Wednesday 30 December 2015

Shanty Town Problems Revisited



This is a revision from dungeon rush shanty towns. The New Entries are the first 50 with original d50 are now the second half of the table. Small revisions have been made to be things that would alarm the community and be subject of gossip. Such events could be daily early on then weekly then monthly as community grows and becomes more regulated. An abandoned shanty town with letters and interesting clues cold be found - a haunted ghost town or where kids like to play in daytime.
Original versions here:
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/dungeon-rush-shanty-towns.html

d100 Local Problems
01 Preachers looking to save godless murder hoboes
02 Animal cruelty rampant
03 Monster moves into communal midden heap or cesspit
04 Plague of creatures crawl everywhere d4 1=Frogs 2=mice 3=bugs 4=flies
05 Forest fire starts nearby threatening settlement
06 Gypsies flood town
07 Theives guild set up house
08 Bandits gang move in
09 Zombies seen from recent local burials
10 Rust monsters seen sniffing around town
11 Carrion crawlers caught kidnapping people
12 Repulsive giant bugs d4 1=crickets 2=ticks 3=flies 4=centipede
13 Dungeon mould or slime outbreak
14 Government tax agents spying on town
15 Escaped convicts and fugitives moving into town
16 Part of town slides a few yards
17 Abnormally frequent storms 
18 Celestial event has everyone speculating and inspiring superstitious follies
19 Tough guy declares they will clean up this town dead in d20 hours
20 Livestock thieves plundering animals (from dungeon or town or forest)
21 Rampaging great beast of wilds attacking people
22 Abandoned children growing more common
23 Poson grob kills several locals
24 Someone hobbling and crippling animals
25 Cannibal in town was sharing stew frequently was captured by mob 
26 Everyone gets parasitic worms
28 Crippled murder hobos begging and blocking mainstreet
29 Murder becoming everyday from cult or serial killer
30 Fighting breaking out daily
31 Gambling mania of town attracts poker shark criminals
32 Mimic kills several people
33 Gelatinous cube eating homeless by night
34 Evil spirit intruding on sleepers dreams
35 Supernatural being uses sex appeal to gain power and souls of locals
36 Visiting flagellants inspire pious self abuse cult fad
37 Visiting bard music scene attracting feckless youths 
38 Ghost stories proliferate and superstition running wild
39 Local music style and songs spread town fame as tax free degenerate vice pit
40 Locals play hillbilly music and make terrible folk art
41 Magical vermin infest stuff d4 1=goldbugs 2=gembugs 3=potionleech 4=gremlins
42 Magical vermin infest stuff d4 1=scroll weevil 2=bookworm 3=magnivore bug 4=kyuss worms 
43 Important local ill or missing d4 1=crafter 2=healer 3
44 Claim jumping disputes and land grab fights rampant
45 Streets stinking and choked with sewerage and mud
46  Local stirring up hatred towards some type of person or creature
47 Toxic alchemical spill mixes in the streets causing weird magical phenomena
48 Gangsters offering loans, protections and cash for dungeon claims
49 Giant dungeon fungus growing in village midden pit
50 Local was really a magical creature in disguise
51 Bandits begin to prey on route to civilization
52 Lack of sanitation, stinks at first then disease outbreaks
53 Humanoids harass travelers in area
54 Humanoids skirmishers attack, possibly prelude to major attack
55 Drunk murder hobos flood town, sleep in streets and brawl in the mud
56 Homeless refugees and urchins looking for work arrive and start begging
57 Humanoids increasingly wander into town outraged people wont serve them
58 Main street is a foot deep in stinking mud
59 Shortage of women brings out peculiar habits not approved by church
60 Booze all drunk dry, fights break out
61 VD epidemic - locals itchy, scabby, infertile and increasingly insane
62 Inquisitor comes to inspect camp for signs of heretics or cultists
63 Cultists infiltrate camp and start murdering victims
64 Lice, fleas and ticks break out
65 Horses and donkeys all sick most die of disease
66 Local lynch mob hang or burn some one once a week
67 Spy from dungeon starts to murder, sabotage and cause local unrest
68 Fire breaks out damaging buildings, tents and killing some locals
69 Grog supplies bad, many go blind or mad or die
70 Lack of food causes price hikes and illness
71 Stray dogs increasing some with rabies
72 Rat swarms everywhere bit people in beds at night
73 Lack of clean water brings disease and high prices
74 A phantom terrifying locals
75 A lycanthrope in camp everyone under suspicion
76 Doppelgangers infiltrate camp to murder
77 Drug addiction and alcoholism rampant
78 Tunnel under town collapses
79 Everyone in false panic that monster attack imminent
80 Local thugs try to take over and monopolise alcohol
81 Local business man tries to take over other shops with dirty tricks
82 People found eaten by some monster attracted to camp
84 Monsters setting traps around camp
85 Backstabbed robbed corpses found about town
86 Gangs form among residents and start to brawl
87 Plague carrier visits and dies
88 A wolfpack in area starting to attack locals and kill dogs
89 A big cat like a panther or mountain lion eats a few locals
90 Shoddy building collapses and kills several people
91 Mosquitoes swarms spread disease to locals and animals
92 Leeches crawling everywhere
93 Flash flood washes away part of camp
94 A tree falls on camp killing someone
95 Trail covered by rockslide and new path required
96 Humanoids poison local water supply
97 Pile of severed murder hobo heads left by gate in morning
98 Locals fight over woman often starting a huge brawls
99 Signs of demonic summoning or cult ritual found near camp
100 Campers dig up haunted burial mound and undead attack by night

Tuesday 29 December 2015

d100 Unwanted things from the back of magic shop











Been playing Temple of Elemental Evil game which is one of several things that got me back into DnD and was some influence on my DnD game. Im dreaming up what creatures a domesticated in dungeons - giant crayfish would be great for fishmen clearing out dungeons and thy would probably food them.

Most magic shops are pretty old and accumulate all kinds of curios and trinkets. Some might be keystones to adventure others enigmatic table weights ayt best. 


d100 Unwanted things from the back of magic shop01 Lizardman skull lamp
02 Stuffed crocodile 1in6 has a scroll case hidden inside
03 Shiny scales of giant chaos butterfly wings
04 Behemoth foot umbrella stand
05 Shaving stubble from a devil in ornate tin
06 Dried out imp pinned out in small display box
07 Box of dried bats
08 Fragment of broken gargoyle detects as alive and magical
09 Beak of a huge insect, monster or demon
10 Giant egg sack

11 Dragon scales of several colours in a box
12 Demon skull with evil sigils and melted candles

13 Faux unicorn horn
14 Box of 1d6 dried unicorn poops heal 1d4HP if eaten or held on wound
15 Macrame bat made of spider silk and goblin ribs
16 Black leather cape made from giant bat wings 
17 Giants skull turned into chamber pot 
18 Metallic gorgon scales or bird feathers
19 Creepy leather sack made from giant testicle
20 Box with a giant slug inside who plays a mouth organ if awakened
21 +1 Magic rusty shank d3 damage with cast detect enemies once per day 1200gp
22 A dagger made from magically woven cold iron and silver 
23 A gnarled old faerie walking stick +1 club 1200gp
24 A dagger with permanent light spell on blade with scabbard to stop it
25 A carved old stall +0 magic staff +500gp
26 +1 Arrow or bolt or sling stone at a low price
27 A silver knuckle duster with a d4 healing pill and a suicide pill hidden inside
28 A short sword drips stinking demon ichor +1 damage 1000gp
29 A magic stick that can turn into a staff or a spear at will 1000gp
30 +1 stone throwing axe causes sparks on impact, also good for starting camp fires
31 Astrolabe with incorrect starsigns looks faulty but actually a clue to treasure
32 Boxes with incomplete alchemy lab glassware
33 Creepy old painting of person who's eye follow you (Amber Clan?)
34 Dried old hand of a killer casts silence 15r or Sleep d5 charges 
35 Gem or medal with demon or devil true name engraved
36 Evil looking silver ring with onyx eye allows a forgotten lich to see what you see
37 Old rug with pentacle design, blood and ichor stained
38 Silver milking pale keeps milk intact used in household of sky gods
39 Shiny apple fresh as day picked in magic garden a hundred years ago heals d4HP
40 Pointy hat produces a live rabbit once a week on command
41 Ugly fetish +1 on a single saving throw once 25gp
42 Horrible demon idle with leering face used by demon to see our world
43 Silver holy symbol holds a holy water potion or grog inside
44 Candlestick Idol of a saint, cries if you light candle 
45 Candlestick once lighted stays lit without burning candle until commanded
46 Magic salt shaker good for 10 shakes a day
47 Magic nut cracker opens perfectly 1st time can talk and walks but mostly complains 
48 Bowl used as a mirror in ancient times but reflection whispers evil thoughts
49 Wizard hat with a grog vessel and drinking tube
50 Three foot statue of a wizard water pipe makes smoking last 20% longer and stronger
51 Box of d100+10 hand size self adhesive glittery gold stars
52 Big sprinkle box of glitter and jar of paste 
53 Tin of open sea biscuits with petty magic ring in the bottom 
54 Badge with gem stud that cleans a outfit pinned on it once a day
55 Snowdome with a unicorn and a rainbow
56 Black ancient skull if held can hear demonic voices offering power for your soul
57 Splendid white fur  cape made from 500 squirrel chests, squirrels attack wearer
58 Huge magical tudor style ruff collar +1 saves but terribly out of fashion 
59 Necklace with ancient silver pendant containing lich emperors tooth 
60 Strange old cabinet which random common items appear inside every month
61 Corset that removes inches off your waste and prevents you going to bathroom if on
62 Local map shows local weather for next day
63 Local map blood stains appear if anyone murdered in a location
64 Local map but local ruins and dungeons appear if sites disturbed
65 A locket with a cameo painting that resembles party member, from a lost local manour 
66 Brass lantern will burn with eerie red light for 12 hours on a small amount of blood
67 A 12 inch cube box, once a day a kobold comes out and does 1hr of manual labour 
68 Glass jar with hibernating stirge bird inside will hungrily attacks nearest victim if opened
69 Dried dog size spider turned into a 30lb backpack but most find it creepy to touch
70 A chess set that plays by itself with a player but carved in a peasant crude style
71 A yoyo that produces light and sparks as certain tricks performed
72 Wooden duck on wheels, says quack and follows last person who touched it for a day
73 A golden ball that returns to whoever throws or kicks it
74 Magic seeds of a monster plant species killed off a century ago, 2d6 in a bag
75 Serpent man skull, fed blood under full moon will answer a question about reptilians
76 Huge wig from dated fashion, map under inner lining to ruined tower
77 Spectacles with handle allow to see shape of peoples bodies under clothing
78 Collection of strange coins in a box with map of farm where they were found
79 Box of rambling wizard notes, 10% a month for year of finding interesting map or spell
80 Pack of cards that come to life and play with you but criticize you and cheat
81 A bottle of strong spirits with a face that talks melancholically you while you drink
82 Talking set of dice that beg you to play with them then cheat against and abuse you
83 Volcanic black glass discs with grooves supposed records of a lost reptilian race
84 A cheap copy of a relic or artifact enchanted to detect as magical with a dim glow 
85 A stuffed fish mounted on a board who sings a old bard song on command
86 Box of toy army men once a day colours will fight to death then rise next day
87 A box of d3 blank canvas and a d4 paintings, on comand canvas will paint a subject
88 Box of d6 small paintings with animated erotic scenes of bathers or undressing women
89 Magic wonder cloth cleans one thing per charge with a d100 charges
90 Set of drums will drum a march or stop on command
91 Box of strange fertility fetishes will double chances of conceiving if under bed
92 Creepy puppet will give a comedy routine a turn a day, probably not evil monster
93 Box of books on unpopular magical theories could be used to research a spell
94 Box of half eaten chocolates 2d6 each provides effect of bless for a hour
95 Pack of miracle polish makes magic metal glow for 24hrs 4d6 doses
96 Magical tiara shoots a ray that can cook food for ten minutes a day
97 A box with a metal face inside that gives terrible advice and abuses people
98 A magic self heating frypan that criticises your cooking and taste
99 A self heating mug that warms drinks
100 A pewter tankard that produces a pint of wizard dark old ale once a day

Monday 28 December 2015

d100 Shanty Town Street Encounters



Murder Hobo Shanty Towns
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/dungeon-rush-shanty-towns.html

Murder Hobo Shanty Town Mercs
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/d100-rent-murder-hobo.html

Magic Shop Article covers the basic store you would find in a shanty town
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/ye-old-magic-shoppe.html

So while I did include a d50 events and wanderers table in the first article I should expand both to fill d100 and expand the concept more. These are things that might happen every few hours where the d50 events is for stuff that effect whole community.

These could be used in a mining camp or slum

d100
01 Rats get underfoot trying to get food
02 Stray try to beg or steal food even nipping backpacks 
03 Dog fight breaks out and people start betting
04 Mad dog foaming at mouth running around on biting spree
05 Organised dog fight gathers a crowd 
06 Organised bare knuckles fight gathers a crowd
07 Fight between two men people mostly ignore it
08 Men having a knife fight, winner tries to finish off loser if not stopped
09 Wrestling competition gathers a yelling mob
10 Woman vs woman fight announced a sp to enter the  fight tent

11 Stray squealing pig runs through street knocking people over
12 Crazy donkey or pony panics from cruel treatment

13 Man beating a donkey or pony
14 Mad billy boat butts any one he can when loose
15 Stray chicken chased by murder hobo
16 Homeless kid begs for food
17 Slippery mud and excrement puddle, DEX save or fall in
18 Failed begging adventurer with missing body parts  
19 Dog follows adventurers
20 Stray cat stalking mice or birds
21 SItting old man has died and no body has noticed yet
22 Kangaroo court held to punish thief
23 Man put in stocks for thieving or fighting
24 Man being hung for thieving or murder by mob
25 Person being burned or tortured for witchcraft
26 Panic about doppelganger in town eating and robbing people
27 Man collecting corpses on wagon not serving any legal official service 
28 A bard here to collect stories of heroism or vice
29 A hungry prostitute makes you a offer
30 Man offers attractive company in tent d4 1=pimp 2=slaver 3=monster 4=robber
31 A man offering treasure maps of local dungeons
32 A desperate old murder hobo looking for a rescue party for friends in dungeon
33 A man selling humanoid d4 slaves d4 1=orc 2=hobgoblin 3=goblin 4=kobold
34 A man selling his wife gathers a crowd for auction
35 A man selling monster trophies for cowards and 
36 A man selling d6 clay bottles of beer
37 A bakers boy selling bread
38 A fisherman selling cooked fish or eel stew
39 A goblin selling shroom stew and drugs on the side
40 A farm boy selling apples and blackberries
41 A farmer selling his son or daughter
42 A man selling a animal on a rope d4 1=pig 2=goat 3=big lizard 4=sheep
43 A old woman selling sack of d6 animals d4 1=chicken 2=blackbird 3 =seagull 4=duck
44 A man selling rat on a stick
45 A man selling dead rats tied by tails to his stick in a rat hide coat
46 A man with a goblin charging people to beat or stab the goblin
47 A local hunter selling scrawny hill rabbits
48 A disguised orc selling cheap poisoned stew
49 A bard busking for money or food scraps
50 A goblin child spying on people from under garbage heap
51 Invisible person pushes past you d4 1=adventurer 2=imp 3=stalker 4=humanoid spy
52 A priest preaching about vice and murder hobos
53 A tax agent spying on who makes it rich or has conspicuous wealth
54 A gentleman and guards seeing the degradation and filthy sub humans locals 
55 A old woman or man looking for their missing son
56 A game of kickball or stickball erupts upsetting many in the way
57 A gambler calls out for any interested in a game of cards 
58 Bard playing and a tattered crowd dancing a jig
59 A struck it rich adventurer provides a keg of beer for a street party
60 A evil cultist opens a keg of poison ale then departs
61 A man selling demonic trinkets that he claims protect you from harm
62 A man selling a cursed item cheap 
63 A Empire crier calls out news about cheap land on frontier 
64 A group of old women denounce vice and advocate good life
65 A priest looking for troubled souls to save
66 A cultist proscribing his secret society as the best
67 A mercenary recruiter looking for possible soldiers
68 A army sergeant in disguise looking for deserters
69 See a huge 12 inch mosquito sucking on a unconscious drunk
70 See a gremlin drop from someones backpack into garbage
71 A sickly pox covered man limping and coughing
72 A drunken hobo vomiting in the street
73 A man coughs up blood staggers and falls dead in mud
74 A tattooist offering cheap poor quality unhygenic tattoos
75 Lice, fleas and ticks swarm into your hair and clothes
76 Cockroaches or weevils get into pack spoiling food
77 Man selling cups of fresh spring water with a tin cup and barrel 1sp each
78 Man selling dirty ditch water from a bucket 1cp each BYO cup
79 Old woman selling eggs (probably bird eggs)
80 Huge farm lad selling bundles of straw for bedding and floors 
81 Local woodcutter selling bundles of firewood
82 Fancy capped self proclaimed alchemist selling d4 healing potions
83 A flash robed man selling fake miracle healing potions and tonics
84 A druid cultist offering to rid people and packs of vermin with a cantrip (0lv spell)
85 A man selling a d6 dogs of varied types
86 Dust clouds and smoke make everyone sneeze and choke
87 Lumbering smelly old man in rags actually a zombie
88 A man with whip makes goblins fight for money and bets
89 A raggedy puppet show about adventurers in dungeons
90 Flies swarming every where crawling in eyes, mouths and ears
91 A man selling strange eggs he found
92 A pimp with d4 hobgoblin sex slaves offering half price services
93 Healer looking for clients who can pay might have some spells
94 Cloaked man selling tobacco, hash, opium and novelty clay pipes
95 Boy selling a live or dead chicken
96 A man selling monster ear and finger necklaces
97 A man seling saucy banned prints from the city pay 1cp per view
98 A man crying out for paid adventurers for mission
99 Men are skinning a live goblin or orc
100 Men cooking a dog in street 1cp a chunk with gravy

Thursday 24 December 2015

Ye Old Magic Shoppe




Uncanny Xmas everyone!


I just got told to move in 60 days so im pulling my con games from 2 cons. Interst in old gaming seems pretty slime too so I will be returning to SYdney on 7th running. Need to start job hunting and house hunting and saving and selling stuff. A great xmas eve present. I decided to look for work nationally now as it would suck to move settle in then have to move interstate. WIll effect my gaming and blogging a bit. Blogger stats down a lot from 2 years ago. Wondering if OSR scene getting more pro and competitive instead of communal? Or I just am not up to date with new blogs? If so tell me.

I was Inspired by this
http://dungeonfantastic.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/magic-item-shops-vs-domain-game.html

So I thought I would do this

Ye Old Magic Shoppe
On Exile Island the hunt for magic loot is a major industry and export. Murder hobo prospectors increasingly set up temporary towns on the hollowed out north mountains near Shadelport and raid the scores of long lost dungeons. In the South of the Island the Empire prefers to send professional military engineers to build fort on the dungeon and excavate. Some of them have been open cut like mines leaving huge pits of rubble. The Empire takes even the bricks and every monster is killed or enslaved.

In the Empire magic items found are property of the Emperor and mostly sent to the mainland to fight the civil war. Officers and nobles might be awarded items. Murder hobos get press ganged into being scouts for the Imperial Dungeon Engineer Corp. Objects found must be handed over to the law or purchased from the Emperor excluding potions and anything less than +1. In the Pirate Barony of Shadelport Items may be kept but adventurers are scrutinised and spied on in case they find anything too good. Adventurers are taxed and evaders end up press ganged as secret police goons or imprisoned.

Basic Magic Items are available and affordable and legal. Better Items in Empire or Barony can only be purchased by tax paying rich or nobility. Best markets only allow name level adventurers of 9th level. Prices vary seasonally and based on stock or what the government don't care for. Selling magic items must be registered with the tax collectors.

Common Magic Shops
These are affordable for peasant in a emergency or on credit . They trade in crap overlooked by state. Mostly run by hedge wizards, wise women, apprentices, healers or even con men (1in6 everything is fake). They have 1d3-1 common peasants for guards or goons. Carry a d100 gp and d100 silver in change in a sack or small locked box.

Common Magic Shops Can Be Found:
Villages near dungeons frequented by adventurers
Under rickety old bridges
Basements under adventurer pubs
In shanty towns on back of wagons or tents
Illegal ones might operate at night near grave yard

Stock
bulb of garlic 1cp or dozen on string for a sp
d4+1 lesser healing ointment jars d4HP 50gp
d3 Healing Potions 1d6HP 100gp
d3 Cold iron (maces, axes, daggers) double normal cost
d4 Silver Daggers 30gp
50% chance Polished metal mirror 30gp
50% chance of d3 sprigs of wolves bane 5gp each
d6 Cheap clay or leather or wood holy symbols on leather or hemp cord 6gp
d3 Silver or metal holy symbols on chain 30gp
d4 Bottles of holy water 30gp
d20 silver arrows 1gp
d10 +0 magic arrows 20gp
d6 +0 magic sling stones 20gp
d4 +1 magic arrows 100gp
50% chance of +0 magic dagger or 100gp
30% chance of +0 holy rowan wood club 100gp
15% chance of +0 magic sword 500gp
20% chance of +1 magic dagger 750gp
5% chance of a +1 weapon 1500gp

Merchant House or Guild Magic ShopsThese licenced shops work with authorities and are very secure with barred windows and a d6 guards with chain, pot helms, crossbows and swords or spears They are associated with rich merchant clans or guilds who take offence to anyone robbing or defrauded them. They keep strict hours and document all sales for tax collectors. They keep a d1000 gp and a d1000 silver. If they need more cash they send for it. Money is kept in a locked strongbox or vault. They don't let peasants in the door so merchant best dress or 5th level or better required.

Merchant House or Guild Magic Shops Can Be Found:
Near ports
Town squares near bank or town hall
Near magic school or temple
From a wizard tower
Illegal ones might operate in sewers or private home of rich

Stock
d8 lesser healing ointment jars d4HP 50gp
d6 Healing Potions 1d6HP 100gp
d10 Silver Daggers 30gp
d6 Polished metal mirror 30gp
d6 sprigs of wolves bane 5gp
d10 Silver or metal holy symbols on chain 30gp
2d6 Bottles of holy water 30gp
d100 silver arrows 1gp each
d20 +0 magic arrows 20gp each
2d6 +0 magic sling stones 20gp each
d10 +1 magic arrows 100gp each
d3 +0 magic dagger or 100gp
d3 +0 magic sword 500gp
75% d3 +1 magic dagger 750gp
50% d3 chance of a +1 weapon 1500gp
d6 exotic magic potions
25% chance of a cursed item with variable prices

Nobles Enchanted Goods MarketThese only deal with 9th level or better recognised title holders and very rich. They are heavily fortified often with magic defences with a d4 priests and wizards in attendance. Some even have monsters for sale and as guards. Mostly they hold items for VIPs or export. Some have weekly auctions. There is one in Shadelport next to the secret police barracks past richtown so peasants will never see it. The Empire maintains a southern port and their is a 30% chance a ship is in harbour willing to trade items. +2 Items and sometimes +3 are available and dozens of

Wednesday 23 December 2015

Gendered Toy Rage


Happy Starwarsmas - contains non gamer geek stuff and spoilers

Reading this (has SW spoilers so please don't shoot me)
http://mikeadamick.com/2015/12/rey-is-not-a-role-model-for-little-girls-major-spoilers-ahead/
made me think this

We have had outrage over black widow figures this year - she gets more screen time in avengers movies than many guys yet kmart wont stock her minis - specialty stores do have several BW figures. Thunderbirds line did not include penelope or Kayu in first release but promise second release.

Sadly gender division in toys has gotten worse than when i was a kid - 12" dolls of supergirl, batgirl, wonderwoman were on display with penis bearing heroes on racks in stores in 70s

In last few years cartoon execs were displeased by girls increasing interest in superheroes through intelligent shows like young justice so they responded with a even more blokey ben10 and utterly derpy hulk family. DC have done a line of girly characters (making villains into heroes) which i think is great but why not create unisex lego and character dolls

Ive never stopped going to toystores and girls get pink for everything and i meet girls who hate pink all the time (i like pink) I meet girls who ask me to draw robots fighting dinosaurs with swords and make nasty looking guns and space suits from castles. Some girls have same taste as boys others mix it up some just hate the shit they sell for girls.

While every opportunity for women in adult world has improved (gay rights has gone down toilet in 2015 but thats another story) the gendering of toys by toy and toon makers has become worse.

I had girl dolls in 70s including leia and female dc heroes as kid. It wasnt my choice initialy as mum made me spend my savings on female characters if i got any male characters. When I wanted to take batman to shool mum forced me to take girl dolls. I said i dont want to take any after that but she then made me take both. Being 1975-6 I got beaten up and they were taken from me. Parents did nothing. While unimpressed at time (Mum was in uni at time so probably idealistic) I appreciate her efforts. In hindsight I could have been encouraged a bit better like getting me extra character rather than make me spend my meager savings or risk being beaten or robbed and losing all my savings. If I did it I would use as rewards rather than what seemed punishment when I was 5-7.

Anyway age 7 i would have baths with my stormtrooper, chewie and Leia dolls and I did like playing with my girl dolls at home and I turned out ok. One of my friends had her barbie live with ninja turtles because ken was so lame (Barbie is an astronaut a lawyer and a doctor - what does ken do?) The problem was the rest of the world and other kids who got beaten for touching other gender dolls. It would be nice if one day nobody cared. I loved Linda carter and she reminded me of my mum so I never found her sexual. Guys creepily focusing on her body creeped me out same way someone cracking on to my mum would. Women and girls can be attractive but does not mean I have to think of them as sex objects. I find greyhounds (not racing) and oriental cats attractive but my interest is not sexual.

I like women in my hobbies and find it sad so many of my interests are full of guys as I have always had 50-50 male female friends outside comics and gaming. Things have got better but I dont like structural features or individuals in subcultures that turn off women or sleazebags hassling cosplayers. Women are not just things to rescue or drool over  they are our friends, mothers, sisters.

Embarrassingly Prime Minister Tony A-butt (gone now thank Glob) chimed in on this issue saying it was unimportant and told ppl hands off the toy industry. Tony Abbott dismissed it as “political correctness”. We must, he argued, “let boys be boys, let girls be girls”. So that girl I teach Tamaki who likes space and collecting hotwheels and hyper-feminine fashion is wrong Tony?

Some more articles and campaigns
https://theconversation.com/barbie-for-boys-the-gendered-tyranny-of-the-toy-store-34979
http://www.nogenderdecember.com/
http://www.lettoysbetoys.org.uk/

Lots of this might apply to race in toy lines too.

Underworld Beast 08 - Dungeon Dogs



Ok so i have blown my monster a day for xmas deal so will try and do a few extras. Sorry. As half monsters i use variants, mutants or unique I've never gone too monster mad before. I might add some things used in my summoning spells here for inclusion (and laziness).


I've mostly been reading first 60 issues of xmen.

I do get inspired by other blogs and good ones set my mind on fire and send me off on tangents but not seeing a decline in quantity. Maybe someone will do one of those new blogger posts so i can update my blogroll. Id love to hear any recommendations.

Dungeon Dogs have been well documented by Zac and others so i hope not too repetitive. I could do a version for human dogs in a FRP.

Underworld Beast 08 - Dungeon DogsVarious species of humanoids have been breeding their own dogs and some even crossing them with planar beings like imps or demons. Different humanoids have their own breeds. Humans might try and and tame them but many have unpleasant habits and traits most civilized humans shun. Murder hobos might keep a few in a shanty town but generally they are forbidden to have dungeon dogs.

Dungeon Dogs have superior night vision but require some light. They are used to complete darkness and only get -2 to hit in complete darkness or blinded.

Kobold Ratter
AC +1 HD d4 MV9"run Bite d3 SA: -
These disgusting pink or red hairless sore covered, scabby dogs make excellent ratters and alarm dogs. Kobolds breed them to catch vermin to eat them when there are too many. They are very yappy and even kobolds might get sick of them. They are often trained to fetch arrows and sling stones. They always have terrible diarrhea.

Hobold Riding Dog
AC +3 HD d6 MV12"run Bite d4 SA: carry 1 or 2 kobolds
These black, red or sand coloured dingo like dogs are used for hunting and as mounts or pack animals. They are also good eating.  They prefer living in a group and attention seeking without help. They dislike humans and will nip humans who try to befriend them.

Goblin Tunnel Terrier
AC +3 HD d8+1 MV12"run Bite d6 SA: beserk
These resemble a bull terrier but are hairless with black or white with a colour tinge of yellow, violet or green. Their eyes and nostrils are slitted and their eyes are gold with slitted pupils. Their nostrils can close in water or gas or when they reach inside stomach cavities to feed. The have rat like flexible tails. They can still fight in negative HP and go berserk gaining +1 to hit and damage. On a natural 20 to hit they hang on an will stay locked until dead automatically hitting every round. They love to eat children.

Goblin Courser Hound
AC +2 HD d8 MV18"run Bite d4 SA: fast
Similar to the Goblin tunnel terrier except they are scrawny longer legged and built more like a greyhound. They chase down rabbits and most humanoids easily. Not as vicious as the tunnel terrier their speed is their greatest use. They also eat less and are less likely to eat humans. Any small creature will set them off racing to attack including small pets. They have excellent endurance and goblin tribes use them as messengers. They have terrible flatulence.


Goblin Snot Hound
AC +3 HD d6 MV12"run Bite d4 SA: slippery and diseased phlegm
Hairless dogs with pale white green skin and slobbery jowls covered in in dripping drool and snot. They dribble discusting phlegm and like to eat revolting things like feces and vomit and goblin nappies. The phlegm is slippery and bites require a CON save to resist disease. Victims of the disease break out in dripping pustules on the face and genitals and lose d4 CHA for a d4 weeks. Anyone rolling a 1 on a d20 fighting them slips on phlegm to a prone position. The dogs are incredible trackers and some goblinds dip their arrows and weapons in in the dog phlegm. Young human children die die if exposed to the dogs disease.


Goblin Pecker Hound
AC +2 HD d8 MV12"run Bite d8 SA: +2 to hit if in team of 2
These large goblin dogs have a sharp bird like heads with beaks, various coloured fur and lion like tails. They are savage and difficult to control. They are mostly guard dogs with the disobedient ones chained up. Some skilled dog handlers will have two dogs on chains and will have trained them to attack from behind. If two dogs attack together as a team they get+2 to hit.

Hobgoblin Horned Hound
AC +3 HD d6 MV12"run Bite d6 SA: If bite hits get a horn attack for a d4
These short haired mastiffs hobgoblins use for many purposes even meat. Their colouration varies from tribe to tribe often the same as the hobgoblins.They have one or two horns which grant them a extra attack. They are hostile to all other dogs and herd animals. Some have only one eye.

Orc War Hound 
AC +4 HD d8 MV12"run Bite d8 SA: berserk, rabies
These huge slobbering black or green dogs carry rabies yet do not die. They foam out the mouth and bark aggressively. Their orc handlers train them from birth with clubs and train them to hate humans. They spread rabies to any who are bit who fails a CON roll (DM rolls in secret). The disease is painful and fatal to victims. Infection causes hydrophobia but the dogs prefer to drink blood. If their HP drop below zero the become berserk with +2 hit and Damage. They lose a HP per round dying at -10HP.  Orcs dress them in spiked leather armour and collars which inflict 1pt damage on any creature biting them.

Bugbear Phantom Hound
AC +4 HD 2d8 MV12"run Bite 2d4 SA: Invisible
Bugbear hounds are silent and invisible and capable of following complex orders for ambushes. The hounds that fail get eaten. If rendered visible the hounds are huge shaggy beasts with triple rows of sharklike teeth in huge grinning mouths. They like to steal food and sneak off if not paid atention to to find amusement. They like to eat children, goblins and kobolds. Bugbears like to play fetch with their dogs using severed heads which terrifies onlookers.

Sunday 20 December 2015

Underworld Beast 07 - Creeping Web



Playing Fallout three hanging with old buddies. 
Underworld Beast 07 - Creeping Web
These disgusting spider like webs creep and crawl on dungeon and cave ceilings leaving strands of web filaments behind them. They may dwell with spider infested areas and hide among spiders webbing to hide. Spiders are one of the few beings creeping webs wont eat. Mostly they dwell in web covered caves, preferably on ceilings but if they feel bold they will block passages and door ways or sit on a chest. They are slow moving and prefer to drop from above. Groups of them will work together and will drop ahead and behind and on top of targets. Baby ones are only cat or dog size, adults are man size and largest are ten foot cubes but able to spread out to attack multiple humanoid targets. Once in contact with a victim they secrete digestive fluids and try to wrap the victim up to immobilize them.

They are not very intelligent but are actually colony organisms and immune to most mind effecting spells. Often the non fleshy remains are unharmed and left hanging from ceiling and act as bait for humanoids.


Small Creeping Web
AC +4 HD 1d8 MV3"crawl Grapple SA: grappled victims take a d4 per round
Can grapple a humanoid but prefers smaller ones or pets

Typical Creeping Web
AC +6 HD 3d8 MV4"crawl Grapple SA: grappled victims take a d6 per round
Can grapple most humanoids

Huge Creeping Web
AC +8 HD 8d8 MV6"crawl Grapple SA: grappled victims take a 2d6 per round
Can grapple a mounted human, ogre, even multiple victims. Once a victim has failed two saves and is immobile the huge creepers can attack another target. It can repeat this again and again. STR saves are half vs huge webs

Webs take half damage from blunt weapons

When first hit by a web grapple the victim can spend their actions to escape and make a STR save to escape. The following round if still trapped get a second attempt which if failed renders them helpless and usually dissolved unless friends kill the web.

Some monsters plant webs in corridors then when intruders are trapped they shoot them with slings which don't hurt the webs so much.

The creatures leave webby trails and co habitate with spiders so areas with them are web covered and creepy.

Saturday 19 December 2015

Underworld Beasts 06 - Potion Imps




Underworld Beasts 06 - Potion Imps
These imps are made by diabolic alchemists for only a few hundred gp of materials including brimstone, mandrake, devil scales and rare minerals. Only a day is needed to brew these simple life forms. Only 6 inches tall these imps are spiteful and nasty. Without humans around these creatures like to poke around draws, chests and abandoned boots and they often nap in such places. You can carefully try to move them if they are napping but they will detonate if suddenly startled. When humanoids over 4 foot tall come on the scene they suicidally charge them and explode on contact. They can make searching old alchemist labs a hazard. Some keep them tiny cages that release them as traps. If you approach them unseen via invisibility or concealment they may mimic conversation with gibbering and whistles and will not attack. They will not attack sleeping persons either but might climb in their backpacks looking for potions or a place to nap. They get on ok with shorter goblins and kobolds living in their lairs and eating crumbs. The most annoying habit they have is they will drink any interesting looking fluids they find especially potions.

Potion Imp
AC +3 HD d4 MV15" Explode d4 SA: Explode 1" radius on impact

Imps charge victims and detonate when close by act of will. The best defence is to shoot them before they get close. A paralyzed or webbed imp will be able to detonate at will if enemies get close

Tiny cages which release Potion imps are a popular trap with creators of these imps.

Manuals instruct how to make such imps are available and often in the labs that make them. But some copies are singed.

Underworld Beasts 05 - Dread Helm



So back in my home town for holidays and happy to say shopping in city has improved lots this year and i found toys easier to buy than city of Sydney. Some prices not good but others pretty good. Finally got som packs of sea animas with octopi that will work with my 1/72 scale minis. Myers a national chain store found a matchbox vehichle from 5 years ago that online costs $20-30 for only $10. Comicts 30-40% dearer but found essential compilations ive been after one was $32 all others $38 when same books $22 in Sydney but they did have some old back issues i wish i had seen earlier. Reading original team of x-men ($18 on sale instead of $50 or $70+Adelaide prices) which is pretty enjoyable and i have two black and white vols to fill out the whole original adventures. Hoping to play some DnD while im down here but 41c all week with a world record of 54c last week. Xmas in australia full of bushfires yet again due to yet again record heat.

I'm a bit behind on my monster a day postings but still doing better than last month.

Underworld Beasts 05 - Dread Helm
The night helms are vile armoured severed heads of warriors who gave servitude to the dark powers. They were originally beheaded by forces of good and now they are back and hate the living. The helmets will use phantasmal force and ventriloquism powers to create distractions or tricks or to scare victims into danger. The helms can breath fog filling three 1" cubes per round that last a ten minutes The emit a 2d8 4" range heat ray from their eyes each round at a target (save for half damage).

The helms guard forbidden crypts, lost treasure or level entries. The helms screams and yells and moan incomprehensibly with rage as they hunt victims in subterranean mazes. They often sit still on a plinth or altar listening for prey in a large room or corridor niche. As noise approaches their eyes light up and the begin to moan. As enemies approach they begin to use fog, illusions or ventriloquism to herd enemies into dangerous areas or separate them. They don't mix with other living dungeon denizens and they tend to be avoided. They will ignore undead unless they are attacked first.

The demon who made the pact that created these dungeon horrors is long forgotten but some say it was a floating three faced bloody severed head.

Dread Helm
AC +8 HD 5d8 MV9"levitate Heat Ray 2d8 SA: fog, phantasmal force, ventriloquism

The use illusions and sound and fog to scare and herd victims into traps and other monster lairs. Illusions and sounds require the helm to concentrate and they don't work while firing heat rays.

Wednesday 16 December 2015

Underworld beasts 04 - Portal Horrors


Gearing up for Christmas holidays (possibly last one) and trying to get back into reading and writing and editing some of my failed projects. Has been good year for health, work, pay and artwork. Not such a prolific game year. Ive never been a big dnd monster maker or blogger maker since a teen. I will re create those early monsters. Dragon did some good undead i need to dig up - bloody bones and even some fallout ghouls would be cool. Any feedback on these monsters?

Underworld beasts 04 - Portal Horrors

These beasts follow the dungeon ecology niche as a flat chameleon ambush predator. They remove and replace existing doors, gates, curtains in dungeons and occasionally eating someone. Some use out of the way passages off main routes. Others are more blatant living in busiest areas or even leaving the dungeon and moving to bigger owns. Some set themselves against solid rock wall in a room teasing visitors with a strange new door.

Usually they will wait for someone to be passing through the portal when they get +4 o hit by surprise like a thief. At that moment they become a fluid mass of mouth surrounded by eye stalks and tentacles. Their teeth are metallic. The usually eat once a week to keep happy or a month if desperate. If fattening up or pregnant it may eat daily for up to a week then sleep for a week. They will eat wood, stone, plaster but only if moving to new position.

Their flesh is wood like and and their bones are metallic. They most often appear as a iron bound oak door. Some smaller ones or infants appear as trapdoors, well covers, barrel lids, box tops. They scuttle about flat on the ground and slide under the adults who let them in anywhere. Strong adults always stand 90degrees to the ground. They all can spawn 2d10 babies a year but require a mate. Mostly they avoid each other.

You may be able to use them with no problem like a normal gate if well fed. Some make deals for a weekly sacrifice of food to act as guards for important rooms. Some dungeon bosses use them and move them around. Some cults know how to use them. Trickster cultists say sacred monster doors are a great gag that proves gods exist.

Portal Horrors prefer to ambush people passing through them but they will react badly instantly to anyone attempting to pick their keyhole eye. Trickster doors really dislike battering rams, tiny cannons, building fires on it or pretty much any siege technology. They are suspicious of wizards. They are quite adept at letting the first spell, ram or missile pass through them if they sacrifice a move or attack. They are smart enough to let a battering ram harmlessly through then bite hands off guys in front. Some might attack the ram taking it then chasing users. If they are persistently attacked they will move and change shape.

Trapdoor Horrors
AC +5 HD 1d8+4 MV3"crawl Bite d8 SA: Bitten victim trapped STR12
Under five year olds fairly common and a bit dim.

Portal Horrors
AC +8 HD 3d8+4 MV9"crawl Bite 2d8 SA: Bitten victim trapped STR18
Standard beast are sentient beings without complex language that understand human methodology

Gatehouse Horror
AC +10 HD 16d8+4 MV6"crawl Bite 5d8 SA: Bitten victim trapped STR22, bite all in line area fx
Great ancient ones guard mighty things and are also 12th level Priests with inhabitant followers inside including other shape shifting trap monsters or cultists.

When a horror bites a victim they get a STR save or are trapped in the creature mouth and it will eat them if alone or retreat dragging its victim away if outnumbered. The victim trapped gets a second save to be able to use weapons or abilities while held. The whole time it holds it chews the victim for a automatic bite attack each round. Gatehouse horrors can be 5" wide and can bite any target in a line the width of the gate mouth.

Tuesday 15 December 2015

Underworld beasts 03 - Flesh Feasters

Underworld Beasts 03 - Flesh Feasters
These undead are made from slain murder hobos of the vilest type. Their flesh is shredded from the skeleton and fed to a demon who in return retains part of the soul of the murder hobo as a animus force. The skeletal bodes are always in pain and self hatred. A mirror sets them off screaming and furious. In combat they snatch gobbets of meat from their victims flesh and add it to their mass and own HP. They can up to double their own HP temporarily and at this point they appear human.

As humans they are insane and self loathing cannibals. Some have no memory of life as undead. Others relish gorging themselves on meat or set about getting enough prisoners to sustain their human form. The human form lasts one hour and then the acumulated extra HP loses a d6 per hour or per turn in sunlight. They avoid holy ground at all costs as it makes them lose a d6 per round. A constant topping up on murdered man flesh will make them seem human and tolerate light. Some keep a dungeon so they can top up every few hours to maintain a public life. Some try to rejoin old parties and survive off dead enemies by eating dying battle dead.

Because they were murder hobos they are painfully familiar with infiltration, murder, stalking, torture, trapping and worse skills. They will stalk adventurers and learn about strong enemies secrets so as to better ambush them. Flesh Feasters are also called Feasters or Murder Skeletons. They will seek to kidnap living murder hobos and will imprison them till they willingly joined the undead. This was a curse Orcus made to punish adventurers who had robbed him purely out of greed. Some say that if the murder hobo is raised from the dead before his first cannibalistic feeding he can be saved (could happen to adventurers). Resurrection can restore any aged of murder hobo from undeath but will probably be old and and insane. Only a non good aligned murder hobo will become a Flesh Feaster after their flesh is eaten. The rest are just bones that a evil magician might use to make ordinary skeletons.

 Flesh Feasters
AC +5 HD 3d8+1 MV9"foot Tear Flesh d8 SA: Damage inflicted heals and can double Feasters HP

Feasters found as skeletons are starving and insane with hunger if disturbed by living. Smell of blood will awake them from 60". The attack without fear but as eating flesh they regrow muscle then skin they become more self aware and flee from serious threats. Smarter skin covered ones are smarter and more willing to use trickery and deception even seduction. A band might live and sleep in a dungeon and come out to eat shepherds and farmers. Then enter a shanty town of adventurer scum and go drinking to recruit followers (food) or ally themselves with some adventurers to local dungeon (turn them into undead).

Planet Gann - Random NPCs, tech and stuff


Am still tossing up with BRP for the Giant Robo Game am also thinking Pendragon. The emotional psycho babble and passion enhanced actions might work well. Watching old glassic giant Robostuff that inspired Shogun Warriors Toys. Raideen, Mezzinger (especially the ufo Goldrake version), Gaiking. And Gatchaman II.

Early in the colony before the old colony alpha was destroyed by fire and flood, mechanised infantry and juggernaut armour. There were advanced mech of the star guilds guarding the gate but none were seen since the gate was cut from galactic trade. Early mech frames were just being deployed when Colony Alpha fell leaving basic technology of mech across the planet. There was a brief age when elaborate stylized mecha dueled and battled kaiju. Some style mech like these era mech from romanticism. More modern mech are more functional. More advanced ones have alternative shape modes or are space capable. Famous mecha stories come from every nation during the years after Alpha Colony sunk. These lst few models were hidden away as they could not replace parts.

At beginning of story heroes will be mechanised infantry who obtain basic mecha frames and will every adventure will improvise or find new tech.

Improvised Weapons will include things like lamp posts to built swords or fitting military weapons or configuring them into firearms mecha can carry like a human does a gun. Strap on rocket packs, and grenades. Energy weapons may be in reach of quality military labs. Thruster packs and wheels or skates might be options for enhanced mobility. Drop ships from near orbit are principle deployment mode.

Advanced mecha begin to use forcefields, more energy weapons (melee and ranges). Earlier ones skate on a forcefield but advanced ones can fly or allow with thruster packs to reach space. Juggernauts become increasingly not worth it. Mech and power infantry drop from directly orbit.

The most advanced tech can call upon power and mass from hyperspace but most are self aware and willful and the tech is mostly a legend now.

Nations are racing to improve on the backward tech autofactories they have operated since they were settled. They have finally been recovering remnants of anti gravity skimmer pods and energy beams but mostly in separate labs on a experimental basis.

Juggernauts are more vehicles of the walker class rather than suits though some have hands. Generally clumsier and fitted with inbuilt vehicle weapons. Various forms or 4m high juggernauts like two legger pods with weapon on top often referred to as flightless birds. Others are more boxy with weapon arms. The Lemurians operate the most flexible juggernaut suits which can crawl and move more like a human. I will use dreadnaut type walker minis from warhammer and battletech on average 6cm while mecha figures are about 14 cm.

Im got some 10cm space 1999 eagles and a hawk and might get some starblazers-yamato fleet packs and warships. I got offered work in sf film and good pay but it is film and will trash me and disappoint me probably. Friends on Gods of Egypt hit me with horror stories of waste and racism.

Sub colonies had Power Infantry and Dreadnaughts but most couldn't make proper mecha. Large clunky battloid robots occasionally appeared but this was a longing for the mecha like the the stargate builders left. The stargate mecha were more streamlined, horned, with flared boots and more exotic weapons. The colonies that did occasionally fit out a found mecha frame many chose the older Starguild style. Some are functional and crude others follow the new tech style by those who look to the future rather than the past.

Mecha are few currently on planet Gann but most are passed down by noble or military families. Repaired and refitted with T1 kit over T2 frames. A new face is on to find any old or lost mecha tech. Explorers are finding other lost secrets and cultures ignored for hundreds of years.

One location is a gravity babble shielding a Island untouched since the Stargate failed a millenia ago.

Dinosaur hunting was one popular use of mecha and the dinosaurs touched by the Chimera have become deadly bio-mecha weapons.

You Grew Up....Your former lifestyle before Royal Science Force

d10 Early Life
1 Family lived in poverty in cabin in woods
2 Family lived in rural farming area
3 Family lived in rural village
4 Lived in refugee camp separated from family
5 Lived feral without family d4 1=wild forest 2=street feral 3=found in ruins 4=war orphan
6 Lived in city development in gang filled ghetto
7 Lived in prestigious nice suburb of manager class
8 Lived on estate of richer family but poor
9 Lived in privileged gated community of elite
10 Secure compound where your family were always guarded away from common scum

Best Friends Forever Appear frequently to make personal comments and cause drama

d10 About Your Best Friend Forever
1 Met at school and always friends and competitors since
2 Family friends know each other like close relatives
3 Related d6 1=adopted 2=sibling 3=cousin 4=common ancestor 5=older relative 6=clone
4 Met through old friend neither of you have seen in years
5 Co-workers who met first day on the job
6 Met through a mutual interest d6 1=carousing 2=craft 3=carousing 4=collecting 5=sports 6=gaming
7 Met during disaster d8 1=Tsunami 2=Quake 3=Flood 4=War 5=Riots 6=Bomb 7=Fire 6=Kaiju
8 Mysterious secret of friend d6 1=spy 2=terrorist 3=criminal 4=cultist 5=adict 6=under cover agent
9 They are not human d6 1=pet 2=AI 3=Android 4=Robot 5=Cyborg 6=digital personality copy
10 Strange d8 1=undead 2= 3=psionic 4=mutant 5=Kaiju 6=alien 7=secret off worlder 8=secret society

d10 Best Friends Talent
1 Attracts trouble from bad luck
2 Curious busy body
3 Shifty rogue who does some questionable things
4 Attracts adventure
5 Attractive and charming
6 Lucky risk taker
7 Scholar or technical expert
8 Always fun and upbeat
9 Wise and practical
10 Brave and tough

Love Interests
Give you something to be foolish about or moon over or motivate you to take revenge.

d10 Love Life
1 You are sexually naive, shy and a bit prude from a sheltered family
2 You are waiting for that special person and haven't met them yet
3 Treated badly by last lover, now your bitter and avoid new love
4 You live a drunken party life on the circuit to hook up with strangers
5 You have several friends you date often but not decided on favorite
6 You correspond to you sweetheart but you rarely meet
8 Your lover died in a tragedy d6 1=medical 2=war 3=disaster 4=intrigue 5=kaiju 6=crime
9 You are divorced d4 1=have d4 kids 2=lost pets 3=broke 4=lost home and d4 children
10 You are happily engaged or married and in love, everything is great

d10 Rival

1 Related d6 1=adopted 2=sibling 3=cousin 4=common ancestor 5=older relative 6=clone
2 From a rival family dynasty that competes with yours, almost a dark mirror of your clan
3 Met at school d41=used to be pals 2=hate first sight 3=had fight 4=humiliation and defeat
4 Professional rivals d4 1=same job 2=was your boss 3=romance went wrong 4=rival organisation
5 Romantic rival or wishful interest blames you for their failure and torment you now
6 A foreigner you feuded with on travels comes back to torment you
7 Someone imagines you wronged them years ago and they still stalk you
8 Mentally unbalanced person obsessed with you takes rejection poorly
9 A bully who has caused you problems on and off for life, tries to make you look bad
10 A competitive gossipy peer who doesn't get why people like you more

More Tech Templates Described by Examples
Im still nutting this stuff out

T1 (Colonial Era - the first colonies)

Substandard 20th c tech often remains if the colony factories and central computer destroyed. Traveller 2300 or just 2300 - game old box sets and tech art are some of best ever suit well. High Colonies I always found fitted in well. 40 Impirial Guard and some space marine stuff  looks nice and chunky. Torg Cyberpapacy, Torg Tharkoldu and TSR Star Frontiers might make the higher end of tech. Tech for basic colonization given so colonies too remain under control central. For a higher tech version I would ad everything in cyberpunk/cyberworld/Eclipse Phase and a more energy weapons and smart tech and AI. T1 gets limited one or two use hyperdrives or remnants of ancient star corridors in hyperspace. Able to retrofit and modify found superior star drives.

T2 (Commonwealth Era - age of empires)

True anti gravity, starts with skimmers and shields and improved space habs. FTL Drives are actually understood and large empires formed. FTL express post then slow FTL radio 1hr/LY. System gates and interdiction fields, engineer new hyperspace passages. Teleporters from point to point station appear at high end. Traveller Imperial tech and 40k Tau.works pretty well for this era. Even star wars stuff fits in pretty well. This level has been attained and collapsed may times over and represents the interstellar states.

T3 (Galactic Era - edge of infinity) 
Improved instant FTL comms and travel. levitating anti grav tech. Gates commonplace in every ship. Teleport without stations. Mass and storage in hyperspace. More like high traveller or star trek or Ian Banks or Ringworld. Torg Spacegods and 40K Eldar look good. In game mostly for ancients like Sol (now a Dysons sphere in hyperspace).

T1 Mecha Add Ons
.50 Machine Guns - anti personnel and light vehicles
Flamer
20mm Autocannons - anti vehicle weapon
Miniguns -  anti vehicle weapon and anti missile defense
40mm Anti Tank Gun
75mm Feild Cannon
Cluster Rocket Pod fires twelve 60mm rockets
Long Range Rocket Pack six 120mm rockets
Jump Pack to make 10 thrust assisted leaps
Rollerskates
Marine Pack
Space Pack
Escape Pod

T1+ Mecha Add Ons
Laser Gun
Rail Gun
Plasma Gun
Smart Ammo
Vector Thrusters
Rail Gun
Drone (various missions)
Sonic Stunner
AI Pack
Flight Pack
Stealth Pack
Detachable vehicle
Monofilaments

T2-Mecha Add Ons
Combiner mech assembly
Pulse Lasers
Anti Gravity Skimmer
Blaster
Shock Gun
Heat Ray

T2 Mecha Add Ons

Transformation mode
Antigravity Flyer
Force Ray
Plasma Blade
Personal Force Shields
Nano Auto Repair

T2+ Mecha Add Ons
Teleporter Station
Tractor/Repulsor Beam
Hyperspace Pack
FTL Coms
Force Sword
Multiple form transformation
Variable Weapon

T3- Mecha Add Ons

Disintegrator Ray
Death Ray
Sub Space Stowage
Stasis Field

A character sheet and occupation coming up

Monday 14 December 2015

Underworld beasts 02 - Phantom Gloves & Gauntlets



Gloves in the dungeon are not to be trifled with.

Underworld Beasts 02 - Phantom Gloves and Gauntlets
These are gloves often seeming to be left on a dungeon able or in a chest. Often rooms with them will have weapons or dangerous tools or heavy objects near by. When intruders break pre set conditions the gloves usually float into the air and attack. These are conjured or called by summoners and illusionists or created as automatons by artificers . The are not truly alive just magical constructs. They never check morale and are immune to fear magic. Agents and beings of Law use them especially.

Gloves mostly in pairs but single or collections of a dozen might dwell together or operate as a collective unit. Gloves either following orders or awaiting a trigger to set them off on a task or mission.

They will use weapons if instructed or punch or grapple or a group might use all of the above in sync. They can perform any action a human could without a body, head or legs by just floating. The basic gloves are useful laborers and can perform so kobolds hate them. Some use to produce mechanical force for traps, automatic doors, pumps, mills, and other wonders. Specialist wizards have made versions more to their taste (rumours of a necromancer or demonic versions of spell).

They are not imaginative or innovative but have serviceable memories. They find it difficult to differentiate humanoids except by colour of uniforms. They can't tell gold from dirt. They do like pointing, demonstrations, and generalizations like that thing or that person.

The are terrible at many complex tasks if left alone too long and will sit and await orders if left unattended. Sometimes when the magician who made them dies and they have no preset orders they become wild and might change alignment or develop individuality or curiosity. Many seek to serve minions of Law or the Cosmic Balance.

The gauntlets are a more recent development with more armour than agility and more it points instead of manual dexterity. They are stronger and dumber. Dwarves and gnomes have built them and martial wizards. Gauntlets only fight and do no craft or labour but will push or lift or dig.

Phantom Gloves
AC +7 HD d4 MV12"levitate Punch d3 STR6 DEX16 INT9

Phantom Gauntlets
AC +9 HD 2d8+2 MV9"levitate Punch 2d4 SA:Use weapon +1 STR bonus STR15 DEX12 INT7

Things they can do
Punch - basic attack if have no weapon
Grapple - will try to swarm and grab foe from behind, grab limbs, cover eyes, steal stuff
Weapon Attack - will use as if skilled any blade, rock, frying pan, iron spike whatever
Can pick up a rock and throw in a round d3 damage (d3+1 if Gauntlet)
Carry and drop things from above like bag of caltrops or nets or rocks or boiling water or oil
One could throw a hand missile then fetch it or go in close to punch or grab
Two can work to load and use a gun or bow and a third carry ammo
Two can use greatswords and polearms and other two handed melee weapon
Many together could carry a net or bench or big rock and drop it
Many together could carry a battering ram, branch, beam or boulder and ram people with it
Carry a tray, fan, glass or use a stylus (not for gauntlets)

3rd level spell to make a glove and 100gp worth of quality rare materials
4th level spell to make gauntlet and 1000gp 100gp worth of quality rare materials

hmmm a d100 weird dungeon gloves might be nice

Saturday 12 December 2015

Underworld Beasts 01 - The Dungeon Angler Fish


Im gonna make some monsters that make dungeons more horrible
They will all be new oldschool type monsters for classic dungeons and caves and I will do one a day till xmas if possible.

Underworld Beasts 01 - The Dungeon Angler Fish
"Im going to gobble you little morsels up i am! Nomnomnomo Haaha!"

The Dungeon angler is a slimy albino or black deep water fish with a twitching glowing lure to attract prey. In the underland kingdoms these fish occupy underground streams and pools trapping travelers to eat. Living in magical waters tainted by alchemy produced these horrors. They hate any aquatic or intelligent or magical or carnivorous creatures. They all plan to be gods of the undersea realm of eternal darkness. Even as impudent baby ones the size of a goldfish.

The swim beneath a tunnel or dungeon and create chew a well shaft which attracts creatures and creates water features many dungeonoids use. To be even more tempting the fish creates a illusion on it's lure tentacle and will create visions of magic swords held by ladies hands or treasure heaps, or books. It psionicly gleans this from the desires of prey. Larger ones are smarter and have better illusions. Some just undermine a floor so a medium animal weight falls through into water. They could seal of a dungeon and kill everything in it for fun.

They can see in absolute darkness 24" and through solid rock 9". They use this to detect prey with bioelectric fields, pressure and other non visual senses. They can burrow through 1" of rock per day per HD. More powerful ancient ones just get bigger and smarter. They can survive out of water for a day but after 12 hours take a hp damage per hour. They complain all the time about lack of water but might dig some tunnels for pay. Pay = prey. The lure is one foot long per HD and a measure of how far it can swallow something bigger than itself like a pony from a gulping surprise leap. The lure can write with a stylus and provide reading light. They often arrange wells where they can nab creatures in range on edge of water. In some cases like a wounded pig on shore it ight climb out onto land. The are masters of camouflage and blend into stone often just under water. Their thousands of teeth are transparent and glass like even breaking off in victims. In some places they have poison quills on their skin or other exotic features.

Each Angler has a number of male husbands fused to her flesh and each knows one spell. They like illusions and summoned creature spells best. Males as fingerlings dwell in a magic school by sea demons then when mature and have a spell they are sent to a female bite her fuse into her and draw nutrient from her bodies while organs atrophy away providing sperm and spells. They learn Priest or wizard or other spell lists and casting styles. 1in6 females caries multiple spell list using heads like priest and wizard. Mostly heads collectively may cast one spell per round as well as bite attack. Some sea witches adopt juvenile males with trickery and bond with them. Females once bonded are constantly pregnant and may have multiple males.

They sound like Brian Blessed shouting from inside a aquarium and not at all ladylike.

They really hate it when intelligent talking food mistakenly thinks they are lowly males. They assume males in a party are inferiors and retarded, and females are the leaders.

Small AC +4 HD 4 MV3"/9"swim Bite 2d4 SA:Illusions and 1d3 males
Medeum AC +8 HD 8 MV4"/12"swim Bite 3d6 SA:Illusions and 1d4+1males
Large AC+12 HD 12 MV5"/15"swim Bite 6d4 SA:Illusions and 2d4 males
Colossal AC+16 HD 20 MV6"/18" Bite 12d4 SA:Illusions and 3d4 males

Small are under 60 years and have intelligence of an animal, uses food, crying children, or mate illusions. Their males spells are all 1st level. They snatch and grab and run mostly. They are happy to trap a room or corridor and snatch dungeon dwellers in secret.

Medium are under 300 years and have human cunning. Lure illusions include small shiny treasure or pile of bottles. Their males have one 3rd level, two 2nd level and rest 1st level. The are cunning with minions and create own lairs and tunnels and waterways. They might do it for cash but only for non good people. They are jerks who want to eat everyone but take time to read and write and talk. Farming food humanoids and slaves is popular goal.

Large are under 1000 years and have high human intelligence. Illusions include personal items or friends if a group is confusing so goes for common friends of party. They might even hide forms of the cultists and surroundings to create an illusion jolly dungeon pub. Have a male spell head for 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and rest have 1st lv spells. Now they try to rule a level or whole dungeon using magic and intrigue.

Colossal are the great immortal ancestors, aeons old and usually have built a dungeon to surround themselves with. These usually have a cult that hurl victims into the god pit and guard it.  Bait illusion may conceal the whole dungeon with many phantom phenomena tailored to tease adventurers. Male spell heads can hold up to third level spells with two holding 4th level and one with a 5th level spell. They all hate each other and employ sub females (daughter vassals) as buffers between them. They spend time breeding, consorting with fish demons and tormenting interesting prisoners for decades. They even discover how to make human hybrid angler fish women and implant  them with males spells. Not very bright but eager to kill and eat like most beast men and abhumans. Their hybrid spies and cults monitor and manipulate food populations, skimming them for money and people. In one case it one was so big it had a village on it's back! Cannibal head hunter albino cultists believe god is an island. Seafaring ones eat giant monsters and whales in the dark deep sea or underland oceans.

Friday 11 December 2015

d100 Magic Umbrellas

I am missing DnD a bit and since flood of 5th ed found zero interest in older versions of game like BX about club despite people not even knowing what it means. Have had my Adelaide friends request mid level dnd so will get a few games in over xmas and will try to finish my books off or make up some compilations from my blog. Club members have doubled over year and as becomes bigger and more open have had a mini gamergate feud over a certain Conan meme which offended some of the few women in club which all got a bit ugly. Being bigger means more public scrutiny and less room for for rapey memes. Growing means including more people - it isn't really about just censorship or Conan. Yeah I hate Gor too.

Not enough magic umbrellas in gaming so here is a shitload.
Magic stockings, panties and corsets later


d10 Umbrella Skin Ideas (or pick which suit best)
1 Bat wing like membrane
2 Mammal skin leather
3 Reptile or fish skin leather
Lacquered paper 
6 Silk from silkworm or spiders
7 Thin wooden slats
8 A giant mushroom cap or mushroom leather
9 Woven grass or plant fibre
10 Insect chitin, possibly transparent like bug wings

d10 Umbrella handle Ideas (or pick which suit best)
1 Lacquered Bamboo
2 Carved Wood
3 Carved Bone
4 Horn or tooth or tusk
5 Bronze creatures arm or leg
6 Silver hand grip and horn rod
8 Ornamental gold handle and wood rod
9 Iron rod
10 Magic Metal (d4 1=Star Metal 2=Mythril 3=Adamantium 4=Orichalcum)

d10 Ornament Ideas
1 Gem
2 Beast head
3 Monster face
4 Family Crest
5 Personal Crest
6 Calligraphic text
7 Embossed scene
8 Artistic paint job
10 Brilliant glossy colour

d10 Secret Qualities
1 Secret inscription leads to adventure
2 Concealed compartment (d4 1=drugs 2=potion 3=map 4=letter)
3 Concealed one shot compact dart or black powder gun
4 Concealed detachable weapon (d4 1=knife 2=dagger 3=rapier 4=club)
5 Concealed gadget (d4 1=20 foot cable 2=tiny lamp 3=lock picks 4=stylus, ink, paper)
6 Concealed holy symbol and holy water
7 Tiny telescope or spyglass
8 Doubles as a flute or exotic wind instrument
9 Uses human body parts, a saint or a sacrifice?
10 History tells of d4+3 past users who came to fame

d10 Quick Types
1 Petty Magic
2 Elemental Earth
3 Elemental Air
4 Elemental Fire
5 Elemental Water
6 Royal Magic
7 Divine Magic
8 Necromantic Magic
9 Lower Planar Magic
10 Higher Planar Magic


d100 Magic Umbrellas
01 Plays music when opened mood based on colour scheme
02 When opened a d6 copper coins fall out once a day
03 Turns into a magic +1 sword at will
04 Protects from dazzling light or blindness or light spells
05 Dazzling appearance +3AC vs missiles when open 
06 Acts as a 2d4 +1 club in combat
07 Makes holder seem  more suave +2 CHA while open
08 Shoots up to three magic missiles a day
09 Can conjure a kobold servant once a day serves 10 minutes then does runner
10 Protects wielder if open from any natural weather

11 Detect buried metal when pointed at ground or walls through 10 foot of solid mass
12 The wielder is dirt free and never soiled, makes garments look immaculate and new 

13 This battered umbrella has a cork in handle and can issue a gallon of beer a day
14 A spider silk umbrella lets you walk up walls or ceiling as if gravity was reoriented
15 Black spider silk umbrella that casts web two times a day
16 Skin umbrella lets you deflect any thrown or falling or fired stones or magical stones 
17 Frogskin canopy lets you walk over mud, grease without sinking or slipping
18 Stops all normal missiles from striking the target (some only stip 100 arrows) 
19 Can turn user into a statue for up to a hundred years in suspended animation
20 Becomes a +1d3 2d4 Mace when waved forcefully at foe
21 Provides feather fall at will if open
22 Can levitate if drafty while concentrating once a day 3" up or 1" across
23 Can be blown like a horn, call followers inside 10 miles to come to umbrella
24 Calls a magical cloud that flies 12" Speed 90 degree turn per round, ten minutes a day
25 Can send a long distance message and reply up to 300 miles once a day by wind
26 If opened and gem depressed provides 10 minutes of invisibility as spell
27 Can block magic missiles and reduces electrical attacks by -1/die 
28 If opened may call rain, 5% per day since last success is chance to call a 10 minute shower
29 If opened a freezing mist forms 3" radius for ten minutes, covers all in frost and snow
30 Can become gaseous form once for ten minutes a day move at 3"  AC as chaimail
31 Fire resistance +2 save and take half damage from natural fire
32 Fire Immunity no damage from non magic fire and half from magic
33 Fire shuriken shoots three 2d8 magic fire stars a day 3" range
34 Fireball fires two 5d6 fire balls a day 2" radius 10" range
35 Burning Hands fires a d3+6 1" 90 degree cone of fire four times a day
36 If opened can create a fire wall that moves with user for ten rounds once a day
37 Conjures a tiny fire elemental that tries to start a fire every round for ten minutes can move 12"
38 Burning blood shoots a d4 fire damage at any melee attacker that cuts or stabs user
39 This sulfurous brolly can contact the evil lord of fire elementals for advice 3 times per week
40 This keeps the wearer comfortably warm at all times the brolly is held
41 Keeps water proof and dry even underwater or any weather
42 Allows wielder to breath water for ten minutes a day once
43 This umbrella if tapped on ground opens a spring for a gallon in a minute ten times a day
44 Creates a bubble of atmosphere that can fit a d3 other people for 10 minutes underwater
45 Creates two tonnes of salt water released from wielder when opened once a day
46 Creates a ice bubble around wielder that can fit a d3 others, six inches thick and melts of a inch every ten minutes over one hour, each inch 10HP 
47 When open umbrella once a week can make it rain d100 fish from above striking everyone but umbrella holder, frog versions exist too
48 Shoots a jet of water 1" for ten minutes that can clean surfaces and remove light debris or annoy people or animals or scare dogs and million other uses once a day
49 Turns into fishing rod with built in pipe and stash tin
50 Shoots 2 acid arrows a day inflicting 2d4 then 1d4 for 1d6 rounds 4" range
51 When opened choral processional music plays for one hour once a day
52 If opened releases a brilliant dazzling aurora making the user seem divine for ten minutes to the easily duped, but looks great
53 By swishing the umbrella you can instantly change outfit, each brolly has a d6 slots
54 Can pull a beautiful flower from brolly ten times a day some make ribbons instead worth 1silver
55 Shoots a pyrotechnic exploding firework display for ten minutes up to 10" once a day
56 Can amplify the users speech to be easily audible for 30" ten minutes three times a day
57 Can produce a d6 gold coins per day when opened good for tips to peasants
58 Provides protection +2 when held and opened
59 Unicorn horn handle detects poison within 1" at all times
60 Brolly turns into jester who puts on one ten minute show a day, if not noble jester is annoying jerk who gives victims a dishonourable nickname
61 Unicorn horn tip heals a d6 three times a day
62 Holy relic of mother saint +2 Protection vs evil while open
63 Covered in holy sigils +1lv and +1 uses per day to priest special power (turning)
64 Holy light for ten minutes once a day, radius 3" destroys magical darkness, shadow beings and undead burn for 1HP damage per round
65 Huge holy symbol of user appears on brolly +3lv on one spell cast, once per day
66 Lost scripture fragments appear in brolly once a week
67 Holy sentient brolly gives constant alignment behaviour advice 1in6 extra jerks
68 Brolly of the balance has a built in scales but really it detects planar balance between law and chaos but will speak to wielder if stange or local imbalances occur
69 Detects evil in 3" feel tip quiver faster closer to evil, works through up to 10 foot solid mass
70 Protects holder from alignment detection
71 Wicked evil eye throwing umbrella can cast curse 3 times a day 4" range
72 Skeletal brolly summons 1d6 skeletons once a day who serve for 12 hours
73 Detects intact dead bodies suitable for making into undead through 2" of ground
74 Wielder sees in the dark by light of souls of living or undead beings
75 Brolly acts as a 2d4 damage club that can harm any undead
76 Umbrella can drain 1 HP a round from from a held or bound victim by touching tip with skin. Victims report terrible pain and scars. Of course you don't need magic to do that.
77 Umbrella once a day grows into an undead spider with 4HD 3d4 poison bite and platemail
78 Casts a 3" shadow once a day for ten minutes that heals undead 1 hp a minute
79 Fires a d4+1 darkbolt +0 magical missile weapon 10" range,  ten shots a day, fires two per round requires a hit roll as if proficient
80 When opened covers user with a coat of living darkness as chainmail which covers recognisable features and clothes like a evil living shadow
81 Shields wearer from under 1 HD devils, demons or elder horrors who will not harm the user if held and open
82 Summons a Imp which follows it's new master and invisibly lives in umbrella, one imp per umbrella master
83 Umbrella causes pain like a cat-o-nine-tails if used to whip a victim also hurts any devils and demons
84 A poison spike pops from tip once a day, deadly poison activate once a day for ten rounds 
85 When opened every being  4HD or less must make fave vs fear with 4", can activate three times a day, victims flee for d10 minutes
86 Allows you to plane shift to any hell or plain of chaos or the abyss one way once a week 
87 Turns into a giant 3HD bat that can be ridden or carry user for one hour a night 24" speed 
88 Once a day a victim in 4" can have a leg iron appear halving their movement rate for a day, save to resist
89 Fires blast of 4d6 hellfire four times a day to target 6"range
90 A bubbling 6HD shoggoth is formed from the earth once a week and they are not under control and grow over time
91 When opened a hundred foot radius of natural sunlight illuminates the area and also harming some supernatural creatures, birds (or bats or cricket) chirp a tranquil tune. Artistic skills such as poetry or painting gets +2 if performed under the light 
92 Acts as a sacred sword  +2 mostly but +5 vs demons, dragons or undead
93 Opening the umbrella makes you light and controls a zephyr lesser air elemental to make wielder fly for up to a turn a day
94 Turns into a huge condor size bird can carry wielder and talks, flies at 18" for several hours a day, longer if weather helpful, actually a spirit entity linked to brolly. 
95 Angels, Devas, Arkons and other powers of upper planes have agreed to not kill wielder of sacred umbrella
96 Attached to end of handle is a small (size of coke can) demon skull in a cold iron cage. Can be asked a question once a day about demonic lore and planar politics
97 This umbrella is attuned to the center of the universe and can always point there at will. Once a week can teleport self anywhere on plane you have been safely. Can risk places on description or guess but possibly deadly
98 When open user burns with white light inflicting d4 damage to any one in touch range at end of wielders movement
99 Unicorn umbrella outrages druids, rangers, elves and unicorns but can detect poison at will and purify water once a day
100 Fires three magic missiles a day