Spes Magna Games

Last OwlCon, I played in an Arabian Nights-inspired adventure that used Barbarians of Lemuria for the rule system. It was quite a hoot. Our characters explored a lost jungle island, fell victim to the machinations of the serpent people, and alternately engaged in fleeing in terror and fighting for their lives. As the session came to an end, we got to “epilogue” about what happened to our characters after the adventure.

I narrated briefly about how my character, who had killed the ship’s captain during the adventure, managed to set himself up as the new ship’s captain, much to the delight of the crew and the gaggle of wenches being entertained by my character’s tale of adventure. Every other players did the same for their characters, and then the GM added his own epilogue, revealing an unexpected twist. In each case, the epilogues could serve as plot hooks. So, if that session were not a convention game but part of an ongoing campaign, the GM could use my epilogue to explore another sea adventure with my character as ship’s captain.

I liked epiloguing so much that I added it to both sessions of Stars Without Number I ran at OwlCon. It seemed to be a big hit with the players. Best of all, at the end of the session, I had one potential plot hook per player, plus the epilogue that I added as the GM. (I remember one of my two GM epilogues describing the lost space yacht shifting out of warp near inhabited space while on board the Cthulhoid horror in the form of a long dead mother comforted her long dead son.)

I remain intrigued by epiloguing.

The basic idea is simple. After an adventure is over, each player gets about two minutes to describe some of that adventure’s consequences as they relate specifically to that player’s character. Each player does this, taking turns in whatever manner seems appropriate. Then, after all the players have epilogued, the GM gets to add his two cents worth. The events of the epilogue are assumed to happen during the downtime between adventures.

Unless things go horribly awry, Man Day Adventures meets again this Saturday. I don’t know if we’ll get an entire adventure done that day. I’m thinking not, but, regardless, I think I’m going to introduce epiloguing to the group and see what happens.

Might be fun.

Tags: Convention Gaming, game play

During the last winter of King Geirthjof’s reign, the jǫtnar raged down from their mountain lairs, ravaging Geirthjof’s frontier lands. Forts burned, and hundreds of people fled the advancing jǫtunn horde. When news of the incursion reached Geirthjof, the aged king donned his armor, took up his lance, and mounted his griffon to lead his armies into battle one last time.

At Forni Pass, Geirthjof met the advancing jǫtnar, knowing he had to stop them in the chokepoint leading out of Baridipopo Valley. Otherwise, the jǫtnar could spread out through the more loosely defended lands closer to the capital. The battle lasted throughout the day and into the early hours of the evening. Thousands died, and Geirthjof himself fell under the axe of the jǫtunn jarl Thrúdgelmir, but not before the king struck the jarl a mortal blow.

The strange mingling of human and jǫtnar gore, of noble sacrifice and bestial rapaciousness, cursed the land. As winter months turned to spring, Baridipopo Valley failed to thaw. Indeed, cold and ice tightened their grip even more over the region. Today, no matter what, Baridipopo Valley remains locked in deepest winter. The arctic conditions fade as one moves away from the valley, but the valley itself is always frozen. Heavy snow and ice, sudden windstorms and blizzards, and air so cold that it burns the lungs combine to make life within Baridipopo Valley almost impossible. Even animals native to the arctic lands around the valley do not venture far into this eternal winter.

King Geirthjof’s frontier on the other side of Baridipopo Valley has yet to reclaimed. The pass through the valley cannot be used for trade and travel. The frontier’s burned-out forts and destroyed villages remain as grim monuments to jǫtunn savagery. Bands of jǫtnar prowl the frontier, but even they seldom venture into the valley.

“Why?” you ask.

It’s not because jǫtnar cannot survive the frigid conditions of Baridipopo Valley, but because of the other dangers resulting from the strange curse that seized the land after Geirthjof’s death and victory. More than winter’s hazards await any who would trespass on the valley’s unhallowed land. Undead monsters made from corpses, ice, and terror stalk the valley. Colonies of deadly ice bats swarm through the dead, frozen forest.

Still, the brave or the foolish risk Baridipopo Valley’s dangers. The jǫtnar were known to have looted and pillaged the frontier, but the spoils of the victories were never recovered. Is their lost treasure locked in ice somewhere in Baridipopo Valley? So far, few adventurers have entered the valley and emerged with more than tales of terror and body parts lost to frostbite, but the successes are tantalizing: weapons with remarkable qualities, coffers full of gems and gold coins, et cetera.

What greater treasures may yet be discovered?

Tags: monsters, place of power, Swords & Wizardry

Alar mantids are a race of winged insectoids who dedicate themselves to meditative martial arts and aesthetic discipline. They typically live in remote monastic communities hidden in forest or mountain locations. Alar mantids resemble praying mantises nearly the height of a man. They have two sets of wings: two larger feathered wings and smaller set of moth-like wings. While they loathe violence, alar mantids are not pacifists, and they are formidable opponents when forced to fight.

If an alar mantid’s claw attack roll is 5 higher than the required to hit number, the target has a 75% chance to be stunned by the blow for 2d6 rounds. Moreover, the mystic perfection of the blow also has a 25% chance to kill the opponent, provided the opponent’s hit dice are no more than 1 higher than the alar mantid’s. All alar mantids can speak with animals at will (as the spell). Also, all alar mantids have the following thieving skills: Climb Walls 88%, Delicate Tasks 30%, Hear Sounds 4 in 6, Hide in Shadows 25%, Move Silently 35%, and Open Locks 25%.

Swords & Wizardry

Hit Dice: 4
Armor Class: 6 [13]
Attacks: 2 claws (1d6+2)
Saving Throw: 13
Special: Speak with animals, thieving skills
Move: 15 (Fly 18)
Alignment: Lawful
Challenge Level/XP: 6/400

Tags: monsters, Swords & Wizardry

Aidon’s Histidine Ungues
Spell Level: Magic-User, 2nd Level
Range: Caster
Duration: Special (see below)

By means of this horrid spell, the magic-user transforms one of his arms (his choice) into a terrible, worm-like appendage ending with wickedly sharp, strong pincers. The magic-user can use this monstrous limb to make two different types of attacks:

1. Pincer Attack: This melee attack strikes with a +2 bonus to hit and inflicts 1d8+2 points of damage.

2. Poison Attack: This melee attack strikes with a +1 bonus to hit and inflicts 1d4+1 points of damage. The victim must make a saving throw or become paralyzed for 1d4+1 minutes.

Each use of the arm depletes some of the spell’s magic. When cast, the spell has a number of uses equal to the magic-user’s level. Each pincher attack, whether successful or not, counts as one use. Each poison attack, whether successful or not, counts as two uses. When all uses are depleted, the caster’s arm reverts to its normal form.

Tags: spells, Swords & Wizardry, Vancian magic

The highly intelligent hypnotoad appears as a large amphibian measuring about two feet long. It has large oscillating multicolored eyes, and it emits a droning hum when it uses its psychic power. Its eyes glow all the time. A hypnotoad’s mesmerizing gaze affects a cone that’s 30 feet long and 30 feet wide at its farthest reach. All living creatures with a nervous system caught in the cone must make a saving throw or become fascinated and stand gazing at the hypnotoad for 1d6 minutes.

During this time, a hypnotoad can plant powerful suggestions in as many as 3d6 hypnotized creatures at once. (All creatures must be subjected to the same suggestion, and they gain a saving throw to resist the suggestion.) A hypnotoad’s suggestions can compel even directly self-destructive actions, but affected creatures are permitted a new saving throw with a +4 bonus in this case. Very reasonable suggestions may cause the saving throw to be made at a penalty (such as -1, -2, et cetera), at the GM’s discretion.

Stars Without Number

Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 1
Attack Bonus: +1
Damage: 1d3 bite
No. Appearing: 1
Saving Throw: 15+
Movement: 15 ft. (leap 100 ft.)
Morale: 7

Swords & Wizardry

Hit Dice: 1
Armor Class: 7 [12]
Attacks: 1 bite (1d3)
Saving Throw: 17
Special: Hypnotism, leap
Move: 3 (or leap 100 ft.)
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 3/60

Tags: monsters, Stars Without Number, Swords & Wizardry