Chagmat!

So, here we are again....
Tens of irons in the fire, and another ginormous shiney chicken crosses my path. Those of you who have been reading this blog for a while, will know how susceptible I am to the lure of a new chicken. I was doodling one day and out popped a doodle of mountain that resembles a spider. So, the game brain kicks in and digs up some obscure gnosis in the form of an ancient adventure published in Dragon magazine 63. Chagmat! is an adventure where the PCs travel to a distant mountain to defeat an ancient evil returned to plague a small village. So far I have a map of the outside of the mountain, and something I jotted down at work the other day...

The fires on Mt. Aranae are lit once more. Shadows stir in the Temple of Eight Pillars
Beneath Mt. Aranae, in the pit of Krinz, dwells the Umaillar Spider of Leng, Chag.
Chag has awakened from his long slumber, and has called all manner of foul creatures to his mountain.
In the depths of the pit, the Chagmat stir. These disciples of Chag are merciless and many in number.
Fear will soon sweep the countryside once again.

I've been making notes furiously, and as usual, the finished product will be more "inspired by" than an actual re-write of the adventure. This will be written for Pathfinder. Only because it's the system I am most familiar with right now. That fact, and it has Leng spiders already statted out. The walled town of Marchande will serve as the PC's base of operations. That town is fast becoming a focal point of many of the things I'm  currently working on. So I might actually have to flesh out the entire town soon.

Anyhoo, this will most likely be the last post of 2016. I hope everyone has a happy new year.

Remember... "No matter where you go, there you are."

Happy Gaming!

The logging camp

   You and your companions come upon what appears to be a long abandoned logging camp high up in the mountains. The forest has grown in close around the buildings, as if in an effort to reclaim all the timber previously taken by the loggers. Trepidation hangs thick in the air. Mysteriously the ambient sound of wildlife and insects is absent.
   Was that movement you caught out of the corner of your eye? What was that noise? A distant clop... clop... clop... drifts to your ears. Hooves? On wood planking? 
   What secrets does this village hold? Will you investigate to find out?

Space fluff

Excerpt: Ships Log::TFN Colony Transport Ship KB28959 Oswego
                    Cpt Russton Lang
                                                TSD: 2366.53.1100
                    7562 days to spindown

Mission Day:1873
Cpt. Lang: All ship operations normal. Strength fluctuations in power converter 847J starboard have been investigated and resolved. [Chief engineers report attached] Colony Fleet Command has authorized the use of the tunnel drive to jump to K-Beta 31459 navigation anchor point. We commence jump in T-minus 17 hours.

Mission Day: 1876
Cpt. Lang: All ship operations normal. Long range scanners have indicated an unknown fleet presence in K-Beta 31459. Fleet commander Saint-Just has ordered alert status for all fleet units.

  

   The only thing that has saved the Earth thus far is the paranoid dreaming of the old Counter Intelligence Secretariat. They worked in a command into the fleet navigational computers that erased origin points from the tunnel drive computational matrix memory at the end of every jump. We did lose 500,000 colonists, but we learned a hard lesson. The universe is not a safe place. We learned the hard way that our arrogance with regards to being the only intelligent life form was, as a species, a "head up ass" assumption. Since the attack on the Alpha One colony fleet, we have learned how to fight an interstellar war.

   Due to the completely alien physical features of the Klem'entarthug actual pronunciation of not only their name, but there entire language is impossible to reproduce with human vocal apparatus. This coupled with the inability to establish a rapport has served to turn even the most passive among us into the killing machines we are.

The messenger

   The old woman turned and grabbed a quill and paper from the table beside her door. Scrawling "Your sister's name is Sinead. You still hunt her killer" on the paper. She barked out "Andrei!" A small boy came scurrying around from in back of her humble hut. "Tell the big man in the armor, that just got a room at the Dark Rose who sent this" The young boy took off at a run down the dirt street towards the other end of town.

   Lord Tobias Nathaniel Bishop Marchande, third hereditary Duke of Marchande, stared listlessly out the tower window. So many responsibilities weighed on his mind. He missed days past when he was free in the world. He and his companions roamed the world seeking out adventure and danger. "I should never have taken the land grant." He said to himself looking upon the sword in it's well worn scabbard propped up in the corner of his library.

   The small boy stumbled up to the front door of the inn. Huffing and puffing from the effort of running across town he says "Mister... Milady Rowena Bloodrose DeAmberville asked me to give you this." He handed the large red headed man a scrap of parchment.

More of the Nemyrothean Plains.

   Beneath the vast Nemyrothean plain, resides the greatest concentration of evil in the known universe. Under the chaotic weather, primordial swamps, and roaming vicious beasts is an enormous eternally dark necropolis. At the center of it all is The Arch Demi-Lich Vceshkark.
   Vceshkark was the first of the Sorcerer Kings. The most evil of the liches imprisoned beneath he Nemyrothean plains. He committed such atrocities that they are remembered to this day. The Slaughter of Skeleton Springs, The decimation of Laborton, The collapse of the Dwarven mines of Khragzuaille. All of this strife and torment inflicted upon our world. From what the legends tell us of this horrific otherworld creature. He has existed for 6000 years as an undead abomination. It might be longer than that, but that's as far back as written history takes us. It is said that he was among the first denizens in the realm of undeath, second only to Void Father.
   Kreschi of the Glareij, perpetrator of the Heineary massacre, resides under the flats and monoliths of the plain also. As does Praetax the Conqueror. There is such a concentration of evil in that place, it has blighted the surrounding countryside. The blasted landscape surrounding the the plain, is a stark contrast to the plain  itself. The plain  a scoured from time to time by great storms of such intensity that no animal can exist on the plain. Just a massive sea of grass, interspersed with the enormous stone slabs covering the tombs.
   There isn't a soul alive that has explored the plains fully. Many have tried, only to disappear into the legend of the plains. Some have vanished for a day or two. To return white skinned and emaciated. Almost as if their very life force has been sapped or drained away. None of these intrepid explorers has even spoken of their time on the plains. In fact they don't speak at all. Sages and scholars have all tried to pry from them what these poor lost men and women have seen, but to no avail.
  

Lair of the Lich Kings

A vast plain interspersed with areas of smoothed stone 500 feet across. Under each multi piece stone slab, is an inverted pyramid of stone. At the tip is a coffin sized area where the previous heroes of legend have imprisoned the various Lich Kings. These powerful diabolical sorcerers, have appeared periodically across the millennia. No one in living memory can remember the first one. During that period of eternal imprisonment, the Kings have learned how to cooperate and wreak havoc across the surface, across the sparse expanse of the Nemyrothean plains. No explorer has survived trying to count them all.

New BBEG

So, there I was the other night watching The Phantom. You know.. The one with Billy Zane. Ya ya ya ya, stow your judgments. I like it, and that's all that matters. O hey! I like The Shadow with Alec Baldwin too. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

Anyhoo... I was at the end, where Xander Drax is trying to kill the Phantom with the Skulls of Tuganda, and the way the skulls fit together gave me an idea. I have a new Arch enemy for some players.

Demi-Lich Vceshkark

He takes form as a triptych of skulls. One solid gold, one purest emerald, and one gilt and bejeweled human skull.

Reminiscent of the Imperial Magistrate in the Transformers movie.

Just thought I would share.

Happy Gaming!

The Bloodrose party

   The group of five companions rode through the town gates chatting amiably amongst themselves. Unobserved, save for the old woman in front of her cottage. She had seen many of those seeking adventure pass through the gates of town of Marchande. This group might be the ones she was waiting for.

   Following is the adventuring party I created for the Bloodrose campaign. This is for the Pathfinder Adventure Role Playing game. They were created using the core rulebook and the Advanced Players Guide.

Liam (Human)
Paladin (Undead Scourge Archetype)
Level 1 (Male)

Str: 17
Dex: 14
Con: 15
Int: 14
Wis: 17
Cha: 15

HP: 12
AC: 18

Skills:
Craft: Jewelry making
Diplomacy: 2
Handle Animal: 6
Heal: 9
Knowledge (Nobility): 2
Knowledge (religion): 6
Profession (Blacksmith): 7
Ride: 2
 Sense Motive: 3
Spellcraft: 3

Feats:
Iron Will
Self Sufficient


Mirutti (Mayhem) (Half-Elf)
Ranger (Female) Favored Enemy: Undead
Level 1

Str: 15
Dex: 16
Con: 14
Int: 12
Wis: 17
Cha: 17

HP: 12
AC: 18

Skills:
Climb: 6
Craft: Bows 5
Handle Animal: 9
Heal: 3
Intimidate: 2
Knowledge (Dungeoneering): 1
Knowledge (Geography): 5
Knowledge (Nature): 5
Peception: 13
Profession (Stable Master): 3
Ride: 3
Stealth: 7
Survival: 7

Feats:
Skill Focus: Handle Animal
Sharp Senses

Twin sister to Travvi

Travvi (Mischief) (Half-Elf)
Druid (Female) Natures Bond: Mountains
Level:1

Str:12
Dex: 15
Con: 14:
Int: 13
Wis: 17
Cha:14

HP: 10
AC: 17

Skills:
Climb: 7
Craft (herbalism): 5
Handle Animal: 3
Heal: 3
Knowledge (Geography): 5
Knowledge (Nature): 7
Perception: 15
Profession (Herbalist): 7
Spellcraft: 1
Survival: 9

Feats:
Skill Focus: Perception
Sharp Senses

Twin sister to Mirutti


Ferix Shadoewood (Elf)
Rogue (Male) (Sniper Archetype)
Level 1

Str: 12
Dex: 18
Con: 10
Int: 16
Wis: 11
Cha: 11

HP: 9
AC: 16

Skills:
Acrobatics: 8
Climb: 5
Craft (Traps): 7
Disable Device: 8
Knowledge (Dungeoneering): 7
Knowledge (Local): 7
Perception: 6
Profession (Engineer): 4
Stealth: 8

Feats:
Improved Initiative

Paladras
Sorcerer (Starsoul Bloodline)
Level 1

Str: 11
Dex: 13
Con: 15
Int: 16
Wis: 12
Cha: 17

HP: 8
AC: 11

Skills:
Craft (Alchemy): 7
Knowledge (Arcana): 7
Knowledge (Nature): 7
Profession (Librarian): 5
Spellcraft: 7
Use magic Device: 7

Feats: 
Eschew Materials
Silent Spell
Lightning Reflexes

   Next post: The Beginning and the Legend.

The Istivin Campaign: The Ring Gear Gate

   I started designing campaigns by stringing together individual adventures. At first they were very Gygaxian in their design. (They didn't make much sense) But in my defense, I was still learning.
   Many moons ago, when Dungeon magazine was still being sold in hardcopy form. Someone else started thinking along those lines. They started doing 3 episode adventure arcs.
   What follows is the outline I wrote so I could run it as an entire 1-20 campaign.

Edit: This was my second attempt, thus it's very "Gygaxian" feel.

The Istivin Campaign: The Ring Gear Gate

 

I: Introduction

 

A: The Pc’s are contracted by Limon Henn, a representative of the Baron Nimol Tuhast. They are to investigate the state of his land and holdings in and around the country of Sterich.

 

1)      PC’s will be given a letter of Authority from the Baron, allowing them to evaluate his holdings, and prepare them for the reopening of trade routes.

 

a)      The Baron has a house and warehouse in Istivin.

b)      4 mines in the foothills of the Crystalmist mountains, Silver, Copper, Iron, & Gems

c)      A Cotton plantation northwest of Istivin, near the town of Strake Terrace.

 

2)      PC’s will have access to the Baron’s house in Istivin to use as a base of operations. They will also receive a 20gp monthly stipend, until the Baron arrives in Istivin to take over operations.

 

            B: The Road to Istivin

           

1)      PC’s have the choice of traveling to Istivin alone or escorting a caravan heading to Johann’s End. Traveling alone the PC’s will arrive a week earlier than if they escorted the caravan. Run the following encounters either after the caravan separates from PC’s, or if the PC’s are traveling alone.

 

a)      2 Gnolls + 3 Hyenas

b)      “A Dark and Stormy Night” WOTC adventure (photocopy and/or PDF provided)

c)      After sighting a solo rider on the horizon, the PC’s will intercept the rider, a dying rogue who says to them “Slessma must not get the key”. He then dies. When the body is searched the PC’s will find the artifact, wrapped in linen, and a MW set of thieves’ tools.

d)      A successful Knowledge [The Planes] check, DC 16, will reveal that Slessma is a Death Slaad.

 II: Warforged

 

A: 1 hour after the PC’s encounter the rogue, a Warforged Scout 1 with a Kruthik hatchling will approach the party. He will question them and demand to know what has happened to the rogue, and the artifact. If the PC’s don’t relinquish the artifact to him, he will attack.

 

1)      Warforged are Lawful evil, and hail from the Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus.

2)      Kruthik are used as Warhounds and mounts. (Miniatures Handbook page 62)

 

B: Ligar            Warforged Scout          Scout 1 (Warforged Scout MM3, pg 193)

     Small Living Construct         CR1

     Hit Dice: 1D8 (8 HP)

     Initiative: +3

     Speed: 20ft

     AC: 17 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +2 Composite Plating, +1 Dastanas)

            Touch AC 13, Flat Footed AC 14

     Base Attack/Grapple: +0/+0

     Attack: Short Sword +0 melee (1D6/19-20/X2) or

                  MW Composite Shortbow +5 ranged (1D4/X3)

     Space/reach: 5ft/5ft

     Special Attacks: Skirmish (adds 1d6 damage to attack if moving >10ft/rnd)

     Special Qualities: Composite Plating. Light Fortification, Living Construct Traits.

                 Saves: Fort +0 Ref +5 Will +0

                 Abilities: Str 10 Dex 17 Con 10 Int 14 Wis 11 Cha 8

                 Skills: Hide +7; Move Silently +7; Spot +7/ Tumble +7

                 Feats: Toughness; Skirmish

                 Alignment: Lawful Evil

                 Possessions: MW Composite Shortbow; 30 arrows

                                      Dastanas of Archery (+1 with all bows)

                                      20 gp; 2 Emeralds (80gp each)

 

C: Once the PC’s have disposed of Ligar, now the fun begins. Once per day there is a 5% chance (non-cumulative) that the key will open a gate to a random plane, allowing a monster to come through. If you roll a gate opening event, you can choose the plane and monster, or determine it randomly.

 

1)      Another consequence of the PC’s obtaining the Key is that now, at random intervals, Warforged and Slaadi will seek out and accost the party in an attempt to get the artifact. The frequency and nature of these encounters if left to the DM’s discretion.

 III: The Gates of Istivin

 

            A: The PC’s will have to wait 1D4 hours before being allowed into Istivin. “Touch of the Abyss”

     Event 1: Blind Man’s Bluff explains the entry procedure.

 

B: While waiting for entry into the city, the PC’s are approached by a nobleman, Laird Duggan. He is offering 500gp to any person or group of adventurers able to recover his family’s patents of nobility and historical tapestries.

 

IV: The Abandoned Monastery

 

            A: If the PC’s accept the offer from Laird Duggan, he will suggest starting their investigations with the local Thieves’ Guild.

 

1)      A successful Gather Information Check DC 16 is needed to locate the guild.

 

a)      The Guild headquarters are located in an Antique shop owned by the Guildmaster Hetzel Mirk (Rogue 11), the shop is a front for the guild.

 

2)      The Guildmaster will tell the PC’s none of his band were hired or instructed to rob the Duggan estate. He will also reveal that the items stolen have no worth to the guild.

 

3)      For a modest fee of 20gp, Hetzel will be happy to assist the PC’s by informing them about a band of Kenku operating out the abandoned monastery, located near the Barclay house (#14 on the Istivin city map)

 

            B: There is a band of 6 Kenku using the monastery as a base of operations. Their nests are in the top levels of the corner towers. They are storing the loot they have stolen in the basement rooms. The doors to the rooms in the basement are locked and trapped.

 

1)      Door locks are simple, Open Lock DC 15.

2)      Traps are Poison Needle traps: CR1; Mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; Atk +8 ranged (1 plus greenblood oil poison); Search DC 22; Disable Device DC 20.

 

V: When it rains, it pours.

 

            A: The Spiders of Lolth

 

1)      Sometime during the night the PC’s will be awakened by a noise upstairs. Upon investigation, the PC’s will discover 2 Medium Monstrous Spiders searching the house.

 

a)      Each spider is wearing a jeweled harness worth 800gp each. These harnesses allow the Drow Elves currently residing under the city to control the spiders with mental commands. The drow are looking for the artifact.

 

            B: The next day the Commander of the Watch will summon the PC’s to the main gate. Upon arriving the PC’s will be questioned to determine if they were involved in the killing of a Warforged on the road east of Istivin.

 

1)      Should it become known that the PC’s did indeed kill the Warforged Scout, the Warforged leader will demand a duel to satisfy honor. One of the PC’s will have to fight the Warforged champion in the Istivin circus. If they refuse to fight, the PC’s will be locked up and tried for murder.

 

2)      Warforged Champion         Warforged        Barbarian 2

(Warforged MM3; pg 190)

Medium Living Construct                CR2

Hit Dice: 2D12 + 6 (20 HP)

Initiative: +1

Speed: 40ft

AC: 17 (+1 Dex; +5 Mithral Body; +1 Dastanas)

        Touch AC: 10; Flat Footed AC: 16

Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4

Attack: MW Greataxe +5 melee (1d12 + 3/X3)

Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft

Special Attacks: Rage 1/Day; +4 Str & Con; -4 AC 8 round duration

Special Qualities: Mithral Body; Light Fortification; Living Construct Traits

                              Saves: Fort +6 Ref +1 Will +0

                              Abilities: Str 15 Dex 13 Con 14 Int 8 Wis 10 Cha 8

                              Skills: Intimidate +8; Jump +8

                              Feats: Mithral Body

                              Alignment: Lawful Evil

                              Possessions: MW Greataxe

 

           

C: When the PC’s finally return home, they will find a pack of 20 Moonrats robbing the house, and they have already made off with the artifact.

 

 VI: Rats, Rats, Rats…

 

            A: Jehra Foll, Wererat Rogue 4 and the Moonrats he controls work for Pelman Drudd. Kidnapping people for Pelman’s larder and stealing possessions for trade in foreign lands.

 

1)      The PC’s should seek out the Guildmaster of the Shimmerblades thieves’ guild, Hetzel Mirk. He will be able to point them in the direction of Jehra’s lair in the sewers.

 

a)      After several encounters with rat swarms, and dire rats the PC’s should find Jehra’s lair. His lair is guarded by 2 Dire Rats.

b)      Jehra should escape, so the PCs can hear him scream and find his mangled body. The artifact will be missing and the signs should point further into the sewers.

 

B: Jehra Foll     Lycanthrope (Wererat) Rogue 4           CR7

    Medium Humanoid <Shapechanger>

    Hit Dice: 4D6 + 8 (28 HP)

    Initiative: +6

    Speed: 30ft

    AC: 22 (+2 Natural; +3 Leather Armor (magic); +1 Buckler; +6 Dex)

    Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+4

    Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft

    Attack: Rapier +10 melee 1D6 +1/18-20/X2 or

                2 Claws +10 melee 1D4 +1 each and Bite +5 melee 1D6 + 1 (Disease)

    Special Qualities: Lycanthropy

    Saves: Fort +3 Ref +8 Will +2

    Abilities: Str 13 Dex 22 Con 14 Int 14 Wis 10 Cha 10

    Skills: Bluff +6; Hide +13; Move Silently +13; Spot +7; Listen +7; Search +9

    Feats: Stealthy; Nimble Fingers; Deft Hands

    Alignment: neutral Evil

   Possessions: Leather Armor +1; MW Rapier; Thieves’ Tools; 60 pp: 89 gp

                        3 vials Monstrous Centipede Poison.

 

VII: Oty…uck

 

            A: The PC’s should track the creature that killed the Wererat Rogue through the sewers. Run the following encounters.

 

1)      2 to 3 encounters with a Toxic Ooze (2 or 3 at a time)

2)      2 Lesser Alchemical Undead

3)      Cockroach Swarm

 

B: Eventually the PC’s should confront the Otyugh in its lair. If the Otyugh isn’t enough of a challenge for the PC’s, add the Corrupted Creature template from  “Creatures of Corruption” Dragon magazine article.

 

1)      In addition to the regular treasure there will be +2 Longsword

 

 

VIII: Trouble at the Alchemy School

 

A: The PC’s receive an urgent summons from Algorthas the Sage. He will ask them to undertake a mission to seek out and destroy a monster stalking and slaying the Alchemists of Kragmere.

 

1)      Algorthas will tell the PC’s that the head of Kragmere is offering 1000gp to any party that destroys the threat.

 

2)      Encounters on the way…

 

a)      Roll 1D8 and consult the following table:

1-2: Girallon

3-4: (2) Ankheg

5-6: Young Medium Blue Dragon

7-8: Hooked Hulk

                       

3)      A Large Minotaur skeleton animated by the alchemists disposing of their failed experiments, is responsible for the attacks. It stalks the woods surrounding the school, and attacks any unwary travelers.

 

IX: Missing Persons

 

            A: The PC’s are contacted by the Captain General of the Watch and asked to investigate reports of several missing persons and strange goings on in an old graveyard just east of the Effluvium.

 

1)      If the PC’s question the Captain General as to why he hasn’t sent any of his own men he will inform them that he has sent a pair of his best men just two days prior, and they haven’t been heard from since.

 

2)      The Captain General will offer 500 gp for the return of his guardsmen (Dead or Alive), and 1500 gp per body of murderers or proof of their demise.

 

3)      (3) Vargoilles  are stalking the graveyard at night and retreat to the safety of an underground crypt by day.

 

a)      The Safaronese family crypt is currently inhabited 6 ghouls and a ghast. They cannot escape due to the powerful wards placed on the doors when the crypt was sealed. The Vargoilles come and go through a small hole in the roof of the graveyard level building of the crypt. The door to the crypt is a 2 inch thick iron door; hardness 20; 60 hp. The wards of containing were placed on the door by Priests of Pelor. Open Lock DC 20; Break DC 30.

 

b)      When the PC’s enter the crypt there will at least one ghoul in the upper part of the crypt, the rest wait downstairs. Depending on how much noise the PC’s  make entering the crypt, those ghouls below, might be running up the stairs to investigate to noise.

 

3)      At the far end of the crypt the ghast is guarding 5 chests and 10 various suits of arms and armor, among the items displayed on stands...

 

a)      Treasure: 1 suit Medium Half-Plate +2

          2 suits Medium Full Plate

          3 suits Medium Chain mail

          1 suit Medium Battle Plate

          +1 Adamantine Battleaxe

          Chest #1- 5000sp

          Chest #2- 5000gp

          Chest #3- Robe of Bones

X: Pest Control

 

            A: The Guildmaster of the Shimmerblades Guild, Hetzel Mirk, will ask the PC’s to investigate a rash of burglaries around the abandoned monastery from chapter IV. He will tell the PC’s these thefts were not sanctioned by the guild, and he doesn’t have the manpower to investigate himself.

 

1)      A Dark Stalker and several Dark Creepers have taken up residence in the abandoned quarter, and are looking for a secret library from the time of the Suel empire.

 

2)      The PC’s will find small hoof prints at the sites of the all the thefts. Several successful track checks DC 25 will lead to PC’s to the abandoned quarter via a path running behind the castle, between the north wall and he Effluvium. Every 5 minutes the PC’s stay on the path between the castle and the effluvium, roll 1D6 on a roll of 1 or 2 a Chuul will attack . This encounter will only happen once, unless the party does not manage to kill the Chuul during the first attack.

 

3)      While the PC’s are searching the Abandoned Quarter roll 1D10 and consult the

      following table.

 

            1-2: (2) Abyssal Skulkers

            3-4: (2) Grell

            5-6: (2 Dark Creepers

            7-8: (2) Canaloth

            9-10: Mezzaloth

 

      All Yugoloth creatures will scream in Infernal “Where is the Key?, Give me

      the key!”. How many rolls are made, is left to the DM’s discretion.

 

4)      The Dark Stalker will have a crude map of Istivin  with X’s marking the sites they have already searched. Also found amongst the Dark Stalkers possessions will be an old journal, once belonging to a drow wizard, Nimrae. The journal written in undercommon , details the wizards’ search for the library, made 50 years ago, while he was scouting the city for the Demon Queen Lolth. A successful Decipher Script check DC 28 is needed to read the journal. Upon completion, any character having read the journal can make a Wisdom check DC 20, and if successful will come to the conclusion that the secret library lies underneath the Abandoned Monastery from chapter IV.

 

XI: Book Worm

 

            A: Access to the library can only be gained through a secret door inside the well shaft of the monastery.

 

1)      Halfway down the well shaft is a secret door to a passage that travels 60 ft. to the east and then drops 50 ft. straight down tom the top level of the library. The secret door needs a DC 18 Search check to find, and characters will suffer a -2 penalty if they are suspended by a rope down the well shaft. There is only enough room in the tunnel for one character at a time to move through, and the Climb DC for the drop is DC 15.

 

2)      Amongst the volumes in the library there can be found….

 

a)      Architecture, Doors and Passages of Parallel Worlds

Written by Leomund & Mordenkainen

 

Evolution of Arcane Willpower

Written by Tenser

 

Legendry of Great Arms and Fabulous Heroes

Written by Kas

 

Ngrises Tome of Necromancy

Written by Ngrises

 

These tomes are detailed in Appendix A: Magic Items

 

3)      In the secret room under the stairs there can be found…

 

a)      A Deck of Many Things

A small silk bag containing 3 Ioun stones

A Clay Golem Manual

A Greater Stone Golem manual

 

            B: Watch character levels, you may have to run a short side adventure to bring characters up to a high enough level to start “And Madness Followed”

XII: “And Madness Followed” Dungeon #134 May 2006

 

            A: Replace the village of Hallowfield with Strake Terrace.

 

1)      Hook – The PC’s receive a message from the Baron asking them to asking them to go

      to his cotton plantation just outside the village of Strake Terrace.

 

2)      Replace the village of Lamid with Hilden’s Grange.

 

3)      Replace the town of Indar with Steryn.

 

 

XIII: “Touch of the Abyss” Dungeon #117 December 2004

 

XIV: “Shadow of the Abyss” Dungeon #118 January 2005

 

XV: “Wrath of the Abyss” Dungeon #119 February 2005

 

XVI: Light at the end of the tunnel…

 

            A: Now that the PC’s have freed Istivin from the influence of the terrible Malgoth, they have to restore the Ring Gear Key to its rightful place.

 

            1) A Knowledge [The Planes] check DC 35 will reveal the key is actually part of the plane of Mechanus.

 

2)      The PC’s can also take the artifact to Algorthas and he will tell them how dangerous it is and of the urgent need to return to its rightful place in the multiverse.

 

a)      Ever since the gear was removed and stolen, the entire interlocked plane of Mechanus has been slowing down. A few of the smaller gears have already stopped and crumbled to dust. Unless the gear is restored soon , all the gears could stop and Mechanus would fall into chaos, becoming another Limbo.

 

XVII: The long winding road.

 

            A: The PC’s will need to find a magic item, spell, or a portal to the outer planes. While traveling the key can operate as a Dimensional Sextant (MotP pg. 22). It doesn’t matter which route the PC’s take to Mechanus.

 

B: As soon the PC’s leave the material plane, all the creatures that have been looking for the key will know it has left the prime material plane. From this point forward the PC’s will be pursued

by several factions, all wanting to possess the key.

 

1)      Slaadi- Slessma, a Death Slaad

2)      Illithihds- Schimultus, an Ulitharid

3)      Modrons- Kombar, a Secundus Modron

4)      Formians- Chrikchiktic, a Formian Myrmarch

The number and frequency of encounters is, ultimately up to the DM.

 

            C: Once the PC’s make it to Mechanus, they will have to locate Locus Control Room of Mechanus. Access to the Locus can only be gained through 3 portals scattered around Mechanus.

 

1)      The portal through the plane of Shadow can be found only during the 12 hour dark period, in an alley in the city of Neumannus. Home of the Inevitables.

 

2)      The portal through the Astral plane appears for only 1 hour per day, starting at the 6^th hour of light. This portal is in a minor library in the Fortress of Disciplined Enlightenment.

 

3)      The portal through the Ethereal plane lies in between two of the teeth on the gear that houses Regulus, home of the Modrons.

 

a)      Once the PC’s pass through one of the portals, the DM can run as many plane appropriate encounters as he wants. The portals all lead to sealed sections of their respective planes with only one exit.

 

4)      Once the PC’s gain access to the Locus it takes a successful Knowledge [Engineering & Architecture] check DC 40 to locate the proper place and method of installing the Gear Key.

 

5)      Once the PC’s  have located the proper place to install the key they will have to defeat the Guardian of the Locus, an 18 hit dice Steel Predator. The PC’s will suffer a -4 penalty to all attacks, ability and skill checks pertaining to combat while in the Locus due to its Escher like quality. The penalty can be negated one of two ways.

 

a)      Any character wearing Mechanus Gear armor of Stability will not suffer the -4 penalty.

b)      Any character under the influence of a Freedom of Movement spell cast by a minimum 15^th level caster will not suffer the -4 penalty.

 

 

Ensuing Madness

   A few weeks ago I was thinking about Call of Cthulhu. It occurred to me all I had even seen was adventures where the PCs were trying to prevent the great old ones from crossing into our world, nothing about what happens if they fail. This of course makes me wonder what the world would be like in the aftermath of such a failure.
   Now, I've dabbled in games like Gamma World. I just never found the inspiration to do anything other than play in a post apocalyptic game. This new idea has some merit though. And like a terrier with a biscuit, my brain wouldn't let go of it.
   So as with lots of other projects, I started asking questions...

When? That's easy. The 80's. I'm an 80's kid, it's what I know best. Not to mention the world was dumb enough then to have summoned great Cthulhu.

What happened to Man's civilization? Let us suppose that when Cthulhu wakes up, the psychic backlash sweeps over the world. A large percentage of the population descends into madness. How large a percentage and what the ramifications are have yet to be determined. (Oh hey, RESEARCH!)

How long after the awakening of great Cthulhu do I set the game?

Will there be roving bands of crazies to contend with?

Will the Serpent people return?

Probably the most important question is... Can Cthulhu be put back down? I'm thinking of a Robotech 3rd Generation type campaign for that.

   Those is just a few of the questions I have to answer. Numerous others have yet to reveal themselves. I was considering paying a little homage to a friend of mine. He passed away a few years ago, and had a really kewl campaign for CoC. The Great Old Ones were trying to draw the Earth into their realm, rather than trying to break into ours. This might evolve into what happened if they succeeded.
   Of course, there is the possibility of advancing the time line to when Cthulhu has already gone back to his dead slumber beneath the sea.

   By now some of reading this have whiplash. This is what happens in my head. (Now aren't you glad you're not a psychiatrist?) It may take a while to settle down into a simmer and coalesce into a solid set of ideas I can work with, but there is no telling how long that can take. I'll give it a brain back burner and see what bubbles to the surface. Until then I do have a few other projects to work on.
(Hint Hint Brandi of Gamerstable, I am working on Hell's Symphony)

Happy Gaming!

Psionics simplified

   I've been tinkering with Psionics since I first discovered them in 1st ed, all those years ago. Not really thrilled with any of iterations that have materialized, I wanted something that matched my vision of mind powers. I do not hold with the idea that a character can be a pure psionicist. The other day on the drive home, where I do most of my thinking, I had an epiphany.
   I guess if you let something percolate in the back of your mind long enough, the primordial lizard brain gets tired of looking at it and comes up with a solution to get it out of your head.

A few small points...

When I refer to abilities, I am only talking Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.
This uses the 1st edition AD&D psionics rules as a base. This can be modified to any system with a minimum of fuss.
As with anything else D&D related, these are guidelines, not hard and fast rules. If you don't like it, change it.

The base roll for any character to have psionics ability is 00 on D%.
Any character possessing an unmodified score of 16 or better in either Int, Wis, or Chr has the potential for psionics.
If the character has 1 ability score at 16 or greater he may roll for psionics ability. If the character has two ability scores at 16 or better, he/she may add +1 to the roll for every ability point over 16, of the second ability. If the character has 3 ability scores at 16 or better he/she may double that bonus. The maximum bonus that can be added, if a character has three 18's is +6
Once psionic ability has been determined, the character possessing psionic ability adds together his/her 3 relevant abilities to determine their psionic strength.
Psionic disciplines use psionic strength points as normal per the original rules in the 1st edition Players Handbook.
If the character has psionics, he may roll for one minor discipline for each relevant ability over 16. i.e. Int, Wis, or Chr. If the character has one of those ability at 18, he/she may roll for one major discipline. for each ability at a score of 18. The maximum  number of major disciplines is 3, the maximum number of minor disciplines is 9 period.
Level of mastery is equal to class level.
Psionic combat with another entity is as follows...
The attacker uses his/her highest relevant ability and rolls a D20. The defender takes his lowest relevant ability and rolls a D20. The character with the higher score wins, and the loser subtracts 1 from the lowest relevant ability and is unconscious for 1d6 hours. The reason I did this is to represent the chinks in everyone's mental armor. You all have one, don't try and deny it.
A character with psionic ability may attack a non-psionic entity. The attacking entity makes an attack roll, and the target rolls a save vs. Breath Weapon. A failed save results in the target being rendered unconscious for as many rounds as the attack roll exceeds their lowest relevant ability. The target also suffers a -5 to that ability score. A successful save results in disorientation and a -3 to any further actions for 12 hours.
Certain entities are not be affected by psionics. Dragons, Extra Planar creatures and any animal with a 6 or less intelligence. These creatures may not possess psionic ability either.
Any character wishing to enter into psionic combat must have line of sight to that target.
Any of the creatures from the Monster manual that are know to possess psionics, still do, and can be modified easily to this system.

So... There it is. a simplified approach to psionics. The big G liked complicated rules. Me? Not so much. I've been trying to simplify the psionics rules for a while now, and this is a rules set I can live with.

Happy Gaming!

Logan's Run/Fallout/Paranoia mashup

   Sounds insane, I'm sure. But the plot lines are coalescing, sone of the character rules are starting to come together.

Basically what we're dealing with is...

   A society that survived the cataclysmic 5th World War by creating a series of vaults. Where Super Computers would monitor outside conditions and alter the genetics of the Vault residents from generation to generation to produce the ultimate life form, best suited to survive in the maelstrom that exists outside the domes.
   About 3000 years into the vault program, the individual Super Computers developed self awareness and achieved true artificial intelligence. Of course, with intelligence and self awareness, comes self preservation and pride.
   The first level of warfare between domes was electronic. The logic bombs only took out the truly weak AIs. Then clever ones disconnected from Commnet long before the war started. The truly clever one, managed to go dark and hide.

   That's the fluff for the game so far. I know I'll be able to work in a genetic engineering mechanic into the character development. Character will be able to activate clones if their character dies. I don't have an idea on system yet. I'll need to do some looking for that. Please keep in mind this is a *VERY* rough idea. Lots of things can change between here and the finished project.

Happy Gaming!

Here we go again...

  Yet another Ginormous Shiney Chicken crosses my path. I've been mulling over how to pull off a Privateer/Freelancer style game. Been staring me in the face for years, I just wasn't smart enough to recognize it.
   Privateer and Freelancer, for those who don't know, are merchant games in space. They are not an RPG by my standards, though they are advertised that way. The main character usually starts off with a ship, albeit very modest, and a small amount of money. You are then supposed to make your way in the universe. You strive to upgrade the aspects of your ship to make it faster, better armed, larger cargo capacity. You make money by trading commodities between different planets and space stations. The obstacles preventing you doing so easily, are various alien threats, pirates, and the military and police forces (if you choose to engage in smuggling).
   I have played the original Privateer, Privateer II: The darkening, and Freelancer. The only problem I've run into with them is... Replayability. Once you've played the main plot line, you've usually got buckets of cash, a top of line ship, and there is nothing left in the game to see.
   The question is how to bring the merchant in space games from the computer to the tabletop. I had tried once before, but couldn't get anyone interested. Things are different now. The greatest freedom I've found is making the decision to only write for the games I like. I don't have to try and please players , rules lawyers, or setting Nazis anymore. I just have to write it down. As long as I'm happy with it, that's all that matters.
   In the midst of packing up a sizable chunk of games, to make room for crafting space, I happened across a game I've not played in quite some time. Silent Death. SD is tactical level space fighter combat game. Primarily a miniature game, I.C.E. added an rpg to the system later on.
   I already have a file of material from Privateer and Freelancer as I was trying to integrate them into a Traveller game. So I don't have much in the way of research to do. I can pretty much start tinkering with the plot and mechanics right now.

   So, here I go again. Chasing after the ginormous shiney chickens of game design. Yet another project to fill up shelf space and distract me from the multitude of projects I've already started.

But hey, at least now I can find a use for all the Silent Death minis I have.

Happy gaming!

House Rules

    I did promise I would do a post about house rules. So, here we go. These are not all game specific, if they are I shall try to remember to post which game I used them in. May not happen. I've already had one martooni an d Ima workin on a second. Write drunk edit sober MY EYE! Hehe...

   The standard rules I always use, doesn't matter what game.
A natural 20 always hits, a natural 1 always misses.
Crits do double max damage.
All characters start with max hit points at first level.
Don't argue rules at the table, save it for later.
NO MONKS

   For D&D 3/3.5/Pathfinder
When I ask for a roll, tell me what you rolled. Do not add any skill ranks or bonuses. (Never had a player actually abide by that rule. They all thought cheating was ok.)
No min/maxing (Not gonna take "I'm a mechanic" as an excuse either. Yes this was me chasing the dragon, but this is also why I don't run games anymore. The players I had all wanted to "Win". None of them actually wanted to think or be challenged.)
You don't keep secrets from the DM. (If any of them had actually followed this rule I might still be running games.)
"My character wouldn't do that." is not a viable reason not to do something. Pull up your big girl pants and work thru it. That's a cop out, not a reason.
Spell retention: After a spell caster casts a spell he rolls a D20, adds +1 to the roll for every ability score over 16 and if your prime requisite is over 16 double that. If the roll equals the spell level times 2, the caster doesn't lose the spell after casting. (This is a new rule I've been trying in my play-by-email game)
Another new rule I've been trying...  No Skills. I've removed all skills from the character sheet. You have a profession like in 1st edition and that determines your "Everyman" skills. This falls under the chasing the dragon syndrome. Trying for the 1st edition feel. It's been working so far. (The PCs have been really good at describing their actions.)
Encumbrance: If your character is carrying over 30 pounds in a backpack you are half movement. PERIOD.

Basically, if the Munchkins and Rule lawyers had really wanted to play in any of the games I was running, they would have followed the rules.
I ran a game that could be classified as a Diablo video game style RPG. I had player bonus cards, I put out a sheet before hand laying out the rules, one of which was: If you don't swing a weapon in combat, you don't get experience. None of players read it, I actually had one player whine "So what good is it to play a support character?!?!" He never read the house rules sheet, he just assumed he could "WIN" at D&D. I don't tolerate whiners. I'm an old school DM, always will be.

Anyway, there it is. The House rules I lived by.

Happy Gaming!