"Go to the sign of Marvel's Axe, a dubious inn on the edge of the Thieves Quarter, in the City of Greyhawk, and look to your own wrist. If you perceive a bracelet and dangling dice, watch for the next throw in the war between Law and Chaos and be prepared to follow the compelling geas." -Signal

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Player's Secrets of Binsada, Cassandra's Mystical Trip Wire

Birthright is the campaign setting that I most wish I have a chance to play sometime. Greyhawk will always be my first and I had the most fun in Mystara  but it is the Birthright setting that makes me want to play it the most for  some reason. I think it is for some reason to me, at least in my mind, it is  the merger of Greyhawk and Mystara. This is most likely way off base but that  is just my perception.

I love that each of the domains has its own specialized product. This is why  I think it adds the feel of Mystara in my mind. I have loved the Gazetteers  since I picked up the first one way back when and though not as in depth the  different domain products. I am not sure if I ran it I would have the players  take the role of the leaders but perhaps high level vassals. If I were to  have the chance to play it I would rather play it as a adventurer with the  chance to visit each of the realms.

I am fairly certain that I have all of the domain kits though they are in a  mixed state of inventory. Many of them are still in the shrink as the one for  Binsada is. I was able to find a wiki for Birthright that I want to explore  but won't in the off chance I may get to be a player in it some day. I am not  sure why I picked Binsada to show a picture of but it had to happen  eventually. Since I have not had a chance to read it, being in the shrink,  below is information from the back of the domain kit. Most of these have been  32 pages in length and feature a two piece card-stock cover that also serves  as a screen for the domain.

The many-headed Hydra slithers in the Harrowmarsh on your western border. The  Sphinx prowls its blasted lands, breathing a venomous wind upon the lush  savannah. The Harpy's birds of prey circle in coastal salt breezes, raiding  laden ships. It seems as if Binsada, your land of simple, nomadic cattle  herders, is hemmed in by monstrous enemies on all sides.

Binsada is a realm where honor means more than wealth. The ruler of this  domain must maintain the status of the royal family while not offending those  from other highly placed lineages. Foremost in the regent's thoughts must be  retaining the loyalty of her first lieutenant, Vorduine, and controlling the  ambitions of her cousin, Prince Daoud--without his knowledge, of course. This  regent must have a cunning mind, a flair for the dramatic, and an honorable  heart.

This BIRTHRIGHT domain sourcebook is designed for players who wish to take  the role of queen of Binsada. It may also be used by players portraying  noble, vassals of the regent, or adventurers from this domain.



Spell:

Cassandra's Mystical Trip Wire


Level: Second
Range: 9"
Duration: 1 Round/Level
Ares of Effect: 1"/Level
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 2 Segments
Saving Throw: Negates

When this spell is cast it causes mystical trip wires to appear at the  locations that the caster specifies. These will be invisible to the naked eye  and can not be detected as they do not exist until triggered and the effect  is not the same as a traditional trip wire. These will remain dormant until  anyone other than the caster walks over them.

When the wires are activated anyone that crosses their path must make a save  versus spells or fall to the ground. The victims saving throw will be  modified by their dexterity. Those with a dexterity over fifteen will get a  +1 for every point over fifteen. For those with a dexterity less than twelve  there will be a -1 for every point up to a maximum of four.

Those who make the save suffer no ill effect. Those that fall will take 1d4 of  damage and will need to spend either one or two rounds regaining their feet.  Players in leather armor or lower will need to spend one round. Anyone in  metal armor will need to spend two rounds.

The caster can cover ten feet per level though any portion of ten feet will  count as ten feet. The caster can create as many wires as they want within  the limit of the spell and can place them anywhere in the range of the spell.  Players will need to make a save for each time they cross the wires while in  effect.

Disclaimer: The spells that you will see, for how ever long the write ups  last, were all written up or conceived of back in the 80's so the terminology  may not appropriate for anything other than 1e and depending on how well I  did back then it may be slightly off for that as well. If there is any  duplication of spells that exist now it is most likely I wrote mine first :)  Please feel free to comment on them but try not to be too hard on me. If  anyone wishes to use these in anything they print please let me know in  advance and all I ask is proper credit.

1 comment:

DocStout said...

Glad to see someone else writing about Birthright this week. I mentioned it in my article on domain-level play, if you want a brief additional take on the material.

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