[Closed] Keep on the Borderlands in Advanced OSE

You have traveled for many days, leaving the Realm and entering into the wilder area of the Borderlands. Farms and towns have become less frequent and travelers few. The road has climbed higher as you enter the forested and mountainous country.

What awaits you is none other than the Keep on the Borderlands, a shining bastion of Law on the edge of tumultuous, perilous Chaos. Anything can happen in a realm of awesome magic, fearsome monsters, and cavernous dungeons. Here you will find adventure, fortune, and glory—but only if you have the bravery, the luck, and the cunning to claim them. Will you find what you seek out here, where only the Keep stands against the unpredictable wilds? There is only one way to find out . . .

Keep on the Borderlands is a classic Dungeons & Dragons adventure module that has filled generations with the wonder and excitement of fantasy. In it, players can explore a Medieval-style keep on the edge of the kingdom and brave the perils of the wild beyond. Using Old-School Essentials: Advanced Fantasy as a game system, I plan to run this classic adventure with a party of five to ten players.

Since this is the first game I’m running on Gamers’ Plane, I feel it prudent to introduce myself with the following. If you’re coming from the interest check, you’ve seen this.✅ Adult Content or Controversial Themes. Nothing that can’t be shown in a PG-13 fantasy film with intense scenes. Expect the usual amount of violence present in a fantasy roleplaying game. Normal sexual content will be limited to implication. Strong language is fine as long as it complies with Gamers’ Plane’s "no heavy cursing" rule.

Besides this, we will clearly discuss Lines and Veils at the beginning of play. Players will have the option to engage in roleplayed romance as their PCs, with other PCs and NPCs. You can opt in or out of this at any time.

✅ Character Restrictions. Each player may create one or two characters, TBD, which may follow either basic or advanced character creation. Notably, basic is race-as-class and advanced is race-and-class. Roll stats, then choose either to swap two scores or increase Prime Requisite(s); not both. Multiclassing TBD. All other race, class, and alignment options are available. Optional rules include secondary skills, basic encumbrance, slight limits on resurrection, and advanced rules for spellbooks.

✅ Game Duration and Post Frequency. I expect three posts a week from each player, which I understand to be the average for forum-based PbP.

As for game duration, we will be playing through the entirety of B2: Keep on the Borderlands. I’m sorry to say; I don’t know how long that will take in PbP time. After we exhaust the myriad possibilities of Keep, anyone who wants to continue will be welcome to more adventures.

✅ Player Experience Requirements. Newbies and veterans welcome!

✅ How to Apply. Post below with a character concept or two that you would like to bring to the table. Feel free to talk about your character’s personality and mood, and why they appeal to you.

Priority in applying will be given to those individuals who expressed interest during the interest check: @ChrSch, @Pedrop, @Sardis, @ZeroPrime, @WhtKnt, @Kalajel, @Psybermaji, @kwll.

✅ Welcome Marginalized Groups. As a member of the LGBT+ community myself, I can assure you that this game is explicitly friendly to LGBT+ and any other minorities or marginalized groups.

Hey, I'd love to throw my name in the hat! I have extensive experience with OSE (both Basic and Advanced), and have only prepared KotB but never played it.

I would also offer a suggestion that you look into Mike's World: The Forsaken Wilderness Beyond. It takes the original map, and expands it into a fifteen-map series into the wilderness, with some wonderful encounters.

As for a character pitch, I have a wizard named Eltrezar that I've played before, known to the Elves as Tarathiel and to the Dwarves as Dalomdûmir. I would love the opportunity to try getting him past level one. ;)

A classic. I cut my teeth as DM on this one decades ago and was instantly hooked for life. I've run all my fantasy gaming groups through it and could probably run/play it in my sleep. A great standalone or campaign starter. Enjoy everyone!

Unfortunately I will have to pass this time. Thanks for the invite! Hope the game will be public or I will be able to join as spectator maybe ? As I would really like to see how is this classic played and GMed. Have a great game!

@cowleyc, thanks for the suggestion! I haven't really decided whether the Keep is in Greyhawk of Mystara or some other homebrew setting, but I'll be sure to check out those maps when I make that decision. I will also definitely consider helping Eltrezar grow more powerful.

@ForeverDED, I appreciate the well wishes. Many thanks!

@Pedrop, I'm pretty sure the game will be public, so feel free to enjoy the show. Thanks for considering me, and happy gaming!

I'm in. I'll have a character concept later, once I have determined what my stats dictate.

Fair enough, WhtKnt. I should mention that I'm allowing you to to either swap two scores or raise your Prime Requisite(s) in the usual manner. Of course, you're more than welcome to just do what the book says. This is just so everyone can play the character they want, but there's still some inherent randomness. Will edit the initial post with this info.

It could be the wanderlust I feel rn, but if there happens to be a slot free, I'd love to cast my pointy witch hat into the ring!

I'll think of some character concepts and get back to you.

@AbbyssalChimera, I understand completely, the Keep is a wondrous place indeed. Love your classic character concepts; I'll definitely keep your application in mind. Love the hat, btw; I need to get me one of those, lol.

@kalajel Thanks, looking forward to it.

Hey! Just saw this. I'm definitely interested in submitting a character for this:

1. Elven Thief named Pelivar. He plays the fool (possibly having actually been a court jester for a time). He uses this to conceal his more cunning nature. Who ever suspects the fool to be the thief? Though, the skills that he learned in the kings court has provided him with a number of marketable skills in the realm of adventuring.

2. Dwarven Cleric named Father Hevlorn. He is a kind-hearted man who enjoys his mead a bit too much...though is more than willing to share with others...unless you're an undead. He'd be more inclined to re-dead the undead and then crack open its cranium, fill it with mead, and offer a toast to his comrades in arms.

@Sardis, you've got some fun concepts; glad to have you!

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Really pleased with turnout so far. I think I'll keep applications open for another day at most, just to give the others from the interest check—or anyone else who may want to join—time to drop in.

The character I would play is Farem Dor, a human warrior. He goes to the Keep as a herald of his clan, willing to help fight against darkness to prove his valor. He went there after hearing disturbing reports from survivors of the caves, but his family doesn't really know where he went: he just left a note on his bed before leaving during the night...

Simple enough, but I don't get to play warriors that often so I thought I would try for a change.

Alrighty, sounds good. I have 2 concepts for you:

1. Zoren the Acrobat: Zoren grew was born into a family of roaming circus Performers and trained as an Acrobat. When the circus came under attack by marauders he got away with his life. He is now trying to survive using the skills he has learned as a child

2. Sinji the bard: Sinji happens to be an other surviving member of the circus. Sinji is barely an adult and still rather naive. He tends to hang around with Zoren, but unlike him, he is a skilled musician, or he might be one if he can keep up the training.

Obviously it could also be that they are lone survivors. :)

1. Father Petronus. Male human cleric fo the God(dess?) of wine. Sadly, Father Petronus is no longer able to stomach alcohol due to years of abuse and an untimely stomach infection. A small drop of alcohol is now enough to make him violently sick, and even the smell of it often makes him slightly queasy. He does, however, have an encyclopedic knowledge of which wine goest best with nearly every meals, as well as what is the best year of any given grape variety.

2. To be determined.

In with a fighter type, if there is room.
Landen Talvendirk, a knightly fellow who thinks just maybe a bit too much of himself, but not letting his noble name get in the way of a good adventure. Tired of living just on privilege alone, Landen comes to make his name mean something. And to make some friends and loot some stuff in the process!

@kwll, sometimes simple is best! Everyone loves the classics; that's why we're all here, haha. Glad to have you.

@ChrSch, loving the backstory connection right out of the gate! They can be lone survivors, yes, but feel free to keep one as a backup character if you'd like.

@kalajel, looking good so far!

@WhiteDwarf, if there is room then I'm more than happy to consider you! Sounds like Landen could be one of a few martial classes.

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As promised, just a few hours left before I close these applications! Only two interest check folks I haven't heard from yet: @ZeroPrime and @Psybermagi. I'm just loving the variety of characters you all are presenting, and I'm looking forward to playing with many of you soon!

Thanks for the shout out. I am at capacity now but when I saw the discussion I just wanted to warn others, who like me, may have forgotten how unforgiving OSE is. Good luck all :)

@Psybermagi, you're welcome, just wanted to make sure I didn't miss you in case you really were interested. Thanks for wishing us luck, and happy gaming :) .

As of now, I'm considering this application thread closed. Thank you to everyone who showed interest, applied, and dropped in to say good luck!

@WhtKnt, @kalajel, @Sardis, @kwll, @ChrSch, @cowleyc, @AbbyssalChimera, @Harrigan, and @WhiteDwarf: expect game invites very soon. For ease of access, I'll also link the game right here.

@ZeroPrime, if you're still interested, feel free to slip in while we're still in the early phases of the campaign—you'll be our tenth. For everyone else, this recruitment thread is closed! Thank you all for the support, and happy gaming!