Tuesday 31 January 2023

Updates on Projects



A quick note about my projects especially in light of has-been Has-bro's gamer-gouge and my freaking out for a few weeks and considering the impact of this. 

This is a collector guide for my 3fold flyer adventures on my patreon.
Will do one for my other books and zines and adventures 

Mole machine 3fold drops on the 1st and is one I'm especially happy with. A reader requested this and its useful for me to see this. I may have to revise the numbering system. Season one is edited. Season two has been edited with lots of thorough notes and I'm considering revising stuff. Ive toned down on starting up everything in these. After all the minimum early edition monster stat block is what really holds retro D&D together and lets me even use DCC stuff with no effort. So some of these will end up in bundles at some sale point but I'm kinda not very motivated in hustling my hobby interests right now.

Been doing lots of work on my homebrew. Will revise a draft of my digest rulebook when the spells are finished. Then will start a more major a4 big book revision with more D&Disms worn away and a revision of the spell list to one A-Z with more customised lists for species and subclasses. 

Acid Mines Of Neon Mountain Update. This was intended to use a stripped-down version of retro D&D with alternate level progression from 1-4th for fort campaigns from rags to superheroes. I've decided to call this System: Heartbreaker. The rulebook will be open-source CC. Settings and adventures won't and you need to write character classes for each adventure campaign. There are no spell lists all abilities are built into your classes and include setting-based abilities and names. Which leads to the gonzo adventurers of the adventure. I may simplify this system more to be less D&D like now.  Previews for this will be on my Patreon upper tiers some colour character cards with stats next. Hopefully ends up being a more useful more weirder overdesigned zine format and maybe i can find someone to publish it for me so it gets better exposure than I could do.

Exilon Book In Production.

Frog-Wars Book this year
Possibly a second Broken Hill Book or huge expansion
Revision of my Stoneage Sorcery book as I have a stunning cover and lots more content
Xor book - sadly AI would be good for this I made lots of wonderful inspiring flesh-scapes made me want to work on this again. I should finish the map of Shadelport this year and a bridge mega dungeon..

I did consider some collaborations but currently, plenty of people have bigger worries. One SF item and one project to create a vintage pulp RPG that is anti-colonialist. Less dependent on ethnic slander villainy but still killing nazis and plunderers. I'm unsure if this is possible but want some AGent13 level mega story for setting

Lots of my old art files to dig through sigh for copyright-free clip art as AI has kinda become more hated since my last big book. Id happily only use an AI trained on my own art and historic art. I've been hoarding images since 80s and have filing cabinets of strange late 80s early 90s stuff in mags not online. I recently helped my ex-boss in the comic biz throw out two 12-ton dumpsters of reference material collected since 70s? Mountains of reference books are also everything a realist comic artist would need. It's been so much easier to find stuff online than your own physical reference books or even your own hard drives. AI art i did find very stimulating this year and I've seen amazing stuff I enjoyed. It has me reading art philosophy, law and cognitive theory again. I'm reminded lots about the Muller Fokker effect by John Sladek about AI art written in the 70s. As lots of my work as an artist since 80s was reference-based or collage I find some claims about art recently are hostile to found art and sampling.

I've seen AI-generated humans of late talking on videos and it's mostly because they have the same over-expressive features as each other I noticed and I'm sure soon I won't be able to tell and they will be targeted at me. Im seeing more AI writing. The first "AI" novel I read was produced in the 70s. Maybe it will be a penguin classic one day despite the high amount of sex for a detective story.  

Monday 30 January 2023

d100 Petty Urban Hazzards





































More stuff for your zero or 1st level newbs to meddle in or street-level sidequests to get something you need in a city. Maybe when you are in that tavern you hear some local problems. Maybe your teen adventurers meet up and need some low-risk local problems they can fix.

I guess the current licensing hysteria is stalled and people moving forwards but I think we just had the biggest shift in FRPG gaming in a long time. Seeing people trying new games, selling their official stuff off, or making their own systems. One interesting outcome is I saw lots of good new youtube channels reporting on the issue and some ppl I gained some respect for and others I lost a bit. Apologies to ppl concerned early on I dismissed as irrelevant to me and the greater hobby. I couldn't believe how badly wizards were acting or a company would make such a vague and threatening grab on the work of a creator culture hobby. It seemed too greedy and dumb to be real.

d10 Petty Urban Hazzards
1 Vermin
2 Health 
3 Poverty
4 Crime
5 Boredom
6 State
7 Church
8 Witchcraft
9 Magic
10 Monstrosity

d100 Petty Urban Problems
01 Rats in the cellar need exterminating - swarm nest or perhaps giant ones
02 Giant spider in the attack of someone's house, possibly eating some missing persons 
03 Giant fleas or ticks in the street coming from somewhere that needs exterminating
04 Stray vicious rabid dog on the loose
05 Stray goat has been butting people, especially those bending over or balancing. Lives on rooftops and can climb around easily
06 Locals convinced a stray cat is a witch familiar spying on them
07 Gremlins in sewer pipes surprising people on the toilet and causing bad luck and wrecking stuff
08 Giant bugs have been coming from the sewers at night looking for food
09 Some kobolds escaped from servitude and have gone wild in trash heaps and midden heaps
10 Swarms of flies sometimes form horrendously choking street in clouds as moves around
11 Stinking cloud from a sewer causing people to wretch and flee
12 Outbreaks of slime or giant toxic mould in an abandoned house
13 Area cursed with a stinking miasma causing disease or plague and nobody can find the source
14 Fire hazard areas prone to fire, poor water access and rubbish. Locals usually contain house fires but the risk of it growing or perhaps a magical arsonist or cultist is at work 
15 Several houses collapsing and poor old people need help mending their roofing since their children ran away to become adventurers years ago
16 River of backflowing sewerage fills a street. The gongfarmers who clean the sewers and gather waste claim some creature is keeping them from removing a fatberg of congealed grease as big as a house
17 SInkhole collapses into the deep exposing sewers and old tunnels
18 Someone exposed an ancient burial and an undead has been walking the streets at night moaning about its resting place being destroyed
19 Giant dangerous fungus or plant has grown in some secluded gaps between buildings and spreading. Possibly some types of ambulant or carnivorous or toxic
20 Someone is a cursed plague carrier and has a form they spread by air, they hide their open bleeding sores and know they are sick but fear being killed by the mob
21 Numerous homeless child gangs are often exploited by gangs and awful people with money
22 Many locals are sick but also large amounts of lead, mercury, 
23 Local house making matches and older workers are deformed and have glowing bones, and children sell matches on the street sp each. Phosphorescence spreading
24 Local alchemist dumps colourful chemicals in street and many locals like to recycle the colourful toxic waste. Mutated drain critters have local children exited
25 Hungry squatters have occupied buildings and locals and owners need them out or rent money
26 People camping on the streets blocking foot traffic
27 People dumping garbage, manure and dead animals on the street
28 Rich people like to race carriages and horses and like the thrill of nearly running down a poor person
29 Large gatherings of people gather at noticeboards and corners where criers announce jobs, occasionally there is a job riot where people swarm to a work site or try to snatch a new poster first
30 Criminal guild feeding hungry poor on the street with soup and tea and bread and locals troubled. Keeps people friendly to guild and against the militia who don't want to give away soup
31 Pickpocketing children and youths rampant with spotters and other children who create diversions or throw rocks if a friend is caught. Local guild has been training and feeding them
32 Mad stabber walking the streets at night practising occult ritual vivisections for some cult and writhing enigmatic graffiti
33 All women gang beating up drunks for money
34 Child snatchers who sell children and "skinners" who steal posh children's clothes have teamed up and increased productivity. Often pretend to give away sweets or to be an official child catcher. Local folk and crime guilds would possibly kill these operators
35 Local vigilantes possibly a crime guild agent is murdering corrupt petty officials and militia are after this troublemaker unpopular with local leaders
36 Violent youth gangs with colourful names and clothes beat people up for pocket money
37 Violent gangs charging protection money off local shops
38 Area has become renowned as the place where people seek criminals for dirty jobs. Strangers try to offer gold to locals assuming they are scum for hire. Locals are getting annoyed as the money is good but jobs all turn out to be terrible schemes for rich idiots
39 Local gang forcing youths who qualify to join
40 Gangs of well-off young rakes who believe they are untouchable by law seize a block and hold drunken parties and perform blasphemous rites to shock people. These last for days and the law just sit back and watch. The wild youths are well-armed and have servants and hired thugs. They take what they want and act like pirates
41 Area desperate for bards but bards find audiences here cringy, demanding and lowbrow. Occasionally they have to trick or force some bard to perform or find a newly arrived one
42 Popular ballgame between streets since when they were separate villages. Weekly they have a violent brawl over a pig bladder stuffed with peas to see who can keep it till the next game. The streets run riot with violence and property damage. Many locals have visible injuries
43 New drug dealer has set up a den and has kids peddling halfling weed on the streets, locals unhappy 
44 Animal cruelty is very popular and on any corner someone is betting over animal fighting or performing some sadistic act with an audience. Most locals don't know how it started and would prefer it stopped or move away
45 Several locals are careless and mean with animals like billygoats, bulls or cart horses resulting in animal rampages 
46 Someone has brought in some exotic pet and people are breeding them and dumping the excess unwanted ones. Monkeys, snakes, lizards that grow huge, giant rats, stirges or scorpions are common
47 Locals have taken up illegal pit fighting and attracting good crowds in several venues. Has attracted a lot of people who want fame for punching people
48 Drunkeness is very rampant and every block has at least one small brewery. Even children are drunks and lay about the streets
49 Gambling is popular here with many legal and illegal clubs. Many broke families and people are increasingly unhappy about the crime and gangs and rich idiots coming here now
50 Locals practice some strange local festivals that often result in drunken rioting
51 Aggressive taxman who has agents among people 
52 Incompetent and corrupt judges who sides with the richest families, frequently angers locals but get dinner invitations to noble households
53 Corrupt militia often charge strangers for fake "licences" and "permits"
54 Merchants are sleazy creeps who like vulgar innuendos and make remarks about their customer's appearances and clothing. Some get touchy and offer discounts for favours. Locals outraged
55 Guards are infiltrated by crime guilds and crime is rampant as thieves get through gates easier than legitimate citizens or watch of a different jurisdiction
56 Local bailiff and his beadles are corrupt and the judge they serve is convinced they are legitimate and slandered by criminals unless he can see evidence
57 For some reason press gangs come here often pretending to be drunken ship crews who shout drinks to strangers they can kidnap for a ship crew or military
58 Local prisons overcrowded and very cruel. Many locals have family inside and the goalkeepers blackmail families and steal food and blankets supplied for prisoners. There are frequent schemes to break out and the governor of the prison believes cruelty will win in the long run. He encourages militia to lock up anyone they can for a profit
59 Noble wants whole blocks demolished for a new VIP gated courtyard apartment complex. Has been encouraging locals to move with money or hired thugs. Will resort to arson and murder as time goes on
60 Local slumlord has been increasing rents and evicting people. Has had his rent collector gang thugs beat troublemakers organising resistance
61 Prostletising cult gives food to those who join up
62 Missionaries come to see poor degenerate losers close up and offer to control their lives and give them food. Patronising moralists who judge people who accept their gifts. Locals getting tired of them
63 Small chapel has a damaged roof and an incompetent drunken priest and locals trying to clean up both
64 Church rounding up urchins and orphans to school them in an orphanage and most kids know it means workhouses and prayerbooks and disappearances
65 Drunken holy flagellants performing for money by flailing themselves and attracting spectators and groupies. Locals want them gone
66 Local priest on anti-drinking, smoking and vice crusade has followers protesting at taverns and alehouses. He especially warns congregations about murder hobos who are from hell
67 Church folk choir singing holy sombre songs to inspire scum to aim for the life of heaven. Locals are less thrilled and plotting to get rid of them once and for all
68 Lecherous priest always trying to help fallen prostitutes and invites them back to his house offering them spiced rum. Actually, anyone young and even of average attractiveness they assume is a sex worker they want to save with rum and by rubbing holy unguents on their naked bodies. Possibly some spanking. Locals just ignore him as an embarrassment and hide their children from him
69 Priests visiting the area to proselytise by offering healing for converts 
70 Priest of a strict sect preaching about how horrible and hellbound locals are. Has already been thrown into the river and stabbed. Critical bitter old loon once an adventurer 
71 Someone has been charming locals while their gang rob them
72 Someone has been casting petty curses on locals or livestock
73 Someone secretly has a half-monster child they keep locked up but as they get older they make more mistakes and the thing eats some people or worse
74 Locals are sure any pets are familiar pacts from hell and regularly burn small animals
75 Witch hunter and his thugs visit are looking for anyone with enough money to blackmail or rob by causing them of witchcraft. Hears various grievances about locals but only cares about ones with money or good looks
76 Someone is finding witch signs and charms all over the area and many afraid to speak about local witches
77 Witch has been flying about at night cackling, pooping in chimneys and shoes. Locals very angry but many children think the witch is awesome and have games and songs about her
78 Child snatching witch in area has children and parents in terror. They say she has a hideous bugbear bodyguard and a black giant rat familiar
79 Locals keep claiming that elderly people without family but have property being targeted by witch-hunting vigilante mobs led by a few local pundits turning people to hatred
80 After a spate of aggressive fake witch hunters in area people now prefer witches to witch hunters. Several witch hunters just vanished here and more new colourful residents are moving in. People more publicly using petty magic and everyone has pets they talk too 
81 An apprentice wizard has been using sleep spells to knock out and rob drinking buddies. Most of the victims were too drunk to remember much about them
82 Apprentice magicians come here after school to get drunk and flex their spells. Drunk with the power of a 1st lv spell each of these privileged youths show off and try to intimidate all with their wizard hats. There have been a few fights but no magicians were killed so the teachers don't care
83 Some young apprentices have been trying to get locals to make pacts with hell to help sponsor their tuition fees. They promise to come back when powerful and use magic to help your families and businesses. It is said hell has a black library where imps and devils teach wizardry without the usual fees and exams or fancy schools, only one soul pact instead
84 Local wizard has a pet monster that keeps getting loose but he pays well for its safe return and damages
85 Magicians always require someone to collect rare herbs or minerals from specialist traders, nonhumans and unusual locations. A few locals got some money trying others vanished 
86 Locals have frequent mutations from alchemical waste and fumes from several industrial-scale laboratories making addictive healing potions, hair growth formulas and cheap love potions that don't work or they would be illegal. Most live slightly poorer lives, some cases dwell in the sewers and have become chimaeras or protoplasmic horrors
87 Local mentalist intrudes on people's dreams at night and enjoys the power. Has been using knowledge gained to blackmail people. Many live in silent fear and don't know who the dream thief is
88 Students are always stealing bodies for their anatomical necroscopy studies and almost every day a grave is robbed. People hope to stop them and some fear undead will arise if too many disturbed
89 Petty planar creatures are loose in the area and could only have been summoned and abandoned. Some local spellcaster is calling and releasing them by night
90 A gang of apprentices have been robbing houses with their spells, they wear masks and the crime guilds want them dead or exposed so they are kicked out of school and shamed then killed
91 People keep finding underground passages, not on an official record. Monsters lurk inside and people are afraid and just brick them up. Some people in a pub raised cash to find some brave suckers to see what the creatures are 
92 Several murders recently and clues point to some type of lycanthrope in the area
93 A sinister street killer with a fancy nickname has area mesmerised and writers of pamphlets swarming to record stories of the killer. The killer has some non-human abilities and performs some unnatural feats. The militia and criminals are leaving the area alone. There is a reward for the apprehension or information put up by a famous theatre owner
94 A music hall has a naughty spirit and it makes shows difficult and scares away superstitious star cast members. If only some brave exorcists or meddling adventurers would investigate the phantom so the hall could stay open
95 Famous local ghosts seeking something and bothering people at night. Can appear human briefly and always looking for some lost treasure
96 Some sex cult has been summoning succubi and reducing strong heroes to pitiful peons
97 Someone has been leaving statues of running people in the street at night somehow. The district ward keeper has been sending them to a quarry for gravel and keeping the mystery secret for a while but more and more gossip has been spreading
98 Old professor claims recent disappearances are signs of a vampire! People are not very convinced and joke about vampires daily for fun
99 A shapeshifting carnivorous beast from the deep can turn into objects like barrels, crates, chests or chairs. Several people will pay to have their houses searched for the beast
100 People have encountered a shapeshifter copying people's identities and kidnapping victims. All are worried the doppelganger will come for them


Thursday 26 January 2023

d100 Petty Village Hazzards



back to some wonderful world of system-neutral d100

Some petty local things for your zero level party members to play through. Its ok to work with an angry mob rather than be a smooth adventurer party. Some could be just local village colour or encounters for strangers only in a village. Maybe some village out there is always like this and locals used to avoiding them all/

d10 Petty Village Hazzard Types
1 Wild Animals
2 Domestic Animals
3 Monsterous Animals
4 Industrial 
Strangers
6 Nature
7 Faerie
8 Local Jerks
9 Bossy Jerks
10 Mysterious places

d100 Petty Village Hazzard 
01 A grumpy old bear gets angry if surprised while doing bear things
02 Huge wolf has been seen howling at the moon
03 Pack of wolves have been menacing farms
04 Wicked cunning fox has been stealing chickens and wizard familiars
05 Angry large stag has attacked people looking at deer
06 Old mountain lion having trouble with catching game and desperate enough to come into human areas
07 Large scorpions in a clear rocky area
08 Large scorpions in a clear rocky area
09 Notorious giant pike in pond or river swallows small animals and ducks whole
10 Cheeky friendly ravens trained to say stuff like "DOOM!" or "WInter is Here" by some prankster 
11 
Local wild dogs sometimes chase lone elderly or children
12 Angry billy goat butts strangers
13 Angry bull in a field has attacked people taking shortcuts or trying to steal it
14 Gaggle of aggressive geese screech altering all in the valley if strangers arrive in the area, may nip you if close or wind slap you as a swarm
15 Giant rats in several basements and roofs
16 Rabid and parasite-infested dogs near roads looking for scraps
17 Huge prize rooster takes offence to certain hats or cloaks and attacks, farmer will scream and beg not to hurt it and if anyone does will hit them with a farm tool
18 Large ginger barncat is quite friendly and likes to follow people and possibly climb up them and sit on their shoulder which can hurt if in light clothing and be a surprise. Also likes to trip people on stairs in the tavern and licks up spilt beer and potions
19 Grumpy farm dog attacks any strange too close to its farm or off the path
20 Local friendly cat is really a changeling faerie spying on the village, only the local idiot knows the truth and nobody believes them
21 Mutated billygoat seen scaring people with hideous bleats and unatural gait
22 Evil cunning serpent has nipped several people and eaten several dogs and cats. Sometimes it just whispers malicious gossip. It spies on people and reads their minds
23 Giant black hound stalks area by night with a baleful howl and eyes like burning cinders, some say it has a cruel frightening voice and knows people's personal secrets
24 A huge evil spider has been trying to steal babies so locals leave yappy dogs with babies, it may try to lure small children with treats and impersonate their grandparent's voices 
25 Giant evil chaos squirrel with some strange powers plays mean pranks on people and throws acorns at people's heads with the force of a sling stone
26 Huge evil fish uses human voice to lure victims close to the water so it may easily drag them into the water
27 A huge evil-looking owl likes to stare at people who say it has an evil eye and causes bad luck. This owl lycanthrope witch can cast her spells in owl form and likes to cause problems. She hides her owl cloak in a cave and is one of the villagers. She also lusts after pretty young men
28 Hell beaver digging up corpses from graveyard to dam local waterways with corpses. Can make some zombies to aid it or guard the dam
29 Hell cat lives in area coming out at night to spy on people and offer pacts will hell to the lonely and needy. It seeks a great master it can turn to evil for merit in hell. It also helps witches and cults and carries their secret messages
30 Several animals have been killed by a werewolf worrying everybody. A local is a lycanthrope and does not know they are a werewolf and may even join hunters and militia to hunt it
31 Old mineshaft or well covered in rotten boards and covered in weeds
32 Rake laying in the grass for years or a joke, if step on end will slap you in the face for d3
33 Old workhouse shack of termite-eaten wood in danger of collapsing 
34 Old quarry where odd creatures sometimes make lairs and lots of pits and loose rubble
35 Forgotten old storage cave has been rediscovered but has some creatures living in it
36 Burned old building used to be an alchemist's house, people keep away afraid it might explode again
37 Old millhouse said to be haunted by a spirit shunned by locals
38 Old ruined shearing shed often inhabited by homeless old wanderers or even bandits
39 Old fish pond where they used to drown witches in now said to have some malignant spirit of some kind and everyone keeps away
40 Old wharf and shack by some water people say is haunted but really giant bullfrogs live here hidden in reeds
41 Serial killer from the city staying in an inn hiding from law. Only killed a few local drunks so far
42 Cult leader has come to town to build a coven for their master. Some new recruits already abusing their petty magical gains with mischief
43 Witchfinder visiting town with mercenaries offers townsfolk to find witches for money. Also blackmails affluent families or attractive people
44 Visitor has a strange idol that by night releases a strange troublesome spirit
45 Recently hired worker is a thief who preys on other visitors and keeps things straight with locals
46 Spy for a bandit gang reports with pigeons potential robbery targets travelling from the village
47 Students from the city in the area steal corpses for experiments and medical schools
48 Cultists in disguise come here to kidnap people 
49 Visiting trader has been selling unpopular people to slave traders on regular visits
50 Stranger died and since then a spirit has haunted grave and where they died. Did they have some unresolved business or some curse or other secret that might be used to help rest the spirit
51 Sinkhole off the path easy to fall down into the prehistoric bone-filled cave
52 Old cave frequented by creatures passing through the area
53 Creek has edges prone to mudslides and collapsing 
54 Foggy frequently even day sometimes, mist encourages strange creatures to be out in open or near humans
55 Lots of termite-infested trees and many ill trees. Tend to drop limbs and be harder to climb
56 Overgrown with weeds, especially thorny balls that stick to clothes and fur to spread, can be harmful to animals left on them
57 Huge clumps of fungus everywhere, some poison, some edible, some strange  
58 Rains constantly some say its some supernatural cause like a witch or a faerie
59 Gloomy black clouds and frequent storms and lightning. Surprisingly lots of lightning strikes and near misses on people outdoors in storms and most locals have been hit or had a few misses. Some spirit being or celestial noble or dragon with dominion over the area is angry
60 Floods often cut village off for days and attracts giant frogs and salamanders
61 Children have seen tiny fairy folk doors in some trees and wee folk using them. No adults have seen them
62 Fairy rings of flowers or mushrooms about a sign that faeries are maybe invisible or here to kidnap human slaves or pet children
63 Some goblins live in a tree stump tending mushrooms in the area and sometimes sell cheap potions. Each potion used saves or throws up the revolting mess for a d4 rounds of helplessness and the potion has no effect
64 Water faeries in a local string punish any wicked people near waters
65 The local woods have a great spirit being that punishes those who swear in the woods and keeps wicked creatures of the woods away in return 
66 Local spring or grove notorious for amorous faerie beings d6 1=eat human seeking to be lovers 2=charm lovers to be slaves 3=playful & flirty and friends with a few locals 4=promise to give you magic powers for sexual favours but its a lie (i can restore your virginity after). Lots of abandoned children in area that look local 5=if you spy on them in private and they discover it they will seek revenge possibly using lovers or pets as attackers 6=if you steal their magical clothes they will have to grant your wish but they do so begrudgingly and possibly will result in a tragedy of they find onerous or humiliated a task
67 Mischievous sprite has been pranking people 
68 Some faerie has been making farm animals sentient and using them as spies, only the village idiot knows the deep green crown over us all but people just laugh
69 Children here are kept watched constantly as faerie kidnappers often visit from a faerie portal somewhere 
70 Locals regularly leave offerings for faeries and if someone steals them faeries cause trouble. They especially like cheese
71 Villagers all convinced some loner is a witch or cultist
72 A local inn guest is a secret a famous masked highway robber
73 Gossiping local is causes all kinds of problems with wild speculation. Lots of pub fights start this way and eventually an angry mob will form
74 Suspicious locals moving goods and up to something shifty, streetwise types will uncover a ring of local smugglers using a dangerous location to move goods past tax, toll and excise collectors
75 Old prospector shouted everyone drinks because of a lucky find and has disappeared. Several prospectors vanish every year
76 Sleazy old retired murder hobo likes to make indecent remarks about young adventurers especially attractive ones. Apparently they have lived in a few villages the last few years
77 Village idiot has gone missing and people are very concerned, perhaps they saw something or had an accident
78 Pair of chaotic killers like to join adventurer bands posing as religious warriors with vows of poverty. Know a few local monster lairs they can betray and slaughter novice adventurers
79 Violent drunk former murder hobo everyone is afraid of and is wary of. Often rude and mean but could be helped  
80 Local horse thief has been working the area
81 People say a noble family in the area are cursed and some members are mysterous shapeshifters
82 Lecherous noble visits and is rude and offensive to all with his bodyguard and status
83 Tax collector visits all too often and hits people with surprise tolls and new taxes
84 Bossy head militia chief warns visitors to behave and be proper or else
85 Nosy mayor likes to know everything going on and likes to send adventurers away on wild goose chases they won't survive
86 Important person has own coach and often inconsiderate of other road users they expect to give way. Have injured several people and killed some animals
87 Creepy loner noble has creepy servants visit village but a few curious locals have been caught and beaten for their efforts
88 Robberknights live in a local gruberhole and are tolerated here as long as they rob rival nobles domains and don't bother locals. A few people have seen signs of camp smoke from the caves but nobody with authority seems interested in doing anything unless their is trouble. Drunken violent former knights are bound to cause trouble or be worth a reward somewhere else 
89 Drunken noble youth staying in empty shack related to local lord and supposed to be living quietly. Is a friendly drunk who tells too much about some scandal. Eventually assassins will come to clean up and stories when they hear about this odd posh drunk
90 Knight blocking the road wont let any pass until he is defeated in single combat by a knight. Otherwise wont go away and ruining trade
91 An old house has a spirit that keeps homeless and local children away
92 A ruined chapel is considered haunted and many have seen figures in the graveyard at night
93 An old abandoned tomb has been used as a lair by various homeless murder hobos and monster over the years
94 There is rumoured to be old tunnels under the village and sometimes people take a look. Some kind of storage or shelter
95 A beast wanders the village at night, an unatural monster is part of a local curse and has a lair in a cave or ruin nearby which is shunned by locals. A few have died hunting it and a reward is on offer for ending the beasts reign of fear. People will gossip far and wide 
96 A ruined religious building nearby is said to be haunted by some spirit of darkness and is shunned by humans and animals
97 There are hidden caves under the village where people found a chamber of extraordinary art and idols and funny writing. They say the path is twisted and requires squeezing through cracks and swimming in an underwater stream. Best avoided during rains when more tunnels flooded
98 Standing stones in a field are said to attract sinister figures by night, perhaps spirits or some wild folk or a cult perhaps
99 A local hill is said to be an ancient kings burial mound and some say they hear noises inside. Popular theories say it is elves or undead feasting eternally
100 There used to be an old dungeon complex cleaned out by heroes and looters generations ago. People even took the doors and bricks and lumber. Every few years someone checks to make sure no squatters of ne'er-do-wells inhabit it and check the entrance is secured so children don't play in it

nice vid on highwaypersons inspired me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6MIvcYETqY

Tuesday 24 January 2023

Exilon Update





































So last year we ran mostly my Exilon Game (also I'm in a d&d5 game and was playing a good Fallout RPG but i think it died despite weekly players). Exilon is a Faux ancient near eastern inspired Fantasy setting set after my stone age game and before the 1st 2nd and 3rd empires in my "Classic" britpunk 80s fantasy setting (think pre warhammer and Dragon Warriors and Fighting Fantasy). 

Currently the 10th level heroes who have been granted land and are now on a mission for their kingdom. Recently they came out of a great Zigguratt they were sealed in as a divine test of the city and returned from the gods test with a boon of greatness in war for the land. Currently on tour of various regions for war effort and basically getting this situational map. Fate has Allied the heroes to the King of Ikathon the sealands with remnants of ancient fish folk being commonplace. Enki is the official cult but in past Dagon, Hydra and various fish and sea demon gods reigned. Players have been asked to advise on strategy and assess the borderlands and other Empires. The Necromancers have fallen to two other empires and barbarians and elves. The territory while ghastly wastes full of undead has still been grabbed. Now the Death Templars of the Grey Wastes are the next target. The King of Ikathon is keen to get support from Tyraneans, The Sythron Tribes and others to grab the grey wastes. Currently 4 armies are poised on the border while one guard the land from the Eastern Dragon Lords. While on diplomatic mission time dragged on a bit and missed some kings and they cleaned out the Ruins of Andril (Dragon 81) which they are using to invade elemental planes in the future. Teleported a bunch of their gear into the now cleaned-out a cursed ruin that occasionally rises to the surface.

Current Characters include:

A former storm barbarian fighter is mighty with bow and sword who has been setting up a modern chariot building village and breeding Konga donkey-ass hybrids which are the latest thing. He has built on the borderland of the Tyranean league a barbarian people protected by mountains, with good resources and recently unified and hoping to build a royal city. They are at war with elves to the south and the lizard peoples' cities to the west that has thrived for millennia. He is quite fond of manly gods like Enlil, Adad and Ninurta and has a shrine of Nusku the fire god for redsmiths in his workshops. Keen to get some war happening but must be righteous.

A Fire Priest of Nusku and the highest-ranking priest of his cult in Ikathon the city of the Sea Lands. He has a still under construction large temple in the city but also a shrine in other player's villages. The cult is obsessed with Law, the purity of fire, witch burning, evil smiting and redsmithing and craft. He has lots of followers looking after all this while he adventures including his brother. Retired from small temple leadership in the Sunlands where met the rest of the party. Smiting Evil has been going well since he joined.

An Amazon Wizard who was with the party since their early days in the Storm Tribes in a school of a local magic teacher. Has been enjoying increased power and prestige and has recently met a Paladin and getting on well with her. Has set up a village across the river from her home city of the Amazons in a perfect trading place shared with the fourth final Member. They have pooled land, people and lots of the party money into setting up as a river trading port. There is of course a fire shrine and redsmith here. She has a tower under construction and has her students setting up a new school of wizardry.   

Finally, a dragon spirit changeling who has met lots of Naga and had affairs with them. Uses druidic magic and occasionally breathes fire. Currently has become a monk and developing unarmed combat abilities. Quite a few children returned from fairyland as young adults in only a few years since their births. Has worked early on to set up trade places including a caravan hotel in their original storm and village and similar development and wharf in the new combined village with the wizard. Has been proposing making deal with the dragons or the elves which everyone thinks is impossible.

Map Details

Grey Areas are remnants of the age after the era of Black Magic. Necromancers and Death cults the former slaves of the old Monster Kings took over the civilised human survivors. Most of these lands were destroyed by barbarian hordes in the past.

X1 X2 X3 are the villages of the players X3 is the starting while X1 and X2 are recent projects from land granted by the King of Ikathon. 

Tyraneans are good allies who don't want anymore fronts and have plenty of war already.

Sythron nomads have many ties through the Amazons and have been increasing allies. Many ride ass and use chariots and wagons pulled by them. Many tribes keep vast herds and trade with the cities. They are famous warriors and although barbarians and nomads often have equipment and magic of civilised people among them. 

Godless Lands behind the horizon where ships dare not sail are remnants of the lands of the Monster Kings. They also say the Gods have a hidden paradise beyond the sea. 
No humans deal with them.

Lizard Kings a possibly prehuman civilisation were allies of the Serpent people but split of as the Monster Empires collapsed at the end of the age of Black Magic and darkness. 
No humans deal with them.

Oldenwoods is a vast sprawling mountainous forest occupied by faerie folk and monsters who wage war on humans ceaselessly. The forests are constantly expanding due to elves who seek to restore this forest to its dawn age condition. No humans deal with them. Orcs, goblins, beast people and all sorts of intelligent species dwell here not just elves.

Dragon Lords' city-states where dragons are worshipped for millennia. Humans are slaves and cattle but the Dragons did keep them from the other monster kings and didn't eat their souls so the people in those lands are grateful. The Dragon Lords all pool fighting minions into the dragon templars who keep enemies out. The Snake people of Exilon actually have many links with them and often still trade with them despite being frowned on and the other kingdoms of Exilon fearing dragons. Such dragon-ruled lands are quite rare in this age.

Arcane Empire
a series of cities united by a dynasty of wizard kings and their Beast Lord allies. Currently finishing off necromancers and plundering their spell archives and have thousands of wizards in their armies. Young and hungry empire keen for new territory and taking new risks. Most keen to send armies to fight and take the Greylands.

Belleron Empire
was a theocratic empire that gobbled up smaller independent cities and united their gods in a pantheon. Kings here are also high priests and many activities are complicated by adhering to so many faiths and gods. They try to have shrines to every god and some extras in case they missed some or new ones are found. Tired and clumsy empire but keen to get land again. 

Beastlords are abhuman beast people former servants of the monster empire. Like most barbarians they hated wizards but the Arcane Empire has granted them lands and weapons and human slaves to buy their allegiance. 

The Great Wastes are vast lands where great barbarian tribes grow and prepare their war against civilisation. Many hate writing, wizards, civilised gods and undead waging war on them most. Recently they aided in destroying the Necromancers but left the burning cities to the decadent land-grabbing empires. Many beast people and orcs dwell here, also elemental peoples made by wizards long ago. Many tribes use certain exotic species as a speciality which might even include terror birds, great lizards, insects and other monsters and mounts or to pull chariots or huge juggernauts. Some of those closer to cities or even conquering cities end up going soft and civilised within 3 generations when a new tribe of barbarians arrive to repeat the cycle. These civilised barbarians trade their warrior spirit for luxury and power. 

Whats Next
So hopefully players do lots of heroic diplomacies, give good advice and wage lots of war the next few years. I can use my war with necromancers and war with wizards tables.

Friday 20 January 2023

Doomtracks


 



















So in the world of nebulous world of rpg writing at the moment here is this thing

Doomtracks
A mechanism to show how the danger of a location or a campaign increases or decreases. You can have in-campaign events add to or subtract from this. Hopefully, players will have some effect. As a device in board games, it works well in an RPG and as a physical thing on the table the GM can play with is a valuable dramatic plot. 

Sometimes if you running say a 4-hour game perhaps a one-off game a doom track lets you impose your real-world constraints on time using this game mechanic. You can indicate the climax of the game is close. You can possibly kill a few players by turning off your kindly fudges or actually punishing bad decisions.

Lots of games to me are about the theatre of danger. Horror games taught me making people feel like they are in danger is lot of satisfaction in gaming. My favourite superhero game TSR Marvel threats are comic code approvable and death and killing is mechanically unlikely but it still helps to make the characters feel like their threats are dangerous and credible. Beating worthy enemies makes you more worthy. Killing a disabled kobold family living in a log is not so much glory. In Call of Cthulhu and BRP games players always feel fragile and could fall off a ladder and die. Rolemaster also. The different game mechanics and how deadly they are changes this theatre of presenting people with credible threats but it is still something the referee needs to manage and stage to keep engaging. 

Doomtracks can also be a kind of dungeon realism.

This is my dungeon Defcon system

CLEAR - 1in12 encounter 
business as usual, often doing downtime stuff like manual labour or ritual or art
GREEN - 2in12 encounter
3-4 hear inhabitants of the dungeon if listening
+2 guards at major posts
Sub boss will try to handle this matter
Starts when evidence of murder or violence or damage inside the dungeon discovered
Guarding animals missing or noisy, alarms or traps set off or disarmed are also causes
The occasional vanishing could be put down to some dungeon monster eating locals in secret
AMBER - 3in12 encounter 
3-4 hear inhabitants of the dungeon if listening, non-combatants hide in silence
+50% guards at major posts, lock all doors, guards searching the dungeon
The boss is informed
Non-combatants all hear alarm, hide and lock doors and valuables quickly
Fleeing guards report losses and spread panic which reaches the top
More than one corpse, at a time found or any fleeing guards, panicking set off this condition 
RED - 4in12 encounter
5-8 hear inhabitants of the dungeon if listening, some non-combatants might flee or be armed
Hold major guard posts rest searching for intruders
Non-combatants armed and at assembly point ready to flee with a prepared escape path
A major attack or invasion by enemies will trigger this
The bosses and their best will actively hunt intruders using any available population

Random encounters could also start getting high numbers if a random range
Maybe 1-2 monsters or several non-combatants could appear at CLEAR
At least the average dice roll range for GREEN
AMBER could have maximum and RED could have bonus elite or sub-boss

So I did lots of con games with doom tracks with the escalation of threats like angry mobs. the apocalypse starting, etc and they do help with pacing games. 

You could also use various tracks for your game world to keep track of the power of factions (each could have its own score). Maybe even alignment powers could have a track maybe astrologers can see it in the heavens.  

They work well in horror or even investigations and you can regions where the track is higher or lower. Clocks make everyone work faster and consider not doing the slowest possible means for little reward in time. Adding a clock to a mini-campaign and using a doom track to physically show danger increasing will make players sneakier. A doom track could be a strip with perhaps some squared highlighted or coloured to represent an escalation. A nuclear-war-style doomsday clock with seconds to midnight might be extra dramatic but perfect for a cold war spy game.

You could leave the end or colour codes ambiguous to players.
"What does that colour mean?"
"Oh don't worry"
"What happens when it reaches 40?"
"Nobody seems to be sure"
"Why are there no more squares after 40"
"The gods stopped answering divinations answers then"



You could fit this into a sandbox also and transition characters from murder hobos to landed gentry and have them become aware of some ticking time bomb or Sword of Damocles above them.

A doomtrack could be used like a moral score of the mob and say adventurers in government made terrible decisions the score would rise to result in rioting and revolution.

An important point: like any good thing beware of overdoing it. Appearing to force drama or repeating the same pacing and fudging result to do it can be tiring too. I had one DM where the boss monster fights all felt like we would almost all be dead then somehow we would just make it. Sounds heroic? Not really because I'm pretty sure they didn't even use HP just cared that we felt a level of threat and futility. It was every game the same over-the-top boss fights where our rolls or cleverness or carefully saved resources or min-maxed characters didn't matter. I had one DM who started every game with an over-the-top fight scene and at least if we did poorly we would get help but this too diminishes risk and agency. But the main take on this is to vary your formulas a bit or subvert them to keep people on their toes.

It is ok for adventurers to back off or run away and surrender and possibly we should normalise these things and codify what happens better or can be turned to advantage like in almost every adventure tv show ever made. We let villains take us to a secret base escape and kill the boss and ruin their doomsday weapon no probs. Though Mutant Epoch RPG has the more mean answer to those problems (don't get captured here please shoot me more the rule in this game). In a horror game, the doom track should be worse. In a fantasy sandbox, it could be more subtle and long-lasting. TORG RPG kind of has this with the way invading cosms plant stelae in a triangular grid to invade which is one of several doomtracks in the setting one which players can damage. Perhaps after a while, they realise something greater is needed like eliminating some bosses or damaging some facilities or stealing some McGuffin.

In game events that add to the doomtrack help shape how players act and it could be they fail or make a mistake or realise their actions have more significance. Perhaps a villain deceives them and they recover a relic for evil and so the doomtrack climbs and the constellations change. Perhaps more werewolves are seen. Slowly they could put together clues that perhaps our patron and these relics are problems. Players when they figure out how to act may wish to do positive things and weigh up the benefits of certain actions. You could even present them with different options with different results and risks.

Various milestones on your doomtrack might give the bad guys more perks like undead wyvern riders or a zombie army. Things that affect the landscape or sky or manifest in nature are all good. This could include the economy collapsing, or certain goods becoming scarce in wartime. Maybe the common folk turn on our heroes at some point just want the war to be over. Maybe gates open at some point and new higher monsters appear on all your encounter tables. The apocalypse doesn't have to happen in one day.


Tuesday 17 January 2023

D100 Strange Arcane Coins


















This is a 2nd century BC silver tetradrachm from the central Carpathian region in Eastern Europe, imitating the coins of Philip II of Macedon with more celtic horseman reverse.

Sadly this took several years to finish

D12 Coin Size
1 1 gram 5mm - eighth bit
2 2 gram 10mm - quart penny
3 5 gram 20mm - halfpenny
4 8 gram 25mm - standard penny
5 10 gram 30mm - tuppence
6 20 gram 40mm - guilder
7 30 gram 50mm - crown
8 40 gram 60mm - sovereign
9 50 gram bar - Small Bar
10 360 gram bar - Trade Bar
11 500 gram 100mm bar - Imperial Bar 
12 3000 gram 30cm bar -

D12 Coin Shape
1 Round thin stamped edges
2 Round ridged edge
3 Round slightly concave
4 Round slightly convex
Round slight oblong
6 Round with hole in the middle
7 Triangle
8 Square
9 Hexagon
10 Octagon
11 Crescent
12 Bar

D20 Coin Designs
1 Ruler d4 1=crown 2=head 3=on throne 4=standing armed
2
 Arms and Armour, often a helmet or crossed weapons  
3 Famous city or it's emblem
4 Agriculture crop, beast or tool like amphorae, bushel of wheat, ox head, sickle
5 Tree or herb or wreath or cornicopia
Soldiers in battle gear with weapons frequently on horse
7 A heraldic beast or monster sacred to a clan or place
8 Historic scene d4 1=battle 2=corination 3=victory 4=centenery event
9 Robed, semi-naked historic person, d4 1=soldier 2=philosopher 3=royalty 4=holy person
10 Pile of treasure often overflowing chest or urn
11 Holy symbol of a religion or cult, the image of the god or one of its forms or tools
12 Minor nature divinity or famous natural wonder
13 Occult symbols of magic or runes used by magicians
14 Heraldic device 1=monster 2=beast 3=symbol 4=pattern
15 Vehichle d4 1=ship 2=chariot 3=wagon and beast 4=riding beast
16 Hero d4 1=riding a beast 2=fighting monster 3=executing enemy 4=wrestling a beast
17 Monuments d41=fort 2=palace 3=tomb 4=temple
18 Star or constellation or astrological sign
19 Image of demon or a devil or evil god, face or body
20 Image of a god and some of their symbols or mythology

D12 Coin Age
1 Recent in shiny condition 
2 A few years old slightly worn - from kingdoms all over the world in circulation
3 A ruler ago when parents young - empire civil war since then
4 From grandparent's time - emperor Lutipold secures the seven kingdoms finally
5 A hundred years ago - succession wars end, new emperor starts the 3rd empire
6 300 years ago Shadelport issues its own currency and dictionary of the trade tongue
7 500 years ago the second empire
8 1000 years ago the first empire
9 3000 years ago Ancient Exilon, a great age of magic and ruined monuments 
10 5000 years ago the monster empire and the age of eternal night
11 10000 years ago the dawn age, first copper coins
12 Predawn era of the old ones who formed from moisture and darkness in the void

D12 Coin Origin
1-6 From within the continent of he empire and its colonies and SHadelport
7 From the mysterious west, a land of decadent civilisations and barbaric wilderness
8 From the warring kingdoms of the east, former colonies surrounded by barbaric peoples
9 From the wild frozen northern lands and the hidden plateau
10 From the great desert wastes of the south, mostly ruins, deserts and volcanic wastes
11 From the one on the many unknown foreign lands or islands 
12 From a non or pre-human civilisation and 

I use an exchange of 1 gold = 36sp =360cp so you can live off a cp per day if ppor, silver a day if the middle class or clergy and a gp a day at least for proper noble. Silver is the main currency and was instituted in the age of darkness by the global monster kings for an aeon. The people of the Underland still use it as they are remnants. Copper was a dawntime's first metal used for tools and weapons made by dwarves and traded with other species freely. Gold is the choice metal of the third empire after the monster kings.  

D12 Famous Ancient Treasure Coins
1 Elfin copper piece from the dawn age before most retreated to fairyland 
2 Dwarf iron pieces worth double a copper from before the dawn age to outdo the elves
3 Goblin lead coins worth half a copper and used by orcs and trolls and ogres
4 SIlver piece of the monster empire or half-value piece shaped like a crescent 
5 Silver piece of the mysterious west, hexagonal with a round hole and some on strings
6 Silver pieces of eastern guilds and wizard states with a city on one side and bankers face on the reverse
7 Copper pieces of the fiery southern wastes with fiery monsters and ruler face on the reverse
8 Cowrie shell used in many pre-metal lands in various colours, some on strings
9 Beads of amber, coral, jade or glass used across the world by all peoples, often in strings 
10 Gold coins of the first or second empire  with the monarch on one side crown reverse
11 SIlver coin of ancient kingdoms of Exilon with city god on one side and monarch on reverse
12 silver coin of the frozen north with monsters on one side and monarch on the other often with higher lead content

D12 Getting Rid of a Coin
1 Dragon breath while beaten with a magic hammer
2 Throw in an erupting volcano
3 Take it to Nidhog the underworld dragon who will guard it till doomsday
4 A god or demigod or titan can crush it or might just take it
5 Hurl it into the sun (hitch a ride on the chariot of the sun in story)
6 Any noble planar being from elemental, demon, devil, angel can crush it
7 The great berserk guardian hound of the underworld can destroy it with a bite
8 Many great lords of the ocean have vast treasures guarded by dragons and may look after it
9 The Tarrasque stomach acid can dissolve the coin harmlessly and is delicious
10 Various divine forges on planes or in homes of smithing gods can destroy them
11 Throw it into one of the hidden bottomless pits
12 Leave it deep in a deathtrap dungeon where it will never be found

12 Petty Magic Coin Properties
1 +1 on one saving throw type
2 +1 all saving throws
3 +1 to hit
4 +1 to damage
5 +1 hit and damage
6 +1 on one attribute
7 +1 Mov
8 +1 AC
9 +1 HP
10 fascinate 1HD creature with eyesight for wielders Lv in rounds per day
11 coin can turn invisible while being touched by wielders will 
12 coin has petty magic effect: 1=candlelight at will 2=ignite fire by touch 3=cuts cloth, leather or rope better than knife 4=always returns to purse in 24 hours as long as you live (if you die and return you must reclaim it)

12 Petty Magic Coin Curses
1 -1 hit and damage
2 -1 all saving throws
3
 -1 on one attribute 
4 -1 Mov manifests as
5 -1 AC manifests as aching bones
6 -1 HP manifests as a pox
7 Infertility 1in4 remove all desire also, the church made lots
8 -1 reaction rolls manifest as bad smells, syphilis sores, etc
9 -1 Initiative
10 -4 morale and fear saves
11 +1 on the likelihood of encounter checks 
12 lose 1% of other coins' value per day kept on your person

d10 Coin Types
01 Petty curses
02 Demihuman
03 Beast cults
04 Faerie 
05 Goblinoid
06 Haunted
07 Wicked 
08 Benevolent
09 Monsterous 
10 Cosmic

D100 Strange Arcane Coins 
01 Coin of Janus - if flipped save or alignment is reversed and do best to always touch the coin and will flip it d6 times a day, some instead sexual characteristics but many don't see this version as cursed and use at parties for the thrill, favoured by the theatrical two-faced god of chaos
02 Coin of the Pauper - if put in a pile of coins the pile shrinks a d6% per day as the coin eats other coins
03 Goldenbug - poison bug disguised as a coin, if scared it bites the enemy who must save or die painfully over d6 rounds then your heart explodes. Bite ignores armour except for magic plusses. Sometimes they form groups to breed (some breeds look more like gems or pearls and will form chains)
04 Coin of Courage - immune to fear which seems good but requires a save for retreating or flee
05 Hell Penny - while in coins save or owner become greedier and more desperate to gain wealth and will break alignment to kill or steal to gain more shiny coins and trinkets. Will not lose their hell penny they keep for good luck and is their precious
06 Blighter's Coin - +1 to saving throws and as a hidden effect all stored and preserved food in 3m for more than an hour goes bad. The coin feels lucky and good to hold
07 King Drooper's Coin - +1 to AC and as a hidden side effect makes the wearer impotent and unable to reproduce or enjoy sex but the church made most of them and call them a blessing
08 Thieves Coin - +1 HP while carried but it calls out to bandits and thieves doubling the odds of meeting such varlets while travelling or in town
09 Ghost Coin - +1 save vs paralysis or fear, see invisible non-corporeal spirits and undead but doubles the chance of meeting undead in any infested areas or funerary locations
10 Deadman Coin - heals one hp if you reach zero once per day and secret property if taken to sea the ship will face a terrible storm requiring the captain, crew and navigator to make heroic efforts to survive and not get lost
11 Coin of King Thranvill - copper coin with unicorn and a rainbow one side and an elf king on the other side. Thranvill who instead of taking his people back to faerie land in the exodus from the world took his whole kingdom and hid it in the secret hill. A few mortals have received such a coin that lets you see secret faerie gateways, leylines and constellation alignments. If the unworthy wielder misuses it or hurts elves all kinds of faerie assassins will be sent to return the relic and kill its wielder 
12 Coin of Thrunvar - gold coin with dwarf one side and dragon on the other. A dwarf wizard who made these for his brothers who all became dragons. One hour under a full moon wielder may become a dragon, each use must save or permanently become obsessed with hoarding treasure and keeping it in your sight. While sitting on treasure wearer won't age and after a year they permanently become an evil scheming dragon. He hated his greedy brothers
13 Coin of Glorion - a gnome hero who massacred guildsmen who were exploiting his forest, a tree on one side and a gnome in a pointy hat on the other made from of copper. Who takes the coin must save each time they kill a tree or dig a hole or take d4 damage even if you order someone else to do it. Every tree you plant or mine hole you fill you heal 1hp
14 Coin of Lillybutter - a pretty halfling trickster who grifted it from a god, the coin gives +1 on AC and all saving throws and once per day allows you to reroll any one dice. If you hurt a halfling it becomes a -4 all saves and to hit cursed object
15 Coin of Globlorgiob - a dark elf prince who made whole homestead into undead and all their livestock. By placing the coin on a dead humanoids tongue will raise it as a zombie up to 6HD of zombies per day. The zombies will serve an evil person or any elf or druid otherwise the zombies attack and eat who created them with the coin 
16 Coin of Queen Fanthazrael - who wields this coin can get advice from the spirit of the long-dead elf queen (called the witch queen by humans). Besides her incredible often first-hand knowledge of mythic times, she may offer to help the wielder in a tight moment, if accepted she attempts to possess them and change their body to her pleasure and seek to restore her ancient cruel empire 
17 Coin of Umberdwell - a gnome long lost city overtaken by evil chaos derro. This coin is one of several made by the merchants guild and if placed in a pile will increase the pile by 1% on the same date every year when the city was founded. Some say chests of such coins remain in the city  
18 Coin of Queen Urbrick - a dwarf queen and a builder of subterranean cities and highways. The wielder can sense any such dwarf underground highway entrance and the direction of the route. If more than one can tell which is more direct and safer. The wielder is compelled to sacrifice 1% of your gold to her years as a tithe
19 Coin of Calabriad - an elven city made these for their agents, each coin may be used to speak to and see other coin wielders. They can also sense where the next nearest coin bearer is within a mile
20 Coin of King Acorn - a halfling druid king and elf lover made this gold coin with a tree on one side and an acorn the next. Once a day the user outdoor can touch the ground and cause a rapid growth of a 10 year old sapling or a 6 yard wide brambleberry patch or a faerie ring of mushrooms
21 Coin of the Cat Queen - cat spirits often like to spend some time among humans but are wild and dangerous. The cat queen made these coins for people who helped cats deal with some dangerous enemy like a bad spirit or mean human. The wielder can talk to cats and for a night on a full moon may change from a human to a cat and back at will. For a cat spirit changeling, this allows them to change at will without limit instead on per level per day and is considered very desirable
22 Coin of the Fox Spirit - the murderous fox spirits have a fox face one side and a human on the other of copper. Anyone wielder kills in one blow makes no sound and +1 hit & damage unarmed attacks. Once used to kill make a save or develop a taste for bloody murder that increases each time and is a penalty to make saving throws to resist temptation near any easy victims
23 Coin of the Crow King - when you feed carrion to crows they will take a message for you once per day while you hold this coin
24 Stag Kings Coin - copper coin with an elk-headed abhuman on one side and a snake on the other. The wielder can sense any horned herd animals within 1 mile. Abusing this makes the wild huntmaster pursue the wrongdoer and kill them and take their soul to be reborn
25 Lion Coin - gold coin with a lion face one side and a sun on the other. The wielder becomes immune to fear and a berserker who holds this can stop instead of harming allies
26 Frog Kaisers Kroner - a copper coin from far away whenever near water will hear frogs croak
27 Coin of the Fish Lord - gold coin with a fish face with a crown one side and a trident on the other. Who holds the coin will find curious fish people to investigate by night with 1km. They seek to return the coin to their temple. The holder of the coin has the effects of a +1 Protection 
28 Owl Queen's Coin - gives wielder night vision and superior listening skills.Wilder may make odd hooting sounds at night or in sleep and will dream of the Owl Queen's Court
29 Coin of the Horse Goddess - often actually a brass disc that can be attached to leather straps on a horse or pony or ass or donkey and prevent them from tiring or requiring food. The horse will also become smarter and if mistreated by an evil owner will run away to find a worthy owner or the local horse goddess cult 
30 Coin of the Boar - allows the wielder to eat acorns and all kinds of rubbish but also scent like a boar to track or find truffles. After a year welder becomes a wereboar and usually loses the coin somehow 
31 Faerie Coin - seems very shiny and desirable with a faerie king on one side and the faerie queen on the other. Some show both their bright aspect on one side and their dark aspect on the other. The wielder can speak and read elf and faerie and can sense faerie portals and can estimate when the next time the stars are right to open. If the gate requires some other means to open the wielder knows but not exactly what. Sometimes these are given to humans given addictive faerie food or human lovers to tempt them into fairyland 
32 Redcap Coin - lets you sense the presence of those who would do you harm in 30-foot radius and if you eat human flesh daily you can cast grow or shrink once per day
33 Flower Faerie Coin - has a tiny fairie figure flying on one side and lower on the other. This attracts tiny invisible flower faeries who will judge the bearer and will take the coin. Rewards will include a magic item or tiny golden household tools like shears, cauldron, butter churn, etc. Many collect these charms and pay well for them. Those the faeries dislike will be robbed and food poisoned with violent diarrhoea-inducing herbs for a d4 days 
34 Dryad Queens Coin - has a tree on one side and a whispy scarf-clad dancing woman figure. Occasionally the dryad queen would send some mortal lover on a quest and didn't want some other grubby hussy charming her man so she made this coin. Those who carry it are only vulnerable to the charms of the local forest queen or more powerful female earth divinities. The charms of common elves and faeries are ignored
35 Selkie Queens Coin - whoever has this coin can breathe water and has free action just like most aquatic faerie beings do allow them to interact with intelligent fish and various spirit folk of animals, plants and the land. A selkie queen made this so her lover from the surface could visit her. Sometimes the wielder dreams of a beautiful faerie queen under the sea usually without any clues about seals or selkie
36 Hag's Coin - this coin sends the wielder dreams of treasures in deep dark caves. She may send dreams to warn you about dangers to earn users' trust with her occult, planar and historic lore. It also grants +2 saving throws and +1 AC in dark places. She uses these to lure victims to her lair to be her prisoners for life. She will charm them if naughty and dress them and feed them like a demented nanny with her children
37 Mermaids Coin - has a picture of a mermaid on one side and an outline of an island on another. The finder will have dreams of beautiful mermaids in a ruined city paradise. The coin will aid more intelligent people with dreams to guide them to the land of mermaids. It may advise dolts to pass the coin on to get drunk on a whim. The mermaids use this because they like the brains of smart victims. A high level is a good but not too high level they resist. These mermaids absorb their memories and have many surprising weapon skills and craft skills they use to make art. They can all become human like various spirit folk but prefer relaxing as mermaids. Mermen stay away from this place but would feel obligated to punish any air-gulping land folk who harm them 
38 Banshee Coin - has a hideous face on one side and a spirit ward sign on the other. Those who wield it gain +d3 on a random attribute as long as kept on them. They will also feel compelled to keep the coin safe from enemies and thieves. Once a month the banshee spirit will kill someone within a mile of the wielder. Her invisible spirit hides in the ring by day
39 Coin of the Beast - has a boar-like hideous face on one side and a beautiful androgynous face on the other. Wielding the coin increases CHA+1 but each full moon becomes a devil swine and doesn't remember anything of the adventures and trouble of the monster. After a year the personalities become one and the wielder is a monster who will pass on the coin to a worthy beast
40 Spriggan's Coin - this coin was a gift to a hero for aiding the spriggan king. These hopping grasshopper-legged faerie grant the wielder +10 range leaping and once a day can leap +30. If you die holding the coin you may be reborn as a spriggan if deemed worthy otherwise reborn as a goblin 
41 Shroomer Coin - wielders body spreads spores of giant rapidly growing and magical and useful fungus. Some types are bad but have been used. One side has a wise old goblin face and the other a mushroom. In a month any regular room will be encrusted in edible and other fungus. Holy to all goblins 
42 Traders Coin - on a full moon can open a normal door or hole into a portal to a goblin market. Goblins might come out while you are in the borders of goblin land
43 Poisoners Coin - protected wielder from plant, fungus and natural animal poison (but not choking or damage). Once a day squeeze coin for a drop of poison into food or drink. The victim must save or will be turned into a goblin the next dawn. Goblin kings through ages desire this
44 Bugbear Coin - holding it grants +1 STR and the wielder delights in surprising people. At end of each month save or become a bugbear. Goblins think this is a great gift and opportunity and goblin rulers covet these for their special forces and bodyguards
45 Hobgoblin Coin - wielder gains +1 CON and imagines various sleights as nasty insults.  At end of each month save or become a hobgoblin. Goblins think this is a great gift and opportunity and goblin rulers covet these for their elite soldiers and guards
46 Kobold Kings Coin - place this coin in a large bag or sack and once a day creates a kobold who is a bit dazed and cooperative for a day. If treated well or trained can be loyal minions. Kobolds want these but all goblinoids want them too
47 Coin of the Norkers - a crude copper mushroom chit but whoever wields it can make an extra bite or headbutt unarmed attack each round. Also, any object can be improvised as a club with no penalties to hit. Each month used save or lose a point of INT but gain an extra HP 
48 Coin of the Gremlin - wielder gets +1 all saves and slightly better +5% odds in gambling. But each day a gremlin appears in the baggage or pockets of the wielder. Some may stay and even be friendly to the wielder but will perform mean jokes and pranks and many will leave. It is a gift of the chaos jester 
49 Coin of the Nilbog - eating this coin turns a goblin into a Nilbog. Criminal, mad or jesters are chosen usually. Goblin holy folk will have dreams if the coin is within a mile of them. If a human eats one they will be sucked into their own stomach and then into the borderlands of the shadowlands, the goblin realm and the nightmare realms but naked and covered in blood with their equipment left behind unless jewellery on the body
50 Coin of the Thoul - eating this coin turns a goblin into a thoul without the messy breeding programs usually required. This is an honour for bodyguards and idiot children of a goblin ruler. A human who eats this must make a save once a day or a troll will burst from their stomach. Save or die, success loses half HP. If they die they arise as a ghoul who is extra angry as the food they eat falls out their stomach hole
51 Lucky Penny - the wielder of this common silver coin gets +1 saving throw if good or -1 if evil. Also will occasionally meet penny a ghost girl who died defending the coin from her drunken dad. It may not be clear she is a ghost immediately. She might cry or become a poltergeist if people are mean
52 Misers Coin - this lead chit of a private currency for a landlord holds the soul of a famous mean miser and slave keeper who was strangled over this chit by an exploited worker. Those who holds the chit will get whispers recommending business decisions and endorsing every greedy impulse. Some of the advice is good but half the time it is unethical. Once they have money the wielder will desire to hug their wealth and roll in it like a dragon nad becomes increasingly stingy. After a year the wielder must save or be a new body for the miser but if they resist the gods turn them into a dragon for some reason like a bet
53 Widows Coin - infamous widows coin is desired by assassins and thieves or people desiring revenge. Who holds the coin can cast Invisibility once per day and Dimension Door. The longer used the more the eyes of the wielder grow dark and wet from constant weeping
54 Phantoms Coin - spirit bound in this coin will if asked make you able to pass through walls in ethereal form like a ghost for a d4 rounds. You can bring one person per level of the wielder along if they hold hands or are being ridden. If it ends with someone inside something solid they are teleported to a random location in the world 
55 Philosophers coin - a spirit of this coin can be summoned for a ten-minute turn per day. It is a non-combative spectral minion that cannot attack or be attacked except by exorcism or turning. The ancient philosopher is very wise in the sciences of a thousand years ago and planar lore. They will do their best to aid you with puzzles, offer advice or coach you at board games but won't teach you how to cheat
56 Sorcerors Coin - gains a bonus +1 point of sorcery and spell knowledge when held by a sorcerer. Zero Lv +d4 1st Lv +d3 2nd Lv +1. A wizard may use this to research a wizard version of the spells. Possibly the coin is linked to a spirit and its patron spirit lord 
57 Witch Coin - the wielder can detect Law or Chaos within 30 yards (blocked by 6 inches of wood or brick wall. It is very tempting to witch hunters who think it will aid them. Using the coin allows an ancient witch ghost to visit you in your dreams. If the wielder doesn't resist with a save, the witch uses their body in their sleep to cause mischief as a 5th-level spell caster of some type dedicated to mischief and making witch hunters suffer
58 Hunters Ring - the spirit of this ring longs to hunt and kill monsters and beasts in single combat the riskier the better. The wielder will feel very confident with +3 on their resist fear or morale checks. Able to smell blood within 30 yards which aid in the tracking of wounded prey. Under the light of a full moon, the hunter spirit will use the human as a host to perform a mysterious ritual for the lord of the forest if they fail a save
59 Necromancers Ring - the bearer of this coin is invisible to the undead of 3HD or less. Smarter ones like ghouls may detect or scent someone in the same room. Also if you touch blood while wearing the ring the spirit awakens. The necromancer's spirit will offer to create 1 or 2 HD common undead servants from corpses when any corpses are available. If user agrees to this gift they must same  The first save they will become evil if they fail and seek immortality through necromancy. The undead created will prove obedient but if an 8th undead is created they all rebel and eat their master. They will then form a new body for the ancient necromancer from the chewed-up mess
60 Bone Ring - the wielder can detect skeletons up to 30 yards or through 2 yards of soil or six inches of wood or a brick or stone or metal barrier. The servant of one of the elder dread lords wielded this to recruit undead for the legions of darkness. Grave robbers and necromancers will desire this ring but once kept for a month will direct them with a new sensation about a faraway location. The wielder must save to resist the pull every month or be drawn to a vast underground ruined citadel of the dark templars and a lich
61 Devil's coin - a silver coin of hell that if buried in a graveyard at midnight, the next night an imp will visit you to grant you a wish for your soul. Zero to 4th lv soul the imp will do best to fulfil, 5th to 8th level get a limited wish and 9th+ get a wish
62 Red Coin - a red metal coin warm to the touch that makes the wielder feel warm and immune to natural cold weather or water. If the wielder kills 9 beings with at least human-value souls an Ice Devil appears. If not given command it attacks who summoned it. It will obey for ten minutes and if used to do anything it resents will get a save, a victory means they will attack the summoner  
63 Pomegranate Coin - +1 HP while held, if killed while carrying this your soul appears before the underworld goddess and she takes to coin. She will listen to your story and judge if you are worthy to be returned in one of these ways (pick best or roll) d4 1=with a new reincarnated adult body with memories 2=sent to achieve one mission before returning voluntarily to the goddess 3=she will let you have a year of life where you can find a replacement for your fate in her garden 4=as an undead to avenge yourself against a killer
64 Loners Coin - the coin has limited ESP in 30 yards that informs you of any critical thoughts about the wielder especially vile or abusive thoughts of hatred. Many welders suffer paranoia and can't be near people anymore
65 Black Library Coin - wielder of this buries it in a graveyard and the next night an imp will give them a key and the location of a hidden door to the forbidden library of hell to learn wizard spells with no tuition fees just your soul
66 Gluttons Coin - wielder is immune to poison in food and drink but needs to eat for two-person persons
67 Stinkers Coin - the wielder if threatened emits a stinking cloud once per day targeted on themself which they are immune to. The coin smells of sulphur and marsh gas and the wielder is often flatulent as if fed of boiled eggs and cabbage
68 Leviathan Coin - the wielder is immune to drowning and floats like wood but once a month attracts a fierce storm. If killed wearing the coin they awake on a raft in the seas of hell
69 Sewer Lords Coin - the wielder can speak with rats and bats and under a full moon if in a sewer may find a new door not seen before leading to hells sewer
70 Coin of the Damned - gain +2 AC but lose shadow while held, any who dies carrying this coin becomes larvae in hell ended in a pit by imps with pointy sticks and whips
71 Flower Faerie Coin - can produce a bunch of flowers as a bonus action each round (pretty but inedible). Can detect if a faerie ring is a sort that real faeries frequent and while wearing it all faerie folk know your true intent towards them
72 Coin of Divine Zephyz - carry a message to and from a soul of a good person who now resides in paradise. Takes d4 hours and lose the coin
73 Ferryman's Coin - call the ferryman of the dead to a river on a full moon and be transported to the underworld waterways to various realms of the dead one way for a party in return for the coin
74 Healers Coin - any good person using this gets +1 on any healing spells, user glows while in use. An evil person takes 1pt damage round burning damage while they hold it
75 Angelic Coin - wielder can call a fiery angel to bring judgement, will kill non-good persons heal any good, scold chaotic, give unwanted advice on alignment, takes the coin then depart 
76 Holy Coin - touched by a saint and can be used by any good person to cast sugary once per day by flipping It.
77 Archon Coin - wielder can call on an archon from over space to smite chaos and scold beings not committed to the cosmic struggle. If a worthy champion of law accepts the Archon as its patron it will grant gifts for oaths 
78 Goddess Coin - wielder can determine the sex of an unborn child and is always able to wetnurse a baby. Holding the coin protects a mother giving birth from most medical problems and evil child-harming spirits 
79 
Coin of the Shedu - this ancient coin depicts an ancient palace guardian spirit of good and if kept under a good altar the spirit will guard the temple or shine. In the event of thieves or attackers in the sanctum the Shedu will appear to smite the wicked  
80 Coin of Law - wielder is immune to mutations and body shape changes while holding the coin with an arrow of Law on one side. A coin of Chaos exists and if swallowed the coin and gains one major and a d4 minor mutations, has the eight arrow eye of chaos sign on one side
81 Coin of the Orc King - wielder has +2 CHA for orcs and is immune to orc disease and parasites including creatures domesticated by goblins
82 Coin of the Sealords - can be used to find north and improves a ship's luck with storms and reefs
83 Coin of the Dragonlords - wielder can speak with dragons and knows good manners that expect from a good servant humanoid. Showing such a coin to an intelligent dragon is a way of declaring it your master
84 Coin of the Deathlords - wielder is immune to life, level, attribute or age draining. After one year of use save or become undead
85 Coin of Sunken CIty - allows you to contact the local population of evil fish folk and you sense where on the beach they want to meet you at midnight. Can speak with them without language via telepathy with sight range
86 Coin of the Sphynx - can summon a sphynx and if you pass its test or solve its riddle will give you a magic item and if you fail it will try and eat you. The coin fades away as the sphynx fades in
87 Coin of the Lamia - if planted in a ruin with a baby skeleton a lamia is attracted to the site and will rule over other creatures and the ruin
88 Coin of Pazzuzu - this frightening demon protects pregnant women and babies from worse demons. Many will assume from the coin's alignment and appearance that it is an evil relic. The weilder also has +2 to save vs disease and possession
89 Coin of the Warlord - wielder can call upon a mercenary captain who will serve for a month for the coin. They will usually leave but may become a follower. They will be good at rallying troops on the battlefield. Such men are doing it as a penance for failing the war god and this is their second chance. If the gods are angered by the coin user they might kill the captain out of spite
90 Coin of the Griffon - wielder can speak to griffons and possibly befriend or recruit them as followers. Once you have a griffon friend it will carry you to a divine mountain where griffons defend the gold of the gods they use to build nests from cyclopses. If you fight the cyclopses you might be able to bargain with them or fight them and many wield javelins of lightning
91 Coin of the Celestials - the currency used by the peoples of the night sky celestial city, while holding it the wielder does not age while on the mortal world. Many will desire this item and local earth spirits will inform the celestial bureaucracy the coin is in mortal hands
92 Coin of the Beyond - lets the holder touching with bare flesh perceive horrendous creatures that live beyond the normal known planes. Watching these horrendous beings can become obsessive and a few wizards tried to visit this other world or release these things into the mortal world. They are in part like deep sea ore microscopic life but much larger and potentially dangerous. The coin has been outside the universe
93 Coin of the Daemon Sultan - touching this pre-human coin causes shocking visions of the eye at the centre of the cosmos. Contact with this star size god and its mental presence may cause madness in the form of dramatic alignment change. Those who resist will drop the coin, those who fail it desire to serve the mad god as the great cosmic cancer and help awaken it in all times and places  
94 Coin of the Primordial Ones - the wearer is able to breathe hostile atmospheres or water-like fluids and survive low or high-pressure conditions. They are also immune to acid and can communicate by touch with all manner of slimes and oozes and jellies but to be fair most are not great thinkers
95 Coin of the Scales - left as calling cards by those who serve the balance. When someone wishes to activate the coin they must throw it in a pool of still water or well and call for aid. The powers of the balance will evaluate your request or importance in the cosmic struggle and possibly send armoured warriors in service of the balance
96 Coin of the Decapod - linked to the fate of this ancient ten-armed land cephalopods that could once cast illusions of dark fantasies to entrap victims but most have lost this ability today and their civilisation. Now they are grumpy loners and more bestial but this coin will inspire them to unite in the old ways and cooperate in restoring their lost power. The holder of the coin can cast a basic illusion three times a day and is used by the coin as a psychic antenna summoning decapods from across the world. Some believe breaking the coin will restore the species lost power which they use to entrap commoners to eat with creepy sexual illusions 
97 Coin of the Monster - the coin holder instantly knows the location of a sleeping kaiju or gargantuan monster. If the creature stirs or awakens the coin holder knows. The coin holder miraculously is never harmed by falling buildings, collapsing dams, hurricane storms or tsunamis made by the monster though they might be inconvenienced for a while
98 Coin of the Dragon Queen - if you are truly evil throwing this into the sea and saying Tiamat's name will cause the wielder to know the location of a Dragon egg for them. There may be dangerous tests but the egg will hatch in a d6 months and requires imprinting on the coin bearer to work. The beast is at least part dragon and it is expected to be cared for and used in a crusade against evil preferably versus enemies of dragons
99 Coin of the Machine God - if planted under a village or city foundations the city will grow remarkably efficiently and settlers will be attracted and work for the community eventually desiring to build a great machine ziggurat dedicated to the machine god and technology. Within a generation, the area will employ superior technology and mechanisation and the people will grow superior.Once the great machine ziggurat is built a great metal statue of the god in precious metals and stones will be required for the god as a new avatar and act directly on the world
100 Coin of Crowns - used as a symbolic token to trade for a kingdom millennium ago whoever holds the coin finds they hear voices from the coin giving them advice the coin thinks will help its goal of reclaiming the kingdom and returning to its original form as a human noble from long ago. A cult and some commoners and bandits in the region have also heard the coin's legend and will aid whoever holds it to liberate the tiny kingdom from a larger one long ago