Instaregion for Hubris

I have been giving my setting, Hubris (all relative info is there, and hack is here), a face lift (for various reasons) and have finally sat down and created an instaregion drop die chart (as created by Zak S) that will work for most of the areas of my map.

I really dig Zak S. drop die charts (as seen here with Mutations) because they can be used multiple times and while the work might be front heavy, the rewards of it are many.

Also the whole limited time factor for creating shit is a factor so having something that allows me to drop some dice and create a kick ass adventure or generate info needed for my players is a bonus.

So here is my instaregion for Hubris (click to enlarge):

Just drop the standard dice, as many as you want, and consult the chart below:

Instaregion Chart

 

D4- Situations

1)      Monsters attacking (even- monsters; odd- people).

2)      Come across human camp (even- calm/welcoming; odd- suspicious/hostile).

3)      Battle between (even- nations; odd- competing adventurers).

4)      Fugitive is about to be strung up by authorities/bounty hunters.  They are (even- innocent; odd- guilty).

D6- Strange Shit

1)      Weather turns opposite of what is normal.

2)      Character has a vision of something that happened in this area.

3)      House with people in it, seemingly frozen.

4)      Body on the ground.  (Roll 1d3- 1) Talk to players and give cryptic warning; 2) Melt in front of their eyes; 3) Rise and attack as a ghoul).

5)      Echoes of battle can be heard.  Visions of fighting flit in and out of character’s peripheral.

6)      Manifestation of a God appears before characters..  What the fuck for?

D8- Monsters- Strange

1)      Woman appears in fog, calling for player.  Charisma based save to resist.  Soul eating bitch.

2)      Huge monster lumbers into view screams and grabs its stomach, which bursts in blood and gore.  Small four-legged nasty things clamber out and start scuttling towards the characters.

3)      Human sacrifice about to happen and summon a nasty creature from the Void.

4)      Human sacrifice happened and summon failed.  Sorcerer turned into a horrible fucking mutant and is rampaging about.

5)      Group of 1d6+1 travelers are actually intelligent giant insects hidden in bodies.  Will attempt to attack characters by bursting forth from body (centipede, spider, ant, etc).

6)      Tree with hung corpses on it and tattered broken ropes will attempt to sneak up on characters as they sleep.  They’ll find themselves strung up.

7)      A character’s nightmare manifests in reality.  They need to make a Wisdom save or get some insanity going on.

8)      Strange Mutant bestial orgy going on in front of some crude statue that they worship as a heathen god.

D10- Animals

1)      Herd Animals Being Attacked by (even- Predator; odd- Monster)

2)      Bear

3)      Wolf

4)      Mountain Lion

5)      Red Fox

6)      Herd Animals

7)      Birds (even- huge flock- blots out sky; odd- only a few)

8)      Swarm of Bats

9)      Badger

10)  Game Animal

D12- NPCS

1)      Brigands

2)      Slavers

3)      Knights Protectorate of Esenbar

4)      Sorcerer and Guard of Klind

5)      Band of exiled and not mental mutants

6)      Trade merchant and guard

7)      Sorcerer

8)      Alchemist

9)      Adventurers

10)  Warrior Priest spreading the “good” word

11)  Nomads/Hunters

12)  Thieves, rapscallions, assholes, and bastards

D20- Monsters

1)      Three Witches and a cauldron

2)      Large oafish creature with ham sized fists.

3)      Roaming pack of fucking up and angry mutants.

4)      Blood sucking beetle swarm.

5)      Band of marauders and leader looking to loot, pillage, and fuck.

6)      Pack of beasts infected with nasty necrotic plague.

7)      Strange living magical spell that wants to hurt things.

8)      Bounty Hunters tracking PC’s for some reason.

9)      Pack of wild and starving carnivores

10)  It’s a fucking demon.  No, literally it is demon that wants to use the characters as a cum catcher.

11)  Smelly fast and rotting undead will eat your feet.

12)  Nasty dastardly asshole imps that like to fuck with your day.

13)  Big burly creature that charges at you and uses a dead human as a club.

14)  Gargantuan mutated creature…  I’d run if I were you.

15)  Strange stitched up creature that is an alchemical experiment gone oh so wrong.

16)  Knights Protectorate of Esenbar burning a poor bastard at the stake.

17)  A small creature of mostly fur and teeth standing around 2d10 dead human bodies all with their guts torn out..

18)  Giant furry slimy spiders.

19)  Animated suit of black scary armor that wants to snuff the fuck out of life.

20)  Something big and scary that is big and scary no matter how tough the PC’s “think” they are.  Make them roll a bladder check to put them in their place.

Using Drop Die Table for Mutation Monsters

The other day I did a post on mutations in my setting, Hubris.  Not only do Half Elves start out as mutated freaks, but as players cast arcane magic spells and fight mutated creatures it is possible for them to become mutated as well…  such a lovely place.

So mutated adversaries..  I COULD roll a few d100 and get results, but that takes too damned long for creatures that are either going to be beaten to death with a stick or kill the players and eat their feet…  so I decided to use the Die Drop tables method I nabbed from Zak (Instadungeon, Instaregion) to use for this.

Here it is as a PDF if you prefer: Mutation Die Drop Chart

Just drop a number of d6 as mutants present and where they land is the mutations that they have.   If it lands on the line of multiple squares, then they have all those mutations…  tasty.

The number on the die is the HD of the monster.  I use Castle and Crusade rules as the base for my hack so the number also refers to the bonus they get on attack and to saves etc…  Simple and effective rules.

I decided to also try rounding the number on the die down by 1/2 for my players since they were level one and fighting a bunch of creatures with +6 didn’t exactly sound so much as fun as a slaughter house…  Here’s a few freaks and geeks I rolled.

Mutants

1)      Level 2- Albino looking

2)      Level 3- Unhinged Mind and Hair Smells like Garbage

3)      Level 2- Extra Arm and Reptilian Skin

4)      Level 3- No hair on Entire Body, Patagium, and Half Bat Face

5)      Level 1- Pink Hair and Elongated Arms

6)      Level 3- Scorpion Tail and Scorpion Claw

Giving My Setting, Hubris, a Facelift- The Messed Up and Terrible Pantheon

When I first created Hubris a few months ago I wanted to actually get rid of Divinity and have all magic revolve around sorcery.

Most games I’m not a huge fan of religions.  Being an Atheist myself probably lends to this.  The other reason is most religions in games are fucking boring.  Here’s your god of nature!  He likes nuts and running through trees and rivers and ponds!  When is is angry druids get rashes and dandruff.

And here we have your god of war and he likes it when you fight and if you are devoted to him blah blah blah..

So while everyone had fun and things were uncomplicated by religion, I wanted to introduce messed up religions to Hubris.  I’m not saying my pantheon is unique or special or anything, but I did want them to be fucked up and different.

People will probably read these and ask who the fuck in their right mind would follow these guys..  but this is Hubris…  and this is the best that they get.

In my hack I created the Warrior Priest (Hubris’s version of a Cleric) with a mechanic called Invoking.  Here’s the rule below:

Invoke the Name- Invoking the name of a God is not to be taken lightly as it brings both boon and hardship.  A Warrior Priest can speak the name of their God and call forth holy powers once per day. See Invoking below.

Invoking- When a Warrior Priest calls forth the power of their Deity it is to summon the strange will of an unknowable being.  The effects are varying and can be terrifying.

GM’s are encouraged to make up their own deities and each one have a power when invoked that is both a boon and a hindrance.

Example: Invoking the name of a God of War gives the +1d6+1 to hit for the duration of combat, but he subtracts that amount from his AC.

 Another possible suggestion is to come up with a table with d6, d8, etc options and when the Warrior Priest invokes the name have them roll.  The option is completely random and can be good or it can be bad.  The option should not be overpowered or a deal breaker either way.

While in the Hack I kept it god free and gave advice to GM’s on creating their own pantheon and invoking rules, in my Hubris setting I created the Gods/Goddesses, their chosen weapon, the code the Warrior Priests tend to abide by, and the power of Invoking.

If the Warrior Priest is successful at invoking the name of their god/goddess they roll a d8 and look at the number listed under their deity.

Aside: Some of these may change before I put up my Hubris GM Info guide for anyone to hack/use should they want to…  We’ll see what I think of these abilities after I’ve not looked at em for a few days.  

Here they be:

Hubris Pantheon

Kantar- God of the Terrible Whisper- It is not exactly sure what Kantar resides over, but His presence cannot be denied.  Most of his priests seek out knowledge, believing this His name carries the weight of secrets.  Most people don’t argue this, but feel that the priests could all be insane.

Weapon: Crossbow

 Code:

• Seek out knowledge of the past and secrets of people and keep them safe.
• Fight against the burning of books or banning of knowledge.
• Engage in gossip for the secrets it holds may prove insightful.

 Invoking:

1)      All targets must make a Wisdom based save or become confused and wander around for 1d4 rounds.  The Warrior Priest is immune to this.

2)      The Warrior Priest gains a fleeting glimpse of some random piece of information.  They can add +2 to any one knowledge based roll in the next 24 hours.

3)      The Warrior Priest feels lightheaded and forgets some random piece of information.  They must subtract -2 from their next knowledge based roll.

4)      The Warrior Priest is able to touch one person and wipe their mind blank if the target fails a Wisdom based roll.  The Warrior Priest gains 1 insanity point for this, whether it succeeds or fails.

5)      Shouting the name of Kantar causes chaos.  All must make a Wisdom based save or flee in terror for 1d4 rounds.  The Warrior Priest is not immune to this.

6)      The Warrior Priest is able to transfer one Insanity Point to another humanoid if they fail a Wisdom based save.  If the target succeeds the Warrior Priest gains a second Insanity Point.

7)      The Warrior Priest is able to recall a vital piece of information.  They automatically succeed on their next Knowledge based roll.

8)      The Warrior Priest weapon glows (if using weapon of the Deity)- They get a +20 on their next attack.

___________________________

Yelsa- Goddess of Sex and Violence- Yelsa’s temples are often found in brothels where the Matron Whore preaches and practices the trades offered by Yelsa.  Yelsa’s love rests in that strange place of pleasure and pain, often times going over too far on one end or the other.

Yelsa’s followers are quite devoted.  It is believed that she keeps the men and women who ply their trade safe from harm.  And given that Yelsa’s Warrior Priests are quick to met out justice against those who have done harm, it’s hard to argue.

Weapon: Spiked Chain

Code:

• You may not wear armor that covers up your body.  You must display your sexuality (this reduces armor value by 1).
• When in a town a Warrior Priest must stop at the whore house/temple of Yelsa and give offering of money (1d10 Silver) and of the flesh.
• Always offer aid to a male or female whore if they are in trouble, whether it’s with the law or otherwise.

Invoking:

1)      Yelsa blesses you with supernatural beauty.  You receive +2 to Charisma for 24 hours.

2)      Yelsa is angry at you and turns you into an emotionless eunuch and are unable to Invoke again for 1d3 days.

3)      Yelsa takes control and everyone within a 50ft radius must make a Wisdom save.  Those who fail engage in a full throttle orgy of unconstrained lust.

4)      Yelsa gives the power of transference.  The Warrior Priest may hurt themselves for 2d6 damage and all enemies in the area must make a Constitution save or take the same amount of damage.

5)      One target of the Warrior Priests choosing must make a Constitution based save or be wracked with pain and unable to act or move and is considered helpless for 1d4 rounds.

6)      Yelsa is angry and all must make a Constitution based save in a 100ft radius or be Wracked with pain and unable to act or move and is considered helpless for 1d6 rounds.

7)      Yelsa blesses you with supernatural beauty.  You receive +4 to Charisma for 24 hours, however the first person that looks upon you must make a Wisdom save or lusts hungrily after your now extremely sexy body for the duration of the blessing.

8)      The Warrior Priest weapon glows (if using weapon of the Deity)- They get a +20 on their next attack.

___________________________

Felcio- Self-proclaimed God of Perfection- Felcio is a strange god.  He was once considered the most beautiful mortal in all of creation.  One night Yelsa visited him seeking the pleasures of the perfect mortal.  Taken with him she offered him godhood so long as he served her in any capacity she saw fit.  He agreed.

Felico quickly broke his vow to Yelsa and created a following of his own, because he knew that being perfect made him better than Yelsa and any other god and serving was for lesser beings.   Now there are tensions between the followers of Felcio and Yelsa that sometimes spills into actual combat.

Weapon: Long Sword

Code:

• Destroy all mutants, for they are not perfect and beautiful.  Most Warrior Priests tolerate Half Elves since they can be used as a means to an end in tracking other mutants.
• Pay a tithe to artists who are able to create beauty and perfection.
• Scar the face of your enemies so they are no longer perfect.

Invoking:

1)      A Warrior Priest is able to heal any scars or regrow the limbs of the next person he touches within 1 minute.

2)      You are not perfect and Felcio realizes this.  He grants you +2 to any one of your Attributes for 24 hours, however you must pay for your imperfection and suffer -2 to the same trait the next day.

3)      All are ugly in the eyes of Felcio!  Everyone must make a Charisma save or be transformed into hideous old hags for 1d10 hours.

4)      Felcio grants the Warrior Priest the ability to use Change Self and alter their appearance once.  This lasts 24 hours.  Have the Warrior Priest roll a Charisma check.  If they roll a 1 it means that Felcio has played a trick on them and the change is permanent.

5)      Felcio grants a boon of boons and allows the Warrior Priest to correct that which cannot be correct.  A Warrior Priest can choose to reroll one critical failure.  This lasts the entire game session.

6)      Felcio’s anger causes all magic to cease working in a 1 mile radius.  Now deal with the anger of others that’s directed at you.

7)      Felcio’s perfection inspires you to greater heights while diminishing your foes.  For the duration of combat (or the encounter) you may roll all checks twice and take the higher of the two while a foe designated by you must roll twice and take the lower of the two (Wisdom save negates for the foe).

8)      The Warrior Priest weapon glows (if using weapon of the Deity)- They get a +20 on their next attack.

___________________________

Digradia- Goddess of Sacrifice and Shadow- Digradia is the Goddess of assassins, cutthroats, vagabonds, and even sorcerers.  She demands blood tribute from her followers and from those they slay.

There are no overt shrines to Digradia, for obvious reasons.  There are small shrines in the basements of seedy dens, people’s homes, and in strange liter strewn back alleys.

Weapon: Dagger

Code:

• Once a week the Warrior Priest must offer up their blood in sacrifice.  This requires using a dagger, as the chosen weapon of Digradia.  This cannot be healed by magical means.
• If you feel threatened by someone, it is best to stab them in the back or poison them before real trouble begins.
• Do not show overt contempt for law and those that control it, but like a poison work through their veins until you stop the heart.

Invoking:

1)      You can transport yourself through shadow up to 1 mile away two times a day.

2)      You gain the ability to stealth like a rogue.

3)      Digradia summons a Shade to aid you in battle.  This is a great boon from your mistress!  Tomorrow you must offer her an ample sacrifice of 2HD.  If you don’t her wrath will be… terrible.

4)      Digradia’s name is whispered with fear, for it can bring death.  All targets must make a Wisdom based save or become rattled and suffer -2 to all rolls.  The Warrior Priest is immune to this.

5)      The Warrior Priest somehow wraps himself up in shadows and is harder to hit.  They gain +2 to AC for 1d6 rounds.

6)      Disgradia reaches into the mind of the Warrior Priest’s designated target and pummels their mind with horrible visions of the shadow and death.  If the target has 3 HD or less, they die of fright.  4HD or more targets must make a Wisdom save or gain 1 Insanity Point.  For this act the Warrior Priest is wracked with nightmares that night and must make a Wisdom save or suffer 1 Insanity Point.

7)      A Warrior Priest is blessed with the ability to become a shade with the benefits and drawbacks that come from being such a creature.  This lasts for 1d4 minutes.  When the effect ends the Warrior Priest must roll a constitution score or gain one mutation.

8)      The Warrior Priest weapon glows (if using weapon of the Deity)- They get a +20 on their next attack.

___________________________

The Corpulent One- God of Obsession and Want- Pictures of the Corpulent One are often depicted as an extremely fat man’s upper body with the lower half of a giant slimy white maggot.  The Corpulent One is selfish, hedonistic, and ruthless.

Those that worship him tend to be merchants, thieves, nobles, or those who live opulent lifestyles.

Weapon: Heavy Mace

Code:

• Never eat just enough to be satiated; stuff yourself and reveal in it.
• If there is something you want, then take it.  If there is a dispute, take it anyway.  If there is a further dispute and it is worth fighting over, do so.  If not, leave it alone to live another day.
• Remember you first- others are secondary.

Invoking:

1)      The Warrior Priest is able to summon a sumptuous banquet that will feed 6 people.  If any more attempts to eat at the table the food instantly vanishes and the invaders are struck with an insatiable hunger for 1d4 days.  The people eating must stuff themselves for over an hour.  At the end they must make a constitution save or become ill.

2)      The Warrior Priest grows suddenly into a gigantic maggot and thrashes around and gains all the benefits and drawbacks of the monster.  He also gains a natural armor bonus of +2.

3)      The Corpulent One fills everyone with a need for something that someone else around them has.  If this happens during combat the current motivation for conflict ceases and a new one for the item(s) begins.

4)      The Warrior Priest is blessed with the ability to barter better then ever before!  He receives +4 to any persuasion based roll for the next 24 hours.  Look at that winning smile!

5)      The Warrior Priest is able to touch someone and cause them to have such an insatiable want it drives them mad.  The target must succeed on a Wisdom save or gain 1 insanity point and fall to the ground lamenting not having the object for 1d4 rounds.

6)      The Warrior Priest vomits the food eaten by the Corpulent One in a 30ft radius.  The area is treated as being extremely slick and smells absolutely disgusting.  Targets must make a Dexterity based save or fall prone.  Those that succeed move at ¼ normal rate.  Targets also must make a Constitution Save or become ill, suffering -2 to all rolls.

7)      The Warrior Priest is extremely hungry.  His jaw unhinges in a strange obscene manner and he is able to eat a creature of Medium size or Smaller on a successful grapple check.  His stomach bulges strangely and the target suffocates in Constitution score rounds unless they cut their way out.  After which the body vanishes and the Warrior Priest doesn’t need to eat for the creatures HD days.

8)      The Warrior Priest weapon glows (if using weapon of the Deity)- They get a +20 on their next attack.

___________________________

Baily- God of Trickery, Deceit, and Love- Baily is considered a playful god as well as an asshole.  Many believe that Baily considers it the ultimate trick to get someone to fall in love with you.  Some try to take a more romantic view and say that while Baily encourages tricks, lies, and deceit he really does want people to love.  It’s ok to lie to your lover while you fuck a whore behind her back, but make sure you love her when you come home.

Weapon: Sickle

Code:

• Play tricks on people whenever possible.
• Cheat, steal, and lie to any easy mark.
• If someone loves you either marry them and cheat on them or leave them at the alter!  The ultimate prank!

Invoking:

1)      The Warrior Priest is able to cause an illusion of some sort to distract or frighten, those around him.  The target(s) must succeed on a Wisdom test to ignore the effects.  The illusion lasts a number of rounds equal to the Warrior Priest’s level.

2)      Baily plays a trick on the Warrior Priest!  He is unable to cast any miracles for 24 hours.

3)      The Warrior Priest designates a target and bestows the curse of Baily upon them.  They must succeed at a Charisma based save or risk failing at everything they do for the next 24 hours.  The target rolls twice and keeps lower of two on all rolls.

4)      Baily smiles delightfully.  1d4+1 targets around you fall hopelessly in love with you if they fail a Wisdom based save.  Careful, spurned psychotically obsessed lovers are even more dangerous than normal psychotically obsessed lovers.

5)      You hear the whisper of Baily in your head, directing you somewhere nearby.  When you arrive there is a small bag full of gems and coins equaling 1d10x100 gp.  This will vanish in 24 hours.  Time to bilk that old woman shopkeeper for all she’s worth!

6)      You are suddenly in the dress and have the powers of a different priest of Hubris.  Now go have fun and cause chaos!  Just remember that the other gods MIGHT not look so kindly on this!

7)      Baily wants you to live another day to cause havoc.  You gain 1 extra Luck Point… from someone else.  Roll randomly to determine (can be PC/NPC well).

8)      The Warrior Priest weapon glows (if using weapon of the Deity)- They get a +20 on their next attack.

___________________________

Vectum- God of Conflict (battle or otherwise) and Survival- It is said that Vectum’s battles with the other Gods is what created the mountains of Hubris.  Vectum is a cold god that cares not if you die, because death is for the weak and deserved to be culled.  However if you survive you are worthy of a glance or two from this angry testosterone filled god.

Weapon:Battle Axe

Code:

• There are no victims.  Only the weak and the strong.
• Unless useful for a further purpose leave no enemy alive.
• Cowardice and desertion is punishable by death.

Invoking:

1)      During combat you are fueled with a fevor and add 1d6+1 to your attacks but, you minus the same amount from your Armor class.

2)      A battle axe of Vectum appears.  The Warrior Priest is able to wield it his off hand and gets an attack with it at no negative modifiers.  This lasts for 1d4 rounds.

3)      Blood Rage takes over and the Warrior Priest seeks to destroy all his enemies.  Use the Barbarian’s Rage Rules.

4)      A horn of Vectum appears.  When the Warrior Priest blows on it the ground trembles and a spectral warrior appears and fights with the Warrior Priest for 1d4 rounds.

5)      The battle roar of Vectum roars through the sky like a terrible thunder clap.  All targets must make a Wisdom based save or drop what they are holding and flee in terror for 1d6 rounds.

6)      A target touched by the Warrior Priest must make a Strength check or suffer         -1d4+1 to their attack for an equal amount of rounds.

7)      Vectum is angered by your weakness.  The Warrior Priest must a Strength check or suffer -1d4+1 to his attack for an equal amount of rounds.

8)      The Warrior Priest weapon glows (if using weapon of the Deity)- They get a +20 on their next attack.

___________________________

The Heathen Below-God of Decay, Death, and Betrayal- Those that worship the Heathen Below do not do so openly.  His temples are usually in caverns and hidden.  Those that worship him seek to spread death, plague, and dissent throughout the realms.  The Heathen Below is considered the ultimate offender in Hubris.  Those that worship him are often beheaded or set to the pyre if caught.

Weapon: Long Spear

Code:

• Spread discourse and lies when possible.
• Never get your hands dirty when you can manipulate others to do it for you.
• Ritually scar your flesh to show tribute to your god.

Invoking:

1)      The ground is blighted in a 30ft radius and all small plants and flowers die.  Anyone in the area must make a Constitution save or become ill and begin vomiting for 1d4 rounds.  The Warrior Priest is immune to this.

2)      The Warrior Priest is infused with decay.  The next person they touch in 1 minute must make a Constitution save or age 1d10 years.  The Warrior Priest gains 1 insanity point for doing this as they feel the life force die.

3)      Two foes that the Warrior Priest designates must make a Wisdom save or turn on one another and fight.  This lasts for 1d6+1 rounds.

4)      Roll 2d6- That amount of life force is violently leached out of you (you’d better hope you survive because the Heathen Below doesn’t give a fuck) and flows into the ground.  Bursting from the ground is the same number of zombies as HP lost that will aid you in combat.  However once all are dead they wander off to feast on others, even your companions.  The Warrior Priest is immune to attack unless he provokes the zombies.  A Warrior Priest can attempt to banish the undead by making a Wisdom based save -2.

5)      The Heathen Below twists and warps you.  Roll a successful Constitution save or gain 1 mutation.

6)      The Warrior Priest is infused with disease.  If he touches a target within the next three rounds they must make a Constitution save or develop a terrible disease.

7)      All targets in a 30ft radius must make a Constitution based save or take 1d6 damage as you drain the life force out of them.  The total amount of damage divided in half is the total amount of HP you receive back.  You cannot go over your maximum amount, but you are fueled with a maniacal fervor and are able to cast one miracle immediately without rolling.  Roll a 1d4 for level of spell you can cast.  The Warrior Priest gains 1 insanity point consuming another’s life force..

8)      The Warrior Priest weapon glows (if using weapon of the Deity)- They get a +20 on their next attack.

WrathofZombie’s Grim, Grity, and Strange Sword and Sorcery Frankenhack

Well here it is all happy and done.

WrathofZombie’s Grim, Grity, and Strange Sword and Sorcery Frankenhack

As I have stated over the last couple of days I have taken the previous incarnation of my hack that uses Castles and Crusades as a base and mixed it with mechanics that I really dug from Warhammer 2e and Small But Vicious Dog.

I’m really pleased with what I’ve morphed this hack into and have gotten to try out the combat aspect of it a few time and know that it is what I have been going for since I started developing it all these many months ago.

I know that it’s not for everyone.  It’s vicious and deadly and is strange and twisted and aimed at adults.  Not a game for the very young.

I hope that something in this is hackable/usable for someone else as the stuff I’ve taken was for me!

Giving My Setting, Hubris, a Facelift Part 3- Mutations

For previous posts- Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four)

One thing I really dug in Warhammer 2e was the descriptions of mutations and beastmen.  I knew I wanted something tainted and pervasive in my world and thought corrupting mutations that can fuck up my players would be loads of good fun.

I got my hands on Tome of Corruption and the mutations tables are worth their weight in gold of awesome!

When I was recreating the races I had a good talk with people on Google + about how lame Half Elves always are.   A few good ideas were tossed around and finally Jez, over at Giblet Blizzard suggested making Half Elves mutated crazy bastards.

Here are is Half Elf:

Half Elves- Half Elves got the short end of the stick with the mixed blood of their parentage.  Half Elves do not have the beauty of either lineage and are born mutants.  However with this curse comes two boons that have kept Half Elves from being wiped off the face of the planet like a nasty booger; they are somehow able to sense other mutants around them and also are more resilient against further corruption.

Half Elves are pissed off.  They are spit at and their nickname, one they are more often called, is “freaks.”  Half Elves are not pretty.  They are not bards that sing praises to the heavens.  They scream, rant, and rage.  They drink and attempt to make it by without punching every pretty fucking face that walks by staring at them.

Mechanically:

Racial Attributes- +2 to Class Prime Attribute.

Low-Light Vision- Half-Elves can see twice as far as humans in dim light conditions.

Partial Elven Immunities- Half-Elves receive a +1 against Enchantment spells and effects and sleep effects.

Sharp Senses- Elves are known for their keen sight and heightened hearing.  All Elves receive +1 to sight and hearing based checks.

Resourceful- Half-Elves have had to learn to be tenacious and prepared.  Once per session a Half-Elf is able to burn a Luck Point to have something in their pack that is small and believable.  An extra healing potion, torch, lock picks, rations, dagger, etc.

Hound Dog- Half Elves are somehow able to “sense” mutations and others cannot.  They are often hired as trackers of hunted mutants in cities or in the wilds.  If a Half Elves concentrates for one minute they can sense mutated creatures in a 100ft radius.  If they make a successful Wisdom check -2 they can focus in on one single mutant.  They must remake that check every couple of rounds.

Mixed Blood- Many scholars aren’t quite sure how or why, but for some strange reason the mixing of human and elven blood has created a strange creature indeed.  You’re a mutant, but a useful one.  Half Elves start the game with 2 mutation.  Half Elves are for more resilient to further corruption and receive +2 to Con rolls to resist mutation.

Now that I knew that Half Elves would be mutated freaks I set out to create a d100 list of quick mutations that could work stand alone for my hack (or in conjunction with Tome of Corruption).  Some of these are hacked/converted from ToC and others are original.

Here be Mutations!!

Mutation Table
Roll	Mutation	Effect
1	Albino Skin	If you stand still long enough people think you’re a statue.
2	Black Skin	You just a freak.
3	Grey Skin	You just a freak.
4	Green Skin	You just a freak.
5	Cyan Skin	You just a freak.
6	Yellow Skin	You just a freak.
7	Blotchy Skin	You look sick.
8	Orange Skin	You just a freak.
9	Sunburned Skin	It looks angry and constantly hurts.
10	Purple Skin	You just a freak.
11	Slimy Skin	You are a slip and slide.  Barefoot must make a Dex roll to stay standing.  Targets have a hard time grappling you.  -2 to their rolls.
12	Sticky Skin	Small light objects stick to you if you don’t wear gloves.
13	Bluish Skin	Looks like you aren’t breathing.
14	Rotting Skin	You look terrible and sickly.  People think you’re a zombie and try to attack you!
15	Skin Covered in Boils	They hurt.
16	Skin Dry and Crumbly	Your skin cracks and bleeds.
17	Slimy Hair	It’s gross.
18	No Hair on Entire Body	Just weird.
19	Grey Hair	You just a freak.
20	Green Hair	You just a freak.
21	Pink Hair	You just a freak.
22	Blue Hair	You just a freak.
23	Constantly Wet Hair	You just a freak.
24	Hair Smells Like Garbage	People don’t like to stand close to you.
25	Black Hair	You just a freak.
26	White Hair	You just a freak.
27	Whole Body is Covered in Hair	Just weird.
28	Purple Hair	You just a freak.
29	Extra Hand	It’s little and nubby and has no range of motion.
30	Extra Arm	You can get an additional attack but a -6 as standard.
31	Extra Leg	When running roll 1d6 you can go that many more inches/hexes/etc.
32	Extra Nose	It doesn’t smell anything, but somehow it is constantly running.
33	Extra Eyes	Roll location.  No other effect but gross.
34	Extra Mouth	It can’t talk, but it screams constantly.
35	Extra Stomach (external)	It’s gross and bulging and pulsating.  You can go twice as long without starving.
36	Extra Heart	You get +2 on endurance type rolls.
37	Extra Genitals	No one wants to know what you plan to do.
38	Extra Head	You can talk and argue with yourself.
39	Ooze-like Body	You become rubbery and a puddle on the ground.  You’re pace is reduced to ¼ but you can DR 2.  You can fit under cracks of doors.  This takes 1 round to do and 1 round to reform.  All your clothes/etc are left behind.
40	Fire Breath	You can breathe fire (2d6 damage) 2 times a day.
41	Oddly Attractive	Despite the fact that you are a freak you are able to attract others.  +2 to Charisma attribute.
42	Telepathy	You can read others minds.  This is an opposed Wisdom roll.  If you roll a 1 you are overloaded by the mental assault and gain 1 Insanity Point.
43	Acid Blood	When struck with a sharp weapon acid blood spurts forth dealing 1d4 damage to the attacker.  You go through lots of new clothes and armor.
44	Stomach Maggots	Strange maggots grow in your stomach.  Once per day you can vomit 1d6 of these things out and they will attack your chosen target.  They have 1 HP each, no bonus to attack (but do get a +1 for each as a gang up option).  Damage is 1d3 (+1 for each attacking the target).  They die at end of the day.  If you don’t puke them up, oddly enough you aren’t hungry.
45	Void Jaunt	Once per day you can pop through the Void up to 15ft away.  You can do this all at once or in 5ft clumps.
46	Chitinous Skin	Your skin is hard and nasty.  You gain +2 Natural Armor bonus.
47	Hypnotic Gaze	You are able to hypnotize someone you start at.  They must make a Wisdom check to resist.  If successful they cannot be affected for 24 hours.  Once under your gaze this operates like Charm Person.
48	Spiked Tongue	Your tongue is 5 feet long and does 1d4 damage.
49	Claws and Fangs	You have natural weapons.  Claws- 1d6 damage.  Fangs- 1d4.
50	Emotional Control	You are able to change the emotional state of those around you in a 10ft radius by making a successful charisma check -2
51	Goat Legs	It hurts when you kick someone- 1d4 damage.
52	Dog Legs	People look at you warily when you lift your leg to pee.
53	Half Bat Face	You look creepy.
54	Pig Face	You look creepy.
55	Goat Head	You look creepy.
56	Bear Arms	You’re strong.  +1 to Strength Attribute.
57	Cat Tail	It’s a tail and it hurts when someone steps on it.
58	Crab Claw	1d6 damage.
59	Patagium (Flying Squirrel)	You can glide at ½ your movement.
60	Bat Wings	You can fly at your movement.
61	Puma Arms and Legs	You can run as a quadruped
62	Wild Boar Nose	+1 to smell type checks and you look ridiculous.
63	Wolf Head	You look regal and creepy.
64	Small mutant conjoined twin out of your stomach	It’s horrible and slimy and talks incessantly.  It’s vile, it’s disgusting, it’s your best friend.
65	Eyestalks	Pike you in the eye and it goes into your skull.
66	Covered in angry bleeding and exploding boils	These boils pop constantly and give off the smell of sulfur, death, and decay.  -2 to Charisma.
67	Overgrown body part	It does something weird.  (Add +1 to corresponding attribute that makes sense).
68	Sickly	You are small and sickly and everyone makes fun of you. -2 to Constitution Score.
69	Misshapen head	You’re head is big and an easy target.  People point at you and laugh.  They laugher harder when you try to wear a hat.
70	Protruding Bone Spurs	Bones jut out of your skin at odd angles.  They are sharp and extremely painful.  When you grapple with someone they take 1d4 damage per round.
71	Transparent Skin	They can see your muscle and internal organs and you make things awkward at parties.
72	Savage Temper	You have trouble controlling your temper.  When something injures you roll a Wisdom check to keep it in check.  If you fail it functions like barbarian rage but for only 2 rounds.
73	Worm Skin	Worms poke out of your skin and wiggle around.  It’s creepy.  You get +2 to Charisma checks when intimidating.
74	Shriveled and malformed body part	It looks gross and creepy.  (Subtract -1 to corresponding attribute that makes sense).
75	Plague Skin	The GM selects an appropriate disease.  Anyone who touches your skin must make a successful Constitution save or contract the disease.
76	Mandibles	Can bite for 1d4 damage, but makes kissing really fucking hard.
77	Elongated Arms	Increased Reach.
78	Bulbous Eyes	You can stare at someone very intensely.
79	Compound Eyes	+4 against surprise attacks.  Can’t victim of back attack.
80	Scorpion Tail	You have a tail full of nasty venom.  1d4 damage.  Con save or suffer -1d4 dex initial and -1d6 dex secondary.
81	Huge Body	You’re easier to hit, because you’re large, but your fists do 1d6 damage and +2 to your Strength attribute.
82	Heightened Survival Instincts	You’re a coward and the urge to run away during dangerous situations is always present.  You suffer -2 to all Fear type checks.
83	Flower Killer	Potted plants and flowers die at your touch.
84	Bleeding Eyes	You scare the living shit out of people as your eyes constantly ooze blood, but you can see in the dark like a Dwarf.
85	Androgynous	You are neither male or female.  You don’t have any of the parts.
86	Beak Mouth	You have a beak mouth that does 1d3 damage.  It clicks funnily when you talk.
87	Cyclops	You only have one eye.  You suffer -1 to all perception checks.
88	Puny	You’re body is tiny and small.  You get +1 to dex but –1 to your strength attribute.
89	Feathers	You are covered in feathers.  People mock you for being a coward, thinking you have been tarred and feathered.
90	Hump	You have hump that is full of fluid and is squishy to the touch.  It can soften your landing should you fall.
91	Blank Face	You face is an entirely smooth surface.  How the fuck do you talk, see, and breathe?  Who knows, but you can.
92	Milky White Eyes	You look blind but see in shades of grey, white, and black.
93	Breath of Flies	Once per day you can blow a swarm of flies out of your mouth.  Really nice for a distraction.  Not so good for dates.
94	Touch of Madness	If your bare skin touches someone they must make a successful Wisdom save or gain 1 Insanity point.  A person can only be affected by this once per day.  This affects even you.  This makes masturbating difficult.
95	Moon Skin	Your skin glows faintly in the dark.  If you are in moonlight it glows bright white.
96	Regeneration	You regrow body parts.  You also regain 1 HP a round.
97	Reptilian Skin	You have scaly skin.  Very rough, but looks good as a hand bag.
98	Tentacle Arm(s)	This isn’t anime porn.  They give +2 on grapple and disarming (against you) checks.
99	Extra Fingers/Toes	You have 1d12 extra digits on a hand/foot.
100	Unhinged Mind	You were born with a psychosis.  Life hasn’t been easy for you.  You also have the strange gift of letting others experience your psychosis for a limited time.  The target must succeed on a Wisdom save or be afflicted with your psychosis for 1d6 hours.  You can do this once every 24 hours.  While someone else is afflicted you are not.

Giving My Setting, Hubris, a Facelift Part 2- Races

Yesterday I mentioned how I was taking themes and inspiration from Warhammer 2e to give my current setting, Hubris, facelift after getting burnt out on writing it, and various other endeavors.

Yesterday I talked about the summary of the setting.  Today is Races.

It should be warned that this is not standard happy fantasy fare.  This is brutal and mature and generally going to go with the fucked up.

Races

Dark Elves- Most people are wary of Dark Elves and why wouldn’t they be?  You worship a spider goddess, can walk on walls, spew webs from your mouth, and drink the blood of others.  Other than these glaring faults you are quite a lovely person that takes pleasure in maiming, killing, and stealing.

Dwarves- You hail from the Northern Clans from either Death’s Maw, Dragaon’s Claw, or Dragon’sTeethMountains in the reaches of Ingvar.  You are fierce, angry, and savage.  You tend to smash and ask questions, if at all, later.  Tattoos and piercings are abound in Dwarven culture and you’re no exception.  You smell of dirt, blood, and ale.  If there is one race in Hubris that listens to Heavy Metal it’s the Dwarves.

Elves- At one time the Immortal Elven Empire spread across world.  However constant delving into the arcane arts and rituals caused a strange being from the Void to manifest itself and in a single moment the Elven kingdom and their immortality were lost forever.  Without a kingdom your people are scattered through out the land living wherever a home can be found.  The magic in your blood resonates strangely with nature and arcane energies, calling you closer and closer to the embrace of the Void.

Half Demons- Hubris is dangerous and demons roam the lands.  Many take to the beds of beautiful women to in order to propagate and have their corrupt children walk the earth.  Demon females will disguise themselves as whores and get pregnant for this very reason.  You are one of these corrupted offspring.  You have to hide your lineage in most cities and towns or else find yourself tied to the stake and set ablaze.

The Knights Protectorate of Esenbar actively hunts down Half Demons and attempts to purge them from the earth.

You smell faintly of sulfur (Infernal) or some strange intoxicating scent, which is different for every person (Succubus) and that tends to be a give away.  You are very warm to the touch and have intense eyes reflect the state of the world and the Void.  You try to be heavy metal like the Dwarves but sadly you fall sort and end up just being gothic and morose.

Half Elves- Half Elves got the short end of the stick with the mixed blood of their parentage.  Half Elves do not have the beauty of either lineage and are born mutants.  However with this curse comes two boons that have kept Half Elves from being wiped off the face of the planet like a nasty booger; they are somehow able to sense other mutants around them and also are more resilient against further corruption.

Half Elves are pissed off.  They are spit at and their nickname, one they are more often called, is “freaks.”  Half Elves are not pretty.  They are not bards that sing praises to the heavens.  They scream, rant, and rage.  They drink and attempt to make it by without punching every pretty fucking face that walks by staring at them.

Half Orcs- The tale of the Half Orc is bred from violence. Your mother was raped by a savage orc and somehow survived the encounter.  Usually after such an assault, which is sadly common in the wilds of Hubris, a woman takes an herbal concoction that kills the fetus, but yours didn’t.  She hoped you would be different.  She hoped you would be special.  She was wrong.  You killed your mother at birth when you clawed yor way from her stomach.

Half Orcs are greatly feared as there isn’t much of a physical difference between yourself and the savage kin.  Many Half Orcs end up as slaves, being hunted, indentured guards, or their heads on pikes and their bodies on pyres.  The savagery of the Orcs and the cunning and drive of the humans makes you a deadly adversary.

You’ve been mistreated your whole life.  Your axe and your fist are your councilors and the trail of mutilated bodies behind you is the road you’ve traveled to recovery.

Halflings- Halflings are little annoying bastards that inhabit the human kingdoms, living like rats on the scraps of whatever they can find.  Many Halflings work for or even control crime syndicates in the kingdoms.

You are small and should’ve been squished like a bug, yet like a cockroach you are resilient and refuse to die.

Humans- The other races say there are too many of you, but not to your face.  You are stubborn, tenacious, greedy, scrupulous, and savage.  You outnumber the other races by sheer amounts and have culled parts of the savage wilderness to be your home.  If not for all the big fucking scary monsters, you would rule these lands completely.

You would sell your own mother to get ahead in this world.  You are the bright beacon of light in Hubris… and the planet is that much more doomed for it.

Tomorrow: Mutations!!!

Merging Warhammer 2e With My Hack, Part 3- Giving My Setting a Facelift

In two previous posts (one and two) I talked about merging Warhammer 2e mechanics (along with the Small But Vicious Dog hack) into my current Sword and Sorcery hack (the updated version will be out as soon as I finish everything).  A few combats tests with some friends have shown me that I am dead on with where I want to go.  Combat is extremely deadly, quick, and fun.

Prior to discovering the awesome of Warhammer I was taking a look at my current homebrew setting, Hubris, and decided it needed a facelift.

Quick Aside: When I created Hubris I wanted it to be weird, dark, moody, vicious, etc.  I accomplished many of those things, but I was working on so many RPG projects at the time, as well as actual RL shit and school work, that I started to get burnt out on it and I stopped actively writing for it and ended up reverting to “standard fantasy fare” rather than continuing on the path I had set myself..  So I decided it was time to start working on it again and create the setting I wanted to run.

I started looking at the world and made some changes.  I made it darker and stranger.  It was then I discovered Warhammer 2e and decided to take some inspiration from there as well.

Here is the summary for Hubris

Legend say Hubris was created from the last tears of a dying God.  If that holds true then the God was a bastard and his tears were made of pure spite.  Hubris is a land of terrible creatures, grand inequality, strange and not so wonderful Gods, opulent nobility, destitute commoners, people that have mutated and turned to savage beasts, constant wars, and worse.

The kingdoms are not kind or benevolent.  The Klind are slavers and openly practice sorcery and offer sacrifices to their strange serpentine god.  The Fairweather kingdom is ran by a corrupt and inbred royal family with the nobility following suit.  Esenbar is ran by a staunch xenophobic theocracy that tolerates little outside of their strict doctrine.  Ingvar and the neighboring Dwarven Empire are too busy dealing with savage frost giants from the north to care about the goings on of the world.  Their life is cut from battle with an axe or sword.  The Elven Kingdoms fell long before man due to contact with a strange and unknown entity and the remnants are scattered throughout the realms.

There are no heroes in the world.  You adventure because you are bat fucking shit crazy.  Civilizations were created to offer security and comfort, yet you shirk those in the hopes of gaining riches and power.  Unless you’re a Dwarf no one will sing praises of your deeds.  You will die a horribly bloody death at the hands of some twisted abominations or from the machinations of a scheming noble.

Your epic tale will be forgotten in days as the dangerous world continues on without you and the apathetic masses stay complacent to dogmatic control of their government.

This is not a fairy tale or an epic ballad.  This is a savage world.  This is Hubris.

 

Tomorrow: Races

 

Merging Warhammer 2e With My Frankenhack, Part 2

Yesterday I mentioned discovering the joys of Warhammer 2e and wanting to incorporate parts of it in my current Sword and Sorcery Frakenhack game.

Today I show the Warrior Priest.

I haven’t quite finished one part of the Warrior Priest and that is Invoking.  I will be coming up with specific charts for my pantheon.  I haven’t gotten to that yet because while I have the names and theme’s for my pantheon I need to flesh them out just a little bit more.

Warrior Priest (Charisma)-

Level 1- Channel Energy- A Warrior Priest can channel energy of her deity to hurt the undead or evil creatures in a 30ft radius.  This causes 1d6 damage to undead and evil.  This increases to 2d6 at 5th, and 3d6 at 10th.  A Warrior Priest can use this ability 3 times per day.  Protection from Good will negate the effect of Channel Energy.  Undead 2HD under the Warrior Priest must make a Wisdom based save or cower in terror.

 

Divine Health-A Warrior Priest is immune to all diseases, whatever their origin.

 

Invoke the Name- Invoking the name of a God is not to be taken lightly as it brings both boon and hardship.  A Warrior Priest can speak the name of their God and call forth holy powers once per day. See Invoking below.

 

Lay on Hands-A Warrior Priest can touch a target and heal them for 2hp per level.  This cannot be divided up among multiple targets.  The Warrior Priest can use this on herself.  At level 5 a Warrior Priest can use this twice per day.

Miracles- A Warrior Priest is able to cast spells by praying to their god/goddess.  The Warrior Priest can cast any spells from level 1-4 so long as they are able to hit the target number.

Weapon of Deity- When a Warrior Priest wields the chosen weapon of their Deity the weapon is given a +1 to hit and damage and is considered magical.  At level 5 the damage bonus is increased to +2 and +3 at 8^th level.

Level 3- Smite Evil- Once per day a Warrior can channel positive energy into their weapon to strike evil targets.  A Warrior Priest gains +20 to hit and deals an extra 1d6 plus an addition +1 per level of damage.  This can only be used on evil creatures.

Invoking- When a Warrior Priest calls forth the power of their Deity it is to summon the strange will of an unknowable being.  The effects are varying and can be terrifying.

GM’s are encouraged to make up their own deities and each one have a power when invoked that is both a boon and a hindrance.

Example: Invoking the name of a God of War gives the +1d6 +1 to hit for the duration of combat, but he subtracts that amount from his AC.

 

Another possible suggestion is to come up with a table with d6, d8, etc options and when the Warrior Priest invokes the name have them roll.  The option is completely random and can be good or it can be bad.  The option should not be overpowered or a deal breaker either way.

Prime Attribute- Charisma

Armor Proficiency- Light and Medium Armor

Level	Hit Dice	BAB	Magical Skill
1	+2	+0	1d10
2	+2	+1
3	+2	+1	2d10
4	+2	+2
5	+2	+2	3d10
6	+2	+3
7	+2	+3
8	+2	+4
9	+2	+4
10	+2	+5

Spell Level	Target Number
1	4
2	8
3	15
4	25

Catastrophic Failure

There is no luck when casting spells.  If a spell fails, there is no burning a luck points and rerolling.  That’s it…  It’s done..   Dabbling in magic is dangerous, so beware.  If a Warrior Priest rolls 1’s on his Magic Skill he must succeed at a Wisdom test (you can burn a luck to reroll the save) or permanently lose 1 Wisdom.

Warrior Priests do not have to worry about Chaos Manifestation as their spells are fueled by self-righteous zealotry and begging to their snooty and strange gods.  However a Warrior Priest runs the risk of pissing of their deity and suffering grave consequences; if you roll doubles or triples, consult the Wrath of the Gods Table.

If you use Luck of the Gods and roll quadruplets don’t bother consulting the Wrath of the Gods table.  You’ve seen Raiders of the Lost Arc?  You shrivel and die and scream and blood is leached out of you in a terrible swirl of godly fire.

 

Luck of the God- A Warrior Priest is able to burn a luck point to gain an additional d10 to their Casting roll.

Wrath of the Gods
Roll	Result
01-15	Unearthly Vision: Your god sends you a vision that rattles you to your core.  Waves of strange imagery and emotion racks your brain.  You suffer -1d6 temporary Wisdom loss and are stunned for 1 round.
16-30	Prove Your Devotion: Your god demands tribute!  You must give your god what they ask.  Each day you don’t you lose one level of Casting die.  Once the god is satisfied one level is replenished a day.
31-45	I am NOT Amused: Your god pulls the plug on your ability to cast spells for 2d6 rounds.  The spell you currently cast works if you succeeded on the roll.
46-60	You Existence is Inconsequential: Your god is bored with you and ignores you.  You lose ALL your Warrior Priest abilities for 1 day.
61-75	Stinging Rebuke: Your god is bored with your antics.  The exact opposite of the spell you’re casting happens.  This could be as lucky as simple failure in some cases..  Worse in others.
76-90	I Require Blood!: Your goddess requires blood from your body to fuel the spell.  Blood leaches out of your skin in think wavering wisps and disappears.  The spell succeeds even if you failed the casting roll but you take 2d6 damage in blood tribute.
91-99	Feel My Wrath: Your god is fucking pissed at you and lances your body with pain and agony.  You are forced into a penitent position immediately for 1d10 rounds and are completely helpless to what befalls you during that time.
00	Demonic Interference: Some malignant force answers your prayers before you God does.  Instead roll a a 1d6 and consult the indicated chart- 1-5) Roll on the Major Chaos Manifestation; 6) Roll on the Catastrophic Chaos Manifestation.

 

Merging Warhammer 2e with my Frankenhack

Recently I got my hands on a copy of Warhammer Fantasy Role-play 1e and 2e due to encouragement from a few fellows on Google +.  I really enjoyed reading both books and I really dig the system clean up in 2e.  The part that I really dug was the way magic was handled in 2e.  It was fun, easy, and abso-fuckin-lutely deadly.

As stated in the book there is a Faustian quality to the magic.  You are messing with powers that could give two shits about you and what happens.

Currently in my Castles and Crusades Hack I use a house ruled magic system by Akratic Wizardry.  It’s a good house rule and I have had fun with it…  But I’ve been wanting more in the way of chaos, danger, and fucked up weirdness..  Lo and behold, Warhammer 2e magic system.

I’ve been pondering how to add this magic system to my hack and someone suggested I take a look at Small But Vicious Dog (either for inspiration or to play).  It really is a cool hack and is full of awesome tongue and cheek humor.

I would totally play SBVD if I hadn’t spent so much damned time on my own hack.  So using that as inspiration I set about reworking the sorcerer to fit the new magic system.

Aside: I’m also taking things like the critical hits table (right now I have SBVD table, but may make up my own) as well as a style of Insanity..  but mine will go off of a Wisdom loss.  When you lose 1/2 your Wisdom you make a check and if you fail you get a wonderfully nasty psychosis…

So here is the new Sorcerer.  I kept the Chaos Manifestation Tables, but changed many of the effects and descriptions to fit my style of play (like SBVD I enjoy strange satirical black humor)

Sorcerer (Intelligence)-

Level 1- Spells- Through intense study and training a Sorcerer is able to tap into the mystic energies and cast arcane spells.  A Sorcerer can cast any spell of any level that they know.  This requires studying from a scroll, another spell book, or from the instruction of another Sorcerer.  The amount of study is 8 hours per spell level.

Learning a spell requires no roll to be successful, but takes 8 hours per spell level to be properly learned.  Have the player roll 1d3.  If they roll a 1-2 that is how many 1^st level spells that they start out with that the GM will determine randomly.  If they roll a 3 they begin with two 1^st level spells and one 2^nd level spell.  The spells they gain after are from searching forgotten ruins, sifting through ancient tomes of knowledge, etc.

Casting Spells- A Sorcerer can cast any spell that they know.  It is possible for them to discover and understand spells that they aren’t capable of casting yet.  However they can make a Deal With the Devil (see below) and attempt to cast a spell otherwise impossible for them.

The Sorcerer rolls their Magic skill and must make the spells Target Number (see below).  There is great danger in tapping into the power of chaos however; See below.

 

Read Magic- A Sorcerer is able to read magic of any type (as per the spell).

 

Summon Familiar- As the spell in Castles and Crusades.

Scribe Scroll- A Sorcerer is able to write down any spell that they know onto paper for later use.  Each Sorcerer’s spell dialect is different.  Scribing a scroll costs 500 x spell level and is completed in 1 day x spell level.  The caster rolls at the time of scribing all the nasty things that can possibly happen when dabbling in magic.

Level 5- Ritual Magic- See Ritual Magic below.

Level 10- Magical Research- Item Creation- A Sorcerer can now create magical items as per the rules in ACKS (pg 117-118).

 

Primary Attribute- Intelligence

Armor Proficiency- Very Light

Level	Hit Dice	BAB	Magical Skill
1	+1	+0	1d10
2	+1	+1
3	+1	+1	2d10
4	+1	+1
5	+1	+1	3d10
6	+1	+2
7	+1	+2
8	+1	+2	4d10
9	+1	+2
10	+1	+3

 

Spell Level	Target Number
1	4
2	8
3	15
4	20
5	25
6	32

 

Deal with the Devil

Before or after failing a Casting roll a Sorcerer can permanently burn a point of Wisdom to roll an additional 2d10 to the roll in the hopes of succeeding.

 

Catastrophic Failure

There is no luck when casting spells.  If a spell fails, there is no burning a luck points and rerolling.  That’s it…  It’s done..   Dabbling in Magic is dangerous, so beware.  If a Sorcerer rolls 1’s on his Magic Skill he must succeed at a Wisdom test (you can burn a luck to reroll the save) or permanently lose 1 Wisdom.

Minor Chaos Manifestation
Roll	Result
1-10	Witchery: You fuck up all food stuff in a 100ft radius.  It goes bad and is unusable.  Now the poor village folk are going to starve..  Actually you look pretty good to eat.
11-20	Rupture: Blood spurts from your eyes, nose, and ears until you make a successful Con check.  People run from you!  Surely you have the plague!
21-30	Breath of Chaos: A cold and unnatural gust of strong wind blows through the area.  This causes fires to extinguish, water to get ice crystals, small things (like Halflings) to be blown over.
31-40	Chaos Surge: Your eyes change color, your teeth yellow, and your hair falls out.  This lasts for 1d4 days.
41-50	Chaos Saturation: You glow with a strange light.  It is impossible to hide.  You are a great big flashlight and see perfectly, as do others, in the dark.  This lasts for 1d10 minutes.
51-60	Unnatural Aura: Animals within 100ft radius of you don’t just get spooked, but go batshit crazy!  They bite, they claw, they scratch, and go agro on your ass!  Dogs and cats live together!  It’s mass hysteria!
61-70	Spirits: Ghostly voices fill the area.  Glimpses of strange figures can be seen.  Normal folk in the area must make a Wisdom save or be driven insane.
71-80	Magical Shock: Magic blasts arcs through you and you take 1d6 points of damage.
81-90	Magical Lancing: Magical energy lances through your body.  Reduce your Magical die by 1 for 1d10 minutes.
91-95	Mutation!: You are totally fucked and are being warped by Chaos.  Roll 1 mutation.
96-00	Unlucky: Roll on Major Chaos Manifestation Table instead.

 

 

Major Chaos Manifestation
Roll	Result
1-10	Witch Eyes: Your pupils turn bright red.  You can see people’s auras.  This lasts 1d4 days.
11-20	Silenced: You lose the ability to speak for 1d10 rounds.  Thank fuck.
21-30	Overload: You are overloaded by Magical Energy which explodes out of you, throwing you back 1d10 feet.  You are prone and stunned for 1 round.
31-40	Hellborne Imp: A small Imp is awakened and summoned from the pit and will attack you next round.  Only you can see and fight this creature.  Sucks to be you.
41-50	Chaos Foreseen: You catch a glimpse of Chaos and the great beyond and lose 1 Wisdom permanently.  From this point on however you get a +2 to rolls on Chaos Knowledge.
51-60	Magical Plague: Strange boils grow on your skin and burst in 1d4 rounds causing 1d10 damage to you.  Anyone in a 5 ft radius must make a Con save or have the same thing happen to them as well.  Entire villages have been wiped out this way.  Way to go.
61-70	Aged: You must make a Constitution save or age 2d10 years.  If this puts you at the 70 year mark make another Con save or die while losing bladder control.
71-80	Braindead: Magic lances through your brain and fries it.  Roll an Int check or lose one point of INT permanently.
81-90	Demonic Possesion: A fucking demon takes possession for 1 day.  During this time it does terrible stuff while wearing your body like a party suit.  You have no memory of this time and no control over your body.  You wake up in the morning with your various orifices sore and tender.
91-95	Mutation!: You totally bend over for Chaos.  You take a step closer to becoming that which you are fighting.  Roll 3 mutations.
96-00	Trick of Fate: Roll on Catastrophic Chaos Manifestation table.

 

Catastrophic Chaos Manifestation
Roll	Result
1-10	Wild Magic: Magic blasts out of you and eats the flesh of those within a 50 foot radius in the most gory and bloody fashion possible.  All targets must make a Con save or take 2d10 damage.  Way to be a mass murderer.
11-20	The Withering Eye: Your eyes become mummified, dry, and crumbly for 1d10 minutes.  Any target that looks at you must make a Con save or dry up into a mummified husk.  Don’t look in the mirror stupid.
21-30	Brainblank: Searing pain hits your brain and knocks you out for 1d10 minutes.
31-40	Chaos Critical: You take a Critical hit to a random squishy part of your body.  Roll 1d10 for Crit value.
41-50	Demonic Corruption: A Demon reaches into your mind and bestows you of a vision of Chaos.  You lose 1d10 permanent Wisdom.  After this event you gain +2 on Chaos Knowledge.
51-60	Magical Feast: Strange Shadow Leeches appear from beyond and feast on the magic of your body.  No one else can see these disgusting slimy horrible little bastards.  Your Magic Skill is reduced to zero in a matter of seconds as you run around flailing your arms uselessly and screaming like a terrified child.  Each day of rest you gain back 1 point until full.
61-70	Demonic Swarm: The ground opens up and a swarm of imps surge forward to bring havoc and death to all.  Roll magic skill dice used to determine number of imps.
71-80	Demonic Contract: You feel a burning pain (and take 1d10 wounds) as a strange glowing rune burns into your skin.  Should you collect 5 of these your soul is forfeit and a demon gets to have its way with you in some horrible and perverse manner.  This brings back memories of prom.
81-90	Mutation!: Chaos calls you its bitch because you are such a sweet supple piece of ass.  Roll 5 chaos mutations!  Hope you survive, you fucking freak.
91-95	Called to the Void: Space and time rip open and show you everything all at once.  It is too much to bear and you relinquish your body and soul to the void and are sucked away…  We know, much like the rest of your life, this isn’t how you wanted to end up.
96-00	Trick of Fate: Roll on Catastrophic Chaos Manifestation table.

 

 

Rituals-

 

Ritual magic spells are extremely powerful, complicated, expensive, time consuming, and dangerous.  Should the Sorcerer complete in his task however, the benefits are immense. Truly to be feared is the Sorcerer who can wield such awesome power.

Learning the Ritual- Takes two weeks of intense study and $1,000 in gold.  At the end of the study the Sorcerer makes an Intelligence Roll the TN is 12 (prime attribute) plus the spells level.  For each additional week of study the Sorcerer gets +1 to the roll.  If the Sorcerer fails the roll this particular Ritual is beyond his scope or understanding and he cannot attempt to learn it again.  A library is required for this study, either the Sorcerer’s own or another person’s.

Casting the Ritual-Casting Rituals cost not only in gold but in the soul as well.  A Ritual costs 1500gp in rare and strange ingredients and the Sorcerer must sacrifice 1 permanent point of Wisdom (they still receive the 2d10 to the magic roll).  The casting takes 1 week plus a number of days equal to the spell level.  When the Ritual is done being performed the Sorcerer rolls his magic check and must make the TN of the spell (see the table below for the TN and for special modifiers), if successful the Ritual has been completed if not see the disasters of failure below, this is in conjunction with any other mishaps that can occur when dealing with magic.

At the beginning of the casting the Sorcerer must make a decision on whether the spell is to be cast immediately upon completion or if he is storing it in an item (IE- Ring, Scroll, Amulet) to use at a later date.  A Wizard can only have a number of Rituals stored equal to his Int mod.

 

Ritual Level	Target Number	Required Magic Skill
7	35	2
8	40	3
9	45	4

 

Special Modifiers- For every individual helping in the ritual (maximum of 5) the Sorcerer gets +1 to his roll.  If cast in the Sorcerer’s hallowed Workshop he receives an additional +1.  A Ritual Sacrifice gives a +3 to the roll.  The victim must be involved against their will and bound in special restraints.

Failure-The casting of rituals is not to be taken likely.  Messing with the powers of the cosmos does not go unnoticed by those beings long forgotten in space and time.  Generally these powerful spells do little more than disturb these strange creatures sleep, however every so often they stir and seek to destroy that which has gained their ire.

Roll 1d8-

1. The creature has stirred but goes back to sleep.  A second failure at a Ritual will immediately reawaken this being and will immediately manifest at the casters location and destroy all within in its grasp.
2. The creature stirs and moves in its sleep.  An earthquake that is centered on the caster and affects a 10 mile radius rocks the area.
3. The being is not interested in the movement of ants and goes back to sleep.
4. The being sends something from the void to kill the Sorcerer.  A being from the Summon Spell (Lamentations of the Flame Princess) appears immediately and attacks the caster and all those in the room.
5. The creatures brief moment of consciousness causes the weather to be completely opposite for the season.  This lasts for 1d3 weeks.
6. In a moment of agitated sleep the creatures shifts.  The caster catches a glimpse of this terrible being and immediately loses half their Intelligence score.
7. The being perverts the caster who now becomes a devoted servant seeking to bring his master into the world.
8. Like swatting a gnat on the wall the creature simply wills the caster out of existence.

Level 7 Ritual Spells

Control Weather

Finger of Death

Greater Restoration

Greater Scrying

Insanity

Mass Invisibility

Resurrection

Sequester

Level 8 Ritual Spells

Antipathy

Binding

Create Greater Undead

Discern Location

Distort Reality

Earthquake

Fire Storm

Incendiary Cloud

Mass Charm

Maze

Mind Blank

Polymorph

Power Word Blind

Sunburst

Symbol

Teleportation Circle

Trap the Soul

Wind Walk

Level 9 Ritual Spells

Astral Projection

Dysjunction

Gate

Imprisonment

Meteor Swarm

Power Word Kill

Refuge

Regenerate

Shapechange

Temporal Stasis

Time Stop

Weird

 

 

Just Take Risks Dammit!!

A theme or thought that I keep noticing on blogs and Google + (either articles or comments) over the past few months is GM’s expressing fear and apprehension about their abilities.

Aside: I’m not going to point out specific examples because A) I don’t to call anyone out and B) I can’t remember exactly where I saw most o’ em. 

 

One example I can come up with is during a conversation about people trying weird fantasy and a person commented that he wanted to give it a try but didn’t think he would do it very well… so he just stuck with standard fantasy fare.

Honestly what’s the point of not trying something?  I understand that everyone worries about sucking and failure and embarrassment and defeat and all that shit… but honestly who gives a fuck..  Take risks dammit!

I know that the gaming hobby has tons of people who don’t exactly garner confidences or have a large amount of patience or social graces.. but there are a whole bunch out there who will be more than willing to help, give advice, and etc after the game is done.

You just have to be willing to accept constructive criticism and open yourself up to it.  It’s how we learn.

There is an awesome thing going on right now called, “Constacon.”  It is the mecha of finding games to play in.  Just start a Google+ account (if you don’t already have one) and sign up to run a game via the awesome that is Constacon.

If I’m free I’ll be your guinea pig.  I’ll give feed back.  Just take risks dammit!

I’m not knocking you if you’re happy and found your niche and your players are enjoying the hell out o’ your games and shit!  That’s awesome and a success…  but don’t let fear of failure or ridicule prevent you from making monsters up!  Or creating your own world!  Or trying something “weird” or new!  Just do it..

There is a plethora of people to choose from, just on G+ alone, to experiment on and get feedback!

Just Take Risks Dammit!!

Fuck the rules! Fuck failure! Fuck fear! Take Risks Dammit!