5e Confessions

[I'm off Monday.  I plan on doing sports posts next week, and then posting the new setting mentioned here.]

I’ve got one last new setting (doesn’t that sound unintentionally ominous) ready to be posted.  It uses the Fantasy Core rules and has lots of monsters and NPC stats.  I’ll be putting it up shortly, but I thought I’d pause and reflect here for a moment.

Somewhere in the middle of this project, I completely lost confidence in my own rules.  I still think they’ll work reasonably well and would be fun, but over the course of stat’ing out a bunch of monsters, I started getting really frustrated.  There are certain limitations, not just with my own homebrew, but with the underlying system they’re based on, that just creak and moan with age and poor design.  These issues go straight back to the origin of the game and through every succeeding version. 

Don’t get me wrong.  The rules work well enough to provide an enjoyable time with friends and strangers, who will soon be friends, around the table.  Gygax and Arenson created a whole new genre of gaming, a highly impressive accomplishment.  That game was made from with adaptations of other games, and from drawing upon widely varied mythic sources.  It’s allowed the game to be changed to be whatever you want it to be and however you want to play it.  But there’s never been any real innovation since those original rules. There are any number of dopey conventions that gamers adhere to, not because they’re good, but out of tradition and familiarity.  D&D is like a ship with a leaky hull, still floating because of the mass of encrusted barnacles attached to it covering them.

Rules like Fantasy Core could be classified under the broad category of a “Fantasy Heartbreaker,” a D&D-like game that offers a few novel ideas, but ultimately disappoints.  I think everyone who’s really looked at D&D’s rules at least subconsciously recognizes that they’re fundamentally flawed in almost every aspect.  The mechanics are unsatisfying and unrealistic.  The milieu is a goulash that forces everything to be included.  The goals are arbitrary and self-defeating.  (The more powerful a character gets, the less fun the game gets.)  The Fantasy Heartbreaker tries to keep the inherent spirit of the game, while correcting some of these flaws.  They fail because the rules can’t be fixed.  It’s like sending reinforcements to the battlements of a sandcastle.  Maybe certain aspects can be improved, maybe not, but it doesn’t matter, if the whole initial concept has problems.

Here’s part of where 4e went wrong, in my opinion.  The rules were incompatible with the preceding versions of the game, but offered no real innovation.  It was a Fantasy Heartbreaker.  Pathfinder has been a success in the meantime, but only because they’re using 3.5 with some minor houserule adjustments.  They’ve since gone wild with supplements of the sort that have weighted down other editions.  Pathfinder is the hobbyist game with its complex layers of rules, because a newbie is going to have a steep learning curve just making their character, much less playing.    

That brings me to 5e.  I haven’t seen the rules yet.  I plan on acquiring the basic rules at some point in the near future.  (My Internet connection is through work and the WOTC site is blocked.  I’ll see if I can get them through a friend.)  I’ll consider buying the books if I’m impressed enough.  What I already know is that these rules are considered to be a “best of” mix of other versions with the addition of the new advantage/disadvantage mechanic. 

In other words, 5e is nothing really new.  The playtest was well, but cautiously, received.  The beginner box was panned instantly upon the announcement of its contents.  This grief turned to joy, as shortly thereafter, with the news of the online release of the basic rules.  I think most gamers were predisposed to being standoffish up to that point.  The new rules might have their merits, but aren’t especially better, in fact, simply a retread of familiar ground.  The free version meant you could try the rules, in large part whole, without any monetary obligation.  More importantly, these rules are now out in the wild forever, like the retroclones, so 5e is going to be around for a long while if you like it.

WOTC’s free release has been a boon to book sales.  With the basic rules being fairly simple and free, this should allow new players to be brought in easily.  New books will be brought out to expand options for continuing serious players.  But there is going to be a price to this.  5e will be last published version of D&D by WOTC. 

This version had a long development cycle, and the rules had to be given away to get gamers to try them.  Unless they intentionally put in a show-stopping broken feature, there’s not going to be a 5.5 version, much less 6e.  There’s going to be mild updates, but they’re not going to be able to change them radically.  The expectation is going to be that any rules changes are going to be put into that free version, which will have to be compatible with the books. 

WOTC will ride the high on this as long as they’re getting good sales.  But I have to think the executives have already got an exit strategy planned.  There’s no way they’re going to sit through another long development cycle/sales drought, like they did between 4e and 5e.  Gamers aren’t going to be interesting in another slightly improved nostalgic version of D&D, not five years from now, probably not even ten.  This is it.

I think WOTC is already handing out licenses to other RPG companies in preparation for this.  Right now, it’s for publishing 5e adventures.  I’d almost think they’d offer to work with Paizo again, whom they’ve worked well with before.  Paizo’s game world and adventures would surely make 5e an even bigger hit.  Perhaps that’s why they won’t.  Paizo has already proven they can do D&D better than they can.  Paizo would end up profiting off of all of WOTC’s development by simply converting their existing material and at little cost.  Again, remember the free rules and how locked in WOTC will be to those.  Their core rule book sales will taper, while Paizo 5e products could end up dominating the market. 

The real question is: What will WOTC do when 5e reaches the end of its product cycle?  Frankly, I’m hoping they consider selling the name and IP to another company to produce the traditional tabletop RPG.  Meanwhile, Hasbro (WOTC’s parent company) uses the name and IP to make other games, perhaps even a non-hobby version of the RPG (something that can be simply set up like a traditional board game, but allowing the free-form action and imagination of an RPG).  In sum, I think the RPG experience is great and it works as a hobby to tinker with, but the current legacy rules suck and need a complete makeover. 

For my part, I have a couple of other last projects in mind (though just a couple).  If I like the 5e rules, I may use those instead of Fantasy Core.  There’d probably be some dubious legitimacy in posting such an adventure here, even if I’m not selling it and there’s no advertising on the site.  It might be worth the risk anyway.  I’d still like to clean up, make a couple of changes, and make a pdf out of Fantasy Core, but with 5e being the thing, it seems like a waste of effort at the moment.  

Endless Night: Notes

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Adventure Overview Index

Endless Night Notes

This adventure was somewhat inspired by the movie, Thirteen Ghosts, which I’m not really recommending.  Great concept though, with everyone locked in a prison-like house, having to defeat the ghosts in order to escape.  Given the appalling lack of traditional ghosts in this adventure, I obviously didn’t stay very close to the source material.  

 

If you can believe it, this adventure started off being called The Haunted Dojo.  It used a pagoda map out of a Dungeon magazine.  I re-did the encounters and roughed out the adventure where the characters needed to cleanse the temple.  Every time they defeated one of the ghosts, the gong in the foyer would ring out.  Somewhere along the way, I decided I’d want to post it, so I’d need an original map.  At that point, I decided to go with a more traditional haunted house.

From there, the main inspiration was from a computer game: Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines, specifically the Oceanside Hotel encounter.  I will recommend this game.  It’s a good time.  The old haunted hotel is a unique challenge in the game.  There’s nothing fight.  It’s just a matter of finding clues and avoiding traps.  The atmosphere is awesome.  Play it at night, in the dark, you will jump.   However, this adventure was going to need some monsters to fight.   

From there, I ran through a couple of concepts.  How about the house was the residence of an occult-obsessed serial killer?  He was a mortician, who let’s say drummed up his own business at times.  He took mementoes of his victims and that’s what did him in.  He was killed by the ghosts of his 13 victims.  The house would have to be cleared of the 13, then the party could face the mortician.  Hey, that sounds good.  Why didn’t I use that?  It just fizzled for me. 

Next inspiration was Castle Amber, as mentioned at the beginning.  From there, I toyed around with the notion of a bunch of insane ghosts, family and servants.  They were all demented in some way to begin with.  Their undead existence would reflect their flaw, such as compulsive gambler, gluttonous hoarder, sex pervert, or renegade scientist.  Some of this stayed, but Undead Downton Abbey (as sure as I post this, somebody will start on the manuscript), faded into the background a bit.  I wanted ghouls, grimlocks, and gillmen fighting in the behind the scenes as bickering servant classes, but ultimately had to trim that down.

Inspired by the movie, Clue, I would have liked to have inserted a murder mystery into the house, unlocking a dark secret and the treasure.  Of course, there’d be multiple possible endings.  But in the end, it seemed a little too complex, maybe too subtle.  I thought it’d be best to stick to the action.

So, where’d the Astral Plane stuff come from?  It was definitely inspired by the Sandman comic book.  Likewise, some of the spirits are clearly super-villain inspired.  Elves and goblins fighting over the house took after several sources, like Thor and a Midsummer Night’s Dream.  A couple of quests were added.  One doesn’t just walk into a fey party after all. 

There’s a little Lovecraft here and there, though I haven’t read much of his stuff.  Carter the cat certainly came from the Dream Realms.  Lastly, the more ambitious ideas I had about portals to dream kingdoms or distant foreign kingdoms for adventure quests (a la Castle Amber again) proved too daunting for me.  I had to content myself with the psychedelic landscapes of the second floor.

There’s lessons to be learned here.  Go where your ideas take you, rather than forcing them to follow your initial impulse.  You’ll save yourself a lot of time, effort, and frustration.  Also, when you run out of ideas for adding to a project, that’s your signal that that is the project’s limit.  Again, it’ll save time and sanity.  Finally, let ideas that don’t fit fall away.  Don’t expend a bunch of effort trying to force them in.  You can always recycle them for something else.  If the adventure itself doesn’t give you some ideas, hopefully this behind-the-scenes epilogue will.  Have fun with this in whatever form you choose.

Endless Night: The Astral Graveyard

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

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The Astral Graveyard

Description: The characters appear in a foggy, nighttime, full moon, Hollywood set-like graveyard.  Of course the characters see several open graves with their names on the tombstones.  They also see graves for any of the characters lost during the adventure.  I’m sure we’re all seeing where this is heading.  Underneath a pair of large, dead trees is a short stairway leading to an ornate throne.  Upon it sits, the Goblin Queen.

Status: Wide open, like an open grave.

Inhabitants: Natasha the Goblin Queen, her two (?) pet Drakes, and some pissed off dead Characters.

Objective: Defeat the Goblin Queen’s attendants and win the gold.  Award 3 XP for this final encounter.  This counts as a major accomplishment.

Natasha sits on an elevated dais upon a highly Gothic-looking throne, attended by two small pet dragons.  “You’re here for the treasure?  I thought as much all along.  Well, you’ll have to go through them to get it.”  Crawling out of the graves are all of the dead and reserve characters from the adventure.  Natasha motions to her dragons to join the fight, and it’s on.

It’s impossible to know what the character party’s composition is by this point in the adventure.  There should be at least four.  Use a 5 HD Elven, Goblin, Gillman, or Ghoul hero to round out the group, if needed.  Adjust the number of dead character opponents (or even Drakes) so that the party isn’t outnumbered by more than double.

This fight will probably get confusing, since you’ll be running a party of characters instead of monsters.  Given that the dead characters are dead, I wouldn’t play them terribly smartly, the Drakes as well.  (Natasha will not want her pets fighting to the death, at less than 10 hp they fly off at her command).  But, you should know your group pretty well by now and what they’re capable of, even playing the wrong characters.  (Certainly, the players will be highly motivated to beat you in this encounter, and possibly physically afterward.)  You might want any additional characters killed here to join the fight on the other side, or not.  I also have the dead Characters having only ½ their hp to move things along quicker, but go full if you think it’s necessary (but make the decision before the fight starts).

Natasha will not join the fight.  (The group is no match for her at this point in their lives.)  She’ll only applaud or taunt the characters and their actions.  If she’s attacked, in the unlikely event she’s hit and takes damage, she’ll simply fire a Magic Missile at the offender in a huff, “How dare you!  You miserable worm!”  No, the only way to win this is to kill off the dead Characters and Drakes.  

Goblin Queen Natasha

10^th level Wizard, Hp 60, AC 20 (+2 Protection Ring, Permanent Shield spell, blocks any Magic Missiles), Permanent Reflection Spell (see below),

Enhanced Init +4

Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +11

Melee: Does not engage in melee

Ranged: Natasha owns an assortment of magic wands, none of which come into play here.

Reflection Spell (Unique spell): Any hit (melee, ranged, magic) that does not roll at least a natural 16 and up is reflected back on the attacker.  

Spellcheck +9 to cast, DC 17 Save Against, 3 failures per turn/encounter

Has a full assortment of powerful, high-level spells, but will only be using this one in the encounter.

1^st level, DC 13

Magic Missile: 13 impact damage + Knocked down. (Ref Sv all damage) Short range.

Dead Characters

All stats and weapons the same, but half their hp.

Drake (Brutus, Butch)

HD 7 (d12), Hp 59, AC 18 (natural)

Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +6

Melee: Talon +10 to hit 2d6+4 and bite +10 to hit 2d8+4

Ranged: Fire Blast 3d6 fire damage + 1d6 continuing until extinguished, DC 12 Ref Sv ½ damage, once per encounter

Can Fly

Afterward

Natasha applauds the remaining characters, “Well played.”  She snaps her fingers and suddenly a pile of riches appears before them, “Your reward.”  Suddenly, the group reappears in the real world, at the house entrance, with the treasure.  (And bodies switched back.)  There’s 100K in gold (coins or bars) and another 100k in gems and jewels.  Also of this is in 20 wooden boxes and chests.  If any of the residents from the house joined the party, they take their cut, and disappear back into the Astral Plane. 

Fairy gold always comes with complications.  If this is part of an on-going campaign, the first problem is going to be how to move this very heavy stash and where to.  From there, there’s no telling who’s going to suddenly be after them for the treasure.  Earthly Goblins and Elves are likely candidates.  Somebody is also probably going to notice the characters moving a bunch of stuff out of the house.  That’ll cause rumors around town.  Until the characters figure out how to spend this wad, they should be in constant jeopardy of losing it and living very nervous lives.

If not part of a campaign, as soon as the group’s made an initial count of the booty, suddenly Natasha appears.  Leaning over the pile of gold and stroking it, she purrs, “I’ve got a proposition for another adventure.  How about double or nothing?”  And you’ve got your hook for a follow up adventure. 

Endless Night: Master Bathroom

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Adventure Overview Index

Second Floor Index

The Master’s Bathroom

Description: Again, it’s a nice bathroom.  Nothing special, though I’d certainly like to have a showplace bathroom myself.  Of more importance, there’s a tall, pale fellow, dressed in a black robe inside, holding and petting Carter the cat.

Status: The door opens when the group completes the Elvish Trial.

Inhabitants: The Sandman himself and Carter the cat.

Objective: Receive an explanation of sorts for Azimuth House.  The door to the treasure opens.

Carter’s Introduction: After the trial, the characters see Carter again.  He runs off into this bathroom.

“Greetings,” says the inherently mysterious figure, “I am the Lord of Dreams, the Sandman.  I rule the Astral Plane, where you have been all this time.”  From here, the Sandman tells the group about the house’s existence in both the real and unreal world and how he needed help in fixing things.  He’ll describe how he lead the group here (providing details to explain events in an on-going campaign).  The Sandman will take some questions (Carter may even answer instead), but he won’t put up with any crap from the characters.  (Seriously, you don’t want to mess with the Lord of Dreams in his own domain.  If the group wants revenge, they’ll have to lure him into the real world first, and that’s a whole another adventure.)

At any mention of the treasure, he says, “As you’ve done me a favor by cleaning up this mess, I shall do one for you.”  He points out the bathroom door and into the now open Mistresses’ Bathroom door.  “I have opened up a portal to the house’s treasure.  I believe you’ve already met the owner.  Good luck and farewell.”  The Sandman suddenly adds one last item, “Oh, there may be some, temporary disruption to yourselves in transit.”  Then he and Carter disappear.  “Meow.” 

The Mistresses’ Bathroom

Description: Another pretty bathroom.  This one’s girly and smells nice.  This is just a transit area. 

Status: The door opens at the Sandman’s direction.

Inhabitants: No one’s in the bathroom. 

Objective: Activate the portal.

There is a large mirror in the Ladies Bathroom.  It is fogged over, though there’s no steam or heat in the room.  If the mirror is cleaned off, it reflects, but the characters do not appear in the image.  Suddenly they notice they are on the other side of the mirror looking at themselves.  The mirror images can’t see them and are completely confused. 

If this adventure hasn’t pissed off the players yet, here’s where they’ll officially hate you.  This is the final trick the house plays on the characters (go ahead and tell the players this if they threaten to leave).  Collect all of the character sheets and then redistribute them to different players.  You may choose to tell them to pass them to person to their right, or you can personally decide who gets who, based upon the inappropriateness of the character to the person. 

Say, “All of you no longer quite feel like yourselves.  In fact, you are all now seeing yourselves through another party member’s eyes.”

Endless Night: The Master Bedroom (The Elvish Trial)

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Adventure Overview Index

Second Floor Index

The Master Bedroom (The Elvish Trial)

Description: Elegant and opulent.  The enormous canopied bed dominates the room with a large trunk sitting in front of it.  There are dressers, a small sitting area for light reading before bed on his side, and a chair and sewing table on hers.  On either side of the room are walk-in closets/dressing rooms, with their doors opened.  Lots of nice clothes inside.  There are also closed doors to the His and Hers bathrooms. 

None of this matters.  As soon as the party enters, they’re transported elsewhere.   

Status: The double doors are locked.  They cannot be entered until the characters clear out all of the other rooms on the floor.  The doors will then stand open.

Inhabitants: None in the room itself.

Objective: Here the characters face the music for crossing the Elves.  They must face a trial by combat against Prince Alex.  Award 2 XP.

Carter’s Introduction: After the characters clear out all of the rooms, they will see the cat running by.  He’ll lead them to the open doors of the Master Bedroom and then disappear out of sight.

The Master Bedroom immediately fades from view and is replaced with a large open arena.  The seats are all filled with Elves calling out for vengeance against the group.  Don’t bother with trying to escape or attacking the crowd.  The arena is magically shielded against such intrusions.

From the royal box, Queen Elaine rises and addresses the group, “You are accused of crimes against the Seelie Court of the Astral Plane.  Your actions have damaged our abode.  By unanimous consent of our people, it has been decided that you mortal interlopers shall face a trial by combat.  You shall combat our chosen champion, Prince Alex.  Your valor and skill will decide your fate.”

Alex’s tactics are listed with his stats.  He’s a powerful wizard and fighter.  Play him as smart as possible.  Decide on what order the characters need to be taken out and always finish off anybody seriously wounded.  The characters will have the advantage in numbers, and, while max’ed out on hp, he’s still low compared to the entire group.  It’s seriously possible that Alex could kill off the entire group, so you might want to leave a sole survivor as an Elvish warning.  The remaining replacements will appear in the Master Bedroom afterward, and the players can carry on from there, suitably chastened. 

At 5 or less hp, Alex will yield.  (If killed, the trial is immediately ended as Elvish healers will rush to treat Alex.)  Queen Elaine will announce that they have passed the trial and that the Elves have no further quarrel with the group.  With a wave of her hand, surviving group members are completely healed.  Like a dream, the arena fades, and the group is returned to the Master Bedroom.  Any replacement characters needed will already be there waiting. 

Prince Alex

8^th level Arcane Ranger/Wizard, Hp 48, AC 17 (Elvish chain mail suit),

Enhanced Init +3

Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +6

(Immunity to sleep spells and effects, ghoul paralysis, and a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects.)

Melee: +2 Magic Rapier (Slasher) +13 to hit 1d6+5

Ranged: +3 Magic Longbow (Striker) +14 to hit 1d8+7

Spellcheck +8 to cast, DC 16 Save Against, 3 Failures/encounter

4TH-LEVEL SPELLS (DC 16 to cast)

Invisibility, Greater: As invisibility, but subject can attack and stay invisible.  0 Bonuses to hit by melee or ranged, +4 Saving Throws vs spells, disrupted by any hit.  Encounter.

Ice Blast: Hail deals 20 freezing damage + Stun 1 rd + dropped to last in Initiative. (Ref Sv ½ damage) Medium range.

Wall of Fire: 20 fire damage + 1d8 continuing damage until extinguished out to 10 ft. and 1d6 out to 20 ft. Passing through wall deals x2 damage. Lasts 4 rds. (Ref Sv ½ damage to avoid initial appearance.) Short range. Note that this spell does have the capacity to set off flammable objects in the area and go out of control quickly.

Wall of Ice: Ice plane creates wall with 23 hp or hemisphere can trap creatures inside. (Ref Sv to avoid being trapped.  Can batter their way out.) Short range.

3RD-LEVEL SPELLS (DC 15 to cast)

Fly: Subject flies at speed of 60 ft./rd, disrupted by any hit.

Lightning Bolt: 18 electrical damage + Stun 1 rd + Knocked Down. (Ref Sv ½ damage) Medium range.

2ND-LEVEL SPELLS (DC 14 to cast)

Acid Arrow: 16 acid damage + -1 to non-Dex bonus AC. (Ref Sv all damage) Short range.

1ST-LEVEL SPELLS (DC 13 to cast)

Shield: Invisible disc gives + 4 to AC, blocks magic missiles. Encounter.

Magic Missile: 12 impact damage + Knocked down. (Ref Sv all damage) Short range.

Alex will attempt to become invisible and then take flight after the introduction.  He’ll attempt to “bomb” the group with airborne arrow attacks.  On the first hit, Alex loses his invisibility, on the next, he drops to the ground.  From there, he’ll use his spells, using Wall of Fire and Wall of Ice to separate group members.  He’ll use the rest of the spells, starting with the most powerful.  Shield would only be used if a Wizard successfully casts a Magic Missile at him.  If he’s down to his last spellcasting failure, he’ll just use Magic Missiles.  Finally, Alex engages in melee with his rapier.  

Endless Night: The Tower Observatory

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Adventure Overview Index

Second Floor Index

The Observatory

Description: Climbing up the pull-down ladder, the first character up will see a messy, steam-punkish lab, along with an overhead dome and a large telescope.  The dome is currently slit open, revealing nighttime stars outside.  Blocked from view, the sounds of incomprehensible chattering can be heard.

Status: There’s no door.  The ladder can only accommodate one person at a time.  The characters will be screened from viewing all of the lab upon entry (but they are also screened from the occupants).

Inhabitants: Four creepy Squidheads and their Robot

Objective:  Defeat the Squidheads and restore Copernicus’ brain to his body.  The characters all gain 2 XP.  They also gain the Brain Lashers’ blaster guns.  (after they learn to use them). 

Carter’s Introduction: “Meow.  Professor Copernicus Creighton always looked up at the stars.  He wondered what was out there and cried out to them every night.  One night, they answered him.  Their reply drove him mad.  Meow.”

What happened to Copernicus is up for debate, but we’ll never know.  The reality of it is that there are four squid-headed aliens from the Astral Plane in his observatory.  Copernicus’ body is lying on the floor with his skull chopped open and his brain removed.  Currently, said brain is residing inside the clear top dome of a large crude robot that the aliens are working on.  The robot is not finished yet.

With a DC 12 Stealth check, a character can spy the rest of the layout and the inhabitants.  The character will hear a whispering voice in their head, “Put my brain back.”  If the characters are undetected, the Squidheads suddenly stop working.  They stand in a circle, hold up their hands, and start emitting a loud hum.  A careful character will be able to sneak around them with a DC 12 Stealth check each rd.  Trying to get the brain out by stealth will require two Stealth checks and a DC 12 Climb check to get across the room and climb up robot, pop the dome (simple latch), and grab the brain.

If the brain is taken out, the aliens will suddenly be aware of the characters’ presence and attack, wanting to get the brain back.  (They can use minor telekinesis to re-insert it.)  Under this scenario, the robot never activates.  Otherwise, as soon as the aliens detect the characters, three of them will attack, while the fourth mentally controls the robot.  The robot will only work with them controlling it.  Busting the clear dome on top will also shutdown the robot.  The first Squidhead death causes a DC 12 Will Sv to the rest.  Failing it, they teleport away.  Each death after that is a DC 18 Will Sv.

If the brain is put back into Copernicus’ skull, it will immediately disintegrate.  The grandfather clock chimes again.  If somebody wants to look through the telescope, it’s a DC 18 Will Sv.  Failing it, they go hopelessly insane and attack the rest of the party, before running off (to reappear in the last act).  Activate a replacement.  Success, the character gains +2 to their Will Sv and +1 to their Spellcheck, if appropriate.       

Searching the observatory, if this adventure is part of an on-going campaign, this would be a good place to find a journal detailing various planets that Copernicus saw in his dreams.  There should be a map to a place that would possibly allow transport to these places. 

Squidheads (4)

HD 4, Hp 16, AC 14 (natural), Enhanced Init +3

Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +6

Melee: None 

Ranged: Blaster +4 to hit 2d12 single shot, DC 12 Ref Sv ½ damage

Counts as a magic weapon, DC 12 Int check to figure out how to use (uses one charge to test, fail take ½ damage), has 1d4 x 5 charges

Mind blast DC 12 Will Sv or Stun 1 rd, Anyone failing that save, next rd DC 18 Will Sv or controlled for 1d4 rds.  Lasher may not attack while controlling, any hit will disrupt their control.

(The Squidheads will usually try to Mind Blast and control opponents first, using their Blasters on anyone who is able to resist.)

Robot

HD 9, Hp 65, AC 18* (armored, Magic to hit), Always last in Init

Brain dome AC 12 (Called Shot DC 12), Hp 10  

Fort +10, Ref +0, Will +0

Melee: 2 Shock Tentacle attacks +9 to hit 1d6 + DC 18 Fort Sv or stun 1d4 rds

Ranged: Not yet installed, thankfully

Endless Night: The Study (The Oriental Room)

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Adventure Overview Index

Second Floor Index

 The Oriental Room (or The Study)

Description: This was once the Azimuth House Study, a quiet room for work and reading.  It was later transformed into something of a pleasure den.  The whole room is filled with a thin fog from Opium smoke.  In one corner (across from the chair), there’s a sling hanging from the ceiling, along a rack full of whips, restraints, and other S&M implements.  Next to the comfy chair is a hookah pipe.  There are corpses of the characters lying around it.  All dead, but with smiles on their faces.

Status: The door is closed, but unlocked.  There’s a strange-smelling fog rolling out from under the door.

Inhabitants: Octavius Creighton and 2 Succubi

Objective: Defeat Octavius and his Succubus girls.  Award 2 XP. 

Carter’s Introduction: “Meow.  Doctor Octavius Creighton returned from the Orient rich from the Opium Trade.  He also returned with a nasty addiction and a nastier collection of sexually transmitted diseases from frequenting the whorehouses too often.  However, when one pleasures the geishas at the House of the Blue Oni, your taint is not only permanent, but demonic.  Meow.”

Entering the room, all of the characters must make a DC 12 Fort Sv from the effects of the opium fog.  Failing the save, the character is disoriented and stunned until they make the save.  After making the save, the spell-using characters gain +1 to their Spellcheck, and everyone gains +1 to their Will Sv.

The girls, a pair of very attractive Succubi, will make their appearance out of the dark fog and present the good doctor.  Octavius looks reasonably normal, if bookish with his Coke bottle glasses, until he suddenly displays four tentacles coming out of his torso.  There’s no subtly to this, they just want to drain the life out of the characters.  The fog disappears after they are defeated (and the grandfather clock chimes), revealing the chain to bring down the ladder to the Observatory.

Octavius Creighton (Mutated Vampire Spawn)

HD 4 (d12), Hp 29, AC 15* (natural, Magic or silver to hit), Enhanced Init +4

Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +5

Melee: Tentacle Slam x 4 +5 to hit 1d6+4 + Energy Drain, DC 18 Will Sv or 1d4 negative hp (only one energy drain per opponent, regardless of how many tentacles hit)

If two tentacles hit the same opponent in one rd, they are grappled.  DC 18 Str or Escape Artist check to get loose, otherwise automatic Energy Drain possibility.  Octavius will let go if successfully hit, or he kills the victim.

Succubus (Ariel and Belle)

HD 6, Hp 33, AC 16* (natural, Magic or silver to hit), Enhanced Init +3

Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +7

Melee: Claw +6 to hit, 1d6+1 + Energy Drain DC 12 Will Sv or 1d4 negative hp + Stun 1 rd

Soul-Draining Kiss: Energy Drain used on victims unable to actively resist (tied up, stunned, etc).  DC 18 Will Sv or 1d10 negative hp + Stun 1 rd.  Both victim and Succubus are helpless during the act.       

Has ethereal wings and is capable of flight.

Endless Night: The Abyss

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Adventure Overview Index

Second Floor Index

The Abyss Room

Description: This room has been nearly completely destroyed by fire damage.  The walls, floor, and furniture are all ruined.  On one unburned patch of wall are crude fingerpaintings representing the characters.  There are bodies (also the characters) hanging up in the rafters 10’ above, dangling at the end of nooses.

Status: The door is closed, but unlocked.  The door and the doorknob are radiating noticeable heat.

Inhabitants: It’s just the characters and a bit of a warm spell.

Objective: Find the Good Luck Charm before everyone dies of the heat.  Award 1 XP to all of the characters.  The Charm allows every failed Saving Throw to be rerolled.  (Ironically, it obviously didn’t help the victim.)

Carter’s Introduction: “Meow.  The family doesn’t like to talk about what happened in this room.  Meow.”

Upon entering the room, all of the characters must make a DC 12 Fort Sv, failing which causes 1d6 burning damage.  Each rd, they must continue to save, but increase the DC by 1 every rd up to DC 18 and the damage by +1, up to +6.  The door will also be locked behind the characters.  Touching the knob immediately causes 1 hp of burn damage. 

A disembodied female voice will call out, wanting her good luck charm found.  It’s on one of the hanging bodies.  Determine which body has the charm.  First, the characters will have to figure out how to get them down.  It’s a small item, roll a DC 18 Find check to locate it.  (The character with the highest Find ability can roll with +1 for everyone with +1 Int or better helping.  Or, the characters can all search separately, making separate rolls.)  After the finding it, the grandfather clock chimes, the heat ceases, and the door opens.   

Endless Night: The Nursery

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

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Second Floor Index

The Nursery

Description: It’s a happy-looking room, brightly colored and filled with stuffed animals, wooden toys, a puppet theater, a doll house, and a troop of toy soldiers.  There’s also a small daybed and bathroom. 

Status: The door is closed, but not locked.  There characters can hear the sounds of the children playing inside, which ceases as soon as the door is opened.

Inhabitants: Just the toys, but they’re haunted.

Objective: Be clever in the Puppet Theater and defeat the toy soldiers in the Dollhouse.  The characters will all gain +1 to their Int or Wis Bonuses (only increase up to +4) along with +1 to their BAB (which will be small consolation for the humiliation).  Award 1 XP.

Carter’s Introduction: “Meow.  Here generations of Creightons played as children.  They left their toys behind.  Meow.”

Upon entering the room the characters have to make a DC 12 Will Sv.  Those failing it, get turned into toy soldiers in the Dollhouse.  Those making it, end up as puppets in the Puppet Theater.  Both encounters need to be defeated for the grandfather clock to chime and for the characters to be returned to normal.    

The Dollhouse 

Which by amazing coincidence, looks just like Azimuth House.  The characters appear in the Entrance.  The doors are open and they can see a troop of 10 Toy Soldiers bearing either crossbows and swords or muskets with bayonets (AC 10, Hp 1, BAB +5, damage 1).  The characters now, toy soldiers, have these stats: AC 10, Hp 1, their weapons are now either crossbow and sword or musket with bayonet (depending on the characters’ era), damage is 1 with one attack per rd.  They have no other gear, spells, or special abilities, though the other stats stay the same.  The players can pick whatever strategy they want to deal with them.  It’ll take them 2 rds to reach the doors, and they’ll be shooting all the way.

(Anyone trying to rules lawyer their way through this, and not in a clever way, should get special attention, like everyone shooting at them first.)

The goal is to take out the troop.  Any character killed out (or if this encounter is completed) gets knocked into the Puppet Theater, or if not available, is put into stasis 1 rd, then put back at the Dollhouse Entrance to continue fighting the Toy Soldiers. 

The Puppet Theater

Here’s how this works.  The characters are now hand puppets inside the puppet theater.  On either side of them appears Punch and Judy puppets.  One of the puppets will then say one of the lines below.  (Feel free to make up your own statements that might be more appropriate to your group, more or less following this format.) 

When the puppet says, “Blank,” cue The Match Game music.  The players are expected to fill in that blank with something amusing (to the Ref) within about 30 seconds.  If they fail up come up with anything or nothing funny.  Punch and Judy attack. 

 “Hey, Punch.  I’m taking a vacation in the Barrier Peaks.  Should I pack my Blank?”

“Hey, Judy.  The Keep on the Borderlands is hiring.  Should I apply as a Blank?”

“Hey, Punch.  I hear Tiamat’s a prostitute now.  With five heads, I wonder if she’ll Blank?”

“Hey, Judy.  I have a date with Acererak.  I wonder if ‘Tomb of Horrors’ refers to his Blank?” 

“Hey, Punch.  I changed my alignment.  I was Chaotic Evil, but now I’m Blank?”

(Okay, if the players can’t come up with something for this one or after five tries, just go ahead and fight it out.)

Punch and Judy have these stats: AC 11, Hp 5, BAB +5, Club damage 1.  The characters’ stats are AC 10, Hp 1, Club damage 1, and the rest as above.  Any character killed out (or if the encounter is completed) reappears in the Dollhouse, or if not available, is put into stasis 1 rd, then put back in the Theater to continue the torment.  

Endless Night: The Voodoo Room

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

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Second Floor Index

The Voodoo Room

Description: It’s a jungle in there, literally.  The characters are confronted with dense undergrowth right at the door.  They’ll have to hack their way through it.  Eventually, they’ll see a clearing and a ramshackle shack.  There are more zombie versions of themselves stumbling around outside.    

Status: The door is closed, but not locked.  Jungle noises can be heard inside.

Inhabitants: Zombie Wizard, Royale Creighton, and Zombie versions of the characters. 

Objective: Defeat Royale and the zombie characters.  The characters all gain 2 XP.  There are also 6 rejuvenation vials to be recovered.

Carter’s Introduction: “Meow.  Royale Creighton made his fortune in the tropics, harvesting cash crops on the backs of a multitude of slaves.  He thought them less than human, but was endlessly fascinated by their bizarre religious practices and fetish-driven magic.  He was only ever a novice at the practice, never entirely sure if his voodoo death rites would successfully raise him from the dead.  Now we know.  Meow.”

Zombies make for lousy guards.  The characters are free to plan whatever they want.  Anyone with the Stealth skill won’t even need to roll to get past them (DC 12 anyone else).  It is a one wooden room shack with an open window.  Again, with the Stealth skill, a character can peek inside and see Royale brewing up his rejuvenation serum and taking a swig of it.  The rest of the shack is filled with various fetish items.    

However the characters play it, any attack or blown Stealth check will bring Royale and the zombies to it.  Royale will generally seek to reduce the odds in the encounter with Fear and Hold Person, then hobble those left with Blindness.  Finally, he’ll strike with his cane and whip, reanimating zombies as needed.

If killed, but not completely destroyed (dismembered, decapitated, disemboweled, burned to cinders, whatever), Royale will make an immediate comeback and bring his zombies with him.  It should be a pretty good clue he’s not dead when the grandfather clock doesn’t chime immediately.  It will only do so when he’s finally finished. 

The only thing of value in the shack is the brewing pot of Rejuvenation Serum, which an Identify spell can show as useful.  There’s enough inside for 6 dosages (there’s even some mason jars inside as well).  If taken by the living, it restores all hp (including negative ones) and ends any other debilitating conditions (except for curses, like the Tarot card ones).  If taken by the dead (-1 or less hp), it turns them into a hostile zombie.  If the shack if damaged (like by fire), it may destroy the serum as well.  

Royale Creighton (Zombie Wizard)

HD 8 (d12), Hp 25, AC 15* (natural, Magic to hit)

Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +6

Melee: 2 attacks, Cane +9 to hit 2d8+4 and Whip +9 to hit DC 12 Ref Sv or knocked down

Reanimate Zombies: Automatically reanimates any dead (up to -10 hp damaged) zombie with 5 hp, however this will take up his action for the rd.

Reanimate Self: Until brought to -11 or less hp (completely destroying the body), Royale will come back to life in 1 rd with 10 hp.

Spellcheck +8 to cast, DC 16 Save Against, 3 Failures/encounter

He uses Voodoo dolls of the characters to cast his spells.

(DC 14 to cast)

Blindness: Makes subject magically blinded. Encounter. (Will Sv)

(DC 15 to cast)

Hold Person: Paralyzes one humanoid for 4 rds. (Will Sv)

Blink: You vanish (become ethereal) for 1 rd and then reappear.

(DC 16 to cast)

Fear: Subjects within 10' flee for 1 turn. (Will Sv)

Zombies

HD 2+3, Hp 11 (5 if reanimated), AC 11 (natural), Always strike last in rd.        

Fort +0, Ref –1, Will +3

Melee: Slam +2 to hit 1d6+1

Endless Night: The Egyptian Room

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

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Second Floor Index

The Egyptian Room

Description: There’s no pretext of a bedroom here.  The floor is fine sand.  The walls are plastered over in Egyptian-style frescos, which feature the characters worshipping Alexandra.  The mummified woman herself sits on a throne opposite the door.  There’s a shining golden staff mounted next to her.  Sarcophagi on either side of the room, open to reveal zombie mummy versions of the characters.

Status: The door to the room is closed, but not locked.  There’s sand outside of the door. 

Inhabitants: Alexandra Creighton the mummy and mummy zombies of the characters.

Objective: Defeat the mummies.  Acquire the Golden Staff.  Award the characters 2 XP. 

Carter’s Introduction: “Meow.  Alexandra Creighton was a dried up husk of a woman even before she stared digging up old tombs in the desert.  She returned triumphant in discoveries, academic accolades, and with crates full of precious artifacts.  Alexandra, a scientist, never believed in the pure poppycock of the curses attached to those artifacts.  An accidental fire left her covered head to toe in bandages before she finally expired, essentially mummified.  Meow.”

Alexandra and the mummies rise and attack without any preamble.  Her first attack is her Despair effect on everyone entering.  She’ll attack the helpless first as the zombies stand in the way of anyone not affected.  The grandfather clock chimes when she is eliminated.

One of the artifacts Alexandra recovered from a tomb is displayed prominently next to her throne.  It is a large glowing Golden Staff with a hook on one end.  It is a +3 magic weapon, 1d8+3, reach 5’, but it is heavy and requires +2 Str and two hands to use.  It also automatically provides illumination in darkness.

Alexandra Creighton (Lesser Mummy)

HD 8 (d12), Hp 55, AC 18* (natural, Magic or fire to hit)

Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +8

Melee: Slam +11 to hit 1d6+4 + Mummy Rot DC 18 Fort Sv or 1d6 hp loss/rd.  Any magical healing will stop the rotting effect immediately

Despair: At the mere sight of a mummy, the viewer must succeed on a DC 18 Will Sv or be paralyzed with fear for 1d4 rounds.  (Certain classes, such as Paladins and Occultists are immune.) 

Vulnerable: Fire causes x 2 damage and will stun her 1 rd on each hit

Mummified Zombies (equal in number to characters)

HD 2+3, Hp 11, AC 11 (natural), Always strike last in rd.    

Fort +0, Ref –1, Will +3

Melee: Slam +2 to hit 1d6+1 + Energy Drain DC 12 Will Sv or lose 1 negative hp

Vulnerable: Fire causes x 2 damage

Endless Night: The Scandinavian Room

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Adventure Overview Index

Second Floor Index

The Scandinavian Room

Description: The residence rooms on this level were all decorated and named to a theme.  The Scandinavian has a blue and white color scheme.  This bedroom is still recognizable as one.  There’s a canopied bed, dresser, and chair and table.  All of the rooms have their own bathroom and large closet.  Of course, this room is covered in frost and ice.  The floor is an ice sheet, but the bottom of which cannot be seen, like it is sitting on top of a lake.

Status: The door to the room is closed, but not locked.  The knob is cold to the touch.

 

Inhabitants: Freya Creighton and Corsican Ghoul versions of the characters

Objective: Eliminate Freya and the Ghouls.  Recover Freya’s blue diamond heart.  Award 2 XP.

Carter’s Introduction: “Meow.  Freya Creighton had not one accomplishment to her name, save that of parleying her harsh beauty into marriage with a wealthy husband.  It was he who dubbed her ‘The Ice Queen.”  Perhaps it was for her preference for inclement cold, but more likely it was in reference to her heart.  Meow.”

There are two immediate hazards inside for the characters.  The ambient cold inside requires a DC 12 Fort Sv, failing that drops the character to last in Initiative and a 0 on Fort Saves in the room.  The floor is covered in a slick ice sheet and requires a DC 12 Ref Sv or the character falls.  They’ll have to make the Save before they can stand back up.

With a flair for the dramatic, Freya steps out from the bathroom, singing a power ballad.  “Let it go!”

Or not.  Make up your own entrance if you want, see if I care. 

Underneath the ice sheet is a pack of Ghouls.  Of course they resemble characters.  They’ll break through the ice and attack in 1 rd.  But these are Corsican Ghouls.  Half of any damage inflicted on them is transferred to the character they resemble (any effect other than hp damage is ignored).

After Freya is eliminated, she shatters like an ice sculpture.  The grandfather clock chimes.  Freya’s sparkling blue diamond heart is visible in the rubble.  It causes 1 hp of frostbite damage if handled without protection.  It’s probably worth about 1,000 gp, but its larger value is as protection.  It will glow and pulsate in combat with supernaturals and provide immunity to energy draining (it will flash in that situation). 

Freya Creighton (Ice Ghost)

HD 8 (d12), Hp 48, AC 13* (natural, Magic to hit, any non-magical weapon that hits will shatter)     

Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +10

Melee: Chilling Touch +10 to hit 1d6+4 + Stunned 1 rd

Ranged: Ice Blast 12 freezing damage + Stun 1 rd + dropped to last in Initiative. (Ref Sv ½ damage) Medium range.

Vulnerability: Fire and heat does x2 damage

(Freya will open up with her Ice Blast before moving in with her Chilling Touch.)

Corsican Ghouls (number equal to characters)

HD 2 (d12), Hp 13, AC 14 (natural)

Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +5

Melee: Bite +2 to hit 1d6+1 + DC 12 Fort Sv or paralysis 1 turn

Special: Any damage inflicted on the Ghoul, reflects ½ damage on the character they resemble