Thank you Dave!  Fine editing by the way!

Should Witches gain similar bonuses from familiars as Magicians do? 

The text states: "To function as a familiar."
The italics make me wonder if the original intent of the witch's familiar was to also grant the hitpoints and the extra spell as stated in the core class description from which it is a sub-class.  Is this the case?

My personal feelings toward the subject are on the fence.  Unlimited range of espionage as opposed to the Magician's limited range may be boon enough.
 

Excellent thread Mr. Saw.  And thanks Jeff!  It is a real treat to have a game designer engage in conversations in such a collaborative manner. 
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Handy, toads and wine huh?  Psychoactive toads?  Maybe an absinthe-esque fortified wine with a small walnut-sized pickled toad at the bottom paired nicely with an assorted lotus edamame sauteed with olive oil and cashews.  Both the lotus salad and the shot of toad absinthe could be served in a bronzed bowl shaped like Xathoqqua's open mouth with each sleepy eye recessed in a manner to hold both the narrow dessert wine bottle and the shot glass.  All of this would be served by a half-naked woad body-painted waitress or waiter wearing a stag antlered headdress.
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I see Xathoqquans as having a very intimate and personal relationship with their god.  Though they often work together, especially in the maintenance of temples and giant idols, at the core of everything each cleric/priest/layperson is really just in it for himself.  I think the decision to dedicate ones life to Xathoqqua is mostly motivated by a lust for personal power.  Now, what one does with said power is altogether personal as well. 
Most clergymen would come from wealthy families looking to gain favor with the sleepy god.  And, any highpriests would arise simply from powerful individuals exerting political power and force over other less powerful congregates.









 

Here is my key for the town.  Though, I kinda like the idea of someone else being able to use the map and key it in however they like.  Feel free to use any of this.
Once again crappy res.  Here are the labels from top left clockwise:

Woad Wardens' Barracks
Old Temple to Apollo/ Birdman Rookery/ Val's Private Shipping Company
Temple Auroros
Temple Xathoqqua
Tower of Fin Rediir
Brewer's Guild of Khromarium: Swampgate Branch
NE Ruins
Lord Penn Naltose's Keep
Keep Barracks
Lord Naltose's Private Orchard
The Stumblin' Inn
Valhalla Tavern
Woad Warden Tower
Fallen Woad Warden Tower
Clan Ulldrung Shipping
The Angry Oak Tavern
The Peat Farmer's Trade Union of Swampgate
The North Road
South Ruins/Mammoth and Thew Wagon Holding Area
South Barracks
Merchant's Way(The North Road within town walls)

Regional Map Hex:
Fel Woad
Lug Wasteland
Swampgate
Fields of Vol
Ruins  Spoiler in case my players read forum-->(Thoon Family Ancestral Villa)

Here is my version of Swampgate on crinkled parchment paper and mounted on a small piece of black foamboard.  It fits in the boxed set.

Has anyone else drawn up custom maps for any of the named towns?

Also, is this the proper area to post this thread?  Or is there a thread already covered by this that I just haven't found yet?

I like two logos.  Having two logos helped inform my initial impulse buy that lead me to this awesome game.  I guess, some part of me thought: "Two logos are twice as good as one.  There must be some cool reason this game has two logos.  Maybe the Northwind Adventures and that little dreidel-demon represent two different people or organizations."

Not the best logic!  But, hey, I was feeding an impulse...any thinking at that point should be commended.

Initial impressions aside, I like the combined and unified logo as well.  I also understand the logisitics of a single logo as well as the branding advantages.

Nice Work!!! 

nDervish wrote:

Handy Haversack wrote:

Wow, no. Explaining not to get attached to a lvl. 1 PC is about as nice as I get.

Yeah... Wasn't there a thread here a few weeks back where the general statistics seemed to be that 2/3 of level 1 characters die before they make it to level 2, with an even higher death rate for players who are new to a campaign and haven't adjusted to the GM's style yet?  This GM is clearly not expecting things to be that deadly!

I find that players that become attached to their characters make smarter/safer decisions in game.  That way I don't have to worry about balancing much. 

Also, more deaths=more painted minis...win/win.

Yora wrote:

But I want to provide more options for the spellcasters to take an active role. Does anyone have experiences with how to entertain them at low levels?

In my dungeons, I like adding magic doors, statues, and triggers for traps that only activate or deactivate when engaged by a sorcerer, be it divine or arcane...imps who don't attack sorcerers but can be temporarily commanded...that sort of thing.  I come up with these little goodies independent of the actual party composition.  I try to forget what players are playing when I am in design mode.

Hello everyone!  My name is Griffin.  I play all sorts of games.  I collect boardgames, miniatures, wargames, and RPGs.  I've played and own every edition of DND: Whitebox to 4th.  I used to purchase games in hopes of finding "The One"...the Uber-game...the universal truth.  I have long since given up the quest in favor of hoarding. 

I stumbled into my FLGS almost two months ago and the AS&SH box set was on the shelf.  I remember reading a review many moons ago, and was stricken with the impulse to buy.  I am now running a weekly fledgling sandbox campaign set in Hyperborea in said FLGS.  I am not disappointed in the least!  I've been so happy with the content of the box set, that I have encouraged my best friend who lives many hours from me to purchase the game.  He is now planning a campaign of his own!  Thank you for reigniting my quest for universal truth...as it pertains to games of course ;)