OOC thread for rules or lore questions, tabletalk, announcing possible absances etc for my Queens of Adventure D&D game.<br/><br/>Players, please post and maintain your character sheets in your first post to this thread and do not respond here unless everyone posted their sheet. Basically the first 4 posts will be reserved for the starting party so we can check the sheets, spells, inventories etc at any time here.<br/><br/>For the sake of convenience, house rules will be included in this post from the recruitment thread to be available at all times. Any alterations or additions will be discussed and announced here as well, though I expect none will be necesarry.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Races</div><div class="spoiler_body"><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Native races: </strong></span><br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Human:</span> The most common civilized mortal race in the world. They are citizens of the True Empire that existed for millenia, paying tribute to and ruled by the Dragon Emperor. The Empire spans the known world and the rule of the Emperor is absolute to the point he is considered a deity residing in the world of mortals. Once a year during the largest celebration, the dragon emperor assumes his true draconic form and flies from his palace so his people may bask in his terrifying glory. He otherwise rarely intervenes personally and tales speak of him wearing the shape of a human while residing in the royal palace. Audiences are granted only to the Grand Vizier and the Imperial Champion, as well as a select few servants living in the castle their entire lives. Within the Empire there are few laws and most crimes are punished by death on the spot unless an agreement can be made during the criminal and the victim, in which case the criminal is still branded.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Half-Elf:</span> The offspring of a human and an elf (any subrace) parent. May be subjected to negative discrimination in certain parts of the world but otherwise treated as a citizen of the empire.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Invader races:</strong></span><br/><br/>Ages ago, portals connecting the world with the feywild opened and elven conquerors attempted to invade and subjugate the Empire. The war failed and the fey lords were driven back by the Emperor. The remaining elves were either forced back to the feywild only to return centuries ago peacefully as allies this time, or some were stranded in the world, facing hostility from all folk and becoming a myth, living in secluded areas as nomadic, tribal folk that abandoned the old arcane ways and rediscovered magic by tapping into the land.<br/> <br/><span class="bbc_u">High Elf:</span> A descendant of the planar conquerors and masters of the arcane who were crushed ages ago. They hail from the feywild and joined the world as explorers, emissaries or scholars. In place of a pantheon, they serve the fey lords who wield near limitless power in their home domain of the feywild. Their society is in its golden age, with floating citadels in the feywild and smaller communities in imperial cities on the material plane. All sexualities are accepted in their society and marriage doesn't exist as an institution, since most high elves tend to be polyamorous or rarely commit to a single partner long-term.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Wood Elf:</span> People descended from elves who were stranded on the material plane after the great war. They are a reclusive, nomadic people. While they became tolerated over time, it is mostly thanks to them living in isolated tribes, only rarely interacting with people of the empire. They all but faded into myth, and while there are always individuals or groups more willing to cooperate with communities, there are places where the average citizen never met or heard of an elf outside of tales. Their society is tribal with many unique customs, such as ceremonially mating for life and the mates sharing a single vote on matters affecting the tribe. While different sexualities and multiple partners are accepted in their society, bondmates can only take a vow if they are able to produce offspring to ensure the future of the tribe.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Altered races:</strong></span><br/><br/>Some races are not born naturally and come to be through external influence, unusual or otherworldly unions, unique circumstances or some sort of alteration. These races are as a result never born, and are unable to produce offspring.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Aasimar(Holy One):</span> During the union of a mortal and a celestial, the soul of the mortal creature is annihilated and in rare occasions the empty vessel becomes host to part of the celestial spirit involved with a union. In these cases the mortal body doesn't die, but is placed in a coma for a year and a day, not requiring and food, water and is perfectly preserved. During this time, physical traits may alter and at the end of the period the new entity awakens with no memories of the previous life of the host body, but with the knowledge of speech, and skills and traits that might be reminiscent of what the mortal or celestial creature possessed. As such, they are "born" as completely new beings but with the skills and mind of a young adult. Holy ones do not age and are immortal unless killed. They can also safely mate with angels, as they have just enough celestial heritage to be immune to the fatal effects of the angel's climax.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Tiefling(Cursed One):</span> During the union of a mortal and a fiend, the fiend may decide to consume the soul of the mortal creature, annihilating it forever. Should the creature decide not to, through some pact or its own cruelty, the mortal survives (though usually in critical condition) and mutates through the next night, enduring unimaginable pain as their body transforms into a more fiendish form, forever marked as possession of the fiend that caused the transformation. The benefits of this horrific transformation is eternal life, however the price is eternal servitude. Cursed Ones do not age and are immortal unless killed. However, upon death their soul is taken by their fiendish patron to be tortured for eternity. For this very reason cursed ones try desperately to avoid their doom. The only possible way for them to rest in peace is union with a celestial, which annihilates their souls but prevents the fiend from laying claim to it.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Dark Elf:</span> First emerging during the great war, some elves volunteered to undergo experiments to empower them as warriors and spellcasters. The result of these alchemical and dark alterations were the dark elves. Through originally the method was known only to certain elven lords and archmages, the secret was found out and many others learned the secret arts, often enforcing it on unwilling subjects who were then broken or brainwashed into service. The alteration process kills any non-elf creature subjected to it, and even elves are rendered sterile after undergoing the ordeal. Such alteration takes months and several doses of chemicals and enchantments applied to the subject, causing violent reactions in the body and often damaging the mind. Only one of five elves undergoing the ritual survives to emerge as a fully capable deadly dark elf. The others either die from the chemicals or are driven insane, committing suicide before the mutation finalizes.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Genasi(Child of Air/Earth/Fire/Water):</span> Sexual with an elemental being is usually fatal simply due to the fact that they can only exist temporary in the material plane, and their native environment is deadly to mortals without the right preparation and spells at bare minimum. However, rare rituals might exist in secret that can bind the essence of such beings to mortals, however doing so alters the personality of the host at least, their nature reflecting that of their bonded element more closely. They can no longer bear offspring and when their lives come to an end their remains are transformed and consumed in a torrent of elemental magic.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">House rules and game info</div><div class="spoiler_body">Because this is E, sex will be part of this game and in certain unfortunate situation the characters might not be willing participants (such as after being defeated by horny goblins or offered as a bride to a demon). We will try to follow these guidelines for sex when it comes up:<br/>-If sex is consensual, no rules are involved, only RP<br/>-If non-consensual, we will use the death save mechanic. 3 successes means the assaulted party gets away or makes it through the ordeal, 3 failures means they are completely overpowered and at the mercy of the rapist.<br/>-Humanoid races can interbreed with another in almost every case, but the offspring usually takes after one parent and is not a hybrid. Half-elves and half-orcs are the exception to this. Outsiders however do not sire offspring with mortals, such unions are in most cases deadly if the act is fully concluded. There are also powerful beings, shapechangers, dragons, aberrants and altered creatures that might be able to breed with any mortal creature.<br/>-Pregnancies work differently in the game world. They draw a heavy toll on the mother from the start of the pregnancy, effectively meaning that if a character becomes pregnant they stop adventuring and retire. Without countermeasures a fertile female is almost certain to be impregnated with elves having a lower probability due to their longer lifespans.<br/>-Sexuality and acts thereof will be common in the world, possibly a form of payment or service that a partner or higher power may demand. A fighter that loses to a superior during a challenge might be taken as prize, or depraved mages might request favors as a form of payment for teaching their spells to aspiring students. Druids or totem barbarians might have to offer their bodies to their animal gods so they can become vessels of their powers, warlocks and paladins could be similarly expected to offer themselves for sexual use to their patrons/familiars or paladin steed from time to time. Clerics might be tasked by their church to conjure a celestial and fulfill its needs and high level clerics might offer to flufill that union by abandoning their lives in hopes of creating a holy one for their religion. The possibilities are E-ndless.<br/>-Going with the above, the world will have a pulp fantasy flavor to it meaning females will be treated as prizes, female adventurers often ridiculed for trying to break out of their position and viewed as "rape bait" waiting what's coming to them. Armor, even heavy will be similar in style to what is depicted in fantasy art from the time of pulp comics. Chainmail bikini, plate armor that is basically a metal bra, bracers and some loincloth, etc. Wardrobe malfuncitons and nudity during action will happen, whenever a character first drops to 50% hit points or below in an encounter, the DM might narrate that the character's clothing malfunctions, at least partially exposing their body from waist up or below. Dropping to 0 hp for the first time would mean the armor or clothing is rendered technically nonexistent and the character is naked or mostly so, at the mercy of whatever they are facing. Mechanically these are only there for flavor and like the description of equipment do not impact the rules. Malfunctioning armor or ripped clothes are fixed during short and long rests.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Leveling up:</strong></span><br/>Gaining enough experience points required for the next level is not enough, characters who wish to progress also need to find a teacher (a higher level character of the class they wish to take the level in). The training of the level requires a price or service that can be as simple as money or unique to the class or teacher (possibly sexual in nature)</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Character creation and background</div><div class="spoiler_body">Character creation will be point buy as described in the first chapter of the players handbook, meaning 27 points to spend and at creation, abilities cap at 15 before racial modifiers. Characters will start at 3rd level, single-class characters, already possessing some experience as adventurers, enough to define their class path/archetype. For equipment take background + class granted items. Everyone gets max hp at first level then rolls each hit die after that. Reroll 1s when determining hit points this way. Roll 1d% for a trinket. The trinket you get ties in to the previous adventures of your character.<br/>For gods and religion you can choose from the default greyhawk pantheon or if you play an elf, you can be a servant of a fey lord, if you are a tiefling or warlock you can serve a fiend, or a warlock with the great old one patron can be a member of a cult of an elder god.<br/></div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">World map</div><div class="spoiler_body">(https://image.ibb.co/iwAvGa/map.jpg)</div></div>