DnD 3.5 Oriental Flavor Serpents in the Palace

Conditions: Emperor Kai Tsao Shou Chin decreed the Gathering of the Pearls policy which introduces ministries of science and alchemy. This decision angered the Ministry of Magic and led the Council of Mages to abandon their duties. With the winds of Shou Lung blowing colder, Kai Tsao Shou Chin has begun granting abandoned estates around the capital to allied clans to secure the critical city.

Players are cousins within the Xian clan (Several family connections), the Master of each family decided to keep senior family members to secure their strategic positions. The PCs are young but have proven competent so far. PCs are sent to the new clan estate in Taoyuan along the western limits of the capital.

Missions: Early missions will involve helping/ establishing the clan on the estate, representing the families in the Imperial court, and dealing with various conflicts in the Wang Kuo district (Capital District).

Yes as the adventuring world expands, new files and maps will be added.

CLOSING DATE 20 FEB 2300 EST
Creation notes on the game thread
Flirting OK PG-13, all else goes dark
Maximum; 6 players
Post Rate: x1/wk, but side quests possible.
Experience is group based not individual, everyone advances together.

Character Generation Info Level: 1
Roll 3 sets; select the one you want.
Attributes: 4d6 drop the lowest dice
Races; Restricted to PHB 3.5
Classes: Restricted to PHB 3.5
Clerics/Druids: Select 2 domains from PHB 3.5 (Asian cultures had deities as well as Animal spirits and nature spirits.)
Hitpoints: Max at 1st level. Afterwards roll, (minimum is half)
Use basic Cleric, Sorcerer, and Wizard instead of Shugenza and Wu Jen

Posting interest!

A couple questions,out of curiosity.

I'm unaware if this is meant to be based on an existing module/adventure path,so I was wondering if there are to be metagame elements (ala Pathfinder Kingmaker) where the PCs administer the estate,or if gameplay will be focused primarily on their immediate actions?

Also,is there a gameplay reference (domains, alignment etc.) for the Kara-tur deities in the case that someone wants to play a cleric,druid, or paladin?

Im game too sign me up

Also posting interest

I am all over this.

If it were 1edOA, I'd be all over it too. But I haven't played 3.5 in over a decade, so I am woefully out of date and will likely confuse everything with 1 & 5 😝

1. I'm using Kara-Tur information to build some lore. However, the OA books would start a topic right only to butcher it by shoving incompatible cultural aspects of other cultures into the topic. Mechanics are DnD 3.5; Monsters are the same way, but I'll try to keep them near folklore. Overall, this is Homebrew. There are hints that can be found in the module though.

2. "where the PCs administer the estate" I don't plan on making this a 'nation building' project unless the players want more involvement. I was thinking more like using diplomacy to resolve a dispute, maybe throw ideas to improve things.

3. I used 1st edition Deities and Demigods starting on pg 37. There are historical finding that prove Animal and nature worship. The terracotta army indicates the belief in some form of afterlife (remotely similar to the Vikings and Slavs with the addition of wealth and sacrifices with the dead).

Regarding the Terracotta warriors, one theory I have read posits they represent the formation of a standing army to combat raids from the Xiongnu.

The xiongnu being Scythians definitely believed in an afterlife and that cultural exchange likely influenced the Emperor's own belief. War is as ever the exchange of culture via the most basic politics.

Regarding the Terracotta warriors, one theory I have read posits they represent the formation of a standing army to combat raids from the Xiongnu.

The xiongnu being Scythians definitely believed in an afterlife and that cultural exchange likely influenced the Emperor's own belief. War is as ever the exchange of culture via the most basic politics.

Posting interest if this is still open for players

Same!

Haven't played Oriental Adventures since 2E but I have a lot of 3.5 years under the belt and access to the newer Oriental Adventures D&D Supplement. If you're using that and there's still room, I'd be extremely interested!

I sent the invite. They've made their first post and my next will be Friday or Saturday.