Spes Magna Games

I took a break from grading book reports and pulled out the Four Evil Brothers’ Fortress map (FEBF), a blank sheet of graph paper, a pencil, a couple of black markers, and an eraser. Some time later, I had remapped FEBF’s northwest quadrant, as you can see below.

I tweaked the layout a bit, most obviously by adding some thickness to the walls. FEBF’s exterior wall is 5 feet thick. Interior walls are usually about half that, although there are few places where the walls are thicker. I also changed the map scale from 10 feet to a square to five feet a square. The quadrant barely fits on the paper, but it fits.

I left off all the doors. The original write-up included brown puddings as wandering monsters, and brown puddings eat wood and leather. Given how long FEBF has been abandoned, it’s reasonable that brown puddings would have devoured most wood and leather in the complex. FEBF was built in a swamp, and I like the idea of swamp monsters more or less having free run of an ancient fortress of evil. It’ll change the ecology of the place a bit, I’m sure.

I also like the idea of a dungeon crawl without doors. Nothing to close or open. Nothing to barricade or listen at. Adventurers with light sources will unintentionally cast illumination into shadowy corners. The thick walls, all made of stone, baffle or block sound. Add details related to years of humidity, darkness, moisture, and rot, and the entire place is likely rank with mold and fungus.

How long before explorers develop respiratory problems?

Tags: dungeon crawls, maps, place of power

In the past few weeks, I finally got my library remodeled. New shelving installed, new paint, new floor, better use of space, et cetera. It’s a roomier, brighter place now with more exposed wall on which to display framed art, my Greyhawk maps, and a selection of LPs above my turntable. During the reshelving process, I found 18 pages stapled in the upper lefthand corner. The pages summarize a dungeon that I wrote some time after I was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina (so, after the summer of 1985). The dungeon itself is written for 1E AD&D. After this paragraph, you’ll see a column of pics of the dungeon. Each pic embiggens when clicked upon (caveat: the pictures might not open in a new tab).

The dungeon had an poetric intro, which I’m pretty sure I wrote in the form of an epic limerick. I strung together several limericks that told the story of four evil brothers who built a fortress in a swamp. Mondo, a paladin, assembled a team of heroes, who assaulted the evil brothers’ fortress, emerging victorious but only after many goodfolk fell in battle. Unfortunately, I no longer have that epic limerick, thus making the world a poetically poorer place.

The fortress itself is divided into five parts. Each brother lived in one of the sections accessed via tower (the circular rooms to the northwest, north, east, and southwest). Each tower leads into a quadrant (loosely speaking), and each quadrant is not directly accessible from any other quadrant. Each brother had his own motif, and the chambers in his quadrant reflect that motif. For example, one brother was a thief and a glutton, and his quadrant included a sumptuous dining hall, extensive kitchens, and a collection of treatises on lockpicking. Each brother also had a special item that enabled them to control the maze in the center of the fortress.

I don’t recall the exact workings of the maze, and that description isn’t in the dungeon’s write-up. I remember that each brother had a special item (which are mentioned in the dungeon’s write-up). These items could somehow be used to change the configuration of the maze. Why and how? No idea. There might have been some sort of dimension travel possible when the last maze configuration was unlocked through the use of all four items at once.

Looking the Wandering Monster Chart, a few things become clear. First, I used the 1E AD&D’s Monster Manual II method to construct a random encounter table. Using 1d8+1d12, the table produces results from 2 to 20, “with a large flat spot of equal probability in the 9-13 range” (to quote MM2, page 138). The more common monsters go in the slots near the center of the table. As one moves closer to 2 and 20, the monsters become increasingly rare. Returning to the Wandering Monster Chart, I see that there is a death knight in the dungeon, but that fearsome monster isn’t likely to be encountered just wandering around the place. The most common encounter is “no encounter”, with hordes of giant rats or a solitary mist horror being somewhat less common.

Also, with at least a small nod to a sensible dungeon ecology, most of the monsters are undead, not particularly intelligent, and/or small enough to access the fortress via the narrow arrow slit windows that pierce its walls. The major villains in the fortress, based on the Wandering Monster Chart, would be the aforementioned death knight as well as a ghoul lord and a night hag (whose presence hints at the dimension travel angle that is perhaps connected to the maze).

Take a look at the stat blocks. Notice the circled portion. After HD and hp, there is a bonus. This is something I picked up from gaming with Lewis Pulsipher, game designer and contributor to the Fiend Folio and Dragon magazine. A giant centipede has a +1 to-hit bonus. By contrast, the night hag (not shown) has a +8 to-hit bonus. THAC0 worked like this:

Character’s THAC0 – (d20 +/- all relevant modifiers) = AC hit

So, a character with a THAC0 of 18 scores a 15 on his to-hit roll. This hits AC 3 (18 minus 15). Lew’s method kept everyone’s THAC0 at 20 with a variable attack bonus equal to the difference between 20 and the creature’s THAC0. So, a night hag has a THAC0 of 12, and 20 minus 12 equals 8, so a night hag has a +8 to-hit bonus. (This also means I either goofed the giant centipede’s attack bonus or else I wanted robust giant centipedes.) Using Lew’s system, THAC0 ends up like this:

20 – (d20 +/- all relevant modifiers) = AC hit

So, if that night hag scores a modified 22 attack roll (14 + her bonus of 8), then she hits AC -2 (20 minus 22). Lew’s system sped up combat by keeping the minuend at a constant 20. This system also foreshadows 3E D&D’s base attack bonus system, which I’ve long maintained is just THAC0 standing on its head.

In the last picture, we see handwritten notes about the dungeon. For whatever reason, those last pages never got typed. What likely happened is this. I had a leave coming up, probably for Christmas. I knew gaming with my old group from high school would be part of that leave, and, therefore, I needed something to DM. So, I drew the map, and then used one of the few military computers I had access to where I worked. The paper on which the print appears was fed through a dot-matrix printer in a continuous feed. I can see where I separated the pages and removed the left and right strips along the perforations. Then, I ran out of time, and so I hand-wrote the rest of the dungeon while on leave but before we met to play.

I remember running the adventure. There are a few marks here and there in the text that indicate which encounters the players faced. I fondly recall the ambush on the party by the githyanki warband (yet another dimension travel hint), but I’m not sure what happened after that. The githyanki might have been the encounter that broke the party, especially since the githyanki managed to catch the PCs by surprise in a crossfire of rebounding lightning bolts.

Ah, good times.

Tags: 1E AD&D, dungeon crawls, place of power

In effort to spend less time watching TV and/or playing Fishdom (which is open on my tablet while I type these words), I’ve started working on a new Spes Magna Games product titled Caveat Emptor, which presents a collection of Old School Essentials magic items with sinister origins and/or somewhat unpredictable effects. Here’s a sample, with some art by Jeshields:

Origaminicon

Legends claim that only a small number of these books exist. The first was created by an oni lord who had become enthralled by a beautiful princess. The oni lord presented an Origaminicon to her, hoping to win her affection by means of his clever gift. The princess carefully folded every page according to the book’s instructions. Before her father’s court with the oni lord in attendance, she sang the command words, animating two dozen origami animals, which she then ordered to tear the oni lord to pieces for her cruel amusement.

An Origaminicon measures 6 inches by 9 inches. Bound in leather with ornamental corner pieces fashioned from silver, the covers have rectangular plates of the same metal, inscribed with delicate pictures of animals. Inside the book are 49 pages, the first of which bears the book’s title.

After the title page, each pair of pages follow a pattern. Every other page is blank on both sides and creased in such a way as to make it easy to tear from the book. In between each page is a command word and a beautifully illustrated set of diagrams that show how to cut and fold the removed blank page in such a way as to create a charming origami animal.

It takes 1-3 turns to complete an origami animal, during which time the folder must roll under his or her Dexterity on 1d20. Each origami animal has its own command word that, when spoken by the folder, animates the paper creation for 1-3 hours. If the folder’s Dexterity check was successful, the origami animal grows in size and strength. Otherwise, it remains rather tiny. In either case, the origami obeys its folder’s simple commands to the best of its ability.

Full-Size Origami Animal: AC 6 [13], HD 3 (13 hp), Att 2 paper cuts (1d4), THAC0 17 [+2], MV 120’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 12, AL Neutral.

• Immunity: Unharmed by gas; unaffected by charm, hold, and sleep spells.
• Infravision: 60’.
• Made of Paper: Suffers from double damage from slashing weapons and from fire.

Tiny Origami Animal: AC 8 [11], HD 1 hp, Att nil, THAC0 NA, MV 90’ (30’), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 12, AL Neutral.

• Immunity: Unharmed by gas; unaffected by charm, hold, and sleep spells.
• Infravision: 60’.
• Made of Paper: Suffers from double damage from slashing weapons and from fire.

Nota Bene: Each command word in the Origaminicon functions only once.

Tags: B/X D&D, magic items, Old School Essentials

Among the gems of my game collection is the third edition of RuneQuest, a Chaosium Game published by The Avalon Hill Game Company. The boxed set astonishes with its detailed character creation and its overview of a wonderful, pseudo-historical campaign setting. Magic fills the world, and most RuneQuest characters have some ability to use magic. For example, the sample character Cormac, a Pictish hunter from a culture little above the Stone Age in terms of tools, has two spell-points and knows three spells.

RuneQuest takes seriously the ancient idea that malevolent spirits cause at least some ailments, both physical and mental. These spirits as described in the Creatures Book sound much like the medieval Scholastics’ descriptions of intellectual beings such as angels. In a RuneQuest world, a character suffering from brain fever may be possessed by a disease spirit. Another character with chronic pain may have fallen victim to a passion spirit.

The RuneQuest magic system includes spells that summon, command, bind, and dispel spirits. Some spirits can be captured and used as tools. Others may impart knowledge to those who can subdue them. It’s a robust system that shaman, priests, and sorcerers may exploit to grow in power and skill, but not without risk. Successful dealings with spirits are seldom sure things, and failure often results in spirit possession.

For purposes of this post, I want to give the B/X D&D treatment to two spirit types: disease and passion. These spirits are always malevolent.

Common Spirit Traits

Spirits are not undead. Clerics have no special ability to turn spirits.

Spirits are naturally invisible and incorporeal. When a spirit attacks, it manifests a visible, but still incorporeal form. This form’s appearance varies from spirit to spirit, but it is always grotesque and obviously malevolent. If a manifested spirit does not attack for a round, it becomes invisible again.

Only magical weapons or spells can damage a spirit. Spirits are immune to sleep, charm, and hold spells.

Spirits fly at a speed 240′ (80′), and mundane barriers pose no obstacle to them. A spirit can fly through doors, walls, et cetera, as easily as it flies through the air.

Spirits only make noise when they want to or when they attack. Spirits seldom communicate in any known language. They surprise others on a roll of 1-5 (on 1d6).

Disease or Passion Spirit (Spirit, Chaotic)
Armor Class: 8
Hit Dice: 1-4** (S or M)
Move: Fly 240′ (80′)
Attacks: 1 possession attack
Damage: Special
No. Appearing: 1 (1)
Save As: Fighter 1-4
Morale: 10

A spirit attacks an intelligent, living creature within 10 feet per HD the spirit has. The target must make a saving throw against death with a penalty equal to the spirit’s HD. Success means the target is immune to that spirit’s possession attack. If the target fails the saving throw, it takes 2 points of damage per HD the spirit has. If this damage reduces the target to 0 or fewer hit points, the target falls unconscious and becomes possessed by the spirit. The target regains consciousness in 1-4 turns with as many hit points remaining as it had before the spirit’s attack. The effects of possession depend on the type of spirit.

A disease spirit infects its host with a horrible malady:

Wasting Sickness: The victim loses 1 point of Strength per day. If the victim’s Strength is reduced to less than 3, the victim becomes comatose. If the victim’s Strength reaches 0, the victim dies.

Creeping Chills: The victim loses 1 point of Constitution per day. If the victim’s Constitution is reduced to less than 3, the victim becomes comatose. If the victim’s Constitution reaches 0, the victim dies.

Brain Fever: The victim loses 1 point of Intelligence per day. If the victim’s Intelligence is reduced to less than 3, the victim becomes comatose. If the victim’s Intelligence reaches 0, the victim dies.

Soul Waste: The victim loses 1 point of Wisdom per day. If the victim’s Wisdom is reduced to less than 3, the victim becomes comatose. If the victim’s Wisdom reaches 0, the victim dies.

Shakes: The victim loses 1 point of Dexterity per day. If the victim’s Dexterity is reduced to less than 3, the victim becomes comatose. If the victim’s Dexterity reaches 0, the victim dies.

Lost ability score points recover at the same rate, but only after the victim has been freed from spirit possession.

A passion spirit damages the host’s mind:

Fear: The victim grows fearful, suffering a -2 “to hit” penalty on all attack rolls. When faced with numerically superior opposition or an unnatural foe, the victim must make a saving throw versus spells or be affected by cause fear (the reverse of remove fear). The victim automatically fails saving throws against other fear-based effects.

Madness: In any stressful situation (e.g., combat), or at least once per day regardless, the victim must make a saving throw versus spells. Failure reduces the victim to incoherence. The victim can do nothing else except scream, giggle, lapse into catatonia, et cetera, for 1-20 hours.

Pain: The victim suffers from chronic, debilitating pain, incurring a -1 “to hit” penalty on all attack rolls and on saving throws against effects that cause damage. Damage from any source forces the victim to make a saving throw versus paralysis to avoid being rendered incapable of actions other than writhing in agony, whimpering, et cetera, for 2-5 rounds.

A remove curse cast by a Lawful cleric forces the spirit to make a saving throw versus spells with a -2 penalty. Failure forces the spirit out of the host, banishing the spirit from the material realm. Remove curse cast by others might have the same effect, but the spirit makes its saving throw with no penalty.

Tags: B/X D&D, RuneQuest