Aria of Ruin PnP - Compendium

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Cimeries
Lumberjack (Developer)
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Aria of Ruin PnP - Compendium

Post by Cimeries »

Lore:
  • Korsgrad
    Korsgrad is a small hunting and farming community that was at one point part of the thanedom of Escal. The town borders a massive forest to its south, and is approximately two days travel on foot, southwest from Vileind. Korsgrad had recently been destroyed completely with the appearance of a strange massive stone obelisk of unknown origin. The party of Nica, Ginny and Oz were sent from Capitol to investigate this occurrence.
Game Mechanics:
  • Spellpoints
    A spellpoint is a spellcaster's fuel - it represents an arbitrary amount of mana required for casting a single spell, held by the caster. (Unless otherwise stated, all spells require a single spell point to cast).
    The maximum amount of spellpoints a spellcaster can hold equals to their INT score - meaning that only those with a positive INT score can cast spells under normal circumstances. Spellpoints recover naturally by resting and meditating.
  • Combat Resolved - Bonus Exp
    To reward good combat strategy and problem solving, bonus experience points are awarded at the end of encounters, based on how your characters performed and what feats they accomplished. The amounts will always be small but they add up over time. Here are some of the types of conduct that will award extra Exp:

    Tactics: Your character will be awarded some extra Exp for good strategy during a fight, for thinking outside the box, taking advantage of the environment and conditions.

    Combo: This is awarded for performing impressive ability or attack combinations - usually by mixing major and minor actions in a single turn into a fluid combat feat - for example, using an ability to swerve behind an enemy and then attack it from the back in the same turn, or activating a pair of attacks in sequence that together result in a more impressive action or result.

    Overkill: Dealing massive amounts of damage in combat, so much that your enemies' HP drops significantly below 0 will award extra Exp as well. The rate is +1 Exp per -5 HP.

    Roleplay: Not so much involving strategy, this type of bonus Exp is awarded for playing out your character with verbosity and giving compelling RP during combat. Detailing your character's thoughts during a combat turn is a good way to get more of this.
    Writing combat posts with nothing but "X does Y", while perfectly acceptable, simply means you will not earn this type of bonus Exp.

    Healing: Restoring HP for allies whose HP is below the max.
  • Formation
    Your character's formation represents their physical position in the group during a fight, and places some limitations on how they can act, or how they can be acted against.
    In most instances, your party will fight in a way that can be represented as a simple row formation consisting of a [Front] and a [Cover] row, and most enemy parties will follow the same trend.

    [Front] acts as the front line, and is where the more hardy melee fighters perform best. The [Front] row can use melee attacks against the enemy row directly in front of it, I.E the opponent party [Front].
    [Cover] row is the rear of the formation, and, as implied from the above, cannot be attacked with standard melee attacks by the enemy. Cover is a good place for more fragile, ranged-attack focused units, as they will only have to deal with the enemy's own ranged attacks, (with some exceptions, of course)

    A few other formation mechanics you should be aware of:
    1. When no party members are in the [Front], any existing [Cover] party members default to become the new [Front] row.
    2. A party with a small [Front] row with less members than those in [Cover] is an ineffective formation dynamic - and it means that the enemy will have the opportunity to melee those [Cover]ed units if they can pass a successful maneuver check against the [Front].
    3. [Flyer] enemies always treat your [Cover] row as if the [Front] was ineffective, giving them the same opportunity to attack [Cover]ed units with a maneuver. [Flyer]s in the [Front] can only be melee'd with a successful maneuver for the same reason.
    4. Sometimes you will be able to gain [High Ground] - in this instance your entire party will act as a successfully [Cover]ed formation row and both [Front] and [Cover] will be unreachable with melee attacks unless the enemy manages to close the height gap or is a [Flyer]. Watch out for instances where the enemy may gain [High Ground] against you.
    5. [Flank] row is a row that exists behind the other party's [Cover], and the [Front]/[Cover] dynamics are reversed when dealing with [Flank]ing units, which means that the [Cover] of the defending party is wide open for melee attacks, and the [Front] of the defending party is unable to attack the aggressor's [Flank] with their own melee. This formation is usually achieved by an ambush or some other strategy or turn of events.
    A [Flank] cannot exist unless the same party also has at least a [Front] row as well. If only the [Flank] remains, it defaults to becoming a new [Front] on its own.
    6. To deal with a [Flank] situation, you can split a party into [Front], [Cover] and [Rear], to put distance between the aggressor [Flank] and your vulnerable units. In this instance the [Front] and [Rear] will act as melee buffers for the [Cover] in the center, but rule 2 above applies here still - if the [Front]/[Rear] is numerically smaller than the [Cover], the [Cover] can be melee'd with maneuvers from that direction.
    7. A unit wielding a Polearm-type weapon can always use it to attack units 1 row further apart with a maneuver, if they wish.
    8. Changing a unit's formation will cost that unit a minor action, and can only be done as long as there's formation continuity - I.E, you will not be able to move from [Front] to [Flank] freely, as there are enemy units between these two rows, but you can move from [Front] to [Rear] in a 3-row formation and pass through [Cover] without stopping there.
    9. Formation rules apply to both player and NPC parties equally, unless modified by an ability or some other circumstance, use this fact to make the most out of you formation when engaging an enemy party.
[/list]
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Cimeries
Lumberjack (Developer)
Lumberjack (Developer)
Posts: 7720
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:56 am

Re: Aria of Ruin PnP - Compendium

Post by Cimeries »

Bestiary:
(Click the monster icon to see the monster's introductory illustration)
  • Image | Carrion Stag
    • Stress [ Combat Feature ]
      When a C.Stag's strss hits 200, one of two things may happen:
      Virtue: Enraged - Stress drops back to 100, C.Stag gains +2 INIT, +4 damage and HIT. All other combatants gain 10-20 stress. C.Stag regains his Howling ability and Leap and Ram attacks.
      Affliction: Lethargy - Stress drops back to 100, C.Stag loses 1 Init, 2 HIT and 2 AC, loses his Howling ability and Leap and Ram attacks.
    • Kick Attack [ Active ]
      If this attack connects, the target must pass a VIT+STR check against the stag's MR or be knocked back 1 formation row. Failing the check by more than 10 drops the target to the floor.
    • Ram Attack [ Active ]
      This attack must be performed from a distance of 2 formation rows. This attack has +2 HIT and damage. If the C.Stag has horns, he may perform a maneuver for each horn to deal another 1d6 damage, starting at 10 DC and increasing by 04 for every consecutive horn.
  • Image | Hollow
    • Dark Brand [ Active ]
      Marks a single enemy. Targets marked by a Hollow take 1 more damage from Hollow attacks. This mark is cumulative, but is cleared after combat. Minor action.
    • Burn Out [ Active ]
      The Hollow destroys itself, inflicting 2d8 damage and 2d8 stress to all enemies in the front row.
    • Aura of Despair [ Passive ]
      Passively apply n+1 Stress to all nearby combatants (friend and foe) every turn.
  • Image | Watcher
    • Tendrils [ Combat Feature ]
      A watcher starts combat with a set number of tendrils. Tendrils allow the watcher to cast spells and as such its casting rolls and spell potency are determined by the number of tendrils it has.
      Individual Tendrils have 5 HP and can be cut down and additionally incur 5-10 stress when this happens.
      The watcher will not be able to melee or cast spells if he has no tendrils left. (But may still use <<Unknown>> and Devour Mana)
      Arcane Armor spells protect the tendrils as well and must be broken before the tendrils can be damaged.
      "Overkilling" the arcane armor while targeting the tendril can work to damage it.
      Attacking the watcher in regular melee has a [Tendrilx2]% chance of hitting a tendril without maneuver.
      An unsuccessful maneuver targeting the tendrils has a [Tendril]% chance to hit them anyway (hitting another tendril by accident).
    • Devour Mana [ Active ]
      Attack with 2d3 damage, VIT check DC 05 to prevent silence, DC 07 to 1d3 damage, DC 10 to resist damage, DC 14 to resist all effects.
      Steals 1 Spell point from victim, silences them for a turn, reduces watcher's stress by 10. This is a minor action.
    • Tendril Strike [ Passive ]
      A watcher uses all of his tendrils to perform melee attacks simultaneously. Every attack that connects also causes 1 stress.
    • Nightmare Fuel [ Passive ]
      +1 Damage per 10 points of stress difference between the watcher and its target.
    • Psychosomatic Mutation [ Passive ]
      If the Watcher hits 50 stress, it will grow 2 additional tendrils and gain 2 SP. This will repeat again at 100 and 150 stress.
      At 200 stress, stress resets to 100 and all of the watcher's tendrils will wither and fall, it will lose all ability uses, and its minor action capability, excluding for purposes of <<Unknown>>.
      If the watcher reaches 200 stress a second time, it will die instantly.
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Cimeries
Lumberjack (Developer)
Lumberjack (Developer)
Posts: 7720
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:56 am

Re: Aria of Ruin PnP - Compendium

Post by Cimeries »

Crafting:
  • (Potion) Psycho-Mutagen [ Watcher Blood, 1 Spell Point ]
    Drinking this concoction adds a delayed healing effect that restores 10 HP and 2 Spell Points. The effect triggers once the user's stress hits 50, and again at 100 and at 150. If the user rests, the effect is removed but stress will increase by 5.
    INT based crafting.
  • (Weapon) Keratin Knife [ C.Stag Horn or C.Stag Claw or C.Stag Hoof x02 ]
    1d4 damage, +1 HIT, Melee/Ranged. This natural beastly weapon was honed to a point and balanced for throwing. Being made from a natural substance, it is unaffected by corrosion, rust or extreme temperatures.
    DEX based crafting.
:wink:
Cimeries
Lumberjack (Developer)
Lumberjack (Developer)
Posts: 7720
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:56 am

Re: Aria of Ruin PnP - Compendium

Post by Cimeries »

Quests:
Restless Nights - Completed!
  • The Garrison guards in Korsgrad have been complaining of monstrous, frightening howling at night, coming from the forests to the south.
  • Nica, Ginny and Oz set out to investigate and hopefully find the creature and slay it, putting an end to the blood curdling howls and allowing Korsgrad some restful sleep.
  • The party came across three cannibalistic stag monstrosities, and after a gruesome battle, managed to slay them.
  • The Garrison learned what lurked in the dark that day.
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Cimeries
Lumberjack (Developer)
Lumberjack (Developer)
Posts: 7720
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:56 am

Re: Aria of Ruin PnP - Compendium

Post by Cimeries »

Spells:
  • Arc Bolt
    Strikes a single enemy with a bolt of lightning. The bolt has Int Hit and deals 3d3+Wil damage.
    On attack rolls of 6 or more, the bolt will chain to a random nearby enemy dealing 2d3+Wil damage on the first chain, and 1d3+Wil any consecutive times after that.
  • Cyclone
    Creates 1d3 + INT/3 Wind blades dealing 1d4 + WIL damage. Blades have INT HIT bonus.
  • Darkmatter Vortex
    All enemies must make a WIL+VIT check vs the caster's INT. If they succeed they take 1d3 damage. if they fail they will take 1d3 damage per turn for WIL turns.
  • Entropy Bolt
    Attack an enemy with a strange bolt of chaotic energy. The bolt has Wil+Dex Hit and reduces the victim's AC and Hit by Int.
    The victim will take 1 Dmg and 5 Stress every turn until they have taken the same amount that their AC and Hit were reduced by.
  • Life Sense
    The caster is able to telepathically sense all living beings within a radius of approximately INT+PER meter.
  • Light
    Creates a floating orb of radiance to act as a source of light for the caster. The orb will accompany the caster for several hours before fizzling out, and may be dismissed manually.
  • Sonic Clap
    All enemies must make a VIT check vs the caster's WIL or be stunned for a turn and lose their AC dodge bonus.
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Cimeries
Lumberjack (Developer)
Lumberjack (Developer)
Posts: 7720
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:56 am

Re: Aria of Ruin PnP - Compendium

Post by Cimeries »

B.K abilities:
  • Aura of Vigilance [Hollow]
    Bestows Ginny with an aura of Vigilance, reducing all party member stress by n+1 per turn. Party members with 0 stress recover HP equal to 25% (min 1) of the stress reduction value. This ability ends and resets once combat has ended, and cannot stack with itself. Free action.
  • Catharsis Drive [Hollow]
    A melee attack that deals +1d4 damage per 5 accumulated stress, has +1 critical threat per 15 stress, and reduces Ginny's stress by 5 if it hits.
  • First Strike [???]
    Strikes first in the current combat turn, disregarding INIT.
  • Lacerate [Carrion Stag]
    A melee attack performed with a technique aimed to rend flesh, targeting at a critical blood vessel.
    Target Bleeds for 5+[2xDEX]% of their maxHP each turn, for 1d5 turns.
  • Mug [???]
    A standard attack that causes enemies to drop extra loot randomly.
  • Shatter Guard [Watcher]
    This attack strips the target of all magical protection and causes them to take 50% more damage until their turn starts, but otherwise does not damage them.
  • Warcry [Carrion Stag]
    A ferocious battle cry, infused with mana, threatening enemies and bolstering allies.
    All enemies gain [STRx4] stress. All allies gain [WILL] HIT until the end of combat. Minor action.
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