He is master of storms, blood, and strife. But he is also god of honor, protection, and rebirth. Mavros, the God of Valera and the Seven Cities—his masks and various incarnations are revered and worshiped throughout Midgard.
You are his word. Epiphany and spiritual fervor compel you to attempt one of the greatest tests of devotion available to your faith. You have made the pilgrimage to the Seat of Mavros, deep in the Wasted West.
Few would even contemplate it. Nearly a thousand harrowing miles from the House of Swords to the Seat, every one of those risking bandit attacks, boneshard storms, and dust goblins along the Bone Road. Worse yet, the possibility of interception by the Court of Webs or capture by the mad druids of the Roatgard. Just the simple, deadly devastation that is the Wasted West deters many. These and others are the trials you have already survived in the name of your faith, your devotion to Mavros.
Equipment: A set of common clothes, an explorer’s pack, a broken weapon, holy symbol, or shield reforged in the Crucible of Mavros, and a belt-pouch containing 3 gp
Feature: No Man Left Behind
The spiritual and philosophical enlightenment and the martial testing and training, gained while at the Seat of Mavros have instilled in you a zealous martial conditioning and code of ethics, which seems to linger even in those who have turned away from the teachings of Mavros.
Blood and battle drive you to greater deeds. Once per turn while in combat, if a comrade you can see is incapacitated or dies, you gain +2 on your next saving throw, spell, or attack roll.
Additionally, your heart is strong and your mind clear. While in battle, you gain a +1 to all saving throws against fear or mind-affecting effects.
For a trip into the weird and wondrous (and actual details on the Wasted West), be sure to check out the Midgard Campaign Settingfrom Kobold Press.
“Do you want the job or not? You got pretty good qualifications, but I won’t lie to you—there’s a lot of guys just as qualified right behind you.”
Jerfren had, in fact, lied at least three times already in their short conversation. Merippik had been counting
The first lie was that the job paid well. It didn’t. But that lie was irrelevant because no job that a lone forest gnome could find in this great dirty city paid well. The second lie was about the quality of the equipment. It was visible through a window on the side of the office. The vats, boilers, and gauges may have been adequate once, but they were never well made, and they had not been treated well. The third lie was that Jerfren made a respectable product. He didn’t. He made beer that was barely distinguishable from what happened after you drank beer.
But it was true that Merippik needed work badly. Wizard’s college was expensive, and the few gems he had come into the city with were long gone. Taking work here would mean spending eighty hours every ten day making beer, in addition to the hundred hours he spent in class or in the lab. That would leave six hours of sleep every night. Realistically though, he still had to eat, bathe, and walk to work, so the actual number would probably be more like four hours.
But this was how he could pay his tuition. It was work here or go back to the forest.
Merippik nodded cautiously.
“Great.” Jerfren couldn’t suppress a small sigh of relief. “You start today. Get to work.”
Merripik scanned the filthy brewery with distaste and resigned determination. The pursuit of magic had cost him everything he possessed. Now, it would cost him every minute of every day. If he spent long enough without sleep, it might cost him his mind. He flexed his fingers and thought back to Creative Thaumaturgy with Professor Clayborne. Maybe, there was a way he could arrange it so that magic would stop costing and start paying…
This spell creates 5 mindless, shapeless forces. Each one has a Strength of 10, an AC of 10, and 1 hit point. When given the command word, each one will watch up to 5 seconds of the caster’s body motion. The force will then repeat that motion over and over again until the end of the spell. Once the pattern is set, no alterations can be made, so for instance, it cannot pick up each bottle from a crate, but will instead reach to the position of the first bottle again and again. If instructed to swing a hammer at a wall, it will continue swinging into the same space, even if the wall falls down. The 5 forces can be given different, interlinked motions to accomplish more complex jobs but careful thought must be put into their timing and positioning.
“I need to bottle, label, and pack a thousand bottles of beer, I need to write a spell for class tomorrow, and I need to sleep for eight hours. I may actually be able to do all of those things at the same time.”
Intoxicate
3rd-level transmutation
Casting time: 1 action Range: 30 Components: M (a small vial of ethanol and a drop of blood) Duration: 1 hour
You transform a small percentage of a target creature’s blood into ethanol, making it instantly and devastatingly drunk. The target may make a Constitution save. If they fail, their speed is reduced to half, and they have disadvantage on all attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks. If they succeed, they suffer disadvantage to ability checks. During its turn, the affected creature may make a Constitution save to shake off the effects of the spell. If they succeed, they may act without penalty that turn.
Merippik used this spell to keep his employer distracted, but the students at the wizards college found others uses for it.
Characters or creatures who have never consumed alcohol are immune to this spell.
“You thumb-fingered, little dandelion eater! This batch is useless. It’s got about as much kick as a one legged mule.”
“Wait. It’ll hit you.”
Separate
2nd-level conjuration
Casting time: 1 action Range: 30 feet Components: V, S, Duration: 4 rounds, then concentration up to 10 minutes
Separate causes all the parts of a mixture to form into discrete groups and stay apart until the end of the spell. The process takes 4 rounds and can affect up to 10 gallons of water, 1 gallon of liquid metal or exotic chemicals, and up to 1,000 cubic feet of gas (a 10 × 10 × 10 cube). After the different parts of the mixture separate, they will stay that way as long as the caster concentrates, up to a maximum of 10 minutes.
This spell also works on blood and other body fluids. The target of the spell must make a Constitution save. They take 2d4 Necrotic damage, or half as much on a failed save. The caster may repeat this attack on the same target every round for 4 rounds, as long as they maintain concentration.
Merippik first used this spell to remove impurities from the water he used for beer. Wizards have since used it to make fresh water from salt water, to purify alchemical components, and to test the concentration of precious metals in various currencies.
“Get out of my brewery, you vandal, or I will reduce you to your component parts.
“Whadyou say, shorty!?”
Sigh. “Do you realize you are about to die as a result of a poorly developed vocabulary? Leave now. Last chance.”
“Gonna cut off your pointy ears and hang them… hang them from… my… bluurdgh”
For more magically delicious spell options, just CAST our eyes on Deep Magic.
This is Osvaud. It is… I suppose… possible that some suicidally foolish spy still finds it appropriate to be reading the private thoughts of the ancient unkillable archmage. If that is the case, I actually want you to pay close attention to this particular page. Afterward, please take a second and imagine the worst possible thing that could happen to you. Then, realize that I am probably significantly more creative than you are.
Which brings us to today’s topic: revenge!
There is that old saying about serving it cold, but that’s lame. A real drive for vengeance is something that comes along once a century, if we’re lucky. The last thing we want to do is ruin that rare passion by being all methodical and calculating about it. I think that silly phrase only exists because mere mortals don’t have the resources to quickly arrange an emotionally satisfying conclusion.
I know I’ve been counseling you to draw stuff out and handicap your efforts. I’ve also said things about creating frenemies with calculated actions. I want you to also know that, every once in a while, you should just let loose. Think up the worst outcome for the target you can imagine, and inflict it. Drawing stuff out is great while you’re doing it, but those long-running diversions tend to blend together over time. By contrast, the stuff that makes us randomly chuckle forever tends to happen pretty fast.
The only other important thing to consider is that a good revenge should be poetic.
Remember, the jerk wizard that destroyed most of our spellbooks? Side note, never keep all of your spellbooks in one place. Make copies. We caught him, put him in a mind fog, and dominated him into disjunctioning artifacts until he lost all his spellcasting. Then we watched as Captain Commoner Equivalent did his best to outrun the ensuing divine intervention.
There was that dark cleric guy that managed to control us for a few months. He was aiming for lichdom and decided to skip over the hard work by making us do it for him. He got overconfident, and his control slipped, so we flipped the tables. After a fantastically fun game of touch attack tag (to the death), we used wish to turn him into a vampire. As if that wasn’t bad enough, we then spent a good week rubbing all his ridiculous weaknesses in his face. I think it was the tanning session on the beach at high tide that finally got him. Freaking vampires. Seriously, when you stop breathing you shouldn’t become more afraid of water.
I could go on, but I think you get the point. Every now and then someone is going to actually manage to get you riled up. When that happens, toss the normal rules out the window and go nuts.
Of course… if the person reading this isn’t me, I want to take a second to give my thanks for your sacrifice. Inflicting some fate worse than death on you is probably going to make for a lovely afternoon.
Encounters have consequences. Every slain bandit has friends who will want revenge, and every devil banished back to the Eleven Hells reports its failure to its Dark Lord. What happens when the PCs’ daring deeds come back to bite them?
The following encounter chains are more than just random encounters. Each conflict flows organically into the next, sometimes without even giving the PCs a chance to catch their collective breath. Each subsequent link in the chain ups the stakes, giving the PCs the sense of falling out of the frying pan… and into the fire.
Encounter 1: A Hunt Awry
Recommended Party Level: 2–4
The birches of the White Forest form a natural wall between five nations, and its sheltering boughs have become a safe haven for insurgents and political exiles from the Canton of Melana. Melanian humans chafe under the rule of dwarven nationalists and warmongers while oppressed kobolds yearn for total revolution. Amidst the chaos, a dwarf loyalist group called the Iron Spike has taken to quietly “disappearing” political dissidents. While traveling in the forest, a chance encounter embroils the PCs in this conflict.
Sunlight filters through the White Forest’s leafy canopy, dust from the well-marked trail shining in every beam. The midday tranquility is broken as a monster crashes through the undergrowth. Its serpentine body swipes saplings aside as its catlike paws propel it across the forest floor. The creature tears past in a streak of red fur before you can react, pursued by an elf on horseback. She calls back to you, “Strangers, draw your bows! Take this beast down!”
The elf veteran archer (Tome of Beasts) is named Xi Derina. The beast she’s hunting is a serpopard (Tome of Beasts) that recently attacked her camp. If they get the chance to talk during or after the fight, the elf explains that she is protecting a group of human rebels from Melana, and this monster must have been sent by their enemies.
Depending on the PC’s level, the combatants may already be wounded. If the PCs are 2nd level, neither combatant is wounded. If the PCs are 3rd level, Xi has 38 hit points. If the PCs are 4th level or higher, the serpopard’s attacks also deal an additional 2d6 necrotic damage.
The serpopard was captured from its marshy home deeper in the forest and corrupted by evil magic, as evidenced by its eerie, pure white eyes. It stops fleeing if a PC strikes it and—against its usual nature—turns to fight to death. It targets Xi first and then the nearest living creature.
Developments. Regardless of the serpopard’s survival, proceed to Encounter 2 at dawn of the next day. If Xi survives the encounter, she requests that they follow her back to camp; proceed to Encounter 2 at dawn of the next day. If Xi does not survive the encounter, she may tell them how to find the village with her last breath.
Encounter 2: Pursued by Shadows
The corrupted serpopard was the work of the Iron Spike, and the PCs who killed it are now considered accessories to rebellion. One day after Encounter 1, a team of Iron Spike killers come to put an end to their enemies once and for all.
If the PCs found their way to Xi’s camp, they find a small team of human and kobold revolutionaries, including one human veteran, one kobold alchemist and trapsmith (Tome of Beasts), and 10 guards.
Depending on the PCs’ level and their number of allies, the number of Iron Spike thugs varies. If the PCs are 2nd level, they encounter one dwarf cult fanatic and four thugs. At 3rd level, add one cult fanatic. At 4th level, also add one black knight commander (Tome of Beasts). If the PCs are in the camp, double all Iron Spike forces.
Developments. When the Iron Spike forces are reduced to half, someone shouts for a runner to be sent back to High Command. If the runner escapes, the Iron Spike’s leaders take interest in the PCs; proceed to Encounter 3 after some time. If the runner is captured, she pleads that she was “just following orders” and begs for mercy.
Encounter 3: Enemies in High Places
Recommended Party Level: 4–6
Even if the PCs meddle no further in Melanian politics, the Iron Spike considers them a threat to national stability. Two of their best agents, the human assassin Sofía—a suave, Bond-like professional—and the dwarf mage Thurl—a jovial gambler—hunt the PCs, using poison and necromancy to strike fast and escape.
Depending on the PCs’ level, the encountered assassins vary. If the PCs are 4th level, the dwarf mage Thurl attacks alone. If the PCs are 5th level, the human assassin Sofía strikes alone. If the PCs are 6th level, both killers work together.
Developments. If the PCs kill their assassins, the Iron Spike deems them too dangerous to pursue unless they return to Melana and cease their pursuit. If either assassin escapes, they are impressed with the PCs’ talent and begin shadowing them, perhaps to become an ally.
There’s no denying that the Iron Guard, often referred to as the Brute Squad once they’re safely out of earshot, is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. It was their prowess working as a team on the front that caught the eye of the lord mayor, but they have a new task now. Find out what is making the strange noises in the woods and what’s causing children to disappear without a trace.
No one seems to know what’s happening, but can the Iron Guard discover the truth before another strange symbol is found carved into a tree and someone else’s child goes missing?
The Elements of The Mystery
A mystery comes in two parts: the Nut and the Shell.
The Nut is the actual explanation to the mystery. For instance, the Nut is knowing that the Shantazan Emerald, which went missing mere hours ago, was taken by someone still in the house and secreted in a bottle of green liquor. The Shell is the layer of mystery and misdirection that the players have to dig through in order to get to the Nut. So, for example, the party would need to find the physical marks left by the thief and conclude that he had not left the house. A search of everyone in the place would show no one had the stone on them, so it was clearly still in the house. But where?
Creating The Trail
The difficulty with mysteries is that you need to be sure they are difficult enough for the party to have to work in order to find the solution but not so dense that only a high roll on a certain skill allows them to progress.
That’s why it’s best to start with what actually happened and then work your way outward from there. So, for example, say that a nobleman has been spending time with several common girls. Several of them have had children by him, and this represents a problem for his family’s reputation and for the rights of succession. So what actions do the nobleman’s family take? Well, they might task someone to steal the children and possibly kill the mothers. If it’s a family guard, does their accent give them away? Did someone catch a glimpse of livery, either on the enforcers or on their horses? Alternatively, if the job was hired out, did the mercenaries use a signature weapon? Did they go too far, turning a kidnapping into a killing? Or are the murders a way to throw off suspicion, covering the smaller crime with a more gruesome one so that no one is looking for the children?
There are a dozen ways a party could choose to investigate this situation. For example, someone with a high Perception or Survival might try to recreate the crime scene, going through the motions of the murder based on the physical evidence. Someone might, at the GM’s discretion, be allowed to use Sense Motive to understand why someone would commit a crime this way or to get the impression that it was staged and that the scene was made to look a certain way in order to cover something up. Characters who have a high Diplomacy might interview witnesses, canvas the neighborhood, and keep their ears open to catch talk in bars and on street corners to see if anyone saw something. If the party cluefinders are sure someone knows something and can’t get that someone to talk, that might be the time for the party muscle to grab them and roll an Intimidate check to get the information. Those with access to spells like speak with dead could ask questions of the victims and learn key facts about what happened.
One of the most important things to remember about the mystery is that there are people who don’t want it solved. So, if the party is applying pressure but not getting results, you have options to drive things forward. For example, the noble family might send agents to dissuade the party from asking questions. If the party takes prisoners, those agents could shine a light on who sent them and why. Alternatively, the person who did the killing might make a trade; he’ll tell the party what he knows in exchange for being allowed to walk away. One of the victims might have friends or family members who suspect the truth and who come tell the party about the regular gentleman caller and the missing child, pointing out details that might get the party’s wheels turning in a different direction.
Mysteries live and die by a GM’s subtlety. You need to leave the clues lying around where players can find them but don’t bash them over the head with plot hooks. Lean back in your chair, and let them work it out for themselves. You might be surprised at what your players come up with.
Neal Litherland provides more gaming insights at his blog Improved Initiative.
Everything has meaning some say, and in a world of suspicion and magic and portents that come true, these curious signs must assume great importance to some; particularly to those that have little else to grasp onto except toil and woe. Here are fifty such beliefs, customs and warning signs from the gods, together with their randomly generated, somewhat obscure meanings or consequences. Use these to have NPCs warn PCs of the true meaning of seemingly mundane occurrences, as tenuous introductions to adventures, side-treks or leads, or simply have them as yet another bit of color that proves, without doubt, what idiots peasants really are.
Perhaps there are even certain naughty people who invent such things purely to achieve their own ends, or even those wicked enough to take advantage of the portent for their own foul needs.
And if you can come up with an adventure using one of these dubious portents, bravo, please share a brief synopsis with us, we’d love to hear about it…
Occurrence/Portent
26. Stone eggs have been found at the crossroads just outside the village for the past week…
27. A two-headed eel the size of a horse has just been dragged from the river…
28. Half a dozen frozen fingers have been found at the village boundary stone…
29. A fox wearing human clothing was seen dancing in Noxey Meadows yesterday at dusk…
30. Scores of pairs of gloves have been found at the threshold of families with unwed daughters…
31. Half a dozen gravestones have swapped places overnight…
32. A hay cart driven by the dead crossed over the village ford at dawn, and since then, no beast will cross it…
33. Human-looking fungi has grown overnight on the church lich gate…
34. Mandrake has been found in the cribs of all babies in the village…
35. Twenty-nine magpies have just been seen in the Great Oak in the village…
36. Molehills have been found on the graves of a dozen goodwives, who were at one time all accused of witchcraft…
37. A black one-eyed peacock was seen following the local nuns as they set off on a pilgrimage this morning…
38. A talking pig has taken over the local mill…
39. Upside-down-hung pairs of scissors have appeared on the lintels of houses belonging to members of the same family…
40. A goodwife in her eightieth year went up to bed last night and vanished on the way upstairs…
41. A storm that shed ochre rain filled with snails and tears passed overhead during the night…
42. A swan was seen leading baby pigs into the local river and drowning them…
43. Gardeners at the local manor house have been digging up teeth all morning…
44. Washing has vanished from the homes of several goodwives…
45. A goblin has been seen dancing on top of the church steeple at sunrise…
46. A weasel chasing a bear wearing a top hat passed through the village a short while ago…
47. Red daffodils have sprung up on the village green…
48. A woman wearing a wedding dress and carrying a baby pig went into the church at dawn and hasn’t been seen since…
49. A whistling ram has been seen by travelers approaching the village over the moors…
50. The apples in a tree in the vicarage garden are all black…
True Meaning
26. …shepherd’s warning.
27. …prudently, let the man who wears facial hair remove it at once or risk bringing death and misery upon us all.
28. …the dead shall rise this night. Let your doors and windows be barred, and heed no nightly noises.
29. …distrust all strange women from afar for they may be the annis come to take your babe.
30. …an immediate tithe to the church of half the coin you own is the only sure way to prevent damnation.
31. …let those who wear green have it torn from them to prevent the green hanged man from visiting each unwed woman in the village this night.
32. …let us pray that the Geese of Donrin do not follow, for if they do, we are all doomed!
33. …quite obviously the Great Worm has woken! Who will save us?!
34. …the dead will knock upon your door this night. Leave for them what coin you can spare outside upon your doorstep, or they may seek to enter and take something more valuable to you.
35. …the Ashen Hen will clearly soon be calling, alas!
36. …we have all naturally decided to leave before dusk taking all our valuables, this place is cursed and doomed!
37. …a clear sign that strangers bring plague—touch them and heed them not! Even a glance from their eyes, if met, can bring fiery death!
38. …the only cure is to drink ourselves into oblivion and hope the coming devils will ignore our insensible flesh!
39. …giants are sure to follow. Let us make ready to defend ourselves in any way we can. Perhaps we could offer the giants a sacrifice—not anyone local, of course.
40. …obviously only the sacrifice of an outsider can save us from the storm of woe that is consequently heading toward us even now.
41. …unless every mole in the village boundary is caught and killed this day, the world will swallow us all in a bite of fire and gnashing teeth!
42. …the sky is sure to fall before dawn! Take to the hills and seek shelter in the caves!
43. …let us look to outsiders who are known to be wise to find a way to stop the coming terror!
44. …someone is sure to die an unexpected and bizarre death this day.
45. …clearly, someone is sure to explode this day, what other conclusion could be possible?
46. …break the coming foul enchantments and cast aside your foppery and gems and jewellery—cast them into the depths of the world along with those who do not willingly give up their sinful excesses!
47. …let those with sin sing their hymns for twelve nights and days in recompense for their weak flesh or face fiery badness!
48. …it would be prudent to let those who are strangers into your homes for the night to bless them!
49. …clearly an indication that all things are about to cease. Let us give thanks in an orgy of happiness and excess for the time we have had.
50. …a clear sign of coming woe from Barg the Terrible, Herald of Unpleasant Things.
For more of Pett’s perilous puns and collected oddities from Your Whispering Homunculus, check out More Whispering Homunculus.
You showed us your dice, and they were glorious. So many to choose from. By no means an easy choice, but our judges have narrowed down all those pictures you sent in. Before we announce the finalists, we want to thank…
The judges: Wolfgang Baur, Marc Radle, and Liz Courts, your job was tough, but you rolled your way through. Thank you!
The participants: you made this all possible. To those of you who sent in photos, there were no fumbles. Thank you!
You, the voting public: now, you get to vote for your favorite of the top five. Time to roll a crit. Thank you!
The five Dice of Doom finalists are listed below with their pics after their names. Below the pics is a poll, and you have from now until next Sunday night (Dec. 18, 2016) to vote for your favorite:
Gregory Barry
Calvin Roach
Paul Shiner
Michael Carrigan
Cliff Newman
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
There’s this wonderful little, game-loving library in Fernwood, Idaho. Games in libraries, you say? Sign us up! So the kobolds made a donation. Well, they sent us back these amazing pictures of one of their recent game days.
“While we’re a small community, your donation made a big difference. We had great fun and played a ton of games. Thank you so much for helping us bring in children of all ages to learn the joys and creativity of gaming with friends and family.” (The Tri-Community Library)
Thank you, Bryan Ebert and the entire Tri-Community Library for making games available to everyone!
Brushing the flakes of rust from her hands, Mira reached into her pouch and withdrew a wooden spike. Glad now that she had paid the druids of the grove to enchant it, the young rogue carefully tapped it into the seam of the pit trap ahead, ignoring the statues of horrific creatures awaiting her at the end of the corridor…
At the far end of the 10-ft-wide corridor, six stone monsters flank a door, the heads of each of the fantastic creatures regarding the door. Their eyes, fashioned from precious gems, sparkle in the presence of the smallest amount of light. The lower half of each statue appears rotted away. Pitted and crumbing stone hide gives way to likewise corrupted stone muscle and bone. An oversized hourglass dangles from the vaulted ceiling, 12 feet above the stone floor.
At the threshold of the passage, an inscription above the archway reads:
Their eyes turned toward the onward way, they did not see time’s swift decay.
The near end of the corridor has also suffered at time’s hand. The flagstones have lifted and set like poorly maintained cobbles. This damage reveals what might once have been a cunningly disguised pit trap: the seam in the floor is clearly visible.
Close examination of the seam reveals ancient flakes of rust. An aura of strong necromancy radiates from the monstrous statues, focused on the decayed nether regions of the statues and connected to the black sand in the hourglass.
The decor and aura serves as misdirection, seeking to draw multiple creatures into the hallway before the trap triggers. The pit trap is easily spiked, but such spikes pierce the tough hide of an alchemically preserved rust monster corpse. Metal rusts away in 4 rounds, the decay hidden until the last moment: only careful observation provides any warning. As the spikes crumble into flakes of rust, the pit trap springs.
The hourglass pivots in a bracket, draining sand into the lower chamber when the locks on the far door are tampered with. Examination of the timepiece (even before the pivot triggers) reveals that if held parallel to the floor, the sand will not drain into either chamber. A medium or small creature standing on the shoulders of a medium creature can reach the device; using a pole or other object to “disarm” the pivot requires a steady hand.
Pathfinder Statistics
Corridor Features: Strong wooden door with difficult lock (DC 25 disarm, 2d4 rounds).
Magical Aura: Strong necromancy (automatic success) from the statues, created by a magic aura.
False Bypass: Manipulating the hourglass with a pole or similar device requires a DC 15 Dexterity or Disable Device check, success is automatic if a creature steadies the glass with its hands.
Spike-Eating Pit Trap CR 6
Type mechanical; Perception automatic to discover pit, DC 25 grants a DC 20 Dungeoneering check to reveal the rust monster membrane; Disable Device DC 15*
EFFECTS
Trigger location; Onset Delay See below; Reset none Effect 60-ft.-deep pit (6d6 falling damage); DC 25 Reflex avoids; multiple targets (all targets in the 10-ft.-by-40-ft. corridor).
Metal spikes decay in 4 rounds; a creature specifically watching them spots the rust at the end of the third round. Wooden spikes, unless reinforced in some fashion, snap after three Medium or Small creatures enter the corridor. Stone spikes or similar materials disarm the trap automatically. When un-spiked, the trap functions as any other pit trap.
*The rust monster membrane must be identified to allow a disarm check against it, otherwise a creature believes spiking the pit is sufficient.
5E Statistics
10-ft.-by-40-ft. Pit Trap. Spiking the pit is automatic. A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check grants a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check to identify the rust monster membrane. A DC 15 Dexterity Saving Throw avoids the fall, which deals dangerous damage.
13th Age Statistics
10-ft.-by-40-ft. Pit Trap. Spotting the rust monster membrane is a normal task, identifying it is a hard task, and the fall from the trap deals hard damage against multiple targets.
S&W Statistics
10-ft.-by-40-ft. Pit Trap, 40-ft. deep. Success on a Delicate Tasks check spots the rust monster membrane; dwarves examining the crack succeed 4 times in 6 to identify it as an organic component rather than stone. A 3d6 Intelligence check identifies the membrane (2d6 if it is tested with some sort of metal implement). If un-spiked, the pit triggers on a 1–2 in 6 when a creature crosses the threshold, and automatically when three or more creatures enter the hall (which also snaps wooden spikes). The fall deals 4d6 falling damage, 3d6 Dexterity check halves.
Are you looking for a table of Midgard-flavored gaming goodness? We’ve got tables showing up at conventions in the coming months. GM and designer Mike McKeown is going to be running “Madman at the Bridge” and “Debt of Blood” at Marscon 2017 on January 13-15th, 2017—Williamsburg, VA—Tidewater Virginia’s longest running convention. Madman is a perennial favorite and Debt made its premiere at Gencon 2016. If you’re in the region or planning on attending, let us know or send us pictures from the game. We love play reports!
Let others wonder what dangers lurk within the shadows: you learned long ago that the true power is shadow itself. Through deep study and practice—or a long-ago mark on your bloodline—you can draw mysterious, unsettling energy from the alien dimension known as the Shadow Realm, and turn it to your own use.
Those who fear the shadows, also fear you. Let them.
Deep Magic: Shadow Magic brings the secrets of shadow magic into your 5th Edition campaign, featuring:
A Shadow Bloodline sorcerous origin, with Tainted Shadows, Evil Eye, Dark Illusions, and more
The Light-Eater: a new warlock patron, with new pact boons
A new Whisper roguish archtype, with new abilities including Dark Trickery, Shadow Road, and Misdirection
20 new spells, including banshee wail, claws of darkness, malevolent waves, umbral storm, and more
A new monster to conjure: the shadow mastiff!
Where darkness brings dread to others, for you it brings a fierce joy and a surge of power. The shadows are your dominion; and by drawing upon them, you become a force to be reckoned with. Get Deep Magic: Shadow Magic from the Kobold Store today!
“He’s still out there master.”
“Good.”
“But master, your great uncle Flobb is turning blue.”
“Let him. I never liked the man.”
“But master, it is the season of goodwill. Surely, you have some kindness in your bones at this, the happiest time of the year.”
“Nope.”
This is the season of good will—the giving of gifts, the joy of friends and family, the season of happiness and pleasure.
At least in general.
Not everyone shares those good wishes, however, and a false smile may hide many things. This time of year is an occasion to bring family and friends together, but in a dangerous place like a fantasy campaign, these events may be a mask for darker events.
This Christmas edition of the Homunculus explores those aspects in adventuring—the moot, the gift, the visitor—that this season in particular suggests. It proposes ways to use them to create great atmospheres for your games. The events and suggestions below fit in with this time of year perfectly but may be of use at any time. Throwing a totally unexpected event by the way of your players creates an immediate suspicion—can all really be as it seems? Are our enemies reaching out to become friends, or do they have ulterior motives…
All these situations come with a proviso that they will work for some and not for others, and that’s not just some players but also some characters. Many very religious or strict PCs come with beliefs that absolutely forbid interaction with the enemy; this article is not for them, it is for those who enjoy a greyer line, those who smile and then slay, those who can see that the enemy of my enemy may also be—at least temporarily—my friend.
The Friend and Foe Feast
The forced feast backdrop works only if the opportunity to openly fight is removed on pain of some terrible fate. It could be that the PCs’ overlord demands all the groups attend the same meeting for a purpose or that some event draws them together.
At the beginning of (ahem) “Sorrow,” an adventure within Midgard Tales, the PCs attend a wedding between the king’s beautiful daughter and a vile and very feral fey. The setup is that the PCs are guests and expected to behave along with everyone else despite the horrific and bestial nuptials before them. This backdrop—visiting PCs within the household of a friendly ally or potential employer—enables the GM to keep order despite the revolting nature of what is occurring. It offers one way to tackle this set up.
The threat of some terrible penalty for defying the forced truce must be real, however, but not necessarily physical: the removal of favors, fines, and loss of face all work far better than an actual physical threat, but go with whatever set up you think your players will enjoy. You could even go for the carrot rather than the stick by using the well known “they are your enemy, but we need something from them” setup.
The real joy in these situations is having friend and foe together without the option of combat, so other skills and good old roleplaying comes into the foreground. Here, combat is more about wit and repartee and, perhaps, an option to humiliate ones’ foe tastes even sweeter than a combat—stealing away a treasure, a land, or a love from right under their noses can be savored and, of course, used to establish a hatred that runs even deeper due to the enforced familiarity.
This intrigue works best if it draws the PCs in using the setup of respect or of potential future alliances—or in other words, when the players actually want their characters to take part rather than forcing them. There are other ways to pull off this uncomfortable meeting. One example is tradition where the host of the event must not allow blood to be spilt beneath his roof. There is also religion, where the observance of a holy festival or rite during which no blood can be spilt must, of course, be observed by all parties. There also rests the potential of some respected or holy meeting place or holy ground where such gatherings can occur, but step away from those bounds, and the usual rules apply. Let your imagination run free when it comes to reasons, but try to avoid the fallback option of force as it does, if you’ll pardon the pun, feel forced.
If, like me, you’re a fan of Game of Thrones, think on that amazing Red Wedding and how horrific are the events that unfold, running contrary to all honor. What great stories blossom from that one terrible act. Take that tale, and run with it as another more crooked option to this situation, and use it as a double bluff, have half a dozen such events run smoothly across your campaign and then turn the tables with a final, campaign-climaxing betrayal.
Some of the best adventures I can remember playing were run by referees not afraid to bring friend and foe into intimate contact, churn them up, and see what comes out. Almost always a fun and memorable session.
In the next part of this article, we’ll look at another pair of seasonal occurrences—gifts and unexpected visitors…
Oh, the lands of Nuria Natal! Today, you bring us the will of the gods.
Where gods walk and men think it nothing to seek immortality. Where riches abound and fortunes are to be made in markets and in ancient tombs. Where the dead walk and the sun bakes. Nuria Natal is a land of wonders, whether you are a native or just passing through. Contained herein are options for characters who would explore Nuria Natal and the rest of the Southlands. They work best when coupled with Southlands Heroes.
Face of Bastet (Cleric)
As a Face of Bastet, you are the living image of your goddess to the people. You invoke not only her name but her image in combat or to inspire. Often, those of your order serve as missionaries and mystagogues, teaching the masses and showing the true power of Bastet. Choosing this feature replaces the Divine Domain of the Cleric Class.
Face of Bastet spells
Cleric Level
Spells
1st
animal friendship, disguise self
3rd
conjure animals, tongues
5th
commune, seeming
7th
etherealness, project image
9th
foresight, shapechange
The spells granted by Bastet to her clerics help them to spread her image, commune with her other servants, and compensate for their non-feline shortcomings.
Way of the Cat
At 1st level, you become proficient in Deception and Stealth. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any skill check you make using those skills.
Channel Divinity: Weapon of God
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to grant yourself the ability to strike with supernatural weapons. Your hands transform into the paws of a large cat. The claws are magical and do 1d6 damage plus your strength plus your charisma modifier. You are considered proficient with the claws as a melee weapon. You may maintain these for a number of rounds equal to your wisdom modifier. The claws do not interfere with your ability to cast spells, but you have disadvantage when trying to manipulate objects.
Channel Divinity: Mien of God
At 6th level, when using your Channel Divinity, you may transform your head into that of a large cat, lion, or panther. You gain a bite attack which does 1d8 plus your strength damage. The damage is considered magical. You do not lose the ability to speak in this form, nor to cast spells if you choose. The mien lasts for a number of rounds equal to your wisdom modifier.
Divine Strike
At 8th level, when using either Weapon of God or Mien of God, your attacks deal an additional 1d8 radiant damage. When you reach 14th level, the damage increases to 2d8.
Indomitable Grace
At 17th level, you become proficient with the Dexterity saving throw, and you may add one half of your proficiency bonus to any Dexterity-based skill. Additionally, you take only the minimum amount of damage from falling (1 rather than 1d6 per 10 feet.)
For more options for player characters, check out Southlands Heroes.
Let us pause a moment and speak on the decision to leave for the East via the city of Tabur. There are some who would advise a traveler to depart instead from the fortress city of Sarkland in the Gizmiri province. This advice is the height of folly. Though it is true that the Campaign Trail does stretch to the East from Sarkland, that road wanders through endless fields of the empire’s past battles with Beldestan. For hundreds of miles, the route is so infested with bandits, undead soldiers haunting their deathbeds, and other fell beasts that few caravans arrive unscathed. This is the reason why most silk trade is conducted upon the sea. Now, however, let us turn our attention to Tabur.
Regarding Hariz and the Lumera Ferry
The fact is that the whole of the Province of Hariz is a somewhat poor and backward place. Far from the wonders of the rest of the empire, the open plains and pockets of dense forest of Hariz have only scattered settlements. Long past are the comfortable hostels and inns of Betik. Here, the wandering bands of centaurs, gnolls, and rough humans can be depended upon to act in their best interest only, whether that be to trade with a traveler or come howling out of the tall grass with murder their goal.
A rough and unkempt road runs some 300 miles from the ruins of Ahnni to the headwaters of the Lumera River. Here might be found a small bastion of civilization in the form of a ferry station. The Morza of Hariz, Lashmaraq Talshah established the conveyance to usher trade and travelers over the 250-mile stretch of river from the trade road to her capital of Tabur. Our papers were given a great deal of scrutiny by the ferry master, and many questions were asked regarding our purpose in Hariz. This suspicion pervades this entire province, and many times, both myself and my servant Agosto were halted and questioned by guardsmen and officials alike.
The ferry itself, I shall describe. A wondrous craft of polished wood and bone, it holds a dozen men and horses as well as stacks of cargo. The river winds through the towering trees of the Forest of Lumera. The boatmen, humans, like myself, since the dragonkin do not lower themselves to be rowers, confided in me that the Morza built the ferry so that travelers would not venture close to her hoard, which is hidden somewhere in the forest.
On the City of Tabur
Tabur is the only settlement of any size in the whole Province of Hariz. Perched on a strip of land between the river and the edge of the Lumera Forest, the city is surrounded by small farms, and herdlands dotted by odd circular tents called yurts. The fact is that the inhabitants of Tabur live by trade and war in equal measure. When they are not training for battle under the watchful eyes of the Morza’s officers, they buy and sell to the caravans and traders who dare to cross into Beldestan, Khandiria and points East. The city is so favorably situated that merchandise is brought here from distant Sikkim and Cathay. Traveling merchants make great profits in this city.
I will tell you of a great wonder that may be found in Tabur. Within the walls of the city is a holy monastery dedicated to Azuran called the House of the Blessed Scale. The monks in that place do honor to their faith by constantly weaving belts or girdles from the hair or garments of those they have defeated in battle. Subjected certain magical prayers and rare oils, these girdles are greatly prized, for anyone who suffers from bodily pains may find relief just by wearing one.
Woven from a mixture of hair and cloth, this narrow belt has been embroidered with draconic prayers. The wearer of a belt of the blessed scale can, as a standard action, cast a cure moderate wounds spell upon himself. The belt can only hold one healing charge at a time and must be recharged to be used again (see below).
In order for the belt to regain its healing charge, it must be touched to the unconscious or slain body of a foe the wielder had a hand in defeating. This is a full round action. For the purposes of this item, an opponent defeated by one of the wearer’s companions counts as a “defeated foe.”
A Weapon is Much More than Just the Damage It Deals…
Down to 5 hp and fighting for your life against trolls, dragons, werebeasts, or worse?
You’ll need to use your weapons to their fullest potential: to confuse, disorient, and
disadvantage your enemies before moving in for the kill.
Beyond Damage Dice offers unique maneuvers for specific weapons found in the
core Fifth Edition rules and the Midgard Campaign Setting—giving them a distinct
impact on the battlefield.
Unless the description specifies otherwise, all of the maneuvers in Beyond Damage Dice can be used by any character that’s wielding the appropriate weapon and is proficient with it.
11 pages of maneuvers for swords, polearms and axes, hammers and bludgeons, thrown weapons, and ranged weapons
7 new weapons, including the dwarven tijino, nordmansch greataxe, dikama fang blade, and scorpion stiletto
Peruse this scroll of martial secrets and learn how to lock blades with your foe, repel a charge, unmount a rider, deliver a rib-shattering blow, and more!
“Is he still there?”
“Yes, master. Ah, you’ve changed your mind and are going to let him in from the cold? Kind master.”
“Not at all. I want to drink this brandy and eat this cake from the window where he can see me whilst he shivers outside.”
Continuing our dark look at the season of goodwill, here are a few more ideas for unusual or unexpected events to throw at your players.
The Gift
What a tale you can spin when your players receive an unexpected gift from their enemy. The offering must surely be a trap or a trick—a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a Trojan horse, a poisonous fruit—mustn’t it?
Well, possibly.
The trick to use here is to have the gift run contrary to the PCs’ expectations—no, it doesn’t radiate evil; no, it isn’t a devil’s amulet—but BAD it most certainly is. Surely. Your players are going to instantly, in all likelihood, wish to distance themselves from the object in question; an absolutely brilliant way to double bluff them. Let’s run with this idea briefly with an example: the PCs’ sworn enemies send them a battered old banner as a yule-tide gift. It is left outside their lodgings or presented by some innocent intermediary with a clear message about who it is from but not what it is. The PCs may keep the banner, which does not radiate any kind of magic, they may destroy it, or they may cast it away.
In truth—on this occasion—the banner belongs to a group of fey, from whom it was stolen. It is an object they hold above all others as sacred, in a symbolic way, and now, the PCs either have it, have given it away, or have destroyed it. The fey, of course, have no idea how it came to be stolen and distrust all humans accordingly. They have used their limited magic to trace it this far, however. This is complicated by the fact that amongst the fey is a very powerful creature with a particular loathing for humans.
How does the adventure proceed now? If the PCs have the banner, they can hand it back, but are they viewed as the thieves? A great little interaction awaits when the PCs are accused of stealing the object despite their innocence. Or the PCs may no longer have the object; in which case, who has it now? Does a chase or encounter occur with someone or something who has taken it? Or worst of all, have they destroyed the sacred object out of their own hatred for the people who gave it to them?
Then comes the sting in this adventure’s tail. The fey are facing a battle against some recently arrived terror, and time is terribly short. The PCs are in the melting pot, and their actions may swing the fate of the feys’ kingdom. And guess who has sided with the feys’ enemies—that’s right, the PCs’ own adversaries.
It’s also worth thinking on the possibility of gifts of tainted lands, of unwanted allies, or potential spouses as other options to this most unwelcome of presents.
The Unwanted Visitor
We’ve all had them: the guest that never leaves, who eats all our food and drinks all our beer. This premise makes a great one-shot adventure or possibly a way of leading into an avenue of adventures. The visitor may be a relative or, perhaps, is forced on the PCs by a lord, lady, or powerful benefactor—possibly, even as a test. This is fantasy, however, so this troublesome guest is really, really troublesome.
The black sheep of a family offers a good option here, so let’s run with one option: one of a PC’s own kin has got herself into the most hot of hot water and upset something BAD. Quite how bad is left to you, but always strive for something that makes your players doubt your sanity—at least superficially. A demon, powerful evil wizard, lich, or anything similar makes a good start. Make it uncomfortably high in its challenge but not insurmountable. The PC’s kin, of course, flees to the one place she feels safe—the home of her powerful adventuring family member—and begs sanctuary. The PC is now on the back foot: does he throw out the relative (who blatantly wronged whatever is searching for her) and leave her to possibly die, or protect her and risk dying himself?
The wronged foe sends its minions to deliver a simple message: deliver the relative or die. Its minions then await the answer and, in all likelihood, a short violent exchange occurs. The PCs then risk being embroiled against the foe themselves, putting their own loved ones at risk, so the matter escalates beautifully into a nice backdrop to events. The PC may turn away from the plea and let justice—of a sort—be done. The simple trick here is to put your players in a quandary that doesn’t have a good result and see what comes out.
Next, we’ll take a final seasonal look at this aspect of adventuring and discuss the potential that reconciliation is never impossible…
TO BE CONTINUED…!
For even more great adventuring loveliness from Meister Pett, check out Grimalkin.
It’s a new year! And may 2017 be the year you always wanted.
Here’s a set of wallpapers for your computer, your smartphone, or whatever electronic device you’ve got. These come from our Kobold Press 2017 Calendar. This month, we feature the art of Marcel Mercado.
To a Fantastic New Year
Discover Midgard, a fantasy realm of dark roads and deep magic! The 2017 Kobold Press Calendar brings you 13 scenes of wonder, mystery and adventure. From the Black Chamber and the Blood Vaults to the taverns of Zobeck and the Impregnable Fortress of Gib, this legendary setting is brought to life by talented artists including Marcel Mercado, William O’Connor, Aaron Miller, and Josh Haas.
But wait, there’s more! You’ll also find:
Release dates of iconic games, past and present
Release dates of landmark fantasy and science fiction books and movies
Birthdays of famous science fiction and fantasy writers and gaming professionals
Let the 2017 Kobold Press Calendar be your companion and guide to fantastic adventure.
Storytelling games are as ancient as humankind. In his most-known book, The Decameron, the medieval Italian writer Giovanni Boccaccio (1313–1375) narrates how a group of young people manage to exorcise the fear of the Black Death spreading in Florence through the art of narrating stories. Many of them contain fantastic elements—even magic items are cited…
The Heliotrope
Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)
“The other is what we lapidaries call Heliotrope, a stone of exceeding great virtue, for that whoso hath it about him is not seen of any other person whereas he is not, what while he holdeth it…” (“Day the Eighth,” The Decameron)
A dark stone dotted by blood-red spots, the Heliotrope is one of the most prized alchemical treasures of the European classical and medieval tradition. Also known as The Stone of Babylon, its miraculous properties are described by many ancient sages, including Pliny the Elder, Albertus Magnus, Damigeron, and, of course, Boccaccio. Like many other traditional magic objects, it is believed to confer great stealth and strong health, together with a certain degree of control on raw forces of nature.
This item is a palm-sized bloodstone, comfortably warm to the touch. It has the following properties.
Spells. The Heliotrope has 8 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 2 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it: invisibility (2 charges), aura of vitality (3 charges), and control weather (8 charges). The stone regains 1d4+4 expended charges daily at dawn.
Reproductive. One time per month, the Heliotrope produces a nonmagical bloodstone worth 50 gp.
The Seducing Talisman
Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)
“Then do thou make shift to bring me a piece of virgin parchment and a live bat, together with three grains of frankincense and a candle that hath been blessed by the priest, and leave me do […] Know, Calandrino, that, if thou touch her with this script, she will incontinent follow thee and do what thou wilt…” (“Day the Ninth,” The Decameron)
Another traditional alchemical remedy, the Seducing Talisman is a small envelope of parchment sealed with blessed wax, containing a desiccated bat perfumed with incense. In the medieval tales, it is often used to obtain the favors of beautiful damsels and princesses but also to persuade gullible people to perform silly and funny acts.
This item has the Confident special feature, so it helps its bearer feel self-assured. It has also the following property.
Seduction. The Talisman has 3 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 of its charges to cast the suggestion spell. If the course of action you suggest to the target involves “romantic affairs” (at GM’s discretion), the target’s Wisdom saving throw to resist the suggestion is made with disadvantage.
The Seducing Talisman regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn.
“Gah! He’s left one of those irksome snowmen outside, curse the man.”
“No master, I’m afraid that snowman is your Uncle Flobb.”
And so we come to the end of our suggested seasonal get-togethers. One final pair of events that may get everyone together in an uneasy way…
The Call for Help from an Enemy
You need to know your players well to try this one as you might be wasting your time before you start. For some groups this will work, for others it most assuredly will not.
Here, the PCs own foes are so scared witless, desperate, or subjugated that they seek the help of those they hate—but grudgingly admire.
The call for help does not necessarily have to be a call, of course. The PCs’ enemies (perhaps a tribe of gnolls, wicked ogres, or some other foe) could simply deliberately flee their own object of fear by passing straight through the PCs’ lands or past their homes to hopefully throw their enemies off their scent. A fleeing foe (particularly if it’s a tough one) is always a good attention grabber.
The enemy may be too powerful to simply escape, however, and the PCs’ own enemies might be desperate enough to seek help. They must be pretty distressed, of course, to get to this point; they can’t simply be scared—they’ve got to be scared out of their wits. A fear of becoming demonic after death, facing some appalling cataclysm (see also below for that route), or the loss of some great item or person or warping of body parts on a mass scale make good options to start with, but really, your options are pretty endless. (Even whilst writing this article, the author is thinking the threat of being turned inside-out en masse might make a pretty cool start point.)
You also need a good and sound logical reason for this fear, though. Urban settings lend themselves well to this sort of interaction—the humanoids/foes/enemies have fallen foul of some terrible plot that not only threatens them but the PCs—a plague, a summoning of a dark and terrible something (that has required the theft of an object or character sacred to the enemy), or some foul calamity brings the two usually opposing groups together. The true enemy has lairs both in an urban setting and the lands of the weaker enemies. The weaker enemies have, of course, already tried to overpower the lair in their own lands and failed, suggesting to them that the groups might need to work together to succeed. Perhaps the humanoid enemies (or whatever enemies you decide upon for your campaign) know the lair of their enemy is in an urban setting, but they have a sacred magic object that only works in their living hands; perhaps, they have some knowledge or language or code vital to success but need the PCs to get to their final goal.
Mixing humanoids in urban settings, encouraging interaction between opposing groups against a common goal in other locations, or introducing a very uneasy truce between foes to conquer a bigger foe gives you another option at your gaming table. Used sparingly, such adventures can be fun and really great to GM.
Bringing the PCs into a group of orcs, working with giants, or interacting with goblins allows you to have great fun with these humanoids’ mannerisms and the PCs’ interaction with them. What each group expects the other to like or do offers a rich vein of potential for strange adventures.
The Calamity
Having a true calamity affect your campaign is a last but deadly resort to throw a spanner into the works and forge the oddest alliances.
The calamity—fire, flood, pestilence, it’s up to you really—is guaranteed to bring out the best and worst in people. This calamity may be a direct result of events detailed immediately above or something entirely new and unexpected. Again, this works on the “enemy of my enemy” principal as outlined above, but now, it is a race against time. Is the PCs’ homeland and that of their sworn enemy falling apart, forcing an uneasy alliance to broker a solution similar to those outlined above? Do the PCs instigate the event this time—perhaps they need to enter a sacred ogre darkland kingdom and journey across it to succeed, having to convince ogres on the way that they are actually not the cause of the cataclysm but seeking to stop it? Does some foul traitor join them only to end the campaign seeking to kill the PCs anyway and to hell with the consequences if they die?
Thank you for your kind words and support throughout 2016, and keep an eye out for the whisperer in 2017!
He is master of storms, blood, and strife. But he is also god of honor, protection, and rebirth. Mavros, the God of Valera and the Seven Cities—his masks and various incarnations are revered and worshiped throughout Midgard.
Dungeons & Decameron
All Smile, Part Three
The Calamity