RPG-a-Day #31: Edge

"The Age of Atlantis was both a fascinating and frustrating chapter in the history of the world--and their legacy reflects that to this day. On the one hand, they left us with the Witchkind. On the other hand, they left us with abnormalities like the House on the Edge of Never."

--Brigid the Red, a dragon living secretly among humans

THE HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF NEVER

The House on the Edge of Never is formally named Walling Manor. It was built by Witchkind architect Horace Walling in 1903 on the site of a dimensional distortion that had been growing more and more virulent since the Fall of Atlantis. His intent was to build a frame around the distortion and controlled it before it became a hazard to reality; he was partially successful.

The front door of the house is located exactly on the spot of the distortion. Entering the house through it safe enough, but exiting through it results in a one-in-ten chance of opening the door to a swirling mass of colors and if you step through you find yourself in another place or time or dimension... or possibly all three. You then have ten minutes to return through the door or any and all presence of you ever having existed will be erased from your native universe, as reality struggles to repair the rift. (If the characters are somewhere on present-day Earth, they are still in their own timeline.)

The Walling Family has been living in the house since Horace completed it, with the exception of Horace himself who got lost between realities by leaving through the front door one day. His family still remembers him, as the Witchkind are immune to the memory-wiping effects of reality attempting to fix itself and its timeline. Whenever someone shows up who has knowledge of the occult--or, even better, knowledge of the extra-dimensional secrets of Walling Manor--they will promise handsome rewards to those who can find Horace and bring him back to them.

  

DOORWAY DESTINATIONS

Roll 1d10 when a character exits Walling Manor through the front door. On a 1, roll 1d100 againts the table below to see where the door opens to. Sharp-eyed readers will notice that several destinations are one of Brigid the Red's homes that are scattered around the world. This is because she helped Horace Walling create the front door to the mansion and inadvertently left her imprint on it.)

1. The Obsidian Throne Room of the Lich-King Valdros - Midnight during a blood moon

2. A 1950s American diner in rural Nevada - 3:47 AM, just as the coffee pot starts to boil over

3. The base of a secret society a the bottom of the Mariana Trenc - High noon (surface time)

4. A floating garden above the clouds of Jupiter - Dawn of the 300-year storm cycle

5. The Library of Alexandria - Two hours before the fire begins

6. Brigid the Red's home/lair in Australia (1-7 she's at home, 8-10 she is not) - Present day

7. A cyberpunk Tokyo street market - Neon-soaked 2:00 AM during cherry blossom season

8. The surface of a comet hurtling through space - The moment it passes closest to a dying star

9. A medieval torture chamber - The hour of mercy (when guards change shifts)

10. The waiting room of the Department of Interdimensional Affairs - Eternally 4:30 PM on a Friday

11. A coral reef city of merfolk - The Festival of Tides at dusk

12. The trenches of World War I - Christmas morning, 1914

13. A giant's kitchen cupboard - Breakfast time

14. The peak of Mount Everest - During the brief window of clear weather in climbing season

15. A pocket dimension containing only a single oak tree - Autumn, always autumn

16. The engine room of a generation starship - 847 years into its journey

17. A Victorian London opium den - The witching hour

18. The nest of a thunderbird - Moments before a lightning strike

19. A child's closet in suburban Ohio - 3:00 AM, when the monsters come out

20. The Grand Bazaar of Brass in the City of Djinn - The hour of impossible bargains

21. A Roman bathhouse in Pompeii - August 23, 79 AD, morning

22. The inside of a living, beating heart - Systole

23. A space station orbiting a black hole - Where time moves at half-speed

24. A fairy ring in an ancient forest - Midsummer's Eve at twilight

25. The control room of Chernobyl - April 26, 1986, 1:23:40 AM

26. A pirate ship during the Golden Age of Piracy - Three minutes before the kraken surfaces

27. The workshop of a mad artificer - The moment of their greatest breakthrough/explosion

28. A subway platform in an abandoned timeline - When the ghost train arrives

29. The throne room of the Faerie Queen - The hour when all debts come due

30. A 1920s speakeasy during Prohibition - Just as the raid begins

31. The caldera of an active volcano - The calm before eruption

32. A monastery in the Himalayas - 4:00 AM prayer time, winter solstice

33. The deck of the Titanic - April 14, 1912, 11:30 PM

34. A crystalline cave that amplifies magic - During a planetary alignment

35. A food court in an interdimensional mall - Lunch rush, all times simultaneously

36. The war room during the Cuban Missile Crisis - October 27, 1962, decision hour

37. A greenhouse on Mars - First harvest dawn

38. The lair of a sleeping elder god - Five minutes before it wakes

39. A speeding bullet train in Japan - 3:15 PM, passing Mount Fuji

40. The moment between moments - When time hiccups

41. A gladiatorial arena in ancient Rome - High noon, when the emperor gives thumbs down

42. The bridge of a derelict spaceship - When life support has 10 minutes remaining

43. A witch's cottage in the woods - The hour of brewing, when the moon is dark

44. The floor of the New York Stock Exchange - Black Tuesday, 1929, market close

45. A bioluminescent underwater cave - Midnight, when the creatures sing

46. The laboratory where the first atomic bomb was built - The moment before the test

47. A treehouse in a world-tree - Sunrise, when the tree awakens

48. The back room of a pawn shop that deals in souls - Closing time

49. A battlefield where two armies are frozen in time - The instant before the charge

50. A 1960s NASA control room - T-minus 10 seconds to launch

51. The palace of the Sun King - The exact moment of dawn

52. A noir detective's office in 1940s Los Angeles - Raining, always raining, 11 PM

53. The spawning grounds of cosmic horrors - When the stars are right

54. A medieval plague village - The day the doctor arrives

55. Brigid the Red's home/lair in Wales (1-6 she's at home, 4-10 she's not) - During the Age of Camelot

56. A temple to forgotten gods - Who are ready to be remembered

57. A speakeasy in Hell - Happy hour (it's never happy)

58. The observation deck of a lighthouse - During the worst storm in a century

59. A quantum laboratory - The moment Schrödinger opens the box

60. The throne room of an underwater kingdom - When the tide turns

61. A saloon in the Wild West - High noon, naturally

62. The gallery of living paintings - When the subjects escape their frames

63. A bunker during nuclear winter - Year 47 after the bombs

64. The workshop of Father Time - When he's running late

65. A jazz club in 1950s Harlem - 2 AM, during the best set ever played

66. The chamber where a phoenix is reborn - The moment of immolation

67. A space elevator - Halfway between earth and sky

68. The Hall of Mirrors in Versailles - During a masquerade ball, midnight

69. A dimension where gravity works sideways - Breakfast time (subjective)

70. The tent of a fortune teller - When she actually sees the future

71. A server farm containing uploaded consciousnesses - When they dream

72. The eye of a hurricane - The deceptive calm

73. Brigid the Red' home/lair in Iran (1-2 she's home, 3-10 she is not) - Year 6 B.C.

74. The workshop of the Sandman - When nightmares are being crafted

75. A Prohibition-era bootlegger's cave - During a delivery

76. The moment a star goes supernova - From a safe distance (hopefully)

77. A Victorian séance parlor - When something actually answers

78. The cafeteria of a superhero academy - Lunch period chaos

79. A samurai's garden - Cherry blossom season, moment of perfect peace before battle

80. The server room of the simulation we're living in - During a system update

81. A strip club on the moon - Happy hour, low gravity

82. The chamber of a sleeping beauty - One minute before the hundred years end

83. A 1980s arcade - Saturday afternoon, high score attempt in progress

84. The realm between life and death - When the ferryman takes a break

85. A monastery where monks have taken a vow of silence - When one is about to break it

86. The cockpit of Amelia Earhart's plane - July 2, 1937, final transmission

87. A pocket dimension that's just an endless IKEA - Closing time (it never closes)

88. The war room of Atlantis - Minutes before the flood

89. A drive-in theater in 1950s America - Dusk, feature presentation starting

90. The moment before the Big Bang - If such a thing exists

91. A speakeasy run by vampires - When they're serving the special vintage

92. Brigid the Red's home/lair in Arizona (1-7 she's home, 8-10 she's not) - Present day.

93. A 1990s shopping mall - The liminal hours after closing

94. The bridge between parallel universes - When both versions of you cross simultaneously

95. A medieval alchemist's laboratory - The moment they discover gold (or explode trying)

96. The green room before reality TV was invented - When it was still real

97. A space station being consumed by a sentient gas cloud - When the crew realizes

98. The study of Sherlock Holmes - When he's solved it but hasn't revealed the answer yet

99. A dimension where music is visible - During a symphony's crescendo

100. The door maker's workshop - When they're crafting this very door

RGP-a-Day #27: Hunger

One woman's hunger for power leads to opportunities for enterprising player characters...

The Opportunity
Lady Cassandra Veyren waits in the shadowed alcove of the Gilded Swan tavern, her fine silks at odds with the establishment's rough clientele. She speaks plainly: her father's assassination has left the succession to rulership in chaos, and three cousins stand between her and the throne she believes is rightfully hers... despite her birth out of wedlock. She offers the party 500 gold per rival "removed from consideration"—whether through scandal, exile, or more permanent means is left to their discretion. Her desire burns cold and calculated; she's already hired informants, bribed servants, and planted evidence. She needs capable hands to execute the final moves.

The Complications
Each rival presents a different moral challenge. Cousin Dmitri is a gambling addict whose debts could easily be weaponized, but he genuinely cares for the common people and has proposed tax reforms. Cousin Elara is having an affair that could destroy her reputation, yet she's the only candidate who opposes the kingdom's expansionist war. Cousin Theron is corrupt and cruel, an easy target—but he's also Cassandra's only real competition, and removing him might reveal that Cassandra's methods are even darker than his. As the party investigates, they discover Cassandra has already poisoned one rival who "died of natural causes" and plans to frame another for treason. The party must choose: complete the contract and install a ruthless but effective ruler, sabotage Cassandra and support a flawed but perhaps more moral candidate, or expose the entire conspiracy and let the succession fall to chaos. Each choice reshapes the kingdom's future, and Cassandra is not someone who forgives betrayal.

RPG-a-Day #21: Charity

"One of the more recent hobbies I've picked up is playing D&D. For the past 50 or so years I have been playing in and running games at least one night a week. Here's an outline for some adventures I'll be running. They may or may not have roots in actual events. Heck, if you like the ideas, consider them my gifts to you and YOUR players!"

--Brigid the Red, a dragon living secretly among humans

Part One: The Solstice Disaster

The PCs arrive in Frostholm Village expecting festive cheer, but instead find chaos. Three days ago, Ember the Red descended from the mountains bearing "the greatest Solstice gift ever"—a single melted gold coin for every household. What seemed like generosity has become catastrophe. Prices have skyrocketed overnight as merchants realize everyone has gold. Neighbors who received slightly larger coins accuse others of favoritism. The tavern keeper refuses copper, demanding only gold. Fistfights break out over whose gift was "better."

Meanwhile, Ember circles overhead, genuinely confused why the villagers aren't celebrating. The dragon keeps trying to "fix" things—offering more gold, conjuring ice sculptures, roasting entire herds of cattle—but each gesture makes matters worse. Lord Aldric has sent word that he's marching with soldiers to "deal with the dragon menace," which will surely end in bloodshed. The PCs must restore economic stability, calm social tensions, and somehow explain to a well-meaning but dangerously naive ancient dragon why good intentions aren't enough—all before Aldric arrives with an army.

Part Two: The Rival's Challenge

Frostholm's Winter Solstice celebration is in full swing—Ember has been surprisingly restrained, merely decorating the village square with (harmless) magical lights and singing carols in Draconic. Then Scorathax arrives. The rival red dragon lands with earth-shaking force, sneering at Ember's "pathetic display of weakness." Scorathax issues an ultimatum: Ember must publicly renounce their "shameful" charity and admit that dragons are meant to be feared, not loved—or Scorathax will reduce Frostholm to ash to "restore proper dragon dignity."

Ember refuses to back down, but won't fight near the village. The two dragons circle each other, hurling insults while terrified villagers huddle indoors. Scorathax gives Ember until midnight—three hours away. The PCs must navigate this powder keg: Can they convince Scorathax that Ember's way has merit? Help Ember find a solution that doesn't involve surrender or violence? Evacuate the village before the deadline? Or perhaps discover that Scorathax's challenge masks a deeper motivation—jealousy of the love Ember receives?

RPG-a-Day #19: Desire

"Another of my favorite possessions is the Lover's Compass. Over the centuries, I have let a few humans have it so they could find their way to their true love. Most of those quests have ended happily. Most."

--Brigid the Red, a dragon living secretly among humans

Lover's Compass 

(requires attunement)

This exquisitely crafted compass appears to be made of brass and crystal, with delicate filigree work depicting intertwined vines or hearts around its rim. Unlike ordinary compasses, its needle is fashioned from a sliver of meteoric iron that gleams with an inner warmth. The compass has become a traditional gift among adventurers who must part ways with their beloved, serving as both a practical navigation tool and a promise of eventual reunion.

Attunement
To attune to the Lover's Compass, you must spend the dawning of a new day holding the compass while focusing your thoughts on a specific creature with whom you share a romantic bond. This creature becomes your "designated beloved" for the purposes of the compass's magic. The designated beloved need not be present during attunement, nor do they need to consent to or even be aware of the designation—the compass responds to your feelings, not theirs.
   Only one creature can be attuned to a given Lover's Compass at a time, and you can only be attuned to one Lover's Compass at a time. If you attune to a different compass or designate a different beloved, the previous attunement ends. Changing your designated beloved requires breaking attunement and re-attuning during a new short rest, a process that many find emotionally significant as it represents a shift in their heart's devotion.

 
Mechanics
While attuned to the Lover's Compass, its needle functions differently depending on your designated beloved's location and status:

Same Plane, Within 100 Miles

The needle points unerringly toward your designated beloved's current location, updating in real-time as they move. The compass provides directional guidance only—it does not indicate distance, terrain obstacles, or the safest route. If your beloved is directly above or below you (such as on a different level of a dungeon or tower), the needle spins slowly in a circle, and you instinctively sense whether they are above or below your current position.

Same Plane, Beyond 100 Miles

The needle points in the general direction of your beloved but trembles noticeably, indicating the extreme distance. At this range, the compass's accuracy decreases—it points toward your beloved's location as it was within the last 24 hours, not their current real-time position. The trembling intensifies the farther away your beloved is, providing a rough sense of whether they are merely distant or truly far away.

Different Planes

If your designated beloved is on a different plane of existence, the needle spins slowly and continuously, never settling on a direction. However, the compass grows warm to the touch, confirming that your beloved still lives. If your beloved dies while on another plane, the compass becomes cold and the needle stops moving entirely, pointing downward toward the ground.

Beloved's Death

If your designated beloved dies while on the same plane, the needle immediately points toward the location of their body (or the location where they died, if the body has been moved to another plane or destroyed). The compass grows cold to the touch, and the crystal face clouds over with frost. This state persists until you break attunement or your beloved is restored to life, at which point the compass immediately warms and resumes normal function.

Mechanical Benefits

Navigation Aid

 While traveling overland toward your designated beloved (within 100 miles and on the same plane), you have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks made to avoid becoming lost. The compass's guidance helps you maintain your general heading even through difficult terrain or poor visibility, though it does not reveal the safest or fastest route.

Sense Distance

As an action, you can focus on the compass to gain a rough sense of the distance to your designated beloved, provided they are on the same plane. The DM provides this information in broad categories: "within a mile," "several miles away," "many miles away," or "extremely distant" (beyond 100 miles). This feature can be used a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and all expended uses are restored when you finish a long rest.

Reunion's Clarity

When you are within 1 mile of your designated beloved and on the same plane, the compass's needle glows with soft golden light, and you gain a +2 bonus to Wisdom (Perception) checks made to locate them specifically. This bonus applies whether you're searching a crowded marketplace, a dark forest, or a sprawling dungeon—the compass helps you cut through distractions to find the one you seek.

Beacon of Hope 

As long as the compass indicates your beloved lives (through warmth and movement), you have advantage on saving throws against effects that would cause you to gain the frightened condition when the source of fear relates to your beloved's safety or your ability to reach them. Your determination to reunite with them steadies your resolve against despair.

 

 
Limitations
The Lover's Compass, while powerful, carries several limitations that reflect both magical constraints and the complex nature of love itself:

Unwilling Hearts

The compass responds to your feelings, not your beloved's. If your designated beloved does not reciprocate your romantic feelings, the compass still functions normally—it cannot distinguish between requited and unrequited love. This can lead to uncomfortable situations where the compass faithfully guides you toward someone who may not wish to be found, placing the ethical burden on the wielder to respect boundaries despite the compass's guidance.

Obscured by Magic

Certain powerful magical effects can interfere with the compass's function. If your designated beloved is within an area affected by mind blank, nondetection, or similar abjuration magic of 4th level or higher, the compass needle spins erratically and provides no useful information until the effect ends or your beloved leaves the protected area. Demiplanes and extradimensional spaces (such as a rope trick or magnificent mansion) count as different planes for the compass's purposes.

Emotional Interference

The compass is attuned to romantic love specifically. If your feelings toward your designated beloved shift significantly—such as falling out of love, developing romantic feelings for someone else, or experiencing a major betrayal—the DM may rule that the compass's accuracy decreases or that you must re-attune to maintain its function. This represents the compass's connection to your heart's true direction.

No Shortcuts

The compass points toward your beloved but does not reveal the path to reach them. It cannot detect obstacles, enemies, or dangerous terrain between you and your destination. A compass might point straight through a mountain range, across a monster-infested swamp, or into a hostile army's encampment—following its guidance without planning can lead to disaster.

Finite Guidance

The Sense Distance feature has limited daily uses, representing the mental and emotional energy required to focus your longing into precise awareness. Overusing the compass to constantly check on your beloved's distance can become obsessive, and some wielders find that the constant awareness of separation causes more pain than comfort.

 
Roleplay Hooks

The Lover's Compass might serve as the centerpiece of entire adventures.  

The Long Road Home

The Lover's Compass is perfect for creating reunion narratives. A character separated from their beloved by war, kidnapping, or circumstance can use the compass as both a mechanical tool and a symbol of hope. The DM can create tension by having the needle suddenly change direction (indicating the beloved has moved or been moved), spin wildly (suggesting planar travel or powerful magic), or grow cold (the ultimate fear). The journey to reunite becomes a quest in itself, with the compass providing direction but not safety.

Unrequited Devotion

The compass's inability to distinguish between mutual and one-sided love creates rich roleplay opportunities. A character might carry a compass pointing toward someone who doesn't return their feelings, forcing them to confront questions about respect, boundaries, and the difference between love and obsession. Alternatively, a character might discover that someone else carries a compass attuned to them, revealing feelings they never suspected. These scenarios work best when handled with emotional maturity and respect for all characters involved.

The Cold Compass

Few moments are more dramatic than when a Lover's Compass suddenly grows cold, signaling a beloved's death. This can serve as the inciting incident for a revenge quest, a desperate resurrection mission, or a profound moment of grief and character development. The compass pointing toward the body's location might lead characters into dangerous territory—a villain's stronghold, a cursed battlefield, or the depths of the Underdark. Even if resurrection is possible, the journey to recover the body while processing grief creates powerful storytelling opportunities.

RPG-a-Day #16: Composure

"I've been practicing my human forms for tens of thousands of years, so I make it look easy. I can consistently adopt one of six different forms, with a couple of them being my favorites, and I will look like that specific individual each time. I make it look easy, but it's not. When you get angry, or frustrated, or even scared... well, it's hard to predict what will happen, but the form often doesn't hold."

--Brigid the Red, a dragon living secretly among humans

20 Random Effects from Loss of Composure 

by Shapeshifted Dragons

Roll 1d20 to determine the category, followed by a roll of a 1d4 to determine the specific effect. Alternatively, choose an appropriate effect when a shapeshifted dragon experiences strong emotion (rage, fear, desire, pain) or fails a concentration/composure check. Multiple effects can stack for dramatic reveals. Effects typically last 1-10 minutes unless otherwise noted, or until the creature regains composure.

Visual Transformations (1-4)

1. Eyes Flare - Pupils become vertical slits and glow with inner fire or sulfurous light (Intimidation checks gain advantage; Deception checks have disadvantage for 1 minute)

2. Skin Flickers - Patches of scales, leathery hide, or chitinous armor briefly appear across exposed skin (Observers within 10 feet may attempt Perception check DC 12 to notice)

3. Shadow Distortion - The creature's shadow moves independently or shows their true monstrous silhouette (Automatic detection by anyone specifically watching shadows)

4. Chromatic Shimmer - A heat-haze effect surrounds the body, with colors inappropriate for humans—deep crimson, sulfurous yellow, or void-black (Disadvantage on Stealth checks for 10 minutes)

Auditory Phenomena (5-8)

1. Voice Resonance - Speech gains an unnatural echo or multi-tonal quality, as if multiple voices speak at once (Persuasion checks have disadvantage; Intimidation checks gain advantage)

2. Bestial Growl - Words are punctuated by deep rumbling growls or hisses that vibrate in listeners' chests (All creatures within 15 feet must succeed on DC 13 Wisdom save or become frightened for 1 round)

3. Linguistic Slip - Accidentally speaks in Draconic, Infernal, or Abyssal mid-sentence (Reveals supernatural nature to anyone who understands the language)

4. Harmonic Distortion - Nearby sounds become muffled or distorted when the creature speaks, as if reality strains (Perception checks based on hearing have disadvantage within 20 feet)

Physical Manifestations (9-13)

1. Claw Emergence - Fingernails extend into black talons or claws for 1d4 rounds (Unarmed strikes deal 1d6 slashing damage instead of normal damage)

2. Temperature Flux - Body temperature spikes dramatically—burning hot for demons/fire dragons, freezing cold for ice dragons (Anyone touching the creature takes 1d4 fire or cold damage)

3. Vestigial Wings - Shoulder blades bulge and small wing-buds or membrane fragments tear through clothing (Movement speed increases by 10 feet; clothing may be ruined)

4. Fang Protrusion - Teeth sharpen and elongate into predatory fangs (Bite attack becomes available: +proficiency to hit, 1d6+Strength piercing damage)

Environmental Disturbances (14-17)

1. Ambient Heat/Cold - Temperature in a 15-foot radius increases or decreases by 20-30 degrees (Uncomfortable for others; may extinguish small flames or cause frost)

2. Electrical Discharge - Static electricity crackles across nearby metal objects and causes hair to stand on end (Metal armor wearers within 10 feet feel uncomfortable tingling)

3. Sulfurous Scent - Strong smell of brimstone, ozone, or ancient reptilian musk fills the area (Automatic detection by anyone within 20 feet; may cause nausea in sensitive individuals)

4. Reality Warp - Straight lines near the creature appear slightly curved; colors seem oversaturated or washed out (Observers must succeed on DC 14 Wisdom save or feel disoriented, disadvantage on attack rolls for 1 round)

Behavioral Changes (18-20)

1. Predatory Focus - Eyes lock onto the nearest creature and track them with unblinking, hunting intensity (Target must succeed on DC 13 Wisdom save or feel instinctively threatened)

2. Hoarding Compulsion - Becomes momentarily fixated on valuable objects, unable to look away from gold, gems, or magical items (Must succeed on DC 12 Wisdom save to avoid reaching for or commenting on valuables)

3. Territorial Aggression - Adopts dominant posture, moves to control high ground or central position, and becomes hostile to challenges (Automatically responds to perceived slights with hostility; Wisdom save DC 14 to suppress violent response)

4. True Personality - Becomes supremely arrogant and impatient with perceived foolishness or stupidity, makes no effort to be diplomatic or tolerant (Wisdom save DC 14 to suppress violent response)

Optional: Stacked Transformations

1. 1d4 transformation effects (Roll on tables above)

2-3. Two transformation effects (Roll on tables above)

4. Three transformation effects (Roll on tables above)

RPG-a-Day #13: Strain

Here's an adventure outline where the PCs must stop a doomsday cult from corrupting all civilizations of the world via the Cosmic Strainer.  (Presented as part of the #RPGaDAY2026 Challenge.)

THE SOULESS:

An Adventure Outline

ACT ONE: THE PATTERN EMERGES

Inciting Incident: The adventure begins when the PCs investigate a series of disturbing incidents across multiple cities—a child who methodically poisoned her entire family, a boy who orchestrated a teacher's "accident," a girl who burned down an orphanage while laughing. Each perpetrator is exactly ten years old, born on the same night. Their intelligence is uncanny, their cruelty supernatural.

Investigation Phase: The PCs discover these aren't isolated cases—reports flood in from across the world. Thousands of children, all born during a single lunar eclipse, display identical patterns of malevolence. At the Sanctuary of the Vigilant, they meet Sister Mira, who reveals the horrifying truth: a doomsday cult called the Void Ascendant engineered a reincarnation curse, preventing virtuous souls from incarnating at all and leaving soulless children born in their place. The children's tenth birthday approaches—the "awakening" when their emptiness fully manifests as destructive force.

Key Encounter: Sister Mira directs the PCs to Kel, a young man born during an earlier, failed version of the ritual. Now twenty years old, he's a living warning—born without a soul during that failed ritual, now a sadistic killer who's had decades to embrace what he is. Confronting him becomes a tragic battle that yields crucial intelligence: the curse is maintained through seven ritual sites visited annually by cult members.

ACT TWO: THE RACE AGAINST AWAKENING

Escalation: The PCs must locate and destroy all seven ritual sites before the cult can restore them. Each site reveals fragments of the curse's architecture—mystical strains that keep virtuous souls out of incarnation, leaving only emptiness to be born. Time pressure mounts as the children's behavior grows more violent, and society fractures over how to respond. Should they be imprisoned? Executed? Can they be saved?

The Ritual Sites: Scattered across remote locations, each site presents unique challenges. Some are defended by fanatical cultists who believe they're "correcting creation's mistake." Others contain imprisoned children undergoing reinforcement rituals. The PCs must destroy the sites within a narrow window, or the binding regenerates.

ACT THREE: INTO THE OBSIDIAN TEMPLE

Temple Infiltration: With the ritual sites destroyed, the PCs trace the curse to its source: the Obsidian Temple in the Ashfall Mountains. Inside, they battle through zealots and confront the High Priestess, who reveals her philosophy—virtue is humanity's greatest weakness, and only by purging goodness from creation entirely, leaving only empty vessels free of virtue's weakness, can the world be truly "purified." She guards the entrance to the depths below, where the curse's true anchor lies.

The Cosmic Strainer: Descending beneath the temple, the PCs discover Dr. Vex maintaining the reincarnation binding at the Cosmic Strainer—a metaphysical filter where thousands of virtuous souls writhe in anguished limbo, imprisoned and prevented from incarnating by Vex's power. Above ground, the soulless children are empty vessels, born without the virtue that should have filled them. Vex offers a terrible revelation: destroying the rift will kill both the imprisoned souls and the soulless children. Severing the binding might allow the virtuous souls to finally incarnate—but what happens to the empty vessels they might replace or transform?

ACT FOUR: THE SEVERING

Climax: The PCs must battle Dr. Vex and the High Priestess while the awakening ritual crescendos. The choice becomes urgent: destroy the rift and end both the trapped souls and the soulless children, or sever the binding and allow the virtuous souls to finally incarnate. Vex has infused himself with the binding's power, becoming a living conduit between the trapped souls and their corrupted vessels. Breaking him means breaking the curse—but it also means thousands of souls suddenly awakening in bodies that have committed atrocities.

Resolution: Success means severing the reincarnation curse before the awakening completes. Across the world, thousands of children suddenly transform—some remember both lives, the soulless void and the virtuous soul now inhabiting them; others simply awaken as if from a nightmare, confused and human for the first time. They are innocent—their souls never chose the evil their bodies committed. But they wake in bodies with blood on their hands, in a world that watched them murder and destroy. Society must grapple with an impossible question: what is a person if they suddenly gain a soul? Are they the children who killed, or the virtuous souls newly born? Sister Mira establishes sanctuaries for the awakened, but the world fractures over whether resurrection absolves the sins of the vessel.

RPG-a-Day #12: Loss

 What tragic loss and circumstance put the character on the path to being a PC adventurer? Roll 1d20 gainst the table below during character creation. (See the end of the post for additional guidance.)

20 Tragic Backstory Events

Roll a d20 to determine a tragic event from your character's past.

1: The Plague - A mysterious plague swept through your hometown, killing your entire family while you were away. You returned to find empty houses and mass graves. 

Motivation: Find a cure for similar diseases, seek revenge on those who caused it, or carry survivor's guilt. 

Hook: Medical knowledge, fear of illness, protective of communities.

2: Branded Heretic - The religious order or organization you served branded you as a heretic and burned your lifetime of work. You were cast out and marked for death. 

Motivation: Prove your innocence, expose corruption, or find a new purpose. 

Hook: Distrust of institutions, hidden identity, theological knowledge.

3: Enslaved After War - Your village was conquered in war and you were sold into slavery. You spent years in chains before managing to escape. 

Motivation: Free other slaves, seek revenge on captors, or rebuild what was lost. 

Hook: Physical scars, combat skills, knowledge of criminal networks.

4: Cursed Bloodline - Your family is cursed to slowly wither and die—a magical hex placed by a powerful enemy generations ago. You're the last survivor. 

Motivation: Break the curse, find the one who cast it, or ensure your family is remembered. 

Hook: Magical research, time pressure, fear of attachment.

5: Witnessed Assassination - You witnessed the assassination of someone you loved deeply. The killers got away, and nobody believes your account of what happened. 

Motivation: Hunt down the killers, uncover the conspiracy, or protect others from similar fates. 

Hook: Investigative skills, paranoia, political knowledge.

6: Accidental Death - A spell, trap, or accident you caused killed your closest friend. Nobody holds you responsible, but you'll never forgive yourself. 

Motivation: Seek redemption, master your abilities to prevent future accidents, or punish yourself through dangerous quests. 

Hook: Extreme caution, self-destructive tendencies, technical expertise.

7: Planar Rifting - A planar rift opened in your hometown, swallowing half the city and everyone you knew. You were somehow spared, though you don't know why. 

Motivation: Understand why you survived, prevent future rifts, or find a way to reach those lost. 

Hook: Planar knowledge, survivor's guilt, strange magical affinity.

8: Falsely Imprisoned - You were framed for a crime you didn't commit. You spent years in a brutal prison before escaping or being exonerated. 

Motivation: Clear your name, find who framed you, or reform the justice system. 

Hook: Prison contacts, survival skills, distrust of authority.

9: Bound Servitude - Through debt, magic, or blackmail, you were bound into servitude to a tyrant or dark master for many years. 

Motivation: Ensure others don't suffer the same fate, seek revenge, or break free from lingering control.

 Hook: Insider knowledge of villain's operations, magical binding scars, loyalty issues.

10: Hometown Destroyed - Invaders, a natural disaster, or a cataclysm destroyed your hometown entirely. You were one of few survivors and had to flee with nothing. 

Motivation: Rebuild elsewhere, prevent similar destruction, or find other survivors. 

Hook: Refugee status, survival skills, knowledge of the disaster.

11: Disfiguring Magic - A magical accident or curse left you physically disfigured and marked. You're shunned by former friends and community. 

Motivation: Find a cure, prove your worth despite appearance, or embrace your new identity. 

Hook: Magical scarring, social outcast status, empathy for the marginalized.

12: Betrayed by Love - Someone you trusted completely—a partner, sibling, or mentor—betrayed you for power, money, or revenge, destroying your life in the process. 

Motivation: Confront the betrayer, rebuild trust in others, or never be vulnerable again. 

Hook: Trust issues, knowledge of betrayer's plans, emotional walls.

13: Forced to Kill - You were forced to kill an innocent person or someone you loved to save yourself or others. The moral weight never left you. 

Motivation: Atone for the act, ensure it wasn't in vain, or find peace with impossible choices. 

Hook: Moral complexity, combat trauma, protective instincts.

14: Family Torn Apart - Your family was torn apart—separated by slavery, war, or abduction. You've spent years searching for them with no success. 

Motivation: Reunite your family, help others find lost loved ones, or accept they're gone. 

Hook: Investigation skills, wide travel experience, hope against odds.

15: Dragon's Devastation - A dragon or other great beast attacked and destroyed your community. You watched it burn and were powerless to stop it. 

Motivation: Slay the beast, become strong enough to face such threats, or warn others. 

Hook: Knowledge of monsters, feelings of powerlessness, drive to become stronger.

16: Possessed by Darkness - You were possessed by a demon, spirit, or dark god. While you managed to expel it, the experience left psychological and physical scars. 

Motivation: Prevent others from possession, hunt the entity that took you, or understand what happened. 

Hook: Occult knowledge, lingering dark urges, exorcism experience.

17: Hunted Fugitive - You were falsely accused of a heinous crime and hunted as a criminal. You've been fleeing from authorities for years. 

Motivation: Clear your name, find the real culprit, or start a new life in hiding. 

Hook: Evasion skills, false identities, knowledge of law enforcement.

18: Cult Survivor - You were born and raised in a dangerous cult. After years of indoctrination and abuse, you managed to escape and break free. 

Motivation: Dismantle the cult, deprogram others, or simply live freely for the first time. 

Hook: Cult secrets, psychological trauma, difficulty with normal social interactions.

19: Shattered Faith - A tragedy shattered your faith in your god, order, or ideology. You witnessed something so contradictory to your beliefs that you can never unsee it. 

Motivation: Find new meaning, expose the truth about your former faith, or fill the spiritual void. 

Hook: Religious knowledge, existential questions, crisis of purpose.

20: Apocalyptic Omen - You were the sole survivor of a prophetic vision or apocalyptic event. You've been marked or changed by the experience in ways you're still discovering. 

Motivation: Prevent the prophecy, understand your role, or prepare others for what's coming. 

Hook: Prophetic dreams, strange powers, sense of destiny or doom.


Using This Table:

Roll during character creation or work with your DM to choose an appropriate tragedy

Modify details to fit your character's race, class, and campaign setting

Consider how much time has passed since the event


Discuss with your DM how this tragedy might connect to the campaign's story

RPG-a-Day #10: Secrets

 Why is the player character the weirdo that he is? Why is he driven to do the heroic (or just destructive) things that he does? If the player doesn't have an answer to that question, the following random tables can be used with 1d8 to determine what dark secret the character is harboring that has shaped his life.

The GM can also use these tables to add color and background to NPCs. Just like PCs can be shaped by secrets, so can NPCs--perhaps even more so.

Regardless, the GM can use the secrets of NPCs and PCs alike to fuel adventures.

1-2. PERSONAL SECRETS

1. The Stolen Life - You assumed the identity of someone who died years ago, and their family still believes you are their lost loved one. Every day you live their life is another day of elaborate deception.

2. The Coward's Mark - You fled from battle while your comrades died, and the medal of valor you wear was taken from a corpse. The nightmares never stop, and you see their faces in every crowd.

3. The Forbidden Appetite - You suffer from an unnatural hunger that can only be satisfied by consuming something deeply taboo. You've managed to hide it so far, but the cravings are getting stronger.

4. The Lost Years - There's a five-year gap in your memory that you cannot account for, and sometimes you find scars, tattoos, or skills you don't remember acquiring. People occasionally recognize you from places you've never been.

5. The Noble Bastard - You are the illegitimate child of royalty or high nobility, and your existence could destabilize an entire kingdom. Your mother made you swear never to reveal the truth, even as you watch your half-siblings inherit what should be partly yours.

6. The Mercy Killing - You ended the life of someone you loved to spare them from unbearable suffering. It was an act of compassion, but the law would call it murder, and you're not sure they would be wrong.

7. The Changed Face - Your current appearance is the result of powerful magic or surgery, and you're hiding from someone who knew your original face. The transformation cost you more than just your appearance—you left behind everyone who ever loved you.

8. The Inherited Madness - A hereditary insanity runs in your bloodline, and you've begun experiencing the early symptoms. You've seen what the final stages look like, and you're terrified of becoming that.

 

3-4. SUPERNATURAL & MAGICAL SECRETS

1. The Demon's Bargain - You made a pact with a dark entity, and you're paying the price in installments. The final payment is coming due soon, and it's going to cost you something irreplaceable.

2. The Curse Bearer - You're cursed, and the curse spreads to those who get close to you. Everyone you've ever loved has suffered because of it, which is why you keep everyone at arm's length now.

3. The Stolen Magic - Your magical powers aren't truly yours—you stole them from someone else, siphoning their abilities through a forbidden ritual. They're still alive somewhere, powerless because of what you did.

4. The Possessed - You share your body with another consciousness—a spirit, demon, or fragment of someone else's soul. Sometimes it takes control, and you wake up with no memory of what you've done.

5. The Lich's Phylactery - You're unknowingly carrying or protecting the phylactery of a powerful lich. The object is precious to you for sentimental reasons, and you have no idea it's keeping an ancient evil alive.

6. The Fae-Touched - You were stolen by the fae as a child and only recently escaped back to the mortal world. Time moved differently there—you've been gone for decades, but you've barely aged, and everyone you knew is dead or elderly.

7. The Necromantic Secret - Someone close to you died, and you brought them back through necromancy. They seem normal, but you're not sure how much of the original person remains, and the magic requires regular maintenance.

8. The Divine Abandonment - You were once chosen by a god, but they've withdrawn their favor, and you're hiding the loss of your powers. You're faking miracles and divine connection, terrified that your followers will discover the truth.

5-6. CRIMINAL SECRETS

1. The Perfect Crime - You committed a crime so perfectly that someone else was convicted and executed for it. You've tried to confess anonymously, but no one believes the real culprit would come forward.

2. The Smuggler's Route - You know secret passages and routes used by smugglers, and you've been taking bribes to keep quiet. The contraband flowing through includes things far worse than you initially agreed to ignore.

3. The Embezzler - You've been stealing from your organization, temple, or guild for years through clever accounting. The amount is now so large that discovery would mean execution, but you can't stop without raising suspicion.

4. The Slaver's Shame - You were involved in the slave trade, either as a trader, catcher, or facilitator. You've left that life behind, but you know where the secret slave markets are, and some of your victims might still be alive.

5. The Arsonist's Match - You burned down a building, and people died in the fire. It might have been an accident, or revenge, or covering up another crime, but you've never told anyone the truth.

6. The Forger's Art - You're a master forger, and half the "authentic" documents, artworks, or relics in circulation are your creations. Some of them have changed the course of history or law.

7. The Assassin's Ledger - You've killed for money, and you keep a secret record of every contract. The ledger contains names that would shock the world—nobles, heroes, and leaders whose deaths were never suspected as murder.

8. The Fence's Network - You're connected to the criminal underworld as a fence or information broker. You know where stolen goods end up, who's planning what crime, and you profit from staying neutral while evil flourishes.

7-8. SCANDALS & SHAME

1. The Plagiarist - Your famous work—book, invention, spell, or discovery—was actually stolen from someone else's research. You're celebrated as a genius, but you're a fraud who can't replicate your own "achievement."

2. The Addiction - You're addicted to a substance, activity, or magical effect that would horrify those who respect you. You've done increasingly degrading things to feed the addiction, and you're losing control.

3. The Coward's Reputation - You're famous for a heroic act you didn't actually perform. You were there, but someone else did the brave thing, and circumstances made everyone believe it was you.

4. The Sexual Scandal - You've engaged in a sexual relationship or activity that violates the moral codes of your society, religion, or organization. Discovery would mean exile, execution, or complete social destruction.

5. The Failed Vows - You took sacred vows—of celibacy, poverty, honesty, or service—and you've broken every single one. You still wear the robes and accept the reverence, but you're a hypocrite.

6. The Bought Degree - Your credentials, rank, or title were purchased rather than earned. You don't actually have the knowledge or skills your position requires, and you're constantly afraid of being exposed as incompetent.

7. The Bastard's Secret - You're not actually the biological child of your supposed parents, and your entire inheritance, title, or position is based on a lie. Someone knows the truth and could destroy you with a single revelation.

8. The Humiliating Past - Before your current respectable life, you did something deeply humiliating for survival—degrading work, shameful performances, or selling yourself. Someone from that past has recognized you.

RPG-a-Day #3 -- TAVERN

Thirteen years ago, a fire tore through the Lucky Vagabond tavern on the outskirts of Pale Rock village. Eight people died in the fire, half of them prostitutes and their customers in the back rooms. The prorietor was also killed in the fire, a childless loner of mysterious origins. After the dead had been reovered, and clean-up got underway, a ninth person died when part of the remaining structure collapsed and killed him. Another worker swore that he saw a translucent, shadowy figure pushing on wall before it collapsed.

That was the beginning of the many tales that involve hauntings at the Lucky Vagabond. The ruins of the tavern remain, blackended and now overgrown with weeds and creeper vines. Lately, the ghosts in the ruins have been more active than ever before--mysterious lights have been seen at night and a couple adventurers who went to investigate a few weeks ago have yet to be heard from.

Sounds like something for the player character party to look into? Then roll 1d8 and consult the following table to find the answer to the Mystery of the Lucky Vagabond! (Or just pick your fave and develop a location and adventure from there.)

Result     What's Going On?

1.             A tribe of mostly peaceful kobolds have moved into the 

                basement and tunnel system below the tavern. If left alone, 

                they will continue to be peaceful. They might even begin to 

                 rade with the villagers. They have been holding the missing 

                 adventurers captive, not sure what to do with them.

2-3.           A group of adventurers are searching for a treasure that the

                 deceased proprietor had hidden in the tunnels below. The two

                 missing adventurers are being held captive.

4.              As #2, except a powerful necromancer is looking for the treasure, 

                 and he's killed the adventurers and is now aided by 12 zombies.

5-6.          The ruins have become infested by will-o-wisps.

7.              The original blaze was caused by a tear in reality that opens a

                 portal to the Elemental Plane of Fire. That rift is starting to 

                 weaken again, but this time it will be far worse--the entire 

                 will be consumed by fire if the party doesn't find a way to

                 stop it. 

8.              The ruins truly are haunted by the vengeful ghosts of two

                  prostitutes and the properitor. They appear to be made of fire.

                  The adventurers are dead, but have risen as charred skeletons.

Introducing Thea Haber, Chronomancer

It's been a while since we've posted to the blog, but here's a little something for use in your games or to spur your imagination!

    Thea Haber is a plane-hopping human Chronomancer. The player characters can encounter her anywhere... when they need to be rescued from a tight spot by an ally, or she needs the rescuing. 

There are some unusual aspects to encountering Thea, however:


HOW OLD DOES SHE LOOK?
The time-travel magic that Thea uses has an impact on her body, making her appear younger or older than she actually is. Whenever she is encountered, the DM should roll 1d6 on the following table to see what she looks like.
  1-2. Thea appears the same age she did when last encountered.
  3. Thea appears to be 15+1d6 years old.
  4. Thea appears to be 20+2d6 years old.
  5. Thea appears to be 30+4d6 years old.
  6. Thea appears to be 15+6d6 years old.

How old is she really? It's rude to ask a lady her age!

 

HAS SHE MET THE PCS BEFORE?
Thea's personal timeline is an insane tangle of her crossing back and forth through places at different times and during different ages. She may meet the characters for the first time... after she met them the first time. Several times. Roll 1d6 to see what she knows.

   1. She has never met the player characters before, although they have met here.

   2. She has heard of the player characters but has never met them, although they 

        have met her.
   3. She behaves as though she is best friends with the PCs, regardless of how many 

        times they've met before (if ever).
   4. She does not remember the last time she met the PCs, but describes a time they 

        haven't met, or the first time they met.
   5. She remembers every interaction with the PCs, as the timelines are in sync.
   6. She has not met the PCs, but she has heard of them. She asks for their help 

        with a villain who is threatening all of time.

 

The Notebook of Spirit Writing (Part One)

The Notebook of Spirit Writing is a two-part magic item that consists of a notebook and a pen. They allow the creator to communicate with one, possibly two, specific spirits of a person who has passed on. The person must have been literate in the language in which the creator of the Notebook of Spirit Writing wishes to communicate. The person must further be someone that either had no relationship with the creator, or a friendly one. The closer the relationship between the creator and the target, the greater the likelihood of the enchantment succeeding.

CREATING A NOTEBOOK OF SPIRIT WRITING
Infusing the Notebook of Spirit Writing and the pen it will be used with requires the creator to follow a very particular series of ritualistic steps. Any deviation in the order, or any shorter time, and the character will either end up with an item that doesn't function, or an item that functions incorrectly and is possibly dangerous.

   If there is an error or disruption in the rituals along the way, the creator can either restart the enchantment process with other items, or he or she can take a chance that the process will still be successful. At the end of each entry describing the steps in the ritual, there is a section that states the chance of failure and the results of success or failure. The GM should roll against the listed percentage whenever there's a step that's not done properly. If the roll is below or equal to the stated number, the step fails.

1. Selecting the Notebook and the Pen

The value and quality of the items used to make a Notebook of Spirit Writing are immaterial; what matters is the creator's desire to communicate with the subject and the steps taken to charge them with magic. The notebook can be anything from a spiral-bound pad of lined paper, or a leatherbound diary, and the pen can be a plastic ballpoint with an autoshop's name on it, or a 100-year-old fountain pen made of gold and ivory. The only important thing is that the notebook must be bound with some sort of covers.

   Once the notebook and pen have been selected, the creator must sleep with them under a pillow (or similar headrest) for three nights in a row. Each night, while going to sleep, the creator must think of fond memories he or she has of the person that is the intended target of communication. 

   Chance of Failure: 100%. 

   Consequence of Failure: Further steps will produce no result.

   Consequences of Success: During the third night, the creator has a pleasant dream about talking with the target about corresponding. The target likes the idea but says there might be risks. He or she doesn't elaborate.

2. Enchanting the Pen

The creator must take the pen to a place where there is a pool or basin of blessed water within a sacred site. This can be the Catholic church, a Shinto shrine, or some ancient site in the wilderness with a natural spring where sacred rituals were conducted. Alternatively, the creator can bring the pen to the central well in an Amazon village, or place it in the Pool of All. (Those last two options are probably very difficult for most characters.)

   The pen must remain submerged and undisturbed in the water for at least 8 hours.

   Chance of Failure: 20%

   Consequence of Failure: 50% chance of attracting a Warden each time the Notebook of Spirit Writing is used. (See "Using the Notebook", below.)

   Consequence of Success: The pen is now ready to be used with the notebook to communicate with the target.

3. Enchanting the Notebook I

Using the selected pen, the creator must write the target's name and birthdate on the inside cover of the notebook. The creator must then take the notebook and pen to the place of the target's birth. Here, the notebook and pen must be left within 10 meters (35 feet) of the exact location where the target was born. 

   The notebook must remain where placed, undisturbed, for at least 8 hours.

   Chance of Failure: 20%

   Consequences of Failure: Further steps have a base 10% chance of failing. 50% chance of a random spirit responding, instead of the intended target, each time the Notebook of Spirit Writing is used. (See "Using the Notebook", below.)

   Consequence of Success: Step #4 can be attempted without risk, and the Notebook of Spirit Writing will function properly if the entire ritual is completed correctly.

4. Enchanting the Notebook II

The creator must take the notebook and pen to the place of the target's death. Here, the notebook and pen must be left within 10 meters (35 feet) of the exact location where the target died. 

   The notebook must remain where placed, undisturbed, for at least 8 hours.

   Chance of Failure: 20%

   Consequences of Failure: Further steps have a base 20% chance of failing. 50% chance of a random spirit responding, instead of the intended target, each time the Notebook of Spirit Writing is used. These penalties replace any ones from earlier steps. (See "Using the Notebook", below.)

   Consequence of Success: Step #5 can be attempted without risk, and the Notebook of Spirit Writing will function properly if the entire ritual is completed correctly.

5. Enchanting the Notebook III

The creator must take the notebook and pen to where the target lived the longest during his or her life.  Here, the notebook and pen must be left within the structure, or within 10 meters (35 feet) of it. 

   The notebook must remain where placed, undisturbed, for at least 24 hours. Once retrieved, the creator must write the target's death date on the inside cover with the pen.

   Chance of Failure: 20%

   Consequences of Failure: 50% chance of a random spirit responding, instead of the intended target, each time the Notebook of Spirit Writing is used. These penalties replace any ones from earlier steps. (See "Using the Notebook", below.)

   Consequence of Success: Immediately after writing the target's death date in the notebook, the creator briefly feels safe and secure and as if someone as though someone is standing close to him or her.

   The Notebook of Sprit Writing and the associated pen are now fully enchanted and ready to be used.

 

 

--"Using the Notebook" and more coming soon!

The material in this post was inspired by the short film "Pen Pals". Click here to watch it at the Terror Titans blog.

Who's at the door this Halloween?

Bring Halloween to your adventures set in modern times with these random tables!

WHO'S AT THE DOOR THIS HALLOWEEN?

If the player characters are at home on Halloween, either chilling or having a party, roll on DO TRICK-OR-TREATERS SHOW UP? twice per game hour between 5pm and Midnight.

DO TRICK-OR-TREATERS SHOW UP? (roll 1d12)

1-2. Yes. Roll on the table below to see who.

3-4. Yes. Roll twice on the table below, as there are two groups, one behind the other.

5-6. Yes. Roll on the table below to see who. Roll again in 5 minutes.

7-8. Yes. Roll on the table below to see who.

9-12. No. But that means more candy for you tomorrow!

WHO ARE THOSE TRICK-OR-TREATERS AT THE DOOR? (roll 1d12)
1. 1d12+1 little kids in costumes wanting candy!

2. 1-12+1 kobolds in costumes wanting candy!

3. 1d12+1 zombies sent by an enemy of the PCs, with signs around their necks reading "Happy Halloween"!
4. A vampire wanting blood!
5. A werewolf wanting flesh!
6. A demon wanting souls!
7. Death, here to collect one of the PCs (but will be happy with a couple full-sized Snickers bars)!
8. 1d12+2 robot assassins sent from the future!
9. 1d12+2 risen corpses of enemies (or grunts of enemies) the party have killed who have come seeking revenge.
10. 1d12+2 teenagers (not in costume) wanting candy!
11. 1d12+1 teenagers (in costume) wanting candy!

12. 1d12+12 little kids on costumes wanting candy!

The Boxes of Doom

"The Boxes of Doom" is a series of random tables intended to spark the imagination of GMs to create an adventure of mystery, magic, and horror. The GM should roll 1d6 against the tables below to generate key elements of an adventure, and then use their imaginations to flesh out the resulting storyline. The tables contain references to certain characters and concepts that have been featured in NUELOW Games products or on this blog, such as the Sorceress of Zoom, the Amazons, and the Witchkind.

The idea for this was suggested by a horror short film by Alex Magana, "Do Not Open", which you can watch here. I think you'll find it to be time very well-spent.

What RPG rules mentioned in the post are nominally d20 System, but the post is mostly rules-free and full of ideas.

THE SET-UP

People are vanishing all across the city, and the authorities are stumped. The only common denominator between the disappearances is that the vanished individuals shared certain superficial traits and that scraps of cardboard boxes were found where they were last seen. This is being written off as a coincidence by most in law enforcement, but conspiracy theorists and online armchair detectives are seizing on that.

The truth is that the cardboard scraps are indeed the clue--the boxes are means by which a sinister attacker is causing victims to disappear.

THE BOXES

These mysterious cardboard boxes are being left on doorsteps. If one of the boxes isn't opened within five minutes of its being found, the person who first discovered it or brought it into a home or office must roll a Will save (DC15) or feel a compulsion to open the box; anyone else who enters the room with the box must roll a Will save (DC12) or feel a similar compulsion. When the box is opened, everyone within the room (or 30 feet, if the box is still outside) are drawn into another existence. 

Can the victims be saved? Who is behind this evil scheme? Roll on the following tables to determine the details around which you can build an RPG adventure!

WHO IS BEING TARGETED? (Roll 1d6)

1. Young Women

2. Epidemiologists

3. Astrologers and Mystics

4. Politicians and Their Families

5. Journalists and Their Families

6. The Player Characters and Their Friends and Loved Ones

WHY ARE THEY BEING TARGETED? (Roll 1d6)

1. Revenge for past slights, real or imagined.

2. Their skills (or just their bodies) are demanded by the Sorceress of Zoom

3. Their bodies are needed to serve as vessels for demonic spirits.

4. They are prophesized to save the Enchanted Realm.

5. As #4, but only 1d6 of the victims are the actual prophesized ones. No one knows for sure. 

6. As #4, but they are prophesized to destroy the Enchanted Realm as servants of the Sorceress of Zoom.

WHERE ARE THE VICTIMS BEING TRANSPORTED TO? (Roll 1d6)

1. A barren hellscape where they die from exposure 1d2 days after they vanish.

2. Prison cells in the Flying City of Zoom.

3. Into cages in an abandoned factory.

4. Into cells in a dank torture dungeon.

5. Into a richly appointed series of chambers in a castle in the Enchanted Realm.

6. An extra-dimension city inhabited by the Witchkind and Amazons--and they are as surprised to see the victims as the victims are to be there.

WHO IS TARGETING THEM? (Roll 1d6)

1. A would-be lover of the Sorceress of Zoom who is trying to impress her.

2. Someone they wronged--or who believes they wronged him or her.

3. A cultist hoping to curry favor with the demonic entity he or she worships.

4. A delivery driver who is hoping to unlock secret demonic powers.

5. An extra-dimensional sexual pervert looking for new and unusual victims.

6. The Master of the Enchanted Realm.

WHAT POWERS THE MAGIC OF THE BOX? (Roll 1d6)

1. Secret enchantments known only to a reclusive demonlord.

2. The boxes include matter from a cursed tree. 13 of them exist.

3. Each box houses a demonic spirit that is released into the world when the victim is transported.

4. Tiny dimensional imps native to the City of Zoom that have been enslaved; they are released when the box is activated and the victims are teleported.

5. A spell that is cast on each box that the creator obtained either through theft or as a gift from the Sorceress of Zoom. Each time the creator enchants a box, he or she becomes closer to ending up wherre the victims are being transported to. The creator can use the spell a maximum of 2d6+6 times. He or she is not aware of this limit.

6. Innate magical abilities of the person creating the box, brought out by intense hatred toward the victims. Unknown to anyone but the Master of the Enchanted Realm, the creator of the boxes is part dragon.

HOW CAN THE VICTIMS BE SAVED? (Roll 1d6)

1. The Player Characters must be transported by the boxes. They will then have to free the victims and find their way to a gate back to their world (assuming the victims are even transported to another realm).

2. The Sorceress of Zoom knows how to recover the victims. She will do so, and restore them all to life and into the Player Characters' care, so long as they catch and deliver the creator of the boxes to her.

3. The Player Characters must journey to the Enchanted Realm and secure the help of its Sorcerer Supreme.

4. The Player Characters must find the creator of the boxes and force him or her to reverse the magic.

5. As #4, except the creator of the boxes doesn't know how to reverse the magic. The Player Characters must either reverse engineer the spells themselves, or seek the help of another expert in magic. Roll on WHO IS TARGETING THEM? to see who the characters need to seek out.

6. There is no way to save the victims; the Player Characters can only avenge them and prevent others from becoming victims.

 

Doppelganger Eggs

This material was inspired by Dylan Clark's horror short film "Hatched" (2021). You can watch it at the Terror Titans blog by clicking here. (Ideally, you came here from that post, as even the title of this one may be a little bit of a spoiler.)

   The game mechanics attached are for the OGL Modern variation of the d20 System, but it should be easily adaptable to most other RPGs that are out there.

DOPPLEGANGER EGGS

Doppelganger Eggs are one-shot magic items that were developed in ancient times by Atlantean Biomancers, and the art of creating them is now only known to the secretive Witchkind and a tribe of equally secretive doppelgangers (creatures capable of assuming the form of any humanoid creature they kill, as well as absorbing their most ingrained personality traits and skills) who work with them. By performing a complex ritual, a doppelganger is put into the egg. When the egg is cracked or hatches when the magic wears off, the doppelganger swiftly returns to his original size. It can then infiltrate the household into which the egg was smuggled (usually among other food items).

   The Atlanteans would use the eggs to unleash assassins and infiltrators on unsuspecting enemies, and that is how they are used in modern-times as well. 

Creating Doppelganger Eggs

Doppelganger Eggs are created using any eggs laid by a non-magical bird or reptile and a willing doppelganger. Two beings with knowledge of how to create Doppelganger Eggs and the ability to cast 5th-level spells and knowledge of the Transmutation and Necromantic magic schools must work together to create the Doppelganger Egg. Usually, the two spellcasters and the Doppelganger are long-time associates, if not actually friends, so all those involved trust each other to do the best possible job and to take care of each other if a client/customer tries to betray them or welch on a deal.

   The ritual must be performed in a specially constructed location with a permanent enchantment area used exclusively for the creation of Doppelganger Eggs and a small number of related magic items. Over the course of three hours of intensive spellcraft, a doppelganger and an egg are merge. By the end of the process, the egg is undetectable from similar eggs, except that it radiates a faint aura of necromantic magic if such is detected for. Up to four Doppelganger Eggs can be created at one time, and the ritual is prolonged by one hour for each Egg in addition to the first one. The makers of the Eggs can perform their ritual once per day, as it drains them to the point where they must have a full night rest before they can cast magic or perform rituals again.

   Doppelgangers that work with the Witchkind conform to the standard statistics in the rule book.

Acquiring Doppelganger Eggs

To acquire one or or more Doppelganger Egg, a character must first gain the trust of the Witchkind, and then they must be able to locate a very secretive group of artificers in their society since what they do is not exactly looked upon kindly by any authorities.

   Each Doppelganger is made to order. Upon making contact, those interested in gaining one or more Egg must provide a general description of what they want to achieve with the Egg, so the Doppelganger knows who to kill and/or replace and what to do once that has been done. A mission can be a straight-forward assassination or it can be a long-term infiltration. For a relatively simple mission, the cost to acquire an Egg requires a DC18 Wealth check (with the check increasing in difficulty by +4 for each additional Egg being ordered) with the base Wealth check being perhaps as high as DC28 for a complicated, long-term intelligence gathering mission). The price can be raised or lowered if the purchaser wants to impose specific restrictions or demands upon the Doppelgangers that aren't directly related to the mission at had (such as demanding that the location and/or assumed identity must be vacated as soon as the mission is complete). The price also increases if the purchaser wants the Witchkind and the Dopplegangers to handle the placement of the Eggs.

Using Doppelganger Eggs

Doppelganger Eggs are usually placed among innocent groceries that are brought into a household or other place where a target lives. As soon as the Egg is cracked or 48 hours pass (the duration of the magic), the Doppelganger bursts forth and swiftly returns to its full size. Any characters who witness this even must roll successful Wisdom checks (DC14) or be so startled that they will not be able to take action that round the Doppelganger appears, and the Doppelganger automatically gains initiative the following round. 

   The Doppelganger suffers a -2 penalty to all skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls for the first six rounds after emerging from the Egg, due to the physical and mental shock of recovery. As such, it will initially try to retreat if it isn't catching potential victims completely unaware.