Player's Introduction
 

To the Beginning Player	Creating Your Character	Abilities	Ability Checks	Character Classes and Races
Alignment	Languages	Secondary Skills

Under Illefarn is an AD&D® campaign
book for a DM and 4 to
8 1st level characters. It is also possible
to start as a 0 level character. More
about that later.

You start as a character in the trading
city of Daggerford. By the law of Daggerford,
you serve in the militia. As a member
of the militia, you have the
opportunity to participate in several
adventures which should enable you to
advance in level. When the campaign is
over, your character should be at 3rd or
4th level. A split class character may still
be at 2nd level for some or all of his or her
classes.

If you have a character who reached 1st
level in N4, Treasure Hunt, your adventure
took place in the sea to the west of
Daggerford. After that adventure, your
character decided to see the world and
ended up in Waterdeep, the main trade
city to the north. You soon found the big
city was a bit much for a simple islander,
so you gravitated to the smaller town of
Daggerford, finding out only after you
settled into a squalid room at the Lady
Luck Tavern (or a sumptuous suite at the
River Shining Tavern if you've kept most
of your loot from the treasure hunt) that
residence in Daggerford means enlistment
in . . . but we'll get to that in a bit.

To the Beginning Player
If you have never played the ADVANCED
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game
before, don't worry. Under Illefarn is
meant to bring you to full SPEED as an
AD&D game player in as short a time as
possible.

All you need is the Players Handbook,
although you might find the options presented
in Unearthed Arcana are also
helpful. Most of the decisions as to spell
choice, deities worshipped, weapons proficiencies,
and so forth are in the hands of
the DM. He will present you
with your choices.

Creating Your Character
Various characters and races are more
likely to come from certain areas than
from others. If you'd like a preview of the
area where your character grew up, skip to
the "People of the Forgotten Realms" <link>
section on page 3.

Abilities
Since everyone is starting out with a 1st
level character (or lower), it is suggested
that the Dungeon Master choose 1 of
the 4 methods under "Creating the
Player Character" in the DMG.
Method I works best, but any
of them will do.

Ability Checks
On several occasions throughout these
adventures, you will be called on to roll
Ability checks against one of your character
's 6 attributes: Strength, Intelligence,
Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution,
and Charisma. The check will be termed
a Dexterity check, a Constitution check,
or whatever is appropriate to the situation
at hand.

An Ability check is rolled on 1d20. The
check is successful if the roll is equal to or
less than the ability in question. For
example, a character with a Dexterity of
13 is trying to cross a log transversing 2
sides of a ravine. The Dungeon Master
calls for a Dexterity check, and the player
rolls a 14 on 1d20, a failure. The character
falls to the bottom of the ravine.

Ability Checks are sometimes modified
by the difficulty or ease of the
attempted action. The DM
will tell you what number needs to be
rolled and what dice to use.

Character Classes and Races
All classes and races can be found in the
Daggerford area, though more urbanized
types such as thieves, assassins, and
monks are in short supply. Daggerford is
a frontier, and the subtler specialties of
civilization have yet to take root. This
does not mean that a thief, assassin, or
monk cannot come to Daggerford from
another, larger population center, but
they are unlikely to be homegrown.

Alignment
For a beginning character, it is best to
choose a lawful or neutral character. Daggerford
is not a place that encourages
either the chaotic or evil, though a lawful
evil person could probably hide his base
nature without too much trouble.

Generally, chaotic and evil characters
tend to disrupt a party of adventurers if
played properly. That alone is a good reason
to discourage their use as PCs, since
1st level characters need all the cooperation
they can get.

Languages
All characters know the usual languages
of their alignment, class, and race. Literacy
is not common. Player characters with
Intelligence greater than 5 and NPCs
with Intelligence greater than 7 can be
expected to write Thorass, the local trade
tongue. The ability to read the various
runic languages is much more common.

Secondary Skills
Secondary skills in the Daggerford area
are not quite the same as given in the
DMG. Every character
probably has had some training in some
other skill besides his character class
skills. Either pick a background skill from
the table that follows or roll for it, whichever
you and the DM decide.

Daggerford Secondary Skill Table

01-02	Blacksmith <Smith>
03-04	Bowyer/Fletcher
05	Armorer <Smith>
06-15	Farmer
16-20	Forester
21-25	Innkeeper
26-30	Hunter
31-35	Fisher (hook and line)
36-40	Herder (cattle or sheep)
41	Jeweler <Gemcutter>
42-45	Leather worker / tanner
46	Limner / painter
47-50	Mason / carpenter
51-52	Boatwright
53-55	Tailor / weaver
56-60	Teamster / Freighter
61-65	Trader / barterer
66-70	Trapper
71-75	Woodworker / cabinetmaker
76-90	No skill of measurable worth
96-00	Roll twice, ignoring rolls of 76-00 hereafter

Possession of a secondary skill may not
necessarily help in the course of an adventure,
but it can't hurt. It also provides
some insight into your character's current
occupation as well as his past ones.

You can use a secondary skill by
reminding the Dungeon Master you have
it when a situation occurs when it might
come in handy. If the DM allows the use
of the skill, he may decide the skill works
automatically ("Yes, because of your innkeeper
skill, you know the proprietor of
the Happy Cow personally and can ask for
a favor from him."), or he may have you
make an Ability Check. ("Since you are a
hunter, make an Intelligence Check on
1d20 to see if you recognize this trail.")
Remember, this means that if your character's Intelligence is 12, and you roll a 12
or less, you succeed.)

Pre-Generated Characters
If all this seems like too much work,
which it certainly could be for a beginning
player, there are 6 pre-generated
characters on the last page of this book. If
you want to save yourself some trouble,
ask the DM if you can see
these characters and can use one as your
own.

Characters of 0 Level
An interesting way of starting a new
adventure is to begin with a 0 level character.
This style of play was pioneered in
N4, Treasure Hunt by Aaron Allston.
<pioneered in Dragon #51>

At 0 level, your character starts as a normal
person with only 1 weapons proficiency,
no magic, no special skills, and
1d6 hit points. It's a good idea to allow a
0 level character a full 6 HP without
rolling dice.

The character also starts with -500
XP. That's right, 500
points LESS THAN ZERO. As the character
gains experience, the DM
makes note of the character's inclinations.
Does the character continually pick
up new weapons and experiment with
them? Does he express a desire to learn
magick? Does he try to sneak around and
attempt to pick open locks? When the
character finally reaches 0 XP,
the player and the DM
get together and decide the character's
class, his alignment, and so forth, based
on the character's actions and inclinations
in his adventuring career so far.

For more details about 0 level characters,
see Treasure Hunt (N4).

People of the Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms are described in
some detail in The FORGOTTEN
REALMS Campaign Set. PCs in Under
Illefarn are usually from the north and
west lands of the continent, though travelers
might wander up the Trade Way
from Cormyr or the mysterious Amn.

Beginning characters are most likely
residents of the area within the 100 mile
radius around Daggerford. The following
information suggests just where within
that radius a particular class or race might
come from.

Humans.
Most humans in the AREA come from one
of four regions: Waterdeep, Daggerford,
Secomber, and The Way Inn. Humans
who don?t actually live in these regions
tend to depend on one of them as a marketplace.

Cavaliers. These worthies mostly come
from Waterdeep and Daggerford, though
a few come from Secomber. Most PC cavaliers
in Daggerford are the scions of the
petty nobility that rule various holdings
around the town. The duke of Daggerford
is a cavalier, as is his master of arms.
It is possible for a character to be a cousin
of the duke of Daggerford, if the DM
wants to deal with that kind of family
complications.

Fighters. True to tradition, fighters
may come from just about anywhere in
the Forgotten Realms. Daggerford,
Waterdeep, Secomber, and The Way Inn
all provide their quota of stalwart fighters.

Rangers. The ranger population is
mostly found in Daggerford, Secomber,
and The Way Inn. The relatively cosmopolitan
Waterdeep is not conducive to a
ranger's way of life.

Barbarians. The barbarian population
resides on the High Moor and are reluctant
to stray far from this area. They are
nomadic herders in constant warfare with
the goblinkind on the moor.

Magic Users / Illusionists. Magic users
of all stripes can be found everywhere,
though they tend to prefer residence in
more densely populated areas. Waterdeep
is the center of magical activity in
these parts, with a recognized guild of
low-level mages. The ruins of Dragonspear
Castle are reputed to contain high
level evil magic users.

Clerics. Like magic users, clerics are
also common throughout the Forgotten
Realms, though farming villages such as
Secomber have little to do with the main
religions of the region, aside from their
resident druids and priests of Chauntea.
Most adventuring clerics come from
Waterdeep, Daggerford, and Dragonspear
Castle.

Druids. The primary center for druid
activity in the Daggerford area is the
Misty Forest. Around Waterdeep, the Elf
Wood supports a large number of druids.

Thieves. Daggerford is too small to
support a real Thieves Guild. Everyone
knows almost everyone, and serious
thievery is virtually unknown. At the
same time, there is a fondness for the
heroic thief who uses his talents to plunder
ruins and fortresses of evil. Therefore,
Daggerford does have a few adventuring
thieves.

Thieves from a more traditional background
come from far or are self-taught.
There is no Thieves Guild in Waterdeep;
it's bad for business.

Assassins. Assassins tend to frequent
big cities and aren?t much in demand in
these regions. Any assassins in Daggerford
have come from further away than
Waterdeep, which has also rid itself of
organized assassins. These days, most
assassins come from Amn or Westgate on
the Inland Sea.

Monks. There are no local training
areas or monasteries for monks in Daggerford.
Some may come to Daggerford
from the Waterdeep area or from larger
cities to the east and south.

Elves.
Since the demise of the Fallen Kingdom,
elves have been in short supply around
Daggerford. However, a few chose not to
leave with their former associates, and
they and their descendants still live in
some of the more isolated areas. Because
of their love of nature, they are particularly
at home in the forests and plains.
Although they are seldom encountered
in the cities, their fascination with fine
jewelry and magick may draw them to
populated areas on occasion.

Gold (High) Elves. One noble family
of Gold Elves held on when the others
left. Sir Elorfindar and his family maintain
a High Elf presence in the Daggerford
area to this day.

Moon Elves. Normally, this type of elf
is in much shorter supply than the Gold
Elves. This is not the case in the Daggerford
area, mostly because of the great
number of Gold Elves left with the Fallen
Kingdom. Some Moon Elves stayed with
Sir Elorfindar after the Fallen Kingdom
broke up. Others stayed in the area for
reasons of their own. If not with Sir Elorfindar,
the Moon Elves can be found in
the Misty Forest or the High Forest. They
can also be found in the Waterdeep
Woods, and some may be found in Daggerford.
Most PC elves are either grandchildren
or great grandchildren of Sir
Elorfindar or of some of the Moon Elves
who followed him.

Wild Elves. These elves never considered
leaving their ancestral home. They
are found these days in the Laughing
Hollow and the Misty Forest. Because of
their nature, they do not make good
choices for PCs. However, since the Misty
Forest elves do interact with humans and
other races on occasion, a Wild Elf PC
should be from the Misty Forest. The
Wild Elves from Laughing Hollow keep
to themselves.

Dark Elves. Dark Elves are said to
reside in the bowels of the mysterious
Dragonspear Castle. Whether actually
there or not, it certainly is their sort of
place. Dark Elves are not recommended
as PCs.

Dwarves.
What's left of the dwarven population is
mostly represented by Derval Ironeater's
extended family in Daggerford. A few
live in Secomber, a few more live in
Waterdeep. There are not many left, but
among the ones that remain, many long
to regain some of the lost glory of the vanishing
dwarven race. Owing to their love
of drink, a tavern is a likely place to
encounter dwarves. Talk of gold or other
precious metals is also sure to attract the
attention of any eavesdropping dwarves.

Gnomes.
There are a few gnome merchants in Daggerford,
Secomber, and Waterdeep. Like
the dwarves, gnomes are fond of drink
and wealth,, but they also enjoy the pleasures
of nature. Lock for them in a local
tavern or near a beautiful meadow.

Hobbits.
Hobbits are NOT very common in Daggerford,
though the ones who live there
are quite prominent. Secomber, however,
is very much a halfling town. Almost
50% of the population of Secomber is
under 4 feet tall. A few halflings can
be found in Waterdeep and in some of
the farming hamlets around The Way
Inn. They are more open and outgoing
than either dwarves or elves and get along
well with most other races.

Can You Get It in Daggerford?
Daggerford is trying to be a busy metropolis,
but is still basically a frontier area
that lacks many of the advantages found
in a big city. It is just not large enough,
for instance, to support very many craftsmen.
What's more, some of the Daggerford
craftsmen aren't quite as proficient
in their chosen trade as their counterparts
in larger communities.

Prices for simple items in Daggerford
are the same as those given in the Players
Handbook. More complex items, such as
crossbows or chain mail armor, are not
manufactured locally. These items may
be purchased from passing merchants,
but the markup is considerable: typically
100%. A suit of chain mail, for instance,
which normally costs 75 gp will cost 150 <$1500>
in Daggerford, if it is available at all. As a
rule of thumb, any item costing more
than 50 gp in the Players Handbook costs
double in Daggerford.

There is no alchemist available in Daggerford.
All potions are double price
when available, which is not often.
Potions offered for sale must be brought
in from Waterdeep or from the other end
of the Trade Way, which gives Daggerford
another excuse to kick up the price. Rare
components for spells are even rarer in
Daggerford and again cost more than
usual. The only apothecary in town is a
priest of the Chauntea temple, and his
sales are part of the temple's income.

What goods are available in Daggerford?
All types of clothing are for sale,
although garments made of cotton or silk
are high in price. Most clothing is made
of wool, provided by local sheep, and <link to sheep>
leather. Forget about exotic furs, unless
the purchaser is willing to pay through
the nose for them.

There are several blacksmiths in Daggerford <smiths>
who can provide simple weapons,
such as swords and axes, and household
equipment. Should either weapons or
armor be damaged, the local craftsmen <equipment damage>
can mend them. There is much mended
finery and weaponry on the streets of
Daggerford, mostly dependable and
mostly at a reasonable price.

Since Daggerford residents largely live
off the land, many farming and fishing
products are available. Produce, vegetables,
and meats are not hard to come by
at affordable prices. Animals are common
in Daggerford; animal care services
and facilities abound.

Daggerford jewelers are always on the
lookout for the occasional odd jewel that
might find its way into town. Because
these come to Daggerford so infrequent
ly, jewelers lucky enough to snag one can
ask and easily get twice their normal selling
price. Magical items are quite rare,
also selling for twice the price. There are a
lot of Daggerford merchants who are
unfamiliar with magickal items and may
inadvertently underprice them if they
can't figure out what they're supposed to
be. A fortunate buyer may walk away
with a treasure at a ridiculously low price
if he happens to visit the marketplace at
the right time.
    <roll d6-0, and, d6-0>
    <use the lower of 2 results>
    <make this check once a month>
    <roll 3 times for each item, taking the one with the lowest GP value>

What Else?
This, of course, is only an overview of
life in Daggerford. If you have questions,
just ask the DM. Better yet,
take some Time to explore the city before
embarking on an adventure. Check out
the local businesses, listen in on the gossip
at one of the taverns, walk the streets,
introduce yourself to friendly passers-by.
You'll be right at home in no time at all.

Player -- Stop Reading
If you are playing a character in the
Under Illefarn campaign, please stop
reading here. Knowing the details of the
campaign will make it less fun to play for
all concerned.

If you intend to be the DM
for the campaign, continue.