A Song Of Ice And Fire - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 OrwellianHaggis Mar 25, 2015 2:05:07	Has anyone run a game set in this world? Tell us about it, if you have. I'm planning a game for my wife and possibly our friends. It will take place during the timeline of the books but events won't be the same. I'm not going to plan everything out so I can stay flexible, but one difference is this: Ned Stark does not die in King's Landing, he goes to the Wall. My wife's character is going to be a disgraced squire, starting at level two. He'll arrive at the Wall in the same induction as Jon Snow, Grenn, and the rest. All we've got established so far is that Alliser Thorne will call him "frogspawn", mocking his family's lizard-lion crest. Mechanics-wise, I think I'm going to set level limits on NPCs. E.g. knights can reach level 10, Others can reach level 18... I don't know enough about the magic in the setting to include it comfortably, so I'm restricting any spellcasting classes. But I'm not going to micro manage the classes I leave in, and if a player can convince me that magic could be done with skill (e.g. the goodberry spell) I'll allow it.
#2 ChrisCarlson Mar 25, 2015 7:31:07	Yeah, the setting is definitely not "sword & sorcery". It's more like, "sword & borkedery". Very gritty and dark. As for magic, it's there. But it's obscure, ephemeral, rare, and potent. I'd prefer to keep it behind the DM's screen.
#3 draegn Mar 25, 2015 8:07:18	http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/Magic You could stick with warlocks, druids, alchemists.
#4 Samrin Mar 25, 2015 10:11:12	I wouldn't use D&D for this. There is a Game of Thrones RPG and there is a Song of Ice and Fire RPG, as well. Different systems.
#5 Zardnaar Mar 25, 2015 11:12:01	I would not use D&D for this world either except maybe a highly customised 2E game using variant rules and DM tweaked classes like rangers. Required Books. Historical series (for the low magic rules) probably a Mighty Fortress or the Crusader one. Players Options Skills and Powers (for tweaked spellc casterless rangers). Players Option Combat and Tactics (for weapons and critical hit tables) Players Option Spells and Magic (low magic rules combined with the historical series). Any WoTC D&D is right out, BECMI or 1E would require some work.
#6 Synjin Mar 25, 2015 11:20:00	Why wouldn't D&D work? Seems to me you can impliment the mechanics just fine. Sure you wouldn't have some of the classes (everyone would be a Fighter/Barbarian variant), but I'd think you can use the 5E mechanics for your own Westerosi campaign. The exception would be to be a follower of R'hllor, like Thoros of Myr. The Children, I'd leave to NPC races.
#7 Zardnaar Mar 25, 2015 11:28:38	Synjin wrote:
#8 Synjin Mar 25, 2015 11:33:22	Lots of thieves and rapers in Westeros, but just because someone's classified as a thief, doesn't mean they have the skills of the actual Rogue class. It just means they stole stuff. I'd say most of those guys fall into the Bandit and Bandit Leader, and Thug NPC class.
#9 Zardnaar Mar 25, 2015 11:36:17	That and the 3E NPC classes. 5E basic rules. Allowed Races. Human. Allowed Classes Barbarians, Rogue (thief, assassin), Fighter (champion, Battlemaster) Banned Feats. Healer, anything granting magic spells.
#10 Synjin Mar 25, 2015 11:42:37	Dragonglass Weapon Type: Any spear tip, dagger, or arrowhead +1 vs. White Walkers & Wights All hits are considered criticals. The undead skeletal wights in SOIAF seem to be the "Bone Creature" template of the 3E Libris Mortis suppliment book. They move fast and retain their abilities that they did in life. They aren't simple skeletons from the MM. I'm hesitant about Valyrian Steel and what it can do, since the book series isn't finished yet and I'm betting there's more that GRRM hasn't shown us.
#11 LuisCarlos17f Mar 25, 2015 11:47:55	There is a Dragon magazine about that, and even I bought the Spanish version. You could do a "mash-up", to use the background to tell a totally different setting, for example the noble houses are half-dragons. The adventage is players who have readen the books don´t know what is going to happen in the near future.
#12 cbwjm Mar 25, 2015 14:22:54	I think 5e would work well, it would be a fairly restricted campaign in regard to race and class availability. You could steal ideas from the d20 conan rules and make variant humans although I don't think that is really needed. No magic classes which also means no magical healing. I would use a variant second wind rule that allows players to spend hit dice during combat similar to 4e's second wind. I'm pretty sure this option is in the DMG. Not sure why Zardnaar would ban the healer feat, GoT clearly has healers, can't remember their title (The guys in robes that are the teachers, healers, and raven masters) so the healer feat should be there but it might be restricted rather than banned. Magic is likely to be restricted to NPCs since the main protagonists don't seem to have much if any other than Bran taking over the minds of animals (Would this be a feat or a subclass of ranger?) and that fat bloke who stabbed the ice walker with that obsidian having a magical dagger (Or even not magical, just able to bypass their defenses) Priests are likely just non-magical classes with the Acolyte background. In fact it might be a good idea to create a class like the Master class in dragonlance 3e which was a supped up version of the expert class, perhaps a spellless version of the bard class.
#13 Noon Mar 26, 2015 2:06:58	It's funny how people seem to treat 'does it fit' as if that's more important than 'am I having some kind of fun from moment to moment at the game table'
#14 Zardnaar Mar 26, 2015 3:17:48	Noon wrote:
#15 OrwellianHaggis Mar 26, 2015 8:17:45	Zardnaar wrote:
#16 Orethalion Mar 26, 2015 12:09:59	Samrin wrote:
#17 DarkSphinx Mar 26, 2015 22:01:35	OrwellianHaggis wrote:
(Reply to #9) arnwolf666	Zardnaar wrote:
#19 Furion_Thamior Mar 27, 2015 7:54:24	A few things to consider: Had you considered lowering the level cap even further? Straight up: no one is going above Level 4 or maybe level 5. White Walkers are impressive, but they are not 18th level -- 18th level monsters and characters are the kind of stuff you find in superhero comics like The Avengers -- not Westros. This puts a rather elegant cap on the magic available in the setting. Doing this, you should be able to allow full-access to the entire PHB without needing to ban or remove anything to make it suit the setting. The spell effects possible at these levels, even the flashy evocations -- don't stretch the concievable cannon of ASOIAF. Certainly, a 4th level Wizard is going to be an exceptional and world-shaking character. Then again, so is Melisandre, and such a world-shaking character is appropriate for a PC. Low-level Dungeons and Dragons actually does a great job of gritty realism in a lightweight manner. The party will always feel fragile and vulnerable, which is so important to the tone of the books. Even if you banned healing magic, any party over 6th level starts to feel a little bit invulnerable -- it's just in the nature of the D&D game. Cut this off by never taking the campaign to that level. Your monsters are (SPOILERS FOLLOW) D&D Wights with resistance to nonmagical weapons -- White Walkers/ others -- At CR 3 these are good enough to challenge your highest level party, but not so much that we don't believe Samwell Tarly couldn't have killed one. Zombies with resistance to nonmagical weapons -- "wights" D&D Hill or Frost giants -- giants (absolutely terrifying for 4th level characters!) Young Red Dragon -- the dragons (again, absolutely terrifying) Direwolves ... self explanatory, though you could use Winter Wolves Wargs and warging -- a little bit harder to do -- you might try reworking the way Rangers interact with their animal companions. Perhaps it's a variant form of Shapeshifting for Druids? We don't really know enough about this ability to make rules for it yet. Jamie Lannister -- 4th level fighter Valyrian Steel weapons are just +1 swords.
#20 OrwellianHaggis Mar 27, 2015 8:19:02	Great suggestion, Furion, and not likely one that I would've thought of.
#21 Kalani Mar 27, 2015 8:26:22	The magics that Thoros used to ressurect Beric Dondarrion were exceedingly powerful (for the series), but no more powerful than raise dead or revify. Melisandre also had the ability to summon shadows. The closest spell I can think of in 5E to that feat is phantasmal killer or create undead (although neither spell is more than an approximation). As per the wiki, we have the following magics in ASOIAF Magic is a little understood force in the world. It has been so long since magic was truly potent that most understanding of it only lives on in superstition and rituals of questionable validity. In Westeros and most of the lands west of Valyria, magic is held to be a mythical force only. The Maesters of the Citadel may apply for a Valyrian Steel link for the study of magic, but they believe it to have faded away following the Doom of Valyria, since there has been no record of its use in Westeros since that time. However, recently the magical Valyrian Glass candle in the citadel has ignited anew and it seems that the potency of magic in Westeros has increased, and miracles and abilities that were long thought lost now appear to be returning, although this is commonly neither known nor accepted. Blood, life, and death seem to be keys that can help unlock the secrets of magic. Warlocks from Qarth bathe Sam Tarly in aurochs’ blood to make him brave. Mirri Maz Duur sacrifices the horse, and so much more, in her attempt to restore Khal Drogo. Dany burns the maegi on Drogo's funeral pyre and wakes dragons. Some of the abilities exhibited by those who practice magic are: Additionally, pyromancers claim that recently spells required in the creation of Wildfire have begun to work better and more efficiently than they have in many years, and dragon sightings are becoming more and more common in Essos [1] However, even before that in the lands east of Valyria magic has remained a potent force. In Qarth, the enigmatic warlocks of the House of the Undying, said to posses great powers and in the lands by the Jade Sea and Asshai by the Shadow, where all manner of sorcerers, necromancers, spellsingers, aeromancers, and more are said to gather and practice their arts. Elemental control: The priests of R'hllor seem able to control the element of fire being able to evoke fire with their bare hands in order to engulf their weapons in flames, or to use the fire alone as a means to attack enemies or just to amaze crowds like Moqorro Benerro Thoros of Myr and Melisandre do.[2]. Also in Qarth Daenerys saw a firemage creating a ladder of flames that stood up to forty feet high. It is possible that other wizards and sorcerers know ways of using other elements. Divination: Some people exhibit the ability to see the future either through looking in the fire in the case of the followers and priests of the Lord of Light or through dreams.In the second case this is called Greensight if following the way of the old gods or dragon dreams if it is done by a Targaryen. Skinchanging: The ability to enter the mind of an animal and control its actions.It is a rare ability with only one man in a thousand being born a skinchanger. Having the blood of the first Men usually makes it more likely for someone to be a skinchanger. Raising the dead: Some priests of R'hllor have been capable of performing the extraordinary feat of raising a man from the dead. However the reborn person may have difficulty remembering parts of his past life such as Beric Dondarrion or they exhibit a change in personality like Catelyn Tully. What red priests generally fail to do is to heal a man brought back to life by whatever injuries he may have suffered and as a result their bodies are battered by their wounds. Necromancy: Some are rumored to dabble in necromancy the ability to raise the dead but as mindless automatons bound to serve a specific purpose. Qyburn is rumored to have dabbled in this art. [3] Glamouring: wizards and sorcerers like Bloodraven or Melisandre can change their appearance or the appearance of others by using light and shadow. Also the use of items of the person whose for they want assume seem to enhance the effect.
#22 captainvegas Mar 27, 2015 12:52:28	Orethalion wrote:
#23 Delazar78 Mar 28, 2015 0:29:05	I would set this a few hundreds years in the future, with grown dragons, magic fully back in the world, and Maesters studying the arcane arts and being the "wizards" of the setting. It would be a lot like Birthright, I guess... I remember in the Dragon issue where they "converted" ASoIaF, Daenerys was a Sorcerer, and Stannis was a Paladin... so, it was more of a "high-fantasy" adaptation... I wouldn't mind it!

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

OrwellianHaggis

Mar 25, 2015 2:05:07

Has anyone run a game set in this world? Tell us about it, if you have.

I'm planning a game for my wife and possibly our friends. It will take place during the timeline of the books but events won't be the same. I'm not going to plan everything out so I can stay flexible, but one difference is this:

Ned Stark does not die in King's Landing, he goes to the Wall.

My wife's character is going to be a disgraced squire, starting at level two. He'll arrive at the Wall in the same induction as Jon Snow, Grenn, and the rest. All we've got established so far is that Alliser Thorne will call him "frogspawn", mocking his family's lizard-lion crest.

Mechanics-wise, I think I'm going to set level limits on NPCs. E.g. knights can reach level 10, Others can reach level 18...

I don't know enough about the magic in the setting to include it comfortably, so I'm restricting any spellcasting classes. But I'm not going to micro manage the classes I leave in, and if a player can convince me that magic could be done with skill (e.g. the goodberry spell) I'll allow it.

ChrisCarlson

Mar 25, 2015 7:31:07

Yeah, the setting is definitely not "sword & sorcery". It's more like, "sword & borkedery". Very gritty and dark.

As for magic, it's there. But it's obscure, ephemeral, rare, and potent. I'd prefer to keep it behind the DM's screen.

draegn

Mar 25, 2015 8:07:18

http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/Magic

You could stick with warlocks, druids, alchemists.

Samrin

Mar 25, 2015 10:11:12

I wouldn't use D&D for this. There is a Game of Thrones RPG and there is a Song of Ice and Fire RPG, as well. Different systems.

Zardnaar

Mar 25, 2015 11:12:01

I would not use D&D for this world either except maybe a highly customised 2E game using variant rules and DM tweaked classes like rangers. Required Books.

Historical series (for the low magic rules) probably a Mighty Fortress or the Crusader one.

Players Options Skills and Powers (for tweaked spellc casterless rangers).

Players Option Combat and Tactics (for weapons and critical hit tables)

Players Option Spells and Magic (low magic rules combined with the historical series).

Any WoTC D&D is right out, BECMI or 1E would require some work.

Synjin

Mar 25, 2015 11:20:00

Why wouldn't D&D work? Seems to me you can impliment the mechanics just fine. Sure you wouldn't have some of the classes (everyone would be a Fighter/Barbarian variant), but I'd think you can use the 5E mechanics for your own Westerosi campaign.

The exception would be to be a follower of R'hllor, like Thoros of Myr. The Children, I'd leave to NPC races.

Zardnaar

Mar 25, 2015 11:28:38

Synjin wrote:

Synjin

Mar 25, 2015 11:33:22

Lots of thieves and rapers in Westeros, but just because someone's classified as a thief, doesn't mean they have the skills of the actual Rogue class. It just means they stole stuff. I'd say most of those guys fall into the Bandit and Bandit Leader, and Thug NPC class.

Zardnaar

Mar 25, 2015 11:36:17

That and the 3E NPC classes.

5E basic rules.

Allowed Races. Human.

Allowed Classes Barbarians, Rogue (thief, assassin), Fighter (champion, Battlemaster)

Banned Feats. Healer, anything granting magic spells.

#10

Synjin

Mar 25, 2015 11:42:37

Dragonglass

Weapon Type: Any spear tip, dagger, or arrowhead

+1 vs. White Walkers & Wights

All hits are considered criticals.

The undead skeletal wights in SOIAF seem to be the "Bone Creature" template of the 3E Libris Mortis suppliment book. They move fast and retain their abilities that they did in life. They aren't simple skeletons from the MM.

I'm hesitant about Valyrian Steel and what it can do, since the book series isn't finished yet and I'm betting there's more that GRRM hasn't shown us.

#11

LuisCarlos17f

Mar 25, 2015 11:47:55

There is a Dragon magazine about that, and even I bought the Spanish version.

You could do a "mash-up", to use the background to tell a totally different setting, for example the noble houses are half-dragons. The adventage is players who have readen the books don´t know what is going to happen in the near future.

#12

cbwjm

Mar 25, 2015 14:22:54

I think 5e would work well, it would be a fairly restricted campaign in regard to race and class availability. You could steal ideas from the d20 conan rules and make variant humans although I don't think that is really needed.

No magic classes which also means no magical healing. I would use a variant second wind rule that allows players to spend hit dice during combat similar to 4e's second wind. I'm pretty sure this option is in the DMG.

Not sure why Zardnaar would ban the healer feat, GoT clearly has healers, can't remember their title (The guys in robes that are the teachers, healers, and raven masters) so the healer feat should be there but it might be restricted rather than banned.

Magic is likely to be restricted to NPCs since the main protagonists don't seem to have much if any other than Bran taking over the minds of animals (Would this be a feat or a subclass of ranger?) and that fat bloke who stabbed the ice walker with that obsidian having a magical dagger (Or even not magical, just able to bypass their defenses)

Priests are likely just non-magical classes with the Acolyte background. In fact it might be a good idea to create a class like the Master class in dragonlance 3e which was a supped up version of the expert class, perhaps a spellless version of the bard class.

#13

Noon

Mar 26, 2015 2:06:58

It's funny how people seem to treat 'does it fit' as if that's more important than 'am I having some kind of fun from moment to moment at the game table'

#14

Zardnaar

Mar 26, 2015 3:17:48

Noon wrote:

#15

OrwellianHaggis

Mar 26, 2015 8:17:45

Zardnaar wrote:

#16

Orethalion

Mar 26, 2015 12:09:59

Samrin wrote:

#17

DarkSphinx

Mar 26, 2015 22:01:35

OrwellianHaggis wrote:

(Reply to #9)

arnwolf666

Zardnaar wrote:

#19

Furion_Thamior

Mar 27, 2015 7:54:24

A few things to consider:

Had you considered lowering the level cap even further?

Straight up: no one is going above Level 4 or *maybe* level 5. White Walkers are impressive, but they are not 18th level -- 18th level monsters and characters are the kind of stuff you find in superhero comics like The Avengers -- not Westros.

This puts a rather elegant cap on the magic available in the setting. Doing this, you should be able to allow full-access to the entire PHB without needing to ban or remove anything to make it suit the setting. The spell effects possible at these levels, even the flashy evocations -- don't stretch the concievable cannon of ASOIAF. Certainly, a 4th level Wizard is going to be an exceptional and world-shaking character. Then again, so is Melisandre, and such a world-shaking character is appropriate for a PC.

Low-level Dungeons and Dragons actually does a *great* job of gritty realism in a lightweight manner. The party will always feel fragile and vulnerable, which is *so important* to the tone of the books. Even if you banned healing magic, any party over 6th level starts to feel a little bit invulnerable -- it's just in the nature of the D&D game. Cut this off by never taking the campaign to that level.

Your monsters are (SPOILERS FOLLOW)

D&D Wights with resistance to nonmagical weapons -- White Walkers/ others -- At CR 3 these are good enough to challenge your highest level party, but not so much that we don't believe Samwell Tarly couldn't have killed one.

Zombies with resistance to nonmagical weapons -- "wights"

D&D Hill or Frost giants -- giants (absolutely terrifying for 4th level characters!)

Young Red Dragon -- the dragons (again, absolutely terrifying)

Direwolves ... self explanatory, though you could use Winter Wolves

Wargs and warging -- a little bit harder to do -- you might try reworking the way Rangers interact with their animal companions. Perhaps it's a variant form of Shapeshifting for Druids? We don't really know enough about this ability to make rules for it yet.

Jamie Lannister -- 4th level fighter

Valyrian Steel weapons are just +1 swords.

#20

OrwellianHaggis

Mar 27, 2015 8:19:02

Great suggestion, Furion, and not likely one that I would've thought of.

#21

Kalani

Mar 27, 2015 8:26:22

The magics that Thoros used to ressurect Beric Dondarrion were exceedingly powerful (for the series), but no more powerful than raise dead or revify. Melisandre also had the ability to summon shadows. The closest spell I can think of in 5E to that feat is phantasmal killer or create undead (although neither spell is more than an approximation).

As per the wiki, we have the following magics in ASOIAF

Magic is a little understood force in the world. It has been so long since magic was truly potent that most understanding of it only lives on in superstition and rituals of questionable validity.
In Westeros and most of the lands west of Valyria, magic is held to be a mythical force only. The Maesters of the Citadel may apply for a Valyrian Steel link for the study of magic, but they believe it to have faded away following the Doom of Valyria, since there has been no record of its use in Westeros since that time. However, recently the magical Valyrian Glass candle in the citadel has ignited anew and it seems that the potency of magic in Westeros has increased, and miracles and abilities that were long thought lost now appear to be returning, although this is commonly neither known nor accepted.

Blood, life, and death seem to be keys that can help unlock the secrets of magic. Warlocks from Qarth bathe Sam Tarly in aurochs’ blood to make him brave. Mirri Maz Duur sacrifices the horse, and so much more, in her attempt to restore Khal Drogo. Dany burns the maegi on Drogo's funeral pyre and wakes dragons.

Some of the abilities exhibited by those who practice magic are:

Additionally, pyromancers claim that recently spells required in the creation of Wildfire have begun to work better and more efficiently than they have in many years, and dragon sightings are becoming more and more common in Essos [1] However, even before that in the lands east of Valyria magic has remained a potent force. In Qarth, the enigmatic warlocks of the House of the Undying, said to posses great powers and in the lands by the Jade Sea and Asshai by the Shadow, where all manner of sorcerers, necromancers, spellsingers, aeromancers, and more are said to gather and practice their arts.

Elemental control: The priests of R'hllor seem able to control the element of fire being able to evoke fire with their bare hands in order to engulf their weapons in flames, or to use the fire alone as a means to attack enemies or just to amaze crowds like Moqorro Benerro Thoros of Myr and Melisandre do.[2]. Also in Qarth Daenerys saw a firemage creating a ladder of flames that stood up to forty feet high. It is possible that other wizards and sorcerers know ways of using other elements.

Divination: Some people exhibit the ability to see the future either through looking in the fire in the case of the followers and priests of the Lord of Light or through dreams.In the second case this is called Greensight if following the way of the old gods or dragon dreams if it is done by a Targaryen.

Skinchanging: The ability to enter the mind of an animal and control its actions.It is a rare ability with only one man in a thousand being born a skinchanger. Having the blood of the first Men usually makes it more likely for someone to be a skinchanger.

Raising the dead: Some priests of R'hllor have been capable of performing the extraordinary feat of raising a man from the dead. However the reborn person may have difficulty remembering parts of his past life such as Beric Dondarrion or they exhibit a change in personality like Catelyn Tully. What red priests generally fail to do is to heal a man brought back to life by whatever injuries he may have suffered and as a result their bodies are battered by their wounds.

Necromancy: Some are rumored to dabble in necromancy the ability to raise the dead but as mindless automatons bound to serve a specific purpose. Qyburn is rumored to have dabbled in this art. [3]

Glamouring: wizards and sorcerers like Bloodraven or Melisandre can change their appearance or the appearance of others by using light and shadow. Also the use of items of the person whose for they want assume seem to enhance the effect.

#22

captainvegas

Mar 27, 2015 12:52:28

Orethalion wrote:

#23

Delazar78

Mar 28, 2015 0:29:05

I would set this a few hundreds years in the future, with grown dragons, magic fully back in the world, and Maesters studying the arcane arts and being the "wizards" of the setting.

It would be a lot like Birthright, I guess...

I remember in the Dragon issue where they "converted" ASoIaF, Daenerys was a Sorcerer, and Stannis was a Paladin... so, it was more of a "high-fantasy" adaptation... I wouldn't mind it!