[Auld Lang 'Zine] Princes in the Tower 'zine

Right after I finished my Old War Horses 'zine in 2009, I started another 'zine called Princes in the Tower.

This 'zine, in fact, was part of a shared Savage Worlds Fringeworthy campaign that I ran for my old group, the Corvis Monkey Troupe.

Now, three years after I wrote them, the 12 issues of Princes in the Tower will be presented

[Auld Lang 'Zine] Old War Horses, Issue 1

Old War Horses, Issue 1
Issue No. 1 of Old War Horses was inspired by a song by the Drive-by Truckers, an old podcast (the Rolemonkeys - if you can find the podcasts, then you are fortunate indeed), a couple of fan-inspired Savage Worlds setting conversions (Firefly Savage Worlds and Savage Serenity) and Deadlands Reloaded.

One bit of history: when I wrote this issue, I was still gaming with the Corvis Monkey Troupe. Sadly, I'm no longer in that game group. But I had planned on running this setting for them. Now, several years later, I still remember the good times we had together. Cheers, guys!

[Savage Colonial Gothic] Adventure, the first

December, 2012.

Conrad Waxman is a college student at NYU and Rutgers (Newark). He sees a man at an Amerind anthropology presentation at MOMA who gives him the creeps. Throughout the talk, the creepy man keeps looking at him. Walking home, he notices he's being followed and diverts to his friend Bob Peabody's lab, 3 blocks away from his SoHo loft. Bob is a fellow history buff and re-enactor and has Conrad's kit.

Bob tells Conrad he made a breakthrough in 'temporal studies' and can send stuff back in time/space. At least it has worked with some test items, including a small white mouse! A horrific magical beast, a Wendigo, attacks the lab by smashing through the security glass, ripping out bars, and coming in through window. The creepy guy from the presentation is guiding the Wendigo, shouting at Waxman, "At last, after so long, you're finally mine!" Bob shoots the monster with a flintlock pistol and pushes Conrad towards the basement, grabbing equipment, including Conrad's kit, on the way.

Barring the lab door and setting controls on a strange machine and pushing Conrad into it, Bob starts loading his rifle. The Wendigo breaks through security door to basement, takes the rifle from Bob and shoves it through him. Bob's dead body is thrown onto the controls of the machine right as it activates.

June 17, 1775

Ezekiel Theodore Hollinsworth III and Samuel Picket are watching the battle of Bunker Hill from a distance. The two are cousins, with Samuel the older at 26 to Ezekiels 20. They hear a thunderclap overhead and turn around just in time to see Conrad Waxman fall on his ass behind them. Samuel goes to help the man up as Ezekiel looks around the sky for the thunder clouds.

They all get acquainted, then Samuel and Ezekiel notice that the battle turns against the Americans as they run out of ammunition. They both agree that it's time to leave as the militia withdraws. Ezekiel witnesses General Warren being killed in the fourth Red Coat wave of the assault. As they leave, they encounter a squad of British Regulars along the main path and run off the trail into the woods, getting shot at but escape with no injuries.

Things start quickly not adding up with Ezekiel and Samuel about Waxman, such as the strange clothes, the Jansport mountain hiking back pack, and the iPod that accidentally comes on when they're running from the Redcoats. The weak and transparent excuses on Waxman's part does not help.

A few miles later they come to a copse of trees, and Waxman is encouraged to change into some less conspicuous garb. Some commentary on his Rutgers sweatshirt and his "Historians do it in the stacks!" t-shirt takes place , as well as inspection of some of his items, most notably a coin with the date 1978 on it and a fine Colonial Officer's jacket that hasn't been put in use yet.

Also, his rifle is very much an excellent piece, better made and worth a lot more than either of their firearms and he fobs off an explanation on that as the rifle was a bequest from his father. Once he is reclothed they go into the Natick Tavern for a pint or two, see Sally the Busty Barmaid and get some nice garlic sausages.

While Waxman goes to the privy, the iPod chirps up again with Judas Priest "Breaking the Law", followed by Billy Idol "I Don't Need a Gun." Ezekiel and Samuel think it may be a snuff box with a man's soul trapped in it. A rather rough and evil-looking villain notices the music from the bar and Samuel and Ezekiel close ranks quickly under his watchful gaze.

The party leaves just before twilight, and in the darkening evening, they're followed by two men, one a very large man and the other the fellow from the bar. Samuel asks Waxman if his rifle is loaded and proceeds to load it for him as they walk along. Just before a sharp bend to the right in the road a lantern flares - a signal to the footpads behind them.

The party break for the woods on the right, inside the corner with the footpads behind in hot pursuit as the accomplice ahead with the lantern fires a pistol shot, missing.

As soon as they get into the treeline, a fourth assassin fires a musket at almost point-blank range at Samuel . He returns fire, taking off the top of the shooter's head. Ezekiel turns and shoots the larger of the two who followed from the tavern and kills him right dead. The fellow in front of the group drops his musket and swings a tomahawk at Waxman, who manages not to die.

Ezekiel calls to Samuel to take Waxman's rifle, as he's unsure of Waxman's ability to get the job done, but Samuel calls to Waxman and says "can you do it?" Waxman takes down the fourth bandit. Yet another footpad makes a break for it and tries to run, as Ezekiel starts reloading. Samuel drops his rifle, draws knife and tomahawk and pursues him. He trips, and is caught by Samuel. Waxman follows while Ezekiel finishes loading his gun and then catches up with Samuel.

In the dark woods, it's thought that the robber threw something away, so, to the obvious upset of Samuel and the amazement of Waxman, Ezekiel conjors up a magical light using MAGIC as Waxman draws his Maglight from his pack. The third assailant (the one with the pistol) has run away by this time and no-one ever saw what he looked like. The remaining assailant is interrogated, and his discarded small cannon-barrel pistol is found, he recognizes Waxman's Maglight with a few words , and is extremely and unforgivably profane with Samuel , who strikes him with the tomahawk handle into unconsciousness.

Samuel strips the man and As Samuel searches him, he finds an object about 3 inches long embedded under the skin of his left arm. At about the time he realizes the object is there, he feels it give way under his rough grasp and the assailant disappears in a thunderclap, much like the one that was heard that heralded Waxman's appearance.

This freaks out Ezekiel and Samuel. Samuel is faced with a disappeared man, a cousin who can do magic and a stranger with weird demons in a snuff-box and is very upset. Ezekiel says to Waxman "We're going to have a talk later and you're going to start telling the truth" with a calm cocking back of the musket hammer. Nobody says much after that.

Finally that night, they get to Ezekiel's room over the print shop in Acton. Samuel drinks Ezekiel's skunking ale from the morning.

Thus this episode ends.

[Characters] Piotr Ryoku, Star Fleet Ensign

My friend GM recently ran a Kirk era, just post-Abrams reboot Savage Worlds game of Star Trek. Here is the PC I ran. The first session, I got the "Karma Thief" card (from the Savage Worlds Adventure Deck).

Piotr Ryoku is an recently busted-down ensign in Star Fleet after a contentious relationship with his last captain. He's been newly assigned to the U.S.S. Arbiter (NCC-D103) but a bad reputation spreads faster than the truth. So far his job is shuttle pilot and he has performed it with competence, if not distinction.

Agility d8 Smarts d8 Spirit d8 Strength d6 Vigor d4
Pace 6 Parry 6 Toughness 3 Charisma -0-

Hindrances: Small, Bad Reputation (difficult officer), Quirk

Edges: Ambidextrous, Two-Fisted, Level-Headed, Ace, Quick

Skills: Throwing d8, Pilot d8+2, Fighting d8, Repair d4, Shooting d8, Driving d4+2, Survival d4.

Equipment: Dagger (STR+d4), Derringer (2d6, Shots: 2), Flash Grenade, Phaser (1-3d6).

[Characters] CJ Carella's Witchcraft: Fred and George Smith

I wrote these characters up for a Witchcraft game my friend MW ran a number of years ago for the CMT. I ran George and another in our group, BC , ran Fred. Yes, they are modeled after the Weasley twins.

I remember running George as a professor that made students cry (and thereby gained a reputation at Miskatonic U) while BC ran Fred as a hippy. It was comical, because their disadvantages caused some pretty funny situations.

Frederick Russell Smith and George Winston Smith are identical twins. Born only 13 minutes apart (Fred is the elder) in the early 1970s, their parents, Richard and Emily Smith, were prominent members of a powerful Sacramento Rosicrucian Shrine. Before their birth, Richard cast several potent invocations on his unborn children seeking to augment their latent Gifts. His plan was to raise powerful Rosicrucian magicians, all for the glory of the Shrine.

Unfortunately, his plans were spoiled by his children themselves. A side effect of the invocations was the in vitro awakening of their Sight, allowing the brothers to mindtalk even before they were born. They developed a close relationship at that early point in their lives and remain close to the present. Both boys were strongly adverse to being controlled, either by each other or their parents. But rather than face the direct focus of their parents' considerable will, they chose to bide their time, waiting for the opportunity to strike out on their own. Despite the controlling nature of their parents, they both had happy childhoods.

Awakened to the Gift early on brought the brothers their past life experiences. In each case, George's past life was closely connected to Fred's past life and visa versa. In their oldest past lives, they were both monks at the same monastery, during the same years, in 10th century Britain. Then they were both artists together in 15th century China. Finally, Fred was a Union officer in the Civil War, while George was his orderly. Both brothers have only one word to say about this phenomenon: "Weird."

Their father trained them to create protective and powerful magical vessels in the form of rings (prompting the brothers to call each other "Sauron"). This training has given each of them excellent experience in similar but different invocations. Frederick was trained to create powerful symbols of protection, while George learned to consecrate magical vessels.

After years of extensive magical and mundane education, the boys at last saw their chance to break free from their parents and the Rosicrucians. They graduated from college and escaped to the East Coast, never to return. Their parents' Shrine Leader immediately cursed them as a result. Their accursed states are opposite of each other (George's affects electronic devices and Fred's affect mechanical devices) and woven together in some way, making them difficult to remove.

Fred and George went on to graduate school, where Fred earned a doctorate in History and George earned a doctorate in Myth and Folklore. While he was a graduate student, Fred learned more about the Combine and developed his obsession with various conspiracy theories. George spent his time learning about various myths that may have bearing on their curse.

After receiving their doctoral degrees, the brothers moved to Arkham and they share a small house. George gained employment as an associate professor at Miskatonic U in the Humanities Department and managed to get Fred a similar job in the History Department.

The brothers are identical twins, both tall and thin, but are (currently) easy to tell apart. Fred has long hair and George wears glasses (though he has contacts). Neither is particularly athletic. George prefers suits, while Fred like to dress casually. Personality-wise, the brothers also differ, with George the serious one, stiff and formal, and Fred the practical joker. Fred is a Luddite who can use computers but refuses to, while George is a frustrated internet junkie who can't get a fix because his accursed state crashes his computer. While they may bicker on occasion, they maintain a close friendship and are genuinely concerned for each other's well-being.


George Winston Smith, Age: 26, Human (Caucasian), Male, 5'10", 140 lbs, Short Brown Hair, Blue Eyes.

Gifted Association: Solitaire Concept: Seeker of Knowledge

Strength: 1 Dexterity: 2 Constitution: 2 Intelligence: 2 Perception: 2 Willpower: 7

Life Points: 22 Endurance Points: 35 Speed: 8 Essence Pool: 76

Qualities:
Solitaire Association (+1 on all Tasks involving one specific Gifted Art (Consecration))
The Gift (5 pts, pg 86)
Artistic Talent (Metalworking) (3 pts, pg 74)
Old Soul 1 (4 pts, pg 87)
Increased Essence Pool 8 (8 pts, pg 87)

Drawbacks:
Impared Eyesight (Correctable) (-1 pts, pg 72)
Indebted 2 (-2 pts, pg 73)
Cruel 1 (-1 pts, pg 77)
Honorable 2 (-2 pts, pg 79)
Accursed 1+3=4 (Electrical devices will not work properly for character, all at inconvenient/embarrassing moments, i.e. computers will freeze or crash, phones/fax machines will have excessive static and disconnect, TVs will black out, microwaves will overheat food or beep meaninglessly, & etc.; major inconvenience, extremely complex to remove) (-4 pts, pg 84)

Powers:
Consecration 5 (Jewelry) (10 pts, pg 212)
Essence Channeling 5 (10 pts, pg 86)
Shielding 1 (2 pts, pg 220)
Blessing 1 (2 pts, pg 210)
Mindtalk Strength 1 (3 pts, 233)
Mindtalk Art 1 (2 pts, pg 233)
Mindtalk Art Specialty: Talk to Fred 3 (1 pt, pg 233)

Skills:
Craft (Jewelry) 5 (5 pts, pg 91)
Craft (Jewelry) Specialty: Rings 7 (1 pt, pg 91)
Myth and Legend (Western Civilization) 5 (5 pts, pg 96)
Myth and Legend (Western Civilization) Specialty: British Isles 7 (1 pt, pg 96)
Guns (Handgun) 3 (3 pts, pg 93)
Instruction 3 (3 pts, pg 95)
Magic Theory 3 (3 pts, pg 95)
First Aid 1 (1 pt, pg 93)
Lock Picking (Mechanical) 1 (1 pt, pg 95)
Occult Knowledge 1 (2 pts, pg 96)

Possessions: Several business suits; some casual clothes; leather jacket [D4(2)]; several pairs of eyeglasses & contacts; clip-on sunglasses; complete set of jeweler's tools, materials and equipment; lockpicks; 9mm Makarov pistol [D6x4(12)] & ammunition; several powerful Consecrated rings


Frederick Russell Smith, Age: 26, Human (Caucasian), Male, 5'10", 140 lbs, Long Brown Hair, Blue Eyes.

Gifted Association: Solitaire Concept: Seeker of Knowledge

Strength: 1 Dexterity: 2 Constitution: 1 Intelligence: 3 Perception: 3 Willpower: 6

Life Points: 18 Endurance Points: 32 Speed: 6 Essence Pool: 78

Qualities:
Solitaire Association (+1 on all Tasks involving one specific Gifted Art (Symbol of Protection))
The Gift (5 pts, pg 86)
Artistic Talent (Metalworking) (3 pts, pg 74)
Old Soul 1 (4 pts, pg 87)
Increased Essence Pool 8 (8 pts, pg 87)

Drawbacks:
Clown (-1 pts, pg 75)
Indebted 2 (-2 pts, pg 73)
Honorable 1 (-1 pts, pg 79)
Obsession 2 ("Fight the Conspiracy!",-2 pts, pg 80)
Accursed 1+3=4 (Simple mechanical devices will not work properly for character, all at inconvenient/embarrassing moments, i.e. door knobs will fall apart, door hinges will stick, locks will jam, faucets will break, mechanical clocks and watches will give wrong time, pulleys won't work properly, & etc.; major inconvenience, extremely complex to remove) (-4 pts, pg 84)

Powers:
Symbol of Protection 5 (Jewelry) (10 pts, pg 223)
Essence Channeling 5 (10 pts, pg 86)
Mindtalk Strength 1 (3 pts, 233)
Mindtalk Art 3 (6 pts, pg 233)
Mindtalk Art Specialty: Talk to George 5 (1 pt, pg 233)

Skills:
Craft (Jewelry) 4 (4 pts, pg 91)
Craft (Jewelry) Specialty: Rings 6 (1 pt, pg 91)
Humanities (History) 6 (8 pts, pg 94)
Humanities (History) Specialty: American History 8 (1 pt, pg 94)
Humanities (History) Specialty: Crackpot Conspiracy Theories 8 (1 pt, pg 94)
Instruction 4 (4 pts, pg 95)
Guns (Handgun) 2 (2 pts, pg 93)
Questioning 2 (2 pts, pg 97)
Research/Investigation 1 (1 pt, pg 97)
Driving (Car) 1 (1 pt, pg 92)

Possessions: One old business suit (crumpled); lots o' casual clothes; leather jacket [D4(2)]; sunglasses; complete set of jeweler's tools, materials and equipment; 9mm Makarov pistol [D6x4(12)] & ammunition; small, early 90s automobile; several powerful Symbols of Protection rings; filing cabinets and filing cabinets filled with vital, topical and important information on various Conspiracies.

[Savage Colonial Gothic] Tiberius Scattergood

TE ran Tiberius Scattergood for a few sessions. He's a crack shot but has bad luck. Other than that, I don't remember much about him.

Tiberius Scattergood
Novice + 3 Adv + 20 xp (20xp is unspent).

Agility d10 Smarts d6 Spirit d8 Strength d6 Vigor d6
Pace 6 Parry 4 Toughness 5 Charisma -0-

Edges: Ambidextrous.

Hindrances: Bad Luck, Loyal, Doubting Thomas.

Skills: Boating d6, Fighting d4, Guts d8, Investigation d4, Notice d6, Riding d4, Shooting d10, Survival d4, Taunt d6, Throwing d6.

Long Rifle 15/30/60, RoF 1, 2d8, AP 2, Wt 8, 3 actions to reload.
Pistol 5/10/20, RoF 1, 2d6+1, AP -, Wt 3, 2 actions to reload.
Tomahawk 3/6/12, RoF 1, Str +d6, Wt 2.
Knife 3/6/12, RoF 1, Str + d4, Wt 1.

Tiberius' 3x3
3 Allies: Abraham Hart (merchant), Robert Whipple (Colonial Officer), William Williams (farmer)
3 Contacts: Thomas Rush (Colonial Officer), Joseph Hewes (Slave), Mrs. Arthur Middleton (old
family friend)
3 Enemies/Rivals: Arthur Hopper (self-proclaimed best shot in the colonies), Franklin Huntington (captain of a merchant ship), Oliver Gerry (farmer)

[Savage Colonial Gothic] Clive Trelawney

Clive Trelawney was played by XO. He's a British Army deserter but not much as been revealed in his past.

Clive Trelawney
Novice + 4 Adv + 15 xp (15xp is unspent).

Agility d8 Smarts d6 Spirit d6 Strength d6 Vigor d6
Pace 6 Parry 6 Toughness 5 Charisma -0-

Edges: Dodge.

Hindrances: Bad Luck, Wanted (British Army deserter).

Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Lockpicking d8, Notice d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, Streetwise d6, Swimming d6, Knowledge (Mechanics) d8.

"Brown Bess" Musket 10/20/40, RoF 1, 2d8, AP -, Wt 15, 2 actions to reload.
Hanger (Sword), Str + d6
Knife 3/6/12, RoF 1, Str + d4, Wt 1.

Clive's 3x3

3 Allies: Robert Gerry (innkeeper), Roger Sherman (merchant), George Ross (British soldier, old friend)
1 Contacts: Michael York (rich man's factor)
3 Enemies/Rivals: Elma Tailor (former mistress), Richard Witherspoon (constable), Clive's Father (British sergeant)

[Savage Colonial Gothic] Conrad Waxman

The third original character in the Savage Colonial Gothic game, Conrad Waxman was played by both CM (in GMs game) and GM (in my game). He's from the future, a student at a New York university that was visiting an old scientist friend when they were attacked by a mage. He was shoved into the time machine and sent back to 1775 where he met up with the other PCs.

Conrad Waxman
Novice + 1 advance + 30xp (30xp is unspent).

Agility d8 Smarts d8 Spirit d6 Strength d6 Vigor d6
Pace 6 Parry 5 Toughness 5 Charisma -0-

Edges: Danger Sense.

Hindrances: Enemy, Habit (Smokes), Outsider (Up-timer).

Skills: Climbing d4, Driving d4, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Knowledge (History) d8, Knowledge (Anthropology) d6, Throwing d4, Shooting d6, Survival d4, Tracking d4, Swimming d4.

Jaeger Rifle 15/30/60, RoF 1, 2d8, AP 2, Wt 8, 3 actions to reload.
w/slug 20/40/80, RoF 1, 2d8+1, AP 2
Tomahawk, RoF 1, Str+d6, Wt 2

Waxman's 3x3
2 Allies: Philip Livingston (antiquitarian), William Paca (physician)
2 Contacts: Francis Lewis (writer), Margaret Penn (boarding house owner)
2 Enemies/Rivals: LeFluer (french mage), Eddie Rutledge (bookseller)

[Savage Colonial Gothic] Samuel James Pickett

MW played Samuel James Pickett, a woodsman from Ohio and cousin to Ezekiel. His was a sad story: he moved to Ohio to pursue game pelts with a friend, met a native woman and married. He and his friend borrowed money to start their business and his friend ran off with it all, betraying Samuel and his wife's tribe to the British. Many natives died in the British attack and Samuel's wife was one of them. His wife dead, his business in ruins and his life in tatters, he returned to Boston just in time for the game to start.

When I ran the next adventure, Samuel's former business partner turns up - as a British Lieutenant!

Samuel James Pickett
Novice + 6 Adv + 5 xp.

Agility d8 Smarts d8 Spirit d6 Strength d4 Vigor d8
Pace 6 Parry 5 Toughness 6 Charisma -0-

Edges: Luck, Woodsman, Marksman, Two-Fisted.

Hindrances: Poverty, Outsider.

Skills: Boating d4, Climbing d4, Fighting d6, Guts d4, Healing d4, Knowledge (Nature) d4, Notice d6, Shooting d8, Stealth d6 (+2 in wild areas), Survival d8+2, Swimming d4, Throwing d4, Tracking d8+2.

Long Rifle 15/30/60, RoF 1, 2d8, AP 2, Wt 8, 3 actions to reload.
Tomahawk 3/6/12, RoF 1, Str +d6, Wt 2.
Knife 3/6/12, RoF 1, Str + d4, Wt 1.

Samuel's 3 x 3
2 Allies: Cusik the Tuscarora (father-in-law, indian shaman), Richard Witherspoon (constable)
2 Contacts: Jonathan Morton (woodsman), Mrs. Eliza York (married sister)
3 Enemies/Rivals: Marcus Bridge (former partner), Thadeus Clinton (owes money to), Michael York (Clinton's factor and brother-in-law)

[Savage Colonial Gothic] Ezekiel Theodore Hollinsworth III

I came up with this character for a Savage Worlds Colonial Gothic game that my friend GM ran and which I later picked up for a short campaign.

The game started as Ezekiel and his cousin Samuel were watching the Battle of Bunker Hill from a distance and went from there, including a visitor from the future, Redcoats, unknown creatures and a haunted mansion. When I ran the game, I added even more Redcoats, more unknown creatures, some tough dogs, a battle atop a runaway carriage, and a hidden grotto under the Old North Church that contained an intact Viking Longboat guarded by the ghosts of it's crew. I've still got the notes around and I plan to post them.

Ezekiel Theodore Hollinsworth III
Novice + 3 Adv + 5 xp (5xp is unspent).

Agility d6 Smarts d8 Spirit d6 Strength d6 Vigor d6
Pace 6 Parry 4, Toughness 5, Charisma -0-

Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Alertness, Connections

Hindrances: Curious, Habit (Smokes a pipe)

Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d4, Shooting d4, Stealth d6, Investigation d6, Throwing d4, Riding d4, Notice d6+2, Lockpicking d6, Guts d6, Knowledge (Arcana) d6, Spellcasting d6, Persuasion d4.

Powers: Smite, Armor and Light.

Equipment:
"Brown Bess" Musket 10/20/40, RoF 1, 2d8, AP -, Wt 15, 2 actions to reload.
Tomahawk 3/6/12, RoF 1, Str + d6, Wt 2.
Knife 3/6/12, RoF 1, Str + d4, Wt 1.

Ezekiel's 3x3

2 Allies: Master Smith (freemason, employer), James Wilson (farmer)
3 Contacts: Dr. Lyman Hall (physician), Eddie Rutledge (bookseller), Michaela "Button" Gwinnett (alchemist/chemist)
1 Enemies/Rivals: Thomas McKean (fellow freemason)

[Auld Lang 'Zine] 1001+1 Nights, Issue #6

Issue #6, One Thousand and One Nights and One Night RPG Campaign Design 'zine

Issue no. 6 of One Thousand and One Nights and One Night Campaign Design 'zine was published May 2007.

I continued this issue with Part 2 of my D20 Fantasy Campaign, adding more info like two races of Humans, the Thyatir and the Suldar, both of which are different element-aspected (earth and fire, respectively), and Hobbits. I also included the Vir, a template that is added to any race (but goblinoid) that I let my players have when I ran it for the Corvis Monkey Troupe.

I limited the character classes to Bards, Warlocks, Fighters, Clerics, Paladins, Wizards, and Berserkers and Sidhe Scholars (both from a Dragon Magazine article) and ran the game using the excellent module Three Days to Kill by John Tynes.

Due to my schedule at the time, I didn't have any game notes to add to the issue.

[Savage Worlds] Dragon Hunters: Meroirry Hornblower

The last Dragon Hunter is Meroirry Hornblower, a thief.

Yes, Meroirry is a thief. He'll admit it. Readily. And a good one at that. Trained by the best, the city's Thieves Guild, Meroirry had great plans - riches, riches and riches. Then the Guild Master made a deal with a dragon. And as the Guild learned, watch how you make deals with dragons.

In the end, only Meroirry was left. And his plans of success and retirement with riches died with the rest of the Guild. But he's learned some things about dragons, oh, yes. And they're pretty rich. Rich enough for a halfling to live comfortably for a long, long time.

Yep, that dragon, and all his kind, are going to pay.

Halfling Thief, Novice + 80 XP = Legendary (16 advances)
Agility d12 Spirit d8 Smarts d8 Strength d6 Vigor d6
Pace 6, Parry 6, Toughness 4, Charisma -0-

Hindrances: Small (racial), Enemy [M], Loyal [m], Quirk [m]
Edges: Luck (racial), Acrobat, Thief, Quick, Ambidextrous, Fleet-Footed, Common Bond, Luck, Great Luck.

Skills: Fighting d8, Climb d8, Notice d6, Guts d4, Lockpicking d6, Throwing d8, Gambling d4, Persuasion d4, Stealth d10, Streetwise d4, Swimming d4, Taunt d4.

[Pathfinder RPG] The Puddles, Part 2

We continued the Pathfinder RPG game set in the Puddles, a destitute area of the Island City of Absalom, yesterday. TE and I reprised our roles as Makoa Grogbar and Philo Greenwald, and MW continued as the game master. CM and DM couldn't make it and so we NPC'd their characters, Algernon Grogbar and Myles Laycock.

Since the last session ended in the throes of the mystery of Spring-heel Jack, we continued searching for clues. All the Puddles was asleep but we continued for our adventuring spirits were great. To make a long story short, we had found a piece of metal in Burgin's purse and Philo kept it because it reminded him of something. And that lead the group to the circus!

Marcolo is Philo's boss at the circus and in the dead of night, the group went to talk to him. The guard at the gate, Durgan, provided some info when we showed up. Marcolo had a guest and was still up, even at this late hour. When Philo showed him the metal, he reminded Philo that Marcolo had something similar.

As we approached Marcolo's travel caravan, we heard raised voices. Amergin (from the bar) and Marcolo were arguing. "They made a mistake, we won't make the same." and "It can't find us, we're safe." A few other comments were made before we knocked and Marcolo answered.

We explained that Amergin had put of a reward and we'd like the Puddles to go back to being the same crappy place to live, except without Spring-heel Jack. When Philo showed Marcolo the bit of metal and remarked how close it was to Marcolo's jewelry broach, he lied and tried to pass it off as a jeweler's fancy but we weren't fooled.

Amergin looked like he was going to spill but Marcolo gave him a hard look. The party walked Amergin back to the tavern, all the way trying to get him to open up, even mentioning Bergin's missing tongue and how sad it was that he was in the afterlife without the ability to speak. That didn't get much response from Amergin except some pretty white-faced stares.

During the course of conversation, Philo figured out (using his Bardic Knowledge) that both Marcolo and Amergin were from Cheliax and probably knew each other. Philo managed to trick Amergin into revealing that he was from Cheliax and then the party moved on.

We decided to track down Burke to find out more about Burgin and the piece of metal. Argus the gnome bootsmith told the group he remembered that Burgin and Burke's father was a successful merchant who got ruined and ended up in the Puddles. We found Burke drunk at his squat and proceeded to slap him around, asking him some questions. Burgin, it turned out, looked an aweful lot like their father, Ursian. That bit of metal was once owned by their father, who committed suicide by poison about 5 years ago. Their father never talked much about his past but their mother was from Absalom. Bad luck seemed to follow the family.

After the fun of slapping Burke around, Makoa gave him some more booze and the group returned home to discuss what they'd learned. They figured that the bits of metal were part of the symbol of Cheliax, a pentagram. At first, we figured there were 5 people in the mix but with 5 victims of Spring-heel Jack already accounted for, it seemed that there were 7. The pentagram symbol must have had the 5 points of the star and two half-circles. We decided to spend the next morning gathering info about the last 4 victims.

Before the Puddles woke up, Philo slipped out, back to the circus, where he picked up some red paint. A pentagram later on the door of the Soggy Bottom Tavern, Philo headed home. Around noontime, the group assembled at the tavern, where a great crowd had gathered to look at the pentagram. Wild speculation about Amergin's past, including the Mark of Cheliax started. Myles calmly made the observation that Spring-heel Jack must have marked the tavern and it's owners and when Amergin arrived to open up, he did a double-take and the crowd told him that Spring-heel Jack was after him.

The crowd started to get into that whole witch-burning frame of mind and Philo stepped forward to calm the crowd and convinced Amergin to delay opening in order to clean off the symbol. The crowd dispersed, for the time being, and the party joined Amergin inside. Philo told Amergin what they'd found out. That there were 7 victims, but only 5 had died so far. Velara, a whorehouse madam, Porche, an artist, Nicolo, a promoter, Galadin, a slaver, and Burgin, who looked surprisingly like his father Ursian, were the 5 and we figured that Marcolo and Amergin were the other two.

That prompted a scattergun being pointed at them. As Myles and Makoa started to move out of the line of fire, Philo calmly stated that we were Amergin's only hope, who else would help him? After all, we only had to wait for two more murders and Spring-heel Jack would be done and the business of the Puddles would return to normal.

That deflated Amergin and Philo managed to get the whole truth (or at least most of it) from him. The seven were all promised life and success in Cheliax for their souls. They broke the deal and managed to escape to Absalom. They also broke apart the pentagram, each having a piece of it as a protection against being found by a Cheliax hunter. And the hunter turned out to be a fallen angel sent from hell to collect their souls.

We decided to go get Marcolo and Amergin said he was still alive (the pieces of metal had a link to each other and they felt the others die when the demon came for them). Arming himself, Amergin locked up the tavern and we headed back to the circus. Using his Bardic Knowledge, Philo figured that there were two places that Spring-heel Jack would hide out, an abandoned bell-tower or the equally abandoned light house. That's were they were headed to finish this.

Marcolo would have nothing to do with us. We told him to man up and end it but he called us fools and Amergin an ass. During the conversation, Philo lifted his piece of metal and as we walked away, handed it to Amergin. One of the side effects of this metal was it absorbed your soul after death if it was in your possession and no one was interested in that.

A heavy mist descended on the party and we realized that Spring-heel Jack was coming. We raced back to Marcolo and he cursed us for stealing the charm but armed himself for battle. The party arrayed themselves around his caravan and waited.

A soft and polite voice told us that it wasn't our fight and we should leave. Philo, sensing an opportunity, calmly asked what was in it for us and managed to get an amused chuckle from Jack. The mist produced a pair of devils with attacked.

Combat was fierce. Argus provided the group with a powerful divine protection and Philo sang to inspire courage. Myles opened up with his rifle and managed to hurt one of the devils but it was still fighting. Algernon and Makoa fought against an animated rope and defeated it while the rest of us took down the two devils with the aid of a summoned Lantern Archon.

The session ended with the deaths of the two devils as Spring-heel Jack prepared to attack. It was a very satisfying game, Philo got to bitch-slap a drunk, Makoa got to chop up an animated rope, Myles got to shoot his gun and Algernon actually cast some spells besides Detect Magic. I'm enjoying the versatility of using cantrips all the friggin' time, especially Dancing Lights and Guidance, which are very helpful. The bardic abilities are also very cool.

[Savage Worlds] Dragon Hunters: Roland

Roland is the fourth Dragon Hunter.

An orphan, Roland was left at one of the abbeys of the Brothers of the Holy Flame, a holy order of knights and priests who defend the faithful and do good works among the poor and dispossessed.

Roland learned both warfare and holy knowledge from these Brothers. The martial training built his physical strength while the religious training build his spiritual life. But it was not meant to last. Before he took full orders, a dragon raided the abbey, destroying it and Roland's family, the only family he knew, was killed to a man. Roland escape the flames and destruction only by being forced into the cellars during the fighting and then buried alive under the collapsed church.

After digging himself out and burying his mentors and brothers, he gathered what arms and equipment he could. Laying before the ruined altar, he prayed to the gods for blessing and strength to dedicate himself to hunting down dragons and slaying them. With no food or water for a week, at the point of death, a spirit from the gods approached him and granted him his wish but with a caution - one of his prey will kill him if he fails to keep the faith.

Now imbued with the holy wrath, Roland seeks out dragons to kill, knowing full well his death was foretold at the claws of one of them should he fail to remain pure.

Human Holy Warrior, Novice + 80 XP = Legendary (16 advances)
Agility d8 Spirit d8 Smarts d6 Strength d10 Vigor d8
Pace 6, Parry 7, Toughness 6, Charisma -0-

Hindrances: Enemy [M], Loyal [m], Quirk [m]
Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Holy Warrior, Hard to Kill, Brawny, Trademark Weapon, Frenzy, Improved Frenzy

Skills: Fighting d10, Shooting d8, Faith d10, Notice d8, Knowledge (Religion) d8, Guts d8, Healing d6, Persuasion d6, Riding d6, Stealth d4

[Savage Worlds] Dragon Hunters: Lithdhudil

The third Dragon Hunter is Lithdhudil the Archer.

Lithdhudil of the Wood Elves traveled with his clan through the verdant forest: hunting, feasting, learning the ways of the trees. He and his twin brother became the best archers in their clan and one day, a party of adventurers managed to convince the brothers to join them. The first adventure, against an elder wyrm, went very badly - a mix of bad luck, bad planning and hubris. Lithdhudil was the only survivor and his brother's killer, the wyrm, escaped. Since then, he's spent the last few years seeking this dragon to destroy him.

Wood Elf Archer, Novice + 80 XP = Legendary (16 advances)
Agility d12 Spirit d8 Smarts d8 Strength d6 Vigor d8
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 6, Charisma -0-

Hindrances: All Thumbs (racial), Enemy [M], Loyal [m], Quirk [m]
Edges: Low Light Vision (racial), Woodsman, Marksman, Steady Hands, Trademark Weapon, Improved Trademark Weapon

Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d10, Notice d8, Guts d8, Throwing d8, Healing d6, Riding d4, Stealth d8, Survival d8, Swimming d4, Tracking d8.

[Savage Worlds] Dragon Hunters: Faesset

The second Dragon Hunter is Faesset the Ranger.

Faesset was raised in the West Fold Forest, learning from the Elves there as well as from her father, a Royal Forester. When a dragon came and burned the wood, her father and woodland family perished. She is filled with a rage that knows now bounds as a result of this loss but has realized that she can't have a full life living only on revenge. But she doesn't know how to change and doesn't feel she will have the opportunity in the near future.

Human Ranger, Novice + 80 XP = Legendary (16 advances)
Agility d8 Spirit d8 Smarts d8 Strength d8 Vigor d8
Pace 6, Parry 6, Toughness 6, Charisma -0-

Hindrances: Enemy [M], Loyal [m], Quirk [m]
Edges: Woodsman (free), Beast Master, Luck, Marksman, Quickdraw, Quick

Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d8, Investigation d6, Notice d6, Knowledge (Nature) d6, Guts d4, Throwing d4, Healing d4, Intimidation d4, Stealth d4, Survival d8, Swimming d4, Tracking d8.

[Pathfinder RPG] The Puddles, Session 1

The Corvis Monkey Troupe played a game of Pathfinder last friday. MW wanted to give it a try and ran the game in the island city of Absalom, in the Puddles - a destitute area of the city.

We started at 2nd level and CM played a fiddle-playing Half Orc Sorcerer named Algernon Grogbar, TE played his brother Makoa, a Half Orc ex-slave gladiator Fighter, and GM played Myles Laycock, a Human Fighter with a rifle, a hunting dog named Rex and a mysterious past (don't they all?). Unfortunately, XO was unable to make the game, so I don't know what his PC will be.

I played Philo Greenwald and the amazing Charley Midnight the dancing Spider. Philo (rhymes with High-Low) is a Bard/Druid circus performer with a giant spider as an animal companion. I played him as a cheerfully amoral murdering sociopath from Galt and had a great time. When I brought up the animal companion being a giant spider, MW went for it because the Puddles has a well-known freak show/circus and that sort of act fit very well.

The game started with Death stalking the Puddles. A murderer, who the neighborhood nicknamed Spring-Heeled Jack, was keeping most everyone inside during the day and night. His murders were as gruesome as they were unexpected. Sure, the Puddles has it's own level of crime - the city Watch refused to go there except in force - but this range and frequency of murder was beyond the pale. Trade was suffering, people were scared and the neighborhood was all bottled up, ready to explode into extreme violence.

Which is why the bar fight started. Philo and Algernon, who formed the band Halfing and Orc, were playing their set in the Soggy Bottom Tavern, deep in the Puddles. With the circus closed down due to the murders, Philo was trying to make some money. Makoa and Myles were there as well, mixing it up with two humans, brothers Burgin and Burke. Mugs, fists and chairs flew through the air, contacting faces, stomachs and heads. Steam was being released, but not enough.

But enough for some. In the free-for-all, the tavernmaster Amergin shot into the air with one of the barrels of his scattergun and told everyone to knock it off. Sick of being scared and seeing what it was doing to business, he offered 8 gold per person to whoever brought the body of Spring-Heeled Jack to him (much to the disgust of his wife Molly).

Burgin and Burke got their crew together, including a dangerous Gnome named Fagin (some sort of magic-user, according to Vridash), boasted they'd get Spring-Heeled Jack. Philo, Algernon, Makoa, Myles, and a gnome bootmaker named Argus formed the second posse. Taking the time to stop by their digs, an old abandoned building that they'd fixed up and habitated, the crew armed themselves and Philo brought along Charley while Myles brought Rex.

In a neat bit of roleplaying, Philo managed to convince Algernon that Charley Midnight the dancing Spider watched him and told Philo things about him (my Bluff roll of 19 vs. CM's Sense Motive roll of 4!). "He's always watching me, with those 8 eyes!" When Charley joined the group, Algernon succeeded in Intimidating him and Charley backed down behind Philo, which prompted another bit - Charley got a third of the Halfling and Orc band proceeds 'cause he was the manager.

The group stepped out into the cold, fog-shrouded streets and wandered around. Philo cast Dancing Lights to help with seeing in the fog and dark (on a side note, Pathfinder allows characters to cast 0-level spells, cantrips, as often as they like - which makes Dancing Lights with it's four torch-equivalent lights an excellent choice).

Spotting a fast-moving figure, we gave chase. It fled to the rooftops and we followed along the street, with Myles taking a shot at it with his rifle (but missing) as it leaped between buildings. We decided to follow it by rooftop as well (and avoid the muck and water in the streets) and climbed a nearby scaffolding. During the climb, Algernon failed but Charley used his webbing to save him from the fall, while Myles tried to help Makoa up as well (Makoa still managed to fall).

Over the rooftops and through the Puddles we went, finally arriving at an old, collapsed and partially submerged building. With Makoa in the lead and Charley and Philo on his shoulders, the party entered the building into the water and muck. The figure we'd been following turned out to be a lizard folk and we managed to parlay with it and it's small tribe without violence. For exchange of no death and some food, the lizard folk fellow named Sh'tak lead us to the latest victim of Spring-Heeled Jack.

Sh'tak turned out to be an escaped slave, much like Makoa (gladiators were often pitted against lizard folk) and Philo managed to develop a contact with the lizard folk - they'd work for food and Philo had a few ideas for future enterprise.

The lizard folk Sh'tak lead them to a refuse-strewn alley with the latest dead - Burgin was torn and eviscerated. After relieving the body of his purse and dagger, the group discovered some clues: the tongue was missing (a first for Spring-Heeled Jack), Burgin didn't have a chance to draw steel, and wasn't robbed (except by us).

Around the corner came his crew! Burke immediately thought we'd done the deed (in actuality, Philo had been joking about murdering the two all evening with Algernon) but we managed to convince Fagin that we'd stumbled upon the scene a short time ago. There was a test of wills between Burke and Fagin, and (as anticipated), Fagin won.

Joining forces (but not fully trusting each other), we told them the clues we'd found. Philo handed over the dagger and purse, confident that Burke would be dead soon and we'd have both purses and daggers later on. Argus the gnome bootmaker examined Spring-Heeled Jack's boot prints in the alley and gave additional clues about them. Some blood spots were found on the walls 15 and 25 feet up by Charley, showing us that Spring-Heeled Jack leaped up the side of the building. But nothing was found of the murderer.

The session ended with both groups walking away, vowing to work together to finish Spring-Heeled Jack but several party members were convinced that the trouble between the two groups would end badly (for them). On our way home, Charley Midnight rode on Algernon's back. CM took this in stride, even mentioning that Charley had saved Algernon from falling.

[Savage Worlds] Dragon Hunters: Vessayelm

The first Dragon Hunters is the Wizard, Vessayelm.

Vessayelm was born to a rich family from the capital city. His father was a member of the goldsmiths guild and used his wealth to enroll his son in the powerful magicians guild. Apprenticed to the great Teukden, he went on to defeat the Ogre of Grippen Wood and joined in the Dragon Hunters a few years ago. Together, they killed a young dragon at the loss of his friend and fellow wizard Cyawbel. He is still very emotional about the loss of his friend and feels a strong desire not to have that tragic event occur again.

Human Wizard, Novice + 80 XP = Legendary (16 advances)
Agility d6 Spirit d10 Smarts d12 Strength d6 Vigor d6
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5, Charisma -0-

Hindrances: Enemy [M], Loyal [m], Quirk [m]
Edges: Arcane Background (Magic) (free), Wizard, New Power x4, Power Points x4, Scholar

Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Spellcaster d10, Notice d6, Knowledge (Arcana) d8+2, Knowledge (Dragons and Magical Beasts) d8+2, Guts d6, Boating d4, Healing d4, Persuasion d6

Power Points: 10 + 20 = 30
Powers (3 + 4 = 7): Bless, Bodyguard, Bolt, Confuse the Mind, Light, Obscure, Summon Elemental.

[Savage Worlds] Dragon Hunters

They came to your land, took your family and village with their tooth and claw, burning and killing from the moment their wings touched your sky. You don't want their treasure, you want their death. They will come to fear you, oh yes. They and all their kind.

Last year, I presented a couple of games that I wanted to run for the Corvis Monkey Troupe. One of them was a Savage Worlds game of Dragon Hunters. The PCs would start as Legendary characters, out to hunt dragons. One of the influences in this was a vid-blog by John Wick called the Dirty Dungeon. Instead of a dungeon, it's a Dragon Lair.

We haven't played it yet but I hope to put it on the schedule. I did make up the PCs, so expect to see them in the next few weeks.

[Characters] Thistle Green, Talking Boar of Narnia

A while ago, I ran a Savage Worlds Forgotten Realms campaign where creatures and characters from other settings mixed together to try to save the Realms. I mentioned it in my One Thousand and One Nights and One Night RPG Campaign Design 'zine (Issue #16 to be precise) a few years ago.

Here's one of the PCs from that game:

Thistle Green
Narnian Talking Boar
Player: TE

[1] Agility d8
[0] Smarts d6
[2] Spirit d8
[1] Strength d10
[1] Vigor d10

Edges:
Arcane Background (Talking Beast of Narnia)
[1st Adv] Brawny
[2nd Adv] Quick

Hindrances:
Vow [M]
All Thumbs [m]
Ugly [m]

Powers:
[6] Raise Trait: Strength (self) Level 3
[6] Raise Trait: Vigor (self) Level 3
[2] Raise Trait: Agility (self) Level 1
[2] Raise Trait: Smarts (self) Level 1
[2] Attack, melee, 2D6
[2] Hard to Kill

Skills:
[3] Fighting d8
[3] Guts d8
[2] Notice d6
[3] Stealth d8
[2] Tracking d6
[1] Survival d4
[1] Gambling d4