PLEASE READ BEFORE PLAYING

S o, it’s adventure you want? Then so be it. However, before you can truly taste the glory that awaits you, know this about the tale “Of Long Lost Heroes.”   Calendar of Harptos (Forgotten Realms) & Downtime (Xanathar’s Guide to Everything): You’re an adventure, or at least, you’ll be one soon. While you’ll unite with other adventurers through a guild known as “Sword’s Edge” you still have other matters to handle. Your past follows you like a shadow. You have endless hobbies, aspirations and foes to take care of. This requires time.   With that being said, there will be a time table that keeps track of characters using the Forgotten Realms “Harptos” calendar. When there’s downtime, you may need to remember other obligations you have. Perhaps you need to assist your local church, research old tomes or fight in the gladiatorial pits for money? Well, no worries. The Xanathar’s Guide to Everything has the revisited rules for Downtime, and how you can use it in-game to make coin, contacts…and possible foes. Real Life Over Fantasy Life:   You may be a swashbuckling pirate or dwarven wizard in this plot, but what adventure awaits you in real life is far more important. That’s why there are so many players that have been invited (and may be invited later) to “Of Long Lost Heroes.” We want to have 4 to 5 players per game session. How does it work though? The DM will announce the day(s) he is available, and those that can make it shall be immersed in the plot. Those that can’t should not feel guilty. Try to make the next one if possible. Just remember that we will start at the given time and if you’re late, you’ll need to put your patience hat on.   Personal Plot: Well, well adventurer, did you just think you would be handed a sword and start slaying monsters? If only you were so lucky. The DM will take into consideration your history, race and other factors to create side stories for you that other characters may be invited to join. So be careful. Those that orchestrate a detailed history shall likely see their idea come to life (and that’s a good thing). Such is the way of the tale “Of Long Lost Heroes.” Out of the Guild, Out of the Game: While there may be times when walking away from Sword’s Edge makes “In Character” sense, know doing so for a prolonged amount of time (DM discretion) will likely force retirement of that character. This is the one “square peg in a circle hole” that the DM has asked all players to creatively work on…reasons why you’d join an adventure’s guild and stay in one.   How Long Will We Play? The game plot has both a beginning and an end already written. It’s designed to see committed players reach 15th level or higher. We will target weekly play (with DM travel, vacations and personal matters in mind). Each game session will be 3 to 4 hours long. The DM will put 4 hours aside, but sometimes, the day’s plot goes by quicker than expected. Sometimes, we’ll need every minute. If you need to be late, so be it. If you have to head out early, try to just give us a heads up before you start so we can dream up a reason why you’d leave.   With so many different way to run a Forgotten Realms game, what Should I expect?   This game will have a fairytale theme sprinkled with Celtic gloom, Arthurian quests and timeless Forgotten Realms canon. However, if you’re looking to constantly travel through dimensions that defy time & space, get involved in intricate god wars that take up the entire story or get involved in a doomsday plot, this might not be the game for you. This is a humble plot made for those that like to adventure, experience colorful cultures and develop wonderful characters. You an play any alignment, so long as you don’t plan on being overly disruptive (remember, we are building camaraderie as players and characters). That’s not to say any of what “the game is NOT about” won’t trickle into the story. It just means that the tale will not be a “World Shattering” experience that breaks Toril (hopefully).   p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 13.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} So, now that you know what you’re in for, have you the steel to walk along other heroes in order to be the greatest adventurers of Forgotten Realms’s 15 century? We shall see young Master. We shall see…

“Good day adventurer,   I see you’ve come back from another one of your great quests. Surely you’ll take some time for yourself. So, what’ll it be? Nights out at the tavern? Study within the city’s great libraries? Oh, you look for more do you? Well then, here are some more approved “Downtime Activities” for you. Do with them what you must.”   SOWING RUMORS The bard sings a heroic tale to boost an employer’s reputation, an aristocrat fills the ears of the nobles with false opportunities of fortune, a sailor tells a dark tale about a cursed island in order to keep mariners away from his buried treasure. Swaying public opinion can be an effective way to bring down a villain or elevate a friend. Spreading rumors can sway others to your cause or scare the masses. The rumors can be about any person(s), location or event.   Resources: Sowing rumors covers a workweek of whispers within private carriages, merriment in taverns and gifts for influential figures. A character can attempt to Sow Rumors among lower, middle or upper-class citizens. Sowing rumors amongst lower class costs 10gp, middle class costs 50gp and upper class requires 250gp for the workweek and access to the local nobility.   Resolution : After a workweek of sowing rumors, a character makes a Charisma (Persuasion) check using the following table to learn the result.   RESULT TABLE, Check Total:   1-5: Character gets backlash and gains a rival (see rivals p.123/124 Xanathar’s Guide to Everything) 6-10: The character hires minstrels, attends events & connects with locals, but with no lasting effects.   11-15: Character causes jokes, legend or gossip to pass through this class about the subject. While shifting a community’s general attitude towards a subject doesn’t affect everyone amongst that lifestyle, it is enough gain effective traction. Many people of that community are familiar with the rumor.   16-20: Character compels support or outrage for the rumor topic. Not only does the lifestyle’s community know the rumor, but they are unconsciously assisting in making the rumor a daily conversation throughout the lips of the targeted class.   21+: The rumor is effectively a fact amongst the community, and bleeds into one other class’s daily conversation (make a random roll to decide what unchosen community sows the rumor as well). If the subject is a person, locals become hostile or praising depending on the desires of the character. If it is a location, it is sought after or avoided.   ((This was engineered based on the DMG’s Sowing Rumors downtime activity on p.131 and previously discussed ideas with several players)) ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. PHYSICAL TRAINING The fighter clashes dulled blades with a sparring partner at a martial’s guild. The ranger grinds through the obstacle course at the city’s vigor-center. The warlock tests their wits with arcane puzzles at the mage’s academy. While nearly all adventurers might practice combat techniques, exert themselves with hikes along a tall hill or study their spellbooks nightly, “Physical Training” represents a dedicated development with qualified instructors and equipment. While this training might not seem like much in the day-to-day life of an adventurer, it can give one the edge before perilous new quests.   Resources: Physical Training takes one week of downtime. The character may decide whether they would like Basic, Advanced or Expert Training . Basic training costs 20 gp per week. Advanced Training costs 60 gp per week. Expert Training costs 100 gp per week.   Resolution : After a workweek of physical training, the character gains the following.   RESULT TABLE: Basic: The character commits to a week of challenges, exercising and guidance. At the end of the week, they gain 10 experience points. Advanced : The character meets with exceptional trainers that coordinate a strict regiment for the character. The character gains 25 experience points.   Expert: The character uses cutting edge techniques and renown experts to train for the week. The character gains 50 experience points.   ((This downtime is used to represent how basic characters could advance in level without ever seeing a combat (soldiers, mercenaries, war-wizards, etc. It also helps players that are on the edge of gaining a level and/or have few other aspirations for their downtime.)) .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................