40 Questions (Campaign Setting & Rules) - Barrowmaze+

Answering both Jeff Rients' twenty quick questions for your campaign setting and Brendan's 20 Quick Questions about the rules for my current Into the Odd game.

The first twenty establish a few things about the zoomed in area we're currently playing in (although the idea around that campaign is that anything goes - if it's urban it's in Bastion, if it's wilderness it's in Deep Country, if it's a dungeon it's in the Underground and if it fits none of that it's a Far Land).

Questions 21 to 40 are from Brendan and cover rules-stuff.

1. What is the deal with my cleric's religion?
   People in the Duchy of Aerik follow St. Ygg (god of light and justice) and some old forest gods. There are no PC Clerics since there are no character classes in Into the Odd, but if you really want to play a miracle-worker, we can figure something out. Back in Bastionland where people are actually civilized, religion is more of a socio-political matter (ie. weird cults).
2. Where can we go to buy standard equipment?
   High Medieval/Renaissance-ish Gear can be procured in Helix, from Turgen's general store.
   If you want proper modern (18th-early 20th) technology, you need to go back to Bastion.
3. Where can we go to get platemail custom fitted for this monster I just befriended?
   Ironguard Motte's armorer can do that but it'll be more expensive than regular human armor.
4. Who is the mightiest wizard in the land?
   Mazzah the Magnificent is the local "decent" wizard. The really powerful ones tend to also be the really bad ones, so they don't advertise. There are also Wizzodds, which are veteran treasure-hunters that spent too much time around weird magics and fused with powerful oddities.
5. Who is the greatest warrior in the land?
   In the Duchy, that would be the Duke, although he's getting old. Beyond that, many people claim that title in the violent parts of Deep Country.
6. Who is the richest person in the land?
   Besides the Duke, H.R.R. HuffnPuff the Moneylender is said to be the richest man in the region. It's also said he has ties to the local criminal underground, so I would think twice before trying to smuggle goods stolen from him.
7. Where can we go to get some magical healing?
   The clerics of St. Ygg are always happy to help soothe the wounds of those who would rid the Barrowmoor of undeath. Of course, a small fee is required. The church's roof needs repairs and all.
8. Where can we go to get cures for the following conditions: poison, disease, curse, level drain, lycanthropy, polymorph, alignment change, death, undeath?
   In that order: apothecary, same, maybe the temple? there are no levels, good luck with that, Mazzah might help, there are no alignments, tough luck, a sword to the head would be the best remedy to that last one.
9. Is there a magic guild my MU belongs to or that I can join in order to get more spells?
   You could ask Mazzah to take you as his apprentice but considering how indifferent he was that time when adventurers brought back news of one of his student's death, it doesn't sound like a great deal.
10. Where can I find an alchemist, sage or other expert NPC?
    There's Mazzah, who's crazy. Or the Elf, Valeron, who disappears from times to times - he knows many things.
11. Where can I hire mercenaries?
    At the local mercenaries' guild.
12. Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed or any other notable hassles from Johnny Law?
    Not here. In Bastion it depends from one neighborhood to the next.
13. Which way to the nearest tavern?
    The Brazen Strumpet covers that. There's also The Dead Heroes Society, a shadier establishment doubling as a brothel and gambling house.
14. What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous?
    Besides the undead, there have been weird occurences in the woods - something big fell some tree and some woodsmen disappeared. No claw marks, no nothing.
15. Are there any wars brewing I could go fight?
    There is The War which is always going on against The Enemy in the Far Lands, if you want to serve Bastionland and learn about real war. Other than that, small skirmishes between petty leaders in Deep Country are a frequent albeit unpredictable occurence.
16. How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes?
    Not that I know of at the moment. Someone should get around to starting one.
17. Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight?
    Maybe?
18. What is there to eat around here?
    Wheat-based products, birds and game, dairies, root vegetables, euromedieval stuff.
19. Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for?
    You name it, someone's looking for it. The philosopher's stone, the holy grail, the corpse of the broken god, you know, classic stuff.
20. Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure?
    Have you tried The Moon Peaks? It's the mountains on the map with a stylized dragon flying over them. Nobody knows for sure though. Ask the dwarves.
    
21. Ability scores generation method?
    3d6 in order for STR, DEX & CHA.
22. How are death and dying handled?
    By the book: HP loss is temporary, STR loss means wounds, Critical Damage means bad, potentially lethal wounds and you die if you reach STR 0, are left unatended for an hour after suffering Critical Damage.
23. What about raising the dead?
    There's probably some Oddity that can do it, but you probably won't like the result.
24. How are replacement PCs handled?
    As per Electric Bastionland: it adds 1000 Crowns to the group's debt (10k Crowns) for administrative fees and the likes, but you get to get back into play almost immediately.
    You can also assume control of a companion.
25. Initiative: individual, group, or something else?
    Whichever side should go first goes first, usually it's the party but not always.
    I use the initiative rule as my surprise rule: DEX save to go before the opponents.
26. Are there critical hits and fumbles? How do they work?
    Yes! I didn't realize it before but the Scar system in EB, where reaching exactly 0hp gives you a scar, is kind of a critical hit system. No fumbles though, but I can be cruel on a failed save.
27. Do I get any benefits for wearing a helmet?
    Yes! If stuff falls on your head, it won't knock you out or give you a concussion!
    There are no rules benefits as it is, although you may find oddities in the shape of a helmet, with cool weird helmet-y properties.
    
    
28. Can I hurt my friends if I fire into melee or do something similarly silly?
    Yes. It'll probably be a Luck Roll.
29. Will we need to run from some encounters, or will we be able to kill everything?
    Yes. You are welcome to try to kill anything, though.
30. Level-draining monsters: yes or no?
    No levels. But lots of monsters have horrible abilities that trigger on Critical Damage - some even before that.
31. Are there going to be cases where a failed save results in PC death?
    I want to say no, as it's never happened until this point but maybe? It would be because you did something really stupid though, I realized recently that unannounced deadly traps aren't very entertaining for anybody.
32. How strictly are encumbrance & resources tracked?
    Don't carry too much stuff. Three bulky items = you're at 0hp. Luck roll to track supplies.
33. What’s required when my PC gains a level? Training? Do I get new spells automatically? Can it happen in the middle of an adventure, or do I have to wait for down time?
    There are no levels! You gain more hp when getting scarred, with a soft cap at 10-13 and a hard cap at 18hp, and your ability scores might change through the game, and you get fancier titles as you survive many adventures, but overall, changes happen through play - characters can get maimed, mutated, miracle'd, cursed, plus you can buy stuff to create the change you want to see in the world and all: go build an army already.
34. What do I get experience for?
    No levels mean no experience, although the initial goal of the game is to get rid of that pesky 10 000 Crowns debt through treasure-hunting. You could totally focus on fleeing your debt-holders or scoring one big hit to get rid of that though. The Debt might become an individual one in the future though, due to the open nature of the campaign.
35. How are traps located? Description, dice rolling, or some combination?
    Description + I assume that adventurers are aware, cautious and good at their job + Big traps announce themselves. Like if you bought a ten foot pole in town, you're not going to fall in a basic pit trap unless you're doing something foolish like running somewhere you don't know or something.
36. Are retainers encouraged and how does morale work?
    Yes, spend your money on additional people! You can buy anyone with enough money. Morale works like in real-life: if you treat your people well, they'll be more loyal and less inclined to leave you to die or abandon you at the worst possible moment. Also CHA saves to avoid your loyal henchmen running away from some magical monstrosity maybe.
37. How do I identify magic items?
    Ask Mazzah the Magnificent, he has a knack for this stuff, being a wizard.
38. Can I buy magic items? Oh, come on: how about just potions?
    Probably not, but then again some Oddities barely qualify as magic items and might be found on sales. Think Gremlins Keeper more than Local Potion Seller though.
39. Can I create magic items? When and how?
    I have on idea. Maybe? We'll figure it out if it comes up.
40. What about splitting the party?
    Sure. It's probably a bad idea but I can roll with that.