Yes, the Temple of Elemental Evil.  Since Jong is away today in Piriapolis, the rest of the Roman campaign bunch are going to try playing through this classic module.  I might make some mention of how it went and what they thought of it, later.

RPGPundit

Terrific. I so e-n-v-y your players.
RC, I assume?

makes me want to emigrate to Uruguay

Quote from: RPGPunditYes, the Temple of Elemental Evil.  Since Jong is away today in Piriapolis, the rest of the Roman campaign bunch are going to try playing through this classic module.  I might make some mention of how it went and what they thought of it, later.

It was a mighty entertaining day in Piriapolis, by the way. I love that town. :cool:

The session went really well. We made multiple characters for each player right off the start, given the danger of the old Temple... the players also chose to hire a shitload of retainers to take in with them, it all felt very "old school".

We got as far as completing the whole of the Moathouse, the players met Elmo, who in the end reveals himself as a "high" level ranger (4th) instead of a country bumpkin, and they killed the evil cleric in the moathouse dungeon (despite the death of one PC and countless hordes of retainers).

We all agreed that in future, some other time that we can't do a Rome game, we will continue on to the Temple itself.

One thing that struck the players, none of whom had played the Temple before, is just how many computer games were clearly very directly inspired by the Village of Homlett/Temple of Elemental evil module. I mean, you could see just about any 80s or early 90s fantasy computer "rpg" in that whole format...

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPunditOne thing that struck the players, none of whom had played the Temple before, is just how many computer games were clearly very directly inspired by the Village of Homlett/Temple of Elemental evil module. I mean, you could see just about any 80s or early 90s fantasy computer "rpg" in that whole format...

RPGPundit

It would not surprise me if a whole host of 80s/90s CRPG designers were "brought up" on that module.

What's the Roman campaign?

Quote from: BalbinusWhat's the Roman campaign?

The Roman Campaign is my megacampaign (weekly, every Sunday) set in historical Rome. Its also called the Roman Immortals campaign, because besides being a totally history-focused Roman era game, its also a "Highlander" campaign, the PCs are all Highlander-style Immortals (head-chopping and quickening and all that).

The emphasis of the game is really on the historical side of things, mostly. The Highlander stuff is the gimmick to make it more catchy to players who otherwise might have been a bit unsure about playing in a campaign that could otherwise also pass as a very wierd 400-level  classical history seminar, and as an excuse to allow the players to run the same characters over a ridiculous span of game time.

The campaign had its start in 23 bce (in the time of Augustus), and is currently (as of next adventure) in 96ce (in the time of Domitian).  They have also gotten glimpses of earlier Roman or other classical history thanks to use of Highlander-style flashbacks.

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPunditThe Roman Campaign is my megacampaign (weekly, every Sunday) set in historical Rome. Its also called the Roman Immortals campaign, because besides being a totally history-focused Roman era game, its also a "Highlander" campaign, the PCs are all Highlander-style Immortals (head-chopping and quickening and all that).

The emphasis of the game is really on the historical side of things, mostly. The Highlander stuff is the gimmick to make it more catchy to players who otherwise might have been a bit unsure about playing in a campaign that could otherwise also pass as a very wierd 400-level  classical history seminar, and as an excuse to allow the players to run the same characters over a ridiculous span of game time.

The campaign had its start in 23 bce (in the time of Augustus), and is currently (as of next adventure) in 96ce (in the time of Domitian).  They have also gotten glimpses of earlier Roman or other classical history thanks to use of Highlander-style flashbacks.

RPGPundit

Most cool, what's the system?

True 20, with some house rules to get the Highlander feeling.

I know I posted some of the changes once. Let me see if I can find them.

Here it is:


Conviction & The Quickening

Conviction is not recovered each day. Rather, you earn one after each session (we also vote the best role-player of the night, who gets a second point). You still get a Conviction point when gaining a level.

You can trade 10 Conviction points for a level.

If an Immortal beheads another Immortal, and is of equal or lower level, he gets a level. However, if the loser is of lower level, then the winner gains Conviction = loser's level (maximum 10). Hello Quickening!

After a Quickening, those affected must roll Fortitude to avoid exhaustion. It's not a good idea to drop unconscious right next to a beheaded body...


Mortals

Mortals are limited to 4th level, though exceptional characters can exceed that (Julius Caesar and Vespasian were 5th level, probably).


Flashbacks
 
Flashback Points: Depending on your starting age, you get a number of these. If you spend one, you get a useful flashback about whatever you're talking to /thinking about / looking for at the moment. The GM comes up with the flashback, and you can roleplay it.

Once spent, Flashback Points gone. You can double your FPs through the Eidetic Memory feat, and you can get a few more as time goes by (say, every 100 years or so).

Example: Leonidas has more than 500 years. That gives him 20 points, more or less.


Starting level

Starting level depends on special check (d20 +1/100 years old). 1-5=1, 6-10=2, 11-15=3, 16-20=4, >20=5. Thanks to the excellent True 20 system, the difference in levels is not really felt (besides, a few heads in your Immortal account will get you the levels you want).


Age & Time

Speaking of age, every character role-plays bits of his/her "Prior History" (and keeps record of it) before entering the campaign. It's fun when a new character meets another PC and they both start talking about the time they were killed with Crassus in Parthia.

Each game session takes place every few years, sometimes just one and sometimes almost a decade. For example, the last sessions under Tiberius took place in 29 AD, 31 AD and 37 AD.

As time passes, PCs might need to fake their deaths and spread rumors about children living somewhere else (that is, if they want to pretend they are of a certain family... a problem for Immortals who belong to Roman nobility). Usually, you have to wait between 5-15 years before going back to the same social circles. Reputation (see below) can affect this.


Wealth

Wealth checks are only made between game sessions. If enough time passed, two or more checks can be made.

Your wealth limit and skill used for the check depend on the jobs you have (an Imperial Favourite gets better opportunities than a minor merchant, but his position is more dangerous).

You can have several jobs. You could be the Emperor's favourite, an olives merchant, and a corrupt tax officer at the same time. Each job has a different maximum Wealth and requires a different skill (Imperial Favourite is usually Diplomacy and has no Wealth limit, heh).


Reputation

We're using the Reputation system from Green Ronin's Eternal Rome. We keep track of two ratings: Mortal Reputation (your current life), and Immortal Reputation (depending on who you fought and how old are you). Get a high IR and headhunters will be knocking on your door.

Level-dependant Reputation is added to your Immortal Reputation. Mortal deeds usually go to MR. Get enough Mortal Reputation and you might have to disappear for a while until enough people forget how you looked.


Weapons and armor

Gear is adapted to those of that time. For example, a Gladius does +2 damage, with a critical threat of 18-20/+3. And yes, Tribune bronze armors are worse than what your Centurion uses.


Canon characters

Series and movie characters are there: Cassandra is making a living as a seer in a Roman temple (got tired of Delphi, y'know), Mythos is only a myth (though we, the players, have our suspicions about a certain NPC), Kurgan is a very scary dude in Scythia, and Ramirez was last seen in India, duking it out against Immortals serving Alexander the Great.


Holy Ground

No one has tried fighting on holy ground, so I can't tell you what could happen.


Adepts

You can only become an Adept if you train under one, or get his Quickening. You can only learn Powers they knew, though it might be possible to make your own.


Combat

Immortals are tough to kill and they regenerate (though they don't grow back limbs), so there are a few changes.

First, Hurts heal after one round. Thus, they only matter in the round they were inflicted.

Second, Wounds are cumulative. The -2 to all checks isn't cumulative, but the -1 to Resistance rolls is. A good way to win a fight is to inflict several Wounds to wear down your opponent. Also, since a Wound stuns a character for one round, you are basically getting a free action.

You can heal a Wound after ten rounds of receiving it. You just make a Constitution check against 10. If you fail, you have to wait another 10 rounds for that one.

You can also spend a Conviction point to automatically heal one Wound, go from Disabled to Wounded, or from Dying to Disabled (basically, it's like making a check and if you fail, you still rolled a 10).

Healing from Disabled takes about 3 minutes, IIRC. You don't want to get there in combat, trust me. If you do, make sure you're standing next to a mountain cliff or a river that can carry you away from the other opponent.

Wow Jong, good job detailing all those rules!

RPGPundit

Sweet!!  I kept meaning to ask about the system for this game but never remembered. Very cool indeed!!

Yeah, the changes are very good and go a long way towards getting the series' "feeling."

Player A: "By the gods, Marcellus is dying!"

Player B: "Hmm... where have I seen this poison before?"

*spends a Flashback Point*

*roleplays the flashback*

Player B: "A-ha! I think I know where to find an antidote..."

Quote from: JongWKYeah, the changes are very good and go a long way towards getting the series' "feeling."

Player A: "By the gods, Marcellus is dying!"

Player B: "Hmm... where have I seen this poison before?"

*spends a Flashback Point*

*roleplays the flashback*

Player B: "A-ha! I think I know where to find an antidote..."

Sounds really cool, makes me wish that licensing the Highlander IP wouldn't cost 5-6 arms and half a dozen legs.  How is True20 as far as the detailed sword fights with all the flurishes the movies/tv show have?

Did any of you read the fan made Highlander: The Gathering pdf's putting immortals in the world of darkness?