Libraria Magni (DnD Campaign Setting)
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| Zugamifk (talk) | |
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| Date Created: | 13/11/07 |
| Status: | In development |
| Editing: | Please feel free to edit constructively! |
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
Libraria Magni is a campaign setting set in a sort of feudal pseudo-japanese world. The planet itself is earth-like: spherical, temperate and quite variable in geography. There are 4 continents, although only one, Manable, is currently developed. Gods play a huge role in this world. There are countless gods, although most of them aren't highly worshiped or known about. Many gods are actually mortals who have served a powerful deity and achieved high status among worshipers. Another important aspect of Manable is the schools that can be found in places all across the continent. Each school is unique, and students are usually sent when they are very young and do not leave until they are much older. They are very particualar about who they take in, and they all have different ways of selecting their students. The masters of each school are incredibly powerful, and some are even gods.
In this world I've revised quite a few of the rules to make the game more difficult while still keeping it fun and simple. I've tried to focus on roleplaying and use of players' resourcefulness. There are many more classes, magic items are much rarer, but there are more interesting and powerful mundane items.
[edit] About the World
[edit] Geography
The main continent, Manable is split into 21 kingdoms. Some of the kingdoms are not known to be populated, and there is currently one (Togashir) which is almost entirely underground. Right now, there are two kingdoms being developed:
A full list and short description of the rest of the kingdoms can be found at the Kingdom page.
[edit] Schools
One of the most prominent aspects of Libraria Magni is the ancient schools that are spread throughout the world. Many of the schools have become so secluded that they have faded from the knowledge of most people. Others lie in the hearts of large cities, carrying great amounts of power in their area.
Each school has a main focus or doctrine which it imparts upon its students, who they hand-pick. Those who are accepted will stay inside the schools for extended periods until they have met certain requirements, which are different in each school. They motives of each school vary as well, but it is believed that at one time they were built by the gods as monasteries or large temples to train priests and holy warriors. These days many still hold to that idea, while others have devoted themselves to personal goals.
[edit] Planes
InLibraria Magni planes work more like layers atop one another. They are not places, but each successive plane is the same as the last, but with somethings only existing on certain planes. For example most mortals live only on the Base Material plane, lowest plane of all. Creatures on higher planes are able to perceie other creatures on the same plane as well as all creatures on lower planes. Also, some objects only show themselves on higher planes and some creatures are able to make themselves apparent to creatures on lower planes without actually traveling there. Here is the hierarchy, from highest to lowest:
- Void - an endless darkness. Unlike other planes, this plane does not end and is completely blank. Creatures who travel to this plane are instantly destroyed and can never be resurrected, as even gods fear traveling onto this plan. Some believe that there is a being who inhabits this plane, although no one knows its name.
- High Astral - The home of only the most powerful gods. These gods never pay attention to the trials and tribulations of mortals, even in time of catastrophic danger. These are the gods who create and destroy worlds.
- Base Astral - Home to the Greater Deities, those who govern the forces of the world. These gods very rarely converse with mortals and prefer instead to maintain the balance within the world.
- Death - The home of the dead souls of mortals. Here they wait, some choosing to be reborn or resurrected, others choosing to stay and be at peace.
- High Ethereal - Home to the Intermediate deities, those who actively use mortals to further their causes. These deities seek to change the world in ways they cannot as Greater Deities, through dogma. Gods on this plane are not patron deities and are not worshiped by virtues of that which they represent.
- High Material - Home to the Lesser deities, or patron deities. These are the most numerous of gods, and are also the least powerful. Gods on this plane can not directly interfere with he lives of mortals but must instead seek out their worship through prophets, miracles and signs.
- Limbo - Where souls travel through on their way to the plane of Death. Here is also where mortals who have attained great power go when they seek to become a demigod. It is believed that the souls of the undead are trapped here until their body has been released.
- Base Ethereal - This is a secondary plane to the Material plane, imperceivable to the naked eye. Some creatures also live here.
- Base Material - The plane of mortals. This is where all mortals are born.
[edit] Changes to Gameplay
[edit] Character Creation
One thing I've tried to focus on is that a character is not made completely at once. It is certainly possible to play this setting a a beer-and-pretzels type of game, but I've designed it to be played as an ongoing campaign. My main goal was to make role-playing much more effective and rewarding, and to add more challenge to the game play.
The biggest change was in choosing your class: you don't. At least, not at first. A first level character should be a civilian, or maybe one of the other NPC classes if you want to make things easier. As the players travel around, they will bump into many people who are able to teach them certain things and lead them down a path to wherever the feel like going. The reason for this is that I plan on creating many classes and make things much more varied. No longer will you see the standard Fighter-Wizard-Rogue-Cleric party.
Now obviously if I'm making this many classes, each one will be much more focused. The idea behind it is that characters will multiclass. A lot. So I've decided to get rid of "favoured classes" and instead add a different racial class bias, although I'm not so sure about what yet. Each class is also going to have requirements now, so there will not be any distinction between Prestige Classes and normal Classes. And, depending on the power and intended character level of the class, they will have varying requirements.
Most other things regarding character will be unchanged, for now.
[edit] Spellcasting
Possibly one of the biggest changes are to spellcasting rules. The system has essentially been revamped, and there is now a much bigger difference between arcane and divine magic. While hopefully this hopefully won't change the speed of gameplay very much, it will certainly make things more interesting in combat.
[edit] Arcane Magic
Arcane magic is also split into many different channels of magic. Each channel has strengths and weaknesses and each class will focus one a certain one or provide a choice. This isn't the same as schools of magic, which differentiates between spell types. The channels of arcane magic are simply the the different energies or forces that each character is trained to tap into. While the gameplay rules won't be changed, this means that two magic-users tapping into different channels will show noticeable differences in the forms their spells take.
The rules for arcane spellcasters have been changed from the usual D&D rules we've had all these years in order to better show difference between focused spellcasters and ones who choose to diversify. The main changes are:
- There are no longer a daily spell limit, although bards and sorcerers still have limited knowledge of spells. Wizards no longer need keep spellbooks, and they no longer "forget" spells after casting them.
- Each class has a Base Spell Casting Bonus. This is basically the same as a Base Attack Bonus, except that only spellcasting classes get one. In order to cast spell, a spellcasting roll is made against the spell's DC. Depending on the amount of success, a spell may fail or fatigue the caster.
- Spells can now be countered much more effectively. Instead of negating the spell, a spell can also be turned without use of the Spell Turning spell. When a spell has been successfully countered, you may choose to turn as well. You then make a Spellcasting roll against the spellcaster's initial roll. If you beat them by 5 or more, the spell is successfully turned, using the variables of the initial spellcaster.
- Casterlevel checks are now made with Spellcasting checks. This includes dispelling, defeating Spell Resistance and anything else requiring a spellcaster check.
[edit] Divine Magic
Divine spell-casting is essentially getting your god or one of its underling gods on your side before or during a battle so that they can cast spells through you. In the short term, this requires that the Cleric stop and pray to their god, possibly making an offering, and ask that the god aid them. Ususally this requires a diplomacy check. In the long term, a cleric must remain true to their god's wishes and ideals. If a god is unhappy with their servant, they will be much less likely to provide useful aid during a time of need, or they may require an offering of sorts. However, if a follower has become a true beacon of faith towards their chosen deity, he or she maybe choose to make miracles or swing the tide of battle greatly in the favor of their servant. It should also be noted that the gods themselves are using arcane magic, albeit most likely much more powerful than that used by mortals. While a spellcasting check would not be required for the god, the magic still follows the same rules for normal arcane magic. The differences however are that:
- A deity's magic cast through a servant can not be turned or countered
- The cleric himself is not casting any magic.
- in the event of the cleric being in an antimagic field or likewise, a spellcasting check may be required from the deity. Also, the deity may be less likely to aid the cleric.
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