Frog God Games "Blight"
Writing while I wait for The Crimson Tide to roll over some tigers...
So, I helped Kickstart Frog God Games The Blight...it turned out as I expected...a mass of content, geared for 5-E, and historically a disaster. Why can't fantasy writers do a wiki search of medieval cities?* But maybe, I am picky. I mean the staple for medieval cities is New York, right?
Soooo...ignoring the city stat block from here on out...*
Casterhage (pronounced a very Anglo Casterhazie) the "real name" of the Blight is a good and dark fantasy city detailed in over 800+ pages of 5-E goodness...good luck to those who like it, and as my local pals do, I'll be throwing it out as an option for our next play.
But my heart belongs to Goodman Games and Dungeon Crawl Classics...so, I'll be working on that conversion for my R20 players...starting with 0-level occupations...fortunately 5-E mimics DCC with its "backgrounds"...apeish flattery which in this case serves my purposes.
Most could be for any of the PC races, some are suggested.
0-Level occupations
1-10 Alchemist- weapon quill (1d4), bottle of ink, 25-60cp, notebook of alchemical formulas, three vials off mystery ingredients
11-20 Boatfolk - you've lived your life on the barges, your people are fiercely insular, you have your own language (Boatfolk) and traditions. Culdgel 1d6, boat clan symbol, 15-27 cp
21-30 Crooked - You have been touched by the Between and have the horror of second sight. You cannot stand to look in the mirror for what you may see. Special: Prescience: gain a +1 to initiative, but play up the weirdness of hallucinations...or visions of the other side...
31-36 Capitoler - You are of the Capitol section of the city, your speech, manner and attitude...you wear your origin like a fine cape...your superiority gains you a +1 advantage dealing with the lower officials. Starts with a dagger, gaming set, set of fine cloths, 5gp, pouch, set of credentials, and random trinket
37-45 Cultist - You are an adherent of one of the unique and unacknowledged "gods" of the city...possibly outlawed. Select a poisoner's, herbalist, or disguise kit (possibly based on your gawd), a sacrificial dagger, and a pouch containing 1-2 gp. Special: Bolt Hole-your intrinsic ties to the city and cult give you the ability to find a 'safe house' in your home district at a 50% chance.
46-56 Charmwell - Whether elven or other fey...the blood runs through you. You may even have the blood of the Old Ones or Dark Fey...who knows, but you have taken advantage and played the role of the entertainer. 20-40 cp, pouch, instrument, playing cards or dice, juggling balls, and a gig (employment at local inn, tavern, or playhouse as an entertainer.
57-65 Forsaken - You are one of those who has come to the city with a lifetime of dreams to see if they mean anything. Your character is older, though not necessarily wiser. Musical instrument, notebook of memoirs, quill (1d3), pouch with 5 gp.
66-75 Hooligan - You are one of the Invisible, a Lowlife, the Lowest of the Low, You know your way around the darker sides of the Blight, have ties to criminal organizations, and have a negative reaction modifier to anyone with a sense of class. Starting gear: thrives tools, dagger, blackjack, sachet of illegal drug, notebook with listing of those who owe you money
76-85 Lyme-Blessed - You grew up along the Sister Lyme (river) that runs through the city. As a result, you have blessings that come there-of; normal sight in the misty of fog, a set of artisans tools, a flask of water from Sister Lyme, a pouch with 30 cp, spectacles with rose colored lenses.
86-91 Revolutionary - the vile and corrupt must be thrown off if Casterhage (the Blight) can achieve true Enlightenment! A child of the Aristocracy, you know the world would be better if you and your twit friends were in charge! Thieves tools, pouch with 10 gp, disguise kit.
92-95 Gaft of the Earth (Dwarf) - You can trace your lineage to those that created the Underneath. Dwarven aristocracy, you will never let your Clan down! Artisans tools, appropriate dwarven weapon, pouch with 5 gp. Family Feud - this ain't Richard Dawkins! Pick a faction, family, club, cult or long lived individual that you have inherited a blood feud against.
-60-68 Savage (Human or Half-Orc)- Your parents came to the city to improve their lot and make good for the next generation. So maybe you are partially (mostly) orc...you are proud of your heritage even as you seek to fit in. You are tough, independent and smart...even if dirt poor and on the outside of society, Start with 10 cp, a simple weapon, backpack, bedroll, healers kit, flint and tinder, three days rations, waterskin.
69-78 Sprawl Mason (Dwarf) - you are one of those that builds or keeps from collapsing the sprawl of the Blight. Maybe a repairman, or even a sewer mechanic, you keep the city from collapsing on istelf. Artisans tools, well made work cloths, leather apron (as leather armor), sketch pad/notebook, pen and ink, 5-15 gp
79-84 Toiler (Dwarf or Hobbit) - while masons make the big money, you sweat the labor. Skilled, to a limited degree, you are the muscle to the engineering. Artisans tools, work cloths, notebook with business ideas, pouch with 5 gp.
85-88 Thanotologist (Human or Elf) - You are a student of the dead...either as a healer or morbid scientist. Choice: mortician's or surgeon's kit. Tome of observations and notes on the dead. Lantern, pen and ink, satchel w/5 gp. (Special - Body Farm = you have established a series of drop sites around the city for your "experiments" or locations of bodies. Roll 1d7 for how many you have.
89- 94 Traveler (Human or Hobbit) - You are a gypsy, a traveler, an entertainer. Start with entertainer's cloths, an instrument, a pouch with 2-5 gp. Dagger.
95-100 Vigilante (Human or Hobbit) - You take the law into the hand what will enforce it...yours. You slay or beat down the evil doer. Good times. Poisoners kit, set of dark cloths with cowled cloak and mask, weapon of choice, climber's kit, and pouch with 10gp.
* Re-engage critique...It was hard to feed a mass of people for most of human history. For example, London had a population of less than 50,000 until the 18th century and it was a massive crossroads and port. In comparison, the Blight stat block lists 3.5 million sophants (Traveller reference...) living in a small area unsupported by a larger agricultural area (in our London analogy - which would be uh, England).
So, I helped Kickstart Frog God Games The Blight...it turned out as I expected...a mass of content, geared for 5-E, and historically a disaster. Why can't fantasy writers do a wiki search of medieval cities?* But maybe, I am picky. I mean the staple for medieval cities is New York, right?
Soooo...ignoring the city stat block from here on out...*
Casterhage (pronounced a very Anglo Casterhazie) the "real name" of the Blight is a good and dark fantasy city detailed in over 800+ pages of 5-E goodness...good luck to those who like it, and as my local pals do, I'll be throwing it out as an option for our next play.
But my heart belongs to Goodman Games and Dungeon Crawl Classics...so, I'll be working on that conversion for my R20 players...starting with 0-level occupations...fortunately 5-E mimics DCC with its "backgrounds"...apeish flattery which in this case serves my purposes.
Most could be for any of the PC races, some are suggested.
0-Level occupations
1-10 Alchemist- weapon quill (1d4), bottle of ink, 25-60cp, notebook of alchemical formulas, three vials off mystery ingredients
11-20 Boatfolk - you've lived your life on the barges, your people are fiercely insular, you have your own language (Boatfolk) and traditions. Culdgel 1d6, boat clan symbol, 15-27 cp
21-30 Crooked - You have been touched by the Between and have the horror of second sight. You cannot stand to look in the mirror for what you may see. Special: Prescience: gain a +1 to initiative, but play up the weirdness of hallucinations...or visions of the other side...
31-36 Capitoler - You are of the Capitol section of the city, your speech, manner and attitude...you wear your origin like a fine cape...your superiority gains you a +1 advantage dealing with the lower officials. Starts with a dagger, gaming set, set of fine cloths, 5gp, pouch, set of credentials, and random trinket
37-45 Cultist - You are an adherent of one of the unique and unacknowledged "gods" of the city...possibly outlawed. Select a poisoner's, herbalist, or disguise kit (possibly based on your gawd), a sacrificial dagger, and a pouch containing 1-2 gp. Special: Bolt Hole-your intrinsic ties to the city and cult give you the ability to find a 'safe house' in your home district at a 50% chance.
46-56 Charmwell - Whether elven or other fey...the blood runs through you. You may even have the blood of the Old Ones or Dark Fey...who knows, but you have taken advantage and played the role of the entertainer. 20-40 cp, pouch, instrument, playing cards or dice, juggling balls, and a gig (employment at local inn, tavern, or playhouse as an entertainer.
57-65 Forsaken - You are one of those who has come to the city with a lifetime of dreams to see if they mean anything. Your character is older, though not necessarily wiser. Musical instrument, notebook of memoirs, quill (1d3), pouch with 5 gp.
66-75 Hooligan - You are one of the Invisible, a Lowlife, the Lowest of the Low, You know your way around the darker sides of the Blight, have ties to criminal organizations, and have a negative reaction modifier to anyone with a sense of class. Starting gear: thrives tools, dagger, blackjack, sachet of illegal drug, notebook with listing of those who owe you money
76-85 Lyme-Blessed - You grew up along the Sister Lyme (river) that runs through the city. As a result, you have blessings that come there-of; normal sight in the misty of fog, a set of artisans tools, a flask of water from Sister Lyme, a pouch with 30 cp, spectacles with rose colored lenses.
86-91 Revolutionary - the vile and corrupt must be thrown off if Casterhage (the Blight) can achieve true Enlightenment! A child of the Aristocracy, you know the world would be better if you and your twit friends were in charge! Thieves tools, pouch with 10 gp, disguise kit.
92-95 Gaft of the Earth (Dwarf) - You can trace your lineage to those that created the Underneath. Dwarven aristocracy, you will never let your Clan down! Artisans tools, appropriate dwarven weapon, pouch with 5 gp. Family Feud - this ain't Richard Dawkins! Pick a faction, family, club, cult or long lived individual that you have inherited a blood feud against.
-60-68 Savage (Human or Half-Orc)- Your parents came to the city to improve their lot and make good for the next generation. So maybe you are partially (mostly) orc...you are proud of your heritage even as you seek to fit in. You are tough, independent and smart...even if dirt poor and on the outside of society, Start with 10 cp, a simple weapon, backpack, bedroll, healers kit, flint and tinder, three days rations, waterskin.
69-78 Sprawl Mason (Dwarf) - you are one of those that builds or keeps from collapsing the sprawl of the Blight. Maybe a repairman, or even a sewer mechanic, you keep the city from collapsing on istelf. Artisans tools, well made work cloths, leather apron (as leather armor), sketch pad/notebook, pen and ink, 5-15 gp
79-84 Toiler (Dwarf or Hobbit) - while masons make the big money, you sweat the labor. Skilled, to a limited degree, you are the muscle to the engineering. Artisans tools, work cloths, notebook with business ideas, pouch with 5 gp.
85-88 Thanotologist (Human or Elf) - You are a student of the dead...either as a healer or morbid scientist. Choice: mortician's or surgeon's kit. Tome of observations and notes on the dead. Lantern, pen and ink, satchel w/5 gp. (Special - Body Farm = you have established a series of drop sites around the city for your "experiments" or locations of bodies. Roll 1d7 for how many you have.
89- 94 Traveler (Human or Hobbit) - You are a gypsy, a traveler, an entertainer. Start with entertainer's cloths, an instrument, a pouch with 2-5 gp. Dagger.
95-100 Vigilante (Human or Hobbit) - You take the law into the hand what will enforce it...yours. You slay or beat down the evil doer. Good times. Poisoners kit, set of dark cloths with cowled cloak and mask, weapon of choice, climber's kit, and pouch with 10gp.
* Re-engage critique...It was hard to feed a mass of people for most of human history. For example, London had a population of less than 50,000 until the 18th century and it was a massive crossroads and port. In comparison, the Blight stat block lists 3.5 million sophants (Traveller reference...) living in a small area unsupported by a larger agricultural area (in our London analogy - which would be uh, England).
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