Stolen from John Stater (http://matt-landofnod.blogspot.com) who got it from Jeff (http://jrients.blogspot.com) and I think Brendan? (http://untimately.blogspot.com)
Bonuses granted for having an awesome hat/helmet and doing stupid/risky/awesome things inspired by Zzarchov (http://zzarchov.blogspot.com)
These are here to motivate me to run a game. I came up with these as I went along, and am sketching out a setting based on my answers.
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FIRST 20
1. Ability scores generation method? 3d6 in order
2. How are death and dying handled? Dead at 0 hp
3. What about raising the dead? Yes, but you have to find (emphasis on FIND) someone high enough level to do it, and give them or complete something in return
4. How are replacement PCs handled? Rolled up right then-and-there, and included as soon as feasable.
5. Initiative: individual, group, or something else? Individual, using a d6 and counting down.
6. Are there critical hits and fumbles? The Arduin Crit table is in play, used by monsters as well as fightery type classes. Clerics, magic-users, and thieves get no such benefit!
7. Do I get any benefits for wearing a helmet? Yes. It protects you from head criticals (once) and reduces or eliminates damage from getting knocked over, sticking your head out from beyond cover, or other such things. Elaborate helmets with wings, spikes, or other large and obvious fancy bits award a small amount of non-adjusted bonus XP based on how much they're worth. This latter thing applies to fancy hats as well.
8. Can I hurt my friends if I fire into melee or do something similarly silly? Yes
9. Will we need to run from some encounters, or will we be able to kill everything? You will need to run from some encounters.
10. Level-draining monsters: yes or no? No.
11. Are there going to be cases where a failed save results in PC death? Yes
12. How strictly are encumbrance & resources tracked? I will attempt to keep track of everything. Porters are useful.
13. What's required when my PC gains a level? Training? Do I get new spells automatically? Can it happen in the middle of an adventure, or do I have to wait for down time? You level up at the end of a session, assuming you've returned to a safe place. Spells are not gotten automagically. You must research/find new ones.
14. What do I get experience for? Killing monsters, taking stuff, wearing a fancy hat/helmet for an entire session, doing something awesome/stupid and risky and pulling it off, scouting ahead, being rearguard in a dungeon, being the mapper in a dungeon.
15. How are traps located? Searching (tell me how) and then maybe rolling dice. Or running into them.
16. Are retainers encouraged and how does morale work? Yes; they have a secret morale score and it is rolled on in stressful situations.
17. How do I identify magic items? Detect magic reveals if it's magical. Identify reveals one property. Legend Lore, bardic knowledge, etc. reveal historical uses for the item, if succesful, but not specific properties. Finding somebody to cast those spells for you is expensive, but happens without needing to spend the downtime or spells yourself. Experimentation is best way.
18. Can I buy magic items? Oh, come on: how about just potions? No.
19. Can I create magic items? When and how? High level spellcasters (9+ or thereabouts) can create magic items with access to specific ingredients and specific tools. Other classes' equipment has a chance to become "special" after level 3; At the end of a session, they can store XP gained in a SPECIFIC item on their person that did something significant in the session (subject to my approval.) Every 600 Exp spent = 5% chance of item becoming special. Increased by 15% if the character is level 9+, but only if EXP is spent.
20. What about splitting the party? If you REALLY want to, but I'd rather you didn't.
SECOND 20
1. What is the deal with my cleric's religion? Anything goes, but other clerics of differing religions may not want to help you. Some may even take offense to a heathen in their midst. There's a lot of temples of varying size claimed by different faiths between the city and the jungle.
2. Where can we go to buy standard equipment? Bokk's General Store.
3. Where can we go to get platemail custom fitted for this monster I just befriended? Depends on the monster. Something more hideous will need a hefty bribe, and probably a less-than-savory armorer.
4. Who is the mightiest wizard in the land? In the Milky Reaches it's the mage known as "The Doorway on the Mountain" but everyone stays away from his realm.
5. Who is the greatest warrior in the land? In The Milky Reaches it's Polnori-Koth, "The Gaze of the Cliffs" who conquered an old dwarven citadel on the face of Mt. Pact.
6. Who is the richest person in the land? Po'lah, "The Royal Incandescence." Queen of The Milky Reaches.
7. Where can we go to get some magical healing? The many scattered temples might all offer healing, for a price.
8. Where can we go to get cures for the following conditions: poison, disease, curse, level drain, lycanthropy, polymorph, alignment change, death, undeath? You need to find a high enough level person to do that. Temples charge exorbitant fees for simple healing, so IF they have someone who can cure those things, you better have some serious dosh.
9. Is there a magic guild my MU belongs to or that I can join in order to get more spells? No; you can possibly trade with wizards, if you find them and they don't kill you outright and take your spellbook.
10. Where can I find an alchemist, sage or other expert NPC? Sages of civilized stuff can be found in the city. Nature-minded ones are scraggly hermits out in the wilderness.
11. Where can I hire mercenaries? I'll put mercenary listings will up when there's some available. You can also recruit NPCs through play.
12. Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed or any other notable hassles from Johnny Law? In the city weapons must be bound, and it's against the law to cast spells in the streets.
13. Which way to the nearest tavern? Bokk's General Store is actually a shop/tavern/inn all in one. you ever see those hunting lodges out in the middle of the country? It's kinda like that.
14. What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous? I'll post news about them.
15. Are there any wars brewing I could go fight? You could take up the sword in the name of a religion and kill those who oppose the faith, but most temples don't have the resources in the area for an out-and-out war. If you piss off too many people in the name of one religion, you might piss off the religion you're "helping."
16. How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes? Warlords will run now and then.
17. Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight? Yes, there's [REDACTED]
18. What is there to eat around here? Varying fruits, capibara, pork, nabiz (hot wine spiced with cinnamon) imported from the south, flatbreads, goat, goat milk...
19. Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for? The Well of Fortune, Din-aldad's Vessel, The Swords of the Stars, and there's rumors of a lost civilization that existed where the jungle now is...
20. Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure? The Queen's Palace, as well as Polinori-Koth's Citadel, aren't monsters but they are quite rich...
A few other things ...
Bokk buys just about anything, but he doesn't pay full price as he's a dealer, not a collector. He's also a moneychanger, for a modest surcharge. (usually 5%-15%) And offers loans and pawns.
The court of Polinori-Koth pays well for weapons and armor, if you can get to their fortified citadel.
It's rumored that on the far edge of the great jungle is a monastery.
Talismans made from Gingko leaves and fossils are said to provide protection in battle.
