Welcome to Labyrinth Lord: Shadows Over Mystara

[amosias]

Labyrinth Lord: Shadows Over Mystara is a Tabletop Wars Forum Play-by-Post RPG set in the classic D&D setting of Mystara (with some tweaks here and there).

Forum Threads: What they do

• Welcome to Labyrinth Lord - this thread, which provides a general welcome and background to the game; lists and explains any house rules; establishes the posting cycle for the game; contains any game announcements.
• The Story So Far - narrates the backstory, and updates it periodically with each completed 'chapter' or 'scene'.
• Active Characters - houses the current character sheets of all the active player characters; XP tracking and level-ups will be handled here.
• Hall of Heroes - houses the character sheets of all the deceased or retired player characters.
• Maps - houses the maps relevant to the adventure.
• Chapter threads - the adventure threads contain the Gamemaster's posts and the player's posts (in character and out of character) for the game. It will be broken up into chapters for readability's sake. Completed chapter threads will be locked.

On Play-by-Post Games
Because it is a play-by-post game, it assumes that the Gamemaster (me) and the various players will be able to check the subforum threads on a regular basis so that gameplay can continue smoothly. We'll establish the days and cut-off times for each day before the game begins.

There is no maximum number of posts before the cut-off for the day, however:
(1) after the day's posts have been processed, there's no further changes or clarifications to your desired actions;
(2) there are only a certain number of things that your character can do in a given combat round or game turn, even if you posted 300,000 declared actions so keep that in mind.

Temporary Posting Schedule
(1) Non-combat time posting and responses: I plan on checking posts at least once a day and processing immediately any clarifications, questions, and actions during non-combat time (parts of the game when the characters aren't in combat) -- if some people post more often, we'll assume that their characters are hyperactive in comparison to the others who are "standing guard";
(2) Once combat has started, I'll set a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday night deadline for combat action declarations. It is possible for "standing orders" for your character: clear and understandable declaration of your general combat strategy, and under what conditions you would retreat, flee, drink a magic potion, etc. If you don't post, I'll assume your standing orders apply.

On Posting Action declarations
Because this is more old style gameplay, posting in a narrative and descriptive manner is encouraged -- you may get bonuses for well described or well-considered actions. However, keep these in mind:
(1) clarity in posting is important: no matter how beautifully written your declarations are, if I'm not sure what you're trying to do, your character could be in trouble;
(2) impart the sequence in which you plan on performing your actions ("I slip on my ring of invisibility BEFORE I charge into the room.");
(3) impart any important adjectives or clarifications on the manner of doing something ("I step into the room quickly, ready to roll to the side if something attacks me from above.")
(4) multiple qualifiers, as long as they are clear as far as preference and priority are concerned, are welcome ("I wait until all the kobolds have fired their crossbows, then I charge the closest one, screaming and swearing as I run. I will continue to attack him until he's dead, or I'm in danger of getting mobbed by the rest -- in which case, I'll retreat.")
(5) requests for clarification on room, monster, person, and object descriptions will be handled as best as possible within the understood time given to the character. In combat, characters won't have the luxury of carefully examining things, so if it's not immediately obvious you may lose your combat action if you 'stop and stare' at something for a long time.

[amosias]

Character Creation is as reflected in the Labyrinth Lord Core Rules from Goblinoid Games. We're not using the Advanced Edition Companion rules for this game for the sake of simplicity. However, here are some extra house rules:

1. max out your character's hit points for the 1st level then add any Con bonuses
2. any character with no bonuses and two or more penalties can be dropped

Sample / pre-generated characters are available in the Active Characters thread.

[amosias]

The two human languages in Karameikos are Thyatian and Traladaran. All characters are assumed to know both, but you should indicate which one is your primary fluency.

[amosias]

Here's an Armor Class / To Hit Table of no particular importance...

Class	-6	-5	-4	-3	-2	-1	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Cle/Thf/MU 1-3, Dwa/Elf/Fig/Hal 1-2	20	20	20	20	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10
Standard Ogre	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6

Roll the number specified or higher on a D20 to hit.

[amosias]

Step 1: Players declare character movement or actions.
Please make sure to post your overall strategy, your specific actions, and
any conditional statements you wish to make. Very important because you declare your actions before the next step, which is...

Step 2: Initiative: 1d6 is rolled by each opposing side.
Yes, either the monsters all go first, or your side all go first. Although, if you all want, we can enact individual initiative calculations since it's not going to slow down gameplay substantially.

Step 3: The winner of initiative acts first. The Labyrinth Lord may check morale for monsters.

Step 4: Movements can be made.
I will be eyeballing this -- since we don't have a game table, positions and distances aren't exact. Will attempt to do some position-related maps at key points.

Step 5: Missile attack rolls are made, accounting for DEX adjustments, cover, and range.
Yes, all missile attacks on the winner of initiative go first. This would be invalidated if the optional individual initiative rule for #3 is used (but will be used to adjudicate any ties.)

Step 6: Spells are cast and applicable saving throws are made.
Go spell-casters! This would be invalidated if the optional individual initiative rule for #3 is used (but will be used to adjudicate any ties.)

Step 7: Melee combat occurs; attack and damage rolls are made, accounting for STR and magic adjustments.
Go brawlers! Too bad you go last. Still, this would be invalidated if the optional individual initiative rule for #3 is used (but will be used to adjudicate any ties.)

Step 8: Other sides act through steps 4-7, in order of initiative
Step 9: When all sides of a conflict have acted and the combat will continue into the next round, the sequence begins again at step 1.

Any questions?