segunda-feira, 19 de novembro de 2018

Slavery in the Northern Empire


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All people are born unequal in the Northern Empire. A few have more rights and duties than most, due to the privileges of an aristocratic title. Most are free men, from the hungry peasant to the merchant buying another ship. A lot has few rights and many duties: slaves. Slavery is more than a chain around your neck. It is the disdain from whoever passes by, the feeling of knowing exactly how much you are worth to others, the restrictions you follow on reflex. But controlling the body is easier than controlling the mind, and being a slave is a condition marked by punishments and curfews. Even so, the familiarity and possible secrets known by a slave may make an owner as fearful and hateful of a slave as the latter is of the former Not only individuals and families, but institutions and organizations such as temples, guilds, fiefs and the empire itself can own slaves. Among the few rights slaves have, are included: they can't be beat on public; the assassination of a slave is considered a crime of murder, and not destruction of propriety; and all slaves may even receive a monthly wage, accumulating and using it to buy their own freedom.

On average, slaves have difficult lives, often brutal and short. But like all averages, this represents a huge variety of situations. And like in every social class, there are subdivisions. A slave's condition reflects his or her job. A veterinary slave of the Northern Empire is much more important, respectable and expensive than a public slave ordered to clean the streets of the city which owns him. A physician slave has living quarters and social status far beyond an ordinary citizen, although the latter has a greater legal status. Loyalty and trust also make a difference: the newly grown up elf may give freedom to the dwarf nanny which took care of him in his childhood. Another important slave's jobs include treasurer, overseer, secretary, gladiator etc. In the other extreme, mine workers may have their lives counted in months.

Melucia's cult fights against the bad treatment common in the commerce and use of slaves, for they consider it contrary to the principles of love and pleasure of their goddess. Many of her temples don't accept faithful which own slaves, and petitions to close slave markets are common. They also finance several adventurers, know as "Lovers of Freedom", which fight against slavery. They usually board slave ships in the seas, and many don't limit themselves to illegal trafficking, freeing and helping slaves whose ownership is legal in the eyes of the Empire. The cleric of Melucia, the countess Eliseé Beminni, regularly buys slaves through third parties to then free and equip them, so that they may attack enslavers outside northern territory. Their favorite target is usually the city Numantia Berriak, a market in the Fiery River from which leave tens of thousands of slaves every year. Some years ago, the local chieftains wrote a letter to the emperor Basileus, asking for intervention, friendship and free trade. They were ignored.

Ourgos is also a god popular among slaves, for he represents hard work, and also why many artisans are or were slaves and acquired freedom through their craft. The slaves belonging to the cult of Ourgos are usually more valued, for manual work is a way to worship the God of Labour. Another god important to the slaves is Carnificius. In his role of divine punisher, he is worshipped by slaves which may pass through unfair punishments. Many of the servants of the God of Death, the maganchos, are slaves themselves, punishing owners and masters which abuse the people which belong to them.

Slave escapes can happen any time, anywhere. The problem is that this facilitates the existence of vampires, which can abduct a slave in the security that said slave is considered a runaway. Even great urban centers can house vampire covens due to this, and many regions have thorough slave censuses for this reason. However, there are rumors about the duchy of Chouette. This is one of most recent duchies, established in the northern shores of the Fiery River only seventy five years ago, thinly populated and very reliant on slaves for its economy. Carnificius' cult is specially strong here, not only due to the huge number of slaves, but also because they are the main opposing force to the vampires infiltrated in the aristocracy and administration. Here, many maganchos specialize in hunting vampires, undergoing a war hidden behind slave uprisings and class conflicts.

At the end, imperial slavery implies a bizarre kind of equality. Anyone in the Empire can become a slave if they have bad lucks such as debts, kidnapping, political intrigues, exile, crime, trickery, defeat in battle etc. And while imperial scholars debate the merits and problems of slavery, they leave out a common and meaningful effect: that anyone can look around and see someone in a situation so bad that one feels better in response. This is possible even for most slaves, and perhaps the best stimulus to please their owners and acquire their freedom.

Hope is the vice of the hopeless.
-Graffiti found at the back of the slave market at the city of Raeti.

sábado, 17 de novembro de 2018

Umoks

Creatures slither across the humid jungle while powerful jaws drip. A bamboo grove blocks the way: the creatures bite and tear apart trunks as if they were just sticks. Soon those mouths would split open the enemy's armor in the same way.
Mauleosteus, nicknamed "Maul". Exiled from his tribe, he chose the Northern Empire as his new one. His efforts in exploring the umok archipelago for the northern civilization granted him an imperial citizenship, the title of "dom" and his very own caravel. Maul is unique among his race for having some reptilian traits such as the type of scales. After speaking with a shaman, he says that he reincarnated with traits of his former life. Despite his appearance, he is quite friendly towards new people.

The umoks waited in the water. Being hooked by them was the end: no one returned from the dark and increasingly red waters. And despite the screams of pain, the rattling of swords and the rhythm of the waves, there wasn't a stronger sound than the bellowing of the gongs the umok war bards fastened to their arms like shields. That terrible rhythm was only broken when the gongs were actually used for defense, against brave northerners which learned the strength of the arms and clubs which hit the gongs. The songs in rough voices coming from bloody jaws foresaw the defeat that the empire would suffer that day.
-Lucan de Camina, author of Norteia, epic about the first northern expedition to the umok's home archipelago and the Battle of the Sharks.


Legends and Oral Traditions

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Nagas_Royal_Carriage.JPG/320px-Nagas_Royal_Carriage.JPGThe umoks believe that their chaotic character and physical traits come from their origin. Each tribe seems to have a different version, but the myth goes more or less like this: a group of dragons similar to sea serpents, the kupuas, were jealous of their draconic cousins of Drakhazin, for they had the obedience, fear, loyalty and even love of races like the zitai. Mo-o Inanea announced he knew Kane, a secret island where the clay was so full of life, it could be used to create their own race. The kupuas hurried in using it to sculpt the umoks. They started with a version based on a certain animal, but soon grew bored and tried other versions using new creatures:fishes, reptiles, amphibians and even mammals were copied. This cycle repeated many times until Kiha-wahine suggested that they picked up a trait of each version: After discussions and fights, they decided for the variations that the race has up to this day: a member of the race can be born with one of many types of heads, like eels, sharks, placodermi, piranhas and every type of carnivorous fish. The umoks believe that this chaotic process made them naturally adverse to boredom when compared with the other races. This trait also prevented them from completely serving the kupuas, although umoks regard the latter as sacred ancestors to which they offer tributes and sacrifices. These entities are said to live to this day in secret islands, tribal sanctuaries that only the shamans know.


Anarchic Heritage


The umoks are beings of rough constitution; bestial and hybrid appearance; savage, dynamic, chaotic and, often, inconsequential behavior. Natural amphibians, umoks make good pirates and quickly adapt to the intricate reefs and sea currents where their tribes raise their homes. They are creatures that feel compelled to let go of routines and hardly remain in a single place for long. Most umoks live in nomadic tribes dedicated to hunting, fishing, gathering and plundering, or offer their skills to people which might pay more or offer good life conditions. One in each ten umoks is an adventurer, explorer, merchant or hunter of sea beasts. While adventurers are marginalized in the imperial society, among umoks they are the center of attention. The objective is to gather fame, fortune and followers to create your own tribe and be immortalized in the latter's legends. A common way to do so is accumulate treasures in the tribal refuges where the ancestors' remains are laid down and/or lives one of the dragons which created the race. One never knows when a kupua might return and be impressed with the adventurer's dedication. The rewards vary: secret information; powerful blessings; the location of sunk treasure; or even the privilege of escorting the dragon on his next swim.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Sail_plan_tepukei.svg/231px-Sail_plan_tepukei.svg.png Great navigators, umoks value the building of vessels. The master artisans have each their own techniques, but they also incorporate foreign elements or renovate salvaged ships. The exclusively umok traits of a ship are: using bamboos of the umok archipelago; and mouth-like sails. Speed and agility are deemed more important than resistance or the volume of carriable cargo, resulting in many thin-hulled catamarans.





Places

  • Hundreds of umok tribes live in Umokaong, an archipelago so vast and labyrinthine that no one has managed to completely map them. At some places the ocean seems more like many salty rivers divided by reefs, sand banks and islets. The Northern Empire currently dominates Ibalong, a triangle-shaped great island, with a volcano in each corner: Hantik, Kolasi and Isarong. The geography is diverse: plains suitable for water buffaloes with huge curved horns, plantations of the valuable sugar cane, umok coastal villages, floating markets and hundreds of canoes; entire lakes dedicated to raise armored catfishes which eat wood and cane berry, named "cascudos"; mangroves where everything tastes like salt; northerner communities with colonists of many races; bays which can house a whole fleet; two mountain chains with icy peaks and active volcanoes; jungles with not even the umoks fully explored.  
  • Tavira Shore - This city is the greatest concentration of umoks in the whole empire; many of which were born here. The population is spread out along a rocky peninsula shaped like a horseshoe. Many sea currents meet nearby and islets appear at the low tides. Dozens of ships run aground along the years were turned upside down and raised over stilts to serve as houses. Fishing and aquaculture sustain over twenty thousand inhabitants. The community exists due to four treasures that only umoks can fully explore: pearl farms among the rocks, using secret techniques to produce pearls in many sizes, shapes and colors, including variations specific to sacrifice to Nyxcilla; whaling expeditions bring much meat, oil, ketin and bones to the city, at least the ones which return; seaweed orchards have many alchemical uses; the amphibian race also put many nets in certain places to catch drifting items, be them wood, wounded whales, empty boats, leather shoes, lobster or chests fallen off ships. The wealth accumulated by the local leader and merchant, Perolos de Ergas, was enough for him to buy the title of viscount and transform a galleon into a floating fortress. He also has the attention of rich and politically relevant clients. This exotic noble raised an amphibian militia which uses halberds and brass cuirasses decorated with black and red pearls. They have a lot of experience in fighting pirates, smugglers and giant crabs amidst the semi submersed caves, mangroves and a graveyard with anchor-shaped tombstones which contains as much ships as peoples.

Umok Traits



  • Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet and your base swimming speed is 30 feet.
  • Amphibious. Umoks can breathe underwater as well as out of it.
  • Weapon Proficiency. You are proficient with acangapemas, nets and spears.
  • Skill Proficiency. You are proficient in survival.
  • Chaos Jaws. All umoks have powerful jaws which he can use to attack as a natural weapon which causes 1d8 points of piercing damage and uses strength for attack and damage.
  • Each umok's mouth also gives him unique powers. Choose a characteristic among the ones below. Optionally, if the Master allows, you can choose one of the options at random. If you do so, you add to the result under parenthesis to your character's traits.
    • 1. Big Teeth - Your bite attack deals 1d10 points of piercing damage (Sharp teeth - you can cause critical hits with your bite attack in a result of 19 or 20 in the d20).
    • 2. Long Tongue - You gain an attack with your tongue. It is a natural weapon which deals 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage up to 20 feet away and has the Finesse propriety (Sticky Tongue - If the target is up to a size category bigger than you it is grappled. If you attack another target, the first one is freed).
    • 3. Toxic Saliva - Choose if your bite attack causes poison or necrotic damage. The final choice remains the same for the rest of your life. (Virulent Saliva - the damage of your bite attack is dealt directly into the target's maximum life and persists until the latter has a long rest).
    • 4. Mystic Voice - You can create an effect of ventriloquism, making so that the sound of your voice comes from somewhere else up to 60 feet away (Supernatural Voice - You can reproduce any sounds you have heard, including voices. A creature that hears you can say if they are imitations succeeding on a Wisdom [Insight] ability check. The DC is equal to 8 + proficiency + your Charisma modifier).
    • Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Strength score increases by 1.
    • 5. Hungry Throat - You can consume foodstuffs equal to, in terms of quantity, one day's worth of rations, in a single action. Every time you do so, you can immediately use one of your HP dice to heal the same amount of hit points equal to the dice's result + Constitution modifier (Abyssal Throat - If you hit a bite attack against a creature at least one size category smaller than yours, you can swallow the target. The swallowed creature becomes restrained and blind, has full cover against external attacks and other effects, and suffers 3 [1d6] points of acid damage in the beginning of each of your turns. You can only swallow one creature. If you are reduced to 0 hit points, the creature isn't restrained anymore and can escape by using 5 feet of its base speed, leaving prone).
    • 6. Roaring Voice - You can vocalize an extremely loud scream in a 15-feet cone. Creatures in its area must pass a Constitution check. All creatures which fail it must become stunned until the beginning of your next turn. You must have a long rest before using this skill again (Thundering Voice - creatures suffer 2d6 points of thunder damage, or half if they are successful at their Con check. This damage increases to 3d6 at the 6º level, 4d6 at the 11º level and 5d6 at the 16 level).

terça-feira, 13 de novembro de 2018

Greek Fantasy Tips and Ideas


 

1. CENTRAL THEMES


     Fate is the most important one. No one escapes from it, not even the gods. Countless tragedies and greek myths show the consequences of trying to do so, like Oedipus Rex. But as most players prefer to have good endings, one can assume that their fates are nice or at least uncertain. An attribute of luck or divine inspiration could simulate that. One could also assume the party members are favored by one or more gods, or try to achieve this status. This is as much of a blessing as a curse, for gods may give great privileges as well as becoming furious with any disrespect.

       Worship is like a business contract with someone not very reliable. You ask for something, sacrifice some good wine, cattle, gold or even an entire ship to Poseidon. The gods will decide the proportional help or blessing, be it good results in the dices or Poseidon's hand grabbing the enemy galley. Be careful with what you wish, for the gods may help in terrible ways as to teach lessons. Remember Midas and his wish for gold, which ended up in the loss of his daughter.

      There isn't a canon mythology. Many legends have several iterations, such as the amazons:
A) Go far enough from civilized lands, and you'll find women wearing pants, riding horses, handling bows and axes as well as men!
B) They say in some nomad tribe called "amazons", one can't find a single man. They lay with scythians, sending the boys to their dads.
 C) Others say that they aren't nomads, but have a city in northern Anatolia. There are men there, but they are second class citizens.
D) Some even say that amazons are africans from the Upper Nile, and that they worship Medusa as their goddess-queen.
      Hospitality is something sacred. Guests as like brothers even if from opposite sides, good behavior is paramount no matter the ones involved. Disrespecting this is like the paladin unfulfilling his oaths: a priest or oracle will demand a quest to settle the offense. If someone which was your hosts requires, you'll go somewhere and recover his stolen armor, deliver it honorably and finding out his sons promise to serve you one day in exchange.

      The Bronze Age Collapse and the following dark age are an apocalyptic event almost unbelievable but real. City-states and kingdoms falling one after the other, confused refugees with a thousand rumours and the end of civilizations. Shall the heroes investigate the chaos and its origin? Who are the "Sea Peoples" which attack everything and everyone? Or perhaps it is better to keep an island of sanity amidst the sea of madness, such as a Camelot with bronze and chariots? Or maybe just wander around, selling one's spear in exchange for gold and favours?

 

 

2. PCs e NPCs


      "Heroes" are people which are extraordinary in some way. It's not a matter of goodness or evil, specially because, many times, the strongest dictates the rules. Just remember that the gods and fate are the strongest of all...

    Geographic elements such as rivers; concepts; emotions; diseases. Almost everything has an anthropomorphic personification worshipped as a god. You can even find a mountain judging who is the best singer!

    The spartoi appeared out of sown dragon's teeth, "fully armed for battle". One can interpret this as a kind of draconic people with claws and scales, natural arms and armor. Whatever is your choice, theban aristocrats claimed to descend from them.

       A character can explain their magic as teachings which he or she received from the many mystery cults, perhaps originating from exotic lands such as the East or Egypt.



     A sorceress can be a follower of Hecate, goddess of the moon, magic, ghosts and necromancy*. She could attempt to user her powers to improve her life in a society where women are practically property of their husbands and fathers. This could trigger a literal witch hunt.

*The original necromancy: speak with the dead to know the future. Your character can be the first to use it as a way to raise and control ghosts and undead, creating the "fantasy necromancy".

     Some of these mysterious cults had berserker-like cultists. Dionysus' Maenads went into violent trances, ripping apart animals and even people with their bare hands. Ares can enter into a warrior's heart and lead him into a terrible fury, propagating the madness of war.

 

 3.PLACES

 

      Besides the old Olympic Games, there were several games in different regions and cities. Such games were at the same time competitions, political assemblies, religious festivals, markets and even there were truces among warring city-states for it to happen. Instead of meeting at a tavern, the players could meet at the games.

      Odysseus, Jason, Theseus, even Aeneas... Maritime voyages were common in the myths. Adventures in unknown islands, the dangers of life at sea, leading exiles and founding a colony, there are many possibilities. The greatest greek galleys had thousands of crew members, and could work as floating towns in which the players live, buy and sell.


Scythians.

      According to the greek, the world became weirder as one went away from Greece:
North: the tides take away entire trees, leaves working as sails, capable of sinking ships. Men dressed as wolves eat human flesh.
East: cyclopean nomads steal the gold of gryphons. Elephants become so common that a king can gift another with five hundred of them.
West:the western winds of Iberia can make mares pregnant. The great river Oceanus might not be a river, but the greatest of seas.
South:there is a kingdom of people which are tall and hairless, with rubbery bones and two-tongued mouths which can talk with two people at the same time. The garamantian nomads actually are bandits of a kingdom which, somehow, has crops in the middle of the desert.

4. EQUIPMENT

 


     Heroes such as Aquiles and Herakles used chariots as war platforms and transport vehicles through the battlefield. They were the "tanks" of the Bronze Age, before someone capable of breeding horses big enough to ride had such an idea. The ancient greeks also imagined chariots pulled by gryphons.


Another option would be the wingless gryphons seen at the Knossos Palace.


      There are plate armors, but they're made of bronze (an alloy of copper and tin). Good quality bronze is better than iron and easier to forge and fix. Some bronze alloys could pierce steel. The reason that bronze is expensive and rare was because tin deposits were rare and were far away from copper deposits. In a fantasy world, this could be different. So a Mythical Greece could rightfully loathe iron as a barbarian, inferior metal, while bronze is the true, greek and heroic metal. Bronze cuirasses could be cheaper, and even full plate could be available, like this one.

      One can also find armor made of iron, horn, leather, teeth, bone and certain vegetable fibers such as linen. There are as many options as there are barbarians, and only the gods know of many of these exist.


     Greek artificers existed in legends and reality: respectively, Daedalus and Archimedes. Some of the things they might create: gigantic siege towers; drill-like rams; automatons such as the huge Talos or simply animated wheeled tables; the first crossbows, ballistae and catapults; "magic items" which aren't parts of monsters or divine gifts.



      There were ships in many sizes: from biremes used against and by pirates; the classical triremes; going all the way up to the colossal catamaran galleys, moved by four thousand professional rowers. These were real. Fantasy opens up the possibility of, for example, exchanging a hundred human rowers for a couple of giants with huge paddles; or maybe tireless undead which row all day and night.

5. BESTIARY

 

      Hydras, minotaurs, chimeras etc etc, the monsters of greek mythology are quite explored. But we can find many others waiting for their chance. You may like ones such as:
  • The indian dragons are great serpents with shining eyes and sharp teeth which ambush elephants, ripping off their eyes before coiling around their preys' necks and strangling them. These dragons also have serrated crests from which burns a fire hotter than any torch. They might have wings as well.
  • The neades were such enormous beasts that their roars could crack the very ground. Existing in older times, the greek could perhaps have found fossils which were actually from dinosaurs.
  • The gods had very fast, immortal horses, sons of the four wind gods that sometimes assumed a horse form themselves. But some heroes received these animals as divine gifts: Herakles, Aquiles, Peleus... Ares' horses had fire breaths.
  • Argos Panoptes was a giant with a hundred eyes spread throughout his body. He guarded a nymph turned into a white cow by the goddess Hera.
  • Echidnades was a giant with snakes instead of feet.
  • The drakaina Scythia was a beautiful snake woman which seduced and had sons with Herakles, one of which founded a kingdom of nomad horsemen.
  • Meanwhile, the drakaina Campe was the jailer of the cyclops and hecatoncheires. She had a hair made of serpents, a tail instead of legs, fifty heads of beasts such as lions and boars in her hips; A thousand snakes served as feet like a monstrous centipede, dark wings sprang from her shoulders and a scorpion's tail was on her head.
  • A personal favorite is Typhon, perhaps the deadliest creature in greek mythology. A giant whose head reached the stars, flaming eyes, pointed ears and a filthy beard. It had serpent's tails instead of legs, wings and a hundred snake's heads instead of hand fingers. Even inside in the Pit of Tartarus, it caused storms.


 

 --/--

Useful links:

The classes of D&D5E adapted to greek fantasy:

Mazes & Minotaurs, a free tabletop game happening on fantasy Greece:

Bestiary:

Kingdoms of Mythical Greece:

Exotic peoples:

A video about the Bronze Age Collapse:

A digital reconstruction of the Palace of Knossos:

Weapons, armor and war in the Greece from 1600 to 1100 BC. Also has information on the Sea Peoples:

About the Sea Peoples:

Bronze Age illustrations:

Armors:

Helmets:

Shields:

Weapons:

Gallery with several appropriate images:

Old ships:

Articles about ancient history:

About the phalanx:

sábado, 10 de novembro de 2018

República Kavaja

Imagem adquirida aqui.


Kavajanos para o senado nortenho
 
     Vocês demônios imperiais, escravos dos diinferi e camaradas dos nefilins! Que espécie de cavaleiros vocês são? Megatérios cagam e seu exército lambe. Vocês nunca serão dignos de mandar nos filhos da planície. Não temos medo de seus soldados, lutaremos em terra, em mar, ao lado do tornado e dentro do nevoeiro. Bando de mulas feias, peixes no deserto, escravos pelados, guerreiros com sangue de barata. Moscas do Tártaro, ensopados do esgoto, bobos de todas as cortes, cús de ovelha manca. Idiotas. Desejamos que vocês sejam fervidos nos caldeirões da cólera dos seus cavalos. Assim é como toda Kavaja responde a vocês, escarrões dos bêbados! Nunca serão capazes de ordenar os verdadeiros habitantes desta terra sob este céu. A Lua e os pássaros são testemunhas de nosso juramento, aqui e onde vocês estão.
 
Chefe Zenão do Facão e todos os jinetes da república.
-Proclamação de independência enviada ao império do norte em 1208.

A República Kavaja é uma terra onde homens e mulheres prezam liberdade e independência, e lutam contra qualquer um que lhes negar esses privilégios. Kavaja é uma grande região no noroeste de Sarba, definida por planícies verdes sem fim, algumas florestas e conjuntos de colinas. Inicialmente colonizada por exilados do Império do Norte há séculos, o povo kavajano nasceu da mescla da  cultura nortenha com as tradições e costumes dos nativos. A simbiose logo rendeu frutos. Nativos ensinavam onde pescar, o que era seguro comer, as piores épocas de enchente. Em troca, aprenderam a montar cavalos, trabalhar o metal, histórias e lendas de um mundo inédito. Enquanto muitas colônias sofriam com a sua ignorância e inimizade sangrenta com as tribos, as comunidades fundindo nortenhos e indígenas cresciam e prosperavam, ao ponto que muitos colonos se mudaram para onde algo estava funcionando.

Kavaja possui um sistema de governo baseado em assembleias municipais, onde elegem um magistrado e um representante. O magistrado governa a cidade, enquanto o representante participa do Parlamento. O mesmo elege um magistrado-mor, que governa a nação, e embaixadores. O Parlamento também pode eleger membros de cunho militar em tempos de guerra, e membros de grupos específicos, conhecidos como Irmandades (ou Fraternidades) acabam sendo vistos como os melhores candidatos nestas situações.

Irmandades

O sistema social kavajano é baseado em uma estrutura de grupos chamados "Irmandades". Sete delas são conhecidas como as Grandes Irmandades, tanto em número de membros quanto em importância e tradição. Cada uma tem por objetivo primário conservar as tradições kavajanas, bem como outra função específica dentro da república que varia de irmandade para irmandade. Irmandades misturam as funções de milícia, pastores e cavaleiros errantes. A sua função básica é cuidar das terras comunais onde os megatérios da comunidade vivem, algo geralmente deixado aos ginetes e também aos mais velhos. Um ginete só pode se tornar um cavaleiro errante quando participa de um grupo dedicado a abater um megatério adulto. A seguir, uma descrição geral de cada Grande Irmandade:


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Die_drei_Bogatyr.jpg/640px-Die_drei_Bogatyr.jpg
Imagem no domínio público.
Charangos - A sua fama é de rudes, fortes, brutos, honrados, quase incapazes de fugir de uma batalha ou de se sacrificar pelo bem maior. Eles se encarregam de defender a fronteira sul de Kavaja contra nefilins advindos das Terras Inquietas. Devido a isso, enquanto as outras Irmandades são cavalarias leves e de guerrilha, Charangos formam companhias de cavalaria pesada que se arremetem contra o inimigo em cargas de até dez mil cavaleiros. Eles também desdenham de construções de madeira e taquara, preferindo erguer castelos de pedra para melhor resistir a cercos. As suas bandanas são coloridas em cinza da pedra e o azul-escuro do entardecer.


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Falchion.jpg
Falchion Sword, manufactured and photographed by Timothy Dawson.
Jaçanãs - Eles promovem as artes kavajanas, seja na forma de canção exaltando as tradições, artesanato feito de couro ou esgrima com facões grandes como espadas. Duelistas jaçanãs são os melhores de Kavaja, aprendendo técnicas e estilos de luta capazes de encerrar um combate com um único ataque. As suas bandanas são coloridas no branco do osso e o azul do céu claro sem nuvens.





https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Van_Emelen%2C_Adrien_Henri_Vital_-_Tropeiros_a_Beira_da_Estrada%2C_1830.jpg/640px-Van_Emelen%2C_Adrien_Henri_Vital_-_Tropeiros_a_Beira_da_Estrada%2C_1830.jpg
Imagem no domínio público.
Jucurês - As suas terras são, na maioria, as serras de Kavaja e as fronteiras montanhosas do sudeste, divisas com o Império do Norte. Isso torna os Jucurês os primeiros a defenderem a região contra invasões nortenhas ou dos bárbaros montanheses. Eles também são conhecidos pela sua mistura de luta e dança usando duas armas (quase sempre dois facões). Viver nas áreas mais isoladas de Kavaja parece tornar os membros dessa Irmandade solitários e reclusos. Os Jucurês mantém muitos mosteiros onde vivem monges saudosos e introspectivos. As suas bandanas são coloridas no verde da colina e o vermelho da terra vermelha.



Imagem no domínio público.



Graxains - Para eles, qualquer ação desonrosa não marca apenas aquele que o fez, mas também os seus antepassados. Isso os faz agressivos e tradicionalistas mesmo entre os demais cavaleiros errantes. Por exemplo, usam o chiripá original dos antigos nativos ao invés das bombachas. Como são a Irmandade mais antiga e mais numerosa, colocam os seus ideais e deveres acima de tudo. As suas bandanas são coloridas no dourado do trigo e o marrom do couro.










File:Strandbeesten (14906474273).jpg
Author FaceMePLS from The Hague, The Netherlands
Acauãs - Esses acreditam em duas coisas: na paz e na magia. Buscam ensinar ao povo que, apesar do receio dos mesmos, magia e paz podem andar de mãos dadas. Para garantir que assim seja, selecionam qualquer pessoa com talento para a magia e a ensinam em suas escolas arcanas, que também são ótimas em ensinar assuntos em geral. Eles também criaram os "strandets", estranhos veículos feitos de taquaras eólicas, madeira, corda e velas que usam a força do vento para mover as suas múltiplas pernas. Alguns strandets são tão grandes que acomodam dezenas de pessoas, servindo de escolas ambulantes que percorrem toda Kavaja. As suas bandanas são coloridas no laranja da bergamota e no vermelho da flor de petúnia.




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Author: Alessio Damato

Urutus - Especialistas em espionagem, guerrilha e assassinato. Usam de uma infame técnica chamada "degola veloz" para que todos saibam que um Urutu eliminou o seu alvo. Os conhecimentos e vantagens adquiridos por eles quase nunca são compartilhados com outros, o que causa uma desconfiança, muitas vezes justificada. Um detalhe interessante é de que muitos canteiros e arquitetos urutus construíram as grandes estruturas em cidades kavajanas. Graças a isso, muitos desses prédios possuem passagens secretas que somente um Urutu sabe como acessar. Os membros da Irmandade costumam cobrir o rosto ou usar pinturas tribais para dificultar a sua identificação. As suas bandanas são coloridas no carmesim da folha de outono e o preto da noite.








Imagem no domínio público.
Ruanos - Exímios cavaleiros e os melhores criadores, laçadores e domadores de cavalos da república, empregando muitos homens-do-mato (druidas) como veterinários. São a Irmandade mais nova, mas desejam estar em pé de igualdade às demais, o que os faz organizar expedições em busca de glória para fora das terras kavajanas. Estas voltam com novidades que os Ruanos incorporam, chegando ao ponto de importar armas de fogo nortenhas. Isso faz com que as outras Irmandades vejam os Ruanos como impacientes, inexperientes e até bárbaros. As suas bandanas são coloridas no branco do linho e no púrpura da nobreza.



Portão Férreo

Fraternidade e Liberdade
- Lema municipal

Imagem no domínio público.
Essa cidade de cem mil habitantes é a capital da República Kavaja. Aqui fica o Parlamento, onde os eleitos pelo povo discutem e brigam sobre tradições e acordos. Os "muros" são grandes extensões de taquaras eólicas que formam uma barreira de ar invisível, mas capaz de defletir até balas de canhão. O interior da cidade é amplo, com espaços e vias largas por onde passam cavalos e megatérios. Como todo espaço urbano kavajano, Portão Férreo tem um cerrito, uma colina artificial que acomoda os salões das Grandes Irmandades e o Palácio da Liberdade, onde fica o Parlamento. O cerrito cresce junto com a população, ganhando diversos níveis, sendo ligado a montes menores por rampas largas. Nas encostas, silberines usam megatérios para escavar lares sustentados por muitas lajes de calcário nas paredes e teto. Cada membro da família adota uma delas para talhar runas e desenhos sobre a sua vida.


Religião

Vento abraça todos sem prender ninguém.
-Expressão kavajana.

Kavajanos cultuam alguns dos deuses do panteão nortenho, especialmente Palpaleos. Mas para eles, o líder do panteão não é Diveus, que é visto mais como um deus simbolizando tudo de ruim do Império do Norte, como escravidão e ambição desmedida. O maior deus kavajano é o Minuano, também chamado Vento-Tempo. Kavajanos afirmam que o seu deus vento lhes sussurra o que viu nas distâncias que percorreu, percorre e percorrerá, pois ele também é o deus do tempo. No solstício de inverno, sacerdotes se retiram para as colinas e ficam calados, apenas ouvindo o Minuano, para depois contar à sua comunidade as sortes e azares que virão. Alguns clérigos conseguem ouvir o que o vento conta o ano todo e são prezados por todos devido a essa habilidade. Os templos do Minuano também são distintos: eles têm orgãos complexos integrados à arquitetura, produzindo músicas conforme o vento sopra pelos tubos de taquara eólica. A Catedral Minuana em Portão Férreo possui um orgão com dez mil tubos, produzindo sinfonias suaves que nunca se repetem sem intervenção humana, cujo tom influencia a cidade inteira.

Quando o Vento-Tempo sente necessidade de intervir nos assuntos dos mortais, o faz através do quarteto de Ventos-entidades, partes de si: Bóreas, Tufão Gélido do Norte; Zéphyr, Ciclone Assobiante do Oeste; Vulturnus, Tornado Sombrio do Leste; Auster, Furacão Destruidor do Sul. Esses quatro deuses menores representam o poder destrutivo da natureza, mas também a renovação que vem após.

Existe um aspecto sobrenatural dos ventos kavajanos que apenas alguns cavaleiros, magos e sacerdotes sabem: onde os ventos vindos das quatro direções se encontram, está o Evento, um imenso furacão perpétuo que nunca se move. Ele é a personificação física do Vento-Tempo. Mas ele também é um portal para outras regiões e épocas de Kavaja. Alguém que saiba como cavalgar os ventos pode se deixar levar para outro lugar, outro passado e até outro futuro. A Irmandade Austera é um pequeno grupo de herois que usam as lanças-chave que acessam o Evento e perfuram as névoas ao seu redor, para garantir que as tradições de Kavaja, assim como a sua independência e a liberdade de seus habitantes, seja garantida no passado, presente e futuro.

Finalmente, Zenão do Facão é cultuado como um heroi imortal, que surge quando e onde é mais necessário. As canções falam dele enfrentando um grande mal; ou dando um cavalo mágico para o heroi; talvez guiando alguém pelos ventos. Diversas Irmandades juram que foram fundadas por Zenão, o que pode ser até verdade.


Cavalo

Um homem sem cavalo é meio homem; um homem com cavalo vale por dois homens.
-Provérbio kavajano.

Crianças aprendem a cavalgar com dois anos de idade e ganham o seu próprio cavalo aos dez. Uma grande parte dos kavajanos são cavaleiros errantes, praticamente nômades vivendo das manadas que pastoreiam. Mas mesmo os fazendeiros, pescadores e demais aldeões têm um cavalo, preferindo cavalgar a andar mesmo quando não precisam. Manadas costumam ter de quinze a cinquenta membros, todos guiados por um garanhão que chega a enfrentar onças para defender a sua manada. O garanhão também costuma ser o cavalo sagrado de sua manada, participando de cerimônias religiosas e recebendo regalias como nunca ser cavalgado por ninguém. Kavajanos chegam a honrar os ancestrais de seus animais com sacrifícios, assim como fazem com a própria família. Cavalos também são dotes de casamento, pagamento de multas e, às vezes, o único bem de um kavajano além das roupas do corpo. Mas também existem aqueles que chegam a possuir milhares de cavalos. Qualquer desavença é desculpa para uma corrida a cavalo, em que o vencedor também ganha a discussão. Alguém pode viver por anos em Kavaja e ver muitas pessoas miseráveis, mas jamais verá um cavalo maltratado ou com fome. As pessoas sabem cuidar tão bem de seus cavalos que não se encontram manuais ou pergaminhos, tudo é passado pelos pais para os seus filhos. Veterinários são usados mais para prevenir doenças e em casos graves. Ainda assim, kavajanos vendem e exportam os seus cavalos, mas requerem promessas verbais ou escritas de que os animais serão bem tratados. E quem quebra uma dessas promessas pode ser caçado até o outro lado do continente.


Megatério 

Megatérios, megatérios e mais megatérios! Você não consegue escapar deles nem ao dormir, pois a maldita vela é feita de gordura de megatério, uma coisa sebosa, amarelada e fedorenta, que os kavajanos esfregam em seus churrascos. Que, obviamente, são de megatério. Ahhrgh! Eu não sei o que é pior, os megatérios ou a noção de república popular!
 -Dominique Elénnem, diplomata imperial.

 
Os kavajanos plantam trigo, arroz, tabaco, cevada e erva-mate; criam desde galinhas e preás a porcos e capivaras; mas o que chama mesmo a atenção são os megatérios. Formam o grosso do gado kavajano, a fonte de quase toda a carne que vira charque. Comem de tudo: raízes desenterradas com as garras potentes, capim, cascas de árvore, arbustos, cactos, as folhas e frutos das árvores mais altas. Adoram abacates e ocasionalmente devoram carniça: são capazes de afugentar um predador da presa abatida, embora nunca ataquem por iniciativa própria. Megatérios escavam redes de túneis encontrados por toda Kavaja. Os primeiros silberines a chegar na região os usaram como abrigo e os seus lares são escavados por megatérios até hoje.

Os adultos são deixados soltos nos campos comunais das aldeias e cidades kavajanas, sob responsabilidade das fraternidades. Os jovens ficam em currais assim que nascem, os pais trazendo-lhes comida tal qual os pássaros indo e voltando ao ninho. A maioria é abatida logo após os pais deixarem de fazer isto, quando já estão de um tamanho razoável e sem os osteodermas que tornam o couro dos adultos tão impenetrável quanto uma armadura de placas. Os mais fortes são marcados e soltos assim que formarem um casal que se mantém pelo resto da vida. Quando um megatério morre, o seu par fica tão agressivo e perigoso que a fraternidade precisa mandar cavaleiros para abater o animal.

Kavajanos aproveitam tudo de um megatério abatido: carne e leite; quase todo o couro é reforçado demais para pergaminhos, mas é excelente para jaquetões, palas reforçados que podem ser enrolados no braço para duelos e as bandanas que todo kavajano prende na testa; as fezes são usadas como adubo e queimadas em fogueiras (e cheiram a incenso quando queimam); o esqueleto do animal vira copos, remédios, pentes, palitos de dente, agulhas de costura, brasões, dados e estátuas; dezenas de metros de intestinos rendem cordas para arcos e guindastes. Milícias kavajanas costumam contar com boleadeiras, cavalos, lanças, dardos, azagaias e um casal de megatérios: monstros, orcs e grupos de saqueadores são algumas das ameaças contidas por o que alguns estrangeiros descrevem "dois ursos do tamanho de elefantes em duas patas e garras grandes como o meu braço."

Taquaras Eólicas

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Kavajanos costumam nos provocar arremessando azagaias no aniversário de sua independência. Nós estávamos acostumados, parece que é um rito de passagem em algumas fraternidades. Mas uma vez, veio um cavaleiro sênior e arremessou uma azagaia diferente. Ela era uma taquara espiralada assoviante, que ele mirou no chão e jogou. Achamos graça até percebermos que a taquara fez um arco inverso, como uma águia em rasante. Raspou na terra e ascendeu como se decidisse cair para cima. O que me cortou a testa não foi a taquara, mas a corrente de vento em volta dela, como uma lâmina invisível. -Yorick Thaumis, presente durante um ataque provocativo por kavajanos a Feltros.

De linhas aerodinâmicas e com encantamentos eólicos naturais, taquaras eólicas manipulam correntes de vento ao seu redor. Os maiores taquarais são cercados por um denso tornado atarracado, filtrando nutrientes, mana e umidade do ar, também formando uma barreira natural contra herbívoros e enchentes. Certas comunidades kavajanas os usam como paliçadas vivas que formam uma barreira invisível mas capaz de defletir balas de canhão. Mas o uso mais comum são como azagaias e lanças zéfiras, cujas pontas são lâminas de ar.

segunda-feira, 22 de outubro de 2018

Dinheiro Imperial


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O senador Antonius Cupro foi o responsável pelo sistema financeiro imperial atual, através de reformas introduzidas cem anos após a fundação do Império do Norte. Alguns polímatas afirmam que só após o estabelecimento de um sistema monetário unificado é que os vários ducados (em sua maioria antigos reinos) tornaram-se um império de fato, devido à facilitação do comércio interfeudal. Essa prosperidade comercial também levou ao estabelecimento da Liga Comercial Leste, primeira de muitas guildas e companhias de comércio imperiais. Atualmente, devido à Guerra das Revanches, as moedas de ouro imperiais vêm sendo cunhadas com um teor de ouro inferior inferior a seu valor monetário, mas ainda aceitável pela população. Contudo, cambistas definem as suas trocas de acordo com o teor de metal precioso.

Escambos, pagamentos e impostos em espécie ocorrem o tempo todo, em pequenas e largas escalas. Na pequena escala, o sacerdote da aldeia recebe presentes e donativos dos aldeões, tanto para realizar sacrifícios quanto para alimentar a si e sua família. É provável que o único habitante a usar moedas de prata seja o chefe da aldeia, que muitas vezes também administra o armazém local e vende os excedentes da comunidade. Em um grau muito mais elevado e complexo, Noster Amaranthi recebe centenas de balsas de grãos e outros alimentos para manter o seu um milhão de habitantes alimentados todo ano, e isto representa uma fração substancial dos impostos que os ducados pagam ao senado. 

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Moedas de cobre
  • Numo: moeda com 1 grama de cobre a 2,5 quilates, valendo um valorum.
  • Pentanumo: moeda com 5 gramas de cobre a 12 quilates, valendo cinco valorum.
  • Decanumo: moeda com 9 gramas de cobre a 23 quilates, valendo dez valorum.
A moeda menos valiosa, mas importante para o dia a dia do império, em pequenas transações. Cidades e barões podem cunhar essas moedas.


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Saluto.jpgMoedas de prata
  • Terço de denário: moeda com 3 gramas de prata a 8 quilates, valendo trinta valorum.
  • Meio denário: moeda com 5 gramas de prata a 12 quilates, valendo cinquenta valorum.
  • Denário: moeda com 9 gramas de prata a 23 quilates, valendo cem valorum.
Moeda padrão do comércio imperial. Apelidada de "soldo", por ser a moeda padrão para pagar soldados imperiais. A aristocracia imperial (viscondes, condes, marqueses e duques) podem cunhar denários.


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Moedas de ouro
  • Terço de sólidus: moeda com 1,5 gramas de ouro a 4 quilates, valendo trezentos valorum.
  • Meio sólidus: moeda com 3 gramas de ouro a 8 quilates, valendo quinhentos valorum.
  • Sólidus: moeda com 4,5 gramas de ouro a 11 quilates, valendo mil valorum.
Normalmente usada por nobres, comerciantes e aventureiros, para carregar e trocar grandes valores de forma prática. Apenas o senado pode fabricar moedas de ouro.

Os "meios" e "terços" podem ser bastante literais: sólidus e denários cortados em dois e três pedaços existem. Alguns comerciantes não os aceitam porque quem corta moedas assim costuma ficar com algumas lascas para si, diminuindo o valor da moeda.

Todas as moedas imperiais pesam um total de dez gramas cada uma.

O Império do Norte também usa os seguintes itens para grandes transações:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Clou_127.jpg/320px-Clou_127.jpgPrego abençoado: por serem portáteis e de grande aplicação prática, são muitas vezes usados como dinheiro. Um desses vale 10 sólidus ou dez mil valorum.

Imperium: moeda com 10 gramas de alumínio a 22 quilates, valendo 100 sólidus ou cem mil valorum. Essas moedas são raras, feitas quando Diveus esquentou certos minérios a temperaturas tão altas que criou a "prata divina", alumínio. Esse metal leve e prateado foi então cunhado em moedas na forma de discos solares, com bordas serrilhadas que dificultam o cerceio.

Cada culto do panteão nortenho também cunha medalhas de bronze, prata e até ouro, plenamente aceitáveis como dinheiro para quase todo mundo.

Em outras terras, existem outros tipos de dinheiro: Khejal usa lascas de khejalita ao invés de moedas de prata; umóks muitas vezes usam pérolas coloridas; kosinbianos trocam obsidiana polida e búzios vermelhos; Nanpuu tem moedas de cerâmica laqueada que são praticamente obras de arte. Nos domínios dracônicos de Drakhazin, cédulas de papel são um dinheiro cujo valor é lastreado pelos tesouros de dragões, semelhantes às notas promissórias de guildas e bancos imperiais. Os goblinoides usam tendões e ossos apropriados para fabricar arcos compostos, entre outras coisas. Kavajanos usam moedas feitas de couro de megatério ao invés de cobre.

Nota - Nesse sistema, grupos que quiserem lidar com moedas, câmbio e outros detalhes, usam "trinta meio denários", "quinze denários" ou "150 decanumos", todos valendo 1500 valorum. Quem quiser simplificar, simplesmente usa "valorum", como se fosse reais modernos: algo vale dez valorum, mil valorum, etc. Quem não quer complicação, usa sólidus, denário e decanumo, respectivamente equivalentes às moedas de ouro, prata e cobre de D&D.

quinta-feira, 4 de outubro de 2018

List of Free 5E Material




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Here's a list of free or pay-what-you-want materials for 5E available in the internet: naval combat, jousting, magitech guns,  magical tattoos, stronghold building and much more.


It includes several tables and a list of examples.


Your players want to invest into a forge? Buy a bussiness? The DMG's rules aren't good enough? Use this. It has details such as investiments, types of bussinesses, possible random events and more. The material should solve many issues for groups dedicated to this kind of downtime activity.


For creating airships and other flying vehicles. As the author says, it's a way for the players to expend their surplus gold. It's also good for a campaign based on Spelljammer or Final Fantasy. It includes several hull sizes and components. However, it is flawed. It has only a single example, a small craft. It is unclear how many PVs bigger airships should have. It also fails at indicating just how much such airships should cost. Two possible ways to deal with this are: use the rules dealing with objects in the DMG, page 246, which basically treats them in more abstract ways, controled by the GM; or one could use the ships in Expanded Sailing, seen below, as a basis, perhaps multiplying the cost by five or ten. 


A list of weapons and armour representing a period corresponding to the Bronze or Iron age.


This has 80 magical items, five new materials, two races, besides weapons and armour for modern and post-apocalyptic campaigns.

 
A full 1-20 class, focused on integrating technomagical implants and prosthetics in the character's body, becoming a sort of half-golem or cyborg. The implant variety (34) ensures a good amount of customization. It is a hybrid class, having physical abilities as well as being able to cast spells.


A great compendium with races, subclasses, classes, backgrounds, feats, magical traps, spells, variant rules and more. A treat for players as well as GMs.


Do you like necromancy but is unsatisfied with the official material? Want new rules, a full class, new undead, variants, items, diseases and more? If so, check out these three materials.


A huge list of fantasy plants, a total of 179 pages. Each plant has its use, be it for the GM or the player.


Five pages detailing three types of guns which can fire acid, ice and other magical projectiles, according to the gemstone attached to the gun. Includes upgrades. Quite suitable for Eberron.


A big list of varied warriors and soldiers that armies might have, from the human peasant to the draconic champion. The idea is to show how a group or army of well trained and equipped NPCs might seriously threaten the players. Of course, said NPCs might also be hired by the players themselves to garrison their headquarters or to form an allied army.


For battles between great armies, adapting the rules into a kind of wargame where the players still have a decisive role. I personally thought the rules have a good abalance of complexity, customization and realism, but I guess it will depend a lot on one's tastes.


Simply a homebrew to acquire and use magical tattoos. It lacks playtesting and reviews, so be careful. That said, magical countermeasures should be effective against which are basically spells.


Do you want naval combat? Cannons? Several ships and their prices? Upgrades? It's all here.


Two suplements for detailing and making more interesting the travel along faraway and wild lands. Includes basic and advanced rules, as well as rules for several types of environments, climates and environmental dangers. Quite relevant for rangers characters. The "Fulvano's" is interesting for those which wish to control the consumption and foraging of food and water of the group.


Eight guns, detailed rules, cost etc, everything the DMG lacks.


The players want to create a base of operations? Here it is. Whatever it is a guild at a city or an outpost in the borders, this material has rules to create, maintain, occupy and improve several types of structures. Quite detailed but still doesn't adds too many rules. 


A detailed guide about feudalism and how to use it on your game. It's great for those which wish to make campaigns with political intrigue and in which the players are nobles.


A total of eight lovecraftian monsters. Not only to fight, some of them might be bartered with...


These three bring magitech items, monsters and archetypes, very suitable for an Eberron campaign.


Everything you need to do a jousting tournament, be it like a mini-adventure or as part of a campaign. 


These suplements bring planes from MtG, showing how to adapt them for 5E. They also include new races and monsters.


This material brings a gigantic city-state called Mirrorrim, built between the desert and the sea, over a megadungeon which people are forbidden from entering. Includes a map, new races and a few other details. It's interesting, making one wanting for more of what seems to be a future setting.


A total of 10 exotic and creative races to bring more variety and spice for your world.

Everything you need to make a Wild West campaign using 5E's rules" Guns, rules, character creation tips, GM advice etc.


Here we have companies of soldiers with stats made as if they were swarms, allowing for skirmishes and small battles without needing new rules.


It will save some time for the GM which wants to put a merchant in the players' path. It goes from the seed seller up to the fey with bizarre deals, all with extensive and detailed tables.


The first in a series of campaign guides, bestiaries, adventures and more dedicated to detailing and expanding Maztica, a neglected region of the Forgotten Realms, based on mesoamerican culture and mythology, like aztecs and incas. The link above has the links for the other supplements, all available for free. The total material is very rich, good enough to be a setting all on its own.


Here we have new rules and descriptions for the many items found in the PH, as well as some new ones, like the smoke bomb.


I have seen many people unsatisfied with the poisons of the official material. This supplement solves the problem. Detailed rules for many different poisons, be they harvested from plants or complex alchemies.


Bonus: this very blog has free content, such as unique races, monsters, a small list of cannons and rockets and an equipment guide for our setting, Atma.