Eliminating the current Goals system
A subsystem for affecting the world outside the scope of a game session was a good idea but this was simply to “crunchy” - it will be replaced with something simpler.
Changing the World
New Players: This section describes an advanced form of play that opens the door to infinite possibilities but it is NOT something you need to know to participate in an event. When you have played a couple of times and feel that you know how the basic rhythms of the game works come back here to see if these rules are something you are interested in trying out. Unless of course you are a "show me everything!" kind of player in which case, by all means read on!
The Gateway Chronicles setting is fluid. It is a world in motion, shaped through the actions of dozens of players creating an emerging narrative that can be spun into countless stories.
Change can come as a result of traditional roleplaying. During each session, you can become involved in plots and subplots, many of which will have consequences that affect the world in some way.
Your character can also affect specific change more directly by establishing a Goal, working towards it and convincing others to do likewise. There is a bit of abstraction at work here but it is intended to give you as much agency as possible.
To begin - let the Gamemaster know what you character is trying to do. Define it as concisely as you can. Think in terms of how your character is trying to change the game world. This can be done during or between sessions, but may be best done outside a session so you have the GM's full attention.
The following are all acceptable Goals:
Make the streets of Morden safer.
Found a new order of Knights dedicated to hunting demons.
Establish a new harvest holiday for Uruks.
Explore the small island discovered during my last Expedition.
If the Gamemaster accepts the Goal, they will enter it into a master log accessible by the staff and assign it a name known as a Keyword. "Make the streets of Morden safer" may become "Streetsafe". The rest of the description of what you are trying to do will be logged after the keyword. There may be a bit of back and forth to settle on the exact wording of your Goal to make sure you are on the same page and anyone who engages with the Goal will be clear on what is intended.
The other thing the Gamemaster will do is assign your Goal a Difficulty. This is a staff only number that won't be shared with players.
4-8 A small change that will affect a small number of people.
9-15 A small change that will affect a large number of people or a significant change that will affect a small number of people.
18+ A significant change that will affect a large number of people.
Once you have established your Goal and the Gamemaster has added it the Log, you may begin to pursue it.
At the end of each session, as part of your check out, submit a summary of what you did to work toward the goal, using the Goal's name and encourage others who are helping to do likewise.
There are no hard and fast rules for what you can do because the answer will be different for every Goal.
For example, if the Goal is "Become a pastry chef with a shop in a small town" actions that will help could include passing out samples (which could be done by bringing a basket of actual treats), encouraging people to talk about the chef's skill, getting a lord to offer space for the shop, finding a renown chef to develop recipes with and spending gold on materials for the shop.
After the session, when the staff is processing everything that happened, they will add Progress to your Goal based on what was done to
A single character had a limited impact.
A single character had significant impact or a multiple characters had limited impact.
A single character had significant impact AND multiple characters had limited impact.
A single character did something truly inspired.
A single character did something truly inspired AND at least one other character had significant impact.
The staff will let everyone who submitted a contribution to progress on the Goal that progress was made (but not how many point, like the Goal's Difficulty that is a staff only number). The person who submitted the Goal will also be told when the progress has reached the halfway point (Progress is half Difficulty or more).
When the Goal is accomplished, the person who submitted the Goal will be made aware and the change will be announced narratively as part of the setup for the next session.
This subsystem is being introduced to help make this campaign "OUR" campaign. If there is something you would like to see - make it so! You now have the tools.
Expanded Magic Feats
I have added a substantial number of Magic Feats including Feats specifically for each Discipline and Tradition.
Eliminating “Estabished”
I have removed the “Established” Feat. It didn’t work with the new Experience system and removing Traits.
Eliminating Traits
The “Trait” mechanic has been removed. There were some good ideas there but it was agreed that it was just one to many things to track.
For the record -
Traits
Unlike Advantages, Disadvantages and Feats, Traits have no mechanical benefits. They may affect certain roleplaying situations but that is the extent of what they do.
In order to acquire the “Established” Feat, which is required to take a Paragon Class, you will have to have three of them.
Characters choose one Trait during character creation.
Taking a new Trait is like taking an Advance so costs 10 experience points but if you do something during play to establish the Trait, you get 2 experience that must be spent to acquire it. If you involve one or more players in establishing the Trait, you get 4 exp instead and up to 3 other players who helped get 2 banked experience. Be creative and work with the staff.
Examples -
To set up acquisition of the “Dwarf Friend” Trait (after acquiring the required Telktar Language Feat) you arrange with the staff and another player who has a dwarven character to accompany them on a quest of great importance to their people.
To set up acquisition of the “Partner” Feat you work with the staff to introduce a Plot character that is someone you have an “offstage” pre-existing relationship with that you make public during their visit to the Ram’s Head - potentially leading to a public in character hand fasting. Be warned - this is a dangerous ground for some players so be sure whoever you recruit to help you tell this tale is comfortable with this kind of content.
You can only take a new Trait after playing your character for 2 sessions or more sessions since you acquired the last one (so to have 3 Traits you will have had to play a character for 6 or more sessions).
An established Trait can be swapped for another at no cost if circumstances change. These changes are often story points and this can be an effective way to acknowledge them. For example - a character with the Student Trait exceeds the abilities of their Mentor and becomes their Rival instead. As always - work with the staff to make this happen.
Dwarf Friend (Trait, Telktar) You have learned enough about dwarven culture and spent enough time among them that you are practically an honorary dwarf. You have no trouble being welcomed or accepted by dwarves.
Elf Friend (Trait, Aeorul) You have learned enough about elven culture and spent enough time among them that you are practically an honorary elf. You have no trouble being welcomed or accepted by elves.
Family (Trait) There are one or more family members who are a part of your characters life. This does not include a partner or young people in your charge, which are covered by the Partner and Parent Traits respectively. This Feat covers as many family members as you like. You don’t have to (or can you) take this Trait multiple times. You don’t have to have this Trait to have family, but you should if if they are an important part of your story.
Fae Friend (Trait, Pomkifon) You have learned enough about fae culture and spent enough time among them that you are practically an honorary fae. You have no trouble being welcomed or accepted by fae.
Hearthlander Friend (Trait, Oha) You have learned enough about hearthlander culture and spent enough time among them that you are practically an honorary hearthlander. You have no trouble being welcomed or accepted by hearthlanders.
Homestead (Trait) There is somewhere you call home. It usually means somewhere you own, but it doesn’t have to. You just have to have reliable access to it and control over it. When you take this Trait you should define what the Homestead is, how you acquired It and how you maintain it. This is best when it comes from the characters story (they live in a room in their favorite tavern which they secretly own, they live in a small farmstead manor gifted to them by a grateful lord, they live in a ruined tower the cleared as part of an adventure and are forever rebuilding).
Mentor (Trait) You have taken someone under your wing. This can be complemented by the Teacher Feat but doesn’t have to be. There is a lot of roleplaying potential in having it be another player character, but it isn’t requirement.
Parent (Trait) You have one or more young people in your charge. You may have a partner, but it isn’t a prerequisite nor do you need a Trait to have children but if you have one they are an important part of your story. This Trait covers as many children, wards or charges as you like. You don’t have to (or can you) take this Trait multiple times.
Partner (Trait) You have someone in your life that is a committed partner. Sometimes this is a spouse, but it does not have to be nor do you need a Trait to have partner but if you have one they are an important part of your story. Note that only the most backwards, wrong thinking arch traditionalists of Magelis and Celedon care about the gender binary or the patriarchy. This is a fantasy game and part of my fantasy is a world where people don’t get hung up on bullshit like that.
Pupil (Trait) You are someones student. Who and what they are teaching you is up to you. It can be fun for the mentor to be another PC, ideally someone with the Established Feat that isn’t played all the time.
Quirk (Trait) This is a catch all for any Personality Trait. Personality Traits are just Traits that work like any other but you are more likely to be able to rationalize taking them during character generation than acquiring them once you have started playing the character. Quirk can be taken more than once, but before assigning more than one Personality Trait to your character you should consider how they would interact with each other.
Reputation (Trait) You are known for something but unlike Famous which is for having a positive reputation or Infamous which is for having a negative reputation, this Trait is for things that aren’t inherently positive or negative. As with Famous and Infamous “Reputation” will be printed on your badge and if anyone asks what you have a reputation for you have to answer.
Rival (Trait) Another character agrees to be your Rival. It is up to you what your Rivalry is and how it began. If the other character is a PC they should take the Rival Trait at the same time you do. If another PC is your rival make sure the rivalry can be something that is fun and playful rather than truly competitive in a way that could lead to bad feelings.
Uruk Friend (Trait, Gharj) You have learned enough about Uruk culture and spent enough time among them that you are practically an honorary Uruk. You have no trouble being welcomed or accepted by Uruks.
Wildling Friend (Trait, Jae) You have learned enough about wildling culture and spent enough time among them that you are practically an honorary wildling. You have no trouble being welcomed or accepted by wildlings.
Experience Update
Experience has been tracked two ways. Some things earned you experience assigned to your character and others earned you banked experience you can use for any character you like.
I had a talk with the archivist and we have decided all experience will be banked henceforth.
Update/Change to Mighty
The Mighty Advantage had unreasonable prerequisites and was a bit too powerful so it is now easier to get but has been nerfed a little.
Mighty: Your character is incredibly strong and obviously so (add the word “Mighty” to their name tag). They must take the Strength Feat during character creation (which means they will have to begin with an Athletics skill of at least 3). The first time time they roll at least one 12 as part of an attack test with a melee weapon they inflict 1 extra point of damage. Thereafter, they get the extra damage any time they roll at least one 12 and spend 1 Advantage Chit.
Arena Combat
I have added the rules for Arena Combat. We plan to have this option available for the November session. In support of those rules I have changed the rules for the Gladiator Feat to the following:
Gladiator (Feat, Combat 3, Perform) You get 2 experience points the first time you participate in Arena Combat and 1 more point for the next 2 times (for a maximum bonus of 4 exp).
GM Support
One thing i didn’t include in my “Release Day” to do list is support for Gamemasters and Hosts. I want it to be as easy as possible for others to get involved in running and writing adventures. My goal is to be able to attend a session as a player. This is an important step toward that end.
Release day!
I am finally ready to open the doors!
Some notes -
My intention is to have everything done that will be done by the end of the year. It is October 19th now. The only reason I am not 100% confident I can deliver by that date is I ma still having health issues and my surgery is scheduled for December 3rd. I will try my best anyway. Bear in mind that more than half of this final build was done while I was unwell. I am very stubborn ;)
So where do we stand?
Most of the important changes have been made and important new material has been added. There should now be a wide enough range of options that allows for all kinds of concepts and builds while providing enough material that no one should run out of ways to grow and develop their characters for a very long time (if ever). I also made this version as easy to use as I could manage.
So what is left to be done?
EDITING: This was just me working in a vacuum. I have not even properly spell checked everything. That means there are mistakes of all kinds that will be hunted down and foxed but for now expect a bit of a mess.
CANTRIPS AND RITUALS: Need work.
MAGIC FEATS: There are Feats that expand the power granted by Disciplines and add abilities based on your Tradition. Some have been provided. There will be more. Soon.
BALANCE CHECK: Will have my “Council of the Wise” take a pass to make sure I haven’t added anything that throws off the balance of the game in one way or another. I may add or edit a few t things to correct any imbalance we find.
PARAGON CLASSES: There is room to flesh out this list and add options. Expect between 4 and 8 more.
PARAGON FEATS: Paragon Classes unlock special powerful Feats. I will add those last or close to last because they affect the fewest characters.
MASTER REFERENCE: The compiled list of everything in alphabetical order has to be done close to last and then redone as soon as everything has been added and edited.
COSMETICS: There is a lot to be done to shore up the look and feel of the site. It will get done along with everything else.
Onward!
Magic Edit
Spent this morning cleaning up the Disciplines section. What a mess! Bless those of you who have been using this in this state. Yikes! Well it’s better now and I daresay makes more sense.
Final Stretch
I’ve been workin on what I intend to be the final version of the rules - which is what is posted to this web site - for several weeks now. Trying to “finish” a 25 year project has been a challenge. I am trying to chase down every significant issue and fill every gap I can find. I know nothing is evert perfect and that “done” is really only a judgement call but it is time for that call to be made. I am closing in on making the call. I have finite list of things that still need doing. Onward!