Judges Guild Universal System

I remember the use of the Judges Guild Universal System in their products.  I downloaded a pdf file of the system a few months ago.  I just remembered it earlier and I was curious if anybody knows if it is free for use by others outside of Judges Guild?  Does it require a licensing agreement or is it open?  I tried to find some details but could not.

Spotlight on Talislanta

I came to the RPG/OSR blog scene later than many others so this has probably been covered before but I thought I would just give a shout out to one of the games that you should play if you have not already done so.

The image above is from the second edition of the Talislanta Handbook and Campaign Guide.  I bought this slim volume one summer day because I was looking for something different in fantasy gaming.  I have been a fan of the game and world ever since. Talislanta occupies a spot on my short list of games I would want with me if I was stranded on an island.  Rather than bore you with any details or recollections - I am sure there has plenty of them about this game - I will just point out the most important web resource for Talislanta.

The Library is the storehouse of free pdf files for most (all?) of the rules and resource volumes released in the life of the Talislanta game.  It is a shame that Talislanta is no longer in print but it is awesome that the  creator has made all of this stuff available for free.  If you have never visited the site or explored the world and rules of Talislanta, follow the link and enjoy.

[Toldara] Half-Orc changes (new school version)

This is the original version of the changes to the Half-Orc race for the Toldara campaign.  Of course, it was written in the format of the "third edition of the world's most famous fantasy role-playing game".  This will be updated with a Pathfinder and a Microlite20 version in the future but this is a good start. 

The following information is considered 100% Open Game Content.  The use of such material is governed by the Open Game License.


Half-Orc


I have previously mentioned the background changes to the Half-Orc race in this post.  The other changes are listed below.


HALF-ORC RACIAL TRAITS (in addition to the traits listed in core rulebook I)

• +2 racial bonus on Intimidate checks.
• Social Stigma: Half-Orcs have a – 2 penalty to Diplomacy checks and also receive no skill synergy bonuses related to Diplomacy checks.  

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re: OSR Community Starter 2

As promised, here are my thoughts on what would go into an OSR Community Starter.

Credit Where Credit Is Due
First things first, this is not my original idea.  The genesis of this product happened at this sub-forum on the OD&D Discussion forums.  I take no credit for this idea.  The following is just my collected thoughts if I were to be involved in this project.

Focus
The intent of this product should be to introduce role-playing games to people that are interested but have never played or are now returning to the hobby after an absence.  I think there are two ways to approach this:

1. Tailor the product to focus on the interested individual.  The only thing a single person would require is the product itself and some dice.
2. Tailor the product to focus on a small group that shows interest in role-playing games.  

There is merit to both of these ideas.  It would be great to design this for a group but my initial gut reaction is to tailor it towards an individual.  Something like a "more involved version" of the old Choose Your Own Adventure books.  Plus, that would keep the page count lower.

Some would say that a quick start version of an existing game would serve this purpose well.  I am aware of and have some of the quick starts that are available.  They are fine products but I believe they are best used by people that have role-playing experience but just want to try out a different game.  I envision an OSR Community Starter being the product you grab when one of your non-gamer friends asks "What is this D&D stuff anyway?".


Game System
There are several OSR style games that could be trimmed down a little bit for a starter package but I think there is a better option.  I think a minimalist system specifically designed around showing the play options available in the starter package would be best.  There is no need to explain more than what is necessary to play in the adventure included in the starter.


Dice
I think it would be best to design the OSR starter system around 2D6 or some other D6 only system.  By keeping with the D6, interested players can just go to a set of Yahtzee, Monopoly, RISK, or some other similar game and grab the dice out of it.  No worries about an interested player needing to scrounge up a D20 to try out some role-playing fun.

Here are a few ideas about organizing this hypothetical starter package:


Introduction
Of course, there would need to be a short introductory section explaining what role-playing is all about and how to do it.

Characters
I think that character creation should be mentioned but not detailed in the starter.  Instead, players should be able to choose from 3 to 5 pre-generated characters that they can play through the adventure; maybe a Dwarf Warrior, Human Mage, Elf Ranger, or some other combination of chooses.  These characters should be presented in a 2 column format with the character information on the left and the some notes on the rules in the right column.  There could be arrows or matching numbers that the player could reference to remember how to perform tasks and other things in the game.

Adventure
I think the adventure should avoid the wide open freedom involved in full-fledged games and use a setup similar to the old Choose Your Own Adventure game books.  Yes, this will be somewhat of a railroad sort of adventure but it will get the point across.  Only the monsters and treasure needed for the adventure will be included in the starter.

What's Next?
For players that enjoyed the experience and want to know about their options.  There are several choices:

• Further solo adventures for people that want to try it again without worrying about gathering a group for play.  There would need to be new monsters detailed in this product.
• An adventure designed for group play.  This would basically be like the solo game but would also introduce the role of the game master and the adventure options would be wide open instead of programmed like the solo adventure.  There would be additional monsters and treasures detailed in this product.
• A website with the complete rules of the system outlined in the solo adventure.
• A short section detailing other OSR games that are available and their websites. 

There are my ideas for the OSR Community Starter.  What are your ideas?

re: OSR Community Starter 1

Over on the OD&D Discussion forums I have been checking up on this thread about an OSR Community Starter project.  The discussion has gone back and forth with no real consensus among the people involved.  In a nutshell, some people want a stripped down version of an existing product while others want to use expanded pre-generated characters; there was at least one person that offered up a system he had designed to serve this purpose.  I pretty much have a full plate as far as RPG projects go but I do have some ideas for designing such a product. I am not going to detail them in this post but there will be a follow up post that shows an outline and examples of what I would do.  If anyone would be interested in helping, let me know.  It should not be too difficult to make this thing a reality.

TO BE CONTINUED...

[Toldara] Oranian (new school version)

This is the original version of the Oranian race entry for the Toldara campaign.  Of course, it was written in the format of the "third edition of the world's most famous fantasy role-playing game".  This will be updated with a Pathfinder and a Microlite20 version in the future but this is a good start.  This was another contribution that Alex, my co-designer, made to the Toldara campaign.

The following information is considered 100% Open Game Content.  The use of such material is governed by the Open Game License.

Oranians

Oranians are a bird-like race from the Oran Mountains. They are able to fly just as well as they can walk, in fact, flying is their preferred method of travel, as it is much faster. They love music and poetry. In fact, the best poets and musicians in the land are Oranians.

Personality: Oranians are poets and philosophers, musicians and knowledge seekers. Because of their ability to fly, they can travel easily to other lands. This has allowed them to hear the legends and histories of other races, as well as see their own culture. They have grown to love such interaction, always searching to learn more about something, whether it be the location of a mythical artifact, or the play time rituals of a human child. They often write songs or poetry about their findings. They are usually always cheerful, and are delighted to learn any tidbit of information.

Physical Discription: Oranians are tall and mostly humanoid in shape. They stand from 5 ½ to 7 feet tall, and usually weigh between 175 and 300 pounds. They are completely covered in feathers, except for their feet and hands, which are talons, and the top of their heads, which has something that can be called hair, though it resembles feathers as much as it does hair. They also have eagle-like wings on their backs, and generally have a wingspan equal to their height. Their heads are shaped more like a bird's head, than a human head, complete with a beak. Oranians who stick to their own race's clothing traditions wear elegant robes with golden support bars for structure and holes in the back for their wings. Their feathers come in all manner of colors, from the browns of a hawk, to the grays of a pigeon, to the rainbow colors of a parrot. They achieve adulthood at 50 years, and they have no known lifespan, as no Oranian has ever died of old age. Whether this is because they die of other causes before they are able to, or because they simply don't grow old is unknown. The oldest known Oranian was 986 years old.

Relations: Oranians make a point of getting along well with other races. They love to observe and learn about the culture of other races, and are more than happy to share their own culture. For the most part, they find the other races amusing, but they find all of them fascinating.

Alignment: Oranians tend strongly toward Good, and it is very rare to find an evil one. However, their are just as many that are Lawful as there are that are Chaotic.

Oranian Lands: Oranians make their homes in the averies of the Oran Mountains. They often go abroad into other lands for fun and adventure, but the Oran Mountains are the only place they feel comfortable calling home.

Religion: Oranians mostly worship the wind god, Metorlogis. However, some become so fascinated by other races, that they take on the religions of those races.

Language: The native language is Auran, the language of air-based creatures, but they also speak Elven, as most of their songs and poems are written in Elven.

Names: Oranians used to have names specific to their race, but they have been influenced by other races to the point that they no longer have any naming traditions of their own. Instead, they use the names and traditions of other races.

Adventurers: Oranians love to adventure. They are always looking for some bit of history or myth to unveil. They will almost always find a party to adventure with, and will try to pick one that is as varied in the races that make it up as possible, so that they may learn all they can. Also, there is no better material for writing poems and songs than a grand adventure.

ORANIAN RACIAL TRAITS

• +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, +2 Intelligence, -2 Strength, -2 Constitution: Oranians are agile, have excellent awareness due to their animal senses, and are quite smart due to their lust for knowledge. However, their hollow bones and unique body structure make them weak and frail.
• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, Oranians have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Oranian base land speed is 30 feet. Air speed is 80 feet (agile).
• Eagle's Sight: Oranians have excellent eyesight. Because of this, they can see twice as far as other races can in the same conditions.
• Low-light Vision: Oranians can see just as far in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination as they can in daylight. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• +2 racial bonuses and Spot and Search checks. Their eyesight is so good that if they have line-of-sight to a secret door, they are entitled to a Search check as if they were actively searching for the door.
• Unique Body-Type: Oranians have a unique body type that other races do not have (mostly because of the wings). For this reason, Oranians can only wear clothes and armor that is specifically made for them, whether it be custom made, or from a shop that sells Oranian goods. Such shops are not found just anywhere, and are usually just in large cities.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Auran, and Elven. Bonus Languages: All except Halfling and Druid. Oranians learn the languages, as well as the cultures, of those they study. Only the super secret languages are unknown to them.
• Favored Class: Bard. A multiclassed Oranian's bard class does not count when determining whether he suffers from an XP penalty for multiclassing. Writing songs and poems is what they do.

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[Toldara] Karnin (new school version)

This is the original version of the Karnin race entry for the Toldara campaign.  Of course, it was written in the format of the "third edition of the world's most famous fantasy role-playing game".  This will be updated with a Pathfinder and a Microlite20 version in the future but this is a good start.  This was the first contribution that Alex, my co-designer, made to the Toldara campaign.

The following information is considered 100% Open Game Content.  The use of such material is governed by the Open Game License.

Karnin

Karnin keep to themselves for the most part. They welcome visitors warmly, regardless of race. All they ask from visitors is to put aside their differences while in Karnin territory.

They see themselves as the rightful protectors of the wilderness and all those who live there. However, they consider the civilized world as part of the wilderness, as it is no more tamed to them than a beaver's dam, or a bear's cave. Cities and towns, to the Karnin, are nothing more than human shelters.

Personality: Karnin are honorable creatures, who value their personal and clan honor greatly. They can be a bit arrogant, especially when regarding their perceived Guardians of the Wildernesses duties, and often look down on members of other races as lesser beings. At the same time, they do not judge other races, as they cannot help their inferiority.

Karnin are not greedy, wanting only what they need. They prefer trade to currency, as currency seems to them like an unnecessary burden, however, they will use and accept currency when needed.

Karnin take their responsibilities seriously, real or perceived. If someone brakes the rules, the Karnin will ensure that justice is served. This is not to say that they impose their rules on others, except when the others are visitors in Karnin territory. They honor the laws of whatever town or other such community they happen to be in, but they enforce those laws as well. Karnin do not start wars, except with Anshus, who they have a great hatred for, but they will end them. If Orcs plan to raid a human settlement, the Karnin will stop them. However, if humans plan to slay a band of orc without proper reasons, the Karnin will stop the humans.

Physical Description: Karnin typically stand 6 to 7 feet tall while on the pads of their feet, and about 6 inches shorter while standing normally, the females being a bit shorter. They look like a cross between a human and a wolf. They are covered in fur that is usually a blueish gray, except for the fur on their chest and stomach, which is white, and some have white patches, usually over the shoulders or behind the ears. Other colors of fur are red, black, brown, black with brown patches, and white. Their faces have snouts, like that of a wolf, except that they are more broad. Karnin tend to have dark colored eyes, such as brown, but gray and even gold are not uncommon. Most Karnin wear little clothing, as their fur acts as much the same thing for the most part. However, the druids will often wear animal skin coats as a symbol of their position. Karnin stand upright and flat footed as humans do normally, but when they start to run, they run on the pads of their feet, like wolves.

Relations: Karnin get along well with everybody at first, but as one gets to know a Karnin, his true feelings are revealed. Karnin generally see other races as inferior, or as children needing their protection. However, these "Children" they see as their own, and take very good care of them, and even enjoy their company, even when they don't enjoy the company of the Karnin.

Alignments: Karnin are almost always Lawful Good, and usually to an annoying extreme. This is because those who are chaotic are usually exiled, and those who are evil are usually killed. Karnin believe strongly in their duties and convictions, and do not normally tolerate those within their race who don't.

Karnin Lands: Karnin live everywhere, and a different clan looks over each type of land.

Religion: The Karnin worship Galador, the God of Good, Lilithan, the Goddess of Law, and Calian, the Goddess of Nature.

Language: The Karnin language is fairly primitive, consisting mostly of growls, barks, howls, and roars. Very few people bother to learn Karninic, as all Karnin speak Common as well.

Names: Karnin are named at birth, much like humans, and also inherit their clan name. Their clan name is determined by which clan they were born to.

Male Names: Karnak, Fildar, Morthunk, Forgnik, Fido, Zefnar, Guroul

Female Names: Kiko, Fifi, Narkusa, Vikaga, Karnika, Lupinia

Clan Names: Grrahl (plains), Harul (mountains), Snouk (swamp), Tinkor (forest),

Paunti (desert), Blikarok (arctic/high altitude), Rulac (Ruling clan)

Adventurers: Karnin adventure, usually, as a way to prove themselves, either to themselves or to their clan. Those with a chaotic alignment are usually searching for their place after being exiled from their homes. Those with an evil alignment are usually out to destroy what the Karnin are trying to do.

KARNIN RACIAL TRAITS

• +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity: Karnin are tough, but their canine features get in the way of mobility.
• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, Karnin have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Karnin base land speed is 40 feet.
• +2 to Listen checks: The Karnin have canine senses, and hear very well.
• Scent(Ex): Karnin have the Scent ability as stated on page 10 in the Monster Manual. Karnin can smell things 30 feet off, 60 if upwind, 15 if downwind. Stronger scents double the range, and overpowering scents triple the range. A partial action can be taken to determine the direction of the smell. Karnin can track smells using Scent.
• Frightful Presence(Ex): Karnin are man beasts that can be a frightful sight to behold when they choose. Rules for Frightful Presence on page 8 of core rulebook III.
• +2 racial bonus on Animal Empathy & Wilderness Lore checks: Karnin do not only live in the wilds, they are a part of it.
• Natural weaponry: Karnin have clawed fingers that can be used to inflict 1d4 damage.
• Automatic Languages: Common & Karninic. Bonus Languages: Orc, Goblin, Draconic, Elven, Gnoll, & Sylvan. Smart Karnin know the languages of the local creatures.
• Favored Class: Druid. A multiclassed Karnin's Druid class does not count when determining whether he suffers an XP penalty for multiclassing.  

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[Toldara] Anshu (new school version)

This is the original version of the Anshu race entry for the Toldara campaign.  Of course, it was written in the format of the "third edition of the world's most famous fantasy role-playing game".  This will be updated with a Pathfinder and a Microlite20 version in the future but this is a good start.  I think the traits are pretty decent as far as design but the descriptive text in some of the entries could probably use some work.


The following information is considered 100% Open Game Content.  The use of such material is governed by the Open Game License.

Anshu

Anshus are renowned for their abilities to hunt and track in the woods. Human armies typically have atleast one Anshu scout. Anshus are fairly strict traditionalists and believe their homelands will provide most of their needs. Anshus are typically slow to form bonds with outsiders but when they do, have proven to be steadfast allies. Upon betrayal or when their homelands are threatened, anshus have proven to be just as powerful adversaries.

Personality: Anshus are never quick to make any decision concerning others; slow to judge or trust outsiders. Those that gain the trust and friendship of an Anshu have gained a faithful companion. Anshus have a deep respect for tradition and generally oppose random change.

Physical Description: Anshus typically stand between 5 and 6 feet tall weighing from 125 to 175 pounds with a generally slim, athletic build. Their features are basically feline with fur that is often brown or yellow in color and even a tail. Anshus reach maturity at the age of 14 years and can live to be 90 years of age.

Relations: Anshus have been in a centuries long war with the Karnins. There are periods of peace between them but the truces are uneasy at best. Eventually, the hostilities seem to be always be triggered again. Anshus share a deep mutual respect of nature with the Elves and often trade goods with them. Anshus get along well with Humans except when they get greedy and try to expand into their lands.

Alignments: Anshus are usually lawful, and they tend toward neutral. Adventuring anshus may not fit the typical mold of anshun society.

Anshu Lands: Although Anshus can be found in most places, the largest anshu populations are typically located in the forests and plains.

Religion: The chief diety of the Anshus is Kitta, the Den Mother. She is the origin of all anshus in the world. They also revere numerous smaller gods in charge of such things as the seasons, hunting, food, etc.

Language: Anshus communicate with each other by a somewhat primitive language consisting of various feline like sounds. Many anshus have learned common as well. Most other races can not seem to master the anshu language.

Names: Anshus have three names. The first name is given at birth by the parents, the second name comes from the tribe, and the third name is awarded by the tribe elders based on the greatest aptitude or accomplishment of the individual.

Adventurers: Most anshus that travel outside of their lands do so to avenge some wrong committed against their people or to help curb the influence of evil in the world.

ANSHU RACIAL TRAITS

• +2 Dexterity, -2 Consitution: Anshus are quick and agile to compensate for being somewhat frail.
• Medium-Size: As Medium-size creatures, anshus have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Anshu base land speed is 40 feet.
• Low-Light Vision: Anshus can see twice as far as humans in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and dress in these conditions.
• Natural Weaponry: Anshus have clawed fingers that can be used to inflict 1D4 damage.
• +2 racial bonus on Balance, Climb, and Tumble checks: Anshus are surefooted and agile.
• +2 racial bonus on Animal Empathy and Wilderness Lore checks: Anshus do not only live in the wilds, they are a part of it.
• +2 racial bonus on Listen checks: Anshus have keen ears.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Anshunti. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblic, and Orc. Smart Anshus learn the languages of their friends and enemies.
• Favored Class: Ranger. A multiclassed Anshu's ranger class does not count when determining whether he suffers an XP penalty for multiclassing.

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Player Character Races of Toldara

The Toldara campaign not only uses the standard races presented in the core rules - with some modifications - but also allows more options for player characters.  A quick summary of these races and changes is detailed below.

• Anshu: A humanoid feline race.
• Goblin: Not all of the Goblins are minions of evil; some have risen to great heroic deeds. 
• Half-Orc: The Half-Orc race is not a simple mix of human and orc; some details can be found in this post.
• Human: In addition to the statistics presented in the core rules, the ability scores of a human character are generated by rolling 7 sets of scores and choosing the 6 scores to use.
• Karnin: A canine humanoid race.
• Oranian: A winged bird-like humanoid race from the Oran mountain regions.
• Slarn: A reptilian or lizard like race of humanoids.

The Anshu and Karnin are often at odds with each other.  Their nations have been in a constant cycle of war with intermittent periods of peace but something seems to always ingnite the feud again.  Individual members of each race are, of course, able to over prejudices or preconceived notions when it comes to members of the other race.

The Goblin started out as a one person experiment in Alex's game.  It was such a success that other people wanted to play goblins occasionally also.  Part of the history of Toldara is the first age had a war between the gods of light and the gods of darkness.  Members of the goblin race discovered that being a minion of the gods of darkness wasn't what it was cracked up to be.

The Half-Orc origin is a result of my personal dislike for the often used rape or spoils of war origin of the race so I came up with the explanation I use in the Toldara campaign.

The Human characters getting an extra roll during ability score generation was just done to give them further advantage for lack of any real special abilities.

For information on the Oranian race, Alex is the best source of information.

In regards to the Slarn race, I am not sure whether to do a full fledged write up or just use the lizard man entry and do some background tinkering like the Half-Orc or something similar in the timeline to the Goblins of Toldara.

At Commentator, Headed for Thinker...

It seems I have had a recent spike in the number of followers.  Specifically, I have doubled in the last two weeks.  According to the ranking system found in these old posts at Cyclopeatron and From the Sorcerer's Skull I am at 4th level.  I'm almost half way to name level :-).

On a serious note, thanks to everyone that joined the blog.  The current college semester ends in a few weeks and things should pick up around here.  If anyone is interested in helping with any of the projects I have mentioned, feel free to speak up.  I always seem to work better with a partner on those sorts of things.

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edit - "bog" should have been "blog" - d'oh!