This is the third of the lineage tables for my Midgard campaign. I thought I'd lost it when my hard drive crashed but I found a paper copy of it today. There were actually a wide range of characters to select from when the campaign started so my sheets provided for characters that were not selected as well. Magnus was a berserk and often lead with his axe unless convinced otherwise. Aesa the Lucky and Magnus were almost opposites but for some reason Aesa liked Magnus. Kara was also a berserk, yet very different from Magnus. She later wielded the Arm of Zeus and gave birth to a god.
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July 17, 1995 (Monday)
Took a train from Rome to Pompeii. I really enjoyed the ride. It was a very relaxing and scenic ride. Pompeii really was awesome but for some reason we didn't get to visit Heracleum. It is amazing how well preserved everything is and Vesuvius definitely looms ominously in the background. I couldn't help but think about getting encased in lava rocks to be discovered in a few thousand years by people who wonder what happened. I was saddened to find that the Villa of the Mysteries was temporarily closed while I was there. Thank goodness I've seen the watercolors at the Kelsey Museum! We did get to spend a good amount of time at Pompeii. I wish we could stay even longer! After Pompeii we took a bus to Naples. The picture on this post is from the bus ride. I thought the tickets were beautiful. Mine (the one on the right got read and bent), my friend Reesa gave me her ticket which she never ran through the reader so I could have a nice copy. Naples was absolutely beautiful and I could imagine myself living here...if only I spoke Italian! Southern Italy in general seems to be where the wealthier citizens live and is definitely more interesting in my mind that the Northern part of the country. July 18, 1995 (Tuesday) We left Naples and traveled to Brindisi. Brindisi was known as Brindisium and was originally a Greek colony before becoming a port of the Romans. Today it is still a port where travelers can see many shops dedicated to tourism travel packages and lots of tourist trap shops. We went down to the sea and the beach which was welcome. July 15, 1995 (Saturday)
I visited the Borghese Museum, the Museum Julia and saw a number of Etruscan sarcophagi. The highlight of the day was taking a bus out to see the Roman catacombs. If you ever get a chance to see the catacombs, my advice is to bring your own flashlight and to not let people rush you through them. The is good advice for any new or even seasoned traveler. Whether it is a professor, a tour guide or the other visitors there is always a certain amount of pressure to hurry through a site. Don't get too trapped up in this. You have likely traveled a long way and saved money to see an interesting place. Take your time. Listen to the silence, pause, absorb the experience. Let the flash-and-go photo takers do their thing and wait for them to move on. You may never get an opportunity to do this again. The catacombs are a place I won't likely forget. July 16, 1995 (Sunday) Visited the Vatican--Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo's works, Piazza St. Peters, St. Peter, Porta Prima Augusta, Discobolos, Doryphoros, Huge Roman gallery, Tombs of Popes. As I went through the Vatican I remember being very disappointed that we could not take pictures or video, although I did notice that some special people were taking video. I guess I didn't pay enough money to do that! One thing that struck me were the bronze statue of Peter I believe, and his foot was nearly worn off from people touching it. I remind people at the Kelsey museum of the power of touching artifacts over time, and that experience with the bronze foot that was nearly worn away. I was morbidly fascinated as I viewed the dead popes. I was also awed by the incredible beauty of the statue called Pietas. July 14, 1995 (Friday)
The trip was not for pleasure alone. We were learning art history, history and about culture as we moved along. It was important to take some notes on what we visited for later study and reference because we would write essays and take quizzes based on what we had experienced. The museums in Rome were interesting in that there were no guarantees a museum would be opened when it said it was open even if it housed extremely important works. I walked, rode the train or took the bus to a number of places only to find the amazing art I wanted to experience was in a museum that was temporarily closed for no apparent reason. In the pictures obverse and reverse of a museum ticket from Rome. On an average day while in Rome I spent 15-18 hours exploring. Visited the Roman Forum. Saw Castor & Pollux temple, Rostrum, Colosseum, Constantine Arch, Arch of Titus, Marcus Aurelius Column (My hero), Pantheon, Obelisks from Egypt, Bronze Boxer in the Diocletian Baths. I kept a very brief journal account of my trip-- history-cultural course tour of the Mediterranean back in 1995 using an old Eastern Michigan University Academic planner. With modern technology there probably aren't many students who keep paper journals these days. I thought I lost the journal but am glad to have found it recently. I will be scrapbooking some of those notes. The easiest way to travel around Rome is by bus. The picture is of some of the bus tickets I had. Bus travel is very cheap and I got to be very comfortable using the bus system while there. They stuff the buses so full of people you are afraid you are going to be crushed. When the bus turns everyone sort of smashes into you. You are also not too sure you will be able to get off the bus when it stops, but I never had any problem getting out. No offense to my German friends, but at this time German tourists would enter the bus reeking of body odor and all the locals would stare with dark looks at them while they went on oblivious to the discomfort they were causing on a very hot day.
July 12, 1995 (Wednesday) Took off on British Airlines flight from Detroit at 7:10 PM. Arrived in Montreal at 8:40 PM. Took off again at 9:56 PM. Arrived in London at 4:22 AM my time, (9:22 London time). Took off at 1 PM from London and landed in Rome at 3:30 PM. No one from my group is here. This is my first trip overseas and I am plenty nervous. I look around and see soldiers with machine guns. That is a big difference from traveling in the US! I have the address of my hotel, hopefully I can meet my group there, but I have no idea what I am doing. I take out some money at the bank in the airport at a poor rate of exchange. Eventually I make it outside the airport around 4 PM with my hiking pack. A very friendly cab driver who speaks English offers to drive me to my location. I am so thankful for someone who speaks English. I thank him profusely and get in his Mercedes. He is a nice guy, very friendly who talks a great deal about Rome. He takes me on a grand tour of Rome, which I assure him is unnecessary. I am very tired after over a day being awake with few naps, since British Airways wakes you ever two hours to offer you tea! (Nicest airlines I've ever flown on, but sheesh, let a guy sleep)! Finally after repeated requests to just go to my hotel he drops me off at a very dumpy place. He can't believe this dump is where I am staying at. He gets my bag out and then demands a $150 --$50 is for his tip! First I am incredulous, then I am very angry. He tells me the tour of Rome was worth the extra money. I didn't ask for a tour! I tell him I hope he feels good about himself ripping off inexperienced travelers and storm away. That was 1/3 of my entire traveling money for this forty day journey. How am I ever going to make it to the end? It is very hot. I look around the lobby of this hotel which looks like a run down apartment and see no one from my group. It is 5:37 PM. After much confusion talking to the front desk people, where no one seems to speak any English at all, I discover that my group will not arrive until tomorrow and that I can't use their reservation. If I want to stay here, there is one room left for $50 a night. I take the room and shuffle off to my room. It is hot, I am exhausted and I want to cry. I miss Zoe and am wondering what I have gotten myself into on this trip. There is no bed in my room so I lie on the floor, using my backpack as a pillow. Staring at the old plaster ceiling, eventually I fall asleep. July 13, 1995 (Thursday) There is a knocking at my door. It is Jay, one of the professors from Eastern Michigan University. He tells me the group is gathering downstairs and after I explain what happened he sort of shrugs and says they shouldn't have charged me for the room and that I should have taken the train to the hotel. I never saw a penny returned to me from the hotel. I discover that our hotel is very close to the Diocletian Baths and not far from the Roman Forum. We visit Trajan's column, the Colosseum, Victor Emmanuel Monument (known as the wedding cake), Diocletian Baths, Borghese Museum and Trajan's Forum. Eventually I got to eat. I am moved to the group's rooms in the hotel and life is much better. Monday, July 24th 1995.
(As part of my history-cultural course we traveled in Greece.) I traveled to Mycenae in Greece to see the Lion Gate, Megaron, the Tholos or Treasury of Atreus, Circle A and B graves and the rest of the Bronze age site. We also spent ten minutes at Corinth. We didn't spend much time at the Apollo temple because we were also going to see the temple of Apollo at Delphi. We did spend time looking at the canal that was dug so that ancient vessels could be moved across the Isthmus. We then took a ship from the port at Athens to Crete. It was going to be a very long trip with little sleep, but I will never forget my visit to Mycenae. The jagged mountain became an immense, cold and unforgiving mass that filled my vision. My ears hurt, not from the cold or the speed in which we were fast approaching this unmoved Goliath, but from the sound of my scream as fear enveloped my soul. Before I could think to stop, I recognize that the intense life-stopping pain I expected to feel just before I ceased to be is unrealized and I am standing, disoriented in a dark room with swirling lights all around and the most intense aroma of lilac and baked cookies filling my senses.
"Am I dead"? "Are you speaking of your mind, body or some abstract literary perspective"? "I don't recognize your voice, who are you? You are not the flying man"! "Well I AM hurt! Are you SURE you don't recognize my voice"? "Most definitely not. Your voice is deep and terrible, with the power of a mountain. I fear you could bring this entire place crashing down upon us". "Well! Wellllllll! Well now!! Yes, I suppose I could do that, now couldn't I? I could let out a growl that could shake the universe! I could grumble a grumbly-brumbly bellow that could shake the stars from the sky. But why, oh why do you think I would do such a thing? I rather like it here in this small room inside a mountain". "I'm sorry, my mother told me I shouldn't assume things. Perhaps you could tell me why you are here and why I am here and who you are and what you want with me and where did the flying man go"? "Slow down! One question at a time! Do you have any idea how long it will take me to search the card catalog for the answers to all of those questions? One moment, now where was I? Oh yes, you asked me a question! The best way to answer a question is with a question, at least that is my policy, so let me ask you...who do you think I am"? "If I were to make a guess, I would say you are the Chimera"! "The Chimera? Oh, no girl, there are many Chimeras. I am not THE Chimera, I am only a small figment, not really so grand compared to THE Chimera. In fact, I really don't like the word Chimera. It is too...too...too Greek! I prefer Lamassu! Now there is a name!!! Lamassu suggests character, sophistication, style and a touch of erudite finesse. Chimera! Pah, can you even pronounce it? Those Greeks were always so struck with hard consonants and rough breathing...What was the question"? "You asked me a question, and then questioned my answer"! "So I did! I apologize. A Chimera can not help but be a little queer. And a Lamassu is certainly an oddity among Chimerae when querying. Since I was unfair and asked a question of your question I will give you an answer this time without question. I like it here and I have nowhere else to go at the moment" "What"? "I said I like it here. Was I speaking too softly?" "Please don't shout! Why do you like it here? Wouldn't you rather be somewhere else"? "Well, I don't know. I suppose, I mean, well, where else would I go? I've never been anywhere else but here". "You could fly, or walk to the moon or swim in the ocean"! "Hmmmm, well now that you mention it, I could do those things! Which to do first? Should I walk to the moon and swim in the ocean, or fly to the moon and then go swimming and perhaps skip the walk altogether"? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! "What is that sound you make? Are you trying to scare me"? "I'm laughing silly Lamassu! You are very funny!!" "Well, hmm, hum, mum, dum, now that you say so I AM funny. In fact I am the life of the party and I owe it all to you. Thank you for gifting me with such a fine boon. Most of us are rather droll, drooly and drab and some of us are droopy and drippy...oh but not ME! I am funny and I can walk on the moon and fly and swim in the ocean and my voice could shatter a mountain. You awe me girl. I am most lucky indeed! May I offer you a cookie? I made them myself"! "Yes please! I love cookies!" The Lamassu reached up with the most delicate of reaches and grasped a glass vessel shaped like a tulip. Inside the jar I could see the baked delights, the sight of which temped me beyond anything I have ever encountered before. She lifted the lid from the jar, for the Lamassu, was female, though I am not sure how I knew this, and the scent of lilac filled the air, making me feel light and giddy. "I baked these today using only the finest ingredients, I hope you find they are satisfying". I took just a nibble, and instantly felt more alive than at any time I can remember. My thoughts were sharp and my limbs felt as powerful as mature trees. "What is in these cookies? I have never had anything like them"! "Essence of thought, a dram of goodwill, a tear drop from a poet, some gossamer fill. A touch of inspiration, a bundle of sun, four grains of sugar, four grains of fun. I mixed it with passion, I folded with dreams, I placed in the oven until they were steamed". "You are MY Lamassu aren't you?! I thought you were the flying man's Chimera, but he brought me here to find you. Is it my imagination or are you getting bigger"? "Oh, I am fairly certain it is your imagination. You are the one on the flight of fancy which brought you crashing through a mountain to talk with me and indulge in my cookies. I am rather dull actually. I try to think of great things, to be inspirational, to get people to listen to my stories, but I find that no matter how hard I try the only thing I manage is to hear the echo of my own voice bouncing off of the inside of this room. Please understand, I love this place. It is all I know, but when it comes to big thoughts I am a prisoner in my mind". "Nonsense! You are a wonderful Lamassu, and an incredible baker. I will take you to my neighborhood and you will become an instant celebrity! All we need to do is figure out how to get out of here. I really rather you didn't bring down the mountain with your amazing voice"! "Why don't you just use the door you entered when you arrived"? "Door? What door"? "Every dwelling has a door, and this has been my dwelling for as long as I can remember. You probably just overlooked it. I have sort of outgrown it recently". So, my Lamassu has grown! I knew it! She is pointing to a very small portal near the point where I first became aware of this place, but it is far too small for me to have entered from. I shuffle over for a closer look. The door has an intricate stained glass window, a doorknob made of ruby, and wood of the finest quality, polished to look like alabaster, however only the thinnest mouse could possible squeeze through. "I can't go through that"! "Why not? I cleaned it today. It's not filthy"! "Why not? I am too big. Isn't that obvious"? "That didn't seem to stop you when you came in"! Thinking this is some sort of trick, I grab my Lamassu's enormous finger with my hand and with the other reach for the doorknob. I turn the knob and before I could think of something clever to say, I discover we are both outside the great mountain staring up at the sky which has turned a deep purple mixed with orange and red. I am disappointed that the flying man is not here waiting for me. Uncertain what to do, I begin to sing. I didn't know how much I missed I was afraid to dream of you I didn't know how much I lost I did what I was told to do oh Lamassu, oh Lamassu How could I know there was so much more How could I know you were out here I lived a life that was so full of dread I lived a life that was so dull and led But now I fly and I am free to dream I can do what I want to I never want this dream to end Oh Lamassu, oh Lamassu. "What now my Lamassu"? "We could walk to the moon". "That might be fun, but what about the flying man"? "Perhaps he is there waiting". "Lead on Lamassu". "Tis a journey we must make as one". "How do we do that"? "Think of me and I will think of you". "Okay, here we go, here I go, we go as one". (sung as a duet) I walk to the moon without a balloon I walk to the golden faire The breeze in the trees is made of green cheese And they have a fine time there Once to the moon, Once to the faire Once to see the old man When I return, if I return I'll never look stern Or the old man will follow me home I'll sing of the breeze I'll sing of the trees I'll sing of the golden faire The town folk will say My mind's gone astray But the old man knows the truth The old man knows the truth Once to the moon You sing like a loon You sing of the golden faire --Walking to the Moon-- Here are the combat rules I used in my 3.5 version D&D campaigns. Word file provided for anyone who finds it useful. These are house rules that vary from the standard guidelines. Most standard combat rules are fine, but to really capture the style New Combat Rules for both game campaigns: Quicken spell: Quicken spells will now work a little different: A quickened spell (0-3rd level) will go off quicker than your normal initiative modifier. You will gain a +1 to your initiative with a quickened spell for every two levels you have as a spellcaster (maximum 10). So a 20th level druid or wizard would cast a spell with a +10 on initiative die roll not counting other modifiers like dexterity or improved initiative. A quickened spell is always the lower level of the two spells you cast in that round. So if you are casting a 1st a 2nd level spell, the quickened spell is the 1st level spell. Combat now works as follows: 1. Declare spells: (declare dodge or other foe related declarations) 2. Repeat Spells go off: (a repeat spell cannot be a touch spell and will not go off if the target has moved more than 30’ from the initial blast) 3. Roll Initiative 4. Movement 5. Combat Action in order of initiative (including quicken spells which will go off faster than the spell caster’s normal attack but not necessarily first in relation to everyone else) 6. 2nd Attacks 7. 3rd Attacks 8. Partial Actions (applies only to Haste, there are no other partial actions) 9. Expert Tactician (only on declared foes (see step 1) 10. Final Movement (Anyone who has not moved and wants to move before the combat round ends).
This video is by far the coolest thing I've seen from science nerds in a long time! Worth a look for sure! These house rules were for my Midgard campaign and work best with 3.0 and 3.5 D&D systems. Feel free to borrow any ideas that are helpful for your own campaign. I am uncertain at this time if these are the final version we were using as the original electronic files died in combat against my failed hard drive. I am also including the form as a word doc included below this post for anyone who would like to use it. Midgard House Rules: Rule Books: The PH may only be consulted to look up your spells or your class features. You may not consult the PH for any other purpose during game play. The DMG and MM are off limits. Failure to adhere to this rule will result in a docking of 10% bonus XP per occurrence. DM May grant exceptions in extreme cases. Weapons: No crossbows, longbows, pole arms or exotic weapons without DM’s approval. Armor: No locked gauntlets, or armor better than banded mail without DM’s approval. Attacks of Opportunity: Attacks of opportunity occur only when a combatant tries to disengage himself from combat with another combatant. It does not matter what means are used to disengage from combat. Engaging an opponent who is fighting someone else or is not currently fighting does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Spellcasting does not automatically result in an attack of opportunity. While in melee, attempting to drink a potion, cast a spell, or pick up a weapon will result in an attack of opportunity. Other situations will be judged according to the circumstances. Initiative: Initiative is a group roll modified by dexterity. Actions must be declared before initiative is rolled. The DM may grant exceptions. Surprise: Surprise is a situation in which neither side is expecting the other. The DM determines when surprise occurs. No roll is necessary. When the DM determines surprise, he will have the effected players roll for a round of “surprise” combat. The winner(s) of the surprise combat roll will have caught the opponent flat-footed for the surprise round unless they cannot be caught flat-footed. Combat Round: A round is 6 seconds. Actions in a round include: attack & move, full attack, cast spell, use a skill, feat or ability (DM is final say on this). Example: Wrestle, grapple, psionics, climb, swim, dive, jump, pick up a weapon, draw a weapon and attack, drink something, use a magic item, bind wounds, throw an item to someone else/or catch an item thrown by someone else. You cannot throw an item at an enemy and catch it yourself unless approved by the DM. Critical Failure: A roll of 1 in combat results in a character dropping his/her weapon. This character may either spend a round picking up the dropped weapon (which may result in an attack of opportunity) or draw a new weapon and get one attack for the next round. A roll of 1 with a bow means the bowstring has snapped and a new strong must be strung (1-4 round action), bow experts (a person with at least one bow feat) requires only 1 round to restring a bow. Quick Draw Feat: The Quick Draw feat allows you to use weapons thrown to you, drawn by you or picked up by you AND get your normal full attack in the same round. This feat does not allow you to avoid an attack of opportunity if you go to pick up a weapon while in combat. Damage Reduction: After much consideration, damage reduction will be handled per PH/DMG. Druids: Godar/Godi: Godi have the same ability to convert spells to healing as clerics. Meta Magic Feats: Meta Magic feats no longer require extra slots be burned to use them. What’s the point of taking a feat if it has no real advantages? Skills: This new ruling is sure to mess up the master-tools software: All cross-class skills cost the 1 skill point just like class skills. A skill listed as “Trained” is still subject to the class restriction listed in the PH. Poison Rules: Use of poison on animals is acceptable in Norse society, use of poison on humans, Demi-humans and Pukje is considered cowardly. Poison Application: Requires a roll on a d20. On a roll of 1, you may have poisoned yourself. Roll a reflex save DC 15 as per PH/DMG to avoid the poison. If you fail, you must save verses poison. Application of poison is a normal action. Poison Doses: One dose will coat one melee weapons or 10 arrowheads. Natural poisons dry out and become weaker with time. Each day the poison is exposed to air, it loses effectiveness at a rate of -5 to its DC rating. Poison Fumble: If you fumble a weapon, you may poison yourself. Roll a reflex save at DC 15 as per PH/DMG to avoid the poison. If you fail, then you must save verse the poison. Combat Poison Use: The first hit with a poisoned weapon inflicts the poison on the defender at full strength. Each additional strike results in a cumulative +5 to the saving throw. After three hits, the poison is used up and needs to be reapplied. The poison on arrows is used up after a single hit. Creating Poison: Magical poisons require Brew Potion and ability to cast Poison or some other version of a Poison spell. Chemical poison requires Alchemy. Natural poisons require either extraction of venom sacs or apothecary skill. The DC of an apothecary or Alchemist’s poison can be no more powerful than the DC roll made in the attempt. Gathering alchemical materials for poison is very expensive. Apothecaries gather rare herbs at special seasons to make poisons and it is also very expensive for them. No poisons may be augmented beyond their natural potency. Ability Point Drain: Poisons often have the effect of ability point drain. The ability points are recovered at a rate of 1 point /day, or 2 points per day with full rest as per the DMG. Multi-Class Characters: Secondary classes attained by a character must be of a different type from the other classes a character has. For instance, a Godar cannot become a cleric but can become a rogue or fighter. A fighter can become a rogue or Godar but cannot become a ranger or barbarian. A character who does not begin play as a barbarian cannot become one. A character who does not begin play as a Sorcerer cannot become one unless special circumstances occur which the DM indicates have initiated the possibility of becoming one. Cohorts/Followers: No cohorts or followers can be gained until the leader has given generously to friends and kin in front of many witnesses. Only one cohort can be had per character. A cohort can be within one level of the character. Followers may not be over half the level of the character. Example a 6th level character equals a maximum 3rd level followers and 5th level cohort. All cohorts and followers gain half XP. Cohorts expect at least half shares of treasure and occasional magic items. Followers expect quarter shares of treasure. Giving followers magic items increases the character’s prestige. To give cohorts and followers less than normally expected and to not compensate them for putting themselves in extreme ganger will result in reduced loyalty and can quickly reduce the reputation of the character. In the Midgard campaign, being constantly on adventures will give you a +1 modifier to your leadership score, unless you have not visited your home base/stronghold in over a year. Fairness and generosity will result in a +3 to +6 modifier to your leadership score. Examples of fairness and generosity: The character is known to give silver bracelets, gold rings, weapons and armor, or other goods to his friends and followers without being asked to do so, and not just when new treasure is gained. The leader steps in to settle disputes when an argument occurs, offering to adjudicate the situation and his is willing to give compensation to those who feel wronged by his friends and followers. If a follower or cohort is landless it is expected that land is provided from his own estate. Aloof characters will have a -1 to -5 modifier to his leadership score. There is little worse than an apathetic Norseman!
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