Sunday, June 4, 2023

Clerical Work: the Gods of Conan part 1


I recently picked up Modiphius' Conan Bundle and was reading through the Nameless Cults and thinking about using the deities presented it for a Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition campaign. I figure I'll work a few up each post.


Adonis

Alignment: Neutral Good

Domains: Life, Nature


Anu

Alignment: Neutral

Domains: Knowledge


Bel

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Domains: Trickery


Bori

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Domains: Order, War

Sunday, May 21, 2023

Magic Item Monday: Helm of the Vanguard for Dragonbane

 



Helm of the Vanguard for Dragonbane

Amor Rating: +2

Cost: --

Supply: --


When you take damage, as a Free Action, you may reduce your Willpower instead of your Hit Points. You may not do so again until the beginning of your next turn.

Monday, May 8, 2023

Monster Monday: Man-Serpent for Dragonbane




Man-Serpent for Dragonbane

Ferocity: 2 Size: Large

Movement: 12 Armor: 3

HP: 25

Typical Gear:


Monster Attacks

D6 Attack

1 Crown of Vipers!  

It darts at its victim and the

tiny serpents atop its brow 

sink their fangs into their foe. 

The attack inflicts 4d4 piecing damage and if any damage 

gets through the victim’s 

armor they gain the 

Sickly condition.


2 Tail Lash!

The monster’s tail lashes 

        out toward a victim to smash 

them. The attack targets a 

creature within 10m 

        and inflicts 2d8 bludgeoning 

damage and if the victim fails 

a Strength check they are 

Toppled.


3 Constrict!

Its coils wrap tight around its 

victim and squeezes. The 

attack inflicts 2d10 

bludgeoning damage and the 

target is Grappled if they fail a 

Strength check with a Bane.


4 Mesmerize!

Its yellow eyes beckon you to 

look at it’s forked tongue’s 

rhythmic pattern. The victim 

must make a Willpower check 

and if they fail they are Dazed 

until the beginning of the 

man-serpent’s next turn.


5 Bite!

The man-serpent bites at it’s 

prey. The victim takes 2d6

piercing damage.


6 Smash!

It uses its size and bulk to 

attack it’s prey. The victim 

takes 2d8 bludgeoning 

damage and rerolls any 1 or 2 

        but must use the next roll 

even if it is another 1 or 2.


Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Back In the OSR: Ziggurnaut for Old School Essentials


Ziggurnaut for Old School Essentials


Huge engines of conquest used as the advanced guard to invade for the Mage-Priests of Non Ek. Ancient and powerful ritual magic transfers a decorated soldier's consciousness into a ziggurnaut and it is considered a great honor to be chosen for this role. The families of those chosen are given land and title for their loved one’s dedication.


AC 9 [10], HD 12+3 (57hp) Att 4 x cannonball (2d8),THAC0 10 [+9], MV 360' (120’),SV D6 W7 P8 B8 S10, ML 10, AL Lawful, XP 1,900, NA 1 (1), TT G


Crush: The ziggurat will attempt to crush any foes within melee range. The targets must succeed on a Breath Attack Saving throw or take 3d10 damage.


Cannons (4): Up to 120’.


Transferred Consciousness: All ziggurnauts are experienced veteran officers who have been decorated for their actions before earning the rank.


Monday, May 1, 2023

Monster Monday: Simian Imperials for Dragonbane

Dragonbane is the kind of RPG I've been looking forward to for a long time. It's based off of Chaosium's RuneQuest/Basic Role Play but uses a d20 like Pendragon. Professions help you pick your skills as a beginning character but after that you improve Skill through play. Also, its spells are closer to DnD than RQ and it has a cool mechanic where you spend Willpower for spells as well as heroic abilities. I really can't recommend it enough.

I've been brainstorming a setting where the enemies are the Simian Empire and I decided to work up some ideas for antagonists.

If you want a PDF you can download it here.




                Gorilla Soldier

Movement: 10 Damage Bonus: Str+d6

Typical Armor: Hide (3) HP: 14

Skills: Acrobatics 12, Awareness 11, Evade 9,

Riding 14

Abilities: Lightning Fast

Typical Weapons: Heavy Crossbow (skill level 12, 

damage 2d8), Scimitar (skill level 11, damage 2d6)



      Orangutan Psyker

Movement: 10 Damage Bonus: Str+d4

Typical Armor: Leather (1)   HP: 10 WP: 12

Skills: Acrobatics 10, Beast Lore 12, Evade 7,

Mentalism, 14, Myths and Legends 13, Riding 12

Spells: Farsight, Power Fist, Scrying, Telepathy

Typical Weapons: Club (skill level 10, damage 1d8)

Hand Crossbow (skill level 11, damage 2d6)



  Chimpanzee Scout

Movement: 12 Damage Bonus: Agl+d4

Typical Armor: Leather (1)   HP: 10 WP: 10

Skills: Acrobatics 13, Evade 10, Riding 12

Abilities: Backstabbing, Catlike

Typical Weapons: Short Sword (skill level 12, 

damage 1d10), Hand Crossbow (skill level 13, 

damage 2d6)

Monday, April 24, 2023

Manitou Monday: Dobson Family SideQuest for Deadlands the Weird West & Savage Worlds



A PDF of this SideQuest is available here.

Outside the city of Denver is a small, family cemetery hidden amongst the woods of a blue spruce forest. No one remembers the Dobson family in the area if asked, but they will lose every ounce of friendliness if outsiders are foolish enough to inquire about the tomb or any other strange things in the area. Only, Bringham Polk, a drunk trapper who lives closest to the cemetery is willing to open up about the place and only if some booze is made readily available to him. 


After his third or fourth whiskey Brig, as his Ma called him, will tell you about the strange screeches that can be heard several nights a month around the boneyard, the death of livestock of all kinds throughout the year, and those nights when the Moon is nowhere to be seen and not quite human things that knock on his windows, rattle his locked doors, climb upon his roof, and try to crawl down his chimney. By the time Brig gets around to this last bit the man is terrified and heads over to the Sherif’s office to dry out in a cell. Coincidentally, there is no Moon that night.


When its found the vines, creepers,  and roots of the forest seem to shy away from the ominous stone building and here are several things about it that are off-putting. First, the doorway is just a tad to narrow and short for most people and no one can read the bone white letters of some strange language that spells out “VKTUURM circa 2241” etched above the door.


There is a single coffin on a stone slab within the tomb and it uncovered and empty with the lid missing completely. Covered in a heavy layer of dust is a golden necklace with a long attached. On a successful Common Knowledge check the observers believes it is a human tooth. 


Each corner of the interior features a gargoyle crouched and ready to strike and a successful Occult check reveals them to be examples of Ghuls from Middle-Eastern folklore.


A successful Notice check finds a narrow hidden door in the far left corner leading down. Posse members with the Brawny edge are too large to enter the door.

A worn set of hand holds takes the Posse down about 30’ before opening into a large chamber and utter darkness. Using a torch or other light source reveals a dirt floor and scattered bones of all kinds. A terrible stink pervades the whole area and is a mixture of a heavy musk and feces. A Notice check reveals 2 Dobson Family Ghuls almost completely buried in the walls of this chamber and breathing very shallowly. A roll of 1 on the Notice trait die awakens both Ghuls who attack and screech for the rest of their nest. If the Ghuls are not awakened then Posse members have The Drop on them.


Dobson Family Ghul

Parry 7 | Tough 7 | Pace 6 (d6)

Ag d10, Sm d4, Sp d6, St d8, Vi d10 | 

Athletics d10 | Fighting d10 (d8+d4)

Notice d8 | Stealth d8 | Survival d10 | 

Edges Arcane Resistance, Beast Bond, 

Calculating, Free Runner, Grit, 

Special Abilities Burrow, Fear (Those who see them must make a Fear Check), Low-Light Vision (No penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination), Weakness: Light (-2 to all Trait Rolls in light brighter than a torch)

A narrow tunnel opens up to the left and after about 30’ splits to the right and left.

Taking the right-hand tunnel leads to another chamber that is barely large enough to hold the entire Posse and has scattered piles of various items and includes 1 dagger, 1 Colt Peacemaker, 1 calvary saber, 4 children’s toys, and $40. Another Notice check reveals 2 adult Ghuls and 3 Ghoul children. Once again, a 1 on the Notice die awakens the creatures and sleeping Ghuls gives the Posse The Drop.


If the left-hand tunnel is selected it is 50’ long and opens into the smallest chamber yet. There is enough room for 2 Posse members at most and a woman with wild and long silver hair, naked and her belly swollen with child, lies in the center of the floor with her left arm buried in the dirt up to her elbow. Both Mother Dobson and her mate, whose hand she is holding and who is lying buried beneath her, Father Dobson can be awoken just like the other Ghuls and if they are asleep the Posse has The Drop on them.


Father Dobson Ghul

Parry 7 | Tough 7 | Pace 6 (d6)

Ag d10, Sm d4, Sp d8, St d10, Vi d10 | 

Athletics d10 | Fighting d10 (d10+d4)

Notice d8 | Stealth d8 | Survival d10 | 

Edges Arcane Resistance, Beast Bond, 

Calculating, Free Runner, Grit, 

Special Abilities Burrow, Fear (Those who see them must make a Fear Check), Low-Light Vision (No penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination), Weakness: Light (-2 to all Trait Rolls in light brighter than a torch)


Mother Dobson

Wild Card

Parry 6 | Tough 6 | Pace 6 (d6)

Ag d8, Sm d8, Sp d10, St d6, Vi d8 | 

Athletics d8 | Fighting d8 (d6+d4)

Notice d8 | Stealth d8 | Survival d10 | 

Edges Brawler, Command Presence, Ferver, Improved Beast Bond, Master Tactician

Special Abilities Burrow, Low-Light Vision (No penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination)


Within this chamber is the Dobson Family Bible with a letter from Lilith Whately congratulating her niece, Pandora, on her engagement to Ibraham Dobson. There is an old and weathered  copy of the dreaded Liber Des Goules which contains a cypher for the language used on the outside of the tomb known as Enoy and a written history of the Dobson clan here in the U.S.



Clerical Work: the Gods of Conan part 1

I recently picked up Modiphius' Conan Bundle and was reading through the Nameless Cults and thinking about using the deities presented i...