More Space Viking Nonsense

Well, I’ve bought myself a cheap USB keyboard and I can actually write these posts easily again!, so I’ve started pulling the various strands together, and tried to collate something that could actually play.

The biggest issue that I currently have is that I’m really enjoying the setting and how it’s forming, and whilst I have some level of overarching story (but not really yet), I have very little idea of how to insert players into the action at the start.

But I’m working on that!!

So, here’s what I’ve pulled together so far.

“The gods have grown quiet, and Midgard begins to grow cold. Fimbulwinter has come.”

The many atmosphere processing plants have mysteriously shut down, and without them the air of Midgard is quickly becoming colder. When this has happened before, representatives of the gods have arrived to fix the ancient mechanisms in short order.

None have arrived this time.

The air of winter dragged into spring, with little sign of any warming. Many crops perished in short order. The various jarls made war upon each other, but with no outcome. Now the people of Sigurdsheim have elected some of their number to investigate the nearest of the atmosphere prcessor and report their findings back to the jarl.

The game pulls in a lot of extra rules and tweaks that I wanted to have a play with, as well as some things to make the setting feel more like the scifi/Norse mashup that I’m going for.

This post on Wizards introduced a few rules for an imagined d20 modern game using the 5E rules. I played a fair amount of d20 Modern when it came out, and ran a few campaigns of the Agents of PSI presented in the core book for some different groups. I’ve stolen a couple of the charts shamelessly and edited them a bit further below, mostly for flavour.

The Unearthed Arcana series of articles also run by Wizards have introduced a few other things I’d like to throw into the mix:

The Variant Rules article has a couple of optional tweaks on stuff, but I think I’d like to throw the Vitality rules into the mix, at least to play them for a bit and see how they fit. The idea of large chunks of damage causing more permanent effects that the players really feel is cool, and I also thought about the optional healing rules in the core DMG, but I’d like to try the vitality points idea before I start making healing harder!

The two class options presented in the Waterborne Adventures article appealed also. The idea of a Sorcerer with a background linked to Storms fits pretty well with a Norse setting, and the swashbuckling Rogue is always something I like seeing, since I tend to play them in previous incarnations of D&D.

The Eberron article introduces Action Points to 5E, though they work in basically the same way that they always have. I’m still debating these as an addition, but I might throw in the Artificer as a Wizard choice, since the setting is a tech mashup.

Finally, the article on Modifying Classes (not part of Unearthed Arcana) included the Favoured Soul options, again another origin for the Sorcerer. I can see it as a draw for possible player characters, and I want to leave the options open for now.

If I add this stuff in, I might also take some stuff out. I’m not sure yet whether I want to keep the Wild Magic origin for Sorcerers. It’s fun, but whether it fits the setting for how magic works I haven’t decided yet.

Armour table:

Modern Armor
Armor		Armor Class (AC)	Strength	Stealth	Properties	Weight
Light Armor
	Heavy longcoat	11 + Dex modifier	—	Disadvantage	—	6 lb.
	Leather jacket	11 + Dex modifier	—	—	—	4 lb.
	Steelsilk shirt	11 + Dex modifier	—	—	DR 2 vs. ballistic	2 lb.
	Kevlar-lined jacket	12 + Dex modifier	—	—	DR 2 vs. ballistic	8 lb.
	Steelsilk Jacket	13 + Dex modifier	—	—	DR 2 vs. ballistic	3 lb.
Medium Armor
	Steelsilk longcoat	13 + Dex modifier (max 2)	—	—	DR 3 vs. ballistic	4 lb.
	Light-duty armor	14 + Dex modifier (max 3)	—	—	DR 3 vs. ballistic	8 lb.
	Tactical armor	15 + Dex modifier (max 2)	Str 11	Disadvantage	Resistance: ballistic	10 lb.
Heavy Armor
	Special response armor	15	Str 12	Disadvantage	Resistance: ballistic	15 lb.
	Heavy-duty armor “Einherjar”	17	Str 13	Disadvantage	Resistance: ballistic/slashing	10 lb.
	Automated tactical armor “Valkyrie”	18	Str 14	Disadvantage	Resistance: ballistic/slashing/piercing	20 lb.

Shields		Armor Class (AC)	Strength	Stealth	Properties	Weight
Riot Shield		+1	—	—	—	3 lb.
	Hardlight shield	+2	—	Disadvantage	DR 2	1 lb.

Also stolen borrowed and modified, class proficiencies in firearms:

Firearm Proficiencies by Class
Class	Firearm Proficiency
Berserkr (Barbarian)	Long arms
Fantr (Rogue)	Long arms or sidearms (chosen at character creation)
Galdramthr (Sorcerer)	None
Hamaskr (Druid)	None
Hermathr (Fighter)	Long arms and sidearms
Norn (Warlock)	None (possibly gained via pact)
Prestr (Cleric)	None (possibly granted via domain)
Skald (Bard)	Sidearms
Skógarvörthr (Ranger)	Long arms and sidearms
Strithdansmaer(Monk)	Sidearms
Töframathr (Wizard)	None (though sidearm proficiency might be granted through the School of Technomancy)
Vaeringjar (Paladin)	Long arms and sidearms

As for what counts as a long arm or side arm?

Rifles and automatic rifles, shotguns count as long arms. Pistols and automatic pistols, revolvers, sawn-off shotguns (IF I ALLOW THEM!) count as sidearms.

Laser weaponry, heavy weaponry, grenades etc I wouldn’t count as proficient apart from MAYBE the Fighter class. I’v eyet to make a decision on that one. I’m debating leaving heavy weapons out entirely for now, since using them might be a dishonourable act.

And speaking of Honour, I’m going to throw the Honour ability score in as well, because I like the mechanics associated with it and I think it might just fit pretty snug there.

As you can see from the above, character sheets are going to be a pain. I might have to scratch around and build my own, or maybe just persuade players to use a notepad or Excel or something.

And that’s where I am at the moment. Any thoughts or comments, direct them to the usual place.