Allies, Followers, Contacts & Patrons 1

My zero-level follower rules have expanded a bit to be more like contacts in TSR Marvel game. Allows you to have friends, pets, organisations or groups as contacts. Everyone should get a guild ally as a possibility. Stat bonus derived followers can be anyone you meet, but you might want to start with one of these.

Mostly, followers can be two levels lower than a player character or be zero level. This includes creatures with less than a d8hp or 1HD. D4 or d6 is more common.

d12 Where Did I Meet Them
1 On the road
2 At an Inn
3 Found them homeless
4 Sibling or cousin
5 Contracted or oath-bound servant
6 Met school, temple or work
7 Old childhood friend

8 Adopted as an urchin

9 Asked to watch over them 

10 In prison

11 Freed from slavery
12 Saved them from death

d12 Some Zero Level Followers
1 Craftsman - HD d4Evaluate, one craft skill & Clubs or blades. Wears leather and has some tools
2 Servant -HD d4 Etiquette, Groom & Blades. Wears the coat of arms of the master and a dagger
3 Musician - HD d4 Perform, Song Lore & Blades. Wears a costume, carries an instrument and a knife

4 Guide - HD d4 Search, Streetwise, Blades. Wears leather and carries a dagger

5 Labourer - HD d4 Porter, Endurance, Clubs. Wears leather and carries a club

6 Sailor - HD d4 Blades, Rope Lore, Swimming. Has a dagger and a bottle of rum

7 Thug - HD d6 Clubs, Blades & Intimidate skills. Has leather and a club

8 Guard - HD d6 Spear, Blades & Alertness skills. Has leather, a spear, a small shield, and a dagger 
9 Slinger - HD d6 Slings, Clubs & Search. Has a loincloth, three slings, a bag of 20 stones and a club
10 Barbarian - HDd6 Axes, Spears & Track skills. Has an axe, spear and two javelins
11 Hunter - HD d6 Archery, Axes & Sneak skills. Has shortbow, 20 arrows and handaxe
12 Squire - HD d6 Swords, Spears & Ride skills. Has leather, shield, sword, spear

d12 Zero-Level Pets
1 Rat AC+3 HD d4 Att d3 Mov 13 Climb or Swim 4 Track Skill

2 Raven AC+4 HD d4 Att d3 Mov 3 Fly 24 Search skill (swap for haw,k owl, kingfisher, vulture)

3 Lizard AC+3 HDd4 Add d3 Mov 12 Climb or Swim 3 Track Skill

4 Frog of Toad AC+2 HDd4 Add d3 Mov 9 Hop 1 Burrow 3 Swim 6 

5 Monkey AC+3 HD d6 Att d4, can throw rock or poop Mov 15 Climb 9 with prehensile tail

6 Slime AC+3 HD d4 Att d3 acid, Mov6 Climb 9 Swim 6 one eyed pocket blob

7 Cat  AC+3 HDd4 Att d3 Mov 12 Jump 2 Silence Skill, good scout and vermin control

8 Rat Dog AC +1 HD d4 Att d3 Mov 12 Alert skill

9 Shepherd Dog AC+1 HD d6 Att d4 Mov 12 Track Skill

10 Hunting Dog AC +2 HD d4 Att d4 Mov 18 Flee skill

11 Goat or Deer AC+3 HD d6 Att d4 Mov 24 Listen Skill

12 Pony AC+2 HD d6 Att d4 Mov 18 Porter skill, for pack or small rider

d12 Pet Improvements (one for each player character level up)
1 Unusual manual dexterity for the species

2 Unusual trick learned

3 +3 Mov (or Fly, Swim, Burrow, Climb)

4 +1 Arms skill

5 +1 Arts skill

6 +1 AC 

7 +1 Ability score

8 Major + minor mutation (possibly check for apotheosis)

9 +d8 HD

10 +1 Attack, possibly a new move

11 Made self-aware (only once) and can now speak common or adopt a character class

12 Gigantism made more prehistoric with druid magic +2HD bump damage dice (only once can you get this result)

Most characters dont start with followers but start getting them at 5th lv
You get 1+CHA bonus in slots for followers you can recruit on the fly in game
-usually two levels below the player chatracter or zero level or under a d8HD
-this is for quickstart new characters who want to use these flots straight up
-if you dont feed them or endanger them yes they leave

So I will try and expand the concept to include "Allies" which might be a person or pet but could also be an organisation or group like a guild. As these friends have obligations, choosing weird dangerous ones can be risky. You dont have to like your allies, some might be evil jerks and perhaps you are past associates.

These are for basic classes 

A pet is an animal companion that may occasionally help out
Pets have a list of possible benefits as the owner levels up

Followers are usually persons without a level or zero level who are loyal to the player character. Mostly, if exposed to danger will adopt a character class, usually the same as the player character, but you might send them for training in another class. Followers dont use morale like hirelings or people only with you for money. Family or loved ones might be good choices.

Contacts are persons or groups with influence you can call on for information or gossip. It may possibly help in troubled times, but will expect a return favour. 

Patrons are organisations that consider you their agent, and they will take an interest in your location and activities. They will offer small sidequests while you are in any area. 

You could use these to interact with factions of other species and may provide bonuses on reactions with factions you know well. Taking an evil faction means you probably were one and now you use your insider knowledge to destroy them from within or perhaps serve a more moderate faction (do we need to eat babies, guys?). You could connect these to your family and any individual follower could be famiy (or lover or sidekick) and any contact or patronage might come from a regular family contact. Obviously, these are great roleplaying opportunities and lets you justify "I'm a special bastard".

d12 Fighting Folk Starting Allies
1 Pet - Pack pony, goat, donkey or ass HDd6 

2 Pet - Dog d4 1=yappy ratter HDd4 2=wild or hunting dog HDd6 3=farm dog HDd6  3=war dog HDd6

3 Follower - Old porter who carries loads and a lamp 

4 Follower - Squire or orphan, carries and looks after your stuff

5 Follower - Servant cares for your goods, comfort & grooming

6 Follower - Lowlife thug with a club and a sack and low morals

7 Contact - City guard of a famous city all know you, known by reputation

8 Contact - Millitary company of old war buddies, known by fighting kit  

9 Contact - Mercenary guilds selling services, known by guild seal

10 Contact - Military order associated with nobility or church, known by symbol

11 Patron - Former instructor who trained other students 
d4 1=Retired hero 2=Famous duelist 3=Leads famous school 4=Knows secret techniques

12 Patron - Former wealthy employer
d4 1=Landed noble 2=Merchant 3=Civic Official 4=Church  

d12 Lowlife Folk Starting Allies
1 Pet - Flying d6 1=raven 2=hawk 3=parrot 4=owl 5=homing pigeon 6=bat
2 Pet - Creeping d4 1=giant rat 2=cat 3=ferret 4=snake 5=huge toad 6=lizard
3 Follower - reasonably attractive lover or partner who likes to help out

4 Follower - street urchin petty criminal who helps out for scraps

5 Follower - begger who makes a useful spy, gossip, scrounger and helps camps

6 Follower - Lowlife thug with a club and a sack and low morals
7 Contact - City guard of a famous city all know you, known by reputation

8 Contact - Crime guild operating influence over a specific area and maybe more
d4 1=famous city gang 2=regional bandit gang 3=banking syndicate 4=
9 Contact - Specialist crime guild d4 1=assassins 2=smugglers 3=slavers 4=spies

10 Contact - secret society d4 1=cult 2=rebels 3=gang 4=vice

11 Patron - banking guild offers you discreet side quests for cash
d4 1=gather informarion 2=aquire documents 3=report on someone 4=cary messages

12 Patron - famous criminal leader is a personal friend who taught you many skills
d4 1=bandit 2=beggar 3=gang boss 4=revolutionary

d12 Religious Folk Starting Allies
1 Pet - Pack pony, goat, donkey or ass HDd6 

2 Pet - Churchyard chums d4 1=cat 2=toad 3=owl 4=mouse

3 Follower - initiate of the faith keen to learn and obey

4 Follower - wandering rural initiate travels pilgrim routes or lives as a hermit  

5 Follower - scribe keen to record your deeds and help out at camp

6 Follower - healer initiate skilled with first aid and herbs

7 Contact - church hierarchy of characters chosen religion

8 Contact - church military orders who crusades against frontier enemies

9 Contact - inquisition who hunt heretics, cults and unlawful spell users

10 Contact - exorcists who drive away evil spirits and undead

11 Patron - church leader sends you on quiet missions and sidequests
d4 1=banking 2=diplomacy 3=messenger 4=perform rituals

12 Patron - mysterious  secret order send you on church sidequests
d4 1=investigate a possible cult 2=recover lost relic 3=find old documents 4=investigate ruin  

d12 Learned Folk Starting Allies
1 Pet - pack pony, goat, donkey or ass HDd6
2 Pet - potential familiars d6 1=snake 2=toad 3=blackbird 4=bat 5=cat 6=monkey 
3 Follower - apprentice dropout from magic studies cant afford studies

4 Follower - scribe keen to record your deeds and help out at camp

5 Follower - Servant cares for your goods, comfort & grooming

6 Follower - Lowlife thug with a club and a sack and low morals

7 Contact - magic school or academy where you studied

8 Contact - a magical fraternal order that meet to share knowledge

9 Contact - a political faction of nobility manoeuvring against rivals for power

10 Contact - wizard guild, a great place to trade for spells and items

11 Patron - a powerful master of magic sends you on side quests
d4 1=find a scroll 2=find a rare spell ingredient 3=carry a message 4=trade a spell

12 Patron - secret order of magicians meddling in world affairs
d4 1=report on strange location 2=report on a wizard 3=find blasphemous book 4=invstigate ancient text in stone

d12 Dwarf Allies
1 Pet - Burrowing buddies d4 1=mole 2=hairless giant rat 3=huge isopod 4=caecillian  
2 Pet - Surface friends d6 1=pit pony 2=ratter dog 3=rabbit 4=bat 5-lizard 6=toad
3 Follower - apprentice dwarf keen for battle
4 Follower - dwarf porter carries packs and bags
5 Follower - dwarf miner and wilderness prospector
6 Follower - dwarf smith with apron and a bag of tools
7 Contact - dwarven clan member through family, each with their own craft specialisation
8 Contact - mining guild with at least a representative in most mining towns
9 Contact - dwarf berserker cult who drink heavily and crave blood and violence
10 Contact - Smith's guild for metal workers 
11 Patron - sworn to clan ancestral hall to recover dwarf lore and relics with side quests
d4 1=recover dwarf text 2=recover dwarf art 3=recover clan relic 4=locate dwarf ruin
12 patron - sworn to a clan noble and wear their arm ring, and given sidequests
d4 1=spying 2=explore abandoned mine 3=carry messages 4=diplomacy

d12 Elf Allies
1 Pet - Forest friend d6 1=raven 2=songbird 3=squirrel 4=cat 5=fox 6=hawk
2 Pet - Wilderness chums d4 1=wild dog 2=deer 3=goat 4=young boar
3 Follower - apprentice young perky wood elf keen for adventure
4 Follower - old human servant you've known since they were a baby
5 Follower - a goblin servant who is loyal and resilient
6 Follower - wild folk hunter devoted to protecting you 
7 Contact - druidic order that intercedes with the faerie and human world
8 Contact - military order of the Silver Star who hunt minions of the outer darkness
9 Contact - explorers Guild, who work to keep updated on history and the world's peoples
10 Contact - magical order of the crescent moon seeking lost lore to research
11 Patron - royal agent of the faerie court sent to inexplicable missions for quixotic royalty
d4 1=deliver gift 2=find an artwork 3=hunt faerireland fugitive 4=prank a target

12 patron - serve an elder house of elven kind and receive sidequests
d4 1=diplomacy 2=deliver message 3=report on person 4=hunt enemy of elves 

d12 Halfling Allies
1 Pet - Barnyard Chums d4 1=goat 2=pony 3=pig 4=ratter dog 

2 Pet - Forest friends d4 1=cat 2=rabbit 3=squirrel 4=beaver
3 Follower - gardener, a practical outdoor survivor 
4 Follower - cook able to prepare food in adverse conditions
5 Follower - healer with skills in herbalism
6 Follower - apprentice youth servant in your care to educate
7 Contact - druidic order of wilderness priests
8 Contact - merchants guild, excellent for luxury goods for the home
9 Contact - herbalist guild, get the best herbs and pipeweed 
10 Contact - secret order of borderland rangers monitoring hostile forces
11 Patron - wizard that your family have worked for in the past offers sidequests
d4 1=find magic ingredient 2=copy an inscription 3=find a book 4=locate a ruin
12 patron - serve clan lodge and receive sidequests
d4 1=obtain luxury item 2=find a rare food 3=carry message 4=observe target 

d12 Gnome Allies
1 Pet - Burrowing buddies d4 1=mole 2=giant rat 3=huge toad 4=huge bug
2 Pet - Crawling chums d4 1= 2= 3= 5=
3 Follower - young gnome apprentice keen to follow your ways
4 Follower - large dim dim-witted thug who owes life to the gnome*
5 Follower - young orphan raised to be a loyal servant 
6 Follower - wilderness archer who worships the gnome as a minor divinity  
7 Contact - secret order, keeping an eye out for cults and evil agents 
8 Contact - merchants guild able to find desirable gnome goods 
9 Contact - explorers guild possibly the underland version 
10 Contact - order of scholars knowledgeable about the ancient world  
11 Patron - clan agent who receives sidequests
d4 1=message 2=report on local enemy 3=find relic 4=maintain a shrine
12 patron - secret society of ancient gnome technologists
d4 1=recover text 2=explore a ruin 3=purchase item 4=test research project

*Evil gnomes: this chap might be a slave or even have a lobotomy scar 

Next Time
I will do some more tables for my other classes. Abhumans class in my game cover my beast folk, barbarians, and enhanced orc barbarians all use this class now. They might have horde or clan allies that could gather a fighting force of maniacs.

Recent Ideas
Just heard about poor dnd tried to do one furry species to replace them all but no one wants over 50 species of furrys. By reskining my abhumans my spirit changeling folk and halflings all reskinable as animal folk (or elemental or dragon or planar hybrids).

I'm a bit inspired to do some wild things class-wise for next year

I'm thinking of separating the templar fighting priest more from the more ritualistic every day priests or the older planetary/elemental cults. Separate class to keep cleric templars as duelist fighting religious orders (and why i dont want paladins). I've considered the no spell at zero level or a separate spell gain chart, but i realised when my core magic classes got spells for stats it made them way ahead in spells than the sort of demi-casters. I do like how dnd5/24 lets you take martial or magic variants in a few classes. But possibly add some more classes so certain ones dont carry all the load or require triple the complexity on my various charts.

Gnome Biodomes in Chagrinspire

The gnomes of Chagrinspire built 5 biodomes in between levels to study how miserable and horrible nature can be to impress on young gnomes the great purpose of unmaking the universe in the cause of peace. Kind of like the Carnival of Monsters story in 70s Dr Who.

Thuvia a atar people alien the party adopted wants to hijack a gnome moon craft to try and get home.

https://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com/2023/03/we-are-all-going-to-moon-tomorrow-part-1.html
https://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com/2023/04/going-to-moon-tomorrow-we-can-stay-all.html

Possibly these might be semi abandoned or forgotten. There might be other domes of foreign lands or various species of humanoids to study. 

Dome 1 Primordial Vault, with rocky land and sea, with giant invertebrates and armoured fish
Dome 2 Fungoid Vault, forest with giant bugs, lizards and amphibians
Dome 3 Saurian Vault, with thick jungle and ferocious dinosaurs that all attack outsiders
Dome 4 Lunar Vault, a grey cratered moon landscape habitat of captive moon creatures
Dome 5 Future Vault, wasteland with a lake of sentient flesh simulating the future 

Each vault has 5 huge airlocks, one huge for machines and vehicles and others are for teams of work crews and students. 

There are observation galleries with windows in the upper levels.

Once inside, illusions cover doors, observation windows and any other fittings.
Some gnomes observe with crystal spheres.

You might kindly add some service hatches, but illusion-covered and knock spells are required to open. If visible, they are shiny metal hexagonal plates requiring a special tool to open.

The doors will have an armoured storage locker with a gnome inside who distributes expedition gear, weapons and clothing. A barred window and hopper protect the gnome. They also open the doors and offer tips. They are usually bored and might let anyone inside. They also have small and large body bags.

d12 Common Expedition Gear
1 Air mask or 1in6 are full germ proof body suit with air filter
2 Camouflage explorer suit
3 Goad to irritate monsters for a show, pole with a hook and spike
4 Rope and grappling hook
5 Diving suit (bronze helmet, wax leather suit and airtank)
6 Ration kit

7 Monster food (as bait or distraction)

8 Flashlight

9 Sample jars and a butterfly net

10 Traps for various-sized critters

11 Inflatable raft and oars

12 Cigarette packs with collectable cards

Why are we here?
Gnomes might throw in captives and watch them be devoured by monsters as a teaching opportunity.

Something might be lost inside or a gnome gone native with information

Players might stumble across an entry while exploring or on the run

Players might book on a prepaid tour in the underground city 

Gnome agents might deliver a teleportation or gate trapped item and let victims think they are visiting the real original biome location. Gnomes will study their reactions.

d12 Service Areas Encounters
1 Gnome mechanics in overalls with tool boxes
2 Gnome wizard scholars observing a project

3 Gnome teacher and a d6+6 youths

4 Gnome guide and a d6+6 tourists from underland

5 Gnome eco techs with a golem cage trolley with a creature inside

6 Gnome gardeners with a golem trolley with plants, fungi or slime vat 

7 Gnome hunters with adorable pith helmets, safari suits and huge guns

8 Gnome administrators inspecting vault protocols

9 Gnome exterminator crew sweeping for escaped critters

10 Gnome anarchists here to smash stuff and release monsters

11 Escaped creature on the loose from a vault

12 Black sphere death squad gnomes with at least one trained flesh golems

d12 Service Areas Sections
1 Meeting room or lecture theatre
2 Museum explaining the exhibit history
3 Lab to study, clone, grow and dissect monsters
4 Emergency automaton kill squad barracks for escapes or rescues
5 Planning office with maps of a dome and planning workers
6 Observation room looking into a dome, often with a telescope
7 Garage for earth-moving golem vehicles and tiny tanks (WW1 Renault style)
8 Records library of filed reports and research papers
9 Technician barracks with a cafeteria and games room
10 Tourist cafeteria and gift shop
11 Crionc storage with monster food, corpses and spare monsters

12 Plant room for maintaining the dome environment 

d12 Dome Events
1 Weather event, usually rain or fog or storm
2 Illusion generators stutter briefly

3 New monsters added

4 Party of gnomes from the service area visit

5 Announcement sounds a warning, visitors to leave dome for a test

6 Alarm of a dome breach, visitors to the cafeteria to await safe signals

7 Gnomes with clairvoyance or crystal ball spy on intruders

8 Witness inhabitants fighting roll 2 encounters

10 Planar distortion, dome area seems far bigger and taps into the source of the biome 

11 Creatures all made sentient speaking beings for educational purposes

12 Time fields accelerate evolution before your eyes. No visitors during time warps

Dome 1 Primordial Vault
Simulating the early age with misty air, a central sea and a rocky coast with simple plants. This is the age where armoured giant dumb fish ruled waters over invertebrates (worms and arthropods). The invertibrates invaded the land and then a splinter sect of fish crawled on land the first amphibians. The air here requires an air mask or the higher CO2 makes normal people fatigue faster, possibly pass out and eventually die if they remain here. The air is thick and soupy.

The lesson here is how inhospitable life is and how change just makes everlasting conflict. Its popular for fishing.

d12 Primordial Encounters

1 Giant isopod

2 Giant armoured fish

3 Giant scorpion (land or marine)

4 Giant lobster

5 Giant crab

6 Huge octopus or squid or nautilus

7 Giant dragonfly

8 Giant salamander

9 Giant centipede

10 Giant mudskipper pack

11 Giant mosquito (or larvae in water)

12 Tribal fish or slamander folk or both fighting

Dome 2 Fungoid Vault

Simulates the age of darkness and underland fungi forests crawling with invertibrates, amphibians and reptiles. Many exotic and even ambulant dangerous fungus. It is dimly lit by luminous fungus and misty with a scent of spores. It is warm and damp with smell of spores. 

The lesson here is how life even in the adversity of mostly horrible struggle. Mostly gnomes like it to remember their youthful undeland frolics. Special magic fungus here is also good for various uses and handy for medicine and other uses. 

d12 Fungal Encounters

1 Giant beetles
2 Giant worm or centipede
3 Giant cave crickets
4 SHrieking fungus
5 Killer ambulant fungus
6 Mushroom folk or smaller shroomlings
7 Insect folk or smaller insectlings

8 Giant lizard
9 Giant amphibian (toad, frog, salamander, caecillian)
10 Slime or ooze monster
11 Slime folk
12 Faerie d4 1=Sprites 2=brownies 3=goblins 4=willow the whisp

Dome 3 Saurian Vault
Moist jungle and swamp with giant ferns and crawling with prehistoric reptiles, synapsids and giant amphibians. Very hot with lots of bogs and a small volcanic vent. Lots of caves and lairs are around. Roaring and battling monster sounds are common.

The lesson here is life is brutal and constant terror. Gnome elites like to hunt dinosaurs.

d12 Saurian Encounters

1 Dimetradon
2 Huge raptors
3 Allosaurus
4 Plesiosaur

5 Pteradactyl
6 Brontosaurus

7 Triceratops

8 Ankylosaurus

9 Stegasaurus

10 Hadrosaurus 

11 Iguanadon

12 Giant salamander or frogs

Dome 4 Lunar Vault
Grey dusty rocky, and cratered wasteland with smoking volcanic vents. Strange crystals grow from the ground in places, and there are mysterious ruins. It is cold, and the air is thin. Some people vulnerable to high altitude sickness might die here as pink foam fills the lungs and out of the mouth, choking the victims. A diving suit or medicine might help. Giant mushrooms, puffballs and strange red or blue plants struggle to grow in the powdery, exhausted moon soil.

The lesson here is that even in inhospitable conditions, awful life struggles to pointlessly survive. Also used for lunar expedition training.

d12 Lunar Encounters

1 Giant bacteria or slime
2 Giant slugs or snails 1in6 are carrying nomad  homes on backs (see 12)

3 Blue or red carnivorous plants or fungus

4 Ferocious moon dinosaur, giant lizard or synapsid

5 Gibbering amorphous shoggoth

6 Giant moon toad or salamander

7 Ferocious purple moon apes

8 Blue giant moon spiders or scorpions

9 Giant moths or caterpillars (not as huge as actual lunar ones)

10 Crystal animals

11 Alien creature d4 1=migo 2=chrinoid old one 3=conical great race 4=amorphous toadlike moon beasts (sadistic alien wizards) 

12 Tribal moon folk, these peoples will be convinced they are inhd6 1=selinite insect folk 2=grey gnomes 3=moon elves 4=star folk 5=crystal folk 6=mushroom folkabitants or castaways on the moon

Dome 5 Future Vault
Blated rocky ground with pools of slime. The centre is a semi-transparent lake of orange slime. If approached, humanoids will form and walk out and offer you to join them forever in the slime pool the ultimate destiny of all life in the future. They may share some wisdom and are unaware they are in a simulation. If rejected, the sad creatures will look at their infantile ancestors and walk towards them to embrace them in the pool of life. 

This is to teach the ultimate futility of life and progress to make nullification or reality seem like a mercy. Occasionally, some bad students are thrown in the pool for bad grades as a lesson to others. A few gnomes believe the pool has some uses or research value and most get assimilated.

There are no non-asimilated life forms to encounter. A few slime people might form from a pool to welcome you to the future.

Dolmenwood part1: Best OSR thing ever?

Im having a break from Patreon for a bit or charging for a while. Will be by updates on Ethyria book (another dungeon level and some other recent add ons) and a Chagrinspire book 4 this year. There is a post about that on my Patreon. I might be willing to work with a publisher. Basically my health has been poor and ive quit my studies. I am quite comfortable housing wise so better than i was 5 years ago starting my Patreon that kept me in gaming.

So my KS arrived for this and its the best campaign I've ever signed on for. Though I still like that Midderlands/Glenn Seal stuff tends to be very quick. All my outstanding KS books of last 2 years arrived. I was considering stopping them but this one has renewed my faith a bit. Possibly the MCC game was my least favourite for lacking lore and a campaign but did have awesome illustrations and did listen to complaints early on. 

So for my basic outlay, i got a dicebag (amazing quality and will be my standard - embroidered mushrooms and tough cloth. 4 large hardbacks 4 small adventures and a cloth map. So Im glad the money they raised went to tangible rewards. 

I did follow the odd Doomwood zines and campaign play vids and saw PDFs but the physical works are amazing.

The paper stock is thick and glossy. High quality stuff.

The fonts are a good size, I can read without glasses vs whole games, I can no longer read even with glasses

My only slight grievances is that the digital embossing on logos looks more digital than the artwork, and the blocks of text dont have ragged text that I find more readable. Possibly, some of the magic abilities have inconsistent duration/usage entries. 

Overall, it is an amazing five out of 4 stars, and I will cover the map and players' book here.  

The Map Book - over 50 pages no numbers
The map book flipping through, even knowing nothing of the setting, is inspiring stuff. It's also playable and a good size tp be usable. You can see the maps and learn about the setting, and even get ideas you can use. It begs lots of good questions. It is exhaustive but not overwhelming like say the 2 vol Glorantha hardback, which is the greatest game atlas ever. The forest hex maps are high-quality and detailed. The urban maps remind me of 70s children's book art and look like they would be wonderful printed on cloth. They are a bit more abstract illustrations than some players might be used to but have an in-world feel and are utilitarian. The cloth map is very high quality like flag cloth and quite crisp.

The Players Book - 192 pages
Probably one of the best players books for any game and one of the best retroclones. All the information sections are mostly on a single spread. Mostly it is very clear and detailed and not grinding axes telling us how to game properly like some other retroclones. It starts with a simple intro to the setting, 

Mechanics-wise wise its a trad older style retro clone on the simpler end on the spectrum. It still bothers with xp and saving throws I find a bit wasteful but I guess some ppl love them (i prefer stat-based saves and less scores on the sheet in some areas). Several systems in the game I have used in my own clone and good to see. I prefer it to OSE & shadowdark.  Creation notes and examples are good. It has BX style alignment, which still makes me scream inside as a Moorcock fan and prefer AD&D system. But at least alignment comes up here and is used in the game classes and spells. It has lots of options built in like choices of encumbrance systems.

Languages well resolved in the setting. The species are pretty amazing. Humans get a xp bonus. The non humans are al refreshing and weird. Elves are nightmarish. The distinction between mortal and faerie species are great and more resolved than my own ideas on this. Possibly RQ has made me a bit suspicious of goat folk but the Breggles are great. Moss folk, goblin folk and cat folk are more interesting than i thought. Every species gets a spread of background tables. 

The classes are good. Some of the abilities only give a +1, which i find a bit petty. The bard is fine and great for roleplaying scenarios and urban areas or trickery. I do like that the cleric is linked to a specific church and every spell has a description of a saint responsible. They have specific tenets lacking in most games. There are some optional orders providing bonuses much simpler than modern subclasses.

Friars are similar to clerics but less hp, less armour but better at survival and using the herbs buit into the setting. They are a bit less hierarchical and get an AC bonus that increases. They get a spell at 1st lv too. Enchanters get a detect magic skill, fairy magic and glamours which are more like powers than spells. They are also resistant to divine beneficial spells like healing. Its a very different magic systems than spell. Fighters are one of the least boring BX clone versions with 8 fighting style options. There are also knights and hunters. As the game has detailed camping and foraging rules the hunter and friar will stand out. Magicians are typical but have a detect magic skill and a list of starting books, which is great.  Theif is a more BX affair (no skill %). Low HP and a slightly nerfed Backstab. 

Magic is pretty interesting with the enchanter and other fairy abilities, and the Mossling knacks. Spreads on equiptment, armour, weapons, horses, hounds, lodgings, food, weird beverages, pipeleaf, fungi, herbs, specialists and retainers are all super conveniant. Spreads on game procedures like camping could be used in many games. You could steal plenty here to enhance other games. I suspect there are no grappling rules but might be wrong.

If you wanted to use the setting with OSE rules the species are on a older book which would work fine and you probably could use many features of this players book for a hybrid game. A final section includes noble houses, calender, moon signs and random gifts, Religion and versions of the species as class variants that I quite like for a more BX type game. Mosslings have a bit of text on fungal symbiosis power that might be uncommon or forgotten and I wish had more than cosmetic examples. I guess you could hijack medicinal fungal powers but the monstr book I think has only one fungi monster (the book has 5 but articles talk about 4 as slimes). 

Monster Book - 128 pages
Wonderfulbook not just of stats but lots of tables to use them, gossip, npc adventurers of various levels for npcs, other npcs, and normal animals. Inside covers have lots of encounter and other tables for quick reference. Each monster has 3 or so tables to generate traits and encounters. Its a good monster book with some unfamiliar and weird creatures.

Some Final Thoughts
There is lots to borrow and steal for other OSR games. Lots would fit in my own upcoming woodlands + faerie + knights setting, which I will revise in 26 and replace all the art. Recent Midderlands stuff would probably work here fine. I will discuss the huge fat campagn book detailing hexes and 4 adventures later. Overall, it has one of the better faierie are creeps games ever done but still made them playable. Very inspiring stuff. Its been a good few KS campaigns come in recently. So much so I dont know anything coming out in the next year I want. Im sure that wont last. Big thanks the the game creators and local distro aetherworks (I think i know 2 staff). Only a few weird old rpg books I really want now, except gods of the forbidden north vol 3. Im sure comics or Cthulhu will tempt my wallet. The simplicity of this game is refreshing vs the ridiculous complexity and slowness of D&D5. It definitely ranks in the high top 10 of my favorite gaming settings. Im sure it will influence me.

 

Mazes & Monsters

Dolemwood arrived - best ks ive ever done. Amazing.
RPG has several rules ive  used a while.

A greek mythic maze is a type of dungeon that mostly suck to run or play
Everyone knows just stay left trick it's like dungeon 101 basics.
What looks good on paper just doesn't run that way
You cant just give them a printed maze puzzle to doodle on?

Making a Mythic Labyrinth
These are cursed places 

1 Timers & Purpose
Use a printed map + a timer then every corner or intersection, roll some maze content, then cover the map until the maze problem is resolved. Puzzles and hazards slow players, so timed threats increase.

d12 Why Go In This Maze
1 Someone was thrown in or foolishly entered and needs a rescue
2 Monsters from within menace the countryside
3 A relic is inside, is needed by someone
4 Locals sacrifice victims to the labyrinth
5 Corrupt nobles throw in victims for sport

6 A noble offers a reward for anyone who can end the curse

7 A church offers healing and resurrection credit to those who end the curse

8 A cult worships maze and kidnaps victim,s to throw inside
9 A magician wants someone to end the maze master d4 1=want masters remains 2=wants a relic 3=wants to take over 4=wants to study it without personal risk
10 The dark powers made the labyrinth are also your enemies who have done you wrong
11 A god offers to reveal a secret to the mortals who stop the labyrinth's curse
12 The existence of the maze is a curse on the land; if it ended, prosperity would return

d12 Why Build a Magic Murder Maze
1 To imprison monstrous god cursed offspring

2 As entertainment for sadists to watch via magic

3 As a form of state execution

4 To imprison a monster when killing it would offend a god

5 As a warning to commoners to behave or go in the maze

6 A tyrant used to throw enemies inside

7 Built by cultists to worship a monster

8 Built as a tomb or treasury to keep away theives

9 Built at command of a god to appease the gods anger

10 Placed to keep a magic relic from civilisation by the gods

11 Ruler was cursed by a god and the palace became a maze

12 Placed here by a god to impede mortal civilisation

d12 Time Factors In The Maze
1 Increasingly dense fog, every ten minutes, turn visibility is reduced until you can barley make out your hand stretched out. Might be toxic too save ot take 1hp damage each turn

2 Water level rising and hear rushing water
3 Lights dim in steps until magically dark
4 Vermin swarm encountered every ten minutes (could also be stirges, snakes or other pests)
5 Kobold skirmishers come from secret linked crawlspaces, each turn increases numbers and use worse tricks and tactics up to kobold heroes in goat chariots hurling incendiaries and smoke bombs
6 Every turn a stone wall lowers, sealing path behind the party. If trapped, the core monster gathers all its support to be ready for them and pay prepares traps and barricades
7 Dungeon releases geladinous polygon monster every turn, if more than one exits
8 The maze is full of statues, and every turn, the closest to the party comes to life to fight
9 Wizard summons more monsters the longer it takes to reach them, possibly with an item like a wand of summoning. They might send them into the maze or support the wizard
10 Undead appear in maze every turn to hunt party, numbers increase or undead types get more powerful skeleton>zombie>shadow>etc
11 The core monster can summon lesser spawn of itself each turn and sends them to defend maze
12 Monster generator artefact buried under the core can teleport monsters around the maze, increasingly dangerous

2 Stocking Your Maze
Roll these as you go or pre-roll a bunch or just pick some stuff in advance
Feel free to alter frequency as required

d12 Maze Mysteries (roll every turn or dead end)
1-2 Basic Trap - mechanical or structural hazard
3 Magic Trap - a magical or supernatural hazard
4 Illusion Trap - distorts reality 
5-6 Decor - curiosities and time wasters
7-8 Item - junk lying about
10 Maze Wonder - curiosities and time wasters
11-12 Encounter - monster minions

These could be reskinned for different genres, such as a bio alien maze
Pits might go to a lower level, and sairs would be trapped, but I assume a one-level ordeal

d12 Basic Traps
triggers d4 1=tripline 2=preasure plate 3=baited 4=kobold oberator with spyhole
bait for trap d4 1=food on a gold plate 2=pile of coins 3=large gem 4=ring
trigger hidden by 1=rubble 2=bones 3=dust 4=tiles 5=illusion 6=invisible  
1 Alarm alerts inhabitants of intruders d4 1=rattling chimes 2=bells 3=shattering pots 4=silent but alerts core monsters of location on a panel with bells 

2 Net drops from above or from underneath and hoists to the ceiling

3 Snare traps a foot d4 1=lifts to ceiling 2=damages and holds foot 3=locks foot in mechanism 4=damages and poison

4 Edged attack d4 1=scythe blade 2=pop up spikes 3=spikes + poison 4=hooked spikes

5 Pendulum trap swings hazard into intruders d4 1=axe like blade 2=log on a rope 3=rock on a rope 4=chained spiked huge flail ball 

6 Deadfall drops material from above d6 1=rubble 2=caltrops 3=burning oil incendiary 4=cast iron hand grenaide with burning fuse 5=acid 6=rolling boulder from a shute

7 Projectiles fired 2d3 from concealed holes d6 1=2d3x darts 2=d4x darts + poison 3=d4x crossbow bolts 4=arbelast bolt 5=balistia bolt 6=2d4 stones or one brick

8 Pit d10 1=10 foot deep 2=10 foot deep + lid closes 3=10 deep + spikes 4=10 foot deep + poison spikes 5=10 foot deep with vermin inside 6=10 foot deep with monster inside 20 foot deep + bottom 10 flooded 7=20 foot deep + any of first d6 extras 8=lava pit usually nobody bothers to hide these 9=20 foot deep + slime 10=bottomless or teleporter pad

9 Barrier d4 1=portculis gate drops from above 2=wooden barricade or scafolding defended by monsters 3=stone door blocks escape 4=coridoor rotates sending intruders backwards 5=rotating wall sweeps into another paralell passage

10 Opens a door with angry creature d4 1=bugbears 2=slime or ooze 3=minotaur 4=ogre 5=troll 6=lion 7=automaton 8=giant spiders 9=hellhound 10=hydra  

11 Murder holes in the ceiling where a kobold crew wait, ready to pour death from above via holes or through bars d4 1=boiling oil 2=boiling water 3=burning oil 4=boiling lead

12 Arrow Slits where creatures inside walls can attack through while providing cover d4 1=kobold archers 2=kobolds with spears 3=swarm 4=giant snakes or eels

d12 Magic Traps
triggers d6 1=glowing runes 2=glowing barrier or surface 3=invisible ward 4=poltergiest 5=aliognment 6=carry magic 
1 Magical alarm or magic mouth appears to shout abuse
2 Magic missile will shoot once per round in range, often from an idol or gem
3 Burning hands will shoot from the floor orthe  ceiling with limited uses
4 Shocking grasp on a surface requires refreshing by caster or daily
5 Illusions see below
6 Wards deliver 2 damage per level d4 1=fire 2=cold 3=lightning, 4=necrotic to those who without password and half save
7 Wards deliver spell effect d6 1=cause wounds 2=hold person 3=fear 4=
8 Vapours d4 1=fog 2=sleep gas 3=acid vapour 4=poison gas 5=smoke 6=incendiary cloud
9 Curse d4 1=(-4) one stat 2=(-4) to hit 3=crirical hit self on roll of "1" 4=cant rest 5=cant read 6=blind 7=mute 8=half Mov
10 Teleporter to elsewhere in the maze or 1in6 a prison
11 Summons a planar being
12 Maze Zone as per the maze spell

d12 Illusions Traps
1 Illusion concealing a basic trap d4 1=treasure 2=wall or floor 3=corpse or 4=wounded 
2 Illusion covers a passage with an illusion wall
3 Illusion bait lure for trap drawn from own mind with ESP
4 Illusion makes a dead end look like it has side passages or is longer
5 Illusion of hazard d4 1=fire wall 2=monster 3=force wall 4=wraith
6 Illusion concealing a monster in hiding, or makes it seem innocent or sexy

7 Illusion covers or bait for a magic trap 
8 Illusion of a trap or secret door to waste time
9 Illusion or coloured gas expanding
10 Illusion  of flood water
11 Illusion of cave in and quake
12 Illusion of a laughing monster or planar being, or a deity 

d12 Decor

1 Mozaic scene or patterns
2 Fresco painting on the wall of attractive youths and beasts
3 Relief carving of supernatural beings performing a ritual
4 Statue
5 Fountain
6 Shrine or idol
7 Graphitti
8 Blood trail or handprints
9 Rat nest of scrap might have a trinket
10 Rubble and bricks
11 Remains of a gory feast
12 Flayed skin or corpse nailed to the wall

d12 Topics for Artworks
1 Underworld
2 Arcadian meadows
3 Sylvan woodlands
4 Hunting scene
5 Still life of food 
6 Battle scene
7 Monument builders
8 Vassals bringing tributes

9 King punishing prisoners of war

10 Ancient city 

11 Royalty or gods

12 Monsters slaughtering warriors

d12 Items
1 Coins d6 sp
2 Broken trap parts 
3 Bones all broken
4 Shredded clothes
5 Spindle of thread
6 Chalk
7 Minotaur dung
8 Partly used torch or broken lamp
9 Several weapons, most broken
10 Broken amphora

11 Pile of skulls
12 Signet ring or tiny carved gem seal

d12 Wonder
1 Magic pool, well or fountain d6 1=heasls 2d4 once a day per person 2=holy water 3=mutastion 4=small elemental 5=slime creature 6=
2 Oracle shrine with a spirit d4 1=answer a y/n question per person daily 2=offers advice but long-winded and vague aphorisms to waste time 3=warns you of destiny 4=tells you a secret about your past
3 Sphynx Shrine asks a riddle and eats losers, but if answered correctly gifts magic item
4 Golem repairing damage or a kobold work crew from a secret crawlspace
5 Spirit shrine of the dungeon spirit that aids with a few spells and warns local inhabitants
6 Living statues guarding the passage
7 Puzzle to waste time with letter tiles in wall or floor, might give a reward to succeed d4 1=translate a text 2=maths problem 3=requires historic or religious lore 4=requires arcane theory
8 Lit by light spells or smokeless ever ever-burning torches attached to walls or glowing bugs
9 Talking idol can control a d3 magic traps
10 Magic item guarded by d4 1=naga 2=chimera 3=dragon 4=shedu
11 Magic Bell or gong with a mallet, each time you hit it 1gp falls out as long as the labyrinth is undefeated. Monsters know where the sound comes from
12 Spirit of a slain explorer tries to give you advice

d12 Encounters

1 Kobolds pour from secret crawlspaces and drains
2 Human 1=escaped victim 2=insane 3=seves the beast of the labyrinthe 4=doppelganger
3 Trapper or lurker pretending to be the wall or the floor
4 Poltergeists hurling rocks and bones
5 Shadows or non-material undead 
6 Minotaurs
7 Giant scorpion or spider
8 Doppelganger or lycanthrope
9 Living statue
10 Mimic in the form of a treasure or door
11 Scorpion men or centaurs
12 Berserker warriors

3 Rewards of the Maze
Who is in the middle waiting?
Is there a quest item or treasure within?
Decorate the middle with some wonder and artwork to stand out?

d12 Core Maze Master
1 Enhanced minotaur
2 Cyclops
3 Nymph
4 Wizard or sorcerer
5 Bronze gpolem
6 Medusa or Lamia
7 Gorgon Bull or Cateoblas
8 Hydra or Naga
9 Major spirit
10 Elemental being
11 Angel, demon, erinyes or planar being
12 Petty godling

d12 Core Feature
1 Sarcophagus of an ancient ruler (monster's parent?)
2 Blood fountain that heals evil people, a d4 once per day, holy water destroys it
3 Mozaic tiles on the floor and walls depict mythic events of the maze's origins
4 Execution block for slaying captives and butchering them (may require a minotaur servant if no hands for the boss monster)
5 Dark pit into the deep with a metal grate, some older evil dwells below? 

6 An object like an urn with a bound creature within, if broken the creature obeys one order, the boss monster may use if in trouble and smart enough. It might be broken in battle

7 Monsterous offspring aid the parent and if not stopped, will spread the labyrinthine influence

8 A magic pool or mirror lets the maze master monster see anywhere in the maze and to direct minions 

9 Living statues 2-4 who protect the maze master

10 Portal to another maze or a maze dimension that restocks labyrinths

11 Magic nullification circle of magical writing

12 Cage with favorite captives inside d4 1=fanatic servants of monster boss pretend to be unhappy prisoners 2=wealthy noble youths will offer rewards for rescue 3=commoners thrown in maze to feed monsters 4=cursed prisoner cannot leave until maze monster dies and has important lost lore 

4 Finishing & Fog of War
Select your map and get to work decorating it 
Put a piece of paper over the top and a scalpel or cut out where players go for fog of war or trace map for them as they go. Layers on an art program can do the same. If ppl dont mark the way they come or take notes, they should lose the map behind them and be vulnerable to accidental backtracking.

d12 Final Tricks
1 A spirit in the dungeon d4 1=removes marks and messes behind intruders 2=controls traps 3=warns local monsters 4=whispers crfeepy things to intruders 5=blows out torches and lamps 6=all of the above
2 Everyone who dies in the maze, has souls are trapped as spectral figures wandering the maze 1=mute try to communicate for help 2=sobbing and follow intruders 3=gives a warning and vanishes 4=will aid fallen adventurer and halt bleeding or drag a body 5=moan loudly looking horrible 6=can attack

3 The boss monster at core when killed d4 1=creates a spectacular geyser of blood pours from air vents and covers the floor 2=see spectral spirits of all who died sigh in relief and depart the mortal world thanking their saviours 3=heavenly being appears to congratulate you 4=body crumbles into carbon revealing corpse of a cursed human within

4 An evil altar at the core can be used by inhabitants to d4 1=make a corpse undead with a ritual 2=summon a planar being or elemental, 3=commune with an evil being 4=grants spells to boss monster

5 Maze has lots of locked doors to be extra confusing and wastes time

6 When the core monster is killed building shakes and rubble begins to fall with a limited time to loot and escape

7 Magic locked cabinet holds an important lost relic

8 Statue in the centre is a living idol from an evil plane aids the labyrinth monsters and supports its power over the labyrinth. If the idol remains, it may resurrect the maze master and possibly gives them aid like spell effects

9 The labyrinth gate won't let you out, a magical lock for any trying to exit, but outsiders can come in. Some might have living statue guards that attack those escaping

10 When the cursed monster is killed, the artworks change from dark-themed to more holy subjects 

11 Bronze Cauldron ever full of monster food (rotting meat), with a monstrous face. Its a portal to the underworld if you crawl inside to a river of corpse parts 

12 Slaying the monster offends a god and the killers are struck with an ancient curse for 7 generations and need a quest to remove the divine trolling. God sends a wrathful vision to inform all of their fate

magic Scabbards

You need scabbards and not just cheap ones

d12 Scabbard type
1 Knife
2-4 Dagger 
5-7 Shortsword
8-11 Sword, half for less common types
12 Two-handed sword

use a d6 for more bronze age or d8 for iron age

d12 Minor Magic Scabbards
1 Sharpens and cleans the blade held inside 1in6 cleans the wielder also when the sword is returned

2 Blade kept inside burns with +d4 fire damage as a torch for the first round drawn

3 Heals 1hp 3x per day, automatically activates to halt bleeding if unconscious

4 Feather fall 3x per day

5 Protection +1 as per a ring

6 Guards from non-magic unarmed attacks of mortal humans and animals, -1 per dice

7 Guards from edged non-magic weapon damage, -1 damage per dice

8 Sword stored inside is immune to rust, heat or cold inside the scabbard or for 10 minutes outside

9 Detect Traps once per day, range 1 for 10 minutes when weapon drawn

10 Detect Enemies once per day, range 1 for 10 minutes when the weapon is drawn

11 Night Vision for 10 minutes when drawn

12 Sings an inspiring battle hym when drawn, making the user immune to fear and lights up like a lamp for a total of ten minutes per day when drawn, making stealth tricky

Some special scabards will have 2 or 3 of these effects

d12 Major Magic Scabbards
1 Heals d4hp 3x per day 1in6 heals 2d4hp

2 Protection from non-magic missile weapons 1in6 +2AC vs all missiles

3 Blade kept in here for one hour is so sharp has +3 damage the first blow, 1in6 requires only ten minutes to sharpen  

4 Firetongue Scabbard the weapon when drawn burns for +d4 damage and lights as a torch when drawn, 1in6 casts burning hands 3x a day

5 Scabbard of Might +2 Strength 1in6 can throw d6 half bricks as easily as a normal stone 

6 Invisible Scabbard more common on shortswords and daggers but while blade inside the weapon and scabbard are invisible, 1in6 cast invisibility x1 per day

7 Quickdraw Scabbard allows the weapon to instantly teleport into the hand which might help surprise or respond to surprise on better terms. 1in6 also cast dimension door 2x a week

8 Haste Scabbard wielder is affected as a haste spell, the first round the weapon is drawn once in any ten-minute period. 1in6 cast haste once per week 
9 Earth Scabbard +2AC & Save vs earth elemental creatures or spells, -1 damage per dice from such creatures, spells, stone weapons, rocks or falling onto earth or stone damage 1in6 protect vs petrification  

10 Fire Scabbard +2AC & Save vs fire elemental creatures or spells, -1 damage per dice from such creatures, spells, burning weapons or fire damage 1in6 immune to non-magic fire 

11 Sea Scabbard +2AC & Save vs water elemental creatures or spells, -1 damage per dice from such creatures, spells, ice or cold damage 1in6 breath water 

12 Sky Scabbard +2AC & Save vs air elemental creatures or spells, -1 damage per dice from such creatures, spells, wind or lightning damage 1in6 featherfall

Some special scabbards will have extra fx on a d6

d12 Cursed Scabbards
1 Vampires Scabard every time you draw a blade, it must take at least 1hp blood, +1 on the first enemy, but if no enemy is cut within ten minutes, it takes 1hp of blood from the wielder
2 Berserker Scabbard makes the wearer immune to fear, but when a weapon is wielded, they become berserk and will fight until nobody is standing 
3 Fear Scabbard provides +1 AC but in any combat, the wielder must save vs fear or flee for a d4 rounds. The wielder also must save vs fear if any attempt to remove the scabbard is made

4 Fire Scabbard provides +1 save vs fire but if a weapon is drawn, the wielder bursts into flame for a d4 damage per round while holding their weapon

5 Sticky Scabbard provides wielder with immunity to bleeding which seems good but any weapon drawn from it takes ten minutes to remove from your hand which can be inconveniant. A friend, a bottle of vinegar and a brush can half the time to remove the weapon. The scabbard sticks to the wearer also 

6 Swift Scabbard seems to make swords draw as fast as a skilled quickdraw expert but if they ever roll a 1 to hit they decapitate themself and the scabbard and the sword becomes a cursed evil magic sword (+1 for evil weilders -2 non evil, one save to be able to give up the weapon otherwise, need remove curse)

7 Scabbard of Wonder looks fabulous with silver skull designs; any sword in it seems to be cleaned and improved and lighter if stored in it. Destroys any sword placed in it and replaces with an illusion that seems believable until you hit someone with it, then the wielder can save otherwise, they are convinced the phantom sword is better and committed to its use. When they save succeed, the illusion ends. Others, seeing the illusion, pointing it out won't be believed once weilder failed to resist a save

8 Scabbard of Burning seems to make the wielder stronger +1 but if they draw a weapon from it it explodes as a 12d6 fireball targeted on the wielder

9 Scabbard of the owl, gives you night vision but every time you draw a weapon you save or be turned into an owl. Possibly for the rest of your life  

10 Ice Scabbard - while worn take half damage from cold, when a weapon is drawn save or frozen into a solid block of magic heat resistant ice

11 Scabbard of Wounding causes +1 damage on a weapon, when you put it back in the scabbard, you run yourself through for double damage by "accident"

12 Sword or Harm gives the wearer +3HP but but wearer needs to save vs illusions to see how much damage they really have taken, while wearing all wounds seem just scratches

Cursed item benefits are obvious and impressive

Pesky Divine Meddling

We now have a Oldschool scene in my city with lunch meetups and a second minicon called Gazzacon I'm running Goat Quest for. I'm tempted to set up an overflow game as we had lots of ppl turned away in bookings full, then ppl booked didn't come, so maybe I could make an event to use overbooking ppl who can drop in games. It's good for the DMs to get to play too. 

As I'm running Theros and the gods are in your face more all the time i thought a quick table for some divine input. I'm still going through what are some of the most detailed d&d gods, except it didn't give all the cleric stuff for them. I think a cleric book with all domain subclasses would help character choice and world-building.

So all kinds of games can have jerk gods messing with players.
I do like in Theros, any god can be a friend or foe, and enemy gods will cooperate at times. 

In my games, divination is better than 5th ed, and players spend days checking up a dungeon first, which I like. Maybe a spell for a spirit to gather gossip would work for lazy rumour gathering. Large churches in cities have monasteries where everyone casts divinations daily, with priests asking questions in exhaustive studies using computational logic. Well, lawful churches do. Lots of D&D5 spells as a player, I won't use them because they were so bad vs versions I know, while Command now includes undead.

The Theros omen table is fantastic, as are lots of the other god tables (this book + Dyson map temples of every cult got me into d&d5).

Bronze age religion is poorly done in most games and poor set and nergal were very popular gods demonised by other people. They are not nice gods you want to like you and you want them to help you mess up your enemies. Not every naughty god is satanic in style and many still part of an orderly cosmos like demons. Will be having a stab at Exilon Gods again soonish now i have a system I am satisfied. RQ3 did a good job of domains. The problem of the 2nd ed splatbook on making religions is that it was quite involved in describing for a campaign while RQ had a paragraph and a small stat block. Oddly enough, I play retro D&D now because monster statblocks were smaller and less prep, but RQ3 sometimes did modular gods better.

At least gods are like parents who meddle and disaprove of lots of stuff and have an idea of your destiny thats good for you even if you dont agree. 

Also if you have more friendly divination, maybe the god drops some unwanted personal advice. 

d12 Those Meddling Gods Omens
1 An animal omen - odd colour or behaviour gives some lesson or message
2 Weather omen - clouds or other strange sky phenomena
3 Feast Omen - image seen in fire or food, food seems to rot or have worms or has a face for a moment
4 Plant omens - something grows into a shape or holy herb seen in odd place
5 Light - lighting or sunlight or unusual lights seen, something seem holy and blessed 

6 Sounds - thundercrack, whispers, shouting voice, cry for help or seems familiar, baby cry

7 Found art - find an image of a god or something that just looks like a god

8 Witing - find note in your pocket or burning letters on stone 

9 Shadows - make something look gloomy, sinister & nightmarish, see shadow move or silhouette of something moving or eyes in darkness

10 Dream omens - with symbols or signs of the god or some other world, perhaps a possible prophecy

11 Star omens - strange stars, constellations seems to move, unusual colours

12 Living art - a statue, relief art, ship prow or painting that seems to come to life for a moment to wink or even talk

Most omens should be petty and subtle enough to almost miss or interpret
Obvious omens are when the god really wants to be obvious
Blatant manifestations are for when the god is really nailing a point home with a personal command or unsolicited advice

d12 Petty Paternal God Messages
1 I dont like your outfit
2 Are you eating properly? 
3 You should proselytise more 

4 Have you maintained your arms and armour properly?

5 Evaluate your life decisions d4 1=love life, 2=money 3=

6 I'm watching you all the time, so make some effort to look good

7 Keep an eye on that rival cult for me

8 Visit a shrine or temple for me

9 I would like a sacrifice for a holy day

10 I would like a new shrine or idol

11 I hope you're stirring up and taunting our religious rivals

12 I hope you're hunting the wicked cults and heretic sects enough

d12 Serious Stuff Divine Missions
1 Aid a holy person in need of support
2 Recover a holy relic, like scriptures or an icon

3 Relocate a holy relic like a saint's hand or an idol

4 Heal these faithful worshipers in need

5 Recruit this almost-ready person into our faith

6 Write a scripture or make devotional art with divine guidance

7 Stop an outlaw spell caster from using spells on your church followers

8 Provide a funeral and protect the burial site with blessings

9 Espouse and punish a heretic within our church

10 Exterminate a forbidden cult for me

11 Exorcise evil spirits haunting a building or wild place

12 Locate an unholy menace hidden in a community

d12 Omens of Divine Displeasure

1 Howling winds
2 Clouds darken the sky

3 Rumbling storm clouds

4 Spooky small animal-like crow or cat or bat or rat, gives dirty looks and vocalises

5 Spooky, more dangerous animals, like a jackal or vulture, give dirty looks and vocalises

6 Flock or swarm or school of many animals, possibly vocalising loudly

7 Lightning bolt blasts something in the path

8 Crack in rock, damaging a building or dislodging rocks

9 Stinking miasma makes everyone gag

10 Curse spell requires removal or atonement

11 Sends a demon or devil to punish the wicked or just give a fright

12 Greater curse spell affects generations unless removed or atoned

Use lower dice for more mild stuff or a lower dice with a plus to control the range, as worse results tend to be higher numbers

d12 Manifestations
1 Mysterious cloud with a face
2 Booming voice from nowhere

3 Face appears in stone

4 Column of fire

5 Shaft of light

6 Face appears in flock or swarm or school of many animals

7 Appears as an attractive specimen of an animal

8 In disguise as an elderly, poor person

9 Appears as an attractive mortal with occupation apropriate

10 Appear as a noble with an entourage demanding the right of way

11 Appears as a magician, like a priest, druid or wizard

12 A monster d4 1=dragon 2=titan 3=elemental being 4=angel demon or planar being

If a god in disguise, it is a test to see if you have manners or treat strangers well.

d12 Evil Manifestations
1 Blood drips from a corpse or a living being and forms writing
2 Face of a figure forms in the shadows
3 Wound or burn in flesh is a symbol

4 A crack in the ground releases vapours that cause hallucinations

5 Evil animal glares at you and mutters abuse ot threats

6 Own face in reflection gives an angry glare with strange eyes

7 Possession for a round screams abuse from the evil one once a day

8 Minor mutation, possibly temporary at first 

9 Sewerage forms a humanoid form or face

10 Swarming vermin form a humanoid figure or face

11 Smokey choking vapour from a stinking foul humanoid figure or face

12 Stinking miasmas cause vomiting, which forms a creature or face or spreads a disease, causing hallucinations of an evil power

TSR Marvel for Holidays - Spy Fi Silver Age UK

Holiday superhero game for 25/26 holiday season
Party co-gm with a friend

ppl say this game didn't have a character gen system, and it always had multiple.
Every campaign i make a new pc gen system
my FB elfmaids page has a pdf doc of my last campaign, but the talents, contacts option lists all usable here

TSR Marvel + Homebrew
-Almost no Marvel Universe content, though I do like Dire Wraiths in Rom and used them
-Added a charisma stat in 80s as popularity didn't cut it in mostly plainclothes spy campaigns
-We use most of the rules and added a list of options ive documented here plenty
-We added some meditations and martial arts talents and expanded contacts slightly
-Normally, i give powers too, but in this use options will get you a power
-slot is a Good power inborn and hard to mess with (psionics or regeneration), Excellent will ie for cyborg or sumbiote that can be messed with by an expert and Remarkable for a weapon or a power suit but they can be nobbled or taken off you or disarmed and in this genre enemies will mess with powers

old version here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zzmEY8ZW2uKDoQ2LG1nIyRYqYe8IkNvp/view?usp=sharing

silver age 60s + spyfi action weird investigations
-sequel to out golden age ww2 and 50s coldwar games
-Avengers, Saint, The Baron, Man/Girl from Uncle, Prisoner, Danger Man, Department S, New Avengers, The Champions, Adam Adamant, 60s-70s Dr Who UNIT, Mission Impossible, UFO, Captain Scarlet, SHEILD Comics, Bond Films, Captain Scarlet, Joe90, etc. Unusually, we will lift lots of orgs from genre  media
-60s brit comics like Kelly's Eye, Robot Archie, Iron Man, The Steel Claw, The Spider, The Invisible Man, Adam Eterno, Smokeman UFO Agent, heck ill add doomlord even though its 1980s
-Venture bros might have covered some of the same territory genre-wise

Talents, contacts and options are in the pdf character book on fb group docs

Attributes
7x Excellent
1x Good

among

FIGHTING AGILITY STRENGTH ENDURANCE
CHARISMA REASON INTUITION PSYCHE

8 talents
4 contacts
4 options

Tropes & Options Modded To Campaign
-Contacts can be used for sidekicks, which are commonplace in the genre
-Option spent on a sidekick will be a Gd agent with 4 talents
-Base option (Good) can have ten contemporary rooms (normal vehichle or expert could be rooms) or (poor) base 4 above normal technologies. You might need a slot to disguise your base
-Everyone should have a cool gimmick car with a name. Pick a model of car to suit your personality. Vintage and sport concept cars are common for the genre, or a Mini or Volkswagen
-Option spent on a car would be more like FAB1 in Thunderbirds, which flies and has cannons or James Bond's new gadget car every game

My Character is based on an old comic and is made to be able to seem normal but has some weird stuff like skeletonising normal people in a few rounds.

B Man
FBI Agent Rex Carter
"Im full of alien bees!"

FIGHTING Ex(20)
AGILITY Ex(20)
STRENGTH Gd(10) 

ENDURANCE Ex(20)
CHARISMA Ex (20)
REASON Ex(20)
INTUITION Ex(20)
PSYCHE Ex(20)

Health 70
Karma 80
Pop 10
Rs Gd

Talents
Law Enforcement +1 handgun +contact
Espionage +contact
Astronaut +contact 

Drive
Escapology
Demolitions (nuclear munitions experience)
Martial Arts +1 unnamed attack, +5 damage

Contact

FBI (from talent)
Sidekick Penny Perkins, Brit MI5 liaison
Nuclear arsenal general Kane Forester 
CIA agent Brett Cooper (from talent)
Queen of Venusian Bee Women, Quin-Nar
NASA Scientist Bethany Morton  (from talent)
HIVE (from option)

Options
Utility Belt (Ex) contemporary things
-pistol, smg, shotgun, bazooka, flamethrower, grenades, flashlight, camera, handcuffs, bugs,
-tracker, bugs, transistor radio (for bug, tracker and a radio), bulletproof vest, gas mask
-riot shield, spacesuit, diving suit, demolitions pack, gieger counter
Secret Base
-Penthouse, van garage, armoury, Black & Yellow Corvette garage, Boat,  
-Radio Room, Forensics Lab, Crime Computer, Helicopter pad, Crime Lab,
Alien Bee Colony Symbiote Excellent (20)
-Alien bees live in the  body and can swarm out as a construct
-vulnerable to smoke or fire, later to get regeneration and area fx swarm
HIVE is a secret society of superhuman technologists with links to the rich and politicians
-Supply money or advanced technology, or expertise on superhuman tech
-They are possibly dodgy and require watching for breaking Superhuman Test treaty bans

Oragin
Test Astronaut Rex Carter was lost in space but was found alive on Earth. But now his body is somehow animated by a colony of alien bees and he can release swarms of alien Bees. Now he works publicly as FBI liaison to UNIT UK because of his alien experience.

He infiltrated HIVE to monitor it and remained to keep an eye on it. 

UNIT from DrWho


SHADOW from UFO


No2 from the Prisoner

Adam Adamant


The Champions, mild supehumans from Nemesis
 

Steed & Peel from the Ministry