I've been enjoying Season 2 of The Walking Dead on AMC.
[SPOILER ALERT]
I must say:
Shane, you don't have to outrun the zombies, you only have to outrun Otis, how hard is that you low down creep?
Now I know some readers of the comic might not have been surprised Shane did something low and all for himself but the shot in the leg caught me off-guard.
If by some odd chance you are reading this blog and have cable television and haven't see the Walking Dead do yourself a favor and do so. Season 1 and current episodes were on demand for those with digital cable and the website is full of goodies and episodes.
There's a goofy but entertaining talk show trailing the episodes on AMC called the Talking Dead, it's superficial and silly but still entertaining, I've been watching it a day or so later so it doesn't break the mood of the episodes for me. The comic creator was on episode 2 and his discussion of the show was enough to soothe a lot of nerd-rage about differences in the comic and the show.
In closing, don't shoot the fat guy in the leg when being chased by a zombie mob, the zombies don't cap each other to get at a snack.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
True D&D Session Horror Story.
Listen now if you dare to a tale of gaming past, that still send shivers down the spines of the players involved.
We were playing AD&D on a fine Sunday afternoon about 20 years ago, the party was a vagabond band of thieves, murderers, burglars, necromancers and heretics. The target was a citadel under command of not too original big bad evil guy that held together a force of mismatched humanoids, bandits and thugs.
In an unusual turn of play and cunning on part of the players they decided against a frontal assault or climbing over the walls under cover of daylight and instead spent their effort seeking a escape tunnel from the fortress. The party was rewarded with their diligence and caution and quickly skulked into the inner sanctum of the villain.
The villain and his bodyguard normally fierce and intimidating foes were caught unaware and quickly dispatched with cunning and lucky dice rolls. With a quick found victory and visions of loot dancing in their heads the party went on to claim the defunct villains treasures for themselves, when to their horrors they noted a clamor.
The noise was that host of minions once held under sway by the villain now set free of his overbearing domination, all fleeing en-mass with everything they could carry. There were goblins with copper, orcs with silver and bandits with gold all scurrying through the halls, fleeing out beyond the gates and off into the distance down the road.
There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth, the players bayed and howled as the treasures they sought were carried off and scattered throughout the countryside. The PCs dashed and raced to keep all the cash they could. They laid about themselves with sword and spell but alas they could not keep all the treasures within the citadel of the villain they had just slain long enough to carry away and fill coffers of their own.
It was a true life D&D session horror story that truly still sends shivers up the spines of those that were there and causes this DM's lips to curl up in a wicked smile.
We were playing AD&D on a fine Sunday afternoon about 20 years ago, the party was a vagabond band of thieves, murderers, burglars, necromancers and heretics. The target was a citadel under command of not too original big bad evil guy that held together a force of mismatched humanoids, bandits and thugs.
In an unusual turn of play and cunning on part of the players they decided against a frontal assault or climbing over the walls under cover of daylight and instead spent their effort seeking a escape tunnel from the fortress. The party was rewarded with their diligence and caution and quickly skulked into the inner sanctum of the villain.
The villain and his bodyguard normally fierce and intimidating foes were caught unaware and quickly dispatched with cunning and lucky dice rolls. With a quick found victory and visions of loot dancing in their heads the party went on to claim the defunct villains treasures for themselves, when to their horrors they noted a clamor.
The noise was that host of minions once held under sway by the villain now set free of his overbearing domination, all fleeing en-mass with everything they could carry. There were goblins with copper, orcs with silver and bandits with gold all scurrying through the halls, fleeing out beyond the gates and off into the distance down the road.
There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth, the players bayed and howled as the treasures they sought were carried off and scattered throughout the countryside. The PCs dashed and raced to keep all the cash they could. They laid about themselves with sword and spell but alas they could not keep all the treasures within the citadel of the villain they had just slain long enough to carry away and fill coffers of their own.
It was a true life D&D session horror story that truly still sends shivers up the spines of those that were there and causes this DM's lips to curl up in a wicked smile.
Friday, October 28, 2011
We're Gonna Loot It.
and now for a musical interlude: (sung to the tune of the Laverne and Shirley theme)
D four, six, eight, ten and twelve.
Succubus, Beholder, Mind-flayer incorporated.
We're gonna loot it!
Give us any treasure, we'll take it.
Give us any door, well break in.
We're gonna make our dreams come true.
Rolling all the dice.
No random encounters are gonna turn us back now,
Straight ahead and on the left now.
We're gonna make our dreams come true,
Rolling all the dice.
There is nothing we won't slay,
Going to make our saving throws today.
This time there's no stopping us.
We're gonna loot it.
On your mark, get set, and go now,
Got a dream and we just know now,
We're gonna roll a twenty.
And we'll loot it our way, yes our way.
Make all our dreams come true,
And loot it our way, yes our way,
Make all our dreams come true
For me and you.
-------------------
I just had type that after seeing this post: http://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/10/caves-of-myrddin-public-service.html , Feel free to thank Jeff.
D four, six, eight, ten and twelve.
Succubus, Beholder, Mind-flayer incorporated.
We're gonna loot it!
Give us any treasure, we'll take it.
Give us any door, well break in.
We're gonna make our dreams come true.
Rolling all the dice.
No random encounters are gonna turn us back now,
Straight ahead and on the left now.
We're gonna make our dreams come true,
Rolling all the dice.
There is nothing we won't slay,
Going to make our saving throws today.
This time there's no stopping us.
We're gonna loot it.
On your mark, get set, and go now,
Got a dream and we just know now,
We're gonna roll a twenty.
And we'll loot it our way, yes our way.
Make all our dreams come true,
And loot it our way, yes our way,
Make all our dreams come true
For me and you.
-------------------
I just had type that after seeing this post: http://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/10/caves-of-myrddin-public-service.html , Feel free to thank Jeff.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
An Apocalyptic Zombie Apocalypse
A comment I made here: http://professorpope.blogspot.com/2011/10/why-zombie-apocalypse.html got me thinking about how to make a zombie apocalypse truly apocalyptic in a D&Desque fantasy setting. I of course had to share these seasonal ideas.
First off what are the zombies? Are they regular D&D zombies…well that's boring. Use the stats for ghouls but replace paralysis with infection and things get nasty. Anyone infected by a plague zombie must save vs death or sicken becoming incapacitated in 2-7 hours and passing away in another 14-24 hours. Anyone slain by a plague zombie will reanimate in 2-5 turns.
Want to step up the apocalyptic factor: Anyone that dies on unconsecrated property will reanimate as a plague zombie in 2-12 hours.
Now we must get to the nature of disease in a D&Desque universe, it isn't always caused by germs it's caused by polluted humors which allow malignant spirits to enter the world, typically disease weakens or kills the victim but the zombie plague allows the evil spirit possession of the remains by animation of the corpse of the victim.
The spiritual component of zombie plague makes it dangerous to spell casters as it is contagious through magical contact. Detection spells may expose the caster to zombie plague if there is a zombie in the area of effect of a detection spell, the caster must save vs death 2-5 rounds after exposure or become infected. Casting healing magics upon the infected is dangerous as any healing spell cast on one who is infected exposes the caster to infection requiring a save to avoid infection.
Cure/remove disease spells also expose the caster to infection.
Turn undead works on plague zombies as per normal undead of the appropriate HD. The infected are not turned and the infection can't be turned away as it hasn't manifested itself enough for this to matter.
Plague zombies will avoid consecrated ground and temples until an infected person enters the grounds of such a place and then they will be as prone to enter such a place as they are any other place (they are drawn to sight of the living,noises, blood, motion and scent of the living).
PCs are likely to blast away at zombies with powerful spells and this on first blush seems safe enough. But any plague zombie destroyed completely by magic has a 10% chance per spell level used to defeat it of bringing a plague wraith into existence. A plague wraith will act as a normal wraith except when an victim is drained or slain they immediately animate as a plague zombie. Plague wraiths can themselves be destroyed by magic as a normal wraith.
There you go a recipe for making a zombie apocalypse a bit more apocalyptic in a D&Desque setting.
First off what are the zombies? Are they regular D&D zombies…well that's boring. Use the stats for ghouls but replace paralysis with infection and things get nasty. Anyone infected by a plague zombie must save vs death or sicken becoming incapacitated in 2-7 hours and passing away in another 14-24 hours. Anyone slain by a plague zombie will reanimate in 2-5 turns.
Want to step up the apocalyptic factor: Anyone that dies on unconsecrated property will reanimate as a plague zombie in 2-12 hours.
Now we must get to the nature of disease in a D&Desque universe, it isn't always caused by germs it's caused by polluted humors which allow malignant spirits to enter the world, typically disease weakens or kills the victim but the zombie plague allows the evil spirit possession of the remains by animation of the corpse of the victim.
The spiritual component of zombie plague makes it dangerous to spell casters as it is contagious through magical contact. Detection spells may expose the caster to zombie plague if there is a zombie in the area of effect of a detection spell, the caster must save vs death 2-5 rounds after exposure or become infected. Casting healing magics upon the infected is dangerous as any healing spell cast on one who is infected exposes the caster to infection requiring a save to avoid infection.
Cure/remove disease spells also expose the caster to infection.
Turn undead works on plague zombies as per normal undead of the appropriate HD. The infected are not turned and the infection can't be turned away as it hasn't manifested itself enough for this to matter.
Plague zombies will avoid consecrated ground and temples until an infected person enters the grounds of such a place and then they will be as prone to enter such a place as they are any other place (they are drawn to sight of the living,noises, blood, motion and scent of the living).
PCs are likely to blast away at zombies with powerful spells and this on first blush seems safe enough. But any plague zombie destroyed completely by magic has a 10% chance per spell level used to defeat it of bringing a plague wraith into existence. A plague wraith will act as a normal wraith except when an victim is drained or slain they immediately animate as a plague zombie. Plague wraiths can themselves be destroyed by magic as a normal wraith.
There you go a recipe for making a zombie apocalypse a bit more apocalyptic in a D&Desque setting.
The Bad Guys Want to Win
There are many schools of adventure design in RPGs out there but what intrigues me the most are campaigns where players scale their endeavors to their capabilities. For this to be possible the ref needs to create a campaign where the adventures are buikt in an environment where the bad guys want to win and don't simply exist as exp piles and challenge bumps.
Do you have to tell the players that the Citadel of Lord Black who has ruled Darkoria for 1000 years and is guarded by the undead remains of his 2000 sons might be a tough or overwhelming challenge for a group of 1st level characters? Is a tower with no more then 3 stories and a half dozen horses corralled outside likely to be appropriate challenge?
The players should be able to make the choice. The bad guys should fight back within their capabilities. If the PCs manage a single raid into Lord Black's citadel and come running out with a couple thousand in loot they deserve it but if they return three days later to do the same they should die or maybe Lord Dark just isn't all he is built up to be.
The clever traps and guardians to the treasure vault should be built to be accessed by Lord Black and his trusted minions, not an adventure and loot path for the PCs. If the PCs walk into this vault and discover a charmed green dragon guarding his loot and they weren't' expecting to do so, they should die if they don't run fast enough. Who would you leave guarding your loot, a green dragon, a minotaur or a band of kobolds?
If a player owned a castle and it were under attack would he make sure to have concentric circles of defense where his absolute weakest forces were on the furthest edge and be sure only to commit his stronger forces after all else was lost and would himself avoid the invaders until the last moment, or would he lead a reaction force to smash down the invaders daring to pilfer his hard won loot? The bad guys should react as a player would: with ruthless sociopathic-homocidal overkill and the players should expect that.
The bad guys want to win and a ref should build adventures that keep that in mind. Yes it sets the bar higher for beginning play but that's good. Of course one must be careful in presentation and make it very clear what power levels one is dealing with or beginners will throw themselves against threats they can't possibly overcome and possibly become discouraged. There's always the chance players will become better at the game and be able to beat the bad guys even when the deck is stacked against them by opponents who want to win.
Are the players returning to the same base time after time when raiding the Tunnels of Terror? Have the bad guys ambush them on the route to or from the tunnels, even have the bad guys strike at their base. It can be pretty embarrassing to return to the local Inn to rest and discover it's been burnt to the ground.
Are the players tasked with recovering the 6 segments of the Gilborax? Is the villain tryign to do the same thing? Have the villain use the PCs to make his life easier.
Are the players tryign to stop Lord Black from invading Heartland? Let them try, but he will not delay his plans unless the PCs are a real problem and if the PCs are a real problem their destruction becomes part of the invasion plans.
Just a little friendly advice to my fellow refs/DMs/GMs out there: build adventures with bad guys that want to win.
Do you have to tell the players that the Citadel of Lord Black who has ruled Darkoria for 1000 years and is guarded by the undead remains of his 2000 sons might be a tough or overwhelming challenge for a group of 1st level characters? Is a tower with no more then 3 stories and a half dozen horses corralled outside likely to be appropriate challenge?
The players should be able to make the choice. The bad guys should fight back within their capabilities. If the PCs manage a single raid into Lord Black's citadel and come running out with a couple thousand in loot they deserve it but if they return three days later to do the same they should die or maybe Lord Dark just isn't all he is built up to be.
The clever traps and guardians to the treasure vault should be built to be accessed by Lord Black and his trusted minions, not an adventure and loot path for the PCs. If the PCs walk into this vault and discover a charmed green dragon guarding his loot and they weren't' expecting to do so, they should die if they don't run fast enough. Who would you leave guarding your loot, a green dragon, a minotaur or a band of kobolds?
If a player owned a castle and it were under attack would he make sure to have concentric circles of defense where his absolute weakest forces were on the furthest edge and be sure only to commit his stronger forces after all else was lost and would himself avoid the invaders until the last moment, or would he lead a reaction force to smash down the invaders daring to pilfer his hard won loot? The bad guys should react as a player would: with ruthless sociopathic-homocidal overkill and the players should expect that.
The bad guys want to win and a ref should build adventures that keep that in mind. Yes it sets the bar higher for beginning play but that's good. Of course one must be careful in presentation and make it very clear what power levels one is dealing with or beginners will throw themselves against threats they can't possibly overcome and possibly become discouraged. There's always the chance players will become better at the game and be able to beat the bad guys even when the deck is stacked against them by opponents who want to win.
Are the players returning to the same base time after time when raiding the Tunnels of Terror? Have the bad guys ambush them on the route to or from the tunnels, even have the bad guys strike at their base. It can be pretty embarrassing to return to the local Inn to rest and discover it's been burnt to the ground.
Are the players tasked with recovering the 6 segments of the Gilborax? Is the villain tryign to do the same thing? Have the villain use the PCs to make his life easier.
Are the players tryign to stop Lord Black from invading Heartland? Let them try, but he will not delay his plans unless the PCs are a real problem and if the PCs are a real problem their destruction becomes part of the invasion plans.
Just a little friendly advice to my fellow refs/DMs/GMs out there: build adventures with bad guys that want to win.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The Last American
I just discovered this : The Last American a 19th century book by John Ames Mitchell . The narrator , a Persian explorer, in the year 2951 visits ruined New York and Washington in the book.
From the introduction:
The astounding discoveries of Khan-li of Dimph-yoo-chur have thrown floods of light upon the domestic life of the Mehrikan people. He little realized when he landed upon that sleeping continent what a service he was about to render history, or what enthusiasm his discoveries would arouse among Persian archaeologists.
Good dolly, how did I miss this book all these years?
There's a number of illustrations in this 78 page book. It's an interesting book worth the brief read for folks into alternative history, science-fiction, post-apocalypse and games involving long journeys and rooting about in ruins.
From the introduction:
The astounding discoveries of Khan-li of Dimph-yoo-chur have thrown floods of light upon the domestic life of the Mehrikan people. He little realized when he landed upon that sleeping continent what a service he was about to render history, or what enthusiasm his discoveries would arouse among Persian archaeologists.
Every student of antiquity is familiar with these facts.
But for the benefit of those who have yet to acquire a knowledge of this extraordinary people, I advise, first, a visit to the Museum at Teheran in order to excite their interest in the subject, and second, the reading of such books as Nofuhl's "What we Found in the West," and Noz-yt-ahl's "History of the Mehrikans." The last-named is a complete and reliable history of these people from the birth of the Republic under George-wash-yn-tun to the year 1990, when they ceased to exist as a nation. I must say, however, that Noz-yt-ahl leaves the reader much confused concerning the period between the massacre of the Protestants in 1927, and the overflow of the Murfey dynasty in 1940.
Good dolly, how did I miss this book all these years?
There's a number of illustrations in this 78 page book. It's an interesting book worth the brief read for folks into alternative history, science-fiction, post-apocalypse and games involving long journeys and rooting about in ruins.
Devouring Sentinel
A horrifying monster to challenge your players with from my recent sketch post.
Devouring Sentinel
No. Enc: 1(1-3)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: Telekinetic Flight- 60'(20')
Armor Class: 0 (body), 2(mouth), 3 (pseudopods)
Hit Dice: 9-14
Attacks: 1 bite or pseudopod emissions
Damage: 2d6 or special
Save: as fighter of same level as # of HD.
Morale: 9 (in 12)
These cunning subterranean dwelling creatures resemble 7-10' wide bumpy/crusty levitating bivalves with wicked fangs, a number of peering eyes seemingly placed randomly about their bodies and an assortment of writhing pseudopods extending from their shell. The Devouring Sentinel is an intelligent creature and is sometimes summoned and bound by power spell-casters to guard a treasure or area.
The Devouring Sentinel moves with a permanently active telekinetic flight that is not prone to disruption by effects hostile to magic.
The pseudopods of a Devouring Sentinel can be severed by an edged weapon that does 5 or more hp of damage when specifically targeting an exposed pseudopod. The Devouring Sentinel doesn't lose any hp over the 5 points needed to sever the pseudopod when one is attacked. Losing more then one pseudopod might force a Devouring Sentinel to withdraw. Severed pseudopods will be replaced in 2-12 days.
The mouth of the Devouring Sentinel is vulnerable when the creature is raging or mocking it's prey as well as when it is attempting to snare prey with it's tongue or make a bite attack.
The Devouring Sentinel can attack prey up to 30' away by extending it's tongue in manner similar to that of frogs and snaring man-sized or smaller prey. The victim will be held fast and drawn to the creatures mouth (if a save fails) where they will be automatically hit by the creatures bite attack each round until the victim is devoured. A Devouring Sentinel can attack a small sized foe and swallow them whole in this manner and will be able to consume them with it's mouth clamped shut. Man-sized prey will be able to fight back but smaller foes will be hopelessly trapped. Only one victim will be devoured at a time.
Equipment carried by a Devouring Sentinel will be swallowed into the creatures transit sack an organ not unlike a bag of holding. The loot will be expelled back at the creatures lair. f one can retrieve the sack (only possible when it's empty as death of the sentinel will cause any items in the sack to rip it open) a magic-user in the know may use it to produce a bag of holding.
As horrible as being devoured by the Devouring Sentinel may be the most feared attacks from this creature come from the high pressure sprays emitted by the pseudopods. Each Devouring Sentinel will have half as many pseudopods as it has hit-dice (plus or minus one). Each pseudo pod can be aimed at virtually any target. Each pseudopod spray can be used 3 times a day and may be targeted against a single foe up to 60' away, the victim may avoid or diminish the attack with an appropriate saving throw.
The exact properties of each pseudopod may vary as follows:
d8roll.....Type of Pseudopod
1............. Calcifying Spray: victim is entrapped as if victim of a Flesh to Stone spray.
2..............Soporific Mist: as a sleep spell.
3..............Toxic Goo: victim must save vs poison each round until it is cleaned off or die.
4..............Stupefying Spray: as hold person or hold monster as appropriate
5..............Stun Spray: as power word,stun spell
6..............Madness: as confusion
7..............Slime: victim is sprayed with green slime (as per monster)
8.............Russet Jelly: victim is covered in metal rusting jelly all normal metal items carried will be destroyed in 1-3 rounds unless cleaned off. Magic items have a 20% chance per "plus" of surviving unharmed.
There are rumored to be massive colonies of these creatures deep underground or on other planes. Some Devouring Sentinels may have pseudopods with characteristics that differ from the norm, they are considered mutants and hunted down by their kin.
--------
Legal Mumbo-jumbo
Devouring Sentinel, Copyright © 2011 James D. Jarvis
License: anyone is free to use the Devouring Sentinel as presented here in their game related postings online, periodicals and published RPG game products (including print and pdf) so long as they acknowledge the copyright to the Devouring Sentinel and provide notification to James D. Jarvis of use ( a comment on this original blog post is fine). The Devouring Sentinel is not in the public domain but may be used as spelled out in the license.
Devouring Sentinel
No. Enc: 1(1-3)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: Telekinetic Flight- 60'(20')
Armor Class: 0 (body), 2(mouth), 3 (pseudopods)
Hit Dice: 9-14
Attacks: 1 bite or pseudopod emissions
Damage: 2d6 or special
Save: as fighter of same level as # of HD.
Morale: 9 (in 12)
These cunning subterranean dwelling creatures resemble 7-10' wide bumpy/crusty levitating bivalves with wicked fangs, a number of peering eyes seemingly placed randomly about their bodies and an assortment of writhing pseudopods extending from their shell. The Devouring Sentinel is an intelligent creature and is sometimes summoned and bound by power spell-casters to guard a treasure or area.
The Devouring Sentinel moves with a permanently active telekinetic flight that is not prone to disruption by effects hostile to magic.
The pseudopods of a Devouring Sentinel can be severed by an edged weapon that does 5 or more hp of damage when specifically targeting an exposed pseudopod. The Devouring Sentinel doesn't lose any hp over the 5 points needed to sever the pseudopod when one is attacked. Losing more then one pseudopod might force a Devouring Sentinel to withdraw. Severed pseudopods will be replaced in 2-12 days.
The mouth of the Devouring Sentinel is vulnerable when the creature is raging or mocking it's prey as well as when it is attempting to snare prey with it's tongue or make a bite attack.
The Devouring Sentinel can attack prey up to 30' away by extending it's tongue in manner similar to that of frogs and snaring man-sized or smaller prey. The victim will be held fast and drawn to the creatures mouth (if a save fails) where they will be automatically hit by the creatures bite attack each round until the victim is devoured. A Devouring Sentinel can attack a small sized foe and swallow them whole in this manner and will be able to consume them with it's mouth clamped shut. Man-sized prey will be able to fight back but smaller foes will be hopelessly trapped. Only one victim will be devoured at a time.
Equipment carried by a Devouring Sentinel will be swallowed into the creatures transit sack an organ not unlike a bag of holding. The loot will be expelled back at the creatures lair. f one can retrieve the sack (only possible when it's empty as death of the sentinel will cause any items in the sack to rip it open) a magic-user in the know may use it to produce a bag of holding.
As horrible as being devoured by the Devouring Sentinel may be the most feared attacks from this creature come from the high pressure sprays emitted by the pseudopods. Each Devouring Sentinel will have half as many pseudopods as it has hit-dice (plus or minus one). Each pseudo pod can be aimed at virtually any target. Each pseudopod spray can be used 3 times a day and may be targeted against a single foe up to 60' away, the victim may avoid or diminish the attack with an appropriate saving throw.
The exact properties of each pseudopod may vary as follows:
d8roll.....Type of Pseudopod
1............. Calcifying Spray: victim is entrapped as if victim of a Flesh to Stone spray.
2..............Soporific Mist: as a sleep spell.
3..............Toxic Goo: victim must save vs poison each round until it is cleaned off or die.
4..............Stupefying Spray: as hold person or hold monster as appropriate
5..............Stun Spray: as power word,stun spell
6..............Madness: as confusion
7..............Slime: victim is sprayed with green slime (as per monster)
8.............Russet Jelly: victim is covered in metal rusting jelly all normal metal items carried will be destroyed in 1-3 rounds unless cleaned off. Magic items have a 20% chance per "plus" of surviving unharmed.
There are rumored to be massive colonies of these creatures deep underground or on other planes. Some Devouring Sentinels may have pseudopods with characteristics that differ from the norm, they are considered mutants and hunted down by their kin.
--------
Legal Mumbo-jumbo
Devouring Sentinel, Copyright © 2011 James D. Jarvis
License: anyone is free to use the Devouring Sentinel as presented here in their game related postings online, periodicals and published RPG game products (including print and pdf) so long as they acknowledge the copyright to the Devouring Sentinel and provide notification to James D. Jarvis of use ( a comment on this original blog post is fine). The Devouring Sentinel is not in the public domain but may be used as spelled out in the license.
Monday, October 24, 2011
A great Index of OSR Tables
There's a great index of OSR Tables here: http://hackslashmaster.blogspot.com/2011/03/on-never-being-able-to-find-table-when.html
It covers a lot of territory and some great blog posts are linked there. If you ref at all do yourself a favor, navigate over there and bookmark the page.
It covers a lot of territory and some great blog posts are linked there. If you ref at all do yourself a favor, navigate over there and bookmark the page.
How many exp for Parliament?
Is everyone's hero soemone else's villain? In a thread here: http://apaladinincitadel.blogspot.com/2011/10/remem-er_4892.html I questioned the curious hero status earned by Guy Fawkes in recent years as an anti-establishment icon and hero of liberty. I'm posting this here so Aaron doesn't feel I'm being an ass who doesn't think his blog is cool.
Guy Fakes is nobodies hero he was an adventurer returned from a long bloody war of the Reformation where he fought on the side of Catholic Spain against protestants in the lowlands. He was a holy warrior representing over 1000 years of the established authority acting against the establishment of a new order, he was not a hero of liberation.
The gunpowder plot was an attempt to murder and than place a hopefully friendly monarch on the throne. To reform the system of authority ever so slightly so that Catholics would no longer be formally prosecuted and be in the position of power. Those in power were able to impose their will and their religion on their fellow man.
Not very many goals of high-minded liberty and freedom there.
The past was an ugly place.
Now in modern times we have Fawkes reborn in spirit thanks to an entertaining comic and film. A villain against the ruling Anglican protestantism and a hero of the established Catholic church which waged war agaisnt those waging spiritual and political revolution has become a symbol of personal liberty against the tyranny of the totalitarian state. Comic books and film always put an interesting spin on reality don't they?
Of course I'm going to wrap this all up into RPG because that's what I do here. Guy Fawkes as hero or villain is a D&D style adventurer who gets himself involved in The End Game. He's was a tall distinct and imposing man,no coward at all, was an turn-coat, military officer and secret agent swept up in events larger then himself. He surely would have earned himself a heap of exp if the plot had succeeded.
His tale is a cautionary one for would-be D&D heroes catching themselves swept up in politics, war and nation-building: Be careful and choose the winning side lest you be burnt in effigy for centuries.
Remember, remember the 5th of November, there's always some jerk willing to get you killed for their cause.
Guy Fakes is nobodies hero he was an adventurer returned from a long bloody war of the Reformation where he fought on the side of Catholic Spain against protestants in the lowlands. He was a holy warrior representing over 1000 years of the established authority acting against the establishment of a new order, he was not a hero of liberation.
The gunpowder plot was an attempt to murder and than place a hopefully friendly monarch on the throne. To reform the system of authority ever so slightly so that Catholics would no longer be formally prosecuted and be in the position of power. Those in power were able to impose their will and their religion on their fellow man.
Not very many goals of high-minded liberty and freedom there.
The past was an ugly place.
Now in modern times we have Fawkes reborn in spirit thanks to an entertaining comic and film. A villain against the ruling Anglican protestantism and a hero of the established Catholic church which waged war agaisnt those waging spiritual and political revolution has become a symbol of personal liberty against the tyranny of the totalitarian state. Comic books and film always put an interesting spin on reality don't they?
Of course I'm going to wrap this all up into RPG because that's what I do here. Guy Fawkes as hero or villain is a D&D style adventurer who gets himself involved in The End Game. He's was a tall distinct and imposing man,no coward at all, was an turn-coat, military officer and secret agent swept up in events larger then himself. He surely would have earned himself a heap of exp if the plot had succeeded.
His tale is a cautionary one for would-be D&D heroes catching themselves swept up in politics, war and nation-building: Be careful and choose the winning side lest you be burnt in effigy for centuries.
Remember, remember the 5th of November, there's always some jerk willing to get you killed for their cause.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Three Old-School Monster Sketches
Three old-school inspired monster sketches just begging for statistics.
Months of Adventure
The following is an outline and map of the exploits of the black-heart treasure seekers that are the PCs in my regular Tuesday night game.
A. June 1st. Party arrives in The New Lands from Aroa as part of The Fifth Fleet, 2 ships were lost. Some rigors were suffered.
B. July 1st-Sept 1st. Party raids into Snake Garter territory to go scalp hunting. They are accompanied by cousins of the Wellaganch and find safe harbor in a village of those people. A hunt in Howlie territory is a success one adolescent Howlie is tracked and slain. Raid on Snake Garters is successful but stirs up hostilities in the region. Party returns to Sophia with several dozen scalps.
C. Party hears rumor about "Cities of Gold" from an explorer and learn they can be found from a place known as The village of the Red Roofs. They book passage on he Shellcrest and stop over in Casa Fino.
D. Sail to River of Red Swords
E. Sept 10-15th travel and most freindly contact with Makar Tribesmen.
F. Sept 16th-Oct 4th. Obelisk and Hill Discovered. Party enters tunnels beneath encounter undead guardians. Devoto and Thorgrim cursed with illness. Party returns to tunnels and battles Pestilence Spirit. Brom and Devoto slain and Thorgrim is cured. Dan Black takes custody of Sword of Pestilence. Details in Night of the Dwights post.
G. OCT 15 Shell crest ruined in storm. Survivors join party on long trek home.
H. Jan 23. Party arrives in Casa Fino. 1 Horse, wardog and retainer slain in travel. Party returns briefly afterward to Sophia.
I. Feb 17. Party Arrives in Puerto Esperanza to hire ship and mercenaries for expedition.
Some comment on that here.
J. March 8th. Party Leaves Puerto Esperanza on The Black Eagle of The Sea. Bad weather slows progress.
K. The Black Eagle sails upriver. Further friendly contact and trade made with the Makar.
L. April 8th .Battle with the Benecapka. 1 man-at-arms and 1 sailor slain.
M. April 16th. Arrive at Village of Balck Roofs. It is in ruins having been raided nby Snake Garters weeks earlier.
N. April 26th successful trade with Skullstirrer a Snake Garter Warchief to purchase slaves from the Village of Red Roofs gives party further clues to location of the nearest city of gold.
>>>OOPS: note N happened just north of M. some gremlin erased it rom the map.
O. April 30th . black Eagle Travels up Shamawa River but can only go so far.Anchor is set, camp is built and boats taken upriver.
P. May 5th. City of Gold spotted in morning sun. A large pueblo cliff-side city spotted glowing in morning sun as if made of gold. Players have scouted "city" and launching a raid.
----------
In real life the play outlined above was from play this early summer to the past week.
A. June 1st. Party arrives in The New Lands from Aroa as part of The Fifth Fleet, 2 ships were lost. Some rigors were suffered.B. July 1st-Sept 1st. Party raids into Snake Garter territory to go scalp hunting. They are accompanied by cousins of the Wellaganch and find safe harbor in a village of those people. A hunt in Howlie territory is a success one adolescent Howlie is tracked and slain. Raid on Snake Garters is successful but stirs up hostilities in the region. Party returns to Sophia with several dozen scalps.
C. Party hears rumor about "Cities of Gold" from an explorer and learn they can be found from a place known as The village of the Red Roofs. They book passage on he Shellcrest and stop over in Casa Fino.
D. Sail to River of Red Swords
E. Sept 10-15th travel and most freindly contact with Makar Tribesmen.
F. Sept 16th-Oct 4th. Obelisk and Hill Discovered. Party enters tunnels beneath encounter undead guardians. Devoto and Thorgrim cursed with illness. Party returns to tunnels and battles Pestilence Spirit. Brom and Devoto slain and Thorgrim is cured. Dan Black takes custody of Sword of Pestilence. Details in Night of the Dwights post.
G. OCT 15 Shell crest ruined in storm. Survivors join party on long trek home.
H. Jan 23. Party arrives in Casa Fino. 1 Horse, wardog and retainer slain in travel. Party returns briefly afterward to Sophia.
I. Feb 17. Party Arrives in Puerto Esperanza to hire ship and mercenaries for expedition.
Some comment on that here.
J. March 8th. Party Leaves Puerto Esperanza on The Black Eagle of The Sea. Bad weather slows progress.
K. The Black Eagle sails upriver. Further friendly contact and trade made with the Makar.
L. April 8th .Battle with the Benecapka. 1 man-at-arms and 1 sailor slain.
M. April 16th. Arrive at Village of Balck Roofs. It is in ruins having been raided nby Snake Garters weeks earlier.
N. April 26th successful trade with Skullstirrer a Snake Garter Warchief to purchase slaves from the Village of Red Roofs gives party further clues to location of the nearest city of gold.
>>>OOPS: note N happened just north of M. some gremlin erased it rom the map.
O. April 30th . black Eagle Travels up Shamawa River but can only go so far.Anchor is set, camp is built and boats taken upriver.
P. May 5th. City of Gold spotted in morning sun. A large pueblo cliff-side city spotted glowing in morning sun as if made of gold. Players have scouted "city" and launching a raid.
----------
In real life the play outlined above was from play this early summer to the past week.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Gnoll Bowers and Slave-Pits
Gnolls are not noted for a wide range of architecture and this is in part due to their tough constitutions and nomadic lifestyles. Gnolls are prone to reap the profits of slave labor so often times their homes will be a stolen place or slave built, left to their own means there are still some distinct features of gnollish habitation.
Gnoll Bower
The simplest dwelling of Gnollish construction is the bower. To the unwary a bower may appear to be a large pile of brush and tree limbs from a rearward approach, form the front it's nature as a habitat is obvious. A gnoll bower is a large tear drop sapped structure is viewed from overhead; the large front side of a gnoll bower is open and high enough for a gnoll to stand upright with in and often has a small fire-pit set just outside the front of the bower. As one moves into the bower it gets lower and deeper with the furthest back spaces reserved for the the young and a dominant males mates to pile in and sleep. Treasures will be displayed hanging a short distance inside the bower or buried in the mid portion depending on how much treasure the gnolls that sleep within have and how confident they are that their reputation will deter thievery among their brethren.
Slave-Pit
Gnolls deal with slave simply they dig a pit (or truthfully have the slaves dig a pit) and push in slaves to spend the night covered in rags and stinking hides. If a pit remains in place long enough it will eventually be roofed as appropriate for the climate. Gnolls are prone to abuse the slaves within a pit and will push in a wild animal on occasion or refuse to feed any slaves until they fight among themselves until there is a death among the slaves.
Slave pits are used for gladiatorial arenas of sorts as well If two ranking gnoll warriors challenge each-other to a duel and it isn't immediately fought it's not uncommon for the combat to be fought inside an emptied out slave-pit. The fight need not be to the death and the victor is the one who can climb out; Matters of justice are often resolved in the same manner. Once in a rare while a handful of gnolls will leap into a slave pit in a challenge between themselves as to who can retrieve the most hands or heads the quickest.
If gnolls feel they aren't in need of the slaves in a pit and don't have the time to butcher them they will fill the pit in or set it ablaze.
Animal pens are similar to slave pits but are only dug deep enough into the ground as will keep animals from escaping readily.
Skin and Wattle Huts
Gnolls in need of larger dwellings for matters of safety and climate will construct large huts built of a wooden frame and cover it with layers of wattle and skins. sometimes these huts will be dug several feet into the ground so only the roof need be constructed.
Thorn Fence
Gnolls do not tend to raise walls around their camps (unles they set slaves to the task) but make use of a variety of fencing. The simplest form will be piles of thorn bushes or saplings with branches trimmed to points guarding approach to the camp.
Gnoll Larders
A gnollish larder is a large basket set hanging in a tree. This basket is often so large 4 or more slaves will be needed to carry it when the tribe is on the move.
Gnollish Watch-Tower
A gnollish watch-tower is nothing more than a larder basket set securely and close to a tree trunk where a young gnoll warrior will be made to keep watch sitting within the old larder basket.
Gnoll Bower
The simplest dwelling of Gnollish construction is the bower. To the unwary a bower may appear to be a large pile of brush and tree limbs from a rearward approach, form the front it's nature as a habitat is obvious. A gnoll bower is a large tear drop sapped structure is viewed from overhead; the large front side of a gnoll bower is open and high enough for a gnoll to stand upright with in and often has a small fire-pit set just outside the front of the bower. As one moves into the bower it gets lower and deeper with the furthest back spaces reserved for the the young and a dominant males mates to pile in and sleep. Treasures will be displayed hanging a short distance inside the bower or buried in the mid portion depending on how much treasure the gnolls that sleep within have and how confident they are that their reputation will deter thievery among their brethren.
Slave-Pit
Gnolls deal with slave simply they dig a pit (or truthfully have the slaves dig a pit) and push in slaves to spend the night covered in rags and stinking hides. If a pit remains in place long enough it will eventually be roofed as appropriate for the climate. Gnolls are prone to abuse the slaves within a pit and will push in a wild animal on occasion or refuse to feed any slaves until they fight among themselves until there is a death among the slaves.
Slave pits are used for gladiatorial arenas of sorts as well If two ranking gnoll warriors challenge each-other to a duel and it isn't immediately fought it's not uncommon for the combat to be fought inside an emptied out slave-pit. The fight need not be to the death and the victor is the one who can climb out; Matters of justice are often resolved in the same manner. Once in a rare while a handful of gnolls will leap into a slave pit in a challenge between themselves as to who can retrieve the most hands or heads the quickest.
If gnolls feel they aren't in need of the slaves in a pit and don't have the time to butcher them they will fill the pit in or set it ablaze.
Animal pens are similar to slave pits but are only dug deep enough into the ground as will keep animals from escaping readily.
Skin and Wattle Huts
Gnolls in need of larger dwellings for matters of safety and climate will construct large huts built of a wooden frame and cover it with layers of wattle and skins. sometimes these huts will be dug several feet into the ground so only the roof need be constructed.
Thorn Fence
Gnolls do not tend to raise walls around their camps (unles they set slaves to the task) but make use of a variety of fencing. The simplest form will be piles of thorn bushes or saplings with branches trimmed to points guarding approach to the camp.
Gnoll Larders
A gnollish larder is a large basket set hanging in a tree. This basket is often so large 4 or more slaves will be needed to carry it when the tribe is on the move.
Gnollish Watch-Tower
A gnollish watch-tower is nothing more than a larder basket set securely and close to a tree trunk where a young gnoll warrior will be made to keep watch sitting within the old larder basket.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Kobold Warrens
Kobolds seldom make use of non-subterranean construction not wishing to expose themselves in such a manner the overwhelming majority of their works are tight fitting and underfoot.
Kobold Gateway
The primary entrances to a kobold warren will often be disguised to appear to be natural caves or constructions of goblin or gnomish origin; it isn't unusual to find the gateways disguised as abandoned mine-works. The gateways will be monitored but aren't typically heavily defended as the kobolds have little desire to lose defenders to an initial assault hoping that their tunnels will discourage a protracted assault.
Kobold Tunnels
A most distinguishing feature of kobold tunnels is their diminutive height and width. Kobold tunnels are seldom wider than is required for a larger adult male kobold bearing a load. Transit tunnels frequently used will have side passage to allow kobolds to wait while others pass, there are quite elaborate rules that establish who is to wait when and where in such chambers failing to surrender progress to a tunnel to another of higher passage-rights is a serious infraction in kobold society.
Most kobold tunnels are dug simply through the natural materials of the region they are built in but some will be reinforced with barrel-like segments the kobolds will crawl through. Large spaces may be bridged by linked barrel segments to conceal the purpose of kobold travelers; such segments also are an ideal passive trap that will drop entire segments into deep natural pits and chasms if too heavy a load is carried through (such as a dwarf in armor).
If a kobold tunnel is tall enough for an adult human to stand freely it's either a relic, adopted natural space or a killing place designed to trap invaders who will either be peppered with missiles from murder holes or simply sealed-in to die of asphyxiation.
Kobold Divepot.
A divepot is a small connecting feature of simple but ingenious purpose. A divepot will appear to be a drainage pit or some other small flooded feature, it is a connecting point however that only offers access to those willing to fully immerse themselves and pass a short distance (entirely submerged) into the adjoining chamber or tunnel.
Divepots serve a dual purpose as a difficult passage and as a barrier to gases, flames and smoke.
Occasionally a dive pot will lead to a deeper flooded passage or chamber, such a feature is a pit for the unwary or a holding pen for small fish or amphibians.
Plug-nook
A small chamber off a tunnel side sealed by a simple plug of earth or stone blocks entrance to a chamber beyond that is often little large than the space required for a handful of sleeping kobolds or a minor store of food supplies. If a plug leads directly to a passage and not a nook the chamber beyond will tend to be larger.
Plugs will not always be in the walls of a tunnel, due to the tight spaces in a typical kobold tunnel they may be found in the ceiling and occasionally a floor (more often to the side in such a case).
Egg chamber
Kobolds reproduce by a curious combination of live-births and eggs. The live-born tend to be very aggressive and usually find themselves nurtured and raised as the kings guards. Not all kobold females are allowed to reproduce and there is competition among kobold females for that privilege (which carries a reduction in labor thanks to the useful hands of offspring). Mothers will oversee nursemaids in the egg chambers which are wide but low chambers kept warm with specially selected refuse.
Not all kobold eggs hatch and such eggs will be pickled and used as an delicacy among the kobold elites. The preparation chambers for these picklings will be found in ante-chambers right off the egg chambers.
Galleys
The galleys of a kobold warren are widened tunnels that serve as kitchen and dinning hall. Travelers will be able to pass through as meals are prepared and diners eat what rations they are allowed.
Lip Den
A chamber open on one side to a tunnel. Lip dens often house kobold bachelors and offer a convenient position for guarded defense of the adjacent tunnel.
Shallow Den
A shallow den is relatively close to the surface and while there may be incidental residents and guards the main purpose is to house supplies. By placing these supplies near the surface kobolds hope the goods within will serve to satiate invaders.
Deep Dens
Far from the entrances to a warren are found the chambers where the chieftains and their guards dwell. Where the young are indoctrinated and worship is offered.
The most valuable treasures will be found in the deep dens proper where they can be watched over and not in the semi-private plug-nooks and antechambers.
Deep Gardens
The largest places one is likely to find in a kobold warren are the subterranean gardens where kobolds nurture a variety of fungi, slimes and other exotic life.
Kobold living spaces are usually not in close proximity to these gardens as they can hold rather fierce residents.
On those rare occasions kobolds take prisoners they may be tethered or caged within a deep garden.
----
Kobolds are often attributed as having a vast array of fiendish and clever traps and while they will defend themselves with traps where practical they mostly take advantage of the small size compared to most would-be invaders. It's difficult for a man crawling through a tunnel to avoid a spear striking from a murder hole and kobolds are well aware of that. A kobold warren is a place of habitation and not a fortress despite it's overall purpose of sheltering and defending it's residents.
Kobold Gateway
The primary entrances to a kobold warren will often be disguised to appear to be natural caves or constructions of goblin or gnomish origin; it isn't unusual to find the gateways disguised as abandoned mine-works. The gateways will be monitored but aren't typically heavily defended as the kobolds have little desire to lose defenders to an initial assault hoping that their tunnels will discourage a protracted assault.
Kobold Tunnels
A most distinguishing feature of kobold tunnels is their diminutive height and width. Kobold tunnels are seldom wider than is required for a larger adult male kobold bearing a load. Transit tunnels frequently used will have side passage to allow kobolds to wait while others pass, there are quite elaborate rules that establish who is to wait when and where in such chambers failing to surrender progress to a tunnel to another of higher passage-rights is a serious infraction in kobold society.
Most kobold tunnels are dug simply through the natural materials of the region they are built in but some will be reinforced with barrel-like segments the kobolds will crawl through. Large spaces may be bridged by linked barrel segments to conceal the purpose of kobold travelers; such segments also are an ideal passive trap that will drop entire segments into deep natural pits and chasms if too heavy a load is carried through (such as a dwarf in armor).
If a kobold tunnel is tall enough for an adult human to stand freely it's either a relic, adopted natural space or a killing place designed to trap invaders who will either be peppered with missiles from murder holes or simply sealed-in to die of asphyxiation.
Kobold Divepot.
A divepot is a small connecting feature of simple but ingenious purpose. A divepot will appear to be a drainage pit or some other small flooded feature, it is a connecting point however that only offers access to those willing to fully immerse themselves and pass a short distance (entirely submerged) into the adjoining chamber or tunnel.
Divepots serve a dual purpose as a difficult passage and as a barrier to gases, flames and smoke.
Occasionally a dive pot will lead to a deeper flooded passage or chamber, such a feature is a pit for the unwary or a holding pen for small fish or amphibians.
Plug-nook
A small chamber off a tunnel side sealed by a simple plug of earth or stone blocks entrance to a chamber beyond that is often little large than the space required for a handful of sleeping kobolds or a minor store of food supplies. If a plug leads directly to a passage and not a nook the chamber beyond will tend to be larger.
Plugs will not always be in the walls of a tunnel, due to the tight spaces in a typical kobold tunnel they may be found in the ceiling and occasionally a floor (more often to the side in such a case).
Egg chamber
Kobolds reproduce by a curious combination of live-births and eggs. The live-born tend to be very aggressive and usually find themselves nurtured and raised as the kings guards. Not all kobold females are allowed to reproduce and there is competition among kobold females for that privilege (which carries a reduction in labor thanks to the useful hands of offspring). Mothers will oversee nursemaids in the egg chambers which are wide but low chambers kept warm with specially selected refuse.
Not all kobold eggs hatch and such eggs will be pickled and used as an delicacy among the kobold elites. The preparation chambers for these picklings will be found in ante-chambers right off the egg chambers.
Galleys
The galleys of a kobold warren are widened tunnels that serve as kitchen and dinning hall. Travelers will be able to pass through as meals are prepared and diners eat what rations they are allowed.
Lip Den
A chamber open on one side to a tunnel. Lip dens often house kobold bachelors and offer a convenient position for guarded defense of the adjacent tunnel.
Shallow Den
A shallow den is relatively close to the surface and while there may be incidental residents and guards the main purpose is to house supplies. By placing these supplies near the surface kobolds hope the goods within will serve to satiate invaders.
Deep Dens
Far from the entrances to a warren are found the chambers where the chieftains and their guards dwell. Where the young are indoctrinated and worship is offered.
The most valuable treasures will be found in the deep dens proper where they can be watched over and not in the semi-private plug-nooks and antechambers.
Deep Gardens
The largest places one is likely to find in a kobold warren are the subterranean gardens where kobolds nurture a variety of fungi, slimes and other exotic life.
Kobold living spaces are usually not in close proximity to these gardens as they can hold rather fierce residents.
On those rare occasions kobolds take prisoners they may be tethered or caged within a deep garden.
----
Kobolds are often attributed as having a vast array of fiendish and clever traps and while they will defend themselves with traps where practical they mostly take advantage of the small size compared to most would-be invaders. It's difficult for a man crawling through a tunnel to avoid a spear striking from a murder hole and kobolds are well aware of that. A kobold warren is a place of habitation and not a fortress despite it's overall purpose of sheltering and defending it's residents.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Hob Hills, Barracks and Bunkers
When hobgoblins have the time and drive to construct their own domiciles and fortresses they invariably make use of hills both natural and hob built. Trees will be cleared and undergrowth kept low sometimes as far as three bowshots from a hills base. The hills will be hollowed out to house halls and tunnels and surfaces dotted with defensive works.
Hob-Barracks
The basic Hobgoblin edifice is an earth-lodge large enough to support a squad or even and entire cohort of hobgoblin warriors. A freshly built Hob-barracks will be dug into the ground almost an entire story with a sturdy well supported roof.
Hobgoblins will pile their midden upon the roofs of a hob-barracks. There are a number of reasons for this which include discouraging squeamish folk from trying to dig into a hob-barracks. A degree of warmth is added by the decomposition of the midden.They encourage the growth of fungus which hobgoblins gain more greater nutrition from than do men and hob-goblin youth gain vital weapons practice keeping the vermin population in check a-top their barracks-middens.
Overtime a hill will grow atop a barracks and be overgrown with a good an well nourished growth of sod. This growth will diminish the impact of initial fire-based attacks on the Hob-Barracks.
A Barracks will typically have one or two commonly used entrances. These entrances will be guarded by exterior and interior walls to discourage assault and break line-of sight to ward off the impact of hostile magic-users.
There will be many small ports that allow for ventilation and smoke to escape. The channels for these ports zig-zag to break a line of effect.
Inside the Hob-Barracks there is little privacy and areas will be blocked off by all manner of screens. A main hearth will warm the whole structure. Some storage will be dug beneath the barracks floor here and there. Older barracks will have small tunnels and chambers built in the midden hill above that can only ideally be entered from within the barracks.
Hob-bunker
A small structure not unlike the barracks but built to monitor a point of approach. bunkers will have one or more guarded firing/observation points and the means to house a squad of Hobgoblin warriors. It's not uncommon for the bunk-space in a bunker to be completely separate from firing/observation points with perhaps only a communication port between the two chambers. The main entrance to a bunker will be fortified with a heavy door or small gate and an entrance to larger bunker will certainly be defended by murder holes.
Hob-halls
A large subterranean communal hall where the chieftain can oversee and instruct a large number of the tribe at one time. This hall is often built deep into the center of a hill and can only be entered after traveling through a number of subterranean tunnels. These tunnels will be monitored by guard chambers and murder-holes. entry tunnels typically enter into the main-hall from a stair beneath the level of the hall floor, thus providing a last defensive point for hobgoblins above any who would invade the hall.
The hall itself will be simple or complex as the commanding chieftain wishes it to be. There will be a number of ante-chambers and galleries off the main hall that contain living space, storage space and defensive points for a chieftain and his guard. Storage space will typically be in subterranean chambers accessible only by passages leaving the main hall proper.
Hob-Trenches
An hob-hall is often surrounded by a series of trenches which allow a degree of defense to troops but aren't as vulnerable (or expensive) as walls. These trenches will have sleeping space and may-haps bunkers to protect them or a lien of trench.
With the exception of a communication trench here and there a hob-trench seldom runs straight for more then 40'.
Trenches are ideally constructed to allow observation from further up-hill and in threat of fire from those guarding the hill while protecting agaisnt fire from those approaching from outside the hob-hill.
A common defense of hob-trencheds is a number of ankle-biters concealed beneath boards at the bottom of trenches. When hobgoblins are forced to leave the trenches or leaving for a while on expedition they will pull the boards away exposing the ankle-biters.
Hobgoblin engineers are endlessly tinkering with and innovating trench-works so the variety of features can vary greatly from hob-hill to hob-hill.
Ankle-biters
Very shallow trenches or pits, sometimes concealed, with a number of spikes positioned so as to trap and maim the foot and leg of an unwary trespasser who treads upon one.
These are but a common example of the large number of stakes, hedgehogs, dead-falls and related mantraps hobgoblins will encircle themselves with.
Hob-tower
A simple four posted tower with a sheltered observation/firing platform. the most curious feature of a Hob-towers is they will often be built in close proximity to a twin with a narrow bridge between-the two that allows travel without having to climb down. Often only one of the two towers offers comfortable access to the ground and this will be exposed to the twin.
Such towers will only be built atop fairly young hob-hills. As the works become more established the towers will be built further downhill and away from the center so they don't' serve as useful points of capture for an invading force.
These towers are always built of wood so they can be set afire if they prove to aid attackers attempting to overrun the hill.
Moats
It not uncommon for well established Hobhills to be surrounded by moats. Sometimes trenches are flooded and turned into moats (this isn't always the initial intent of the builders).
Hobgoblins will use boats and even have raft-like firing platforms in particularly wide sections. some hob-hills can only be accessed by travel upon the moats (with the exception of few concealed and very deep tunnels).
Moats will have draw-bridges and wobble-walks to aid in defense of the hill. It isn't uncommon for shallow moats to have stakes and ankle-biters in their depths.
Wobble-walks-
A simple layout of easily deconstructed bridgeways that allow precarious and seemingly haphazard travel over moats, trenches and other defenses. They often require one to walk on a single beam and steady themselves with a hand on a second beam or guide rope. Difficult to reach accesses to hob-place may have a dozen or more wobble walks leading to them and away that can be quickly removed in times of danger.
Hob-walls-
A hob-hill will often be protected by a number of walls. These walls are often simple visual screens meant to block rapid assault and missile fire they are not the large and encircling walls of mannish castles. Hob walls may have firing ports but seldom have any form of defenses along their tops. It's not uncommon for the base of a wall to have a hedge-hog of spikes facing the approach.
Some hobgoblins aware of how men build castles will build walls in a manner to channel invading mannish troops into a dead-end killing space.
Hobgoblin Citadels
These are large fortress/towns of Hobgoblins. They will be a number of hill spiraling our from a central commanding hill or rings of hob-built hills surrounding the hill of the warlord in command of the place.
Hobgoblin Citadels are difficult to attack as they don't allow for easy travel of unfamiliar troops, are not friendly to mounts and offer poor targets to siege weapons. Even spell-casters will have difficulty ensuring all but the mightiest magic have effect as hobgoblins are aware of the basic limitations of line-of sight and area of effect inherent in many popular combat spells.
Orcs enjoy taking over established Hobgoblin citadels (when chance allows it) but it is easy to tell orcs have over-run such places as moats will dry-out, trenches will be poorly maintained and sanitation will degrade as hills are opened by pits for orcish industry and towers and walls are toppled and burnt for fuel or rebuilt in orcish patterns. Orcs surprisingly enough turn up their noses at hobgoblin midden practices and it isn't unusual for a hob-barracks to be forgotten and lost under a pile of orcish refuse.
Hob-Barracks
The basic Hobgoblin edifice is an earth-lodge large enough to support a squad or even and entire cohort of hobgoblin warriors. A freshly built Hob-barracks will be dug into the ground almost an entire story with a sturdy well supported roof.
Hobgoblins will pile their midden upon the roofs of a hob-barracks. There are a number of reasons for this which include discouraging squeamish folk from trying to dig into a hob-barracks. A degree of warmth is added by the decomposition of the midden.They encourage the growth of fungus which hobgoblins gain more greater nutrition from than do men and hob-goblin youth gain vital weapons practice keeping the vermin population in check a-top their barracks-middens.
Overtime a hill will grow atop a barracks and be overgrown with a good an well nourished growth of sod. This growth will diminish the impact of initial fire-based attacks on the Hob-Barracks.
A Barracks will typically have one or two commonly used entrances. These entrances will be guarded by exterior and interior walls to discourage assault and break line-of sight to ward off the impact of hostile magic-users.
There will be many small ports that allow for ventilation and smoke to escape. The channels for these ports zig-zag to break a line of effect.
Inside the Hob-Barracks there is little privacy and areas will be blocked off by all manner of screens. A main hearth will warm the whole structure. Some storage will be dug beneath the barracks floor here and there. Older barracks will have small tunnels and chambers built in the midden hill above that can only ideally be entered from within the barracks.
Hob-bunker
A small structure not unlike the barracks but built to monitor a point of approach. bunkers will have one or more guarded firing/observation points and the means to house a squad of Hobgoblin warriors. It's not uncommon for the bunk-space in a bunker to be completely separate from firing/observation points with perhaps only a communication port between the two chambers. The main entrance to a bunker will be fortified with a heavy door or small gate and an entrance to larger bunker will certainly be defended by murder holes.
Hob-halls
A large subterranean communal hall where the chieftain can oversee and instruct a large number of the tribe at one time. This hall is often built deep into the center of a hill and can only be entered after traveling through a number of subterranean tunnels. These tunnels will be monitored by guard chambers and murder-holes. entry tunnels typically enter into the main-hall from a stair beneath the level of the hall floor, thus providing a last defensive point for hobgoblins above any who would invade the hall.
The hall itself will be simple or complex as the commanding chieftain wishes it to be. There will be a number of ante-chambers and galleries off the main hall that contain living space, storage space and defensive points for a chieftain and his guard. Storage space will typically be in subterranean chambers accessible only by passages leaving the main hall proper.
Hob-Trenches
An hob-hall is often surrounded by a series of trenches which allow a degree of defense to troops but aren't as vulnerable (or expensive) as walls. These trenches will have sleeping space and may-haps bunkers to protect them or a lien of trench.
With the exception of a communication trench here and there a hob-trench seldom runs straight for more then 40'.
Trenches are ideally constructed to allow observation from further up-hill and in threat of fire from those guarding the hill while protecting agaisnt fire from those approaching from outside the hob-hill.
A common defense of hob-trencheds is a number of ankle-biters concealed beneath boards at the bottom of trenches. When hobgoblins are forced to leave the trenches or leaving for a while on expedition they will pull the boards away exposing the ankle-biters.
Hobgoblin engineers are endlessly tinkering with and innovating trench-works so the variety of features can vary greatly from hob-hill to hob-hill.
Ankle-biters
Very shallow trenches or pits, sometimes concealed, with a number of spikes positioned so as to trap and maim the foot and leg of an unwary trespasser who treads upon one.
These are but a common example of the large number of stakes, hedgehogs, dead-falls and related mantraps hobgoblins will encircle themselves with.
Hob-tower
A simple four posted tower with a sheltered observation/firing platform. the most curious feature of a Hob-towers is they will often be built in close proximity to a twin with a narrow bridge between-the two that allows travel without having to climb down. Often only one of the two towers offers comfortable access to the ground and this will be exposed to the twin.
Such towers will only be built atop fairly young hob-hills. As the works become more established the towers will be built further downhill and away from the center so they don't' serve as useful points of capture for an invading force.
These towers are always built of wood so they can be set afire if they prove to aid attackers attempting to overrun the hill.
Moats
It not uncommon for well established Hobhills to be surrounded by moats. Sometimes trenches are flooded and turned into moats (this isn't always the initial intent of the builders).
Hobgoblins will use boats and even have raft-like firing platforms in particularly wide sections. some hob-hills can only be accessed by travel upon the moats (with the exception of few concealed and very deep tunnels).
Moats will have draw-bridges and wobble-walks to aid in defense of the hill. It isn't uncommon for shallow moats to have stakes and ankle-biters in their depths.
Wobble-walks-
A simple layout of easily deconstructed bridgeways that allow precarious and seemingly haphazard travel over moats, trenches and other defenses. They often require one to walk on a single beam and steady themselves with a hand on a second beam or guide rope. Difficult to reach accesses to hob-place may have a dozen or more wobble walks leading to them and away that can be quickly removed in times of danger.
Hob-walls-
A hob-hill will often be protected by a number of walls. These walls are often simple visual screens meant to block rapid assault and missile fire they are not the large and encircling walls of mannish castles. Hob walls may have firing ports but seldom have any form of defenses along their tops. It's not uncommon for the base of a wall to have a hedge-hog of spikes facing the approach.
Some hobgoblins aware of how men build castles will build walls in a manner to channel invading mannish troops into a dead-end killing space.
Hobgoblin Citadels
These are large fortress/towns of Hobgoblins. They will be a number of hill spiraling our from a central commanding hill or rings of hob-built hills surrounding the hill of the warlord in command of the place.
Hobgoblin Citadels are difficult to attack as they don't allow for easy travel of unfamiliar troops, are not friendly to mounts and offer poor targets to siege weapons. Even spell-casters will have difficulty ensuring all but the mightiest magic have effect as hobgoblins are aware of the basic limitations of line-of sight and area of effect inherent in many popular combat spells.
Orcs enjoy taking over established Hobgoblin citadels (when chance allows it) but it is easy to tell orcs have over-run such places as moats will dry-out, trenches will be poorly maintained and sanitation will degrade as hills are opened by pits for orcish industry and towers and walls are toppled and burnt for fuel or rebuilt in orcish patterns. Orcs surprisingly enough turn up their noses at hobgoblin midden practices and it isn't unusual for a hob-barracks to be forgotten and lost under a pile of orcish refuse.
Weather and Me
Weather is something we all experience and mostly ignore in our RPG campaigns.
I put weather events in my random encounter tables time and again but mostly unless it's really extreme I ignore it in gaming. Which is odd since in real life I pay a lot of attention to it and it impacts me a great deal.
I walk to the park with my youngest son a few times a week. This park is about 2.5 miles away and there are 3 different routes I can take. One is longer and hard with lot's of sun, one is moderate with some sun and the other is a tiny bit longer than the second but with less sun. So depending on the temperature and time of day I take a different route.
If it's over 80 and sunny I end up tired from this walk by the time I get back home. I drink about 1200 ml of water unless it's 90+ in which case I've been known to drink over 2000 ml of water to walk about 5 miles. Lucky for me there is public water access on the route so I get away with using my 800ml water bottle.
If it's cooler I drink about 400ml of water in that 5 mile walk and don't feel tired when I get home. The walk is typically 10 minutes faster each way on the shortest route when it's cooler compared to the same route when it is hot.
So depending on sun, temperature and humidity a walk of about 5 miles takes me 80 to 110 minutes (we do play at park for 1/2 to 1 hour in addition) and I drink 400-2000+ ml of water.
I just have to wonder how much water would be consumed by 5 fighting men in armor and 3 guys without armor trying to carry as much food and gold as they can manage?
On the other end of the extreme I've gone winter camping. We snowshoe only a short distance and camp with shelter as skimpy as a tarp lean-to behind a big rock serving as a wind-break (we big rocks near us so it was a great wind-break).
On one trip it was cold. The snow was 2'-4-' deep and camp was only about an hour from our car up a ridge. The previous week it had been warm so every little bit of wood we could find was was waterlogged and frozen, we made a fire that was grossly inadequate but tolerable for the night. I did mention it was cold right? The temperature with wind chill was under -30F, it was 8F with the water above the fire until we lowered them to where they should have caught fire. When we were cooking dinner the meat was freezing to our knives one guy absent mindedly licked his knife off and it froze to his tongue a little bit. We each brought a big loaf of bread but ignored them during the trip as they were really back-up food, each froze solid. One guy brought a container of orange juice and vodka that froze enough it was just vodka with a hint of orange flavor. It was cold. You could hear the wind coming from miles away and it would go from uncomfortable to painful 4 or 5 times an hour.
Across the valley over the tree line we watched boulders of snow the size of houses crash down the mountain side and break apart filling the area beneath it with a sudden snowfall, that served to explain the occasional flurry we were having on our side.
I woke to a beautiful sound and sharp pain, the moisture in my breath was freezing on the tarp over my head and falling back down onto my face. That morning we heated water for tea and couldn't get it much over 50F and boy oh boy was that nice and war. Everyone but me got a tiny bit of frostbite, I had the worst gear actually so I was extra careful and made a point of eating and drinking a lot and paying lot more attention to how I slept (not to mention my cold-weather strip down and redress habits when winter camping ). It rose to 11F by mid morning and we cut the trip short because the wood was burning poorly (we all smelled like smoked sausage because of the smoke), on that walk out we all opened our clothes down to our bottom layer because it was so warm snow shoeing out after sleeping in a deep-freeze.
Ever since that trip I still notice cold weather but I'm oddly tolerant; this past winter when I was standing in hip-deep snow scraping it off my roof I couldn't help but reflect how pleasant and relatively warm it was.
It would have been physically impossible to wear metal armor on that trip. Without snowshoes there would have been nothing resembling travel and no way in hell we could have traveled near or above the tree-line without getting trapped or killed by falling snow.
Weather matters in real life. How do we get it to matter in our RPG campaigns?
I put weather events in my random encounter tables time and again but mostly unless it's really extreme I ignore it in gaming. Which is odd since in real life I pay a lot of attention to it and it impacts me a great deal.
I walk to the park with my youngest son a few times a week. This park is about 2.5 miles away and there are 3 different routes I can take. One is longer and hard with lot's of sun, one is moderate with some sun and the other is a tiny bit longer than the second but with less sun. So depending on the temperature and time of day I take a different route.
If it's over 80 and sunny I end up tired from this walk by the time I get back home. I drink about 1200 ml of water unless it's 90+ in which case I've been known to drink over 2000 ml of water to walk about 5 miles. Lucky for me there is public water access on the route so I get away with using my 800ml water bottle.
If it's cooler I drink about 400ml of water in that 5 mile walk and don't feel tired when I get home. The walk is typically 10 minutes faster each way on the shortest route when it's cooler compared to the same route when it is hot.
So depending on sun, temperature and humidity a walk of about 5 miles takes me 80 to 110 minutes (we do play at park for 1/2 to 1 hour in addition) and I drink 400-2000+ ml of water.
I just have to wonder how much water would be consumed by 5 fighting men in armor and 3 guys without armor trying to carry as much food and gold as they can manage?
On the other end of the extreme I've gone winter camping. We snowshoe only a short distance and camp with shelter as skimpy as a tarp lean-to behind a big rock serving as a wind-break (we big rocks near us so it was a great wind-break).
On one trip it was cold. The snow was 2'-4-' deep and camp was only about an hour from our car up a ridge. The previous week it had been warm so every little bit of wood we could find was was waterlogged and frozen, we made a fire that was grossly inadequate but tolerable for the night. I did mention it was cold right? The temperature with wind chill was under -30F, it was 8F with the water above the fire until we lowered them to where they should have caught fire. When we were cooking dinner the meat was freezing to our knives one guy absent mindedly licked his knife off and it froze to his tongue a little bit. We each brought a big loaf of bread but ignored them during the trip as they were really back-up food, each froze solid. One guy brought a container of orange juice and vodka that froze enough it was just vodka with a hint of orange flavor. It was cold. You could hear the wind coming from miles away and it would go from uncomfortable to painful 4 or 5 times an hour.
Across the valley over the tree line we watched boulders of snow the size of houses crash down the mountain side and break apart filling the area beneath it with a sudden snowfall, that served to explain the occasional flurry we were having on our side.
I woke to a beautiful sound and sharp pain, the moisture in my breath was freezing on the tarp over my head and falling back down onto my face. That morning we heated water for tea and couldn't get it much over 50F and boy oh boy was that nice and war. Everyone but me got a tiny bit of frostbite, I had the worst gear actually so I was extra careful and made a point of eating and drinking a lot and paying lot more attention to how I slept (not to mention my cold-weather strip down and redress habits when winter camping ). It rose to 11F by mid morning and we cut the trip short because the wood was burning poorly (we all smelled like smoked sausage because of the smoke), on that walk out we all opened our clothes down to our bottom layer because it was so warm snow shoeing out after sleeping in a deep-freeze.
Ever since that trip I still notice cold weather but I'm oddly tolerant; this past winter when I was standing in hip-deep snow scraping it off my roof I couldn't help but reflect how pleasant and relatively warm it was.
It would have been physically impossible to wear metal armor on that trip. Without snowshoes there would have been nothing resembling travel and no way in hell we could have traveled near or above the tree-line without getting trapped or killed by falling snow.
Weather matters in real life. How do we get it to matter in our RPG campaigns?
Teenage Mutant Cavemen Mutant Manual
Descriptions and stats for mutant monsters mentioned on the random encounter tables not covered elsewhere on this blog or in the Mutant Future rulebook to terroize and be hunted by Teenage Mutant Cavemen.
Dactyls- #1d8 AL N, MV 180’ (60’), AC 7, HD 5, #AT 2 (bite/claw), DMG 2d4/1d6, SV L3, ML 8
Giant sabre-toothed albino bats. They prefer to attack at night but if their nests (often in caves) are disturbed they will quickly awaken and be dangerous. A Dactyl can carry-away a woman, child or small man.
Forest Ants- #1d100 AL N, MV 150’ (50’), AC 3, HD 1, #AT 1 (bite), DMG 1+poison, SV L1, ML 7
A species of 2' long giant ant, their bite has a poison which overwhelms the victim with pain causing them to writhe in agony as they are eaten alive (if save fails). Two forest ants can provide a meal, they must be clubbed to death carefully (-2 to attack) so as to not ruin the meal. Forest ants killed by fire will provide a tasty meal as well but 4 or more must be collected.
Furry Crocigator-#1d8 AL N, MV 90’ (30’), AC 5, HD 6, #AT 1 (bite), DMG 3d6, SV L3, ML 8
Aggressive furred amphibious reptilians. Considered edible but not very tasty, not really worth the risk outside of their water resistant hides ( a large one would clothe 2 people)
Marsh Cat- #1d4 AL N, MV 150’ (50’), AC 6, HD 6, #AT 1 3 (2claws/bite)), DMG 1d6/1d6/2d8, SV L3, ML 9
A large sabre-toothed cat. a much feared predator that also wanders into lowland forests.
Mt. Cat- #1d4 AL N, MV 180’ (60’), AC 6, HD 4, #AT 3 (2claws/bite), DMG 1d6/1d6/1d10, SV L2, ML 8
A light brown pather. They are hunted to remove danger and for pelts but aren't' considered good eating.
Pigasaurus- #1d4, AL C, MV 150’ (50’), AC 4, HD 14, #AT 1 (bite), DMG 2d8, SV L7, ML 9
Immense stripped mutant pigs 30-40' long. They have immense mouthes that allow them to swallow anything horsesized or smaller whole on an attack rtoll of 19-20. A swallowed vicitm suffers 1d6 acid damage per round until they or the pigasaurus dies. The most frightening aspect of these beasts is their cunning man-like intelligence which makes them incredibly dangerous when coupled with their malignant nature.
Purpa- #1d6, AL N, MV 150’ (50’), AC 6, HD 1, #AT 1 (bite), DMG 1d3, SV L1, ML 5
Large purple squirrels no real threat to Teenage Mutant cavemen, good-eating.
Red bucks, Three-horns, No-horns, Bigtails- Herd animals as per rule-book.
Sham- #1d20, AL N, MV 60’ (20’), AC 2, HD 2, #AT 0 , DMG 0, SV L1, ML 7
Wild sheep with a crusty coral-like shell instead of wool.
Slug-horns- Xeno-cattle as per rulebook.
Snail, spiked- #1d4, AL N, MV 60’ (20’), AC 2, HD 8, #AT 1(shell slam) , DMG 2d6, SV L4, ML 9
Large spike-shelled snails. Stone weapons striking these beasts have a 33% chance of shattering on a successful hit. Avoided by the people except when desperate.
Snake, Furred Choker, - #1d3, AL N, MV 90’ (30’), AC 6, HD 8, #AT 2(bite/constrict) , DMG 1d4/2d6, SV L4, ML 10
A a large furred snake that even hunts in winter. It feeds by crushing prey to death to soften them before swallowing. Constriction is automatic on rounds following first successful constriction attack.
Snake,Death Dart- #1d3, AL N, MV 120’ (50’), AC 7, HD 1, #AT 1(bite) , DMG 1pt+ poison, SV L1, ML 7
The death dart is a small 2' long poisonous snake. It's bite carries intensity 12 poison.
Spiderys - #2d6, AL C, MV 180’ (60’), AC 8, HD 4, #AT 1 (bite), DMG 1d4+ paralysis, SV L2, ML 7
Spidery are a freakishly devolved species of mutant humans that run on all fours atop their freakishly long fingers and toes. The bite of a spidery is full of toxins which will paralyze a human or mutant human (no other types) if a save at +2 is failed. They are not tool users and have lost the power of speech. These are an undomesticated variety of spidery from a past Mutant Future Steeds post.
Stone Bear- #1d2,AL N, MV 120’ (40’), AC 5, HD 10, #AT 2(2claws, bite) , DMG 1d8/1d8/1d10, SV L5, ML 9
Immense grey grey coated bears up to 15' tall. Not hunted on purpose except for the end of winter and very early spring.
Worm-men- #1d20,AL C, MV 120’ (40’), AC 8, HD 5, #AT 1(weapon) , DMG as weapon, SV L5, ML8
A degenerate skinny subspecies of Morlocks with only rudimentary weapons. They are cowardly but will ambush and feed on people they outnumber. They have little practical technological knowledge compared to Morlocks found in the wider world. They will make use of tamed beasts on occasion. These are the boogie-men of The People: "Eat da roots en grubs or da Worm-men will get ya".
Yellow Spider- #1d3,AL N, MV 60’ (20’), AC 5, HD 1, #AT 1(bite) , DMG 1pt+ poison, SV L2, ML 8
A large yellow spider but 1' across. It's bite is horribly dangerous exposing a victim to intensity 19 poison.
Dactyls- #1d8 AL N, MV 180’ (60’), AC 7, HD 5, #AT 2 (bite/claw), DMG 2d4/1d6, SV L3, ML 8
Giant sabre-toothed albino bats. They prefer to attack at night but if their nests (often in caves) are disturbed they will quickly awaken and be dangerous. A Dactyl can carry-away a woman, child or small man.
Forest Ants- #1d100 AL N, MV 150’ (50’), AC 3, HD 1, #AT 1 (bite), DMG 1+poison, SV L1, ML 7
A species of 2' long giant ant, their bite has a poison which overwhelms the victim with pain causing them to writhe in agony as they are eaten alive (if save fails). Two forest ants can provide a meal, they must be clubbed to death carefully (-2 to attack) so as to not ruin the meal. Forest ants killed by fire will provide a tasty meal as well but 4 or more must be collected.
Furry Crocigator-#1d8 AL N, MV 90’ (30’), AC 5, HD 6, #AT 1 (bite), DMG 3d6, SV L3, ML 8
Aggressive furred amphibious reptilians. Considered edible but not very tasty, not really worth the risk outside of their water resistant hides ( a large one would clothe 2 people)
Marsh Cat- #1d4 AL N, MV 150’ (50’), AC 6, HD 6, #AT 1 3 (2claws/bite)), DMG 1d6/1d6/2d8, SV L3, ML 9
A large sabre-toothed cat. a much feared predator that also wanders into lowland forests.
Mt. Cat- #1d4 AL N, MV 180’ (60’), AC 6, HD 4, #AT 3 (2claws/bite), DMG 1d6/1d6/1d10, SV L2, ML 8
A light brown pather. They are hunted to remove danger and for pelts but aren't' considered good eating.
Pigasaurus- #1d4, AL C, MV 150’ (50’), AC 4, HD 14, #AT 1 (bite), DMG 2d8, SV L7, ML 9
Immense stripped mutant pigs 30-40' long. They have immense mouthes that allow them to swallow anything horsesized or smaller whole on an attack rtoll of 19-20. A swallowed vicitm suffers 1d6 acid damage per round until they or the pigasaurus dies. The most frightening aspect of these beasts is their cunning man-like intelligence which makes them incredibly dangerous when coupled with their malignant nature.
Purpa- #1d6, AL N, MV 150’ (50’), AC 6, HD 1, #AT 1 (bite), DMG 1d3, SV L1, ML 5
Large purple squirrels no real threat to Teenage Mutant cavemen, good-eating.
Red bucks, Three-horns, No-horns, Bigtails- Herd animals as per rule-book.
Sham- #1d20, AL N, MV 60’ (20’), AC 2, HD 2, #AT 0 , DMG 0, SV L1, ML 7
Wild sheep with a crusty coral-like shell instead of wool.
Slug-horns- Xeno-cattle as per rulebook.
Snail, spiked- #1d4, AL N, MV 60’ (20’), AC 2, HD 8, #AT 1(shell slam) , DMG 2d6, SV L4, ML 9
Large spike-shelled snails. Stone weapons striking these beasts have a 33% chance of shattering on a successful hit. Avoided by the people except when desperate.
Snake, Furred Choker, - #1d3, AL N, MV 90’ (30’), AC 6, HD 8, #AT 2(bite/constrict) , DMG 1d4/2d6, SV L4, ML 10
A a large furred snake that even hunts in winter. It feeds by crushing prey to death to soften them before swallowing. Constriction is automatic on rounds following first successful constriction attack.
Snake,Death Dart- #1d3, AL N, MV 120’ (50’), AC 7, HD 1, #AT 1(bite) , DMG 1pt+ poison, SV L1, ML 7
The death dart is a small 2' long poisonous snake. It's bite carries intensity 12 poison.
Spiderys - #2d6, AL C, MV 180’ (60’), AC 8, HD 4, #AT 1 (bite), DMG 1d4+ paralysis, SV L2, ML 7
Spidery are a freakishly devolved species of mutant humans that run on all fours atop their freakishly long fingers and toes. The bite of a spidery is full of toxins which will paralyze a human or mutant human (no other types) if a save at +2 is failed. They are not tool users and have lost the power of speech. These are an undomesticated variety of spidery from a past Mutant Future Steeds post.
Stone Bear- #1d2,AL N, MV 120’ (40’), AC 5, HD 10, #AT 2(2claws, bite) , DMG 1d8/1d8/1d10, SV L5, ML 9
Immense grey grey coated bears up to 15' tall. Not hunted on purpose except for the end of winter and very early spring.
Worm-men- #1d20,AL C, MV 120’ (40’), AC 8, HD 5, #AT 1(weapon) , DMG as weapon, SV L5, ML8
A degenerate skinny subspecies of Morlocks with only rudimentary weapons. They are cowardly but will ambush and feed on people they outnumber. They have little practical technological knowledge compared to Morlocks found in the wider world. They will make use of tamed beasts on occasion. These are the boogie-men of The People: "Eat da roots en grubs or da Worm-men will get ya".
Yellow Spider- #1d3,AL N, MV 60’ (20’), AC 5, HD 1, #AT 1(bite) , DMG 1pt+ poison, SV L2, ML 8
A large yellow spider but 1' across. It's bite is horribly dangerous exposing a victim to intensity 19 poison.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Orc Pits, Towers and Chimneys
A few notes on orcish architecture to set them apart from men, dwarves and elves in a typical fantasy campaign.
Orc Den:
The most common orcish structure is a a den. A den is a hole in the ground dug from the surface. They will typically be a tight crawlspace descending no more then 10 or 20' with a 5-20' diameter space almost high enough for orcs to stand upright within. A den may have a less obvious exit-way if it is old enough to warrant the work. An Orc Den built near a tower will often have it's primary entrance facing the tower.
Orc-run:
an orc run would appear to be the entrance to an orc den but it is wider and higher allowing orcs to enter quickly and find their way to a broad tunnel leading perhaps as few as two dozen yards to as many as 200 yards away. Orc-runs are used to facilitate escape and ambush. Some orc-runs lead to tunnels that will lead to multiple orc-runs and exits.
Only poorly supervised orc tribes will allow orc-dens to connect directly to an Orc-run.
Orc-Hole:
This is a shallowly constructed orc-den with a means to view the surface, meant as defensive works and not for continuous habitation. Sometimes an orc-hole is clearly raised above the nearby ground but may also be incorporated into a hillside to appear natural and may look like a pile of stones to the unwary. Orc-holes are usually found only near established orc-holds. Orc-holes will not connect to an orc-run but a number of them may exit closely to one.
Orc-Tower:
An orc tower is a look-out tower built by orcs. It will appear ungainly and insecure by human standards but orcs have little trouble ascending to the peak where as many as three or four can sit sheltered from the sun in a nest-like bole or even in a small replica of a mannish tower-turret. Orc-towers are built mostly of wood but wil on occasion have a base story of piled stone. On rare occasion an orc-towers is built alongside a dead (or dying tree) to serve as added support and camouflage and may be very tall.
Orc-pit:
A orc pit is in wide hole in the ground. It may have started out as a den and been enlarged to the point the roof was collapsed intentionally to provide more space from immediately prying eyes. Orc pits will serve to hold prisoners, work-beasts, and non critical workspaces such as kitchens and abattoirs.
As a pit is used more and more side spaces will be dug into the pit sides. As the side spaces become more populous or more frequently used the pit itself may be semi-abandoned and even covered over to trap the unwary who will find themselves falling into he midst of a number orc-places.
Pit of Woe-
A pit of woe is a deep difficult to scale pit where victims and wounded orcs are tossed to amuse orcs during times of plenty. The upper edges of a pit of woe have a variety of spikes and stakes to discourage anyone attempting to climb out (along with the occasional predatory beast that finds it's way into the pit). Being thrown in a pit of woe is a disgraceful death for an orc and great comedy for it's brethren who delight in the cries of anguish and hopeless battle from the depths of the pit.
Bone Pit-
This is where the remains of orcs are thrown during times of plenty or when the bones have been picked clean by their fellows. The upper edges of the pit are much like a pit of woe but also discourage entrance of wandering undead.
Toothed-Pit-
shallow pits built near an orc-hold meant to be defensive works. These its will have many sharp rocks and spiked sides and are likely to collapse in on nay trying to scale out once accidentally falling in.
Orc-Chimney:
While orcish engineering is seemingly crude to men it is not foolish and reckless to orcs and an established orc-hold will begin to sprout chimneys of earth and stone to lift away smoke and enhance ventilation of the space below. Those familiar with termite mounds have noted similarities with Orc-Chimneys as older chimneys will have multiple passage for smoke and air to pass through and even side chambers and tunnels if large enough to aid in defense of the Orc-hold.
Some Orc-Chimneys are often raised directly above pits as a cap but this is not a firm rule.
A ring of Orc-chimneys may surround a hollow that conceals a very large orc-hold. With age the space between the chimneys of such a rung are often filled in with a host of materials and debris which serve raise a hill and conceal the presence of the orc-hold.
Orc-Hold:
A collections of orc-pits, den's, towers and chimneys that serve as a combination orc settlement and fortress.
Orc Den:
The most common orcish structure is a a den. A den is a hole in the ground dug from the surface. They will typically be a tight crawlspace descending no more then 10 or 20' with a 5-20' diameter space almost high enough for orcs to stand upright within. A den may have a less obvious exit-way if it is old enough to warrant the work. An Orc Den built near a tower will often have it's primary entrance facing the tower.
Orc-run:
an orc run would appear to be the entrance to an orc den but it is wider and higher allowing orcs to enter quickly and find their way to a broad tunnel leading perhaps as few as two dozen yards to as many as 200 yards away. Orc-runs are used to facilitate escape and ambush. Some orc-runs lead to tunnels that will lead to multiple orc-runs and exits.
Only poorly supervised orc tribes will allow orc-dens to connect directly to an Orc-run.
Orc-Hole:
This is a shallowly constructed orc-den with a means to view the surface, meant as defensive works and not for continuous habitation. Sometimes an orc-hole is clearly raised above the nearby ground but may also be incorporated into a hillside to appear natural and may look like a pile of stones to the unwary. Orc-holes are usually found only near established orc-holds. Orc-holes will not connect to an orc-run but a number of them may exit closely to one.
Orc-Tower:
An orc tower is a look-out tower built by orcs. It will appear ungainly and insecure by human standards but orcs have little trouble ascending to the peak where as many as three or four can sit sheltered from the sun in a nest-like bole or even in a small replica of a mannish tower-turret. Orc-towers are built mostly of wood but wil on occasion have a base story of piled stone. On rare occasion an orc-towers is built alongside a dead (or dying tree) to serve as added support and camouflage and may be very tall.
Orc-pit:
A orc pit is in wide hole in the ground. It may have started out as a den and been enlarged to the point the roof was collapsed intentionally to provide more space from immediately prying eyes. Orc pits will serve to hold prisoners, work-beasts, and non critical workspaces such as kitchens and abattoirs.
As a pit is used more and more side spaces will be dug into the pit sides. As the side spaces become more populous or more frequently used the pit itself may be semi-abandoned and even covered over to trap the unwary who will find themselves falling into he midst of a number orc-places.
Pit of Woe-
A pit of woe is a deep difficult to scale pit where victims and wounded orcs are tossed to amuse orcs during times of plenty. The upper edges of a pit of woe have a variety of spikes and stakes to discourage anyone attempting to climb out (along with the occasional predatory beast that finds it's way into the pit). Being thrown in a pit of woe is a disgraceful death for an orc and great comedy for it's brethren who delight in the cries of anguish and hopeless battle from the depths of the pit.
Bone Pit-
This is where the remains of orcs are thrown during times of plenty or when the bones have been picked clean by their fellows. The upper edges of the pit are much like a pit of woe but also discourage entrance of wandering undead.
Toothed-Pit-
shallow pits built near an orc-hold meant to be defensive works. These its will have many sharp rocks and spiked sides and are likely to collapse in on nay trying to scale out once accidentally falling in.
Orc-Chimney:
While orcish engineering is seemingly crude to men it is not foolish and reckless to orcs and an established orc-hold will begin to sprout chimneys of earth and stone to lift away smoke and enhance ventilation of the space below. Those familiar with termite mounds have noted similarities with Orc-Chimneys as older chimneys will have multiple passage for smoke and air to pass through and even side chambers and tunnels if large enough to aid in defense of the Orc-hold.
Some Orc-Chimneys are often raised directly above pits as a cap but this is not a firm rule.
A ring of Orc-chimneys may surround a hollow that conceals a very large orc-hold. With age the space between the chimneys of such a rung are often filled in with a host of materials and debris which serve raise a hill and conceal the presence of the orc-hold.
Orc-Hold:
A collections of orc-pits, den's, towers and chimneys that serve as a combination orc settlement and fortress.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Weekend Gaming
We threw a party for my oldest son this weekend. A number of the guests were members of the school D&D club so I whipped up a quick dungeon-crawl and a mess of PCs for the kids to choose from. Here are the sheets of 5 of them (minus the character art borrowed from the internet).
As you can tell from the sheets I went with a D20-like set of stats for the game deciding not to go old-school. I did this for 2 reasons: keep the players in a comfort zone and create something new. While it was D20-ish I dropped a log of baggage simply with the reduced and altered stats. I used a spell/special ability mechanic that cut down on the need for bookkeeping and add a little uncertainty to things.
The 5 characters above were among the 15 I whipped up, one of them was certainly the worst character in the set but still saw play. Can you guess who that was?
The adventure was a simple but fun dungeon-crawl with copious wandering monsters, messes of skeletons, giant bats, goblins,hobgoblins, a pair of wraiths and a dragon (the players never met the dragon). The player of Flitter managed to botch the roll and lose that character's best special ability in the first encounter. A plain old pit trap got (but didn't slay) 2 PCs. One of Lunk's special abilities proved useful agaisnt a number of goblins until they party found their way deep into the goblin lair and had a long and protracted fight against them that kept Padre Hector busy bandaging Lunk and Jaque both of whom would have surely perished without his aid.
It was a fun romp from 10PM-1 something AM.
As you can tell from the sheets I went with a D20-like set of stats for the game deciding not to go old-school. I did this for 2 reasons: keep the players in a comfort zone and create something new. While it was D20-ish I dropped a log of baggage simply with the reduced and altered stats. I used a spell/special ability mechanic that cut down on the need for bookkeeping and add a little uncertainty to things.
The 5 characters above were among the 15 I whipped up, one of them was certainly the worst character in the set but still saw play. Can you guess who that was?
The adventure was a simple but fun dungeon-crawl with copious wandering monsters, messes of skeletons, giant bats, goblins,hobgoblins, a pair of wraiths and a dragon (the players never met the dragon). The player of Flitter managed to botch the roll and lose that character's best special ability in the first encounter. A plain old pit trap got (but didn't slay) 2 PCs. One of Lunk's special abilities proved useful agaisnt a number of goblins until they party found their way deep into the goblin lair and had a long and protracted fight against them that kept Padre Hector busy bandaging Lunk and Jaque both of whom would have surely perished without his aid.
It was a fun romp from 10PM-1 something AM.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Oh No, Bobots!
After the surprising and tough election season I found myself with another contract getting in the way of posting. Real life has been throwing in a few other posting blocks as well, including my oldest having his 16th birthday party this coming weekend.
To those that liked them: Don't worry More Teenage Mutant Cavemen to come...really, really.
Oh yeah "bobots" they are a pair of Robot Mecha toys my oldest son is letting the youngest play with and the little guy is in love with them.
To those that liked them: Don't worry More Teenage Mutant Cavemen to come...really, really.
Oh yeah "bobots" they are a pair of Robot Mecha toys my oldest son is letting the youngest play with and the little guy is in love with them.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Feltothraxis Wins
Polls have closed showing a clear victory for Feltothraxis. Despite early election reports to the contrary Feltothraxis has pulled ahead winning the Name the Nameless Dragon Poll .Latest Updates Here.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Cast your vote for Feltothraxis
The polls will close soon: Cast your vote for Feltothraxis.
With all due consideration and thanks to scottsz ...
With all due consideration and thanks to scottsz ...
Cast your vote for Feltothraxis
Who's breathing fire on all new taxes!
Fair and Just and reaching higher;
Protects our lives with breath of fire.
Cares not for passing guilt or blame,
Incorruptible by games.
Don't listen to Sully's braggart claims!
While all the others are the same,
This wyrm's platform will proclaim
That deeds - not words - can't be defamed.
So fear not that you will misname
This leader of ancient and untamed.
Call him Harry, George or Dane
And vote for Change's Hopeful flame...
For Feltothraxis is his name!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Sully Scandal
Well it seems Sully is ahead in the polls over Feltothraxis. This injustice can't be allowed to continue.
I hate to fling mud here but ...It's come to my attention that some Sully proponents have been know to consort with Gelatinous Cubes and Rust Monsters. What ill fate will that portend for the nameless dragon?
If you haven't voted for Feltothraxis yet please do so, only by your participation can our fragile democracy be saved.
The dragon needs a name.
I hate to fling mud here but ...It's come to my attention that some Sully proponents have been know to consort with Gelatinous Cubes and Rust Monsters. What ill fate will that portend for the nameless dragon?
If you haven't voted for Feltothraxis yet please do so, only by your participation can our fragile democracy be saved.
The dragon needs a name.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Vote Feltothraxis
For very biased reasons I must promote voting to name The Nameless Dragon on Tenkar's Tavern "Feltothraxis" http://www.tenkarstavern.com/2011/10/power-of-democracy-in-naming-dragon.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FCOwX+%28Tenkar%27s+Tavern%29
Feltothraxis in 2011
Feltothraxis in 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Teenage Mutant Caveman Random Encounter Tables
Here are suggested encounter tables to go with a Teenage Mutant Caveman and the sample map.
Chance of Encounter When Traveling is indicated on each terrain, roll% dice.
When hunting consult hunting rules for chances.
Roll 1d8 when traveling/exploring for encounter, 1d12 when hunting.
Forested Hills (20%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gamma Sloth
4 Boar
5 Chicken Wolf
6 Hemofowl
7 Mountain cat
8 Spidergoat
9 No-Horns
10 Red Bucks
11 Purpa
12 Small Game
Lush Hills(25%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Stone Bear
4 Slunk
5 Wolf, Dire
6 Mountain cat
7 Sham
8 Spidergoat
9 Bigtails
10 No-Horns
11 Red Bucks
12 Small Game
Scrub Hills(15%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Dactyl
4 Lizard, Gaint Gecko
5 Stone Bear
6 Snake, Furred Choker
7 Bigtails
8 Mountain cat
9 Sham
10 Slughorn
11 No-Horns
12 Small Game
Barren Hills(15%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Dactyl
4 No Horn
5 Eye, Insectoid
6 Flame, Plant
7 Lizard, Gaint Gecko
8 Lizard, Tuatara
9 Brain Plant
10 Slughorn
11 No-Horns
12 Small Game
Mountains(10%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Eyedog
4 Stone Bear
5 Dactyl
6 Snake, Furred Choker
7 Mountain cat
8 Spider Goat
9 Sham
10 Vile, Slasher
11 Wolf, Dire
12 Small Game
Upland Forest(20%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gamma Sloth
4 Dire Wolf
5 Hemofowl
6 Purpa
7 Mountain Cat
8 Spidergoat
9 No-Horns
10 Red Bucks
11 Boar
12 Small Game
Lowland Forest(25%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gammasaur
4 Yellow Spider
5 Marsh Cat
6 Forest Ants
7 Snail, spiked
8 Spidergoat
9 Purpa
10 No-Horns
11 Zunicorn
12 Small Game
Forested Swamp (30%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gammasaur
4 Gammasaur
5 Furred Crocigator
6 Forest Ants
7 Snail, spiked
8 Spidergoat
9 Purpa
10 No-Horns
11 Boar
12 Small Game
Marsh(25%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gammasaur
4 Furred Crocigator
5 Snake, Furred Choker
6 Marsh Cat
7 Snail, spiked
8 Pigasaurus
9 Screech Bush
10 Slughorn
11 Fish, Gaint
12 Small Game
Rad Swamp(30%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gammasaur
4 Gammasaur
5 Furred Crocigator
6 Marsh Cat
7 Snail, spiked
8 Slughorn
9 Pigasaurus
10 Screech Bush
11 Fungal Grove
12 Small Game
Rad Wastes(15%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Ant Horror
4 Ant Horror
5 Flame Plant
6 Brain Plant
7 Minor Enforcement Bot
8 The Irradiated
9 Slughorn
10 Worm Men
11 Rat, Giant
12 Small Game
Rad Tumbles(20%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Android, clone Neutralizer
4 Assault Bot
5 Flame Plant
6 Gamma Sloth
7 Minor Enforcement Bot
8 Worm Men
9 Hazard
10 Skin Stealer
11 Gamma Sloth
12 Small Game
Rad Shells(25%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Android, Clone Neutralizer
4 Centipede, Giant
5 Cyborg, Commando
6 Kamata
7 Vomit Fly
8 Worm Men
9 Rat, Giant
10 Feeder
11 Worm Men
12 Small Game
Forest Shells (40%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Bee, Giant Killer
4 Minoer Enforcement Bot
5 Snake, Furred Choker
6 Spidery
7 Screech Bush
8 Spidergoat
9 Boar
10 Rat, giant
11 Walking Dead
12 Small Game
Wasteland Shells (35%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Kamata
4 Centipede, Giant
5 Assault Bot
6 Spider Goat
7 Worm Men
8 Worm Men
9 Spidery
10 Vomit Fly
11 Rat, Gaint
12 Small Game
Tox Marsh (50%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gammasaur
4 Insect Swarm
5 Snake, Death Dart
6 Furred Crocigator
7 Snail, spiked
8 Pigasaurus
9 Hazard
10 Yellow Spider
11 Toad, Gaint
12 Small Game
Tox Tumbles (60%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gammasaur
4 Snake, Furred Choker
5 Snake, Death Dart
6 Boar, Hideous
7 Snail, spiked
8 Pigasaurus
9 Hazard
10 Hazard
11 Toad, Giant
12 Small Game
Upland Pasture(30%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 No-Horns
4 Leech Rabbit
5 Dactyl
6 Bigtail
7 Sham
8 Snake, Death Dart
9 Red Buck
10 No-Horns
11 Small Game
12 Small Game
Lowland Pasture(35%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gammasaur
4 Chickenwolf
5 Boars
6 Bigtails
7 Pigasaurus
8 Slughorn
9 Slughorn
10 No-Horns
11 Sham
12 Small Game
Wasteland(20%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Snake, Death Dart
4 Camel
5 Death Bird
6 Lizard, Giant Gecko
7 Magma Palnt
8 Worm Men
9 Scorpion, Giant
10 Insect Swarm
11 No-Horns
12 Small Game
Waterside(30%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gammasaur
4 Fish, Giant
5 Quill Cat
6 Furred Crocigator
7 Snail, spiked
8 Marsh Cat
9 Fish, Giant
10 Weasel, Giant
11 Boar
12 Small Game
Chance of Encounter When Traveling is indicated on each terrain, roll% dice.
When hunting consult hunting rules for chances.
Roll 1d8 when traveling/exploring for encounter, 1d12 when hunting.
Forested Hills (20%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gamma Sloth
4 Boar
5 Chicken Wolf
6 Hemofowl
7 Mountain cat
8 Spidergoat
9 No-Horns
10 Red Bucks
11 Purpa
12 Small Game
Lush Hills(25%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Stone Bear
4 Slunk
5 Wolf, Dire
6 Mountain cat
7 Sham
8 Spidergoat
9 Bigtails
10 No-Horns
11 Red Bucks
12 Small Game
Scrub Hills(15%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Dactyl
4 Lizard, Gaint Gecko
5 Stone Bear
6 Snake, Furred Choker
7 Bigtails
8 Mountain cat
9 Sham
10 Slughorn
11 No-Horns
12 Small Game
Barren Hills(15%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Dactyl
4 No Horn
5 Eye, Insectoid
6 Flame, Plant
7 Lizard, Gaint Gecko
8 Lizard, Tuatara
9 Brain Plant
10 Slughorn
11 No-Horns
12 Small Game
Mountains(10%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Eyedog
4 Stone Bear
5 Dactyl
6 Snake, Furred Choker
7 Mountain cat
8 Spider Goat
9 Sham
10 Vile, Slasher
11 Wolf, Dire
12 Small Game
Upland Forest(20%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gamma Sloth
4 Dire Wolf
5 Hemofowl
6 Purpa
7 Mountain Cat
8 Spidergoat
9 No-Horns
10 Red Bucks
11 Boar
12 Small Game
Lowland Forest(25%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gammasaur
4 Yellow Spider
5 Marsh Cat
6 Forest Ants
7 Snail, spiked
8 Spidergoat
9 Purpa
10 No-Horns
11 Zunicorn
12 Small Game
Forested Swamp (30%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gammasaur
4 Gammasaur
5 Furred Crocigator
6 Forest Ants
7 Snail, spiked
8 Spidergoat
9 Purpa
10 No-Horns
11 Boar
12 Small Game
Marsh(25%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gammasaur
4 Furred Crocigator
5 Snake, Furred Choker
6 Marsh Cat
7 Snail, spiked
8 Pigasaurus
9 Screech Bush
10 Slughorn
11 Fish, Gaint
12 Small Game
Rad Swamp(30%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gammasaur
4 Gammasaur
5 Furred Crocigator
6 Marsh Cat
7 Snail, spiked
8 Slughorn
9 Pigasaurus
10 Screech Bush
11 Fungal Grove
12 Small Game
Rad Wastes(15%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Ant Horror
4 Ant Horror
5 Flame Plant
6 Brain Plant
7 Minor Enforcement Bot
8 The Irradiated
9 Slughorn
10 Worm Men
11 Rat, Giant
12 Small Game
Rad Tumbles(20%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Android, clone Neutralizer
4 Assault Bot
5 Flame Plant
6 Gamma Sloth
7 Minor Enforcement Bot
8 Worm Men
9 Hazard
10 Skin Stealer
11 Gamma Sloth
12 Small Game
Rad Shells(25%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Android, Clone Neutralizer
4 Centipede, Giant
5 Cyborg, Commando
6 Kamata
7 Vomit Fly
8 Worm Men
9 Rat, Giant
10 Feeder
11 Worm Men
12 Small Game
Forest Shells (40%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Bee, Giant Killer
4 Minoer Enforcement Bot
5 Snake, Furred Choker
6 Spidery
7 Screech Bush
8 Spidergoat
9 Boar
10 Rat, giant
11 Walking Dead
12 Small Game
Wasteland Shells (35%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Kamata
4 Centipede, Giant
5 Assault Bot
6 Spider Goat
7 Worm Men
8 Worm Men
9 Spidery
10 Vomit Fly
11 Rat, Gaint
12 Small Game
Tox Marsh (50%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gammasaur
4 Insect Swarm
5 Snake, Death Dart
6 Furred Crocigator
7 Snail, spiked
8 Pigasaurus
9 Hazard
10 Yellow Spider
11 Toad, Gaint
12 Small Game
Tox Tumbles (60%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gammasaur
4 Snake, Furred Choker
5 Snake, Death Dart
6 Boar, Hideous
7 Snail, spiked
8 Pigasaurus
9 Hazard
10 Hazard
11 Toad, Giant
12 Small Game
Upland Pasture(30%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 No-Horns
4 Leech Rabbit
5 Dactyl
6 Bigtail
7 Sham
8 Snake, Death Dart
9 Red Buck
10 No-Horns
11 Small Game
12 Small Game
Lowland Pasture(35%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gammasaur
4 Chickenwolf
5 Boars
6 Bigtails
7 Pigasaurus
8 Slughorn
9 Slughorn
10 No-Horns
11 Sham
12 Small Game
Wasteland(20%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Snake, Death Dart
4 Camel
5 Death Bird
6 Lizard, Giant Gecko
7 Magma Palnt
8 Worm Men
9 Scorpion, Giant
10 Insect Swarm
11 No-Horns
12 Small Game
Waterside(30%)
1 Hazard
2 Gammasaur
3 Gammasaur
4 Fish, Giant
5 Quill Cat
6 Furred Crocigator
7 Snail, spiked
8 Marsh Cat
9 Fish, Giant
10 Weasel, Giant
11 Boar
12 Small Game
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Post Apocalypse Map Symbols 4
16 map symbols/icons for post apocalyptic hex maps .
Legal Mumbo-jumbo:
These map symbols are copyright 2011 by James D. Jarvis, anyone is free to use them for private, shared or commercial projects all I ask is to be notified about the project (a comment here would work fine) and to be credited for my contribution to your project (a link to this post would be cool). An exact copy of the specific image above isn't authorized for redistribution.
Legal Mumbo-jumbo:
These map symbols are copyright 2011 by James D. Jarvis, anyone is free to use them for private, shared or commercial projects all I ask is to be notified about the project (a comment here would work fine) and to be credited for my contribution to your project (a link to this post would be cool). An exact copy of the specific image above isn't authorized for redistribution.
Post-Apocalypse Map Symbols 3
20 map symbols/icons for post apocalyptic hex maps .
Legal Mumbo-jumbo:
These map symbols are copyright 2011 by James D. Jarvis, anyone is free to use them for private, shared or commercial projects all I ask is to be notified about the project (a comment here would work fine) and to be credited for my contribution to your project (a link to this post would be cool). An exact copy of the specific image above isn't authorized for redistribution.
Legal Mumbo-jumbo:
These map symbols are copyright 2011 by James D. Jarvis, anyone is free to use them for private, shared or commercial projects all I ask is to be notified about the project (a comment here would work fine) and to be credited for my contribution to your project (a link to this post would be cool). An exact copy of the specific image above isn't authorized for redistribution.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Teenage Mutant Caveman Stomping Grounds
An unkeyed map of the stomping grounds for the Teenage Mutant Cavemen campaign outline for a different Mutant Future campaign.
(click for larger image)
I left this map un-keyed to develop in future posts. On the map there are 4 large areas of ruins, radioactive wastelands, toxic swamps, low-land thorn forests, upland forests, forested swamps, marshlands, barren hills, scrub covered hills, lush hills, scrub land, upland pastures, lowland pastures and the caves of The People.
Encounter tables, adventure notes, encounter/adventure sites to come in future posts.
(click for larger image)
I left this map un-keyed to develop in future posts. On the map there are 4 large areas of ruins, radioactive wastelands, toxic swamps, low-land thorn forests, upland forests, forested swamps, marshlands, barren hills, scrub covered hills, lush hills, scrub land, upland pastures, lowland pastures and the caves of The People.
Encounter tables, adventure notes, encounter/adventure sites to come in future posts.