Meet the Player Characters: Sarril

Sarril (no known family name) - Cleric of Boccob / Magic User (Half-Elf)

Sarril was born in the city of Stoink in the Bandit Kingdoms.  His mother was a captured elven slave. He does not know who is father is.  His early years as a slave were painful and filled with sorrow.  He was separated from his mother as soon as he no longer needed to be fed by her.  He was whipped and beaten almost every day.  His chores were cleaning the blood and filth from the slave and fighting pens.  When he was 10 years old he was placed in a caged cart with other slaves and marched down the road.

As the slave caravan traveled west from Stoink, they came upon a lone traveler who was heading south-west.  The slave caravan figured this was an easy mark for them as the traveler did not appear to be wearing any armor or weapons.  As four slavers approached the man and attempted to capture him, he quickly disarmed and dispatched the slavers.  He seemed to know when and where they were going to attack and always stayed one step ahead of them.  He beat them using his quickness and wit, with quite a few punches and kicks for good measure.  He released the slaves and gave them two options.  They could choose to gather any supplies and run, or the second option was to follow him and he would lead them south-west to Rel Mord, the capital of the Kingdom of Nyrond.  The choice was theirs, they were free.  Many gathered what they could and ran.  The few, Sarril included, chose to follow the man to Rel Mord.

Once they made it to Rel Mord, the man left them.  He wished them well and told them all that as free men and women, they had the choice to make their own road now.  Sarril, alone for the first time and given his own choice of what to do was lost…

As he walked the city of Rel Mord with nothing but the over-sized cloth on his back.  He came upon the Temple to Boccob.  As he stands looking at it, he hears a woman’s voice in his head, he thinks it is his mother…Learn, study, grow…  You know what you must do….

Sarril enters the temple and find the high priest.  He kneels before the priest and lays himself out before him.  “I give myself to Boccob, to learn, to study, to grow…I will do all that you ask and all that you need…”

Otto

The priest, not having seen this type of loyalty or devotion given to himself or Boccob, takes the boy in.  He teaches Sarril all of Boccob’s teachings.  The years seem to pass quickly for Sarril.  He knows this is what he needs, what he wants… He learns all that he can.  As the years pass, his temperament changes.  He is no longer the boy slave who walked into the temple alone and afraid.  He has chosen who he is.  He knows what he wants.  He has dedicated his life to learning all that he can…

Sarril's dedication to Boccob and his quick learning eventually gained the notice of another well-known servant of Boccob and friend of the temple. The famous archmage Otto took a liking to Sarril and eventually offered him the chance of a lifetime, to come to his home in Chathold and serve as his apprentice. Sarril gladly took the opportunity and in Otto's service, he was given a chance to see much of the world (for Otto loved to travel). Though it took a long time to learn the arcane arts, Otto was an excellent teacher and Sarril a quick student. Within a few years, Sarril was ready to start casting his own spells.

It was in the month of Coldeven, in CY 579 when Otto was summoned to the Adri Forest to meet with the Grand Druid, Immonara. Otto was always a friend to the druids of that area and glad to provide services when needed. Sarril and Otto went to the Adri Forest and there Immonara showed them a horrible site. A dreaded curse has taken hold and was turning all of the trees and vegetation dark gray - colorless as if dead, yet still intact. The curse seemed to be spreading out from a point deep inside the forest, where it was pitch black. In the center of the blackness, Immonara explained, was found a black shard that seems to be the cause. Her druidic rituals could not identify the object or explain its power, and she sought some arcane assistance. Otto tried every means at his disposal to identify the shard but was unable to get an answer. He agreed to discuss it with his order - the Circle of Eight. Surely together, they could figure this out.

Otto and Sarril then traveled to the City of Greyhawk, where Otto has a second home. Otto left Sarril to meet with his fellow wizards. When he returned, he had a mission for Sarril. Several leagues to the west of Greyhawk, in the Viscounty of Verbobonc is the Village of Hommlet. Within this village is a druid named Jaroo, who belongs to an order of druids from the Gnarley Forest. Jaroo may have some information about this shard if Sarril would take it to him. Otto was being called away on urgent business, so Sarril would be entrusted with his first solo mission, if he can handle it. Sarril agreed, eager to prove himself on his own. Otto outfitted him with magical weapons and protections and gave him his very own spellbook - complete with all of Otto's personal spells in addition to the usual stuff. Sarril immediately set about his task.

On the road to Hommlet, Sarril stopped into the inn of the Sleepy Dragon to get a night's rest. While having dinner, he noticed a band playing very loud music that was mesmerizing. Sarril noticed the band members' instruments had a symbol of a tooth dripping blood on it. He started to feel light-headed, and realized he needed to get out. As he made his way to the door, he passed out. When he woke up, he was naked on the side of the road without any possessions whatsoever. Next to him was a naked Fruztii barbarian and a naked grey elf that had seen earlier in the inn. Although they appeared to be in the same place on the road, there was no longer any inn, nor any sign there ever was one here.

Meet the Player Characters: Athan

Athanasios Guðleifantalasian - Thief / Magic User (Grey Elf from Celene)

Athan was raised as the only child in a modest elven home with two doting parents. His mother, an artist and his father, a musician, were both followers of Corellon Larethian. Worship of the Seldarine (elven pantheon) is not as common among the elves of Oerth as it once was, but for the Guðleifantalasian family, it is a fundamental part of who they are and Athan was raised to exemplify the virtues modeled by Corellon.

It was obvious to everyone when Athan was young that he was different from the other elves. Genius, even by Grey Elf standards, tremendously talented, but also troubled. It wasn’t long before he surpassed his father in musical ability, and exceeded his mother’s artistic talents. When they had nothing more to teach him, Athan began to seek knowledge on his own, usually without permission, and he was caught stealing books and scrolls on more than one occasion – though he never understood that he was doing anything wrong, always believing that knowledge should be free, and the owner would have wanted to share. On this, and many other subjects, Athan demonstrated how socially disconnected he was with the rest of the world. Making friends would have been difficult, if he even tried, but he preferred to stay secluded in his home rather than interact with elves who wouldn’t understand him. In this state, he began to mentally and physically shut down. As he entered adolescence, he showed no signs of interest in any elven duties, and only his music kept him slightly happy.

Concerned for their son’s well-being, Athan’s parents took a trip to Enstad, the capital of Celene, in the hopes of finding something that would inspire him. While walking the streets of the capital, guards cleared everyone off the street to make way for a procession of Queen Yolande and her court. Seeing the queen in all her majesty and beauty, surrounded by some of the most famous elves in the Flanaess, would have been overwhelming experience for any young elf, but for Athan it drove his curiosity and interest to new heights. He had never seen a unicorn before, and there was an amazing specimen right here with the queen. Without paying attention to anything else, Athan walked right up to it, drawing immediate attention from the guards who shoved him to the ground and halting the procession. As Athan’s parents rushed out to apologize, another figure stepped forward, waiving away the guards. She helped Athan up and asked him his name, then introduced herself as Alyndra Elaris, Royal Enchantress of Celene and a member of the Queen’s court. It was this chance meeting that would change the path of Athan’s life forever.

Alyndra Elaris

A few weeks later, Athan’s parents were paid a visit by a royal messenger, who told them that the Royal Enchantress personally requested Athan to come live with her in her tower in Enstad to be her apprentice. While this was the chance of a lifetime, it meant being disconnected from the only people who have ever loved and understood him. But his parents knew this was the right path for him, and encouraged him on his way. And so, his father took him back to the city, to say goodbye to his son and pray for Corellon’s guidance on his new life. As a parting gift, his father game him his lute, that he may remember the roots of his family. For the next several years, Athan faithfully served Alyndra in all things. He realized how much she was like him – highly intelligent, curious, but also repressed and distant. She must have saw some of herself in Athan as well, to choose him on that fateful day. And indeed, while they rarely spoke words to each other, Athan and Alyndra shared a special bond between each other. They were two people who understood each other, even while the rest of the world did not.

But Athan and Alyndra were not as alike as they thought. Alyndra was detached just enough that did not see that Athan still clung to some old habits. While Athan possessed a heart of gold and would readily give his last silver coin, or even his spellbook, to one in greater need than he, but he also expected the same behavior from all those around him. His inability to communicate well with others lead him down a path of thievery. The mere thought of trying to explain to others what he needed and why was a daunting task and incomprehensible in the minds of others. So rather than asking for a new spell, or a specific spell component, he would sneak around in the dark of night and take them. He always believed his behavior was justified. "I'm sure they would not mind me borrowing this," became his personal mantra as his skills in both magic and stealth steadily improved.

It was the 25^th Day of Snowflowers, OY 5042 by the Olven Calendar, when Alyndra was sent by Queen Yolande to help the priests at Oakvein with a problem that was eluding them and placing their sacred Heart Tree at risk. Alyndra and Athan travelled to Oakvein, where they were shown a most disturbing curse that had taken hold in the forest. Trees and vegetation were turning gray, and the curse was spreading, getting dangerously close to the sacred tree. The gray turned darker as they moved further into the forest, then black, then the black coalesced at a point where it looked like no light escaped. The high priest informed her that they found a small crystal shard at the center of the blackness and placed it in a wooden box. It appears the curse has stopped spreading since its removal. Alyndra could not identify the shard, but she mentioned that the druid, Jaroo in Hommlet had reported hearing of a similar incident in the Gnarley Forest a while back and he might know something. And so Alyndra and Athan set out on the road for Hommlet. Alyndra reported that they needed to be some distance from Oakvein before she could teleport, so they would have to go on foot for a little while.

On the road, the two were beset by wicked winged creatures – devils of some sort. Alyndra turned Athan invisible and told him to hide while she handled the problem. The devils were no match for her powerful magic and Athan got to witness first-hand the power of his mistress. But the devils were only a distraction to drain her spellpower. More appeared on the road, but this time with a thin human woman dressed in black who immediately invoked a charge from her Talisman of Ultimate Evil, opening a fissure below Alyndra that sucked her into the bowels of Oerth. And just like that, Athan’s mistress was gone. He was about to rush out to meet his death to exact his revenge when he felt something in his pocket. It was the box with the shard. Alyndra must have slipped it to him before she turned him invisible. Or maybe he picked it from her pocket without thinking about it, as he seems to do sometimes. Either way, he realized now that he had to complete the mission that she started.

Athan walked the rest of the day, safe in his invisible form until he needed to rest for the night. He came upon an Inn, dropped the invisibility and walked in. A band was playing. Not his taste in music, but it seemed good considering that, and the songs seemed to get stuck in his head. He ordered some food and wine and started to relax, looking around the room, noting who else was present (and what they had on them – out of curiosity, of course). That’s when he started to feel dizzy. As the feeling grew on him, he realized something was wrong, and tried to make an escape for the door, but passed out before making it. When he woke up, he was naked on the side of the road. He seemed to be in the same place where the inn was supposed to be, but there was no inn. Next to him was a naked half-elf and large naked human. He recognized both men from the inn, and they all seemed to be in the same predicament.

Meet the Player Characters: Pontus

Pontus Olgraffson - Barbarian (Fruztii)

The lands of the Cold Crow cover the southwest portion of the Fruztii (Frost Barbarian) kingdom, including parts of the Timberway Forest and Griff Mountains. Pontus is the eldest son of Olgraff, Jarl of the Cold Crow. Unlike the great warriors who lead the other clans, Jarl Olgraff was a cleric of Kord who relied on his wisdom and intellect, in addition to his strength, to lead his people.

Olgraff supported the former King Ralff in his decision to form an alliance with Ratik to the south. This alliance was very controversial, but it resulted in the Fruzzti becoming a powerful kingdom and breaking free of their servitude to the Schnai (Snow Barbarians, whom for decades had ruled over them). To seal the alliance between the Kingdom of the Fruzzti and the Archbarony of Ratik, the former King Ralff married his son, Hundgred Rallfson, to the daughter of a Ratik noblewoman. His Most Warlike Majesty, King Hundgred Rälffson is now king of the Fruzzti, and he has expanded the alliance with Ratik by increasing trade with them, as well as with the dwarves of the Griff mountains. The capital of Krakenheim is beginning to look much more modern and civilized, thanks to the new queen's influence. "Decadent," some the Jarls call it. Some even say magic and other evil things are practiced there. There are many within the Cold Crow and other clans who desire to return to the old ways. One such person was Olgraff’s cousin, Bran. When Hundgred ascended to the throne, Bran became increasingly vocal against your Olgraff’s support for him. Although the details are not clear, at some point, Olgraff exiled Bran for treason.

Olgraff’s support of the king was not the only source of tension. There are also many in the Cold Crow Clan that believe in the second coming of Vatun - the mythical god of the barbarians who led the clans to their freedom so long ago. Olgraf believed Vatun was only a legend. A story told to children. He encouraged the worship of real gods, especially Kord, greater deity of Athletics, Sports and Brawling, who, to the barbarians represents strength and power.

In the Common Year (CY) 578, just a few months before Pontus’ 17th birthday, a group of Fruztii from the Timberway came to visit Jarl Olgraff to ask for his help. They told a tale of an evil curse that was spreading through the forest, turning everything black. On that fateful day, the world would change for Pontus forever.

Olgraff gathered several his best warriors, including Ingvar Branson, who remained loyal even after the exile of his father, the BeastMaster Hrothgar and his loyal wolf pack, and Pontus to investigate the threat. What they found deep in the Timberway cannot adequately be described here. A curse spreading through the forest, turning all the trees and vegetation dark gray, and getting darker and darker as the group approached the center – which appeared as a black void from which no light could escape. Inside this void, one of the group found a shard that looked like a black crystal or chunk of obsidian, though it reflected no light. The shard turned the barbarian’s hand a dark gray, which then quickly spread up his arm and throughout his body, killing him. As the group fanned out in search of more of these things, Ingvar and his men took the opportunity to strike out at Olgraff in an act of bloody treason. Hrothgar, loyal to the end, moved in to protect Olgraff, but it was too late. Realizing that Pontus would be the next to die, Hrothgar sacrificed himself to allow Pontus to escape, sending two of his wolves to protect him as he ran.

Unfortunately for Pontus, while he escaped death, he would be captured a few days later by a barbarian hunter, those traitorous barbarians who have turned their service to the Overking to track the nomadic tribes for capture or execution. This barbarian hunter was none other than Bran, whose hatred for Olgraff ran so deep that he would turn his betrayal against all his people. Though he could have killed Pontus, he preferred instead to have him suffer a lifetime of servitude, and so, bound and chained, he was placed on slave ship, where he would spend the next year of his life attached to an oar.

Pontus sailed many seas, and was sold several times over. His latest owners in the Wild Coast eventually sold him to a mysterious buyer from Ket, and shipped him over land to the Northwest. It was during this journey that Pontus would finally gain his freedom by the grace of a mysterious man in robes and a large brimmed hat, who, without saying a word, slew all of Pontus’ captors with his bare hands before opening his cage and disappearing.

Pontus found himself alone on a road in the Gnarley Forest, with only a few coins and crude weapons he collected from his captor’s bodies. The month was Coldeven, in the year CY 579 – not that Pontus was fully aware of that. He followed the road to an inn, where he took shelter and ate his first meal as a free man. As he was drinking his ale and enjoying the music, he began to feel dizzy. The music was amazing, but it pounded in his head as the room swirled around him. Pontus tried to make a move toward the exit but passed out on the way. When he awoke, he was naked on the side of the road. He is certain he was in the same place as before, but there was no inn here. Next to him, also naked, were a Gray Elf and a Half-Elf that he vaguely remembers seeing in the inn when he was there.

House Rules: Death and Resurrection

Note: The following are modifications of some excellent ideas I found online from another creative dungeon master. I can no longer find the original to credit him. If you recognize your work below, please comment, and I will provide proper credit and link back to your website.

Not all deities grant spells to bring back the dead, and even those that do may have severe restrictions in terms of how it is being used. A cleric who attempts to bring back the dead in violation of the edicts of his religion could lose all clerical powers and be excommunicated by his church. While most churches require an excessive donation to perform the ritual, a person’s wealth and station in life are never considerations for their worthiness to receive the spell (if this were the case, king’s would be resurrected all of the time). Generally, worthiness is related to some unfinished business the deceased needs to perform in life that is in service of some greater good that priest’s deity wants done.

Even in cases where a resurrection may be warranted, there are risks that may make both the spellcaster and the player character to be resurrected consider the choice carefully.

The Step-By-Step Process:

1. The priest must first commune with his/her deity to determine if it is okay to cast the spell. It may be that the person’s soul is serving his/her deity in an important way, and
2. The spellcaster casts one of the spells below and hopes for the best
3. The dead person, in whatever afterlife they currently inhabit, becomes aware that somebody is trying to call his/her spirit back to the living world. The dead person will know who the spellcaster is if he/she knew the spellcaster previously; otherwise, the dead person will only know that the soul is being called back, but not who is doing it or what spell is being used.
4. If the deceased is a follower of the same deity as the priest performing the spell, the dead person's spirit chooses whether or not to allow the spell to complete successfully. None of these spells work on an unwilling subject (though in some cases, divine intervention can force the matter). However,
5.  If the deceased is a follower of a different deity, or of a different alignment than the priest performing the spell, the deceased’s deity (or whatever has its soul in service), may need to also allow the soul to leave (DM’s discretion)
6. If the spell is completed successfully, then the dead person rolls a resurrection survival check (for Raise Dead or Resurrection) or rolls on a reincarnation table (for Reincarnate)
7. If all goes well, the subject returns to life as dictated by the rules of the spell. The subject retains no memories of anything that happened while he/she was dead unless he/she was active during the period of death as a free-willed undead creature.

Resurrection Survival Check:

A potential resurrection subject may be required to roll a resurrection survival check depending on the spell used. If successful, the subject will be successfully revived. If it fails, however, that person is gone forever. No further attempts at resurrection can be made, and attempts to contact the spirit of the deceased will always fail. That person’s soul is considered to no longer exist, either trapped outside of the known planes of existence, or utterly destroyed (theologians are not certain on this issue).

This is a Constitution-based check, and it is known among priests, and others who are in a position to learn these things, that healthier and heartier people have a significantly greater chance of being successfully revived from the dead. So on this subject, characters can make a semi-informed decision regarding their chance of success.

Spells to Revive the Dead:

Raise Dead (5th-level cleric spell)

-        works on a dwarf, half-elf, halfling, or human

-        only works if the deceased has been dead for less than one day per level of the cleric

-        requires a whole, mostly-intact body with all essential parts present

-        non-essential body parts (limbs, eyes, etc.) which are missing will still be missing when subject is revived

-        if subject died of poisoning and the poison was not neutralized prior to revival, a new saving throw vs. poison will be required immediately

-        requires a resurrection survival check

-        upon revival, subject loses one point of Constitution permanently

-        upon revival, subject is weak and helpless, has only 1 hp, and requires one day of bed rest for each day spent being dead, or until half their hit points are restored, whichever is LONGER

Resurrection (7th-level cleric spell)

-        works on any sentient creature

-        only works if the deceased has been dead for less than 10 years per level of the cleric

-        requires at least some small amount of remains

-        body will be whole, complete, and healthy upon revival

-        requires a resurrection survival check

-        upon revival, subject loses one point of Constitution permanently

-        upon revival, subject has full HP and feels otherwise healthy and energetic

Reincarnate (7th-level druid spell)

-        works on any non-artificial sentient creature

-        only works if the deceased has been dead for less than a week

-        requires at least some small amount of remains

-        does not require a resurrection survival check

-        after the spell is cast, subject appears nearby in a new body within 1d6 x 10 minutes, with no memories of his/her former life

-        the player or DM creates a new character for the subject; new ability scores are rolled and a different class can be chosen*

-        there is a very significant chance of being reincarnated as an animal or some weird woodland creature (dryad, pixie, centaur)

-        once the spell is cast, the new form is considered to be the subject's true, natural form from that point forward*

*Unless the PC's original form is rolled on the reincarnation table

Reincarnate (6th-level magic-user spell)

-        works on any non-artificial sentient creature

-        only works if the deceased has been dead for less than one day per level of the magic-user

-        requires at least some small amount of remains

-        does not require a resurrection survival check

-        after the spell is cast, subject appears nearby in a new body within 1d6 x 10 minutes, with memories of his/her former life*

-        the player or DM creates a new character for the subject; new ability scores are rolled and a different class can be chosen

-        all potential forms are sentient humanoids, though some are definitely not traditional PC races (bugbear, goblin, ogre, etc)

-        once the spell is cast, the new form is considered to be the subject's true, natural form from that point forward

*Unless the PC's original form is rolled on the reincarnation table

Limited Wish (7th-level magic-user spell)

-        mostly unable to raise the dead effectively

-        if the subject's physical body has been totally destroyed and lost (ashes scattered in the wind, etc.), this spell may be used to produce enough remains for a Resurrection (but not Raise Dead)

-        may, depending on circumstances, bring a very recently-dead person back to life briefly

Wish (9th-level magic-user spell)

-        may be used to, in effect, duplicate any other spell on this list

-        may be used to change a reincarnated character back into the form he/she had in a previous life

-        may be used to wish for the full return of a living being, without Constitution penalties, HOWEVER, this is a very tricky spell that can have dire consequences, and it isn’t easy to come by, so it should be a last resort option

-        If a deity or another greater power is keeping a soul from returning, a Wish spell could, in some cases, be used to force the matter – at the spellcasters own risk, of course

Alter Reality (7th-level illusionist spell)

-        functionally the same as Limited Wish

Theological and Philosophical Notes:

Because Raise Dead and Resurrection can result in a person's soul being lost to all contact forever, many clerics are reluctant to perform these spells. For the same reason, many dead people are reluctant to allow attempts at casting these spells on them. Most religions generally hold that having your soul "lost" in this manner is just about the worst thing that can happen to a person, although it's an unknowable mystery whether the soul is just destroyed into nothing, imprisoned in some unspeakable circumstances, or just kicked back to its normal afterlife but cut off from further availability. Some theologians claim that these spells are never acceptable, while others claim that the object of their religious faith (God, the spirits, the Earth, etc.) would not grant these spells if they were not to be used. Most, however, take the middle ground that these spells should be available for use, but only rarely and in circumstances that warrant them. Of course, that ends up being a judgment call of each individual priest.

It's actually very common for someone to refuse a resurrection attempt due to religious beliefs, fear of being "lost," or general contentment with the status of being dead. For that reason, before casting a spell to attempt resurrection, it's common to use the 3rd-level cleric spell Speak with the Dead to inquire about the dead person's willingness to be restored to life in the first place.

Recovering from Death and Near Death

Any character who has been brought below zero hit points may be stabilized by use of the First Aid skill or other means of healing. A stabilized character will not continue to bleed out (lose one hit point per round), even if they still have negative hit points. However, a stabilized character with negative hit points is at risk of having their wounds re-opened if they are not moved carefully, and they have only a 50% chance of survival overnight, therefore, they need to receive healing to bring them to positive hit points as soon as possible. Once hit point are positive, the character is no longer at risk of death.

Any character who has dropped below zero hit points and stabilized will be unconscious until brought to positive hit points. Even once hit points are positive, they will be unable to perform any actions, and must have assistance when moving. This lasts until at least half of their total hit points are healed. Additionally, regardless of the level of healing received, the character will perform at a penalty of 1 to all die rolls for a number of days equal to the number of hit points below zero that they fell. Please note that while cavaliers have a special ability to be able to continue to take actions when below zero hit points, this ability only applies immediately after the injury takes place. Once the cavalier has rested and the adrenaline has subsided, normal recovery rules apply.

Any character who has been killed and resurrected will be unconscious until they have healed 50% of their total hit points, and then unable to perform any actions except assisted movement until they have been fully healed to 100% of their hit points. If a Raise Dead was performed, the character will have a penalty of 1 to all die rolls for a number of days equal to the number of hit points lost below zero prior to their death. This represents the fact that the body has not been replaced. Characters who are resurrected do not suffer this penalty, as their body is effectively built brand new.

House Rules

Game mechanics will be a mix of AD&D 1st and 2nd edition, plus some house rules (some inspired by, but not exactly duplicating 3e and 5e). In general, first edition rules will be used for PC and NPC classes, while 2nd edition will be used for monster and spell descriptions. Unless otherwise specified as a house rule, most mechanics will default to 2e (i.e. T.h.A.C.0, etc.). Most of these rules are meant to simplify the game, as well as improve on some things that decades of game play have shown don't work well in 1st edition. The goal is to improve 1st/2nd edition while preserving the feel of the game, rather than switch to a later edition that lacks the feel of the original. These rules are always evolving based on game play experience, so don't take anything here as final, although I will generally discuss changes with players before making them and I won't change anything mid-session.

For rules on death and resurrection, click here.

Characters and Races

• Playable races are limited to human, elf, dwarf, gnome, halfling, and half-orc, with the following understanding
• The setting is very human-centric and the campaign story lines will revolve around the human civilizations, human gods, etc.
• Distrust and animosity is very real between humans and elves
• Half-elves are very rare and considered an abomination by most elves, who may try to kill them. Similarly, half-orcs are viewed with disgust by many humans.
• Demi-human numbers are dwindling, and those few remaining in the world are isolating (similar to how Tolkien describes the end of the third-age, with elves sailing west and dwarves disappearing into the mountains)
• Class and level restrictions for demi-humans are strictly enforced for game balance. These restrictions can be overcome in-game through extraordinary measures (for example, getting a primary stat above 18, certain artifacts, divine intervention, etc.) but players should not count on these things happening
• Barbarians, Monks and Druids can only be human (or in rare cases, half-elf)
• Cavaliers may only be human or elf (elf cavaliers are a special class described in Dragon magazine)
• Bards may be human or half-elf (see Bard restrictions below)
• Class descriptions with optional kits and specialties from 2e will be used for most basic classes (Warrior, Priest, Thief, Wizard)
• Additional classes and races described in the first edition Player’s Handbook and Unearthed Arcana that were removed from 2e may be used, with the following caveats:
• Barbarians, Monks and Cavaliers are allowed, but require a lot more work to develop backgrounds, as these are extraordinary classes are rare and don't typically go adventuring
• Two types of monk builds will be used. The Scarlet Brotherhood monks use the build from the “Scarlet Brotherhood” sourcebook. These are a subclass of cleric. Western monks, the disciples of Zuoken, use the “Improved Monk” rules from Best of Dragon Magazine Vol III. These are a subclass of thief.
• The Improved Druid rules from Dragon Magazine #53, with additional druid spells from Dragon Magazine #122 are used. This is to grandfather an existing character and may change for new druid characters going forward
• A note on druids: In this campaign, druids are not priests of a nature god. Druids revere, but do not worship nature gods. Druidic magic comes from rituals that manipulate the life force within Oerth itself and, by extension, the elemental planes. While druids generally work to preserve nature, their methods are distrusted by elves, who are spiritually bonded to Oerth. This creates some tension between elves and druids, who often have common goals and work together, but always at arms-length.
• For all grandfathered 1e classes, 2e non-weapon proficiencies will be added to the 1e class to allow use of that mechanic.
• Additional notes on Classes:
• The setting is 1st edition Greyhawk, pre-war (starting at 579 CY). Not all deities will be available to cleric PCs, so check with the DM before choosing to play a cleric. 
• There will be times within the campaign where clerical magic (and in some cases Arcane and Druidic magic) will not function properly - sometimes for long periods of time. Just be aware of this possibility before choosing these classes.
• We will not generally be using psionics rules, however, for creatures that have psionic abilities (deities, Illythid, etc.) psionic attacks will be treated as spells, and saving throws with mental bonuses may be allowed, depending on the type of attack
• Bards are an optional class in PHB appendix. Bards will be allowed with some restrictions:
• Bards do not get to keep the backstab ability from the thief class
• Bard abilities, such as Legend Lore and others, which say "like the spell" or "similar to the spell" do not work exactly as the spell they mimic, as these are not arcane magics being employed. The DM's judgement will be used, but for the most part, the below caveats will be applied
• Legend Lore will provide a % chance to identify the properties of simple magic items, however, for more rare / powerful magic items and artifacts, a success check will provide the bard with a background/story about the item that will help to identify it with proper research. For example, a bard may be able to say "I think this is the fabled Lanthorn of Zagyg. Legends say he used it to repel undead, among other things. We should go to the library of Greyhawk and see if we can find out more information about it, or find someone who knew Zagyg in life and might know more about it."
• "Suggestion" like abilities for creatures charmed by the bard's music will be limited to compelling intelligent beings to do things they may already be predisposed to doing. For example, telling them to stand in place and listen to the music is easy. Telling them to kill each other might be hard, unless they already hate each other. Telling a vigilant guard to stand aside and let you through a gate might not work, but telling a low-paid guard who hates his job to ignore you as you pass is likely to succeed. The DM will apply bonuses or penalties to a saving throw to account for this. Regardless, it will never be as powerful as an arcane Suggestion spell.
• Ability Score Rolls:
• New characters will choose between the following methods for rolling ability scores.
• Roll 4d6 (drop the lowest) x 8. Ability scores may be distributed as desired between the following:
• Strength (STR)
• Dexterity (DEX)
• Intelligence (INT)
• Wisdom (WIS)
• Constitution (CON)
• Charisma (CHA)
• Comeliness (COM) (see Unearthed Arcana)
• Perception (PER) (see Dragon Magazine #133, page 12)
• The above method is best when a player wants to play a particular class and needs to ensure the they get the right abilities.
• Roll 5d6 (drop the 2 lowest) for each ability, in order. Values may not be redistributed.
• The above method provides for the highest overall stats, and is best used if the player is open-minded about what class they wish to play.
• This is a one-shot opportunity. If the above method results in a "peasant" (see below), then the next set of rolls must use the 4d6 method.
• Peasant Rule: If a character is deemed "unplayable" as a PC (i.e. if there are multiple single-digit ability scores), the DM may declare that character to forever be a peasant, and allow the player to roll-up a new character.
• Racial adjustments to attributes are made after distribution, but no other adjustments or re-distribution of ability scores are allowed
• First level characters will start with maximum hit points, rolling for additional hit points per level thereafter.
• When rolling hit points each level, ones may be re-rolled.
• OPTION: Perception can be calculated as an average of Intelligence and Wisdom, instead of an ability roll on its own. If this method is used, then the player rolls 7 sets of dice for ability scores instead of 8. This must be decided before rolling. This method will generally be used for pre-generated NPCs

Making New Characters After Death

Should the unfortunate circumstance befall a character that they die and cannot be brought back in a reasonable amount of time, a player may roll a new character. The following guidelines will be applied by the DM for the new character:

• The new character will start one level lower than the party average level.

• Starting EXP will be the mid-point of the level for the class selected. Because 1st edition classes have differing EXP requirements for each class, this means that the new character's starting EXP will vary by class

• For dual or multi-class characters, we will figure out the highest amount of EXP for the starting level among the classes chosen. That will be the starting EXP. The player may then distribute this EXP across multiple classes.
  
  For example: If a player chooses to play an elven thief/magic-user and the starting level is level 7. The mid-point for a level 7 thief is 56,250. The mid-point for a level 7 magic-user is 75,000. In this example, the player will start with 75,000 points, distributed between thief and MU (37,500 to each class). This makes the new PC a level 5 magic-user and level 6 thief.

• 12th level is the maximum level for any starting character, regardless of party average level

• New characters will not join the game immediately. The player will work with the DM to develop at least a simple background and come up with a motivation for why the PC will be in the area where the party is. In a town or city, this is very easy. If the party is wandering through a demi-plane, this may be very difficult. Regardless of circumstance, the DM will do his best to incorporate the new character as soon as practical, but that may not always be right away.

• A player may not have more than one character in the party at a time. Should the original PC be brought back to life, the player must retire one of the two PCs or turn them over to be an NPC. This does not have to be immediate. For story congruity, the player may play both characters until the earliest opportunity to allow one to depart. A "retired" character can always come back at a later time, but will not gain levels while they are retired.

Magic

• All Cleric, Magic-User, Druid and Illusionist spells from any and all first and second edition publications may exist in the world, at DM’s discretion, including, but not limited to:
• Player’s Handbook
• Unearthed Arcana
• Greyhawk Adventures
• Tome of Magic (except “wild” magic, because that was just stupid)
• Dragon Magazine (issues 1 through 250)
• Any published AD&D 1st or 2nd edition module or boxed set
• The Priest and Wizard Spell Compendiums will be used as a reference since it has all of the above spells compiled, however, because a spell might have existed somewhere in the multi-verse at some point throughout history does not make it available or even known about. Only spells listed in the PHB and Greyhawk Adventures are readily attainable.
• Priest and magic spheres (from 2nd edition) do not apply, however, magic users do tend to favor certain types of spells, and clerics of a given deity may be granted only specific spells (the DM will provide a spell list for each deity). In general, we will follow what is published in the first and second edition Greyhawk books for guidance.
• Spells of 3 segments or less will be cast immediately when it is the spell caster’s turn. Spells of 4 to 9 segments will begin casting on the spells caster’s turn, and go off at the end of the round. This eliminates the ability to disrupt most lower level spells by hitting the spell caster, and speeds up game play by not having to track segments for each round (we may revise this if it proves unworkable)
• Common spell components do not need to be kept track of so long as the mage has in his possession the means to carry them and reasonable ways to replenish. These are most spells up through 4th level (based on description of the spell). Rare or expensive components (usually for spells 5th level and higher, depending on the description), must be tracked individually.

Learning, Studying & Writing Spells

• 2e PHB rules will be used for spell writing and memorization with the following exceptions, which use the 1e spell called Write.
• Magic Users must learn a spell before being able to memorize it or write it, however;
• Casting Read Magic before using Write will allow a magic user to copy a spell that they have not learned, with a chance of failure equal to 10% per spell level
• A spell properly written onto a scroll or spellbook through use of the Write spell can be “burned” by reading the spell directly from the spellbook page or scroll, without the use of spell components. Doing so will consume the page or scroll in a flash of fire.
• Spells can still be copied without use of the Write spell, if the magic user knows the spells and has either:
• Memorized it for the day or
• Has access to the spell from another book or scroll
• Spells written without using the Write spell cannot be “burned” – only memorized
• The nature of the Write spell is that it imbues the page or scroll with the magic of the spell itself, such that it acts like a triggered spell when it goes off. As such, in addition to the special ink and paper requirements for the spell, the spell components required for the spell are also consumed by the process. This isn’t much of a problem for spells of 4th level and lower, but higher level spells require rare, expensive, and sometimes unique spell components (for example, a gem worth no less than 500,000 gp for a Wish spell), and writing the spell to a scroll does not eliminate the need for the components, they are just consumed during scroll creation rather than at casting time.
• In order to burn a spell that the magic user does not know (has not learned), a Read Magic spell must first be cast
• When rolling to learn a new spell, if the magic user fails, he may be given another chance to learn the spell only after apprenticing with a tutor of at least 11th level for one month. Such tutoring must be very focused and consume a good portion of the magic user’s time between studies and practice (176 hrs is a good approximation)
• Studying to memorize spells for the day requires one half turn (5 minutes) per spell to be memorized for the day (regardless of level). This applies to magic users memorizing spells, clerics praying for spells, and druids doing their nature rituals (this is shorter than what is in the 2e PHB).
• Properly writing a spell, whether or not the write spell is used, requires one hour per spell level, for each spell to be written to a scroll or book (this is shorter than what is in the 2e PHB).
  
• Writing spells requires uninterrupted time in a suitable environment. Dungeons and outdoor environments are generally not suitable, but there are exceptions.
• Clerical and druidic scrolls are still created as per the DMG – requiring a minimum of 11th level and for the spell to be prayed for and then “cast” into the scroll, however, not all deities grant scroll creation as an ability.
• Any cleric can read any clerical scroll, however, if the spell contained on the scroll is not one that is normally granted by the cleric's deity, consequences may apply (DM's discretion). These consequences are more likely if the scroll was created by an opposite-aligned or rival deity or used in a way that goes against the will of the cleric's deity.

Spellbooks and Scrolls

• On a scroll of vellum, the number of spells that can be written is 6 of levels 1-3, or 4 of levels 4-6, or 2 of levels 7-9. This is for scrolls only.
• Spellbook pages work as described in the 2e DMG, page 63 (Each spell requires a number of  pages equal to its level plus 0–5 (1d6–1) additional pages. The actual number of pages a spell takes differs for each wizard.)

Spell Disruption

Disrupting a spellcaster's spell does not happen automatically with a successful attack. To disrupt a spell in-progress, the following applies:

• The spell must be longer than 3 segments. Spells shorter than 3 segments are assumed to happen too quickly to be disrupted (the DM may allow exceptions based on circumstances)
• Innate spell-like abilities and triggered spells (such as a ring of spell storing) cannot be disrupted
• Spells have verbal, somatic and/or material components. To disrupt a spell, at least one of these things must be targeted
• The attacker must specifically declare that they wish to disrupt the verbal, somatic and/or material component of the spell as it is being cast
• Attacking the material or somatic components requires a targeted attack on the hands/arms of the spell caster, made at -4 to hit
• Attacking the verbal component of a spell requires a targeted attack on the head of the spell caster, made at -8 to hit
• The DM may adjust the above chances up or down depending on circumstances
• A successful hit disrupts the spell and it is consumed for the day
• Spells may also be disrupted if the spellcaster takes 50% or more hit points of damage in a single round after they start casting a spell, regardless of how the damage occurs. In this case, the spellcaster will roll a save vs. death, failure of which disrupts the spell.
• The DM may determine other effects to cause spell disruption if it causes a failure of the verbal, somatic or material components.

Wands and Wand-like Devices

Experience has revealed that most wands are really overpowered. Allowing a spellcaster to just keep throwing fireballs round after round without stopping isn't good for anyone, so the following restrictions will apply (for the purpose of these rules, "wand" means any wand-like device that uses charges to cast spells):

• All wands have a chance of breaking when used. The base chance for this is 5% (a roll of 5% or less on percentile dice), though some wands of poor quality may have a higher chance
• Each time a wand is used, it's chance of breaking increases by 5%
• For each hour that a wand is not used, its chance of breaking decreases by 5%, down to its base chance
• Some wands can be recharged as per Unearthed Arcana rules. Recharging a wand has a 25% chance of breaking it (01-25% on percentile) and a 25% chance of making it weaker (26-50% on percentile). Making a wand weaker increases its base chance of breaking by 5%.
• Expending the last charge in a wand causes it to break
• These rules do not apply to artifacts or, at the DM's discretion, to high-powered (named) items

Turning Undead

Unless a specialty priest approved for the campaign says otherwise, all clerics must use a holy symbol to turn undead. Turning undead generally works as per the PHB, however, the presence of certain powerful evil clerics or beings may increase the difficulty of turning or, in some cases, provide the undead a saving throw vs. being turned. Likewise, some intelligent undead which have higher HD than normal or character levels (like vampires, liches, death knights, etc.) will be turned at their level.

Combat

• We will be using the simplified second edition ThAC0 system (ThAC0 stands for “To Hit AC 0”)
• A roll of a natural 20 always hits, no matter what (even in cases where a creature requires a magic weapon to hit, as a natural 20 represents a super-heroic move)
• A roll of natural 20 is considered a “critical” and damage, after all bonuses are applied, is doubled
• A roll of a natural 1 is a fumble, and always misses, regardless of circumstance (other than missing, there are no penalties for a fumble)
• We will not use AC adjustments for weapons
• “Point Blank” adjustments (Unearthed Arcana, page 18) apply for anyone with the appropriate ranged weapon proficiency, but only in the first round of combat and only if the weapon is readied (arrow knocked or crossbow loaded). Specialization is not needed, and no class restrictions apply. Specialization is required to continue the point blank bonuses after the first round.
• Shooting into melee is allowed, however, the target will be considered to have cover depending on the angle of the shot, size, and numbers of creatures engaged in the melee (DM’s discretion)
• 90% cover = -10 AC
• 75% cover = -7 AC
• 50% cover = -4 AC
• 25% cover = -2 AC
• Strength bonuses apply to "To Hit" and damage for thrown weapons, however, damage bonuses are limited to +2 (no matter how hard you throw a dagger, it isn't going deeper than the hilt).
• Sharpened projectiles/missiles are considered piercing damage no matter the weapon type (i.e. a thrown axe is still piercing damage).
• Very large projectiles, such as boulders, are treated as Area of Effect weapons. The attacker only needs to hit the 5 ft. square in which the opponent is standing, not the opponent's AC. Everyone in the radius of the projectile may make a saving throw vs. paralyzation, adjusted for dexterity, for half or no damage (DM's discretion depending on the type of projectile). To hit a 5 ft. square, the effective AC is based on range. Take the total range of the projectile and divide it into four quarters. The first quarter is considered AC 6, the second quarter is AC 4, the third is AC 2 and the last quarter is AC 0. Dexterity adjustments for aim apply, as per a bow, but strength adjustments do not apply. The DM may adjust these chances to hit based on cover, type of weapon, or other difficulty factors. The DM may also grant bonuses or penalties to the save based on the circumstances (for example, a boulder thrown from far away may provide more chances to escape its path).

Weapon Specialization

Single weapon specialization is allowed as per the Unearthed Arcana rules. Although second edition rules restrict specialization to pure fighters only, these house rules will allow rangers to single-specialize in lieu of two-weapon fighting bonuses (this is grandfathered to support an existing character and this exception may be removed going forward). Other fighter sub-classes, such as cavalier and barbarian, may not specialize.

Double-specialization is a rare and unique ability that will be allowed for pure fighters on a limited basis. First, double-specialization must be declared at character creation. It cannot be added later. This represents the fact that double-specialization requires a lifetime of practice. Second, the character must be of lawful alignment. Third, the background of the character must include a daily regimented practice of the chosen weapon from a very young age, at the expense of other studies. This training must be one on one, between a master and an apprentice. The goals and desires of the character are to become "one with the weapon," forever in pursuit of unattainable perfection. If the character does not, or cannot keep up the grueling practice required to maintain double specialization (DM's discretion), the character will be reduced to single specialization until the DM feels that enough practice has been performed to restore double specialization. Finally, a double-specialized character may not be proficient in any other weapon, and using a weapon other than the one they are specialized in results in double the non-proficiency penalty (-4 to hit for fighters).

If a double-specialized fighter decides at some point to become dual-classed, the character loses double-specialization and becomes single-specialized as soon as they begin the apprenticeship/training/study required to prepare for the new class.

Double-specialized characters may dual-wield, provided they use the same weapon in both hands. All other restrictions for dual-wielding apply (see below).

Dual-wielding

Any fighter-class character may dual wield. Dual-wielding results in one, and only one additional attack per round, using the off-hand weapon, regardless of level or specialization. Effectively, the off-hand weapon attack is 1/1, while the primary weapon attack is determined by level and specialization. Magic means may be employed to increase the speed of the off-hand weapon. So, for example, a fighter who attacks 3/2 with their primary weapon also attacks 1/1 with the off-hand weapon. If that fighter drinks a potion of haste, both the primary and off-hand attacks are increased one level. This makes the primary hand 2/1 and the off-hand 3/2 for the duration of the haste.

The following restrictions apply to dual-wielding:

1.  Attacks with the primary hand are made at -2 to hit
2. Attacks with the off-hand are made at -4 to hit
3. The "reaction adjustment" for dexterity may be used to offset the penalties above, up to no penalty, but may not provide bonuses
4. Specialization bonuses, if any, may only be applied to the primary hand. Racial, stat and magic bonuses apply to both hands.
5. Dual-wielding may only be done in no armor or light armor (leather, studded leather, elven chain, bracers, etc. - the same as required for thief skills). This represents the additional speed and dexterity required for dual-wielding maneuvers.
6. Fighters may take the dual-wielding weapon proficiency as per the 2e PHB to offset some of the penalties, or specialize to eliminate all proficiencies. Rangers receive the dual-wielding proficiency for free so long as they are wearing light armor.

Armor

Anyone can wear any kind of armor, however, their ability to function may be impaired. Thieves (and anyone using stealth-like skills, including barbarians, monks and thief sub-classes) in heavy armor have excessive penalties to skills and magic users have a chance of spell failure as per the books. Heavy armor does not penalize or negate the dexterity bonuses for AC or initiative (with the exception of barbarians as outlined below), however, the following restrictions do apply to anyone wearing heavy armor, regardless of class:

• Barbarians wearing bulky armor do not get a double dexterity bonus (as per UA)
• Movement is reduced by 10ft/round. If a character normally has a movement rate of 60, it is now 50 (with half movement for combat being 25 instead of 30)
• Heavy armor is loud, not only severely impacting stealth skills, but increasing the chances of an enemy hearing you during normal movement. This means it is not possible to gain surprise on an opponent most of the time if moving (effectively negating the Ranger's surprise ability)
• Maneuvers that require a dexterity check will always be made at a penalty. The exact penalty depends on the difficulty of the maneuver and the DM's judgment on how much the armor matters for the type of maneuver being accomplished, but generally starts at -2 (+2 on the die)
• Heavy armor is meant to be donned when going into battle and removed after the fight (hence one reason knights have squires). Characters who choose to wear heavy armor all day will tire more quickly, reducing the distance they can cover in one day by 25%, and will begin to suffer fatigue penalties after 2 hours in heavy armor if not riding a horse (high con bonuses can increase the time spent in armor before fatigue sets in)
• It is not possible, no matter how strong the character is, to swim in heavy armor. Characters who attempt to enter deep water while wearing heavy armor will sink and die if they do not have magical assistance.

Wounds & Healing

Non-fatal wounds

Wounds (hit point loss) represent a combination of physical injuries, exhaustion, and other factors. In general, a character is not considered to have taken a potentially fatal wound unless their hit points are brought below zero. So long as a character is not brought below zero hit points, there are no penalties to a character's actions. The character may be in pain, but that pain is not so severe as to restrict actions in any way.

Potentially fatal wounds

When a character is brough below zero hit points, this is considered a potentially fatal wound. When this happens, the character is provided a save vs. death magic to determine whether or not their body can sustain the wound. Success places them at zero hit points, unconscious, stable, and ready to begin a process of recovery. A character who is taken below zero hit points and survives will not be able to function until they are restored to at least half of their hit point total, and they will suffer penalties to their actions until they are fully restored.

A character that does not make their save is considered to be at "death's door" and dying. They will continue to lose 1 hit point per round unless / until stabilized by some external means (such as a healing spell or potion, or first aid provided). A character stabilized with negative hit points must be brought to zero or more hit points before being moved or resting overnight. A stable character with less than zero hit points that is moved will take damage, and will risk taking additional damage overnight.

Any character brought below -10 hit points is dead. Con bonuses can extend this. For example, a fighter with 18 Con can be brought to -14 hit points before death.

Scarring

Extreme violence leaves a mark. Permanent scarring may occur if a character is subjected to unusual amounts of damage, or encounters of an epic nature (for example, being struck by a legendary weapon wielded by a demi-god). Sometimes such things have no in-game impact, other than to tell a good story. But some wounds can cause severe scarring that affects the appearance of the character. Anytime a character sustains a single wound that is more than half of their hit points and takes the character below zero hit points, severe scarring that affect Comeliness and reaction rolls may occur. For example, being burned alive in lava, or having one's flesh melted away by a black dragon. In such cases, magical healing, if applied immediately, may prevent or reduce such scarring. In any case, if such severe scarring occurs, regeneration magic (rings, potions, spells) may be used to restore the character back to their original state.

Healing

A wounded character, with wounds properly treated, and given a proper rest in ideal conditions, will recover 1 hit dice worth of hit points overnight, for every three levels. Ex. a 1st level thief will recover 1d6 hit points overnight. A 7th level thief will recover 2d6 hit points overnight. Con bonuses, if any, will be applied to the die roll. If wounds are not properly treated, or conditions are not otherwise ideal, or a full rest cannot be obtained, the number of hit dice recovered may be reduced at the DM's discretion.

Searching

Perception rolls will be used to determine the chance of finding hidden or concealed items during searches. Each character has a Perception attribute and success of finding something is indicated by rolling equal to or below the perception value on a d20, after applying modifiers. Unlike passive perception, in which the DM will ask a player to roll a perception to see if the character notices something of potential interest, a search must be declared by the player and takes a set amount of time, determined by the DM based on what is being searched.

Searching for secret & concealed doors

One turn must be spent for every 40 linear feet of wall to be searched. Additional people searching can increase the chances of finding something but does not reduce the time. Each character may attempt only one roll (to thus prevent a player from re-rolling until they succeed). A player may declare ahead of time that they wish to spend more time searching for secret doors. Each additional turn increases the effective perception by 2, up to a maximum of 20.

Example: Jack declares he wishes to search for secret doors along a 40 ft. stretch of hallway. He has a perception of 12. Jack is certain there is a secret door somewhere nearby and is intent on finding it, therefore he states he wishes to spend 3 turns, raising his effective perception to 18. The DM has determined that the secret door is especially difficult to locate, and has placed a +4 modifier on the die (Jack does not know this). Jack then rolls a d20 and gets 15, which is 3 below his perception. Jack informs the DM that he beat his effective perception by 3. Normally, this would indicate success, but with the +4 modifier, it fails. The DM informs Jack that he does not find any secret doors.

Note: Locating a secret door means that the PC has discovered tell-tale signs that a door exists. Grooves in the stone, a seam in the mortar, footprints or disturbed dust on the floor, unusual or out of place architectural elements, etc. Finding the existence of a secret door does not automatically mean that the PC understands the means to open it. A hidden lever or button can be searched for and found, but some doors have more complex mechanisms, often involving magic. Additional searches, intelligence checks, puzzle solving, finding clues, interrogation, or good old fashioned spying may be necessary to open some doors.

Other Searches

A player who wishes to perform any other kind of search, such as sifting through a pile of trash, or looking through a library, or searching for hidden compartments in a desk, etc. must declare what they are searching for and how. For example, a generic search can be “I wish to sort through the pile of rubble to see if there is any valuable treasure among the junk” or a specific search can be “I want to search through the wizard’s room, tearing apart the bed and other furniture, until I find where he has hidden the amulet that he stole from the guild.” In either case, the DM will declare how long such a search will take if the character performs the actions specified.

Some searches can take less time with more people. For example, if a character wishes to search for a needle in a haystack, which would take 36 hours, the haystack can be divided 6 ways, so 6 people each search for 6 hours. In this case, the DM would roll a d6 to determine which stack the needle is in, and then apply that perception rolled by the player searching that stack to determine success.

Whenever specific items are being looked for, the more the player beats the required perception roll by, the sooner the item (or items) are found. However, if the items being looked for are non-specific (such as “treasure” or “hidden doors”) then the full amount of time is spent during the search and the DM will inform the player of the number and nature of the items found during that time.

Passive Perception

The rules above pertain to using the Perception attribute to actively search. Sometimes the DM may ask a player to roll a perception even when they have not declared they are searching for something. This is known as an Active Perception check, and is used to determine if a character senses something notable that the DM should describe. This could be anything from seeing the signs of a major ambush up ahead, to noticing a change in wind direction that could be a useful clue. Passive perceptions can also be called for when encountering a poorly concealed trap, or a thief is attempting to hide in shadows nearby or attempts to pick pockets, but fails his roll (a thief that makes their required skill roll will never be spotted with perception alone).

Passive perception checks are also used to determine surprise in dungeon settings. This is generally in lieu of the Surprise die roll, though characters that have advantage to surprise (1e rangers) or resistance to being surprised (1e barbarians) will have these advantages factored into the relevant perception rolls.

Passive perception is always rolled at a penalty compared to an active search. The DM secretly determines penalties and bonuses, so the player must declare how much they made or missed their roll by when they make a passive perception check.

Other Game Mechanics

• Normal arrows do not need to be tracked, unless otherwise noted by the DM
• In general, food, water and basic survival gear will not be kept track of so long as the party are near civilized areas. 
• When the party is exposed to a remote or exotic location for an extended period of time where food, water and other necessities are hard to come by, the Wilderness Survival Guide or Dungeoneer’s Survival Guide rules will kick in, as appropriate.
• Timing: During combat, a “round” is 6 seconds. Outside of combat, a “round” is 1 minute and a “turn” is 10 minutes. This does mean that some spells will burn out faster in combat than they will out of combat
• Initiative: Initiative will be rolled on a d10, adjusted by any "reaction adjustment" or other initiative bonuses. The initiative does not determine when in a round a character gets to take an action - all actions are considered to be happening at the same time. Rather, it is used to determine in which order combat results are resolved. The DM will adjudicate any ties in initiative, usually based on who has the higher dexterity, but considering other factors such as combat advantages, etc.
• Movement during combat: A character may move as far in one round as he can move in 6 seconds, considering race (size), class, and encumbrance. A character with initiative may move up to half the distance below and still perform a melee attack, however, they may not attack until the next initiative number after their opponent whose space they have moved into. This rule does not apply if the character is acting on a surprise round, or if the character has an advantage with weapon reach. 

Size	Walk (unencumbered)	Jog (unencumbered)
Small (halfling, dwarf, gnome)	20 ft.	40 ft.
Medium (Human, elf, half-elf)	30 ft.	60 ft.
Large (large humanoids)	40 ft.	80 ft.

• Note: The "medium" table above is used on place of the standard movement rate of 15" If a movement rate of more than 15" is listed somewhere, we will apply the relative difference to the table above