Thursday 31 March 2016

Setting maps and infographics (or just map porn)



A Zac piece got me looking at maps and thinking about how maps help tell stories and suggest adventure. A good map Suggests places to check out. Springboards for adventure. Also good toys for the DM.


the above map looks pretty complete and you could have a few years in game time getting to know the place. I could see five or six sessions from this map easily. A instant sandbox.

Dunno where i stole it but i could just slap a few games here on they fly with tables and recycled stuff. I could run a game on the fly with tables and try to act to players curiosity. I could plant some canned adventures (PDF) off the net. Or steal something from a old fantasy novel or film (preferably something obscure. It might be fun for some players to know it (like happens in cthulhu constantly).

In my Psychon game I have been trying to run Anomalous Sub surface environment as a region on Psychon. I have basic setting notes but lost all dungeon stuff. Got maps and weird new monsters. Players really got into maps.

Players were getting over mt rendon after gate house and morlocks. Party argued if they should go back to that tower they killed a wizard at and a character stayed on to be the new wizard. Others said whats this livid fens and the strange lake and the ruins. I teased them there could be a paddle steamer casino wreck nearby from the ancients. But rumour that someone had seen the medstation doors open the morning after the mountain and they were off. Med station = drugs.So i made up a medical station complex kinda like you might find in fall out.

I hope to find my proper published adventure dungeon but players like it when i bullshit games on te fly and expect a fair amount of freedom. but all his comes from what a good map inspires.





looking at some good maps and ways of adding text and narrative with border art and features

i think most big settings try and offer you a world with lots of choices - in my history games people took a years to get from India to the pillars of Heracles - or from Greenland to Byzantium.

perhaps you don't really need to do whole world just on trade routes and focus locations. Or just major routes, cities and interesting locations. Two or three different scales add a lot to landscape.

I really like pictorial exaggeration of feature on maps. Size of the city equals importance. Whats that cave. Whats that ruin. Mutant epoch calls adventurers excavators and refer to archeology, not just looters. In a fanasy game you are often plundering tho remains of past wealth and hoping to find loot. If you good you might rather find that relic a guy in the pub said was there.

I like borders that are ornate an not just repeated. Realm of Chaos has the best ever. I kinda over the parchment look and find in long run harder to read and find stuff. I like clean textbook for some maps (like DM maps). And fancier for setting and player maps. I like old almanacs and vintage maps with info graphics in borders.

Timelines
Mountain heights,
River lengths,
Towns by size
Heraldry borders
Pictures of important people
Pictures of haunted places
Pictures of lost relics
Crops and calender scenes
Industry and workers
Famous battles and soldiers kit
Local hats and dress - the wrong hat could got you killed for lots of history
Local animals on farm or wild


If i drew it it would all be adorable retarded octopi



Im thinking in future on Planet Psychon - players leave map hex and see bizarre unfinished terrain like leaving fallout map in a computer game when you mod game to leave the normal permitted play area. Vids on this on youtube. I did a barrier table for the edge of hexes on psychon that the gods use to keep people apart. Maybe a d100 weird hexes and some other weird places for psychon. Failed hexes, disaster or apocalypse hexes. Getting in mindset of tech and superheroics again after seeing Daredevil, BMvsSM and deadpull. And i liked them all.

Seamonsters and octopi and shipwrecks on a seam map are a must. Mysterious forests. Sinister plains. Suggesting a few tables too with Adjective+terrain. Narnia and Middle Earth are of course classics,




Historic maps can be stolen and re purposed. Sometimes the vagueness can be useful and give you more freedom. Give wild rumours of what distant people are like. Then make it nothing like that when you get there. Medieval people believed dogmen and the kingdom of prester john was somewhere on he way to china or india.



This Noah's Ark world map would be great for players. Pretty useless. Cities look good. Is that a dragon?



Id use this in a lost world or for serpent men citadel. (Monster Age I mention in my setting history inspired by zeb cooks forbidden city intro and clark ashton smith. Seven ruled each with a cohort/slave race. Seven rebel races ended them. This might make a good dugeon zone type.



This looks like a good ready made posh ruin



Some maps make you think of plans of attack,
or who lived here and what they did,



A pretty amazing city has a good amount of information for a lot of purposes.



Fortress inspired designs could be use for dungeons too. With magical fire blasting and flying fantasy things dungeons would be logical fortresses. Star shaped post castle fors of gunpowder era were prety amazing. Fireballs in place of cannons these shapes might be better than castle. Many have towns inside or cities.



Some places grow more organically like cells and might even follow old animal trails,



Its good if you find a settlement area or hotel map or deckplan that suits your needs. So much easier to just use stuff from online. I run old dnd clone games as gamer intro sessions and teach that there is a mountain of stuff online for free. Better than buying a hundred bucks of games if you only play a few times. Kids shoould be able to make this a frgal hobby not just adiction to cofeee table books.



Bury some ancient map from a historic culture presto a dungeon with cultural style

Spies SF Superheroes Post Apoc all have free public maps ans interesting locations





I might do again

I'm starting to sort comics collection and will sell some old stuff. Will get a new computer for travel then a scanner and start digitizing my 40 litres of old note books ans another pile of gamer notes going back to 80s so then will see that here.

Some nice links
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZjHH_jGNbTd5Y4e2ZENOtfArA4aOcIXT-Chor8hyphenhyphenAmUZWC8wUMj3LXKCcfrV4k1ldq8c_208Q7x1F8Cbf37KcgH1O0AGk0eKxVaejaok-tFSkhONr72eK8ktpSbtXOUQKy9KczlwO88l/s640/dave-stevenson-huntress-map.jpg
http://www.cartographersguild.com/

http://time-for-maps.tumblr.com/
http://bensack.tumblr.com/post/94664497875/hieroglyph-v
https://www.pinterest.com/kitikatti/maps/

nice lot of map tangents under this pic

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/570549846518808859/

Dont forget my flickr stuff and my tectonic dungeons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/konsumterra/albums/72157631656547261

Wednesday 30 March 2016

Kobold Crooners & Humanoid Musicians

Humaoids and other races might have equivalent of bardic abilities. They might be more shamanic or priestly or wizardly looking but such specialists can be found advising courts, helping armies prepare for battle, demoralizing foes and other things. this is a bunch of mods for monsters not a whole class. They tend to support priests and bosses rather than lead directly.

In play they will act a leader +1HD or hero unit with +2 HD or a champion +4HD. They use d6 instae of D8. I use same magic progression, combat and saves as elves. They can choose from wizardry, clericry, druidry or mentalism or whatever spell list you might use. They prefer lighter armour and one handed bladed weapons, staff, dart, javelin, short bow, light crossbow, pistols or muskets. Thrown rocks, sticks, torches, bombs, incendiaries, poison, potions or unholy water are all covered by a throw proficiency that covers unbalanced simple objects.

Such a performer will make an elite squad which may use certain weapons or take up certain traditional dramatic roles for rituals.

I make morale rolls with a d12 with CHA bonus of leader on them and other mods for outnumbering humans or being drunk. I mostly use d20 vs CHA for effects of song. Most have abilities that can be used from magical song energy points derived from CHA. Most work for a round per point but marching powers last an hour. Special abilities for race use a point per round

Followers are pets, apprentices, assistants, slaves, musicians, guards or mounts

Each breed has a specialist singer ability
Sing or play or dance or poetry used as specialty method of each school
Most have excellent memory, many languages, history, first aid, herbalism

+1HD Leader (d4-1 followers) Spells as d3 elf
Those inspired +1 Morale, hit and saving throws lasts CHA per day in rounds on CHA in HD of recipients under command and followers. or can use CHA point to allow men march or labour for one hour with no fatigue.

+2HD Hero (d3+1 followers) Spells as d4+1 elf
Those inspired +2 Morale and +1 save, AC, HP and to hit or may neutralize fear effects on men for rounds equal CHA per day on CHA number of recipients at once. The squad in turn inspire any troops in sight with +1 Morale. Or can use a CHA point of song to inspire men to run or work as two men for an hour.

+4HD Champion (2d4 followers) Spells as a d4+4 elf
Those inspired never fail morale rolls and +2 Hit, Dam, Save, HP, AC, Mv on followers for CHA in 10 minute turns per day of CHA+WIS in recipients at once. Regulars under command car run or fight or toil harder for 24 hours on command once a week

Racial Special Abilities
Kobold Songmiester - can disrupt a single enemy spellcaster with screeching, magician makes concentration rolls to cast
Kobold Trapsinger - anyone who can hear song has half ability to spot or disarm traps if fail WIS save
Goblin Shroomplucker - doubles effects of shroom magic effects or nutrition value of a bushel of shrooms per round
Goblin Gloomwarden - ispired followers fire one extra arrow or sling per round
Hobgoblin Warsinger - enemies hearing song lose a morale point and make a morale test when they first hear
Orc Hatedrummer - beserk troops can fight into negative hits while performing
Bugbear Crooner - non bugbears sneak and surprise as all were bugbears while under crooners gentle vocals
Gnoll - screeching song can animate zombies one per singers HD they collapse when song ends

Im happy to keep this loose and vague - make good villains and characters sure to kill them fast

Thursday 24 March 2016

d100 Petty Bunker Problems and Gossip


A sequel to my first ever d100 on the EMO blog
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/gamma-aeon-tourist-beareau.html

This was inspired by gammaworld, aftermath and a bit by fallout. I got boyscout badges for designing bomb shelters as school teachers told us daily we would all die in ww3 and we couldnt stop it. Ah the care fee 70s and 80s.

So this is a table for smaller shittier problems you might face weekly in a bunker or generation starship or isolated base.

d10 Quick Types of Petty Problems
01 Troubled leadership
02 Medical problems
03 Resource problems
04 Habitat maintenance
05 Morale problems
06 Power struggle
07 Rampant gossip
08 Recreational vice
09 Environment
10 Weird stuff

d100 Petty Problems In the Bunker
01 Leader growing senile and increasingly crazy
02 Leader demanding unreasonable personal attention and servitude
03 Leader corrupt and accepting bribes and services for privilege
04 Leader clamping down on personal freedom and choice
05 Leader increasingly paranoid about enemies
06 Leader concerned about traitors from with bunker
07 Leader adopting harsh and arbitrary punishments
08 Leader appointing overbearing officials
09 Leader ill or engrossed in own problems and organisation suffering
10 Leader is being duped or mislead by dubious adviser

11 Several workers down with flu
12 Someone important has medical crisis

13 Medical supplies or skills needed
14 Mold or fungus making health problems
15 Doctors working on treating medical mystery
16 Several workers pulled from duty due to mental problems
17 Accident hospitalizes some personnel
18 Worker reproduction or cryopod problems
19 Medical tech ethics dispute (cloning, reproduction, genetic mods)
20 Debate over patient priorities
21 Food production failure, food supply shortage 
22 Armament or ammo shortages
23 Fuel shortages
24 Improvised materials and repairs failing
25 Water or air filters having problems
26 Technical information lost
27 Vermin eating supplies
28 Storage facility damaged by flood or cave in or contamination
29 Light bulbs, toilet paper, paper other common goods hustled on black market
30 Water supply reduced
31 Construction material or tech parts shortage
32 Power outages
33 Attempts from unknown outsiders to enter
34 Collapse of a section trapped some occupants
35 Sewerage flood
36 Toxic gas vented into some areas
37 Flammable gas leaks
38 Elevator or internal transport fails
39 Main Door frozen
40 Surveilance system tampered with
41 Panic about surface conditions
42 Riots over goods shortages
43 Accusations of murder or cannibalism
44 Witch hunt for traitors
45 Fear of disease or contamination
46 Crime and corruption on the increase
47 Faith in mission or survival low
48 Suicide increases
49 Citizens seek to escape
50 Killer hidden among population
51 Workers strike for better conditions
52 Security prompting a coup
53 Family dynasties struggle for control at any cost
54 Science staff tired off backward oafish elites who cut their funding
55 Criminals plan a take over for more vice and corruption
56 Ideological zealots stirring up unrest
57 Demagogue winding up workers with talk of equality and fairness
58 Military faction need bigger barracks and more food as they take all the risks
59 Law and order faction tired crackdown on petty rules
60 Religion or cult want bunker to go in new direction
61 Rumors of bunker purpose a lie, demand secret agenda exposed
62 Rumors that conditions outside are a lie
63 Rumors of secret infiltration from outside force
64 Rumors that leaders corrupt and have secret luxuries
65 Gossip rampant and bullying driving some to suicide
66 Gossip about contamination and safety covered up
67 Gossip about private lives of leaders sexual exploits and vice
68 Gossip that complex doomed, panic and dreams of escape abound
69 Stories of creature or maniac lurking in complex depths
70 Stories of supernatural phenomena like ghosts or people with ESP
71 Establishment of black market economy and currency
72 Gambling running rife and causing problems like violence
73 Secret fight club league or other dangerous blood sport
74 Underground sex industry linked to corrupt officials
75 Personnel being killed in dangerous physical challenges
76 Gamers taking things too far by acting out dangerous fantasies in real life (mario carts!)
77 Addictive game or fan fiction zines distracting important workers 
78 Kleptomaniac scavenger hunts all the rage
79 Drug abuse rampant and safety compromised 
80 Gangs or cults forming dividing community
81 Rust and corrosion rampant, things falling part
82 Software bugs make computers inefficient
83 Air temperature too cold, ice forming in some places
84 Air temperature too hot, hot spots in some places
85 Air too humid, dripping water, condensation and water damage
86 Machines and computers acting funny
87 Funny odors and bad air some sections
88 Food production areas declining or diseased
89 Vermin loose in some sections
90 Stuff growing in some sections that shouldn't be
91 Mental health crisis among essential staff being investigated
92 Manpower or skill shortage solved with clones, androids, cryopods or other tech fix
93 Slimy trails found
94 Disappearance of person alarms
95 Graffiti increasing and common is some areas
96 Terrible practical jokes getting more serious
97 Vandalism running rampant in some sections
98 Something important missing
99 Eugenics club advocate modifying personnel or creating worker drones
100 Someone is stealing power or lab supplies for some purpose

Language on Planet Psychon

No I wouldn't be surprised if Venger Satanis had used this pic. But congrats to him beating the man over pornophobes. Probably good pr he should milk and use like crazy.

Having stuff like this reminds me of dealing with complaints at my youth mag i managed. Most ppl imagine extra content when complaining. They are usually disheartened when you count the genders of images page by page with them or prove them wrong or ask what page the offence is on. I always offer them to publish their alternate view which mostly scares them off.

Anyway i'm running Planet Psychon at the moment and I thought I should clean this up.

S=spoken version
W=written version

Common S W - Common is the universal tongue put in the minds of everyone by the star gods since birth or when assimilated.

Ancient S W - language of the pre apocalypse times, many regional dialects

Eldren (Elvish) SW - language of folk of low gravity orbitals, star explorers and utopian hedonistic bunkers

Morock (Dwarf) SW - language of subterranean, ultra high density bunkers and high g space space travellers and miners

Goblin S W - languages of most common breed of mutants made to fight and labour hazardous environments with little resources. Hobgoblin, kobold, bugbear are dialects. It is related to morlock and eldren.

Giant S W - language of these behemoths mostly mutated and bread for work and dumb. Rare giants

Ogre S W - is  hybrid of giant and goblin used by dumb ogres and the rarer ogre magi and high ogres

Orc S W - is a hybrid related to ogre and ancient military code. They are bred for war and are mostly born from machines or spells fully ready to fight adult males. Orcs are bred to fight in chemical warfare and many carry gas asks and horned helmets.

Troll S W - used used by savage cancerous chaos ridden cave trolls or the sweeter common house troll who are more likely to read and make you something nice to eat

Machine S W - mathematical language of binary, basic and fractal maths that machines talk in. Used by priests, robots, androids, cyborgs and AIs, it is the language of the space gods.

Abumans S W but for each race has own. More related to animal or elemental or other planar languages
Changelings S W but for each race has own. More related to animal or elemental or other planar languages  

Alignment languages used by other planes and priesthoods or wizards. Law and Chaos are most common with special types like Lawful Evil, Lawful Good, Chaotic Evil, Chaotic Good

Arcane W - a mish mash of obscure ancient and dead languages, psuedoscience jargon and occult gobildigook. To speak it if talented is dangerous and is how spells cast. It is the language that interacts with the data manifolds of the universe. Greatest wizards can cast with but a thought. Many specialize in one dialect to keep secret spells but translation spells are easily obtained. In most cases assume wizard has own dialect. It just isn't for normal communications of concepts. Sorcerers don't know what words mean, they are gifts of otherworldly beings, bloodlines and cult patron powers. Wizards use these to make magic items and new spells. Less useful for sorcerers but still interesting. Once 4th level arcane may be spoken safely and is a sighn the user is able teach now.

Animal S W - species have own language but write with scent rather than words, Beast men abumans, druids, elves, some bards, gnomes and other might learn the secrets of animal speech with effort.

Elemental S W - with dialects from all the prime elements of fire, earth, air, water and the para or quasi elements like lightning, cold, crystal, mist

Aliens speak otherworldly languages one dialect per species

Secret Languages are for secretive groups and dialects include theives cant, cult languages, druidic and more

d10 Comon Psychonian Languages

01 Common
02 Ancient
03 Eldren
04 Morlock
05 Goblin or dialect
06 Abhuman dialect
07 Arcane dialect
08 Machine
09 Alien
10 Alighnment


d100 Psychonian Lanhuages and Dialects
01
 Ancient English 
02 Ancient Japanese
03 Ancient French
04 Ancient Chinese
05 Ancient Germen
06 Ancient Russian
07 Ancient Spanish
08 Ancient Hindi
09 Ancient Latin
10 Ancient (other)

11 Eldren
12 Morlock

13 Giant
14 Goblin
15 Goblin/kobold
16 Goblin/hobgoblin
17 Goblin/bugbear
18 Ogre
19 Orc
20 Giant
21 Troll
22 Machine
23 Abhuman/Goat
24 Abhuman/Lion 
25 Abhuman/Wolf
26 Abhuman/Ape
27 Abhuman/Cattle
28 Abhuman/Deer 
29 Abhuman/Kangaroo 
30 Abhuman/Panda
31 Abhuman/Hyena
32 Abhuman/Rabbit
33 Abhuman/Lizard
34 Abhuman/Toad
35 Abhuman/Fish
36 Abhuman/Bat
37 Abhuman/Newt
38 Abhuman/Falcon 
39 Abhuman/Pigeon
40 Abhuman/Chicken
41 Abhuman/Lamprey
42 Abhuman/Crab
43 Abhuman/Spider
44 Abhuman/(Animal) 
45 Abhuman/(Elemental)
46 Abhuman/(Plant)
47 Changeling/(Animal) 
48 Changeling/(Elemental)
49 Changeling/(Plant)
50 Changeling/(Planar)
51 Animal/mouse
52 Animal/rat
53 Animal/finch
54 Animal/cow
55 Animal/pig
56 Animal/dog
57 Animal/cat 
58 Animal/sheep
59 Animal/goat
60 Animal/pigeon
61 Animal/rabbit
62 Animal/duck
63 Animal/chicken
64 Animal/goose
65 Animal/spider
66 Animal/fly
67 Animal/scorpion
68 Animal/snake
69 Animal/bear 
70 Animal/possum
71 Animal/raccoon
72 Animal/skunk
73 Animal/Eagle
74 Alien (dialect)
75 Cult (dialect)
76 Arcane (dialect)
77 Druidic
78 Thieves Cant (one per gang)
79 Fire
80 Earth
81 Air
82 Water
83 Metal
84 Crystal
85 Ice
86 Lightning
87 Smoke
88 Vapour
89 Magma
90 Radiance
91 Law
92 Chaos
93 Good 
94 Evil
95 Lawful Good
96 Lawful Evil
97 Chaotic Good
98 Chaotic Evil
99 Nuetral
100  Balance

Wednesday 23 March 2016

d100 Dungeon Vermin (revised little guys)



Been commuting from Canberra to Sydney for work and gaming. So as my portable tablet and tower died im down to old faithful acer laptop which since last few updates has got rid of bugs. Also worked co curating paste for a festival day. I managed to include some questionable content plenty of ppl would have rejected. So my posting been slower. A local wed club and thurs wargaming club and a gamer bar open all night with cooked breakfast with dungeon decor i must visit too. Town has best wargaming scene ive seen in decades and but pathfinder seems biggest rpg game and

So todays d100 is a revision of this
aeonsnaugauries.blogspot.com.au did a awesome version too but i cant find it

I have meant to fix this. My animal project has sped up since abandoning stats every entry. My d100 petty undead was made easier by generic stats than trying to describe everything

Some average stats for quick use but special animals exist to break these standards and can be more dangerous.

Tiny
Bugs, mice, frogs, lizards, finch, cricket, under a foot length
HD 1hp AC +5 some might inflict 1hp Mv6

Small
Chicken, smaller dog, goose, cat, duck, monkey, crow, owl, under a yard in length
HD d4 AC +4 some might inflict d4 Mv9

Medium
Sheep, goat, pig, large dog, miniature pony
HD d6 or d8 AC +3 some might inflict d6 Mv12

Most dungeon vermin can sense in dark or have penalties halved
Poison often mild +2 or +4 for smaller specimens on only a d6 or so damage



D100 Dungeon Vermin
01 Dungeon rat swarm - 4d6 1hp rats in a swarm more aggressive than regular rats 1dam to victim/round, 1 victim every 6 rats
02 Dungeon Giant rat - d4 HD often travel in groups of d6
03 Dungeon Hog Rat - 1HD as big as a pig, solitary as the eat smaller rats
04 Dungeom Bear Rat - 2-3 HD often fill whole drain or tunnel and chase food into corners
05 Ball of rats - ball of 3d6+4 entangled rats with fused tails attack as small creature
06 Dungeon king rats - 1-3 foot long 1d4 HP, 1d4 bite, diseased, good food and hide 3d
07 Dungeon rat mutant - bizarre specimen with wings, scorpion tail, bald, green, intelligent
08 Plague Rats with red eyes and black fur
09 Mice mostly flee on site or run past
10 Mouse Swarm with hundreds of mice
11 Dungeon Hens 1d6 and Cock 1d4 HP and damage - wild, feral or somebodies livestock
12 Dungeon rabbits - 1d3 HP 1d4 attack if cornered, uses dungeon as thoroughfare, possible feral food beast
14 Dungeon Cat - usually flee but may be curious and follow
15 Dungeon Dog - usually medium dogs, stray pet, watch dogs on patrol 1d6 or feral dog pack 2d6 - territorial, will have allies it can howl for
16 Dungeon subterranean swine family with sow, boar and adorable piglets
17 Dungeon hog lost from herd eating some lovely muck
18 Boar who eats dungeon rubbish and agressive of territory
19 Dungeon cow, stinking miniature shaggy cows with mildew covered hair, gang up, trample and butt
20 Goblin miniture tunnel goat eats all kinds or rubbish, will butt and fleee threats but will let you milk it if you have food and it is a doe, buck more agressive
21 Dungeon hedgehog - 1-3 foot long eating bugs, grubs and other critters, good eating, harmless
22 Dungeon bobcat, normally cautious but curious
23 Ferrets - a lost pet or hunters breasts gone feral in a family of 1d6, chase mice and rabbits
24 Dungeon weasels, large ones attack and suck d4 blood per round, small packs
25 Badger hunting or using area as thoroughfare, mounds of earth might have remains of beads and potterey they uncover on digs
26 Jackal or fox looking for scraps, possibly see parents with some young 1d6, will flee
27 Dungeon monkey, evil litle men, steal stuff and fling shit
28 Ghost bats cause fear when they leap out in surprise and demoralize people, nast bit, pussum sized
29 Vampire bats swarm about draining a HP per round and possibly spread disease
30 Screeching bats in hundreds cause confusion and alert local monsters
31 Dungeon toad - looking for bugs, puffs up if sees bigger things, possibly poisonous, size and attitude of bull terrier, makes good leather
32 Dungeon froglings or toadlings - 1d6 large 1-2 hand size frogs or toads looking for
33 Dungeon gecko - hides above doors, camo blends in, may hide near door frames, bites or squeaks loudly then flee if startled, eats bugs, is tasty
34 Dungeon turtle - slowly wandering turtle looking for bugs, might stay near water or drainpipe, tasty, looks tired and resigned to fate, linkboys eat them
35 Dungeon Lizard - one to two yard scavenging monitor lizard, attracted by smells of blood or rations
36 Dungeon Adder, sneaky biting snakes with mild but painful poison, might even swarm
37 Dungeon Python a constrictor up to 18 feet long
38 Dungeon cobra or rattler with lethal bite and bad attitude
39 Dungeon Salamander or Newt, squishy and poisonous, large ones bite hands or feet
40 Dungeon
41 Discover you are crawling with leeches - 1hp damage
42 Huge lamprey like leech drop from above or ide near door frames to attack the cling and suck blood
43 Trap tooth rock grubs, burrow and attack from ground with trap like jaws, STR to pull free or DEX to avoid ig you know they are there
44 Dungeon maggots - good bait and good eating for some, 1HP and bite for 1 HP, 1d10 maggots probably on some corpse or some dung
45 Dungeon Earth Worms - up to a foot long come from its hole to eat some rubbish, good bait
46 Dungeon giant worm - up to a 1 yard worm with a 1d4 HP and bite
47 Dungeon sting worm pops out of ground or wall with paralasys sting
48 Dungeon grubs - 2d20 grubs attack for 1hp then live inside host as a parasite - when worms exeed HP victim bursts, 1d6 attack a person each round
49 Dungeon thread worms - 2d6 sticky threads attack and cling to victim from wet patch on ground or near food or rubbish for 1hp per worm then live inside host as a parasite - when worms exceed HP victim bursts open
50 Termite swarm infests wooden objects to eat
51 Chirpers increadibly noisy cave crickets, may congregate near scraps and bite, mosly make alarm if scared warning local monsters
52 Dungeon dung beetle - collects dung and rolls away and stores in nest neatly
53 Cockroaches d100 - may get into party stuff and lay eggs
54 Dungeon mosquito swarm - swarm inflict 1hp per round for 1d4 rounds then leave
55 Dungeon fleas or ticks - infested area spreads to party, lose 1 hp per day till treated, with weekly disease check
56 Fly swarm of stinging flies or wasps that crawl into eyes, ears, nose, may blind and smother
57 Giant tick bite then suck 1d4/rnd, diseased
58 Dungeon giant mosquito - 1d4 HP, 1d3 bite then suck 1d3 per round till dear, diseased
59 Cave lobster (Dungeon Yabbie), usually hide near drains or water on in puddle, nip for surprised then flee to water if prey dangerous, delicious in butter and garlic
60 Giant wasp - 1d6 large stinging cat size wasps with clay nest
61 Dungeon giant flies 1d6 in group, aggressive hit and run hand to small dog size
62 Ants or termites, footlong builder or mining ants or a single grumpy dog sized ant or termite
63 Inch ants, multiple bites cause 1pt wounds and mild poison
64 Dungeon scorpion - up to foot long, aggressive often in groups
65 Dungeon centipede - up to foot long 1d4 hp, Poison+2 save, angry if disturbed nest or while eating
66 Dungeon camel spider - foot long creatures look part lobster. Paralyze you with venom then eat 1hp for1d10 rounds, others may join in meal, attack sleepers unless desperate
67 Tarantulas, many hand size or lone larger, poison inflicts urge to dance till exhaustion
68 Dungeon rat eating spider - a 2 hand size spider with necrotic bite dam 1d6+2 damage save vs poison for half - not hostile but might be startled and defend self
69 Dungeon red back spider - black orb with scarlet eye mark on back builds scraggly webs under benches, furniture, goods left against walls, holes - poison aggressive with nest
70 Dungeon trapdoor spider - blends into stonework bottom few feet of wall or in doorways for skilled ambush
71 Rope snakes like to hide among rope or look like coils of rope
72 Torch bugs fold up to look like a torch when scared, if you set them alight they go crazy
73 Lamp Spitter shoots spit at open flames, dousing candles or lamps. Biggest can douse a torch, if irritated they jump on your face
74 Lockspiders hide in locks and poison anyone rude enough to use a key or lockpicks in their homes
75 Leatherworms, infest leather goods and weaken them
76 Blue Gel, ball sized glob drops onto wood or leather goods, ruining them rapidly
77 Flying Squealers are magical winged piglets from another plane, they are adorable, eat your food, fly about shitting and squeal if spooked
78 Dungeon Squirrel, dog size, aggressive, eat carrion and all kinds of dungeon waste.
79 Dun Jelly, eats sewerage and feces, some keep them in latrine pits, sometimes people step in them and slip and stink after
80 Baby fire salamanders live in fire places and forges and if left without fuel will wander off to start a fire, feeding them fuel or fire magic heals them, cold or water or sand hurt
81 Explodestools d4 1=d3 1foot diameter 2=d4 3foot diameter 3=d6 10foot diameter 3=d6 10foot diameter 4=d12 20foot diameter
82 Green Mould, creates stinking cloud if disturbed once a day
83 Tentacle from drain or water grabs your foot will give up if hurt or cant drag into hole
84 Faeries, sprites, pixies or brownies pinch stuff and play tricks on rude or oafish boors
85 Flying monkeys screech, steal stuff, grope people and fling shit
86 Shrieking mushrooms scream if disturbed allerting dungeon monsters
87 Walking mushrooms, kinda adorable to some and possibly delicious
88 Stirge owls, blood sucking dungeon owls
89 Undead hand or other body part or undead small creature like a rat zombie
90 Baby carrion crawler 1d4 HP one sting save vs paralysis +4, leave nest in groups of 1d6
91 Baby trapper covers single floor stone usually near doorway sometimes in group of 1d6 - 2d4 HP grab then crush for 1d4 per round, surprise
92 Baby cave fisher - sits above doorways, try to eat party pets or hobbits, 2HD, entangling fisher line 2x1d6 lobster claws when victim close
93 Small piercers 1d4 dam
94 Baby purple worm 1d4 HP 1d4 bite or stinger - kill and eat now or else
95 Baby jelly or ooze or cube eating some dungeon rubbish
96 Baby mimic 1d4 HP grabs then 1d4 per round crush, disguise as doorknob, gem, dagger
97 Gremlins play cruel pranks, pick pockets, hotfoot, steal food, cut rope, hole battles, etc
98 Lost familiar creature may be shy or just follow or be friendly
99 Rat or weasel or cat looking but actually a imp or brownie or other small curious shape shifter
00 Spherical one eyed furry ball follows party, makes cute noises and eats party victims, it is a baby beholder, if scared it has a single flash strobe Save vs blindness for 2d4 rounds -1 to hit for 1 hour after, it usually flees and goes down a hole, very fast and harmless at this age but most get eaten

Tuesday 15 March 2016

Hells Plague Lands 2



Most of my recent research based on medieval art and texts

http://medieval.tumblr.com/
Some nice medieval clip art - odd but small



http://www.godecookery.com/macabre/gallery1/macabre1.htm

Some ideas on devils and demons Ive had is to almost build like a character class. Starting with zero level imp with a d4 hp then progressing in HD or levels and getting extra abilities. Most have wings and tails and basic resistance to normal weapons. Cold iron hurts demons, silver harms devils. Higher creatures gain extra resistance vs weapons and specific attacks or magic. They also get more powers, implements and skills. A basic devil gets several claw attacks or uses a pitchfork or crude spear or pole arm but mostly peasant tools. Quality of weapons and more natural attacks increase as they get stronger and more HD. Senior devils Weapon are more likely to be made of silver or cold iron and magic for greater still. More monsters of hell use spell like powers per day and might use others magic items.

Apocalypse devils are skeletal looking devils with far greater range of mischief and torture dreams than a plain skeleton. Very few have wings or tails or use unarmed attacks like claws.  They are sadistic tormentors with senses of humour. They keenly act out the torments on he damned they once received . They enjoy their work and enjoy ironic or imaginative torment. Mostly laugh and scream but often silent when serious. More like Mars Attacks than Predator for a modern movie analogy. Spears, tridents, clubs and occasional agricultural flails are their main weapons. They often act in unison and may be seen letting loose in dance and revelry. Without a leader and numerical advantage they lose confidence rapidly.

Leaders are cool, grim and merciless.  They prefer to capture and entertainingly execute victims than let them just die. Greater ones use weapons of knights or executioners or twin sickle style or scythes. Flails and maces are popular too especially from those who were once clergy. Powers include animating dead, stinking cloud, death gaze, or banshee howl, Some also have strengths and weaknesses of undead. Greatest can summon the dead, call walls of bone, ride skeletal horses or chariots, Some can grow huge or heal harm by adding bones to selves or by eating them. More powerful ones more likely to speak sensibly or act as character classes do.

Uncommon variants include forms of other undead even non corporeal ones. Only some have have wings, mostly skeletal bat ones, possibly with magical invisible membrane. Some with bird wings in white, grey or black. Tails and horns might appear on some or bestial heads. Tails like scorpions allow them extra attacks instead of claws or wing slaps. Some wear clothes mocking the stations of mortals with devil nobility dressing as knights or bishops. Skeletal demons more likely to exhibit mixed species, fused to weapons, deformities and be individuals. Flayed skin variety have visible muscles and are a bit more haughty.

Possibly when actual undead die the devils and demons and spirits n them can be seen departing when in hellor with supernatural vision. Could be in form of smoke or imp or swarm of bugs. Possibly he corpses look less horrible after the unclean animating entities flee.

Hellmouths can form on any surface - a giant devil face with teeth and scaly coloured skin. They are living gateways around hell. Mostly they exit another hellmouth but sometimes (1in6) they come out the other sort of exit farting flames and stinking clouds. You could adventure inside a diant devils digestive tract. Possibly the gates could be spoken to or controlled by some duke of hell. The mouths could be bribed with some promise or a body part or a sacrifice. They might lie - not a blatent one more like a trick word bending lawyer,

d10 Hellmouth Exit
1 Devil fortress
2 Duke of hell estate
3 Hellish city
4 Another hell terrain or kingdom
5 To a evil simulacrum of mortal world
6 To mortal world in disaster zone
7 To mortal world surrounded by cult sabbat
8 To the same starting entry that brought heroes to hell
9 Exit on other plane d4 1=elemental 2=elfland 3=giantland 4=
10 An abyssal plane where you fall into pit of fire for eternity


Hazards can be avoided by wits or going around them or fighting through. The point is they can be avoided and often threat is visible a long way off. Encounters proactively pursue you to attack.



d100 Hell Plague Lands Hazards 
01 A sheer cliff difficult to climb
02 Muddy slopes difficult and filthy to climb
03 Hidden pits of quicksand
04 Tar pits 1in6 burning
05 Burning pits with choking smoke
06 Pits with sharp bone shards in bottom 1in6 hidden
07 Pits with vicious snakes in bottom 1in6 hidden
08 Pits with writhing maggots 1in6 hidden
09 Gaping cracks in earth
10 Canyon blocking way

11 Canyon with old rope bridge
12 Canyon with bone bridge

13 Canyon with ricketey wooden bridge
14 Canyon with fortified stone bridge with gatehouse 
15 Canyon with burning bridge with houses, damned trapped inside crying for help
16 Line of trenches with sharp steaks, traps and rotting bodies
17 Fortified wall with gatehouse and guards
18 Wooden wall eternally on fire
19 Wall with flailed human skins nailed to them 
20 Wall of burning trees
21 Burning houses blocks passage
22 Hill with guard tower and sharp shooters
23 Wall of stacked coffins some with skeletons asleep inside
24 Wall of impaled corpses
25 Wicker fence with angry undead bull inside 1in6 flaming
26 Table with eating and drinking mercenaries, offended if you don't join them
27 Skeletons serving fat damned gorging themselves on addictive food and drink 
28 Skeletal soldiers with leader demanding chess match victory to pass
29 Skeletal executioners demand you decapitate a few dozen damned for them
30 Skeletons having a funeral, if you disrespectfully come near they are enraged
31 Skeletons chopping up victims into cauldrons ask if you are new ingredients
32 Skeletons dancing to band, a skeletal wizard tries to charm you to join in forever
33 Skeletal prostitutes in broken wagon lewdly offer sex, if refused they are enraged
34 Swarms of flies stripping meat from corpses in area
35 Swarm of imps in locusts form eating a village ignoring damned trying to stop them
36 Skeleton herding imp chickens enraged if you dont admire his huge red cock
37 Skeleton herding devil swine to market who will try to charm you to take their place
38 Herd of screaming undead horses block path 1in6 on fire
39 Skeletal wagon train in path, cry out to defend selves from bandits if you get close
40 Huge flock of undead vultures eating corpses get agitated by living
41 Huge flock of ravens all muttering same word as they pick corpses clean
42 Valley ends in living hellmouth face gatehouse with guards
43 Fortified castle in path
44 Hundreds of robed skeletons in prayer angry if living try to push away
45 Crude fortified wall from wagons, coffins and garbage with crossbow armed skeletons
46 Giant skeleton with scythe reaping humans buried up to neck attacks if sees living
47 Giant skeletons making earthwork and stone walls throw rocks at tiny mortals
48 Skeletal slave auction with naked damned humans, exited if fresh stock get close
49 Trenches with skeletal bowmen wishing target practice would come by 
50 Crude stone wall and earthworks difficult to climb
51 Lake or fiver of dirty yellow grey water with floating corpses 
52 Feverish swamp full of corpses, leeches, maggots, mosquitoes and flies
53 Treacherous bog with undead hands reaching out for victims
54 Wall of jagged bone steaks woven with sinew
55 Plain of jagged bone steaks among scattered bones
56 Plain with mounds of skulls covering ground, chatter hungrily when mortals near
57 Line of skeletons with crucified humans, threaten to torment them if you come closer
58 Slopes of slippery ruble and ruined building scrap
59 War between factions of skeletons in path
60 War between attacking skeletons vs horrible human mercenaries in trenches
61 Hundreds of stinking bandaged plague victims covered in sores and flies
62 Skeletons on hill with bone catapult hurl exploding rotten plague corpses at you
63 Skeletons on hill with bone trebuchet hurl squads of skeleton troops at you
64 Skeletons with bolt thrower and shield wall troops around them on hill
65 Skeletons of flayed horses with devil dogs hunting human victims keen for new sport
66 Skeleton horses eating a farmer hungry for more
67 Skeleton beast men having orgy get exited by fresh meat
68 Rapid stream of fetid diseased water with slippery rock crossing
69 Lake with huge devil fish chomping on corpses eyes you hungrily
70 Burning river or lake of blood
71 Lake with undead huge fish with skeleton ferryman and raft
72 Putrid lake with dozens of old boats on shore some possibly seaworthy
73 Frozen over lake with undead under ice trying to break to surface
74 Lake with wreckage to make raft, burning hulks and wrecks float in middle
75 Skeletons making humans fight get exited if new victims come near
76 Graves many open and corpses scattered about, dead beneath ground try to grab living
77 Camp of starving people cooking a undead dog, will swarm strangers for food
78 Meeting of desperate humans of all types voting for leader, will elect strangers and follow
79 Flagellant humans whipping each other and moaning will blame outsiders and attack
80 Flagellant skeletons flailing human skins for leather happy to see fresh skins
81 Dozens of humans tied to poles being whipped by skeletons, try and make you join
82 Burning witches on steaks arise as burning undead and attack if you come near
83 Skeletons impaling and spitroasting humans over burning pit need more food
84 Skeletons executing humans then resurrecting them to repeat forever invite you closer
85 Skeletons planting humans neck deep, keen for more humans to plant and harvest
86 A shield wall of skeletons holding top of ridge attack any who get close
87 A dragon on top of hill eating corpses
88 A drunken giant in tattered noble clothes sleeping against ruined wall, wakes up hungry
89 Skeleton troops crucifying victims but have left over crosses, what will they do?
90 Necromancer skeletons in robes forming a huge collosus from corpses
91 Devils hiring demon bounty hunters need a suitable test of their skills
92 Witch skeletons with giant riding cats having a sabath feast and a bit low on meat
93 Ruined cathedral complex haunted by a banshee
94 Two lich wizards playing chess while skeleton armies await outcome or trouble
95 A stone fortified wall with devil gatekeeper demands a soul for passage 
96 A grid of 64 000 skeletons raising left or right arms being used as computer by lich
97 Skeletons trying to get treasure inside sleeping snoring giant, if you help you pass
98 Skeletal beauty contest, if approached they offer you be judge, otherwise they attack 
99 Skeletons with crying undead babies, you can pass if you feed their babies
100 Skeletons with trebuchet offer to shoot you over burning canyon for free, spattered corpses over area and against canyon cliffs


d100  Hell Plague Lands Encounters
01 Swarm of black plague rats attack 1in6 giant rats
02 A black devil cat befriends visitors, might not reveal is sentient, can talk or magical, seeks to corrupt to serve hell in long term 
03 Fire breathing hell hounds hunting for intruders
04 Devil dogs in pursuit, howling causes fear, will try to drive into further danger 
05 Skinless pack of stray dogs savage with hunger
06 Skeletons with skeletal hunting dogs tracking outsiders
07 Skeletons riding horses with undead hunting dogs looking for sport
08 Flesh eating skinless horses attack intruders
09 A devilish horrific bull that breathes fire
10 A devilish were swine with charm powers, usually pretends to be friendly at first

11 Skeletal executions with 2-handed axes and swords
12 Skeletal flagellants with flails see new souls as wicked in need of punishment

13 Skeletal knights in armour riding skinless devil horses
14 Skeletal templars with chain, helmets, sheilds and maces led by a priest
15 A skeletal wizard with bodyguards and servants demands magic items
16 Skeletal monks and hermits with staffs outraged by mortals being here 
17 Skeletal troops with pole arms led by ambitious sergeant
18 Drunken skeleton soldiers looking for victims to torment
19 Winged skeleton devils swoop from sky to grab and drop victims for fun
20 Skeletons warriors with scorpion tales and halberds
21 Giant undead snake grown from spinal nerve tissue with necrotic bite
22 A undead lion ridden by a noble skeleton with jeweled mace and crown 
23 Giant undead vulture tries to snatch a victim
24 Swarm of devil locusts hungry enough to strip corpse bare of flesh
25 Swarm of flesh eating flies descends on intruders 
26 Swarm of crows chanting a phraze attack
27 A great devil toad jumps from putrid pond or concealed pit
28 Devilish behemoth from a bog (used a sauropod dino, pleistocene mammal or hippo)
29 A young dragon in flight wiling to risk life by attacking strangers
30 Gigantic burrowing insect looking for fresh kills
31 Gremlins attempt to sneak into baggage to sabotage equipment
32 Terrible gang of Imps follow and attack when weak or meet another encounter
33 A horrible giant looking for dinner
34 Scrounging bone eating goblins exited by strangers swarm to attack
35 Hobgoblins in armour with polearms confused about being here attack
36 Nighthag riding a nightmare offers advice to escape hell in return for favour
37 Hags quarreling over idiot human headed worms, welcome to see fresh free souls 
38 Gang of minor demon bounty hunters have heard undamned souls loose
39 A terrific hellmouth maw opens in the earth and attacks, luckily not very mobile
40 Burning hell tree man grabs victims to impale in burning branches to eat later
41 Damned wizard or sorcerer with retinue and guards looking to sell undamned souls 
42 Damned murder hobo adventurers with sacks of loot, gleefully killing and robbing
43 Damned band of bandits and thieves signal peace to get close to backstab
44 Damned nobleman with mercenaries taking advice from his jester imp
45 Damned village welcome strangers or hunt them if they refuse to enter trap
46 Damned cultist with robes looking for sacrifices to earn favour from hell
47 Damned farmers with horrible hell farm beasts on road to market, need to feed monsters
48 Damned judge and retinue believe they can escape by burning strangers at stake
49 Damned monk wishes to join party but is tempted by either gender and cannibalism
50 Damned gang of murderers and grave robbers pursue any strangers they can kill or rob
51 Frog men looking for victims to abuse, rob and impregnate
52 Goat men on holiday keen to kill and eat and dance at any chance
53 Undead skinless centaurs enraged by non damned attack with lances and bows
54 Pig men soldiers looking for humans to eat and enslave on patrol from their tower
55 Wolf men on the hunt and found trail of tasty strangers
56 Cat folk of both genders invite humans to dine on tainted food and take cursed treasure
57 Horrible owl folk see adventurers from distance and head them off in ambush
58 Snake man wizard and reptile men minions seek metaphysical mystery, up for a snack
59 Degenerate ape men furious about humans charge on sight 1in6 mounted
60 Rat man priest and followers spreading plague, desire to infect any victims tey can reach
61 Skeletal funeral carriage pursues intruders and skeletal necromancers desire new meat
62 Skeletal chariot with skeletal wizard who hurls fireballs and his crew and devil horses
63 Skeleton riders with burning skulls and whips in pursuit of trespassers
64 Skeletal plague doctors with foul incense braziers that spread a diseased miasma
65 Skeleton archers carries one special arrow with adventurers name on that always hits them first shot (carry other arrows too)
66 Skeletal robed reapers with angel wings swoop down to decapitate the living while screeching
67 Spectral glowing skeletons harder to harm and reach inside living bodies to torment souls while laughing
68 Skeletal torturers with tools and apparatus in wagon wager mortals cant take torture
69 Skeletons bathing in lake of blood seem peaceful till they point and scram at living
70 Skeletons making a feast, bakers use bone meal and butchers making sausages from the living
71 A hoard of standard skeletons led by skeletal devil officers on patrol
72 A large sprawling gang of zombies commanded by a undead priest
73 Ghouls in robes out gathering corpses, long for fresh flesh of mortals not damned
74 Wight knights on undead horses with zombie levy
75 Shadows rise from the ground or corpses hungry to sap life from mortals
76 A horrifying wraith commanding zombies seeks life to destroy
77 A mummy on a palanquin or a chariot with standard skeletal minions
78 Giant coffin on a ox waggon stops and skeletons march out for war
79 Devil spies sent to resemble old friends or dead kin try to trick adventurers into a hazard
80 Hellmouth opens in cliff and hundreds of skeletons come through
81 Vultures with skeleton riders tilt buckets of fith on ground targets
82 Animated siege juggernaut rolling about looking for victims to kill
83 Animated gallows attacks like a beast but with a strangling riop attack 
84 A happy giant impaling humans on sharpened tree trunks but running low on victims
85 Skeleton with magic horn summons diseased clouds to rain filth over area
86 Skeleton priest exhorts his skeleton templars to crusade against the living
87 A devil with living demon bagpipes summons horrors of hell to attack adventurers
88 Skeletal choir who's singing causes terror and herds victims into dangerous hazard
89 Skeleton lord with scythe leading warriors to enslave stray mortals 
90 Knight wights riding undead wyverns tookig for mortals to destroy 
91 Great serpent writhing across landscape looking for something to swollow
92 Damned lesser angel, charming sadist and tormenter, looking for intresting victims
93 Multi headed demon rat king and rat men plague warriors looking for victims
94 Crowned horned hydra ridden by it's pet sucubi looking for souls to eat
95 Incubus mercenaries looking for loot, murder and non consensual good times
96 Two lich kings with armiesm, set a gladiator teams contest which will kill most adventurers
97 Revolting undead giant eating everone to join the great commonwealth in his belly
98 Ghost demand help that cannot begiven, flies into a rage and attacks
99 Son of orcus demon prince of death, with goatmen, sucubi and necromancers retinue, wants mortal slaves and been banished from world of man for an aeon
100 Fiery arch demon intrudes hell for trouble, strafe mortals with fir, if the react with threat he tries to finish them off

Some good questions:
What if i die in hell?
More stuff on damned?