Rules

Here are the custom rules for the Shipton game.

## Out of Game Rules

### Taking a Mission

Missions may be scheduled up to a month in advance. All scheduled missions will be listed on the discord. To take a mission you must choose an out of game mission leader who will message me the following by the Wednesday before we are playing:

1. What mission you are attempting
2. Who is going on the mission
3. The name of the character each person is playing
4. What time everyone is free to start

Characters may only sign on to missions if they are not currently signed on to a future or ongoing mission. A player may abandon an ongoing mission to sign up for a new mission by messaging me.

If a player isn't ready to play at the time given by the mission leader they lose the amount of gold and experience they would have gained had everyone showed up and completed the mission, and may not join the mission late. The rest crew may attempt the mission or abandon it without penalty.

Missions difficulties range from one to twenty skulls and assume a crew of four. (i.e. a eight-skull mission is balanced for a group of four level eight characters.) Gold and experience are split evenly between the crew upon the completion of the mission. Completing missions is the only way to earn experience (but not the only way to earn gold.)

### Ongoing Missions

I will attempt to create missions that can be finished in one session. In the event that the party is unable to do so they can either:

1. Abandon the mission without penalty, but also without reward.
2. Continue the mission at a later time

In the first case the characters are assumed to have made it back to Shipton and returned the goods safely. In second the mission leader must let me know when they plan to continue the mission, following the same rules as choosing a mission. Only characters who went on the first part of the mission are eligible to take part. Anyone who does not take part in the full mission does not receive any reward.

Mission that take more than one session to complete reward extra gold and experience according to the formula

∑

# k
1

n

k
3

2
k
2

R

{\displaystyle \sum \_{k=1}^{n}{\frac {k+3}{2k+2}}R}

 where R is the original reward and n is the total number of sessions taken to complete a mission.

### Transferring Gold

You may transfer gold from one of your characters to another of equal or higher level. (So a level two character could give gold to a level five or level two character, but not a level one character.)

### Note Taking

You are encouraged to record your findings about the world on this wik in a neutral tone. I will add basic information that would be common knowledge in the Shipton universe, but will **not** add anything you learn on your missions. Every two completed missions I will select a random wiki contributor who will get to roll on either the Wiki Treasure Table, or roll for a random knick-knack.

## In-Game Rules

### Character Creation

To roll stats:

1. Roll 3d6 six times rerolling anything lower than a 7, these are your stats in order
2. You may replace one stat with a 16
3. You may lower some stats to raise others. First, you may lower a stat by one to raise another by one. Then lower a stat by two to raise another by one. The next time three to raise another by one, and so on. You may do this as many times as you wish but, may not lower a stat below three or raise a stat above 18.

You may use any official d&d material, but you may not take the sailor background or have proficiency with water vehicles. You start with all the normal level one items, but no money. I may allow third party or homebrew content, just run it past me.

You may have any backstory you like as long as you come from a place far far from Shipton to make your fortune as an independent contractor for the Shipton shipping empire.

### Mission Structure

Most missions will have the following structure:

1. The group will start on the island of Shipton a few hours before their ship departs
2. They will board their ship, take any action they wish, then roll a d100 to see if they encounter any danger on the sea. They must roll at or above the route danger on the mission card to avoid an encounter.
3. After the ship arrives they are responsible for transporting the cargo to the buyer. The captain of the ship knows who the buyer is and where they can be found.
4. Once the buyer is satisfied that they have their goods they will sign a receipt enchanted to accept only the buyer's signature and give it to the crew.
5. The crew will sail back to Shipton, again rolling for a sea encounter. Once you're back the mission is over and you get your reward.

### The Restless Sea

As travelers who aren't used to living on the ocean you aren't fully at home on ships. While sailing you are unable to complete long rests and short rest take eight hours. (This doesn't mean that you will accrue levels of exhaustion or other penalties, you just can't recharge. )

### Shipton Shop

At level 2 characters may, while they are on the island of Shipton, list items for sale in the Shipton Shop. These may be purchased by any character belonging to any other player.

### Grimbleby the Insurance Wizard

Gimbleby is Shipton's in-house wizard. He can magically safeguard your gold, items, and lives, while you're out on missions. If you purchase insurance from Grimbleby, on your next mission if anything happens that would cause you to die, you and everything on your person are instead instantly transported back to Shipton at full health. You do not receive any reward for the mission you were on at the time of your death, even if you completed the delivery and obtained a signature prior to your death. The portion of the reward that would have gone to you is lost, not shared out among your cremates. The higher your level the more magic it takes to protect you, so prices (given below) increase accordingly.