Downtime in the Twilight Age

Outside of sessions at the table, time in the Twilight Age moves at a pace that matches our own. So one week passed in our world = one week passed in the Twilight age. This, combined with the proscription of ending each play session outside of danger, will mean players will find their characters with time to kill back in Orm between adventures at the table.

What Is There Even To Do In Orm?

Below is a list of downtime activities players can pursue between sessions. Most take one week to perform and those that don't will say in their rules (like magical research). Details for each activity are linked into the action title below. They are:

• Building an Institution- Form a gang! Build a theater troupe! Invest in a bar! To develop these and other similar enterprises, describe how you are going to develop the institution (often involving the spending of gp) and roll 2d6 for your level of success.
• Carousing-  See below for rules for partying it up between adventures.
• Carousing Along the Twilight Shores- Elfin beings or those connected to them can seek to revel after an adventure in the fey realms.
• Commission an Splendid Item-  Contract a master artisan to create a truly notable piece of non-magical equipment. Upon completion, the player must describe the item and name it.
• Cultivate a Relationship- Roll 2d6 modified by Charisma to develop a relationship with an NPC. Moving through the layers of Acquaintance to Associate to Friend to Intimate. 
• Find the Right Buyer- Locate someone to purchase art artifacts, tomes, and other valuable dungeon oddities into gold.
• Gathering Intelligence and Spying- To gather intelligence, pay 1d6 x 25gp and roll 2d6 to acquire some information from a group on a desired topic (with potential bonuses for cultivated relationships, greasing palms, etc. +1 to the roll for each advantage up to +3). To spy, the PC selects a subject and goal with the DM setting up a multi-set tracker. The PC must spend 1d6 x 50gp on the operation and roll 2d6 every downtime they spend advancing the tracker (add 1/2 assassin level or 1/3 thief level if applicable to the roll, max. +3). More detailed info on this downtime, including hiring spies, can be found in the link.
• Healing
• Learn A Language- With a willing teacher fluent in the desired language, a character can learn a new language by rolling 7+ on a 2d6 roll to gain a success. Three downtimes resulting in successes results in a functional understanding of the new language. A INT score of 13-17 grants a +1 to the roll while a INT 18 grants a +2.
• Magical Research- Minimum 15% chance of failure as you research a spell, craft a new one, or create magical items.
• Non-Magical Research- Rolling 2d6 modified by Intelligence to follow an avenue of inquiry using research materials accessible to the PC.
• Spiritual Execrises- Roll 2d6 modified by Wisdom bonus to pursue spiritual endeavors of varying complexities. 
• Thieving- Making a combination of skill checks to earn gp and xp.
• Train at the Wolves Den-  Roll 2d6+ Fighter Level to learn the skills of a Duelist from Wolfgang.

Carousing

In the last decade or so, carousing systems has become a staple of D&D games. While they have their roots in Dave Arnson's XP for GP spent rules back in his First Fantasy Campaign book, more recently we have seen a plethora of rules variations on blogs, in rules supplements, and buried within published adventures. As a result, I feel like I have to make my own (which is mostly a remixing of these two posts).

Carousing in Orm

Those wishing to carouse may spend up to 100gp x their level to carouse. Those carousing gain XP equal to their level and must make a save throwing vs poison. Lastly, they make a second d20 roll and consult the table below. If they succeeded in their save, they add the difference between their save score and their roll to their result on the table below.

d20	Carousing in Orm
1.	Botched- You tried to be the life of a party but whether it was getting too wasted, acting like an ass, or something in between; you gain no xp and are known for being kind of buffoon.
2.	Jailed- Who knows what you did to get locked up--the Orm Civil Defense Force isn’t saying. There are only a few ways to get out of your current pickle: A.) Intervention from a noble in Orm B.) Pay a 1d6x1000gp fine C.) Sign up to serve in the reserves of the Impossible Fortress. Until your release, you owe the City-State 1gp for room, moldy bread, and water. Even upon release, all of your possessions have been confiscated.
3.	Beaten and Robbed- Some new drinking buddies kept on buying you drinks then jumped you as soon as you left the tavern. You lose all carried items and wealth and start the next session minus 1d4 HP (minimum of 1 HP).
4.	Battle Scars- You got into a brawl in your altered state and walked away with a permanent disfigurement. Roll 1d4: 1.) Hideous facial scarring (-1 Cha) 2.) Lost an ear (-1 to listen checks), 3.) Lost 1d4 teeth 4.) Impressive and mysterious scar (+1 Cha)
5.	Courtesan- A beautiful courtesan catches your eye and you spend way too much trying to impress them. You lose an additional 1d6x100gp-the excess in debt (75%chance to the loan bank with 25% chance to the Crooked Hand). On a successful 3d6 Cha check, the courtesan provided you with information.
6.	Civil Commotion- You caused a riot. Not sure over what. The brute squad was called in and there was a fair amount of dead. Roll 1d6: 1.) No one knows it was you. 2.) A local revolutionary group knows it was you and hates you. 3.)A corrupt member of the Orm Civil Defense Force knows it was you. 4.) A revolutionary group knows it was you and sees you as a promising instigator. 5.) You were spotted at the scene and the Orm Civil Defense Force wants you for questioning. 6.) Everyone knows it was you. There are cartoonish posters of you wild-eyed and holding a bomb.
7.	A New Beginning- A transformative night of passion. Literally transformative. You awaken having swapped bodies with your partner. Reroll stats, pick a new appearance, etc. If you can find the spectral entity that stole your body, a remove curse spell will return you to your regular body.
8.	Clothing Swap- Somehow, you are wearing the clothing and gear of another adventurer. Roll 1d6 to determine their class: 1.) Fighter 2.) Cleric 3.) Thief 4.) Magic-User 5.) Halfling 6.) Gnome. On a failed save, this includes any magical or special equipment. On a success, it is just mundane gear.
9.	Raid!- The establishment you were carousing in was raided by the Orm Civil Defense Force.  Make a saving throw vs. paralysis (+4 if you succeeded on your save vs poison) to see if you were too drunk to escape. If you failed, you are jailed but money can get you out (100gp per 10% cumulative chance it will be by next session). You can also move down a clock on a relationship you have cultivated with a member of the Orm Civil Defense Force or local nobility to earn your release.
10.	Cursed!- You spited some local magical power and are now cursed! (either per the cleric spell or turned into an animal like a pig).
11.	War Bonds- You now hold 1d6x100gp in war bonds and are down the same amount. To determine the origins of the bonds, roll 1d4- 1.) They are from the Rani. You will earn back 10% in 1d20 months. 2.) They are for a specific offensive. 25% chance of profit and 25% chance of paying back in 1d6 weeks. 3.) From notable mercenary outfit. Pay 20% profit with a 50% chance in 1d12 months. 4.) Mercenary company of ill-repute. The money is gone.
12.	Developed Expensive Tastes- Carousing now costs you double.
13.	Whoa...That is Some Powerful...Something?- You overdosed on some strange, hallucinatory substance going around Orm. Roll 1d6- 1.) -2 to rolls next session as you “watch the colors” 2.) +1 to hit and damage as you are filled with psychotic rage- save vs. poison or permanently lose -1 Wis. 3.) See invisible for next session. 4.) Catatonia for next session. Save vs Poison for every action taken. 5.) Permanent Flashbacks, -1 Int. 6.) Expanded consciousness +1 Wis
14.	Brawl- You drunkenly got into with a faction in the area and start the session with 1d4 (minimum 1 HP) but you should see the other guy. Regretfully, roll a d6 to determine who the other guys are: 1.) Off-duty members of the Orm Civil Defense Force 2.) Elfin rakes 3.) Members of the Veterans from Cerulean Wa Lodge #3447 4.) Halfling yokels from Sourwood Marsh 5.) Successful mercenaries 6.) Gnome traders from Soothill
15.	Gambling- You spend your time intoxicatedly playing games of chance while living it up. Roll 1d10x25gp. If your save was successful, you gain that much gp. On a failure, you lost that much with any excess being debt owed.
16.	Cult Initiation- You come up bearing the mark of membership to an obscure local cult. You gain +1 to Reaction Rolls from fellow members and can get minor favors from them. You also donated all your money and valuables (not equipment) to the Cult.
17.	Married- You ended up married to someone. You don’t know how. You don’t know when. They are demanding a better life and they have a family/are a part of a faction that will be very upset if you leave them, mistreat them, or don’t spend at least 100gp every session on their upkeep.
18.	Hangover From Hell- All rolls are -2 for the next session.
19.	Vandalism- You drunkenly defaced a major feature in Orm, like the Monument of the Old Gods. On a successful save, no one knows it was you. On a failed one, you  are the prime suspect.
20.	Alchemical Transformation- Some people will drink anything. Apparently, you are one of them. Randomly swap 1d4 points between two stats. On a successful save, this cannot drop a stat below “3”. On a failed save, it can, resulting in death.
21.	You had a great time- You went out and thoroughly enjoyed yourself. Nothing went wrong.
22.	Anything for Love- You end up meeting a really nice someone, only to discover they are indentured some sort of horrible an underworld figure.  You must spend 1d6/2x1000gp or move back a relationship clock with an underworld figure to free them. If you do so, you gain +1 to Wisdom/Charisma or +1 to Constitution (randomly determined) and a potential retainer with a loyalty of 12.
23.	Love Affair- You are head over heels for your latest dalliance. There is a 25% chance it is not reciprocated. There is a 75% chance they are already involved.
24.	Bar Fight- You decided to weigh in on a bar fight between some old Veterans of the Cerulean Wars and a local street gang. Whichever side you decide to aid are impressed with your fighting ability and counting you as one of their own. They can provide you with 2d10 0-level henchmen but require “dues” every session of at least 50gp to keep a close connection and have access to either a Level 1 Thief (gang) or Level 1 Fighter (Veterans).
25.	New Friends- You were the life of the party! Everyone hung on your words as you retold tales of your deeds. Start a new Cultivate Relationship clock with a random NPC.
26.	Mysterious Hireling- You attracted an unusual Level 1 retainer who will serve you for free. Roll 1d4. 1.) A feisty sprite that is in love with you. 2.) A recently awakened Vat-Spawn looking for you to show it the ropes 3.) A half elf bravo has sworn to a year of your service as a result of a lost duel. 4.) A talking ape chomping on a cigar that lost a few rounds of gambling to you.
27.	Deed- You cleaned out some fools gambling. You won the deed to a small house in Orm.
28.	Euphoric- Cutting Loose was just what you needed. Next session, you may reroll one of your rolls of your choice (excluding rolls like HP, etc.).
29.	Rumors- You remember buying drinks for a strange old individual who passed on a map and spun tales of lost wealth (Map to an adventure location with at least 1,000gp/per PC level).
30.	Make an influential friend- Someone important thinks you are an interesting addition to their regular drinking companions. Open up a new Cultivate Relationship clock.
31.	Deep thoughts- On an intoxicated walk-about, a night staring at stars as you drunkenly stumbled home, etc.; you had an epiphany on how to improve your life. Gain 1d6/2+your level x 100 xp.
32.	A Token- You had a dallince that didn’t last. Your temporary paramore left  behind, accidental or as a gift, something special. This small magical trinket is now yours.
33.	Fame!- During your carousing, you were discovered! Whether it be that tales of your exploits were turned into street theater or your singing voice is “what is in style” on halfling river boats or you are a muse to gnomish sculptures; etc. Whatever happened, you are now a minor celebrity. Immediately receive 1d10x100 gp and a legion of irksome but adoring fans.
34.	Carried Away!- You return from a flight of boozy inspiration sore headed and sour stomached, but clutching one important and immutable fact. Somewhere in the dark night of total depravity and debauchery you spoke to gods and demons, and even your hazy mind remembers a single fragment of the truths they told. You know the answer to one question as the spell “Contact Other Planes”.

Look for more downtime activities in future posts.