Lolth's Web -- Game Notes

DM's Promise

My job as the DM is to entertain you. This is part story-teller, world-builder, evil genius, referee, actor, artist, organizer, tool-jockey, etc.
But in the end, if I am not entertaining, I want you to be honest and tell me either how to make it better or that maybe you would like a different flavor. I can take it. I want you to be honest. DMing is a skill and as with every skill, I want to improve constantly. Help me do that.

You Are Heroes

• Your PCs are the 1% of people who are naturally gifted in their chosen profession. Not only did you get good schooling but you are gifted. In the Olympics you would be competing for gold. In Lolth's Web, you are the stars, the heroes and the focus.
• Remember that Lolth's Web is a High Fantasy world where maiming and death are not permanent. They are part of the journey of the High Fantasy world. You are smart players and so sometimes the world of Lolth's Web will seem brutal and slightly unfair, so you have to reach deep into your "tool kit" so that you surprise yourself with the ingenuity of the solution. Please accept that I know what I am doing as a storyteller and that it is all part of the ride. Would Game of Thrones be as impactful without the "Red Wedding?" So, if you get knocked out, maimed or even killed, don't lose heart. It is part of your story and you will come back, stronger!
• "Stories are rarely fun when you are living through them. Only when you look back with some distance do you see the struggle, joy and humor." -- Neal Peart, Drummer & Lyricist for Rush

Flow of Play

• Player's state what they want to do.
• The DM will offer a "reaction."
• The DM will state the most applicable rule out loud.
• The player will offer any suggestions/modifiers based on RP, etc. If you feel, as a player, that there is a more applicable rule, this is where you state that. It helps if you have the rule book opened to the data.
• The DM decides on whether to make any adjustments.
• The player rolls.

Most of the time, we won't have to resort to this but it is there when we need it.

Criticals and Fumbles

• I don't believe in fumbles because they aren't very heroic.
• I don't like critical hit tables either because of course, if you use those, so will the monsters. Generally, I like the D&D 5E standard that you roll and extra dice when scoring a natural 20 on an "attack" roll.

Alignment

• If you perform actions outside of your alignment, you will start to change alignments. This is not an instant process--with rare exceptions. What will happen is that I will warn you that an action is against your moral compass. Here I am your inner-self, giving you the feeling all of us get the first time we violate something we hold true.
• Remember, Lawful anything means that you believe in the Law. The law should not be broken, even in the case where it is clearly inflicting unintentional harm. You need to adapt to the law. This is the cop who doesn't shoot the child-molesting serial killer; justice must prevail, always. Justice can only be served by its lawful enforcers. Period. Nazi Germany is the perfect example of Lawful Evil. They believed that they were superior and that all others should serve them or be killed to make room for the "master race;" the doctrine of Lebensraum. But all of the evil the Nazi inflicted on the world was ordered, even the horrible einsatzgruppe--SS death squads--worked under orders and were systematic.
• Playing Paladin level of Lawful good, is worth an extra attribute point, so 32 points to start instead of 31; however, this puts real restraints on the entire party so please discuss with the DM first. You can be Lawful Good without being a Paladin level; they are zealots and that is a different class.
• The chaotic character, on the other hand, views the individual and their circumstances to be paramount in any decision. Chaotic alignments will bend or break rules where they feel they need to. "Rules were meant to be broken," is a good idiom to think of with a chaotic character. Now, for good alignments, this means that if a law is inflicting harm, the chaotic good character will seek to bend/break the consequences on the harmed party. If a chaotic good character sees no redemption in a person, they might justify killing them. Circumstances rule the chaotic character's world, not the law. Of course, evil alignments, see the survival of the "fittest" to always be the law. How can they make out over everyone else, regardless of what it takes? So, Mafia families are chaotic evil because even though they profess a code, they have none.

Most of time, this won't be an issue but just so you know, when you want to torture that drow who is refusing to answer and seems impervious to magic.

Attractiveness:

• I will let you decide how physically attractive you are. This has almost nothing to do with Charisma. We have all known the beautiful man or woman who has nothing upstairs or is just vapid--low charisma. I'll bet as well we can think of someone who was physically unattractive but their charisma was high or they were really smart and so their physical unattractiveness falls away over time.
• Attractiveness is not an Attribute and so can never be rolled against. This means that this stat is all up to DM discretion and role-playing. If dice are called for at any point it must be based on Charisma as that is the true long-lasting impression on people. Comeliness/Attractiveness can never modify a Charisma roll. Role-playing can increase the roll but comeliness/attractiveness is not an Attribute and can never be treated as such.
• As a systems designer for a living everything to me should have a cost. So if you decide to make a really beautiful character, I will role play that to the hilt. People will hit on you, want to hang around, and be annoying. Constantly look at your beauty and not what you can do etc. NPCs will flirt, some NPCs will just dislike you because your attractiveness is a threat etc. This isn't an encouragement to make an average-looking character but I want you to feel like your character exists and to do that I want a consistent world where choices matter.
• Now, follow your heart and make your character the way you see them; most players imagine the PCs are attractive to beautiful.
• Making a very attractive character does open up the ability to seduce someone for gain of some sort. This is of course up to you but sex and sexuality are a real thing in Faerun as well and so this is the upside for dealing with all the annoying advances and reactions to your attractiveness.

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Levels: Think about these ratings as a general guideline. Remember these are PC ratings in a heroic world so even average starts out nice-looking:

• Ugly/Disfigured: You are really scared--disfiguring--or have a birth defect or vitiligo (white spots on dark skin) or albinism (pure white skin with red eyes and white or light red air) or whatever. This is worth two attribute points (so 33 points to allocate) but this can never be healed and people will always notice it. You will get a lot of looks of disgust, nasty comments, pity, and romance will be harder in that you can't rely on a good intro.
• Not Attractive: There is something about you that makes you not attractive. Could be light scaring or your features are a bit too big for your face.
• Average: You aren't amazing but you are nice looking.
• Cute/Handsome: While you are essentially average looking, there is something about your dimples and or smile and or expressions that make you adorable.
• Very Attractive: You are pretty damn hot. Not quite a model but you turn heads and everyone who is attracted to you would really die to talk with you. From this level forward, your attractiveness defines your physique. At the very attractive level, you are a specimen of your race. Men are muscled and look great with their shirts off. Women are equally head-turning when they show skin. For female PCs, please choose your body style: curvy or lithe. Curvy means you have boobs and a nice hourglass figure. Lithe means you are a yoga model, more thin and lithe but still a true testament to the beauty of your race.
• Model: You are a model. Think Hollywood/Ballywood/K-pop/Anima/Pop Star actor/star/singer/whatever. At this level, people who are interested will actively engage with you. This will yield MASSIVE amounts of unwanted attention. Mostly the opposite sex--but sometimes the same sex--will make opportunities to engage with you. Every NPC you interact with will be aware of your beauty and role play accordingly. Everyone wants to get you into your birthday suit.