Just Denial and Hysteria

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

The Deep Dark

[Why not stick another mega-dungeon underneath a mega-dungeon? Okay, that might be a bit excessive, unless all of the characters can see in the dark. Reserve a couple of the bottom levels of the Mount Connor dungeon for the Deep Dark. This place is actually important to the setting.]

Seven Sisters Myth: Monsters chased the Sisters underground. The Sisters found unspeakable things there. The Sisters made creatures out of the slime and ooze they found and set them upon the monsters. The girls escaped and the monsters have been tormented by their creations ever since.

Little of the Ancient civilization exists above ground, but there were extensive underground areas built before and during the Civil War. A few were deep enough that some Ancients were able to survive the Catastrophe. Unfortunately, they were also effectively trapped, perhaps buried alive. Those getting back to the surface were swarmed by man-eating Humanoids. Only the survivors in the lowest levels of Atila were able to persevere and eek out a pitiful existence.

Centuries later, these survivors are degenerate inbred, barely human creatures. They are effectively blind from living underground so long, though their other senses compensate. Explorers of the “Deep Dark” of Mount Connor have occasionally caught sight of these “Grimlocks” as they’ve been called. Small, weak-looking groups of explorers are usually murdered and consumed. The Grimlocks run away and hide from larger ones, usually caving in tunnels to seal themselves off from the intruders. So far, no one has ever found any of their major living spaces or any of the Ancient knowledge and artifacts that they must surely possess, even if they have no idea how to use them.

The Humanoids above occasionally patrol this place, but don’t stay. Even they are somewhat afraid of it. Adventurers have been chased out, terrorized. No one really knows what’s down there.

Grimlock

HD 2d8+2, Hp 11, (18 hp sgt.), AC 15 (None)

Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +2

Melee: Stone Battleaxe +4 to hit 1d8+3

Stealth +5 underground

Blindsight: Grimlocks can sense all foes within 40 feet as a sighted creature would. Beyond that range, they treat all targets as having total concealment.

Grimlocks are susceptible to sound- and scent-based attacks, however, and are affected normally by loud noises and sonic spells and overpowering odors. Negating a Grimlock’s sense of smell or hearing blinds them, their “To hit” drops to +0.

Immunities: Grimlocks are immune to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.

Worse, cannibal Grimlocks who die violently in this supernatural environment are liable to rise as undead man-eating creatures.

Ghoul

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

Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +5

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

Ghast

HD 4 (d12), Hp 29, AC 17 (Natural)

Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +6

Melee: Bite +5 to hit 1d8+3 and 2 claws +3 to hit 1d4+1 + (on any hit) DC 12 Fort Sv or paralysis 1 turn

Stench: When combat begins, the Ghast will start emitting a powerful stench. Everyone at close range must make a DC 18 Fort Sv or be sickened (stunned) 2 rds. Everyone in short range must make a DC 12 Fort Sv or be sickened (stunned) 1 rd. This smell may also attract other Ghouls in the area.

Monday, September 7, 2015

Southland: Mount Connor

THE SOUTHLAND

A Fantasy Core Setting

© Jerry Harris 2014

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

Mount Connor (Ancient-Atila)

[This area is essentially a place to drop in your favorite mega-dungeon. Pretty much anything goes inside. While very dangerous, there should be plenty of treasure and magical items within. The characters should have some opportunity to find out that the various tribes inside are constantly at war with one another, and that this could be used to their advantage.]

Seven Sisters Myth: The Sisters sought shelter in a giant mountain where survivors from the war had gathered. But once inside, all they found were monsters. The Sisters cursed them to fight over the mountain forever and fled deeper underground.

The Ancients called this place Atila. Whatever purpose it served before the Civil War, it became a giant survival bunker during it. The hollowed out mesa was a mecca for refugees fleeing the conflict. Attackers unsuccessfully besieged it throughout the war. Unfortunately, it didn’t save them during the Catastrophe. Atila would be emptied of human life.

It was not, however, emptied of all life. Various Humanoid tribes immediately moved in and began to war on one another for control of the massive “City in the Rock.” Perhaps akin to their reverence for Ayers Rock and the Olgas (also in the area), the Humanoids have attached some very important cultural significance to it. The dominant clan of the Rock attains some measure of prestige amongst the others. At least the large presence of Humanoids and constant warfare ensures a steady food supply for the carnivorous inhabitants.

There are a multitude of entrances into the rock and at various levels. Most of the unguarded ones have been buried in rockslides, but can be uncovered. The interior is a maze of rooms and chambers. This was originally a large living space, including farm and livestock areas with artificial sunlight, but it’s unknown what the original inhabitants were doing there. It was clearly expanded for refugees during the war.

A large, well-stocked and organized adventure company has a base camp outside of Mount Connor. An aquifer has been struck in an attempt at starting a permanent outpost, Camp Connor. They are constantly recruiting new members, offering a 50% cut of any treasure recovered. So far, they have brought out an impressive amount of treasure and magical items from even limited incursions inside. The large number of Humanoids there are fighting over the Rock itself, so the camp outside hasn’t received focused attention. There are also enough high-level adventurers there to make it a prickly site to assault. As long as they don’t try and hold territory inside, the Humanoids perhaps don’t care about their presence.

Other created creatures have made their homes inside. They may have migrated there or been there with the humans. Some have made deals with various tribes, some are in hiding, even a few are strong enough to take on all comers. (The Humanoids would dearly like those last creatures taken out by adventurers, perhaps by maneuvering them into conflict.) One pervasive type of resident in the Rock is the so-called “Gelatinous Cube.” These ravenous ooze-based creatures range all over the inside of Mount Connor, seeking organic matter to absorb (and there’s plenty of that). The Humanoids have a curious reverence for the Cubes and never attack them, even leaving scraps of the dead out for them.

Gelatinous Cube

HD 4 (d10), Hp 20, AC 10 (Natural)

Fort +9, Ref –4, Will –4

Melee: Slam +4 to hit 1d6 + DC 12 Fort Sv or Stun 1 Turn, stunned victims are then Engulfed the next rd and absorbed within 1 turn (6 damage each rd).

Stealth +5 (Cubes are nearly transparent)

Engulf: With a successful Stealth check on an unsuspecting victim, the person has inadvertently walked into the Cube. Automatic hit and 6 damage, DC 18 Fort Sv or stunned.

Bane: Will retreat from fire and magic attacks

Cubes may be holding various victims’ treasure inside them, until it passes them an hour later (leaving a trail of random goods). Sometimes valuables are clearly visible (Stealth ability goes to +0).

Friday, September 4, 2015

Southland: Contested Migration Areas

THE SOUTHLAND

A Fantasy Core Setting

© Jerry Harris 2014

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

Contested Migration Areas

The various Humanoids of the Outback are voracious consumers. A few of the clans, tribes, and gangs have settled into certain permanent residences, where they can comfortably feed themselves. [These places, along with the Humanoid’s stats, will be detailed in following posts.] Most Humanoids though are near roaming armies, tracking around the continent in migratory arcs, searching for new feeding grounds. This can include preserves of wildlife, human settlements, and even meeting opposing Humanoid forces.

The Nullarbor Plain along the southern coast is a tree-less prairie that is something of a transit corridor for large groups of Humanoids. This seems to be the one of the common stops for these migrating groups engaged in the Humanoid version of the “Walkabout.” For this reason, though the plain would be quite suitable for ranching, the humans have left this area alone.

The Plain was a site of massive battles during the Ancient Civil War. It has since ecologically recovered, somewhat. There are many limestone caverns, tunnels, and sinkholes underneath the Plain. There is also abundant water held in some of those caverns. The Ancients used these as military and survival bunkers. Unfortunately during the Catastrophe, they weren’t deep or enchanted enough to save anyone.

It’s a very dangerous spot for exploring, but in some of those bunkers should be magic weapons, artifacts, and knowledge. There has been a tale of one explorer stumbling upon a cache of several “sleeping” dragons. Were this story told anywhere else in world, it would be dismissed.

[Yep, drop in your favorite cavern-style dungeon here.]

Above ground water is a problem in the Southland. Most fresh water has to come from Artesian wells underground. There are just a few fresh water rivers, such as the Murray and the Darling in the southeast, that are constantly flowing. Lake Eyre, along with a series of other salt lakes (Torrens, Frome, Gairdner), form when there’s enough monsoon rains to fill them. Eyre is the only one with standing water, but even then, most of the time, it’s a crust of salt over a depression in the desert.

Humanoids can process saltwater, though they don’t like it, but it’s easier than digging a well. These saltwater lakes, when filled, are watering holes for the tribes when on the move. It is another common stop on their “Walkabouts.” Humans do harvest the salt, but normally avoid the area during the wet season, when the Humanoids typically visit. The various tribes do normally have an informal, standing truce around the lakes, but it doesn’t take much of an incident to get them to break it.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Sports Journal 9-3-15 Deflated

I’ve probably already made enough snide, off-hand comments about the NFL to make any commentary on “Deflate-Gate” questionable on my part. Further, my obvious allegiance is to BASEBALL! But, how can I pass up an opportunity to do some actual timely topical blogging for a change?

First, I think the whole league is fixed. I don’t mean deflated footballs. How can you seriously watch a season’s worth of football and not question calls on the field and subsequent reviews on a weekly basis? You can think of your own examples, probably very easily. The only reason for official reviews is because the referees on the field kept botching the fixes. The “replacement” refs weren’t any worse than regular ones, except they were unacceptably screwing up the fixes. Here is why the league is mad at the Patriots: they keep trying to fix the games to their advantage! That is the exclusive, not-to-be-messed-with domain of the NFL. They determine the winners and losers, not the damn teams! No team scores unless the third team on the field (the refs) allows it.

Okay, I’ve got no proof behind my allegations (or than watching what goes on in the actual games). You can legitimately dismiss what I’ve said. Maybe it’s not the NFE (National Football Entertainment). If this is the case, then you then have to accept that the rules of the game are impossible to play by. The players routinely break them. The referees arbitrarily enforce them. There are fouls on virtually every play of the game if they were observed and called by the book. Seeing all the infractions is impossible and then calling them all would not produce anything close to entertainment.

Second, this whole “controversy” was just a publicity campaign to keep the NFL in the national consciousness during the off-season. That’s all it was. It was there to keep people talking after the Superbowl. It was re-ignited, conveniently, right after the NBA finals. This has been manufactured by the media. It’s all been a bunch of panty-wadding crap to give pundits (I guess including myself) something to pontificate on.

I’m not a Patriots fan. I think Tom Brady is a great player, but he’s not my favorite and I don’t root for him, unless his team is playing somebody I really hate. That said, I’m glad that he’ll be playing. Since I think it’s all illegitimate anyway, may as well put the most entertaining players out on the field. I am a Cowboys fan (low-key, I admit). This decision may harm my team since I think they’re playing each other this season. (No, I don’t know their schedule. I don’t memorize baseball schedules beyond the current week either.) Well, if the Cowboys beat the Patriots with Brady, then it’s a greater victory than without him playing.

Meanwhile, Goodell is apparently going to appeal this. Not for the league, not for the fix, but for his job. This whole thing has been a massive screw-up on his part, since this deflation issue actually came up before the game in question was played. He has embarrassed the Shield with this loss in the court. If he doesn’t win at some point in this saga, Goodell is out the door. The commissioner is just a mouthpiece/figurehead anyway. But, the games will be being played at that point. This story has already served its purpose of publicity and will be over-staying its welcome after the season starts. Brady being suddenly suspended in-season is just going to anger the fans, rather than placate them, thus making Goodell an even more hated tool.

Hopefully, these will be my only comments on this, hoping that this affair now goes away.

Southland: Humanoid History

THE SOUTHLAND

A Fantasy Core Setting

© Jerry Harris 2014

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

Humanoid History

The Ancients wanted troops that were more effective than standard humans and could be controlled like domestic animals, as they prepared for their planned conquest of the world. Different Wizard-Kings had different theories about what would make for more effective Humanoid troops, hence the different races. This magical construction has limited these creatures’ lifespans to only 10 to 20 years. Though given their warrior lifestyles, none of them live long enough to die of old age.

One might question why the Ancients generally didn’t use undead troops, instead of going to all of the trouble of creating the Humanoid races. They did, before the Civil War, but mindless troops only have limited uses. During the War, necromantic magic was entirely too common amongst the Ancients. Attacking with an army zombies, one ran the risk of encountering a more powerful necromancer than yourself and having the army turned against you. Even a few minor necromancers could turn significant numbers of your troops against each other.

[This is the bane of using completely will-less troops. The Humanoids might be savages, but did understand the concept of loyalty (of a sort: harsh discipline, fear, and being the sole source of Vegemite were also motivators). Now in the Commonwealth War back on the home continent, the use of undead troops against the far more numerous, but magically destitute Prophecy Empire troops was very effective, if for nothing else than the sheer shock value. Necromancy is a forbidden magical art in the Commonwealth by treaty with them.]

Humanoids were designed to be low-maintenance, subsisting on a cloned protein jelly, called Vegemite. Quite on their own, Humanoids developed a taste for flesh in battle (the Ancient Civil War), though it lacks the narcotic effect of Vegemite (which has a little eucalyptus in it). One of the Wizard-Kings’ controls on the Humanoids was that their magic was the single source of Vegemite. With their destruction, the Humanoids had to adapt.

Humanoids can reproduce themselves asexually. They have no means of sexual reproduction, which was very intentional. When sufficiently gorged on Vegemite, the Humanoid will generate a clone bud on their back. It will fall off on its own and mature quickly into a new warrior. The amount of food and maturation time varies by species. The Wizard-Kings had complete control over this process by controlling the food supply, whose magical content was necessary to start the cloning process. The Humanoids hated them, but served them to continue to get the Vegemite and out of fear. The Wizard-Kings could easily disintegrate masses of them if they got out of line. The Humanoids would take it out on human civilians whenever they were allowed.

With their masters’ deaths at the end of the Civil War, that should have been the end the Humanoids. However, the Catastrophe essentially irradiated the entire continent in magical energy. This meant that, as they expanded their diet out of necessity, everything they ate (mostly meat) could potentially allow them to reproduce. There has even been some species mutation and an occasional reoccurrence of the magic trait.

After an initial population explosion, the Humanoid populations eventually became self-regulating. In other words, they became too numerous and slaughtered each other over scarce resources. Since then, their populations have thinned out and stabilized to the environment. Most tribes and clans roam the Outback for food and move on when an area can no longer support them. A few clans have permanently moved into specific sites that can support them (and often have some cultural significance).

Centuries later, this magical irradiation has started to fade. Areas around some of the coasts (especially the south east) became depleted first. Humanoids there could no longer reproduce and were forced to move inland. They could hold and hunt in depleted areas, but couldn’t realistically live there. The magic saturated areas are continuing to contract and will force Humanoid migration further inland, which will again put them at each others’ throats for that land. But, it’ll take a long time before it’s all gone. At that point, the Humanoids will finally die out within about 20 years, unless some Wizard figures out how to make some more Vegemite.

Humanoid tribes are numerous and all warriors, but they are highly disorganized, mostly not very smart (or simply savages), and more prone to fight one another than the colonists at this point, as their interior resources dry up. It should be noted that however, that the Humanoids have a deep seated hatred for humans. You can pick out any number of reasons why.

The Catastrophe took a while to play out before it consumed the entire continent. The Ancients left copious notes of the effects of it and theories about it. (Most thought it would dissipate and intended to ride it out. It was too late to escape when they learned otherwise.) The Commonwealth colonists have found some of these notes and thus have some understanding the Catastrophe fallout areas and Humanoid reproduction.

[While some areas to be described are dominated by a single Humanoid species they are by no means the only possible occupants there. Further, even within each species, there should be plenty of variation. Check out this post on Monster Variation.]

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Southland: Humanoid Lands-Introduction

THE SOUTHLAND

A Fantasy Core Setting

© Jerry Harris 2014

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

Contested Migration Areas-Nullarbor Plain and the Salt Lakes

SOUTHLAND-HUMANOID LANDS

Humanoid History

Mount Connor (Humanoids, other monsters)

The Deep Dark (Grimlocks)

Deep Dark Oozes

KalgoorlieGold Mines (Orcs)

Argyle Diamond Mine (Goblins)

Ranger Uranium Mine (Hobgoblins)

Biviron (Undead Guardian)

Gnoll Hunting Grounds (Gnolls)

Dangerous Prairie Animals

Devil’s Marbles (Kobolds, Dragons)

Abraxus the Red Dragon

Other Dragons

Cape York Swamp and Jungle (Lizardmen)

Antalamya the Shell Dragon

Swamp Animals

The Great Barrier Reef (Gillmen)

Dangerous Sea Creatures

Introduction to Humanoids

Let’s get this out of the way first: These creatures are NOT noble savages defending their land against a foreign invasion. [Humanoids are not standing in for the Aborigines in this environment.] They are unnatural creations blighting the land. The Humanoids have some intelligence, but they only concerned with killing and eating. They have only a very few primitive superstitions and taboos, which might reflect slightly higher thought. They see humans as hated dangerous prey animals. They see other Humanoid species and members of their own species, even their own tribe if desperate, as potential food as well. There can be no negotiation with them, no matter how much the humans might want it.

Of general note, all Humanoids have darkvision and can see well in low light. However, they can operate without penalty in daylight. They all speak variations of Ancient particular to their species. They will not learn other languages (nor teach their own) and cannot read or write. Different Humanoid species may communicate with one another (haltingly) and with other monsters, but they won’t talk to humans. (Magical translation and knowing the Ancient language would allow humans to at least understand them.)

The species listed here is by no means all-inclusive. If you have a favorite Humanoid race not mentioned here, go ahead, pick a spot on the map, make up an environment, and insert it. There’s plenty of room.

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Southland: Pirate Stats

THE SOUTHLAND

A Fantasy Core Setting

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