Spes Magna Games

Every now and then in the Old School Gamers Facebook group, people post pictures and say, “Stat this.” On Tuesday, 8 October, Ethan Myerson posted the picture you see to the right of these words. (Click on the pic to embiggen. Click here to check out Ethan’s iStock site.)

Ethan’s stat request struck a chord with me because he said his kids came up with the idea for the firefrog, and then he drew the picture to fit their idea. That’s just cool, and so I tossed together this as my version of the firefrog:

About five feet long, firefrogs are the product of mad breeding experiments. They have claws and teeth, and attack relentlessly. Three times per day, a firefrog may spew a 5-foot-wide, 30-foot-long line of caustic chemical that ignites shortly after coming into contact with air. Creatures struck by this burning liquid suffer 1d8+4 points of damage (saving throw for half damage permitted).

Swords & Wizardry Stats

Hit Dice: 2+8
Armor Class: 6 [13]
Attacks: 2 claws (1d3), 1 bite (1d6+1)
Saving Throw: 16
Special: Leap, liquid fire
Move: 6 (Leap 12)
Alignment: Neutrality
Challenge Level/XP: 4/120

Tags: monsters, Swords & Wizardry

The waters of Lake Mauti churn eternally black even under the bluest of skies, and they remain icy even under the hottest of summer suns. Mauti’s dark chill seems to have infected the rugged hill around the lake as well. What few plants grow in the area are sickly and twisted, and the only fauna are reptiles, serpents, disease-carrying insects, and scavenging birds. As for the lake itself, nothing living calls its waters home.

The gnoll clans that prowl the plains, rocky hills, and canyons avoid Mauti and its surrounding territory. They call Mauti “demon-haunted” in their harsh, yapping language, and the gnolls refuse to pursue even their most hated enemies to within sight of the lake.

Every 19 years, when the new moon falls on the same night as the winter solstice, a terrifying event changes Mauti. From the depths rises a horrible bridge made from the intertwined bodies of screaming, squirming damned ones from some fearsome hell. This bridge of the damned spans the lake from shore to shore, a distance of about six miles, remaining until the first rays of the sun spill across the western horizon. Then, it goes shrieking back to whence it came.

Crossing the bridge is no easy feat. The hellspawned terrors that form the bridge object being walked upon. They grab and claw and bite. Each of the damned can be destroyed by spell, undead turning, or magical weapons, but to no real purpose. There are plenty more of the damned ready to take the place of any part of the bridge destroyed by those who attempt to cross it.

But, you wonder, why would anyone want to walk across the bridge?

Legends give several reasons. Any, all, or none of them may be true. Some say the bridge leads to the underworld. Those that manage to cross over can gain audiences with the evilest sorcerers and the unholiest priests who’ve ever lived, bartering for lost knowledge with these scions of hell. Other legends say the bridge leads to the gates into a palace long abandoned by one hell’s dukes. What manner of riches may await in such a place?

Then there are those tales that claim the bridge has two destinations. Those who seek only their own betterment find themselves plunged into a pit of black fire, wherein they are destroyed and reborn as part of the bridge itself. Those, however, with pure hearts discover themselves in a verdant field beneath a starry sky in the company of angelic beings whose blessings cannot be obtained any other way.

Tags: place of power, Swords & Wizardry

Virmon’s Simple Repulsion
Spell Level: Magic-User, 2nd Level
Range: 20-ft. radius around the caster
Duration: Instantaneous

This spell creates powerful waves of force that blast outward from the caster in a 20-foot radius. All creatures except the caster within the blast are hurled 2d4 times 5 feet away from the caster. Those that strike a solid object (such as a wall or a tree) suffer damage equal to 1d6 points per 10 feet hurled, plus the caster’s level. Those that simply hit the ground after being hurled take half as much damage. Especially large or powerful creatures may be hurled shorter distances or not at all, at the Referee’s discretion.

Tags: spells, Swords & Wizardry, Vancian magic

Tariits are an avian species native to Lygia, a world of vast plains, impenetrable jungles, and volcanic ridges. They appear to be small birds with three agile clawed digits growing from each wing. Their plumage tends toward shades of blue, yellow, or white, with females having feathers of duller shades. A full-grown adult taritt stands about three feet high with a wingspan about twice that.

To the casual off-worlder, a Tariit can easily be mistaken for a mere animal. These creatures are, however, intelligent beings who live in chaotic tribal communities. Tariits weave well-camoflauged dwellings out of grasses and leaves in the treetops of Lygian jungles. They make use of simple tools made of wood, bone, and stone. They subsist on insects, small reptiles, fruits, and nuts.

Life within a Tariit tribe is far from harmonious. Relations within a tribe are fractious as Tariits jockey for leadership over various aspects of daily life. Allegiances shift with confusing rapidity, and, what with the constant squabbling, it’s a wonder that Tariits manage their day-to-day affairs. Despite the constant power struggles and ever-changing factions, violence between Tariits of the tribe remains rare.

Psychology: Lygia is terrifying to Tariits, who are far from being the alpha predator of their environs. Tariit society based around hiding or protecting themselves from these many natural hazards of their world. The most revered Tariits are those who are best hidden or best protected, and who can give protection and concealment to their fellows. Most Tariits are quite cowardly by human measure, but occasionally they can be driven into a frenzy of terror in which they fight with the courage of the doomed.

Tariit as Player Characters: No Tariits have ventured off-world from Lygia. The very idea of taking to the heavens with the aliens who’ve set up a research outpost on Lygia is too terrifying to consider. Given their low tech level and cowardly disposition, Tariits would make poor player characters. Of course, an exceptional Tariit or two could defy their nature enough to become adventurers of sorts. If this is the case, Tariits should have a Strength score no higher than 10, a Constitution score no higher than 12, and a Dexterity score no lower than 13.

Stars Without Number Data

Tariit
Armor Class: 8
Hit Dice: 1
Attack Bonus: +1
Damage: 1d4 various primitive weapons
No. Appearing: 7-20
Saving Throw: 15+
Movement: 20 ft., 30 ft. flying
Skill Bonus: +1
Morale: 6

Lygia at a Glance
Population: Outpost
Atmosphere: Breathable Mix
Climate: Warm
Biosphere: Human Miscible
Government: Corporatist
Tech Level: 4 (0 among natives)
Tags: Friendly Foe, Primitive Aliens

Tags: monsters, Stars Without Number, Swords & Wizardry

Sequeko was a powerful magic-user from the ancient land of Kush. Famous for her beauty and wisdom, Sequeko ruled Kush for two centuries, sustaining her youth and vitality by means of annual exposure to a strange fire that erupted from a crater in a cavern deep beneath the royal palace. While skilled in all arcane arts, Sequeko’s greatest power resided in her mastery of interdimensionalism. She could open portals to other planes of existence, and she forged alliances with several extradimensional powers. Sequeko crafted several unique magic items, both for her personal use and as gifts and rewards for those who with whom she was well-pleased. Many of these magic items made use of Sequeko’s interdimensionalism.

Sequeko’s Coextensive Neck: This rare and unusual magic item appears to be a series of gold rings that fit snugly around the neck. When worn, they create a protective aura around the wearer’s neck. Hazards related to swallowing dangerous substances, invasive parasites, et cetera, do not affect the wearer, for the source of the harm is shunted into another dimension. Attacks that affect the neck are likewise ineffective.

Tags: magic items, Swords & Wizardry