One of our 3 main players couldn't make it for the 2nd session in a row, so having been prepared for this with a group of npc adventurers who just so happened to be passing through. The assassin and druid return back to Hommlet, wearing tarp ponchos and word spreads of their sound defeat at the moat house and what they encountered. The village elder summons a meeting and it is decided that the 2 visiting adventuring parties if they are willing to work together can split a 500gp reward to clear out the moat house, plus any treasure they find. After meeting with the other adventuring group which consisted of a elven fighter/mage, a cleric of st. cuthbert, a ranger, and a burly fighter they all got on the same page that they could return to the moat house and clear the place out.
The druid had some gp stashed on her horse and was able to buy some leather armor for the 2 of them as well as a bow/arrows for the assassin. They also acquired some pints of lamp oil, just in case. They then went to speak with the head druid and learned that the beastial creatures they met were not in fact werewolves but sounded more like gnolls, viscous brutes that delight in killing their prey. He was quite amazed they was allowed to leave with their lives as he has never heard of this happening before and that they should consider themselves quite lucky. He offered his magical abilities if they require them but he cannot leave the grove un-attended.
The group then decided to head off to the moat house, the trip being for the most part uneventful until the ranger noticed something was amiss in the bushes, and out sprang a young giant praying mantis (about 1/2 the stats of the giant version from 0E reloaded), looking for an easy meal. The party won initiative and they did some damage but it was not scared off, in fact it grabbed the ranger off his horse and began to bite him soundly. The Clerics horse got spooked (critical fail) and he fell off his horse and got knocked out cold. The assassin got behind it and drove a arrow deep into its back, while the rest of the party finished it off.
They got the cleric back to his senses and healed up the ranger and decided to head off still to the moat house. Once there its night time and they can now notice a roaring fire in the middle of the court yard. The ranger and assassin decide to sneak around and see if there is an alternate entrance. They thought about crossing through the swamp nearby but over heard some heavy croaking that sounded to be some frogs but of giant size. Not wanting to deal with these they move around but find nothing but more moat and for the most part solid walls. They return and the Druid goes and investigates the gateway and found the courtyard is empty short of the fire. They decide them to move in and investigate however they pour 2 pints of oil right at the entrance so should they need to escape they can throw a torch behind them to possibly slow down persuit.
Once inside they check one of the doors they didn't investigate last time and find the room is empty short of a pile of rubble in the corner. The druid wants to check it out and starts moving some of the rubble and catches the gleam of something under the rocks. She points it out to the fighter and he reaches in and pulls out a finely crafted bejeweled dagger. He is examining it in the torch light when a giant adder pops up from the newly created hole in the rubble and bites him soundly. He failed his save and dropped the dagger behind him. The druid and cleric beat the thing senseless and it hid back inside the hole(failed its morale save). Now the group has to work quickly before the venom has a chance to kill their new found friend.
Monday, May 2, 2016
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
A New Year and A New Group
I know it has been quite some time since I have made an update to the blog. In all honesty there has not been a whole lot for me to report on. My new job while amazing has kept me very busy and I have only gotten 1 gaming session in since the start of the new year. Thankfully things are starting to wind down to a more manageable state and the ol burning desire to roll dice is beginning to kick in once more.
I have decided to expand out the world of Aeril a bit more and did a bit of random hex generation thanks to Martin Rayla's Hexamancer which you can find Here. I sprinkled in some old school 1st level adventure goodness throughout my 4 map continent including the village of hommlet, the keep on the borderlands, saltmarsh, and a few others. I am looking to do more of a hex crawl with this group and so many areas of the map have room to grow into bigger things. Currently there is no major cities or kingdoms designed out but those will come as they are designed and or needed.
The new group is about as green as it gets but also bright eyed and bushy tailed as they come. My brother in law is a veteran of table top role playing and even runs an iron kingdoms game that I may be joining in the near future and rolled up a duelist who believes every one is responsible for their own fortune in life. A co worker of my wife's found out I DM'ed and had always wanted to play in a real D&D campaign and so him and his girlfriend signed on to play. Neither has really ever played in a real sit down D&D campaign before but were very excited to play. I informed them from the get go that I aim to give a fun experience but I run in the old school tradition, so do not get too attached to their characters, bad things happen whether any of us want them to happen or not. They understood and rolled up an assassin and a druid. I hinted heavily they may want to consider hiring on some additional help if there is a role in the group they feel they may be lacking in(ex: healing/magical support/extra fighting power) which they promptly forgot about later in the session.
Before the game began i gave them an option of what kind of local they wanted to start in; plains, mountains, or heavy forest. They voted for heavy forest and found themselves heading to Hommlet. Once there they went straight for the tavern to find a place to stay for a few days and maybe find some work. The assassin and druid ordered drinks and the duelist not having any money but still hungry sees a village militia man eating a steak. With out warning he goes up to the militia man and demands a duel for his steak. Obvoisly he is very confused by this odd stranger making an absurd demand and ingores him, right up until the duelist calls him a coward and unworthy of defending this village (at his point i rolled a hostile attitude for his reaction) and he accepts the fight to first blood outside the tavern. They step outside and unsheath their blades and the militia man side steps the duelist and delivers a cracking blow to the back of his skull with the pommel of his blade knocking him to 0 hp and out cold (it was a max damage hit) before getting a round of pats on the back by the other militia men and returning to his dinner. The inn keeper tells them where they find the local church to see if they can convince them to possibly help out their foolish friend.
The group throws him on the back of the druids horse and take him over to the church and discuss healing of their friend. They work out a deal that he will do so in exchange they check out the old moat house not terribly far from the village as there has been rumours of stirrings of vile creatures not seen in many years out there. The village cannot support a expedition at this time so if they will check it out it would be a great service to the village and they are welcome to take any spoils they find. The group agrees, the clerics heal the duelist and in the morning they head out to the moat house.
It is at this point that forgetting they are new I should have possibly done more to give them some additional pointers in maybe asking around town a bit more, or possibly seeing if there was any one in town who might want to come along that could provide some assistance instead of letting los tres amigos walk in by themselves however from the very git go i told them running away from anything that looks too dangerous is a extremely valid and perfectly acceptable answer to many situations they may face. If you feel you are outgunned, then fall back. With that they headed to the moat house.
The trip there was uneventful and seeing the marsh next to the moat they opted to leave well enough alone (avoiding at this time the killer giant frogs) and headed for the old draw bridge. They rightly took one look at the old draw bridge and figured it was safer to cross with out their horses/mules and left them tied out a little ways away from the place and go in on foot. They cross inside and find the place a ruins. The assassin decides seeing the many doors this place has to just start kicking them in and making as much noise as possible(i dont know why) the first door leading to just an empty room. The druid opens one of the others on the other side and is greeted by the swinging battle axe of a gnoll, just barely missed getting sliced in half. She backs up telling it they mean them no harm as the duelist moves in to engage and the assassin lets loose an arrow that misses. At this point the rest of the gnolls including a large darker haired leader step out and rolling a helpful reaction decides that they are outnumbered 3 to 1 that he will spare these gnats in exchange for them to leave all their wordly possessions and leave while he is in a good mood. The duelist is not having this and the rest of the group is not keen of leaving everything they got with no guarantee their lives will actually be spared. He steps right up to the leader and demands a one on one fight, if he wins they leave with their lives and their gear. At this point i figured what the hell let him have his duel and so the leader accepts and the rest of the gnolls surround them. The fight was mostly them dodging each others blows and only giving minor cuts to each other. The gnoll then loses his grip on his weapon(crit fumble) and the duelist gets 2 free shots at him which he sadly flubbed, just before the gnoll roared with anger and brought his axe down into the duelists skull killing him instantly (crit hit for 2x damage), rolling another reaction and surprisingly enough getting another helpful reaction the leader made himself distinctively clear, leave all of your possessions including your clothes and now dead comrade and leave now before he and the rest of his pack rend them to pieces. They was not happy but they did as they was told leaving everything that wasnt on their pack animals behind and left.
They found some tarp and a few daggers on their dead friends mule making some makeshift panchos to atleast cover themselves with as they ride back to the village. Despite the setbacks they had a bit of fun and are looking forward to our next game. A few npc characters will introduce themselves after hearing about their mis-adventure at the moat house and offer some advice and possibly some assistance. I let them know that they do not have to stay in the village they are welcome to travel wherever they like but I have a feeling there will be some revenge on their mind and a helpful new stranger may be willing to assist them with that.
I have decided to expand out the world of Aeril a bit more and did a bit of random hex generation thanks to Martin Rayla's Hexamancer which you can find Here. I sprinkled in some old school 1st level adventure goodness throughout my 4 map continent including the village of hommlet, the keep on the borderlands, saltmarsh, and a few others. I am looking to do more of a hex crawl with this group and so many areas of the map have room to grow into bigger things. Currently there is no major cities or kingdoms designed out but those will come as they are designed and or needed.
The new group is about as green as it gets but also bright eyed and bushy tailed as they come. My brother in law is a veteran of table top role playing and even runs an iron kingdoms game that I may be joining in the near future and rolled up a duelist who believes every one is responsible for their own fortune in life. A co worker of my wife's found out I DM'ed and had always wanted to play in a real D&D campaign and so him and his girlfriend signed on to play. Neither has really ever played in a real sit down D&D campaign before but were very excited to play. I informed them from the get go that I aim to give a fun experience but I run in the old school tradition, so do not get too attached to their characters, bad things happen whether any of us want them to happen or not. They understood and rolled up an assassin and a druid. I hinted heavily they may want to consider hiring on some additional help if there is a role in the group they feel they may be lacking in(ex: healing/magical support/extra fighting power) which they promptly forgot about later in the session.
Before the game began i gave them an option of what kind of local they wanted to start in; plains, mountains, or heavy forest. They voted for heavy forest and found themselves heading to Hommlet. Once there they went straight for the tavern to find a place to stay for a few days and maybe find some work. The assassin and druid ordered drinks and the duelist not having any money but still hungry sees a village militia man eating a steak. With out warning he goes up to the militia man and demands a duel for his steak. Obvoisly he is very confused by this odd stranger making an absurd demand and ingores him, right up until the duelist calls him a coward and unworthy of defending this village (at his point i rolled a hostile attitude for his reaction) and he accepts the fight to first blood outside the tavern. They step outside and unsheath their blades and the militia man side steps the duelist and delivers a cracking blow to the back of his skull with the pommel of his blade knocking him to 0 hp and out cold (it was a max damage hit) before getting a round of pats on the back by the other militia men and returning to his dinner. The inn keeper tells them where they find the local church to see if they can convince them to possibly help out their foolish friend.
The group throws him on the back of the druids horse and take him over to the church and discuss healing of their friend. They work out a deal that he will do so in exchange they check out the old moat house not terribly far from the village as there has been rumours of stirrings of vile creatures not seen in many years out there. The village cannot support a expedition at this time so if they will check it out it would be a great service to the village and they are welcome to take any spoils they find. The group agrees, the clerics heal the duelist and in the morning they head out to the moat house.
It is at this point that forgetting they are new I should have possibly done more to give them some additional pointers in maybe asking around town a bit more, or possibly seeing if there was any one in town who might want to come along that could provide some assistance instead of letting los tres amigos walk in by themselves however from the very git go i told them running away from anything that looks too dangerous is a extremely valid and perfectly acceptable answer to many situations they may face. If you feel you are outgunned, then fall back. With that they headed to the moat house.
The trip there was uneventful and seeing the marsh next to the moat they opted to leave well enough alone (avoiding at this time the killer giant frogs) and headed for the old draw bridge. They rightly took one look at the old draw bridge and figured it was safer to cross with out their horses/mules and left them tied out a little ways away from the place and go in on foot. They cross inside and find the place a ruins. The assassin decides seeing the many doors this place has to just start kicking them in and making as much noise as possible(i dont know why) the first door leading to just an empty room. The druid opens one of the others on the other side and is greeted by the swinging battle axe of a gnoll, just barely missed getting sliced in half. She backs up telling it they mean them no harm as the duelist moves in to engage and the assassin lets loose an arrow that misses. At this point the rest of the gnolls including a large darker haired leader step out and rolling a helpful reaction decides that they are outnumbered 3 to 1 that he will spare these gnats in exchange for them to leave all their wordly possessions and leave while he is in a good mood. The duelist is not having this and the rest of the group is not keen of leaving everything they got with no guarantee their lives will actually be spared. He steps right up to the leader and demands a one on one fight, if he wins they leave with their lives and their gear. At this point i figured what the hell let him have his duel and so the leader accepts and the rest of the gnolls surround them. The fight was mostly them dodging each others blows and only giving minor cuts to each other. The gnoll then loses his grip on his weapon(crit fumble) and the duelist gets 2 free shots at him which he sadly flubbed, just before the gnoll roared with anger and brought his axe down into the duelists skull killing him instantly (crit hit for 2x damage), rolling another reaction and surprisingly enough getting another helpful reaction the leader made himself distinctively clear, leave all of your possessions including your clothes and now dead comrade and leave now before he and the rest of his pack rend them to pieces. They was not happy but they did as they was told leaving everything that wasnt on their pack animals behind and left.
They found some tarp and a few daggers on their dead friends mule making some makeshift panchos to atleast cover themselves with as they ride back to the village. Despite the setbacks they had a bit of fun and are looking forward to our next game. A few npc characters will introduce themselves after hearing about their mis-adventure at the moat house and offer some advice and possibly some assistance. I let them know that they do not have to stay in the village they are welcome to travel wherever they like but I have a feeling there will be some revenge on their mind and a helpful new stranger may be willing to assist them with that.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
End of an era and the start of a new one
So with the new year on the horizon I have got some big news. I will be taking on an exciting new job with a lot of new opportunities provided. This will however bring an end to my current S&W group that I have been running for about a year and a half. We stopped at a pretty good point and no one is terribly upset and every one is very happy for my chance to expand on my career.
With that said I am now focusing more of my creative energy on a fantasy based coop card game that it may never see the light of day beyond my play test prototype but should be fun non the less. It will be taking what I feel are the best aspects of adventure card games and expanding on it with my own take. Any one who wants to get into brainstorming ideas are welcome to ping me.
I will look to put together a new gaming group once I get settled in and have a better idea what my schedule will be like. I have several friendly local gaming shops that I want to spend more time at and get to know the players there better. I will also be continuing to create as much free OSR goodies as I can for all of you and perhaps even a book or two that i've been brewing may eventually get finished and available through lulu and drivethru.
So happy new year to every one in the OSR and here is to 2016, a year of change that I hope is good for every one.
With that said I am now focusing more of my creative energy on a fantasy based coop card game that it may never see the light of day beyond my play test prototype but should be fun non the less. It will be taking what I feel are the best aspects of adventure card games and expanding on it with my own take. Any one who wants to get into brainstorming ideas are welcome to ping me.
I will look to put together a new gaming group once I get settled in and have a better idea what my schedule will be like. I have several friendly local gaming shops that I want to spend more time at and get to know the players there better. I will also be continuing to create as much free OSR goodies as I can for all of you and perhaps even a book or two that i've been brewing may eventually get finished and available through lulu and drivethru.
So happy new year to every one in the OSR and here is to 2016, a year of change that I hope is good for every one.
Friday, December 18, 2015
The Quiet Furnace
The last of the colored monsters from the unforgiving blast furnaces and forges, the red aligned quiet furnace.
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The Quiet Furnace
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Fallen Ferromancer
Hit Dice: 1HD (4)
AC: 6 (13)
Attacks: corrupted rockshot 3 (treat like darts 1d3)
Save: 17
Special: infect
Move: 9
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 2/30
Former mages specializing in earth magic, they now serve phyrexia launching shards of rocks as a simple artillery unit. They may make up to 3 shots of rocks for 1d3 infected damage each.
MoltenSteel Dragon
Hit Dice: 4HD (16)
AC: 3 (16)
Attacks: 2 claws (1d6+1) and bite (1d8+1) or breath attack
Save: 13
Special: breath weapon, flying
Move: 9/ 15(flying)
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 6/400
Constructed in the likeness of dragons these machines of war tower over their foes breathing a line of molten steel 60ft long. Those who fail their save take 8 points of damage, then 4 damage again for the next 2 rounds as it burns its way through armor.
Razor Swine
Hit Dice: 1HD+6 (10)
AC: 5 (14)
Attacks: bite (1d8)
Save: 17
Special: infect, First strike, razor barbs
Move: 12
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 4/120
The razor swine is a massive warthog covered in serrated barbed armor across its entire body. Any hit against it with a melee weapon causes the attacker to take 1d4 damage from the barbs.
Slash Panther
Hit Dice: 2HD+2 (10)
AC: 6 (13)
Attacks: 2 claws (1d6+1) or bite (1d8+1)
Save: 16
Special: Haste
Move: 18
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 4/120
Created with speed and savagery in mind, the slash panther is incredibly fast capable of leaping onto prey and slaying it before they even knew it was there. If it hits with both claws it can automatically bite. Due to its hasted nature it can either attack 4 times with its claws in a flurry of slahes or go for the throat twice with its bite.
Urabrask the Hidden
Hit Dice: 4HD+8 (24)
AC: 1 (18)
Attacks: 2 claws (1d6+1) or bite (1d8+1)
Save: 13
Special: Temporal Aura(40ft)
Move: 20
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 9/1,100
The leader of the forge sector and the most independent of thought of the thanes, Urabask is also the quickest to anger and does not tolerate nonsense. His temporal aura gives all allies in a 40ft radius haste while foes within the same radius must make a save or be under a slow spell (1/2 move and attack speed) while in the radius and 3 turns (30 minutes) after leaving.
Chancellor of the Forge
Hit Dice: 5HD+4 (24)
AC: 3 (16)
Attacks: Heavy Fists (1d8+2)
Save: 12
Special: Gate (10ft)
Move: 9
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 7/600
Massive giants of metal and flesh the chancellors wade into combat with abandon. Unique is there ability to summon Converted goblins in front all allies within 10ft usable once per day. This allows them to create decoys or shock troops in the blink of an eye.
Converted Goblin
Hit Dice: 1HD (4)
AC: 7 (12)
Attacks: claws or basic weapon (1d6)
Save: 17
Special: None
Move: 9
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 1/15
Furnace Scamp
Hit Dice: 1HD (4)
AC: 5 (14)
Attacks: bite (1d6)
Save: 17
Special: Self immolation
Move: 10
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 3/60
Furnace Scamps are nearly dog-like in form being about twice the size with a hard carapace of metal and a endless hunger for more metal. When facing a superior opponent they will latch on with their massive mouths and then explode in a roar of fire and metal dealing 1d10 damage(no save) and to all those who are in 10ft (save for half).
Ogre Menial
Hit Dice: 4HD (16)
AC: 5 (14)
Attacks: Lead fist (1d8+2) and bite (1d6+2)
Save: 13
Special: Infect, breath of rage
Move: 9
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 7/600
Natural berserkers the Ogre Menial goes into combat swinging hard with lead covered iron fists and a nasty bite. They can breath out a sickening oily smoke that causes all (friend and foe alike) in a 20ft radius centred on the ogre to make a save or become enraged (+2 to attack and damage, +2[-2] AC, unable to concentrate to cast spells or use ranged attack, must enter melee the nearest living creature) for 1d6 rounds. The ogre automatically fails this save and will automatically become enraged.
Slag Fiend
Hit Dice: 5HD+2 (22)
AC: 4 (15)
Attacks: 4 chains (1d4+1) or 2 claws (1d6+1) and bite (1d6 + 1d4 fire damage)
Save: 12
Special: chain wrap, engulf, spew ash
Move: 6
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 9/1,100
Slow moving they may be slag fiends are walking furnaces of annihilation. They devour everything organic or metal, constantly dripping burning slag and ash from their massive maws. Once every 4 rounds they can spew forth this ash in a 15 ft cone that deals 1d6 damage and those who fail their save are blinded for 1d4+1 rounds. When attacking with its chains if it hits with 2 or more of them the opponent must make a strength check (-2 str for each chain that hit to a max of -8) or automatically getting dragged into its furnace taking 2d6 damage a round. It will keep its maw clamped shut unless it takes 15+ damage in a single round of combat or some way of extinguishing its extreme flames is found.
Invader Parasite
Hit Dice: 2HD+2 (18)
AC: 3 (16)
Attacks: bite (1d6+1)
Save: 16
Special: Petrifying bite, cause earthquake, flying
Move: 2/(9 flying)
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 6/400
Looking like extremely large mosquitoes the invader parasite is a plague to man and land. Those who suffer the bite of the invader parasite must make a save(+2 bonus) else they become petrified. When a group of 6 of these come together then can stick their proboscises into the ground and begin vibrating their wings at a rapid rate creating a sort of jack hammer effect. If this continues undisturbed for 3 turns(30 minutes) they create an effect equivalent to a earthquake spell.
================================
The Quiet Furnace
================================
Fallen Ferromancer
Hit Dice: 1HD (4)
AC: 6 (13)
Attacks: corrupted rockshot 3 (treat like darts 1d3)
Save: 17
Special: infect
Move: 9
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 2/30
Former mages specializing in earth magic, they now serve phyrexia launching shards of rocks as a simple artillery unit. They may make up to 3 shots of rocks for 1d3 infected damage each.
MoltenSteel Dragon
Hit Dice: 4HD (16)
AC: 3 (16)
Attacks: 2 claws (1d6+1) and bite (1d8+1) or breath attack
Save: 13
Special: breath weapon, flying
Move: 9/ 15(flying)
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 6/400
Constructed in the likeness of dragons these machines of war tower over their foes breathing a line of molten steel 60ft long. Those who fail their save take 8 points of damage, then 4 damage again for the next 2 rounds as it burns its way through armor.
Razor Swine
Hit Dice: 1HD+6 (10)
AC: 5 (14)
Attacks: bite (1d8)
Save: 17
Special: infect, First strike, razor barbs
Move: 12
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 4/120
The razor swine is a massive warthog covered in serrated barbed armor across its entire body. Any hit against it with a melee weapon causes the attacker to take 1d4 damage from the barbs.
Slash Panther
Hit Dice: 2HD+2 (10)
AC: 6 (13)
Attacks: 2 claws (1d6+1) or bite (1d8+1)
Save: 16
Special: Haste
Move: 18
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 4/120
Created with speed and savagery in mind, the slash panther is incredibly fast capable of leaping onto prey and slaying it before they even knew it was there. If it hits with both claws it can automatically bite. Due to its hasted nature it can either attack 4 times with its claws in a flurry of slahes or go for the throat twice with its bite.
Urabrask the Hidden
Hit Dice: 4HD+8 (24)
AC: 1 (18)
Attacks: 2 claws (1d6+1) or bite (1d8+1)
Save: 13
Special: Temporal Aura(40ft)
Move: 20
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 9/1,100
The leader of the forge sector and the most independent of thought of the thanes, Urabask is also the quickest to anger and does not tolerate nonsense. His temporal aura gives all allies in a 40ft radius haste while foes within the same radius must make a save or be under a slow spell (1/2 move and attack speed) while in the radius and 3 turns (30 minutes) after leaving.
Chancellor of the Forge
Hit Dice: 5HD+4 (24)
AC: 3 (16)
Attacks: Heavy Fists (1d8+2)
Save: 12
Special: Gate (10ft)
Move: 9
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 7/600
Massive giants of metal and flesh the chancellors wade into combat with abandon. Unique is there ability to summon Converted goblins in front all allies within 10ft usable once per day. This allows them to create decoys or shock troops in the blink of an eye.
Converted Goblin
Hit Dice: 1HD (4)
AC: 7 (12)
Attacks: claws or basic weapon (1d6)
Save: 17
Special: None
Move: 9
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 1/15
Furnace Scamp
Hit Dice: 1HD (4)
AC: 5 (14)
Attacks: bite (1d6)
Save: 17
Special: Self immolation
Move: 10
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 3/60
Furnace Scamps are nearly dog-like in form being about twice the size with a hard carapace of metal and a endless hunger for more metal. When facing a superior opponent they will latch on with their massive mouths and then explode in a roar of fire and metal dealing 1d10 damage(no save) and to all those who are in 10ft (save for half).
Ogre Menial
Hit Dice: 4HD (16)
AC: 5 (14)
Attacks: Lead fist (1d8+2) and bite (1d6+2)
Save: 13
Special: Infect, breath of rage
Move: 9
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 7/600
Natural berserkers the Ogre Menial goes into combat swinging hard with lead covered iron fists and a nasty bite. They can breath out a sickening oily smoke that causes all (friend and foe alike) in a 20ft radius centred on the ogre to make a save or become enraged (+2 to attack and damage, +2[-2] AC, unable to concentrate to cast spells or use ranged attack, must enter melee the nearest living creature) for 1d6 rounds. The ogre automatically fails this save and will automatically become enraged.
Slag Fiend
Hit Dice: 5HD+2 (22)
AC: 4 (15)
Attacks: 4 chains (1d4+1) or 2 claws (1d6+1) and bite (1d6 + 1d4 fire damage)
Save: 12
Special: chain wrap, engulf, spew ash
Move: 6
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 9/1,100
Slow moving they may be slag fiends are walking furnaces of annihilation. They devour everything organic or metal, constantly dripping burning slag and ash from their massive maws. Once every 4 rounds they can spew forth this ash in a 15 ft cone that deals 1d6 damage and those who fail their save are blinded for 1d4+1 rounds. When attacking with its chains if it hits with 2 or more of them the opponent must make a strength check (-2 str for each chain that hit to a max of -8) or automatically getting dragged into its furnace taking 2d6 damage a round. It will keep its maw clamped shut unless it takes 15+ damage in a single round of combat or some way of extinguishing its extreme flames is found.
Invader Parasite
Hit Dice: 2HD+2 (18)
AC: 3 (16)
Attacks: bite (1d6+1)
Save: 16
Special: Petrifying bite, cause earthquake, flying
Move: 2/(9 flying)
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 6/400
Looking like extremely large mosquitoes the invader parasite is a plague to man and land. Those who suffer the bite of the invader parasite must make a save(+2 bonus) else they become petrified. When a group of 6 of these come together then can stick their proboscises into the ground and begin vibrating their wings at a rapid rate creating a sort of jack hammer effect. If this continues undisturbed for 3 turns(30 minutes) they create an effect equivalent to a earthquake spell.
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Arctic Undead: Glacial Shard Skeletons
Created to be a more effective shock trooper, the glacial shard skeleton is created during a blizzard, the terrible winds and freezing snow forming long, hard, and incredibly sharp spines and shards across its entire skeletal form. They roam the frozen wastelands in groups on a eternal duty to guard against the living until summoned by their master to wage terrible war.
Glacial Shard Skeletons: +1 HD, +2 AC, 2 claw attacks for 1d6+2 damage each. Those using unarmed and natural attacks take 1d4 damage from the razor sharp ice shards covering its body. On death it explodes in a volley of bone fragments and razor sharp shards of ice for 1d10 damage (save for half) in a 10ft radius.
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Arctic Undead: Rimetouched Zombies
In the frozen wastelands of northern Aeril, Horgroth the ice baron has been toiling away searching for an artifact of devastating power that brought upon the never ending winter. Horgroth has developed over the years variations of the animation spells to infuse a corpse with negative energy and the harsh unforgiving nature of the arctic cold.
The rimetouched zombie is one such creation Horgroth has created and perfected a new hulking horror to stalk the cold barren wasteland. A rimetouched moves at a persistant march not extremely slow but also not quick, as if it knows it will eventually reach its intended prey. When they begin to close in for melee they will unleash its breath weapon, a terrible cone of rime infused frost that clings to the flesh doing 1d4 damage and requiring a save or be slowed as pre the spell for 1d4 turns(10-40 minutes). They can use this breath weapon 3 times a day. Once they reach their target a rimetouched will batter its target with its heavy ice covered fists.
Rimetouched Zombie:
Same as a regular zombie short of the following changes below.
+1 HD
Fists do 1d8 +1d4 cold or breath weapon (a cone of frost that does 1d4 damage and save or be slowed as per the spell for 1d4 turns)
Monday, December 14, 2015
The Hydra Cometh
When we last left off the party had just lost the barbarian due to a unfortunate side effect of having ones skull smashed in with a large war club wielded by a gnoll warrior. The group brought his corpse back to the city and left him with the morgue at the temple in the hopes of seeing if they could raise him in the morning. The party awakes and heads down to say goodbye to the druid who has had enough adventuring for a while with the group and wishes to return to life at sea. The group then does a quick check and notices the assassin is gone and so is the flaming sword they found. With no way of reliably tracking him at this time they decide to let it go as they had quite a few things on the agenda that required their attention first.
An old soldier over heard they had made it to the castle and returned. He tells them that he served in the army many decades ago and helped fight off the barbarian invaders. It was believed that the fighter Roghan and wizard Zelligar had buildt the castle as a bastion to prevent further incursions by the barbarian hordes as well as central hub for their adventuring into the wilds in search of a temple holding a long lost artifact of some previous lost god. They did not want some strange terrible artifact getting in the hands of those who would destroy the growing kingdom. No one has seen either of them in over 30 years but it is believed they continued their quest for this artifact and that it may not be too far from the castle they buildt long ago. The group considered the old soldiers story and would look into further in the future.
Before they could get going they however ran into the brother of the fallen dwarf who was traveling with them who died gruesomely at the fangs of a giant spider, and a wandering elven bard who seemed intrigued by their current exploits and wished to join then in their adventures.They went to the temple of Heironeous and met with the high priest, Farn. The priest told them that a miracle of the kind they requested was no small order and where they had never stopped in to the church before now it would require a tithe of 1,000 GP and 300 SP. The group did not quite have this much and looked to their new found silver tongued bard to work out a more reasonable deal. He was able to broker them a deal down to 500GP, 300 SP, and a favor to the church. Farn agreed but to prevent these unknowns from accepting a blessing from the church and not fulfilling their agreement requested they willingly submit to a quest spell to see to it that the archpaladin's will be done. The bard and dwarf only having just met the group and having never even met the barbarian requested that they be left out of this agreement so long as the rest of the group agreed.
Farn indeed felt this was fair, prepared the ritual to bring back their dead friend (who came back to life with 1 less CON), and then proceeded with the quest upon them. There is a old graveyard that has became a target for undead and grave robbers in which they have now been tasked of cleansing in the name of the church. The wolf then collapses nearly on his last legs nearing his last day until his advanced lyme disease takes him and seeing as he would not be able to server the lord of justice in this capacity received healing of his malady free of charge.
The group wanted to see before they went to the graveyard if the mages guild made any headway into reversing the rogues condition from a wolf. The great Jodah and they believe one of their senior members of the guild may be able to dispel the enchantment placed on him. He casts his spell and feels that a curse has been lifted, but not the one that has him changed into a wolf, but the one that changed his alignment nearly a year ago. It is now obvious that only some one or something with strong ties to the natural order can possibly reverse his transformation.
Afterwards they head over to the Aerie of the knights of the wyvern to see if any of the knights had returned. Five of the knights are discussing another portal that had just opened up a a monstrosity made up of multiple heads on long necks but have no faces just nasty maws and a body covered in sickly green skin and metal. The group decides to go with them to stop this thing from destroying a small hamlet to the north. They meet it in battle on the open planes a few miles away from the hamlet and unleash all their ranged attacked and the wyverns deliver some devastating attacks upon it. It becomes apparent that some of the wounds are not as grievous as they first look but the terrible bite attacks of the wyverns and the additional support of the party from afar bring the beast down and it dissolves into a pool of black oily ichor. The wyverns, whose mouths are now stained black by the oil, and their riders head back to the city and they prepare to head to the cemetery.
An old soldier over heard they had made it to the castle and returned. He tells them that he served in the army many decades ago and helped fight off the barbarian invaders. It was believed that the fighter Roghan and wizard Zelligar had buildt the castle as a bastion to prevent further incursions by the barbarian hordes as well as central hub for their adventuring into the wilds in search of a temple holding a long lost artifact of some previous lost god. They did not want some strange terrible artifact getting in the hands of those who would destroy the growing kingdom. No one has seen either of them in over 30 years but it is believed they continued their quest for this artifact and that it may not be too far from the castle they buildt long ago. The group considered the old soldiers story and would look into further in the future.
Before they could get going they however ran into the brother of the fallen dwarf who was traveling with them who died gruesomely at the fangs of a giant spider, and a wandering elven bard who seemed intrigued by their current exploits and wished to join then in their adventures.They went to the temple of Heironeous and met with the high priest, Farn. The priest told them that a miracle of the kind they requested was no small order and where they had never stopped in to the church before now it would require a tithe of 1,000 GP and 300 SP. The group did not quite have this much and looked to their new found silver tongued bard to work out a more reasonable deal. He was able to broker them a deal down to 500GP, 300 SP, and a favor to the church. Farn agreed but to prevent these unknowns from accepting a blessing from the church and not fulfilling their agreement requested they willingly submit to a quest spell to see to it that the archpaladin's will be done. The bard and dwarf only having just met the group and having never even met the barbarian requested that they be left out of this agreement so long as the rest of the group agreed.
Farn indeed felt this was fair, prepared the ritual to bring back their dead friend (who came back to life with 1 less CON), and then proceeded with the quest upon them. There is a old graveyard that has became a target for undead and grave robbers in which they have now been tasked of cleansing in the name of the church. The wolf then collapses nearly on his last legs nearing his last day until his advanced lyme disease takes him and seeing as he would not be able to server the lord of justice in this capacity received healing of his malady free of charge.
The group wanted to see before they went to the graveyard if the mages guild made any headway into reversing the rogues condition from a wolf. The great Jodah and they believe one of their senior members of the guild may be able to dispel the enchantment placed on him. He casts his spell and feels that a curse has been lifted, but not the one that has him changed into a wolf, but the one that changed his alignment nearly a year ago. It is now obvious that only some one or something with strong ties to the natural order can possibly reverse his transformation.
Afterwards they head over to the Aerie of the knights of the wyvern to see if any of the knights had returned. Five of the knights are discussing another portal that had just opened up a a monstrosity made up of multiple heads on long necks but have no faces just nasty maws and a body covered in sickly green skin and metal. The group decides to go with them to stop this thing from destroying a small hamlet to the north. They meet it in battle on the open planes a few miles away from the hamlet and unleash all their ranged attacked and the wyverns deliver some devastating attacks upon it. It becomes apparent that some of the wounds are not as grievous as they first look but the terrible bite attacks of the wyverns and the additional support of the party from afar bring the beast down and it dissolves into a pool of black oily ichor. The wyverns, whose mouths are now stained black by the oil, and their riders head back to the city and they prepare to head to the cemetery.
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