curses-and-blessings/notes-and-comments.txt

# Mark Emoji

:warning: **Attention:**
:memo: **Developer Note:**
:question: **TODO:**

# Notes and Maybes

* Reactions and retaliations
* Ranged attacks and weapons
* altitude sickness environmental effects
* A lack of food?
* Bigger bags?
* Ranking system for guild members?
* crude, rough, normal, fine, master (item/equipment ranks?)
* grade 4, grade 3, grade 2, grade 1, special grade, aubade (artifact ranks) (aubades don't exist, do they?)
* luck or fate skill

# Artifact Ideas

* Fate stones? d20 jewels? Inspiration tokens? Twisting fate to screw yourself later

# Word Salad, Yummy yummy

```
double attack
cleave
dodge roll
Ecosystems Anatomy Botany Zoology Geology Willpower Cooking
Bartering Rumors Inspiration Deception Persuasion Intuition
Humanity -> inhuman actions
Fear? -> I like this idea ; Adrenaline Junkie -> boosts from fear?
Hiding a relic you're not supposed to have?
Medicine
Cartographer
Art and artistic
Forgetful
allergies
paranoid
partially blind or deaf
cowardly / brave
Camping
```

## Possible Missions:

* Retrieve artifacts, bring them to the guild
* Take missions, like cartography tasks, biological surveys, etc.
* Cook, food hunter
* Bodyguard for the wealthy elite

# German words, for some reason
Tier = Animal/beast
Fortner = gatekeeper
Auslaufer = foothills




## junk notes from the previous draft below

---

...the order of these sections feels a bit wonky



## Combat And Challenges

To enter combat against a target, determine who goes first - when attacking, the entire party may take their actions first, before the GM determines how the targets react (such as attacking back). However, if the party is surprised (such as by a stealthy predator) the attacker goes first. When a player is the target of an attack, their difficulty level is 10 before applying modifiers from skills and equipment.

Assuming you have a usable combat skill, or an item that can inflict damage, attacking a target is done like so:

* Determine the target number, based on the target's difficulty level and other situational modifiers
* Roll a d20, and try to match or exceed the target number; if the unmodified d20 falls into the attacker's [Critical Range](#critical-ranges), it's an auto success
* The skill or item used determines how much damage is dealt; reduce the target's Health statistic by that amount, and apply any other relevant effects
* If any combatant's Health statistic reaches zero, it is killed, see [Dying and Death](#dying-and-death) for details

If the player has a skill or item which grants a non-combat ability, they may use it at any time (including on their turn during combat). If it requires a challenge roll, they may roll a d20, and apply any modifiers to the result if able. Just like in combat, if the unmodified d20 falls into the player's [Critical Range](#critical-ranges), it's an auto success.

If the players failed on an attack or challenge roll, they may exert themselves by spending 1 stamina point to re-attempt that roll, however they must use the new result. You cannot exert a roll more than once.

...distances in combat? I might need to work in some kind of distance and range system eventually.


## The Passage of Time



## Ascending the Sacred Mountain

Starting from the city of Base Valley, players may ascend up the mountain, making their way through a series of well known areas or, in some cases, lesser known or totally unexplored routes. Each tier of the mountain also has additional environmental effects, which make ascension more difficult.

Since the exact height of the mountain is unknown, you should record the altitude of the party in abstract and relative terms. The amount of time that has passed while climbing should also be recorded, see [The Passage of Time](#the-passage-of-time) for more details.

To make the climb, different actions are needed by the characters. These are:

...these will negatively impact fortitude

...TODO: tier-based challenges, such as navigating, rolling dice, etc.

...pigeon holes

...collapsing mushroom caps

...altitude sickness from tier 6 and up

## Digging and Excavation

The primary goal of any climber should be to find rare and valuable artifacts from the mountain's past, and bring them to the Mountaineer's Guild for sale. When you've found a place that you want to inspect for artifacts, you may spend one point of stamina and one segment of time digging; make sure you have at least one pickaxe of some kind, otherwise you won't be able to dig at all.

When digging, you may roll on the table below to determine what, if anything, you find. Some specific areas may have their own artifact tables, and artifacts will vary between tiers - see the [Appendices](#appendices) for details. Alternatively, story-related artifacts may also be found, at the GM's discretion.

If situational modifiers would lower the result of an excavation roll below zero, then the pickaxe used will break and become unusable.

...TODO: insert an example table here

# Shop Items

The local currency is a copper coin known called "as", with ten "as" being equal to the silver "denas". For those who live in Base Valley, selling equipment and providing services to those seeking to climb the mountain is a not-uncommon occupation, with many shops providing commonly needed climbing equipment and survival tools. This list details the most commonly found items, as well as their common prices.

Each item takes up one item slot in your bag, unless it has the "bulky" attribute (two slots), or the "petty" attribute (zero slots). Items with the "combat" attribute can be used as a weapon with the listed damage statistics.

**Developer's Note**: As the players progress, other more unique items may become available for purchase.

| Item | Cost | Description |
| --- | ---: | --- |
| Basic Food Rations | 20as | Dry, dull tasting but nutritious, it's made up of nuts and common fruits, dried and condensed into an easy to hold bar shape. |
| Basic Cooking Gear | 60as | Ideal for overnight stays on the mountain, this contains several small pots, cups, and a flimsy stand for a campfire. Also has a slot for "Basic Cutlery Gear"; if you own that item as well, it gains the "petty" attribute. |
| Basic Cutlery Gear | 50as | A set of four small implements, each with a spoon on one end, and a fork on the other; the fork end also has a knife on one edge, so be careful when using it. |
| Basic Sleeping Set | 200as | Bulky. A thin but warm blanket, and a soft but durable mat with a small pillow on one end. Better than roughing it on the hard ground. |
| Small Pickaxe | 10as | Weapon (1d6-2), Petty. A small but sturdy pickaxe. Enables the user to dig around efficiently, without relying on their bare hands. |
| Small Knife | 10as | Weapon (1d6), Petty. A small but sharp knife, ideal for survivalist situations. |
| Small Sheath | 3as | A small cover for a knife, which can be attached to a character's belt. Allows for quick access to the knife, and frees up space in your bag (so no item slots are consumed). |
| Small Compass | 50as | Petty. A small compass, which always points north. |
| 15m Rope | 50as| A good solid length of rope. Can be tied to a piton embedded in a wall. |
| Piton Bundle | 10as | A spike with a loop on the other end, sold in bundles of three. Every three pitons consumes only one item space, rounded up (so 5 pitons would take 2 item spaces). |
| Torch | 25as | Weapon (1d2, 1d6 if alight). Used for exploring darker areas, lighting one provides illumination of about 50ft for 1 segment of time. |
| 1.5 Meter Bandage | 10as | Essential for emergencies, it can be used to bind a wound, stop a bleed, or as a makeshift sling for a broken limb. Every 10 meters of bandages consumes only one item space, rounded up (so 15 meters of bandages would take 2 item spaces). |
| Soothing Salve | 10as | A kind of viscous cream derived from fungal materials. This can be used to restore the Health statistic of one character by 1d6 points. It can only be applied once per segment of time, otherwise it is ineffective; it is also ineffective on broken bones and missing body parts. 12 uses. |

...sketch pad needed

...sleeping set currently has no effect

...keep an eye on the cash economy - gathered artifacts should grant more cash than gathering them consumed

# Recovered Artifacts

...fate stones, sun stones?

The lower tiers have been picked clean of the best finds, so the higher you go, the more valuable - and interesting - the artifacts become. Each artifact takes up 1 item space in your bag, unless it has the "bulky" attribute (two slots), or the "petty" attribute (zero slots). It is highly recommended that you sell any unwanted artifacts to the Mountaineer's Guild - doing so will grant you the listed skill points, if any. If you sell it anywhere else, you will not receive any skill points, regardless of the sale price.

**Developer's Note**: In the future it might be possible to purchase certain artifacts from the guild's auction house, but these will be expensive, and usually limited to higher levelled players. It would also be interesting to explore the black market, where illegal trading can be found.

| Artifact | Price | Description |
| --- | :---: | ---: | --- |
| Sun Stone | 4as, 1sp | This small green stone can shine brightly when pressure or a simple electrical charge is applied. |

...The obsession stat will eventually be used to activate some higher rarity items

# Skills

To purchase a level in a skill, you must spend skill points equal to the new level being purchased. You can only purchase a level in a skill if you already have the previous level of that skill, and any other listed prerequisites e.g. to purchase 4 levels of any one skill, it will cost a total of 10 skill points, since 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10. Each character is assumed to have any skill at level 0, until levels of that skill have been purchased.

Here, you will find a list of skills that can be purchased, which are divided into several categories based on their utility. The categories are mainly guides, however some may also have extra rules attached, such as [Group Skills](#group-skills).

## Progression Skills

| Name | Description / Effect |
| --- | --- |
| Health Training | Increase this stat by your levels in this skill. |
| Stamina Training | Increase this stat by your levels in this skill. |
| Fortitude Training | Increase this stat by your levels in this skill. |
| Obsession Training | Increase this stat by your levels in this skill. |

...more, better names, better descriptions

## Survival Skills

...don't die; climbing, slip and fall recovery, etc.
...I'll add scavenging and fishing as a skill

| Name | Description / Effect |
| --- | --- |
| Rough Cooking | You can make a meal out of just about anything, be it vegetation, fungi, or a giant beast hunted by your group. This skill is considered essential for surviving on the mountain when returning to civilization is not an option. You can produce enough edible food for two people for each level in this skill; if you own some kind of cooking gear, an additional serving can be prepared. Any ingredients used are consumed. |

## Trade Skills

...identify artifacts, craft new gadgets, etc.

| Name | Description / Effect |
| --- | --- |
| Botanical Sketching | You can record details of the flora endemic to the mountain. You may spend one point of stamina to record a specimen from a safe distance. For every two levels of this skill you have, you can usually sell the documents to the Mountaineer's Guild for an additional 10%. |
| Anatomical Sketching | You can record details of the fauna endemic to the mountain. You may spend one point of stamina to record a specimen from a safe distance. For every two levels of this skill you have, you can usually sell the documents to the Mountaineer's Guild for an additional 10%. |

## Combat Skills

| Name | Description / Effect |
| --- | --- |
| Unarmed Fighting | You punch, kick, slam and bite to the best of your ability, without using a weapon. When used in combat, perform a skill check against a target. On a success, deal damage equal to 1d4 + LVL - 1 as damage. You may only take this skill up to 3 times. |

...knife training, pickaxe training

## Group Skills

Group skills are unique in that every member of your play group is required to purchase them all at once; purchasing a level in a group skill will still only cost equal to the level being purchased by each player. In addition, you cannot take a group skill during character creation.

| Name | Description / Effect |
| --- | --- |

...need many more skills: knot tying for combining ropes, group skills, etc.

# Bestiary

## Bug Swarm

Health: 3
Difficulty: 12
Attacks: Sting (1d3-1)
Special: This creature can attack four times during it's turn.

Description: A mass of various flying insects, most likely disturbed by a climber's activity or some other passing creature. Swatting it away is enough to make it disperse.

## Devilfish

Health: 10
Difficulty: 8
Attacks: None
Special: None

Description: A harmless, but delicious source of meat found largely in the waterways of the first two tiers. There are old tales of Devilfish climbing vertically up the Gambler's Bluff; these are usually dismissed as a metaphor of some kind, but there is a confirmed population living in the Mycelium Jungles.

## Knee Weasel

Health: 6
Difficulty: 6
Attacks: Bite (1d6)
Special: The difficulty of this creature is increased by 2 if there is at least one other allied Knee Weasel nearby.

Description: A variety of black grass-dwelling weasel. On their own, they pose little threat, but they normally travel in large family packs, and can sometimes overwhelm climbers who get too close to their territory. Found mainly in the dense tree clusters of the first and second tiers, they're known for attacking humans by targeting their legs and knees, causing the target to fall to the ground, and swarming them with bites.

## Siphon Colony

Health: 50
Difficulty: 15
Attacks: 4x Tendril Whips (1d10), 4x Spore Shots (2d6), Body Slam (1d12), Static Discharge (2d12)
Special: When attacking, the Siphon Colony may only use one listed attack, with the multiplier indicating the number of times it uses that attack. If a spore shot attack hits a target, the residual spore material causes a burning sting, dealing 1 damage over the next two turns.

Description: Siphon Colonies are born from many small eggs. Soon after hatching, they clump together and fuse into one large mass, and remain this way for the rest of their lives. They are almost exclusively seen within the Mycelium Jungles, and are not naturally aggressive. The nature of each colony depends largely on what kinds of, and how many of, the eggs contributed to the mass. Some individual components have developed into offensive or defensive weapons, while others developed to consume nutrients, and process it before passing it along to the rest of the colony via internal vein-like structures.

**Developer's Note**: This is very strong - probably too strong. But as a starting point, it's fine. This is actually inspired by a kid's idea, where a D&D beholder is formed from multiple "eggs", each of which having a mind of it's own, and contributing a different power to the creature as a whole. I knew about Siphonophores from nature, and even added a creature called a "Siphon" to a previous game, but this one is very much it's own thing.

...I definitely need a ranged attack system now - the spore shots don't work properly without one.

...Should I add elemental damage, like lighting?? This discharge should only be possible once, I think.

..."brain" components could be interesting - they form the minds of conscious colonies.

# Botanical Compendium

...

# Appendices

...More things and stuff goes here

## Excavation Tables Based On Areas Within the Tiers

...d8 tables

...hunger might need to be harsher?

...ability to run from a fight