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Remembering Gary Gygax

March 4, 2015, 10:21 am
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I would like the world to remember me as the guy who really enjoyed playing games and sharing his knowledge and his fun pastimes with everybody else.
                                                       - Gary Gygax

In memoriam, I thought it would be nice to talk some about Gary Gygax today. As some of you may be familiar Gary passed away on this day in 2008. I will not spend any time on the subject of loss since that voluminous task would be impossible to realize. Instead I wanted to take a look back to my earliest memories of Gary Gygax and how he was inspirational.

I remember 1983 very well since it was the year I started playing the Dungeons & Dragons game. In August of that year the AD&D Dungeon Master’s Guide was one of my birthday presents. There emblazoned on the cover was the name Gary Gygax. Well this was a strange and interesting surname for sure. For a bright eyed 11 year old it just added to the mystique of the game.

Who was this Gygax? Where did he come from? How did he make this incredible game that I cannot wait to play when I get home from school? The questions were endless for a bunch if young kids who had no contact with the outside gaming world beyond a Dragon Magazine.

I recall fondly arguing with my fellow players during those early years in regard to the correct pronunciation of the surname Gygax. Was it Ghe-gax, Gy-gaks or Gax? It was not until I was much older and the advent of the internet that I learned Gy-gaks was indeed correct. Apparently Gary held that the etymology of his Swedish surname means giant in some form. I find this little factoid most appropriate since Gary had such a giant influence on my imagination as a child.

I can honestly credit Gary Gygax with inspiring me and countless others to keep our imaginations alive well past childhood. Imagination is truly the workspace of our brains and role playing games help to keep the fire stoked and the engine pumping. So many people let the imaginations of others enthrall them with movies or a good novel. The former is fine but as most D&D players will tell you it’s much more fun to design and play in your own sandbox.

That is the beauty of the game which Gary Gygax helped to create. Here we are forty years later with a form of imaginative play that can be developed by friends seated around a table. I can think of no other activity so cerebral and entertaining even in this time of incredible media experiences.

So later today when you have a chance dig out your favorite d20 and give it a spin. Somewhere just maybe the first dungeon master may be smiling at you. Thanks Gary for all your contributions to the hobby that so many of us love and cherish!
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The Unappreciated Game Master

March 9, 2015, 9:22 am
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Being a game master is a thankless job? During GM’s Day I read that somewhere recently on a forum. While I don’t agree with that statement entirely I can empathize with the emotion behind it. Over the past thirty years I have occasionally felt unappreciated by certain players. You know the type. They arrive late, are not prepared, forgot their character, or are completely distracted. You put up with it for a while because they are your friends or family.

That being said, I learned long ago not to let a group disintegrate because of this. Instead after some diplomacy if the problem is not resolved that player is no longer invited back. If you spend hours as I do preparing your campaign world and adventures everyone should be at the table to play. A normal session in the Game Tavern always includes some social catch up time before the game commences or during breaks. But at the end of the day there is a group of middle aged adults that set aside time to game together. For many this involves arranging baby sitters, travel or even squeezing the session into a busy schedule. No game master or group should ever suffer in silence because of a disruptive player. 

So what are other reasons you feel unappreciated as the game master? Perhaps your players are just not as involved in the story to the extent you would like? I have heard this as a common complaint over the years. The important thing to remember is players come in all different flavors but have one unifying focus which is fun. Everyone wants to have a good time, get together with friends, roll some dice and escape for a few hours.

I think the old adage of know your audience really holds true when it comes to game mastering. If you current group is composed of heavy role players then story may be more important. On the flip side if your group has more war gamers then story may be secondary to them. Game mastering is really a balance in trying to understand what motivates your players to be seated at the table. Is it the politics of the realm, battling monsters, exploring fantastic locations or just finding treasure?

Often at the start of a fresh campaign I ask my players to write up a background for me. I usually offer a permanent 10% experience point bonus for the life of the character if completed. The information serves as a source for story hooks and gets the players invested in their characters. But most importantly it helps me gauge what is motivating those particular players to attend my game sessions. Even if you have played for years with someone this is a great exercise to partake in. People’s tastes change or they may just be looking for a new perspective with a particular character.

A perfect example is my wife’s current barbarian character. In the past she usually played some sort of shadowy rogue or archer that was careful and sneaky. This campaign she wanted to be a melee machine and see what it was like on the front line. Moreover her character has a split personality with the worse of the two always appearing when she rages.  As a game master there are some easy things to target in on here to make the game experience more enjoyable for the player. The barbarian needs plenty of combat challenges and exploration of the split personality when applicable in the story. This is not a character that will flourish in endless game sessions of political subterfuge or murder mysteries.

Again know your audience. As a game master there is something far worse than railroading your players and that is placing them inside the neat little box you have built and closing the lid. If you feel unappreciated it may just be that you need to find a more common ground for your game sessions. If players are not excited and interested then your own enthusiasm will start to dwindle as well. Finally you may just be suffering from game master burnout which is very common. Running a campaign or even just one game session is a daunting task. From the preparation involved to answering the barrage questions posed by a table of players being a game master is a lot of work.

My solution for game master burnout has been to take a break and just schedule a board game night. Or I just switch things up and run a one shot of a no crunch RPG to rekindle my own game master fire.  For some it may be as simple as handing over the reins to another game master for a while. The former is usually a limited option since good game masters are hard to find. And remember while everyone is a critic very few if any will put themselves out there. It takes a tremendous amount of courage in any medium to be the one running the show. 

So know that you are appreciated my fellow game masters because our hobby needs you! There are still many stories to tell, lost places to find and monsters to defeat. Keep scheduling those game sessions but if you need a break don’t be afraid to take it. Sometimes a little time reflecting on what has worked and what has not will lead you back on the path of adventure quicker than you think!
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Throwback Thursday: The 10' Pole

March 12, 2015, 8:57 am
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The idiom “I wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole” is something we all have heard countless times. There are many anecdotal suggestions of where the popular phrase originated. The earliest reference I could find was recorded inside an 1843 U.S. Masonic community magazine, edited by James L Ridgely:

But that mushroom aristocracy of our country... who would not condescend to touch a poor man with a ten foot pole, were their extraction traced, in nine cases out of ten they were nurtured in the squalid huts of poverty.

I have to believe the popular idiom influenced Gygax & Arneson when they developed the equipment list for Men & Magic. One of the most poked fun of mundane items from old school D&D is the 10’ pole. I can recall as a young player wondering how I would get one down into a dungeon let alone negotiate those nasty 90 degree turns. But playing D&D as a kid was not an endless exercise in logic and trying to make sense of everything. Very often something as outlandish as a 10’ pole would just vanish when not being used but was always there when needed again. 

Old school D&D was also much more narrative and descriptive as players used creativity to get around traps and obstacles. Something such as a wooden pole was a useful tool for springing a trap, testing for an illusion or pushing open doors. Then as the gaming community aged so did the way we played. Shifts in design philosophy with later editions of D&D minimized player ingenuity by determining success and failure with a simple roll of the d20. Sure I could get up and change the channels manually but why bother when I have this handy remote control? 

One of the things I was thrilled to see with the release of the 5E D&D Basic set was the return of the 10’ pole on the equipment list. And even though there is still mechanics in place for searching and ultimately disarming traps the 10’ pole can still be useful. As part of movement or action in 5E you can do one minor thing to interact with your environment for free. One of the suggestions on the example list is tap the floor with a 10’ pole.

This is an important take away for any players reading this. Not only does this example harken back to the days of yore but you are being encouraged to think outside the box. Don’t be a slave to the d20 and live with the results. What if the trap before you on the tiled floor is sprung with a minor amount of pressure and your roll did not reveal it? Tapping the floor as part of your movement or action is almost like having a second bite at the apple. But really the former is the first thing you should have done before reaching for that d20!

I believe the 10’ pole really is just a metaphor of early Dungeons & Dragons when descriptive play was the thing. Visualize your environment, ask questions and make good use of mundane tools to help you explore it. In my 5E games I have blended back in much of that old school philosophy or as I prefer to call it O5R. The 10’ pole does not need to be something buried in the tomes of dungeon crawl nostalgia. Rather it is an invitation for you to be a better player, a better DM and ultimately a more imaginative gamer.
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The Vamprechaun

March 16, 2015, 9:41 am
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Back in the early 90s when the summers were endless it seemed like I played RPGs to my heart’s content. When the regular group was not assembled I ran a series of solo D&D sessions for my friend Tom. He wanted to explore the story of his wizard named Cord who was a dark and brooding character. Since Cord would be solo his powers were outside the four corners of a normal character sheet. One of the ways I justified this was by placing a rather nasty curse upon him.

The curse provided great benefit but also forced Cord to unravel its mystery. But unfortunately for Cord there were others so cursed as well who would prove to be a great hindrance. In the style of Highlanderthere could only be one and Cord would spar with these other cursed individuals often. But perhaps his greatest cursed rival was something I dreamed up literally on the spot. Roderick the Rabid was an incredibly malicious and evil leprechaun with vampirism.

Cord himself was a vampire as well so the battles between the two of them were the stuff of legend. Entire buildings demolished, statues smashed and stone walls broken. The combats had a very superhero vibe to them and were quite entertaining. And with Roderick often appearing at the most inopportune times Cord usually had his hands full.

With St. Patrick’s Day being celebrated tomorrow I thought it would be fun revisit Roderick a tad by creating a new 5E mash-up. In Irish folklore the leprechaun (leipreachán) is a diminutive sprite or fairy which is known to be quite mischievous. Because of their love of dancing leprechauns constantly need new shoes. Many were said to be cobblers and covet gold which they hid or buried under rocks. The most popular legends hold that if captured a leprechaun had the ability to grant three wishes. Often humans would track them by listening for the distinct tapping of the tiny cobbler’s hammer. William Allingham’s 18th-century poem titled "The Lepracaun; Or, Fairy Shoemaker" speaks of the unique sound:
 
"Lay your ear close to the hill 
Do you not catch the tiny clamour,
Busy click of an elfin hammer,
Voice of the Lepracaun singing shrill
As he merrily plies his trade?"

So what would happen if this little trickster fey was captured by a vampire? After granting its three wishes it was then bitten and discarded. The creature awakens and its darkest desires are now an utter obsession. Music, gold and shoes it craves with a healthy hunger for a stomach full of blood. 

Imagine a full moon casting light down upon a hill in the middle of a village. There dancing with a fiddle or harp is the small silhouette of a figure. A villager is awakened by the melodic sounds and sees what they believe to be a leprechaun. Three wishes may be for the taking so they grab their fishing net and sneak outside. Unbeknownst to the villager they are about to become the Vamprechaun's  next meal!

Vamprechaun (5th edition)
Small fey undead (shapechanger), chaotic evil
Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
Hit Points 144 (17d8 + 68)
Speed 40ft.
STR 18 (+4)
DEX 18 (+4)
CON 18 (+4)
INT 17 (+3)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 18 (+4)
Saving Throws Dex +9, Wis +6, Cha +9
Skills Perception+7, Stealth +9
Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Senses darkvision 120 ft. , passive Perception 16
Languages Fey and common
Challenge 14 (11,400 XP)

ABILITIES
 
Shapechanger. If the vamprechaun isn't in sun light or running water, it can use its action to polymorph into a tiny woodland creature, invisible, or back into its true form.  While in animal form, the vamprechaun can't speak, its walking speed is 5 feet, and it has a flying speed of 30 feet. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are unchanged. Anything it is wearing transforms with it, but nothing it is carrying does. It reverts to its true form if it dies.

Invisible Passage. The vamprechaun magically turns invisible until it attacks. While invisible, it leaves no physical evidence of passage, so it can be tracked only by magic. Any equipment the vamprechaun wears or carries is invisible as well.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the vamprechaun fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Prismatic Escape. When it drops to 0 hit points outside its resting place, the vamprechaun transforms into a multi-colored mist (as in the Shapechanger trait) instead of falling unconscious, provided that it isn't in sun light or running water. If it can't transform, it is destroyed. While it has 0 hit points in prismatic mist form, it can't revert to its original form, and it must reach its hidden pot of gold within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once at its pot of gold, it reverts to its vamprechaun form. It is then paralyzed until it regains at least 1 hit point. After spending 1 hour next to its hidden pot of gold with 0 hit points, it regains 1 hit point.

Regeneration. The vamprechaun regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn't in sun light or running water. If vamprechaun takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn't function at the start of the vamprechaun's next turn.

Spider Climb. The vamprechaun can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

WEAKNESSES
 
Cobbler’s Affection. The vamprechaun can be distracted by beautiful shoes and must make a DC15 Wisdom save at the beginning of every round it remains in the presence of fine shoes. If it fails the vamprechaun has disadvantage on all attacks for the round.

Forbiddance. The vamprechaun can't enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.

Harmed by Running Water. The vamprechaun takes 20 acid damage if it ends its turn in running water.

Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into the vamprechaun's heart while the vamprechaun is incapacitated in its resting place, the vamprechaun is paralyzed until the stake is removed.

Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The vamprechaun takes 20 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sun light, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

 ACTIONS

Multiattack (Vamprechaun Form Only). The vamprechaun makes two attacks, only one of which can be a bite attack.

Unarmed Strike (Vamprechaun Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

Bite (Woodland animal or Vamprechaun Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature that is incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the vamprechaun regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain in this way and then buried in the ground rises the following night as a vampire spawn under the vamprechaun’s control.

Charm. The vamprechaun plays music with its fiddle or harp. Any target within 30’ that can hear the music must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed by the vamprechaun. The charmed target regards the vamprechaun as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn't under the vamprechaun’s control, it takes the vamprechaun's requests or actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for the vamprechaun’s bite attack.

Each time the vamprechaun or the vamprechaun's companions do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until the vamprechaun is destroyed, is on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes a bonus action to end the effect.

Dark Ritual (1/Day). The vamprechaun magically  calls for 4d6 Twig Blights to appear. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as allies of the vamprechaun and obeying its spoken commands. The creatures remain for 1 hour, until the vamprechaun dies, or until the vamprechaun dismisses them as a bonus action.

LEGENDARY ACTIONS

The vamprechaun can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The vamprechaun regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Move. The vamprechaun moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Vanishing Trick. The vamprechaun uses invisible passage.
Bite (Costs 2 Actions). The vamprechaun makes one bite attack .


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Belt Pouch Table

March 18, 2015, 9:19 am
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This morning on the way into work I was thinking how much I enjoy random RPG tables. But let me qualify that statement with its usually the content within the tables that I enjoy so much. Often when I find a good list I read all the entries and sometimes just pick one I like for the night’s game session. Other times when a player asks a question about something I like to just randomly roll and see where it takes us.

Below I decided to create a random table of belt pouches with interesting contents. While coins and gems are great they can seem lackluster after a while. So next time one of your players reaches inside a pouch or empties one consider using this table. I promise they will be as surprised as you are!

Belt Pouch Table (d8)

1.    Stained leather pouch which has a strange floral aroma. When examined it seems pliable and makes squishing sounds if poked or prodded. Inside will be found a shrunken head fetish of what appears to be a goblin. The mouth of the goblin is filled with 1d6+1 flower petals. If a petal is removed the head will animate and answer questions as if an augury spell was cast. When the petals are all depleted the head will crumble to dust.

2.    Rusted chainmail pouch which appears to have some sort of magical darkness inside it. All attempts to peer through the links fail unless a light spell is cast and directed at the pouch. Only then will the eyeball encased in resin within be visible. The eyeball belongs to a necromancer in some faraway place.  If removed from the pouch the necromancer can see through the eye again. What horrors now await the PCs is up to the Dungeon Master.

3.    Common cloth pouch with small nibble marks. It appears at one time the pouch was repaired because newer stitching is visible. The pouch feels cold to touch regardless of the temperature outside. Something appears to be moving inside the pouch at odd intervals. Inside will be found a skeletal mouse covered in arcane ice. All attempts to melt the ice will fail and the undead yet benign mouse will follow whoever the owner of the pouch is.

4.    Gold plated dragon leather pouch with dwarven runes that suggest it once belonged to some great slayer. The gold plating has seen better days and is missing in some places. Inside will be found a series of artistic stones crafted from gold. It is obvious that the entire collection is not present. When assembled together the stones actually create a rough map which ultimately shows the location of a dwarven tomb. The missing stones will need to be found to complete the map.

5.    A long pouch crafted from strips of beautiful tree leaves and bark. When examined it appears that small fruits are growing both on the outside and inside of the pouch. If watered the growth will be completed in 1d4 days otherwise the fruits grow at the DM’s discretion. Every growth cycle the pouch produces two types of goodberry. This will yield 1d6 inner and outer berries. Outer berries heal 1 point of damage when consumed. Those which grow inside the pouch are larger and heal 2 points of damage when consumed.

6.    A black silk pouch which appears completely bloated and filled with something. Upon examination whatever is inside the pouch feels solid and round. If the pouch is poked with a sharp object it is forever destroyed. It cannot be emptied of its contents unless someone reaches inside to pull out what is within. Anyone doing the former will feel something spongy and sticky. Chunks of this object can be removed revealing globs of spider web. If thrown these globs count as a web that affects only half the area of the normal spell. There is 2d6 globs of web available before the pouch is depleted.

7.    A regal pouch crafted from deep purple cloth with golden accents. It feels like there may be six small but solid objects resting at the bottom of the pouch. If emptied several strange stones with straight edges and sharp vertices fall out. Upon examination it appears each of the stones has a series of numbers etched upon them. Once per day the owner may roll these royal dice (pick your favorite real set) for a chance of luck being bestowed upon them. If the combined result is greater than 25 the owner gains +1 to all saving throws for the day.

8.    This pouch appears to be a miniaturized replica of an adventurer’s backpack. All the buttons work, compartments open and it even has small straps. If the owner attempts to place anything inside the pouch it magically shrinks to one quarter its original size and weight to accommodate. The object can then be retrieved and takes 1 round to return to its normal size. The maximum capacity of the pouch is 7.5lbs of reduced weight.

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Throwback Thursday: Into the Caves

March 26, 2015, 10:47 am
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“Your character stands atop a grassy hill...the sun glints off your golden hair, rippling in the warm breeze...you absentmindedly rub the gem-studded hilt of your magic sword, and glance over at the dwarf and elf, bickering as usual about how to load the horses...the magic-user has memorized her spells, and says she’s ready to go...a dangerous dungeon entrance gapes at you from the mountain nearby, and inside, a fearsome dragon awaits. Time to get moving...

                                                    - Frank Mentzer, 1983
 
I absolutely loved the solo adventure in the 1983 Red Box Player’s Manual. As a tribute I thought it would be fun to convert it to a 5E mini dungeon that a 1st level party could explore. I tweaked the dungeon to make it group friendly but tried to stay pure in terms of the original encounters. Enjoy!

Background

This small dungeon crawl takes place inside the recently unearthed tomb of a Shar priestess.

Shar.Also known as Mistress of the Night, she presides over caverns, dark, dungeons, forgetfulness, loss, night, secrets, and the Underdark.

A group of enterprising goblin looters discovered the tomb after a season of torrential rain revealed its once hidden entrance. Not particularly smart the goblins became stumped by a large metal seal inside the tomb. Determined to get what treasures may be hidden beyond the door they hatched a plan. After some disastrous trial and error the goblins were able to lure a rust monster inside the tomb. As expected the creature gleefully consumed the metal seal. Unfortunately for the goblins they have been unable extract the treasure beyond because of the skeletal guardians that emerged.

Further complicating things is the rust monster which has stubbornly decided to stay in the tomb. Acting as a complete glutton it dissolved most of the goblin’s equipment this morning. The PC’s will learn of the tomb from some cave spelunkers and arrive late morning to investigate it. They warn that another adventurer went inside alone and is said to have run out terrified and has not been seen since.

 1. Entrance

The climb up the broken path takes some time as the mountain air thins. Wisps of breath emanate from you are your companions as you find the cave the hunters spoke of. The muddy earth around the entrance is churned and riddled with small booted footprints. There is a gaping hole which appears to be connected to an ancient stone stair case leading down.

Curious PC's will notice the small prints in the mud are roughly the size if a child's foot.

2. Statue Room

The room you have entered is around twenty five feet square, with exits in the middle of the north, east, and west walls. The ceiling of the room is approximately 15’ high but lost in the shadows. The walls and floor are crafted from cut rock riddled with small cracks. Standing in the center of the room is the stone statue of a woman holding a sword and shield. It appears the statue was once painted but it has mostly peeled and faded with time.

Any PC’s taking the time to stop and listen (Perception DC10) will notice squeaking sounds coming from the east.

If the PC’s investigate the statue they will determine it to be mundane. There is however a barely noticeable standard upon the shield of a black disk with a border of deep purple. DC15 Religion or History to recognize it as the symbol of Shar.  Scratched into back of the statue is the following message in common:

RATS EAST
GOBLINS NORTH
BEWARE WEST!

3.Annex

This small room appears to be a jumble of trash which contains broken objects such as oil decanters, wines bottles, pottery, dishes and baskets. The smell of offal is thick here as if something has been using the space as a lair. 

A group of giant rats has claimed this area as their own and will defend it if the PC’s start probing the broken items in the chamber.

Giant Rat: (4) Page 327 of the D&D Monster Manual.

Treasure: If searched thoroughly the PC’s will find some ancient coins inside two unbroken clay pottery pieces. 100cp and 100sp.

4. Riddle of Wealth

The room beyond is oddly empty and completely clean. The only feature is a strange orange mouth superimposed on the far wall, about 8’ long in size.

When the PC’s enter the chamber nothing happens. Only when they attempt to leave will the Magic Mouth animate. Read or paraphrase following:

Suddenly, as you are about to leave, the lips of the giant mouth move, and in a big booming voice it bellows, “Surprise! You are here for double-or-nothing! Ready or not, here we go. 0-T-T-F-F-S-S. What’s next in line? If you solve this riddle, your treasure will double. If you fail, it will all disappear. What is your answer?”

If the PC’s try to leave the way is blocked by an invisible force. “You must answer, y’know!” bellows the mouth. If they guess the answer correctly double the amount of coins each of them carries. If not, it all disappears, and the characters are left with none. The answer is “E.” The letters stand for One, Two, Three, four, Five, Six, and Seven. The “next in the series” is Eight!

Suddenly feeling more or less weighed down the mouth will laugh when done and say “Come back again sometime!” as the invisible barrier drops. If the PC’s do actually return the mouth roars, “YOU again?! Go away, pest!”

Note: Any treasure taken by this enchantment appears deeper in the tomb.

5. Funerary Room

This narrow chamber contains recessed stone shelves filled with rotted bolts of cloth, jars, vases and cutting tools. Standing in the center room are two goblins who look up, startled, as one growls something in its own language. The other smiles at you, and says in broken common “Why, hello there! What can we do for you?” The growling goblin starts heading north, apparently leaving the room. 

If any of the PC’s speak goblin they will understand the growling goblin to say, “Distract them”. It then will get its companions to help deal with the adventurers.

Goblin (4):Page 166 of the D&D Monster Manual. Exchange scimitars for wooden clubs.

Treasure: The goblins have 1d6 sp. One of them carries two potions of healing.

If the goblins start to lose the encounter badly they will run for the stone door in room 6 and slam it shut. If the PC’s try to engage them they will yell back “Go away! We don’t want any!”

6. Afterlife Chamber

This room contains rotted wooden couches gilded in black opal, small tables and stools. In the northwest corner is what remains of an ornate bed which lies splintered on the ground.

This chamber is decorated with some of the furniture which once belonged to the priestess interred here. If searched it looks as though the goblins destroyed the bed to fashion their clubs with. The couch contains 10 small black opals (10gp each) which can be carefully extracted. The PC’s will also find one small bag by the door, apparently dropped by one of the goblins. The bag contains 10 sp, 5 gp, and an stone key! Any attempts to open the stone door (even with they key) leading to areas 9 & 10 will fail.

7. Chamber of Deeds

This room was once painted with murals depicting the accomplishments of a priestess. Most are faded now and very hard to follow. The strangest feature however is the large piles of reddish dust everywhere. Suddenly you hear a snort and see an alien looking creature emerge from one of the piles. It looks like a giant armadillo with a long tail, and has 2 feathery feelers on the front.

Rust Monster(1):Page 262 of the D&D Monster Manual. If the party of adventurers is large make the encounter more difficult by giving the rust monster maximum hit points. The creature will stop attacking and ignore the PC’s once there is no additional metal to consume. 

Treasure: There is 30 more black opals (10gp each) strewn about the chamber under rust piles.

8.False Treasury

As you peer into the room, you see four skeletons with rusty swords standing about 10’ from you, around the corner. Then without warning some force awakens them, infusing their bones with a dark vitality. They let out an unearthly howl and charge you!

Skeleton (4): Page 272 of the D&D Monster Manual.

This chamber is stocked with many items of false value which have been previously rummaged through by the goblin looters. The northeast corner contains a large pile of rust similar to the ones in area 7. It looks as though there was once some sort of metal seal in place. A wooden door rests beyond the rust pile which is cracked open. The skeletons came from the small treasury beyond.

9. Dowry of the Dead

The room is empty except for one large stone box and four guardian niches. Murals on the wall suggest this may have been a wedding dowry which was never used and left here for the afterlife. 

The stone lid is approximately 15lbs and covered in etched runes. A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check recognizes they are a warning to tomb robbers to leave. Any character actively searching for traps may make a DC15 perception check to notice odd slits in the stone floor. Those aware of a potential trap may make a DC11 Dexterity check to avoid it when activated.  Otherwise unaware PC’s who remove the lid will fall victim to a blade trap and take 1d10 points of damage.

Treasure: The stone box contains 500 cp, 200 sp, 100 gp and a Haunted Sword +1.

Any PC with a Passive Perception of 12 or higher will notice a lever inside one of the wall niches the skeletons came from. If pulled the secret door leading to area 10 will groan in protest as it opens.

10. Hallway of the Dead

A narrow corridor of stone leads away from this area into palpable darkness. In the distance you see a flickering light which is suddenly extinguished followed by the shriek of a goblin. What horrors await deeper in the tomb only time and the brave can tell!

If you enjoyed this little conversion and would like to potentially see it expanded please let me know. Or perhaps you have been inspired to add more chambers and rooms yourself. That stone key the players found unlocks something! Rumor has it the priestess is not very happy about all these interlopers in her domain.

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Trinket Trove Table #1

April 2, 2015, 9:54 am
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I really like the trinket table in the 5E Player’s Handbook. Random curiosities that a player can use to develop some back-story are just a wonderful addition. One of the humorous things about the table are some of the pop culture references on the list such as #35 A white, sequined glove sized for a human. With April Fool’s Day behind us and the spirit of the fun (for some) it generates I decided to make an additional table.

The biggest difference being each of these twenty trinkets has a magical property of some type. They could be used as normal trinkets during character generation or just found as a piece of treasure by adventurers. Game and pop culture references may be easily noticeable in some and harder in others. I had fun making these today and could literally keep going I think all the way to #100. Depending on the response to these initial twenty I may just do that!

Trinket Trove Table #1 (d20) 

01.    A silver ring with the name “Aleena” engraved inside. Spare the Dying as spell once per week.
02.    A wooden bear toy that screams loudly when in the immediate presence of fire.
03.    A blanket which makes you invisible but only when you are snoring.
04.    A lucky rabbit’s foot with a “Made in Caerbannog” label. +1 AC versus diminutive creatures.
05.    One sock riddled with holes which attracts vermin when worn.
06.    A comb that randomly changes the hair color of anyone using it once per day.
07.    A small obsidian rooster which crows loudly at dawn. Only heard by the current owner.
08.    A picture amulet showing an opalescent blue altar. Provides lighting resistance 1/day underground.
09.    A small demon idol with red crystal eyes that glow when in the presence of reptiles.
10.    An ugly perfume box which releases monster pheromones once per week.
11.    A blank coin which progressively weighs more and more in the vicinity of gold.
12.    A dull spoon engraved with the name Heartseeker. Critical on a 17-20, 1d2 damage.
13.    A pair of obnoxious dragon tooth cufflinks. Wearer compelled to act haughty in public.
14.    A crystal cube with light trapped inside. Squeeze to illuminate a room for 1 round a day.
15.    A rusty old fisherman’s hook which becomes a grappling hook when near water.
16.    An antique wooden box engraved with a forest scene. Fills with chocolate treats once a week.
17.    A strange mechanical eyestalk. If peered through see twice as far but speak in a staccato delivery with rising inflection for 1 hour.
18.    A tiny skull themed toy castle with a hinged jawbridge. Inside are 9 miniature mundane weapons which expand to normal size if removed. Can be replaced after a long rest.
19.    A tiny adamantine box of curiously strong mints. Refills every week.
20.    A crumpled piece of parchment with an inked grid. Can be written on and then erased if crumpled again. 1974 charges remain.
Need trinket ideas? Visit your local antique shop for inspiration!
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Magic Pillow Table

April 16, 2015, 9:36 am
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In one of my current campaigns we had a rather comical moment when the party found a plush yet simple red pillow. There was a tug of war between my wife’s character, a 14 year old thief and Tanya’s character which is a Brixie ranger. For reference in Ultanya a Brixie is a brownie/pixie mix which resembles a Kender in terms of personality. The red pillow has become a running joke now with the players in that campaign. As I was preparing our next Roll20 session for this weekend it dawned on me that a table of magic pillows may be fun to make. So without further ado I present you with an arcane collection of cushioned support for your players to find.

Magic Pillow Table (d10)
 
1.    A plush pillow with a silky red cover. Any creature of young age or small stature will be inexplicably attracted to this pillow. Sleeping on the pillow grants the user 1XP as they learn from their experiences while dreaming. Useable once per week.

2.    A stone burial pillow (10lbs) originally placed under the head of a mummy. If slept on gain knowledge to the location of an ancient tomb but make a saving throw versus mummy rot. Additionally the user of this pillow will experience ongoing nightmares about being paralyzed yet awake during a horrific embalming process.

3.    A soft kneeling pillow used during prayer to some forgotten god. Interaction with the pillow causes the character to permanently speak in tongues at random times. A cleric or someone learned in ancient history may be able to decipher some of the ancient dialect. Remove Curse will ameliorate the issue but leave the character plagued with broken memories of the past.

4.    A beautifully carved jade headrest with arcane runes. With eight hours of uninterrupted sleep the user gains +2 to their intelligence for one day. Unfortunately if the sleep is interrupted they suffer -2 to their intelligence for one day instead.

5.    A comfortable pillow which appears to be designed for a child. Stitched into one side is the name Nodwick. If slept upon the user will not require any rest for 1d6 days. However this comes at a price as small fairies will extract 1d6 teeth while the user sleeps. 

6.    A big decorative pillow ordinarily found in the home of a noble. If placed in a space no larger than 10x10' it will transform the area into a comfortable sleeping chamber. The temperature will be perfect, the lighting conditions dimmed and noise baffled. Anyone inside the space will have their perception reduced by half.

7.    A white cozy pillow filled with owlbear feathers. If slept upon there is a 25% chance it will produce 1d6 similar pillows. If this occurs anyone within a 25’ radius will immediately become compelled to pick one up and engage in a pillow fight. This humorous rage will not end until the last pillow is burst of all feathers.

8.    A large, high-backed pillow with two "arms” used for reading. The magic of the pillow allows the user to read any text in half the normal time required. This includes studying a spell book to commit magic to memory. However this will leave the user in a state of exhaustion for one day with -2 to all constitution saving throws.

9.    A lavender scented eye pillow crafted from an unknown but extraordinarily comfortable material. If used during a period of rest the pillow comforts the mind cleansing it of any madness just once. There is a 50% chance any pillow of this type found will already contain a madness which is immediately transferred to the new user. The pillow then turns to a pile of purple dust. 

10.    A silvery cushion which sparkles in the moon light and always feels cool to touch. When used the owner will hear the whispers of the fairy king while they sleep. In the morning the cushion will produce a small crystal which contains dreams which may be watched. There is a 5% chance per hour slept that the dreams belong to a prior owner of the cushion. The crystal vanishes once the dream sequence has ended.


Having an all-night game and need some DIY thematic pillows?


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The Brood Ventricle

April 24, 2015, 10:26 am
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In 1985 my grandmother gave me $10.00 to spend on my 12th birthday. It was the summer and I was staying at her home in Philadelphia for two weeks along with my sisters and a cousin. I still recall walking all the way to the Roosevelt Mall that day to find my way to Allied Hobbies. I spent time pouring over the shelves of goodies in the RPG section. Then an image caught my eye that I will never forget. It was a bright blue book with the most awesome looking skeletal creature on it I had ever seen. It was entitled the Fiend Folio and it appeared to be some lost tome of AD&D power! I spent the rest of the day reading through this birthday present filled with monsters of badassery.

The Githyanki in particular really resonated with me. Alien like creatures with withered skin stretched over bone wielding super awesome swords! After learning some of their backstory it made me look at the mind flayer in a new light. The githyanki inspired me to make my own gonzo material at a very young age.

It was not until many years later that I learned readers were first treated to the githyanki by Charles Stross in the pages of White Dwarf magazine. Furthermore, that the word githyanki was originally coined by no other then George R. R. Martin himself in his novel Dying of the Light. Now decades later the githyanki have survived multiple iterations of the D&D game. They remain as an icon of old school D&D and symbolize everything that is metal, lethal and off the hook.

I decided to enter the One Page Dungeon contest this year and used the githyanki as my adventure foundation. I wanted to make something that my 12 year old self would have dreamed up. Githyanki are known to incubate and hatch their eggs on the prime material plane. So I thought what better place than the buried heart of some ancient dead god. The Brood Ventricle is designed completely to be system agnostic so you can open up any edition and just plug the monster stats in.

I included the suggestion “for character levels 10-14” for two reasons. First to emphasize to any potential DM that this adventure is designed to be very hard if not downright lethal. Secondly it is a nod to some of my favorite early published AD&D material. The Brood Ventricle is an extradimensional space so I encourage you to expand upon it beyond the four corners of this one page dungeon.

The contest aside if I spun this adventure correctly it will have players grumbling about it around tables for years to come.  So without further ado I present to you The Brood Ventricle!

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The Edge of Death Metal

April 28, 2015, 5:01 pm
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While writing the Brood Ventricle I listened to all sorts of metal from the 80s to take myself back. There is just something synonymous with metal and old school gaming. The lyrics and album covers just power up your imagination if you let them. A while back I touched on just how the imagery of metal music is such juicy RPG material. Today I was mulling over how much further death metal takes us into the realms of the otherworld. For example Lovecraftian horror and Conan-esque type savagery often colors the themes and lyrics of death metal bands. Just for clarification I’m using the term death metal loosely here to mean extreme metal.

Admittedly death metal singing has never really been my cup of tea. That being said, I have friends who know the lyrics to some songs that sound like nothing more than guttural snarling to me. I do however like the aggressive guitar complexities and the epic vibe of death metal. Much of the music sounds like the potential cadence of some army of hell or alien horror from the abyss. Below I have displayed a few of my favorite death metal album covers for your continued inspiration:










Finally below please find a new relic for some lucky (or unlucky) player in your campaign to find. The only caveat being it may induce mosh pits in your game room and herald a new era of combat in your games! 

Death Metal

Description
Death Metal is a two handed sword which has been forged from a single piece of adamantine. Legend holds that the hammered blade was cooled in the blood of ancient dragons. When hefted and swung, Death Metal issues forth a distortion of growls which resemble a mighty beast singing.

Powers
Death Metal revels in the fight and seeks out combat so it may sing new songs of glory. The wielder of this antagonistic sword always fails charisma based rolls related to social interaction and diplomacy. Once per day the wielder may also invoke the sword’s Wall of Death power. All allies and enemies within a 60’ radius must make a difficult wisdom saving throw or charge each other violently. This charm of fury lasts until a saving throw is successfully made on subsequent rounds or until everyone is unconscious or dead.

Death Metal has a +3 enchantment bonus and can be considered morally ambiguous in terms of alignment. The wielder of Death Metal is immune to all Fear both mundane and magical.

History
Death Metal is said to have been crafted for a mighty king who became complacent after years of peace and opulence. Worried their realm would soon fall victim to outside forces several wizards conspired to find a way to push the king into action. The result was the creation of a notorious weapon that was gifted to the king on his 60th birthday. What followed was the unbridled conquering of several nearby nations when all efforts at continued diplomacy failed. When the king was laid to rest many years later history tells that a strange calm filled the land.
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Review: White Star Science Fiction RPG

May 4, 2015, 10:54 am
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I just spent some time reviewing my PDF copy of White Star by James Spahn this morning. With today being Star Wars day (may the 4th be with you!) this was a clever time to release such a pulpy sci-fi RPG. White Star is based on the Swords & Wizardry Whitebox™ and truly is OSR (old school renaissance) in space. One important thing to consider before purchasing White Star is this is a rules light RPG. If you are looking for a system coated in heavy mechanics oil this game is not for you. Rather if your interests are more based on a foundation of table rulings and not rules then look no further.

White Star is broken into twelve chapters at at 132 pages. The layout of the book is easy to follow and is what gamers should come to expect from a new product. The first thing I did was a spot check of the entire system to get a sense of what it was trying to accomplish. My hope for a space opera RPG I could twist and bend to my heart’s content was realized. Let me follow-up on my previous statement for the benefit of modern gamers not very familiar with the OSR. One of the hallmarks of old school gaming is rules are completely optional. You are encouraged to twist, bend, discard and mutate them if it means the game table is having fun. White Star comes complete with House Rule suggestions which are very helpful and will inspire you to design your own.

In terms of character creation I was very happy with my cursory review of the races and classes as presented. The Star Knight class seems to accomplish the difficult task of creating a Jedi type character that does not dominate every session. That being said some of their powers (meditations) will require careful adjudication by a game master. Charm Person for example which is a staple of RPGs seems overpowered in some instances and potentially useless in others. One hour is a long time in my opinion to be under the caster's influencewithout additional saving throws. On the flip side I can see Robots being a popular race among Meta gaming players to avoid such meditations as Charm Person.

 

My criticism of the former however always has that careful caveat that these rules are all optional. For example cybernetics are available in White Star and as presented really have little drawback. I immediately began thinking of ways house rules in my own games could be implemented to make them more balanced. Since robots cannot be healed by Cure WoundsI thought at what point does a player with cybernetics become more “machine then man”?

Perhaps one of my favorite parts of White Star is the streamlined rules for starship combat. This is yet another example of simplicity shining through since it mostly follows the same rules as personal combat. I have always had a disdain for systems which have a game inside a game and this avoids that problem completely. For example both ships and characters have AC, HP, and Movement. This is easy to understand and keeps the focus on the action and not mechanics. I should mention AC in White Star is listed in both descending and ascending formats so fans of THACO and more modern systems should be pleased. 


Also included in White Star is a robust alien & creatures bestiary which should make most GMs happy. I think this is important since it gives us a flavorful foundation for our own DIY baddies. So far my favorite is the Living Asteroid and I can already envision a high speed chase through a belt full of them. Just imagine the PCs navigating past living asteroids as pursuing ships zig where they should have zagged and get chomped on! 

In the game master section of White Star there are several good suggestions for themes related to a campaign. Included is a good synopsis of running an interstellar civil war campaign. We get a hex map of the Kelran sector and some background on the planets which are part of it. Finally a 15 page example adventure for 6-8 characters of 1st to 3rd level is included. This is important since it provides an aspiring game master a jumping off point and inspiration for creating their own adventures.

The Good: With the popularity of cinema like Guardians of the Galaxy and soon Star Wars: The Force Awakens White Star gives us that vibe at the game table. This is a great mash-up of your favorite space adventures in a completely moldable galactic OSR game.

The Bad: As a rules light RPG some modern gamers may be turned off by the potentially ambiguous nature of the system. I personally find this to be one of the strengths of White Star but it may not be everyone’s cup of tea…or Procyon brandy. You will need to purchase White Star to find out what a Procyon is!

For a discounted copy of White Star in PDF head over to Tenkar’s Tavern!

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Throwback Thursday: Hawk the Slayer

May 7, 2015, 9:51 am
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For Throwback Thursday I thought I would take a stroll down cinema lane. Over the past few decades there have been many B-rated movies that were complete sleepers. Hawk the Slayer was released in 1980 and still to this day I believe fits that criteria. The movie has a very unpretentious style which gives it a continuing charm. Additionally in my opinion it captures very well the vibe of an RPG adventure. The cast of characters looks like something rolled right out of the AD&D Player’s Handbook:

Hawk (John Terry): Classic noble fighter who wields the elven Mind Sword.
 
Ranulf (Morgan Sheppard): The one handed veteran who employs a repeating crossbow.

Gort (Bernard Bresslaw): The strongman of the party who wields a huge maul.

Baldin (Peter O’Farrell): The “dwarven” thief who uses a whip and daggers.

Crow (Ray Charleson): An elven ranger whose archery skills would make Legolas envious.

Voltan (Jack Palance): The dark one and Hawk’s evil brother.

Overall I think the cast did a great job for such a low budget creation. Jack Palance’s performance alone is enough to inspire any DM with role playing goodness for their next campaign villain. One of my favorite interactions in the movie is between Gort and Baldin when they are in the monastery. Baldin tricks Gort out of a rather delicious meal by convincing him it may be “holy” food. This is the sort of fun role playing banter that happens routinely in a good game of tabletop.


This movie really influenced me as a Dungeon Master early on. After seeing the repeating crossbow used by Ranulf it was immediately integrated into my campaign. And Crow firing his bow multiple times before anyone could even reach him made me take a hard look at initiative rules. Anyone who thinks Crow’s archery ability is cheesy obviously has never seen Lars Anderson. But more important was the abrasive and grim feeling of the world the characters existed in. It was just another inspiration source to draw from when dreaming up my own campaign locales.

Hawk the Slayer has a cult following in some circles and is the topic of endless jokes in others. If you have never seen the movie I recommend checking it out. Especially if you are a fan of old school gaming since it really oozes with that type of atmosphere. The only thing this quest driven tale is missing would be a dungeon crawl. It has a gritty and sorrowful landscape, colorful characters, good action and plenty of failed saving throws.

There have always been rumors of a sequel being produced but they were never corroborated until now! Writer and director Terry Marcel and actor Ray Charleson (Crow) recently announced “Even as we speak, the wizards gather in the south.” Hawk the Hunter is being produced and fans have been delighted with this awesome teaser video.

For more information you can follow the progress of the movie on Facebook or Twitter. 


Ray Charleson (Crow) holding the Mind Sword
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Throwback Thursday: The Red Box

May 14, 2015, 11:05 am
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The Red Box as it’s so lovingly called by those of us old enough to remember it is the ultimate throwback. No other TSR product in my mind symbolizes D&D like the bright red box emblazoned with Larry Elmore’s art. The caveat being the AD&D Player’s Handbook complete with Dave Trampier’s demon idol. The former incidentally is my favorite old school piece but you would never know that by the background image on this blog!

Perhaps the red box resonates with me so much because that was what I learned on. Previously I told the story of how I spent a good portion of my 10 year old summer engrossed in it. Everything from the atmospheric art, the writing style and the presentation was perfect. Frank Mentzer had really created a gem which is probably why it still remains the bestselling D&D product of all time.

Everything from inking your own dice to running the awesome solo adventure was such a rite of passage. I honestly was hoping that Wizards would have followed this model and still to this date they have fallen short. I recall when the 4E red box was first announced and how excited this made me. In fact when it became available I had a copy that very day. I ended up being disappointed in the product as it was not a good enough homage to the original.

When the 5E Green Box was announced I really hoped it would include non-inked dice and a crayon just for nostalgia. But more importantly the lack of a solo adventure was a missed opportunity. I believe choose your own path scenarios help inspire new DMs and players alike. I can speak of this first hand since that was exactly my experience in 1983. Including an adventure with some new scheme by the wizard Bargle would have really brought the green box full circle. Yes, I’m still mad decades later that poor Aleena fell to him!

Now that my own kids have voraciously started reading I plan to leave my red box laying out in the Game Tavern. Although we have played D&D several times already together I think they will have fun with the 1983 solo adventure. I even have plenty of 30 year old Gamescience dice that still need to be inked and no shortage of crayons! What are your memories of the red box and most importantly do you still have yours?

Great vintage add
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The Dwarves of Demrel

May 15, 2015, 8:35 am
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I’m not sure how I did not hear about this Kickstarter until this morning but I wanted to shed some light on it. The Dwarves of Demrel spins a tale about the trials and tribulations of three trapped dwarven miners. Apparently there is also a human trapped with them who may have been the overseer of the project. According to the creators Zachary W. Amundson and Christopher Raney the film will explore relationships, test resolve and even touch on racial misunderstandings.

I think this is a fascinating concept since by the admission of the creators we will get to spend more time with the characters. That is one of the great things about role playing games and it may just be captured on the screen here. When we gather around the table to game the characters are the focal point instead of the world they live in. That being said, part of the reason for the Kickstarter is to help make the film more of a visual feast. Just looking at the characters alone with all their gear and grit gives you a good feeling for the potential vibe of the film.

The four characters are as follows:

BRENN - Large, muscular, tattooed, and rugged, Brenn has been a miner all of his life and a pretty good one at that. Think of him as your veteran factory worker. Relying on alcohol/tobacco to deal with life's problems, he constantly sees himself as a "victim" to the fantastical "man", and because of which, cannot take responsibility for a myriad of terrible life decisions. All of which aide to his antagonistic nature and caustic views towards most things...


CALCAS - If there was a black sheep within the mining company, Calcas is it. As an ex-accountant with a questionable past and questionable loyalties; he is an enigmatic, cryptic figure. The pragmatic dwarf's intelligence and demeanor alienate him from the other dwarves initially. It isn't until the confinements of the mine and the stress of their force interaction. Calcas is the smallest of the three and the most aware...


ODRYD - Married early with five kids, Odryd is a "family dwarf" by default. Although he floats from job to job (with mining being his latest) he is not as rough or as seasoned as one may think. He is impressionable and naive. However, Odyd is also probably the most charming due to his natural optimism...


DRUSSO - A byproduct of nepotism, Drusso is a human from the "Capital" -- the largest metropolis in Rye. She came into a position of power when her uncle bought the mining company. As a result, many of the native, dwarven miners greatly resent her (Brenn especially). The progressive Capital is a threat to both the dwarves' more primitive culture, as well as their main economic industry. For example, humans have been unable breath underground until their most recent oxygen purifying gas mask (Drusso's head gear)...


Any fantasy fan should appreciate this project as the sort of inventive and refreshing material that Kickstarter is made for. I encourage you to back this Kickstarter by word of mouth or financially if it interests you at that level. Dwarves, steampunk and a fresh take on a fantasy film? I'm not sure how much more awesome you can fit in there...well there may be a monster also. By Moradin’s beard let’s help the Dwarves of Demrel escape those accursed mines!

For more information:

Kickstarter
Facebook
Twitter

Note: The Grand DM and ultanya.com are not affiliated with The Dwarves of Demrel project in any fashion. I just call out cool when I see it. Now roll for initiative and go play some RPGs!
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Mad Max: Fury Road

May 19, 2015, 8:16 am
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I can still smell the gasoline fumes and my eyes sting from all the wasteland dust. This movie was a thrilling two hour ride of nonstop action that I will never forget. I always like to say that life is about experiences rather than material things. I can promise you this film really fits the mold of a big cinema experience you do not want to miss. Set in the dystopian future and filled with enough absurd vehicles to make any Carmageddon fan happy this movie just drips with badassery.

My wife was so impressed she is now curious about original Mad Max stories after seeing Fury Road. As we left the theater I started to imagine armor plating and a swivel mounted Ma Deuce on my Odyssey van. That would be be really cool for those two hour long traffic jams so common outside the city! The biggest take away however was me immediately digging out my Car Wars box and dreaming up a new campaign.

My wife suggested that maybe we use the End of the World RPG for the characters and I may run with the idea. The great thing about the world of Mad Max is the complete and utter chaos it swirls in. I really like the idea of a campaign where the player’s ultimate goal is just survival. The former lends itself to sandbox style play better than just about any scenario save just good old exploration.

If you have been on the fence about Fury Road I encourage you to go see it. After being drowned in super hero cinema, vanilla action movies, and fantasy flicks that have lost their luster Fury Road is high octane awesomeness. Don’t let negative blog posts trying to pin the movie with gender politics cloud your vision. Get your wasteland goggles on and go enjoy probably one of the best nitrous powered apocalypse movies made.

For those of you planning on running a similar campaign after being inspired by Fury Road here is a random table of wasteland encounters. Ultimate difficulty is up to you my fellow game masters. Now get a d6 and roll away but warn your players their mileage may vary!

Wasteland Encounters (d6)
 
1.    An emaciated dog found by the side of the road. One of its legs was replaced with a fully functional cybernetic limb. The dog is friendly and happy to see people. Whoever feeds it will gain loyalty from the dog. Close examination of the dog reveals fresh one eyed skull branding on its hindquarter. 

2.    A motor bike driving down the road without any passengers. The speed of the vehicle is approximately 20mph and it has two large saddle bags. The bike is being controlled remotely by nearby bandits. If a player vehicle gets close to the bike the saddle bags will detonate with road spikes in an attempt to flatten their tires.

3.    A dilapidated building that once served as a fuel stop. Investigating PC’s will notice the smell of fuel around the area. Next to one of the old pumps are two fuel canisters. Inside the building is a horribly mutated wanderer who has been syphoning the fuel. The wanderer is addicted to the fumes and will defend his “fix station” to the death.

4.    The sounds of strange music will fill the area as the PC’s see a vintage ice cream truck. Atop the truck is a massive chocolate cone decoration which conceals twin machine guns. The driver is a cannibal dressed in clown attire with rotted yellow teeth. The truck will stop and just play its music until curiosity brings the next meal close enough. The refrigerators inside the truck still work but are currently filled with unsavory things.

5.    A crashed tour bus which appears to have had its tires spiked long ago. The bus was refitted with iron plating although some of its tinted windows are visible. Smear marks from inside the bus are visible to those inspecting. Any PC approaching will be startled by ghoulish faces smashing up against the windows and horrific growls. The tour bus contains 2d10+5 wasteland zombies and also a very visible supply of sealed military rations.

6.    A lone child walking the wasteland covered in black ash. She appears to be unharmed and wears suitable clothing for wasteland travel. She cannot remember her name and only recalls a loud explosion. The PC’s will notice someone wrote a message on her backpack which reads, “Please save Lucinda. Take her to Geartown to the west. You will be rewarded”. Unbeknownst to the PC’s Lucinda is not this child. This child was part of the raiders which destroyed Lucinda’s convoy and she took the backpack. During the event one of the vehicles exploded crashing the child against a rock and she was left for dead. The child has acute amnesia of the event however giving the PC’s little warning.


It does not get more metal then this!
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1PDC Follow-up

May 30, 2015, 11:18 am
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The 2015 contest results are in and overall there is just a massive collection of awesome entries. Admittedly I was disappointed that my own entry did not place this year but do not lament it. I do remain completely perplexed by some choices made by the judges and then on another hand could not agree with them more on others. That being said, I have noticed unproductive negativity bouncing around on various forums following the event. Enough that I felt compelled to highlight something I thought was extraordinary.

I can speak from authority about the sheer amount of logistics it takes to put an event like this together. It consumes personal time, has aspects of frustration, and requires leadership and diplomacy. Most of all the ever critical eye of the internet is cast upon you like Sauron. This is an all-volunteer event which at the end of the day provides us with wonderful home brew material.

For those unaware the current organizer of the event is a nice fellow who goes by the handle of Random Wizard. Last night while perusing my Google Plus feed I saw a post made by Random Wizard that really seemed selfless to me. In order to award all 13 of the 3rd place finishers with a cool prize he sold off some of his personal RPG collection. I just wanted to make sure that this very generous act did not slip by without some recognition.

Finally if you enjoyed any of the dungeons enough to download them reach out to their respective creators. Also remember just because one was not picked by this year’s judges does not minimize its awesomeness. I myself plan to send emails on a few favorites because I want to see their creators return next year. The added benefit being you may be able to learn about other material the author has worked on or has brewing. 

See you in the dungeon!
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Kung Fury: Laser Raptor

June 2, 2015, 6:55 pm
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Just a few days ago a Kung Fury went viral online and is loaded with awesome 1980s throwback. The half hour movie was crowd-funded for an amazing $630,000 on Kickstarter and is pure B movie genius. There must have been something in the water during the 70s and 80s that produced such great inspiration material. I really thing Kung Fury is a great homage to the nostalgia of the old school.

 

One of the things that cracked me up in the film was the laser raptor. It just seems perfect for a gonzo game session encounter where the characters just think it’s a normal dinosaur. The laser raptor could be the deranged result of some weird radioactive energy being absorbed by the creatures. Or maybe their eyes contain inter-dimensional apertures that release powerful energies from another dimension like Cyclops in X-Men. After goofing around about it on Twitter I decided to make a 5th edition version:

LASER RAPTOR
Large beast, unaligned
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 51 (6d10 + 18)
Speed 75ft.
STR 19 (+4)
DEX 14 (+2)
CON 17 (+3)
INT 02 (- 4)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 05 (-3)
Languages -
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Skills Perception+5
Senses passive Perception 15
Ambusher. The laser raptor has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it has surprised.
ACTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage.
Laser Eyes. +6 to hit, range 300ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d8) radiant damage.

While it only has animal intelligence the laser raptor has an innate instinct to use its ranged attack. The laser raptor as the name suggests is incredibly fast and can easily distance itself from melee combatants. Occasionally laser raptors will work in small groups of 2-4 if they are hungry and want to take down a large target or tasty looking group of adventurers.

Player Notes: If you encounter a laser raptor it is best to stay still as they react to movement. Should combat ensue close the distance with the laser raptor or your character will become a french fried memory. Additionally you may have angered your Dungeon Master since your character is obviously now in some strange prime material plane. Groveling won’t help so roll initiative and hope that your lobby DM roll ends up getting you backup from Barbarianna!

 

                                                              
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Ultracon the Summer Gaming Weekend

June 10, 2015, 8:19 am
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Every year in our gaming circle we organize a summer convention for friends and family called Ultracon. The very definition of ultra is to go above and beyond and to be extreme. Ultracon first started as a crazy idea over a few beers to gather everyone in one place yearly to game. In 2013 it was the thirty year anniversary of my campaign world Ultanya so we wanted to do something special. Without boring everyone to death with the history of the realm the main villain for the weekend was Tiamat. I will note that this was well before the release of Tyranny of Dragons! 

Tiamat had spent an eternity putting together an artifact called the Tablet of Destinies (right from Sumerian myth) to cast a terrible ritual called the Empyrean Nihility. The former was a spell of cosmic destruction since it drained all magic from planes of existence. In Ultanya magic is a binding and ubiquitous power required for the very existence of life.

In order to combat Tiamat and stop the ritual an epic gathering of heroes would take place. What we did was have players from three generations of Ultanya campaigns dust off their favorites. Since they existed in multiple editions of the game this was a task unto itself. But in the end it was incredible to see what basically amounted to a super team of everyone’s coolest characters. They would spend the weekend questing for five dragon scourge crystals to enchant their weapons with. There was a crystal for each color of the chromatic spectrum.
 
Every year I have 6 siders created as part of the Ultracon player swag bags. For this event I had one made for every color of Tiamat’s head. Whenever a dragon scourge crystal was successfully recovered the players received the corresponding die. The dragon scourge crystals existed in some very epic environments with incredible guardians. They were as follows:

1.    Ice Plane: Guarded by Cryonax and his frost demons
2.    Shadow Plane: Guarded by the Shadow Beholder and his undead legion 
3.    Astral Plane: Guarded by a Githyanki pirate on his astral destroyer
4.    Temporal Plane: Guarded by spirit warriors across all time frames in a rusted fortress.
5.    Plane of Chaos: Guarded by the Tarrasque

Terrain was crafted for all five acts to represent the individual plane of existence visually. The Plane of Shadow was created with black and brooding gridded MDF and copious amounts of gothic buildings. The plane of ice was gorgeous MDF compilations with a huge sanctuary were Cryonax resided. The astral plane used custom spell jammers and huge asteroids crafted from foam. The temporal plane used a massive wall to represent the fortress entrance and dozens of MDF pieces. Finally the plane of chaos used floating and gridded planetoids crafted from Styrofoam and pieces of terrain on stands.

The final encounter with Tiamat used a nearly six foot exhibit crafted from gridded plexi glass. It was built in a stacked manner to present three dimensional flying. Tiamat’s heads were crafted by one of the DM’s from scratch and placed on the board. We ran the encounter with the idea that Tiamat was so large that her body was “off screen” if you will. The DM team controlled the heads which had individual stats and powers based on their colors. This way we could move the heads between boards based on where the players were flying during the combat.

To see so many epic characters from thirty years of Ultanya battling Tiamat in this fashion was something really special. Eventually they bested Tiamat but the damage created with the Empyrean Nihility changed the campaign world forever. Large pieces of other worlds mostly destroyed by the Nihility were deposited into Ultanya. The focus of the current campaigns are the exploration of these new worlds to the west. 

Here are a few highlight shots from the weekend:


Entering the sanctuary of Cyronax
Cyronax on his soul powered throne
A closeup of our custom Cryonax
The Shadow plane complete with the Machine of Lum the Mad!
Planetoid hopping in the Chaos Plane
Battle through elementals and dragons
Only to find the Tarrasque waiting for them!
The flying board and Tiamat heads (DM team in back)
A close-up of the custom Tiamat heads
A look at one of the heads during production

I hope this post inspires others to create their own private gaming weekend. In my experience all the work is worth it once everyone is gathered. I’m fortunate that our gaming circle is filled with so many creative and crafty people. That being said, we have gone more theme heavy in subsequent years then terrain oriented. Just gathering together for the weekend with old friends to game is special enough!
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Throwback Thursday: Curious Goods

June 11, 2015, 10:53 am
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Friday the 13th was a horror TV show which lasted three seasons, from October 3, 1987 to May 26, 1990. I watched it quite regularly with my father and enjoyed the D&D type vibe many of the episodes had. Interestingly the name of the show was just a ploy to attract viewers and had nothing to do with the famous Jason Voorhees. That said, the backdrop for the show was a shop called Curious Goods which at one time sold cursed antiques. It would have been a nice nod to have Jason’s hockey mask somewhere on one of the shelves.

The series followed the adventures of Michelle "Micki" Foster (played by Louise Robey), Ryan Dallion (played by John D. LeMay) and Jack Marshak (played by Chris Wiggins). Their goal was to try and collect all the cursed items that were sold at the store and place them in a protective vault.

The prologue of the show was as follows:

"Lewis Vendredi made a deal with the devil to sell cursed antiques. But he broke the pact, and it cost him his soul. Now, his niece Micki, and her cousin Ryan have inherited the store... and with it, the curse. Now they must get everything back and the real terror begins."


Growing up the thing I enjoyed the most about Friday the 13th was actually the store. Time and time again it was an inspiration for odd magic shops in my games and the outlandish wares they would sell. Many RPG players love to go shopping and interact with NPCs. D&D is largely about exploration but it does not always need to be a dungeon environment. Rather a character could explore oddities for sale in a place like Curious Goods.

Below I have created a table of items a character may encounter in a dusty old antique store specializing in lost things and the occult. Each item can easily be fleshed out more in terms of history and lead to many more adventures or questions.

Curious Goods (d20)

1.    A small metal box with broken hinges. When pried open a preserved eyeball will be found inside. If touched the eyeball will share mentally with the user grainy imagery of several hidden treasure hoards.

2.    A set of dice carved from white dragon bone. Will chill small quantities of liquid if placed inside a vessel of any kind. If rolled the dice will cover a small surface in a thin layer of ice.

3.    A backpack filled with old scraps of cloth. If examined they may be placed together to form a map showing the location of an ancient hobgoblin tomb.

4.    A wooden staff which has a hard to find hollow compartment. Inside is found a scroll which entitles the owner to an inheritance to be collected in a well-known city.

5.    A dented and misused dagger which is curiously sharp. When used to cut mundane material it always does this task in half the normal time required.

6.    One leather boot (size 9) which appears to be stained by a phosphorescent purple material. If worn the boot casts purple light in a 20’ radius in the presence of evil.

7.    An eyepatch which is crafted from cyclops hide. If worn it provides the ability to see twice as far with the uncovered eye. An appropriate bonus should be granted for ranged weapon use.

8.    A courtesan’s revealing lingerie of deep red color. Crafted by the assassin’s guild this garment provides the same protection as chain armor to its wearer.

9.    A polished apple of curious black color. If eaten the fruit makes those who consume it wispy and shadowy for one entire day. An appropriate bonus to armor class should be given to reflect this.

10.    A small golden button with a few green threads still attached. A prancing unicorn is embossed on the design of the button. If sewn on a garment and then worn the button will teleport away the users clothing to a fey circle.

11.    A wooden box which contains twelve more boxes each progressively smaller. The final box is approximately 2” in diameter and contains a miniature stoppered vial. If opened the vial lets out an acrid smelling smoke and booming laughter is heard.

12.    An old book bound in yellowed leather. The vellum pages are stained with an oily green substance which smells of arsenic. If a page is removed it hardens into a sharp weapon with its edge covered in a jellied poison of the DM’s choice.

13.    A brightly colored and checkered smoking vest which reeks of burnt tobacco. If worn the user is able to cover a 10’ radius in deep obscuring smoke when indulging in a pipe. The user is able to see through the smoke as if it did not exist.

14.    A wooden case which intricately unfolds to form two small tables. Anything placed on top of one of the tables instantly appears on the other table. The range of this swapping power is 5 miles.

15.    A tattered cloak crafted from black wool with a blue silk liner. To others except the wearer they will appear the opposite of their current sex. Peering in a mirror will reveal the illusion to the wearer.

16.    A strange pair of gloves which seem to be crafted from a black umbral material. If worn the user feels the constant desire to pilfer inexpensive items. They may not be removed unless a remove curse spell is utilized or the user steals 100 items, whichever comes first.

17.    A golden locket in the shape of a heart which opens to reveal the small portrait of a child. If worn the child will appear at night as a ghostly apparition in the distance and just stare at the wearer. If approached the apparition will giggle and runaway vanishing into the darkness.

18.    A dented helm crafted from black iron which grants a +1 bonus to armor class. If worn however the owner intermittingly will see violent events which occurred in the past in various locations visited. These flashbacks are through the eyes of the victims and always traumatic. 

19.    A well-crafted hide backpack which appears to have the same extradimensional capability as a Bag of Holding. When worn however the bag routinely replaces the owner’s possessions with someone else’s. Apparently the backpack is linked to another somewhere in the world. 

20.    A magnificent elven longsword filigreed with mithril. The runes on the blade suggest it once belonged to a noble of great importance. When wielded it feels light and balanced and confers a +2 bonus. The sword is actually the phylactery of a powerful lich. The new owner of the sword will be constantly harassed by the minions of the lich as they try to unlock the secrets of the ancient blade.

Keep digging through old tomes and shops. You never know what you may find!
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Throwback Thursday: The Skeleton Warrior

June 25, 2015, 10:13 am
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The Quest for the Skeletal Warrior is perhaps my favorite episode of the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon. The antagonist of the story is Dekkion, a fallen Celestial Knight who betrayed his companions for a king’s treasure horde. This act of treachery came with a terrible curse which made Dekkion walk the realm as a skeleton. It was a fantastic background showing what a fallen paladin may be like. You can read the entire script of the episode here.

When I became the proud owner of the AD&D Fiend Folio the skeleton warrior immediately jumped off the page at me. The instant comparison to Dekkion and other monsters featured from the tome in the cartoon was great. The first paragraph of the skeleton warrior description is as follows:

These are undead lords of the 10th-15th level, formerly powerful fighters (and will have psionic abilities if possessed in life). They are only affected by magical weapons and have 90% magical resistance. Their appearance is similar to that of a lich (see ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS MONSTER MANUAL) - skeletal creatures clad in the rich, but faded and rotting trappings of a powerful fighter. It is said that the skeleton warriors were forced into their lich-like state ages ago by a powerful and evil demigod who trapped each of their souls in a golden circlet. A skeleton warrior's sole reason for remaining on this plane is to search for and regain the circlet which contains its soul.

What an epic monster for any party of adventurers to encounter and interact with. That being said, they really are on the far end of the power spectrum. Growing up I was inspired to use skeletons as foes in my low level games quite liberally after seeing such classics as Jason and the Argonauts. Unfortunately in most RPGs skeletons have become trivial foes to be bashed apart easily by adventurers.

I have been marinating on ways to make skeletons more fearsome opponents. I think there needs to be something in between just animated bones and a skeleton warrior. I have no problem with undead that is easily defeated because it is held together with the sinews of minor necromancy. I just want something more terrifying because it feels no pain or fear. The T-101 from the Terminator series comes to mind and its relentless pursuit of Sarah Connor until it’s completely destroyed. I envision a skeleton doing the same thing so long it can still move a limb or snap its jaw.

Attempts have been made to do this via game mechanics in various editions by adding caveats. Some examples include damage reduction, only hit by magic weapons and extra hit points. While these are helpful I’m not sure they completely convey the sheer terror animated skeletons with weapons and armor. The approach I’m considering is very intelligent skeletons which use strategy and tactics. These are not your grandfather’s shambling hordes of mindless undead.

No, these are skeletons which have retained their martial knowledge from life completely. They would be mid-level opponents so I could fill the gap between the animated skeleton and the skeleton warrior. I will probably coin the new creation Soldier Skeletons since they use both equipment and stratagem to defeat their opponents. Perhaps there is a mercenary company of them lead by a skeleton warrior? The possibilities are really endless. What are your suggestions for making the classic skeleton more of an unforgettable opponent?   

The classic Fiend Folio Skeleton Warrior

Ray Harryhausen was the ultimate necromancer!

It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear!

Cory Hamel's awesome Skeletal Warrior
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