Vault of Deknar: Part Nineteen
Holy shit. It was a rug and OMG TREVOR!
It’s time to answer a few questions. A lot of people have asked which RPG system/edition of D&D the group is using for Karthun. As far as the canon goes, they are using a hybrid-homebrew system that is based on OGL D&D. I have slowly moved away from using a lot of proper D&D terms and I.P WotC monsters/spells for a few reasons.
First, I do not want to wake up to a Cease & Desist one day. It seems unlikely, but you never know which lawyer will see this comic on the wrong day and that is something I do not need (note to lawyers: I am not making any money here, really. I’m not making enough to pay my bills. I’m a small fish.)
Second, keeping things a little vague on the rule side allows for everyone to draw their own conclusions and approach similar situations however they choose. A lot of GMs are using Karthun at home and I’m trying not to paint you into rule corners. The GMs Guide to Karthun will present options for several popular systems but as far as the comic goes, we are working from Sam’s (my) home-brew system.
Yes, I am working on the Karthun Adventure Game. It is a system built exclusively for Karthun and when it is ready, I will show it to everyone.
I love D&D, obviously, and for many years I secretly hoped to be the official webcomic for Dungeons & Dragons. I wanted Senpai to notice me. Sadly, it never really happened. Senpai glanced at me a few times but D&D has an official webcomic now with Table Titans and I’ll never be that guy, so I am going my own way. Karthun is mine. It is my heart and soul in a campaign setting and it comes to life through this comic. I’m happy with that and happy to present this group’s adventures across the Last Continent.
So, I hope this answers a few questions folks have asked. I read the comments every day, so if you have more, feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to answer them.
Finally, I put up a Twitter Poll about which arc everyone would like to see next. Take a look and cast your vote if you are into that sort of thing.
Thank you all for reading!
HOVER-TEXT: To be fair, I told you all this yesterday. It’s like you don’t even notice me. LOOK AT ME, CHARLES! LOOK AT ME LIKE YOU USED TO!
Damn Trevor, put the knife down!
This is a great direction to take the system you use in your game. I’m excited to see the campaign guide as it develops (as a backer) and to see what other Karthun goodness you have cooking!
Table Titans didn’t get to introduce bards. Can’t take that from you.
I’ve been wanting to ask you about getting a forum for awhile to give people a place to talk about the comic and Karthun doings. (And a billion other things)
Side note, I’m #TeamTrevor over here. Stealin’ some absolute bullshit rug. Gonna take that glove and backhand you with it, Sam.
But it’s a nice rug, it really ties the room together.
Forget it hurtstothink! You’re out of your element!
That level of pain and agony, it had damn well BETTER tie the whole damn house together!
Aww, that’s so sweet… Mel gave Trevor “Old Stabby” before she left!
Bingo!
That is a really nice catch, I remembered someone brandishing a knife before but couldn’t remember who because I’ve got goldfish memory.
“The GMs Guide to Karthun will present options for several popular systems but as far as the comic goes, we are working from Sam’s (my) home-brew system.”
Now I want to contribute some Sidekick Quests the RPG rules for ‘less’ popular systems.
Everything you’ve done in the Karthun setting is so vivid, and the weaving back and forth of in-game and out-of-game really took off when you worked it in. I love it. (I’m pretty sure most of your readers love it.)
I had to double-take on Carlos today (and go back to previous strips) to figure out why he looked different. Eyebrow redesign. Ahhh.
Way to pull the rug right out from under everyone.
Um Trevor?
Is there something you need to get off your chest?
Keep up the excellent work man. I love this comic and love Karthun. I can’t wait to see what the actual thing looks like when it’s released. I can’t shout “Shut up and take my money” loud enough. Would kill to be in any group you’d DM
Right now D&D (Wizards of the coast) is accepting open campain and is putting aside the D&DE3 (D&D Expeditions, Encounters and Epics). Sumit your campaing and maybe is the nest Eberon.
All the responses I had to this were nonverbal, but confused facial expressions.
Something like this, I imagine?
http://imgur.com/hXbJqbJ
I can’t help but read that last panel in the same vein as the Pace Picante commercials: “NEW YORK CITY??!!”
Git a rope.
Since I don’t have Twitter; I vote more Karthun! 🙂
the only more thing of coincidence is that I got the Big Lebowski as a gift today.
Cosmic!
What is the matter with all you people? Why all the hate? Really I’m sick and tired of hearing all this “down with rugs!” rhetoric. I don’t want to hear about “rags for floors” or “they’re just feet towels!” bah! A nice rug can really develop a room people! Why not hire a bunch of nobody mercy (at cut throat prices no doubt) to acquire it? Not to mention that this rug is a stated ANTIQUE! Don’t you get it? THAT RUG PROBABLY took years to make on a multiple layer loom, probably the Q-7 line and maybe even the Q-8! The craftsmanship is undoubtably superior to any “wal-trash” you could buy today. And don’t even get me started on yarn thread count!
As a dully appointed and fully authorized member of the Rug Weavers Guild of…
Errr, … I assume we’re talking floor decoration here, not a slang term for a hairpiece?
Just sayin’
GM guide to Karthun? As in a book we could buy? Cause I can’t find it in the store. (Take_my_money.gif)
It’s part of the Karthun kickstarter. I imagine it’ll be available when the books come out
Kickstarter? I’ll go look now. Thanks.
“I am not making any money here, really. I’m not making enough to pay my bills. I’m a small fish.”
To be fair to the lawyers, it is not (contrary to popular belief) ever about the money. If they don’t defend their IP, they stand a serious risk of actually *losing* those IPs. Which makes your move to avoid official D&D whatchamahoozit all the wiser.
Although, I will also say there is no an official 5e SRD! Hooray!
Yeah, avoiding the “product identity” monsters is smart. You easily qualify for parody, but if you aren’t making enough money to be able to justify defending that in court, it’s best to stay away just in case. Anything in the OGL SRDs, however, is totally fair game; that’s the whole point of them. That includes the rules, most monsters, and most spells.
I have enjoyed the hell out of Karthun (and the comic in general) and I actually enjoy the fact that I *don’t* know all of the rules of the system. It allows me to focus solely on the story and characters.
The rug has +15 on tying a room together.
If they’re being commissioned to acquire whatever, why do they care what it is? Are they concerned about bragging rights or something? Because stealing something important and bragging about it, even in shady circles, isn’t too smart.