Thursday, December 23, 2010

Your Holiday Gift from Beyond the Black Gate


Beyond the Black Gate Compendium 2010 is here, Happy Holidays! This year's compendium features new items, houserules, monsters, a new character class, an adventure, PC Events, and more random tables than you can shake a yule log at. Hope you like it, and it finds some use at your table :)

Be sure to print it "little booklet" style for maximum old-school effect.

See you in 2011!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

PC Events: Thief


PC Events are to be rolled each month (or per period of down time in between adventures if you're a little more casual about timekeeping) to give each character a little something to do in their "real" lives. Erase each result as you use them, and replace them with others of your own creation. It should be up to the player whether to involve the other characters in his/her personal extracurricular activities or not.

PC Events: Thief (d12)
1. The local thieves' guild has placed a bounty on someone whose description closely matches that of one of your companions.
2. A shifty-looking halfling delivers a scroll to you and runs off. On the scroll is a black lightning bolt scrawled in charcoal.
3. The three prostitutes who live next door come to you in tears. Their pimp has been killed in a turf dispute and they beg you to take his place.
4. A fellow thief turned up at your door last night, handed you a small package to hold for him, made you swear not to open it, and left. This morning, he turned up dead in an alley.
5. A local minstrel is singing songs about a fellow committing acts of larceny you committed! While he doesn't call you out by name, it must be you. Or are you just being paranoid?
6. While counting your money, you notice an odd coin. It looks like a rare gold crown from the Lost Kingdom! You think you pinched it from that merchant over on Barrel Street. Where could he have gotten it from?
7.A foreign baron has taken lodging at the fanciest Inn in town, along with his three daughters. Each is dazzling, and each wears a stunning emerald necklace!
8. Every time you go out to make your rounds at night, you're followed by a watchful, white and gray owl. What the hells is going on?
9. A friend tells you a bounty hunter is headed into town today with a wanted poster featuring your ugly face!
10. The local constables burst into your room late one night, pinning you to the wall while they tear your room apart. They leave again, empty handed, warning you to keep your mouth shut. What were they looking for?
11. The daughter of an old, dead partner shows up at your door. She wants to be a thief like her dad, and she expects you to train her. And you're pretty sure she has a thing for you!
12. The mayor is throwing a ball tomorrow night. All the richest citizens will be there, wearing their richest jewelry! You must find an invitation!

Last Time: Rangers

And that wraps up the whole series, folks! Hope you get some use out of them :)

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Megadungeons: Don't Fall Asleep!


"Good luck young adventurer! The Forsaken Halls await you. But a word of warning: do not fall asleep - it is said that those who slumber in the Halls will awaken only to madness! If you absolutely must pass a night in the Halls, seek you a place of sanctuary, such as a shrine of Law. Heed me well, for the town asylum is full of those who did not!"

Sleeping in the Forsaken Halls is not a good idea. Anyone sleeping for more than a consecutive hour must Save (vs. Spells) or wake up completely mad (Wis 1). The madness of the Halls plunges the victim into a waking nightmare, screaming, weeping, and flailing until remove curse or some similar healing is administered.

There are, however, a few safe locations in the Forsaken Halls. The challenge is testing them.

Taking a victim out of the Halls' can be dangerous too, due to all the screaming and wailing. Double the chance for wandering monsters.

This is a good way to discourage players from stopping to sleep every time the Magic User uses his magic missile spell up. The saving throw is an interesting way to handle it, because as characters level, their chance of making it through the night unharmed gets better. It also makes an interesting default trap out of simply getting the characters stuck in a room or difficult level for a long time, and have to start making some kind of save or check to stay awake!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Random Table: Weird Things in Rooms


The holidays are a time to decorate, so decorate your Megadungeon rooms with some of these:

Random Table: Weird Things in Rooms (d100)
1. Two copper pipes along one wall from floor to ceiling, one steaming, one frosty.
2. A large stone pipe opening in wall drips greenish fluid onto floor.
3. A large stone wheel set on one wall, clicks when turned.
4. A stone sundial in center of room under ceiling painted to look like the sky.
5. A ceramic wall-fixture shaped like a grinning buddha with open hands.
6. The walls are lined with stone flower boxes filled with unsettling-scented green and purple flowers.
7. A natural spring in the center of the room surrounded by glowing mushrooms.
8. Several 4'-long rose-quartz outcroppings from the ceiling.
9. The floor is covered in upright, magnetized needles (10d10).
10. An alcove on one wall is filled with neatly-stacked, empty wooden mugs.
11. A giant red "X" has been sloppily painted in the center of the floor.
12. "Chog loves Jessika" is scratched in charcoal on one wall.
13. The ceiling is covered in upside-down furniture, bolted to the stone.
14. One wall has been painted to look like three windows looking out into a lovely garden.
15. The skeleton of a small dog is curled forlornly around a well-gnawed scorpion tail.
16. A pale white pine tree sprouts from the floor in one corner.
17. The skeleton of a monkey lies in a far corner, its hand in a ceramic jar wrapped around a gem.
18. A brass lever is set into the middle of one wall. "Do not pull" is scrawled next to it.
19. A viking longship, far too big to fit through a door, fills the room.
20. A stone frame in the ceiling hangs above a pile of broken pieces of mirror.
21. A comfy chair sits in one corner with a table beside it. On the table are a pair of broken spectacles and a book called "For Doom, the Fell Trolls".
22. An unlit chandelier hangs from the ceiling. It holds thirteen black candles and is creepy as hell.
23. A brass hookah is here, surrounded by seven overstuffed ottomans.
24. A massive gong in the center of the room with a bone striker.
25. Bloody footprints lead from the entrance of the room to stop at a seemingly blank wall.
26. Three big wooden buckets filled with smashed grapes sit on one side of the room.
27. Bloated, pale vines hang from the dirt ceiling here.
28. A pair of human eyes float in a jar left in a corner of the room. Did they just move!?
29. The hilt and 6" of the blade of a sword jut from the solid stone floor of the room.
30. An intricate water clock has been installed on one side of this room. Instead of water, it appears to have been filled with vinegar.
31. One wall of this room appears to be made entirely of smoky quartz, and shapes seem to writhe and twist within it.
32. A small stone pyramid is built into the ceiling, pointing down.
33. Seven fluffy orbs of light dance and float in the air of this room, remaining ever beyond your reach.
34. This room is choked with stinging, prickly weeds.
35. The hollow carapace of a great beetle nearly fills this room. A doorway appears to have been cut into its side.
36. Plaintive music seems to come from somewhere beyond the ceiling of this room.
37. A large, black, wood-and-hide drum sits in the middle of the room.
38. A porcelain bathtub, filled with steaming water, sits invitingly in the corner.
39. A strange hole in one wall, no more than 5" wide, emits an odd odor.
40. Three dead kobolds, dressed as human children, lay side-by-side in front of a smoldering fireplace.
41. An empty bookcase has been smashed to bits in this room.
42. A tiny door, only 2' tall, is set into one wall of this room.
43. A dartboard hangs on one wall, full of manticore spines.
44. A small hibachi sizzles merrily on a stout oak table.
45. Three tiny alcoves set high on the wall near the ceiling each containing a grinning imp sculpture.
46. A large roll of black silk lies in one corner. If unrolled, a human corpse falls out.
47. A massive harp, with strings all broken, sits by a stool in the center of the room.
48. A small bar with several stools sits on one side of the room.
49. A broken birdcage lies in a corner. A copious amount of blood has been splashed on the walls of this room.
50. A still-smoking pipe sits in an ashtray on a small table here.
51. A nest containing three purple eggs sits on a high ledge near the ceiling.
52. An extensive set of wooden toy blocks has been set up on the floor of this room. The layout vaguely reminds you of your home town, but a hideous stone idol squats in the main square.
53. A stinking pile of refuse is heaped in front of the entrance to this room. Ugh!
54. A torn bag of sand has been scattered around the room. Huge footsteps are visible in it here and there.
55. A marble pedestal sits in the center of the room, with a hand-shaped depression in its center.
56. A stack of hand-written papers sits in a corner, 200 sheets in all, with the words "This is not the way" written over and over again on them.
57. A mannequin hangs from a noose in this room. It is crawling with flies!
58. Something that leaves a slimy trail has dug a 3' wide tunnel into the floor of this room.
59. Two stone dogs sit at attention on either side of the entrance of this room. One has a struggling mouse beneath one supposedly-immobile stone paw.
60. A giant mousetrap, 6' x 3', sits in the center of the room with a human arm on the trigger.
61. Half a human face, and one limp hand, jut from the solid stone wall of this room.
62. The odor of brimstone hangs in the air of this room. A magic circle has been inscribed on the floor with salt.
63. A filthy torn dress lies on the floor, along with a silver holy symbol on a chain.
64. An iron cage sits in the room. A skeleton lies half in and half out of it between the bars.
65. A red rune has been painted in the ceiling of the room. An empty wardrobe sits beneath a white sheet with several weird symbols burned into it.
66. A drooping potted plant sits in one corner with a single glossy red fruit.
67. A fishbowl sits on a wooden pedestal with three piranha floating lazily within it.
68. A ledge near the ceiling is crowded with noisy pigeons.
69. A strange console is built into the wall here with three red buttons.
70. A mannequin stands in one corner wearing a surcoat made from fresh meat.
71. A stained oak box, 4' to a side, sits in the center of the room. It is carved with grinning imps and has no visible lid or opening.
72. A stack of wooden doors, each with a brass knocker shaped like a hand, sits along one wall.
73. A small canvas tent has been set up in this room. Inside is clothing, food, and other personal effects.
74. A circular glass plate, like a window, is set into one wall, but nothing but stone is visible beyond it.
75. The walls, floor, and ceiling of this room are covered in frost. Its freezing in here!
76. The corners of this room seem to be off. Trying to figure out these unnatural angles is nauseating!
77. A black hole, 5' across, yawns in the center of the room, with no bottom in sight.
78. A marble head, as if broken off a statue, lies on the floor here. The room stinks of urine.
79. A crushed halfling, looking for all the world like a mouse regurgitated by some huge owl, lies on the floor.
80. Five red, wooden, creepy, horned masks, hang on the wall here.
81. A barrel of stagnant water sits in a corner. Something moves within it!
82. A human foot, still wearing a blue velvet slipper, lies on the floor, covered in ants.
83. A quivering chunk of Gelatinous Cube sits on a ceramic plate on a small wooden table with a knife and fork beside it.
84. A framed painting of a trio of dancing nymphs in a garden adorns one wall. A dark face is barely visible in the foliage behind them, ripe with evil intent.
85. A massive granite sphynx lies on its side in this room. A narrow stair descends into the floor where it used to sit.
86. A ring of pale green toadstools grows in the center of the floor here.
87. The rough stone figurine of a leering frog-deity lies in an empty, stained tub.
88. The rank mold growing on one wall gives off scorching heat.
89. A pool of blood spreads on the floor, fed by a slow dripping from the ceiling above.
90. A fireplace on one wall has been stuffed with defaced books.
91. Four lit incense burners swing from chains fixed to the ceiling.
92. An icy copper bell hangs from a wooden frame on one wall. It is numbing to the touch.
93. A deep throbbing, like a heartbeat, can be felt in the floor here.
94. A dome of black glass rises from the center of the room. Viewing it fills you with a sense of dread.
95. A mage's star-adorned pointy hat has been pinned to the wall with a dagger here.
96. A maiden lies in an unnatural slumber on a divan here, wearing the gauzy dress of a harem girl.
97. Ghostly couples, heedless of onlookers, waltz around the room to spectral music.
98. A pair of ridiculous clown-like shoes sits by the doorway.
99. A rude collection of hand-drawn orc erotica has been hidden behind a loose stone.
00. A crystal ball floats at eye-level in the center of the room, giving off intermittent flashes of red and green light.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Lazy Blog Post - Star Wars Bounty Hunters

























Why were those for-hire villains of Star Wars so intriguing? As a kid, I was blown away by the implications when Vader suddenly had a bunch of unscrupulous rogues lined up on the deck of his star destroyer, lecturing them about "no disintegrations!". I had always hoped for the backstory on Vader's connection to the underworld when the prequels came out, but no such luck. I guess Anakin's brief career as a bail bondsman will have to remain a mystery for now!

Incidentally, I've gotten to meet many of the "men behind the masks" of the bounty hunters over the years, and despite the scurrilous nature of the characters, they all seem like pretty nice guys. Some did charge an awful lot for an autograph though, so...;)

Friday, December 17, 2010

Thursday, December 16, 2010

PC Events: Ranger


PC Events are to be rolled each month (or per period of down time in between adventures if you're a little more casual about timekeeping) to give each character a little something to do in their "real" lives. Erase each result as you use them, and replace them with others of your own creation. It should be up to the player whether to involve the other characters in his/her personal extracurricular activities or not.

PC Events: Ranger (d12)
1. Three rangers have recently come into town, in disguise. None of them has contacted you. Should you contact them to see what's afoot, or do you risk blowing their cover?
2. You hear talk in taverns that a mysterious fire in the nearby woods has uncovered a ruined shrine.
3. One of your fellow rangers has taken ill and asks you to patrol his stretch of wilderness until he recovers.
4. Some odd-looking fellows have been seen around town the last few days. Their description sounds to you like half-orcs may be spying!
5. When going through your equipment for regular cleaning and maintenance, you discover a white arrow you've never seen before! You're sure it wasn't there just a couple of days ago, and it is etched with letters in an ancient-looking language.
6. You've noticed some odd-looking trail signs over the last week or so. They are kind of like the ones your order normally uses, but a bit off.
7. In the last month, three local farmsteads have been burnt to the ground, and everyone is missing. What's going on here?
8. A friendly contact from the mercantile district has given you a book, purportedly a relic of the Lost Kingdom. The ancient dialect it is written in seems to bear this out. You can't wait to plumb its mysteries!
9. An old friend you trained with in your youth has gone missing, apparently while engaged in some personal mission or grudge.
10. A notorious criminal, who always seemed to evade justice through one technicality or another due to his link to a Noble House, has been discovered this morning hung in the town square. Who is the vigilante that did him in, and what repercussions do you risk by investigating further?
11. A strange, evil-looking, never-before-seen species of black flower has been sprouting in the woods recently, and along the edge of town. There is something unnatural about them...
12. A group of two dozen refugees, wounded and starving, has just arrived in town from a nearby village. What doom befell their lost home?

Up Next: The Thief

Last Time: The Paladin

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