Land of Ice (The Adventure, Part 2)

[continued from here]

EXPERIENCE AND ADVANCEMENT

Characters in LAND OF ICE do not have as many levels of experience as the normal B/X rules, being limited to 5th level for most classes and 4th level for the non-humans (Alfr and Dvergr characters). Likewise, the experience point tables are a little different from the standard ones found in the B/X rules, due to the compressed nature of leveling.

FIGHTER
1st Level – 0xp
2nd Level – 800xp
3rd Level – 8000xp
4th Level – 40,000xp
5th Level – 80,000xp

HUNTSMAN
1st Level – 0xp
2nd Level – 700xp
3rd Level – 7000xp
4th Level – 35,000xp
5th Level – 70,000xp

MAGICIAN
1st Level – 0xp
2nd Level – 1000xp
3rd Level – 10,000xp
4th Level – 50,000xp
5th Level – 100,000xp

SKALD
1st Level – 0xp
2nd Level – 600xp
3rd Level – 6000xp
4th Level – 30,000xp
5th Level – 60,000xp

THIEF
1st Level – 0xp
2nd Level – 500xp
3rd Level – 5000xp
4th Level – 25,000xp
5th Level – 50,000xp

ALFR
1st Level – 0xp
2nd Level – 1500xp
3rd Level – 15,000xp
4th Level – 75,000xp

DVERGR
1st Level – 0xp
2nd Level – 900xp
3rd Level – 9000xp
4th Level – 45,000xp

In LAND OF ICE, experience points are earned for the same things as in B/X: acquisition of treasure and defeating opponents. 1xp is earned for every gold mark (gm) worth of treasure recovered or earned for an adventure. Experience points for opponents are earned at the same rate given in the B/X rule book.

Experience points are distributed at the end of an adventure (i.e. each game session), evenly divided amongst all surviving party members. Once the individual awards are determined, individual bonuses and penalties for Wisdom (see Chapter 2) and Honor (see below) are calculated. If the party has a skald, all PCs earn additional XP based on the skald’s level, as explained in Chapter 2.

Earning a level has several effects: hit points and class abilities are increased as explained in Chapter 2 and attack and saving throws increase as explained in Chapter 5. In addition, player characters earn one advance for every increase in level. An advance is a special bonus, earned as a reward, used to distinguish characters from each other based on their own personal focus. Players can choose from the following advances upon reaching a new level of experience:

Ability Increase: +1 to one of the character’s ability scores
Extra Hit Points: +1D6 extra hit points (no Constitution modifier)
Psychic Power: +1 additional psychic point (only if character is already psychic)
Psychic Clean-Up: Subtract 2D4 corruption points (minimum 0)
Saving Throw Bonus: +2 bonus to one category of saving throws
Weapon Specialization: +1 to attack and damage rolls with specific weapon

A saving throw bonus can only be taken once for each saving throw category. A character can only take weapon specialization once for each weapon. Non-psychic characters (other than dvergar) that raise their Intelligence to 14 develop a psychic talent (with 1 psychic point) just as if they had started the game with a high Intelligence score.

HONOR

Honor is an important aspect of the northman’s character, and a major source of confidence and ego to human characters. Failing to act “honorably” results in characters devaluing themselves; in game terms this results in penalties to experience points earned during a play session.

While the alfar and dvergar know and understand the honor of the northmen, being non-human they have different ideas of what is “honorable behavior” and they don’t allow considerations of honor get in the way of adventuring. Thieves are outside the normal expectations of “honorable society” and never face honor penalties for their actions.

What constitutes honorable action differs between character classes, as listed below. Whenever a character acts dishonorably during an adventure, the DM should make note of it. When experience points are distributed at the end of an adventure, penalties are assessed on the character’s individual share. Some penalties may be assessed more than once per session, at the DM’s discretion.

All Characters (except thieves)
Allowing insult to stand unchallenged: -10%
Breaking oath or word of honor: -100% (-20% for non-humans)

Fighters
Backing down from a worthy* fight: -10%
Fleeing combat: -25%
Surrender against long odds: -10%
Surrender without a fight: -50%
*a worthy fight is against an opponent of equal or greater level/hit dice.

Huntsmen
Admitting own abilities insufficient: -10%
Asking for assistance: -25%
Failing to defend own goods/property: -20%
Refusing a solo assignment: -30%
Waste: -10%

Magicians
Displaying envy/greed/lust (by word or deed): -10%
Displays of power for vanity: -5%
Fighting with mundane weapons: -10%
Wearing armor for battle/war: -20%
Wearing armor otherwise: -50%

Skalds
Choosing sides for greed or whimsy: -10%
Failing to maintain splendid appearance: -5%
Initiating combat without discussion: -25%
Losing instrument: -25%
Refusing a request for performance*: -30%
*not applicable in combat situations, of course!

Alfar
Refusing a social drink: -20%

Dvergar
Giving a gift without recompense: -20%