I like to keep a couple of small side "adventures" handy to give players something to do that doesn't owe anything to the main story arc of the campaign. These are even smaller in scope than the "side trek" concept, but seem to add a lot to the campaign and the idea of the campaign setting as a living, breathing place. Here's a couple of examples:
The Heirloom
Word gets around town about a magic item one of the PCs has recovered from the dungeon, and it is recognized as a family heirloom by a wealthy, influential member of the local citizenry. The local files a complaint in the courts, attempting to have the PCs arrested and the artifact confiscated. If the PCs handle this situation reasonably, the citizen may offer a replacement item, or better yet, provide them with a treasure map. Handled badly, outlawry or imprisonment could result.
The Dragon of the Deeps
A giant sturgeon (the average PC level +4HD) has been terrorizing fishermen in a local river or lake. The fishermen offer a reward for the PCs to hunt down and slay the beast.
Bragging Rights
A fighter of a level equal to the highest level PC+1 has heard of the PCs exploits and is jealous. He has traveled from far away to challenge the PC and assert his bragging rights. He will challenge the PC to a duel, and most of the local population will turn out to watch. If the PC wins, the fighter's companions will eventually travel to avenge him.
The Beneficiary
One of the PCs is notified that he has inherited a local brewery, one coveted by a wealthy competitor. A mysterious sealed door is found in the brewery's cellar.
The Coward of the County
One of the PCs is the subject of a lengthy song being performed by bards throughout the area, describing the PC's infinite cowardice. Who commissioned the song, and why?
What are some "adventure shorties" you've used in the past?
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Get yer Old-School Art
Looks like the old-school community is pulling out all the stops to try and get Knockspell and Fight On! magazines into the top-three for a contest at LuLu.com (a print on demand service). Fight On!'s already at number 3, which is impressive to say the least, LuLu is by no means a "game" website, and its good to see this stuff making such a strong showing.
Until April 1st, you can order "Art of the Old School" and help out!
Until April 1st, you can order "Art of the Old School" and help out!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Arduin - Welcome to Sandbox Tower
As I'm slowly making my way through the excellent issue 4 of Fight On!, I'm struck by just how unique an experience Arduin really was. Now, when it comes to old-school gaming, my flavor of preference is Wilderlands of High Fantasy, has been since '79 or so, and probably always will be. But as I enjoy game development more now than I did back then, I'm starting to have a greater appreciation for just what Arduin really was - the epitomy of a D&D sandbox.
I had very little knowledge of Arduin (aside from the occasional mention in magazines) until the early 90's or so. While scouring book, comic, and game stores for missing pieces of my 1E TSR and Judges Guild collection (this is pre-ebay!) I came across a plastic bag with 4 little brown books, and one big brown books. The little brown books were reminiscent of my copies of Blackmoor and Eldritch Wizardry, and the price tag was only a few bucks, so I grabbed them. I think at the time I believed them to be, simply, a campaign setting of some sort.
Later I would flip through them, squinting at the tiny print, scanning over encounter tables, lists of spells, classes, and magic items, and wonder, "wtf is this!?" It seemed interesting, but was almost completely unrecognizable. Mana costs for spells? Every monster has variable HD? "Genitals torn off!?" Respectful but slightly bewildered, I tucked the books back into their plastic bag, and placed them in the vault, where they would languish for years.
It was only much later that I would realize what Arduin was - a brillant example of what a near-completely houseruled and sandboxed D&D campaign looks like.
When my appreciation finally "clicked", I devoured the little books. They are dense, and complicated, and arcane, but full of little details and reimaginatings that are an invaluable creative resource for any DM. Hargrave was never afraid to take things one step farther than many DMs would have found acceptable. He customized his game to the point that it was nearly unrecognizable from its starting point, yet still undeniably D&D. And as an Erol Otus fan, its a delightful look at some of his (extremely) early art.
Some of his ideas took root in my own games, and some remain there still. Lizardmen as PCs. Wizards allowed to use magic swords after level 5. I've even afflicted Veluna with the Curse of the White Eyes as a plot point in a campaign.
It must have been a riot to participate in Hargrave's game. This was a game were every monster was unknown, as were most spells and magic items. Where Elric the Hell-Lost, Kazamon the Ring Bearer, Frederick the Bold, and the Seven Spartans adventured and fought against Phraint pirates, deadly Hell Maidens, and 36HD Maggoths.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Dar Taru's Emporium
Goods for your Sci-Fantasy Pulp-style S&W or LL campaign!
Dar Taru's Emporium is a dome-like structure made of opaque, smoke-colored glass, about a hundred feet in diameter. At night, the emporium raises up sixty feet into the air on four stilt-like steel legs. Inside, the Emporium is mainly composed of one large sales floor crammed with racks and shelves, and a couple of offices in the back.
Dar Taru (F4, AC7[12]) himself is an elderly man of slight build and a shock of white hair. He wears obsidian goggles at all times, and is clothed in a simple leather apron over his battle-harness. He carries an irradium pistol in a holster at his waist at all times. His two assistants, Blex and Harv Nar (HD3, AC6[14]), are almost always in the store with him. Blex and Harv Nar are members of a blue-skinned, three armed species called the Yevny, and they are armed with 3 shortswords each, as well as their own irradium pistols.
Some featured items at the Emporium this week:
Irradium Pistols 30gp
Range - 60'; Rate of Fire - 2; Dmg. 1d10; Weight 5; Ammunition - 10 bullets for 10gp
Irradium Pistols are hand-crafted sidearms with a whorled wood and brass stock, and a barrel of tempered steel. The pistols are named for the powdered substance in their bullets, irradium, which explodes upon contact to open air. Irradium pistol bullets do only 1d4 damage in airless environments. The pistol can contain 5 bullets at a time, and takes 1 round to fully reload. The butt of the pistol can be used as a clubbing weapon for 1d3 pts of damage.
Irradium Rifles 90gp
Range - 120'; Rate of Fire 1; Dmg. 2d6; Weight 12; Ammuntion - 10 bullets for 20gp
Irradium Rifles are hand-crafted, 8' long wood and steel weapons with a rifled barrel for greater range and accuracy. Attacks within range are made at +1 to hit. As with the irradium pistol, the bullets are innefective in airless environments, and only do 1d4 pts of damage. The rifle must be loaded each round, as it only holds one bullet at a time.
Weapons Harness 30gp
Effect on AC -3[+3]; Weight 25
This traditional warrior's weapons harness is composed of interlocking leather straps with metal plates of brass, copper, or steel fixed over the sternum, shoulders, and back. The harness is made to accomodate a longsword, shortsword or handaxe, dagger, and pistol, and also includes a small ammunition pouch with enough room for 20 pistol rounds (or 10 rifle rounds).
Arm Bracers 20gp
Effect on AC -1[+1]; Weight 6
This is a set of four brass, copper, or iron armbands (two for the forearms, and two for the upper arms), that offers further protection to unarmored indivuduals, or individuals wearing weapons harness, leaving both arms free for weapon use. They offer no further protection, however, if used in conjunction with a shield.
Wilderness Shroud 10gp
Weight 2
The Wilderness Shroud is a hooded, cloak-like garment of gauzy material designed to protect the wearer in harsh environmental conditions. It keeps the wearer cool in temperatures of up to 110 degrees, and warm in temperatures as low as 20 degrees. It also protects the wearer from exposure to the effects of rain or harsh sunlight. When not in use, it may be crumpled into a small ball for easy storage.
Water Wand 25gp
Weight 1
The Water Wand is a hollow, sealed brass tube containing a portion of deluvium filaments. Deluvium is a near-weightless material that is magnetically attracted to fresh water, and the water wand will point in the direction of any source of fresh water within a half-mile.
Necrotiz Culture 10gp
Weight 1/5
Necrotiz Culture is a bacterium typically used to clean the flesh from a deceased loved one so the skeleton can be properly buried or displayed. Adventurers sometimes use the substance as a weapon to combat the undead. The Culture is contained in a disk-like glass container of jelly that can be thrown accurately up to 10 feet. If it breaks against a fleshy undead creature, such as a ghoul or zombie, the bacterium consumes the undead for 1d6 rounds, doing 1d6 points of damage per round.
Gas Belt 50gp
Weight 5
A Gas Belt is a wide leather belt with a flexible membrane in the back. When activated, the membranous pocket fills with a gravity-repellant gas, allowing the wearer to float upwards at up to 20' per round for up to 6 rounds. A small valve in the front of the belt allows the wearer to descend at a similar rate. Gas Belts can be recharged at the Emporium or other similarly-equipped locations for a fee of 10gp, though the membrane wears out after 5 uses and a new belt must then be purchased.
Grapple Charge 10gp
Weight 6
This is a special irradium-charged grappling hook that may be affixed to the barrel of an irradium pistol or rifle, and will shoot the hook and up to 50' of rope to a distance of up to 50'. The charged hook may only be used once, as the firing element is destroyed when the irriadium ignites.
Vorlum Paste 450gp
Weight 1
This is a small, stoppered clay pot containing 6 applications of Vorlum Paste, a gluey susbstance that will seal and heal wounds. Each application heals 1d4 points of damage immediately, with a further 1 point being healed each hour for 4 hours afterward. Only one application of Vorlum Paste is effective for an individual every 24 hours.
Dreza Capsules 15gp
Weight 1/10
This small match-box sized container contains 3 dreza capsules. Each capsule can sustain a man for one day as if he had consumed a normal day's rations. They will not sustain an individual indefintely, however, and will have no effect after 3 concurrent days of use.
Irradium Gum 5gp
Weight 1
This is a small block of rubbery material contained in wax-sealed paper. The block may be unwrapped and will adhere to a surface or object. After 1d6 rounds of exposure to open air, the block will ignite, doing 2d6 points of damage to whatever it has been affixed to, and setting flammable materials ablaze.
Dar Taru's Emporium is a dome-like structure made of opaque, smoke-colored glass, about a hundred feet in diameter. At night, the emporium raises up sixty feet into the air on four stilt-like steel legs. Inside, the Emporium is mainly composed of one large sales floor crammed with racks and shelves, and a couple of offices in the back.
Dar Taru (F4, AC7[12]) himself is an elderly man of slight build and a shock of white hair. He wears obsidian goggles at all times, and is clothed in a simple leather apron over his battle-harness. He carries an irradium pistol in a holster at his waist at all times. His two assistants, Blex and Harv Nar (HD3, AC6[14]), are almost always in the store with him. Blex and Harv Nar are members of a blue-skinned, three armed species called the Yevny, and they are armed with 3 shortswords each, as well as their own irradium pistols.
Some featured items at the Emporium this week:
Irradium Pistols 30gp
Range - 60'; Rate of Fire - 2; Dmg. 1d10; Weight 5; Ammunition - 10 bullets for 10gp
Irradium Pistols are hand-crafted sidearms with a whorled wood and brass stock, and a barrel of tempered steel. The pistols are named for the powdered substance in their bullets, irradium, which explodes upon contact to open air. Irradium pistol bullets do only 1d4 damage in airless environments. The pistol can contain 5 bullets at a time, and takes 1 round to fully reload. The butt of the pistol can be used as a clubbing weapon for 1d3 pts of damage.
Irradium Rifles 90gp
Range - 120'; Rate of Fire 1; Dmg. 2d6; Weight 12; Ammuntion - 10 bullets for 20gp
Irradium Rifles are hand-crafted, 8' long wood and steel weapons with a rifled barrel for greater range and accuracy. Attacks within range are made at +1 to hit. As with the irradium pistol, the bullets are innefective in airless environments, and only do 1d4 pts of damage. The rifle must be loaded each round, as it only holds one bullet at a time.
Weapons Harness 30gp
Effect on AC -3[+3]; Weight 25
This traditional warrior's weapons harness is composed of interlocking leather straps with metal plates of brass, copper, or steel fixed over the sternum, shoulders, and back. The harness is made to accomodate a longsword, shortsword or handaxe, dagger, and pistol, and also includes a small ammunition pouch with enough room for 20 pistol rounds (or 10 rifle rounds).
Arm Bracers 20gp
Effect on AC -1[+1]; Weight 6
This is a set of four brass, copper, or iron armbands (two for the forearms, and two for the upper arms), that offers further protection to unarmored indivuduals, or individuals wearing weapons harness, leaving both arms free for weapon use. They offer no further protection, however, if used in conjunction with a shield.
Wilderness Shroud 10gp
Weight 2
The Wilderness Shroud is a hooded, cloak-like garment of gauzy material designed to protect the wearer in harsh environmental conditions. It keeps the wearer cool in temperatures of up to 110 degrees, and warm in temperatures as low as 20 degrees. It also protects the wearer from exposure to the effects of rain or harsh sunlight. When not in use, it may be crumpled into a small ball for easy storage.
Water Wand 25gp
Weight 1
The Water Wand is a hollow, sealed brass tube containing a portion of deluvium filaments. Deluvium is a near-weightless material that is magnetically attracted to fresh water, and the water wand will point in the direction of any source of fresh water within a half-mile.
Necrotiz Culture 10gp
Weight 1/5
Necrotiz Culture is a bacterium typically used to clean the flesh from a deceased loved one so the skeleton can be properly buried or displayed. Adventurers sometimes use the substance as a weapon to combat the undead. The Culture is contained in a disk-like glass container of jelly that can be thrown accurately up to 10 feet. If it breaks against a fleshy undead creature, such as a ghoul or zombie, the bacterium consumes the undead for 1d6 rounds, doing 1d6 points of damage per round.
Gas Belt 50gp
Weight 5
A Gas Belt is a wide leather belt with a flexible membrane in the back. When activated, the membranous pocket fills with a gravity-repellant gas, allowing the wearer to float upwards at up to 20' per round for up to 6 rounds. A small valve in the front of the belt allows the wearer to descend at a similar rate. Gas Belts can be recharged at the Emporium or other similarly-equipped locations for a fee of 10gp, though the membrane wears out after 5 uses and a new belt must then be purchased.
Grapple Charge 10gp
Weight 6
This is a special irradium-charged grappling hook that may be affixed to the barrel of an irradium pistol or rifle, and will shoot the hook and up to 50' of rope to a distance of up to 50'. The charged hook may only be used once, as the firing element is destroyed when the irriadium ignites.
Vorlum Paste 450gp
Weight 1
This is a small, stoppered clay pot containing 6 applications of Vorlum Paste, a gluey susbstance that will seal and heal wounds. Each application heals 1d4 points of damage immediately, with a further 1 point being healed each hour for 4 hours afterward. Only one application of Vorlum Paste is effective for an individual every 24 hours.
Dreza Capsules 15gp
Weight 1/10
This small match-box sized container contains 3 dreza capsules. Each capsule can sustain a man for one day as if he had consumed a normal day's rations. They will not sustain an individual indefintely, however, and will have no effect after 3 concurrent days of use.
Irradium Gum 5gp
Weight 1
This is a small block of rubbery material contained in wax-sealed paper. The block may be unwrapped and will adhere to a surface or object. After 1d6 rounds of exposure to open air, the block will ignite, doing 2d6 points of damage to whatever it has been affixed to, and setting flammable materials ablaze.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Footsteps!
*Disclaimer* - this is priveledged info for DM's eyes only - if you're not a DM and you read this, we will find you! ;-)
"Footsteps" is a little trick I picked up far too late in my experience as a DM. I still remember the first use of Footsteps: I was running an original adventure I had spent hours on, meticulously tooling and retooling every detail, every NPC, everything. And yet, for whatever reason, my players were having an off session. Their attention wandered, no notes were taken, the map was haphazard at best, and as they missed detail after detail, my own interest in the session began to waver.
Now, when I get bored, I begin to mess with people. Its just the way I am, and in this instance the players happened to be the most convenient to mess with. Picking out the most distracted player at the table, I hastily scribbled a note on a scrap of paper, and made a big production of passing it to him "secretly" (which of course heightened everyone's level of alertness in and of itself):
"You think you hear footsteps behind you, but when you turn to look, no one is there."
The player nodded sagely, tucked the note into his PHB, and handed a note back to me.
"I continue forward, but listen carefully to hear these footsteps again, ready to spin with weapon out if I do."
I read his note, nodded seriously at him, and continued on with the adventure. A few minutes later, I passed another note:
"You hear the footsteps again".
The player yelled out an alarm to the other players, and spun around with bare blade to see nothing. I passed him another note.
"As you spin around, you see nothing, but you feel a hot breath on the back of your neck, as if whatever is stalking you has spun around behind you."
This led to much searching around, the waste of a few spells, the checking of coin purses and backpacks, as the players frantically sought to determine what was hunting them. Of course, there was nothing to find, and eventually the adventure continued on - but I noticed the difference immediately - the players paid attention to everything! No detail was too small to escape their notice, everything was carefully noted and mapped, and the adventure proved to be a smashing success. So much so, I was surprised when it was over that no one even remembered those elusive Footsteps...
I took the lesson to heart, and began to introduce various versions of "Footsteps" in almost every adventure, regardless of the interest level. Some variations included:
"You notice faint, bleeding pinholes on your left arm."
"You suddenly feel light-headed."
"You feel as if invisible fingers have just brushed across your cheek."
Used wisely, and in a timely fashion, "Footsteps" is a great tool for any DM...
"Footsteps" is a little trick I picked up far too late in my experience as a DM. I still remember the first use of Footsteps: I was running an original adventure I had spent hours on, meticulously tooling and retooling every detail, every NPC, everything. And yet, for whatever reason, my players were having an off session. Their attention wandered, no notes were taken, the map was haphazard at best, and as they missed detail after detail, my own interest in the session began to waver.
Now, when I get bored, I begin to mess with people. Its just the way I am, and in this instance the players happened to be the most convenient to mess with. Picking out the most distracted player at the table, I hastily scribbled a note on a scrap of paper, and made a big production of passing it to him "secretly" (which of course heightened everyone's level of alertness in and of itself):
"You think you hear footsteps behind you, but when you turn to look, no one is there."
The player nodded sagely, tucked the note into his PHB, and handed a note back to me.
"I continue forward, but listen carefully to hear these footsteps again, ready to spin with weapon out if I do."
I read his note, nodded seriously at him, and continued on with the adventure. A few minutes later, I passed another note:
"You hear the footsteps again".
The player yelled out an alarm to the other players, and spun around with bare blade to see nothing. I passed him another note.
"As you spin around, you see nothing, but you feel a hot breath on the back of your neck, as if whatever is stalking you has spun around behind you."
This led to much searching around, the waste of a few spells, the checking of coin purses and backpacks, as the players frantically sought to determine what was hunting them. Of course, there was nothing to find, and eventually the adventure continued on - but I noticed the difference immediately - the players paid attention to everything! No detail was too small to escape their notice, everything was carefully noted and mapped, and the adventure proved to be a smashing success. So much so, I was surprised when it was over that no one even remembered those elusive Footsteps...
I took the lesson to heart, and began to introduce various versions of "Footsteps" in almost every adventure, regardless of the interest level. Some variations included:
"You notice faint, bleeding pinholes on your left arm."
"You suddenly feel light-headed."
"You feel as if invisible fingers have just brushed across your cheek."
Used wisely, and in a timely fashion, "Footsteps" is a great tool for any DM...
Monday, March 23, 2009
Artifacts of Legend
The Light-Spear of S'Tarius
This long spear is made of a pinkish, translucent crystalline material, shot through with gold veins or wires. Three ruby studs are set into the shaft about a foot up from the bottom. The point is sharp, but hollow, and if employed in its mundane fashion the weapon functions as a +1 spear. Depressing one or more of the ruby studs, however, cause the spear to emit a beam of light that burns through targets up to 120' away. Pressing one stud causes 1d6 points of damage (using 1 charge), two studs at once causes 3d6(using 3 charges), and all three studs at once causes 6d6 points of damage (using 7 charges).
The Light-Spear holds 10 charges at a time, and if exposed to sunlight will recharge at a rate of 1 charge per hour.
The Light-Spear's origins are shrouded in mystery, but some sages contend it was taken from the mythical Skyship of Har'ruul, a wrecked metal monstrosity, the location of which has been lost to time.
This long spear is made of a pinkish, translucent crystalline material, shot through with gold veins or wires. Three ruby studs are set into the shaft about a foot up from the bottom. The point is sharp, but hollow, and if employed in its mundane fashion the weapon functions as a +1 spear. Depressing one or more of the ruby studs, however, cause the spear to emit a beam of light that burns through targets up to 120' away. Pressing one stud causes 1d6 points of damage (using 1 charge), two studs at once causes 3d6(using 3 charges), and all three studs at once causes 6d6 points of damage (using 7 charges).
The Light-Spear holds 10 charges at a time, and if exposed to sunlight will recharge at a rate of 1 charge per hour.
The Light-Spear's origins are shrouded in mystery, but some sages contend it was taken from the mythical Skyship of Har'ruul, a wrecked metal monstrosity, the location of which has been lost to time.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Ribbit! Another friend from the Haunted Bog
Shock Frog
Armor Class: 5 [14]
Hit Dice: 4
Attacks: shock (see below) or bite (1d8)
Saving Throw: 13
Special: Paralysis
Move: 15
Challenge Level/XP: 5/240
Shock Frogs are blue and yellow, giant tree frogs who favor misty bogs for their hunting ground, though an albino version is also known to lurk in subterranean locales. Once per turn, Shock Frogs can emit a pulse of electricity in a radius of 30', causing 1d6 points of damage and stunning anyone who doesn't save (paralyzed 1d12 rounds). Shock Frogs will then typically attempt to hop off with a stunned victim in its mouth for a quiet feast elsewhere.
Armor Class: 5 [14]
Hit Dice: 4
Attacks: shock (see below) or bite (1d8)
Saving Throw: 13
Special: Paralysis
Move: 15
Challenge Level/XP: 5/240
Shock Frogs are blue and yellow, giant tree frogs who favor misty bogs for their hunting ground, though an albino version is also known to lurk in subterranean locales. Once per turn, Shock Frogs can emit a pulse of electricity in a radius of 30', causing 1d6 points of damage and stunning anyone who doesn't save (paralyzed 1d12 rounds). Shock Frogs will then typically attempt to hop off with a stunned victim in its mouth for a quiet feast elsewhere.
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