Spes Magna Games

Did you know I’ve released another PDF? Well, you do now.

Get your copy of Demi-Human Adventurers today, and expand your Swords & Wizardry White Box fantasy game with four new character classes: the Dwarf, the Elf, the Gnome, and the Halfling. Each race-as-class option presents ten levels of demi-human adventuring to thrill and delight your fellow gamers.

Next, an update on the domestic front. The Powers That Be that oversee the homeschooling program hosted by my parish have approved my “Introduction to Story Games” course. In addition to teaching writing and editing skills, we’ll also game. I have both Skill Centric Role Play by David Holmes and Hero Kids by Hero Forge Games en route to the house.

Huzzah!

On the movie front, I’ve recently watched 1959’s soporific Invasion of the Animal People, starring Barbara Wilson, Robert Burton, and Stan Gester, and, once again, the voice of John Carradine. Bumpy headed aliens invade Lapland, unleashing a giant shaggy monster that doesn’t do much more than lumber about and growl. I’ve heard that Rymdinvasion i Lappland, the original Swedish version, is better. It certainly couldn’t be worse.

Presenting the Bumpy-Headed Alien and the Animal Person, the first for Mutant Future and the second for Swords & Wizardry White Box.

Bumpy-Headed Alien
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120′ (40′)
Armor Class: 8
Hit Dice: 6
Attacks: 1 (weapon)
Damage: weapon
Save: L6
Morale: 7
Hoard Class: XVIII
XP: 1,070

Mutations: Ability Boost (WIL), Empathy, plus one other beneficial mutation

The bumpy-headed alien might not be an alien; it could be a Mutant Human. Regardless, it possesses impressive mental abilities (2d4+10 INT and 2d6+6 WIL). By focusing its mental energies, the bumpy-headed alien increases its willpower, making its empathic powers even more dangerous. The bumpy-headed alien often has access to technology combined with knowledge about how to use it.

Animal Person
Armor Class: 4 [15]
Hit Dice: 10
Attacks: Claw or Stomp (2d6)
Special: Immune to cold and piercing weapons
Move: 12
Save: 9
HDE/XP: 11/1,700

An animal person stands nearly 20 feet tall. Covered with long, shaggy fur, it walks on two blunt, elephantine feet. In combat, it attacks with its powerful claws or else stomps on its victim. An animal person is impervious to cold, and it cannot be harmed by piercing weapons such as arrows or spears.

Tags: monsters, Mutant Future, Swords & Wizardry, WhiteBox Adventures

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Management was as efficient as usual. Guxem Bogdani. The man with the camera. The man in the room who filmed Jones murder Sharon. Bogdani procured young girls, usually runaways or undocumented immigrants. He had served time in both U.S. and Albanian jails.

Jared leaned against the bus stop shelter’s exterior. He wore jeans, running shoes, a sweatshirt with the hood pulled up. He’d slung a backpack across one shoulder. He watched across the street. It was nearly lunch time. The parking lot across the street was half full, mostly with economy-class cars belonging to the people in the laundromat. Next door to the laundromat stood Shqipëri, a restaurant.

The picture window was mirrored. The Albanian flag, red with black, two-headed eagle, painted on the window. One public entrance. Bogdani had just arrived. He stood near his BMW, Italian suit shining in the mid-day sun. Two other men were with him. A third exited the restaurant as he neared the door. Hugs all around. Old friends meeting for lunch.

Jared recognized the third man. The pictures in the hall outside Jones’s bedroom. One showed Jones standing shoulder to shoulder with an older man, his full head of silver hair impeccably styled, a gold nugget pinky ring glinting the light of the flash.

“Who is he?” Jared said as he crossed the street. Jones followed, modestly covering his genitals even though no one driving or walking by could see him.

“Tom Jaworski. He’s a senior partner at Felkin. He was my mentor.”

Jared walked slowly past the parking lot, noting the make, model, and license plate number of the Escalade into which Jaworski climbed.

“He’s one of you, isn’t he?”

“Yeah,” Jones admitted, and Jared detected for the first time a hint of shame in his voice. “He’s the one who, uh, introduced me to my first girl.”

A couple of women, arms laden with boutique shopping bags approached Jared along the sidewalk, looking at him worriedly. The one closest to him clutched her purse a bit more tightly. Jared smiled and touched the brim of his cap.

“Ladies.”

They picked up their pace, their heels clacking on the concrete. A few steps later, Jared was behind the wheel of his car. Jones sat in the front passenger’s seat.

“Why is Jaworski meeting Bogdani?”

Jones turned away, staring out the window, biting his lower lip, but it didn’t help. He still answered. “They must be arranging another party. Tom doesn’t trust e-mail or phones for the arrangements.”

Jones turned the key in the ignition and pulled away from the curb into traffic.

“Tell me about these parties. Be thorough.”

Jones was, and Jared fought back the urge to send the ghost away rather than listen to the confession. The “parties” were nothing of the sort. They involved a cabal of wealthy, well-placed men from several cities. Men of influence, men of renown. Most would be described as pillars of a community. All of them were rapists. Many of them were sadists. More than a few were murderers. And Bogdani and his organization provided the girls upon which these men’s lusts fed. This same organization also provided the location and the security for the evening’s depravities.

“I don’t know,” Jones said. Tears wet his face. “I’ve never been to one of the parties. Tom’s told me about them. Said I’d be on the guest list ‘soon’ if things worked out.”

“By ‘worked out’, you mean if you killed Sharon?”

Jones’s jaw trembled. He nodded. “But I don’t know where the party will be held. You, you killed me before I was told.”

Jared pulled into a grocery store’s parking lot, and parked in the closest space. Engine idling, air conditioning blowing cool air, he nevertheless felt warm. He closed his eyes, rubbed the sides of his neck with his fingers. The thud thud of pain behind his eyes matched his pulse.

“How do you find out the time and place?”

Jones shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess Tom would tell me. Like I said, he prefers face-to-face. No way he’d call or e-mail. Not about something like this.”

Jared punched the steering wheel. The horn barked. Jones flinched.

“Go away, damn you.”

Jared sat in his car with nothing but his pain and anger.

Tags: fiction, Lilacs

All Spes Magna Games products are still on-sale this month for at least 25% off their regular prices so that I can help you help me celebrate my 25th wedding anniversary. Huzzah!

But I digress.

Earlier this week, I pulled my AD&D Deities & Demigods off the shelf. What a great book, but also a strange book. Much ink, virtual and real, has been spilled over the idea of giving gods and goddesses stat blocks, as if they were a new category of monster to be defeated by adventurers. While I agree that the idea of any group of adventurers facing down the likes of Odin or Ares in combat is absurd, I also cannot ignore the examples in myth of mortals facing down deities and living to tell the tale. Diomedes, for examples, injures Ares in battle, stabbing the god of war in the belly with a spear. (Yes, yes, I know that Diomedes had divine assistance in this task.)

Deities & Demigods also includes several magic items, some on the level of artifacts and relics, as well as more traditional monsters that could serve as foes or allies for adventurers. I remember our characters fighting minions of Set during part of (I3) Pharaoh (one of the best AD&D modules ever published).

Flipping through the pages of Deities & Demigods inspired me to write what follows. Enjoy!

Sacred Bundle
Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement by a barbarian, fighter, paladin, or ranger)

Only a tribal priest aided by a summoned spirit can create a sacred bundle, and each sacred bundle is created for a specific warrior. The sacred bundle appears to be a satchel made of animal hide, decorated with beads and embroidery. It contains 1d6+4 items, all but one chosen by the summoned spirit. The tribal priest creating the sacred bundle chooses the final item in the satchel. The warrior for whom the sacred bundle is made must collect the items, and they’re all dangerous or difficult to acquire. For example, the warrior may have to collect “a rattle from a cave of giant snakes, a feather from a high nesting giant eagle, or the hair of 13 enemies killed in battle”. When all necessary items are collected, the tribal priest places them in the satchel and sews it shut.

As long as the warrior carries the sacred bundle, he makes all saving throws and Wisdom (Perception) checks with advantage. All melee and ranged weapon attacks against the warrior are made with disadvantage. Furthermore, the warrior has resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

And, now, a new legendary monster: the Thunder Bird!

Immortal. The thunder bird cannot be killed. Even if slain, it appears again, ready to fight evil anew.

Omen. The thunder bird’s appearance warns of great evil, and the thunder bird itself often takes part in the battle against this evil.

Servant of None. The thunder bird cannot be summoned or compelled to act. It is its own creature.

Thunder Bird
Large celestial, chaotic good

Armor Class 22 (natural armor)
Hit Points 202 (27d10+54)
Speed 45 ft., fly 90 ft.
Ability Scores STR 22 (+6), DEX 23 (+6), CON 15 (+2), INT 18 (+4), WIS 16 (+3), CHA 17 (+3)

Saving Throws STR +11, CON +7, WIS +8
Skills Perception +8
Damage Immunities lightning, thunder
Senses passive Perception 18
Languages Auran, Celestial, Common
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)

Independent. The thunder bird is immune to any magical effect that would influence its emotions, thoughts, or will. Charisma checks made to influence the thunder bird are made with disadvantage.

Keen Sight. The thunder bird has advantage of Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the thunder bird fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Rejuvenation. If it dies, the thunder bird returns to life in 1d6 years and regains all of its hit points. Not even a wish can prevent this trait from functioning.

Actions

Multiattack. The thunder bird makes two attacks: once with its beak and once with its wings.

Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10+6) slashing damage plus 5 (1d10) lightning damage.

Wings. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10+6) bludgeoning damage plus 11 (2d10) lightning damage.

Lightning Breath (Recharge 5-6). The thunder bird exhales lightning in a 120-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Legendary Actions

The thunder bird can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The thunder bird regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Detect. The thunder bird makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Thunderclap (Costs 2 Actions). The thunder bird strikes its wings together, creating a powerful clap of thunder. Each creature within 250 feet of the thunder bird and able to hear the thunderclap must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 36 (8d8) thunder damage and is knocked prone. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn’t knocked prone.

Whirlwind (Costs 2 Actions). The thunder bird surrounds itself with roaring winds. Each creature within 10 feet of the thunder bird must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target takes 27 (6d8) bludgeoning damage and is flung 30 feet away from the thunder bird in a random direction and knocked prone. If a thrown target strikes an object, such as a wall or floor, the target takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet thrown. If the target is thrown at another creature, that creature must succeed at a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take the same damage and be knocked prone. If the saving throw is successful, the target takes half the bludgeoning damage and isn’t flung away or knocked prone.

Tags: 5E D&D, Deities & Demigods, magic items, monsters

Back in December 2015, I wrote up the poohvian for AD&D. It’s time for an update of Myles Wohl‘s wonderful illustration.

Keepers of Bees. Poohvians are good-natured, short humanoid bears who live in small tribal bands. Pastoral and gentle, poohvians cultivate berries, nuts, and fish in hatcheries, and they always keep honey bees. Poohvians prefer to live in hilly forests, making their homes out of well-constructed burrows or within natural caves.

Rumbly, Tumbly. Poohvians love friendly contests of wrestling during social gatherings, especially after a few mugs of mead and some honeycakes. Almost always, these frequent poohvian celebrations become boisterous, even rowdy, but the grappling matches seldom result in serious injuries or hurt feelings.

Poohvian
Small humanoid (poohvian), neutral good

Armor Class 15 (breastplate, shield)
Hit Points 9 (2d6+2)
Speed 25 ft.
Ability Scores STR 12 (+1), DEX 8 (-1), CON 12 (+1), INT 8 (-1), WIS 10 (+0), CHA 11 (+0)

Skills Perception +2
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Poohvian
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Keen Smell. The poohvian has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Wrestler. Whenever the poohvian makes a Strength (Athletics) check while grappling, the poohvian is considered proficient in the Athletics skill and adds double its proficiency bonus to the check (+4) instead of its normal proficiency bonus (+2).

Actions

Multiattack. The poohvian makes two attacks: once with its claws and once with its bite. Most of the time, however, the poohvian prefers to fight with weapons.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4+1) slashing damage.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d3+1) piercing damage.

Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6+1) piercing damage.

Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6+1) slashing damage.

Tags: 1E AD&D, 5E D&D, monsters

It’s still May, which means all Spes Magna Games products are on-sale this month for at least 25% off their regular prices. Why? To help you help me celebrate my 25th wedding anniversary!

And now, ripped from the Dark Dimension for your D&D game…

…the Mindless Ones!

Created to Destroy. The Mindless Ones were created by the entity Plokta as unstoppable engines of destruction. Plokta is a disembodied entity who hails from the Dark Domain. He possesses the ability to warp the perceptions of creatures, granting them an illusion of their fondest desires. Such a gift comes with a price however, for each creature that accepts Plokta’s generosity must also forfeit its soul.

Primitive, Savage, Devoid of Love. The Mindless Ones cannot feel love or exhibit even the smallest degree of kindness. They live only to fight and to destroy. A Mindless One’s body is composed of dense physical matter, granting it great strength and durable, stone-like skin. Its single eye projects destructive beams of energy. Possessing no evident state of awareness, a Mindless Ones attacks any creature it sees, including other Mindless Ones. These monsters can only be made to follow commands through the use of magic.

Mindless One
Large construct, unaligned

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 157 (15d10+75)
Speed 25 ft.
Ability Scores STR 22 (+6), DEX 8 (-1), CON 20 (+5), INT 1 (-5), WIS 10 (+0), CHA 1 (-5)

Damage Resistances cold, fire, force, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from magical weapons
Damage Immunities poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 90 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages understands all languages but cannot speak
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP)

Immutable Form. The Mindless One is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Magic Resistance. The Mindless One has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Magic Weapons. The Mindless One’s weapon attacks are magical.

Sunder. The Mindless One can smash through any barrier given sufficient time. It can damage Huge and Gargantuan objects. It ignores the damage threshold of big objects such as castle walls. Even magical barriers, such as a wall of force, can be destroyed by a Mindless One. If the damage inflicted by the Mindless One in a single round exceeds three times the caster level of the magical barrier, the magical barrier fails.

Actions

Multiattack. The Mindless One makes two attacks with its fists.

Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d8+6) bludgeoning damage.

Eye Beam (Recharge 5-6). The Mindless One projects a beam of destructive energy from its single eye in a 60-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 42 (12d6) force damage on a failed save, or no damage on a successful one.

Tags: 5E D&D, monsters