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View Full Version : Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn D20



tahu88810
2007-09-29, 12:48 PM
Hello,
I'm interested in making a D20 version of the series Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams.

Currently, I feel that we should start with the first book: The Dragonbone Chair.

I think this could be done best by using basic Dungeons and Dragons rules as a quick guide to the rules for this.

But, I don't know where exactly to start. >_<

Serpentine
2007-09-30, 10:35 AM
Neither do I. But it is a good series... I'd be interested to look at how it'd go. On the other hand, just D&D in its sort of setting would probably do alright.

Jayabalard
2007-09-30, 10:46 AM
Are you trying to recreate that world? or actually play through the events of the series in game? You seem to be talking about the latter, but imo that's not really all that workable of an idea.

to re-create the world:

Work up the races that are available; this will be a pretty small list compared to some D&D worlds. Humans & Qanuc; will you let players be Sithi? Qanuc have similarities to the short races in core D&D, so they could probably be home brewed with minimal effort. Sithi are a variation on elves, but I don't think that the standard D&D elves fit very well, so you'd probably want to home brew something for them too. Are you going to add any?
Work up the classes that are available; iirc, this is a moderately magic light world, so you probably want to use non-casting variants of classes that have non-casting variants, and figure out what sort of magic using classes you'll actually have.
Magic in general, how does it work, who can use it, how about magic items. There isn't much mention of magic items other than the swords, and those are basically treated as artifacts.
Think about who will be the opponents of the players; in this sort of world, they may often be humans, which makes for a very different moral feel to the game (killing humans vs killing green skinned things to take thier stuff.)
Are there any changes to that world that you want/need to make to make the game more playable? Minor changes to allow healing magic may be necessary in order to keep your players from dying off, you may want to introduce some additional magic.

tahu88810
2007-09-30, 11:07 AM
Hmm...Well, I'd prob'ly let my players be Sithi.

Come to think of it, if you just change the name of Dwarf to Troll then you have Quanuc right there...

I plan on having the PCs play as characters in the world, but instead of being, like, Seoman or anything they'd play a different role (As Fengbald's group or something, if they're somewhat evil).

As far as magic goes...I could probably just pull out all the magic classes ('Cept bard, because then where would Towser be?), and make Bard a bit more rogueish and we're good.

Jayabalard
2007-09-30, 05:59 PM
The abilities of dwarves in D&D don't really match up very well with the Qanuc. I'd personally base them closer on Halflings.

It's been ages since I've read those books, or else I'd give you more specific advice.

Non-casting variants for rangers, paladins and bards shouldn't be hard to find, create or tweak to fit the setting.

You might want to take a look at one of the d20 variants that is magic-lite, though I'm blanking right now on which ones those are.

tahu88810
2007-10-01, 07:44 PM
Hmmm...I guess your right.

Especially since (Atleast from what is implied in certain areas) dwarves already exist.

The only problem that I think I'd face would be figuring out what Doctor Morgene's class would be, were the PCs to meet him... I'm thinking artificer from Eberron but without the spells?