose from since classes were pulled from other sources like the Carcass Crawler zine.
Old-School Essentials classes are not anywhere near as powerful as new edition classes, even AD&D classes so players can't simply have characters charge in and run through all the enemies that they face. It's a mix and match of materials that we use, but it is very easy to understand and gives players a classic feel to the type of gameplay they will experience.
The goal is to keep the core of our system Old-School Essentials Advanced Fantasy but with a few 1st edition house rules and some slight adjustments to the class sheets. This is a brand new "modified" system that I came up with that has never been tested. I am sure we will encounter bugs that will need to be ironed out and fixed but overall I think I have it pretty well hammered out. I want to run my games as classic as I can but give my players a little more expansive style of play at the same time.
Sunday, April 13, 2025
Saturday, April 12, 2025
Friday, April 11, 2025
Thursday, April 10, 2025
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Monday, April 7, 2025
Nine distinct alignments define all the possible combinations of the lawful-chaotic axis with the good-evil axis. Each alignment description below depicts a typical character of that alignment. Remember that individuals vary from this norm, and that a given character may act more or less in accord with his or her alignment from day to day. Use these descriptions as guidelines, not as scripts.
The first six alignments, lawful good through chaotic neutral, are the standard alignments for player characters. The three evil alignments are for monsters and villains.
Lawful Good, "Crusader"
A lawful good character acts as a good person is expected or required to act. He combines a commitment to oppose evil with the discipline to fight relentlessly. He tells the truth, keeps his word, helps those in need, and speaks out against injustice. A lawful good character hates to see the guilty go unpunished.
Lawful good is the best alignment you can be because it combines honor and compassion. Lawful good can be a dangerous alignment when it restricts freedom and criminalizes self-interest.
Neutral Good, "Benefactor"
A neutral good character does the best that a good person can do. He is devoted to helping others. He works with kings and magistrates but does not feel beholden to them.
Neutral good is the best alignment you can be because it means doing what is good without bias for or against order. Neutral good can be a dangerous alignment when it advances mediocrity by limiting the actions of the truly capable.
Chaotic Good, "Rebel"
A chaotic good character acts as his conscience directs him with little regard for what others expect of him. He makes his own way, but he's kind and benevolent. He believes in goodness and right but has little use for laws and regulations. He hates it when people try to intimidate others and tell them what to do. He follows his own moral compass, which, although good, may not agree with that of society.
Chaotic good is the best alignment you can be because it combines a good heart with a free spirit. Chaotic good can be a dangerous alignment when it disrupts the order of society and punishes those who do well for themselves.
Lawful Neutral, "Judge"
A lawful neutral character acts as law, tradition, or a personal code directs her. Order and organization are paramount to her. She may believe in personal order and live by a code or standard, or she may believe in order for all and favor a strong, organized government.
Lawful neutral is the best alignment you can be because it means you are reliable and honorable without being a zealot. Lawful neutral can be a dangerous alignment when it seeks to eliminate all freedom, choice, and diversity in society.
Neutral, "Undecided"
A neutral character does what seems to be a good idea. She doesn't feel strongly one way or the other when it comes to good vs. evil or law vs. chaos. Most neutral characters exhibit a lack of conviction or bias rather than a commitment to neutrality. Such a character thinks of good as better than evil-after all, she would rather have good neighbors and rulers than evil ones. Still, she's not personally committed to upholding good in any abstract or universal way.
Some neutral characters, on the other hand, commit themselves philosophically to neutrality. They see good, evil, law, and chaos as prejudices and dangerous extremes. They advocate the middle way of neutrality as the best, most balanced road in the long run. Neutral is the best alignment you can be because it means you act naturally, without prejudice or compulsion. Neutral can be a dangerous alignment when it represents apathy, indifference, and a lack of conviction.
Chaotic Neutral, "Free Spirit"
A chaotic neutral character follows his whims. He is an individualist first and last. He values his own liberty but doesn't strive to protect others' freedom. He avoids authority, resents restrictions, and challenges traditions. A chaotic neutral character does not intentionally disrupt organizations as part of a campaign of anarchy. To do so, he would have to be motivated either by good (and a desire to liberate others) or evil (and a desire to make those different from himself suffer). A chaotic neutral character may be unpredictable, but his behavior is not totally random. He is not as likely to jump off a bridge as to cross it.
Chaotic neutral can be a dangerous alignment when it seeks to eliminate all authority, harmony, and order in society.
A lawful evil villain methodically takes what he wants within the limits of his code of conduct without regard for whom it hurts. He cares about tradition, loyalty, and order but not about freedom, dignity, or life. He plays by the rules but without mercy or compassion. He is comfortable in a hierarchy and would like to rule, but is willing to serve. He condemns others not according to their actions but according to race, religion, homeland, or social rank. He is loath to break laws or promises.
This reluctance comes partly from his nature and partly because he depends on order to protect himself from those who oppose him on moral grounds. Some lawful evil villains have particular taboos, such as not killing in cold blood (but having underlings do it) or not letting children come to harm (if it can be helped). They imagine that these compunctions put them above unprincipled villains.
Some lawful evil people and creatures commit themselves to evil with a zeal like that of a crusader committed to good. Beyond being willing to hurt others for their own ends, they take pleasure in spreading evil as an end unto itself. They may also see doing evil as part of a duty to an evil deity or master.
Lawful evil is sometimes called "diabolical," because devils are the epitome of lawful evil. Lawful evil creatures consider their alignment to be the best because it combines honor with a dedicated self-interest. Lawful evil is the most dangerous alignment because it represents methodical, intentional, and frequently successful evil.
Neutral Evil, "Malefactor"
A neutral evil villain does whatever she can get away with. She is out for herself, pure and simple. She sheds no tears for those she kills, whether for profit, sport, or convenience. She has no love of order and holds no illusion that following laws, traditions, or codes would make her any better or more noble. On the other hand, she doesn't have the restless nature or love of conflict that a chaotic evil villain has.
Some neutral evil villains hold up evil as an ideal, committing evil for its own sake. Most often, such villains are devoted to evil deities or secret societies. Neutral evil beings consider their alignment to be the best because they can advance themselves without regard for others. Neutral evil is the most dangerous alignment because it represents pure evil without honor and without variation.
Chaotic Evil, "Destroyer"
A chaotic evil character does whatever his greed, hatred, and lust for destruction drive him to do. He is hot-tempered, vicious, arbitrarily violent, and unpredictable. If he is simply out for whatever he can get, he is ruthless and brutal. If he is committed to the spread of evil and chaos, he is even worse. Thankfully, his plans are haphazard, and any groups he joins or forms are poorly organized. Typically, chaotic evil people can be made to work together only by force, and their leader lasts only as long as he can thwart attempts to topple or assassinate him.
Chaotic evil is sometimes called "demonic" because demons are the epitome of chaotic evil. Chaotic evil beings believe their alignment is the best because it combines self-interest and pure freedom. Chaotic evil is the most dangerous alignment because it represents the destruction not only of beauty and life but also of the order on which beauty and life depend.
Sunday, April 6, 2025
Saturday, April 5, 2025
• Acolyte
• Acrobat
• Arcane Bard
• Ascetic
• Assassin
• Bandit
• Barbarian
• Bard
• Beast Master
• Cavalier
• Changeling
• Chaos Knight
• Cleric
• Drow
• Druid
• Dryad
• Duergar
• Dwarf
• Dwarf Brewmaster
• Dwarf-Cleric
• Dwarf Runesmith
• Elf
• Fighter
• Forester
• Gargantua
• Gnome
• Goblin
• Half-Elf
• Halfling Hearthsinger
• Halfling Reeve
• Halfling
• Half-Orc
• Hamadryad
• Hobgoblin
• Illusionist
• Knight
• Kobold
• Mage
• Moon Drow
• Necromancer
• Oracle
• Paladin
• Ranger
• Rogue
• Rover
• Sorcerer
• Svirfneblin
• Swashbuckler
• Thief
• Warden
• Warlock
• Wood Elf
• Wizard
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