Yesterday I mentioned my upcoming campaign idea, and that it would take place in a strange fantastical world inspired by Tom Waits’ music and the Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus.
Today I’ll introduce the Races of this strange and crazy land…
*This hack of OD&D is inspired by Trent B’s awesome New Feirland game. I have previously used his system for a Dark Sun Hack.
Attributes
First here are the Attributes and their bonuses
Roll 3d6 in order: Reroll one you feel sucks the most.
Strength- Melee Attack Bonus, Bonus Melee Damage
Constitution- Bonus HP
Dexterity- AC, Initiative, Ranged Attack Bonus
Intelligence- Modifier for Skill points (any class); mod roll for extemporaneous-casting of Sorcerer; Mod for Brain Push for Psionics
Wisdom- Mod roll for extemporaneous-shifting of Druid
Charisma- Reaction Adjustment, modifier for # henchman; mod roll for Righteous Begging of Blessed
Imagination- 16+ Get one additional Imagination point; Use to roll for controlling/changing environment/scene (see Imagination rules).
Imagination Rules
Imagination Points– Start with 1 LP each session (Dreamers, possibly Humans, and a high Imagination score have chance for more) that they can use in the following:
- Catch your breath and regain ¼ of your total HP back.
- Burn a point to add something to the scene. This can be an exit in an otherwise dead end alley, or a bucket of water when a comrade is on fire. GM has final approval of this.
- Burn a point physically change the environment in some way. A successful Imagination save must be made for this. This could be making a staircase become a slide, make a puddle suddenly freeze over, a door to disappear, etc. GM has final approval of this.
- Burn a point to NOT die. You may not end up in the most ideal situation, but thank fuck you’re alive!
Ok now onto races!
Humans
Humans are ambitious creatures that love to revel in music, drink, carnal pleasures, and engage in all sorts of various activities that involve not doing much actual work.
Humans Get: +4 starting HP.
Human Luck– Can reroll one failed die roll (except a critical failure) once per session.
Misc Human Thingamabob!– Roll 1d3- 1) Small magical object (potion, scroll, etc); 2) +1 Skill Point; 3) +1 Imagination Point.
The Strange and Noble Bird People of the Golden Aviary (Also Formally Known as The Strange and Noble Bird People of the Silver Aviary
Sneaky Bastards– +2 against surprises and back attacks.
Weird Mind– Additional 10% chance to be Psionicist.
Fly– Ascend 30ft, Dive 130 ft, and move 60ft rnd.
The Strange and Noble Bird People of the Golden Aviary are a strange sort of people. They constantly love to gossip and talk and make noise and generally cause all sorts of mischief. They are known for their beautiful singing voices and their ability to eat almost anything.
The Fae
Not much is known about the Fae. It is believed that the Fae just manifested into being because someone simply believed it to be so. No two Fae look alike, but all seem to fall into one of three size categories: Large, Medium, or Small.
All Fae do have the ability to cast minor effects and each has some strange fantastical power.
Fae get:
Size: Choose one of three sizes: Large, Medium, Small.
Large– +1 Attack, increase damage type to next size (d10 for Fighter), -1 to AC;
Medium– As per normal;
Small– -1 to Attack, lower damage type to next size (d3 for Sorcerer), +1 to AC.
All Fae look different, come up with an interesting description for your Fae.
Trickery:Each Fae can cast Prestidigitation at will. Also choose, or roll, one of the following: 1) Bamf!- Able to teleport 10ft/level (total amount can be divided up); 2) Calm Animals- Druid- lvl 1; 3) Entangle- Druid- lvl 1;4) Polymorph Self- Wizard- lvl 4; 5) Invisibility- Wizard- lvl 4; 6) Ghost Sounds/Endure Elements/Light- Druid- lvl 0; 7) Speak With Animals- Druid- lvl 2; 8) Fly- Wizard- lvl 1; 9) Spider Climb- Wizard- lvl 1; 10) Mirror Image- Wizard- lvl 2.
Each of these can only be used once per day.
The ROBOT!!
Robots were haven’t only shown up in recent memory. Tons of robots work in factories, mills, or as guards, but most are just automatons that have no amount of self-awareness. Recently however a spark of life seemed to be several hundred or so and now they are making their place in Cerebelynthia!
Robots get:
You Ain’t a Real Boy!: Robots don’t need to sleep, eat, drink, or breathe. Immune to Critical Hits, but double damage from electric based attacks.
I’s Got Metal Hands: Unarmed damage 1d6, regardless of Class weapon damage.
Laser Beam– One time per day a Robot can fire a Laser beam out of their eye that does 1d6+ ½ lvel (rounded down) damage and ignores Armor Class
Magic Restriction: Cannot be any form of caster except Gadgeteer and Alchemist*.
*= When a Robot uses the Alchemists ability to transform, it just grows taller, spikes appear on the bad boy, and its eye sensor glows red!
The Sideshow Freak
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The Circus is an amazing source of entertainment and wonder in Cerebelynthia! Many of the performers have celebrity status wherever they go, just as much as the exciting Jazz Musicians that cause all the clubs, dance halls, and bars to be filled every night. Some Sideshow freaks hear the call of adventure and answer it from time to time.
Sideshow Freaks get:
Size: Choose one: Giant, Medium, Small, Obese, Conjoined, or Just Torso and Above.
Giant– +1 Attack, increase damage type to next size (d10 for Fighter), -1 to AC;
Medium– As per normal;
Small– -1 to Attack, lower damage type to next size (d3 for Sorcerer), +1 to AC.
Obese– DR 2, -1 to AC, +1d4 crushing damage, -1 Dex based checks.
Conjoined– +2 against mind affecting spells, +1 Skill, -1 Dex based checks, needs specially made armor.
Just Torso and Above– Movement is 10ft due to walking on hands. Armor class is base 5 instead of 10, +2 Strength, +2 to any grapple and climb checks.
Unlucky Aura– 1x/day- Make target reroll any check or attack and take lower of the two (no Save).
Exceptional Skill– Choose one skill, when using it roll check twice, take better of the two rolls.
The Patchwork Creature
The Patchwork Creature has been around as long as people have been messing around with things they shouldn’t. Patchwork Creatures can be built out of anything from wood, body parts, fruit, hay, etc.
Patchwork Creatures gets:
I Wasn’t a Real Boy Before Those Confangled Robots!– Doesn’t need to sleep, eat, drink, or breathe. Immune to Critical Hits, but double damage from fire based attacks.
Stitched Together– Can disassemble parts of the body (IE arm and hand) and control them separately. This does take concentration. Cannot be any form of caster except Gadgeteer and alchemist.
Choose One- Stitched Flesh, Food Stuffs, Bits of Furniture and Fluff;
Stitched Flesh– Your visage isn’t the prettiest and many seem to find you disconcerting. You can use Fear 1 time per day.
Food Stuff– Small strange protrusions grow on the Patchwork Creature. These can be eaten and function as the Good Berries spell- Druid- lvl 1. This can be used once per day;
Bits of Furniture and Fluff– You are made of stuff that can be used as improvised weaponry (IE- Mop sticks, shovels, etc). There are enough for 4 things in your body to be used as weapons. Also, some how you always find random new stuff in you. Once per day you can roll a 1d6- on a 6 you have something “new” on you. This could be a weapon, small potion, etc. GM has final approval.
Mal-Neferium
These poor creatures are held with a mix of pity, fear, revulsion, and hatred in Cerebelynthia. These are what happens when a Witch mates with a human. The generally does this right before she consumes the Imagination of her victim. When the child is born she dumps it in a town and lets the people worry about it, and revels in the horror and sadness the creature creates.
Mal-Neferium get:
Witch Blooded– Able to cast Charm Person or Scare, and Darkness 1x/day (as spell).
Witch Minded– +2 to saves against Illusion type spells.
The Dreamers
The Dreamers are said to be made from the collective consciousness of Imagination. They certainly do have an exceptional ability to control it. Add in the fact that they are unable to die and are merely reincarnated as some other creature adds to their mystique.
Dreamers Get:
IMAGINATION: +2 to saves VS Imagnination. Also +1 Imagination point.
Mind Speaking– Telepathy (30ft). Otherwise they have no voice.
Ultimate Sacrifice– 1x/month- A Dreamer can absorb a fatal or killing blow from a friend and suffer the death themselves. They will then be reincarnated.
Reincarnate*– A Dreamer cannot die, when killed they are reincarnated into another form. Roll below (They retain all their special abilities); 1) House cat; 2) Dog; 3) Ape; 4) Human; 5) Original Dreamer Form; 6) Wolf; 7) Fae; 8) Freak; 9) Bear; 10) Leopard; 11) Squirrel; 12) Eagle; 13) Badger; 14) Wolverine; 15) Boa Constrictor; 16) Giant Spider; 17) Giant Lizard; 18) Armadillo; 19) Sprite; 20) Special- GM looks through a MM and selects a few options for you to choose from.
*= gain any special racial abilities while in this form. They are lost when form changes, however.
Vision
Darkvision- See 60ft in dark. Light cancels effect. Mal-Neferium, Patchwork Man, The Dreamers
Low Light– See twice as far in low light as human. Kenku, Freak, Fae
Thermal Vision– See in infrared spectrum- Robot
Alright- That’s enough for today!
DIY RPG Productions 
An odd (and in some ways dream-like, wihich I’m sure was the intention) mixture of races. It makes me interested in hearing more about Cebelynthia!