Hungerling lake

A small dungeon in the Underdark for low-level characters using a Dyson Logos map. The big challenge here is not alerting the horde of hungry carnivores that some edible adventurers have entered their dungeon.You can download it from here. It's my entry for the Itch.io Dyson Logos Jam, which is all about grabbing one of Dyson's free commercial maps and stocking it with creatures and treasures.

How does Dyson keep pumping out top-tier dungeon maps every couple of days? He's some kind of prodigy. The Bruce Lee of map-making.

Speaking of Itch.io, I've made copies of anything from my blog that looks useful on an Itch page of my own. Download 'em, print 'em, scatter them on the floor and roll around in 'em. No charge.

Browsing the RPG authors on Itch, it seems like everyone's got a game or several, but there's considerably less in terms of adventures and add-on material. Maybe that's a useful area to focus.

Black science

Mention black magic and what comes to mind is curses, necromancy, blood sacrifice, summoning demons, making pacts with Things From Beyond. All of this is obviously bad and wrong. You can immediately recognise that magic is black because there's never any positive outcome from, eg., raising the dead. A curse is a nefarious thing, even if you're cursing for a good reason. 

I'd like to create a concept of black science. Not just science conducted by illicit means, but science that poisons its goals, offends the gods (if they exist) and generally gets the scientist chased out of town by a pitchfork-wielding mob. Which might turn out to be nothing more than magic with added blinkenlights, but if that's the case then so be it.

Science is often considered to be equal but opposite to magic, particularly in RPGs. If you're talking about black science, you're talking about:

• Re-animation
• Opening portals to the hell dimension
• Mind control
• Mutating victims
• Harvesting organs/fluids
• Killer robots
• Blowing up the moon. (Too specific?)
• Draining energy from intelligent beings
• Planarianism (learning by extracting the brain of someone who knows what you want to know)
• Altering history
• Biowar/chemwar
• Bargaining with evil aliens

(Note: Since assembling this list I've been informed that it's only black science if you don't know what you're doing. If you know exactly what you're doing, it's black engineering.)

There's obviously some cross-over here. You could imagine a guy in a labcoat and butcher's apron trading threats with a guy in a purple robe and butcher's apron over the top of a freshly filled grave. Elizabeth Bathory took blood from her servants to stay young, Alexander Bogdanov took blood from his students. In DC's old Captain Marvel comics, one of the villains was Dr Sivana, who could speak a scientific formula that allowed him to walk through walls.

What does a black scientist want?

Money, power, revenge, respect... the usual gamut. He may also be motivated by a pure but reckless curiosity about things that mankind were obviously Not Meant To Know. A willingness to sacrifice others in pursuit of forbidden knowledge is a given. You don't make a megalomania omelette without breaking a few egos. Black scientists aren't necessarily mad, but they have an intensity that smaller minds can't match.

 

Signs and portents

 

Evidence that there's black science going on should leak out in the form of mass headaches, deformed animal births, mass bird deaths. A hint that someone's messing with radiation and/or ultrasonics. Power drains? Stepford people? MIBs? Mysterious lights at night?

Stepfords could be people who've thrown their ambitions in with the scientist ("Dr Deathbringer is a respected member of our community! His portal to the vampire dimension will bring industry and business back to this town!") or actual smiling zombies ("Dr Deathbringer knows what's right. We should do as he says. Dr Deathbringer knows what's right. We should --"). In the latter case, they could turn into rage zombies if something takes them outside the parameters of their programming.

I like the idea that black science inadvertently summons or even creates Men in Black. Maybe they're observers from elsewhere. Maybe antibodies in a universal immune system. Always enigmatic. Sometimes working for the scientist, sometimes opposing him.

 

Witch marks

 

Lab coats, jacob's ladders, and cackling laughter are a bit on the nose, aren't they? So maybe we don't use those. Wild hair and a tendency to rant is fair game, though. Poor social skills. A general lack of patience for ignorant outsiders.

Question: is this just a reskinned magician? Mmm, possibly. Better question: what kind of game do I intend this for? Probably not off-the-shelf fantasy. Something pulpy? Something post-WWII-cold-war-red-scare-stranger-danger-ish.

The Why of Strongholds

It's a hazardous undertaking for civilisation to expand into wilderness. There are wild animals, monsters to contend with, hostile people who were there ahead of you, and other expanding kingdoms closing in. Everyone feels better knowing there are thick stone or wooden walls nearby they can shelter behind when they need to.

This stronghold protects a:

1. A ferry or bridge
2. A forest
3. A trade road
4. A border route
5. A mountain pass
6. A temple
   

An advantage is:

1. An underground stream below the castle.
2. Extensive cellars, cool and dry. 
3. Good farming land nearby.
4. Vantage points overseeing all approaches.
5. Old-growth trees for timber.
6. Protected from weather by a rock outcropping.
   

A problem is: 

1. Crumbling masonry.
2. Too small for the numbers it needs to shelter during a siege.
3. Top floors of the keep were destroyed by fire.
4. An infestation of vermin.
5. The building is cursed.
6. The lord is deathly ill.
   

Money raised by: 

1.  Charging a fee to passing merchants.
2. Taxing the local community.
   
3. Operating a silver mine.
4. A provision of the king.
5. Contributions from wealthy landowners.
6. Pillaging locals and kidnapping for ransom.
   

A historical fact is:

1. A previous lord was killed in a mutiny.
2. A previous siege was broken by attackers catapulting diseased corpses over the walls. 
3. Troops here won a famous victory against enemy forces.
4. The current lord's family were murdered by a witch he insulted.
5. A demon was imprisoned in the dungeon for many years.
6. The stronghold was used to test a new magical weapon. It failed.
   

An outside threat is:

1. Bandits making hit-and-run raids on locals.
2. Monsters preying on isolated people.
3. Enemy forces just across the border.
4. Seasonal weather will soon make the terrain impassable.
5. A plague is spreading through the area.
6. Raging fires.
   

An inside threat is:

1. A tunnel from the outside has been dug into the cellars. 
2. The priest is a secret member of a heretical sect.
3. The farrier is an enemy agent prepared to poison the horses.
4. Most of the stored grain has been stolen.
5. The guards' discipline is lax.
6. The lord is mad.
   

Cultist collector

A B/X compatible monster inspired by this image. Which might actually be intended for an RPG sourcebook, the artist has done work for Pathfinder. It's probably intended to be a cultist who is a collector, but I choose to read it as a collector of cultists. Bits of cultists, anyway.

The Collector is a summonable intelligent undead creature typically used by cult leaders to punish followers. It loves to hunt and inspire fear in its prey, so it turns the killing into a chase drawn out over hours or days. When the prey is too exhausted to run any further, the Collector will saw their hands off to keep. Then it torments them with its spears until they die.

When first summoned, the Collector is just a cloud of mist. In that form, it can inflict nightmares on a sleeping victim, gradually using their fear to manifest itself in a physical form. From that point it can take mist form at will and uses it for fast travel. In a chase, the prey finds the Collector manifesting ahead of them when they run in any direction other than the one the Collector wants. If the prey loses their fear of the Collector, it has only its stored reserve of fear to call on. When that's used up, it can no longer manifest physically.

The Collector enjoys its job, and even while bound will usually respond to summonings to see if there's another hunt to be had after this one.

AC 9 [13], HD 5 (23HP), Att 1 x spear (1d6), THAC0 12 [+5], MV 120' (40'/100' in mist form), SV 10 11 12 13 14 (F5), ML 8, AL Chaotic, XP 550, TT - (1d4-1 magic items)

Specials:

Undead: Make no noise, until they attack. Immune to effects that affect living creatures (e.g. poison). Immune to mind-affecting or mind-reading spells (e.g. charm, hold, sleep).

Holy undead: Cannot be turned by someone of the same religion as the summoner.

Mist form: The Collector can transform into mist or back as a standard action.

The Why of Ghosts

Is no-one making horror movies about ghosts at the moment? We've had a glut of vampires, zombies and demonic nuns, but I can't remember the last time I watched a good ghost movie. Or a bad one for that matter.

This ghost appears as (1d6):

1. A soldier
2. A bride
3. A child
4. An old woman
   
5. A knight
6. A hooded figure
   

It haunts (1d6):

1. A family home 
2. A castle or stronghold
3. A manor house
4. A market
5. A crossroads
6. A bridge

It died of (1d6):

1. War
2. Disease
3. Murder
4. An accident
5. A curse
6. Neglect
   

A sign of its presence is (1d6):

1. An eerie cold
2. Animals show fear
3. All present feel the same intense emotion
4. Insects and all manner of vermin appear
5. Blood or water dripping
6. Faint sounds of conflict
   

It has the power to (1d6):

1. Hurl objects
2.  Snuff out light sources
3. Steal warmth
4. Curse items to break
5. Start fires
6. Walk through walls
   

And also the power to (1d6):

1. Confuse the mind 
2. Appear as a living being
3. Make friends appear to be enemies
4. Possess people
5. Read minds
6. make people see their fears
   

Its unfinished business is (1d6):

1. Revenge
2. A message to a loved one
3. An unfulfilled promise
4. Atonement for a crime
5. Guarding something that was important in life
6. Proper funeral rites
   

Library bestiary part 2 - Marginalia

Part 2 of the cursed library bestiary. Find part 1 here.

Marginalia

The art of decorating manuscript margins with educational, comical or topical images is called illumination. The curse brings these illuminated images to life in parts of the library that don't get much foot traffic. Most aren't hostile, but they can be noisy if roused and in the library's deep places, noise will attract worse things than Marginalia.

Drolleries 

Drolleries are the standard illumination images - rabbits holding swords, knights riding snails, armoured men with fish on their heads. In the library they're fully-formed beings, but all have a faint parchment-like quality about them. When they move, it's often with the sound of a page turning.

Frequently-encountered drolleries include:

The Snail knight, who rides a giant snail mount. He may challenge the party to a test of honour, hinting that he has vital knowledge that he can only share with fellow cavaliers. The truth is, he only knows the history of a single isolated war.

AC 3 [16] + special (see end of section), HD 4 (18 HP), ATT 1 x lance (1d6), THACO 17 [+2], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F1) ML 8, AL Lawful, XP 175, NA 1 (1), TT None

The Fish knight, who has two brass fish on the side of his helmet. He immediately pledges his undying loyalty to the party and swears to fight and die for the success of their quest. He absolutely will not enter combat, but does loot the body of anyone killed and then try to escape.

AC 3 [16] + special (see end of section), HD 5 (23 HP), ATT 1 x sword (1d8), THACO 17 [+2], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F1) ML 8, AL Lawful, XP 425, NA 1 (1), TT None

Armed rabbits, who team up against any armed person they come across. They use clever strategy and acrobatics and form a serious threat. Even so, they usually make a disciplined retreat before they can do any significant harm. The retreat is via a path through traps they set earlier.

AC 8 [11] + special (see end of section), HD 1-3 (5-14 HP), ATT 1 x weapon, THACO 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F1-3) ML 8, AL Neutral, XP 16/26/41, NA 1d4 (1d4), TT None

Suffering saints, who may be sick, injured, starved, tortured or in pieces. They call to the party to pray with them, but resist any efforts to help them. Their suffering is a personal sacrifice to their god. Drama queens, every single one of them.

AC 8 [11] + special (see end of section), HD 5 (18 HP), ATT -, THACO 17 [+2], MV -, SV 9 10 12 14 12 (C5) ML 8, AL Lawful, XP 0, NA 1 (1), TT None

The Dying king, who was too stubborn to listen to prophets and saints, and is now paying the price. Like the Suffering Saints, he resists assistance. His only purpose now is to warn others not to make his mistake. The crime he describes is so mild or obscure that it makes the whole ordeal ridiculous.

AC 5 [14] + special (see end of section), HD 6 (27 HP), ATT -, THACO 17 [+2], MV -, SV 10 11 12 13 14 (F6) ML 8, AL Lawful, XP 0, NA 1 (1), TT None

Badly-drawn animals, who mill around making the sort of noises only someone who had never seen one in the flesh would expect. Not hostile, but may panic and run in any direction if spooked.

AC 8 [11] + special (see below), HD 1/2 (4/9 HP), ATT 1 x butt (1d4), THACO 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F1) ML 5, AL Neutral, XP 16/28, NA 1d3 (1d3), TT None 

Specials: All drolleries are immune to piercing or bludgeoning damage and take double damage from fire. Anything taken from a drollery turns to paper in a few seconds.

Historia 

Historia are images of actual figures from history: saints, kings, heretical bishops, even a few scientists. They can be found doing the things the people they represent could be expected to do in a library. Reading books, giving dry lectures, ordering troops to reinforce the northern border against invaders.

Historia always know where in the library their book is, and what it contains.

Stats: Apply five levels of whatever class is appropriate for the character. Treasure type L (illuminated manuscripts were occasionally decorated with gold leaf and crushed gemstones).

Specials: Historia  have the same specials as Drolleries (see above).

Parodia 

Parodia are similar to Historia, but these images were created to mock their subjects. They may be cross-eyed, have enormous warts on their faces, and wear expressions of bucolic stupidity. They know nothing useful and spend their time performing ridiculous acts. Like Historia, they're not much threat in a fight, but Parodia love to prank people by tripping them on stairs, slamming doors on them, pushing items down from high places, etc.

Stats: As for Historia.

Rubrics

Rubrics are also similar to Historia, but have a faint pink hue to them. They're blood drinkers and the more they drink, the darker their shade and the greater their power. A fully crimson Rubric is a creature to be wary of. They make no use of stealth and repeatedly shout an obscure phrase as a battle cry.

AC 8 [11], HD 2 (9 HP), ATT 1 x weapon or bite (1d6, see specials), THACO 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F2) ML 8, AL Chaotic, XP 26, NA 1d3 (1d3), TT None

Specials: 

Attack improvement: For each 10 points of HP damage done by bite attacks, the Rubric gains +2 to attacks and -2 to Save targets. 

Damage: Rubrics are immune to piercing or bludgeoning damage and take double damage from fire. Anything taken from a rubric turns to paper in a few seconds.

Grotesques

Grotesques are simply faces. Blocky and panel-shaped, wrapped in hair or leaves and ivy. They possess and animate furniture.  Someone who sits without looking may be bucked off a chair, or have their gear scattered by a spooked table. In groups, Grotesques will act like herd animals - the larger ones may attack to protect the smaller ones, who retreat in panic.

Basic chair

AC 8 [11], HD 2 (9 HP), ATT 1 x bite or kick (1d4), THACO 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F2) ML 6, AL Neutral, XP 20, NA 2d6 (2d6), TT None

Wingback chair

AC 8 [11], HD 3 (14 HP), ATT 1 x bite or kick (1d4), THACO 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F3) ML 6, AL Neutral, XP 35, NA 1d4 (1d4), TT None

Stool

AC 8 [11], HD 1 (5 HP), ATT 1 x bite or kick (1d4), THACO 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F3) ML 6, AL Neutral, XP 10, NA 1 (1d2), TT None 

Desk

AC 8 [11], HD 5 (23 HP), ATT 1 x bite or kick (1d6), THACO 17 [+2], MV 120' (40'), SV 10 11 12 13 14 (F5) ML 6, AL Neutral, XP 175, NA 1 (1d4), TT None 

Table

AC 8 [11], HD 4 (14 HP), ATT 1 x bite or kick (1d4), THACO 17 [+2], MV 120' (40'), SV 10 11 12 13 14 (F4) ML 6, AL Neutral, XP 75, NA 1d2 (1d6), TT None 

Podium

AC 8 [11], HD 2 (9 HP), ATT 1 x bite or kick (1d4), THACO 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F2) ML 6, AL Neutral, XP 20, NA 1 (1d2), TT None

B/X compatible monster: Figthing

The One Page Game Jam has ended, and the entries are available for browsing.

They're a fun bunch of games, but some are a challenge to read. There are handwritten documents, background images that don't contrast the text enough, and in some cases a complete indifference to spelling. One game had a section of 'figthing rules'. To my disappointment, it wasn't rules for things made of figs, it was the combat system. So here's a hostile thing made of figs, for which you might also need some figthing fighting rules.

Figthing

A 7' golem molded from bruised and overripe figs. It squelches as it moves, and carries a buzzing cloud of wasps with it. They crawl on and inside it and form a second threat for an adventuring party to handle. Figthings form (super-) naturally in abandoned fig groves under the influence of awakened wasp nests. They stand in the shadows of trees where they won't dry out, immobile until the wasps detect intruders. Then they attack. A figthing is typically active for two to three weeks before fermentation and rot force its wasps to move on and it loses its animating force.

AC 8[11], HD 4 (18 HP), ATT 1 x fist (1d6) + special (see below), THACO 17 [+2], MV 120' (40'), SV 10 11 12 13 14 (F4) ML 12, AL Neutral, XP 225, NA 1d4 (1d4), TT None

Specials:

Mundane damage immunity: Can only be harmed by magical attacks.

Splatter: Every second round as a free action the figthing can hurl a wad of sticky fruit pulp. If it hits, the target will be swarmed by wasps for automatic damage of 1HP per round and -2 to any action until they take a full round to scrape it off.

Asphyxiate: The figthing can pass up a normal attack to grab an opponent in an adjacent square. STR vs STR to resist. If it succeeds, it will attempt to shove the gripped creature into itself to smother in sticky pulp. Drowning rules apply.

Edible: Each person who joins the attempt can gather 1d4+2 rations of fruit pulp. It spoils in three days unless preserved. A resourceful adventurer would make jam.