The Ages (Revision 2)

Background
The following document is a completed work. Yes it is completed and this is it's second draft.

It started out as me being swamped by all this crap about the biggest, best, top ten bullshit about the twentieth century. We know there is only three, Cold Chisel, Australian music and RPGs ... and a little computer that could smile at you. Well anyway this century is one of science, for better of much worse. I came up with a game mechanic. (Well actually I used my Player NWP: Creative Rulemaking/Rule Bastardization). I would roll a 100 to see if a particular character had the NWP research. I chose this NWP as there has been nigh infinate uses of that NWP in the Twentieth Century.

Then one thing lead to another and it snowballed from there. The result is a complete work that is below, and there you have it. If you could (pretty please) take a few seconds of your time to cast you eye over it and give me your opinion, thanks. I like the idea behind it and I hope you do as well. The nitty gritty details (for game balance) can be worked out in the future.

Disclaimer.
This document is a set of guidelines for the DM to help him set up the framework for a campaign. As such they should be treated as such. The DM is free to modify and be creative with the result of these dice rolls. The DM is free to use part of this and ignore parts that ill suit him. As with any AD&D game the DM is the final judge and jury (as mine keeps telling me). I have had nil experience in running a campaign (0-level DM - still in training) but I hope this gives you some ideas to get started.

About this Document.
This document is a set of guidelines to help the DM set the framework of a campaign. It can also be used to set environments that the players can play in. My idea for creating this was an inclination that since the last century just passed and all the hoopla about looking back on it; it gave me time to evaluate the twentieth century. The twentieth century has had its fair share of wars, crime, false messiahs, medical epidemics and "super-diseases", scientific breakthroughs. This century has had a lot of events to define it.

This made me realise that the model or framework that is the Twentieth Century can be applied to a rpg. This is what I have attempted to do with this document, to try to provide you the DM with a framework for a game encompassing a multifaceted reality for your players. Hope you find it useful.

Introduction.
To start off, roll 1d100 for each of the basic abilities in the AD&D game (strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, wisdom and charisma) plus any other optional abilities you have introduced into your game. I have taken liberty to add an extra ability for PSI representing psionicists. This gives what I will call the standard abilities (from PHB) plus the two extra abilities (COM and PSI). I have no real idea how to use Comliness with this framework, any suggestions will be duly noted in future.

After you roll the dice, record the result and check with the table below. Do this for all eight abilities. The higher the dice roll the "better" the result.

Table 1
Roll Result
01-10 Very low
11-30 Low
31-49 Moderately low
50-69 Normal
70-79 Moderately high
80-89 High
90-99 Very high
00 Exceptional

Meaning of the Dice Rolls
I am assuming that these dice rolls cover a period of 100 years, after that they should be rerolled for the next century.

Strength
Since Strength represents the class of warriors this roll represents war or battles. A high result indicates a lot of wars or a series of wars over a period of time. A low result indicates a century with the majority of time in peace.

Examples
The World War 1 and World War 2 between them only lasted approximately 10 years but during each war it defined that passage of time, it was the major event. Also the USA has been involved in a number of wars over the Twentieth Century meaning that you the DM can use a high dice roll as either a major event like WW1 or a series of wars to indicate the rationale of a high result.

By the same token, because of the many wars numerous attempts have been to establish peace to eliminate those wars. A long standing peace treaty may be the reason for a low result of the dice roll.

Dexterity
This ability is the prime requisite for thieves, rogues, ruffians and those outside the law. A high result may indicate a tyrannical thieves guild or that crime is rampant during the century. A low result may indicate the presence of order and a strong police force to administer the law.

Examples
Probably the best example of a high result is that of the Mafia "a modern thieves guild extraordinaire." A low result could be that crime is easily controlled by the state. Robin Hood is another example to use.

Constitution
The representation of health and fitness of the people inhabiting your world. A high result that the people get ill rarely or are incredibly fit. A low result may mean that a plague or a series of epidemics confront the people.

Examples
One of the worst plagues that threatened mankind was known as the Black Death. Unleashing this disease over a few game years will explain the reason for a high result. A low result can be explained by superior medicine treatments or the people resist the diseases successfully.

Intelligence
The ability associated with wizards, but I tend to think of it as inventiveness. As such a high result advances the technology or gaming environment through inventiveness. A middle low to low result may mean that some of the advanced technology or knowledge was forgotten and people cling to what knowledge they can hang on to.

Examples
Human civilisation has through the centuries had peaks and dark periods. A high result represents a "silver age"; a very high result could be a "golden age" and a "00" can be thought of as a pinnacle of human achievement. Golden ages have been achieved in Greece during such and such years; in Rome during the Roman Empire and during the Renaissance. The Middle Ages represents a "normal" result and is the usual setting for many rpg games. The Dark Ages represent a low result.

Wisdom
The ability is associated with priests and can be used for how religious the people in the campaign are. However both good and evil people can be equally religious or labelled fanatics and this is a moderately high result. A slightly different angle can be placed on this roll, a low result is when the general populace have turned to an evil god and a normal or above normal result is that the people worship a good god. Basically spiritual advancement/evolvement of the people. A low roll is the spiritual devolution ie they worship "false gods" or no gods, which may create a need for mystics to create a "New Age" for them.

Charisma
I have no idea what this would represent, maybe social togetherness. A roll above 50 may mean that people respect each other, a roll under 50 social bitterness ie society is falling apart. This implies an interplay with the Dexterity roll. If society if falling apart rogues will be more common. Also it may mean that the people are unhappy with a certain aspect of society, a inherent dislike for the state religion, the ruling classes (nobility) or the armed forces. The reasons for this unhappiness are left to the DM. Suggestion: they may be corrupt and the locals may lead to a revolution.

Comeliness

Psi
The representation of mind powers (psionics), the paranormal (X-files) and the occult. The DM may like to roll three times one for each attribute above. As for fighters, rogues, wizards and priests this roll affects how the psionicist is treated in the campaign. A moderately high result may mean that the psionicist is treated as just another learned person, like a priest or wizard; a low result the opposite, they are feared, hunted and "witch trials" are common.

The paranormal can be treated like the X-files tv series, a group of conspirators are trying to overthrow another some aspect of the government. At a more mundane level anything outside normal experience for that society or campaign can be classed a paranormal. This includes wondrous expressions (miracles) or things that cannot be explained easily for the people in the campaign (magic that has no obvious explaination).

All the word occult means is "hidden," look it up yourself in a dictionary. A more expressive meaning may be "anything secret that is kept from the public (or players)". The public in the campaign is its citizens. This also can include the wisdom and knowledge of previous centuries preserved by hidden organisations.

For example if a roll for Intelligence was below normal that knowledge maybe kept hidden and preserved by an organisation. In the Dark Ages the Roman Churches' priests preserved some of the knowledge from the Roman Empire. A low result here may mean that some knowledge is truly lost to the people of the campaign however, at a later stage is may be recovered and create a silver or golden age (see Intelligence above).

Realm Based
The same rolls above can also apply in setting up a realm. The rolls then take on a realm based nature rather than a campaign based nature. The DM is wise to be notified that the following information is for the rolls for only rolls of 80 or higher. Rolls below 50 are not explained. Also note this info takes on a rpg mechanics point of view.

These extras are better introduced to the players and their characters by role playing the encounters leading up to the revelation. Simply announcing to the player "you have such and such" defeats the purpose of role playing a character.

"High" represents a Silver Age, "Very High" a golden age and "Exceptional" the pinnacle of human civilisation. Rule: On an "Exceptional" result, if the DM wishes a character has a 1% chance (another Exceptional roll) to gain a Legacy (Legacies are from the RED STEEL campaign boxed set) or suitable other granted power (use the priest class as an example) can be used.

Strength
High: Bonus +1 to hit and damage
Very High: Free WP slot
Exceptional: Both above and spell-like ability: "cast" spell Strength once every week
Legacy result: A strength based legacy or other combat related legacy.

Dexterity
High: an extra 10 to 20 percent on all thief/special skill abilities ie hide in shadows (Rogues only).
Very High: An extra 1d4 special skills (Rogues only).
Exceptional: Both above. (Non-rogues receive a free special skill at no xp penalty or for those classes with rogue special skills, an extra one).
Legacy result: A dexterity based legacy such as Combat Reflexes, Acrobatics or First Strike, or a Special Skill becomes an ability eg Climb Walls ability.

Constitution
High: An extra hit point per three levels gained.
Very High: Resilience to disease, suggest a +1 to +3 to Con checks involving the person not to contract that disease.
Exceptional: 1) Both above and free Constitution based NWP (character's choice). 2) Natural AC drops by 1d6.
Legacy Result: A constitution based legacy. Suggestions include Endurance, Toughness, Regeneration, Immunity and Priest spell Cure Serious Wounds.

Intelligence
High: An extra 10 to 20 percent to learn spells rolls.
Very high: 20% gaining free NWP research or gaining a new language Exceptional: Both above and free 1d4 proficiencies/languages (characters choice).
Note: the NWP research assumes that the NWP is used with the secondary skill or class of the character eg bakery research, weaving research, cooking research, spell research etc.
Legacy Result: A intelligence based legacy or one NWP gains a bonus of 20 to that score. Eg: a NWP of Religion (4) becomes Religion (24) and note a roll of "20" is still a failure.

Wisdom
High: +1 bonus to wisdom and wisdom based NWP checks.
Very High: Bonus +2 to mental attacks.
Exceptional: 1) Immune (as of WIS 19) to ONE of the spells listed on that row or one similarly powerful. If already has a WIS of 19 or more, gain one immunity from the next row above WIS score. 2) 20% for the character to cast an orison (priest cantrip). 3) 2% per level of Divine Intervention.
Legacy Result: A wisdom based legacy eg Willpower, Eternality (immunity to magical aging).

Charisma
High: +1 to reaction rolls
Very High: Bonus 15% or +3 loyalty or morale checks.
Exceptional: Both above and free NWP based on charisma.
Legacy Result: A charisma based legacy or similarly to Intelligence, a CHR based NWP get a bonus of 20 added to that NWP. Unlike Intelligence which can be any NWP, this is restricted to Charisma based NWPs.

Comeliness
High:
Very High:
Exceptional:
Legacy Result: A comeliness based legacy.

PSI
High: 5d6 extra PSPs. Bonus 5% chance to possess a wild talent.
Very High: Bonus of +1 to all Power Checks. Bonus 15% chance to possess a wild talent.
Exceptional: 1) Extra psi science and 2 devotions from primary discipline. 2) Bonus 30% chance to possess a wild talent.
Legacy Result: A PSI based legacy or an extra 3d6 x 1d4 PSPs.

A text copy of this text is available here

(c) Barry Clarke