tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-287519022024-03-17T22:02:59.733-05:00TrollsmythReviews of genre-related movies, books and art. Mostly focused on personal thoughts and crtique of RPGs. Science Fiction & Fantasy.trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.comBlogger1148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-31697013695493095452024-02-19T13:23:00.005-06:002024-02-19T13:23:26.603-06:00Corkboards & Curiosities: a New Angle on DMing<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZhujThV9Vf01TzzuUOfMpIrdf8DsmtCavi0uWV7teUcazuW60-nQTSvMgP7lquM2G00KuM93vAOxhVfiGVug-QBfIej7epRPFbllIgl_5U_KB-I-fJjKPgUobblEsnccesDvA84uxHcj3ZiT8mVPLIy4hVGNu1oXfFCYSYx3T009pwZXurwc61w/s176/channels4_profile.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="176" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZhujThV9Vf01TzzuUOfMpIrdf8DsmtCavi0uWV7teUcazuW60-nQTSvMgP7lquM2G00KuM93vAOxhVfiGVug-QBfIej7epRPFbllIgl_5U_KB-I-fJjKPgUobblEsnccesDvA84uxHcj3ZiT8mVPLIy4hVGNu1oXfFCYSYx3T009pwZXurwc61w/s1600/channels4_profile.jpg" width="176" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Here's a new YouTube channel that's absolutely worth your time. There's some clever ideas <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVKhKTprEuw" target="_blank">in this video</a> I will absolutely be implementing in my campaigns soon (especially the "what are you thinking" one).</span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aVKhKTprEuw?si=44jCj4HO8F_v9mKT" title="YouTube video player" width="420"></iframe>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-64910286376252039272024-02-11T12:48:00.001-06:002024-02-11T12:48:21.400-06:00Fun Dice Tricks with Map Crow<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhye5I98U9oXv5YGjco6U3XqUHn3MI5-o_pSR8ukv8rVVJ8_HFIJWUGUnzte4GhEYEMxW77tZbzY6D8rPuZo_3awgw_IeEAec3hq9iIQ6DLyHThhWIJfzAgUO0-YQBOKxCX677Di8qjX5thdq_VkJa0HhRMQpSd9XwiC0G-L39NW5PxYmfP3CSQlg/s176/channels4_profile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="176" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhye5I98U9oXv5YGjco6U3XqUHn3MI5-o_pSR8ukv8rVVJ8_HFIJWUGUnzte4GhEYEMxW77tZbzY6D8rPuZo_3awgw_IeEAec3hq9iIQ6DLyHThhWIJfzAgUO0-YQBOKxCX677Di8qjX5thdq_VkJa0HhRMQpSd9XwiC0G-L39NW5PxYmfP3CSQlg/s1600/channels4_profile.jpg" width="176" /></a></i></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Map Crow</i> is a YouTube vlog that’s hit-and-miss with
me; when it’s hot, it’s pretty hot, but when it’s not, it’s pretty meh. <i>FOR ME</i>, I’ll hasten to point out; there’s a
lot of stuff being discussed out there this old troll has seen many different times
over the years, nuggets of wisdom rediscovered by new generations. Reminds me that sometimes the topic I think
has been done to death is, in truth, a brand new revelation for somebody,
especially with so many new folks entering the hobby.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Anyway, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81aC5l6chGM" target="_blank"><i>Map Crow</i>’s latest</a> is on fun random encounter
tables, and he does some really neat stuff using 2d6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sum of 2d6 gives you what the encounter
is, while the red d6 tells you what the disposition of the
encounter, while the blue d6 gives you their distance from the party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Check it out; he does some fun things with
the interaction between the bell-curve and the flat curves, making a the extremely
rare roll of snake-eyes really, really ouch.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">His division of his map is similar to <a href="https://trollsmyth.blogspot.com/2011/08/hex-mapping-part-10-ashes-ashes-we-all.html" target="_blank">what I did when talking about Hex Mapping</a>, but combining the table, the disposition, and
the distance all in one roll is very clever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ll still probably default to <a href="https://trollsmyth.blogspot.com/2011/09/hex-mapping-part-17.html" target="_blank">my own What-Are-the-Monsters-Up-To table</a>
(I’m too much in love with how you can roll differently for intelligent and
bestial encounters on the same table), but game must recognize game!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
<br /></p>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-84834040924748940122024-02-07T13:37:00.001-06:002024-02-07T13:37:00.261-06:00Mad Mashup: One Roll Combat?<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ok, not a single roll to cover the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">entire</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> fight. But a single roll by each player to adjudicate not only the success or failure of their attack, but also how much damage they did to their foe </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> how much, if any, harm their foe did to them.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #eeeeee; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="520" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMpE4BOMBxsx1UdLOr9H6hRqScRrEUNOPuJyD2O6d0dH5on50WMAtseKdLSWKXP1d0jzuzc8Ap_xiHaKvmnz8OyuOTvKjh27JVmtulfbJJnGrITjrCKnGA7XjvNgrGrm0CSNbLTO9jTnUYk6IEqSjVS_7Il_M_qmnmSiRq531arICPdUup-sPdg/s320/tumblr_m7k5173O461rqxd5ko1_128-4257336211.jpg" width="320" /></span></div><p><b id="docs-internal-guid-7d3a2227-7fff-8764-d57e-80f9c2015baf" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">This should grant us a number of benefits:</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMpE4BOMBxsx1UdLOr9H6hRqScRrEUNOPuJyD2O6d0dH5on50WMAtseKdLSWKXP1d0jzuzc8Ap_xiHaKvmnz8OyuOTvKjh27JVmtulfbJJnGrITjrCKnGA7XjvNgrGrm0CSNbLTO9jTnUYk6IEqSjVS_7Il_M_qmnmSiRq531arICPdUup-sPdg/s520/tumblr_m7k5173O461rqxd5ko1_128-4257336211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><p></p><p></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">It’s faster! And when playing online (something I do a lot of lately), this is important.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">If you roll high, you hit hard; no more rolling a 19 and then rolling a 1 on damage.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Often, both you and your opponent do damage to each other, which makes fights shorter. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Something will happen every time, and we won’t go round after round where you miss, and your foe misses, and you miss again, and your foe misses again…</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">No rolling for the monster attacks. Roll poorly, and the monsters will maul you! Roll great and you’ll send your foe reeling. This is great because:</span></span></p></li><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: circle; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">It means a lot less rolling, so things move along a lot faster.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: circle; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">We don’t have to worry about initiative and fights can flow more dynamically.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: circle; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Large solo monsters don’t get whaled on by lots of PCs, while only being able to target a single one in reply. This makes big scary monsters big and scary, instead of dying in the first round to a massive alpha-strike from the PCs.</span></span></p></li></ul><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Things this doesn’t mean:</span></span></p></li><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: circle; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">It doesn’t mean that monsters won’t attack if you don’t attack; they’ll still try to chew off your face if they can.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: circle; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">It doesn’t mean surprise doesn’t happen; if you get the jump on the baddies, you’ll get a full round to have your way without them getting to reply.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: circle; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">It doesn’t mean shooting someone with an arrow allows them to hit you with their claws from across the battlefield; ranged attacks will work a bit differently.</span></span></p></li></ul></ul>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-11298241168835741512024-02-06T11:18:00.000-06:002024-02-06T11:18:01.545-06:00Ron Cobb: Implied Storytelling in Concept Art<p><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Ron Cobb is a name to conjure with in the art world, and his work as the concept artist for the ‘82 Conan the Barbarian movie is well known to me. At least, I </span><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">thought</span><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> it was! </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-098b72a5-7fff-b32c-737d-ffba43f4aa65"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I came across <a href="https://www.roncobb.net/film.html" target="_blank">the official Ron Cobb website</a> and was blown away by the work he did on this movie. There’s this chonkiness full of soft curves, hints of brutalism in the bones of it all, but softened by earthy silhouettes. An almost welcoming chthonian quality. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">But what’s even cooler, to my mind, is the implications of a lost age, a more advanced before-time that’s best seen in the castle of King Osric.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0EnZR40GC5eny0xCsPka6wW2ItH2TDgs0-4clYqzz4OjpMrJjViLFjdw6hNMoCYo80hqnKhyphenhyphen__J6s-vBaxLeqPPCl8qkh08awISTrWng0KYy5YwwSliKN7dj5a-g_AqxaVpldTEOLnJ8XOfCze7pQb5X6EkVoy0tEL4xVq-U254fiOvTxfYslxg/s1000/Cobb%20Osric%20Castle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1000" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0EnZR40GC5eny0xCsPka6wW2ItH2TDgs0-4clYqzz4OjpMrJjViLFjdw6hNMoCYo80hqnKhyphenhyphen__J6s-vBaxLeqPPCl8qkh08awISTrWng0KYy5YwwSliKN7dj5a-g_AqxaVpldTEOLnJ8XOfCze7pQb5X6EkVoy0tEL4xVq-U254fiOvTxfYslxg/s320/Cobb%20Osric%20Castle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I love the mix of heavy timber and almost delicate stone. It gives the piece a lot of visual interest, but more than that, there’s this implication that the folks who built the timber part couldn’t do the stone part. And that’s emphasized by this illustration of Zamora’s Gate, not used in the movie.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHo7VlNMwSpl2iceg_hqvUhoo6RbYYWHfCOOF8TAhHfQeZZflNktFujpkUN_SAKhohpb7dssFqdUZepBYj7DAWPGiRlMjIwE5IeZ6ynax957IhVGUekN9RH-eDu-PoTfXELNn6m_zNUxRFOvMTB3nTlqxZma2nMX4bFk1j6TeTlnJy2G6fKJ9JQ/s1000/Cobb%20GE-358a-on-City_Shadizar_Gate-conan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="1000" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHo7VlNMwSpl2iceg_hqvUhoo6RbYYWHfCOOF8TAhHfQeZZflNktFujpkUN_SAKhohpb7dssFqdUZepBYj7DAWPGiRlMjIwE5IeZ6ynax957IhVGUekN9RH-eDu-PoTfXELNn6m_zNUxRFOvMTB3nTlqxZma2nMX4bFk1j6TeTlnJy2G6fKJ9JQ/s320/Cobb%20GE-358a-on-City_Shadizar_Gate-conan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Or maybe this is just the implication that Osric is an usurper, that he conquered Zamora and hasn’t done a great job of putting it back together again? Or both? In any case, lovely work, and effective storytelling that makes the world of the movie feel grounded in a past through implication rather than exposition. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbTCLMxhq3R7HwGbyWP8bTfqoN2vfxavWaBfZak9aMxMwzGYI_r_xTn6_opZaNYeRboEyoiiK7euj9yt_LIF8zRDZJoP4LkoD7Iz-lMdQ4tnj8B6azzU_9LGNYIxMIzTXvhRl32Q1i7EWEhrTg9rUyBXcAciRb-3e72uw0T7VN2ftiNc8pYa5TQ/s1000/CobbGK-372-on-Eye_Of_Set-conan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="718" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbTCLMxhq3R7HwGbyWP8bTfqoN2vfxavWaBfZak9aMxMwzGYI_r_xTn6_opZaNYeRboEyoiiK7euj9yt_LIF8zRDZJoP4LkoD7Iz-lMdQ4tnj8B6azzU_9LGNYIxMIzTXvhRl32Q1i7EWEhrTg9rUyBXcAciRb-3e72uw0T7VN2ftiNc8pYa5TQ/s320/CobbGK-372-on-Eye_Of_Set-conan.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-70577581146002720392024-02-05T13:29:00.003-06:002024-02-05T13:29:54.380-06:00Stellar Atlas of the Zauberreich: Verðandi, First of the Norn Stars<p> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 20pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Verðandi</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-7d6d207a-7fff-d65b-9d25-aa86438cb57d"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Verðandi is a G-type star, and among the earliest stars claimed by Humanity, most likely during the Second Diaspora. Settlement on Verðandi’s worlds date back at least to the collapse of the Confederation of the Golden Gate and the rise of the Republic of Mars as the de facto leading world of Humanity. It’s believed that Verðandi was the first of the Norn Stars to be colonized. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Unlike the other Norn Stars, Verðandi held no Precursor artifacts or ruins. Legend says that the Confederation had rules against settling on worlds with Precursor ruins, and that Verðandi had started as an outpost to supply those guarding the worlds orbiting Urðr and Skuld. However, as the promise of the Confederation proved hollow and the alliances founded in its name collapsed, Human refugees settled on all of the habitable Norn worlds. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Some of the most famous and heavily populated worlds in the Zauberreich orbit Verðandi, including Odin, Frig, and Thor. </span></p><div><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-33549791915583671122024-01-31T21:05:00.010-06:002024-01-31T21:05:00.145-06:00Stellar Atlas of the Zauberreich: Praxis, Capital System (and World) of the Zauberreich<p><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br />The capital city of Praxis contains a dozen palaces for the Hexenkönigin (one for each of the Twelve Houses of the Galactic Wheel), the bureaucracy of the Zauberreich, and the most prestigious university of sorcery within the Golden Gate Sector of the Orion Arm.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1a75415f-7fff-2db3-4b05-20b37dbcf80a"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4ckwdCvoflMgQJ8Y_JkgPDCH7lipdjVbelfXvZsp6TfuUdfTPD24ESij9wBZJqGr2ZGVfeCumxH_ox70PNj_9OKOffz6bpQOx2yIdPnDdkGN4FgrfEXuBA8rMz2zObW350SKfKJgbjSZEy7le3oeiswCynxdt01TTLtxBY_RevmKhskB06bklg/s1472/PraxisViolet.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4ckwdCvoflMgQJ8Y_JkgPDCH7lipdjVbelfXvZsp6TfuUdfTPD24ESij9wBZJqGr2ZGVfeCumxH_ox70PNj_9OKOffz6bpQOx2yIdPnDdkGN4FgrfEXuBA8rMz2zObW350SKfKJgbjSZEy7le3oeiswCynxdt01TTLtxBY_RevmKhskB06bklg/s320/PraxisViolet.png" width="223" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Praxis is the last of the manufactured worlds; after the destruction of the Sol System in the Dust Wars, Humanity fully embraced sorcery in an impassioned example of the “fight fire with fire” philosophy. To a degree, it worked; those worlds who refused to join the Zauberreich or embrace sorcery as a means of defense were devoured by the Dust or crushed in the ancillary wars, but the newly-forged Zauberreich survived. </span></span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Even before the Dust Wars were completed, the talisman world of Praxis was wrought upon a lonely brown dwarf. By sorcery was the brown dwarf tamed, and, to a degree, humanized, but not in the manner of the worlds of the Satya Yuga.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Floating in the upper atmosphere of Praxis is the Comb, a lattice of hexagons fashioned from adamantium incised with orichalcum runes and then covered in gold. Each segment of the lattice is 12 miles long. Upon this giant lattice is built the capital city, by turns called Praxis, the Comb, or the Palace of Palaces. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Looking at only the buildable sections of the Comb, the actual lattice segments themselves, there is roughly 12 million square miles of liveable surface area on the Comb. The Comb houses something like 2.5 trillion people, giving it a population density of roughly 200 thousand people per square mile. To say Comb is densely packed is an understatement. Over 90% of that population is Humans, with a wide range of aliens making up the rest. Roughly two-thirds of the Comb’s inhabitants are slaves.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Comb is lit and powered by the hellish radiation of the decaying brown dwarf. The streets are literally paved with gold because gold is a necessary ingredient in the magic that channels this radiation for the use of the citizens and protects those same citizens from the dangers and heat of the radiation. Attempting to remove the gold, so legends say, removes the protection of the Comb from the one damaging it, meaning they will immediately burst into flame and vaporize. By that same sorcery, the light rising up through the massive holes in the comb (each over 300 square miles in area), waxes and wanes in a 24 hour cycle that is the Human preference. Likewise, gravity on the Comb is 0.97 g. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sorcery is a matter of daily life on Praxis. The locals think nothing of it, nor do they question the thousands who get their hearts ripped out and their souls sacrificed to demons every Human year to keep their strange city-continent floating above the throbbing maelstroms of the brown dwarf. Praxis is the most civilized city in the Golden Gate Sector completely lacking in temples to Astarte. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i>Art by Stable Diffusion and JB Murphy (using GIMP).</i></span></p><div><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-70924739054630925972024-01-29T12:51:00.002-06:002024-01-29T12:51:54.769-06:00Parley?<p><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I’ve been too busy to keep up with the RPG blog-o-sphere lately (more on that later), so I missed <a href="https://goblinpunch.blogspot.com/2023/03/how-to-handle-parley-as-osr-dm.html?lr=1" target="_blank">this excellent article at Goblin Punch on negotiations between PCs and monsters/NPCs</a>. It makes a nice compliment to these two articles I’ve written on the subject:</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8095875f-7fff-06ae-78a3-f3ff78079283"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://trollsmyth.blogspot.com/2010/02/honey-cakes-for-cerberus.html" target="_blank">Honey Cakes For Cerberus</a></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://trollsmyth.blogspot.com/2010/12/more-honey-cakes-for-cerberus.html" target="_blank">More Honey Cakes for Cerberus</a></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I’ve also got <a href="https://trollsmyth.blogspot.com/2011/09/hex-mapping-part-17.html" target="_blank">this handy-dandy random table for monster motivations</a> that’s definitely in the top ten for things I’ve posted on this blog that I use most often. </span></p><div><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oW8OlXkjVHs?si=Ww7vi68z6HbSrvkC" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-73851314402477266582024-01-27T15:19:00.004-06:002024-01-27T15:19:56.110-06:00Mad Mashup: Bard<p> And back to my series of classes for my mad mashup of various sources, but based on a B/X core. </p><p><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></p><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Balthazar, serif; font-size: 20pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br />Bard</span></span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIghJjA5xf_DB9ATgWCtUuU7N9FG6wuCsSQBg860Z_8vfFHskcHLiiYKEYsg2frajir0l8Fix9FWu2Moj0wUhvqopl5ja22s6RlwDbb-lXmIuh2oX4D5d-TCD2uPG0XafiG9DK9Yrvns2qTLxkwb4m5PxUjRuJb5Oy_J33RCScax3zH4u_vZsOhA/s600/king-mark-slew-the-noble-knight-sir-tristram.jpg!Large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="478" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIghJjA5xf_DB9ATgWCtUuU7N9FG6wuCsSQBg860Z_8vfFHskcHLiiYKEYsg2frajir0l8Fix9FWu2Moj0wUhvqopl5ja22s6RlwDbb-lXmIuh2oX4D5d-TCD2uPG0XafiG9DK9Yrvns2qTLxkwb4m5PxUjRuJb5Oy_J33RCScax3zH4u_vZsOhA/w255-h320/king-mark-slew-the-noble-knight-sir-tristram.jpg!Large.jpg" title="Some people really hate bards for some reason..." width="255" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Some artists can literally tap into the music the Primal Ones used to sing Creation into being. They can express this through song or stories or music or dance. In any case, it grants True Bards powers beyond the abilities of mere entertainers.</span></span><p></p><p><b id="docs-internal-guid-9e732406-7fff-c3ca-22aa-f14dafd21d92" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></b></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Requirements</span></span></h2><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></b></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Bards roll their hit points with a d6. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">They save as Thieves.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">They can use any weapons but longbows and wear any armour except plate. They may not use shields.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Bards can only cast spells if they are at most Heavily Encumbered.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">A Bard must have Dexterity of at least 9 and a Charisma of at least 13. If a Bard has Dexterity of at least 13 and a Charisma of 16, the Bard enjoys a 10% bonus to all earned EXP.</span></span></p></li></ul><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkbQX-f7lfIpg2skZIvqDyWJqZrqQbe9hHA1oI2yie-us2NYGTFlc3vKnYZfDhLtkOXzDYbn7cZ6fmoWpWR2UWD4cVieiXeyGF8RDypK-YAKhSt7prUn7bEirKOPagxQbxoHkG1DjfArJb0z0vUI7jCMKAinOg7SZbAd6fJH_fAyhfUE8LXL7Ig/s374/Roland%20Blows%20Oliphant.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="374" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkbQX-f7lfIpg2skZIvqDyWJqZrqQbe9hHA1oI2yie-us2NYGTFlc3vKnYZfDhLtkOXzDYbn7cZ6fmoWpWR2UWD4cVieiXeyGF8RDypK-YAKhSt7prUn7bEirKOPagxQbxoHkG1DjfArJb0z0vUI7jCMKAinOg7SZbAd6fJH_fAyhfUE8LXL7Ig/s320/Roland%20Blows%20Oliphant.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 16pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Abilities</span></h2><div><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></span></div><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Every even level, they add a spell of any level from the Bard list to their repertoire. To successfully cast a spell, the Bard’s player rolls a d20. They add their Level to the roll and subtract the level of the spell. If the result is 11+, the spell goes off without a hitch. If they roll from 6 to 10, the spell goes off, but there’s <a href="https://trollsmyth.blogspot.com/2023/01/a-sorcerer-miscast-list.html" target="_blank">a backlash</a>. If they roll 5 or less, the spell doesn’t go off AND they suffer a backlash.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Every 5th level (5, 10, 15, etc.) the Bard adds another known Language.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">When trolling for rumours, a bard will gain one more than usual. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Bards enjoy a +1 bonus when rolling the reaction to an offer of employment to potential Retainers. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">During fights, a Bard can perform instead of fight. While they do this, all their allies get +1 to all attack rolls, saving throws, and morale checks.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Bards can use the wands, staves, and wands that Wizards can use.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">All who watch a Bard perform for at least one Turn (10 minutes) cannot help but be affected by their skills. When the performance ends, the audience must make a save vs. Spells or have their mood and emotions shifted according to the desires of the Bard. For every Turn past the first, the saving throws are lowered by -1 to a max of -4. (See the <a href="https://trollsmyth.blogspot.com/2024/01/mad-mashup-apsara.html" target="_blank">Apsara</a> for potential synergies.)</span></span></p></li></ul><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></p><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Balthazar, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="color: #eeeeee;">A fun class for players who want to risk “bad” magical fumbles. The combat performance option is also an easy choice for players who don’t enjoy being on the spot or suffer from analysis paralysis.</span></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Balthazar, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Balthazar, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Art by NC Wyeth and from the manuscript </span></i></span><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Balthazar, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i>Rudolf von Ems, History of the World, created around 1300.</i></span></span></p><div><span style="background-color: cyan; color: black; font-family: Balthazar,serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-70621007748624650652024-01-06T12:12:00.002-06:002024-01-06T12:12:22.797-06:00Mad Mashup: Apsara<p>And back to my series of character classes for my mad mashup D&D game based on B/X but including rules from all over. This time, a bit of Hindu myth that really, really harshes on what lots of folks consider a core element of the Old School vibe.</p><p><br /></p><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Balthazar, serif; font-size: 20pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5957NrAYVtvrD8VHbi7LuqiZZ_AYhl_YC0fqKXDGTFs1GuJ6Y2QoLaDQxaWJcWchTgKJV8yX0-M-IawsMyJxWco5U1zqDJusslaD5EfCuanRDrg9XViZSfoQp3T0jqaEpSy8KwZmHuzDMc_j2T0Ew81d1NMHs1d6_zi3rFtT9gxHcTIgz7gQXA/s1472/Apsara.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5957NrAYVtvrD8VHbi7LuqiZZ_AYhl_YC0fqKXDGTFs1GuJ6Y2QoLaDQxaWJcWchTgKJV8yX0-M-IawsMyJxWco5U1zqDJusslaD5EfCuanRDrg9XViZSfoQp3T0jqaEpSy8KwZmHuzDMc_j2T0Ew81d1NMHs1d6_zi3rFtT9gxHcTIgz7gQXA/s320/Apsara.png" width="223" /></a></div><br />Apsara</span></span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Apsara are the handmaidens of the gods, divine nymphs who serve the powers of Order and Chaos equally. Thus they must be Neutral in alignment. They are also all female with skin in various shades of blue. Each is an expert artist, and most favour dance, music, and the erotic arts. </span></span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Requirements</span></span></h2><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Apsara use d6 for their hit points.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">They cannot wear any armour or shields. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">They can use any weapon.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">They can cast cleric spells, but only while at most Lightly Encumbered.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">They save and fight as Clerics.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">An Apsara must have a DEX and Charisma of at least 13. If both are 16+, the Apsara gets a 10% bonus on all EXP earned.</span></span></p></li></ul><p><b id="docs-internal-guid-b59182ba-7fff-1bb1-79fa-b61fa3439e21" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></b></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Abilities</span></span></h2><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Apsara can understand all spoken languages, and be understood when they speak. They are, however, limited as normal in written languages.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">They are also immortal. They do not age and they cannot die. Only the most potent of foes or weapons can leave scars on the mind or psyche of an Apsara. They can, however, be knocked unconscious, charmed, etc. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">All who watch an Apsara dance for at least one Turn (10 minutes) cannot help but be affected by her grace. When the dance ends, the audience must make a save vs. Spells or have their mood and emotions shifted according to the desires of the Apsara. For every Turn past the first, the saving throws are lowered by -1 to a max of -4. If they are being aided by a Bard or another Apsara, that penalty can go as low as -6. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Apsara can use all magical items designed for Clerics, as well as all magical musical instruments.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3rd Level</span><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: the Apsara can cast Charm once per day.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5th Level</span><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Foes must successfully pass a save vs. Paralysis in order to target the Apsara with attacks or harmful magic. This does not apply if the Apsara is inside a wider area-of-effect attack (like poison cloud or a fireball spell). </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6th Level: </span><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the Apsara can manifest a second pair of arms, allowing them to take a second action in a Round.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7th level: </span><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the Apsara can cast Confusion once per day.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">9th level: </span><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the Apsara can cast Charm Monster once per day.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">10th level: </span><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the Apsara can manifest a third pair of arms, allowing them to take up to three actions per Round. </span></span></p></li></ul><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Balthazar, serif; font-size: 14pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i>A fairly straight-forward support and social class. Fun for people who really like to wield "soft power" and make others look cool. </i></span></p><div><span style="background-color: cyan; color: black; font-family: Balthazar,serif; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-45022924866918942282023-03-26T14:26:00.003-05:002023-03-26T14:49:46.284-05:00Magical Magic That Feels Magical<p><i><b>14. Heart Of The Beast:</b> Cast this spell on a slain monster’s heart (or reasonably equivalent organ or portion), then consume it. At any time, you may take the devoured creature’s shape, once, for 10 minutes. You will retain some physical mark of this transformation afterwards.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>Once again, <a href="https://hamsterhoard.home.blog/2023/03/26/36-d66-spells/" target="_blank">Taichara hits it straight out of the park!</a></p><p><br /></p><p><b>UPDATE:</b> Ok, I posted too quickly. Here are some thoughts:</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Heart of the Beast</b> is clearly meant to allow you to assume the shape of creatures, but "monster" can be an ambiguous term; could the truly unscrupulous use this to mimic a murdered person?</p><p><br /></p><p>Can you use <b>Skyclad </b>in conjunction with <b>The Stars to Guide You</b>? I'd certainly allow it. </p>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-73272520840576321932023-03-13T13:01:00.004-05:002023-03-13T13:01:24.939-05:00You Should be Watching Emergent GM<p> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3snitmIJXAU" target="_blank">This guy</a> packs more in a two-minute video than most others manage in 20+ minutes.</p>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-12506490849121029032023-02-23T21:49:00.001-06:002023-02-23T21:49:35.720-06:00Bill Willingham on Polite Society<p> <span style="font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; white-space: pre-wrap;">Face it, if you want something in this harsh and unforgiving world, you have to do unto others as the royal and filthy rich have done unto you: you gotta steal it.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-5c04bf4d-7fff-237a-bf70-2ff280f68e9d"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mark Finn</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxViyFwlTpQjFxJIwfBmSxJ-tPu_7o-Rp1U0AySXuHK7FRnG7auqyq_c7Rcc-wZGAMiDkg0431eyqdbqerTAUwp3WivAvvI-cd6CFYO2y_6HrRSZQGLQjOdPt2zmO14MG-P81lBpJ81-mBk1Ru25FND8mDl2zoqyBdc0I2KBRVE6DLFMH__L8/s680/Polite%20Society%20Zine.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="680" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxViyFwlTpQjFxJIwfBmSxJ-tPu_7o-Rp1U0AySXuHK7FRnG7auqyq_c7Rcc-wZGAMiDkg0431eyqdbqerTAUwp3WivAvvI-cd6CFYO2y_6HrRSZQGLQjOdPt2zmO14MG-P81lBpJ81-mBk1Ru25FND8mDl2zoqyBdc0I2KBRVE6DLFMH__L8/w200-h183/Polite%20Society%20Zine.png" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mark Finn, raconteur both extraordinary and professional, <a href="http://kck.st/40yk00n" target="_blank">has a ‘zine in this year’s Zinequest</a>. <i>Polite Society</i> is all about heists and big-time capers a la the greatest heroes of Sword & Sorcery. What does Mark Finn know about Sword & Sorcery? Mark <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Thunder-Life-Robert-Howard/dp/1304031527/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2XM7QXDH37GTZ&keywords=Robert+E.+Howard+Mark+Finn&qid=1677208826&s=books&sprefix=robert+e.+howard+mark+finn%2Cstripbooks%2C140&sr=1-2" target="_blank">literally wrote the book on Robert E. Howard</a>. </span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes, it’s <i>that</i> Mark Finn. So you know it’s going to be good.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But don’t take my word for it. Here’s what Bill “Fables” Willingham has to say:</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Let me tell you some of the reasons you should consider buying Mark Finn’s new ttrpg zines called, POLITE SOCIETY: The Zine for Thieves, Scoundrels, and Ne’er-Do-Wells. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">First of all, Mark writes good rules. Like him, they’re aged in fine oak casks, and go down as smooth as 20 year old scotch. No critique intended against every year’s new crop of hot young gunslinger rules writers – you all have your place keeping the games fresh and alive – but give me rules by one of the old guard rpg guys with nothing more to prove. He’s already spent a lifetime behind the dice, seeing what works and what doesn’t, and we reap the rewards.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><em>Polite Society</em> works. And, believe me, as one of its playtesters (along with Bill Williams and Brad Thomte), I tried in every way possible to wreck, ravage, and undermine those rules, because trying to get away with all kinds of sabotage is part of a playtester’s remit. Test To Destruction is the operable term. No destruction occurred, and instead we had a wonderful extended campaign. I’ve playtested many a game (including, but not limited to TSR’s <em>Star Frontiers</em>, and <em>Top Secret</em>, and too many D&D modules to count, and the original revamp of Jeff Dee’s and Jack Herman’s <em>Villains & Vigilantes</em>), and this is the first time the system being tested didn’t need a ton of work, just to make it minimally playable.*</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">But a set of cool rules (to quote Spicoli) isn’t enough. That’s the same as admiring a well-written recipe and actually eating the dish that results from it. Can you plan and execute a good, workable caper with <em>Polite Society</em>? The answer is unequivocally YES. Not only can you run a good heist, and maybe even a great one, but you can do so with only a few minute’s preparation. One of the best parts of every playtest sessions was after the fact, when Mark would run down the checklist of what went into planning that day’s caper. The job, the twist, the unexpected complication, and so much more – it’s all in there, every time.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">So then, without reservation, or hesitation, I invite you to back Mark’s crowdfunding campaign, and/or buy the zines as they appear. In this brave new age of larceny-themed fantasy role playing games (and movies it seems) this is an addition to the popular new subgenre that’s guaranteed to stand out.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Thank you for listening,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Bill Willingham</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Former TSR staff artist; lifetime gamer; creator of the long-running comic series Fables.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">*For example, in <em>Top Secret</em> did you know there was originally a defensive fighting position one could get into during Hand to Hand Combat in which you could not possibly be touched? Of course you didn’t, because we found it and fixed it. And the hand grenade damage rules were flummoxed by us playtesters by taking turns swallowing each grenade thrown. Since it only did a single d10 of damage, but did it to everyone in its area of effect, we’d just take turns taking the hit for the team.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And yes, it's this Bill Willingham:</span></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUa6Rw8aqFHu2_glKPzCetHxWPSGq9xJey1VMLS-WuczWV50W1xIxhiGNuQsWT1qS8d-op1TNAdYrq31E8NRUYzZWlQpuneBWXxBkhkyknA3hpsQWkbNaesRLUdxHTZmLiuRm64dq1GBV5Rwrd3Z514fZLxop-CDbDTdfsrHIOOw3AybT4qoo/s563/0cde30e143c34481285f7b924c09a07f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="563" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUa6Rw8aqFHu2_glKPzCetHxWPSGq9xJey1VMLS-WuczWV50W1xIxhiGNuQsWT1qS8d-op1TNAdYrq31E8NRUYzZWlQpuneBWXxBkhkyknA3hpsQWkbNaesRLUdxHTZmLiuRm64dq1GBV5Rwrd3Z514fZLxop-CDbDTdfsrHIOOw3AybT4qoo/w400-h283/0cde30e143c34481285f7b924c09a07f.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-44449565750273352952023-02-13T16:08:00.004-06:002023-02-13T16:08:43.495-06:00Mad Mashup: Elves<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIc-Q2Jc1eMd6p1aUpCIr63vGxrqnWdYzIUY0ef_RzXJzCa6FEePGiMd_K4roKRye_rqm4ff_C4I0rH18eAA0qhKfei2th6kSzP3mBuonIfbCxsf085DcjC4N8BIl-EvJD46s9zzUnKofnbVQLEpLZ9WZRK66JHwOory6OYROR91aM1UQ27kg/s512/Elf%20for%20Mashup.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIc-Q2Jc1eMd6p1aUpCIr63vGxrqnWdYzIUY0ef_RzXJzCa6FEePGiMd_K4roKRye_rqm4ff_C4I0rH18eAA0qhKfei2th6kSzP3mBuonIfbCxsf085DcjC4N8BIl-EvJD46s9zzUnKofnbVQLEpLZ9WZRK66JHwOory6OYROR91aM1UQ27kg/w200-h200/Elf%20for%20Mashup.png" width="200" /></a></i></div><i>Elves represent the greatest deviation I’m making from the classic classes. B/X elves are warrior-wizards. My elves are much more Tolkienesque. They’re an excellent alternative to Clerics for a party healer and have some nice synergies with the Ranger.</i><p></p><p><i>The Elf Spell-list isn't detailed here. In a more Tolkienesque world, they would actually use the Druid list instead of the traditional Magic-user list. Which I use depends on the flavor we're looking for.</i></p><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-b1f9b8ef-7fff-5f14-83ed-db3826ed8189"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Millenia ago, for mysterious reasons, the Elves migrated from Fairey to this world. While they still maintain more than a touch of their Fey ancestry, they are now also very much creatures of this world. Today they guard the wild and beautiful places, and try to maintain balance in the struggle between Order and Chaos by championing the side that’s weakest. For this reason, most of the gods find Elves very annoying, and few will accept them as priests. </span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Requirements</span></h2><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elves roll d6 for their hit points.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They may use any armour, shields, and weapons.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You use the Elf’s Saving Throws.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They may only cast spells if they are at most Heavily Encumbered.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elves must have a DEX of at least 13 and a WIS of at least 9. An Elf with both scores 16 or above enjoys a 10% bonus to all EXP earned.</span></p></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Abilities</span></h2><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At every level, an Elf may add a spell from the Elf spell list to their repertoire. The levels of spells they can pick from depend on their class level. They may cast each of these spells once per day. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elves have strong rapport with animals. A group with at least one Elf in it enjoys a +1 on reaction rolls with normal animals. If an Elf spends an entire Round (10 seconds) talking to an animal, they can radically shift its mood.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elves are also known as excellent healers. When an Elf casts a healing spell, roll twice to see how many hit points are restored and take the higher roll. Those convalescing under an Elf’s care regain double the hit points they normally would (before any other bonuses are applied). </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elves can see by dim light like starlight out to 60’. In total darkness, they can see dimly out to 15’.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elves cannot be put to sleep by magic, and the touch of ghouls does not paralyse them. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All Elves speak both High Elvish and Vulgar Elvish as well as Common.</span></p></li></ul></span></div>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-57744456468639326962023-02-03T20:54:00.004-06:002023-02-03T23:15:37.219-06:00No Dice for You! (And a Question About Mechanics)What are you general thoughts about rules that don't have the GM rolling any dice. For instance, if a monster attacks a PC, instead of the GM rolling on behalf of the monster, the PC's player rolls for the PC to resist the monster's attack.<div><br /></div><div>On the plus side, I'd think combat would run more smoothly this way, and the GM can focus more on tactics and making the fight fun, rather than juggling dice. </div><div><br /></div><div>On the minus side... GM's don't get to roll dice? I'm having a hard time coming up with negatives on this.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are a few games that run this way already, with Numenera/Cypher probably being the biggest. I wasn't a big fan of how Numenera pushed so much of the mechanics onto the players, but that had more to do with burning stats than having the players roll the dice.</div><div><br /></div><div>What say you?</div><div><br /></div><div>UPDATE: someone on the Book of Faces pointed out that the GM can't fudge rolls. Man, it's been a long forever ago since I fudged a roll. </div>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-8941831791327726222023-01-29T16:20:00.000-06:002023-01-29T16:20:04.841-06:00Shields Still Being Splintered<p><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25R93fCZWh-NLtangJjMkIfZm2GqyOWV3O9aaHZrJIiTmehkSm7cCK4OKTmWccbvmB4aRZbojYmocCgAfRikuXTwAHE4eoIoCC8TEZPfa6j3ppjgR5-P1UELU8AXxvjnLoicvSqDTjPIHRzPoKI4jV9dJKP61KW6qodsrlbC4ciSNqoqHJKA/s259/QYcaDFv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="258" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25R93fCZWh-NLtangJjMkIfZm2GqyOWV3O9aaHZrJIiTmehkSm7cCK4OKTmWccbvmB4aRZbojYmocCgAfRikuXTwAHE4eoIoCC8TEZPfa6j3ppjgR5-P1UELU8AXxvjnLoicvSqDTjPIHRzPoKI4jV9dJKP61KW6qodsrlbC4ciSNqoqHJKA/w199-h200/QYcaDFv.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">It
does this old troll’s heart good to hear that folks are still getting fun out
of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://trollsmyth.blogspot.com/2008/05/shields-shall-be-splintered.html" target="_blank">Shields Shall be Splintered</a>.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;">I recently discovered that <a href="https://anchor.fm/rob-c/episodes/Shields-Shall-Be-Splintered-epd52l" target="_blank">the Down In a Heap podcast discussed the rule</a>, and that conversation was picked up by <a href="https://radiopublic.com/confessions-of-a-wee-timrous-bush-GMrm9e/s1!b0ea0" target="_blank">theConfessions of a Wee Tim’rous Bushi podcast</a>, expanding the idea further in
other types of armour. (I haven't listened to the whole thing yet, but it kinda-sorta sounds like a codification of Jeff's <a href="http://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/11/everything-shall-be-splintered.html" target="_blank">Everything Shall be Splintered</a> idea.)</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As for me, I’m still very much using it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do limit it by using LotFP’s encumbrance
system, <a href="https://tabletopsmash.com/assets/images/sheets/lotfpPage2.jpg" target="_blank">which makes tracking encumbrance as easy as just writing things on your equipment list</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have no problem with
hirelings carrying spare shields; shield bearer is an actual word from history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(But so far, no one has really pushed this
and I’ve not heard of it annoying anyone else at the table.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As for who else can use it, that really depends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I swing back and forth on the players running
their PCs’ hirelings, and if the players are doing so, I let them decide when
the hireling might sacrifice a shield to protect themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Monsters typically do not use it, unless they
have names or the Rule of Cool suggests now is a good time for that to happen.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">ADDENDUM: It appears the idea of the shield stopping some
of the damage, but not all, is a popular one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><a href="https://beyond-the-shore.obsidianportal.com/adventure-log/shields-shall-be-splintered" target="_blank">Here’s another variation on that theme.</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-17005649384252686752023-01-22T13:51:00.000-06:002023-01-22T13:51:39.237-06:00ZineQuest?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuuh0SDpmYtnWV78HAvT03lFijVfqFfy98soZMOnMQRv1pPdPd9spxZonuqYN6XqfpHBnShZ-LwLtF4JZgeHRMzAgy0UKaq6lJB9_qbghqqiqJCON1VRlQWOHWM-5k6J_aAQbHohWSP1PgMQrInvDx6vTeX1cdyOkRhbQjfFwglrVFX0gA5g/s800/zq5-creator-announcement-project-updates-article-2250x1500-100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuuh0SDpmYtnWV78HAvT03lFijVfqFfy98soZMOnMQRv1pPdPd9spxZonuqYN6XqfpHBnShZ-LwLtF4JZgeHRMzAgy0UKaq6lJB9_qbghqqiqJCON1VRlQWOHWM-5k6J_aAQbHohWSP1PgMQrInvDx6vTeX1cdyOkRhbQjfFwglrVFX0gA5g/s320/zq5-creator-announcement-project-updates-article-2250x1500-100.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Contemplating doing <a href="https://updates.kickstarter.com/zine-quest-2023-kickstarters-annual-open-call-for-rpg-zines-returns-in-february/" target="_blank">ZineQuest</a> this year. Any advice from those of you who have done it before?</p>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-1368496853494141922023-01-17T10:00:00.001-06:002023-01-17T10:00:00.228-06:00Tell Me a Story, Please, Mr. Robot?<p><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;">First off, let me say that ChatGPT is a chat-bot, not
story-writing software.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;">And I do not
doubt that, in my lifetime, we’ll see story-bots that can do better than
this.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;">But ChatGPT isn’t going to take
Sanderson’s job anytime soon.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><i> </i></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Tell me a Conan story in the style of Robert Howard.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoUu52nj4DKe8hf7LghxNM3b_cvUA73HUjC9mdYjZywql33FdpDW1twxGUYyDs_0VFXrpZOWVcndcQA-K4dV3QQMps1zp65BBudi--dw3mcrB63YUNIgmFd2vsT5fJYlUGplQmX5xos_L_HCsIdciJOwag9nB09JjYpH5BfsLEzGNCsnnYMo/s500/DnDHookers.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoUu52nj4DKe8hf7LghxNM3b_cvUA73HUjC9mdYjZywql33FdpDW1twxGUYyDs_0VFXrpZOWVcndcQA-K4dV3QQMps1zp65BBudi--dw3mcrB63YUNIgmFd2vsT5fJYlUGplQmX5xos_L_HCsIdciJOwag9nB09JjYpH5BfsLEzGNCsnnYMo/w200-h200/DnDHookers.png" width="200" /></a></div>It was a dark and stormy night in the land of Hyboria.
The sky was filled with ominous clouds, and the wind howled through the trees.
Conan, the Cimmerian, stood on a rocky outcropping, his keen eyes scanning the
horizon for any sign of danger.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He had been wandering the wilds for weeks, seeking to put
as much distance between himself and the civilized lands as possible. But even
in the untamed wilderness, there were still dangers to be found. Bandits, wild
beasts, and worse roamed the land, preying on the unwary.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Conan's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword,
feeling its comforting weight. He had faced many dangers in his time, and he
was not afraid. He was a warrior, born and bred, and he would not be bested by
any man or beast.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As he stood there, the wind suddenly changed direction,
and he caught the faint scent of smoke on the air. Cautiously, he began to make
his way down the rocky slope, his eyes and ears alert for any sign of danger.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As he approached the source of the smoke, he heard the
sound of men's voices, raised in anger and fear. Cautiously, he crept closer,
his sword at the ready.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He soon came upon a clearing, where a band of bandits had
set up camp. They had built a fire, and were feasting on the spoils of their
recent raid. Conan counted at least a dozen men, all heavily armed and
dangerous.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Without hesitation, Conan charged into the clearing, his
sword flashing in the firelight. The bandits were caught off guard, and several
fell before they could even draw their weapons.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Conan fought with a fury that was terrifying to behold,
his sword flashing and slicing through flesh and bone. The bandits, realizing
they were outmatched, turned and fled, leaving Conan standing victorious in the
clearing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He sheathed his sword and looked around at the carnage.
The bandits lay dead or dying all around him, their blood staining the ground.
He felt no remorse for what he had done. They were thieves and murderers, and
they had gotten what they deserved.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">With a sense of satisfaction, Conan turned and walked
away from the clearing, into the dark and stormy night. He knew that his
journey was far from over, and that there would be many more dangers to come.
But he was Conan, the Cimmerian, and he feared no man or beast.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>It was a dark and stormy night?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I give this one a D; it at least knows who Conan is, but I fear it’s
read too many of the comics.</i> </span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😉</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Tell me a Kane story in the style of Karl Edward Wagner.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The night was dark and moonless, and a bitter wind howled
through the deserted streets of the city. Kane, the immortal, stood at the edge
of a rooftop, his cloak billowing in the wind. He was a dark figure, tall and
imposing, with eyes that glinted like cold steel in the darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For centuries, Kane had wandered the earth, a solitary
figure, driven by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and power. He had seen
empires rise and fall, and had known the touch of both pleasure and pain. He
was a warrior, a sorcerer, and a scholar, all rolled into one.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But tonight, Kane had come to the city for a different
purpose. He had received word of a powerful artifact, an ancient relic said to
possess the power of the gods. Kane had spent centuries searching for such an
object, and he would not rest until he had it in his grasp.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He made his way down the side of the building, his
movements fluid and graceful, like a cat stalking its prey. He knew the city
well, and he knew the ways to avoid detection. He had been to this city many
times before, and he knew the secret passages and alleys that would lead him to
his destination.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As he approached the entrance to the underground temple,
Kane heard the sound of guards on patrol. Without hesitation, he unsheathed his
sword, a weapon forged in the fires of the underworld. It was said to be
unbreakable, and it had served Kane well in many battles.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The guards never knew what hit them. Kane moved with a
speed and ferocity that was almost supernatural, his sword flashing in the
darkness. In moments, the guards lay dead at his feet, and Kane stood alone in
the entrance to the temple.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He descended into the depths of the temple, his eyes
adjusting to the darkness. He passed through chambers and corridors, his senses
alert for any sign of danger. But the temple was deserted, and Kane soon found
himself standing before a door of ancient stone, covered in inscriptions and
runes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">With a sense of triumph, Kane opened the door and stepped
inside. There, in the center of the chamber, stood the artifact he had sought
for so long. It was a stone, black as midnight, and it pulsed with an
otherworldly power.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Kane reached out and took the stone in his hand. He could
feel its power coursing through his body, filling him with strength and
knowledge. He knew that this was just the beginning, and that there were many
more battles yet to come.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But for now, he was content. He had what he had come for,
and he would use it to further his quest for power and knowledge. He turned and
walked out of the temple, into the night, a solitary figure, driven by an
unquenchable thirst for power.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>First, I’m surprised it even knew who Kane was, and it
does at least try to capture something of Wagner’s style.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><i> </i></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>But it doesn’t seem to understand what Zothique is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nor does it have anything like Clark Ashton
Smith’s vocabulary.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><i> </i></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Tell me a Zothique story in the style of Clark Ashton
Smith, please.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The sun had set over the land of Zothique, and the sky
was ablaze with the colors of the aurora borealis. The stars shone like
diamonds in the sky, and the desert winds howled through the dunes. Zothique,
the sorcerer, stood on the peak of a dune, his eyes scanning the horizon for
any sign of his quarry.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For centuries, Zothique had wandered the earth, seeking
out ancient and forbidden knowledge. He had delved into the dark arts, and had
raised the dead to do his bidding. He had stood at the threshold of the abyss
and looked into the eyes of the Old Ones. He was a master of the occult and the
arcane, feared and respected by all who knew of him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But tonight, Zothique had come to the desert for a
different purpose. He had heard of a powerful artifact, a book of spells said
to hold the secrets of eternal life. Zothique had spent centuries searching for
such a book, and he would not rest until he had it in his grasp.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He descended from the peak of the dune, his steps sure
and steady, despite the treacherous path. He knew the way well, for he had
traveled it many times before. As he walked, he recited ancient incantations,
calling forth the spirits of the dead to guide him on his journey.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As he approached the entrance to the tomb, Zothique felt
the presence of powerful wards and protection spells. He smiled, for he knew
that such spells would be no match for his own dark powers. He raised his hand,
and spoke the words of a spell of dispelling. The wards and protections
crumbled, and the tomb lay open before him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He descended into the depths of the tomb, his eyes
scanning the darkness for any sign of danger. He passed through chambers and
corridors, his senses alert for any sign of traps or guardians. But the tomb
was deserted, and Zothique soon found himself standing before a sarcophagus of
ancient stone.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">With a sense of triumph, he opened the sarcophagus and
reached inside. There, lying within, was the book of spells. It was bound in
human skin, and its pages were made of parchment made from the same material.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Zothique reached out and took the book in his hand. He
could feel its power coursing through his body, filling him with dark energy.
He knew that this was just the beginning, and that there were many more secrets
yet to be discovered.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He turned and walked out of the tomb, into the night, a
solitary figure, driven by an unquenchable thirst for forbidden knowledge. He
knew that with the book of spells in his possession, nothing could stand in his
way, and he would continue his quest for eternal life and ultimate power.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Still, it did include a number of tropes common to CAS’
writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So that’s something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In another five years, maybe it could
actually give us new Zothique stories that sound like Smith?</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-28742519934062862822023-01-16T17:49:00.000-06:002023-01-16T17:49:54.596-06:00A Sorcerer Miscast List<p><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2WEe0DBHsNFW_W3kQFArnPZWdoCEJq5qK7_QXAbAUJu4lS13tZKxUeM7vCQ8aWDdHkwf6MhNEAEwiQlNKpn2a81rgoW1Y-XZqmb1Fp1xJyiVsAbOjiLRTucilgsPWJ389GFmt4GMiVPe0CHxKErpV6pqMcEHMpc4zWUsB284rm-9wT0ajGc/s2048/demon%20ai%20flip.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2WEe0DBHsNFW_W3kQFArnPZWdoCEJq5qK7_QXAbAUJu4lS13tZKxUeM7vCQ8aWDdHkwf6MhNEAEwiQlNKpn2a81rgoW1Y-XZqmb1Fp1xJyiVsAbOjiLRTucilgsPWJ389GFmt4GMiVPe0CHxKErpV6pqMcEHMpc4zWUsB284rm-9wT0ajGc/w200-h200/demon%20ai%20flip.png" width="200" /></a></div>As requested, here is a <a href="http://trollsmyth.blogspot.com/2022/12/mad-mashup-sorcerers_22.html" target="_blank">Sorcerer Miscast table</a> used by one
of my players.<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The PC is a cambion,
which is why there are so many references to demons in this.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(Since this was made, I’ve written up cambion
as a playable PC race-as-class I’ve made for my mad-mashup game.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;">But that’s a tale for another day…)</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">When the Sorcerer rolls a miscast, roll a d20 and add the level of the spell to the roll. If the Sorcerer has a spell cast on them (beneficial or otherwise), add an additional +1 to the roll.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tipsy-giddy until end of next long rest:
disadvantage on Dex-based checks, advantage on Chr-based checks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>(Yes, I’ve totally stolen Advantage/Disadvantage
for my mashup game.)</i><o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Her tongue doubles in length and turns forked
like a serpent’s for 1d4 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During
this time, nobody believes her lies and 25% won’t believe her even when she
speaks the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tongue turns black, lips crack and bleed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She can only speak in Abyssal but everyone
can understand her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those she speaks two
shift towards a negative reaction (though they also suffer a penalty on morale
checks) and her spit is poisonous until the end of her next long rest.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When she speaks, flower petals fall from her
mouth until the end of her next long rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Disconcerting, but otherwise harmless.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When she speaks, frogs appear in her mouth
until the next sunrise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Makes it
impossible to carry on a conversation and she must pass save vs. Poison to
successfully cast a spell with a verbal component.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1-in-6 chance the frogs secrete a
hallucinogenic slime, giving her disadvantage on all rolls for up to an hour
after the last frog has popped out of her mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A glowing crown of St. Elmo’s Fire surrounds
her horns, hovering over her head until the end of her next long rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During this time, sneaking is impossible
without the halo being hid by an illusion.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">She starts to exude powerful pheromones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Increases the chance of random encounters, and
increases the chance of a baddie targeting her.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Her sense of smell becomes incredibly
sensitive until the end of her next long rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At least a 10 minute warning before any random monster encounter, bonus
on surprise checks, but disadvantage on all saves vs. gas attacks (like poison
gas, stinking cloud, or troglodyte musk).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Until the next sunrise, Aezlyth’s STR drops
to 6 unless her bare skin is touching the earth.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Until
the next sunrise, whenever Aezlyth takes physical damage, long spines or thorns
erupt through the wounds in her skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Each such eruption does an additional 1 point of damage to Aezlyth’s
target when she makes a successful attack in melee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The damage counts as coming from a magical
weapon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The spines and thorns last until
moonset.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A
dark miasma lightly veils her until sunrise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Has a 75% to successfully hide in shadows.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
spell fails to go off, but a random demon gates into this world inside the body
of the spell’s target.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The demon rips
through the target, killing it instantly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The demon’s opinion of Aezlyth is determined by rolling 2d6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2: immediate attack; 3-5: hostile; 6-8
Uncertain and confused; 9-11: doesn’t attack and may consider offers from
Aezlyth to join her side in this fight; 12: friendly (for a demon).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Aezlyth
acquires one of the mild insanities from page 83 of the DMG.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every moonrise, she gets to roll a save vs.
Poison to shake off the madness.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Before
(or just after) the party takes a rest to reacquire spells, Aezlyth encounters
a tent of midnight blue silk stitched with golden stars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the peak of the tent is a golden crescent
moon, horns pointed down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Outside the
tent is a suc/incubus wearing nothing but sheer silks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will welcome Aezlyth and her friends to
“the Phantasmagorical Seraglio of Valentine the Sly.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will also be instructed to take off
their shoes before entering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Anyone not
barefoot when they enter the tent will feel off-balance and fuzzy-headed, and
suffer disadvantage on all saving throws while in the tent.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside are more incu-succubi serving a richly
gowned arcanaloth smoking from a hookah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Valentine is a fixer, information-broker, and advocate for the powers of
the Lower Realms (specifically demons and devils).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Exactly what he’s up to and what he wants is
up to the DM, but this is an opportunity for the PCs to purchase magic,
information, or help at a very steep price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s also an opportunity for Valentine to deliver any messages from a
demon to the PCs.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Hag-ridden!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as Aezlyth settles down to sleep,
she’ll vanish in a cloud of foul smoke and a wicked, cackling voice will
promise to return her in eight hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She’ll be pony-girled up and hitched to a night hag’s chariot, forced to
transport the hag through the Ethereal Plane on her foul errands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’ll be returned at the end of 8 hours still
trussed up in pony gear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She will not
get the benefit of any rest and, if exhaustion is used, she probably acquired
some.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A
stinging pain, like a shirt of nettles, descends on Aezlyth’s back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her back is now tattoed with a rainbow of
scintillating script in Abyssal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Roll a
d6 to find out what the script says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1:
the truth about Aezlyth’s parentage (1-in-20 chance it includes her father’s
name or other details about him); 2: a beautifully written description of
Aezlyth’s last erotic experience; 3: a charm that, if read aloud, will force
Aezlyth to obey any non-suicidal command the reader gives her until the end of
the reader’s next long rest; 4: the true name of a randomly determined demon;
5: what claims to be the true name of a randomly determined demon, but it’s not
accurate; 6: a randomly determined spell that can be cast like a scroll from
her back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tattoo vanishes as soon as
the magic is used or the night of a new moon ends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After
their next sleep, Aezlyth and her companions wake up in the Wandering Bazaar, a
plane-hopping marketplace populated by demons, modrons, yugoloths, drow,
etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they leave the bazaar, they
find themselves wherever it was they’d started that long rest.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
next spell-casting creature Aezlyth kills turns into a green slaad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Until
the next sunrise, domesticated animals fear Aezlyth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">During
her next sleep, Aezlyth is visited in her dreams by a powerful demon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is forced to play dragon chess with this
being (some of the pieces look disturbingly like her friends).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She must out-roll the demon (who has a +3) to
win the game, using her INT the first time, her CHR the second time, and either
for every roll after until one of them has won a total of three rolls. If she
loses, she owes the demon a service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her
body will be marked with a tattoo or brand until she clears the debt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she wins, she acquires a new spell of her
choice from the Magic-user list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
either case, she wakes feeling fully refreshed.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">During
her next sleep, Aezlyth is visited in her dreams by a quintet of succubi who
claim to be her cousins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s forced to
play dragon poker with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the
game is over and she wakes, roll a d6 to see what happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1: she’s completely naked and covered in
hickies, having lost her clothes in the game; 2: lost half her money (rounded
down); 3: returns with a lovely collar of lace and velvet locked around her
neck, owing one of her cousins a favor (even if she gets rid of the collar, she
still owes the favor); 4: lost one magic item of her choice or, if she has
none, all her gold pieces or, if she has no gold either, see 3; 5: doubled her
gold pieces; 6: acquired one randomly determined magic item.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In any case, she wakes up feeling fully
refreshed.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Aezlyth
spends the next round vomiting up a quasit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She can take no other actions during this time.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
target of her spell acquires a random mutation.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
target of her spell spends the next 1d4 rounds vomiting up a red slaad each
round.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the target can do nothing
else, the slaadi fight to the death to protect the target.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Her
spell-casting has been noticed!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
chance that the next random encounter the group has is with demons or those who
serve demons is increased.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A
pride of lamia (1 male and 1d6 females) will begin to hunt Aezlyth and her
crew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unless they do something to hide
their tracks, the lamia will catch up to Aezlyth in 1d4 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they defeat our heroes, the lamia will
drink their blood (leaving each with a single hit point) and steal all their
jewelry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><!--[if !supportLists]--><p></p>
trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-42628385798363795712023-01-13T17:48:00.002-06:002023-01-13T17:54:18.764-06:00The 2023-24 Fantasy RPG Mad Scrum is ON!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmmfSnmKXoO5RlMw-a9HN4UIas1HQDz4zIcQhf04kxCEsz5kypuAncPy-szG8NiIR_d2FRONvZ73wecHVsW8WeyAuIsUVM3alCDT93YLuVGP5LyhPSiNJQIClyHSynMVaiGTgywrz8aE8Ww4--2pDOhoQiqvNB7UaEsFjAp5RIB6W6M-7tNA/s788/Pathfinder1_02.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="788" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmmfSnmKXoO5RlMw-a9HN4UIas1HQDz4zIcQhf04kxCEsz5kypuAncPy-szG8NiIR_d2FRONvZ73wecHVsW8WeyAuIsUVM3alCDT93YLuVGP5LyhPSiNJQIClyHSynMVaiGTgywrz8aE8Ww4--2pDOhoQiqvNB7UaEsFjAp5RIB6W6M-7tNA/w200-h136/Pathfinder1_02.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Anyone else feeling a bit of </span><a href="https://trollsmyth.blogspot.com/2008/03/2008-fantas-rpg-wars-are-on.html" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;" target="_blank">RPG industry déjà vu</a><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;">?</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">At this point, there doesn’t seem to be much WotC can do
to put the genie in the bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
whole OGL fiasco has been a self-own of 4e proportions, and now everyone else
in the biz is being pushed by a realization that the OGL is no longer a safe
harbor <i>AND</i> scenting blood in the water of that no-longer-safe harbor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">In short, we should see a flood of new fantasy RPGs out
this year and into next.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Free League Press was already set to release the English
version of <a href="https://us3.campaign-archive.com/?u=2dcfb24fb7c8d0fb9c2f52040&id=5c7a3b991f" target="_blank">Drakar och Demoner</a> (which is being called Dragonbane).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kobold Press has their <a href="https://koboldpress.com/raising-our-flag/" target="_blank">Black Flag project</a> (be patient; their web site is getting pounded), which
I’m expecting will be as close to 5e as the lawyers will allow, but which I
hope is more Sword & Sorcery than that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’s a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HMtk9SAjUI&t=2071s" target="_blank">new version of Sword & Wizardry coming</a>, but that will
simply be the game we know with any actionable trace of D&D language altered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The one I’m really curious about is Critical Roll.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If WotC hasn’t already locked the CR team
into a contract to run 6e next year, they’re bigger fools than I thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far CR has only released a fairly anodyne <a href="https://twitter.com/CriticalRole/status/1614019463367610392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1614019463367610392%7Ctwgr%5Eedac1a4133e630040c22975c6797ff57336c67f3%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwegotthiscovered.com%2Fgaming%2Fcritical-role-shares-official-statement-regarding-wizards-of-the-coast%2F" target="_blank">“we standby creators” statement</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That could mean
WotC already has them roped in, or it might just mean that lots of their add
space in their streams has already been purchased for D&D Beyond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I’m hearing that the episodes being released now were filmed last month, so they won’t have pivoted that quickly, nor do I know
how far in advance they’ve sold advertising for.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">If WotC doesn’t have CR locked into a contract already,
Mercer & Co. have a huge opportunity ahead of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>D&D might have the biggest name recognition,
but their outreach is barely existent when compared to Critical Role.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, a movie and a TV show will help if they are good, but that’s not really the way to bet based on other popular properties
that have made it to streaming recently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">If CR goes their own way and releases their own RPG (and
it’s good), they’ll be a serious contender against D&D, the same way
Pathfinder was for 4e.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they sign on
to play someone else’s game, that could be even more dangerous for D&D,
wedding CR’s outreach with another company’s publishing experience and team of
creatives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The big issue here is, which game would they pick?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s well known that CR started playing
Pathfinder but moved to D&D because it worked better with the streaming
format.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That means Pathfinder 2e is not
a likely choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it also knocks
the Cypher System and the AGE System out of contention for similar
reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fate and the Forge games do odd
things with storytelling that I don’t think would work for what CR does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dice mechanic for Savage Worlds might be
a bit too difficult to follow on a show.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I’d love to see them play an OSR game like <a href="https://www.neoclassicalgames.com/product-page/neoclassical-geek-revival#:~:text=Neoclassical%20Geek%20Revival%20(NGR)%20is,focused%20on%20player%2Ddriven%20shenanigans." target="_blank">NeoclassicalGeek Revival</a> or Old-School Essentials, but I suspect there are folks already
bidding for CR’s attention with lucre that no OSR game could match.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Kobold Press was willing to stray a bit
from the 5e formula and tweak things to better serve a streaming show, they
could have a shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Whatever happens, WotC has shown weakness and<a href="https://icv2.com/articles/games/view/20743/top-5-rpgs-q2-2011" target="_blank"> memories of’08</a> are still fresh enough that everyone is slavering at the jaws for a chance
in the ring with the king.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fear
most will try to play it safe and come out with something that’s as close
to 5e as possible, but I’m hoping we’re about to see a deluge of creativity and
variety that the RPG industry has never seen before.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">It's going to be an exciting year.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><br /><p></p>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-53357976070433030022023-01-07T14:18:00.000-06:002023-01-07T14:18:15.911-06:00A Little FUDGE<p><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIxFyJ2bMwJMwmSSgYjFje78iIQZ31TbvPFVo9EjZvdAVvzyi5qNzxb1Skp8sPl3vy7rKtzi9WJfcg_46RGOi4rAaY1aLt1wH2ydViZcwkR9Y1fa1VzlThY5FXA6y2YolusMKWEpL30-6hmIJcZBSxNcw9SQOffV08BX4II3jX_SPAlBCjrY/s1588/labfudgedice.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1588" data-original-width="1588" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIxFyJ2bMwJMwmSSgYjFje78iIQZ31TbvPFVo9EjZvdAVvzyi5qNzxb1Skp8sPl3vy7rKtzi9WJfcg_46RGOi4rAaY1aLt1wH2ydViZcwkR9Y1fa1VzlThY5FXA6y2YolusMKWEpL30-6hmIJcZBSxNcw9SQOffV08BX4II3jX_SPAlBCjrY/w200-h200/labfudgedice.png" width="200" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-06088080-7fff-2c0d-b238-b2bafc0867f0"></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">A player in my weekly face-to-face game mentioned that they’d hardly played anything other than D&D, and 5e at that. I couldn’t let that stand, so I promised to run something for them after the holidays. That was this past Thursday, and the game I picked was <a href="https://www.fudgerpg.com/" target="_blank">FUDGE</a>.</span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-5ba43cfd-7fff-6b8d-1ff5-c90fc5c676d0"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I chose FUDGE because it has three virtues. First, its flexibility allowed me to create a setting that was space opera; a nice change of pace from the usual fantasy. Second, it’s easy to pick up and play; the player in question already mentioned how much simpler the math is. Finally, and most importantly, the core mechanic is about as not-D&D as you can get while still using dice and not going deep into Forge-esque territory.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For those not in the know, FUDGE is a descendent of GURPS, and like GURPS, eschews the randomness of a single d20 for a bell-curved core mechanic. The result is a very not-swingy game, where your stats and skills are very important. GURPS uses 3d6, but FUDGE uses proprietary dice that have six sides with two marked +, two marked -, and two left blank. You roll 4 (or sometimes 3) dice, add any modifiers, and compare to a target number. Each + adds 1 to your total while each - removes 1. It’s extremely rare to get outside the range from -1 to +1, so if you can’t reach the target number with just your stats and modifiers, you’re probably not going to reach it at all. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This actually makes FUDGE a decent intro to Old School play since you can’t rely on the dice very much; if you’re going to accomplish the difficult thing, you’ve got to find a way to really rack up the bonuses or (better yet) find a way to succeed without the dice entirely.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the DM’s side of the screen, however, I discovered how much I’ve leaned on random tables and the dice for inspiration. Letting the dice describe elements of setting or situation has been a great boon in introducing elements that are different from my own usual go-to stuff. But when the usual range of a roll is only three possibilities, that doesn’t leave a lot to hang randomness on. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Labradorite Fudge Dice <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/864638173/engrave-labradorite-fudge-dice-d6-4-pcs?click_key=2e5791171620d528073a108901918013c18ebb3a%3A864638173&click_sum=9798b4bc&external=1&rec_type=cs&ref=pla_similar_listing_top-6&sts=1" target="_blank">from URWizards</a>.</i></span></p><div><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-45754891825901935492023-01-05T20:00:00.001-06:002023-01-05T20:00:00.195-06:00DUNGEON23: Which Monsters?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULiPahxE93p5xDqeKMKFsB-IIRBADv2hHmrZuuuNL8i-54ge5H08gHM74djj0x4uYZ19l6wDkdQ2_HdeaynSKhPnGQqF9YRuDVcHUbkFkFlEumPltyI4Vwib9H5-tvIryJEAos0Ry-7KRHXOeCHHVQUwdCs4FYad2LWqJTvPBGK9W9ZbetQI/s1023/183092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="749" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULiPahxE93p5xDqeKMKFsB-IIRBADv2hHmrZuuuNL8i-54ge5H08gHM74djj0x4uYZ19l6wDkdQ2_HdeaynSKhPnGQqF9YRuDVcHUbkFkFlEumPltyI4Vwib9H5-tvIryJEAos0Ry-7KRHXOeCHHVQUwdCs4FYad2LWqJTvPBGK9W9ZbetQI/s320/183092.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;">I was flipping through the <a href="http://monstersandmanuals.blogspot.com/2014/05/housekeeping.html" target="_blank">2e monster manual</a>, looking for
inspiration as to what will be under the ziggurat, when I realized there’s no
reason I need to use the monsters in there.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;">I didn’t use the usual stats for the bandits based around the ziggurat,
I have in mind one area that will use completely unique monsters, and another
area where I’m using a traditional monster but mutated (no promises on either
of those; these are ideas only, and when I get there I may have thunked up
better ones).</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;">And I’m already using
ascending ACs, so I may as well wallow in my blasphemy.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Therefore, you’ll recognize names, but the stat blocks
won’t be the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that’s going
to be an issue for some, but it’s one that’s easy to fix, so I don’t feeling a
burning need to include the “official” stats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This also gives me the opportunity to contemplate new
spins on traditional monsters, which can be a lot of fun, if much slower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while I truly intend this to be a
megadungeon, I’m going to continue to err on the side of quality over quantity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-14834669673947896702023-01-04T09:30:00.001-06:002023-01-04T09:30:00.193-06:00DUNGEON23: The Dry River<p><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">The bandits have been using the edge nearest their tents as a latrine. Anyone trying to sneak up to the camp through the dry river during daylight hours will almost certainly be seen by the bandits standing guard on the ziggurat.</span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-25296911235235933872023-01-03T17:18:00.005-06:002023-01-03T17:18:55.692-06:00Happy DuranDuran-mass<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> Really looking forward to reading <a href="https://xbowvsbuddha.blogspot.com/2023/01/im-back-fkrs.html" target="_blank">what the good Doc is doin'</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhI_XnHFqKSkTBZnx_HHdQeLvwNE5wk4ezNeiAK0M380yrDFZVx7KVHxeXLBYElEHc3hsxcAjsjmMzQziojnvu_xjS-Ai4Ki6YPKW8MEwDuysMi3y33ivXX-MmOjKJAKMdc7xXzaKY78QKFf2qOYnfHyimbyAJ9nWLV4IhbX5iXdllbn7cPY/s709/NL-XBOW.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="709" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhI_XnHFqKSkTBZnx_HHdQeLvwNE5wk4ezNeiAK0M380yrDFZVx7KVHxeXLBYElEHc3hsxcAjsjmMzQziojnvu_xjS-Ai4Ki6YPKW8MEwDuysMi3y33ivXX-MmOjKJAKMdc7xXzaKY78QKFf2qOYnfHyimbyAJ9nWLV4IhbX5iXdllbn7cPY/w400-h158/NL-XBOW.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-7812122079287306362023-01-02T20:01:00.008-06:002023-01-02T20:01:00.200-06:00Dungeon23: the Bandits Corral<h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 20pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">The Corral</span></span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">The bandits improvised a corral here inside the ruins of a large building. </span></span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Strong smell of horse and oats.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Repaired ruin walls.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Wooden fences to mark the edges of the corral.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">An undyed canvas tarp stretched out over the corral to give the animals shade.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Inside the corral are:</span></span></p></li><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: circle; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">2 warhorses.</span></span></p></li></ul><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Outside the corral and in front of the ziggurat, hobbled, are:</span></span></p></li><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: circle; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">16 riding horses.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: circle; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">21 mules.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: circle; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">The animals are well taken care of (peasants know a thing or two about caring for animals) but are also worked hard. </span></span></p></li></ul><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">The barrels hold oats and water. The hay pile is on the other side of the wall from the barrels. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">There are always at least 2 bandits here during the day standing guard, and 3 at night with the campfire out front lit up, if the horses are here. If the horses are out on a raid, there might be only 1 guard here if some horses or mules got left behind, or no guards at all if the beasts are all out. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">The tack for the horses is piled up near the wall and includes blankets, halters, and saddles for the horses, and halters, blankets, and pack saddles for the mules. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Early in the morning, just after dawn, one of the youngest of the bandits will be in here mucking out the corral. In the early afternoon, three or more bandits will be here caring for the tack.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">The dung from the horses and mules is allowed to dry and then used in the bandits’ campfires.</span></span></p></li></ul><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-a3bfd300-7fff-cb58-e5c6-edb11b537df1"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Map made with Inkarnate and GIMP. Each square is 5’ across.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2abfaeed-7fff-6a97-fae1-29967e2f34bc"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-I-CPPBP8hVxs5vumSNHZaLLA7HM4w01dVrPI5pTTGcRt5bkRrexaMXg5supPbujKoQ2RaE6f2jpiOkuWKDiUJgyNg_eaUsb2vpoS9TXOGR9I7sRzyiToeJSRKgs0jSpUdbGTSVrELO8yWwOIQ0nYXjwHhR48qDHIrt0vlOCn-J4dlgzxMx4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1177" data-original-width="1855" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-I-CPPBP8hVxs5vumSNHZaLLA7HM4w01dVrPI5pTTGcRt5bkRrexaMXg5supPbujKoQ2RaE6f2jpiOkuWKDiUJgyNg_eaUsb2vpoS9TXOGR9I7sRzyiToeJSRKgs0jSpUdbGTSVrELO8yWwOIQ0nYXjwHhR48qDHIrt0vlOCn-J4dlgzxMx4" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: "Playfair Display", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></div><br /><p></p>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28751902.post-81697812183004043882023-01-02T19:58:00.002-06:002023-01-02T19:58:55.877-06:00Just in Case You Thought Everything was too Cordial and Polite Right Now<p>I, for one, look forward to Caroline Ellison's adventure based on machinations within the Chinese imperial harem.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D4SDHS9el0U" width="320" youtube-src-id="D4SDHS9el0U"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>trollsmythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.com0