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.

Monster Monday: Man-Serpent for Dragonbane

You can download the PDF here.

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.

Back In the OSR: Ziggurnaut for Old School Essentials

Mayan Temple art by Mark Akopov

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.

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)

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.

Savage Worlds Pregens: Seasoned Troll Merc for the Sprawlrunners Setting

Noah "Tynee" Woodburn is a Pregenerated Seasoned Troll Merc for Sprawlrunners, an excellent Savage Worlds version of Shadowrun. 

I made Tynee with the Savage.us site that I cannot recommend enough and it already features the SWADE Fantasy and Supers Companions with Horror on the way!

You can Download Tynee as a PDF here.

Manitou Monday: Red Tiger Gang's Hideout, A 5 Room Dungeon

 

You can Download the PDF here.

The Red Tiger Gang is led by Tigress Hepburn, the daughter of Frances "Trapper" Hepburn who rode with several gangs in the 1870s. Tigress' Mother, Acorn, died in child birth and she was literally raised by gangs her father rode with. After her Dad got gunned down in Dodge City, she found herself working with her "Uncle", Frank Perth and Robert "Red" Dobbins who both think of her as their daughters. Due to the backward view of some bandits and hired guns Tigress posed as a young man and was known by strangers as "Tiger". Smart and surprisingly well-read most who rode with Tigress quickly found enough success to look past the fact that she was "the fairer sex" and those stupid enough to give her unwanted attention had to deal with first her and then Uncle Frank and Red. 

The Posse is tracking down the Red Tigers who are wanted for several murders in the area over the last 4 months. The Gang is working for the Bayou Vermillion rail company dealing with folks who won't accept the Baron's offer for their land. There is bounty of $200 each for all 8 members of the Gang.

The entrance to the caves the Tigers use as a hideout is guarded by Uncle Frank Perth and his gatling rifle, Birdie (she has been modified to carry double the amount of rounds). Frank uses a wooden crate as a seat, there are two sets of lanterns mounted to each side of the cave, and a small wooden table holds a cup of oily black coffee.

Uncle Frank Perth

Wild Card

Parry 7 | Tough 7 (1) | Pace 6 (d6) | 

Ag d8, Sm d8, Sp d6, St d10, Vi d8 | 

Athletics d8 | Fighting d10 

Notice d8 | Shooting d10 (2d8, 24/48/96,

AP 2, RoF 3, 60 Shots)  | Stealth d8 | 

Edges Improved Rapid Fire, Rock and Roll! 

Quirks Shaving cuts on face

The cave branches to the right and left.

Heading to the right leads to a chamber with four rough tables with a poker deck on the closest. Under one of the tables lies a woman who pleads for help when the Posse enter. Her arms and legs are bound with heavy rope. Her face is dirty, she has no shoes, and she is wearing a denim dress that is heavily scuffed. She quickly tells them , "A bunch of 'em are out hunting, hurry get free me before they make it back!"

She will identify herself as Diane Hope and claims the outlaws killed her husband and kidnapped her two days ago. In reality, she is the gang's leader, Tigress Hepburn, and she heard the scuffle with Uncle Frank and tied herself up and sent the other Tigers into the next chamber to ambush the intruders. She has a derringer and a knife on her.

Diane Hope AKA Tigress Hepburn

Wild Card

Parry 7 | Tough 7 (1) | Pace 8 (d8) | 

| Ag d12, Sm d10, Sp d6, St d6, Vi d10 | 

Athletics d8 | Fighting d6 (d6+d4) | 

Intimidation d10 | Notice d10 | 

Persuasion d10 | Shooting d10 (2d4, 

3/6/12, RoF 1, 2 Shots)  | Stealth d8 | Taunt d10 | 

Edges Command Presence, Level Headed,

Natural Leader 

Quirks Missing pinky on left hand.

The next chamber has a bear-skinned rug and 3 crates containing whiskey, a bag of mail, and several empty money bags. The two tables in this room are tipped over and being used as cover by 5 Red Tigers. "Drop your weapons and we'll talk about how you might make it out alive!", yells a man with flaming red hair and beard aiming 2 peacemakers at the Posse. 

"Diane" will make sure to stay behind the characters and in the previous the chamber they "rescued" her from. She won't act on the first round of combat but will attack the Posse on the second round. She is loyal to her gang but if things look bad for them before attacking she will continue her ruse until she can escape and then gain revenge. 

Shooting in the cave can be dangerous due to ricochets and if an attacker rolls a1 on their Shooting die and fails their attack roll, draw a card, if it is a Diamond draw a card for each person in the chamber and whoever has the lowest card is hit by the ricocheting bullet.

5 Red Tiger Bandits

Parry 7 | Tough 7 (1) | Pace 6 (d6) | 

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

Athletics d8 | Fighting d6 | 

Shooting d8 (2d6+1, 12/24/48, AP 1, 

RoF 1, 0 Shots)  | Stealth d6 | 

The cave take a sharp turn to the left toward the largest chamber yet. There are 7 bed rolls in here and the last 1/4 of the chamber is separated by quilts hung on clothesline to give Tigress privacy from the rest of her gang. While the Posse searches this chamber she stay close to the entrance and will be looking for a chance to make a run for it if the Posse has killed the Uncle Frank and the other 5 Tigers. Once the Posse begins inspecting Tigress’ belongings a successful Common Knowledge roll will clue them into her lie and she will not surrender for any reason, she'd rather die then be hung or go to jail.

There is a deep niche in the wall near her bedroll where there is $100 in cash and 4 ounces of Ghost Rock. After searching the whole chamber the Posse also finds an additional $80 in cash, a ruby engagement ring, 1 stick of TNT, 3 dime novels, and a copy of Hoyle's Book of Games that is missing close to 20 pages. 

If the Posse takes a left instead of the right at the split after about 5 minutes they find dead end with numerous bones, animal, human, and…other critters scattered on the chamber floor. A successful Notice roll at -2 will reveal a carcajou, a wolverine-like creature that the Gang has chained up in here. The chain has 15' of slack and this chamber is 45' long and 30' wide.

Carcajou

Parry 9 | Tough 10 (1) | Pace 10 (d10) | 

Ag d10, Sm d4 (A), Sp d12, St d10, Vi d12 | 

Athletics d10 | Fighting d12+2 (d12+d6+2, AP 2 | Intimidation d10 | Notice d8 | Stealth d12 |

Survival d8 | Edges Improved Frenzy,

Quick, Rabble-Rouser | Special Abilities

Fearless, Hardy, Size -1

Quirks Missing left eye