Cyfandil's One-Page Campaign Document

This will change of course. Here is a screenshot of the document. It's not exactly the way I said it should be but it has all the information I want it to have. And it's a very readable single page. (Trust me. It looks good in hard copy lol.)

I will give this handout to the several players either before Session Zero or at the start of it.

Then we will talk about some of the finer points, such as how to make characters and what classes are available.

The Realm of Cyfandil

Cyfandil is a world of Men. Our little principality is called Lleannedd March. Our town is Cragstone, named for its founder, Thorsten Cragstone, the hero of times past. Demi-Men are rare upon these isles. Besides, there’s enough going on with Man’s tripartite lineage: Aluvian, G’harundim and Sho.

Cyfandil is a fairly standard medieval fantasy setting, something like Northern Europe in 1300, but with the opportunity to travel to different lands. It is low fantasy. The greatest monsters are rare and distant. Even the allied races of Mankind are only seldom seen in any great numbers.

Cyfandil’s primary purpose is the backdrop and sandbox for teaching the folkstyle D&D of yesteryear. Its secondary purpose is to backdrop teaching my particular folkstyle philosophy.

The nominal goal for the players when they start will be to collect enough money and power to conquer a hex, build a castle, and become a lord. Of course, that’s just the opening bid. Players can decide what each of their characters truly wants from life. In fact, we should all voice our dreams and desires about what we want to happen in our campaign story.

To that end, it is a most suitable realm for presenting the challenges of problem-solving, role-playing with reaction rolls, exploration overland and underground, and combat using surprise and morale checks that constitute D&D.

 

What Is New

 

We play face-up, toward each other, and speak in natural language.

The players, not the Referee, will push our story forward.

We will use gold for XP, roughly 80-20, with monsters filling in the difference.

Differentiation comes not from your character sheet, but from you. In folkstyle, class is an element of your character, but “build” is not. In terms of game mechanics, one fighter is about as good as another. Most clerics are almost identical. So, it is down the line (except for wizards and elves, who have more latitude due to spell selection.)

Henchmen and other hirelings are a big part of expanding your character’s power, so hire them and cultivate them. The difference between one fighter and another will largely be in his equipment, his henchmen, but super-especially, the player’s ingenuity.

We will observe strict timekeeping, light, rations, slow healing, etc.

Death is always nearby. Your paper man will die. Because of easy death and regular PC indispositions, be prepared to play three or four different characters at different sessions. “Next man up” as they say.

The seasons and even the years will matter. Characters will age. They will carouse, they will love and befriend, they will war, they will politick (at least personal politick) and of course they will adventure. In time, even the elves retire and leave the field of valor to their children. So will our paper men.

At least 60% of the PCs must be Human.

 

Common Knowledge:

Things Everyone Knows in Lleannedd March

·         Strange noises come from the accursed woods just outside town.

·         The Empire is shattered by civil war.

·         Roads are dangerous! Monsters and bandits prey on unsuspecting travelers. Stick together!

·         Locusts destroyed the crops last year in Glenden Wood.

·         Rithwic was hit by the plague. Some say it was G’harundim merchants who brought it there.

·         Most people say Druids are a myth.

Factions and Patrons

1.      Our ruler is Lord Alberz, First Marquis of Rithwic (L FM 9,) at Castle Rithwic, the seat of Lleannedd March. He has ruled for 35 years. He has a deep, booming voice and has turned several of the castle’s rooms into additional kitchens. He will always accept the help of up and comers, at least until he feels like they are a threat to his power. Lieutenant Kenneth is the captain of the militia and town guard in Cragstone. (N FM 4.) Kenneth is the Lord’s representative here. If you want to work for the Marquis, speak to Kenneth.

2.     Brodus Stoneriver is the master of the docks and minder of the traders. He is an elder of the Dwarven Sea Clans, and he has settled in our town. If you need mercenaries or need mercenary work, speak with him.

3.     An informal guild of curators, crafters, and natural philosophers haunt Cragstone. You can get in touch with them through Brienne, the barman’s daughter, at the Brass Dragon Pub. If you want to gather strange knowledge and artifacts, or get answers to strange questions, she’s the one who can put you on the right path.

4.     Outside of the towns there are roaming bowmen, weird cultists, Orcish men, mad Wizards, and maybe some Druids. Chaotic types might want to seek them out, but then again, they might not.

Lines and Veils

 

There are three distinct races of people, analogous to Nordic White, East Asian and North African.

We will track the months and years. The characters will have “real lives” away from the dungeon (but we don’t have to role-play them if we don’t want to.)

I would prefer to have only traditional boy-girl type romance. Half-humans are not a thing (although the several common races might intermarry if they please.)

Towns are safe. Dungeons, roads and wilderlands are not. A henchman or even a PC can face deadly situations at any time.