Halloween Treat: Witchfinder Major Exeter Ambergris IX for Lamentations of the Flame Princess

Witchfinder Major Exeter Ambergris IX for Lamentations of the Flame Princess

Armor 15, Movement 35’, 6 Hit Die, three attacks with blade 1d8+2 or pistol 1d8, Morale 11, Search 5, Sneak Attack 3, Stealth 4.

Exeter Ambergris IX is the latest in a long line of Southern nobility to serve as a Witchfinder for the Ivory Church of Her Law and is only months away from his twentieth anniversary. Rumors suggest that he was has turned down the position of Witchfinder General twice already. What the Council of Piety does not understand is that Exeter loves hunting witches throughout the Shieldlands only feels alive when on one's trail because the Mother appears to him during those nights, expressing her gratitude for his work as a Seeker in every possible way. During those periods when the Major is not Seeking a witch the Mother has no time for him and will not visit him in his dreams and his mind, body, even his soul ache for her attention. This has caused Exeter to take on missions and refuse holidays or sabbaticals whiles also forcing his wife to take on the duties of his barony. If his wife's family weren't reliant on Exeter's estate, she's have left him right after Exeter X was born as the boy's father has only been home four times since his birth thirteen years ago. Nothing matters to the Major other than his time with Her in his dreams while he is doing Her good work by rooting out and killing a witch. Her attentions have given him new insight in his Seeking, she told him it was his reward for doing Her good work, for swelling the flames of Hel with the damned he sends there in Her name. She even gave him the ability to see witchcraft in the aura of his prey. She loves him so much that She wants to be with him as often as possible. In their moments together She even whispers that he is all she wants. And so the Major is cutting a swath through the Shieldlands in pursuit of Her good works...in pursuit of Her.

The Major is not the consort of the Mother and She does not visit him in his dreams. He has a brain tumor and it will kill him in 2d6 days and he spent months butchering the weak, the strange, and the outsiders that cross his path. He doesn't see auras because his sight is failing and he is not the pride of the Seekers because they hunt him, hoping to stop his murdering of innocents, including children, and end the disgrace he brings to their name. His last victim, one way or the other, will be the Magic-User or Elf within your player's group, but they will have to deal with his reputation as the best of the finest of Her servants before his end.

Halloween Treat: Nicodemus Holyday for Dungeon Crawl Classics

The Woods near the Lieber River are forbidden according to those that live near it. They say that within its canopy are burial mounds made by the elves of Thel'zaag that for generations kept people away. However, just over a century ago, an adventuring group out of Jarslburg made their way to several of the mounds and pillaged the items laid to rest with their owners. Over the next two decades more and more mounds were pillaged and Claw of Thel'zaag, an ancient elf Earthspeaker came to the region and cursed those settlements closest to the Woods. For three whole years, the crops didn't grow, the animals did not provide food or milk, and even the fruit trees did not blossom. Desperate, a group of representatives from the nearby villages and farms was able to gain a meeting with the Claw and sought a reason for their punishment. The Claw of Thel'zaag listened to their questions, pleas, and even threats, and when they were done he stated simply that the only way to gain freedom from his Curse was to select a host for the Sentinel he sought to create. A Sentinel was necessary to keep the remaining mounds safe and whole to protect them. He explained the Sentinel had to come from their ranks as punishment for what had occurred and that it would bind the locals to the Woods and would reverse the Curse.

Fifteen locals sought a meeting with the Claw, and over the course of a night and a day, they ended up choosing Nicodemus Holyday, a widower whose family had succumbed to the Yellow Plague two summers before. Sadly, Nicodemus wasn't privy to that decision, and he was ambushed, gagged, and tied up before being given over to the Claw. 

Though the Claw was not surprised at the decision, it saddened him greatly, and he informed them that their fear would infect the binding, but they cared not. Then they quickly left the Claw with their kidnapped agent.

Nicodemus couldn't talk as the binding began, but as the Claw of Thel'zaag's magic began to infuse him, the only part of the man that was left of the Sentinel was his burning hate for the locals.

Nicodemus Holyday for Dungeon Crawl Classics

Init +4; Atk axe +8 melee (2d8); AC 15; HD 8d8+8;

MV 60’; Act 1d20, 1d20; SP Invisibility 2 x day; 

SV Fort +6, Ref +1, Wil +2; AL NE

2024

 I'm back. I didn't intend to be gone so long but work was killing me. Also, I turned 49. Yeah, next year, God willing, I'll have lived on this rock adrift upon infinity for half a century. I know less than I ever have about things. I think, as we move out of the zeitgeist, things just get fuzzy. Or we are in the Darkest Timeline. Or both.

I figured I'd start with the 800 lb. gorilla in the room, the Evolution if Dungeons and Dragons due out in 2024. 

I think the timing is right, especially with the 50th Anniversary of DnD and I think 5E's lifespan has been pretty darn good. I don't think 2024, what I'm calling the Anniversary edition, will be 5.5. That new gift bundle due in January (the only way to get the new Mordenkainen's book at that point) is 5.5. And I think the bundle is a good idea. I can say to my new players you need this slipcase eventually and then you'll need this slipcase when you need or want more.

My main concern is Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro, their corporate masters. I've watched WotC use digital products to compete with their tabletop Magic: the Gathering line over the last few years. I've also experienced the crunch when to prioritize Amazon, Walmart, and Target over the direct market. I get it, but those three companies don't sustain the community. Basically, I'm worried that WotC will go back to monthly DnD products and push their audience to their own digital tools for the 2024 edition. Hopefully, all the money I've invested in DnD Beyond won't be for nought but its happened with other digital assets before.

I hope the 2024 edition channels the best parts of 5E and blazes new trails but we'll see.

I also wonder about the 5E audience that chooses not to "evolve" to the 2024 edition. That market was big enough to sustain Paizo for a good run when 4E came out and Pathfinder 1E still has a larger presence on Roll20 over Pathfinder 2E.

Every version of a new edition has a lot of question marks so that is nothin new. I hope they consider having another open playtest but that is harder to do when your current edition is still selling products.

I will say that 5E is my favorite modern version of DnD. The OSR still calls to me most days, but 5E did a lot of things right, hopefully 7 years into the 2024 edition I'll be able to write the same thing.

Back This: The Night Companion for Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars

Jason Vey and Timothy Brannan are two talented people who I've been fans of for years and their Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars was a high point for me last year when it was fulfilled. Who doesn't want to play Buffy/Angel/Hellboy using, essentially, ADnD 1E? And as a fan of Eden Studios' RPG products I loved that the format they chose was a callback to Unisystem books.

The Night Companion is on Kickstarter right now and only has 4 days to go. I've been swamped or I'd have been drawing attention to it sooner but you still have time.

The Night Companions has tons of options and settings and I can't wait to get my grubby hands on it.

I really can't recommend their stuff more and I think you will love Night Shift if you give it a try.

Marvel Monday: Man-Serpent for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition

The Man-Serpent from Savage Sword of Conan #191 

using The Angry GM's Encounter Building

 

DriveThruRPG's Deal of the Day: BX Ascending RPG

For the next 22 Hours you may purchase my very own BX Ascending retroclone of B/X Dungeons & Dragons at DriveThruRPG as the Deal of the Day for 80¢ right here.

BX Ascending offers a resolution mechanic based off of B/X DnD's Saving Throw mechanic and adds Trained Skill and Untrainted Skill as new "Saving Throws". The Dungeon Master doesn't set a Difficulty and you have to exceed as in later editions of DnD.

Warhammer 40,000: Slugga Boyz for Stars Without Number

       

Ork Slugga Boyz for Stars Without Number

HD: 4

AC: 13

Atk: +4 
Dmg: 1d8 + 3 Shock 3/AC 15

Move: 10m

ML: 10

Skills: +0
Save: 12+

• When a Slugga attacks with a melee attack roll the damage die twice and take the best result.

Slugga Boyz are the most common and typical Ork warriors and represent what the average Imperial human thinks of when they imagine an Ork. Slugga Boyz are anarchic brutes who love nothing more than a good fight, often leaving a horrific mess of whatever they attack on the battlefield. 

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