D&D 5th Edition: Krull's Glaive

GLAIVE

Magic weapon (glaive), legendary (requires attunement)

• You gain a +3 on attack and damage rolls with this magic weapon, it is has the finesse quality, and it has a range of 30/120 feet.

• It deals an additional 5d8 damage against aberrations.

• It immediately returns to your hand after being thrown.

• Your attacks with the glaive score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

• You gain resistance to force and radiant damage and immunity to fire damage while attuned to it.

Sunless Citadel: The Gods [UPDATED]

For my Sunless Citadel campaign, I wanted to depart from the Forgotten Realms where I've been running for the last 4 years. I have no problem with the Realms and actually like much of it's flavor, but I've run a full campaign to Level 20 there and I'm currently running the "apprentices" to a different group of Level 20 characters that is based there.

I thought about Greyhawk, which I love, and if memory serves DnD 3.X used it as it's default, which the Sunless Citadel was designed for. But, I'm a bit rusty on Oerth and didn't want to get sidetracked with research.

So I settled on using elements of DnD 4E's Nentir Vale. I always liked the bits of it that I read about under 4E, even the Points of Light narrative. I'm not sure exactly how tied I am to the Vale, but I definitely decided to use it's Deities.

Tribality was kind enough to work out each the Vale God's Domains, which I'm reposting here (thank you, Shawn Ellsworth for doing the heavy lifting). One of the characters in my campaign, Lothar, is a Cleric of the Raven Queen. Additionally, a cleric of Pelor maintains a Shrine and a Holy Site and a cleric of Erathis is an advisor to the Mayor.

Good and Neutral Deities
Avandra (CG)
Goddess of change, luck, trade, travel

   Domain Trickery 

   Symbol Three stacked wavy lines

Bahamut (LG)
Dragon god of justice, protection, nobility, and honor  

   Domain Life, War 

   Symbol Dragon’s head in profile

Corellon (CG)
God of arcane magic, spring, beauty and the arts revered primarily by elves  

   Domain Light 

   Symbol Starburst

Erathis (LN)
Goddess of civilization and invention  

   Domain Knowledge 

   Symbol Upper half of a clockwork gear

Ioun (N)
Goddess of knowledge, skill, and prophecy revered primarily by scholars, magic-users 

   Domain Knowledge 

   Symbol Crook shaped like a stylized eye

Kord (CN)
God of the storm, strength and battle revered by warriors  

   Domain Tempest 

   Symbol Sword with a lightning bolt cross guard

Melora (N)
Goddess of the wilderness and the sea 

   Domain Nature, Tempest 

   Symbol Seashell with a wavelike swirl

Moradin (LG)
God of creation, artisans, family, revered primarily by dwarves   

   Domain Knowledge, War 

   Symbol Anvil

Pelor (NG)
God of the sun, summer, agriculture and time 

   Domain Life, Light 

   Symbol Circle with six outwardly radiating points

Sehanine (CG)
Goddess of trickery, love, moon and autumn revered by elves   

   Domain Trickery 

   Symbol Crescent moon

The Raven Queen (LN)
Goddess of death, fate, winter

   Domain Death, Life 

   Symbol Raven’s head in profile

Evil Deities
Asmodeus (LE)
King of the Nine Hells and god of power, domination and tyranny    

   Domain Trickery 

   Symbol Three triangles in tight formation

Bane (LE)
God of war and conquest 

   Domain War 

   Symbol Claw with three talons pointing down

Gruumsh (CE)
God of destruction revered by orcs

   Domain Tempest, War 

   Symbol Unblinking triangular eye with bony protrusions

Lolth (CE)
Goddess of shadows, lies, and spiders revered by the drow

   Domain Trickery 

   Symbol Eight-pointed star with a web motif; spider

Tharizdun (CE)
Creator of the Abyss and god of annihilation and madness

   Domain Trickery 

   Symbol Spiral

Ashardalon (LE)*
Dragon god of wealth, greed, and vengeance 

   Domain Trickery, War 

   Symbol Two red, fiery eyes

Torog (NE)
God of the Underdark and imprisonment 

   Domain Death 

   Symbol "T" attached to a circular shackle

Vecna (NE)
God of undead, necromancy, and secrets 

   Domain Death, Knowledge 

   Symbol Partially shattered one-eyed skull

Xardoz (LE)
God of vampires

   Domain Death, Grave

   Symbol Wolf with bat wings

Zehir (CE)
God of darkness, poison, and assassins

   Domain Death, Trickery

   Symbol Snake in the shape of a dagger

* In a previous campaign a conspiracy of Chromatic Dragons, tired of Tiamat's failures, murdered her in the Abyss as part of a ritual to resurrect her brother, Vorel -- the Tarrasque. After Vorel's destruction, Ashardalon boldly grabbed her domain and portfolio.

FATE Accelerated: Troll

The average troll stands nine feet high and weighs roughly 500 pounds, though females tend to be a bit larger than males. The hide of trolls is rubbery, and usually either moss green, putrid grey, or mottled gray and green. Their coarse hair is typically iron grey, or greenish-black. They walk with an uneven gait, and their arms dangle and drag the ground when running. Despite this apparent awkwardness, trolls are quite agile.

Trolls are infamous for their regenerative abilities, able to recover from the most grievous of wounds or regenerate entire limbs given time. Severing a troll's head results merely in temporary incapacitation, rather than death. After cutting off a troll's head or other limbs, one must seal the wounds with fire to prevent regeneration. Because of this, most adventurers will typically carry some sort of implement capable of creating fire.

TROLL For FATE Accelerated

Troll, Regenerating Predator

Skilled (+2) at: Smelling, Stalking
Bad (-2) at: Dealing with Fire, Listening
Stunt: Regenerate: Once per turn, a troll may remove a Mild Consequence.
Regrow limbs: If a troll is injured but fire isn't used on the wound to halt their regeneration, it will regrow a new limb each day.
Stress: [ ] [ ]
            (2) Mild Consequence

Sunless Citadel: Chapter 1

Tonight I launched a DnD 5E campaign using the Sunless Citadel as found in the Tales From the Yawning Portal. I did something I haven't done since 2nd Edition, the player only rolled 3d6 to assign to their Ability scores.

The Characters
Willen of Toth, Half-Elf Hunter Ranger (Revised)
Frances, 650 year old Wood Elf Drunken Master Monk
Lothar Stoneguard, Hill Dwarf Life Cleric of the Raven Queen
Ander Brightweed, Human Loremaster Wizard

The Setting
Oakhurst, about 4 days ride south of New Turath, a village of 900 preparing for the Summer Solstice.

Why They Are Here
Willen is in the village to learn more about the Pathfinder Society (yes, I stole this) and has a meeting schedule with Venture Captain
(Male Human Eldritch Knight Fighter 4).

Frances, is a drunken wanderer, who has decided to remain in the are for the coming Solstice. He has heard that in each of the last 5 years, the owner of Oakhurst's Old Boar Inn, Gavon Pilsner has won the auction for the Guthas Tree's Red Apple that is auctioned off by local Goblins. The Hard Cider he brews from the Red Apple has become renown and the monk is keen to give it a try.

Lothar has been sent from nearby Ironheart to investigate the whereabouts of Utgard Heartsilver, the grandson of his Jarl.

Ander is on a mission for his Patron, Ivers Kant, to retrieve a rare book known as the Palladium from Maggia Melune, who owns The Bookery in Oakhurst. However, Maggia has a sick sister and won't return for several days, forcing Ander to wait for her.

What's Up
Close to 100 visitiors have already arrived in preparation for the Summer Solstice and the Red Apple auction.

While eating at a crowded Iron Wheel Public House for lunch, the characters are forced to sit together and also meet Gemmel and Dardin Du'Cain, 2 tiefling brothers. Dardin, a talkative sort, gets the conversation flowing and after learning about Willen's hopes for the Pathfinder Society,points out Venture Captain Van Zandt sitting alone nearby. Frances manages an introduction and Van Zandt boorishly invites everyone to a meet up that evening where he teases big opportunity.

Meanwhile, a disheveled halfling named Howard Whipperwhill identifies himself as a worshipper of the Raven Queen to Lothar and asks for the cleric to perform funeral rites on his sister, Enid.
Ander and Frances follow the dwarf to the Whipperwhill home. While performing his rites, Lothar observes that Enid's corpse has swollen, yellow glands on her neck and brown pustules on her fingers. Looking over the rest of the family, the cleric sees an older male halfling and a female halfling bearing signs of infection. Concerned, Lothar and the others head over to the Shrine of Pelor, maintained by Corkie and after consulting with her, both are sure it is Yellow Plague. Lothar accompanies two of Corkie's acolytes, Ivan and Drago to relocate the family just outside the village, at a holy place known as the Somberhope, for treatment. Hedra "Heddie" Sunspinner (Female Half-Elf Light Cleric 2) is the caretaker of Somberhope and immediately begins treating the Whipperwhills. Soon, Corkie arrives and thanks Lothar, Frances, and Ander for their aid and tells them they are investigating the Whipperwhill home and the neighborhood for signs of futher Plague.

As they return to the village, Lothar and Frances head to join Willen at the Pathfinder Society meet-up, while Ander, exhausted from the day, sits on the stoop of The Bookery. After nearly half an hour, a beautiful young woman nearly trips over him exiting the store. She reveals herelf to be Nadia Norn, Maggia's assistant who is watching the store while her boss is away. Nadia is on her way to the Pathfinder Society meet-up, as well, and drags Ander with her.

The Twist
Venture Captain Garland Van Zandt quickly introduced himself at the meet-up and informed everyone that a contest would allow the winners admission into the famed Pathfinder Society. Kerowyn Hucrete, a local noble, has not seen her niece or nephew in a month, since the two joined an expedition to the nearby Sunless Citadel. The first group of applicants to find them or their signet wrings and return them to Hucrete would win apprenticeship in the Society, as well as a hefty amount of gold. Van Zandt then divided the applicants up into 3 teams and announced the contest had started.

Lothar, Willen, Frances, and Ander ended up being teamed together and Willen wanted to set off immediately, even though night had fallen. By midnight they found themselves at the ravine that the Citadel resided in, so they found a nearby copse of trees to camp in.
Morning came without incident and the group found their way across the ravine and down into it, where they were viciously attacked by giant, aggressive rats. The rats proved to be easy foes and the group made it's way down the rough hewn steps toward the Sunless Citadel, itself. Lothar noted architectural features that led him to believe dwarvish slaves were used in it's construction and Frances recalled a story of the Citadel being used by a hobgoblin warlord named Drogar Nightbane, long ago. The drunkard monk also recalled a meeting with an odd fellow named Belek over a decade ago, who claimed to be searching for the place.

Pathfinder: Svetocher

Svetocher CR 1XP 400CE Humanoid (svetocher)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +7

DEFENSEAC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 natural)
HP 13 (2d10+2)
Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +1 (+2 vs. disease and mind-affecting effects)
Defensive Abilities negative energy affinity, resist level drain
Weakness light sensitivity

OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)
Melee bite +5 (1d6+1) and 2 claws +5 (1d6+1)

STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 9
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 14
Feats Blood Feast, Improved Initiative
Skills Fly +7, Intimidate +3, Perception +3
Languages Common

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Resist Level Drain (Ex)
A svetocher takes no penalties from energy draining effects, though he can still be killed if he accrues more negative levels then he has Hit Dice. After 24 hours, any negative levels a svetocher takes are removed without the need for an additional saving throw.

ECOLOGY
Environment any land
Organization solitary, or court (2–5 and 1 vampire)
Treasure standard

Svetochers are the less common offspring of vampires and humans. These monsters typically enter the world by by ripping their way out of their mother's womb and typically spend their lives stalking their homeland. Although not driven to consume blood for survival as their undead progenitors are, svetochers nonetheless know a lifelong desire for blood that nothing else can truly sate. Svetochers are far more beast than human and are solitary in nature, only working together under the control of a vampire. Although polluted by undeath, svetochers do grow old and die, aging at a rate similar to half-elves.

FATE: Blastoise

BLASTOISE For FATE Accelerated

Pokemon, Water Type

Skilled (+2) at: Shooting, Tackling
Bad (-2) at: Fighting Fire Types, Hiding
Stunt: Tail Whip: On a successful close attack, a Blastoise can create an obstacle.
Stress: [ ] [ ] [ ]
            (2) Mild Consequence

Flashback Friday: Phlan's Leviathan for the Forgotten Realms and D&D 5th Edition

Phlan has been destroyed and rebuilt dozens of times in its long history, which has created haphazard catacombs below it.

However, when Abeir returned to Toril over a century ago, those tunnels were replaced by the ones found below the dragonborn city of Zolgotha.  Weirdly, when Abeir and Toril were finally freed of each other during the Sundering, the Zolgothan tunnels did not return..

Today, those catacombs below Phlan are known as Leviathan by those who use the network of tunnels just below the city's streets. Rumors insist that only the truly foolish would brave those darkened passages of peril and pain.  Leviathan is filled with monstrous creatures and wicked defenses that have protected most of it's secrets for over a century.

However, in the last year, the catacombs has been invaded by the Cult of the Dragon, hoping to find treasure and weapons in their newfound goal of freeing the Mother of Dragons, Tiamat.

There are even rumors that the Harpers have have lost agents in the bowels of Leviathan, in their mysterious duties.

The monstrosity that resides below Phlan is a lasting and deadly menace, and a reminder to the misfortunes of magic gone awry.

A to Z 2017 Blogging Challenge Theme Reveal #AtZChallenge

This is a few days late and I apologize.

This will be the fifth year I participate in the A to Z Blogging Challenge.

This year I will doing the A to Z of Hexcrawling.

That's right, in the month of April, I will create a 26 part Hexcrawl for my wonderful readers.

I hope you find time to check it out!

#AtZChallenge

D&D 5th Edition: Fast Zombie

FAST ZOMBIE
Medium undead, neutral evil
________________________________________________

Armor Class 12
Hit Points 18 (4d8 + 4) 

Speed 35 ft.
________________________________________________

   Str            Dex         Con           Int         Wis         Cha
16 (+3)        14 (+2)        13 (+1)        5 (-3)      9 (-1)      5 (-3)

________________________________________________

Saving Throws Wis +1
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poison

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9

Languages --
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

________________________________________________________________________

Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.

________________________________________________________________________

ACTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 

Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain in this way rises as a fast zombie in 1d10 rounds.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 

Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.

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5E Modern: Gunslinger Sub-Class for D&D 5th Edition

The inspiration for the Gunslinger is the Advanced Class from D20 Modern. Feedback is welcome.



GUNSLINGER MARTIAL ARCHETYPE for the Fighter

Gunhawk (3rd level)
You are a master of modern firearms. You gain proficiency with all modern martial range weapons and Gunsmithing tools.
   In addition, if you may use a modern automatic pistol or revolver in your off-hand and gain your Dexterity modifier to the damage roll.
   Finally, being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls with modern firearms.

Rain of Bullets (7th level)
You are a haze of bullets. When you use your Action Surge, you gain advantage with your ranged attack rolls with firearms.

Sharp Shooting (10th level)
You are a crack shot. Your firearm damage die increases by one size.


Bullseye (14th level)
You are an angel of death. When you hit a creature with a ranged attack with a firearm you deal an extra 7d8 damage. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest. 

Lightning Shot (18th level)
You are the fastest of the fast. If you do not take a move action, you may use your reaction to make a ranged attack with a firearm.

Silent Legions: Giant Albino Penguin

GIANT ALBINO PENGUIN for Silent Legions

AC: 4
HD: 7
Atks: Smash x2 +5
Skill: +2
Special: Hulking
Move: 20'
Morale: 8
Dmg: 1d12 x2
Madness: 1d6
Save: 16+

They stand six-feet-tall, making them larger than even the Emperor Penguin. The modern Albino Penguins discovered by Dyer and Danforth in their expedition to Antararctia are concluded through sculptures to be descendants of archaic penguins bred by the Elder Things. When Antarctica became glaciated, the penguins retreated to a heated underground abyss, although years of evolution in these depths "destroyed their pigmentation and atrophied their eyes to mere useless slits."

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D&D 5th Edition: Riding Frogs

Wild elves near the Lotus Marsh have ridden frogs for centuries. Almost a decade ago a half-elf trainer, named Rigel Somberweed, was hired by Baron Engulf to raise them and train them. The Baron successfully used them in battle against the Yellowscale orcs near Yawning Swamp. After the campaign gained success, riding frogs fell into favor.

RIDING FROG
Large beast, unaligned
________________________________________________

Armor Class 12
Hit Points 14 (2d10 + 3) 

Speed 60 ft.; swim 60 ft.
________________________________________________

   Str            Dex         Con           Int         Wis         Cha
15 (+2)        14 (+2)        13 (+1)        2 (-4)      13 (+1)      5 (-3)

________________________________________________

Skills Athletics + 4, Pereption +3

Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 13

Languages --
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

________________________________________________________________________

Amphibious. The frog can breathe air and water.
Standing Leap. The frog's long jump is up to 20 feet and its high jump is up to 10 feet, with or without a running start.

________________________________________________________________________

ACTIONS

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 

Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 12). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the riding frog can't bite another target.

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D&D 5th Edition: Tizona

TIZONA

Magic weapon (sword), legendary (requires attunement)

• You gain a +3 on attack and damage rolls with this magic sword. If you have levels in the ranger class, you gain an additional +2 on attack and damage rolls against your favored enemies.

• If a favored enemy hits you with a melee attack roll, you may use your reaction to immediately attack them.

• The area within 10 feet of you is considered difficult terrain for enemies.

Side Quest: The Cave

The Set-Up
The characters are traveling through a valley on the way to their destination when a raging storm drives them to find shelter in a nearby cave.

The Setting
The cave is dry and clean and about 60 feet in is a large rock to the left. Behind the rock is a cache of valuables (paintings, busts, jewels, etc [worth 230 gold],  a stockpile of weapons [swords, maces, shields, spears, crossbows], and 4 weeks rations of food and water for 4 people.

The cave is 200 feet deep and is about 15 feet wide at the opening and 40 feet wide at the back. Their is a magical glyph on the far back wall, painted in white chalk.

Succeeding on  a  DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check, a character recognizes it as conjuration magic, but find it's symbology to be slightly alien.


The storm lasts for 9 hours.

The Twist
After 2 to 3 hours, the portal at the far wall opens and three Thri-Keen step through in a great rush, the portal closes after 12 seconds.

Jubal (Male, reddish brown carapace, left antenna is broken, stands 5'6" tall). He is the first through and he shouts to his two comrades to warn them of the intruders. He has the Magic Initiate feat and speaks Thri-Keen, Draconic, Elven, Undercommon.

Ista (Female, dark blue carapace, she is wearing a metal lens over her right eye, stands 6'2" tall). She is wielding 2 longswords that she uses in place of her claws. Her lens is a magic item that allows her to add twice her Dexterity modifier to Initiative checks. She has advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) and (Persuasion) checks and the Inspiring Leader feat. She speaks Thri-Keen, Common, and Dwarven.

Malia (Female, yellow-green carapace, missing her secondary right hand, she seems distraught and keeps saying "Ega" over and over, stands 6'5" tall). She wields a great axe and has the Savage Attacker feat. She only speaks Thri-Keen.

Ista demands to know if Gog Zuker sent them. She says that the bounty on their heads isn't worth dying over and warns them to retreat from the cave at once. 
   If the characters remain calm and communicate, they learn that the group of Thri-Keen are rebels on their world (an alternate Prime they call Teara) and are fighting against the corrupt rule of the Gogs, hobgoblins who control a series of authoritarian City-States. They acquired a magic chalk that allows them to create portals to this cave and use it to steal weapons and valuables to aid their rebellion. They were in a tough fight before escaping and lost one of their band, a thri-keen named Ega and Malia's mate. They are not willing to share their cache or give up the cave under any circumstances, but will allow the characters to wait out the storm before leaving. 
   If a cleric or a paladin is in the party, and is part of the communications they will learn from Jubal that the gods were killed by the Gogs two millenia ago. Jubal is very curious about their religion and will take notes on what he learns.
   If there is a warlock in the party, and is part of the communications they will learn from Jubal that the Gogs are warlocks who serve a fiendish patron named Thur Zomm.

If a fight occurs, and things are looking badly for the thri-keen, they will retreat with the chalk (it's an action for Jubal to open the portal) and the portal will remain open for 2 rounds.

D&D 5th Edition: Demon Bear

A demon bear is a horrific and determined enemy that targets and hunts mystics. Once on it's prey's trail, it is a difficult opponent to defeat.

DEMON BEAR
HUGE fiend (demon), chaotic evil
________________________________________________

Armor Class 14
Hit Points 86 (8d12 + 32) 

Speed 30 ft.
________________________________________________

   Str            Dex         Con           Int         Wis         Cha
20 (+5)        10 (+0)        18 (+4)        15 (+2)      16 (+3)      11 (+0)

________________________________________________

Skills Perception + 6, Survival +6
Damage Resistances cold, necrotic, poison, psychic, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16

Languages Abyssal, Common
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

________________________________________________________________________

Sense Psionics. The demon bear can sense any humanoid with psi points and it's location within 5 square miles.

________________________________________________________________________

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The demon bear makes two attacks with its claws.

Claws. Melee Attack: +8 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. 
Hit: 16 (2d10+5) slashing damage. 

Corrupting Rake (Recharge 5-6). A creature within 15 feet must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save the demon bear takes total and precise control of the target. Until the end of the creature's next turn, the creature takes only the actions the demon bear chooses, and doesn’t do anything that the demon bear doesn't allow it to do. During this time the creature can use a reaction, as well. On a successful save, the creature takes 5 (1d10) necrotic damage and it's hit point maximum us reduced by the same amount. The creatures dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain in in this way is raised as a zombie at the beginning of it's next turn.


Teleport. The demon bear magically teleports up to 120 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.

 

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D&D 5th Edition: Specialty Priests of Thor

THOR
THUNDERSTONE

Prerequisite: Cleric with the Tempest or War Divine Domain.

You are dedicated to the Thor, the God of Thunder.

Thanks to your devotion, you gain the following benefits:

• When you wield a warhammer it deals thunder damage.

• You have resistance to lightning and thunder damage.

• You have advantage on Athletics skill checks.

• An an action, you can recover one level of exhaustion. 

Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

• Your divine strikes deal an extra 1d10 damage, instead of 1d8 and at 14th level this increases to 2d10, instead of 2d8.

D&D In Space: Soul Gem for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition

SOUL GEM
Wondrous Item, Legendary

You gain the following benefits while possessing the gem:

• As an action, you gain advantage on any Skill or Tool roll.

• You automatically succeed on any Charisma saving throws.

• You invoke a soul blasting attack. A creature within 15 feet must succeed on a DC 18 Charisma saving throw or take 4d12 radiant damage. If the creature rolls a 1 on their saving throw, the Soul Gem steals their soul and the creature dies.

• You gain resistance to radiant damage.

• 4 / day you may cast Dominate Beast.

• 3 / day you may cast Dominate Monster.

• 3 / day you may cast Dominate Person.

If you like this magic item, consider checking out my products on the DMsGuld.com

  

Review: Fantasy AGE Bestiary

Fantasy AGE and Green Ronin's Adventure Game Engine as a whole, has been one of my favorites since it launched with Dragon Age.

The Fantasy AGE Bestiary is a welcome edition to the line. It's beautifully illustrated and very appealing to the eye.

Full disclosure I was given a PDF for review purposes.

Section 1 discusses the book and it's contents and gives guidelines for upgrading an adversary to Elite, Heroic, or Epic in strength. The upgrade guidelines are each about a paragraph and straightforward to enact.

Section 2 covers 67 antagonists and their variants. Each creature is given an illustraion and a minimum of two pages, which covers their folklore, they type of antagonist they are, several adventure hooks, their stat blocks and what level of Threat they are.  The folklore draws from cultures all over the world and I truly appreciate that. And the adventure hooks could easily provide for a night's adventure.
   I want to reiterate that the art for each creature and the layout are top-notch.
   Creatures range from chimera, formoiri, morlocks, mothmen, shadow people, thin men, trolls, and weresaurs (werevelociraptors).

 Section 3 covers more mundane beasts of all kinds, 18 in all. This where you find swarms of bats, dogs, and giant squid. No illustrations are presented, and I didn't find them necessary. 

Section 4 opens with an in-depth examination of modifying monsters and presents 35 special qualities that can be applied to any antagonist. These things like Berserker, Blending, Eldritch, Magic Resistance, Pack Advantage, Shifting, Sunblighted,  and Winged.
   Next up are guidelines for combining special qualities to form specific templates to apply to antagonists and an example, the "mad machine" template is provided.
   After this is a discussion of borrowing other creature's special abilities as qualities for other antagonists.
   It follows with a discussion on using Talents and Focuses for further customization.
  A side-bar on the collateral damage from large, powerful menaces presented within the Bestiary.
  A brief discussion on having antagonists use magic items for the player's to find as loot as a common trope of the genre. It does discuss how, if possible, the antagonist could easily wield the item against the players.
  Next is a discussion in simply reskinning monsters for your needs and with all the tools presented in this section, when combined with the rest of the book, have easy and useful tools to create numerous enemies with a minimum of time.

Pros Green Ronin makes great books and if your a fan of the AGE system, the book is indispensable. The presentation and tone of the Bestiary reminds of a worth successor to the Old World Bestiary, that members of the company designed for Warhammer Fantasy 2nd Edition for Black Industries. Which, for me, is high praise.

Cons if you don't play the AGE system, it's got some great inspiration but would require some work.

My Advice buy this book if you enjoy the Adventure Game Engine.

Side Quest: Kroft, A Fantasy Village

I'm trying something new, a roughly sketched outline for an adventure. Something very much like Knights of the Dinner Table's Hook, Line, and Sinker.


The Set-Up
The characters are moving down the road, surrounded by flourishing farms and nearing a quaint village, when the scent of food (specifically ham or bacon) nearly overwhelms them. 

The Setting
The village of Kroft is comprised of:

The Iron Nail, an Inn owned by the Widow Seera Glenn (31, always wears a scarf that covers her hair). She runs it with her children Curt (15, has a blue and green eye ), Nigel (13, his nose is always running), Robb (11, flaming red hair), Neena (11, dresses like a boy), Tanith (9, bright orange hair), Myron (7, thick spectacles), Moses (5, crazy, unkempt curly hair), Irena (3, stares judgmentally at one of the characters specifically whenever she is in the room with them), and Clem (1, is always smiling) and her brother-in-law, Aron (21, he has a stutter). There is a heavy and strange looking "nail" over the outside of the front door. Only Myron will talk about, saying that fey haunt the entire region and their Mother believes that they cursed their Father (he will not utter his Father's name for any reason, nor will the rest of the family).

Erick's, a feed store that also serves as Kroft's general store. It is run by Kearn Erickson (4th level Champion Fighter, 39, his hair is white and he has a northern accent, he will admit to being a former adventurer  if pressed, who returned home several years ago to retire and take over his father's business; if pressed he brushes over any details about his father). His wife, Madrid (Half-Elf, 22, with eyes the color of almonds and long, golden-blond hair down to her butt), helps run the store part of the time, but focuses on their newborn son, Kotton (6 months, he's deaf, which Madrid accepts, but Kearn refuses to).

The Sterling Note, is owned by Albus Sterling (47, he has a large goiter) and is a well-renowned maker of tonewood instruments he finds in the surrounding forests. He has an apprentice, Yggrette Huren (35, has a prosthetic left hand, has a raunchy sense of humor) and her son, Edgar (15, tall and handsome, but is very protective of his Mother and Albus and can play all of the instruments they make), who has taken over finding the tonewood Albus needs for each project. 
   Albus has a local Baroness, Desdemona von Brom, as a patron and his creations are extremely popular throughout the region. His shop's location in Kroft is the village's primary reason for being on the local trade route.

The Green Place, is a two-story building maintained by Licorice Vernon (3rd level Oath of the Ancients Paladin, 28, dark complexion, large brown eyes, a western accent, she curses in Elven and has no love for Albus Sterling or his patron, but she has a soft spot for Edgar). The first floor is a shrine to Aja, Goddess of the forest, animals, and healers. While the villagers are not necessarily faithful to Aja, they gather here once a week at dawn and dusk due to their fears of the fey in the surrounding forests.
   The second floor is her workspace as a healer, midwife, herbalist, and soothsayer and has a separate entrance in the back of the building.

There are half-a dozen homes (the Von Diehls, Carruthers, Watsons, Brightflames, Whellings, and Jollywalks) in the village proper, as well as four farms (raising crops, cattle, hogs, goats, and chickens) surrounding it for a few miles.

The Twist
Kroft is a literal ghost town. Two summers ago, Howling May (A Green Hag, she refers to everyone as "my child", her eyes burn with orange fire, and her teeth are broken) and her Coven descending onto the village and surrounding farms, murdering it's denizens in a single night and cursing them due to Edgar ignoring Albus' warnings about not selecting tonewoods in certain areas of the forests (he didn't choose to elaborate on a pact he had made with the local fey).

Early indications that things are not quite right will be animals behaving strangel (birds flying into a building, a chicken mooing like a cow), but the longer the characters are in the village things will escalate (exchanges with villagers replaying [deja vu], villagers looking dead out of the corner of a character's eye, cries of pain and hideous laughter in the dead of night. 

If the characters confront any of the above villagers, they will look confused and then begin calling for Licorice. If they characters confront Licorice, she will appear to wake from a stupor and be overwhelmed with grief. She will tell them the whole story and recount Howling May's rampage. Finally, she will ask for their help in freeing the villagers from the curse and move onto what lies next.
   If the characters agree to help her, she will tell them to meet her at an ancient well in the nearby forest at midnight.  When they arrive she will ask them to join her in a ritual, where Licorice will reveal herself as Howling May and have a surprise round to attack them (possibly joined by a satyr and two brown bears). If the group defeats Howling May, they witness the area transform into an abandoned village and unkept farms. Licorice will step out of the well and reveal a secret cache of treasure in the second floor of The Green Place (a ring that grants darkvision, a silver longsword, 35 gold). 
  Finally, an lonely, hermit will approach the characters. He will introduce himself as Erwin Glenn (36, unkept hair and beard with streaks of white, haunted look in his eye) and he was away from Kroft, delivering an instrument to Baroness von Brom for Albus when the Howling May attacked. His red eyes and tear streaked face reveal his deep sorrow, but he thanks the characters for freeing his family from their curse.

D&D In Space: Gorignak for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition

These creatures are extremely violent, and are angered greatly by vibrations in the ground and sounds, sometimes sending it into a rampage. The creature seems at least partially sapient.

GORIGNAK
Large elemental, neutral
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Armor Class 14
Hit Points 66 (7d10 + 28) 

Speed 30 ft.
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   Str            Dex         Con           Int         Wis         Cha
18 (+4)        9 (-1)        18 (+4)        9 (-1)      13 (+1)      7 (-2)

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Damage Vulnerabilities thunder
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities petrified, poisoned
Senses passive Perception 11

Languages Terran
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

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ACTIONS

Slam. Melee Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. 
Hit: 11 (2d6+4) blugeoning damage. 

Sweep (Recharge 5-6). Each creature in a 10-foot cone must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 3d6 bludgeoning damage on a failed save.

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D&D In Space: Half-Dragon Race for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition

I really enjoyed Fantasy Flight Games' DragonStar for DnD 3.X. I decided to adapt their Half-Dragons for 5th Edition.

In an Empire ruled by Dragons, half-dragons are their spoiled offspring. Nobles, who have no chance at ever ruling.

Half-Dragon Traits

Your Half-Dragon character has certain traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 3.

Age. You mature at the same rate as humans.

Alignment.  You are often lawful. 

Size. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision. Accustomed to dark places, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Resilient. Your hit point maximum increases by 1 and you gain 1 additional hit point each level.

Breath Weapon. Choose a damage type: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. You may breathe at one target within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d6 damage of the appropriate type. Their saving throw DC is equal to 8 + your Dexterity Modifier + your Proficiency bonus.
   Your breath weapon's damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).

Natural Armor. Your base Armor Class is 12.

Languages. You can speak, read, and two languages of your choice.