2020 Torches in the Dark Updates

LORE UPDATES When the updated version of the booklet launches, it will be totally free for all users. Additional Patreon rewards will be offered, and all current patrons will receive bonus patron points for supporting us. Many new features, weapons, and abilities are being created with the idea of online play in mind. Some weapons may have strange die combinations or otherwise. Classes have been redesigned for faster gameplay, combat will be furious and will often times end quickly and violently. Combat time is tracked in 'minutes' or a minute, each segment or 'round' is 15 seconds long. IE: If you have an ability that lasts for 1 minute, it lasts 4 rounds. In Torches in the Dark the players have: 1 Major Action, 1 Minor Action, 1 Quick Action. Each of these actions will be defined in the booklet and what you can use them to do. Major Actions can be downgraded into another minor action. Scale and movement will not be referenced in the book very often, but when it is, players will have movements of 1-8 squares. (5 feet squares). Generally the standard movement is that there isn't a standard form of movement. It's more theater of the mind. The book will also contain numerous bits of lore, adventure zone locations, a description of the different human cultures, potential backgrounds that are based in-world and more.(edited)

Ridrith02/22/2020UPDATES: The Final Classes: Warrior, Marauder, Wytch, Cultist, Thief. Experience charts have been reworked. Warrior/Marauder/Thief share experience values. Cultist and Wytch share their experience values. Lore section is nearly finished in the booklet, includes details about the races of men and the current timeline.

Ridrith02/23/2020LORE CONTENTS: The new booklet contains the following lore information: 5 pages dedicated to the timeline of Ohr, detailing some of the major events of the last six eras, including a semi-new cosmology. Details of the Mezoark Empire and the Dragons of Ohr. Hastur and The Mist make a return as the main villains of the overall storyline/plot. The God Binder Empire reigns and collapses. The human cultures are each given a general description for character selection. Demi-humans are listed and talked about, they exist but they are not playable. Many of those races have been changed and are more in-line with mythology and folklore. The Elves for instance, have no backs and are hollow. Their bodies are interwoven and stringed together like an intricate bit of lattice work. They're expert swordsman and warriors, but rarely take to combat. They exist outside of time and basically fae. Rare enough to be considered legends or myth. As far as most everyone is concerned, elves don't actually exist. Dwarves have sealed themselves in their Ty'cerrigs and have not been seen for thousands of years. Though their ruined cities still jut out of the earth, it's impossible to breach the enchanted doors and secret passageways. Monsters are extremely rare, and there are no 'Hydras' there is only THE Hydra. Many creatures are legendary one offs, especially when it concerns magical beasts or legendary monsters. Serpent-Men, Primordial beasts (cave bears, sabertooth cats, raptors, mammoths, giant toads, crocodiles), hell spawn, cannibal tribes, ape-men, and other strange creatures exist. There are cults and gods, theocracies exist, but often times many of these religions are regional versus worldly.(edited)
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A small village may very well have its own god/gods that they worship and the village or tribe ten miles down the road will have never heard of it or worship an entirely different pantheon of gods.

Ridrith02/24/2020UPDATES: Currently the plan is to have nine different human races to choose from, these include: Thanasi, Oronok, Thorimund, Selha, Hwn, Komuh, Briagothian, New Kingdoms, Okma. But, but, but... why only humans?! : Mostly because besides "looking different" a vast majority of characters simply roleplay their characters as humans regardless. Even if they're giant dragon men, or a creature of the fae... Basically they're humans with scales or pointed ears. It's difficult to get into the mind set of something outside of the human experience seeing as how that's the only thing we have to go on. I've left just enough room in the wording in the new booklet to not rule out players using another race besides humans, but much like in some of the earliest iterations of Ohr, especially when it concerned magic it will be allowed on a case by case basis. A player will need to have a phenomenal ability to characterize something that is generally altogether alien. Right now I'm going back and forth on how to do equipment, we already have an extensive list of equipment created with unique keywords and unique armors. On the other end of the spectrum, this could easily be changed and allow for simplicity without needing to balance around the idea of everything being "balanced". Basically shit nobody cares about. (As there's always going to be that optimal choice regardless of how much you think that isn't the case.) I'm leaning towards simplicity. I'm writing too much lore and reading too many articles, wikis, and books on old world mythology. It's going to show. Sorry in advance.


Ridrith02/28/2020COMBAT RULES New combat rules are nearly complete, Torches in the Dark is getting away from 5th edition as much as possible where it makes sense. Combat is going to be fast, brutal, and deadly. It's going to be gritty and highly tactical. New additions to combat: Strain, Trauma, Fatal Wounds and Savagery. You can choose to gain strain to push yourself to the limits, gaining strain will slowly begin to exhaust you but it can be used to take additional actions, special attacks or to find renewed vigor in a fight. Trauma is gained when you see terrible things on the field of battle or as you explore the world, eventually your mind won't be able to take the horrors that you witness. Trauma can bring about bouts of madness. Reaching zero wounds no longer always means that you're on the ground dead/dying. Instead you roll on a table, you may very well die then and there, you might also lose a limb, have an eye torn from your head, or remain steadfast but injured. Savagery is the momentum of combat, for every foe or ally that dies savagery increases, causing you and your foes to deal additional damage and have a greater chance to hit. States of combat: Once you have engaged or been engaged in melee combat, you are 'LOCKED' into combat. You'll have to burn your major action to attempt to break free (50%), or spend strain to guarantee that you're capable of breaking free.(edited)
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Ridrith02/28/2020COMBAT RULES #2 Players will be able to make numerous different types of attacks, each of which do something different. The basic attack action will cause damage to wounds if hit but armor resistance will count towards reducing the damage. Power attacks cause strain, but if the hit is a success you ignore armor resistance. Hewing attacks allow you to attempt to shatter/splinter enemy shields. Called shots are attacks that allow you to aim for a specific body part, you make these attacks at a base D20 roll. On a success you deal normal weapon damage but a GM determined result of the targeted body part. You can use your minor action to make a 'quick attack', which is a base D20 roll with no modifiers. If you and one other ally are flanking a single target that is your size or smaller, you gain a +2 to your attack. If you and two other allies are flanking a single target that is your size or smaller you are granted a +3 to your attack roll. If 4 or more targets are locked into combat with a single target of any size smaller than huge, you are granted a +4 to your attack bonus. You must use a minor action to raise your shield to gain the benefits of the shield, that includes both AC and AR bonuses. You will be able to use a minor or major action to aim ranged attacks, granting a +1 and +2 attack bonus respectively.

Ridrith02/28/2020
COMBAT RULES #3 If you attempt to escape from a locked combat without using your major action to fall back and fail, the enemy gets to make a retreating attack against you. A retreating attack is made with a +4 attack and damage bonus and you remain locked in combat. Armors grant both Armor Class and Armor Resistance. Armor Class is the target number that you must match or beat to hit the target. Armor Resistance is the amount of damage reduction that the particular piece of armor grants. ^ None of this is new when it concerns armor, if you've played in any of our games for the last six years we've been using this system for much of that time. But to those who are new there you go. Hit Points have been renamed to 'Wounds'. Starting wounds are rolled every level, including 1st. Enemies do not gain strain, instead if they use strain based attacks or abilities they take damage equal to the amount of strain that they would have otherwise gained.

Ridrith02/28/2020CLASSES ARE COMPLETED Warrior. Marauder. Thief. Cultist. Wytch.

Ridrith02/29/2020COMBAT RULES #4 Stances - Similar to the stances found on our homebrew Katana, these will now be a universal option while fighting with weapons. There will be multiple different types of stances that a player can choose to take over the course of the fight. Each stance provides benefits and negatives and the action to use a stance varies from major to minor actions. ------------------------- Blade Stances: Two-Handed or Versatile The Ox Stance - The blade is aligned in a somewhat downward motion with the tip of blade aiming for the opponent's face or throat. This allows the greatest chance for a 'window' strike, to end the fight as quickly as possible. This stance grants a +4 damage bonus but a -2 attack bonus. (Minor Action) The Plow Stance - The blade is lowered to the middle guard, allowing for you to aim at your opponent's shoulder, chest, or throat while providing you with a much better defensive posture. You gain a +1 to your AC, and a +1 to your attack but suffer a -4 damage penalty. (Minor). The Fool Stance - Holding the blade point down and between your legs, this guard is sometimes called the 'middle iron door'. This stance is deceptively open and allows for quick counter strikes. Any enemy that makes an attack against you and misses leaves themselves open to a quick attack from you. (Major) The Roof Stance - The blade is held high above your shoulder, but not over your head and turned slightly. This position is stable and allows for devastating downward swings, though your defensive options are extremely limited. This stance grants a +10 damage bonus, but your AC is considered 10 and not modified by dexterity or armor. (Minor) -------------------------(edited)

Ridrith02/29/2020General Stances: Parry Stance - Taking a primarily defensive posture you ready your weapon to parry incoming strikes from the enemy. This stance allows you to parry one attack made against you, a successful parry reduces damage done by 1/2. (Minor) Raise Shield - When using a shield you will need to raise it to gain both the AC and AR benefits granted by the shield. (Minor) Dueling Stance - Using a one-handed weapon allows you a greater level of versatility, as long as you engaged with only a single target your AC is increased by 2 from the front. Any attacks made against you from behind ignore the AC bonus. (Major) Crushing Stance - Using both your major and minor actions you make a devastating strike against the enemy, if the hit is a success the target must save vs. fortitude or be knocked to the ground. (Major & Minor - Make one normal attack.)(edited)

Ridrith02/29/2020WEAPONS & ARMOR Weapons and armor are being reworked, multiple new keywords are being added to weapons as well. Damage values for weapons will generally be increasing. New Keyword Example: Slow - Generally taking the place of 'heavy' for high damage two-handed weapons. Slow means you act last in a combat round, regardless of your initiative. New Keyword Example: Bracing - Generally placed on polearms or spear like weapons. Charging monsters/foes take double damage. Armor has been changed with armor resistance being lowered all around. Light - Medium - Heavy armors, generally heavy armor is just all around better in comparison to the other types of armor. Historically unless terrain permitted you wanted heavy armor. There's a reason knights could whip the shit out of a group of peasants who were unarmored in padded gear while their attacks glanced off of heavy armor.

Ridrith03/03/2020ADDITIONAL UPDATE NOTES: A sample bestiary section will be added, detailing a few creatures from Ohrros and the types of abilities you can expect to find in game. The lore section is being updated currently, detailing the races of men and some of the other races that exist (though are not playable) on Ohrros. This file will act as a living document for the living campaign, detailing player actions and keeping track of things that are going on in the world. Weapon damage values have been updated/changed. A rules page is nearly completed, detailing the action economy and the types of actions that you can use with your Major/Minor actions. Durability rules now have a section. Armor and weapons can break/become useless unless maintained.

Ridrith03/13/2020@here PLAYTEST UPDATES The Wolfgroom has been added as the newest class. Multiple new spells for the Wolfgroom. Updated values on numerous other spells. Nerfs and buffs.

March 16, 2020Ridrith03/16/2020SPECIALITY CLASSES: Wolfgroom, Blackguard, Inquisitor and Ronin. Specialty classes have minimum stat requirements before you are able to choose one of those classes. Humans who get extremely good rolls during character creation may be able to start the game as a specialty class! Outside of choosing to be a specialty class at first level because of rolled attributes, once a character has gained enough experience to train/leveled enough to spend their attributes they can then choose to leave their current class behind and to become one of the specialty classes. A character who switches to a specialty class keeps 50% of their total experience earned. They lose all abilities and features of their current class and instead gain the new benefits and features of the specialty class. Not all base classes can choose a specialty class to transfer to.(edited)

Ridrith04/08/2020Strongholds 2.0 Key design goals: Simple rules, functional, sensible abilities and features, hirelings, automated. Larger focus on RP aspects versus mechanical benefits, some mechanical benefits will still exist. The focus on Strongholds acting as a pseudo RTS will remain.(edited)

Ridrith04/18/2020Strongholds 2.0 - Updates Currently updating the old Strongholds booklet. New rewards track system for Stronghold owners, choosing options and talents as they level their Stronghold. Stronghold tiers are from 1-10, allowing for larger population and resource caps. Structures and math currently being revamped. Random tables for: Crime, travel, stronghold events, and enemy spawns and quests.

Ridrith05/06/2020Website Updates Going to be working on a new Ohr Gaming Network logo. The website is going to be re-organized, with new sections dedicated to Torches in the Dark, Infinite Darkness, and Player Created Content. A website store is in the works, but this will take some time. (This is a very distant update.) Theme Updates & Design - Updates in the pipeline, but nothing too big right now. Might edit the navigation and change a few things here and there.