ACKS: Crayman

Craymen are hideous humanoid crayfish, standing 5'6'' upright and sporting sharp pincers instead of hands. They have a yellowish-brown chitin exoskeleton, and two red eyes on top of long eyestalks emanating from their hammer-shaped heads. Completely amphibious, a Crayman may live indefinitely on land or underwater. Craymen have a rudimentary intelligence and a primitive social structure, and communicate with each other using a series of inhuman clicks. They have the equivalent of Infravision, which works underwater as well. Craymen eat all kinds of watery life such as crabs, fish, crayfish and squid, as well as algae, but crave the taste of landlubber flesh, and, in addition, sacrifice any captives to their dread lord, K'tulu.

ACKS: The Dark Project - The Mechanist

Prime Requisites: WIS and INT

Requirements: None

Hit Dice: 1d6

Maximum Level: 14

The Mechanists are a radical heretic sect growing inside the Order of the Hammer. When Hammerites value craftmanship and honest work, Mechanists seek to make the world anew with clockwork and steam inventions. The Order of the Hammer, of course, views this as a wicked heresy and does its best to root it out; many a Mechanist was burned on a stake for the crime of violating Hammerite scripture with bold new interpretations and revolutionary inventions.

True Mechanists are clerics, in essence; they do worship the Builder, cast Divine spells and wield gear-headed maces to crush his enemies. However, they progress more slowly in spellcasting and cannot turn undead. However, their most important and intriguing ability is the creation of mechanical automatons, from the clockwork Metal Watchers to the marvellous Builder's Children who can lift great weights, replace the Mechanist in menial tasks and fight on his behalf.

In ACKS-PC terms they have Hit Dice 1, Fighting 1a and Cleric 2. However, they do trade in some of their abilities in return for sepcial abilities, not least of which is the creation of Automatons.

Mechanists fight just like Hammerite Clerics and hit an unarmoured foe (AC 0) with an attack throw of 10+. They advance in attack throws and saving throws by two points every four levels of experience (the same progression as clerics). They may only fight weilding a weapon and a shield (or one weapon and an empty second hand) but cannot use two-handed weapons or dual-wield. Mechanists may wear Chain Mail armour or lighter and may use maces, flails, hammers, bows and crossbows. They may use any magic item useable by Clerics.

Mechanists cannot turn undead. They may cast Divine Spells and perform Magical Research as a Cleric of their level, as shown in the Adventurer Conqueror King System core book, pp.21-22.

The most precious and valued secret of the Mechanist is his ability to Design, Build, and Repair Automatons. Automatons are machines similar to magical constructs, but using clockwork, steam engines, gears, and valves in place of dweomercraft. This is done according to the Dwarven Machinist rules in the  Adventurer Conqueror King System's Player's Companion, pp.18-20.

Upon attaining 9th level (Mechanist Patriarch), a Mechanist may establish or build a fortified Factory-Church. So long as the Mechanist is currently in favor with the Builder, he may buy or build his factory-church at half the normal price due to divine intervention and mechanical innovation. Once a factory-church is established, the Mechanist’s reputation will spread and he will attract 5d6x10 0th level soldiers armed with various weapons, plus another 1d6 Mechanists of 1st-3rd level to serve the order. They are completely loyal (morale +4). While in the cleric’s service, his followers must be provided food and lodging, but need not be paid wages. The Judge determines which proportions of followers are archers, infantry, etc.

ACKS: The Dark Project - Character Classes

Now, about ACKS character classes I allow or disallow on the campaign ((C) denotes Player's Companion class):

Allowed Classes
Anti-Paladin (C)
Assassin
Barbarian (C) - usually Pagan warriors
Bard
Cleric - a Hammerite (must always choose the Mace/Flail/Hammer and Bow/Crossbow weapon groups)
Elven Enchanter (C) - a Changeling (-2 to Reaction from Lawful characters)
Elven Nightblade - a Changeling (-2 to Reaction from Lawful characters)
Elven Spellsword - a Changeling (-2 to Reaction from Lawful characters)
Elven Ranger (C) - a Changeling (-2 to Reaction from Lawful characters)
Explorer
Fighter
Hammerite Machinist (NEW CLASS) - a rare Hammerite scholar deep into clockwork engineering
Mage
Paladin (C) - a Hammerite holy warrior
Priestess (C) - either a Hammerite nun or a Pagan cultist
Shaman (C) - a Pagan priest
Thief
Venturer (C)
Warlock (C)
Witch (C) - village or slum hedge-wizards - WARNING! Presecuted by Hammerites as suspected pagans!

Disallowed Classes
Dwarven Craftpriest - No Dwarves in this setting
Dwarven Delver (C) - No Dwarves in this setting
Dwarven Fury (C) - No Dwarves in this setting
Dwarven Machinist (C) - No Dwarves in this setting
Dwarven Vaultguard - No Dwarves in this setting
Gnomish Trickster (C) - No Gnomes in this setting
Nobiran Wonderworker (C) - No Nobirans in this setting
Thrassian Gladiator (C) - No Lizardmen in this setting
Zaharan Runeguard (C) - No Zaharans in this setting

Classes I might allow if the player has a REALLY creative argument for their inclusion Bladedancer - would probably come from an exotic culture
Elven Courtier (C) - no real Changeling nobility
Mystic (C) - would probably come from an exotic culture

ACKS: Dark Project - Starting Work on the Regional Map

I've decided on the part of the Campaign map which will serve as the main game region for a zoomed-in regional map. This will mostly be the land around The City, as well as some wilderness - and Pagan-haunted forests - around it.

ACKS: The Dark Project - Macroeconomics

Now that I have detailed the ACKS: The Dark Project map down to the duchy level, it is time to get back up to the Principality level and set up the demand modifiers, average Principality land modifiers and so on - in a word, Macroeconomics. As this setting is well-known for its thieves, economics are more important to it than even to the default ACKS setting - after all, thieves have to know which rich merchant travels from which town to which rich port - and then rob him!

Duchy-level demand modifiers will only be done at the Regional Map level, which will mostly be in The City's domain.

The City
Class I Market.1,500 years old.

Trade Routes with: Blackbrook, Cyric, Bohn.

Average Land Revenue: 8 GP

Demand Modifiers:
Grain, Vegetables: +2
Fish, Preserved:  -2
Wood, Common: +4
Animals: +0
Salt: +1
Beer, Ale: +0
Oil, Lamp: -4
Textiles: +3
Hides, Furs: -1
Tea or Coffee: +3
Metals, Common: -3
Meats, Preserved: -2
Cloth: +0
Wine, Spirits: -2
Pottery: -3
Tools: -6
Armour, Weapons: -6
Dye & Pigment: +1
Glassware: +0
Mounts: +1
Monster Parts: +3
Wood, Rare: +3
Furs, Rare: +4
Metals, Precious: -2
Ivory: +5
Spices: +5
Porcelain, Fine: +0
Books, Rare: +5
Silk: +4
Semiprecious Stones:+0
Gems: +0

Blackbrook
Class I Market.1,400 years old.

Trade Routes with: The City, Cyric, Bohn.

Average Land Revenue: 7 GP

Demand Modifiers:
Grain, Vegetables: -2
Fish, Preserved: +0
Wood, Common: -6
Animals: -5
Salt: +2
Beer, Ale: +0
Oil, Lamp: -4
Textiles: +2
Hides, Furs: -1
Tea or Coffee: +1
Metals, Common: -2
Meats, Preserved: -3
Cloth: +0
Wine, Spirits: +5
Pottery: -3
Tools: +4
Armour, Weapons: +3
Dye & Pigment: +2
Glassware: +1
Mounts: +0
Monster Parts: +1
Wood, Rare: -3
Furs, Rare: -2
Metals, Precious: +0
Ivory: +0
Spices: +4
Porcelain, Fine: -1
Books, Rare: +0
Silk: +1
Semiprecious Stones: +0
Gems: +0

Cyric
Class II Market, 950 years old.

Trade Routes with: The City, Cyric, Bohn.

Average Land Revenue: 7 GP

Demand Modifiers:
Grain, Vegetables: -2
Fish, Preserved: -2
Wood, Common: +0
Animals: -1
Salt: +0
Beer, Ale: -2
Oil, Lamp: +1
Textiles: -3
Hides, Furs: -1
Tea or Coffee: -1
Metals, Common: +1
Meats, Preserved: -3
Cloth: +1
Wine, Spirits: +1
Pottery: -3
Tools: +1
Armour, Weapons: +0
Dye & Pigment: +0
Glassware: +1
Mounts: -3
Monster Parts: +1
Wood, Rare: -3
Furs, Rare: -2
Metals, Precious: +0
Ivory: +0
Spices: +0
Porcelain, Fine: -1
Books, Rare: -5
Silk: -1
Semiprecious Stones: +0
Gems: +0

Bohn
Class II Market, 800 years old.

Trade Routes with: The City, Cyric, Bohn.

Average Land Revenue: 5 GP

Demand Modifiers:
Grain, Vegetables: -2
Fish, Preserved: -2
Wood, Common: -1
Animals: -1
Salt: +0
Beer, Ale: -2
Oil, Lamp: +2
Textiles: -2
Hides, Furs: -1
Tea or Coffee: +0
Metals, Common: +2
Meats, Preserved: -3
Cloth: +1
Wine, Spirits: +1
Pottery: -3
Tools: +0
Armour, Weapons: -1
Dye & Pigment: +0
Glassware: -1
Mounts: +0
Monster Parts: -1
Wood, Rare: -3
Furs, Rare: -2
Metals, Precious: +0
Ivory: +0
Spices: -4
Porcelain, Fine: -1
Books, Rare: -5
Silk: -3
Semiprecious Stones: +0
Gems: +0

What's the bottom line?
The City is always hungry for more grain, fresh and pickled vegetables, textiles and luxuries such as spices, silk and ivory, and these are imported en-mass from the Cyric breadbasket and the lush forests of Bohn. Rare books, usually imported from Cyric and Bohn, are in high demand in the City. Meanwhile, the City's Prince is now and again at war with Blackbrook over the rich agricultural land of the "no man's land" between their realms, as well as the more productive parts of the Great Forest.

Meanwhile, The City exports industrial products such as tools, weapons and armour top all its neighbours, including, ironically, its arch-rival Blackbrook - from which it imports quality timber products. The City also sells wine and spirits to Blackbrook and oil to Bohn in large quantities.

Last but not least is the subject of monster parts, which The City and Blackbrook, with all their mages, covet. These rare ingredients usually come from Bohn's rich forests, which are easier to hunt in than the Trickster-cursed Great Forest.

ACKS: The Dark Project - Duchy Map

I've named all the duchal seats (and thus also the duchies who, as a rule, use the same names) on the ACKS: The Dark Project map. Also made a few minor fixes to the map itself. Next step would be to roll up an economy at the duchal level!

ACKS: The Dark Project - Initial Campaign-level Math

Let's do some basic math for my ACKS: The Dark Project.

The City is the largest urban settlement in the campaign area. In terms of realm size, The City and its rival city-states are Principalities, with 18-65 or so 24-mile hexes each. The City is ruled by a Prince (a title which fits the ACKS domain system better than a lowly Baron, IMHO) and so are its rivals.

The City has a realm of 47 24-mile hexes, a sizeable Principality; its main rival, Blackbrook, has 44 hexes; Cyric has 35 hexes; and Bohn has 27 hexes. Everything else on the map is no man's land, either badlands between the city-states' realms or wilderness into which the forces of Chaos creep.

The Thief world is a relatively advanced one, technologically speaking, but also a world well past its age of Imperial glory. So I'd use the default average population density, especially since not all hexes in a realm are proper farmland - most realms have many hexes of mountains and woods, which, while providing rich resources (such as timber, metal and coal) in many cases, have a much smaller population than typical farmland. So, on average, it's 50 people per square mile, 300 families per 6-mile hex and 5,000 families per 24-mile hex.

Also note that most of these people do not live in the countryside but rather in the city-states themselves.

So the base population sizes would be:
The City - 250,000 families, 1,250,000 people total (I bumped this to 250,000 because this is the most developed realm in the setting)
Blackbrook - 220,000 families, 1,100,000 people total
Cyric - 175,000 families, 875,000 people total
Bohn - 135,000 families, 675,000 people total

However, urban demographics greatly vary from the ACKS norm, as this is a world of city-states, and advanced ones at that. So The City and Blackbrook realms go 2 rows downward on the Urban Population table AND 2 rows downward on the Largest Settlement table. The other two cities go 1 row downward on the Urban Population table and 1 row downward on the Largest Settlement table

So how does the urban population look like (in families)?
The City - 250,000 families total, 125,000 urban families total, 62,500 of whom living in the largest settlement (The City) which is a Metropolis and a Class I market.
Blackbrook - 220,000 families total, 50,000 urban families total, 30,000 of them live in the largest settlement (Blackbrook) which is a Metropolis and a Class I market.
Cyric - 175,000 families total,  35,000 urban families total, 12,000 of them live in the largest city (Cyric) which is a Large City and a Class II market.
Bohn - 135,000 families total,  27,000 urban families total, 10,000 of them live in the largest city (Bohn) which is a Large City and a Class II market.

Yes, The City is HUGE.

Now, on to realm subdivision into Duchies:

The City is a Principality.  The Prince himself rules only The City directly - it is wealthier than any Duchy under his command and enough of a hassle to manage all by itself. All his lands outside The City are divided between the five Dukes.

Blackbrook also has five Duchies.

Cyric has four Duchies.

And Bohn has three duchies.

Generally speaking, each Duchy is dominated by a City of about 3,000-4,000 families, a Class III market.

So here's an updated work-in-progress Campaign Map:

ACKS: The Dark Project - Preliminary Campaign Map

I've made a preliminary campaign map for ACKS: The Dark Project in Hexographer. It still lacks many of the details (such as borders, smaller towns and settlements, dungeons and so on) but it does show the general lay of the land.

ACKS: Dark Project - Map Work-in-Progress

I've overlayed a 40x30 hex grid over part of the Thief map. This will give me a rough estimate of what should be in every hex in the ACKS campaign map. So here we go:

From here I will proceed to an ACKS-style campaign hex map.

ACKS: The Dark Project - Introduction

One of my favourite computer games ever was, and still is, Thief: The Dark Project. This game was highly immersive and evocative with advanced AI for its time and what was then a relatively new approach to first-person gaming: stealth instead of blasting your way around to the objective. But the best thing about Thief: The Dark Project, I'd say, was not its game mechanics per se but its setting.

The game was set in a huge city, medieval in most aspects, but with certain steampunk elements (such as complex pumps, turbines, elevators and even electric lights). Inside this setting, mundane for the most part on its surface, were several strong fantasy elements as well - undead, elementals, mages, giant lizards (Burricks), giant spiders, spellcasting clerics, shapechanging wood nymphs - and a mighty Chaotic god as the antagonist!

Technology and society were, for the most part, somewhere between medieval and Renaissance - and combatants wore leather chainmail and wielded swords, warhammers, maces and bows, with no firearms to be seen (although some gunpowder did exist in the game in the form of clockwork mines and explosive barrels). Nobles lorded over the toiling masses and lived in fancy manors - complete with large amounts of lootable treasure; the church - the Order of the Hammer - had immense power and an army of their own (as well as a technological advantage over everyone else); and each and every faction had its own men-at-arms, just like in the olde days.

The sequel, Thief: The Metal Age, was far more Victorian in tone and flavour, turning towards a more 'proper' Steampunk setting rather than Thief: The Dark Project's steam-medievalism; still, guards brandish swords, maces, bows and crossbows, but the scenery is far more modern in look and feel. Personally I liked Thief: The Dark Project's feel and atmosphere better...

The last game so far in the Thief series, Thief: Deadly Shadows, returned to the first game's medieval feel and even reduced the amount of electric lights in the City. While it suffered from relatively small areas with load screens in between, it was still a good game. However, many of Thief: The Dark Project's cool fantasy elements, namely Burricks, Chaos beasts and Craymen, were absent and replaced by fish-men and possessed insane-asylum inmates.

Why am I telling you all this? Because I think that the world of Thief: The Dark Project can be a mighty source of inspiration for tabletop fantasy RPG games. Namely, I intend to base the setting of my next Adventurer Conqueror King System (ACKS) on the world of Thief!

There will be modifications, of course, as I want to optimize the setting for fantasy adventures and fit it to the ACKS rules, as well as inject some new ideas into it. But the main ideas of Thief will fit well with the ACKS rules, I think, especially since you even have rules for running a thieves' guild in ACKS!

Stay tuned for more in the coming days!