Rules:Labyrinth

From Heroes of the Great Tree

Contents 1 Rules 2 Action Points 3 Skills 4 Skill Feats 5 Story Rewards 6 Magic Items 7 Origin 8 Background Skills 9 Rituals

Rules

4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons™
(Except where noted below)

Action Points

In addition to the normal use of actions (for an additional action). Action Points may also be used for an immediate re-roll of any daily power (including item powers). This use counts against the once per encounter limit of action points.
Ex. Hallorhan attempts to turn the tide of battle and strike the Bugbear Shaman with Lead the Attack. He rolls a 5 and misses. The player opts to use an Action Point and immediately reroll the attack, this time getting a 15 and hitting for the 3(w) damage!. This uses Hallorhan's action point for that encounter.

Skills

Skills Specialties
Every character gets a free skill specialization. This would be a +3 for a skill use subordinate to some other skill they have training in (for example: If you are trained in Thieving, you could be a lock picking specialist for a +8 bonus instead of +5). At each Tier (Paragon/Epic) you can either take on a new specialty, or add +3 onto an existing one. For knowledge based skills (Arcane, Dungeoneering, History, Nature, Religion) pick a particular field within the greater skill for the bonus (for example: Arcane: Summoning).

We will be using the Obsidian Skill Challenge System instead of the Core System.
(Details Here - [1])
Basics -
1. DM establishes a Skill Challenge with a Primary Skill (or two) and the basic DC (@19 for 2nd level).
2. Every player indicates what they do (and what skill they use) to help overcome that challenge. PCs using Primary Skill get +2 on roll. (DM may determine your action does not help, or even hurts)
3. Everyone rolls, successes are totaled.
4. Repeat 1-3 Three Times.
5. If the number of successes equals or exceeds a target number (8 for 5 pcs) it was a Success.
6. If the number of successes is one or two less than the number (7 or 6)it was a Partial Success.
7. If the number of successes is less than two less than the number (5 or fewer) it was a Failure.

Special:

• You can use an Action Point to reroll a Skill Check (before you know the number of successes).
  
• A Natural 20 equals Two Successes.
  
• Go For Broke, On the 3rd round of rolls (only) you can take a -5 to your skill check, a success is worth TWO successes. (Must be determined before any rolls).
  
  

Skill Feats

Amend the Skill based Feats as follows:

Jack-of-all- Trades: in addition to the +2 with all untrained skills, you get a once per day effect of full training. So for one roll, you get the +5 instead of +2 for some untrained skill.
Skill Focus: In addition to the +3 with the skill, you get a daily re-roll with that skill. So if you roll low on your nature check, and you have skill focus, you get a re-roll once per day.
Skill Training: You gain the new skill (+5) and a specialization (+8) within that general skill.

Story Rewards

Players who contribute to the wiki (or mail list) with back story, journals, maps, or other information (not specifically requested by the DM) can earn Story Rewards. Each Story Reward can be used during an adventure to REROLL any single die roll. The second roll must be taken even if it is worse than the first. One Story Reward can be used each session (though more than one can be earned between sessions).

Magic Items

Magic items will be slightly less common in this game than the standard. You cannot simple purchase any item in the books at the store. There will be the occasional item available for sale, but negotiating the purchase of a magic item will require role-playing. The standard prices will be a guideline, but you can expect to pay more or less depending on your skill challenge.
The basic procedure for purchasing a magic item.

1. Let it be known you are looking for said item.
2. Indicate a price you are willing to pay or trade.
3. Succeed in an easy skill challenge (Streetwise/Diplomacy) to find a buyer. (Complexity varies)
4. Succeed in a moderate skill challenge (Diplomacy/Bluff/Intimidate) to negotiate a price. (Complexity varies)
5. Finish the deal.

Why all the hassle? I try to make all the magic items you find adventuring unique and connected to the game world's history and such. A superstore of magic items would diminish that. Also, from a pragmatic standpoint there is not a large amount of trade in Respite, and magic items tend to belong to adventurers who don't frequent the city, so it will be harder in some respects than in a typical Point of light campaign.

New Items for Purchase
Healing related Potions:

• Potion of Stamina (50gp) - (Minor to Drink) After a short rest regain one healing surge lost because of fatigue, item use, skill failure or other cause EXCEPT healing.
• Potion of False Health (100gp) - (Minor to Drink) Gain 10 Temporary hit points until your next short rest.
• Potion of Health (200gp) (Minor to Drink) Expend a healing surge and count any healing above your maximum hitpoints as temporary hit points.
• Potion of Elan Vital (500gp) (Minor to Drink) Drinking this potion grants you a second Second Wind (a "third wind" if you will). You can drink this as a minor action and take your additional second wind as a standard action in the same round. There is no limit to how many of these you can take in a day or encounter (other than having healing surges to use it with).

Origin

You can pick from one of two basic origins: your character is either a Native of Respite or a "Refugee" in the city. Natives and Refugees can be of any race or class.

Natives have grown up in the shadow of the city and have Local† as a trained ability. Natives of Respite typically have a strong sense of pride and loyalty, and stoic resolve. They've survived countless attacks from hideous monsters every year since they were born. They have always been surrounded by military, and taught from an early age that everyone has a responsibility to defend the city and contribute to its safety. That is not to say that every Native fits in and approved of the city's rules and ways of survival. Some people would prefer to move out of the sanctuary, to other realms. Others would like to open the doors and ports to trade and commerce.

Local Training†: You get the +2 unnamed bonus on any skill or ability check relating to knowledge of the local area, its denizens, or geography. This also applies to 'nature' checks for knowing what to eat, how to move about in the rubble and ruins, and 'streetwise' checks for dealing in Respite and the City itself. They also get a +2 bonus to appraise checks for goods in Respite (whether buying or selling).

Refugees are all sailors de-conscripted from ships that crashed nearby, were abandoned in the Ghost Yards, or tried to make land at Respite. Refugees have the traveler† ability. Respite does not trade with distant ports or allow its people to travel by boats for fishing or other purposes. All boats that land, or try to land at Respite are captured and destroyed. The sailors and passengers are frequently welcomed with a lavish party (and seduced if possible). Afterwards, when they discover their situation, they are invited to stay and serve a brief (1 year) service as laborers, and concubines (to help keep the gene pool clean), for the city, after which they apply to become citizens with all normal privileges. The alternative is to leave the city by land, and face almost certain death. Refugees can harbor deep seated resentment for the trickery and mistreatment, or find themselves switching loyalty to the city. They are often highly admired and sought after as spouses and friends, so many find themselves preferring their lives in Respite to those on the sea. There are few people who travel by sea (there is no major sea commerce, so the sailors brought in as refugees are typically fishermen, whalers or the like without strong ties to the distant lands. Of course, there are a few of those too, blown off course, or part of explorations from other lands, but they are a rarer breed.

Traveler Training†: You can sail a ship and manage other shipboard tasks (rope use, climbing rigging, etc.) and are a trained swimmer. You get a +2 unnamed bonus for nature checks dealing with the sea. Travelers get +2 unnamed bonuses to Diplomacy checks when encountering strangers, and appraising goods and coin for use in the world (outside Respite). Travelers also get two free languages apart from the Common tongue.

†Abilities may be changed to reflect unknown (as of now) 4E rules.

Background Skills

In addition to the bonuses from their Origins, characters are assumed to have certain skills and knowledge appropriate to their backgrounds. The details of these are left to the discretion of the player (and approval of the DM.). These become role-playing/character development prods, if the player can explain (reasonably well) the character possessing a useful skill, ability, or possession of a bit of knowledge, he or she can have it. The player should note the relevant history on their character sheet that explains it. That information may be used later by the DM for story purposes or even cause small penalties. Please pick two skills from the following list:

• Alchemy
• Appraise
• Bargaining
• Craft ______
• Disguise
• Engineering
• Forgery
• Knowledge ______
• Language ______(1)
• Perform _______
• Profession _______
• Other ____________ * (ask DM)

For skills with _____ following the name, pick an area (Craft: Armor for example). These skills should not over-lap too much with existing skills.

Rituals

Mastering Rituals: Any character with the Ritual Caster feat may attempt to master a Ritual that they have time to study and copy into their books (costs and time as per PHB). However, if you do not have Training in the Key Skill for that Ritual, you must succeed in a Skill Check to master the ritual. The DC for the Skill Check is equal to the Level of the Ritual +10. If you fail that roll, you forfeit the costs, and the time (8hrs+). You are free to retry mastering the ritual with each attempt requiring the normal costs.

New Rituals:

Arcane Engineering
Level 3
Category: Exploration
Time: 10 minutes
Duration: 24 Hours*
Component Cost: 25gp
Market Price: 50gp
Key Skill: Arcana (or Engineering)
By use of this ritual, some single mechanism (trap, lock, door, etc..) can be made to cooperate with the ritualist. A trap can be made more accurate or easier to disarm, a lock more or less difficult to unlock, a door more or less stuck. For the ritual to work it must be performed on something that qualifies as, at least, a simple machine. So hinges, levers, etc.. are the minium required. A stone in front of a cave would not qualify (but a lever to move the stone would). The ritualist must be able to touch the mechanism during the ritual, and the ritual offers no protection for doing so. The machine should have either a DC or some other numerical value associated with it for this to have any effect. It does not affect weapons (such as crossbows or catapults) which use the values of the user.

• To enhance an object with a DC, make an Arcana check and substitute the results for the machine's DC.
• To ease an object with a DC, make an Arcana check, compare the result to the DC of the object, then reduce the DC of the object by the difference. (If a door is stuck, Str DC 25, and you roll an Arcana check of 28, you reduce the Strength DC by 28-25=3 (Str 22).). If the DC is higher than your roll, the ritual has no effect.
• To enhance a mechanism with an attack bonus. Replace the Attack bonus with your bonus to Arcana. So if it is +5 to hit, and your arcana bonus is +8 the new bonus is +8.
• To reduce the effectiveness of a mechanism with an attack bonus, compare the Attack bonus to your Arcana bonus and subtract the difference. If the Attack Roll is higher than your Arcana bonus your ritual has no effect.
• Apply similar reasoning to any other rolls associated with the mechanism.
• The effects of this ritual last for 24 hours or until the mechanism is used or activated (a trap is sprung, a door is opened, etc..).

You can affect one such numerical value only per ritual. So either the DC or a Attack bonus, not both. However, you can perform the ritual more than once to enhance something in more than one way.

Special: The ritual may be performed on a more complex object that is really a set of mechanisms (for example, a wagon, or a windmill). It is an easy check to make it 10% more effective (strong, fast, etc), a moderate check to make it 25% more effective, and a hard check to make it 50% more effective for the entire duration of the ritual.

Avandra's Chaotic Retreat
Divine Ritual
Level 1
Category: Exploration
Time - 10 minutes*
Duration - 1 hour
Cost - 10 gold
Market Price = 50 gold
Key Skill - Religion
Avandra empowers those participants (the ritualist plus up to 5 people touched (10 at Paragon, 20 at Epic levels) in the ritual enhanced ability to escape danger. If all the person does is move in a round (including running/climbing/swimming/double moves etc..) they get +1 speed, +1 to Athletics and Acrobatics checks, and +2 Defenses versus opportunity attacks caused by their movement. The effect ends after one hour or when the character performs a standard action (rather than a move action).
Special: The time to perform the ritual may be reduced to two rounds, however doing so costs the ritualist a Healing Surge.

Blood Telling
Arcane Ritual
Level 1
Category: Divination
Time - 10 minutes
Duration - Instant
Cost - 10 gold (+ One Healing Surge)
Market Price = 50 gold
Key Skill - Arcana

By bathing oneself (and anyone else aiding in the ritual) in the blood of a creature(s) recently killed, scribing the mystic symbols, and intoning mystic words, one is able to learn something about the fallen creature(s). Make an Arcana check against the Creature(s) Willpower. The check must be made after the creature's death and before two short rests. The information might be somewhat cryptic depending on the creature and situation, and the question must be decided at the time the ritual is begun. This ritual cannot be used on creatures without blood, or the undead.

Arcana Check

• Failed by more than 5 (No information & lose one Healing Surge)
• Failed (No information)
• Succeeded (Learn one bit of general information & lose one Healing Surge)
• Succeeded by 5 (Learn one bit of specific information & lose one Healing Surge, or one bit of general information without losing one Healing Surge )
• Succeeded by 10 (Learn one bit of obscure information & lose one Healing Surge, or one bit of specific information without losing a Healing Surge).
• Succeeded by 15 (Learn one bit of obscure information without losing one Healing Surge).

Special: A person aiding in the ritual can lose the healing surge instead.
Special: A person trying to aid the ritual who fails, loses a healing surge as well.

Deathwatch Raven
Divine Ritual
Level 2
Category: Warding
Time - 30 minutes
Duration - 24 hours
Cost - 25 gold
Market Price = 100 gold
Key Skill - Religion
The Raven Queen sends a celestial raven to seek out (or watch out) for the dead (and undead). The raven can be used in two ways.

1. It can be sent out in a spiral pattern in search of the dead (or undead0. The caster can specify a person, type or general description (Castle Guard, Halfling, Ghouls,) or more general (any dead, any undead). And send the Raven out. It searches an area with a Perception check bonus equal to the caster's Religion Skill Bonus. The DM should adjudicate the difficulty of spotting dead or undead in the existing conditions (Cover/Concealment). The raven could not spot a body buried underground, but it might spot a dead body inside a house with open windows (if instructed to 'fly low'). Once the target is located, the Raven will return to the caster and lead her (by flying ahead, circling within sight if the caster is unable to follow) unerringly to the target (time permitting). It conveys no other information.
2. It can instructed to watch an area for undead. It doesn't sleep (has low light vision) and can remain in the area for the full 24 hours. It will ignore, all living creatures but upon first sighting an undead, it will caw loudly awaking the caster (and alerting anyone else awake in the area) to the presence of the undead. This application cannot be fine-tuned to particular kinds of undead, and operates roughly as above with the same perception skill. Prevailing cover, concealment and such do apply.

The Raven is tangible and visible, and apart from the abilities outlined above it performs no actions, cannot attack or communicate with others. It defends as if it were a minion with the defenses of the caster (AC, Fort, etc..) If it is hit by any attack that does damage, it disappears.
Special: If this ritual is performed on ground consecrated to the Raven Queen, and if a gem of 100gp value is expended in the ritual, the Raven will be permanent (it will not leave the consecrated ground, the caster needs to be on the consecrated ground to get the special abilities noted above).

Unseen Servant
Level 1
Category: Exploration
Time: 10 minutes
Duration: 24 Hours
Component Cost: 10gp
Market Price: 50gp
Key Skill: Arcane
You conjure an invisible valet to serve you (or a place). This ritual creates an invisible insubstantial force which can perform minor services at your behest. It can perform all the functions of a typical minimally skilled household servant: cooking, cleaning, gathering firewood, mending clothing, and such. It can perform all but the last three functions of the Prestidigitation cantrip. It can move in an area within 10 spaces of the ritual caster (even if he or she is moving) and it has a move of 4 (walking). It can occupy the same space as another creature and move through them (this provokes attacks of opportunity if the servant can be seen or is carrying anything). If the caster moves outside the range and doesn't command the servant to follow, it will disappear ending the spell. Commanding the servant is a minor action. If a command is too complicated or difficult, the servant will do nothing that round until it gets a command it can obey. It can be commanded to repeat actions (such as "collect pieces of firewood in area", or "peel all these potatoes"). No action is necessary on the part of the caster to sustain these actions. It can exert an amount of force for equal to the results of an Arcane check in pounds. A roll of 21 indicates the Unseen Servant can exert 21 pounds of force.
The Unseen Servant cannot attack or impede another in any way (except indirectly by dropping an object or the like). It does not provide flanking. If it takes any damage it is destroyed. All its defenses are 10 (but Invisible). The unseen servant is aware of its surroundings and able to identify creatures and objects as directed by the caster, but not otherwise. For example, an unseen servant can be directed to hand a set of keys to an ally across the room. But it could not be instructed to wait for a creature to enter an area, then light a candle.

Special: If a 200gp gem is used in the ritual, the Unseen Servant can be bound to an area of no more than twice the results of the Arcane Check in contiguous squares. The duration then becomes permanent until dismissed or destroyed. This use can create household servants attached to a particular place rather than person, though they still only obey the caster.

Power Nap (Martial) Level 3
Time: 1 hour
Key Skill: Endurance
Cost (25 per participant)
Market Cost (100+ 25 per participant)
Willing participants fall into a deathly sleep (helpless and not waking for one hour unless they take damage). Upon waking they regain healing surges based on your Endurance check result. However, any regained healing surges do not return until after TWO extended rests.
Endurance Check

• 10 or lower = None (but acts as a short rest)
• 10 - 15 = One Healing Surge
• 16-20 = Two Healing Surges
• 21-25 = Three Healing Surges
• 26-30 = Four Healing Surges
• 31 or more = Five Healing Surges

If the participant is wounded, she must use these immediately (during her sleep) until she is no longer wounded.
ex. Jean (40 hp) is out of healing surges, and is down 15 hit points. She takes part in the Power Nap, and the caster rolls a 25 . She regains three healing surges, but must use two of them immediately to recover full hit points. At the end of the ritual, she is fully healed, and has one healing surge. After one extended rest, she will be down three healing surges (assuming she used the third). After another extended rest she will be back to normal.

Retrieve from the Brink Key Skill (Heal)
Level 4
Time 1-8 hours
Cost: 100
Market Cost: 200
You attempt to revive a creature who has been dead for less than 1 hour. You must begin the ritual before one hour has passed and attend the dead character for the entire casting time (applying ointments, sewing up wounds, etc..). Make a Heal Check, at the end of each hour, you may re-roll to improve the results, or keep them where they are (if you keep them where they are you do not need to make more checks). For each hour that passes you take a -2 to your Heal Check. If you roll lower, the patient deteriorates to the lower level. If you get lower than 20 three times in a row, the person dies and this ritual cannot be tried again.

• Less than 20 = Creature remains or becomes (mostly) dead. (You can continue to roll)
• 20 - 25 = Creature regains consciousness for 1 round and at the end of the round must save to remain conscious each round. If he fails the save, he drops down to (mostly) dead, if he makes the save he remains conscious for one round. During that round however, he can use a second wind if he has any remaining healing surges (or others may apply magical healing, he can drink a potion, etc..).
• 26 - 30 = Creature lives but may take no action until she has made an extended rest and slept for at least 8 hours. After that she is at 0 hitpoints and can recover normally, however she loses two healing surges from her total until she gains a level.
• 31 or above = Creature is restored to 0 hitpoints after an extended rest.

Ex. Harket falls during the battle, but his allies defeat the foes.
Crow begins surgery to retrieve Harket from the edge. The first hour Crow rolls a 10 (+ 11 skill) or 21 on his heal check. Harket regains consciousness and tells the party to bury him in the temple, he used all his healing surges already so he can't make a second wind, he rolls his save and fails. Crow says "live damn you!" and rolls again for another hours worth of surgery, this time rolling a 4 (+11) -2 for the time or 13. Harket's vitals stop. Crow continues to pump his heart and work on him for another hour. This time he rolls a 15 (+11) - 4 or 21, once again Harket glimmers to life. "Go on, leave me here!" he cried. "We won't leave you Harket, you've got to live!" his friend rally. He makes his save and tells people who gets his stuff. Crow digs in for another round of surgery, this time Saul tries to help him. This time he rolls a 19+11+2 (for aid) -6 or 26. Harket appears to be stable. After three hours of surgery, the decide to let him rest. After an extended rest Harket can is at 0 hit points and down two healing surges, but he can heal up and try to survive to next level.

Heroes of the Great Tree Topics
Heroes of the Great Tree	Barsaive • Adepts • NPCs • House Rules
Impossibilities	I-verse background • Player Characters • NPCs • House Rules
Phantapunk	Aeryn Background • Player Characters • NPCs • House Rules
Concrete & Crimson	World Background • Scoobies • NPCs • House Rules
Keep Flying	The 'Verse • The Crew • NPCs • House Rules
Polybius	The World • Investigators • NPCs • House Rules
Labyrinth	The World • PCs • NPCs • House Rules• Leads
Arkham by Cyberlight	The City • The Runners • Everyone Else • House Rules
Keep Flying v2	The 'Verse • The Crew • Other Folk • House Rules
Savage Effect	The Galaxy • The Cliens • Everyone Else • House Rules