Orrithia: The Age of Chaos

Creating your character

[[Step 0]] Session 0. [[Step 0.5]] Level 1 and Starting Equipment [[Step 1]] The rules you want to use: 2014 or 2024. [[Step 1.5]] 2014 (legacy) rules balancing. [[Step 3]] How to determine your Ability Scores. [[Step 4]] What's your character's story? [[Step 0]] When you join this game there will be a free session 0 for players to go over in depth with myself and other players in attendance all the following information and more. It is my strong recommendation that you make time to attend this preliminary session and allow yourself a window into how the game you are playing will operate. [[Step 0.5]] Level 1 and Starting Equipment. Play begins at level 1 as First Year Students at Strixhaven. For those familiar with this setting your characters have yet to assign themselves to any of the five major campus' and are adjusting to a new way of life for themselves. [[Step 1]] The rules you want to use: 2014 or 2024. Decide on which set of rules you wish to use: 2014 (Legacy), or 2024 (Core). [[Step 1.5]] 2014 (legacy) rules balancing. If you use 2014 rules and you select a Background that doesn't provide you with a Feat, you may select one from the following list to add to your character: * Alert; Skilled; Tough; Savage Attacker; Lucky; Healer; or, Magic Initiate [[Step 3]] How to determine your Ability Scores. You may use either the Point Buy or the Standard Array to determine your character's Ability Score. [[Step 4]] What's your character's story? Consider the story you want to tell with your character! Give your character a problem or a tension that they feel drawn to resolve. Something that spurs them onward and towards the adventure and all that comes with it. You want to play the game so make sure your character also wants to be engaging with the adventure.

Preparing for the session

[[Step 1]] Join the Discord Server via the link provided [[Step 2]] Access the VTT (Owlbear Rodeo) using the link provided [[Step 3]] Have your character sheet accessible and at the ready [[Step 4]] Play! I use a Discord Server to host each game. You can use either your web browser or download the app on your desktop or mobile device to access Discord. An invite link will be provided to allow you to join the server and begin playing! I use Owlbear Rodeo. A link will be up and available here and on the Discord Server to allow players to access the Virtual Tabletop server. Owlbear Rodeo is primarily used for visual aids and battle maps to supplement play.

What Jesse brings to the table

# Battle maps Each combat, generic and unique, will have its own battle map # Tokens Creatures, Spell Effects, PC's, NPCs, and so on will have a relevant token prepped in advance, or by the following session if something comes up in play that was not anticipated in advance. # Voices In a game where I can act as the world and the creatures you interact with; it would be my delight and privilege to do my best attempt to embody each creature you might interact with. There really are few things better than attempting to speak to a player as a goose. # Tactical Combat In my experience, the best combat has been one that doesn't leave the narrative framing at the door and gives room for creative problem solving to circumnavigate threats. Whether general or unique encounters each combat will have a handful of solutions to overcoming it beyond the binary of reducing or being reduced to 0, and an overall goal that if accomplished will resolve the encounter. I will clearly frame the goal of each encounter to the best of my ability to ensure there is no confusion and be generous with information so that players can be tactical and make informed decisions. # Rules as Written ... with exceptions Having a general framework of actions, reactions and other traits that act consistently will allow players to make the most effective informed decisions in tactical scenarios. But this is a game of imaginative play, and if the rules as written don't necessarily reflect or support an idea I will be open to fleshing out an idea in play to support that. # Collaborative Worldbuilding In our games of imaginative play, I find the best storytelling in the medium stems from working together to create the narrative. Watching our ideas grow and take on a life of their own is one of the many subtle joys of playing TTRPG's and using these moments to empower your ideas would be my pleasure.

Homebrew rules

I will primarily adjudicate rules based on the 2024 system as I have found it to be clearer and more articulate on issues than the previous editions. With that said, I have some General Rules of Thumb: [[If you are ever not sure, ask!]] If you believe that I have made a mistake let me know at the end of the session and I can check over my ruling for future reference. If I have made a ruling that I believe is against the Rules as Written (RaW) I will do my best to say so and explain why in that moment. [[Narrative Rules]] A Critical Success, otherwise known as a 'Natural 20' during a narrative scene is not a guaranteed success and will still need to clear the set Difficulty Class. [[Combat Rules]] Potions may be consumed as a bonus action. A Critical Hit, or 'Natural 20', on an attack roll allows the player to roll double the amount of dice for that attack. As an example, Berevor the Brave attacks with his Great sword, +1 and the dice roll for the attack is a 20 on the die. Ordinarily he would roll 2d6 and then add his strength modifier, however in this case he rolls 4d6 and then adds his strength modifier.

How Jesse creates a safe table

[[Lines and Veils]] I will send a link to a Lines and Veils document so that each player can mark down the items that they feel necessary to ensure they have a positive overall experience. [[Session Zero]] If there are any concerns regarding the adventure, I will have an open discussion with players during the session zero to allow for clarification and concerns to be heard and addressed. [[Breaks and Open Door]] TTRPG's can be a very sedentary activity and for games that go up to 3 hours or longer, I like to schedule a short 10-15 minute siesta so that players can get up, move around and attend to any needs (biological or otherwise). Furthermore, at no point should a player feel obligated to stay put throughout a moment that they feel discomfort or stress, and I am always happy to have an Open Door policy so that players can step out and in as and how they need to. No one ingredient makes the cake, and if a scene is triggering or not working out in play having an over the table moment to appreciate that this isn't working and re-framing the events to better suit the overarching collaborative narrative is perfectly acceptable, within reason.