Explore Malovia

## Welcome Back to Malovia

### Where we left off...

Esher from the Healing Hands Pharmaceutical teleported away to Vod Desux during a raid from the sovereign church.

The Heart of Nakir was successfully teleported away to the TEA (Time Enforcement Authority) in Mechanus.

Sven and Lydia were taken prisoner by the Sovereign Church. Many of Ana's treasures were confiscated. Your last interaction with Bobby Yomes was telling him you all were going down and to run away. Kain, Ana, and Yeshua are safe in the Waxed Wings for now.

Twig has not been heard from since she was sent to deliver gold to Jerimiah on the upcoming full moon.

Ana revealed the fairy origins of the Waxed Wings guild saying that the guild could be collapsed into a pocket dimension and then replaced inside any mountain.

Ana is concerned about the longer term stability of the guild in Vod Zorux with the increase in scrutiny the church has them under.

Jezean's adventuring crew was last seen being escorted to the Temple after reentering Vod Zorux for the first time since escaping the Yuanti temple.

You have all been given golden wings and are full members of the Waxed Wings guild. One of Sven's last acts was to paint Slurg's wooden wings yellow to match.

Agent Pyntl was been promoted to full Agent. WF-S82 was given a new directive to take lead of the mission to find and locate chronomantic devices and time altering sources then destroy them. Pyntl was given independent direction to remove TAS as he sees fit.

Your last discussion of upcoming action was to raid the magic item warehouse to shine a spotlight on Antony's foolishness in keeping all of the items in a single consolidated location then save Sven and Lydia. Pyntl has provided you with the guard schedule. If Antony is removed Pyntl will cement his place as a high ranking official of the Church. You discussed this action would likely get you run out of the city if you were identified. You considered going to Akrilgoth but had not fully settled on potential upcoming locations.

### Pacing Changes

After digesting the feedback between sessions I have identified a few issues will be making some changes to the pacing of the game to fix them. We have implemented a few unique and complex additional crafting systems to Explore Malovia, I think they are fun and give the campaign a unique flavor, they will be staying. However, sessions often slow down with people trying to min max every hour of the day, I am glad you are feeling a form of time pressure but this creates many instances of disparate group actions. To improve the flow of doing crafting activities I will be adding the following rule (list at end of section). Along a similar line our back to back adventuring days gives the world little room to breathe a change, I will be making narrative pacing changes to give you the opportunity to take larger chunks of down time. This will keep our adventure scenes fast paced and still give everyone an opportunity to utilize their unique crafting. Along the same lines, simple exploration, investigation, shopping, and similar tasks you might find yourself in an urban setting will be run as downtime activities with interwoven RP scenes added when necessary. Below is a list of possible non-crafting downtime activities which include these tasks and more options. They will seem similar to those listed in Xanathar's but you should read through them as I have modified most of them in some fashion.

#### Intentional Adventurers

*Adventuring is a mentally taxing task, watching the shadows for goblins, listening for aberrant footsteps, and monitoring your companions for signs of demonic possession takes a toll on your characters. Frequently swapping their mental focus will cause them to lose their place, setting back progress.*

Crafting activities are now considered a downtime activity. All downtime activities must be taken in chunks of 1 day. Working on a downtime activity for less than 8 consecutive hours generates no progress. If an activity takes less than 8 work hours to complete the remaining work hours may be used for a different downtime activity.

#### Down Time Activities

While your character is not adventuring, they can be performing *downtime activities* that you pick from the list below. These activities all take time to complete, measured in *workdays* of 8 work hours performed over a the period of a single day and *workweeks* of 5 workdays, and usually also require money or other resources. Days of downtime activity do not need to be consecutive. Some activities can be completed by characters working together. Completing activities with the assistance of other characters tends to also make tasks safer in the event that something goes wrong.

##### Buy a Magic Item

Spend time and money asking around, to discover what magic items you can find available for sale. Requires a Persuasion ability check, DC dependent on item availability. For example, the DC to find a scroll of lesser restoration in Ordinia would be 10 in a major city however to find the same scroll of lesser restoration in Vod Zorux would be 20 as many magical items in the city have been seized by the Sovereign Church.

Resources**:** At least 3workdays and 100 gp. You gain a +1 chance of finding someone who has a rare or very specific magic item for sale, for each additional 100 gp and workweek that is spent on the search.

 Uncommon
 Rare
 Very Rare
 Legendary

\* (Halved for consumable items like potions, oils, scrolls, etc.)

##### Carousing

Spend time drinking, eating and socializing. Perhaps you can make some new friends, or enemies. Requires a Persuasion ability check. You will have advantage on the check if you are doing an activity an NPC is particularly fond of a pirate lord will respect you much faster if you join him for a night of gambling. A nonconsecutive workweek of carousing needs to be with the same group of people. The benefits of carousing are in the relationships you build by spending time with the other members of the world they will be more likely to help you in the future in the form of favors and relevant gifts.

Resources**:** 1 workweek and 10 gp to go carousing with the lower classes, or 50 gp to carouse with the middle classes. Carousing with the upper classes requires 250 gp—and access to the local nobility (You need someone to assist you getting your foot in the door, if this is a barrier try doing favors for them first)

##### Casing A Location

Sometimes an adventure may choose not to bust down a door with arrows nocked and actions held but may choose a more tactical approach to taking on a location whether that be an urban building or dungeon. You may sneakily monitor a location and gather information about it's origins and operations from locals. Requires ability checks for Stealth and also your choice of either the Investigation, or Perception skills. You may repeat this action to increase the information you are given. You would expect to have a rough map of a location and specific knowledge of it's inhabitants after 3 days.

If you are casing a location and not concerned about your presence being known you can forgo the Steal check and gain advantage on your Investigation or perception roll.

Resources**:** Casing a site takes 1 workdays and 10 gp, which is spent greasing palms to aid in gathering information about your targets.

##### Gambling

An easy way to make a fortune, or lose one. Requires Deception, Insight, and Intimidation ability checks. If you are proficient with a relevant gaming set, that skill can replace one of the other checks. You could expect a great day of gambling to double your staked amount and a poor day to lose it all. Gambling is also a social activity that will help build relationships with anyone you play with or against.

Resources**:** 1 workday and a stake of at least 10 gp.

##### Pit Fighting

Compete in boxing, wrestling, and other forms of (usually) non-lethal combat, in an organized setting. Requires Acrobatics, Athletics, and Constitution ability checks. You can replace any one of those ability checks with an attack roll made using one of your weapons. Upon success you should expect a hefty gold payout depending on the area ~100gp upon moderate success and you will likely be noticed by any persons keeping tabs local champions.

Resources**:** 1 workweek.

##### Relaxation

Take a break to relax and recover from sickness or a critical injury. If you were not sick or critically injured before relaxing you will gain 3 luck points (Gain advantage at will) these luck points expire you gain a point of exhaustion or receive the benefit of the relaxation downtime.

Resources**:** 1 workweek and 15 gp.

##### Religious Service

Spend time in service of, and try to win favor with, a religion or the like. Requires either a Religion or Persuasion ability check.

Resources**:** 1 workweek, and some kind of temple, religious group, deity or entity whose beliefs and ethos are aligned with your own.

##### Research

Try and uncover lore concerning a specific place, person, item etc. Requires an Intelligence ability check. Access to a good library or a sage gives you advantage, and spending more gold gives you a bonus.

Resources**:** 1 workweek and at least 50 gp. (+1 per 100 gp spent)

##### Sell a Magic Item

Spread word that you have a magic item for sale, and try to find the best offer currently available. Requires a Persuasion ability check.

Resources**:** 3 workdays and 25 gp.

 Uncommon
 Rare
 Very Rare
 Legendary

\* (Halved for consumable items like potions, oils, scrolls, etc.)

##### Training

Learn a new language, or become proficient with a new skill or tool.

Resources**:** 10 workweeks, minus your Intelligence modifier, and 25 gp per workweek. Training is only possible from someone already proficient in the skill.

##### Work/Favors

Conduct work or doing favors for an NPC. This could be working as a bouncer at a local tavern, trimming the hedges of a local noble, gathering samples from the wilderness for a local researcher, training camels for a local shop keeper, transporting/cargo short distances for Jimmy Dean himself, or performing a circus act to entertain local nobles are all examples of activities that could be classified as the Work downtime action. Requires a relevant skill or tool check to determine the success level of the activity. The reward for these types of activities typically only covers an adventurers living expenses 1-3 gp/day but the relationship you build with the patron you are working for will likely be an invaluable asset for future adventuring activities if you ever need your favor returned.

### Other Mechanical Changes and Reminders

#### Contested Initiative

On an initiative tie the character with the higher initiative bonus will go first. If their bonuses are a tie a straight d20 contest is used.

#### Targeting of AOE spells

Spells and abilities which have a circular, spherical, or cylindrical area of effect that does not originate from a creature must target the intersection of the grid not the center of a square or hex. Circular radii create cubes on a grid because diagonal movement is the same as horizontal and vertical movement. *We live in a non-euclidean world, sorry.* For spells and abilities which specify a cube area the point of origin is anywhere of the one of the faces of the cube. The origin face of the cube is the is not part of the effect of the spell and the cube begins on the following tiles with a side width specified in the spell. The caster may choose the exact positioning of the cube relative to the origin.

#### Creatures Provide Cover

The body of a creature provides 1/2 cover to any creature behind them relative to the point of origin of an effect if the creature in front is at least the same size or larger than the creature in the back. If the creature in the back already has cover their cover will be increased by 1/4. (1/2, 3/4, full). This type of cover does not apply to spells or abilities that target in a line. (The magic is too concentrated to be reduced in intensity by passing through a creature). For example, *Your party is navigating through a tight hallway. You shoot through the space occupied by your friendly kobold and party horse to hit the enemy medium sized goblin. The enemy has an automatic half cover from your shooting past the party horse (large) but your shot is unaffected by shooting past the kobold (small).* Another example, *You cast a fireball into a dense pack of goblins, every grid space is filled. You lob a fireball into the center of the pack. There is no issue with targeting the fireball to hit the center of the pack. The goblins immediately adjacent to the point of origin of the fireball has no bonus. The inner ring of goblins has +2 from half cover (including diagonals). Then next most ring of goblins has +5 from 3/4 cover. The fourth ring of goblins is not hit from total cover though they will mourn the sacrifice of their immolated comrades.* Another example, *You shoot a lightning bolt through a line of goblins. None of the goblins receive a bonus to the DEX save because lighting bold is a line targeted spell.* Note\* The feat spell sniper does not mitigate the DEX save bonus of AOE spells as stated by the feat it only effects spell attacks, which would help when shooting past an ally.

The purpose behind this change is to create the potential for more interesting positional choices during combat and to mechanically demonstrate the difficultly of choosing a target through a chaotic melee.

#### Discerning Triggers

When the trigger of a held action occurs the character that held the action may choose not to follow through with their held action. Upon not following through the character does not expend their reaction and will have the opportunity to take their held action on any subsequent triggers before their next turn. Using the held action on a subsequent trigger will cost the character their reaction as normal.

#### Potion Consumption

The consumption or administration of a magical, alchemical, and herbal potion is one action unless stated otherwise in the description of the item. *The action cost of using a potion is designed to limit the use of potions to being a reward for good preparation or allow a speedy recovery in between tense scenes and to keep the rich from being indefinitely alive.*

#### Known Health Pool

Party members should feel free to share their exact hit points with their fellow party members. The adventuring party has survived many conflicts together and are familiar with exactly how many tricks their fellow party members have up their sleeve before going down. On the other hand enemy combatants can be difficult to judge. At <50% hp an enemy will be visibly bloodied, at <25% an enemy will be visibly haggard, <10% an enemy will be gasping for air or digging from their last reserves in some other way if they are a creature that does not breathe.

#### Non-lethal Attacks, Spells, and Abilities

Before or after an enemy is declared dead the player that caused the injury regardless of attack type may ask to DM to deal non-lethal damage. The DM will then roll death saves for the downed npc or monster like they would for a player. From there the NPC may be stabilized using the same rules as stabilizing a character. For example, *A group of goblins ambushed your party. After you kill most the goblins the last one begins to flee. You shoot your bow at them as they retreat. The DM begins to describe the arrow piercing their head as they go down, you quickly interject "Umm, could they not die instead?" "Sure" the DM replies, backtracking a little, the DM describes the arrow piecing their gut as they collapse to the ground. The DM they rolls dead saves for the goblin until they die or are stabilized.*

Non-lethal melee attacks will knock enemies unconscious but stable as normal. This effect can apply to spells that deal aoe damage, persistent spells like cloud of daggers, single target spells like inflict wounds, character abilities, ranged attacks, and most reasonable ways that a player would damage another character.

#### Ball Bearings

As an action, you can spill these tiny metal balls from their pouch to cover a level, square area that is 10 feet on a side. A creature moving across the covered area must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. A creature moving through the area at half speed doesn’t need to make the save.

#### Becoming Stable

When a creature becomes stable after reaching 0hp after 1d4 hours that creature regains 1hp. Creatures may no longer be awakened from the unconscious state without being brought above 0hp through any means. *Previously I allowed a simple slap to wake an unconscious creature. Going forward we will be reverting to the original rules. If your party struggles with waiting they should consider investing in a healers kit or any item or spell that heals.*

#### Transcribing Spell Scrolls

Wizards may copy spells that are a higher level than they can prepare into their spell book but may not cast them until they could prepare that spell level. *We are trading the flavor of a wizard practicing the spell for allowing players to not feel wasteful when consuming high level spell scrolls.*

## Welcome to Malovia

### Purpose

The purpose of this campaign is to have a grand time exploring a new continent together. Your characters live and grew up somewhere in the ADIGASH Multiverse. For information about the ADIGASH universe the wiki might help you (though many details have not been input) for most questions go a head and ask me.

### About Malovia

Malovia is a rough place when compared to the Northern continent of Ordinia. There are no empires. The largest claims to land come from cities staking out the arable land nearby. Most organizations are spread thin just protecting their local interests. This does not mean there disparate organizations are not jockeying for power, the scale is just smaller. Your face will be less recognizable as you travel from town to town as there is not nation level news. Malovia is rich with natural resources but such treasure is protect by rough wilderness and competing interests. The most sought after being the rare metal Kyrelium, it’s time bending properties have a variety of uses the most notable one is to accelerate the growth of crops.

### For your character

Your character can be native to the continent of Malovia or not, it does not matter. If you choose to be a Malovian native you must be one of the following races, Aarakocra, Grung, Aasimar, Duragar, Kenku, Changling. (Listed from most common to least common). The Kenku and Changlings were hunted to near extinction and are rarely seen. If you choose to play a Duragar, talk to me as we will need to weave your backstory into why you left your people (they are a secretive/isolated group). The aasimar were work slightly different than standard DnD lore, our aasimar were created by Barachiel using the Life Bringer’s Diadem and serve as their champion. The Aarakocra were also created by Barachiel and densely populate Vod Zorux. The grung for the most part do live in a caste system however there are multiple groups of grung accoss Malovia that interpret their colors differently. If you want to be a grung talk to me about options. (Also, think about a way your character will be able to stay wet). If you are a non-native race that is 100% cool you may play anything that exists in the ADIGASH universe (basically anything published in WoC official content except for gold dragon born). You will need a backstory reason for why you are leaving your home, are you running from something, an accident happened you don’t want to be blamed for, you enjoy new scenery, etc. Refer to the next section for specfics on why you are in Malovia.

You will start at lv 3 with a **bonus feat** using point buy for your stats.  You will be joining the rest of the adventuring party in Vod Zorux at the Waxed Wings Adventuring Guildhall. The Waxed wings adventuring guild is a well known organization that allows anyone to put in a contract with the guild, the guild will coordinate gathering a party to tackle the task and take a small cut of the reward. You are not the only adventuring party to work for the Waxed Wings. For your backstory think about why you are joining the Waxed Wings. What did you do before looking for work in Vod Zorux? If you not native to Malovia, you likely charted a ship from a yard in Yottingham to get to Malovia. Did you have a contact there? How’d you know about Malovia?

### Mechanical Changes

Flanking: We will be using flanking but instead of giving advantage you may double your proficiency bonus to your attack roll. (Stacks with weapon proficiency). Does not apply to weapons you are not proficient in. (2 x 0 = 0).

Critical Rolls: Critical successes only apply to attack rolls. There are no critical failures. (Passing a DC on an ability check by more or failing by more still may have varying outcomes)

The Aaisimar race: Resistance to either radiant or necrotic damage not both.

Spell components: Consumable components must be tracked. None consumables can be substituted with component bag or spell focus. (gp costing items that are not consumed may be assumed to have on hand. Like the pearl to cast identify.) You can not sell or transfer components.

Encumbrance: We won't be tracking it unless you try to build a siege tower out of rusty daggers.
Session absence: If you are gone from a session but play still happens your character will simply follow the group stay out of trouble. Upon your return it will be as if you didn't miss anything

Long distance flight: Uses forced march rules after 2 hours.

Resurrection: We will be using the critical role resurrection rules shown here.

#### THE FADING SPIRIT – ALTERNATIVE RESURRECTION RULES

Character death can often prove to become a minor inconvenience in some campaigns once the adventuring party reaches a certain level, with spells being available to return fallen comrades from the afterlife with temporary setbacks, robbing a small element of danger, and threat to future conflicts and challenges within the story. If you wish to elevate the gravity of character death, you can introduce this optional rule.

If a character is dead, and a resurrection is attempted by a spell or spell effect with longer than a 1 action casting time, a Resurrection Challenge is initiated. Up to 3 members of the adventuring party can offer to contribute to the ritual via a Contribution Skill Check. The DM asks them each to make a skill check based on their form of contribution, with the DC of the check adjusting to how helpful/impactful the DM feels the contribution would be.

For example, praying to the god of the devout, fallen character may require an Intelligence (Religion) check at an easy to medium difficulty, where loudly demanding the soul of the fallen to return from the aether may require a Charisma (Intimidation) check at a very hard or nearly impossible difficulty. Advantage and disadvantage can apply here based on how perfect, or off base, the contribution offered is.

After all contributions are completed, the DM then rolls a single, final Resurrection success check with no modifier. The base DC for the final resurrection check is 10, increasing by 1 for each previous successful resurrection the character has undergone (signifying the slow erosion of the soul’s connection to this world). For each successful contribution skill check, this DC is decreased by 3, whereas each failed contribution skill check increases the DC by 1.

Upon a successful resurrection check, the player’s soul (should it be willing) will be returned to the body, and the ritual succeeded. On a failed check, the soul does not return and the character is lost.

Only the strongest of magical incantations can bypass this resurrection challenge, in the form of the True Resurrection or Wish spells. These spells can also restore a character to life who was lost due to a failed resurrection ritual.

If a spell with a casting time of 1 action is used to attempt to restore life (via the Revivify spell or similar effects), no contribution skill checks are allowed. The character casting the spell makes a Rapid Resurrection check, rolling a d20 and adding their spellcasting ability modifier. The DC is 10, increasing by 1 for each previous successful resurrection the character has undergone. On a failure, the character’s soul is not lost, but the resurrection fails and increases any future Resurrection checks’ DC by 1. No further attempts can be made to restore this character to life until a resurrection spell with a casting time higher than 1 action is attempted.

**I’m happy to answer any questions about places, people, relationships etc. of creatures in the world!**