Player Guide: The Golden Vault

## Setting & Premise

The "***Hub***" of the campaign will be contained within Baldur's Gate, with the Osman House acting as it's central point. Every new heist will start and end here (*usually*). The First session of every heist will allow players to visit their mentor, shop, train, plan and craft whatever they might need. Once a heist is started, then timing becomes important. You might not always be the only thieves in play and may need to coordinate with speed if you sense another group or individual closing in on your prize.

There will be many solutions to a heist. You can just brute force it, but it will always be the hardest method. Stealth and deception will always be the more productive method and teamwork will be key.

## Bastion

Although the Unearthed Arcana version of Bastions doesn't quite fit the campaign, a homebrew version will exist. Improving relations with NPCs and recruiting new ones throughout your heists will increase the strength of your Bastion, as well as provide equipment and items each time your return from a job. The stronger your relationships and more allies your have, the more you get back.

## Leveling

In normal settings, a player will progress through early levels at a much faster pace than higher ones later on, this is not the case in Golden Vault. Players will level at a consistent pace throughout the campaign. Each completed Heist will award them a level up, which equals a level up roughly every 5-6 sessions.

## Gear

In this campaign, gear will act as a secondary level. You will start the campaign with **no starting equipment or money**. You must rely on your parents in the beginning and decide amongst yourselves which is the most essential gear to purchase. Whether you purchase gear individually or as a group, it shouldn't be treated as an infinite resource, for example, tossing a dagger into an abyss means it's gone for good.

As you complete heists, you'll earn more money and can upgrade your gear (for example, giving another character your old light armor when you buy a medium set).

## Mentor

Due to starting at a young age, you may need a helping hand in whatever class you choose to progress as. Throughout the campaign setting their are several experience fighters who can act as mentor's to help hone your skills. While some will appear later in the campaign, here are individuals available from the beginning:

* Artificer | Roland Osman
* Paladin | Lylah Osman
* Monk | Rhea Osman
* Wizard | Herald Oak
* Druid | Tina Oak
* Rogue | Jacob Cross
* Bard | Zenna
* Fighter | Shayeri Eladur
* Sorcerer | Twinkle
* Ranger | *Unlocked after Heist 1*

At certain story points, these mentor's may present their protege with a class quest to further along their studies and unlock new abilities.

## Side Quests

Shops will occasionally have quests that will compliment your current heist, these are optional tasks that can be completed for a reward in the related shop. Majority of these quests will come from The Iron Owl & Mistletoe & Unicorns.

In addition to *Shop Quests*, there will be *Class Quests.* These are specific to an individual player and will be given by that player's mentor. The rewards will be related to the class and be a buff in the form of weapons, additional feats, spells etc.

## Race

All players will be a Variant Human in the beginning. Any major variations must come through story, for example Nebrix changing from an Undead Human to a Reborn through his patron or Menowin changing from Human to Eladrin through resurrection. If something like this is something you'd really like for your character to go through at a point in the campaign, you can discuss it with me prior to their creation. Otherwise changes like the examples given will only happen through chance.

## Murder

Killing of any sentient creature should be treated like it would in the real world. Every player character has been raised with the mindset of causing no casualties. A player character who commits murder, either by accident or intentionally, and is caught, will face consequence in the form of the laws of Baldur's gate being enforced.

As your character's grow older, you can role play your own morality of what is classified as murder, but remember that the Sword Coast is not as accommodating to killers as Barovia is.

## Additional Info

	+ 2 years before Candlekeep Mysteries
	+ 5 years before Tyranny of Dragons
	+ 7 years before Curse of Strahd Starts
	+ 12 years before Barovia rejoins the Sword Coast
* Being the first, second, third etc born player will have story elements attached, so should be considered when we discuss as a group
* You won't be allowed to scrap your character and start a new one unless your original character dies. The reason for this is to give you the challenge of growing your character as they age. If you don't like who your character is or becomes, then use it as a role playing tool to grow them up and change. Some of you will be very young during the first heist and will be very different by the time we reach the end.