Alignment

Alignments are meant to be guidelines on a character’s conduct for the most part. I believe that alignment should be adhered to primarily in cases where it is a specific part of a character’s makeup, such as a paladin, or druid, etc. I will not beat you over the head for not observing the letter of your alignment unless the above rule applies. By the same token, any character who does a 180 degree turn from his/her alignment may draw an inquiry from me. Experienced players need not worry about this, since they don’t have to be told all of this junk. I just want new and wet-behind-the-ears players to know how I view this subject.

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Character Development

I love nothing more than someone who takes an ordinary character and plays it extraordinarily. Give me a rich character history (that isn’t outlandish) and I’ll work it into the tapestry of the campaign. A prior campaign with the FRM (Fine Red Mist) made me realize that in order for me to hold true to the above promise, I really needed to make a campaign as I go rather than try to make one from beginning to end and THEN plop the characters into it. This way I can really have fun with each character’s history and development. This is another reason why showing up is so important. "Well, since Hector the Paladin isn't here today, that cool encounter with the bad guys to rescue his warhorse won't happen." Looks like Hector'll have to ride his battle donkey a little longer.

Another aspect of development is what it takes for a character to live his/her/other life in the world. See the "Training and Other Expenses" section below.

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Character Generation

Please use either the 27 point buy system as outlined on page 13 in the 5th ed. PH **OR** roll four d6, reroll any ones and take the best three totaled. Do this 6 times and place the results on the stats for your PC.

Starting gold is the max for each class. You've been a good little piggy in saving your coppers. And remember, you are naked when you start spending.

It's imperative that you provide me with a full, detailed copy of your character sheet so that I know where you're at. This also helps when you can’t make it and we really need your smart-assed thief to help assault the whatever. Also, how can you expect me to kill your character if he/she’s not there? If you prefer that your character NOT be played in your absence, I will keep him/her out of the fray. I’ll just encase the character in carbonite and let Jabba play handball off of it while Leia talks to it with a really bad cold.

NOTE: Normally, in my game, your human can gain a +1 in each stat at creation. There is also a modified variant you can choose where your human has two points they can split between two stats or place both in one stat. They also get a second language, and two skills they can gain proficiency in.

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Combat

The new combat system is slimmed down a bit, which is good. For now, I plan to adhere to the rules in the PH.

I'm certain there will be questions as we go, which will lead to additions, subtractions and other warping of the rules. Here is where those changes will be posted.

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DM vs. Player vs. Story

This game is not about Curtis vs. You. It's about you enjoying a story that Curtis lays out for you. My priority is the story. I'm by no means a rules lawyer, so if I'm not up on something, please understand. If I propose something and the rules in the books say otherwise, let me know. I usually change my verdict right away. Very rarely, I’ll say that my ruling will stand even if the rules say otherwise. Bottom line, though, when I (or other DMs) say “enough” then that means “enough.”

I think if you can focus on the story itself it'll be fun for you. Those who enjoy battle will get some of it. Those who enjoy role playing and investigations will get that too. I guarantee, if we free up our minds and not make this a player vs. DM kind of session, or a rules haggling session, and we all concentrate on the story, you’ll find that I can put together some interesting stuff.

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Experience

I've given up awarding experience points. It turned into another numbers mess I had to deal with, and I simply got tired of it. Not only that, there were always hurt feelings because people got less than others and felt slighted in some way. That, and players would run off on side adventures way too often with the mind of gaining more exps.

As long as everyone participates on a marginal level to promote the good of the party, they'll rise equally. I've developed a feel for when the party is ready for the next level and will raise them all en-masse accordingly. Usually, I'll bump them up fairly rapidly until they reach 4th or 5th level to give them some "survivability." This has worked well and everyone seems to be happy because there is no "why is he raising faster than I am?" to stir up things. Everyone is equal in their progression and people can focus more on the nuance of the game rather than the numbers.

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How Magic Works

Arcane magic is employed by arcane spellcasters, such as wizards, warlocks, sorcerers, and a few others. Deities bestow divine (holy/unholy) upon worshippers, such as clerics, druids, paladins, etc. Although the divine and arcane spell effects are identical in that both use verbal, somatic, and material components, there is a difference.

Arcane

With knowledge created centuries ago, arcane casters open invisible portals to the positive and negative planes, summon raw magic to the plane they are standing on, channel it through their bodies, refine and shape it, and then release the magic to create spell effects.

Divine

Divine casters' bodies are imbued with all the necessary magical energy for their spells by the will of their gods. They then use faith and their components to shape and then release the magic to create spell effects.

Although arcane and divine magics are considered different, the raw energy they use is the same. The main differences lie in how the magic comes to the caster. Many believe that arcane casters' bodies are taxed more because of the extra effort involved in bringing the magic to them from one of two planes, but this has been a hotly contested debate since anyone can remember with no end in sight.

Detect magic will tell the caster if the detected magic is divine or arcane.

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Feats

In the PH, you can forego your class's ability score increase at the appropriate level and instead choose a feat. I'm perfectly fine with this feature. For now, the feats in the PH are all that I'll allow. Again, I'm trying to keep the game simple as it was when I first began gaming over 30 years ago.

You can still submit feats for review by myself and my group. You never know, I might be feeling generous that day.  

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Meta Gaming

This is one I'm pretty strict on. If you (and your character) know something, but your character isn't present, then keep the hatch battened down. You can’t give out sage if your character isn’t around, or dead, or is frozen while trying to play a cursed lute. We wouldn’t want any stray anvils hitting your character on the head and causing damage, now would we? Helping with rules and keeping track of hit points and dead guys and other stats as the game is going on is okay. Below are the two basic rules (more may come) I expect everyone to follow:

1. Don't try to play another person's character for them. Too many times, player A will be asked what they (their character) is doing. Then, player B will answer or begin telling player A things they shouldn't be, because they don't have the knowledge, or their PC isn't there or whatever. Give the player whose turn it is, or is being addressed, a chance to answer or do whatever they are going to do.

2. Don't be a Jiminy Cricket. If a player is announcing what their PC is about to do, that's not a queue for you begin telling them what they should do, or to remind them of all the plusses they have. You may mean well, but you are depriving that person of the chance to explore their character's abilities themselves through trial and error.

Now, if the player--whose turn it is--asks the players at the table for clarification on their pluses, or saves, or damage, or whatever, then it's okay for the other players to advise them. *NOTE* This is not an opportunity for the other players to open up and begin offering strategy about what to do. By the same token, the player asking for clarification on a rule or so forth may not ask for strategy advice, unless they use their action to role play and ask other PCs what to do. That would fine.

Offenders will be warned. Consistent offenders will see things happen like A: their PCs will be placed at the bottom of the initiative, or B: I will not allow a player to use the offender's recommendation. Eventually, the other players will begin to help police the offenders.

The goal of this is not to place more rules and regulations upon my game just for the Hell of it. This is designed to allow everyone to enjoy the experience of learning about the game on their own through simple trial and error, as well as allow them to role play at the level of their PC rather than the vast player knowledge that they have or that the people at the table are giving them.

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Prestige

Your actions will speak for you, individually and collectively, and those actions will have a significant bearing on how you are treated as word gets around. I had a group literally torture some innocent citizen in a church because they thought he had information they needed. Later on, they gaped at me in utter astonishment when word got out concerning their deed and they were literally barred from the next town.

This may be a fantasy game, but I apply real world logic and mechanics in many cases. Please keep that in mind when playing your character and how others react to their deeds or misdeeds.

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Psionics

Psionics are no longer allowed in my world. You may encounter monsters with psionic abilities, but that will occur as part of random encounters or as part of the adventure. You will not be faced with psionic opponents you cannot defeat or run away from.

This may change in the future. But for now, this is the ruling.

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Races

The playable races in my word range from, but are not limited to: Dragonborns, Dwarves, Elves, Genasai, Gnomes, Goblins, Half-Elves, Half-Orcs, Halflings, Humans, Kenku, Kryth (see below), and Tieflings. Each listed race has their own variants/traits/abilities. Other races, such as the ones listed in Volo's Guide to Monsters, are allowable. Keep in mind that a race that is uncommon in a humanocentric society, such as a tiefling, may be looked at with anything from curiosity, to fear, to hatred, etc. In other words, playing a cool race to get cool bennies may come with some offsetting situations. Be prepared.

For example: In Irith, dragons are quite uncommon. Dragonborn will be rare and looked upon with fear and derision. Anyone playing a dragonborn will encounter this attitude in nearly any civilization they visit. This can also be a problem for anyone utilizing an uncommon race. Think of a feared drow trying to walk among men in a predominately human town. How long do you think those men will tolerate that drow's presence before a confrontation of some kind ensues?

As for utilizing races not listed here, I'll consider them. They must be submitted to me and my current gaming group for consideration to allow me the chance try to weed out any problems and to check for compatibility and balance.

Some tweaks have been made to individualize things in the world of Irith. Some traditional races have new names.

Barethkor (Duergar)

A race of dark dwarves. A page with more information regarding the Barethkor, along with their cities, populations, etc. on each continent can be found HERE.

Dracothel (Kobolds)

The true name of their race is the Dracothel, which is draconic for "dragon kin". Kobold is an ancient name they have borne from the days of their enslavement at the hands of goblins and hobgoblins.

Outhiri (Halflings)

The true name of their race is the Outhiri. As they became integrated into civilized society of mostly humans, they were looked at as small humans so were called "halflings." In predominately halfling societies, they will refer to themselves as Outhiri.

Sethraak (Lizard Folk)

The true name of their race is the Sethraak. Lizard Folk is a slang name that humans call them.

Shenuri (Drow)

Rather than drow, dark elves in Irith are called Shenuri. The Shenuri are a race that has made their place in the underground away from those who would oppress them and the sun that hurts their eyes and dries their skin. A page with more information regarding the Shenuri, along with their cities, populations, etc. on each continent can be found HERE.

Torozen (Svirfneblin)

The Torozen are a race of dark gnomes. Torozen usually live in Shenuri cities or communities near them.

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New Races

Half-Tabaxi   Kryth   Qiran Esh   Ratfolk   Thriiche   Volthaar

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Half-Tabaxi

Even if tabaxi are generally known as catfolk, most of them would probably resent being compared to a simple cat. The half-tabaxi on the other hand resemble those animals a lot more. They've lost most of their tabaxi features and became more human. Some don't have a single patch of fur on their body or completely lost their claws. What still remains are their instincts and natural ability to move with grace and composure. Most would describe them as serene and delicate.

Being part human and part tabaxi, it's natural for them to develop a strong wanderlust. The world has a lot to offer and half-tabaxi would like to see every facet of it. They value experiences over coin and tend to be more inclined to take risks. Depending on the individual, some half-tabaxi enjoy learning from books as much as first-hand experiences. It's hard to guess their motivation as they tend to be as complex as their human ancestors when it comes to reasoning.

Some half-tabaxi may be hard to convince, but once someone earned their trust, they're going to be loyal friends for life. They prefer travelling with groups of people and know that strength doesn't lie in numbers, but in unity. Therefore most try to get along with everyone around them. Even if they dislike an individual, they rather see them as a friendly rival than an enemy.

Half-Tabaxi Traits

Ability Score Increase: Your Dexterity score increases by 1 and one other ability score of your choice is also increased by 1.

Age: Half-Tabaxi have lifespans equivalent to humans.
 

Alignment: As with most catfolk, half-tabaxi tend toward chaotic alignments, as they are impulsive and often stubborn. Whether they are good, evil or anything in between depends largely on their social environment.
 

Size: Depending on the more dominant side of your character, they're either a similar size to most humans or slightly taller and leaner. Your size is Medium.

Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
 

Darkvision: Since you are part tabaxi, you have their superior vision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Superior Hearing: You have human ears as well as a pair of catlike ears. You have proficiency in the Perception skill and advantage on Perception checks that rely on hearing.
 

Languages: You can speak, read and write Common and one other language of your choice.
 

Subrace: Each child of a human and a tabaxi has generally more features of one of their parents. This goes beyond the color of skin, hair or eyes and comes with certain ability developments. All half-tabaxi are either
animalistic or cultured.

Animalistic Subrace

As a more animalistic half-tabaxi you've inherited most of your being from your tabaxi parent. In addition to your cat ears and tail you still have retractable claws. You can have one or more additional features that show your heritage. Either choose them yourself or roll on the following table as many times as you like, but at least once.

Animalistic Features

Ability Score Increase: Your Dexterity score increases by 1 in addition to the initial half-tabaxi Dexterity increase, for a total of 2.

Cat's Claws: Because of your claws, you have a climbing speed of 20 feet. In addition, your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to ld4+your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Moody Feline: Tabaxi are known for their mood swings and half-tabaxi are generally better at managing their emotions. You have proficiency in either the Intimidation or Persuasion skill. You can switch this proficiency after every long rest if you wish to, depending on your character's mood.

Cultured Subrace

Half-Tabaxi that inherit more from their human parent are considered as cultured half-tabaxi. They have their signature cat ears and tail, but lack any other tabaxi feature. In exchange for that, they are known to be more adaptable to unknown situations and are generally more accepted in most cultures than their more animalistic counterpart.

Ability Score Increase: You can increase one ability score of your choice by 1. You can't choose Dexterity or theability score you've increased with the initial half-tabaxi ability score increase.

Avid Learner: You're fascinated by the world and eager to explore and learn as much as you can. You gain proficiency with one skill of your choice as well as one tool of your choice.

Curious Feline: You have a hard time not fussing over things you don't understand. You gain advantage on Investigation checks that are related to the gathering of information about people, places or objects.

New Races Menu

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Kryth

The Kryth are a race of humanoids bred to be servants of Illithid. Kryth are mutated humans infused with Illithid blood. Over the centuries, some Kryth have escaped their masters to propagate in the world abroad. They are reclusive and wary of others, even their own kind.

Hairless, Kryth have rough gray skin that appears hard and dry. They have some horns that come off their temples and extend behind their heads, and their eyes are always a light red in color.

Kryth Traits

Kryth share certain traits as a result of their abyssal descent.

Ability Score Increase: Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age: Kryth mature at the same rate as humans plus 20 years longer.

Alignment: The makeup of the Kryth cause them to lean toward more lawful neutral or evil.

Size: Kryth are about the same size and build as humans. Your size is medium.

Speed: Your base walking speed is 30’.

Darkvision: Thanks to your Illithid heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim Iight within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light. and in darkness as if it were dim light.

Psychic Resistance: You gain resistance to psychic damage.

Illithid Legacy: You know the Minor Illusion cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Detect Thoughts spell once per long rest. Once you reach 5th level, you can cast the Fear spell once per long rest. These spells are intelligence based.

Languages: You can speak, read, and write common and undercommon.

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Qiran Esh

These mysterious metallic automatons originate from the secretive country of Kharamis. They have long been thought to be nothing more then mindless constructs built do do the Kharamisians' bidding. But whispers of them being more than that have come to light, adding further to their mystique. Some say they are actually beings that have the ability to think for themselves. They have even been dubbed Qiran Esh (elven for "spirit shell").

Qiran Esh Traits

Score Increase: Your Constitution score increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.

Age: A typical Qiran Esh is between two and thirty years old. The maximum lifespan of the Qiran Esh remains a mystery; so far, Qiran Esh have shown no signs of deterioration due to age. You are immune to magical aging effects.

Alignment: Most Qiran Esh take comfort in order and discipline, tending toward law and neutrality. But some have absorbed the morality – or lack thereof – of the beings with which they served.

Size: Your size is Medium. To set your height and weight randomly, start with rolling a size modifier.
 

*Size modifier = 2d6
*Height = 5 feet + 10 inches + your size modifier in inches
Weight in pounds = 270 + (4 x your size modifier)
 

Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
 

Constructed Resilience: You were created to have remarkable fortitude, represented by the following benefits:

*You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage.
*You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe.
*You are immune to disease.
*You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep.
 

Sentry's Rest: When you take a long rest, you must spend at least six hours in an inactive, motionless state, rather than sleeping. In this state, you appear inert, but it doesn’t render you unconscious, and you can see and hear as normal.
 

Integrated Protection: Your body has built-in defensive layers, which can be enhanced with armor.

*You gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class.
*You can don only armor with which you have proficiency. To don armor, you must incorporate it into your body over the course of 1 hour, during which you must remain in contact with the armor. To doff armor, you must spend 1 hour removing it. You can rest while donning or doffing armor in this way.
*While you live, your armor can't be removed from your body against your will.
 

Specialized Design: You gain one skill proficiency and one tool proficiency of your choice.

Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.

New Races Menu

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Ratfolk

Although primarily found in urban environments, Ratfolk can be found living anywhere, with deserts and the arctic being rare exceptions. They are communal and are inherently wary about those not of their pack. These humanoids are tenacious and very adept at hiding.

Ratfolk Traits

Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, Intelligence +2, Strength -1

Age: Ratfolk live to be 70 and are considered adult at 17.

Alignment: Ratfolk can be of any alignment, but they do tend to lean toward Chaotic Neutral.

Size: Small.

Speed: Walking speed is 25'.

Darkvision: Ratfolk have darkvision up to 60'.

Pack Tactics: Ratfolk have advantage on attacks vs. enemies engaged in melee with an ally.

Rodent Empathy: Ratfolk have advantage on Animal Handling checks with rodents.

Skulk: Ratfolk gain advantage to Stealth Checks when within 5' of an object that is the same size as the Ratfolk or larger.

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Thriiche

Almost exclusively found at the Top of the World and on the Heel of Iirth, Thriiche are an elven subrace that has thrived in arctic environments for centuries. Less sophisticated than their high elf cousins, the Thriiche live in a tribal society that values family above all else. They prefer to live in mountainous areas, which provide protection from the elements. The only Thriiche cities known to exist are located at the Top of the World and on the Heel of Irith, the pages of which will list their names, populations, leader names, and other relevant information.

The Thriiche worship any number of gods, with Dotorus, Kergon, and Su Reh being the most common.

Thriiche Traits (as per elves in the PH with the following subrace traits)

Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score increases by 1.

Speed: On icy or snow terrain, your base walking speed increases to 35'.

Darkvision: 60'.

Heightened Perception: You have advantage on Perception checks when in an icy or snowy environment.

Frost Veil: In icy or snowy environments, you have advantage on hide checks.

Cold Resistance: You have advantage on saving throws against cold spell effects and resistance to cold damage.

Cantrip: You can cast Ray of Frost cantrip. At 3rd level, you can cast Ice Knife once per day.

Languages: In addition to common and elven, you can speak undercommon.

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Volthaar

The Volthaar are a rare and reclusive race that originates from the continent of Clorne. They are considered aberrations. No one knows where their communities lie, but they are coveted for their mythical shape-shifting abilities. Often mistaken for doppelgangers, Volthaar are different in that they are true multi-morphs with the ability to change their entire body shape rather than just their appearance. In fact, they do have trouble mimicking humanoid facial expressions. Their true shape when they are resting is, in all respects, a pile of honey colored goo. They also do not need to eat or drink or breathe air.

Volthaar Traits

Ability Score Increase: Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age: Nobody knows the true lifespan of a Volthaar, but many estimate their adult span to be 30 to 400 years. Volthaar mature at a much slower rate than humans.

Alignment: The makeup of the Volthaar has engrained a strong sense of lawfulness and order within them.

Size: Volthaar bodies have roughly the same mass as a human. Your size is medium.

Speed: Your base walking speed is 30’.

Poison Resistance: The resiliency of your body allows you advantage on saves vs. poison and resistance to poison damage, as well.

Vapor Immunity: Gases that do damage or affect creatures because it is inhaled, will not affect Volthaars, for they have no lungs. Gasses that are caustic and can damage skin will affect Volthaars normally.

Shape Change: As an action, you can alter your shape to anything that is small or medium size. This can be done four times per day. Once you've used your allotment of slots, or 18 hours have passed, you must take a long rest or automatically revert back to your liquid state. If you try to retain your shape after 18 hours without rest, you can do so but make a DC 14 Constitution save every minute at disadvantage. Failure means you immediately revert to your gelatinous state. A success means you can continue to hold your shape. The checks must continue until you take a long rest. You cannot stack slots that you don't use.

Starting at 2nd level you can add one shape shifting slot to your original four every other level up to 20th when you would have a total of fourteen slots. Changing back to your liquid state does not use a slot. Being in your liquid state gives you a speed of 10' and an armor class of 8 (no matter what your dexterity bonus is).

Items that you wear, such as equipment and magic items, retain their original shapes and float in your gelatinous body unless you take them off first. Magic items floating inside your gelatinous body do not work because they are not being worn. You must be in a solid state with a finger or toe or claw for your ring of protection or a wrist for your bracer, etc.

NOTE: If your form is changed by a spell such as polymorph, your form will change to the shape chosen by the caster. But since you have control over your body, you can take an action to change back to whatever shape you wish.

Spell Casting: For spell casting, a Volthaar must have a mouth for verbal component spells and hands with fingers to hold material components and/or use spells requiring semantics. You can form hands and a mouth from your gelatinous state, but doing so goes against your allotted number of shape shifts per day because you are altering your form.

Amorphous (ooze form): In your gelatinous state, you are AC 8 (no matter what your dexterity bonus is). You can move through a space as narrow as 1" wide without squeezing while you are in your gelatinous state. If you are in another form, such as a humanoid, and squeeze through a small opening as mentioned above, this will count a shape shift to go in and another shape shift to get back to your humanoid/other form on the other side.

Pseudopod: In your gelatinous form, you can attack with one pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5', one target. Hit: 1d6+3 bludgeoning damage. Using your pseudopod for attack only will not count against your allotment of shape change allotments.

If you attempt to change into a solid state when you have used your allotment of slots and not rested for 8 hours, you must make a DC 15 constitution save at disadvantage or fail. If you succeed, you can retain your shape until the next round, when you must repeat the process.

Languages: You can speak, read, and write common. You can communicate with another Volthaar silently by touching and melding bodies, where you share each others' thoughts and feelings.

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Religion