d12 Fantasy Psionic Traditions

These are some schools for my psionics spells in my games. Part of some fill-in for the booklet I'm prepping. Almost done as a 16-page booklet.

d12 Fantasy Psionic Traditions
1 Illusionists

rare and exotic foreign system employed in secret often by criminals, spies, assassins or even just entertainers
2 Shaman
Priestly specialists who deal with spirits, divination and healing, usually a type of priest
3 Mystics
Psionic martial artists and athletes belonging to mysterious sects, prefer to enhance themselves in close combat and seek knowledge
4 Exorcists
Hunt and fight undead and evil spirits, some specialise in ghosts or ghouls or vampires depending on local problems
5 Inquisitors
Witch hunter specialists who hunt cultists, heretics and unlawful spell users are often referred to as witches
6 Seers
Specialist divination experts revered for wisdom and judgement, usually scholars in many fields and widely respected. Some are even healers or diplomats or operate great libraries
7 Cultists
Specific otherworld entities of the void share their knowledge and power and granted puny humans strange mind expanding powers. In return they aid their planar master and serve their glory
8 Witch
Outlawed anarchist spell users who flaunt the kingdom approved magical orthadoxy often work on the fringes of society helping the poor and outcast or just getting revenge on their enemies or doing crime. Many fear witches but many know one and owe tthem
9 Mediums
Specialise in contacting dead spirits and other planes for knowledge information, often aid people who seek to commune with the dead or to investigate supernatural menaces
10 Mentalists
Scholars of occult sciences of probing the mind and gaining mysterious obscure lore. Some are grubby entertainers and con artists, but eventually, their powers gain them great fame and status
11 Philosophers
Students of debate and meditation prefer to study and work with peers or all alone but some may choose to interact with the world to test a theory or learn new traditions. Their disciples alter their brains from years of esoteric study
12 Psionicists
An order of psionic schools who graduates travel to face enemies and hazards to test themselves on. Once they have been fired in the forge of hardship they can bend reality to their will and live forever in a paradise of their own creation. Wear famous robes and some fear them for their mental powers and ability to steal secrets

Psionics Revision Lv Six & Seven

So finally this mostly finished and will put in a booklet for playtesting and in the revised version of my homebrew rules pdf. I was considering adding my psionics mutation system also and if it needs a class and the mutant class in the same book and some notes. Will start revising druid list now. When all the main spell lists done I can get onto another old project with extra necromancy, elementalism and meat spells.

Psionics Revision Lv Six

1  Amnesia [RT][DP][SN] victim makes Will save or they forget their life stories. They may discover they have skills and abilities but will initially be confused and may be unsure whose side they are on. Finding strong evidence, loved ones imploring might gain an additional saving throw or the effect can be cured by the reverse.  *Remember the reverse restores memories lost by damage or magic to just from time. A few users of this became introspective hermits lost in their past

2 Animate Juggernaut [R12][A1][DP] turn pile of junk or artwork into one or many animated automatons that obey simple two-word orders from the creator AC based on material AC+1 corpses AC +4 junk or wood +8 metal or stone. 1HD/Lv human-size 1-2HD d6 ram Mov 12, large bull size 3-8HD 2d6 ram Mov 9,Huge rhino size 9-14 HD 3d6 ram Mov6, colossal or mammoth size 15-20HD 4d6 ram Mov 3. The larger ones are ideal for making self mobile engines like battering rams or siege towers and can have crew inside

3 Banish* [R12][DT][SN] planar being saves or returns to it’s home plane a day/Lv Summon calls planar being to this world, less HD obeys caster for duration, planar nobles or gods get a save to resist or will perform one desire with a save they deceive and betray you

5 Conjure Nightmare [R18][DH][SS] Calls nightmare from enemies nightmares and fears AC+9 1HD/Lv, Att 2 Claw or Bite 2d8 the target makes a will saves vs fear or flee every round in sight but others can attack the horror as a normal enemy

6 Conjure Shadows [R12][A6][DR][SS] Create a shadow copy of one person or creature with half the AC, HP and Attack bonus but the same damage or summon an undead shadow per level instead. Each shadow must be based on a living creature present in the area or at least use the shadow of a  statue or shadow puppet and there must be some light and shadows

7 Conjure Spectral Stalker [DH][SS] Conjures an invisible manifestation of unconscious killer id with an hour ritual, that hunts down an enemy that you visualised, AC+20 HD12 Att 4d8 spectral touch Move 36 flight, it has a limited duration it has but can sense the summoners enemy and pursues them to assassinate them  

8 Legend Lore [RT][DI] study an object or person and absorb lore regarding them from the collective knowledge of the world. Especially draws from songs, poems and written works especially and can be repeated within the hour or written down to sound very wise and impressive

9 Plane Shift [RT][A1][DI][SN] travel to another plane known plus bring a person/level, unwilling get a Will saving throw. Once you have been to a plane you can go there again but occult scholarship might allow a risky skill roll attempt 

10 Power Word Stun [R12][A6]DR][SN] 1HD/Lv creatures stunned but if save only 1 round, 1HD creatures are knocked unconscious for an hour per level or one hour if they save

11 Regeneration [RT][DT] subject can regenerate 1HP per round unless the head is severed or damaged from fire or acid

12 Sense Malice [R1km][DR][SN] Detect the presence of enemies, naysayers, slanderers and plotters in areas of effect like a town or dungeon or caverns. Ideal for paranoid rulers. Could risk teleporting to the location or target other spells

13 Transfer Mind [RT][DT][SN] Swap two minds possibly including your own, each unwilling participant gets a Will to save, when the spell expires both minds swap back unless one of the bodies has died

14 Wall of Force [R12][DT] unbreakable force panel 3x3 per Lv, disintegrate can destroy destroys it, panels may be like a sheet of glass and could block air or configure them as cage bars instead

Psionics Revision Lv Seven

1 Astral travel [RS][DH] Send astral spirit body free Mov 36 that can watch the waking world or with a WIll save can travel to another known plane through a distant astral region but risk meeting spirit plane encounters. If save save fails your spirit instantly retreats to your body. If your body dies or your spirit is severed you are in trouble

2 Alter Reality [RT][A2][DP] Bring an illusion or dream of a person, animal, or small location into reality, 1HD/Lv creations are loyal first hour then get a save every hour or if abused. The Illusions do not have magical powers of what they look like 

3 Dream Palace [RT][A100][DH] Open a magic door to the dimension of dreams where a fabulous palace of wealth and luxury and feasting awaits with royal entertainment and splendour. After the duration expires the world lives on attuned to creators taste and awaits the master's return. Other beings left here may be found again sometimes as there are many dangerous dream entities to prey on them

4 Gate [RT][A2][DP][SN] Open a circle gateway to anywhere in world or to a known dimension. remains open but can be open shut with a magic password phrase or key tokens created with the gate (one per level). Opening a gate on a gate destroys both gates permanently

5 Wind Walk [RT][DT] fly carried through the air with extra passenger per level at Mov36

6 Fire Storm 16 range can create 2 range cube per level, any within 3m of cube take a d4 damage or 2d8 damage if passed through save for half, lasts a round

7 Prismatic Ray [R36][DR][SH] 10d6 energy beam per round, choose colour each ray red=heat, orange=fire, yellow=light, green=acid blue=cold violet=lightning

8 Prismatic Sphere [RT][A3][DR][SH] creates protective immobile dome with six protective barriers the caster can place in the order of they choose. Each has own special defence it blocks and 50 HP vs other forms of damage: red=fire, orange=petrifiction, yellow=illusions, green=acid blue=cold violet=lightning

9 Shadow Walk [RS][DR] become living shadow, invisible in the darkness, teleport from shadow to shadow in sight each round, +1 or better magic weapon needed to hit

10 Seize Spells [R12][SN] if target fails will save or caster can see their spell list and steal 5 levels of castable spells from their daily total. The caster can cast these or possibly use to make a scroll. A wizard could write the spells into their book  

11 Soul Prison [RT][DP][SN] can drag soul from recently dead or the long dead in the underworld if you have some remains and trap it into an object like an idol or a bottle or an urn or body remains. Once imprisoned the spirit cn be released by breaking it at the casters will. The spirit can be questioned using other spells if needed. Trapped spirits are unhappy and get a will save to resist 

12 Weather Control control weather for a mile per level area centred on the caster, can create wind, storms, rain, lightning, snow or other effects for a turn per level

Psionics Revision Lv Five

One more post, a bit of revision and will put into my homebrew rulebook and make a small booklet for use at the table. Probably revise nature spells next.

Psionics Revision Lv FIve

1 Animate Matter [R12][A1][DT] turn pile of junk or artwork into a temporary animated automaton that obeys simple orders from the creator AC +4 junk or wood +8 metal or stone 1HD/Lv Mov6, ram small d6 human-size 2d6 large 3d6 depending on size. 

2 Contact Plane [RT][DR][SN] question helpful specific planar being, but it can be used to try and contact other beings but they get a saving throw to determine if their information is incomplete or a lie. They can provide information relative to their plans or interests on one subject matter of lore

3 Dismiss* [R12][DI][SN] command non-nobility planar being to depart to its home plane if more HD than caster it can save to resist *Invite calls a being to negotiate to perform one task (one fight) if higher HD and saves will betray caster or twist the instructions to punish caster

4 Magic Jar [RT][DT][SN] spirit can exit the body and hide in an object or possess a victim. If the body dies while spirit away the caster becomes become a free-roaming spirit requiring host bodies or objects to avoid their afterlife fate

5 Maze [RT][A30][DT][SN] make the location a spacial maze requiring leaders Reason saves to escape, otherwise, the victims are trapped outside time-space until the spell collapses

6 Mass Hallucination [RT][DH][SN] makes illusionary terrain that could conceal roads, a village, buildings or even a ravine. 100m square per level of wilderness terrain or 10m cube in an urban area with multiple stories and occupants building and inhabitants. The terrain slows travellers as real terrain or might conceal a hazard or place. If has some reason to be suspicious like someone burns in unseen lava all who see this would get a talent to save. Or make a save each hour spent in the area of effect to see loops and mistakes. Illusionary people have limited conversation but seek to distract and slow those in the area with twaddle, possibly even offering food and drink and a rest

7 Mass Invisibility [RT][DH] ten persons per level become invisible as per the spell but also limited to an hour per caster level. Usually, you can make ten persons invisible per round by touch

8 Mind Probe [R9][DR][SN] more powerful version of ESP, -4 WIll save to resist can probe deep memory of a person each round find a memory or snippet of information even things forgotten by the subject. If a subject resists can try another each round. The subject feels a pounding painful headache that hurts

9 Mind Storm [R12][A6][DR][SN] a psychic storm with arcs of energy and coating all in chilly ectoplasm, all beings with a mind including self-aware undead in the area each round save or lose d6 HP and suffer confusion

10 Phase Walk [RS][DT] become semi ethereal requiring +1 or better weapons to hit and can walk ghostlike through non-magical walls

11 Planar Trap [R12][DT] create a zone that blocks dimensional travel, teleport, phasing, displacement, blink, dimension door or other spells. This can prevent demons from gating away or calling allies while in the area. Can be cast on a being and if it saves the effect is centred on the location, not the creature. Killing planar beings in such an area complicates things for them. They can move out of the area

12 Project Image [R100][DT] creat a phantom duplicate you can see through, cast spells through while the real self stands still. 

13 Steal Spell [R16][SN] target if a spell caster saves or loses a spell of up to three levels of spells. Can choose if known or guess or may choose random spells. Once stolen the spell thief may cast them once but a wizard could use knowledge for spell research

14 Sense Spells [16][DI][SN] if the target fails Will save you can perceive all their known spells and magic abilities and how many usable ones they have remaining. 

15 Sleep of Ages [24][A6][SN] a more powerful sleep spell that affects 1HD per level of the caster and If they fail a save they will fall into a sleep-like magical coma they do not age in until dispelled or a time or a condition of the caster is met or the caste dies

16 Spirit Circle [RS][A3][DT][SN] non-corporeal beings require a saving throw to attack or cast spell on that inside as long as they do not attack first. Spirits trying to pass become visible if they pass the barrier to all. Can be cast on a point or location to block or imprison spirits

17 Spirit Trap  [R20][DP][SN] A container can be prepared and when the spell is cast on a non-corporeal being it must make a Will save or be imprisoned in the container. Certain spells may communicate with the spirit and it may be questioned or bargained with for freedom or hidden in a secure place. When the vessel is broken or unsealed the spirit escapes and is usually hostile. Some make traps from these spirit bottles so the escaping entity attacks anyone close
 

18 Telekinesis [R15][DR][SR] object 50kg/level 12 range causing the object to Fly 12. May grab a creature but it gets a Might save to escape each round, on following rounds a captive can be flown into the air, dropped, held or crushed for 3d6 damage per round

19 Telepathic Call [RS][DR][SN} talk to a known person on the same plane, they may make a will save to shut caller out, if first target off-world or shuts you out you can try another person as long as you have a remaining duration  

20 Teleport  [RT][DI][SN] teleport self and passenger/Lv to any known location on the plane

Talons of the Night

Above: Stage I painted for a horror sex theatre restaurant I worked at for 7 years.

More play from 80s adventure Talons of the Night.

 I mentioned to Jenell the module writer I was playing it and she replied "I’ve been told that my M-level adventure stands head and shoulders above the other M class adventures. For what it’s worth, I only had a one-paragraph description to work from, a title and cover prototype with an indecipherable image on it that has nothing to do with the adventure. I’d never played games that high level before, so I tied to come up with challenges that weren’t purely combating and magic." 

So my players broke lots of the search of the wilderness with their flying castle full of goons and found a titan skull and they had a chat with her spirit only to have the nightwing attack with a load of mummies. Radon the cleric Borons wife and no1 follower destroyed the mummies and the nightwing was driven away to another plane again. and managed to gain elf and treant and lemur people to battle the spiders and even kept prisoners to reform. While minions busy party attacked the dimensional spiders (like phase spiders but bigger and 7th lv magic users). Then the sneaky Nightwing (20th level darkness horror immune to most spells) appeared from the ethereal plane as it does attacking whenever players weakened. But they used a wish to plane lock the spiders temple so they couldn't escape. The rightwing flew away before sneaking to the ethereal plane and escaping.

So they found the ruins got some more snippets of lore and dropped down the 2 mile shaft to fight the world body of Nightspider and of course that Nightwing came back and a bunch of dimensional spiders appeared. Sourberry the elf used chains lightning to attack the weaker spiders while Lanos and Boron got into melee and Borons wife Radon the cleric hung back to help. The part now going into fights buffed by lots of spells which is frightening. As they repeated their use of wish to lock the plane and this time the rightwing finally got killed and Sourbertry was pleased by look on the monsters face when the plane sealed. Players getting used to 2 or 3 save or die rolls per fight. Possibly the most annoying monster party ever faced.

Party found entry to the dimension of thorn and rested and levelled up. 
As teens we would power through these in a long day and night sleepover dnd night but takes a few sessions now. Once again impressed with the resistance of the module to change and Dm not getting all the elements. Everything fell into place well and the use of boardgame and the various lore dumps that can be accessed multiple points in the story work well.

Boron now 20th Lv got an offer to visit the gods on the celestial mountain. Party also considers when they go to the peace conference they will not use disguises but will arrive in the castle and demand the northern continent is hands-off for the southern empires.

Big fun. This campaign lasted way longer than I ever hoped. Discussing what will be next and even the possibility of playing modded immortal rules as first tier deities.

Psionics Revision Lv Four

Psionics Revision Lv Four

1 Abjure [R9][DI] command planar being to return home 50% base chance +/-5% difference between the caster level and the being reverse Implore calls a lesser planar being using same formula as Abjure but it has no obligation to obey but might be willing to negotiate

2 Charm Monster [R12][DD][SN] charm a monster friend, -4 save if used as charm person, may gain additional saves if treated poorly or alignment challenged

3 Cloak of Concealment [RS][A3][DT] items and persons in area invisible to magical divination or tracking or detection spells and magic items outside the area

4 Cloak of Fear* [RS][A3][DR][SN] any in range make will save or flee d4 rounds and, reverse Cloak of Courage any in range immune to fear magic or effects, any effected by fear are cured

5 Confusion Ray [R9][AC30][DR][SN] Will save or targets confused 2d4 rounds target rolls d4 1=attack nearest person 2=stand still indecisive while hallicinates 3=flee in random direction screaming 4=wander around confused babbling in random direction

6 Dimension Door [R20][DI] teleport to a visible point in the range, +1 willing touched person/4Lv

7 Divination [RS][D1H] ask deity a question, one-word reply per level in hour-long ritual 

8 Dream Walk [RT][DT][SN] can enter the dreams of another creature to observe them, learn information or create illusions to please or torment or deceive them. Each turn in the dream may seek an additional scrap of information or clue or implant some idea. If you help a person they gain +2 on Will saves for an hour after waking, if tormenting with nightmares -4 on morale checks or will saves to resist fear for an hour after waking 

9 Exorcism* [RT][DI] drive the unwelcome spirit from object or person by touch or remove a charm or curse or mind control. *Possetion invites a random hostile spirit to occupy a person who fails a will save

10 Fear Ray [R9][AC][SN] Will save or flee one round/Lv 

11 Find path [AS][DH] directs you safest direct path to a place you visualise or name

12 Implant Memory [RT][DR][SN] can implant, remove or alter a past memory of an event, each round in contact with the subject you can change a minute of their memories. If confronted by evidence, trusted friends or incongruance between memories and facts they get a new saving throw even if years later  

13 Improved invisibility [RT][DT] like invisibility spell but remains invisible for whole duration

14 Magic mirror [RS][DR] Can spy on a person, place or object known to you on the same plane. Use a reflective surface such as a crystal orb, mirror or water. Beings that can see ethereal plane or use truesight may detect the blurry face of the observer

15 Mirage [R12][A4][DT][SN] advanced programmed illusion that is triggered on conditions but loops the same actions every Turn/L. Includes sensory experiences even a building with occupants or a burning devil filled pit.  

16 Phantom killer [R12][DI][SN] victim Will save or die of fear having seen worst nightmares. First aid for one round may revive them with a success. If the caster knows a specific fear of the victim through esp or spying on dreams or other means the saving throw is -4, but not all beings have such a specific fear to prey on 

17 Regeneration Field* [RS][A3][DR] Area around caster heals 1HP per round on up to one living being per level. *Life Leech Field drains 1HP per round on up to one living being per level in the area

18 Spirit Bargain [AS][DI] hour ritual to contact a powerful local, land or nature spirit to make a bargain to aid the mortal petitioner. Spirit demands d4 1=treasure 2=punish enemy 3=labour 4=quest.  Possible services include d4 1=safe camp or route 2=obscure lore about region 3=healing potion or scroll 4=use powers to help. If you know a specific spirits name you can call it otherwise a random one attuned to area with personality reflecting the landscape 

19 Tongues [RS][DT] can speak or understand any sapient species written or spoken language for a turn per level

20 Truesight [RS][A6][DT] see through effects of any magic disguise, invisibility or illusions

Psionics Revision Lv Three

New 16 page zine on Patreon now
-Murder Hobo Manual 96 page revision is in the works hoping this month when its out I'm deleting the current free version on my links page now. Making more art for it now. A few add ons will be on the blog. 

Hoping to do a Xmas zine book thing too for public 

Wishing everyone as good a December as they can get

As usual, comments here are handy - did a few revisions from feedback last post saving me from the threat of players with max damage 7d6 laser rifles

Psionics Revision Lv Three

1 Air Walk [RS][DT] walk in the air as if on invisible stairs or floor at a normal Move rate

2 Blink [AS][DR] teleport each round at-will 1 range and use to blindside or trick enemies  

3  Call Fire [R6][A1][DI][SH] call 4d8 damage flaming explosion, wont work under water or in a vacuum    

4 Clairvoyance [R12][A3][DR] projects point of vision through walls at Move 6 to spy on areas remotely

5 Detect Lies* [RS][A3][DR] detect deliberate untruths Conceal Lies lie vs magical detection

6 Dispel Magic [R12][DI] 50% +/- 5% per level difference between casters to nuetralise spell

7 Ectoplasmic Form [RT][DT] form 1 ENC of solid matter you can use for making temporary goods. Crafting skills let you perform better jobs and rolls might be required for complex or precision items. The items are slimy, sticky and semi transparent. Typical objects include simple weapons, shields, armour 1 ENC per AC, bars, ladder, canoe, door, rope, furniture, cloaks etc. More precise skilled crafters could make chains, pulleys, artworks or fancy clothes. Objects are as durable as the real thing except to magic weapons or creatures that easily wreck them.

8 Ectoplasmic Shroud [RS][DT][SN] temporary d4 HP per level vs non-magical weapons or attacks before your normal HP, coated in a barrier of occult slime 

9 Ego Whip [R9][DR][SN] target with a mind who fails a WIll save becomes passive, compliant and unable to be aggressive, if they take damage they get an additional save

10 Force Bolt [R18][SH] bolt of psychoketic force d6/Lv that can be halved with a Agility save, also useful for structural damage on ships or buildings

11 Force Choke [R9][DR][SN] chosen target is smothered and strangled by invisible force for  round per level, each round target gets a Might save or they lose a d6HP and they cannot cast spells requiring speech and have -4 to attack

12 Free-Action [RT][DT][SN] ignore penalties to fight or move through vs web, entangle, grapple, mud, terrain or paralysis. Move through water like air, which fish dislike

13 Ghost armour [AS][DR] +2AC if wearing armour +4 AC if wearing none plus they become immune to non magical weapons or attacks of under 2HD creatures, the wearer becomes eerily translucent like spirit                 

14 Locate Object [R12][DT] sense object you visualise as long as not shielded by lead. Beyond range you only get a vague sense of direction, in range you get a precise location

15 Magnetism [R6][DR][SN] can draw handheld ferrous metal objects to your hands, if item a held like an enemy weapon the holder gets a Might save to resist, or damage non-magic armour -d3 AC per round by stripping metal rivits, rings and plates. If used on a medium or less metallic being it must save or freeze and with a success halves Mov

16 Mental Bolt [R12][SH] bolt of psychic energy that inflicts d6/Lv that affects any living, planar or undead thing and no effects on inanimate objects or constructs. The target gets a Will save

17 Mental Prison [R9][RD][SN] target who fails WIll save is trapped in a mental prison unconscious in a dreamlike fantasy contrived by the caster 

18 Pain Ray  [R6][C30][SS] all beings that feel pain in area make a Will save. If fail stunned for first round of duration and then lose -2 to hit and AC until expired, on success only one round -2 to hit and AC  

19 Phantom Limb [R9][DT][SN] can lift and use objects in range as if with an invisible hand with a might attribute = casters level, the hand flies at Mov of 9 and can hold objects and attack as if by the wizards own hand as a combat action 

20 Protection Circle [RS][A1][DT][SN] creates a 1 radius circle that one from elementals, or undead or demons or devils or lycanthropes cannot enter without a will save unless caster attacks first

21 Resist (Element) choose from acid, cold, fire or lightning when spell learned, immune to  effects of that attack form for a turn per level by touch

22 Resist Poison [RT][DT] Subject by touch immune to all poison for a turn per level

23 Resist Disease  [RT][DT] Subject by touch immune to all diseases for duration

24 Spectral Force [R12][A3]DR][SN] advanced illusion that touch, heat, cold and taste components like a fire or a feast or touch of a human. Can inflict 1HP/Lv phantom damage with fire or weapons to those in area of effect but victims get a Talent to save to resist and see through the illusion

25 Strike [RT][DR] adds d6 magic damage to the weapon for the duration

26 Suggestion [R6][A3][DR][SN] one HD/Lv of living intelligent being in areas that fails a save obeys a one-word/Lv command even if it could cause them or friends harm

27 Telepathy [R12][DT][SN] mentally communicate by sight or blind to known friends, those unwilling to join the link get a save, can link one person/level in silent conversation

28 Wall of Wind [R12][DR][SN] 1x1area 1m deep section/Lv of wind wall, range 9, Might save to pass, blocks non-magical missile weapon fire or flying creatures, can suck of dust or gas

29 Weird Walk [RS][DR] hide in the ethereal plane, invisible to most beings and able to see the normal world and walk through non-magical barriers if they were not there.  For every ten rounds 1in12 chance of attracting a planar being or spirit. Can end spell before duration to return if you wish which avoids ethereal encounters or return to the material world

30 Water Breathing [AT][DT] person/Lv can breathe underwater or vice versa

Psionics Revision Lv Two

Ongoing spell list revisions. I did have schools for psionics but I have abandoned it as rules limiting people that take lots of space and fiddling for bugger all benefit or enjoyment is out. My current conception of these is a mix of illusionist, druidic, shaman, bardic kind of stuff but basically a bunch of spells taken from cleric, druid and wizard lists that could fit. Is designed to work in say a dnd setting, a victorian supernatural setting or SF. It ought to be the main spell list in my Psychon games, especially for some classes. Entering all these into a table is kinda slow too but probably needed. Also jiggling how many spells exist per spell level but probably priest magic with lots of reversible spells is handy. When this is done I will put it in a booklet and then go onto robot spells/apps. 

Second Level Psionic Spells

1 Alter Self [RT][DT][SN] illusionary disguise +or-5%/Lv larger or smaller, if form a specific person their friends spot flaw with Illusion on a Talent save

2 Animate Item [R6][DT] bring an inanimate object to life so it may attack or labour AC+4 HDd4/Lv Att d6 Mov 6 (may swap Mov points for more AC if use more solid materials)

3 Animate Rope [RT][DR][SN] control 3m/Lv rope by touch, entangle a victim per round

4 Bless (Attribute)* [R6][DT][SN] each attribute is a separate spell, increases ability score +d4 Break (Attribute) ray drains -d4 on one ability score (half if saving)

5 Blur [RT][DT] +2 AC if wear armour and +4 if wearing none, subjects identity is unclear

6 Conjure Petty Spirit [R6][DR] Conjure a violent spirit manifestation AC+4 2HD Att 1 Ram d6 Mov12 levitates and can pass through normal walls or earth while screaming or moaning

7 Commune With Spirits [RS][D1H] hour ritual to contact local spirits. With good reactions spirit is helpful, neutral desires service or sacrifice, hostile will attack

8 Curse Metal [R9][DR] metal weapon per level or one suit of metal armour turns hot or cold a round/level in 6 range. Victims touching take d3/round, removing armour round per AC point. Magic items get a save to resist usually 12+bonus if any

9 Displacement [RT][DT] caster 1m away from apparent visual location +2 AC, a first missile from attack an enemy always misses, other forms of ambush or a surprise attack might also fail

10 Dream Gaze [R3][DH][SN] see into dreams of one sleeping being touched

11 Detect Traps [R6][DT] detects a deliberate trap, hazardous crossing or risky footing

12 Elan [RT][DT] +1/Lv points they may spend to add to any save or to hit dice rolls

13 Enthrall [RS][A3][DR][SN] one HD or less speaking beings in range save or listen to caster speak for duration. Used to preach, trap a crowd, distract or get an audience

14 ESP [R6][DR][SN] read surface thoughts of one person at a time who fails Will save

15 Enfeebling Ray [R9][DR][SN] victim failing Vigour halves Might and Mov

16 Guffaw [R9][DR][SN] target gets a Will save per round if fail laughs heartily for the remaining duration which can be difficult for spell casters or people who should not be laughing. Victim struggles to communicate anything but can fight at -2 to hit while effected 

17 Hawk SIght [RT][DT] Can see distances as if you had a telescope or can enhance your ability to find clues or hidden things

18 Hex [R12][DR][SN] target struck by malignant effect, make a Will save or -4 all success or skill or save rolls for the duration

19 Hold Person* [R9][A3][DR][SN] paralyze targets round per Lv, 1 target only -4 save, 2 targets get -2 save each, 3-4 foes normal save Unhold Person reverses paralysis on up to four targets

20 Infravision [RT][DT] subject can see 12 range in darkness with black and white heat vision and can detect invisible creatures with body temperatures, or strong hot or cold spots

21 Invisibility [RT] subject unseen till makes attacks, uses spells, drops or grabs an object

22 Levitate [RS][DR] float Mov1 across or Mov3 up each round while concentrating or can float in position while casting a spell or some other action like using a missile attack

23 Mindflail [R12][DI][SH] Lv+2d8 mental damage save vs will for half, can harm any being with a mentality including spirits, and any undead but not inanimate objects

24 Mindfort [RT][DT] Resist fear, sleep or charm spells for the duration

25 Mindlink [RT][DT][SN] can link to the mind of a sentient being or magical device and communicate silently which can be useful with allies

26 Mirror Image [RS][A3][DT] creates d4 illusionary duplicates for the duration or until attacked

27 Phantasm [R9][A2][DR][SN] advanced illusion with sounds like talking person or a mooing cow, if the reason to be suspicious viewers get a Talent save to notice something odd or if they touch the illusion

28 Regenerate Moderate Wounds* [RT][DI] heal one HP per round for Lv+2d6 rounds

29 Speak With Dead [RS][D1H][SN] hour ritual over a corpse or body part or tomb to answer questions a minimum of one word/Lv. If hostile spirit will get a save to resist

30 Thunder Strike [RS][DR] 4d extra damage per level on one successful hit made within duration with a loud crack sound

d12 Rubble Youth Gangs

After the apocalypse there were many age-specific weapons of mass destruction and millions of other petty deaths that left many orphans across the wasteland.

Numerous gangs of children formed. Many of these gang members were recruited by adult gangs and many kindertibes reject members who reach certain ages. These gangs mostly are wary of adults and adult tribes and gangs. Oldest and larger children are often in charge but also all know these biguns will have to leave soon. Different tribes have different rules and style and will have some positive relations with several factions. Some people let their children join as they act as childcare and the kids will be protected while away.  

Children are good characters to be around as hopefully, your players are decent sorts who would rather start an orphanage than a sweatshop. Post-apocalyptic social workers are bound to have exciting adventurers. Hopefully, when battling children your players will make an effort to not just kill them.

If a player was a juve ganger they would know a few of these or might have been one.

d12 Rubble Youth Gangs
1 Blood Orphans - a savage gang of cannibal kids who mostly aim to join older gangs. Often lure adults into traps so they can catch and eat them. Bigger groups will raid farms and isolated loners. They are very keen to perform atrocities and worship the "Lord of the Flies". They wear cast-offs of older gangs and what they take from victims. They also fight other chapters often with different gang colours

2 Koala Scouts - paramilitary survivalist youth group who have claimed various parks and wilderness camping areas as bases. They violently protect nature and are famous for firebombing settlers and vehicles. Wear uniforms with a military structure, uniforms and merit badges. They often have good caches and some technology like robots and clothing printers and light firearms. Members leave tortured crucified bodies as warnings near protected areas and for the merit badge

3 Feral Kids - younger members of adult ferals who have been abandoned or left home as adults just told them what to do. Usually, adults didn't want kids at their dance parties and orgies. Live in the isolated or hidden lair and scavenge scrap from ruins and may beg or steal from a community. They are quite organised and plan these raids and have helpers on hand. Locals are sick of this but some try and catch the kids to reform them. All their clothes and equipment are made from scrap and trash or discarded. Jewellery and hair decorations from interesting trash are common and woven hair. Only a few ever have firearms  

4 Rubble Crawlers - youth tech gang who hide and work over ruins and rubbish dumps. Famously technically proficient and they produce many mechanics, technicians and smiths. In secret sweatshops, they clean up scrap they sell on and build what they need and a few fun things. Occasionally a gang have a high tech weapon or scrap built a robot or motorised go-carts. Mostly wear trash costumes to hide in rubble or working overalls, hardhats, goggles and tool belts. Locals appreciate the kids and their trade. 

5 Foundlings have a hidden or isolated lair and they hide from adults. They often try to recruit kids from settlements promising wild free lives with no troubles. In reality, they live life rough in wastes hunting, scavenging and stealing to survive in a strict age hierarchy. Once children are in it is very hard to escape the group cult. The oldest children eventually take a trek into the desert looking for a promised bunker paradise and when they find it will take the whole tribe. They keep this fairly secret and veiled in ritual. Wear scrap and animal skins with mix of tribal and scrap technology

6 The Cadre - originally defective military clones from a bunker clone vat and raised by an AI. They live life as in military BootCamp and practice brutal and cruel rituals to bond their close-knit communities. Mostly they dress in camo uniforms and many have printed basic firearms often of plastic in style of 20th-century style. Some still are conditioned to serve the AI others eventually break free and become mercenaries or raiders who are notorious for efficiency and professionalism. The AI running these bunkers sometimes wear down and surviving children scatter spreading their kind. Highly aggressive and dirty fighters

7 Childrens Crusade - originally a religious youth camp children sent to as war are close with the robot and AI caretakers to indoctrinate them in religion. Using a medical process the children never mature and live extremely long and even regrow limbs and organs slowly. Some children try to escape and without drugs, they begin to age normally. The crusader children in secret bunkers mostly go to school, play sport and prey but recently missionaries in sensible clothes and basic firearms have been going outside to save the souls of heathen mutants and other scum with bibles. They believe they are better and always know best

8 Mutant Youth - the gang of juvenile mutants who hid in a VIP children's schools and developed a pacifistic religion aimed at uniting all peoples despite their DNA or electronics. Influenced by the AI reconstruction of an ancient philosopher they are unusually idealistic yet practical enough to train in combat. Most hide and train to support the clan but some with most extraordinary powers go out performing vigilante actions to give mutants a good name. They even attack evil extremist mutants in the name of unity. They recruit troubled teen mutants which are pretty common. When on missions they wear colourful jumpsuits and use special codenames

9 Chosen - children raised by androids and used as troops and spies. The children are cloned and raised by androids then sent out on anti-human missions. Often they leave a child as bait or in hopes humans adopt the child who can be a sleeper agent. When they reach a certain age they are sent to join android anti-human forces as fanatic vassal troops. The androids lie about human culture to make themselves the good guys. They use human poverty, ignorance and violence as reasons. Mostly they wear jumpsuits unless on a mission where they wear filthy feral trash made rags

10 Scrap Urchins - common filthy children in various outposts and towns who live by begging and petty chores for scraps. Really they are trained and cared for by criminal guilds who train them as spies, pickpockets, burglars and more. When they are old enough or prove themselves in the gang they are promoted to an adult gang. Such children investigate drifters and people they gangs might want to know about. Usually, some local adult like a homeless drunk working for the mob looks out for the kids and can call a gang of maniacs if needed. Very few know about this but a few teachers or other adults who try to catch and civilise them may find threatening thugs warning them off. Most of the kids are orphans collected in bigger settlements or bought from slavers by the gang. Most wear scrap and trash clothing, especially rain ponchos and packs. Often have flick knives and a group have a d4 pet dingos

11 Gremlins - masked cannibal children who live in burrows. Often will lure abhorrent adult predators and opressors into traps so the kids can overwhelm and eat them. Secretive but originally a child Spartacus led a revolt in a slaver compound where children were sold. After escaping and killing the slavers they hid in ruins and survived and spread. They hate adults especially slavers and exploiters and drive out older children into the wasteland who mostly become wasteland gang members. Very cult like they teach all adults are horrible and will kidnap children in towns to "free" them from bondage and reveal to them the truth. Life is hard so they eat some of their enemies out of spite and to scare away enemies. Have attacked towns by night raiding for food and to liberate children. Attacking slavers is a high priority and a few shifty characters who disappeared were attributed to them. Most wear typical recycled trash clothing but make use of lots of giant rat skins. Live in secret tunnels with traps to deter enemies in secret. Infamous for hand to hand combat skills
12 Bunker Buddies - originally from a child only cryonics bunker where children are raised by plush androids and comical robots in a simulated safe envirodome. Children mostly slept for centuries with only a few escapes until the AI and bunker fell into decay and the system revived them and raised them as best it could. Some decentered clones instead. In some cases, the machines manipulate the children to leave every generation and contrive events to encourage them to leave so they can make a new batch. Some prepared the children as best they could despite safety protocols avoiding difficult topics. Some AI used drug therapy to motivate their tiny masters. Children wear colourful cute costumes often with animal designs or hoods. Some even wear the shells of familiar mechanised educators of their early childhood. Children are naive, spoiled by machines and clueless about where the juice dispensers and restrooms are. They love singing and dancing and pretty shiny things. Some groups may be accompanied by a robot or android nanny that will use lethal force to protect children. Children forced outside may be equipped with whatever weapons the AI has files they can print but usually plastic light automatic rifles and pistols in fun colours

Bridges of Shadelport

Shadelport has two of the worlds biggest bridges in use and they are almost suburbs in their own right. Based on London bridges but longer and wider and taller. Plus I have taken bits from different time periods and mashed them together. Some other great cities have copied the two great bridges but non will succeed. The base part of the bridge is thousands of years old built by giants. There is another bridge higher up the river closer to Elfland but it is not occupied.

The great mile-long city bridges have been used as foundations for centuries for shops, apartments, arcades, factories, tombs, cathedrals, palaces and more. The northern bridge has two main lines one for the lowest of the low for workers, slum dwellers, goblinoids, orcs and mutants and costs 1cp per person plus some tax for goods or livestock. The second road is 1sp and is used by well-heeled persons. The regular users pay a yearly licence. The poor lane is named the sewer by better persons.

The royal bridge has three roads and simply does not allow them a processional way used only by nobility whose servants show documentation like a seal, lineage documents or royal documents if not recognised. Servants often do this well before their masters arrive to avoid delaying or embarrassing their masters. The second lane is for the monied classes and costs a gold to pass and a third lane for the better off merchants.

Sometimes a person is trapped on a bridge for years because their papers are stolen or lost (probably stolen) and it can be very difficult to prove your status and leave. Luckily each bridge is a thriving community with work, accommodation and places to eat and during. Some structures on the bridge are luxurious and fashionable.

Every section has its own guards and a fire station. The firemen also light street lamps. In most of the city firemen charge to help or dues prepaid and may offer to buy a burned-out property. The bridge firemen with work to save the bridge and will destroy any building or attack suspected arsonists with axes while performing their duties. They also inspect businesses to make sure fire risks are minimised. They are brutal fanatics who chop up people on the spot for offering them bribes. Of course, the law and firemen treat the nobles best then the rich and the lesser sorts are unimportant unless they serve important masters.

All sections can be sealed in event of an emergency or an urgent manhunt with priority to richest lanes to escape first or be inconvenienced less. Sections have burned down with all the poor trapped inside killed before.

The graphics above can be cut and pasted, reversed and rearranged for more bridges.

Decide how many segments you want for a bridge and roll or choose functions and choose which bridge bits best represent them. The long strip on the bottom has probably 12 segments. Usually, the road of the bridge merges straight into the local streets and it is possible to cross over and not see any river or even a seagull.

d12 Bridge Segment Structures
1 Shops & apartments - with open streets d4+2 stories
2 Townhouses - well off houses with open streets
3 Religious - d4 1=cathedral 2=church 3=shrine 4=monastary
4 Shopping arcade - market places of goods with several floors above the road
5 Sweatshop factory - often with water wheels or dump lots of waste
6 Palace complex - often several built against each other stories above the road
7 Fortress - with d4 1=drawbridge gate 2=prison 3=millitary base 4=knight order HQ
8 Gatehouse - militia act as police stations on bridge and monitor water traffic
9 Arts & Education - some sections infested with scholars apartments and bookshops d4 1=boarding school 2=bohemian district 3=magic academy 4=library
10 Open section - d4 1=fair ground for frequent festivals 2=park with trees for commoners 3=open market area 4=parade ground for executions & military drills
11 Ruined building - d4 1=fire damaged 2=collapsed 3=hainted 4=construction
12 Monument - d4 1=private menagerie 2=private museum 3=famous tomb 3=mousoleum

d12 Rooftop Encounters
1 Flock of waterbirds d8 1=gulls 2=pelicans 3=pigeons 4=puffins 5=ducks 6=crows 7=ibis 8=

2 Lone Bird d4 1=sehawk 2=shag 3=cormerant 4=talking parrot

3 Rooftop animals d4 1=rats 2=giant rat 3=roof frogs 4=monkeys 

4 Chimney stacks with choking smoke cloud

5 Weakened roof easily collapses inwards

6 Difficult weather usually rain but in summer roofing gets got

7 Watchman in post or on patrol takes note of strangers

8 Tradesmen working on a rooftop with permits d4 1=roofer 2=builder 3=rat catcher 4=plumber

9 Criminals d4 1=theives d4 2=gang d4+2 flee the watch 3=two gangs fighting 4=gang on move, will note any witnesses to clear up later

10 Stranger d4 1=roof gnomes 2=robed cultists d10 3=masked serial killer 4=roof hermit

11 Strange critters d4 1=giant roof frog 2=panther 3=carniverous ape 4= 

12 Flying d4 1=knight on griffon 2=orc secret police on wyvern 3=magician riding magic item 4=druid riding giant bird

d12 Corridors of a Posh Building
1 Servants carrying goods

2 Important lady with a d4 maids and two guards

3 Knight with d4 servants, a squire and a pageboy

4 Geriatric d4 noble with a servant each and two guards 

5 Guards on patrol for riff-raff or thieves

6 Young noble with a servant

7 Noble youths d4 with an elderly chaperone and d4 servants

8 Loner skulking about d4 1=burglar 2=grifter 3=spy 4=assassin

9 Attractive charlatan and servant seeking rich lover to fleece

10 Magician with d4 students and four guards

11 Attractive friendly strangers d4 1=faerie changeling 2=animal spirit changeling 3=hungry doppelgangers 4=planar visitors in disguise like a devil or demon

12 Strange sights d4 1=cultists 2=an imp possibly in animal form 3=hell cat 4=witch up to magic crime

d12 Corridors of a Common Building
1 Resident working chores d4 1=crafting 2=childcare 3=cooking
2 Residents relaxing d4 1=gambling 2=drinking 3=chess 4=practicing fighting
3 Resident children d4 1=skipping and singing creepy songs 2=questioning strangers 3=playing ball 4=chasing a rat

4 Bailiffs d4 1=looking for someone 2=with prisoner 3=searching house 4=seizing property

5 Elderly person living in corridor with all worldly goods

6 Landlord with guards shaking down tragic tenants for cash

7 Shady figure offering deals d4 1=drugs 2=magic items 3=magic pets 4=magic pets that are really imps

8 Gang loitering and charging tolls for non-locals

9 Gang of thieves sacking an apartment while helpless residents were held at knifepoint

10 Robed cultists on the move d4 1=on the run 2=with a bound prisoner 3=intimidating a resident with aggressive proselytising 4=collecting for some strange charity
11 Shifty strangers d4 1=lycanthrope 2=doppelgangers 3=vampire 4=planar visitors in disguise like a devil or demon

12 Spirit seen haunting the halls may be contacted with magic, locals have a nickname for itm personality varies wildly d4 1=wants justice 2=angry 3=gloomy 4=helpful protector of residents

d12 Common Street
1 Wagon of goods d4 1=fish 2=vegetables 3=crates 4=barrels

2 Street vendor d4 1=food 2=scrap 3=saucy pamphlets 4=used goods

3 Busker with a small audience

4 Local crier spreading news brought to you by local sponsors

5 Pickpocket often working with a team, often a child who cries help if caught 

6 Beggar d4 1=elderly 2=child 3=crippled war vet 4=mutant

7 Preacher on soapbox d4 1=church 2=cult 3=paranoid pundit 4=miracle medicine

8 Militia d4 1=chasing fugitive watching street 3=searching suspicious people 4=arresting someone 

9 Filthy street urchins d4 1=theiving 2=spies for a gang 3=playing games 4=being chased by a professional child catcher who wants to sell them to an orphanage or sweatshop

10 Locals d4 1=throwing rubbish off side 2=fishing 3=chatting 4=playing a game 5= having loud fight 6=gossiping

11 Wanted criminal seen on posters d4 1=highway robber 2=pirate 3=traitor 4=tax evader

12 Someone tells of a strange sight seen on bridge d4 1=ghost 2=monster 3=masked murderer 4=cannibals 

d12 Posh Street
1 Vendor from a shop presents luxury items to view or sample while bowing

2 Nobles having a duel

3 High ranking palanquin cor carriage coming through, lesser people make room or guards strike with halberds

4 Window displaying delicious treats or luxury items

5 Nobles shopping d3 with d4 servants and 2 guards

6 Posh people dining outside restaurant with servants to shoo away the riffraff

7 A thief or squalid urchin or giant rat has got loose in a nice place for rich people

8 Nobles run over a servant d41=horses 2=carraige 3=chariot 4=exotic mounts

9 Nobles having public argument over a topical issue draws a crowd as they make more personal attacks

10 Procession with many armed guards and a noble coach

11 Large procession of an important person with forty-odd servants and guards

12 Fancy dandies wearing outrageous new fashion

d12 Interior Tunnels
1 Rats d4 1=a few harmless 2=swarm 3=giant rats 4=bear size colossal sewer rat

2 Animals d4 1=cats 2=owls 3=bats 4=toads

3 Sewer workers unblocking drains or chasing rats

4 Secret police with orc guards investigating something

5 Gang of criminals moving unseen

6 Filthy homeless tunnel folk d4 1=hermit 2=urchin 3=beggar 4=witch

7 Militia with penal work gang in chains repairing the bridge

8 Filthy dodgy adventurers

9 Cultists with a prisoner d4 1=sacrifice 2=initiate undergoing test 3=hostage for blackmail 4=possessed maniac in need of exorcism

10 Primitive creatures d4 1=ooze 2=jelly 3=ambulant fungus 4=algoid

11 Dangerous vermin d4 1=giant frog 2=stirges 3=giant bat 4=giant lizard

12 Horror of the tunnels d4 1=wight 2=lycanthrope 3=troll 4=beast abhuman wizard with minions

d12 Interior Chambers
1 Storage area or warehouse d4 1=abandoned 2=homeless squatter families 3=cult ritual place 4=beggers guild

2 Storage area or warehouse d4 1=merchants goods 2=city siege supplies 3=building supplies for bridge and workers tiny shelter with stove 4=theives guild occupied  

3 Storage area or warehouse d4 1=black market 2=monster lair 3=fungus filled 4=vermin infested

4 Sweatshop often operated by guild with workers locked in depths of the bridge for years workers are d4 1=blind elderly 2=children 3=convicts 4=slaves 

5 Prison d4 1=secret police station with a torture chamber and cells 2=temporary cells for militia 3=fancy private prison for nobles 4=tiny dark cells where victims kept for life in dark

6 Sealed chamber d4 1=prisoner living off scraps dropped through a hole 2=long lost hidden treasure 3=secret wizard lab 4=?

7 Graves d4 1=Mousoleum 2=stacked coffins 3=victims bricked into walls 4=ossuary for storing flensed bones 5=crypt 6=prison for supernatural evil being

8 Secret society hall for elites with secret hidden doors and guards d4 1=power & influence 2=occult knowledge 3=hedonism 4=exploration & learning

9 Non-human species have colonised area d4 1=demihuman 2=goblinoids 3=orcs 4=beast humans

10 Hidden hideout d6 1=serial killer 2=cultist 3=wanted criminal 4=witch 5=druglab 6=torture chamber

11 Lair of a monster d4 1=marine troll 2=sewer octopus 3=giant mutant salamander 4=friendly neo otygh eating poo 5=mimic 6=pudding

12 Secret lair of a supernatural creature d4 1=demon 2=lycanthrope 3=kelpie 4=hag

d12 Pylon Exterior Features
1 Landing and boat wharves and rickety wooden ladder to street level through a sewer tunnel

2 Fishing jetties where workers catch fish and trash

3 Mudlark colony of people who make a living at low tide sifting for good scrap in the mudflats

4 Private Landing d4 1=gang of river hoodlums 2=wealthy or noble family 3=church use 4=river militia station

5 Waterwheels with some close chamber using power a mill or other machinery

6 Notorious for stabbings, hauntings and wild stories, only the most desperate sleep here

7 Colony of creatures d4 1=puffins 2=sealion 3=bats 4=giant frogs

8 Society for river rescues where well-meaning persons with boats and untrue first aid and medicine rush to aid any falling off the bridge. From clubhouse and wharf, they patrol the bridge and try to save drowning or helpless people. Using pipes of tobacco smoke and saltwater enemas to revive the unconscious is the current fad  

9 Church built into pylon with own mausoleum level, ossuary, temple, library and residence. This ancient shrine has a famous relic and is quite poor and modest. Popular with the poor

10 Prison built into pylon with some windows visible where criminals bricked in for years. Heads of executed men are displayed here also so river traffic can see pirates and river bandits punished

11 Customs wharf where suspicious boat cargos are searched by tax agents and their orc guards. Other food vendors and peddlers also sell goods to those waiting for searches or tolls

12 Secret police wharf with own prison, torture chamber and boat shed disguised as private troops of the ruler

d12 Pylon & Deeper Chambers
1 Stairwell to higher levels of bridge

2 Enterance to partially flooded caverns under part of bridge

3 Sweatshop often operated by guild with workers locked in depths of bridge for years workers are d4 1=blind elderly 2=children 3=convicts 4=slaves 

4 Semi collapsed chamber with prehistoric art depicting mammoths and humans fleeing into the bridge interior from hungry giants, no buildings on the bridge back then

5 Forgotten cell with chained skeletons

6 Cult secret chamber highly decorated in prehuman fashion with remains of ancient bodies

7 Haunted section crawling with undead from crumbling old tombs

8 Fungus filled chamber with giant bugs

9 Giant frogs in semi flooded chamber

10 Strange tunnel to a deep chamber of the forgotten old ones before the giants built the bridge

11 Lair of sad minor river goddess shackled by the bridge for thousands of years now she look like old woman covered in mud and trash. She could be useful to know and is still dangerous

12 Lair of a river dragon lives here in human form in remains of a forgotten decaying palace

d12 Encounters in the Deepest Bridge
1 Abhumans up to no good d4 1=frog folk 2=fish folk 3=frog folk 4=rat folk
2 Beast abhuman magician with d4 guardians and a pet d4 1=lamprey folk 2=catfish folk 3=bat folk 4=snake folk
3 Cultists chanting for a ceremony heard d4 1=summoning 2=sacrifice 3=sound poetry night 4=secret magician training
4 Demihumans d4 1=sewer gnomes 2=river elves 3=chaos dwarf cultists 4=feral drain halflings live in secret luxury burrows
5 Gelatinous horrors d4 1=ooze 2=jelly 3=slime 4=pudding

6 Prehistoric horrors d6 1=giant trilobites 2=giant chaos mutant hermit crabs 3=giant salamander 4=cave fisher 5=giant cave lobsters 6=giant sea scorpion

7 Undead roaming hungrily d4 1=3d4 zombies 2=2d4 ghouls 3=wights + d3 thralls 4=wraith + d3 thralls

8 Undead roaming hungrily d4 1=4d4 skeletons 2=mummy 3=2d4 shadows 4=vampire

9 Prehuman automaton often modelled on some prehuman species, exposed and might awaken d4 1=bronze golem 2=stone golem 3=clay golem 4=clockwork golem 
10 Dinosaur ghosts from the distant past create all kinds of haunted phenomena before manifesting in person from the ethereal plane
11 Eldritch abomination d4 1=gibbering mother 2=grell 3=shoggoth 4=baby froghemoth

12 Mutants! d4 1=hidden village of mutant outcasts 2=ordianry marine creatures mutated by alchemical waste like giant cave clams, lobster 

Playing the Classics: M5 Talons of Night

So Im getting and playing later BECMI D&D adventures and most recent and the last year I have been tweaking my homebrew for high level play more. My campaign maxes out everyone at 20th, you can change your class or even species in play but being 20th level makes you at risk of divine attention and unwanted apotheosis so some try to cheat this by changing class and finding other weird influences or divine relations. Its been a much needed test for my homebrew rules/

I finally got all four players for the first time after completing another old module and players 19th lv. This game started as cave era game on tundra but the players have made their mark on world, recovered lost ancient technology and are the most advanced people in the north.

Boron the warrior and his wife Radon the cleric have been living in Red Ape valley ziggurat developing the first deity centred religion in the north for aeons. The building is a regular stop for the party flying castle and friendly griffons roost there too.

Lanos the giant has a nearby cave where he lives with his dogs when he is not flying the castle about and hopes to go to giant land and try to recover his long lost civilised giant kin from thousands of years ago. All the giants people are familiar with were not around in his day. Has a pet helion from the plane of law now as a current assistant and various giant and magically altered gigantic pony size talking dogs. He has also young Roc ally from a family of controlled ones the party freed.

Sourberry is now on conversing terms with the pine elf queen on the players continent. He got word all the followers they sent to help her in faerie land and is currently lost in time. He is now accepted as a clan leader of his twilight elves who are shifty but chaotic good. They have used their castle to map the mountain valleys, Lanos with his maul of the titans has been making roadways. Linked up many weird non human beings in the northern mountains and eliminated several hostile unpopular tribes like the hyena folk and the snake and spider cults. The nearby blue dragon has been accepting cash bribes to make reforms and behave and as north folk use no currency yet they don't mind giving the dragon a million gp. Sourberry did recently seduce a red dragon and she's sitting on eggs in her volcano. Lanos has been tempted to kill dragons but they have been non-threatening and making some progress thanks to greed.

Orco the wizard has one school in the castle and another with his friends in the elk tribe. As far as he knows he is the greatest wizard of the age but has helped kill a few liches. He has been increasingly allied to fire elementals and has been visiting the plane and built a stronghold there. Has met various fire element lords including the prince of evil fire elementals.

So the party have two people who can cast wishes and they have hothouse all their lower attributes up to acceptable risk free amounts. My wish system has a recommended safe wish list and if you wish too hard the entity gets a save to add additional problems or conditions and other jerkery nobody wants.

With my weird alignment system of having alignment scores that increase as you make oaths and take gifts the party have been mostly increasing their good scores and leaving their law and chaos inclinations in the dust. Im pretty sure most didn't intend to be good but it has been good for cooperation and resisting urge to exterminate people not quite worshipping the right gods. Boron and Lanos both raised good far above their law scores and so resisted purging.

The party together had a big dive into their treasure vault and divided up some more loot and handed items to their many minions.

So current adventure started when the party were placing a finger of a death demigod in a magically trapped chest in a stasis bubble with an invisible basilisk in the bottom of their septic tank their friendly neo otyugh lived in. The sky goddess appeared to thank them for averting this evil for an age then told them how the evil night spider was working on restoring the age of night and freeing herself to act on the mortal plane. So the party got their finest minions and a hundred orc archers and monster friends.

So the module is typical of that era is for 20-25th level and I have been using them as I have rarely had play this hight - got to 14th level 5 years ago and in 80s as kids who played at least a whole day a week we got players to 18th which were our fists BX characters adapted to Ad&d and played many classic modules. One feature of more to mid 80sadventure is instead of sandbox games they are dragonlance like railroads for a novice DM to play through even if they don't read it thoroughly. As I'm slapping some of the lore of this adventure for Mystara Im applying these places to the unexplored south and they worked fine. Dishing out various clues was good s they worked given my alt geography and players made links I had not which was good. Im hoping to try and write some more mid 80s style episodic adventures with lots of small locations and plotting. The adventure besides lots of poems has a boardgame which I worried about as I stupidly didn't test it and the player who played the villain got quite tense over their mistakes and losing and the element worked better than I thought even though I worried it was complex. As the adventure is part of a series some of those elements didn't work. The adventure assumes boat and land travel and my party currently tease people who still walk on the ground and don't just fly and airwalk or teleport about. One player saw me skip pages in adventure and commented something like his players were not only ones to run off the rails. Adventures for this high level that assume people walk is mildly amusing. I had to change a few things on the fly.

So on the way they battled a flying iron trireme full of undead they blasted into oblivion sent by the evil forces to stop them. Lanos has a skill with the castle and could have tried rmming or boarding but the lead heroes flew invisibly to the enemy and used a bunch of spells to burn all the undead. The surprised lich admiral was destroyed and his wraith and spectre minions lasted an extra few rounds and poor orco lost a level. As younger player had never had this before but other shrugged it off. Cleric will fix that back home no worries.

Later they arrived at an Egyptian style culture in between several empires and they hung back, polymorphed themselves into local humans and wandered the city. Used wishes to learn local speech and had a look around. Turned away from the library. Came back pretending to be colonials from one of the empires and mingles with other foreigners for peace conference and went to a big feast for foreign delegates. Tried some diplomacy and one of the visiting impressed 20th lv wizards eyed off Lanos as suspicious. Met other very high-level people and made friends with a colony delegate who explained all the conference factions. Saw the local Queen they were suspicious of, and presented her and Pharoah with a chest of gold. Used their noble visitor identities to get into the library, used clairvoyance and teleport to get into the forbidden section then spent the night teleporting books in and out to be copied by orcos apprentices and originals returned. Found more poems and history and went back to the sky castle and flew up the river to the temple of dawn. A spectacular location and airdropped down to explore the complex.

Met the vampire pharoh and played the spider game which as the player placed pieces the other party members vanished into spacial mazes. The cleric tried word of recall to the castle temple and it failed. s Orco lost against the master gamer players in the maze were sent to various tests and uncovered ,ore clues. Its designed so if you don't get them here there are are other sources. Players used previous clues to succeed and took the whole thing well accepting this was god level magic. When returned from their dimensional tests the cleric teleported back to her temple, her spell effect delayed not neutralised. She quickly ran back to the others.

The vamp got away and it was implied he was naughtily using the gods power to play games instead of killing the party. The party had to face a rightwing a horrible BECMI monster that killed Sourberry (he got better). On a plus he was now caught up with the frontline fighters for deaths and being killed by death spell was better than that time a beholder petrified then disintegrated him. This monster besides 20HD, resistances, death powers and more also can just leave the plane at will and has been spying on the party and causing problems with minions and the gang are very keen to stop this horror and rush the adventure even faster. Possible they will work out certain spells cn make this harder for the beast. Did get a cool pyramid capstone with interesting powers and flew the castle to the humanless mountain plateau and met the furries of the forest who explained more history and secrets for finding the nightspider.

So about halfway. Players enjoyed it and put up with the railroad and personal magic perils in pocket dimensions. Hopefully, we can get all four again to conclude the campaign. Im expecting the game to wind up but I have considered the option of using a version of BECMI immortals rules. Also, have an adventure for the followers lost in faerieland on quest for the elfqueen.

Hoping over xmas we get some long day games and to start something new - either post apoc or my dnd so I can playetest stuff. Getting a hankering for some SF possibly BRP/ringworld based. Id like to write my epic sf setting once more.

This is of course a Jaquay adventure and Im impressed it ran so well despite my changes on the fly for my setting and the players flying everywhere. Also, I ran it on two and a half skim reads which I did all the time as a kid when we ran modules the same week we bought them. As a DM you can input some flare and change elements of this and still run it. I didn't feel I was quite ready for it but it worked and playing it made more sense. The parts came together and the players pointed out stuff from handouts I didn't quite get and the elements all came together anyway. Quite a bit of roleplay opportunity and was amusing to having polymorphed stone age superheroes pretending to be posh bronze age nobles. They also have seen these empires use money and fancy farming methods they will take back home.

So I will get come more companion and masters modules. Like monty haul mixed with Russian roulette. I've had lots of players deaths running these and death is mostly an inconvenience when your sidekick is a 14th Lv cleric and resurrection is easy. Some of the traps and monsters have been fun. I like the early use in d&d of templates you slap on other monsters like the one to create 8x size regular monsters for kaiju like chaos. Bring back those 1st level dungeon things as house size horrors and they are fun again. Some of the traps and puzzles ate interesting and if a teen can solve them a more grizzled older player who hates puzzles should cope. Talons of Night is pretty amazingly flexible and interesting vs say other tsr stuff like Dragonlance.

I guess seeing how video games scale power is also a good lesson. Unique bigger weirder legendary monsters not just some sample of a species you turn into sushi.

The adventure assumes you have domains and have certain national allegiances but the extra factions and my player's magical disguise strategy got them right to the meat. I added the diplomats feast in pharoahs palace as an extra scene to set up all the national stakes. I had gods in the beginning nudging players for peace or humans will be backwards for thousands of years to get them invested early and added the extra-cosmic horror threats of night spider returning the age of darkness the players have found fragments of the whole campaign. I'm gonna get some more of these gonzo old beauties I missed in the 80s.