Scuttlehole

This is the rough map I did of Scuttlehole. I didn't expect the PCs to come ashore on this trip, but it pays to plan ahead. In my mind, the swamp village is a mix of Mos Eisley, Innsmouth, and Port Royal, and my description of the place in play reflects that. One player asked some probing questions about the physical appearances of the locals, undoubtedly caused by the way I described Scuttlehole and the fact that I'm connected with a certain Lovecraftian rules supplement for Labyrinth Lord. I refuse to reveal whether his suspicions are true or not at the present time.

Map Key
1) Inn
2) Boarding House
3) Enforcer's Post
4) Woolly Gator Pit
5) Boatwright
6) Provisions
6a) Storage
7) Tavern/Gambling House
8) Punishment Post
9) Warehouses
10) Bordello
11) Fish House
12) Butcher/Smokehouse/Hide Trader
13) "Sundries"
14) "Old Witch"
15) Temple
16) Weapons Shoppe

The dots in and around the harbor area are pilings for boats to moor to when visiting town. A series of elevated walkways and bridges connects the buildings and keeps them high and dry above the River Phol and the swampy riverbank.

The village has a lot of possibilities and I expect that it may become a frequent launching point/destination for adventures in campaigns to come--maybe even in my current one...

Clerics and Weapons

While I'm on a clerical kick, here's the official "Why can't clerics use pointy things?" explanation for the campaign world. This originally appeared on the Obsidian Portal wiki, but I never got around to reposting it here.

As stated in all the early editions of D&D, clerics are restricted to blunt weapons, leaving it up to the referee to enforce and/or explain this restriction. Here’s mine:

In the year 941, the nobles of both the Great Empire and Nan-Matal were concerned with the growing influence of the various sects within their borders. Looking to strip these priests of the ability to raise private armies, the nobles attempted to outlaw the carrying of weaponry by any servant of an established temple. The clergy was outraged at the proposal and threatened to withhold services, rites, and prayers from anyone of noble birth. The nobles counter-threaten to evict every clergyman from their borders. Ultimately, cooler heads stepped in to work a compromise, and at the Diet of Tides held during Starfall of that year, the clergy agreed to limit their arms to the mace, hammer, cudgel, staff, and sling. For more than six centuries, it has been illegal for any cleric to carry an edged weapon and any found doing so faces immediate arrest. This restriction does not apply to the so-called martial clergy of some non-human churches. Thus, fighter/clerics and the like are allowed to bear any weapon legally so long as they adhere to the normal laws of weapon possession in the Uncertain Lands.

Now, since there is currently one cleric running around the campaign who came from another world where the rules were a little different, what might this limitation mean to Mars Markus? Mars has been operating under the grandfather clause and is still allowed to use his edged weapons that he's trained in. The reason he escapes incarceration is that the cult of Mog is unknown in the Kinan-M'Nath and is therefore not covered by the Diet of Tides. Should our servant of the Spider ever decide to start pushing that old time Arachnid Religion (or establish a stronghold), he might attract the attention of ecclesiastical law and risk incarceration. But for now, Mars can get away with it.

The Groaning Ruins

On the western bank of the River Ahkyl, some miles south of Blackpool, stands a rocky bluff overlooking the water. Atop this precipice is the crumbling ruin of a monastery. This hermitage dates back to the years when the Kinan-M’Nath was still Nan-Matal, the great empire which once covered the lands from the Ahkyl to the Shining Bay.

Centuries ago, this monastery was home to an order of monks dedicated to Amencia, the Lady of Healing. In the dark years during the decline of the Hastanes, the monastery was a stronghold of Law amongst the collapse of order. The monks provided care for the wounded and ill, and were not loathe to fight against the forces of evil which strove to tear the empire apart. For this reason, the monastery gained fame across the eastern marches. But this was not the sole source of the monastery’s renown, for within its hallowed halls lay a relic of unearthly provenance.

In the catacombs under the monastery, the monks cared for a single drop of Amencia’s blood. Said to have been given by the goddess to an exceptionally devout brother as reward for his untiring service, this droplet was rumored to possess the ability to cure any injury or illness, and it was even said to have the power to restore life to the dead. The monks kept the relic at the heart of an intricate labyrinth built to protect the blood from thieves and other evil men.

When Nan-Natal fell and the land returned to the wilderness, the monastery remained intact. For several years, the monks strove to care for the injured and ill and to push back the forces of Chaos. Then, without explanation, the monks were gone.

There is no record of them leaving their holy redoubt, no eyewitness reports of laden wagons departing the site. Visitors to the monastery found the upper levels empty, appearing as if the monks had simply stepped away for a moment. The only sign of activity was that the entrance to the catacombs was sealed. It was a mystery that was never solved. In time, the structure fell into ruin.

Over the years, adventurers and treasure-seekers have explored the site, even forcing their way into the catacombs. Despite these expeditions, however, no one has managed to reach the labyrinth that still supposedly holds that most precious blood. Adventurers exploring the ruins have reported an odd phenomenon, one that gives the place its name. At seemingly random intervals, a loud groaning is heard emanating from the ground beneath the former monastery. The cause of this unknown, but the most superstitious of adventurers claim it is the hungry souls of the vanished monks clamoring for blood of less divine origin—that of interlopers.

Delves into the catacombs have grown less common in recent decades, as most adventurers seeking to make a name for themselves or to pilfer easy treasure plumb the depths of nearby Stonehell. But, should one lucky band discover the entrance to the labyrinth and navigate its twisting halls, the benefits of owning the monastery’s lost relic would be incalculable.

Buggus

Buggus

No. Enc.: 3d4 (2d8)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120’ (40’) fly 180’ (60’)
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 1+1
Attacks: 1 (bite)
Damage: 1d4
Save: F1
Morale: 7
Hoard Class: None
XP: 21

These oversized bugs can resemble any manner of normal insect grown to dog-sized stature or larger and possessing carapaces with an iridescent sheen. Not to be confused with other giant insects such as beetles, flies, and locusts, buggus are the product of their underworld diet instead of a species unto themselves. Feeding on the strange fungi found beneath the earth’s surface, normal pests can grow to tremendous size, especially when their fungal diets have sprouted near rich vaedium deposits. The eerie radiations that give the buggus their size also grants them a 25% resistance to magic. Buggus attack in swarms, often overwhelming their prey with unending waves of their chittering and susurring bodies.

The same shopping trip that netted me the toy snail that became the bale snail also resulted in two tubes of plastic bugs marketed as educational tools. Having watched Peter Jackson's remake of King King KONG a few weeks before this game session, I decided that a swarm of oversized bugs was needed and promptly dropped them into the caves the party was exploring.

Bale Snail

The following is a repost from The Society of Torch, Pole and Rope, but presented here to keep all my homebrewed Wathcfires & Thrones monsters together for easy reference.

Bale Snail

No. Enc.: 1 (0)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 45’ (15’)
Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: 4+4
Attacks: 1 (bite, crush, or spittle)
Damage: 1d6+1/1d4/1d4+2
Save: F3
Morale: 7
Hoard Class: None
XP: 290

This fearsome mollusk averages 8’ in height at the apex of its gray-black shell. The creature gets its name from both its aggressive disposition and the naturally occurring pattern on its shell that resembles a stylized Death’s head similar to that found on some species of moths.

A bale snail attacks with either its rasp-like mouth or by spitting a gob of acidic mucus. This acidic spittle inflicts 1d4+2 points of damage and has a range of 60’. Anyone struck by the substance must save vs. breath attacks twice. If the first save is successful, the victim takes half damage from the attack. If the second roll is failed, the acid dissolves the victim’s armor or clothing (75% chance) or weapon (25%). Metal objects enjoy a +2 bonus to this saving throw. A bale snail may only make a spit attack once every other round.

This great mollusk may overbear its prey with its tremendous bulk. Provided the snail has enough movement to overrun it victim, it makes a normal attack roll to crush its opponent. The victim must make a save vs. petrification (modified by any STR or DEX adjustments the character has) or become pinned by the snail’s foot, taking 1d4 points of crushing damage each round. Victims pinned by the snail can free themselves with a successful STR check at a +3 penalty or be pulled free by a comrade making an unmodified STR check.

If a bale snail fails its morale check, it is 90% likely to withdraw into its shell until its attackers leave the area. While inside its shell, the bale snail has an armor class of -6.

Overview of the Kinan-M'Nath

Now that summer is over (in the unofficial "it's after Labor Day" sort of way), I'm gleefully awaiting the coming of autumn with all its chill air and changing leaves. This time of year affects my senses and truly gets me in the proper mindset for playing D&D. The cold wind, a crackling fire, and the rustling of fallen leaves always makes me think of high adventure.

In particularly, the change in the weather will also be closely resembling the environment found in the Kinan-M'Nath (although you're currently exploring it in the early spring, not the start of fall). I found the following in my campaign notes folder. It formally appeared on the Obsidian Portal wiki, but with that shut down, I'm reposting it here so that you get a better idea of just what is outside the window of the Mad Manor, and what type of environment your characters are operating in.

The following are general notes about the geography, climate, and people of the Kinan-M’Nath.

• Much of the Kinan-M’Nath is rich in raw, rough pastoral and sylvan beauty. Winters are long in the Kinan-M’Nath, with snow sometimes falling into the late spring. Areas of deep green woodlands are punctuated by jagged granite mountain peaks capped with snow and ice. In deep crevasses in the shadowy mountains, ice remains year round. Glittering streams trickle down from the peaks, winding through beautiful meadow valleys and thick stands of aspen, fir, and pine trees. In the spring, apple trees erupt in showers of pink and white blossoms. Waterfalls are common in the high peaks, throwing rainbows of color against exposed granite cliff faces in the bright afternoon sun. Many caves dot the hills and mountains of the Kinan-M’Nath.
  
  
• Common animals found in the Kinan-M’Nath include deer, rabbits, wolves, moose, panthers, black bears, owls, hawks, ravens, songbirds, boars, stags, and sturgeon.
  
  
• The human populace is largely descended from the Scalva, a nomadic tribe of barbarians who traveled along rivers on massive houseboat-like rafts. The Scalva eventually became an agrarian society and settled on the lands bordering the major rivers in the Kinan-M’Nath. Despite centuries of settled existence, the people of the Kinan-M’Nath still bear traces of their barbaric ancestry. Black and brown hair is common; dark-eyed blondes less so. Young, unmarried men wear the hair long and grow beards, only to trim both once they marry. Women wear their hair long and loose, although young girls often braid their tresses. The most common professions amongst these people are fishermen, herdsmen, farmers, lumberers, and miners.
  
  
• Homes are usually timber and plaster affairs standing 2 to 3 stories in height. Many are whitewashed every other spring, with yellow and red commonly used to paint the trim. Window boxes filled with flowers are a common decoration.
  
  
• Staple crops include potatoes, turnips, and cabbage. Berries grow in abundance during the summer. Goat cheese and sheep’s blood pudding are local delicacies.
  
  
• Weddings among the people of the Kinan-M’Nath are joyous, colorful, and boisterous events that usually include a procession through the village. In the spring, families with girls of marriageable age often adorn their doors with wreaths of wild flowers to attract potential suitors.
  
  
• During the winter, heavy snow makes travel by snowshoe and sleigh most desirable for those who must be about.

An Explanation

Those of you who follow this blog but don’t play in the campaign must be wondering what the hell is going on after reading the latest game recap. That game session saw the adventurers leaving their previous campaign world to find themselves in Stonehell Dungeon. That’s quite an unexpected and abrupt change so some clarification is in order.

At the start of the Watchfires & Thrones campaign, I had originally intended to run a classic sandbox hex- and dungeon-crawl campaign set in my longtime AD&D game world of R’Nis. I had been developing new material for that world ever since I began documenting my return to my gaming roots with the Society of Torch, Pole and Rope, meaning that I had accumulated quite a bit of material over the course of the previous year and a half.

On almost the night before the campaign started, I decided to completely switch gears and start from scratch in a new pulp sword & sorcery world. In hindsight, I know this decision was based on me feeling burned out with R’Nis and wanting to try something completely new. I’m also unashamed to admit that I was inspired by what some other very creative people were doing with their own campaign world, truly imagining the hell out of them and creating settings that I enviously wished I had thought of first. Compared to these masterpieces, my own game world seemed pretty bland.

The players and I leaped headfirst into this new world and there was a lot of fun all around. I was loving the change of setting and play was fast and furious. The players were enjoying not knowing what sort of cockamamie creations they were going to face each week and even the prodigious body count couldn’t blunt the fun we were having.

Then I figuratively shot myself in the foot.

You see, I have this habit of being unable to say “no” to any offer to write something game-related for publication. This would be bad enough without my insane desire to make more work for myself by self-publishing my own material. So when we found ourselves with a long period of time off from the game between Father’s Day and Independence Day, I had the opportunity to look at my schedule and what I needed to do both personally and professionally. And holy crap was I screwed.

The first casualty was the Society of Torch, Pole and Rope, which you probably know is on extended hiatus until I free myself up some time to do proper “not phoned in at the last minute” posts. That bought me some time, but not enough. Something else would have to change.

The next thing that would have to go would be my game, but after returning to the role of referee, I wasn’t willing to make that sacrifice. I just needed to find a way to reduce the amount of work I had to do between each game session.

Since I had decided to base the campaign in a world that I had no material for, there was a lot that needed to be done from week-to-week, and I often found myself furiously putting material together just before I left the house to play each Sunday. That’s no way to run a campaign if you want to actually enjoy it. I was drawing hex-maps and stocking them, designing a new megadungeon, and doing research for the world backstory in order to find a way to introduce some very unorthodox ideas into a fantasy role-playing campaign. While I still think that this campaign setting is a very cool one and a great change of pace, it’s not one that I can maintain and truly allow to bloom with the time that I have. I simply wasn’t satisfied.

In addition, there were a few things that I had introduced to the campaign in order to test them out and see how they worked in actual play. Some of these were very successful; others less so. Perhaps my biggest disappointment was allowing the players to run multiple characters at one time. It was originally my intention that they would switch back and forth with characters when one was unavailable or a change of pace was needed, but that wasn’t how things worked out. This required several changes to the game itself, a reassessment of how much experience points were awarded each session, and, worst of all, it encouraged a sense of detatchment from the overall campaign world. And if the players weren’t becoming invested in the setting, I couldn’t be bother to do so too. That’s a shame because that investment and sense of wonder is the prime reason I prefer to play these games and be the referee. A change was obviously in order.

Rather than reboot the campaign—a last ditch effort if there ever was one—I decided to change worlds and put myself back in not only a game world where I feel most at home, but one that has accumulated a great deal of material over the years. That factor alone will reduce my prep time immensely. I also wanted to implement a strict “one PC at a time rule” in order to encourage a connection with the campaign world, and swapping the campaign setting would allow me to slowly introduce the players to a world with more depth and history than the one they had been playing in.

Luckily for me, this swap wasn’t as difficult or far-fetched as it might normally be. The Black Gut, the megadungeon that the PCs were exploring, featured many gates and portals to different locations and worlds. At the end of the last session, we had stopped with them right next to a chamber that held one such gateway. If I could just get them through it, we could start fresh with new adventures.

Rather than railroad them all, I was very open with the players about what I wanted to do and presented them with my proposal. I made it clear that I wouldn’t make any gross change without their agreement and participation, which they thankfully gave me. A little metagaming later, a reduced number of PCs stepped through a gate between worlds to find themselves in Stonehell Dungeon.

There’s going to be some more modifications but I’m waiting for the party to reach civilization. Most of them will require training at that time to advance so it will be the perfect time to introduce those changes. I think that despite the suddenness and magnitude of the world change, it will be for the best in the long run, and I simply can’t wait for our next game session.

Ocythoids

A great deal of knowledge concerning the weird, cuttlefish-faced race known as the ocythoids has been lost over the centuries, and what remains is mostly rumor and speculation. Sages agree that these enigmatic creatures dwell upon the Rotted Moon, having built their cities there in some half-remembered aeon. Once powerful sorcerers, ocythoids have forgotten much of their ancestors’ art, but what they retain is more potent than the magics Man currently wields. They are a decedent species, one known to indulge in slavery and other cruelties which they enjoy inflicting upon lesser beings (a.k.a. everything else). As diverse as any sentient race when it comes to plots, ploys, and stratagems, it is almost impossible to divine what any singular member of the kind might be engaged in when encountered away from their shattered home world.

Tomb Herd Broodmare

No. Enc.: 1d4 (2d6)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 90’ (30’)
Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: 3
Attacks: 3 or 1 (claw/claw/bite or tail sting)
Damage: 1d3/1d3/1d6 or 1d6+2 and paralysis
Save: F3
Morale: 11
Hoard Class: None
XP: 95

The creatures known as the Tomb Herd hail from some grim, undiscovered place, and little is known of them besides their gruesome reproductive method. Although there seem to be several types of these creatures, the ones called Broodmares are (unfortunately) the most common. These creatures reproduce by laying eggs in fresh corpses and are usually encountered near tombs and mausoleums. When fresh corpses are hard to come by, the Broodmares hunt down living creatures, paralyze them with their sting, and then drag the incapacitated body back to their lair. Once safely tucked away, the Broodmares slay the host-to-be and fill its chest cavity with eggs.

Like a certain close resemblance, the Broodmares possess a highly acidic form of blood. Whenever an edged or piercing physical attack causing damage to a Broodmare, there is a chance that splash damage is inflicted upon those nearby as the acidic vitae sprays from the wound. Anyone within 5’ of a Tomb Herd Broodmare that takes damage must roll above the number of hit points sustained on a d20 or take 1d6 per 6 points of damage inflicted by the attack (round down) up to a maximum of 3d6. Armor and weapons must make a saving throw or be destroyed (metal: 7, leather: 10, cloth: 12, stone: 3). Floors and other surroundings must save as well against the acid damage. Broodmares takes half or no damage from electricity and cold. They are immune to mind-altering effects.

Fruit and Milk of the Maggu Mani

Fruit of the Maggu Mani:A mass of alien biological matter occupies the area in front of the statue, and small patches of the stone altar atop which this material grows can be glimpsed. This strange live resembles gooey yellow-purple polyps the size of cantaloupes. They grow in clusters like grapes and are covered with a slick, sticky film. This material is a plat native to Nihil and was brought down by the Overpriest to serve his nutritional needs. The strange fruit can be either profoundly stimulating to the human body—or a deadly poison. Anyone eating one of the polyps must save vs. poison. If failed, he perishes horribly. If the save is made, however, he gains 1 point of CON permanently. There are enough fruits here for ten (10) such meals. They rot quickly after being plucked (within 4 hours).

Milk of the Maggu Mani:This grey fluid is the milk of Ishnigarrab him/herself and produces strange effects on living tissue. Anyone who samples this liquid must make a save vs. poison. If successful, the drinker immediately gains the benefits of a full day’s food and heals 1d3 points of damage. If the save is failed, they undergo a spontaneous transformation. Roll on the table below:

1	1d4 sightless eyes grow on the drinker’s hands
2	A second mouth sprouts from the drinker’s throat. This mouth can only make whimpers and horrid smacking sounds.
3	Hair follicles secrete urine regularly
4	Drinker’s mouth fills with puss-containing blisters and boils. Drinker can breathe through nose but cannot eat or drink.
5	Wormlike tendrils sprout from the drinkers nostrils.
6	Drinker’s body absorbs a random body part – 1: left arm; 2: right arm; 3: left leg; 4: right leg; 5: sex organs (male) or breasts (female); 6: head (this is fatal).

Roll each time the liquid is drunk, rerolling on duplicated results. If the character is afflicted by all six effects and continues to consume the liquid, each additional failed save results in the PC losing 1d4 points from a random ability score. Any score reduced to 0, the character is reduced to a viscous puddle of proto matter and is slain.

Once a save is failed, the drinker develops a craving for the liquid and will continue to sample it unless prevented by physical restraint. Once the character has drank the liquid a number of times equal to 20 minus his CON, his cravings are permanently satiated—provided he survives the process.

The Titles in Athkul’s Library

Whenever a library is introduced into the game, someone always needs to know what titles are in the collection. Those of you with copies of The Dungeon Alphabet know that I've already taken a stab at addressing this referee's conundrum, yet I still managed to put myself in a position where I needed more campaign-specific titles. One of these campaigns, I'll finally learn my lesson...

Below is the complete listing of all 143 titles contained in the crates which were discovered in the sublevel of the Temple of the Goat. Most concern chemistry, astronomy, sorcerous theory, biology, botany, metallurgy, and other topic of interest for a sorcerer/self-made god-king. The total collection weights 1,000 lbs.

1. Of Destiny & Moon
2. The Edition of Eliadus
3. The Able Planet
4. The Pamphlet of Severra
5. Of Crown & Thorn
6. The Manifest Connection
7. Unclean Beginner
8. The Almanac of Larerawen
9. The Dictionary on the Spectre
10. The Vociferous Hell
11. The Primer of Yaregan
12. The Crossing and the Weeping
13. The Tale of Cadigoweth
14. The Toad-Eater's Coarse Tomato
15. The Atlas on the Sickle
16. The Ledger of Cheann
17. The Blasphemous Notion
18. The Repairman's Viscous Folio
19. Unstable Monarch
20. The Prophecy and the Dissertation
21. The Folio of Abelaven
22. The Comber's Carnal Sanctuary
23. The Gourmet's Periodical
24. The Encyclopedia of Kaoanidd
25. Of Sage & Decade
26. Imaginos: The Obsidian Mirror and the Chamber of Jade
27. The Grave and the Report
28. The Manuscript on Sin
29. Of Camel & Algebra
30. The Calm or the Rule
31. The Festering Jailor's Ghost
32. The Guidebook of Boajan
33. The Acater's Gazetteer
34. The Best People
35. The Ironworker's Tablet
36. The Bladed Wight
37. The Periodical of Siraviel
38. The Prince's Abysmal Battlefield
39. The Hopeless Grave
40. The Correspondence on the Lake
41. Bombarded Prince
42. The Translations of Zauri
43. The Advantaged Academy
44. Accentuated Boneman
45. The Tract of Etela
46. Annals of the Ape
47. Of Serving & Entrance
48. The Dissertation of Umassa
49. The Lineage of Eastern Dukes
50. Of Sorcerer & Collection
51. The Crime and the Claw
52. The Anxious Discrimination
53. The Voracious Aunt
54. The Town Crier's Annals
55. The Guide of Uniladith
56. Blackened Courier
57. The Original Student
58. The Bedeviled Infanticide
59. The Joker's Folio
60. Versed Poet
61. The Azotic Injury
62. The Monarch's Primer
63. The Honest Traveler's Dirt
64. Of Occurrence & Heaven
65. Intractable Footpad
66. The Legend of Rerif
67. The Handbook of Qani
68. The Star or the Legend
69. The Important Chaos Beast
70. Of Pump & Grapevine
71. The Apotheosis of Saints
72. The Encyclopedia on the Nothingness
73. The Longshoreman's Iron Golem and the Frost Worm
74. The Midnight Blue Clock
75. Of Strategy & Increase
76. The Custodian's Chemistry and the Creature
77. The Gravedigger's Bony Journal
78. The Labyrinth or the Eagle
79. The Novel of Rhoth
80. Of Sky & Codex
81. Besotted Gladiator
82. The Review of the Year (297)
83. Clever Librarian
84. The Pamphlet on the Shrieker
85. The Fool's Manuscript
86. The Translations of Fyth
87. The Crystal or the Hag Covey
88. The Cheese and the Crocodile
89. Unremitting Witch
90. The Seven Sleepers
91. The Edition of Gomannon
92. The Apprentice's Body and the Romance
93. The Grimoire of Helian
94. The Loser's Chicken and the Ogre
95. The Tired Ice
96. The Brochure on the Life
97. The Sapper's Review
98. The Anthology on the Heavens
99. Of Dress & Golem
100. The Tablet on the Jungle
101. The Grig and the Machinery
102. The Purser's Translations
103. Zealous Empress
104. The Scroll of Ethaya
105. The Lamentable Twin
106. Of Vermin & Celebration
107. Sensible Refugee
108. The Textbook of Diech
109. The Thegn's Tract
110. Aflame Villain
111. The Portfolio of Johadus
112. The Mustache or the Fist
113. The Book on Triviality
114. The Purple Country
115. Of Thing & Tome
116. …And We Fear the Worst
117. The Legend of Jererassi
118. The Glossary of Curses
119. The Compendium of Cerrac
120. The Volume on Death
121. Of Philosophy & Coal
122. Vested Brazier
123. The Dictionary of Jaliwyr
124. I Look to the Stars and Laugh
125. Of Monograph & Yarn
126. The Manuscript of Cen
127. The Lugubrious Symphony
128. The Booklet of Ethoi
129. Of Feeling & Drugs
130. Silken Alchemist
131. The Periodical on the Stirge
132. The Glossary of Nuthiel
133. The Favor and the Talisman
134. The Circular of Dreric
135. The Mistress of the Hounds's Vermiform Dissertation
136. The Journal of Unerip
137. The Drugs and the Month
138. The Desperate Lizardfolk
139. The Libretto of Yoremma
140. The Album of Haykith
141. Dry Sorcerer
142. The Opus on the Fraction
143. Of Grimoire & Accolade

The Ineffable Jest

There are mysteries at work in the world besides the gods and the beings from the cold hell of space. Some of these forces are easily witnessed, such as that which causes a hurled stone to plummet to the ground. Others are fickle powers that possess incomprehensible motives and unknown origins. Of these uncanny powers, the Ineffable Jest is the one most often cited when unexpected events—both for weal and woe—take place.

The Ineffable Jest rears its head when least expected and it can win battles and destroy empires on a whim. Combining elements of the Force, the Tao, and Murphy’s Law into one unfathomable force of nature, the Ineffable Jest is never worshiped, but often warded against and occasionally invoked by those in dire circumstances.

There are tales which connect the Ineffable Jest with a figure known only as the Laughing Fool. Debates rage amongst the wine-sodden sages of the Citadel of Mysteries as to whether the Laughing Fool is an avatar of the Ineffable Jest, one which has taken human form, or if it is a mortal servant chosen by that power as its temporary champion. A third school of thought argues that a connection exists between the Laughing Fool and the Splintered Court, that mysterious cabal of powers which contains the enigmatic figures of the King in Yellow, the Queen in Red, and the Black Jack, but any such relationship would be tenuous at best.

Water Spider

No. Enc.: 1d4 (1d4)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120’ (40’)
Armor Class: 8
Hit Dice: 1+1
Attacks: 1 (bite)
Damage: 1 + poison
Save: F1
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: None
XP: 27

This creature is not an aquatic arachnid, but rather a poodle-sized spider composed of water. Sages argue as to the origin of these creatures with some maintaining they are minor elementals and others claiming them to be the restless spirits of spiders who perished by water. In either case, they are always found in or near water and they can lurk in narrow pipes and tiny drains in order to ambush their victims. They do not spin webs.

Water spiders are venomous and their toxin, although weak (+2 to save vs. poison), is lethal. Their liquid state makes them resistant to harm and they suffer half damage from non-magical piercing or slashing weapons. Bludgeoning, silver, and magical weapons all do normal damage. Water spiders are also partially immune to fire spells (taking half-damage from these effects with a successful save negating all damage) and are merely slowed by cold-based magic.

The water spider originally appeared on The Society of Torch, Pole and Rope, but I'm archiving all my campaign creations here for ease of reference. It made its first appearance in the Watchfires & Thrones campaign.

Money

"And just so we have an honest breakdown of the money coming in here tonight, the remaining 40% will be divided up amongst the band."

The jingle of coin, that music generated by crudely stamped disks bearing the images of dead potentates, is what makes the adventurer risk life and limb in foreboding tombs and nasty holes in the ground. These important parts of the life of the PC deserve better names than just "copper," "silver, " or "gold pieces." What follows are the names of the coins most commonly found in and around Rhuun, as well as their value.

Platinum krons (1=10 gp)
Gold jitais (1=1 gp)
Electrum shekels (2=1 gp)
Silver smerduks (10=1 gp)
Copper groats (100=1 gp)

Other coins of note include the Bamen obolus (a gold coin) and the Disian deben (copper coins) and kit (silver coin).

Mhyrakian Watch Lizard

No. Enc: 1d3 (2d8)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 150’ (50’)
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 1+1
Attacks: 1
Damage: 1d4+1
Save: F1
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: None

Bred especially as guard animals in the land of Myhrak, these 6’ long brownish-grey lizards are both quick and tenacious. In combat, they bite with mouths filled with jagged, recurved fangs for 1d4+1 points of damage. Mhyrakian watch lizards are extremely smart, and most are trained not to attack people bearing a specific color or pattern. This trait allows guards and other approved people access to the areas protected by the reptile.

Hounds of the Great Mother

No. Enc.: 1d4+1 (2d6)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120’ (40’)
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 2+2
Attacks: 1 or 2 (bite)
Damage: 1d6 and 2d4
Save: F1
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: None
XP: 47

These dogs resemble lean Doberman Pinschers at first glance, but a closer inspection reveals that their hook-filled mouths open on four hinges and that they possess a lamprey-like secondary maw on their bellies which is ringed by dangling red cilia. Any Hound whose attack roll is 5 or more points higher than the total needed to hit or who rolls a “natural 20” has possibly knocked over its victim. The defender must make an STR check and, if is failed, the Hound overbears its target and automatically bites with its secondary mouth for 2d4 points of damage.

The party was wondering why there was dog crap inside the courtyard of the ancient pyramid today--the one which has been sealed for roughly a century...

These babies leaped to mind while I was watching In the Mouth of Madness the other week. There was a scene where Sutter Cane is standing by the door of the church with three Dobermans at his side and they struck me as looking particularly menacing in that shot. Give them a second set of jaws surrounded by crimson cilia and make their mouths hinged like the Predator and, voila, horrific hounds to chase you down in you nightmares.

Fungal Dead

No. Enc.: 2d8 (3d10)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 60’ (20’)
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 1+2
Attacks: 1 (bony claws)
Damage: 1d6
Save: F1
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: See below
XP: 27

The fungal dead are human corpses whose bodies have been overtaken by a virulent strain of unwholesome fungus. These alien spores animate their non-living hosts into a nightmarish semblance of life and seek to spread the colony into new, recently-deceased corpses. Luckily, this horrid fungus is only known to grow in places steeped in the unwholesome radiance of that bizarre fertility deity, Ishnigarrab.

Fungal dead tear at their opponents with ragged hands, raking their victims with sharp, splintered fingers. If a fungal dead is struck by a weapon, its body emits a cloud of foul-smelling, psychotropic spores. Anyone in melee combat with a fungal dead when struck must save vs. poison or become afflicted by horrific but short-lived hallucinations. Such characters suffer a -1 penalty to all attacks and saving throws for 1d4 turns. A successful save indicates that the character is immune to further exposure by these spores during that encounter.

Although fungal undead can be “slain” by normal attacks, the fungus that powers them reanimates the host corpse after two turns with full hit points. Only by completely destroying the fungus that affects the corpse, usually by using fire, acid, or similar destructive means, can a fungal dead by permanently slain. As they are not true undead, fungal dead are unaffected by turning attempts or holy water.

On some occasions, fungal dead are born from sacrificial victims that have been exposed to colonies of the loathsome fungus as part of the veneration of Ishnigarrab. These sacrificial victims are adorned with symbolic, low grade jewelry prior to being cast into vile pits filled with the fungus and some may still bear these tokens when discovered. Each group of fungal dead has a 40% chance of wearing these decorations when encountered, with the jewelry on each corpse worth 2d10x10 gp.

The Arane Dhyn (The Old Blood)

For ten thousand years, the Arane Dhyn, that ancient race of men who are not men, ruled the great island nation of Bal-Sagoth, which lay at the center of the Weary Sea. In this land of white walled cities and sapphire towers arose potent sorceries and unimaginable sciences, each more impressive than the last. Compared to the wonders of Bal-Sagoth, the advances of true men were naught but the inelegant drawings of dimwitted children in the mud.

Over time, the haughtiness and pride of the Arane Dhyn grew along with their accomplishments and they began to see themselves as superior to the young nations of men, whom they deemed lesser beings. The Arane Dhyn, with their strange magics and high science, waged war upon the nations that abutted the Weary Sea. Most succumbed to the legions of Bal-Sagoth and became vassal states, owing fealty to the Supernal Empire and its Imperatrix. Each spring, the great moon galleys of the Arane Dhyn would embark to collect tribute from the lands of men, taking coin, trade goods, and slaves, as well as certain individuals who proved themselves worthy of learning at the feet of the great Arane Dhyn scholars and sorcerers, back to Bal-Sagoth.

For ten millennia, the Arane Dhyn subjugated the nations of men and grew debauched on their island of white-walled cities and sapphire towers. Then, without warning, the Arane Dhyn faced an opponent whose sorceries and science outstripped their own.

This threat came not from the sea that surrounded the Arane Dhyn’s homeland, but from the night sky above. Strange stars fell from the heavens, bringing with them the creatures known only as the Silent Daemons. With unknowable purpose, the Silent Daemons waged war upon Bal-Sagoth, toppling its sapphire towers and razing its alabaster walls. The land itself was torn asunder and the sea rushed in to fill these chasms.

The end of Bal-Sagoth came in fire, but whose hand lit the flames is unknown. Some tales say that the Silent Daemons unleashed horrific magics against the island nation. Conflicting stories claim that it was the strange sciences of the Arane Dhyn which caused the conflagration. In either case, the inferno known as the Flame Deluge shattered the great island nation of Bal-Sagoth, sinking it beneath the green waves of the Weary Sea. All that remained behind were the mangled scraps of silver filigree from brooch or breastplates that lay upon the ocean sands or the tatters of checkered silk which floated on the waves.

Some of the Arane Dhyn survived the cataclysm, fleeing their sinking land on moon galleys or taking flight on magical wings. But those survivors were few and they found no refuge was to be had in the former vassal states of Men. With their civilization in ruins and their former servants now free and bearing great grudges, the Arane Dhyn scattered, seeking sanctuary in whatever isolated places they could. In dense jungles, atop forbidding mountains, and in harsh deserts, the Arane Dhyn built colonies and citadels where they could dream of their former glory, undisturbed.

Two thousand years have passed since Bal-Sagoth sank and the Supernal Empire was cast in ruin. Most of the Arane Dhyn remain sequestered in their hidden sanctuaries, but a few seek to recapture the glory of their race once again. Although still shunned by men and considered a cursed breed, this vainglorious minority takes up sword and spells in order to carve out a place in the world befitting their people’s former greatness.

Twinborn Souls

Although the Arane Dhyn appear indistinguishable from Men, they are a separate, alien race. No aspect sets them apart from men more than their dual souls.

Each Arane Dhyn possess two souls which are engaged in a constant struggle for dominance of their physical form. Each daybreak, when the Arane Dhyn rises from slumber, his physical form might be under the control of either one of these twin souls. Although these twin souls are seldom evenly matched, each ultimately gains the upper hand in the struggle from time to time, eclipsing the skills of the other and causing various subtle (and not-so-subtle) changes to manifest. Most Arane Dhyn spend their entire lives attempting to unify their warring spirits into a single whole. This state is called Caat, and, while not an impossible goal, it is uncommon to encounter an Old Blood who was successfully reached spiritual equilibrium. Instead, most Arane Dhyn rely on meditation, sorcery, drugs, or other means to keep their internal struggle in a state they can cope with.

In game terms, this means is that each Old Blood character has essentially two classes whose abilities and progression are kept track of separately. An Old Blood PC is both a fighter and magic-user, but never at the same time. He has two character sheets: one for each of these classes.

The ability scores are the same for each class but hit points fluctuate depending on whether the Old Blood is currently adventuring as a fighter or a magic-user, and it is the subtle physiological changes that occur when each soul is in control that causes the character’s ability to survive bodily harm to change. Likewise, his ability to use spells and his acumen in battle are also dependent on which soul is currently in command.

When his martial soul is in power, the Arane Dhyn is a fighter with all that class’ abilities, saving throws, and weapon proficiencies. They do not, however, gain the ability to “Chop When They Drop” that pure fighters do.

When their mystical soul is at the forefront, the Arane Dhyn functions as a magic-user and has all that class’ saving throws, “to hit” probabilities, and spell-casting ability. They may not wear armor and cast spells, and they are limited to only two weapon proficiencies, which must be chosen from the four they possess in their fighter guise.

Legend

It is said that the Arane Dhyn race is the product of their ancient deity, Gol-goroth. Eons ago, long before history was recorded or Men walked upon the earth, Gol-goroth created twin daughters, A-ala and Dyru Ro, to delight him and to take as brides when they came of age. In almost every way, these two girls were opposites. Dyru Ro was dark and beautiful, while A-ala was pale and of fierce visage. A-ala was blessed with the gift of sorcery and Dyru Ro was a warrioress without equal. Rivals from the very first, each constantly strove to outdo the other in the eyes of Gol-goroth.

It was A-ala who brought about the tumultuous inner struggle that afflicts all Arane Dhyn. Having observed her twin’s practice of eating the hearts of slain foes to absorb their strength and prowess, A-ala set a snare of magic for Dyru Ro, then lured her into its jaws. Once imprisoned, A-ala consumed the soul of her twin with the intent of both assuming her martial prowess and permanently removing her rival.

When Gol-goroth next called his brides-to-be into his presence, he found only one answered his summons. He questioned A-ala, inquiring where her sister might be found, a query to which A-ala denied having any knowledge. But the spirit of Dyru Ro was not so easily consumed and Gol-goroth saw its fire burning behind the eyes of A-ala. The sorceress could not hide her crime from her creator and Gol-goroth banished her from his presence, sending her to live in the harsh lands to the west.

There, amongst the low creatures that would eventually become Men, A-ala found refuge and ultimately a mate. When the first of her children were born, A-ala discovered that Gol-goroth had punished her offspring for her crime. Each was born with two warring souls: one of sorcery inherited from their mother, the other martial and bearing the traits of their aunt. The Arane Dhyn race has suffered for their founder’s crime ever since.

Racial Traits

Because of their twin souls, Old Blood characters are extremely resistant to both charm and sleep magics, and avoid succumbing to these enchantments 90% of the time. They possess a keen sense of sight that allows them to detect the flame auras given off by all living creatures up to 60’ away (as infravision) and can notice the slight imperfections that indicate concealed doorways, hidden niches, secret doors, and the like 2 times out of 6.

Physical Appearance

Although the physical appearance of the Arane Dhyn is just as varied as that of Men, there does exist two general types. These two broad physical stereotypes usually indicate which of the two conflicting souls is dominant most often in a Arane Dhyn, but this is not always the case.

The following two examples are taken from Earth literature as they coincidentally resemble the two most common physical appearances of those of the Old Blood race. The first is an example of one whose martial soul is more dominant; the second, one whose sorcerous souls is most active. (Thanks to my regular player, Jack, for reminding me of the Kull description.)

“He was built much like the Vikings, at once massive and lithe—tigerish. But his features were not as theirs, and his square-cut, lion-like mane of hair was as black as Bran’s own. Under heavy brows glittered eyes gray as steel and cold as ice. His bronzed face, strong and inscrutable, was clean-shaven, and the broad forehead betokened a high intelligence, just as the firm jaw and thin lips showed will-power and courage.”
-- Kings of the Night by Robert E. Howard

“They were old eyes in a fine featured, youthful face…He nodded condescendingly to the other four and walked with lithe grace towards the fire… [He] was tall, broad-shouldered and slim-hipped. He wore his long hair bunched and pinned at the nape of his neck and…affected the dress of a southern barbarian…His bizarre dress was tasteless and gaudy, and did not match his sensitive face and long-fingered, almost delicate hands, yet he flaunted it since it emphasized the fact that he did not belong in any company—that he was an outsider and an outcast.”
-- The Stealer of Souls by Michael Moorcock

Tomb Herd

The unearthly "idol" that attacked the party during their early exploration of the tomb of Akthul looked like this:


I figured there was no sense waiting before introducting the xenomorphs into the game. Malbane later learned that this "demon" was something called a "Tomb Herd" but has not learned any additional information regarding it (or them).