Previously.
The Explorers Continued
-------------------------------
Ferdinand Magellan: His fleet was the first to circumnavigate the globe. Mutiny and desertion followed their arduous journey. Magellan himself was actually killed in the Philippines in a dispute with the natives. A single ship with a skeleton crew made it back to Spain to many accolades.
Francis Drake: Also made an epic circumnavigation of the globe. Sponsored by the English crown, Drake was a privateer, attacking Spanish treasure ships and colonies along the way. He was also one of the commanders who successfully repelled the Spanish armada’s attempted invasion of England. William Dampier is another pirate circumnavigator.
James Cook: Discovered Hawaii (and is later killed there in a native dispute). Mapped the coast of New Zealand and made landfall in Australia. Circumnavigated the Antarctic Circle. Visited Easter Island (an interesting spot for possible adventures).
Abel Tasman: Dutch discoverer of Tasmania. Explored New Zealand and was attacked by Maori warriors.
La Perouse: French naval officer involved in several conflicts with the British. Visited Easter Island. Ran afoul of natives in Samoa. Was lost at sea. His ship’s wreckage was found decades later.
Vitus Bering: Commissioned by Czar Peter the Great to find a land bridge between Russia and Alaska in the Arctic. Died horribly as his ship wrecked on the now eponymous Bering Island.
Jacques Cartier and other French explorers of Canada started several colonies. They had generally courted friendlier relations with the Indians, though there were still plenty of conflicts. La Salle made a particularly impressive journey down the length of the Mississippi.
Lewis and Clark: American explorers looking for the source of the Missouri River in the Louisiana Purchase. Not much conflict with the natives thanks to their guide, Sacagewea. A similar exploration much earlier around the Gulf Coast by Spaniard Cabeza de Vaca was completely disastrous without native support. There were only five survivors out of an expedition of 300.
John Fremont: Explorer of California. Attempted to start a rebellion against Mexico there. Later became the military governor after the US annexation.
John McDouall Stuart: Crossed Australia from the south coast to the north. Attacked by Aboriginals along the way. Burke and Wills made a similar journey later, but a completely disastrous one.
To be continued.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Fantasy & Pulp Fantasy Core--Title Level and Pulp Adventurer Ideas 2
Previously.
The Explorers Continued
-------------------------------
Friar William of Rubruck: Went on a mission across Asia to the Mongols to make them allies against the Muslims. (Actually the requests went both ways.) There was a constant search at the time for the Asian Christian empire of Prester John.
Marco Polo: Venetian merchant who went on a trade mission to the Mongols. Polo was recruited by the Khan as an envoy and traveled all around the empire. He returned home and ended up in a gentlemen’s prison during a war, where he dictated his memoirs to a fellow prisoner.
Zheng He: Trusted Chinese Imperial court eunuch, who lead several fleets to establish sea routes to India and beyond. His first fleet was comprised of over 300 ships. He was perhaps the inspiration for the Sinbad the Sailor tales from the Arabian Nights. There is a dubious claim that he actually circumnavigated the globe with a fleet. Political changes in China wiped out many of his accomplishments from the history books.
Ibn Battuta: Islamic scholar and judge who left Morocco to make the hajj in Mecca and ended up travelling over much of the Islamic world. His credentials allowed him access to rulers and the respect of everyone he met. Returned home after 24 years of sightseeing as a rich man. His local sultan eventually compelled him to write his memoirs.
Vasco Da Gama: Conquered the Cape of Good Hope travelling around Africa to set up a trade route to India. Arab lands blocked direct access to these markets, precipitating many of these kind of voyages.
Christopher Columbus: After courting royal support, Columbus took a fleet of ships to establish a direct trading route to Asia. He ended up running into the Americas. He may or may not have been aware of the Viking journeys to Vinland, but thought he was near the eastern coast of Asia. Columbus returned three more times, establishing colonies, searching for gold, and still looking for a route to India. Shipwrecked at one point, he pulled the Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court trick (predicting an eclipse), to get native help.
Hernan Cortes: With a small group of well-armed compatriots, these conquistadors made allies of the oppressed tribes in Mexico to rebel against their Aztec masters. Cortes’ small band toppled an empire, acquiring large amounts of gold. These type of expeditions were chartered by supporting country, in this case Spain, and their cut of the treasure was negotiated beforehand.
Francisco Pizarro: His band of adventurers attacked the Incan empire in South America. Conditions in the Andes were bad, Pizarro had to contend with revolts in his own ranks. Fortunately for them however, they had arrived in the middle of an Incan civil war. They captured the emperor while he was outside of his capital on a campaign. They ended up killing him and set up a puppet emperor. More gold flowed. The search for El Dorado, the City of Gold, continued all over the Americas.
Francisco de Orellana: Relative of Pizarro and discoverer of the Amazon River. He made two trips down river, neither were pleasant cruises (the second one cost him his life). At one point, the expedition was attacked by a tribe of warrior woman, for whom the river later named. (Minor trivia: Amazon is a Greek derived word meaning "without breast," from supposed tradition of mastecomy of the right breast to make the drawing of a bow easier.)
To be continued.
The Explorers Continued
-------------------------------
Friar William of Rubruck: Went on a mission across Asia to the Mongols to make them allies against the Muslims. (Actually the requests went both ways.) There was a constant search at the time for the Asian Christian empire of Prester John.
Marco Polo: Venetian merchant who went on a trade mission to the Mongols. Polo was recruited by the Khan as an envoy and traveled all around the empire. He returned home and ended up in a gentlemen’s prison during a war, where he dictated his memoirs to a fellow prisoner.
Zheng He: Trusted Chinese Imperial court eunuch, who lead several fleets to establish sea routes to India and beyond. His first fleet was comprised of over 300 ships. He was perhaps the inspiration for the Sinbad the Sailor tales from the Arabian Nights. There is a dubious claim that he actually circumnavigated the globe with a fleet. Political changes in China wiped out many of his accomplishments from the history books.
Ibn Battuta: Islamic scholar and judge who left Morocco to make the hajj in Mecca and ended up travelling over much of the Islamic world. His credentials allowed him access to rulers and the respect of everyone he met. Returned home after 24 years of sightseeing as a rich man. His local sultan eventually compelled him to write his memoirs.
Vasco Da Gama: Conquered the Cape of Good Hope travelling around Africa to set up a trade route to India. Arab lands blocked direct access to these markets, precipitating many of these kind of voyages.
Christopher Columbus: After courting royal support, Columbus took a fleet of ships to establish a direct trading route to Asia. He ended up running into the Americas. He may or may not have been aware of the Viking journeys to Vinland, but thought he was near the eastern coast of Asia. Columbus returned three more times, establishing colonies, searching for gold, and still looking for a route to India. Shipwrecked at one point, he pulled the Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court trick (predicting an eclipse), to get native help.
Hernan Cortes: With a small group of well-armed compatriots, these conquistadors made allies of the oppressed tribes in Mexico to rebel against their Aztec masters. Cortes’ small band toppled an empire, acquiring large amounts of gold. These type of expeditions were chartered by supporting country, in this case Spain, and their cut of the treasure was negotiated beforehand.
Francisco Pizarro: His band of adventurers attacked the Incan empire in South America. Conditions in the Andes were bad, Pizarro had to contend with revolts in his own ranks. Fortunately for them however, they had arrived in the middle of an Incan civil war. They captured the emperor while he was outside of his capital on a campaign. They ended up killing him and set up a puppet emperor. More gold flowed. The search for El Dorado, the City of Gold, continued all over the Americas.
Francisco de Orellana: Relative of Pizarro and discoverer of the Amazon River. He made two trips down river, neither were pleasant cruises (the second one cost him his life). At one point, the expedition was attacked by a tribe of warrior woman, for whom the river later named. (Minor trivia: Amazon is a Greek derived word meaning "without breast," from supposed tradition of mastecomy of the right breast to make the drawing of a bow easier.)
To be continued.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Fantasy & Pulp Fantasy Core--Title Level and Pulp Adventurer Ideas 1
Intro
-------
For levels one to ten, Fantasy Core characters are building up their wealth, gaining some local fame, and making some noble/higher society connections. At that point, the characters have maxed out martially and skill-wise. (Wizards still have some ability to expand their personal power.) But with wealth and a reputation, the characters can now attempt to enter the power structure of their society. From there, they can find patrons to fund exploits or even larger mandates on a grander scale to achieve lasting, far-reaching fame.
I bought a book for my dad for Christmas called “Explorers” by the Smithsonian Institution, about world famous explorers. After perusing it, I had revelation about Title Level characters. The explorers listed within were generally from a noble class, had some personal wealth, and were highly experienced in their fields. They had to work with the ruling powers for funding, or perhaps there was a large bounty offered, or even a national imperative was in place. They had professional rivals for noble favor and for achieving goals, whom they could not simply kill or duel to get out of the way.
(Whatever personal animosity rival explorers may have had for each other, they generally professionally respected one another. We read about Amunden beating out his arch-rival Scott to reach the South Pole. When honored for his accomplishment, he said he would gladly forgo fame and reward that the Scott party had returned alive. The Apollo 11 astronauts planted an American flag on the moon and a Soviet medal, to honor the recently deceased Yuri Gagarian. Of course, nobody expects players or NPC’s to be so gracious.)
Sounds like a Title Level character to me. These are some ideas for new challenges for these characters. Feel free to do your own research to fill out these summaries (because even typing out these little capsules was like doing a book report). Steal bits and pieces from here and there. Of course all of these ideas need is orcs added to them, as well as some side quests and other tangible goals. Some of these would also work great as scenarios for Pulp Fantasy Core. Following lost expeditions are great fodder for adventures.
The Title Level characters would be leading an expedition of many people. They’d be responsible for them, as well making them accountable. Mistreatment or constant exposure to overwhelming circumstances may require a Respect roll or better motivation to avoid mutiny. Protégé characters would be excellent for adventures involving minor or side objectives and reconnaissance. Managing people and resources and making strategic decisions would be the primary responsibility for Title Level characters, rather than body count and booty.
The Explorers
-----------------
(These aren't in much of an order.)
Hanno the Navigator: Carthaginian explorer who took a fleet around the west coast of Africa. He encountered a savage tribe of ape-men.
Zhang Qian: Imperial Chinese envoy. He visited other far neighboring countries on trade missions, as well as courting allies against enemy nations.
Leif Eriksson: First European explorer of North America (rumors of an Egyptian colony notwithstanding). Born in Iceland and a settler in Greenland (which his father, Erik the Red, discovered). The Vikings made three recorded attempts at settling “Vinland,” but distance and hostile natives repulsed them. Encroaching ice and distance would also eventually cause the Greenland colony to be abandoned.
Fa Xian: Buddhist missionary. Visiting temples in Asia and India. Pilgrims from China went into these areas to search out the origin of their faith, to find and translate ancient texts (sutras). It was a risky adventure with other hostile faiths, wars, and bandits often blocking the ways there and back.
Xuanzang: Went searching for Buddhist sutras in India. There was a fantasy novel about his trip, “Journey to the West,” or “Monkey,” wherein he and his animal companions fought monsters along the way.
To be continued.
-------
For levels one to ten, Fantasy Core characters are building up their wealth, gaining some local fame, and making some noble/higher society connections. At that point, the characters have maxed out martially and skill-wise. (Wizards still have some ability to expand their personal power.) But with wealth and a reputation, the characters can now attempt to enter the power structure of their society. From there, they can find patrons to fund exploits or even larger mandates on a grander scale to achieve lasting, far-reaching fame.
I bought a book for my dad for Christmas called “Explorers” by the Smithsonian Institution, about world famous explorers. After perusing it, I had revelation about Title Level characters. The explorers listed within were generally from a noble class, had some personal wealth, and were highly experienced in their fields. They had to work with the ruling powers for funding, or perhaps there was a large bounty offered, or even a national imperative was in place. They had professional rivals for noble favor and for achieving goals, whom they could not simply kill or duel to get out of the way.
(Whatever personal animosity rival explorers may have had for each other, they generally professionally respected one another. We read about Amunden beating out his arch-rival Scott to reach the South Pole. When honored for his accomplishment, he said he would gladly forgo fame and reward that the Scott party had returned alive. The Apollo 11 astronauts planted an American flag on the moon and a Soviet medal, to honor the recently deceased Yuri Gagarian. Of course, nobody expects players or NPC’s to be so gracious.)
Sounds like a Title Level character to me. These are some ideas for new challenges for these characters. Feel free to do your own research to fill out these summaries (because even typing out these little capsules was like doing a book report). Steal bits and pieces from here and there. Of course all of these ideas need is orcs added to them, as well as some side quests and other tangible goals. Some of these would also work great as scenarios for Pulp Fantasy Core. Following lost expeditions are great fodder for adventures.
The Title Level characters would be leading an expedition of many people. They’d be responsible for them, as well making them accountable. Mistreatment or constant exposure to overwhelming circumstances may require a Respect roll or better motivation to avoid mutiny. Protégé characters would be excellent for adventures involving minor or side objectives and reconnaissance. Managing people and resources and making strategic decisions would be the primary responsibility for Title Level characters, rather than body count and booty.
The Explorers
-----------------
(These aren't in much of an order.)
Hanno the Navigator: Carthaginian explorer who took a fleet around the west coast of Africa. He encountered a savage tribe of ape-men.
Zhang Qian: Imperial Chinese envoy. He visited other far neighboring countries on trade missions, as well as courting allies against enemy nations.
Leif Eriksson: First European explorer of North America (rumors of an Egyptian colony notwithstanding). Born in Iceland and a settler in Greenland (which his father, Erik the Red, discovered). The Vikings made three recorded attempts at settling “Vinland,” but distance and hostile natives repulsed them. Encroaching ice and distance would also eventually cause the Greenland colony to be abandoned.
Fa Xian: Buddhist missionary. Visiting temples in Asia and India. Pilgrims from China went into these areas to search out the origin of their faith, to find and translate ancient texts (sutras). It was a risky adventure with other hostile faiths, wars, and bandits often blocking the ways there and back.
Xuanzang: Went searching for Buddhist sutras in India. There was a fantasy novel about his trip, “Journey to the West,” or “Monkey,” wherein he and his animal companions fought monsters along the way.
To be continued.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Fantasy Core RPG--Divine Magic-Circle of Elders
Fantasy Core RPG
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Published here as Open Game Content.
The Circle of Elders
To enter the Circle, as a leader and trainer of paladins, the individual actually must be an exemplar in faith and behavior. They still must have high-level paladin abilities and a resume of accomplishments and deeds, so that they are respected as a person and a warrior.
The Circle has two basic tasks. One, to marshal their resources (paladins) to combat supernatural evil in the kingdom (or anywhere, if needed). Two, to train new recruits at the Academy. Their true ability in that realm is not to teach a candidate divine or martial powers, but rather to judge their suitability to being a warrior against supernatural evil. It is better to washout and reassign someone with great potential divine powers than to send them into combat with weak will and motivation.
Certainly there are petty politics and personal disputes, but unless an Elder has fallen into heresy, the Circle is fully committed to their task to the point of sacrificing their own lives in the field. There are no “armchair” generals in the Circle. Even retired members will volunteer when needed if they are still able to fight.
The Circle of Elders and the Wizard Council do not like or trust on another (while lower level paladins and wizards actually might). The wizards are fully aware that one of the main functions of the Circle is as a safeguard against them ever outright seizing political power. Both groups are aware that the crown plays both sides off each other, fearing their powers. Thankfully, all three groups are mostly focused on their own areas of authority without too much drama.
Divine Magic Training
Divine Magic Casting
This is as good a place as any to mention that I’ve modified several of the classes. While stating out an adventure (which I plan on posting when it’s done), I discovered some game-breaking mechanics that needed to be fixed. (And you wondered why I haven’t made a PDF yet.)
Game Index (Also the Open Game Content line takes you back to the index)
The Danica 500: I Felt Like a Hostage
There I was for four hours with only non-stop commercials to save me from non-stop Danica coverage. I don’t know which was worse. Well, at least she got to mark a couple more checkboxes off her professional racing resume. I’m sure Ricky Stenhouse Jr. knows all about Danica’s checkbox. In fact, the only thing that could have saved NASCAR from mine and every other fan’s critique of this “race,” would have been Ricky and Danica wrecking each other on track and having a public break up in front of the grandstands. (And then TMZ broadcasting footage of Ricky sneaking out Danica’s mobile home after a post-break up booty call.)
What is so sad is that this was NASCAR’s big moment to regain of their popularity. There was so much attention brought to this race because of Danica’s capture of the pole. Even sports talk radio interrupted their very important breakdowns of the NFL Combine and the ever so important NBA regular season to talk about Danica. And what did they those curious new viewers see? A bunch of cars driving in single file. . . for hours. . . including the finish. I never thought I’d find myself wishing for the good old days of NASCAR criticism: They just drive around in circles.
So we’ve gone from pack racing to tandem racing to single file racing, which I think technically would no longer be considered racing, but rather traffic. Next year we’ll go back to the future in super speedway racing, running caution laps on the apron. There was so little passing, I briefly thought I was watching an F1 race. You’ll know that’s happened when you hear Darrell Waltrip start calling it “overtaking.” There was even a Peter Windsor-like walkthrough of field right before the race. Speaking of that, I thought Erin Andrews was about to whip out a stun gun as 50 Cent started getting too friendly with her.
Now I finally understand the value of constant commercial interruptions during the race. They were more entertaining. The Daytona 500 comparisons to the Superbowl are now complete. I thought the Oz movie had a great trailer. (It’ll suck in the theaters.) The GI Joe movie looked fun. (It’ll be stupid). The other movie where the White House gets taken over by radical. . . what? Tea-partiers? I’m not sure if there’s any politically correct enemies left. Anyway, that looked action-packed. (Like a toilet bowl after a batch of spoiled chili.) Yeah, after four commercial breaks every half-hour, obviously NASCAR would rather I talk about them than the race.
Fine I’ll say something nice. I liked the gyro-cam and the fly-away cam views. Pity there wasn’t a race going on for them to show. I’ll even offer some advice.
Get. Rid. Of. The. Restrictor. Plates.
Oh, but what about fan safety? What about it? The restrictor plates didn’t help out the crowd on Saturday during the big wreck, and Nationwide cars are already slower than Cup cars. Put some penalty weight on the cars to slow them down a bit, like in some sports car series, and just let them go. The drivers will be happier and safer if the better cars can outrun the slower cars. Look, Daytona and Tallegdega are one grisly fan death or another popular driver dying there from either getting shutdown or radically reconfigured anyway. And if Danica hadn’t been racing this weekend or if the wreck had happened during the Cup race instead, we’d already be having this conservation.
At least the Gen 6 cars look good. Maybe the racing will be better at any other track. I’ll keep watching, until baseball season, but I doubt NASCAR made any new fans today or recovered any lapsed ones. (How disheartening it must have been for all those Dale Jr. fans to hear the crowd roar for Danica leading like they once did for him.) This may have been NASCAR’s last chance to save the sport from acquiring the dreaded, “regionally popular sport” tag. I’d love to put a bow on this gift, but you can’t make sh** shine.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Disappointing Abbey
As of Season Three I have to say, this attrition of likable characters on Downton Abbey has got to stop. They're going to end up turn over the entire cast in a couple more seasons, except for Maggie Smith's character, who will ironically out live them all.
Losing Cindy, err Sybil, was pretty much unbearable given that she was the hot chick on the show. Yeah sure, Marsha, err Mary, is the glamorous ice queen, and poor Jan, err Edith, cleans up nice, but they don't melt the butter. But then, to have our paladin, Matthew, go out in a Lawrence of Arabia-like senseless vehicular accident after having been so endangered during the war, was beyond the pale. (The actor leaving the show may have had something to do with this plot development.) It didn't help that Rush Limbaugh and a co-worker, who'd seen the finale, had already told me that there was a twist at the end. This knowledge didn't prepare me at all, it just made it hard to enjoy the show waiting for the twist.
This show reminds me of a couple of other shows, most prominently the reimaged Battlestar Galactica (my favorite TV whipping boy). I was able to borrow and watch Season One of Downton Abbey over the weekend. It was a little hard to watch because I knew what was going to happen to the characters later on. I have Season One of Battlestar Galactica and never watch it, because it's too painful, knowing how the characters were going to degenerate. This is what happens when you play too rough in ensemble storytelling. The all you can do for shock is kill off the characters. Of course, a significant difference between the shows is that Downton has many noble and likable characters, while by the end of Battlestar, I was rooting for the deaths of the entire miserable cast.
The other show Downton reminds me of is Monarch of the Glen. There's obvious similarities thematically (keeping a big estate running) and Julian Fellows (actor on Monarch, creator of Downton). But the other similarity, almost subliminal, is that the real star of the show is the estate and its grounds. Yes, we've all gotten emotionally involved in the characters, and the social setting (nobility and servants) is fascinating. But were it not for Highclere Castle, this would just be an upscale soap opera. Witness the revived Upstairs, Downstairs by comparison (and it doesn't help that the show doesn't hardly have any likeable characters). Certainly the true co-star is the costumes. Seldom, if ever, has such stiff and uncomfortable formal wear looked so good.
I'll still be looking forward to Season Four of Downton Abbey, if for no other reason than to see more of the naughty flapper, Rose. This girl looks like she just graduated from a Disney Channel tweener show. You know, something like she's high school student, but is actually a magical princess, hijinx ensue. The producers have clearly identified my demographic. (Forgive me for not using more of the actual actor names. The opening credits are very stylish, yet highly uninformative.) Then there's the other hot bitch. I also love the dog. I can't get enough of that dog, she's magnificent. She deserves a good plot line this season.
Sigh. I just hope I can get the theme song out of my head sometime soon.
Losing Cindy, err Sybil, was pretty much unbearable given that she was the hot chick on the show. Yeah sure, Marsha, err Mary, is the glamorous ice queen, and poor Jan, err Edith, cleans up nice, but they don't melt the butter. But then, to have our paladin, Matthew, go out in a Lawrence of Arabia-like senseless vehicular accident after having been so endangered during the war, was beyond the pale. (The actor leaving the show may have had something to do with this plot development.) It didn't help that Rush Limbaugh and a co-worker, who'd seen the finale, had already told me that there was a twist at the end. This knowledge didn't prepare me at all, it just made it hard to enjoy the show waiting for the twist.
This show reminds me of a couple of other shows, most prominently the reimaged Battlestar Galactica (my favorite TV whipping boy). I was able to borrow and watch Season One of Downton Abbey over the weekend. It was a little hard to watch because I knew what was going to happen to the characters later on. I have Season One of Battlestar Galactica and never watch it, because it's too painful, knowing how the characters were going to degenerate. This is what happens when you play too rough in ensemble storytelling. The all you can do for shock is kill off the characters. Of course, a significant difference between the shows is that Downton has many noble and likable characters, while by the end of Battlestar, I was rooting for the deaths of the entire miserable cast.
The other show Downton reminds me of is Monarch of the Glen. There's obvious similarities thematically (keeping a big estate running) and Julian Fellows (actor on Monarch, creator of Downton). But the other similarity, almost subliminal, is that the real star of the show is the estate and its grounds. Yes, we've all gotten emotionally involved in the characters, and the social setting (nobility and servants) is fascinating. But were it not for Highclere Castle, this would just be an upscale soap opera. Witness the revived Upstairs, Downstairs by comparison (and it doesn't help that the show doesn't hardly have any likeable characters). Certainly the true co-star is the costumes. Seldom, if ever, has such stiff and uncomfortable formal wear looked so good.
I'll still be looking forward to Season Four of Downton Abbey, if for no other reason than to see more of the naughty flapper, Rose. This girl looks like she just graduated from a Disney Channel tweener show. You know, something like she's high school student, but is actually a magical princess, hijinx ensue. The producers have clearly identified my demographic. (Forgive me for not using more of the actual actor names. The opening credits are very stylish, yet highly uninformative.) Then there's the other hot bitch. I also love the dog. I can't get enough of that dog, she's magnificent. She deserves a good plot line this season.
Sigh. I just hope I can get the theme song out of my head sometime soon.
Fantasy Core RPG--Divine Magic-Training
Fantasy Core RPG
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Published here as Open Game Content.
Divine Spellcasting Training
Some children exhibit certain divine gifts, such as healing, prophecy, languages, and such. These children are referred to the local church authorities. Someone with the divine talent is brought in to assess the child’s abilities. If they are present, the child is brought to a monastery for religious, scholarly, and talent training. Regardless of the useful level of the power, the child receives an excellent education for free, so this offer would seldom be turned down.
Some go on to be charismatic missionaries, diplomats, and healers. Those with the most potential are forwarded on to the Academy for martial training to physically combat the undead, demons, and spellcasters. All told, it is about 10 years of education and training to make a paladin. There is a tremendous amount of prestige (if not glamour) attached to this position, but also much responsibility and oversight by superiors. Given the scarcity of candidates, however, a good deal of latitude in behavior is tolerated as long as they are never lax in their duties.
Paladins often start off assigned to an area that they are responsible for, usually a frontier or backwater territory (though they may be called in for a new assignment or an emergency at any time). As they are a rare commodity, typically only a single paladin may be working a fairly large area (but are always authorized to travel wherever an investigation may lead). As such, they are encouraged to work with local authorities and even reputable freelance companies (ahem, adventurers).
Exceptional work may lead to promotion to (or a successful petition for) a more important or sensitive post (like a capital city). Promising Academy candidates are often paired with experienced paladins for temporary fieldwork. Very trustworthy paladins may even be detached from regular assignment and be free to follow their own assignments. Somewhat untrustworthy ones may be brought back to the Academy and only sent out on explicit assignments with a chaperone. The worst or the failures, are removed from service, even up to excommunication from the church altogether.
Paladins are representatives of the church, though in practice they are more of a military corps. For the most part they are very dedicated to their very serious task of combating supernatural evil. While many work assignments alone or with a group of non-paladins, they are an extremely tight group of brothers and sisters in arms because of their shared training and common task. They are not often the best examples of the faith however. Allowances are made for some excesses of behavior and personality.
There is always contention between the supremacy of the crown and the church. While the paladins are fully subordinate to the church, it is usually the crown and local authorities who call the paladins to action in supernatural matters. As such, and because of their sometimes rough lifestyle, other members of the church hierarchy may look down on them. A small parish priest does still technically outrank even a 9th level paladin. (There are only three ranks: Brother/Sister, who are all considered equals and are the church equivalent to monks and nuns, and Elders, who are equal to church bishops, and the Cardinal Elder, who is a church cardinal.) The brothers and sisters are warned to be on their best behavior with church officials.
Between the paladins and the wizards (and other spellcasters) there is outright suspicion. Paladins’ special martial powers work on wizards the same as undead and demons. Unlike other supernatural foes, a paladin can be held criminally responsible for indiscriminately killing a wizard. For that reason, they will only go after a wizard if sanctioned by legal authorities (not by the church or even the Circle) or if innocents are in immediate danger. It is usually the Wizard Council that will insist on carrying out death sentences on wizards anyway.
Divine Magic Casting
Circle of Elders
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Fantasy Core RPG--Divine Magic-Casting
Fantasy Core RPG
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Published here as Open Game Content.
Divine Spellcasting
The divine tradition is hereditary, as opposed to scholarly, like the arcane tradition. However, it may skip several generations and may require both parents to possess the gene for it to reappear. The Ancients or Antediluvians (whoever preceded the current generation) may have committed these type of spells into their genes, instead of parchment like arcane spells. Alternatively, it may genuinely be a divine gift, bestowed for inscrutable purposes. (This depends upon your game world.)
Generally, the two traditions are mutually exclusive. There are exceptions such as witches, witch doctors, shamen, gypsies, and fallen paladins. These groups are sensitive to the divine tradition, but then schooled in the arcane one, albeit in a limited sense. It would seem though that someone without the divine ability, won’t be able to acquire those abilities through any sort of study.
The divine spellcaster still must be schooled in the use of their powers. Otherwise, they are unable to use it at will and to its full potential. The divine tradition has all been passed down orally. None of it is written, as the divine is accessed mostly intuitively. However, they are just as well skilled in their own way as wizards. Abilities are enacted with words and gestures, but these are actually only mnemonics to reinforce the mental procedure. The actions are personal and have meaning only to the individual caster. Divine spells can only seem to access very specific abilities. Whether this is an intrinsic limitation or merely a tradition is unknown.
Paladin Class
Divine Magic Training
Circle of Elders
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Fantasy Core RPG--Arcane Magic-Wizard Council
Fantasy Core RPG
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Published here as Open Game Content.
Wizards and the Wizard Council
A freshly trained wizard is arcane marked (as a license of sorts) and released from apprenticeship and perhaps given a few references. At first, they are probably travelling around doing odd magical jobs. With some experience, they may find bigger jobs, or perhaps steady employment. At the highest level, a wizard may work for the most powerful lords, with the best of the best working for the king.
A wizard’s usual main goal is to enhance their abilities and to acquire more spells for personal use and for trade. To that end, they will seek out any opportunity to use their magic and to gain new spells. This can be done by adventuring, by eliminating dangerous spell casters and obtaining their spellbooks, or by travel to distant places and gaining entry to public and private libraries that might have spell books and working for or providing service for the opportunity to access them. At higher levels, a wizard is like an experienced artist. They work only on commissioned tasks that suit them and seek out patrons to fund their expeditions, experiments, and lifestyle.
The Council is made up of highest-level wizards. Only Council members can legally take apprentices. This is done to ensure that only worthy wizards pass along the craft. Apprentices usually owe their masters, either money or service, but always some measure of loyalty. These apprentices can provide valuable support in potential conflicts (the big egos in Council ensure that eventuality), as well as reciprocity in the discovery of new spells.
Their main function though is the regulation of magic users. The Council maintains its independence from the crown and the church by keeping dangerous magic and magic users from becoming more than minor occurrences. The Council’s goal is for its members, apprentices, and journeymen wizards to provide a useful benefit to society and making sure that wizards are not an out-of-control threat. Obviously, some members chafe under the very notion of serving society, and feel that wizards should in fact be running it.
The crown allows wizards and the Wizard Council quite a bit of freedom under two conditions. One, that they police their own, including untrained, unlicensed, and rouge wizards. Two, that they submit to conscription, when necessary, to combat supernatural and national threats. The Church keeps a wary eye on wizards, acting as a check on them via their paladins, who are trained to deal with arcane threats. But so long as they use no magic to break the laws, the church does not bother them.
Arcane Magic Training
Arcane Magic Casting
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Fantasy Core RPG--Arcane Magic-Training
Fantasy Core RPG
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Published here as Open Game Content.
Arcane Apprenticeship
Children (basically you have to start as a child) exhibiting a high degree of intelligence can possibly be referred to a test apprenticeship. Keep in mind this is a Medieval society. It’s going to be rare enough that a child may receive an extended formal education. A wizard (or more likely a sage, who is only able to read and write magic) will have to test the child in learning the language of magic. Anyone who shows an aptitude will be taken on as an apprentice.
This involves some cost, but there can some exchange of labor or sponsorship. No one is turned away for finances, as the gift is too rare. Apprenticeship can last from 10 to 15 years, including other schooling. Many will “wash out” during that term and there’s no guarantee of the talent materializing to a useful level (in game terms, first level). Needless to say, it’s a rare skill. The prestige of the position, especially for those of the lower classes, makes it well worth the risk.
There are those without the ability to cast spells who do understand the language, such as sages. Likewise, there are rare individuals, such as sorcerers, who have not properly learned the spells in a scholarly fashion, but have the intuition that allows them some spellcasting ability. The rarest of abilities are those wizards who can cast spells in combat. Their ability allows them to achieve a moment of perfect concentration in the middle of chaos to speak the words, make the ritual gestures, imagine the effect, and ignite the spell. A wizard has the mind of a genius, the concentration and performance skills of a concert pianist, and the imagination of a child.
Arcane Magic Casting
Wizard Council
Friday, February 15, 2013
Fantasy Core RPG--Arcane Magic-Casting
Fantasy Core RPG
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Published here as Open Game Content.
[The next six posts are here to provide some idea of how arcane and divine magic work in the implied game world. This is all optional, of course. The Wizard Council and the Circle of Elders were put in as regulatory bodies for magic users, which isn't too hard to imagine would occur in such a world. From a game stand point, they're also a good source of plot hooks and character drama.]
Arcane Magic Spellcasting
Magic spells are formulas written in an ancient, lost, dead language. It was a language that was also secret and not spoken by any general population, only by a small cult. After the global catastrophe (or whatever destroyed the old empires in your game world), this language became fragmentary and very obscure. It is amazing that any of it survived and that any contemporary person understands any of it.
This tradition has only been carried on and not allowed to die out because it contains the language of creation and destruction, words of power. While the ancient practitioner may have been fluent in it and capable of great works, the modern wizard only imperfectly understands some small fraction of its power and is prone to failure. Only the brightest and bravest have any chance of understanding its workings and can deal with the personal effects of failure.
Invoking a magic spell involves an intense concentration of both halves of the brain, the logical and the intuitive. The wizard has to understand the written spell. They must be able to speak it from memory. Most importantly, they must be able to understand and visualize the forces these spells call upon. None of the scholarly rote practice does any good without imagination and intuitive understanding.
Arcane Magic Training
Wizard Council
I'm off Monday, be back Tuesday.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
THE BURNING SANDS--A Mutant Future Scenario Part 7
THE BURNING SANDS
A Mutant Future scenario
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Index
UNDERWORLD continued
Complex:
At the center of the Geo-Front, is the circular control and power building with a tall cooling tower in the middle and massive power cables reaching up the ceiling. There are no windows on the building or other doors. The security shutters on the motorpool are the only way in or out.
It is surrounded by an electrified chain link fence (2d6 dam). There is only one break in the fence at the security gate. It is guarded by two Guard Bots on elevated platforms. There is a clearing before the gate, so the bots can see anything coming. They fire a warning shot first.
A break anywhere in the fence brings out a worker bot from the motor pool, along with a guard bot from the entrance gate. The security doors are open as long as the guard bot is functioning. If it is destroyed, the worker bot will immediately head back to the doors, grabbing the guard bot if possible. The doors are only open for one round after they are destroyed or get inside. Otherwise the doors are going to be tough to crack, but not impossible.
A Vid message greets the group after they get in, congratulating them for making it this far, but now they all have to die because they’re too close to the prize. If asked about it, the computer, in a fit of paranoia, claims that they’re all after it.
Inside the Motor Pool is 4 hover bikes and two hover trucks (all in working order), as well as four Worker Bots and four Agri-bots. The bots all work, but are currently recharging. They do not attack. There are also many boxes full of spare parts, but none of them terribly useful, unless the group has an android that needs repair.
The motor pool is a safe place to rest for the night. The door to the rest of the complex is codekey locked, but can be shorted out and forced.
First Aid:
The complex rooms are set up in rings. The first contains the Med Center and a series of empty offices and barracks. Four insane Med Androids are dissecting or vivisecting a group of morlocks, vampires, and ghouls. The androids will immediately attack to knock out the party. One Ghoul is alive enough to break loose in two rounds and attack the characters while fighting the androids.
Almost all the medical supplies are gone. The only useful items in here are:
2 x Breathing masks with oxygen bottles, 2 x Rad suits, 4 rad shots.
A door in the Med Center leads to the second ring and the Creche.
Crèche:
Here is where the clone zombies are produced, fed, and then cast out when the area gets overcrowded. The group can hear slurping sounds as they approached the unlocked door. A series of 10 tubes hold clones in various stages of development, while 20 Zombies (all naked) mill about the room or are lapping at a trough in the floor. They all look at the party when the door is opened. The group will need through them to get to the armory and the rest. The zombies do not react unless attacked. Against the wall are four open cryogenic chambers. They are all open and is fog coming out of them, like they were recently opened. These were Cyborg commando cells.
Armory:
The armored door is standing wide open. A Cyborg Commando is inside, armed with a laser rifle. He is steaming, literally, as he was the last to exit his chamber. He’ll start with the rifle and then use each of his other weapon capabilities. A fight may stir up the Zombies (depending on how the fight goes), but they will attack the party and the commando.
The armory is mostly empty, except for batteries and rounds. A short hallway leads to the next ring, the Computer Center.
Computer Center:
This is a leaded plasti-glass walled facility filled with the blinking, flashing lights of many computers. A large steel supporting column stands in the center of the room. The party can see all the way through the windows to the reactor core on the other side of the computer center. Airlock style doors with computer locks are the only way in the room. A video message plays outside the room: “You’ll never take me alive!”
Cyborg commandos: Three are present, one is inside the airlock (will use its gamma eyes), and the other two are hiding behind the various computers inside (armed with gauss rifles and will use palm lasers at close range and have a tear gas grenade each).
Missed shots may have consequences: d10, 1-5 nothing, 6-7 electric shock (2d6 sv ½), 8-9 lights knocked out, 10 Halon dump (2 rd warning) wipes out anything that needs to breathe.
Video message: “Well, you beat me fair and square.” The steel column drops and reveals a large crystal plugged in. It can be removed fairly easily and reconnected to any standard power source. Of course, unplugging it sends the reactor into overload. A warning message flashes, “20 minutes to meltdown.” From here the players can opt to fix the reactor or run for it.
Reactor:
The inmost ring is guarded by airlock doors. The keypad doesn’t work, but the doors are now ajar and can be forced open. This is a high rad area. The party needs to get the cooling rods back in place, either by tech roll or physical force.
Further salvage adventures in the geo-front will possible. Who knows what else may be inside? People from Crossroads may even want to try to colonize the place. Maybe more Brain Lashers show up for revenge.
Run for it:
Zombies may be in the hallways. They don’t attack, unless attacked first.
There are four usable hovercycles in the garage. The doors are now unlocked but will have to be forced open. The robots are non-functioning. The gate is locked and still electrified, but can be forced easily.
It should take four minutes to reach the tunnel. There is a group of five Morlocks clustered around the tunnel and looking for a fight.
The bunker and the town will offer no resistance, but the characters need to get outside of the neighborhood before the reactor detonates. That will take about five minutes from outside the bunker. The insects are deserting as well and do not attack. Failure to get out requires a saving throw to live.
Needless to say, detonation destroys the geo-front, the bunker, and the neighborhood, obviously limiting further adventuring in the area. At least the adventure ends with a bang.
Next up, some flavor text material on spellcasting in Fantasy Core.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
THE BURNING SANDS--A Mutant Future Scenario Part 6
THE BURNING SANDS
A Mutant Future scenario
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Index
THE UNDERWORLD
The Setup
This area did not take a direct hit, but was close enough to be effected by the shockwave. The Underworld was unaffected, but the underground bunker, the only way in or out of the massive chamber, was shaken enough to cause a cave-in and bury the security doors. While the inhabitants could have easily dug their way out, there was nothing on the inside that could breach the massive jammed doors. They were trapped and no one was listening that could help rescue them.
The geo-front is a hemisphere is about a mile in diameter and about as tall as an indoor stadium. It was designed as a self-contained system: powered by an nuclear reactor, crops providing oxygen, ventilation and scrubbing of the air by recyclers, evaporation water recycling, and powerful lights bathing the area in a dim twilight. The complex was never fully completed. The living areas were never even started. Currently, three main groups fighting and feeding on each other, with a constant supply of zombie clones being churned out by the Main Computer.
The party enters at the top lip of the shallow bowl-like interior. They can see the junkyard in front of them, the farm further down, mist, and then the glowing, blinking lights of a circular building in the center. Massive power cables from the complex reach up to the domed roof with its massive lights and air recyclers.
Junkyard:
The other three of the Brain Lasher advance party is found just outside their tunnel. They are all dead and blood drained. The group unfortunately just happened to run into a pack of vampires upon exiting the tunnel. Assuming they were simple primitives, the Lashers attempted to dominate them and were delivered a rude shock. One attempted to retreat back into the tunnel, only to be overcome. The strong lights of the excavation kept the vampires from advancing further. Two blaster rifles, 1 laser rifle, and 1 gauss rifle, all fully loaded, are found with bodies.
The junkyard is near the entrance. This is a large pile of building supplies for houses and apartments that were never built. Since then, the area has become progressively more dilapidated. The Morlocks live in crude huts and tents made from the building materials and dominate this area. These are the degenerate, inbred, mutated descendants of the humans trapped inside.
Four Zombies are loitering nearby. These are Walking Dead, essentially brain dead clones, which mindlessly attack anything, and are wandering all over the Geo-Front. They are all naked. They will attack the party if they come close to them.
Any fight will bring a hunting party of ten Morlocks. They are dressed in tattered clothing, including a priest wearing a rad suit. They don’t attack first, but do surround the party. They might be willing to do single combat over an item. (Their champion will be a massive brute.) They might be willing to help, run away, or outright attack depending on how the combat goes. If an all-out skirmish ensues, the Morlocks will run at 50% casualties.
Groovy Ghoulies:
This is the farming area containing various crops. Small patches of wheat, corn, barley, etc. Four Agri-bots are working the area. They do not attack, unless they are interfered with. One of the bots is observed scooping up and mulching a blood-drained body.
The Ghoul clan rules this area. They are Walking Dead clones, but semi-intelligent and fast-moving and wearing some random bits of clothing or plastic.
Six Ghouls are rustling among the cornstalks. The party will hear them in advance and can see them first and can avoid them, if cautious.
Red Rain:
This is the weather control complex. Evaporators working in the area have produced a misty, damp, foggy atmosphere.
Three Zombies are seen. They stare for a moment, then start, and then run away.
There is a mental voice calling out from the fog, “Fresh meat! Fresh meat!” This is Vampire clan turf. They are Walking Dead clones, but semi-intelligent and mutated into blood drinkers. (Cf. Mansquito. Powers-vampiric field and metaconcert.) They hunt in packs and are covered in crude paint or mud. The Vampires will taunt the party from the fog before attacking. There are three Vampires and are led by Skinner the Skin Stealer. “Skinner gonna him get some new clothes,” he says before attacking.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
THE BURNING SANDS--A Mutant Future Scenario Part 5
THE BURNING SANDS
A Mutant Future scenario
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Index
THE BUNKER
The Setup
There are only a few Brain Lashers, travelling in a scout ship. They are techo-scavengers looking for the underground reactor, which they detected from a scan of the area. They had no trouble opening the bunker doors and defeating the internal defenses. They were able to open the doors without damaging them. The internal gun turret had to be disabled.
Then the Lashers came upon the vault doors guarding the geo-front, which were buried under tons of debris. Here, their advanced technology would only help so much. They needed some muscle to move the dirt. Hence, the Lashers’ abduction, enslavement, and mutation of the biker gang into Homo Erectus. Once enough debris had been cleared to make a tunnel in it, they brought a beam projector in to bore through the buried doors. An advance party has gone into the tunnel.
School’s Out:
In the middle of the neighborhood, stands a large school. It is largely in a state of near collapse. There are two hanger-like gym structures on the campus. One has caved in, while the other still stands in good repair. Five humanoid figures are scurrying in and out of the intact one with improvised wheelbarrows or large canisters filled with dirt. Large piles of dirt are being built up around the entrance and inside. These are the Lashers’ Homo Erectus slaves, clearly a devolved version of the biker gang. They won’t attack unless disturbed.
The Brain Lasher space ship is still floating about 50’ over the entrance to the gym. Currently it is unmanned. If the player group can reach the ship, they won't have anything that can open it, unless they use the alien beam projector, in which case they’ll blow a hole clean through it. The ship will crash, start to glow, sound warning klaxons, and then explode two rounds later. Inside the bunker is probably the only safe place to be. Upon seeing the space ship, Driver and Bounce take off. They invite the party to join them if they know what’s good for them.
Keep Out!
Inside, the gym is clearly only a shell with a hardened bunker in the center. Only the entry is guarded, as the Lashers are largely unconcerned about being disturbed by any creatures or natives.
The bunker’s security doors are in an airlock style. The doors open about every five rounds. One Mini-Tripod is outside guarding the outer door and opening it. Another is inside the airlock, along with a damaged Robot Turret, opening the inner door. It is possible to sneak past the first one. The two do not work together if they are not within sight of each other. The Homo Erectus do not interfere unless they themselves are attacked. The turret has one barrel working, however with a tech check, the manual override will work and the gun can be manually aimed.
A video message appears on a monitor after defeating the tripods. (There are monitors peppered all the way through the complex.) A Max Headroom-like figure appears. The main computer wants everyone out. It tells them that it’s too late, that the aliens have already found the prize. They may as well leave.
Internals:
Offices: Filled with dirt. Nothing of value inside.
Armory: Broken security doors, with two lockers that have been broken into. The rifle rack is ominously empty. A pistol rack contains two laser pistols (mk2) and two gauss pistols (fully loaded) with 2 power packs each. 2 plastex and 2 plastic armor suits. Box of 4 frag grenades.
Med Center: Filled with dirt. Thoroughly rummaged. One med kit remains containing 2 anti-tox, 2 anti-rad, 4 super-gen, 1 stim A, 1 stim B, 4 med sprays
Barracks: Five sleeping Homo Erectus, who won’t attack unless disturbed.
High Security:
This is a fairly large chamber, but badly damaged and buried by debris. Large security lights brought in by the Brain Lashers illuminate the work area. A small tunnel has been made at ground level. An alien blaster cannon is set up on a tripod nearby pointing into the tunnel. It won’t fit through the tunnel and would require two people to carry. It can fire once per minute and is pretty much useless on moving targets.
More importantly, there are four Brain Lashers (unarmed) around the cannon and six Homo Erectus working on the debris. None of them are watching the door. The Lashers’ attention is absorbed with the tunnel, as an advance group has just gone through. When combat starts, the Lashers will direct the Homo Erectus to attack the party. They all fight to the death. (Depending on how well the party is doing, any Homo Erectus outside will be wandering around confused during this, or alternately 10 more arrive to fight. Five arrive 2 rounds after the fight has started and the other five two rounds later.)
Another video message appears after the group defeats the Brain Lashers. The party is warned not to enter, seal the hole, and seal the bunker back up. They are told that it’s already too late. After the group decides to go in, it comes back on, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
After the battle, it is night and the party should rest and consider their next move. If the lights turned out, two Morlocks come in and attack. If the lights are still on, Morlocks poke in, but retreat quickly.
The tunnel is two feet high. People will have to crawl through tunnel. A rank, overpowering smell of death comes from the tunnel and gets stronger as it goes along. The air is stale, unpleasant. They can hear the constant whine and roar of air recyclers. A body of a blood-drained Brain Lasher appears halfway through the tunnel. He was trying to get back to the chamber. The tunnel ends with the hole bored by the blaster cannon through very the heavy steel doors guarding the underworld.
Monday, February 11, 2013
THE BURNING SANDS--A Mutant Future Scenario Part 4
THE BURNING SANDS
A Mutant Future scenario
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Index
RUINED
The Setup
A somewhat out-of-place gated community exists in the White Desert. Even when it was inhabited, it must have been sorely incongruous with the desert. It was not directly hit during the war, but its residents didn’t survive anyway due to radiation poisoning. The white sands have encroached, but not swallowed it whole. The elements have taken their toll, but streets and houses are relatively intact. People might have tried moving in were it not for the multitude of hazards currently nesting here.
Minefield:
Minefield and unexploded ordinance signs, along with a more practical warning of bunch of dead bodies and skeletons surround this fenced off area. Entry only requires opening the broken gate to the dirt road.
The rough road to the neighborhood is heavily mined with improvised, buried explosives. Vampire star swarms lie to either side of the road. The only safe path is known by Driver and Bounce through the desert. Even that’s not safe, as mines, unexploded ordinance, and even more Vampire stars dot the area.
The worst threat is the occasional Purple Worms patrolling the area. They seem to have a knack for dodging mines, so their above ground paths are safe for travel, though Vampire stars will stake out their trails.
The trip takes two hours. Roll once every 30 minutes or anytime they leave the trail if the party is unguided or once an hour if guided (Driver and Bounce are on their own hoverbike): 1-5 nothing, 6-7 mine (detection chance), 8-9 10 Vampire Stars, 10 Purple Worm (can be driven off)
There is one oasis in the area near the gate. It is actually a Puddle Worm trap. Driver and Bounce will think it’s funny when it attacks, a sort of newbie prank.
Flame Plant fields surround the burbs. It refills in any gaps made fairly quickly, defeating any easy passage. One gets set off and two more will go off. The guides will be careful in this area, either suggesting sneaking past or remote detonating one. Driver cuts the stalk off a dud and says it’ll work like a Molotov Cocktail if lit and thrown.
The Burbs:
A typical neighborhood suburb, though badly dilapidated and nearly swallowed by the sands, but houses and streets are still easily discernable. There is probably a multitude of pre-war loot filling the houses, but the entire area is a deathtrap for scavengers.
The spaceship is clearly visible hovering over the school in the center of the neighborhood. It will only take five minutes to get there. However, the streets are swarming with White Giant Ants. They attack from surprise as they are well camouflaged by their coloration. Four attack the first round and then two more every other round up to a total of eight reinforcements, or until the group reaches the bunker. Trying to run up on the lawns of the houses, brings a surprise attack by a White Giant Scorpion. Entering any house brings a surprise attack by two White Cockroachoids, the first round and one more each round, up to four.
Friday, February 8, 2013
THE BURNING SANDS--A Mutant Future Scenario Part 3
THE BURNING SANDS
A Mutant Future scenario
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Index
THE WHITE DESERT
The Setup
The White Sands national monument has vastly expanded on this side of the Organs. A sea of glittering white sands blinds the group as they crest the pass. It is a vast, inhospitable wasteland with sparse vegetation, dangerous mutated creatures and high radiation in places. Only a rough, mangled road is a semi-safe corridor: a thin, black line in the white sand. Only a few small oasis permit any humanoid life.
Roadside Attraction:
The party sees a Jackalope (Rabboxen) herd foraging nearby. Hunting them could provide possible food and pelts for barter. Attempting to recover a shot Jackalope, brings them next to a Screech Bush. The ground suddenly quakes. The next round, a Purple Worm appears. First, it will swallow the corpse. It will chase the group until it reaches the road and will then burrow off.
Scenic Rest Area:
The Skullf*ckers were a group of biker mutants, who squatted in the old White Sands Visitor’s Center. Past tense. Their camp is now a smoldering ruin from a recent attack.
Upon entering the camp, another Screech Bush goes off. This draws a Giant White Horned Lizard. It attacks from surprise due to its natural camouflage, even though the party will be on alert. It was the mutants’ watchdog/pet and will fight to the death.
Behing the camp (and plainly visible) is a crude oil derrick. It is surrounded by full oil drums and hovering over a large pit. Dangling over the pit by a crude winch assembly is a cage with a captive inside. This is the Skullf*ckers’ leader (Irradiated), Rokko, who ‘hid’ himself here to avoid capture. He calls out for rescue as soon as the lizard is defeated, as the assembly has been damaged and the cage is locked, thus stranding him there. The pit contains a vicious Land Squid, that the Skullf*ckers fed captives to. It will attack anyone who comes near, but retreat if it loses half of its hit points.
Rokko saw the UFO land off in the ruins due northwest and then it came back and took captives. Most of the bikers were stunned and didn’t fight and were simply lead off. He knows where they went and won’t go there. The suburb ruins are a deathtrap. He will point the party to Driver’s trailer, visible near to the ruins, as a possible guide. Rokko then hops on his bike and takes off. (Alternately if Rokko is killed not consulted, Driver and Bounce simply show up to loot.)
If the party wishes to loot the camp, they can find these items over the course of a half-hour: binoculars, guns (pistols and rifles), ammo, swords, knives, food (disgusting), a med kit, a rad Sickness kit, a repair kit, a Geiger counter, ten motorcycles.
Trailer Trash:
A trailer home sits out in the middle of nowhere. This is home of Driver, Encephalized Coyote humanoid, and Bounce, rabbit humanoid (Leaper). (Picture a proper Englishman and a little toadie.) Driver claims the ruins, and since he’s the only one who knows how to safely navigate the surrounding minefield, and knows creatures inside, he can make it stick. These two are hardy adventurers. Their property is surrounded by Screech Bushes and guarded by their pet Gray Worm, Sid. Bounce comes guns blazing after the bushes and Sid are set off and demanding, “Who’s there! What the hell do you want?”
Provided they don’t accidentally kill the group for trespassing, Driver and Bounce will be happy to lead a group to their certain deaths in the White Sands Ruins. For a price, paid up front. They also warn the group, they’re going to desert them if things get hairy. They negotiate over dinner. The boys want most of the goods from the Skullf*cker’s camp (except for the med and rad kits). Driver saw the UFO land, attack the bunker, take off, attack the biker camp, and then return with captives. The party can safely rest for the night in the trailer.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
THE BURNING SANDS--A Mutant Future Scenario Part 2
THE BURNING SANDS
A Mutant Future scenario
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Index
THE ORGANS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Organ_Mountains.jpg
The Setup
The mountains to the east of Crossroads that needs to be crossed to get to the Burning Sands. It is a shunned and wild area. The one pass over the mountains is ruled by a clan of Hawkmen (Accipitoids).
As soon as the group starts up the rough, unmaintained road to the pass, a squadron of Hawkmen descend upon them. This is not unexpected. The Hawkmen challenge anyone enter the mountain range.
They inform the group that the pass is closed. The reason is that a giant mutant has taken it over. He is apparently a new ally of the Feeders who dwell under the mountain and whom contest with the Hawkmen for the caves. After several skirmishes, the Hawkmen have been forced to withdraw. With their more technologically advanced weapons, the rangers might have a better chance. Would the rangers be willing to drive out the giant in exchange for the right of free passage in the mountains for the group and an artifact from the Hawkmen? The group is given a Hawkman guide, Bill.
Squiggy’s Grove:
The trail leads straight up to bent gnarled grove of trees and the maw of a large, dark cave. The bodies of several Hawkmen are hung up in the trees by their wings. A cougar is immediately noticeable on the scene dragging a corpse off into the bushes. The cougar watches the party for a moment before continuing on.
A little voice suddenly chirps up, “Hey, look out!” An acorn flies out of a tree and into the bushes behind the party. Immediately, a Giant Rattler snake rears up and hisses. The group will have a free round to act on it. Any hit will drive it off. A little humanoid squirrel (Scuirinoid) will then leap out into the clearing. “Well, this group looks a little more promising. I’m Squiggy. “After I drew the little acorn, my clan (spits) has volunteered my services for this exciting suicide mission. I was bored living anyway.” Bill, somewhat apprehensively, will vouch for the Scuirinoids. Squiggy will tell what he knows, “Okay, bruiser’s in the cave with his little toadies. Alright geniuses, what’s the plan?”
The Bat Cave:
Guano fills the cave floor in a sticky, smelly, disgusting ooze. Four Feeders attack from shadows. First, they stir up the Bats on the ceiling. They are just a nuisance (successful attack only stuns for a round). They only stay for a round. Next, a Giant Bat drops and attacks. At the same time, the Feeder will start sniping with bows and arrows, fleeing if two are killed.
David and Goliath:
Goliath (mutant with blinding eye blast ability) comes out after the Feeders are dealt with. The party will smell him well before he’s visible. The party has woken him up from his nap and he’s grumpy, and hungry. “Somebody a comin’ for dinner?”
Their camp is a nasty collection of bones, bodies, and animal skins with nothing of value. Bill suggests burning it.
Party Down:
Hawkmen throw a party that night. The group is given a laser rifle. All it needs a new battery. The Hawkmen saw the UFO go over the mountains. The group can continue on safely in the morning.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
THE BURNING SANDS--A Mutant Future Scenario Part 1
goblinoidgames.com/mutantfuture.html
[I downloaded the free Mutant Future (nee Gamma World) game a few years ago and compulsively wrote up an adventure for it. All of the monster stats mentioned are listed in the rules book. The adventure is based on the area around my hometown of Las Cruces and White Sands National Monument.]
THE BURNING SANDS
A Mutant Future scenario
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Overview
The PC’s are group of wasteland rangers that are investigating a UFO that made a fly-by of their hometown, Crossroads. Rumors indicate that it may have landed in a nearby desert region. The trail leads them over a small mountain range and an encounter with a large mutant guarding the pass.
On the other side of the range lies a vast, inhospitable sea of white sand. Little can survive in this region and what does is generally very hostile. The largest intelligent community in the area is a clan of mutant biker thugs, however their settlement is nearly deserted and in ruins from a recent attack. The mutants were taken captive by the UFO.
The trail finally leads to a nondescript looking set of ruins, which in actuality cover the entrance to a sealed underground vault. Here are the UFO, it’s alien crew, and their enslaved mutants workers. The aliens have broken into the top level of the vault with their slaves and are now trying to get inside the lower level.
The bunker was guarding the entrance to a massive, self-contained underworld, now populated by carnivorous mutants and overseen by an insane computer. The computer itself could be incredibly valuable if salvaged. Of course, it doesn’t want to be taken and is willing to destroy the entire geo-front to prevent it.
The Characters and Their Setting
Crossroads is a fairly strong, thriving, diverse community. It is mostly devoted to agriculture, but has some small manufacturing capabilities, as well as some familiarity with advanced technology. The town militia uses firearms and is able make ammunition for them. Travel is mostly by horse and wagon, but the authorities have a small fleet of hover vehicles and alcohol-fueled trucks. Crossroads is governed by an elected town council of 11. They choose a Speaker, who moderates their activities and only votes to break a tie.
Crossroads was not directly hit during the Apocalypse, but the Paso ruins due south and the Burning Sands area to the east, both were. As a result, these areas are nearly uninhabited from radioactivity. Short-term exposure to these areas (about a week) will not cause permanent damage, except in certain high rad hot spots. The Organs are a small mountain chain that divides Crossroads from the Burning Sands. The area is ruled by group of hawkman mutants, who control the pass and allow passage for a fee.
The character group is a unit of rangers that patrol, bounty hunt, and explore the surrounding wastelands. The rangers are a fraternal order, which carefully chooses its members. They are highly motivated, self-reliant individuals with a desire to protect the innocent and serve justice and order. (Not that the occasional clever, self-serving rouge doesn’t slip in.) The players should choose a name for their unit after creating their characters, along with their characters’ and unit’s backstory if they wish.
They are semi-autonomous from the local authorities. They work for them, but choose their own missions. The group is given access to firearms, ammunition, and hovercyle mounts, so long as they are operating in the public interest. Rangers have first salvage rights to artifacts found in the wasteland, but are required to report and possibly surrender said items in return for compensation. Indeed, guarding and returning these artifacts to town is one of their prime functions.
All ranger characters start with a melee weapon, a firearm and ammunition, and a hovercycle. The quality of the weapons should balance the characters who do not have a helpful mutation or some other special ability. Helpful gear may also be given out for balance purposes. Rangers also typically carry five days rations on missions, but are expected to be able to live off the land.
They have all seen the UFO fly over the mountains. The rumor of a nearby landing reached town two days later.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Pulp Fantasy Core RPG Adventure--Best Left Buried-NPC's and Monsters
PULP FANTASY CORE
(c) Jerry Harris, 2012
Published here as Open Game Content.
Pulp Fantasy Core Index
Adventure Index
Bluto (Ogre)
AC: 12, no armor
HD: 4
HP: 29
Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +1
Fist Attack: +8 to hit, 2d6 + 4 damage
Also likes to Grapple
Bluto is 9ft tall and dressed in an ill-fitting Zoot suit, complete with a fedora. He also wears a neck ring with a chain attached. Fritz is usually holding the other end, until he orders Bluto to action. Afterward, Bluto returns and will hand the chain back to Fritz. He is non-verbal and seems to take little pleasure in taking orders.
Fritz (3rd level Wizard)
AC: 16, +2 Magic protection ring
HD: 3
HP: 24
Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +3
.38 Pistol: +5 to hit, 2d4 damage
Spells: DC 13, +5 Spell Check
Magic Missile 1d4 +3 (To cast +5 DC 13, Ref Sv DC 14)
Expeditious Retreat: Speed increased by 30 ft, 3 turns (To cast +5, DC 13)
Hold Portal: Holds door shut, 3 turns (To cast + 5, DC 13)
Magic Weapon: Weapon gains +1 bonus. Encounter.
Fireball Wand: 1d6 + 2 level fire damage, 20-ft. radius. RS ½ dam. 24 Charges, Activation word, “Maria.”
Teleportation Smoke Bomb: Instantly transports user and anyone touched, up to 1 mile away. Has four.
Fritz is German and always impeccably dressed in a fine, black Italian cut suit. He and his sister, Maria, were in a gypsy clan facing persecution in Germany until they were smuggled out of the country to the US. Their mother was a witch of considerable power and passed along the power and knowledge to her children. Fritz fell in a bad crowd and has joined the Magic Mob, thanks to his magic skills. He is currently a lieutenant in the organization.
Mob Goons (1st level Muscle: Mel, Wes, Tick)
AC: 11, no armor
HD: 1
HP: 10
Fort +2, Ref 0, Will 0
Brawl: +1 to hit, 1d3 + 1 damage
2 x Tommy Gunners +1 to hit, 2d8 damage, burst x 1d4
1 x Shotgun +1 to hit, 2d10 damage, 2 shots, spray
Skeletons
AC: 13, no armor
HD: 1
HP: 6
Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +2
Claw Attack: +1 to hit, 1d4 + 1 damage
Zombies
AC: 11, no armor
HD: 2
HP: 16
Fort +0, Ref -1, Will +3
Fist Attack: +2 to hit, 1d6 + 1 damage
Swarm: If two or more zombie hit the same person in the same rd, the person is considered pinned, DC 12 Str check to break.
Bite: If person is pinned, zombies bite, automatic hit, 1d4 damage
Always attack last in rd.
Digger (5th level Wizard)
AC: 14, +2 Magic Cloak (Indian design), invulnerable to non-magical weapons, can turn wearer invisible at will (cannot attack while invisible). Phobia over being set on fire. Magical fire causes damage as usual. Normal fire causes no damage. However, either will send Digger into a panic, and he will be helpless for the next rd as he tries to put it out.
HD: 5
HP: 30
Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +6
+ 2 Magic Shovel: +5 to hit, 1d10 damage + stun 1 rd, bodies buried with shovel rise the next day as zombies under command of the wielder.
Magic Missile 1d4 +3 (To cast +7 DC 13, Ref Sv DC 15)
Shield: Invisible disc gives + 4 to AC, blocks magic missiles. Encounter, (To cast +7 DC 13)
Charm Person: Makes one person your friend. 5 turns. (To cast +7 DC 13, Will Sv DC 15)
Mirror Image: Creates decoy duplicates of you (1d4 + 3 level). Last until touched or successfully attacked or Encounter/turn. (To cast +7 DC 14)
Scare: Panics targeted creatures of less than 6 HD. All in immediate area. 5 turns (To cast +7 DC 14, Will Sv DC 15)
Fireball: 1d6 + 3 fire damage, 20-ft. radius. (To cast +7 DC 15, Ref Sv 15 ½ dam)
Okay, enough Fantasy Core and Pulp Fantasy Core for a minute. Next up, a Mutant Future scenario.
(c) Jerry Harris, 2012
Published here as Open Game Content.
Pulp Fantasy Core Index
Adventure Index
Bluto (Ogre)
AC: 12, no armor
HD: 4
HP: 29
Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +1
Fist Attack: +8 to hit, 2d6 + 4 damage
Also likes to Grapple
Bluto is 9ft tall and dressed in an ill-fitting Zoot suit, complete with a fedora. He also wears a neck ring with a chain attached. Fritz is usually holding the other end, until he orders Bluto to action. Afterward, Bluto returns and will hand the chain back to Fritz. He is non-verbal and seems to take little pleasure in taking orders.
Fritz (3rd level Wizard)
AC: 16, +2 Magic protection ring
HD: 3
HP: 24
Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +3
.38 Pistol: +5 to hit, 2d4 damage
Spells: DC 13, +5 Spell Check
Magic Missile 1d4 +3 (To cast +5 DC 13, Ref Sv DC 14)
Expeditious Retreat: Speed increased by 30 ft, 3 turns (To cast +5, DC 13)
Hold Portal: Holds door shut, 3 turns (To cast + 5, DC 13)
Magic Weapon: Weapon gains +1 bonus. Encounter.
Fireball Wand: 1d6 + 2 level fire damage, 20-ft. radius. RS ½ dam. 24 Charges, Activation word, “Maria.”
Teleportation Smoke Bomb: Instantly transports user and anyone touched, up to 1 mile away. Has four.
Fritz is German and always impeccably dressed in a fine, black Italian cut suit. He and his sister, Maria, were in a gypsy clan facing persecution in Germany until they were smuggled out of the country to the US. Their mother was a witch of considerable power and passed along the power and knowledge to her children. Fritz fell in a bad crowd and has joined the Magic Mob, thanks to his magic skills. He is currently a lieutenant in the organization.
Mob Goons (1st level Muscle: Mel, Wes, Tick)
AC: 11, no armor
HD: 1
HP: 10
Fort +2, Ref 0, Will 0
Brawl: +1 to hit, 1d3 + 1 damage
2 x Tommy Gunners +1 to hit, 2d8 damage, burst x 1d4
1 x Shotgun +1 to hit, 2d10 damage, 2 shots, spray
Skeletons
AC: 13, no armor
HD: 1
HP: 6
Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +2
Claw Attack: +1 to hit, 1d4 + 1 damage
Zombies
AC: 11, no armor
HD: 2
HP: 16
Fort +0, Ref -1, Will +3
Fist Attack: +2 to hit, 1d6 + 1 damage
Swarm: If two or more zombie hit the same person in the same rd, the person is considered pinned, DC 12 Str check to break.
Bite: If person is pinned, zombies bite, automatic hit, 1d4 damage
Always attack last in rd.
Digger (5th level Wizard)
AC: 14, +2 Magic Cloak (Indian design), invulnerable to non-magical weapons, can turn wearer invisible at will (cannot attack while invisible). Phobia over being set on fire. Magical fire causes damage as usual. Normal fire causes no damage. However, either will send Digger into a panic, and he will be helpless for the next rd as he tries to put it out.
HD: 5
HP: 30
Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +6
+ 2 Magic Shovel: +5 to hit, 1d10 damage + stun 1 rd, bodies buried with shovel rise the next day as zombies under command of the wielder.
Magic Missile 1d4 +3 (To cast +7 DC 13, Ref Sv DC 15)
Shield: Invisible disc gives + 4 to AC, blocks magic missiles. Encounter, (To cast +7 DC 13)
Charm Person: Makes one person your friend. 5 turns. (To cast +7 DC 13, Will Sv DC 15)
Mirror Image: Creates decoy duplicates of you (1d4 + 3 level). Last until touched or successfully attacked or Encounter/turn. (To cast +7 DC 14)
Scare: Panics targeted creatures of less than 6 HD. All in immediate area. 5 turns (To cast +7 DC 14, Will Sv DC 15)
Fireball: 1d6 + 3 fire damage, 20-ft. radius. (To cast +7 DC 15, Ref Sv 15 ½ dam)
Okay, enough Fantasy Core and Pulp Fantasy Core for a minute. Next up, a Mutant Future scenario.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Pulp Fantasy Core RPG Adventure--Best Left Buried-Part 4
PULP FANTASY CORE
(c) Jerry Harris, 2012
Published here as Open Game Content.
Pulp Fantasy Core Index
Adventure Index
The Burned Bodies (1 XP)
The large passage West of the main passage contains a fairly grisly, ancient execution site. Here, warriors of Manitou’s tribe finally cornered him and after a pitch battle, subdued him. They staked out his still living body and set fire to it. His burned skeleton wears an expression of agony. There are also several other skeletons of fallen warriors littered about. None of these will reanimate as Manitou is justifiably afraid of entering this chamber. Any attempt to hold a séance (DC 12 in this case) to speak to the dead will bring up the spirit of a fallen warrior. The nameless warrior (he’s forgotten his name, it’s been so long) will not attempt any hostile actions. He can fill in any backstory about the caves. If asked about any of Manitou’s weaknesses or powers, he will mention his fear of fire.
The Gold Sarcophagus (3 XP)
It’s gold-painted, not solid gold, but it’s still very heavy. The lid is closed and the earth floor in front of the sarcophagus has been heavily disturbed. The Unexplored end of the passage has been sealed with a circular stone with hieroglyphics on it. With a proper studious reading, it could be opened into the rest the tomb. That’s not going to happen right now though.
The lid of the sarcophagus will require at least three people to move. The inside is empty of course. Digger is invisible and on the ceiling as he has heard the ruckus the party created getting there. He will attack whenever the party lets its guard down. Scare should be his opening spell choice. There are six zombies buried in front of the sarcophagus that will attack from surprise whenever Digger calls on them (perhaps not all at once). (By the way, one of them is the Sheriff.)
Digger can be defeated by killing his body with magic or magic weapons. Manitou is a different matter. A successful Exorcism attempt will force the spirit out. However, he will flee into any recently deceased (or 0 hp) body in the caves. Reanimating it, he will attack again. Jack and Sally are also possible candidates if they’re still around. All of these replacements will be vulnerable to normal attacks, but otherwise use Digger’s stats. Deprived of any more host bodies, the spirit will immediately flee into the sealed parts of the tomb, awaiting revenge. Digger will be hopelessly insane, but otherwise passive. (Add 1 XP for not actually killing Digger.)
Deeper in the Caves?
More powerful undead, such as Wights and Mummies. The library filled with magic scrolls and knowledge. Gold and artifacts most assuredly. Dangerous traps. Powerful magic items, perhaps? The Summoning chamber. Is there already a demon loose? And, of course, Manitou is lurking around.
Afterward
The rest of the caves can be explored. Manitou needs to be dealt with via a more complex exorcism ceremony. What’s already been found is quite a discovery, perhaps leading to some small fame. Of course, there’s a world of adventure out there. No reason to get tied down if you don’t want to.
(c) Jerry Harris, 2012
Published here as Open Game Content.
Pulp Fantasy Core Index
Adventure Index
The Burned Bodies (1 XP)
The large passage West of the main passage contains a fairly grisly, ancient execution site. Here, warriors of Manitou’s tribe finally cornered him and after a pitch battle, subdued him. They staked out his still living body and set fire to it. His burned skeleton wears an expression of agony. There are also several other skeletons of fallen warriors littered about. None of these will reanimate as Manitou is justifiably afraid of entering this chamber. Any attempt to hold a séance (DC 12 in this case) to speak to the dead will bring up the spirit of a fallen warrior. The nameless warrior (he’s forgotten his name, it’s been so long) will not attempt any hostile actions. He can fill in any backstory about the caves. If asked about any of Manitou’s weaknesses or powers, he will mention his fear of fire.
The Gold Sarcophagus (3 XP)
It’s gold-painted, not solid gold, but it’s still very heavy. The lid is closed and the earth floor in front of the sarcophagus has been heavily disturbed. The Unexplored end of the passage has been sealed with a circular stone with hieroglyphics on it. With a proper studious reading, it could be opened into the rest the tomb. That’s not going to happen right now though.
The lid of the sarcophagus will require at least three people to move. The inside is empty of course. Digger is invisible and on the ceiling as he has heard the ruckus the party created getting there. He will attack whenever the party lets its guard down. Scare should be his opening spell choice. There are six zombies buried in front of the sarcophagus that will attack from surprise whenever Digger calls on them (perhaps not all at once). (By the way, one of them is the Sheriff.)
Digger can be defeated by killing his body with magic or magic weapons. Manitou is a different matter. A successful Exorcism attempt will force the spirit out. However, he will flee into any recently deceased (or 0 hp) body in the caves. Reanimating it, he will attack again. Jack and Sally are also possible candidates if they’re still around. All of these replacements will be vulnerable to normal attacks, but otherwise use Digger’s stats. Deprived of any more host bodies, the spirit will immediately flee into the sealed parts of the tomb, awaiting revenge. Digger will be hopelessly insane, but otherwise passive. (Add 1 XP for not actually killing Digger.)
Deeper in the Caves?
More powerful undead, such as Wights and Mummies. The library filled with magic scrolls and knowledge. Gold and artifacts most assuredly. Dangerous traps. Powerful magic items, perhaps? The Summoning chamber. Is there already a demon loose? And, of course, Manitou is lurking around.
Afterward
The rest of the caves can be explored. Manitou needs to be dealt with via a more complex exorcism ceremony. What’s already been found is quite a discovery, perhaps leading to some small fame. Of course, there’s a world of adventure out there. No reason to get tied down if you don’t want to.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Pulp Fantasy Core RPG Adventure--Best Left Buried-Part 3
PULP FANTASY CORE
(c) Jerry Harris, 2012
Published here as Open Game Content.
Pulp Fantasy Core Index
Adventure Index
The Cave Entrance (1 XP)
There is an unnatural looking, large flat stone on a hillside another mile up the hill from the cabin. It was once covered over by a man-made landslide. The debris has since eventually worn away to re-expose the stone. It is on a hinge. When about a man-weight is placed on one end, it tips and deposits the person five feet below into a cave. The lid can be tipped (with the proper height and effort) from the inside to allow egress.
The cave leads into a narrow tunnel. There is a tripwire (DC 12 to detect), that unloads four hanging skeletons from the ceiling in front of them. They do nothing for a rd, but then attack anyone moving towards them.
The Magic Mob (2 XP)
This encounter is dependent on what happened at the shack and other factors. It’s entirely possible that the characters could have surrendered the map to the gang. The gang then simply waits for the characters to get there and let’s them go in first. The gang could instead be chasing the group there and follows them in, spoiling for a fight inside.
If the group has a hard time with the final encounter, the gang could blunder in and help take some of the heat off. (They will however, teleport off pretty quickly with any losses.) Alternately, if the group defeats Digger fairly easily, they could run right into a lethal ambush by the gang inside the cave. Try to make sure that Fritz, at least, gets away.
The Burial Crypts (2 XP)
The workers that originally built the tomb were massacred and interred in these crypts. They won’t open from the outside without some equipment, and inside there’s just a pile of bones. If left undisturbed, nothing happens past the first set of crypts, but immediately after passing the second, the crypts all open up. Five skeletons come out of the first set, four from the second, and four from the third. (Take note, there are more skeletons inside. This is just the group that initially comes out.) The problem is the narrowness of the corridor. The group is essentially blocked in. The exit is very tight, only admitting one at a time, sideways.
Once everyone is clear, the skeletons return to their crypts. They won’t attack again once Digger is dealt with.
The Statues (1 XP)
The most prominent features of this chamber are the large Egyptian style statues. You know, jackal-head, bird-head, etc. There are also a teen boy and a teen girl there. They are suspended just off the ground, bound and gagged, hanging from either of the outstretched arms of a precariously, teetering statue. Cutting the rope to free one of them, will tip over the statue and send it crashing into the other one. Either the statue must be secured first (Disarm Trap skill) or a DC 12 Reflex save to grab them out of the way (or hopefully the players will come up with something more clever). Jack and Sally are both scared out of their wits and will be unable to fight in any case. They were abducted and being held for sacrifice for Digger’s summoning ceremony. He actually told them his plans for them while tying them up.
The end of the main passage and the Unexplored Eastern passages both end in cave ins. These could be cleared in time with the proper equipment. They lead into the deeper chambers.
(c) Jerry Harris, 2012
Published here as Open Game Content.
Pulp Fantasy Core Index
Adventure Index
The Cave Entrance (1 XP)
There is an unnatural looking, large flat stone on a hillside another mile up the hill from the cabin. It was once covered over by a man-made landslide. The debris has since eventually worn away to re-expose the stone. It is on a hinge. When about a man-weight is placed on one end, it tips and deposits the person five feet below into a cave. The lid can be tipped (with the proper height and effort) from the inside to allow egress.
The cave leads into a narrow tunnel. There is a tripwire (DC 12 to detect), that unloads four hanging skeletons from the ceiling in front of them. They do nothing for a rd, but then attack anyone moving towards them.
The Magic Mob (2 XP)
This encounter is dependent on what happened at the shack and other factors. It’s entirely possible that the characters could have surrendered the map to the gang. The gang then simply waits for the characters to get there and let’s them go in first. The gang could instead be chasing the group there and follows them in, spoiling for a fight inside.
If the group has a hard time with the final encounter, the gang could blunder in and help take some of the heat off. (They will however, teleport off pretty quickly with any losses.) Alternately, if the group defeats Digger fairly easily, they could run right into a lethal ambush by the gang inside the cave. Try to make sure that Fritz, at least, gets away.
The Burial Crypts (2 XP)
The workers that originally built the tomb were massacred and interred in these crypts. They won’t open from the outside without some equipment, and inside there’s just a pile of bones. If left undisturbed, nothing happens past the first set of crypts, but immediately after passing the second, the crypts all open up. Five skeletons come out of the first set, four from the second, and four from the third. (Take note, there are more skeletons inside. This is just the group that initially comes out.) The problem is the narrowness of the corridor. The group is essentially blocked in. The exit is very tight, only admitting one at a time, sideways.
Once everyone is clear, the skeletons return to their crypts. They won’t attack again once Digger is dealt with.
The Statues (1 XP)
The most prominent features of this chamber are the large Egyptian style statues. You know, jackal-head, bird-head, etc. There are also a teen boy and a teen girl there. They are suspended just off the ground, bound and gagged, hanging from either of the outstretched arms of a precariously, teetering statue. Cutting the rope to free one of them, will tip over the statue and send it crashing into the other one. Either the statue must be secured first (Disarm Trap skill) or a DC 12 Reflex save to grab them out of the way (or hopefully the players will come up with something more clever). Jack and Sally are both scared out of their wits and will be unable to fight in any case. They were abducted and being held for sacrifice for Digger’s summoning ceremony. He actually told them his plans for them while tying them up.
The end of the main passage and the Unexplored Eastern passages both end in cave ins. These could be cleared in time with the proper equipment. They lead into the deeper chambers.
Superbowl Prediction
It's finally time for my stone-cold, lead-pipe, Tony Bruno would be so proud, total sour grapes, I hate both of these teams, this is probably the last season of the profession tackle football, LOCK of the century. Bet the rent, the mortgage, the kid's college fund, your wife/girlfriend's Valentine's gift on it.
Now usually, the more nationally popular team will win the Superbowl, but fail to cover the points spread. (Gee, I can't imagine how I came up with this theory. the Steelers. fix. .) So, the 49er's should win, delighting their multitude of fair weather fans. Simultaneously, they won't cover the 3 1/2 point spread, thus ensuring the Vegas bookies are happy.
But! Then some neanderthal, homophobe on the 49er's expressed completely unwarrented, hateful remarks on the possiblity of getting naked and showering with gay men in the locker room. To make matters worse, a very enlightened, modern man on the Ravens has used Super Week to promote gay marriage. Well, the referees have had to call an audible on their game plan. Ravens win. 49er fans will all have to take sensitivity training. And the Vegas bookies will be happy.
Oh, and the fix will be so blantant, that they'll have to lower the crowd noise on the broadcast to cover up the jeers. Meanwhile, I'll be watching Downton Abbey. You guys enjoy yourselves.
Now usually, the more nationally popular team will win the Superbowl, but fail to cover the points spread. (Gee, I can't imagine how I came up with this theory.
But! Then some neanderthal, homophobe on the 49er's expressed completely unwarrented, hateful remarks on the possiblity of getting naked and showering with gay men in the locker room. To make matters worse, a very enlightened, modern man on the Ravens has used Super Week to promote gay marriage. Well, the referees have had to call an audible on their game plan. Ravens win. 49er fans will all have to take sensitivity training. And the Vegas bookies will be happy.
Oh, and the fix will be so blantant, that they'll have to lower the crowd noise on the broadcast to cover up the jeers. Meanwhile, I'll be watching Downton Abbey. You guys enjoy yourselves.
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