Out Of Character

[ehiker133]

A wandering monster check every turn seems a bit excessive...

[mushgnome]

I won't change things for dungeon level 1, but you might see a slight ratcheting up of wandering monster frequency, on deeper dungeon levels. Actually there's one dungeon level that's mostly wandering monsters, with very few lairs.

[Scottenkainen]

Interesting about the historical analogue for this campaign...

The first known recipe for pancakes was in the 16th century. The parrying dagger, or main-gauche, is from the 16th century. Griddle is a more modern term for what would have been a baking stone.

Gygax's later works were - controversial in some circles in the late '90s -- pushed forward from Renaissance times into Tudor times, but this campaign must be set even further into Tudor times than he did.

[mushgnome]

Scott: You are quite right to peg my historical setting as 17th century colonial New England! Think of Pilgrims, turkeys, and pumpkin pie. Or, if you're in a darker mood, think of witches and Lovecraft Country! Our campaign setting's "known world" is loosely inspired by Jansson's 1651 map Belgii Novi. I've marked the rough location of Hornpipe with an X. Geologically, Hornpipe is situated on the Nashoba Formation, a plutonic extrusion of stone dating to the Ordovician period. The Miskatonic River is loosely based on the real-world Merrimack River, and Arkham was partly inspired by Salem.

[ehiker133]

I've always wanted to know the etymology of that word, "Merrimack".

In Missouri, we have Meramec Caverns and State Park. Certainly it's the same name, but very different spelling and geographically from very different parts of the US and settled/named by different indigenous peoples.

[Scottenkainen]

Very interesting. I had given some thought myself to a similar campaign once, but set in the Ohio River Valley. The Indian mounds there would actually be dungeon entrances...

[mushgnome]

I love the idea of Adventure in our own backyards, and that familiar place-names could have magical origins.

Some of my best campaign ideas were inspired by everyday scenes such as a train tunnel, an abandoned house, or an oddly-shaped rock.

[dtspurrier]

Just a fyi I had my booster shot for Phizor on sunday and suffered side effects of fever (99 to high as 102) sore throat and aches in my body so I have been home in bed for the last three days. tested negative for covid, doctors told me these side effects from the vaccinne are normal, and my fever and effects are broken. Sorry for the delay

[mushgnome]

Just glad you are okay!

Hope you don't mind that we skipped you in the combat? Bilfur's friends voted to protect him, and the battle had a good outcome.

[acodispo]

Just a fyi I had my booster shot for Phizor on sunday and suffered side effects of fever (99 to high as 102) sore throat and aches in my body so I have been home in bed for the last three days. tested negative for covid, doctors told me these side effects from the vaccinne are normal, and my fever and effects are broken. Sorry for the delay

Yikes, glad you're feeling better!