The Book of The Isles of the Sun
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Here is the current version of the setting description. It still needs some more detail and editing, but it should be finished enough to let the players make informed decisions about their characters.
You may create a background for your character, but this is not required. If you do: make sure you remember that these are Lvl1 characters. They are exceptional people, but entirely inexperienced, so any background should really only include family, home-town, and reason for adventuring. You also don't know quite where you will be starting out in the world or in the story, but you will all be starting in the same place (I wont be doing the thing that some DMs do of spending the first 10 sessions getting the PCs to meet one-another), so leave your background open for whatever position you might find yourself in at the beginning of the story.
Feel free to post questions here.
You may create a background for your character, but this is not required. If you do: make sure you remember that these are Lvl1 characters. They are exceptional people, but entirely inexperienced, so any background should really only include family, home-town, and reason for adventuring. You also don't know quite where you will be starting out in the world or in the story, but you will all be starting in the same place (I wont be doing the thing that some DMs do of spending the first 10 sessions getting the PCs to meet one-another), so leave your background open for whatever position you might find yourself in at the beginning of the story.
Feel free to post questions here.
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Comments
Also, can you tell us more about the humans that populate these Isles?
I think I also need to know more about the trade patterns and shipping methodologies of the archipelago.
Do the humans of the Isles use surnames? What naming conventions do they follow in that locale?
Humans follow the rules and features from the PHB.
It's actually two archipelagos which intersect (not tectonically possible, I know) to form a sort-of trident shape, with the base in the south east, which is where the Humans, and the other Allied Races, settled. They are thusly ideally situated for trade. Most of the trade routes go to and from the Human islands, although some go through Fallen islands. Even these are still mostly run by Human merchants, many of whom live out their entire lives on the water.
I would show you what I mean in more detail (the maps do already exist which show that kind-of detail), but your characters don't have a map in their possession which shows this stuff yet. They'll need to find or buy a trade map before they get a real clear picture of how the trade flows between islands. Even if your character IS a merchant or sailor, he would still only be innately familiar with his own one or two trade routes.
Human names vary wildly with no real 'standard' tradition of naming. Same use family surnames, some use 'son of' style surnames, some use their profession as a surname, some use no surnames at all. The only convention of naming that seems to be universal with Humans is that their surname comes after their given name.
400 years is a long time for humans, especially of Iron Age technology. If they did come from a unified background, they don't remember it anymore, and have diversified as humans are apt to do.
Also, and this is for everyone, remember that your character's background, goals, and motivations are not a secret from the DM. You are encouraged to work with me on your character. The more I know about your character, the more likely that she will have the opportunities to fulfill her goals. In fact, I will be frequently asking for updates about your character's frame of mind during the campaign.
Changes:
Non-rule changes:
- Several small readability changes.
- Moved the stats adjustment section to after the escription for each race.
- Gave names to the racial bonuses and penalties which did not yet have them, then emboldened all of the names to make the bonus numbers stand out.
- Rewrote all features dealing with tails to clarify their use.
- Changed the wording of the Epic Success/Fail house rules to make them clearer, and more similar to one another.
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</o> Rule changes:
- Improved <st1:city><st1>Bend</st1></st1:city> to the Light for Shay.
- Removed the improved swimming checks from the Shay
- Removed crossbows from the automatic proficiencies for Lynx, and added a free Exotic Weapons: Lynx proficiency.
- Added Inept Fingers to the Lynx
- Changed the Early Training bonus for Drakes to apply only to males.
- Added Light-footed bonus to female Drakes
- Improved Scaly Skin for Drakes
- Increased penalty for Bad Depth Perception for male Drakes.
- Increased penalty for Weak Upper-Body for female Drakes.
- Modified Pelor’s Gift for The Fallen, so that it applied to all classes.
- Increased bonus for Dogmatic Foe for The Fallen.
- Added Natural Beauty to Fallen features.
- Added Myopic to The Fallen features
- Added Meditative to The Trodden features
- Changed Martial Training feature for The Trodden (it now gives Dodge for free instead of Spring Attack)
Rule Changes:
-Corrected error in Trodden stats: +3 CON should have been +3 WIS. Now it is.
-Added Knowledge Warnings to the House Rules
Non-Rule Changes
- Added a Notes and Advice section for clarification of house rules and other concepts.
I also want to add some monsters to the monster collection that it comes with, so I'll need to figure it out for that anyway. It's on my list, but it's not a high priority.
You'll want to check out the new feats. Also note, if you didn't already, that the ToC is a list of links. use Ctrl-click to jump to that section of the document.
Non-Rule Changes:
- Small clarification to Politics
- Added Calendar and Cosmology section
- Completely rewrote the general Religions section for clarity.
- Added chart to help Drake characters choose color based on alignment.
- Clarified the Lynx physical description.
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Rule Changes:
- Modified the Fallen feature Dogmatic Foe to include followers of Nerull.
- Added Unique Feats section.
- Added Unique Skills section.
Non-rule changes:
- Added Q&A section
- Changed name of House Rules section to Campaign Rules
- Added Weapon Proficiency info to the Feats section
- Added Other Races to the Races section
- Added On Rolls Behind the Screen and Open Water v. Underwater to the Notes section
- Reversed order of Versions section, so that newer versions are listed first
Rule Changes:
-Added Maritime Setting and Familiars of The Isles to the Campaign Rules section.
- Made the Fallen feature Susceptibility to The Temptation of The Hater of Life less restrictive and more clearly explained.
Note: after looking at the way the skill chart changed for 3.5, I understand why they made the decision to remove class restrictions on skills, and I'm changing my mind about using the 3.0 restrictions. I also decided to only require a declaration of axis dominance if a character is True Neutral, and since no one is True Neutral in the party, I left the rule out of the book for now.
Non-Rule Changes:
- Added map of kingdoms to the Geography section
- Corrected wording in Epic Fail house rule
- Clarified Drake colors in the Drakes section
Rule Changes:
- Changed Multi-classing house rule to reflect recent discussions.
- Updated Skills to reflect v3.5 rules.
http://tinyurl.com/theisles
As of now the wiki is just the info that was in the book, but I'll expand it as I have time.
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