Spes Magna Games

xanthic: (adj.) of, relating to, or tending toward a yellow color

Here I am, almost through a month of alphabetical adjectives focused on old school gaming. Most of this month’s posts have focused on Swords & Wizardry and Stars Without Number, but every Saturday and Monday have been devoted to various old school games, such as the first editions of Gamma World and Top Secret.

Today, however, I’m going for a newer game from 2009. It might not be old-school old school, but Simon Washbourne’s Barbarians of Lemuria does the pulp-era, sword-and-sorcery genre better than most games out there. The hardback clocks in at about 100 pages of muscle-flexing barbarian goodness. Seriously. Check out Beyond Belief Games. Mr. Washbourne puts out some great products. If you like BoL, you should definitely check out Dicey Tales, which “was created with the goal of giving the fan of the Barbarians of Lemuria (BoL) role playing game a chance to explore a variety of pulp genres while still remaining firmly within the BoL rules set.” Dicey Tales does two-fisted, square-jawed pulp heroes the right way.

But enough of that. Let’s get to a monster.

The Xanthic Monarch serves Morgazzon, the Demon of Madness. For more than a century, rumors have whispered about the Xanthic Monarch’s domain, Vicha’a, a ruined city deep in the Jungles of Qush, perhaps in the foothills of the Mountains of Axos. How reliable these rumors are is highly suspect, for no one who isn’t completely mad claims to have seen Vicha’a’s demon-haunted streets that twist and turn between dimensions.

If the Xanthic Monarch survived the fall of the Sorcerer-Kings, he may truly be immortal, and he certainly commands soul-searing magic. Perhaps even the fables about his xanthic sigil are true, but this seems unlikely, for otherwise the Xanthic Monarch would surely rule from the throne of some major city, surrounded by thousands enslaved to his will by the sigil’s power. In the middle of all of the rumors and tales, many of them contradictory, one fact is certain: xanthic sokwes hunt the region of Qush near where the jungle allegedly hides Vicha’a.

Xanthic Sokwe

A xanthic sokwe resembles a great ape, but its fur is a deep yellow, and its terrifying face twists into demonic expressions of hatred and rage. These monsters are cruel and remarkably strong. Most seem to be little more than savages, but a few exhibit unnerving signs of intelligence. These elite xanthic sokwes merit the strongest caution.

Attributes
Strength: 6
Agility: 1
Mind: 0

Combat Abilities
Attack: bite +1 (damage d6+1), 2 claws +2 (damage d6)
Defense: 2
Protection: d3 (tough hide)
Lifeblood: 16

Special
For an elite xanthic sokwe, increase Mind to 1 and add Appeal 0. Divide 6 points between Brawl, Melee, Missile, and Defense, with no more than 3 points added to any single category. Divide 2 points between two careers, usually savage, tracker, warrior, druid, or torturer.

Tags: A to Z 2014, Barbarians of Lemuria, monsters

wiggly: (adj.) tending to move or cause to move with jerky movements, esp. from side to side

I know this has been said before by many, but it bears repeating: Star Wars isn’t a very good movie. It has not stood the test of time and, in my case, I feel that is because I’m no longer 10 years old. The subsequent movies only got worse, and the last few were barely watchable to awful. None of the big screen Star Wars movies have been well-written or well-acted. (Of course, even the worst of them is still better than best Transformers movie, but I digress.) I’m firmly convinced they remain marketable because other people are now 10 years old while still other people wish to hang onto that wide-eyed, uncritical age. I don’t fault people for this. If you like Star Wars, good for you. May the Force be with you.

There is, however, one good thing that came out of Stars Wars, and that’s Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game by West End Games that came out in 1987. It uses WEG’s d6 system, and it is a hoot to play, although I never played it much. When I did, my character was an alcoholic failed Jedi who, more than anything, just wanted to be left alone, but since the Empire wouldn’t do that, he crawled out of the bottle to join the Rebellion.

A few years ago, AntiPaladin Games released Mini Six, based on the OpenD6 System. Mini Six is an OGL product, and you can get the PDF for free at this link. That’s pretty awesome.

All of which finally brings me to today’s critter: the dreaded Mongolian death worm, suitable for Mini Six. Keep your eyes on the sand and tread carefully.

Mongolian Death Worm
Scale: 0D
Might: 2D+2
Agility: 4D+1
Wit: 0D
Charm: 1D
Skills: Brawling 3D, Spit Acid 3D (3D damage), Stealth 4D
Special: Target’s bitten by a Mongolian death worm must pass a Moderate Might roll or be poisoned. Poisoned victims suffer 3D damage. Mongolian death worms can burrow through sand at full speed.
Static: Dodge 13, Soak 8

Tags: A to Z 2014, AntiPaladin Games, Mini Six, monsters

veracious: (adj.) speaking or representing the truth

“Heed my words! The Cerise Queen demands you accept only two dogmas. First, the only sin is failure. Second, everything not forbidden is compulsory. Abide, and the Colony welcomes you. Dissent means rejection and destruction.”

That message, delivered by an intelligent alien species native to Myrmidia to the human colonists of Thessalia II, signaled the beginning of the end. The colonists had come to Myrmidia, attracted by its untouched natural resources and rich soil. Thessalia II thrived almost from the get-go, and the colony grew to include more than 500 families.

The colonists quickly mounted a defense against the Myrmidians. At first, it seemed as if the colonists had little to fear. Their postech armaments proved more than a match for the ant-like aliens. Unfortunately, initial surveys seriously misjudged the size of the Myrmidian population. The surveys also failed to account for the vast psychic powers wielded by Myrmidian queens.

Myrmidian culture, divided into dozens of mutually hostile Colonies, is a telepathic collective. Except for each Colony’s queen, no individual Myrmidian is reckoned of any importance at all. The queen’s will rules over all, and her slightest whim carries the weight of undeniable truth. For Myrmidian workers and warriors, their queen embodies truth. She is incapable of deceit or error, and to disobey the queen is unthinkable. Maybe even literally unthinkable.

Thessalia II fell to the Cerise Queen in a matter of hours once the full force of the Colony was brought to bear. Most of the human colonists died, sliced to pieces by powerful mandibles for food in the birthing caves. The Myrmidians took others captive, adding them to the host of workers.

Myrmidia
Atmosphere: Breathable mix
Temperature: Warm
Biosphere: Human-miscible
Population: Alien civilization
Tech Level: 3
World Tags: Tyranny, Warlords

Myrmidian Worker
Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 2
Attack Bonus: +2
Damage: 1d6 bite
No. Appearing: 10d10
Saving Throw: 14+
Movement: 45 ft.
Morale: 9

Workers appear very much like terrestrial ants, but much larger, growing to lengths of four feet.

Myrmidian Warrior
Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 4
Attack Bonus: +5
Damage: 1d8 bite/1d6 sting
No. Appearing: 2d10
Saving Throw: 13+
Movement: 30 ft.
Morale: 11

Warriors grow up to twice the size of workers. They attack with oversized mandibles and a venomous sting.

Myrmidian Warrior Venom: Toxicity 8, Interval 10 minutes, Virulence 2, Damage 1d8. The first failed saving throw inflicts no damage but instead paralyzes the victim.

Myrmidian Queen
Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 10
Attack Bonus: +8
Damage: 1d10 bite
No. Appearing: 1
Saving Throw: 10+
Movement: 15 ft.
Morale: 10

A Myrmidian queen is larger, tougher, and slower than others of her kind. Each queen is the mother and absolute ruler of all Myrmidians in her colony with a maximum range of a few dozen miles. She is in constant telepathic contact with all of her children. A queen possesses powerful psychic abilities. A typical queen has mastered up to level 8 in Telepathy as well as up to 6 levels divided between two or three other disciplines. Most queens have 5d4+15 power points.

Tags: A to Z 2014, monsters, planetary tour, Stars Without Number

unflagging: (adj.) tireless; persistent

A revenant rises from the grave to destroy its killers. It appears somewhat as it did in life, but decayed and with pallid skin, cold and clammy, tight against its bones. Its sunken eyes blaze with fevered hatred, and an aura of sadness, anger, and determination hangs about it. No matter how decayed a revenant might be, its killers can always recognize it for who it was. A revenant is an intelligent, cunning, and implacable foe.

When it finds its killers, the revenant attacks, using its claw-like hands with deadly effect. If a single claw’s attack roll is 5 or more better than needed to hit its target, the revenant’s steely grip clamps shut on the victim’s throat. The revenant then strangles the victim, automatically inflicting claw damage each round. Any living creature that meets the revenant’s gaze must make a saving throw or being paralyzed by fear for 2d4 rounds.

Until it has claimed its revenge against its killers, a revenant proves difficult to stop. It regenerates 3 hit points of damage per round, except for damage inflicted by fire. It is immune to acid and to attacks that otherwise cannot affect the undead, such as charms, poison, et cetera.

A revenant’s severed parts continue to act, as if controlled by the revenant’s mind. Even complete dismemberment cannot destroy a revenant. It must be killed with fire, or else it will recover from any damage eventually and resume its hunt for its killers. A revenant is undead, but it is motivated entirely by a single-minded desire for vengeance. As a result, holy water, holy symbols, and the like do not affect a revenant. It cannot be turned by a cleric.

A revenant always has as many Hit Dice as it did in life. Furthermore, it usually retains whatever abilities it possessed in life.

Revenant
Hit Dice: As original creature
Armor Class: As original creature
Attacks: 2 claws (1d8)
Special: Gaze causes paralysis, immune to acid, immune to sleep and charm spells, regenerates, strangulation
Move: As original creature
Saving Throw: As original creature
Alignment: Neutrality
Number Encountered: 1
Challenge Level: As original creature +4

Tags: A to Z 2014, monsters, Swords & Wizardry

splenetic: (adj.) bad-tempered; spiteful

Everyone who has ever been in love has had this thought, but most reject it. They dismiss this thought as dangerous or wrong or unnecessary. A few, however, embrace this thought. They nurture it and let it grow until it takes on a life of its own.

“What is this thought?” you ask.

It is this: If I can’t have you, no one can.

And when this thought takes on a life of its down, a vishindo is born.

Vishindos serve Moannah*, the Goddess of Desire, and they exist to fulfill the twisted thought that creates them. These creatures appear as coal-black pudgy, diminutive humanoids with oversized heads, bulging eyes, and paw-like hands and feet. About the size of a human infant, a vishindo moves slowly but with great stealth. Furthermore, it crawls up walls and across ceilings as easily as it skulks along the ground.

In its natural form, a vishindo is hardly a physical threat. It can, however, become a 4-foot-diameter spider. In this form, gains a tough exoskeleton and a venomous bite. In its natural form, a vishindo has a dangerous magical ability. It sneaks into the presence of its sleeping victim, and then it haunts the victims dreams in an invisible, ethereal state. The victim suffers tormenting dreams that wreak havoc on the victim’s health. The victim loses 1d4 Constitution points upon waking.

Vishindo
Hit Dice: 2+2
Armor Class: 8 [11] (6 [13] in spider form)
Attacks: Bite (1d6 + poison) (in spider form only)
Special: Dream haunting (in vishindo form only), poison (+1 save or die), spider form, surprise opponents on a 1-5
Move: 6 (18 in spider form)
Saving Throw: 16
Alignment: Chaos
Number Encountered: 1
Challenge Level/XP: 7/600

* Moannah, the Goddess of Desire, she who gently kindles the embers of desire, nurturing the warmth of wanting. She adds fuel to the fire, stoking it with jealousy, greed, and obsession. She turns desire into an all-consuming fire.

Tags: A to Z 2014, monsters, Swords & Wizardry