Monday, December 20, 2021

Revised Greyhawk Setting Map by Zach Henderson


Sometimes when I'm scrolling through various RPG groups, or down through my social media feed I see something that deserves a bit more light shown on it. Zach Henerson's revision of the original Greyhawk map is just such a project.

Here is Zach in his own words talking about the project:

Remastering and adding layered functionality to the classic 1980 Darlene Map is my nerd project which has kept me off my main feed for quite some time.  There's a Read Me file in the folder linked below with a long winded history of the project, work completed, and description of contents.

TL/DR version:  Cool map, I enjoyed working on it.  It's time to release it into the wild.  This project now belongs to the wider community for sharing, modifying, and general enjoyment according to Wizards of the Coast's Fan Content Policy.  I'm ready for a break :)

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bt6xyfmk04ddh03/AACBiNRIuWGbKikBW4HiNV2ga?dl=0

EDIT:  His initial link crashed under strain of demand.  New working links have been posted in a few places, including here:

https://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=87890


For those of you who need a refresher course on Greyhawk here is a link:

https://merricb.com/2015/01/25/a-short-introduction-to-the-world-of-greyhawk-2/

Friday, December 17, 2021

Ancient Vagabond: Old School Adventure Game Part 1


(I generated this quick logo here. https://www.brandcrowd.com/)

I'll probably never make my own retro-clone RPG, but I have a few ideas for various games bubbling between my ears at the moment. I figure I better at least blog about them before I lose all of my ambition to do something about it.

I went through my old blog posts and copied these links which seem to be suggestiong a game to me. Ancient Vagabond is my new running title for this project. Maybe if I put Part 1 in the title I'll have a Part 2 and keep working on it. Hehe. It's all just a hazy mess but yeah... I think I want to publish a free PWYW game eventually.

I think I'll translate the LotFP classes below more into my revised Labyrinth Lord ones, but who knows. Only time will tell...

The idea of more generalized classes (like everyone has some Ranger/Thief skills) is bouncing around in my brain.

Links:

Alternate Halfling

https://samwise7rpg.blogspot.com/2020/09/alternate-halfling-class-for-lotfp.html?m=1

Dwarven Sapper

https://samwise7rpg.blogspot.com/2020/09/alternate-dwarf-lotfp-class_14.html?m=1

Fighter

https://samwise7rpg.blogspot.com/2021/07/osr-fighter-revised-labyrinth-lord-class.html?m=1

Null Monk

https://samwise7rpg.blogspot.com/2020/09/the-null-monk-lotfp-class.html?m=1

Ranger

Murk Elves

https://samwise7rpg.blogspot.com/2020/08/myrkalfr-murk-elves-class-for.html?m=1

Herbs Poisons

Old School Playstyle

Swords Magical

Thursday, December 16, 2021

How Have Your Gaming / RPG Spending Habits Shifted Over the Years?

*I started out getting some games as birthday and Christmas presents (Black Box D&D, HeroQuest, and The Lord of the Rings Adventure Game).

*Then I started buying games from the catalogues or pamphlets that were included in those games via mail order. I needed a check from my mother to do that. 

*Then there was a buying freeze for many years as we just played what we had (mostly Rolemaster Standard System RMSS) for about 8-10 years.

*Our local mall got a new gaming store called Bill & Walts Hobby Shop and I started buying AD&D / Ral Partha metal miniatures, and eventually got a few other games.

*Waldenbooks and Kaybee Toys also became spots in the mall that I hungout in a good bit, and I bought a few items that I could afford. I wish I owned a lot of those books and games today... Sigh.

*I paused on RPGs for awhile, because my then teenage friends were all into the CCG craze playing: Middle-earth the Wizards, the original Star Wars CCG, and of course Magic: the Gathering.

*I went to college for a year in Wisconsin and I wish I would have spent more time visiting places up there, but I did buy some Magic and got into Vampire: the Masquerade with some cheesehead goths. Hehe. :D

*I came back to PA, worked 2 jobs, went to community college, and got married. Being married curtailed my spending but that was probably a good thing. Haha. I joined a local gaming club and started buying used games there as well as from the vendors that set up at that club's gaming convention. Mannn... I got some great deals on the last day when vendors really didn't want to lug games back home. I bought my first copies of Empire of the Petal Throne there on the cheap from Andrew Lorince. Woohoo!

*Sometime after that DriveThruRPG became my main way to buy cheap PDFs of games, but I did pop in a local used book store now and then to see what they had on their shelves. I miss that little hole in the wall. I got some great AD&D books and box sets there.

*When I had kids of my own my spending was greatly reduced, as I had to cut back on working to raise them. I bought some PDFs, and I think I even started backing some Kickstarter projects around this time. I resisted doing that at first, but then I got addicted to backing friends' projects mostly.

*At some point I began using free sources and games for the most part, or picking up cheap retro-clones in print. I cut back on Kickstarters and eventually I just stopped backing them altogether. 

*I've spent the most of my spending recently on physical games from Lulu when there are discount codes, and buying at cost physical copies of Basic Fantasy from Amazon along with some generic random chart/table books.

*My buying has also shifted to include games for my son who is 9. Basic Fantasy, Cepheus Engine/Traveller, and Fantasy Flight's Star Wars are good examples of that. He tends to like sci-fi games mostly. I often run games just for him but that may change if the local kids want to play too eventually.

How about you?

Sunday, December 5, 2021

Goblin Market Magic Items with a Catch

 


*Art: Goblin Market by Gennifer Bone made for an upcoming RPG adventure written by Megan Bennett-Burks*

---

There is a mysterious Goblin Market that pops up in various places around the world. Really, the market is an opening to a pocket dimension that can gate to anywhere.

The magic items are useful, and 1/4th the cost of similar goods.

The catch is that after the items are used once and later when that character fails a death save or makes a save vs. poison or death (in older editions) the character polymorphs into a goblin with no saving throw. \m/

Monday, September 13, 2021

Flame Princess Cült, a Free Lamentations of the Flame Princess RPG Zine

 


These LotFP RPG zines are all still free. I got some art and several articles in these (new classes mostly). Download them and check them out for yourself. \m/

https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/folders/1GV72bfMeG_GY5YdtENcFzIgMzYfKdA7b

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Retiring a Character to be an NPC: AD&D Dwarven Cleric of Dumathoin


Have you ever retired a character to NPC status due to the events of a campaign or because you just couldn't see them adventuring with other characters one more day?

I did that yesterday in the AD&D game I'm playing in, and it wasn't a planned thing by me, but it just felt right. It surprised me, especially since I just spent a whole lot of energy revamping his spells via the spheres of influence in the back of Tome of Magic. Lol.

After our wizard talked to the Lich that we've been fighting the whole campaign under suspicious and mysterious circumstances without communicating it to the rest of us... my Cleric of Dumathoin was done with him. I was playing my character with the town in mind most of the time, so he feels like a part of the setting now. It was like letting a bird fly free of a cage in some ways.

I gave the player of the wizard character several chances to explain in character, but those responses weren't good enough. My character felt taken for granted as well... so off he went. A direct message from his deity about what was going on was a nail in that relationship too.

I had a blast playing Ulfgar, but it is time to play something else, something a bit more challenging for me. So, I'll be playing a "Thief" with hidden Assassin abilities next. It seems someone with a more flexible moral compass will get along better with the other characters. I've never played an evil character, so here goes nothing.

The other players think I'm nuts to stop playing a 7th level character to start over, but I'm looking forward to trying to keep the new character alive. Hehe. I do like low-level play.

Artist: Jorge Santiago

Monday, July 19, 2021

Everburn, Free Fantasy RPG Setting: #100StatementSetting

#100StatementSetting

This setting was built from making 100 statements of a few sentences each by a group of cool gamers and myself over on MeWe. I love when a collaborative project actually works out. :D

A GM can add to or ignore these statements as they wish and run the setting in their own way. Most of the statements are systemless and left a bit vague. Have fun with it.

Thank You: Brian Boring, Cassius Lucious, David McGuire, Gregorious 21778, Jason Beardsley, Mazirian the Magician, Rod Thompson, Stephen St. John, Yenz Maelstrom, Yusef Masudi, and Zeus Johnson.



Everburn: Life Under the Blazing Skies

1. The upper layers of the world's atmosphere are churning constantly in a state of burning conflagration which hides the stars and sun.

2. As astrology is not possible, the main method of fortune telling is interpreting cloud shapes. Cloudseers perform this for a modest fee.

3. The Haerobi people have 16 rites of adulthood that involve the removal and burning of small patches of flesh in various shapes which are meant to sanctify and purify them so that their angry gods don't torment them in the afterlife beyond the skies.

4. Large slug-like creatures with 8 leg stumps that never sleep have been tamed for hauling large quantities of goods from settlement to settlement. Most of the land-based trade guilds use them, but a few insist on using smaller more sure-footed beasts.

5. Without stars to navigate, mines where natural magnets can be found are greatly sought after. Tamed sea monsters that know the ocean currents, and can innately tell direction have become a great boon to the sea-going folk.

6. Because the continuous fires rage ever overhead demonstrating the fury of the Gods of Light: Moira, Our Lady of Darkness, leads the pantheon of good Darkness deities.

7. Ramaayar, The Dancing Shadow in the Sky Firelight, is the Trickster god. She taught the people how to protect themselves from the destructive fire falls. She is also the one who lit the sky on fire in the first place.

8. A major coastal trading city by the name of Olnesh rests on the delta of the powerful Jallna River. People from all over the world reside there in relative peace and prosperity. Discipline is handed out swiftly by the red-clad Dinaal Legion who has all authority in judging and convicting criminals.

9. There are 6 seasons: Spring (Malhama), Monsoon (Sheshil), Summer (Vellara), Fall (Somnaya), Drought (Krelsht), and Winter (Gahrenn).

10. The Green Wizards rule over their mountain kingdoms, hereditarily passing rule, knowledge, and consciousness using highly coveted logic crystals.

11. The aquatic Khaenii people, have created an expansive trade network that uses the world's lakes, rivers, and streams to move goods. Their rivals that use overland trade routes often sabotage them, and both organized groups fight each other in small skirmishes.

12. Those few magical folk who have traveled to other worlds and returned with stories and illusory pictures of sun, moon, and stars, are either revered or mocked as fools.

13. Local gods and goddesses are said to dwell in each field that is tilled for farming, and farmers make blood pacts and offerings so that their crops might flourish. Some farmers are more devout than others.

14. The primitive Zharrgite people bring gifts throughout the year on holy days to the Green Wizards to assuage their wrath. They believe them to be half-divine.

15. There are only four varieties of Dragonkind in the world, and they are: Red, Pyroclastic, Styx, and Tarterian dragons. (MM and Draconomicon).

16. In a rainy and fog-covered mountainous land, magically created hybrid apemen fight petty wars with each other and ignore the outside world.

17. The Green Wizards work to complete the Monsoon Fountain ritual over the course of millennia, which they believe will extinguish the Sky Fire and bring peace and tranquility to the land and everlasting power to themselves. The Khaenii oppose them in the belief that doing so will cause the rivers and oceans to run dry.

18. The herds of the reptilian Thrurr beasts, are followed by hunters from many peoples and kingdoms. A roaming "town" follows their migrations, and most kingdoms have accepted their chaotic travels as part of the natural order of things and give them no trouble.

19. There are those who believe a great swarm waits outside until Ramaayar's light in the sky goes out. They also believe there are agents of the swarm who work within the nations of man to bring down the sky fire, in order to bring the swarm its newest feast. Green Wizards are known as prime suspects.

20. Since there is no sun, those races and species which usually live underground because they cannot stand sunlight in other settings (orcs, drow, etc.) may move freely above ground with no penalties. They may prefer their underground abodes, but are not stuck there.

21. Due to the conflagration above, there are no arctic zones. The poles get a little chilly at best (50°F/10°C). As a consequence, Cold Magic is not only very rare, but quite devastating.

22. Giant Kikho birds kidnap humanoids, drop them from great heights, and then weave the fresh corpses into their nests for their young to eat.

23. The gods of other realities occasionally drop in to have brunch with the gods of this world. They do so at a particular tavern, that is well known, and widely avoided.

24. The pub in question (see #23) is The Flying Swan in Brentford. Don't go there during Happy Hour.

25. Deep underground lie the peaceful and temperate lands of the dwarves and the goblin-kin. Their kingdoms squabble among themselves for resources but forget all differences at the first sign of intrusion of the conflagration-influenced surface dwellers into their subterranean paradise.

26. There is a crystal atop a mountain that when energized (struck by sky-fire), causes those who gaze upon it to go insane with rage, and zombify when killed. Even the gods are unsure who placed it there, and though many people have attempted to destroy it, none have succeeded.

27. The Brethren of the Faelgromm perform monthly rituals in their hidden grottoes that allow the pure of heart to see a vision of the world without the constant firestorm. Those who see these vision can enter a mystic trance at will thereafter, which allows them to detect falsehoods spoken in their presence.

28. Sages in the city of Carson Water have tracked the Thurr beast migrations for years.  They report the allosaurs that prey on the Thurr beasts are increasing attacking the hunting parties instead.  They posit the allosaures are becoming more intelligent.

29. There are 2 well-hidden caves, each on the opposite side of the world from the other. In one cave is a laser rifle with 10 power packs. In the other is 1,000 power packs with no laser rifle. Each cave has directions to the other written in a magical (futuristic) language none can decipher save with Wish or Miracle.

30. Great spiraling winds like hurricanes occasionally appear. When one appears while the great conflagration is at its peak it can catch fire and rampage across the land. It is only extinguished when passing over a body of water.

31. One of the world's oceans (Vlestara) wraps around the whole world, while the 2nd (Clentosh) is landlocked in the largest continent.

32. During Krelsht (Drought season, see #9) the Panuuna people of the Firepeak Mountains trade magic crystals for sentient beings to sacrifice.  Many lowland traders hire new 'apprentices' for the journey to the mountains.

33. On the Isle of Thell, erosion from the ocean waves has revealed mass graves of enchanted blue-green bones from a forgotten civilization. The sand on the beach sand is mixed with bone chips.

34. The larvae of the Dlakka moth through a difficult 5 step process can be turned into a potent drug that enhances magical abilities.

35. In the myriad underlevels of the largest city in the world (Shengh'lasha) there is said to be a pool of light green water with an egg submerged deep within in. The water heals all maladies, but the pool is protected by a thieves guild named Ungfa (The Broken Fist) who charges for its use.

36. In the Great Garmush Swamp, there lives the very small, very rare, and quite poisonous Uth Frog. But if the frog is caught, washed in the Falls Of M'lish G'naq (many miles away, but it feeds Garmush), and eaten alive, it will permanently imbue the person with great strength and immunity to all poisons. It is highly sought after by the kings of the world.

37. Yivvin Traglov is a tribe of assassins, raised that way from birth, who believe the Uth Frog is sacred. Their sole purpose in life is to protect the Uth and it's habitat from all intruders.

38. The fisher-folk of Gorinsk, on the southern shores of the inland ocean, harvest not only fish, but the pliant tendrils of the great kelp forest. These are then woven underwater in a secret pattern, followed by a painstaking series of alternating drying and soaking phases. Upon completion (at least six months, and up to two years), a rope of incredible strength and very light weight is produced, resistant to cutting and fire.

39. To celebrate a successful fishing season, the Gorinskers will use a very long kelp rope, woven with the bladders of the Vafroka fish, to raise a portion of their catch into the upper heights of the atmosphere. These conflagration-smoked fish convey a limited protection from fire to those who partake of them.

40. A dozen fisher-folk are chosen after the feast to confront the pyrolisks that threaten the shoreline villages, drawn down from their mountainous lairs by the scent of drying fish.

41. The Festival of Sheshil's Demise (Monsoon Season, see #9) is a grand affair and many cultures celebrate the end to the constant rains. It is a festival of preserved foods and often consists of large groups of people repairing damaged homes and buildings from the floods.

42. During Gahrenn (winter), the polar regions are said to experience fire falls and fire blizzards, when the very flames of the sky freeze and fall as snow. Travellers in those regions are told to look carefully at the snow crystals to distinguish fire snow from regular snow.  The fire snow spontaneously ignites when the temperature rises.

43. Forges fueled by fire snow can be used to craft magical weapons that deal both cold and heat damage. Given the unstable nature of fire snow, this can be a dangerous endeavor even to those who possess the required knowledge.

44. About an hour East of the city of Shengh'lasha a series of stone humanoid statues move every time you blink to form new acrobatic formations. No one has ever seen them move, but those who visit the site feel like they have witnessed a miracle of stone.

45. Every spring the unmarried young men of Shengh'lasha enact an acrobatic performance based on the statues recorded movements the previous year.

46. The Reshurian Emperor made the City of Shengh'lasha her capital after she let loose a shadow plague that blinded and made mute the entire original populace. Her soldiers wiped almost all of them out before brining in settlers. Small pockets of the original dwellers plot deep below in the underlevels.

47. A figurine of cracked jade known as The Heart that Mourns burns with a dark flame, and absorbs the life force of most who get too close to it. This artifact is said to be the urn of a forgotten dead goddess, and it is worshiped by an unnamed death cult in the bowels of the City of the Honored Dead.

48. A species of blood parasites has infected the royal families of the Kingdom of Quellnassa, and controls prominent members that control most of that rich country.

49. The abandoned lands of the old Slentauthians is a dust bowl without a single blade of grass. The cabal of wizards which ruled the land unleashed demons upon their own people (instead of on their enemies as they had planned). Desperate scavengers brave the wastes to escavate the bones of the possessed, as they have residual spiritual energy which can be harvested for ritual casting.

50. The mountain chains of the world are ancient and have been weathered by eons of time. Powerful half demon /half trolls lie dormant beneath them awaiting for the right time to rise and rule the weaker beings once more as they had in times forgotten.


51. The dreaded necroswamp of Mal'vur, with a dense forest of bonespruce and the fleshwillow trees, is teeming with fetid unlife and half-dead creatures; someone or something calls it home.

52. In some rural communities a tradition of planting new tree seedlings in the skulls of loved ones that have passed on has provided protection from the undead which shun those areas. Weapons made from the wood of these trees also seems to damage them more than it should.

53. The great Kingdom of Yenz'lund resides upon the vast plains and light forests of Yenz'lund. The people have had very few troubles, and are known for their plentiful harvests and their love of donkeys. Their military primarily consists of militia, though the nobility do provide knightly shock troops. Their King keeps cordial relations with his neighbors as best he can. Magic is heavily regulated, as are most things when done in public (in private, it is the reverse).

54. The mercenaries of the Isle of Prote are known for their accurate archers, and their ability to go days without sleeping. Many royal honor guards have at least a few of these elite soldiers.

55. The Ever-changing Abode of Arlus the Wyrm moves every day when the sun is at its zenith in the noon sky. Each time this massive arcane lair travels it takes on a new form for its half-draconic owner who is cursed to never to live in the same place.

56. Khrelnost Forest has a myriad of trees that live nowhere else in the world. Several varieties of these trees emit poison gasses that keep harmful insect and bird populations low. The colorful "fog" above the forest is breathtaking during a Summer sunset.

57. The yubindo, small simians of the Khrelnost Forest, have adapted a natural immunity to most poisons from their constant exposure to the poisonous tree fogs.

58. The yubindo are identical in appearance to the harufta-monkeys used in most royal courts as food-tasters to foil assassination attempts. Unbeknownst to most, the guild of assassins periodically sends out expeditions to capture young, trainable, yubindo.

59. Meteor storms bombard the world every 88 years like clockwork. Weapons made from them are innately magical and make the sharpest weapons.

60. In the Holy Umbral Temple, the priests of Moira drop great screens of wood and cloth over the temple courts and walkways everyday.  Only the most faithful worshippers are allowed in the temple precincts during the ceremony to experience the mythical time of day known as "Nightfall".

61. In the secluded Valley of Ch'trith, there is a vineyard which produces the best wine in the world. It is because a leviathan died there many millennia ago, and its still decaying flesh fertilizes the ground -- unbeknownst to those living there.

62. Many kingdoms over the years have stolen shoots from the Valley of Ch'trith, but could not understand why the wines eventually made from their fruit do not taste as good as those directly from the valley. Spies have been sent in to discover the secret, but none have been successful. The investigation is ongoing.

63. Shards of Sylnathian Crystals are said to be anathema to fey creatures and the undead. They grow at the bottom of lakes and in still pockets of rivers. Divers harvest them and sell them to merchants who bring their wares to the strange and haunted places of the world. Amulets of the crystals provide protection, and weapons made from them deal vicious unhealing wounds against Fey and Undead.

64. Triple-headed poisonous and vibrantly colored snakes are worshiped as gods by the short hairless Llembla people. The discarded snake skins are wrapped around the arms of these people and considered luck charms.

65. Buried in the walls of the Temple of the Unknown Gods are preserved saints who hear the prayers of the local populace. They put their pious spirits together to sway the events of the nearby lands to aid these people.

66. Unknown anyone, the Leviathan of Ch'trith is the larval stage of a new god.  Pupation takes tens of thousands of years before the new deity emerges from the ground, a being of cosmic strength and intelligence paired with an uncertain temper.

67. The purple-and-black-capped Skigazia mushroom can be found in nearly all climes of the world. Ingesting it will induce a trance-like vision state in sentient beings that cannot be ended without powerful healing intervention.

68. In the land of Ketrinn is the Temple of Unbridled Pleasure. Any vice can be found there, and enjoyed for free. But unbeknownst to anyone, any who partake are actually selling their souls to an unknown god, thereby increasing its power. Eventually, that god will attempt a coup to take over the world.

69. The gnomes of this world, through a genetic quirk, are able to control the trance-state of the Skigazia. It is a jealously guarded secret that, while in this state, they can pierce the veil of the perpetual conflagration and see the universe beyond. They have a vast hidden lore of astronomical knowledge as a result. However, other peoples see the gnomes as mushroom-addled halfwits and treat them with either contempt or pity.

70. Every 88 years, as the meteor storm approaches, the dwarves of the deep open an embassy to the gnomes. The gnomes share where the largest meteors will strike, so that the dwarves can retrieve as much of the previous ore as possible. There is a legend of one dwarf clan who attempted to enslave the gnomes instead of trading for this knowledge; that clan was wiped out in a large meteor strike that year. Perhaps coincidental, but no dwarf had disrespected a gnome since that time.

71. There is a connected system of trees in the Hybrin Forest that allows the order of Druids that dwells there to teleport from tree to tree. These trees are said to be inhabited by the spirits of Druids long dead.

72. Gateways to the Hobgoblin Markets appear in seemingly random places, and they never appear twice in the same location. The items there have strange costs, such as the memory of a mother's laughter, a deep regret, a final tear shed for a fallen King, etc. Often the items have a boon and an equal bane. Those that commit violence in that extraplanar locale can never return.

73. Illiatarmeno (The Final Crescendo) is an epic and tragic song written by a mad bard who was found dead on the pages containing the notes of it penned in his dying blood. When played the bodies of musicians cannot stop performing it, and their blood begins pouring from their torn skin. Those who hear it often die as well, or they are driven mad.

74. A generation ago, meteorite that feel from the sky cracked open to reveal an ox-sized, irregular ember-like crystal with a pulsing glow coming from its inside. With a radius of about 7 miles, people are struck by painful seizures when they try to engage in violence. Those within 700 yards of it suddenly understand each others language, even if they do not, but only do so while at least this close. Those that come within 7 yards will -experience- the thoughts of all others that are within 7 yards as well. A monastery had been build around „the Skyember“, and a small town around the monastery by now that is called „Skyember“ as well. The monks of the monastery have developed strange yet mighty powers of the mind, and may people do their biding without telling it. They, who are called „the Silent Will“ regulate access to inner sanctuary, where the Skyember rest in the pit it made for itself upon impact. The town of Skyember is a place full of philosophers, seekers of peace, fugitives from harm... and much poverty and hunger, as the few villages around could not really feed the town even if those inside had anything to trade. The buildings are crude and simple affairs of bricks made from backed sand.

75. Gorinsker youth dare each other to attach themselves to the long kelp ropes and a many Vafoka fish bladders to ascend into the sky and "see beyond the horizon".  Occasionally these ropes break causing the youths to ascend uncontrollably and be fried in the sky fires.  Prevailing winds cause their bodies to be dropped among the cannibals of the Islands of Lonely Trees.  The cannibals refer to these as "Crispy Sky Nuggets."

76. Beware the silver whakaata trees on the hilltops and mountain sides. When the wind blows, their heat reflecting leaves may focus on and burn objects up to 50 feet from the tree itself.

77. Another danger of the hillsides are the thursinials. These highly territorial bears can grow to twelve feet in height and have vicious appetites in the warmer seasons. In late summer and early fall, they grow a thick, long coat of insulating fur. This protects them from the heat of the whakaata trees; in drought season they will feed on the leaves, whose properties will keep them warm through winter hibernation. Drought season in these regions is known for the pervasive scent of singed bear fur.

78. Lately, more and more people became suspicious of the disappearances of apprentices from lowland trade caravans that travel towards the Firepeak Mountains during Krelsht (see Statement #9, #32). The traders by now have problems to find new apprentices, and others simply left their masters in the middle of the night right before the or during the last drought season. The lowland reacted by founding a guilt by now, and ruled that an apprentice “that flees the contract with his or her master” would be punishable by having the tongue cut out and being reduced to a menial laborer for the rest of the "apprenticeship“. Furthermore, it has been made known that fine bounties will be paid to those that return „runaway apprentices“ before and during the coming Krelsth (Drought Season).

79. Living boats and ships are created by coaxing the roots of the fast growing Thlell plant to grow according to the shipwright's will. It takes a week to grow a small boat, and up to a decade or more to grow a massive ship, which is grown from 100 or more plants simultaneously.

80. The Piper has been seen countless times on the beaches of the Sienoth Sea playing love ballads and dirges to his long lost lover. She was killed by seafaring raiders and her body was dismembered and hurled into the waves to taunt her father the king. His loss has somehow made him immortal.

81. Changeling assassins have three factions that plot and war against each other through rival kingdoms. Their eternal fighting has caused countless innocents to die. Life is a game and people are only pieces on a board to them.

82. Members of the Herront Trading Guild have mastered a form of subtle hypnosis and suggestion that is comprised of 4 quick hand motions. Their merchants are renown for always getting the best deals, and for being very persuasive.

83. Colonies of various forms of vegetation absorb toxic gasses from bogs and float up to a houndred miles away through the lower atmosphere.

84. The Sienoth Sea is haunted by a wraith of haunting dismembered beauty. She was murdered violently to enrage her royal father (see #80). Only the sounds of The Piper calm her severed limbs from dragging victims below the waves.

85. The largest desert on the planet Yar'los (literally boiling sky) is named this because any rain clouds that would pass over the area are boiled away due to the great conflagration being especially low and active in this area.

86. Some believe that the center of the Yar'los desert is the site where the great conflagration was originally ignited. And possibly the source of what keeps it fueled. Traveling to the center is an extremely dangerous prospect however.

87. There is a hardy species of intelligent and small Insectoids that act as guides for the foolish who want to explore the desert of Yar'los. The Yarimbe have biological filters in their lungs that absorb water moisture from the air, so they can go a week without drinking a sip of water.

88. Due to the recent increases of allusaurus attacks on the hunting parties that are after the Thurr beasts (Statement 28), there is a growing number of hunter groups in "The City That Follows" that advocate to kill off the allusaurus. Not just -hunt- them for flesh, leather and bone but to kill them off, destroy their nests and offspring, till they are culled. The most vocal among them is a young but capable hunter named Naran. It is said that he even pays people with gains from successful Thurr Beasts Hunts to join hunting parties under his own command that set out with the sole purpose to slaughter allusaurus. He seems to actually hate them with abandon.

89. The Gnomes of the world (see #69) have dug out many protected underground highways between the largest cities. Often guards from the cities will post guards to help protect them as well. They provide mostly safe passage to those who can afford the tolls at the checkpoints.

90. In the great encircling ocean, the Lebnorach people have formed great floating cities out of the kelp and seaweed of the ocean. They are all connected by rarely used walkways ("Only the old and infirm choose to walk instead of swim!") which keep them from straying too far away from the others. Due to the weight, the tallest buildings can only be two stories high, and only the most wealthy live in them. There is one main city in the middle, with 10 others distributed concentricly around it. The whole thing is caught in a circular current and never goes near land. The people are not aware of the outside world, and the outside world knows nothing of them -- yet.

91. The Lebnorach people are great swimmers and can easily hold their breath for up to 20 minutes, even at great depths. They have an uncanny knack for finding the largest pearls, which they use as currency.

92. In the Hybrin Forest (See #71) a cabal of Fungal Cultists who use their flesh to grow mushrooms have begun a secret feud with the Druids. So far they have been able to leech away life from the trees, and absorb the energy of the teleportation rings. They have been studying the magics used in the root system and have duplicated it on a much smaller scale.

93. Hidden deep underground in a massive cavern, is the great city Detran. This city is actually futuristic. Vehicles fly through the air, robots clean the walkroads, screens flash advertisements to passerby. Any who enter have a choice: stay or die. That is how they keep The Secret of their existence. That, and technology that can cancel magical scrying.

94. The Haerobi (see #3) and Khaenii people (see #11) have forged an alliance by marriage recently, and bands of Haerobi warriors have been helping to defend the Khaenii water trade routes against the raids and sabotage caused by other trading companies.

95. The War Shamans of the Zharrgite people (see #14) have developed a technique of rupturing skin and tissue with guttural chanting. They leave a path soaked in blood and littered with bodies on the battlefield. Their Death Chant kills them and any in a nearby radius unlucky enough to hear their final notes.

96. A tribe of three-eyed Orcs (See #20) have been fighting other rival Orc tribes and Drow, and they have bound many others under their banner. Their Nechtgruk Empire has been making exploratory missions to look for weak points to expand their subterranean territory on the surface.

97. In the center of the Isle of Thell (see #33), at its highest point rests a small portal that takes those who stand on it down to the depths of an expansive religious structure devoted to ancient gods and godesses: Felnastia the Chalice of Flesh, Szoltash the Binder of Dreams, and Belgarnin the Opener of Lost Gateways.

98. A prophet called Vlaktal (The Rejuvinator) has entered the Mal'vur necroswamp (See #51) with a group of devoted followers. Their mission is to destroy the Undead or to convert them to their Master's teachings. They have also begun making sturdy bridges and pathways there.

99. Every 9 years, a brood of flying and biting insects called The Nervrall emerge to devour the bark of trees, often killing large swaths of forests. They will bite any animal or humanoid that gets between them and their next tree. These bites bring a malady of diseases and infections that are sometimes fatal.

100. Every 1,000 years, a particular god spends a lifetime walking the world, so he doesn’t lose touch with his people.

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

OSR Explorer (Ranger): Revised Labyrinth Lord Class

I plan on running a Dolmenwood hexcrawl campaign eventually, so I've been looking over a variety of OSR systems to use as a chassis to bolt house rules onto. I've always liked Labyrinth Lord and my players tend to like AD&D, so here I am tinkering on classes.

I plan on having the players use the core human classes (cleric, fighter, magic-user, and thief) and a non-magical explorer/ranger class. I want to give them a few extra abilities, and tweak them a bit.


Explorer

Requirements: None

Prime Requisite: STR and WIS

Hit Dice: 1D8

Saving Throws: Same As LL Fighter.

Explorers have a THAC0 equal to the standard LL Cleric for melee weapons, but their THAC0 for ranged weapons is equal to the LL Fighter.


Explorers are vagabonds that travel the world, and they are accustomed to spending time in the wilderness. They wear only leather or studded leather armor (or armor made from hide or natural components). They get a damage bonus that increases at higher levels on ranged weapon damage as well as an increased chance of getting critical hits with those weapons. Rangers can use any weapons, and they can wield two weapons with both hands without penalty. They attract an animal companion at 3rd and 7th levels. At higher levels Explorers can shoot ranged weapons more times per round. They are only surprised on a 1 on 1D6.                                                                                                                                                      

XPLvlHDAbilities
018 HPExplorer Skills, Two Weapon Combat
1,56522D8Archery +2 Dmg.
3,12533D8Animal Companion I
6,25144D8Rate of Fire: Twice per Round
12,20155D8Ranged Critical (19 & 20)
25,00166D8Archery +4 Dmg.
50,00177D8Animal Companion II
100,00188D8Archery +6 Dmg.
200,00199D8Ranged Critical (18-20)
300,0011010D8Rate of Fire: Thrice per Round
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Explorer SkillLvl 1Lvl 2Lvl 3Lvl 4Lvl 5Lvl 6Lvl 7Lvl 8Lvl 9Lvl 10
Foraging and Hunting39485664717884899396
Hear Noise1-21-21-21-31-31-31-41-41-41-5
Move Silently41505866738086919598
Surprise Others1-21-21-31-31-31-41-41-41-51-5
Survival43526068758288929699
Tracking45546270778490939799

Tuesday, July 13, 2021

OSR Thief: Revised Labyrinth Lord Class

I plan on running a Dolmenwood hexcrawl campaign eventually, so I've been looking over a variety of OSR systems to use as a chassis to bolt house rules onto. I've always liked Labyrinth Lord and my players tend to like AD&D, so here I am tinkering on classes.

I plan on having the players use the core human classes (cleric, fighter, magic-user, and thief) and a non-magical explorer/ranger class. I want to give them a few extra abilities, and tweak them a bit.


THIEF

Requirements: None

Prime Requisite: DEX

Hit Dice: 1D6

Saving Throws: Same As LL Thief, but see class abilities for a bonus vs. traps.

Thieves have a THAC0 as per the standard LL rules.


A thief usually belongs to a Thieves Guild from the character's local town, where they can seek protection, shelter, and information between adventures as long as they pay their dues... Thieves cannot wear armor heavier than leather, and they cannot use shields (but their AC improves at levels 4, 7, and 9). They can use any weapon. A thief can backstab if they can roll a successful move silently and hide in shadows skill. This grants them a +4 to hit and will multiply all damage by 2 (but this increases at higher levels). They get a bonus to saving throws vs. traps at 2nd and 5th level. Finally, Thieves at 3rd and 8th level can reduce their falling damage by the amount in feet shown if they can use a nearby wall to slow themselves.

Note that there are a few new thief skills below and that their percentages are higher than the core LL ones.


XP Lvl HD Abilities
0 1 6 HP Backstab, Thief Skills
1,251 2 2D6 Save vs. Traps: +3
2,501 3 3D6 Slowfall: 30'
5,001 4 4D6 AC: 1 Better
10,001 5 5D6 Save vs. Traps: +6
20,001 6 6D6 Backstab: x3 Dmg.
40,001 7 7D6 AC: 1 Better
80,001 8 8D6 Slowfall: 60'
160,001 9 9D6 AC: 1 Better
280,001 10 10D6 Backstab: x4 Dmg.

Thief Skill Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Lvl 3 Lvl 4 Lvl 5 Lvl 6 Lvl 7 Lvl 8 Lvl 9 Lvl 10
Climb Walls 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99
Escape Bonds 35 44 52 60 67 74 80 85 89 92
Find and Remove Traps 41 50 58 66 73 80 86 91 95 98
Find Secret Doors 1-2 1-2 1-3 1-3 1-3 1-4 1-4 1-4 1-5 1-5
Forgery 39 48 56 64 71 78 84 89 93 96
Hear Noise 1-2 1-2 1-3 1-3 1-3 1-4 1-4 1-4 1-5 1-5
Hide in Shadows 33 42 50 58 65 72 78 83 87 90
Pick Lock 43 52 60 68 75 82 88 92 96 99
Pick Pockets 45 54 62 70 77 84 90 93 97 99
Move Silently 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 94 97 99

OSR Fighter: Revised Labyrinth Lord Class

I plan on running a Dolmenwood hexcrawl campaign eventually, so I've been looking over a variety of OSR systems to use as a chassis to bolt house rules onto. I've always liked Labyrinth Lord and my players tend to like AD&D, so here I am tinkering on classes.

I plan on having the players use the core human classes (cleric, fighter, magic-user, and thief) and a non-magical explorer/ranger class. I want to give them a few extra abilities, and tweak them a bit.


FIGHTER

Requirements: None

Prime Requisite: STR

Hit Dice: 1D10

Saving Throws: Same As LL Fighter


Fighters can use any armor or weapons. At various levels they get a variety of abilities. At first level they can sacrifice a shield to negate all damage from one attack. They get better at opening doors with force at levels 2 and 6. At 3rd level when a fighter kills an enemy they get a free attack on another target in melee range. They can specialize with a weapon at levels 4 and 8 which grants them a +1 bonus and +2 to damage with it. At levels 5 and 10 the fighter gets additional attacks per round. At levels 7 and 9 fighters deal a dice of extra damage each time they hit. 


XP Lvl HD Abilities
0 1 10 HP Splintered Shields
2,035 2 2D10 Open Door +1
4,065 3 3D10 Cleave
8,125 4 4D10 Weapon Specialty I
16,251 5 5D10 Two Attacks / Rnd.
32,501 6 6D10 Open Door +2
62,001 7 7D10 Extra Dmg. +1D6
120,001 8 8D10 Weapon Specialization II
240,001 9 9D10 Extra Dmg. +1D8
360,001 10 10D10 Three Attacks / Rnd.

Fighters have THAC0 of 17 at 1st level and it gets one better at each level (2nd = 16, 3rd 15, 4th 14, etc.). They have the best to hit numbers in the game by far.

Saturday, June 26, 2021

#RollForInitiative Ash Ogre (Narcosa)

Here's another random monster from Rafael Chandler's Narcosa.


Ash Ogre  

Ascending Armor Class: 13  

Hit Dice: 1D8  

Hit Points: 5  

# Attacks: 3 (fist, fist, fist)  

Damage per Attack: 1D4 + 2D6 Fire  

Size: Small  

Move: 30 (No Special Movement)  

Baked Intelligence: 5

Type: Neurist - Alters your brain chemistry if it touches you; all potions and drugs have random effect for 1D4 days. Save vs. Poison negates.

Special Defenses: Immune to cold-based attacks.

Treasures: 1d100 silver, 1d1000 Copper, 2 magic items.

#RollForInitiative Acid Snake (Narcosa)

I'm rolling up some random monsters based on some tables in Narcosa by Rafael Chandler.


Monster #1: Acid Snake 

Ascending Armor Class: 13 

Hit Dice: 4D8+2 

Hit Points: 20 

# Attacks: 3 (Acid Spray, Bite, tail) 

Damage: 1D10 per Attack 

Size: Large 

Movement: 30 (No Special Movement) 

Amped Intelligence: 15

Type: Inhaler - Drains your soul if it's close enough to sniff you. Save vs. Magic or lose 1d100 XP. Counts as an attack.

Spells Known: Charm Person, Plant Growth.

Special Defenses: Only struck by magic weapons (or spells).

Treasures: 1D20 Platinum, 1D100 Silver, 2 Magic Items.

Friday, April 9, 2021

F is for the Force (Star Wars) #AtoZChallenge2021

 


#AtoZChallenge2021

F is for the Force from Star Wars. What can I say about the Force that you haven't heard already? Good question. Hmm...

“The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force.”

Even as a child I had a tough time buying that line. I've always thought of the Force Abilities as mostly localized phenomena, like choking a guy, or influencing stormtroopers. There are exceptions of course, like the following quote. 

“I felt a great disturbance in the Force...as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.”

There are some abilities that can travel great distances, such as Leia receiving telepathic messages from Luke, and Vader sensing Luke (and vice versa).

These abilities are rather "miraculous" which is why I put this post in my alphabetical series on RPG gods. I've used a generic form of the Force in several fantasy campaigns, and if you think about it there are many similarities to the Dragon in the movie Excalibur that Merlin talks about.


“Remember, A Jedi’s Strength Flows From The Force. But Beware: Anger, Fear, Aggression – The Dark Side, Are They.”

On one hand I like the Good/Evil dichotomy, but I like to think about Grey Jedi who balance the light and dark in some balanced and nuanced way.

“Well, the Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It is an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together.”

That part about the living things got tarnished with the Midichlorians in the prequels, so I tend to take a more original trilogy / mystical approach to the Force. In some ways, as in many sci-fi games, these abilities are described as having biological origins in the brain. In my own version of the setting, I would emphasize the mystery and enigma of it without explaining it to death.

“Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well, you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes. Even between the land and the ship.”

Here Yoda talks about spirit or soul or something similar; a form of energy that can persist beyond the natural lifespan of a mortal. This is again rather supernatural (cough, Force Ghost, cough). 

Star Wars to me is one of the best sci-fantasy settings out there. I know there is a lot of nostalgia and bias in me, and that's... okay. :D

“Remember, the force will be with you, always.”

Thursday, April 8, 2021

E is for Erlik (Conan / Hyborian Age) #AtoZChallenge2021


#AtoZChallenge2021

E is for Erlik from the Conan / Hyborian Age setting. He as known as the Flame Lord, and The God of the Yellow Hand of Death. The devout Hrykanians following his tenets founded the Turanian Empire. His teachings are struct but his priests do not follow the devine edicts to the letter of the law. 

Erlik is said to have been the first living human but born without a soul or spirit. As a punishment for him trying to create other living creatures he was banushed to the underworld. 

The priests teach that the soul must be strengthened through deprivation, hardship, struggle, and toil. Once the soul has departed, the god claims them for his own. All those who draw not breath are his, including the undead. 

Terrible knowledge of necromancy is known to Erlik's priests, who are also able to sink bodily into the bowels of the earth.

I tend to like fire deities, but this one gets the bonus of focusing on undead as well. What's not to like? Perhaps only fiery undead pillaging a town would be cooler. *Whoosh*


https://hyboria.xoth.net/gods/erlik.htm

https://aoc.fandom.com/wiki/Erlik

Sunday, April 4, 2021

C is for Crom (Conan / Hyborian Age) #AtoZChallenge2021


#AtoZChallenge2021

C is for Crom from the Conan / Hyborian Age setting.

I think my entry today will be from Conan of Cimmeria from 1969 (Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp, and Lin Carter).


The cold light struck icy fire from the jewels in Bêlit's clustered black locks as she stretched her lithe form on a leopard skin thrown on the deck. Supported on her elbows, her chin resting on her slim hands, she gazed up into the face of Conan, who lounged beside her, his black mane stirring in the faint breeze. Bêlit's eyes were dark jewels burning in the moonlight.

"Mystery and terror are about us, Conan, and we glide into the realm of horror and death," she said. "Are you afraid?"

A shrug of his mailed shoulders was his only answer.

"Im not afraid either," she said meditatively. "I was never afraid. I have looked into the naked fangs of Death too often. Conan, do you fear the gods?"

"I would not tread on their shadow," answered the barbarian conseevatively. "Some gods are strong to harm, others, to aid; at least so say their priests. Mitra of the Hyborians must have a strong god, because his people have builded cities over the world. But even the Hyborians fear Set. And Bel, god of thieves, is a good god. When I was a thief in Zamora I learned of him."

"What of your own gods? I have never heard you call on them."

"Their chief is Crom. He dwells on a great mountain. What use to call on him? Little he cares if men live or die. Better to be silent than to call his attention to you; he will send you dooms, not fortune! He is grim and loveless, but at birth he breathes power to strive and slay into a man's soul. What else shall men ask of their gods?"

"But what of the worlds beyond the river of Death?" she persisted.

"There is no hope here or hereafter in the cult of my people, answered Conan. "In this world men struggle and suffer vainly, finding pleasure only in the bright madness of battle; dying, their souls enter a gray, misty realm of clouds and icy winds, to wander cheerlessly throughout eternity."

Bêlit shuddered. "Life, bad as it is, is better than such a destiny. What do you believe, Conan?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I have known many gods. He who denies them is as blind as he who trusts them too deeply. I seek not beyond death. It may be the blackness averred by the Nemedian skeptics, or Crom's realm of ice and cloud, or the snowy plains and vaultrd halls of the Nordheimer's Valhalla. I know not, nor do I care. Let me live deep while I live; let me know tge rich juices of red meat and stinging wine on my plate, the hot embrace of arms, the mad exultation of battle when the blue blades flame and crimson, and I am content. Let teachers and priests and philosophers brood over questions of reality and illusion. I know this: if life is an illusion, then I am no less an illusion, and being thus, the illusion is real to me. I live, I burn with life, I love, I slay, and am content."


The story Queen of the Black Coast (where the quote above is from) was originally published in 1934 in Weird Tales magazine. 


P.S. Here's a great site for some more information on Crom and the Hyborian Age.

https://hyboria.xoth.net/gods/crom.htm

Monday, March 22, 2021

Lord of the Rings Playing Cards (2 Deck Oracle)


I used to collect a lot of the Lord of the Rings stuff for the Peter Jackson LotR movies. I have a set of these in a tin but this set was sent to me by a friend and the tin got destroyed in shipment. So, we play 500 Rummy with these cards as a large deck. 

I've been kicking the idea of using playing cards as an oracle for solo gaming and these might be decent for that.

Anyway, I was curious as to how many characters were used on the faces and how many copies of each that there was. There is an evil and good deck.


Evil Deck:

1 Troll, 8 goblins, 11 Uruk-Hai, 15 Saruman, 17 Nazgul.

2 Nazgul Wild Cards.


Good Deck:

1 Aragorn, 1 Elrond, 1 with Four Hobbits, 2 Bilbo, 2 Frodo, 2 Samwise + Pippin, 4 Arwen, 4 Elven Boats, 4 Galadriel, 4 Rainbows with Gandalf + Frodo, 4 Statues with Stairs, 5 Eomer, 6 Gandalf, 6 Gimli, and 6 Legolas.

2 Frodo Wild Cards.


It would be easy to use the various characters as a type of theme to influence what each card number and suit represent. You could also have an evil card mean something different than a good one.



I also found Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation from Fantasy Flight Games on my shelves and it had some interesting cards in there too.

Evil: The Eye of Sauron, Magic, Palantir, Retreat, and cards numbered 1-6.

Good: Elven Cloak, Gandalf the White, Magic, Noble Sacrifice, Retreat, Shadowfax, and cards numbered 1-5.


 

Conan BoL RPG Info (Barbarians of Lemuria, Hyborian Age)


I am copy/pasting this from a forum thread I made like 10 years ago. Lol. 

For anyone that is interested here is what I have done so far to convert the Hyborian Age Setting (the one used in the Conan books) for the Free Barbarians of Lemuria RPG.


For a TON of background information go to this great site:
http://hyboria.xoth.net/

The Barbarians game doesn't take into account race, so I figured I would do something a little different to include race.  I figured out what the races were going to be (all human) and what bonuses they gave to what stats, but I thought to speed character creation along, we will roll a D20 and consult a chart to tell you what your race will be.  This way you it will speed the process along.

When you get a race, it will tell you what Kingdom you are from, then knowing the Kingdom you can pick from the list of Gods that are normally worshipped in your kingdom.


So here is the Race & Kingdom D20 table

D20 Roll / Sub Race / Kingdom  / Ability Mod  / Appearance
1 / Aesir / Asgard / +1 Strength / Gold hair, Blue eyes, Beards
2 / Aquilonian / Aquilonia / +1 Agility / Tawny-Blond hair, Gray eyes
3 / Argossean / Argos / +1 Agility / Thick curly dark hair, Short stocky bodies, Dark skin
4 / Brythunian / Brythunia / +1 Agility / Blond hair, Stocky build
5 / Cimmerian / Cimmeria / +1 Agility / Dark hair, Blue eyes, Bronze skin
6 / Corinthian / Corinthia / +1 Mind / Tawny hair, Stout build, Dark skin
7 / Hyperborean / Hyperborea / +1 Mind / Tall, Unnaturally thin, Blond-brown hair, Blue-green eyes
8 / Hyrkanian / Hyrkania / +1 Agility / Horseman, Hooked noses, Black hair, Deeply tanned skin
9 / Kothian / Koth / +1 Strength / Dark hair, Bronze skin, Light to dark brown eyes
10 / Kushite / Kush / +1 Strength / Dark hair, Light brown to dark brown skin
11 / Nemedian / Nemedia / +1 Mind / Tall, Blue or gray eyes, Blond hair
12 / Ophirian / Ophir / +1 Mind / Tanned skin, Dark hair, Lean bodies
13 / Pictish / Pictland / +1 Agility / Short, Stocky, Dark skin, Black hair confined in copper bands, Decorated with feathers
14 / Shemitish / Shem / +1 Mind / Hook noses, Dark eyes, Blue-black hair
15 / Stygian / Stygia / +1 Mind / Tall, Hawk-faced, Bronze skin, Dark hair, Black eyes
16 / Turanian / Turan / +1 Agility / Turbaned men, Veiled women, Hooked noses, Black hair
17 / Vanir / Vanaheim / +1 Strength / Tall, Broad shoulders, Red hair
18 / Vendhyan / Vendhya / +1 Mind / Black hair, Light brown skin, Shaved headed priests, Turbaned men
19 / Zamoran / Zamora / +1 Mind / Deeply tanned skin, Dark eyes, Wear loose fitting robes
20 / Zingaran / Zingara / +2 Appeal / Tanned skin, Curly hair


Gods and Goddesses Worshiped By Kingdom

Kingdom - Gods

Aquilonia – Asura, Ibis, Mitra
Argos – Bel, Mitra
Asgard - Ymir
Brythunia – Mitra, Wiccana
Cimmeria – Crom, Xotli
Corinthia – Bel, Ishtar, Mitra, Pteor
Hyperborea – Bori
Hyrkania – Erlik, Yama
Koth – Ishtar, Mitra
Kush – Jullah, Set
Nemedia – Ibis, Mitra
Ophir – Anu, Bel, Ishtar, Mitra
Pictland – Jhebbal Sag, Jhil, Jullah
Shem – Ashtoreth, Bel, Dagon, Derketo, Ishtar, Nergal, Pteor, Set
Stygia – Damballah, Derketo, Gwahlur, Harakht, Ibis, Nebethet, Set, Yog
Turan – Erlik
Vanaheim - Ymir
Vendhya – Asura, Hanuman, Kali
Zamora – Bel, Zath
Zingara – Bel, Ishtar, Mitra


Information on the Gods and Goddesses

God / Domains / Sex of God / Aliases

Anu / Fertility, Strength / Male   
Ashtoreth   / Fertility, Protection / Female   
Asura / Healing, Illusion, Knowledge, Serpents / Male   
Bel / Chaos, Death, Trickery / Unknown / The Masked God
Bori / Strength, War / Male   
Crom / Battle, Hard Work, Strength, Toil / Male / The Grim Gray God
Dagon / Protection, Water, Weather / Male   
Damballah / Death, Evil, Serpents / Male   
Derketo / Healing, Seduction / Female / Derketa
Erlik / Death, Knowledge, Prophecy / Male / Yellow Hand of Death
Gwahlur / Darkness, Prophecy / Male / King of Darkness
Hanuman / Beasts, Illusion, Knowledge / Male / Lord of the Black Throne
Harakht / Animal, Knowledge, War / Male   
Ibis / Knowledge, Magic, Protection / Male   
Ishtar / Earth, Healing, Fertility, Seduction / Female / The Earth Mother
Jhebbal Sag / Beasts, Chaos, Strength / Male / The Lord of Beasts
Jhil / Air, Law, Strength / Male   
Jullah / Beast, Strength / Male   
Kali / Death, Fertility, Healing, War / Female / The Black Mother
Mitra / Good, Healing, Protection, Sun / Male / Lord of Light
Nebethet / Death, Luck, Prophecy / Female / The Ivory Goddess
Nergal / Destruction, Plague, War / Male   
Pteor / Air, Fertility, Strength / Male   
Set / Death, Evil, Magic, Serpents, Weather / Male / Father Set or The Great Serpent
Wiccana / Healing, Plant / Female / The Nature Goddess
Xotli / Blood, Evil / Unknown   
Yama / Evil, Fire / Male / King of Devils
Ymir / Destruction, Strength, War / Male / The Frost Giant
Yog / Bats, Blood, Darkness / Unknown / Lord of Empty Abodes
Zath / Darkness, Spiders / Unknown / The Spider God of Yezud


Careers/Professions

These are your Career choices and the abilities they have in addition to replacing skills in the game:

(X represents the ranks you have in that Career).

Alchemist/Apothecary
  Ability - Poison Resistance (+ X to all strength avoidance rolls against poisons)

Assassin/Killer
  Ability - Silent Attack (+ X damage when unseen and unheard)

Barbarian/Berserker
  Ability - Berserk Rage (+ 2 times X to damage X times per day)

Blacksmith/Armorsmith/Weaponsmith
  Ability - Strong Arm (All one-handed melee weapons wielded by the blacksmith get a bonus to the melee attack roll equal to + 1/2 X rounded down X times per day.  You only get this bonus with one arm.  Choose if you are left handed or right handed)
 
  0 = + 0
  1 = + 0
  2 = + 1
  3 = + 1
  4 = + 2

Farmer/Farmhand
  Ability - Strong Back (When lifting, pulling, or pushing something you gain + X to your strength roll)

Gladiator/Fighter
  Ability - Less Damage (You ignore X damage that is done to you X times per day)

Hunter/Archer
  Ability - Deadly Shot (You can shoot a deadly shot X times per day that adds + X to the ranged attack roll)

Mercenary/Sell-sword
  Ability - Quick (+ X to all initiative rolls to determine order in the round)

Merchant/Tradesman
  Ability – Guild Member (You are a member of the merchant guild and have benefits because of it)

Minstrel/Bard
  Ability - Good Song (You play a song that gives a +1 to all of the party's dice rolls in the hearing area.  This effect lasts X rounds and you can play this song X times per day.  Every time you use this ability you add your appeal rank + minstrel rank and you must get above a 9 on the roll to be successful.  A failure results in the song being off key, and no one gets the bonus of this ability.  A failure counts towards the maximum number of times you can use this ability per day)

Noble/Aristocrat
  Ability - Estate Home & Noble Title "Lord _______"

Physician/Doctor
  Ability - Medical Healing (See recovering lost hit points in the rules)

Pirate/Sailor
  Ability - Feint (You move in a quick way that tricks your opponent X times per day and your next melee attack ignores half their defense rank rounded down)

Priest/Druid
  Ability - Divine Spell Casting

Scribe/Calligrapher
  Ability - Language Master (You know X additional languages)

Slave/Indentured Servant
  Ability - Tough Skin (You gain X additional hit points)

Soldier/Guard
  Ability - Who Needs Sleep? (You only need 8 - X hours of rest per night.  You can also sleep in heavy armor or on rough ground without any penalty)

Sorcerer/Wizard
  Ability - Spell Casting

Thief/Rogue
  Ability - Lucky (You can re-roll any dice roll X times per day)

Torturer/Executioner
  Ability - I Know Death (Instead of dying at -1 hit points, you die at -1 - X hit points)  [So if you had 4 ranks in this career you would die at -5 Hit Points.]

Wench/Maid
  Ability - Throwing Weapons (+ X to your ranged attack roll with throwing weapons X times per day)

Remember that these Careers replace skills in this game.

Example: I have 2 ranks in Assassin, 0 ranks in Slave, 1 rank in Hunter, and 1 rank in Pirate.


Senses

Just like stats, you have 4 senses, and at character creation you have 4 ranks to put in them.

Hearing
Sight
Smell
Other (touch, taste, and 6th Sense)

For example
Hearing 2
Sight 1
Smell 0
Other 1

I have been debating on how to apply these senses to the game.  All the other rolls depend on reaching
9 to be successful so I went with the same idea here.

For example:
A career with sneaking would be opposed by hearing.
A career with hiding would be opposed by sight.
A creature that smells horrible would be opposed by smell.

My idea is that whatever the sense rank is for an npc, it should be a negative to the
character's dice roll. 

So, the character rolls 2d6 + assassin + agility and gets a 10 to move quietly.  The npc's hearing rank is 2, so you subtract 2 from the character's roll and get an 8.  It is below 9 so it is a failure.  The character must have stepped on a twig, because now all the guards are heading in his direction.

You can add experience ranks to senses as well.


Movement

Part of the benefit of a rules-light game, is you don't have to look up all the charts and such.  My idea was that everyone starts out with a 20' movement rate (the amount of distance you can move in a round).  And for every rank in Agility you gain +5' movement to this.  So a character with an Agility of 2, would move 30' per round.  So 20’ to start out with and these bonuses from Agility:

0 + 0'
1 + 5'
2 + 10'
3 + 15'
4 + 20'
5 + 25'

Unless we are dungeon crawling, or in combat these won't mean much at all.