Geeking out at the office.
A quick blurb regarding the intermittently developed project I'm eventually going to run, when Em & I have moved somewhere more appropriate to host it (which will be as soon as possible, present real estate madness dictating)
Title: Blackmount Campaign.
Setting: Greywall Mountains, Breland. Eberron campaign setting.
Premise: The characters start the campaign at level 4, having travelled together for some time as a party, one of which is the heir to the title of a destitute noble family, and his/her gaining their inheritance is the opening of the campaign. After the debts are settled, the Heir is left with the family holdings - several fertile valleys in the Greywall Mountains that were abandoned after the family keep was sacked early in the Last War - and a considerable amount of back-taxes owed to the crown. The Heir is charged by the King to reclaim and secure the lands, lest they be absorbed into Droaam, in return for the tax debt being waived. In essence, the campaign revolves around the PC group building and developing a stronghold.
Golden Rule: The point of the game is to be enjoyable for all involved. I expect people to talk to me if they are having issues, and talk with each other to make sure that both players and DMs are comfortable with what is in the game.
Character Options: First and foremost, characters must be compatible with one another, both in terms of personality and their long-term commitment to the stronghold development. While the Heir does carry the official title to the lands, it is not my intent to center the campaign exclusively on him/her - the other PCs are more than just a supporting cast. Players should consider their characters motivations when designing them, and what they stand to gain from their comrade's gambit.
Technical Details: As this is set in Eberron, specific races are available for play, including Warforged, Kalashtar, Shifters and Changelings. Additionally, monster races are available for play with the appropriate level adjustment as long as everyone agrees with the character concept in question. Classes, feats, abilities etc from the PHB, oddball publications or even custom content (yes, I am quite ok with people wanting to design their own class if the published ones don't suit the desired image of the character) are all equally acceptable, provided it is passed by and agreed to (or amended) by myself and all the other players involved.
House rules I'd like to playtest:
- Increased base skill points / level.
- Skill increasing feats instead make skills class skills if they are not already.
- Armor and Natural Armor AC bonuses as damage reduction instead.
- Cantrips (L0) spells unlimited use per day
- Spellcasters may use any weapon they are proficient with as an extension of their body, and can cast spells with it in hand. (A wizard's staff has a knob on the end).
- Spell enhancement. Certain weapons (almost always staffs, which can be treat as a double weapon or reach weapon) give a bonus to spell save DC and caster level instead of attack and damage.
Recommended reading for ideas: Character Traits and Flaws (Unearthed Arcana), Varient Character Classes (Unearthed Arcana), Reserve Feats (Complete Arcane), Complete Warrior, Complete Scoundrel, Complete Divine, Complete Champion, Heroes of Battle, Eberron Campaign Setting, Five Nations, Races of Eberron.
Additional Notes: I won't be running the campaign until after Em & I move, as I am intending to build the keep as a to-D&D-scale terrain piece, adding/modifying as players build upon in, to their design (with my input for physical constructability).