After over a year's hiatus, we've restarted a twice monthly campaign centered in and around my version of Muntburg and the Dwimmermount. The Argent Flame, our previous adventuring party, is busily living down the accusations of demonic consortium and Chaos-worship. Accusations for the most part true.
Here is the FB post I put as a new hook:
Dwimmermount II
The Dwimmermount. For centuries, if not millenia, the massive mountain fortress loomed large across the realms of men. Famed first as a redoubt of the Red Elves of Areon, then the Zaharan Empire, and finally the wicked Termaxian sorceror-cult, the Dwimmermount was sealed under mysterious circumstances two centuries ago, and the Zaharan Empire fell to squabbling successor-states.
Almost six months ago, in Tensmonth of the year 214 After Zahar, the great "Red Doors" of the Dwimmermount were found to be open again for the first time in centuries. Strange lights and shadowy figures were seen moving up the carven stairs to the doorway, and furtive travelers, avoiding the frontier town of Muntburg, were observed on unknown errands to and from. Adventurers, already not uncommon along the frontier, began to flock to the ruins. The most famous group is the Argent Flame, a large band composed of many strange characters with many different goals.
Some of these goals, alas, proved inimical to civilization, and on the 21st of Thirdmonth four of the senior members of the Argent Flame, Whelan-Thiss of Irrun, Lydia the Doomspeaker, Rain Weatherbourne, and the knight known as Arthur fled the Muntburg compound. A trial, of sorts, was held to determine how much Chaos had infested the Argent Flame, and now they tread lightly through Adamas, worried that their rapid rise to fame and power have doomed them.
Thus, the Dwimmermount goes largely undelved in this Thirdmonth of 215 AZ, and adventurers hoping to emulate their success have begun to enter the fortress in search of fame and fortune.
The time has come for other tales to be told on Talis.
And thus, five new adventurers set forth into the Dwimmermount:
Gwenaria, a Neutral elf ranger interested in learning more about Areon.
Pendelton Reed, a Neutral mage with interests emulating Turms Termax- a knowledge of alchemy, astrology, and collegiate magic.
Phaedra, a short-haired, tomboyish Neutral fighter with a two handed sword.
Robin the Red, a Neutral assassin played by my wife. He's a pirate far from the sea.
Thomlin Dell, a Neutral fighter armed in Zaharan panoply, with plate mail, shield, throwing javelins, and sword.
Long ago, the Argent Flame established humankind's dominance over Level 1 once more, and bladedancers from the temple of Astarte and clerics from the Great Church reconsecrated shrines and had workers laboring to clean the floor. Some of them had even moved in.
Alas, when our new heroes arrived, the human residents were on the great stair outside the dungeon, tending their wounded. It seems a wizard by the name of Balthus entered the 'mount a week ago, asking strange questions of the Speaking Mask on the first floor (which in my campaign answers many questions on many topics.) Somehow, Balthus reanimated the dwarven statues (the inert dead) in the cemetery and these dwarven "deadstones" then fought a bloody path, pushing the living out. Brother Beoholdt, the only cleric to survive, vouched that turning the deadstones was difficult. Not that our party could do much about it anyway.
For homework (and to get their XP bonus), I am making my players do session reports. So I will let one retell what happened further in their own words:
Dearest father,
Having arrived safely in the Town of Montburg, I have acquired sufficient rooms at the local Inn. Whilest I was partaking of some ale and nourishment at the tavern, I overheard some humans talking about exploring the Dwimmermount, an ancient place first settled by the Red Elves of Aeron. Intrigued by the chance to explore such a place, learn more about the Red Elves and also gain the resources we need to restablish our honor back home, I asked if the two fighters, Pheadra and Tomlin, if they were in need of a tracker. They being new to town and eagar to obtain treasure as well, agreed to add me to there group.
The next morning we headed out, joined by a mage (Pendleton) and a pirate named Robin. Upon arrival at the Dwimmermount, we saw several people outside tending to some wounded workers. The cleric and bladedancer attending an extremely injured man warned that the place had been taken over by a man named Balthasar and he was raising the dwarven dead. Eager to assist them with ridding the Dwimmermount of such a terrible person, we set forth. As we opened the door, I spied something shuffling about at the back end of the room. It sounded like one of the undead dwarves based on the cleric's description. I was able to lodge an arrow in the mucky clay consistency but it was Tomlin's javelin that depensed the creature and turned it into a pile of stinking muck. The pirate found some jewelry tucked into the base of a statue before we moved forward with my torch lighting the way. In the first hallway, Tomlin busted down a door that had been bared with iron spikes. Inside we found a man hiding. Unable to get much information out of him, I offered to escort him safely to the main door. He reached the outside safely without incident and we continued exploring. In a room just off the one where he was hiding, Pheadra encountered a gelatinous cube and received some serious acid burns. Others did damage to the cube with their first hit but it was my arrow strong and true that turned the beast into a puddle of goo and more treasure was obtained within its acidic contents. In another room, there was a black pillar with some sort of runes that no one recognized. Nothing seemed to happen to the humans when they touched it but I had a bad feeling became very tired suddenly and very sad as it I didn't want to continue any longer. Fortunately we didn't, having discovered a room of workers and another cleric that had been murdered by the dwarven undead. We carried the bodies out and placed them by the doors so the order could attend to them before heading back to town.
I will continue to keep you informed of my adventures as best I can father.
Take care until we see each other again.
- Gwen
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Almost a Review: The Gnomes of Levnec
The Gnomes of Levnec
OSR Bundle of Holding +33
I just got this as part of the OSR Bundle of Holding +3, which I encourage you all to go get RIGHT NOW.
Go on, I'll wait.
This is a really simple module/supplement, talking about a small area, it's idiosyncracies, and it's weird gnomes.
Now, it's no secret that I hate gnomes and halflings with a fiery passion (at least, in my games). But I had a cool idea for gnomes for my ACKS game (they're little cannibal wooden guys who grow up into treants), and The Gnomes of Levnec is at least as awesome as that. I mostly wanted to write this because it reminded me of my own idea for gnomes.
It's a little too over-the-top-gonzo for me (as so much of the OSR stuff is- I also read Slumbering Ursine Dunes tonight, which was more (but not much more) my speed. But it's awesome and some of the stuff in it is usable- the spells included are thoughtful, the village which is written has the mandatory dark secrets one expects from a document that feels kind of LotFP to me, and there's a bit of a dungeon to crawl.
All in all, it's a pdf I would not have bought unless it was in the Bundle of Holding, and for which I am glad I shell for those.
OSR Bundle of Holding +33
I just got this as part of the OSR Bundle of Holding +3, which I encourage you all to go get RIGHT NOW.
Go on, I'll wait.
This is a really simple module/supplement, talking about a small area, it's idiosyncracies, and it's weird gnomes.
Now, it's no secret that I hate gnomes and halflings with a fiery passion (at least, in my games). But I had a cool idea for gnomes for my ACKS game (they're little cannibal wooden guys who grow up into treants), and The Gnomes of Levnec is at least as awesome as that. I mostly wanted to write this because it reminded me of my own idea for gnomes.
It's a little too over-the-top-gonzo for me (as so much of the OSR stuff is- I also read Slumbering Ursine Dunes tonight, which was more (but not much more) my speed. But it's awesome and some of the stuff in it is usable- the spells included are thoughtful, the village which is written has the mandatory dark secrets one expects from a document that feels kind of LotFP to me, and there's a bit of a dungeon to crawl.
All in all, it's a pdf I would not have bought unless it was in the Bundle of Holding, and for which I am glad I shell for those.
Monday, November 2, 2015
[ACKS Monster] Using the Random Esoteric Creature Generator
Random is Cool.
It's true. Sometimes, Randomness can build awesome new ideas, or add another dimension to something you planned.
The Random Esoteric Creature Generator was written (or at least released) seven years ago, so I am well behind the curve in recommending this gem for any D&D game. But recommend I shall, because it's a wealth of information and ideas, even if you just mine it for useful stuff instead of rolling randomly. But, in order to show what it can do, I am going to do just that- populate a previously existing hex where I have a mystery in my game.
In my campaign, between the cities of Adamas and Domacco along the river there is a canyon, or river valley, that boats try to navigate as quickly as possible. A pall is over the land for miles- dead trees, darkness, and the feeling that you are being watched.
The locals say that... something... dwells in the forested hills there.
Well, let's find out what that something is!
The monster who lives here is probably as nasty as a Hill Giant or so. I will call it 9 HD.
The first roll is 2d10 to find basic body shape- Quadruped. This creature moves about on four legs.
On this page, there is a super awesome picture of a creature shaped like a d10. I don't know what the hell that thing is- some kind of horrible beholderoper thing- but *I* never want to face it.
The next roll is 2d10, for basic characteristics- I get an 11, which means it's a combination of two creature types. Combo monsters are very common here, as they ought to be.
I roll again- First one, Insect, +1d6 AC bonus. Second one, 13, Mammal, +1d6-1 AC bonus. It isn't really clear to me if these stack, but I don't think they ought to. I'll go with whatever bonus is better, but I roll 5 for insect and 6 (5) for mammal. So this thing's AC is 5.
There is another table to figure out what KIND Of bug and mammal this thing has the traits of. It turns out it's a hideous cross of... *rolls*... dragonfly and squirrel.
Uhhh, huh. Okay.
So Its got a long, shiny body with great gossamer wings. It has a furry belly, long tree-climbing limbs ending in sharp claws. Its head is a mix, with an elongated furry snout, cutting teeth, and mandibles that close from the sides on the long teeth.
There's a thing to roll to see how big the creature is, but I think it's big, and so I am going "huge". I figure the HD I already determined are part of this, so I don't modify it.
The next thing is locomotion methods, but I know the Drurel can fly with his dragonfly wings, and can climb walls and such easily.
On to Attack Methods. The drurel attacks with it's bite, which increase it's damage one die type. Being Huge, the damage was 1d10. It's now 1d12.
Next comes distinctive features. You can roll on this til you're done rolling on it. When does the freaky monster seem done?
Let's start rolling, then... The first thing I get is "stinger." This creature has a big old earwig pincer. Maybe it hangs from rocks and trees to make it's attacks.
But that's not all this thing has, is it? Rolling again, I get unusual color. This critter is red, with white details. Yeeeeep, it's a squirrel all right. Booring.
Neeeext. I roll a 36, multiple eyes. Huh. The Drurel has six hideous, faceted eyes which run along the top of it's head, making it harder to surprise.
Lastly, because I want to, I roll a 51, Rocklike Features. I think the Drurel has the ability to camouflage itself when it's not moving, Dragonheart style. This normally gives an AC bonus, but I like my take on it better. This is probably why none know what the Drurel looks like- it's an ambush predator, and a big one.
We move on to Special Abilities. A creature has a 10% chance per HD of having one, so 90% for the Drurel. For every full 10% under this, it gets one more. I roll 72, so I think that means 2. A roll of 34 gets "Drains 1d6 Charisma, no Save." This comes back at 1 per hour. I guess the Drurel makes you lose part of yourself, causing you to lose your force of personality. The next roll is 63, Immune to Cold.
Two last tables- Combat Strategy (Least Armored) and Motivation (Hunger).
So the Drurel wants to eat, and it eats soft gooey mages first. Makes sense to me!
As it turns out, I got this far and then I realize that I need to roll on the Delivery of Special Attacks for the Charisma damage. I roll a 9- projectile. But I don't like that, so I call it touch. Take that, Random Esoteric Generator!
Impressions: I've had this book a long time, but haven't used it a whole lot. It makes weird shit- just what it says on the tin. It's certainly a spiritual ancestor to Lamentations of the Flame Princess- especially the Summon spell in that game- but the things this generator makes are less gonzo than Summon. I'll definitely use it again for other critters in my campaign, especially daemons, spirits, or other summoned entities.
Drurel
% In Lair: Never
Dungeon: Never
Wilderness: Solitary (1)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 120' (40')
Fly: 150' (50')
AC: 5
Hit Dice: 9**
Attacks: 2 (bite, tail) or 1 (tail poison)
Damage: 1d12/1d10
Save: F4
Morale: +3
TT: N
XP: 1900
The drurel is a hideous crossbreed unleashed by some nameless mage centuries ago. It most resembles a hideous, quadrupedal dragonfly, with vast gossamer wings. However, it's head is almost mammalian, with two rows of faceted eyes a short snout, and mandibles which close over a mouth filled with long cutting teeth. It is, horribly, roughly the size of a very large bear.
The drurel spends most of it's time in the trees and stones around it's river lair. It is an indifferent meat eater, ambushing anything smaller than itself. Unmoving, the drurel is dull and almost stonelike, only shifting to shining dragonfly iridescence when it moves. The drurel causes it's attackers to suffer -1 to their surprise rolls, but gains a +1 to it's own.
The Drurel can spray a contains a powerful neurotoxin which both confuses and demoralizes it's foes, It can spray a gobbet of this at a foe, dealing 1d6 Charisma damage (no saving throw, must hit successfully) This damage recovers at a rate of 1 per hour. If Charisma is reduced to 0, the target will fall into catatonic gibbering until Charisma recovers to 1.
Due to the Drurel's strange biological processes, it is immune to cold, both natural and magical.
It's true. Sometimes, Randomness can build awesome new ideas, or add another dimension to something you planned.
The Random Esoteric Creature Generator was written (or at least released) seven years ago, so I am well behind the curve in recommending this gem for any D&D game. But recommend I shall, because it's a wealth of information and ideas, even if you just mine it for useful stuff instead of rolling randomly. But, in order to show what it can do, I am going to do just that- populate a previously existing hex where I have a mystery in my game.
In my campaign, between the cities of Adamas and Domacco along the river there is a canyon, or river valley, that boats try to navigate as quickly as possible. A pall is over the land for miles- dead trees, darkness, and the feeling that you are being watched.
The locals say that... something... dwells in the forested hills there.
Well, let's find out what that something is!
The monster who lives here is probably as nasty as a Hill Giant or so. I will call it 9 HD.
The first roll is 2d10 to find basic body shape- Quadruped. This creature moves about on four legs.
On this page, there is a super awesome picture of a creature shaped like a d10. I don't know what the hell that thing is- some kind of horrible beholderoper thing- but *I* never want to face it.
The next roll is 2d10, for basic characteristics- I get an 11, which means it's a combination of two creature types. Combo monsters are very common here, as they ought to be.
I roll again- First one, Insect, +1d6 AC bonus. Second one, 13, Mammal, +1d6-1 AC bonus. It isn't really clear to me if these stack, but I don't think they ought to. I'll go with whatever bonus is better, but I roll 5 for insect and 6 (5) for mammal. So this thing's AC is 5.
There is another table to figure out what KIND Of bug and mammal this thing has the traits of. It turns out it's a hideous cross of... *rolls*... dragonfly and squirrel.
Uhhh, huh. Okay.
So Its got a long, shiny body with great gossamer wings. It has a furry belly, long tree-climbing limbs ending in sharp claws. Its head is a mix, with an elongated furry snout, cutting teeth, and mandibles that close from the sides on the long teeth.
There's a thing to roll to see how big the creature is, but I think it's big, and so I am going "huge". I figure the HD I already determined are part of this, so I don't modify it.
The next thing is locomotion methods, but I know the Drurel can fly with his dragonfly wings, and can climb walls and such easily.
On to Attack Methods. The drurel attacks with it's bite, which increase it's damage one die type. Being Huge, the damage was 1d10. It's now 1d12.
Next comes distinctive features. You can roll on this til you're done rolling on it. When does the freaky monster seem done?
Let's start rolling, then... The first thing I get is "stinger." This creature has a big old earwig pincer. Maybe it hangs from rocks and trees to make it's attacks.
But that's not all this thing has, is it? Rolling again, I get unusual color. This critter is red, with white details. Yeeeeep, it's a squirrel all right. Booring.
Neeeext. I roll a 36, multiple eyes. Huh. The Drurel has six hideous, faceted eyes which run along the top of it's head, making it harder to surprise.
Lastly, because I want to, I roll a 51, Rocklike Features. I think the Drurel has the ability to camouflage itself when it's not moving, Dragonheart style. This normally gives an AC bonus, but I like my take on it better. This is probably why none know what the Drurel looks like- it's an ambush predator, and a big one.
We move on to Special Abilities. A creature has a 10% chance per HD of having one, so 90% for the Drurel. For every full 10% under this, it gets one more. I roll 72, so I think that means 2. A roll of 34 gets "Drains 1d6 Charisma, no Save." This comes back at 1 per hour. I guess the Drurel makes you lose part of yourself, causing you to lose your force of personality. The next roll is 63, Immune to Cold.
Two last tables- Combat Strategy (Least Armored) and Motivation (Hunger).
So the Drurel wants to eat, and it eats soft gooey mages first. Makes sense to me!
As it turns out, I got this far and then I realize that I need to roll on the Delivery of Special Attacks for the Charisma damage. I roll a 9- projectile. But I don't like that, so I call it touch. Take that, Random Esoteric Generator!
Impressions: I've had this book a long time, but haven't used it a whole lot. It makes weird shit- just what it says on the tin. It's certainly a spiritual ancestor to Lamentations of the Flame Princess- especially the Summon spell in that game- but the things this generator makes are less gonzo than Summon. I'll definitely use it again for other critters in my campaign, especially daemons, spirits, or other summoned entities.
Drurel
% In Lair: Never
Dungeon: Never
Wilderness: Solitary (1)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 120' (40')
Fly: 150' (50')
AC: 5
Hit Dice: 9**
Attacks: 2 (bite, tail) or 1 (tail poison)
Damage: 1d12/1d10
Save: F4
Morale: +3
TT: N
XP: 1900
The drurel is a hideous crossbreed unleashed by some nameless mage centuries ago. It most resembles a hideous, quadrupedal dragonfly, with vast gossamer wings. However, it's head is almost mammalian, with two rows of faceted eyes a short snout, and mandibles which close over a mouth filled with long cutting teeth. It is, horribly, roughly the size of a very large bear.
The drurel spends most of it's time in the trees and stones around it's river lair. It is an indifferent meat eater, ambushing anything smaller than itself. Unmoving, the drurel is dull and almost stonelike, only shifting to shining dragonfly iridescence when it moves. The drurel causes it's attackers to suffer -1 to their surprise rolls, but gains a +1 to it's own.
The Drurel can spray a contains a powerful neurotoxin which both confuses and demoralizes it's foes, It can spray a gobbet of this at a foe, dealing 1d6 Charisma damage (no saving throw, must hit successfully) This damage recovers at a rate of 1 per hour. If Charisma is reduced to 0, the target will fall into catatonic gibbering until Charisma recovers to 1.
Due to the Drurel's strange biological processes, it is immune to cold, both natural and magical.
The Well, Room 6: Cult Quarters
Across the hall from Room 4, the doorway opens into a long room, 10' wide by 30' long. Within the room there are ten sets of bunk beds, roughly made from thick wood. A few of the bunks appear to be wholly unused, and only about half have blankets or any other kind of covering. Dirty robes, empty pouches, dice, half-eaten food, and other debris litters the the room. The walls are carved with similar symbols as Room 5- eyes, open mouths with eyes within them, beholders and the like.
A search recovers 13 gold, a usable backpack, two daggers and three days of rations- stringy meat and gritty yellow cheese.
A search recovers 13 gold, a usable backpack, two daggers and three days of rations- stringy meat and gritty yellow cheese.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
The Well, Room 5: Altar of the Eye
At the end of the eastern hall is a lozenge-shaped room, approximately 15 feet wide and 20 feet long, with rough, rounded corners. A one foot wide trough, hewn from the stone of the floor, crosses the room from the northern to the southern wall about five feet from the eastern wall. To either side of the door, torches in sconces with beaten-bronze mirrors shed light on a Chaotic chapel.
Bas relief carvings along all the walls seem to have once depicted more gnolls and elves, but these carvings have been thoroughly defaced. In their place, much newer, cruder carvings abound- massive eyes, human figures with eyes for heads, human faces with eyes in their mouths and mouths in their eye sockets, and the like.
The trough appears to be filled with a dust-covered pool of oil. A brazier with cold coals sits against the northern wall, with flint and steel and several bits of tinder beneath the brazier.
Beyond the trough, a heavy chain descends from the ceiling, suspended by a hook fastened to a ring on the wall. At the end of this chain is a chandelier-like figure- a metal central body with a paste-gem eye, and ten twisted wrought-iron arms ascending from this central mass. The ends of these arms have the decaying remains of human eyes impaled on six of them, and another bizarre, non-human eye with a strangely shaped pupil decorates the last. (This is an ibixian eye, a devotive offering from one of the Servitors of the Bleth on level 2B.)
Kneeling before the oil trough are six human cultists (use the statistics for brigands or bandits). All six of the cultists have shaved heads, long, wild beards, and do not pause for even a moment before leaping to their feet and attacking strangers in their (un)holy place.
Four of the cultists wear dingy white robes, their open fronts displaying crude tattoos of multiple-eyed beasts on their chests. Three of these men kneel next to long-handled axes, while the fourth possesses a massive, multi-headed flail.
The last two wear equally poor robes, dyed a rusty reddish-brown. One of the men has an axe, and one a flail. Beneath their tattered robes, these cultists wear studded leather armor. These red-robed cultists are missing their left eyes, scarred sockets empty and unhidden. On the backs of their heads are further crude tattoos, depicting lidless eyes with triangular pupils. These cultists also possess the chest tattoos of the above men, beneath their armor.
If the room is searched, the paste-gem eye of the beholder figure is revealed to in fact be a grime-covered pearl, worth 250 gp. The cultists each bear 1d6 sp, and one has a pouch with 5 gp and a wooden holy symbol of an open eye.
Bas relief carvings along all the walls seem to have once depicted more gnolls and elves, but these carvings have been thoroughly defaced. In their place, much newer, cruder carvings abound- massive eyes, human figures with eyes for heads, human faces with eyes in their mouths and mouths in their eye sockets, and the like.
The trough appears to be filled with a dust-covered pool of oil. A brazier with cold coals sits against the northern wall, with flint and steel and several bits of tinder beneath the brazier.
Beyond the trough, a heavy chain descends from the ceiling, suspended by a hook fastened to a ring on the wall. At the end of this chain is a chandelier-like figure- a metal central body with a paste-gem eye, and ten twisted wrought-iron arms ascending from this central mass. The ends of these arms have the decaying remains of human eyes impaled on six of them, and another bizarre, non-human eye with a strangely shaped pupil decorates the last. (This is an ibixian eye, a devotive offering from one of the Servitors of the Bleth on level 2B.)
Kneeling before the oil trough are six human cultists (use the statistics for brigands or bandits). All six of the cultists have shaved heads, long, wild beards, and do not pause for even a moment before leaping to their feet and attacking strangers in their (un)holy place.
Four of the cultists wear dingy white robes, their open fronts displaying crude tattoos of multiple-eyed beasts on their chests. Three of these men kneel next to long-handled axes, while the fourth possesses a massive, multi-headed flail.
The last two wear equally poor robes, dyed a rusty reddish-brown. One of the men has an axe, and one a flail. Beneath their tattered robes, these cultists wear studded leather armor. These red-robed cultists are missing their left eyes, scarred sockets empty and unhidden. On the backs of their heads are further crude tattoos, depicting lidless eyes with triangular pupils. These cultists also possess the chest tattoos of the above men, beneath their armor.
If the room is searched, the paste-gem eye of the beholder figure is revealed to in fact be a grime-covered pearl, worth 250 gp. The cultists each bear 1d6 sp, and one has a pouch with 5 gp and a wooden holy symbol of an open eye.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
[ACKS Monster] Fimir
I really enjoy the 1st Edition Warhammer FRP rulebook. That game definitely scratches a different itch than D&D does.
FIMIR
Sharl Maragh Fhimm/Dirach
Lair: Special Special 17+
Dungeon: Special Special Band (1d8)/Lair (1d4 bands)
Wilderness: Special Special Slaving Party (1d4 bands)/Stronghold (1d6 parties)
Alignment: Chaotic Chaotic Chaotic
Movement: 120' (40') 120' (40') 120' (40')
AC: 3 (piecemeal armor) 3 (piecemeal armor) 3 (piecemeal armor)
Hit Dice: 2+1* 6+3*** 3+2* (3+2** for Dirach)
Attacks: 2 (slam or by weapon) 2 (slam or by weapon) 2 (slam or by weapon)
Damage: 1d6/1d6 or 2x by weapon 2d6/2d6 or 2x by weapon +2 2d4/2d4 or 2x by weapon +1
Save: F2 M7 F4
Morale: 0 +2 +1
TT: Special Special G per band
XP: 47 1280 100 (135 for Dirach)
Rumored to be the descendants of humans and demons, the Fimir haunt bogs, fens, and desolates moorlands throughout the world. They are common in coastal areas, but can be found anywhere suitable dank. Their strongholds tend to be human ruins, coastal headlands and barren hill-forts, perpetually shrouded in thick mist.
Roughly human-shaped, Fimir have massive barrel chests, short, powerful legs ending in three-toed clawed feet, and long arms which nearly reach the arms. Their heads are large and almost hairless, tapering to a noseless, tusked snouth. They possess a single baleful white eye set low on their head. When Fimir stand up straight (which is rare), they reach nearly to eight feet. Fimir have long tails ending in thick knobs, and pebbly greenish-yellow skin.
Fimir communtiies are divided into caste by body type, with the majority being of the Sharl caste, servitors and menials. The next is the Fhimm, or warriors, followed by the Dirach- demonfriends. Most feared of all are the Maragh, the witch-queens who rule over Fimir strongholds, the only female Fimirs. How Fimir maintain their numbers with so few females is a matter of much scholarly debate, mostly amongst the more depraved scholars of Talis.
The Fimir shun the light of day, traveling in darkness whenever possible. They raid human farms and villages, in search of food and captives. Fimir are perpetually shrouded in thick fog to a radius of 20'.
Each Fimir warband consists of the above noted number of Fhimm warriors. A warband has a 50% chance of having a Dirach leader.
Each lair or slaving party has an additional 1d4 Dirach and a Maragh.
A Fimir stronghold in the wilds has all of the above, plus 1d4 more Maragh, with 1d4 Dirach per Maragh as a sort of honor guard.
Sharl rarely leave a Fimir lair, whether it be in dungeon or wilds. When such a lair is encountered, there will be a total number of Sharl Fimir equal to 150% the number of Fhimm.
Combat: Enemies to the side or behind a Fimir can be attacked by their tail. This attack is at a -2 to hit and inflicts 1d6 damage, regardless of the Fimir's caste. Sharl and Fhimm invariable use a pair of heavy-bladed axes, maces, spiked clubs, or the like.
Dirach: Dirach are, essentially, Fhimm born with some talent for spellcasting. They are able to cast spells as 3rd level mages, in addition to their normal abilities in combat. Once per week, seven Dirach may come together at the direction of a Maragh in order to perform an hour long ritual which is able to summon and command a demonic servitor elemental, as the spell Conjure Elemental. This elemental, when summoned, always appears somehow unwholesome (stinking reddish water, greenish-blue flame, bone-filled earth and the like).
Maragh: Maragh do their best to avoid melee combat. They have the spellcasting ability of a 5th level cleric and 5th level mage, and in addition may throw a bolt of crackling green-black energy up to 120', dealing 1d12 points of damage. Once per week, four Maragh may come together in a day-long ritual to cast Contact Other Plane.
FIMIR
Sharl Maragh Fhimm/Dirach
Lair: Special Special 17+
Dungeon: Special Special Band (1d8)/Lair (1d4 bands)
Wilderness: Special Special Slaving Party (1d4 bands)/Stronghold (1d6 parties)
Alignment: Chaotic Chaotic Chaotic
Movement: 120' (40') 120' (40') 120' (40')
AC: 3 (piecemeal armor) 3 (piecemeal armor) 3 (piecemeal armor)
Hit Dice: 2+1* 6+3*** 3+2* (3+2** for Dirach)
Attacks: 2 (slam or by weapon) 2 (slam or by weapon) 2 (slam or by weapon)
Damage: 1d6/1d6 or 2x by weapon 2d6/2d6 or 2x by weapon +2 2d4/2d4 or 2x by weapon +1
Save: F2 M7 F4
Morale: 0 +2 +1
TT: Special Special G per band
XP: 47 1280 100 (135 for Dirach)
Rumored to be the descendants of humans and demons, the Fimir haunt bogs, fens, and desolates moorlands throughout the world. They are common in coastal areas, but can be found anywhere suitable dank. Their strongholds tend to be human ruins, coastal headlands and barren hill-forts, perpetually shrouded in thick mist.
Roughly human-shaped, Fimir have massive barrel chests, short, powerful legs ending in three-toed clawed feet, and long arms which nearly reach the arms. Their heads are large and almost hairless, tapering to a noseless, tusked snouth. They possess a single baleful white eye set low on their head. When Fimir stand up straight (which is rare), they reach nearly to eight feet. Fimir have long tails ending in thick knobs, and pebbly greenish-yellow skin.
Fimir communtiies are divided into caste by body type, with the majority being of the Sharl caste, servitors and menials. The next is the Fhimm, or warriors, followed by the Dirach- demonfriends. Most feared of all are the Maragh, the witch-queens who rule over Fimir strongholds, the only female Fimirs. How Fimir maintain their numbers with so few females is a matter of much scholarly debate, mostly amongst the more depraved scholars of Talis.
The Fimir shun the light of day, traveling in darkness whenever possible. They raid human farms and villages, in search of food and captives. Fimir are perpetually shrouded in thick fog to a radius of 20'.
Each Fimir warband consists of the above noted number of Fhimm warriors. A warband has a 50% chance of having a Dirach leader.
Each lair or slaving party has an additional 1d4 Dirach and a Maragh.
A Fimir stronghold in the wilds has all of the above, plus 1d4 more Maragh, with 1d4 Dirach per Maragh as a sort of honor guard.
Sharl rarely leave a Fimir lair, whether it be in dungeon or wilds. When such a lair is encountered, there will be a total number of Sharl Fimir equal to 150% the number of Fhimm.
Combat: Enemies to the side or behind a Fimir can be attacked by their tail. This attack is at a -2 to hit and inflicts 1d6 damage, regardless of the Fimir's caste. Sharl and Fhimm invariable use a pair of heavy-bladed axes, maces, spiked clubs, or the like.
Dirach: Dirach are, essentially, Fhimm born with some talent for spellcasting. They are able to cast spells as 3rd level mages, in addition to their normal abilities in combat. Once per week, seven Dirach may come together at the direction of a Maragh in order to perform an hour long ritual which is able to summon and command a demonic servitor elemental, as the spell Conjure Elemental. This elemental, when summoned, always appears somehow unwholesome (stinking reddish water, greenish-blue flame, bone-filled earth and the like).
Maragh: Maragh do their best to avoid melee combat. They have the spellcasting ability of a 5th level cleric and 5th level mage, and in addition may throw a bolt of crackling green-black energy up to 120', dealing 1d12 points of damage. Once per week, four Maragh may come together in a day-long ritual to cast Contact Other Plane.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
The Well, Room 4: Black Chains
Twenty feet away from the True Well, down the eastern passage, the hallway passes by two doors, one on either side of the hallway.
Ten feet further, the hallway ends at a third door.
The left (north) door appears to have been hacked down at least once, and has been re-hung, apparently recently, on well-greased hinges. The door is neither locked nor stuck. Through the door is a fifteen by fifteen room. Thick black chains hang from the eastern wall- four sets, all of which are empty.
The left (north) door appears to have been hacked down at least once, and has been re-hung, apparently recently, on well-greased hinges. The door is neither locked nor stuck. Through the door is a fifteen by fifteen room. Thick black chains hang from the eastern wall- four sets, all of which are empty.
In the western side of the room is a crow cage, with several tongs, branding irons, and knives hanging from hooks along one of the hoops of iron. The knives are very sharp, and appear well-used. Stamped into the steel blade of one of the knives is the Dwarven rune for "N", and there are several strange notches near the base of the blade.
This knife can be used as a key for the chest in Kaaz the Runic's room on level 2A.
Monday, October 26, 2015
[ACKS Monster] Horned Ape
I love Russ Nicholson's art in the Fiend Folio, and I was checking out his website. This picture spoke to me, sufficiently to hammer out a monster to match it. I hope you enjoy-
Horned Ape
Lair: 19+
Dungeon: Troop (1d6)/Den (2d10)
Wilderness: Band (2d4)/Den (2d10)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 120' (40')
AC: 3
Hit Dice: 3
Attacks: 3 (slam, slam) or 1 (horn gore)
Damage: 1d4/1d4 or 1d8
Save: F2
Morale: 0
TT: A (in Den)
XP: 50
Long ago, the inhuman "Green Monks" came to the world of Rhule from unknown dimensions, and stole primitive human women for their own carnal desires. The resulting progeny- beautiful, eldritch crossbreeds- were valuable as concubines, and sold as slaves across the three worlds.
Eventually, the race of the Green Monks ascended, leaving their physical husks behind, their twisted cities empty, and their slave-races bereft of civilization. Over time, the crossbred children ceased to breed true. Future generations birthed abominations- bestial ape-like forms with a single, massive horn arching from their foreheads.
Many of these horned apes survive in ruined, nameless cities throughout the southern continents of Talis.
Art by Russ Nicholson
Horned Ape
Lair: 19+
Dungeon: Troop (1d6)/Den (2d10)
Wilderness: Band (2d4)/Den (2d10)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 120' (40')
AC: 3
Hit Dice: 3
Attacks: 3 (slam, slam) or 1 (horn gore)
Damage: 1d4/1d4 or 1d8
Save: F2
Morale: 0
TT: A (in Den)
XP: 50
Long ago, the inhuman "Green Monks" came to the world of Rhule from unknown dimensions, and stole primitive human women for their own carnal desires. The resulting progeny- beautiful, eldritch crossbreeds- were valuable as concubines, and sold as slaves across the three worlds.
Eventually, the race of the Green Monks ascended, leaving their physical husks behind, their twisted cities empty, and their slave-races bereft of civilization. Over time, the crossbred children ceased to breed true. Future generations birthed abominations- bestial ape-like forms with a single, massive horn arching from their foreheads.
Many of these horned apes survive in ruined, nameless cities throughout the southern continents of Talis.
The Well, Room 3: The True Well
If one were to remove the bar from the southern door of Room 1 and then hack down the swollen planks from their framing stone, they would find a room approximately thirty feet square, with a protrusion to the south 20 feet wide and 10 feet deep. To the left and right (east and west), five foot wide corridors proceed into gloom.
The central 20 feet of the room is a vast, circular hole with a narrow stone lip. Ascending out of the darkness are numerous white, chalky vines, here and there marred by blood-red leaves. A few lurid yellow blossoms, reminiscent of tansies, also grow from these vines, which reach all the way out of the great pit, creeping along floors, walls, and even ceiling to arch back upon themselves at the southern end of the room. The whole of the "plant" glows dully with a faint white lumiscence. The frame of a double door is barely visible behind a clot of white vegetation in the southern wall.
A lit torch thrown into the depths of the vegetation (or some other light source) reveals a similar landing, 15 feet below this floor, and even a second, 15 feet below that. Beneath that, though, is a vast white tuber, apparently the source of the profusion of vines. It appears to have grown or been forced from yet a third landing, 45 feet below the level currently stood on. The tuber is irregularly shaped, and seems to have a root structure which descends still further into the shaft.
The vines are edible- though wholly foul-tasting- and the blood-red leaves can be boiled down into a concoction that will, if ingested, provide a +1 bonus to saving throws versus poison for 24 hours. Partaking of any part of the flowers, however, will cause the eater to have vivid, bizarre dreams when next they sleep- dreams of strange, red towers looming from dunes of black ash, while a pale white sun hangs low in the sky. The dream ends as shadowy figures lurch toward the dreamer, changing and growing more like the dreamer in form and face as they approach.
The vines are also more than strong enough for an armored man to ascend or descend to the landings below...
The central 20 feet of the room is a vast, circular hole with a narrow stone lip. Ascending out of the darkness are numerous white, chalky vines, here and there marred by blood-red leaves. A few lurid yellow blossoms, reminiscent of tansies, also grow from these vines, which reach all the way out of the great pit, creeping along floors, walls, and even ceiling to arch back upon themselves at the southern end of the room. The whole of the "plant" glows dully with a faint white lumiscence. The frame of a double door is barely visible behind a clot of white vegetation in the southern wall.
A lit torch thrown into the depths of the vegetation (or some other light source) reveals a similar landing, 15 feet below this floor, and even a second, 15 feet below that. Beneath that, though, is a vast white tuber, apparently the source of the profusion of vines. It appears to have grown or been forced from yet a third landing, 45 feet below the level currently stood on. The tuber is irregularly shaped, and seems to have a root structure which descends still further into the shaft.
The vines are edible- though wholly foul-tasting- and the blood-red leaves can be boiled down into a concoction that will, if ingested, provide a +1 bonus to saving throws versus poison for 24 hours. Partaking of any part of the flowers, however, will cause the eater to have vivid, bizarre dreams when next they sleep- dreams of strange, red towers looming from dunes of black ash, while a pale white sun hangs low in the sky. The dream ends as shadowy figures lurch toward the dreamer, changing and growing more like the dreamer in form and face as they approach.
The vines are also more than strong enough for an armored man to ascend or descend to the landings below...
Sunday, October 25, 2015
The Well, Room 2: Guardhouse
From the zombie-infested entry chamber, the northern archway opens up into a twenty by twenty room.
In the room are the shattered remains of several bunks, a weapons rack, armor racks and an overturned table, though all but the table are but broken debris. The ashes and scorchmarks of a cold campfire hide behind the overturned table.
Cut into the face of the table is a crude image of a rising (or setting) sun, with two birds to either side of it. It would appear this carving is an addition made after the table was overturned.
The western wall sports a series of small alcoves, three in all, with ragged, filthy tapestries half-covering the openings. These alcoves are privies, and sport benches with openings descending at a steep angle out of sight.
What can be seen of the images on the tapestries appears to depict armored elves, fighting dog-headed humanoids. The elves appear to be losing.
In the room are the shattered remains of several bunks, a weapons rack, armor racks and an overturned table, though all but the table are but broken debris. The ashes and scorchmarks of a cold campfire hide behind the overturned table.
The western wall sports a series of small alcoves, three in all, with ragged, filthy tapestries half-covering the openings. These alcoves are privies, and sport benches with openings descending at a steep angle out of sight.
What can be seen of the images on the tapestries appears to depict armored elves, fighting dog-headed humanoids. The elves appear to be losing.
Saturday, October 24, 2015
The Well, Room 1: Entryway
It seems impossible, but here, at least thirty miles from the nearest town, stands a circular stone well, about eight feet wide in diameter, dressed fieldstone rising three feet out of the ground. Above this arches a stone trilithion, carved with many symbols. Astute or eldritch-trained visitors recognize a few of these as debased symbols reminiscent of the ancient elves, though the handiwork of the well is decidedly not their work.
A much weather-worn rope is lashed about the lintel stone, descending into the putrid-smelling depths. It is within arm's reach of the eastern side of the well, and the stone face seems scuffed, as though by passage of feet clambering over the low wall.
The well itself descends some fifty feet into the earth, ending and widening out into a long, shallow room, about eighty feet long by twenty feet wide. At the southern end of the room is a wooden door, age-twisted in it's frame, with a heavy wooden beam serving to hold it shut from this side. In the eastern wall, a low archway opens up on a steep set of stairs, while in the north, another archway seems to lead to a second room.
The source of the putrid smell is a group of 10 zombies, clad in rotting mustard-yellow robes and black-lacquered masks bearing the symbol of a sun upon their brows. The zombies ineffectually scratch at the barred door to the south, ignoring anyone entering the well unless they make loud noises, cast spells, or come within 10'. These actions cause the zombies to turn, attack the interloper, and then (if not destroyed) go back to their previous actions.
Propped in the southeastern corner of the room, there is the semi-decayed corpse of a small dwarf (or large halfling) clad in chain mail, warhammer still clutched in withered hand. It seems evident that the poor fellow died facing the zombies. Upon his person is a backpack and rotten pouch with 12 gold. His other gear, an assortment of "generic starting adventurer" belongings, are damaged by time and weather.
A much weather-worn rope is lashed about the lintel stone, descending into the putrid-smelling depths. It is within arm's reach of the eastern side of the well, and the stone face seems scuffed, as though by passage of feet clambering over the low wall.
The well itself descends some fifty feet into the earth, ending and widening out into a long, shallow room, about eighty feet long by twenty feet wide. At the southern end of the room is a wooden door, age-twisted in it's frame, with a heavy wooden beam serving to hold it shut from this side. In the eastern wall, a low archway opens up on a steep set of stairs, while in the north, another archway seems to lead to a second room.
The source of the putrid smell is a group of 10 zombies, clad in rotting mustard-yellow robes and black-lacquered masks bearing the symbol of a sun upon their brows. The zombies ineffectually scratch at the barred door to the south, ignoring anyone entering the well unless they make loud noises, cast spells, or come within 10'. These actions cause the zombies to turn, attack the interloper, and then (if not destroyed) go back to their previous actions.
Propped in the southeastern corner of the room, there is the semi-decayed corpse of a small dwarf (or large halfling) clad in chain mail, warhammer still clutched in withered hand. It seems evident that the poor fellow died facing the zombies. Upon his person is a backpack and rotten pouch with 12 gold. His other gear, an assortment of "generic starting adventurer" belongings, are damaged by time and weather.
Monday, June 23, 2014
[ACKS] Deadstone- Dwarven Undead
My ACKS campaign is heavily based on Telluria/Dwimmermount, so my dwarves are born of stone and return to stone. Still, more traditional dwarves might become stony undead in certain areas or due to certain strange rituals of the Chaotic gray dwarves...
DEADSTONE
Lair: 17+ (20%)
Dungeon: Throng (3d4) / Boneyard (3d10)
Wilderness: Horde (3d10) / Boneyard (3d10)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 90' (30')
Burrow: 10' (3')
AC: 4
Hit Dice: 2*
Attacks: 1 (slam or bite)
Damage: 1d8
Save: D2
Morale: +4
TT: None
XP: 29
Deadstone are the reanimated undead remains of dwarves. Reanimation causes their corpses to revert slightly from hard stone, turning them into great clots of foul-smelling grave earth clinging lumpily to cracked stone bones. Slow and resilient, deadstones loathe living beings on some instinctive level, and seek to destroy them, smashing with stony fists or tearing with wide, blunt teeth. Deadstones are much more resilient than human skeletons or zombies, reducing damage taken from nonmagical attacks by 1 per die. Deadstones can sense living things within 60', and will burrow through all but the hardest stone in attempts to access them directly. Like most undead, deadstones are immune to sleep, charm, and hold spells. They may be turned as ghouls.
DEADSTONE
Lair: 17+ (20%)
Dungeon: Throng (3d4) / Boneyard (3d10)
Wilderness: Horde (3d10) / Boneyard (3d10)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 90' (30')
Burrow: 10' (3')
AC: 4
Hit Dice: 2*
Attacks: 1 (slam or bite)
Damage: 1d8
Save: D2
Morale: +4
TT: None
XP: 29
Deadstone are the reanimated undead remains of dwarves. Reanimation causes their corpses to revert slightly from hard stone, turning them into great clots of foul-smelling grave earth clinging lumpily to cracked stone bones. Slow and resilient, deadstones loathe living beings on some instinctive level, and seek to destroy them, smashing with stony fists or tearing with wide, blunt teeth. Deadstones are much more resilient than human skeletons or zombies, reducing damage taken from nonmagical attacks by 1 per die. Deadstones can sense living things within 60', and will burrow through all but the hardest stone in attempts to access them directly. Like most undead, deadstones are immune to sleep, charm, and hold spells. They may be turned as ghouls.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
(ACKS) Wisp
A version of the venerable will-o-wisp that fits my setting and desired power level a bit better, and adds some flavor text.
WISP
Lair: Never
Dungeon: Solitary (1)
Wilderness: Solitary (1)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: -
Fly: 180' (60')
AC: 7
Hit Dice: 4**
Attacks: 1
Damage: 2d6 energy drain
Save: F4
Morale: 0
TT: None
XP: 190
Wisps are a strange creature which may be from another world. They are dangerous, as they are sentient, cruel, and seek fleshly bodies to inhabit.They appears as small globes of intense light, in a variety of hues. They are so cold that they cause a thick fog to form around them in a 120' radius. Wisps are easily mistaken for lanterns from a distance. When a wisp slays a humanoid creature of near-human size or less, it enters the body through the ear or nose and takes up a sort of half-life within the corpse. The dead creature is then treated as a wight while the wisp inhabits it. Outside of a humanoid host,wisps can only be struck by magical weapons. Cold damage heals wisps for the same amount of damage they would normally take.
WISP
Lair: Never
Dungeon: Solitary (1)
Wilderness: Solitary (1)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: -
Fly: 180' (60')
AC: 7
Hit Dice: 4**
Attacks: 1
Damage: 2d6 energy drain
Save: F4
Morale: 0
TT: None
XP: 190
Wisps are a strange creature which may be from another world. They are dangerous, as they are sentient, cruel, and seek fleshly bodies to inhabit.They appears as small globes of intense light, in a variety of hues. They are so cold that they cause a thick fog to form around them in a 120' radius. Wisps are easily mistaken for lanterns from a distance. When a wisp slays a humanoid creature of near-human size or less, it enters the body through the ear or nose and takes up a sort of half-life within the corpse. The dead creature is then treated as a wight while the wisp inhabits it. Outside of a humanoid host,wisps can only be struck by magical weapons. Cold damage heals wisps for the same amount of damage they would normally take.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
[Lexicon] LEXICON: ADVENTURE IN A BROKEN WORLD OF INTRIGUE AND INTOLERANCE
The following is the intro blurb I used for my larp, Lexicon. If all goes well, I will put this together as an ACKS campaign setting over the course of time, with most of it's modifications and house rules appearing in this blog.
LEXICON
Once, long ago, the legends tell us that the world was a
rigid place, and paths never wandered. There were things called
"seas", and "continents", and nations had borders which
could be easily measured. In those dawn times, the inhuman folk of Stygia, the First City
Through their sorcerous arts, the Stygians learned the words
of power which the First God had used in his forgings of all things: The
Lexicon. With their flawed understanding, driven by whispers in their dreams,
they sought to use the words as they willed, and wonders and horrors alike were
loosed by their sorcerer-tyrants. In the end, their hubris grew to be as
peerless as their art, and they sought to enslave the First God to their will.
Finally, the First God saw the sorcerers for what they had become, and those
who were yet loyal to their world and creator went to war with the prideful
people of the obsidian towers of the City.
In their battles, the First God was slain, and his essence
shattered. His death caused a Breaking, a mournful sundering of the world which
forever destroyed maps and easy travel, as the world collapsed along its
bindings into "Shards"- places of power. These fell away from each
other as the bonds of magic which had kept them locked became loose and
winding. The Maker's death also allowed the ancient enemy, the Nightmare, to be
finally able to creep into the world.
An entity without form, possessed of a malevolent intellect
beyond the ken of mortals, the Nightmare was all the consumption and chaos the
Maker had kept from his fledgling world. Limited before to mere whispers in the
dreams of the sorcerers, the Nightmare was now free to bring its full power
into Creation. Wild magic, undead, and monsters never before dreamed of soon
plagued the world. Whole shards were destroyed or corrupted, and it seemed the
world would soon perish. Finally, new gods rose from mortalkind to hold back
the tide of darkness, and re-establish order and prosperity.
The gods taught the art of Geomancy to the races, anew way
of traveling between the broken lands. They also taught a "safe' form of
magic, Wizardry, which used a lesser version of the Lexicon. The old spells,
sigils, and creatures of the Stygians were hidden away behind trapped tombs and
forgotten ley lines, and the new gods swore to never allow mortals to gain the
powers of the old sorcerers. From the center of the new Worldweb rose a godly
city, called Tykoria after its founder. Future kings (and later, emperors) of
Tykoria expanded from these roots, and the world was again to come under the
rule of a single nation, the Second Empire .
Alas, not even the gods are all-knowing, for the Nightmare
had found a way into the very center of the Weave, and once again an Emperor
heard the whispers in his dreams and fell sway to dark promises. Tykoria became
a place of tyranny and injustice, a new Stygia. Desperation drove the good folk
who were left to revolt, and bloody battle again enveloped the earth. The
forces of light prevailed again, but the cost was great. The world was
diminished yet again, and many things once again were re-ordered or lost.
Four hundred dark years have passed, and new nations have
risen from the ashes. The greatest of these nations is Galicia , forged
of six countries two hundred years ago. However, two decades of civil war,
crusade, and misrule have resulted in an unstable, fractured realm. Galicia
is now rife with intrigue and mistrust, and many of her shards have broken away
through civil war to form her greatest enemy, Trencian.
It is a time for heroes, a time for bravery and exploration.
Ruined cities and broken tombs, arcane secrets and forgotten truths await those
who would seek them. The Nightmare's power lurks just in the next shard... or
riding in the head of someone you know and trust. The gods yet walk the earth,
bloodied but unbroken.
Would you take up the call of the hero? A bold scholar, Thane
Tergard Loren, seeks adventurers and settlers to inhabit and explore the
environs of a fallen Tykorian outpost, Swampgate. Riches and rewards are
promised, as well as lands and prestige. It is a time for new legends to be
told.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
[ACKS LEXICON] Barghast Race
I ran a successful LARP for 7 years, called Lexicon, subtitled "A Game of Exploration and Discovery in a Broken World of Intrigue and Intolerance." It was a game of gods, men, and monsters, set in a world physically destroyed by the plummeting corpse of it's creator deity a millenia ago. The little nations and tribes of the world were forced to bend ley-lines to their will to physically draw lands together through what basically amounted to the Ether for travel and trade.
The players were a few dozen poorly equipped adventurers settled in a little place in the middle of nowhere and wound up being incredibly important on the world stage. I liked to describe the setting and feel as "You play D&D characters in a Warhammer setting, fighting to prevent the world from turning back into Exalted."
So, mid-level powered folks in a grim, unhappy world of ruin. The world that came before was more magically advanced, but it too was a flawed place, where the actions of an evil Empire led to it's own destruction, the lessening of the world, and the entrance of the Nightmare (Chaos) physically into the world.
I got the worm today to try to put together some stuff from that campaign a la ACKS. This will be my first entry on that topic- one of the races, the beastmen known as Barghasts. (No relation to D&D barghests or to the Malazan pseudohumans, of course...) It turned out over the course of the LARP campaign that there was a lot going on in their history beyond "primitive cannibal folk", and perhaps if this Lex fire stays lit, I will get to the Stygian Empire, Barza, Whitewalker, and the Barukasta.
For now, I am just presenting the Racial Values for ACKS. I will probably build a class or two later on for them.
Barghast Racial Values (PDF)
In addition to Barghasts, there were harpies, dryads, goat-men called Ibix, spiderfolk, humans and elves- a few things to look forward to, perhaps?
The players were a few dozen poorly equipped adventurers settled in a little place in the middle of nowhere and wound up being incredibly important on the world stage. I liked to describe the setting and feel as "You play D&D characters in a Warhammer setting, fighting to prevent the world from turning back into Exalted."
So, mid-level powered folks in a grim, unhappy world of ruin. The world that came before was more magically advanced, but it too was a flawed place, where the actions of an evil Empire led to it's own destruction, the lessening of the world, and the entrance of the Nightmare (Chaos) physically into the world.
I got the worm today to try to put together some stuff from that campaign a la ACKS. This will be my first entry on that topic- one of the races, the beastmen known as Barghasts. (No relation to D&D barghests or to the Malazan pseudohumans, of course...) It turned out over the course of the LARP campaign that there was a lot going on in their history beyond "primitive cannibal folk", and perhaps if this Lex fire stays lit, I will get to the Stygian Empire, Barza, Whitewalker, and the Barukasta.
For now, I am just presenting the Racial Values for ACKS. I will probably build a class or two later on for them.
Barghast Racial Values (PDF)
In addition to Barghasts, there were harpies, dryads, goat-men called Ibix, spiderfolk, humans and elves- a few things to look forward to, perhaps?
Monday, May 5, 2014
[ACKS] Bugbears
Sorry about the lack of posts recently. I've been too busy working and actually running ACKS to really write about it :)
We've monkeyed about a bit with some proficiencies, and I am in the process of adding a few bits from Lamentations of the Flame Princess to the game (mostly, the way Specialists work vs. the way Thieves work.) My party has collected 2 (or 3, depending on who you ask) cards from the Deck of Many Things of this world, and having reached between 4th and 6th level after many, many biweekly sessions, are beginning to slowly become players in the political atmosphere. Granted that many of the more vocal ones are horribly Chaotic, and "player" can mean "guy who flips the chess board." So far they've stayed under the radar, and the Powers that Be think they are playing by the rules.
I don't actually like having too many different types of goblinoids/beastkin. However, my adventurers are coming up on spots where they may begin intersecting with the workings of the other planets (this is a Dwimmermount campaign, so a modified Areon and a modified Kythirea are accessible.) Thus I needed some things to make their encounters with aliens more unique. Thus, the Red Elves of Areon are accompanied by their own Brute Squad, bugbears who I have modified slightly to be more deadly... They're faster, have better morale, and have a nasty surprise in the form of the Ambushing proficiency. These bugbears have come a long way from the barghest worshipping goblins of my campaign world, Talis, and would not even recognize kinship with their terrestrial ancestral stock.
BUGBEAR
In Lair: 16+ (25%)
Dungeon: Gang (2d4) / Lair (1 warband)
Wilderness: Warband (1d4 gangs) / Village (1d10 warbands)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 120' (40')
AC: 4 (leather, +1 Dexterity, +1 natural)
Hit Dice: 3+1*
Attacks: 1 (by weapon, 8+)
Damage: 2d4 or by weapon +1
Save: F3
Morale: +3
TT: L (per warband)
XP: 100
Bugbears are the descendants of Eldritch tinkerings on hobgoblin and goblin bloodlines, with the intent to make a troop with all the strength and strategy of a hobgoblin, and the stealth and low cunning of a goblin. In this case, Eldritch tinkering was wildly successful, breeding a race of nearly silent, hulking goblinoids with a penchant for murder and the skills and patience to carry the deed out.
Bugbears are both monstrously strong, receiving a +1 to damage when they employ weapons, and deceptively stealthy, causing their foes to suffer a -1 penalty to surprise rolls. Bugbears tend to go armed with garrottes, massive two handed weapons, nets, and many-edged throwing knives, striking from the shadows and melting back into darkness. A bugbear attacking from surprise receives a +4 bonus to hit, and deals double damage on their successful strike. Bugbears do have a grasp of tactics, and can and will fight intelligently with any weapon. Those under the heel of Eldritch masters are often outfitted with banded armor, tower shields, and spears in parody of the ancient panoply of the foes of elfkind. Bugbears have an arsonist's love of fire, and will devise unusual and horrible uses for military oil, azoth, or any other combustible.
Each bugbear gang will be led by a champion with AC5, 4+1 Hit Dice, 25 hit points, and a +2 bonus to damage rolls from strength. Each bugbear warband will be led by a sub-chieftain with AC6, 5+1 Hit Dice, 29 hit points, and a +3 bonus to damage
rolls.
On the Red Planet, any semblance of "bugbear culture", shamans, or witch doctors were brutally and systematically wiped out centuries ago, but stray populations do exist where such creatures have once again flourished. A free bugbear lair or village will be led by a chieftain with AC7, 7+2 Hit Dice, 37 hit points, and a +4 bonus to damage rolls. As long as the chieftain is alive, the bugbears will gain a +1 to morale rolls. A bugbear village has a 75% chance of a shaman being present, and a 50% chance of a witch doctor. A shaman is equivalent to a sub-chieftain statistically, but has Clerical abilities at level 1d6. A witch doctor is equivalent to a champion statistically, but has Mage abilities at level 1d4. Bugbear lairs and villages will have females and young equal to 50% of the number of males each. Female bugbears fight as hobgoblins, while young bugbears fight as kobolds.
We've monkeyed about a bit with some proficiencies, and I am in the process of adding a few bits from Lamentations of the Flame Princess to the game (mostly, the way Specialists work vs. the way Thieves work.) My party has collected 2 (or 3, depending on who you ask) cards from the Deck of Many Things of this world, and having reached between 4th and 6th level after many, many biweekly sessions, are beginning to slowly become players in the political atmosphere. Granted that many of the more vocal ones are horribly Chaotic, and "player" can mean "guy who flips the chess board." So far they've stayed under the radar, and the Powers that Be think they are playing by the rules.
I don't actually like having too many different types of goblinoids/beastkin. However, my adventurers are coming up on spots where they may begin intersecting with the workings of the other planets (this is a Dwimmermount campaign, so a modified Areon and a modified Kythirea are accessible.) Thus I needed some things to make their encounters with aliens more unique. Thus, the Red Elves of Areon are accompanied by their own Brute Squad, bugbears who I have modified slightly to be more deadly... They're faster, have better morale, and have a nasty surprise in the form of the Ambushing proficiency. These bugbears have come a long way from the barghest worshipping goblins of my campaign world, Talis, and would not even recognize kinship with their terrestrial ancestral stock.
BUGBEAR
In Lair: 16+ (25%)
Dungeon: Gang (2d4) / Lair (1 warband)
Wilderness: Warband (1d4 gangs) / Village (1d10 warbands)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 120' (40')
AC: 4 (leather, +1 Dexterity, +1 natural)
Hit Dice: 3+1*
Attacks: 1 (by weapon, 8+)
Damage: 2d4 or by weapon +1
Save: F3
Morale: +3
TT: L (per warband)
XP: 100
Bugbears are the descendants of Eldritch tinkerings on hobgoblin and goblin bloodlines, with the intent to make a troop with all the strength and strategy of a hobgoblin, and the stealth and low cunning of a goblin. In this case, Eldritch tinkering was wildly successful, breeding a race of nearly silent, hulking goblinoids with a penchant for murder and the skills and patience to carry the deed out.
Bugbears are both monstrously strong, receiving a +1 to damage when they employ weapons, and deceptively stealthy, causing their foes to suffer a -1 penalty to surprise rolls. Bugbears tend to go armed with garrottes, massive two handed weapons, nets, and many-edged throwing knives, striking from the shadows and melting back into darkness. A bugbear attacking from surprise receives a +4 bonus to hit, and deals double damage on their successful strike. Bugbears do have a grasp of tactics, and can and will fight intelligently with any weapon. Those under the heel of Eldritch masters are often outfitted with banded armor, tower shields, and spears in parody of the ancient panoply of the foes of elfkind. Bugbears have an arsonist's love of fire, and will devise unusual and horrible uses for military oil, azoth, or any other combustible.
Each bugbear gang will be led by a champion with AC5, 4+1 Hit Dice, 25 hit points, and a +2 bonus to damage rolls from strength. Each bugbear warband will be led by a sub-chieftain with AC6, 5+1 Hit Dice, 29 hit points, and a +3 bonus to damage
rolls.
On the Red Planet, any semblance of "bugbear culture", shamans, or witch doctors were brutally and systematically wiped out centuries ago, but stray populations do exist where such creatures have once again flourished. A free bugbear lair or village will be led by a chieftain with AC7, 7+2 Hit Dice, 37 hit points, and a +4 bonus to damage rolls. As long as the chieftain is alive, the bugbears will gain a +1 to morale rolls. A bugbear village has a 75% chance of a shaman being present, and a 50% chance of a witch doctor. A shaman is equivalent to a sub-chieftain statistically, but has Clerical abilities at level 1d6. A witch doctor is equivalent to a champion statistically, but has Mage abilities at level 1d4. Bugbear lairs and villages will have females and young equal to 50% of the number of males each. Female bugbears fight as hobgoblins, while young bugbears fight as kobolds.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Dire Corbies
DIRE
CORBY
%
In Lair: 16+
Dungeon:
Hunt (1d6)/Flock(1d8 Hunts)
Wilderness:
Hunt (1d6)/Flock(1d8 Hunts)
Alignment:
Chaotic
Movement:
120' (40')
AC:
3
Hit
Dice: 2
Attacks:
2 claws (9+)
Damage:
1d4/1d4
Save:
F2
Morale:
+4
TT:
B
XP:
20
The
favored mortal children of Pazuzu, dire corbies are bipedal, wingless
crows about the size of an elf. Dwelling deep underground and in the
darkest forests, dire corbies are a threat and nuisance to many
dwarfholds and elf fastnesses.
Dire
corbies are almost silent, surprising on a roll of 1-3 on a d6, and
have excellent hearing and sight, being surprised only on a roll of
1. Dire corbies can and do speak, a whistling, croaking language
unique to themselves. Usually, one or two corbies in a hunt will know
another language, usually Infernal, Elvish, or Common.
Each
dire corby hunt is led by a champion with AC 4, HD 3, and +1 to
damage from strength. A dire corby flock is led by a chieftain with
AC 4, HD 4+1, and +2 to damage from strength. Dire corby flocks have
a 50% chance of also possessing a demoniac, with the stats of a
champion, plus 1d4 cleric levels.
Koschei, the Deathless, Demon King of Frost Giants
KOSCHEI
%
In Lair: 0%
Dungeon:
Special
Wilderness:
Special
Alignment:
Chaotic
Movement:
120' (40')
AC:
12
Hit
Dice: 15****
Attacks:
2 (hammer, 1+)
Damage:
6d8/6d8, plus ice rime and deafness (see below)
Save:
F14
Morale:
N/A (Fearless)
TT:
R (amongst his followers, see below)
XP:
6,600
Koschei
is demon king of the frost giants. There are few demon lords more
inimical to the mortal world than he, the Deathless, the Smiling Man,
Eyetaker.
Koschei
appears as a horribly emaciated, scarred, and disfigured frost giant,
hairless but for his thick eyebrows and a long, plaited goatee of
sickly yellow. His deepset eyes are piercing and incredibly
beautiful, and his perfect smile is set in a face which is otherwise
dour and hideous. Koschei wears nothing but a ragged and filthy kilt
of hairy scalps, sewn together raggedly with locks of hair from the
womenfolk he and his giants have taken, and a thick necklace of
rotting cord and preserved eyes, other trophies of his many kills.
Regardless of a lack of armor, Koschei's skin and bones are as hard
as the strongest dragonscale, and he is immune to nonmagical weapons.
Magical weapons deal half damage to Koschei, unless they have some
manner of fire ability, or are +3 enchantment or better.
Koschei
bears a massive hammer composed of black, reeking ice, which
functions as a +3 warhammer. When Koschei successfully strikes his
foe, his opponent must save vs. Blast or suffer 2d8 extra damage from
ice and be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds. His opponent must also save vs.
Death or be deafened permanently..
Within
50' feet of Koschei, the air is so cold that those not specially
resistant to such an environment will suffer 1d6 points of damage per
round. Within 50' of that, the air is still uncomfortable.
Koschei
can cast spells as a 12th level magic-user. He can cast cause serious
wounds, charm monster, darkness and dispel magic at will.
Three
times per day he can summon 1d4 frost giants or 1 large, adult
dragon.
Koschei
is nomadic rarely found alone. At any given point, he will be served
by 1d100 mortal slaves, usually bearing such goods and treasure as
are necessary for the campsite of a great king. At least 2d6 frost
giants will be keeping the great lord company, and a like amount of
ogres. 2d20 human (mostly Menhirrim) berserkers straggle along with the great lord,
magically given resistance to cold in return for their eternal
loyalty- and at least one of their eyes. These berserkers are often
heavily tattooed with blue and white ink.
Koschei
is mortal- after a fashion- but slaying him permanently is exceeding
difficult. Koschei's soul, shrivelled thing that it is, lies within a
green glass heart which is locked away within an iron trunk, which he
has hidden away in an unknown location. This heart must be broken, or
Koschei will be reborn 2d6 days after his death. How this heart might be broken is left to the discretion of the Judge.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
[ACKS Monster] Malgakim
In the eastern lands of Rhule, small groups of humanoids who call themselves the Malgaks, or Malgakim, can be found working as mercenaries and blacksmiths. The Malgakim are human-sized and humanoid, clad in all-swaddling robes and armor, and wearing elaborate all-concealing face masks, similar to Japanese mempo. Typically, these masks and armors are composed of copper, bronze, brass, and iron, layers and welded into art objects.
The Malgakim go armed with great iron staves, maces, hammers, and other heavy bludgeons. They are happy to make spears, swords, and other blades for their customers, but do not seem to use such items amongst themselves.
Rarely do their patrons see the Malgakim without their armor and robes, but those who have indicate that the Malgakim are inhuman in form and substance- composed of loose, yellow-white flesh, with watery, pupil-less eyes and lipless, toothless mouths.
Where the Malgakim came from is a mystery, but the greybeards say that in ages past, when the Ancients had business with the stars, the Malgakim came to trade in magic and steel, and those few remaining are their legacy. The Malgakim are, for the most part, Chaotic, but there are some few who are Neutral and deal more favorably with Man.
Malgakim, themselves, do not use arcane magic, but have strange powers over metal and its workings. With a thought, they can heat metal to forge-hot, dealing 1d3 damage plus AC bonus per round to a target wearing armor, or force a foe to drop their weapon or suffer 1d4 damage. They can also warp metal to uselessness, such as portculli or restraints.
The Malgakim claim to have aligned themselves in ages past with a force from beyond Talis which has no name, but has taught certain elder Malgakim smiths how to drag the spirit of the willing dead from beyond and suffuse a weapon with it. Indeed, it is considered a great honor amonst the Malgakim to be selected for "rebirth" in the form of a well-wrought weapon. Greater still is to be placed within a construct body, to guide and guard the Malgakim race for all time.
Malgakim
The Malgakim go armed with great iron staves, maces, hammers, and other heavy bludgeons. They are happy to make spears, swords, and other blades for their customers, but do not seem to use such items amongst themselves.
Rarely do their patrons see the Malgakim without their armor and robes, but those who have indicate that the Malgakim are inhuman in form and substance- composed of loose, yellow-white flesh, with watery, pupil-less eyes and lipless, toothless mouths.
Where the Malgakim came from is a mystery, but the greybeards say that in ages past, when the Ancients had business with the stars, the Malgakim came to trade in magic and steel, and those few remaining are their legacy. The Malgakim are, for the most part, Chaotic, but there are some few who are Neutral and deal more favorably with Man.
Malgakim, themselves, do not use arcane magic, but have strange powers over metal and its workings. With a thought, they can heat metal to forge-hot, dealing 1d3 damage plus AC bonus per round to a target wearing armor, or force a foe to drop their weapon or suffer 1d4 damage. They can also warp metal to uselessness, such as portculli or restraints.
The Malgakim claim to have aligned themselves in ages past with a force from beyond Talis which has no name, but has taught certain elder Malgakim smiths how to drag the spirit of the willing dead from beyond and suffuse a weapon with it. Indeed, it is considered a great honor amonst the Malgakim to be selected for "rebirth" in the form of a well-wrought weapon. Greater still is to be placed within a construct body, to guide and guard the Malgakim race for all time.
Malgakim
%
In Lair: 25%
Dungeon: Forge (1d4)/Family (1d8)
Wilderness: Family (1d8)/Clan (1d4 families)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 120' (40')
AC: 6
Hit
Dice: 2+2*
Attacks: 1 (hammer)
Damage: 1d12
Save: F2
Morale: +1
TT: D, plus 5% cumulative chance per Malgakim of 1 sword or 1 miscellaneous weapon
XP: 47
Sunday, December 15, 2013
The Cast and Crew of Bob's Dwimmermount ACKS Game
I've been wanting to post a breakdown of this for a while. This is the group of players I've been writing for, and only once before have I been blessed with as solid a crew. We've been playing every Wednesday and Sunday for about three months with few breaks- and we run by Skype a few nights here and there as well.
Almost every player has a dude or three- ACKS resting doesn't stop the party.
Speaking of parties, the adventuring party (with the number of players and characters, it's more of a guild) recently built a stronghold not far from Dwimmermount to replace the party cottage they were rapidly outgrowing. This one is a 3600 square foot wooden structure, two floors, with a stable/smithy, surrounded by a log palisade and eventually to be patrolled by the two changed hellhounds Trogdor befriended and then had transmogrified into mastiffs who breathe fire.
I'm not going to use real names here, just initials. I will give the real character names- even the silly ones. :) Now, I should note that even though some names are silly, the characters are, generally, not. Everyone's taking the game seriously, and I love them for that.
Player A1
The party house in Muntburg was owned by Trogdor, who started life as my fiance's Thrassian gladiator. After many, many sessions of play, he is now 3rd level, and has been combined with the ruins of a slain manticore in a horrid Chaotic ritual, basically turning him into a Thrassian Value 4 gladiator. (He's got wings, iron scales, iron teeth, a Bowser mane...) Trogdor is Chaotic to the core, but in a friendly sort of way. He does make jerky out of... well... pretty much everything. Trogdor's closest friend is Doric, who has adventured with him since they both began. The kobolds on level 1 (the ones the party left alive) worship Trogdor like the sleek scaly god he is.
After many, many sessions (at least 20? Maybe more?) the highest level party members are just under 4th. The reason for this is manifold. People keep needing rest, so that takes them out of the action. Or, people have altaholism, so they play another dude for a while. Or, worst offender, people just can't make as many sessions as others. The numbers I give for levels are their current ones.
A also has a 2nd level explorer named Lorasaadi, who particularly hates dragons, and carries a voodoo doll of one stuffed with pins. Lorasaadi comes from an old campaign of mine, and was translated out of a LotFP specialist.
Player R1
A staple at our Wednesday night game, R1 started out playing a mage who rolled the Eunuch sorcerer template. He rolled with it, and Whelan-Thiss became the preeminent magic-user. Unfortunately, a gargoyle in the Dwimmermount mangled his hand, so Whelan-Thiss needed a restore life and limb. While he's been recovering (30 days is harsh), R1 has played Cadus the Mad, a 1st level dwarven fury, and Grimdal Stonegrinder, a 1st level dwarven machinist. Cadus was of the Hammerspite clan, but, even though the are the dwarven equivalent of trailer trash, living in a dump in Muntburg, Cadus was too crazy, even for them.
E
R1's wife, and my good friend, E is playing a 2nd level Nobiran Wonderworker named Daymana. Daymana is about seven feet tall, a master of makeup, and a connoisseur of wigs and jewelry.Nobody really asks Daymana what he or she is really about. Daymana has a wand of polymorphing which has proven very useful.
T1
Rain is a 3rd level elven nightblade who dual wields two magic swords. The better of the two is the fabled blade Karakgoburzgarandak, Foe-Knife-Shatter-Master, or Shatterfoe in the Common tongue. This blade was found in the tomb of a dwarven warrior in Khaz Droonan. Shatterfoe is a +2 sword which warms in the presence of goblins within 60' and, when attacking such creatures, sunders non-magical weapons on a roll of 17-20. In his off-hand he wields a nameless +1 sword. Rain has been very lucky with the backstabs and the kill shots.
L
This player started out as a live player, but transitioned to Skype only as she and her partner (B) moved far enough away that they can't just stop in. L is playing a 2nd level shaman, Nymeria. Nymeria's primary claim to fame is being a voice of reason in the party- and when that fails, she's got a horn of blasting.
B
B is playing a 1st level elf spellsword named Byrt Reynaulds. I wish I were making this up. His picture on our Facebook group is Sterling Archer with ear tips and a bow. Byrt is... not the voice of reason.
J
J has a couple of distinctions going for him. One, he's my oldest friend- practically my brother. This allows me to fuck with him mercilessly. Two, no matter who he is playing, he always seems to be first through the door, which has resulted in more deaths, dings, cuts, scrapes, lost arms, eyes gouged out... the list, man. He was also the first PC death... in the second room of the first session. That character, Roshin, was a 1st level Nobiran wonderworker. He has since played Doric Bosley up to 3rd level cleric. Doric got literally eaten by troglodytes, and so after they got his and Rory's mangled skeletons back and life and limbs restored, he started playing Koster Stonegrinder, a 2nd level dwarven craftpriest. Koster was also out of action for a bit, so J started playing Ssarook, a 1st level Thrassian gladiator, and his henchman Damian Hawthorne, a 2nd level alchemist. Having a henchman worked out, because Ssarook had three stories of tower collapse on him a few sessions ago. For about half a session, Doric had a thief henchman named Jean-Luc, but a trap caused that to not work out. So yeah. Six total characters. Roshin has the inglorious fate of being the last primary PC to die before the party got rich enough that Restore Life and Limb flows fairly regularly.
T2
J's fiance, T2 has also played a few folks. She started as Rory, a 2nd level bladedancer, but died and was eaten in the same messy fighting retreat as Doric. They went back and slew the troglodyte feasters, and Rory and Doric are about 20 days through their 30 days rest. In the meantime, T2 has played Urian Hammerspite, a 3rd level dwarven delver, and Veriswen Tathlond, a 1st level elf courtier.
R2
R2 is A1 and I's roommate. She's played a variety of characters, primarily Vartan, a 3rd level elf ranger. Vartan bears a sword +1, +2 vs spellcasters, which he has christened "Bitchin'." When Vartan was unavailable, R2 made Delphina, a 3rd level cleric, and when SHE wasn't available, she made Phil of Panzance, a 1st level assassin. Noteworthy is that this area is hundreds of miles from the ocean, so a pirate-themed assassin sticks out like a sore, sore thumb. Stupid template rolls.
R3
R2's boyfriend, R3 is playing Zayne Lionheart, a 3rd level dwarven machinist. Zayne is noteworthy in that he got leather armor +2 in an assault on the brigands of the ruins of Winterburg, and immediately went to Adamas to trade it in for... a caravan. As no one there (class III city) had the liquid wealth to purchase the armor, he chose to trade it for about 25% of it's worth for a 6 wagon caravan and all it's goods. He sold a bit of it, but is still sitting on 90 barrels of preserved fish, stacked floor to ceiling in his cottage in Muntburg.
R4
I know a lot of people whose names start with R. R4 is playing a level 1 assassin named Meric Calloway. He has only made one session so far, and was beaten up by gnolls.
A2
A2 was there at the first session of this campaign, playing Alisdair, a 1st level warlock. Woe to Alisdair, however, as in our first session, the second tromp down into Dwimmermount was met with an enemy NPC party which both outnumbered and outgunned the PCs. Trogdor, the following day, discovered the bodies of Felix, Doric, and Alisdair, naked, stacked like cordwood near a statue of Mavors. Alisdair's fingers were all broken and his tongue torn loose. He retired to obscurity, sans spellbook.
A2 made a new character, Artemis the 1st level elven ranger, but has yet to rejoin us to play him. A2 has played with us before, so I don't think he's mad at me...
A3
A3 is an old friend of mine, playing a character dredged up from our ancient Hackmaster campaign Nimloth Remmirath is a 1st level elf spellsword, albino, who has nightmares and talks in her sleep. She was recently in charge of delivering over a gallon of azoth from Muntburg to Adamas, literally flooding the market.
M
A3's husband, M is playing an old character from a different old campaign of mine, that one ran in Basic Fantasy RP. M is playing a gnome assassin-esque character, here called a skulk. He's only been able to make one game so far.
G
Olan the Incautious. 2nd level barbarian. Another shipwrecked character from the same campaign Lorasaadi came from, Olan is young, naive, and happy to hit it with his axe. G lives in Massachusetts, so he only ever Skypes in. G is also one of my best friends, so I am happy to do the Skype thing just to get to game with him.
S
S is playing Sander, who started out as a Neutral, world-weary huscarl of a barbarian. An encounter with a shrine of Law in the Dwimmermount transformed him in a flash of lightning into a gruesomely-scarred, Lawful character with characteristics of both barbarian and paladin- a "Changed Crusader." S recently obtained a sword +1, +2 vs. spellcasters, which he intends to use against the witches and heretics. Sander's religious conversion has made him a stalwart of Typhon.
My descriptions would not be complete without the two NPC henchmen the party takes with them quite often.
Felix is now a 2nd level fighter, up from the 0th level fighting-man they hired in their first session. He gets full XP and shares of loot, since he is totally aware he is better than half the party. Felix is utterly, completely devoted to Trogdor, even though it's not the wisest course of action for him, as he's died three or four times. He was also "Felicia" for a while after a bad roll, and had a baboon leg. All things considered, though, he's done well- even going adventuring with his own henchmen once or twice, Gerrald and Scar.
Gurn Hammerspite is a 1st level dwarven vaultguard, who also had been hired as a 0th level meatshield. He's not loyal to anyone, specifically, but he does like his PC cousin Urian and his PC dwarven fellows Zayn, Grimdal, Cadus and Koster. Gurn just started adventuring again, having had his arm regrown from being sizzled off by gray ooze in a forgotten Thrassian temple.
There have been a few more NPC henchmen- Rita, Sammore, Oscar- but Rita got killed by a spider, Sammore was returned from death all... stupid, and Oscar saw them looting the corpse of a fellow PC and gave up on the party entirely.
The party has two dwarven personal automatons, a cadre of guards at Zayn's machinist shop/pickled fish warehouse in Muntburg, some guards at the stronghold near Dwimmermount, and two "hell hounds" named Hellfire and Brimstone which have been crossbred with normal mastiffs to have 2 HD and the ability to breathe fire, and look just like normal dogs.
Whew. I think that's it.
Tomorrow I may post a map of the area we're adventuring in- I separated out the globe into a Dymaxion projection and drew one triangle- so, basically, Europe. The world of Talis is the size of Mars, so the map I'll be posting runs from the 30th parallel to the North pole.
Almost every player has a dude or three- ACKS resting doesn't stop the party.
Speaking of parties, the adventuring party (with the number of players and characters, it's more of a guild) recently built a stronghold not far from Dwimmermount to replace the party cottage they were rapidly outgrowing. This one is a 3600 square foot wooden structure, two floors, with a stable/smithy, surrounded by a log palisade and eventually to be patrolled by the two changed hellhounds Trogdor befriended and then had transmogrified into mastiffs who breathe fire.
I'm not going to use real names here, just initials. I will give the real character names- even the silly ones. :) Now, I should note that even though some names are silly, the characters are, generally, not. Everyone's taking the game seriously, and I love them for that.
Player A1
The party house in Muntburg was owned by Trogdor, who started life as my fiance's Thrassian gladiator. After many, many sessions of play, he is now 3rd level, and has been combined with the ruins of a slain manticore in a horrid Chaotic ritual, basically turning him into a Thrassian Value 4 gladiator. (He's got wings, iron scales, iron teeth, a Bowser mane...) Trogdor is Chaotic to the core, but in a friendly sort of way. He does make jerky out of... well... pretty much everything. Trogdor's closest friend is Doric, who has adventured with him since they both began. The kobolds on level 1 (the ones the party left alive) worship Trogdor like the sleek scaly god he is.
After many, many sessions (at least 20? Maybe more?) the highest level party members are just under 4th. The reason for this is manifold. People keep needing rest, so that takes them out of the action. Or, people have altaholism, so they play another dude for a while. Or, worst offender, people just can't make as many sessions as others. The numbers I give for levels are their current ones.
A also has a 2nd level explorer named Lorasaadi, who particularly hates dragons, and carries a voodoo doll of one stuffed with pins. Lorasaadi comes from an old campaign of mine, and was translated out of a LotFP specialist.
Player R1
A staple at our Wednesday night game, R1 started out playing a mage who rolled the Eunuch sorcerer template. He rolled with it, and Whelan-Thiss became the preeminent magic-user. Unfortunately, a gargoyle in the Dwimmermount mangled his hand, so Whelan-Thiss needed a restore life and limb. While he's been recovering (30 days is harsh), R1 has played Cadus the Mad, a 1st level dwarven fury, and Grimdal Stonegrinder, a 1st level dwarven machinist. Cadus was of the Hammerspite clan, but, even though the are the dwarven equivalent of trailer trash, living in a dump in Muntburg, Cadus was too crazy, even for them.
E
R1's wife, and my good friend, E is playing a 2nd level Nobiran Wonderworker named Daymana. Daymana is about seven feet tall, a master of makeup, and a connoisseur of wigs and jewelry.Nobody really asks Daymana what he or she is really about. Daymana has a wand of polymorphing which has proven very useful.
T1
Rain is a 3rd level elven nightblade who dual wields two magic swords. The better of the two is the fabled blade Karakgoburzgarandak, Foe-Knife-Shatter-Master, or Shatterfoe in the Common tongue. This blade was found in the tomb of a dwarven warrior in Khaz Droonan. Shatterfoe is a +2 sword which warms in the presence of goblins within 60' and, when attacking such creatures, sunders non-magical weapons on a roll of 17-20. In his off-hand he wields a nameless +1 sword. Rain has been very lucky with the backstabs and the kill shots.
L
This player started out as a live player, but transitioned to Skype only as she and her partner (B) moved far enough away that they can't just stop in. L is playing a 2nd level shaman, Nymeria. Nymeria's primary claim to fame is being a voice of reason in the party- and when that fails, she's got a horn of blasting.
B
B is playing a 1st level elf spellsword named Byrt Reynaulds. I wish I were making this up. His picture on our Facebook group is Sterling Archer with ear tips and a bow. Byrt is... not the voice of reason.
J
J has a couple of distinctions going for him. One, he's my oldest friend- practically my brother. This allows me to fuck with him mercilessly. Two, no matter who he is playing, he always seems to be first through the door, which has resulted in more deaths, dings, cuts, scrapes, lost arms, eyes gouged out... the list, man. He was also the first PC death... in the second room of the first session. That character, Roshin, was a 1st level Nobiran wonderworker. He has since played Doric Bosley up to 3rd level cleric. Doric got literally eaten by troglodytes, and so after they got his and Rory's mangled skeletons back and life and limbs restored, he started playing Koster Stonegrinder, a 2nd level dwarven craftpriest. Koster was also out of action for a bit, so J started playing Ssarook, a 1st level Thrassian gladiator, and his henchman Damian Hawthorne, a 2nd level alchemist. Having a henchman worked out, because Ssarook had three stories of tower collapse on him a few sessions ago. For about half a session, Doric had a thief henchman named Jean-Luc, but a trap caused that to not work out. So yeah. Six total characters. Roshin has the inglorious fate of being the last primary PC to die before the party got rich enough that Restore Life and Limb flows fairly regularly.
T2
J's fiance, T2 has also played a few folks. She started as Rory, a 2nd level bladedancer, but died and was eaten in the same messy fighting retreat as Doric. They went back and slew the troglodyte feasters, and Rory and Doric are about 20 days through their 30 days rest. In the meantime, T2 has played Urian Hammerspite, a 3rd level dwarven delver, and Veriswen Tathlond, a 1st level elf courtier.
R2
R2 is A1 and I's roommate. She's played a variety of characters, primarily Vartan, a 3rd level elf ranger. Vartan bears a sword +1, +2 vs spellcasters, which he has christened "Bitchin'." When Vartan was unavailable, R2 made Delphina, a 3rd level cleric, and when SHE wasn't available, she made Phil of Panzance, a 1st level assassin. Noteworthy is that this area is hundreds of miles from the ocean, so a pirate-themed assassin sticks out like a sore, sore thumb. Stupid template rolls.
R3
R2's boyfriend, R3 is playing Zayne Lionheart, a 3rd level dwarven machinist. Zayne is noteworthy in that he got leather armor +2 in an assault on the brigands of the ruins of Winterburg, and immediately went to Adamas to trade it in for... a caravan. As no one there (class III city) had the liquid wealth to purchase the armor, he chose to trade it for about 25% of it's worth for a 6 wagon caravan and all it's goods. He sold a bit of it, but is still sitting on 90 barrels of preserved fish, stacked floor to ceiling in his cottage in Muntburg.
R4
I know a lot of people whose names start with R. R4 is playing a level 1 assassin named Meric Calloway. He has only made one session so far, and was beaten up by gnolls.
A2
A2 was there at the first session of this campaign, playing Alisdair, a 1st level warlock. Woe to Alisdair, however, as in our first session, the second tromp down into Dwimmermount was met with an enemy NPC party which both outnumbered and outgunned the PCs. Trogdor, the following day, discovered the bodies of Felix, Doric, and Alisdair, naked, stacked like cordwood near a statue of Mavors. Alisdair's fingers were all broken and his tongue torn loose. He retired to obscurity, sans spellbook.
A2 made a new character, Artemis the 1st level elven ranger, but has yet to rejoin us to play him. A2 has played with us before, so I don't think he's mad at me...
A3
A3 is an old friend of mine, playing a character dredged up from our ancient Hackmaster campaign Nimloth Remmirath is a 1st level elf spellsword, albino, who has nightmares and talks in her sleep. She was recently in charge of delivering over a gallon of azoth from Muntburg to Adamas, literally flooding the market.
M
A3's husband, M is playing an old character from a different old campaign of mine, that one ran in Basic Fantasy RP. M is playing a gnome assassin-esque character, here called a skulk. He's only been able to make one game so far.
G
Olan the Incautious. 2nd level barbarian. Another shipwrecked character from the same campaign Lorasaadi came from, Olan is young, naive, and happy to hit it with his axe. G lives in Massachusetts, so he only ever Skypes in. G is also one of my best friends, so I am happy to do the Skype thing just to get to game with him.
S
S is playing Sander, who started out as a Neutral, world-weary huscarl of a barbarian. An encounter with a shrine of Law in the Dwimmermount transformed him in a flash of lightning into a gruesomely-scarred, Lawful character with characteristics of both barbarian and paladin- a "Changed Crusader." S recently obtained a sword +1, +2 vs. spellcasters, which he intends to use against the witches and heretics. Sander's religious conversion has made him a stalwart of Typhon.
My descriptions would not be complete without the two NPC henchmen the party takes with them quite often.
Felix is now a 2nd level fighter, up from the 0th level fighting-man they hired in their first session. He gets full XP and shares of loot, since he is totally aware he is better than half the party. Felix is utterly, completely devoted to Trogdor, even though it's not the wisest course of action for him, as he's died three or four times. He was also "Felicia" for a while after a bad roll, and had a baboon leg. All things considered, though, he's done well- even going adventuring with his own henchmen once or twice, Gerrald and Scar.
Gurn Hammerspite is a 1st level dwarven vaultguard, who also had been hired as a 0th level meatshield. He's not loyal to anyone, specifically, but he does like his PC cousin Urian and his PC dwarven fellows Zayn, Grimdal, Cadus and Koster. Gurn just started adventuring again, having had his arm regrown from being sizzled off by gray ooze in a forgotten Thrassian temple.
There have been a few more NPC henchmen- Rita, Sammore, Oscar- but Rita got killed by a spider, Sammore was returned from death all... stupid, and Oscar saw them looting the corpse of a fellow PC and gave up on the party entirely.
The party has two dwarven personal automatons, a cadre of guards at Zayn's machinist shop/pickled fish warehouse in Muntburg, some guards at the stronghold near Dwimmermount, and two "hell hounds" named Hellfire and Brimstone which have been crossbred with normal mastiffs to have 2 HD and the ability to breathe fire, and look just like normal dogs.
Whew. I think that's it.
Tomorrow I may post a map of the area we're adventuring in- I separated out the globe into a Dymaxion projection and drew one triangle- so, basically, Europe. The world of Talis is the size of Mars, so the map I'll be posting runs from the 30th parallel to the North pole.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)