Magic Item Free Campaigns

Toddo

Knight
NEPA Staff
Marshal
*Split topic*

Do chapters have to participate in the Ritual treasure system? I know you can't put out more, but what about less? Like zero less.

I may check with the owners about running a sub-campaign where the entire ritual system is absent. "Magic Items" are production scrolls and potions, Greater Earth circles naturally occur in places and are strategic resources that entire Kingdoms will go to war over and Build bought ritual ranks only exist to power high magic. Restricted items/effects can't come in and there is no way to get LCO ones. Clearly the monster database would need minor tweaking, but not so much.

Hmm, I think I might actually see about running a twice or maybe three times a year sub-campaign for a two or three year run. Come up with a really compelling single long arc and run a game J. Michael Straczynski-style.

Is such a campaign actually possible?
 
Not relevant to the actual point of your post, but if it is allowed, I'd be down for playing in this campaign.
 
Guageing interest is also good, gives me more of a "these people want to give you money, can I do this?" angle to work when talking to the HQ leadership team.
 
I think that its totally possible so long as your plot team writes in solutions to problems that usualy get "magiced away." It would require a really flexible plot team and a really clever player base but it'd be awesome.
 
Magic still exists, wizards would be SCARY in this campaign. But I'm reasonably confident I can find a team of writers who would melt your eyeballs with awesome plot if given an opportunity to play in this type of sandbox.
 
I see two options:

  • 1. Have two plot teams for one chapter. Treasure Policy can be spread over several events so you could disperse your scrolls / reagents from one plot team over the events of the other plot team. This would practically double the ritual output of the second plot team, though.

    2. Still have rituals in your campaign, but only put out rituals with duration of "Instant", Summoning rituals, Transform to Undead rituals, and extenders for those Transform to Undead rituals.

I would think #2 would be easiest. That way folks with Formal could still do rituals (which is their primary purpose).

The rituals I would recommend having in your database for this campaign would be:
  • Audible Projection
  • Banish to <plane>
  • Conjure Artifact
  • Contact Other Plane
  • Curse of Undeath
  • Destroy Magic <Aspect>
  • Gift of Life
  • Investiture/Divestiture
  • Lore
  • Obliterate
  • Permanent Duration
  • Planar Asylum
  • Planar Gate
  • Preserve Duration
  • Racial Transformation
  • Resist Destroy Magic (Spirit only?)
  • Ritual of Woe (if you have Vampires, otherwise don't include it)
  • Spirit Forge
  • Spirit Walk?
  • Summon <X>
  • Transform to <X>
  • Vision
  • Whispering Wind

Otherwise, if there are no magic items, why would someone fight over a Permanent Celestial Circle?
 
They wouldn't exist. ;)

I'd much rather run it if I can cut out that treasure entirely. If that's impossible then I'll explore alternatives.

Good thoughts though, something to consider if plan A doesn't work.
 
Regen and CSS, not unless required.

Undead, maybe. They might not like the modified card though. :p
 
I'd love to see this in a land of "exceptional adventurers."

"Earth caster? Well, we've heard of those, but never met one... They're real?"

"Did you just throw a fireball? How'd you do that?"

I don't know what you're picturing Toddo, but I love the idea of casters being rare enough that they're treated like a celebrity.
 
There are a few ways you can go. I've got ideas brewing.

Just when I thought I was out...
 
For what it sounds like you want to do, your best bet would probably be to run a separate campaign at an already existing chapter and (as mentioned above) exclude the ritual scrolls and items during your events by diverting them to the primary campaign for the chapter.

Actually (warning, I’m about to get a head of myself now), it would be very cool if this were a roving East Coast campaign, held at several different chapters throughout any given season. Also, might be a nice little mission for that EC plot team we talked about forming way back. I know I’d be game for being on it.
 
I'm game. In fact, my pen has already met the paper...
 
Is there any reason that the rit treasure needs to be redistributed? My understanding of the treasure policy is you are given a cap based on attendance by the treasure generator but can put out less. "None" is a lot of less.

While I like the idea of a roving campaign, it presents barriers to the kind of tight, focussed long-form story I'd want to tell. Having a consistent OOG location means that the playerbase would be able to be consistent without having to worry about going to (for example) Gettysbury one event and then New Hampshire for the next one.

Though if you want to do a roving game as well I'm SO on that!
 
The reason I'm leery of redistributing rit treasure is I don't want to turn the attached main campaign into a loot pinata.
 
The only caveats I see are the following (assuming no ritual magic is allowed in the campaign) :

- This kind of campaign would need some sort of plot for celestial casters (be they outcasts, 'unicorns' or otherwise), or you're making the decision to not include a rit ranks 'end game' for them.
- Making a decision regarding Spirit Targeted rituals (Regen, CSS, Arcane if its bundled etc etc.).
- The decision made about outsiders coming in, and how your 'town/outpost/place' will react to PCs who will have and share information about these things that work elsewhere. Unless you cap it that characters can only be from these lands, you'll run into a lot of 'well, where I'm from we have these things..' RP. It would be interesting if the campaign had that 'must make new character that does not travel' policy, but I'm not sure how the player base would respond to it.

Other than that, its a pretty cool idea :) I'd definitely give it a shot.

-Ali
 
Cel casters would be brutally strong if protectives are less common. Ruling class strong. Double-tap Prison is goodnight non-backpacked fighter.

Besides a level cap you can't bar transfers, and I'm super ok with that. :)
 
Alternately, the effect that nullifies ritual magic is so pervasive that folks don't remember that those things are possible while within those lands. Your mind justifies why you always have those objects on you.

"Why do I really love this napkin ring? Well.. 'cause it's a really good napkin ring..."
 
I've got no problem with visitors remembering, the "oh *%#^, where's my stuff?" Effect would be fun to see play out.
 
How would you handle the CSS/Regen issue then? (Not to get hung up on something...)

When that individual takes a death, does that work as normal? Or would it be something wherein if I have burned 8 charges, there are 8 stones in my deathbag?

Its definitely a complication worth figuring out :)

-Ali
 
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