The Gulf of Coeranys

This article sets up my campaign in Birthright. This campaign is an Online campaign, but it isn't a play by email or play by post. This campaign takes place on line using the OpenRPG program.
System: AD&D 2nd Edition, with a few changes.
Why AD&D? I've been running 3.x and campaigns for a long time. The system has pretty much gotten a little out of control in some aspects. There is feat bloat and prestige class bloat and it seems to spiral out of control at times. I'm running two campaigns with the same group two regulars: both either 3.x or d20 with a major change. When one of these finish, I'll be running this one for flavor.
Time: Saturdays, TBA.
Place: The OpenRPG program, the Atlantis server.
Setting: Cerilia, the Domains around the Gulf of Coeranys.
Campaign Type: I can learn more about DMing a Birthright Campaign by actually running the hardest campaign of all -- Each to His Throne. In Each to His Throne: the players create a PC Regent that controls a Domain. In the Gulf of Coeranys campaign, the domains chosen are around the Gulf of Coeranys: this allows for 9 individual realms to be chosen: 5 from Anuire, 2 from Brechtur, and 2 from Khinasi. This also means that several Awnsheghlien realms will affect the PCs: a total of 3, and one Puppet State of the Gorgon.

The following are available as PC domains. These are all recommended.
Aerenwe
Baruk-Azhik
Binsada
Coeranys
Coullabhie
Osoerde
Rohrmarch
Sendoure
The Sielwode
Awnshegh Realms
The Awnshegh Realms are not available to PCs, but to see what you're up against.
Barovia, i.e. The Vampire's Hold
The Chimaeron
The Harrowmarsh
Kiergard, puppet state of the Gorgon's Crown.

Characters are created per the BIRTHRIGHT Rulebook for AD&D (2nd Edition). Players will need a copy of the Birthright Rulebook, and the AD&D Player's Handbook (2nd Edition). Those two resources are required to play in a Birthright Campaign. Since play revolves around the Gulf of Coeranys, the following Birthright Campaign resources come recommended:
* Ruins of Empire
* Havens of the Great Bay
* Cities of the Sun
* The Book of Priestcraft
* The Book of Regency
Beyond the BIRTHRIGHT campaign resources, the following 2nd Edition expansions can be used to create your characters:
* Complete Fighter's Handbook
* Complete Paladin's Handbook
* Complete Ranger's Handbook
* Complete Priest's Handbook
* Complete Druid's Handbook
* Complete Thief's Handbook
* Complete Bard's Handbook
* Complete Wizard's Handbook
* Complete Book of Dwarves
* Complete Book of Elves
* Complete Book of Gnomes and Halflings
* Complete Book of Humanoids
It would be easier to create your character using the AD&D Core Rules 2.0 program. That way, you can save it in *.html format and you can send it to me without a problem. I can then review your character for inclusion into the game.

Your character's background is important. I want you to put a lot of thought into your character's background and tell me a great story of how he came to the Regency in his realm. Tell me about his Bloodline and his ancestors. Explain where he came from, how he learned to do what he does, who he worships, and what his motivation for ruling and/or adventuring is. If you wish to go the extra mile, make up a few short anecdotes about an ancestor or two that your character remembers. Finally, download a picture of your favorite actor or actress and put his or her portrait in your .html character sheet.

One last thing about character generation. Even in medieval and modern times, English Common Law (a system which has served as a legal substratum to which U.S. Laws default when statutes are rescinded) imposed few restrictions upon the marriage of minors. Under Common Law, children under the age of 7 were held to be entirely incapable of contracting marriage. In other words, if either party were under the age of 7, any marriage between them would be completely void. Between the age of 7 and the ?age of discretion? (14 for boys, 12 for girls,) individuals could enter into lawful but ?imperfect? marriages. These marriages could be voided at will, by either party, until no party was younger than the ?age of discretion.? Marriages in which both parties were at or above ?age of discretion? (i.e., 12 for girls) were legally valid.
Sources: Historical Law Documents at BYU[1] and Hypatia Lovers[2].
I'd suspect that most Cerilian customs would be like English Common Law in regards to marriage. The Khinasi on the other hand have different marriage customs. Your PC has the option of being married at 1st Regent level. The spouse may be blooded with a tainted, minor, major, or great bloodline; or unblooded. You can designate the spouse as a lieutenant or advisor. Remember, it's an option.
If you decide to create a spouse for your character, provide me his or her background and I'll generate her as an NPC. Spouses count as Henchmen or Followers in the AD&D game.

Obviously, the biggest change is the addition of Barovia from Ravenloft[3], to replace the Vampire's Hold.

Barovia is controlled by the mighty, and crafty, Awnshegh Count Strahd von Zarovich; also known as the Vampire. Count Strahd von Zarovich's statistics are found in the 25th Anniversary Edition of Ravenloft. Count Strahd is a Vos Count who has taken on all the trappings of an Anuirean count. The domain of his realm is ruled as an Autocracy, and has a culture that is a mixture of Brecht and Vos traditions. The domain feels like 15th Century Transylvania under the rule of Prince Vlad Dracula (Vlad the Impaler[4][5]). Unlike in I6 Ravenloft, there is no Mists surrounding Cerilia's version of Barovia.
The changes made to the Vampire's Hold as detailed in Havens of the Great Bay and Blood Enemies are as follows:
Alignment: Neutral Evil.
Status: Not Available for PC Use.
Provinces/Holdings: Barovia's provinces are divided into three. The realm was Brecht ruled under the Vos clan of Zarovich until it came under power of Count Strahd through a terrible dark romantic tragedy.

---

Domain Table: The Gulf of Coeranys

Province	Law	Temple	Guild	Source
Barovia (4/5)	SZ (4)	Al (2)	SZ (3)	SZ (5)
		Kr (2)
Landsborough (3/6)	SZ (3)	Al (2)	SZ (1)	SZ (6)
Ruapacht (3/6)	SZ (3)	Kr (1)	SZ (1)	SZ (6)
Abbreviations: SZ=Strahd von Zarovich (the Vampire); AL=Black Church of Alenecht (Gustaf Kremler); Kr=Temple of the White Hand of Kriestal (Karayana Darnov).

Binsada also enjoys a change. In my Birthright Campaign, Binsada is the closest realm to the realm of the Amazons (although that is not strictly true according to canon in Cities of the Sun). The Player regent may start out as an amazon as per the kit in The Fighter's Handbook. Binsada gains two units of Amazon Archers (archers).
The basic war card statistics for Amazon Archers are:
* Move: 2
* Defense: 1
* Morale: X F
* Melee: 2
* Missile: 4
* +2 to attacks vs. mounted units.
* 1 Hit
* Melee: 1
* Missile 2

One of the important things to do as DM is to make your personal game your own to fit your style of Dungeon Mastering. I must admit that I'm a simulationist[6] or realist at heart. For instance, if it was not for the Straits of Aerele, all the land directly east of the Seamist Mountains would be arid desert or semi-arid. Water from the strait gives lifegiving moisture to Avanil and Tuornen, while the Seamist Pass controlled by Rhuobhe allows some significant moisture to flow into Tournen.
I also find house rules makes the game more your own, i.e. your OWN GAME! If you make the game your own, it becomes much more fun to run and play.

Anyway, some of these house rules may cause some to balk; or even put pressure to use official rules for simulationist gaming from TSR (i.e. Player's Option: Combat and Tactics). However, I find the tables in Player's Option: Combat and Tactics confusing and distracting.
Arms Law[7] and Spell Law[8] from Iron Crown Enterprises comprise the combat system we will use in Birthright: The Gulf of Coeranys. ICE's combat system is just as deadly as Player's Option: Combat and Tactics and much less confusing. However, incorporating ICE's highly realistic combat system means some powerful changes --- and new options --- for my AD&D game: a boon for players.

These changes come directly from Arms Law (RMSS Edition); I don't think that Arms Law (2003 Edition) has these changes. It's considerably smaller.
Weapon Skill
To calculate the skill with a weapon that a character has proficiency in we use the following formula:
OB = ([20 - THAC0] x 7) + Stat Bonus
To determine the Stat Bonus for a given weapon, look up the most appropriate Ability Score on page 131 of Arms Law (RMSS Edition) (Strength for melee, and Dexterity for missile). A character has a -25 bonus (before stat modification) with a weapon with which he has no proficiency.

For example: Archduke Aeric Boeruine is an Anuirean fighter of level 12. He has a strength of 17. As an accomplished swordsman Aeric has a THAC0 of 9. To calculate his Offensive Bonus we subtract 9 from 20 = 11; and then multiply that by 7 = 77. Then we add his Stat Bonus (as determined as +20 on page 131 of Arms Law) for being so capable: 77+20 = +97. This means that he has a +97 Offensive Bonus, a very dangerous and experienced swordsman.
Level Bonuses
AD&D Levels are not the same as levels in Rolemaster. so we will use the following:
Warriors ........................................ +5 per level
Rogues .......................................... +2 per level
Mages ........................................... +0 per level
Priests of Haelyn, Cuireacen, and Belinik
.................................................. .... +3 per level
Priests of Ruornil ............................... +0 per level
Priests of Laerme, Eloele, and Sera ....... +1 per level
Priests of the other gods ..................... +2 per level
'Offensive Bonus
The remaining factors of OB are the same as presented in Arms Law: Section 5.5 (RMSS Edition). Yes, this means that a copy of the RMSS Edition PDF is required. Fortunately, it doesn't cost that much.
Initiative Points
Under Arms Law, the person with the most Initiative Points often goes first. You convert your Dexterity bonus from a 3-18 bonus to a 1-100 bonus, according to the chart on page 131 of Arms Law.
Hit Points
Arms Law is designed so that a fighter will take just over 100 hits by 10th level. Unblooded and Scion characters without a domain (Law, Source, Temple, or Guild) must multiply their hits by 2 and add 10. Regents, however, must multiply their hits by 2 and add 20! The extra 10 hits conform to the regency 10 hit point rule in the BIRTHRIGHT Rulebook.
Example: Aeric Boeruine, according to Sword and Crown has 100 hit points. Under the Arms Law system, Aeric would have 180 hits plus his 20 for being a regent: 200 hit points!

One of the best things about using Arms Law is having Martial Arts rules that actually work and aren't hard to understand. Although Cerilia doesn't have indigenous monks that does not mean that the Anuireans, Brechts, Vos, Rjurik, or Khinasi didn't improve their abilities to fight with weapons over time. They have indeed developed their own martial arts.
These rules for Cerilian Martial Arts are developed using the Martial Arts Companion[9] for the Rolemaster Standard System[10].
ANUIREAN SWORDSMANSHIP
Basic Style --- [35 points; 1 Weapon Proficiency Point]
Description --- Anuirean Swordsmanship has a long tradition going back thousands of years to the first coming of the Andu to Cerilia. The present schools of Swordsmanship have a long geneaology back to the first schools founded by Haelyn and Raesene (the Black Prince) a long time ago. As a result, there are thousands of different schools and styles of Anuirean Swordsmanship. From the common to the most obscure. Anuirean Swordsmanship is designed for combat during war or adventure; and many of the Rules of Swordsmanship were set down by Raesene himself before becoming the Gorgon. The common weapon for an Anuirean Swordsman was the broadsword or the longsword. It is from Anuirean Swordsmanship that both the Brecht Art of Defence and the Anuirean Art of Defence descended.
Recommended Weapon Proficiencies---Dagger, Longsword, Broadsword
Weapon Style Abilities [Core]---Longsword and Dagger melee attack [10 points]; +2 to Initiative [10 points]; +1 to the Critical roll [15 points]
KHINASI SWORDSMANSHIP
Advanced Weapon Style [45 style points -- 2 Weapon Proficiency slots]
Description --- Khinasi Swordsmanship had it's beginnings in Djapar and Masetia. However, what sets Khinasi Swordsmanship apart from Anuirean Swordsmanship is the presence of Djapar Steel (which has the same properties as Damascene Steel[11]). The Basarji brought the knowledge of how to make this high quality steel from Djapar, and have been improving it. As a result, Djapar Steel is lighter and holds its edge better than Anuirean Steel; although the Anuireans have been improving their steels since El-Arrasi liberated the Khinasi from the Anuirean Empire.
This property of Djapar Steel allows the Khinasi to make their sabers large one handed swords thinner than the standard Anuirean Great Sword (Two-Handed Sword) or Rjurik Claymore. Besides the hacking that Anuirean knights perform when they are fighting with their Great Swords, the Khinasi are able to slash and cut with their sabers and falchionated swords. In fact, it is the the saber that spurred Anuirean and Brecht development of the rapier. Khinasi Swordsmanship have few individualized swordplay schools for the swordsman. Two well known schools are located in Binsada and Ariya. But they all have one thing in common. Teaching a student how to better kill his opponent through slashing, cutting, and thrusting rather than just hacking and thrusting.
Recommended Weapon Proficiencies--- Dagger, Longsword, Saber; feint, disarm
Weapon Style Abilities [Core]--- Saber and Longsword attack [10 points]; +2 to intiative rolls [10 points]; +1 to the Critical Roll [15 points]; +2 AC Dodge Bonus (+10 DB Parry bonus) [10 points]
ANUIREAN ART OF DEFENCE
Bold text
Description --- As Anuirean war technologies advanced, so did sword technologies. After the revolt of the Khinasi by El-Arrasi, the Anuireans came face to face, once again, with Djapar Steel. Although Roele took the Basarji of Cerilia by surprise and managed to unite Cerilia through his mighty armies and superb generalship; this time the shoe was on the other foot. El-Arrasi led the Khinasi with a fervor to be free themselves. Through the use of excellent strategy, Djapar Steel, Battle Magic, and Realm Magic, El-Arrasi managed to destroy the Anuirean occupation forces.
The Anuireans were summarily defeated and forced back to Anuire. However, they learned from their defeat and created a light-weight sword that was based on Brecht designs. Called the rapier, the sword edge was thin, long, and extremely light. Although the Anuirean longsword and bastard sword will remain staples of Anuirean armies; the Rapier became favored of a few nobles. As a result, a new martial art grew out of Anuirean Swordsmanship that became very different from Brecht styles. The Anuirean Art of Defence, or Anuirean Fencing: relies on defense, speed, and agility.
This style is best practiced without armor. Armor gets in the way of the speed of the Art, so the nobles train without it. The emphasis is on self-defense: parrying, feinting, and dodging your opponent's thrusts and repostes. The targets are often the face and the belly in Anuirean Fencing. The lunge, an important aspect in Anuirean Fencing, is a signature trait move. A move eventually adopted by the Brechts.
Recommended Weapon Proficiencies--- Rapier, feint, disarm
Weapon Style Abilities [Core]--- +4 Mobility Bonus to AC (+40 DB Bonus) [30 points], Rapier melee attack [5 points]; +2 to Initiative Rolls [10 points]; +2 Bonus to Feint (+10 OB Bonus to Feint) [5 points]; +2 bonus to Disarm (+10 OB bonus to Disarm) [5 points]

See also: