Shopping in the great shut in

So as my local shops/work prospects are terrible I normally buy interstate on trips and do get lots from Noble Knoght, Drivethrough and local only FB groups. I suspect lots of gamers my age were feeling poor last year as I replaced most of my 80s collection in a year......see my want list on rh sidebar. So recently a dealer I know decided to sell lots for charity and we have been friendly over a few years so I got lots.....

A bag of mostly GURPS/Gurps Traveller/AAADA region guides still on way.
I have a few stupid doubles of late....

So today guy left me a few parcels (rated out of 4 stars)

I got greenstuffworld.com terrain texture rollers for some model making. I'm thinking of making up some terrain squares with texture and grass and some dungeon floor tiles. Possibly make some tiny cottages for a quick village. As I use 1/72 scale I have to use more wargaming and train type terrain stuff. Look forward to a play with these and kids might like too.****

I got a Paranoia box set as I stupidly got rid of my hardback living in tiny rooms in Sydney. I prefer early and mid paranoia. This ed quite crunchy but mostly it ran almost as a Larp. But the SF skill-based SF system I liked and how it fit into the world. I might try and find a few more. I have acute paranoia somewhere which can live in here too****.

More Darwins World stuff. Including The Ruin at the End of the World. An amazing hexcrawl campaign of LA with great history and revealing secrets of the setting that kind of amazed me. I like it when you can piece together info to explain whole setting and changed how I think about it. Map a bit ghastly and I would fill out street map geomorphs or use other sourcebook to pad out. One of best post apoc region books - id rate it with Gammaworld PitzBurke, Mutant Epoch Pitford and probably my own broken hill****.

Glorantha The Second Age: The Clanking CIty. Last mongoose RQ thing I wanted after nabbing most at a RQ con in melb last year. I normally dislike magic tech but this is done well and it fits in an amazing setting. The machine cult of Zistor of god learner wizards are cranking out cheap magic items, artificial limbs, war machines and weapons. They have built a machine god which is very heretical and the Dragon empire next door don't like it. It fits in with drarf ideas of magic in setting well to, Lots of good ideas here to enjoy and If you need a evil magic capitol of sweatshops this is pretty good ****.

The real treasure trove was an afterthought....a big pile of Iron Crown History campaign sourcebook. Some have Fantasy Hero stats too which remind my why I quit champions in 84 but still have fondness for it. I am not a fan of the Rolemaster System and some of the playbooks are pages of tables and stats dedicated to the game. 

Robin Hood. I wouldn't mind the GURPS one too. Why Robin Hood? As a time period it suits many DnD and fantasy games. We know the tropes and the IP is free. I recommend reading up on England as a land of banditry with knights robbing the next area as bandits to ruin rivals and lords supporting bandits who rob rivals. I guess nations all do stuff like this and quite a few bandits are victims of politics and possibly also rebels. This book has lots of detail on an England of anglo Saxon culture with a slappening of norman which suits lots of DnD worlds. Great timelines, lots of illustrations, maps, ships, church life, aerial village images, myths, a whole campaign with events, maps of prisons (lol), choc-full of goodness. Maybe some humancentric pseudo-history might be your thing. Interesting traditions of RH on film and TV. Especially making more ethnically diverse which some have problems with. UK 80s TV series had lots of magic and paganism and Robin server Herne the Hunter and sought the 7 magic swords of Britain so I wanna see that again. 160 pages****

Maybe I could be a jerk and say some people like Roleplaying certain eras for racism and classism. I know lots of hip ethicist gamers who hate dnd but have a softspot for nobility in games. Current popular discussions make me wonder.

At Rapiers Point.Three musketeers with some notes on adapting to other fantasy games. The swashbuckling spirit of Dumas if huge in gaming (and many robin hood films).  Good tables on income and jobs. Setting wise some good maps but a bit lighter than say Robin Hood. Id liked more info like districts of Paris, regions of France and local problems, England and the rest of the world gets more detail. Price lists for era with omissions like a horse price. I liked Chateau map in adventure. Overall I didn't learn as much and more superficial treatment. 128 pages and fairly dense. Modern art ok but pretty light on graphics compared to others. Lots of art does not really illustrate anything.**

Arabian Nights. Here we go. Might show all my Arabian night Games to some Islamic friends and see how they rate as respectful.... Away this features old Arabiabian nights art for cover and interior, much of it very nice and European victorian even nuveau style. To be fair it probably is the very definition of orientalism. Seems to use the core rulebook more. I think they put in a good effort in this book and it good tone on genre, asking reader to choose history or western romance and has a variety of options for the class system and how true religion works. It says some genre tropes not in accordance with modern ethos (1994). Having this discussion is a good thing. We are all still having this conversation in 2020. Various periods of play are outlined and ethos of the day. It deals with Islam in some detail. Has over a page on women, then social classes and other good cultural and geographic details like Bagdad. Desert survival in detail. Some ideas to cross polinate into other settings like er Middle Earth. Arrow snakes are a cool monster. In one adventure you go to Irem. Another seeks a Frankish Crown and more. 4 page glossary. 2 page references for gamers. It is much better than the Musketeer book and I think they mostly cared. I guess portraying any living religion in games has issues. I guess I like Bronze Age for these reasons. 112pages dense well illustrated**** 

Pirates. Have hopes for as it is branded like the Robin Hood book and fatter at 160 pages. More system mechanics early on blah. The world has lots of cool maps you could copy and mod. Ship and fort plans. Seaside towns. Islands.  Lots on combat and sea battles. Gazeteer is good with maps you can add too. A good timeline. Big fat champions stat blocks. Quite a few short adventures. Lots of games have don this subject and this is dense and well-illustrated. BPR pirates seemed flawed, broken and a bit odd from that rushed era of Chaosium. The good history here and feel but has more stat blocks than others in the line***. 

Mythic Greece. 160 pages. Mix of mostly arhaic Homeric greek and classical athens in art and victorian clip images. Proposes races including nymphs, satyr, centaurs. I wish available equipment was just in a price list not reference to another book rule sections that could have just put prices in. Good setting stuff and maps by page 63 it's onto scenarios and world and it focuses on archaic Greece of city-states mycene and Knossos then moves onto the world including Atlantis which I would like to do destroy. Lots on people and gods. Maps of forts and houses and locations in the back. Lots of good content here but the Arabian Knights book has a better more consistent feel for the art. Lots of Illustrated characters for player looks and bronze age kit is good***.

Wish i had Vikings volume.....

Mythic Egypt.  Thinner but dense with art and art made for the product with probably the most over the top cover of gods fighting on front. It is an enthusiastic hot mess cover, fun but kinda takes vibe somewhere stranger. Maybe it is the Fantasy Hero compatibility cos rolemaster was crunch and gritty while hero system champions is is crunch and over the top. Lots of deliberate new art, maps and victorian clip art (like they paid for it and had to use it). Djinn, sphynxes, Werecats and other lycanthrope races for players. Good timelines, lots of maps, illustrated gods, diagram of where the sun hoes at any hour not in sky, a few pages on language. Lots of good  adventures with maps to recycle in play. Six pages on gm tips that i don't understand why it is here as it feels like its a left over from some other work it is so not on point. Gods are good but some mechanics for magic just not interesting to me. Probably one of my favorites with some odness. Definatley the most art and maps any one could use****. Also noticed random generated pyramid dungeon generator. So many good snippets. 4 types of mummies. Keeps getting better and possibly one of my fave rpg thing list

Babylon RPG Blitz of Reviews

Tags seem to vanish off my blog posts while working on them and I cant cut and paste tag lists in from other posts with same tags - thanks google apes

I was madly running 4 Mesopotamian BRP games and more recently my Exilon setting (here) and adventures (Patreon) an I thought I might be involved in one. Suddenly lots of RPG floodgates are opening. I always dreamed of doing a BRP or Gurps one but like most stupid dreams I didn't. Even as an editor or reviewer or consultant sniff. One of my right-hand links goes to my posts on this theme including comprehensive image dumps to help players visualise the era mostly focused on Iraq and other nearby places. 

So after hearing of a new one and getting It I hunted for hours through LuLu where I had seen one only to discover same was a PDF of drive-through with a new colour cover. So anyway here are some links to some more which I have added to my Mesopotamian Adventures. Here I am reviewing BFJB and Into the Bronze. There was a sorta biblical series of ancient near east harbacks in d20 days but it had this biblical veneer and some mythic touches I disliked but I would nab it in a flash If I saw it around. I have reviewed Ankur and Blood & Bronze before. And then there is Puerta De Ishtar in Spanish which looks amazing, sounds cool and I wish I knew Spanish...or is it Catalonian?

As I'm a bit of a fan with 40kilos of books on the subject next to me, I do like to see this stuff used well or interestingly and slide away from pop cliches or through a lens of Christians looking through a lens of the old testament and people many time removed. Pazzuzu is a-ok demon yet Hollywood and gamers make him a non-useful demon. I got the Cthulhu Britanica: The Curse in Nineveh and I was miffy because they made Nabu into Yog Sothoth and then act out of character to me when Nabu is Thoth Hermes so other mythos gods a better fit. Possibly Bast is over used by HPL fandom too.

One of my other interests is sceptical archaeology so lots of the UFO ancient astronaut stuff I see that it causes actual harm on evidence and to current occupants so I am running out of being able to enjoy all the products based on this premise now. At least HPL declared he wrote non fiction, unlike Zechariah Sitchin who proclaimed it was the truth. Then there is that great Essay on how Von Daniken ripped of HPL methodology and writing style.

Blood & Bronze RPG

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/9554/Cyclopean-Games
Some crew here worked on some similar themes in their retro and clones
Into The Bronze RPG
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/14593/Lantern039s-Faun
Babylon on which fame and jubilation are bestowed
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/10533/Shukamu-Press
i presume is older version i spent hours looking for
https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/g-p-davis/babylon-on-which-fame-and-jubilation-are-bestowed/paperback/product-15emjekm.html
Design Mechanism Promise a book for this line...
http://thedesignmechanism.com/Mythic-Earth.php
Ankur (all this + Aliens and UFO Cult Dogma)
If i had to pick a game of ancient aliens based on mad racist Zechariah Sitchin
Though for superheroes to visit or an alt timeline I guess Its cool and has lasers
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/214737/Ankur-Kingdom-of-the-Gods

So I am going to get hard copies of Into the Bronze and BFJB. Latter I have looked over the old version PDF and gosh I like it.

Babylon on which fame and jubilation are bestowed (old pdf LuLu version)
It has some impressive research, campaign info and use of authentic language (+just read the kings laws for game seeds). Plus It has and like spells and other mechanics which lots of the 250 pages in the earlier part are character generation. As I know the history here I'm pretty impressed mostly. They do slap in elves and make dwarves Sumerians and end races which I would just drop possibly. Several other games have gone this way and Egyptian ones to put in their tolkien races in other settings. Lots of setting stuff is in the mechanics and detail in the skills that is quite intense. So based on simple and but it has skills and lots of other add sons. The magic associated with gods was not quite what I would do but is very fun and interesting to link spells to gods as they do. As someone writing my own retro-clone I appreciate lots of thought here and was surprised I liked lots of the mechanical ideas which I don't feel often.

There are so many good things about this I'm jealous and even though I ran the same period for years there Is a lot in here setting wise I really like/ Especially for character cultures and home cities. Unlike lots of games, this has some good city details. I look forward to the newer edition and will post it here when I get it. It is good to see a book full of stuff you meant to do in a long term campaign detail wise. So interesting for the history, setting and as a retro-clone that is thorough. 388 pages - older B&W PDF cheaper I'm getting a new book later

As for my own take in things, I guess I syncretized the crap out of the religion to make a consistent pantheon which barely happened sort of cos the real ancient world was local and diverse in styles. I guess I did It for similar reasons that empires did for easier paperwork. I guess I used are and maps and historic texts and miniature to convey lots of detail visually when I run these. 

Into The Bronze RPG

It is a simple and pretty RPG pdf, more minimal and about graphic design. Lighter, more wire space and lots of historic clip art. Some though is thousands of years later than the era depicted here. Instead of detailed setting lore, you have lots of tables for adventures and hex crawl. It talks about Sumerian and shows what I think Is Brugel and mentions the surviving religions as a source which I am not hot on. Once again The first part of the book looks great. The random map I found was a bit ugly but they for making a hexcrawl on the flyover detail and simulation of history. The last section has some monsters and more art that while is well used as design is more off theme. I don't think this game teaches as much about history or is for a long game. Id rates it highly as an art-game though. To be honest get only a vague sense of middle eastern history here or even any distinctively Sumerian. 60pages.

I rate highly for the look and feels and for sandbox improv tool and pretty utility tables. but I'm more likely to use it to add detail to another more detailed game. Comparing one of these books to the other Into The Bronze makes me think of splash spreads of design first and BFJB I think of as lots of mechanical goodies and some history and sensitivity to the culture.

I guess having done 2300BC and 1800BC and 700BC games I see differences some don't and as an image researcher, I know where most come from (and more nobody else has used). My more recent Exilon being more DnD was less historical more fantasy and intended to be easier to run by not being as intimidating as history can. Filling in some gaps with other tropes like Robert E Howard seems a popular approach too as three games claim to do it but all different. Anyway looking forward to some hard copies and for what Mythras will do as they do some good history gaming.

Bubonica
A 25 page pdf zine? Describing a diseased chaos cult with monsters, spells, mini-dungeon and lots of goodies and nice art. I kinda wish it had a few more pages to print it easily. A timely snippet of chaos fouldom. Entertaining waxing poetical on a needed topic.

Book Of Lairs vol 1&2

I recently struggled through these old classics. Potentially useful to drop-in games and for a novice npc describe monsters tactics in an environment. Each has a few hooks to get players on board. Lots of variety of monsters. Vol2 get more Oriental content, more guest star writers and possibly some of the more interesting ones. So do players really go about killing animals that much in DnD? A good mix of level stuff for lots of settings.

Some problems include often overwritten in some cases like a spread on an encounter I've had in dozens of games and most people just improvise it the same. Alot of these are just killing animals all who are extra cunning in many cases and won't fall for obvious stuff. Quite a few good monsters to hurt too which I have never killed with any but I had slept with a silver dragon in Dragonlance. Lots of these are controlled or duped or wrong or just too demanding. A few monsters take a while of being stubborn before you kill them so I guess its their fault. I like one good magic monster was just hard of hearing and easily confused but it suggests you give xp for not murdering the critter. There is one halfling weirdo who sounds like a modern kidnapper maniac but he only torments and verbally abuses victims for months before scrubbing their minds and releasing when bored. This guy is kinda the creepiest nothing villains on any official module. I like the idea of this as a one-page dungeon thing but Maps and bullet points would beat text in a few cases. The writing style varies from concise to somnambulistic. 

----------
More stuff coming In

Homebrew Updates

So as I have an alignment system where you may put one point into an alignment per level and take a oath and get a gift. It did result in a TPK in a 20 minute game once which was awesome and players seem willing to restrain from it. Some ignore it but then see some other guy get a +1 sword and say i want me some alignment, fanaticism a small price to pay. Or I really wish I had this thing maybe alignment might let you solve it.

It has also helped make some very diverse characters that break class convention like a sword wielding wizard with a few cure light wounds spells who is painfully moralistic and preaches celibacy outside of marriage. Great guy. All the thieves who became kleptomaniac impulsive graffiti artist who went on to piss off gods. Or that warrior who started getting too lawful and just put on breaks a while with alignment fanaticism. 

So I have been revising benefits a bit and decided to put in wishes possible at highest level as gifts and some tweaks to let you stack your magic item gifts for extra minor abilities. One of most interesting discussions was alignment points as magic resistance vs opposite alignments. So you only could have 20 total points in one alignment (Good or Law) or two at 10 (good and law) so to make these scores a few % of magic resistance isn't too world breaking. That good guy with +20 in good would get 20% resist evil spells but that lawful (+10) good (+10) guy would get 20% vs chaotic evil and 10% vs evil or chaos.

Making alignment do stuff in game and have clear guides over behaviour defined by oaths has been good. Some other thoughts on how this links to religion and magic items that might have required alignment scores to activate abilities or resist a curse. Some more options for magic items and 

I like way you could select difficulty rating of a dungeon or monster random encounter by level its a shame they didn't rate magic items by level too in older books which would make sense.

Currently you can get a +1 weapon at low level with a oath then a +2 one at 6th level. So this seemingly makes old +1 obsolete and you might throw it away or sell it or give it to a follower. But we considered you could instead upgrade an existing item and unlock another ability. I guess Id do the same for armour but might need a better table but possibly as A +1 ring or armour are stackable in a way attacks are not usually able to do

d12 Swap a redundant "+1" for:
1 Only usable by your alignment other users save or cursed -4 to hit
2 +2 vs a specific species or opposite alignment (so a +2 sword have +4 vs one foe type)
3 Opposite alignment touching weapon to hold or hit takes +d3 fire or electric or cold or venom
4 Thrown misile weapon returns to hand others acting missiles create ammunition
5 Weapon glows within 30 yards of one species or opposite alignment
6 Weapon leaps into your hand as if you had quickraw weapon if within 10 yrds
7 Weapon glows casting light equivalent to lamp can be controlled at will in hand
8 Weapon transforms into a harmless non threatening similar size object at will
9 Weapon is intelligent advising wielder via telepathy, stack twice item can talk
10 Weapon can once fight on own one round per weapons + per day (+2=2rounds)
11 Weapon can cast four cantrips once a day
12 Weapon can cast a 1st level spell once per day

Currently we are making monks to test out weapons skills and martial arts  a bit, writing mid to high level spells and various little tweaks. Working on a new character sheet.

Realised was mixing my nationality spelling of English again so a few things fixed since this.
Possibly could have made this guy a more horrible killing machine but went for thief and healing stuff. A fighter the same would probably hit more often and move slower in armour. These same alignment oaths and gifts could be slapped on a wizard as easily which I like the idea of wrathful LG wizards. I don't really need paladins or rangers in my game, this system lets you make lots of other vanilla classes do strange things. 

ENC is a fun time thing mine isn't strictly mass. With this guy a few more things in his pack and he will be -3 on his move of 16 making him faster than unladened normal person.

Though hitting a magic monster bare handed is one thing i realising punching a slime monster or fire elemental or wraith might be really bad outcome maybe monks need threat proof fists or a stick for such occasions. Or a halberd. I gave this guy gauntlets for this. Magic Cestus?

Worked this guy up from 1st level by level to six to test the system. Also being martial artist they tests min maxing and stacking fancy fighting skills which I want. I like some stacking but not as silly as it all got in 3rd ed. Lots of players enjoy this stuff and my last gasp of old and was early 2nd ed with the brown books and my fave later 1st ed books were Dungeoneers Survival Guide and Oriental Adventures so my liking of stat based rolls for skills was big. I liked BRP and Rolemaster and GURPS to and skill systems in general. Skills as a shortcut for getting in game clues is kinda like we roll dice and don't need to punch the DM to run combat in game. They make stats do things unlike some versions of game. I prefer stat based saved and modern target hit rolls and lots of stuff. Im gradually filing off some relics of 70s wargaming and polishing others. I was quite happy to slap the 1st and 2nd and 3rd stuff i liked on top of BX.

At least I am playing a fantasy and clone again. Stone Age Sorcery game coming up and characters are I'm hoping gonna fight some megafauna.....It has taken too long and they are 6th level.

War Against The Dark Lord 2: Dark Lords Encounters & Wonders

War Against The Dark Lord 2: Dark Lords Encounters & Wonders

So these are to be used as usual as the war is breaking out. Just used a d10 early on and higher dice for increasingly bad stuff. Encounters are the things you meet travelling or camping as war starts. Wonders are things you might witness and not get involved in. Some are just memorable sights to witness, some are opportunities to learn or fight evil. Lots of confused people don't know what is going on at first so characters could easily help out.

I would probably hit a party with a war from 4th level especially when just returning with lots of loot. During the war travel gets worse and fate nudges you into helping. The dark lord targets those who stand out in his great scrying halls where wizards spy on the world with magic. So as you stand out you get more supernatural surveillance and more encounters as enemy sent after the party.

Next will be loot and gossip. Lots of the gossip is dark lord propaganda. Lots of items are cursed or require evil people to use them.

Why does this random mook support the Dark Lord?

01 You get stability with the dark lord, he is just what we need right now  
02 Well one day one of these dark lords is gonna win and 
03 I have a lucky feeling this time, I can just feel this time he will win
04 All these pretty people will all be brought down low with fire and iron
05 Well its always been the same dark lord and he always comes back 
06 My ancestors made a pact to serve the dark lord and I got the call
07 The dark lord really looks out for the little guy, he understands us
08 All that dark lord stuff, its jus to scare the enemies into eternal subjugation
09 All those rich and pretty people stop the dark lords chosen getting what they deserve
10 The dark lord wants you to be free, to kill who you like when you like 
11 The Dark lord says remorse is for the weak while the strong take what they want
12 All this plotting and corruption is weak and slow, the dark lord simplifies everything

Why does this evil hero support the Dark Lord?

01 Was tainted by evil oaths for corrupt unholy weapons
02 Wanted to try and save family ended up killing them all
03 Was granted power in return for an immortal soul
04 Promised immortality among the dark lords chosen
05 Rivals killed by dark lord agents who occasionally show up
06 Once you get on board with the power you learn to stop caring
07 We must reduce the weak with trials of blood and fire every generation
08 Dark lords taint runs in your bloodline and they dream of the lords dark gaze
09 The dark lord represents how the universe works, the strong eat the weak
10 Nobody can defeat the darklord, sooner you join us the better
11 When did the forces of good do anything lately? Made universe then abandoned us 

12 The dark lord draws on unstoppable powers from the void before the universe

War Against The Dark Lord 2: Encounters

01 Goblin bat riders scouting area possibly skirmish but mostly seek food and info
02 Wolf riders scouting area possibly skirmish but mostly seek food and info
03 Area cloaked in webbing  and giant spiders wait in ambush
04 Pack of savage wild dogs menacing area for food
05 Goblin foot scouts with bows mostly want food and targets for other troops
06 Gang of bandits bear the dark lords mark having joined him
07 Gang of thieves in service of dark one ambushing and killing travellers
08 Swarm of rats - breeding and feeding from dead 5% chance carry plague
09 Swarm of bats 5% of them has rabies
10 Swarm of ravens - will mutter about dark lord and say his name "darklord!"
11 Shifty looking robed man watching area from afar, is really an orc scout
12 Squad of hobgoblins out to massacre commoners to spread terror
13 Evil priest raising some people they murdered as zombies to block the area
14 Robed cultists dedicated to the dark lord in robes, led by a wizard many apprentices
15 Dark robed weasly man convincing people to surrender and prepare for the master 
16 An evil bard is spreading gossip and propaganda supporting the evil one in war
17 Wandering mob of zombie peasants on a killing spree
18 A lycanthrope in human form seeks company on the road
19 Doppelganger spy of the evil master friendly to travellers seeks information
20 An ogre with clever sitting on path preparing a serf stuffed with rats for a meal
21 A shadow coalesces as an evil shadow hungry for the strength of the living
22 A group of ghouls bold enough to hide in shadows and overcast hungry for flesh
23 Wight warrior with an ancient black blade of the evil lords forge seeks something
24 A frightful wight knight on a bone golem horse harrases travellers and messengers
25 A dozen goblin archers with a d4 wolf riders an army scout group seeking intelligence
26 Six wolf riding goblins chasing common travellers with a wagon
27 Swarms of evil bats roam the land spawned by the dark lords blood
28 Hobgoblin squad crucifying some caravan guards who resisted led by cruel officer
29 Orc barbarian mob of dozen warriors and d4 berserkers have run ahead of plan to loot
30 Wild hairy naked gang of abhumans from the woods have been duped to unrest
31 Band of feral goatmen from the dark mountain want to harry the ruination of humankind
32 A lone ogre was ditched by his orc handlers and is lost and hungry 
33 Four orc warg riders scouting for local orc commander, will flee and get help
34 A ferocious insane troll from the deep has come to see the sun fall from the sky
35 A lone wounded orc sees trouble coming and with last gasp blows hor for aid roll again
36 Six giant bats each with a goblin archer harry travellers who can't fight back
37 A young 4th level necromancer and his dozen skeletonised serf with farm tools, seeks corpses can carry back to master to make undead, carry a d6 bodies
38 A dozed dark templars led by a 4th level priest of darkness stirring up terror
39 Four orcs commanding a dozen cowardly ill-equipped goblins
40 Hood wearing cultists with burning torches and swords killing anyone not in a hood
41 Hooded cultists mugging a country priest or friar while a d4 scared commoners watch
42 Galloping frightened horse with unconscious cavalry trooper hanging from the saddle
43 The child cries for help, tells of a dozen orc archers attacking homestead near
44 An invisible imp has a mission to molest travellers and keep eye out for heroes 
45 An invisible dark elf follows travellers intending to murder them by night when helpless
46 A robed hidden hobgoblin will fire a single poison arrow then flee to report to command
47 A goblin bat rider flies by if not stopped a turn later hear goblins coming. A d4 wolf riding goblins archers will track party first and retreat if hurt to join dozen goblin skirmishers who hunt the party
48 Hill giant sitting by road with a dead cow and a d4 probably dead farmers busy eating
49 A band of armoured dwarves 3d4 fled underland tunnels to avoid two squads of orcs chasing them each led by rival commander, dwarves seek travelling companions
50 A young elf is being chased by a squad of orcs, has spent spells already and unarmed. Carries a message warning of orcs siege on hidden elf stronghold to elf king
51 Dead man caries a d3 cursed items left here by a giant bat as a trap
52 Halfling in hiding warns of upcoming encounter up road (roll again)
53 Unburied bodies lay by the road and a d4+1 shadows arise to attack
54 A dozen rambling zombies travel in line to nearest settlement and attack everyone they meet on way
55 Wagon of refugees with belongings and wagon struggling to move cart, two squads of orcs are on the way here in ten minutes
56 Lone ranger on horse chased by dozen goblin wolf riders
57 Squad of orc pikemen burning a house while family trapped inside
58 Cult leader priest with a dozen hooded fanatics a chaos flagellant and six 1st level templar priests have captured a local leaders family and taking them to the dark lord 
59 A dozen chaos berserker mutant flagelant monks with war flails on killing frenzy
60 A dozen orc riding giant lizards gallop down road raiding the area
61 four wight warriors leading a dozen skeletons have awoken at the masters bidding
62 Six wight knights riding bone golem horses hunt adventurers the master wants
63 Pack of wolves d8+8 have chased a local person up a tree 
64 Orc barbarians on horseback, six with mounts here to kill minions of the dark lord who does nothing but fail them and lie, tribe dedicated to killing dark lord and his wizards and cults. Stop to ask directions where enemy orcs might be
65 Gang of youths with clubs eager to meet the invaders sure that being human alone will make them win, friendly to strangers and boast of future heroic deeds
66 Bard rider on horseback (dark lord cultist) telling all to flee coming evil armies
67 A dozen bandits of the area unconvinced the Dark Lord offer more justice or prosperity than current regime is helping refugees and wounded soldiers by holding off some goblin archers
68 A dozen barbarian riders here to kill minions of evil, normally they're kind unwelcome 
69 Elves helping some humans on the road with food and blankets (1in6 are dark elves in disguise and blankets carry plague and food is poison)
70 Distant horns and shaking earth as hundreds of orc heavy infantry and a dozen armoured war ogres. A dozen warg riders scout ahead and skirmish with enemies
71 An old knight leading 3 dozen militia hunting monsters, no idea how bad things are yet
72 Nuns with a wagon have heard needy folk need help. Not really helpless as they all carry maces, wear chain under robes and leader is 4th level priestess
73 Knight with his squire and several extra pack horses travelling and no idea of what's happening
74 A dozen knights led by a paladin and her priestess follower on a horse on a mission against a weapon of the enemy
75 A bandit gang of two dozen have been court off guard and escaping area with all their goods and a d6 harmless followers. Could be convinced to fight and earn a pardon but they plant to hide in a distant cave they have heard of
76 A merchant wagon train of fleeing rich with four dozen men at arms. A d3 merchant families and servants are fleeing to a ship to leave the continent
77 Local lord with seventy-five spearmen and six knights and forty archers on the hunt for evil
78 Amazons on horseback, dozen from beyond the frontier here to kill orcs or goblins, possibly meet some women to take home
79 Goblins mostly archers, two dozen killing a wounded d4 1=treeant 2=giant 3=hippogriff 4=cave bear
80 Wyvern is ridden by d4 1=orc hero 2=evil 5th level wizard 3=evil 4th level priest 5th=evil cultist knight
81 A dozen hill giants drunkenly lumbering about commanded by an orc hero and an orc squad of pikemen
82 A dozen orc heavy troops with composite bows, poison arrows, scimitars in chainmail, led by a hero with cursed evil blade and pet warg
83 A dozen lizardfolk warriors serving the dark lord against humans, these use obsidian war clubs and javelins and blowpipes with poison, led by a hero on riding giant lizard 
84 A dozen trolls marching to an orc drummer with a dozen orc pikemen and an orc hero behind them 
85 Goblin skirmishers are busy setting fire to forest or houses or something unwelcome
86 Dozen orcs riding giant boars from distant land led by a hero and druid companion here to kill those serving the dark lord, mostly avoid locals but enemy orcs fear them
87 Evil wizard with succubus or incubus lover trying to get back to dark lords side with espionage documents, if cant avoid others will pretend to be agents of the kind on a mission and if that work might try and lead the party to a command outpost to kill. Outpost will have at least four dozen words, a d4 wards and a 4th level evil orc priest
88 A wraith roaming the woods spies for the dark lord and reports adventurers location to the dark lord who sends six wyverns ridden by 4th level evil priests 
89 A wraith riding a zombie wyvern attacks non-allied adventurers
90 Chaos warband of thirty mongrel monster maniacs not affiliated with dark lord but up for raiding and looting and fighting. Goatman hero leader has harem of d6 chaos shoggoth lovers
91 Drums indicate hundreds of goblins running through area eating everything, most animals hide or flee
92 A dragon flies overhead and will ignore most travellers unless it is tempted by treasure, then it will breathe from the air than land to mell
93 A hundred orc heavy infantry marching and charting war chants led by an orc hero and evil priest adviser
94 A hundred skeletons marching with necromancer lord 9th Lv wizard, some of them play jaunty marching tunes on bone flutes and human skin drums 
95 A hundred corrupted human cultists 
96 A great demon of shadow and fire, flies overhead unseen for an age, a fallen demon angel serving the dark lord and thought all on earth killed by gods long ago
97 A great gaggle of over a hundred chaos tainted mutants shunned by the good and pretty relish the dark lord coming and have started murdering up to demonstrate their support
98 A spectral army of damned souls sworn to serve the dark lord long ago, now a hundred of these spirit warriors march as if they still lived
99 Army of 100 orc pikemen 100 orc heavy infantry 100 goblin archers 40 orc warg riders, 6 Hill giants, 4 megaceratops with cannon platforms on their backs and 80 goblin baggage handlers carry supplies in read and strip land of anything useful or of value. Each group is led by own hero and force is led by a demon who rides a shadow dragon
100 A colossal vessel of the dark lord has arisen, a terrible burning giant that lays waste to all in path with a hundred cultists following all chanting and sacrificing victims to him

War Against The Dark Lord 2: Wonders

01 The day grows shorter as twilight and sunset become several hours shorter
02 A great distant forest fire rains ash and sparks and smoke over a huge area for days. Chokes the air and reduces visibility and local spot fires startup
03 An eclipse long prophecized strikes panicking many peoples and paralysing both sides for a day
04 A great and terrible storm with gale-force winds sweeps over land destroying crops, damaging buildings and terrifying everyone. No forces move a d4 days
05 A volcano erupts surprising many, mostly darkens sky with smoke and makes sunsets more red and orange, but locals report damage and fire creatures spewing from the crater
06 A quake strikes the kingdom seemingly targeting many fortifications 
07 Heavy rain causes flash floods in lowlands and some people lose everything and even lives. Spreads chaos and hardship till giant beavers arrive to save the day
08 Bats swarm over the whole sky, millions upon millions like dark clouds
09 Coastal tsunami damages ports and fishing villages and many ships are lost
10 A plague breaks out in some cities as they prepare defences for war
11  A priest leading hundreds of singing peasants with flowers who are going to prey the evil one away with their love. The priest is mad as his secretly a doppelganger assistant has been poisoning him with madness drugs and mercury. The doppelganger really wants this scam to work and get promoted by the dark lord
12 An evil priest promises listeners life if they serve the dark lord and offers to take those willing to service and life behind enemy lines. Many desperate people are convinced by the promise of food and freedom. "Don't believe the lies, serving the dark lord is great!"
13 Baggage train of supplies in oxcarts heading to troops and needy is held up. An evil bard is trying to convince the quartermaster to take it all to the dark lord for gold and a title
14 A hundred orc spearmen and 40 goblin archers are leading the whole population of a village and several wagons of goods to the dark lord
15 A force of 100 barbarian horsemen from the frontier and a force of 100 knights have met on the road and the leaders are busy fighting about who should command and follow who and where the enemy is, this will continue for hours 
16 A sprawling force of a few dozen militia and several hundred irregular commoners with slings, bows and farm tools has united under the command of a naive young priest who marches to the enemy
17 Thousands of refugees swarm, abandoning heavy goods and broken wagons, some lost children and injured elderly crying for help
18 A wounded demoralised army retreating without any leadership fleeing and abandoning equipment, hundreds of men mostly wounded. Howls of wolves, drums and trumpets are behind them 
19 A priest driven mad by dark lord agents with drugs has assembled a children's crusade of three hundred city urchins with sticks and stones to fight the dark lord. All are hungry and cold
20 A recruitment station ahead has received two hundreds of recruits of all walks of life. Another hundred camp followers and refugees gather here also. Bard criers inform regularly new war and mobilisation news, people seem optimistic
21 A massive orc and goblin force is attacked by a third force of foreign orcs who set the orcs and goblins of the dark lord fighting while they flee. The force breaks up and scatters 
22 A marching army of undead is attacked by a fighting force of priests who route the undead scattering thousands of skeletons over the land all confused without orders
23 A halfling ventriloquist causes a dozen ettins to fight each other leaving several dead and most hurt. Then he starts taunting them again. 
24 Treants and tree spirit folk pour from the woods and route a goblin army 
25 A marching army of orcs halts. A wizard leader receives a message from the master and the whole force change direction to some distant cause
26 A marching army of orcs are repelled by halfling militia in trees throwing rocks
27 A great mighty wizard appears and routes an army of orcs and goblins
28 A hoarde of wildwood folk all hairy and naked and serving the dark lord are met by druids who convince them to change sides
29 An army of works is routed by mostly spells from elvish force who move in to finish off survivors 
30 A barbarian horde on horseback rout an army of orc infantry unprepared 
31 Forests are being infested with webs of giant spiders, some whole woodlands have been consumed
32 A migrating clan of ogres have set up a camp, more than  anyone in this land have ever seen
33 Thick black thorn bushes have sprung up in many places, blocking roads and forming huge hedge mazes meters wide sometimes, small races like goblins find it easier going than humans to cross
34 Millions of black rats swarm over the country spreading plague, eating stored grain and flowing into cities
35 A dark taint has overtaken local nature, evil squirrels and forest animals are hostile and tree spirits are evil unless someone can purify the heart of the forest in a secret druid cave
36 Hundreds of petrified fleeing human statues caught by a basilisk sent by the evil one. The beast still lurks awaiting orders
37 Squadrons of giant bats with goblin archers are attacked by giant eagles, clouds of ordinary bats and tiny birds fight around them darkening the sky, blood and feathers and bodies rain down
38 An abandoned army encampment with a few men hiding some wounded. The camp has been destroyed by werewolves spreading in the barracks now finally they have shed uniforms and destroyed most witnesses they have fled 
39 A wizard of the dark lord with hundred orc pikemen meets a cyclops leader to negotiate unity. Any interference now might ruin the meeting and possibility of the cyclops tribe joining. A dozen fighting cyclops are ready. It might be possible to get cyclops to help humans but this is harder
40 A colossal giant black undead wolf Carnix walks the land with a two dozen zombie wolves. The beast was released from the underworld by the dark lord and it longs to feast on humans
41 An army of orcs moving siege equipment, one of the weapons is worshipped as a minor god with a priesthood who care for it and it is pulled by a team of six megatheriums. The orc army includes 100 siege engineers 100 pikemen and 100 crossbowmen. The cult weapon is d4 1=Ullzauel the god cannon 2=Luran the violet ray apparatus 3=Gorizol a machine with lense to amplify a basilisk gaze 4=Hellspitter a machine that shoots a 20d6 fireball using gems as ammo 
42 Orc sappers have been digging and using black powder to divert a river that could flood all the lowlands. The massive earthworks are visible for miles. Once close see they are using human slave labour and have built a camp where the river diverging will destroy
43 Wizards have made vast black stone walls blocking roads and waterways causing chaos
44 A great string dust cloud is moving among it thousands of zombies moving in a herd to the dark lord's design. This control is based on a relic that might be damaged
45 A vast lake of mud has been created by wizards to block certain road routes and supply lines of the king's army. King's wizards hope to make a path through it by turning mud back to stone but mostly the land is ruined
46 A dark lord wizard unleashed a wind of death causing every 1HD or less humanoid to save or die as spectral death spirits slay those who fail with scythes and carry souls away. Survivors are horrifies 
47 Water is tainted with chaos in the area, strange plants, animals and mutant locals turn evil until taint is stopped
48 A great tribe of forest orcs unwilling to get involved in this age of strife using their druidic relics to all turn into trees for a few hundred years to the dark lord has gone or someone can find a way to revive them or convince them humans would cooperate against other orcs
49 A great barbarian prince with his burning spear Bloodbrand leads his army to attack an orc camp and personally slays a death knight hero of the dark lord
50 A great gathering of naked orcs standing about aimlessly. In the middle in a great muddy pit wizards make new orcs from the mud. Apprentices try to encourage orcs to try weapons and learn evil language commands. In a few days, they will be ready to fight 
51 A comet passes overnight, next day plague has broken out across the world
52 A shooting star crashes actually a greater demon entering the world released by the dark one 
53 A great burning light of the dark lord is seen blazing over the horizon shooting bolts of power into a great dark hole in the clouds above
54 A great spectral projection of the dark lord appears in the sky a supposed portent of his divinity according to the cult
55 A river turns red with blood, choked with corpses and body parts
56 Sixty orcs are digging up a graveyard and assembling skeletons on tables for a necromancer to make into skeletons. Have about 70 so far make a dozen a day, plan to be here a week
57 A giant cyclops orc hero leading a horde of a hundred irregular wild orcs with his great spear Grimsplinter a poison evil weapon used in the dawn age to kill an elf king. Has a personal guard of ogrillion orc-ogre hybrids
58 Great colossal drake Gloomfang unseen for an age plunges from the sky and destroys a town with fire and rages in the flames screaming
59 A vast dark shadow covers the land as armies of darkness advance allowing them more freedom in daylight for many cave born orcs and undead. As the armies advance dark priests plant monoliths that expand the effect, A temple in the dark lord's realm controls this effect with an artefact called the Cradle of Darkness
60 An ice lich riding an undead woolly rhino leads an army of a thousand frost covered zombies, spreading winter like conditions as they advance. The lich carries an artefact brings winter with it and has six living dark elf luitwnants riding winterwolves

61 Evil dwarves explode a cliff face revealing their great garage magical war juggernauts and a few iron golems to roll out over the land and crush humanity for the evil one
62 Dark elves call the great gnawing underworld dragon Nidhog to kill all the crops and fruit with blight overnight. Each night the dark elves affect a new district riding on wolves

63 Goblins call on their great worm god to spawn a plague of maggots that eat any food or crops on the plant then gnaw on wood or animals. Takes a few years to die off
64 Spiders have woven great cables over vast distances they can use like a telegraph system to send messages. The cables can be followed to spider operated stations and a hub connected to the dark lords command
65 A colossal spider monster bursts from the earth with her army of giant spiders
66 Tarrasque has been awoken by the dark lord and is being directed by a gold torc that hurts the beast. If freed it goes for the local dark lord HQ to destroy it
67 A great insect hive of evil tainted termite folk grows towering over area as trees stripped and earth scoured for construction. If the evil tainted queen is killed the colony die
68 Orcs are razing all the trees in a valley to build a gargantuan construct to house the essence of the dark lord if his current body fails
69 Goblinoids are digging a vast pit with slave human labour digging up a giant armoured corpse of a past form of the dark lord they hope to revive (you cant have 2 dark lords right?)
70 A local leader has camp with four hundred refugees, 100 spearmen, 100 archers and 100 horsemen. The king has been confused by his evil bard and is paralysed with indecision and has locked up their heir who dared disagree in a bout of paranoia. Orc scouts know of their plight and dark forces gather
71 Hundreds of forest animals and faerie folk and tree spirits pour from the woods and send a army of monsters fleeing
72 An orc force is under siege by a larger horde of beastfolk united against the dark lord and his wizard scum who tortured and enslaved beast folk in the past
73 A river or stream is polluted and banks fouled. Following upstream is a basilisk lair where the dark lord left an egg to hatch under a toad to poison the area. Stone statues of adventurers and goblins are scattered in the area
74 A sinkhole collapses getting bigger and bigger changing area with a rubble-filled flooded depression. Strange creatures of the deep scuttle out like giant bugs and worms later weird giant fungus sprouts everywhere around the area
75 The giant fungus is growing everywhere rapidly and spore spots develop on trees and plants. This fungus attracts giant bugs and worms and flies to the area and goblins love to forage here
76 An orc hero druid priestess riding a giant stag leads orc barbarians and hopes to liberate deluded orcs from evil and reconnect them with their spirit ancestors. The orc army will grow and the dark lord will send assassins and monsters to destroy her. Eventually leading orcs against the dark lords HQ
77 A black strange castle fades into reality like some phantom, undead winged apes in service of the dark lord swarm out to kidnap victims for the castle. The alien tentacle faced ultraterestrial  wizards from beyond inside drain victims souls to power the castle jumps and the bodies are encased in armour as undead troops. The dark lord only called them out of desperation as they will always betray him eventually
78 A great web structure over hundreds of yards part of a huge cable goes into the sky out of sight. Spiders guard the base and keep a look out for fire they will try to smother out with fresh webbing. The dpiders have tethered a star to the earth and agents of the darklord have invaded a celestial palace of a star spirit and her elf courtiers. The dark lord caught one of her spies and struck first fearing she might gather the stars themselves against him. An evil wizard advises the orc hero with a famous scimitar Moonrazor. The star eas sitting on the fence as stars do but now if freed will reward rescuers and send owls to the other stars and the celestial bureaucracy to get the gods acting. Her influence sheers decades off process. She offers advice on the dark lords artifact locations and weapons that could be used against him 
79 A great tree has been felled and partly burned. Aparently some faerie folk lived inside and in the roots blow. Various local talking animals, spirit folk and faries have gathered to bury friends. Nice cottage decor has been smashed and charred. A good opportunity to recruit a unusual follower. The critters might be motivated to fight or help
80 A winking star has appeared revealing the evil one has released a new great demon to the world and his cause. By day the demon appears in various battles where needed by the dark lord
81 The pole star shine bright larger than ever, a sign evil fears. Polestar sends spirits to the mortal world returning lost hero weapons from thousands of years ago that the dark lord fears. Across world heroes who have heard of the polestar myth look up and wonder if they will receive a gift
82 A great gateway opens in the mountain releasing shadows and zombies and skeletons. Distant chanting of cultists can be heard keeping the gate open. If slain the gate closes. The cult have a relic, special books and magical ingredients required to open this. The head priest of darkness is a famous evil hero and wanted criminal for killing royalty
83 Strange green and violet glows flicker and dance about in the northern sky. Some say this is god battling the darkness to weaken the dark one 
84 A strange luminous cloud passes over area inflicting many with mutations. Some locals are quick to shun or even kill mutants so many are forced to flee unless someone stops theses troublemakers. The condition might be cured with a rare lawful herb
85 An ancient wizard tower is under attack by a hundred orcs who have improvised siege weapons and await some black powder kegs or a cannon. The wizard guards a relic feared by the dark lord that could greatly aid the good forces. A spirit might inform the party of this but the wizard will be reluctant to use the weapon
86 A great crack in the earth opens releasing a d6 dragons and 3d6 wyverns who proceed to cause trouble. Twisting tunnels to the deep may release more monsters
87 A vast area covered in mold where people die from choking spores and the dead arise as fungal bloated undead. A fungus demon noble trapped in a apparatus at the centre held by the dark lords wizards. If freed the demon offers to send minions to aid when released it
88 An army of the darklord has human slaves digging up what seems to be a silver tower that fell and was buried long ago. Strange weapons of law are inside the wizard leader of the expedition hopes to claim
89 A great gathering of wild hairy naked wild folk with burning whicker man idols meeting at sacred stones. They are debating in their rare language which side to join. One who has served the dark lord as a dark hero offers death to the clothed folk and their stupid gods. An older king priest disagrees but is being burned tonight. Various candidates fight to be the next 7 year ruler including the dark lord agent who cheats with his priest and wizard followers. Humans mostly unwelcome but demihumans, beastfolk or halflings might get a say or chance to stop evil plots. Most humans don't know these wild folk exist or ever meet and would fear them
90 A serpant man wizard leading a lizard folk army with veloceraptor cavalry and a war trex. The wizard rides chariot pulled by a triceratops and has a dark elf chariot driver. He is doing a favor for the dark lord just this once an unpopular decision. If he dies the rest will likely return to their hibernation dungeon till the next apocalypse if given the chance
91 The moon changes colour to a strange eerie red and the whole night sky is filled with dim red light, a preview of what will happen if evil wins. Moon cultists determine a certain moon ziggarutt run by amazons in secret is under siege and is key to saving the moon. Inside is a gate to the moons celestial palace where evil has infiltrated
92 An evil star falls actually part of world left from creation demons have inhabited for aeons. The dark lord has brought them here to spread chaos but the demon prince of what is now a huge flaming crater seeks dominion over area. Demon cultists and chaos fanatics begin a pilgrimage here
93 Great burning evil eyes in the evening sky make everyone in world have lower saves by -2 each night until dark lord distracted or the aparatus used is broken. Experts know of the relic from previous use 
94 On the highest point in the land orcs are erecting an ancient design of a wizard defence tower that will be able to shoot burning rays to anything in its line of sight. A great crystal to power it is being moved to the gem in wagons with an escort
95 Ankheg giant burrowing bugs fill the area with hundreds of trenches, tunnels and pits intending it to be a future fortress. Once bugs hold strategic points as guards goblinoids from the deep pour out and man the bizarre fortification choking the area and expanding. Fungus thrives in tunnels with gobbo care and other giant bugs move in. Area will be prone to bugs and giant fungi for a long time
96 Magma pours from volcanic vent with lava forming a great basalt wall blocking a natural chokepoint blocking armies. If stopped quickly by killing salamanders chanting in the rift can be stopped 
97 One of the great dragons of evil is attacking a crumbling fortress with it's orc troops where an important future hero lives. Elves riding griffins appear and drive the beast away with lightning wands. Will anoint the chosen youth with gifts (and for family) and insist child goes to faerie land for training till right moment when needed (child returns as adult knight hero anytime)
98 Somewhere in the world a halfling messes up one of the dark lords infernal apparatus. Flickering lights in the sky alarm experst world wide and various evil relics and communications of the dark lord are crap for a d4 days till fixed. Perhaps the effect can be repeated at right time by good allies  
99 A gigantic dwarf golem the size of a small fort has a defensive force of 40 dwarf inside to shoot crossbows or guns from battlements in the titan. The giant lumbers to the nearest dark lord base to start smashing until eventually a greater demon or dragonfire destroys it. Once war over will march into a door in a mountain to be sealed till next time
100 A major force of the dark lord is camped ready to march. Someone somewhere lures away the wyverns patrollingthe sky away. Grey gnomish airships from a great door in a mountain come out and from extreme altitude drop poison gas, burning oil and black powder bombs on the army horribly burning and melting and blasting the army. Wyverns return confused and think they will get the blame. The next day survivor orcs come out in the plague and the area is diseased for a long time and taints the flesh of local animals for decades

note i am infamous in my crew as not liking flying ships or balloons in anything but my deep gnomes are near victorian tech level scientific murder hobos. Princess ark was probably the best thing in Dragon mag for years but at the time i wanted spells and rules and was getting grittier history gaming. When Known world was Mystara it became unusable to me. 

d12 Rival Adventuring Companies

RIP to Jim Holloway the ggreatest gamer artist ever

-captured the goofy hilarity of a bunch of guys meeting in a pub to go on adventurers
-pregnant with possibility action scenes that have a lot of narratives
-good historical research on weapons and armour I dont see in some FRPG
-slapstick comic with frail people and monsters (see Polanski's Fearless Vampire Slayers)
-captures gamer vibe and the stupid and impossible things that happen in-game 

Anyway a quick post here on some rival adventuring parties for a sorta BX game. I would like to do a megadungeon but have rival expeditions like the Mummy movie or in lots of heist films. Rivals can be friendly peers, cheerful and fair play competitors or dastardly cheats and murderers.

My dream big megadungeon I would like lots of small dungeons connected by lots of long underground tunnels. The sprawling surface area would have various ruins and monster habitats. These must be of course a local village or pub or sly grog shop and a camp. But what I really want is to remind players that a party of adventurers might be the deadliest thing they can meet.

d12 Rival Adventuring Companies

1 Imperial Dungeoneers Corp   

2 Brotherhood of the Sword  

3 Lord Ravenstone's Hounds 

4 Silver Sisterhood  

5 Stormhammer's Band  

6 Lords of Blacktower  

7 Hellrazor Gang 

8 Harley's Boys  

9 Morphon Expedition  

10 Greygoat's Gang  

11 Halron's Band  

12 Jack Green's Brotherhood 

Imperial Dungeoneers Corp LG
Emperors personal templar-clerics order for raising revenue from dungeons

Will set up a fortified camp in area, well-defended with wagons on military lines
Will cut own entry into a dungeon-like appears in fortress siege with engineers
May try open-cut dungeon mine or block entries and pump smoke in dungeon
Seek money for emperor and magic relics and weapons for the empire
Righteous, preach patriotism and faith, try to tax other parties especially magic
Will heal other parties but demand picks of party loot or magic items
-Master Talbot leads with his great iron mace The Emperors FIst
-Lord Callington a paladin dedicated to smiting evil
-Brother Sebastian Starclaw a flagellant berserker priest with ball and chain flail
-Sister Malithaca a warrior nun who fights with a chain

-Six Cleric-Templars join them and four servants care for the camp

Brotherhood of the Sword LN
An order of templar clerics and knights  raising funds for a crusade on the frontier

Will have a military camp and a portable shrine they prey at with servants to guard
WIll search for an entry and claim it as own exclusive one
Seek money to help pilgrims and foreign holy wars, righteous and willing to kill
Silent, superior and a bit ruthless with evil and rivals 
Will provide first aid for free and sell healing magic they can spare
-Master Hrron a fierce huge man a clerical leader and six lower level clerics
-Lady Winterborn a lady knight dedicated to the war effort and relic recovery
-Brother Lindorm a monk-wizard scholar who helps choose target dungeons
-Bring two young knights, four novice priests and two servants

Lord Ravenstone's Hounds NE

a robberknight and his dastardly band of looters

Knights camp with servants, great hounds, horses, fancy tents and eventually a wall
Greedy seeking plunder and murder and avoiding law back home for a spell
Most don't know they are secretly robber knights and horrible killers
Cheerful and jolly knights but willing to murder and rob others
Enjoy feasting and gambling and fighting each other and captive monsters
-Lord Percy Ravenstone the leader with a magic iron hand made by a dwarf
-Sir Harold Grailblood who fakes being religious and is a sleazy drunk
-Sir Konrad Hammerstone who loves hunting animals and used a huge hammer
-Sir Brandon Bluehawk who likes kidnapping maidens for ransome
-Prester Norton a rogue who runs camp and does dirty work for Lord Ravenstone
-WIll Dunmoor a bard who helps to cover up the gangs crimes and spreads lies
-Often bring a d4 orphans as poleboys, lanternbearers, trap testers and door openers

Silver Sisterhood CN
A band of veteran amazons seeking adventure and glory

Amazons camp with mounts with several slave servants and some barbarian allies
Seek fame and glory and stories to tell their daughters
Honourable and fair-minded but unlikely to trust any men they meet alone
Cheerful and feast heartily and sometimes seek lovers from heroes they meet
Will aid women and children and males they have had good relations with
-Sister Clarithana the warrior leader with sword Glimmerfang riding Keru the stag
-Sister Zanthia the archer with crescent silver arrows on her unicorn Aelus
-Sister Canamus riding her sabre tooth lion with her great obsidian axe and furs
-Sister Ularan the cunning a thief who once decapitated an orc king and escaped
-SIster Mitrana the bard who records the deeds of the band in song and is a healer
-Sister Urgroc the savage she-orc and man-eater, wears severed genitals of enemies
-Sister Solithial Erith an elfmaid from an amazon elf cland
-Sister Kazzra and her two battlehusbands who ride steppe ponies
-A d4 barbarian warriors trying to impress amazons enough to be a lover

Stormhammer's Band LN
Brotherhood of mostly dwarfs and a few other demihumans

Will dig an entrenched defensive bunker and dig secret entry into the dungeon
Experience sappers and at hiding from humans and working by night
Seek to kill goblinoids and other enemies and get gold and gems and magic
Honourable to demihumans wary of humans, humans never helped them
If helped will be surprised but keen to return the favour and become friends
Once on good terms will drink and feast and share information with allies 
-Gark Stormhammer dwarf hero who once killed a giant with his axe Skullsplitter 
-Marn Ironheart a deep dark dwarf priest, cynical and wary of humans
-Badrass Brazenblade a red-bearded dwarf in bronze scale who likes animals
-Skibald Runebladder a terrible drunk who sometimes lets gang down
-Brondrill Brokenhorn with his sword Trollcleaver does double damage to trolls
-Eronlil Brachenfrond the wood elf with his deadly composite bow
-Bill Toofler the halfling who somehow keeps surviving mostly throwing rocks

Lords of Blacktower CE
Mercenaries actually cultists led by a priestess and wizard of dark repute

Go to known entrances and prefer to hike to a camp hidden from others
Cult really looking for relics, artefacts and secret lore to gain power
In a secret cave or ruin based camp they perform evil rituals and abuse captives
WIll use zombies to test for traps, doors and explore ahead
Will hide use of zombies labour from others possibly using robes
Only help those who pay them, prefer to let people die and then take loot
WIll be friendly but reluctant to get close or explain their organisation
-Lord Kieran Blacktower cult master and  occult curious knight with sword Excelsior
-Varbain Sharn evil priest of darkness who rules controls zombies in secret
-Arban Kazora evil wizard and her familiar hellcat seeking evil lore
-Up to six veteran men at arms mercenaries and two assistant priests

Hellrazor Gang LE
Professional tomb robbers, thieves and bandits

Track creatures or try to dig out the forgotten entrance
Greedy looters only care for what makes a quick buck
Will camp a short distance away in woodlands and march to the dungeon
Will rob rival camps and murder followers they find
Might aid those who helped them but mostly into treachery and robbery
All are wanted criminals and some have cult and evil influences
-Ral Hellrazor - diabolic changeling who seeks power and wealth
-Balang Garnald - a bugbear master of stealth and a mighty warrior
-Valna Plum - thief and tomb-robbing expert from a clan far away
-Galik Vul - orc warrior with pet warg and his spear Gloomspur
-Hansel Groter - village thug recruited for muscle, enthusiastic for outlaw life
-Brother Hector - rural friar, drunk and bandit provides priestly skills
-Kalubra Hanzor - young but cult wizard just wants relics and power
-Have a dozen bandits in camp often take a few along a few might be cultists

Panny's Gang CG
Swashbuckling warrior woman founded party

Will spy on and track monsters on the surface before settling on an entry or camp
Penny started gang recruiting mostly women adventurers and their sidekicks
Prefers to camp in an inn and hike further if possible or some distance from dungeon
The party include a pension plan, split healing costs and share everything
Other parties gossip, laugh and lie about them and some furious with Penny
Penny killed lots of guys in duels quietly but she doesn't boast her victories
-Penny Varnenstien, a former mercenary captain with her poleaxe Neckbiter
-Veloran Mnar, priestess of moon goddess and archer, Penny's wife
-Orla Gorakian, orc barbarian with her terrible axe Skulleater who Penny saved once
-Niccola Anais, druidess with her per panther Zorox and various ferrets
-Bala Kaban, dual knife-wielding assassin-monk watches Panny's back
-Siaban Makkarra lady of birds, wizard who likes using bird theme spells
-Often bring a d4 of Orla's orc husbands and a d3 bards, rogues and warriors followers
 

Morphon Expedition LN
University-funded mission led by a wizard seeking ancient lore

WIll set up orderly camp but a bit naive of outdoors living
Morphon was funded to recover elder lore, rubbings from monoliths and scrolls
Other goods are mostly just money and willing to sell if not historic
Often sits about days cataloging finds, repairing pots and writing essays
The guards are used to urban life and not savvy outdoors, willing to learn from error
Accept help and gives it good naturedly, surprised by dishonesty and greed
The University will send agents to investigate missing groups and might send assassins 
Morphon insists forbidden lore be guarded and sent to the classified university vault
-Dr Conelius Morphon the Mystic, wizard and scholar of the ancient past
-Priapus Rex head assistant to Morphon, from a good family in the city
-Malangor Kanen works as a tutor and reader, all her ideas get stolen by Priapus
-Varan the Unbelievable a pterodactyl folk wizard Morphon recruited the last expedition
-Harradus Vore a scholar of the ancient evils and really a cult member
-2d4 apprentices and a dozen city guard from the university quarter assist

Greygoat's Gang CE
Goatman warlband of beastfolk, orcs and mutants

Move into the dungeon anywhere emptied by adventurers, move lots and foul areas
Brutally murder and torment prisoners, rivals, monsters and leave horrid messes
Greygoat is violent, vindictive and thinks murdering other adventurers is fair game
The gang cooperate with local monsters, cultists and evil wizards
Greygoat's roster changes often and often include monsters
The whole gang want to use relics and treasure to gain rank in a bigger warband
-Greygoat the Defiler, goatman warrior with his vile diseased spear the Blightlance
-Habberas the Hunter, a trapper and werewolf, enjoys cannibalism and spying on others
-Mumma Bugs, a lady bugbear hillbilly who constantly drinks and has a huge d12 war club
-Vilal Morntergan, woman thief with one eye famous for poison daggers and wine
-Bilgal Maskthorn; dark elf magical assassin often invisible or riding a dire wolf
-Mobbru Gdar, cyclops orc hunter and archer, likes to nail mutilated enemies to trees
-The gang often have a d6 goblins, a d4 bandits and a d4 cultists, all are treated badly

Halron's Band CE
Berserker hero with his kinsman from the north seeking plunder

A band of psychopaths banished from home and abused berserker drugs and worse
Will move into the dungeon and if enraged fight anything moving to the death
Aggressive and declare this area is there's first and demand you get out now
If you need to make them worse make some or all become lycanthropes
Aggressive to anyone not a male warrior as big as them, jerks most of the time
Bother local common folk and might raid other adventurers camps especially if drunk
They all hate wizards and organised religion and will provoke conflict with abuse
Convinced they are heroes who demand respect but just an insane murderer cult
-Halron Ribsplitter maniac berserker with bear cloak and axe Foegnasher
-Aleron the Silent Stalker a hunter who never speaks, was a thief when younger
-Nimon Marud a former slave now a free-willed killing machine of chaos
-Vallal Grim a part giant is still young and growing and was recruited easily
-Up to a dozen berserk may hang around the camp but many wounded or drunk
-Occasionaly survivors of their massacres might be dragged unconscious to camp

Jack Green's Loving Lads CE
Murder hobo adventurers came here after instigating a border race war

Will camp in the wilderness and march to dungeon and won't share location
Jack takes from the rich and gives scraps to the poor so they act as informants
Jack actually reports to the guild master of a town but is getting uppity
Will be friendly to rival bands but will spy on them and look for weaknesses
Left old territory after secret police came for them for banditry and a small war Jack started
Jack is jolly and jokes but knows its best to kill all witnesses who might seek revenge
-Jack Green a town guildsman sent to set up bandit gang turned dungeon robber
-Aran the Wizard wears a cult hood and sacrifices animals as spell components
-Gam Redhood has neck noose scars and cannot speak, brutal killing machine
-Miram Raban barbarian woman 18 STR with her axe Fleshtearer with her pet hyena   
-Rolf Shankleton ex corrupt bailiff turned outlaw, considering selling out gang for pardon
-Paloma Regora bard and bandit queen, wanted for kidnapping young noblewomen
-Sir Thomas Kerrang former robber knight who lost estate, hates the poor and weak
-Sharina Goldbrow a sorceress joined the gang after her last cult turned on her
-Have up to a dozen common bandits around camp all good with bows and woodcraft
-Several peasants run away to join them and wound up slaves, usually a d4 here

Higher Level Alighnment Oaths & Boons

So I went to cut and paste something from this post and new Blogger settings said i had changed it, changed an old post to a draft and won't restore unless I change publishing date. I had to cut and delete a post I was working on because it accidentally published something to an older date which i can't do now even if I wanted. Buttons seem different hour to hour. Anyway, I'm thinking of putting this in my new rulebook and checking I have not judged other alignments by my LG privleges. 

Characters making oaths at name level and above use the more extreme loathe tables here.
Plus I revised the benefits table at the end.

As I have said before I like to make alignment to before of a feature but a bit different. I'm all for party meltdowns and TPK from alignment feuds. It's a system to shortcut who you fight or perhaps don't. Its very existence is contentious. Most people and animals in my game are neutral perhaps with a preference for some alignment. Higher up levels folk and monsters and clerics are fanatics who become increasingly incongruent with the world or society and even each other.  Any fighter or wizard could become a holy champion and would probably be unfun at a party.

Neutrals
-concerned with the protection of own kind and prosperity mostly
-many not really into change
-good and evil have their places
Balanced
-attempt to manage forces of law and chaos to live a good life

So as of 2nd Lv you put a point in an alignment box and pick a gift pls roll an oath. If you want to use any luck points in a session or roll the same one a second time choose one or invent one agreeable to the referee. The more points you have in a box the better rewards and now at name level plus you get new more severe oaths that make people think more from a boss experience and are more extreme. Neutrals start caring about larger groups, evil people become increasingly blatantly awful, most get more interested in recruitment.

Oaths For Characters Level 11-20
Made for kings, heroes, champions
Law
1 Punish unlawful spellcasters  
2 Support a rigid social hierarchy
3 Help spread literacy and schools
4 Record every detail possible
5 Abstain from love and relations
6 Obey your ruler in all matters
7 Preserve arts of your civilisation
8 Always remain calm and civilised
9 Prepare your people for future prosperity
10 Hunt and destroy chaos cults
11 Help spread public hygiene and cleanliness
12 Help spread the teachings of the law
Chaos
1 Start fires for fun 
2 Reproduce as much as possible
3 Vandalise property and culture
4 Only eat stolen or free food 
5 Give away what you cant use
6 Constantly speak in puns & riddles
7 Slander persons in power 
8 Keep no secrets
9 Spend all wealth on pleasure
10 Aid outlaws and heretics
11 Encourage revolution against order
12 Give aid to the plight of mutants
Good 
1 Eat only the humblest of food
2 Avoid harm to all living creatures
3 Fight for the cause of peace 
4 Build homes & hospices for the poor
5 Only fight in self-defence
6 Always help destroy the undead
7 Protect the good from harm
8 Call out evil in public to shame them
9 Hinder progress of evil when you can
10 Provide meaningful work for poor
11 Donate wealth to a church or charity
12 Help spread the cause of good
Evil
1 Consume flesh & blood of person daily
2 Torture victims whenever possible
3 Make public displays of cruelty and sadism
4 Murder often so servants fear you
5 Kill the weak and stragglers for fun
6 Always seek to seize leadership
7 All family are just deadly rivals
8 Spend your plunder on making more war
9 Murder is the best means to all ends
10 Encourage corruption and vice
11 Promote the institution of slavery
12 Trick others to serve evil ends
Balance
1 Follow the local laws of the land
2 Be gracious to those you defeat
3 Call for votes on any issue
4 Listen to both sides before choosing 
5 Defend wilderness from harm
6 Make offers of parley and negotiate
7 Hinder the eternal war of chaos vs law  
8 No longer feel bodily pleasures, mostly meditate
9 Fight any tyrant using force against ordinary people 
10 Help bring peace between conflicted parties
11 Support the wellbeing of the common people
12 Convince others to adopt balanced lives
Nuetral
1 Fight for your people against all outsiders
2 Buy your way out of conflict if possible
3 Leave a legacy for your clan for the future 
4 Employ as many of your clan or people as you can
5 Wealth and land are all that matter
6 Build an impressive monument glorifying yourself
7 Help your community prosper and thrive
8 Get revenge against those who wrong your kind
9 Don't respond to being provoked into violence
10 Maintain public commons and squares
11 Hunt shapeshifters & lycanthropes among us
12 Help neutral people first, rest are dangerous

Gifts Choosable Per Point in Alignment

Lv 1-4 in alignment box
One from +1 armour, shield, weapon, ring of protection or another basic item
4 common potions: protection, 2d4 healing, d4 Might or water breathing
One Lv 0 Spell cantrip once per day (choose list type and spell)
One extra zero Lv 0 follower
One Minor Mutation (Apotheosis warning)
One Language

Lv 5-8 in alignment box
One from +2 armour, shield, weapon, a ring of protection or another basic item
4 potions from cure disease, cure poison, 2d8 healing or heroism
One Lv 1 Spell
One extra d3 Lv or HD follower
One Major Mutation (Apotheosis warning!)
One arms or arts skill
One luck point

Lv 9-12 in alignment box
One from +3 armour, shield, weapon, ring of protection or another basic item
One Lv 2 Spell
One extra d4+1 Lv or HD follower

Lv 13-16 in alignment box
One from +4 armour, shield, weapon, ring of protection or another basic item
One Lv 3 Spell
One extra d6+3 Lv or HD follower 

Lv 17-20 in alignment box
One from +5 armour, shield, weapon, ring of protection or another basic item
One Lv 4 Spell
One attribute point