🎲 The Game
Welcome to Delvers of the West, a classic D&D campaign using Advanced Old-School Essentials (OSE). While dungeon delving is central to play, the campaign also supports roleplaying, faction intrigue, and character-driven narrative.
🧙♂️Books
Players only need one book for character creation, spells, equipment and rules;
We are playing primarily in Stonehell Dungeon:
"Stonehell is a social experiment gone wrong. It was designed to be a prison the prisoners dug for themselves. Eventually the prison became filled with so many people, it took on a life of its own. The prisoners dug deeper to escape the prying eye of guards and rules and set up mini-domains in the dungeon’s depths. Eventually the prison was liberated, but many decided to stay, and many were driven so mad by their time they had no choice but to stay. Time has passed and it is now the gathering place for many a strange group of people and humanoids."
🎲 Character Creation Steps
Grab a character sheet.
Step 1: Roll Ability Scores
Roll 3d6 in order for the following six abilities:
-
Strength
-
Intelligence
-
Wisdom
-
Dexterity
-
Constitution
-
Charisma
💀 Poor Rolls?
If you roll multiple stats under 8, you may reroll the character.
Step 2: Choose a Class
Choose from the classes listed in the Advanced Player’s Tome.
🧝♂️ Race & Class Note:
If you pick a demihuman class (e.g., Elf, Dwarf), your character is that race.
🧬 Race-as-Class Overview
| Race-Class | Minimum Ability Scores | Prime Requisite(s) | Max Level | Resembles | Notes |
|---|
| Drow | INT 9 | STR, WIS | 10 | Cleric + Thief | Shadow magic, light-sensitive, divine/arcane blend |
| Duergar | CON 9, INT 9 | STR | 10 | Fighter + Thief | Deep stealth, enlarge/invisibility abilities |
| Dwarf | CON 9 | STR | 12 | Fighter + Rogue | Stonecraft, durability, trap detection |
| Elf (High) | INT 9 | STR, INT | 10 | Fighter + Magic-User | Martial caster with full spell access and armor use |
| Elf (Wood) | DEX 9, INT 9 | DEX, WIS | 10 | Ranger + Druid | +1 to missile attacks, secret door detection, infravision, ghoul immunity |
| Gnome | CON 9, INT 9 | DEX, INT | 8 | Illusionist + Thief | Illusions, animal speech, innate magic resist |
| Half-Elf | CHA 9, CON 9 | STR, INT | 12 | Fighter + Magic-User | Weapon & armor use, arcane casting from 2nd level |
| Half-Orc | None | STR, DEX | 8 | Fighter + Thief | Backstab, stealth skills, any weapons & armor |
| Halfling | DEX 9, CON 9 | DEX | 8 | Thief + Ranger | Missile master, stealth, resistant to magic |
| Svirfneblin | CON 9 | INT | 8 | Illusionist + Ranger | Stone camouflage, magic stealth and detection |
✅ Class Requirements Overview
| Class | Minimum Ability Scores | Notes |
|---|
| Assassin | — | Cannot be Lawful |
| Barbarian | DEX 9 | |
| Bard | DEX 9, INT 9 | |
| Cleric | — | |
| Druid | — | Must be Neutral |
| Fighter | — | |
| Illusionist | DEX 9 | |
| Knight | CON 9, DEX 9 | Lawful only |
| Magic-User | — | |
| Necromancer | WIS 9 | Optional, GM approval |
| Paladin | CHA 9 | Lawful only |
| Ranger | CON 9, WIS 9 | Lawful/Neutral only |
| Thief | — | Member of the Wheelmarked |
Step 3: Choose a Race
If you're not playing a "race as class," pick a race. Some races have class level caps.
🧬 Demihuman & Human Race Overview
| Race | Ability Requirements | Modifiers | Level Caps |
|---|
| Drow | INT 9+ | +1 Dexterity, −1 Constitution | Max Levels: Acrobat 10, Assassin 10, Cleric 11*, Fighter 7, Knight 9, Magic-User 9, Ranger 9, Thief 11 |
| Duergar | CON 9, INT 9 | +1 Constitution, −1 Charisma | Max Levels: Assassin 9, Cleric 8*, Fighter 9, Thief 9 |
| Dwarf | CON 9 | +1 Constitution, −1 Charisma | Max Levels: Assassin 9, Cleric 8*, Fighter 10, Thief 9 |
| Elf (High) | INT 9 | +1 Dexterity, −1 Constitution | Max Levels: Acrobat 10, Assassin 10, Cleric 7*, Druid 8*, Fighter 7, Knight 11, Magic-User 11, Ranger 11, Thief 10 |
| Elf (Wood) 🌲 | DEX 9, INT 9 | +1 Wisdom, −1 Charisma | Max Levels: Assassin 9, Cleric 7*, Druid 8*, Fighter 7, Knight 10, Magic-User 9, Ranger 10, Thief 9 |
| Gnome | CON 9 | +1 Intelligence, −1 Wisdom | Max Levels: Assassin 6, Cleric 7*, Fighter 6, Illusionist 7, Thief 8 |
| Half-Elf | CON 9, CHA 9 | +1 Charisma, −1 Strength | Max Levels: Acrobat 12, Assassin 11, Bard 12, Cleric 5, Druid 12, Fighter 8, Knight 12, Magic-User 8, Paladin 12, Ranger 8, Thief 12 |
| Half-Orc | — | +1 Strength, +1 Constitution, −2 Charisma | Max Levels: Acrobat 8, Assassin 8, Cleric 4, Fighter 10, Thief 8 |
| Halfling | CON 9, DEX 9 | +1 Dexterity, −1 Strength | Max Levels: Druid 6*, Fighter 6, Thief 8 |
| Human | — | None | No level limits in any class |
| Svirfneblin | CON 9 | +1 Dexterity, −1 Charisma | Max Levels: Assassin 8, Cleric 7*, Fighter 6, Illusionist 7, Thief 8 |
Step 4: Adjust Scores
You may improve your prime requisite by lowering another stat.
-
Only STR, INT, or WIS may be lowered.
-
No ability may be lowered below 9.
-
Every 2 points lowered = +1 to prime requisite.
Step 5: Attack Bonus & Saving Throws
Step 6: Hit Points
🎉 Begin with maximum HP for your class at level 1.
On level up, reroll 1s and 2s for HP.
Step 7: Alignment
Choose one:
-
Lawful – Order, duty, tradition
-
Neutral – Balance, pragmatism
-
Chaotic – Ambition, destruction, madness (often evil)
Step 8: Languages
-
Start with Common and your alignment language
-
High INT (13+) grants additional languages (choose from the regional list)
-
Thieves, Assassins, and Acrobats know Thieves’ Cant, the Wheelmarked's secret code.
Step 9: Starting Gold & Equipment
-
Roll 3d6 × 10 gp
-
Buy equipment using the lists in the rulebook
-
Check class restrictions on weapons and armor
Consider one of four discounted 90gp Delvers Packs from Salma’s Sundries & Supply
Step 10: Armor & AC
-
Base AC is 10 (unarmored)
-
Apply your armor and DEX modifier
-
We use ascending AC (higher = better)
Step 11: Final Touches
-
📈 Start at Level 1 with 0 XP
-
📜 Pick a name (see sample names below)
-
🧭 After Session 1, develop your background:
🏷️ Sample Names of Ashkarin
🧾 Ashkarin Male Names
| # | Given Name |
|---|
| 1 | Baran |
| 2 | Emre |
| 3 | Kadir |
| 4 | Talha |
| 5 | Murat |
| 6 | Okan |
| 7 | Levent |
| 8 | Tufan |
| 9 | Cemil |
| 10 | Yigit |
| 11 | Eren |
| 12 | Serhat |
| 13 | Taner |
| 14 | Ayaz |
| 15 | Iskender |
| 16 | Burak |
| 17 | Selim |
| 18 | Harun |
| 19 | Koray |
| 20 | Enes |
🧾 Ashkarin Female Names
| # | Given Name |
|---|
| 1 | Elif |
| 2 | Yelda |
| 3 | Sevda |
| 4 | Zeynep |
| 5 | Nazli |
| 6 | Aylin |
| 7 | Melike |
| 8 | Derya |
| 9 | Nisan |
| 10 | Gozde |
| 11 | Sibel |
| 12 | Hande |
| 13 | Berrin |
| 14 | Pinar |
| 15 | Nurgul |
| 16 | Yasemin |
| 17 | Ceyda |
| 18 | Hulya |
| 19 | Arzu |
| 20 | Esra |
🧾 Ashkarin Surnames
| # | Surname |
|---|
| 1 | Hollowmere |
| 2 | Thornbrook |
| 3 | Blackwall |
| 4 | Fenwick |
| 5 | Greystone |
| 6 | Emberleigh |
| 7 | Ashglen |
| 8 | Valecrest |
| 9 | Ravenholt |
| 10 | Moorstrand |
| 11 | Shalespire |
| 12 | Flintbarrow |
| 13 | Duskhollow |
| 14 | Stormmere |
| 15 | Coldmere |
| 16 | Nightvale |
| 17 | Bramblewatch |
| 18 | Dreadmere |
| 19 | Thornheath |
| 20 | Brightwater |
🎲 How to Use:
-
Roll 1d20 for given name (male or female)
-
Roll 1d20 again for surname
-
Result: Sevda Ravenholt or Talha Shalespire
Ashkarin names typically mix Turkish-style first names with Western surnames, reflecting its colonial, hybrid heritage.
Word count: 925
