Spes Magna Games

In 2002, I contributed several spells to Spells and Spellcraft, published by Fantasy Flight Games. I’ve “repackaged” some of those spells for use in your 5E D&D game. You can see those here and here. Many of the spells I wrote for Spells and Spellcraft were third-edition versions of spells I created for AD&D way back when. I’ve long since lost the AD&D write-ups for the spells, so I figured why not redo a couple for today’s post?

(Nota Bene: The previous link is an affiliate link. If you click it and buy the book, I get a bit of money.)

---

Crescendo of Indefatigability (Enchantment/Charm)
Level: 1
Range: 0
Duration: 1 round/level
Area of Effect: Personal
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 segment
Saving Throw: None

Explanation/Description: When this spell is cast, the magic-user emits a single, pure note that imbues the caster with determination. For the duration of the spell, the magic-user has a +1 bonus on attack rolls, saving throws, and damage rolls.

Debilitating Decrescendo (Enchantment/ Charm)
Level: 3
Range: 10″ + 1″/level
Duration: 1 round/level
Area of Effect: Three or more creatures in a 1″ radius
Components: V
Casting Time: 3 segments
Saving Throw: Neg.

Explanation/Description: When this spell is cast, the magic-user sings a powerful, clear note that starts strong and pure but degenerates into a weak, discordant gasp. The spell affects three creatures in the area of effect, plus one more creature in the area of effect for every 2 levels of experience gained after 5th level (i.e., 4 creatures at 7th level, 5 creatures at 9th level, et cetera). Targeted creatures in the area of effect must make saving throws. Those that fail suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls, armor class, morale, and saving throws for the duration of the spell.

Dirge for the Walking Wounded (Necromantic)
Level: 3
Range: 10″ + 1″/level
Duration: Special
Area of Effect: One living creature
Components: V
Casting Time: 3 segments
Saving Throw: None

Explanation/Description: When this spell is cast, the magic-user’s mournful tune enables one living creature within range to continue to act normally even if it has been reduced to 0 or fewer hit points. The spell’s effects last as long as the magic-user continues to sing or until the target is reduced to -10 or fewer hit points, at which time the target dies immediately. While under the dirge’s effects, the target creature does not suffer additional hit point loss from shock, bleeding, et cetera, as normal for a creature reduced to 0 or fewer hit points.

Tags: spells, ThursdAD&D

The Skyrealms AD&D campaign resumes this coming Sunday with the heroes continuing their exploration of the so-called “haunted house” on the outskirts of Saltmarsh. One of the inspirations for the campaign is The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell. I recently started re-reading Beyond the Deepwoods, the first of the books in the Twig Saga.

In Beyond the Deepwoods, readers are introduced to the Deepwoods, a place of magic and danger. Unusual trees grow in the Deepwoods.

Scentwood: This wood burns with a soporific fragrance that sends “those who breathed it drifting into dream-filled sleep”. A creature that breathes air tinged with scentwood for 1 turn must make a saving throw versus poison or fall asleep for 1d4+2 hours. The creature can be awakened before this time by rough handling, loud noises, or damage, but he is treated as moderately intoxicated if less than half the time has passed, or slightly intoxicated otherwise. See page 82, Dungeon Masters Guide for the specifics. If the affected creature sleeps for the entire duration, he awakens refreshed as if he had rested for a full day. Minimum Size of Log: 2 lbs. Cost: 5 gold pieces per pound.

Lullabee: When burned, this wood, silvery-turquoise in color, sings “strange mournful songs” that are widely viewed as an acquired taste. A creature that listens to the singing wood for 1 turn must make a saving throw versus spells after falling asleep. If the saving throw fails, the creature’s dreams are sad and disturbing. The creature loses 1d4 points of wisdom, which are restored at a rate of 1 point per hour after waking up. If the saving throw succeeds, the creature is mentally fortified, enjoying a +1 bonus to saving throws against enchantment/charm and fear effects for 1d4 hours after waking up. Minimum Size of Log: 2 lbs. Cost: 15 gold pieces per pound.

Lufwood: This wood is the most popular for home fires. It burns softly and well, producing a restful purple glow. This glow acts as a protection from evil in a 5-foot radius per burning log. A log burns for 1 hour. Minimum Size of Log: 3 lbs. Cost: 25 gold pieces per pound.

Bloodoak: Bloodoak is the most bouyant of woods, and it’s used in the construction of floatboats and skyships. Bloodoak burns brightly and hotly, moreso than other woods. It also wails and screams while burning. Bloodoaks are dangerous, and invariably grow alongside the predatory tarry-vine. Cost: 1 gold piece per pound.

At the top of the trunks of these huge flesh-eating Deepwoods trees are a ring of enormous teeth which ensures that hapless prey, captured for it by the parasitic lassoo-like tarry-vine, can never escape.

Bloodoak
Frequency: Rare
No. Appearing: 1
Armor Class: 3 (5 for tarry-vine)
Move: 0″ (12″ for tarry-vine)
Hit Dice: 16+16 (4+4 for tarry-vine)
% in Lair: Nil
Treasure Type: Incidental
No. of Attacks: 1 (4 for tarry-vine)
Damage/Attack: 5-20 (1-4 for tarry-vine)
Special Attacks: See below
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Semi-
Alignment: Neutral evil
Size: L (20+ feet tall)
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: IX/5,250 + 20/hp (Tarry-Vine: IV/205 + 5/hp)

Climate/Terrain: Any non-tropical/any forest
Organization: Solitary
Activity Cycle: Nocturnal
Diet: Carnivore
Morale: Fearless (19)

The bloodoak cannot be easily mistaken for a normal tree. Great, scab-like growths cover its thick, nearly limbless trunk. Its thick roots can be seen pulsing slowly, pumping bloodsap. Ropy, barbed tarry-vines grow riot around the bloodoak’s trunk and roots. These vines snake and strike, and account for the characteristic “deathstillness” around the bloodoak, for it is a careless or very hungry animal that gets close enough to the tree to become a meal. Closer to the bloodoak, depending on wind conditions, the “underscent” of rotting carcasses and blood might be detected. Atop the bloodoak’s trunk is a gaping mouth ringed by huge, jagged teeth.

In truth, the bloodoak is two creatures: the bloodoak itself and its symbiotic tarry-vine. The tarry-vine attacks with barbed, lithe branches, striking in any direction out to 12″ around the bloodoak. A tarry-vine has 13-20 attack vines, each one treated as AC 5 and requiring 4 points of damage from an edged weapon to sever. Damage inflicted to the attack vines does not affect the tarry-vine’s body, which has 4+4 Hit Dice. When an attack vine hits, it inflicts 1-4 points of damage and wraps tight around a limb or the neck. The attack vine inflicts damage automatically each round it is attached. Furthermore, it lifts the victim into the air to drop the victim into the bloodoak’s gaping maw. This takes 1-4 rounds.

The bloodoak’s maw grinds its food, inflicting 5-20 points of damage each round with no need to make a “to-hit” roll. It is almost impossible to climb out of the bloodoak’s throat due to the numerous, downward slanting fangs. A thief (or character with climb walls ability) might succeed, but with half the normal chance. The inner armor class of the bloodoak is 8. Bludgeoning weapons are ineffective against the bloodoak, whether its interior or exterior. Nonmagical piercing weapons also cannot harm a bloodoak.

Bloodoaks hate fire, but they are not particularly vulnerable to it. Tarry-vines take +1 point of damage per damage die from fire attacks. Cold spells have their normal effect, and also slow the bloodoak and/or tarry-vine for 1-4 rounds. Bloodoaks and tarry-vines are immune to enchantment/charm and magic missile spells.

Tags: AD&D, Mirelyn's Skyrealm, monsters, ThursdAD&D

I am almost done with the first six episodes of Netflix’s Kingdom. This South Korean TV series is great. Set during the Joseon period of Korean history, it tackles common tropes related to political intrigue and official corruption common to many period dramas. To this somewhat standard fare, Kingdom adds a plague of nocturnal zombies, once again showing that Korean film makers know how to do survival horror better than almost everything churned out by Hollywood. (Also see what is probably the best zombie movie in the last several years, Train to Busan.)

Goemul
Frequency: Very rare (see below)
No. Appearing: 1-6
Armor Class: 8
Move: 12″
Hit Dice: 1-6 hit points
% in Lair: Nil
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 1-4
Special Attacks: Disease
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Animal
Alignment: Neutral
Size: M
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: II/36 + 1/hp

Climate/Terrain: Any climate/any land
Organization: Mob
Activity Cycle: Nocturnal
Diet: Carnivore
Morale: Fearless (20)

Goemul appear much like zombies, but they are not undead. Instead, they are the victims of a disease that rapidly causes what appears to be death followed by renewed, violent activity aimed at further spreading the contagion. The disease destroys the victim’s intelligence and personality, turning the victim into a ravenous cannibal.

A goemul does not feel pain or exhaustion. It is immune to effects that inflict pain or cause sleep. Weapons inflict minimum damage on a goemul. Most of its organs are no longer vital. A strike to the head inflicts normal damage. Treat the goemul’s head as a armor class 4 for melee attacks. For ranged attacks against the head, treat short range as medium and medium range as long.

A goemul’s typical attack involves charging its victim in order to overbear. The goemul makes a melee attack as normal. If the victim is wearing leather or padded armor, the goemul gets a +2 “to hit” bonus. Against chain, ring, or scale mail, it gets a +4 “to hit” bonus. Against banded, plate, and splint, the goemul gets a +6 “to hit” bonus. If the overbear attack succeeds, the victim takes 1-4 points of damage, but only 50% of this damage is actual; the balance is restored at the rate of 1 hit point per round. Of course, the victim becomes prone.

The goemul’s most dangerous attack is its bite. The goemul has a +2 bonus “to hit” a prone target with its bite. A target damaged by a goemul’s bite must make a saving throw versus paralyzation, modified by dexterity defensive adjustment and bonuses to armor class due to armor and shield. A failed saving throw results in the target being incapacitated due to intense pain for one melee round. After this time, the victim ceases movement and appears dead for another 1d2 melee rounds. Then, the victim’s transformation into a goemul is complete. A cure disease spell applied before the transformation is complete stops the disease from the transforming the victim into a goemul. The victim remains unconscious with 1 hit point.

Goemul are active only at night. As the sun rises, they quickly find a place to hide and then become dormant. A goemul will not wake up until after the sun sets, remaining unconscious even if moved or attacked.

Goemul are very rarely encountered. A goemul is first formed when a living humanoid consumes the flesh of a chulcheo-goemul’s victim. A chulcheo-goemul results from attempting to treat a terminally ill humanoid with the so-called “resurrection plant”. This rare flower restores the patient to life and health, but transforms the patient into a chulcheo-goemul. A chulcheo-goemul’s victims do not transform into goemul.

Goemul are much feared. Unleashed in a crowded area, such as in a village, a mob of goemul can quickly grow into a horde that may overwhelm the countryside and beyond.

Tags: monsters, ThursdAD&D

This Sunday, the AD&D game continues as the characters — all squires serving Lady Mirelyn — continue to investigate sinister and secretive skullduggery in Saltmarsh’s allegedly haunted house. So far, the squires have found little evidence of haunting, but they have found evidence of murder in the form of a rot grub bloated corpse in the house’s basement.

Last Thursday, I presented AD&D versions of two creatures from the 1981 printing of TSR’s Gamma World. I’m a little more pressed for time this week, so here’s one more mutant monster reimagined.

Fen
Frequency: Rare
No. Appearing: 4-40
Armor Class: 7
Move: 6″//12″
Hit Dice: 2+1
% in Lair: 30%
Treasure Type: D
No. of Attacks: 2
Damage/Attack: 1-6/by weapon
Special Attacks: Nil
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Low to average
Alignment: Neutral (evil)
Size: M
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: III/65 + 3/hp (Assistant or guard: III/110 + 4/hp. Leader: IV/170 + 5/hp. Chief: V/300 + 6/hp. Shaman: III/135 + 4/hp.)

Climate/Terrain: Coastal waters and swamps/tropical to temperate
Organization: Tribal
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Omnivore
Morale: Elite (14)

Fens are intelligent, man-sized humanoid fish. On land, they walk on stubby fins that double as legs. Fens have both lungs and gills, and they may remain out of water for as long as 24 hours without suffering any ill effects. Due to their translucent skin, fens blend into their environs when underwater so as to become invisible (requiring the ability to see invisible objects to locate them) as long as they are not attacking.

Fens are immune to electricity, and they take half damage from fire-based attacks. They make saving throws against light-based attacks with a +2 bonus. Fens fight with weapons, especially stabbing weapons and nets. They also use their tails to club their enemies. Once per day, a fen can polymorph into a large bird (treat as a giant eagle, but the fen’s hit points do not change). A fen can maintain its bird form for up to 1 turn.

For every 10 fens encountered, there will be a leader with armor class 5, 19 hit points, and 4+1 hit dice and four assistants with with armor class 6, 14 hit points, and 3+1 hit dice. If more than 24 are encountered, there will be in addition a chief with armor class 4, 22 hit points, and 5+1 hit dice and 12 guards with armor class 5, 12-14 hit points, and 3+1 hit dice. For every 10 fens encountered, there is a 50% chance for a shaman with 3+1 hit dice and the spell ability of a 3rd-level cleric.

The lair of these creatures is usually underwater in caves. Fens rarely build crude villages on the coast or on a hillock in a swamp. A fen lair will be protected by 2-8 giant electric eels (if underwater) or 2-5 crocodiles (if built on land). Female fens are nearly indistinguishable from males, and usually stay in the lair, where they guard hatcheries and train the tribe’s animals. Females and young typically number 85% and 125% the total number of males.

Fens are omnivorous, but they are likely to prefer human flesh to other meats.

Tags: AD&D, Gamma World, Mirelyn's Skyrealm, monsters, ThursdAD&D

This last Sunday, I re-restarted an AD&D game. The characters all live on a flying island and serve as squires to Lady Mirelyn. For their first mission, the characters were dispatched to the sleepy town of Saltmarsh to investigate why the town has been consistently behind on its annual harvest taxes for the past several years.

Turns out, the root of the problem has something do with a haunted house….

Anyway, I’ve got a small group with only one player new to tabletop RPGs. Amusingly enough (to me), our new player is a former student of mine, whom I taught way back when he was in middle school. He’s all grown up now, older than my son. It’s funny as he struggles to address me as anything other than “Mr. Chance”.

But I digress.

Given that most of my players are D&D veterans, I want to change up things a bit to try to recreate that sense of wonder we first had when we started playing and hadn’t read the entire Monster Manual. This means new monsters. Well, sort of. Today’s offerings aren’t really new. They come the 1981 printing of TSR’s Gamma World, which remains one of the greatest RPGs of all time.

Ark
Frequency: Uncommon
No. Appearing: 20-200
Armor Class: 5
Move: 15″
Hit Dice: 2
% in Lair: 20%
Treasure Type: Individuals L, M; D, Q (x5), S in lair
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 2-8 or by weapon
Special Attacks: See below
Special Defenses: Nil
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Low to average
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Size: L (9′ tall)
Psionic Ability:
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: II/28 + 2/hp (Leader-type or guard: III/125 + 4/hp. Chieftan: IV/165 + 5/hp)

Climate/Terrain: Any non-desert/tropical to temperate
Organization: Band
Activity Cycle: Night
Diet: Carnivore
Morale: Steady (11)

Arks are intelligent, brutal dog-men of great height but slender build. They live and travel in rapacious bands, wherein the largest and strongest dominate their smaller, weaker pack mates. Arks are generally on friendly terms with other evil races, such as badders. Arks are strong and fast. They have infravision. They speak their racial tongue, chaotic evil, and often (60%) badder and/or the common tongue.

For every 20 arks encountered, there will be a leader-type with 3+3 hit dice and 16 hit points. If 100 or more of these creatures are encountered, there will be a chieftan with 4+4 hit dice, 22 hit points, armor class 3, and +2 to damage. The chieftan has 2-12 guards with 3+3 hit dice, 16 hit points, armor class 4, and +1 to damage. If arks are encountered in their lair, there will always be a chieftan with 5-20 guards. The lair also contains females and young equal to 50% and 200% respectively the number of males present.

Arks are nomadic 80% of the time, but occasionally (20%) take up residence in an abandoned (or cleared) village, building, or cave. If nomadic, arks are quite likely (65%) to have 2-8 ark-hounds (treat as hyenas) or 1-6 ark-beasts (treat as hyaenodons) (80% and 20%, respectively). These beasts serve as pets and guards. If the arks have settled a location, double the number of beasts possible. Arks capture others for slaves and food, especially humans, as arks view human hands as a delicacy. Arks always have captives numbering 1 victim per 10 arks.

Arks are not dangerous only because of their numbers and their vicious natures. They also possess strange, magical powers. An ark who concentrates (treat the ark as motionless opponent as per DMG, p. 70) is capable of telekinesis with a range of 1″ per hit die, affecting 250 gold pieces of weight per hit die. Multiple arks can cooperate to increase the range and strength of their telekinesis, but the arks must be touching each other to do so.

Ark leader-types, chieftans, and guards can drain life energy from creatures of semi- or greater intelligence. This life leech ability can be used once per day. It affects a 3″ radius around the ark, and it affects all creatures in the radius (except the user). An affected creature loses 1-6 hit points (save versus death magic negates). The ark gains a number of hit points equal to the total damage inflicted (but this power cannot increase the ark’s hit points to more than twice normal value). Excess leeched hit points not destroyed in combat dissipate after 24 hours.

An ark chieftan can control weather as a druid once per week, but only after 1 turn of concentration. After the period of concentration, another 1-4 turns pass before the weather change is complete. This power weakens the chieftan, causing a loss of 3-10 hit points.

A peculiar aspect of ark psychology is their fear of large, winged creatures. Arks have -1 “to hit” and a -2 morale penalties against such creatures.

Badder
Frequency: Uncommon
No. Appearing: 40-400
Armor Class: 4
Move: 12″ (3″)
Hit Dice: 2-7 hit points
% in Lair: 40%
Treasure Type: Individuals K; C in lair
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 1-6 or by weapon
Special Attacks: Empathy
Special Defenses: Empathy
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Low-average
Alignment: Lawful evil
Size: S-M (4′ to 5′ tall)
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: I/5 + 1/hp (Leader or assistant: I/14 + 1/hp. Chief or bodyguard: II/40 + 3/hp.)

Climate/Terrain: Any land/any non-tropical
Organization: Tribe
Activity Cycle: Night
Diet: Omnivore
Morale: Average (10)

Badders are militaristic, humanoid badgers. They have a tribal society, the strongest ruling the rest, allowing fealty to the badder king. Badders enjoy dwelling in dismal surroundings, preferring subterranean habitats to others. Badders hate full daylight and attack at a -1 when in sunlight. They have normal infravision (60′ range). Badders are quick and agile, which in part accounts for their high armor class. These humanoids hate gnomes and dwarves, and will attack them in preference to other creatures. Badders are slave takers and are fond of torture. They speak their own tongue, lawful evil, and (80%) one or two other languages.

For every 40 badders encountered, there will be a leader and 4 assistants, all of whom have 1 hit die. If 200 or more badders are encountered, there will be the following additional figures: a sub-chief and 2-8 guards, each with 1+1 hit dice, armor class 5, and doing +1 damage. In their lair, there will be a badder chief and 2-8 bodyguards, each with 2+2 HD, armor class 4, and doing +2 damage. Also, there will be females and young equal to 60% and 100% respectively of the number of male badders encountered. Badders often have beasts in their lair, specifically 5-30 badgers (60%) or 3-18 giant badgers (40%), with these animals being present 60% of the time.

There is a 25% chance that any force of badders encountered will have 10% of its strength mounted on giant badgers. If this is the case, there will be an additional 10-40 giant badgers without riders.

Badders are fair miners, and they are able to detect passages which slope, unsafe areas, and approximate depth and direction between 50% to 80% of the time.

Exceptional badders (e.g. leaders, assistants, et cetera) have empathy. This allows them to detect the basic needs, drives, and/or emotioned generated by any unshielded mind within 1″ per hit die. This makes an alert badder difficult to surprise (1 in 6 chance). Badders can project emotions into the minds of creatures of semi-intelligence or less. This ability has a range of 3″ and affects a 1″ wide path. Creatures are permitted a saving throw versus spell to resist the effects, which last for 1-4 melee rounds per hit die of the badder. Exceptional badders use their empathic projection ability to frighten animals, entice prey, et cetera.

Tags: AD&D, Gamma World, Mirelyn's Skyrealm, monsters, ThursdAD&D