Sunday 28 April 2019

Gnome Hall Dungeon 8






































New Dungeon One-Sheet-Zine


This is a gnome strong hold so feel free to limit ceiling heights to make any tall folk suffer. The lair is functional as a friendly place to visit and trade with then use as an adventure when the gnomes are attacked by evil.

No13 on Patreon now and regular 3folds

Still writing Sea invasion 2

Saturday 27 April 2019

A few projects



Working on this commission for a friend.

Cyberpunk megacity with big craters from orbital impact weapons and biological contamination zones. I don't have full history but will update more. I'm putting together some mood-boards as well. Adding coastline of concrete tetrapods (like japan) and flood barriers like London. Doing a layer with forests, reservations and mountains and locations of old settlements. Feel free any locals to add suggestions. Will keep you updated.

Quite happy amount of graphics I have been doing of late and most of my blog posts using my own work which I hope continues. Mostly due to a light laptop I can use in bed and when traveling easily that i got late last year. The only way I'm affording RPG hobby stuff now is my Patreon and the odd job like this. Early May will set up publisher account of Drive through RPG and put first few 3fold there. A new dungeon one sheet zine on Patreon shortly. Will put up vol 1 Terror of The Frog Cult as freebie everywhere after that. Each 10 volumes will be in a separate area. After first few volumes i realised they could be in same area so made a map with them placed on it. So vol 7 featured that map and notes on the region and encounters to fill in spaces in between. Vol 11-20 are set in my Exilon setting and vol 17 is contains setting info and maps for the setting. 21+ I plan to do as post apoc locations for Gamma World or Planet Psychon or Anomalous Subsurface Environment or other tech fantasies. Feature a number of sky scrapers, bunkers and buildings to explore. Was worried about sourcing art but have come up with some options that work.After that the Vinegar hill Region adjacent to the Threefold lands in vol 1-10. The 7th of each series will be a setting guide freebie.

For May due to the amount of generous patrons on top tier at the moment releasing at least 3 things a month. Hoping on getting some sale Chaosium items for myself. Have to move in 3 months which will be 8th time since dec. Saving up for this tricky as 90% of my income is rent sigh and hard to get a tenant in when Im evicted. New placement is great and not as physically demanding which is nice.

Working on sea  invasion part 2 for the blog.

Friday 26 April 2019

Lesser Deck of Many Things

Dyson Logos has been making a deck of many things based on description unlike most ever published that looks good. Unfortunately as a item it is a world breaker. Fun but here is a less powerful version using same cards. Here is his art. It is awesome. I stole it from FB.

Balance (Two of Spades) - reverse alignment for d4 days 
(random non nuetral if already nuetral)
Comet (Two of Diamonds) - acts as a potion of heroism
Donjon (Ace of Spades) - character teleported into a dungeon
Euryale (Queen of Spades) - minus d4 all saves for d4 days
Fates (Ace of Hearts) - reroll one dice roll over next 24 hours
Flames (Queen of Clubs) - barbed devil appears to kill everyone
Fool (Joker black) - character loses level for d4 days
Gem (Two of Hearts) - character gains a d6x1000gp gem
Idiot (Two of Clubs) - character loses a d4 INT for for a d4 days
Jester (Joker Red) - acts as a potion of heroism and draw two more cards

Key (Queen of Hearts) - +2 magic weapon the character's hand
Knight (Jack of Hearts) - a zero level squire appears to serve you as a follower for life
Moon (Queen of Diamonds) - character gains a wish but it is an illusion that lasts an hour
Rogue (Jack of Spades) - a follower or friend hates and betrays you over d4 days
Ruin (King of Spades) - all non magical items and money on person turn to dust
Skull (Jack of Clubs) - a wight appears and attacks character
Star (Jack of Diamonds) - gains a d4 on one attribute for a 24 hours
Sun (King of Diamonds) - character gains a petty magic item like a wand with 3d6 zero level spells, scroll or a potion
Talons (Ace of Clubs) - lose one magic item
Throne (King of Hearts) - invitation to a nobles court appears in hand, possible job opportunity
Vizier (Ace of Diamonds) - detects next lie or translate next unreadable text character comes across in 24 hours
The Void (King of Clubs) - character becomes a zombie like for 24 hours, can be turned but not destroyed, if killed as a zombie revives after 24 hours expires

Thursday 25 April 2019

From Murder Hobo Camp to Village


Final evolution of my hobo camp, after being sacked by dungeon monsters in phase 4, the king sends a knight to fortify and rebuild and too keep out undesirable murder hobos who must find a new camp or become professional adventurers. Monsters living too close in hills were smoked out then killed or driven off. The hill tunnels entries and caves were mostly sealed with rubble but a underground level under the village exists and monsters might try and tunnel back. Secret tunnels may exist. I envisage this as ten years after murder hobo tents were set up here.


Wednesday 24 April 2019

Sour Hill Region Notes






































So Ive talked about Sour Hill a bit to use in my 3folds vol 31-40. Ive been making post apoc art for series 3 post apocalypse set. Here Im expanding this region a bit and have played with the maps of both a bit. Might still change some names.

Sour Hill was a former castle town with thousands now on verge of total collapse and a borderline ghost town. Monsters have started walking the streets more. Once the cathedral went everything fell in decline. Grandparents here remember a thriving wholesome town, the jewel of the north. Traders come mostly to scrap buildings for cut stone. Former pop 2000, Current pop 400.

Sourhill is a great circle wall the a gatehouse in each compass point, a great tower, a keep and remains of a cathedral which was mostly removed by the church and eventually destroyed the region. The Quarters are Smakley where pious church folk lived, Grunton where pig farmers lived, Dirton where farmers lived and Clankton where traders, crafters and shopkeepers lived.

One former lord of the town kept monster menageries and believed the right amount of monsters was good for the economy but too many threw out the balance. Once he died monsters all over the region thrived out of control. The Monsterarium ruins are overgrown but still there. A goblin freak show operates here still. Slavers sell goblins, kobolds and orcs to civilization from here.

Murder hobos and cultists walk openly now. No new lord has moved in to manage the region, wars have kept kings too busy to share.

Long ago a thriving Druid cult ruled the area leaving megalthic stones and artificial hills everywhere. Current people fear there ghost haunted places.

Seagrave
is a fishing village but smuggling, fish cults, looting ship wrecks is more what it is known for. Now the law in Sour Hill don't come it is getting worse. 
Current pop 200.

Tinvale was a very old tin miners village. The adjacent mines are almost depleted. Miners often dealt with cave folk ghosts and graves here as the mines were thousands of years older. Years ago someone got the bright idea to bring in a breeding pair of kobolds, these goblin-brownie hybrids quickly took over and now fill the hollow hills. The idea was to get the kobolds to mine in return for food which worked a while until others traded them in secret with iron and the kobolds became well armed. Turnip production is now the main industry but tin miners and smiths still work here. 
Former pop 800, Current pop 200.

Icewater was settled by viking mercenaries by a king needing mercenaries over 400 years ago. They don't feel kinship with outsiders and mostly fish. Still barbarians with a old storm god cult they are wary of civilization that betrayed other settled clans. They still trade with the far north kin and can call on them. The local mountains and forests have trolls, dwarves, elves and other monsters. Berserker cults thrive in the area but are unwelcome in peacetime in village. 
Current pop 400.

The Well Known Ruins are on common maps. Technically some are still settled by hangers on and enjoy a lack of tax collectors.

Eastmoor Hall former seat of knight who was warden of the Eastmoors, now a shunned ruin with a dungeon

Scar Hall
 former seat of knight who was warden of the Eastmoors, now over run with kobolds, stirges and worse

Runtly former village where the undesirables and murder hobos kept out of Sour Hill lived but now most have moved their. A ghost town where bandits still camp and a few desperate locals live. 
Former pop 200, Current pop 40?

Barrow Hill full of burial mounds, standing stones and foundations of prehistoric villages. Haunted by wights and other undead mostly shunned. Druids in the local forest and wild folk come to worship here and other megalithic sites all over the region. They also maintain huge cut turf artworks and rock carvings.

Hobbsville was a thriving village of miners, craftsmen and a traders stop. Now it is mostly empty and the remaining residents are devil worshipers. Traders shun it now but some old maps show it as a good place for food, drink and safety. Former pop 200, Current pop 40?

Squidgate a fishing village in decline as fish disappeared and the remaining residents are now squid demon cultists who worship a kraken in a cliff cave entrance that goes under the village. Very few ever visit. Former pop 200, Current pop 40?

Fogville once a farming village but life was always hard and it was abandoned years ago. Some might live in the ghost town but most have heard the village is haunted and the local moors prowling with evil. 
Former pop 100, Current pop 0?

Crabapple Cove a fishing village now miles inland as sand choked the inlet and smothered the area. Nobody lives at this wind swept sand choked ghost town. 
Former pop 200, Current pop 0?

Skull Camp near the south highway entry to the region is a murder hobo shanty town thriving from local dungeons and is the only growing place. Authorities to the south are increasingly interested, mostly it is run by a thieves guild man now (see my murder hobo book and maps). There are multiple maps detailing from the first few tents to a small fort over many years (need to do one more).

Whitecliff/Whitelake/Whitefalls a huge frozen glacier and iced over lake are here, meltwater forms a waterfall and feeds a small river (Icewater stream). Things live in the ice caves and most shun the area.

Ideas for 3folds on this

Kobold Cull in Tin Mines
Stone age cavern complex
Great barrow complex
Squidgate cult?
Wizard dungeon under Eastmoor Hall
Scar Hall a beginners ruin
vol 7 region detailed
vol 10 Sour hill detailed

Will detail the monster management theory of stewardship sometime.

Tuesday 23 April 2019

War With the Undersea Kingdoms Part 1






When The Oceans Invades
At first there were unusual tides, floods and storms damaging coastlines and more than usual lost ships. Then sailors reported more fabulous creatures, great reefs and sargassums of giant kelp blocking sea routes. Then the armies of the deep came after severe floods driving away or conquering whole populations. In some cases the sea peoples were outright monsters with gargantuan war beasts who gobbled up all land dwelling life as food. At first the land people were devastated, retreated inland and in shock. It was like the return of the dawn age when gods and monsters battled across the earth. Some human cults served them out of fear of extermination from a greater force or because they worshiped the sea gods for aeons. Cultist pirates once disorganised united against the rest of humanity. Many islanders worshiped best and worst sea gods but hated surface kingdoms for enslaving and invading them.

But humans fearing annihilation and enslavement began to unite. Many pirates volunteered to aid the Guilds and the Empire. Great navies were formed. Peoples separated by vast distances met and united. The western lotus traders came in huge fleets of ships unseen before. Non humans who hated the sea began to support human efforts. Elf ships were seen again after a thousand years. Orcs poured into lands to aid peoples they previously only ate or enslaved.

As the undersea alliance grew more desperate after their early triumphs they drew on increasingly horrible beings of the darkness in the deeps. Eventually they questioned their righteousness and what they had done and fragmented. Some sea races turned and aided humanity. Thousands of tako octopus faeries migrated to the land in repulsion to the undersea demons of old being awakened in the war effort. Eventually the undersea lands stopped their invasion. But the surface world was changed forever. Improved technology among seafaring peoples improved trade. Strange goods flooded world markets. Peoples once ignorant of each other now were in contact. Slavery had become frowned on as every human was needed in the war effort and every human life was valued. New colonies were established and areas depopulated were resettled. Many non humans traded with humans and even undersea peoples did too. Octapi folk now lived in forests, the northern tundra and river valleys everywhere.

There was a age of optimism and prosperity but many knew that Chaos was awakened and set to invade the world again. It was just a matter of time before a new war across the world was unleashed.

You can decide how much river spirits and beings are involved.


d10 What Started war?

01 Humans destroyed or befouled a sacred place
02 Humanity offended sea god or one of the lords of the ocean
03 Corrupt chaos forces of the undersea realm have united to invade
04 Humans killed a divine monster and took the sacred treasure it guarded 
05 Fish folk seek to restore their ancient surface empires over the land walkers
06 Squid folk and lamprey folk desire food and humans are delicious
07 Sea folk claimed land from before it rose from the sea, just want it back
08 Humanity are spreading like a plague and must be stopped
09 Humanity ruining fish stocks and breeding grounds with pollution and land clearing
10 Humans have treasure and make pleasing sacrifices and food

d10 Objectives of invaders?
01 Gobble up as much food as possible
02 Take human husbands and brides and breed a new hybrid race to occupy the land
03 Punish and humiliate the land walkers for neglecting the ancient pacts made aeons ago
04 Decimate human numbers and take their children as slaves to control population
05 Make humans worship the old sea gods for their own good
06 Help the primitive human land savages for their own good
07 Aid allied oppressed islander people enslaved by "civilised humans"
08 Punish humans for insulting one of the sea kings
09 Restore the previous sea empire that conquered land long ago
10 Stop humans crossing sea without due deference to sea overlords

d10 What ends war?
01 Food runs out, fish go home
02 Gods intervene and make new pact between elements
03 Humans offer sacrifices and respect to undersea peoples
04 Plot to flood the world foiled
05 Land creatures unite and have significant battle
06 Split in undersea forces and leaders breaking alliance
07 Ancient undersea evils return forcing sea rulers to face them
08 Sea lords decide surface is a dump and satisfied having wrecked the place
09 Discover how tainted by chaos and evil cults the surface is
10 Surface folk retreat and sea lords lose interest in going further inland

d10 Factions of the Sea

01 Sea dragons, kings of the sea ordained by heaven, served by spirit folk
02 Merfolk kingdoms, children of the sea gods 
03 Sea faerie kingdoms, sea elves, spirit folk and minor sea divinities
04 Marine Iguana folk with aquatic dinosaurs (sea devils)
05 Cetacean tribes of whales and dolphins fed up with being eaten
06 Sea demons, servants of chaos and the dark depths, masters of marine undead
07 Tako, octopus fairy folk kingdoms
08 Fish folk kingdoms and their vassal races seek to restore land empire of old
09 Squid folk kingdoms and their vassal races want to eat surface folk
10 Elder worm folk, former great undersea power of primordial age seek revival

d10 Factions of the Surface World
01 Pirates of the inner ocean fighting for money and amnesty for past crimes
02 Merchant guilds can amass a naval presence and fund resistance
03 Islander folk, human tribal allies, tired of enslavement by "civilized" lands
04 The great empire, mighty but in decline, weakened by internal wars
05 Vikings of the far north, raiders and traders of the sea 
06 The great trading sea peoples of the ancient southern fire lands
07 The black galleys of the secretive lotus traders of the west
08 Orcs surprisingly have rallied to war knowing that sea people wish them exterminated
09 Misty Wearlund islands come from ancient self exiled seclusion   
10  Sylvan folk, elves and faerie and goblin thralls unwilling to see nature drowned

d10 Quests of the War
01 Prevent the creation of tidal waves by rogue water wizards
02 Stop sea necromancers raising undead war fleet
03 Visit the court of the Sea Dragon Kings and convince them war must end
04 Stop the attempt to melt the great northern glaciers to flood the world again
05 Stop the revival of a ancient demon sea god of the deep by a evil cult
06 Call on gods, spirits and dragons of land and sky to aid the surface
07 Find something to hold hostage to get a faction to drop out
08 Make a deal to pay off some undersea factions with tributes and promises
09 Hunt sea cults, servants of chaos demons and ancient monsters kings sabotaging 
10 Search great reef ruined cities of the ancients for how they stopped the sea invaders

Land Forces of the war

Tonnage more about how many barrels or they carry or extra soldiers if used as transport for short trips. Crew is typical load. Miles/day is speed. These details can vary a lot and are estimates. Sea races get speeds as they can move in water as boats and could be handy for plotting travel.

The Pirates of Shadelport

Pirates with light armoured, well armed, gun powder, good land or sea, Irregular, Morale 8
Pirate Corsair, 40 ton, 20 crew 60 miles/day cheap and fast Morale 9
Pirates often operate coastal forts, trade towns or simple camps, often hidden. Most of the inner ocean pirated are based in Exile Island's Shadelport and have come to be bought off by the empire who during it's civil war lost most of it's navy and maritime skill base.

The Guilds of the Warring KingdomsGuild Cog 200 ton 50 miles/day 12 crew common merchant or transports Morale 6
Guild Hulk 300 ton 30 miles/day 24 crew common merchant or transports Morale 6
Guild Caravel 60 ton 100 miles/day advanced explorer Morale 7
Guild Carrack 90 ton 80 miles/day six months range, high in water resistant to lower ships, have cannons, latest, most advanced ships on sea, Morale 8
Guilders operate trade outposts and operate numerous fortified coastal cities and forts
The guilds operate banking and trade across the warring states. Former vassals of the various versions of the Empire and Waerland, they are among the most advanced with guns and sail

The Western Islands

Islander Warriors, light armed and armed but fierce, good land or coast, irregular, Morale 10
Islander Zombies, slow moving but fearless undead, Morale 12
Islanders Outrigger 10 ton 
30 miles/day long canoes with oars & sails 20 crew  Morale 10
Islander Catamaran 30 ton 60 miles/day trading transports with sails for long range 5 crew Morale 8
Islanders live in simple villages and populations are mobile. They are 
surprisingly advanced at earthwork fortification stop most advanced gunpowder troops. They are very experienced at fighting advanced slavers, sea races and many fear they are cannibals (only sometimes true, most only do so opportunistically or eat dead family as funerary rite but some thrive on it). Use of zombies is not evil to them but also terrifies enemies. Many villagers have grave yards surrounding walled villages as defenses and call ancestors to fight with them and fallen enemies. 

The Third Empire

Empire Marine, well armed and armoured professional troops, regular, Morale 9
Empirial Wizard Corp, dangerous and highly feared regular wizard force, Morale 9
Empire Trader 30 ton 5 crew mostly coast traders Morale 6
Empire Merchant 100 ton Galley 24 crew with oars Morale 7
Empire War Galley 300 ton 320 crew with oars and incendiary weapons, scorpions and mangonels and later gunpowder for bombardment, Morale 8
Empire once was the greatest sea power but guilds and pirates have surpassed them. Tend to be over confidant and operate fortified coastal cities. This is the Third version of the Empire but in recent decades crippled by civil war and no longer operates beyond it's shores. They are not well liked by most nations who enjoy their internal strife.

The Northmen

Viking Warriors, well armed and armoured, good land or sea, regular, Morale 10
Viking Knarr trader 20 ton 5 crew mostly coast traders Morale 6
Viking Longship 30 ton 30 crew Morale 10
Viking Dragonship  60 300 crew Morale 10
Fierce raiders from the north, not most advanced but tenacious, wide ranging and cunning, highly feared and more flexible than big navies. Many colonies across whole north and even far up river systems. All crew and even commoners are are fighting folk.

The Ancient Sea Peoples

Sea People Warriors, light arm and armour, good land or sea, regular, Morale 8
Sea P
eople Royal Guard, heavy elite troops, better on land than sea, Morale 10 
Sea People Galley, 30 ton 30 crew Morale 7
Sea People Trireme, 50 ton 160 crew Morale 8
Ancient empires and raiders to south, spread colonies far and wide and very ancient. Many coastal forts and fortified cities. Still use chariots which they transport by sea, and many cities supported by road and sea routes making lands resistant to invasion. Have invaded more advanced peoples despite use of bronze. Some even carry statues of gods into battle to aid them. May act as pirates alone or as part of city states or empires.

The Lotus Empire of the West

Lotus Pirates, light, savage fanatics, irregular Morale 12 .
Lotus Empire Marines, well armed and armoured professional regular, Morale 8
Lotus Merchant Junk, 20 ton, crew 5, Morale 6
Lotus Baochuan, 1000 ton flat bottomed huge ships with oar and sail, use fire, guns and poison gas, crew 2000 Morale 10
Most know of smugglers and traders from the west flooding known world with narcotics and spices. The appearance of huge floating war vessels with thousands of men travelling huge distances was a surprise. Mostly they keep to themselves but a few of the Dragon  emperors of the west have used these fleets to establish trade routes and outposts every few centuries. Lotus empire peoples are more familiar with the under sea civilisations than other lands and have detailed knowledge about their courts and ways.

Mist Shrouded Waerlund

Waerlund Privateers, light but advanced, including many wizards, experts at striking and evading enemies, regular.  Morale 9
Waerlund Pinnace 30 ton 16 crew 160 miles per day sail, long range light guns and magic, Morale 9
Waerland Galleon 300 ton 40 crew 60 miles per day, Morale 7
Waerlund Islands are shrouded in mist, deadly reefs and foul weather. They are remnants of a former wizard empire reputed to have faerie blood. A land of knights and wizards mostly isolated from world that mostly hates them. During the war they return to international commerce and already trade with non humans. They have many isolated hidden outposts from their old empire that collapsed when their dragon allies departed and they fell to decadence. The guilders were first to re open comunications, the Empire is more wary and reluctant to admit their current fuedal culture is inspired by past Waeric influence.

Savage Orcs

Orc Pirates, light and fierce regular, Morale 9
Orc War Galley 30 ton crew 60 Morale 9
Savage and frightening and appear in huge numbers. More and more they work with human pirates and adopting guns. Some have worked with land armies of orcs serving orc kings and even those still serving wizards who make them. Rarely Elves will make them as desperation to replace lost elves from desperation, to be buffers with non elves and because goblinoids make terrible seafarers. Most people hate them but they seem to be across the whole world and often serve as mercenaries. Orcs sometimes bring giants, ogres and trolls with them.

Kingdom of Elfland

Elven Marines, heavily armed, armoured and magical Morale 9
Elven Caravel, 120 ton 300 miles/day by using faerie gates, swan prowed magical ships, some individual ones over a thousand years old and feared by many, crew 120 regular. Morale 10
Elves know of their under sea elf kin and other aquatic races. The are reluctant to fight them or aid humanity but ultimately seek to prevent the world being flooded again after having re planted the worlds forests at least twice in known history. Their knowledge is a great boon to the surface forces and they can act as guides through faerie gates across vast distances. Elves have been conquerors and wiped our peoples in the past and are feared. As they are immortal they are reluctant to fight but might bring thrall goblinoids or orcs in huge numbers.


Undersea Forces of the war
The undersea alliance are a mixed band but barley unified or coordinated. The first few weeks their shock tactics and forgotten elder magics won many victories and to many it seemed like doomsday. As time goes on it becomes apparent the sea people have no plan just attack. As surface people unite and retaliate the sea people are forced to work together and mostly fail. Thousands of years of fighting each other made cooperation difficult. It was only a matter of time before old grudges made the factions turn on each other and humans started to use this to their advantage. As land folk share intelligence the sub dwellers were manipulated into fighting each other and the land invasion ceased and so did the war between land and water. 

Sea Dragon Kings

Sea Spirit Marines, well armed human looking spirits of sea grass the rank and file people of the ocean can march on land especially up rivers. Regular, 20 miles per day, Morale 9
Sea Spirit Seahorse Riders, sea cavalry good for attacks on sea but not land. Regular 40 miles per day, Morale 9
Sea Spirit Barbarians, ill disciplined light equipped, sea spirit tribes
 can march on land especially up riversIrregular 30 miles per day, Morale 8 
Sea Dragon Rider, a noble of a royal clan on a sea dragon can fight on shore. Regular 200 miles per day, Morale 10
Dragon Turtle Riders, each with a castle and ten elite troops can fight on shore. Regular 120 miles per day, Morale 10
Each ocean and sea has a dragon king ruling great undersea empires ordained by heaven. Spirit folk are magical peoples of the sea vegetation who populate the sea kingdoms. Mostly they are proud but civilized and not interested in cruelty but conquest.

Merfolk
Merfolk Infantry, light armed and useless on land. Irregular 40 miles per day, Morale 7
Sirens, able to charm human crews and fly. Irregular 40 miles per day, Morale 7
Nymph, minor sea godesses with animal pets, limited use on shores. Regular 40 miles per day, Morale 8
Sea Divinity, a minor sea god, giant merfolk with priest powers, kin to sea gods. Irregular 80 miles per day, Morale 10
Gargantuan Sea Beast, titanic sea monsters bred for war by gods. Irregular 60 miles per day, Morale 12
Merfolk are kin of ancient sea gods. Mostly they seek to punish land folk and have no capacity to conquer dry land. Will try to call on divine aid to cause floods and disasters but if their temples and relics are lost they will fall back.

Sea Faeries

Sea Elf Marines, light but magical and able on land. Regular 20 miles per day, Morale 7
Sea Elf Dolphin Riders, magical, can go up rivers and dismount. Regular 60 miles per day, Morale 8
Selkie are sealion lycanthropes who can become human and spy on the land. Regular 30 miles per day, Morale 8
Sea Elf Caravel 120 ton 300 miles/day by using faerie gates, seahorse prowed magical ships, some individual ones over a thousand years old and feared by many, crew 120 regular. Morale 10
Sea faerie folk occupy a faerie world beneath the sea. They seek to avoid conflict with their land cousins, and mostly swept up in the war for spoils and easy victory but will waver quickly.

Reptilians

Marine Iguana Warriors, light arms and armour but tougher than humans, Regular 40 miles per day, Morale 8 
Iguana Icthiosaur Riders, can go up rivers and dismount. Regular 60 miles per day, Morale 8
Sea Serpent, dangerous to ships, can fight on shores and up rivers. Irregular 80 miles per day, Morale 9
Pliesosaurus, dangerous to ships,  Irregular 60 miles per day, Morale 7
Tylosaurus, huge ship destroyers and Iguana troop transporters, Irregular 50 miles per day, Morale 11
These ancient reptilians are not evil as many suppose, merely misunderstood and frightening. Many sleep in the depths from ancient times and are easily misled. They have various factions and might easily turn on allies if leaders change or the wart goes badly.

Cetaceans

Dolphins, fast but best vs aquatic foes, Irregular 60 miles per day, Morale 7
Killer Whale, large menace to boats and aquatic foes, Irregular 35 miles per day, Morale 8
Sperm Whale, huge ship destroyers and monster killers, aquatic foes, Irregular 40 miles per day, Morale 9
Sea Behemoth, gargantuan monster whale ruler from deep, Irregular 90 miles per day, Morale 10
Angered by human whalers and spoiling of the sea, they are keen to drive back "invading" land lubbers. Hate shark folk and the evil sea folk and quickly turn on them

Chaos Sea Demon

Sea Demon Cultists, infiltrate and appear as human factions but many are hybrids and water breathers, conduct sabotage and operate anywhere on land or water. Irregular 20 miles per day, Morale 11
Sea Zombies, undead from the deep, drowled seafarers from the past.  Irregular 10 miles per day, Morale 12
Sea Hag, super human sea witches of great power, often command monsters. Irregular 120 miles per day, Morale 11
Sea Giant, ancient hideous giant of deep, Irregular 40 miles per day, Morale 10
Sea Ghost, spirit armies of non corporeal dead. Irregular 30 miles per day, Morale 2
Sea Demons, other worldly ancient horrors of the deep with strange powers,  Irregular 60 miles per day, Morale 11
Greater Sea Demon, powerful gigantic sea demon. Irregular 20 miles per day, Morale 11
Sea Demon Prince, lords of some demonic aquatic plane ,leads demon armies. Irregular 90 miles per day, Morale 11
Elder God, slumbering leviathans of the deep unseen since gods walked the earth and imprisoned them in their corpse cities, powerful black magicians. Irregular 300 miles per day, Morale 12
Cult Merchantman, cultist trading vessel
Corpse Hulk, barnacle covered undead transport
Ghost Ship, phantom ships of non corporeal spirits
At first only a few cane to the war and seemed allies, but as they awoke from slumbers or came through portals it becomes clear to their allies they are worse than humans and a threat to all life.

Fish Folk Empire

Fish Folk Infantry, light but tough, prefer to fight near water but will follow rivers and swamps.  Regular 20 miles per day, Morale 8
Fish Folk Hybrids, infiltrate and appear as human factions but many are hybrids and water breathers, conduct sabotage and operate anywhere on land or water. Irregular 20 miles per day, Morale 7
Fish Folk Magicians, field units of priests and wizards using black magic. Regular 20 miles per day, Morale 11
Shark Folk, savage barbarian heavy infantry. Reluctant to leave sight of sea. Irregular 20 miles per day, Morale 11
Crab Folk, savage barbarian heavy infantry. Reluctant to leave sight of sea. Irregular 20 miles per day, Morale 10
Lobster Folk, savage barbarian heavy infantry. Reluctant to leave sight of sea. Irregular 20 miles per day, Morale 10
Eel Folk
, savage barbarian heavy infantry. Reluctant to leave sight of sea. Irregular 20 miles per day, Morale 9

Squid Folk Empire
Squid Folk, light but black magicians love to eat human brains. Regular 20 miles per day, Morale 7
Amonite Folk, armoured heavy squid folk. Regular 20 miles per day, Morale 8
Lamprey Folk, disgusting blood drinkers. 
Regular 20 miles per day, Morale 7
Starfish Folk, rapid breeders and able to heal terrible wounds. Irregular 20 miles per day, Morale 11
Trilobite Folk, ancient armoured knights of the sea, Regular 10 miles per day, Morale 10
Giant Squid, colossal monsters that attack shipping. Regular 50 miles per day, Morale 8

Giant Nautilus, huge transports and useful anti ship fighters. 60 miles per day, Morale 8 

Tako
Tako octopus fairies, magical, greedy, but cowardly 
Regular 30 miles per day, Morale 6
War Kraken, gargantuan ancient ancestors and gods of Tako, abe to destroy ships and attack forts. Regular 60 miles per day, Morale 8

Past Monster War Zones
Faerie 1 Faerie Forces
Faerie 2 Encounters Wonders
Faerie 3 Rumours Treasure
Faerie Maidens
Faerie Land Encounters
Goblin 1 Goblin Forces
Goblin 2 Encounters Wonders
Goblin 3
 Rumours Treasure

Peasant Revolt 1 Forces and Encounters
Peasant Revolt 2 Gossip
Draconic 1 Encounters and wonders
Draconic 2 Gossip
Draconic 3 Treasure
Necromancer 1 Causes and forces
Necromancer 2 Encounters and links
Necromancer 3 Rumours and treasure
Giant 1 Causes and forces
Giant 2 Encounters and links
Giant 3 Rumours and treasure
Addendum Quests
Wizard Wars 1 
Causes and forces
Wizard Wars 2 Encounters and links
Wizard Wars 3 Rumours and treasure

Mutant Wars 1 Causes and forces
Mutant Wars 2 Encounters and links
Mutant Wars 1 Causes and forces
Mutant Wars 2 Encounters and links
Mutant Wars 3 Rumours and treasure

Armies of Monster Empires
Morale & Battlefield Problems

This is awesome site
https://www.naval-encyclopedia.com/medieval-ships/

Sunday 21 April 2019

Sour Hill



























Sour Hill region based on old blog post, history of Old Sarum and to expand on my 3folf land setting which is on continant below Exile Island and Shadelport.

3fold project hick up?
Do I really need SRD when i don't mention system but have some non ip monster statblocks.

If im gona do a post apoc/psychon series im stumped for art. Might put off until i do a KS to buy art later in year. Possibly old pulp mags out of date or public domain.

So the town of sour hill had it's church shut down when nobles feuded with bishops. The cathedras was dismantled and moved causing town and region to decline. Plus tin mines declined and monsters got worse. With continental civil war region is forgotten and depleted. Lots of pagan ruins and turf art and standing stones. Cults and murder hobos are everywhere.

Will need to do fortified Sour Hill town map, nearly a ghost town waiting to be overrun.
Several villages, i might add my murder hobo skull fort down south on highway.
Ruins in Eastmoor are a hall like ones on 3fold.
Tinvale near tin mine dating to stone age roiddled with tunnels, undead miners and kobolds
Seagrave full of wreckers, smugglers and fish cults
Icewater folk hate strangers
plus some prehistoric ruin monuments

Wednesday 17 April 2019

Dungeon Dunnys






























Len Lakofka went mental at a thread I had on toilets in dungeons. I say it is realism, others say "Dunna Wanna Know" or "nobody wants to think about toilets in dnd". A dunny is Strayan for toilet or bog house, shit house, crapper, loo etc. Im sure orcs have exciting names for them. I did some tables on them in my redbrick dungeon book. Here is some options for historic lavatories. What do your dungeons have? Where do the monsters empty their chamber pots, or are dungeons a euphemism for open sewer? I like to think magic solves lots of these problems. Nightmen or Gong farmers would gather excrement from cities and sell to farmers, the richer the poop the more the value. Many streets would be ankle deep in shit with seasonal variations. There were times the river through London was a barley moving sewer and the city reeked from miles away. Concentration camps smelled bad. Plus all the animal waste. No wonder slave operated palanquins were so good. I found a real bronze age palace map with on suite large toilet rooms for royalty. If you don't want a fancy sewer use pigs, China thrived on them. A local swamp can help. As long as the rich don't drain it for land then find it actually had a handy function. At least have a chamber pot or a pig sty in every few rooms or a latrine pit. At least in DnD some monsters probably eat the stuff or breed  in it. I like giant dungeon dung beetles who roll around huge balls of poop that fill the corridoor and run you down. Perhaps a cult take care of this stuff? Let your creativity flow. Everybody poops, except possibly elves. 

Tuesday 16 April 2019

Masks Nyarlathotep So Far...






































Here she comes a oozin down the street
chantin' "Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do"

Snappin' her tentacles and shufflin' her hoofs,

chantin' "Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do"

The only mythos god that give you milk
Dedicated to recent thing that happened in tonights game.

The next best thing to killing a character,
driving them insane and into the clutches of Shub Niggurath.

So Almost done the New York chapter of the new edition of masks.

Like much of modern Chaosium it looks, good, is crammed pack and pretty high quality. Still the best company making RPG's to me (though dropped the ball a few years back). But it has lots of flaws. Im using fan made companion extra content and have found it helpful for fixing some flaws and expanding on ideas. I keep my second ed copy on hand because it has some great art and is often easier to find stuff and to work out what to focus on. Small print but density is not worst RPG crime but i often need to use glasses which is very rare for me.

I might be complaining a lot here but I do dream of buying more stuff and my wish list has over 20 old and new Chaosium products now, 2nd is a few TSR things I lost and want back. Ive complained about old vs new before so will avoid that trap. I guess trendy rules and possible simpler/less maths helps some ppl.

I never thought it was the best COC scenario. I always thought it Pulpy. Fungi From Yuggoth and Shadows of Yog Sothoth Ive run many times. Spawn of Azathoth I like and one of best case dreamlands adventure in a mythos plot. Normally I use dreamlands my own way not strictly cannon. Dunsanay opium frolics clash with Mythos too much. I always thought Masks was pulpier and the Game over editions became pulpier so i use 2nd Ed because it is meaner. A few good things in 7th ed but lots of stuff I would not bother with. I learned 3 systems in early 80s and used all my slots cos Im a brain damaged grogtard. Also Orient Express is terrible. I threw out most of the content from 1st edition but keep the railroad npc book close always.

Despite all this Im running Masks. Probably more like Lumley style than HPL or Pulp.
I see no problem with using tech available to criminals and in shops to kill real monsters.

Im finding it very over written and hard to find stuff

Half a page on a character you talk to in a bar.
Stats on character who is killed in the scene you meet them
Wish headings of section had NPC name instead of poetic headings
Im tempted to make my own flow chart with built in check list.
Sometimes only one player of 6 in room can read handouts.
They had white paper in ye old days. Not all paper was poor quality or sun damaged.
Sometimes repeats info many times in same scenario, even on same spread.
Miss 8 page scenario chapters in Shadows of Yog Sothoth.
Instead I get 32 pages instead making prep slower.
Tiny dark portraits that often are not helpful in book.
Pages on scenes that don't really help much.
Keep wishing next version fixes things.
Some of the added threads don't really gravitate the main story.
One chapter states local gun laws another does not - a format on counties might be good.
An "Atlas of Cthulhu" with local gun laws, police, health care, customs and stuff in a simple format might be nice.
They killed a villain never realising his significance but I guess they will eventually learn.
Some items with no warning destroy characters.
What if a character was driven mad with the vision mask and implored everyone to try it?
TPK is old hat TPM in COC is real. Total Party Madness.

Lots of loose ends in play so Im happy to have characters just kill some people with tommy guns or pay someone else to murder a bad guy. Happy they throw money at a lawyer get a mook out of death row so they can get on with meat of adventure. After killing cult and burning down HQ saving a mook seems a bit slow paced. A SAN reward might tempt them.

On the plus side some of these problems could be features to some.

I made a NPC live cos I liked her half page bio and thought it a waste to snuff her on first contact. She helped drive events on. I considered making her a love interest but the investigators are mostly damaged war vets and couldn't speak her language or too scruffy.

I realise some people need everything spelled out to give keeper lots of room and flexibility in case things come up but my players still ended up stepping outside the framework so I had to improvise any way or made my own tangents. If no amount of writing can prepare the GM maybe don't try. Encouraging improv and creativity is a dying art in all published big company works.

I was happy that the second New York session due to player absences only one player/character was on both games but the hand outs and me and that player filled them in well and the three previously missing players all said "wish I was there".

The companion adding details on snow in NYC 1925 helped lots to set mood.
I used the extra Mexico prequel which was great.
-beat crap out of fake drunk god
-all captured by well armed criminals with rifle skills they couldn't deal with
-a reminder "sane" humans are bad bad monsters

New Peru section was great despite above problems and players loved it.
This chapter took three sessions, was railroady but fun.
Except when they lost 90% of their stat points.
Being horribly crippled made a few go home after a fight in first city.
I like maiming or cursing characters rather than killing them.

Now I have London chapters and fan content to read.
Honestly it has reading requirements of a Uni subject with no credit.
Players might sail to London and I will try and use a Mauritainia scenario.
Or they will use Eihort's gate if they can spare the SAN.

So my campaign now on year three run since 1920 has been pretty fun.
Might discuss this later.

So far in Masks
Peru 3 sessions
Mexico 1 session
New York 2 sessions - still need to hear will and see erica
Im guessing London will be several weeks

Monday 15 April 2019

3fold Project






















Current Plans
 

Only frog gods has had 2 proofing rounds rest stillborn right now Have a couple of readers helping me slowly. 3-5 hours of fun to make one, longer and unpleasant work to edit and back and forth

Vol 1-10 Series 1 Threefold Lands

1 Terror of The Frog Cult – swamp lair of the frog cult Lv1-3
2 The Beast of Velborton – village under nocturnal attack from a beast Lv3-4
3 Grifons Gold – quest for gold of Glitter Mountain Lv4-6
4 Wicked things in the Blackhill Mines – devil cult in a mine Lv4-5
5 The Secret of Grannys Hole – whats that in Granny's hole? Lv0-1
6 The Dragon Makers Tears – an alchemist patron who makes dragons Lv1-12
7 The Threefold Lands – regional map and more encounter tables Lv1-12
8 The Frog Hall Curse – underneath ruins of Southmoor Hall Lv 2-4 9 The Haunted Hall – underneath ruins of Northmoor Hall Lv 3-5
10 A Tale of Two Taverns – fairest and foulest taverns in Velborton Lv1-12
+ colour & B&W A4map

Vol 11-13 Series 2 Exilon

1 Desert Demons – uncover a demon haunted lost desert temple Lv3-5
2 Well of Souls – royal grave has been revealed in a pit Lv3-5
3 The Treasure Pits of Elab – graverobbers found a miracle Lv3-5 
4 Gold of the fish gods - hunt the fish cultists menbacing a village Lv2-4 
5 Rage of the River - what is sabotaging a royal monument? Lv2-4


Bundle 1: The Threefold Lands 

Include Vol 1-10 + bonus maps bundle 
Bundle 2: Exilon (only done 5 so far) 
Include Vol 1-10 + bonus maps and setting booklet

$1 Each
or
$8 Bundle 1 $10 Bundle 2

Vol 1 on Patreon now
update and edit online this week
will look at getting it on drivethrough

Sunday 14 April 2019

Marvel Stuff


 

Some stuff I did for my supers game. Players just beat Subterania's and took Inferno former hero arch enemy home who was ruler of Magnar. Will beat up some atlanteans later. I made kinda ambiguous if actually underground or a dimension. The encounter sheet is for when I need to know what a character doing in opening cut scenes of game. Plus some notes on regular contacts etc.

7 Cities of Atlantis
Subterania - atlantean ancients who went underground to survive (Like Mole People move)
Lemuria - probably like city of toads in Marvels Eternals
Mechan - based on Carl Barks Scrooge - alien btains in jars with limbs who scavenge ship wrecks
Ralyeh - Just some innocent fish folk, nothing to see here
Arion - Atlantean wizard colony, hat tip to DC comic character
Mu - like in Movie Atragon

7 Cities of the Underworld
Subterania - same as above list
Lemuria - Ditto
Sauria - Dinosaurian homnids shelter (dr who silurians/sea devils inspired)
N'Kai - just some old prehistoric Native Americans, nothing to see here
Geotopia - rock men a bit of flash gordon
Magnar - lava men

Mole people don't count they get enslaved and eaten by everybody but probably have own civilization buy nobody cares unless they need fresh slaves.

APIS is Australian Paranormal Intelligence Service

Blank of the encounter form at:
EMO@Flickr

Im running this as a once a month or so with several dads and it is hard to get together - whod athought families would hang out on 3 public holidays this month. I guess more ppl in Sydney are single or exotic relationship status for gaming time.

Been convinced to apply for a con but local one seems to charge GM's and only buy day tickets which has put me off before. I discussed these issues and they hit me with a wall of optimism and good cheer so I might still give it a go. They always sell out which I guess is good I just Suspect Adelaide and my taste have drifted too far apart and I find it easy to get 1-3 games a week in Sydney. More games for sale there and even a big OSR section.

Cthulhu games I seem to get running anywhere easily - it is my bacon-trojan horse go to game to get players where ever I move. Lots of ppl Cthulhu curious even if no product for sale. When I am secure will go to Melbourne Cons. My Patreon is paying for a copy Of D1-2 for me which is nice. Interest in my 3folds seems to be biggest buzz Iv =e had in years so im getting more proofed and will by my first RPG drive thru product. Might even pay for me to buy big boy internets like I used to have and guzzle a few gig a day. Right now im on 10gig a month on my phone but it has made me spend more time on photoshop. Thanks for Interest everyone in my new stuff, coming soon!

Frog Cult 3fold is on patreon now - getting updated tomorrow with betterer spellin and grandma..!