Wednesday 30 April 2014

EMO BX Warrior revision

Well I have a slog ahead of me with the main classes fairly written up just a little balancing here and there, some classes need more than others after play testing. I cut back extra damage and included all abilities from 3 versions i was using. More happy with example kits of warrior schools and more suitable to my setting. A few typos as always but If i can do a few a week will be happy. A bit of unifying data from the sheets I put up other day and these versions too. 

My games for years focused on spell casters and body guard followers with whole parties of casters with STR of less than 0 and high CHA scores. A mix of adding a few features and diverse range of club players has turned this around. Now wizards look impressed when a fighter swats monsters dead or hold back a small horde of humanoids.

This version explicitly states fighter superiority even though some other classes can do many of these things just not as well. Improved weapon proficiencies are available to other classes but not unlimited like warrior. Critical on a 20 also to Dwarves, Abhumans (formerly beast men) and monks (with specialty weapon or unarmed) but with other classes having to by a WP slot in critical. Warrior and other classes that start with a critical hit ability can increase score probably with a level limit.

Make my followers more consistent from class to class too. Weapon groups will be for warriors only now. A few NWP to enhance command radius and to provide it to other classes but will never be as good as a fighter. Might do exaples of Warrior School kits and proficiencies up to 10th level as examples in appendix. Kits should shortcut fighters lots.

Specializations Titles need something so i dont call +2 one specialist - will think about but welcome suggestions. Using term "specialization" twice a problem

Currently
Expert
+1 for 1 WP Slot
Specialist
+2 for 2 WP Slots
Master
+3 for 3 WP Slots

Possibility 1
Adept
Expert
Master

Possibility 2
Expert
Veteran
Master

Under all this a 5th level warrior could dish out 40+ damage over a few targets but spell casters would still be doing heavy artillery, weird stuff and with familiars and the right NWPs fare fine. Summoned monsters have been better than fireballs frankly and a bit of work on them needed.

Thinking of something like this:

Arcane summons 1 being per lv with spell level equaling monster HD, they appear instantly then depart and can be used in combat.

Nature summons not Instant 1d10 rounds from local animals or giant ones, preferably from encounter table but will hang around longer and Druid could convince to stay but HD and numbers like arcane.

Divine Summons takes a 10 minute ritual and call a single being more powerful and possibly more magical but being demands payment if alignment not same with duration between the two.

Just possibilities really.

Tuesday 29 April 2014

EMO BX Character Tables

 OK true believers having put off my trying to write own rulebook as if for new gamers Im just putting core revised data here and will write class descriptions elsewhere. Then a book on skills and a book on magic.

Biggest weirdness here is the NWP skill bonus pr level with extra points for rogues the skill master class. Beastmen now Abhumans so I can include rock men, tree men and possibly orcs and centaurs. Possibly they would work as straight barbarians.

First spell progressions for wizards and sorcerers, then lerics and druids then the fey one for elves and bards then the Demi caster for some other races and paladins and rangers if i ever bother with them. If i do will be more for tradition but some players have asked. Will not be like your oldschool ones.


This table has HD, attacks, saves, how many WP and NWP and non proficiency mods. Specialization is a measure of how many expert weapon advances a class can take.

Has class spell info. List is what kind of spells used but for those who can select any mental spell list available. Psionic classes later but psionic bards and elves fine with me as psionics are just a spell list like other types. Tech and mutation lists when i do gonzo sf version of rules with robots and cyborgs.

Advance is how many spells a class gets. The Fey is for elves and bards, The demi caster for later classes like paladin and ranger.

Style reflects how do they earn magic and prepare spells. Wizards use books, druids use prayer. Innate is for sorcerers who choose spells from limited list they get (mostly a spell per level) and can choose which to cast on the fly with energy levels. Im happy if my elves want priest spells with Innate style learning or a bard to have Innate druidry nature spells or book learned arcane magic. I dont really mind weird combos like prayer gained arcane or book learned nature magic but players need to know might be rare or limiting in campaign. 

I dont have multiclassing but changing classes is easier (one per INT bonus) so a Tako could become a wizard or s thief.

Classes under consideration:
Ranger, Paladin, Assassin, Shaman, Psion, Barbarian, Witch, Alchemist
Kobold, Goblin, Hobgoblin, Bugbear
Robot, Mutant, Cyborg, Scientist

Monday 28 April 2014

Viking Log: From Hyperborean Temple of Tsathogua to Court Of Norway's King


Spoiler Alert: Using Trail of Tsathogua (yes thats a 1920s module) and Iron Crown rolemaster/champions Vikings book.

So the brave band entered the great stone temple in the mountains of Greenland. Hrafn barked at his Christian to look in the great bronze bowl and he approached, holding up his hand to ward them back. A great ropey tar like mass bubbled up into a fetid driping column of evil liquid.

All stood back and Johan began to vomit everywhere. The Christian fell in horror to the floor. The biengs eyes looked at the lead viking Hrafn and he heard it's gurgling fluid voice in his mind.

"Are you here to worship or are you enemies of Tsathogua here to rob him?"

"What treasure have you here for us to loot creature?", Replied Hrafn.

The ropey black liquid horror went to fall on the priest on the ground and the able vikings stuck it with no effect. Thorhadr blocked it from getting to the monk with his shield and dragged the monk back. Johan's huge wife grabbed him and dragged him back. Breidr plunges a torch into it and the demon screamed and the torch went out. Seeing blades do nothing the new Viking on the block, a modest quiet Dane hacked at tripod leg while others joined him. Some stood back to prey to their weapons while Thora's blessed arrows wounded the beast more than anything.

The tripod crashed and the beast pored over ground to attack Thora, bashing her. Rest charged but unable to get close enough to hir with blessed weapons (inflicting 1-2 points damage per blow). It chased Thora as she ran towards her cousins and drew her broadsword. She trird to block it and was outraged when it engulfed her and dragged her across floor away from others into the temple. It swallowed the christian to and charges across the room. Alrec performed a superhuman leap and swung at it and finaly the beast was killed by a few more blows. The formless spawn collaped into smoking acrid liquid and Thora alive but scarred with blisters and her weapons and clothes ruined. The christian had shredded cloth patches stuck to his burned flesh.

Found a glass bell, a metal bowl and a multicoloured ring that changed colour constantly, some even unrecognizable. Alrec played with bowl and waves of psychic terror radiated and he saw outre visions. The bell chime disturbed all but had no understandable function. The ring fired a stream of mucous that could harden. Items cursed but they took them. Scraped ice off walls and read story of Hyperborea and coming of humans who supplanted them. Found crypt of red furred ape man priest.

Left the cursed place and marched back to the strange village and their ship. Traded with natives and Hrafn bought a ugly woman with Hyperborean human blood in exchange for a sword. He turned down a pretty (ish) one with a viking parent.

Sailed home and spent res of year visiting holdings in Norway, Iceland and Briton. Most spent winter in Iceland. Thora went to King of Norway court to try to get party to notice Stonedale clan. She carried gifts to king from past raids including a gem encrusted box any king would like. A few babies born and oldest monk died (SAN 36 Mythos 31%) Spring Thorhadr invited with kin to entertain court with his songs and poems. He had a good rep as a scald now.

All joined the feast of king heartily singing, drinking and put on a great show but didnt get to talk to king. Throa suggested single clan chief cousins Alrec and Hrafn compete for the hand of kings sheild maiden who king offered a dowry of 3 ships. She demanded a man who could beat her and find a lost belt. Thorhadr gave a adequate performanc and his cousins joined in badly but kings drunk bard boasted he could do better then passed out making everyone laugh at him. Thorhadr succeeded by default and still has a chance.

That night Alrec still sober found a mad viking Axel the loon, searching their trunks. Axel politley asked what loon up to and got story that he had belt maiden was seeking but stolen and he had deduced only four unsearched halls could have it. Thorhadr and Johan searched next night during feasting and Thorhadr better at convincing guards he was drunk than sneaking. Finaly he distracted enough guards that Johan stole belt he found (that Hrafn had offered 5000 english pennies for). Meanwhile Alrec managed to get into fued with the maiden who found him boastful - he thought her an upity bitch. Hrafn worked poetic charm on her servants and got to speak with her and arrange a duel. Briedr asked for a fight later and she was impressed he only wanted to fight her and nothing else and was happily married.

Gave belt to the loon who gave to the maiden and she defeated him (a wiry Loki Beserker??? Why does king keep him around). He was grateful to party for aid and promised to aid them one day.

Next time Hrafn's love bout and meeting the King of Norway face to face.

Saturday 26 April 2014

Changeling Class and EMO BX DnD home rules revisions

My homebrew has become un weildly and a bit broken with up to 3 versions of tables needed to do a character so need to revise. I wrote current version when bed ridden entirely from memory. Amended when i blogged them and have updated in blogs to make up for issues in play several times. Also to make some classes more popular when nobody had played them for a long time. Got players to generate 13th level characters for my birthday heroes in hell game and invited people to break system but it held up better than I thought. I will start surveying players and amending stuff for new one to roll out later. Veteran gamers seem to enjoy.

Write to integrate directly into my settings more.

Biggest differences in my rules to BX is i have a late adnd proficiency system, alt alignments and let elves and others pick other spells besides MU spells.

Im happy with stats especially with how players put charisma before strength with my emphasis on followers. I might put followers for classes in a separate section on just followers so they do not clutter up class descriptions for starting characters.

Classes need to revise and streamline and unify some stuff. I'm really tempted by the class = weapon dice damage. Fighters and thieves are popular again as are dwarfs and elves and I even have a halfling in play. Elves possibly need a slight trim and the variants/sub types broken - becoming very popular is evidence of being a bit too good so probably go back to d6 (been doing d6+1 hp, probably do a few HD changes like this). Less situational bonuses for skills more free skills is simpler.

Still stupidly thinking of Paladin, Ranger, Barbarian, Witch, Alchemist classes but no hurry.  Also toying with possible changeling and giant races. Considering some WP and NWP for 10th lv+. Id rather fix whats on the table now or produce a companion later and not as urgent.
Proficiencies are good way to vary and basic stat roll for a skill with occasional half or quarter for difficulty fine. Some gasp at choices which I want to streamline a bit but I have never heard complaint of too many spells. Get rid of situational and race/class mods and ust give free skills. Example builds or kits are good. Revise some names, more skill dependent on prerequisite skills. Perhaps more sub lists or levels required so choice not overwhelming for newbs. Veteran gamers cope fine and my built in abuse and stacking of abilities barely tapped. Im happy skills=feats=proficiencies in one system and that thieves get the most interesting non fighting ones and lots of choice and fighters get most combat ones. Common WP for any and Warrior only might work (Including monk, dwarf, beastman and some others). Minimum level on some skills could work too as I have done this with some enchanting skills.

More descriptions of spells and fully integrate my mentalist/psionics spell list as just another spell system not a separate mechanic - has not been used too much but has been fine.

Alignment has been effective way to start fights - what the mechanic exists for. Will incorporate my tabu system and have extra powers for fanatics. Will be one of weirder elements of my system. Rather than remove system I want to make it more meaningful in play and include option of being nihilist.

I have enjoyed using babylonian gods but now Im going to run a babylon brp later this year and I am thinking of using my own gods again or customising them more for my setting.

So I might add some gonzo stuff and help break current one with stuff like this...

Changelings 

Rus is a Russian fantasy rpg from Australia that had were creatures as a common feature for players with interesting types. Spirit folk in oriental adventures very cool too and I had some ideas for my fantasy setting that included shape shifting. As my beast men covered the brutal barbaric animal folk and I came to broaden to elemental folk and tree folk and call them Abhumans more (less gender issues too). I'm contemplating a centaur variant for abhumans too. Changelings more like elves or spirit folk and more other worldly and more magical. I have a player of one at moment so still under testing. Wanted to incorporate wide array of mythic possibilities. Some live in magic otherworldly and magic kingdoms, others live alone in the wilderness.
 

Changelings

Shapeshifting spirit folk

HD: 1d6
Prime Stat: Cha
WP: 2 (+1/3rd Lv)
NWP: 3 (+1/2nd Lv)
Non-WP mod: -3
Languages: 2d6 (+1/3rd Lv) S=spoken and W=written

Spells: Use spell progression as bards or elves any style casting except wizard any list
NWP: Any
Shield: None
Armour: None
Weapon: Any
Fight as: Priest
Save as: Priest

Max Weapon Skill Advances: One specialist+3, and any amount of experts+1

Changelings are a prehuman race involved in the worlds creation when things were less fixed and living beings mingled more with gods. Many variants exist but most can appear human some of the time and many are raised as human without knowing. They are the opposite of Abhumans or beast men, more aligned to other planes. They feel most kindred to elves who are a later breed made to serve the gods before man. Less built for war than elves or abhumans but fairly magical. Prefer innate magic to book learning. Some prefer unarmed martial arts or a single specialist weapon they always carry. They are shy and secretive with humans.

Changelings have night vision and can see in the dark but only if some ambient light not total dark
Can cast spells of any one list (divine, nature, arcane, mental) but usually cast as per a sorcerer with 4 cantrips and a new spell known per level and no memorisation required
Every second level may try once to change one spell with a CHA roll by appeal to ancestors
Can change form once per level per day - form depends on bloodline. Can partially change to a hybrid form too mostly to disturb humans.
Changes do not add mass initially but may reduce it. As go up level may grow bigger. A 1st level horse spirit might be a miniature pony at first then a normal pony at second and grow into a warhorse or plow horse at higher level.
Most learn martial arts to get multiple attacks, many forms allow a separate bite or butt attack
Changes take one round of concentration
Can heal 1HP/lv per day to self which can apply these points as required when changing
+1 magic to hit or harm at 10th level +2 at 20th. At 8th silver, cold iron, magic or needed to harm but high HD monsters able to harm still
At 3rd level sensitive to points or gateways linked to related other worlds in sight
At 6th can sense within 10 per level any gate or weak points between worlds
At 10th may travel to home otherworld once per week and can return following week
At 20th may take extra persons holding hand (or flipper or tentacle) or linked in chain of hands
6th and every level after 6th gain a normal human or a appropriate pet

Bloodlines:


Tree Spirit
Turn into a type of plant such as bamboo, oak tree or cactus
Immobile and cant talk +4AC In full form +2AC in hybrid forms
Enjoy wilderness occupations and nature spells most
Attract animal and bird followers

Ocean Spirit
People of the sea can adopt fish or manatee or shark form or just from waste down in hybrid form
Also river or lake or well spirits but prefer fresh and empire less mighty
Can breathe water
Often magicians or warriors or merchants
Attract human or sea elf or beastmen abhumans or animals

Faerie
Can grow wings and or shrink to 12" Inches, Fly 12"
-4 to be hit by giant class monsters when shrunk (ogres, trolls, giants)
Enjoy living as magicians or warriors and use arcane magic and most
Attract animal or bird or elf or gnome or halfling followers

Morphling
Adopt form of another person in sight then adopt that form as needed later, true form is hideous. Form includes clothing. Can memorise a individual form per level and forget if need a slot free
Assassins and criminals who prefer mental magic most
Attract human followers

Genderling
May change gender back and forth but face prejudice so pretend to be own sibling.
Double changeling healing ability (2HP per lv per day)
Most frequently live among humanity
Mostly live as magicians or warriors with no special magical preferences
Attract human followers

Elementaling
Change to element most pure forms cannot hold things and resistant to chosen element damage and dont breathe or move. The pure form does not move of own volition
- Earth spend time as rocks often standing stones for untold ages -10 pts blunt damage
- Water spend time as well or stream or part of river -10 pts cold damage
- Air spends time as clouds or mist or wind  -10 pts lightning damage
- Fire spends time as volcanic fire or requires fuel  -10 pts heat and flame damage
Hybrid forms take -4 damage, pure human form -1 damage
Magicians or warriors with preference for arcane or nature or divine magic
Attract animal or human followers or small elemental followers  at higher levels

Star Spirit
Turn into a glowing ball of light that can illuminate 10 radius light per level or 1/lv in hybrid form at will.
Fly and cast spells but not attack physical in light sphere form.
Dark star spirits radiate night instead (not total or magical darkness)
Magicians or warriors with preference for arcane or divine magic
Human or elf followers

Planar Hybrids
Become winged humanoids some with bat or bird or insect wings to fly in true form
Hybrid form often unusual coloured and exotic
Many evil ones get horns and tails and even hooves

Diabolic devilkin LE
Demonic denonkin CE
Daemonic Daemonkin NE
Angelic Angelkin LG
Archonic Archonkin NG
Devonic Devakin CG
Modronic Modronkin CN
Chaotic Slaadkin CN

At 3rd level can detect opposite alignment one round per level per day
At 5th level get a free protection from apposite alignment one round per level per day
At 7t level can detect alignment one round per level per day
Magicians and warriors with preference for human, demihuman or humanoid followers

Animal Spirit
A single species of animal  such as Cat, Bear , Lizard, Frog, Raven, Horse, Goat, Wolf, Fox, Bat, Badger, Rat
Cannot talk in animal form
Have animal abilities and often learn skills or spells to enhance animal abilities
Will develop some of these in more detail possibly added abilities at 10th and 20th
Flyers only fly in full animal form
All have brawling WP
+1 extra unarmed attack at 6th and +2 at 10th
Often are martial artists, monks, magicians or criminals
Normal animals or humans or beastmen abhuman followers

Necrokin
Undead who live among humans to eat them, true form macabre and grotesque
Do not breathe, immune to charm, sleep, fear, ghoul touch
At 6th lv 1foot/lv fear aura 1 round per level per day vs lower HD beings
Damaged by holy water, can be turned bu priests, dislike touch of holy symbols
Often pretend to be magicians or warriors
Attract human thralls or undead followers which don't improve

Cthonkin

Hybrids with elder gods and races of prehuman epoch mostly imprisoned in underworld
True form is slimy with tentacled faces and fingers
Can breathe water and amphibious in true form
At 10th level can commune with elder god once a week in dreams to ask a question
Often pretend to be magicians or cult leaders or civil servants or guildsmen
Attract human or beastmen abhuman or mutant followers

Any suggestions welcome - im trying to kill many birds with one stone here

Heroes In Hell pt1 ANZAC day & birthday Game

So as ANZAC holiday near my birthday and Im not really a professional drinker much now Im having a DnD day in. Set at 13th lv and inviting ppl to use characters from my last year High level Exile DnD game Planet Psychon and other characters hothoused if needed. Looks like I will have 6-8 players?

So this is my notes based on Dragon articles from 1st hundred issues, MM1 and MM2. I know not of hags or or other things ruling a layer of hell or Tiamat not being in place. I let them have some shopping for magic loot and considered giving them a Item from the gods of balance that let you be replaced by an alternate universe version if you die but must change your class, race, gender or alignment or something major. As it turned out close but not needed. The Psychonians Had been gathered by a AI orbital god in the Druids celestial orbital garden space port where the gods of the palace came to give them the mission. The druid already had a mutation bomb and was given a sentient light fusion bomb which he made friends with.

Players - Character
Olaf - 13th level kobold queen mentalist
Nick - 13th level angelic sorceress with a cult of self improvement
Karl - 13th lv Black Dwarf gunsmith packing pistols
Conan - Moritasgus the Psychoninian Druid with gammaworld nukes
Steve - 6th Morlock 7th level theif from Psychon in power armour
Rod - 13th Warrior "The Wall" solid muscle and untroubled by intellect
Andz - 13th Bard and recruited 8th lv Psychonian falcon man
Conrad - Gold clad cleric of Sin the moon god
Skinner - Acrobatic Theif

So in Shadel port mighty heroes assembled as word that a raid to hell was in order for plunder and adventure. Even three weird strangers came through a gate from some place called Psychon. They were sent to get revenge on Dispater the Arch Devil for what he had done to the poor Morlock city in a ancient buried Wallmart. The Dwarf announced he could get to the Iron city of Dis through his forge in the mountains. Linden the bard knew the reptilian folk of monster island lived on a super volcano entrance to hell where all the dragons and dinosaurs had come from the fist layer Avernus. The Barron offered them an airship as his spies let him in on party plans.

So boarded the ancient black dwarf airship. Barron had banned all such flying machines 800 years ago so this surprised them a bit. Run by nasty dwarf and given an escort of deathknights on nightmares.

As aproached the volcano over monster island some pterodactyl air riders tried to attack but bever got close. Into the volcanic vent to hell they flew. A bit bumpy and some guard dragons but escorts got them through. Crashed in sight of Tiamat's mile high volcano in Avenrus on the blasted plains. Cleric looked at soil and saw it was ancient and sucked dry with grains of semiprecious stones too small to be of use to anybody. The Dwarf who made friends with the pilot and crew left his followers to help airship and they started to move to the great mother of dragons lair. The Druid turned to his giant rainbow furred ape form and party rode him as he galloped off to the volcano. Lesser devils tending the lemure and sou larva pits scuttled away thinking party important devils. A ancient black Dragon came down and asked them to identify themselves and what devil they served. The Druid demanded hell leave his dimension alone and the Dragon realized they were madmen who wanted trouble and hosed acid over the lead heroes. Mostly splashed they got out of the way and fired at the dragon back killing it instantly. Poor ancient black dragon. They dissected it determined it was male and forced an imp to take sheets of its hide back to the airship to help repair. Imp did as was told by Lawful Evil Dwarf as rest of party wanted to kill him and put in treasure sack. Druid collected dragons gonads and someone else cut off head and stuck tail in its but and did graffiti on corpse.

Well onto Tiamat!

Avoided the 10 story cavern crawling with ancient elder dragons and went in smaller side vent. Met a lion headed giant toad crawling with dripping sores. Psychonians thought he seemed normal and happy to chat. Said he was a cursed prince an wondered if they could help each other get revenge on hell. Nobody trusted him and cleric checked if illusion but why would anybody want to look like that? When he said was Nergal others raised eyebrows.

"Are you affiliated with the usurper anarchist god of the underworld?"
"er nope"
"Are you affiliated with the AI on Psychon lord of the bioplagues?"
"Just a coincidence"
"Ok you can come along"

So he explained Tiamat was a bad ass goddess and they should attack palace of one of her generals instead. Chose the shapeshifter as he was able to turn into a evil smelly yellow unicorn and everybody prefers unicorns.

On way found 30 black abishi devils hauling small change to Tiamat's eternal hoard.

A good test party swarmed them. While the warrior dived at the horned devil leader, thief slew ones to rear and rest of party charged. Bard played along and Druid pulled out his sonic attack guitar and joined in. The good sorceress summoned 13 ogres which really slowed abishi down and party killed all but one the druid zapped with a stun riffle. Nergal gobbled up the neatly chopped up leader and rest of gang got the crap treasure which made them mad.

"5000 silver, 3000 copper, what a dump!"

Questioned devil but they know their lords will torture them for millennia and devolve them to mindless lemures so kept mouth shut. Denied having a gender so druid killed it and dissected it.

"He was liar!"

Cleric looking about with true sight saw hell cat and party threatened it. It sucked up to black evil dwarf and offered to serve him a year so he kept it. Nergal said the cat spies where everywhere and wanted to eat it but Dwarf liked the pussy.

Went to weakest rear entry of war duke of Tiamat's palace and saw gatehouse.

 Theief, kobold queen and cat went in through window killed guards in gate mechanism, sealed room and opened portcullis. Some smaller blue abishi ran out tried to shut but hail of missiles killed them. More came and Druid turned gatehouse entry to mud, while entangles and ice storms and spike growth turned into a mess. Some misfired grenades fired from Morlock battlesuit bounced back at party but warrior took blast and jumped on with his shield. Bard ran up to wall and sliced open wall like clay letting party inside. Gatehouse taken and party poured into courtyard to inner gate. The warrior as strong as a giant ran down door crushing abishi under him. Rest killed inner guards. Killed bearded devil and erinyes girlfriend and soat on the paltry mounds of low denomination coins.

Secured gate and rested. Druid shaped area, grew some psychoian trees, luminescent fungus and summoned a surprised Psychoian unicorn to guard. Psychonians tried eating devils but complained everything and everyone here tastes like shit. Kobold Intrigued and Falcon man gave yer a wink.

After rest made a spyhole and saw enemy building barricades. So druid made a great ripple in the earth, collapsing rear of palace complex and burying most of the guards, survivors cut down easily. A horde of horned devil elite led by a pitfiend came. Party smashed a few trying to get pitfiend. He saw thief coming to invisibly stab him and telepathicly told troops who blocked and hurt him. More devils summoned including barbed devils an towards end a second pitfiend but all vanquished. At this point Amduscias the general of Tiamat appeared as a unicorn with a cat devil girl riding him.

Nergal urged to attack but Amduscias spoke respectfully to them and asked what do you want?

Party given guest rooms and Nergal told to crawl home or else.

So he offered to help them leave plane to city of Dis by a secret route. And proceeded to make individual deals with each. Wanted truce so they would not cause trouble an Avernus and leave as fast as possible and beings of Avernus would leave them alone on his orders or were fair game if stopped them leaving.

Druid willing to go along with this and was allowed to let the garden he made remain as the Devil liked having something no other devil had. Both agreed to not bother each other anyhow. Got a +3 spear in the deal.

Thief converted to Lawful Evil and promised to be reborn as a minor but sentient devil when he died. Also given ring to call an abishi for a service for every soul he signed up for hell and a pad of soul contracts.

Lawful Good sorceress gave devil a copy a copy of her self help book and got a pile of alignment changing helmets so she could turn chaotic evil villains back home to awful good members of her cult.

Cleric got a deal that that Amduscias and his legion would not attack his home which was never gonna happen anyway which the devil was happy with as conversation started with talk of 100 000 in gems.

Warrior got some magic weapons.

Kobold got Amduscias to release a Lammussu which she gave to Sorceress who was more alignment compatible. She also had her kobold hoard of 150 to get to be lesser sentient egg tenders in Tiamats caverns in next life. Kobold who had a hawk familiar and could turn into hawk started affair with hawkman which made others wish they didn't know about it.

Linden the bard shagged the cat devil girlfriend of Amduscias and can add another magical bastard to his list (sea elf princess, dragon, giantess and many more). He got to pick from a heap of magic instruments but he wasn't too impressed as Druid had several like them already but was tempted by heart shaped "lute" that gave a bonus on poetry skills.

"Ladies love it", said Amduscias

He settled on one that continued to play for three rounds after he stopped to give him more time in fight to stab and cast spells instead of sitting back bored strumming his instrument.

Dwarf already LE got a deal to get hell-metal in a pile of 200lb first year then 50lb til got a ton. Wanted adamantium but Amduscias said no can do. Dwarf also traded with druid for a revolver and a gasmask which would inspire a new generation of terror in my world. The disposable laser was a bit beyond him thankfully.

Psychonian Morlock happy with a magic pepper grinder that could flavourise anything which would help him retain his title as taste master and gourmet superhero of Psychon.

Happy hell had converted two party members to Lawful Evil and promise of new devils and souls, Amduscias had party taken to secret portal to under city of Dis the second plane of hell. Also happy party would inflict greater harm on that plane and Tiamat was not going to have the dragon egg pits hit by a mutation bomb. Future adventurers in my Exile setting lucky to have non mutant dragons but will face Dwarf hordes with case ammo and revolver tech and gasmasks. Player promises to draw some of his black dwarf pistoleer troops.  Artillery shells not far off.

So party rest up, sleep with erinyes and have some awkward dinners with devils. Then after a sew days prepare to go through vault door into rust iron corridor to other plane. Up a ladder and open a valve door, cold black fetid water pours on all. Cleric hoses all down with clean water from a spell. Int slums of iron city and up rickety iron fire escapes to surface. See chained victims being tortured, cells in towers, tortured lesser devils and larva markets with hags and daemons trading in markets. Came to one of many gates closer to inner citadel and erinyes guards start to taunt them. Sorceress chain lightnings them, an battle ensues. Their magic entangling ropes got most of party but familiar casts free action on the warrior who killed the rope controllers. Druid morphs into giant rainbow ape form, thieves expertly wriggle free. Druid rusts through gates with spell and party run.

Next gate chain lightning more and summon ogres again. Tried to let them handle and flee but devil erinyes cops flew around them and tried entangle routine. Dwarf actually poisoned and writhed in pain which was pretty near impossible.  Won and ran inwards, sent ogres on killing spree. Cops not fooled and more erinyes came. Cleric killed a few with power word and let loosed summoned bugbears to cause trouble. Druid carried over several more gates till party only half a kilometre from palace of Dis. Summoned a devil locust plague on city. Dropped mutation bomb down chute to under city, felt rattle as particles vibrated the metal disc the city on. Strange auroras radiated from under the base. Sent Air elemental with tacnuke towards city and fled through gate.

Party went to pub and paid for diviners to inform what happened.

The bomb destroyed palace, 150 damage on most inhabitants in 100 meter fireball, spread toxic rays and ash over city. Most lesser devils, larva, lemures died. Greater ones will reform but stuck on plane for some time and wary of messing with Psychon. Other planes hearing of mutations sent in troops to kill most of the survivors for being imperfect individuals. Dis as a plane weakened for a long time to come and weakest plane for at least a century.

Pary all pleased and the Psychonian Druid introduced some new species or carnivorous plants to Exile Island before leading the Hawkman, Morlock and Kobold Queen into a gate probably never to return.

Best big game Ive had in decades. 9 Players disciplined enough to make smoother than most games with even four players. We all looked up next long weekend. Levelled up the gang and may reuse characters again. Big fun and great conclusion to a game that had elements I wanted in a game since 80s.

Will be doing lotsa art next few weeks and getting some new work but will try to get some d100 stuff happening.  Have Skeleton of prep notes for this I will post too with notes on devils and planes which ppl might find handy for own games.

Had lotsa candy, chips, crab claws, 10% golden drachen beer, single malt and given a MARVEL toiletry set with Iron Man Douche. Im not kidding.

Friday 25 April 2014

Exilelog: Graverobbing Superstars

So the party has been on the valley of Eternal Rest caper for a while now. The nasty party slumlord graverobbers return for more loot. I had to be nice and juggle the order to prevent TPK because Im a nice DM. Our halfling pirate with new bodyguard, elemental chaos priest, exiled dark elf with riding spider and priestess follower, necromancer with her bodyguard and assistant and familiar with new changeling bear helper arrived.

Realised most of party who had been before cursed somehow. So first tomb behind a nasty sundew that surprised entangled and hurt most of them before a careful fireball singed the core plant but not party. Got past some traps and found a secret door in roof. Spider climbed up shaft and found treasure so rest climbed up. Chests trapped so they smashed open and got a good haul of gems and magic weapons superior to own plus a wand.

Kept going and climbed up a shaft to be attacked by undead which was tricky until most of party got up shaft. Found crypts but there was a gong in room so halfling threw rocks at it. Awakened tomb guards and killed the lesser meat monsters. Opened the gnome crypt to find open gold plated  coffin and emaciated dead gnome. Was a black well and halfling the best swimmer tried to traverse but would not risk going past his half way breath holding point. When returned the necromancer gave him improved CON with a spell and he managed to get the whole way through back to the entry passage they ignored earlier. Gang dragged out coffin and loot and took to city. Went to a lawful good temple to evaluate loot because those guys dont lie. Gave up a gem for deal which was 100 gp more than should have and Asper Cumberbitch the halfling swore at them so priests told them to never return. But they had a stash of gems and a +2 Shortsword and Scimitar now.

Plenty more good temples in town later he said. So back to valley and could see that whole party now cursed. Halfling recruited a pretty thief from his gang. Next cave was crawling with horrible glowing worms. Battled sons of kyuss and thief almost killed and inflicted with leprosy and changeling bear got the hang of wand of lightning while other guys burned the regenerating horrors that went down. All jumped away when floor collapsed into a worm filled pit and they killed the super worm mother. Finally battles a mummy mummy and her two kid mummys getting only a necklace. Back to town and healing costs minus the foot netted a few hundred. Damn.

Returned again to pit filled with corpses. Threw rocks at them and skeletons got up! Threw rocks at them killing some and before skeletons could get out of sight the bear changeling cast web on them. As they killed skeletons many with lightning but the remains would merge into tougher ones so took a long time and 4 generations of skeletons before set mass alight. But halfl had got to cover. Guys dropped down and started to fight woth clerics turning some. Bear could cast with no gestures so hung onto rope while casting till room. All got down and a long bloody fight before all destroyed. Up the shaft the valley guardians were waiting. Party chiseled open sealed crypt releasing an angry demon. Doh!...

To be continued

Am working on my heroes in hell birthday game which went well then vikings tomorrow.
Then back to d100 stuff

Tuesday 22 April 2014

Last Cthulhu fragments from EYECON Game



Poor guy who did this got legal trouble but i will happily repost.
A great one here too....
http://www.fredvanlente.com/cthulhutract/pages/index.html
A real chic tract where a pedophile is introduced to jesus by Dr instread of legaly informing the law as obligated to do so - space monsters make more sense
http://jackchick.wordpress.com/.../chick-tract-review-lisa/
This is real horror - Jack would forgive a repentant Hitler but not Ghandi
I have one tract where murder is hung and goes to heaven but sheriff who stopped him burns in hell

I will be prepping for my big birthday double session heroes in hell DnD game this Friday ANZAC day holiday so a few posts on the way for that

My last EYECON left overs - a summary of Cthulhu characters for con game
I will reuse for next Con gam to make life a bit easier but work on story more
These characters + last post dread secret card worked really well

Sebastian Jager - Psychoanalyst aged aged 45 who wants to know what drives men to darkness
Ursula Eichman - Chemist Prodigy  aged 19 with a thirst for knowledge
Erika Keller - Police Woman aged 25 who strives to make the system works
Gunther Glocker - Scholar aged 46 who seeks hidden knowledge of mankind
Andreas Decker - Cavalry Officer aged 28 home after years of actin in the colonies
Heinrich Koenig - Secretary aged 24 assistant to corporate mastermind
Silke Fastbinder - Aviatrix aged 24 record breaking pilot adventurer
Axel Fruehauf - Idle Rich aged 21 curious and bored
Oskar Gotlieb 1129 - Worker aged 23 will try anything to escape drudgery of undercity
Wilhelmina Gerber -Film Director aged 20 media darling and socialite
LuLu Kaiser - Dancer and actress aged 20 party girl with brains and brawn meant for more

A big list of German names would help regular play so might get some prepared

Monday 21 April 2014

Cthulhu Metropolis Dread Secret Cards

 These were props to get my EYECON game moving faster (and added a gold coral fragment like ones in Polynesia and Insmouth). Worked very well and I got to give retirement stories for characters. Aas I cut and pasted character sheets from Byakee character generator and it does not have jpg or pdf output so i cant post them but will give brief summaries here too. Realized did not have the dreamer card to use Babylon tables with but have added now and some more. Feedback or more ideas welcome from any mythos or tween war cinematic horror/sf welcome.


Post Crash Map Heaven & Future Con Ideas


 Probably not news to many and there are a few geomorph generators out there but to me biggest flaw in every metamorphosis alpha version is lack of interior maps and geomorphs. FASA awesome Traveller scenrio the third part of skyraiders series included several geomorphs that were awesome and i used in SF games for years.

As I have been working on my gammaworld, planet psychon, metamorphosis clone games I have longed for some maps.

So found some links in & magazine which is awesome (im runing their adventures too in my DnD game)

So this page http://www.wizardawn.com/rpg/index.php has done it. I dont like some of the generators but the scifi maps generator with options for buildings, ships and generation ships (exodus ships) with habs will be very useful in many of my games.

Ultimate Mutant Adventure has options to use space geomorphs too. World maps has good apocalypse and sf maps and the key is nice. All I will use.

Hearing of plans for oldschool events in Sydney pretty awesome - came up when I mentioned the growth of the oldschool section in shops. Someone called me Sydney patron saint of oldschool which is kinda nice.

As I was planning on using my Gammaworld Beaver Island Setting and make my own metamorphosis alpha game for next con this is even better. Now I can do something silly for normal con and get my oldschool mojo on for this.

realy I started gaming 82 with fighting fantasy and other gamebooks but wasn't till 84 had enough friends interested to play DnD ind 2nd year high school. I joined a club full of greybeard weirdos and war vets so I was exposed to older games and memes.

70s games i could Run
*RQ2 Glorantha
*Metamorphosis Alpha
*Empire of the Petal Throne
(My buddy Herbie wants to run Boot Hill)

80s games
Star Frontiers (I used to love vehicle combat + Dragon add ons)
Top Secret SI (one of TSR best Products and I really liked FREElancers and Agent 13)
*Gang Busters - I have considered running trouble brewing as a day long drop in and out game with a police vs syndicate game
*Gammaworld (favorite is 2nd ed more 80s - id love to get a set again)
Stormbringer - i prefer old version
*TSR Marvel Super Heroes
Ringworld
2300

*my preferred choices considering only run 3 a day

Last year I was a bit over running same game 6 times but this year they let me run 3 games twice which was tiring. If the oldschool con happens I might run 3 sessions of 2 game or try 2 sessions for 3 days as fatigue did set in. If all this happens I will probably try my Cthulhu Metropolis again as work gone into it paid off and I can work on more detailed adventure in setting. If I can think of a sequel to Octopus Princesses I might, or I might be on some new gonzo kick by then. I'm missing planet Psychon.

Two silly urges I have are to guy a thousand dollars of boffle larp weapons and use in my business to run workshops in schools and holiday programs. Also considered getting a bunch of the Dark Future clone kits available and mod up some hot wheels cars and run my BRP carwars/autoduel/cyberpunk/dark future setting again.

Sunday 20 April 2014

Long Stairs - Briefings and Basecamps





Long Stairs Prep For EYECON
I will at some point rebrand whole project so I can own my version which is quite different from the group forum one I was inspired by. The project weaned me from d20 to d40 to d100 tables, made me start my dungeon zones and many more influences on many games. Shame not more interest from people despite what it has done for me.

The Basics
Modern Special Forces vs Gygaxian Ecology. A hostile dungeon dimension is acceptable via Maralinga nuclear test site in South Australia. Players generate four zero level characters. Military characters have d6 HP two weapon skills and one non weapon, Mission Specialists or Officers have d4 HP handgun skill and two non weapon skills. There is a high attrition rate for green personnel in the zone of 50% in first engagement.

Surviving personnel become increasingly acclimatised, some even becoming familiar with zone methodology and practises.

Operation Alice
You have been recruited by Experimental Operations Command EXOPCOMD. Publicly you have been sent overseas on a peace keeping mission. In reality you have been deployed to camp Alpha the main operating base, an underground complex with a standing population of 4000 personnel beneath a military airfield in the Maralinga exclusion zone. You have been briefed, provided special training and prepared to enter the Zone for deployment at one of three forward bases or smaller camps.

The zone is through the aperture, a point of instability through to another hostile universe. Was unstable in the 50s and 60s becoming confirmed and regular in the 70s and 80s and has been permanent since the 90s. A nuclear blast door and fortifications defend the Aperture. Existence of other entries is classified but other nations including USA, Russia, China, Britain and France operate permanent entries with a smattering of other nations operating unstable temporary opening points. Russian criminal organizations have been observed also. Ukrainian situation is currently unclear.

The zone appears to be built by unknown persons. It's topography is inconsistent and unstable. It is inhabited by what is best described as monsters, some which are intelligent and humanoid. No nation has discovered a surface if there is one. Various styles of zone have been documented.

The main deployments from Australian deployments are Redbrick Zone (a booby trap filled "dungeon"); Goblin Mine Zone (an abandoned mine occupied by small aggressive humanoids and worse) and Alcheringa Zone (classified and to be avoided).

Having completed basic training you will be moved to forward base camp Beta to begin training in patrol and perimeter defense. Those that perform well will be selected to be deployed in the front line camp Gamma.

Your main duties for the moment will be be defence of base camps and civilian mining contractors, exploratory survey missions.

Basic Warnings:
  • Do not make any unauthorised contact with any life forms human looking or otherwise in the Zone
  • No taking of personal trophies allowed, all creature remains and artifacts are to be documented and bagged
  • All personnel subject to regular medical and psyche evaluation, unusual behavior or breaches of regulations are to be reported
  • Avoid ingestion of food found in the Zone or sexual contact with denizens of the Zone
  • When deployed in the field avoid separation from your squad even for toilet purposes unless instructed
  • All personnel will be issued birth control implants
  • Making personal caches of equipment or artifacts is a criminal offense
  • No unauthorized personal contact outside of the base to be made
  • Foreign military forces are to be treated cordially
  • Unauthorized civilians or criminal are assumed hostile and shot on sight
  • Grenades are useful tool but limit recovery of artifacts, prisoners and specimens

Unauthorised Goods in the Field:
  • Personal ID or photographs of any kind
  • Computer games, mobile phones, cameras or any non issued personal electronic devices
  • Unauthorized Weapons
  • Tobacco, recreational drugs, pornography, sexual devices




Part 1
Guard duty at forward observation camp Delta
Guarding from entrenched position vs humanoids
Waves of orcs attack 200-300
Help loot and fill mass graves

Part2
Patrol Redbrick ZoneL
Look for missing personnel in kobold and trap filled maze

Part 3
Patrol for various friendly and hostile contacts on controlled frontier
Kobolds partly built new level in secret - routine patrol to halt attempts to continue

Part 4
Recon new territory
Explore on log range patrol 4 days

Part 5
Assault or other mission vs hostiles
Capture or destroy person/entity of interest in hostile territory



Grenaides

The Australian Army’s current in-service grenades are used in all operations; some of these are Coloured Smoke, Anti-riot CS, Stun Multi, Sound and Flash Special Purpose, Incendiary and Fragmentation.

Weight - 370 grams

Roll 1d12 for direction of a miss
Short Range = STRx2 1d8 meters off aim on a miss
Medeum Range =STRx4 -2 hit 2d8 meters off aim on a miss
Long Range =STRx6 -4 hit 4d8 meters off aim on a miss

The F1 Fragmentation Grenade
Fragmentation - 30 grams of HE mixture and approximately 4000 x 2.5 millimetre steel balls
Lethal Radius - 6 metres 3d6
Casualty Radius - 15 metres 2d6
Danger Radius - 30 metres 1d6-1

Other Types

Coloured Smoke

Anti-riot CS
-Lethal Radius - 6 metres-2 CON save
-Casualty Radius - 15 metres  CON save
-Danger Radius - 30 metres +2 CON save
If fail do best to move away at all costs, cant act till one round out of gas
If save can act at -4, need to roll to concentrate if casting spells

Stun Multi, Sound and Flash Special Purpose
-Lethal Radius - 6 metres 1d4 -4 CON save 2d6 rounds stun
-Casualty Radius - 15 metres 1d3-1 CON save 1d4 rounds stun
-Danger Radius - 30 metres +2 CON save 1 round stun

Incendiary
-Lethal Radius - 6 metres 2d6 plus burn 1d6 rounds for 1d6
-Casualty Radius - 15 metres 2d4 plus 1d4 rounds for 1d4
-Danger Radius - 30 metres 1d4 plus 1d3 rounds for 1pt

Other KitI stole this from reserve instructable on how he packs his kit


1 - styer magazine (20rd)
2 - styer magazine (30rd)
3 - folding knife, fifty% straight 50% serated
4 - multi use cream, good for cuts and burns, also makes good lipbalm
5 - canteen
6 - heximine, a chemical compound used for cooking as gas stoves aren't allowed
7 - heximine, stove used for cooking with heximine
8 - hand towel, used for drying hands and/or eating utensils
9 - japara, rtain jacket, also warms you up as no heat can escape
10 - gloves, try to keep them thin but still warm, dont have them to thick or you have to take them off to pick small things up.
11 - balaclava, or a beanie whochever suits they're good for night time activities and sleeping
12 - spoon, or kfs (knife, fork, spoon) i prefer a spoon because it doesnt rattle as much
13 - canteen
14 - canteen cup, canteen fits inside and fits nice and tight into pouch
15 - first aid kit, i keep thsi one fairly small with only the essentials for a 'quick fix'
16 - hootchie cord, thin nylon rope used for assembling hutchies (shown later)
17 - baby wipes, multi use including cleaning eating equipment and wiping your ass
18 - tie straps, good for tying things together
19 - sun screen
20 - duct tape
21 - camouflage cream, keeps you well hidden
22 - electical tape, good for tying things together without tie straps
23 - cloth, good for polishing and cleaning rifles, waterproof bag, good for keeping maps and other things that CANNOT get wet
24 -leatherman multitool
25 - lighter, make sure it is disposable you don't want a zippo going missing out field
1 - hootchie cord , varying sizes and thicknesses depending on what i need it for
2 - rations, those that are given to me on camp
3 - heximine, spare
4 - mess kit - contains 2 bowels a kfs set and teatowel but i dont use these at all
5 - heximine stoves, spare as they get ruined pretty quick
6 - spare notebook and stationary, incase i lose, run out of something and need to replace
7 - first aid kit, this is the big one for big things that are serious
8 - torch, actually part of the first aid kit but it wont fit in
9 - emergency rations, incase i or others run out and are desperate for food
10 - spare canteen cup
11 - toiletries, keep showering stuff in here as well as insect repellent and a toothbrush with toothpaste
12 - spare canteen
13 - roll mat, not vital but its good for dead weight and makes a god make-do rocket launcher
14 - hutchie and tent pegs, the vital equipment for staying drying whilst sleeping clip two together and it makes a tent
15 - sleeping bag and pillow, vital for staying warm but i only carry the pillow for dead weight
16 - vest, the step down from a jumper but still warm
17 - jumper, fairly warm but really uncomfortable and picks up a lot of dead ground
18 - water proof bag and underwear, bag is for keeping your uniforms dry and underwear is so you can have a change in you need to
19 - socks, try to change them every three days earlier if possible
20 - undershirt and shirt, for a quick change into something clean and dry
21 - pants, same as above

Combat Ration One Man
From Wikipedia

A complete 24-hour ration pack that provides two substantial meals per day and a wide variety of drinks and snacks for the remainder of the day. Most items, such as Beef Kai Si Ming, Dutch-style Beef with Vegetables, Beef with Spaghetti, Baked Beans, Sausages with Vegetables, or Chicken with pasta and vegetables, are packed in 250 gram sized plastic-foil retort pouches. Included with every meal pack is a pouch of instant rice or instant mashed potatoes, a fruit and grain bar, 2 envelopes of instant drink powder, some biscuits, an "Anzac Biscuit," a chocolate bar, M&M's, coffee, tea, sugar, crackers, cheese spread, jam, sweetened condensed milk, hard sweets, and Vegemite. It is packed in a tough clear polyethylene bag and weighs around 1.5 - 1.7 kg (3.3 - 3.75 lb). In practical use, these packs are "stripped" by removing and trading with other soldiers, those components that are unlikely to be consumed by the person carrying the pack.

My friends would dump lot and bring tiny packs of cheese and tiny baked bean tins for 2 days or less



Saturday 19 April 2014

EYECON day 2 + Long Stairs Pregens

A really good day but tired. Feels like exam mode after days of prep. One player said I was best prepped GM which was nice. Another player who made the long stairs wiki had read all my stuff and said nice things too which was a huge surprise. So always nice to receive acknowledgement.

Talk of an oldschool rpg Con - 70s and 80s games.

If it happens i can do metamorphosis alpha and RQ2 glorantha and possibly empire of the petal throne one day and possibly gammaworld and Marvel superheroes TSR version on 80s day. A cheeky lad asked which thulhu gme I ran. I said old one he said didnt know so I said one been around for 30 years. I have a preference for BRP or 1980s d20 and i dont really see need to try new things that have yet to interest me. I like a bit of crunchy wargamer derived rules that i can strip down or up if needed. I have many other RPG's i mostly use for ideas. 20 years away from DnD and now I find simple abstract unrealism has advantages. If it aint broke dont fix it. For the record like my dad i remember only one joke. I cant remember songs i wrote for performances or catch phrases but I can improv for hours. So learning new systems not my thing.

One friend had players almost come to blows over bullshit.

Last con I was poor, limping up stairs and felt i didn't know anyone. Now I know half of everyone, have moola to spare and am fairly healthy. If I can get my anxiety over work and money resolved next will be good. Im owed thousands and I avoid people trying to pay me. It's a bit crazy. I have 10 thousand in back taxes owed me and I just avoid it, remaining in my rat infested warehouse.

This mornings Cthulhu Metropolis had very skilled roleplayers who did german accents and many knew genre I had made well. Familiar with HPL and Silent film. I also added a gold nugget with the map as extra clue in the style of Insmouth artifacts. Played their secrets well and felt less like being jerks to each other. Played with money in game and talked about their work lives.

When In Yashiwara club host burst open from Eihort brood, Investigators quick to bond and rationalize knowing each other and the victim. Anthropologist Dr let people believe he was a medical Dr and he kept stealing drugs. Film maker actually an android spy from Czechoslovakian company RUR led party. Men went to rich players house to suit up and grab supplies while women went to film makers to get props from her mountain climbing movies. Secret policeman disguised as worker in stolen suit noticed many religious relics in idle rich youth's mansion. Met at anthropologists house found clues about nuggets in Polynesia and Insmouth. Also references to catacombs beneath the earth. The rich youth a secret christian offered to take to cathedral. Managed to skip many planned encounters and got to church and enter the subterranean world.

Found many strange characters and things including caged women and children, a gang member charging a toll, a strange man with a RUR automaton and a book, a albino lizard scared off with a gun and even Rotwang looting a hospital in a ruined war bunker. Eventually found the chamber on themap they had found on body in Yoshiwara. Came across cult temple wuith ten cultists around a well with 5 stone pillars and a man begging for mercy on a altar. The atractive dancer sneaked up to a pillar an while party watched she skillfully sunk a twelve inch butchers knife into a cultists neck. Gosh muttred rest. Then she grabbed anpther and sliced open his abdomen letting his innards slop on floor. Rest took a san loss. Party charged and secret policeman went to save man on altar and shot cult leader. Film maker pulled her .32 revolver and shot others while youth fired shotgun (only a 20 guage) peppering several. Other party members went around sides kicking over lanters. A third of cult killed in moment the fight was on. Anthropologist wrestled with cultist near well. Dancer stabbed two more and chased several away. Cultists tried to get knives from a trunk and battled more adventurers. The secret police man looked in the well and saw the god. Shit. A tendril grabbed his face and he grabbed it holding in a lump of something it tried to force down his face. A police woman knocked cultist int well then beat off tentacle from mans face with a club. Finally the god burst free. Most of party near well fled. Anthropologist and rich youth stared drooling from shock. Dancer with knife chased a cultist down a passage never seeing the god to murder last cultist in her trade mark serial killer style.

Secret policeman reported he had eliminated a worker organization and returned to work more determined to stamp out worker revolts. Police woman shaken and told nobody.

Anthropologist and secret christian idle rich youth awoke hours later with wet faces and fled. Anthropologist went home to consume drugs and wondered if organised crime would kill him before the brood burst forth. Youth gave all mone to church as became a monk awaiting his death.

Film maker returned to Czechoslovakia for repairs. She was stabbed in battle which did not seem to bother her. She had turned icy cold since seeing the god. She was debriefed by Rossum's universal robotics and found defective (story could not be true).

Serial killer dancer spent several hours murdering people she met in catacombs and returned to Yoshiwarra club, content she had found a hunting ground where no victims would ever be missed. (I might add her to encounter tables).

A very good game. I was worried they were so efficient but fight lasted a long time and instead of running early went 15 minutes over.

Long stairs
only had two players despite my new poster i made (sniff). One being a fan as big as me helped. In the orc horde charge monsters got into trenches and killed machine gun personnel and many injuries.

Had enforced R&R at base then went on the rescue in the redbrick zone. Smaller group actually penetrated further and dealt with more traps.

After rescuing several soldiers (very careful were not infected and handcuffed them). One point a big minotaur saw gun drone and charged (was sent by goblins watching party from spyhole party taped over). Minotaur was blown to crap. While party looked towards sound a door of kobolds opened with a crude Greek fire projector but front ones shot dropped the device and started a fire. A goblin pirate threw a iron grenade with a fuse which killed drone. Party killed many goblins with a grenade. Party pulled back and one shot by goblin flintlock pistol. Found a big shiny lever and tied rope to it and pulled back. Hoped it would open a locked gate. Trapdoor above lever dropped 6 ghouls in auscam uniforms. Grenade and sustained fire wiped them out. Collected dog tags and gits in bag. Got out with three rescued men and a treasure chest so did not get yelled at for losing drone.

A week R&R to recover then off to newly built kobold dungeon in mostly incomplete state of a building site. Drone spotted kobolds. Spotted dandy wizards fighting and moved to ambush them. Quarrelled how these non earth civilians fell into rules of engagement. Scout off to side with rear sniper saw ogre move towards them and fire. Ogre got cover. Wizards heard guns and stopped fighting and one cast sleep spell taking out all but 3 troops. Other wizard magic missiled drone. They both ran and sniper shot one in leg. His mate dragged him to a bound of rubble and horde of kobolds charged. Scout started to wake men who caught wizards and dug in. Sniper and grenade launcher got on stack ob bricks and badly damaged kobold gang. Terry the scout climbed up mound and helped to bring 40 kobolds swarm down to 4. Three scrabbled in rubble failing to get up but one got up and stabbed terry with a shortsword. While several specialist support crew with pistols mopped up the four kobolds other horde on right flank surrounded troops on pile of bricks trying to climb over each other to get the soldiers on top. Archer stopped the grenade helicopter drone with arrows and another soldier was caught by 12 kobolds (from other group of 40) and cut into chunks. Last kobolds massacred and troops pulled out with two dead and some nasty cuts.

Leveled up an as had some time let them adopt 1st level. Some tainted by magic become waizards but most fighters and thieves and a few clerics. One scout learned bow which i had never considered before. Different to prior game and fell over each other less but glad worked with only a few players.

Octopus Princess quest went nicely but this team a bit more violent. Once again a girl used ventriloquism and illusions to fake divine wrath of sea god and even had priest and sherrif acompany them. They rode a charmed human around and chameleon like added themselves to his body which kinda looked disturbing. Sheriff took them to priest to be exorcised and they had charmed bait shop man. Managed to get cats chasing them to get into fight with junkyard dog. Used priest and illusions to get whole tavern into a mob but arguments and trouble managing o many humans so cast sleep on whole mess leaving them snoring on the roadside. Managed to bribe awful children with promise of sheriff's gun. They ransacked the blindman house throwing his stuff into sea and blew up sherrifs house which Princess Sparkles and Prince Darrien had left all locks open including powder store. While opening a window illusion dropped of holy glowing trident of sea god and priest escaped to awake sleeping mob. Octogang found fisherman wife murdering the captive octopus peace delegation to surface and beat her up. Freed the bitter old otopus prisoner and he finisher her off. Scared boat builder off his laddr and he attacked them but old octopus cut off his head with axe. Later party climbing into lighthouse to see old octopus  strangle the priest. Finally found pearl in blind mans attic and fled to the sea. Brincess bubbles returned often to the lonely lighthouse keeper and blindman who were only nice humans in town. When grandpa the sea god bounced returning kids on his tentacle beard, Bubbles called him Pappa Cthulhu.

Finished faster but more bloodshed and turning humans to their side. Big fun. I could add locations but have had several requests to run again. I dont know what a sequel would be like. I will use the board map to take to work to play a nicer version with kids at work when i do a game design workshop.

Will go to awards and dinner on Monday holiday. In later con this year will do gamma world (2nd ed on my beaver island setting) or metamorphisis alpha. Old school con if it happens will change all this.

Next Friday a holiday to and my birthday so running characters from my last 13th lv Exile DnD with planet Psychon characters invading hell in a double length session. And I have my tuesday DnD game and Vikings next sunday. Awesome birthday gaming ahead. Normally was my hardest working month but taking it easy been good for me and let me recover instead of being sick like most of last year.



Octopus Princess Mania pt 2

Top left junk yard - widows house with orange roof to left three houses to right is sheriff. Top middle church below is bait shop. Top right is pub, left below boat house, right lighthouse then warf. A bit blurry but 5am all nighter for me. Posca pen on house paint on board.

Mission
In the magical court of the western sea emperor the royal family of the Tako octopus fairies play eternally under the sea. But today the young uns did something bad. Playing for just a bit with the Sea Emperors magic weather control pearl, a dolphin with the pearl was harpooned and captured by fishermen. Now the royal kids have to get it back by dawn or the Emperor will notice and be very very very mad. He will probably demote you to janitors forever and take away your crowns.

Hopefully the humans will be friendly and return the treasure, and will sympathise with your plight. Surely they will see how adorable you are and cave in to you request just like your parents do every day. Then it is back to fun with your pets and candy and friends under the sea forever.

Mob Factor
+1 Per location where humans scream
+1 If widows cats searching
+1 If junkyard dog searching
+1 If Clarissa Thump Searching
+1 If Sheriff Searching
+1 If Priest Searching
+1 If Barney Squidguts Searching
+1 If mob from pub Searching
+1 if dead body or bodies found by searchers
-1 If children searchind (must be their fault!)
-1 If time 3 time boxes pass without a scream or incident - mark with a chit)

Keep track of village hostility with a chit here
When reaches 10, drag back to zero and a mob of 1d6 drunks from pub join the hunt
The track is to scare players really

Time Track

Must complete quest by daybreak
First and last squares are dawn and dusk and more risk of being seen
By forth square most of town drunk or asleep and in locations

Octopus Movement
Octopus start position is the sea - use a chit to record movements
They can split up but this is dangerous
Move adjacent location in no time
All locations next to sea count as adjacent for octopi
Can use sea to avoid humans hunting them
Move anywhere in village by path in one turn or two if move off path

Mob and Searcher Movements
Use a chit to record movements of any locals or mobs
They never leave the path
Stop at every door on route searching for trouble and avoid waking anybody
If they find a body, hear a scream or other disturbance see mob factor

Locations and personalities
12 locations on the map connected by paths
Each location has a personality probably hostile to the gang

It is not really a boardgame because the DM can place the treasure as required by game time or the last explored location.

each location has a first glimpse

then inside view

then useful things to be found - Each location other than the pub has 1d4 bottles of rum

then the resident

Bait Shop
A ramshackle smelly shambles with spilled fish guts and dolphin heads hanging from hooks

Inside are buckets of fish eyes, piles of rusty hooks, old nets, reels, ropes, old sea chests, buckets of rotting chum, an old diving helmet, empty bottles in precarious stacks and a hammock behing the work bench. A collection of stinking aprons hang from hooks for when extra workers hired. Terribly made stuffed fish and albatrosses hang from the ceiling.

Many knives can be found here.

Ezekiel Jones the owner in the first three time boxes is gutting squid, after that he is in a drunken stupor unless he hears the clutter in his shop being disturbed. He delights in gutting all types of cephalapods and will hunt them down with his gutting knife and a bottle in other hand. He mutters crazily.

HP 6 AC +11 (filthy apron is +1) he wont wear it if drunk after the third time box and is a +2 to hit, he has a knife

Boat Shed
A huge shed with huge doors and tiny windows locked at dusk and dawn. Various small boats, hanging nets, coils or rope and parts of old boats and anchors lay about the yard.

Inside are larger boats being built and repaired, wood shavings, logs and nails litter the floor. Badly carved figureheads of topless mermaid are on several boats.

Work tools can be found here, Barney's seaweed, matches and crude erotic mermaid carvings.

Barney Squidguts is here smoking his supply of emerald seaweed and drinking. If he sees a octopus he will go beserk. His wife ran away years ago and he blames them for wooing her away. He is just mad.

HP 7 AC +10 uses a big nasty rusty boat-hook for 1d6

Lighthouse
A black and white painted lighthouse here is in good working order but front door is securely bolted. Many tiny windows are on every floor. The light is on.

Inside is neat - a kitchen on groundfloor. A basement storehouse is full of whale oil and signal rockets. A store room then keepers lounge then bedrooms till the lamp house chamber.

Oil, storm lanterns and a few rockets and available here.

Old man Jibbergibbet is so drunk he thinks the gang are human children. He says he wont tell if they tell him a story for an hour. He will insist they tell another every hour turn but has a 50% chance of passing out each hour on the time track.

HP 4 AC +10 but easy to ambush

Warf
A dilapidated shaky barnacle covered warf where the fishing boats are tied.

A tint hut on warf where harbour master sleeps and drinks from sundown to sun up.

Coils of ropes, buckets of blood and chum and fish scales everywhere.

Crazy Jerimiah Titweazel drinks on an old crate, 50% chance of being in stupor in hours of darkness. If awakened he freaks that fish men or sea monsters invading. He is too drunk to chase anyone but might fight or scream.

HP 8 AC +12 has a short sabre 1d6 from his pirating days

The Pub - The Bloody Chumbucket

Large lively building with bustling mob of drunk sea men singing and dancing inside. A big sign says welcome. Another sign has a fisherman dancing with a tuna who's slit open stomach is spilling guts into a smiling bucket.

Several dozen men in the bar but numbers down to 12 after midnight. There is a dart board, a stuffed mermaid hangs from the roof. A nasty monkey lives here could be befriended if spoken to by right octopus.

There is as much booze and food in here as gang can carry. Bread and chunks of mutton and bbq squid on stcks are on plates. The kitchen is a mess and usually empty after twilight.

If they see horrible sea beasties or notice any disturbance 1d6 will arm themselves and go hunt with a torch 1d4 damage, or a dagger 1d4, or one in every group with a pitchfork.

HP 4 AC+10

The Church of the Briny Deep
From a distance the trident symbol might comfort the gang. Through the window a kindly old priest covers drunks with blankets with great tenderness.

Closer inside a frightening depiction of the Sea lord as a bearded human grimacing is over the bloody altar. Shockingly nothing like your grandpa the Sea Emperor. Statues of fish men hybrids line the walls. Stained glass of undersea scenes of drowned undead sailors are in back of church.

A collection tray of copper and a tin of buiscuits is inside,

The kindly priest will step onto the porch for a nip from his flask. If he sees a blasphemous octopi he will explode into rage and chase them screaming with his gold organic looking trident holy symbol. Ranting that the kids are the anti-squid come to defile the church and village women.

HP 6 AC+12 (agile old bugger) can punch 1d3 twice a round

Sheriff's Office
A small hut with barred windows and a yellow painted star on a sign out front.

Inside their is a cell (where party could end up). A black powder cuboard, some nooses, a big axe in a chopping block and a locked trunk of confiscated daggers and clubs. In cell are manacles. The drunk sheriff if dark is asleep with feet on desk in a chair holding a blunderbuss with a key to everything hanging from his belt. If startled he might shoot, possibly his own feet.

Lots of weapons here.

The jumpy sheriff will shoot wildly then reload if possible. He will use as a club or use a dagger if that not an option. He hates no good no necked freaks. If he catches any of the gang he will try to hang them which is a dismal failure then watch them till dawn when posse will cut victim up for bait. Ever hour he watches has a 1in4 chance of passing out. Easily escaped by the octopi kids. A chance if startled will blow own head off.

HP 8 AC +13 (hard studded leather patchwork mess armour) Blunderbuss 2d4, Range 10 short 20 long can hit 1d3 close people for only 1d4 at long range but no hit penalty for range. Fire once every 3rd round. Has 10 shots on him and more in box. Also had d4 knife or d6 gun stock as a club.

Widow's House
Nicest house in town with tiled roof, nice paint and flower bushes such as roses in garden. Sensitive octopi must make Con rolls or sneeze. A few cats watch party.

Inside is a hoard of cats and a crazy witch widow. Convinced octopi out to ravish her sets 1d4 cats per octopi to attack. Lots of furniture and antiques under sheets and cobwebs. Doilies, china, silverware and a box of 100gp under her bed.

Lots of possible loot but dangerous. More cats crawl from under house. Has a trunk of gold and creepy dolls with pins in them modeled on local folk gang may recognize.

Old lady Cranmuffin has a crossbow 1d6 and hair pin 1d3 if anything gets closer. HP 2 AC +10
Cat HP 2 AC +12 bite claw for 1d2 - max of 4 cats per octopus in house. Cats hate octopi and a gang of 1d4 will prowl around streets hunting them if any left

House 1 - Orphanage
Small rundown house with old woman in rocking chair with empty clay jar of moonshine. House in poor condition with children's drawings on walls, broken windows, spilled food and toys scattered.

Not much more to this place except the kids.A pig wanders around eating scraps

8 horrible kids HP 3 AC +10 will hunt octopi wit sticks for 1d3, one has a slingshot 1d2. They will try to catch an octopi and cut off all limbs then use as a soccerball. Luckily town hate them and noise from kids actually reduces the mob factor.

Pig could be befriended if can speak to it. HP 9 AC +13 1d6 charge or bite

House 2 -Blind old Man
A run down messy house with open doors and spoiled food on benches. Old man in rocking chair. He may think those kids have come to torture him and scream but if treated well and fed nods off to sleep and gives helpers a silver coin each from inside his boot.

Not much here

HP 1 helpless really but might get a lucky hit with his stick for a d4 but -4 to hit

House 3 - Fisherman's Wife

A slightly better maintained house but wet thumping souns from inside.

A fishwife is busy bashing octopi (possibly someone you know) against a stone sink and gutting, chopping and stuffing into jars of vinegar. A dozed gallon jars already filled in pantry and some dried fish. An old octopus in a cage awaits his sad fate, only survivor of a peace delegation that came here a week ago.

Some knives and a wooden mallet here in kitchen and remains of many octopi here.

Clarissa Thump hates octopi and longs to kill them. Her husband is in the pub, he knows better to be near here when she be a killin. Besides the fact they beg for mercy creeps him out. He drops a line with big jars with gold coin glued to the bottom then pulls line up and always gets a few greedy foolish octopi folk.

HP 6 AC +12 (thick apron, leathery skin) 1d4 cleaver or mallet or knife. She will throw a few if she cannot catch and will prowl the the town hunting them.

The old purple Tako octopus folk man (Uncly Diddly) is very grateful and could be a good follower if recruited on the spot. He now hates humans and gets a +1 hit and damage with any weapon vs them. HP 6 AC +2 (Dex)

Junkyard
A decrepit mess of ruined boats, skeletonized hulls and rotting maggoty heaps and rat nests. A comatose owner lies on porch near death from bad moonshine. His angry dog hates sea monsters.

Mostly garbage and crap here and a swarm or rats HP 5 AC +2 1d4 damage will attack any who bother their quivering nest mounds. Old man wont awaken even if stabbed, but dog very alert and hostile, will hunt around village looking for the gang. A still, many bottles or spirits and formaldehyde are her and very flamable.

HP 9 AC +13 Junkyard Dog 1d6 bite sniffing about

Concluding the Adventure
Pearl I would put in last place looked cos that is where you always find stuff. A bucket of chum knocked over by accident when hope lost a good place. Perhaps a questioned human can misdirect them or help them. More about wasting time really. 3 hour game is the intent here. The church or the junkyard are good places too.