Home Page > Player's Guide > Character Generation > Creation Guidelines > Maldan CCG

Race and Class

Hit Points

Skills and Feats

Equipment

Background

Nationality

Playing your Character

Craft Skills

Languages

Profession Skills

Maldan CCG

Version 1.1

The world of Midwrathe awaits you. Everything you need to create your character can be found here in this guideline. As the world of Midwrathe grows, these guidelines will grow as well.

The Portals of Midwrathe campaign is one of low-fantasy role-playing and character development. To facilitate this, characters are encouraged to start with a simple class and develop from that class into a character of heroic proportions.

Players choosing options out of a publication other than the core rules (defined as the System Reference Document (SRD)) are responsible for bringing a copy of that publication to the table.

This document covers the creation of all characters starting in a location in Maldan that does not have its own set of character creation guidelines. Should this document ever conflict with a document for a more specific location, the more specific document supersedes this one.

Step 1: Ability Scores

To put all characters on even footing, the point generation system is used for Portals of Midwrathe.

Commoner-- 32 points

NPC Class-- 28 points

PC Class-- 25 points

 

Use the following table to build your abilities. Each ability score starts at 8 and is increased by spending points.

Score	Cost
8	0
9	1
10	2
11	3
12	4
13	5
14	6
15	8
16	10
17	13
18	16

 

Racial bonuses are added after the ability scores are generated.

Step 2: Race and Class

Humans are the most commonly occurring race in the County of Maldan. While other races may be encountered, for the purposes of general play humans are the only permitted player character race. Humans follow the guidelines as presented in the core rules.

The classes originate from the PHB chapter three and the DMG chapter two.

The available starting NPC classes are: adept, aristocrat, commoner, expert, and warrior. Players wishing to play an adept must first consult with the GM.

The available starting PC classes are: barbarian, bard, cleric, druid, fighter, ranger, rogue, and sorcerer. Players wishing to play a bard, cleric, druid, or sorcerer must first consult with the GM.

Commoners are automatically granted the Toughness Feat in addition to their normal feats at first level.

Aristocrats are automatically granted Speak Language: Sardrinné at first level.

While characters may enter play at greater than first level they may not be multiclassed.

Step 3: Hit points

At 1st and 2nd level, assign your starting character the maximum hit points possible for its class plus any Constitution modifier.

Starting at 3rd level, for each additional character level, assign hit points according to the new class by taking half the maximum value for the class, then adding 1 point, plus the Constitution modifier, if any.

Step 4: Skills and Feats

Skills

All skills from the core rules are eligible for play in the Portals of Midwrathe campaign. Players wishing to begin play with Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Psionics), Psicraft, or Spellcraft must consult with their gamemaster. Some additional skills from other sources may be available, depending on your character's background.

A few skills need brief additional rulings:

Craft Skill

These skills do not allow you to craft items other than the ones that PCs can purchase normally (see Step 5).

Craft skills can only be chosen from those listed in the Craft Skill List (see Appendix A) unless permission is given by your GM.

Depending on circumstances in the plotline PCs may have an opportunity to spend time units to earn money by practicing their craft. If your GM gives you such an opportunity at the end of a scenario the results are as per the core rules unless the GM rules otherwise.

Knowledge Skill

Knowledge skills cannot be anachronistic. Remember that the more specific a field of knowledge, the lower the difficulty class for information related to that knowledge; it is better to be specific in what you know.

In addition, since Midwrathe is a role-playing encouraged campaign, it makes sense to take knowledge skills relating to the character's background and social standing.

Knowledge/Local is a considered a class skill for all PC and NPC classes.

Speak Language

The most common spoken tongue in County Maldan is Sardrinné. Most humans in the County speak this language. The next-most commonly encountered language is Sandorin, a dialect of Huanésard that developed during the Orodradi occupation of Maldan. For a list of the spoken and written languages see Appendix B.

Literacy

All classes are considered to be illiterate, as per the core barbarian class (see p. 25 of the PHB).

Profession Skill

Profession skills can only be selected from among those listed on the Profession Skill List (see Appendix C). Opportunities may arise for PCs to practice their profession and generate earnings. The GM will inform the PCs of such opportunities, which unless otherwise stated will follow the rules presented in the PHB.

Feats

Feats may be selected from those listed in core rules, with the exception of Wild Talent.

Item creation feats can only be used when adequate supplies are available. Some situations will make this a non-issue, while others will make the use of these feats a challenge.

In addition, the following feats from other printed materials are allowed:

* Seafarer's Handbook

Barroom Brawler, Endurance Swimmer, Fool's Luck, Great Lungs, Lookout, Naval Heritage, Notorious, Parry, Parrying Weapon, Polar Bear Skin, Port Savvy, Riposte, Rope Climber, Sea Dog, Shanty Man, Storm Sense, Swing-By Attack, Two-Weapon Defense, Waterfront Native, Weapons of Opportunity.

* Freeport: City of Adventure

Born Marine, Greater Improved Initiative, Intellect Fortress, Pearl Diver, Press Ganger, Razor Tongue, Scoundrel's Luck, Skill Expertise, Skill Finesse.

Step 5: Equipment

Characters begin with the maximum wealth for their class. Note that NPC classes begin only with equipment, and have no starting cash. Assign equipment to your character from the following sources:

• Table 7-3: Trade Goods, Table 7-5: Weapons, and Table 7-6: Armor and Shields sections of Chapter 7: Equipment in the Player's Handbook
• The Adventuring Gear, Tools and Skill Kits, Clothing, and Food, Drink, and Lodging sections of Table 7-8: Goods and Services in Chapter 7: Equipment in the Player's Handbook
• Holy water, sunrods, and tindertwigs from the Special Substances and Items section of Table 7-8: Goods and Services in Chapter 7: Equipment in the Player's Handbook
• Rowboats and oars from the Transport section of Table 7-8: Goods and Services in Chapter 7: Equipment in the Player's Handbook
• Equipment section of Chapter 1: Seafaring Adventurers in the Seafarer's Handbook

During character creation a PC may be given any of the equipment from the above sources. After creation, only items worth 100 gp or less that are not proscribed by the Pendarin Weapon and Armor Edicts are available for purchase between adventures. More valuable items will need to be acquired through play opportunities or in another venue.

Keep track of what your character is carrying and how much it weighs. The Carrying Capacity rules determine your encumbrance.

Pendarin Weapon and Armor Edicts

Bearing martial weapons and metal armor in Kingdom of Pendar (and the County of Maldan) is the sole right of the nobility. The Guild of Armourers and the various weapon smith guilds are very much aware of this edict and very hesitant to sell martial weapons or metal armors to common folk. Nobles may grant those in their service the right to bear martial weapons and metal armor to whatever extent they deem necessary. Arming the peasantry is a serious breach of the Pendarin Chivalric Code and generally punishable by exile. Peasants in unlawful possession of martial weapons and metal armor are generally considered to be guilty of brigandry. Brigandry is a crime for which the punishment is generally branding and maiming (loss of hand or arm), and in extreme cases death by hanging.

Step 6: Background

You must choose an alignment that meets all requirements for your character's class from the following list: Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, Neutral Good, Neutral and Chaotic Good.

A character may begin play at any age from Adulthood to Middle Age, as defined in the Age section of Chapter 6: Description, in the Player's Handbook.

The character may be of any height and weight allowed by the height and weight tables for their race.

Step 7: Nationality

Count Theron Voldar is the hereditary Azuri overlord of the County of Maldan. He is a direct vassal to the King of Pendar, Sinudaros Atrulinos. All nobles in Maldan owe fealty to Count Theron and through him to the King. Some citizens of the County are free born owing no service to the Count or King. Most folk in the County are base-born persons (peasants and serfs) who live in small villages in the countryside. Peasants owe fealty and service to their local lord. Peasants who escape from service for a period of one year and a day (365 TU’s) are considered free of any feudal obligation. It is the duty of all law abiding nobles and their agents to return runaway serfs to their liege-lords.

Commerce, crafts, and trades are usually the dominion of the urban Guilds. Towns of any size will have representatives of most of the major guilds. Employment in most skilled professions requires guild membership. Guild admission is controlled and regulated by local guild officials. Apprenticed guildmembers are required to faithfully serve their masters.

The human inhabitants of the County of Maldan are a mix of Huani, Orodradi, Duatha, Skoja, and Azuri.

Population: 1,010,670

40% Huani (or mixed Huani)

25% Orodradi

15% Skoja

10% Duatha

5% Azuri

3% An’orheen

2% Other

The Pendarin Church of Lysanos (also called the Leronist Church or Faith) is the dominant faith in the County of Maldan. Supported by the militant Brotherhood of the Hand of Faith (the White Brothers) and the quasi-religious Knights of the Jeda they do not tolerate the open practice of other faiths in the city. All other religions are actively discouraged.

Step 8: Playing your Character

Time Units

On January 1 every year each character receives 364 time units, which expire each December 31. Each time unit represents one day. All campaign activities, including adventuring, item creation, and metagaming activities, may have associated TU costs. Each adventure and activity that does will describe the specific time unit costs associated with it. Upon receipt of a new yearly allotment of time units players should age their character one year.

Characters may not borrow time units from future years to perform activities in the current year, nor may they carry over unused time units from one year into the next. Any activity that uses more time units than a character has available still takes place, but the remainder of the time unit cost is taken from the following year's allotment and the character cannot be played again until new TUs are available.

Each time unit represents approximately one day. All campaign activities, including adventuring, item creation, and metagaming activities, may have associated time unit costs. Each adventure and activity that does will describe the specific time unit costs associated with it. Time units are used instead of counting days because some aspects of the campaign are necessarily abstracted. By representing the time with undefined units certain aspects of a shared campaign can be represented without being completely illogical.

Character Log

A character log is a set of sheets that track information about which adventures the character has participated in, the judge's information, any experience or treasure gained, and any notes about the adventure. Logs also are used to track meta-campaign activities and entries for any other character-changing event (such as changing deities). Logs are required for all Portals of Midwrathe characters.

Each log entry must be signed by the GM. In the case of online play, the GM's e-mail address can be substitutes for their signature. All meta-campaign items must be approved by a GM and signed on the log sheet.

Available Spells

PC spell casters can choose from the spells listed in the core rules, Seafarer's Handbook, and Freeport: City of Adventure.

Banned Spells/Powers

There are several spells and powers that are not suitable for use in a Shared Campaign environment.

The following spells are not available to PCs: permanency and true reincarnation.

Other spells may be banned by the campaign staff in the future if necessary.

Appendix A: Craft Skills

Appendix B: Languages and Scripts

Languages

Sardrinné is the common spoken language of the Greater Sard River Basin and most of the Northern Marches (Maldan, Beldan, and Almeryss). Though that version spoken by the folk of the Duchy of Almeryss is barely recognizable as Sardrinné. For the most part this is just a spoken language. It is derived originally from Old Huani and then later from Huanésard and Sardorin. It does not have a strict one-to-one relationship to any alphabet or script. The current form of Sardrinné is heavily influenced by Pendrinné, the High Tongue of the Kingdom of Pendar. There is no written form of Sardrinné. Sardrinné is available to all pcs.

Old Huani was the ancient language of the An'orhee-Huan city-states (Yen Enoth and others) that arose in what are now the Northern Marches and the Duchies of Skarforce and Lanwerd. Old Huani was written utilizing An'orhok (dwarven) runes. Old Huani is an ancient language and only available to bards, An'orheen dwarves, and scholars and students of ancient languages.

Huanésard evolved from Old Huani during the incursions and settlement of the Skoja. It borrowed heavily from Skojik and was written using Hüthrøc, a version of the Fräthrøc (Skojum runic alphabet). Huanésard is an ancient language and only available to bards and scholars and students of ancient languages.

Sardorin developed out of Huanésard while the Orodradi clans held sway over the Northern Marches. It is very similar to Orodrin, the language of the Orodradi clans. Sardorin is written using The Rood (Orodradi runic alphabet). Sardorin is an old language and generally only of interest to bards but may be taken by any pc.

Pendrinné is the High Tongue of the Kingdom of Pendar. The written form of Pendrinné is called Pendarûne and uses the second Kannar-Rune alphabet. Pendrinné is available to any PC and madatory for members of the nobility.

Orodrin is the language of the Orodradi clans. This language is still spoken in remote portions of the Northern Marches. It is closely related to the various languages spoken among the Tærmod barbarians. Orodrin is written using The Rood: an ancient runic alphabet. Orodrin may be taken by any pc.

Skojik is the language of the Skojum and the folk of the Lothings and the western coasts. It is written using the Fräthrøc, a runic alphabet. Skojik may be taken by any PC.

T'chuk-T'char is the language of the Vhe-T'chari nomads who live in the steppes beyond the Greywall. T'chuk-T'char may be taken by any pc.

Duati is the traditional language of the Duatha fisherfolk. It utilizes a pictographic script known as the Mlooln. Many modern concepts do not translate well into Duati. Only bards, language scholars, and PCs of Duatha heritage may take Duati.

The Cant is the spoken language of the urban underclass of the Kingdom of Pendar. It is generally used to convey illicit dealings and shady deals. The Cant may be taken by any pc starting in Renoga except aristocrats.

Khaa'freen is the language of the liturgy of the Church of Leron (also called the Church of Lysanos or the Trinitarian Church). It is an ancient language derived from that spoken among the City-States of the Shattered Coast and the surrounding lands. Khaa'freen has its own written script. Khaa'freen can only be taken by clerics of the Pendarin Church of Leron.

Scripts

An'orhok is the runic written language of the An'orheen dwarves. It is a very versatile form of script with which numerous spoken languages are written.

The Rood is the runic alphabet used by the Orodradi clans. It is an ancient and complex language that is very integral to the religious practices and mythology of the Orodradi.

Fräthrøc is a runic alphabet used by the Skoja.

Mlooln is the pictographic language of the Duatha fisherfolk.

Khaa'freen Script is the written form of Khaa'freen.

Kanna-Rune is the written language of the Rhy-Kanna Imperium. It is a complex language utilizing multiple alphabets depending on the circumstances. The second Kanna-Rune is the most commonly used of these. First Kanna-Rune was reserved for nobles of the Imperium.

Pendarûne is the written form of the Pendrinné. It uses the second Kanna-Rune alphabet.

Almerhadi is the written form of Almeric. It uses a variant of the second Kanna-Rune alphabet.

Chemald is the spidery script usd to write Chormalik, the languages of the inhabitants of the Citadel of Chorm.

Appendix C: Profession Skills

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