Actually, I thought Charisma did give a bonus to charm? Damn, I have been playing that variant so long, I thought it was a rule. I also give Elven Bards a chance to cause sleep with music (think Luthien sleeping Angband). Very similar to the charm roll.
Salazar is a young man with blond hair that continues to flop into his eyes no matter how often he pushes it back. He walks with a simple staff, and dresses in typical peasant garb. He constantly seems to be somehow distracted, and will often be chewing his lip in thought, or whistling absently to himself.
Little Plastic Ninja’s Ranger has gone out, and there are only three character histories to do…
Since you seem mildly interested in stats:
average character hit points is 28.2
average number of langauges spoken is 2.5
number of character sheets going over 2 pages: 2*
*the Druid and the Paladin have destroyed my elegant scheme to print double-sided and have precisely one piece of paper per player.
That’s OK, I forced it back down to one page and even fit my description in. I like small condensed notes. All 8 characters in my game were fit onto only a 3 page quick checklist.
I need to Email you about a small night time creature or two and a mount.
I will start the game with the spells you outlined and then change it when I find out what we are doing.
How do you play the Druid Protection from Fire Spell? Once I cast it on myself, is it up until I take 48HP of fire damage?
Just wanted to say out loud in front of everyone else: holy crepes, glee, what awesome sheetage and character-insertion you have done! I will be using some of these methods for my own online DMing.
Cullen will start the adventure with the animal friends (totalling 4HD) on the issued character sheet.
There will certainly be opportunities to acquire new ones, plus a mount, within the adventure. 
Protection from Fire is pretty much as you describe. Complete protection from normal fire, plus the spell absorbs the first 48hp (=12*your level) of magical fire damage.
It lasts 40 minutes (10mins / level) otherwise.
If you cast it on another, it’s like a Resist Fire.
When the game thread starts, all spellcasters (Clever Hans, Cullen, Aciryas and Salazar), can read the introduction and combine it with their character history. They are then welcome say which spells they loaded earlier that morning, and begin adventuring with them.
I have the feeling **your ** character will do rather well in the adventure. 
You’re very kind (and thanks to all for their patience).
It helps that I am semi-retired and my term just ended…
OK, all characters, character histories and current locations have now gone out.
Please let me know (either post here or send an e-mail) if you haven’t received my e-mail (or have technical problems / questions).
** I’ll be starting the game thread tomorrow. ** :eek: 
(It’s taken a lot of work, but I am really looking forward to this…)
Oh, just to clarify (and intrigue any spectators!):
- Erjg and Hulgfar are fishing alongside Crumlin in Oakham
- Gawain and Clever Hans are entering Oakham on their mounts
- Aciryas and Salazar are standing outside Heimdall’s temple in Oakham
- Cullen and Cadogan are escorting Marian and are less than an hour’s journey away from Oakham
Some final information for all players:
-
the Deities used are Celtic, Norse and the non-human ones (e.g. dwarves can choose Moradin)
-
please look carefully at your character history (did someone say ‘plot element’?
) -
marching orders are useful, but I’m quite happy with just knowing whether your character is front / middle (protected) / rear
-
the adventure is set in a fantasy World, not historical Earth (although 99% is identical / familiar).
There are many references to England and of course Tolkien (who inspired massive interest in an English mythology)
Here are some reference guides (sorry, I just didn’t have the time or will to type every single NWP :o ):
Riding notes:
There are three main categories of horse: wild, tame and battle-trained. (There are of course also different sizes and breeds - from fast ponies to strong carthorses.)
Wild horses can only be approached with Speak with Animals (spell) or Animal Training (NWP).
Tame animals can be bought and ridden. They are fine just riding about, but will be spooked by fire, loud noises or combat.
Battle-trained horses (expensive!) will not only ride into combat, but some will fight as well.
The rider’s ability:
Without any Riding Skill, a character can only cling onto the back of a tame or battle-trained horse. (They cannot get a battle-trained horse to fight.)
They cannot fight or cast on horseback.
They take time to mount and dismount (their horse must be stationary).
See below for Horse Riding and Advanced Horse Riding NWPs.
Healing by touch:
Healers can cast the various Cure Wounds spells on their finger in one round (standing still), then in later rounds move around the battlefield and give the Cure by touch. They can only be interrupted when actually casting. If they want to they can also use the NWP ‘First Aid’ when touching (and Druids use Goodberries too!)
Paladins can heal others by touch, but that is their action. However they can heal themselves and fight.
Some NWPs:
Alertness gives information on people behaving unusually nearby; for example spotting a potential pickpocket in a crowd.
Awareness is studying an area – to find a secret / concealed door, or to tell if your room has been searched while you were out.
Ambush runs automatically when you are ahead (or in the front line) of a moving party, and alerts you to ambushes.
Spellcraft identifies what spell someone (that you can see) is about to cast that round.
First Aid allows you to cure 2 hit points of damage on someone in front of you. (They must have been injured either this combat round or the round before.)
You can only cure someone once per combat this way, and cannot treat yourself.
You can give a poisoned character a 10% bonus on their save, and also diagnose a disease (though you can’t cure either of these conditions with First Aid.)
Herbalism gives a bonus of 1 extra hit point to First Aid.
You can also forage for herbs and fungi; then use them for First Aid, feeding animals, cooking or selling in town.
(N.B. Unlike Middle Earth, I’m not going in to any detail on herbs.)
Horse Riding is a General NWP. So anyone can get it - it costs 1 ‘slot’. (Paladins get it as one of their initial (bonus) slots.)
With this ability:
a rider can swiftly mount and dismount (their tame or battle-trained horse must be stationary).
They can guide their mount with their knees, and get a battle-trained horse to attack (so the rider can attack too).
They can cast, as long as the mount is not galloping.
Advanced Horse Riding is classified as Warrior and Scout, costing these classes 2 ‘slots’. (3 slots for Casters and Healers.)
With this the rider can do everything as in Horse Riding, with some extras:
A rider can swiftly mount and dismount and strike a blow as well.
A rider can urge his mount to extra speed for a short while (but must let it rest later).
A rider can drop down, hang alondgside and thus use his horse as a shield (+20% to Armour Class, although in this case the horse will be hit instead ).
The rider has a rapport with horses, can identify their afflictions and determine the quality of any horse (e.g. on sale).
OK, the adventure is starting!
Good luck everyone…
Just so everyone remembers, I am off for the weekend. The first big push of my move starts tomorrow.
See you all Monday.
Where?
I emailed this over to you, but I will post it here to for the players:
Each morning I will call a Predict Weather (good for 8 hours I believe). If the conditions will allow for a Call Lightning, I will take it, if not (or is underground) I will take Stone Shape.
At the Start of each day, I will cast my Goodberries. They should last 5 days each. I should get 4-16 per day this way. I ensure I always have a supply of berries around. If this proves difficult, I will take a plant growth over Call Lightning/Stone Shape every few days or if I know it will be a stormy day, over Summon Insects.
Spells: 6 x 1st, 4 x 2nd, 3 x 3rd
Predict Weather, Detect Magic, Entangle 2, Speak Animal2
Cure Light Wounds, Heat Metal, Goodberry*2
Neutralise Poison, Summon Insects, Call Lightning or Stone Shape
That’s exactly right.
You use up one 1st level spell in order to select the most useful 3rd level spell.
Given the time of year, there would be suitable weather conditions (storms, or strong winds and rain) about one day in four…
There is no problem getting Goodberries anywhere in Rutland, nor in keeping them usable for 5 days.
They can be carried and used by anyone (they don’t need training), but the usual limit of 8 per person per combat applies.
If you cast two Goodberry spells per day, I’m going to award you exactly 10 every day. (That keeps it simple.)
Duly noted.
As you’ve got ‘Detect Magic’, just a reminder to all that ‘Identify’ is a 1st level spell for all Casters (Cleric, Druid, Illusionist, Magic User), identifies one already detected spell per round and lasts one round per level.
Given you are going to load Predict Weather daily, each new day will have a weather forecast. If it says STORM, then you can cast Call Lightning once anytime that day (the atmosphere is ‘electric’ all day until discharged).
Today Wednesday April 30 is not suitable for lightning (just drizzle), so you have loaded Stone Shape.
Just a couple of notes (especially for the less experienced adventurers):
-
at present Oakham appears peaceful and therefore characters have the chance to ask questions and reveal their personalities* (and soon no doubt exchange knowledge)
-
if one character makes a shrewd comment**, then assume that as soon as that character meets yours that your character knows the information too (and can act on it). Conversely (for example), if a character scouting ahead discovers a trap - but gets chased away, then the rest of the party don’t know about the trap
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if your character does something mysterious***, please e-mail or PM me. **I need to know everything ** (so I can enhance your game quality
) -
I give experience for defeating evil and gaining treasure, but also for ‘story’ actions. This means behaving in character, assisting ordinary people and making your DM smile.
*for example Clever Hans (acerbic squire), Hulgfar (amiable) and Salazar (slightly naive)
**I’m looking at you, Cullen!
***thanks to Erjg (especially for doing this without having to be asked)
Keeping in mind that I am trying to help Marian get elected to the vacant post of Sheriff of Rutland, I would load 3 plant growths and 4 Goodberries.
I also have hopes to gather a group to investigate the mines run by Sir Guy Gisbourne.
So (given there’s no STORM today) are these Cullen’s spells for today?
1st level: Predict Weather, Detect Magic, Entangle * 2, Speak Animal * 2
2nd level: Goodberries * 4
3rd level: Plant Growths * 3
Yes, though of course I might end of regretting it later, it is appropriate to what Cullen needs to do for the day.
That set of spells is fine (and the action is ticking over nicely).
I make it that Cullen now has 20 Goodberries.
N.B. Please could all spellcasters publish their list of spells loaded for the day as soon as possible (i.e. their first post on each new day).