Ritual of Links: Jade Arcana

This will be the last post in my week celebrating Lands of the Jade Oath, I may ask Frank to do a guest post over the weekend.

The Mahasarpa Campaign contains a small-scale campaign with a Southeast Asia feel.


While it is Legend of the 5 rings, you can easily replacing TN with DC in Tournement of the Emperor’s Favord.

Want to write your own wicked adventure? Well good writers take inspiration from other stories, Great dungeon masters steal from the outright and you could not do better then the A Chinesse Ghost Story series.


Here is a nice article on the ninja and d20 game mechanics from James Wyatt

Hey I personally really liked Kung-Fu Panda if you did too check out its Tropes.

Adventure seeds for Oriental Arcana:

Your part of the royal court, there is politics, and betrayals floating all around the Jade throne, this is punctuated by battles featuring big hulky brocade wearing brutes mowing down peasant soldiers by the thousands with their flashy attacks.

A girl has decided to run away from her arranged marriage, the Big Damn Heroes can help her or hunt her down and bring her back to her family, You can make the man she loves the Big Bad or the man she is to marry either way it’s bad for the Big Damn Heroes.

The eunuch advisor is deceiving the little boy prince, having him banish good officials, leading to widespread corruption, this is causing a the rise of the rebellion do the Big Damn Heroes support it or help suppress it, What happens when the princes elite guards over react, and then the little prince disappears and the a jade mandarin wants answers.

A warlord has risen up in a rebellious province, folks attempt to recruit the Big Damn Heroes to assassinate him or raise an army to defeat him on the field of battle. Politics, loyalty, and betrayals abound as they recruit an army or seek entrance to the Warlords council.

The Imperial Seal Loss of this magical symbol of authority always causes a curse of civil war to descend upon the land. They are asking the Big Damn Heroes to get it back or maybe someone hires them to steal it.

The spirit of a wrongfully accused and executed man is haunting the local castle, a mystery arises around who could have framed the man and arranged his execution. The heroes must beware for a magnificent bastard lurks within this court and could be the local lord himself.

A great battle has been lost and a great horde now approaches destroying and pillaging everything in its path, there is safety at the local city but it can only house so many. The Governor has barred the gates. The Big Damn heroes must open the gates or keep them closed.

A very talented and young general has suppressed rebellions, defeated warlords, and saved the country, ye t The Jade Mandarin fears he could become a warlord he has decided to investigate him and if a threat is found, he will be assassinated. The big damn heroes are the assassins or the bodyguards, and no one knows how loyal he really is.

The Big Damn Heroes are brought in or uncover a plot to lure the Jade Mandarin out of the palace to see a potential new bride said to be the most beautiful women in the land, she will say she wants the wedding right there, problem is she really falls in love with the Jade Mandarin at first sight, so that he can be killed away from the seat of his power, the PCs must help or prevent the conspirators.

That Badass whom all the other rivals for the kingdoms fear, has died. If word of his death reaches the rivals civil war will result, the Big Damn Heroes must come up with an answer, as no one else can be trusted to know about the death.

Monsters of the Jade Oath (Zhyan; the Giant's Beast)

I got my first patron yeasteray for the Heroes of the Jade Oath, and it was even a senior patron. I am pretty damn happy I did not even go 24 hours :).

I will be doing a Lands of the Jade Oath theme posts this week.

Zhyan; the Giant’s Beast
Suzerain Elder Dire Dog,
Medium Magical Beast (augmented animal)
Hit Dice: 3d10+12 (28hp/-5/-19)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 60ft.
Armor Class: 20 (+3 Dex, +3 natural +4 morale bonus), touch 17, flat-footed 17 (24/21;+4 dodge bonus vs. ranged attacks.)
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+8
Attack: Bite +12 melee (1d6+9)
Full Attack: Bite +12 melee (1d6+9)
Face/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Born to lead, Dominate kin,
Special Qualities: darkvision, dauntless courage 30’ radius, enchanting presence, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +8
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 17, Con 19, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 14
Skills: Jump +18, Listen +11, Spot +11, Survival +16
Feats: Defensive Move, Power attack, Power Charge, track (b)

Environment: any urban
Organization: Pack (“Zhyan ” and 11 dogs)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: 50% coins, standard goods, standard items.
Advancement: (5-6) medium (7-9) large or by character class

DESCRIPTION

“You see a powerfully built canine that exudes strength, with a massive fawn colored body nearly 8 feet in length, a deep set of wrinkles covers its broad muzzle, triangular ears, and deep brown eyes. It must weigh over 300 lbs. Yet looking at it you feel a sense of enchantment rather than fear”

“You two-foots have breed, my kith and my kin for generations to be companions and servants, However unlike them I have a choice, I will be no two-foots servant, and my companions are my kith and kin. Too many of my brethren have been left to fend for themselves after your kind discarded them having breed most of our survival instincts out of us. I face the greatest conflict of my life, return them to the wild or carve a place of our own out of your civilization. “ –Zhyan, as quoted in Monsters of the Jade Oath, recorded by Stave Beast-speaker, Ollamh Lorekeeper of the Harrowdeep Court.

I was breed from what you would call Shar Pei stock, and I stand 2 and ½ o2f your feet at my shoulder, in size I am closest to the four-footers you call mules. My hair is short and I keep it well groomed compared to my brethren of the streets I live with, those which you would call mongrel dogs.

I seek only to help my brethren have the life they choose to live, I will not force them to freedom, if they are happy in their servitude or companionship so be it. Yet I will not allow them to interfere in the freedom of another to make their own choice. I will fight them but I will not kill my brethren if they oppose me.

I give each of my kith and kin a choice they did not have in birth, to leave the city for the wilds or to find a claim our own territory within them. I organize them into packs and forge alliances with those of my kith who have masters and mistresses. I have made an pact with several two-footers who assist and serve me, as they take my offspring to other cities so that more of my kind may be served, in return my kin and I relay information we have learned to them. I have also made the occasional arrangement to help track those who have or could cause harm to my brethren

COMBAT

Zhyan engages in combat over territory, food and in the defense of other dogs. He is virtually never without a pack of eleven other dogs that are fanatically loyal to him.
He never attacks with surprise always warning off intruders with the packs barks and growls, as it is the rare creature that understands the language of dogs; he often uses his Stirring Speech ability on the two dogs closest to him. The pack gains the benefits of his Inspiring Example if within range.

1st round-Dominate Kin any dog in the service of his opponents or power charge (see below) the pack attacks by targeting a single foe and flanking the foe if possible.
2nd round-Attack using power attack (power charge),
3rd round-Attack, if flanking power attack Bite +9 melee (1d6+12)
4th round- If flanking power attack Bite +9 melee (1d6+12), or Stirring Speech dogs if a pack member is down.
5th round-Flee with pack at maximum possible speed, if any of the pack has been taken down.

Born to Lead (Ex): So long as another free-willed dog is within sight and capable of witnessing its actions, the suzerain has a +4 morale bonus to AC, attacks, damage rolls, checks, and saves. Mounts, familiars, animal companions, and trained animals do not count as free-willed creatures for the purpose of this bonus. These bonuses are included in the stat block above

Wild Empathy (Ex): Zhyan can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person. Zhyan rolls 1d20+5 (with an additional +4 when dealing with dogs) to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude
of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, Zhyan and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal visibility conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute, but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
Zhyan can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but he takes a -4 penalty on the check.

Dauntless Courage (Ex): Zhyan is immune to fear. In addition, any allies within 30 feet that view Zhyan as their leader are immune to fear effects.

Dominate Kin (Su): Zhyan can dominate dogs. This ability works like the dominate animal spell, allowing the creature to control a number of other dogs (max 6 HD). This ability affects creatures normally immune to mind-influencing effects, unbound and does not require a truename.

Enchanting Presence (Su): The first time a creature other than a PC comes within 30 feet of Zhyan, its attitude toward Zhyan shifts one category toward the positive, if it was not initially hostile. Thus, unfriendly creatures become indifferent, indifferent creatures become friendly, and friendly creatures become helpful. This shift can be further modified by Zhyan’s actions, or it might change over time naturally. The creature must be able to see, hear, or otherwise notice Zhyan to be affected. Enchanting presence is a mind-affecting enchantment effect. PCs are aware of this enchanting presence but are unaffected by this ability.

Inspiring Example (Ex): Each ally within 60 feet of Zhyan that can see or hear him gains a +2 morale bonus on all attack and damage rolls, checks, and saves so long as Zhyan is alive.

Speech (Ex): Zhyan can speak like a human (though his voice is unique, and can be difficult to understand). It can learn to speak any language, but usually only speaks Common. Zhyan retains the ability to speak with dogs.

Stirring Speech (Su): 2/day as a standard action, Zhyan can inspire greatness in its allies, granting them extra fighting capability. Zhyan can target 2 allies. To inspire greatness, Zhyan must say a few inspiring words (or sounds, if it is incapable of speech), and the targeted allies must hear them. The effect lasts for 5 rounds.
A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target’s Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effects of spells such as sleep. Inspire greatness is a mind-affecting ability...

Skills: Zhyan has a +4 racial bonus on Jump checks. Zhyan has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent. These are included in the stat block above.

LORE
Delve the Collective Memory, Gather Information, or Knowledge (dangerous beasts); characters can learn more about Zhyan. When a character makes a successful check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

Common (DC 10): The Alpha Male of this pack is called Zhyan or The Giant’s Beast; he is a magical beast “dire” version of his species, he has gained an “elder” status granted by the power of the land and is considered a magical beast rather than an animal, he has also
become a “mandarin” over all the dogs of this area.

Uncommon (DC 14): Read aloud Zhyan’s quotation from “Monsters of the Jade Oath” in the description section

Rare (DC 19): Zhyan gains as does those following him a significant near spiritual benefit when leading a pack of dogs or even a single dog. Although most dogs will follow him without question, holding him in the highest regard, he can control any dog regardless of circumstance. He is a valiant leader, and lends his dauntless courage to his close companions. Those witnesses to his presence always seem to favor him. Like all canines, Zhyan can track by scent though his ability tends to exceed all other dogs.

Obscure (DC 29): If you can prevent Zhyan from leading dogs against you, he is not as formidable of a foe. Separating him from his allies and pack with a wall or other barrier is your safest option. Though killing them all works as well. He is also an intelligent creature whom you can negotiate with.

Epic (DC 39): Zhyan is actually an agent of the Dragons in their covert actions against the Jade Throne, supplying them with information that other dogs, and his offspring, who share his gifts, share with him, though he will never pass along information that may place a dog in jeopardy.

A More Compelling Encounter (EL 6):
Recently a PC injured or killed a dog; Zhyan is looking for revenge and future security for other dogs. They are lured at night to a covered, unlit, unpaved back alley where the packs heighted senses grant them advantage, the ground is nothing but slick mud, but the packs four-footed nature makes them immune.

Conditions: Blind (without light source or darkvision) Balance check (DC 10 or fall prone)

Rite Publishing to produce Lands of the Jade Oath

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rite Publishing to produce Lands of the Jade Oath
August 25, 2008

Rite Publishing reached an agreement with Frank Carr to publish his Lands of the Jade Oath. Fans of Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved and the world's most popular role-playing game can soon buy exciting adventures with a unique and evocative oriental theme. Subsequent books will continue to explore the world and characters of Oriental Arcana. Lands of the Jade Oath is the most anticipated tie-in for Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved since its inception, and Rite Publishing is ecstatic to help finally bring it to fruition. Its creator Frank Carr will write it and fan-favorite Bill Collins (Akashic Nodes, Six Arabian Nights, Tell It to My Axe, Blood of the Gorgon) will edit it.

Over the years, there has been tremendous interest in Lands of the Jade Oath. This will be Rite Publishing's first Patronage Project. Interested parties buy in as patrons of the project. When the project reaches a threshold number of patrons, the project starts moving forward full force. The first manuscript will be open to patrons for play-testing. Supporters choose which scenes will be supported by interior artwork, and look over the shoulders of designers, editors and layout artists to offer suggestions and guidance on the various directions the project could take. They will have access to the exclusive Patron's Only adventure that will never become available again.

About Frank Carr
Frank Carr is the creator of Lands of the Jade Oath. He is a criminal and military intelligence analyst who worked with both the U.S. Army and the ATF, serving in the United States, Asia, and the Middle East. He play-tested for Monte Cook and Mutants and Mastermind's Algernon Files along with several others. He has been gaming since 1982, enjoying every version of D&D, L5R, Earthdawn, Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved, Rifts, Mutants & Masterminds, Fireborn, World of Darkness, and many others.

About Rite Publishing
Rite Publishing is a PDF and print on demand RPG Company known for its dedication to quality products, timely releases, and Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved. Its pending releases include Mythical Monstrosities (Sept 15th) and The Living Airship (Oct 15th), by the ENnie nominated author Soren K. Thustrup (Vault of the Iron Overlord, Circle of Rites, and Beyond Creation). Monthly releases will follow from the Monsters Evolved series, Magic Items Evolved series, and the much-anticipated Rituals of Choice Adventure Path.

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For more information, and subsequent updates about Lands of the Jade Oath and other projects, contact Rite Publishing at LotJO@ritepublising.com or visit the website at ritepublishing.com.

The Player's Guide to the Rituals of Choice Adventure Path (Part II)

Tone of the Campaign

While each adventure can stand alone, when run as a campaign The Rituals of Choice Adventure Path provides an epic over-arcing storyline. It makes full use of the Diamond Throne setting and its various adventuring environments. Players are encouraged to read Chapter 10: the Diamond Throne Gazetteer of Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved, as while the first five adventures will keep the players close to the northern border of the Floating Forest they will travel the height and breadth of the lands before the story is complete.

The Rituals of Choice Adventure Path is a campaign saga that places a great deal of importance on the choices the player characters make. Every choice holds consequences that effect encounters throughout the course of the adventure path. There is no pre-destined outcome to the campaign. PCs can fail; they can destroy the world, or bring about a pyrrhic victory. The PCs could leave behind a bleak dystopia or even win a wondrous victory where they bring about their own vision of the future.

The choices presented will be far beyond choosing the left or right corridor, these are difficult moral choices that change the foundation of who the player character is, and from choice of whether saving a soul is worth risking the welfare of the world or assisting in a ritual suicide.

Honor, duty, and loyalty are not just words in this fantasy campaign they are supernatural powers in their own right, and the Lands of the Diamond Throne respect that power. The campaign fully expects players to be a part of the world around them there are powers in the world who will seek you out as both ally and enemy based on your choices, those you support will call upon your aid. This is an idealistic campaign where people keep their word, enemies rarely lie, and the untrustworthy few stand out in the crowd. With powerful ceremonies and customs stronger than law, backing the cultural codes of conduct the PCs will find the Lands of the Diamond Throne setting helps encourage a heroic ideal within the campaign saga. However, nothing stops a player from having their character be a scoundrel or a villain so long as they are willing to suffer the consequences of their choices. Ultimately, the campaign leaves this type of decision in the hands of the DM.

Idealistic does not mean Utopian, every NPC every organization, every cause, every oath, every choice you make will put you in opposition to a different agenda. Those in opposition to your position are likely to be friends who were previously allies, and people of principle who you likely respect. Whose cause is more just, whose oath more sacred, which choice is the right choice. As heroic as the PCs are they are not the only heroes, and in this campaign heroic Npcs are just as likely to be the opposition and be in the right as the Player Characters, for they are the hero in their own story. Part of the saga is the path taken to attempt to navigate past these obstacles and sometimes the battles that fail or succeed in defeating them.

The campaign saga evolves, changing, growing, and transforming both the world and characters playing within it. Beyond gaining character levels, the adventure path encourages players to create backgrounds that allow for character growth. Players will grow as well due to both the role-playing challenges presented by the campaign as well, as how the adventure path uses the rules themselves from compelling questions to invoked apocalypse. Players, who have memorized every class, feat, spell, monster and rule that has been published will be also be challenged by reinvented and original material put forth over the course of the campaign. Nearly, every reward component of the adventure path is also reinvented or original material to help enhance the sense of magic, wonder, and change.

Look for it Sept 15th from Rite Publishing

The tragic Taurians, a new take on an old race, who drown their daughters to save their sons;

The Soarlith, who defend the skies with near religious fervor;

The Antaeans, grappling giants bound to the power of earth;

The Ritefury, who seek to punish those who violate the ancient customs of guest and host.

Mythical Monstrosities provides these new creatures as a supplemental bestiary for Monte Cook’s Arcana Evolved. Within you will find:

• A new, complex and detailed player race, the Taurian, with a new racial class.
• All descriptions are presented in first-person perspective from the monster's point of view.
• Detailed descriptions, variant rules, Lore DCs and designer's notes.
• Each monster leaps from the page with inspiring and evocative illustrations.
• The monsters within have complex motivations and can serve far beyond a simple encounter.
• Compatible with the 3.0 and 3.5 versions of the world’s most popular role-playing game.
  
  

The Tropes of Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved (part I)

Honor before Reason

When designing for AE I try to make the honorable choice the right choice; it should not be the obvious choice or the easy choice; Truth it should be the hard choice but at the end of the day it will go right.

My party could have covered a crime committed by a judge but instead they brought it to the for front and told the leader of the city about it, they earned praise for this, the daughter of the traitor even praised the knight who was forced to kill the judge. The players do not just have honor but everyone in the land follows this line of “insane honor”.

They don’t just believe in their oaths and ceremonies the land reflects its power physically with oathsworn, and ritual warriors, champions of loyalty, spells that bind oaths and grant bonuses when oaths are kept. Monsters that hunt down and kill oathbreakers; in The Rituals of Choice Adventure Path I created a honor rune manifest.

If it is honorable behavior that would go against reason let it be vindicated;

players in arcana evolved should be inspired to be both pure and honorable heroes, even if they fall well short of the mark.

Other tropes along this line:

Idealistic: on the slinding scale of idealism vs cynicism

Rousseau was Right (humans are good):

The power of friendship:

Wide-eyed idealist:

The Power of Love:

Earn your Happy Ending

Random Thoughts on Gen Con

Damn I love DMing A Witch’s Choice for a group of folks who are enthusiastic gamers.

Joseph Browning of Expeditious Retreat Press is just as cool as they come. He has always encouraged me to keep going.

Ed Healy of Open Design/Kobold Quarterly is a good man, I was there to buy a subscription and their game design book, and as soon as he knew who I was, he asked about how my Mom was doing (Remembering that she is fighting cancer).

I might have a chance to publish a very cool project through Rite Publishing; I will need to budget some interior art, some maps, and draw up a contract where Rite Publishing is just the publisher with the author retaining his trademark and copyrights.

It is really cool to meet folks in person.

I am an Xtreme Dungeon Master

I love Open Design and Kobold Quarterly.

Valmiras was just a plain cool guy to talk too.

My fiancé is the best!

Cartography by Jonathan Roberts for The Living Airship

Click on image below too enlarge

A Witch's Choice (Art by Ryan Barger, Layout and Backcover art Corey Graham