Showing posts with label haunted. Show all posts
Showing posts with label haunted. Show all posts

Tuesday, 7 July 2020

War Against The Dark Lord 2: Dark Lords Encounters & Wonders





































War Against The Dark Lord 2: Dark Lords Encounters & Wonders
So these are to be used as usual as the war is breaking out. Just used a d10 early on and higher dice for increasingly bad stuff. Encounters are the things you meet travelling or camping as war starts. Wonders are things you might witness and not get involved in. Some are just memorable sights to witness, some are opportunities to learn or fight evil. Lots of confused people don't know what is going on at first so characters could easily help out.

I would probably hit a party with a war from 4th level especially when just returning with lots of loot. During the war travel gets worse and fate nudges you into helping. The dark lord targets those who stand out in his great scrying halls where wizards spy on the world with magic. So as you stand out you get more supernatural surveillance and more encounters as enemy sent after the party.

Next will be loot and gossip. Lots of the gossip is dark lord propaganda. Lots of items are cursed or require evil people to use them.

Why does this random mook support the Dark Lord?
01 You get stability with the dark lord, he is just what we need right now  
02 Well one day one of these dark lords is gonna win and 
03 I have a lucky feeling this time, I can just feel this time he will win
04 All these pretty people will all be brought down low with fire and iron
05 Well its always been the same dark lord and he always comes back 
06 My ancestors made a pact to serve the dark lord and I got the call
07 The dark lord really looks out for the little guy, he understands us
08 All that dark lord stuff, its jus to scare the enemies into eternal subjugation
09 All those rich and pretty people stop the dark lords chosen getting what they deserve
10 The dark lord wants you to be free, to kill who you like when you like 
11 The Dark lord says remorse is for the weak while the strong take what they want
12 All this plotting and corruption is weak and slow, the dark lord simplifies everything

Why does this evil hero support the Dark Lord?
01 Was tainted by evil oaths for corrupt unholy weapons
02 Wanted to try and save family ended up killing them all
03 Was granted power in return for an immortal soul
04 Promised immortality among the dark lords chosen
05 Rivals killed by dark lord agents who occasionally show up
06 Once you get on board with the power you learn to stop caring
07 We must reduce the weak with trials of blood and fire every generation
08 Dark lords taint runs in your bloodline and they dream of the lords dark gaze
09 The dark lord represents how the universe works, the strong eat the weak
10 Nobody can defeat the darklord, sooner you join us the better
11 When did the forces of good do anything lately? Made universe then abandoned us 
12 The dark lord draws on unstoppable powers from the void before the universe

War Against The Dark Lord 2: Encounters
01 Goblin bat riders scouting area possibly skirmish but mostly seek food and info
02 Wolf riders scouting area possibly skirmish but mostly seek food and info
03 Area cloaked in webbing  and giant spiders wait in ambush
04 Pack of savage wild dogs menacing area for food
05 Goblin foot scouts with bows mostly want food and targets for other troops
06 Gang of bandits bear the dark lords mark having joined him
07 Gang of thieves in service of dark one ambushing and killing travellers
08 Swarm of rats - breeding and feeding from dead 5% chance carry plague
09 Swarm of bats 5% of them has rabies
10 Swarm of ravens - will mutter about dark lord and say his name "darklord!"
11 Shifty looking robed man watching area from afar, is really an orc scout
12 Squad of hobgoblins out to massacre commoners to spread terror
13 Evil priest raising some people they murdered as zombies to block the area
14 Robed cultists dedicated to the dark lord in robes, led by a wizard many apprentices
15 Dark robed weasly man convincing people to surrender and prepare for the master 
16 An evil bard is spreading gossip and propaganda supporting the evil one in war
17 Wandering mob of zombie peasants on a killing spree
18 A lycanthrope in human form seeks company on the road
19 Doppelganger spy of the evil master friendly to travellers seeks information
20 An ogre with clever sitting on path preparing a serf stuffed with rats for a meal
21 A shadow coalesces as an evil shadow hungry for the strength of the living
22 A group of ghouls bold enough to hide in shadows and overcast hungry for flesh
23 Wight warrior with an ancient black blade of the evil lords forge seeks something
24 A frightful wight knight on a bone golem horse harrases travellers and messengers
25 A dozen goblin archers with a d4 wolf riders an army scout group seeking intelligence
26 Six wolf riding goblins chasing common travellers with a wagon
27 Swarms of evil bats roam the land spawned by the dark lords blood
28 Hobgoblin squad crucifying some caravan guards who resisted led by cruel officer
29 Orc barbarian mob of dozen warriors and d4 berserkers have run ahead of plan to loot
30 Wild hairy naked gang of abhumans from the woods have been duped to unrest
31 Band of feral goatmen from the dark mountain want to harry the ruination of humankind
32 A lone ogre was ditched by his orc handlers and is lost and hungry 
33 Four orc warg riders scouting for local orc commander, will flee and get help
34 A ferocious insane troll from the deep has come to see the sun fall from the sky
35 A lone wounded orc sees trouble coming and with last gasp blows hor for aid roll again
36 Six giant bats each with a goblin archer harry travellers who can't fight back
37 A young 4th level necromancer and his dozen skeletonised serf with farm tools, seeks corpses can carry back to master to make undead, carry a d6 bodies
38 A dozed dark templars led by a 4th level priest of darkness stirring up terror
39 Four orcs commanding a dozen cowardly ill-equipped goblins
40 Hood wearing cultists with burning torches and swords killing anyone not in a hood
41 Hooded cultists mugging a country priest or friar while a d4 scared commoners watch
42 Galloping frightened horse with unconscious cavalry trooper hanging from the saddle
43 The child cries for help, tells of a dozen orc archers attacking homestead near
44 An invisible imp has a mission to molest travellers and keep eye out for heroes 
45 An invisible dark elf follows travellers intending to murder them by night when helpless
46 A robed hidden hobgoblin will fire a single poison arrow then flee to report to command
47 A goblin bat rider flies by if not stopped a turn later hear goblins coming. A d4 wolf riding goblins archers will track party first and retreat if hurt to join dozen goblin skirmishers who hunt the party
48 Hill giant sitting by road with a dead cow and a d4 probably dead farmers busy eating
49 A band of armoured dwarves 3d4 fled underland tunnels to avoid two squads of orcs chasing them each led by rival commander, dwarves seek travelling companions
50 A young elf is being chased by a squad of orcs, has spent spells already and unarmed. Carries a message warning of orcs siege on hidden elf stronghold to elf king
51 Dead man caries a d3 cursed items left here by a giant bat as a trap
52 Halfling in hiding warns of upcoming encounter up road (roll again)
53 Unburied bodies lay by the road and a d4+1 shadows arise to attack
54 A dozen rambling zombies travel in line to nearest settlement and attack everyone they meet on way
55 Wagon of refugees with belongings and wagon struggling to move cart, two squads of orcs are on the way here in ten minutes
56 Lone ranger on horse chased by dozen goblin wolf riders
57 Squad of orc pikemen burning a house while family trapped inside
58 Cult leader priest with a dozen hooded fanatics a chaos flagellant and six 1st level templar priests have captured a local leaders family and taking them to the dark lord 
59 A dozen chaos berserker mutant flagelant monks with war flails on killing frenzy
60 A dozen orc riding giant lizards gallop down road raiding the area
61 four wight warriors leading a dozen skeletons have awoken at the masters bidding
62 Six wight knights riding bone golem horses hunt adventurers the master wants
63 Pack of wolves d8+8 have chased a local person up a tree 
64 Orc barbarians on horseback, six with mounts here to kill minions of the dark lord who does nothing but fail them and lie, tribe dedicated to killing dark lord and his wizards and cults. Stop to ask directions where enemy orcs might be
65 Gang of youths with clubs eager to meet the invaders sure that being human alone will make them win, friendly to strangers and boast of future heroic deeds
66 Bard rider on horseback (dark lord cultist) telling all to flee coming evil armies
67 A dozen bandits of the area unconvinced the Dark Lord offer more justice or prosperity than current regime is helping refugees and wounded soldiers by holding off some goblin archers
68 A dozen barbarian riders here to kill minions of evil, normally they're kind unwelcome 
69 Elves helping some humans on the road with food and blankets (1in6 are dark elves in disguise and blankets carry plague and food is poison)
70 Distant horns and shaking earth as hundreds of orc heavy infantry and a dozen armoured war ogres. A dozen warg riders scout ahead and skirmish with enemies
71 An old knight leading 3 dozen militia hunting monsters, no idea how bad things are yet
72 Nuns with a wagon have heard needy folk need help. Not really helpless as they all carry maces, wear chain under robes and leader is 4th level priestess
73 Knight with his squire and several extra pack horses travelling and no idea of what's happening
74 A dozen knights led by a paladin and her priestess follower on a horse on a mission against a weapon of the enemy
75 A bandit gang of two dozen have been court off guard and escaping area with all their goods and a d6 harmless followers. Could be convinced to fight and earn a pardon but they plant to hide in a distant cave they have heard of
76 A merchant wagon train of fleeing rich with four dozen men at arms. A d3 merchant families and servants are fleeing to a ship to leave the continent
77 Local lord with seventy-five spearmen and six knights and forty archers on the hunt for evil
78 Amazons on horseback, dozen from beyond the frontier here to kill orcs or goblins, possibly meet some women to take home
79 Goblins mostly archers, two dozen killing a wounded d4 1=treeant 2=giant 3=hippogriff 4=cave bear
80 Wyvern is ridden by d4 1=orc hero 2=evil 5th level wizard 3=evil 4th level priest 5th=evil cultist knight
81 A dozen hill giants drunkenly lumbering about commanded by an orc hero and an orc squad of pikemen
82 A dozen orc heavy troops with composite bows, poison arrows, scimitars in chainmail, led by a hero with cursed evil blade and pet warg
83 A dozen lizardfolk warriors serving the dark lord against humans, these use obsidian war clubs and javelins and blowpipes with poison, led by a hero on riding giant lizard 
84 A dozen trolls marching to an orc drummer with a dozen orc pikemen and an orc hero behind them 
85 Goblin skirmishers are busy setting fire to forest or houses or something unwelcome
86 Dozen orcs riding giant boars from distant land led by a hero and druid companion here to kill those serving the dark lord, mostly avoid locals but enemy orcs fear them
87 Evil wizard with succubus or incubus lover trying to get back to dark lords side with espionage documents, if cant avoid others will pretend to be agents of the kind on a mission and if that work might try and lead the party to a command outpost to kill. Outpost will have at least four dozen words, a d4 wards and a 4th level evil orc priest
88 A wraith roaming the woods spies for the dark lord and reports adventurers location to the dark lord who sends six wyverns ridden by 4th level evil priests 
89 A wraith riding a zombie wyvern attacks non-allied adventurers
90 Chaos warband of thirty mongrel monster maniacs not affiliated with dark lord but up for raiding and looting and fighting. Goatman hero leader has harem of d6 chaos shoggoth lovers
91 Drums indicate hundreds of goblins running through area eating everything, most animals hide or flee
92 A dragon flies overhead and will ignore most travellers unless it is tempted by treasure, then it will breathe from the air than land to mell
93 A hundred orc heavy infantry marching and charting war chants led by an orc hero and evil priest adviser
94 A hundred skeletons marching with necromancer lord 9th Lv wizard, some of them play jaunty marching tunes on bone flutes and human skin drums 
95 A hundred corrupted human cultists 
96 A great demon of shadow and fire, flies overhead unseen for an age, a fallen demon angel serving the dark lord and thought all on earth killed by gods long ago
97 A great gaggle of over a hundred chaos tainted mutants shunned by the good and pretty relish the dark lord coming and have started murdering up to demonstrate their support
98 A spectral army of damned souls sworn to serve the dark lord long ago, now a hundred of these spirit warriors march as if they still lived
99 Army of 100 orc pikemen 100 orc heavy infantry 100 goblin archers 40 orc warg riders, 6 Hill giants, 4 megaceratops with cannon platforms on their backs and 80 goblin baggage handlers carry supplies in read and strip land of anything useful or of value. Each group is led by own hero and force is led by a demon who rides a shadow dragon
100 A colossal vessel of the dark lord has arisen, a terrible burning giant that lays waste to all in path with a hundred cultists following all chanting and sacrificing victims to him

War Against The Dark Lord 2: Wonders
01 The day grows shorter as twilight and sunset become several hours shorter
02 A great distant forest fire rains ash and sparks and smoke over a huge area for days. Chokes the air and reduces visibility and local spot fires startup
03 An eclipse long prophecized strikes panicking many peoples and paralysing both sides for a day
04 A great and terrible storm with gale-force winds sweeps over land destroying crops, damaging buildings and terrifying everyone. No forces move a d4 days
05 A volcano erupts surprising many, mostly darkens sky with smoke and makes sunsets more red and orange, but locals report damage and fire creatures spewing from the crater
06 A quake strikes the kingdom seemingly targeting many fortifications 
07 Heavy rain causes flash floods in lowlands and some people lose everything and even lives. Spreads chaos and hardship till giant beavers arrive to save the day
08 Bats swarm over the whole sky, millions upon millions like dark clouds
09 Coastal tsunami damages ports and fishing villages and many ships are lost
10 A plague breaks out in some cities as they prepare defences for war
11  A priest leading hundreds of singing peasants with flowers who are going to prey the evil one away with their love. The priest is mad as his secretly a doppelganger assistant has been poisoning him with madness drugs and mercury. The doppelganger really wants this scam to work and get promoted by the dark lord
12 An evil priest promises listeners life if they serve the dark lord and offers to take those willing to service and life behind enemy lines. Many desperate people are convinced by the promise of food and freedom. "Don't believe the lies, serving the dark lord is great!"
13 Baggage train of supplies in oxcarts heading to troops and needy is held up. An evil bard is trying to convince the quartermaster to take it all to the dark lord for gold and a title
14 A hundred orc spearmen and 40 goblin archers are leading the whole population of a village and several wagons of goods to the dark lord
15 A force of 100 barbarian horsemen from the frontier and a force of 100 knights have met on the road and the leaders are busy fighting about who should command and follow who and where the enemy is, this will continue for hours 
16 A sprawling force of a few dozen militia and several hundred irregular commoners with slings, bows and farm tools has united under the command of a naive young priest who marches to the enemy
17 Thousands of refugees swarm, abandoning heavy goods and broken wagons, some lost children and injured elderly crying for help
18 A wounded demoralised army retreating without any leadership fleeing and abandoning equipment, hundreds of men mostly wounded. Howls of wolves, drums and trumpets are behind them 
19 A priest driven mad by dark lord agents with drugs has assembled a children's crusade of three hundred city urchins with sticks and stones to fight the dark lord. All are hungry and cold
20 A recruitment station ahead has received two hundreds of recruits of all walks of life. Another hundred camp followers and refugees gather here also. Bard criers inform regularly new war and mobilisation news, people seem optimistic
21 A massive orc and goblin force is attacked by a third force of foreign orcs who set the orcs and goblins of the dark lord fighting while they flee. The force breaks up and scatters 
22 A marching army of undead is attacked by a fighting force of priests who route the undead scattering thousands of skeletons over the land all confused without orders
23 A halfling ventriloquist causes a dozen ettins to fight each other leaving several dead and most hurt. Then he starts taunting them again. 
24 Treants and tree spirit folk pour from the woods and route a goblin army 
25 A marching army of orcs halts. A wizard leader receives a message from the master and the whole force change direction to some distant cause
26 A marching army of orcs are repelled by halfling militia in trees throwing rocks
27 A great mighty wizard appears and routes an army of orcs and goblins
28 A hoarde of wildwood folk all hairy and naked and serving the dark lord are met by druids who convince them to change sides
29 An army of works is routed by mostly spells from elvish force who move in to finish off survivors 
30 A barbarian horde on horseback rout an army of orc infantry unprepared 
31 Forests are being infested with webs of giant spiders, some whole woodlands have been consumed
32 A migrating clan of ogres have set up a camp, more than  anyone in this land have ever seen
33 Thick black thorn bushes have sprung up in many places, blocking roads and forming huge hedge mazes meters wide sometimes, small races like goblins find it easier going than humans to cross
34 Millions of black rats swarm over the country spreading plague, eating stored grain and flowing into cities
35 A dark taint has overtaken local nature, evil squirrels and forest animals are hostile and tree spirits are evil unless someone can purify the heart of the forest in a secret druid cave
36 Hundreds of petrified fleeing human statues caught by a basilisk sent by the evil one. The beast still lurks awaiting orders
37 Squadrons of giant bats with goblin archers are attacked by giant eagles, clouds of ordinary bats and tiny birds fight around them darkening the sky, blood and feathers and bodies rain down
38 An abandoned army encampment with a few men hiding some wounded. The camp has been destroyed by werewolves spreading in the barracks now finally they have shed uniforms and destroyed most witnesses they have fled 
39 A wizard of the dark lord with hundred orc pikemen meets a cyclops leader to negotiate unity. Any interference now might ruin the meeting and possibility of the cyclops tribe joining. A dozen fighting cyclops are ready. It might be possible to get cyclops to help humans but this is harder
40 A colossal giant black undead wolf Carnix walks the land with a two dozen zombie wolves. The beast was released from the underworld by the dark lord and it longs to feast on humans
41 An army of orcs moving siege equipment, one of the weapons is worshipped as a minor god with a priesthood who care for it and it is pulled by a team of six megatheriums. The orc army includes 100 siege engineers 100 pikemen and 100 crossbowmen. The cult weapon is d4 1=Ullzauel the god cannon 2=Luran the violet ray apparatus 3=Gorizol a machine with lense to amplify a basilisk gaze 4=Hellspitter a machine that shoots a 20d6 fireball using gems as ammo 
42 Orc sappers have been digging and using black powder to divert a river that could flood all the lowlands. The massive earthworks are visible for miles. Once close see they are using human slave labour and have built a camp where the river diverging will destroy
43 Wizards have made vast black stone walls blocking roads and waterways causing chaos
44 A great string dust cloud is moving among it thousands of zombies moving in a herd to the dark lord's design. This control is based on a relic that might be damaged
45 A vast lake of mud has been created by wizards to block certain road routes and supply lines of the king's army. King's wizards hope to make a path through it by turning mud back to stone but mostly the land is ruined
46 A dark lord wizard unleashed a wind of death causing every 1HD or less humanoid to save or die as spectral death spirits slay those who fail with scythes and carry souls away. Survivors are horrifies 
47 Water is tainted with chaos in the area, strange plants, animals and mutant locals turn evil until taint is stopped
48 A great tribe of forest orcs unwilling to get involved in this age of strife using their druidic relics to all turn into trees for a few hundred years to the dark lord has gone or someone can find a way to revive them or convince them humans would cooperate against other orcs
49 A great barbarian prince with his burning spear Bloodbrand leads his army to attack an orc camp and personally slays a death knight hero of the dark lord
50 A great gathering of naked orcs standing about aimlessly. In the middle in a great muddy pit wizards make new orcs from the mud. Apprentices try to encourage orcs to try weapons and learn evil language commands. In a few days, they will be ready to fight 
51 A comet passes overnight, next day plague has broken out across the world
52 A shooting star crashes actually a greater demon entering the world released by the dark one 
53 A great burning light of the dark lord is seen blazing over the horizon shooting bolts of power into a great dark hole in the clouds above
54 A great spectral projection of the dark lord appears in the sky a supposed portent of his divinity according to the cult
55 A river turns red with blood, choked with corpses and body parts
56 Sixty orcs are digging up a graveyard and assembling skeletons on tables for a necromancer to make into skeletons. Have about 70 so far make a dozen a day, plan to be here a week
57 A giant cyclops orc hero leading a horde of a hundred irregular wild orcs with his great spear Grimsplinter a poison evil weapon used in the dawn age to kill an elf king. Has a personal guard of ogrillion orc-ogre hybrids
58 Great colossal drake Gloomfang unseen for an age plunges from the sky and destroys a town with fire and rages in the flames screaming
59 A vast dark shadow covers the land as armies of darkness advance allowing them more freedom in daylight for many cave born orcs and undead. As the armies advance dark priests plant monoliths that expand the effect, A temple in the dark lord's realm controls this effect with an artefact called the Cradle of Darkness
60 An ice lich riding an undead woolly rhino leads an army of a thousand frost covered zombies, spreading winter like conditions as they advance. The lich carries an artefact brings winter with it and has six living dark elf luitwnants riding winterwolves
61 Evil dwarves explode a cliff face revealing their great garage magical war juggernauts and a few iron golems to roll out over the land and crush humanity for the evil one
62 Dark elves call the great gnawing underworld dragon Nidhog to kill all the crops and fruit with blight overnight. Each night the dark elves affect a new district riding on wolves
63 Goblins call on their great worm god to spawn a plague of maggots that eat any food or crops on the plant then gnaw on wood or animals. Takes a few years to die off
64 Spiders have woven great cables over vast distances they can use like a telegraph system to send messages. The cables can be followed to spider operated stations and a hub connected to the dark lords command
65 A colossal spider monster bursts from the earth with her army of giant spiders
66 Tarrasque has been awoken by the dark lord and is being directed by a gold torc that hurts the beast. If freed it goes for the local dark lord HQ to destroy it
67 A great insect hive of evil tainted termite folk grows towering over area as trees stripped and earth scoured for construction. If the evil tainted queen is killed the colony die
68 Orcs are razing all the trees in a valley to build a gargantuan construct to house the essence of the dark lord if his current body fails
69 Goblinoids are digging a vast pit with slave human labour digging up a giant armoured corpse of a past form of the dark lord they hope to revive (you cant have 2 dark lords right?)
70 A local leader has camp with four hundred refugees, 100 spearmen, 100 archers and 100 horsemen. The king has been confused by his evil bard and is paralysed with indecision and has locked up their heir who dared disagree in a bout of paranoia. Orc scouts know of their plight and dark forces gather
71 Hundreds of forest animals and faerie folk and tree spirits pour from the woods and send a army of monsters fleeing
72 An orc force is under siege by a larger horde of beastfolk united against the dark lord and his wizard scum who tortured and enslaved beast folk in the past
73 A river or stream is polluted and banks fouled. Following upstream is a basilisk lair where the dark lord left an egg to hatch under a toad to poison the area. Stone statues of adventurers and goblins are scattered in the area
74 A sinkhole collapses getting bigger and bigger changing area with a rubble-filled flooded depression. Strange creatures of the deep scuttle out like giant bugs and worms later weird giant fungus sprouts everywhere around the area
75 The giant fungus is growing everywhere rapidly and spore spots develop on trees and plants. This fungus attracts giant bugs and worms and flies to the area and goblins love to forage here
76 An orc hero druid priestess riding a giant stag leads orc barbarians and hopes to liberate deluded orcs from evil and reconnect them with their spirit ancestors. The orc army will grow and the dark lord will send assassins and monsters to destroy her. Eventually leading orcs against the dark lords HQ
77 A black strange castle fades into reality like some phantom, undead winged apes in service of the dark lord swarm out to kidnap victims for the castle. The alien tentacle faced ultraterestrial  wizards from beyond inside drain victims souls to power the castle jumps and the bodies are encased in armour as undead troops. The dark lord only called them out of desperation as they will always betray him eventually
78 A great web structure over hundreds of yards part of a huge cable goes into the sky out of sight. Spiders guard the base and keep a look out for fire they will try to smother out with fresh webbing. The dpiders have tethered a star to the earth and agents of the darklord have invaded a celestial palace of a star spirit and her elf courtiers. The dark lord caught one of her spies and struck first fearing she might gather the stars themselves against him. An evil wizard advises the orc hero with a famous scimitar Moonrazor. The star eas sitting on the fence as stars do but now if freed will reward rescuers and send owls to the other stars and the celestial bureaucracy to get the gods acting. Her influence sheers decades off process. She offers advice on the dark lords artifact locations and weapons that could be used against him 
79 A great tree has been felled and partly burned. Aparently some faerie folk lived inside and in the roots blow. Various local talking animals, spirit folk and faries have gathered to bury friends. Nice cottage decor has been smashed and charred. A good opportunity to recruit a unusual follower. The critters might be motivated to fight or help
80 A winking star has appeared revealing the evil one has released a new great demon to the world and his cause. By day the demon appears in various battles where needed by the dark lord
81 The pole star shine bright larger than ever, a sign evil fears. Polestar sends spirits to the mortal world returning lost hero weapons from thousands of years ago that the dark lord fears. Across world heroes who have heard of the polestar myth look up and wonder if they will receive a gift
82 A great gateway opens in the mountain releasing shadows and zombies and skeletons. Distant chanting of cultists can be heard keeping the gate open. If slain the gate closes. The cult have a relic, special books and magical ingredients required to open this. The head priest of darkness is a famous evil hero and wanted criminal for killing royalty
83 Strange green and violet glows flicker and dance about in the northern sky. Some say this is god battling the darkness to weaken the dark one 
84 A strange luminous cloud passes over area inflicting many with mutations. Some locals are quick to shun or even kill mutants so many are forced to flee unless someone stops theses troublemakers. The condition might be cured with a rare lawful herb
85 An ancient wizard tower is under attack by a hundred orcs who have improvised siege weapons and await some black powder kegs or a cannon. The wizard guards a relic feared by the dark lord that could greatly aid the good forces. A spirit might inform the party of this but the wizard will be reluctant to use the weapon
86 A great crack in the earth opens releasing a d6 dragons and 3d6 wyverns who proceed to cause trouble. Twisting tunnels to the deep may release more monsters
87 A vast area covered in mold where people die from choking spores and the dead arise as fungal bloated undead. A fungus demon noble trapped in a apparatus at the centre held by the dark lords wizards. If freed the demon offers to send minions to aid when released it
88 An army of the darklord has human slaves digging up what seems to be a silver tower that fell and was buried long ago. Strange weapons of law are inside the wizard leader of the expedition hopes to claim
89 A great gathering of wild hairy naked wild folk with burning whicker man idols meeting at sacred stones. They are debating in their rare language which side to join. One who has served the dark lord as a dark hero offers death to the clothed folk and their stupid gods. An older king priest disagrees but is being burned tonight. Various candidates fight to be the next 7 year ruler including the dark lord agent who cheats with his priest and wizard followers. Humans mostly unwelcome but demihumans, beastfolk or halflings might get a say or chance to stop evil plots. Most humans don't know these wild folk exist or ever meet and would fear them
90 A serpant man wizard leading a lizard folk army with veloceraptor cavalry and a war trex. The wizard rides chariot pulled by a triceratops and has a dark elf chariot driver. He is doing a favor for the dark lord just this once an unpopular decision. If he dies the rest will likely return to their hibernation dungeon till the next apocalypse if given the chance
91 The moon changes colour to a strange eerie red and the whole night sky is filled with dim red light, a preview of what will happen if evil wins. Moon cultists determine a certain moon ziggarutt run by amazons in secret is under siege and is key to saving the moon. Inside is a gate to the moons celestial palace where evil has infiltrated
92 An evil star falls actually part of world left from creation demons have inhabited for aeons. The dark lord has brought them here to spread chaos but the demon prince of what is now a huge flaming crater seeks dominion over area. Demon cultists and chaos fanatics begin a pilgrimage here
93 Great burning evil eyes in the evening sky make everyone in world have lower saves by -2 each night until dark lord distracted or the aparatus used is broken. Experts know of the relic from previous use 
94 On the highest point in the land orcs are erecting an ancient design of a wizard defence tower that will be able to shoot burning rays to anything in its line of sight. A great crystal to power it is being moved to the gem in wagons with an escort
95 Ankheg giant burrowing bugs fill the area with hundreds of trenches, tunnels and pits intending it to be a future fortress. Once bugs hold strategic points as guards goblinoids from the deep pour out and man the bizarre fortification choking the area and expanding. Fungus thrives in tunnels with gobbo care and other giant bugs move in. Area will be prone to bugs and giant fungi for a long time
96 Magma pours from volcanic vent with lava forming a great basalt wall blocking a natural chokepoint blocking armies. If stopped quickly by killing salamanders chanting in the rift can be stopped 
97 One of the great dragons of evil is attacking a crumbling fortress with it's orc troops where an important future hero lives. Elves riding griffins appear and drive the beast away with lightning wands. Will anoint the chosen youth with gifts (and for family) and insist child goes to faerie land for training till right moment when needed (child returns as adult knight hero anytime)
98 Somewhere in the world a halfling messes up one of the dark lords infernal apparatus. Flickering lights in the sky alarm experst world wide and various evil relics and communications of the dark lord are crap for a d4 days till fixed. Perhaps the effect can be repeated at right time by good allies  
99 A gigantic dwarf golem the size of a small fort has a defensive force of 40 dwarf inside to shoot crossbows or guns from battlements in the titan. The giant lumbers to the nearest dark lord base to start smashing until eventually a greater demon or dragonfire destroys it. Once war over will march into a door in a mountain to be sealed till next time
100 A major force of the dark lord is camped ready to march. Someone somewhere lures away the wyverns patrollingthe sky away. Grey gnomish airships from a great door in a mountain come out and from extreme altitude drop poison gas, burning oil and black powder bombs on the army horribly burning and melting and blasting the army. Wyverns return confused and think they will get the blame. The next day survivor orcs come out in the plague and the area is diseased for a long time and taints the flesh of local animals for decades

note i am infamous in my crew as not liking flying ships or balloons in anything but my deep gnomes are near victorian tech level scientific murder hobos. Princess ark was probably the best thing in Dragon mag for years but at the time i wanted spells and rules and was getting grittier history gaming. When Known world was Mystara it became unusable to me. 

Thursday, 2 April 2020

Worm Lord Ruins






















Ok hayfever meds kicking in and feeling better and this came out.
I like worms in Operation Unfathomable and mentions of hidden elder gnawing things in LOTR. These guys would be good in Xor too. 


Worm kind was one of the earliest beings to swim in the dark primordial oceans. They came in all kinds of sizes and types some were even wizards using black magic Some lived in the corpses of titans, others lived inside other creatures controlling them. While in the dawning age when gods and their servants made the world as we know it now, worms hid in waters and deep under the earth. Worms began the secret alliance between the monster kings and the beings of the outer void. Together they started the age of darkness and the reign of the monster kings. Towards the end of that age, they were betrayed and replaced by vultures. Worms became food and slaves for other races who wanted their eldritch secrets. They were allied with Insects and arthropods who also lost their position.

Many worms are genderless and many if cut in two and left for dead, will have both halves recover with memories intact. Some recover memories of the dead from working or enemies.

Best known Worms

Purple worms served as diggers who burrowed beneath
Rotgrubs are lethal heart-eating parasites
Rock worms burrow through rock and are super heated, swim in lava
Carrion crawlers helped to patrol passages and keep out enemies
Giant leeches dwelled in damp tunnels of worm lairs
Lamprey giant ones haunt salt and freshwater
Centipedes giant, huge, megacentipede, stegocentipede
Thunderherders were desert worms that were driven in huge herds
Tenebrous worm bred as guard worms
Tunnel Worm bred to fight tough armoured tunnel intruders

Lesser-Known Worms

Dungeon Threadworms live in damp dark places and enter the flesh of victims to live
-dangerous parasites in egg form in  water or as brown spaghetti-like masses
Swarm Worm are a crawling slow-moving but deadly swarm type
Sting worms are several metres long with a single fang
White Worms are cow sized and telepathic often direct cultists on surface
Borer Worms are for slow painful torture and ordeals used by cult
Mind Worms are a rare parasite that enslaves hosts and use them as pawns
Thrall Worms are foot-long intelligent worms that attach to victims nervous system
-control host who is aware of everything worm commands
Kyuss Grubs are a necroparasite that turns the host into living dead horrors
Elder Worms with heads and several tentacles were the standard race of worms
-many are wizards or evil priests or psionic and can talk
-technologist of worm kind who wear armour and weapons
Wormlings smaller less aggressive elder worm species less aggressive
Walking Worms are colonies of worms that would take human form and use evil magic
Great elder worms were immortal god-like worms devoted to black magic
Brain Pools worm colonies with collective intelligence
Gargantuan worms are half-mile long and worshipped as gods by other worms
-unclear if intelligent or killable but other worms seem impressed
Void worms are vast things that lurk beyond and are worshipped
-small ones are summoned like demons 


Allies & Servants & Enemies
Worm folk are humanoids with worm heads bread for battle with more recent races
Insectoids were common allies especially those with larva like beetle grubs
Many arthropods were servitors especially centipedes
Human cultists seek elder lore and immortality
Some more pure worms treat segmented, legged and armoured worms as inferior
Serpentine and limbless draconic wyrms were considered civilised
Mole folk and giant moles are especially hated and feared
Other monster kings who betrayed them like fish, amphibians, bats, vultures
All birds and mammals are disgusting upstarts
Marine worms are allied kin but rulers and cults are different

Deep under the earth, there are mile wide caverns crawling with millions of worms writhing together, breeding, eating and communicating. Not very hospitable or interesting places. Some intelligent worms communicate by chemical touch and pheromones in skin slime thus they writhe together in masses in a manner humans find repulsive. Worms especially hate mammals and birds who they see as upstarts who eat worms and plunder their secrets. Humans are slightly better as they don't have a rep for eating worms.

Elder worms had magic whereby they could feed a young worm on a human and it would know lots of the human's knowledge which helped with magical disguises and shapeshifting magic spies. In most disgusting version the worms head might resemble the human head in a ghastly parody. They also knew spells to swap bodies so they could borrow a human body leaving the horrified human helpless in the worm. Sometimes the worm in the human body would die trapping the human who often went mad. Cultists often willingly did this. Mindworms in the past kept massive populations of slaves until a surgical procedure (often fatal), careful poisoning of the host (possibly fatal) or cure disease magic was found to help resist. Skilled herbalists and apothecaries know many treatments and some are possibly true as mind worm outbreaks are rare.

Intelligent worm folk who just want to live in peace undisturbed and don't practice elder magic or commune with the outer void do exist. They still have possibly the oldest bad reputations. Village of humble worms or hidden sewer colonies exist. Smaller wormlings tend to be less militant than elder worm folk and hang out with gnomes and goblins. Many have had enough of conquest and black magic failures since the dawn of time.

Worm writing looks like patterns of gnawed squiggly lines only some experts can even recognise. They also leave pheromones in their slime trails like warnings other worms can scent.

Worm ruins are often so old other creatures have moved in and only a few have worms of some kind thriving. It's more common to find cultists trying to restore the worm empire or learn it's secrets than actual intelligent worm kind. Of course, deep underground worm structures may be fully operational as they were long ago. Now worm kind mostly shuns the surface and the hateful sun.

d12 Ancient Worm Ruins

1 Temple - worm cult religious sites
2 Worm farm - a complex of pits with organic waste and trash heaps
3 Slave pens - where humanoid slaves bred as food and labour

4 Gateway - where worms and cultists met, entries to underground colonies
5 Wizard tower - where evil worm wizards dwelled
6 Burrow complex - where worms left tunnels
7 Ziggurats - larger step temple complexes
8 Hillforts - huge artificial hills with fortified camps on top
9 Grave mounds - huge artificial hills with tunnels within
10 Quarries - remains of huge open pits full of tunnels
11 Fungus garden - seems to be cavern but was gnawed out 
12 Colony mound - artificial hill riddled with tunnels

d12 Worm Traps
1 Passage floor waste deep in muck with borer worms
 Corpses with rot grubs and tempting treasure
3 Dirty pools full of threadworm eggs on the ground
4 Dirty pools full of threadworms attack any walking on them
5 A worm on the walls opens chamber releasing a monster or son of kyuss
6 Sting Worm hiding under the soil or ceiling sting intruders and attack
7 Pit with pool with giant leeches
8 Pit with the bottom ten-foot full of corpses, random carrion and threadworms
9 Pit with swarm worms in the bottom
10 Guardworm in the ceiling causes a cave in sealing passage then gets help
11 Guardworm in ceiling causes deadfall or rubble to fall on enemies then gets help

12
 Telepathic young white worm alerts guards of intruders


d12 Worm Chambers
1 Slave pen where servants and prisoners kept, cultists like to use as barracks  
2 Spawn pits of muck and soil with various worm young, eggs and imprisoned hosts 
3 Feeding pits with various kinds of muck for worms to eat
4 Thrall chamber with niches for humans to be eaten or implanted with mind worms
5 Fungus garden where worms grow food 
6 Workshops for slaves to make stuff for worm masters
7 Throne chamber where worm elites directed slaves and relaxed
8 Pools of biological waste and worm excretions
9 Storeroom with various stockpiles in stone bins or living biological sacs
10 Laboratory with living apparatus for making potions (it probably wants to die) 
11 Wizards chamber with scrying pool or crystal and worm writing on walls
12 Worm temple with statues of the worm gods and beings of the outer void

d12 Worm Ruin Encounters
1 Explorers d4 1=murder hobos 2=wizards seeking evil lore 3=tomb robbers 4=scholars
2 Cultists searching for lore d4 1=worm brothers 2=order of the white worm 3=sisters of the burrowing ones 4=sons of they who gnaw
3 Worm swarm pours from every crack and hole hungering for flesh
4 Giant leeches can smell blood and snuffle about in the dark
5 Abhuman savage berserkers protecting this taboo place d4 1=lamprey folk 2=centipede folk 3=leech folk 4=slug folk
6 Giant critter d4 1=whiteworm 2=giant slug 3=giant centipedes
7 Slave hosts d4 1=cultists controlled by mind worms 2=slaves controlled by thrall worms 3=sons of kyuss 4=escaped victim or carrion crawler needs help 
8 Elder worms party d4 1=wizards seek lore 2=priests seek relics 3=degenerate mutants 4=Elder worm work party cleaning the place up to repopulate
9 Elder worm warriors d4 1=with prisoners 2=with work crew 3=with waggon of eggs 4=chasing escaped human slave
10 Carrion crawlers scuttling about d4 1=on ceiling 2=dragging victim away 3=eating victim 4=on way to hunting grounds
11 Walking worm wizard will offer immortality of the worm gods and attacks if refused
12 Giant mole with paralytic venom bite (as bear plus blind fighting)

d12 Worm Evil Schemes
1 Gateway requires reactivation d4 1=plane of earth 2=outer void 3=nightmare world 4=subtereanean elder worm city in a colossal cavern
2 Collecting ledgers and tithes from local bribes and crime guilds 
3 Seeking narcotics desired by worms like black lotus resin or magical tea leaves
4 Start kidnapping and implanting key humans with mind worms for a spy ring
5 Capturing humans to attach thrall worms and sending into the Underland as slaves 
6 Make a deal with some other local species to make lives hard for humans
7 Recruit cultists promising them elder secret lore and immortal life as worms
8 Kidnap humans and use to feed implanted elder worm grubs to build an army
9 Run a cult of assassins to terrorise the local human leaders and control them
10 Stealing human waste and corpses to feed a baby army of elder worms
11 Kidnapping people with skills so worms can eat them and acquire technology
12 Have summoned worm demon who eats humans and turns them into elder worms

d12 Worm Ruin Treasures
1 Medalion allows the wearer to speak to all worm-like beings
2 Obsidian weapon d4 1=dagger +1 2=spiked club +1 3=spear+1 4=hand axe +1 
3 Potions secreted from living slave apparatus d4 1=parasite eggs 2=cure disease 3=memories of some long-dead worm 4=
4 Scrying crystal, most broken but still valuable rock crystal 1in6 works 
5 Bag with d4 magic mushrooms d4 1=poison 2=heal d4 3=+d4CON hour 4=detect magic for a turn 
6 Fossil of some bizarre ancient sea creature valued by collectors
7 Hex stone that provides protection vs void creatures if carries +2 Save and AC
8 Tablets covered in worm scrawls d4 1=ancient lore 2= 3=poetry 4=maths
Tablets covered in worm scrawls d4 1=inteligence report 2=cursed 3=truename of some demon from the void to summon one 4=wizard spells
10 Magic rune stone can release 8HD earth elemental once follows one order
11 Medalion may activate a ruined worm gateway location
12 Tablet with map of worm complexes and tunnels connecting them

d12 Worm Cults
1 Cruach the worm beneath, the borrower the devoured, gnaws on the world tree and corpses of dead titans, worm god of underworld and war
2 Celana the Great Worm Mother
3 Aleph the great worm of darkness from beyond patron of wizards
4 Xithirion mad worm god and it's many spawn who rule on it's behalf

5 Shudmar the borrower beneath, shaker of the earth
6 Gorvara the worm of time that devours all and chews holes through time and space
7 Eadra the great ancestor of elder worms 
8 The worms that walk were once elder worms or human cultists enlightened by elder black magic, none know their true horrid purpose
9 Elar the parasite who gnaws at the universe to end time
10 Goram great earth elemental patron of worms who brings forth delicious soils
11 Cerecore the many segmented one, centipede god of hunting and war
12 Eiroth dwells in the depths but sends his spawn to find hosts to control or devour

Thursday, 30 January 2020

Tragic backgrounds for urchin hirelings

Adventurers are keen to help employ young people and possibly homeless drunks or prison parolees or lepers into dungeons for minimal wages. Adventurers put the high priority of helping their hirelings survive as they need to maintain reputations as good employers. So all kinds of vagrants and kids who nobody wanted as apprentices end up working for peanuts for adventurers and hang out near the adventurer noticeboards. Some only go once, they die or are crippled or made enough to get away or just chose a less deadly lifestyle. Unfortunately some of those brats you hire to help the cause of child employment have secrets and if they die in a hole or even employ you might attract trouble. And no adventurers ever wanted surprises or complications or enemies.

d10 Mysterious backgrounds for urchin hireling types

01 Escaped confinement
02 Refugee
03 Church
04 Previous Job
05 Nobility
06 Cult member
07 Lowlife
08
 Fugitive criminal
09 Nonhuman links
10 Magical


d10 Mysterious backgrounds for urchin hireling
01 Escaped from children's prison for petty crimes
02 Escaped from children's home for some industry like sailors or miners
03 Escaped from a child slave sweatshop
04 Escaped from a home run by sadistic old monks or nuns or boys or girls
05 Escaped from a military school, treated brutally for years 
06 Escaped a apprenticeship with a cruel master
07 Escaped slavery as a labourer (or house servant if CHA 13+) 
08 Escaped having been raised in a isolated place in ignorance by a cult
09 Escaped a labouring job bound by contract to service to rich man
10 Escaped a privileged boarding school for nobles children
11 Family killed in plague run here hungry and desperate
12 Escaped massacre by military in homeland still learning local dialect
13 Escaped forced recruitment into military during war and has fled a massacre
14 Homeless from starvation, learned to eat in woods from hermits
15 During famine several of his siblings were eaten so fled here for work
16 Family home and clan burned by arsonist gang with wrong address
17 Family member offended a powerful rich man and carried away as slaves
18 Family murdered by assassins from a cult or some crime family
19 Family killed by raiders while child hid and saw everything
20 Nobility overtaxed and claimed new privileges and child told to flee
21 Fled a church school that was corrupt and brutal
22 Fled a church orphanage that was mostly a work hall
23 Member of a order of monks or nuns but fled
24 Member of a city choir in a temple and fled creepy clery
25 Made personal servant of a priest which was terrible
26 Sent on a mission but others eaten and this survivor over missions now
27 Taken on by a profesional undead hunting cleric which was very unsafe
28 Worked with an inquisitor hunting cultists and beating up old people without kin
29
 Was taken on a crusade which was pretty horrible and fled rather than return
30 Was recruited into templars as a orphan and expected to be a warrior order cleric
31 Worked in a seedy brothel and taver cleaning slops and sleeping in stables for porridge
32 Worked in a scriptorium copying texts more like a prison sweatshop

33 Worked cleaning up slops in abattoir and saw crime syndicate murder an official
34 Worked in a mill pulling out things stuck in dangerous machines
35 Worked as assistant gongfarmer in a sewer while small enough for some pipes
36 Worked sweeping chimneys and slowly dying so now here instead
37 Worked in beggars guild but master wanted to cripple the kid so fled
38 Worked in stables and spreading manure now hates horses smell
39 Worked in a mine with blind pit ponies until escaped chains
40 Worked collecting dropped coal in a huge boiler   

41 Bastard of a bloodline, new family head wants all rival claimants killed
42 Escaped minor child of nobles who want returned to be married
43 Escaped minor noble child from a coup and family slaughtered
44 Escaped minor noble family accused of treason all have been killed or hidden
45 Sent to serve noble wizard who was terrible
46 Sent to serve a knight as a squire who had a deathwish to fight monsters
47 Was a kidnapped heir who escaped and wants to get home without anybody noticing
48 Escaped assassination hopes to get home in disguise
49 Family killed seeks to learn adventuring, get power then avenge them
50 Locked in a multi clan death struggle and in hiding waiting to return home
51 Escaped sect of kidnappers sold to another cult to sacrifice far from home
52 Member of a cult on a quest to collect human faces or something awful
53 Cultist wants monster body parts to sell to wizards and alchemists
54 Cultist looking for evil relics can snatch off other cults or peoples
55 Cultist seeking documents and lost lore to report to masters
56 Cultist seeks money or contacts to find hidden black school of magic
57 Cultist wannabe looking for a cult to join but murder hobo work will do
58 Cultist seeks a certain ruin and secret room and needs to see several dungeons
59 Cultists looking for a lost idol
60 Cultist want to convert other hirelings to murder cult and learn from party
61
 Used to work for drug smugglers, likes to smoke and get high in dungeons
62 Parents arrested and sent away to a convict colony
63 Parents killed by mob over gambling and drug debts, mob wanted child
64 Parents were mobsters killed by rival crime clan
65 Abandoned, found and sold to a crime syndicate to learn crime
65 Informant for secret police until discovered was on a kill list by accident
66 Parents were foreign spies executed but child escaped
67 Family murdered by mob cos someone squealed to the law about thieves guild
68 Served bandits for years growing up living rough with criminals
69 Served on a pirate ship, caught, spared execution and escaped convict transport
70 Family killed by spies for forging official documents and coin clipping
71 Child was a trained assassin getting away after killing a important person
72 Child stole a important letter and on the run after noble want letter destroyed
73 Child was a royal servant who fled stealing silver and clothes
74 Witch child hunted by inquisition who survived burning
75 Child wanted for stealing poor box and blew it on horse racing and out to rob adventurers
76 Child is a witness of terrible crime and has had to flee home or die
77 Child witnessed knights murdering a crown official and now they hunt witness
78 Child stole stash from a gang haul and ran ever since after hiding the 300gp treasure
79 Child stole treasure looted from distant natives after 4 years on a ship and in strange land, explorers want the strange pagan idol as does foreign native cult
80 Child stabbed a corrupt priest and fled with gold and wine and has hidden stash
81
 Is a mutant but hides it for now
82 Child was raised by demihumans and wants to return to human ways but shy

83 Child was bitten by a lycanthrope like a were rat or were wolf or hyena
84 Child raised as slave of monsers in a cave for years
85 Child raised by talking animals and faeries
86 Child raised by witches or a hag
97 Child raised by spirits
88 Child raised by beast folk in winderness
89 Child raised by mermaids in underwater fairy land in sea or lake
90 Child raised by dragons in secret dragon sanctuary
91 Child was used as experiment by alchemist and wants to dissect kid
92 Child served a wizard who wants kid dead for knowing wizard secrets
93 Child of a famous wizard on run from parents wants adventurers life
94 Child of a wizard who's parents were killed by a former student and wants the child
95 Child was sent to posh wizard school to get a proper wizard job but
96 Child raised on another plane kidnapped as a baby to be a slave
97 Child is really a ogre magi
98 Child is a young doppelganger
99 Child is really an imp is disguise
100 Really a petty god in disguise

Wednesday, 29 January 2020

White Plume Mountain Funhouse Dungeon



White Plume Mountain Funhouse Dungeon

This and Ghost tower are both extremely short gonzo funhouses. We are assured wizards could make this crazy stuff up but not with rules given but a few wishes a day would help. I've seldom made mad wizard dungeons this crazy and maybe I should. ASE1-3 my favourite OSR-ish thing Is also a funhouse dungeon and fitted my planet Psychon quite well. I'm going to continue to do my thing of running old modules into Psychon adventures and I could literally just ad some control panels here and maybe cyborg or mutate a few inhabitants. But really not much. This literally is the best funhouse dungeon. Even the rotating stripe patterned tunnel with lube leading to an ambush is as on genre as you can get.

Mad wizards justify anything. The artefacts you loot here for the patron are too cool for NPCs. Id say having those weapons are part of a prophecy that warns the world making everybody give party attention and dread some apocalypse. The patron will send assassins and adventurers. Some cults will pursue them. Kings will be unhappy. Taking these Items will be a huge burden. Say the black sword will destroy the universe when it's true owner gets in back. Have party find book illustrating the heroes with weapons destroying civilisation. Perhaps they get to kill a king on a battlefield and cause a domino effect of chaos. Could be big fun. Having party rivals they met in a pub go in first and not return and have them inside the dungeon. Having a character has a personal grudge against sir Bluto might be good drama too. The ancient evil wizard is pretty flexible and could easily be a demon or a god or a self aware complex.

The classic area map is great and implies an interesting adventure. That Dragthoa guy is possibly less of a setup but might be a good powerful lair to raid later. One of the newer maps even has a Tolkien style and fans have redrawn the dungeon map too. The above classic recreation shows off some of the interesting features and the sideways maps are good too. Its quite video gamish level of puzzle solving game with plenty of combat and interesting environments. the reverse ziggurat room is amazing. The weird magic river is very strange i guess wizard liked kayaking. Maybe more dungeons should have features requiring wishes or hobbies. I mean if your immortal and cast wish you can make some crazy stuff especially if you are a nerd wizard or a lich with thousands of years.

I will probably give this a go and won't change much really. If the characters want to be the centrepoint of a continent wide war killing tens of thousands let them keep those awesome items. Sounds cool to me.

Has great art of era illustrating some of the crazier rooms which is good. The npcs with personality are fine and easy to run. The layout is interesting and not on all one plane and the puzzles are not really too awful but can avoid fights which is ok. It is slim but has lots of content and art and is pretty inspiring. Later adventures where you explore ruins of this place as a spin off was kind sad to look in what was once a cool dungeon room. Perhaps some more trashed magic rooms destroyed already should be a thing. The poem and history are quite fun too. I wonder what happened to the evil gnomes mentioned as wizards minions. A gnome stronghold or secret maintenance sub level might be cool. Perhaps the induction section Nix and Nox take you too could be added to the map. I get impression wizard might still be alive or sleeping or busy..

Would make a good vol to do as one of those hardcovers.

Thursday, 23 January 2020

A Lotus For All Seasons





































Lotus Flowers were one of the main currencies of the old monster kings as popular as gold or silver and for it's ability to control addicts. Ancient barges crossed the world selling drugs. Certain drugs are now found on certain continents. The Black Lotus Emperor rules much of the west through these drugs from his secret underground city. Black lotus because wizards and sorcerers crave it world wide is the most well known. Many lands ban lotus resin and some have become dependant on the criminal smugglers and pedlars who lend nobles money for influence.

This is how the Emperor spreads his influence. The drugs were commonly used as 
alternate spell components in the prehuman monster ruled age. Some say the emperor is a immortal deity from beyond. Many alien wizards are users also. Some areas there are lotus cults who use it in secret rituals and cover up failures. Some of these cults might have own strains. Some say lotus grew in conditions where outer gods were slain from their brain matter. The art of growing them requires a hard gardening roll to cultivate seeds and another to have them grow seeds. Cults might operate a secret garden. Some states operate gardens for nobility and royalty or only allow priests to use it. Natural animals, beast folk and barbarians and many tribal peoples shun them. Wherever you go people have strong opinions for against it. 

D12 Lotus Types

1 Pink Lotus
2 Ivory Lotus
3 Golden Lotus
4 Silver Lotus
5 Scarlet Lotus
6 Grey Lotus
7 White Lotus
8 Jade Lotus
9 Amber Lotus
10 Violet Lotus
11 Blue Lotus
12 Black Lotus

Dosage Effect if Save Effect if fail Cost
Mild Dose Mild Effect (d4 hours) Fail + sick for d4 rounds 10sp dose
Pure Dose Strong Effect Fail + save vs addiction + Mild Effect 40gp dose

Flower Extracts in wine or made into resin for pure doses
Fresh flowers in wine dissolve the narcotic and mixes with wine
Resin keeps for years and comes in pellets or blocks often with a guild symbol in gold
Rest of flower and stems make tea or smokes with only minor effects
Pipes across the world feature dragon designs
Most of these types are rare and seldom would you ever see all of them unless in the stash tin of a god or elf king. Any one big trade city might have 3 available.Some wizards tried to cross breed other types but most are fake

1 Pink Lotus
Fail – grow hideous wattles and dulaps like a turkey, more drugs worse they get
Mild Effect – euphoric, aroused, more sociable and charming +1CHA
Strong Effect – develop a petty mutation, hallucinate being one with all flesh through Xor
2 Ivory Lotus
Fail – when you die you arise as a skeletal undead, more drugs more powerful
Mild Effect – icy logic, fearless, analytical, good for research, hear whispers of dead +1INT
Strong Effect – immune to fear and charm magic, seem dead, commune with death d10 hours
3 Golden Lotus
Fail – body smoulders on first contact with sunlight losing a d4 HP, effect stronger with more drugs
Mild Effect – confident, warm and powerful feelings +1WIS
Strong Effect – immune to level or attribute drain from negative energy for hour
4 Silver Lotus
Fail – go into deep trance for day, second time week, then month then coma
Mild Effect – objectivity, calm, emotionless +1INT
Strong Effect - temporary psionic ability or petty mental mutation
5 Scarlet Lotus
Fail – become angry and violent, go on troublesome rampage for hour, temper gets worse over time
Mild Effect – aggressive, confidant, energetic will go berserk if fight starts in next turn
Strong Effect – heart stops, visions of souls destiny, first aid can revive you
6 Grey Lotus
Fail – drool like a idiot, reduced to infant state for d4 weeks, longer each time
Mild Effect – cold detachment, good for analytical skills, limited vision of own past +1WIS
Strong Effect – witness maddening things in past epochs then void hounds persue you
7 White Lotus
Fail – temporary blindness, eventually eyes become white, giggling addicts tear out own eyes
Mild Effect – heal 1HP
Strong Effect - see in dark, perceive squirming alien beings from beyond everywhere d4 hours
8 Jade Lotus
Fail – develop slimy skin and webbing, eventually turn into frog folk hybrid
Mild Effect – euphoric, gregarious, hungry, elaborate speculation and theories +1WIS
Strong Effect – Visions of frog gods and ancient rites dedicated to them for d12 hours
9 Amber Lotus
Fail – ephoric memory loss as long as keep smoking daily, slavers use this to dominate victims
Mild Effect – visions of some other worldly court drama you don't understand  +1CHA
Strong Effect – communicate directly with the unspeakable outsider god, the lord of madness for 3d10 hours
10 Violet Lotus
Fail – develop a minor mutation, eventually after too much they evolve into a horrible beast
Mild Effect – sense magic in 30 foot
Strong Effect – see magic and identify spells and magical effects on sight d6 hours
11 Blue Lotus
Fail – giggle like a idiot and become very compliant
Mild Effect – numbness, flushes, mild visual distortions  +1DEX
Strong Effect – cosmic visions of all reality, immune to illusions d6 hours
12 Black Lotus
Fail – haunted by maddening occult dreams, join a cult or several
Mild Effect – incredible dreams of alien realities, disorientation, ranting, foaming at the mouth, recover one spell or spell energy level, mostly used by power level magicians
Strong Effect – communicate with alien wizards beyond time and space for d4 hours