Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Cry "Havoc"...

...and let slip the Dogs of War!

Not quite the "War Dog" I usually picture in my mind, but I bet a little guy like this would be just right for flushing out a warren of Kobolds...

Sunday, June 5, 2011

"GNAR CIRCLE"



A game played by the Nomads and Hunters of the Crimson Desert, usually accompanied by heavy wagering.

Needed to Play:
- Two teams of players, equal in number, max. of six per side
- One Club (optionally torch, same difference) per player
- A flask of Oil
- Several Blue Scorpions (AC 4; HD average 3; Dam 1 HP, + Save vs Unconsciousness for 3d10rnds, Size approx 1ft long) These ugly buggers are normally quite passive, and only attack (stinger only; not with pincers) when provoked, as when set ablaze. By all accounts, they ARE NOT fans of the game!
- a certain degree of moral... flexibility

Object: Win by Scoring the most Points, or by "Default" if none of the opposing team remains conscious!

Prior to Play: Number of players per team and number of Scorpions to be used are agreed upon. Three Scorpions ("innings") per game is the usual convention, but that depends on how much real time the Players and DM want to spend on this folly!

To Begin: The players form a circle, alternating players so that no teammates stand beside any others (this may change as players are rendered unconscious or dead). A coin is tossed, and a member of the losing team steps into the center of the circle, carefully removes the docile Scorpion from a sack by grasping it by the tail, annoints it with a small amount of oil, and lights it on fire, doing 1d4 dam (this maneuver is considered automatically successful so as not to over-complicate things). He then tosses it to the ground and runs back to his position in the circle.

Gameplay: The flaming Scorpion goes berserk, charging a random character in order to flee the circle. Initiative is rolled. If the PC/NPC wins and scores a hit, his team scores a Point, the Scorpion takes damage and is assumed to be knocked back toward the center of the circle, and rushes another randomly determined PC/NPC. If the Scorpion wins initiative, it attempts to sting the PC/NPC, and if successful, that team loses a point, and the victim takes 1 HP of damage and must make a Save vs Posion or be rendered unconscious. If the victim remains conscious, he may still keep the Scorpion "in play" by successfully hitting it. If this counter-attack misses, or if the victim has been rendered unconscious, the Scorpion attempts to flee the circle through the gap now created, unless prevented by the PC/NPCs which are on either side of the victim, who then rush together to close the gap allowed by the guy who was stung. At this point, initiative is again rolled, by the Scorpion, and by BOTH of the PC/NPCs which occupy the spots to the left and right of the previously mentioned guy-who-got-stung. If the Scorpion beats both parties, it escapes the circle and gets the hell out of there, meaning that the team of the guy-who-got-stung loses a second Point (the first for being stung, the second for allowing the Scorpion to escape), and the game moves into the next inning and must be started again with a fresh Scorpion. However, if either PC/NPC (or both of them) wins initiative, there is still a chance to keep the Scorpion "in play", by scoring a hit & gaining a point for their team. If BOTH miss, the Scorpion has escaped the circle. If the Scorpion escapes, the person who missed the final chance To Hit loses a Point for their team. Play continues until the predetermined number of Scorpions are killed, or escape.
In summary...

Scoring Points: 1 Point is scored by a successful hit on the Scorpion, which automatically drives the hapless creature back into the circle (known as a "Single"). A killing blow, or "Double" awards 2 Points. (OPTIONAL: A hit of a "natural" 20 automatically crushes the exoskeleton of the Scorpion irregardless of its remaining HP. This is a "Triple" and awards 3 Points.)

Losing Points: 1 Point is lost if a PC/NPC is hit by the Scorpion. (additional Points are not lost if the victim fails to Save, although this of course makes it more difficult for the victim's team to win. This is known as the "adding insult to injury" clause!) 1 Point is lost if the Scorpion escapes, applied to the team of the person who had the final opportunity to keep the Scorpion in play, but missed in their attack (the "escape" clause). Points lost cannot result in negative Point totals; "Zero" is the minimum number of Points possible.

Keep Track of: Current Point totals for both Teams, the remaining HP of any Scorpion in play, and the position of each PC/NPC in the circle, relative to the other players remaining in the game.

Wagering: Bets can be placed on any number of variables; which team wins (of course), but also on how many men are left standing, who may of may not score a Double or Triple, how many rnds each inning may take, whether or not somebody dies, etc.

Much thanks to Blair at Planet Algol for the inspiration for this sick and weird game-within-the game, based on an idea he, in turn, got from the master, Jack Vance!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Monster AC & HD as Average Values

This 10 GP gem has been in the loot bag for so long I'd forgotten to Blog about it! Nothing mind-bogglingly innovative (the Blog is 10 GP - not 1K GP- Gems!), but an easy way to add variance to encounters, and keep the meta-gamers and HP-counters on their toes.
As an example, your "standard" Carnivorous Ape; AC 6, HD 5. When planning an encounter, I roll 1d4 twice, and possibly modify both AC and HD:
1= -1,
2 or 3 = No adjustment,
4 = +1
So, for any group of Carn. Apes, the AC range is from AC 5 to AC 7, and the HD range is from 4 HD to 6 HD. Maybe this group is AC 7, but has 6 HD, maybe the next group has AC 5, but only 4 HD.
You'll know its working when a Player says, "Hey, a standard Ogre can't have more than 33 HP!" Well, this ain't your standard Ogre then, is it?

Monday, May 23, 2011

Wonder Twin Powers... Activate!


Just watched "Gopher Moat" Wonder Twins vid @ Beyond the Black Gate blog... and that was weird... Got me thinking about ol' Zan and Jayna, and their "magic" rings.  Lots of potential here for a cool magic item for D&D...
So the PCs find a pair of rings, obviously a matching set, maybe with settings which appear to interlock (why else would anyone think to touch them together?...).  Wearing one on each hand and touching them together doesn't do much, or maybe causes some sparks or something (save vs Stun &/or minor electric damage), but if TWO PCs each wear one, and touch them together ("Wonder twin powers activate" command phrase optional, but fun!)... hmmmm....
- Each PC can transform as per the original W.Twins; one can assume the form of Water (wave, puddle, ice, steam?), the other can assume animal form (possibly incl "monsters", dinos, etc)
- Expanded options: maybe one is the "Elemental" ring, and wearer can transform into Fire, Earth, or Air... the other is the "Creature" ring, allowing Polymorph into any "natural" creature, or maybe just humanoids, reptiles, etc.
- Limitations/Parameters:  both PCs MUST transform (not just one or the other - this could lead to interesting scenarios), Dispel on either affects both, Limited duration of course (random, predetermined, or even a "set" duration, meaning one MUST remain transformed for the duration, cannot change back until it expires...), both must be conscious & mentally sound to activate/use
- Maybe specifics are randomly determined when found...

Elemental Ring (d4)                                             
1. Air (whirlwind, Gaseous Form)                      
2. Earth (boulder, Wall of Stone, statue)            
3. Water (pool, Wall Ice, maybe even snow...)     
4. Fire (req. fuel source?)                                      

Polymorph Ring (d4)
1. Natural Animal (no fantastic monsters)
2. Humanoid (PC race, Giant Class...)
3. "Monster" (specific type(s), any)
4. Plant, Slime, Dinosaur, Mammal, etc

This could be the kind of "thinking player's" item I love to introduce... maybe having the Thief become gaseous to enter a locked room is perfect, but having the Wizard assume the form of a Hamster at the same time is less than ideal... or wow, what we need is the Fighter to be a Pegasus, so I guess the Cleric will have to be an Ice Cube for a few turns... yeah, gonna do this!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Misc Gems

Not much to post lately, plus laptop is dying a lingering, ugly death.  New PC arrives this wk.

Some random ideas from This Week's Game:
- alien raygun, or other device, which requires gold for fuel.  A 10gp ingot, placed into the "battery compartment", will power the device for a certain number of shots/uses... and of course the Party will need a specially constructed ingot mold, and will have to smelt their GP into the necessary shape
- alien/tech device which requires Futurama-style "Dark Matter" to operate, "a pound of which weighs more than 10,000 pounds!"  Thinking a golfball-sized pellet might weigh about 1,000 lbs, and must somehow be lifted/moved and put into a slot or compartment in order to activate
- have been severely restricting the Gold flow to the PCs, so that they actually have to think about what to spend cash on, rather than throwing GP around like armor-clad rock stars.  Liking the idea of having the option of keeping cash treasure, or using it to "purchase" XP (1GP = 1XP), choice is up to the players
- Magic Item: quill or chisel which can be used to inscribe Glyphs of Warding, limited # charges
- Mace of Corruption: basically an anti-Mace of Disruption... killing blow turns victim into Zombie follower

Monday, April 18, 2011

ONE BAD MUTHER

Here's something really nasty I came up with for a high-lvl/high-power campaign long ago, slightly re-tooled.

The VORPION is an intelligent Gnarthropod resembling a giant scorpion, with one pincer larger than the other,  and a wicked pronged barb instead of a stinger.  It's metallic, glossy black carapace is crisscrossed with scarlet markings resembling a network of veins, and its limbs are ringed with crimson bristles.  This creature can Detect Magic, will attempt to attack Spellcasters in preference to all others, and likes to collect Magic Items... and skulls.  The larger pincer is the Crushing Claw, while the smaller is the even deadlier Vorpal Claw.  The Crusher does 2d8 damage, and once a hit is scored, damage is automatic each rnd  (Bend Bars to escape).  The Vorpal Claw does 2d6 and decapitates opponents on a natural 20 TH, and if this attack is used on a foe already in the clutches of the Crusher, only an 18 or better is req to sever the head.  Note that DEX bonus to AC is negated while in the grip of the Crusher.  The tail barb impales for 2d4, doing an auto 1d4 the next rnd as it is withdrawn.  The tail is controlled by a secondary, lesser brain, which can still function independently if the main brain is affected/influenced somehow.  Although it does not normally attack with its mandibles, it will do so if it has no other choice, for 1d4 dam.  If a head is severed, things get really creepy, as the tail barb ceases to attack and instead impales the severed head and swings it aloft like a lantern.  The head's eyes light up bloody red, and the Vorpion then employs any Mental Powers/Spells/Knowledge stored in it's memory against any remaining attackers, taunting them in the voice of their former compatriot!  (Freak 'em out: have one appear with an already skewered head, cast a nasty Spell, toss the drained head, and advance seeking another!)

# appearing; 1 for God's sake; MV 12"; AC 3; HD 7; AT 3; Crusher 2d8+ crush, Vorpy 2d6+ snip, Tail Barb 2d4+ impale; (Spell use); Size 10' long; and as if all this isn't enough, the Vorpion takes only 1HP/die of Electrical damage (no save), just 'cause; XP; your game; Treasure; see XP, but give 'em a break!

Vorpion carcasses really should be worth something on the Alchemical/Spell research market; possibly their secondary brains are used as an ingredient in some arcane brew, their eyes (four pairs of increasing size -oh, they live underground, so Infravision!) are used in Potions, barbs could be made into (possibly magical) spears, and I'm thinking their claws might be fashioned into cool-looking shields, either small or large.  (NOT Vorpal-edged shields, though!)

UPDATE:  I just figured out why my battered notes on this Party Killin Machine read "Can employ Wands, etc, but not weapons"... the original draft did not have a tail spike, but rather an oversized human-like hand, which performed the same functions as above.  It was orig created as some sort of Wizard-hunting beast...

My turn to Play, your turn to DM!

Haven't been posting; distracted by the real world, and not DMing lately.  Our group takes turns at the helm, allowing those who want to DM to do so, and ea DM has their own campaign world, so I've been kinda lax with developing Gnarth and have just been enjoying playing my favorite character in my buddy's game.*

Thinking I'm still going to post "This Week's Game" anyhow, and blog about the events from a Player's point of view.  The last session involved climbing the "Endless Stair" from the module of the same name, heavily modified from the original version, no doubt, as our current DM is notorious for altering published adventures to the point that the original is barely recognizable, yet is immediately recognizable as "Brett's Game"!  You have taught me well, my master!

Spent the entire session climbing a spiral staircase into the sky, trying to avoid/overcome traps, posted guardians, and Summoned beasties, in an attempt to reach a "planar nexus" which would allow us access to the Abyss.  I could spend a few pages detailing our efforts... but I think that the best part of This Week's Game was the Staircase itself!  Knowing that we could slip or be tossed off of the stairs to fall hundreds of feet to our deaths at any time was a real Rush!  Made us really Think, and Discuss, and Argue a bit, too!  None of this "Screw it, let's just charge 'em!" mentality.  It was a genuine Thinking Player's session, and a lot of fun, and all because of a simple change of  venue from the norm.

*Aesson the Thief is now 14th (holy crap!) level... I like to incl a "starting date" for my PCs on the Char Sheet.  At the top of Aesson's sheet it says "Summer '86."  That's Nineteen Eighty Six, kids.  ...Wow.  Happy 25th anniversary Aesson!  'Bout time you settled down with a Guild of your very own, old friend!

Friday, April 8, 2011

Well, SOME Dogs go to Heaven...


Was thinking of the Eight Million Mummified Dogs, and was reminded of Fritz Lieber's "Gods IN Lankhmar" (as opposed to the Gods OF Lankhmar), the Mummified Undead protectors who would rise and defend the city...  How about a city teeming w/cats &/or dogs, afforded the privilege of roaming free, considered sacred by the populace... a city which has stood for quite some time, partly due to the fact that, interred in the series of catacombs below, there are Eight Million Mummified Dogs...  ("Your War Dogs refuse to enter the tunnel.  Hmm?  Well, they look kinda scared, actually...")

(Oh, and dibs on "8MMD" as the name of a band, narrowly edging out long-time favorite, "The Chewy Turds")

Monday, April 4, 2011

Step Inside the Chamber, Please


Tossing around ideas for a Lovecraftian-creepy weird science laboratory dungeon, possibly the lair of Great Race or Primordials, was going to compile a list of (mostly) classic SciFi machines/technology, realized many involve "something you must enter"; Chambers, Tubes, Capsules, Booths, Vats, etc.  Padded it a bit to accommodate a d30, added some rough detailing

WEIRD SCIENCE CHAMBERS/EFFECTS (d30)
 
1. Clone-O-Matic - takes "samples" of DNA and begins growing a Simulacrum which shows up later.  Maybe it only makes a copy if the original donor dies, and the "new guy" comes walking around the corner in a state of Confusion, and can't understand why everyone seems upset to see him

2. Bacterial Spew Chamber - moist sphincter coughs up toxic cloud; Save and age is reduced 10+1d10 yrs, Fail and become terribly ill for 1d4 days

3. Probulator - restraints activate, manipulative arms extend, remove clothing/armor (possibly transfers them to locked "storage" compartment/area), body orifices are um, probed.  Unpleasant at best.

4. Orgasmatron - a strange but mostly pleasant experience, unless the machine malfunctions (%?) and becomes stuck in continuous cycle, lose 1 pt of CON/rnd for 5d4 rnds, 0 = coma, regain 1pt/hr

5. Suicide Booth - disposal of unwanted test subjects, possible selection of "Quick and Painless" or "Slow and Horrible"  (Save vs Disintegration, or take damage from variety of piercing/drilling/chopping thingys)

6. Career Chip Implantation Device - put your hand in there; the Morlocks will report you to the Primordials if you don't perform your assigned task.  "Ya gotta do what ya gotta do"

7. Astral Projectocarphagus - sends your Astral Body to some bizarre locale for predetermined stay, or until specific task is done, or item brought back

8. Potential Realizator - Gain (d4) 1d4 HP, 1 point to lowest Ability, 1 point to Primary Abil, enough XP to reach next level

9. Teleporter Pad/Pod - oldie, but still goodie

10. Cryogenic Freeze Tube - slams shut, flash freeze, readout counter says you can return to adventuring in 1d% yrs

11. Reanimator - Primordial Flesh Golem/Vat Guy factory!

12. Transmogrifier - (d4) gain additional limb/organ, gain new weird limb/organ, bizarre body proportion alteration, "ZAP, you're a Morlock"

13. Joy Can - mind-reading holographic projector fulfills your greatest desires, but its all evil.  You'll have to be dragged out by friends with metal headgear.  Fun way to explore PC motivations, and design future storylines

14. Interphasic Defragulator - caught between dimensions, you gain the benefits of Displacement (-2 AC, first strike always misses), but also suffer the effects of being Displaced (-2TH, first strike?  miss!)

15. Memory Upload Interface - gain knowledge, skill, ability, perhaps some familiarity with the odd devices here

16. Cosmetic Surgery Autodoc - performs necessary medical procedures to allow +1d4 CHAR pts, but does 1HP permanent dam in the process

17. Nanite Injector - I dunno, immunization, mental conditioning, "tracking" nanos... hmmm, "Midi-chlorians"?

18. Zero Grav Interspecies Toilet - extensive wall post of instructions in several alien languages.  If translated/comprehended somehow, contains numerous unfamiliar nouns and verbs.  Looks kinda like a shower stall; maybe you should stand in it.  Not that switch; it'll back-up and expel contents!

19. Cranial Unit Harvest, Preservation & Reattachment Bank, with Body Internment/Incineration feature - takes off yer head and attaches it to something else from the Stasis Chambers in the back, either saving your old body in stasis... or not

20. Cybernetic Limb/Organ Replacement Tank - we can make him better, stronger, faster, maybe by chopping off something and replacing it

21. Tattoo/Branding - experimental test subject indexing/identification.  Maybe something stupid will ignore you, or at least assume you shouldn't be attacked

22. The Nozzle - cybernetic "eye" on flexible tube extends and stares at PC.  Just do that.  Stare at them.  When they start to say something, interrupt and say, "Do not speak while the nozzle calibrates".  If they attempt to move, say, "Movement is not wise while the nozzle calibrates".  Just keep staring at them, and saying, "Nozzle is still calibrating" until they start to freak out.  Then the nozzle retracts without explanation.

23. Autodoc Vat - knocks you out and fixes you up.  Full HP!

24. Environmental Adaptation Capsule - modifies subject's structure in order to allow operation in dangerous/inhospitable environ; gills for underwater breathing, hairy pelt -1/die Cold damage, etc

25. Soylent Processor - basically a human-sized garbage disposal unit

26. Soylent Dispenser - organic materials from #25 are cooted forth as tiny green rosettes of edible meat by-subtances, served in corrugated paper cups

27. Time Machine - I know it wouldn't be a classic if it hadn't been done before, but this one is about tapped-out... maybe it sends you one hour into the future, and some Random Encounter is "suddenly" there waiting when you come out

28. Memory Wipe Amnesiotron - *FLASH!*  "Who are you guys?  Who am I?  Is this blood on me?!""

29. Synthetic Replicant Synthesizer - high-speed malevolent Android twin manufacture, possibly a "Terminator" model, if you're inclined

30. ROLL TWICE Combine results in bizarre fashion (no, please, not #18 + #26!)

Applicable nods, thanks, apologies, as appropriate, to Mr. Wells, Roddenberry, Kubrick, Publick, and Groenig, et al
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