Dungeon Design and the Bleak Beyond

Over the course of my three decades of dungeon design the only recurring theme has been one of change. From the crude earliest efforts to the modular string-of-adventures format to the so-called classic dungeon to that first megadungeon effort to the archival style to the one-page idea and on to the present day, my history of dungeon making is marked by sweeping changes based on a wide range of ideas, examples and inspirations. Each step along the way adds to the overall collected know-how. It has been an evolution of design and a labor of love.

The dungeon trend, this path I have followed and at times forged, shows that changes will continue, of this there is no doubt. One of the stumbling blocks for crafting that true megadungeon is this very trend of change. Knowing that by the time level 12 is finished it won't look, feel or play like level 1 is bothersome. Something about my sensibilities finds fault with this fact. The preference being of course a continuity of the vibe established with the very first levels of such a place.

Much of it can also be attributed to gamer ADD, of course. By the time the heavy lifting begins a new approach, thought or philosophy gnaws away at the dungeon's foundations and sends the project into limbo.

Finally emerging from the planning stage after nearly two years of contemplation is the latest example of these megadungeon heart breakers, the Bleak Beyond. Before the first map was even drawn numerous theories and notions had been conceived and scrapped. Ideas such as “Lairs & Stairs”, the “Sub/Hub” style, “Room Clusters”, “Inside-Out” design and so forth; far too much thought was invested in these methods which may never see the light of day. Besides, excessive time was wasted on my part in trying to reinvent the wheel.

Now that a design approach has been settled on there is actual progress being made. Albeit at a snail's pace. The building blocks are still being placed and the project continues to garner all of my gamer interest. What design approach is that you might ask? The Bleak Beyond borrows heavily from my archival style and one-page philosophy. The archival style saw maps becoming more convoluted with less wasted space per page and it also embraced the notion of recycling. No longer was this a dungeon in the modular format of fire and forget. The one-page philosophy is embraced now as well, minus the sometimes cramping templates. “Without the template it's no longer one-page, though!” Yes, but the philosophy established with the one-page is the key for me. It's a heady mix of word economy, random tables and the Empty Room Principle.

So the Bleak Beyond is moving slowly forward with my latest design style, one driven by random tables, a unique bestiary and treasury, unusual conventions and an archival spirit. The plans for the cornerstones are drawn up, and right now it is potentially a signature worthy endeavor. I say potentially because I have already pegged this as my new megadungeon heart breaker. In the end at the very least I can share some of my efforts here as I have been doing lately. Readers can borrow, steal and alter as was done with the one-page design notes or some of my other meanderings. Nevertheless, wish me luck.

In parting I'll share a list of the planned levels for the Bleak Beyond.

Standard Levels (36):

Katskradle
Beneath the Fetid Fens
Down the Mol-Min Hole
Altar of the Gloom-Pit
The Tangled Tunnels
Hap's Woebegone
Pits of Unspecified Doom
Hornswoggle Hall
So and So's Fate
Awfulville
The Grand Brood Nidus
Webwarrens
A City Swallowed
Sewers of a City Swallowed
Chuckhole Hollow
The Writhing Sepulchre
Chapel of the Jilted Bride
Dens of Undesired Dream
Incomparable Brainy-Dome
Frankenlabs Cooperative
The Vexations of Vrimnas
Church of the Excommunicated
Crumblebums
Illojical Werks
Supreme Citadel of the Morkevagten
The Irradiated Level w/ No Name
Shrine of the Sleeping She-Paladin
Vadghiragh
Evil Dude's Domain
Palace of Ceaseless Extravagance
Temple of Glob, God of Green Slime
Feefestung
Sham's Furnace
Balmorphiact
Akt-Elemdor, the Vault of Night
Echoes of Darkness

Secret Bonus Levels (16):

The Abyss of Nada
Big Rock Candy Mountain
The Bloody Vintner
Central Teleport Terminal
Cubbyholes of Regret
The Donjon Illustrious
Ill Angels ONLY
Inn of the Bawdy Monkey
Ixmorin's Ill-fated (Mini-Levels 1-5)
Snow Globe
Super-Chute Control Chambers
Thimbledowns


So, yeah. This could take forever. Baby steps.

~Sham

100 NPC Personality Types

Here's a copy and paste of a table I put together for on-the-fly random determination of NPC personality types/traits. Just short descriptions that might aid in making your run-of-the-mill townsfolk, NPCs or Hirelings/Henchmen a bit more unique. This could easily be doubled in size as the entries are really just scratching the surface.

One-Hundred NPC Personalities

On the spot random determination of NPC personalities/traits.

d00

01. Agoraphobic
02. Anarchist
03. Annoying SOB
04. Attention Whore
05. Authoritarian
06. Back Slapper
07. Bleeding Heart
08. Blind Follower
09. Born Again
10. Brainiac
11. Brown Noser
12. Buffoon
13. Busybody
14. Charlatan
15. Chill Dude
16. Classic A-hole
17. Conniver
18. Cool Character
19. Curmudgeon
20. Defeatist
21. Devil's Advocate
22. Disestablishmentarian
23. Do Nothing
24. Fancy Pants
25. Flower Child
26. Foppish Dandy
27. Freeloader
28. Go-getter
29. Goober
30. Good Guy
31. Good Samaritan
32. Gossip
33. Gourmand
34. Greenhorn
35. Happy Go Lucky
36. Health Nut
37. Heartthrob
38. Hedonist
39. Hillbilly
40. Hopeless Romantic
41. Hothead
42. Huckster
43. Jolly Fellow
44. Klutz
45. Know-it-All
46. Knucklehead
47. Loud Mouth
48. Machiavellian
49. Manic-Depressive
50. Manipulator
51. Masochist
52. Moocher
53. Namby Pamby
54. Neatnik
55. Nice Fella
56. Nosy Nelly
57. Nudnick
58. OCD
59. Old Fart
60. One of the Guys
61. Over Achiever
62. Over Reactor
63. Pain in the Rear
64. Penny-Pincher
65. Perma-Pissed
66. Pervert
67. Pessimist
68. Plain Old Slob
69. Pretty Boy
70. Rebel w/o a Clue
71. Sadist
72. Sarcastic Bastard
73. Scatter Brain
74. Schlemazel
75. Schlemiel
76. Schmendrik
77. Shlub
78. Show Off
79. Shrinking Violet
80. Shyster
81. Sneaky Tippler
82. Snot Nosed Punk
83. Social Climber
84. Sour Puss
85. Space Cadet
86. Standard Bully
87. Supreme Jerk
88. Tattletale
89. Teetotaler
90. Thespian
91. Town Drunk
92. Tree Hugger
93. Wallflower
94. Wisecracker
95. Womanizer
96. Workaholic
97. Xenophobe
98. Yellow Belly
99. Yes Man
00. Young Upstart

Sorry, not sure how to make columns in blogger. Nevertheless if you want to see it in 3-column format I have added a file linked under SHAM'S OD&D STUFF which you can download from mediafire called "100 NPC Types".

I also added the Spicing Up Stairways file from a few days ago for easy downloading, called "d00 Stairways".

Hope these are of use.

~Sham

Unique Underpinnings

Revisiting a topic I touched on many moons ago, here's another look at the OD&D Vol 2 Magic Items tables. Discounting the wildly random aspect of magic swords, as addressed in yesterday's post, what are the rarest magic items in OD&D?

The following four categories each have but a 5% chance of being rolled on the Magic Items determination table: Misc. Weapons, Rings, Wands/Staves and Misc. Magic. Keep in mind that 25% of “items” are actually Maps and not Magic, then that 1 in 20, or 5%, is reduced to 3.75% for each of the four categories.

Now, within those four categories I will find the items with but a 1 in 100 chance of appearing, or a .0375% chance to be rolled randomly. There are 15 such items and each has 1 in 2,667 odds to be rolled randomly.

War Hammer +3
Spear +3
Spell Storing Ring
Ring of Many Wishes
Staff of Wizardry
Crystal Ball with ESP
Air Elemental Censor
Earth Elemental Stone
Fire Elemental Brazier
Water Elemental Bowl
Helm of Teleportation
Flying Carpet
Drums of Panic
Horn of Blasting
Mirror of Life Trapping

I was considering treating these “ultra-rares” as artifacts in some treatment in the near future. Before the players find any of these, I'll make a note as to where each one is located and remember to re-roll the result if by some slim chance one of these items pops up in a random fill. The end result is promoting the 15 items to some special status from which I can possibly create stories, rumors and even determine what protects or makes use of them within the underworld.

Although my intentions seem reasonable, there's simply no doubting the fact that I will continue to create new items; items which will invariably become more powerful than the ultra-rares. I always do and I'd be fooling myself if I decided to make these 15 rares the top of the magic item ladder, so to speak. The important aspect is these particular items are designated as unique in the campaign. This is not a new notion at all. In fact, I've read others mention that perhaps a campaign in which every single non-consumable item was unique would be interesting, a notion that I have shared myself in the past. For my current games, though, I have decided that the only unique items in the campaign, ones which will be re-rolled if they somehow appear in a random determination, are limited to the 15 rarest of the rare. For now I'll simply use the term “unique item” to describe the items elevated to this status.

Any item with historical notes, rumors and a predetermined location is deserving of a name as well. So I need to add that to the to do list for the unique items.

I think this is an exercise of note because I can already envision the numerous rooms, encounters and even sub-levels which will spring forth from such considerations. Being the dungeonista I am, you can be sure all 15 unique items will be in the deeper levels of my current underworld sprawl. Rumors and legends will beckon adventurers to seek them out and this entire process will create reliable underpinnings for both the dungeon and the campaign.

~Sham, Quixotic Referee

Gold: Lifeblood of the Underworld

Why Adventurers seek it, Dragons hoard it and Goblins idolize it.

Gold is woven into the very fabric of the fantasy role-playing campaign, often being the catalyst for adventure. Characters pursue gold because it is a means to an end for their goals, providing experience and wealth in order to realize greater power within the framework of the campaign world. Gold is, after all, power.

Adventuring characters gain experience through the wealth they extract from the underworld. As detailed in The First Fantasy Campaign by Dave Arneson, adventurers in the initial version of what was to become D&D were required to spend their plundered gold pursuing certain motivations in order to gain experience from it.

Gold allows experienced adventurers to bring order to the wilderness on the surface through the construction of strongholds. The forces of Law desire the plundering of gold from the clutches of Chaos in the underworld that they might spread the will of man across the land.

To further their own cause and maintain their grasp in the fantasy campaign, Chaos must oppose these efforts. He who has the gold makes the rules in a manner of speaking.

The underworld itself relies on gold, its presence attracts and emboldens monsters while luring adventurers into the unexplored reaches below. The absence of gold can lead to a dungeon's dormancy or perhaps eventual abandonment. Gold is the lifeblood of the underworld.

With the assumption that gold is more then mere currency, allow certain monsters in the fantasy campaign to become more powerful based on the amount of gold they are able to amass or otherwise keep hidden within the underworld. The underworld will often reward their efforts much in the manner that adventurers are rewarded for capturing and spending gold.

Goblin Hordes: Keeping the Lifeblood flowing

At the far end of the gold/underworld spectrum are the lowly Goblins. Being an abomination of fae-blood and spawned from the very Chaos of the underworld, Goblins find themselves attuned to gold in a manner not shared by most beings. It is their duty to keep this lifeblood of the underworld flowing, and they do so in a number of ways. Goblins place gold above all other motivations because it is one of the surest means of survival in the dark pits they call home.

Nocturnal surface raids, kidnappings and general Goblin mayhem assure that gold is always entering their world from the surface, robbing the forces of Law even if in but a small manner. Following this flow of gold are adventurers who seek to reclaim that which the Goblins have absconded with from above. The forces below value the activities of the Goblins in luring over-dwellers to their demise, and appreciate the fealty often paid to them by these dungeon underlings.

Goblins garner the benefits of gold as a collective, not individually. A typical Goblin community, or tribe for lack of a better word, consists of 40-400 Goblins as well as a King with 5-30 Guards. The King and Guards form the unit which gains a rudimentary type of experience, while the standard Goblins enjoy greater numbers and more powerful leadership.

Goblins do not earn any benefits from simply hoarding gold; removing it from circulation is how they are able to benefit from gold. Here are some possible methods through which Goblins may gain experience from plundered gold:

Goblin Gold Disposal Methods
Bury/Hide: The intent was to use it later but it is forgotten. Map optional.
Sacrifice: In pagan worship, dropped into a mindless monstrosity's lair or deep hole.
Recast: Typically into pagan idols, sometimes into nose-cleaners and the like.
Distribute: As long as the gold goes deeper into the dungeon, either as fealty, payment or tribute, and falls into the clutches of something more capable of guarding it.

Goblin tribes do not begin to gain experience until they have established a lair, with King and Guards, and subsequently disposed of 8,000 gold. At that time the King and Guards will continue to accrue experience. Individual Goblin Kings and Guards will be replaced if they perish, with no penalty, but if the entire royal court is slain the tribe loses all of its accumulated experience.

Goblin Hordes increase in membership while the King and Guards become more powerful based upon an accumulation of experience earned through gold disposal. These scores are tracked in increments called Goblin Horde Ranks, detailed below.

Goblin Horde Ranks
I – 8K: +25 Goblins, +1 Guard, K&G: AC 5, HD 1+1, SA: Max hits.
II – 16K: +50 Goblins, +2 Guard, K&G: AC 5, HD 2, SA: RT Saves.
III – 32K: +75 Goblins, +3 Guards, K&G: AC 4, HD 2+1, SA: RT To Hit.
IV – 64K: +100 Goblins, +4 Guards, K&G: AC 4, HD 3, SA: RT Damage.
V – 128K: +125 Goblins, +5 Guards, K&G: AC 3, HD 3+1, SA: Lucky.
VI – 256K+: +150 Goblins, +6 Guards, K&G: AC 3, HD 4, SA: Two Lives.

K&G: Stats for the King and Guards. King and Guards all possess Move 9 and +1 Morale, regardless of Rank. The Special Ability (SA) is only learned by the King himself, and all six are cumulative.

King Special Abilities: RT (Roll Twice, using the higher result), Lucky (King can Save vs Death to avoid a killing blow), Two Lives (King will spring from the dead once, fully healed).

Gains in tribe members are cumulative across the periods of growth. For example, a tribe at Horde Size IV would have gained 250 Goblins and 10 Guards, its King and Guards would fight with an increased level of expertise (AC 4 and HD 3).

Keep in mind that the King and Guards will often make use of any magic items found or captured if at all possible. Optionally, if gold disposal is focused in the methods of Sacrifice and Recasting into pagan idols a tribe might also realize members with shamanistic or anti-cleric abilities. These Shamans can replace Guards, or complement them.

Dragon Hoards: Establishing Hearts of Adventure

While Goblins keep the Lifeblood flowing, Dragons and potentially other powerful underworld denizens benefit from the hoards of gold they are able to establish and protect. These hoards create hubs of power, or hearts of adventure. Fed by the flow of gold above and around them, these hearts increase in size through a steady influx of wealth.

Dragons long ago learned the importance of gold, the mythical element. By hoarding wealth Dragons were able to realize greater power while preventing the growth of Law. While Dragons may take a stance of Chaos or Neutrality, and even Law in the case of Gold Dragons, they are normally opposed to the spread of civilized man as his influence sweeps across their ancestral lands. Given the ferocity and cunning of many dragons it is only natural that they are often able to collect vast amounts of gold. This then is the motivation for Dragons, by hoarding gold they gain a limited form of experience which impacts their existence in the fantasy campaign.

Dragons establish a proper Hoard much in the way characters build a stronghold; by gaining experience and using wealth. In the case of the Dragon, experience of this sort is a measure of surviving to the very old age of 100 years. The Dragon may have been accumulating wealth in its younger days, but the proper establishment of a Hoard requires a suitable lair, boasting 70,000 gold or more, and the aforementioned age requirement. Once the proper Hoard is established and cultivated the Dragon will begin to acquire greater power while attracting followers.

Dragon Hoard Ranks use a total gold equivalent value which includes copper, silver, gold, gems and jewels. The collection and massing of this wealth is measured in the increments detailed below:

Dragon Hoard Ranks
I – 70K: Followers: 30 HD. Growth: Maximum HD if not already very large.
II - 140K: Followers: 60 HD. Toughness: 7 hp/HD.
III - 210K: Followers: 120 HD. Prowess: Bite deals double damage.
IV - 280K: Followers: 180 HD. Resilience: +2 on all saves.
V - 350K: Followers: 240 HD. Fearsome Breath: penalizes saves by 3.
VI - 420K+: Followers: 300 HD. Long-winded: able to breathe 4 times per day.

Dragons surviving the loss of their Hoard will not lose their special abilities immediately but may stand a chance to watch their followers abandon them. Hoard-less Dragons so pilfered of their wealth will do everything within their power to reclaim their gold and riches. Such Hoard-less Dragons will begin to watch their experience-earned power wane over time. Subdued Dragons on the other hand will lose their special abilities once their wealth is captured and they are removed from the underworld.

* * *

The above Horde and Hoard benefits are just basic ideas; there's certainly much more that can be dreamed up to flesh out this concept of the gold/underworld system and the advantages earned by the monsters propagating it.

Just a little something I've been bashing about and I thought I'd share for your enjoyment on a rainy Friday.

~Sham, Quixotic Referee

Time in the Game

Yesterday's post, Too Much Time, was a stream of thoughts and notions likely too lengthy for most sphere dabblers to digest. Today I emphasize the end result of the treatment; the Time in the Game PDF linked under Sham's OD&D Stuff over on the right, listed as "Game Time".

But Why? I'm fairly convinced that most referees have no idea how tracking time in OD&D actually works. Time in the Game presents an organized method that replicates the orignal system while removing references to minutes, and pushes combat into an easy to fathom game turn which gives no regard to the oft ridiculed one minute D&D combat round.

Maybe I'm in the minority that finds great value in distilling such elements down to the game essentials, but I am presenting this with the assumption that it might "turn the light bulb on" for other fans of OD&D.

After all, I am the Dungeonista. I dig this sort of stuff.

~Sham, Quixotic Referee

Too Much Time

The biggest abstraction in D&D is Time. One of the first complaints leveled at 0e combat is the one-minute round. Many assume that the single Roll to Hit (RTH) and the single damage roll after a successful RTH are an abstraction representing how masterfully the combatant performed in that time, and that the hits dealt represent various attacks and blows in those 60 seconds. This depends upon how you interpret the guides. Look no further than the ruling used for magic shields which spells out the chance to block a single successful blow (attack). Others assume in that round that the combatant has exercised all of his experience and know-how in positioning, parrying, exchanging harmless blows, side-stepping, and generally Errol Flynn-ing it up in order to arrive at the single important RTH representative of that one meaningful attack. Maybe so. If you subscribe to that theory it's hard to justify tactical positional modifiers in your game. In reading the OD&D rules over and over, I've come to the conclusion that there was only ever one attempt to strike the opponent per round. Take into account Missile fire. In one minute a skilled Archer could loose half a dozen arrows quite effectively, and probably empty his entire quiver with non-stop launching. Again, I maintain that OD&D melee assumes but a single attack per round. I know this flies in the face of the standard oe acceptance of abstract combat. The issue is not truly one of combat, but rather the time associated with it.

For another example of the abstract treatment of the passage of time in D&D, look no further than Movement rates. The D&D Turn is defined as two moves in the Underworld. Characters take two moves per 10 minutes, ranging in distance from 60 to 120 feet. That's a rate of 120 to 240 feet in 10 minutes. Those rates may be doubled when the characters actually run in a panic situation. Hardly realistic at all.

Outdoors in the Wilderness (defined as unexplored areas, cities and castles; basically anything not in the Underworld itself) these numbers are tripled; a slightly more palatable 120 yards to 240 yards in 10 minutes. Not quite realistic either, although once in the light of day on the surface play normally becomes what is now known as hex-crawling; each Move constitutes one Turn which is equal to a single Day. But you get the idea. Don't let anyone tell you that glossing over Wilderness travel isn't old school. It was designed with the notion of rapid simulation in order to bring the player characters to their destination.

Take the rules for Surprise as another example of this abstraction of time. Surprise awards a free move segment or action, which can be taken to attack if the surprised foes are within range, and then a round of uncontested attack. If close enough the non-surprised combatant can use its free move segment to attack, followed by its free melee turn; that's two free attacks before melee proper begins. That's well over 60 seconds of attacks prior to a response by the surprised side.

Turns in 0e are so ingrained in the war gaming philosophy which gave birth to D&D that the original scheme was readily accepted, as it should continue to be. The fact is that time in D&D is all relative. It is based on Turns which begin at the high end outdoors in the Wilderness representing one Day, continue to the Underworld representing 10 minutes of movement or other non-combat activities, and end at the oft ridiculed one minute exchange of combat.

Does it really matter that a round (melee turn) is one minute long? Does it really matter that it takes 10 minutes to search a small 10 ft. section of dungeon wall? I think not. If you disagree feel free to adjust combat rounds to six seconds and Move Turns to two minutes, or whatever floats your boat. The simple Day-10 Minutes-Minute system is hard to resist for its ease of tracking. Yes the Move Turn could be changed to five minutes I suppose, but the abstract method first devised works very well if you employ it as written. When you keep it at 10 minute Turns, the characters are allowed five Turns before rest, thats 10 Moves followed by one Turn of rest, or one Hour. The Wandering Monster check is easy to track as well; in 0e it is made each Turn, or every 10 minutes.

The length of the melee turn is almost irrelevant. Whether an encounter takes 2 rounds or 8 rounds, referees will simply restart the clock post melee in most cases. So does it matter that 12 seconds or two minutes have passed? Downtime after the encounter normally rounds out the start of the next Move Turn. In my games combat normally represents 10 minutes. With 0e you almost get the feel that combat pauses the Underworld clock and moves to an abstract measurement of time in which sides simply take turns whacking at one another until the encounter is over and everyone has licked their wounds before restarting the clock once again. It's a fairly tight and simple system if you can accept the fact that it is nothing more than an abstraction and that the varied-duration game turns are all relative.

To recap, that's 10 Moves in 5 Turns, with 5 Wandering Monster checks, followed by one Turn of rest and a final Wandering Monster check. One Hour has passed. It is a simple and easy to remember system for tracking time in the Underworld. Each encounter will expend another Move Turn for every 10 exchanges of combat, or portion thereof. A typical Underworld expedition will embody up to 10 hours which includes all time spent underground and the return trek to the surface. Adventurers not resting as required, or surpassing the standard 10 hour allotment will become taxed or even exhausted.

Now we can stop talking even further about time with a few tweaks. Hours become Full Turns, and 10 Full Turns in the Underworld constitutes one Day. Other than the Day itself, all other references to time in the way of hours and minutes has been carefully removed. Suddenly we are returning to the table-top feel where time is all relative, or almost irrelevant. The true concern is using Turns wisely and effectively in the game Day.

To seal the deal consider this: All encounters which result in Combat expend one Move Turn; the first action being the melee itself, the second being rest and regrouping. Now Combat is merely the exchange of blows, each side taking turns until the outcome is determined.

I've whipped up a new PDF which considers the above information. It is now embedded in my OD&D links section to the right and is entitled Game Time.

EDIT: 3:00 PM EST: I made the changes necessary to the Time in the Game PDF. As a note, it does indeed replicate the OD&D rules with one exception; that all melee is considered to occur within the span of one Move (or roughtly five minutes for those keeping track).

I hope you find it of use. If nothing else it should help fellow fans gain a better understanding of the original system and its wargame underpinnings.

~Sham, Quixotic Referee

Out of the Frying Pan

Well, actually off of the Back Burner:

I'll be covering some of my future plans and projects over at Three-Headed Monster Games. Some of the tidbits discussed there will be linked here now that I have a new sharing account after the Orbitfiles debacle. Thanks for the various suggestions, but I've settled on MediaFire for the time being.

In the meantime I'll clutter my bandwith here at Ye Auld Grog & Blog with the scans I made. Apologies for the smudges in certain areas; my printer didn't want to cooperate with the way too think paper I was forced to use, but the images get the idea across effectively. There is one Open Office file and a pair of PDF's I've shared on MediaFire. The first of the files is Sham's OPD Template, seen below:


Using the "Check Method" will require the Open Office file entitled Treasure Tables. Once you grok the Check Method the small table on both the example and template will make sense. It's not nearly as complicated as it might at first seem; you'll grasp the idea quickly and find that it's simple as can be.

Finally I made a quick PDF of an Example OPD, borrowing old info from the Dismal Depths, level 1B; The Chambers of Zod. There's an error I just spotted on the map (forgot to change the 1A bit), but I'm sharing it just to give an example of the new template version, as seen below:


Feel free to dl the template, change the tables, add to it, whatever. More information can be found in my post over at the THM Lair (AKA the Head Shed).

~Sham, Quixotic Referee

Leprechaun Shenanigans

A St. Patrick’s Day Monster and Magic Items for Swords & Wizardry:

LEPRECHAUN
Armor Class: -1 [20]
Hit Dice: 1 (attacks as HD 15)
Attacks: 1 (1d3)
Saving Throw: 3
Special: Luck, magical powers
Move: 12
Challenge Level/XP: 7/600XP
A Leprechaun’s very existence is dependant upon it’s stash of rare metals and gems, and they accordingly hoard gold and all manner of precious stones. Leprechauns encountered away from their homes are for the most part simply an annoyance, but woe to the rambler who dares enter a Leprechaun dwelling, be it in a tree, a cave, a hidey-hole, or even underground. Leprechauns do not take kindly to mortals who meddle in their frolicking and mayhem. All Leprechauns can use the spell like magic abilities Invisibility, Detect Magic, Sleep, Wizard Lock, and Plant Growth at will. Leprechauns can cast a special illusion called Fool’s Gold, which will turn pebbles, stones and even soil into Gold Pieces for 1 full day. These coins are masked and radiate no aura of magic whatsoever. Leprechauns, due to their incredible Luck, will never sustain more than a single point of damage from any one attack. This incredible Luck is further reflected in the excellent Armor Class, Saving Throw and attack scores of the Leprechaun. If a Leprechaun is slain its body will turn to ash, and its entire treasure trove will materialize on the spot leaving a large pile of gold and gems behind. The first person to touch this treasure will have to save or be cursed with the Endless Jig. If so cursed, the victim will dance in place for 3d6 turns before collapsing from exhaustion. The victim will then require a period of sound rest of no less than 1 full day before any other activity may be undertaken.

LEPRECHAUN SHENANIGANS

Dunce Cap: Cursed. This cap will appear to be a hat of some sort, be it a helmet or even a wizard cap. Once used, it’s true nature will become apparent as it transforms into a tall, conical felt cloth cap, and the user utters the word “Duh…” The wearer will now stand stupefied for 1d4 rounds, unable to act at all. Until the item is removed via a Remove Curse spell, the wearer will automatically become stupefied thusly for 1d4 rounds at any time he is required to ‘think’. If the player keeps quiet and follows his party members around, and remembers that he is cursed, it is possible to avoid the cap’s effect, but as soon as he does any act that the GM deems fitting, the curse will activate and stupefy him again.

Evil Shoes: These animated boots, slippers or clogs await the unwary. Placed throughout a Leprechaun dwelling, these Evil Shoes present a true threat to the unwary. Sometimes a Leprechaun might be carrying a pair of these to drop upon unsuspecting adversaries. Any living being, other than a Leprechaun, which comes within 10’ of these shoes will cause them to animate and attack. Once animated, they will only deactivate when no target is within 60’, or when the command word is spoken. While animated, the shoes will dance and prance about, kicking the closest living target in the rear, never missing, and causing one damage each round. The shoes will pursue, but only at a movement of 6. If attacked, the shoes are AC 0 [19] with 5 hit points, If reduced to 0 hit points, they are destroyed.

Faerie Mead: This magical libation is a favorite of Leprechauns. While an overindulgence of the alcohol will slightly impair a Leprechaun they are mostly immune to it’s disorienting effects. Each swig of Faerie Mead will heal two points of damage. Any non-Faerie drinking the sweet mead will be healed, but then disoriented for 5 rounds per swig. While so disoriented, a character will have a maximum move of 3, and attack and defend at minus 5 for the duration.

Hidey-Hole: These hollows in trees, stumps or other places are only about two feet around, but are perfect size for a Leprechaun to duck into. When a Leprechaun enters a Hidey-Hole, he can instantly teleport to any other Hidey-Hole within 100’, emerging from the target hole. When a Leprechaun uses a Hidey-Hole, he is instantly healed one point of damage.

Faerie Hourglass: These crystal, sand-filled hourglasses are 4” tall, and store a potent magic. They are sometimes, although rarely, carried by a Leprechaun. More often, they are placed in strategic locations within a Leprechaun dwelling for emergency use. When inverted, the magic is activated. The user is effectively Hasted, as all time around him is slowed down by the Hourglass. The duration of the effect is 10 rounds. Any non Faerie who uses the Hourglass is aged three years. Each Hourglass has a set number of charges (normally 3d10), and it’s magic may only be used once per hour. Once the charges are spent, it crumbles to useless dust.

Maze Garden: Grown and cultivated for years by Leprechauns, these mazes are found only within or just outside of their dwellings. The size of the maze is dependant upon how much time the Leprechaun has been able to enchant and care for the magical shrubs which comprise the walls. Leprechauns and most Faeries are immune to the effects of Maze Gardens, but all others find the winding passages to be confusing and disorienting. Travel through a Garden maze is at a move of no more than 1. While in such a maze, all attacks are at -3 to hit. If the shrubs are hacked with melee weapons, small sections of the maze can be destroyed at a rate of 20 hit points per 10’ section. The shrubs are resistant to both fire and acid.

Plant Prison: The Plant Prison is contained within an enchanted flower pot. It may only be used once, for to free it’s victim the pot must be smashed. To use the prison, the pot must be placed upon the head of a sleeping or unconscious victim, and the command word spoken. Instantly, the victim is turned into a small flower within the soil of the pot. This change is permanent until the pot is smashed. When the pot is broken the prisoner is freed from the magic, but is disoriented for 1d4 rounds. Leprechauns make use of these prisons to unleash foul creatures upon their enemies, or to imprison trespassers (and even possibly extort riches from the prisoner’s allies). If the plant is plucked from the soil without the pot being smashed, the imprisoned victim will likewise be freed, and the pot will become non magic.

Pot o’ Gold: This powerful magic creation is used by Leprechauns to lure or even waylay would be trespassers. This small kettle appears to be brimming with gold and gems, and glows with an inner light. Often, a faint shimmering rainbow appears to be descending down on top of the kettle. Any humanoid viewing the pot must save vs. spell to resist it’s allure. If the character seeing the pot is unsuspecting, he might willingly seek to grab the pot and not attempt to resist it’s magic (no save at this point). Those under it’s allure will seek to greedily grab the pot as fast as they can. As soon as this item is approached within 5’, it will scuttle away from those seeking to grab it. It may be grabbed by trapping it in a corner, or by approaching it at different angles by three or more characters. Once the pot is touched, it turns into a large round stone, non magic and worthless. Every round that the pot is in view, a save is required to resist it’s allure. Particularly vengeful Leprechauns have been known to drop lone trespassers into a circular chamber with a Pot o’ Gold, for once under it’s spell, the magic only ends when the cursed victim touches the pot, or is targeted with a Dispel Magic or Remove Curse.

Seamrogs: These small, rare leaves are collected with great care by Leprechauns, and enchanted to confer a powerful magic upon the user. There are two types, Lesser and Greater Seamrogs. Each is a small clover leaf, the Greater variety being slightly larger than the Lesser variety. Once enchanted, the item can be used by pinning or otherwise wearing the leaf until it’s magic is invoked. Each may be used but once. The Lesser Seamrog allows it’s user to ‘re-roll’ any single die roll during the course of the game, immediately after rolling and before resolution. This can include any game roll, even by the GM. The Greater Seamrog will act in a similar fashion, but the ‘re-roll’ will always be the maximum or most favorable roll. Said re-rolls are limited to combat, saving throws and the like, as judged by the GM (in other words, not for HP, or random events).

Shillelagh: These small Leprechaun canes are of gnarled wood, and but 1’ in length. Once per round, a Leprechaun may use the Shillelagh to smite an opponent for 1d6 damage, with no roll to hit required. Each use expends a charge, and the Shillelagh holds up to 24 (4d6) such charges. In the hands of a character, it acts as a wand and may only be wielded by Magic-Users or Elves.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

~Sham, Quixotic Referee

The Morkevagten Dim Troldes

The notes from my hard drive which inspired the homebrew treatment of Trolls posted yesterday is copied below. As mentioned, this is a collection of ideas intended to flesh out Calithena's Dark Trolls in the FO! group megadungeon project. I renamed them from Dark Troll to Dim Trolde when I realized I had let the information get a bit out of control. Eventually this Trolde tribe will find a home in a future dungeon. As you can see, some of the planned areas for the level are in italics, such as the Endless Mines, Smelting Pits, Grand Smithy, Fungus Farms, Central Brewery, Muumilaakso, and Raptor Holes. The dungeon is half-way written just from these notes.









Morkevagten Dim Troldes

The Uklartrolde (Dim Trolde) of Ulin-Uthor are an expansive, extended subterranean tribe. Their kind clawed their way to dominance within these ancient tunnels and caves before mankind ever set foot upon the barren lands above. This tribe, called the Morkevagten, has, through the ages, developed a somewhat advanced, in underworld terms, societal structure. The Morkevagten have developed the crafts of mining and smelting, bronze working, masonry and architecture, rat and raptor husbandry, currency, fungus brewing and distilling, and, perhaps most importantly, slavery and extortion.

Most of the Morkevagten labor is performed by slaves, and much of their continued income is derived from extortion. The Dim Troldes demand gold from the various intelligent inhabitants of Ulin-Uthor, in return for protection. Those that do not pay are thrown into slavery, or eaten. The Morkevagten also have agents who perform these same duties on the surface world; rounding up potential slaves, and extorting local businesses, in exchange for various rewards. These agents range from all manner of goblin kin to evil men threatening to ‘bring down the wrath of the Troldes’ upon their intimidated victims. These are not always hollow threats, as the Dim Troldes do from time to time raid the surface to gather slaves, and pillage nearby areas. These raids are more or less a show of strength in order to maintain their stature in and around Ulin-Uthor. The Morkevagten are still, despite the civilized trappings, an evil, corrupt and selfish lot, prone to theft, betrayal and murder within their very tribe. Station in the Morkevagten is not through birthright, but through wealth and power. The Dim Troldes spend more time dealing with threats from their own kin than those from the world around them. It is hard to dispute the fact that the Morkevagten have risen to power in spite of themselves, but their kind is certainly not to be taken lightly.

Mining, Smelting and Bronze working:
Ginkul: Copper, Rikaa: Tin, Vaett: Bronze.
Chalcocite, cassiterite and native copper minerals are mined by Scourge driven Slaves, in a complex, haphazard series of vertical shafts and galleries in the Endless Mines. The shafts follow the ores far below, as deep as 75 feet in some cases. Ore crushing is performed in the galleries with heavy stones, then hauled up to storage pits before being transported to the furnaces. Raptor-stomach bellows are used to stoke the charcoal fueled, clay lined, sandstone furnaces in the Smelting Pits to allow the Slags to produce ingots of copper (ginkul) and tin (rikaa), which are then combined again to produce bronze (vaett). The bronze is poured into molds then worked with hammer, tongs and anvil by a Sapper in the Grand Smithy.

Arms and Armor:
All Trolde Arms & Armor are forged in Bronze.
Lamellar: Hauberks of interlinking bronze scales, equal to AC 5.
Plate Armor: Hammered bronze chest pieces equal to AC 3.
Embossed Morelwood Shield: Round shields with hammered bronze facing.
Weaponry: includes Daggers, Swords, Maces, Axes and Spears, the Spear being more or less a light lance used from a mounted position, never as a missile. Dim Troldes might also employ heavy weighted Throwing Nets and Bolas; both of sinew and bronze weights, serving as the only actual missile weapons of the Morkevagten.

Currency:
Saard Rod (SR): Recast gold coins formed in the Smelting Pits into small rod shaped ingots. Each is worth 10 GP. Wt. ½ lb.
Ginkul Ingot (GI): Flat copper ingots from the Smelting Pits. Often used as currency, each is worth 200 CP’s or 1 GP. Wt. 10 lbs.
Rikaa Ingot (RI): Flat tin ingots from the Smelting Pits, as the Ginkul but worth 5 GP. Wt. 10 lbs.

Brewing/Distillation:
Vast sublevel Fungus Farms are cultivated and harvested by Scourge overseen Slaves. The fungi is collected and brought to the Central Brewery for use by the Swillers in their various concoctions and compounds. Fermentation tanks, copper distilleries, morelwood casks and barrels for aging, charcoal kilns, and various fire pits are all used to produce the masterfully crafted fungus byproducts.

Fungus Byproducts:
Lichen Brew: Pungent, bitter beer. Low alcohol content. For PC’s drinking: Upchuck chance (2in6). Heals 1d6 damage if ingested.
Toadstool Tonic: Intense, aged smoky liquor. High alcohol content. For PC’s drinking: Upchuck chance (3in6). Neutralizes poison if ingested.
Moss Wine: Super dry black wine. Medium alcohol content. For PC’s drinking: Upchuck chance (1in6). Cures or halts mental or physical maladies.
Mold Mix: Mortar for masonry.
Morelwood: Unique aged stone-morel, properties of very hard wood. Primarily used to create charcoal for fueling the smelting furnaces. Burns hotter, longer and cleaner than standard wood charcoal.
Capper: Poison. Used as an ingested Sleeping Powder on Troldes. Outright kills men in 1d6 rounds of hallucination and convulsions when used as a weapon coating.
Simmer: Cauterizes flesh, bubbles and froths when used. Allows Troldes to cleanse then sever burnt or acid blasted wounds to promote regeneration again. Causes a severe open wound to men.

Rat Husbandry:
Dim Troldes have perfected the art of Rat Husbandry. A particularly delectable strain of Rats, called Muumi, has been cultivated for centuries through stockbreeding, producing a plump, round, furry white rat, with a large snout and unusually large, almost quizzical eyes. They are tended by the ratherding Sloggers, overseen by the Great Tove in the heavily guarded Muumilaakso. In addition to the Muumi, the Great Tove oversees to the tending of sundry Rat strains which are raised for the less discerning palate. To non-Troldes, it all just tastes like Rat.

Food:
Muumi: (Rat): Served Stewed, Roasted, Broiled, Baked, Fried, Minced, Blackened, Spiced, Sautéed, Poached, Boiled, Pickled, Grilled, Fricasseed, in a Ball, on a Stick or the standard Rat Tartare.
Catch of the Day: Self-explanatory.

Raptor Husbandry:
Much in the way the Morkevagten have used stockbreeding through the ages to control Rat strains, they have been perfecting the crossbreeding of various subterranean bird-like theropod dinosaurs (Dromaeosauridae). Their ultimate achievement has been the Cave Raptor, a large strain bred to serve as a fighting mount for the Dim Trolde Seekers and Sentinels. An ongoing, difficult to master project for the Swagjags has been the Feathered Raptor. The Feathered Raptor’s purpose is to guard the Raptor Holes and their priceless eggs, but the little predators are prone to roving the upper areas of the caves seeking out prey. The Feathered Raptors will not attack Troldes, nor anyone in the presence of one, but have created much havoc over the years with their relentless bloodthirsty hunting tactics. The Swagjags might never learn to control the small man-eaters, but they seem to enjoy watching the fruits of their labor pitted against one another in Pit Fights, or shredding apart an intruder. Raptor Pit Fighting is an enjoyable spectator sport and gambling event for the Morkevagten.

Raptors:
Cave Raptor (Utahraptor): AC: 4, Move: 12, HD: 10, Damage 2d6. 10 feet long (20 with tail), 7 feet tall, and weighing about 1,500 lbs. Covered in dark brown feathers, with massive jaws, long tails and bird-like feet topped by a single massive curved hind-claw. Cave Raptors are trained to bite rather than use their formidable dagger like claws so as to not unsaddle their riders. These huge dinosaurs can trample opponents if able to charge into melee, causing 2d6 to all in a 5’ wide by 20’ long path. Save vs. Paralyze to avoid being bowled over and spending one round gaining footing.

Feathered Raptor (Velociraptor): AC: 2/7, Move: 18, HD: 2, Damage 1d3+special. 3 feet long (7 with tail), 2 feet high at the hip, and weighing about 35 lbs. Covered in grey and black feathers, with strong razor fang filled jaws, long thin tails and bird-like feet topped with a single sharp, curved hind-claw. Feathered Raptors are the ultimate hunters; fast moving, silent, sly, cunning and always hungry. They hunt in large packs, and work in unison to flush prey into ambushes, or simply overwhelm larger, slower moving targets with their vicious bites. The sharp hind-claws are normally used to puncture a target, pinning them in place, or allowing the Raptor to cling to the target as they lock their jaws down for the kill. Once a Feathered Raptor has hit a target, it will cling to it and deal 3 damage per round thereafter. Up to four of these murderous little predators can attack a man each round. Feathered Raptors are lightning quick, as reflected in their superior AC, which is reduced to 7 after they have locked their jaw in for a kill. Slain Raptors will have to be carefully removed from their prey by prying open those deadly jaws.

Trolde Titles:
7+3 HD variety
Sapper: Bronze workers
Slag: Metallurgists
Shylock: Sharks, Extortionists
Slaver: Slave Merchants
Slogger: Ratherders
Swiller: Fungus Farmers
Sketcher: Planners

8+3 HD variety
Scourge: Taskmasters
Stomper: Muscle
Swagjag: Raptorherders

9+3 HD variety
Seeker: Rangers
Sentinel: Heavy Knights
Scaggle: Crime Bosses
Svaerost: King of the Morkevagten

Non-Troldes:
Dagendreng (Agents): virtually any double-dealing, greedy, devious NPC can apply.

Feel free to borrow, copy, paste what have you. I think a damned fun dungeon level will spring forth from this information eventually.

~Sham, Quixotic Referee

The Trolde

Last year, when I was kicking around ideas for the FO! dungeon The Darkness Beneath, I began to tinker around with ideas for one of the important denizens in Calithena's megadungeon, the Dark Trolls. One thing led to another, and I ended up with a few pages of notes on these monsters and their world beneath the surface. Afterwards I decided it was time I gave the venerable Troll a treatment of homebrew, so I went back and redefined the entire species. Admittedly, there is a very strong and intentional Gygax 1st Edition flavor given to these OD&D versions, but their primary heritage is Scandinavian mythology and folklore. With the renaming of many of the standard monsters in my growing Solstice/Dismal Depths work, Trolls became Troldes. I recently edited this piece and although I have no actual home for this information at this point, I thought it might be of interest here. Essentially, these are actually Trolls, but using the alternate spelling does serve to differentiate the Trolde from the standard TSR Troll.

Tomorrow I will copy the notes which were originally intended to be the Dark Trolls, and became the Morkevagten Dim Troldes. The Morkevagten are destined to have a major chunk of real estate in Ulin-Uthor, or perhaps some areas of The Dismal Depths.


Troldes

Troldes, also known as Throlls or Trolls, are repulsive abominations created from the essence of the earth by a long forgotten power of chaos and night. There are numerous types of these vile, preternatural monsters, including but not limited to the ones described here. Troldes share some common characteristics, most notably that males of their kind are best described as large, brutish, ugly humanoids with great strength, elongated ears, big noses, knuckle-dragging arms and thick earth tone hides. Amongst individual male Troldes one might find many other beastly peculiarities, including such things as tusks, scraggly or quill-like hair, cyclopic eyes, and splotchy hides with crags, bumps and warts.

Female Troldes are certainly the fairer members of the race, appearing as seductive women with normally hidden cow tails. Female Troldes come and go between the world of man and that of Troldedom. Often described as erotic seductresses, legends exist of female Troldes that have actually married men and become mortal, successfully hiding their true nature for the rest of their days. The more notorious female Troldes seduce men and take their seed back to Troldedom. Others abduct infants from mankind and likewise return them to the world of the Troldes. What becomes of these young humans is not known, but many societies of the land blame deviant behavior on Trolde upbringings. Troldespawn is an unflattering term used to describe the worst sorts of men. Female Troldes are rarely encountered alongside their male counterparts, being altogether elusive and virtually undetectable within Troldedom. Little is known of them and it is assumed that they are one with the earth, emerging only to reproduce or mingle with mankind.

Male Troldes will return to their natural state if bathed long enough in the light of day, turning to stone and losing their magical life-giving essence. The spirit of the now inanimate Trolde will return from whence it came, dead and gone forever. For this reason, male Troldes are either nocturnal or subterranean. As long as a Trolde is in contact with earth, be it soil, dirt, sand, rock or stone, its form will regenerate wounds at an astounding rate. Certain types of damage may not be thusly healed, such as wounds from acid, fire or lightning. Troldes are immune to damage from cold, whether it is natural or magical, but take extra damage from lightning. Wounds upon a Trolde dealt by stone, wood, bronze or even silver weapons will inflict reduced damage in all cases. Iron is the only metal which will cause a Trolde full damage, whether it is magical or mundane. Furthermore, Troldes despise iron, and are loathe to touch it.

Troldes have their own language, called Trolsprog, with a wide range of words which hold meaning only to their kind, owing partially to their acute olfactory senses. Trolsprog is noted for long S’s and hisses. Troldes can see naturally in the dark, and are only surprised on a roll of 1in12. Given the right circumstances, a Trolde can track down non-natives while in its own environs.

While Troldes are an unnatural union of earth, chaos and night, their kind consists of both young and old. The larger Mountain and Forest Troldes tend to be solitary, longer lived, and far less reproductive than the Mound and Dim Troldes. Mound and Dim Troldes exist in varying levels of clan based groups. Male Troldes are stooped and hunched. Their effective height is normally equal to their HD minus one in feet. A HD 7+3 Mound Trolde would be about 6 feet tall, a HD 10+3 Forest Trolde would be about 9 feet tall, both would be considerably taller if actually upright and vertical.

Haugtrolde (Mound Trolde): Chaotic, # Appearing: 3-12, AC: 6, Move: 12, HD: 6+3 to 8+3, Damage by weapon +1, Avg Int: 8. Troldes that tend to roam quite often, establishing new mound and tunnel homes, or returning to older ones as they continually expand their hunting grounds

Bjergtrolde (Mountain Trolde): Neutral, # Appearing: 1, AC: 3, Move: 9, HD: 9+3 to 11+3, Damage 2d6+2, Avg Int: 10. The largest of all Troldes, given to extended periods of hibernation in vast cavernous regions beneath and within mountains.

Skovtrolde (Forest Trolde): Neutral, # Appearing: 1, AC: 4, Move: 9, HD: 8+3 to 10+3, Damage 2d6+1, Avg Int: 9. Larger than their Mound and Dim cousins, these Troldes forge homes in deep, thick forests, and are prone to seasonal periods of hibernation

Uklartrolde (Dim Trolde): Chaotic, # Appearing: 2-12+, AC: varies, Move: 9, HD: 7+3 to 9+3, Damage by weapon +2, Avg Int: 11. Dim Troldes have a base AC 6, but most wear bronze lamellar or plate armor resulting in AC 5, 4 or even 3 if using a shield. These Troldes continually work toward carving out a permanent home deep in the underworld, to varying degrees of success.

Turn to Stone: Troldes will turn to stone and perish after 1 turn in full day light. After 5 rounds movement is reduced to one-half.
Immune to Cold: All forms cause 0 damage.
Non-iron weapons: Deal one-half damage to Troldes.
Iron weapons: Cause +1 damage when striking Troldes.
Attacks upon iron-armored targets: Troldes have a -1 penalty to hit such targets.
Lightning Damage: Causes +2 points per die against Troldes, and may not be regenerated.
Fire/Acid Damage: May not be regenerated.
Trolde Regeneration: Troldes begin to regenerate damage at a rate of 3/round at the beginning of the third round after damage has been sustained (for example, if a Trolde takes damage in round 2, it will start to regenerate as round 5 begins). Only acid, fire or lightning damage may not be regenerated. Trolde Regeneration continues unabated even if the monster is hacked to pieces. Unless the entire Trolde is burnt or exposed to acid, it will eventually rise up at full health. The various limbs and remains of a slain Trolde will either crawl back together and regenerate, or form a new body from the largest remaining piece. Severed parts seem to possess a will of their own, and will continue to grab, claw, bite or scuttle about independently during a conflict. Dim Troldes in particular are known to have devised methods for ensuring that their fallen are able to regenerate in a safe location.

Tomorrow watch for the Morkevagten Dim Troldes intended for a vast, as yet unmapped dungeon level in an upcoming adventure.

~Sham, Quixotic Referee

Happy New Year 2009!

Happy New Year, one and all. Here's hoping that 2009 is the best yet for everyone. Inspired by Amityville Mike's list from last week, but with much less insight and forethought, here is my own list of gaming related resolutions for the upcoming year.

1. Complete The Upper Levels of The Dismal Depths: I feel that the heavy lifting is done here, now comes the actual map drawing and inking, then the compiling. I'll figure out how to merge all 12 maps, the Bestiary, and the one page Guide into a single file, create a PDF, and figure out what to do with it from there.

2. Consider revising and trimming down Ulin-Uthor, The Dim Expanse: While Ulin-Uthor will never be distilled down to the granularity of The Dismal Depths, I can certainly edit the existing work in order to dispense with much of the detail which has forced that project to the back burner. As my current gaming vehicle, The Dim Expanse might never reach a completed state, but hopefully in 2009 some section or the entire work will be finished and into PDF.

3. Finish Solstice as a Campaign Setting: Inspired by Geoffrey McKinney's Carcosa, I hope to actually finally settle on some union of Solstice, No Future and Walpurgis that will yield a unique setting which encompasses The Dismal Depths, Ulin-Uthor, and many other homebrew projects I've been working on this past year.

4. Finish the D&D Cover to Cover series: And from those notes and comments write an OD&D Companion. I'm currently on Volume 2, p. 31 with my re-reading of OD&D, so there is light at the end of that tunnel now. I've received so many excellent observations and comments from my readers that have forced me to reconsider how I approach this hobby that I feel something needs to be done with these words of wisdom. I might call it The White Box Companion or something. Hell, I don't see why I couldn't call it The Dungeons & Dragons Companion. It's clearly a review of the books, so I doubt there should be any fear of copyright infringment.

5. Finish Lower Caves of The Darkness Beneath: I've made great strides with this future submission to Fight On! My problem now is which direction do I take? Do I continue with the wordy, detailed writing that I've used thus far (one room is a full page of text) or do I take the buther knife of word economy to the whole thing and attempt to let readers sort out the many indepth themes within?

6. Attend some Cons: This is a must for me. I'm so removed from the living, breathing face to face aspect of D&D that it sometimes makes me wonder if I'm fooling myself. Besides, I wouldn't mind actually meeting some of the other members of this online old school renaissance in person one of these days.

7. Expand my face to face gaming circle: This goes hand in hand with the above resolution. Playing is an extrememly important facet of the referee design process. Given the far flung proximities of my old gaming crew, expanding my circle of players will help engender more real face to face gaming and learning.

8. Encourage my 14 year old to finish his dungeon: And then plunder it with my own Entourage. For so many reasons, I truly hope that my 14 year old son catches the D&D bug. I cannot even begin to list the ways in which this hobby has expanded my mind.

So there you have it. I'm sure I've left a few gaming projects off of this list, but the above resolutions would certainly constitute a very good year of gaming in 2009.

~Sham, Quixotic Referee

Crazy Campaign Idea

So, this idea just sort of hit me as semi-interesting tonight. I bashed out the below text based on the idea.









Walpurgis

The remnants of mankind, those spared by the War Pigs, are given to insanity, addiction, dreams and hallucination in the bleak aftermath of the Electric Funeral. Survival is marked by Paranoid struggles against the threats of a world consumed by madness; from The Wizard of the Vast Wastes and his Shunned minions; the time-traveling, vengeful god-like, merciless Iron Man; the deranged Fairy-King Jack the Stripper and his goose-stepping, steel-booted armies (those same ruthless murderers of drug-induced nightmares seen before the lunatic cries of "Fairies Wear Boots"); the false hope that is the thought devouring Church of Planet Caravan; the mutated, cannibalistic Tainted of the Hand of Doom; the demented Rat Salad Brood of the Forbidden Depths; the Snowblind Horrors that unravel reality beyond Luke’s Wall; to the pagan, demon-worshipping rites of the fell cultists of the Black Sabbath, this campaign is certainly not in the Land of Oz…or is it?

Still one of my favorite albums ever, Black Sabbath's Paranoid. With it's doom and gloom and social commentary, Geezer Butler's harrowing lyrics seem to mesh together to form a vision of mankind's grim demise. Throw in a couple B sides from singles off Paranoid (The Wizard and Snowblind), include the intros and outros (Jack the Stripper and Luke's Wall), and viola, a dozen distinctive aspects to formulate a campaign around. Oh, and yes, Walpurgis is not the preferred title, but in case you're wondering it's the 'original' War Pigs, linked below. Crazy? Yes. Promising? Maybe. How to make it actually work? That's the fun part.



Walpurgis warns about the disastrous end awaiting devil-worshippers, so no I am not advocating black magic or the dark arts or anything. I just love me some Sabbath.

It was either this, or Rush's 2112, but that's an idea for another Crazy Campaign.

~Sham, Quixotic Referee

The Sixth Table part III

Continuing the Sixth Table theme, here's 76-77 The Blood Sword of Kral Zoraz. ‘Kral Zoraz’, huh? Looks like some good old flavorful naming, but no hidden meaning as far as I can tell. Maybe I was too quick to assume that Mr. Kuntz had used a lot of wordplay devices with this collection of Artifacts, unless Rob Kuntz had a friend named Karl Razzo or something. Moving right along…here we go with part 3.

The Blood Sword of Kral Zoraz

Disclaimer: The entire series of ‘Supreme Artifacts’ is based upon handwritten notes by Rob Kuntz. I take no credit for the table, title or names of any of these ‘Supreme Artifacts’. Mr. Kuntz’s creation, Table 6 Supreme Artifacts, serves as inspirational material and nothing more. The theme is indeed 'Supreme Artifacts', but individual Referees should feel free to adjust the relative power of any of the items presented here to fit their own campaign's needs.

In the time now known as The Dawn of Man, when the Fae still held sway over this world, there was a grim, bloody era which preceded The Sundering, that chaotic world altering event that would herald The Age of Man. By now, the dispassionate, heedless Fae had been compelled to take notice of Mankind and its ceaseless expansion throughout the Four Corners. The Young Magic of Mankind was spreading like a plague, stifling the natural order of the world, and loosening the very foundations of creation from its bond with Fae Magic.

This was not a period measured by years, decades or even centuries, but an epoch which was an interminable precursor to The Sundering. What would become of Man after The Sundering was not yet determined, but it was certain that the Fae descent into obscurity would be irreversible. In those days, in the now buried nation of Kesh’al, a prominent hero called Zoraz had risen through sheer force of will and determination to the rank of Warlord, or Kral, of the Clans.

Kral Zoraz commanded his advisors to commission a weapon worthy of his lofty station, a sword that, as it turned out, would become more legendary than the man himself. And so, to the far flung Elf Realms of the All-King was brought the plunder and spoils from many a campaign, a ransom in rare minerals and gems, enough to outfit ten armies in finely crafted manmade swords and cuirasses. The All-King refused the offering, and insisted that the Elf Realms would offer a gift to Kral Zoraz, a sword “fit for such a famous leader of Men”.

After many months the newly forged sword was born back to Kesh’al, and into the waiting hands of the Warlord. The Kral increased his army and nation five fold while carrying the Elf sword at his side. As Kesh’al continued to expand its borders, it began to impinge on the very edges of the Elf Realms, and it was only a matter of time before Kral Zoraz began his war with those Fae who had remained outside of the struggles of mortals. Legend tells us that as soon as Man first spilled Fae blood, a terrible curse upon humankind was unleashed in the form of the Hobgoblins, themselves a race of mortal Fae who would rise up and challenge Man in the ages to come. Whether this blood was spilt by the Elf sword is not known, but what happened when that finely crafted sword did fell an Elf is hinted at in the mythology of the time before The Sundering.

The All-King had foreseen the possibility of such a war with Kesh’al, and had placed a dormant Unseelie Spirit within the weapon, one which would awaken if the Elf sword ever tasted Fae blood. What is known is vague, but Kesh’al ultimately failed in its war with the Elves, and it is said that Kral Zoraz was dethroned in a bloody rebellion which led to the eventual collapse of the Clan nation. The sword, which came to be called The Blood Sword of Kral Zoraz, has cropped up from time to time throughout history, but its name and story are little more than the stuff of tall tales and fanciful song.

The Blood Sword of Kral Zoraz is older than any man can say, forged by ancient Fae in the age old bronze technique perfected by their kind before The Sundering. It is a heavy short sword, nearly two and a half feet in length, with a vaguely leaf shaped blade. The blade itself is of exquisite craftsmanship, faintly dark-grey with a green hue to the thick, razor sharp bronze. The hilt and small guard of the sword are of finely carved bone, and a large, heavy, round pommel of bronze tips off the unassuming weapon.

This Sword, +1 has a number of venerable Elf enchantments which might not be apparent at first. The sword acts as +5 for purposes of saving throws or determining whether it can penetrate special defenses. No non-magic force is capable of destroying the sword, and the amount and power of magic required to break the sword is rarely realized in this day and age.

While the sword deals a rather modest 1d6 damage, there is a chance that a special power will be triggered with each damage roll. On a roll of ‘5’ on the d6, the wielder throws an extra d6 for damage, and is healed by one half of the resulting roll on that extra d6 (1, 2 or 3 HP). On a roll of ‘6’ on the d6, the wielder throws two extra d6 for added damage, and is healed by one half that extra amount (1-6 HP). While the extra damage will be rolled against any target, the healing will only function when the extra damage is dealt to living targets.

The sword creates a dim green glow, shedding light in a radius of 10’. Any living being, other than the wielder, within this aura will be unable to heal wounds or damage, magically or naturally. Furthermore, once the sword has slain a target, the aura will visibly intensify for six rounds. During this time, any living being within the 10’ radius will lose 1 HP, and the sword bearer will be healed 1 HP. This life drain takes effect at the end of each of the six rounds, harming both friend and foe. This regenerative aura will never heal more than 1 HP per round for the sword’s wielder, and only functions when there is a living being other than the wielder within 10’.

The Blood Sword of Kral Zoraz was created as a foil to the magic of Man, and its wielder will receive +4 on all saving throws vs. spells, wands, etc. On a natural roll to hit of 18 or higher, the strike of the sword will dampen any magic upon the target, effectively dispelling enchantments and rendering magic items ineffective for 1 full turn. The victim may not use any magic, nor be effected by any magic, including spells meant to help or harm. This magic deadening will not protect the target from any of the Fae powers of the Blood Sword, however.

The sword has no communicative traits or intellect until its dormant spirit is awakened.

Once the Blood Sword strikes a Fae (defined as an Elf, Dryad, Nixie, Centaur, Unicorn, etc; but not those of Goblin blood), it will awaken the sleeping Unseelie Spirit imprisoned in the blade. At this time the weapon will begin a ceaseless thirst for blood, finally revealing its Cursed nature.

Once awake, the Unseelie Spirit will insist on blood, blood and more blood. What the Spirit does not get from the victims of the sword, it will take from the wielder. How the sword controls its owner is determined by the Referee, but it will be difficult if at all possible to remove the sword from its owners white-knuckled grip.

After the Spirirt is awake, any roll to hit which misses its target will cause the wielder 1 damage.

The Spirit will demand three kills per day, and if this thirst is not quenched, it will attempt to control the wielder’s hand. Furthermore, if a full day passes without quenching the sword’s thirst, the wielder will sustain 1 damage per hour, and 3 damage on any roll to hit which misses, until the three kills are made.

In OD&D terms, The Blood Sword of Kral Zoraz looks like this:
Dormant state: non-aligned, 0 Intelligence, 0 Ego, no origin/purpose.
Awake state: chaotic, 10 Intelligence, 12 Ego (total Ego Rating: 26), purpose: described above.

If the awakened sword goes for 9 days with no kills, the Unseelie Spirirt will return to its dormant state.

~Sham, Quixotic Referee

Solstice: Through The Ages

Excerpts from my tiddly site's Solstice Introduction:

This is not a world of damsels in distress and princes galloping to their rescue, this is a world where the cold harsh reality of evil and darkness pervade everyday life. Mankind is pitted against threats from within and without while the uncaring Fae look on, unconcerned with the meaningless, pitiful lives of mortals. Solstice is a world of ruthless dictators, murderous bandits, greedy merchants, power-hungry generals, corrupt clergymen, brutish lawmen and torch-bearing mobs. It’s a testament to mankind that it has not collapsed in upon itself. Were it not for the constant dangers presented by the monstrous beings of this world, perhaps mankind would have exterminated itself by now.


Solstice is a land overrun by monstrous civilizations; mad wizards in lost towers; labyrinthine, inexplicable underworld dungeons; forgotten ziggurats of demon-worship; secret temples of forbidden rites; cities ruled by unprincipled despots; lost societies of Neolithic savages; vast unexplored wastelands; enigmatic ruins beneath the seas; frozen citadels atop colossal mountains; in short, a bleak, harrowing world of unreason, disorder and chaos.It is within this world of Solstice that your tales of fortunes and fools shall be written. May your tales be remembered and retold.

Solstice is a loose collection of various ideas and notes from my own Game Mastering history, stretching back to the late 70’s. Very little if anything remains from those earliest creative efforts, when world building consisted of a dungeon, inn and village. Solstice does represent nearly thirty years of working toward actually constructing a viable, fleshed out campaign setting. Through the years the campaigns were set in various locales, including Greyhawk, Arduin, and even Waterdeep. The worlds were actually of my own making, but I used the maps, history and trappings of those settings in some form or another. I added regions, fleshed out scant descriptions, and generally turned them all upside down; shaking out the good stuff and ignoring that which didn’t interest me.

In between these published settings, Blackthorn began to grow and take shape. The end result was a system of heavily homebrewed rules highlighted by very specific character Races and Classes. Blackthorn was a dead end of sorts, though. It’s technically an AD&D supplement, wrapped around a world map and some very basic history. Although I typed up and printed off Blackthorn, and distributed copies to my players at the time, we never actually played a game using it.

What remains of Blackthorn is the world map and historical entries. From this brief stab at an actual homebrewed setting grew the roots of Solstice. In creating Blackthorn, the first thing I had to do was expunge all those elements of the aforementioned Greyhawk, Arduin and Waterdeep. Arduin was the last to go, as it was a central nation on the small continent which had hosted two different long running campaigns. The idea at the time was to simply replace Arduin with a new central nation, that being Blackthorn, hence the name of the supplement. I later realized that the title Blackthorn was not the best choice for a D&D supplement, and now here I sit years later using the same theory, instead with Solstice supplanting the original name.

What I wish to do with Solstice is present a modular sand-box setting featuring maps, history, hex details, adventure locales, races, monsters, treasure, and perhaps some optional house rules. This is not a new desire or goal, but I have been encouraged by old school efforts of late, including Fight On! and Swords & Wizardry.

One aspect of Solstice that I have been attempting to fine tune is the various eras and ages of the land. Here are the primary epochs as I have imagined them:

I: The Dawn of Man
II: The Age of Man
III: The Twilight of Man

The Dawn of Man encompasses the age when the Fae slowly lost dominion over Solstice to Mankind. The Age of Man is the time in which Solstice, as currently written, takes place, when Mankind rules the land. The Twilight of Man is the era described in No Future, when Mankind is fading after the cataclysmic events that ended the previous age.

I think The Twilight of Man might now be viewed as a poor copy of Carcosa, even though the concept was formed long before I knew that Geoffrey McKinney was preparing to publish his homebrewed setting. The Age of Man might be too generic, and the Dawn of Man is a recent view of Solstice I’ve formed through some of my creative projects.

So, I don’t know exactly how to proceed. Perhaps move forward and fully flesh Solstice out in the Age of Man, as originally intended, with sections covering those epochs before and after. In the end, the ‘generic’ approach can be eclipsed by good old fashioned creativity.

My current plan is to create a setting using Swords & Wizardry as a rules reference, and get the whole thing polished and presentable. Lastly I’d make it available as a template for inserting adventures and hosting a campaign. I’m hoping I can follow through and get this particular project completed and available to interested parties in the near future.

~Sham, Quixotic Referee

The Sixth Table part II

Continuing the Sixth Table theme, here's 41-44 The Skull Staff of Zaln. I don't see any wordplay device involved with Zaln. This one's off the cuff.

The Skull Staff of Zaln

Disclaimer: The entire series of ‘Supreme Artifacts’ is based upon handwritten notes by Rob Kuntz. I take no credit for the table, title or names of any of these ‘Supreme Artifacts’. Mr. Kuntz’s creation, Table 6 Supreme Artifacts, serves as inspirational material and nothing more. The theme is indeed 'Supreme Artifacts', but individual Referees should feel free to adjust the relative power of any of the items presented here to fit their own campaign's needs.

In the years before The Vast Discord, in the time lost land of Ayr-Avad, the Almighty Zaln ruled from his Tower Indomitable high on Mount Al-Armagt. As far as Zaln could see, and even beyond the horizon and across the Stirring Sands, were the lands of Ayr-Avad, Zaln’s Empire. Time itself was Zaln’s last enemy, the final foe with whom he now struggled with each day and every night, for Zaln was nearing the end of his mortal life. After countless scholars, wizards, oracles and prophets had been put to the spear for their empty promises of turning back the ravages of Time, Zaln had finally found his answer in a sorcerer named Balophaer. Giving over every ounce of his confidence in his nigh desperate state, Zaln entered into Balophaer’s long and arduous arcane rites. Life Everlasting had been the promise, and Life Everlasting had been delivered; but as one might guess, the end only justified the means as far as Balophaer was concerned.

Awakening from his horrific, drug induced nightmarish slumber, Zaln found that the rites had indeed been enacted, but his headless corpse was before him in a pool of darkening blood, prostrate and encompassed by a still smoldering rune-circle of magical power. Zaln’s Regal Sentinels, ready to impale Balophaer at the first sign of treachery, were now bedazzled and unaware of the potent sorcerer’s deviousness. Zaln was certainly immortal and timeless, but his head was mounted atop a carven blood-soaked staff of oak, a staff in the clutches of the vile and contemptuous Balophaer. Balophaer now took on the guise of Zaln, and ruled Ayr-Avad successfully for three score years, until Zaln exacted his revenge in a most cold blooded manner; only befitting given the injustice enacted upon the once mighty Emperor. Ayr-Avad and Mount Al-Armagt are but dim, distant memories now. The Legend of Zaln has been retold and handed down through the generations, and is a somewhat famous fable across the land. Pure mythology, as far as the scholars are concerned.

The Skull Staff of Zaln is an intricately carved, 4’ length of thick, old dark oak, topped by an ancient chipped, cracked and now jawless human skull. This is indeed the age-old skull of the Almighty Zaln. The skull has been covered in layers of pine tar and odd scribbling through the ages, as it’s previous owners have tried to preserve the skull, and also unlock its secrets. The staff will only reveal its minor powers to a Magic User who possesses it, these are listed below:

Charm Person, Charm Monster, Confusion, Guise, Hold Person, Hold Monster. Each minor spell-like power drains one charge from the staff. The staff generates three charges per day, and will never hold more than six charges.

Guise: This power allows the staff holder to magically transform to take on the appearance, mannerisms and vocabulary of a single target whose name is known to the caster. The Guise will be permanent until dispelled by the wielder, or until a new Guise is assumed.

The staff can also be used to invoke the following major powers as the campaign unfolds, with this knowledge unlocked by the player in a method determined by the Referee:

Death Spell, Disintegrate, Geas. Each major spell-like power drains three charges from the staff.

The wielder of The Skull Staff of Zaln is also protected with powerful enchantments which confer a protective magical power called Avoid Harm. Avoid Harm translates in game terms to: AC 4, +2 on all Saving Throws, minus four from all physical damage sustained, minus ten from all magical and elemental damage sustained, and immunity to poison.

The staff becomes powerless and drained of all charges when within sixty feet of Zaln’s remains.

The Almighty Zaln will slowly begin to gain lucidity from beyond the wall of sleep with each passing day once the staff has a new owner. Slowly, his spirit will begin to communicate with the staff wielder. First with dreaming whispers, then waking mental impressions, and finally with actual telepathic messages. Zaln is still, after all, ‘alive’, his spirit shackled to this world by Balophaer’s hoary rites of sorcery. Ultimately, Zaln seeks to join his psyche with his spirit to put an end to the accursed prison into which he was cast so many centuries ago. The mystical curse under which he now lives on may only be broken by joining his skull with his headless skeletal remains through some long forgotten ritual. As soon as Zaln begins to gain lucidity, his headless remains stir and begin to seek out the skull’s location. Eventually, Zaln’s remains will find the skull, and at that time Zaln will attempt to enact the same murderous revenge experienced by Balophaer high atop Mount Al-Armagt, in the Tower Indomitable, all those long, tormented decades ago.

The series of nightmarish events which might culminate in the strangulation or beheading of the staff wielder are to be played out as the Referee sees fit. If the staff wielder is slain, Zaln will make off with the staff, and hide it somewhere away from the light of day, sadly falling into his silent dreaming state once more before he can successfully break the age-old enchantment.

~Sham, Quixotic Referee

The Sixth Table part I

Here‘s a slice of gaming history, dripping with old school homebrew protoplasmic ooze. It is one of the surviving bits of Mr. Rob Kuntz’s notes from his work on the never published Supplement V for D&D (OD&D) titled Kalibruhn. I enjoy the direct connect to the early gaming roots that fragments such as this produce. Furthermore, I can't resist the evocative names of the artifacts contained on this page. The names alone are unquestioningly inspirational:

Sand Cubes of Nomilmon, The Blood Sword of Kral Zoraz, The Green Wand and The Stone Servant of Kalib, The Pillar of Sa-Hazruul.

I love this sort of stuff. What I particularly appreciate is that this list is just that, a list. No actual descriptions are provided. I’m not sure how fleshed out these artifacts would have been in Supplement V: Kalibruhn, or whether the same items have appeared in subsequent works by Rob Kuntz (many available at Pied Piper Publishing), but I’m happy to take this list and play around with it, fleshing out the history and powers of some of these mysterious relics of gaming past.

I can’t quite make out all of the names, but that’s fine…I find it adds to the charm of the original that some of the words are therefore open to my interpretation. For example 02-06 Amulet of the Abhorred (?) Destiny. Or 54-60 The Fruits of Zhethap (?). And even 72-75 The Bemalize (?) Wand. I assume 71 is The Brass Ring of Opening. I’ll just fake it until said item looks or sounds right.

I’ll homebrew a few of these to get the theme going. If I stick with it I will continue with more and eventually detail all three dozen Artifacts.

I know some of the item names upon this list must be anagrams, or other wordplay devices. 16-18 Crown of Ecilam and 25-27 3 Golden Globes of Ecilam are the most obvious and rudimentary examples. Ecilam is simply Malice backwards. A brief overview of the list doesn’t produce any other immediate recognition in the way of reference or inference for me, but perhaps others will chime in with their own observations.

There are likely some campaign inspired items that should have a shared history, with common themes, such as 13-15 Saphire of The Sorcerer Demons and 61 Fire Spear of The Sorcerer Demons. I’ve absolutely no idea what the real history or influence or even original design was for any of these Artifacts, so I will apologize to Rob Kuntz in advance for any rough or unfair treatment of his personal creations found on Table 6 Supreme Artifacts.

Rather than take these on in the order presented, I will pick and choose a few before I commit to all 36, starting with 53 The Unknown Weapon of Nodah. The only possible wordplay device I see here is that Nodah could be unscrambled to form Honda. I don’t see any reason for such a reference, so I’ll ignore that possible anagram. Nodah apparently might mean ‘known’ according to some brief internet research. Perhaps The Unknown Weapon of Known was a bit of wordplay, but any significance that might hold is lost upon me. One particular link led me to a page that included a blurb about The Maharal of Prague, and the legend of his Golem, Yossele. Now properly inspired, here’s the first entry for The Sixth Table.

The Unknown Weapon of Nodah

Disclaimer: The entire series of ‘Supreme Artifacts’ is based upon handwritten notes by Rob Kuntz. I take no credit for the table, title or names of any of these ‘Supreme Artifacts’. Mr. Kuntz’s creation, Table 6 Supreme Artifacts, serves as inspirational material and nothing more. The theme is indeed 'Supreme Artifacts', but individual Referees should feel free to adjust the relative power of any of the items presented here to fit their own campaign's needs.

This secret weapon was constructed and employed by a High Cabal of Ven Vorheesh Priests to oust the conquering Mag’hiim from their lands. A living, walking manlike automaton of clay, this Golem was infused with the wrath of Nodah, the Ven Vorheesh deity. Hidden and protected during the day, and unleashed to wreak havoc during the night, the Unknown Weapon of Nodah proved to be a dangerous means of defense, as it eventually turned upon it’s creators and toppled both temple and shrine in it’s uncontrollable frenzies. Finally deactivated and hidden away, the Golem and its legend was forgotten. The Ven Vorheesh and the Mag’hiim are now but faded writings in the history of man, and the Unknown Weapon of Nodah remains a mystery today.

The Golem can be found in either a deactivated or activated state, at the Referee’s discretion. The Golem is a hardened, solid as stone, fired clay construct in the shape of a man some seven feet tall. When activated it’s eyes open to reveal dimly blue glowing sapphires, and it’s mouth can open or close with a locking, lower hinged jaw fashioned of old bronze, revealing a small recessed niche behind. The entire form of the Golem is chipped and pocked, and covered with black scorch marks. The Golem weighs nearly 2,000 pounds, being a massive, formidable slab of ancient earth. The Golem will, at all times, have one of two ancient Ven Vorheesh words scrawled upon it’s large forehead, Life or Death. The former activates the Golem, and the latter deactivates it. If a small calfskin scroll, containing the master’s name written in blood, is placed within the Golem’s mouth, it will follow very basic commands from that individual. If activated with no such scroll, or by anyone other than it's master, the Golem will enter a destructive rampage until it has successfully slain a random number (1d6 or more) of nonbelievers before deactivating itself once more.

Nodah’s Golem: AC 5, Hit Dice 10, Hit Points 47, Move 6”. Only damaged by +1 or higher magic weapons, and physical attacks always cause minimum damage. Immune to mind influencing magic, fire, electricity, poison, acid and cold. If possible, the Golem automatically rolls successfully when saving versus any magical spell or attack. The Golem attacks once each round causing 3d6 damage. While in combat, the Golem emanates a powerful aura of magic. All living beings within a 40’ radius of the Golem are subjected to a Slow spell. If faced with more than 5 foes, it can unleash gouts of flame from vents in the palms of its 'hands' every third round in lieu of physical attacks. The flames engulf an area in a 10’ radius around the Golem, and burn for 10d6 initially, and one half that on the following round (save vs. Dragon Breath for half damage and no damage on the following round). If the Golem is in melee with the same foe for four consecutive rounds, it will attack that target with a magic gaze beam emanating from it’s glowing sapphire eyes. The target must save vs. Spell at -2 or become Paralyzed for 12 turns.

The Golem, when activated, will only allow its master to approach close enough to open its jaw or write upon its forehead. How this is otherwise accomplished during play is up to the Referee. When deactivated, the Golem will slowly regenerate damage at a rate of 1 Hit Point per day. The Unknown Weapon of Nodah will deactivate whenever it is reduced to 10 or fewer Hit Points, and will not activate once more until it has regenerated at least 30 points of damage (30 days). If the Golem is reduced to zero Hit Points, it will be forever destroyed.

The Unknown Weapon of Nodah obeys it’s commands quite literally, never discerning between friend or foe. Furthermore, there is a chance each turn while it is active that the Golem will enter a frenzied state of destructive vengeance upon all nonbelievers (including its own master). If The Unknown Weapon of Nodah’s master is slain, the Golem will deactivate wherever it stands. The chance for such a rampaging state is left for the Referee to determine, but it is suggested that it begin after a predetermined time of activity (1d6 turns or more), and increase with each subsequent turn of activity. For example, perhaps a cumulative 1% chance per turn beginning after 3 turns. The Golem’s rampages include destruction of inanimate objects and anything that moves until it has slain a random number of nonbelievers and deactivates itself once more. There is also a chance that it will only deactivate once it has slain its blasphemous master. Such an unfortunate turn of events has a chance to occur as determined by the Referee, which should ultimately be increased or decreased based upon the actions of the master.

~Sham, Quixotic Referee