Post by etaion on Nov 2, 2023 9:15:25 GMT -5
Wasn't sure where to put this. Feel free to move.
The following is the result of a combination of hot-wings, Belgian farmhouse style beer, Hammer films, and looking over NPC sheets before bed.
This was once a quiet world, back before the Delvers. Back then, wars and battles were only fought over spurned love, or common greed. There was no real ‘evil’ to be found.
But the demi-gods (the Ply’Urs) were bored and sought to entertain themselves. They gathered together and elected Gee’Em to guide them.
Gee’Em at first was kind to the world. He dug great tunnels below the surface and the monsters he populated those dungeons with remained, for the most part, within their lairs leaving the common folk in peace. The Ply’Urs randomly selected from the common folk, made them Delvers, and imbued them with extra-human abilities, before sending them to near-certain death.
But then the Ply’Urs demanded new environments and more exciting ways to challenge/kill their chosen Delvers. And so Gee’Em brought evil out of the tunneled depths and onto the surface, in the wilderness, and even into the cities.
And the people suffered. Not only from the monsters, but from the Delvers themselves who had become so much more powerful than their kin. The common folk would grumble and even attempted an uprising a few times, but the Delvers were so powerful that these were quickly quashed.
And so a secret society was formed among the commoners with the goal of appealing to Gee’Em. And they gathered on a quiet morning before the dawning of the sun (while the Delvers were still sleeping in the Inns). Their combined abilities were enough to enter the dreams of Gee’Em and they made their appeal “Oh great Gee’Em, who formeth the world, guideth the Delvers, and stocketh the hoardes of treasure: We the enpeecies, the non-Ply’Ur-chosen of this world beseecheth thee. We are weak compared to your Delvers and even in great numbers cannot defend ourselves against them. We ask of you a humble boon. Grant us special weapons that we in reasonable numbers, armed therewith, may drive out any Delver or Monster from our regions.”
And Gee’Em, on waking from dream, thought on this, and realized this was just and balanced, and so declared in the strange Meta language used among the Ply’Urs: A group of commoners numbering N, when armed with Forks, Hay and Torches shall have abilities as a group equal to a Delver of the Warrior Type Level N, or MR=Nx30+5. Any Delver or group of Delvers/Monsters encountering such a group of commoners will have a penalty of -N on their Combat roll for the duration. The commoners will not kill the Delvers outright, but instead the Delvers will be captured stripped of all adventuring gear and wealth found upon their persons, or within their quarters (to include stable space) and will be tarred, feathered, and driven from the region. [Monsters likely will be killed outright. Gee'Em will decide at the time.] Should they return and be captured a second time, they face either the Stake, Burning (2, 3, 11 or 12 on 2d), or suspension from the walls for 40 days in Cage, Inescapable before again being tarred, feathered, and driven out.
The following is the result of a combination of hot-wings, Belgian farmhouse style beer, Hammer films, and looking over NPC sheets before bed.
This was once a quiet world, back before the Delvers. Back then, wars and battles were only fought over spurned love, or common greed. There was no real ‘evil’ to be found.
But the demi-gods (the Ply’Urs) were bored and sought to entertain themselves. They gathered together and elected Gee’Em to guide them.
Gee’Em at first was kind to the world. He dug great tunnels below the surface and the monsters he populated those dungeons with remained, for the most part, within their lairs leaving the common folk in peace. The Ply’Urs randomly selected from the common folk, made them Delvers, and imbued them with extra-human abilities, before sending them to near-certain death.
But then the Ply’Urs demanded new environments and more exciting ways to challenge/kill their chosen Delvers. And so Gee’Em brought evil out of the tunneled depths and onto the surface, in the wilderness, and even into the cities.
And the people suffered. Not only from the monsters, but from the Delvers themselves who had become so much more powerful than their kin. The common folk would grumble and even attempted an uprising a few times, but the Delvers were so powerful that these were quickly quashed.
And so a secret society was formed among the commoners with the goal of appealing to Gee’Em. And they gathered on a quiet morning before the dawning of the sun (while the Delvers were still sleeping in the Inns). Their combined abilities were enough to enter the dreams of Gee’Em and they made their appeal “Oh great Gee’Em, who formeth the world, guideth the Delvers, and stocketh the hoardes of treasure: We the enpeecies, the non-Ply’Ur-chosen of this world beseecheth thee. We are weak compared to your Delvers and even in great numbers cannot defend ourselves against them. We ask of you a humble boon. Grant us special weapons that we in reasonable numbers, armed therewith, may drive out any Delver or Monster from our regions.”
And Gee’Em, on waking from dream, thought on this, and realized this was just and balanced, and so declared in the strange Meta language used among the Ply’Urs: A group of commoners numbering N, when armed with Forks, Hay and Torches shall have abilities as a group equal to a Delver of the Warrior Type Level N, or MR=Nx30+5. Any Delver or group of Delvers/Monsters encountering such a group of commoners will have a penalty of -N on their Combat roll for the duration. The commoners will not kill the Delvers outright, but instead the Delvers will be captured stripped of all adventuring gear and wealth found upon their persons, or within their quarters (to include stable space) and will be tarred, feathered, and driven from the region. [Monsters likely will be killed outright. Gee'Em will decide at the time.] Should they return and be captured a second time, they face either the Stake, Burning (2, 3, 11 or 12 on 2d), or suspension from the walls for 40 days in Cage, Inescapable before again being tarred, feathered, and driven out.
