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Welcome to the Saint Herve's Westmarches Wiki[]

A short and stout dwarf stands before you as you walk into the tavern. In a friendly but somewhat devious tone of voice he calls you over to the bar.

"Welcome friends to the The Ivory Owl Pub! Can I pour you a drink? Good! Sit down, I've got a story to tell ya! There was a a guild of adventurers in this town once upon a time. called themselves the 'Crimson Cavaliers' A rather unlikely crew obsessed with taming the wilderness surrounding our little town. Word is they found unfathomable riches, but at the cost of witnessing some unspeakable horrors! They used to sit down right over there in the back corner. They haven't been around in years though... You can still see their carved map in the table... bastards never paid me for that. You look like the adventurous type! Go on, take a look... Never know what you'll find."

-Sorin Silverfist Ivory Owl Barkeep

The Westmarches as a game mode[]

The typical quandary of Dungeons and Dragons is always related to time. It takes a long time for the DM to prep a game, the players come over every week like clockwork and inevitably everyone succumbs to the problem of routine. The DM becomes overwhelmed, the players bored or intimidated, and the group disinterested. Others wont even try to play as they don't want to commit to something they cant make it to regularly, or are unsure if they will even like it.

The Westmarches game style aims to work around these typical problems. You create a character who is a member of the local colony town amidst a vast and unexplored wilderness full of monsters, treasure and wondrous mysteries to be discovered. Your character is a tradesman of some sort working a job or running an establishment within the town, but has something of an ambition for adventure. You cannot leave your shop or job for too long, so instead of picking up and leaving on a life-changing journey across the world to stop to some end-times doomsday scenario, you go out and investigate some local rumors or try to solve a mystery at a nearby location that the ordinary villager would not touch with an 11ft pole. And the best part is, your character is always home in time for dinner (and you for your bed time)

This game style helps us match our desire to play in a game with the ever changing obligations that crop up in our lives. We often think that just because our schedule is wacky or tight, that we cannot afford to play our favorite games. Well, I'm here to tell you that you can, you just need a game that can keep up with the changes in your life.

Welcome to the Westmarches.

The game rules:[]

The Rules of the game Style:[]

The core for this series of "one shot" sessions is the Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition core rule books. Besides the regular rules here are a few additions:

You are an adventurer because you feel a strong call in your bones to adventure. You are driven to leave behind the safety of civilization for a little at a time and explore the wilds to make your name. Regardless of what drives you, you are driven. You choose where to go and what to do. There will be a handful of obvious choices, but you don't by any means need to take them. The adventure is in your hands.
Players can suggest or join sessions on an at-will basis. There is no assumed set party – characters can adventure in many different groups.
Each session is presumed to be self-contained. Players venture into the wild, find or are found by adventure, and return home each session.
Characters keep whatever gold and XP they earn from session to session, and characters may (until further notice) group with other characters of any level.
Every character starts each session in Port St. Herve. If characters have not returned home by the end of the session, they automatically return after play has ended. (i.e. they fast-travel back cinematically rather than as a part of play)
The world of the West Marches persists beyond each session. If players have made a change in one session, other players will see that change if they follow the same path in a later session.
Port St. Herve is, for whatever reason, safe. Adventure is found beyond civilization's edge. Characters can rest here between sessions and come to no harm. Likewise, there is nothing of interest for you back in the town. Adventure is found in the wilds beyond.
You are encouraged to have 2 characters in this world. The threat of death is real, and peril is found around every corner. Character death is a very real possibility; this fact must be understood before beginning. You are not doomed to death, but it very well may happen. Plan well and calculate your risks.
- If your character does die, have no fear! you may create a new one in his/her stead. You loose all items that are not recovered from your body, but you still get to play!
- If you do decide to play both characters actively in this game your characters will be marked as "Main character" and "Secondary Character."
  - Your Main is the character with the highest level. If he/she ever dies you may make a replacement that is one level lower than your last.
  - Your Secondary is the lower level of the two. If he/she dies you may make a replacement at level 1.
You are encouraged to create your own maps and activity logs/notes and post them on this site. I will be giving you very little visual aids for this game, so your collaboration with the other players is key. Don't worry, you are not required to participate in this way if you don't want to, but you will gain in game rewards if you do.