Lost Baronies of Lendore Isle - Background before play

Been a busy week-plus since starting the blog so without further delay here's a rundown of the background before start of the first session on May 7th.

This is what was emailed to all of the players:

Lost Baronies of Lendore Isle
Character creation guidelines:
At the start of the campaign you will roll up two characters. Roll 3d6 in order for your stats.
If the average of the scores equals 11 or better keep the character. If the average is below 11, trash it and start again.

Once you determine the class appropriate for the stats as rolled you may reduce two stats by one point each to increase one prine requisite stat by one point. This is a one-time stat adjustment.

Money:
At the beginning of the campaign all characters begin with gold equal to twice their Charisma.

Wizards and Elves begin play with a spell book. Clerics begin with a holy symbol.

In addition, for the original group of characters there is a writ for funds in the name of the Ten Islands Trading Syndicate equal to 100 gold that the party will have available, upon arrival upon Lendore Isle, that can be cashed in with anyone willing to accept it. (This only applies to the starting group of characters. All others joining after May 7th 2011 follow the guidelines above thise one.)

The reason for such poverty is simple - need motivates. Also, for the original group . . .

When you set out on your journey to Lendore Isle to explore, survey, and take census of the island's remaining baronies, there were 4 ships in your convoy. The plan was to sail southeast of the island to hopefully avoid pirates reported operating to the north, and to make your way around to the city of Loreltarma on the northeast peninsula.

A freak storm split the convoy sending ships in all directions. The ship you were booked on has arrived off shore from a fishing town on the southeast peninsula of the island. The captain of the Sodden Wench has put all passengers off at Restenford because "with a breach the size of a sow's rump just above the waterline and another storm coming, I have no wish to sink, nor swim". The ship your supplies were booked on, Harlot's Due, is nowhere known at the present time.

Ten Islands Trading Syndicate is a "consortium of mercantile and other interests". You have been hired to explore the island reporting on what you find, especially regarding what baronies, cities, and towns you find, and to seek wealth, artifacts, and determine where new nobility might be able to lay claim. This is a strict confidence, not to be bandied about. Some on the island, and off, might take umbrage.

Word is that those who do well may be given choice appointments and even become enobled.

Note: individual characters may be given additional motivations at start of play.

Four players were able to make it to the May 7th starting session. Their 8 starting characters covered the races and classes completely. They were:

Samson a cleric, Tok a halfling, Seamus a thief, Pedro a cleric, Rowena a magic user, Elanna an elf, Fred Stone a dwarf, Meira a fighter.

Next post will go over house rules.