Smells Like the Night Before Christmas!

Happy Christmas from NUELOW Games!

The Christmas Rangers!

Here's a Christmas brainstorm! Maybe someday, we'll flesh this concept out with game stats and more!

INTRODUCING... THE CHRISTMAS RANGERS!

From their secret headquarters somewhere on the North Pole, the Christmas Rangers stand ready to assist Santa when those who are particular naughty try to ruin Christmas for others, or when the forces of evil try to target Santa directly (such as agents of the Martian Diktat, Americans for Freedom from Religion, or the Iranian Republican Guard), they leap into action, wielding supernatural powers and clad in hi-tech battle armor.
   The Christmas Rangers wear colored armor from which they derive their individual names and which matches the powers they wield. The armor fully encases the wearer so their race is concealed, and it is styled in such a way that it hides the wearer's sex so each Christmas Ranger is a representative of all of humanity.
   Thanks to their armor, all Christmas Rangers can fly as fast as Santa's reindeer, can fire multi-colored, powerful laser beams from their wrists, and have strength that rivals that of the legends such as Sampson, Herakles, and Chuck Norris. The powers of the individual Rangers are as follows:


   The Green Ranger: The power to cause Christmas trees to manifest, as well as to heal those who are injured or sick.
   The Gold Ranger: The power to inspire generosity of spirit in even the most self-centered and greedy person, as well as bolster the confidence and sense of community of all people of good will.
   The Red Ranger: The power to tell the naughty from the nice, as well as to reinvigorate the tired and fill those who feel defeated with renewed strength and purpose.
    White Ranger: The power to cause snow to fall in the nearby area in even the hottest of climates, as well as the ability to freeze enemies in their tracks and to muffle sound.

The White Ranger, unmasked.

Happy Christmas from NUELOW Games!

Happy Christmas to someone who never gets any Christmas well-wishes--Allah!





Our biggest desire is a worldwide ceasefire, because Santa is up in his sleigh!

"Merry Christmas, Allah!"

Harpy Feather of Caroling

This is a magic item that is simple to create and fun for the entire adventuring party. All actions described must be taken by the characters who will ultimately wear the Harpy Feather of Caroling.

First, one has to acquire a harpy feather. Any feather will do, but it must take taken from a live harpy... and the harpy must be alive after the feather has been acquired.

Second, the feather must be taken to the Grove of Yule where the Spirit of Christmas must be asked to bless it. This can be done on the night of the 24th into the 25th of every month of the year. Characters must enter the grove unarmed.

Third, the feather must be mounted in a setting and put on a necklace (Craft [jewelry] DC7). The setting and necklace can be made of any permanent material, and may be created by a third party, but the assembly must be performed by the character who will be the owner and wearer of the Harpy Feather of Caroling.

Once the item is complete, whenever the character wears it, he or she will unfailingly remember the lyrics to any uplifting or joyful song that he or she has read or heard at any point in her life. The item also grants a +10 bonus to Perform (singing) skill checks when such songs are sung by the character.

The Harpy Feather of Caroling radiates faint Enchantment magic, but it never works for any person but the intended wearer... unless that wearer gifts it to another person out of kindness and love, Then the magic transfers.

(The preceding text is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with it. Copyright Steve Miller 2016.)

You won't find more Christmas action this side of 'Die Hard'!

For some different Christmas action this Holiday Season, you need to get yourself A Christmas Box from NUELOW Games! It's got comics and battle scenarios featuring NUELOW stars Jill Trent & Daisy Smythe, the Black Cat, and Judy of the Jungle; it's got Santa and his daughter Sugar Plum, Jesus Christ, Martians, Bill Clinton, and many more, all battling with the Spirit of Christmas in their hearts; it's got a collection of horror-themed short stories; and the core rulebook for ROLF!: The Rollplaying Game of Big Dumb Fighters....


Basically, it's everything you need to have a different sort of gaming experience with the family and loved ones this Christmas, and to otherwise entertain yourself while you are waiting up for Santa to bring the presents. (You can even ask Santa if he wants to play himself and join you for a ROLF! battle or two!)


Click here to get A Christmas Box--which features 8 fantabulous NUELOW Games Christmas-themed releases for a super-low price!

Random Superhero Background/Origin Tables

Do you want to play a superhero character but are having a hard time coming up with an origin story/background? Use the following random tables to help jump-start your imagination. (This material is system free, and it's presented under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with it.)

How did the Hero Get His or Her Powers?
Roll 1d12. Consult the Table.
1. Rocketed to Earth from an Alien Planet
2. Learned Mysticism from Tibetan Monks
3. Learned to Unlock the Full Potential of Your Mind and Body from Secret Cult of Mystics
4. Scientific Accident
5. Industrial Accident
6. Purposeful Scientitic Experimentation
7. Inventions of Your Own Design
8. Inventions Stolen from Evil-doers or Alien Beings
9. Blessed or Cursed by a god.
10. Born into a lost/hidden civilization that you left behind.
11. You're a Ghost or Some Other Kind of Supernatural Being
12. You're Just a Person Who Has a Unique Set of Skills, a Passion for Justice, and a Cool Costume.

What is the Hero's Sex?
Roll 1d12. Consult the table
1-4. Male
5-7. Female
8-10. Alien (roll an additional 1d6 to determine superficial sexual characterisitcs; 1-2 Male, 3-4 Female, 5-6 Shapeshifter with no specific sex.)
11-12. Android (use the tables in NUELOW's Dynamic Man for additional details

What is the Hero's Gender?
(You can also use this table to determine sexual orientation.)
Roll 1d12. Consult the table.
1-4. Male
5-8. Female
10-11. Fluid/Bisexual
12. Asexual.

What is the Hero's Race?
You can use the table in this post ("d20 System Racial Templates") to determine that. You can ignore the game mechanics if you are using a different game system than the one it was intended for, or if they don't fit with the character generation system used in your game.

Christmas is almost here!

Are you excited yet? Here at NUELOW Games, we're counting the minutes until we find out whether Santa thinks we've been naughty or nice! (This year, L.L. Hundal went to hand-deliver our wish lists, since we think there was probably a mistake last year.)

Meanwhile, here's a Christmas song to get you into the spirit and/or pass some of those very, VERY long minutes!

Calm Animals Minor Power and the Command Animal Superpower Talent Tree

It's time for another addition to the growing NUELOW Games d20 Superpowers System. This time out, we present powers intended to allow for the creation of superheroes who communicate with animals like Aquaman.  The minor power feat Calm Animals can serve as a prerequisite for most superpowers from the various talent trees presented on this blog and in many of our RPG/Comics hybrid products, but it is also the only way a character can gain access to the Command Animal Superpower Talents. That is a departure from how most of the superpower talent trees we've presented have worked so far, because we are building a system where strange combinations of powers are possible, just like with some comic book heroes and villains.

CALM ANIMALS [Minor Power Feat]
You have the power to soothe even the most savage beast.
   Benefit: By taking a full round action and making a successful Charisma check (DC12), the character turns creatures with Intelligence scores of 1-2 friendly towards him and neutral toward allied characters. He can influence a number creatures equal to his Charisma bonus. The creatures remain calmed for the duration of the encounter with them, or until they are attacked by the character or his allies.
   Targeted creatures must be within 30 feet of the character, and they must be able to see him under normal visibility conditions.
   Special: When selecting this feat, you gain a +4 bonus to Handle Animal skill checks. Ranks in the Animal Empathy or Handle Animal skills are added as a bonus to the Charisma check when using the Calm Animal power.

The Calm Animal Minor Power in action.

COMMAND ANIMAL SUPERPOWER TALENT TREE
You have a special talent for communicating with types of animals and directing them to following your instructions, no matter how wild and savage they might be.
   Command Amphibians: From frogs to salamanders, you may calm amphibians as described under the Calm Animals Minor Power and telepathically issue simple one- or two-word commands to them, such as having them attack a foe, carry an object, guard an entryway, or let you ride them. You may affect a number of amphibious animals equal to five times your Charisma bonus.
   Prerequisite: Calm Animals Minor Power feat
   Command Birds: From finches to vultures, you may calm birds as described under the Calm Animals Minor Power and telepathically issue simple one- or two-word commands to them, such as having them attack a foe, carry an object, guard an entryway, and so forth. You may affect a number of birds equal to five times your Charisma bonus.
   Prerequisite: Calm Animals Minor Power feat
   Command Fish: From angelfish to sharks, you may calm fish as described under the Calm Animals Minor Power and telepathically issue simple one- or two-word commands to them, such as having them attack a foe, carry an object, guard an entryway, or let you ride them. You may affect a number of fish equal to five times your Charisma bonus.
   Prerequisite: Calm Animals Minor Power feat
   Command Mammals: From apes to zebras, you may calm mammals as described under the Calm Animals Minor Power and telepathically issue simple one- or two-word commands to them, such as having them attack a foe, carry an object, guard an entryway, or let you ride them. You may affect a number of mammalian animals equal to five times your Charisma bonus.
   Prerequisite: Calm Animals Minor Power feat
   Command Reptiles: From crocodiles to turtles, you may calm reptiles as described under the Calm Animals Minor Power and telepathically issue simple one- or two-word commands to them, such as having them attack a foe, carry an object, guard an entryway, or let you ride them. You may affect a number of reptilian animals equal to five times your Charisma bonus.
   Prerequisite: Calm Animals Minor Power feat
   Superior Command Animals: Pick an animal type (amphibian, bird, fish, mammal, or reptile). You may command a number of that type of animal up to 20 times your Charisma bonus, within a 60-foot radius of your location in the manner described in the Command Animal Talents.
   Prerequisite: A Command Animal talent that matches the designated animal for Superior Command Animal.

Santa has the Calm Animal minor power, as well as Command Mammals,
Superior Command Animals (Mammals), and a few other powers!

If you liked 'Rogue One'...

... we think you'll also enjoy Gene Fawcette's Tara: Marauder of the Spacelanes. It tells of the exciting adventures of Tara and her crew of outlaws, as they battle evil and corruption throughout space.

Cover art for Tara by Alex Schomburg

  This book brimming with swashbuckling space action can be found at DriveThruComics, RPGNow, and DriveThruRPG. In addition to the great comics, the book contains ROLF! game stats or Tara and her crew, and d20 System and OpenD6 game stats for Tara's weapon of choice--the atom sword. (Yeah... light sabres may be cool and all, but are they atom sword cool?!)

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen & A Christmas Western by R.E. Howard

Enjoy some Christmas music and an early short story by Robert E. Howard (written and published when he was still in high school). It's a Very Western Christmas today at NUELOW Games!

GOLDEN HOPE CHRISTMAS

By Robert E. Howard

Chapter 1

Red Ghallinan was a gunman. Not a trade to be proud of, perhaps, but Red was proud of it. Proud of his skill with a gun, proud of the notches on the long blue barrel of his heavy .45s. Red was a wiry, medium-sized man with a cruel, thin lipped mouth and close-set, shifty eyes. He was bow-legged from much riding, and, with his slouching walk and hard face he was, indeed, an unprepossessing figure. Red’s mind and soul were as warped as his exterior. His insister reputation caused men to strive to avoid offending him but at the same tome to cut him off from the fellowship of people. No man, good or bad, cares to chum with a killer. Even the outlaws hated him and feared him too much to admit him to their gang, so he was a lone wolf. But a lone wolf may sometimes be more feared than the whole pack.

   Let us not blame Red too much. He was born and reared in an environment of evil. His father and his father’s father had been rustlers and gun-fighters. Until he was a grown man, Red knew nothing but crime as a legitimate way of making a living and by the time he learned that a man may earn a sufficient livelihood and still remain within the law he was too set in his ways to change. So it was not altogether his fault that he was a gunfighter. Rather, it was the fault of those unscrupulous politicians and mine-owners who hired him to kill their enemies. For that was the way Red lived. He was a born gun-fighter. The killer instinct burned strongly in him—the heritage of Cain. He had never seen the man who surpassed him or even equalled him in the speed of the draw or in swift, straight shooting. These qualities together with the cold nerve and reckless bravery that goes with red hair, made him much in demand with rich men who had enemies. So he did a large business.
    But the forefront of the law began to come into Idaho and Red saw with hate the first sign of that organization which had driven him out of Texas a few years before—the vigilantes. Red’s jobs became fewer and fewer for he feared to kill unless he could make it appear self-defense.
    At last it reached a point where Red was faced with the alternative of moving on or going to work. So he rode over to miner’s cabin and announced his intention of buying the miner’s claim. The miner, after one skittish glance at Red’s guns, sold his claim for fifty dollars, signed the deed and left the country precipitately.
    Red worked the claim for a few days and then quit in disgust. He had not gotten one ounce of gold dust. This was due, partly to his distaste for work, partly to his ignorance of placer mining and mostly to the poorness of the claim.
     He was standing in the front door of the saloon of the mining town, when the stage-coach drove in and a passenger alit.
    He was a well built, frank-appearing young fellow and Red hated him instinctively. Hated him for his cleanliness, for his open, honest, pleasant face, because he was everything that Red was not.
    The newcomer was very friendly and very soon the whole town knew his antecedents. His name was Hal Sharon, a tenderfoot from the east, who had come to Idaho with the hopes of striking a bonanza and going home wealthy. Of course there was a girl in the case, though Hal said little on that point. He had a few hundred dollars and wanted to buy a good claim. At this Red took a new interest in the young man.
    Red bought drinks and lauded his claim. Sharon proved singularly trustful. He did not ask to see the claim but took Red’s word for it. A trustfulness that would have touched a less hardened man than Red.
    One or two men, angered at the deliberate swindle, tried to warn Hal but a cold glance from Red caused them to change their minds. Hal bought Red’s claim for five hundred dollars.
    He toiled unceasingly all fall and early winter, barely making enough to keep him in food and clothes, while Red lived in the little town and sneered at his uncomplaining efforts. As winter deepened, everywhere the miners stopped work and came to town to live until the snow should have melted and the ground thawed out in the spring. Only Hal Sharon stayed at his claim, working on in the cold and snow, spurred on by the thought of riches—and a girl.

--

It was a little over three weeks until Christmas when, one cold night Red Ghallinan sat by the stove in the saloon and listened to the blizzard outside. He though to Sharon, doubtless shivering in his cabin up on the slopes, and he sneered. He listened idly to the talk of the miners and cow-punchers who were discussing the coming festivals, a dance and so on.
    Christmas meant nothing to Red. Though the one bright spot I his life had been one Christmas years ago when Red was a ragged waif, shivering on the snow covered streets of Kansas City.
    He had passed a great church and, attracted by the warmth, had entered timidly. The people had sung, “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!” and when the congregation exited, an old, white haired woman had seen the boy and had taken him home and fed him and clothed him. Red had lived in her home as one of the family until spring, but when the wild geese began to fly north and the trees began to bud, the wanderlust got into the boy’s blood and he ran away and came back to his native Texas prairies. But that was years ago and Red never thought of it now.
    The door flew open and a furred and muffled figure strode in. It was Sharon—his hands shoved deep in his coat pockets.
    Instantly Red was on his feet, hand twisting just above a gun. But Hal took no notice of him. He pushed his way to the bar.
    “Boys,” he said: “I named my claim the Golden Hope, and it was a true name! Boys, I’ve struck it rich!”
    And he threw a double handful of nuggets and gold-dust on the bar.

--

Christmas Eve Red stood in the door of an eating house and watched Sharon coming down the slope, whistling merrily. He had a right to be merry. He was already worth twelve thousand dollars and had not exhausted his claim by half. Red watched with hate in his eyes. Ever since the night that Sharon had thrown his first gold on the bar, his hatred of the man had grown. Hal’s fortune seemed a personal injury to Red. Had he not worked like a slave on that claim without getting a pound of gold? And here this stranger had come and gotten rich off the same claim! Thousands to him, a measly five hundred to Red. To Red’s warped mind this assumed monstrous proportions—an outrage. He hated Sharon as he had never hated a man before. And since with him to hate was to kill, he determined to kill Hal Sharon. With a curse he reached for a gun when a thought stayed his hand. The Vigilantes! They would get him sure if he killed Sharon openly. A cunning light came to his eyes and he turned and strode away toward the unpretentious boarding house where he stayed.
    Hal Sharon walked into a saloon.
    “Seen Ghallinan lately?” he asked.
    The bartender shook his head.
    Hal tossed a bulging buck-sack on the bar, and said: “Give that to him when you see him. It’s got about a thousand dollars worth of gold-dust in it.”
    The bartender gasped. “What! You giving Red a thousand bucks after he tried to swindle you? Yes, it is safe here. Ain’t a galoot in camp touch anything belonging to a gun-fighter. But say—“
    “Well,” answered Hal, “I don’t think he got enough for his claim; he practically gave it to me. And anyway, “ he laughed over his shoulder, “It’s Christmas!”

Chapter 2

Morning in the mountains. The highest peaks touched with a delicate pink. The stars paling as the darkness grew grey. Light on the peaks, shadow still in the valleys, as if the paint brush of the Master had but passed lightly over the land, coloring openly the highest places, the places nearest to Him. Now the light-legions began to invade the valleys, driving before them the darkness; the light on the peaks grew stronger, the snow beginning to cast back the light. But as yet no sun. The king had sent his courtiers before him but he himself had not appeared.
    In a certain valley, smoke curled from the chimney of a rude log cabin. High on the hillside, a man gave a grunt of satisfaction. The man lay in a hollow, from which he had scraped the drifted snow. Ever since the first hint of dawn, he had lain there, watching the cabin. A heavy rifle lay beneath his arm.
    Down in the valley, the cabin door swung wide and a man stepped out. The watcher on the hill saw that it was the man he had come to kill.

    Hal Sharon threw his arms wide and laughed aloud in the sheer joy of living. Up on the hill, Red Ghallinan watched the man over the sights of a Sharpe .50 rifle. For the first time he noticed what a magnificent figure the young man was. Tall, strong, handsome, with the glow of health on his cheek.
    For some reason Red was not getting the enjoyment he thought he would. He shook his shoulders impatiently. His finger tightened on the trigger—suddenly Hal broke into song; the words floated clearly to Red.
    “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!”
    Where had he heard that song before? Suddenly a mist floated across Red Ghallinan’s eyes; the rifle slipped unnoticed from his hands, He drew his hand across his eyes and looked toward the east. There, alone hung one great star and as he looked, over the shoulder of a great mountain came the great sun.
    “Gawd!” gulped Red, why—it is Christmas!”

--
If you enjoyed that story, written by Robert E. Howard when he was just a teenager, you'll love the westerns he wrote when his skills were at their sharpest. Check out The Last Ride from NUELOW Games.

Oh Tannenbaum... in the Style of Rammstein(plus something for your d20 Modern game)

Psychostick and NUELOW Games want to help jumpstart your Christmas Spirit with this Rammstein parody. Or... maybe not. You be the judge!


 \
(Our resident Christmas Aficionado, L.L. Hundal, said. "Are you kidding me?!" when she first started watching. Then she began to laugh. Christmas Cheer Unlocked!)

The Members of Pyschostick wish you a happy Christmas!

And speaking of Christmas Cheer, here's something that's offered for you enjoyment under the Open Game license.


Bobble Hat of Christmas Good Will (for d20 System games)
This unique artifact radiates a faint magic aura from December 1 to January 5. During this time, it causes the wearer to radiate cheerful Christmas energy--but there is a price to pay should he or she abuse the status as an incarnation of the Christmas Spirit.
     d20 System Game Mechanics: Grants the wearer a +2 bonus to all Charisma-based skill checks. In addition, the wearer gains a +1 supernatural modifier to AC/DR and a 1 point per die of damage dealt by an attack, because those that would harm the character are hesitant to do so. If the wearer uses Bluff or Diplomacy skills to defraud or cause trouble for another person, all benefits of the Bobble Hat of Christmas Good Will are lost and the character comes under a curse that results in a -4 penalty to all Charisma-based skill checks. The only way the curse can be removed is through the power of a god, or by the character giving a Christmas gift to his most hated enemy, as well as giving away the Bobble Hat of Christmas Good Will to a more worthy owner.

Welcome to December 2016!

Christmas time is near, and you're going to find lots of Christmas weirdness here... because it's our favorite time of year!

We're kicking off a month-long Christmas celebration here at NUELOW Games with this great little adaptation of one of Steve Miller's favorite Christmas tunes!

Telepaths for the d20 Supers System

Here's another addition to the feats and talent-based superpowers system that's been developing here at the NUELOW Games blog, and in our comics/RPG-hybrid books over the past few years. All text in this post is released under the Open Game License. Copyright 2016 Steve Miller.

New Feat
Telepathy [Minor Power]
You can communicate telepathically with other intelligent beings.
   Benefit: As a free action, you may broadcast your thoughts to a number of intelligent beings (Intelligence score 3 or higher) up to your Wisdom bonus, and you hear their thoughts in return. If you wish to perform other actions, or take damage while maintaining telepathic contact, you must roll a Concentration skill check (DC12, plus the amount of damage suffered if injured). You may re-establish contact on the following round if it is lost. Ending the telepathic connection with a target is also a free action.
   The range of your telepathy is line-of-sight and a 50-foot radius. The telepathic link is always two ways; you broadcast your thoughts to the targets and you in turn can hear theirs. Unwilling targets may roll Willpower saves (DC15) to push you from their minds.
   If you establish a connection with multiple minds at once, making sense of the babble of thoughts you receive back from them as difficult as if you were trying to keep track of several conversations at once. You may roll an Intelligence check (+1 to the roll for each being beyond the first one linked to) to successfully keep the mind-babble straight in your head.




New Talent Tree
Telepathy Superpower Talent Tree
The talents in this tree grant or enhance telepathic powers.
   Enhanced Telepathy: As the Telepathy feat, but you may choose to broadcast your thoughts to all intelligent beings within a 100-foot radius, or to a number of specified intelligent beings up to twice your Wisdom bonus. With a standard action and a successful Will save (DC12), you can isolate the thoughts of a specific being, causing all the others to fade into background noise. You may switch to a different mind to emphasize every round you maintain mental contact.
   Prerequisite: Telepathy minor power feat
   Mental Eavesdropping: As the Telepathy minor power feat, except the connection is one-way; you hear the thoughts of the targets, but they cannot hear yours. The GM should roll a secret Will save (DC12) for each target. If the Will save is successful, they feel as though someone is watching them. Targets that possesses the Telepathy feat or talents from the Telepathy tree are certain that someone is listening in on their thoughts if they successfully save and may make a second Will save (DC15) to force the eavesdropping telepath from their minds.
    Prerequisite: Any one minor power feat
   Superior Telepathy: As Enhanced Telepathy, but you may choose to broadcast your thoughts across great distances. The range and number of people you contact depend on level of success you have with a Willpower save, made as a free action when establishing the telepathic links.
   DC11: 10-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 5 times your Wisdom bonus.
   DC13: 100-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 10 times your Wisdom bonus.
   DC15: 1,000-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 20 times your Wisdom bonus.
   DC17: 10,000-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 50 times your Wisdom bonus.
   DC19: 100,000-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 100 times your Wisdom bonus.
   DC21: One million-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 200 times your Wisdom bonus.
   DC23: 10 light year radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 500 times your Wisdom bonus.
   DC25: 100 light year radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 1,000 times your Wisdom bonus.
   Further, with Superior Telepathy, you only hear the thoughts of those specific beings you choose to hear; this is strictly a one-way broadcast unless you wish otherwise.
   Prerequisite: Enhanced Telepathy
   Telepathic Hub: Establish telepathic contact with other characters possessing the Telepathy minor power feat. For each such character contacted, every person gains a +2 bonus to telepathy-, Intelligence-, and Wisdom-related skill checks and saving throws while the link is maintain. If more than one character possesses the Telepathic Hub talent, the bonus is still only applied once.
   Prerequisite: Telepathy minor power feat

Castro vs. Kennedy (A ROLF!: Houseboat on the River Styx Battle Scenario)

On November 25, 2016, the long-time dictator of the Cuban communist regime, Fidel Castro, passed away. This is some of what happened next, as Castro joins the cast of characters in NUELOW Games' A Houseboat on the River Styx setting. Based on the writings of John Kendrick Bangs, it's a place where historical figures and fictional characters meet, have adventures, and fight with each other.
   This post contains ROLF! stats for Kennedy and Castro, so you can play out their first meeting in the afterlife.

ON THE SHORES OF THE RIVER STYX, NOT TOO LONG AGO....
   "Ay caramba!" exclaimed Fidel Casto. "You mean I really, truly am dead?!"
   "Yes." Charon nodded almost imperceptibly within the shadows of his voluminous hood. "The land you have arrived in is Hades, and the river we just crossed is Styx."
   "But there is a city here! And over there--a houseboat with a gringo dressed up like Shakespeare! And there are people riding horses, people riding in cars, people--people riding on dragons?!"
   Castro pointed skyward where a sleek, scaly azure dragon was winging its way way through the cloudy sky after a furry white one; on the back of each, a human form could be discearned, and a woman's voice drifted down, "Fates curse you, Atreyu--you bring back my helmet, or I'll make you wish you'd been swallowed up by Despair and Hopelessness!"
   Again, near-invisible nod of Charon's head. "Yes... Hades is a land where creations of the imagination and the spirits of those who have fired imaginations live and mingle. You will find that--"
   "Well, I'll be! If it isn't Fidel Castro!"
   Charon and Fidel turned in the direction of the voice. John F. Kennedy came striding onto the boat dock.
   "Kennedy," Castro said coldly, his eyes narrowing under his bushy brows.
   "Fidel," Kennedy said, smiling. "I guess the cigars finally killed you, eh?"
   "Indeed. But it took 50 years longer than the bullet that finished you off."
   "Why, you commie bastard!"
   "Capitalist pig!"
   "Gentlemen, gentlemen," Charon said, waving his gnarled hands to get their attention. "There is no need to--"
   "Stay out of this," roared Kennedy and Castro in unison, each turning their baleful stares on Charon--causing him to shrink further into the shadows of his robe--before locking eyes with each other.
   "You're about to get your ass kicked so hard you're going to wish you were alive again," Kennedy snarled.
   "Less talk, more fight, bourgeois dog!"
   As the fists started to fly, Charon boarded his boat and shoved off. "I'll be back," he said, "when you gentlemen are finished. Nikita, Che, and Karl wanted me to bring Fidel by so they could get a bridge game going."

THE FIGHT
Castro and Kennedy start fighting at close range. The fight ends when one defeats the other.

FIDEL CASTRO (Male)
Brawn 20, Body 13, Brains 5
Traits: Coldhearted, Egomaniac, Stone Cold Killer
Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Bitch Slap, Debate Philosophy, Dodge, Withering Insult
 Important Stuff Worn/Wielded. Beard (Armor, absorbs 1 point of damage).

JOHN F. KENNEDY (Male)
Brawn: 19; Body: 18; Brains: 7
Traits: Egomaniac, Irrepressible Optimist, Limousine Liberal
Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Debate Philosophy, Knock Out, Seduction, Strike Pose, Run Away!, Walk and Chew Gum
Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Nice Suit and Tie (clothes).

Snuggies for the Witchkind

Suggested by Dave Mendez--a pair of magic items for use by the Witchkind!

Satanic Snuggy
Favored by evil witchkind for lounging around the house and for coven meetings or castings of group spells in particularly chilly locations. The Satanic Snuggy is available in dark red, deep purple, and midnight black. Gold or silver trim featuring snippits of your favorite spells, the motto of your coven, or the names or symbols of the dark gods to which you’re dedicated can be added. All words and phrases are rendered in High Atlantean, Lemurian, Latin, or Esperanto.
   When worn by an intended character, the Satanic Snuggy provide a +1 bonus to all morale checks and Will saves, as well as a +2 bonus to saving throws against cold spells. If a character of good alignment or allegiance wears a Satanic Snuggy, he or she suffers a -1 penalty to all saving throws and attack rolls because of a sense of unease. The feeling and penalties end once the Snuggy is removed.

Seraphic Snuggy 
Favored by good witchkind for lounging around the house and for coven meetings or castings of group spells in particularly chilly locations.  The Seraphic Snuggy is available in snow white, heavenly blue, and heartfelt red. Gold or black trim featuring snippits of your favorite spells, the motto of your coven, or the names or symbols of the dark gods to which you’re dedicated can be added. All words and phrases are rendered in High Atlantean, Lemurian, Latin, or Esperanto.
   When worn by an intended character, the Seraphic Snuggy provide a +1 bonus to all morale checks and Will saves, as well as a +2 bonus to saving throws against cold spells. If a character of evil alignment or allegiance wears a Seraphic Snuggy, he or she suffers a -1 penalty to all saving throws and attack rolls because of a sense of unease. The feeling and penalties end once the Snuggy is removed.

All text in this post was presented under the Open Game License. For more, check out Secrets of the Witchkind from NUELOW Games.

d20 Feat: Portable Safe Space

A d20 System feat for our times....

Portable Safe Space [General]
You can retreat to your safe space, anytime, anywhere.
    Benefit: On a round during which you have initiative over a foe, you can use your first action to declare, "My character goes to his safe space." For the rest of that round, you may not take any other actions, but you gain a +1 to all saving throws and to AC/DR for the rest of the round.
    On the following round, you gain a +2 bonus to all Bluff and Diplomacy skills checks, and a +2 bonus to Dodge rolls. The bonus lasts a number of rounds equal to your Charisma bonus.
   Special: Dedicated Heroes (d20 Modern) may choose this feat as one of the bonus feats earned through level advancement.

(This text is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with it. Copyright 2016 Steve Miller)

Modern Basics of 2016

The latest from NUELOW Games is a collection of feats, talents, and templates that have been revised from material that originally appeared in posts here or on the NUELOW Games Facebook page.

The cover for a collection of tools to make your d20 System gam ultra postmodern!

The Modern Basics 2016 Annual features work by NUELOW Games regulars L.L. Hundal, Dave Mendez, and Steve Miller, and it was mostly inspired by things you've seen in the news during the year that will (thankfully) soon be over.


You can see previews and get your copy of the one product you need to accurately replicate the aura of 2016 in your d20 Modern games at RPGNOW and DriveThruRPG. Get yours today and fix flaws in the game system you didn't even know existed!

It's not only Election Day in the U.S. on November 8. It's also....

...Redhead Day! So whether you're some foreigner (living in the US or outside the US), you now have reason to think November 8 is a special day. Instead of celebrating Democracy, you can celebrate redheads! (Little Known Fact: L.L. Hundal is a redhead! Give her the gift of royalties on Her Special Day by purchasing something she worked on for NUELOW Games!)


A more specific way to observe Redhead Day would be to get a copy of OGL Redheads and bring their power to your d20 System games! Click here to unleash the Power of the Redhead at your gaming table!

The only d20 supplement focused on redheads!

Martial Arts Ranma 1/2 Style!

In Rumiko Takahashi's classic Ranma 1/2 series anything can be turned into a martial art--ice skating, fine dining, cheerleading... anything. With the following feat, you can do the same in your d20 System games.

The following text is presented under the Open Game License, and it may be reproduced in accordance with it. Copyright 2016 Steve Miller.

Specialty Martial Artist [Fighter, Fast Hero, Strong Hero] 
You have mastered an unusual fighting style that turns normally harmless pursuits deadly.
   Prerequisite: Combat Martial Arts or Defensive Martial Arts
   Benefit: When this feat is selected, specify a Craft, Knowledge, or Perform skill. You are the master of a fighting style that weaponizes that activity. You add ½ your number of ranks in the designated skill (round up) to your to-hit and damage rolls when making unarmed attacks. You may use objects associated with the activity as improvised melee or ranged weapons without suffering a non-proficiency penalty. In general, the objects deal a base of 1d4 points of damage with a base crit range of 19-20.
   Special: You may select this feat multiple times. Each time, a different Craft, Knowledge, or Perform skill must be specified. You must declare which version of the feat (if any) you are using at the beginning of each round if making a martial arts attack.

Martial Tea Ceremony (Illo by Rumiko Takahashi)

Coming Soon: 'Secrets of the Witchkind'

NUELOW Games is about to release its latest d20 System supplement--no comics, just RPG content in this one! Titled "Secrets of the Witchkind," it presents a new player character race--the Witchkind--and their unique way of wielding magic. The book also contains a bunch of feats and some talents consolidated from some of our other releases for ease of reference.


Like "Secrets of the Immortals," this is a product loosely based on a classic television programme... this one was about a witch who fell in love with a mortal and married him, and the chaos her relatives cause for them. Although slanted toward OGL d20 Modern, like the vast majority of our d20 System releases, the Witchkind can be interesting additions to any game that uses the d20 engine, especially ones that have the word "Path" in their name.


Artist Bradley K. McDevitt supplies an original cover for one, and we love it! Here is its evolution...


First there was the sketch...

Then there was the draft for approval...

Then there was the final colored version...





And here's the illo and other graphic elements combined on the cover (which McDevitt also designed for us)!

Keep an eye out for more announcements regarding Secrets of the Witchkind. Meanwhile, you should check out some of our other horror- and supernatural-themed products to help get you in the Halloween spirit! Click here to see listings and previews!

Whatchagonna do when they come for you?! It's d20 Cops!

Cops are a hot topic these days, although not always in a good way. Maybe some of you out there are contemplating d20 System campaigns where the heroes are cops--well, if you are, we have just the product to help you add the right flavor to the player characters!

Cop Feats Galore!

Although designed with d20 Modern in mind, the feats in Modern Basics: Good Cop, Bad Cop can easily apply to any d20 System variant you're using, be it something with Finder as part of the name or something entirely different. Happy crime-busting (or bribe-taking, depending on the nature of the campaign).

Modern Basics: Good Cop, Bad Cop is available at RPGNow and DriveThruRPG. Click on the link to your favorite site to see previews or to get your own copy.

And here's a song from Rucka-Rucka Ali that may or may not help inspire your game!

The Flying Fool lands at NUELOW Games!

The creative and editorial team of Jack Kirby and Joe Simon not only brought the world Captain America, but it brought us the first romance comics, helped develop the visual language of horror comics, and put any number of foundation stones for both comic book art form and comic book industry in place.

With out latest release, NUELOW Games throws the spotlight on Simon & Kirby's fantastic talents by collecting their run on "Link Thorne: The Flying Fool" in its entirety. The pair took a series that could generously be described as lackluster, and filled it with so much life and energy that the seven episodes they wrote and drew carried the series for an additional 16 episodes after they moved onto other projects.

Cover for Link Thorne: The Flying Fool. Art by Simon & Kirby

Link Thorne: The Flying Fool is not only a must-read for fans of well-done comics, but for those who love B-movies from the 1930s and 1940s, because each installment feels more like one of those movies than it does a comic book story. In addition to the comics, the book also contains a ROLF! scenario and game stats for key Flying Fool characters--as well as for Jack Kirby and Joe Simon!

You can get Link Thorne: The Flying Fool at DriveThruComics, DriveThruRPG, and RPGNow.

Presenting 'OGL Drunkards'!

From the people who brought you The Unholy 3 and OGL Trickery, OGL Redheads, and Modern Basics: Feats of an Adult Nature comes OGL Drunkards!

Is it just me, or does that lady have huge hands?

OGL Drunkards features feats, a talent tree, and a new skill for hard-drinking d20 System characters. And that pretty much sums up everything there is to day about the product... other than to add that it's a reminder of what classy people we are here at NUELOW Games. Elevating roleplaying games in the minds of the general public is what we're all about.

You can get OGL Drunkards at RPGNow and DriveThruRPG, along with all the other great NUELOW Games product for the d20 System (with an emphasis on OGL Modern).

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As a further way to celebrate and promote this new release (as well as drive home the point of what a class act we are), here's a new skill and feat to use with OGL Drunkards. (The rest of this post is released under the Open Game License, and the material may be reproduced in accordance with its terms.)

NEW SKILL
Precision Urination (Dexterity) 
When drunk, you may perform amazing feats of urination.
   Here are some sample actions and their DCs. (Drunkeness penalties apply.)
   Pee in a bottle or can: DC 4
   Put out a candle: DC 6
   Put out a torch: DC 10
   Write your name, if non-elf or non-drow: DC 12
   Write your name, if elf or drow: DC 14
   Put out a camp fire: DC 18
   Hit any specific target: DC 2 + 2/1 ft. distance, up to 10 ft, or DC 2 + 2/4 ft. distance, up to 40 ft. f the target is on a lower level than you. You must have a clear line of sight to the target.
   Special: Female characters receive a -12 modifier on precision urination skill checks (in addition to any drunkeness penalties), unless they are shapeshifters. Using a funnel or similar device provides a +6 bonus to the use of this skill. Bonuses to ranged attacks provided by feats may be added to the checks for this skill.
   Precision Urination becomes a permanent class skill for any character who has a talent from the Drunkard talent tree.

NEW FEAT
Drunken Direction Sense (with thanks to Scott Kankleborg)
You gain a +6 bonus to Navigation and Survival checks to find the most direct and safest path home when drunk. "Home" is defined as your place of residence, even a temporary one, such as a hotel room or a camp in the wilderness.
   Special: The bonus from this feat is applied after Drunkeness penalties.

More NPC stats for your 5E game!

Andrew Pavlides is back with another NUELOW Games contribution... and Head Honcho Steve Miller lends a hand on this product featuring a collection of spellcasters and all-new spells designed to bedevil or support the PCs in your D&D Fifth Edition games!

Art by Storn Cook

Get your copy, or see previews of, Generic NPCs: An Assortment of Wizards, Warlocks and Their Followers by clicking here!

The power of the burp!

The element of surprise can mean the difference between defeat and victory in conflicts. Here are two feats for all d20 System games that will allow characters to seize that all important element of surprise by burping! (All text in this post is presented under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with its terms. Copyright 2016 Steve Miller.)

Power Burp [General, Minor Superpower]
You can issue a burp with an astonishing volume.
   Benefit: As a standard action, you can burb extremely loudly. All characters who have not previously been exposed to your special gift must roll Will saves (DC12+your Cha bonus) or suffer a -4 adjustment to their initiative, because they're so startled.
   Special: You gain a +2 adjustment to your initiative when doing a Power Burp. Subsequent actions that round are taken on your regular initiative.

Toxic Burp [General, Minor Superpower]
You can weaken a grappled foe with a foul-smelling burb.
   Prerequisite: Power Burp
   Benefit: After making a successful grapple attack, as a free action, you may burp into your foe's face, delivering a particularly vile blast of air that smells like it wafted up from the depths of Hell itself. The target must roll a Fortitude save (DC13) or lose all actions for the rest of the round. The target is sickened for 1d3 subsequent rounds.

The material is this post is a perfect compliment to the rules for drinking and getting drunk that we presented here. (Scroll past the video.)


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If you enjoyed this post, please support our efforts by buying one or two of our books.

The Love Witch has been unleashed!

Last month, we previewed some of the game material that was slated for Love Witch, a book collecting some early work by legendary comics creators Marv Wolfman and Ernie Colon (with additional art by Jack Able, Don Heck, and Mike Esposito). The book is now out, and available for purchase! (And if you liked NUELOW's Sorceress of Zoom books, you'll love Burnick the Love Witch!)

The cover for Love Witch from NUELOW Games

Love Witch features three illustrated tales of dark fantasy set in the times of legend following the destruction of Atlantis. Taking his cue from Wolfman's work, veteran game designer and NUELOW head-honcho created a new set of flexible spellcasting rules for the d20 System game. Relying on the feats and talents mechanics, and completely divorced from specific classes, this system captures magic use as shown in comics, movies, and fiction more effectively than the standard rules. While it is presented as being the spellcasting methods of Atlantis, it can be used in any setting or time-frame in which your campaign is set.

Click here to see previews of Love Witch at RPGNow, or to get your own copy. The book is also available at DriveThruComics and DriveThruRPG.

Mad about Marvel's treatment of Captain America?

The latest bit of brilliance (?) from the House of Ideas has been to turn Captain American into a supervillain--a deep cover Hydra agent who never was the hero he pretended to be. A good number of people are upset at this, given that the character (and his alter ego Steve Rogers) have been a symbol of the American ideal from the beginning.

Instead of being upset, we here at NUELOW Games recommend that fans instead pick a point where the "real" Captain American stories ended and simply ignore whatever dreck Marvel prints. (For me, it's the end of the story arc where Steve Rogers returned to the role of Captain America after his stint as US Agent.). Then, to fill the empty space for reading material, you can turn to other patriotic superheroes. Here's a selection you can start with--all from NUELOW Games and all guaranteed to never be subjected to the sort of character assassination that Marvel appears to have visited upon Captain America.

MAJOR VICTORY AND YANKEE GIRL
These star-spangled heroes gave their lives for their country and were given the opportunity to keep fighting by the powerful entity known as Father Patriot. Every single one of their appearances from the Golden Age of Comics (along with the never-before-revealed origin of Yankee Girl) are contained in Complete Golden Age Oddballs: Major Victory & Yankee Girl.

Available at DriveThruComics, DriveThruRPG, and RPGNow

PAT PATRIOT
A working class daughter of immigrants, who devoted herself to fighting America's enemies on the home front while becoming a symbol of America, Patricia Patrios is as American and as heroic as they come. The Pat Patriot collection from NUELOW Games features four of her greatest adventures.

Available at DriveThru Comics, DriveThruRPG, & RPGNow

THE BRONZE TERROR
The Bronze Terror is secretly the successful attorney Jeff Dixon. A Native American, Jeff fights to defend the rights and reputations of Native Americans both in and out of the courtroom... and when the law comes up short, he dons a mask and continues the fight outside court as the Bronze Terror. Real American No. 1 collects the best stories featuring the Bronze Terror.

Available at DriveThruComics, DriveThruRPG, and RPGNow

Each of these books not only bring you adventures by great patriotic superheroes, but they contain rules and scenarios that can get you started on creating your own adventures featuring them--as you play ROLF!: The Rollplaying Game with your friends! Stop stewing over Marvel and start reading and creating something new and better!

d20 Donald Trump

It's almost a sure thing that the Republicans are going to nominate Donald Trump as their presidential candidate for the 2016 election. To help you get used to the idea of even more Trump on television and on the news and eventually (maybe) in the White House, here he is as viwed through the lense of the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game. (He was created using rules from NUELOW's OGL Redheads product, which we just released this past weekend. You should use it to make your d20 System games great again!)

"I.m going to roll so many 20s on my skill cheks, you'll be sick of it."

DONALD "THE DONALD" TRUMP
Charismatic Hero 8/Smart Hero 4/Dedicated Hero 2
   CR 14; Medium Humanoid (human); HD 14d6, hp 51, Mas 10; Init -1, Spd 30 ft.; Def 17 (-1 Dex, +5 class, +3 [+1 mastercraft] undercover shirt); BAB +7, Grap +7; Atk stun gun +7/+2 melee (1d3 electricity and stun); FS/R ft./5 ft.; AL ambition, self; SV Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +10; AP 7, Rep +10
   Str 10, Dex 9, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 9, Cha 16.
   Template: Redhead
   Starting Occupation: White Collar (class skills: Diplomacy, Knowledge [business])
   Skills: Bluff +18, Computer Use +4, Craft (writing) +6, Diplomacy +18, Forgery +10, Gamble +8, Gather Information +11, Intimidate +10, Investigate +12, Knowledge (behavioral sciences) +14, Knowledge (business) +27, Knowledge (civics) +9, Knowledge (current events) +17, Knowledge (streetwise) +14, Profession +19, Sense Motive +11.
   Languages: English (literate, native).
   Feats: Attentive, Confident, Deceptive, Iron Will, Quick Tempered, Redhead, Renown, Robust Redhead, Windfall (x3).
   Talents (Charismatic): Deathly Pale, Disease Resistance, Fast Talk, Favor.
   Talents (Dedicated): Reflective Skin
   Talents (Smart): Plan, Savant (Knowledge [business])
   Possessions: business suit, expensive and gaudy watch, smart phone with all the features, laptop computer (with upgrade, provides +1 bonus to Computer Use checks [not included in statistics block above], has a cell modem and broadband modem), suitcase, stun gun

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All text in this post is presented under the Open Game License, and Donald Trump's name and likeness is used here in a satirical manner, under the fair use provisions of the US Copyright laws. If you find this material amusing or useful, please support our efforts by buying some of our actual releases.

(By the way, this is the second time we've given game stats to The Donald. You can see what he looks like in the ROLF! rollplaying game in Professor Fiend.)

The Clothes of the Dead!

Random magic and curses from the thrift shop--presented under the Open Game License! (Copyright 2016 by Steve Miller)

Modern heroes who are low on funds can hit the local Salvation Army or Good Will outlets in search of magical treasures hidden among the other second-hand items. When they go shopping, roll on the first chart to see what item they find that's more than just another cheap bit of clothing, then roll on the second to see what the specific item does. Unless otherwise noted, all modifiers only apply while the item is worn.

Bonuses and penalties can only be determined when the item is used in the situation is provides modifiers for. In campaigns where the PCs have access to the means to detect magic and determine the functions of magic items, all the thrift store items radiate magic. Any attempt to determine their function "reveals" them to be artifacts with uncertain purposes. Characters who do research into the items, Arcane Knowledge, Occult Lore, or Research skill checks (DC18) will yield the information that Marion K. Basset (television personality and occult expert) has delivered multiple lectures on such items at conventions and is reported to be working on a book about them, She may be able to help assertain more details about them items.

ITEM FOUND
1. Hat
2. Gloves
3. Jacket
4. Shirt
5. Pants
6. Footwear

Hats
1. +1 to all Charisma-based checks when worn
2. +2 to all Charisma-based checks directed at sex to which character is attracted.
3. +4 to Disguise checks
4. The item appears magical, but there it has no actual benefit or drawback
5. -4 to all Intelligence-based skill checks
6. +1 to Defense Rating, but -6 to all Wisdom-based skill checks

Gloves (unless otherwise noted, both gloves must be worn)
1. +1 to all Dexterity-based skill checks when worn.
2. +2 to all Craft and Repair skill checks when worn.
3. +2 to all Disable Device and Slight of Hand skill checks.
4. +2 to all Perform (Dance) skill checks; +4 if just the right hand glove is worn.
5. -4 to all Disable Device and Repair skill checks
6. -4 to all Repair skill checks, but +1 bonus to Fort saves to resist Cold Damage.

Jackets
1. +2 bonus to Fort saves to resist Cold and Heat Damage (stacks with similar bonuses),
2. +2 to Defense Rating (stacks with similar bonuses),
3. +4 to Investigate skill checks,
4. +2 to Investigate skill checks, but -4 to Sense Motive skill checks
5. -2 to Defense Rating,
6. -2 to Fort saves to resist Cold and Heat Damage (stacks with similar bonuses),

Shirts
1. The shirt never stains or becomes dirty.
2. +1 to Defense Rating OR +4 to skill checks related to acts of Seduction (when the top buttoms are undone).
3. +2 to Bluff and Diplomacy skill checks..
4. The spirit of the former owner haunts you. 50% chance that electronic devices being used near you malfunction at the worst possible time.
5. Enemies will target the wearer above other party members once they spot him or her.
6. -4 to all Charisma-based checks.

Pants
1. +2 to all Balance and Climb skill checks.
2. +2 to all Reflex saving throws
3. Pants tighten when worn. +4 to all skill checks relating to seduction.
4. +1 to Defense Rating (stacks with other bonuses).
5. -2 to all Reflex saving throws
6. 50% chance pants fall down at the worst possible moment (while character is fleeing a dangerous situation, for example).

Footwear
1. + 4 bonus to Run skill checks.
2. +2 bonus to Move Silently and Perform (Dance) skills checks.
3. Movement Rate doubled.
4. -2 to Defense Rating to Dodge attacks (stacks with other bonuses).
5. 1d4 hours after being put on, a strong odor starts emanating from character's feet, imposing a -4 penalty on all Hide skill checks.
6. -2 to all Reflex saving throws and Run skill checks.

OPTIONAL: HOW MANY ITEMS ARE FOUND PER TRIP
Roll 1d6 against teh table below. If several enchanted items are found, then roll that number of times against the ITEMS FOUND table and subtables to determine their types and enchantments.
1. None
2. 1d2
3. 1d2+1
4. 1d2+2
5. 1d2+3
6. None


If you found this article useful or amusing, support our efforts by getting some of our d20 System offerings from RPGNow!