DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
The Beacons of Hope
HTML https://boh.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: Beacon DnD
*****************************************************
#Post#: 10994--------------------------------------------------
Beacon Westmarch: Rules for the DM and Quest Submissions
By: Apoc Date: April 9, 2018, 10:09 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Overworld DM Rules
Usually the DM has the final say in what happens. Well, we’re
about to have a basket and a half of DMs, not to mention any
people who come to try their hand at running a one-shot. So here
are some things that DMs will have to follow (DMs? Restrained by
rules? Ghastly, I know).
1.) Obey the Overseer
-The Overseer likely won’t be needed in the initial stages, but
later on when things get tricky, there may be certain
disagreements or perspectives that may involve a final ruling.
As such, this “DM of DMs” or “Overseer” will exist to such
instances.
I, Apoc, shall be the first Overseer. Every six months, I will
offer the position to any candidate that would like to take the
position. In case of multiple candidates, a vote will be taken
from DMs who have run one-shot for the West Marches. (The
previous Overseer shall be the tie-breaker unless Overseer is
also a candidate).
2.) Beacon City is Safe
There are to be NO adventures/quests/one shots within the city.
The quest giver can alert the party within the city about an
event/location happening outside of the city, or the party can
begin by talking within a tavern in the city, etc., but the
adventure takes place outside of the city.
3.) Beacon City is Large
Rather than DMs rotating/taking over for the same NPCs, every
DM is encouraged to have their specialty tavern/blacksmith/magic
shop/etc. This will give you - the DM - a nice base to fall
back onto for when your players need to buy or rest. Avoid
using the same tavern or what-not of another DM unless you
specifically ask permission.
4.) Ranked One-Shots
One-shots will be sorted into a series of ranks (coming
forthwith). Rank F will be levels 1-3, Rank D will be levels
4-6, etc. All players should fit into that rank. Later ranks
will mostly avoid these issues, but low ranks should be ready
to adjust the difficulty in accordance to their players: four
level 1s are an entirely different ballgame than four level 3s.
5.) Leveling Up
All experience shall be given to the party after the one-shot
has concluded. A determined range of experience will be listed
next to each Rank of one-shot (ex: Rank F gifts the party
900-1800 experience). It is up to you to decide how much
experience to give for your one-shot. A dungeon of easy battles
finished within a ‘short’ three hours should be darn close to
900. A slog of gruesome slaughters with players constantly
getting knocked unconscious that takes six hours should be much
closer to the 1800 range. The experience range provided will be
what is given to each party.
6.) Magic Items and Gold
Each rank will list the amount of magical items and gold that
may be granted during/at the end of the one-shot. The amount of
gold should be split evenly between the party, and the party
should decide who gets the magic item(s) as there won’t be
enough for everyone depending on the rank and number. In the
case that you have a couple players with a few items and a
player with no items, go out of your way to offer the magic
items to the latter first.
7.) Buying Magic Items and the Like
Before/after one shots, players may want to do some shopping
with their sweet, sweet gold. Players can buy anything they can
afford, but the price of the items should meet the DMG standard.
In certain cases, a player may get a discount by buying a few
healing potions at once and such, but don’t go breaking the
economy. Magic items are expensive.
8.) One-Shot Ownership
Any one-shot ran by a DM belongs to that DM. Don’t go taking
another DM’s one-shot and reworking it without their permission.
If your players really want to play that one-shot...then they
should go ask that DM to run it for them. (You yourself could
always get the permission for that DM yourself, but it’s not up
to you to run around asking every DM permission to run
everything).
9.) One-Shot Zones
Every one-shot zone will take place in a direction (north,
northeast, east, etc.) and so many days of travel by foot. For
example, the Rank F quest “the Mysterious Village” shall take
place three days travel to the northeast. No other one-shot
should take place travel three days’ travel to the northeast. If
you think this is could be an issue where there would be
overlap, every Rank F quest is to take place within a week’s
travel of Beacon City. Six days times eight directions means
there are 48 potential zones for Rank F one-shots. There’s
plenty of room.
-Additionally, each rank will have a determined amount of
travel time. Rank F is listed as within a week. Rank D is
(tentatively) within a month. Rank C within two months, etc.
Follow these guidelines. Stronger parties are able to brave the
wilds and travel much farther to see things.
10.) Interconnected One-shots?
As a DM, you may connect your one-shots in some fashion. For
example, perhaps a Rank F quest involves your players routing a
nearby cult. A Rank D quest could be the cult remnants gathering
in a new location to perform a ritual. However, to do so, you
must:
A.) Be the DM who made each one-shot
OR
B.) Obtain permission from the other DM’s whose one-shot you
wish to use
11.) Affecting the World
The realm of influence for your one-shot is limited to your
zone. For flavor, you may that the necromancer is raising an
army of undead to attack Beacon City, but should the heroes
fail, the invasion does not happen. It is to be assumed that
another ragtag group of adventurers put a stop to it (perhaps
the next time you run this one-shot, the necromancer will have
more guards on alert and even comment on the foolish adventurers
who challenged him before). Or perhaps this inspires you to
create a one-shot of the next rank up where the necromancer has
a stronger force under his control, or is now a lich.
(Hint: Also, those super far-away high ranked quests? Ample
opportunity to unveil another kingdom out there that you stumble
upon that is about to be stomped by a Primordial. The heroes can
save that city)
12.) Re-running One-shots
Chances are, more than one group will want to run the same
one-shot. You can, of course, run it again just as it was,
almost as if the area had been “reset”. Of course, you can also
alter it between runs to keep it fresh. Perhaps the goblin cave
has been taken over by kobold after the former were kicked out
(or the goblins are just a lot more paranoid). Other options
include:
-Having secret areas or puzzles that may not be
discovered/solved the first time around.
-Having multiple paths, but only one that can be explored each
runthrough.
Be creative, have fun with it.
13.) Homebrew
Just...be careful with it. Use some common sense, and ask your
fellow DMs for balancing help if you’re unsure of something.
Because while you may allow the local edgelord to be a
half-demon/half-vampire prince of the nine hells with an
uber-sword of +3 to strength and angst at level 4 doesn’t mean
that the other DMs will put up with that nonsense. And we don’t
want any players to have a character that are regulated to only
your one-shots.
And other DMs...try to be a little open to homebrews. Maybe you
haven’t ever heard of the class before, or that certain race is
fundamentally broken at a particular level/instance, but maybe
things will turn out okay. You certainly don’t have to allow
that character (or modify if for your particular one-shot), but
sometimes from the insanity comes the fun.
Potential Quests
To hold a one-shot/quest, simply submit it using the following
format below. It shall be added the list assuming it does not
break any rules. If you need help creating/finding a one-shot,
be sure to ask any of the seasoned DM veterans on this board.
Quest Name
Quest Rank (Quest Level)
Quest Giver
Travel time, area details.
Quick quest explanation.
Mysterious Village
F-Rank Quest (Levels 1-3)
Rosa, Escaped Villager
3 days travel, North-East. The surrounding area is heavily
wooded, with mountains looming up far in the distance.
Horror has swept over the small village of Whitwick. Men, women
and children have gone missing in alarming quantities in the
past few months. The cause? No one knows. Will you be able to
find and defeat the menace and bring relief to the people of
Whitwick?
Ascension of Madness (In Progress)
D Rank Quest (Levels 1-3)
Your dreams
4 days travel east. A small woods where a tower as dark as night
stands. The color is so deep it seems to absorb light.
A strange tower has been haunting your dreams for some days now.
Recently you ran into a few others who have been experiencing
the same phenomenon. You gather your courage and wits to venture
out to where you are drawn, to discover the secrets of the
tower.
The Dragons Trial (In Progress)
D Rank Quest (Levels 4-6)
Galanoth, the Dragon Slayer
1 Week travel South.
Galanoth, in his travels, has learned the location of a vast
cavern where the fabled Dragon Slayer blade is said to be
hidden. Unfortunately, it is also said to be guarded by six
ferocious dragons. He asks you to go and retrieve the blade for
him while he focuses on protecting the town of Dravesguard.
Scion of Dundee (In-Progress)
C Rank Quest (Levels 7-10)
Angus McFife XIII
About a month and half’s travel west. A large plain with a
small set of mountains at the western end of it.
A man in mysterious armor has come to the city, recruiting
warriors to help him obtain the three powerful artifacts of his
homeland. Time is of the essence, as he claims the powerful
sorcerer Zargothrax has also arrived in this world.
*****************************************************