A funny thing happened on our Shrine Pilgrimage

Pilgrimages are holy treks, for some a form of tourism to get out to see the world, others are more serious, dangerous and long. 

A minor Pilgrimage has a 2d4 days with an ordained stop each night.
A major Pilgrimage can take 2d4 months
(consider exploding dice on these rolls)

Generate a shrine as per the previous two blog posts on shrines for oaths. 
Each day and stop will also have a drama.

Some pilgrim bands are made of individuals who work together and are self-funded. Some groups may be taken care of by a leader and possibly an organisation or council. The more hierarchical ones centralise their money and spending. They buy in bulk and give chores to members and may even punish or fine members. Church groups might go on tour together or families.

Some are more of a mob and more likely to be clueless, lost and hungry. They might also rampage fan fan-attack foreigners they have never seen before, or some old people who might have food. A leader who provides food will have a devout and dangerous influence. Cultists may recruit from the most desperate pilgrims who just hope everything will turn around and be ok.

d12 Why is this guy on a pilgrimage?
1 Raising money for charity
2 See beyond home to experience the world
3 Pennance for some sin or crime
4 In return for healing from the church

5 Considering entering the clergy

6 To aid the soul of a departed person

7 Feels bad after traumatic warfare

8 Punishment for slight against the faith

9 Transporting a body

10 Transporting relics or scriptures

11 Earning good credit with the cosmic powers

12 Evil cultist (possibly just travelling or intending sabotage or crime)

d12 Pilgrim merch
1 Official pilgrim robes with hoods 4sp (second-hand pilgrim robes d3sp)
2 Official pilgrim skull cap 1sp doubles as a begging bowl

3 Silver holy symbol dedicated to a trail shrine 20gp
4 Wooden holy symbols carved by a  local folk artist 1sp
5 Prayer beads including wood 12cp clay 4sp ivory 10gp
6 Holy pamphlet 5gp or holy prayer book 30gp or illuminated book 300gp
7 Portable Idols, including wooden 10cp, clay 4sp, ivory 12gp, silver 30gp, gold 300gp
8 Church passport where you get stamps to show you went on the trail 4sp
9 Walking Stick (d4) 4sp club (d6) 10sp, pilgrim staff (d6) 1gp
10 Pilgrim Ration baskets, common 1cp/day, posh nosh 1sp/day 
11 Water 1cp per 6L or Beer 4cp per 1L bottle (2cp deposit) or wine 2sp per 1L bottle (2cp bottle return) Holy water 

12 Candles 1cp and clay lanterns 4sp tin lantern 20gp, Lamp Oil 1sp 

d12 Pilgrim Groups
1 Scrawny youths and children singing devoutly but hungry
2 Wretched poor with begging bowls
3 Flagellants on tour like a rock band, often drinking and recruiting local youths
4 Diseased or mutants ringing a bell, so people are warned to avoid them
5 Desperate villagers seek a blessing for a local problem

6 Poorer townsfolk, but some are former veterans

7 Clerical students seeking a life in the church

8 Crusaders  d4 1=need healing 2=traumatised vets 3= 4=make mischief all the way

9 Guards with merchant-class family pilgrims

10 Guards with a church official in a palanquin or a coach

11 Guards with an entourage of servants with a noble in a palanquin or a coach

12 Specialist order d4 1=Inquisitors 2=templars 3=hospitalars 4=excorcists

d12 Common pilgrim band feature
1 Musicians or a choir, some play bells or chant
2 Bring farm animals to bless them

3 Wagon of supplies and donations

4 Accompanied by a 5th Lv priest and four acolytes

5 Accompanied by a knight

6 Carry a local petty relic in a reliquary to be blessed

7 Raising money for a holy crusade or inquisition

8 Elderly holy hermits of great wisdom teaching pilgrims

9 Drunks up for rampaging against anything they don't like on the way

10 Sworn conduct for pilgrimage d4 1=silent 2=flagellation 3=fasting 4=drunk

11 Criminal guild agents among pilgrims carrying secret messages or smuggling 

12 Evil cultists among them seek to corrupt and sabotage pilgrims

d12 Stops of minor pilgrimage
1 Urban cathedral

2 Urban temple

3 Urban shrine 

4 Rural village church

5 Rural monastery  

6 Rural village shrine

7 Wilderness Pilgrims' shelter

8 Wilderness pilgrims' shelter

9 Wilderness Pilgrims' Campsite

10 Wilderness ruined church

11 Wilderness cave

12 Wilderness shrine

d12 Indoor dramas by night
1 Someone stealing

2 Fire breaks out

3 Meet a potential follower or patron 

4 Locals need help with repairs

5 Hear a story or a rumour about a possible adventure

6 Meet a friendly priest 

7 Romantic encounter d4 1=scandalous 2=pleasant 3=demands marriage 4=supernatural

8 Leaders of the pilgrimage quarrel and possibly split

9 Someone offends local custom, starting an angry mob

10 Rival pilgrims boast about how holy and modest they are

12 Murder! d4 1=Shapeshifter 2=local beef 3=criminals 4=mad killer 5=cults 6=undead

12 Corrupt and heretical cultists 

d12 Wilderness camp dramas

1 Wolves or jackals howling

2 Animal or creature tries to steal something

3 Wild animal encounters

4 Other pilgrims or hermits hogging best camp

5 Food for d3 days has spoiled or been ruined by vermin

6 Forest monster d4 1=unatural hybrid 2=mutant 3=giant 4=elemental

7 Humanoids or wild folk drawn to the camp are considered kidnapped

8 Seductive nature spirit, or wild person, lures victims

9 Forest spirits, faerie, talking animals or wild folk curious about travellers

10 Were beasts sniffing around camp, looking for sleeping victims

11 Undead or spirits menace the camp by night

12 Weather turns horrible

d12 Rural pilgrimage encounter
1 Bandits with a prepared ambush

2 Sick people abandoned by the roadside

3 Another party of pilgrims d6 1=snooty 2=heretic cultists 3=sick 4=hungry 5=poor 6=war vets

4 Wolf packs or wild dogs stalk pilgrims

5 Slavers looking for easy targets

6 Tax collectors or other officials and guards sniffing for paperwork evaders

7 Cackling old person laughs or taunts or yells wild stuff

8 Commoner needs help on the roadside

9 Wild folk at the forest edge

10 Wild animals or farm herd 

11 Wild fruit to nuts or berries worth two meals

12 Dark Heretic Templar on horseback to bully pilgrims

Long pilgrimages will have greater significance.
The travels on the journey can help the various problems wherever they go.
Possibly, hero pilgrims can help change the places they visit. By helping kingdoms, the travellers are improving international travel and trade.

The pilgrimage will have dangers for months in the journey.
Often at the end there is a task to complete the quest.
Heroic pilgrims might become official saints. 

d12 Major Pilgrimage
1 See a wonderous sight from mythological events in the scriptures

2 See a wonderous vast temple complex, a wonder of the world

3 Go to a distant holy place now occupied by hostile peoples 

4 Go to famous heretic regions and provoke fights with the heretical doctrines and cults

5 Visit a kingdom imperilled by plague and cults that needs help

6 Visit a faraway kingdom where our faith has not yet reached, and establish a church

7 Protect commoner or noble pilgrims through a hostile land

8 Build a mission to help heal and convert people in a new land or for crusaders

9 Build a cathedral or other stone wonder to encourage the faithful in the region

10 Visit a faraway land to help a devout ruler battle their cultist enemies

11 Destroy a fearsome monster and take its hoard for the faith, then build a church

12 Visit the Crusader lands and build a fortification for the next holy slaughter

d12 Major pilgrimage perils
1 An evil wizard seeks cosmic evil to recognise them by killing pilgrims

2 Local cult wants to impress the supernatural master by killing pilgrims

3 Local evil cult or rival church sees pilgrims as a threat

4 Supernatural beings seek to tempt heroes with love and vice

5 Enemies cause trouble for relatives or friends while pilgrims are away

6 Rival pilgrims are highly competitive and possibly of a rival sect (or secret heretics)

7 Intelligent, paranoid monster or spirit sure pilgrims must fail and are a threat

8 Enemy cult sends out an agent to cause trouble for the party with fraudulent documents

9 Petty godling feels pilgrims have it too easy, so meddles in their journey
10 A heretical antihero and their band of maniacs have sworn to stop pilgrims

11 Local demon or devil assumes the guise of a noble mortal and stirs up trouble for pilgrims 
12 Cosmic beings wage bets over pilgrims and then meddle to win 

Major Pilgrimage Adventure
1 Pass through a strange kingdom with weird customs and possibly non-human

2 A shortcut is blocked by a dungeon or a dangerous monster

3 Come across a kingdom in civil war where the pilgrim's intervention will last

4 Kingdom of cruel cultists, but many are willing to listen to true faith

5 Region plagued by evil cults who act like bandits

6 A local religion has suddenly become hostile to your pilgrims and church growth

7 An influential merchant or noble has been stirring up trouble for the pilgrims' faith

8 A rival religion has sent inquisitors to hunt your pilgrims and accuse them of witchcraft

9 Discover that the monster coming for you all comes from a planar portal or a hell gate

10 Undead evil heroes raised from death to hunt pilgrims, sent by an evil god 

11 An evil outer planar being sends a lesser servitor to make trouble

12 A monster or planar being living in area was here to stop a certain pilgrimage and some have spent centuries preparing

d12 Rare pilgrim band feature
1 Includes a 5th Lv monk and 2d4 students
2 Includes a holy saint and retinue

3 Guarded by a squad of crusaders or templars

4 Includes a true relic in a reliquary with 5th Lv priest and four acolytes

5 Famous knight and servants are guardians

6 Carry the body of a saint to be buried at a shrine

7 Carry holy scriptures to the distant lands

8 Carry a holy idol found in ruins and being relocated

9 Some wear strange costumes, and possibly several share a monster costume

10 Mysterious non-human converts 

11 Secret divine changeling spirits or creatures among them
12 Famous witch or heretics in disguise to cause trouble

d10 Quick Funny Thing Types
1 Mission drama
2 Host drama
3 Strange customs

4 Obstacles

5 Hostile Cult

6 Famous Monsters

7 Sidequest

8 Lost Paths

9 Strange Paths

10 Miracle

d100 Funny things happened on the pilgrimage
01 Members of the mission quarrel
02 Mission splits into feeding factions
03 Several pilgrims were a bit slow and struggling
04 Pilgrim lost money or valuables
05 Vermin ruin travel rations 
06 Pilgrims fleeced with fake trinkets or gambling
07 bad food made everyone flatulent and sick
08 Drama-loving pilgrim looking for a mate 
09 Lazy bully pilgrim makes others do chores
10 Creepy cultist hides vice and depravities
11 Host household has diabolical cultist 
12 Host household has a murderous maniac
13 Householder tries to frame guests for murder or theft
14 Householder is a murderous shapeshifter 
15 Householder slanders the pilgrims with lies
16 Householder informs the inquisitors of the pilgrims
17 Householder questions visitors' credentials
18 Householder pest finds a pilgrim attractive
19 household up in arms about a missing person
20 Household up in arms about recent crime
21 Local festival with drinking and creepy costumes
22 Whicker idol of the old faith burnt during a party

23 Commoners exalt sacred carrots from Shankeye hill
24 Violent sporting event in progress with drink and gambling

25 Maypole dancing with a drinking mob and music

26 Locals perform a strange dance of the old ways

27 Locals make vegetal harvest figures and leave them watching the fields

28 Locals play pranks on strangers

29 Locals sacrifice an animal for a feast, wearing range costumes and chanting
30 Locals in a monster costume, escorted by clowns with sticks, demand coins
31 Road or bridge damaged and risky
32 Bandits lurk at a road crossing
33 Haunted road crossing
34 Highway gang menaces travellers
35 Local combat in the area between factions
36 Terrible weather
37 Road blocked by disaster
38 Vermin-infested area
39 Wolves or wild dogs infest the area 
40 Sinister fog

41 Witch sends her sons to menace pilgrims

42 High-status cult hires assassins for pilgrims

43 Evil templars hunting pilgrims in area

44 Witch hunter or inquisitor searching pilgrims

45 Berserker bullies turn up for drinks

46 Cannibals think a pilgrim looks exotic & delicious

47 Cultists try and menace pilgrims with spells without being caught

48 Cultists try and frame pilgrims

49 Someone swore to an evil power and in return must sabotage pilgrims

50 Witch seduces pilgrims and humiliates them
51 Famous horned demon changeling loves to eat pilgrims
52 Famous werewolf swore to devour pilgrims' hearts
53 Local vampire preys on passing pilgrims and hates the church
54 Chaos champion bandit leads a violent gang of mutants
55 Evil templar cult leader has a secret base in the area 
56 Demonic changeling likes to seduce and eat pilgrims
57 Notorious snake folk wizard is paranoid about increasing pilgrims
58 Slaver captain who preys on pilgrims and might try and infiltrate them
59 Robber knight leads a band from a secret cave and robs pilgrims
60 Orc raider boss thinks pilgrims are easy pickings 
61 Sunken church has an intact bell or idol
62 Ruined temple occupied by evil cult
63 Locals ask the holy to exorcise a haunted house
64 Other pilgrims need help, as several were kidnapped for ransom
65 See a haunted ruin shunned by locals
66 Dungeon monsters attack, and a dead raider leaves a dungeon map
67 Evil dragon, wizard or other threat bothering the local region
68 Local tells a tale of a lost treasure in a local dungeon
69 Bandits have a valuable item, and a rich reward from local nobles is on offer for it
70 Monsters took an innocent or a pilgrim 

71 Find the trail to a monster lair

72 Lost off course d3 days

73 Find the trail to an ancient ruined complex

74 Trail to an abandoned, creepy village

75 Secret village of chaos cultist farmer clan

76 Trail to a secret camp or homes of non-humans

77 Find the robbers' cave headquarters of the local bandits

78 Find an aquatic cave grotto with treasure guarded by a spirit

79 Find a trail to an ancient graveyard

80 Find a grove to a satyr and/or dryad dancing place
81 Find a secret faerie trail with otherworldly sylvan beings are encountered
82 Find a haunted road where ancient battles left scores of dead
83 Find a strange carnival camp
84 Find a path in the fog to a mysterious haunted manor house
85 Find a path where the spirits of murdered pilgrims warn travellers to go back; if bodies or spirits are put to rest, the haunting stops 
86 Find a primal path trail with prehistoric plants and vegetation, and ancient spirits, some ancient humanoids hide here from time
87 Find a strange cave in a temporal labyrinth
88 Find a path back in time centuries where the old religion was dominant, and fewer people
89 Find a secret path to a changeling village
90 Find a path to Black Stump Village, a trap to send people to hell
91 Find a path where evil spirits test pilgrims
92 Find a path to possibly recover a lost relic, might get visions or dreams or see some sign, enhanced hypereal and strange omens invite pilgrims to try
93 Vision of a saint or servitor of a deity 
94 See a favourable star or constellation - blessed for 24 hours
95 Given a vision of an alternative path from the map
96 Several large animals fall to their deaths against rocks and are worth days of food and valuable hides, perhaps find a fresh dead beast like a whale on the beach or a pig stuck in a hole
97 Find wonderous berry bushes or fruit trees worth a d3 meals
98 The kindly merchant gives pilgrims some wine and food, to commemorate a family member killed on a pilgrim trail
99 A Famous priest or even a saint meets you on the road and will offer some divination 
100 Angel comes and heals everyone with holy breast milk and lights, all exhaustion gone, no need to eat for a day

Ethyria & Chagrinspire Logs Jun/Jul 25 + Clan updates

Updated Ethyria/Theros map with red marking where player characters have visited.
Updating family info here too.

Omiros Firehair, the satyr, priest of Heliod, descendant of a heroic sidekick Silenas, died in battle defending the polis and has a statue of them in markets near a wine shop. There is a tragic play about it performed yearly.

Kiren an elemental Monk, monk of Heliod, the family were mercenaries killed defending the polis and adopted by city.  

Aias the rogue sailor, initiate of the sea goddess. With a villainous family with many kindred in the temple of the Sea goddess. He is a well-known musician too.
 
Xi the satyr warlock, initiate of Kruphix, family of scribes and scholar weirdoes of Kruphix 

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Aella Clan
Omros & Kiren are adopted by a farming family devoted to Heliod
They are hungry for status and influence and all grandparents and parents generations lost in daring ventures and missing. The Lads have poured money into the farm and siblings, all treating them better. Farmhouse has fences, a new barn, hogs, sheep and cattle
💢 Aella a 3rd lv Fighter who is the family head and she serves in the militia, she is patronising but treats the boys ok
💢 Klieio a 2nd lv fighter and second in line, dislikes the adoptees
💢 Erebos a farmer 1st Lv Fighter, loves the adoptees, and he longs to get away from farm life
💢 Magara who partly works on the farm but is indifferent and a bit mysterious

Kekyra clan
Aias family are big in the local temple to Thassa, God of the sea, and the Limáni village port of.

Own a harbour house, a bireme ship named the Wave Eater, own a tomb in the necropolis of Kástro. Family numbers reduced by infighting and petty rivalry.

💢 Erebos, grandfather - family patriarch Lv3 warrior - sits on the assembly of Limáni, mean to Aias but expects him to be the future
💢 Iole, grandmother - family matriarch Lv2 priest - retired priestess, competitive to Aias, just ran off with 1500gp of family money
💢 Ianthe Grand aunt - has 3 children Lv3 priest, works in temple, competitive to Aias
-Dione daughter Lv2 Priest, works in temple, hateful to Aias
-Kadmos son Lv1 Warrior, ship crew on family ship), mean to Aias
-Pallas son Lv1 Warrior, ship crew on a family ship), loving to Aias, has a child
💢 Parents (Kreios Father & Ariadne mother) vanished on a sea voyage with uncles Pyros and Xanthos

💢 Older brother, 5th Lv Warrior who captains family ship, hates Aias, died and buried in necropolis

Dymanes clan
Dedicated to Kruphix, God of horizons. Own a house in Kástro and a book stall in the market. Famous for being kind & wise. A famous family ancestor, the hero Dymas, had a satyr sidekick, killed by the Chimaera in the mountains. Xi was adopted by the clan and taught by a famous family scholar in the Polis Plaza. Famous family of scholars and patrons of knowledge. Many secretly warlocks dedicated to Kruphix. Widley travelled around the island and other islands.  

💢Koios, grandfather - family patriarch merchant Warrior Lv1 - patron of the school, Respects Xi
💢Magera, grandmother - family matriarch & poet warlock Lv3 - revered poet & writer, Indifferent to Xi
💢Laios Grand uncle has 3 children, Scribe, Warrior Lv3, worships Xi
-Eundros son, Warrior Lv1, Loyal to Xi
-Krios son, scribe has 2 children, Admires Xi
-Leto daughter, merchant and Warlock Lv3, Patronising but admires Xi
💢 Okeanos, Father, teacher Warlock Lv2, Patronising but admires Xi
💢 Semele, Mother, teacher Warlock Lv2, Patronising but admires Xi
-Older brother, Klorax 6th Lv Warrior and officer of city army, Deeply loves Xi, has 3 young children married to arena family
-Older Sister, Semele a teacher and 2nd Lv Warlock, Respects Xi, has a young child married into a theatre family 

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Current adventure locations found/heard of/visited
1 Apollon's Bridge (pass to the east now open with two shrines and traders using)
2 Sphynx Canyon (pass to west)
3 Chimaera Pit (pass to north where various ancestors died)
4 Maidens Rock - strange temple cave cult of blind maidens
5 White Skull - moving frozen island of frost giants and wizards
6 Geryon Fields - a primordial giant keeps herds of cattle and has two-headed underworld dogs. Has various servants who serve him.
7 Cursed Labyrinth - full of minotaurs and monsters
8 Cave to the underworld - guarded by a rotating roster of beings sent by the gods
9 Hydra Rock - dangerous shipping hazard
10 Harpy Peak - the mountain top where harpies breed
11 Haunted Barrows - graves of ancients cursed by gods
12 Mysterious Towers - ruined towers of an ancient period, have a door to underworld

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So we had Aias and Kiren this session (hoping we get at least 4 next game and a bit more stable here in. Im using Dungeon Magazine 32, Hermes Bridge (I changed statue and made another identical complex in the second bridge structure).

Both met from locals at the port who had heard of both men's heroic and similar deeds, capturing the monster underworld dogs of Geryon. Aias had just had his brothers funeral with lots of wailing. They chatted in tavern and discussed various adventure hot spots and agreed the bridge of Apollon to open trade to the east might be worth a look. People had tried before but were distracted.

They met in the morning on the polis and asked at the temple of Heliod but didn't want to pay for scholar or blessings, so they just headed off to the east down the beach road. In mid-afternoon when uphill, they saw the ancient bridge shunned as haunted.

Walked to the first pylon structure shrine, and a troll stepped out, demanding cash. Wow, trolls are like triple as scary in 5th ed. They attacked it of course, with arrows and a hail of elemental punches. The troll was about a third burned, so it jumped the 50 foot drop into water (falling into water rules seem pretty harsh in 5th ed so I fudged it). Aias threw some cold spell zaps and made some ice but the troll duck dived and was gone. The first bridge shrine was for Apollon, the other for Phenax.

Up top, they came to the shrine and saw the troll's purse of coins. And a stone pot of coins in front of the statue. They saw the archaic statue of the light god and a panel in the floor. Kiren tried prayer with a holy symbol,l and the panel opened. The statue moved, a 16-foot-tall stone golem in a gods likeness. Aias threw some coins into the pot and the statue stopped. There was a drop, and the centaur climbed down into a shrine. They found a priests shrine with an ancient cult rod 1000gp and 300gp helmet (fragile relics) and a shiny magic heroic shield +1 +2 for Heliod worshipers. Kiren thought his brother would like it. They opened an old vault door where the money in the stone urn above would fall into and grabbed some drinking money.

The next level down they found a wet slimey landing and stairs into a flooded room. the troll attacked. As the party had taken quite a bit of time to get down here and were recovered they gave the troll a good beating and burned it with fiery punches. They did keep a burned arm in a sack to sell to the arena. Found more troll money and pearls.

the next pylon they knocked over some broken shrine structure to make it safer and found a urn if fine stone with pure water. Aias identified with a ritual it was healing waters, but if anyone defiled it or stole coins, not a priest, then a waterweird would form. Well, the guys made an offering and looked for an entryway. They had no knowledge of the right prayer, but the shrine was damaged and the magic was broken. They spent 30 minutes with partially improvised tools to open. Inside, they found a golden disguise magic mask (1 cast of disguise a day, but needs attunement. In the vault, they found a glass orb with purple swirling fog inside that is a lesser demon imprisoned by the god Phenax (wtf?). The bridge was cleansed and a magnificent red sunset covered the sky, a good omen.

Too late to go home, they visited the village of Psaras, where fishers and farmers lived. poorer than home, and the temple was smaller. In the tavern that evening, they got a room and heard eerie sea shanties in a strange language. The language of the undersea folk. The songs were about calling the sea friends to trade. They heard of a missing fishing boat and a sea monster, but rushed home in the morning. Sold a bunch of loot like the troll arm and relics of the light god. The priests of Heliod bought the evil orb to destroy, and so no other temples would buy them (maybe they would have to pay more).

A good outing. Im glad we tend to get home each session easily.

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Chagrinspire Session
Mostly concluding the Crystal crazed tomb robbing fun in "Tomb robbers of the crystal frontier".The main gist of this is an orc baggage handler of dead enemies followed party home. Also they Man-with-no-name brought home an ancient sky people sorceress princess bitch named Thuvia.

She saw Chagrinspire and seen how going home will be hard so she and her brother are living with the party and learning humility. Thuvia does want the party to move into the ground-floor of Chagrinspire into the palace of the ancient Master of The World from the apocalypse era. She is very supportive of the party conquering an empire for her to benefit from while in this dump of a sphere.

The party now very rich and into "name-level" adventurers, power will follow glory. The party priest is declared to be a Bishop and has dominion over the wasteland. His followers operate shrines all over the lands and even deal with dwarves. The-man-with-no-name is one of the top 3 guildmasters in the region and already wants to finish off all slaver linked guilds. Arsh the dog-man druid has been pushing for more fortifications. Players all considering mercenaries or freeing the region's slaves and absorbing into a new territory. The party have lots of non-human allies to call including Kobolds, Orcs and Frog folk. They have met plenty of gnomes who are not Black Spherists.

The turnip cult have a small force of protective turnip-kobolds and have called their god to live in their giant turnip temple. The cult thrived and killed a few yeti over the winter with their scarecrows and turnip-based plant creatures. The area around the party fortress is now called Turnipton.

The party have used the rail lines into the gnome city in the deep and back, but still needs to try the internal Chagrinspire the two corcscrew lines up and down, and the wasteland lines, which have continued to expand like a spider web since the apocalypse. There may be sealed and secret lines lost centuries ago or even before the war. 

Local factions and several border kingdoms know of the party and their civilising influence in the wastes. Rival scavenger guilds and the slavers guild hate the party and have bounties on the party for 50.000gp. The slavers have an army they might bring into the region. The alchemist guild could turn hostile which would lead to outright war.

More Shrine Fluff

This is because I had a nice, thoughtful comment.
Money is nice, but comments are rare as hens tits around here and apreciated.
Please do comment occasionally, it often produces more posts.
(Please ignore this if you are an AI bot).

The evil tables also includes evil shrine as a type and includes a location table like the last post

d12 Wild Shrine Decor
1 Horn-shaped basket of fruit and vegetables

2 Wreaths of various leaves and flowers

3 Skull of a beast with spectacular horns

4 Wooden carved poles or maypole

5 Skulls in piles, in niches or hanging in bundles

6 Cauldron or stone basin or bowl (maybe with water or blood)

7 Whicker figures or humans or animals or scarecrows

8 Standing stone and/or stone altar

9 Spectacular tree or giant fungi

10 Niches in a rock or tree with small offerings (or skulls)

11 Rock art from simple patterns to script or relief rock art

12 Animals just hanging out

d12 Wild Shrine Trinkets
1 Branch of misstletoe, holly or oak
2 Bronze dagger or sickle
3 Bowls of herbs & mushrooms
4 Decorated bucket or copper cup
5 Snakes
6 Decorative stones
7 Copper ornate buckles
8 Bronze torc
9 Bones of a prehistoric beast
10 Bagpipes, horns, drums or other instruments
11 Morsels of tasty nuts or berries, or fruit in a bowl
12 Corn dollies or vegetal figurines

d12 Wild Shrine Grounds
1 Faerie rings of flowers or mushrooms

2 Stick figurines

3 Carved druid mark on tree or stone

4 Bugs, butterflies, snakes, rodents

5 Stone steps

6 Pool surrounded by plants and/or fungi

7 Spring grotto pool

8 Ancient trees or giant mushrooms

9 Campside with fire pit

10 Burial mounds

11 Dolmen

12 Stranding stones

d12 Village Shrine Decor
1 Crude, mass-produced, tiny painting of a saint or a god

2 Crude folk paintings on the  wall 

3 Decorated bucket or basin

4 Jars or vases of water, brass or ceramic

5 Ornate candlesticks of brass

6 Copper or tin decorated plate 

7 Crude statue or folk idol

8 Woven rug or banner on the wall

9 Many candlesticks

10 Decorated floor, carved or painted symbols

11 Small chest with offerings or ritual paraphernalia

12 Religious graffiti from pilgrims

d12 Village Shrine Trinkets
1 Some eggs
2 Tub or buckets of manure
3 Garden tools
4 Barrels of root vegetables
6 Plate of a ploughman's lunch
7 Kegs of beer
8 Butterchurn
9 Body awaiting burial in a shroud
10 Leg of lamb, sausages, pies or a dead rabbit
11 Wreaths of holly leaves
12 Chicken 

d12 Village Shrine Grounds
1 Several graves, possibly a small graveyard with fence

2 Stick folk figurines hanging somewhere

3 Graffiti marking of the faithful

4 Folk painting of the church story

5 Common animals on the threshold in a pen or chained

6 Holy symbol, possibly on a wooden sign

7 Barrels of fermenting beer or cider

8 Plants growing in neat beds

9 Herbs or other food bundled and drying, tied out of reach

10 Pile of beer bottles awaiting refills

11 posts for tying horses, possibly with a trough

12 Small sheds for storing local festival costumes

d12 Urban Shrine Decor
1 Gold candleabra or 

2 Stained glass windows

3 Stone font or basin

4 Paintings of nobles

5 Artistic carving in stone  

6 Text carving in stone

7 Decorated arch or niche

8 Ornate benches

9 Decorated pulpit

10 Organ, horn or other instrument

11 Statue of a divine being or beast

12 Reliquary or ossuary, or under the floor crypts

d12 Urban Shrine Trinkets
1 Bottle of wine 
2 Holy symbol
3 Sacred silver or gold chalices
4 Holy sceptre, rod, or staff
5 Priests' ornate ceremonial hat
6 Priests' robes on a peg
7 Plate or bowl of coins
8 Shield on the wall with coats of arms
9 Incense burner
10 Orate lantern
11 Silver statuette of a saint
12 Holy book

d12 Urban Shrine Grounds
1 Fountain or well

2 Stable sheds

3 Pilgrims' shacks or worker cottages

4 Hermits hole

5 Statues or gargoyles

6 Bench
7 Ornate garden, flowers or vegetables

8 Nice, trimmed lawn

9 Beehives and an orchard

10 Graveyard

11 Wall, some with castellation and tower

12 Porch with columns

d12 Evil Shrine Decor
1 Pit or well, or sinkhole

2 Altar and sacrificial weapon

3 Candles or a chandelier

4 Banner or tapestry

5 Niche of evil books and ritual paraphernalia

6 Chest of money and jewels, cursed and trapped

7 Torture niche or oubliette

8 Guardian beast niche and possibly chains

9 Idol of a planar being or monster

10 Cursed mirror or artwork

11 Cult graffiti, sigils and circles

12 Magical guardians like a living statue or invisible imp

d12 Evil Shrine Trinkets
1 Evil book or cult pamphlet

2 Decorated goat or bull skull

3 Hand size pet spider

4 Skull candle holder

5 Pipe and bowl of drugs

6 Erotic cult figurine

7 Whip or spiked mace

8 Exotic cult dagger

9 Bottle of poison or narcotics

10 Purse of 3d6sp

11 Silver chalices decorated with creatures

12 Evil holy symbol on a chain in silver

d12 Evil Shrines Locations
1 Graveyard crypt

2 Commoners basement

3 Sewer

4 Haunted house

5 Cave

6 Ruined building

7 Forest

8 Swamp

9 Field

10 Dungeon

11 Noble manour

12 Magic doorway to a magical place

d12 Evil Shrine Grounds
1 Secret door entrance

2 Cobwebs and dead shrubs

3 Thorn bushes or toadstools

4 Hooting owl or squeaky bats

5  Concealed entrance

6 Enraged animals possessed by an evil spirit

7 Single, heavily fortified door

8 Murderholes in the ceiling or above the doorway

9 Concealed boobytraps

10 Rodents or other vermin, sometimes a swarm

11 Cult sign graffiti

12 Faeces and garbage

Where do I get my alignment oaths?

I'm rewriting my homebrew rules on alignment again. At each level, a character can take an alignment oath, which gets them a gift and makes them more fanatic. One of my players (Dallas) in his own campaign modified this to having specific gifts and oaths being available as "Mysteries" from specific temples. This makes alignment a bigger game world feature and makes it more meaningful. I did have a campaign end 20 minutes into a session with a neat TPK. Actually, two were unconscious (and then wound up in prison), others were dead, and one grabbed all the loot from the party bodies and a donkey and ran away to live happily ever. after. It was super fun and very enjoyable, but it has never happened since. As always, encourage people to not be jerks to each other, but ethical debates between characters in an adventure are fine.

Gods and the powers impose alignment on humans, but don't necessarily use it themselves, and different sects of the same god might have different alignments. Ishtar shrines can be a nice fertility love goddess cult or a bloody war goddess cult or a shitty brothel. If alignment seems natural and inhuman, it is. And players can ignore it and be beholden to no cosmic jerks. They just don't get free superpowers.

You need a priest to help with making oaths, but they don't have to be from your religion. You just need someone to authorise a contract with your personal cosmic power. The priest often accepts a sacrifice but might demand a fetch quest with difficulty dependent on how much they like you. The higher power might also want a specific sacrifice.

Here are some tables to help generate a quick shrine. The bigger the population, the more choices you get. Popular gods are more popular, but there may be secret folk shrines in a basement or workshop.

These might also be reasons to adventure or travel.

In a city, you can ask anyone for a d4 shrine location.
In a village, people are more shy and might suggest one to strangers.
In the wilderness, you might need a map to find or directions.
Wilderness and village shrines might exist in the outer areas of a city or in poor areas.

Big modern buildings are for popular (or once popular) big religions.

Ancient monuments are shunned by modern churches but used by druids who adopted previous monuments of the ancestors.

Humble small shrines for commoners, often for petty or lesser gods used by commoners in everyday life and might not be acknowledged by the main church or elites. Some might be secretive.

You could use this for generating religious sites in any location.

Common shrines have humble fetch quests like find a pig or help the harvest or provide a feast on a holy day.

Rich Temples take cash and jewellery and can give change. They love rich clients. They might accept bribes to bump you in their busy schedule.

Village shrine keepers might be reluctant to deal with the rich.

Wilderness shrines are often run by hermits who would rather be left alone.

d12 City Locations (most with dedicated busy staff, but welcome pilgrims)

1 Park - might be an official memorial or shrine, or perhaps a homeless assemblage

2 Alley Shrine - often in alleyways or small squares with a small sculpture 

3 Shop Shrine - in backrooms of typical crafter's stores, usually for the industry

4 Sewer Shrine - out of the way and hidden 

5 Street Shrine - for locals with a part-time clergy visiting often with a small shelter and idol

6 Small Shrine - a small ornate shrine with a dedicated acolyte and a decorated structure

7 Large Shrine - with several dedicated priests on a pilgrim trail and a possible saint relic
8 Small Temple - with a 5th Lv priest with a few assistants and some ornate artwork

9 Large Temple - with a high-ranking priest and various staff serving hundreds or thousands

10 Cathedral - ornate, famous, huge church serving nobility and thousands of people, often one of the leading temples in a city 
11 Hermatige - where an order of monks or nuns live in seclusion, often ornate walled complex 

12 Seminary - a religious school or educational facility where clergy study 

d12 Village Locations (Many part-time and mostly for locals)

1 Field Shrine - used by locals among crops with a simple idol tended by a local

2 House Shrine - local commoner has a shrine in the house and looks after local needs

3 Cellar Shrine - under another building, under another building

4 Well Shrine - an idol built in a well or an underground chamber

5 Garden Shrine - an idol in someone's backyard garden

6 Tavern Shrine - for travellers, often in an outbuilding 

7 Animal Pen - idol in an animal yard 

8 Barn Shrine - a simple idol in a quiet corner

9 Shed Shrine - crude shrine in a small shed

10 Graveyard Shrine - sanctified ground with a simple idol

11 Village Shrine - official, deliberately built, small, humble shrine

12 Village Abbey - a small country church, some fortified with a tower

d12 Wilderness Locations (you might need to wait a while or choose holy days)

1 Sacred Tree - with carvings or a hollow, possibly decorated or huge ancient specimen

2 Cave Shrine - with relief rock art carved into walls and possibly a tomb or grotto

3 Cairn - a pile of rocks built as a landmark 

4 Monolith - a large standing stone, possibly with rock carving, perhaps created in a mythic event

5 Dolmen - a stack of stones, used to commemorate the ancestors

6 barrow Mound - an ancient barrow with an idol or shrine for commemorating the dead

7 Stone Circle - vary in size from small to titanic, from prehistory

8 Island Shrine - in a lake, river, or at sea, with a humble idol

9 Hermit Shrine - a crude shelter where hermits may live with a simple idol

10 Pilgrim Shrine - often a pilgrim shelter on a road with an idol

11 Mountain Top Shrine - with a difficult, exhausting trail

12 Crossing Shrine - where roads meet or people cross a river or stream

d100 Magic Toys

65,936 hits on my blog otherday up from 6k daily recently
And still no comments, sigh. I guess its all bots
(two comments about dr mabutu helping me force ppl to love me with spells)

Free pdf of draft of my homebrew rules part A (stats  and zero lv) on patreon now as a public post. Two patron only drafts up today.

Inspired by Ford's Fairy Book as it has lots of child monsters
Yes I will accept a from the spaceknight doll if anyone sends me one
Please stop trying to send me glochs in my comments if you can resist the urge

also see
https://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com/2019/03/puppet-people-of-toy-town.html

Coming soon
More train lines for Chagrinspire

d12 How Fancy?
Roll a few times till satisfied and stop or reroll if incongruent
1 Rustic made from scraps 
2 Common materials like wood, leather or cloth

3 High quality with intricate designs, but common materials

4 Painted in bright colour

5 Painted many colours

6 Painted many colours with intricate designs

7 Name written on it (possibly famous)

8 Realistic-looking but smaller 

9 Glows in the dark or emits light when used

10 Colours change while in use 

11 Silver or chrome shiny
12 Golden 1in6 with encrusted gems

d10 Quick Toy Types
1 Sport
2 Skill
3 Dolls
4 Figures
5 Stuffed
6 Tools
7 Boxes
8 Musical
9 Games
10 Puzzles

d100  MagicToy
01 Bouncing ball - will bounce in place forever unless stopped or touched 
02 Returning Ball - will return to who kicks or throws to catch or kick again
03 Amazing ball - on command, it floats and sparkles until hit or kicked
04 Obedient Ball - will move by the bonded owners will, great for cheating, can roll uphills, stairs or over obstacles by clinging to surface
05 Bladder of Beans - an unbreakable pigs bladder stuffed with beans popular in village games
06 Bat of Beyond - +1 club that knocks balls a long distance
07 Bag of Balls - colourful hand-sized balls in a silk bag return to held bag on command
07 Rasient Hoop - colourful hoop, sticks to the user so you cant drop it while performing tricks or spinning around your body. Some come instead with a stick
08 Goblin Ball - on a command ball vanishes and returns on command
09 Impossible Ball - can split into three normal balls or back, the balls improve juggling ability and some have more balls
10 Sinister Ball - if played with or stolen, the handler becomes trapped inside the ball. Often come with a child trapped inside for d4 centuries. The bonded owner is immune to this effect. Some might have something worse inside
11 Knucklebones Bags - Set of 5 colourful knucklebones inside that return to the bag at will so you cant lose them
12 Cheaters Dice - roll the result the roller wants, 1in6 come in sets of 2
13 Cup & Ball - If you can succeed ten times without missing a piece of candy appears to reward the user
14 YoYo of Doom - yoyo has a 3m string and good for amazing yoyo feats but also can entangle an enemy or strike someone for 1hp damage. 1in4 have pop out spikes or blades on command and do d4  
15 Spinning Top - can summon a 2HD air elemental or dust devil once a day to play for 10 minutes
16 Hypno Top - spinning top with spiral patterns, 4HD or less beings who see in 3m save or gaze at it in wonder for a d3 rounds
17 Kite of The Wind - can fly without wind, 100m line never tangles, can lift skilled user 1m off ground every second round
18 Toy Bow - in a quiver with 10 arrows that return to quiver on command and cause no harm but stick to the target till recalled
19 Skittles of Wonder - 9 wooden pins on command will all fall over, all stand up in a triangle formation or will not fall if knocked over. Great for cheating
20 Golden Jump Rope - stretch from 1-3m at will, can spin by self or with one person holding one end to facilitate skipping games 1in6 amplifies skipping songs as if more children playing
21 Polly Perkins - fine china doll on command can chit chat, drink tea or play simple games for one hour, unbreakable and carries no stains
22 Goblin Doll - ugly goblin doll at night becomes a gremlin who plays pranks like moves or hides items or poops in shioes
23 Princess Saphire - posh talking princess doll who teaches good manners, encourages eating and bathing properly
24 Baba Yaga's Dolly - an ugly witch doll with a happy smile, will cackle if thrown or attacked but is unbreakable. 1in6 will beat a child with a stick if a parent or guardian commands or the child is being naughty in a way the parent would not like
25 Wooden Nesting Doll - painted brightly on command opens in half and another half size doll jumps our d4+4 total dolls are possible and on command they return to normal
26 Tabitha Tantrum - a surly dolly that speaks and in a joking ironic tone, it will be mean to child enemies with soul-destroying personal insults and if the child is threatened, the doll pulls out a hatpin and stabs enemies for a d3 damage (AC5 HD2 Mv12). Some call her Stabitha and if she finds poison will use it on her pin
27 Molly Dolly - a cloth simple doll that can't speak but can mime, if child is owner is in trouble, she will run to get help. She also cleans the child's possessions while they sleep. Once every week 1in6 chance she brought home a new doll, figurine or plush non-magical toy from who knows where but she does like other talking dolls
28 Mad Mary - will talk and play games, but do to a defect, after a while will recommend dangerous tasks as double dares child. she is hard to get rid of once you have a relationship
29 Gossiping Ginny - a talking friend who plays games but also rats out child activities and behaviour to parents
30 Troll Doll - an ugly but lovable hairy naked rubbery green doll with a big nose, claws, grin and pointy ears. If the child is in peril, the doll turns into a real troll to aid the child. Only rarely defective child eating ones 1in6 
31 Johnny Soldier - wooden soldier with a sword, on command marches forward swinging sword or halts. 1in6 can fight and gives child fencing lessons and is a bodyguard (AC+3 HD1 Mov6)
32 Wooden menagerie - set of 3d4+4 wooden figures that, on command, move about and play with a child. They scream loudly if damaged
33 Dolly House - a furnished wooden house with a set of a d6 wooden figures who are a family who live in the house and act like a family. 1in6 become deeply resentful of being spied on and plot against the child
34 Nut Cracker - a wooden angry sergeant who crushed nuts not fingers on command. 1in6 will bark officious orders and wiggle a moustache to drill the child in military marching. Will protect choild from rats with its d3 sword (AC+3 HD1 Mov6)
35 Wooden Dragon - articulated dragon with wheels. On command, will move, snap teeth and carry small objects. Will let other toys ride it. If left alone puts any toys left out in a pile and guard them, snapping until ordered to stop
35 Wooden Dog - on command, becomes a real dog who will bravely defend a child. If killed reverts to wood and breaks
36 Equestrian Hero - wooden soldier on a horse on command will loudly gallop, do drills, jump small obstacles, swim or battle other toys
37 Silver Knight - a toy knight that will grow to a real knight to fight if the child is in danger of attack (AC+8 HD2 Mov18), then back again once the threat passes. 
38 Wooden Horse - a colourful dog-sized horse will give children rides and will throw them off if cruel or rude. will only work again for that user if they apologise. 1in6 can talk and be a jolly companion
39 Peg People - set of 4d4+4 tiny people in a box with tiny houses. Once set up, they go about their behaviour as if real village folk, and you can even eavesdrop on them. They don't notice the child until picked up, and they might be friendly but 1in6 the peg person screams and the village attacks the child
40 Wheeled Duck - wooden duck with a string and quacks 
41 Polly Pure - a plush maid who can talk and play with a child and teaches them literacy, manners, basic geography (possibly dated) and can prepare small meals if it can operate a stove or fire (she is fireproof). 1in6 is a polly Perril who will also teach the child combat, escapology and poison lore
42 Billy the Bear - a plush bear if a child is in danger, turns into a grizzly or polar bear to aid the child. It can also carry bears to safety
43 Stripey Cat - a colourful plush cat that can turn invisible and tell jokes if asked, 1in6 can walk on hind legs and talk at will and will advise the child of perils
44 Plush Dragon - bombastic and makes wild threats of claws and teeth, and fire, but it can only talk, and its invulnerable to non-magic damage. It will protest if hugged and promise terrible acts of revenge. It also tells stories of heroic deed of the past
45 Plush Lion - can roar and play with a child, and it is also quite warm
46 Plush Orc - will play with a child, harmlessly wrestling and punching them on command. If alone with child will threaten and tease child to provoke a fight in a light hearted way
47 Plush Owlbear - adorable cuddly beast that feels warm and makes hooting sounds when hugged, 1in6 have real owlbear fur and prone to possession by the owlbears spirit, making it aware and active all the time. Good children it protects, and naughty ones it mauls
46 Plush Devil - conversational and discusses metaphysics and sin with the child. Unconvincingly offers to buy child should to teach them resistance. Fire proof, tells stories of sinners' lives and how they burn in hell. Supposed to teach child to resist temptation. If hugged it complains. 1in6 dolls are corrupted and offer magic toys for their soul 
49 Wooly Bah - plush shhp that can carry a child and gently butt them and is warm and cuddly. The sheep will sing lulabies and will butt foes of the child
50 Plush Scarecrow - talks to birds and translates for the child, can abuse birds so they leave offended to protect a garden.  1in6 dolls are anointed to the turnip god Bogrump and he whispers to the child in their dreams secrets of turnip cultivation so the child grows up madly in love with turnip
51 Music Box - plays music when the lid open d4 1=one only 2=10 songs 3=100 songs 4=never the same song twice
52 Jack in the Box - a springing jester pops out and giggles. it will tell jokes or make puns or tell limericks. 1in6 knows adult jokes also when there are no children present 
53 Toy Box - box of various toys, when the child finishes all move back in the box to keep clean. New toys can be added 
54 Barrel of Mischief - small holds a colony of troublesome creatures who won't harm the box owner once a day, after 10 minutes, they return sometimes with plunder you will never see again. If any child-sized person squeezes in they are lost in fairyland. If killed they fade away and new ones come out later. There are 4 types d4 1=gremlins 4d+4 2=goblins d4+4 3=kobolds 2d4+4 4=monkeys 2d4+4 (adventurers with shrink potions might fit)
55 Flatulant Box - when open releases fart noises and keeps it up for hours. 1in6 includes terrible odours, wildly different every time
56 Sound Trap - creates a field 3m around the box when open that prevents sound from leaving but lets it in. Handy for annoying noisy children
57 Voice Box - repeats whatever is said to it in a strange voice. You can shut the box before it replies and it will say the phrase when opened 
58 Dream Box - with a quartz grey  screen and several glowing control gems, let you dial up pictorial stories to entertain the family, 1in6 are adult-only versions
59 Soldiers Box - contains two tiny lead armies that will when opened line up on sides then kill each other in a gory battle lasting 10 minutes, and die, then vanish. Works once a day. 1in6 are corrupted and attack as a swarm
60 Secret Toy Box - a transp-dimensional toy box with little mass, holds many (d4 1=10 2=20 3=50 4=100) toys you can randomly pull out one at a time. A child or pet could also fit inside, and time does not exist inside. Will not accept anything dangerous or made to be harmful or violent. You can shake the contents out one at a time
61 Ghost Trap - glass bottle traps a poltergeist, and the child can talk with it and release it if required. Once released, the spirit will flee the bottle on sight
62 Woodland Logs - a bag of small wooden logs for building houses and walls for play. Includes a magic squirrel who will play with child and clean up after completion or give the child a warm honey chestnut if they do the work

63 Clinging Blocks - a bag of 5d5 colourful blocks with runes on them. With a command a block pressed against another block or surface will cling for one hour. Adventurers will find other uses like making climbing holds or blocking doors. Force can separate them, but it might damage some surfaces

64 Tool Box - with hammer, saw, hand drill and chisel. Each tool has a command word and will go to work for ten minutes three times a day. They are 1/4 normal size and cannot harm a living being   

65 Toy Cart - small wooden cart that will follow its child around and can even carry a small child or dog

66 Toy Mallet - for a child looks like a realistic large mallet from a quarry but it is brightly coloured and when you tit someone it just tickles

67 Toy Stove - a small self-igniting stove and flames won't burn a living being or ignite flammables. Can bake tiny cakes or an egg. Comes with a frying pan, baking tray and a tiny cauldron but some have more. 1in6 has a timer and offers cooking tips and can turn itself off

68 Brick Mould - 1/3 normal size, turns mud or sand into a brick in one minute, can be used to build tiny structures

69 Toy Cauldron - self-heating cauldron but won't boil or scald anyone, on command heat turns on or off

70 Toy Tattoo Needle - can draw on people without pain, self-inking and art fades the next dawn

71 Toy Horn - plays military signals with minimal effort or skill 1/3 normal size 
72 Toy Drum - a small noisy drum, on command from the parent, only the person beating it can hear it
73 Magic Drum - plays by self, usually marches
74 Magic Flute - has a face and plays itself, has tiny legs and arms and will play games, tell stories and sing songs. Often gold or silver with gems or semiprecious stones
75 Tin Whistle - blows very loudly but also can mimic any bird
76 Wonder Cymbals - three times a day if you clash three times, a small honey cake morsel appears
77 Magic Lyre - self self-playing lyre that also sings and tells stories, 1in6 also knows adult songs, 1/3 normal size
78 Bagpipe of Flatulance - plays novelty fatrt sounds mixed in with horrible bagpipe squarks and easier to play than a normal one, only 1/3 size
79 Musical Marrionette - plays a small instrument like a lyre, flute, drum or lute, can follow a child and will play with others, often comes in a set, making a little band 
80 Brazen Bell - rings on command or can be given conditions like ring at a certain time or if someone performs a certain action. 1in6 have a face and can't talk with a personality suiting their sound 
81 Wonderous Chess Set - pieces come to life and battle entertainingly in play
82 Three in a row board - simple peg game you can play alone as pegs move on their own (like noughts & crosses/tic tac toe) 
83 Backgammon Board of Wonder - if you win three games, the game releases a copper coin, some do silver and gold but coin supply per day limited to a few coins a day
84 Manticores & Mazes - boardgame with dice where you race to the end, avoiding monsters. When your piece is killed it moves to the beginning and the animated art shows the player being eaten 
85 Ramps & Lizards - board game with dice where you move around the board but ramp squares advance you further and lizards take your piece back. The ramp and lizards move your piece automatically and a voice explains how sin advances or devolves your soul
86 Klobok - a goblin game with dice, when pieces die they scream and tiny ghosts hang around bodies until game ends, 4 players compete in races through a maze, the losers all become wildly flatulent for a d4 rounds
87 Wizards Game - by holding one of four gems set into the board, you can have a telekinetic hand wrestle another player's telekinetic hand. Superior mental attributes win so the game is really used to test wizardry students
88 Magic Maze Game - A maze image on the board changes each use, you trace the maze route with your finger, and if you go backwards, you get electrocuted for 1hp damage. Adult versions with lethal damage are found in mad wizard dungeons to open doors
89 Zebor - a kingdom building game with illusionary animations as players kingdoms grow and battle and manage resources. Solo, 2, 3 and 4 player versions
90 Klabergon - boardgame with various collectable pieces and cards. The pieces animate and battle and the cards have animations. A set has 2d4+4 pieces and 2d6+6cards but larger ones exist. Pieees and cards only work on the official table. Some people collect more pieces and play for keeps and run tournaments. Legendary pieces, rare cards or boards are sometimes found alone in treasure hoards or are the target of wizard fetch quests. Players find game addictive and board owners become fanatics and seek more cards and figures
91 Wonderous Puzzle Cube - glimmering rotating cube, when complete its colour changes and the puzzle randomises again while playing a tune
93 Amazing Puzzlebox - when opened rewards user with a nut or candied fruit then randomises again. Also popular with smart pets
94 Secure Puzzlebox - can be used to contain small treasures and a combination set. Only be harmed by magic
95 Puzzle Prism - held in front of light the crystal projects patterns and the correct angle that is tricky to achieve shows an image. Some have multiple images. Some have treasure maps
96 Beehive Puzzle - when activated has a ticking timer. If opened in time you get a blob of honey, if you fail a d6 bees come out and chase the user
97 Kelidoscope of Wonder - if you stare at the amazing patterns, save or spend a d6 hours thoroughly absorbed but others can snap you out of it. Used to keep children quiet but some adults are addicted or develop odd beliefs about the patterns, like they think they see extradimensional beings. Some say these ruined a civilisation of wizards
98 Klorgus - a slimy gelatinous blob that makes fart sounds and can be moulded into shapes or figures that slowly return to a blob
99 Orb of Wonder - a floating telikinetic sphere that can talk and gives mild electric shocks to inattentive students. Some teach dated lore or use an ancient language 
100 Spinning top of the Planes - a spinning top with rotating sections, you can dial up other planes. While spinning you can see crude images of everyday life forms of another dimension

Magic Murder Maze Mania

Some tables to make mazes actually interesting.
Obviously, most adults with brains can methodically solve a maze so they don't work as mazes in game but they are good locations.

These are stuff to populate your maze and make term more annoying.
Feel free to cap d12 to lower numbers for less dangerous monsters.

3 drfts on patreon next few days
-anuranomicon
-ethyria with large amounts of a bronze age megadungeon
-2025 draft of my home rules part 1

d12 Maze Decor
1 Dead bodies of those who never got out

2 Graffiti on walls of warning, despair or just marking route

3 Fake graffiti with dangerous advice about trap or hazard 

4 length of string (might lead to trap or monster collecting string)

5 Diagram of a maze, on the wall, but most likely also or misleading

6 Shrine to a spirit of the maze or divinity

7 Monster droppings

8 Relief sculpture on the wall like an ornamental face

9 Trail of blood, possibly least to or from a trap or hazard

10 Phantom or poltergeist menaces people near a passage, trap, or hazard 

11 Kobolds are working on repairing a trap

12 Phantom or wizard and guards working on a magic trap or hazard

d12 Hazard
1 Chasm to cross (over water or just deep)

2 Chasm with rope swing or bridge

3 Chasm over lava or acid or monsters

4 Guard post with a monster

5 Patterned floor, wrong path activates attack spell

6 Slippery floor (possibly slope to a trap or hazard)

7 Timed dart launcher or spell effect fires in a rhythmic pattern

8 Swinging pendulums in the path

9 Bait for a trap or ambush

10 Illusion covering a trap or ambush

11 Statues with an attacking spell guard a passage

12 Floor on fire or covered in magical damaging

d12 Trick
1 Rotating room or corridor, or wall
2 Slide or pit to another level
3 Moving walls change the layout or crush
4 Secret or fake passage or door 
5 Portcullis gate or self-sealing passage
6 Magical disorientation or direction
7 One-way or self-sealing door or passage
8 Fog, darkness or blinding light

9 Illusion covering a threat or passage
10 Magic mirror or fountain
11 Flooded passage or doorway
12 Teleporter pad

d12 Trap
1 Pit with vermin or rancid water
2 Pit with self-sealing trapdoor
3 Pit with steaks or poison spikes
4 Pit with monster
5 Snare or foot clamp or concealed poison spikes
6 Murder holes 
7 Deadfall or rolling boulder
8 Crossbow or poison dart
9 Pop-out spikes or stakes
10 Pendulum or scythe
11 Gas, poison or sleep or hallucination
12 Damaging spell

d12 Ambush Monsters
1 Thieves
2 Sheet phantom and/or sheet ghoul
3 Doppelganger 
4 Mimic

5 Trapper or Lurker or stun jelly
6 Cloaker or Darkmantle
7 Living statue
8 Slithering tracker
9 Grell or gibbering mouther

10 Golem
11 Invisible stalker

12 Stone juggernaut

d12 Wandering Monsters
1 Vermin or swarm
2 Carrion Worm or giant beetles
3 Insane berserk warriors or cultists
4 Giant spiders or a scorpion
5 Giant lizards (gekko) or frogs (treefrogs)
6 Nilbog or quickling gang

7 Gelatinous cube

8 Minotaur hero or minotaur gang

9 Animated weapons or armour

10 Medusan or basilisk

11 Elemental

12 Willow the whisp

Ethyria Game Log June

So we had 2 players absent and other drop ins not dropping in and I had 2 ppl from another group with a DM looking to play and doing characters so we set them up and let them explore the setting a bit. Hopefully next game we have 3 and after that 4.

Im trying to only use Theros and PHB2024 but I'm allowing alternate priest domains if they work. We notices no Augary spell in the current version, and its the basis of a Theros supernatural feat Sigh. Two new players generated partly online but came out fun.

Omiros "Firehair" an adopted satyr who became an acolyte then priest of Heliod

Kiren an adopted centaur farmer turned monk

They could have been from the wild clans to eastern woods but both chose to be adopted by the same human clan of farmers around the main Polis. The family own a farm and are keen to climb socially in the polis. Kiren was adopted when father died defending city in battle as a mercenary. Omiros had a famous ancestor who died tragically and had a play written about them.

The clan had lost all grandparents and parents so the adoptees only had 4 siblings

Aella a 3rd lv Fighter who is family head and she serves in militia, she is patronising but treats the boys ok

Klieio a 2nd lv fighter and second in line, she dislikes the adoptees

Erebos a farmer loves the adoptees and he longs to get away from farm life

Magara who partly works on the farm but is indiferent and a bit mysterious

So the boys were with family who were scheming how to improve their status. Omiros and Kiren decided to go adventuring like other recent new heroes who had got glory and wealth.

They knew of a bridge dedicated to the gods that used to facilitate trade to the wild folk of the east through the mountains. Maybe they might learn more of their true people. There was also a ruined tower on the way one of only of kind in areas while their are hundreds in the wild north. Their brother wanted to come but sisters forbade it.

So off to the towers by the safe coast trail and met friendly soldiers who knew their sisters. Then into hills and saw towers based on ruins in Sicily. Met some satyrs and dryads who were friendly but complained humans kidnapping satyr kids. The humans said same about satyrs and the wild forest folk. 

Declined offer to join them and went on to the tower. While entering the gatehouse the centaur heard wings behind the wall so they tried to hide. The satyr failed and three harpies swooped him,. he blasted one with fire but his bronze chain vest kept him same. The centaur charged in fists and hooves blazing with lightning. Harpies fled to a mountain peak said to be a harpy colony. They moved inwards and the satyr lept over a 20 foot wall then on top of the central tower. Could see a single larger harpy coming back. So he peekind down the stairwell on the ruined tower and heard sniffing and dust moving. So he sprinted down and was breathed on by a hellhound with unholy flame. Fled through front door and the centaur charged in to help. While the hound chasing the satyr the faster monk pummeled the hound with his lightning fist.

Felt close but heroes won. The Satyr insisted on live capture so hogtied and muzzled the dog intending to carry it home. He wanted to tame it but his holy lore informed him it was not an animal. Found a strange amphora with snake designs and a trapdoor to the underworld with graffiti. The new harpy came to menace them and used her fear song. They were not affected but the centaur sprinted down the hill into the forest, pursued by the harpy. The satyr followed snakily. Both got to the forest and managed a safe trip home.

Sold the dog to the arena and saw the two-headed son of Cerbus hound brought in by other player's group. The amphora could daily release a swarm of snakes and they sold it to the sinister temple of the goddess of poison and disease who does have her ok moments. Fans followed them and bought them drinks and kebabs and took them to see a humorous play, followed by drinking. They also gained piety for monster hunting and now could give blessings of the light god.

When they got home sisters came out to nag them but when they saw wealth they were as impressed as they could be. The lads gave 800gp to family coffers worth several years farm income to be used for fences, a barn, labourers and new sheep.

The next day Magera the shifty sister told boys the agora plateau had catacombs with entries in a few temples and possibly other hidden ways. The satyr was sure she knew more than she revealed and both became more interested. Shw had heard gossib of their night out.

Instead they went to harbour to rent a ship to go and loot the cursed labyrinth that other adventures had returned from. Aparently they were not first. A ship of the other party family returned damaged with missing family members. They had heard their hated sibling Aias had got rich their and tried to give it a go. While adventurers ashore being kidnapped by an ogre the ship was driven home by harpies. The other party on the sea goddess ship had already departed to rescue the missing siblings.

So the lads went to look for a ship. There was a pirate ship and and merchant. They even got Aias's grandfather to subsidise the hiring of a ship because he doubted Aias could pull off the mission. They chose pirates who seemed tougher.

The shop set off and fog poured in. The pirate captains mate, a Triton said the fog was natural and the wind died. They rowed close to the phantom island and the pirate captain was keen to explore for treasure and the boys agreed but were wary. The ship got close and the triton mate and three sailors got in the ships boat and went ashore. They could see the hugeskull shaped hill on the icy island and giant doors in the nose and a warf. They got close and were intimidated by the 40 foot high bronze doors. the satyr did see a secret entrance and they got close to open it. Two sailors stayed in the boat while the rest went into a dark tunnel. Using light magic they pressed on and saw three giant doors. The opened one to see frost giant barracks with giant exotic furs and giant sacks on wall pegs.

Saw some large ticks while searching and they saw a dog size tick stalk the triton and defeated it. They fled to the boat covered in giant blood from the tick. The captain said he had planned to rob the party and throw corpses in the sea but he was impressed with the daring and loyalty to his first mate the triton. Even though dark the canny captain navigated them home. Each man in the giant complex had a huge white fur, a polar bear, a winter wolf and even a yeti. The giant bag had some money and trinkets. The pirate also decided to not even charge the adventurers and said he would sail with them again.

The adventurers Aias and Xi on the temple ship had returned with missing siblings including body of Aisas's mean brother. So the two groups should be able to meet up.

Went well and I look forward to more players for a viable campaign.

The skull island is based on a Clark Ashton Smith adventure and Advance Adventures compendium 2. Reading lots of ancient greek history I should have read when I did classics at uni 30 years ago.

I let them take 4th lv feat for frost giants from bigbys giant book - resist cold and retalitory ice blast vs enemies, slows mov to 0, as they were contaminated by giant blood in tick.

Im pretty happy players finding bad places, doing hit and runs and nabbing some loot.

Family stuff has been great. possibly might have some intermarriages later on.
 

June Spot Reviews

My Ethyria/theros game has 2 new players starting so thats been nice. One quibbling about character gen rules from online sources vs book and I'm having to re-state rules and that im only using 2024PHB and Theros book which something always put me off dnd5 but its part of running modern rules. In part I chose 5th ed to get another game running as this city not into many other games and ppl have wildly untrue ideas about old editions from heresay. I keep telling ppl its 10x faster to play and simpler but it is what it is.

Im happy with my 2 current games as a dm, and playing with new ppl has made my playing a character game improve lots. If I ran an out-of-the-box game setting Id use my homebrew with Gunderholfen or Midderlands. Ive had ppl ask me to run RQ but not enough to do it.

Two books I'm working on and a pro job tryout are dominating my time at the moment. Megadungeon I'm running for ethyria/theros, about half done, and I will work on it today for the game tomorrow.

Have a bunch of new purchases...

Cthulhu By Gaslight - Investigators' Guide 😀😀😀💥
Only a quick glance, but many online are wondering if it is full of redundant content and if you only need the Keepers version. I think the 7th ed core books, the investigator's book, is mostly useless. It has one rule for military background in the keepers' book (and overpriced automatic weapons). The situation in the gaslight edition has improved. It's mostly historic info, and I like the idea Investigators' book has real-world info, so the  Keepers' book has more mythos. The rules and character generation in Gaslight Investigators are less than other recent setting books. So on this basis, I like it more than the standard investigator's book. I'd think I'd rather more period photos than some art, but most of the interior art is ok. Pallette seems a bit subdued, and some scenes could have more grime. The more painterly art is very good. I got it on sale on Amazon, it's the main reason I got it. My interest in Chaosium and Cthulhu is diminishing overall, but about 4 or 5 books I'm interested in. The fandom of Cthulhu and RQ is the main reason. If ppl asked id explain more. 

The Bats of Saint Abbans 😀😀😀😀
This is an adventure and detailed location for Midderlands but easily adaptable to other medieval games, maybe even Pendragon. It would be a good one-off or campaign starter. It details a cathedral, monk life, npc's, a monastic time keeping system, new monsters and more. The box set would be best version but it could all be in a book. I got books and PDFs and 3 book bundle. There is also two bookmarks with info to help manage adventure, cyan maps (not in print bundle), an ecclesiastical time chart and fantastic encounter tables that add to the adventure. A PDF of maps, where it is in Midderlands and npc portraits. Now Ive seen it I wish I got the box set. The adventure is not about combat but dealing with npc, taking lots of athletic and spiritual risks and the supernatural weirdness of the cathedral. it would be a good centre for a campaign or starting point. Its a weird, magical place. Basically, you must deal with crazy bats in the cathedral and find what they like and clues to save them rather than kill them. If you like doing voices, it is a goldmine of characters and creatures. I did say you could run for Pendrago,n but Id shave off some of the weirder things. Id like to run it.

Possibly, I'd start players as locals needing work or in debt to the church for healing. Maybe fight some disease vomiting sewer goblins might disease the party, so they need healing. Its a fun read with lots of humour and weirdness and history inspiration behind it. 
 

Adventure Anthology 1+2😀😀💥💥
These are short adventures for Basic fantasy RPG. Not as good as their Black Apple adventure, I reviewed April (one of the best adventures I've read). They are short small dungeons for a session and might actually be good for Solo play as most don't have any complex plots. Some could be inserted in other adventures. Also good for beginner players or DM. Im getting a few of the Basic fantasy RPG things here and there but quality varies. They are all affordable, so even if broke a new adventure is affordable. Vol2 has a nice pumpkin festival adventure I could use. A slaver base in Vol1 u used.

Fords Faeries 😀😀😀😀

I had pdf but the book is good to read on the bus and at the table. Super inspirational for weird faeries and monsters, many with emotional effects for roleplaying opportunities, good for my game and Pendragon. While reading this, it inspired lots of blog posts from me, so basically, why I buy books like this (also, I struggle to read fiction novels at all now). Great, weird faerie-inspired stuff to make your games stranger. I will use this lots when I run my Auldwood game.

Pestilence at Halith Vorn 😀😀😀😀

I love Gundolfen. But id say everything in the setting is amazing. I normally hate puzzles in dungeons but I like the ones in these books. The books have been getting better and better, layout and writing-wise. This details a pestilence threatening a town and a huge multi-level and multi-planar adventure. Lots of grotesque, weird stuff of the top tier. I like the factions you can use and while they might mean some areas are a cakewalk there is still plenty to explore and do. Wonderful dark and nasty stuff.

Letters From The Dark 😀😀😀💥
A series of small shadowdark booklets. Nice self-contained well laid out of books with various topics. I don't really want to collect or buy shadowdark, but I play it. These are above average quality and value for shadowdark. For other retro clones its a bit thinner without class info but certainly easy to adapt and interesting stuff.

There are some pdfs I'm still reading so will cover next month.