Spes Magna Games

No prog rock inspired post today. (Aside: I skimmed through Rolling Stone‘s top 50 list of greatest prog rock albums of all time. Not a single Moody Blues album was on the list. Absurdity!)

It’s nearly Easter (by the Western method of figuring out the date). Much like (but less so than) during the Christmas season, Internet wags waggle their fingers across keyboards to explain the “true origins” of Easter and its associated bunnies, eggs, et cetera. One of the more popular “true origins” explains that “Easter” derives from “Ishtar”, who, of course, was celebrated with eggs and rabbits. It’s all sorts of whacky fun that only seems plausible if one ignores some major things, such as reality.

But I digress.

Per Folmer, a wonderful artist whose work can be seen by clicking here, shared the picture below via MeWe. After a brief chat, he generously gave me permission to feature the bunny-rider for today’s post.

So, with no more blather: Bunny, ho!

Jättekanin
Frequency: Rare
No. Appearing: 1-4
Armor Class: 5
Move: 15″
Hit Dice: 3+3
% in Lair: 15%
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 2-5
Special Attacks: Nil
Special Defenses: Retreating kick
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Semi-
Alignment: Neutral
Size: M (3′ at shoulder)
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: III/85 + 4/hp

The jättekanin is a rabbit of unusual size and courage. While not aggressive, the jättekanin is a fierce fighter if threatened or cornered. It can spring upwards 15′ or ahead at least 20′ to attack, raking and kicking with its blunt claws and sharp incisors. When retreating, the jättekanin can kick backwards with its hind legs, making two melee attacks that inflict 2-5 hit points damage for each that hits.

If encountered in its lair, there is a 50% chance that there will be 2-8 bunnies (1-2 hit dice, 1-2/1-3 damage/attack). These young are worth from 100 to 200 gold pieces on the market as they can be tamed and trained. Gnomes and some faeries train jättekanins, using them as pets, mounts, and guards. A jättekanin can bear up to 1250 gold pieces in weight, but it is considered encumbered if carrying more 625 gold pieces in weight.

The jättekanin does not speak, but it can understand the languages of gnomes and faerie creatures.

Äggkrigare
Frequency: Very rare
No. Appearing: 1-4
Armor Class: 6
Move: 9″
Hit Dice: 1+1
% in Lair: 20%
Treasure Type: C
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: By weapon type
Special Attacks: See below
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: 25%
Intelligence: Very
Alignment: Neutral good
Size: S (2′ tall)
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: III/126 + 2/hp

The äggkrigare is a faerie creature found meadows and forests. Exuberant but bellicose, the äggkrigare loves games of chance and athletics as much as it hates any sort of evil. In combat, the äggkrigare fights with small sword and bow (equal to a dagger and short bows, respectively). In its natural habitat, the äggkrigare moves with great stealth. It is effectively invisible until it attacks, and it surprises others on a 1-4 (in 6).

The äggkrigare’s most effective weapons are the magic eggs it carries in a basket. When encountered, the äggkrigare has 3-6 such eggs. The äggkrigare can throw an egg as its attack. Treat the egg as a grenade-like missile with a 3″ short range, a 6″ medium range, and a 9″ long range. The egg’s effect is determined by rolling 1d8:

1-2: entangle
3-4: scare
5-6: pyrotechnics
7: sleep
8: slow

The äggkrigare speaks its own language as well as one or two other languages common to the area in which it lives.

Tags: AD&D, Catholic, monsters, ThursdAD&D

When I last posted about our The Kids’ Game campaign using Savage Worlds Deluxe Edition, I explained how fantasy heroes Foxglove, Dark Halo, and Haldir aren’t really Foxglove, Dark Halo, and Haldir. They’re really rather ordinary middle school students from Miami, Florida, who have found themselves thrust into a strange fantasy world in which they become heroic members of the Guard.

In our two most recent sessions, the kids returned to Miami, arriving at the school playground just a few hours after they were transported to the fantasic world of Aysle. There they met Carlos (played by guest star Alex). The kids evaded the police, who were looking for the allegedly missing children. Bit by bit, the kids pieced together what had happened since the strange attack on Old Man Sutherland’s home.

According to the news, Sutherland was in the hospital in serious but stable condition. He was being watched by the police, and was accused of being some sort of money launderer for a drug cartel. The attack on his home was perpetrated by drug dealers. The children were wanted for questioning as witnesses. The children also heard about a homeless man killed in a state beach park. Supposedly he’d been killed by an alligator, but the children recognized his picture: He was the spitting image of the corrupt constable from Aysle.

During the two sessions over which events played out, Mario outsmarted a police detective during an interrogation as Mario’s house. Mario also deduced that the detective knew details about the attack on Sutherland’s home that only someone who was there would know. The other kids, with the help of Carlos’s mother, determined that some sort of frog-spirit was responsible for the homeless man’s death.

The kids went to the park, meeting up with Carlos’s uncle and his motorcycle gang. The kids partied a bit, and Ganke decided he really wanted to be a biker. The kids also found the stone tip from a crude spear, which, thanks to strange “bleed over” from their Aysle personae, they recognized as belonging to a bullywug hunter.

Somehow a monster from Aysle got sucked into Miami’s reality when the children returned.

The kids returned to the park at night. They did battle with a pack of killer frogs, and then hopped on their bikes and pedalled like crazy when the bullywug hunter and more killer frogs showed up. In the high speed chase-slash-fight, the kids defeated the frogs and killed the bullywug.

The session ended with the kids studying Sutherland’s home-made rulebook more closely. They learned that there are several different realms. In each realm, evil forces seek dominance with the ultimate goal of gaining sufficient power to invade Earth by means of interdimensional bridges. The key to these bridges? Something called the Possibility Chalice. The next clue to the Chalice’s location seems to be in the two-fisted, pulp realm of the Nile Empire.

And so the kids sat down to make up new characters in order to jump to a new universe.

Bullywug Hunter (Wild Card)

Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
Pace: 6
Parry: 5
Toughness: 5
Special Abilities:

Javelin: STR + d6.

Amphibious: Breathe air and water. Pace 8 in water.

Frog Commander: May share Bennies with amphibians under its command.

Jump: Leap 1d6″ to gain +2 to attack and damage.

---

I’m back to selling a few gaming items via ebay. If you’re interested, check these out, and maybe even put in a bid.

Heroes of Olympus: A Task Force Role Playing Game was published as a boxed set in 1981. Conceived and written by B. Dennis “Chariot of” Sustare, this unusual game combines fantasy roleplaying in mythical Greece with squad level wargaming action. This game was (at least) almost unique among roleplaying games of the time.

I wrote Path of Legend for the Dawnforge: Crucible of Legend campaign setting published by Fantasy Flight Games using the d20 System. This adventure was designed to introduce players to Dawnforge. According to the front cover, it is a “Legendary Quest in the World of Dawnforge”. According to the back cover, “The adventure leads new heroes from 1st to 5th level, and also offers them the chance to earn their first legend point. The adventure provides a compelling mix of location and event-based encounters, and rewards roleplaying and puzzle-solving as well as combat.”

Tags: ebay, monsters, Savage Wednesday, Savage Worlds, The Kids' Game

Today, the Tuesday Terror returns with a vengeance.

The mirror ghost (also called Bloody Mary) seeks to visit terrible vengeance on the living, but it is seldom encountered, as it exists in Vioo, the barren, dark realm that exists on the other side of mirrors and mirror-like surfaces (which form the only passages through which light passes into Vioo). The mirror ghost can only affect the Material Realm when summoned.

Mirror Ghost
Medium undead, any evil

Armor Class 12
Hit Points 82 (15d8+15)
Speed 0 ft., fly 45 ft. (hover)

STR 8 (-1), DEX 15 (+2), CON 12 (+1), INT 12 (+1), WIS 14 (+2), CHA 19 (+4)

Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages any languages it knew in life
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Conditional Invisibility. On the Material Plane, the mirror ghost is invisible except for its reflection. A creature can target the mirror ghost via its reflection, but ranged attacks made this way have disadvantage.

Incorporeal Movement. The mirror ghost can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Mirror Sight. The mirror ghost can see 60 feet into the Material Plane when it is in Vioo, and vice versa.

Mirror Travel. Once summoned the Material Plane, the mirror ghost, on its turn, can use 10 feet of its movement to step magically into one reflective surface within its reach and emerge from a second reflective surface within 60 feet of the first reflective surface, appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the second reflective surface. Both surfaces must be Small or larger.

Actions

Withering Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d6+4) necrotic damage.

Bane (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The mirror ghost can curse up to three creatures of its choice that it can see within 30 feet. Each creature must make DC 16 Charisma saving throw. For 1 minute whenever a target that fails this saving throw makes an attack roll or a saving throw, the target must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll or saving throw.

Summoning Chant (Recharge 6). While in Vioo, the mirror ghost can compel a living creature that sees its own reflection from no farther away than 60 feet and behind which the mirror ghost hides. The creature must succeed on a DC 16 Charisma saving throw or be rooted to the spot and compelled to say the mirror ghost’s name once per turn for three turns. During this time, the creature is restrained. At the start of the creature’s turn, it must use its bonus action to speak aloud the mirror ghost’s name. The target can repeat the saving throw with disadvantage at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. The target is immune to this mirror ghost’s Summoning Chant for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving throw. The mirror ghost can enter the Material Plane on its turn after the third time its name is spoken by a creature. The mirror ghost can remain on the Material Plane for no more than 24 hours.

Tags: 5E D&D, monsters, Tuesday Terror

And as [Jesus] went, they spread their clothes underneath in the way. And when he was now coming near the descent of mount Olivet, the whole multitude of his disciples began with joy to praise God with a loud voice, for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: “Blessed be the king who cometh in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven, and glory on high!” And some of the Pharisees, from amongst the multitude, said to him: “Master, rebuke thy disciples.” To whom he said: “I say to you, that if these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out.” (The Gospel According to St. Luke 19:36-40)

Triumphal Mien (Enchantment/Charm)
Level: Cleric 6
Range: 0
Duration: 8 hours/level
Area of Effect: 1″ + 1″/level of spell caster radius sphere
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 turn
Saving Throw: Special

By means of this spell, all living creatures with more than animal intelligence that are within the radius of the spell or who enter the radius of the spell view the cleric as comrade, friend, and/or leader. There is no saving throw against this effect the first time a creature enters the radius. The charmed creatures love and respect the cleric. They listen trustingly and obey requests insofar as communication is possible and the requests seems plausible and do not subject the one charmed to needless injury, destruction, or do not go against the creature’s alignment or nature. Requests that violate these strictures permit automatically end the spell’s effects on that creature. A creature that exits and/or re-enters the radius is also permitted a saving throw (with a +2 bonus). Success ends the charm on that creature. Otherwise, saving throws are permitted against this spell’s effects as described under charm person or mammal.

The material component is several palm fronds woven into a circlet.

******

I still have two gaming items for sale via eBay. If you’re interested, check these out, and maybe even put in a bid.

Heroes of Olympus: A Task Force Role Playing Game was published as a boxed set in 1981. Conceived and written by B. Dennis “Chariot of” Sustare, this unusual game combines fantasy roleplaying in mythical Greece with squad level wargaming action. This game was (at least) almost unique among roleplaying games of the time.

I wrote Path of Legend for the Dawnforge: Crucible of Legend campaign setting published by Fantasy Flight Games using the d20 System. This adventure was designed to introduce players to Dawnforge. According to the front cover, it is a “Legendary Quest in the World of Dawnforge”. According to the back cover, “The adventure leads new heroes from 1st to 5th level, and also offers them the chance to earn their first legend point. The adventure provides a compelling mix of location and event-based encounters, and rewards roleplaying and puzzle-solving as well as combat.”

Tags: AD&D, Catholic, ebay, spells

Better with the blogposting and what not this week, so hurray for me. Still, nowhere near as productive as I ought to be, so boo for me as well.

Jethro Tull doesn’t quite qualify as prog rock. I’m not sure what Jethro Tull qualifies as. The band has drifted in and out of different styles over its decades of musical output. Yesterday, driving to a tutoring gig, I listened again to some Jethro Tull’s greatest hits. There are these words from Tull’s fourteenth studio album’s sort-of title track:

“I see a dark sail on the horizon / Set under a black cloud that hides the sun. / Bring me my broadsword and clear understanding. / Bring me my cross of gold as a talisman.”

And so we have another magic item.

A Sword of Clear Understanding performs as a +1 weapon. When carried or wielded, the sword increases its bearer’s wisdom. The overall increase equals 4 points if the bearer’s wisdom is 6 or less, by 2 points if at 7-13, and by 1 point if wisdom is 14 or higher. Furthermore, the bearer enables non-thief characters to read languages as if he or she were a 4th-level thief. If carried by a thief of sufficient level to read languages, he or she increases the normal chance by 10 percent.

70% of these swords are broadswords, 20% are longswords, 5% are short (small) swords, 4% are bastard swords, and 1% are two-handed swords.

Tags: AD&D, magic items, prog rock, ThursdAD&D