[D&D-2e] Night of the Walking Dead

[Vaynol]

Game Name Night of the Walking Dead

Game System DnD 2e

Theme A battle of survival against the horrors that lie within a dark and dangerous swamp

Flavour Gothic Horror, Mystery, Old-School AD&D

Plot Summary The Dark Swamp The fog shrouded land of Souragne is a miserable land indeed. A dark and swampy maze of waterways wind through towering cypresses draped with moss, the few small settlements that exist in this dark and dreary place do little more than survive from day-to-day. Fierce storms wrack the domain, and those who dare to try to traverse the dangerous swamplands often come to a terrible end under the shadows of the large cypress trees that tower over the murky bog. The perilous weather is but the least of the dangers here though. The dead walk within the fetid marshlands, often spilling forth from the gloom to attack and terrorise the villages and hamlets that dot the coastline out with the swamp. Local legends persist of a god known as the Lord of the Dead that dwells within the heart of the swamp itself. An entity that commands the shuffling dead, the Lord of the Dead is said to act as the intelligence for this ambulant horde of the rotting dead, a hivemind intelligence that controls and directs the movements of this shambling mass of the living dead. The truth, as you will soon find out, is more terrifying still. The Village of the Damned Solemn faces cast their eyes down to the muddy ground as the rain continues to fall from the heavens above in a never-ending deluge. For the people of Marais d’Tarascon death, as well as life, is revered, for the simple truth that in this harsh land it is not always a given that those who die move on to the world beyond. Such it is that true death, and a passing unaffected by the infusion of negative energy or the influence of the omnipotent Lord of the Dead is an event to be blessed indeed. Hidden in the darkness of this seemingly benign and rustic village though, there are dark things stirring. From the whispered words of voodoo and dark magic to a serial killer hiding in their midst, the village is beset with troubles that they have little comprehension of and can barely understand. The plague of murders claiming the lives of innocent townsfolk is just the beginning though. Worse things are hiding in the depths of the deep and seemingly endless swamp, and soon that darkness will spill forth in a tidal wave of blood. The Demiplane of Dread There is little in way of rhyme or reason as to why the Dark Powers choose the victims that they do. And although this land of swirling mists and dancing shadows imprison those beings with the blackest hearts and the darkest minds within a prison of their own creation, there are times they reach out to take others. They pluck courageous, good people from the land of their birth and bring them here, to this netherworld of hatred and misery. They revel in breaking such champions of light and life, twisting them into broken and hollow mockeries of the paragons of virtue they once were. So it was, on this particular day, at this particular time, you were chosen. The mists of Ravenloft roll in from the sea, and they engulf the shoreline on which you camp this night. They engulf you within their ethereal embrace, and around you the world which was once so familiar and reassuring to you slowly fades away into nothingness. When it finally recedes, the first thing you notice is the nearby trees….if they could be called trees. Trees that resemble twisted shadows with claw like branches seemingly reach out to you, and around you there is water. Fetid, murky water from which a foul odour rises. Overhead, through the tangled branches, the sky also appears strange. The stars have gone, replaced by a dark carpet of nothingness. There is a moon shining high in the night sky that was not there before, bathing the world below with its silvery radiance. This is not the land you once stood on, this place is intimidating and dangerous, that much you can instinctively feel. And yet that is not the worst. Menacing clouds begin to roll across the sky like a curtain of black smoke. In but a few moments, the clouds block out the light of the moon completely. A storm is brewing — a very bad storm. Game and Application Notes So, why advertise a game using an obsolete retro system I hear you ask? Good question, I’m glad you asked. There are many reasons why I am offering a pitch for an AD&D 2e game. I think recently I’ve realised that I’ve lost touch with the very things that once made D&D so special to me, and I think D&D over the years has also lost touch with what made it so special. Ever since 3rd edition each subsequent edition has become a bloated mess of character class and subclass options where characters get increasingly more and more overpowered with each level with the number of special abilities that they get. It’s just become unwieldy. I was looking at old-school feel retro clones like DCC and thinking about investing into them as a means of trying to go back to those earlier editions when I realised that I had all the material I needed already to fire up a genuine OG AD&D 2e game. 2e has a special place in my heart, it goes back to a time of dozens of beautiful settings all of which had a treasure trove of material and lorebooks printed for them that you don’t get anymore. Each setting had vast amounts of adventures and published materials, and they were all written with a deep respect and reverence of the lore of those settings. More to the point, the earlier editions are not as caught up in battle grids and grid based combats as everything after 3e became. This is a time where the narrative and imagination were more important than moving figures around on a battle map. Combat was brutal and dangerous, here of you hit 0hp you’re dead, and I think all of this plays into the narrative and story I want to tell you, and if you want to join me on this wild and wacky journey into 2e Ravenloft, I would love to hear from you. So the good thing here is that all of the rules are available online here, but knowledge of them is not necessary. I am happy to take on 2e newbies and vets alike, and those of you who do not know the rules we can learn as we go along. It’s been a while since I played or tried to run 2e so this will be as much of a journey for me as it will you. To keep it simple, for now I want to restrict us to the rules and options as presented in the 2e PHB. I may, at some point in the future, look to bring in the Complete series of handbooks but that is further along. Let’s stick to the basics at hand and we can take it from there. Proficiency rules will be in play for this game, as will multiclassing and dual-classing at later levels. For character generation we will be rolling 4d6 six times and dropping the lowest. All characters will begin at Level 1 and I will allow you all to start with maximum HP at first level as a concession to the lethality of earlier editions of D&D at low level. Ideally I would like to take on six players although I am happy to begin with four if it comes down to it. Posting rate for this game will aim for 1-2 posts a week depending on people’s preference. I would like applications submitted with the following details:- Name: Race: PHB only Class: PHB only Alignment: Good or Neutral alignments only please Gender: Age: 18+ characters pls Provide me with more information on the following: Appearance: Personality: Backstory: In secret text to me, I would like a secret for your character. This should be a dark deed or dark event in the character’s past that they would want to keep hidden from others. Lastly I would like an RP Sample from all of you from the perspective of your characters. Starting level will be level 1, and at game start it will be assumed that each accepted character knows the others and has adventured with them before. Closing Date: Friday 20th September

[Vaynol]

Player	Character	Class	Race	Status
O2CXt3	Eldric Fairbairn	Cleric	Human	Done
Begon Ugo	Kleva	Ranger	Human	Done
Red Leper	Brissa Thimblehatch	Rogue	Halfling	Done
Malkavianmilkball	Marcus Blackwell	Magic User	Human	Done
Drachenspirit	Jenzira	Paladin	Human	Done
kaylara	Esvaiel Bloodstone	Cleric	Dark Elf	Done
Nyx89	Theren Galanodel	Fighter	Elf	Done

[O2CXt3]

Eldric Fairbairn Name: Eldric Fairbairn Race: Human Class: Priest (Cleric) Alignment: Lawful Good Gender: Male Age: 58 Appearance: Eldric is an aging man with short cropped gray hair and a gray beard. Although his best days are behind him, he radiates a quiet strength. When he is at the monastery or visiting the local farmers, he wears a simple brown hooded robe and sandals. Less frequently, when he is escorting the local farmers between towns, he dawns his old hooded chainmail, emblazoned with a radiant sun, an old, dented round shield, and his flail. When he is in his full battle garb, that alone is enough to avoid most trouble the farmers are likely to face, aging though he is. Personality: Eldric is earnest and soft spoken. He spends most days, now, in silent meditation, cleaning, or tending to the monastery’s crops and livestock. In the morning or evenings when the priests of Pelor gather for their meals, he speaks little, but nods his head in acknowledgement to his old friends. Over a beer, in the evening, as they recount their day of chores or perambulations about the countryside, Eldric will sometimes smile and laugh a little. Eldric’s plan is to live out his life in the peace and quiet of the monastery, visiting the local farmers, supporting them in their growing, and healing the sick. He has seen the best and worst in man. Although not much upsets him now, savagery, malice, brutality, and evilness in all its forms are the one thing that can still make him lose his temper. Backstory: Eldric was the youngest of seven. He grew up on a farm that his eldest brother, Julian, was destined to inherit. Although he loved life on the farm, he knew he needed to find another way in the world. When he was ten, he left home to join Sunfeld Monastery and begin his education. At the monastery, he was introduced to the scripture of Pelor, and taught ethics and morality; he was responsible for gardening, cooking, and cleaning; he learned basic reading, writing and arithmetic; and he apprenticed as a novice healer. The priests at the monastery weren’t fighters, but as Eldric grew into a man, there was a change that came over the region, including the priests at Sunfeld. There was a wave of thieving and robberies in the farmlands surrounding the monastery. His own home was raided by a band of outlaws. Nobody was harmed, but the family’s animals and life savings were stolen. The farmers formed a militia to defend themselves, and the priests from the monastery joined to help them. Local squabbles soon escalated and before they knew it, well-armed men from the borderlands began to appear in organized groups. Eldric was hastily trained in the art of fighting, and secret incantations of warding and healing, and sent to the front lines. What seemed like isolated skirmishes soon grew into a full war. The farmers of Sunfeld called in reinforcements from the surrounding communities and for nearly a decade the two sides fought a grinding battle of attrition, with neither side gaining much ground. The priests of Sunfeld Monastery prayed to Pelor, asking for his help. And for years, it seemed to do no good, but then one day, as suddenly as the raids started, the raiders vanished and withdrew. While the community was glad to see the end of the war, the fighting left many in the community, including Eldric, scarred by what they had seen, or what they had done to defend their community. In the aftermath of the war, Eldric withdrew into the monastery, became exceedingly taciturn, and devoted himself to his daily chores and monastic liturgy. He still helped the farmers of Sunfeld from time to time, when they needed to haul their crops to town, recalling the dangers and evils that he had seen in his earlier years. Secret: RP Sample: Eldric sat down in the moonlight by the lake while the farmers huddled around the campfire to discuss their business in town the next day. He set his lantern down on a nearby rock, but the light of the full moon was so bright he didn’t need it. He looked silently at the still water and the fir trees lining its bank. After a few moments he sighed and reached into a pocket of his robe and pulled out a narrow stick of charcoal. He unfolded a book on his lap and began to draw: the campfire, the men around it, the lake, the trees, and the moon. He wasn’t sure why he kept the journal any more. For a while it had been a way for him to process his thoughts, but he had since moved beyond that. Now it was just a catalog of his daily machinations and musings. 15th day since the new moon - The day has been uneventful, marked by fair weather. I did walk alongside a four-wheeled wagon, laden with sacks of grain bound for the town. The oxen, in fine spirits, pulled with steady strength from dawn 'til dusk. The farmers, as is their wont, spoke quietly amongst themselves. 'Tis expected we shall reach the town on the morrow. Tonight, we make our camp by the shores of Lake Eldoria, where the full moon shines above, casting its silver light upon the water. A gentle fog lingers upon the lake. Eldric paused for a moment to survey the night. The fog drifted across the lake. It had grown thicker. He could see it growing and moving, like some strange animal creeping up upon the campsite. He shut the book in his lap. After watching the fog a little longer, he stood and walked towards the three men sitting by the fire. "Good night, friends," he said, nodding to the farmers. "The fog grows thick upon the lake. I'm going to my rest now, and will see thee in the morning." With his journal in one hand, he pushed back the leather flap of his tent, and disappeared inside for the night. The fog billowed and danced across the moonlit lake.

[Seekr34]

Normally, I had stopped applying to games that starts at 1st level, but I rarely play 2nd edition, so will come up with something. A paladin for sure.

[Seekr34]

I decided to bow out. As much as I like to play 2e again, Ravenloft isn't really my kind of campaign. I know a lot of folks like Ravenloft, but I'm just not one of them.

Hope the game goes well!

[O2CXt3]

Ok - I've got a draft of my application complete. Any feedback is welcome.

[Red Leper]

I told myself I wasn't going to apply to no more games but ...alas...Is the revised dnd 2e the same as the regular?

[krossingkhory]

So, no handbooks, no player options. Straight PHB. Dang if this isn't hitting a sweet spot for me. I may need to come up with something!

[Vaynol]

Originally Posted by Red Leper

I told myself I wasn't going to apply to no more games but ...alas...Is the revised dnd 2e the same as the regular?

That depends on what you mean by the revised 2e. If it’s the black cover books or green cover books then yes it’s the same.

[Red Leper]

Thank you

[O2CXt3]

Oops - I forgot the weapons are more restricted for clerics/priests in 2e. No sword for Eldric

I updated his application to reflect that. I'm sure I'll find more things like that as I go through the 2e handbook.

[Vaynol]

Aye, it'll be a learning experience for all of us I think, I'm so used to the 5e way of doing things. Its refreshing though, and tbh I think I prefer the simplicity of it rather than chucking loads of new abilities at you every level.

[Nyx89]

I've never played 2e before, but I'm interested. The simplicity you speak of does sound enticing! And I really love the Ravenloft setting so I'll put together a character here soon.

[Vaynol]

Originally Posted by Nyx89

I've never played 2e before, but I'm interested. The simplicity you speak of does sound enticing! And I really love the Ravenloft setting so I'll put together a character here soon.

Looking forward to seeing it. And I’m really pleasantly surprised by the amount of interest in this, I wasn’t sure I’d get any at all

[jr1v3]

I am also interested but it will take time to read the races and classes to see what I would like to play. I forgot that before 3.5E, most demi races have a limited classes they can choose!>P

Still, Sound like fun the simple that the system is. It is like you can focus in the roleplaying and less in how to become in an awesome character!XD

EDIT: I think Although I don't know how complicated or easy is the magic in AD&D 2e, I choose to try a half-elf bard. I suppose is that fine, Right?