Thursday, March 31, 2011

Setting Stuff

The majority of Castavarns are found in the Kay'Le'Eeska'Rarns. But if that's so, then who's to say, why Kasaviirs are not their prey?

You, of course, along with what Castavarns and Kasaviirs are, and what sort of place the Kay'Le'Eeska'Rarns are.

Note: "Kasaviirs don't live there, stupid!" or some other thing that defies standard expectations is, of course, quite welcome

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

ADMT Group Project: Room 10

Room 10:

These rooms are covered in runes from floor to ceiling. One of them (d6 for which) contains a strange crystalline implement (an Ispenil), which is hovering in midair, and will point to the first non-goblinoid to enter. If all of those entering are part goblinoid (For example, Half-Orcs) there is a 50% chance it will point to any of them. If not, it cannot be removed, but will do no harm to them. If a goblinoid attempts to remove it they must save vs. spells or attack the nearest creature.

It can be used to create runes with various effects. However, if it is used on a goblinoid or part-goblinoid, they must save vs. spells, or lose 1d6 HP. If used on them again, they will begin to attack all creatures around them other than the one who used the Ispenil on them, who can give them simple commands (Including "stop attacking", or "Follow his/her orders"). They will not eat, sleep, or drink, unless ordered to. They will fight until dead or ordered to stop.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Microfiction: Outside and In

She hated windows, but loved the outdoors. The painting was a way to cater to her tastes.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Carcass Fiddler

Carcass Fiddler

AC: -2
HD: 10 (d12)
#Appearing: 4-6
Move Rate: 13' (In-game feet)
FREQUENCY: Common
%IN LAIR: 50%
TREASURE TYPE: Necrinstruments
NO. ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENCES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 50%
INTELLIGENCE: Genius
ALIGNMENT: Any
SIZE: M

The Carcass Fiddlers are green to grey humanoids, with mid-size orange tusks. They use dead bodies to play music, and are commonly seen as entertainers in the City of Bells.

The variety of instruments used by the Carcass Fiddlers is highly extreme. For example, one might slice from the area directly between the collarbones to the bottom of the stomach, and then mummify the body, at which point some of the ribs would be removed, the chest cavity hollowed out, and the skin stretched back over and sewn together, forming a drum. The skull would then be taken, and the neck skin removed for later use. The arms and legs would also be cut off, and some of their skin used to cover the holes from the removal of the head and limbs. At this point, the radius should be removed, drilled, and attached to the back of the skull, which will have skin from the legs and neck folded under the lower jaw, back over the top of the skull, and then sewn at the joint. Here some teeth will be removed (which depend on the personal preference of the musician), and the Skull Flute (played through the nose, mouth, or eyes) and Body Drum are complete. And this is from one body, prepared in one way, by one person. The Carcass Fiddle, which is the most common, is created by placing a rod through the spine and into the skull, securing the ribcage, and stringing lengths of the intestines at various points. Then, various bones are rodded onto the tailbone, depending on the desired height.

Corpse Worms

XP Value: Base creature+100 (Per group)

All other statistics are as the base creature.

The corpse worm has a collective intelligence. A large group of them can convincingly simulate the muscles they have eaten, and often do so to get jobs as gravediggers or others who work with the dead. If not stopped, d4 new infestations per day will occur for each body the worms inhabit. Know Alignment will detect them, as it will return no alignment whatsoever if used on them.

Interesting Exchanges, Which Lead to Fleshing The World

C'nor (Outermost_Toe) said...

Oops. Missed that discussion.

Some common forms of slave in my world:

Raviien who have had their wings chained together or removed are often used as disposable troops by the Ork'Aaln and their allies (Elves, humans, dwarves).

Elves are used as concubines by many races. Usually this is to pay off debts.

The Asodel are now indentured servants, mostly to Calaris or those in her Abyss. Except for the mourners; those are still in the city.

12:22 PM

trollsmyth said...

Telecanter: My pleasure. I like including WTF cultural details in my games to remind the players that our games do not, in fact, take place in Kansas. ;)

1d30: Exactly what is, and isn't, slavery changes through the ages. "Indentured servants," "chain gangs," "conscripts," and "graduate students" could all be argued to have been synonyms for "slaves" at one time or another. ;p

C'nor: Sounds like a pretty brutal world you have there. Are elves chosen for concubines because of their beauty, or for other reasons?

9:03 PM
C'nor (Outermost_Toe) said...

Partly beauty, partly the fact that about 65% of elves are infertile, and of the rest their children tend to be stillborn around 40% of the time. As they get to keep any money, jewelery, etc., that they are given, and may recieve a position within the house that offered or received them, some elves offer themselves to a noble house as bargaining pieces so that they have a better chance of making it past Mi'Naa (The age between 100 and 300, after which others must offer you food and shelter for three days).
The reason that the fertility problems of elves are important is that the standard contract for a concubine states that the term of service ends after anywhere from 1-5 years, or until the concubine successfully bears the child of the owner. Thus, if they used a race like the Dwarves (Also enslaved fairly often, but mostly because they're so miserly that they'd rather use themselves for collateral than anything they own), they'd not only have no concubines, they'd have a bunch of children that they then have to raise.

3:08 AM

trollsmyth said...

C'nor: Interesting. So it looks like most of the slavery is voluntary, then?

Concubinage isn't unheard of in the lands of Doom & Tea Parties, but it's rarely done with "short-term" slaves. It primarily exists to elevate some slaves and to legitimize the children an owner might have with them. In some places (among the efreet, for instance) there is no legal distinction between children born of a wife and those born of a concubine.

9:56 PM
C'nor (Outermost_Toe) said...

"So it looks like most of the slavery is voluntary, then?"

Among the elves, yes, in some ways. There aren't that many slaves in the elven society itself, because they can't simply outlive the owner, but among the shorter-lived groups... Part of it is that the elves have pretty much mined out all of their natural resources, and the nobles are the only ones with any money. 10-20 gold is pretty good for an elven peasant.

The Raviien are mostly prisoners of war, though the best fighters, druids or mages can eventually earn a place among the Ork'Aaln.

The Asodel can't leave until they've paid off their debt to Calaris, but they ended up there accidentally. In fact, she tricked them into thinking they were going the opposite direction, then claimed a debt since she saved them from dying in the desert.

10:47 PM

This was on Trollsmyth's blog (trollsmyth.blogspot.com). I don't know how plain it is, but all of the stuff in my expansion postings was come up with on the fly. So thanks.

Suburus

Once again, what is this? As with Unter, please include an alternate name, due to the fact that I have something I came up with for this, and I want to be able to use your ideas.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Game Report: Southern Seas, Sessions 1 & 2.

I'm playing this guy:

Kasiv

Magic-User
Money: 13 (owed 13 by Dorian) GP (Base 130)
0 SP
5 CP
Age: 32 years, 9 months

Neutral
Human
(Base Rolls)
2-5-1 (8)
5-3-4 (12)
6-5-6 (17)
6-2-2 (10)
2-3-3 (8)
6-6-6 (18)

Int: 18
Con: 17
Cha: 12
Str: 10
Dex: 8
Wis: 8

Spells:
1st:
Read Magic (Automatic)
Unseen Servant (Random)
Charm Person (Random
Find Familiar (Chosen)

Gear:
Boots. high, hard
Boots, high, soft
Robe
Belt
Bit & Bridle
Saddle
Saddle Bags, large
Saddle Blanket
Belladonna, sprig (1)
Wolvesbane, sprig (1)
Spellbook (2, 1 in saddlebags, 1 on me)
Rope, 50'
Oil, flask (5) Animals:
Torch (10) Horse, riding (light) (Mariskol)
Dog, guard (Amakthenros)

Kasiv is tall and thin, with dark skin. He has brown hair, and dark grey eyes. He is from a small village in the human kingdoms, where he worked as a porter, and has come to the city to get away from the constant work, though he is, in a way, grateful that he started his life there, as he otherwise would not have discovered his magical abilities (He found out about them when he was carrying a heavy load and accidentally summoned an Unseen Servant).


Upon my arrival by caravan in Skalfier, I stabled my horses and then proceeded to The Captain's Quarters, where I met Dorian, also a human mage. I agree to join forces with Dorian, and aid him in acquiring magical artifacts. We discuss, out of character, the enlistment of hirelings, and it is decided that we should hire a light footman in addition to the torchbearer we already have. I eat, have something to drink, and then proceed to learn about the ways to get into the Merchant's Guild, as well as what the local time is like.

After this, I wander around the docks for about six bells (3 hours), and then go to the traveling market, where I inquire about being sponsored into the guild. Sadly, no-one is able to help with my efforts, so I continue on with Dorian. Up to this point, Serena (The torchbearer) and Magar (The footman) have been with us, but it's getting late, so I give Serena 4 gold and have them acquire private rooms for all of us, after which I continue to the Merchant's Guild. Glossing over details, I way overpaid a messenger, and sent a letter to the Caravan Master, which said I knew about a bandit attack (Lying, naturally), and where I'd gotten them from when he asked for details. I then ran off to the nearest cover, and prepared to charm him when he came out. So far as I know, it worked, but two people saw me. I tried to cover up what I'd been doing by saying that I was trying to read a scroll (Actually a fake Dorian made for me), but they were having none of it, and started shouting at me about being an evil, horrible mage. I tried to smooth things over by saying that I'd been using a trinket that I was given by a mage in payment, and I was actually an alchemist, but they didn't like that, either. The session ended with me walking towards the Caravan Master.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Late To The Wagon

My re-imagining monsters post. At the same time, I'm early - I did this before it was a wagon.

The Carcass Fiddlers (Expanded Table)

1. Escaped Raviien slaves. Not so much "chewing" as "searching for a key to unlock the wing-hobbles", but still...

2. d4 Bellkeepers trying to hide whatever weird effects have happened to it. Roll on the Table of Bells to determine which. If the Peeling Bell, roll twice, and whatever is left will be messing with the scraps of flesh. Also, a trail will be left behind them.

3. Carcass Fiddlers trying to decide if they can make it into a new instrument.

4. 2d6 Exploding Cats. If the corpse is that of one or more of such animals, they will simply be littering the streets in small chunks. (See link)

5. A Daeling . It is preparing to take the form of the body, at which time the corpse will be dissolved.

6. The "corpse" is actually a starving zombie. It is eating itself.

7. d4 elven concubines. They are attempting to revive or rob it.

8. T'Louk'Btan'Kiak (The Father of Trolls). He is preparing to turn it into a Troll.

9. Corpse Worms*.

10. Necromancer looking for test subjects. There is a 75% chance he has a government sanction.

*The corpse worm has a collective intelligence. A large group of them can convincingly simulate the muscles they have eaten, and often do so to get jobs as gravediggers or others who work with the dead. If not stopped, d4 new infestations per day will occur for each body the worms inhabit. Know alignment will detect them, as it will return no alignment whatsoever if used on them.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Expansions 6: Trial by Wire

"What stuff? You're in a snowstorm wearing nothing but a credstick."

Talsi blinked. "I am?"

--------

"Look elf, you're coming along," the Lonestar replied.

"Clothes?"

"When we get there, deck-head*."

Deck-head:

Decker; also, someone who spends large amounts of time on the Grid.

--------

"Hey. Wake up!" said the cop, shaking the elf awake.

"What is it?"

"We're here"

---------

Talsi blinked. She did so twice, in fact. Was this really what they called food here? (Note: I used the example word of "food" which isn't technically an expansion word)

---------

"I see no reason to believe that she is rogue. At worst, she was falstimmed*

*Falstimmed: Given false sensory stimulations, especially without consent and/or knowledge.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

A Thought

If you're looking for an alternate description, why not translate the name into another language and then back?

After all, "Tower of Cat-like Beings" becomes this in traditional Chinese, "塔似貓神仙", but if you feed it back through the same program it reads it as "Tower feline gods", which turns to this "貓神塔", which becomes "Cat God Tower", which is where it finally ends up? I put in "Place of the ugly pig-snouts", or "醜陋的地方豬鼻子", and it turned into "Local pig ugly nose", which is this "本地豬鼻子", and translates back as "Local farms ugly nose", where it stops. How about "Sword, Cursed Backbiting", which is a fairly standard magic item? It becomes "劍,詛咒誹謗", or "Sword, cursed libel" which transmutes itself to "劍,詛咒誹謗" where it comes to a halt. What about "head-cutting blade used on monsters", or a Vorpal Sword? It becomes "頭切割刀片用於怪物" ("Cutting blade for a monster head"), which in turn goes to "切割刀片的怪獸頭", or "Monster head cutting blade", which is the end of the sequence.

For even more complexity, you could put it through English-Traditional-Simplified-English. For example, "Cow-beast tower-lands, spiral above like water down a drain", is "牛頭獸塔土地,螺旋以上如水下了排水" in traditional, but "
牛头兽塔土地,螺旋以上如水下了排水", in simplified, though since I got "Tau land animal tower, above the water spiral down the drain" from this it method, it may be useless.

The Ceremonial Socks of The Ardrissi Priests: Dungeoneer's Socks

The Ardrissi have sworn to never wear shoes. However, there is nothing in their vows about the use of socks, which has lead to the creation of a great deal of specialized variations of this common article of clothing.

Dungeoneer's Socks:

The first sock type created by the Ardrissi seems to have appeared around 450 years ago, at the very beginning of their order. In this rudimentary state, it was nothing more than 10-15 pairs of socks, each a bit larger than the last, and possibly sewn together. However, this early form quickly became reinforced with clay on the outside, in the hopes that they would provide more protection. Results were mixed, at best...[See, Ceremonial Socks of The Ardrissi, Volume 1] ...The modern form of Dungeoneer's Socks have rabbit fur lining the inside, the equivalent of 5-7 pairs of thick woolen socks, a thick layer of goose down, surrounded by another layer like the first, and are covered in 1/3" thick leather. There is a flap on the top for the insertion of heated rocks.

The upshot of all this is that they now count as leather armor +2, or +4 if an attack is made against the legs.

Edit: Forget to mention the rules for these, changed leather thickness.

"He speaks to the bees..."

He speaks to the bees, and the bees speak to him.

Who keeps who, I wonder?

(A bit of Flash Fiction.)

Nut and Beads:My Predictions on Megacrawl 17

Here's the actions we gave:
migellito said...

Brithild grips her axe tightly, gives the party a determined look, and leads through the black curtain, shield-first.

C'nor (Outermost_Toe) said...

Hang on - before she does, can Owedd speak with her a moment? If he can, he'd like to climb into her backpack, leaving only his head protruding, and warn her of any foes that approach from the rear. If not, he will do the same for any other adventurer that wishes to follow her.

Whitney C. Barber said...

Thrumma: Owedd, once we are on the other side of this curtain have you any caltrops to lay for our pursuers?

C'nor (Outermost_Toe) said...

I could scatter sling bullets? They're round after all...

C'nor (Outermost_Toe) said...

Oh, and pour water on the floor.

Ooh, can't feel nice those, not even to goblin feet. Brilliant Owedd!

C'nor (Outermost_Toe) said...

Thanks! Now I just need to wait for Brithild's response.

My prediction is that while the goblins will hit those, and probably fall down like they've played a game of "Ring around the Rosy" after getting drunk, Owedd won't be acting as rear lookout for the scout.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Players Requested

I'm DMing a campaign here. There's one (or two at most) people in it right now. If you have a reddit and/or Obsidian Portal account(s), then you're welcome to join. It's using AD&D rules, and my Morilar setting. Anyone interested?

What Does [He] Look Like, Where is [He] From: Jefferies Seresno

Basically, what the title says. Who is this guy?

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Flash Fearsday: Run!

Continued from here.

From the night before:

Running on the grass. Wait - is that Leila Stevenson's house? Right number... But the building's wrong. Where am I? What happened to me?

Dragon!!! Or, Sllthsmkolptikalmgrt of the Marsh

Sllthsmkolptikalmgrt* of the Marsh isn't terribly smart, but he's not terribly dumb, either (Average). He is a lawful good sub-adult. He is 30 feet long, and weighs 792 pounds. He's quite hard to hit, with an AC of 0. He has 10 HD, and 140 HP. He's rather slow, moving 10 feet on the ground, and flies at the same rate. He uses the standard "Claw/Claw/Bite" routine. He has a weak right arm, thus he only does 1-4 damage per round with it, but the other does 1-6, and his powerful bite does 1-8. He breathes Cold as a white dragon. He is very persuasive (Dragon Speech). He is a horrible mixture of a bird and a frog, owning a beak, and bird-like wings covered in feathers, but has lime and smooth, slippery skin elsewhere. His eyes bulge from his head. He has green wings, and his skin is covered in ornate patterns of brown and green. He is hardly ever in his lair (10%). He will often speak, but will rarely be caught sleeping, and does not use magic often. He is obsessed with colorful fish, and is really working for a neighboring power. He stands upright, much like a carnosaur, but has wings.

*Sal-il-this-kolp-tikal-mag-er

Many thanks to E.G Palmer, who's Unexpurgated Dragon Generator I used.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Delusional Doom Blogfest!

See here for more on this.

Miskriila The Seducer Killed in Bizarre Incident

Miskriila the Seducer, Avatar of Savorla the Kingbreaker, was declared dead in the fifth week of her journey through the swamps, supposedly after being eaten alive. This strange occurrence took place on the 71st day of the second week of Sirg, which is celebrated in Kaln'Saeeva as the birthdate of Miskriila. In theory it should not be surprising that she has finally died. After all, though appearing to be a normal Faal'Duun, she has lived for 3000 years. However, it would seem that she has become regarded as a permanent fixture in the city here. Liinta'Mko is able to report that as the demi-god made her way across the fens she appears to have cut herself on a sharp stone. We were able to interview Jriiskan Faelnuur, her companion, who was apparently watching as the events unfolded. "She was injured that morning, but it was just a small cut," she revealed. "But it was nowhere near enough to attract anything, so we didn't worry about it. But then... Well then.." (After this point she began crying, and we were unable to get anything further from her.) However, we have reproduced her written account below.
"Well, Miskriila had a little cut on her hand. Did you know, she told me once that a Gistvaar can smell things up to ten times better than a human? Pity she never learned how well a midge can smell though. We hadn't gone two steps before they were on her. She just vanished under a cloud of them. Poof! Just like a magic trick."
Whatever really happened, Miskriila will surely be missed until such time as she may reappear, if any.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Fiction of Morilar - Part 1

Miskriila laughed. Or at least, she tried to laugh. The smell coming from the abomination in front of her made it difficult.

"You would come here, oozing slime from your every step, and ask for shelter? Be grateful that we did not slaughter you before you reached the gates, beast," she said.

"I came to ask for shelter in exchange for information on those that fled Rottown. Something you seem to have forgotten," replied the Rotman.

"Forgotten?" She said softly. "Forgotten! I did not forget. I simply do not care. Now begone! Go back to your damned swamp or stay in the mountains until you freeze, I don't care. Just get out of my city," she shouted.

"Very well," the Rotman said. "But do not expect to be welcome among us in the future."

Expansions 4 & 5: At The Station, Lunchtime

"What stuff? You're in a snowstorm wearing nothing but a credstick."

Talsi blinked. "I am?"

--------

"Look elf, you're coming along," the Lonestar replied.

"Clothes?"

"When we get there, deck-head*."

Deck-head:

Decker; also, someone who spends large amounts of time on the Grid.

--------

"Hey. Wake up!" said the cop, shaking the elf awake.

"What is it?"

"We're here"

---------

Talsi blinked. She did so twice, in fact. Was this really what they called food here?

Song Fiction

"And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon God they made." (The Sound of Silence, Simon and Garfunkel)

Standing on a promenade, in the unaccustomed shade.

Tubes were shattered letting in the night, the feeble sun became our only light.

So we watched from below, searching for their brilliant glow.

Eyes track the fall of tools, and the silent, shadowed, duels.

Engineers seeking for fame, play their deadly hidden game.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From "The Sahara at Noon: A Study of The Photovoltaic Adaptations of The Human Race, and the effects of Sub-lit Conditions upon Us",

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not done yet, but I'll write more at some point.

Greenstuff

I've now made a fleet of ships for my sci-fi adaptation of Warmachine. They are:

A Drone unit. Two of them have K-S Lasclusters. One of these is the leader of the unit. He's got a decoration on him, also - a Revifix, the symbol of a major death cult on Linstar. Another one has a Grav Claw, and the final two are armed with a Kasvar Laser and a Pilum Missile Launcher.

There's also an Altezosso Fighter, with K-S Lasclusters, and a Pilum. It also has a Revifix mounted to it.

Edit: I've also added some steam bits to a Bane Thrall.

Witch Class: Alliances

Witches can (Though not all of them have to, and most don't) make alliances with extra-planar creatures.

The main forms are:

The Daemoniorum Pacem (Peace of Demons).

The Foedus Angelorum (Compact of Angels) .

And the Foris Vinculum (Bond of Outsiders) - a general term referring to alliances with other extra-planar creatures, such as the Kiin'Adu, Hunaal, or the Duun'Variin.

All of these have specific benefits, and all witches will be approached at the beginning of the game by a representative of each group. If they choose not to accept a deal with any of them, nothing further happens. If they do though, then they will have benefits and restrictions as negotiated with the DM.

Let's take a look at some examples of each of the three:

Daemoniorum Pacem: Marianne of Lamir:

She was approached by a demon named Nantuana, who offered her visions of the future and increased magical ability, in return for the sacrifice of a dog each week. The dog must be burned alive in Sessir Oil, and then eaten by her companions.

Benefits:
All spells are cast as though she is one level higher than she is.

She can prepare an addition spell each day.

She can use Precognition (as the spell) once per day at no cost.

Foedus Angelorum: Rothil Oorlog:

He was spoken to in a dream by an angel named
Tospirxatael, who gave him special spells and powers in return for converting 'heretics'. (One follower of another religion per month must be converted, and brought back to a church of Xomut and Rezaz for purification)

Benefits:

Angel's Favor: Reroll any failed roll once per day.

Rewards of Faith: Once per day, he can heal 2d20 HP. Additional HP over any damage taken will be used as temporary hitpoints - they will protect the character from harm, but cannot be restored. This rule is subject to the Big D30 Rule, with the following modification: The player will roll 2D30 instead of replacing both.

Foris Vinculum: Too numerous to list here, as it includes all other extra-planar creatures.

Thieves Guild of Tneever

Guild Leader:

Name: Rhyanon

Description: Fairly tall, with dark skin and voluminous sandy hair which is pulled back into a bun and held in place with a pair of wooden sticks. She wears a ragged cloak that hangs loosely about her obese frame.

Guild Second:

Name: Eard

Description: He is on the short side, with olive-colored skin and unkempt brunette hair. He has a long, flowing beard and wears a scarlet robe that rigidly accentuates his wiry frame.

Fences:

Name: Caelholdt

Description: Medium height, with pale skin and greasy brunette hair. He has a fancy mustachio and wears a leather tunic that adheres to his muscular frame.

Sells:

Talisman Bar
Battleaxe of Balance
Keen Goggles
Robe of Flame
Crossbowman [5cp/day]
Greater magic weapon +3 (oil) - 1,800gp
Barkskin +2 (potion) - 300gp
Mugwort (prevents unconsciousness) - 4gp
Topaz
Fellm's Weathervane: If used, it will cause the weather to be moderate, with temperatures between 73 and 84 degrees. The wind will be almost a non-factor, but will be felt occasionally from the west. Precipitation will be in the form of a light drizzle falling down ahead of brooding cirrus clouds.


Name: Zephere

Description: She is slightly taller than average, with ruddy skin and curly dark brown hair tucked behind her ears. She wears a damask tunic that hangs loosely about her slim body.

Notes: Offers a shady deal on an item of unknown origin ( Adamantine Wand Pertaining to Ruby Wyverns). Leads to an attack by the Broken Moon Clan, who believe that it will enable them to reach the moon.

Sells:
Belramba (nerve damage) - 180gp
Febfendu (deafness) - 900gp
Cinquefoil (aphrodesiac) - 15gp
Ironhard (hardens skin) - 15gp
Jojopo (frostbite) - 9sp
Dagmather (tissue damage) - 28gp
Spiderwort (spider bites) - 10gp
Pargen (resurrection) - 2000gp
Dwarf Mallow (bee stings) - 3gp
Caffar (psionic enhancement) - 10gp
Elecampane (induces vomiting) - 1sp
isplacement (potion) - 750gp
Levitate (potion or oil) - 300gp
Pass without trace (potion) - 50gp
Resist energy (type) 20 (potion) - 700gp
Neutralize poison (potion) - 750gp
Hide from undead (potion) - 50gp
Lesser restoration (potion) - 300gp
Eagle`s splendor (potion) - 300gp
Darkvision (potion) - 300gp
Greater magic weapon +5 (oil) - 3,000gp
Hide from undead (potion) - 50gp
Blur (potion) - 300gp
Remove curse (potion) - 750gp
Shield of faith +3 (potion) - 300gp
Misdirection (potion) - 300gp
Reduce person (potion) - 250gp
Enlarge person (potion) - 250gp
Greater magic weapon +2 (oil) - 1,200gp
Sanctuary (potion) - 50gp
Good hope (potion) - 1,050gp
Cure moderate wounds (potion) - 300gp
Hide from undead (potion) - 50gp
Spider climb (potion) - 300gp
Sanctuary (potion) - 50gp
Greater magic weapon +2 (oil) - 1,200gp
Endure elements (potion) - 50gp
Protection from arrows 15/magic (potion) - 1,500gp
Water breathing (potion) - 750gp



[1d20] 7 = 7
[1d%] 40 = 40
[1d%] 60 = 60

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Aiikelth's Law, or Scaling Magic 1

Terms:

Hard Damage/Healing:

HP that are always added or removed. For example, a spell that heals 6 HP of damage would have 4 points of Hard Healing.

Soft Damage/Healing:

Damage or healing that requires a roll. Thus, if the same spell above healed 1d4 damage, it would have 1 point of Soft Healing.

Points:

Various things - such as area, damage or healing, etc. - cost one or more points. 10 points = 1 spell level.

So, let's scale a spell.


Fleshbinding:

Range: Touch

Components: A small bit of dead tissue

Casting Time: 2 rounds

Duration: Instantaneous

Area of Effect: Special

Allows the caster to bind small bits of dead tissue to a wound, healing 1d6 damage.

Okay, 6 points of soft healing (1d3 is 3, 1d4 is 4, 1d6 is 6, 1d8 is 8). The range is 2 points. So, 8 points. A cantrip, but just barely. If we were to make it heal 1d6 +2, then it would be first level and a bit. (10.5, to be specific).

Basic point costs:

Soft Healing: d# = cost.
Hard Healing: 1 HP = 1.25 cost.
Soft Damage: D# + (D#/2) = cost.
Hard Damage: 1 HP = 2 cost.
Range: Self = Free. Touch = 2 cost. Other = 1 point per 5'.

Over the River (Porky's Blogwalk - Dissonance 1)

Turning away from the water, you walk through the field of Polrins and Jaso, in the direction of the bridge. When you have gotten to approximately the halfway mark on it, it collapses. However, before you are plunged into the strange water, the world... Shifts. You are now standing in a dry riverbed. There was once a bridge here, but it is gone now, reduced to bricks and fragments of rubble. An explosion sears your face, as a pair of rotting men charge towards you.

Run

Fight

Surrender

Play dead

Scream for help?

Expansion 3.5: Null-sight

"What stuff? You're in a snowstorm wearing nothing but a credstick."

Talsi blinked. "I am?"

--------

"Look elf, you're coming along," the Lonestar replied.

"Clothes?"

"When we get there, deck-head*."

Deck-head:

Decker; also, someone who spends large amounts of time on the Grid.

Expansion 3: Continuance

"Watching the Raviien fall from the fort's walls, the Hunaal rose to protect its creations."

The elf watched from a distance - the Ork'Aaln were friends, but so were the beast-clans.

If anyone else wants to take a shot at the next bit of this epos, go ahead!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Expansion 2.5

"This is the stuff", he said, pointing at heated water "That steams are made of".

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The full thing is, of course, "This is the stuff", he said, pointing at heated water "That steams are made of, and our little tea
Is ready now, to steep."

Thursday, March 10, 2011

ADMT Group Project: The Rooms So Far

Room 1: A shriveled, mummified corpse lays in the center of the room. There does not appear to be anything else of note.

Room 2: There are statues lining the wall on the opposite side of the river. They appear to be sleeping elves. If disturbed, they will be found to be alive, and partially trapped by the mineral flow. It may be possible to free them, but it will require careful planning.

Room 3: This room is filled with floating detritus. There is nothing else of note other than small scraps of paper floating about. If captured (Roll to hit AC 3 at -2), each piece will prove to be a small fragment of the first page of a book which details the events leading up to the former inhabitants' retreat.

Room 4:

In the center of this chamber, there is a pillar reaching to the ceiling. On it is the inscription "Aktrii namelsa undeearn liiktro", or "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder". If all sentient beings in the room think of something that they find particularly appealing, a door will appear in the lower right corner of the room, leading to room 5.

Room 5:

This room contains a "Kiidtriin Namorsil", or "Compendium of Monsters", containing information on the strengths and weaknesses of skeletons and carrion crawlers, with an even more detailed section on fire beetles.

+2 to hit and damage against the first two, +4 against fire beetles.

Room 6: A vaulted ceiling arches high above your heads as you enter this room. On either side, finely carved wooden altars line the walls, maraching out sight in a slow, but steady, progression. If the players advance further, they will be attacked from above by a small (5) group of hob-bears*, along with their priest (Treat as a 3rd level druid).

Room 7: This room contains... Nothing. At least, nothing that can be seen, smelled, heard or otherwise detected. The only odd thing about it - other than the lack of contents - is that it is lit with a bright light, equivalent to the sun on a hot day.

Note: This room was actually the ceremonial chamber of a Hierophant Druid, and contains many dead trees, mouldering animal corpses, and grown statues of the goddess Aliinora, but they cannot be perceived in any manner by those not druids, and are, in fact, intangible to those who do not see them.

Room 8:

This room contains many corpses, in varying states of decay. They appear to have been tortured. There is one elf (female, 1st level mage) named Avenrae who is still alive. She has an above average reaction to putrefaction, and will be distracted (-2 to hit and armor) if there are rotting bodies nearby.

Room 9:

This door is blocked almost completely by melted stone. If the door is opened, it can be determined that there are prisoners within. They have food for one week. The Hob-bear priest has been using a Potion of Stone to Mud to enter (by painting it on around a door-shaped section, he was able to remove the piece in the center, and replace it before the spell wore off, thus sealing them back in. However, this requires dripping a small amount on the stone plug behind the door to gain access to the chamber), but it was destroyed when the elves in Room 8 attempted to attack him.
*Hob-bear: A mixed strain of hobgoblins and bugbears, they tend to order and evil.

AC: 3 or as armor.

Damage: 2d8/2d8 or as weapon.

Intelligence: Normal

Attack types: Claw/Claw

Magic Resistance: 10%

No. Appearing: 5-30

ADMT Group Project: Rooms 7-9

Room 7: This room contains... Nothing. At least, nothing that can be seen, smelled, heard or otherwise detected. The only odd thing about it - other than the lack of contents - is that it is lit with a bright light, equivalent to the sun on a hot day.

Note: This room was actually the ceremonial chamber of a Hierophant Druid, and contains many dead trees, mouldering animal corpses, and grown statues of the goddess Aliinora, but they cannot be perceived in any manner by those not druids, and are, in fact, intangible to those who do not see them.

Room 8:

This room contains many corpses, in varying states of decay. They appear to have been tortured. There is one elf (female, 1st level mage) named Avenrae who is still alive. She has an above average reaction to putrefaction, and will be distracted (-2 to hit and armor) if there are rotting bodies nearby.

Room 9:

This door is blocked almost completely by melted stone. If the door is opened, it can be determined that there are prisoners within. They have food for one week. The Hob-bear priest has been using a Potion of Stone to Mud to enter (by painting it on around a door-shaped section, he was able to remove the piece in the center, and replace it before the spell wore off, thus sealing them back in. However, this requires dripping a small amount on the stone plug behind the door to gain access to the chamber), but it was destroyed when the elves in Room 8 attempted to attack him.

Greasing Palms (Porky's Blogwalk 3)

Despite the oily coating on the water, you taste it. It is... Odd. Almost as though it's not entirely there. You turn to walk away, but realize that you can see through yourself.

Search the area for a body, on the theory that you're a ghost?

Search upstream, hoping to find the source?

Continue to the bridge?

Return to the tree?


Wait for a time, in the hopes that the effect will wear off?

"Stay awhile, and listen." (Porky's Blogwalk 2)

You lay down on the moss covered roots, intending to rest for a time. However, as you lay there, you begin to hear voices from within the tree, which appear to be requesting your aid.

Flee up

Flee down

Listen

Question them

Agree to help

Refuse to aid them

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

ADMT Group Project: Room 6

Room 6: A vaulted ceiling arches high above your heads as you enter this room. On either side, finely carved wooden altars line the walls, maraching out sight in a slow, but steady, progression. If the players advance further, they will be attacked from above by a small (5) group of hob-bears*, along with their priest (Treat as a 3rd level druid).

*Hob-bear: A mixed strain of hobgoblins and bugbears, they tend to order and evil.

AC: 3 or as armor.

Damage: 2d8/2d8 or as weapon.

Intelligence: Normal

Attack types: Claw/Claw

Magic Resistance: 10%

No. Appearing: 5-30

Go Climb A Tree! (Porky's Fantasy Blogwalk)

After many hours of climbing - with short rests on the naturally formed platforms that grow every few yards - you arrive in the high canopy. Looking about, you realize that the leaves of the tree are giving off a gentle, soothing light, which seems to be healing your aching muscles. As a sense of peace and contentment pervades you, you realize that you could live here for years, and not give a thought to anything else.

Return to the base

Explore further


Stay awhile

Leap from the tree

Monday, March 7, 2011

ADMT Group Project: Rooms 4 & 5

Room 4:

In the center of this chamber, there is a pillar reaching to the ceiling. On it is the inscription "Aktrii namelsa undeearn liiktro", or "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder". If all sentient beings in the room think of something that they find particularly appealing, a door will appear in the lower right corner of the room, leading to room 5.

Room 5:

This room contains a "Kiidtriin Namorsil", or "Compendium of Monsters", containing information on the strengths and weaknesses of skeletons and carrion crawlers, with an even more detailed section on fire beetles.

+2 to hit and damage against the first two, +4 against fire beetles.


Notes on the previous post:

This is a sublevel in an area formerly inhabited by a group of elves who were on the losing side of a war. The last of them inhabit this area, and are being killed off by the new "residents", though the war is now over.

The Flaming of Rats

With apologies to T.S. Elliot...

The Flaming of Rats is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a rat must have THREE DIFFERENT FLAMES.
First of all, there's the flame that the rat will use daily,
Such as Gas-burner, Candle-flame, Zippo, or Torch,
Such as Charcoal or Pilot-light, Forge or Grill Palely--
All of them sensible everyday flames.
There are fancier flames if you think they burn hotter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as White-hot, Magnesium, Kiln (for a potter)
But all of them sensible, everyday flames.
But I tell you, a rat needs a flame that's particular,
A flame that's peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?
Of flames of this kind, I can give you a quire,
Such as Bessemer, Bunsen, or St. Elmo's Fire,
Such as Oxyacetylene, or Funeral Pyre--
Singular flames that one rat may acquire.
But above and beyond, there's still one flame left over,
And that is the flame that you never will guess;
The flame that no human research can discover--
But THE RAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.
When you notice a rat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his flame:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Flame.

The Abyss of Calaris


Calaris, last of the Morithiels.

The Abyss of Calaris is a place with wonder and darkness pervading everything thing within. A realm of shadowed paradises, beautifully - and terribly - personal. Interlopers will be forced to confront the rightful inhabitant's worst nightmares, or be seduced by their most beautiful dreams. It should be noted that there is no "Eye of the Storm". The effects only intensify with proximity, and those that seek to harm the denizen of one of these demesnes will be forever turned away from them unless they wish otherwise.

Expansion 2

"What stuff? You're in a snowstorm wearing nothing but a credstick."

Talsi blinked. "I am?"

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Worlbuilding - A Toe's Perspective

This is my other gameblog. I'm going to be posting more on it soon, though I'll continue posting here. As I'm working on a completely different setting, I thought that those who read this for things to grab might be interested. Also, there are some bits about the FATE system on there that might be useful if you're looking to use it.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Bane Thralls

I am now the owner of two Bane Thralls. However, I'm having some trouble figuring out how to get them together. They're made of metal, by the way. Any ideas?

Edit: I figured out the problem - the models had gotten bent in transit, so parts weren't lining up properly. I got them bent back, and now they fit perfectly. Just waiting for the glue to dry at this point.

Friday, March 4, 2011

ADMT Group Project Contribution: Rooms 1-3

Room 1: A shriveled, mummified corpse lays in the center of the room. There does not appear to be anything else of note.

Room 2: There are statues lining the wall on the opposite side of the river. They appear to be sleeping elves. If disturbed, they will be found to be alive, and partially trapped by the mineral flow. It may be possible to free them, but it will require careful planning.

Room 3: This room is filled with floating detritus. There is nothing else of note other than small scraps of paper floating about. If captured (Roll to hit AC 3 at -2), each piece will prove to be a small fragment of the first page of a book which details the events leading up to the former inhabitants' retreat.

Random Dungeon Feature Table

1. Mummified corpse.
2. The floor is charred in a relatively straight line, as though some sort of sooty tracks were left and then obscured. (Fire Giant sign)
3. The floor has been cleaned here, as have the walls up to knee height. (Water Elemental trail)
4. The area is filled with floating detritus.
5. There are lava flows horizontally to the players. There are stalactites growing in the same manner.
6. The hide of a bugbear has been stuck to the next door. The still living creature can be found in the room.

To be continued.

Definitions

In an Unter-ish contest, what are Tombwire, Bonespawn, and Dartblinks?

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Exploding Cats

The exploding cat appears to be a housecat that has somehow managed to survive in the underground lairs they prefer. However, if examined carefully, and in a completely nonthreatening way, (A 1 on a D6 results in success), they will be seen to secrete a clear fluid, which mixes with the clays they prefer to nest in.

Mating:

The exploding cat may mate in the normal fashion, but also have an ability to reproduce through merging their blood, which will result in litters of 30-50 for each two adult cats, and 10-15 for juveniles. They are able to reproduce in this secondary fashion from birth. As such, it is advised that those seeking to exterminate group of these creatures take care to kill them separately.

Old Stuff Day: What's That Potion?

My second bit of Old Stuff is house rules for tasting potions.

-------------------------------

Well, considering the fact that I've now read several posts where people have gulped down those unidentified potions they were carrying, I'm introducing a (sort of) safe way to test them.

If a character specifically states that they intend to taste a potion rather than drink it, they will only take part of the effect. "Tasting" has several distinct stages:

  1. Take a drop of the liquid on you finger and see what it tastes like. No effects, serves only to provide more information. For example, a Potion of Polymorph tastes like "An extraordinary combination of flavors, each lasting for only a moment". Players who choose to skip this step, will receive information about the flavor in the chosen stage.
  2. Take a few drops of the liquid and hold it in your mouth. Extraordinarily mild effects. Does not work for most potions (10% or less). For example: The players have found a Potion of Growth. However they know it only as "a black potion, with strands of white swirling through it like fog". One of the players chooses to taste with the result that "Kedru appears to have grown infinitesimally larger, but the effects are so faint that it could easily be your imaginations. Do you wish to move on to the next stage?"
  3. Take a small sip of the potion, but do not swallow it. Effects are still very mild, works for about 25% of potions. Assuming that Kedru's player wishes to continue: "You have most certainly grown larger this time - about an inch"
There will be more of these steps, but I wanted to get these written down.

Old Stuff Day: To Kill A Vampire

I'm starting off the first Old Stuff Day with an old post about vampires and how to kill them. I got some good responses, but I'd like to see what everyone who follows my blog now thinks of it.

-------------------------------------------

I've been thinking about the standard ways to kill a vampire. I've got a few questions:

Stake to the heart:
1. How much of the heart has to be pierced? Is it a square hit to the center, or will a slight contact that's completely surrounded by heart tissue do?
2. How much of the stake has to be wood? Is it the entire thing, or will a metal tipped one, such as an arrow do? Does a completely metal-shod wooden stake count?
3.Why does it work at all?

Burning:
1. How do you get them to catch fire? Does it count if they simply grab something hot?
2. How much of a vampire must be burned? For example, if you burn a vampire's hand off will it heal?
3. Does sudden, non-prolonged, contact with flame such as that from an explosion kill a vampire if none of the other conditions are met? If so, why?

Sunlight:
1. Why? Just, why?

Also, this will be part of a series of posts titled "How Do I Kill It And Why Does It Work?". This won't cover everything, only those with some special methods of killing them, instead of, or in addition to, the standard means. Each post will be two parts: In the first I ask questions, about things I don't get about the ways you can kill something, and in the second, I post the best responses to those questions with the author's name/identifier being listed. Suggestions for what I should do next, if they include a list of weaknesses, are welcome.

But though the fountains now run dry...

...in Asodel the mourners lie.

Beneath the mountains of the sky.

And as the city slowly falls, they wait within the death-still* halls.

As hawkers flee from their stalls.

Burning buildings tumble down, as floods entice the fools to drown.

All for taking up the Platinum Crown.

*No relation to the death-stills from Dune.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

New Poll

This is about my "Starmachine" project, which aims to adapt the Warmachine rules to classic space battles. The question is, should I add some kind of Focus mimicking ability to the Drones, as they aren't necessarily autonomous?