Blood in the Chocolate OOC M

[Cfavano]

Rated M for violence and adult content

BLOOD IN THE CHOCOLATE

“Wouldst Thou Like To DIE Deliciously?”

The year is 1617, and the only thing on the minds of every noblewoman and aristocrat in Europe is CHOCOLATE. The act of eating this modest confection brings so much PLEASURE, it has become more prized than tea, spices, even liquor … and it all comes from one place:

LUCIA DE CASTILLO’s factory in northern Friesland.

This one businesswoman has Europe by the balls, and some will pay handsomely for the secret to her success. But Lucia’s factory isn’t what it seems to be. The horrors and cruelties that exist within its walls defy IMAGINATION ITSELF. Nobody ever goes in … and nobody ever comes out!

The year is now 1617. In Europe the Dutch Revolt has been at an end for three years, a quarter of the way through the period known as the Twelve Year Truce. The province of Friesland in the Netherlands has gained new found importance, all thanks to Lucia de Castillo and her trade in chocolate. From her factory on the Friesland coast, she has built Castillo Chocolatería up over several years into a prized luxury brand that is more sought after than coffee, tea, or liquor. Lucia’s name is on the tongue of every nobleman’s wife across Europe—and thus that of their husbands—and is sure to have reached the ear of the Holy Roman Emperor himself.



The adventure takes place on the coast of Friesland in the Netherlands. The history of The Viceroyality of Peru, the influence of the Holy Roman Empire, and the interests of French merchants all play into the adventure in some way, giving its events added historical weight and impetus. It also involves factory processes and technology straight out of the Industrial Revolution.

This is an adventure about man’s greed and capacity for cruelty outpacing the ‘low evil’ of sorcery and otherworldly creatures.

Merchants from France have come to the player characters with an offer. These merchants cannot replicate Lucia’s chocolate recipe and so cannot replicate her success. They need cunning and ablebodied burglars to break into the Castillo Chocolatería and steal Lucia’s secrets. They are willing to pay handsomely for each and every piece of information or sample that the player characters can provide:

- A sample of Lucia’s cocoa beans (unroasted) = 200gp

- A sample of chocolate liquor (1 pint) = 100gp

- A copy (or original) of Lucia’s chocolate recipe = 500gp

- Any/all non-mundane secret ingredients = 100gp each

- A working map of the factory = 500gp

Spoiler: Brief History of Friesland and the Dutch Republic 

As written, the adventure takes place on the western coast of Friesland, a province of the Netherlands. Here are some relevant details about Friesland’s history that may come up during play:

1. In 1617, the year in which the adventure takes place, Friesland is part of the Dutch Republic, a collection of seven provinces under Protestant rule. They gained their independence from Spain and the Holy Roman Empire 36 years prior during the 80 Years War. Tensions between the Dutch and the Spanish are still high.

2. Spiritually and politically, the population is predominantly Protestant (Anabaptist or Calvinist), though many devout Catholics remain.

3. The Dutch Republic is becoming a major sea trading power thanks to the Dutch East India Company, the first multinational corporation. Friesland and the other provinces see a great deal of sea trade.

4. The capital of Friesland is Leeuwarden (population 3000). It is roughly 15 kilometers away from Lucia de Castillo’s factory.

5. The primary language of Friesland is Dutch. English and German are also spoken.

Spoiler: Mechanics 

This game uses dice, but is very dice lite, with all the rolling being done on my side.

The closest comparable system would be D&D 3.X/3.5 with random procedural generation similar to a Roguelike.

There are many diseases and other effects and actions that have a single 'saving throw' with a flat DC of 10 on an unmodified roll of 20.

Combat and other actions are dealt with simply. You declare what you do, I roll any dice, and then on my GM post, the results happen.

Spoiler: Classes 

Each character in this has a class that dicttes what they can do. Everyone starts as one of 3 base classes, and when they reach level 10 (10 survived combat encounters), they can evolve to an advanced class by reverting back to level 1

Spoiler: Base Classes 

Warrior-

Hit dice - d10
Weapon Proficiencies - any
Armor Proficiencies - any

Attacks per turn - 4

Special abilities -

Can wield any weapon or armor

Re-roll saves vs Poison

Evolves into -

Expert

Hit Dice - d8
Weapon Proficiencies - All simple weapons, one martial weapon
Armor Proficiences - Light

Special Abilities -

Lockpicking
Trap Disarming

Evolves into -


Spellcaster

Hit dice d4
Weapon proficiencies - one simple weapon
Armor Proficiencies - No armor

A spellcaster learns and casts spells as a sorcerer. She may select her spells known from the cleric, druid, and sorcerer/wizard spell lists.

Spoiler: Spells per day 

Lv 0/1/2/3/4/5
1 4/2/-/-/-/-
2 5/3/-/-/-/-
3 5/4/-/-/-/-
4 6/5/2/-/-/-
5 6/6/3/-/-/-
6 6/6/4/2/-/-
7 6/6/5/3/-/-
8 6/6/5/4/2/-
9 6/6/6/5/3/-
10 6/6/6/5/4/2

Spoiler: Spells known 

Lv 0/1/2/3/4/5
1 4/2/-/-/-/-
2 5/2/-/-/-/-
3 5/3/-/-/-/
4 6/3/1/-/-/-
5 6/4/2/-/-/-
6 7/4/2/1/-/
7 7/5/3/2/-/-
8 8/5/3/2/1/-
9 8/5/4/3/2/-
10 9/5/4/3/2/1

A spellcaster must choose at 1st level whether to be an arcane spellcaster or a divine spellcaster. This choice has no impact on the spells that she may learn, but affects what kinds of scrolls she can use and which ability score controls her spellcasting. An arcane spellcaster may designate either Intelligence or Charisma as the ability score that determines the highest-level spell she can learn or cast, and the Difficulty Class of her spell's-saving throws. A divine spellcaster must use Wisdom to determine the highest-level spell she can learn or cast, and the DC of her spell's saving throws.

The highest level spell a spellcastr can learn or cast is equal to the number of his or her casting attribute -10

Special abilities

Can re-roll saves vs. magic

Can use magical scrolls and items

Evolves into -

Spoiler: Advanced Classes 

to be revealed

Spoiler: Ability Scores 

Spoiler: Ability score modifiers 

Score/Modifier

1/-5
2-3/-4
4-5/-3
6-7/-2
8-9/-1
10-11/0
12-13/+1
14-15/+2
16-17/+3
18-19/+4
20/+5


When generating a character, all of your Ability scores begin at 8 and you have 20 points to spread around, and more if you reduce other abilities.

Strength - Strength measures your character’s muscle and physical power.

Constitution - Constitution represents your character’s health and stamina. The ability modifier, positive or negative, modifies your character's hit points total.

Dexterity - Dexterity measures hand-eye coordination, agility, reflexes, and balance.

Intelligence - Intelligence determines how well your character learns and reasons.

Wisdom - Wisdom describes a character’s willpower, common sense, perception, and intuition.

Charisma - Charisma measures a character’s force of personality, persuasiveness, personal magnetism, ability to lead, and physical attractiveness. This ability represents actual strength of personality, not merely how one is perceived by others in a social setting.

Spoiler: Bonus spells 

Score Modifier Bonus Spells (by Spell Level)
0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
1 –5 Can’t cast spells tied to this ability
2–3 –4
4–5 –3
6–7 –2
8–9 –1
10–11 0 — — — — — — — — — —
12–13 +1 — 1 — — — — — — — —
14–15 +2 — 1 1 — — — — — — —
16–17 +3 — 1 1 1 — — — — — —
18–19 +4 — 1 1 1 1 — — — — —
20–21 +5 — 2 1 1 1 1 — — — —
22–23 +6 — 2 2 1 1 1 1 — — —
24–25 +7 — 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 — —
26–27 +8 — 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 —
28–29 +9 — 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1
30–31 +10 — 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1
32–33 +11 — 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1
34–35 +12 — 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 1
36–37 +13 — 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2
38–39 +14 — 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 2
40–41 +15 — 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2
42–43 +16 — 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 2
44–45 +17 — 5 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3
etc. . .

Spoiler: Character sheet 

Name
Age
Class
Gender
Nationality:
Languages: (1 + 1 for every point in intelligence over 15, note that the RP takes place in the Netherlands and the main villain is Spanish)
Equipment: (one weapon (two if one is a ranged weapon) one suit of armor or clothing, cold weather gear, a week of food and potable water, supplies to make a map, and one random period tool)

Appearance:

Biography:

Rules

1. Follow all RPA rules.
2. Keep ooc arguments ooc
3. Do not godmod
4. This adventure can be very lethal is you mess up or get unlucky. It might be a good idea to have a few backup characters planned
5. If you have read this far, post a Meme with Gene Wilder at the bottom of your CS

[Dnafein]

Special thanks to Karma for the banner

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[Cfavano]

I think I might actually use them, thank you