Spes Magna Games

First, some news intended to make me a little bit of money. Ars Metamagica is available at DriveThruRPG for $1.50 US. Here’s my brief sales pitch:

Underwhelmed by metamagic feats? Wish your casters had more flexibility when modifying their spells? Then get Ars Metamagica today.

This 13-page, printer-friendly PDF describes an alternate metamagic system that replaces metamagic feats with a metamagic check mechanic. Spellcasters daily select a palette of metamagic arts with which to modify their spells. Whether a prepared caster or a spontaneous caster, the spell-slinger makes a metamagic check at casting time to successfully reshape the magical energies. Success means greater customization of spells, but failure risks magical feedback. Also included are these:

* Specific recommendations about modifying class features, spells, and other rules impacted by Ars Metamagica.
* Five new feats that let casters dig deeper into the metamagic arts.
* Two new traits for casters with an affinity for the metamagic arts.
* A new type of metamagic rod that works with rather than replaces the metamagic system.

On the homefront, a year of underemployment and unemployment came to end on 9 August. I’ve been hired as the library coordinator and part-time physical education teacher at Aristoi Classical Academy. This isn’t quite the job I was wanting. I’m much better teaching history or literature. Still, there are benefits that cannot be ignored. The princpal, who I’ve worked for before, is top notch. I’ve not met anyone who understands classical education for children better than Mr. Johnson. Also, my kids are enrolled now, which got them out of the achievement-challenged public school we suffered through last year. Lastly, I have a job. Employment beats unemployment.

Yesterday, the family and I trundled over to the dollar theater. (It’s really a buck-fifty theater, but why quibble?) We watched the homage to the original Karate Kid. Surprisingly more affecting than I anticipated, but I ought not have been caught flat-footed. I’ve maintained for years that Jackie Chan is a fine dramatic actor, albeit finding examples of these talents is harder since he overwhelmingly favors action-comedies. Best of all, it wasn’t a remake of the original so much as a re-imagining. Also DVRed Shane and High Plains Drifter for the family to watch. Two very different but excellent westerns riffing the theme of the mysterious drifter facing injustice.

But back to writing.

I’ve done some more writing for Game Geek. The most recent issue includes me opining about the virtues of in media res as a storytelling device in adventure design. My thoughts about how only substandard DMs nerf character abilities in order to make situations more challenging are likely to show up in October’s issue.

Worked a bit on Quid Novi? XVII. I’m off-schedule with Quid Novi? due to adjusting to the new job, but issue 17 will hit subscriber in-boxes this coming Sunday, 12 September. The upcoming issue will include a Chance Encounter, a Five-Room One-Shot (probably inspired by a favorite Jonny Quest episode, and some more Recommended Reading.

Well, that’s it for now. Good gaming!

Well, August is shaping up to be a good month, at least in Spes Magna world. Sales are going well at both DriveThruRPG and Paizo. On the former site, In One’s Blood actually hit number 32 on the Top 100 Small Press Items list. I’ve gotten a few good reviews as well. The aforementioned In One’s Blood has a 5-star review at Paizo and a 4-star review at DriveThruRPG. Making Craft Work received three 5-star reviews at Paizo and another at DriveThruRPG. Rewarding Roleplaying has a 5-star review at Paizo.

With the constant stream of rejections from prospective employers this week, it’s nice that at least that much goes well.

The Barbaric Traits Preview PDF lands in Quid Novi? subscriber in-boxes this Sunday. This preview of character traits inspired by Robert E. Howard and Thundarr contains 12 new traits, divided evenly between the Combat, Faith, Magic, and Social categories. The for-sale Barbaric Traits PDF sits on my table in very rough draft form. The for-sale PDF offers 36 new character traits. I’m shooting to have it available for public consumption by about 15 August 2010.

Playtester volunteers still have their capable hands on Ars Metamagica. I’ve received some insightful feedback already. A couple of playtesters homed in on some unintended quirks in the system. I’ve got high hopes for this PDF. Ars Metamagica guts the metamagic feat system in the core rules, replacing it with a metamagic check system not tied to either skills or feats.

My adventure-writing funk still hasn’t completely passed. My much delayed The Case of the Purloined Princess still remains unfinished. A shorter adventure, Down the Rabbit Hole, is closer to completion. I’m not sure why I’m having such a hard time getting these done. I used to love writing adventures.

On the homefront, I got sick and tired of sitting around the house this week. My daughter was visiting one of her friends. I woke up my son Giant Boy and urged him to get bathed and dressed posthaste. We then walked about a mile to Denny’s and split the discount biscuits and gravy, pancakes, eggs over easy, sausage, and hashbrowns. After breakfast, we mosied over to the movie theater and saw Salt. It is a wildly improbable action flick, which, as Roger Ebert notes, manages to do everything that bad movies do in a really good way. Giant Boy and I then trekked through the 100-degree Fahrenheit heat to relax in the dim, air-conditioned comfort of our living room.

Tags: Salt movie

Why, hello there!

I’ve made a few posts here about Man Day’s new “We’re Not In Arkansas Anymore!” campaign. I’ve also received nice feedback about WNIAA from an RPG vee-eye-pee, who shall remain nameless so it doesn’t like I’m just name-dropping. Recently, fellow Man Day adventurer Terry convinced me to check out Obsidian Portal. I fixed my skepticism firmly in place to help convince me that something new and wiki wouldn’t be to my liking.

I was wrong. Obsidian Portal is a hoot. It’s easy to use, comes with friendly how-to videos, and has a cool name. Seriously. Obsidian Portal. That right there just screams, “Open me! Adventure awaits!”

So, WNIAA is now officially an Obsidian Portal campaign. You check it out by clicking here.

In company news, Spes Magna Games now has a store at Paizo.com. Now you can purchase Spes Magna products with the easy convenience of the Paizo on-line shopping experience. You Quid Novi? subscribers can still use your subscriber discount code. Also, starting this Wednesday, 16 June, we launch our 25% off Father’s Day sale that lasts until Wednesday, 23 June. Visit the store today to check out what we have to offer.

Tags: Spes Magna Products

Aello is a harpy. “These are the vilest of all monsters. No plague or visitation of the gods sent up from the waves of the river Styx has ever been worse than these. They are birds with the faces of girls, with filth oozing from their bellies, with hooked claws for hands and faces pale with a hunger that is never satisfied.” Virgil. The Aenied, III.212-218. Translated by David West. Penguin Classics: revised edition, 2003.

Aello, Harpy Ranger 4; CR 8
XP 4,800
CE Medium monstrous humanoid
Init +4 (+6 in plains); Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11

DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 natural)
hp 82 (11d10+22)
Fort +11, Ref +14, Will +8

OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., fly 80 ft. (average)
Melee masterwork morningstar +14/+9 (1d8+2), 2 talons +8 (1d6+1), or
Melee (vs. humans) masterwork morningstar +16/+11 (1d8+4), 2 talons +10 (1d6+3), or
Ranged masterwork composite longbow with +1 arrows +13/+8 (1d8+9/x3, 110 ft. range increment), or
Ranged (vs. humans) masterwork composite longbow with +1 arrows +15/+10 (1d8+11/x3, 110 ft. range increment), or
Ranged (vs. humans) masterwork composite longbow with +1 human bane arrows +17/+12 (1d8+13 plus 2d6/x3, 110 ft. range increment)
Special Attacks captivating song, favored enemy (humans) +2

SPELLS
Ranger Spells Prepared (CL 1st)
1st – resist energy

STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 15
Base Atk +11; CMB +12; CMD 25
Feats Ability Focus (captivating song), Deadly Aim, Dodge, Endurance (B), Flyby Attack, Great Fortitude, Far Shot (B), Skill Focus (Bluff)
Skills Bluff +11, Craft (fletching) +6, Fly +14, Intimidate +12, Knowledge (local) +8, Perception +11, Perform (song) +8, Stealth +15, Survival +11
SQ favored terrain (plains) +2, track +2, wild empathy +6
Languages Common

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Captivating Song (Su) Aello’s song has the power to infect the minds of those that hear it, calling them to her side. When she sings, all creatures aside from other harpies within a 300-foot spread must succeed on a DC 17 Will saving throw or become captivated. A creature that successfully saves is not subject to Aello’s song for 24 hours. A victim under the effects of the captivating song moves toward Aello using the most direct means available. If the path leads them into a dangerous area such as through fire or off a cliff, that creature receives a second saving throw to end the effect before moving into peril. Captivated creatures can take no actions other than to defend themselves. A victim within 5 feet of Aello simply stands and offers no resistance to her attacks. This effect continues for as long as Aello sings and for 1 round thereafter. This is a sonic mind-affecting charm effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Favored Enemy (Ex) Aello enjoys a +2 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks against humans. Likewise, she gets a +2 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against them. She make a Knowledge (local) skill check untrained when attempting to identify humans.

Favored Terrain (Ex) Aello gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks and Knowledge (geography), Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks when is a plains terrain. When traveling through plains, she leaves no trail and cannot be tracked (though she may leave a trail if she so chooses).

Hunter’s Bond (Ex) Aello can spend a move action to grant half her favored enemy bonus against a single human to all allies within 30 feet who can see or hear her. This bonus lasts for 1 round. This bonus does not stack with any favored enemy bonuses possessed by his allies; they use whichever bonus is higher.

EQUIPMENT & BACKGROUND
Treasure NPC gear (+1 studded leather, quiver with 10 +1 human bane arrows and 10 +1 arrows, cloak of resistance +1, potion of blur, two potions of cure moderate wounds, masterwork composite longbow [Str 14], masterwork morningstar, two vials of alchemist fire, two tanglefoot bags, plus 45 gp)

Aello the Swift Storm hunts well-traveled plains for human prey, a task for she is frighteningly well-suited. She drop most humans with a single arrow fired with Deadly Aim. Against more experienced humans, she attacks with her magical arrows, preferring to stay at the upper limits of her bow’s range increment. Too sow confusion and disorient her prey, she may make strafing runs using alchemist fire and tanglefoot bags. Victims of her captivating song are typically ignored while free-willed foes remain a threat.

Worst of all, Aello seldom hunts alone. She is usually accompanied by a flight of six regular harpies armed with light crossbows. (This makes Aello and company roughly equal to a CR 11 encounter). Aello keeps her harpies under control by threats, violence, and a share of the spoils, including the choicest morsels cut from victims’ bodies.

Aello earned her nickname the Swift Storm due to her preference for ambushes and hit-and-run tactics. Especially against ground-bound opponents, Aello doesn’t see the need to risk too much injury on her hunts. Most often she and her followers retreat after suffering minor to moderate wounds. They then lick their wounds and look for an opportunity to attack again, hoping to wear down their prey through attrition. A favorite tactic is for Aello and company to all focus their ranged attacks against a single victim. Then, they fly away for a few minutes before returning to strike again.

The Swift Storm sometimes sells her services to evil masters, especially when doing so gives her an opportunity to torment and kill humans. She is not an especially loyal henchmen. Still, her skill with ranged combat and ambush tactics have their uses, and more than one evil creature has sought Aello’s services.

Game Geek #4 is available for $1 at RPGNow.com. This issue is especially noteworthy as it features the first of Mark’s Musings, a new regular column penned by yours truly. Get yourself a copy, and read how my giant son became a bounty hunter.

On the progress front, I’m about a third of the way through the short adventure to be included with the new, improved Fencing & Firearms. I’ve also started outlining the Quid Novi? subscriber PDF about Greek/Roman mythical monsters and magical items and the missed issue of Quid Novi? itself.

Once these are done, that leaves me clear to finally finish The Case of the Purloined Princess. Sure, it might be pushing a month late, but better that than not at all or (even worse) done with less than my best effort.

On the home front, I sat down with the family over the weekend and watched The Box starring Frank Langella, Cameron Diaz, and James Marsden. What an absolute mess of a movie! I almost felt sorry for Richard Matheson (author of the short story on which the movie was based). The DVD special feature included a short interview with Matheson plus snippets of writer/director Richard Kelly lauding Matheson for his authorial skill and literary vision.

To which I wonder, “That’s great, Mr. Kelly, but didn’t Richard Matheson’s work deserve something better than The Box?”