Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Recap 3: Skyrealms of Jorune RPG Campaign "Weird Skull / Blood Bound Corastin"



Characters:

*Ahte, Muadra Caji (played by Bill).
*Blogren, Muadra Caji (played by my son Wes).
*Bruce, Boccord Soldier (played by George).
*Titanius Englesmith, Human Explorer (played by Kris).
*Canth Lor Snoggis, Thriddle (NPC).

The characters had lots of options to pursue at the start of the session. They determined that they were about a day's travel South of the City of Joble in the Sobay Basin. There were 3 revealed Warps to Skyrealms near to where the Ramian skyship crashed. Our sole human character Titanius wanted to return to see if the Shanthas were getting up to trouble, and they all were worried about Tonista on her Durlig/Hilc farm. The Muadra characters wanted to go to the city of Joble to get cold weather gear, to turn in their Beagre pelts, and get some cold weather gear for the Skyrealm through the Warp at Tonista's farm. They instead chose instead to completely explore the Crugar crystal mines below near to the hidden Shanthic Temple.

A warping of their perceptions was noticed down a long hallway with jagged soil/crystal walls. One of the Muadras (Blogren) explored it, and realized that the reality of the cave was different from what they were seeing. At the most intense spot of the visual effect, he dug the earthen floor, and there he found a buried skull that was dense and heavy and about four times the size of a human skull. It had crystals for eyes, and sharp teeth that were drilled into its skull and jaw bone. It looked like the creature had those gem teeth implanted during life. He must have had an intense intimidating grin when it was alive... eek!

Elsewhere (because the party split up) Ahte (sp?) found a mutated corpse of a Crugar and weird green mist covered his body when he was looking through its items. Nothing *seemed* to happen right away. (Evil GM Chuckle). He found a green gem headband that seemed to help him with Green Dyshas.

Titanius found an electrified metal door, and he tried to ground the energy with a sword and that seemed to only help a little.

Back at the odd skull, Blogren touched it and resisted its animate sludge that resided inside of it and its effects. Ahte however was hit right in the face with the sludge, and it went into his body through his eyes, ears, etc. Later this same effect happened to Blogren and Bruce the Boccord. Bruce then shocked the sludge out of his own skull via the electricity of the door. It was one of those "I think... that would actually work" moments. Haha.

The skull started to float, and the human blasted it, but it managed to reflect the energy beam back at him! This would have killed Titanius but Blogren managed to use some healing herbs quickly before then. Phew!

The skull animated, levitated, and then resisted being destroyed by Bruce's Shanthic Blade, and stole it, and another character's sword to use in its phantom limbs. The skull used an area effect that hurt everyone. Eventually, the characters were able to destroy it enough with a powerful Dysha hurled at it from the Thriddle Canth and their weapons.

Behind the door was an imprisoned Corastin named Addacar. Blogren got in the way of one of the cyrstal energy beams keeping the Corastin there, and almost got killed. They disabled the prison and kept the 6 blue gems that were the source of the effect. Addacar agreed to serve them, and said that he was Blood Bonded (or they were bonded with him, it was a bit unclear), and sprayed them in the face and chest with his own blood after performing a ritual with its arms and elbows. Addacar was told about the Crugar corpses in the mines, and he went and collected some gruesome trophies from them.

The group explored more, picked up some history books about the Crugar and Human Energy War, and found a Cle-Eshta that linked to the City of Joble. 

The group also found a dark Energy Cube that seemed like it powered some large ancient Earth-Tec device, perhaps a vehicle or a heavy piece of machinery. The Energy Cube was used by the Crugar as a sacrificial altar. The group thought that many miners had died on it due to the decayed bones around it. Titanius thinks it somehow generates electric power (perhaps via Zero-Point means) and stores it. 

In four boxes they found Ramian herbs, namely Shirm-eh, which they were told by the Thriddle was illegal in human society, but a food supplement that the Ramians need to survive. The group stashed them in case they ever needed to bribe some Ramians...

With Addacar, the Energy Cube, the characters, and the 14 rescued Thivin miners, the group traveled through the Cle-Eshta to the City of Joble.





BRP Skyrealms of Jorune (Part 13: Revised Character Sheets)

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RqjfWg9ZgYQh7YZ0V_abdIja6v2Uz1wr/view?usp=sharing

Any time you hack a system to a setting, you will need to adjust things as you playtest them over time. I gave up on incorporating Isho Sensitivity Skills to my BRP hack, and instead gave Boccords a psionic system of powers instead of using those. Here is the revised character sheet I plan on printing out and giving to my players. Above is the front sheet with slightly larger type, and below is the skill sheet. I added in the Purple Mogel Moon Isho skill since my campaign uses that homebrewed thing I came up with. 

I'll also include a character portrait / item inventory sheet which I find extra helpful to visualize where everything is.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15_qADVTq-V1NVCJsogfkI_X0Af2CQHbY/view?usp=sharing



Character portrait / item inventory sheet:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/138FDzcsJlgd0dCTmFUMk_tsHYGmbIyuP/view?usp=sharing


Monday, November 28, 2022

BRP Skyrealms of Jorune (Part 12: Purple Dyshas of Mogen, the Unknown Spirit)

 

These purple dyshas take the form of bolts and orbs.

DISARMING BOLT   

IP: 2   Range: 30 meters  

Duration: Instantaneous 

Description: This bolt can target an opponent with a weapon in their hands. On a failed Strength Effort roll, the victim lets go of their weapons, and those items fly 1D10 meters away from them. It may be bundled (+1 IP) for range, to target extra targets, and to have the weapons fly further away from them.


LIQUID ORB

IP: 4    Range: 60 meters    

Duration: Instantaneous, or 2D10 rounds

Description: A watery orb forms in the hands of the Caji. This can be drank like any other water, though it is slightly thicker in consistency. This watery orb lasts 2D10 rounds if the Caji just wishes to hold onto it and drink from it. If hurled at a target it can put out any fire, and on a failed Agility Dodge roll, the victim falls over. This may be bundled (+2 IP) for range and to target extra beings or items.


ORB OF THE UNSEEN ONE

IP: 7    Range: 20 meters    

Duration: 1 hour

Description: This orb once hurled by the Caji vanishes, and an invisible force is created which can be directed by them to do minor tasks such as: cleaning, mending garments, picking up items, opening doors, sliding chairs, bringing books to the Caji, etc. It can also be used to carry heavier items as long as it is within range of the Caji. If the Caji concentrates, this force can be used to interfere with combatants or Cajis that are attempting to cast dysas (-25% penalty to combat and dysha rolls). It may be bundled (+3 IPs) for duration.


ACID BOLT

IP: 10    Range: 30 meters    

Duration: Instantaneous

Description: This caustic bolt inflicts damage to living beings and it has a 50% chance to destroy any items that are exposed to the acid. Roll damage as if this were a Frost Bolt. It may be bundled (+5 IP) for range and to target extra victims. Extra IP can also be spent to modify the damage roll.

 

BLUR

IP: 20    Range: Self    

Duration: 10 minutes

Description: This orb expands around the caster, and distorts the vision of all those who look at the Caji. All combat attempts and dyshas cast at the Caji miss them 50% of the time. It may be bundled (+10 IPs) for duration.

 

FLASHBURST

IP: 15    Range: 30 meters    

Duration: Instantaneous

Description: This orb explodes and creates a blinding flash in a 20 foot radius area. All those in the area that can see are blinded for 2D10 rounds. It may be bundled (+7 IPs) for range.


PESTILENCE

IP: 25    Range: 60 meters    

Duration: 1 day

Description: This orb summons all crawling and flying insects from the local area to it. These creatures will infest a 1 miles area, devouring all available food and driving off intelligent beings as well as other living creatures. It may be bundled (+12 IPs) for duration or area of effect.

Saturday, November 12, 2022

Neverland & Troll Lord Games' Monsters & Treasure of Aihrde for D&D 5E!

 


Troll Lord Games ran a sale and I got this beautiful monsters & treasure book for $9.00+shipping! That is one HELL of a good deal.

https://www.trolllord.com/tlgstore/

I also got my copy of Neverland after waiting a few years to get it. I'm going to be running a library game for kids starting in Jan of 2023 so this seemed like a good excuse to buy it. It's gorgeous!

I've been going through all of the monster special abilities and making a deck of 3x5 monster cards so I can randomly generate monsters, or just pick a few abilities to add to standard D&D monsters.

I'm looking forward to this, and so is my ten-year-old son. :)

Thursday, November 10, 2022

BRP Skills: An Optional Improvement Variant

 


I played DungeonWorld a few years ago, and I like how that system gave out XP for failures. Failure after all is a great way to learn. This influenced the way I'm handling skill improvement in my BRP Skyrealms of Jorune campaign which has about twice as many skills.

If you use any skill, you get a checkmark to attempt to increase that skill at the end of the session. Standard BRP only does that for successful skill checks. 

If you roll higher than your skill then you get to add +1% to your skill total. It isn't much, but I'm also planning on running a longer campaign.

That's it. Have a good one out there folks.

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Recap 2: Skyrealms of Jorune RPG Campaign "Red Shantha Surprise"

Characters:

*Ahte, Muadra Caji (played by Bill).
*Blogren, Muadra Caji (played by my son Wes).
*Bruce, Boccord Soldier (played by George).
*Titanius Englesmith, Human Explorer (played by Kris).
*Canth Lor Snoggis, Thriddle (NPC).

The characters left Tonista's Durlig/Hilc farm to head into Joble to sell their Beagre pelts and to get some cold weather gear to explore the cold Skyrealm where the Thriddle and Cleash came from via a Warp.

On the way there, Ahte and Blogren had a weird sensation, like they had passed over some mystical barrier. Titanius figured out that the odd sensation was in a circular pattern, and he used his Reco Digger to explore below. The Reco Digger returned with an odd purple crystal.

When Titanius touched the crystal, it broke, and a purple energy mist enveloped them and he started being pulled through the sand and dirt straight down. Blogren tried to grab him to stop this weird effect but then he started getting pulled down beneath the ground too.

The circular area with a 60 foot diameter began to levitate and break free from the surrounding ground. It got up to about 20 feet off of the ground before Bruce activated a Boccord ability that let him use the unknown power of his Shanthic Blade, which gave him crude control over the curved structure beneath his feet. Bruce shook off most of the extraneous sand and dirt by maneuvering the floating structure and landing it.

Inside the structure Blogren and Titanious witnessed ancient Shanthas in these organic-looking holding stalls that seemed to preserve some of them in stasis despite their old war wounds.

The Thriddle Canth Lor Snoggis stayed outside to "guard their escape." Ahte and Bruce touched the weird purple outline where the other characters sunk down, and they sunk through the earth in a similar fashion to join them.

The characters explored the structure which seemed like it was a hidden location ages ago. With the purple gem power source removed by the Reco Digger the Shanthic Stasis Stalls ceased to function correctly and the Shanthas begun to wake up.

Titanius and Blogren were testing out a pedastal with flowing metal that shimmered. It turned out to be a teleporting device, a Cle-Eshta that lead to an ancient Shanthic Temple. Blogren went there and returned safely. Titanius went there and explored. Another Cle-Eshta was discovered but it was destroyed from ancient Earth-Tec blaster fire.

The rest of the group talked with the first Red Shantha that woke up. He was severely wounded and they healed him. The group (thanks to Blogren translating for them) learned that these special Shantha soldiers had experimented with a new Purple form of Isho energy, that they translated as "Battle-Spirit." He told them that the characters were his enemies but he felt obliged to let them leave... alive, and he even gave out two Shanthic Daggers as his thanks for reviving them and for the medical aid. The group left willingly through the Cle-Eshta and ended up in the Shanthic Temple.

After some exploration and digging through collapsed doorways, Titanius snuck up and spied some enslaved and chained up Thivins working in a red crystal mine. The red crystals had their volatile nature inverted to be amplifiers of peace and tranquility but the Thivins were being forced to desecrate the temple by destroying and collecting them for their Crugar masters. Titanius used a charge of his blaster to sever the chains and isolate the Crugar from the Thivins with a cave in.

The rest of the group (including the Thriddle) caught up to Titanius and set up an ambush for the 6 Crugars that were digging out the cave in.

As soon as the Crugars cleared the last few rocks away Ahte smashed a crystal that emptied out ALL of the isho in the nearby area from the Crugar and him and Blogren as well. The Crugar did not realize this at first and they kept attempting to hurl Lightning Blast Dyshas at them to no effect.

Blogren smashed some of the purple crystals to regain some much needed Isho, but the weird energy blended in with his (which was noticeable by Ahte, a fellow Caji). This helped him levitate one of the Crugar, while the others shot arrows and slashed at the others. They killed the 5 Crugar, and realized the last one fled. 

All of the auras of the characters now contains the swirling unknown Purple Isho.

They gathered up the fallen two-handed Crugar weapons and items, and then chased after the last Crugar. On the way they noticed another Cle-Eshta but did not examine it. They also freed another 6 Thivins from their cell.

The group climbed a badly damaged ladder to the bright surface to see the last Crugar climbing up a rope ladder to a small Ramian crystal ship floating roughly 30 feet on the air.

Titanius shrugged and blasted a vital spot of crystals on the bottom of the ship which started a chain reaction that made the ship shatter and explode. Ramian and Crugar bodies were hurled violently on fire to their deaths as fiery ship chunks fell on top of them.

The group will more than likely talk to the Thivins to figure out where they currently are. Where will they go? What will they do? We shall see. :)




Sunday, November 6, 2022

BRP Skyrealms of Jorune (Part 11: Boccord Psionic Powers & Abilities)

 


Aura Detection

CP: 1 Range: Self

Duration: 1 round per CP spent

Roll: SPOT & Idea

Description: This lets you see the colors of Isho that swirl around living beings, and interpret what you see. The vague effects of Shanthic or other magic items would be noticed with such a roll.

Once you see an Aura you can make an Intelligence / Idea Roll. To determine any of the following:

*Whether they are healthy or diseased, and if so, how severe the disease is.

*Whether they are benevolent or evil, and how much so. This is also skewed toward their feelings toward humanity in general.

*Whether they are full of Color and Isho points, overcharged with them past their normal amount, or depleted.

*How relatively powerful they are rated on a scale of “much stronger, stronger, equal to, weaker, much weaker” than your character.


Body as Fuel

HP: 2+ Range: Self

Duration: Instantaneous

Roll: None

Description: For every 2 Hit Points you burn you can convert them into 1 Color Point.


Breath of Life

CP: 1 Range: Self or touched being

Duration: COL in rounds (x2 for Boccords)

Roll: Stamina

Description: The being touched can breathe underwater, or in gas that would normally be toxic or knock them out. This duration is twice as long for Boccords.


Color Armor

CP: 1-4 Range: Self

Duration: For 1 combat

Roll: Luck

Description: You gain extra armor protection equal to the Color Points you spend on this power. This reduces how much damage each successful attack can deal to you.


Danger Sense

CP: 1 to activate, 1 per round to keep active Range: COL in meters

Duration: 1 round per CP spent

Roll: Luck

Description: You have an uncanny ability to sense immediate threats from the nearby area. You cannot be ambushed, flanked, or surprised if you have noticed the danger.


Dead Calm

CP: 1+ Range: Self

Duration: Instantaneous

Roll: Stamina

Description: Use this power reflexively when your character is faced with a force that would rattle, scare, stun, or mentally shock them. If successful they can act normally where others would not be able to. This can be used to negate the loss of sanity as well.


Displacement

CP: 5 or 10 Range: Self

Duration: 1 combat

Roll: Luck

Description: Dyshas and physical damage miss you 25% of the time. If you spend 10 Color Points instead damage misses you 50% of the time.


Dysha to Light

CP: 8

Range: Self

Duration: Instantaneous / 1D4 hours

Roll: Luck

Description: If a Dysha hits you, you can use this power in response to it. Your body instead converts the Dysha into harmless bright light that emanates off of your skin for 1D4 hours.


False Species Signature

CP: 5 Range: COL in Kilometers

Duration: 1 hour

Roll: Luck

Description: Those who scan for your Isho Signature will think you are some other species than human. You are limited in your choices. You can only pretend to be a being that you have met once. Shantha are better at spotting the real truth.


Hammer of Power

CP: 1-4 Range: Touched weapon

Duration: 1 combat

Roll: Effort

Description: The blunt weapon touched deals an additional amount of damage equal to the Color Points spent on this power. Additionally, those hit and take damage will lose an equal amount of Isho Points. Shantha’s lost x2 the amount of Isho Points.


Heal Others

CP: 4 Range: Touched Creature

Duration: Instantaneous

Roll: None

Description: You can heal 1D4 damage. This power can be used once every round.


Heal Self

CP: 2 Range: Self

Duration: Instantaneous

Roll: None

Description: You can heal 1D4 damage. This power can be used once every round.


Hear Light, See Sound

CP: 2 Range: Self

Duration: 1 combat or 1 hour

Roll: Spot or Listen (whichever is higher)

Description: You can roll Spot instead of Listen, or roll Listen instead of Spot (you can roll the higher of the two). If your character is blinded they can use this power to “see.” If your character loses their sense of hearing they can “hear.”


Inertial Armor

CP: 10 Range: Self

Duration: 1 combat

Roll: Stamina

Description: Take ½ of all damage taken from all Dyshas for this combat.


Interfering with Dyshas

CP: 1 for every 2 IPs of the incoming Dysha

Range: 10 meters

Duration: Instantaneous

Roll: ISHO vs. your COL Resistance Roll

Description: If the Dysha was interfered with it no longer poses any threat.


Isho Conversion

IP: 2+ Range: Self

Duration: Instantaneous

Description: For every 2 Isho Points you burn you can convert them into 1 Color Point.


Isho Drain

CP: 10 Range: 10 meters

Duration: Instantaneous

Roll: Resistance Roll

Description: A resistance roll is needed comparing your total current Color Points vs. the being’s total Isho Points. If you succeed, their Isho Points are completely kerned out of them violently. They take damage equal to the Isho Points they lost.


Isho Gift

CP: 2 Range: Touch

Duration: 1 round

Roll: None

Description: If you touch a being that can wield Dyshas, or use Isho in some manner, you can give them some or all of your Isho Points.


Know Color

CP: 2 Range: COL in meters

Duration: Instantaneous

Roll: Spot

Description: You will know what colors of Isho are in a Dysha being cast, and the colors of Isho that are more prevalent in a Shanthic Artifact or Shanthic Blade.


Make Whole

CP: 3+ Range: Touch

Duration: 1 round per point of SIZE

Roll: None

Description: This power mends one inanimate broken thing: a door, a shield, a weapon, etc. Complex items may require multiple uses of this, or to expend more Color Points. This effect is permanent.


Mask / Camouflage Signature

IP: All Range: COL in Kilometers

Duration: 1 hour

Roll: Color / Luck

Description: Those who scan for your Isho Signature will not be able to find you at all. Shantha are better at spotting the real truth.


Mind Shield

CP: 1+ per 5 rounds Range: Self

Duration: 5 rounds per CP spent

Roll: Color vs Isho Resistance Roll

Description: This ability helps protect the Boccord from incoming Dyshas and other special abilities. When rolling to interfere with incoming Dyshas you can roll twice and take the better result. Sanity loss can also be prevented with Mind Shield.


Muddle

CP: 3 Range: COL in meters

Duration: 1D4 rounds

Roll: CPs vs Ips / Resistance Roll

Description: If you succeed on a resistance roll of your current total of Color Points vs. the target’s current total of Isho Points, then the being cannon cast any Dyshas, attack, or perform any complex actions, or make any plans. The being can still move and defend themselves.


Pain Leech

CP: 1 Range: 30 meters

Duration: Instantaneous

Roll: Empathy

Description: For every 1 CP, you can absorb up to 10 points of damage from a nearby living being. They are healed that amount but you lose that amount of Hit Points.


Physical Boost

CP: 2 Range: Self

Duration: 1D10 rounds

Roll: Effort

Description: Physical skills get a +20% bonus, jumps are longer, climbing is easier, you tire less quickly, etc.


Psychometry

CP: 1 per point of Size point of object

Range: Touch

Duration: Instantaneous

Roll: Spot or Listen (whichever is higher), Idea

Description: Items are psychic sponges, able to absorb emotions and impressions from those who have used them. You can touch an item or place to receive a sense of the emotional state of the being that used it. Intense emotions are easier for this power. A successful INT / Idea roll allows you to identify the user of it. The power will also manifest a single memory of the object’s use from the object’s vantage point.


Quickness

CP: 1+ Range: Self

Roll: Dodge

Duration: 1 chase or combat

Description: Your movement speed increases +5 meters for each Color Point you put into this power.


Scanning for Creatures

CP: 3 Range: COL in meters x 10

Duration: 1 hour

Roll: Spot

Description: You can scan for Isho Signatures of other creatures. For each +3 CPs you can scan an extra amount equal to your COL in meters.


Shanthic Blades

CP: 2 Range: Item Touched

Duration: 1 use or 1 combat

Description: Boccords can use Shanthic Blades to devastating effects against those who wield Dyshas. Spending 2 Color Points allows the Boccord to use one of the powers of the Shanthic Blade. Often the wielder doesn’t know what powers are present in the item until this is attempted.

Spotting High Isho Creatures

CP: 2 Range: COL x 10 in meters

Duration: 1 hour

Roll: Spot

Description: You can spot intense Isho Signatures given off by powerful creatures like Shanthas. For each +2 CPs you can scan an extra amount equal to your COL x 2 in meters.


Slow Fall

CP: 1+ Range: Creature within COL meters

Duration: Until the fall ends

Roll: Luck

Description: The Boccord falls at a much slower rate. For every CP spent, treat the fall as 10 meter shorter than it really is.


Strength of the Boccords

CP: 1-3 Range: Self

Duration: 1 combat or 1D4 rounds

Roll: Effort

Description: Your STR Stat increases by +3 for each Color Point you put into this power (to a max of +9). This effects the Effort roll as well as possible the damage bonus for combat. Roll 1D100. A roll of 95-100 means that the character gains +1D4 Strength.


Sustenance

CP: 3 Range: Self

Duration: 1 day

Roll: Stamina

Description: You do not need to eat or drink anything for 1 day without having any ill effects.


Sword of Power

CP: 1-4 Range: Touched weapon

Duration: 1 combat

Roll: Effort

Description: The sharp edged weapon touched deals an additional amount of damage equal to the Color Points spent on this power. Additionally, those hit lose an equal amount of Isho Points. Shanthas take twice the damage.


Telekinesis

CP: 1 per 3 SIZE each round

Range: COL in meters

Duration: 1 round

Roll: Luck

Description: You can move objects with just the power of your thoughts. Every Color Point spent on this power affects 3 SIZE points. It will move at normal human walking speed through the air or along the ground or through liquid. The object must stay within range of the Boccord or it will simply fall. If you are dealt a major wound, knocked unconscious, fall asleep the object will fall and the power will end. If the scene is complex, or the character is too distracted, an INT / Idea roll will be called for to maintain the power.


Vitality

CP: 2-8 Range: Self

Duration: 1 combat

Roll: Luck

Description: For every Color Point that you spend (up to a maximum of 8 CPs) you gain +1D6 temporary Hit Points that fade after the combat ends. These Hit Points are used up first before regular Hit Points.